Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Merlin assumed that when someone tells you to "hide your magic," you're supposed to obey.

So, why the hell wasn't everyone in Camelot doing it?!

"Next," the doorman called. Merlin was still reeling from the bizarre street scene, where a lady scolded her son for using a sacred artifact as a toy while a vendor openly displayed bubbles to the guards.

"Sir?" A guard stepped up to him, and Merlin blinked, confused.

"Your name, please?"

"Err, Merlin...?" Merlin responded hesitantly.

"Wait, Merlin? The one from Hunith?"

"Uhhh, yes?"

"Awesome! Gaius asked me to guide you to Camelot. You're gonna love it here!" The guard practically dragged him along, while another took his place.

Merlin blinked slowly, still too bewildered by the bizarre atmosphere of Camelot’s streets to process much of anything.

After visiting every place on the tour, they ended up at the castle balcony.

"Oh, man," the knight beside Merlin muttered, his voice full of dread. Merlin’s dizziness hit a peak as they reached the scene.

It was Uther, delivering a speech to the gathered crowd. "Let this be a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is found guilty of using incantations and magic. And, in accordance with the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, decree that such practices are prohibited on pain of death!"

Merlin blinked in disbelief, watching the crowd's shocked reactions. "B-but there were people using magic freely just five minutes ago!"

Leon sighed deeply, shaking his head. "The poor guy probably got caught by Uther. Too bad, he was nice."

Merlin continued to stare, utterly confused, as Leon led him through the crowd. "You’ve got a lot to learn about Camelot. First rule: Never get caught using magic by Uther. He doesn't care if you're helping with laundry, if you’re found, you're toast."

Merlin was left speechless.

As he was led further through the castle, Merlin's confusion only grew. "But, Uther said magic was forbidden!"

Leon looked at him with a bemused expression. "With a few exceptions, no one likes Uther. The guy's a disaster who makes Arthur do all the work. As for catching wizards? Well, it usually depends on whether they want to kill him or if they’re just hanging around, accidentally using magic to help with chores like some poor warlock did last month."

Merlin was silent. Utterly silent.

"Anyway, here's Gaius's room. He'll sort you out. See you around, Merlin!" Leon said with a cheery grin before running off, leaving Merlin to stare after him.

Merlin was so stunned that Gaius had to physically pull him into the room.

Merlin didn't mind helping Gaius. His uncle was understanding about his lack of magical training, and learning the ropes made everything easier.

Like this particular afternoon…

A spoiled prat was bullying a servant, so Merlin used a bit of magic and threw a rock at the jerk's head. The guy immediately turned his focus to his guards, and the chaos that followed was magnificent. Everyone was attacking each other.

Merlin couldn't help but grin. It was a beautiful afternoon.

Merlin didn't expect the week to spiral this much. Giving Arthur headache medicine while watching an impossible pile of paperwork grow was practically a mild day in comparison.

But the absolute craziest thing?

He found a damn dragon.

"You're smaller than I'd imagined for someone with such a big destiny," the dragon said with an amused, condescending tone.

"Huh?" Merlin blinked, thrown off guard.

"Your gift, Merlin, was given to you for a reason," the dragon continued.

"... Excuse me? How could you possibly know—"

"Arthur is the One and Only King who will unite the land of Albion."

"... Oh, great. Now we're just ignoring Merlin, huh?"

"But he faces many threats, from both friend and foe."

"... I don't see what this has to do with me?"

"Everything. Without you, Arthur will never succeed. Without you, there will be no Albion."

Merlin stared at the dragon, incredulous. The dragon waited, unblinking.

"So you're telling me that I have to take care of a spoiled prat who's probably going to get himself killed within a week, and I’m supposed to obey this destiny?" Merlin deadpanned.

The dragon nodded seriously.

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, no thanks. I’ve got my own stuff to handle. Whatever happens, I’ll do something, but I refuse to put my life on hold for a guy who's destined to be an idiot."

"But—"

"Speaking of which, I should probably learn a copy spell. Looking at you, you're not being fed properly. Are you getting enough chicken?"

Merlin left the dragon staring after him, having already decided on his next meal.

Merlin casually watched as a singer tried to get closer to Arthur. Using his magic, he slowed time and moved Arthur away from harm, barely even thinking about it. The most anyone would say was that Merlin had touched the unharmed prince from a distance—though, honestly, he was more focused on protecting the table from collapsing.

Being made Arthur’s servant was just plain stupid.

Chapter Text

As Kilgharrah chuckled at Merlin's new plight, the young warlock scowled. "You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you?"

Kilgharrah let out a throaty laugh. "Haha, not quite. Legends and prophecies can only give you a vague idea. But a manservant? That was a surprise, though it works out in the long run. Keeps you close to an unsuspecting Arthur."

Merlin pinched the bridge of his nose. "Speaking of which, how does killing a sorcerer count as bringing magic back? If anything, won’t evil users attacking him nonstop just make Arthur hate magic even more?"

Kilgharrah sputtered out a string of nonsensical excuses. Merlin, in the meantime, grabbed a piece of chicken and took a bite, hoping the food would help dull the headache that was quickly forming.

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Neither of us really knows how this whole ‘destiny’ thing is supposed to work, do we?" Merlin muttered, chewing thoughtfully. The chicken, at least, was delicious.

Kilgharrah grumbled something about fate’s intricacies, but Merlin was already tuning him out. One thing was clear—this was definitely going to be a problem.

Chapter Text

Merlin groaned for what felt like the twentieth time that week. His patience was wearing thin.

"Merlin, where’s my shield?" Arthur asked, his voice full of that irritating entitlement, as he pulled weapons from his closet.

Great. Another day of saving the prat's life. Today’s threat? A knight who killed a poor sorcerer just to win a tournament.

"It’s under your bed," Merlin replied, facepalming as Arthur blinked in confusion.

Merlin had spent the better part of the morning answering questions for Gaius about the mysterious epidemic plaguing Camelot. And, of course, he had to keep Gwen from gushing about Morgana’s antics while also saving Arthur’s life for the third time that day.

How many times could one man be poisoned in a single week?! Merlin honestly wondered how Arthur had survived this long without him around.

"Thanks, Merlin. Now, where’s my breakfast?" Arthur asked, casually draping an arm around Merlin’s shoulder.

Merlin groaned again. "It’s on the table." Arthur tilted his head and spotted the food.

"Oh, sorry," Arthur muttered, distracted, "I was too caught up thinking about our sparring."

Merlin cursed his life choices under his breath.

Arthur had to see him kill that mud monster, didn’t he?

"Aren’t you going to eat?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow as he gestured to the empty chair across from him.

"Sire, servants can’t eat beside their master," Merlin muttered, knowing full well Arthur would ignore the rule.

"Stable," Arthur said, almost as if it was a joke. "Do you want another glass of water?"

Merlin sighed, sitting down beside him without another word. At least it meant Arthur would leave him alone for a bit.

Arthur happily took a bite of his food. "Merls, what do you think of the last attack?"

Merlin blinked. "You mean the one where someone tried to stab you with a pen, or the one where I had to knock someone out for yelling at you?"

Arthur sighed, clearly not interested in those details. "No, the epidemic."

Merlin paused, wondering how much he wanted to say. "What about it?"

Arthur grimaced. "My father keeps mumbling about how all sorcerers must die."

And there it was.

Before Arthur could start his usual complaints about his life, Merlin cut him off. "And you’re tired of it?"

Arthur fell silent.

Merlin leaned in slightly. "As much as I enjoy hearing your rants about your father, Arthur, if it bothers you so much, why not try seeing it from the other side? Most sorcerers are just trying to live their lives. What do you think—we started it?"

Arthur didn't respond immediately. Merlin could feel the tension, but the silence stretched on.

A few minutes later, after Merlin had once again saved his life...

"Oh yes, yes, of course," Merlin said sarcastically, flashing an exaggerated grin.

Arthur paused, turning back toward him before he left. "Hey, Merls?"

"Hmm?"

Arthur hesitated, his expression shifting slightly. "Do you think there are good sorcerers out there?"

Merlin hummed thoughtfully. "I don’t know, Sire. And you...?"

Arthur seemed to consider it for a moment, but when he spoke again, it was with less certainty. He didn’t press the issue and simply left without a word.

Chapter Text

"You were surprisingly attuned to Arthur," Gaius remarked, looking at Merlin with mild disbelief. "Didn't even think twice before drinking from a poisoned goblet. Especially for someone who claims to only want to strangle him."

Merlin, still feeling the aftereffects of the poison, managed a weak grin. "Guess I've gotten used to it."

Gwen, who was helping him to his feet (and trying not to make it look like she was holding him up completely), nodded thoughtfully.

Merlin blinked, "Oh, that? Would you believe me if I said it was automatic? I've seen so much shit these last few days that I don't even care anymore."

Gaius raised an eyebrow. "And turning Valiant into a bird?"

Merlin gave a half-hearted shrug, his voice dry. "That? Well, watching Arthur kill him felt wrong, even though the idiot deserved it. Mostly, I curse people to be unlucky for a while. I’m a pacifist, thank you very much."

At that exact moment, Valiant sneezed from where he was muttering, trying to mend the net he’d been turned into. Merlin could hear the faint spirit of his first victim screaming in indignation from somewhere in the background, but it was barely noticeable under the circumstances.

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Arthur walked by and froze when he saw them.

"M-Merlin, help! I think the ink is going to spill!" Morgana screamed, the pen hovering in the air, as if by magic, with just a tap of her finger.

Merlin, who was casually wiping his hands on his tunic, barely looked up. "It's okay, just breathe," he said calmly.

Morgana followed his instructions, her eyes glowing softly as she smiled in utter delight, watching the pen carefully land on the desk. "Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you—!"

Arthur blinked, his brain struggling to catch up. He ignored his own outrage at Merlin’s confused nod toward being hugged and kissed and instead rubbed his eyes. This sure was a vivid fantasy, alright.

"Merlin, what should we do with the Griffin in the next town?"

Arthur stopped mid-scribble, pen hovering above the parchment.

He didn't want to overhear, but Merlin's complicated expression made it hard to ignore.

"Hmm, I’d need to figure out a way to calm him down," Merlin replied seriously, "but before I came to Camelot, I heard rumors about a druid village. I could ask them for help."

Leon looked relieved at Merlin’s calm response.

Arthur stared at his cup. Did he accidentally drink wine again?

Ah, the wind was calm today…

Wait—was that a dragon-shaped cloud?

Arthur squinted. Man, he really needed more sleep if he was seeing things like this. But there Merlin was, smiling as Arthur's armor cleaned itself—kids running around it, playing like they’d never heard of war or battle.

He groaned and rubbed his eyes. He could’ve sworn he was on top of things, but everything seemed... off. Maybe it was just the stress of being a prince. Maybe.

A servant sighed in relief as Uther grumbled past him, no doubt obsessing over some conspiracy theory and not sleeping for days.

"Thank goodness our prince is more down-to-earth," the servant muttered, relieved that Arthur was just... too tired to care about much these days.

The servant paused mid-sigh when she noticed something odd. Arthur, half-asleep and dragging Merlin, who looked like a dead man walking, passed by her.

Arthur yawned and greeted her casually, completely oblivious to Merlin's exasperated face in the background.

"Why are the books flying?" Arthur asked, confused, as he watched Merlin pull a book out of thin air from among thousands in the library.

Merlin sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. "You said Lancelot must be a noble, right?" He tossed one book aside and grabbed another. In the background, Geoffrey just raised a finger to his lips in a 'keep quiet' gesture.

"Well, yes... and I trust your judgment," Arthur muttered, still half in a daze.

Was he drunk again?

Wait—no. He had only slept two hours today, and it was starting to show.

"Then pass me that other one!" Merlin demanded, barely noticing how out of place his words sounded.

Arthur blinked, then sighed, "Right ahead of you..."

Later that night...

"Wait! Is Merlin a sorcerer?!" Arthur blinked, finally connecting the dots.

Then...

... Arthur proceeded to shrugg. "Eh, must be another dream." With that, he promptly fell asleep again, deciding it was just another of his hallucinations. He’d seen too many citizens doing "magic" around Camelot to be convinced this one was any different.

Chapter Text

Lancelot thought that reassuring Merlin about keeping his secret safe would be enough. But it seemed the young sorcerer wasn’t so easily satisfied.

"You’ll still send me letters from time to time, right?" Merlin asked, his voice holding a mix of hope and desperation. Lancelot was literally one of the few things keeping him sane here.

Lancelot smiled, a bittersweet expression crossing his face. Merlin had been one of the best things that had happened to him. "I don’t know... I want to keep in touch, but who knows where I'll go next."

Merlin’s face darkened, his eyes narrowing with resolve. "Lancelot, if you don’t send me letters, I will literally hunt you down, even if it’s the last thing I do."

The swordsman blinked, taken aback by the deadly seriousness in Merlin’s voice. But as soon as he saw Merlin’s face, a grin broke out.

"Fine, fine, come here, you big softy."

Merlin didn't hesitate, tackling him in a tight hug. Lancelot laughed, ruffling his hair as he tried to wiggle free. "I’ll keep in touch, no worries."

Merlin, however, wasn’t letting go that easily. He nodded, muffled against Lancelot’s chest, and kept his grip firm for a solid twenty minutes.

Gwen chuckled from across the room, and Gaius let out a hearty laugh. "Yeah, now you’re stuck with us," he said, his voice filled with amusement.

Lancelot couldn’t help but laugh too. "Guess I don’t mind," he said, finally giving up and returning the hug with a smile. Being stuck with them wasn’t so bad after all.

Chapter Text

After a while, getting used to seeing people in Camelot do magic had become pretty straightforward. It helped that no one treated Merlin any differently—well, most of the time.

Although, on occasion, he found himself roped into multitasking in ways that weren’t exactly ideal. But still, it wasn’t the worst.

None of that, however, prepared him for what was about to happen.

"Dad, it's Emrys, it's Emrys!" A small child’s voice rang out, his tiny hand tugging urgently at his father’s sleeve. But wait… the child wasn't saying anything?

Merlin blinked in confusion, his sleeves slightly askew from where the blankets had loosened. What in the—

"Hello, Emrys," someone called out, but no one seemed to move beyond casually waving at him. The more he looked around, the more confused he became.

Again, what…?

"Emrys! It’s me, it’s me! Mordred!" The little child grinned, his voice full of excitement as he ran up to Merlin.

Merlin blinked once more, and then, slowly, it dawned on him.

Oh right. Druids.

The child beamed at him, noticing the blankets Merlin had been holding, "H-Hi, didn't expect to see you."

Merlin startled a bit, taken aback by the sudden appearance.

The child's mentor chuckled warmly, offering Merlin the basket he had been carrying. Mordred eagerly grabbed Merlin’s free hand. "I have some business here," the mentor explained, "and Mordred wanted to see you. Would you mind keeping an eye on him for a bit?"

Merlin nodded, though he looked slightly concerned. "N-not a problem."

He really hoped it wouldn't be.

"Oh my God, he's so cute!!" Morgana squealed, practically lifting Mordred off the ground in excitement. The child giggled, clearly enjoying the attention.

Gwen smiled, amused by Merlin’s groan. "Druids, huh?"

Merlin rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Gaius said if it was just a little bit, he could help as an assistant. Arthur doesn’t know that, though, and you were close..." Merlin trailed off, coughing slightly as he tried to avoid eye contact.

"Just... make sure Lil' Mordred doesn’t scare Arthur," Gwen teased. "As much as everyone would love to pinch his cheeks in the kitchen, Arthur’s going to start wondering if he’s mute."

Merlin winced.

"EMRYS, EMRYS, Morgy said she'd love to help with our chores!" Mordred chirped, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he clung to Morgana.

Merlin’s face went pale at the sight of Morgana’s hidden grin beneath her playful demeanor.

"Y-Yay...?"

And of course, it was Arthur who found them.

He’d found them. And he just... blinked.

"Merls… who is this adorable creature?" The prince pointed at Mordred, who was contentedly humming as he barely brushed against the curtains.

Merlin froze, sweat starting to bead on his forehead. "I-It's my baby cousin..."

Merlin was practically sweating buckets, while Arthur just nodded blankly, clearly dazed but not questioning anything further.

If anything, Arthur started asking the servants for candy and casting complicated glances back at Merlin.

Merlin could already hear Kilgharrah’s distant, horrified screeches in his mind.

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Merlin frowned as he watched the kitchen staff show Mordred the ropes. The little druid had been such a handful in the best way, and it seemed like everyone in Camelot had taken a liking to him. Uther, however, had his suspicions, and soon Mordred’s father would be picking him up to return to the druid village.

But there was a problem.

Morgana was a little too attached to him, and Arthur... Arthur might actually cry when the time came.

"Emrys?" Mordred's voice rang in Merlin's mind, and the little boy cocked his head curiously. "Something wrong with the Doug?"

Merlin blinked, momentarily thrown off by the question, but then he remembered—Mordred had been practicing his telepathic abilities. "No, nothing's wrong with the dog, just thinking."

"Oh." Mordred’s tiny form deflated with an exaggerated slump. Merlin wanted to scoop him up and never let him go. "Dad said I can communicate through vessels of water, but that would take a lot of effort."

Merlin's eyes widened at the thought, and he instinctively pulled the boy closer, wrapping him in a tight hug. "That’s impressive, but let’s not try that right now. You’re already a handful without adding water magic into the mix."

Mordred chuckled, a giggle escaping as he hugged Merlin back, and the staff around them laughed at the mess they were making. It was a mess of love and chaos, and Merlin wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Arthur, meanwhile, was holding back tears. "Merls, I don’t know if I can handle this," he said in a strangled voice as he clutched Mordred’s little hands.

Morgana was promising that she would study hard to keep in touch with him, which only made Merlin groan inwardly. She was already planning how to send letters and visit, and it was giving him a headache just thinking about it.

With a final squeeze, Merlin gave Mordred one last hug, knowing the goodbye would come too soon, and he didn’t want to let go. But it was time.

"Take care, little one," he said softly, trying to ignore the knot in his chest.

Mordred looked up at him with wide eyes, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I will, Emrys. You too."

Chapter Text

Arthur leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes with a tired yawn.

The young prince had reached his limit with the constant trouble caused by sorcerers. Was it really too much to ask for a single week without an attack?

Apparently, it was. Having Uther as a father seemed to do nothing but make everything worse. In fact, Arthur often wished his father had been defeated a long time ago, just so he could have a little peace.

But there was no peace for him. Not when his sanity was constantly being tested.

And when his friends... well, when his friends started spewing nonsense to his face.

"Is he asleep?" Sir Leon’s voice broke through his thoughts.

Merlin glanced down, his lips curving into a small smile as he nodded. "I think so. Who knew he’d enjoy sleeping in trees, huh?"

"Want me to put up a protective barrier?" Merlin added, his voice lowered in concern. "The soldiers aren’t far from here."

Arthur blinked, confusion clouding his thoughts. What on earth was Merlin talking about?

Gwaine grimaced, voicing what Arthur was thinking. "Why don’t we just tell Arthur? I think, out of all of us, he deserves to know."

Arthur stayed perfectly still, pretending to sleep but feeling his curiosity rise. He was lost in thought, trying to understand the conversation that was unfolding just above him.

Merlin shifted uncomfortably under the scrutinizing looks from his friends. "And let him check me out even more? He already freaks out when he sees me with a scratch. Imagine what would happen if he caught me using magic? He’d probably faint from the shock."

Percival laughed, teasing but also acknowledging the point. "Okay, okay, fair enough. But still, think about it, Merlin."

Merlin smiled weakly, the exhaustion in his eyes evident. Elyan huffed as he rubbed his hands together. "Can you at least start a fire? It’s freezing out here."

Mordred snorted softly at the suggestion, making a sound of mock disgust.

With a slight wave of his hand, Merlin summoned small sparks of warmth that gently filled the air, calming the tension. Arthur could feel the warmth spread through his body, relaxing his muscles as he began to drift into a comfortable, sleep-filled haze.

He glanced at the fire, the tiny crackles filling the silence. Magic, huh? It felt warm. Almost... comforting.

For the first time in a long while, Arthur allowed himself to close his eyes, the lingering warmth wrapping around him.

Chapter Text

Morgause leaned over her crystal ball, a wicked smile playing on her lips as she plotted her next move to bring down Uther from within. Her mind was already a whirlwind of schemes when she made her way to Camelot, her armor gleaming, ready to strike. But just as she approached the gates, something strange happened.

An invisible field swept over her, pushing her back before she even had the chance to get close. Morgause’s eyes widened in disbelief. "What in Albion’s name...?"

Meanwhile, Arthur was on his way to find Gaius, expecting to pick up some medicine for his father’s persistent headache. He had been waiting for Merlin to show up with it for the past ten minutes, but something caught his eye as he approached the door.

Stopping in his tracks, Arthur blinked, confused. Through the doorway, he saw Merlin, Morgana, Leon, and Gwen in the midst of a heated discussion. Books flew through the air, glimmering with magic, and sparkles seemed to hang in the air like the aftermath of a spell.

He rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating. Could be from the three whole hours of sleep he'd actually gotten... but this? This seemed like a whole new level.

"... What’s going on here?" Arthur asked, his voice dripping with confusion as he stepped in. He ignored the books flying around, assuming it was just another figment of his overactive imagination.

Morgana, ever the skeptic, cast a quick glance at Arthur. "Nothing much," she said with a sigh, barely containing her annoyance. "Just wondering if my mysterious sister is actually evil. Merlin's stones seem to have worked."

Gaius, who was stirring a pot of tea and trying to look casual, internally grinned at how Kilgharrah had been useful for once. He was secretly impressed. As for the "evil intentions" part, that was a gray area.

Arthur blinked again, utterly perplexed. "Wait... what?"

Gwen, noticing Arthur actually paying attention, paused, her eyebrows rising in surprise. "Is he really listening?"

Morgana groaned, trying to hide her amusement as Arthur almost touched one of the flying books. "Merlin," she said with a subtle, wordless gesture that had him stepping up to the plate.

Merlin sighed and gave a small shrug. "Okay, Arthur... can we talk for a bit?"

Arthur was still lost in the whirlwind of magic but nodded, moving aside to allow Merlin some space. As they spoke, Arthur’s expression shifted through a hundred different emotions, his face changing as Merlin explained the chaos that was their life. To Arthur’s surprise, Merlin seemed unruffled, even somewhat calm about the whole situation.

"So... all those times I saw people using magic around me weren’t hallucinations?" Arthur asked slowly, his tone a mix of surprise and relief. He was almost delighted to know he wasn’t going crazy, though a bit embarrassed by all the times Merlin had saved his life.

Merlin grimaced, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "Well... most of the time, yeah... Magic itself isn’t bad. It’s how it’s used that makes the difference. I even created a system to curse anyone who attacks Camelot. They don’t mean any harm here, Arthur. Just... please don’t tell Uther, okay?"

Arthur's face softened, a flash of hurt crossing his features. "Why would I do that?" he said quietly, his voice carrying a weight of understanding. "I... I won’t. I’ve been a clotpole. I can’t keep pretending to be ignorant. I’ll do better. Not just for me, but for everyone else. I swear."

Merlin’s face lit up, the weight lifting from his shoulders. A blinding smile spread across his face as relief flooded through him.

Arthur cleared his throat, trying to hide his own smile. "Right. Now, tell me more about that barrier of yours. Because if it doesn’t work, I’ll need to work on my acting skills to save your arse when you inevitably play hero again."

Gwen smiled softly, catching the quiet exchange between the two, though the usual bickering from the others went unnoticed by the pair.

Morgana, however, couldn’t resist but to clear her throat. "Ahem. As much as I’m enjoying this heartwarming moment between the two of you, my vision of an evil sister is still a thing, right?"

The two blushed, embarrassed, and quickly turned back to the conversation at hand, trying to focus as the group fell back into their usual chaos.

Chapter Text

It turned out that the barrier had failed in the long term, because, well, apparently it was a one-time use—thanks a lot, Kilgharrah.

“Hey, I may know a lot of spells, but that doesn’t mean I use them all!” Was the dragon’s excuse, which, naturally, didn’t do much to reassure anyone.

So, the group had to improvise. Arthur, ever the stoic, wore his usual straight face when Morgause arrived. He didn’t drop it until the typical shenanigans came to an end. The urgency to know whether the rumors about his mother were true didn’t help either. It was like the weight of a thousand questions pressing down on him all at once.

And despite everything, Arthur refused to see his father before getting some clarity on the matter. He needed to know what had happened, needed to know the truth. The distance between them had grown—his respect for Uther had certainly diminished, but... it couldn’t be a complete lie, could it?

Unfortunately, his doubts were nearly immediately proven wrong.

“Technically? No, he asked for an heir, but had no idea that it required a life. He’d never tried anything like that before, and he wouldn’t let Nimueh explain it. So, both Nimueh and Uther got a taste of disproportionate retribution from each other.”

Arthur stared at Gaius in disbelief. That was what had happened?

“So magic was banned in Camelot, but Uther became paranoid about any kind of magic after that,” Gaius sighed, rubbing his forehead. “The number of nobles who hesitated to visit because of it... it was staggering.”

The silence that followed was heavy, and no one seemed to know what to say.

Merlin, ever the optimist, spoke up, trying to make sense of it. “Maybe he’s right? I mean, it’s not like we’ve never been attacked by evil wizards before.”

Gwen didn’t hesitate. “No, Merlin, most of them just want to attack Uther.”

“I have to agree,” Leon added with a shiver. “Those sorcerers usually have nothing against Camelot itself—except for the ones who want to rule it.”

Arthur couldn’t help but scowl at that. “That’s not helping, Sir Leon,” he muttered, not in the mood for another lecture on evil sorcerers. Morgana, sitting nearby, facepalmed at the ridiculousness of it all.

Just then, Arthur, his curiosity piqued, looked back at Gaius. “Wait, what happened to Nimueh?” The name seemed vaguely familiar, but it didn’t click right away.

Merlin grinned mischievously, his eyes lighting up. “Oh, that? Well, originally I was going to use her life in exchange for Gaius’s, but I found a loophole and turned her into a rabbit. Kilgharrah’s been enjoying the company. Her swearing is sooo funny.”

A moment of stunned silence followed, before everyone erupted into laughter, the tension finally breaking.

“… Well, that’s one way to deal with things.”