1 - 20 of 272 Works in Sad Merlin (Merlin)
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I have no creativity but I want to write Merlin angst.
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The Once and Future Professor by Buffoonery
Fandoms: Merlin (TV), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
02 Oct 2025
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Professor Emeric Ambrose is Hogwarts' new Muggle Studies teacher. His qualifications include a deep, personal animosity towards every major author of the Arthurian legends, an unnerving ability to reason with sentient furniture, and the eyes of a man who has been tired for a very, very long time.
He's also Merlin.
All he wants is a quiet life. But with a king in a painting who won't stop giving bad advice, a magical portrait of his nemesis down the hall, and two red-headed apprentices who are determined to learn the art of "narrative chaos," Merlin is about to discover that the only thing worse than being forgotten by history is having it come back to haunt you. Literally. -
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In the heart of a modern Albion, nestled near the still waters of Avalon, Merlin runs a quiet orphanage—far from the prophecies, far from the crown. It’s a place of hope and new beginnings for the children in his care. But not today.
Today marks exactly 1,500 years since Arthur Pendragon died and killed Merlin’s soul.
While the orphanage bustles with excitement for Parents’ Day, Merlin can barely hold himself together. The sun is too bright. The children’s laughter cuts too deep. And still, he has no choice but to smile for them.
What Merlin doesn’t know is that fate is already shifting. Because Arthur is about to rise again.
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After centuries of immortal solitude, Merlin lives in quiet exile, burdened by grief and the failure of a great prophecy. His reclusive existence is shattered when an unexpected delivery is left at his door: an infant girl, abandoned because she possesses a dangerous and innate magic.
Reluctantly, Merlin takes her in, and the child, Olivia, slowly pulls him back into the world. As he raises her and teaches her to control her growing powers, their quiet life is interrupted by strange signs from a sacred lake—signs that the ancient prophecy Merlin thought had failed may be stirring back to life, forcing him to confront the past he left behind while protecting the future he has found in Olivia.
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Arthur is relieved when Balinor the Dragonlord agrees to help, but dismayed when he refuses to come back to Camelot. Instead, Arthur is stuck waiting in the middle of nowhere while Balinor calls the dragon. To make matters worse, Arthur’s idiot manservant clearly has a massive crush on the guy: despite him being a grumpy, straggly, cave-dwelling sorcerer, who makes terrible cabbage pottage, Merlin hasn’t taken his eyes off him! Arthur will tolerate this nonsense for a couple of days, but only because he must save Camelot.
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Harry Potter and the Battle of Excalibur by ExcaliburStuckInMyStoneHeart
Fandoms: Merlin (TV), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
24 Sep 2025
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This is the last part in a three-part series!
After the death of Dumbledore, the wizarding world feels like it's in shambles, but beneath the surface, the light is moving forward, gathering up their weapons and people preparing for the big battle. Merlin gathers his old friends together to search for Death’s EarthBound items.
While Harry is hunting for Horcruxes, new friends will be found and old ones remembered. It's a battle against who becomes stronger before the final battle commences. Will it be Morgana and Voldemort, or will it be Merlin and Harry Potter? Only time will tell…
Book 3
Series
- Part 3 of A Techno Mage
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“Never wander alone, my darling, or Jenny Grinteeth will get you,” Hunith used to say. “Or if you forget, make sure you say the rhyme - that wards her off.”
Jenny Grinteeth leave me be, my mother loves me, leave me be.
Jenny Grinteeth is a game they play. But as Merlin is sucked into life at Camelot, he wanders alone more than ever. He is surrounded by people, but he doubts they love him; they can’t really even know him. The loneliness becomes so routine, he forgets his mother’s warnings and the funny, little rhymes, which might otherwise have saved his life.
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Merlin hadn’t done anything dumb or self-sacrificial like Arthur had feared—that was the silver lining. But that left him with one conclusion. Arthur had died by Mordred’s blade. He was no mortal, not any longer. He was a ghost.
or—it's been a few months since Camlann, and Arthur reappears as a ghost, cursed to be unseen and unheard by his loved ones left behind. It's too bad no one in Camelot is powerful enough to see and interact with ghosts . . . right?
Series
- Part 8 of Living's Standalone Merthur Fics
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There are distant yells, a group of knights gathered at the wall, pointing and shouting in his direction. He watches with little interest, as the group scatters like mice in the armoury, and soon the lower gate is opening. Two knights, riding full speed towards him, and Merlin swallows slowly as he recognizes the riders.
Of course.
It would've been too kind.
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The king has perished and now his most trusted servant, advisor, friend and more- Merlin is left with regrets.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 262
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Kudos:
- 5
- Hits:
- 89
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your secrets keep you sick (your lies keep you alive) by bellamyblakru for boywholivednotdied
Fandoms: Merlin (TV)
21 Aug 2025
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for the lovely person who suggested a body swapping magic reveal. and i said count me THE FUCK in. muahaha
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This is how the revelation of Merlin's magic should have happened.
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- Part 15 of MERTHUR SAD AND SOFT
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After Arthur's death, his spirit arises to track Merlin back home to Camelot. Along this journey he discovers more about his servant, and learns about his legacy as the greatest king Camelot has ever known.
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Centuries after the battle of Camlann Merlin waits for his kings return, mourning a past lifetime.
Camelot is no more and magic has been lost to the world. Will Arthur return?Merlin has lost hope.
And yet still he waits.
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They sit there quietly for a few minutes, clock ticking away as Arthur drinks his coffee and Merlin lets the steam of his own waft up his nostrils. Something about the simple potential, the easy domesticity, sets Merlin off.
Before he can stop it, he sets his coffee down, puts his head in his hands.
“Merlin, what—” Arthur starts, distress evident from the way he sets his cup down as well and reaches forward as though more touch could help this.
“Why do you keep doing this to me, Arthur?” Merlin asks, breath huffy and voice all cloggy-sounding. He’s embarrassed, he realizes, that he’s let this go on in the foolish hope that Arthur will wake up and realize that he does love Merlin, not Gwen.
He feels Arthur still, because his arms are splayed out in front of himself on the table as though he were trying to reach for Merlin.
Merlin gets no answer to his question, though.
“Leave, please, Arthur,” Merlin says roughly; he has to force himself not to call him back when he hears Arthur take a breath in sharply, before standing, gathering his few things, and leaving the apartment.
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It's just all getting too much for Merlin. Destiny is too hard to keep on top of. He's tired and wants it to end. Arthur has a different opinion.
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Arthur’s voice dropped, more serious. “It’s not like you to hate anyone, Merlin. But you look at Mordred like he’s your enemy.”
Merlin went quiet.
"Merlin?"
“Maybe he is,” he whispered so quietly the words barely made it past his lips.
“What?” Arthur asked in disbelief.
....
Arthur trusts Mordred. Merlin knows better.
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Merlin had dressed Arthur every day for a lifetime. It was a universal truth, no matter the mission: if Arthur wasn’t ready, Merlin would make sure he was.
But Merlin never talks about the way the armor had felt when he touched it for the last time.
A little oneshot about Merlin's grief Post-Camlann. Can be read as Merthur or gen.
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Daegal understands he has perished. In the halls of King Arthur Pendragon's castle. But it doesn't feel right to leave Merlin.
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When Merlin returns to Camelot nine years after Arthur's death, he meets a young girl with magic and is surprised to find a new destiny awaits him.