Archive of Our Own ^beta

Camelot was a very well respected kingdom. Known for its power, its civility, and its overturning of the banishment of magic since Arthur came into the crown. Many neighbouring kingdoms had been thrilled when they established alliances and trade with Camelot. Many were pleased to be under the kingdom’s safety and protection.

Those in Camelot knew of the kingdom’s rules, spoken and unspoken, written and unwritten, thought and unthought. 

Peace spread through Camelot, there was freedom, the ability to choose a life for their own. Arthur had made it his main mission to establish that magic was accepted, like sorcerers and magical creatures live in his territory without threat. He did his best to let his citizens and peasants alike a liveable life, he gave servants more freedom.

He wanted to be a fair king, a king who controlled without fear, who was respected because of what he did, who lived in a world where the punishment fit the crime and people could be equal.

However.

News, rules, declarations only travelled so far. Neighbouring kingdoms knew everything, assorted allied kingdoms knew the gist of it, but there were many other kingdoms yet to visit Camelot.

And most of them didn’t know about the number one unspoken rule.

Merlin seemed highly unaware of the unspoken rule, which came to a surprise to most as this specific rule greatly centred him.

When someone disobeyed this rule and was punished accordingly, he would always blink in confusion, unaware of what had happened that got an entire kingdom banished from Camelot for life.

It was honestly only a matter of time before Merlin figured it out.

1.

The first time it had even happened had been only months after Arthur came into Kingship, so honestly, could the other truly be faulted for a rule that had hardly even been declared yet?

It was before Arthur had overturned the magic banishment rule and before Merlin had come out about his magic, so it was a time he was still Arthur’s personal manservant, bustling about the dinner to fill Arthur’s wine glass and tend to others by handing them new silverware when their's tumbled to the ground and such.

Merlin had been so caught up in trying to attend to everyone at once, that when Arthur waved him over to fill his glass again, he tripped, trying to race to Arthur.

The tripping itself was no problem at all and at this point expected from the servant, it was what happened to the wine that had caused issue.

When Merlin tumbled, the pitcher flew through the air, the wine practically dousing Prince Eryke who had been simply eating his food a few seats away.

The room goes deathly silent as Merlin stares in horror, eyes wide as he scrambles to get to his feet, only managing to trip himself more until he clumsily jumps up.

He pulled out clean clothes from his pockets, rushing to the Prince’s side, trying to soak up the red drink from his clothes.

“Sir, I am so terribly sorry, I am quite clumsy.” Merlin rambled. “I’m sure if you-”

Merlin was cut off from his frantic rambling by the Prince grabbing his wrist tightly and pulling it away from his chest, giving Merlin a harsh glare.

Merlin goes stiff and bows in apology, trying to back away, but his wrist is stuck in the man’s tightening grip.

The room is still quiet, but now eerily so, and when Merlin looks around the room, Prince Eryke’s visitors all looking apologetic and worried while Arthur’s side looked mildly murderous. Merlin could not understand why.

“Prince Eryke,” Arthur’s voice was deep, threatening and booming, yet he smiled as he spoke. “Kindly unhand my manservant.”

“But he-” “Huh?”

“He just-” “I’m sorry?”

“He’s an-” “Mh?” 

The prince glowers at Arthur while the king just grinned unkindly at him. Prince Eryke releases Merlin, who brings his wrist up to his chest, cradling it as he tried to rub away the pain.

“Merlin, are you alright?” Gwaine asked him and Merlin sighed.

“I’m fine,” Merlin said and he kneels down to pick up the empty pitcher and spilled utensils he’d dropped when he had fallen. 

When he stands again, Lancelot has left his seat and rounded the table to stand before him, grabbing his elbow gently so he can assess his wrist.

Merlin smiles gently at his friend as Lancelot worriedly turns his arm this way and that. “Lance, I’m fine,” Merlin grumbled out and Lancelot lets Merlin have his arm back, resting a hand on his shoulder. 

“You should see Gaius, just to make sure.” Lancelot said.

“You’re making this a bigger deal than it is!” Prince Eryke accused and with a glare from Lancelot, he shuts up.

“Seriously, I’m fine,” Merlin insisted. Then he poked Lancelot’s chest with the pitcher. “And I’m working .”

“You can be dismissed.” Arthur said, waving his hand in an attempt to seem disinterested, but the worried crease and the glare aimed at Prince Eryke gives him away. “Go to Gaius.”

Merlin rolled his eyes and groaned, but followed orders. He handed the pitcher off to Mary Jane, a maidservant, before going to the physicians quarter.

Merlin doesn’t really think twice about the fact Prince Eryke is never invited back to Camelot after that.

2.

The next event is one day when they’re out on patrol. Arthur had caught wind of a terrible beast attacking citizens in the lower part of town and decided he needed a break from Kingly duties, so he hauled out the Knights and Merlin for a hunting trip.

Fighting the beast had been more than easy, with some hidden magical assistance from Merlin, the beast was down in mere moments. However, it had been a day's trip out, so they had to bunker down for the night.

The Knights were, as per usual, teasing Merlin while they ate and the servant glared at them like he was silently planning their murders.

Merlin was putting up with their antics when he suddenly paused, tuning them out and trying to focus on their surroundings.

The others notice in moments and cease their teasing, hands going to swords as they look around, trying to locate whatever threat Merlin has suddenly picked up.

Merlin slowly stands and takes a few steps away from them, trying to peer into the woods.

In seconds, there’s a rogue bandit jumping out, tackling Merlin to the ground and Merlin shrieks out as the man wildly tries to stab at him with his pathetic dagger.

The Knights move to attack the man, but then several other bandits are following out of the woods after and they’re distracted.

Merlin kicks the man off of him but he’s determined, pouncing on Merlin with no hesitation once more and wrapping his hands around Merlin’s neck and pushing down with all his might.

Merlin gasps out and tries to think of a way out of this with magic, but the others are too close to him and they had picked a pretty clear part of the woods, so there were no conveniently placed tree branches he could make fall.

And with his air flow cut off, he couldn’t speak, and that greatly limited what magic he could do. 

Merlin tried weakly punching at the guy, but he was much smaller than him. Merlin was by no means weak, but he wasn’t terrifically strong either, and with this muscular bandit putting all his weight on him, he was outmatched.

Merlin gasped out again, trying to speak, trying to force words from his lips to cry out from help, tell him to stop, anything, but it wasn’t working.

His vision began to spot and he foolishly thought this is it , as his world almost turned black.

But then a sword is being ran through the bandit and he goes weightless. Someone kicks the dead body off of Merlin and runs to his side.

Merlin sits up, grasping onto the person and gasping for air, rubbing at his throat as he chokes.

“Merlin,” Elyan’s voice is gentle but etched deep in concern. “You’re alright.”

Merlin blinks and looks around, finding most of the other bandits had fled. While of course knights of Camelot, the others didn’t really like to kill unless necessary. Gravely injuring, maiming and dismembering were common, but they avoided outright killing another person unless they had solid reason.

Merlin turned to looked at the lifeless bandit a few feet away after concluding he was the only one killed.

“I had too,” Elyan insisted, moving to place a hand on Merlin’s shoulder. “He would’ve killed you.” 

Merlin just nods, a little shaken up, before quickly pulling his friend into a tight embrace. Elyan’s arms come around Merlin protectively.

“Merlin, are you alright?” Leon asked, coming over to the pair as they separated. The other knights joined as well and Merlin rolled his eyes. 

“I’m fine,” Merlin insisted, smiling up at his concerned friends. “I promise.”

Arthur kicked the dead bandit harshly with a sharp glare aimed at him. “You should’ve let me kill him,” Arthur said to Elyan, who rolled his eyes at his King.

“Merlin would’ve been dead if I’d waited until you were free to kill him.” Elyan said.

“You could’ve just stabbed him,” Arthur said. “Then I could’ve gotten the final strike.”

“He would’ve run away by then.” Gwaine pointed out. “Besides, I thought it was my turn next.”

“No it’s mine, actually.” Percival said and Merlin hadn’t a clue what they were talking about, but he laughed at his friends’ antics.

“Thank you, all of you.” Merlin said, and they ceased their mindless banter to smile at Merlin.

The next time is after Merlin’s magic had been revealed. After a long and hard conversation with Arthur, they’d gotten past it and Merlin had been appointed Court Sorcerer.

Which meant he now had to go to Arthur to important council meetings and pay attention instead of just aimlessly walking around and mumbling things to Arthur as he passed.

They were meeting with one of Camelot’s longest running allies, the Kingdom of Oocoumencia. Arthur himself had never spoken with their King or any of the other nobles and knights from the land, and he needed to make sure their allyship was still strong and something they could rely on for in battles.

“-And honestly, thank gods you got rid of that silly magic rule.” The Queen said, smiling widely now at Merlin. “We had never agreed with Uther on it, but we never wanted to ruin our allyship. Seeing magic everywhere again reminds me of my childhood.”

“Oh but there’s no possible way you could’ve been alive that long,” Merlin says back, kind and caring and the Queen blushes, putting a hand on her chest and fanning herself with the other.

“Oh! Arthur, your Sorcerer is quite charming!” She said to the King, who just glared at Merlin, who sat up straighter in his seat with a self-satisfied smile.

“There are many words I would use to describe him,” Arthur grumbled and Merlin grinned shark-like.

“Like what?” He asked, jumping on the chance to publicly humiliate Arthur for some entertainment. The Knights of the Round Table snicker to his side at his antics and Arthur just glares.

Not wanting to make it seem as if there is any trouble within his ruling or kingdom, Arthur forces a smile onto his lips.

“Uhm,... Brave?.... Trusting... Loy- Lo yal .” Arthur said each word like it pained him to speak them, that the mere idea of complimenting Merlin was the hardest task possible and the Knights and Merlin all laughed in glee at this.

They soon finish up the meeting and Merlin is standing down a hall, holding a scroll to the wall as he spreads it out to read it quickly, mumbling to himself as his eyes scanned the page.

Suddenly, someone presses up against him, an unfamiliar hand resting on his waist as a chest presses against his back and a mouth settles next to his ear.

Merlin goes tense in seconds, going still under the stranger’s hold. He glances over his shoulder to find one of the Oocoumencia knights behind him.

“What are you doing?” Merlin hisses at him, frowning and the knight just presses closer, shoving him against the wall and his grip tightens on his waist.

“Oh don’t act like you’re surprised,” The knight mumbled. “I saw the way you were flirting with everyone in there. My Queen, your King, all the knights. I knew servants were whores, but you just can’t break the habit it seems.”

Merlin frowned deeply at the statement.

“First of all,” Merlin said. “That’s an unkindly stereotype to pin on servants. None of us would ever whore ourselves out like that, it’s normally prats like you taking advantage. And second of all, it’s called being nice .”

Merlin elbowed the man, but he doesn’t even react, just grabbing the hand Merlin was using to hold up the scroll and pinning it to the wall above his head.

Merlin’s other hand was free, but he couldn’t do much with the awkward angle he was forced at. He could just spell his way out, but he’s not entirely sure what would happen after. Would the knight go to his rulers and complain? Stop all alliances with Camelot? No, Merlin needed to be smart about how to deal with this. He couldn’t end a century-long alliance because he was uncomfortable.

The knight presses against him hard before he’s suddenly pulling away. Merlin turned to look over his shoulder to find Percival now holding the man against the opposite hall wall, pinning him by his throat.

The knight gasped out, flailing his arms in distress and Merlin panics. Yes, the man was cruel and had assaulted him, but he’s pretty sure death isn’t a fit punishment.

“Percy!” Merlin said, rushing to his side. “I’m okay, put him down.”

Percival looked at him incredulously. “But he was-” “He didn’t do anything, because you came in and stopped him,” Merlin pointed out, smiling kindly at his friend. “You’re going to kill him that way.”

“I think he deserves it.” Percival stated and Merlin just glared, crossing his arms and giving Percival a blank stare. “ Fine .” 

Percival drops the knight, the knight dropping a few feet, gasping, and then fleeing down the hall.

“He was trying to hurt you.” Percival stated and Merlin sighed.

“I’m fine,” Merlin said and then hugged his giant friend. “Thank you, though.”

“Of course,” Percival stated and then crossed his arms. “Tell me if anyone ever does that to you again.”

Merlin rolled his eyes with a scoff. “Percy, it’s fine, I-”

“Tell me,” Percival stated firmer. “If anyone tries that again.”

Merlin smiles with a gentle nod. “I’ll tell you.”

And if that knight was never heard from again, then really, who’s to blame?

4.

Despite the fact he was barely a servant anymore, Merlin still tended to Arthur’s needs. Not because he needed him, but because they both enjoyed the familiarity of it.

George was technically Arthur’s new manservant, but he simply did his chores, such as mending his clothes and taking care of his horse and armour.

It was Merlin that was waking Arthur up in the morning, getting him dressed, at his side during meetings and following along on quests.

None of the knights questioned it and George had even told Merlin a few times he was grateful for it, not sure he’d feel well going on beast hunting trips every other day.

However, despite no longer being a servant, despite no longer being Arthur’s servant, he had still given himself a bad rep with a few of the others amongst the castle for it. The accused him of stealing a position they could’ve had, for being a useless servant Arthur should’ve cast away a week after he showed in Camelot.

Merlin lived, he’d dealt with their angry fists and accusatory words for six years now, he could live with it for however longer.

Besides, better him than George getting these attacks. He’s not sure the other man would handle it as well.

Merlin was carrying a bin full of supplies for spells he was to be practising. Becoming Court Sorcerer not only gave him the freedom to do magic whenever he so pleased, but it gave him the freedom to practise new spells, new potions, new everything. He spent any of his time not with Arthur, the knights, Gaius, Morgana or Gwen practising. Somedays he even let Morgana tag along so he could teach her new things as well.

As he turned the corner, someone’s leg shot out, and he went flying forward, bottles crashing on the floor or rolling away, dust practically evaporating and coarse sea sand scattering across the floor. 

Merlin groaned at the sudden shock of being face to floor, and turned over some to find himself face to face with some of his old tormentors.

“Really, Merlin,” Herlyn, a kitchen maid, taunted. “All these years and you’re still as clumsy as ever.”

“Let me help with that.” Owarion, a stable hand, said before he stomped on an uncrashed vial. The vial exploded under the pressure and some of the glass shot out and nicked Merlin’s cheek. “Oops.”

“Not even Arthur’s servant and he’s still following him around like a lost puppy.” The third and final tormentor, Gresley, a servant boy, taunted. “Honestly thought the crush would come to pass.”

“He should’ve killed you,” Owarion stated. “I can’t believe he really changed all magical rules for you .”

“It wasn’t for me.” Merlin insisted. “Arthur hadn’t even known of my magic.”

“Oh shut up,” Gresley kicked his side harshly and Merlin curled in on himself. “You’re too weak to even protect yourself. I bet you were lying to Arthur when you said that you’d been using magic to save him.”

“There’s no way someone as helpless as you has been saving Camelot behind his back,” Herlyn stated. “It just doesn’t make a lick of sense.”

She took now kicks him, her pointed shoes digging into Merlin’s ribs and he groans.

They all shut up then, focusing more on just kicking and punching and clawing at him instead of berating him. Merlin just lays there and takes it, trying to internalise his groans as to not attract the attention of others.

He fails, however, because Gwen and Morgana round the corner and find them, faces morphing into disgrace as they shove the other servants off of him.

“Get off!” Morgana shouted, physically forcing Owarion off. She glares hardly at him. “What are your names?!”

“Uhm-” Herlyn starts but Gresley elbows her to shut up. 

“You’re not our king.” Gresley stated. “We don’t follow your orders.”

Morgana’s eyes flash a brilliant light and the three of them go stiff. “It’s in your best interest you don’t waste my time and give me your names,” She threatens.

“Herlyn,” “Gresley.” “Owarion.”

“Good, now leave, all of you!” She waves them off and they run down the corridor. She drops to her knees, where Gwen has moved Merlin’s head to rest in her lap. “Gods, Merlin. Why didn’t you just use magic to get rid of them?”

“I didn’t want to hurt them,” Merlin stated. “They’re just servants who don’t know better, they don’t deserve harm. And if I fight them off, then they’ll just switch to tormenting George.”

“Why on Earth would they do that?” Morgana asked, petting his hair worriedly as she looks over his visible injuries. 

“They’re jealous of Arthur’s manservants. Apparently it’s some great honour to serve the Royal Prat.” Merlin stated and Gwen huffed.

“I’ve heard talk among some of the inner servants.” Gwen said. “They had been jealous of me for some time as well.”

Morgana looks murderous at that and turns to Gwen, cradling her face in her hands.

“Have they ever touched you, my love?” Morgana asked and Gwen softens in her hold.

“No, never. But they had said some unsavoury things.” Gwen admitted and Morgana curses under her breath.

“You didn’t deserve that.” Morgana scoops Merlin up into her arms then, carrying him easily like he weighed nothing and Merlin’s eyes widened at that. “Come on, we’re going to Gaius.”

Those three servants had been relieved of duty the following day.

“I am fine! ” Merlin insisted as Gaius inspected him.

“You passed out while cleaning my armour, that doesn’t sound fine .” Arthur said, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall, watching Gaius work. Merlin shot him a glare over his shoulder.

“It was boiling hot outside!” Merlin shouted. “I just needed a moment, I’m fine now.”

“Let Gaius work, Merls.” Gwaine pleaded. All the knights were crammed into Gaius small quarters. Morgana and Gwen hovering outside, pretending they were merely waiting to speak to Gaius, but it was clear they were just eavesdropping to know of Merlin’s condition.

Merlin frowned.

“You can’t all gang up on me, it’s not fair,” Merlin whined and Lancelot cocked his head with a raised eyebrow.

“Are you really trying to tell your own friends not to care for you?” Lancelot accused and Merlin flushed a little. 

“ No! I’m saying you’re all making this into a big deal, which it’s not!” Merlin insisted and Lancelot shrugged.

“Sounds like you’re trying to tell us what to do, honestly.” Lancelot said with a teasing grin. “Merlin, you shouldn’t boss your friends around.”

All the others nod in agreement and Merlin slumps with a groan.

“I hate you all,” He said, resigned as he hands his arm over for Gaius to inspected more.

After about twenty more minutes of Gaius checking everything , the physician takes a step back.

“You’re fatigued, dehydrated and malnourished.” Gaius informed and the room erupts. Gaius waves a hand at all the worried knight and such to be silent before turning back to Merlin. “You need to eat, drink and rest for the next 24 hours. Full meals, and twice your weight in water. What have you been doing the past few days?”

“I was just-!” Merlin tried to defend himself, but any excuse he had fell short when he met the glares of his friends. “I was preoccupied!” 

“That’s no excuse to not take care of yourself. Come now, you need to sleep.” Arthur, like Morgana had weeks before, scoops Merlin up in his arms easily.

“I can walk to my room myself, Arthur.” Merlin said, and Arthur shook his head.

“No, you’re going to sleep on my bed, where the knights and I can make sure you aren’t leaving the room and that you’re getting proper rest.” Arthur informed. “We’d be in Gaius’ way here.”

“Make sure he has a lot of nutrients!” Gaius shouts as Arthur carries him out of the room. Merlin looks at his uncle, betrayed that he wouldn’t try and put some sense into Arthur.

“Really, guys, I’m fine.” Merlin insisted.

“You’re going to let us care for you, Merlin.” Leon insisted and then sharply pointed at him. “No arguing.”

“But-” “And no buts either,” Elyan cuts in. “It’s rather inappropriate, especially in front of his majesty.” 

Arthur kicks Elyan for that comment and continues to carry Merlin bridle style to his room.

No one questions the small hoard following down the hall, nor questions why they’re headed to Arthur’s room. 

Just another day in Camelot.

Arthur drops Merlin onto his bed, the sorcerer crying out at the rude gesture as the others bustle about. Gwen heads down to the kitchen while Lancelot all but races down to the well. Gwaine begins to rearrange Arthur’s bed so the pillows are to how he knows Merlin prefers to sleep and Morgana is enchanting the room to be dimmed so he can rest. 

Elyan untucks the blankets for Merlin to crawl under while Percival stands at the door, arms crossed. Arthur moves to rest a hand on Merlin’s head, feeling how warm it is due to his dehydration.

“You are to rest , Merlin.” Arthur stated and Merlin huffed, tucked in to bed with pillows encasing him like he was a bird in a nest. Though an adult with some build to himself, he looked almost like a small child tucked in like that. Arthur felt his heart beat harsher at the sight.

“You’re not my mother.” Merlin stated and Arthur grinned. 

“I’m sure Hunith would love for us to tell her that you’re not taking proper care of yourself.” Arthur taunted and Merlin’s face fill with dread as he settled into Arthur’s hand.

“Fine, I’ll rest.” Merlin stated and looked around the room. “You’re all such mother hens.” 

With that, he gets comfortable and lets sleep overcome him, knowing he’s loved by his friends, that godforbid anything happen, he’s here safe.

And all the knights have to smother their laughter because if anyone’s a mother hen, it’s Merlin.

+1

“Emrys,” The unknown sorcerer stands before Merlin while Merlin glares back, wind whipping past his ears. 

“My name is Merlin.” He corrected, posture tense as he looked warily at his friends, tied up behind the stranger. “Whatever business you have with me, they have nothing to do with it!”

“On the contrary,” The magician stated, they lifted their hood to reveal a younger looking male figure. “They have everything to do with it. Uther Pendragon killed my family. He took everything away from me. If I could, I would get revenge on him. But he’s dead, and Arthur? Well it would be wonderful to take it out on him, it’s not him I’m angered with.

“It’s you, Emrys, who stood behind Uther, stood behind Arthur, while they sentenced many magic users to death. It’s you, who preaches peace but has betrayed many of your own kind. You’ve done nothing but stood by while people like you were killed, hiding in secret among the enemy for years and wasting the chance to take revenge. You let them take everything from me. So I’m taking your everything in return.”

“Let them go!” Merlin shouted once more. “Or I swear you’ll regret it!”

“You’ll make me regret it?” The sorcerer tilted his head, pouting mockingly at Merlin, like he didn’t believe him one bit. “You may be powerful, but you haven’t the heart to kill me. To make me pay, like you wish to.”

And he was right. Merlin never wanted to kill, not even hurt, if he didn’t believe it was deserved. Yes, this person had captured his friends, but he hadn’t hurt anyone. If anything, Merlin has done worse to this man than this man could ever do to him.

So he thought.

“See? Even now, you stand still, unmoving, because you’re a coward !” The sorcerer shouted, pointing at him. “You’re a coward, Emrys, and your friends will pay for it.”

Without hesitating, the sorcerer turned, a sword materialising in his hand and he leaned forward, slicing a long cut, deep into Percival’s arm.

Merlin’s shout was loud, thunderous and the ground shook with it, startling the sorcerer.

He turned to find Merlin stomping towards him and he cackled as he cleaned the blood off the sword. Gwaine clutched onto Percival as well as he could while being tied up, trying to apply pressure to the wound.

“I’m... fine .” Percival choked out as blood dripped from his lips.

“Let them go!” Merlin shouted and the sorcerer cackled. 

“Ohoho! Maybe you do have the strength to kill me!” The sorcerer shouted and then pouted. “I stabbed your friend and the most you can do is yell? Okay, let’s try this again.”

This time, he leaned forward and sliced a long cut across Morgana’s throat. The ward began to choke and Gwen and Lancelot frantically tore up bits of their clothes to try and stop the bleeding. 

“STOP THIS!” Merlin shouted. The wind picked up, almost taking Merlin away with it as he approached the sorcerer faster. The ground shook and did not stop, the sky began to thunder and pour. The man looked up in glee.

“Oh wow! And yet,” The man points at himself. “Still alive!”

This time he turns and faces Arthur, pulling the sword back and aiming to stab him through his chest, but before he can plunge the weapon through, he’s being flung across the field.

The sorcerer groans in pain but laughs out as Merlin now hovers over him, eyes glowing a bright yellow.

“Emrys! There’s the great and powerful warlock I’ve heard of!” The sorcerer choked as Merlin made the grass he laid on begin to curl around him, tight and limiting his movements. It tightens around his throat, but not enough to kill. “So many people you’ve betrayed, people you’ve hurt, and yet you protect the ones who did the crimes. How terrible, you’re a traitor to all magic users and creatures.”

“I helped make sure this land was accepting,” Merlin said. “I stood by Arthur’s side because I knew he would once create peace and happiness across Albion. I let what happened happen because it needed to. My friends did not need to be dragged into this.”

“You’re a coward.” The sorcerer claimed and Merlin glared and the grass tightened around him now, pulling his limbs out taut so he could not move at all. The sorcerer wailed in pain. 

“No, you are. Hiding behind a false motive when all you really wanted to do was hurt me,” Merlin stated. “You don’t fight for honour or revenge. You just wanted to see if you could take me on.”

It was a guess, honestly, but his hunch was confirmed when the sorcerer’s eyes widened in fear. 

“Guess you lost.” Merlin said and with a few mumbled words and a wave of his hands, the man was taken by the ground and gone.

He rushed over to his injured friends and quickly mumbled a few words to Morgana and Percival until their wounds were gone like they’d never existed. He untied them and was quickly smothered by a tight group hug.

“Guys!” Merlin called out but laughed as he tried to wrap his arms around as many of his friends as he could.

“Merlin you are truly and totally the most badass person I know,” Gwaine said and Merlin laughed loudly when the others all mumbled in agreement. 

“Truly, Merlin, if you were this powerful all along, why did you stick as my manservant?” Arthur asked. “And why were you so bad at it?!”

“Maybe I just wanted to stick around,” Merlin grinned and Arthur rolled his eyes before planting a kiss on his cheek.

“Well I’m glad you did,” Arthur said, smiling brightly and they all slowly begin to pile off of Merlin. “Now! Let’s return to Camelot and have a feast fit for kings!”

Everyone cheers as they make their way back.

Under Gwaine’s arms as they walk, holding Gwen’s hand while Lancelot follows close behind. Percival checking over his shoulder time and time again to make sure Merlin hadn’t wandered off while Elyan walks alongside, hand on his sword to make sure nothing attacks. Morgana’s eyes quickly scanning the forest, also on lookout to protect. Leon making loud and boisterous jokes while Arthur leads the way, sword drawn and ready to fight, Merlin realised one thing.

He’d do anything for his friends, and they would do anything for him in return.

He truly and really did love and appreciate them all.