Archive of Our Own ^beta

The king and his knights (and Merlin of course) were sat around a roaring fire in the woods. The stars hung brightly above them and the clearing was filled with sounds of joyous laughter and playful banter.

“A toast to Leon!” Gwaine announced as he raised his tankard of mead to the sky. “We’re glad to have you back mate!”

He nodded his drink in the general direction of the oldest knight and a chorus of cheers sounded through the group before they all took a long swig of honey sweet liquid.

“Well, I’m happy to be back. Truth be told I’ve missed this.” Leon told the group. He was slightly tipsy and the alcohol made him sentimental.

Merlin, who had been sat next to Leon ‘Aww’ed and tried to lean onto the knight’s shoulder. However, despite Gaius’ claims of him always being at the tavern, Merlin was a complete lightweight and was well on his way to being drunk. This meant he missed Leon’s shoulder and ended up half-lying in the knight’s lap.

Merlin seemed unaware that he had missed his intended destination and just gazed up at the knight. “Leeon missed us~”

Leon chuckled and adjusted Merlin to be fully sitting in his lap. “That’s not quite what I said.”

Merlin pouted and made puppy eyes. Elyan giggled (honestly giggled, he may have gotten more drunk than he intended.) at the manservant’s expression. Lancelot looked over to the king, who was glaring jealousy over the top of his tankard at Leon and Merlin, and smirked.

Leon laughed again at Merlin’s pout. “But you are right: I did miss you. I’m glad I finally got my father to stop pushing that marriage with Lady Whatshername.”

Lancelot smiled. “I agree, everyone should be able to marry for love rather than gain.”

He quickly and subtly looked from Arthur to Merlin and Gwaine snorted. Leon pulled a face.

“I should be allowed to remain unmarried forever.” He mumbled through a sip of his drink.

Gwaine laughed and winked at the older knight. “I hear that! No one’s going to be caging this bird for a long time!”

Elyan leaned over to Lancelot to whisper in his ear. “I can think of someone who could cage that bird.”

He then sent a meaningful glance to Percival who at that moment, for no particular reason, had chosen to move his gaze away from Gwaine to settle on the fire.

“No, it’s not that.” Leon spoke to Gwaine. “I just don’t really like women in that way. They tend to make better friends than partners, in my experience.”

“Ahhhh,” Gwaine nodded like he completely understood, Lace doubted he did and guessed the knight would jump to the wrong conclusions. “So you like fellas.”

And he would be right. Although Leon didn’t exactly explain clearly what he meant, Gwaine had mistaken the oldest knight’s statement.

It took Leon a moment to realise what the Gwaine had said.

“No! No, of course not!” Leon spluttered.

Gwaine laughed. “Don’t worry we’re all friends here! It would really hip- hippo- critic- not fair of me to look at you differently for it after I myself have had many men!”

Leon was bright red and going redder but now it was Percival’s turn to sputter. “Men can like men?!”

Gwaine’s smile faltered and something Elyan noticed to be disappointment flashed in his eyes. The knight quickly covered it and beamed at Percival. “Of course! Right Arthur?”

The king snapped his eyes away from Merlin who was still sat on Leon’s lap to look at his problem knight. “Pardon?”

Gwaine scoffed at Arthur’s lack of awareness. “Men can like men right Princess?”

Arthur looked confused for a moment (the alcohol had probably lowered his processing capability) before nodding. “There is no Camelot law against men marrying men or women marrying women.”

Percival’s eyes lit up with hope. “Really?”

Arthur nodded again and Gwaine, after taking another sip of his mead, smiled at the knight. It seemed he had misunderstood Percival’s earlier confusion. “Yeah! Merlin likes men, don’t cha Merlin?”

Merlin, who had been been taking a large swig of his own drink, chocked on the liquid and began coughing. “Gwaine!!”

Elyan looked over to Arthur who had turned a light pink at the idea of Merlin being attracted to men.

“What? Was that a secret?” Gwaine asked. Lancelot hit him on the arm.

“Noooo,” Merlin dragged out. “I juss find it… suspicious that you know that. W-when I din’tell yoou.”

Lancelot laughed at Merlin’s slurred speech and Elyan cooed like he was a small creature of some kind. Gwaine raised an eyebrow. “Well I sort of guessed after the last time I took you drinking.”

Merlin blushed and looked down into his tankard. “Oh, that makes sense.”

Arthur obnoxiously cleared his throat and Gwaine turned to look at him. The king was suddenly sitting up straight and seemed to Very interest in the conversation. “What, do tell sir Gwaine, happened last time you took my manservant drinking?”

Gwaine’s eyes lit up with mischief. He could tell Arthur the truth: that Merlin had been practically waxing poetry about some man with ‘Stupidly perfect golden hair that shines like a blessing from a god of light and warmth’ and ‘Arrogant blue eyes that think they have a right to be the same shade as sapphires sparkling in the morning sun’

Yeah, he could tell Arthur that Or he could allude to sleeping with Merlin in order to ruffle the jealous Princess’ feathers. In the end Gwaine really had no choice.

“Oh you wouldn’t believe me if I told you!” He laughed. “I have NO doubts about Merlin’s interest in men after that.”

Arthur’s face was bright red. From embarrassment, anger or the heat of the fire was uncertain but Gwaine took it as a victory and beamed.

He opened his mouth to continue but stoped when he felt Elyan elbow him in the side before nodding to Percival. Lancelot watched as Gwaine turned to Percival and saw the poorly covered sadness and hurt in the strongest knight’s eyes.

“I- um I didn’t know you and Merlin were courting.” Percival said simply. Gwaine’s eyes widened and he immediately held out his hands to comfort the knight.

“Oh! No! Percy no, I- me and Merlin aren’t- we never were… um courting or anything else. We’re just friends, Percy I promise. I just wanted to wind up Princess.” Gwaine rapidly tried to explain.

“Oh,” Percival blushed. He probably sounded way to upset at the idea of Gwaine and Merlin. He really hoped his friends hadn’t just figured out that he loves Gwaine. Heck! He only found out himself about three minutes ago!

The rest of the group were now looking between the two knights, wondering what would happen. Leon awkwardly cleared his throat to gather everyone’s attention. “Well, whilst I’m glad to know that if I did like men you would all support me, I would like to clarify that that is not what I meant.”

Elyan narrowed his eyes at the oldest knight in suspicion. “But you said you don’t like women?”

Leon nodded. “Yes.”

“And you don’t like men?” Elyan asked.

“Right.”

Gwaine tilted his head. “So who do you like?”

Leon shrugged. “No one, I suppose.”

“No one?” Arthur asked in his classic ‘I don’t understand and it’s coming off as arrogant and mocking because I’m bad at expressing emotions’ voice. It’s the same one he uses when pronouncing Merlin’s name.

“Yes my Lord.” The oldest knight responded. “I have no interest in perusing a romantic relationship with anyone. Male, female or otherwise.”

The king still looked confused but also like he was trying to understand.

Gwaine smirked at him; the knight decided that this was the perfect opportunity to tease Arthur. “And what about you sire? Boys or girls?”

Arthur flushed and unconsciously glanced to Merlin and then away again. Merlin didn’t notice as he was staring into his tankard like it had the answers to the universe hidden in its depths. The king composed himself quickly and gave a smile. “I have just as much experience with men as I do with women.”

Leon raised an eyebrow and Merlin blatantly snorted. “So none then, sire.” 

Apparently the manservant hadn’t been as tuned out of the conversation as the group had earlier suspected. Either that of he had some sort of extra sense for opportunities to tease Arthur.

The king spluttered and the other knights burst into laughter. “Merlin!!”

“What? I-iss true,” he interrupted himself with a series of loud hiccups and Leon patted him on the back in an attempt to help.

“He’s got you there sire.” Gwaine joked before taking a sip of his drink. Percival chuckled next to him.

“So if we’re all sharing gender preferences for partners,” Elyan started and the group turned to him. “I would like to make it known that I have never romantically loved a woman, not once in my life. This needs no further explanation other than: men.”

Merlin gasped loudly from where he was still sat on Leon. “Oh my triple goddess! Same!”

Elyan laughed. Drunk Merlin was even more energetic and loud than sober Merlin. At that moment a cold gush of wind swept through the clearing and put out the fire. Percival sighed loudly, they would have to find a way to relight it if they wanted to continue drinking.

“Hey!” Merlin called out to the sky as the others gave him confused looks. “That wasn’t very nice. Put it back!”

Gwaine started laughing at Merlin’s demand. “Mate, you can’t just-”

The cooling wood the used to be a fire suddenly erupted into brilliant red and orange flames that danced around each other and formed shapes. The shapes formed into multiple people silently talking to each other, playing games and going about their business. It was clearly magical.

“Merlin!” Lancelot exclaimed.

The others turned to the manservant to see his eyes blazing gold. Even in firelight eyes could never be that gold without magic. Merlin giggled at the knights.

Lancelot’s wide eyes were worried and protective but hopeful. He knew if it came down to it he would always protect Merlin but he had a suspicion that his help wouldn’t be necessary. Lace didn’t believe Arthur could hurt Merlin.

Gwaine had his hand on his sword faster than he should have been able to with how much alcohol he’d drank. He had known about Merlin’s magic for some time and knew he would not hesitate to protect his best friend. Pledge to Arthur or otherwise. Merlin was his top priority.

Percival also had his sword out. He hadn’t know about Merlin’s magic but the man was always so kind to him. He was like a little brother to Percival and the knight knew Merlin was good. There was no hesitation in his mind that Merlin was good and if anyone in the group thought otherwise then they could deal with him.

Leon looked shocked and didn’t take his eyes away from the flames. He watched as the people, constructed from nothing but fire and Merlin’s own mind, danced with each other gracefully. It was beautiful but it was also magic. The knight had never been more confused in his life. Merlin had magic. Magic was evil. Merlin didn’t have an evil bone in his body! Despite Leon’s inner turmoil he made no move to take Merlin off his lap.

Elyan was also shocked and confused. He didn’t believe magic was evil. He had learnt, through his travels, of it’s beauty and its worth but what he couldn’t understand was why Merlin chose to practice it. Sure he could use it to protect his friends, to protect Arthur, but it also put him in danger. It was careless and reckless and self sacrificial- and you know what that actually did sound a lot like Merlin.

Everyone, par Merlin who hadn’t noticed the change in atmosphere, looked to Arthur. Some looking for guidance and instruction, others for even the smallest sign they needed to defend their friend.

The king watched the fire move with an unreadable expression before sighing deeply. Arthur took a long swig of mead and the knights continued to watch.

“He would have wanted to tell us sober.” The king said and his friends gaped at him. He was so clam. Why was he so calm?! “Everyone can calm down, Merlin isn’t a threat to us and I am not one to him.”

“You don’t seem surprised sire.” Lancelot blurred out. Arthur turned to look at him with a blank expression.

“This is the third time he’s gotten drunk and accidentally revealed his magic.”

“So you knew?” Elyan asked and Arthur nodded. Gwaine’s eyes grew hard and he looked angry.

“All this time you knew Merlin had magic and you still haven’t changed a thing about the injustice of the law. You’ve let him live in fear for years.” The knight spat out.

“Hang on. haven’t known for years,” the king started. “And I’ve been privately reworking the law since I first found out.”

“Why privately, my Lord?” Leon asked.

“Because the court won’t be happy with my decision and so they don’t need to know until the day I change the ban.” Arthur replied. He turned to Gwaine. “Do you truly think I would allow my best friend to live in a kingdom that believes he should be killed for just being who he is?”

Gwaine considered it. No, no Arthur wouldn’t do that, Merlin meant everything to the king, even if he wouldn’t admit it. “No.”

“I don’t understand.” Leon spoke up, his eyes never leaving the fire. “Why? Why would Merlin learn magic?”

“Hey! ‘M still here, y know?” Merlin spoke up and Leon jumped.

“An’ I didn’t learn magic,” Merlin tried to mimic Leon’s voice very poorly, reminding them all of his drunken state. “I am magic.”

“You are magic?” Elyan repeated and Merlin nodded.

“There are some who say,” Lancelot spoke. “That Merlin is the greatest sorcerer to ever walk the Earth.”

The Greatest Sorcerer To Ever Walk The Earth giggled and slumped onto Leon’s shoulder. “That’s me!”

“We know Merlin.” Arthur told him before turning his attention back to the knights. “It may be selfish but I want Merlin to tell me himself. Not when he’s… you know.”

The king gestured to the visibly drunk manservant. The knights nodded in agreement. “I trust that you can keep this information confidential until after the removal of the ban?”

The kings agreed. Merlin would want that too, they thought. The group spent the rest of the night drinking laughing and watching Merlin dance shapes around in the fire.

There would be two more instances involving Merlin, alcohol and a magic revival but all of the knights were true to their word to keep silent.

Arthur would, in time, finished the changes to the laws of Camelot and Merlin would reveal himself whilst completely sober. Then, and only then… would the knights take every opportunity to tease Merlin mercilessly over his many drunken confessions.