Bbc Arthur - Blog Posts

My absolute favourite trope in Merlin fanfic is when they all find out about Merlin’s magic and Arthur is brooding or feigning annoyance but truly doesn’t care, Elyan and Gwaine are asking so many questions because they’re so intrigued and need to know absolutely everything and somehow aren’t surprised in the slightest, Leon is weary but slowly indulges in the conversation, eyeing Arthur every so often because he’s nervous to display such behaviours about magic in front of his King but he still knows Arthur would never touch Merlin even if he was afraid and Percival is just so confused because he thought everyone already knew and just refused to speak about it

Merlin: It’s not that big of a deal. we don’t have to speak about it.

Elyan: Oh, no we absolutely do!

Gwaine: Yeah, c’mon Merlin, show us something cool, like money falling from the sky, or a pint in my hand, right now, come on.

Elyan: Can you really do that?

Merlin: *Sarcastically* If it’ll get Gwaine to shut up.

Arthur: Oh, so you can pour Gwaine a pint in the middle of the woods but you can’t clean my chambers?

It goes silent for a few moments, Merlin wonders if now is the right time for a joke but Arthur’s brow is furrowed and through the light of the fire he can see the firm press of lips on his face, he decides now is not the time. Gwaine rolls his eyes from across the flame before them.

Gwaine: He’s just saved all our arses, can you be grateful for two minutes?

Leon: Gwaine-

Merlin: He has every right to be upset-

Arthur: Do not address me as if i’m not even here, you owe me that at least.

There’s a tense silence as Merlin’s hand stills where it pokes at the fire with a stick, Leon eyes the King cautiously and Percival fiddles, wide eyed, with the frayed edges of his tunic. Merlin sighs and focuses again on the fire, it’s the only heat he can find.

Gwaine: What kind of things can you do?

Merlin is hesitant to answer but Elyan looks at him expectantly and even Leon has turned his attention to him now, seemingly awaiting either an answer from the servant or an order from his King.

Merlin: I- I can do small things like move stuff around, tell a broom to sweep or a rag to clean.

He thinks that’s enough but by the excited look in Gwaine and Elyan’s eyes it isn’t.

Merlin: I can light fires, fell trees, sense a nearby threat, anything… really.

Gwaine: That’s so cool

Arthur: So you could’ve been useful this entire time and you chose not to be.

There’s another lull as Arthur picks apart leaves and tosses them into the fire but as Leon speaks up even Arthur turns his gaze.

Leon: How long have you been able to do all this?

It’s hardly an innocent question but Leon’s tone is honest and Merlin cannot feel cornered by his words.

Merlin: Since birth.

Arthur: Lies.

Elyan: Is that possible?

Gwaine: What?

Leon: Is that all you can do? Move things? Will them to your command?

Now that question is loaded even if Leon means no ill will. Merlin swallows, he nods.

Merlin: Yes

Leon: What else can you command?

Merlin: The seas

Arthur: A mermaid are you, now?

Merlin: The trees and the ground.

Arthur: A nymph perhaps?

Merlin: The skies

Arthur: Now you’re just being absurd-

Merlin: Lighting.

Merlin cuts in quickly. He was never proud of it, bringing the bolt down so harshly and eradicating the sorceress to nothing but a pile of smouldering ash but Arthur will find out one way or another. Banishment or pyre he will make sure Arthur hears of his crimes before he goes.

Merlin: Nimue. I killed her. A bolt straight through her body. There was nothing left.

The group maintains their silence for a few moments and Arthur finally turns to look at Merlin for the first time since they’d stopped to make camp

Arthur: Prove it.

Merlin: Sire-

Arthur: Don’t call me that and prove it.

Merlin: Why? Hoping i’ll mess it all up and strike myself down? Save you the trouble of building the pyre?

Arthur: If I wanted you dead you wouldn’t be speaking so stop moping, get off your arse and prove. It.

Merlin doesn’t need to get up because the second Arthur stops talking Merlin’s eyes are sparking gold and the sky erupts in a violent flash of colour. tendrils of brilliant white crack the darkness apart, coating the forest in a momentary burst of day before the light fades and in its wake leaves behind the fading outline of the Pendragon crest in the forks of dying white.

The group remains still, staring upwards at the now pitch black sky before Elyan is laughing out loud and Gwaine is excitedly smacking Leon beside him.

Gwaine: Oh my god, we could do so much. We could strike Lord Harold down and he wouldn’t even know what hit him-

Arthur: shut up, Gwaine

Arthur is still staring at the sky and Leon speaks from beside him.

Leon: Forgive me for asking, ignore me next time

The Knight is almost blushing in his place and Merlin manages a small huff of laughter at that before he resumes poking at the fire but his moment of silence is inturpeted

Arthur: Sir Percival, you’ve been unusually quiet. Please, what are your opinions on all of this.

Arthur seems pissed off, but not in an angry way, more of an i’ve been outvoted and i’m not happy about it way. Percival shrugs, picking away at the skin of nails like he has no idea what this conversation could possibly be about.

Arthur: Percival?

Percy: Mhh hmm.

Arthur raises an eyebrow. Percival stares back at him.

Percy: Yes, Sire?

Arthur: Don’t play dumb with me.

Percy: I don’t know what you mean, sire.

There’s a moment , a beat, barely a second.

Gwaine: You knew?!?!!!?!???!?

Elyan: You sly bastard!

Leon: oh lord-

Percy: I didn’t, I swear-

Arthur: Percival-

Merlin: How-

Percy: I THOUGHT WE ALL KNEW-

Gwaine: WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT-

Elyan: HOW WOULD WE HAVE KNOWN-

Leon: Kill me.

Percy: IT WAS SO OBVIOUS-

Merlin: HANG ON-

GWAINE: WHY WOULD’NT YOU TELL ME?

Elyan: Gwen’s going to be so pissed off she missed this

Gwaine: I THOUGHT WE WE’RE FRIENDS-

Merlin: HOW WAS IT OBVIOUS-

Percy: WE ARE, I JUST THOUGHT WE WEREN’T ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT IT

Leon: please lord,

ELYAN: WHY WOULD’NT WE BE ALLOWED TO- Oh, no, wait, yeah got it, continue.

Percy: I THOUGHT YOU WERE ALL AWARE AND JUST NEVER MENTIONED IT CAUSE IT WAS SUCH A CASUAL THING THATS WHY I WOULD ALWAYS GIVE YOU A CLAP ON THE BACK AFTER AN AMBUSH OR-

Merlin: I THOUGH IT WAS CAUSE I DIDN’T DIE

Leon: Finish me off

Percy: YEAH, CAUSE YOU SAVED US. WITH MAGIC

Leon: I beg of you

ELyan: Holy shit-

Gwaine: Have we really been that blind?

Percival shrugs and Merlin still looks at him like he’s just betrayed his entire blood line.

Leon: Please, it would be the kind thing to do

Elyan: What?

Leon: What?

Gwaine: Did you tell him?

Merlin: Why would i tell him?

Percy: ouch.

Arthur: Percival.

Everyone pauses, Leon stops praying to a deity he does not believe in and Merlin stops looking so offended but Gwaine and Elyan still hold that child like wonder in their eyes.

Arthur: I’m not entirely sure what to threaten you with right now but I will think of something and trust me you’re going to wish you were never born.

Gwaine: Fair do’s, that

Percy: So Merlin gets away scot free but not me?

Merlin: OI-

Arthur: Oh, i’m not even started with you.

Gwaine: Oh, c’mon princess, don’t act like you didn’t have even the slightest hunch.

Arthur’s head spins at a pace that’s frankly alarming to look over at Gwaine. He narrow his eyes like he was lining up his next arrow for loosening. There’s another beat before Gwaine’s eyes widen

Gwaine: OH MY GOD YOU DID-

Then Arthur is launching forward, over the fire and it takes the four others an hour to get Arthur to release the impossible grip he has on Gwaine’s hair and another two to get Gwaine to apologise for the black eye now blooming on the King’s face.

What if over the years Merlin forgot Arthur’s face. He remembered his laugh the warmth of his touch but couldn’t quite remember how his prince looked. Arthur has returned and keeps trying to get Merlin’s attention. Merlin’s just confused why the really hot guy keeps hitting on him.

I remember seeing loads of edits on TikTok about merthur in bbc Merlin and then watching it and realising THEY WERE NOT CANONICALLY GAY AND IN LOVE and it broke my heart. Then ARTHUR DIED even though all the tiktoks made it seem like a silly little gay show about a knight and a sorcerer who get a HAPPY ending. I now trust no one.

Wait a damn minute Merlin is an actual nightmare of a servant. Imagine you're the Prince and all of a sudden and only two seconds after surviving an assassination attempt you're stuck with this scrawny, clumsy fucking dude with a really shifty air about him who spends literal days in the tavern with zero notice, steals your food, tried to spy on a guest, doesn't let you hunt, can never fucking be found when you need him even though he is the literal manservant to the prince, which you would think should be a priority but apparently he has better things to do, and is always talking like he's the only thing standing between you and certain death???? Then he gives you attitude? Literally I would throw things at him too. Arthur is misunderstood he's actually being too nice

To be loved to is be changed.

Change is painful. Pain is worth it for you.

Change is dirty. You’d wash me clean.

Change is nothing. Nothing has changed.

Change is everything. You were my everything.

What if over the years Merlin forgot Arthur’s face. He remembered his laugh the warmth of his touch but couldn’t quite remember how his prince looked. Arthur has returned and keeps trying to get Merlin’s attention. Merlin’s just confused why the really hot guy keeps hitting on him.

Merlin is a god. Merlin will guide the once and future king of Albion into greatness.

Merlin is a kid, who knows none of his destiny. Ever since he was little in the darkness of the night he’d hear another boys voice in the back of his mind. The boy sounded about his age but it must’ve been his imagination. Merlin continues to believe this though he cannot ignore the pleading boy he’s never met. The voice always seems to be crying wishing for a different life. One away from his father who in Merlin’s opinion is a piece of shizzle. The voice pleads for a mother, for the comforting hold of a loved one. This is a privilege Merlin could afford. He always wished the boy in his mind could come live with him and his mother. In their tiny home he’d be loved and maybe he wouldn’t cry.

Merlin grew and with that so did his magic. He still heard the boy but he heard other voices. Wishing for freedom, escape from death, but the boys still had a stronghold in the young warlocks mind.

His mother sent him to Camelot. A dangerous place for someone like him but he trusted her and she trusted Giaus. The day he arrived he heard two voices almost immediately. ‘Please save me’ and ‘I’m sorry’ both voices sounded desperate. Merlin saw the townspeople gathered a man brought to be put to the slaughter. The king voice rained out from above “today we have yet another example of magic users. Magic is an evil thing that we must rid from our world before it overtakes it.” Merlin couldn’t find his breath. The glint of metal in the sun ‘please please I’m not ready to die’. In an instant the man was dead. Slaughtered as if an animal.

Merlin had saved the Prince from a witch ironic right? Not. The Prince was a absolute nightmare. But still in the quite of the night laid in his new room he hears the boys voice again ‘please someone hear me. I can’t I can’t’. Something itches in Merlin’s brain he feels like he can recognize the voice. He must’ve gone mad.

—————————————————————————

Just a little idea I had since I’ve read a couple fics where Merlin was a God who heard prayers. I’m think he can either hear people with magic or people connected to his destiny. And like when they’re on a mission they come across an abandoned Druid camp and Merlin finds an altar for himself. But this me shizzing around

Merthur Modern AU

Merlin was late for work, his first day of work to be exact. He already knew he'd be cutting it close so he had no time to stop for breakfast and barley made it out of his small apartment clothed. He was running to say the least, well until he landed flat on his face.

The busy streets of the city, the smell of sewer systems, which was lovely. The staccato footsteps of passerby's, horns of cars, and the random guy on the corner preaching. New York City in all of its glory.

Arthur Pendragon was sitting in his car. New York City the last place he'd ever want to be but, as destiny would have it that's where the family business is located. Not exactly everyone's dream job but his duty. He had promised to look after the business after his mother passed and the Pendragons where not a family made on lies. The light changes and Arthur begins to move forward until he sees a man fall right Infront of his car. Leaning his head out of the window he yells to the man

"Get the hell out of the road some of us have places to be"

"So do I your highness, my apologies for falling down"

Merlin quickly responds. All the time while just focused on being late. He jumps up as gracefully as he can. Which no fault of his isn't graceful at all. The stranger then yells again

"Get out the road"

"You get out of the road"

"I'm meant to be in the road you ass"

Arthur watches as the man gathers himself up running off mumbling something the whole time. 'Well dangit the light is red again bluming idoit.' He thinks to himself

Merlin is proud of himself he's only a minute late so no one will notice. When he walks into the office he is greeted by Gwen shoving a coffee and bagel his way.

"Thank you?"

"Thank me later the CEO's kid is coming to look at our branch today so get to work please."

"What? Okay, okay, thanks Gwen."

"Of course Merlin."

Merlin runs to his desk to get to work.

Arthur is nervous. He had never really like attending business things no matter how important they were to the company. His father would cart him around when he was younger using him to brag about all the things Arthur had done. None of which were Arthur's choice but oh well that's life. Today he had to check out the branch in New York. His Father had decided it best for him for this task but Arthur thinks his father just didn't want to have to travel far.

He stand in front of the doors to the office. Straightening his red tie as he walks in. The Manager of the location greets him.

"Hello Mr. Pendragon, it's lovely to have you here today. I'm Lancelot if you need anything I'll be in my office."

"Please call me Arthur and thank you Lancelot."

...

(I don't know what else to write rn so if any of y'all want more tell me. Tbh this was just because I'm bored and I love office romances where they get into a little fight before they learn one is the boss and I just felt like it would work with Arthur and Merlin so yeah)

Don’t get wrong I eat up those little fan fictions about Arthur thinking Merlin is scared of magic and what not but, Merlin’s best friend literally had magic in Arthur’s POV so like he knew Merlin was chill with magic. Like Ik it’s fanfic and all that but it low key make me mad sometimes. Also like it’s right there that Arthur even though knowing Merlin is okay with magic loves him anyways and doesn’t make him out as an enemy WRITE ABOJT THAT. Sorry I just feel very strongly about this.

A Merthur fic with Arthur coming out of that Lake in Modern times.

They find each other and are happy and Merlin shows Arthur everything of this strange new world. Everything is exciting but eventually they need to go to sleep.

But Arthur can’t sleep on Merlin’s very normal but adequate bed.

So Merlin gets him the nicest softest Mattress of all worthy for a King.

Arthur still can’t find sleep.

Then Merlin resorts to a replica of beds of medieval ages.

Arthur confirms that it’s just like his old bed but he still can’t find sleep.

Merlin brings him to one mattress shop after another to find the right thing.

At last Arthur find the right bed and immediately falls asleep.

It’s a waterbed.

And then it’s Merlin who can’t sleep in it.

Omg omg BBC Merlin as descendants. Here me out!!!

Arthur as Ben

Merlin as Mal

Morgana as Evie

Gwen as Doug

It makes perfect sense to me tbh because magic which everyone thought was evil was cast out to the isle. Then Prince Arthur thinks they should implement change so he suggests a program to bring druids over to Camelot from the isle. His father is unhappy due to what happened to his mother but allows it thinking it’ll teach Arthur a lesson. Cue Arthur getting love cookied by Merlin and falling in love even though the spell wears off. Balinor wanted revenge at the thingy and it adds up cause he’s a dragon lord so he try’s to attack everyone and Merlin stops him accidentally killing his father causing him to become the dragon lord. Don’t ask me how the third movie would work out idk ooh or Balinor could be like hades idk just some thoughts.

The scene for ridiculous with all the knights as the team would be sm fun though. Also this stuff wouldn’t keep coming into my head if the pendragon siblings wouldn’t be so in love with their servants that they would sing cheesy love songs to them.

Merlin would get so mad the next day he gets his covered up by a sword(Excalibur).

Merlin would absolutely get Arthur's name tattooed after Arthur dies (probably while he's drunk). He starts regretting it when Arthur comes back.

Merlin just refuses to undress in front of Arthur for three years before Merlin is drunk enough to show him. Arthur, because he's drunk too, laughs. They fight about it for a week, before Arthur decides to get a Merlin (bird) tattooed on his shoulder.

Merlin: that's not fair

Arthur: why?

Merlin: yours looks COOL!!!

Hunith was probably constantly worried about Merlin. She did all she could and she new Camelot was dangerous but she didn’t know where else to send her son. Her only child she had to send directly into the line of fire.

Do you think she waited for a letter from Giaus saying he got caught? Constantly worried she would lose her only son.

Then when she finally gets to see him again I bet she was so relieved because he looked okay. Sure things were hard being the princes manservant and all but he was loved and she knew that. Even after see just how much Arthur cared about Merlin she just waited for that letter.

Omg Merthur but it’s kinda like little mermaid plot line.

Merlin saves a man he found in the woods but he used magic so once the man starts to wake Merlin runs.

Instead of him singing it’s like old English and Arthur we already know would send all the knights to find this man.

Once Merlin shows up to like work for Giaus Arthur is drawn to him and keeps making up injuries to see him. Merlin ofc won’t say anything about his magic.

Some rando Druid dude comes and claims he’s the man Arthur heard. He actually wants to kill Arthur. Merlin then reveals himself to save his man.

They get married and live happily ever after.

This all came about because I believe with about a doubt that Arthur would belt wild uncharted waters like no tomorrow.

How long do y’all think Merlin just sat on the shore waiting for Arthur to come back? Merlin probably gets so mentally exhausted waiting for him that for some years he just sits. He waits for Arthur cause it’s all he knows how to do.

And it’s like did Arthur feel the lifetimes that when by or was he just in a trance. Did Arthur wait to return, did he know?

Thank you @tamaha and everyone who got me to 25 reblogs!

What I need to know from the Merlin fandom is

who would Merlin be?

Cause like we know he lived for thousands of year and must’ve had many lives and many names. Like do we think he was famous and like what for? Do you think he had a normal 9-5 job with a name like Bob or something?

I need theory’s guys.

Okay that’s a really interesting thought but…

The symbol of the pendragon house hold is red supporting as backdrop to the golden dragon. So while your hc makes sense the red (Arthur) doesn’t bleed and cover the gold (Merlin). So, Arthur abd merlin(red and gold) can’t begin the golden age until the dragon lord Merlin (hence the gold dragon in the symbol) has the red background support(Arthur).

I love merlin don’t get me wrong but he simply exists as a way growing Arthur. So while they are two sides of the same coin, yada yada  one cannot exist without the other the hate towards magic, which is represented by the pendragons for the majority of the show cannot exist without magic. Merlin was born with magic. His entire being is magic at its core.  The way I interpret this is the only way we can get the golden age is by excepting the parts that we were taught to hate so for the golden age to happen, Arthur must come to  accept  magic, accept merlins magic. So when this acceptance happens, the golden age has arrived, because the golden dragon meets the red as one. 

I hope that makes sense because it took me forever to figure out how to halfway word it into making sense.

Omg I was just think which I’m sure someone else has said this but…

Yk the color of the Camelot seal are red and gold.

Merlin is always trying to save Arthur using his magic which is gold. Arthur always ends up hurt anyways because he’s an idiot but he bleeds which is red.

So yes two sides of one coin and what not. So when Arthur does Albion or whatever it’s called can’t come to its golden age because the red (Arthur) is gone. Leaving only one part of the great Albion which is the gold (Merlin).

Omg I was just think which I’m sure someone else has said this but…

Yk the color of the Camelot seal are red and gold.

Merlin is always trying to save Arthur using his magic which is gold. Arthur always ends up hurt anyways because he’s an idiot but he bleeds which is red.

So yes two sides of one coin and what not. So when Arthur does Albion or whatever it’s called can’t come to its golden age because the red (Arthur) is gone. Leaving only one part of the great Albion which is the gold (Merlin).

I love Lancelot. That’s all that’s the post.

Fanfic idea

At last I see the light (and it’s like the fog has lifted)

Red and gold… the colors of the pendragon symbol. Arthur had been raised on these colors and the principles behind them. So even though magic was meant to be hated when his manservant(best friend) has magic what will he do? The magic is golden like the color(man) that he loves.

Y’all I really think this could be a cool idea and if anyone wants to write it go ahead just tell me cause I want to read it. Also if you know any fics like this I need them.

Okay I was just thinking about how like if Arthur did return and everything and like Merlin is just sitting at the edge of the water and all of sudden Arthur who has been gone for over a thousand years just pops out of the water. It scares Merlin and he accidentally teleports himself away from the lake. Has an prompt breakdown to then teleport back and drag Arthur moldy ass back to his place. Then has to go through a power point(he’s been working on it for ages) to explain everything Arthur missed. And then they both are just sitting there looking at each other. Arthur asks Merlin why he teleported away when he came out of the water. And Merlin just is like no no reason at all you prat. And then Arthur’s like I scared you didn’t I with a smirk on his face.

Yeah that’s just what I was thinking about.

In season 1 episode 2 it’s so funny that Arthur and Morgana are fighting like siblings and they don’t even realize it. (Y’all someone stop me this show is slowing going to become an obsession again)

I know people talk about this all the time but the fact that Merlin’s magic has the natural instinct to protect Arthur is just AHHHH. Call it fate or destiny but I call it love.

Season 1 episode 1 of Merlin is just sad.

The scene after Merlin and Arthur fight(flirt) and they go back to the room Gaius is yelling at Merlin for using his magic in public and Merlin is yelling back that he’s nothing without his magic and then a little later he asks Gaius if his magic made him a monster.

And that just really hit me hard because Merlin for all 5 seasons thought that he might be the monster because he’s seen magic be evil so whose to say his isn’t. And ontop of that he’s living in Camelot so he constantly is see magic user killed and the overall idea of magic as something that needs to remain hidden.

Again and again Merlin saves Arthur using magic and then listen to Arthur thank him for showing him how terrible magic is.

And I love this because for a lot of people this supports the queer allegory as well. Hating something you can’t change because you were born with it.

Idk I’m just rewatching it and that hit.

I can’t remember if this was a fic or a headcanon I read but…

Arthur thinking that he’s been enchanted because he just realized how in love with Merlin he is. And the whole time Merlin is trying to figure out what enchanted Arthur and Giaus is just sitting back laughing at the two dollopheads. And Arthur just can’t stand the beauty of his manservant. I mean it being a man doesn’t throw him off it’s the fact that he never realized it before hand. Merlin is all freaked out the whole time and even after it was proven Arthur wasn’t enchanted he sometimes wonders