Title: the choice endured
Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Denise Levertov
Warnings: dark; canon events rearranged to suit my whim
Pairings: gennish with possible Arthur/Merlin undertones
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 530
Prompt: Merlin, any, destiny and how to escape it
Everyone keeps telling him he's so very powerful, that no one like him has ever been, that he has such a grand destiny - stars and dragons and an entire people know his name. Or, well, a name they say is his, though he still feels like Merlin. Just Merlin. Just a peasant from Ealdor.
Just Merlin. A warlock. A dragonlord. Calls down lightning and stops time.
Nothing special, really. Nothing to see here. Keep on walking.
.
Arthur will be a great king. One day. He will unite the land, and restore magic, and all will be bright and wonderful. People will smile again. People will laugh. People will not shudder when the king's gaze turns to them, because the king is a good man. The best man.
One day.
But right now, Uther thunders his hate down upon the land, and Arthur stands by his side – not agreeing, but not disagreeing either. And Merlin watches a woman burn, a woman who has done nothing wrong except enrage her neighbor. There is no proof of magic, only an herb in her home. And an angry neighbor, jealous of her strong children.
Accusations of a curse and three stillborn babes, and a woman burns while the king watches, and Arthur does not look away.
.
Emrys. Destined to protect the golden king. The most powerful sorcerer in the world. Perhaps, the greatest warlock in the history of the world, that has ever been or will ever be.
He cannot believe it, because he is so terrified of anyone discovering his magic. He knows he could escape, were he arrested. He knows he could tear the castle down around him, topple it into the catacombs imprisoning the dragon.
He knows he could. He just doesn't quite believe it, yet.
.
Gaius pleads for Uther's life. Uther is Gaius' king, and Merlin understands that. He truly does. Uther is Arthur's father, and Arthur is a good man. So, too, Uther must have been, once.
Merlin can save Uther again. Spare him, as he has never spared anyone. Protect the man who eradicated the dragons and tried to erase magic.
Staring down at the dying king, Merlin smells roasting meat and feels oppressive heat.
"Please, Merlin," Gaius says, eyes only on his king.
Gaius will never forgive him. Nor will Arthur, once he realizes the truth (as he must, one day).
But Merlin has a destiny. The druids and the dragon have told him so. Arthur will be a great king, but every moment Uther lingers, he poisons the land.
"I will do my best, Gaius," Merlin promises.
.
Uther dies in the dead of winter. Arthur is crowned as snow falls on Camelot.
He will be a great king.
And if he is not…
Just Merlin is Arthur's man.
Emrys is the most powerful person to ever live. The druids and the dragon swear to that. He is magic. Calls down lightning and stops time. He is meant to restore magic.
He will restore magic. And if Arthur is as great a man as Merlin hopes, he will welcome magic back to the land.
If he is not…
Merlin will grieve forever; Emrys will do what must be done.