#baby Merlin | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bitsandbobsofwriting · 2 years

Note

Hey, so I started thinking of the age gaps the way you thought of them and possible implications and then started thinking: what if when Leon was still relatively young and either a squire accompanying knights or a fresh new knight himself, it’s only been a handful of years since Balinor fled, and Uther is still occasionally sending out hunting parties for him. I just imagined them coming through Ealdor, and Leon is a good knight, a loyal one, but he was also young once, so I started to think of different scenarios: what would happen should he come across little baby/toddler Merlin who just so happened to have magic, Leon potentially sparing him; or they discover someone else with magic and Merlin witnessing that killing blow; or or or, maximum angst— Merlin’s always been immortal and this is the first time it’s proven only to himself because Leon does discover him, and he is a knight that fights for king and country… (and there’s so much guilt, but what else can he do, he needs to extinguish the evil in this land). How does this affect Merlin, his fear of Camelot’s knights, his fear of Leon— does Leon recognize him but doubts himself, starts protecting him when he finds out in an effort to make up for it, is he weirdly subconsciously suspicious of him etc…. sorry was just thinking of your estimated ages, with Leon being maybe max 20 years older and if we lower that a bit, well my head started spinning with possibilities cause I love Merlin & Leon, as friends or more, but sometimes I love angst a little bit more

Ok. Uh.

I'm in love with you. I'm in love with you so hard.

I think this might have to be a two version fic:

1) I LOVE the idea of Leon recognising Merlin when they meet again (like 11/12 years ish later) but Merlin having little to no memory of squire!Leon rescuing him, and taking him back to Ealdor after he got lost in the woods.

So, version one is happy!! Little Merlin is lost in the woods, at like... five or six?? Leon is a squire, maybe sixteen, invited along on one of the now rare Balinor hunts that clandestinely cross the Essetirian border. No one else cares about this kid, they just want to leave him where they found him, but he’s crying and obviously sick and won’t survive what looks like another night in the forest. The captain of the patrol takes pity though and allows Leon (who’d been the only one standing up for this kid) to take a horse and a couple days’ of supplies to take him to the closest village, which is at least a day away. So Leon takes little Merlin, learns his name, learns where he’s from (thank God, because he recognises the name from the maps he’d sneakily looked at, and he’s fairly sure that’s the one he’s heading to), and at night, Merlin has a nightmare, as lost and scared and hungry kids do, and does magic in his sleep. Leon freaks, but calms him down and tells him to be careful and looks after him and learns that one can be born with magic, and becomes a good guy in terms of magic, though secretly. Hunith and Merlin reunite, and Leon makes a low comment about keeping an eye on him, and making sure he’s grows up knowing the importance of secrets, before riding off to find his patrol again.

Fast forward twelve or so years, Merlin has basically no recollection of this, because he was sick and young and terrified and sort of traumatised by it, though his mum did tell him it happened (that he got lost, and a stranger bought him home after a few days. He always sort of thought it was made up though, to scare him into not wondering off/showing strangers his magic) but Leon recognises this teen’s name. Weird, but not too weird. Then the name of the village he’s from. Hmm. Then the name of his mother, when it eventually comes up. That, on top of the dark hair and blue eyes and the timing... Leon goes Oh Shit. When the magic reveal happens, he’s the first to jump to Merlin’s defence and is all “I thought I told you to get better at keeping secrets, kid” and Merlin is all ??? But other shit is happening right now so whatever. Later, Leon is all “You really don’t recognise me, do you?” and reveals all. They becomes bestie-brothers. Cuteness.

2) I ALSO love the idea of it being the opposite. Leon’s patrol coming across Merlin, seeing him do magic, and killing him, with LOTS of angst, and Leon not recognising Merlin, but Merlin recognising, and being terrified of, Leon.

So say after the Now Rare Balinor Hunting Patrol actually sees five or six year old Merlin do magic, Leon is forced, as the squire who needs to get his hands dirty to know what it’s like being a knight, to hold the child down as someone else kills him. Little Merlin is crying and screaming and throwing little golden sparks everywhere, but he’s weak and scared and it doesn’t do any damage (except maybe giving Leon a tiny weeny burn scar on his cheek?? Looks more like a blemish scar than a burn sort of thing?? Oh for sure. Leon subconsciously rubs at it whenever magic is discussed, and Merlin recognises the scar almost before he recognises the man himself) so he dies. Leon like... has to excuse himself to go cry in the woods, and he almost quits training then and there, screw his parents’ expectations, but the older knights are on a spectrum between “I know the first is always difficult, but these creatures are evil and they deserve it” to just straight up laughing at him, and he sticks it out. At first, he tries to convince himself that that little kid deserved it, that he even deserved to just be left in the woods, not burned, not buried, not anything. But he just... can’t. So as he gets stronger and more politically powerful, as a knight and as a Noble, the more secretly pro magic shit he does (sorta like Smuggling Ring but less extreme). He’s literally haunted by what happened to that kid, about what he did to that kid.

BUT THEN!!! Merlin comes to Camelot!! And Leon doesn’t recognise him, because of course he doesn’t, he doesn’t even twig, because in this version he has no clue what the kid’s name was, or where he was from (though he remembers painfully what he looked like, in his last moments). Plus, as far as he’s concerned, that kid is long dead and never coming back. But Merlin recognises him. And it’s just this... deeply ingrained fear response, even if his mind can shallowly recognise that the knight never looks happy when people call magic evil. He can’t be in the same room as him without getting short of breath, he can’t make eye contact without his irises going gold and his hands sparking a little. And it’s fine in the beginning because they have nothing really to do with each other, but later, when the gang more officially forms, it becomes a lot more obvious. Leon corners him one day and Merlin is scared shitless, and failing miserably to hide it. Leon demands to know what the hell is up, and eventually Merlin sort of tells the truth, sort of lies, saying “I saw you. When I was a kid, I saw you killing that boy, in the woods. Just because of his magic. And everyone laughed as it happened. He... was my friend, and I saw what you did. Don’t ask me not to be terrified of you.”

Leon drags him back to his chambers and shuts the door and Merlin is terrified and can’t seem to summon his magic, and Leon just sits on the bed and like... cries. Because he’s seen some shit. He’s battled the dragon, he’s lost countless friends, been injured and almost died so many times, had parents that never showed him the time of day, let alone pride, or love, or protection. And still, he explains, that was the single worst day of his life, and he has never forgiven himself for not demanding that he was killed alongside that boy. He explains all that he’s done, to protect magic users, to protect Druids, to persuade his friends and colleagues and other knights that perhaps magic isn’t that bad, but he’s never thought it was enough, and he still has nightmares almost every night about the look on that child’s face as he’d held him down, as he’d screamed and cried and bled out. And Merlin just loses it. He’s trying so hard to be angry, but ultimately he’s just so godamn traumatised, and so damned scared, and so damn empathetic, that he can’t help but feel sorry for Leon too, even though he’ll never fully forgive him, and will always be a little nervous of him (he can’t stand when Leon touches his shoulders/wrists or is physically above him, Merlin can’t sit down with Leon stood up next to him, etc). He tells the truth, that he was the boy, that that was the day he’d discovered he was immortal. It’s totes emotional and they both sob.

They start getting on a lot better, Leon is protective of Merlin to the EXTREME, and starts, in private at least, calling Merlin Miracle. Because he’s the boy that came back to life, and though Leon sort of... hates that he was lucky enough to get the second chance (because regardless of whether the kid would wake up again, he thought he was killing him. He did kill him. He doesn’t deserve a second chance, not for this), he’s also grateful beyond words that he gets to explain to his Miracle Boy how sorry he is, how much he’s trying to repent.

ANYWAY it’s totes angst, and will be very gory.

I am adding these to The List, and I’m so so so excited :D

This is literally incredible. I really need to think more about “earlier meeting AUs” with the knights because it’s always just fun. Maybe I’ll write a crack fic where all the knights (Leon, Elyan, Percival, Lancelot, Gwaine) have somehow met each other all before, individually. It’s the Spiderman meme but to the extreme lol :P

#bbc merlin #merlin #sir leon #leon #merlin angst #baby merlin #child merlin #immortal merlin #angst #so much angst #but also softenss in version 1 #soft leon #tw #child death #gore #protective leon #magic reveal

217 notes · View notes

derailedfiction · 5 months

Text

Lonely boy | 1. An Coineachan

Characters: Merlin | Hamish Mycroft, Galahad | Harry Hart, Merlin | Richard Mycroft (OMC), and other

Warnings: sadness, parents loss, abandonment, anger issues, swearing, death

Word count: 1942

Summary: it is a prequel to Run boy, run

A/N.: An Coineachan (en. Highland Fairy Lullaby) a Scottish lullaby, supposed to be sung by a disconsolate mother whose babe has been stolen by the fairies. Translated by L. MacBean, author of "Songs of the Highlands"

It was an unusual night. After a long day of heavy rains, it finally calmed down and the ground started to release accumulated moisture, forming dense and heavy fog around a mansion. When everybody should be sleeping one person, a child actually, was awake and waiting. Left alone with its nanny, in an extravagant and big mansion, the child was waiting for its parents to return. Despite being asked to go sleep a little boy refused to do so. Something wasn't allowing him to sleep, some kind of anxiety that made his tummy hurt a little bit. At once he became scared and stressed and looking through the window, searching for the lights of his parents’ car didn't help. All he could see was a milky cloud tightly hugging his home. The nanny took the snivelling boy in her arms and carried him to his bedroom. She put him in the bed and covered him carefully with a duvet and a blanket.

"Sleep now little one. Papa and Mama will be home soon," she tried to calm down the boy, but she only received quiet sobs in an answer. "Come on boy. Do you remember what Papa promised to you?" he nodded with trembling chin.

"We'll go flying", the boy said calmed down a little bit.

"That's right. So, think about flying in a nice plane and going to sleep and in the morning, you'll hug your parents. Sleep little one," the nanny kissed his forehead and left.

He had a hard time falling asleep. Those strange figures out of the window were making him wonder where his parents were and why they hadn't already come home to him. He curled up into an embryo and lay in complete silence. Even his hamster usually noisy at night was quiet as if something big was oncoming. The boy cried a little bit more but after a while, he fell asleep.

***

In the other part of the country, a man was woken up by an unexpected phone call. It was nearly two in the morning when he answered the phone, shrugging the sleep remnants almost immediately.

"Yes, yes of course. What happened?" he sat up trying to understand what was said to him. "What? Is there any chance...", the speaker interrupted him with new information. "Are you absolutely sure?" He was listening carefully, but he couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was hard to believe in such terrible news. "All right I understand that", but of course he understood. He heard the words, but their sense was lost to him, "Is there any chance that the child will live? The woman... His wife was pregnant... Oh Lord..." He felt all of a sudden numb, unable to speak.

Such tragedy, no one was expecting. His brother was dying, and his lovely wife was dead as the child she was carrying. His mourning thoughts concentrated on the boy they left alone in this world. Quickly he put himself together. He had things to be done.

"Is there any chance for me to arrive there just in time to see my brother?" the hope of seeing his little brother for the last time enlightened his face but it disappeared as fast as it came. The doctor on the other end wasn’t giving him great chances to survive the surgery.

"I'll arrive at the hospital as soon as I can. Yes, thank you," he got up and dressed in extreme rush.

The boy can't wake up alone, that was the most important thought for him at the moment.

"Arthur? It's Merlin. I need to borrow one of the helicopters. It's crucial. My brother and his wife just died, and they left a four-year-old boy after. I would be grateful. I need to get to Scotland as soon as I can. Thank you I owe you that, Arthur."

He was relieved that it went so smoothly. Just one more call and he was free to go but that was the hardest one. He dialled the number and waited.

"Hello?" the sleepy voice answered, he easily recognised Amelia, the nanny. "Amelia, it's Richard, Thomas's older brother." he was trying really hard to remain calm.

"Oh, good night, sir. Is everything all right?"

"How is the boy?"

“He had some difficulties with sleeping earlier this evening but eventually he is sleeping now," he could sense that she was suspecting something.

"Don't wake him, I’ll be there tomorrow. I have bad news, unfortunately."

Richard arrived in the early morning, quiet like a ghost. Of course, before arrival, he had taken care of things of practical matters like preparing necessary documents and contacting a lawyer. Some papers need to be changed. No sooner had he finished those small preparations than he went to the headquarters for the helicopter. The flight was surprisingly short, or it was due to the adrenalin and emotions building up. He didn’t pay attention to it deep in his thoughts looking at Glasgow bathed in the glow of the rising sun. The day looked promising, which even deepened the excruciating pain the man felt.

He tried to remember the last time was, he spoke to his little brother as he stood over his cold body, nodding to the mortician that it was his relative. It was not the first time he had to identify the body as the quartermaster of Kingsman, he got used to it. The coldness of the room and its sterility made him shiver.

Then Richard was presented with his sister-in-law's corpse, and he couldn’t take it anymore. Harsh gasp escaped his mouth as he helplessly tried to compose himself.

“Yes, that’s her,” he mumbled on the way out.

This was not supposed to happen. Never in his worst dreams has he imagined outliving his brother and being the one to determine if it’s the right body. He always thought it would be the other way around or that Thomas would end up getting a fancy letter with golden Kingsman’s emblem on it, informing with great sadness of his passing.

“Mr Mycroft?” he stood still observing the white-tiled floor with an empty gaze, “Mr Mycroft, are you alright?” a doctor touched his arm to get his attention, “I’m sorry for your loss, were you close?”

“We used to be. Unfortunately, my work wasn’t helping with keeping the relationship more devoted. At least at my end,” he cleared his throat and looked at the doctor, “How it will look like?”

“Well, we have to perform an autopsy but given it was a fatal car accident, it won’t take long. After that, the bodies will be transferred to the mortuary of your choosing for the funeral, Mr Mycroft. It will take a few days.”

“I see, you got my contact info?” after the confirming nod, he continued, “Good then I’ll wait for the call. I have to inform their son.”

“Mr Mycroft. Once again, I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Yes, thank you, doctor,” he brushed it off on his way out. The man’s thoughts were occupied and empty at the same time, already thinking how to deliver the news to his nephew.

***

“Amelia, is my mommy coming soon?”

“I’m sure she is, darling. Do you want to eat your breakfast?” the nanny showed him a plate of small pancakes with some berries on top.

“Pancakes? But it’s not Sunday,” the boy frowned puzzled with this offer, “I’ll eat them,” he added fast with a disarming smile.

“Very well, Hamish. Sit up and eat up, young gentleman,” Amelia put the plate with cutlery in front of the child and added a glass of juice after a moment, “When you finish you can go outside and play in the garden. How does it sound?”

“Mhmm,” he answered the best he could with a mouth full of food. He finished his meal excitedly, in his mind, already running on the barely dry lawn with a toy plane that would undoubtedly crush into the ground, “Thank you,” with a loud rumble he moved the plate away from him and ran away to dress up.

“Put your hat on, it’s rather chilly!” she shouted after her protegee. After a moment she heard a joyful scream as he ran out into the garden with his toys. She smiled to herself and started to clean up after the breakfast.

“Good morning, Amelia,” she jumped surprised.

“Good morning, sir. Quite an entrance,” she responded with a nervous laugh, “Can I get you anything?”

“Coffee, please. How is the boy?”

“He woke up in quite a cheerful mood. Is everything alright?”

“I’m afraid not,” he smiled softly, accepting the cup, “His parents had a car accident. They didn’t make it.”

Amelia gasped terrified, her eyes filled with tears, “My God, this is unbelievable. Oh, this poor boy. What will happen to him?”

“I don’t know, I spoke to the lawyer, I’ll become his legal guardian. We just need documents to move it further,” he heard a sigh of relief from the nanny, “Where is he?”

“Garden, playing with his planes,” her voice trembled as she tried to hold back tears. She was unable to imagine how he would feel when he finally heard the news, “Are you going to tell him, sir?”

“Unfortunately. I have no conscience to put you through it, Amelia,” Richard came closer to the window observing his nephew’s last moments of child’s light-hearted plays, “Let's give him some more carefree childhood. I’ll talk to him when he’s back home.”

Within half an hour a breathless and sweaty youngling stormed the house like a tornado, loudly demanding something to drink. Boots, hat, and jacket were left like a trail of breadcrumbs leading to the kitchen where he bumped into two adults conversing quietly.

“Uncle Rick!” he exclaimed throwing himself in welcoming arms, for a tight hug.

“Hello, dear boy,” the child nested himself comfortably in his arms and with cold hands touched his relative's face with naïve pietism, “What are you looking for, Hamish?”

“You look different, older…” he paused frowning, “Sadder.”

“Well, I am really sad today, lad,” Kingsman smiled softly, which puzzled the boy even more, “Let’s take our drinks and maybe we’ll go to the playroom?” he passed a plastic cup to the child and ordered to hold it tightly. With his other free hand, he took a half-finished coffee and they headed to another room.

“You stopped coming often, why?” nephew inquired, focused on not spilling his drink.

“I had a lot of work,” now I regret it, he thought to himself, “Alright, now off you go.”

As soon as Hamish stood on the floor, he greedily drank up the juice and gave back the empty cup to his uncle, eyeing a particularly soft teddy he wanted to play with. Richard sat down heavily on a black sofa and sank into it. He didn’t want to have this conversation with the four-year-old. All he wanted was to disappear or wake up from this nightmare.

“Hamish,” the boy looked at him expectantly, “Come here,” he stretched out his hand encouragingly, watching the child coming quickly holding teddy’s paw and dragging it behind him.

“Are you crying, uncle?” it was impossible not to hear how concerned the boy was, “Is it because you’re sad?”

“Yes, lad,” he lifted him and sat down on his lap, “I’m sad because something happened and I’m even sadder because I have to tell you about it,” as best as he could, Hamish tried to hide behind his teddy. If such a big adult was crying about something, what would be with him?

“What is it?” he whispered.

“Your parents won’t come home, boy.”

#merlin kingsman #merlin prequel #why do i hurt him so much #baby merlin #baby hamish #kingsman fic #8 years too late

0 notes