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Entry tags:
Merlin - Future
So totally using the new "fleet made me do it" tag for this one and the next two that should be posted shortly. Once again for the February Free-for-All giant Prompt Thingy over at ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
camelot_fleet. Somehow they got me to contemplate Merlin/Uther, a pairing I had avoided before. This one is Gen. The others...
Title: Future
Rating: PG
Pairing: Mainly Gen, Hint of Merlin/Uther (sorry, hon, could not make this one explicit)
Length: ~ 900 words
Spoilers: General Series One
Prompt: #190 - Uther/Merlin, concern for a loved one
Synopsis: And then there are times where they may reach a common ground.
Disclaimer: I do not own this interpretation of the myths and am making no profit from this.
~~~~~~~~~~
Merlin gazed down upon the battered form and heaved a heavy sigh. Arthur was alive, if only barely. A moment more, the smallest delay, and likely he would not have been lying there, in his own bed, struggling to draw breath against the pain of his wounds. Time would tell the severity of the attack, just as time would grant him the rest he needed to hopefully heal and become whole again.
The door behind him slammed open and Merlin whipped around, finger already to his lips and a curse upon his tongue of the stupidity of bursting in with such a ruckus when the word had been sent out that no one should disturb the prince. He froze, eyes wide, as he realised the intruder was the one person immune to that order: the king himself.
His heart began to beat again when Uther strode forward, oblivious to Merlin’s near infraction. “How is he?” the king demanded. He paused and took note of the slumbering form and possibly the fact Merlin had yet to lower his hand. Instead of being outraged that a mere servant would dare to even imply what was proper decorum, he lowered his voice to barely a whisper and repeated, “How is my son?”
“We have removed as much of the poison as we can, but his body will need to fight the rest,” Merlin told him dutifully. Gaius had given him herbs to do just that, while Merlin had supplied a bit of additional assistance in the form of magic, luckily having finished what little he could just prior to the king’s arrival.
“Will he heal?” Uther asked. His gloved hand hovered as if he wanted to touch, yet dared not to. His fingers tightened into a reluctant fist as his hand drew back to his side.
“With time, and hope, he should be well again,” Merlin answered. He knew it was not the assurance the king desired, but it was all he had to offer.
Uther nodded. He turned his head slightly to face Merlin, but his eyes drifted back to his son. “The knights claim he would not have made it this far without your assistance,” he told him. “They maintain that it was nothing short of a miracle that you were by his side and able to both reach him and scare the beast away long enough for them to finish it off.”
Merlin swallowed heavily. He wondered if the knights saw the golden glow of magic, or noticed the way the beast froze in time and space for long enough to allow the rescue, noticed the way Merlin tore the tusk from the thing in an attempt to find a cure for its venom. “It is my duty to be by his side,” was all he said.
Uther gave him a look that was half appraising and half demeaning. “You do far more than simply stay by his side,” he replied cryptically. His gaze locked with Merlin’s as he said, “You have saved his life numerous times, more so than I believe I have strictly been privy to.”
This time, Merlin could not swallow. His tongue felt as though it were lodged in his throat. If the king knew, truly knew, he was certain he would be on the executioner’s block before morning. He struggled to clear his throat and managed a hoarse, “He is important.”
Uther’s lip twitched as he agreed, “He is very much that.” A heavy arm fell across Merlin’s shoulders, startling him. He would have jumped, but he was held in place by the weight of the man and everything he stood for, not pushing, just present. Uther refused to look at him though, staring instead at the bed that held the future king as he said, “I do not care how you have managed these numerous rescues, only that manage you have. Be it luck, or something more, some innate talent, your services are quite appreciated, by the kingdom and by myself.”
“Th-thank you, sire,” Merlin stammered. The gratitude was both for the appreciation, and for the not sentencing him to death for the mere suspicion that something more may be at play than pure dumb luck. “He has a great future ahead of him.”
Uther made a noise that sounded eerily like a quiet snort. “If he stays alive long enough to see it,” he muttered. Louder, he added, “With the right people to guide him, and protect him, I believe a great destiny awaits him.”
Merlin was about to nod in agreement, but froze when the arm around him tightened slightly, and he swore he felt the press of lips across the top of his head just before he heard a whispered, “Thank you.”
Certain death was not on order, at least not today, he relaxed into the touch and was rewarded with another gentle squeeze. He knew Uther alone was responsible for the deaths of so many of his kind, just as he knew Uther alone would do nearly anything to ensure the protection of the one man Merlin himself swore to serve and look after. It was a common ground he had been afraid to look for. It was a common ground that had the potential to lead to great things.
They stood like that for a long while, both still as they watched the gentle rise and fall that signalled that life still held hope for the future.
~~~~~~~~~~
Feedback is always welcomed.
camelot_fleet. Somehow they got me to contemplate Merlin/Uther, a pairing I had avoided before. This one is Gen. The others...Title: Future
Rating: PG
Pairing: Mainly Gen, Hint of Merlin/Uther (sorry, hon, could not make this one explicit)
Length: ~ 900 words
Spoilers: General Series One
Prompt: #190 - Uther/Merlin, concern for a loved one
Synopsis: And then there are times where they may reach a common ground.
Disclaimer: I do not own this interpretation of the myths and am making no profit from this.
~~~~~~~~~~
Merlin gazed down upon the battered form and heaved a heavy sigh. Arthur was alive, if only barely. A moment more, the smallest delay, and likely he would not have been lying there, in his own bed, struggling to draw breath against the pain of his wounds. Time would tell the severity of the attack, just as time would grant him the rest he needed to hopefully heal and become whole again.
The door behind him slammed open and Merlin whipped around, finger already to his lips and a curse upon his tongue of the stupidity of bursting in with such a ruckus when the word had been sent out that no one should disturb the prince. He froze, eyes wide, as he realised the intruder was the one person immune to that order: the king himself.
His heart began to beat again when Uther strode forward, oblivious to Merlin’s near infraction. “How is he?” the king demanded. He paused and took note of the slumbering form and possibly the fact Merlin had yet to lower his hand. Instead of being outraged that a mere servant would dare to even imply what was proper decorum, he lowered his voice to barely a whisper and repeated, “How is my son?”
“We have removed as much of the poison as we can, but his body will need to fight the rest,” Merlin told him dutifully. Gaius had given him herbs to do just that, while Merlin had supplied a bit of additional assistance in the form of magic, luckily having finished what little he could just prior to the king’s arrival.
“Will he heal?” Uther asked. His gloved hand hovered as if he wanted to touch, yet dared not to. His fingers tightened into a reluctant fist as his hand drew back to his side.
“With time, and hope, he should be well again,” Merlin answered. He knew it was not the assurance the king desired, but it was all he had to offer.
Uther nodded. He turned his head slightly to face Merlin, but his eyes drifted back to his son. “The knights claim he would not have made it this far without your assistance,” he told him. “They maintain that it was nothing short of a miracle that you were by his side and able to both reach him and scare the beast away long enough for them to finish it off.”
Merlin swallowed heavily. He wondered if the knights saw the golden glow of magic, or noticed the way the beast froze in time and space for long enough to allow the rescue, noticed the way Merlin tore the tusk from the thing in an attempt to find a cure for its venom. “It is my duty to be by his side,” was all he said.
Uther gave him a look that was half appraising and half demeaning. “You do far more than simply stay by his side,” he replied cryptically. His gaze locked with Merlin’s as he said, “You have saved his life numerous times, more so than I believe I have strictly been privy to.”
This time, Merlin could not swallow. His tongue felt as though it were lodged in his throat. If the king knew, truly knew, he was certain he would be on the executioner’s block before morning. He struggled to clear his throat and managed a hoarse, “He is important.”
Uther’s lip twitched as he agreed, “He is very much that.” A heavy arm fell across Merlin’s shoulders, startling him. He would have jumped, but he was held in place by the weight of the man and everything he stood for, not pushing, just present. Uther refused to look at him though, staring instead at the bed that held the future king as he said, “I do not care how you have managed these numerous rescues, only that manage you have. Be it luck, or something more, some innate talent, your services are quite appreciated, by the kingdom and by myself.”
“Th-thank you, sire,” Merlin stammered. The gratitude was both for the appreciation, and for the not sentencing him to death for the mere suspicion that something more may be at play than pure dumb luck. “He has a great future ahead of him.”
Uther made a noise that sounded eerily like a quiet snort. “If he stays alive long enough to see it,” he muttered. Louder, he added, “With the right people to guide him, and protect him, I believe a great destiny awaits him.”
Merlin was about to nod in agreement, but froze when the arm around him tightened slightly, and he swore he felt the press of lips across the top of his head just before he heard a whispered, “Thank you.”
Certain death was not on order, at least not today, he relaxed into the touch and was rewarded with another gentle squeeze. He knew Uther alone was responsible for the deaths of so many of his kind, just as he knew Uther alone would do nearly anything to ensure the protection of the one man Merlin himself swore to serve and look after. It was a common ground he had been afraid to look for. It was a common ground that had the potential to lead to great things.
They stood like that for a long while, both still as they watched the gentle rise and fall that signalled that life still held hope for the future.
~~~~~~~~~~
Feedback is always welcomed.
no subject
You've painted a lovely relationship between the two, from Merlin's eyes. I liked Merlin's comprehensiveness and worry, his anger at someone disturbing Arthur's rest and how he never even considered not saving Arthur the way he had, and how he accepts Uther's thanks for what it is despite hat he thinks of him and his ruling.
On the other hand, I really like what we can only guess about Uther from what Merlin sees. How he quiets down, how he's sharper than Merlin wants him to be, and may or may not recognize the magic in him and still leave him be, his gratefulness about Merlin's continual loyalty and protection, too. You've gotten to the father in him without going so far as to forget the king, and I really love how Uther extends that paternal care to Merlin for a very brief instant. :D
You've nailed exactly what I meant in my prompt. <3 Thank you!
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If you don't need explicit, does that mean I can hide away and not post the other Uther/Merlin one? *wince*
Thank you again!
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Do you mean The Old Ways or another one? Because if it's the former, then I've read it, squeed, and it's been opened and reread and in need of being commented on for days now. If you mean another one, if it's no bother to you, I'd really really really like if you'd post it somewhere. I think there is some very nice potential in this pairing to explore some sides of Uther and Merlin that fanworks often leave aside, so would love it if more works were being spread. ^^
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Nope, there's another one other than The Old Ways. Very cool that you liked that one though. I keep editing and re-editing this one because the voice seems off somehow. It's a bit more explicit than the other one, and Merlin's a bit manipulative in it, in his own way.
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It was a common ground he had been afraid to look for.
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Now this should be canon! And yeah, the only reason Merlin didn't turn Uther into a stone is because of Arthur, and because Uther does care for his son (sometimes showing this to Merlin more that he does to Arthur...)
(a paternal hug and kiss... whoooooo!! *melts into puddle of goo*)
\o/
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Very happy you liked, ma'am.
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Renee
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