#merlin concept

[thefabledpheasant]

Not to go all doomed Yuri & doomed Yaoi on you guys, but picture this:

Arthur regularly says Merlin’s name in his sleep, but he has no idea he does that. Gwen’s heard him do it many times.

Gwen regularly says Morgana’s name in her sleep, but she has no idea she does that. Arthur’s heard her do it many times.

Neither one of them ever brings up that they heard the other. They just pretend like they don’t know the other is yearning for someone else.

[princess-of-morkva]

also. we all know merlin amnesia fics, right? merlin gets hit by a spell, loses memories, etcetera-

but how about brain damage. how about a head trauma sickfic, where after days of being unconscious merlin wakes up in his room, with a bandaged head, surrounded by faces.

faces he doesn't recognise.

imagine a fic that actually depicts consequences of head trauma and amnesia on top of it. not magically caused amnesia that can be solved by finding the caster or the right spell or true love's kiss.

imagine character's actually having to deal with it as a medical issue and not some easily reversible curse.

imagine merlin waking up dizzy and weakened, absolutely confused by his surroundings and these strange people who insist he should know them.

imagine it from arthur's perspective, where merlin lays unconscious for days and might not survive, the overflowing relief when he finally wakes up, and then he opens his eyes and sees arthur and doesn't recognise him at all?

imagine having to go from wrestling with idea of his friend potentially dying to having him be alive, yet not the same person at all?

[theroundbartable]

Imagine some guy overheard at the tavern that Arthur has a favorite manservant and like, plans to impersonate Merlin in order to kill Arthur.

He's like: if the King likes him so much, he must be the most efficient, kind, proactive servant to ever exist. Then he magically turns into Merlin, assumes Merlin's identity and tries to take over.

Attempt: poison the king.

Arthur: Merlin... What are you doing?

Imposter: Bringing you breakfast, Sire.

Arthur: *looking at large variety of food*... All that?

Imposter: Does this not please you, my Lord?

Arthur: is this... Is this revenge because I knocked you over at training the other day?

Imposter: no? Your majesty, I assure you-

Arthur: are you mad at me?

The imposter lasts for about 10 minutes until the real Merlin, supposed knocked out but of course fine because he's Emrys, walks back into the room.

Merlin: You're gonna eat all that? Don't you think you're fat enough?

Imposter: *blanches*

Arthur: *visibly relieved* Merlin, you're back!

Merlin: ... Arthur, I think you traumatised the assassin.

Arthur: it's not my fault! He did a shoddy job at impersonating you!

[inalandofsadclowns]

The greatest mystery in bbc merlin to this day is just what was Arthur thinking every time he dragged Merlin into danger with him like some kind of emotional support plushie without any protection.

Sometimes I get the feeling Arthur thought he just made up Merlin in his mind and he isn't real. Like, he's just an imaginary friend who keeps him entertained, makes up silly words, understands him to the core and always has the right answers, often times answers he doesn't like, but the subconscious do be like that.

He doesn't need armour or any protection cause he isn't real. Plus it's easy to keep being mean to your best friend for no reason when you think he's actually you - and you're always mad at you

[takingasterix]

Queen Guinevere's guard dog (AKA the Court Sorcerer of Camelot)

quick little thing because i got bored and LOVE this concept

[wildberriesforwildbitches]

I can't stop thinking about how sun and moon coded Arthur and Merlin are but not how you think. The more I think about it, Merlin is the sun and Arthur is the moon.

Arthur the moon who shines the brightest in the dark. A light that he wouldn't have without Merlin the sun who stood by him, believed in him, shined a light on Arthur similar to holding a mirror up to his face and showing Arthur not only the worst parts of himself but the best as well. Arthur the moon who has his dark nights as much as his bright ones. Arthur the moon who everyone looks at and admires. Arthur the moon who is angry to find out that Merlin the sun is more than just a big blob in the sky but is in fact an inferno, betrayed that the sun never told him after all this time they knew eachother and angry at the amount of times he felt merlin's burn without knowing why or how.

Merlin the sun. Who everyone naturally gravitates towards but never get too close, never allowed to get too close. Merlin the sun who nobody is even aware of because they live in the dark age, eternal night (looking towards Arthur the moon for light and hope) and then Merlin the sun rises like a sunrise. A golden burning ball of fire that shows everyone just how dark everything had been. Merlin the sun in the sense that everyone knows about him, but nobody KNOWS about him. The way you hear about something but dont believe it, not really, until you see it for the first time. There's something sneaky about using night as a cover but more often than not he used magic blatantly in front of everyone but like the sun, nobody is watching him or even looking at him because who tf looks at the sun?

One of my favourite things about Merlin and Arthur is that they can be both sun and moon. I think we see Merlin as more of a moon because it's all in his perspective but if we flip it around I have no doubt that Arthur would see Merlin as the sun. This bright thing that he can always depend on to shed light on things he never even thought to look at. This warm thing he can bask in like a lizard on a rock. He wouldn't have met half the knights without him. He would've been stuck in his father's shadow, no real friends, knights too afraid to fight him for real, servants too afraid to tell him he's an arrogant prick. Merlin is his light. Just like how Arthur is Merlin's light.

Bonus: Lancelot is a star because Arthur thinks he's like him, someone who didn't know the sun was a burning ball of gas but no turns out that he not only knew but he himself is one in his own way. A light in the dark. But unlike Arthur, Lancelot is his own source of light. He knew from day dot that he wanted to be a knight, to help people. He never faltered. Arthur has always second guessed himself, finding reassurance in others (then again merlin also doubts himself). Lancelot knew about merlin's magic and didn't for one second think about hurting merlin, knew he couldn't.

[atomic-chronoscaph]

Excalibur - Movie poster concept art by Bob Peak (1981)

[adhd-merlin]

I am obsessed with this

[princess-of-morkva]

how about another mythology inspired merthur concept?

Merlin is immortal - he can not die, Magic won't let him. Tired of waiting and with no end in sight, he decides to slice his body into thousand pieces and scatter them across the world. He isn't dead, but he isn't living either - it is as close to eternal rest as he can get.

Time passes, and Arthur returns to the world of living. He now has to solve the mystery of Merlin's dissapearance, and piece his friend's body together to have him back.

[larluce]

AU where Merlin is Arthur's familiar

Firstly, for everyone that doesn't know, in European folklore of the medieval and early modern periods, familiars were believed to be supernatural entities or spiritual guardians that would protect or assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic. They're almost always represented as some kind of animal, like a cat or a bird, sometimes a demon.

So, having that cleared up, how would Merlin be a familiar and how would he be Arthur's familiar of all people when Arthur isn't a sorcerer?

That's the thing, in this AU a group of evil druids or sorcerers find out about Merlin's identity earlier and his whereabouts while he is still in Ealdor. Not wanting Emry's magic to be under the command of some prophesied king and desiring that power to themselves, they kidnapped him and make a ritual to turn him into a familiar (a merlin especifically). They also erase his memory so Merlin doesn't remember he was ever human. Just when they where about to bond the bird to the sorcerer/druid leader to have Emrys magic under their command, Merlin manages to escape. He doesn't know who he is or where to go, he just knows he has to go far away from there.

Somehow, probably through his run away ordeal, familiar Merlin ends up in Camelot's castle, with an injured wing. He's chirping in pain when the young prince finds him in his yard.

Arthur: (covering his ears) Why are you making so much noise? Shut up! (looking closely) Wait! you're hurt? (picks him up carefully) I think your wing is broken. (Merlin chirps louder) Alright, alright! I'll find help. (runs as fast as he can) Gaius! Gaius!

The court physician bandages the bird's wing, but he can't take care of it due to his work, so Arthur does it. He makes a place for the bird in his room and feeds it. He tries to not get attached to it knowing the bird will have to return to its natural environment as soon as it recovers. However, after the bird's wing is healed, it doesn't want to leave, not matter how many times Arthur frees it in the forest, it always comes back, so finally Arthur decides to keep it. He has a bit of a fight with his father, because he never let Arthur have a pet, but after the bird protects the prince of a witch that was in disguise by stinging her eyes out, the king finally allows the prince to keep it. The prince, very happy, brings the bird to his chambers.

Arthur: (with Merlin in his forearm) Now the you're oficially my pet- (the bird chirps in protest) Well, my, eh... animal companion? (the bird deadpans) We'll work on that later. The point is, I should probably give you a name. (the bird moves its wings, excited) What about...bird? (the bird shakes it's head) Yeah, I've been calling you that from the start, so no. hmmm. What about falcon? Gaius says you're a falcon, though you're too small to be one, honestly. (the bird chirps, offended). I should just call you falcon or little falcon. No, it's still too long. Lil' falc? No. hmmmm. I think Gaius said you were a especific kind of falcon? How was it? Mar... Mer...Merloni? Merlon... Merlin! That was it. I'll call you Merlin.

Without knowing, Arthur just finished the last step of the ritual: naming the familiar, and with that, becoming the familiar's master. When the bond is created, a flash of light blinds him and, suddenly, the bird is replaced by a boy, who now is sitting on him, while he's spread on the floor.

Arthur: (looking up, shocked) What the fu-

Merlin: (looking down, confused) Arthur! Why are you smaller now? Wait... I can talk? (brings his hand to his face surprised) And I have... hands? Where are my wings? (panicking) Arthur, I lost my wings! And my feathers!(crying)NOOOOO!

Arthur: Merlin? That's.. you? Merlin? Mer...Merlin, shut up! (Merlin stops crying) And get off me! (shoves Merlin aside) How did this happen?

Merlin: You think I know?! Maybe that witch cursed me to be as ugly as you as a revenge for turning her blind. (sobs) My wings, my beautiful wings.

Arthur: (offended) Excuse me? Is not like you were a "handsome" bird either, you poor excuse of a falcon.

Merlin: How would you know, human with so little imagination that names his bird after their species?

After their stupid fight, they go to Gaius, in secret, of course. They can't have the king knowing the prince's bird was cursed. The physician does his investigation and, after Merlin discovers he can turn to his bird form and his human form at will and do some magic stuff, he concludes Merlin is, in fact, a familiar.

Gaius: Incredible! I thought they were a myth. It's said they're spiritual guardians of magic itself and that just the most powerful sorcerers could summond one and tamed them to become even more powerful.

Merlin: No... it can't be. I'm just a bird! I can't be a magical creature! I can't!

Arthur: (Knowing Merlin's scared due to his father laws and believes) Merlin. It's okay.

Merlin: (crying, almost hysterical) NO! I'm not a monster! I swear! I'm not evil!

Arthur: I know. Human, bird or familiar, or whatever, you're a good person. Well, a good being. Nothing is going to change that and nothing is going to happen to you, alright?

Merlin: (calms down) alright (snifs)

Arthur: But we need you to remember. Do you have any memory of you being anything but a bird?

Merlin: No, I've always been a bird. Although... (thoughtful) I don't... remember being a chick before.

Arthur: A what?!

Gaius: He means a baby bird.

Arthur: Oh, right (blushes). I knew that.

Merlin: Yeah, my very first memory is just before I came to Camelot, when... I was trap in a... cage. (he trembles at the memory) There were humans with capes, I think. They said they wanted to... control me, to had me at their mercy. I don't know what they wanted to do with me but I escaped. I thought I wouldn't make it. (with tears in his eyes) I was.. so scared.

Gaius: They must be the sorcerers that summonded you.

Merlin: Great. So not only I'm some magical entity but I'm sorcerer's slave now?

Arthur: (fiercely) You are NOT a slave! You are... ("mine" he is about to say, but stops) your own.

Merlin: (suddenly scared) What if they look for me?!

Arthur: I won't let them take you. I promise.

Gaius: And I don't think you have to worry about being some sorcerer's slave, Merlin. If you were bonded to one, you wouldn't have been able to escape in the first place.

Merlin: That means... (hopeful) I'm free?

Gaius: And in Camelot where magic is forbidden, so you're safer as you can be. You'll just have to keep pretending you're a bird, if that's not a problem with you.

Merlin: I'm completly fine with that.

Arthur: (joyful) And me! (composes himself) I mean, I like him better when he can't talk. (Merlin frowns at him)

Times goes by. At first, Merlin stays in his bird form and tries not to do magic, because, apparently he's been doing magic all this time without knowing (honestly, how was he supposed to know all the things he accidentally broke or dirt in Arthur's room were repaired and cleaned by him? He just thought Arthur has very efficient servants!). But it becomes impossible, not only because not doing magic makes him sick, but Arthur keeps running into danger time and time again, so he has to use magic to protect him. Arthur scolds him everytime he does that, he doesn't want his friend to be discover, but eventually it becomes rutine. Also, Merlin starts to take his human form more and more frecuently, because he needs Arthur to understand him, sometimes to give him a piece of his mind, to warn of some danger he finds out, or simply to cheer him up when he's sad or pass time.

Merlin: Is magic really evil? (he looks at his hands)It doesn't feel evil when I use it.

Arthur: How does it feel to you?

Merlin: It feels like... flying (he smiles and closes his eyes) So natural and beautiful, like the earth under my feet and the wind moving my feathers. And I feel it everywhere, not just inside me, but in every living thing. In every flower that blooms, every pup and chick that is born. Even in you. It's suppose to corrupt you, but instead of feeling wrong, I feel so good and... so alive.

Arthur: (looks at him for a moment, completely in love and then composes himself) I don't believe magic is evil. Not anymore.

Merlin: (open his eyes, surprised) Why's that?

Arthur: At first I thought you were an exception to the rule, but then Morgana-

Merlin: (even more surprised) She told you?!

Arthur: (just as surprised) You knew?!

Merlin: I could feel the magic inside her (he admits, guiltily). I wanted to be wrong. She's one of the kindest human I know, but then I saw her doing magic and... I just couldn't tell you. It wasn't my secret to tell, I'm sorry.

Arthur: It's alright. I understand. (he sighs) She was... so scared, Merlin. She begged not to tell my father, like I could ever do that (he laughs dryly). And she didn't learn magic, she just have it. She didn't even know she was a sorcerer until recently.

Merlin: Oh... (thoughtful) That explains a lot of things.

Arthur: What do you mean?

Merlin: Morgana isn't the only one, I think. Sometimes I fly around and I feel people with magic inside them. Some of them are evil, so I call you, but there are others that just do minor stuff, like healing spells and potions. But there are other too that… don't do magic at all and yet… the magic inside them is so strong. I thought maybe I was seing the potential of magic, but now…

Arthur: (in heavy realisation) So it's true. My father's been killing innocent people all this time.(with tears rolling down his eyes) I've been killing innocent people all this time.

Merlin: (hugging and comforting him) No! Arthur you did nothing wrong. You didn't know.

Arthur: (crying and hugging tightly in return) I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!

Aaaand that's it. I don't know what else could happen. Apart of merthur getting together obviously. There would be a lot of pinning and confused feelings. Arthur first meets Merlin as a bird after all, so accepting he has a crush on his bird friend is not going to be easy. The same goes to Merlin. Lets not talk about when they both discover they're bonded and Arthur could technically control Merlin and use Merlin's magic at his will if he wanted. And I guess at some point the evil sorceress/druids would try to get Merlin back. And then Merlin finding out he was human before and has a mother in ealdor… Damn that's a lot of angst.

Anyways, I still have a couple of fics on going so I don't think I'm going to write this anytime soon... or ever. So if anyone wants to write it feel free to do it. Or just comment any ideas you have for this concept/prompt below so I can keep them in mind if I write it in the end.

EDIT: I DID A PART 2, GUYS!!! -> LINK

[theroundbartable]

I kinda want an episode where Uther realises how useful Merlin is as a spy and just uses him to spy on royal guests.

The poisoned chalice episode and then later the whole thing with the Dark Knight proved to Uther that Merlin is trust worthy, so he approaches Merlin and offers him that job.

Merlin: okay ... That actually works well for me, but I have one condition

Uther: Let me guess, you want more money

Merlin: no. You can't use me to spy on Arthur. He trusts me and I'm not going to abuse that trust.

Uther: ... What would Arthur have to hide from me?

Merlin: that's not the point. I want Arthur to be able to tell me if he like, wants to vent about a royal he's annoyed with without me having to tell you that he's annoyed by them. Or if YOU annoy him.

Uther: do I do that?

Merlin: no comment, but let me tell you something about that: any child is annoyed by their parents sometimes.

Uther: hmm ... Okay, I think I see your point. You're awfully loyal to him

Merlin: he's my friend.

Uther: I see... And that's your only condition?

Merlin: yes actually.

Uther: It's going to be interesting to work with you

Merlin: yeah, also wildly ironic

Uther: what?

Merlin: i said mildly iconic

[stargazerlillian]

Concept art for Disney's "Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom."

(Source)

[takingasterix]

If you want ideas maybe Merlin showing Lance his daughter? (Aithusa!!)

this is a BRILLIANT request, thank you so much!! i can't believe this did not happen in canon :(

[skeletons-eat]

Merlin au

"Ser Sevander!", came the voice of his youngest sister, screeching in a way that only ten-year-olds managed to do, "What about this one?"

The redheaded man, Ser Sevander as Cody had gathered, turned his head towards Omega who held up an uprooted flower in one of her, very much dirty, hands for him to inspect.

But before he could give her an answer to the inquiry her twin, Cody's youngest brother, interrupted her, offended.

"Hey! Wait for your turn, Di'kut" Boba spit at his sister, "I was here first!"

"Now Children..." Ser Sevander interrupted in a low voice, frowning.

"-ody! Ka'ra, are you even listening to me?"

He was snapped out of his eavesdropping by Fox's annoyed tone.

"Who's that?" Cody asked instead of giving his own twin the satisfaction of an answer.

"I-", Fox pinched the bridge of his nose, " are you SERIOUSLY asking about the twins new tutor?"

The twins had a new tutor.

Huh, he didn't hadn't approved that.

"No, Cody, Grandfather didn't let you approve this one because he knew you would scare them all off before the twins could."

Fox was stressed and annoyed, tension in his upper body and pace too controlled and fast to be anything but.

Cody was aware about how the upcoming celebration placed a lot of stress on the Commanders shoulders, and he almost pitied him.

Well, If it weren't for the fact that the same celebration would be the day their father announced his retirement, effectively handing over the mantle to his oldest son, Cody hinself, he would truly reserve the sorryness for someone who wasn't himself.

They turned another corner towards the the main council chamber where all generals, the current ruler, Jango of clan Fett, his heir, Cody, to his own eternal despair, and the head of the guard, Fox, would assamble once a month, discuss the current state of affairs inside Manda'yaim and out.

Cody stared at the Fox.

Fox sighed, "No, you didn't say that out loud, yes, ba'buir thought you had enough to do already, and yes you should probably go to sleep."

The grand doors of the meeting room opened in front of them, distracting both brothers momentarily, although Cody couldn't help but think back to the new tutor again.

Ser Sevander. A man he had never seen before and yet..... Someone who seemed eerily familiar to him. Too familiar.

[jonzij]

[escespace]

Merlin and Arthur in the part 3 of this:

Arthur hasn't let anyone treat his wound. It's not serious but he can't bandage it on his own either and, as always, the risk of infection (in an era where even minimal hygiene did not exist) is present.

Not that it matters because he basically feels nothing. He doesn't feel the voices of his knights moving around him as they tie up the rebel knights (remember we agreed to call them haters); he does not feel the damp earthen floor on which he is lying; he does not feel Leon hovering around him waiting for the right moment to pounce on him and bandage him like a spoiled child. And, above all, he doesn't feel as if his chest is compressing as if it wants to fold in on itself like a disposable scroll.

Isn't that on that scroll where all of his story is written? Oh, that story that includes Merlin, the Merlin he thought he knew better than anyone else, to whom he has told things he hasn't told anyone else, the one whom he believed that would be there for him even when no one else was. Was this his Merlin? His Merlin had no magic, his Merlin would know him and remember him...

But this Merlin has been in the farthest corner of the room since he tried to get close to Arthur and Arthur drove him away by attacking him with his sword. He was not the only one, really in his frustration and pain Arthur did not want anyone near him so he kept them all a sword's length away.

Only Lancelot has come close to Merlin. They have been whispering or, rather, Lance has been whispering to him while Merlin has limited himself to a couple of nods or grimaces that seem to be a language that only Lance knows

Before, he would have thought it was a language he knew too. Merlin is always expressive and his opinions, even if they don't come out through his lips, are expressed in his features. Now he doesn't know how to read him because probably never could before.

Hours pass, Leon finally manages to bandage Arthur when he became too apathetic to continue threatening with his sword.

They began to question the haters when they woke up, none of them spoke. While the fear of the Camelot crown was evident, it seemed that there was something they were more afraid of. That is until one of them, the one who had completed the most violently during the fight and who since they had awakened had been the most contemptuous, began to vociferate, spitting on the tomb of the already dead magical people or cursing those who remain alive.

He spat and thrashed around to such an extent that the knights of the round table had to stop trying to hold him back because he broke Elyan's nose. To the point that perhaps they saw some foam at the mouth like a rabid animal.

They understood something among the fanatical babbling he was throwing out.These haters served someone with power apparently and in return this person with power helps them go unnoticed in their rounds of clandestine executions. His tirade also included a lot of "monsters," "corruption," "abomination," "injustice," "imbalance," and other words that Arthur would never admit he had heard from his own father's mouth. (Nor would he admit that in a brief flash of thought it occurred to him that his father probably sounded just like that nutcase)

Merlin, at the end of his patience, ends up slamming his palms against the table, everyone's attention on him and it's as if they were seeing him for the first time. Squared shoulders, deadly gaze, even showing some teeth when speaking. It's like watching the biggest animal walk into the room without even having to make a move.

«Monsters you call us. Imbalance you scream and point your dirty finger at our abilities. But it's us those who heal the ancestors who have not yet understood which plants helped or how to treat conditions" and with that his eyes lit up and Elyan's nose was healed as well as the scratches from the previous fight In all of them except Arthur.

«And you, those born among silks and banquets, are the only ones with the right to learn to defend yourself»

«Say again, who is what »

Gwaine takes the initiative to gag the haters and the rest prepare to approach to plan their next move when Arthur interrupts the silence again

«After all that magic has done to Camelot, what it has done to me! You cannot deny that magic is, in fact, a power that disadvantages, takes from the defenseless, corrupts! Merlin, How could you learn magic after all?»

«You said it, prince, magic is a power, but it is not the only power and it is not what corrupts. Is magic what increases the tax to the point of not allowing the people to survive the winter? Is it magic that decides when to start a war that devastates the lands and innocent lives? Or is the one who wields with impunity the sword that has murdered so many people without trial, just because of false accusations? »

«Power is holding something above the heads of others, put them at a disadvantage, and decide what to do with it. Not many do anything good with it. Magic doesn't corrupt, the power it gives you maybe does, but the power has more than just one way. You have power, and Your lords and knights... Tell me, Arthur Pendragon, are these not your knights? Have they not exercised their power in a corrupt way?»

«That's not... We're not... I asked a question! How did you fall so low to learn magic?! »

«If you think I learned magic, then maybe we were never as close as you've been leading me to believe until now»