Hi everyone! I'm not sure how much of a story this will be. I wrote this chapter with the intention of continuing it as a series of oneshots that take place in an AU setting where Merlin reveals his magic during the years between series 4 and series 5. Updates will be sporadic, as I don't actually plan to make this into a cohesive story. But who knows? The first chapter takes place several weeks after the reveal, which won't actually be shown. After this, chapters will just be onshots of any genre within the Court Sorcerer AU. There will be angst, humor, hurt/comfort, domestic magic, and anything else I feel like writing. For now, here's the first chapter. Enjoy!
Ceremonial Clothes
"What will it be today, sire? The red tunic or th-oh! You're up!" Merlin wracked his brain; there was no way he could be late. If anything, he had woken early this morning, and he hadn't dawdled on his way here. So what possible reason would the king have for being awake and dressed already? And why was he wearing his nicest tunic, the one he usually saved for special events?
He cringed in anticipation of the shouting he would get for his tardiness. Leave it to Arthur to blame Merlin for not knowing to be there early. Instead, the king smiled, wide and genuine. Merlin eyed him warily. "What's going on?"
"Nothing's going on. I am capable of dressing myself, you know," Arthur said, quirking an eyebrow. Noticing the tray in Merlin's hands, he exclaimed, "Oh! You brought breakfast!"
"Yes, I brought breakfast," Merlin said, more than a little irritated. "That's my job, just like it's my job to wake you and dress you so I don't understand-"
"Is there enough food for two?"
Merlin looked down at the tray. "Um…"
"Oh, come on," Arthur said, examining the contents of the tray. "I'm a king, not an army. No one man can eat that much." He gestured to his table, the one at which he usually shared his meals with Guinevere, then crossed to sit down. Merlin followed, claiming the seat across from him and setting the tray down between them.
As they ate they chattered about nothing. Every now and again, Merlin tried to slip in a query regarding the king's strange behavior, but every time he was expertly diverted. It wasn't an unusual occurrence for Arthur to share his meals with Merlin, nor was it uncommon for the two of them to share the table as equals. That was just the kind of man Arthur was. No, what was bizarre was that Arthur was dressed as though a foreign king were coming, or something of that regard, and he wouldn't tell Merlin anything. Merlin wondered if this was some sort of practical joke.
This wasn't the first time Merlin had that thought in the last couple of weeks. Since Arthur found out about Merlin's magic, he had been acting strangely, and not in the way Merlin would expect. Sure, he had been distant and pensive the first several days, which was not unreasonable, but after that his attitude turned completely around. He smiled more and yelled less. Not that Merlin was complaining, but in the last few weeks he began to wonder if the king was enchanted.
To make matters worse, all of his friends-Gwen, Gaius, the knights-acted as though it was all normal. Merlin learned right away not to try and get any answers from them, as every attempt was met with some vague response and a look of bewilderment, as though he were a madman. If you asked him, the whole castle was mad, and he was the only sane one.
Merlin finished eating before Arthur, so he stood to begin tidying up the room. "What are you doing?" Arthur said through a mouthful of food.
"Making your bed," Merlin said slowly, "like I always do."
Arthur swallowed thickly, then coughed. "Ah," he said, "carry on then." Merlin turned to move to the bed, then jumped when Arthur snapped, "But-stay away from my desk."
Merlin glanced over at his desk. The top was covered in parchment, and several crumpled up sheets littered the floor around it. "Why? It looks a disaster."
"That's not your business. I'm the king and you'll do what I say."
"...Alright…" He set to work on Arthur's bed, shooting him a suspicious glance every few moments just to make sure he wasn't going to...do anything else insane, or something like that. What the hell was going on?
Fifteen minutes later, Merlin stalked through the halls of the castle, grumbling under his breath. Arthur's horse needed to be washed, and apparently Merlin was the only one who could do it. Never mind the fact that Camelot had a perfectly good stable boy, and Merlin hadn't the slightest clue how to wash a horse. Would he need soap?
He rounded a corner, and-smack! When he recovered, he saw Gwaine, gathering in his arms a flat bag about the size of a person. "I'm so sorry, I-Merlin!" Finally noticing his friend, he broke into a wide grin. "Good to see you, mate!"
"You too," Merlin said, baffled by the knight's slightly-too-upbeat tone. First Arthur, and now Gwaine? He gestured at the bag, which was now slung over Gwaine's arm, and asked, "What's that?"
Gwaine cleared his throat. "Official Camelot business. Now if you'll excuse me-"
Merlin threw out an arm to stop Gwaine from striding past. "Not so fast." Gwaine's face fell. "All of you have been acting strange these past couple of weeks. And this morning, Arthur was being particularly...look, just tell me what's going on." He decided to hit Gwaine with a low blow: "I thought you always said I was your best friend."
Gwaine stared at him for a moment, his eyebrows pinched close together. Suddenly, he blurted out, "Don't you have a horse to wash?" He shoved past Merlin and darted out of sight.
"Wait, how do you know-" Merlin called down the hall. But Gwaine was long gone.
Merlin sighed. Yes, he did have a horse to wash. And after that, he had to find out what his friends were hiding from him. And Arthur said Merlin was bad at lying.
Washing a horse did, in fact, require soap, most of which now covered a very disgruntled Merlin as he plodded through the castle to his chambers for a change of clothes. The bloody horse hadn't even been that dirty! He wondered for the hundredth time why the stable boy couldn't have done it, and what was causing his friends to act so shifty, and whether there was a possibility this was all just a very strange, very annoying dream. When he reached the door to Gaius's chambers, it swung open, and Leon and Percival lumbered out carrying a large chest between them.
"Hi," Merlin said. They froze, and Percival almost dropped the chest on his foot.
The two glanced at each other with looks of poorly masked panic before Leon turned to Merlin, schooled his features, and said, "We're just helping Gaius with his rounds."
Merlin was not convinced. "O-kay? So that chest is full of medicine?"
Another glance, then Percival said, "Yes."
"Because, when you dropped it, I didn't hear glass clinking."
Leon chuckled apprehensively. "What would be in here besides medicine?"
"That's what I'd like to know."
"I can assure you, it's medicine," Percival chimed in.
Merlin raised his eyebrows. "That's a lot of medicine."
"Yes it is," Leon said, "so we should really be on our way if we want to finish before..."
"Training," Percival finished. Leon nodded a bit too enthusiastically.
Merlin sighed and stepped aside to let them pass. Training? Arthur hadn't said anything about training today.
He shook his head and pushed open the door. It took him a moment to find Gaius; the old physician was up on the balcony where he had fallen the first time he met Merlin. He was crouching by the bookshelf, rifling through all the old titles.
Careful not to startle him into another fall, Merlin called, "Gaius?"
It didn't work; Gaius nearly jumped out of his skin. "Merlin, my boy! What are you doing here?"
"I live here."
"Yes. Well," Gaius stammered, "I thought you'd be...with Arthur."
"He made me wash his stupid horse, and now I need to change."
"Ah." The physician nodded and turned back to the bookshelf.
Merlin rolled his eyes and made his way to his room. It seemed he would just have to accept the fact that nothing was going to make sense today.
After he had changed and rinsed most of the horse soap off himself, Gaius suggested he return to Arthur's chambers to see if the king needed anything else. At this point, that was the last thing he wanted to do, but Gaius didn't need any help and Merlin was on duty today, so he didn't really have any other choice. So, he put Gaius behind him and headed through the halls to the king's chambers.
He was walking by the kitchens to see if they had lunch for Arthur when he heard voices.
"...said that we were waiting for a shipment from the outlying villages, and that we could have ale instead, and I said, he doesn't like ale, so I'm thinking instead we could-Merlin!"
Merlin suddenly found himself face to face with Elyan, carrying a long, thin case, and Gwen, who looked frazzled.
He decided to skip the formalities and cut right to the point. "Either of you want to tell me why everyone's acting so strange?"
Gwen's eyes went wide. Elyan frowned and said, "What are you talking about?"
"Yeah, that's what I thought." Merlin sighed and continued on to the kitchens.
Balancing the tray on one hand, Merlin knocked on the king's door and called, "Lunch!" He heard the rustling of paper, a few muffled thuds, and finally footsteps. The door swung open and Arthur stood there, his cheeks flushed.
He nodded and Merlin stepped inside, shifting the tray to both hands so he could set it on the table. "You finished with my horse, then?" Arthur asked.
"Yeah, but I don't understand why I had to wash it in the first place."
"Because I told you to. I'm the king."
"Oh really? I'd forgotten. With the way you've been act-"
"Have you eaten?"
"What? No."
Arthur plucked an apple off the tray, tossed it to Merlin, then picked up one for himself. Merlin caught the apple and stared at it in his hand, his eyebrows knitting together.
"Well," Arthur urged, "eat!"
"Is there a reason you're in a hurry, or-"
"Eat!"
Merlin bit into the apple, not taking his eyes off Arthur. For a moment the two of them ate in silence. Then, a thought occurred to Merlin. "Why didn't you tell me you had training today?"
"What?" Arthur said through a mouthful of apple. "I haven't got training."
"Percival and Leon said you do."
"Oh." Arthur's lips set into a firm line, and his eyes wandered as he seemed to search for an answer. Really, it was lucky Merlin was the only one in Camelot who'd had an important secret. Finally, Arthur continued, "They're training. I'm not."
"That's the best you can come up with?" Merlin took a final bite of his apple, then set the core back on the tray. Arthur's eyes followed it, and he quickly did the same.
"Are you finished?" he asked. "Good. Now come here." He snatched a handful of Merlin's shirt and dragged him across the room. Merlin noticed for the first time a set of clothes laid out on the bed. Arthur gestured to the clothes and ordered, "Put them on."
"What the hell?"
Arthur took one of the garments in his hand and threw it at Merlin's face. "Go on. Don't tell me you're incapable of dressing yourself."
Merlin held up the fabric and examined it. It was a tunic, elegantly cut and dyed a deep shade of purple. He had never owned anything this color before; purple dye was expensive and usually reserved for royalty. It looked like something Arthur would wear.
"What-" he sputtered, "why-what?"
Arthur sighed and rolled his eyes in a dramatic gesture. "They're ceremonial clothes. I've got...something important, and I want you to look nice."
"That's not an answer."
"You want answers? Get dressed." He picked up another garment, most likely to throw, and Merlin raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. Arthur nodded and turned away, allowing Merlin some privacy to change.
Merlin thought back to the last time he wore anything ceremonial. It had barely been a few months since he met Arthur and already he was ready to die for the arrogant prince. He remembered the foreboding cold of the chalice against his lips, the feeling of fire inside his blood as the poison slowly sapped away his life. Merlin drank poison for Arthur, and Arthur defied his father and embarked on a deadly quest to save Merlin. And that had been before they really got to know each other.
He couldn't say when he first started imagining the moment he'd reveal his magic to Arthur, but if he had to guess he would say that the feeling started that day, when he woke from his deathbed to learn that Arthur was in the dungeons for saving his life. Somewhere along the line, his loyalty to the prat stopped being destiny and started becoming friendship. That first day he met Arthur, he never could have imagined that one day he would reveal his magic to the prince and be forgiven, accepted even.
But the ceremonial clothing he wore then was ridiculous. It was gawky, ill fitting, and-that hat. This outfit, however...he could hardly wrap his mind around it. The tunic was made in the latest fashion, and clung to his frame in a flattering way. There were dark blue trousers too; solid, crisp, and form fitting. A sharp contrast from the faded, baggy trousers he usually wore. Over the tunic he wore a jacket the same color as the trousers. It honestly looked like something Arthur would wear to a feast with a foreign king, or a knighting ceremony. And around his waist was a leather belt with an odd strap at his left hip. Almost like the one Arthur attached his scabbard to.
"Are you ready yet?" Arthur called back, snapping Merlin out of his stupor.
Merlin replied with an affirmative, and the king turned around. His face broke into a wide grin. They stood like that for a moment; Arthur grinning like an idiot and Merlin shrinking under his seemingly proud gaze. He hadn't seen the king look so happy since his wedding day.
"What's got you so cheerful?" Merlin asked, finally breaking the silence.
Arthur cleared his throat. "I have a few things to take care of. Meet me on the main balcony in fifteen minutes."
"You're not even going to tell me why I'm dressed like royalty?"
Arthur nodded briskly, ignoring the question. "That color suits you, Merlin. You should wear it more often." He turned and strode to the door, calling over his shoulder as he retreated, "Fifteen minutes. Don't be late." Then the door closed, leaving Merlin alone in the king's chambers with new clothes and far more questions than when he walked in.
Merlin didn't feel any better ten minutes later, as he ambled through the castle toward the main balcony. He had faced more deadly magical creatures than he could count. He had killed a sorceress with his own magic and defeated a number of other dangerous magic-users. He had destroyed an army of the undead twice--yet none of that seemed so formidable as Arthur's bizarre mood. As hard as he tried to find a connection between all of the strange occurrences of today and the past couple of weeks, none of it seemed to make sense. He could only hope that whatever big secret they had been keeping from him would all be revealed out on the balcony in a few minutes.
None of it added up. There was no feast or event that Merlin knew of, so the so called ceremonial clothes were not for serving. He couldn't think of any other occasion in which Arthur would need Merlin by his side looking presentable. And why the main balcony? It had not been used since Uther's death; it was where he normally stood to watch over an execution. Merlin suppressed a shudder. Surely that wasn't what was going on. Arthur hadn't issued a single execution since his coronation.
As he made his way through the halls, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Halfway to the balcony he realized: the castle was empty. He hadn't seen a single person since he left Arthur's chambers. They must be outside, he concluded. Did that mean that Arthur was giving a speech? About what?
He finally reached the door to the balcony and saw Arthur, looking mildly impatient. When the king spotted his servant, he sprang forward from his position leaning against the wall. "Good, you're here," he said, grabbing Merlin by the arm. "Let's go."
Merlin allowed himself to be dragged through the door. The bright midday sunlight stunned him for a moment, and he had to blink a few times before he could take in the sight before him. It seemed the entire population of the castle and the lower town had gathered in the courtyard. There was very little organization; the people were gathered in an undefined mass, with disgruntled looking nobles huddled in between peasants. As soon as they noticed Arthur, the excited buzz rising from the crowd vanished.
Arthur strode across the balcony and stood against the railing. Merlin hung back, unsure of how to proceed. The king turned to see Merlin standing there, looking apprehensive, and beckoned for Merlin to join him at the front of the balcony. Merlin took a few hesitant steps forward, following Arthur's gestures to the king's immediate right. Was he really supposed to stand at the king's right hand?
When Merlin finally took his place, Arthur turned to gaze out over the crowd. Merlin vaguely registered Guinevere's entrance onto the balcony to stand at Arthur's left, followed by the knights who made a line behind the three of them. The crowd began to murmur again, and Merlin could swear he heard his own name once or twice.
"Still not going to tell me what's going on?" Merlin whispered to Arthur.
Arthur ignored him. He cleared his throat and began, "People of Camelot." The crowd fell silent. "The last time you saw a king speak from this balcony, the king was my father and the speech was an execution sentence for a magic user." Merlin cringed. Where was he going with this? "King Uther was a very wise, very brave king. But he was wrong." The crowd gasped, and Merlin did too. He whipped his head around to catch Arthur's eye, but his gaze locked onto Gwen's instead. She smiled softly, knowingly. Was Arthur really…? "For as long as I can remember, I was taught that magic was nothing but pure evil, that it must be feared and hated. Up until relatively recently, that was what I believed." For a brief moment, Arthur turned his head and let his eye's meet Merlin's. Then, as though it hadn't happened, he looked back over the crowd and continued, "Since I've become king, I have discovered much evidence to the contrary. I believe the time is ripe for a change." The crowd erupted in mutters, and Arthur paused, allowing his words to sink in.
"People of Camelot," he called again, and again the muttering stopped. "For over twenty years, this kingdom has practiced persecution under the guise of justice. Countless men, women, and children have died in this very courtyard for the crime of being who they are. Magic is a learned art, yes, but it is not one that is always chosen. My father executed people because of the way they were born." He stopped, his eyebrows pinching together almost imperceptibly.
"As king, I have not once passed the sentence of execution for crimes related to magic. I have done everything in my power to be the fair and just leader I believed my father was not. Recently, however, I've realized that this has not been enough." This time he turned his head deliberately towards Merlin and smiled. "Despite my father's best efforts, magic thrives in Camelot. Uther Pendragon saw only the dark side of magic, that which corrupts and destroys. I have seen the light. I know that there is magic in Camelot, magic that works every day to keep our kingdom safe, magic that is innocent and pure.
"People of Camelot," he said for a third time. A realization settled over Merlin's heart, and he fought the urge to pinch himself. This couldn't be happening. "I stand here today, where my father once stood to watch the executions of innocent people, to tell you this. I have spent the last few weeks deliberating with my queen, my knights, and my council. The papers have been signed, the laws put in order. From this day forth, the reign of hatred my father began over two decades ago is over. As of today, the ban on magic is repealed."
For a moment, the courtyard was silent. Then it exploded in noise. Some of the older citizens, peasants and nobles alike, shouted in anger. Others hollered with joy. Most were confused, pointing questions at their neighbors in the crowd and at the king up on the balcony.
Merlin couldn't help but vocalize his own doubts. "You can't be serious!" Arthur only shrugged. "But-what-"
The king raised his hands, effectively silencing the sputtering manservant and the crowd. When he was certain he had their attention, he lowered his arms. The rest of his body seemed to lower as well, as the stately facade he maintained as king slowly fell away. "I understand," he said, his voice low and sincere, "that many of you have suffered at the hands of a magic user corrupted by power. I understand that some of you will struggle to accept that there can exist a magic user with a good heart. But I assure you: if it were not for the absolute kindness and loyalty of a sorcerer here in the heart of Camelot, the vast majority would not be alive today. Myself included." His hand brushed against Merlin's forearm and gripped it tightly as he added, "Perhaps a hundred times over."
His hand slid up to Merlin's shoulder and he leaned over to whisper, "Are you alright with this?"
"What? With...what?"
"Your magic. With...telling them."
Oh. Oh. Arthur had lifted the ban on magic and now he wanted to...what? Recognize Merlin? Reward him? Reveal him? All the years Merlin spent in Camelot waiting and hoping for this moment to come, and all he could feel was a deep, paralyzing fear. No, he thought, absolutely not. Never in a million years, not for all the gold in the world, not--
Then the corners of Arthur's lips turned upwards, nearly imperceptibly. Ever since he came to this kingdom, everything Merlin did was for Arthur. And now, after so many years, Arthur wanted to do something for Merlin. Merlin steeled his heart, swallowed thickly, and nodded.
The look on Arthur's face was worth any consequences of what he was about to do.
"This will be a difficult change to bring to this kingdom, one that will not be possible without the help of this sorcerer. To the druids, he is known as Emrys, a powerful warlock destined to stand by me as we unite the kingdoms of Albion. I know him by a different name." His eyes darted to Merlin, asking a final affirmation before continuing. Merlin nodded, the motion jerky as his body trembled with anticipation and terror. "It is with great humility and greater pride that I introduce Camelot's new Court Sorcerer. Merlin."
Merlin flinched, sure that at that moment all hell would break loose. He was met with only stunned silence. Then, a sharp crack pierced the air. And another, and another. Merlin glanced over the balcony to see the last thing he expected. A citizen of the lower town, whose face Merlin recognized but could not name, stood with a determined expression on his face, bringing his hands together in a thunderous show of gratitude. Then another townsperson, a woman on the other side of the courtyard, joined him. A man whistled. A woman whooped. Suddenly the courtyard, and perhaps the whole kingdom, was deafened by the people's applause. Cheers and hollers rose through the air praising Merlin as a hero.
Not everyone cheered. Nearly half of the crowd stood swivelling their heads like startled birds, gaping at their neighbors. Few booed or tried to quiet those around them, but most maintained a stunned silence.
Arthur raised his hands again and the crowd simmered down to an excited buzz. He shot a smile at Merlin-was that a flash of mischief in his eye?--then turned back to address the crowd. "Not only would I like to recognize this man as a hero and a member of the court, I would also like to reward him for his bravery and loyalty to the crown." For a moment, the newly knighted Lancelot's words came back to him. You know, Merlin, you're the one Arthur should knight. You're the bravest of all of us and he doesn't even know it. Well, Arthur knew now.
He was startled out of his thoughts by Arthur's hand, heavy on his shoulder. His eyebrows furrowed with confusion, and Arthur hissed, "Kneel!"
This can't be happening.
Merlin barely noticed as Elyan stepped forward, the case from earlier opened to Arthur. He hardly felt the gentle touch of the sword on one shoulder, then the other. All he knew in that moment was the broad smile on his king's face and the pride dripping from his voice as he said, "Arise, Sir Merlin, knight of Camelot."
The sword from Elyan's case was sheathed in a scabbard and strapped to the belt at Merlin's waist. Gwaine broke from the line to drape a red cloak around his shoulders, and as he clasped it at Merlin's throat, he whispered, "Doesn't feel too good, does it? When your friends keep secrets?" Merlin was too stunned to reply.
Arthur turned and nodded to the queen, and Gwen stepped to the railing to address the crowd. "To celebrate our new knight and the beginning of an era of peace, there will be a feast in the halls of Camelot. Every man and woman is invited to share in the kingdom's prosperity."
Merlin was led off the balcony alongside Arthur, still silent from disbelief. The feast, which began two hours later and ended sometime in the middle of the night, was a daze of laughter and drink. He was astonished to learn that it had been single-handedly planned by Gwen and kept secret from him for weeks.
Apparently he wasn't the only accomplished liar in the kingdom. Gwaine had been conferring with the royal seamstresses for days making sure the knight's cape and ceremonial clothing would be sewn to perfection. Elyan had been working tirelessly at the forge, fashioning a beautiful sword that balanced perfectly in Merlin's hand and was engraved (with some help from Gaius) with words from the Old Religion. Of course, the actual enchantment of the weapon would be up to Merlin himself. And Arthur had spent hours at a time in the council chambers, rewriting the laws of Camelot to free his best friend.
The final surprise came after the feast, when Gaius, Leon, and Percival escorted Merlin and the rest of his friends to the new Court Sorcerer's chambers. An empty chest lay abandoned in the corner, and Merlin finally learned what its contents had been. Books. With Leon and Percival's help, Gaius had combed his own personal collection and the library of Camelot for ancient tomes on every subject Merlin could think of. Healing spells, defensive spells, magical creatures and enchanted potions-the shelves in his new room were a treasure trove of knowledge. With the bed and all of Merlin's personal items stowed in a separate room within the chambers, it was the perfect place for the warlock to study and practice magic.
The door closed behind the last of his friends and he took in the space around him, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. The coming weeks, months-maybe even years-would not be easy. But Merlin knew he had the support and love from his friends to get through any trials thrown his way. His destiny, and the time of Albion, had finally begun.
I hope you all liked it. I have a few ideas for future chapters, which I will work on whenever I have the time. Please tell me what you thought, and let me know if you have any suggestions. More reviews = more chapters!