The Witch's Aria AU

Author's Notes

Merthur AU with suggestive Male/Male dom/sub scenes, implicit ArMor and MerGwen, humor, hurt, angst, slight dark!Merlin dark!Arthur further on.

This is a slightly more fluff version of the story, the slash scenes gonna stay on the suggestive side to apply to site rules. If you prefer the explicit MA-rated version of the story (still no hardcore but just to be on the safe side) I invite you to check out the story as it soon will be published at AO3 (archiveofyourown . org). Same name, same author.

It is a fanfiction based on a fanfiction video totally not made by me. Thanks goes to LuNatics for her amazing work and for allowing me to flesh out her story a bit. Be sure to check out her video "Merlin (AU; Merthur) - The Witch's Aria" I based this on (almost frame by frame) over at youtube. Careful though, since the video will contain spoilers for this story (duh). As far as this alternate universe setting allows me to I will try to keep each character as close to their origins as possible.

As I am totally new to this fandom, this site, fanfiction in general and even writing in not my mother tongue, I hope I did this fandom justice. May you have as much joy reading as I had writing this story.

Special thanks goes to my great Beta Reader, who is helping me challenging the weird jungle that is the English grammar, playing the game of how to phrase it best, and encouraging me to put the best I have into this piece.

Now let's get on with it, because, if you are being honest, no one wants to read author's notes.

Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin, I only abducted their protagonists. I do not own the story, I only stole it's frame and brought it to life using dark magic. I do not profit in money but in moments I stole your breath.

Chapter 1 - A Reluctant Spy

Gwen slowly made her way through the darkening halls of Camelot, her chores for the day almost done. In her head her thoughts were spinning. She always had been a loyal maid servant to Lady Morgana, ever since Gwen's mother died and the lady took pity on the young, grief-stricken blacksmith's daughter.

They grew up becoming as close to friends a lady and a servant would ever become, and Gwen would do anything for her. Or would she?

Lately, however, Lady Morgana had changed. Her kind sapphire eyes had grown darker and her smiling lips had acquired a hard line to them, like a hidden pain Morgana chose not to reveal. And the glares she had begun to cast Merlin's way never failed to send an eerie chill down Gwen's spine. Was it fear?

Why would poor Merlin, the cheeky yet clumsy servant of Prince Arthur, be deserving of such glares? Merlin, who clearly admired the Lady Morgana since he first caught sight of her? Merlin, who had been Gwen's best friend ever since he set foot in Camelot (and got himself into the stocks almost instantly)?

Despite her brooding mood, Gwen giggled at that memory. She remembered how that lanky, roguishly grinning boy was happily undisturbed by his young "fans' " glee at gracing his face with rotten tomatoes, introducing himself to her with the words: "I am Merlin, although most people just call me Idiot."

He was not the most skillful servant ever, Gwen could agree on that, and he never seemed to remember to knock when entering a lady's chamber nor to address any person of higher standing with due respect. But whenever he seemed to have overstepped his boundaries, he would tilt his head in his most specific Merlin-ish way, both mocking and humble, and his face would light up with the most open, childish, and innocent smile she had ever seen on anyone older than, say, four years old. His doe-eyed glances which still made Gwen's heart flutter like caged butterflies would appease everyone's anger.

But somehow he had managed to arouse the Lady Morgana's anger, and now she, Gwen, had the bitter task to spy on a friend and his master.

"What, do you think, keeps Merlin busy so late in the evening, staying in Arthur's chambers, sneaking back home in the middle of the night?" Morgana had asked, beautiful and sad, and so scared to fall asleep, "What are they doing, when everyone is sleeping, Gwen?"

"Well, what would they do? Arthur has a lot to do during the day, so he retires late and Merlin just helps him. As he should do." Gwen had stuffed her lady's cushions for more comfort. "You should try to sleep now, my lady. The potion Gaius gave you will quieten the nightmares."

But Morgana couldn't let go. "But don't you think it's odd? How captivated Arthur is by Merlin. How he keeps him, even when he constantly complains that he has the worst servant ever?"

"He did try to replace Merlin with Cedric," Gwen had reminded her lady. "But there is just no one as loyal as Merlin." She wasn't ashamed of that pride that had shone through her words. And Cedric had turned out to be a calculating, conniving thief. So much for Arthur's insight into human nature.

"Loyal, yes, I suppose that's what you could call it."

"What would you call it?"

Morgana hadn't answered to that, lost in her own thoughts. "Arthur tried to replace him, yes. He threw Merlin in the dungeons. He sent him away, working for some foreign knight. But still he took him back. And Merlin, this scheming, shifty Merlin, he acts like he doesn't even mind. No one can be that loyal."

"Merlin can. He is that loyal." Gwen knew it. Merlin was this kind of person. He never seemed to hold any grudge against anyone. Not even against King Uther, who constantly suggested Merlin must have some sort of mental affliction.

"There has to be more. He is hiding something. There is a secret he doesn't want me to see." Morgana spoke more to herself than to her maid.

"Who? Merlin or Arthur?"

"Gwen, you are my friend, aren't you?" Lady Morgana suddenly spoke with such urgency in her voice that all Gwen could answer was incoherent stammerings, letting her hand be taken passionately by the lady. "I need you to do something for me, for us."

"My lady, I.."

"I need to know what's happening between them, Gwen, please! I need to know it. If you would just -"

"Wha- no- what?"

"I wouldn't order you to do it. But as your friend, I am begging you, help me. I need to know what Arthur is doing. You want to know what Merlin is doing. I know you do."

"Merlin, he- he is Arthur's servant, he is serving him, as I do you, my lady. Please, don't ask this of me." Gwen had been horrified by her lady's suggestion. She couldn't just sneak into a man's bedchamber, let alone the prince's chamber, Prince Arthur with his handsome face and his strong body and his kind eyes and his soft lips - stop it Gwen! That kiss had meant nothing to him! You should stick to more ordinary people, like Merlin, dear Merlin, sweet Merlin.

But she couldn't watch a man, a prince, to undress. That was inappropriate in so many ways, she was a decent maiden, a good maiden, an honest maiden. How was she supposed to look Arthur in the eyes after she had seen him na- in all his glory. True, he wouldn't know it, and Merlin wouldn't know it, but she would, and it would be so humiliating.

And then Gwen had looked into Morgana's eyes. Pleading eyes, frantic and distressed. The lady had clung to Gwen's hand as if her life had depended on it. "I wouldn't ask this of you if I had a choice," she had whispered, batting eyelashes to fight down invisible tears. "Tomorrow, you need to sneak into Arthur's bedroom before he returns from dinner. You have to tell me what you see, Gwen, please, I need to know why…" And then Morgana had spoken no more.

"Why what?" Gwen had asked, but she never found out. So she had just returned the firm hand clasp, had smiled reassuringly to her lady and had heard herself answer, "If it sets your mind at rest, my lady, I will do as you ask. You will see, there is nothing to fear."

Well, turned out she wasn't half that decent maiden as she would like herself believe.

She didn't feel comfortable at all sneaking into the prince's chambers, something she certainly wouldn't have done if Morgana hadn't seem so exasperated. In fact, she had never been here before. A few flowers here and there wouldn't hurt, she thought while looking around. It would most certainly break up the harsh stony feel of these rooms. Cheer them up a bit. Maybe a bunch of bluebells over on that small table next to the bed? The blue would add nicely to the Pendragon-themed red bed drapes. Or – Gwen!, she scolded herself. You are not here for decoration improvements! Look for a place to hide instead!

The folding screen? No, Arthur probably would change behind it. The curtains? She suspected Merlin wasn't too keen on keeping them as dust free as he should, given that he always complained about how much Arthur busied him with what Merlin called "dull and duller domestic duties". She would probably have to sneeze, get detected, and be thought a creep. Which she was, actually, on Morgana's behalf. Better not to think about it.

She found a wardrobe with the doors half open. Next to the wardrobe in a semi-hidden corner, the prince's clothes had been thrown carelessly onto a big heap. Gwen smiled at that sight. Arthur was right after all. Merlin really was the worst servant he had ever had. And yet he refused to replace him with anyone else, despite even the king's explicit wishes. That was more than odd, really.

Gwen stopped her line of thought right there, and, since the wardrobe seemed the most unused object in the room, she stepped inside. The wardrobe's doors must have sported a mirror once that had been long gone or broken. Gwen found that she was able to peek outside through a tight grid of intricate carvings covering the small window-like opening where the mirror might have been. With the wardrobe overlooking a good portion of the prince's bedroom, she would have a good vantage over whatever was about to unfold whilst shrouding herself in shadows. Now all she had to do was wait, and hope that there would be nothing to discover.

She heard fast steps approaching from the hallway. Anxiously, she shrank back against the wardrobe's rear wall.