Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or the song Hanging Tree/Peter Hollens' amazing voice!

Hello! Still recovering from my previous one-shot, but this one's better, I promise! If you've ever read/watched the Hunger Games, then you would know the lyrics come from them, so the credit goes to them. I've always loved this song, and several months ago I read a fanfiction of Merlin singing this to himself, but they only did part of the song. So I naturally played the song hundreds of times for months and created the scenario I'm writing in my head. Since I've played it out in my head so much, this is more planned and organized than some other writing I've done *cough cough* last chapter *cough cough*. I'm honestly thinking about making a remake of "A Ghost of a Smile," but I'll keep the original up. I just really don't like how it played out and so I'm going to plan a (hopefully) better one. In the meantime, you'll be getting this. I hope you enjoy!

It had been three years since the ban was lifted, and three years since Merlin was named Court Sorcerer. Since then, much has changed. Camalot grew, allying with many other kingdoms while also conquering bad ones, like Ealdor. Arthur and Merlin grew into true brothers, holding no secrets from each other, trusting completely, and always playing pranks (Though we don't talk about the one time Merlin turned all of Arthur's clothes pink). Instead of magic being shunned and burned, magic was rejoiced and studied. Merlin found many old magic books and became more powerful, but always the gentle soul, never changing his quirkiness. 

Merlin and Arthur were sitting side by side in the courtroom eating the buffet. Thanks to Merlin and his expansion magic, it was able to hold many more people than before. Today was the annual Druid Festivities, honoring the complete alliance between Camalot and the druids (because, in all honesty, Merlin is technically their king, not Arthur). 

A druid leader decided to try and add a conversation with the two.

"So," the druid leader said, "How did two you come to meet?"

Merlin and Arthur launched into the tale about Merlin's traveling, disrespect to a prince, and eventually saving the royal from the fake Lady Helen. Towards the end of the discussion, Arthur mumbled: "I've always been horrid with singing."

"Really?" Merlin said absent-mindedly, not realizing that he was talking out loud, "I love singing, it calms me."

Once Merlin said it, his eyes went wide and he slapped his hand over his mouth, but it was too late; the damage was done.

"You? Singing? Please, just because you have one talent does not mean you're the master of everything."

The druid leader decided to cut in. "Actually, lord Emrys will sometimes come to our camps or meetings and tell a few tales and songs."

Merlin shot the man a glower that could kill, but Guinevere, who was silent next to Arthur the entire time, decided to add her part as well.

"Why don't you sing for us, Merlin?"

Arthur's grin grew into an inhumanly large one, as he pressed, "Yes, Merlin, sing the entire room one, so we can hear that lovely voice of yours." Before Merlin got the chance to protest, Arthur stood and gathered the attention of the entire room.

"Attention! Tonight, we have ourselves a singer, so please give him your utmost attention, for it will be the one and only Court Sorcerer, Merlin, who is singing."

Everybody's attention turned to the warlock, and so he had no choice but to stride over to the front of the room. Every man, woman, and child was dead quiet was Merlin closed his eyes before he spoke.

"As you know, Camalot has been at peace with magic for some time now. But we all remember the times when we were hunted and killed for our gifts. So for this song, I will sing of remembrance to that life.

Merlin took a deep breath and began singing. 

"Are you, are you, coming to the pyre?"

Merlin's voice vibrated through the room and has steady and powerful. It held so much emotion, and right when he started, many of the druids started humming along, instantly recognizing the song. The knights, king, queen, and any non-magical person was beyond stunned. They had no idea that their faithful warlock could sing, nor that he could sing so passionately about a pyre. Merlin continued, lost in his mind as everyone became sucked in their trance, only focusing on Merlin. 

"They burned up a man, they say who murdered three"

Merlin, still lost in a daze while singing used his magic to create translucent images around him. It showed a great pyre burning, but you couldn't see the man inside the flames. People all around gasped for it has hauntingly beautiful. The druids, however, merely continued to hum in tune while Merlin continued to sing.

"Strange things did happen here no stranger would it be,"

"If we met, at midnight in the burning pyre"

It hit Arthur like a sack of stones when Merlin sang that sentence. Merlin was singing about himself and another. He wondered if this was a song made for Merlin's lost lover, Freya. Though Arthur never met her, he could still recall the deep pain and love in Merlin's eyes when he admitted to falling in love once. He also remembered how Merlin also admitted to almost running away with her, because he loved her so. 

"Are you, are you, coming to the pyre?"

"Where a dead man called out,"

"For his love to flee"

The smoke images changed to two people, a man, and a woman. The man looked like Merlin, only younger and obscured, for the smoke never did make a clear image. He was silently shouting at the woman while being dragged by guards. The woman, though faint, had dark brown hair and eyes and was wearing a fine dress. She was crying and ran before the guards could get her.

"Strange things did happen here no stranger would it be,"

"If we met, at midnight in the burning  pyre"

The druids were all in sync now, matching their hums his voice, creating the perfect ambiance for the song. Other magical persons were swaying now, their eyes closed, no doubt remembering the time of pain and sorrow. Merlin's voice reached deep inside each person, comforting them, while also reminding them of past anguish.

"Are you, are you, coming to the  pyre?"

"Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free"

The images changed again, for now, the woman was standing at the pyre at (most plausibly) midnight, crying while smoke rose above and faded the higher it got. Suddenly, the guards from before (their faces were too blurry to identify) grabbed the woman from behind and dragged her away. 

"Strange thing did happen here no stranger would it be,"

"If we met, at midnight in the burning  pyre"

Arthur knew now that this never happened to Merlin and his beloved, but he was using himself as well as her as an example of the loss that happened while magic has outlawed and hunted. He briefly wondered how many families went through the same way. 'probably thousands,' he thought.

"Are you, are you, coming to the  pyre?"

"Come lick up the flames, side by side with me"

The woman was looking out a cell window (because why not), and she could see them preparing the pyre again, and it was going to be her that burned. She was crying, but she wasn't scared, as if she'd accepted fate long ago, when her lover died, and this will just be her firey reunion.

"Strange things did happen here no stranger would it be,"

If we met, at midnight in the burning  pyre"

The same two guards were now dragging her out to her death. People crowded around and watched as she was tied to the pyre. They set her aflame, and while the people faded, the fire grew.

"Are you, are you, coming to the  pyre?"

Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free"

The fire died down, and an invisible wind blew the ashes into the air, and the hologram disappeared. Merlin continued to sing, and was so lost in his words that he never really made eye contact with anyone, he just sang. Arthur watched with awe as his brother sang his heart out. He secretly vowed to convince Merlin to sing privately to his and his queen, for they would soak every song in without ever getting tired.

"Strange thing did happen here no stranger would it be,"

"If we met, at midnight in the burning  pyre"

Merlin started to walk more towards the front so swiftly you could think he was floating. All of the druids started to shift, and they all started to prepare for....something. 

"Are you, are you, coming to the  pyre?"

Every druid and even some other magic folk started to sing in sync with Merlin. Their voices echoed through the courtroom like a constantly distant thunder roll. 

"They burned up a man, they say who murdered three"

"Strange things did happen here no stranger would it be,"

"If we met, at midnight in the burning pyre"

"Are you, are you, coming to the pyre?"

"Where a dead man called out,"

"For his love to flee."

"Strange things did happen here no stranger would it be,"

"If we met, at midnight in the burning  pyre"

"Ooooooooooooooooooooooooh~"

The druids got up from their seats and started dancing while still singing along. Other people started to get up and start to dance, but Merlin stayed where he was. He was direct in front of Arthur and  Guinevere by about ten feet. His eyes glowed, (for thou needs no words for thy magic) and suddenly his staff was in his hands. He aimed it upward, at small glowing balls of light started to drift into the air and float around. It was beautiful, yet still humbly sad.

"Ooooooooooooooooooooooooh~"

The druids' voices rose in sync, and suddenly Merlin hit his staff on the ground once, and everything stopped. There was no singing, bo dancing. Merlin locked eyes with Arthur, and they were staring at each other, never looking away. Everybody stared at Merlin while he sang quietly the last verse.

"Are you, are you, coming to the pyre?"

Merlin broke eye contact from Arthur and turned to the crowd and bowed. An eruption of cheers and applause rose for Merlin, the loudest being the druids. When the clapping died down, Merlin bowed once again and left the courtroom. Everybody went back to eating, but Arthur, after glancing over to Gwen who nodded back, got up and swiftly left the room as well. After all, he needed to make sure Merlin was alright. 

"Merlin, wait up!"

____________

Yay! I'm done! I hope you enjoyed this chapter because I sure did. I love writing song fics, personally because they are so fun to write stories with, and because I have better practice with them, so expect many more soon! I really hope you like these song fics, because I have a lot more ideas that I have that use a song, including a three-part story, a dark Merlin, Arthur singing (maybe), and also a song picked out in case you guys ask for a part two for The Dragon and the Unicorn. Like always, if you have any suggestions or comments, leave them below so I can review and hopefully write them. I hope you have a lovely day/night, and goodbye!