Idk I'm bored in the summer if that's possible. Also, CAN I JUST SAY, I don't even think this should be the reveal at all but… it's fun anyway ahahaha also I realise this is written poorly but idk it is just meant to be a bit of fun.
IDOM although sometimes I wish I did. I would have made a spin-off already…
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In which Merlin accidentally kidnaps and almost ransoms Arthur and Gwaine…
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Merlin's eyelids had begun to flutter open
"He's waking up" Gwaine called. Arthur began to move over in anticipation but let the man have his space.
"Where… where am I?" Merlin mustered as if to himself.
"We're in the Darkling Woods not too far from the Mercia border" Gwaine smiled. But Merlin's response was quite unexpected. As soon as Gwaine spoke his eyes widened and he slowly turned to the man before leaping back in shock and sitting upright.
"Who are you?" The men felt their bodies tighten. Their breath caught in their chest. They had not expected this. Were not even sure what to do. They had thought once Merlin awakened they would continue on their journey home, perhaps arrive half a day late, but content, happy… with all their memory.
"We're your friends." Gwaine continued, talking to the man like a tentative kitten. "This is Arthur, I am Gwaine," He said gesturing to both himself and then his friend. "You don't remember what happened?" Merlin studied the men, his glare growing more and more critical rather than confused.
"No. No, I don't know. What happened?" Merlin queried in a slightly sarcastic tone.
"We were going through the woods when we were attacked by a witch." Arthur began to explain "She used a kind of spell that seemed to have backfired and sent her flying back before she ran off." Arthur had unintentionally begun to pace the floor, his tone growing more agitated and sarcastic. "Obviously the spell was meant for me but somehow, it hit you. You collapsed and we were unsure what happened but now…" Arthur paused.
"It's pretty obvious" Gwaine muttered.
"Rightttt." Merlin said. He sounded more critical than anything. His eyebrow height challenging the likes of Gaius. The two other men watched as their friend's eyes delicately twitched and shifted as if turning the story, the men's appearances, the location, all over in his mind. And then something switched. Both were taken aback when their friend suddenly shot up and beamed like his old bumbling, idiotic self was back.
"Well, all I remember is last being in Ealdor, my village, so maybe I'll just head back there" Merlin grinned scratching the back of his head. The men looked to each other clearly weighing the best path forward but also their friend's odd change in disposition. Merlin went to stand and leave before Gwaine grabbed his arm and turned to Arthur.
"NO! No." Arthur stated sternly. "We will go home to the Citadel. Get you looked at and try and fix this. Besides all your things are there, and your friends, because it's where you live… now." Arthur was at a loss for words. Would Merlin believe him? Would young Merlin believe that older Merlin left his home and mother for a large city where he knew almost nobody? Gwaine nodded in agreement. Merlin on the other hand looked slightly peeved. But then there was the switch again.
"Alright sounds great!"
They took the ride slowly. Occasionally, frequently, they checked on Merlin to see if he was okay if his memory was coming back to him if it was the effects of a spell, or maybe a concussion, that his memory had gone if anything else was going to happen. Merlin was cooperative for the most part. Didn't seem confused but rather, mistrusting. He told little white lies and diverted the conversation off anything too personal about him. After a while, Merlin had slowly hung back from the pair. And if the knights were not knights it would seem clear the man just needed some space taking in this new reality. But unfortunately for naïve Merlin, they were two of the best knights, and Arthur and Gwaine looked to each other in concern as they watched Merlin's shifting glare, the way he tightly held onto the reigns, the way he took everything in as if calculating, calculating, waiting for something to happen, some opportunity.
"God I hope Gauis can fix this." Gwaine muttered under his breathe out of Merlin's reach (they did not see his ears prick up) "One of those little potions that taste horrible but then BAM everything is fixed and back to normal and Merlin is back to happy, normal, ever faithful …. Merlin."
"I don't know if it will be that easy."
"Well we will only be able to see once we get back to Camelot and until then - "
Suddenly the pair were ripped from their saddles and an invisible force pushed them against a tree. They found themselves sitting on the forest floor desperately scrambling and kicking their legs in an attempt to break free. All expect Merlin, which Arthur found odd, and who had now started to pace towards them in a rage.
"Camelot! Camelot! Oh bloody great! That's just great! And here I was thinking you were trying to use me! Try to get me to your fancy castle and tempt me to work by your side!" Merlin yelled throwing his arms around.
"or force me" he added after the fact in a hushed tone.
The men looked at each other in confusion. Merlin turned back to the men with vigour.
"But no! You were trying to kill me! HA!" Merlin continued to mutter to himself angrily, pacing the forest floor back and forth, back and forth, so many times a small path began between the leaves. Finally, he stopped and turned back rounding onto Gwaine.
"You!" Merlin crouched down to their level. "You seemed to be in charge" Arthur rolled his eyes. "How did you find out about me?"
"Merlin" Gwaine stammered. "You are kind of confusing us mate." He gave a characteristically charming grin.
"How did you find me?"
"Merlin! You need to stop this and look out for the witch! She seems to have forgotten you, again. Quickly, grab my sword" Arthur snapped.
"What witch? Where?" Merlin abruptly shot up and turned about.
"Oh," Gwaine whispered his eyes widening. Gwaine thought being smart, observant, sharp were all prerequisites for being a knight of Camelot. He had to admit, after years of drinking at the tavern, and more than a fair few blows to the heads from brawls to battles, he had lost a bit of his wit. But he was ashamed of the lack of his uptake – for the past few years, for the past few hours. Innocent, smiling, clumsy, servant, Merlin. He almost laughed at how perfect the deception was, hiding right under everyone's nose under the guise of regionality.
"Merlin, shut up and help us!" Arthur snapped. "I don't care if you remember us or not, we are going to be dead if you don't do something!"
"Arthur. The witch is not here." Gwaine said between his teeth.
"What? Of course she is! How are we stuck here?"
And then, one foot in front of his face, Merlin's eyes began to swirl with a deep amber gold.
"Shhhhh. God, you are such a prat." Merlin said rolling his eyes.
"Merlin!" Arthur went to snap but found his lip were closed together. He furiously kicked his legs and scruffed sounds.
"Is he always like this?" Merlin turned to Gwaine.
"Yeah. Actually, you would know best. Or used to know." Gwaine sighed.
"I have sealed your lips for some time but the spell will wear off soon. In fact, it wears off faster if you stop trying to talk. Made the spell myself actually - " Merlin smiled clearly chuffed before he continued to deliberate the situation.
"What I don't understand is why?" He said quizzically. "Why go to all this effort to kill one man? Even if I am a sorcerer, or well, warlock." The knights gave a questioning glance to each other.
"Why go to all this trouble and make up these fabrications, all to lure me to Camelot and kill me?" Merlin looked into each of their eyes for an answer.
"Surely I haven't become so notorious just yet?" He chuckled "You didn't think two men - knights! could kill me, by just running me through… You had to go to all this trouble, this elaborate plan, to kill me?" Merlin continued to scrutinise their faces for an answer before looking up in anger and walking away. "No, no that's not it. That doesn't make sense."
Arthur knew one thing for sure. This was definitely Merlin because he would not stop talking. And although Merlin seemed to be in one of his 'mutter-through-the-anger-until-I-come-to-a-solution' moods, he didn't know how in control old Merlin was of his emotions. If he would attack people he saw as a threat, even if by accident. And it had become blatantly clear that he could hurt them very easily. Arthur's head dropped to his chest. He was unsure if he truly knew his Merlin at all after all these revelations.
"You've got it all wrong Merlin." Gwaine chuckled in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "We're your friends, we just want to get you home so you can remember us."
"And I'm supposed to believe that a warlock like me, someone who has had magic their whole life, is friends with people who have been trained to kill sorcerers their whole life. I'm not that suicidal." All three men rolled their eyes but for very different reasons.
Merlin had to admit something did feel wrong. He always had his magic bubbling just below the surface of his skin but it somehow felt different. Felt grander, larger, more powerful, but also steadier than it used to be. If his magic was once a bubbling and chaotic stream under his fingertips, it now felt like a powerful coursing river flowing throughout his entire body.
He decided to test on a leaf. He looked down to one on the forest floor and held out his hand and simply thought 'burn'. But rather than a single leaf catching alight a sizeable flame began that that would start a forest fire if he did not stop it. 'Stop' he thought. And his eyes glowed gold again. But rather than the flame extinguishing, the fire stopped in time. Red and gold sparks floating in the air like a painting come to life. "Oh, shit" Merlin said. He definitely could not do that before.
Merlin turned to the two men. Clearly courageous people to their friends and family sitting helplessly at the hand of a boy. Or maybe not anymore a boy, Merlin thought looking down at his hands. Hands that were broader, larger, sharper than before. The Gwaine man seemed to be agitated, but this Arthur held a deep expression of sadness that Merlin had not predicted. A sombre expression with an edge of fear that sparked whenever there was a sound. Merlin sighed.
"Okay. Okay. I'm going to let you free" Merlin began, the men eyes shot up. "I don't want this cycle of hatred, of murder and pain to continue. No wonder you fear magic so much, look what I have done to you." Treated them like they would treat me, Merlin thought to himself. "Under one condition." His demiurge changed to one more resigned, a deep sadness in his voice, "please, just please leave my family and my friends and my village in peace." He could not look into these men's eyes as he begged those he has captured "please just, it's not their fault, it's me. I… I would say I would stop but I can't."
"Can't? You can't stop using magic?" Arthur cut through, the words spitting out after finally being released from the spell. "All you have to do is not practise sorcery Merlin! To never have practised magic! You don't have to say anything, don't have to read anything, don't do anything, just stop!" Arthur quietened. "And do things normally. Why couldn't you have just done things normally Merlin? You will just stop using magic and we can forget this day ever happened! We can go back to normal like before. We can pretend it never happened."
For the first time in a long time, Gwaine really did pity the King. His chest tightened at every word of desperation that spat from his mouth like a child. And yet within the cries of desperation, Gwaine also saw hope. The King, who had grown to believe magic was treason, had not outright abandoned his friend, declared to kill him as his father would have. However, Gwaine knew that their lives could never be the same after today.
"You understand so little of magic." Merlin sighed with a gentle smile.
"Now!" Merlin said jumping up with new vigour and walking a few metres back. He raised his hand towards the group "I'm going to release you. But no funny business! I could kill you before you even draw your sword." Arthur could help grit his teeth at those words. The man before him was the exact man who walked into Camelot 5 years ago. Everything had been a lie. Merlin's eyes glowed gold and Gwaine and Arthur were released from the spell. The men both looked to each other but neither of them moved.
"You can go!" Merlin said exasperated.
"I know you don't believe us but," Gwaine started, rubbing his arms "but we really are your friends, and..."
A branch snapped behind Merlin and he turned around to see an old haggard woman in black torn robes.
"I seeeee." She drawled "You have already turned against them Emryssss" she hissed. "Gooooood, gooooood"
Merlin put his hand out as a sign of defence "Who are you? And who is Emrys?" He demanded
"Ah, the spell has erased more than just your home but also your destiny."
"Destiny?"
"Yesss I didn't want you to fall back into the trap you were in before. I have come to take you to a free land Emrysss. A free land where the people of magic can roam freeeee and you will lead us to a time of unity for Albion."
"Albion?"
"Yess Emyrssss. All magic and beings of magic know that you are destined to bring harmony back to the land. To conquer the other kingdoms and unite all of Albion under your reign."
"What!?" All three men said.
"Reverse the spell" Merlin's voiced seemed to boom and his hands, so thin and delicate, now seemed to hold the power to destroy the world.
Although he was unsure of what exactly the witch had done, he knew for certain that she had in fact placed a spell on him. To what degree, he was unsure, but alas, all this conquering the land business didn't really feel like something he would do.
"Never! I would rather eat pigs brains and frog's vomit" the witch squawked.
Merlin rolled his eyes.
"Crazy bloody witch" Merlin exclaimed. He returned his concentration and slowly compressed his fingers, his eyes glowed a brilliant gold. The witch screamed and withered under the invisible power. As Merlin approached closer the pain seemed to intensify, and so did the glow in Merlin's eyes until his iris's were so bright his whole eye seemed to be glowing.
"Stop stop stop please. I'll let you have it back. Have your memory back!" She squawked. Merlin stopped and kneeled down. The witch placed a hand on his forehead and muttered a spell that seemed to send a shock through the boy throwing him backwards.
"Merlin!" Arthur finally made a move towards his friend although he did not seem to be injured. He simply held his hand to his head as if he had woken up after a night in the tavern with Gwaine. Slowly his eyes widened with realisation.
"You wanted me to forget my friends, my home, Camelot, Arthur so I would… " Merlin searched for the words. " so I would bring magic back to the land?"
The witch, still recovering from her torture, sat up.
"I thought you were having some trouble choosing between magic and them. Thought making you forget would make it easier to choose. Then maybe you would fulfil your destiny." SHe said between heavy breathes.
"You do not understand destiny if you don't think Arthur plays a vital role in the restoration of magic to the land and equality to the people of Albion."
"Too long have our people been prosecuted." The woman slowly began to stand. "Too long have we hidden in shame, in fear, self-loathing due to society's misconceptions. Too long have we toiled over the land and worked jobs far beneath us to fit into societies desires, society's fear of our power. We hid, we fought, we bargained, we rose, and every day we are reminded that we once fell. Our rights, our land, our people slaughtered. And you want us to reason with him! Reason with a man who pioneers our fear! He who murderers our children and families! He who drops his hand to signal the fall of the axe! No more! I'll kill him! I'll kill him!"
In her final words, the witch drew her arms around her body in a motion as if gathering the magic from the air itself and thrust the enormous power in her arms toward the men.
She was powerful, undoubtedly. A little crazy, for sure. If Arthur had time to sigh he would have. King of Camelot - killed by a crazy old sorcerer in the woods. It wasn't exactly heroic. Although he wished he was less traditional, he had truly wanted to die in battle. Die protecting his people. Die for something. Not this. This was… well a bit humiliating. In his last moments, he closed his eyes and searched for peace. He thought of Camelot, and how much more he had wished to achieve, his love Guinevere, of Merlin and everything else he did not know, of his legacy, all the things he still wanted to do. Or well, should have done.
"No" It was almost a whisper. Arthur peered through his eyelids to see a man standing before him. Merlin's hand was raised gently in front of him. His eyes were illuminated with pure white gold and before them stood a shield that swirled like gold dust on the surface of water. This was magic. This was pure uncorrupt magic. It was as if Arthur was seeing magic for the first time. He could help fill his eyes with wonder.
Merlin had seen the witch move with the magic of the earth. Deep magic, real magic, powerful magic. He saw his helpless friends and their faces that braced for the end. Truly, he had done what he had always done. But now it was open, free it was liberating. With no time to worry himself about the thought of his friends and their approval, Merlin just thought of one thing - protect. He felt his eyes fill with the magic of destiny and simply held his hand out. A shield of gold formed before him pure unfiltered magic of the earth. When the bombardment stopped, he simply dropped his arm and walked over to the woman, the same gold swelling in his eyes.
"You are blind, but I will allow you to see" he simply said and placed a single finger on her forehead. Her eyes widened and she choked on her breath, her body slightly twitching as she slowly brought herself to the ground.
"The crystals caves" she simply stuttered a tear rolled down her expression of awe and wonder. Merlin drew his finger away and they both collapsed.
"Merlin!" Gwaine yelled running over to his side. Arthur was still too shocked to move. His friend, his bloody manservant, had just saved his life and revealed himself to be a somewhat powerful warlock. George had a lot to live up to.
"Is she... dead?" Gwaine questioned.
"No I just let her see the crystal caves - the thousand futures and paths of destiny that we all lead. I'm not sure if it was too much for her mind to handle. Many have gone mad looking into the crystals of the cave."
"But you didn't " Arthur eventually said. Merlin sat in silence.
"And what she said was true?" Arthur queried.
"No... Yes. " Merlin muttered. No more lying. Only the vulnerable truth.
"But what she said was a personal interpretation of one future. There are many futures, many opportunities and paths we can take. Every day we are faced with choices that will lead us along the paths of different futures" Merlin looked up from the ground to Arthur's eyes.
"But there are some futures in which almost all currents lead to one. I have tried to change the path of these destinies and it is - it is very difficult " he laughed.
"Arthur- it is your destiny to guide Albion into an age of property and peace, to unite the kingdoms and free those who have been prosecuted. But you still have freedom, choices to make, and I trust you will make the right ones." Merlin said with a simple smile.
Arthur was stunned at the words. Was this all true? Was he destined for so much that even he understood so little of?
"Do I get a destiny?" Gwaine piped.
"Gwaine, my dear friend. You are and always will be the strength of Camelot. Her flagship, her lighthouse. You are the battering ram that leads us forward and the symbol of strength for all." Gwaine seemed very pleased at that.
"And what is yours?" Arthur questioned Merlin. "What is your destiny?"
"To help you." Merlin beamed. "To protect the Once and Future King from all those who aim to hinder your future, magical or not, and to guide you when all seems unclear."
Arthur smiled for he knew that although he may not have known his destiny before today, Merlin had already been living his, and perhaps for quite some time.
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The end
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Okay, so thoughts? Cute right? I would ABSOLUTELY not have wanted this to be the reveal but ya know I am here trying to scratch an itch also thought it would be funny to have Arthur only realise Merlin has magic when he sees it right in front of his face. Also, the pacing of this is horrible but I feel like people blast through fics so I just wanted to get to the point. No need to describe the forest for a whole paragraph, or a crazy fight scene that we can't see. And Merlin is not exactly like canon Merlin but you know f..K canon Merlin we are on our own path at this point aha