Merlin Oneshots (Wattys 2016)

Never have I ever

I was with a patrol of knights, Gwaine, Lancelot, Arthur, Leon, Elyan and Percival. We were sitting around a fire I had made, and eating food I cooked. We decided to play a game.

"This is a fame called 'never have I ever.' What you do is hold out your fingers, and we go around the circle saying things we have never done. If someone says something that you have done, you put down a finger. Once all, your fingers are down, you are out. The person who is left wins." Lancelot explains. Everyone puts out their fingers.

"I will go first" Arthur says. "Never have I ever...had to wash my own clothes." I put down my finger, along with Percival, Gwaine, Lancelot and Elyan. Arthur smiled, proudly. Gwaine was next.

"Never have I ever been royalty." Gwaine smirked as Arthur put down a finger. He glared at Gwaine.

"Never have I ever been a knight" I smiled, as everyone put down a finger. Next was lancelot.

"Never have I ever..." we continued to play for a half hour until the scores were:

Merlin/me 3 fingers

Arthur 3 fingers

Leon out

Lance 2 fingers

Elyan out

Percival out

Gwaine 2 fingers

It was Gwaines turn. "Never have I ever brought Arthur food." I sighed and put down a finger. Lance did as well.

It was my turn next. "Never have I ever had donkey ears!" I smirked as Arthur glared at me and put down a finger.

"Not funny Merlin!"

Lancelot was next. "Never have I ever had merlin as a servant." Arthur groaned. He was down to 1 finger.

"My turn! Never have I ever had a name with an 'e' in it." I had 1 finger left, and Lance was out. It was down to me Gwaine and Arthur. Gwaine decided to ask the worst question possible.

"Never have I ever practiced magic!" Arthur looked at him weirdly. "What? I'm just saying that I never have!" Lancelot snuck a glance at me as I put down a finger.

"OK... Merlin, your turn!" Arthur said.

"I'm out..."

"But merlin, you were in before Gwaines question!"

"I...know..."

"Wait, Merlin are you a sorcerer?" Everyone was looking at me now. I didn't answer, I just looked away. "Merlin, yes or no?! Tell me!"

"YES! OK? There I answered your stupid question! Are you happy now? Now I am probably going to be burnt at the stake even though I save your life pretty much every day! I have fought witches, dragons, and serkets to make sure you stay alive, Arthur! I use my magic for you Arthur! Only for you! And if you don't believe me, look at my scars!" I ripped off my shirt and turned away from them. I heard gasps, and felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Lancelot staring back at me with sympathy. I looked over my shoulder to see the shocked expressions on my friends' faces.

Arthur was staring at my back with concentration, probably trying to process everything I just told them. The second I felt the tears streaming down my face, I collapsed to the ground in a heap. Lancelot and Gwaine were quick to help me, along with Percival. Elyan and Leon were attempting to comfort Arthur. It was quiet for a while, until I heard two words that sent shivers down my spine.

"Show me."

I turned to see Arthur staring me down. The fire was in between us, so I decided that would be the perfect thing to show Arthur with. I stretched out my arm towards the flames and whispered a few words in the language of the old religion. The sparks from the fire formed the shape of a dragon that I made fly around the campsite, and circle Arthurs head. I whispered some more, and the dragon began changing colours. The knights gaped at the sight, but Arthur was expressionless. As he watched the dragon, I changed the shape into the words 'I'm sorry Arthur'. I saw a single tear fall from Arthurs face, as I changed the sparks into a scene, or should I say, a memory of one of the many times I saved Arthur.

Arthur watched the sparks in silence.

The rest is for you to imagine.