Merlin's magic (Oneshots) 1

For the departed

A.N:// HEY THERE. Long time no write.

This is actually just an unbetad nonsense story for the sake of fluff. There is no drama, as I am currently pretty fine. No need to vent anything, lol. I'm actually currently working on a ghost!Arthur AU, named "Haunted". I'm 60 pages in and needed a break, because I kinda lost the plot lol.
I shall also add a picture in this one as a little teaser for 'haunted'.

Also, this story is inspired by the song:
"For the departed" by Shayfer James
https://open.spotify.com/track/5BZp6bbnf3BQ2s9YGkQMpV?si=d593c2ade7a64471

I've wanted to make an inspired song fic to this for a while, because I can so imagine Merlin singing this in a bar.
But like... actually different to THIS story. Like... imagine he goes to sorcerer bars just to vent through songs he wrote and one day, Arthur comes in disguised and Arthur doesn't recognize him. Then he hears that song.
But I wasn't in the mood for feelings. So you get this instead :)


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The door to the tavern opened with a jarring sound. One that would have distracted the people inside, if they weren't much louder than the light creaking.
Merlin and Arthur slipped inside to escape from the rain outside and hid themselves under the hoods of the peasant clothing they were wearing.

"Stay quiet, Merlin.", Arthur warned Merlin as quietly as he could. "Let me handle it.

It wasn't a random visit that had brought them here. Nor were they the only people of Camelot who had gathered in this tavern.
In fact, at least six other knights were out here, drinking.
This was no coincidence. It was all part of the plan.

A few weeks back, Arthur had been informed of the presence of a sorcerer who was said to be hiding in these forests. Not only that, apparently he was part of some kind of organization for sorcerer's.
And those News, were obviously alarming.

What was even more alarming, was that there had been no accidents so far. No attacks, no destroyed properties, not even eggs thrown at windows as some child's prank.
There had been nothing. Which meant that they must be plotting something.

And so, Arthur had planned to ride out incognito to get himself mixed under the sorcerer's and find out what their plan was.

Of course, he wouldn't do it alone. But riding out with more than four people at once would look suspicious. Especially, if they all carried swords around. So Arthur had taken Merlin with him and disguised himself with that wonderful blue cape Merlin had once given him for a similar occasion.
Not that he had ever given it back, since.

Mistrusting eyes surveyed the Newcomers in the tavern. Perhaps it had been a bad idea after all. New people rarely traveled through these woods. Seven at once was bound to seem suspicious.
Arthur cursed inwardly. He should have thought of this sooner.

"What can I get for you?" The barkeeper was a middle aged man, balding at the edges of his round head and exhaustion written on his reddened cheeks. Red from the alcohol perhaps. Or from the unbearable warmth in the air. Smelling of men, alcohol and smoke from the lit fireplace. That one needed to be cleaned. The stone wall was full of black grime and the funnel could use some serious unclogging.
By any means, there should be a law against this. At least someone had opened one of the equally grimy windows.

"Mead, good Sir."

"Two.", Merlin added. Arthur shot him a glance and Merlin send a challenging one back. 'Of course.', Arthur sighed. Like hell he could get Merlin to shut up.

"Two.", Arthur nodded and the barkeeper nodded at them, before handing them some freshly cleaned mugs (at least Arthur liked to think they were clean) full of mead.