A/N: This prompt was so so good I had to do it. OP also wrote one here:
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
I also started putting some things on ao3 👀
word count: 4k
anyways here,
Arthur wasn’t as weary of magic as his father. He did however support the notion to protect his kingdom and his people from the chaos magic brought.
He had gotten an anonymous tip about a magic chalice, with unknown gifts, in the hands of a wood nymph. It was the whole “unknown” business that really irked him.
He picked a small team of knights to venture with him to the nymphs' alleged hide-out. Leon, of course, Gwaine and Percival.
He told Merlin that they were just going hunting, and that they could do without his bad luck. He couldn’t explain it but he swore whenever Merlin came out with him, there was either no game in the area, or Arthur was a lousy shot. Truthfully he didn’t want Merlin to know about the chalice. Merlin seemed to get very quiet when it came to the topic of magic, and he’s surely expressed his disapproval before.
He didn’t have to justify anything anyways; he and his knights would be just fine on their own…
However, now he found himself very much by himself.
Arthur paced the clearing, hand on his hilt, when he saw a girl sitting by herself in a small clearing. He made to ask if she was alright when he saw a gold chalice in her hand.
Arthur walked up, cautious. She addressed him without looking up.
“Thank you for coming. Please, sit with me” She gestured to a rock opposite from her. She lowered her hand and looked up at him when he didn’t move. “Thats alright, whatever you prefer my Lord.”
Arthur was confused at the respect she addressed him. She seemed like no threat, despite her magic. “Who are you?” And what is that cup?
“Who I am is not important. Only the services I offer you.”
“A wish. One, on the person. A chalice like this. Can be a great danger, as you worry. An unworthy wish, will indeed lead to terror, on that that invoked. But to the Once and Future, I ascertain great aid will come.” What the hell is she talking about? “I apologize, if I am not clear.” She looked right in his eyes. “Make a wish, drink from my cup, and it shall come true.” She held the cup up to him, it glimmered, despite the shade from the trees.
Arthur's grip on his sword tightened. “How do I know you’re not trying to poison me? Why would I trust you?”
“Sire, I, for one, have only one wish. From you, the Once and Future King. I only desire the peace of my people and Camelot; your reign; to undo the hurt and terror Uther has inflicted on my kind.” She stood up. “And you are the King who is going to fulfil that. Please, trust this, if not I. As I am trusting you, offering you this. With this use of magic, I am at your feet. A slave to any demand a King could imagine… I trust you will proceed wisely.”
Arthur thought at the girl's words. If she was telling the truth… Arthur could use this for camelot. At the end of the day, all he cared about was his kingdom. And he planned on overwriting Uther's legacy. Maybe this was his first act. A bold one at that.
But how could he be sure any of his new acts as king were the right one? Be sure that this girl was truthful? How could he get ahead? Prevent another heartbreak like Morgana?
The nymph places the chalice in his free hand and steps back. He watches as it fills from some unseen source.
“I wish…” Arthur was still hesitant. If only he could really know this girl's intentions. If only he could be sure to make the right decision in every encounter like this. “I wish I truly knew people. I knew my subjects, my courts, my council… my enemies. I wish I could truly see them.”
The girl seemed like the full weight of his wish dawned on her. He emptied the contents of the chalice.
The liquid burned his throat. He coughed as he finished it. He felt his whole body start to overheat, from the inside out as it went down. He felt its power - no other way to describe it - through every limb in his body. He felt his heart pump, the blood running through his every artery, until it reached his head. His hands flew to grab at his hair, as if that would help. His temples throbbed, and his eyes - his eyes burned. Tears started to fall, from pain or magic he didn't know. Shit, she did poison me. Eventually though, the intense overstimulation began to subside. It faded out and left him crouched on the forest floor, head still in his hands. He braced his weight on all fours, and looked up slowly. The girl still standing over him.
At least he assumed it was the girl. She was nowhere near human, she was… magic. Long hair draped across her shoulders and fell to the ground, she was draped in a fabric Arthur had not seen before, it shimmered, not unlike the chalice. She had flowers and vines woven into her being, and her eyes. Her eyes were entirely pitch black.
“Sire?” She sounded concerned.
A flash of fear, but a small smile touched her face. “Is that what you see? We usually hide them, outside our realm. It scares people.” She explained quietly. But then her face lit up. “But that means your wish came true. You see my true form. I hope this helps my cause King Arthur, Once and Future.”
Then Arthur was looking at an empty patch of leaves. He stood and circled the clearing frantically. She cursed me and disappeared. He turned to the sound of rusting leaves, coming from where he was crouched two minutes ago. But instead of a pair pf black eyes was pendragon red.
He squinted his eyes. The man before him stood tall in a full suit of armour, as shiny as if just polished, rather than struggling through the foliage. He had the kindest eyes, and a yellow glow surrounding him. “Leon? You’re… glowing.”
Gwaine came around into the clearing. “No flattery for the rest of us?” A large grin on his face. Gwaine was not dressed in shiny armour - rather common clothes. But he was armed nonetheless, and there was a certain air of knighthood that surrounded him. An unmistakable bravery and loyalty in his face.
Percival followed closely. He was his usual unusual height, also in his armour, but there were scars all over his face. Arthur studied them for a moment, and came to understand that these were not from battle. At least not his kind of battle. They were indicative of events in Percival's life from before his time in Camelot.
Leon must have noticed how weird Arthur was acting. He stepped forward to grab his arm. “Are you alright sire?”
“Yes yes I'm fine.” but he took his arm anyway.
“If I may ask.. What happened?” Arthur wasn’t too keen on telling his knights he took some mysterious potion and it severely messed with his senses. He just told them he obtained the chalice - he indicated its presence on the ground where he fell - and told them to pack it up securely. This thing was going straight to Camelot's crypts. Still feeling like he was seeing the world through someone else's eyes, he let Leon guide him back to their horses. He carefully mounted, and happily followed Leon back to Camelot
They made it through the front gates of his castle, but the court felt off. Arthur shakily dismounted his horse, the palace was… intimidating. Tall and cold, looming over him. Is this what his home looked like to those arriving for the first time?
He looked down, just to see himself standing on a large stain of blood. He was right in the center of the square, where some executions used to take place. Had they not cleaned that up?
“We need new stones.” He said off handedly, “The blood…”
Leon looked over to where Arthur was staring, “There's nothing there Arthur?”
See it’s true form. Arthur was a bit out of it, he backed up off the blood stain – and bumped into the stable hand who had come to take their horses. He turned to see a young woman holding the reins. She was beautiful, but there was a long scar running straight across her face.
“My apologies, Miss.” He rubbed his head.
Her eyes grew- in fear? Confusion? “Miss?” He swears the scar appeared to fade slightly.
Leon interrupted, “This is William, Sire? He’s worked the stables for a couple months now? Perhaps you need to sleep. We can discuss the mission tomorrow.”
Arthur agreed the mission must have rendered him tired. It was a good idea anyways. Perhaps tomorrow morning he would feel more settled.
Arthur was startled awake by his bedroom door flying open. In the doorframe stood…
The man before Arthur stood impossibly tall, with long white hair. A sense of threat surrounded him, he understood the power and respect this man commanded. Arthur felt intimidated. There was a certain admirance in the air. He felt he could trust this man with his life. Arthur had never encountered a fellow royal such as this person, but he felt a familiarity. A shadow loomed over the man's face, a light shone from him. His face was weary: tired and mean. He had such kind, stone-cold eyes. Eyes that shone gold. He had a deep, ugly wound across his face. He had scars everywhere really, along his hands and peeking up his neck. Arthur was frozen.
It was a split second that he stood there, but it was foreboding and ominous. Until it cracked, “Rise and shine Arthur!!” A big grin broke out on his face. The shadows and lights and aura from him seemed to crumble away. Then Arthur recognized who it was.
“MERLIN? But- why- do you look like that?”
Merlin placed the tray he brought in and looked down at -- what to Arthur was a dragging blue robe, and his usual neckerchief. “Directly insulting me now Arthur? You’re usually more creative than that.”
Arthur scrambled through his sheets. He fell onto the floor and stood up quickly, coming around the bed. Eyes not leaving the man -- the man who was Merlin. He looked into his eyes, that shimmered not unlike the chalice.
He had magic in his castle - in his close quarters - this whole time? And he didn’t know? And MERLIN at that? This had to be a trick. A curse from the girl.
“Merlin…” he said, more levelled this time.
“Yes Arthur, I’m Merlin. I'm worried now, should I bring Gaius?”
“But you’re not.” Merlin looked confused. Arthur started to sound angry. “You’re not just Merlin. You have magic.”
Merlin looked terrified. Even through his anger Arthur felt bad at the look in his eyes. He wasn’t actually scared of Arthur was he? He can’t be, with magic as powerful as that. But Merlin covered the fear quickly. “Wow, Leon mentioned, but that mission really did get to your head didn't it?” He laughed. “Eat your breakfast while I get Gaius. You’re talking crazy hahaha!” He laughed and shook his finger at Arthur.
Even with the all-see wish, Merlin was convincing. That made Arthur uncomfortable, it made him more mad. As it just proved to him Merlin was lying. He pushed Merlin's hand away. “No Merlin. I don’t- I don’t need Gaius. I am not ill. My head is perfectly fine. In fact it’s great! I can see. I can see you’re lying to me. I can see you’ve BEEN lying to me, for YEARS. I can see the magic in you.” Arthur got close to Merlin, practically spitting it out, “I can see what you are.
Merlin's smile fell. “Arthur,”
“What? What Merlin? If that’s even your name.”
Merlin winced. He paused before speaking quietly. “Yes. Yes, I have magic. I’m a sorcerer. But I use it- Yes I use my magic. But I use it for you, for Camelot. Only ever to serve you. You’re the Once and Future King. And it is written, it is my duty to protect you.”
Once and future. The girl had called him that. “You’re one of them.”
“I was born like this, Arthur. It- it is a part of me. But I’m still Merlin; just Merlin. That’s all I want to be anyway.” Arthur could see the weight on Merlin's shoulders. He really meant it - to a degree beyond Arthur's understanding. “And I would have told you. I wanted to, so many times. Really. But- But you would’ve chopped my head off.” Merlin's eyes were wet. I couldn’t lose you.
Arthur just felt hurt, instead of angry. He felt sad. “Do you really think that low of me? “ He asked quietly, “That I would’ve executed you?”
“You’re the king, Sire. Magic is outlawed.”
“I’m also your friend!” And what a friend was he. That Merlin couldn't trust him with this.
Arthur marched to his doors, and opened it to find the guards posted outside. “Take him to the dungeons.” He forced the words out.
The guard looked into the room. “...Merlin?”
Arthur turned back to Merlin. “If you want me to be king, that's what I'll be.” He couldn’t watch Merlin be taken away so instead he let muscle memory carry him through the castle. He ended up at the training fields. Leon greeted him as he entered the changerooms, and asked if he was joining the knights to train. Arthur nodded, but his mind was truly elsewhere. He sat for Merlin to help put his armour on. Right.
“No Merlin to torment today?” Leon joked. It didn’t land.
Leon was always easy to talk to. Arthur could remember him being there since he could hold a sword. Leon didn’t respond at all, so Arthur kept talking. He told him everything that happened, from the moment he got separated in the woods the day before. The girl, her eyes, drinking from the chalice, how leon glowed, the blood in the court, The stablehand. And, how this morning Merlin's eyes were gold.
“Wait wait- sorry Sire- you arrested Merlin?”
“Yes - he wields magic, Leon.”
Leon knew Merlin had secrets, but he thought it was that… anyways - the matter at hand. “And so did you, making that wish. What are you going to execute him?”
Leon threw Arthur's own actions right back in his face, but he knew it was no disrespect. It was a genuine question. And a good one. He had been so hot headed he hadn’t actually thought it through. He couldn’t execute Merlin - he wouldn’t even take him to trial. It was just petty of him to immediately throw him in jail.
“...no. Of course not.” He was just so hurt.
Leon seemed to know. “Think about him, Arthur. I’m telling you as a friend, about a friend. Merlin is living in a kingdom - serving its king - day after day, where his very being is outlawed. He is hiding every day. We are all his friends, but he is living alone. That must be an impossible position for him.”
"Well, you never much indicated you would support him. Did you?"
Arthur thought about the fear in the girl's face, when he said he could see her eyes. About the fear of the stablehand, when he’d called her “miss”. He could picture the terror on Merlin's face when he confronted him this morning. This was the exact ruling his father led that he did not want. He wanted his people to love him, as he loved them. Not rule people full of fear. Never fear.
And now he saw how deeply that fear ran throughout his kingdom.
He was just like his father after all.
His contemplation was interrupted by Lancelot coming to find them - something how they were taking too long. Arthur watched in awe as he stood in the door in the most glorious armor, shiny with eloquent engravings. A vibrant pendragon cape draped behind him. Lancelot was born a common man - not permitted into knighthood. Merlin had faked papers for him to apply. Arthur knew they were fake, but he thought Lancelot had the making of a good knight, so he allowed it. Now he could see his instincts were correct. His true form was a knight.
Merlin had done that. And Arthur was right to trust him. If they were right about Lancelot, then Arthur's first impression of Merlin must also be true. He needed to talk to Merlin. Not shut him out - not throw him in jail. He practically jumped to his feet. He called back thank yous as he ran out of the changeroom.
“What was that-?” Lancelot's voice.
When Arthur gets to the dungeons his two guards are laying unconscious, and Merlin is nowhere to be found. Shit.
Merlin paced the cell. Well, what a shit show that was. That was NOT how he wanted to come out to Arthur. How had he even known? What did he mean he could see the magic in him? What had Arthur gotten himself into the day before? The mysterious quest that was not hunting. Whatever it was, Merlin would fix it for him.
But he couldn’t fix it from inside this stupid cell. He kicked a lump of straw on the floor. He needed to get out of here. He looked around at the walls, the bars, the guards. Well, he was already arrested for sorcery. Who was he hiding it from? He whispered a spell putting the guards to sleep and quietly slipped out of the dungeons.
He wasn’t sure how fast his arrest had travelled, but gossip in the castle usually moved very fast. He walked as if on a job from Arthur, and kept his head down. He took servants' stairways and lesser guarded hallways up to Gaius’ chambers discreetly sleeping in. As he turned and braced his back against the door he noticed Gwen was also in the room.
“Merlin? Why are you acting so skitterish? Hiding from Arthur?” She joked.
“Yes.” Merlin was out of breath.
Gwen realized Merlin was not joking back, and her smile fell to confusion.
Gaiused raised an eyebrow, “Merlin? What’s going on?”
Merlin took a deep breath, worried the words would come out too fast and never stop. The deep breath didn’t do much. “Arthur knows I have magic. Sorry - Hi Gwen, I have magic. He had his guards throw me in jail this morning. I just broke out - I put the guards to sleep using magic but what else was I supposed to do he already knows. And I came straight here because I didn't know what to do- I’m so sorry you’re here Gwen I don’t want to put you in this. Oh noooo. Arthurs going to search for me for sure. He can’t have a sorcerer running around Camelot. Is this what the great destiny says? I wouldn’t put it past that stupid prophecy anyway. Stupid. I end up a fugitive? I save his arse again and again and he somehow SEES the magic in me - what?? - and then I live a convict for the rest of my life? Or I get executed? How am I supposed to save Arthur if I’m DEAD??” He looked between Gaius’ and Gwen's shocked faces. “I can’t do that, can I??”
Gaius interrupted the silence, “You’re getting way ahead of yourself boy.”
Gwen nodded her head slowly, “Arthur would never execute you. Even so… perhaps you need to lay low, until he realizes that.” Gwen was still processing Merlin's rambles - magic, and jail, and prophecies. It was a lot to take in, and truthfully she was hurt. She considered Merlin her best friend, and yet she didn’t know anything about him. And when her father was accused of magic, when she was accused of magic – he didn’t say anything. Gwen wanted to say all of this, but she understood his panic to take importance; she had always been one for action. She was loyal to the crown, and a trusted council member, however she would do anything for Merlin.
They decided for Merlin to return to Ealdor, for the time being. The three of them packed him a bag and readied him for the journey. Merlin would slip out on his own, Gaius remain in his chambers, and Gwen return to her errands, as if none of them had spoken.
Merlin was just crossing the back field of the castle grounds when he passed Lancelot and Gwaine. He tried walking hurriedly, but Gwaine was anything but subtle. Merlin grimaced at Gwaine yelling his name across the grass, but he turned to greet them.
“Where’re you all packed up to go?” Gwaine tugged on Merlin's bag strap.
“I, uh, I’m just headed to see my mom for a bit.” He looked at Lancelot's furrowed eyebrows. “Arthur. He- he kn-”
“Leon told me everything - some chalice and a wish and you. But Merls, he was coming to get you. N-not to execute you! You just need to talk to him. He’ll come around. I promise.”
Gwaine looked back and forth between the two of them. “Execute!? Right, what the hell’re you talking ‘bout?”
Gwaine would have to turn to Lancelot because Merlin was already running back to the castle. At this point however, two knights, and various guards were routinely sweeping the castle hallways - no doubt in search of him. Merlin knew this castle arguably better than them, and he managed to evade being seen. Admittedly it took him longer to get through the castle than ideal. He ran back down to the dungeons, assuming this is where Arthur would come find him. The guards were still on the floor, but there was no Arthur. He made it up to Arthurs chambers - no one. Merlin circled for a moment, and then decided his own chambers were probably the next most logical place.
Arthur walked the hallways around the dungeon, and came up to the back field. Would Merlin really run away? LEAVE CAMELOT? Whatever Merlin was thinking - Arthur didn’t want to imagine that it was that Arthur would actually execute him - he needed him back here. He walked out to the training field in search of some of his knights. He practically stomped over, ordering two to start looking for Merlin. He also checked the gate in the back in case - god forbid - Merlin had already made it out.
He saw Lancelot and Gwaine talking amongst themselves on the grass. Lancelot looked up at him and he looked… tired. Gwaine did not give a judging face - he came charging at him.
“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? EXECUTE MERLIN?”
Arthur put his arms out to catch Gwaine’s shoulders, who just wrestled back. He turned Gwaine, holding his arm behind his back. Gwaine resisted, nearly taking Arthur to the floor with him before he gave out. Arthur released him. Gwaine came up close to Arthur, true conviction in his voice.
“You lose Merlin. You lose me.” He didn’t wait for a response, just turned his heel and marched off. Lancelot turned to follow, he only looked back to suggest Gaius’ chambers.
Arthur marched up the stairs to Gaius' chambers. He didn’t bother knocking, just opened the door to see Gaius perched over some odd scrolls.
“Where is he?” Arthur started walking around the room, opening cupboards and looking under tables. He looked quite like a madman.
“Sire? I’m not sure I kn-”
“Ah. …Have you tried the tavern, perhaps?”
“I know he’s not in the damn tavern Gaius!” Gaius just raised his eyebrows in response. Arthur stopped and looked at him. He looked old. Not frail and withering - but wise, and perseverant. He had small marks on his hands, and a scar over his mouth. Little gold flecks shone in his eyes. Arthur knew there was a lot he held within him. There was almost a shadow over him - just like Merlin. “I didn’t mean to raise my voice, apologies. I need to find Merlin.” His voice was strained. “Gaius, I know about his magic. And I was so foolish, I immediately arrested him. But it was a mistake. I was blinded - by betrayal and my fathers hate for sorcery. I need him to know he is more important than some arbitrary laws on magic. I want to fix it. For Merlin, for everyone. I am going to rewrite camelots' legacy, I am. I’m going to…” he paused, “I’m going to end the ban on magic. This is my kingdom. Not my fathers anymore. I don’t want to rule in fear. But so many people are. They’re hiding. I can’t imagine living in fear, I’ve only ever spoken to those below my authority. Well until Merlin. I just need him back...” As Arthur spoke about magic he saw a light come back to Gaius. The scar on his mouth faded, ever so slightly. But it faded.
Arthur's thoughts were interrupted by a bowl falling behind him. He spun to see Merlin standing in the doorway. Merlin, awkward boots and ears and all. How much had he heard? He stood silently, as if his breath would make Arthur arrest him all over again.
“Merlin,” Arthur breathed. He wanted to jump and kiss him - what? “I’m not going to execute you… obviously. I would never hurt you. I was just so angry… and hurt. That you couldn’t trust me with this. King or not. You’re my friend Merlin. You’re hiding… yourself. You’re living in fear, and alone. And I was too stupid to see it.”
Arthur swore Merlin's gold eyes shone brighter. “I do. I do trust you Arthur. Prophecy and destinies and bullshit aside, I do believe in your reign. And I believe you will bring peace to camelot again. You: Arthur.”
Prophecy-? Whatever. Problem for later. “I’m sorry. For throwing you in jail. And ever making you think I would execute you. And for you living in secrecy this whole time.” Arthur watched the wound on Merlin's face close up. The scar didn’t disappear - Arthur saw there was more to Merlin that he still didn’t know. But at least it healed partially, and some of the shadow over his head lifted.
“Woah. Who are you, and where is Arthur?” Merlin smiled slightly.
A dumb grin broke out on Arthur's face. Merlin’s smile was enough. He walked over and clapped Merlin's back, grabbing his arm.
“Anyways, I can’t execute you. I need you to polish my armour.”
