Legendborn Oneshots

Bree x Sel-Oathbound

A/N: Some context for this: Nick was killed by an isel pack that he and Sel were hunting together about three months ago. He was Oathed again to Bree pretty much as soon as possible-she needs a Kingsmage, after all, and he's the most powerful Merlin in a generation.

To anyone reading this for the first time: these stories improve DRASTICALLY, I promise

Storm-dark blue eyes.
A confident grin.
A promise-back before the sun rises.
Never breaks his word.
Broke it for the first and final time.

Tawny, radiant amber eyes.
All arrogance gone.
Panicked, desperate, hopeless.
A Kingsmage without a king.
Sel, holding the broken body of my love.

My eyes blink open as I pull myself from the nightmare. I check the time and groan. 4:52 AM.
There's certainly no hope of getting to sleep after that, and even if there was... I'd rather not go back to those dreams.
...Surely it's not that weird to make breakfast around five in the morning? I doubt I'm the only one having a hard time sleeping, either-maybe a few others are awake? I can't be the only Legendborn having nightmares tonight.

Before I can turn on a light, sparks flick over my skin. I spin around, startled, and find golden eyes shining ever so slightly in the dark.

Even half-asleep, I'd know those eyes anywhere.

Since the uchel attack three months ago that killed Nick, Sel... I don't know how to explain it. He's certainly not succumbing to his blood, but he's gotten bolder, more aggressive, and more reckless in every way. More active in the Table's nightly demon hunts, less forgiving of missteps and misunderstandings-not that he was before, to be honest-and certainly less hesitant around me.

But-well, sneaking into my room while I'm asleep is not on the list of things I've noticed. "Sel, what the hell are you-? It's the middle of the night-!"

He cuts me off with a small laugh. "Don't try to act like I woke you up." That's not what I mean, and he knows it. "And besides, I'm your Kingsmage. Never supposed to leave your side, remember?" My eyes are already adjusting to the dark-I can see him much better.

"Of course I remember-but if I really needed protection you'd have been 'guarding my bedroom' even when..." Even when he was still alive. Even when you were Oathed to another, once you knew the truth of my blood. Sel's gaze drops, hearing the words I leave unspoken. "...As soon as I was Awakened. As you love to remind me, I've always been the Scion of Arthur. Even when I was the Page who just couldn't stop wandering into danger." I'm half teasing him, but his eyes harden.

"Danger that I made," he mutters, meeting my eyes again. "But to answer the question you haven't properly asked yet... you know the Kingsmage Oath allows me to feel your panic and fear. All of your panic and fear-whether you're genuinely in danger or not."

Oh.

My nightmares-do they wake him up too? How many nights has he come running to me, thinking I was in true mortal peril? Does he get any sleep? He's hunting demons past midnight, and I'm sending terrified sparks over our connection...

"...And while I know that every time I've gotten a...call from you so far, you've been perfectly fine and you've been safe-"

"Your Oaths won't let you ignore it. And what do you mean, gotten a 'call' from me?"

Sel seems genuinely amused, and that's honestly more infuriating than anything. I'd understand anger, concern-but does he have to hold my lack of knowledge over me like this? "Powerful as our bond may be, I'm not alerted every time something scares you, little king. Mortal danger, I'll come running-because you want someone, anyone to come save you-at least, once it's clear you can't save yourself. But sometimes you... sometimes you 'call' for smaller things."