Work Text:
When Merlin was still a child, living peacefully in Ealdor, he had only one dream. He wished for a beautiful and brave Knight to come and abduct him, to bring him to a prosperous realm where they would live happily.
He knew it was a foolish dream yet he couldn’t help but hope.
It had all started in his early years when, during winter, the miller’s wife gathered the children in the town hall to read them stories and tales. There were brave Knights fighting evil beasts and powerful sorcerers, slaying dragons and saving princesses. There were good magicians helping folk with their harvests. There were mad Kings threatening the peace of their kingdom only to be stopped by an errand Knight.
Merlin’s favourite story had always been the one with the Knight in shining armour coming to a small town and falling in love with one of the maid that lived there. He ended abducting her from the house of her parents to bring her to his castle where they lived for years and years, having children and being happy. In that story, the Knight was so brave, reliable and chivalrous.
As kids grew up, they forgot about these stories but not Merlin. He still hoped that, one day, he would met a Knight like in the tales.
***
The Knight never came, though. It was Merlin that ended up going to the Knight.
When his mother sent him to Camelot, he hoped to finally meet the man of his dreams. Of course, during his teen years, he had learned that being attracted to men wasn’t seen as normal but he had long forgotten about being normal so it didn’t really bother him anymore. Of course, he was aware that his preferences weren’t shared by many and that his quest to find his Knight in shining armour would not be an easy one.
And it was soon confirmed when he met Arthur. Arthur was not only a Knight he was also a Prince but he really didn’t fit Merlin’s standards. He was arrogant, disdainful, full of himself and if he was a great fighter he clearly didn’t have the noble mind of the Knights from Merlin’s childhood stories.
Of course, when Merlin was appointed as Arthur’s manservant he got to know him better and soon realized his first idea of the man was not true. Arthur was still a prat sometimes but behind his self-confidence, Merlin could see the strong mind of a future King. Merlin never felt like the maiden in the tales, though. He never felt like Arthur was a hero he could worship and admire. He was more like a friend of sort, someone he would do anything to protect, someone who would do the same for him.
The other Knights were not like Merlin had imagined them to be neither. If they were great at wilding a sword they weren’t noble at all and seemed to prefer spending their nights in the tavern than rescue people and fight magical beasts.
Only Leon was different but, once again, Merlin didn’t feel anything other than respect and trust for the man.
Merlin was left disillusioned and alone. Was the brave Knight from the tales only a dream?
***
Everything changed the day Merlin met Gwaine.
When Gwaine helped Merlin and Arthur in the tavern, Merlin couldn’t help but be awed by the man’s courage. He had risked his life to save complete strangers!
When they came back to Camelot, Merlin took care of Gwaine as he recovered from his wounds. That’s when he got to know him better. He loved his carefreeness and how he seemed to enjoy the simple things in life. And if he didn’t really fit the description of the Knight of Merlin’s childhood stories, he was gentle, funny and beautiful. Merlin soon learned that he also hid a noble heart and an infinite loyalty. Though, Gwaine was quite defiant and hated nobility but that wasn’t enough to prevent Merlin from falling in love.
Sadly, as soon as Merlin realized he had perhaps found the hero he was waiting for, Gwaine had to leave Camelot.
Merlin was distraught and he tried his best to hide his deception to everyone. He knew that Arthur had noticed something was amiss but he didn’t ask about it.
***
The day Merlin met Gwaine again, he promised himself that, this time, he wouldn’t let the man escape. But as Gwaine was still banned from Camelot Merlin had to let him go once again. Though, this time, Gwaine promised him he would come back one day and sealed his promise with a fleeting kiss on Merlin’s jaw. Merlin felt the shadow of Gwaine’s lips for days.
***
When they were finally reunited it wasn’t time for love and courtship and they barely spent time together. Merlin saw the way Gwaine was looking at him and felt shivers running along his spine each time their eyes met.
He tried not to harbor too much hopes but the day Gwaine was knighted, seeing the man wearing Camelot’s red cape, Merlin knew he had found his hero, the shining Knight of his childhood’s dream. And if he was funnier and loved ale and mead more than what was acceptable for a Knight, it didn’t bother Merlin. Gwaine was everything he had hoped, after all. Beautiful, strong, brave and he took care of Merlin like he was the most precious thing in the world.
Of course, he didn’t kidnap Merlin to bring him back to his realm but a few months later, then decided to live in a small house in town together. And Merlin kept hoping they would have their “happily ever after”.