1 - 20 of 150 Works in Emotionally Constipated Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
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"Let him think I hate him. If that’ll stop him from risking his neck for me over and over again, then it’s a sacrifice I don’t have to think twice about."
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Arthur finds out Merlin has magic. He also finds out how often Merlin risked his life for him and so, he does the only thing he can think of to protect him: banishment.
Hurt and angry, Merlin leaves and swears to not look back.
But, when two years pass and Morgana shows up at Merlin’s door, urging him to fill Gaius’ position as Court Physician, Merlin agrees. He really doesn’t know why, but Arthur is sure Merlin would do just about anything to get on his nerves.
Unprepared for the shock of seeing Merlin back in the castle, Arthur is forced to speed along his plans to lift the ban on magic. But between stubborn councilors, a mysterious plague, a still angry Merlin, and Morgana being Morgana, Arthur is fairly certain he’ll lose his mind before the first year of his reign even ends.
Series
- Part 1 of All of You
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When castle gossip reveals an old noble tradition, it threatens to break not only Merlin's faith in Arthur, but the Round Table's as well
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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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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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“It’s all talk, Merlin, and that’s all it can ever be.” He breathed out, suddenly losing the fire that had just been blazing in him.
Merlin took another step toward him. “When you’re King, you can change that.”
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Took a stab at rewriting bits of series 2 episode 4 "Lancelot and Guinevere" to make it a merthur love confession.
Enjoy! -
[Podfic] Baby's first betrayal by pezzax_podfics (pezzax) for wanderingjedihistorian (RangerJedi67)
Fandoms: Merlin (TV)
27 Aug 2025
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'“Sire, it is not wrong to trust. It shows strength. Confidence. Honour.”
Arthur snorted again. “Or foolishness.” His voice was hard like steel, too like his father’s.'
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It was Gwaine's birthday at the tavern, and he proposed they play a game. It began innocent enough, but soon some truths were revealed.
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Never have I ever medieval version -
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What if their story was not one of destiny but instead the one we all wanted. A true love story between Merlin and Arthur? What would their lives look like if Merlin was not so occupied with destiny, if magical attacks became less frequent at the unimportance of the duo? Would they ever become fond of each other?
Not a true re-write because I couldn’t fathom just retelling someone else’s plot.
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In which an ill advised quest goes sideways and some revelations ensue.
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“You don’t seem like a king.”
Arthur lowered the scroll onto his lap and peered over at the child, curious and maybe a little offended. “Why not?”
Merlin shrugged. “You don’t sound like a king, for one.”
“And pray tell, Merlin, how is a king supposed to sound?”
“I don’t know,” he muttered. “Strong. Powerful.” Suddenly Merlin sat up straight, puffing his chest out and pinching his face into a rugged scowl. His voice pitched low, sounding odd in his young body. “My name’s Arthur Pendragon,” he imitated theatrically.
Arthur couldn’t help his amused snort at his antics. “Wrong," he said, returning to the scroll. "A king doesn’t have to say his name, the people would already know it.”
Merlin smiled, a teasing gleam in his eyes. “A good king doesn’t,” he mumbled under his breath, obviously still intending for Arthur to hear.
“The only reason I don’t ‘sound like a king’ is because I have to put up with all your insolence.”
That gloating smile grew on Merlin’s lips and Arthur knew he was going to lose this battle. “A good king wouldn’t put up with that either.”
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You'll ruin your eyes (the "Notice Me!" remix) by Salamandair for Moonflower999
Fandoms: Merlin (TV)
17 Jun 2025
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Arthur is being annoying while Merlin is trying to read in their bed, which isn't unusual.
What is unusual is how persistent he is about it.
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ask the wrong questions (i'll answer with a fake smile) by GlitterFairy_21225
Fandoms: Merlin (TV)
02 Jun 2025
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A tragedy followed by an almost tragedy leads to a misunderstanding that shuts down the entire castle for days on end.
Merlin doesn't know how correct it without revealing things that are better kept hidden.
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When Merlin barges into the council chamber to declare himself a sorcerer and save Gwen from execution, no one believes him. So he does magic, obviously. Now, he needs to fulfill his gods-be-damned destiny while roughing it in the woods.
What follows is a mess of treason, underground sorcerer societies in the heart of Camelot, DIY home construction, faeries, talking Griphons, and all the joy I think the characters deserved just for existing. And some angst. Just a little bit.
Splits from season 1 episode 3 of the series ("The Mark of Nimweh")
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Merlin had to admit, being shackled to a wall did help one stay awake. He wondered if it was late enough for him to break out yet; being imprisoned was boring, and his wrists were getting really sore. Watching a pyre be built wasn’t particularly entertaining, unless one enjoyed contemplating their own death in the single most painful way imaginable. Merlin may have had every intention of escaping and none of dying, but the sight still made his stomach go cold.
Merlin slipped out of the shackles and stretched his wrists, wincing, before putting them back on in a clattering panic when he heard footsteps down the hall.
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------------------<3
Arthur is worried about Merlin because he's acting strange. He's... jumpy. Like he has something to hide. He's especially lost and disoriented around other people - around Morgana, Arthur's noticed. Is the man who harbors most of his affections in love with his sister? The man is so on edge that he manages to fall off a horse when Morgana squeezes his arm in a comforting manner.
Oh how wrong he is.
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OR
A hunting trip cut short.
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"He can’t believe Merlin had a thing for his sister! He wasn’t jealous or anything, why would he be? Merlin is his own man.
It’s not like he was interested in Merlin; Merlin is a man. Even though he had just come to terms that he was in love with him, Arthur’s mind flickered to denial to shelter himself from the wounds he’d receive from processing Merlin didn’t love him back.
So, he didn’t love Merlin. And he obviously wasn’t interested in his sister. He cut this abnormal feeling to the fact that he was annoyed Merlin liked his sister and he’s over protective over Merl- Morgana. He’s over protective over Morgana."
Series
- Part 2 of Mentally-Ill Merlin (Merthur)
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----------------<3
"He truly is a self-destructive monster; the purest form of magic itself."
"He deserves it. Just one. "
"Why does he feel like this? Why does he feel like he wants to rip his heart out? Why does it feel like it’d be better if he wasn’t here to burden everyone?"
"why does he feel like he would be better off dead?"
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Merlin’s life is falling through his fragile little fingers like sand.
Enjoy! <3
Series
- Part 1 of Mentally-Ill Merlin (Merthur)
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Taverns are versatile places.
Houses of joy, misery, community and vice. It’s the perfect place to celebrate a successful battle one night, then wallow in your thoughts the next.For Arthur Pendragon, it’s where his thoughts are the clearest, despite the ale.
After a tiring fight, and nearly losing Merlin, the knights gather at the tavern to relax, and Arthur finds that his men have a few tricks up their sleeves to help him do just that.
However, Arthur is plunged in a tumultuous set of emotions, coming face to face with what he really feels, and what Merlin really means to him.
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He flinched away when warm arms wrapped around him. “I know. And I am sorry for hurting you. Gaius read me the riot act. Let’s go home, please. Your place is in Camelot, and I realise that now.” Arthur gently lifted Merlin’s head. His thumb was warm against his cheeks.
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Okay, Merlin knows it’s a little weird, and he didn’t mean for it to become a thing. But he’s in Arthur’s chambers to clean every day and sometimes there’s just so much he wants to say that he can’t. So, what if he started talking to Arthur’s pillow. It’s a better listener than him!
Or, the 5 times Merlin talks to Arthur’s pillow instead of him, and the 1 time Arthur overhears.
Series
- Part 11 of 5+1 Murther Stories
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“You summoned me, Your Majesty?” asked Gwen, dropping low in her curtsy. Arthur nodded tightly and closed the door to his chambers once she stepped inside. Gwen tried not to show her surprise at the mess in the room.
The blankets were torn from the bed and strewn across the floor. All of the goblets, plates and bowls had plenty of dents and laid pitifully against the walls, which bore marks of a clear struggle.
“Did someone break in, Sire?” asked Gwen hurriedly as she attempted to tidy up some of the clutter. Arthur waved her off and gestured to one of the chairs which were still intact.
“No, it was just me,” he answered tiredly. “Guinevere, I’ve called you here because, I — you’ve no doubt heard about Merlin.”
Gwen nodded. She had been sewing when Rosie ran in, gushing something about Merlin being a sorcerer and, even worse, the king and Sir Lancelot were going to duel it out for his affections.
Or Merlin's magic is revealed! It sure is a good thing nobody overreacts.
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Before Arthur could answer, Merlin fell unconscious. Exhausted from the strain on his body. Arthur couldn’t do anything but lay there. One hand on Merlin. The only question that went through his mind was how could Merlin be evil?