#i am enjoying this v much
Title:(We Can Burn) Brighter Than the Sun
Series:Dragons Soar the Skies With Plentiful Fields Below
Fandom:BBC’sMerlin
Author:Batsutousai
Chapter: 11 of 26
Rating:M
Pairings: Arthur/Merlin, past-Arthur/Gwen, background relationships
Warnings: AU, time travel fix-it, PTSD, immortal!Merlin, powerful!Merlin, grief and loss, allusions to suicide
Summary: Merlin has been alive for 1500 years, and he’s long since accepted that Arthur’s not coming back. But there may yet be a chance that he can go back to Arthur and get a chance to not fail his king.Chapter Eleven—Platinum Soul
Elena waited until they were inside the castle, and mostly far enough from any prying ears to keep from chancing being overheard, to ask, “Do they know? About your–” She wiggled the fingers of her free hand.
Merlin snorted quietly, because Will’s hand signal for magic was remarkably similar. “Yes. It came to light when I was healing Prince Madoc,” he explained; the royals had decided it would be Madoc who had fallen ill, likely so no one would question why it wasn’t announced that his heir apparent was ill. Not that most of Albion’s rulers would really expect Gwrthefyr to name Alicia heir, not when she was female. Which was, Merlin knew, utter bollocks, not that he expected his feminist beliefs to make much of a dent in the modern mindset.
Elena was quiet for a long moment, presumably considering that, then said, “Dyfed has always seemed to have a lighter stance when it came to magic. Father said the late queen was a sorcerer.”
“So I’ve been told,” Merlin agreed, because that hardly would have been a secret before the Purge; it didn’t surprise him that Godwyn would know about it. And, so long as Dyfed remained under Uther’s radar, Merlin didn’t suppose it really mattered if he confirmed something that was, no doubt, public record.
Elena nodded. “I suppose I shouldn’t be too cross with you for finding a different kingdom to settle properly in.” She shot him a sideways glance that made him feel like he should be stiffening, then commented, “I don’t remember ever seeing any rings, though.”
“Has anyone ever told you,” Merlin replied drily, “that you’re entirely too perceptive?”
She smiled, but it had a too-sharp edge to it. “Are we friends, Emrys? Or Merlin. Or whatever your name truly is.”
“It truly is Merlin,” he admitted. “And, yes, you have said we are, and I should like to believe so.”
You can read it at Archive of Our Own!
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