relenafanel:

So Merlin fandom. It’s me again. I’ve been thinking there should be a subgenre of canon-divergent fic where Arthur is crowned King and repeals the ban on magic without finding out about Merlin

and the remaining sorcerers and sorceresses all vie for favour from the king, while being very vocal about how they know they’ll never compete with Emrys. 

And Arthur (privately) is like Emrys? and starts trying to search him out.

At the same time, Merlin starts sending Arthur tokens as Emrys, probably hoping that if Emrys is playing the game, Arthur won’t single him out

but,

the gifts are really tokens of affection.  All other people with magic are giving these dramatic flair that show off their power, and Emrys gives Arthur things Arthur wants or needs or are personal.

And so Arthur now thinks Emrys is omniscient and also maybe courting him