Sir Gwaine - Tumblr Posts - Page 2

I love Merthur. I really do.

But. Have you thought of Arwaine? They just fit somehow. One is a wanderer, avoiding settling down and responsibilities and the other has the weight of the whole kingdom on his shoulders. One of the best rare pairs I've read on Merlin A03. The small amount of people who write Arwaine. Thank you!

You know what's even better? Merwainthur! You can make any one of them the long-suffering one! And the whole strength, courage and magic thing is just so much potential. We need so much more of this.

With scarves of red tied round their throats 🗡️🐺🧣⚔️

To keep their little heads from falling in the snow

And I turn round and there you go

——

Introducing new squires to the knights

Arthur: This is Sir Leon, he likes his personal space. This is Sir Gwaine, he also likes Sir Leon's personal space

Merlin Gotcha for Gaza Event.

We now have a carrd for the event to keep all information condensed, so please feel free to check that out!

Our Donations period has officially closed!!!! But stay tuned and check out this account to see all of the prompts that have been finished so far, and if you’re looking for somewhere to just donate then check out the links on the carrd!

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Imagine if Leon and Arthur experimented with each other in their squire days and Merlin and Gwaine had a one-night stand. Post Merthur and Leowaine getting together Arthur and Gwaine have this sort of playful "I fucked your boyfriend before you did" animosity

obsessed with the sheer chaos of merlin and gwaine running through the town in 3.08 bc that is exactly what i imagine happens every time two irishmen get together. best duo in the whole show.

@fluffbruary Day 6

It came to a head in the armoury.

It started long before that, of course. God knew Leon hasn’t ever had a moment of peace in his life, much less since Morgana decided to go on an insane rampage of a dictatorship and he swore loyalty to Arthur at the Table, binding himself and the prince in the strange coalition of a court healer, two servants, a blacksmith, a woodcutter and two wanderers.

Leon was intensely proud of being part of Arthur’s inner circle – and not only because he had known Elyan and Gwen since childhood, Lancelot previously, and had respected Merlin ever since the man had demanded he open the doors to the throne room and talked Arthur down from the most politically unstable ascension to the throne in living memory. No. He had seen that day, the bindings that true loyalty and respect could create, and he would’ve been humbled at being included in it even if he’d known none there but the Prince Regent.

Others did not feel that way.

Knights who had been high in his esteem all his life were rapidly losing respect at the repeated sneers, the ragging that went far beyond casual joking, and the refusal to spar with the newly anointed common-born knights.

While the others chafed under it, Gwaine bore it easily, sauntering around, offering ale, making rude jokes, his eyes shrewd all the while. Leon liked the man, but he was sure he had depths he wasn’t showing them. However, his loyalty ultimately lay with Arthur (though it went through Merlin first) so Leon trusted him.

Trust. It was another thing that bound those at the Table – all of them had offered their lives to the cause, after all nobody could’ve expected the army to explode into ashes. Leon might not have known every person there very well, but in that moment, he had trusted every single one of them in a way he didn’t even trust his other fellow knights.

Especially not now.

Sir Bors gave a particularly cruel laugh as Sir Vidor ‘accidentally’ tripped Elyan. The man calmly stood up, ignoring them and instead brightly chatting with Percival about training that morning. Gwaine good-naturedly complained that Arthur was trying to kill them.

“Can’t even handle training,” Sir Alinor muttered under his breath, snorting. Leon noticed Merlin stopping his job of handling Arthur’s sword, worrying his lips and glaring at the knight.

“Weren’t you complaining about the same thing this morning?” Sir Galahad asked interestedly. Leon hid a smile.

The common-born knights had nearly as many allies as they did protestors, which was good. He couldn’t have defended them all on his own.

“Different,” Sir Vidor answered.

“How so?” Merlin piped up.

“Mind your own business, boy, and get back to His Highness’ side.” Sir Vaughnes snapped. They’d all gotten used to Merlin’s general disinterest in prostrating for authority in about two weeks of meeting him, and by the second time Arthur had defended him.

“No, he asked a good question,” Leon said this time. Elyan and Percival stopped talking in that purposefully loud way. Gwaine leaned into the wall, took a sip from his hip flask and watched carefully. Lancelot was – as always – next to Merlin. “Why should it be different when a new knight complains regarding training than an old one? Besides, they’ve been here for nearly two moons already. No one can say His Highness isn’t running us ragged.”

Merlin had theorized idly that he was trying to take out his anger about Morgana on them so that they were prepared if she ever attacked again. Leon hoped he found another way soon, and not just because this unhealthy for everyone – for Arthur mentally, for everyone else around him physically.

“New knights,” Sir Bors said contemptuously.

“What about it?” Gwaine said sharply.

“I did think that was what Arthur meant when he had us kneel and vow our loyalty and told us to right,” Percival said amiably.

“You dare call the Prince Regent by his name?” Sir Vidor demanded, turning near purple in anger, grabbing his scabbard and standing up.

Gwaine did the same, challenge in his eyes.

“That is enough!” Leon said in his best I-am-First-Knight-and-you-will-not-disobey-me voice. “Arthur himself told us to call him that. These men were courageous and loyal enough to follow him into battle when there was no hope for a win. They are trustworthy and deserving of their status and I will not have you suggest otherwise. And neither will the Prince Regent.”

Leon was relieved to see that at the mention of Arthur the ‘righteous’ anger seemed to dissipate, and everyone grudgingly settled down. It would take more than this for Lancelot, Elyan, Gwaine and Percival to be truly trusted, but for now this was enough.

Alas, he spoke too soon. He should’ve known better than to think he would actually get his peace that easily.

“The others, perhaps,” Sir Vaughnes bit out, sounding pained to even concede that much. “But that one—” he pointed at Lancelot. “Cheated his way into our honourable ranks. How can you claim he can be trusted?”

Lancelot paled, stepping backwards. Gwaine’s mouth dropped unflatteringly open. Elyan seemed surprised, but Percival merely clenched his jaw. Leon had hoped this would not be brought up.

“Be as that may,” Sir Galahad replied. “The Prince Regent knighted him again, so it is hardly our judgement to make. Besides. He did slay the beast when he was here.”

Lancelot grimaced, as though not wanting to take credit for that. There was modesty, Leon thought, mentally rolling his eyes, and then there was the utter foolishness Lancelot was doing. Why wasn’t he capitalizing on that?

“That doesn’t matter,” Sir Vaughnes snapped lividly, clearly unable to see that the others were shaking their heads, aware that this was a bad fight to pick. “He’s a cowardly lying scoundrel who doesn’t in the least deserve the station of—”

“Actually,” Merlin announced casually, walking right in front of the ranting knight, “That was me.”

“Merlin!” Elyan called in a whisper. Leon wanted to groan – didn’t Merlin know better than to interfere in a fight where he was permanently at a disadvantage, being common-born? – before actually registering the words.

“What?” Sir Vaughnes asked, sounding as befuddled as Leon felt.

“I forged the seal,” Merlin clarified, shrugging. “I was the one who convinced him to take it because he was my friend and he saved my life, and he is entirely deserving of being a knight.”

Lancelot blushed. “Wait – no, that wasn’t – it was me—”

“Shut up, Lance,” Merlin said cheerfully. “Don’t go taking credit for my stuff.”

For some reason, that did shut him up. Leon wondered why, but was too disoriented to think too much about it. Pieces fit together. He had thought about it – Lancelot was too honourable to come up with a scheme like that, but he’d shrugged it off as an act of desperation. Merlin, though. Insubordinate, cheerful, cheeky, cunning, loyal Merlin. It suited him. Of course he would do it for Lancelot.

“You!” Sir Vaughnes said furiously. “How dare you lie to the Prince Regent! How dare you commit such deceit! How can you live in the citadel day-in and day-out after having done something like this?”

Merlin hummed obnoxiously, only stopping when Sir Vaughnes stopped talking, breathing heavily. “Oh, sorry,” he said innocently. “Were you saying something? I just heard some nonsense being spouted by a noble-born--” And he swore so badly even Gwaine looked impressed.

Sir Vaughnes exploded in incandescent rage. “You goddamn serving boy,” he hissed, and grabbed Merlin by the front of his shirt and fisted his hand and drove it into Merlin’s face.

So hard was the punch that blood spilled out instantly, shining like copper in the light.

“Merlin!” Gwaine screamed immediately. “Vaughnes, GET AWAY FROM HIM!” Lancelot looked furious and ready to jump Sir Vaughnes.

Merlin wasn’t paying any attention. “Terrible – punch,” he choked out. “Not getting enough practice these days? No poor idiots erroring near you?”

Sir Vaughnes growled. “SHUT UP, YOU FILTHY LOW-BORN—”

“Peasant, I know,” Merlin smirked. “I mean, I’d rather be a pig than you, so that insult isn’t really much.” Then he made a show of skeptically running his eyes over the man’s body. “Actually, I’m sorry. The pig doesn’t deserve to be compared to you. At least it shows a modicum of—”

He didn’t get to finish. Sir Vaughnes screamed and pressed at Merlin’s throat, ignoring both Gwaine and Lancelot pulling at and shoving him.

It was a mad tumble of bodies everyone was overwhelmed by, until:

“ARTHUR!” Merlin howled, still dangling from Sir Vaughnes’ hand.

There was rapid movement. Sir Vaughnes dropped Merlin, moving backwards, and at the same time, the door was shoved open. “Merlin, how many times have I told you not to call me like that—” Arthur stopped the moment he saw the scene. “What--?”

He was instantly beside Merlin, eyes taking in the bruises at the throat, and the blood still flowing rapidly from the nose. He took in other details as well: the others’ stunned expressions, and the way Sir Vaughnes was holding his hand. His expression tightened.

“Sir Vaughnes,” he said icily. “Care to tell me why your hand is injured at the same time my manservant’s nose is broken?”

“Your Highness, he was provoking us, and he admitted to a crime—”

“And is his punishment your call to make?” Arthur interrupted sharply. “Are you not a knight in comparison to his low servant status? No excuses. Do you have an explanation, or not?”

Sir Vaughnes looked around, and clearly saw that none of the others was about to defend him. Pursing his lips angrily, he looked at the floor. “No, sire.”

“Our job as knights is to protect the innocent,” Arthur said, and in that moment, Leon could see the type of king he would become: someone regal, someone kind, someone honorable. “Chivalry and kindness are keystones of the Knights’ Code. How can you attack someone you are meant to guard, a defenseless servant?”

Merlin made a face at ‘defenseless’ but otherwise he was staring at Arthur with that look of deep devotion and adoration he reserved only for him. Leon had seen it once, at the Castle of Ancient Kings, and seeing it again caused a shiver down his spine.

“My apologies, sire,” Sir Vaughnes said lowly. He certainly didn’t seem truly ashamed, which caused anger in Leon. He just wanted to be let off.

Arthur clearly saw this. He didn’t show it, which was good, but Leon knew him well enough to tell the anger and disgust in his eyes. “Go to your chambers. I shall decide what to do with you later.”

“But my lord—”

“Now. Do not test my patience anymore.”

Casting an angry glance at Merlin, Sir Vaughnes left the armoury. Barely moments after he was gone. Arthur turned to Merlin. “What on earth did you go and do that for?”

Merlin shrugged, wiping blood off his nose with his hand. “It was convenient.”

“Convenient! You know I was planning on handling him. You didn’t have to provoke him. Look at what he did to you, Merlin.” The Prince Regent was clearly concerned, but he played it off. “A delicate butterfly like you. How are you not crying?”

“Clearly, I am less delicate than you think, clotpole—”

“Excuse me, sire?” Sir Galahad asked, eyebrows furrowed. “You were planning on handling him?”

Arthur glanced at Merlin. “… Someone brought to my attention that Sir Vaughnes abuses his position with regards to physical abuse to the staff and other common born people.”

No one had any doubts regarding the identity of the mysterious someone.

“I was working on a plan to oust him from his position, but then. . .” Arthur glared at Merlin.

“Look, I had to help his squire with a broken arm yesterday, and then he insulted Lancelot. I couldn’t just stand and take that.”

“But you can take the beating he gave you?” Gwaine asked amusedly, still standing next to the manservant, clearly ready to handle any other threats to him.

Merlin grinned carelessly. “Yep!”

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Very well, if he insulted Lancelot. . .” There was an insinuation there Leon couldn’t read.

Leon felt he had to at least try to defend one of his knights. “The broken arm could’ve been because he mishandled something or fell off his horse.”

Merlin shook his head. “Wrong kind of break. The one he had was from sheer brute force, and I’ve seen that in too many people not to know it.”

There was an implication there that caused Leon’s stomach to sink. Too many people. . .

Arthur grimaced. “I’m working on it,” he said quietly, fragilely.

Merlin’s whole demeanour softened. “I know you are,” he reassured him.

“And get to Gaius before all the blood drips out of you and onto my armoury,” Arthur continued, walls back up.

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say, sire.”

He marched off. “I’m going with him,” Lancelot and Gwaine said simultaneously, already halfway across the room.

“Like they’re actually asking permission,” Arthur snorted, and Elyan, Percival, Leon and Sir Galahad all laughed.

“Sire?” Sir Bors asked tentatively. “Are you truly planning on stripping Sir Vaughnes’ knighthood? And what plans do you have for, uh. . .” He trailed off, clearly unsure what to label the situation as. Leon wondered with narrowed eyes what Sir Bors would think of anything Arthur did to reduce the plight of the common people.

“Not stripping it,” Arthur said briskly. “I’m planning on sending him to the outpost of Archenland. It’s a harsh posting, and I have people there who will report to me his every word. If he doesn’t improve, I will have him discharged with dishonour. If he does improve, he may try for the citadel again, though that will depend on others’ judgement, rather than mine.”

Leon was impressed. It was a good punishment. And since he was certain Merlin and Gwen would be the ‘others’ in question, it was fair to the servants Sir Vaughnes had apparently abused as well. Leon thought about how quickly he’d flown off-the-handle with Merlin, of how he’d spent years in comradery with the man, and felt sick to the stomach.

“As for my plans. . .” At this, Arthur visibly hesitated. “Well, they’re still in the preliminary processes. Though I hope you all will support me in them.”

“Of course, Your Highness,” Sir Galahad said instantly. Other mumbled their agreement, Elyan, Percival and Gwaine being the loudest and fiercest.

Leon had to swallow the lump in his throat. He remembered conceding fights to Arthur, the spoiled prince he’d had to tutor and despaired over one day having to follow. He looked at the man in front of him, his king, whom he would gladly and proudly be loyal to for the rest of his life.

And the people the two of them were closest to, whom he admired so much and could trust more than anyone.

“Always, Arthur,” he said honestly, and Arthur smiled.

Later….

Arthur: Wait, what crime did you confess to?

Merlin: Making Lancelot sneak into the knights. So, basically, you know, treason, identity fraud, coercion and forgery.

Arthur *rolls his eyes*: Of course you did. You know, Merlin, I’ve known you for years and you still surprise me -  it shouldn’t really, but you still do - with how idiotic – loyal too, of course, but still, immensely stupid – you can be.

Merlin: And it still surprises me how much of an ass – an incredible Prince Regent and eventually King, of course, but still a dollophead – you can be. Anything new to add, my lord?

take me as i am and i will take you as you are.

to my most beloved,

where do i even begin? words cannot describe the place you have in my heart and what you truly mean to me. i’m not sure how i ever survived a time where you weren’t in my life, it’s simply not possible anymore. you are an incredible light in my life, my reason to keep going, my biggest supporter, and dare i say the actual love of my life. you are the sun to my moon, the merlin to my arthur, the heart to my soul. thank you for choosing me and blessing me with your gorgeous self. i’m not sure how i got so lucky to be blessed with you.

i love you endlessly, happy anniversary @bellamyblakru <3

A Thought: Merlin learning how to carve wood after Balinor leaves him the little dragon carving in “The Last Dragonlord.”

It takes a while before he can look at the tiny wooden figure without it just hurting, but after weeks and months, the ache eases into something almost bearable.

One night, he’s lying in bed with the little dragon balanced on his chest (he’s named it Charlie) and has the thought to maybe try it for himself. The first few times he tries, he can’t even start because thinking of his father makes his eyes sting too much to see, but he gets past it. His first few attempts are…not so good, but lucky for him, there is literally never a shortage of wood to be found in this castle, so he has plenty of supplies to try again.

The first carving he make that actually comes out mostly right is a dragon, of course. He calls it Thatcher, and it goes on his windowsill next to Charlie. Then he makes a teeny-tiny baby dragon, calls it Kite, and puts it between Thatcher and Charlie to make a family, see?

Once he gets better, he starts colouring them a little, using bits of whatever he can find to act as a stain, even nicking the occasional bit of paint. And he starts giving them to people, too.

Gaius gets a stern-faced owl, complete with little feathery eyebrows. “Because you’re so wise, see?” Merlin gets a full dose of the Eyebrow then, but the owl goes on the mantelpiece and stays there.

The next person to get one is Gwen, a cat with a crooked tail and a little notch taken out of one ear. She almost cries when he gives it to her because she had told Merlin about her childhood pet so long ago, she hadn’t thought he would ever remember. It looks just like Buttons, too. He even remembered the missing whiskers on one side.

Leon gets a lion for his nameday. Not a roaring, ferocious lion, but one that is stretched out for a nap with its head on its paws, and it even looks like it’s smiling a little, too. There’s little markings to suggest its mane is curly, too. “You’ve still got the better hair, though,” Merlin teases. Leon doesn’t say anything, but after that, he counts Merlin as his friend, not just a companion.

When Lancelot finally returns to Camelot, he gets a gryphon, of course, exacting down to its hooked beak and tufted tail, eagle wings spread and crouched as if ready to pounce. Merlin doesn’t say anything when he gives it to him, only smiles and hugs him tight. Whenever Lancelot looks at it, he remembers blue fire and murmurs, “Bregdan anweald gafeluc.”

Elyan gets a hart with majestic antlers, carved from pale wood that’s almost white, somehow stately and elegant in stillness. It makes him smile every time he sees it; no one else believes him when he tells the story of the time he saw a white hart in the Darkling Wood, always say that he’s making it up. The hart goes on a shelf next to a cat with a crooked tail and a notched ear.

Gwaine’s carving is a fox, made from reddish-brown wood, and Merlin has somehow made it look fluid even though it doesn’t move, sleek and playful and mischievous and cleverer than anyone thinks. Gwaine isn’t a man to get attached to material things, but he never goes anywhere without it and even tucks it in the bottom of his saddlebags when they go on patrol.

Percival’s is the only one that has more than one piece. It’s actually three: a bear and two cubs, made to fit together so they look like they’re embracing. Merlin doesn’t say why, but Percival understands anyways, and for the first time, he can think about his family without it hurting so much.

Arthur notices that the others have each been given these little gifts, he’s heard them talking about it whenever another one has been given, and he can’t help but feel a little hurt at his lack of such a gift. Even though it bothers him, he never asks, because princes don’t ask for things, and he isn’t going to order Merlin to give him something when his manservant obviously makes them with such careful affection and gives them with equal thought. So he says nothing of it and lets it be, ignoring how it makes him ache.

It isn’t until months, years, later that Merlin finally comes to him one night, head bowed and feet shuffling, turning something small over in his hands, and it takes him almost ten minutes before he can step forward and set it on the desk. Arthur says nothing, knowing the importance of stillness and silence, and picks it up with care.

It’s his mother’s seal, replicated with such exacting perfection that were it not for the grain of the wood, he wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the two side-by-side. Until he turns it over, that is. Because the other side bears another seal: a triskele, like unto what the Druids mark themselves with, except this one is formed not of coiled spirals, but three snarling dragon heads.

“My father’s seal, sigil of his house, my house,” Merlin says softly, so low it could’ve been imagined.

For a long time, there’s silence in the chamber, broken only by the muffled crack and pop of the fire, the faintest sound of their breathing. Arthur sweeps his thumb over one dragon-head, tracing the sharp sweep of its horn with his thumbnail, then holds it out to Merlin. “Put this somewhere Aithusa won’t chew on it, will you?” he says softly, curling his fingers around the other man’s hand, strong and warm and familiar, smooth-carved wood pressed between their palms. “And come to bed.”

Merlin is... a badass??

The King’s poor manservant is sent on some wild goose chase, and it makes his bad mood and pounding headache even worse. Little does he know, it’s about to get a hell of a lot more complicated…

TW: I mean… blood, almost-basically-torture? (But not on any of the good guys)

Part 2   Part 3(final part)

Merlin was marginally annoyed.

But that’s nothing new. So he just keeps going, urging his steed—a war horse that had taken a shine to him—to go faster, her hooves thundering along the dirt pathway that weaves between the trees. He knows where he’s going, it’s an unfortunately regularly visited place for him; a small abandoned fort that sits on a section of high ground, a few miles off from the Valley of Fallen Kings. Every criminal imaginable has inhabited it at some point, but Uther had always refused to do anything about it, and it had been pushed to the way side after Arthur had been crowned. 

As of right now, it had been taken over by some sort of bandit group who had somehow managed to snatch Arthur from his bed in the night. Merlin had no proof of his claims other than The King’s chambers hanging empty all morning (Merlin had originally thought that Arthur had snuck off early to train or something. He began to worry when he never reappeared for lunch), and his golden magic pulling him in the right direction. Hence him being alone. And grumpy.

Keep reading

Merlin: ARE YOU-

Gwaine: Fucking

Merlin: KIDDING ME?! YOU-

Gwaine: Fucking

Merlin: IDIOT!

Arthur: *looks between Merlin and Gwaine*

Arthur: No. Just no. *walks away*

Merlin: *follows, yelling about Arthur being reckless*

Lancelot: ... What was that?

Gwaine: Princess banned Merlin from swearing, so I'm helping him out.

Leon: Shouldn't you be the one banned from swearing?

Gwaine: Yeah, but princess lost all hope in curing me of that a long time ago. He just wanted Merlin’s rants to be less intimidating.

Merlin, in the distance: Were you born without any self preservation or did you lose it somewhere in that big empty space between your ears?!

Leon: …

Lancelot: I wish him luck. Hell hath no fury like a scorned Merlin.

Chapter 7 (part 1)

It was the day of the challenge. It was to be held at the edge of the village which looked out to a valley. As soon as the day dawned the challenge began. Elijah had chosen giants of men from his army. Elijah’s men may be strong but the knights were agile and quick. After some time Percival was wounded, and Gaius went up to Merlin.

“What did you do? The swords were poisoned, Percival should have dropped dead by now." said Gaius. "Last night I had gone to their camp to change the swords. I removed the poison but they are forged of magic." replied Merlin. "Forged of magic?" questioned Gaius, dread settling in. "Weapons capable of killing the most powerful of sorcerers." answered Merlin.

The battle continued till eve but none had fallen. Injured but not dead. Darkness started creeping around the village but they continued the battle. In the clang of the swords something clicked and Merlin's head snapped up. He sensed something and put his entire focus on it. Another click. A bolt being fitting in a crossbow.  There was only one death today that would matter the most. Merlin knew what he had to do. He had known this is what they would try to do.  He knew, so he ran. 

The bolt was fired for one person, Arthur. Everyone heard the swoosh of the arrow but it never hit Arthur. Merlin wanted to call out to Arthur or Gaius but when he opened his mouth, "Gw...Gwaine!"  He called out to his friend. 

To hell with his injuries, Gwaine ran with the speed of wind and was immediately by his side.  "Merlin...keep your eyes open. Merlin! EYES OPEN!!" he said.  Percival reached and gently lifted him.  "Merlin!" he heard Arthur. 

"The challenge shall continue tomorrow." said Elijah starting to go away. "no!" said Merlin.  "Eh...boy? Why not?" sneered Elijah.  "Be...because if not dead one...man is dying." replied Merlin. The smile vanished from Elijah's face and Gaius stepped in. "You said it yourself, "One man from all". And he...he is..." 

Gwaine's anger took the best of him. He took out his sword, turned and plunged his sword in his opponent.  "Well, if you wanted someone who was in the challenge, there you go." 

Elijah started to raise his hand to signal attack when he heard Merlin in his head. "Elijah...don't do this. You just killed one of your own kind, how many more must die?"  Elijah lowered his hand immediately.  "My apologies, Your Majesty." he said and retreated with his troops apologizing to Merlin through their connection. 

Chapter 7 (part 2)

"Merlin you old fool!" Arthur said as Percival laid him down in one of the houses.  "What is my life compared to all of yours?" he said. Merlin knew he was gonna die. He was a powerful sorcerer, but the bolt was also forged of magic. It could easily kill him, but he had a few thing to say. Merlin used all the magic he had to keep awake. Gwaine and Arthur sat on either side of his bed while Gaius sat near the end of the bed. 

"Gaius...when I'm gone...." "You are going nowhere!" Said Gaius even though he knew it wasn't possible.  "Tell them....about Emrys. And all he has done." 

"Merlin, please. Merlin you are not dying. You can't die! You have to stay with me, with us! Please, Merlin..." said Gwaine. No one had imagined the day Gwaine would but here he was, silently crying beside his dying friend.

"Why Sir Gwaine? Isn't George enough?" asked Merlin, a small smile forming at his lips. "He isn't our friend, you are." said Elyan.  'Oh yes? Is that the reason you all behaved so harshly? Is that the reason you all were treating him so rudely?" questioned Gaius. "It was supposed to make him mad just for a few days. Until today.." started Percival. "It's his birthday tomorrow. We just wanted to surprise him." said Leon.

Merlin let out a small laugh. He, himself had forgotten his birthday. 

"Be the best knight in Camelot for me, Gwaine." he said and Gwaine nodded in response.  "I will take care of Hunith, rest assured." said Gaius.

"I'll make sure these idiots don't get themselves killed." said Elyan tear streaming down his face as he smiled. 

"Percival...take care of Gaius for me." said Merlin, trying not to wince. Percival clapped a hand on Merlin's shoulder and smiled at him.  

Arthur wanted to say a lot and he would have if he was not crying so much. Merlin was his first friend. The only person who had never seen him as 'Prince Arthur' but as just 'Arthur Pendragon'. He wanted to tell Merlin that he was his most trusted and loyal friend but...he couldn't. He just couldn't. But Arthur just sat there watching his one true friend taking ragged breaths that would soon lead to his last. But when he turned to look at him, Merlin smiled. It seemed as if he knew.  "Arthur....Guinevere" said Merlin and Arthur understood. 

Merlin took one last look at all of them and smiled again. His magic was slipping and he breathed his last words... "When the hour of the greatest need is upon, Walk along the Lake of Avalon Call out for me  and I shall be To try and be that friend indeed."

And as he did the room was filled with tiny balls of lights. Merlin's hand fell limp from Gwaine's.  "Merlin? Merlin!?" exclaimed Gwaine, breaking down beside him. The clang of Elyan and Arthur's sword said it all. Gaius collapsed to the ground and Leon silently mourned. 

"Happy Birthday..." whispered Percival. Even though Merlin wouldn't hear it now. He would never make a joke or give comical remarks. He would never come bustling in the room with that bright smile. He would never see the banquet they had prepared. He would never see the celebrations and the feast they had prepared. 

He would never see them and they wouldn't see Merlin again...

For Merlin’s Sake

Word Count: 3,525 words

Warnings: slight cussing, mentions of death

June 18th, 6th Century. Outside the City of Camelot. 6:59 pm.

She couldn’t breath. Not one bit. Her whole face had practically turned a different color, soaked in sweat. After riding on her horse for 5 consecutive days she was practically wavering, without rest and with little water and food in take for herself. She made sure her lovely horse had plenty of food and water, making sure not to ware her out. But she couldn't help it, she promised her father she would not stop. Not until she reached the heart of Camelot to speak with a man. A man she hadn't seen in nearly a decade. As she approached further into the palace, she took notice of the way the Knights had grown weary of a girl riding in on horseback, a large cape and hood hiding her identity. The brunette slowed her horse down, running her free hand along the neck of her horse before coming to a complete stop in the middle of the courtyard. Alice expertly hopped off, taking a hold of the lead being stopped from taking any further steps as the Knights approached her their swords at the ready.

"Show yourself," Alice let out a slight sigh, hastily removing the hood from her face letting all of her curls fall loosely onto her face. She stared intently at the one who had asked her to do so, whose eyes had widened slightly at the sight of blood trailing down the side of her head.

"You are injured. Let us take you to-"

"I'm fine. I promise. I hit my head on a rather large branch while riding here, nothing a little water and crushed yarrow won't fix." She spoke clearly, thanking the fellow who offered to take her horse from her as she made her way to what she assumed was the leader of the Knights. She gave him a warm smile, offering her hand as a sign of peace knowing it would help gain a bit of trust, "The name's Alice. I come from a long ways away. I've been riding for about 5 days, so I apologize if I caused any fear by arriving abruptly."

"No need, m'lady. I am Sir Leon, Knight of Camelot." he sent a comforting smile, shaking her hand briefly before releasing it. "May I ask why you are here?"

"I came to visit someone. I'm not quite sure if you know who they are, or if they still reside in Camelot but it's extremely important that I find them... his name is Merlin." At the mention of his name, the 5 Knights before her perked up looking around at one another as one of them stepped up. He had dark brown hair, and a slight amount of stubble on his chiseled cheeks and he had a slight aura of him that just screamed; innocence.

"I'm Sir Lancelot. Merlin is a friend of ours, we'll gladly take you to him."

"Thank you so much, it would mean the world to me." Alice bowed her head out of respect towards the Knights before following in hot pursuit after them, holding onto the layers of coats and outer layers as she ran up the stone steps so she wouldn't trip.

 June 18th, 6th Century. Outside the King’s Chamber. 7:15 pm.

Alice stood nervously besides Sir Gwaine, who had taken a liking to the short girl currently having a hand on the small of her back. The only Knights who were currently with Alice were Sir Leon, Sir Lancelot and Sir Gwaine as they didn't want to take away from their training session. Once Sir Leon knocked and had received a clear enter, they made their way with Alice sticking close to Gwaine.

"Sire, we have someone who seeks Merlin. She says it's rather urgent, but we can come back later if you would prefer." Alice took a quick peak at their king, nearly toppling over as she saw how drop dead gorgeous he looked even in his armor. But what caught her off guard was the 6 foot tall of a man residing beside the king, currently fixing the red cape around his shoulders, once he had turned around they both made eye contact. Merlin's body stiffened, his body going numb as he saw a face he never thought he would see again. Alice stood there in a pair of trousers, similar to his, except she had a rather tight fitting top that was tucked into them adorned by a dark brown belt. The layers she had on over covered most of her body, but he knew that she would be wearing her signature cream colored button up with most of the strings undone.

"No, I’m quite alright. Merlin? You're free to go."

"Thank you sire" Merlin gave a brief nod, making his way towards Alice offering his arm out to her, letting her loop her arm through his as they made their way to his chambers. The awkward silence that followed was nearly unbearable, but they knew they couldn't utter a word unless it was under the comfort of Merlin's room. She tightened her grip on his arm, leaning further into his touch as they approached the room.

"Alice.." He breathed out as he shut the door his room shut, bringing the princess into his arms holding her tightly. Her arms wrapped around him playing with the dark hair on the nape of his neck, feeling herself melt into his familiar embrace. Alice grinned squeezing her eyes shut, letting the brunette sway them back and forth. After a short couple of minutes Merlin slowly released the girl, keeping his hands on her waist.

"What brought you here? Is your father okay-"

"My father... he passed away a couple weeks ago. He grew very sick... but while on his death bed he gave me this," The girls voice wavered, reaching for the string around her neck containing the gift her father had given her, holding it tightly in her fist showing it to Merlin whose eyes had grown wide looking back up at her.

"The Royal Seal...b-but I thought your brother-"

"After my father fell ill, my brother wasn't able to handle it. He realized how quickly he would have to become king, and have to handle all the people in our kingdom so he fled. Once my father had heard the news, he knew that I would be the best person to take over. When he passed, I went on a search for my brother for a couple weeks but I haven't had any success in finding him. Which is when I made the decision to come find the one person I knew could help me; you. " Merlin ran his thumb over her small hands, chewing on his bottom lip thoughtfully his train of thought being broken by her hands freeing themselves from his grasp. Alice cupped his face looking intently into his piercing eyes, giving him a weak smile.

"It would be an honor to be able to help you. However, I think you should tell Arthur who you are. That way, if anything happens, at least he will know instead of thinking I'm sneaking around with some girl."

"Oh, I'm just some girl now, aren't I Merlin?" Alice teased, pulling away from the sorcerer whose cheeks were a light shade of pink. His mouth opened and closed a couple times, trying to think of a way to take back what he said. The bewildered look on his face made the princess giggle making her way over to his bed and sprawled herself on it. She sighed contently, letting her tired eyes flutter shut as she melted into the bed. "Even though this bed feels like a stack of hay, this is the most comfortable I have been in 3 weeks. Sleeping on a solid ground has and will never be comfortable, no matter how many blankets I bring."

"Arthur's told me that I make a pretty cozy bed," Merlin grinned down at Alice, poking her side as she let out a loud snort at his comment rolling over so he could sit down. She pried her heavy eyelids open, giving Merlin her best puppy eyes as he made himself comfortable with his back on the stone wall.

"Sleep with me,"

"I-I'm sorry?" His eyes were wide a breath stuck in his throat, feeling his face growing hot as she blinked innocently up at him. She fiddled with the blue shirt he was wearing, her bottom lip slightly jutted as she grinned.

"Is that a crime? I haven't had a proper nights rest and my body feels 30 pounds heavier now that it has made itself comfortable. And... I miss being able to fall asleep next to my favorite person," As Merlin realized that the princess had no other intentions other than taking a small nap, he felt himself relax nodding his head rather reluctantly. She smiled excitedly, letting Merlin scoot down so she could lay her head on his chest. His toned arms wrapped around her, holding her tight to him as he took notice of her rapid decrease in her breathing and heart rate. Her free hand was tracing patterns onto his chest, smiling to herself because she didn't feel like anything else mattered. Of course their relationship was frowned upon, but Alice never was one to pay attention to the rules or judge anyone for their class. As her unconscious mind started to take over, she felt her body growing tired letting herself relax just as Merlin had also grown quite relaxed as he rubbed circles onto her arm feeling his body melt into a dream state.

 June 19th, 6th Century. Merlin’s Room. 9:03 am.

"Merlin... Merlin! You better unlock this door and explain to me why in the world you didn't come back last night. I had to undress on my own, and now my armor-”

"Merlin...honey. I think your precious king is calling you," Alice whispered against Merlin's chest, feeling him jolt up sending the small girl tumbling off the bed. She groaned quietly against the hard floor, giving him a thumbs up as she made herself comfortable with her cheek pressed against the cold stone. Merlin hastily opened the door to his bedroom, hiding his room from Arthur's eyes as he came face to face with the king. Merlin gave him his goofy grin, trying to ignore the death glare Arthur was currently giving him.

"Do you have a good explanation as to why you have been gone for over 15 hours?"

"Well, you did tell me I was good to go," Before Merlin could finish what he was saying, Arthur shoved past him which sent Merlin into a frenzy as he realized Alice was still on the floor, "Arthur! I can explain,"

"You can explain as to why you have a body on the floor of your bedroom?"

"That's entirely my fault, sire." Alice groaned, heaving herself off the ground throwing her heavy coats onto Merlin's bed. She caught glance of Arthur, noting they were wearing almost the exact same outfit except for the sword hanging off his hip, "I wanted to go to bed after riding for 3 weeks, not including the time it took to travel here. I suppose I never realized how tired I truly was. I take blame for keeping him from you,"

"W-well, it's quite alright. I don't think you meant any harm." Arthur stumbled over his words, eyeing the girl with intense curiosity at the way she spoke. Alice stood alongside Merlin, nudging him playfully giving both the king and his servant breathtaking grins. Before Arthur could make his way out, he took notice of the ring dangling around her neck. He took a couple steps forward, taking a hold of the necklace twirling it in between his fingers as the girl froze underneath him.

"The Royal Seal of Cambia... how did you get this?" Alice glanced over at Merlin who gave her a knowing smile, throwing her a wink. The princess took a hold of the ring from Arthur's hands, removing the necklace from around her neck running her finger over the symbol.

"My father- he gave it to me before he passed. It would have gone to my brother, but he left as soon as he realized that his foreseen future wasn't as far as he thought it was.” She ran her fingers through her curls, sighing heavily. “I went looking for him after my father passed, but I haven't had any luck. I came to Camelot looking for Merlin, the only person I trust to help me in something like this... except he convinced me that telling you would be the best thing to do. So, here I am. I do apologize for not telling you earlier,"

"I apologize to you, your highness. If I had known, then I could have gotten you a proper bed to sleep in. This is no room for-"

"My lord... I can assure you, it was quite alright. I will bring all of my belongings and clothes together, and Merlin will lead me to the spare bedroom. You have nothing to worry about," She flashed him a quick smile, seeing his cheeks grow red as he bowed his head at the princess before he made his way out of the room closing the door behind him. Alice smacked the giggling boy, turning to gather her clothes and stuff them into an extra bag she had carried along throwing it at Merlin who caught it with ease. She bent down to grab her other bags but was shoved aside as Merlin gathered them all in his arms giving the princess a cheeky grin pressing a small kiss to her cheek.

"Grab your sword and then we can head to your room. You might want to hurry before I take the offer up, and you'll be stuck with me,"

"That doesn't sound too bad-"

"Don't tempt me, Alice," He shouted over his shoulder, letting a small smile creep onto his face as he heard her laugh from his room. Alice shook her head at him, shoving her sword into the sword holder letting her hair loose from the half up half down hairstyle it was in. She jogged to catch up to Merlin who was already making his way down the stairs, wrapping her arms around his shoulders shaking the brunette playfully.

"What's got you in such a hurry? You ready to get rid of me?"

"Of course." He teased, turning to look at his best friend whose face seemed just as joyous as his. She shoved him playfully, making a run for it down the stairs as she heard him run after her. Loud shrieks of laughter and excitement left her body as she nearly fell as he caught her around her waist, pulling her close to his chest. She felt his breath against her neck, turning to face him pressing a kiss to his nose.

"Lead the way, Merl..."

September 25th, 6th Century. The Armory. 2:38 pm.

Alice let out a loud laugh as she watched Merlin and the Knights tossing Elyan's helmet around, quieting down as she watched Arthur walk in and snatch the helmet from midair. They locked eyes momentarily, the princess throwing a quick wink his way.

"I would like to have a meeting with all of you, including you Alice. Would you mind walking with me as the Knights change out of their armor?"

"Of course not, sire. Excuse me, sir knights," Alice smiled at the young guys she's grown to consider friends, making her way out of the armory walking alongside King Arthur. Once she knew they were out of earshot she nudged into him playfully, which made the tall man chuckle.

"You know... this meeting I called is for you,"

"For me? Why- oh... Arthur. I thought we agreed to keep this in between the two of us... what if they start treating me differently?" The girl had stopped in the middle of the corridor, maintaining eye contact with the King as he let out a loud sigh. Even though Arthur stood a little over half a foot taller than her, she still tried to show that she wasn't about to back down without an argument.

"I want to be able to take you alongside me to missions, and know that you're fully protected from any harm..."

"Arthur, you are too kind. But, I can assure you I can fully take care of myself. Alongside my brother, I am the most skilled fighter in the kingdom. I could take down half your knights blindfolded, no offence," Arthur let a small laugh slip, before bringing his hands to hold onto her smaller hands, "Before you go and make me feel all bad, I give you permission to tell your knights. I understand your concern and if it helps ease your mind whilst in battle then so be it."

"Thank you. And after we tell them, maybe you can show off some of those moves," Alice laughed tugging the blonde along to the meeting room, ignoring the blush that made its way onto her cheeks. Arthur felt his heart soar as he looked down at the princess, trying to ignore the butterflies in his tummy. The two nobels waited a few short moments before the Knights and Merlin waltzed their way into the room.

"If you could all take a seat, Alice and I have some important news we wish to discuss," A look of curiosity flashes across all of their faces except Merlin who seemed pleasantly surprised. Alice felt a wave of heat wash over her, removing the cape draped around her shoulders along with the long sleeved jacket leaving her in a white blouse with the first few buttons left open, “Alice here, is Princess of Cambia. She didn’t want anyone to know because she didn’t want to alert anyone of her presence. But after I caught her in my servants room, she thought it best to tell me of why she was here.”

The look that flashes across everyone's faces seemed rather similar to what she expected to see. She bit at her bottom lip rather nervously, tucking a loose curl behind her ear flashing the Knights a smile. They no longer looked at her with that friendly stare, but more like a robotic stare like they were meant to look at her like that.

“Please don’t treat me any different. I am still Alice. Just a girl trying to find her brother, and hoping to make a difference with all the near kingdoms. Alright? I could still beat all of you blindfolded, especially you Gwaine,” She teased, which in turn made all the Knights burst out laughing except for Gwaine who just smirked up at the princess,” and one more thing. Merlin and I will be departing in two days, and we aren’t exactly sure when we will be back but I can assure you. Merlin will take good care of me.”

“My lady-”

“But what if you bring just two of us-”

“At least bring me-”

The sound of their voices overlapping each others, including Arthur who seemed rather ticked off at the idea of the princess and Merlin being off in the middle of nowhere all on their own. Alice raised her hand, which in turn made all the blabbering Knights come to a halt. Arthur tightened his hold on the leather belt surrounding his waist, eyeing the brunette who stood shifting his weight as he never took his eyes off of Alice.

“I don’t want to leave Camelot unprotected, so if, and only if I decided to take any of you, I will only take 3 not including Merlin.” They nodded their heads understandingly, except for Arthur whose face had remained rather stoic. Alice looked over the blonde flashing him a warm smile which he returned happily, feeling a light blush sprinkle his pale skin. He waved a hand at the Knights as a sign of dismissal, they bowed their heads at the King and shuffled out the door leaving Arthur, Alice and Merling to stand around the table rather awkwardly.

“I think that went rather well-”

“Alice?”

“Yes, sire?”

“I have a slight question,” He muttered out, feeling a blush creeping up his neck setting his large hand on the back of the chair looking over at Alice who was looking at him rather intently,” I was wondering if I could join you and Merlin.”

Alice’s eyes flickered over to Merlin whose eyes had grown rather wide, his thumbs fiddling together. The deafening silence that followed almost made her want to crawl into a hole, and never come out.

“Arthur... I would love to have you,” Arthur felt his heart swell, feeling a smile make it’s way onto his face loosening his grip around the back of the chair,” but... I can’t. Merlin told me how you feel about magic, and what the rule here in Camelot is, and I don’t think I’ll be able to find my brother without it-”

“Forget about the law, I want to keep you safe, Alice. Magic or no magic. I would do anything to ensure your safety.” Merlin’s lips parted feeling his body stop functioning as he reminisced on Arthur’s words, locking eyes with Alice whose face was as a pink as a cherry blossom. She felt a smile creeping onto her face, biting her bottom lip to stop herself from grinning.

“Well... I suppose 4 people is always better than 3.”

send requests! i’m always up for writing anything, just send me a quick little inbox and i’ll make sure to write it as quickly as possible. and if you have any suggestions or criticism, feel free to make it :))

Requests!

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Hello everyone! I've got to say, I'm very pleased that this au won the latest poll! Gwaine's one of my favorite characters, but I don't give him enough love in my writing. So, I decided to really let his character shine in this au alongside some other characters who I feel like didn't get enough attention in the show. Enjoy! :D

Also, I saw that Merlin was trending again today, so I decided to jump in while that was happening lol! I love that this fandom will just wake up on a random day and decide to take over tumblr!

This au is set in the years between season 4 and season 5 (but Lancelot is still alive because I say so), and the story starts with Gwaine's getting a little worried about his friend. Merlin's getting more and more stressed as the weeks go by, and he doesn't smile very often anymore despite Gwaine's best efforts, which usually involve roping Merlin into whatever mischief he's stirred up recently for a little bit of fun.

Gwaine feels pretty guilty about Merlin's worsening mental state, because Gwaine is thriving for the first time in his life, finding a community and purpose among the knights of Camelot. And he owes it all, everything he now has, to Merlin, who is suffering under a burden that no one can seem to help him with.

So, Gwaine tries all that he can to cheer up his friend and pull him out of whatever terrible place his mind is stuck in, but no matter what Gwaine does, he can't seem to lighten Merlin's mood any. Sure, Merlin will plaster on a smile for Gwaine's sake and tell him that nothing's wrong, but Gwaine can see the dullness in Merlin's eyes, he saw it every time his saw his reflection for years before Merlin barreled into his life and showed him that there was more to life than taverns and wandering.

Before he knew it, a year had passed, and Gwaine hadn't made any progress in pulling Merlin out of his darkening mental state. Gwaine felt so frustrated and useless whenever he saw Merlin's smile the drop the second he thought that no one was watching. This was his chance to finally repay Merlin for turning his life around for the better, for giving him a home, a family, a purpose, but nothing he did was helping!

But Gwaine couldn't give up on helping Merlin. There must be a way to help him, to support him through whatever was burdening him, some way to bring that bright spark back to his eyes. Gwaine just had to find out how.

From the on, Gwaine kept an even closer eye on Merlin, determined to figure out what was weighing down his friend and how to ease his burdens. It was because Gwaine was watching Merlin so closely that he noticed them.

Gwaine will give them credit, whoever they were, they were good at stealth, far beyond anyone Gwaine had met before. The cloaked figure was almost always out of sight, right in the corners of his vision. At first, he thought that this nearly imperceivable figure was after him, but it didn't take him long to figure out that the mysterious figure was following Merlin.

As soon as Gwaine realized this, all of the alarm bells in his mind went off. Was this an assassin sent to kill Merlin? A spy trying to infiltrate Camelot? A bandit planning to abduct Merlin for ransom?

Or, Gwaine realized, this might be connected to Merlin's worsening moods. This mysterious figure was clearly well trained, but they had been following Merlin for over a week and still hadn't attacked, so they probably weren't an assassin or bandit. Was Merlin being threatened by this figure into doing their bidding?!

Finally, after tailing Merlin's stalker for weeks, Gwaine manages to get some answers after following Merlin on a late-night rendezvous outside of the castle. When Gwaine had spotted Merlin sneaking away under the cover of night, Gwaine of course had to follow him! Merlin could be in danger!

Gwaine followed Merlin as the other man made his way into the woods with a surprising amount of stealth. After a long hike through the woods, Merlin arrived at his destination, which, to Gwaine's shock, looked strikingly like a druid camp. There were painted tents, campfires, and even magical symbols carved into the tree, and all signs pointed to sorcerers living there.

Gwaine's anxiety skyrocketed at the sight. Why would Merlin risk coming to this secret druid camp, which Arthur definitely did not know about? Was Merlin being threatened and followed by sorcerers?!

Gwaine crept around the outskirts of the camp, sticking to the darkness. He saw Merlin approach a rather intimidating bald man, who, if the way the others in the camp made way for him as he walked, was the leader of this group of sorcerers.

Gwaine kept his hand firmly wrapped around the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it and run to the defense of his friend at a moment's notice. As he kept watching though, he strangely couldn't see any sign of a threat towards Merlin. While Gwaine couldn't hear much of their conversation, the intimidating leader guy acted almost friendly towards Merlin, and Merlin was relaxed, not showing any signs of fear at all.

As Merlin and his maybe-friend began making their way out of the camp, Gwaine could finally hear some of what they were saying.

"Thank you again, Alator. I'm not sure what I would've done without your help!"

"It is no burden to me or my men, I assure you. It is an honor to assist a man as great as you, Emrys. Morgana's forces are a threat to us all and an affront to all that is good in this world. We will fight at your side as always and ensure that Morgana's spies never infiltrate Camelot again."

Alright, there was... a lot for Gwaine to unpack there.

First of all, the scary bald man's name was apparently Alator, so that was good to know. He claimed to be allied with Merlin against Morgana, which gave Gwaine some relief.

However, as Gwaine's mind put the pieces together, he wanted to scream with frustration. Merlin was consorting with dangerous sorcerers behind Arthur's back in order to protect Camelot! It was a move so selfless yet foolish that only Merlin could pull it off.

Still, these sorcerers didn't seem hostile towards Merlin at all, so Gwaine could work with that. He just needed a little bit more information on them, some way to confirm that they really were on Merlin's side on not double crossing his friend.

So, Gwaine crept closer into the camp, trying to see what they were up to now that Merlin was gone. He didn't see anything incriminating just yet, but that didn't mean that they were free of any nefarious plans.

Gwaine inched closer and closer into the camp, his eyes trained on the men who were probably sorcerers going about their evening chores in the camp. Gwaine so focused on his targets, in fact, that he didn't register that there was someone behind him until he felt blow to the back of his head and fell unconscious.

As Gwaine woke up, his first thought was that the pounding in his head was just a hangover, which was not by any means an unusual occurrence for Gwaine. That idea was quickly disproven as, when Gwaine tried to raise his hands to his head to try and alleviate his massive headache, he realized that his hands were bound. Once again, this wasn't necessarily an unusual situation for Gwaine, but it did cause him to freeze up with alarm as he remembered where he was and what he was doing before everything went black.

When Gwaine was finally able to peel his eyes open, he was greeted with the sight of several angry-looking men, including their intimidating leader whom Merlin had spoken to. What was his name... ah yes, Alator!

Putting on his friendliest and most innocent smile, Gwaine immediately tried to talk his way out of the situation. It had worked for him in similar situations, so why not give it a shot?

"Well, hello there gentlemen! I was just here looking for my buddy Merlin, have you seen him? Lanky fellow, dark hair, always wearing a neckerchief? A great guy, really, you'd know if you had met him!"

Gwaine scrutinized each of his captors' reactions to Merlin's name. Maybe this way he could find out what their intentions with Merlin. However, all of their expressions remained stubbornly neutral, except for Alator, who simply blinked at the mention of Merlin.

After an awkwardly long silence, Gwaine again tried to get some sort of reaction out of these mysterious men.

"I could have sworn I saw him heading this way, and I got worried about him, ya know? What kind of friend would I be if I let him wander around the forest at night all by himself! He's the kindest person I know, but he can somehow find himself in trouble at any time."

Again, much to Gwaine's rising frustration, Alator simply blinked. After another awkward pause, Alator finally responded.

"You are a knight of Camelot, correct? And you hold Emrys is high regard?"

Gwaine frowned at the seemingly random questions, but he figured it couldn't hurt to keep the conversation rolling, especially if it can get him some answers. Admitting to being a knight of Camelot in front of a bunch of potentially dangerous sorcerer might not be the best move, but they were willingly working with King Arthur's personal manservant, so these guys must not have that much of an issue with Camelot, right?

"Why yes, I am a knight of Camelot! Sir Gwaine, at your service! Based on your question, I assume that Emrys is some nickname you have for Merlin?"

In response to his question, Alator merely gave a single, solemn nod. Man, this group really needed to work on their communication skills.

"In that case, I do hold Emrys in very high regard! In fact, I'd say he's the best person I've ever met!"

Finally, that comment got a reaction out of them! As soon as Gwaine told them about how much he values Merlin, the men in front of him started nodding and murmuring amongst themselves. Gwaine hoped that they were happy about having a common friend and not plotting ways to kill him.

After reaching some consensus, the men all turned towards Gwaine simultaneously, which sent a shiver down Gwaine's back. What were they planning?

Alator then waved his hand, and his eyes flashed gold, confirming Gwaine's suspicions that he was dealing with sorcerers. Gwaine flinched back and braced himself for whatever spell had just been sent his way...

Only to feel the chains binding him fall to the ground, leaving him free and unharmed. Gwaine glanced down to check that he was, in fact, still in one piece before staring at Alator in shock.

"I can sense the honesty in your heart as you speak Emrys's praises. Know that any friend of Emrys is a friend to us. We apologize for our previous behavior, as we did not know that you were also an ally of Emrys. Please, join us for a cup of tea so we can discuss this further."

Gwaine, reeling from his host's sudden change in attitude, let them maneuver him outside and give him a seat at their campfire, with Alator and his men sitting with him around the fire.

Gwaine looked around at his hosts, who sat silently around the fire, not even talking amongst themselves. The silence made Gwaine's nerves stand on end, so he decided to fill that silence himself. He might as well get to know his gracious hosts and fellow friends of Merlin, right?

"So, who are you guys? How did you meet Merlin? Hey, maybe we can compare stories of him! Let me tell you, I've got some crazy stories to share about adventures he's dragged me on!"

The men sitting around him shared a silent look at each other before Alator answered.

"We are the Catha, masters of combat and one of the last surviving sects of priests of the Old Religion. I am Alator, the leader of the Catha. I first met Emrys when I betrayed Morgana to follow a better, more peaceful path. Emrys showed us that Morgana's hatred lies opposed to the will of the gods, and we chose to place our loyalty in him instead. What stories do you have concerning Emrys?"

Gwaine nodded, feeling a strange sort of relatability to these intimidating magic-wielding warrior priests. They, like him, were on a path of meaningless destruction and found a better life by meeting Merlin.

"Ah, I can remember meeting Merlin like it was yesterday! There I was, drowning my sorrows in a tavern, when in walks a skinny looking guy and his pompous friend! They got into trouble pretty quickly, and I couldn't miss out on all that fun! I jumped into the tavern brawl to help them, but I got pretty banged up in the process. But, it turned out that it was my lucky day, because wouldn't you know it, I had accidentally saved the life of the prince of Camelot himself!

I didn't think much of prince Arthur at the time, but his manservant sure made a great impression! He brought me back to Camelot on his own horse, took me to the royal physician, gave up his own bed to me for the night so I could recover, and then covered for me after I got drunk off my ass in the tavern, again.

But then some jackasses posing as knights tried to hurt Merlin, and I stepped in to defend him and wound up getting banished by Uther, but then Arthur welcomed me back and even made me a knight when he became prince regent! And I've been lucky enough to have Merlin at my side ever since!"

Gwaine watched as many of the men's eyes widened at his story, unsure of what exactly they were so shocked by.

"You mean to say that you stood up to Uther Pendragon, the mad butcher king, for Emrys's sake? And came back to his side as soon as you could despite the threat of death hanging over your head?"

"Well, I did manage to see Merlin on one other occasion while I was banished, but he sought me out for that one. Apparently Arthur was having some trouble on his big quest to the Perilous Lands, so Merlin called me in as backup."

The Catha started whispering amongst themselves at that, with even Alator leaning forward in interest.

"Emrys specifically sought out your skills on such a monumental quest? You understand the significance of such an honor?"

Gwaine nodded, his expression shifting from a wistful one to a much more serious one.

"Of course I understand. Merlin's such an amazing person, and it shocks me every time that he thinks I'm someone worth relying on. Still, that only motivates me to not let him down. He saw something in me that no one else did, not even me, and he found a way to bring it to the surface. He changed my life, gave me a purpose, and I will never underestimate how much he's done for me."

This time, all of the Catha were nodding their heads in approval of Gwaine's appreciation for Merlin.

"You truly do see the significance of Emrys, Sir Gwaine. I can see your loyalty towards him clearly. For that, I would like to make you an offer.

Emrys's enemies are our enemies, and there are many of them. Morgana's forces grow stronger by the day, and we can only do so much with how few of us are left. Emrys himself faces many dangers, and we cannot always protect him as much as we'd like, seeing as how we cannot enter the city of Camelot. You, however, are at Emrys's side every day.

In working towards our shared goals, will you work alongside us to protect Emrys and keep Morgana's forces at bay? We can provide you with training that will put you far ahead of any of your peers and weapons that shall make you a formidable opponent to even the most powerful sorcerers. Will you accept our offer?"

"Ah, I see now. It was you lot who have been following Merlin around recently! Well, that certainly gives me quite a bit of relief, knowing that he isn't being followed around by someone who'd want to hurt him. I'd be happy to join in on your mission to protect Merlin!"

The Catha started murmuring approvingly amongst themselves at Gwaine's acceptance, until Alator spoke again.

"That is wonderful. It is an honor to be able to work alongside a warrior held in such high esteem by Emrys himself."

As Gwaine shook Alator's hand, accepting his offer, he got the feeling that this was the start of an amazing alliance.

And it sure was. Over the next months, Gwaine trained alongside the warrior priests whenever he could, becoming accustomed to their stoic natures and silent demeanors. They taught him fighting styles that he had never even heard of before and gave him information on people who were trying to hurt Merlin, allowing him to keep an eye on and eliminate threats to his friend before they had the chance to strike.

The Catha figured out pretty early on that Gwaine was rubbish at learning anything about magic itself, but when they placed enchanted weapons in his hands, he could wield them effortlessly and adapt his combat style to whatever the effects of the enchantment were. He even got a sword that could burst into flames!

As Gwaine's abilities to wield stronger enchanted weapons improved, the Catha started letting him fight the powerful sorcerers that Morgana sent into Camelot. Soon enough, he was equipped with indestructible armor armor that could repel spells and curses, weapons with some of the most formidable enchantments that the Catha could muster, and even a growing reputation throughout the land!

Luckily, the helmet that the Catha provided him with obscured his identity, so no reports of a rogue and enchantment-wielding Sir Gwaine made their way back to Arthur, as funny as that would be. Still, reports of the "indominable magic knight" that had defeated some of Morgana's most powerful sorcerers made their way across the land, even into Camelot's court. Some council members wished to capture the unknown knight and kill him before he became a threat, while others saw an opportunity to make a powerful ally against Morgana, and Arthur was constantly on the fence between those two arguments while Gwaine sat at the round table, quietly smug.

Meanwhile, Merlin, checking in with the Catha: What's this I hear about a warrior using powerful magic weapons to fight Morganas men?

Alator: Don't worry, Emrys. He's one of ours, fighting against Morgana in your name. He's one of your most devout followers in fact.

Merlin, not wanting to meet another Emrys fanboy who looks at him like he's a god: Uh, just tell him to keep up the good work and to let me know if he needs anything.

Soon after reports of the magic knight made their way to a very conflicted court of Camelot, Morgana sought out the magic knight, ready to either kill him for being such a nuisance or make an ally out of him. After all, surely a knight wielding such powerful magic would never be on the side of Camelot?

However, when Morgana managed to trap the magical knight and surround him with an army of a hundred sorcerers, the knight managed to defeat her and her entire army before escaping. He rained down fire and lightning upon them, the very elements fighting alongside him, as he cut down her army and left her defeated and humiliated.

Of course, reports of Morgana's defeat travelled to Camelot, where the court was even more incensed over the topic of the magical knight. He was capable of beating Morgana, surely he would be a great ally and could ensure Camelot's protection! But he was also now a magic-wielding threat even more powerful than Morgana! Sure he was now the foremost threat to Camelot!

In the end, Arthur and some of his most trusted knights decided to go on a quest to seek out this magical knight. Gwaine wasn't particularly worried, because how could they possibly find him if he was already travelling with them?

During the journey though, they receive word of a magical beast terrorizing nearby villages. The knights all try to fight the beast, but to little success, and it even managed to injure Merlin's leg before escaping!

Merlin's injury turned out to be not life-threatening, but he couldn't stand on his leg for very long. Unbeknownst to anyone else, Merlin entrusted Lancelot with slaying the beast after his injury, enchanting Lancelot's sword so that it could kill a creature of magic and his chainmail so that he wouldn't be hurt by its claws.

Gwaine, meanwhile, was furious with the creature and, that night, summoned his enchanted armor and weapons to go slay the beast and maybe give its head to Merlin as an apology for being unable to stop it from hurting him. Or maybe he would just treat Merlin to a night at the tavern when they got back.

So, Lancelot and Gwaine both tracked down the beast that knight. When they both arrived at the beast's lair with visibly enchanted weapons, they take each other by surprise. Lancelot is on guard, unsure if he wants to trust the now-infamous magic knight, but Gwaine just laughs and removes his helmet, and Lancelot is shocked.

Lancelot and Gwaine seeing each other with enchanted gear: spiderman pointing meme

Gwaine asks Lancelot where he got that enchanted sword, but Lancelot is tight-lipped about it, just saying he got it because he needed to protect Merlin. Gwaine chuckled and said that he understood.

After they finish slaying the beast together, Lancelot asks Gwaine if Merlin knows that he's the magic knight. Gwaine shrugs and says that he suspects that Merlin doesn't know, but wouldn't mind it if Merlin did know.

Lancelot, as soon as they get back to Camelot: So, did you know that Gwaine is actually the magic knight?

Merlin, spitting out his tea and having flashbacks to his conversation with Alator: HE'S WHAT NOW?!

Things get cleared up between Lancelot, Merlin, and Gwaine pretty quickly from there. Gwaine takes the magic reveal very well, excited at the prospect of going on magical adventures with Merlin and glad that his friend can actually defend himself, because he's rubbish with any type of weapon.

From there though, a sort of friendly competition sprung up between Gwaine and Lancelot, as both of them consider themself to be Merlin's best friend. Soon enough, there's two magical knights running around foiling Morgana's plans, and Arthur's ready to tear his hair out over it.

From there, more knights figure out about Merlin's magic and, if they're accepting of it, they also train with the Catha and receive enchanted weapons. It almost becomes its own secret society within the knights, all united with the sole purpose of protecting Merlin. They eventually have Elyan, Percival, and number one Emrys fanboy Mordred join their ranks.

Arthur eventually finds out approximately where the magical knights are hidden (their meeting spot when they need to meet outside of Camelot), and he sends Leon in disguise to infiltrate them, not knowing that they are knights from Camelot. Being the knights of the round table, they of course recognize Leon immediately and give him the full story, and Leon joins them and just tells Arthur that he "couldn't find the magical knights."

Gwaine laughs his ass off at every round table meeting where Arthur becomes more and more frustrated at not being able to catch the magical knights, and out of the corner of his eye, he can see Merlin having a good laugh over it too.

And I'll cut it off there for now! I had lots of fun writing this, I feel like I should write about Gwaine more often!

Let me know if you would like me to write a continuation for this au!

And, as always, thank you for reading through my ramblings! :D

I’m writing an outline for an omegaverse Merlin fic (as if I didn’t have enough wips already lmao) and it just occurred to me how much Gwaine feels like an omega. Like he reeks of omega vibes

The reason they had to kill Gwaine in the end is because he would take one look at Merlin's devastated face and set about finding a way to drag Arthur out of that lake (kicking and screaming if he'd have to) to make Merlin smile again

I made a compilation of the fictional characters that helped me survive the last 10 years!

Just Merlin things…. This is my offering to the Merlin Fandom💛 Thank you!