Merlin Drabbles and Shorts
I was late discovering the merlin100 community (they were on prompt #55) and I wanted to go back and do all the previous prompts so I decided to create this one post that would contain all the drabbles I've done for 'Merlin'. Some of them aren't technically drabbles but I've tried to retain at least a bit of the challenge of writing a drabble by limiting myself to no more than 200 words. (Some of the drabbles may have a longer version, more than 200 words; for those, I'll post a link to the story.)
Rather than make a new post for each drabble, I'll just update this post to add any new ones written. Also, I kind of like the idea of making artwork to illustrate each drabble, but who knows if I'll ever get around to that. :)
*~*~*~*~*
Title: The Scent of Memory
Prompt: #1 Leather
Characters/Pairing: Arthur/Merlin, Gaius, Will
Spoilers: Just minor ones for Series 1.
Rating: R
Word Count: 200
Summary: Merlin remembers.
“Will this do, sir?” The young apprentice pressed a leather pouch into gnarled hands reaching blindly.
Merlin’s wrinkled face broke into a smile. “Yes, Geoff. Thank you.” He brought the bag to his face, inhaled, and with a jolt was transported.
Merlin was suddenly surrounded by warm, bright sunshine as he threw a leather ball to Will. The ball curved, swooped up, and circled Will’s head as he swung at it with a stout limb. Merlin! Will shouted between fits of laughter. Not fair!
Then Merlin was looking into his beloved mentor’s face once again, as Gaius presented him with the leather-bound book of magic that would expand his mind and shape his future. I’m proud of you, Merlin.
Another deep inhalation and Merlin felt a throb low in his belly. He found himself on his back in a just-cleaned stall, his head pillowed on a leather saddle laid on fresh straw and his legs wrapped around Arthur thrusting above him. Arthur shuddered, then collapsed heavily onto Merlin. Ah, Merlin, Arthur whispered into his ear, then kissed his neck clumsily, lazy with satiety.
Merlin smiled, breathing in the soft leather. There was no magic stronger than the scent of memory.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: A Man So Worthy
Prompt: #2 Rain
Characters/Pairing: Arthur and Merlin
Spoilers/Warnings: Character death (but not Arthur or Merlin)
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: Oh, sad day. :(
It rained the day of Gaius’ burial.
Standing in his proper place as part of the sovereign family, Arthur watched Merlin. The silvery tracks on Merlin’s face could have been mistaken for rain if not for his swollen, red-rimmed eyes.
Arthur moved then, going to stand beside Merlin. Heedless of a few soft gasps and his father’s sharp look, Arthur put an arm firmly around Merlin’s shoulders. “Remember when I told you no man was worth your tears?” Bowing his head until it bumped against Merlin’s, he murmured, “I was wrong.”
Merlin nodded and let the tears rain more freely.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: Farewell Fair, Fortuneless Feline
Prompt: #3 Curiosity
Characters/Pairing: Gaius POV, Arthur/Merlin
Spoilers/Warnings: Tiny bit spoilery for 2x07, The Witchfinder; warning for crack!fic?
Rating: R
Word Count: 600
Summary: Curiosity killed the… well, you know the rest.
Another drabble-gone-wild, I didn’t even try to do a 100-word version. Also, I really, really want to do artwork for this one.
Link to the story: Farewell Fair, Fortuneless Feline
*~*~*~*~*
Title: It's Never Too Late
Prompt: #4 Children's Games
Characters/Pairing: Arthur and Merlin
Spoilers/Warnings: None
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: What might have been, can still be.
Passing happily filthy urchins playing tag, Arthur thought, In another time, another place, if we hadn’t been born who we were, that could have been Merlin and I.
As they watched, one little moppet, looking back at her playmates, ran headlong into Arthur. She looked up, alarmed, but Arthur only smiled and whispered, “Tag me.”
Giggling, the child gave Arthur an impish poke. “You’re the goat!”
Arthur turned to Merlin with a playful glint in his eye.
Some time later, when Arthur ‘tagged’ Merlin with a full-body tackle, the children cheered as prince and servant, laughing, crashed to the ground.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: Under Cover of Smoke
Prompt: #4 Masks
Characters/Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Spoilers/Warnings: None
Rating: PG
Word Count: 100
A/N: While doing research for another story, I came across a little tidbit about life in the middle ages. Peasants, or common folk, would wash their linen undergarments regularly, but their outer garments were washed infrequently, so they would use wood smoke as a sort of ‘deodorant’ to mask the not-so-fresh smell.
Summary: Merlin has so many things to hide.
Each evening after leaving Arthur, Merlin would slip down to the caves beneath the castle where he would conjure a thick, wood smoke. He would stand within it, letting it mask the scent that permeated his skin, his hair, even his clothing - the scent of sex and Arthur.
Later, sitting across from Merlin as they ate dinner, Gaius would sniff and say, “Goodness, Merlin, you smell like a camp’s fire.”
Merlin would drop his eyes to his food, not looking up again until his face wore an expression of innocent nonchalance, another of the many masks Merlin wore every day.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: River, Sea, Ocean
Prompt: #14 Ocean
Characters/Pairing: Arthur and Merlin
Spoilers/Warnings: None
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: Arthur finds out.
It happens so quickly that Merlin can’t think to be stealthy.
One moment, he and Arthur are talking quietly as their horses drink from the trickling creek; the next they’re surrounded by bandits wielding swords and howling battle cries.
Words are leaving Merlin’s mouth and his eyes burn with uncontrolled magic. The waters of the creek swell, rise, and crash back to earth with all the force of rivers, seas, oceans, washing the brigand-filth away.
Merlin, Arthur, and their horses remain, safe and dry, as Merlin watches emotions - shock, awe, realization, perhaps even pride - ripple over Arthur’s face like waves.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: His Other Self
Prompt: #36 Jealousy
Characters/Pairing: Arthur and Merlin
Spoilers/Warnings: For 2x13, The Last Dragonlord
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: Merlin can't be jealous of Arthur.
“You did it.”
For a moment, the words wanted to stick in Merlin’s throat. Then he watched Arthur laugh, saw his happiness and relief, and he felt no jealousy that Arthur would get the credit as Camelot’s savior. They were two halves of a whole and more than ever, he felt that. Merlin knew that his victory was also Arthur’s victory, and that Arthur’s joy was his joy.
And when he said it again, “You did it,” he said it for himself as much as for Arthur and he nearly burst with love and pride and hope for them both.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: Age Brings Knowledge
Prompt: #54 Experience
Characters/Pairing: Uther POV, Arthur/Merlin
Spoilers: For 2x13 - The Last Dragonlord
Rating: PG
Word Count: 100
Summary: Uther recognizes the signs.
It wouldn’t last. Uther had experience with this sort of thing.
He’d seen Merlin slipping quietly from Arthur’s chambers before dawn, clothes askew, hair mussed, cheeks flushed. But as Uther had dallied with servants himself in the days before Ygraine, he’d disregarded it.
Then the rag-clad stick of a boy had insisted on facing the dragon with Arthur. Since their return, Uther could see the changed way Arthur looked at Merlin, and he knew it was time to put a stop to this folly. Uther had experience with that look, as well.
He’d received that very expression himself, from Ygraine.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: Wheedling Warmth
Prompt: #55 Warmth
Characters/Pairing: Arthur and Merlin, Pre-slash
Spoilers: None
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: Merlin faces the cold, lonely walk back to his room.
Longer version, 500 words: Of Possets, Furs, and Arthur
“I’ve brought in extra firewood, sire.”
“Yes, I see that, Merlin.”
“And I’ve taken more furs from storage and aired them.”
Arthur looked up, bemused. “I see those as well. Thank you.”
The last few nights had been brutally cold and all of Camelot was taking extra precautions. Merlin gave an exaggerated shiver. “Guess I’ll be going,” he said reluctantly but stayed, unmoving.
Rolling his eyes, Arthur lifted the blankets and nodded towards the vacant side of his bed. “Well, come on, then.”
With a happy grin, Merlin jumped beneath the covers and settled into the warmth of Arthur’s bed.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: A Knight's Duty
Prompt: #56 Helpless
Character: Sir Leon
Spoilers: For 2x13 - The Last Dragonlord
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: Until I'm told otherwise, Leon lives, damn it. :)
The enormous, leathery wing came down on Leon with frightening speed. It blocked Leon’s view of his comrades, his commander, of his own horse, and it stole the moon’s light from the sky.
The blow struck with the force of a hundred foes and when Leon hit the ground, all breath left his lungs. He watched Arthur approach the beast and struggled to move, helpless to lend aid. Then his world went black.
When next his eyes opened, he was in Gaius’ rooms.
“Arthur?”
“He lives,” the old physician answered, smiling down at him.
Leon sighed, drifting peacefully into sleep.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: The Scent of a Woman
Prompt: #57 Woman
Character: Sir Leon
Spoilers/Warnings: For 2x5 and 2x6 - Beauty and the Beast
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: Better a heartless wench than this foul stench.
‘Lady’ Katrina. Leon considered himself a gentleman, but that woman provoked terribly unchivalrous thoughts. When she’d convinced Uther to disinherit Arthur, he’d been tempted to run her through.
At first, Leon had thought her a handsome woman, but she’d demonstrated all too well that sometimes, a person’s beauty went no further than the outermost layer.
Still, sitting here now, watching her stuff her grey, warty face with handfuls of stinking dung and enduring the flatulence produced by said dung, Leon might have missed the ‘old’ Katrina. Gagging and swallowing down bile, he thought, ’She certainly smelled better as a woman.’
Rather than make a new post for each drabble, I'll just update this post to add any new ones written. Also, I kind of like the idea of making artwork to illustrate each drabble, but who knows if I'll ever get around to that. :)
*~*~*~*~*
Title: The Scent of Memory
Prompt: #1 Leather
Characters/Pairing: Arthur/Merlin, Gaius, Will
Spoilers: Just minor ones for Series 1.
Rating: R
Word Count: 200
Summary: Merlin remembers.
“Will this do, sir?” The young apprentice pressed a leather pouch into gnarled hands reaching blindly.
Merlin’s wrinkled face broke into a smile. “Yes, Geoff. Thank you.” He brought the bag to his face, inhaled, and with a jolt was transported.
Merlin was suddenly surrounded by warm, bright sunshine as he threw a leather ball to Will. The ball curved, swooped up, and circled Will’s head as he swung at it with a stout limb. Merlin! Will shouted between fits of laughter. Not fair!
Then Merlin was looking into his beloved mentor’s face once again, as Gaius presented him with the leather-bound book of magic that would expand his mind and shape his future. I’m proud of you, Merlin.
Another deep inhalation and Merlin felt a throb low in his belly. He found himself on his back in a just-cleaned stall, his head pillowed on a leather saddle laid on fresh straw and his legs wrapped around Arthur thrusting above him. Arthur shuddered, then collapsed heavily onto Merlin. Ah, Merlin, Arthur whispered into his ear, then kissed his neck clumsily, lazy with satiety.
Merlin smiled, breathing in the soft leather. There was no magic stronger than the scent of memory.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: A Man So Worthy
Prompt: #2 Rain
Characters/Pairing: Arthur and Merlin
Spoilers/Warnings: Character death (but not Arthur or Merlin)
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: Oh, sad day. :(
It rained the day of Gaius’ burial.
Standing in his proper place as part of the sovereign family, Arthur watched Merlin. The silvery tracks on Merlin’s face could have been mistaken for rain if not for his swollen, red-rimmed eyes.
Arthur moved then, going to stand beside Merlin. Heedless of a few soft gasps and his father’s sharp look, Arthur put an arm firmly around Merlin’s shoulders. “Remember when I told you no man was worth your tears?” Bowing his head until it bumped against Merlin’s, he murmured, “I was wrong.”
Merlin nodded and let the tears rain more freely.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: Farewell Fair, Fortuneless Feline
Prompt: #3 Curiosity
Characters/Pairing: Gaius POV, Arthur/Merlin
Spoilers/Warnings: Tiny bit spoilery for 2x07, The Witchfinder; warning for crack!fic?
Rating: R
Word Count: 600
Summary: Curiosity killed the… well, you know the rest.
Another drabble-gone-wild, I didn’t even try to do a 100-word version. Also, I really, really want to do artwork for this one.
Link to the story: Farewell Fair, Fortuneless Feline
*~*~*~*~*
Title: It's Never Too Late
Prompt: #4 Children's Games
Characters/Pairing: Arthur and Merlin
Spoilers/Warnings: None
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: What might have been, can still be.
Passing happily filthy urchins playing tag, Arthur thought, In another time, another place, if we hadn’t been born who we were, that could have been Merlin and I.
As they watched, one little moppet, looking back at her playmates, ran headlong into Arthur. She looked up, alarmed, but Arthur only smiled and whispered, “Tag me.”
Giggling, the child gave Arthur an impish poke. “You’re the goat!”
Arthur turned to Merlin with a playful glint in his eye.
Some time later, when Arthur ‘tagged’ Merlin with a full-body tackle, the children cheered as prince and servant, laughing, crashed to the ground.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: Under Cover of Smoke
Prompt: #4 Masks
Characters/Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Spoilers/Warnings: None
Rating: PG
Word Count: 100
A/N: While doing research for another story, I came across a little tidbit about life in the middle ages. Peasants, or common folk, would wash their linen undergarments regularly, but their outer garments were washed infrequently, so they would use wood smoke as a sort of ‘deodorant’ to mask the not-so-fresh smell.
Summary: Merlin has so many things to hide.
Each evening after leaving Arthur, Merlin would slip down to the caves beneath the castle where he would conjure a thick, wood smoke. He would stand within it, letting it mask the scent that permeated his skin, his hair, even his clothing - the scent of sex and Arthur.
Later, sitting across from Merlin as they ate dinner, Gaius would sniff and say, “Goodness, Merlin, you smell like a camp’s fire.”
Merlin would drop his eyes to his food, not looking up again until his face wore an expression of innocent nonchalance, another of the many masks Merlin wore every day.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: River, Sea, Ocean
Prompt: #14 Ocean
Characters/Pairing: Arthur and Merlin
Spoilers/Warnings: None
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: Arthur finds out.
It happens so quickly that Merlin can’t think to be stealthy.
One moment, he and Arthur are talking quietly as their horses drink from the trickling creek; the next they’re surrounded by bandits wielding swords and howling battle cries.
Words are leaving Merlin’s mouth and his eyes burn with uncontrolled magic. The waters of the creek swell, rise, and crash back to earth with all the force of rivers, seas, oceans, washing the brigand-filth away.
Merlin, Arthur, and their horses remain, safe and dry, as Merlin watches emotions - shock, awe, realization, perhaps even pride - ripple over Arthur’s face like waves.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: His Other Self
Prompt: #36 Jealousy
Characters/Pairing: Arthur and Merlin
Spoilers/Warnings: For 2x13, The Last Dragonlord
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: Merlin can't be jealous of Arthur.
“You did it.”
For a moment, the words wanted to stick in Merlin’s throat. Then he watched Arthur laugh, saw his happiness and relief, and he felt no jealousy that Arthur would get the credit as Camelot’s savior. They were two halves of a whole and more than ever, he felt that. Merlin knew that his victory was also Arthur’s victory, and that Arthur’s joy was his joy.
And when he said it again, “You did it,” he said it for himself as much as for Arthur and he nearly burst with love and pride and hope for them both.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: Age Brings Knowledge
Prompt: #54 Experience
Characters/Pairing: Uther POV, Arthur/Merlin
Spoilers: For 2x13 - The Last Dragonlord
Rating: PG
Word Count: 100
Summary: Uther recognizes the signs.
It wouldn’t last. Uther had experience with this sort of thing.
He’d seen Merlin slipping quietly from Arthur’s chambers before dawn, clothes askew, hair mussed, cheeks flushed. But as Uther had dallied with servants himself in the days before Ygraine, he’d disregarded it.
Then the rag-clad stick of a boy had insisted on facing the dragon with Arthur. Since their return, Uther could see the changed way Arthur looked at Merlin, and he knew it was time to put a stop to this folly. Uther had experience with that look, as well.
He’d received that very expression himself, from Ygraine.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: Wheedling Warmth
Prompt: #55 Warmth
Characters/Pairing: Arthur and Merlin, Pre-slash
Spoilers: None
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: Merlin faces the cold, lonely walk back to his room.
Longer version, 500 words: Of Possets, Furs, and Arthur
“I’ve brought in extra firewood, sire.”
“Yes, I see that, Merlin.”
“And I’ve taken more furs from storage and aired them.”
Arthur looked up, bemused. “I see those as well. Thank you.”
The last few nights had been brutally cold and all of Camelot was taking extra precautions. Merlin gave an exaggerated shiver. “Guess I’ll be going,” he said reluctantly but stayed, unmoving.
Rolling his eyes, Arthur lifted the blankets and nodded towards the vacant side of his bed. “Well, come on, then.”
With a happy grin, Merlin jumped beneath the covers and settled into the warmth of Arthur’s bed.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: A Knight's Duty
Prompt: #56 Helpless
Character: Sir Leon
Spoilers: For 2x13 - The Last Dragonlord
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: Until I'm told otherwise, Leon lives, damn it. :)
The enormous, leathery wing came down on Leon with frightening speed. It blocked Leon’s view of his comrades, his commander, of his own horse, and it stole the moon’s light from the sky.
The blow struck with the force of a hundred foes and when Leon hit the ground, all breath left his lungs. He watched Arthur approach the beast and struggled to move, helpless to lend aid. Then his world went black.
When next his eyes opened, he was in Gaius’ rooms.
“Arthur?”
“He lives,” the old physician answered, smiling down at him.
Leon sighed, drifting peacefully into sleep.
*~*~*~*~*
Title: The Scent of a Woman
Prompt: #57 Woman
Character: Sir Leon
Spoilers/Warnings: For 2x5 and 2x6 - Beauty and the Beast
Rating: G
Word Count: 100
Summary: Better a heartless wench than this foul stench.
‘Lady’ Katrina. Leon considered himself a gentleman, but that woman provoked terribly unchivalrous thoughts. When she’d convinced Uther to disinherit Arthur, he’d been tempted to run her through.
At first, Leon had thought her a handsome woman, but she’d demonstrated all too well that sometimes, a person’s beauty went no further than the outermost layer.
Still, sitting here now, watching her stuff her grey, warty face with handfuls of stinking dung and enduring the flatulence produced by said dung, Leon might have missed the ‘old’ Katrina. Gagging and swallowing down bile, he thought, ’She certainly smelled better as a woman.’