The Wyrm's Garden

they were 100% joined at the hip post-finale

for the @merlinmicrofic prompts Home, Desperate measures and "You wouldn't."

Merlin & Arthur, Gen, 3 x 100 words, Major character death, AO3 link

for @mightybog

A heavy soul, a hopeful man

Their world is in crisis. It aches for its saviour.

“Emrys,” the Disir call.

He despises them. He comes anyway. There's kinship in being the last of the old ones.

“It's time." One steps forward, in her hand a coin.

“What,” he scoffs, “is it my turn to suffer your judgment?”

“We offer a chance. The time of the Once and Future King is nigh. You know it, you yourself have assembled his court.”

It's true. He's found them, souls reborn. The knights. Guinevere.

She flicks the coin into the air. “His rest in Avalon is over. Bring him home.”

The coin spins and spins, reaches its zenith, plummets down.

“Heads or tails?” He remains silent. “That's right, there is no answer. It is both and neither, a mere matter of perspective.”

“Save your riddles.”

“Two sides of a coin, inseparable. One up, one down. It will take all your magic to bring him back, every last bit of you.”

A pause.

“I will die?”

A look of pity, unwanted. “We'll lend you strength. You have three months.”

Its days numbered, his heart beats faster, rebellious. Desperate times. There's no choice. He bends his knee and picks up the coin.

Arthur returned is his every joy. He teaches him about the new world, laughs at him trying to operate a microwave, watches him discover ice cream - looming catastrophe momentarily dismissed.

Blissful ignorance can't last; his magic's gone, he's fading. Confession - now or never.

“No, you wouldn't, please don't-”

“You will have the others. You know the way. You don't need me anymore.”

“I will always-”

“Don't. Please.”

The day dwindles. Miniscule waves disturb the third full moon's reflection on the inky black lake waters. Merlin sits by its shore, Arthur's arm around his shoulders, and, for the last time, waits.

for the @merlinmicrofic prompt "nightfall": Merlin/Lancelot, G, major character death, 100 words, AO3 link dedicated to the most lovely @thefollow-spot, inspired by her drabble "Untitled" (Dusk) midnight

This is how you'll grieve – in quietness.

Behind closed eyelids is where now he lives, in dreams, it is not merely night that falls but memories, like rockslide, and you're trapped, but oh what sweet suffocation it is.

He gifted you his nights, he held your secret in his palm, you might've given him your heart as well, and he would've kept it safe.

The veil looked at you and blinked and he was gone, and you think, did he have regrets? You recognised then love as his undoing, and hope he knew of yours.

This is how you'll remember.

Psalters: Not even once.

Shirley Mallmann @ Givenchy Haute Couture Spr/Sum 1998

Merlin Missing Scenes Weirdness

I re-watched the Labyrinth of Gedref episode with a friend last night and I'm obsessed with the weirdness potential of the missing scenes...

Arthur and the knights saw off the unicorn's horn while an upset Merlin looks on and idk, they leave the body behind in the woods? Seems like a waste but I guess taxidermy hadn't been invented yet.

Merlin actively ignores the rat problem.

Uther and Arthur leave Camelot to go stare at a barden field together.

Merlin spends time trying to find that really specific turn sand into water spell.

Gaius collects Merlin's bath water lol.

The rat goes to town on some tasty prince boot.

The single, anachronistic cherry tomato that Arthur leaves on his plate is eaten by the rat, probably.

Merlin straight up kills the rat, carries it around the castle, skins, cuts up and stews it for Arthur.

Gwen commits kitchen thievery under the dreaded Cook's nose. Maybe she finds Merlin there stewing the rat.

Merlin runs around the woods in circles or else he's kept out by some kind magical barrier while Arthur fights the fake thief.

Gaius catches two beetles for his and Merlin's dinner.

Uther congratulates himself that he's convinced his son to be a cartoon villain, just like his papa.

Merlin manages to impart to Arthur the conversation he had with Anhora out in the woods and it somehow goes well. Does he explain why tf he was out there alone? Gathering herbs might not be believable with all that's going on with the crops...

The vines in the labyrinth deposit Merlin onto the beach. Also Anhora ties him up.

Arthur wakes up on the beach. Just when he thinks he might have reached the afterlife Merlin appears and kisses him chews him out for being a stupid, self-sacrificing clotpole.

Merlin and Arthur learn to get along again on their long horse ride back.

The crops randomly grow back in an afternoon and somehow, in a kingdom where magic is outlawed and generally regarded with fear and suspicion, this is treated as Totally Fine and Normal, Actually™

bat

Aberdeen Bestiary, England ca. 1200

Aberdeen University Library, MS 24, fol. 51v

The Terror | 1963 | dir. Roger Corman