Okay honestly this is now one of my favourite fics. I always hated the ‘he’s lied so we don’t trust him’ and all that because it just seemed so dumb?
But I really love what you’ve written here - it’s so in-depth and it’s a proper ‘defence’ (if we wanna put it that way) and I really enjoyed it.
Thanks for writing!

Okay I'm back again and I was re-reading this fic because it hits all the Merlin!saltiness in my soul. Still politely requesting an update because your take is SOOOO rare and unique in this fandom, with Arthur screwing the pooch and Merlin refusing to roll over and grovel. I personally still think that Gaius is still letting people continue on with false information, like not telling Gwen that Uther would have killed Tom anyway for simply giving the sorcerer room and board for the night. Nobody has pointed out that Morgana had had prophetic dreams for literal YEARS, but they all chose to ignore them, even as she got older and became more agitated about them. Like pretending she didn't would somehow make that truth. Gwen was right there with her for it, and she was selectively ignorant too, even if she listened to her to warn Merlin so he could save Arthur. The argument could then be made that Gwen betrayed Morgana first by her own silence and willful ignorance, patronising Morgana by shushing her and trying to calm her without acknowledging the truth. If they didn't think the dreams were magic, why did they never give Uther any of the warnings?

I just still have so many feels for this fandom.

Signed,
A Fan (ForeverTheValentine)

I stumbled on this story and I really like it! It has a lot of stuff that you usually don’t see in Merlin fandom. I hope you come back to it!

I really enjoyed this story and hope I get to see the final decission Arthur takes.

Merlin must be more sick than he seems, if he think Gaius is his mother. ;)

please update it's really interesting

This is amazing! I can't believe I've never read this until now. I think you made the characters more real and their reactions more with what they should have been then any other fic I've read on the subject. Before I stumbled onto this, I was thinking it would be nice if someone wrote something where Merlin is himself and doesnt turn into a grovelling wimp. He is a total badass! He might be sorry he had to lie but not for anything else. I'm tired of reading fics where he is the victim, or gets beat up by some knights. He would murder their asses before they touched him. This fic totally delivered and I know it's been years, but it would be really awesome if you could finish it.

I know this hasn't been updated in almost 6 years... so I typically would give up any hope of it being updated again, but I saw on your author's page that you signed on in 2018, so I thought I'd at least ask. This is my favorite reveal story of any I've read, and I have read hundreds of merlin fics. I don't feel as though any of the other ones truly capture the subconscious prejudice that would have been built into them. The other fics assume that if Merlin's magic were just explained rationally, and Arthur were able to get over the lies, then Arthur and the knights would be fine. Your fic truly wrestles with the ingrained prejudice against sorcerers that even Arthur, Gwen and the knights would have to fight against - not just the 'common folk' who don't know Merlin personally. I would love to see how this conflict played out. If you are looking to get into writing again, then maybe consider finishing this one? I know I wouldn't be the only person who would love it.

I cried my eyeballs out. This was probably the best magic reveal I have ever scene. The moment when the knights converge around him... still crying.

It's been 5 years, but I just have to say that this amazing and I hope, one day, it gets finished. There will be people out there who will read it

This is very good.

this is amazing story

Like the fishing trip.

Bless your heart! You have no idea how long I have waited for a fic that did the magic reveal this sort of justice. All the fics I've read have always, ALWAYS, gone on about how betrayed Arthur felt. Well boo-hoo. When the heck did he expect the boy to have told him between all his denouncements of magic and all the negative experiences he's had with it? I still think someone needs to point out that those sorcerers who attacked Camelot, especially in Arthur's time (because by then, these were the people who were left over from the initial purge and had two decades to let their pain fester), did so because Uther had taken - for most of them - EVERYONE and everyTHING. Logic dictates that if Uther and Arthur are the reason they can't live freely and peacefully, then they should get rid of Uther and Arthur.

It really grinds my gears to see people tiptoeing around Arthur still. If he's going to be hurt about the fact that people are intimidated by his station, he should learn not to use it as protection when he asks them for the truth. I want to see a fic where somebody just *tells him like it is* and he has to suck it up like a normal person. Uther was a tyrant who ruined thousands of lives. (I'm also very iffy on all this love he supposedly had for Ygraine if he went and had Morgana with the wife of one of his loyal generals - and then he sent the man to his death to take the daughter he wouldn't claim? No Uther loved power; not people). This was not just a few people - it was a GENOCIDE spanning two decades. Even his non-magical subjects weren't safe because he'd kill first, ask questions never if an accusation was hurled.

Thirdly, I've grown to hate reading fics where people portray Merlin as so pathetic and grovelling and apologetic over his magic. Like no. He's sacrificed *EVERYTHING* for the people who were basically responsible for ruining his life before it even started. And Arthur always says he's not Uther in these instances when it happens, especially when he's king, but he's so very much his father's son.

Oh, I could go on about this because I've been thinking about thes me things for the last couple of months since I'd started reading Merlin fanfics. NOBODY that I've read so far has ever been this frank with Arthur. I personally wish you'd be franker still, but this is not my fic to decide anyway. I really appreciate how you've touched on all the things I've been thinking - and even a couple I didn't (like the Gaius counter argument for magic as a corrupting force). Please finish this fic! It is honestly too good to go to waste by remaining unfinished. I am SO happy to see Merlin refusing to grovel and pander to Arthur, especially when he forces him to reveal himself to his friends - the people he cares most about - just because Arthur feels slighted.

Just take my word for it that I'm fangirling right now

Signed,
A Fane

It's a shame this story was never finished. It's quite good.