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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Story [Merlin] A New Day - one shot

Discussion in 'Non Star Wars Fan Fiction' started by dianethx, Oct 31, 2011.

  1. dianethx

    dianethx Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Mar 1, 2002
    Summary: Arthur knows that Merlin fears magic but now that he's king, he's going to lift the ban anyway. He just hopes he can get Merlin to see reason.
    Word count: 4000
    Rating: PG-13 for violence (execution of a young girl by drowning), drama, AU
    Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; They and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No credits have changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
    Notes: the prompt was from the livejournal kinkme-merlin community. After Arthur becomes king, he announces that he is planning on lifting the ban on magic. He hasn't really discussed his decision with anyone beforehand so it comes as a complete surprise to everyone. Naturally Arthur is wary of everyone's reaction to his news, especially Merlin's, because Arthur has always assumed that Merlin fears magic and supports Uther's laws, since Merlin always behaves so strangely/nervously when magic is mentioned.




    It started with a girl. She couldn't have been more than six years old, tangled gold hair and blue eyes that reminded him a little of his own, not that he could see much of their colour. She'd been crying, red-faced and terrified, and she kept twisting away, trying to escape as the guards pulled her toward the lake. Toward her death.

    Arthur was not much older, just turned ten and his father had thought him man enough to bear witness to the law. At first, he'd been thrilled that Uther was proud enough to have him standing alongside, his father smiling down at him as he explained what it was like to be king and how someday he'd follow in the great work of eradicating that worst of evils, magic.

    But he hadn't realized just what was going on. Executions were commonplace but up until then, he'd only attended when it had been adults, scummy-looking rogues or enemies of Camelot, or once in a while, an insane women shrieking for revenge. Never a little girl, barely old enough to play with dolls.

    As Arthur stood there at the edge of the precipice, looking out over the black water, the shrieks of the girl intensified, the terrified cries of her family echoing in the frigid air. It made him sick to hear it but he knew that his father would not approve of such weakness. Swallowing down the bile that was rising in his throat, he stood there, watching. Shivering. Silent. Even Uther's hand on his shoulder was not enough, seemed more to keep him in check than warm reassurance.

    Dragging her feet, sobbing, the girl was trying so hard to pull away but the guards was relentless as they marched her to the edge. Then with a nod of his father's head, they lifted her up and tossed her out over the cliff and into the endless depths. Her scream lasted a long time as she fell, abruptly cutting off as she hit the water and sank.

    Arthur hoped it might be over; sometimes people died from falling that far but not this time. The girl broke the surface, shrieking for her mother. She thrashed about, begging for someone to help her but there was no escape. The cliff-face was sheer and she kept slipping back into the lake.

    It took her a long time to die.

    Her parents soon followed, three bodies floating in the black water, but by then, he was numb.

    He didn't remember the speech his father gave after that. It was the same anyway, talking about the horrors of magic and how it had to be eradicated from Camelot but it didn't matter. His father had just executed a little girl for trying to heal her cat with magic and her family for shielding her and it was the first time Arthur had ever truly questioned whether Uther was right.

    It was not the last.
    [hr]

    Merlin found him looking out over the courtyard. The stones had been wiped clean of Uther's funeral pyre, the smell of smoke giving way to the fresh scent of pine and the hint of autumn. For a while, Arthur ignored the bustle of chores and the idiot's worried looks prodding at his back.

    Merlin was babbling about something or other. "Cook is worried that there won't be enough pheasant
     
  2. NYCitygurl

    NYCitygurl Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 20, 2002
    That's so sweet! Sad and funny at the same time :D And some great bromance there :D
     
  3. LilyHobbitJedi

    LilyHobbitJedi Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 29, 2005
    Shaking off whatever seemed to be troubling him, Merlin gave him a quick grin. "Wouldn't miss it for the world. I want to see if that crown will fit on your big fat head."

    [face_laugh][face_laugh]

    I really liked this fic, and I really hope that Arthur will really come to his senses about magic in the show. Great fic, I really enjoyed it!
     
  4. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    There were so many things I enjoyed about this fic.

    First of all - the execution in the beginning was powerful. You captured what Arthur would have been feeling perfectly. And ending the ban on magic! I love that it came here prior to his knowing of Merlin's skills. This was such a mature, thoughtful, almost quiet Arthur you wrote, and it is everything I hope he will be in the series to come.

    Merlin's revelation of his skills, and Arthur's reaction was perfect as well. The last line of this sealed it.

    Wonderful, wonderful job with this. =D=


    ~MJ @};-
     
  5. dianethx

    dianethx Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Mar 1, 2002
    NYCitygurl - thanks again. I love the bromance. It's my favorite part of the series.

    LilyHobbitJedi - I think Arthur will accept it eventually. We'll just have to see how long it takes, though. Thanks.

    Mira_Jade - Glad you liked it. I was worried a bit about how intense the beginning was but Uther did drown children and I think Arthur would have been horrified to see it. I'm happy that Arthur came across so well. Thanks.