AU Where Morgana Just. Straight-up REFUSES To Believe That Merlins Emrys. Only Thing Magical About Him

AU where Morgana just. Straight-up REFUSES to believe that Merlin’s Emrys. Only thing magical about him is how many times in an hour he trips over his own face. Somehow. So Morgana’s just losing her mind with laughter. So Mordred’s like “Fine I’ll do it myself!” And fails epically and destiny crisis is averted and Morgana’s just spending the rest of her life confused as heck

Bonus points if Aithusa is also giving clear hints that YES, Merlin IS Emrys you dollophead-

Gwaine with a trollface cuz he also knows and is waiting for Merlin to tell him so he can be like “Oh yeah I’ve known for awhile lol” and give him a heart attack

Merlin: *after practicing magic in plain sight*

Lance: *watching merlin*

Merlin: Remember snitches get stitches

Lance: I would rather die then betray you

“you’re boring” yeah thanks i had my unique and interesting traits bullied out of me ♡

This guy.

Being the village freak isn't easy but someones gotta do it

Okay so I've seen au's where Merlin is born earlier and when he comes to Camelot Arthur is like a little kid but he still ends up being his manservant. Let's switch that around.

Hunith gets really sick and cant do any of the farm work anymore so she and her 7 year old son Merlin move to Camelot to live with her brother Gaius (who also happens to be a physician, and well informed on magic)

Then there is 19 year old prince Arthur, doing his thing, being a bit of a bully and this random 7 year old comes up to him. He tells him to stop, calls him a jerk and a prat and tries picking a fight. Arthur, humoring him, crouches down to be eye level with him and goes "oh yeah, and how are you going to do that?" And the little feral shit Merlin is just smirks and goes "like this" before kicking Arthur in the balls.

The guards cant even get the chance to "arrest" him because they are trying not to laugh their asses off at the pure comedy they just witnessed and a smug Merlin just slips back into the crowd. (Later when he gets back to Gaius' tower his mom asked what he was doing and just shrugs and goes "making friends")

Of course Merlin still saves Arthur's life but obviously Uther cant appoint a literal child to be his son's servant so he just gives him a honey cake as reward. So Merlin learns the valuable life lesson that saving Arthur's life = free sweets.

Doesnt even need to have Kilgharrah tell him prophecy shit (of course Kil still tries and when Merlin follows the voice he is hearing and discovers a huge dragon under the castle he is, of course, in awe. Tho when Kil starts talking about destiny and stuff Merlin gets bored, calls him an old man, and leaves. Though he still comes back and visits regularly, not for advice but because "the grouchy old dragon is lonely and who else am I gonna show all my drawings to make sure they are good before I show them to my mom and uncle???". Merlin always gossips about the latest attempt on Arthur's life with Kil)

Soon enough the castle staff and even knights and nobles just get used to this sassy and surprisingly kind feral child wandering the halls (and mostly following the prince around). Merlin does indeed sneak into council meetings, he is small and quiet enough where he can just slip in, sit in the corner, and no one notices.

The first time Merlin follows Arthur on a hunt everyone is high key stressed and worried but no matter how many times he is told to stay in the castle or who they tell to watch over him Merlin always somehow ends up just... with them on the hunt, the little gremlin.

Arthur once sees Merlin use magic to heal a bird and he is like "so THATS why this child is unnaturally impossible to get rid of and never even has a scratch on him after dangerous situations" but otherwise he tells no one and helps cover when Merlin's lack of subtly come into play.

Even as a child Merlin is still Arthur's best friend and closest advisor (bc kids are brutally honest and usually dont have prejudices yet)

Arthur still has a problem with his servants needing to switched out like every two weeks. When Merlin is finally 17 (Arthur king now and 29) he is like "I'll be your manservant since you obviously still cant take care of yourself" but Arthur is like "no no no, go read your magic books a bit more, u gonna be my court sorcerer in a few years"

Child!Merlin does not fear death, he will fist *cough*magic*cough* fight any bad guys behind the stables at dawn.

Like imagine u r the villain of the week and your on your way to go kill the king when all the torches in the hallway go out and at the end of the hallway you see this little kid giving you the dead eyed fish stare. But whatever you can just use your magic to knock them unconscious. But it doesnt work. You try again. The kid is still standing perfectly fine. Then he starts slowly walking towards you. And you are like nope, not some of this possesed kid horror movie bullshit, not today. Lol all these assassins getting traumatised by a 7 year old. Let this be a lesson, never come between a child and their sweets.

So many hijinks can come from this au

All the druids ever, in unison: We are doomed.

Merlin: I’m happy to be the ground beneath your feet and suppor—

Arthur: Merlin I hired you to clean the floor not be the floor

Merlin:

Gwaine: oh dear lord is this our future king