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“How do you…” Arthur wiggles his fingers, like he’s teaching magic to a five-year-old, “conjure the fire?”
“Oh, that’s easy,” Merlin starts, because what the fuck else does he have to do, and Lancelot just looks at him with that stupid look he always does when Merlin’s about to say something particularly stupid- “I call it forth from the deepest pits of hell.”
OR
Everyone may know about Merlin's magic, but nobody knows what he's actually capable of. Merlin decides that this is a great advantage when your boyfriend is an idiot.
Series
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 2,900
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 3
- Comments:
- 91
- Kudos:
- 2,392
- Bookmarks:
- 222
- Hits:
- 16,538
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
13 Jun 2026
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Merlin, Gwaine, and Arthur get kidnapped by some bandits. Merlin could subtly use his magic, but where's the fun in that?
(He and Gwaine rizz their way out of being kidnapped and Arthur is baffled that it worked)
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 2,084
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 93
- Kudos:
- 3,498
- Bookmarks:
- 436
- Hits:
- 18,907
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
13 Jun 2026
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The Time Tried our Souls, and Through the Darkness we Overcame by mollrach13
Fandoms: Merlin (TV)
16 Sep 2012
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Summary
A fill for this prompt at kinkme_merlin: Merlin goes through a lot of trauma and has gotten very used to hiding it, moving on (or at least appearing to), and coping silently and without anyone noticing, because most of the time no one can know something happened. One day something traumatic happens to him, which everyone knows about, and everyone is waiting for Merlin to snap, only for him to...not. Arthur is caught between worried and suspicious, and sets about to get to the bottom of this.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 8,427
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 12
- Comments:
- 184
- Kudos:
- 16,037
- Bookmarks:
- 2,314
- Hits:
- 151,071
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
13 Jun 2026
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Summary
Merlin accidentally sets up an orphanage.
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“You’re doing an amazing thing here,” Lancelot said apropos of nothing as he handed Merlin a nail.
“It’s hardly amazing,” Merlin scoffed, concentrating on fixing the wooden beam in place. “I used to fix my mother’s roof all the time when I was little.”
“I mean here.” Lancelot gestured back to the house. “These children would have nowhere to go if you didn’t take them in.”
“Oh I don’t really do much,” Merlin said with a wave of his hand. “I just pop by every now and then to say hello. Mary does all the work.”
Merlin concentrated back on the roof. Anything not to look into Lancelot’s proud and warm eyes.He couldn’t explain to wonderful, pure Lancelot why he didn’t deserve any praise. Taking in these children, helping them to grow up safe and fed, it was the least he could do after all the destruction he had caused in Camelot.
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
13 Jun 2026
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Arthur sat angrily staring at the campfire, well as angrily as he could with a lap full of manservant.
“You’re sooooo pretty Arthur”
“Yes I know Merlin, you’ve only said it six times in the last hour.”
Hopefully the spell would wear off in two days like the sorceress had said. But Arthur didn’t know how long he could last without giving in to this enchanted Merlin.
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
13 Jun 2026
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Summary
Merlin gets hit by a spell and turns into a child. The knights take care of him.
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
13 Jun 2026
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The third out of five times Merlin drunkenly revealed his magic by The_neurodivergent_nerd
Fandoms: Merlin (TV)
05 Dec 2021
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Summary
The gang gets drunk in the woods to celebrate Leon finally being able to convince his father not to marry him off for gain. This leads to a discussion of sexuality in which Percival and Gwaine are so obliviously in love it’s painful and Arthur tries to hide his feeling for Merlin. (Badly.)
Then Merlin accidentally reveals his magic.
———
OR: I was trying to write something short and sweet to calm me down after mock exams and ended up writing 2.5k of nonsenseBookmarked by Pale_Tree
13 Jun 2026
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Summary
"That was magic," Arthur accuses.
"Oh." Merlin just nods, looking unperturbed.
Arthur fights to keep his expression calm, mind racing and heart pounding. "Sorcery is outlawed in Camelot. On pain of death."
Merlin splutters, finally fixing Arthur with an affronted glare. "It's not like I meant to do it!"
***
Merlin gets hit with a spell meant for Arthur and loses his memory. Revelations ensue. Set sometime after 5x02.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 6,792
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Comments:
- 296
- Kudos:
- 25,018
- Bookmarks:
- 3,301
- Hits:
- 172,741
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
13 Jun 2026
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Summary
The knights convince (more like trick) Arthur to retire the ban on an ancient festivity: Fools' Day. During this day, the roles of servants and masters are reversed, which implies that Merlin is going to be king for a day and Arthur is going to be his… servant.
Arthur dreads the day, and when it finally comes, he waits anxiously for all the horrible things Merlin will do to him as a revenge for all the shit Arthur makes him go through. But, of course, he wasn’t counting on the fact that Merlin is, apart from a little shit, a precious cinnamon roll.
A bit of humour (so sorry about that one, I’m hopeless) and lots of fluff.
Series
- Part 1 of Fools In Love
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 8,031
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 71
- Kudos:
- 1,859
- Bookmarks:
- 230
- Hits:
- 12,328
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
12 Jun 2026
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Summary
“I’m sorry, there must be a mistake.” Uther furrows his brows. “That is my son’s manservant.”
“This is Emrys, the most powerful sorcerer who will ever walk the earth. It is our deepest honor to be able to offer his hand to your son.”
“Merlin?” Arthur asks, looking across the hall. Merlin looks the palest and the smallest Arthur has ever seen him. He looks like a scared animal that knows it’s about to be trapped, and that’s when it clicks for Arthur that no part of this is a joke. None of it. “Merlin, what are they talking about?”
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 9,142
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 4
- Comments:
- 153
- Kudos:
- 10,360
- Bookmarks:
- 1,484
- Hits:
- 77,412
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
12 Jun 2026
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Merlin always thought he’d tell Arthur about his crush and magic in a whirlwind of fighting together against a powerful enemy, a dramatic haze of flowing pendragon red cloaks, clashing swords and the smell of a storm in the air as he called down lightning from the skies to smite all those who dared hurt his friends. Alas it didn’t happen like that.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 1,223
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 12
- Kudos:
- 694
- Bookmarks:
- 62
- Hits:
- 5,120
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
12 Jun 2026
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Summary
With Arthur out doing kingly duties and Merlin off getting who knows what for Gaius, the knights become bored. That is, until Gwaine decided to suggest a game to play.
Merlin or the Wife? 20 coins are at stake
Series
- Part 1 of The World of Merlin
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
12 Jun 2026
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Summary
merlin's had a bad week so they go to the tavern, he ends up saying more than he intended to and arthur is a confused himbo but we love him. lets admit it theyre married already they just need to admit it to themselves. this is basically that
enjoy :)
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
12 Jun 2026
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Summary
“Are you sure you can’t do a bit of magic?” Arthur asks. “I promise I won’t behead you for it.”
“Very reassuring,” Merlin says. “Truly, that’s an extreme act of mercy on your part, my Lord. It’s almost enough to convince me you aren’t a dollophead.”
“What use are you,” Arthur mutters.
Or:
The druids call Merlin Emrys. Arthur isn't sure why they think his hapless manservant is some sort of powerful sorcerer, but it's certainly a good way to improve Camelot's relationship with the druids. It's only a little bit of a lie, surely.
Except it turns out that it's not a lie at all.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 28,000
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 3
- Comments:
- 185
- Kudos:
- 3,965
- Bookmarks:
- 1,025
- Hits:
- 41,741
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
12 Jun 2026
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Summary
"Do you think you can spend an evening without insulting Merlin?”
Arthur looks as if the very idea is anathema to him. “It’s not insults,” he says. “It’s—”
“Your very own idea of courtship,” Gwen says. “But I’ve another idea. And it involves being very, very nice to Merlin. Didn’t you see the way he was flustering just now? He’s used to your barbed comments, Arthur, he has practically grown up with them. Didn’t you like the sight of him, all flushed from praise?”
“I’m not—” Arthur says, and abruptly cuts himself off as his own face goes pink. “I suppose so.”
“Here’s what we do,” Gwen starts.
Or: Gwen and Arthur set out to court a reluctant Merlin. Fortunately, Gwen knows exactly how Merlin wants to be loved.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 10,933
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 2
- Comments:
- 85
- Kudos:
- 2,556
- Bookmarks:
- 472
- Hits:
- 18,181
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
12 Jun 2026
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Summary
Merlin ducks forward, grabbing Arthur’s hands. His are cool and soft, and Arthur is surprised by the feel of Merlin’s palm over his own rough knuckles. “Arthur,” he says pointedly. “I know my duty, and I don’t need you to remind me. Are you always like this?”
“Like what?”
“Annoying,” Merlin says, and leans back, appraising him more thoughtfully than his tone suggests. “So concerned with your honour.”
Or: Arthur must marry Lord Emrys for a year to create an alliance between their people. Except it isn't Emrys who comes to marry him, but the young druid Merlin, who soon turns all of Camelot upside down—and Arthur with it.
Series
- Part 2 of Liz's Merlin Bingo 2023
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 16,400
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 136
- Kudos:
- 2,887
- Bookmarks:
- 644
- Hits:
- 21,226
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
12 Jun 2026
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Summary
“I don’t want him as my soulmate,” Arthur complains. “He was rude, and he’s magic, and he’s old and quite frankly, I think he’s insane and—”
“And he’s not Merlin?” Morgana asks, crossing her arms.
“Shut up, Morgana,” Arthur says heatedly, feeling the flush settle awkwardly in his cheeks. “Merlin isn’t my soulmate, so there’s clearly something severely wrong with him, and I just haven’t figured out what it is yet.”
Or: It turns out that Arthur's soulmate Emrys is a dodgery old sorcerer. No one is happy about this, least of all Arthur, who has to come to terms with the facts that he's bound to someone with magic and that his inconvenient attraction to Merlin won't lead to anything at all.
So he thinks, anyway.
Series
- Part 7 of Liz's Merlin Bingo 2023
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 9,900
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 130
- Kudos:
- 4,121
- Bookmarks:
- 590
- Hits:
- 27,862
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
12 Jun 2026
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Summary
“You’ll give me magical training?” Merlin asks.
Arthur smiles. “Yes, and training in courtly etiquette. I imagine Ealdor doesn’t have nobles?”
“We don’t have nobles, but we do have pigs. And chickens,” Merlin says. When Arthur raises his eyebrows at him, Merlin flushes heavily with embarrassment. “Oh, shut up. My lord.”
“Don’t talk to your king like that,” Arthur says, but he doesn’t actually seem very upset about it, even though Merlin sort of wants to hit himself in the face. “Welcome to Camelot, sorcerer-apprentice Merlin of Ealdor.”
Or: Merlin is sixteen when he comes to Camelot, vying for the new position of court sorcerer that has opened under King Arthur—a noble king, golden and lionhearted, who is trying to legalise magic in all of Albion. Of course, Merlin doesn't expect to be chosen.
But he is.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 76,250
- Chapters:
- 7/7
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 177
- Kudos:
- 1,218
- Bookmarks:
- 373
- Hits:
- 15,537
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
12 Jun 2026
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Summary
Merlin, Prince of Dracaneard, only meant to go visit Camelot in secret so he could see the land of prophecy and meet his uncle. He really didn’t intend to save Prince Arthur’s life or be given a job as his manservant for the trouble.
But it’s a good way to get to know the prince who is prophesied to unite Albion and bring back magic by Merlin’s side, isn’t it? And it’s not as if Arthur knows that his newest servant is the crown prince to Camelot’s enemy.
Surely, this won’t turn ten shades of complicated all too soon.
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Summary
Merlin has been teaching Morgana magic, but after a misunderstanding, Arthur thinks it’s more than that and gets very jealous.
Bookmarked by Pale_Tree
11 Jun 2026