Merlin's magic (Oneshots) 1

The magic realm (part 1)

A.N.:// So, I'm trying some world building for this one :)
The art was made specifically for this fic. It's kinda how I imagine the setting of the first place they see in the magical realm :)
If you zoom in, you may spot Merlin and Arthur there XD

Also, I don't think this will contain romance. As I'm currently not planning on it. But it will explore Merlin's and Arthur's friendship and can probably be read as more.
The story has yet to tell me what it wants to be. :3

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There is a common misunderstanding about snakes. One that it caused by their shiny appearance, the smoothness of their skin and the bright reflection of the sun within the scales of their body.
They are slithering creatures.
And people often assume they are slimy as well.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Their skin feels warm and dry. Smooth in one direction, rough when you go against the aligned scales.

Morgana was a fan of snakes. All her favorite creatures had scales and long necks.
Be it the Fermorrah, a truly horrendous creature that could control the mind of it's victim; the Nathair, a tiny snake that upon persuasion could cause the greatest of pains; or even a dragon. The very last of it's kind.
Snakes were Morgana's trade mark. She loved them. They loved her back. And if Morgana ever met Medusa, well, let's just say that meeting is worth exploring.
But not now. Maybe another time.

However, if Merlin ever expected to be attacked by Morgana, he would have expected yet another kind of snake. Not something slimy.
Now that Mordred had run away from Camelot and formed an alliance with her, Merlin HAD to expect an attack sooner or later.
After all, Mordred knew who Emrys was.

Slugs were the last kind of creatures Merlin expected. 'It could have been a toad', he thought later on. 'At least it would have been ironic.' Like the fact that the one time, Merlin was actually having FUN, was actually not running around Arthur's back to save him from certain doom, the one time he was actually at the TAVERN and DRUNK, he got caught of guard.
And he insulted Arthur enough as a toad to find this funny. Maybe it was just him.

Had he not been drunk from spending all night gambling with the king, he would have noticed that Gaius was unconscious, upon entering his chambers. But he was positively wasted. And that's the very reason he lost his magic.
'I'll never drink again.', had never been such a desperate trail of thought.

Of course, only mere hours later, reports came in about Morgana attacking. And Arthur decided to hold the battle in Camlann, instead of merely defending the citadel in Camelot.
Camlann. The place that was foretold to be the place where Arthur would die. The Cartha had sacrificed his own and his pupil's life to give Merlin this information.
Merlin was rightfully panicking. Because now Camlann was upon them and he wasn't just unprepared, he was barely functional right now.

"I HAVE to get my magic back!", Merlin was pacing in Gaius's chambers. "There is no other way. I HAVE to get it back."

"Merlin, I cannot restore it. This is beyond my power."
"It's beyond anyone's power.", Merlin agreed, desperate and frustrated. He was heaving and pacing. His limbs, his muscles agitated and tense.
He needed to move. The stress was working him up to the point where it was painful.
"Is there really no other way?", Merlin let his limbs fall, exasperatedly.
Gaius opened his mouth to response.

Of course that was the very moment the door opened without a knock.
Merlin's eyes widened for just a second. Then he stood still, concealing his fears, his emotions, everything. As he had long taught himself to.
It was a reflex by now.

Arthur Pendragon stood in the frames of Gaius's chambers. Wearing simple black pants and a cream white shirt. Yet appearing as kingly as ever, with his blond hair and the stern expression that was marked by years of fighting evil.
And painted with loss of loved ones, and the burden of mistakes and decisions he had made to create the Albion they knew of today.
It had been a long journey. And every stone in their way had left a shadow in the angular face of the once and future king.