Merlin's magic (Oneshots) 1

Protecting Arthur Pendragon

There was an oil substance that Arthur learned to brew once he became a knight.
It was a knight tradition. Every new recruit would be salved with the substance.
Uther, when he was yet to be king, was allowed to choose whether or not it would be used on him. Just because he was the crown prince. He had denied it and forgotten about it's existence. But they had kept using the method. It was tradition, after all. Arthur was granted the same privilege.

It was so old, and so known to the knights, that nobody questioned if it was connected to magic in any way. Which, in hindsight, should have been an obvious concern.

The oil was brewed from herbs. But enchanted by a crystal that the knights hid in the armory.
It caused the body of the knight to change into a much younger form.
A premature one. The child would know nothing of the knight they were going to be. But they would know one thing:
That what gave their life meaning.
To break the enchantment, that meaning must be broken. The meaning must be lost.

Using this method, the knights would gain further knowledge about each other. It formed a deeper bond between them.
Though the knights would never remember what they had done in their child form.
It was an unspoken agreement that they would never be told what they had done. It was part of the ritual to upheld one's honor.
As you could not be embarrassed by having done something you don't remember. It could also not be held as blackmail.
If a knight would break that promise, they would be exiled for treason.

That as well, was one of the reasons why only the most trusted knights knew how to make the oil.
One was Arthur. The other was Leon. Elyan was about to learn of this, as well as Lancelot.

Arthur didn't know what had happened when he chose to let himself be treated with that oil substance, behind his fathers back.
Uther didn't approve of Arthur's decision to be treated like every other knight. Because a premature knight was a weak one. A child prince would be helpless to his surroundings.

Arthur also wondered what had happened to Leon, when he used the salve, as Leon was a knight far longer than Arthur was.

But he remembered Gwaine using it.
Gwaine's self apparently only ever wanted a friend. Wanted someone to give his life meaning.
Which had surprised both Arthur and Leon. And it was heartbreaking to go around and make sure, Gwaine wouldn't find a single one.
It was even harder to convince Merlin to keep ignoring the boy. Gwaine was so hurt by this, Arthur had almost considered leaving him be a child until he returned to be himself naturally.
But they had to break the spell. That was a rule. Breaking it would be breaking the knights code.

Percival's meaning in life was to train, to be strong enough to rescue his family from Cendred's kingdom.
To break his spell, they had to tell him his family had already died. Which wasn't a lie, but it was hard to get it through to Percival.

Arthur started to hate using the oil on his men like that. It used to be more fun, when his knights were all just knights without a worry in the world. Instead he got traumatized commoners.

Elyan was easier to take care of. The meaning in his life was that he'd do anything for his sister.
To break the spell, Gwen had to give him a task, he couldn't possibly fulfill.
She ended up making him catch chickens. Which young Elyan was horrible at. That broke the spell easily.
Lancelot's meaning in life was – to become a knight. Arthur had almost laughed as they realized that. They just told him he was no royal and therefore could never be a knight. Which wasn't a real lie, but an old rule that didn't apply anymore.

Every knight had a meaning in their life. And Arthur was proud to say that each one of them was honorable, and kind.
Some more depressing than others. But all devoted to Camelot and the people they loved.