Mergana Oneshots

Portraits

What if Balinor was Uther's most trusted advisor? And what if he looked just like Merlin at his age?

"Gwaine, I'm gonna murder you." Arthur growled, looking between the cracks.

Gwaine smirked, not scared of the threat. 

Leon looked between the gold coins, while Percival searched between the floorboards.

They where searching for the crown.

Gwaine decided to try it on, and it had rolled down through a grate, and landed somewhere in the room.

"If we don't find it before Merlin gets back, I think we're doomed." Arthur said, remembering the conversation he had with the manservant before climbing down.

"If you don't find it, I'm telling Gaius."

Arthur shivered. The physician was scary sometimes.

Gwaine walked over to a stack of portraits. "Maybe it crawled behind."

The knights gathered around, hoping their problems would be solved.

"Found it!" Gwaine said, pulling out the crown.

Gwen exhaled in relief.

One of the portraits fell, revealing a portrait of Uther and Arthur.

Gwen stared. Uther's face was cold and stone-hard. Arthur looked so sad.

"Poor you."

The next one fell, revealing a smiling happy family of Uther and Ygraine, who was clearly expecting. 

"Aww!"

Arthur smiled. "You know, maybe we should go through these. We need some decoration."

He positioned the next one around, which was another portrait of Uther.

Gwaine shuddered.

Gwen glared at him, and Gwaine shrugged, and pulled the next one around.

Uther was smiling over his subjects, queen at his side.

Leon noticed it first. 

"Um..."

Pointing to a figure, everyone followed to reveal...

"Merlin? What's he doing in Camelot around.... 30 years ago?" Gwaine asked.

They all peered closer.

The figure had the same face, hair, and eyes as their Merlin. He even stood in the same pose! Gwen covered her mouth.

Arthur pulled down the next picture, revealing a dinner party.

All their eyes where drew to the spot Merlin usually stood.

Nothing.

They all exhaled.

Gwaine gasped. "Guys?"

Merlin sat on Uther's right, talking with the former king.

The next one revealed Merlin and Uther sparring for fun, laughter etched upon their faces.

Then there was a younger Uther, hanging out with his future queen, and there was Merlin, hanging upside down from the tree, laughing.

Then there was the two of them, arms around their shoulders, smiling.

The last one had moving pictures.

"Geoffrey!" They recognized the voice as Gaius. "Magic is illegal! Put that away!"

Geoffrey continued walking. "History needs to be complete!"

He walked through a clearing, then gasped, and hid.

Uther and Merlin where there, swords pointed at each other's throat.

"You tricked him. You tricked ME!" Merlin bellowed, glaring at Uther.

Uther raised his sword. "Magic is evil."

Merlin scowled. "I curse you, Uther Pendragon, for killing my kind. I curse you." 

Uther stepped back, shock on his face.

"You will try to protect yourself and your son, but you will end up dead. You will have to watch your family be slaughtered, and then be tricked into death. Then you will feel my and his pain."

Uther's face turned into rage. "And I banish you! Forever!"

Merlin's face darkened. "I would never stay here. You've turned into a monster. If I where to return, it would be for revenge."

"GUARDS!" Knights poured in from all sides. Geoffrey cursed, and backed up. 

Merlin glared one last time at  Uther, before running through the trees.

The video ended.

Gwaine dropped the portrait. 

Thumping came from somewhere.

"Arthur?" Merlin's voice called out. "Where are you guys?"

"If I where to return, it would be for revenge."

Merlin's words echoed through Arthur's mind.

His footsteps came closer.

They all busied themselves, all pale in the face. 

"There you guys are." Merlin said, entering the room. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Gwaine looked up.

Arthur sent him a pleading look, but the knight didn't listen.

"You don't seem to age."

Merlin laughed, but there was a bit of worry in his eyes. "What?"

Gwaine pointed over to the pictures, while the rest of them groaned.

Merlin walked over.

Arthur watched as he paled.

"Um..." He said, eyes widening.

Leon placed a hand over his sword.

Merlin exhaled. "I knew you would find out one day."

Arthur tensed up.

Merlin looked down. "That's my father. Check the labels." 

The knights and Gwen smacked themselves. How could they not check the labels?

Gwaine, the closest to the portraits, flipped one over.

"Uther announcing a peace treaty with their rivals, the... Don't know how to say that... On his right, the queen, Ygraine, and on his left, his advisor... Balinor? Am I saying that right?"  

Merlin nodded.

Arthur blinked. "Your father is Balinor? The dragonlord?"

Merlin smiled. "Is there another Balinor?"

Arthur stared at his manservant.

"Nah."

Swinging his arm around Merlin's shoulder, Arthur sighed. "Sorry for doubting you."

Merlin raised his eyebrow. "What?"