I'm bored, and quite ticked off with… certain people, so I decided to write this because MERLIN'S LIFE IS SO UNFAIR! He's always being teased, undermined and belittled. Well…

Summary: I think it's time we show Merlin having some talents other than magic. This particular story will be about his skills with weapons, but I might do a chapter or two on other talents. There'll be a bunch of BAMF!

It's going to, kind of, be a bunch of drabbles and one-shots, but there will be a plot line, so no need to worry! This chapter is a bit of foreplay, so

Chapter Summary: Arthur goes too far in an argument, and old feelings come out to play. Balinor is revealed, but just as a father, so NO, THIS IS NOT A DRAGONLORD OR OTHER REVEAL FIC!

Bonus: HIS DEEDS SHALL BE ACKNOWLEDGED! I've read one too many fics where he does something awesome and never knows people admire him for it. Yes, Merls is incredibly humble, but he should at least get some recognition, right? Anyway, this is just an angry rant, so…

TRY NOT TO CRY IF IT'S REALLY BAD!

Merlin was done. Lancelot's gone, Arthur is being a prat, and not even his "friends" were sticking up for him. After all they had been through, all he had survived without getting hurt, they still called him weak. They still said he couldn't use a weapon. He thought at least Gwaine, maybe even Percival, as they had gotten closer lately, would stick up for him, but they just laughed right along with everyone else.

"I mean, really Merlin, while we men are fighting, all you do is hide. Sometimes I wonder if you really were dropped on your head as a child, or that being a bastard has scarred you for life." announced a grinning Arthur.

That was a low blow, and they all knew it. Merlin had been called a bastard before, but never had it been so personal, and it had never hurt so much. He might have let it go, nonetheless, but then he look at all the knights, and, 'lo and behold, there they stood, grinning. This was one insult too many, one step too far. He had had it. He was sick of the insults, the teasing, the laughter! His expression slowly darkening, he reached out and hit Arthur, square on the jaw, closed fist, with a resounding SMACK!

A stunned silence filled the room as all the knights, and Arthur himself, seemed to comprehend what had just happened. Before they could stay a word, Merlin said, an icy glare in his eye:

"NO one calls me that. Not one damn person gets to call me that, understand? Not one DAMN soul on this very earth can call me that."

With that, he walked out, leaving an astonished group of knights in his wake.

-PAGE BREAK-

"What was that?" said Gwaine, finally breaking the silence. "I've got no idea, but something set him off" pushed out a stunned Elyan. They all looked to Arthur, who seemed to shake off his shock, and quickly strutted out, tossing a loud.

"I don't know, but there is no way he can get away with that"

Gwaine reached out to stop him, but was blocked by Percival, who said "let's follow them. I want to see what will happen" before walking out after Arthur. Gwaine and Elyan soon followed, and Leon, still in a daze, trailed along like a lost puppy.

-PAGE BREAK-

They followed Arthur out onto the training field, where Merlin was currently throwing daggers and knives at various bulls-eyes. Arthur strutted up to Merlin, but, before he could say anything, Merlin had thrown his last dagger, and walked over towards where the knights were currently standing, without so much as looking at them.

That brings us to now, while the knights all wait with bated breath, and Merlin slowly drinks out of his water satchel. He wipes his mouth of, and turns to face Arthur, who now has the knights in a group behind him, Leon finally haven shaken out of his shock.

"I'm not sorry" Merlin stated, glaring daggers, his voice like a blade.

"Now, look here, Merlin" Leon started placatingly "You can't just go around hitting kings and…"

"Oh, but asses can go around insulting me and my family?" Merlin questioned, though he was clearly not looking for an answer. "No, Leon, don't try to 'calm me down'" he said, when that very knight looked like he was about to cut in. "I'm not a child, and I'm sick of being treated like one."

"No, Merlin, you're no child" said Arthur scathingly "you're just a simple minded fool. You probably don't even know what that word means!"

Merlin, at this point overcome by rage, near shouted " don't know what it means! DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS? You don't think I've faced that word every single day?" Merlin was shaking now, his voice an octave higher than usual. "'Merlin the bastard' they called me. 'Poor Merlin, no father in the world to call his own' the old ladies would cry. 'Your mum's just a whore' was all too common, as was 'Your dad left because of you, you BASTARD!' of course, I didn't know what it meant at first, but I lea

rned, oh yes, I learned." By this point, all the knights were looking at him, this new, undiscovered side of him. "and yet, you accuse me of not knowing what it means? I've been a 'bastard' for too long. You know I met my father? He died, died in my arms. I couldn't cry. Wasn't 'allowed' to. 'Merlin the Bastard' my ass."

With that, Merlin picked up a final dagger, and sent it spinning towards a final target, not even looking at it. As he walked away from the silent knights, not one of them noticed that the knife, as all the others, had hit the target straight on.

And… DONE! Hopefully that was okay? This brings back memories. Huh *sighs* anyway, I hope that was okay? I really just wanted for this to be angst. Next time, the daggers will be revealed, the weapons drawn out, and a confrontation shown! YAY! BTW, Lancelot is dead in this story; Gwen is queen, and a good one, too. So, I guess this is before the dark tower? Or it's after Gwen becomes good again, but Elyan miraculously survived? Your choice. Bye

-ClaryFay

PS: Yes, if anybody I've commented on before I got an account is reading this, I am ClaryFay. I will write many a pseudonyms at the end, and maybe even some not pseudonyms.