... what is this you have? | MERLIN FANFICTION?
Merlin fic -- just filing these away, they're responses from camelot_love's drabble tag rounds. =DDD
Panic! To the Wardrobe
Prompt: Arthur/Gwen have to hide in the wardrobe. (from sophielou21)
Notes: PG-13, for the safe side. Post-The Last Dragonlord. Arthur/Gwen.
"Wh-- Merlin--- why is the door stuck?" They suddenly heard Gaius's voice from the other side of the door and Merlin just kind of panicked.
Because honestly, he has a bunch of lies going through his head (many of them less than worthy slash remotely believable excuses) and Merlin's vaguely remembered that Gaius has asked him to do a list of chores (that Merlin notices he doesn't make Gwen do even if she's been apprenticing for him for a month or so now) and to be honest, Merlin hasn't gotten done with even one of the tasks.
Instead of course, Merlin's spent all day making excuses and white lies so that Arthur and Gwen could have a moment together, and through a series of events and road blocks, they both had somehow ended up here in Gaius's quarters, and upon arriving they had found that the court physician was off on his own errand (one Merlin finds the old man does himself on occasion).
But that was two hours ago.
Now, two hours later (as the time turns), Gaius was trying to get into his own rooms through the jammed door, which Merlin now notices is only held by the rather poorly placed bench.
The door started to open, and Merlin panicks. With apologizing glances at Arthur and Gwen who were both trying to straighten themselves from whatever it is they were doing (Merlin doesn't, by any means, watch or even try to guess what it is they were up to), Merlin takes both by the elbow and ignores the protests----
"Merlin, get your---"
"Oh, Merlin, what are you---"
--- and shoves them into one of the empty wardrobes.
Merlin shuts the wardrobe just in time as Gaius springs the door open with a harsh scowl and ferocious eyebrows on his face.
"What is the meaning of this?" Gaius asks slowly, giving Merlin in a suspicious look.
"The meaning of---?" Merlin tries to play it off.
Gaius turns and gestures simply at the bench and the door, "What were you doing in here?"
"Oh," Merlin sputters, and with the many sadly believable excuses he has spinning in his head, he says, "Nothing."
Gaius gives him a more critical eye and Merlin could swear the man's eyebrows were at a humanly impossible angle. He shifts on his heels and leans against the wardrobe door as casually as possible while ignoring the whispered threats coming from Arthur through the wood.
"I... was cleaning the leech tank, ...for you," Merlin started.
"I didn't ask you to---"
"Yes, but the tank looked filthy. I mean, those little guys were contracting diseases and I know how concerned you get about them so I closed the door, nice and shut so they couldn't possibly escape and endanger themselves with the possibility of being stepped on..." Merlin rambled and he smiles a little when he hears Gwen's snort and Arthur's, "What an idiot..."
But Gaius seemed to be pleased with this turn of events and informs Merlin that he had only returned to grab a potion for one of the lesser lord's wife who had some joint discomfort or whatever and Merlin let out a huge breath when Gaius closed the door behind him as he left.
Arthur's the first to get out and gives Merlin a fell swoop to the back of the head, "What did you think you're doing shoving us in there? It's a cupboard and I am a grown man!"
Gwen steps gently out behind him, "Merlin just saved us again, Arthur. It's all right."
But Merlin was ignoring Arthur and Gwen entirely and made his way to his room and his bed and even though it was just before sundown he was ready to call it a day. To hell with Gaius's chores and Arthur and Gwen's blasted secret affair.
The Size of the Thing
Prompt: Arthur finds Gwen and Merlin under his bed. (from mustbethursday3)
Notes: PG-13 (for implied sexings). Post-The Last Dragonlord. Arthur/Gwen.
Guinevere's only vaguely aware as to how they got in this situation. Because goodness knows, when she snuck into Arthur's chambers to wait for him, she didn't expect to end up beneath his bed without him... or with Merlin.
But here she was, stretching her arm as far as she can to get to the object while fending off Merlin's skinnier and longer fingers. She entered Arthur's rooms to find Merlin bottom half sticking out from the side. Needless to say she was careful in questioning him. But Merlin's answer was neither disturbing nor worrying as it turns out the poor servant had been making potions deliveries for Gaius since most of the castle seems to have the season's illness.
"I ran into Arthur and he told me to go change his sheets for some odd reason," Merlin's voice was muffled from still being under the bed. "I told him I was running errands for Gaius --- sick people and all --- but he said it was urgent that I make up his bed."
Gwen fidgeted nervously at this, glad that Merlin wasn't in any view of her or he would figure it out immediately (or perhaps she was giving him too much credit since the poor fellow hadn't a clue as to why anyone would want to change their sheets in the middle of the day).
"I came straight here to gather his sheets when one of the potions fell out of my pocket." (pocket? she was certain he carried anything and everything in his neckerchief.) Merlin heaved a sigh. "It rolled under the bed and now I can't get to it."
So that was why Guinevere was trying to scuffle her way underneath the bed from the other side in attempts to get to the vial. In all honesty, she was worried about the sickness that's been going around. Nearly all of her neighbors contracted it and a small baby died of it not five days ago. Additionally, she was the one to make this batch of potions for Gaius early that morning. She tried to squirm a bit more but it feels as though her bodice is stuck on something, though with a few more inches she's sure that she can nudge the vial towards her.
"I must be getting bigger. I've fit in here before," Merlin mumbles and Gwen stops herself from wondering why Merlin had to be under the bed.
Just a little farther and she's starting to get that burning sensation at her shoulder blade.
"Merlin, please, move your hand so that I can--" Their fingers were colliding against one another and nearly nudges the vial farther away.
"No, no, no, I'm almost there. Gwen! Gwen! GWEN!"
"What the bloody hell is going on here?!" They hear Arthur's voice and wonders when he slipped in without them hearing. And before Merlin could ask, he feels himself being pulled out by the ankles and the grips on them were none too friendly. The sudden movement causes Merlin's hand to knock at the vial, making it roll closer to Gwen and she grabs it up with a triumphant "Ah-ha!"
Merlin felt himself being hauled by up the collar and he comes face to face with a rather angry looking Arthur. "Wh-- what's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" Arthur repeats, incredulous. "What do you think you were doing with Gwen?"
Merlin's face lifts from confusion as he realizes what that might've looked like. "Arthur--- I swear --- it's not what it looks like."
"It looked pretty damn clear that you--"
"I'VE GOT IT!" They turn to see Gwen popping her head from under the bed, tugging a piece of hair out of her smile with one hand and holding up the vial with the other.
"---were retrieving a dropped potions vial?" Merlin offered with an innocent look (yet smug look).
Gwen frowned at the sight of Arthur who had Merlin at the collar. "What are you doing to Merlin, Arthur?" The prince lets go immediately and scratches the back of his head.
"I..." he started, gesturing to the bed. "You two were..."
Gwen blanched, "Don't be ridiculous. It's Merlin."
Merlin nodded, "Yeah! ---- Wait." He gives Gwen a look at having been insulted. He plucks the vial from her hands. "I'd better get these delivered, it's getting late."
"I'll come help you or it'll take too long." Gwen says, but Arthur protests.
"Guinevere! But we---" But Merlin had already left and Gwen was halfway out of the door.
"Another time, Arthur," Gwen dismisses with a smirk on her face. "Maybe next time you'll change your own sheets, hmm?"
Lines in the Sand
Prompt: Arthur thinks Gwen would be better off with Lancelot. (from rubber_glue)
Notes: PG-13. Post-Fires of Idirsholas. Arthur/Gwen/Lancelot.
Arthur watches from the balcony as two people pack their horses for the journey ahead. He watches one particularly, one who fiddles half-heartedly at the strap of her saddle. He watches and grinds his teeth harder and clenches his crossed arms tighter, but only one image stops him from running down to the courtyard and dragging her back inside - to never let her go.
But he has to let her go. Or else...
"Arthur," he hears behind him. And he doesn't flinch, doesn't blink - only knows that it is Merlin. The only one who'll be left.
There is silence between them, and Arthur is ready to yell abuse at him again, until---
"Gwen --- she came to me," Merlin says slowly. "She said you --- that you said some things. A lot of things, actually."
Merlin pauses here, and Arthur knows he's waiting for a response. But he gives none and continues to watch as the other traveler takes a hold of her saddle and fastens it for her with an excited smile.
"Why are you driving her away?" Merlin asks. And with that question, Arthur clamps his eyes shut and brings a hand to the bridge of his nose. The images start flashing back, full-on and unrelenting and he hates them. He hates what it's done to him, hates what it makes him do to her, for her.
Arthur only vaguely remembers the moment that they're in his room, with her blissful smile and happy eyes, and only seconds later her face is crumbling and her eyes are broken because he's shouting. He's shouting at her, telling her things. This is ridiculous, us! What are we doing? This can never happen! You're a servant! This has to end! With a few confused shakes of her head and attempts to finger the front of his tunic, she protests: Arthur, we've talked about this before, haven't we? We can-- we -- But he quickly dismisses her, knowing if she started stuttering as she does, he won't be able to hold on to what he has to do in order to save them both.
I know you're still in love with Lancelot. He says coldly. And he sees a flash of surprise and confusion in her eyes, before turning sharply away from her. I see it every time he comes by here with the bounties. You want to leave with him, I know you do. I can see it every time you look at him. He doesn't. You'd be so happy with him. He wishes this isn't true. She takes an uneven breath and Arthur cringes at the sound until he hears, You can't mean that, Arthur---.
I do. He says sharply and he turns to her, and looks her straight in the eye and his resolve almost disappears at the tears and the heart break on her face. We are done here. This ends now. I cannot risk having you around anymore. Here's your chance. Go to your Lancelot. Leave with him, you will have no work here. I'll make sure of it.
She moves to protest and he shouts for her to leave him, an order. And he's shocked that with trembling hands and a distressed state of mind, she curtseys her leave. And it burns in him, when she crawls back into her subservient habits because she’s hurt and confused, and he hates that he drives her so easily back to that part of her despite spending months telling her: You're not just a servant, Guinevere!
And here he was. Telling her she's just that. A servant.
Arthur watches Guinevere from the balcony, saying her brave goodbyes to Gaius who is the only one there to see them off. They'll never have their goodbyes. Their last words will be harsh and cold and lies, but that is how it has to be. For her sake. She's better off with Lancelot, safe and away from him.
"Arthur," Merlin interrupts his thoughts again. "Please... tell me."
And he hesitates, but why would he? It’s Merlin. They’ve gone against sorcerers together, battled a dragon together, defied death itself --- together.
“My father sent me down to check the castle vaults the other night. My hand… brushed against that stone. That stone of Neahtid or what have you, and it lit up and I saw---,” he swallows hard. “Gwen, she was --- she was burning on a pyre. Screaming, burning.”
Merlin’s eyebrows shoot up and he asks, “Uther?”
“No,” Arthur shakes his head, and he remembers how the vision switches. “I did.”
In the vision, on the very spot that he stands now, he watched as Guinevere burns in the fire, with the people surrounding her, crying and cheering… and he doesn’t understand. His eyes were cold, filled with a bit of something but he doesn’t know what it is.
He doesn’t understand.
“Why---,” he finally looks at Merlin and knows he looks pathetic and vulnerable but for once he doesn’t care. He doesn’t understand. “Why would I do that to her?”
Merlin softens and thinks of something to say.
Arthur turns to see the pair mounting their horses and he says, determined and broken, “I love her.”
They fall into silence again as they both watch the two make their way to towards the gate. Lancelot leading while taking hold of the rein of Gwen’s horse. Arthur stares at the back of her head, the ripple of her cloak around the horse’s rear, the slump of her shoulders. He has watched her leave him before.
Now, he is watching her leave for good.
With a glance over her shoulder, their eyes meet. And there is longing there, and Arthur sees she is clinging to a hope for them.
But he wants her to be happy and to forget every notion of them, so he has no choice but to turn away from her.
And break both their hearts.
Parlor Tricks
Prompt: Arthur and Gwen are students at Hogwarts. (from starry_laa)
Notes: PG-13 (for slight nekkidness). AU (obviously).
Guinevere tried to relax herself and melt with the water surrounding her. The Prefects baths were slowly warming up with the steam of the water and Gwen sank down until only half her face was exposed. Frustrated, she blew bubbles and closed her eyes, leaning back at the tub's edge. Gwen sighed and peeked one eye at the bundle of clothes off to the side that had a letter in her pocket.
It was a letter (it's difficult for him to write, but he tries and she loves getting them) from her father, once again reporting on his excitement that their OWLs were coming up and how he's already bought her congratulations gift because he's certain that she'll do so spectacularly on them. Little did he know, Gwen was becoming increasing more anxious with each passing day.
To put it quite frankly, she was RUBBISH at magic. Sure, she could do some things, but they were mostly at the level of parlor tricks. Even when she was young and when the magic was generally more sporadic, all that ever happened was a sudden door slamming. But nothing else than that. Despite that, her father was beside himself when Professor Gaius came to their home in Rutland. The professor had chattered off delightful little things about how Gwen had a gift and how she could use these gifts to better her own life (something Tom wasn't opposed to - he certainly couldn't have Gwen growing up in his sort of line of work, no matter how much she loved helping him), and all she needed to do was attend a new and recently found (and by recently, they mean within the last two hundred years) school ...for sorcerers.
Gwen hadn't the heart to tell Tom she didn't want to attend the bloody school or be so far away from home for 9 months out of the year. "There will always be your holiday breaks," Tom encouraged. (And Gwen sighed at remembering this, since in his recent letter he suggested that she stay during the holidays to focus on her OWLs.) For the past five years, she's come to this bloody... Hogwarts, feeling homesick for months on end, barely fitting in, hardly ever talking to anyone but Merlin and Morgana (and even she's been absent as of late, having recently discovered an instant bond with another Slytherin girl named Morgause). Five years of trying to pretend to be something she's not, a witch.
She sits up in the water and wraps her arms around her knees, willing the ache in her head to go away, the heaviness in her chest to disappear, and the sting in her eyes to be gone. She feels like a fool being here, every time a charmed bird flutters past her ears in the halls or when the pitch is roaring with the cheers from the Quidditch match. She feels like a fool here, but she feels pathetic complaining about it.
"Oi, who's in here?" a voice calls and she squeaks, trying to hide herself from the one person she'd rather not have to deal with right now. Blast it, she left her wand with her robes. Squinting, she tried to cast a spell to form bubbles all around her -- a spell, thankfully, that was simple enough for her.
Arthur reaches the edge of the tub, his arms crossed. "This is the Prefect's bath," he says, not a bit smug at finding a wayward girl in the baths... who was naked.
"I am a Prefect," she bites back, satisfied at how his face falters.
"You're--- bu-- for who?"
She gives his boots a splash, "For Headmistress Hufflepuff, that's who! Now do you mind leaving?"
His fists are at his waist, "Hufflepuff's already got two Prefects, William and..." He trails off, trying to remember who was the other.
"Guinevere?"
"Yes, her!"
"That's me."
He gapes. "What? You're Guinevere? Merlin's Guinevere? My sister's Guinevere?"
"If defining me by other people helps you, then yes." She was vaguely aware that her bubbles were disappearing.
"How is it that I've never seen you around?"
"We were in Charms together yesterday."
"Well, it doesn't mean I saw -- "
"You set my cloak on fire."
She almost smiles at his horrified expression and remembers that she's not the only one who's rubbish at magic.
"Now please, get out of my bathroom, or I'll report you to Headmaster Gryffindor."
And with a grudging respect, he does.
Relief
Prompt: Sometime after THE HUG Gwen hugs Merlin and lets him know that she's glad he ALSO survived the Dragon. (little something that bothers me as she didn't even wave or look at him.) There's more to life then Arthur. (from mustbethursday3)
Notes: PG. Set during The Last Dragonlord. Arthur/Gwen. Merlin/Gwen Friendship.
There was something about the glint of his armor in the moonlight and how still the castle was before the joyful calling of the people to alert everyone that their prince was home. Their prince was alive. The blood rushes to her ears at the sight of Arthur and Merlin tiredly climbing their slope of the courtyard, and stomach is nearly to her throat at each step she skips down the stairs.
They were home, whole and alive, and her feet knew where to go on their own. Without thinking, without caring, she lets herself collide with Arthur, only minutely aware of the uncomfortableness of armor against her dress, and she whispered her greatest worry when he left her.
"I thought I'd lost you," she said. And was only met with a content sigh in her ear and strong arms around her back, and she knew for sure that he was here with her, solid and well.
"I wouldn't dare to leave you," Arthur responds finally, and she dips her head to smile inward at the love she feels from that. They hear muffled sounds behind them and Gwen knows that Gaius was giving Merlin an equally heartfelt welcome home.
Arthur notices the look she has in her eyes and smiles, "Go on. Merlin got roughed up out there, can't understand how he's still alive. But he's done good by me. Don't know what would happen if he wasn't there." He nods in the direction of his manservant, "Go on. I've to seek out my father. Surprise him with my being alive and all."
Gwen's smile grows wider at Arthur's charity for Merlin, so rare to hear these days, and she places one last subtle hand upon his mail, grateful to him. Grateful that he is home. Grateful for both of them.
She walks slowly over to Merlin, giving Arthur one last glance before he turns to enter the castle. Gwen comes to Merlin on his other side and takes him by the hand.
"Welcome home."
Merlin looks down at her in surprise, but his grin returns and she sees that he's somehow rejuvenated, as he always seems to be after he's almost died. "Ah, well, it was bound to happen. Arthur was really something out there."
Gwen squeezes his hand, "He said the same about you."
"Now, Gwen. I know I almost died, but no need to lie," Merlin scoffs at the thought, but Gwen only smiles wider at the antics of the two most important men in her life. She takes his hand and winds their elbows together, thankful that she hadn't lost another friend.
"I'm glad you're back," she says.
"Me too, Gwen. Me too."
Panic! To the Wardrobe
Prompt: Arthur/Gwen have to hide in the wardrobe. (from sophielou21)
Notes: PG-13, for the safe side. Post-The Last Dragonlord. Arthur/Gwen.
"Wh-- Merlin--- why is the door stuck?" They suddenly heard Gaius's voice from the other side of the door and Merlin just kind of panicked.
Because honestly, he has a bunch of lies going through his head (many of them less than worthy slash remotely believable excuses) and Merlin's vaguely remembered that Gaius has asked him to do a list of chores (that Merlin notices he doesn't make Gwen do even if she's been apprenticing for him for a month or so now) and to be honest, Merlin hasn't gotten done with even one of the tasks.
Instead of course, Merlin's spent all day making excuses and white lies so that Arthur and Gwen could have a moment together, and through a series of events and road blocks, they both had somehow ended up here in Gaius's quarters, and upon arriving they had found that the court physician was off on his own errand (one Merlin finds the old man does himself on occasion).
But that was two hours ago.
Now, two hours later (as the time turns), Gaius was trying to get into his own rooms through the jammed door, which Merlin now notices is only held by the rather poorly placed bench.
The door started to open, and Merlin panicks. With apologizing glances at Arthur and Gwen who were both trying to straighten themselves from whatever it is they were doing (Merlin doesn't, by any means, watch or even try to guess what it is they were up to), Merlin takes both by the elbow and ignores the protests----
"Merlin, get your---"
"Oh, Merlin, what are you---"
--- and shoves them into one of the empty wardrobes.
Merlin shuts the wardrobe just in time as Gaius springs the door open with a harsh scowl and ferocious eyebrows on his face.
"What is the meaning of this?" Gaius asks slowly, giving Merlin in a suspicious look.
"The meaning of---?" Merlin tries to play it off.
Gaius turns and gestures simply at the bench and the door, "What were you doing in here?"
"Oh," Merlin sputters, and with the many sadly believable excuses he has spinning in his head, he says, "Nothing."
Gaius gives him a more critical eye and Merlin could swear the man's eyebrows were at a humanly impossible angle. He shifts on his heels and leans against the wardrobe door as casually as possible while ignoring the whispered threats coming from Arthur through the wood.
"I... was cleaning the leech tank, ...for you," Merlin started.
"I didn't ask you to---"
"Yes, but the tank looked filthy. I mean, those little guys were contracting diseases and I know how concerned you get about them so I closed the door, nice and shut so they couldn't possibly escape and endanger themselves with the possibility of being stepped on..." Merlin rambled and he smiles a little when he hears Gwen's snort and Arthur's, "What an idiot..."
But Gaius seemed to be pleased with this turn of events and informs Merlin that he had only returned to grab a potion for one of the lesser lord's wife who had some joint discomfort or whatever and Merlin let out a huge breath when Gaius closed the door behind him as he left.
Arthur's the first to get out and gives Merlin a fell swoop to the back of the head, "What did you think you're doing shoving us in there? It's a cupboard and I am a grown man!"
Gwen steps gently out behind him, "Merlin just saved us again, Arthur. It's all right."
But Merlin was ignoring Arthur and Gwen entirely and made his way to his room and his bed and even though it was just before sundown he was ready to call it a day. To hell with Gaius's chores and Arthur and Gwen's blasted secret affair.
The Size of the Thing
Prompt: Arthur finds Gwen and Merlin under his bed. (from mustbethursday3)
Notes: PG-13 (for implied sexings). Post-The Last Dragonlord. Arthur/Gwen.
Guinevere's only vaguely aware as to how they got in this situation. Because goodness knows, when she snuck into Arthur's chambers to wait for him, she didn't expect to end up beneath his bed without him... or with Merlin.
But here she was, stretching her arm as far as she can to get to the object while fending off Merlin's skinnier and longer fingers. She entered Arthur's rooms to find Merlin bottom half sticking out from the side. Needless to say she was careful in questioning him. But Merlin's answer was neither disturbing nor worrying as it turns out the poor servant had been making potions deliveries for Gaius since most of the castle seems to have the season's illness.
"I ran into Arthur and he told me to go change his sheets for some odd reason," Merlin's voice was muffled from still being under the bed. "I told him I was running errands for Gaius --- sick people and all --- but he said it was urgent that I make up his bed."
Gwen fidgeted nervously at this, glad that Merlin wasn't in any view of her or he would figure it out immediately (or perhaps she was giving him too much credit since the poor fellow hadn't a clue as to why anyone would want to change their sheets in the middle of the day).
"I came straight here to gather his sheets when one of the potions fell out of my pocket." (pocket? she was certain he carried anything and everything in his neckerchief.) Merlin heaved a sigh. "It rolled under the bed and now I can't get to it."
So that was why Guinevere was trying to scuffle her way underneath the bed from the other side in attempts to get to the vial. In all honesty, she was worried about the sickness that's been going around. Nearly all of her neighbors contracted it and a small baby died of it not five days ago. Additionally, she was the one to make this batch of potions for Gaius early that morning. She tried to squirm a bit more but it feels as though her bodice is stuck on something, though with a few more inches she's sure that she can nudge the vial towards her.
"I must be getting bigger. I've fit in here before," Merlin mumbles and Gwen stops herself from wondering why Merlin had to be under the bed.
Just a little farther and she's starting to get that burning sensation at her shoulder blade.
"Merlin, please, move your hand so that I can--" Their fingers were colliding against one another and nearly nudges the vial farther away.
"No, no, no, I'm almost there. Gwen! Gwen! GWEN!"
"What the bloody hell is going on here?!" They hear Arthur's voice and wonders when he slipped in without them hearing. And before Merlin could ask, he feels himself being pulled out by the ankles and the grips on them were none too friendly. The sudden movement causes Merlin's hand to knock at the vial, making it roll closer to Gwen and she grabs it up with a triumphant "Ah-ha!"
Merlin felt himself being hauled by up the collar and he comes face to face with a rather angry looking Arthur. "Wh-- what's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" Arthur repeats, incredulous. "What do you think you were doing with Gwen?"
Merlin's face lifts from confusion as he realizes what that might've looked like. "Arthur--- I swear --- it's not what it looks like."
"It looked pretty damn clear that you--"
"I'VE GOT IT!" They turn to see Gwen popping her head from under the bed, tugging a piece of hair out of her smile with one hand and holding up the vial with the other.
"---were retrieving a dropped potions vial?" Merlin offered with an innocent look (yet smug look).
Gwen frowned at the sight of Arthur who had Merlin at the collar. "What are you doing to Merlin, Arthur?" The prince lets go immediately and scratches the back of his head.
"I..." he started, gesturing to the bed. "You two were..."
Gwen blanched, "Don't be ridiculous. It's Merlin."
Merlin nodded, "Yeah! ---- Wait." He gives Gwen a look at having been insulted. He plucks the vial from her hands. "I'd better get these delivered, it's getting late."
"I'll come help you or it'll take too long." Gwen says, but Arthur protests.
"Guinevere! But we---" But Merlin had already left and Gwen was halfway out of the door.
"Another time, Arthur," Gwen dismisses with a smirk on her face. "Maybe next time you'll change your own sheets, hmm?"
Lines in the Sand
Prompt: Arthur thinks Gwen would be better off with Lancelot. (from rubber_glue)
Notes: PG-13. Post-Fires of Idirsholas. Arthur/Gwen/Lancelot.
Arthur watches from the balcony as two people pack their horses for the journey ahead. He watches one particularly, one who fiddles half-heartedly at the strap of her saddle. He watches and grinds his teeth harder and clenches his crossed arms tighter, but only one image stops him from running down to the courtyard and dragging her back inside - to never let her go.
But he has to let her go. Or else...
"Arthur," he hears behind him. And he doesn't flinch, doesn't blink - only knows that it is Merlin. The only one who'll be left.
There is silence between them, and Arthur is ready to yell abuse at him again, until---
"Gwen --- she came to me," Merlin says slowly. "She said you --- that you said some things. A lot of things, actually."
Merlin pauses here, and Arthur knows he's waiting for a response. But he gives none and continues to watch as the other traveler takes a hold of her saddle and fastens it for her with an excited smile.
"Why are you driving her away?" Merlin asks. And with that question, Arthur clamps his eyes shut and brings a hand to the bridge of his nose. The images start flashing back, full-on and unrelenting and he hates them. He hates what it's done to him, hates what it makes him do to her, for her.
Arthur only vaguely remembers the moment that they're in his room, with her blissful smile and happy eyes, and only seconds later her face is crumbling and her eyes are broken because he's shouting. He's shouting at her, telling her things. This is ridiculous, us! What are we doing? This can never happen! You're a servant! This has to end! With a few confused shakes of her head and attempts to finger the front of his tunic, she protests: Arthur, we've talked about this before, haven't we? We can-- we -- But he quickly dismisses her, knowing if she started stuttering as she does, he won't be able to hold on to what he has to do in order to save them both.
I know you're still in love with Lancelot. He says coldly. And he sees a flash of surprise and confusion in her eyes, before turning sharply away from her. I see it every time he comes by here with the bounties. You want to leave with him, I know you do. I can see it every time you look at him. He doesn't. You'd be so happy with him. He wishes this isn't true. She takes an uneven breath and Arthur cringes at the sound until he hears, You can't mean that, Arthur---.
I do. He says sharply and he turns to her, and looks her straight in the eye and his resolve almost disappears at the tears and the heart break on her face. We are done here. This ends now. I cannot risk having you around anymore. Here's your chance. Go to your Lancelot. Leave with him, you will have no work here. I'll make sure of it.
She moves to protest and he shouts for her to leave him, an order. And he's shocked that with trembling hands and a distressed state of mind, she curtseys her leave. And it burns in him, when she crawls back into her subservient habits because she’s hurt and confused, and he hates that he drives her so easily back to that part of her despite spending months telling her: You're not just a servant, Guinevere!
And here he was. Telling her she's just that. A servant.
Arthur watches Guinevere from the balcony, saying her brave goodbyes to Gaius who is the only one there to see them off. They'll never have their goodbyes. Their last words will be harsh and cold and lies, but that is how it has to be. For her sake. She's better off with Lancelot, safe and away from him.
"Arthur," Merlin interrupts his thoughts again. "Please... tell me."
And he hesitates, but why would he? It’s Merlin. They’ve gone against sorcerers together, battled a dragon together, defied death itself --- together.
“My father sent me down to check the castle vaults the other night. My hand… brushed against that stone. That stone of Neahtid or what have you, and it lit up and I saw---,” he swallows hard. “Gwen, she was --- she was burning on a pyre. Screaming, burning.”
Merlin’s eyebrows shoot up and he asks, “Uther?”
“No,” Arthur shakes his head, and he remembers how the vision switches. “I did.”
In the vision, on the very spot that he stands now, he watched as Guinevere burns in the fire, with the people surrounding her, crying and cheering… and he doesn’t understand. His eyes were cold, filled with a bit of something but he doesn’t know what it is.
He doesn’t understand.
“Why---,” he finally looks at Merlin and knows he looks pathetic and vulnerable but for once he doesn’t care. He doesn’t understand. “Why would I do that to her?”
Merlin softens and thinks of something to say.
Arthur turns to see the pair mounting their horses and he says, determined and broken, “I love her.”
They fall into silence again as they both watch the two make their way to towards the gate. Lancelot leading while taking hold of the rein of Gwen’s horse. Arthur stares at the back of her head, the ripple of her cloak around the horse’s rear, the slump of her shoulders. He has watched her leave him before.
Now, he is watching her leave for good.
With a glance over her shoulder, their eyes meet. And there is longing there, and Arthur sees she is clinging to a hope for them.
But he wants her to be happy and to forget every notion of them, so he has no choice but to turn away from her.
And break both their hearts.
Parlor Tricks
Prompt: Arthur and Gwen are students at Hogwarts. (from starry_laa)
Notes: PG-13 (for slight nekkidness). AU (obviously).
Guinevere tried to relax herself and melt with the water surrounding her. The Prefects baths were slowly warming up with the steam of the water and Gwen sank down until only half her face was exposed. Frustrated, she blew bubbles and closed her eyes, leaning back at the tub's edge. Gwen sighed and peeked one eye at the bundle of clothes off to the side that had a letter in her pocket.
It was a letter (it's difficult for him to write, but he tries and she loves getting them) from her father, once again reporting on his excitement that their OWLs were coming up and how he's already bought her congratulations gift because he's certain that she'll do so spectacularly on them. Little did he know, Gwen was becoming increasing more anxious with each passing day.
To put it quite frankly, she was RUBBISH at magic. Sure, she could do some things, but they were mostly at the level of parlor tricks. Even when she was young and when the magic was generally more sporadic, all that ever happened was a sudden door slamming. But nothing else than that. Despite that, her father was beside himself when Professor Gaius came to their home in Rutland. The professor had chattered off delightful little things about how Gwen had a gift and how she could use these gifts to better her own life (something Tom wasn't opposed to - he certainly couldn't have Gwen growing up in his sort of line of work, no matter how much she loved helping him), and all she needed to do was attend a new and recently found (and by recently, they mean within the last two hundred years) school ...for sorcerers.
Gwen hadn't the heart to tell Tom she didn't want to attend the bloody school or be so far away from home for 9 months out of the year. "There will always be your holiday breaks," Tom encouraged. (And Gwen sighed at remembering this, since in his recent letter he suggested that she stay during the holidays to focus on her OWLs.) For the past five years, she's come to this bloody... Hogwarts, feeling homesick for months on end, barely fitting in, hardly ever talking to anyone but Merlin and Morgana (and even she's been absent as of late, having recently discovered an instant bond with another Slytherin girl named Morgause). Five years of trying to pretend to be something she's not, a witch.
She sits up in the water and wraps her arms around her knees, willing the ache in her head to go away, the heaviness in her chest to disappear, and the sting in her eyes to be gone. She feels like a fool being here, every time a charmed bird flutters past her ears in the halls or when the pitch is roaring with the cheers from the Quidditch match. She feels like a fool here, but she feels pathetic complaining about it.
"Oi, who's in here?" a voice calls and she squeaks, trying to hide herself from the one person she'd rather not have to deal with right now. Blast it, she left her wand with her robes. Squinting, she tried to cast a spell to form bubbles all around her -- a spell, thankfully, that was simple enough for her.
Arthur reaches the edge of the tub, his arms crossed. "This is the Prefect's bath," he says, not a bit smug at finding a wayward girl in the baths... who was naked.
"I am a Prefect," she bites back, satisfied at how his face falters.
"You're--- bu-- for who?"
She gives his boots a splash, "For Headmistress Hufflepuff, that's who! Now do you mind leaving?"
His fists are at his waist, "Hufflepuff's already got two Prefects, William and..." He trails off, trying to remember who was the other.
"Guinevere?"
"Yes, her!"
"That's me."
He gapes. "What? You're Guinevere? Merlin's Guinevere? My sister's Guinevere?"
"If defining me by other people helps you, then yes." She was vaguely aware that her bubbles were disappearing.
"How is it that I've never seen you around?"
"We were in Charms together yesterday."
"Well, it doesn't mean I saw -- "
"You set my cloak on fire."
She almost smiles at his horrified expression and remembers that she's not the only one who's rubbish at magic.
"Now please, get out of my bathroom, or I'll report you to Headmaster Gryffindor."
And with a grudging respect, he does.
Relief
Prompt: Sometime after THE HUG Gwen hugs Merlin and lets him know that she's glad he ALSO survived the Dragon. (little something that bothers me as she didn't even wave or look at him.) There's more to life then Arthur. (from mustbethursday3)
Notes: PG. Set during The Last Dragonlord. Arthur/Gwen. Merlin/Gwen Friendship.
There was something about the glint of his armor in the moonlight and how still the castle was before the joyful calling of the people to alert everyone that their prince was home. Their prince was alive. The blood rushes to her ears at the sight of Arthur and Merlin tiredly climbing their slope of the courtyard, and stomach is nearly to her throat at each step she skips down the stairs.
They were home, whole and alive, and her feet knew where to go on their own. Without thinking, without caring, she lets herself collide with Arthur, only minutely aware of the uncomfortableness of armor against her dress, and she whispered her greatest worry when he left her.
"I thought I'd lost you," she said. And was only met with a content sigh in her ear and strong arms around her back, and she knew for sure that he was here with her, solid and well.
"I wouldn't dare to leave you," Arthur responds finally, and she dips her head to smile inward at the love she feels from that. They hear muffled sounds behind them and Gwen knows that Gaius was giving Merlin an equally heartfelt welcome home.
Arthur notices the look she has in her eyes and smiles, "Go on. Merlin got roughed up out there, can't understand how he's still alive. But he's done good by me. Don't know what would happen if he wasn't there." He nods in the direction of his manservant, "Go on. I've to seek out my father. Surprise him with my being alive and all."
Gwen's smile grows wider at Arthur's charity for Merlin, so rare to hear these days, and she places one last subtle hand upon his mail, grateful to him. Grateful that he is home. Grateful for both of them.
She walks slowly over to Merlin, giving Arthur one last glance before he turns to enter the castle. Gwen comes to Merlin on his other side and takes him by the hand.
"Welcome home."
Merlin looks down at her in surprise, but his grin returns and she sees that he's somehow rejuvenated, as he always seems to be after he's almost died. "Ah, well, it was bound to happen. Arthur was really something out there."
Gwen squeezes his hand, "He said the same about you."
"Now, Gwen. I know I almost died, but no need to lie," Merlin scoffs at the thought, but Gwen only smiles wider at the antics of the two most important men in her life. She takes his hand and winds their elbows together, thankful that she hadn't lost another friend.
"I'm glad you're back," she says.
"Me too, Gwen. Me too."