1 - 20 of 24 Works in Morally Ambiguous Merlin (Merlin)
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If serving Arthur was Merlin's destiny, then why was Morgana the one he felt inexorably drawn to?
Every time his thoughts followed this trail, he felt the press of the dragon’s prophecy, the beast's rasping words so potent it was as if they were etched into his skin like scales. Arthur was the one he was meant to serve. Arthur was the one who would make it safe for magic users to thrive once again in Camelot.
So why was it Morgana he couldn’t help but fixate on?
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OR A Morgana-centric BBC Merlin rewrite in which Merlin doesn't blindly listen to Gaius and finds connection with Morgana amongst the dangers of Uther's court. Burdened by destiny but hounded by desire, Merlin navigates the treacherous path of fate. Morgana attempts to walk the righteous road but makes difficult, and often bad, choices in her quest for a just world.
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A long time ago, there were a family of creators. They made the world and everything in it. They assigned Gods and Goddesses to keep the animals in line, and they tended to the world like a gardener to their flower bed. Everything was in perfect harmony.
That was until one species of the universe, the humans, rose up and killed Annuata and Ovenaue. The daughter and son mourned over the deaths of their parents and, somewhere along the line, forgot about their precious world.
Wars started. Land was divided. The world fell into chaos. And no matter how much the siblings tried, they could not restore balance to the world.
Eveinte and Juniao watched over and over as the apocalypse took their world. And even though they recorated the world again and again, it always ended in fire and pain and suffering.
Over and over, the siblings tried to save the world, but every time they failed. It didn't matter what they tried; nothing worked.
That was until Eveinte decided to get creative. Starting next week, Juniao would go into medieval Britain and find Uther Pendragon. Next week, Uther Pendragon would gain an heir. 16 years later, Juniao would become Merlin.
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What if Balinor had returned a couple of years after he left? What if Merlin had grown up with a father, knowing more about magic and Uther’s actions? What if he was more than happy to see Uther dead, so long as his destiny was fulfilled?
OR
Merlin grows up hating Uther and is more than happy to ignore the dragon and his yapping about his destiny.
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I will add any trigger warnings here but since I have no idea how this story will go I will try to keep all topics somewhat light but still realistic as I can. Feel free to comment if you think any trigger warnings should be added!
Warnings:
Eating disorders -
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Ravening (adj.)
(of a ferocious wild animal) extremely hungry and hunting for prey.
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Danger faded from the forest after it fled. Swords were lowered, shoulders releasing the tension. Even the air was easier to breathe.
Yet, though Percival knew not why, he didn't feel comforted by the outward lack of threat. There was something in the pit of his stomach. He felt like eyes were constantly trained on the back of his head, and his heart was still thumping long after they'd saddled their horses and departed.
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OR: Twenty-five years after the Great Purge, Prince Arthur and his knights accidentally
awakenstumble upon a vampire. -
Like a mad dog after a rabbit (I keep running) by begaydocrimes10001
Fandoms: Merlin (TV)
15 Sep 2025
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Arthur woke up. This was a shock since he last remembered a sword being pushed through his stomach.
(Arthur experiences a time loop after a noble successfully kills him. Anytime he dies, he wakes up the morning of the arrival of his would-be murderer. As the loops continue, the secrets he learns begin to stack up, and there's enough to shatter what he believes about his family, his life, who he loves, and what his duty is to Camelot. Here's to hoping he can uncover each lie before the weight of them crush him.)
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When Cracks Show, Gold Can Peek Through by AnyWing
Fandoms: DCU, Batman - All Media Types, Merlin (TV)
14 Sep 2025
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An ancient power has awoken, one almost as old as time itself.
With no other choice, Jason Blood takes the League to the one thing greater than time, Magic Himself.
Bruce, as sceptical as ever, refuses to let this ungoverned power escape his watch.
But why is the wizard playing with his kids and having morning tea with Alfred?And is that.. Damian smiling?
Series
- Part 1 of A Time Of Myth, Legend and... Heros?
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“We’re running out of time," Merlin said.
“You are already out of time. You always have been.”
Merlin felt the truth of it in his bones. He wanted to kill the old man for it.
“I’ll be back,” Merlin said. “You know I will. And I’ll remember, even when you don’t.”
Merlin woke in the woods, made sure Arthur was breathing, killed Morgana, and summoned Kilgharrah. He reached Avalon, bargained with the Sidhe, summoned Freya, tried everything he could think of. When it didn’t work, he killed himself, woke in the woods, and tried again.
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Merlin cannot die. When he does, he wakes up at the beginning of the day of his death. Merlin cannot die, and he won't let Arthur die either.
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“I have seen this all before,” Merlin’s voice was steely though his hands shook at his sides.
The old druid merely shook his head, “You have seen visions, Emrys, possibilities. I am offering you a certainty. Arthur’s bane will be his demise. If the boy is left alive, there will be no legacy to Arthur’s reign, only a hazy memory of a sovereign that was born in blood and died in blood.”
Merlin’s eyes widened, and a stinging sensation nestled its way into his skin as the druid’s magic filled the room.
“The decision is yours to make. The Triple Goddess will make her’s in return.”
OR
It was always going to be Arthur. Even if it meant taking the life of one of his own, Merlin was always going to choose the path that saw Arthur live. A seer offers Emrys a choice and a promise in one, and for once Merlin acts upon it.
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Arthur Pendragon’s life was saved by a sacrifice from his alternate self—a twist of fate that left him with haunting dreams of a past life in which Merlin, his gentle and protective father, was also his lover. As Arthur grows up, those dreams become harder to ignore, and so do the feelings they awaken. Navigating high school to college, Arthur’s caught between the life he has and the one his heart remembers. Meanwhile, Merlin, the always-affectionate dad, has never turned his son down.
Pt 2 in the "A Promise Beyond Time" series. Even though the two are connected, you don't have to read pt 1 to understand (but feel free! This fic is such a fix-it). This fic takes place in a different multi-verse to the first one but it's still very much connected. Wholly different vibes.
Series
- Part 2 of A Promise Beyond Time
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“I asked you about this once, you know. Whether or not magic had a place in Camelot.”
The oddest expression springs across Merlin’s face; hope. “And what did I say?”
(After a magical artifact comes into play, Merlin from s1 is transported into a version of s5, a time where Merlin will do anything, anything to keep Arthur alive. Arthur has to deal with the aftermath.)
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Arthur was only supposed to return if Merlin failed to protect the world.
If only someone had told Merlin that.
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“Galiad, fifth son of Chrockland, former Knight of Camelot, for your grievous crimes against the crown, I hereby sentence you to execution, death by beheading–”
Galiad fell to his knees, ears ringing. He never should have tried to kill the King. It had been a stupid, reckless decision, and he could not believe he’d been so easily bribed into it.
He had let his ego get the better of him, and now, here he was, on his knees in the throne room, fighting back tears, trying not to throw up all over the stone floor, begging for his life to be spared.
And here’s the real kicker; he wasn’t even on trial for the attempted murder of his King. His Majesty didn’t know about that.
No, Galiad was on trial for the crime he’d committed against King Arthur’s manservant.
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For you, My Love, I will paint the world red by yinnish for turborat
Fandoms: Merlin (TV)
03 Mar 2024
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“How ‘bout you? How did you get your place in the sky?”
“Through my irresistible charm and unique talents, of course.”
“…You sit in a tavern drinking and flirting all day.”
“Nah you see, that’s where you’re wrong. I’m observing. Observing and fishing.”, emphasising the last word by having his eyes glued to a passing woman’s breasts.
“You…observing?”
“Yep.”, grinning slyly he lifted his jug, “Who do you think pays for all this?”
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“Do you enjoy this? Killing people?”
“Yes. Does that make me a monster?”
“…”
“I’ve always been a monster in other peoples eyes. Now I simply chose to embrace it.”
Stepping closer, lifting his lovers jaw and looking deep into his eyes he stated, “You could never hate me, could you.”
In short, Merlin is killing people left and right, protecting Arthur and gathering allies. He started enjoying it too, a quality that was surely fired on by the personality traits of a dragon manifesting.
Enjoy Merlin going berserk with him and Arthur fucking in between in differently detailed scenes and ways (including flashbacks of the first time etc). Morgana and Merlin as a magical bamf duo happens as an act of revenge at the end. -
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The crowd quieted as Arthur spoke. “Robert John Reed. By the laws pursuant of Camelot, you are adjudged guilty of practicing magic and committing murder. As such, I, Arthur Pendragon and King of Camelot, sentence you to death for your crimes. Have you any last words?” The question went unanswered aside from a scowl beneath eyes filled with fear and hatred. Arthur nodded at the guards, and the men forced the criminal to kneel over the basket that would catch his severed head. Merlin watched, feeling almost detached from the moment as Arthur raised his hand and let it drop.
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Merlin is exhausted, trying to juggle his roles as Arthur's servant and the protector of magic. So exhausted that he's not sure who he is anymore. When a murderer is sentenced to death due to possessing magic, will Merlin be able to stand by and let him die?
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Whumptober 2023 - Day 26 - "Sometimes I get so tired; I don’t even know myself."Series
- Part 24 of Whumptober - 2023
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Arthur Pendragon, a Director of Pendragon Ltd, begins a relationship with bubbly, irreverent book editor Emerson Wyllt, and things seem perfect for once. But are they? Is Emerson all he says he is? And what does it have to do with Arthur’s job?
Merlin Emrys, junior human rights lawyer, begins a relationship with repressed, unexpectedly sensitive businessman Arthur Pendragon in order to steal information about human rights violations perpetrated by Pendragon Ltd. But as he grows closer with Arthur, his guilt over all of his lying grows worse and worse. Is there any way he can salvage the relationship while still bringing Pendragon Ltd to justice?
**READ THE TAGS**
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"It's funny." Said the manservant, long after he should've lost anything resembling coherence. "I can't say I trust you, obviously. I don't even wish I did, or I could. But I'm following you regardless. It's strange, isn't it? It's strange. Why would I do this? I want to help you, want to go out of my way to help you- I let you lead me out of Camelot just to see where we would go! Now, why ever would I go and do a foolish thing like that?"
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OR: A A witch, not knowing how to reach freedom, asked a manservant to help in her endeavor. -
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Merlin is horrified when he discovers that in trying to achive his and Arthur's destiny hes become the very thing he swore to destroy
Series
- Part 3 of Angstober 2023
- Part 111 of Merlin
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Knowing that the Old Religion is dead, Merlin spends hundreds of years as a priest of small parishes or as a monk, trying to find solace in the quiet of living in monasteries rather than believing the Christian God would bring Arthur back from the lake. But, from his side, Arthur can see him and prays. Yet, in this game of good and evil, someone listens and makes Arthur a tempting offer.
Series
- Part 8 of Merlin Bingo 2023
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Merlin first saw the king in a dream when he was a child. He dreamt he was flying over Ealdor on the back of a white dragon. His mother stood below telling him to come back down. But the dragon kept flying higher until his mother was too far away to be heard and Ealdor was so small. He told the dragon that he wanted to go back home to his mother. The dragon replied in a woman’s voice, “You do not belong to her. You are for the king.”
Series
- Part 2 of All Too Well
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Arthur falls mortally wounded by a magical beast attack he shouldn’t have faced. Merlin’s magic lashes out to protect him.
Series
- Part 1 of Merlin Bingo 2023