#because Arthur banished Merlin for his magic

[immortal-clotpole]

“Merlin" Arthur breathes out as his former servant sits down on the throne that used to be his.

“Arthur" Merlin mutters, looking at the former king, now kneeling in front of him. Arthur's hands are held behind his back by manacles but no one really thinks the misty eyes are at fault for that.

“I don't know what to say....“

“Neither do we" Gwaine walks up right next to Merlin. "You should have him thrown in dungeons“ He looks at the one he used to fight for with face full of disgust.

“Thought you were a loyal knight." Arthur let's out a humourless chuckle.

“I always told you." Gwaine raises his voice. "I was loyal to you because I'm loyal to Merlin."

"Gwaine, enough." Merlin turns to him and the crown on his head almost slides down to the side.

“Of course, My king.“ Gwaine's eyes get that mischievous spark again as he walks back to stand next to Leon.

"So, what will you do with me?" Arthur looks up to the blue eyes that never were nothing else than soft and caring ever before. Now there's hardly any trail of the man he knew in the person sitting in front of him. It's his fault. Arthur knows. “Will you have me executed?"

"I've told you when you find out about my magic." Merlin scoffs. “I would never hurt you, Arthur. As much as you might deserve it"

A small shard of the Merlin he knew before shines for a good second before Arthur's eyes.

Maybe Arthur can fix this. Maybe he can have Merlin next to him again. Maybe they-

Not the knights and definitely not Gwaine nor Lancelot will ever forgive him.

But, most importantly, Arthur can't let Merlin to forgive him. He can't. He can't. He can't...

[fluffypotatey]

*smashes in like the Kool-Aid man*

PENDRAGON SIBLINGS YOU SAY????

I have. So many Feels. About Themst™

The complexity?? The layers?? The angst?? Hello??????

Their relationship is just So Much, because you are right, it's all tangled up in miscommunication and missed opportunities, and so many problems that can be sourced back to Uther "War Crimes" Pendragon, who wouldn't know a healthy relationship if it bit him on the ass.

If Merlin and Arthur are two sides of the same coin, then Arthur and Morgana are edges of the same blade.

Because it's the lonely childhoods, the shared grief, the friendship, the vulnerability, the fondness, the teasing, the envy, the jealousy, the almost romance, the protectiveness, the betrayal, the loss, the hurt, the refusal to let go and the desperate hanging on, and the love, the love, the love.

Indifference is the true opposite of love.

Hate is love that's gone rotten.

“If Merlin and Arthur are two sides of the same coin, then Arthur and Morgana are edges of the same blade.” oh fuck….

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FUCK

WAIT HOLD ON WAIT LEMME PIGGYBACK ON THAT BESTIE @0hheytherebigbadwolf (tagging you bc it will be a couple days after you sent this ask)

(Also, for anyone wanting background context on what me and bestie are bouncing off on: voilà)

OK OK SO

we are all familiar with King Uther being the greatest (worst) dad of all time, correct? places such high expectations on his “only son and heir” whilst never officially acknowledging Morgana as his daughter until the very end?

F+ father of the year :)

he is not above sending his children into the dungeon if they disobey him as seen here:

(Jfc he even put Morgana in chains like wtf)

also, he is not above using emotional guilt towards them when he deems it necessary (aka one of the only times he actually acknowledges them as his children)

UTHER (1x02 Valiant) I trust you will make me proud.

UTHER (1x08 The Beginning of the End) I’ve treated you like a daughter. Is this how you repay me?

UTHER (1x12 To Kill the King) You are the daughter I never had.

UTHER (2x08 Sins of the Father) You would believe a sorcerer’s lies over the word of your father?

not to mention that when Arthur or Morgana try to reason with him or argue with him since they are the only ones with the status to do so, he pulls rank

UTHER (1x12 To Kill the King) May I remind you that you are speaking to your King [...] Take care, child, or I’ll have you restrained.

UTHER (2x08 Sins of the Father) I am your king and your father. You will show me some respect!

UTHER (2x06 Beauty and the Beast) We live in dangerous times, I cannot allow you to undermine my authority.

UTHER (3x10 Queen of Hearts) You have caused this to happen, Arthur. My decision is final.

ngl i could include more but i have already spent hours searching for shit (YOUTUBE WILL DIE BY MY HAND THAT STINGY BITC—) but y’all get what i mean: Uther is an abusive fucker and it has messed up the conditions of Arthur and Morgana

now, about the double edged blade…..

as previously established, Uther is a fucking dick and wants his children to obey him but also adore him. with this behavior, the Pendragon siblings react in two ways: with anger & contempt or submission and remorse

way #1

i’m gonna start with Morgana because anger is the easiest to pick out throughout the show. in the first episode of the first season, our introduction to Morgana’s character is her lecturing Uther about executing the man Merlin witnessed upon entering Camelot (such a warm welcome for Emrys, mh?)

MORGANA I just don't think chopping someone's head off is cause for a celebration. That poor mother. UTHER It was simple justice for what he'd done. MORGANA To whom? He practiced some magic, he didn't hurt anyone. UTHER You were not around twenty years ago, you have no idea what it was like. MORGANA How long are you going to keep punishing people for what happened then?

early on, it is easy to pick up on Morgana’s resentment and anger at Uther, who she believes is blinded by his fear of magic and his need for control (which she isn’t wrong about). also, we find that she isn’t one to back off when poking the bear (Uther). she does it constantly in seasons 1 & 2

MORGANA (1x03 Mark of Nimueh) Why would she kneel on a cold stone floor morning after morning when she could make these things happen with a snap of her fingers? Like an idle king!

MORGANA (1x08 The Beginning of the End) How can this child be your enemy? He's just a boy. UTHER He is a Druid. MORGANA Is that such a crime?…What have these people done to you? Why are you so full of hate?

UTHER (2x04 Lancelot and Guinevere) How many men would you have me sacrifice to save a servant? MORGANA  As many as it takes!

to be honest, i wouldn’t be surprised if screaming, arguing and berating Uther about his morals and ethics is her way of proving that she is not weak or submissive to his actions. i mean, Morgana grew up in a household the complete opposite from her time in Camelot. Gorlois, the man whom Morgana considers to be her father and one and only family member, was said to be “just” and “kind” and someone that Uther even considered a good friend who openly kept him in check. Morgana, until the age of ten, understood parental love and empathy unlike Arthur, who spent his whole life without any good or healthy substance of it.

the culture of Camelot and Uther’s wrath is not something Morgana was ever able to fully acclimate to as Uther himself pointed out in 1x12. She “was at odds with [him] since the beginning” and could never picture herself as a Pendragon (point further proven in 4x05: she looked revolted when Queen Annis compared her to Uther) because she didn’t share in their idea of magic = evil and a king = absolute control.

ironic in terms of future plot events, isn’t it :’)

way #2

compare that to Arthur: man’s respressed af. keeps all his emotions under lock and key if they are anything but haughty and serious. y’all, Arthur even says it himself how he “[can't] disagree with Father [Uther] in public.” whenever Arthur finds himself at odds with Uther, he holds his tongue and waits until he can disobey secretly (2x05 when he leaves to rescue Gwen, 1x08 when he helps Morgana sneak out Mordred in the dark of the night, 2x08 when he sneaks out to meet Morgause for more info about his mom, etc). it is only the rare moments when Arthur feels impassioned enough to speak up without fearing any retribution does Arthur talk back at him (so satisfying 👌)

ARTHUR (1x03 Mark of Nimueh) [Morgana’s] right, Father. You hear the word magic, you no longer listen.

ARTHUR (2x08 Sins of the Father) This is what fuels your hatred for those who practice magic. Rather than blame yourself for what you did, you blame them….You hunted her kind like animals! How many hundreds have you condemned to death to ease your guilt?!….You speak of honour and nobility! You're nothing but a hypocrite and a liar!

ARTHUR (3x10 Queen of Hearts) You can't forbid my feelings any more than I can. I won't deny them any longer, I love her. I love Guinevere.

we can even compare how the two react to Uther’s violence towards them

(ahahahahahaaaaa what a wonderful dad)

on the left, you see Arthur’s face right when Uther crushes the morteus flower needed to heal Merlin (his manservant/friend/????) and on the right, is Morgana after Uther discovers she was harboring a Druid child in her chambers and she refuses to listen to his reason.

notice how both faces are remarkably similar 👀

however, Arthur’s look of shock and dismay come from his hope that Uther would do the right thing. that he would help save Merlin’s life from dying of poison. that he wouldn’t use this as a method to teach Arthur “what it means to disobey and cross the king.” he truly did hope, just like he always does with the people he holds close. Arthur cannot help but hope and trust that those close to him will not betray him and yet so many do. hence the remorse

looking at Morgana, her shock comes from the fact that this might be the first time Uther reacted to her words and actions in a physical manner. my suspicion is that most of the time, all Morgana previously got was Uther reprimanding her and yelling at her to stop questioning his methods (bc, let’s be real, she was the favorite child.) never has he lifted a finder on her like Arthur and i have proof (cue transcript!)

AND! and, Arthur is constantly warning Morgana about not angering Uther any further because of the consequences she might face (consequences this boy is very familiar with) when Uther deems it necessary to “teach” his children obedience.

UTHER (1x04 The Poisoned Chalice) You have to learn there's a right and a wrong way of doing things. I'll see you're let out in a week. Then you can find yourself another servant.

UTHER (3x10 Queen of Hearts) You have caused this to happen, Arthur. My decision is final [...] This is for your own good. - UTHER She will die. The enchantment will be broken. You'll see I was right.

UTHER (2x08 Sins of the Father) I am protecting you from your own foolishness!

so educational 🥰 but see, because Uther presents his punishments as lessons, Arthur himself views them as just a fucked up but meaningful way of his father’s concern because “yeah, I am the first born son and only heir to the throne. of course I need to learn not to do silly things like disobey, talk back to him, be my own person.” <- I’m paraphrasing here

Arthur does and has never seen a way out of the life thrust upon him by Uther (see 3x06). succeeding Uther as king, marrying a noblewoman of high standing for heirs and alliance strength was always expected of him. Arthur never saw a way out of this. even when he and Gwen were in their secret relationship phase, Arthur had to remind himself that this would never last. he loved her and knew she loved him, but there was always that reminder (that sounded a lot like Uther) in the back of his head telling him that it would never last so long as he was prince. he had a duty (constructed by Uther) to serve Camelot and going against his father would mean (in his eyes) that he is going against Camelot (as Uther always presented it to be).

so unlike Morgana, he did not kick and scream but stood firm because that was what he believed was stronger. if he stayed in his lane and did his part, then he would be a good king, maybe even a better one than his father, for Camelot. however, the show proves that differentiating himself from Uther actually made him the better king and more respected, but this is not the meta for that. I am getting side tracked.

OK: so we’ve established parental issues between the two siblings. now onto their very complex, complicated yet beloved dynamic

sO, as i mentioned in this post (because i am lazy and too tired to copy/paste the evidence from there), these siblings do care for one another. they just go about it in the most hilarious and repressed and in-denial way (hilarious to me 😤)

when we meet them, it’s established that these two have known each other for some time. enough for them to bicker and have banter, you know, as you do with a Pendragon. also, should add, neither character are ever aware they are blood-related until s3 (because of some weak-ass bitch named Uther), so you have that very, uh, interesting subplot in s1 that everybody forgets about until you rewatch it. (honestly, I have so many questions. number 1: why???? number 2: it’s only in s1—was it scrapped??? is it like it never existed???? what was its purpose to the plot??? bbc explain yourself—)

however, despite how much it is shown that they do care for one another, they’re relationship in s1 is still undefined and vague as if they also don’t know how to accurately define what the other means to them. it’s very similar to the whole “i really love this person so much but is what i’m feeling platonic, familial, or romantic?” because….you know, guy and girl besties who are close are typically expected to grow romantic feelings for each other, so tbh i would not be surprised if both mistook their love as romantically inclined in the beginning bc, reminder, neither of them were aware they were siblings until much later.

[and this is ALL i am saying on this subplot. i do not want to cause any negative discourse, so if anyone has a few choice words about it, either keep it to yourself or feel free to talk about it with people you know. personally? not a fan of the ship and never will be, but i am not here to post about that.]

anyway, have some featured receipts showing Arthur and Morgana slipping up and showing how much they care for each other.

SEE!!!! LOOK AT HOW THE CARE!!!! SEE HOW THEY WORRY FOR THE OTHER AND WISH TO PROTECT THEM FROM HARM!!! (and see how even when they’re on opposite sides there is still that same love. just more warped and corrupted T^T)

^worried/protective Morgana

^Arthur’s face after Merlin informs him that there’s an intruder heading to Morgana’s chambers

Morgana is very aware of Arthur’s trusting nature. Arthur is very aware of Morgana’s empathy and righteous nature. they understand each other so well which is why Morgana knew just how to harm Arthur in later seasons and why Morgana’s betrayal hit Arthur so hard. it’s also why he never stopped trying to reach out to her in s4 & s5. as @merlinemrys said in this lovely post, the show’s driving force is love. love of all kinds. whatever conflict it is, love is there at the center of it all and, in Arthur and Morgana’s case, it does not save them (just like how love does not save Merlin or Arthur from what lies ahead, as the op of the post pointed out).

that is what makes their relationship/love be like a double edged sword!! that is why they are edges of the same blade!!! they protect and fight for what they believe in and for the people they love, but the same blades cut deep and twist their wounds into a lasting scar.

it is because of Arthur’s love for Morgana that he cannot help but hope and mourn the woman he once knew. it is because of Morgana’s love for Arthur that her feelings of hatred are so strong and ugly.

like honestly,

look at them T^T compared to before

their relationship is so tragic T^T because we knew them before it all went wrong. we knew they cared and understood each other. we knew that for some time, they only had each other to rely on for a friend, a crutch, a breather for when the royal life was too much. both of them were fighters and strive to honor their values. both of them had once leaned on the other for support, had wanted nothing but happiness for each other.

fuck, they didn’t even get the chance to really be siblings because they found out too late, and by then Morgana was on a war path and Arthur only found out at the last minute.

like fuck, man

two sides of the same blade: forged with love, yet used for blood

screencaps brought to you by me, @sourdough-morbread, and farfarawaysite

[that-nerd-who-writes-fanfiction]

I wanna write a really mundane magic reveal.

This has definitely been done before (please send fic recs) but I’m procrastinating and really want to write it.

Literally nothing is happening, Arthur is having a bath, Merlin is tidying up in his chambers one night and everything is basically fine.

Arthur asks Merlin how he manages to always get the bath water perfect and Merlin jokingly says “must be magic” while he’s distracted, Arthur stops and starts thinking about all the fallen tree branches, how his armour is perfect and even if Merlin is late, his food is always hot.

So Arthur realises Merlin is a sorcerer, but not a very good one if all he can do is boring stuff with chores. And if he’s not using magic to defeat all the bandits, it must be because he can’t defeat all the bandits. Not that he’s trying not to die or anything. In fact, the thought of killing Merlin, or of Merlin being punished for his magic, never even crosses his mind.

Arthur shrugs, because Merlin made the joke before, it was just his fault for not noticing it, also his father is still king, so it’s probably for the best that Merlin never said anything, and he tells Merlin to be careful about his magic and to only use it if he’s locked the door.

Merlin’s too shocked by the easy acceptance to panic, so he’s just like: “you’re cool with it?”

And Arthur, oblivious but in love, is just like “well, at least you’re good at something.” Because, sure, Merlin isn’t powerful, but he’s not about to piss off the guy who gives him perfect baths. Then he’s like, “maybe figure out how to lie so my father doesn’t find out about you though. We can figure out the ban once I’m king”

I’m picturing this to be in early/mid season two. Morgana never turns evil, Merlin helps her with her magic because I said so.

So Merlin and Arthur have a while for Arthur getting used to Merlin magically lighting fires, sharpening his sword, adding protection charms to his armour, heating his baths, removing stains from his clothes and even putting them back to being like new if they lost buttons or anything.

Then they go to find the dragonlord, Balinor survives also because I said so.

Merlin tells Arthur Balinor is his father in the inn before they meet him. Arthur is a little worried for Merlin, but ultimately happy for his friend.

Then Merlin uses magic infront of Balinor and Arthur after Merlin told Balinor that he’s his son. Balinor shoves Merlin behind him protectively and Arthur is confused, “why would anyone assume he’d hurt Merlin? It’s Merlin. If anything, he’s more useful as a servant and more honest as a friend since he found out about the magic.”

Balinor is floored by it, and starts treating Arthur a lot better. Arthur gets to ask about pre purge stuff, Balinor tells him a bit about his mother from when her parents visited his when they were kids, then about Ygraine visiting the dragons and how she, Balinor and others in court at the time were friends.

They take him to Ealdor after the dragon is defeated/banished and Arthur looks over at Merlin and realises “oh my god, you summoned the wind.”

And Merlin is like, “yeah? No big deal.”

So Arthur is left wondering why Merlin is downplaying what he thinks is the strongest bit of magic he’s ever done. He comes to the conclusion that Merlin is embarrassed that it was a fluke, he tries to reassure Merlin that he can always practice and learn to do stronger magic like that. Merlin is confused because the wind wasn’t strong magic?

Balinor realises what’s happening and decides he wants nothing to do with it so he stays quiet. (He’s already sensed a lot of power from Merlin, so he knows he’s strong.)

Anyway, they keep going to Ealdor. Merlin still hasn’t caught onto the fact that Arthur thinks he’s a weak sorcerer, Arthur hasn’t caught on to Merlin being strong and just thinks he’s a little bit embarrassed about not being that strong of a sorcerer.

Then they get to Ealdor, everything is great for about two days until it starts down-pouring. Enough rain to flood the village and everyone is worried because Cenred or Lot(?)(I don’t remember when Cenred dies in canon) isn’t going to do anything because he just doesn’t care so their fields will flood and they’ll starve and not be able to afford taxes.

Arthur tries to reassure Merlin that it’s okay, but Merlin just hums. He asks Arthur if they can still lie and say they were on a hunting trip if he does something about the rain, Arthur tells him he shouldn’t push himself or anything, but Merlin says he won’t and Arthur trusts him so it’s fine. Merlin then goes outside and casually stops the rain, clearing the clouds and moving the rainwater into the river.

Arthur is shook.

Then he’s got to realise that Merlin is powerful, but again he never lied about it so he can’t really get mad, so he decides it’s better to just be shocked and carry on as usual until he gets used to the idea that Merlin is stronger than he looks.

There’s also a little bit of a bi panic in there somewhere because Arthur definitely has a thing for competency. We all saw his crushes on Gwen, Merlin, Lancelot, Mithian if she wasn’t just the wrong person for him, I’m pretty sure Percival too. There’s definitely others I haven’t noticed or forgot about. You get the idea though.

He sees Merlin being good at Magic and is suddenly very confused by the feelings he’s too emotionally stunted to recognise. Even if it’s just small things, Merlin is good at something and ‘what the hell happened to the bumbling idiot who forgot to hand him his sword the first day? What? Huh?’

Then after he accepts Merlin is really good at magic, he decides: “great! He can train with me now! :D” and he drags Merlin out of Camelot to spar which is basically just Merlin teaching Arthur how to defend himself against magical attacks. Arthur thinks he’s helping Merlin to protect himself because ‘if all he can do is wind that’s hardly an offensive attack so he needs more help mastering that. And considering no one else knows, it’s my responsibility to make sure he’s safe if he ever needs it.’

Merlin is just glad to be accepted and that Arthur is willing to learn how to protect himself against the numerous magical attacks every week so he lets Arthur think whatever he wants about why they’re sparring.

But yeah, there’s minimal trauma, it’s not a big deal and they get the happily ever after they deserved.

[onceandfuturelesbian]

COOL MERLIN FIC PROMPT THAT I NEED TO READ RIGHT THE FUCK NOW

okok so merlin’s arthur’s servant blah blah blah and his magic is revealed to arthur and arthur banishes him cause uther would kill him

when arthur becomes king, he sends search parties to find his servant friend love and bring him back home but they never find him

when merlin was banished, he wandered aimlessly until he came across the perilous lands. he decides to settle there to test the limits of his power and finds none. he heals the land, the flora blossoming beneath his touch and fauna returning to the once poisoned land. he revitalizes the castle to call his new home. builds the city back up so it doesn’t feel so empty. the wyverns come to accept him because he made the kingdom feel like home.

once the perilous lands, the kingdom of elmet is now known as a safe haven for magic users and king emrys, the greatest protector of magic and life.

arthur, heartbroken all over again because he can’t find merlin, begins to form alliances with kingdoms that previously wouldn’t consider camelot an ally. kingdoms where magic thrived. arthur had lifted the ban on magic the same day as his coronation, proving he was serious about peace for all. the first kingdom he contacts is elmet.

i think mordred probably lives in the castle with merlin, maybe morgana fled there too when she started realizing she had magic. arthur and morgana are united as brother and sister for the first time, uther had revealed on his death-bed. obviously merthur reunion and merthur endgame cause DUH!!! probably also morgwen or maybe morgwencelot (morgana was gone for a long time and lance was there for gwen)

they unite their two kingdoms, then the rest of albion, under the rule of the two high kings

ok this was longer than i intended but i would love love love to read this please i’m begging

[sneakyboymerlin]

Just saw a post claiming that if Gwaine truly prioritized Merlin, he would have “found a way to only stick around Merlin.” Sorry but what kind of abusive relationships are you seeing where your partner isn’t allowed to interact with anyone besides you in order to prove their devotion 💀💀 Your friends aren’t allowed to have other friends?

We know Gwaine prioritizes Merlin because he says soooooooo. His behavior says so. Merlin begged Gwaine to become a knight so that he could stay in Camelot, and Gwaine finally did so under Arthur (*he wasn’t willing to forsake his morality by serving Uther, or he would’ve earlier).

The introduction of the possibility of Gwaine becoming a knight is ultimately about how Merlin wants Gwaine to stay in Camelot with him, and how he worries for Gwaine when he’s on the road. When he asks Gwaine to join the knights, he uses Arthur as a reason to get Gwaine to stay ("You fought well together…"), but it's clear that this isn't the reason that Merlin wants him to stay. He wanted Gwaine to stay before the melee. He wanted Gwaine to stay when he hated Arthur. Gwaine becoming a knight is likewise about more than Arthur. Gwaine offers his protection to Merlin first and foremost, “Not Arthur.” Gwaine wants to stay, with Merlin, before the idea of becoming a knight is ever put on the table.

*If Arthur were to, say, have Merlin executed or banished for his magic, after years and years of loyalty, Gwaine would see Arthur as another Uther and leave. It’s really as simple as that. Gwaine himself was banished by Uther—for protecting Merlin, no less. Gwaine’s father died in battle for a thankless king, which is what Arthur would prove to be in that scenario. He’s not staying a knight.

The point is, just because Gwaine has other friendships doesn’t mean that he cares for Merlin any less. He can be around other people. It’s okay.

[star-rie]

arthur and merlin conversation in my fix it au when the magic reveal in s3 happened:

(arthur and merlin are standing in the throne room, just the two of them with tense silence, right after uther’s death)

arthur: well aren’t you full of surprises merlin: what can i say…i never ceased to surprised you (small smile, still hoping that arthur had forgiven him and ignores the problem like he usually do) arthur: (hurt, thinks merlin is playing with him)…am i a lie too then? merlin: what? arthur: is this- are we- you think it’s funny isn’t it? merlin: i’m sorry? arthur: (scoffs) stop acting like an idiot merlin i know you’re aren’t one…just like how you don’t spend time in the tavern…or picking up herbs for gaius…. merlin: arthur i-

(shoves merlin to the wall)

merlin: (situation is starting to catch up to him) arthur- pleaselistentome- arthur: HOW COULD YOU?! Do you think this is a game to you? i trusted you… merlin: i’m sorry, please, i only use it for you- arthur: AND WHAT? THAT GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO LIE TO ME?! (screaming) I HAVE ALWAYS OPENED MY HEART TO YOU, DO YOU NOT TRUST ME ENOUGH TO DO THE SAME?! WHAT AM I TO YOU?!

(arthur feels guilty when merlin started sobbing, sobbing because of him. Merlin tries to shield himself from him, thinking arthur is going to kill him)

merlin: (hyperventilating) arthurpleasepleaselistentomepleasearthurpleasei’msorry… (arthur tightens his grip, inching closer to him until merlin is only a breath away) arthur: i want you to leave merlin: what? arthur: leave, far away from camelot, you are no longer welcomed here

(he lets him go, in that political tone he uses when dealing with noble matters, turning away from him. Merlin realizes that death is better than whatever this is)

merlin: no…what? No arthur- please- (merlin tries to grab arthur’s hand but arthur bats him away) arthur: do not touch me sorcerer.

(Merlin immediately snatches his hand away, wiping his face. despite being hurt, merlin falls at his knees, kneeling at arthur’s mercy)

merlin: please…my lord, please don’t cast me away…please sire, you’re the only one i live for, please your highness, don’t cast me away, please i can’t live without you…i’ll do anything…please- please-

(arthur fall to his level, putting his hand on merlin’s head. It travels down to rest on merlin’s face, guiding him to look at him)

arthur: i, king arthur of camelot, hereby declare your banishment, merlin of ealdor, son of hunnith. If i see you on camelot’s ground after the rise of the sun, i will strike you where you stand

arthur left the room, turning a blind eye to merlin’s cries. Season 3 ends on Merlin’s crestfallen expression.

[roosterlasagne]

I love all the ideas of Court Sorcerer Merlin straight up running the kingdom. Whether it's the idea where Merlin and Arthur bet on Merlin 'taking over the kingdom' and him winning or alluding to the knights being more loyal to Merlin than to Arthur.

I want to put a spin on that.

There is the angsty idea of Arthur banishing Merlin for his magic and all of Camelot rising as one to either overthrow Arthur or rioting because they want Merlin back.

And there is the idea of it happening when Uther is alive. Where he finds out Merlin has magic and Merlin flees. And then all of Camelot has a simultaneous epiphany (if they hadn't had one already) that magic=good because Merlin=good. They work to overthrow Uther, and Arthur is the leader or silently helps out.

[hoopoo09]

I think Arthur knew about Merlin having magic from almost the very beginning. Merlin doesn't do a great job of hiding it, and he is around Arthur more than anyone.

I think Arthur does know about Merlin's magic and just hasn't said anything about it, because if he did he would have to see his very best friend, the man he loves with his very soul, banished from the kingdom forever - or worse, killed. And Arthur could never forgive himself if that happened.

So instead he just plays it off like he is none the wiser, keeping Merlin safe.

[larluce]

I want to talk about Arthur's reaction to Merlin being a sorcerer in magic reveal fics.

There are the ones that portray a very violent and cruel Arthur. Fisically injuring Merlin on impulse or trying to supress his magic with cold iron. Almost killing him by accident due to outburst or ignorance for him to feel very guilty afterwards. I get why they do it. The angst and drama. And, while there are very well written fics with these prompts, I don't actually believe Arthur would react that way. No matter how betrayed, angry and hurt he feels.

True, there were occasions where Arthur reacted badly, or really, just two occasions: when Morgause told him the truth about his birth and he almost killed his father, and when Gwen "cheated" on him with Lancelot and banish her. However, in the first scenario he genuinely believed his father had killed his mother just out of selfishness, the mother he never got to meet and blame himself for her death all his life, and then killed thousands, not really out of guilt or revenge which probably was Uther main motive, but out of pure hypocrisy. Honestly, even the most kindhearted and nonviolent person would react that badly! I don't think we can compare learning your best friend lied to you about being a sorcerer for years with that. When it came to Gwen though Arthur was actually merciful. As King he should have had her executed, he couldn't NOT punish her in some way because there were witnesses and he couldn't be look as a weak or unreasonable King. And even as angry as he was, he let her explain herself, he was willing to listen to what she had to say. Looking a little backwards, when Arthur found Gwen kissing Lancelot and went on full rage, he never draw his sword at her and is actually when she put herself between Lancelot and his blade that he stops. The woman he loved betrayed him, made him look like a fool infront an entire council and probably the entire kingdom as well and yet he never once insulted her. The much he did, besides banish her of course, was shaking her by the arms in his anger but it's short lived and he quickly apologised after that, because even after what Gwen did to him he can't bare the though of hurting her.

Then there are the fics were Arthur reacts too nicely to the news. He is understanding, he doesn't even get mad at all. He is fine with Merlin being a sorcerer right away. While these fics tend to be cute and all fluff, they make less sense to me that the first ones I mentioned. Arthur still was raised to hate magic, that doesn't go away just in a minute. Also while he can be a very reasonable man, he is a very resentful one too, at least when it comes to trust. We've seen this through the series, nothing breaks his heart more than someone he cares for betraying his trust. Returning to the previous example, while he let go Gwen unharmed after the infidelity, it took him a long time to actually forgive her. Also, while not being a violent man normally, Arthur can be very hurtful with words when he's upset. He threathened Merlin with banishment when he was still hurt about Gwen and Merlin kept reminding him about her. When Merlin decided not to go with him to the most important battle in his life, he said his famous "I always though you were the bravest man I ever met... I guess I was wrong". He didn't actually mean the words, but he's hurt so he hurts others to appease the pain. Was he being unfair and selfish when he said these things? Yes, he's not perfect, he has flaws but that makes him human.

So, how do I actually believe Arthur would react if he had found out about Merlin's magic before Canmlan? Not so different really. He would have said hurtful things, would demand to be alone, for Merlin to leave (not banishment), but he wouldn't fisically injure Merlin in any way. He also wouldn't arrest him at least there were other witnesses and he had to keep appearences, because he's still king of a kingdom that bans magic. But even then he would late let Merlin explain himself and make sure he has a fair trial, a trial Arthur would definitely arrange in a way Merlin is found innocent, or he would give him a royal pardon, and he would make sure Merlin is not harm while he's in the dungeons. Banishment would be a last resort if the council is firm about Merlin being punish, because laws and mentalities can't be changed in a day after all.

But if there're not other witnesses, Arthur would simply not require his servicies for a while, ignore him for some days, weeks maybe, but not a long time really. Again, he can be a resentful person, but not an unreasonable one, he would eventually call for Merlin and be willing to listen to him. The intesity of his anger and hurt, and how troubled he feels about his believes on magic, would depend on which season the magic reveal happens. But, generally, the actions he would take would be the same. Let's remember that even when he found out about Merlin's magic in Camnlan, after all the betrayals he suffered, when Merlin left him alone with Gaius, he ordered Gaius, not for Merlin to be arrested or to disclose to someone Merlin was a sorcerer, but to have Merlin take a word to Gwen! To his wife! If he really believed Merlin was evil, that he could hurt him, he wouldn't dare to do that. Also, as soon as he learned he needed Merlin to have a chance of survival, he accepted his help, reluctantly yes, but he did let him take him to the sidhe when he could easly refuse and demand Gaius to do it or refuse to do it all together cause going to the sidhe would mean using magic on himself and put faith in a sorcerer. So, no, I don't believe he ever planed on taking Merlin to the dungeons, much less kill him, even then. He just wanted to be left alone for a moment, he needed Merlin to leave because it hurt to see him after the revelation, after the betrayal.

Anyways, those are my thoughts. What do you think?

[merlincersei]

Merlin BBC UK TV Show - A Psychological Analysis Series Part 13

The Meaning Of Pendragon In The TV Show

The 3 prominent characters in the TV show who bear the Pendragon last name are Uther, Arthur and Morgana.

The name has its origin in the Old Welsh language

The Arthurian legends were mainly written in the medieval age.

However Arthur's literary origins lie in the Dark ages.

The TV creators have already stated it was their intention to reinterpret Arthurian legends using a modern Smallville format which is modern American in its narrative.

Source:

Even though the TV show does not specify the time period it is set in, it uses a lot of medieval imagery such as plated armor, chain mail, carriages etc.. which were all medieval inventions.

So this dark age last name used within a medieval world but portrayed through a modern 21st century American narrative takes a whole new meaning.

The show also gives us a literal meaning to Pendragon as Uther even sent a dragon to the pen ( Kilgaragh is imprisoned underneath the cavern of Camelot )

Here the name takes the overtures of being a TYRANT.

______________________________________________________________

Uther:

He fits the classic definition of a tyrant.

I don't even have to list all of Uther's crimes because Merlin as Dragoon literally calls him a tyrant to his face listing all his misdeeds in the following clip:

It is Uther who lends his last name to Morgana and Arthur and all the baggage that comes with it.

______________________________________________________________

Morgana:

It is very telling that the moment Morgana realizes that Uther is her father, she rejects Uther as she does not want to associate with what Uther Pendragon represents.

However the Pendragon traits soon manifests within her as she undergoes the tragic transformation from being a brave and loyal friend who helped a lowly servant by going to his village and helping him defend it to being this embittered villainess who shows dictatorial traits.

Her struggle for self acceptance as a magical being and protesting against the persecution of magic users soon manifests as a crusade against the non magical users based on revenge.

The Pendragon legacy here acts as a genetic pathological mental illness that is triggered through grief and betrayal. Morgana being poisoned by Merlin being the trigger for Morgana as Ygraine's death was for Uther.

______________________________________________________________

Arthur:

Uther is the typical distant and repressive fatherly figure who has channeled all his hopes and emotions on his sole male heir i.e. Arthur.

Arthur had a strict military training who is only allowed to show his masculine, aggressive side

Unlike Morgana, Arthur constantly feels the pressure to live up to Pendragon name. The Sword in the Stone: Part 1 and 2 episodes perfectly highlights Arthur's insecurities.

Merlin who is privy to Arthur's psyche more than anyone in the series, has seen the Pendragon rage manifest in Arthur such as:

Arthur willing to kill Uther (Refer Episode: The Sins of the Father)

Arthur banishing Gwen under the punishment of death (Refer Episode: Lancelot Du Lac)

Arthur vowing vengeance against Agravaine (Refer Episode: The Sword in the Stone Part 1)

Arthur vows to punish Dragoon after Uther dies (Refer Episode: The Wicked Day)

In all the above situations, it is Merlin who provides counsel and/or emotional support to Arthur to exercise prudence and not give in to his rage.

IT IS ONE OF THE KEY REASON WHY MERLIN DOES NOT REVEAL HIS MAGIC TO ARTHUR UNTILL THE VERY END !!!

The dialogue in the scene above is very revealing.

ARTHUR: Why did you never tell me?

MERLIN: I wanted to but...

ARTHUR: What?

MERLIN: You would have chopped my head off.

ARTHUR: I am not sure what I would have done

MERLIN: I did not want to put you in that position

ARTHUR: That's what worried you

Merlin knows the trigger for Pendragon rage is betrayal and grief.

Merlin knows it was his betrayal of Morgana that lead her down a dark path.

Had Merlin revealed his magic to Arthur earlier he would never have earned Arthur's trust to be in a position to counsel him during his darkest moments.

Merlin being the other half of Arthur as stated by Kilgaragh acts a superego for Arthur trying to counterbalance his aggressive Pendragon tendencies .

Kilgaragh had told Merlin it was his mission to mold Arthur into being a great king. (Refer Episode: Dragons' Call)

Merlin's influence on Arthur is really exemplified in the episode "Death Song Of Uther Pendragon" , where Arthur confronts Uther:

Merlin then confronts Uther's ghost, reiterating that Arthur is indeed very unlike Uther.

This episode ends with Arthur rejecting Uther and what Uther stands for, by blowing the Horn of Cathbhadh and sending Uther back to the spirit realm.

______________________________________________________________

In Conclusion:

It was a masterful stroke by the series creators to have Morgana and Arthur introduced to the audience in contrasting light. (Refer Episode: Dragons' Call)

Morgana is shown distressed as a man is executed by Uther for being a sorcerer whereas Arthur is seen bullying one of his squires.

The audience is only privy to the information that Arthur is Uther's son and Morgana is unrelated to Uther resulting in the viewer sympathizing with Morgana and rooting against Arthur.

However as the series progresses and as Morgana's identity is revealed. We see her succumb to the Pendragon traits despite her abject hatred of Uther . Whereas Arthur ultimately rejects Uther and Uther's ideology despite constantly seeking his validation throughout the series.

Morgana ( Hero to Villan ) and Arthur's ( Villan To Hero) character arc ends up in complete opposite directions from where they began.

Both characters are scarred by trauma, loss and betrayals they have experienced compounded by the less than stellar parenting of Uther Pendragon.

It is very poignant that the series ends with Gwen on the throne and not a Pendragon signifying a new future for Camelot.

[clash-of-the-wizards]

CLASH OF THE WIZARDS ROUND 1-B BOUT 6

HAMID SALEH HAROUN AL TAHAN (Rusty Quill Gaming) VS HISIRDOUX CASPERAN (Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia)

Propaganda under the cut!

PROPAGANDA

HAMID SALEH HAROUN AL TAHEN "Goofy guy, really. Lots of growth. Basically (without too many spoilers) he’s the son of banker, literally, super rich. Went to college to become a wizard, was very bad at it in a very good at it kind of way. No matter how much studying he did, it didn’t help him learn anything but when he needed them, the spells would work. Anyways, he got kicked out, was cut off by his parents, became a mercenary because he recognized a friend from university during a street fight with a bit too much death and didn’t figure out he was a sorcerer till season 3. He did learn not to be a little spoiled brat though, growth"

HISIRDOUX CASPERAN "HES SO COOL AND CHILL!!! Silly big brother wizard who slacks off and casts spells!!!"

"Before, he was clumsy and he was trying his best when like not that experienced (he was Merlin's apprentice btw) but he has grown quite a lot now he's much more serious still kept his personality which means he can be sometimes still impulsive in the face of danger he's like 919-920 (but still look 19yo bc wizard logic) and is still like very hard-working and still learns to one day be worthy to be a master wizard He protects the universe against evil monsters. He doesn't want the power to go to his head so as a csq magic is never his first resort he will try to fight without it if he can (which is kinda badass) and then use magic if he can't Some of the cool powers he has: • Sleep Inducement: put others into an instant deep sleep • Banishing: able to banish and imprison (in like limbo for example) • Infinite Hallways: can cast infinite hallway portals that can trap ppl with no way out • Memory Projection: able to use his magic on the tree name carvings of Arthur, Gwen, and Morgana to bring their childhood memories to life (idk if he can do it if he doesn't know them) • Pyrokinesis, Flight & Telekinesis •Astral Projection • some kind of time magic: he capable of creating time traps (which slow down time in a bubble around the one who tripped it) His design is very cool and like he has a staff now, it's all between like nuances of blue and like dark, even his magic is blue so like love the consistency"

[theroundbartable]

Hi! I want to share a merthur prompt that's been on me mind for a long time, but cannot write cause english is not my first language and I'm afraid to make mistakes. I would love for you to write it, but if you only share the prompt for someone else to do it, it's fine too.

You know how in the arthurian mithology Arthur wasn't raise as a prince to begin with but was discover later? Not only that, but Utter was the one who order Merlin to hide him, so he took him and made other family raise him.

Well, inspired on this I though what if our BBC Merlin did this? I imagine inmortal Merlin after the events of camlam, mad with grieve, tired of waiting for Arthur and cursing destiny and fate, would come to the conclusion that it was the prophesy he tried to fulfill that ended up killing and condeming Arthur. So, as soon as he learns how to, he travels back in time just when Arthur is about to be born. He kidnaps baby Arthur and gives him to a nice couple in Ealdor who he knows can't have children and will raise him well. He doesn't care about destiny anymore, he just wants Arthur to be happy and safe.

Obviously this has consecuences: Utter's hate towards magic becomes worse because he did not only lose his wife to a sorcerer but his son and heir as well. Search parties look for the lost prince for years without success and Utter is force to acknowledge Morgana as his daughter since he refuses to marry again, let alone have another heir. He won't stop looking for his son though no matter how much his council pleads him to.

Meanwhile, little Arthur meets little Merlin and become inseparable friends. Merlin from the future smiles, watching them from afar. He's been looking after Arthur all this time, making sure he won't be found and that he's safe. Suddenly he notices his body is starting to be less solid and realise that sooner or later he's going to disappear because there can be two Merlins coexisting in the same time. Not wanting to leave Arthur unprotected, he decides to orquest secret encounters with his younger self in the woods disguise as Dragoon/Emrys to start giving him magic leasons so he can control his magic better, ergo protect Arthur when he is not around. However, Arthur follows Merlin one day to see where he always goes of to and he discovers his best friend has magic. He takes it well though and even asks "Emrys" to teach him too. "Emrys" says something along the lines "You don't have magic I can work with but you defenitely have strength and courage. I can teach you to be a Knight" and he does. From then on he gives them not only magic and knight leasons, but education in general.

The day "Emrys" knows he is going to die/disappear he meets with Merlin, who is a teen by then, privatly one last time. With all the power he has left he transfers all his memories to Merlin. Overwhelm but over all angry teen Merlin shouts at adult Merlin, who is not in disguise anymore, "How dare you! You had no right to take that away from him! His right to the throne! He could've have better life, he could...". Adult Merlin argues back "Being prince is what made him miserable and got him killed in the first place!". They fight a little more, but in the end Adult Merlin says "Look, if you think is best to bring Arthur back to Camelot and reveal he is the lost prince is your choice. I already gave you all the information you need to be beware of the dangers and consecuences. Don't let any prophesy lead your choices and protect him" and he banishes soon after. Teen Merlin is left without knowing what to do.

He doesn't have to do anything though. Essetier kingdom falls, maybe do to war or a plague, i don't know, and Merlin, Arthur and their parents are force to flee to Camelot. They arrive at the Citidel and... that's all I got 😅 Sorry. I suppose at some point Arthur is discover and chaos ensues, but I don't know how it would happen.

OP, I just want to say.... i already know you're underestimating yourself. This summary looks awesome. I love the idea. And I have no doubt that you can flesh this out.

I'm not going to write it, because you can make this a 300 k story and people will absolutely read it and they will love it. I know this, because I absolutely would. Don't worry about your English, it's more than fine. (There are some spelling mistakes, but that's to do with typing, not actual problems with grammar.)

Look, I'm not an English native myself. I'm German and I started off with stories that made little sense in consistency. I was 12 when my first comment (my brother) told me it sucked. And he was right but that didn't stop me. The level on writing I see in this little summary is what I would have aspired my writing to become at the time. You have nothing to be insecure about.

Don't be afraid to write your own story. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Trust me on this. You will do better than you think. And if you want, you can always message me if you need any help. I would love to read your version of the whole story.

Seriously, I mean it. You've given me enough text to see it. It would be a great gift to the fandom if you tried. :)

[that-nerd-who-writes-fanfiction]

I need a fic where Merlin doesn’t know he’s Emrys and doesn’t know about his destiny, he’s just a good person who sees someone constantly almost dying and saves him because he can’t just sit and do nothing.

Kilgharrah doesn’t exist. Plot holes aside, the bitchy basement gecko can go to hell.

Anyway.

This all takes place during The Beginning of The End episode.

Mordred doesn’t call Merlin Emrys, he just cries out for help (and for his dad). Merlin steps in, the rest of the episode is the same but Merlin is determined to help the druid boy he found. Without crusty dinosaur harping on, he gets to choose the right thing for his own morals and critical thinking. Gaius is unsurprisingly resistant, so Merlin is being extremely careful, then Arthur finds him in Morgana’s chambers while he’s healing Mordred.

Let’s go with Morgana already knows about Merlin’s magic and he’s been helping her too against Gaius’ advice.

Arthur feels betrayed and is upset because Merlin can’t seem to give him a straight answer about anything. It’s all still new to him, but he’s learning that Merlin is good even if he doesn’t answer any of Arthur’s questions about magic or why he doesn’t use spells or anything like that. He’s angry but he can’t punish Merlin and free Mordred without being hypocritical, so he mostly sulks.

In all the perceived lies, Arthur snaps and instead of punishing him, he doesn’t let Merlin leave his side until he tells the truth.

So when Arthur takes Mordred back to the Druids, Merlin goes with him. Iseldir greets them as “Emrys and The Once and Future King” They’re both confused, but obviously Arthur is the future king so Arthur asks who Iseldir thought Merlin was.

Iseldir reveals their destiny that Merlin is the god of magic. Merlin is silent and Arthur is so confused and hurt about why Merlin didn’t trust him.

Iseldir answers all of Arthur’s questions about destiny and the prophecy while Merlin doesn’t say a word. He takes it to mean Merlin is ashamed or something similar about the truth coming out, meanwhile Merlin is grappling with the fact that he supposedly isn’t human. After days of Arthur picking on him for “lying” and all the unintentionally cruel jibes, when Iseldir tries to say Merlin was blessed with his power and that it was something he should be grateful for.

Merlin breaks down in a Percy Jackson style “I’m not a god! There’s something wrong with me! I get that whatever I am isn’t supposed to happen, I know I’m a monster, believe me. I never even learned magic and every time I’ve tried to get rid of it, it’s almost killed me! So don’t tell me that this is a blessing, that this curse is something I should be happy about because it’s the reason I’ve spent every single day of my entire life terrified!” Then he stops for a second and the tears roll down his cheeks, “I’m sorry, but I’m not what you think I am. You need to find someone else to believe in.”

(Skip to the end for a happy ending, this is angsty. Warning for dark!Arthur and major character death)

Arthur thinks Merlin is lying and banishes him on the spot. Iseldir warns against it, but Merlin is just so tired so he doesn’t fight it. He’s left broken and believing he’s a monster, so be leaves to protect his friends.

Until a month or so later Arthur is on a hunt when he gets separated and lost, then injured by bandits. Merlin finds him, (he’s been sent off by the druids for failing this destiny he knew nothing about, in search of a solution but they’re not very forthcoming with information) and Merlin heals him. Then they get all the diamond of the day moments while Merlin is nursing Arthur back to health until he succumbs to infection.

Merlin gives his life for Arthur, knowing that he’ll be a good king. This leads Arthur to become really dark, he kills his father and takes over Camelot, welcoming magic but killing anyone with a different opinion. No one is safe, war breaks out and Camelot falls. When Arthur dies, young and during an uprising, he meets Merlin again in Avalon. Merlin doesn’t recognise Arthur with all he’s become, and Arthur is punished to watch all his people suffer with his old mind while watching Merlin continuously pushing him away because “he’s waiting for Arthur, he shouldn’t be alone when he gets here. He would’ve been a good king, he needs someone to take care of him now.” And it breaks Arthur’s heart to hear it every time.

That’s all I got so far, it could be that they’re both driven mad waiting, Arthur by watching his people and Merlin by waiting for a man he’s doomed to never recognise again. I’m not sure, I haven’t gotten that far.

Or for less angst, hurt/comfort where Arthur has to realise that Merlin is just as in the dark as he is, he really doesn’t know any of the questions Arthur had and he’s probably been looking for answers a lot longer. They work together to fix everything and while it’s difficult, Merlin still has issues with lying to protect his friends (intent/outcome issues) Arthur is too trusting still and they have to deal with Morgause and all the other threats but they overcome it together. Albion is united and they live happily ever after.

[the-pen-pot]

Convivial

Summary: Merlin is propositioned. Arthur intervenes.

------

The problem with feasts, Merlin thought with some annoyance, was that it did not take long for various members of the nobility to slide down the slippery slope from "convivial" to "raucous". For all their fine breeding, once the wine started flowing it seemed all manners went out of the window.

Generally speaking, Uther did not tolerate his nobles meddling with the servants. It was more because he thought such behaviour beneath his courtiers rather than out of any regard for the safety and happiness of the castle staff. Still, the King did not have eyes everywhere, and his various lords and ladies took the view that what Uther didn't know couldn't hurt them.

That was how he found himself here, pinned into an alcove in one of the hallways by Lord Bancroft. The cold stone of the castle wall dug into his back as the lord's body pressed against his front from shoulder to hip, all hard muscle and harder... other things.

It was not the first time Bancroft had cornered him, but before, he had kept his torso braced and distant in a faint parody of respect. All Merlin had to do was duck under his arm, make his excuses and be on his way. Clearly, he had learned from his mistakes, and now Merlin could barely breathe as Bancroft's whispered words poured into his ear like hot ash.

'I would treat you well. Smother you in gifts and riches. If you were my bed-mate, you could have anything you desire. You would only need serve me on your back.'

Only on my back? Merlin thought. That's not very imaginative.

If this was some idiot down the tavern, he would have already kneed him in the fork, but if he defended himself against a noble then there was a good chance he'd end up in the dungeon for his troubles. It would be his word against theirs: self-defence versus an unprovoked attack, and he knew who Uther would believe.

'My Lord,' he said, quiet but firm. 'Release me.'

'You must grow tired of tending to the needs of the Prince – serving him day and night from what I hear, and with little thanks for your efforts. Or perhaps he grows tired of you. He has seemed more... distant... of late, and someone else served him at the feast tonight. You should be with a man who appreciates you.'

Merlin grimaced, swallowing hard. He had not realised that anyone else had noticed that he and Arthur had been more stilted with each other. It was his own fault. He was the one who had finally found the courage to tell Arthur about his magic. While he was glad he had not sent him to the pyre or banished him into exile, Merlin missed the easy friendship they'd once had and the trust Arthur had given him. Some days, he wondered if he would ever get that back.

It seemed even Bancroft had noticed and had chosen his moment to strike. His promises all sounded as sweet as a songbird, but it was also absolute bullshit. Bancroft was a good-looking man, but his reputation brimmed with brutality. When his latest favourite lost their shine, they instead seemed to collect bruises. Hadn't his last mistress died after taking a nasty tumble down some stairs?

Now, he'd decided he wanted Merlin. Not, he suspected, because of the way he looked. Instead, it was about his status. If Bancroft could steal him away from Arthur – Prince and heir to the kingdom – then it would be a feather in his cap when it came to the gossip of the court.

'It's my honour to serve Prince Arthur in whatever way he asks of me.' Which sadly did not involve time spent between the bedsheets, but Bancroft didn't need to know that. 'Now let me go.'

'I think not.'

Merlin wasn't sure what was worse, the writhe of his tongue as he thrust it into Merlin's mouth, or the sudden, painful grind of Bancroft's hard cock against him. For a split-second he froze, paralysed by his surprise before anger surged – a cresting rush of prickly heat that fountained through his chest and filled his head with its buzz.

There was no room to pull back his fist for a punch, but it was the matter of a moment to bite down hard on Bancroft's tongue. The hot copper taste of blood flooded his mouth as Bancroft reared back with a yell, clamping his hand over his lips as he glared at Merlin through the curtain of his tumbled fringe.

Quick as a snake, Bancroft drew back his hand, ever muscle coiled to slam his fist into the side of Merlin's head. Except the blow never came. Instead, he froze, his body locking up in surprise as a familiar voice came from behind him.

'Enough, Lord Bancroft.'

Merlin closed his eyes in disbelief, cursing his dreadful luck. Of everyone to find him like this, it had to be Arthur.

He shifted to the side, his gaze darting down to the point of Arthur's dagger where it pressed over Bancroft's right kidney in emphasis. Arthur's face was like granite, utterly unyielding and devoid of emotion. Only his eyes gave him away, snapping with anger. 'You are clearly the worse for drink. It has affected your judgement and allowed you to forget the covenants of the court. The servants are not to be used for your pleasure.'

Bancroft's face twisted into something ugly, and the wine he'd consumed had clearly dismissed any good judgement he might have once had. 'Of course not, Your Highness. They are reserved for your use, I suppose?'

The leering innuendo couldn't be more obvious, and Merlin rolled his eyes in disbelief. It was a cheap blow, and nothing he or Arthur hadn't heard before. Normally, Merlin shrugged it off and Arthur feigned complete ignorance, delighting in the discomfort of his courtiers when they tried to explain what they meant. This time, though, Merlin caught a glimpse of something as it flickered over Arthur's features: a shadow he could not name, there and gone again.

'Merlin chooses who he beds, Lord Bancroft, and I believe he's made his answer to your invitation more than clear.'

There were some men who could take rejection with grace. Unfortunately, Bancroft wasn't one of them. Merlin could see the bloom of fury in his eyes: a harsh, illogical rage. For one appalling moment he thought he might attack Arthur, but when he lunged, it was in Merlin's direction, his fist raised and his face thunderous.

It was the matter of a moment to step to one side, using the man's momentum against him. Merlin's fingers tangled in those curls and slammed Bancroft, hard, against the castle wall. The man dropped like a stone, his eyes rolling up in his head and his body falling limp.

'Well done,' Arthur managed after a moment's stunned silence. 'Is he dead?'

He sounded supremely unbothered by the prospect, and Merlin scoffed, shaking his head. 'No, he's still breathing.'

'Pity.' Arthur sighed, sheathing his dagger back in his boot before he looked Merlin over, his gaze lingering on his rumpled clothes. All trace of humour fled his face as he stepped forward, one hand reaching out in an aborted movement before falling back to his side. 'Are you all right?'

Merlin grunted. 'I won't be when he wakes up. He's going to go straight to Uther. I'll probably end up in the dungeons for my trouble.'

'No, you won't. You were assisting Lord Bancroft – who had overindulged – back to his bed. Unfortunately, he stumbled and headbutted the wall.'

'Who's going to believe that?'

'Everyone, if I'm the one saying it.' Arthur folded his arms over his chest, lifting his eyebrows as if daring Merlin to argue. A moment later, he glanced along the corridor, dropping his voice to nothing but a murmur. 'Besides, bruises are easier to excuse than accusations of magic. I assume you didn't' – He wiggled his fingers back and forth in the air – 'do anything?'

Merlin sighed. 'No. He was too close. He would have seen.'

'Right, well. We can't leave him here. Grab one arm and throw it over your shoulder. We'll take him to his chambers.' Arthur bent down to take Bancroft's other arm, and between the two of them they dragged him to his feet, bracing themselves for a long, clumsy stumble through the castle.

No one interrupted them. Most people were still at the feast, and the few guards on duty knew it was not their place to ask. When they finally dumped Lord Bancroft on the bed, Arthur stepped back with a sneer, letting out a breath before grabbing Merlin's shoulders and steering him out of the room. 'Don't worry. If he wakes up squawking any accusations in court, we'll make sure he regrets it. And Merlin?'

'Yeah?'

'From now on, I expect you to stay at my side during feasts.'

'But, George...'

'There's only so many jokes about brass I can stand.'

Merlin drew in a breath. He knew better than to keep pushing. Arthur was rubbish at apologising, even at the best of times, but he had learnt to read between the lines and find what he wasn't saying. This was an olive branch of sorts: the first step to bridging the distance that had yawned between them since Merlin's confession, and he seized it gratefully.

'Yes, Sire.'

------

'Wear this.' Arthur tossed something shiny at Merlin as he walked through the door to the Prince's chambers. He dropped the clean laundry he had been carrying in order to snatch it from the air, huffing a protest at the resulting mess.

'Prat. You did that on purpose.' He held up the medallion, which was not much bigger than a coin and strung on a leather cord. His breath caught when he recognised Arthur's personal heraldry: not something of Camelot, but a design that belonged to the Prince alone. It was etched, not stamped, suggesting something carefully commissioned rather than made in haste. 'What's this for?'

For a minute, he thought Arthur might fob him off with an excuse, hand-waving away any need to explain. He could see the temptation to do just that in the crease of Arthur's brow, but in the end, he leaned back against his desk, his folded arms the only clue to his tension.

'There's another feast coming up. Hopefully, considering how Bancroft left Camelot in disgrace after last time, the other nobles will have some common sense. However, if one of them should try anything while you're wearing that, I can at least call them out in the duelling ring.'

Merlin wet his lip, narrowing his eyes and tilting his head to the side as he looked at Arthur. His faint suspicions about what, precisely, Arthur had given him crystallised into certainty, but he needed to hear it from his own lips. 'And why's that?'

'Because...' Arthur sighed, straightening up and stepping closer, reaching out to curl Merlin's fingers closed around the pendant, securing it in his grasp. 'It marks you as my favourite and places you under my protection.'

Merlin stared, half-hypnotised by the press of Arthur's hand over his own and the cool metal of the necklace quickly warming in his palm. The incident with Bancroft happened more than a month ago; he had thought it forgotten. 'People will talk.'

'People already talk.' Arthur looked down at their joined hands before glancing up at Merlin through his lashes. This time, there was no missing the flash of something hot and longing in his eyes, hastily stifled.

It was not the first time, these past few weeks, that Merlin had caught a glimpse of that same emotion. Initially, he had told himself it was nothing but wishful thinking. Then, he had started to hope. Now he looked at Arthur and wondered how he could ever have missed it.

He went to draw back, but Merlin tightened his grip, holding Arthur in place as he prayed to whatever gods might be listening that he was not misreading the situation. Nervous butterflies thrashed in his stomach as he dredged up his courage, untangling his voice from the briar of his own fear as he shifted closer, reducing the distance between them to little more than a hand-span of space. 'Would you like to give them something worth talking about?'

He watched the way Arthur's eyes darkened at his implication. The tip of his tongue was a glimmer of pink as he licked his bottom lip, and Merlin followed its path with his gaze, helpless.

When Arthur spoke, his voice was hoarse, as if he longed to smother the words in his throat but had to speak them anyway. 'You don't – you don't have to do this. There's no price for this, Merlin. I don't expect anything of you.'

'And what if I want to?' Merlin asked. 'What would your answer be then?'

He waited, his heart in his throat and his whole body humming with possibility. He could neither move forward nor retreat, not without Arthur’s permission. He had made the offer, and it was Arthur's choice what happened now.

He did not have to wait long.

A tiny hint of pressure from Arthur's hand was all it took to close that final space, his answer not spoken, but rich and heady in the heat of his lips over Merlin's own, dizzying and perfect.

Yes, said the kiss, the first of many. Now and always, yes.

[sneakyboymerlin]

Gwaine does not seem to like magic much in the later seasons and happily hunts down sorcerers (dragoon, the guy from 5x05, finna) Thoughts on that?

I’ve answered similar questions before! Unfortunately, Tumblr’s search function doesn’t like me, or I’d link to my older analyses 😔

As early as 3x04 (Gwaine’s introductory episode!), Gwaine is implied to have some bias against magic. Not as severe as Arthur’s, but any bias can be dangerous. When Merlin goes to Gaius and Gwaine about the Stulorne blades, this is the reaction he gets:

Gwaine: I've seen those blades in action. They're forged using sorcery.

There’s quite a bit of emphasis on the word “sorcery” here, both in Gwaine’s speech and in the overall use/placement of it. The fact that the blades are forged using sorcery tells our protagonists why they’re capable of deceiving people’s eyes, but it does not in itself imply danger unless you see magic as a danger.

Later, in 3x08, Gwaine remarks on magic with a similar attitude:

Gwaine: Wyverns. Distant cousins of the dragon. They're creatures of magic, so be careful.

Again, Gwaine expresses their capacity for harm by bringing attention to their magical origins. But the worst is in 3x12, when Gwaine does nothing to stop Arthur from holding his sword against the throat of a child simply because he’s a Druid. Rather, Gwaine pulls his sword on the rest of the Druids when they come out to save the boy. It’s Merlin who has to tell Arthur to let him go. So, Gwaine not only sees magic as dangerous, but he believes that magic and innocence (not as in guilt, but as in youth and vulnerability) are mutually exclusive. He dangerously adultifies a kid who’s <10yo.

Thrice, in the introductory era of the character, pretty solidly confirms his perspective. However, Gwaine doesn’t seem to approach magic as an innate evil the way Arthur does. He more or less ignores Grettir, despite his flagrant use of magic to turn Gwaine’s sword into flowers. In season 5, he sees clearly that the Diamair is a creature of magic, but leaves with an understanding that he owes it his life.

Gwaine’s philosophy is openly stated in 3x04: “Nobility is defined by what you do, not by who you are.” If he’s to be true to this logic, then he has to accept that one’s actions/beliefs determine one’s character, rather than their birth circumstances. He has to apply this to magical people and creatures. And he seems to, in relation to Grettir and the Diamair.

Perhaps not so much to those who he believes “chose” magic, for what he may assume is to the end of greed and power—some of the very traits he hates nobles for. However, there is only one instance to go off of, and it takes place in 5x05, where Gwaine’s like, 2 lines are the one that implies this, and the one telling someone to respect Arthur because he’s a king (even though Gwaine only respects Arthur despite that fact), so I’m inclined to ignore it.

As far as Dragoon goes, Gwaine seems to be under the impression that assassinating Uther would be evil, even though he has no motive for this. Uther had him banished and even threatened to cut his tongue out. I suppose he might just think that killing = evil, but considering how he’s employed to do just that—and it’s what he threatens Dragoon with—it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Perhaps because he sees sorcerers as a danger, he doesn’t disapprove of the magic ban, and therefore finds Uther’s death to be unjust?

They never really offer an explanation. I think the safest bet is that Gwaine assumes this means that Dragoon would want Arthur—who still holds the ban on magic in place—dead also. “Dragoon” actually plays into this idea.

It would be the same reason for the Finna situation. Arthur has already decided that she’s a threat, and Gwaine is receiving this information through his word alone. Gwaine’s exact quote is: “There’s a dangerous sorcerer at large,” who he wants to protect Merlin from. (It would be a very different story if Gwaine knew that Merlin was her accomplice—or rather, she is Merlin’s accomplice, heehee.)

So, while Gwaine doesn’t “happily” hunt down sorcerers—seriously, more like—he does show a bias against magic, believing it to be dangerous. However, he is also shown to overlook this bias from time to time, and I think it’s safe to say that he would have been able to make a repeat for Merlin if it came to it.

[star-rie]

merthur reunion in s4 of my fix it au:

merthur had just completed an epic battle, they're standing in the throne room, just like the end of s3 when arthur banished merlin 3 years ago

merlin: honestly i didn't think i will be standing here again arthur: me too (stepping down from his throne) why did you come back? merlin: (shrugs) i tried running away, but i can't...

'i can't leave you' hangs in the air

arthur: (sharp breath) you never left, even after all this years merlin: no

(silence)

arthur: why? merlin: i swear loyalty to camelot arthur: not that....(shakes his head)

(more silence)

Arthur: tell me emrys, why do you, the most powerful being ever walked on earth, continue to serve me, a lowly king with too many mistakes, too arrogant for his own good, isn't wise enough for his kingdom when i did nothing but to continue to treat you like dirt, banished your kind and family, sentenced you to exile for the last few years? merlin: (sharp breath) i live to serve you arthur: so the prophecy then? merlin: NO! (shocked at his own voice)

(merlin took a shaky breath)

merlin: no, it's not...it's not because of the prophecy...i don't serve you because of some destiny that's just ridiculous

(merlin looks to the ground)

merlin: you know arthur? i never expected to cross path with you when i entered citadel all those years ago….i thought that maybe i can make a change for myself, made new friends, maybe even become the new physician but

(merlin shakes his head)

Merlin: i never knew when i was involved in something greater than i can ever imagine, when i became magic, when i devoted myself to albion's future but…

(merlin looks at arthur)

Merlin: i think it’s you, you’re the one who changes me, and i’m not just talking about some destiny or some prophecy spewed by the great dragon. I…I serve you because you’re you. You’re not anyone else. You meant something to me. You have a kind heart, bigger than anyone else i’ve ever known, you shine like the sun when you’re fighting on the battlefield. I just- i don’t know arthur, i tried leaving, i really tried but i just cant-

Arthur is already hugging him, and merlin lets his tears drop to arthur’s shoulders, hugging him back. Arthur is crying too, nuzzling to the side of his head

Arthur: i missed you- Merlin: i miss you too Arthur: i’m sorry Merlin: it’s not your fault- Arthur: it is my fault Merlin: blame your father Arthur: i shouldn’t listen to him

They both look at each-other, seeing how much they’ve changed for the last few years.

Arthur: thank you for staying by my side merlin. i will try to make you the happiest man alive. Merlin: but i’m already happy when im with you, i’ll burn villages for you, i’ll do anything for-

Arthur kisses him, merlin kisses him back. Deep down inside, arthur realizes, he’s stupidly in love with the man standing in front of him, he doesn’t want to lose him again

Merlin: i love you, i love you, i love you... Arthur: I know...

Episode ends