Response to a Merlin Reveal Challenge/Prompt (written below)
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MERLIN REVEAL CHALLENGE! DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNN!
That title was so important that I used caps lock, bold, underline and italics all on one line!
Now, on with the challenge...
I'm calling it the taboo words challenge, because - you've guessed it - certain words aren't allowed. Alright guys, here's the brief.
I am asking for a one-shot reveal (word count of your choice) but there's a catch! You are not allowed to use certain words. These are:
Magic (duh, that would just be too easy)
Sorcerer
Warlock
King
Prince
Pendragon
Emrys
Once and Future
Sorcery
Gold/golden
Destiny
Albion
Trust
Betrayal
Treason
Bandits
Scared yet? I'm not done. It's NOT allowed to contain any mentions of the sword analogy "But Arthur, Magic is like a sword!" or the coin analogy, "You are two halves of the same coin young warlock". You can use the dragon/s if you so wish but good luck trying to keep them in character without using the above words. And, no slash.
Genre: Whatever the hell you want.
Oh and just to clarify, it's Arthur that's finding out about the magic so don't try and get clever by letting it be some knight or something.
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This is my attempt, and, as most of my regular readers will likely have guessed, it's gonna be rather crackish... But, funnily enough, I don't think it's too out of character. Ah well, that's up to you guys, so please enjoy, and reviews are much appreciated!
Yada, yada, yada... (Yup, I actually called it that... You'll see why.)
"Damn it!" Arthur cursed as yet more strange, ridiculously out of proportion, winged; half bear-half wolf creatures appeared at the edge of the trees.
They had managed to defeat the three that had attacked already, but one of those had been downed by a convenient branch and another by an, equally convenient, glowing, flying spear...
Coincidence? Yeah, Arthur was going to go with that, because he wasn't sure he liked the alternatives...
But, seriously though, glowing? Someone, whoever the hell it was, was letting their guard down...
All of the creatures seemed to obey a hooded figure, and, throwing her hood back, she revealed herself to be Morgana.
"Hello Brother dearest... Like my newest creations? No?" She laughed at the glare Arthur sent at her, before continuing. "Then maybe you should get better acquaint-"
"Oh, Gods. That was terrible..." Everyone in the clearing, Arthur, the knights and Morgana alike, span to see Merlin, who was chuckling.
At their looks, he shrugged.
"Oh come on. That's the worst comeback ever! And I'll bet she spent weeks coming up with it..."
Morgana glared at him, then gave an evil smile.
"Well well, looks like-"
"Oh gods, the smile as well? When will you get it? It just doesn't work any more... Honestly, it's a wonder it scared anyone in the first place..."
Gwaine was laughing, silently, as Merlin, and the other knights were trying to stifle their grins as Morgana turned a vivid shade of puce.
Arthur, however, was looking as though Merlin had spouted another head.
"Merlin! What are you doing?"
"What? I'm just saying that-"
"ENOUGH OF THIS FOOLISHNESS!" Morgana began, "THIS IS-"
"And again with the temper! Seriously, you just never shut up, do you?"
Gwaine's laughter finally burst out of him, and Morgana bristled.
"Fine, enough of this! Attack!"
Arthur was just about to send a 'oh, well done Merlin' look at his manservant, but froze as the younger man simply rolled his eyes.
"Oh, for god's sake... Astrice!"
All of the creatures fell to the floor, and Morgana blinked.
"You... Wait, what?"
"Figure of prophecy, ridiculously powerful, source of legends and yada yada... you get it. Hey!"
This was to the witch turning and running, and he gave a snappy salute to a, still shell shocked, Arthur, before taking off after her.
Arthur blinked, then looked over at his knights, who were likewise stunned. Then Gwaine spoke up.
"That, mates, was the very definition of awesome..."
Another blink, and Arthur rolled his eyes.
"I could think of better definitions... Ah well, let's go make sure the idiot doesn't get himself killed."
If anyone had any problem with that, they weren't brave or stupid enough to say so, and they all ran after the two warring spell-casters.(1)
They needn't have bothered. A very pissed Merlin met them a few minutes later, looking very singed, and holding a scrap of burnt, barely distinguishable as red, yet very familiar piece of fabric.
Arthur gave a low whistle as he recognised it, and Gwaine spoke up.
"Merlin? You alright mate?"
Merlin glared at Gwaine.
"She killed the neckerchief. SHE BURNED THE NECKERCHIEF! SHE IS SO GOING DOWN FOR THIS!"
Then he blinked.
"Oh, about the whole m-"
Arthur rolled his eyes, interrupting him.
"Forget about it. We're gonna need more than a few branches falling and glowing spears to-"
Merlin snorted.
"A few branches? Spears? I think you're a bit behind. Honestly, the amount of crap I've put up with over the last few years..."
He started ranting about immortal knights, immortal armies and ridiculously dangerous creatures and cryptic, infuriating dragons and spells and enchantments and curses and some guy named Sigan as they made their way back to camp.
Arthur grinned.
This was going to be brilliant...
Then he blinked.
"Wait, Merlin? Did you just say Dragoon?"
Merlin blinked.
"Err... No? Maybe? Percival?"
"Yeah?" The huge knight asked.
"Stand right there... that's right, just between me and the raving blondie that looks like he wants to-"
"BLONDIE!?"
Merlin headbutted Percival's arm before taking off, Arthur hot on heels.
"Why can I never keep my mouth shut?" he asked himself, and sighed.
He could already feel the rotten tomatoes...
(1)(Yeah, I found a loophole!)
So, what did you all think? I'm so tempted to do a bit of an expansion on this, maybe a few chapters and what-not, continuing on in a different fic... What do you all think?
As for who the prompt was from? I can't recall as of now, as I found it a few months ago and only just got around to doing it...
But will update as soon as I get the name!
Please review and let me know what you think about... well, everything!
Raven xx