Merlin

[consultingwarlock]

| ~ • ~ | Character Basics | ~ • ~ |

.:Name of Character:. Merlin
.:Nick Name:. Emrys (Druids) Mer~lin/MERLIN! (Arthur)
.:Age:. Early twenties. (Around the same age as Arthur)
.:Race:. Dragonlord
.:Status:. Servant

| ~ • ~ | Appearance | ~ • ~ |

.:Physical Appearance:. At first glance, Merlin doesn't seem much of a threat to anything. His tall, thin frame is normally clothed in his customary blue and red, alternating depending on what scarves and shirts are clean, and how late he is for Arthur. Similarly, his raven black hair is styled more by sleep than it is by Merlin himself, and only with a few fingers run through it to make it seem like he hasn't just woken up.

Brown jacket, matching brown boots, and a slim brown belt fitted around his waist complete his look. Although he is the Prince's manservant, there is nothing to distinguish Merlin from the other servants or peasants around Camelot. This suits him perfectly, as he'd never want someone he'd just met to judge him based on his station in the castle, which the clothes manage to hide.

The only time he would ever be seen in public out of his normal attire would be if Arthur forced him to wear the 'Official Ceremonial Robes of the Servants of Camelot' again. Minus the funny hat.

.:Height:. Around 6'1"/6'2" (Slightly taller than Arthur, which Merlin likes to point out occasionally).

.:Portrayed by:. Colin Morgan

| ~ • ~ | Personality | ~ • ~ |

.:Personality:. Merlin is ever the optimist, a face that is rarely seen without a smile. (Unless he's been told to clean Gauis' leech tanks again, of course). His friendly attitude and willingness to help anyone in need make him one of the more popular servants in and around Camelot Castle.

He doesn't see Arthur's royal status as something to feel intimidated by, and will frequently question Arthur's judgment when the need arises; not afraid to stand up for what he believes in. This also causes him to make rash decisions, ones that don't necessarily turn out for the better.

Merlin is fiercely loyal towards those he counts as friends, especially Arthur who, despite being a pompous dollop-head half the time, Merlin trusts with his life. His loyalty towards the Once and Future King is so strong that Merlin would give up his life in an instant if it meant Arthur's life would be spared.

He also has a side that rarely gets shown to others. Only a few have seen the hidden side of him, as it is one he keeps secret for fear of others' reactions.
This is the side of magic. The side that takes over when Arthur's life is in danger, the side that would kill in an instant to protect the legacy that has been foretold. The side that questions every day whether today is the day Arthur finds out about his magic.
And the one that is terrified of the consequences.

.:Strengths:.

• The main strength Merlin possesses is his magic.
  His natural ability allows him to bend the forces of nature to his will without uttering a word. Over the years he has become more adept at this, his control over his magic stronger. But he still prefers to use words when possible, as they grant him a greater control over his magic.
  It is normally in desperate situations that Merlin calls on his natural gifts; ones where the outcome does not look positive. For more mundane situations (like cleaning Arthur's armour for example) he uses worded spells.
  
  
• Another strength Merlin has is his inherited Dragonlord ability. It is with this he is able to speak and cast spells in the dragon tongue, summon and control the last remaining dragons (as well as having partial control over Wyverns), and the ability to perform a stunning spell by emitting a great roar that sounds like a dragon's.
  It is by using these powers that Merlin has been able to tame the Great Dragon Kilgharrah, who he calls on in times of need.
  
  
• Merlin's loyalty towards his friends means that he would always have someone to help if he was in trouble, as they know he would do the same for them.
  
  
• He cares a great deal about people, and his honest and open attitude about that fact means he is considered to be very trustworthy.
  
  
• He has a very particular set of morals that allow him to kill only when killing is truly necessary, for example if Arthur was in danger. He despises seeing innocents hurt or killed, and even hunting makes him uneasy.
  

.:Weaknesses:.

• His loyalty also means he puts himself in danger over any one else. He would rather himself take the hit, than have any one else take it for him. He would not hesitate to jump in front of a crossbow bolt if it meant saving Arthur's life. Or indeed, drink poison that he thought was intended for the Prince.
  
  
• He often says the wrong thing at the wrong time; unable to keep his thoughts to himself. This has landed him and Arthur into trouble on more than one occasion.
  
  
• Merlin also often doesn't think before he acts. This impulsive nature tends to lead to more harm than good, and often to the disapproval of Gauis.
  
  
• Keeping his magic hidden means that he has to be extra careful using it around Arthur and any one who would report back to him. This can cause a lack of focus when he needs it, and has the potential consequence of not being fully aware of his surroundings, making it easier for people to do him harm.
  
  
• His morals have stopped him from taking action against certain people in the past that have needed to be taken care of for the future of Albion. He has frequently ignored Kigharrah's warnings, instead choosing his own way of dealing with the threats.
  
  
• As well as Kilgharrah, he also disobeys Arthur if he thinks Arthur is in danger, which can lead to bad things for both Merlin and the others around him.
  

.:Magic Abilities:. Warlock - Natural Abilities
.:Special Skills:. Dragonlord / Keeping his magic a secret
.:Accents:. English, although less well spoken than Arthur. His vocabulary includes the words 'prat' 'dollop-head' 'clotpole' 'supercilious' 'condescending' 'overbearing' 'arrogant' - all of these used to describe one Arthur Pendragon.

| ~ • ~ | History | ~ • ~ |

.:Birthplace:. Ealdor
.:Family:. Mother: Hunith Father: Balinor Adopted Father: Gauis
.:Occupation:. Prince Arthur's Manservant
.:Current Location of Residence:. Camelot Castle
.:History:. Ever since he was born, Merlin was displaying signs of magical ability. Without his father Balinor around to help, Hunith tried to keep it hidden the best she could; keeping Merlin away from the other villagers until he was old enough to understand not to use his gifts in front of others.
Despite this warning, Merlin found it difficult to control the surges of magic that grew stronger as he grew older, finding releasing the magic somewhere private the only way of finding any relief. There were times that he slipped up in front of other villagers, and although he tried to hide what happened as best he could, they soon grew suspicious of the strange happenings that would occur around the young boy.
One day, after he had run into the forest to release the magic that was pulsing beneath his skin, he didn't notice his only friend Will following him. It was only after Will revealed himself that he realised he'd been seen doing magic. After panicking and urging Will not to tell anyone, he was prompted by his friend into showing him exactly how powerful he was. Giddy with the excitement of having someone else know his secret, Merlin forgot his mother's warning and expelled a shock wave so powerful it felled the tree where it stood.
What Merlin didn't realise was the tree had nearly crushed 'Old Man' Simmons, who had been sent to find out where the two boys had disappeared to. He was furious, and found a way to blame Merlin even without any concrete proof.
This event prompted Hunith, who was the angriest she had ever been at Merlin, to start sorting out arrangements for him to stay with someone who could help him control his magic.

A few months later, a young Merlin arrived in Camelot seeking out his mother's friend Gaius, who he was told would be able to help him learn to control his gifts. Little did he know that in the very walls he would be staying, a King was intent on wiping out all forms of magic from his kingdom.
On one of his first days in Camelot, Merlin met Prince Arthur. Or rather, he threw a punch at said Prince, who threw him in the dungeons for his behaviour. After being let out by an exasperated Gaius, Merlin vowed to stay away from the arrogant prat for as long as possible. However, fate and destiny had other ideas.
He ended up saving the Prince's life, unintentionally gaining a sought after position in the royal household: a job as Arthur's manservant.
At first, Merlin hated the job. Hated the job, and hated Arthur.
But after being told of his destiny by Kigharrah and how he and Arthur were two sides of the same coin, he begrudgingly began to try and put up with the Prince's behaviour.
Over time, this became second nature to Merlin, and without quite realising it he became conscious of the fact that he counted Arthur almost as a friend. His trust in Arthur and everything he stands for started to grow, as did their friendship.

Now, Merlin waits for the next threat to Arthur's life, and the next occasion he has to use his gifts to save him. He just hopes that he hasn't left it too late to tell Arthur of his magic...

| ~ • ~ | Sample Post | ~ • ~ |

The woods were quiet. Still. It was as if the world was holding its breath in anticipation for what was to come. Suddenly, a young man darted out from between the trees, breath catching in his throat as he ran, jumping over fallen logs and branches that were in his way.
Close behind, a series of yells pierced the silence of the forest, the pounding of feet drawing closer every second.
The young man looked back to see how close his assailants were, and promptly tripped over a protruding root and fell to the floor hard. Winded, he tried to get up, but a shooting pain in his ankle stopped him from moving. Gritting his teeth, he drew in a sharp breath before shuffling around to face the approaching men. The young man slowly lifted a hand, piercing blue eyes turning to molten gold for a split second, betraying the use of magic. A violent wave of wind hit his pursuers, causing them to fly back into trees and onto the forest floor.
Some didn't move again, while others, groaning, got back to their feet with fire in their eyes. But another flash of gold soon took care of that.

Once he was certain that they were all dead or unconscious, Merlin slumped, exhausted. He was about to check the state of his ankle when a streak of red caught his eye. Turning, all colour drained from his face as he beheld the sight before him. Arthur. He could only stare in helpless silence, his mouth too dry to utter a sound, and his heart pounding too loudly in his ears for him to hear any reply had there been one.
He watched as Arthur clenched and unclenched his fists, raw pain written over every feature; along with a mixture of rage, disbelief, sadness and even fear. When Arthur finally shifted position, Merlin jumped, nerves already taut from waiting to see what Arthur's reaction would be. Arthur didn't utter a word. He just gave one final look at Merlin and, with a slight shake of his head, started walking in the direction of Camelot.

Merlin was petrified. He was frozen, eyes fixed on Arthur's retreating form. Suddenly, without much thought, he leapt to his feet, intending to do something, anything to make Arthur listen.
"Arthur! Arthur wait! I'm sorry, I meant to tell you, I-" with a pained cry, Merlin fell to the floor for the second time that day, ankle protesting fiercely at its use. He looked up, eyes brimming with unshed tears, to see Arthur even futher away than before. "ARTHUR!" Merlin screamed, voice breaking as a sob tore its way out of his throat. Arthur didn't turn. "ARTHUR!" Merlin tried again, conscious of the tears now streaming down his face. He tried to get up, but his ankle gave way before he was standing. Despair washed over him as he realised Arthur wasn't going to turn back. What would his mother say? What would Gaius say? He would be banished, he would be killed, he would be-

Heart pounding and sweat dripping down his forehead, Merlin sat up in bed. It took him a few seconds to realise that he was back in his room in Camelot, and decidedly not banished if the armour pile in the corner was anything to go by. Taking a few shuddering breaths, he squeezed his eyes shut, running a shaking hand through his hair. That was the third nightmare this week. Each one about Arthur, each one about his magic being revealed. At least this time he didn't wake up after having a sword impaled in his stomach.

Swinging his legs out of bed, Merlin walked over to the window, opening it and looking out over Camelot. His home. Letting the cool breeze wash over him, he slowly felt his heart rate returning to normal. Taking a deep breath, he noted the emerging pinks and yellows in the sky and turned around to get dressed. Arthur would need waking up soon, and if Merlin went early enough, he could grab some breakfast from the kitchens before seeing to him. Throwing his clothes on, he smoothed down his hair and opened the door to his room, jogging down the stairs and through Gauis' chambers. Too focused on getting some breakfast, Merlin missed the sympathetic look thrown towards him by the physician, who had been kept awake by the pitiful noises coming from Merlin's room during the night.

Unaware of his mentor's sleepless night, Merlin continued towards the kitchens, nightmare already fading from his mind as his stomach started protesting. Barely avoiding a tray laden with food making its way out of the kitchens, its owner giving Merlin a hard stare, he smiled to himself. It was just another day in Camelot. Another day looking after Arthur, doing mindless chores and keeping his magic a secret.
All in a day's work for Merlin.

[Camelot]

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