#i may have been inspired by merthur and what about it

[hoteadepresso]

as the world comes to an end

I'll be here to hold your hand

cause you're my king and I'm your lionheart (x)

[moondal514]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by @decaflondonfog and @jaywalkers (thanks y’all, loved reading both of your thoughts. sorry I’m late doing this)

1. How many works do you have on ao3?

10 works (8 fics (one of which is a secret fic for @aftgthenandnow) and 2 original works)

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

30,661 (not a whole lot but I’m working on it 😅)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

All For the Game is my main bitch but I also have fics published (or orphaned in some cases) for KinnPorsche, Romeo & Juliet, and BBC Merlin. It’s actually my default state to be a fandom hoe so I currently have active WIPs for All For the Game, BBC Merlin, Mo Dao Zu Shi, Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System, Word of Honor, Tian Guan Ci Fu, KinnPorsche, and a secret fandom for Yuletide

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

leave or stay (i’m invisible here) (KinnPorsche, Kim/Chay, 4k, T)

secret @aftgthenandnow fic

sometimes i wish i kept some of my feelings in the basement (All For the Game, Andrew/Neil, 6k, M)

A Damned Saint, An Honorable Villain (Romeo & Juliet, Benvolio/Tybalt, 3k, M)

No Stranger To the Wind (All For the Game, Andrew/Neil, 10k, T)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I respond to comments, mostly just cuz I like thanking people or engaging in conversation with them if they leave a neat comment. But I’m (happily) not exactly a popular writer, both cuz I’ve only just started posting fic and also cuz the subject matters and/or fandoms I tend to write for can be pretty niche, so it’s easy for me to have the energy to reply to all the comments I get

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Hmmm I guess prob Prayers or A Damned Saint, An Honorable Villain. Both have kind of depressing open endings

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Prob Belonging cuz it’s mostly just found family fluff

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I’ve never gotten hate before and I really hope I never do cuz I would cry

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Lol no. Most I’ll do is a fade-to-black pg-13-type of thing or innuendo

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I do write crossovers but I haven’t ever finished writing any of them, just a couple fandom fusions (No Stranger To the Wind is the All For the Game characters existing in the universe of Cinda Williams Chima’s The Seven Realms series). The craziest one that I’ve ever outlined though was a BBC Merlin/Voltron crossover where after Lancelot walks through the Veil, he’s reincarnated as Voltron’s Lance McClain 😂 (I may or may not have been very inspired by Trust Me, I'm an Alchemist by metisket)

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No and I hope I never do cuz that’s such an insanely disrespectful and shitty thing to do

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but I would be thrilled to have any of my fics translated…so long as the translation is hosted on ao3

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

My best friend helped me out with the kissing scenes in sometimes i wish i kept some of my feelings in the basement so that’s about the closest to co-writing I’ve ever gotten. I’d love to fully co-write with someone one day though

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

Hmm difficult question. It’s hard for me to have an all-time favorite ship cuz my favorite ship is usually going to be whoever holds the spot of brainrot of the moment. As I currently don’t have a single ship that’s taking the cake rn, I’m going to say Andreil because they hold the record for longest time of being brainrot of the moment for me (19 months, which I know doesn’t sound like a long time but you have to consider that it’s my default state to be in a lot of fandoms at the same time, so the fact that I was for the most part only focused on AFTG for a sizable period of time is highly unusual for me). I have to give a shout-out to Merthur though cuz they’re responsible for turning my fandom participation from passive (solely reading fic) to active (actually writing fic and engaging with fandom communities…that is to say Merthur was part of the driving force behind me creating this tumblr, though Andreil is the ship that got me to actually start posting lol)

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

So I’ve got this AFTG Hunger Games au that I’ve been unable to write because every time I sit down to try to write something for it, I get a new idea to add to my outline for the au and then next thing I know I’ve done no actual writing and I’ve just made the outline longer. And now I just stare at the monster of an outline I’ve made and get too intimidated to write the fic cuz it’s just soooo long. And I don’t like posting fics unless I know they could stand on their own (even if they’re a part of a series) so the likelihood of me ever posting anything for this au is becoming sadly less and less likely as time goes on

16. What are your writing strengths?

I’m not sure actually. Prob characterization cuz that’s usually what I get complimented on the most in fics

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

1000% dialogue. Every bit of dialogue I’ve ever written has been an excruciating process where I hold the screen with a death grip and ask “would he/she/they fucking say that????” I hate writing people talking so much, it’s just exhausting for me, especially in a large group setting, which is prob why my default type of fic to write is usually a short introspective character study of some sort 😂

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I would never do it myself cuz unfortunately I’m a lame American who is only fluent in English, but I love reading it in other fics (…if it’s done well cuz I’ve seen some very cringey and awkward instances of multilingual dialogue in fic over the years)

19. First fandom you wrote for?

The 1st fic I ever wrote that I posted on ao3 was for BBC Merlin (which I’ve since orphaned cuz the fic is kinda cringe). But before that, I took a creative writing class and our 1st writing assignment was essentially write a fanfiction (the prompt was literally “write a variation on an existing story”). I chose to write a story inspired by Monsta X’s DRAMARAMA music video and accidentally used the names of 2 guys in my class for the main characters (in my defense, it was the 1st week of class and the names were very generic American boy names). So I guess technically that was my 1st fanfiction 😂

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

sometimes i wish i kept some of my feelings in the basement. I really popped off with that one. It’s the only fic of mine that I actively reread for fun and I’ve been trying to replicate whatever was in the water when I wrote that fic ever since

No pressure tagging (apologies if you’ve already done this I haven’t been keeping track 😂): @seasy33 @bisexualbard @quensty @nanatsuyu @justadreamfox @worldenough-and-time @kairospy

[bitsandbobsofwriting]

hi! loved your latest one with “ghost”-merlin, really great job! also, it probably wasn’t your intention, but when hunith thought about how arthur may have one day been another son to her had merlin not died, my brain went to son-in-law and merthur. which got me thinking of the aftermath.

i doubt, even if merlin and arthur had been in love and maybe on the precipice of becoming “a thing”, they would ever be able to become romantically involved on any level after merlin’s murder (that would not be healthy on sooo many levels).

maybe they reach some kind of co-existence after merlin’s return, maybe merlin forgives him (though he will obviously never be able to forget or 100% trust him again). maybe arthur, who has had to mourn merlin after impulsively killing him and actually has had to reflect on this entire situation, realizes magic isn’t automatically evil, and even decides to legalise magic and all that jazz. merlin continues to protect arthur cause that’s what he’s supposed to do and maybe somewhere he remembers the friendship they used to share. However, they will obviously never be back to what they were and what they had.

i dunno i’m just thinking of arthur, having merlin back and having done all this to legalise magic. how they may co-exist civilly and how much he regrets his impulsive murder and how he dealt with it afterwards. how he has to live with the consequences of his actions, and mourn what could have been. how he has lost the loyalty and trust of most of his knights/confidants/friends, and potentially more importantly, he’s lost one of the first proper friends he ever had, as well as the potential “what they could have been”

i dunno i just really like the idea of arthur being reflective and truly haven’t to live with these consequences, instead of something like a mass-coupe or brutal revenge from merlin’s friends. like he doesn’t receive one big punishment, but rather has to live with the direct consequences of what he did. even if the whole situation doesn’t become public knowledge, he’s already lost some of the most important things to him as it is.

i apologize for the incredibly long nonsense here, i just really loved what you wrote and needed to share my brain worm somewhere, but feel free to ignore! hope you will have a good day!

(Referencing This Fic)

Wahey!! Thanks anon, this means a lot!! And I'm glad my Fic inspired such an incredible little brain worm!!

Honestly, that line from Hunith can be either platonic or romantic, though when I wrote it, despite my extreme belief in Merthur, I had intended for it to be a brotherly relationship more than anything else. Though I really don't mind how people read my stuff as long as it isn't weird and creepy (like... I don't know, incest, or extreme age gaps).

And yeah!! No one kills Arthur, because despite his pain, there's no way Merlin would let that happen. But he does have to like... live with what he did. I knew any second part to this would be too similar to the second part of Lord Emrys Returns, so there would be no point in actually writing it. The only potential difference is that the recovery would be much longer, and instead of becoming tentative friends, they would never heal their friendship at all.

~

Anyway!!! I love you!!!! <3

[oswinsdolma]

Yes, it's nearly 2.00am (because that's apparently the only time I have inspiration to write essays) but I've been thinking a lot about this lately and wanted to get it off my chest, so here you go:

The main goal of Merlin becomes disturbingly fractured along the way, which opens up the gaps for the prophecy to seep through instead of following the expected channels, but it can essentially be boiled down to three key elements 1) build albion; 2) decriminalise magic and 3) save Arthur, but when all is said and done, we never really see any of those objectives achieved.

Now, there are a few reasons for this, both from a writing perspective and a plot perspective. The first, and one of the most obvious, is that this show loves irony. I won't go into a lot of detail here because I've already written a whole ass essay in this very subject, but in a nutshell, you can look at this from two perspectives: firstly, it's important to establish that this technique is purely about the angst: it's the writers' way of provoking a reaction from an anguished audience, but it's foreshadowed just enough to make it more painful than it is shocking. Alternatively, there is the more plot motivated irony in that it genuinely makes a good story. Irony is a technique that has been used for thousands of years, not just because it provokes a reaction from the audience, but because it allows you to explore your characters in greater detail than before, riddling them with hidden juxtapositions and internal conflicts that are never resolved quite in the way you expect. The irony in Merlin is the epitome of this, with the whole motif of Arthur needing to die for his reign to begin. It is a classic example of the simultaneous despair and hope that mocks you from the shadows.

Following this, there is another force at play that deals with half truths and seemingly imperfect contradictions, and that's prophecy. It's not really a secret that I have very strong feelings about prophecy and its effects on all the characters, Merlin in particular, and the fact that fate and destiny are such key themes in Merlin both makes perfect sense and wants me to smash my head into a brick wall. Prophecies are another common trope that often go hand in hand with irony (think Oedipus Rex, Macbeth, The Iliad, all that doomed hero shit that I inexplicably adore), the key to their influence over the plot often lying in how they usually come true in the most unexpected of ways. This links back to that initial theme of irony, but this isn't what makes me angry: what is infuriating is that prophecies tend to come true, no matter what, and most of the characters seem not only to know this, but to let it take their autonomy over their respective fates, driving them to disaster.

Let me elaborate: especially in season five (I'm assuming just for the added fall at the end), Merlin talks a lot about how "one day, things will be different". He tells sorcerers that one day they won't have to hide. That one day, they won't have to live in fear of who they are and what others think of them. And Merlin is right: while it is not explicitly stated, it's generally established that this is one of the things Merlin should actively be working towards. But here's the kick: except for a few specific circumstances, when has Merlin ever actively tried to change Arthur's mind about magic? Yes, he has taken a few opportunities, like with Dragoon saving Uther's life, or with the Dolma's final request, where he has encouraged Arthur to rethink his choices, but otherwise, his support has been lukewarm at best. Instead, his primary concern was always saving Arthur, so he can become the king the magical world hoped he'd be, but he left out a crucial part, trusting in the prophecy to fill in the gaps. He knew it would come true, but it was, almost predictably, in the one way he never dared to expect.

And in a twisted way, there's that thread of irony again: Merlin thought he was saving Arthur so he could one day become the king who would see magic as a force for good, but instead, he created someone who was merely a survivor. It was Kilgharrah who said it first, and he who would mention it last: they are two sides of the same coin. But as willing as Merlin was to give his life for Arthur, and vice versa, he was never really ready to give him his mind.

Another interesting thing to note is Merlin's fixation on the "Saving Arthur" lens of the prophecy over the "Restoring Magic" part. Now, there are a ton of ways you can look at this, depending on how far along the scale of Queer Analysis you are, so I'm going to try and address a couple. At one end of the scale, you have the fairly simple and very believable "merthur" take. This basically boils down to the fact that Merlin and Arthur may or may not be deeply in love with one another, and that drowns out any voice of reason that may unfold. This is actually fairly canon compliant, particularly looking at incidents such as the Disir, when Merlin chooses Arthur over his and his people's freedom, though that choice was clearly, in hindsight, misadvised.

At the other end of the spectrum, there is the idea that it is the work of Kilgharrah, Gaius and other responsible figures in Merlin's life when he was new to his role in destiny, who reiterated at every occasion that Arthur must be protected at all costs. This may have ingrained into Merlin's thoughts and influenced his decisions from here on out.

Between those two points, there is a grey area, and I am of the personal opinion that neither extreme entirely satisfies the situation. For me, I think the characters in question are far too complex to have such simple motivations, and that the true reason lies somewhere between the two: Merlin undoubtedly cares for Arthur, and while at the start, his actions in protacting Arthur may have been driven by other (largely superficial) motives, over time, their mutual affection blossomed to the point where certainly the more personal quests were motivated not by need, but by love. However, there is a divide here, and while the line in the sand smudges from time to time, it never really disappears: a lot of instances in which Merlin is trying to help Arthur are entirely overshadowed by destiny, and in time, Merlin comes to accept that Arthur and Destiny are, in fact, one and the same, and this is where that ever-present tragedy lies. For all he truth in here, Merlin doesn't get everything quite right: he sees Arthur as a balance that needs to be protected, without fully realising that he doesn't just have to keep the sides of his equation in equilibrium, but he actually has to start solving them if he wants them to endure.

Having just said all that, sometimes I decide to fuck over complexity for a few hours purely because I am a shameless merthur hoe.

Also, can you take a moment to please note that this last section is highly subjective and it is completely up to you as to what you decide!! This is just my opinion and you're welcome to agree or disagree at any point.

So, aside from the Angst Factor™ and twisted character development, why was the main goal never fulfilled? Unfortunately, that is a question far cleverer people than me can only speculate, as the writers alone know the answers, but I'm going to give my opinion a shot. Honestly, there is something beautifullly poetic about something that never ends, or ends when there could be something more. Humanity has struggled with endings-and beginnings- since it learned truly how to think, because that kind of finality, that inkling that there might have been nothing before and after something else is incomprehensible. In leaving Merlin in a place where the next point was uncertain, the writers left the story open for us. In depriving us of that catharsis, they effectively made sure that the story would never be over, not until we want it to be. And yes, it was painful. I can't think of an ending that was more heartbreaking than that curious mixture of closures and openings all at the same time (hell, I could write a whole essay based on this concept alone!), but it was also a gift, ironically like that of the prophecy itself in that we can choose what we want to do with it, safe in the knowledge that there will be a happy ending again, one day.

In summary, we might not be left with catharsis in the way we wanted. We might not have got the happy ending that could also have stretched on and on indefinitely. But we were left with something else, something equally beautiful as closure, but in the complete opposite way. Amongst the remains of allwe had hoped to build, Merlin left us hope.

[theonceandfutureking6481]

BBC's Merlin Season 1 Episode 1: The Dragon's Call Analysis

*SPOILERS- FOR THE WHOLE SHOW*

So I just re-watched episode 1 of Merlin, The Dragon's Call and I thought I'd post my thoughts here, since this is the kind of thing I always wanted after I watched Merlin for the first time. Sorry, it's quite long!!

This episode is great fun to watch but also really interesting from a thematic perspective, as it introduces all the key characters and many key themes that continue throughout the show.

Setting it up as subverting traditional telling's of the legend

The wonderful thing about Arthurian legend is how many ways you can tell it, there is very little canon, it's whole point is that it has been reinterpreted time and again to say different things, be that as it may there are traditional elements which tend to remain constant and Merlin keeps some of these but many it takes out and it sets that up here.

The introduction is like a fairytale, "the young warlock arriving at the gates of Camelot", feels very much like the introduction to a fairy tale. This is on one hand telling us that this is a story we know like any fairytale, but the very fact that Merlin is young shows us that it is going to be different.

On the side, I love the line "A boy that will in time father a legend", because there's just this wonderful gap between the audience and the characters (as there is throughout the whole story), we know that Merlin will do great things, we know that Arthur will too, they are stories we have heard (tying again into that fairytale esque introduction), and its wonderful to know that, to see Merlin and know that he is destined for greatness.

Introduction to characters:

I haven't got a specific section for Merlin here, but its sort of strewn throughout everyone elses.

Morgana:

If you know Arthurian legend you will know that in many (even most) versions of the story Morgana is a villain, so her introduction here is both scary and fascinating. She is so clearly not a villain, and you wonder (if Merlin stays true to this element) what is going to change and happen that she will become one. I knew from the start that Morgana would become a villain (I had heard a lot of spoilers), so it was especially tragic and interesting to watch her character arc because I always knew. Interestingly she is immediately set up in alliance with Merlin, even though they barely interact. We know that he is a sorcerer, and her first lines are oppositional to Uther's stance on magic, she out of everyone in Camelot seems the most likely ally. This is the start of what becomes parallel character arcs, Morgana and Merlin are both fighting for magic to become legal but they end up going about it in different ways, and one is the main villain, the other our hero. They are the same and yet opposites, and the setting up starts from here.

Arthur:

Arthur appears quite simply to be a spoiled bully, not exactly what we expect from the King Arthur we know and love. The position he starts in though is important for a key element of the story which is Merlin and Arthur creating a better world in many ways directly oppositional to Uther's teachings, based on love, kindness, willingness to put others first and respect for others. Uther's world is one where strength is rewarded and he is (in a more adult way than Arthur) a bully, as we learn later he is someone who takes his anger and fear out on others, who takes advantage of his position to hurt people even those he loves. Uther can be a good king, but not when it asks him to make sacrifices of his worldview or things that really matter to him. Uther teaches Arthur some important things but there are many things Arthur has to unlearn, and these bullish tendencies, and lack of respect for others inherent in them are one of them. We do however see Arthur's inherent nobility and goodness in this episode. When he lets Merlin go because even though he's an idiot "he's a brave one", it shows us how Arthur respects what people do rather than who they are. Uther wouldn't of let Merlin go (though to be fair Uther probably wouldn't of picked a fight with a peasant), he would have thought that the law had to be upheld no matter the individual circumstance. Merlin attacked the prince that is definitely illegal but Arthur respects his courage (even though it came at the cost of his humiliation), and there is something different to Uther in that, even good.

Merlin and Arthur:

This episode aside from setting the tone for the more hilarious aspects of Merlin and Arthur's relationship establishes some other interesting things about what they are going to be to each other in this version of the story. Traditionally Merlin is Arthur's teacher, often tutoring him as a child, obviously this doesn't happen here but they retain that element of teaching here. Kilgharrah literally says that maybe it is Merlin's job to change the fact that Arthur's an idiot. Merlin challenges Arthur from the start, willing to criticise him and treat him as an equal (which Arthur actually appears to love), and we see perhaps what Merlin is going to teach Arthur and the more noble elements of Arthur's character that Merlin's going to bring. It is also only within the context of his interactions with Merlin that we see Arthur's best side (at least in this episode). Merlin shows Arthur that he has to treat all people with respect, Arthur recognises that Merlin is brave and full of qualities that Arthur himself admires. When Merlin saves Arthur's life you can see Arthur re-evaluating everything he thought he knew about him, there is a respect there.

Arthur's Mum Igraine

She's not a big part of this episode but she was mentioned and I think its interesting how she's represented. In many ways her representation is highly simplistic, she falls to the fate of many fairy tale mothers in being dead before the story begins, she's a plot device. She is presented (not outright but implied) with all the stereotypical virtues mothers are ascribed with, the woman who's trying to kill Arthur this episode talks to Uther about how hard it must have been for Arthur to grow up without a mother. It's not a huge scene but its an insight into Arthur's character, he was brought up with all the hate and bullishness of Uther without a mother who could have taught him love and kindness. As we later learn Igraine's death triggered the great purge, her loss very much symbolises the loss of love within the kingdom, both in what Arthur's like at the beginning as well as what Camelot has become under Uther's leadership.

Gwen (and Merlin):

She is wonderful and sweet and interestingly (especially for an audience that knows Arthur is going to marry her one day) a servant. It is interesting that the two people who become in the show (and we know as an audience will one day be) closest to Arthur are servants.

The thing about Arthurian legend is that typically its very much set within a context of Medieval feudalism, which means stringent social barriers. The code of equality inherent in the idea of a Round Table is equality among nobles, the code of chivalry is a code of honour for knights not for ordinary people. It's a reflection of the social realities of the era that inspires much of the aesthetic of Arthurian legend as well as the era in which most key tenants of the legend were formed. In making Merlin (Arthur's teacher & (in this show) best friend/soulmate) and Guinevere (Arthur's wife) servants, this show is changing this idea for one more reflective of our own times. It is about absolute equality of all people, and as I've said already the inherent value that every single human being has and the individual capabilities for nobility and goodness and everything the Knights Code admires. It thus sets the tone for what Arthur is going to represent, not just the ideal of knighthood and courage but the ideal of kingship for all people and the ideal of the world that matters to every person.

The self reproducing nature of love and hate

This is an idea which I've always viewed as the main theme of Merlin, the idea that hate begets itself, as does love. This episode is a perfect encapsulation of that theme which recurs again and again. Uther kills a man who is innocent (in the sense that he didn't actually hurt anybody) and the man's mother seeks vengeance and in doing so kills more innocent people because she hates Uther enough that she doesn't care who else she hurts to get at him. This happens again and again in the show, but what this show does that I love is turn it into a main theme by depicting the reverse. Arthur and Merlin are great because they act against this world of Uther's creation, they act with love and compassion and respect for all people, the ends rarely justify the means and most importantly, especially when their actions seem morally grey, they are always motivated by their love for others (not fear or hate- unlike Uther and any number of villains). Uther is the main villain of the show precisely because it is his actions that create every other villain they encounter, Morgana sums it up nicely and somewhat ominously (given what side she ends up on)- "the more brutal you are the more enemies you'll create". Uther views that brutality as strength, but it is the weakness at the heart of his kingdom, it is what makes Camelot a worse place it is what puts everyone he cares about in danger. Essentially the plot of the first episode sets up the cycle of violence that Uther started, though it doesn't set up Merlin and Arthur as breaking it it does set up the idea of equality and respect for all people that Arthur will learn and is essentially opposed to the brutality and cruelty and hate represented by Uther.

Fun non-analysis things

It mightn't seem like it but I do actually watch Merlin for reasons other than copious analysis of themes. It is a highly enjoyable show with characters and relationships (Merthur but also just generally the wonderful representation of friendship and loyalty) I love, and its actually really funny.

Gwen saying "Who'd want to marry Arthur" is peak comedy because we all know, well you.

The weird set up in Gaius' first scene as him being bumbling and slightly insane (in the mad wise old man sort of way), there is literally no carry through, he's not even like this in the rest of the episode, but its hilarious so who cares.

Merlin and Arthur's whole exchange is the funniest thing and Arthur had every insult coming. Also this is exactly how you set up enemies to lovers.

All the writers names begin with J? It's just something I notice every time the intro credits roll and it's just funny (Julian Murphy, Johnny Capps, Jake Michie and Julian Jones)- also two Julian's, I mean what are the chances?

[kickassfu]

this fic was born from the title sent to me by my wonderfulfriend @tink-wondering for the fake summary ask game on tumblr. And now I have written a fic for it :D hope y'all enjoy!

Merthur: Teens and Up / / Canon Divergence - Everyone Lives / Fluff / Established Relationship / Mild Gore

Also on AO3

Mud and Blood (From My Face, I'll Scrubbed)

Arthur’s arms burn from the effort, knowing if he puts his sword down he’ll die. He’ll die and never see Merlin again. He falls, he gets up, he falls, he gets up, over and over again; he needs to get back to Camelot, to Merlin. Death is not an option. They may cut him, but they will not cut him down.

He can hardly see anything, with the blood running freely into his eyes, the cold mud drying on his face, fighting on instinct more than skill.That’s where training and experience come in, those moments you have no time to think, just fight, fight, fight - your life on the line.

Thunder crashes through the sky, destroying his enemies. Merlin stands there, strong and beautiful - like an avenging God wrought upon this Earth to bring destruction to his enemies. Finally having time to stop for a second, Arthur scrubs his face clean, takes a deep breath and roars, going back into the fray, knowing Merlin is right behind him ready for battle.

He’s not alone in the muck, and he shall never be as long as Merlin breathes.

Sword slicing through the air, through meat and bone, Arthur keeps going. His body lighter than before, his steps quicker, his sword deadlier, all the while the opposing soldiers fall around them like flies. There’s no time to stop in awe of Merlin’s power; Arthur has to fight his own body from turning around and seeing him in all his splendor. He can’t. Winning this war is what matters.

They’ll get out of this alive, a tad sore maybe, but alive, and Arthur will have all the time in the world to look at Merlin’s beauty and might.

So for now, he holds Excalibur high and charges.

-

The first thing Arthur does after the war ends is to hug Merlin to his chest as hard as he can, to breathe him in and keep him inside himself forevermore. The second thing he does is kiss Merlin silly, over and over again, until Merlin’s laughing too much to kiss back. But everything’s ok, he was right after all, they both lived, and his knights are battered but breathing. Arthur just cannot help himself from losing himself in Merlin.

Ignoring the battlefield surrounding them, Arthur just holds onto Merlin tightly, uncaring of everyone seeing them - it’s not like they don’t know about them already, it is an open secret of sorts. Smiling as he swipes his thumb under Merlin’s eye, delighting in the wrinkles found there, Arthur finally asks the question that has been plaguing him, “How are you here? I thought your magic-”

“Don’t be silly. I’d rip the world apart before I’d let you run into your death like a dollophead without me by your side,” Merlin smiles, kissing Arthur’s nose.

“How romantic of you...and slightly demented honestly. Should I be scared?”

“You never have anything to fear from me, other people though…”

“You look like a kicked puppy most of the time, you don’t exactly inspire terror in a man's heart. More like worry, which eventually turns into care and affection, and from there it snowballs into love somehow. I’m still confused on how it all happened.”

“Yes, it is quite fantastic when one underestimates you, it gives you free reign to do what you must under everyone’s noses. And yes, imagine how confused I was when I realized I had fallen in love with a prattish prince who happened to have a pechance from bossing me around.”

“Well, I guess it will be a mystery till the end of the times.”

Sighing dramatically, Merlin shakes his head, a fake haunted look in his eyes, even as they gleam with amusement, “I guess so. We shall have to live with it for the rest of our lives I suppose.”

“What a sad life we’ll lead,” Arthur jokingly agrees, as he traces Merlin’s cheekbone with his lips.

“Prat.”

“Idiot.”

Gwaine groans, as he stumbles around, dragging his left leg, “Please stop. We’re tired, and hurt, but mostly disgusted by how sweetly annoying you guys are being. Just go get a room and leave us to lick our wounds in peace.”

“You’re just jealous,” Merlin rolls his eyes, and definitely does not let go of Arthur, might even get closer to him if at all possible.

Taking a closer look at his knights, Arthur can see their merriment even through their tiredness, knowing the levity of the situation does them more good than bad. They need this, Arthur realizes. A break from the nerves of battle, from the burden of death weighing on them, just their usual, idiotic, banter.

“Thank you very much Merlin. But you needn’t worry about me, I get by quite well.”

“Don’t worry Gwaine, I’ll give you a nice cuddle tonight so you won’t feel as lonely,” Percy says, clapping Gwaine on his back and almost making him topple into the ground before grabbing his arms and stopping his descent. The rest of the knights laugh, some of them groaning along, no doubt the laughter pulling on their many cuts and wounds.

“I refuse, I won’t get 5 meters from his stinking feet,” Elyan pipes up, from his spot on the muddy ground. Cradling his right arm, as he forces laughter from his bleeding lips. Before Arthur can say anything, Merlin’s already extricating himself from his arms, to check on Elyan. Probably using more than a little magic to speed up the healing.

Arthur knows he has lost Merlin for a few hours now, that he’ll look at all his knights to make sure everyone’s ok. Knows that the small bright moment they’ve just shared will turn somber once again, when their thoughts turn to the people they have lost. People that Merlin cannot help or patch up, and that he shall blame himself for not getting there on time. That everyone who has survived blames themselves for not having saved. Maybe if they had fought a little harder, if they were faster, if they- it is an endless torrent of thoughts, impossible to drown out. One they have to live with for the rest of their lives.

Looking at Merlin as he does what he’s best at, helping people, Arthur knows he’s the luckiest man alive, to have him at his side. For better or worse.

[ziezie13]

Merthur Fic Recs

@beedragony​ in celebration of your Merlin rewatch as promised here are some of my favorite Merthur fics!

A Battle of Wills by bravenclawesome

Based off this Tumblr headcanon, in which Arthur and Merlin have been friends for years and are fiercely competitive with each other, to the point where they refuse to give in to being the first one to kiss the other.

Words: 2k, Chapters: 1, Rating: Explicit, Last Update: 05 Jan 2015

Tags: First Kiss, Necking, Neck Kissing, Friends to Lovers, Hand Jobs, Surprise Kissing, Tumblr Prompt, Based on a Tumblr Post, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Restraints

Best You Ever Had by orphan_account

Arthur has been with just about every girl in the sixth form. Merlin pines from afar, knowing he doesn't have a chance. Then Merlin gets an invitation, and realises he has a chance after all. Apparently Arthur is bored and wants to try something new. Merlin knows it's meaningless sex, but he might just be okay with that. Even if the butterflies in his stomach say otherwise.

Words: 36k, Chapters: 1, Rating: Explicit, Last Update: 14 Feb 2014

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blow Jobs, Angst, Anal Sex, First Time Bottoming, Drunkenness, Promiscuity, Bottoming from the Top, Alternate Universe - High School, Party, Facebook, Romance

The Student Prince by FayJay

A Modern day Merlin AU set at the University of St Andrews, featuring teetotal kickboxers, secret wizards, magnificent bodyguards of various genders, irate fairies, imprisoned dragons, crumbling gothic architecture, arrogant princes, adorable engineering students, stolen gold, magical doorways, attempted assassination, drunken students, shaving foam fights, embarrassing mornings after, The Hammer Dance, duty, responsibility, friendship and true love...

Words: 145k, Chapters: 35, Rating: Mature, Last Update: 10 Jul 2010

Tags: Modern AU, AU, Slash, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe, Friends to Lovers, Уточнять у автора, Don’t copy to another site, this was written after two seasons of the show, Depiction of Homophobia, depiction of casually homophobic public school boy douchebaggery, because that is how these fuckers roll, depictions of obnoxious rich privileged teenagers being obnoxiously rich and privileged, Magic, Reincarnation, Roommates, student life which in Scotland means drinking your bodyweight in alcohol and making bad life choices

Fools of Us All by adelagia

Merlin accidentally makes everybody in Camelot fall in love with him. Everybody except Arthur, that is.

Words: 11k, Chapters: 1, Rating: Explicit, Last Update: 02 Apr 2013

Tags: Fluff, Future Fic, Humor, Porn

Arthur's Purple Shirt by Bellobelle

Merlin has a favorite shirt of Arthur's.

Words: 2.5k, Chapters: 1, Rating: Teen, Last Update: 05 Mar 2013

Tags: Fluff, Clothes, Sharing Clothes

aeternus (eternal) by bravenclawesome

No one was around to hear him when at long last, the young warlock sank to his knees, shaking all over as wrecked sobs tore themselves out of his throat. No one was around to see him when the greatest sorcerer who ever lived curled into a ball on the shore, moaning long and low, "Arthur… Arthur… Arthur… Arthur, please… please come back to me…"

Words: 7k, Chapters: 1, Rating: Teen, Last Update: 06 May 2014

Tags: Diamond Day, Episode: s05e13 The Diamond of the Day, Feels, Angst, Heavy Angst, Major character death - Freeform, Grief/Mourning, #thediamo

Above and Beyond by lamardeuse

Merlin and Arthur face the morning after.

Words: 1k, Chapters: 1, Rating: Mature, Last Update: 17 Mar 2010

a catalogue of non-definitive acts by schweet_heart

In the morning, Arthur rolls over and kisses Merlin awake.

Written for arthur_pendragon's Merthur Kiss Fest

Words: 500, Chapters: 1, Rating: Explicit, Last Update: 08 Dec 2018

Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Era, Established Relationship, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Merlin, Oblivious Arthur Pendragon, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Fluff and Angst, Domestic Fluff, Rough Oral Sex, Sex Magic, Banter, Kissing, Sleepy Kisses, Idiots in Love

Backfire by Signe (oxoniensis)

In which there are giant ears, a curious cat, backfiring spells, a stick figure Arthur, some unfortunate truths and some very welcome ones.

Words: 8k, Chapters: 1, Rating: Explicit, Last Update: 25 Nov 2009

Tags: Humor, Magic, First Time

A Social Experiment by bravenclawesome 

Arthur and Merlin are complete strangers who take part in an experiment where they have to kiss for the first time. Months later, they run into each other again. Based off a YouTube video called "First Kiss" that went viral.

Words: 3.5k, Chapters: 1, Rating: Teen, Last Update: 04 May 2014

Tags: Boys Kissing, Awkwardness, Inspired By Tumblr, Inspired by a YouTube video, Hugs, YouTube, Pining, Pining Arthur, Resolved Romantic Tension, implied Resolved Sexual Tension, First Dates, MORGANA SHIPS MERTHUR, Surprise Kissing, Protective Morgana, Prompt Fill, Prompt Fic, Tumblr Prompt, Canon Compliant, Modern Era, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Kiss

An Age Old Fandom Cliché by Gyllenhaalic01

Here I am again trying to summarise what is basically another painfully fluffy story. It seems to me that as a Merthur fanfic writer, the love potion storyline is some kind of right of passage. So here is my version of the age old fandom cliché, the 'Merlin accidentally gives Arthur a love potion' plotline...

Words: 2k, Chapters: 1, Rating: General Audiences, Last Update: 09 June 2009

Some Say It's a Blessing; Some Say It's a Curse by Anonymous

Arthur gets captured and Merlin releases his wrath.

Words: 2k, Chapters: 1, Rating: Teen, Last Update: 04 December 2010

[sleepdeprivedphilosopher]

GET TO KNOW YOU MEME

thanks for the tag @sharing-a-room-with-an-open-fire​  💙

this got a bit long-winded I apologizeeee 

rules: tag 9 people you want to know get to know better

---

top 3 ships:

for the record, I named my minivan the enterprise so.... yea anyway onto relationship ships. this was a hard list to make honestly. 

1. snowbaz (from Carry On). this ship inspired me to write and publish fic so it makes sense that it is my number one. I’ve always loved those classic love-hate rival to lovers stories and this ship provides that in spades. that isn’t all that snowbaz is though. it is also one of the most relatable depictions of a relationship with someone traumatized I’ve read. I could see myself in simon and I wasn’t expecting that. for someone who struggles with relationships and opening up to people, it was like suddenly having words for something I had never been able to express before. 

2. merthur (from BBC Merlin). for years this ship was my number one. Merlin is my favorite television show in part due to this relationship. even in just a platonic sense their connection and their dynamic gets me every time. two sides of the same coin you can’t get much better than that. 

3. so I wasn’t sure which ship to put here. it was a toss-up between supernatural’s destiel or star trek’s spirk. in the end, I picked spirk because despite how much into supernatural I am at the moment spirk was pretty much my first ship and as such will always have a special place in my heart. 

if you can’t already tell I really enjoy soulmatey meant to be ships. whether they be platonic or romantic I’m a sucker for a pair of people who are meant to be (tm) and that’s what you get with spirk. they just bring out the best in each other and isn’t that what love is really about? 

lipstick or chapstick:

lipstick. especially liquid lipstick. I always have a bad reaction to chapstick so I tend to avoid it. love me a good liquid lipstick though. I usually have one on my person and picking out a shade is my favorite part of doing my makeup. 

my favorites right now are Wet N Wild liquid catsuit in the shade rebel rose (only five dollars can you believeee) and NYX lip lingerie in the shade ruffle trim (only seven dollarsss). you can get both brands at the drugstore for cheap and they last forever and go with pretty much every outfit. 

last song:

(Coffee’s for Closers) by Fall Out Boy. though I love every single Fall Out Boy album and could probably sing along to any of their songs (seriously test mee) I think folie à deux is my favorite. I listened to it a lot during 2016 and it has my favorite song on it, The Shipped Gold Standard. 

there’s nothing like yell singing the line “I will never believe in anything again!” when you are feeling super down about life in general. love the song. love the violins at the end and all the references poured into it. just great. 

last movie:

I can’t remember the last movie I watched. I don’t really watch movies much anymore. I did watch the muffin scene from The Importance of Being Earnest (2002) recently because my friends and I were doing a virtual reading of the play. but in terms of full-length movies, I think the last movie I saw was Anastasia (1997). I just got the urge re-watch it a few months back so I did and it was just as good as I remembered. (I may or may not want to write a snowbaz Anastasia au now....)

reading:

I am currently listening to the audiobook Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir and have been listening to it on and off for a good four months I think. I am getting close to finally finishing it though. 

I also read a really depressing destiel end of the world fic last night until six in the morning soooooo yea (fic is Every Living Thing by Askance if anyone wants to cry a lot). 

three random things that make me happy:

1. dancing. goodness, I love dancing. I used to go swing dancing every tuesday but of course, with things as they are I only get to dance in my studio apartment by myself nowadays. 

2. my little brother has been sending me snapchats daily. it usually doesn’t have a message attached to it just his face and honestly, it is just a little way we stay in contact. a way so I always know he is healthy and safe and thinking about me. he’s a good kid. I love him to bits. 

3. my characters. some of them I’ve had for years some just for a few months. I enjoy making their boards on pinterest and sketching out their expressions in my sketchbook. I love all their weird little details I just somehow know. I love being able to dive into another person and explore how they see the world. 

they've always been there for me and I love them dearly. maybe that’s strange. 

---

not sure who all has been tagged so I’m just going to go for it. sorry if you’ve already been tagged. 

tagging: @sortofsea​ @archegonia @the-clueless-philosopher​ @nodusormu​@bluelioncupcake @nightimedreamersworld​ @sunshine-death-breath​ @kit-kat57​ @sourcherrymagiks​

[elysiumwaits]

Hey! For the two words prompt, can I request some ‘moonlight dancing’, please? I’ve had a craving for some slow dancing fic for a while now and I’d love to see what you do with it. As for the pairing, some Sterek, Stucky, Merthur or even some Thor/Bruce, if any of those inspire you. Thank you. 😊

Well, the good news is that I’ve got 1800 words of sappy wedding reception Stucky for you. The bad news is that I completely dropped the ball on the “moonlight” part of the “moonlight dancing” prompt. So if you could just picture a giant moon as the backdrop for this fic, I’d appreciate it.

My timeline for this fic puts this in the February of 2019, because timelines are hard in the MCU anyway. So this would put this fic before Doris Day passed away in May. Also, I believe the MCU puts Bucky Barnes somewhere around the age of 95? So I played with that a bit.

Here, you’ll need these, make yourself a playlist and set them up for the duration of the fic:

Doris Day version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7j8wa9sWOE

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6TmogXhOZ8

Kate Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh8hW0irwpo

I refuse to link to Michael Buble because I can't stand listening to him sing thanks to many years of having to listen to one album of his on repeat at a book and toy store I worked at (and then, for two months out of the year, his Christmas album).

Nothing to tag for, no spoilers here.

I Linger On, Dear on AO3

The garden was lit by strings of fairy lights that zig-zagged overhead, and every-so-often by the big burning lanterns along the walkway that burned primarily to provide warmth to the party-goers. The moonlight did a lot for them as well, big and full above, not drowned out by the light pollution of the city. The party itself was dying down, guests having gone inside to the mansion to warm up and start saying their goodbyes, or perhaps be enticed into one more drink by their charming host and hostess. 

Most of the people they knew as friends but not family would dissipate, unable to be swayed by even Tony Stark’s extensive liquor collection and insistence that they have “one more, just one more, I’m paying for all the safe transportation home, after all.” If Tony didn’t manage to convince them, Pepper just might try to ply them with the wine she can’t actually have at six and a half months pregnant. 

Their family, though, won’t leave - there are rooms throughout the mansion, plenty of them, but most of them won’t be even approached until close to dawn, and it’s only a quarter until midnight now. The big celebration is over, but the smaller, more important one is just beginning, and will no doubt carry on through the night with drunken, half-sleepy conversations with people who recognize that these truly blissful moments are few and far between. 

The band has packed up and gone home. Their set ended at eleven, even though Clint had to be lured away from the drummer’s kit by Natasha promising him some complicated, fancy-sounding drink that was probably just going to be vodka, V8, and Sprite. Even after he’d gotten out of the band’s hair enough that they could pack up and be tipped generously by Tony, the drummer had loudly wondered where he’d put his drumsticks, none the wiser to Clint (accidentally) taking a souvenir. 

As a result, the dance floor is empty, but there’s a Bluetooth speaker built into the pavilion that Steve is taking full advantage of, albeit very quietly. His suit isn’t as neat as it was earlier, and the drink in his hand does absolutely nothing to get him anywhere even close to drunk, but he’s probably the happiest he’s ever been. He’s enjoying the peace and quiet of the garden, the distant sounds of revelry filtering through the open doors of the mansion, and the pavilion is heated so he’s not even cold. 

“I want you to know that I still think an outdoor reception in the middle of February is a little ridiculous,” a warm voice says from behind him.

Steve grins and waits without turning on the bench for Bucky to get closer. He expects for Bucky to sit down next to him, but instead he gets arms wrapped around him from behind, looping across his shoulders while Bucky’s chin rests gently on the top of his head. 

“That can’t be comfortable,” Steve says, grin widening. “Stealth big-spooning doesn’t count.”

“Well, if you would give me a shot at it one of these nights.” Bucky sounds amused though, and pulls away to come around the bench and stand in front of Steve.

He looks good, jacket lost and sleeves of his white button-up rolled halfway up his forearms. The tie he’d worn is undone and just hanging out of the collar of his shirt, while his hair falls halfway out of the neat ponytail he’d been wearing all day. He’s, in short, a bit of a rumpled mess, which is just how Steve likes him.

“What, you haven’t heard enough of this song?” Bucky teases when he finally hears the soft music playing through the speakers. “The Doris Day version, isn’t it? Turn it up.”

Steve obliges by reaching for his phone and turning the volume up a couple of notches, just in time to hear Doris Day sing about sweet dreams and leaving all worries behind you. They listen for the last little bit of the song before it fades away, and jazz trumpets begin. Bucky smiles then, as Ella Fitzgerald begins to sing about stars shining bright.

“Mr. Barnes,” Bucky says, and holds out his hand, “may I have this dance?”

“You may, Mr. Rogers,” Steve replies, taking his hand and allowing himself to be pulled to his feet, even as Bucky huffs out a laugh.

“I realize it’s your maiden name, but these days when I hear it I think of sweaters and the neighborhood.” Bucky falls into the lead role of the slow, swaying dance they do, metal hand placed on Steve’s waist while his other fingers curl around Steve’s. It’s a throwback to when Steve was smaller, when it made more sense for Steve to follow when Bucky was attempting to teach him to dance. Now they’re the same height, but here, Steve holds Bucky’s hand and rests his other on Bucky’s shoulder.

A faux-put-upon sigh escapes Steve. “I know, that’s why we went with Barnes. Trust me, I’ve been hearing it for years now, I don’t need it from you too.” He lets Bucky slowly move them around the empty dance floor as the soft music plays and Louis Armstrong comes in to sing with Ella. 

“I don’t think the band did a bad job with it,” Bucky says after a long moment of swaying and listening. “It’s just too bad Doris Day wasn’t available, or that we didn’t get married early enough for Kate Smith or Ella Fitzgerald.”

“Doris Day is ninety-seven, Bucky,” Steve chides. “She didn’t need Tony Stark bribing her to sing our wedding song.”

“I’m ninety-seven.” Bucky chooses that moment to guide Steve into a slow spin, letting go of Steve’s waist and lifting a hand to let Steve turn, before tugging him back even closer than before. “But you probably don’t want me trying to croon into a microphone, if how you react to my karaoke is any indication.”

“Little hard to dance with you if you perform your own wedding song, Buck.” 

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong fade away, leading into soft guitar, and Bucky wrinkles his nose. “Skip this one,” he says, pausing their dance.

Steve fishes the phone out from his suit pocket, rolls his eyes and bites a smile back as he does as he’s asked. “I think Michael Buble is nice.”

Kate Smith starts to sing, piano playing to accompany. It’s not the version they heard back in the day, instead the one from the 1950s show, but Bucky starts to move them across the dance floor once more. 

“He screwed up the tempo,” Bucky says. “It’s too fast. The one that came out in the 60s did too, I don’t remember what they were called.”

“The Mamas and the Papas.” Steve can’t fight the smile anymore. He’s just so ridiculously happy, and there’s a gold band glinting off the fairy lights around them on the ring finger of his left hand. “And then there’s that guy with Lily Allen. I liked that one too.”

He knows there’s a matching gold ring on a chain underneath Bucky’s white shirt. He hadn’t wanted to wear it on the Winter Soldier arm, still a sore subject more than anything, and he’d considered briefly wearing it on his right hand before finally settling on the chain he swears to Steve he’ll never take off except to shower or if he’s undercover. Steve has a chain as well - the ring isn’t terribly comfortable under the gloves of his suit, after all. 

“What have you got to smile about?” Bucky pesters, like he’s not grinning too. “You’re stuck with me for good now, punk. No refunds or exchanges. You don’t even have the receipt, so HYDRA definitely won’t take me back now.”

“I think technically I stole you, so I wouldn’t have a receipt anyway.” Steve flexes his hand in Bucky’s, squeezing tight, but is careful not to do the same with the hand on Bucky’s left shoulder. 

Bucky drags Steve even closer, until his hand isn’t on his waist but instead on Steve’s lower back. “You’re telling me I married a thief? I want a divorce.” At Steve’s laugh, he adds, gentler, “What are you smiling about, Stevie?”

“Sam’s best man speech,” Steve teases, even though they both know that’s not exactly what’s got him so happy. “He spent the whole time insulting you, and you still cried. You can’t fool me, Buck, I saw you wipe a tear away when you thought nobody was looking.”

“Only because he was my best man, and he spent the whole time insulting me.” Bucky’s grumbling, but he can’t hide the twinkle in his eye. “Seriously, ‘you stay on a man’s left for years and his elderly ex-boyfriend shows up to sweep him off his feet, so now you gotta move even farther to the left,’ and people laughed! Clint asked if I got a senior discount on my suit.”

Steve laughs. “You were the one that asked about a senior discount on the suit when we went to get them fitted!” 

The playlist loops around, and Doris Day starts again. 

Bucky leans forward, pressing his cheek to Steve’s. “What are you smiling about, Steve? What’s got you so happy?” he asks one more time, softly, like he doesn’t already know, while Doris Day softly sings that night breezes seem to whisper ‘I love you.’

“You said it yourself,” Steve murmurs, couldn’t stop grinning even if he wanted to. “I’m stuck with you for good now. No refunds or exchanges, don’t even have the receipt.” He pauses, loops his arm more firmly around Bucky’s neck. “‘Til the end of the line.”

“Sap,” Bucky says, and his voice is a little rough, just like it had been during Sam’s best man speech. “You’re gonna whip out that line every time you get the chance, huh? Just because you know it gets to me.”

“Well, it is actually a vow now. The ‘’til death do us part’ vow obviously didn’t apply to either of us, so I had to get creative.” They’ve stopped actually moving their feet, just standing and holding each other while swaying. “Now you know how much I mean it.”

“I always knew you meant it,” Bucky says. “Now stop trying to make me cry at my own wedding reception for the second time in one night.”

“Third.”

“One of those was at the altar, not the reception, it doesn’t count.” Bucky starts to pull away, but Steve holds fast. “I was supposed to come and bring you inside. They’re probably taking blackmail photos from the windows.”

“You called the official photos that we paid for blackmail too.” Steve tugs Bucky back into him, pressing himself close. “One more dance.”

“Yeah,” Bucky agrees, relaxes and starts to guide them around the floor once more. “One more. But in your dreams, whatever they be…”

Above them, the lights twinkle, and around them drifts the soft lyrics of their song, as they slowly sway together. Steve smiles, and listens to Bucky’s off-key singing, gentle in his ear.

“Dream a little dream of me.”

[goingknowherewastaken]

Divine Me A Masterpiece Challenge

♦ About

Welcome to my 1000 follower challenge!!! With there being a lot of seasonal challenges right now I thought I’d do something a little different. I thought that maybe we should get in touch with magic that’s in the air right now ;)

So for this challenge we are looking at tarot! First I’ll go over the rules and expectations, then gloss over tarot, and finally round out this post with the characters and prompts. So let’s get started :D

♦ Rules

To Enter

You must apply through my ask box so no anons. If you are using a side blog and don’t want your main shown to the world tell me so in the ask and I will not post it publicly. 

Every entry needs to be inspired by a Major Arcana card and must be focused on a character or ship I listed.

Each card is limited to one person!

Entries must be sent by ask and will be posted publicly!

I have bonus prompts listed at the bottom of this post; you need to use at least one (1) and you are limited to three (3) total! Sentence prompts are all first come, first serve! The majority of the AU prompts have a two person limit.

What your ask should include - the tarot card you wish to claim, the character or ship you wish to write for, and 1-3 of the prompts/AUs I have listed (You need to use at least one from the list).

All angst must have a happy ending and no cis-swapping.

I am accepting - fics, fan art, moodboards, edits, and playlists (you need to make a cover for it).

Note: I work second shift so please don’t panic if I don’t respond in the afternoon/evening hours.

November 24th, 2018 - I currently am just shy of 1000 followers and will not be posting a due date for these until I get 1000 followers. I will tag all who entered when that happens.

When Posting Your Work

All entries are due on February 22nd, 2019. Please do not post before then.

Make sure to list - the character/ship you wrote for, any warnings, and if it is nsfw.

Tell me how you interpreted the card for your work.

Make sure to tag me @goingknowherewastaken and @jiminthestreets-bonesinthesheets (Ashley is my assistant during this challenge)

Please use this tag within the first 5 tags - #DivineMeAMasterpieceChallenge

If your work contains nsfw content please make sure to tag it accordingly.

Please send me the link to your work through my ask box!

♦ About Tarot

We’ve all seen the decks of cards with beautiful designs used for helping find possible answers to questions we may have, but not everyone knows what’s going on with them. I will gloss over the bare minimum of info here, but I encourage you all to read up on tarot if you are unfamiliar with it.

Tarot cards are used for uncovering possible answers to questions we have about our lives - from love to career. Cards can be drawn and placed in a certain layout (spread) and are then read in a specific order. They are meant for enlightenment and what they tell in the spread is not set in stone - they are cards and you can ignore their take if you wish.

There are two ways to read the cards depending on how they appear in a spread - upright and reversed (upside down). If the card is revealed to be right-side up you are to read the card as is and if it is reversed then it’s meaning is reversed.

Depending on the deck, the description of the card can vary slightly, but overall they are similar. Also, the meaning behind the card is affected by the other cards in the spread. For this challenge you will only have to worry about the card you selected.

Because there are in total 78 cards in a standard deck (divided between the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana), we will only be using the Major Arcana which totals 22 cards.

Please read up more on the card you select!!!!!

The Tarot Cards (the words listed are just brief overviews of the cards that I gathered from Biddy Tarot)

Fool - @haveyouseenmymind 

Upright - beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, a free spirit

Reversed - naivety, foolishness, recklessness, risk-taking

The Magician

Upright - power, skill, concentration, action, resourcefulness

Reversed - manipulation, poor planning, latent talents

High Priestess - @frostingsfics 

Upright - intuition, higher powers, mystery, subconscious mind

Reversed - hidden agendas, need to listen to inner voice

The Empress

Upright - fertility, femininity, beauty, nature, abundance

Reversed - creative block, dependence on others

The Emperor

Upright - authority, father-figure, structure, solid foundation

Reversed - domination, excessive control, rigidity, inflexibility

Hierophant - @bsotstory 

Upright - religion, group identification, conformity, tradition, beliefs

Reversed - restriction, challenging the status quo

Lovers - @the-goddamn-queen 

Upright - love, union, relationships, values alignment, choices

Reversed - disharmony, imbalance, misalignment of values

Chariot

Upright - control, will power, victory, assertion, determination

Reversed - lack of control and direction, aggression

Strength

Upright - strength, courage, patience, control, compassion

Reversed - weakness, self-doubt, lack of self-discipline

Hermit - @auduna-druitt 

Upright - soul-searching, introspection, being alone, inner guidance

Reversed - isolation, loneliness, withdrawal

Wheel of Fortune - @kjs-s

Upright - good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, a turning point

Reversed - bad luck, negative external forces, out of control

Justice

Upright - justice, fairness, truth, cause and effect, law

Reversed - unfairness, lack of accountability, dishonesty

Hanged Man

Upright - suspension, restriction, letting go, sacrifice

Reversed - martyrdom, indecision, delay

Death - @captainsbabysitter-blog 

Upright - endings, beginnings, change, transformation, transition

Reversed - resistance to change, unable to move on

Temperance

Upright - balance, moderation, patience, purpose, meaning

Reversed - imbalance, excess, lack of long-term vision

Devil - @bookcaseninja

Upright - bondage, addiction, sexuality, materialism

Reversed - detachment, breaking free, power reclaimed

Tower - @haveyouseenmymind 

Upright - disaster, upheaval, sudden change, revelation

Reversed - avoidance of disaster, fear of change

Star - @filatarcangelus

Upright - hope, spirituality, renewal, inspiration, serenity

Reversed - lack of faith, despair, discouragement

Moon - @resistance-is-futile81

Upright - illusion, fear, anxiety, insecurity, subconscious

Reversed - release of fear, unhappiness, confusion

Sun - @and-i-cant-resurrect-you 

Upright - fun, warmth, success, positivity, vitality

Reversed - temporary depression, lack of success

Judgement 

Upright - judgement, rebirth, inner calling, absolution

Reversed - self-doubt, refusal of self examination

World  

Upright - completion, integration, accomplishment, travel

Reversed - lack of completion, lack of closure

♦ Characters And Ships

Characters (for reader inserts)

Jim Kirk (AOS)

Leonard McCoy (AOS)

Spock (AOS)

Scotty (AOS or TOS)

Steve Trevor

Steve Rogers

Bucky Barnes

Clint Barton

Bruce Banner

Thor

Peter Quill

Skurge

Owen Grady (Jurassic World)

Nicholas Devereaux (The Princess Diaries 2)

Cinderella’s Prince (Into The Woods)

Bernie Webber (The Finest Hours)

Jack Ryan (Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit)

Toby Howard (Hell Or High Water)

FDR Foster (This Means War)

Dr. Alex Murray (A Wrinkle In Time)

Robert the Bruce (Outlaw King)(I can’t help it he’s too precious with Elizabeth!!)

Eomer

Vaako (The Chronicles of Riddick)

Gavin (Pete’s Dragon)

William Cooper (RED)

John Kennex (Almost Human)

Vincent Stevens (The Loft)

Kirill (The Bourne movies)

Ships

McKirk

WonderTrev

Jim Kirk x Eomer

Jim Kirk x Vaako

Jim Kirk x Scotty (Scirk)

Owen Grady x Charlie Weasley (from Harry Potter)(I know no one will use this ship but I have to have hope ya know?)

WonderKirk

Napollya (Napoleon Solo x Illya Kuryakin from (T.M.F.U.)

Merthur

I have expressed interest in other crossfandom ships in the past that involve one (or some) of the characters listed above so if you have an ship in mind ask me about it and I may grant an exception to it (no sp*rk though so don’t even try that)

♦ Other Prompts

Sentence Prompts (gathered from around tumblr)

“I…think I’m in love?” - @the-goddamn-queen 

“Are you scared? Don’t be. ‘ll protect you from today onwards.” @haveyouseenmymind

“It’s crazy, isn’t it? Two complete strangers who know nothing about each other being brought together like this.”

your car slid into a snowbank and i’m the mechanic that comes to tow you

i hate the holidays more than anything in the world and you drive me nuts because you love the holidays more than anything in the world and this is why we aren’t friends (enemies to friends to lovers hello)

i’m constantly dragging all my friends to your hockey games because i think you’re so much fun to watch and i don’t think you’ll ever notice me

you knit me a sweater for christmas and i realize i am in love with you @bsotstory 

your birthday lands on christmas so no one ever remembers except this year i’ve asked everyone to delay their holidays to throw you a proper birthday bash

I build a fort in the college courtyard and have been throwing snowballs at people passing by and you are not impressed

our first date is spent walking around our small town holding hands and talking as soft snow falls around us @resistance-is-futile81 

I mean life is full of surprises. You could find the love of your life tomorrow, but you could also wake up bald. @the-goddamn-queen 

Will you press pause on your SHIT for 5 minutes? @the-goddamn-queen 

“Let’s not confuse healthy eating with a hot dog.”

“I’m gonna lay down and die for like a half hour okay?”  @auduna-druitt

“So MacGyvering this out of my tuckus right now.” @captainsbabysitter-blog 

“I just did some calculations, and I’ve been able to determine that you’re full of shit.” @frostingsfics 

“You screw with me, I’ll screw with you.”

“i’m pretty good at providing distractions.”

“Why is there a picture of Steve Buscemi in your bathroom?!”

“These stars are nothing compared to the ones I’ve seen in your eyes.”

“Are you ready to dance with the devil?” @bookcaseninja

hey i just moved into the house next door and i just wanted to let you know that your dog keeps getting into my yard an - wait what? what do you mean that’s a cat????? that’s not a cat it’s fucking huge!!!! (turns out it is a cat, it’s just really big and fat) @haveyouseenmymind 

The postal worker delivered your package to my place accidentally and I was expecting something so I totally didn’t look before I opened it and… wow that is um… quite an interesting thing you bought and I’m here to return it

our dogs are in love with each other and it’s making things awkward at the dog park AU

I injured myself doing something stupid at a holiday party and you’re the doctor at the emergency clinic AU

I just moved into a new apartment and went to buy groceries, but I bought more than I could carry back. I’ve stopped to catch my breath when I hear someone asking if I need help and I look up and the sun is literally making you glow like a damn angel. @and-i-cant-resurrect-you 

where one person is actually famous and sets up a dating account with their real picture and the other sees it and is like, oh dude you are not fooling anyone with that picture and when they actually meet the other is pissed because DUDE YOU’RE THAT FAMOUS PERSON and the other is like, yeah, i mean, i thought you knew…

i have a soft spot for cats so i always feed the fat one that’s always hanging out in the hall with treats and now it started hanging around me fuck i’m so sorry i didn’t mean to accidentally steal your pet @filatarcangelus

“ur just a random stranger and i’ve been ranting to you for like 20 minutes about how much i hate this one band but now several groups of people came up to you asking for pics and autographs, and oh shit it turns out you’re in the band i’ve been going on about” au

You’re a famous viner and I constantly witness you doing the weirdest things AU

“I went to see you live in concert and was front row and you went into the crowd and I grabbed your hand, but started freaking out so much that I was touching you that I couldn’t let go to the point where security had to physically tear me away from you and now you’ve invited me backstage literally what” AU

AU Prompts (each of these (baring the Soulmate AU) has a two person limit)

Soulmate AU (there will be no limitations on this prompt) - @frostingsfics 

A/B/O AU

Shop AU -

Book shop,

flower shop,

bakery,

coffee shop/cafe,

ice cream shop,

boutique/antique store

Professors/Teachers AU

Wings AU - @bookcaseninja 

Supernatural Creature(s) AU

vampires,

werewolves,

fey,

shapeshifters,

Ghosts,

demons,

Angels

merpeople

Magic/HP AU - @haveyouseenmymind 

Celebrity/Famous Face/Hollywood AU

Fake Relationship AU - @captainsbabysitter-blog 

Youtuber/Viner AU

Circus AU - @kjs-s 

Roommates AU - @auduna-druitt

Historical AU

Fairy Tail/Disney AU

Spy/Secret Agent AU

Royalty AU - @and-i-cant-resurrect-you 

Classic Novel Pride & Prejudice AU

Tagging those interested: @musicmandy1991 (tumblr won’t let me tag you????) @haveyouseenmymind @outside-the-government @tardisoftheshire @bookcaseninja @miraclesoflove @exiledtime @cynically-optomistic @frostedej

[madaboutmerlin]

Merlin Writer Month: Round Up

Hello Merlin fans! It’s hard to believe, but here we are again at the end of another week! Thank you to all who participated during this third one! There have been some really great recs! We hope you’ve enjoyed recommending and/or reading and connecting with others who love this great fandom! 

As a friendly reminder, please make sure to use the tag #MerlinWriterMonth2018 when tagging your posts for this month.

This post, as per the usual, will go from largest quantity rec’d to the smallest, so as to make it more tidy. 

Without further ado, here we go!

MERTHUR:

1.  Footballers Don’t Dance by Tari_Sue

Summary: What else is a footballer supposed to do at the end of his career other than enter Strictly?

Words: 47,531

2.  No Strings Attached by leahholmes12

Summary: Who knew it would be so comfortable hiding in the closet while your boyfriend fights with his wife, wearing his boxers and smelling like sex? In Merlin’s defense, Arthur hadn’t been wearing his wedding band that night at the bar. But sex isn’t the only reason why Arthur’s seeing Merlin… One of Dr. Arthur Pendragon’s secrets will change Merlin’s life forever. Rated for infidelity, drug abuse, and explicit sex.

Words: 17,560

3.  Making Other Plans by digthewriter

Summary: Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.

Words: 12,920

4.  You Only Live Twice by storyforsomeone

Summary: Agent Arthur Pendragon is the best double-0 the agency has ever seen, trained and honed to be MI6’s finest weapon.He does not need a voice in his ear telling him how to do his job. He does not listen to stubborn geniuses who apparently had no sense of self-preservation and enjoyed baiting professional killers.He certainly does not fall in love with quartermasters with haunting blue-gold eyes and an irritating habit of saving his life.(Or the one where Arthur is 007, Merlin is Q, and they’re both still idiots.)

Words: 226K

5.  A Question of Honour by schweet_heart

Summary: It took a few seconds for this to sink in. When it did, Merlin felt as if he’d been repeatedly hit over the head by a blunt object, and had to clutch at Arthur’s shoulder for support. “Are you telling me you’re a virgin?!” He squeaked, his voice reaching a pitch that was probably only audible to bats and a handful of dogs.OR: Arthur is getting married, and there are certain things he wants to know before his wedding night. Apparently, Merlin is the only one he can ask.

Words: 10K

6.  The Catalyst by Val_Creative

Summary: Merlin will never die. Time has withered him to a standoffish, hollow mimicry of what he has once been. The boy who wore his smiles with pride and genuine feeling.The worst part is he never truly lives, not until destiny spits Arthur Pendragon back out.

Words: 218,982

7.  Mr & Mr Smith by Detochkina

Summary: Merlin Emrys is used to living life on the go. As an agent for the Agency of Magic, Merlin’s days are consumed by travel, exotic locations, and battling a faceless rival – an officer from the competing Bureau of Corrections, who is always hot on his heels and ready to one-up him. When Merlin is sent on a mission to Las Vegas to secure a powerful artifact, he allows himself one night off. Just one, because he bloody deserves it. Drinks and foreplay lead to a bet with a hot financial advisor he just met. Merlin ends up as a newlywed. Oops. 

Words: 101,837

8.  Merlin’s Just A Fast Learner by a_fuck_it_kind_of_lifestyle

Summary:  A mysterious sorcerer saved the army of Camelot at Camlann, but more than that, he saved Arthur Pendragon. Upon returning home, Arthur discovers the errors of his ways, and vows to correct his father’s wrongs. He starts by lifting the ban on magic. But he realizes to fully understand the new world, he needs a court sorcerer. So he asks his most trusted friend to learn magic. Merlin, being an idiot, said yes. He quickly finds out that hiding his knowledge of magic while doing magic is almost as hard as hiding his deep unending love for Arthur. Arthur is still an oblivious idiot in every aspect of his life besides Uther, and doesn’t realize that he’s in love with his obvious sorcerer friend Merlin.

Words: 12K

9.  Fire and Filigree by CreamMoon

Summary: For ten years Arthur is the youngest son of Sir Ector and Lady Evaine. When the lady of the household dies in childbirth that all ends, and he becomes an indentured servant to work off his debt of “ten years of care”. Ten years later he’s at his wit’s end catering to the household’s demands. But then a series of events set in motion by an aggravating Fae, a well meaning Knight, and an annoying stranger turn his world upside down.

Words: 20,688

10.  Two Halves of the Whole by Fiery_archer_lav3nder_p1x1e

Summary: In a world where Alphas and Omegas are seen as sub-human, treated like animals, and isolated from the world, two boys find each other. The world may not see them as anything, but to each other, and the rest of their kind, they’re a beacon of hope. They’ve survived years in a system that looks only to obliterate those with their special capabilities, but once they find each other, they take their lives back…. together. Who knows what this could mean for the world.

Words: 82,171

11. The Dragon of Avalon by darklydreamingdoctor 

When Merlin is wounded at Camlann instead of Arthur, the two journey to Avalon in a final attempt to save the sorcerer's life. Once there they receive help from an unexpected source... with unexpected consequences. 

Words: 26,474

12. It’s a Safeguarding Issue by Guessimaclotpole 

Arthur Pendragon is a 23-year-old NQT preparing for his first year of teaching Music to international students at Durham University; and he is all kinds of stressed and nervous. So, when cocky northerner Emrys ends up dumped in his class, his first year of teaching becomes anything other than what he’d expected.

Emrys Smith is a 20-year-old talented local student who has applied for the music course at Durham University with a full scholarship, and with pressure from his Mother. He was the only local student to pass the entry requirements and on his first day he is thrown in with the international students. There he meets his lecturer, Arthur Pendragon, and fresh meat is always the easiest target.

After a horrible event takes place, Arthur and Emrys form a bond which they can’t allow to become anything more than a standard Teacher/Student relationship- but Arthur learns of Emrys’ dark background and can’t help but feel tenderly for him.

Only after Arthur pushes Emrys away does he realise he’s head over heels for his student.

Words: 48,871

13. down came the lightning on me by ladililn 

Plot twist: it turns out Arthur doesn't have any problem with Merlin kissing guys if it's Arthur he's kissing.

Words: 11,731

14. Knight of the Temple by rotrude 

When Edessa, a city and county conquered during the first crusade, falls to Atabeg Zengi, Pope Eugene II pleads for the start of a new expedition. Meanwhile Norman knight Arthur Pendragon is faced with the prospect of an arranged marriage. The only way out for him is joining the brethren of the Temple. It's in the Holy Land he meets the mysterious Merlin.

Words: 33,435

15. King & Lionheart by Bohemia

For someone with so many secrets, Merlin doesn't think he's very good at lying. So agreeing to discuss his friendship with the Prince of Wales at University as part of a televised documentary is probably not a good idea. Juggling magic, Royal protocol, suave (and persistent) Dukes, a Princess with attitude, and a serious amount of coursework was only the start. Oh and then there was Arthur himself. Yeah, probably shouldn't mention much about that...

Words: 263,877

16. We Need to Talk by schweet_heart

Arthur and Merlin work together. They also used to sleep together. That was a long time ago - but now Arthur wants Merlin back.

Words: 23,400

17. As the Tide Comes Tumbling In by Polomonkey 

Merlin never thought that being a politician's husband would make him a target. But then he's kidnapped by two men looking for Arthur's attention and finds himself trapped in a living nightmare.

Words: 4,540

18. Song of Runes by Plutonia 

When Arthur confronts Morgana in the throne room, hearing the name 'Emrys' for the first time in years has his mind reeling. He gave up on finding his soulmate long ago. Now he's supposed to believe that not only is it an old man, but also a sorcerer?

Words: 10,938

19. Rebuilding a Stone Circle by TheLadyCassandra 

After Merlin reveals his magic in an ambush. Arthur's choices and Merlin's fierce loyalty mean that the way ahead will not be easy.

Words: 19,849

20. The Cold Light of Morning by Clea2011 

Uther had plans for Arthur.  They didn't involve him choosing his own omega. They certainly didn't involve him choosing a servant for that role.

Words: 26,598

21. Modern Merlin AU by V_L_G_4200 

Inspired by tumblr posts by 'katiemcgrath'

"Almost got arrested." "What?? Why?" "Punched the Prince of Wales." "Was he angry?" "I don’t know. Gave me his number." "You going to call him?" "Nah, gonna post it on Twitter."

Words: 6,720

22. A Song of Life by fancyh 

Canon divergence from episode 5x03: The Death Song of Uther Pendragon. What would have happened if Arthur overheard Merlin and Uther, if he found out about Merlin's magic then?

Words: 8,224

23. You wanted to get lost in the woods by Miledh

Arthur cuenta los días esperando que sea el momento de regresar, pero antes de poder reunirse con el joven mago, el legendario rey deberá demostrar una vez más lo que hay en su corazón.

Ávalon es una tierra de magia y mitos, y el bosque es profundo más allá de los árboles.

« I found you, and it was magical. Then you wandered off into the woods and never come back. I tried yo find you again, but you didn't want to be found. I looked everywhere, but you walked away and I lost you. »

Kayden Lomahan

Words: 10,665

24. Little Talks KnownAsEmrys 

Merlin lost the three most important people to him and unsurprisingly he has a hard time adjusting to it. He loses his job and he no longer has anywhere to go when his apartment building gets torn down. Luckily, Arthur, the man he's only met twice, and who is adored by their mutual friends, has a spare room.   Or,

In which Merlin needs a place to stay and his friends decide to move him in with the rich workaholic he barely knows.

Words: 57,893

25. and we'll be glowing in the dark by destroyerofhearts 

Every Christmas throughout his childhood until he moved out of home, his father had always set up his Christmas themed model train and town set. A wave of nostalgia rushed through Arthur as he admired the little building that held many fond memories of Christmas with his family growing up. Rifling through the box next to the first one he’d open, he revealed the train and its tracks, buried underneath several Christmas lights. And it was in that moment that inspiration struck. 

In which Merlin is the grinch, Arthur is a real Christmas enthusiast, and Christmas light competitions are most definitely a thing.

Words: 2,246

26. More Than A Feeling by staymagical 

P.I. Arthur Pendragon has always considered himself good at his job, relying more on his gut instincts and intuition than his mediocre skills at spell casting and half-assed illusions. But it's enough and he gets the job done, more or less. A woman asking for his aid in tracking down her missing daughter, a familiar no less, is just another case in his books. Until it isn't.

Merlin Emrys hasn't known much in life, happiness perhaps as a child, then the dark shades of society and cruelty bled through as he got older. At 25, he's used it by now. It comes with being a familiar in a witch dominated world. And in the dark underbelly of the city where he resides, he has little choice in how he wants to live. Only whether he survives.

Purely by chance, they stumble upon each other and together, end up discovering the sinister secrets of the city's underbelly.

Words: 6,311

GEN:

1. Rend and Rebuild by PeaceHeather 

One wrong move in the heat of battle changes everything. Merlin is a sorcerer, and Arthur has stabbed him.

Words: 103,598

2. Do You Feel Like a Young God? by onceandfuturewarlock 

When Merlin's magic is discovered by the last person he ever would have expected, he soon finds himself a pawn in the most twisted, dangerous game he's ever played, no way to win, and no way out - unless, of course, he changes the rules.

Words: 22,038

3. Stronger Than by NotNecessarilyInThatOrder 

“I said I was dying.” Arthur sighed.“I don’t have time for this.” “Would you have had time to retrieve my corpse?” Merlin thought, then nearly smacked himself when Arthur’s expression made him realize he’d spoken out loud. Could Merlin have told the truth if Arthur had been willing to listen that morning? What would that mean for their future? For Morgana's?

Words: 38,034

4. The Siege Perilous by CarverTwain

Druids came for Hunith's son long ago. Years later, a man named Emrys and his apprentice are captured as Druids in Camelot. But Emrys strikes a deal with Uther: as long as the King allows Emrys to live as a political prisoner in the dungeons, the Druids will stay far away from Camelot. Uther agrees. Hated and feared, Emrys works to gain the trust of his jailers.

Words: 26,781

5. A Sea and Four Centuries by MDJensen 

In which Lancelot and Aramis wake up in the wrong beds-- and the wrong countries, and the wrong centuries.

Words: 13,613

6. Knowledge does not mean Understanding by Selene467 

In a time when Merlin's magic is outed and accepted -something he never thought possible months ago- Arthur is shown that despite knowing how strong Merlin is, he doesn't fully understand -comprehend- just how powerful he truly is. A dangerous conflict in which Merlin all but sacrifices himself to save everyone else, shows Arthur that there is far more to Merlin than he thought possible. Gaius wasn't kidding when he told Arthur that Merlin was the strongest sorcerer ever to have lived.

Words: 13,147

7. A Criminal's Burial by gecko818 

Upon awakening in a strange castle with no memory of the last week, Arthur learned that not only had he been recovering from poison, but that Merlin was responsible for the betrayal. Unfortunately, the boy was reportedly killed by Arthur's own sword and left to rot. Little does he know, the story is a mere ruse to conquer Camelot.

Words: 34,761

8. The Right Thing by AithuzahFic

Merlin jumped when Arthur spoke.

“He didn’t deny it,” he said, his voice low and cool.

“I’m sorry?”

“He said he loved her and would never hurt her, but he never said it wasn’t true.”

Words: 3,734

9. Silence Cuts Loudest Through the Chaos by 1917farmgirl

Kidnapped by a mad king, Arthur and Merlin must rely on each other like never before. While Arthur struggles with choices that put his heart and duty at odds, Merlin struggles just to stay alive after being stripped of his magic and freedom. With impossible choices and heavy secrets weighing them down, can they manage to escape before all is lost?

Words: 73,213

10. The Truth of Who We Are by Marie_Iliea 

Set into the wall, a brazier evenly spaced between them, were words, each with the imprint of a hand below it, and a pair of footprints set into the floor below that.   Loyalty, Strength, Courage, Servitude, Magic, Nobility, Humility, Authority, and Discipline.  Merlin recognized the riddle right away, having met the dwarf during Arthur’s quest. He knew three of the names, three of the matches — and it terrified him. What would the others make of him being Magic? He shivered, a thrill of fear running down his spine.

Or: When Arthur and the knights go hunting, but events take a predictably unusual turn that exposes Merlin's magic to them all -- and then it all goes, quite literally, to the Otherworld.

Words: 6,501

11. Some Things Are Meant to Be by 1917farmgirl

For Merlin, having the world fall apart around him was nothing new, but having someone there to help him pick up the pieces afterwards unfortunately was. Until it happened twice, with two very special people who appeared in his life when he most needed saving.

Words: 6,720

12. Conversation with a Goldsmith by Signal27

Arthur has commissioned rings for his new knights that helped him take back Camelot from Morgause, Morgana, and the immortal army. Along with the rings, he learns a history that his father never told him...about a dragonlord that helped put his father on the throne. Balinor. Post season 3. Arthur figures a few thing out, but keeps it secret.

Words: 46,594 

ARWEN:

1. The Three Guineveres by CyberQueens

It probably was too much to expect, that a royal wedding in Camelot could ever go on without trouble, doppelgangers, ghosts and an attempted assassination. And only about half of it was Merlin’s fault this time.

Words: 93,517

2. The Peasant King (and His Noble Queen) by CyberQueens

Arthur, long-lost illegitimate son of Uther Pendragon, enjoys the simple peasant’s life, in a simple village, as he worries about simple things. That is, until the day Merlin comes to make him king. Elsewhere, Guinevere, descended from a great and noble family of equally great and noble standing, mourns her father, and the fact that he left his crown to her brother.

With peace and stability in Albion resting on an alliance between their kingdoms, the two of them are a match made in heaven – in everyone’s opinion but their own, of course.

Words: 37,168

3. A Matter of Pride by WoodlandGoddess1

Arthur gazed down at the photograph of his uncle for another moment and then looked out at his wife once more. He let her blatant bisexual pride flood through him and fill the cavern of his chest. He raised his chin and squared his shoulders as he made a decision that could change his life as he knew it:

He was going to the pride festival.

Words: 34,555

4.  Living with Merlin by rubberglue

Gwen needs a place to live and Merlin needs a house mate. It's (almost) perfect.

Words: 21,937

5.  Not Your Everyday Arthurian Fantasy by  sophielou21

Gwen gives Arthur the shock of a lifetime when she tells him she is pregnant. Deciding to keep the child, they embark on the difficult task of telling their friends and family members the news - and leave a path of chaos in their wake.

[Originally posted on LiveJournal in 2010, under the title 'One Morning On Wednesday' following a prompt on the then-Arthur/Gwen community Camelot_Love, posted by a friend. This is a tongue-in-cheek reimagining of BBC Merlin's Camelot set in a modern alternative version of Britain - or Albion - today.]

Words:15026

6. Above The Law by  JustineofQueens

Arthur and Morgana Pendragon are Albion's finest brother and sister detectives who work alongside attorneys Elyan and Guinevere of Leodegrance & Leodegrance Law Firm, putting away Albion's worst criminals. But one criminal has eluded them thus far. Myron Crook.

Words: 112,149

7. The Other Princess by  Funny.Bonez

When Morgana runs away after finding out she is to be married to the prince of Camelot, it is up to Gwen to step in and take her place. But with all the twist and turns that life has to offer, can Gwen really handle marrying Arthur? Or will she run to? AU

Words: 79,355

8. Marriage by Agreement by  sportyshuie

Arthur’s a womaniser and wants Gwen in his bed by all means, including marrying her through cheat and gamble. Gwen loathes Arthur yet succumbs to the loveless marriage for her father. But destiny mentions Arthur’s first wife will die and only his second will bring him happiness. And Elena is waiting in the wings. Read as the drama unfolds … will Gwen die or will she live?

Words: 165,122

9. Forbidden by Thepinkhouseowner

He’s a world-famous actor, she’s just a simple costume designer for the film he’s starring in. He likes blondes, fake boobs and good times. She is gentle, genuine and quietly beautiful. Not even a one night stand could ever happen… could it?

Words: 71,612

10. Desperate Measures by niklovr

Speculation fic. Guinevere fears that Morgana's enchantment has affected her fertility. So she considers magic to help her produce an heir. Meanwhile, Arthur's investigation into sorcery will lead him to question his greatest ally. Will include Merlin, Gaius, the Knights, & maybe Morgana. Spoilers: 5x06, 5x07, 5x08, and 5x09.

Words: 56,706

11. The Wife by tudor-rose445

As the wife of the prince Gwen knows that she is destined to one day rule beside him. Yet the road to the throne will not be simple. The second entry in "The Once and Future" series.

Words: 45,843

MERWAINE:

1. The Price of Eight For One by dancingpenss 

The soulmate words were seemingly the one form of magic Uther Pendragon could not best. Merlin has never wanted hers; they are sure to be a great deal of trouble on top of being a warlock. After all, soulmarks are a type of magic, and she has eight.

Words: 45,877

2. the one where everybody finds out by nanwashbrad 

A series of shorts about how the people of Camelot found out about Gwaine and Merlin.

Words: 3,598

3. If I Had a Heart I Could Love You by SolarMaga 

Given Merlin’s track record he felt himself quite justified in his brutal crushing of any romantic feelings, no matter how vague. Besides, Merlin had a destiny. He had to keep a close watch on Arthur, how could he do that if he was too busy being in love?

Compared to Merlin, Gwaine opened his heart wholly to anyone willing to peek within, that didn’t mean though that any one person held his heart. No, Gwaine left himself open to any but never let anyone in long enough to take root.

Merlin refusing to accept that he might possibly have romantic feelings for anyone. Gwaine can't quite figure out why he keeps thinking kissing his best friend until he does. Poor Lancelot is left shaking his head at the two of them. So what if the Perfect Knight tries to push his friends into each others arms? Someone had to do it.

Words: 11,792

4. Endless by MumblePhantomFox 

Although Merlin would've liked to have thrown in the towel, what he wanted to be an end was only yet another beginning. And with new royalty making waves, magical threats continuing to surface, and a new generation to protect, Albion has no intention of letting him disappear anytime soon.

Words: 5,641

5. A New Day by Hershey_chan 

"Loving Arthur was, without a doubt, the most painful thing Merlin had ever endured...

As Merlin stood in front of an applauding crowd, wearing fine robes to match the new title of Court Sorcerer that Arthur had bestowed upon him with Queen Guinevere at his side, Merlin wondered why he was still alive.  He had completed his destiny, hadn’t he?  Now he had no purpose.  For some reason, it seemed natural to Merlin that people died because they had finished what they were placed on this world to achieve.  Why else would it be fair that all of Merlin’s loved ones had died saving other people, which they must have been destined to do?

But Merlin was not dying.  He felt in perfect health, and thanks to his protection spells surrounding the castle and the whole of Camelot, he would not be killed in some kind of attack.  Merlin looked first at Arthur’s beaming face, then at Gwen’s, then turned to survey the room of happy people.  He felt sick."

With his destiny completed, countless loved ones dead, and his love for Arthur unrequited, Merlin finds himself lacking the will to live.  Gwaine tries to give him a purpose again.

Words: 19,557

6. The Traveler and The Servant by MagicLovesStrength

 Gwaine met Merlin months ago, but never expected to see him again captured in Cenred's dungeon, bound to the floor with chains.  He knows they have to get out, before Cenred can harm them both, or kill them.

Words: 2,537

BALINOR/HUNITH:

1. The Merman and the Maiden by LittensTinyMittens

Hunith Faber is Uther Pendragon's Personal Assistant. She hates her job, but the pay is decent, at least until she can find another one. Due to their office being under repairs, he is working from his massive mansion, and she is joining him.

She never expected to find a merman in his huge aquarium.

Words: 6,729

MERWEN:

1. love takes you in by queervampire 

"It wasn’t my fault!" Merlin defended, while Gwen just pointed to him and said, "It was his idea!"

The baby in her arms gurgled with amusement.

(The one where Merlin and Gwen become co-parents, Morgana plays matchmaker, Arthur is clueless, and magic druid babies make everything better.)

Words: 10,501

FREYLIN:

1. stolen moments by daisy_chains

It is on rare occasions, when the sun burns brightly and magic thrums melodically in the air, that Freya manages to slip away from her watery grave to join her lover for a few stolen moments.

Words: 5,436

LEON/PERCIVAL:

1. You're My Home by ThexBrokenxMirror

Nothing is as it seems to be in Camelot. People are starting to get sick with what they are calling the 'Illness'. Soon they are going to learn that Morgana isn't the only one they have to fear. Especially when this enemy is something they've never seen before.

Words: 15,907

MERLIN/LANCELOT:

1. Starting the End by Uniasus

When Arthur and the knights walk out of the Lake of Avalon, Merlin's not sure what to think. He's seen some awful things, but Arthur's arrival hints that what's to come could be worse. Sadly, Merlin has no clue what it is.

And on top of that, they no longer work as a unit. Merlin's relationships with them all have shifted, partly because they all now know he has magic, partly because in the modern world he's a million more times successful (and has the cash to prove it), and partly because in the roughly two thousand years he's been walking the Earth he's spent lifetimes with the individual knights, come to love each and every one, and they don't remember.

Words: 26,265

MULTIPLE:

1. Let Them Go And Fade Into Light by Lion_owl 

After the victory at Camlann and the death of Morgana, Queen Guinevere has lifted the ban on magic and Camelot is thriving – but with a new threat looming on the horizon, Arthur and the other fallen knights must return considerably sooner than Merlin anticipated; and they have a surprising ally by their side

Words: 3,347

[gold-from-straw]

Tag, you’re it!

I was tagged by @turned-her-brain - thank you ^_^ I did this back around midsummer but I never turn my back on an opportunity to poke at numbers and procrastinate!

Current word count for the year:

Posted to AO3: 167,589... wait, REALLY??

Fics that are awaiting posting/publication: there’s about 4k left of Soul’s Core, plus a Merthur fic I’m really not sure about which is around another 4k (it’s pure fluff, that’s just so not me!)

Current WIPs: I don’t know, they’re all handwritten! I’m actually blocked on a couple of original novels, and I really want to focus on them, so Lily’s Eyes, my massive Drarry thing (which is only, IDK, 10-15k so far?) has sort of fallen by the wayside. I just want to get something finished by November so I can do a second draft for nano...

Number of stories posted to AO3: 15 posted on AO3, one of which is art for the DGHDA big bang so may not count? Plus I finished Reassembled, which had been languishing for around 18 months!

Pairings written for this year:  

FrostIron (Tony/Loki)

Merthur (Merlin/Arthur)

Gravebone (Credence/Graves)

Drarry (Draco/Harry)

Morgwen (Morgana/Gwen)

Brotzly (Dirk Gently/Todd Brotzman)

Well, look at that, I’m a fandom slut. Nice!

Fandoms I’ve written for this year: Avengers, Merlin, Fantastic Beasts, Harry Potter, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, Humans (also Eddie Izzard, Hozier and Shawn Mullins but I’m not sure if they count - they massively inspired 3 fics though!)

Story with the most kudos:

Reassembled (FrostIron), but that’s been going for ages! So maybe The Nature of Trust (Gen, Merlin) which was a Fandom Trumps Hate auction fic!

Story with the most bookmarks/story with the most subscriptions: The Nature of Trust for Bookmarks, and Reassembled for Subscriptions!

Story I’m most proud of:

Aww man... I’m not sure! I’m proud of a lot of them for very different reasons! Wicked Boys because I love it, it tackles issues I find very difficult and important, and I still actually love it. But on a comedy level, it’s spawned off a brand new ship of its own (I write a ship that’s not canon, and a couple of my readers and I are now shipping two other characters who didn’t even bloody get together in my fic?! Also they’ve spawned an original novel, not that the story’s very similar...) 

But then I’ve also written PWP for the first time (twice!) this year (Beautiful and My Lady), written a story in an active fandom between episodes (Laura’s Choice), also a first, wrote Femslash for the first time ever (Worth the Risk) and raised money for Fandom Trumps Hate with Nature of Trust and Covered in Bees! I also used my fics to deal with some stuff in my own life (Coping Mechanisms and Hypocrite in particular), and it helps me a lot, so I’m pretty proud of myself for finding something that’s such a healthy coping mechanism for a change... but honestly I kind of adore all of them and it’s really not fair to make me choose!

What’s ahead:

I’m not even kidding, I’ve written a Harry Potter/Credence Barebone fic and I’m pretty sure that’ll be the first fic in that pairing. That’s only the second time I’ve done that...

I’ve got a couple of Drarry ficlets and a Brotzly one (again, they’re coping fics) tucked away somewhere, I think I’m going to polish them up and post them

However it might be a quiet few months - I’ve got to work on Lily’s Eyes which MIGHT just turn into a massive re-write of the Harry Potter series and honestly that thought is just so intimidating I don’t know if I can even go back to it, but even the first book is only half done. If that. Shite. And before I can even get back to that I’ve got to work on my original stuff! So ficlets it is, for a while! 

Tagging @kieren-fucking-walker, @wellamarke, @gothyringwald and actually i want to tag a lot of people but I’m feeling self conscious today! If you want to do this please consider yourself tagged and tag me? I like to see what people have been up to and I’d love to see you all celebrate your achievements!

[thedaughterofkings]

tagged by @clotpolesonly again, thank you, Jessica!! Last sentence tag

“This is a gift I cannot thank you enough for and a debt I can never repay.”

WHAT IS YOUR TOTAL WORD COUNT ON AO3?

203.791 words

HOW OFTEN DO YOU WRITE?

As often as I can? I’ve been pretty good about writing regularly this year, trying to squeeze out at least a few words every day, though there’ve been week long holes where I didn’t write anything (because of holidays or just because). This month has been terrible writing-wise so far, but it’s not over yet and all in all I’m pretty happy with how this year has been going writing-wise!

DO YOU HAVE A ROUTINE FOR WRITING?

Not particularly, no. I’ve got an hour long train ride to uni, so when classes are on I often get quite a bit written on the journey there and back again (or at least on one trip^^°). I also often find myself writing late at night, in bed - I’m not sure how good that is for my grammar, though! Other than that I write when free time and inspiration match up (for once).

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE KINKS/TROPES/PAIRING?

My favourite ships are definitely Sterek and Merthur, both when writing and reading. I’ve also written some Stisaac, Stoyd, and Stackson plus a smattering of fics for other ships (mostly for prompts people sent me). I still want to write a proper Drarry fic one day!! That ship is high on the favourite ships to read list, too, along with Wincest and Spirk. I also sometimes get these reading crazes, like earlier this year I only read 00Q fics for a few weeks?! But really, I’ve read TONS of ships, it’d take way too long to list them all here (but I’m happy to talk about them in more depth if there’s any interest in that :p).

As for tropes - GIMME ALL THE TROPES!!! I adore my tropes, both the straightforward ones and the ones turned on their heads! I am a sucker for pining, cannot get enough of soulmate AUs, Harry Potter AUs, and just a long list of other AUs :p For Sterek Neckz’n’Throats is a definite favourite, along with BAMF!Stiles and Spark!Stiles, for Merthur it’s modernRoyalty and royal!Merlin (send me links, people!!!) and probably a ton more that I can’t think of right now :p Writing wise I love a soulmate AU, and I used to write mostly meet-cutes. Nowadays it’s more lengthy pining and misunderstandings fics^^°

Finally - kinks! The most explicit thing I’ve written so far was some clothed rubbing off on each other, so yeah, not much to say writing-wise^^° And for reading it just depends on the author! If you give me a well written kink, I’ll probably like it! Generally there’s rather a list of kinks I don’t like rather than kinks I like? (though even that can be challenged when written well - I’m really not into water sports, but one fic managed to portray golden showers of all things as very emotional and touching) I do like a well written BDSM fic, but I’m very picky about those, and who can spend any time in Teen Wolf fandom without developing a fondness for knotting?^^

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE FIC OF YOURS?

Mmhmm, not the one single fic that stands out, but I can perhaps narrow it down to a favourite per ship?

Starting with the easier bit, my favourite Stisaac fic is definitely Aunt Mable doesn’t count. That one is just perfectly fun and cute, I think^^.

For Stoyd, it’s a tie between Queen Maeve and Pas de Deux. Queen Maeve was my first time writing an established relationship rather than them getting together and I’m still really proud of how that relationship is the driving force of the fic rather than any external antagonist or the like. And in Pas de Deux I got to write Stiles and Boyd dancing Ballet and I really like how that came out, plus how their relationship progresses in that fic.

For Stackson it’s always going to be Pigtails (at least until I’ve written the sequels :p). This fic was my way of figuring out how those two could fit together and I just really love how it turned out.

With Merthur it becomes hard already - I love both Homebound and through this life and into the next (this is a marriage of equals) for different reasons. Homebound allowed to work through some issues with Merlin and Arthur’s relationship and the things they said and didn’t say to each other, and through this life and into the next (this is a marriage of equals) just has all the lovely tropes - arranged marriage, misunderstandings, pining, magic reveal, druid!Merlin, snarky Kilgharrah.^^ But if I have to decide on one of my shorter ones, my favourite is the best thing since Anne McCaffrey, because it’s adorable if I may say so myself! :p

And now, finally: Sterek! How could I ever decide?? I still love Of dogs and deer darcy, my first Soulmark fic, and also very much Fully grown which was written for the same prompt but turned out completely different! (those two are also my most successful fics by far, so perhaps I should write more soulmark AUs?) I love my fairy tale reimaginations (Rose and Thorn, to live happily ever after (a tale of sparks and wolves) and The Waterline Divides Us) and my Solstice Sterekzine alien!Stiles fic Constellations. And finally, even if apparently no one agrees, I love the only lonely boy in New York - come on, guys, how can you resist angsty musician Derek writing songs about his feelings!!! There’s pining and misunderstandings and love confessions through songs and dramatic reunions!!!! Give it a chance :D

YOUR FIC WITH THE MOST KUDOS?

Fully grown recently overtook Of dogs and deer darcy

ANYTHING YOU DON’T LIKE ABOUT YOUR WRITING?

Everything and nothing? It’s hard to pin it down - if I could easily do that, I could fix it! Writing process-wise I wish I’d not be as obsessed with getting every detail right (especially frustrating for teen wolf, where I don’t just have to fix my own mistakes, but all the inconsistencies canon has left us to deal with). It can really hold me back, because I’ll feel like I have to figure out the timeline or the motivation of the villain or the way the fight can logically go first before I can write anything! On the other hand, details are important in writing and I have gotten compliments on how everything fit together so perfectly, so there’s that!

NOW SOMETHING YOU DO LIKE (ABOUT YOUR WRITING)?

That’s even harder! I can’t think of anything right now, which is terrible because I do like my writing! Honestly, though, I’d much rather hear what you guys like about my writing (if anyone is still reading this), so if you can think of anything, please let me know!

First ship you ever read fic for:

Finally an easy question again! Drarry! Back during one of those long waits for the next Harry Potter novel I was trying to look something up and stumbled across this strange story, written in the world of Harry Potter, and after like 50k, Draco came out of the Forbidden Forest and he and Harry embraced and kissed and I was like - huh? I guess that works? And that was my first foray into fanfiction and I never looked back!

First ship you ever wrote fic for:

I wrote some fix-it fic for Fred’s death after the deathly hallows, but that never saw the light of day and I’m no longer sure how shippy it was. The first ship I ever wrote and published fic for was Sterek!

Ship you write the most now:

Sterek, without a doubt

Ship you read the most now:

That always depends on my current mood, but over all, the answer is still Sterek

Newest ship:

Like, properly, “reading a lot of fic for”? Probably 00Q, though that’s from the beginning of the year, where I had a phase which has since stopped again^^°

Rare ship you want to read more of:

For Clara and myself: Eowyn/Aragorn (we’ve dubbed them Arawyn, the long forgotten musketeer :p)

Your taboo ship:

I’ve got a few incest ships and not just in the badwrong way, so those? (because dammit, wincest are canonically soulmates!!!)

They never met in canon ship:

Laura/Lydia? (and if we go back to my Harry Potter days there’s a few more there :p)

Your unexpected ship:

Let’s go with Kradam (Kris Allen and Adam Lambert from American Idol once upon a time). I haven’t seen a single episode (nevermind season) of American Idol and I fell in love with them purely through fics (I blame Jerakeenc).

The ship you always forget to give love to:

Stoyd probably - I’ve been meaning to write an arranged marriage royalty AU for years!

Ship your OC with a canon character (if applicable):

I don’t really have many OCs, certainly not ones I ship with anyone! I tend to go for canon characters instead - it’s more limiting in a way, but also fun to figure out who might fit which story/character best and how they have to change to fit etc.

A ship you’re embarrassed to ship:

Ship and let ship! I’m not super loud about some of my ships, but that doesn’t mean I’m embarrassed about them! Like, I’ll freely admit I ship incest and rpf ships...

Your most romantic ship:

Sterek!!!!

Your sexiest ship:

Stoyd is the only one I’ve written anything resembling a sex scene for so far, so it’ll have to be that one!

Your most tragic ship:

There’s no other possible answer but Merthur here!!! The neck stroking, the forehead touch, the just hold me, the PAIN, THE TEARS

A ship you want more content for:

eeeeeeeevery ship!!! No really, write, art, create for the ships you love, people, whatever that might be! I mean, we have almost 55k Sterek stories on AO3 (wooh!!) and I still want more! It doesn’t matter how much or little there is already, I promise there’s someone out there who’ll want more of it :D

I’ve apparently used up all of my brain power of the day for this and can’t think of anyone to tag, so I’m tagging all of you - if you’d like to ramble about your writing, go ahead! (And I’ll repeat my plea from earlier - I’d love to hear what you like about my writing!)

[the-original-bookworm]

Merlin Rec list part 1

dreams for wings and wanderers

Dragons are feared and mistrusted throughout Albion, and there are very few of them left in Camelot, for Uther’s long campaign against magic also included hunting down all the dragons in the wild. Now, Camelot is recovering from the invasion of Cenred and Morgause's army. Prince Arthur is the one in charge, and Merlin finds out that his secret regular visits to the covert haven't been very secret at all. There's a great deal of manly bonding with the Knights, inquisitive dragons being inquisitive, and a record-breaking number of near-death experiences for Merlin. And this is before he gets his very own dragon. (A Merlin/Temeraire fusion.)

-little long, but extremely interesting concept. Loved the bond between Merlin and the dragons.

merlinfic: job orientation

In the not so distant future, Merlin builds a tower. That's not suspicious at all.

-short, post! Magic reveal, there is a prequel but I like this one better, love Merlin’s obliviousness. Both Arthur and Merlin felt very on point with characters, they acted exactly like themselves if that makes sense.

Touch Me (Not)

In which Merlin is reluctantly pure, Arthur is unfairly tempting, and the Great Dragon sits back with popcorn to watch.

-smut does happen. Basically Merlin thinks he can’t have sex cause he has to be “pure” for destiny to work. This doesn’t really have much of anything to do with any timeline in the series, it feels like you could stick it in between the scenes of the show and it just WORKS. Kinda short, one-shot type of thing

In Love with my Radio

Merlin listens to the radio, Arthur stalks Merlin, Morgana lives to create chaos in Arthur's life, and then everyone goes to McDonalds! Also love happens.

From the kmm prompt: Arthur has an anonymous blog/lj/twitter where he posts about his life, and Merlin follows it RELIGIOUSLY. Arthur starts posting about how he's stalking this amazingly hot guy...

-ok. This is just. HILARIOUS. And Merlin is so oblivious. Decent sized fic, there are some add on’s I would call them? Like one shots of the story continued. It’s an AU. And I just love it.

Pining for the Moon

First, there is the rage, like nothing Arthur has ever known. It’s hot, hotter than anything, hotter than the kitchen ovens and the blacksmith’s forge and dragon’s breath. It fills him to the brim and carries on, washing over him in waves that scald, and, as Arthur looks around him at the carnage, the man at its centre, he has no idea how he is ever meant to let go of it.

“I can explain,” Merlin says, his eyes still blazing as he kneels there, charred by the fires he lit, blood on his hands. So much blood. “Arthur, sire, please, I can explain.”

First, there is the rage, and then there is a knife at Merlin’s throat.

-this is. Wow. I gotta say, this is a really heavy fic. I usually go for more fluff, good plot line but happy endings type thing. This was completely not that, tho there is a happy ending. Arthur actually kills Merlin for being a sorcerer only regrets it so much and Merlin was actually - well no spoilers but there is a happy ending. Read it, but be warned it’s heavy.

Damsel in a Phone Booth

it’s the middle of the night and i’m walking home alone in the dark and there’s this guy following me and he’s starting to gain on me and i found this phone booth with a lock on the door and i tried to call my best friend but my hands were shaking so badly i accidentally dialed the wrong number and i don’t even know you but help me” au (merthur)

-so, short and sweet, a good story, good fluff after the “pining for the moon” fic.

Sort of a Tourniquet

Arthur gives Merlin a plastic ring as a joke. But what nobody knows is how much Merlin really likes wearing it. Modern AU with lots of pining.

-sweet, pure fluff. The pining almost hurt me. It’s an AU, and I wanted to kill Merlin a few times, but good story.

Evil Overlord, Inc. Official Website

Merlin is a recent graduate with a double doctorate in metaphysics and physics. Arthur is a low-level paper pusher with a desk in the sub-basement of MI5. They live in a world with ridiculous laws and restrictions against anyone who might be supernatural in any way, shape, or design.

Merlin has huge debts looming over this head, a few quid left in his bank account, and no job prospects. Arthur is pushing thirty, in a dead-end job with no chances of promotion to fieldwork agent, and is thoroughly bored with his life.

One ill-advised Craigslist advert, five pushy mates, one nosy all-knowing sister, and a hacked email account later, Merlin and Arthur take the world by storm.

(Or, more precisely, they take over the world.)

-love love l0ve love. Even in an AU, Arthur can’t stand not running everything. Must read.

The History of Two Conversations (On Paper)

This is a very useful spell, Merlin wrote. He formed the letters carefully, small so he could write more later, if he needed to, and did not at all wonder if he was going to get in trouble or be cursed or something for writing in the margins of an ancient spell book.

He told the book (in case it had an opinion on the matter), "I am just imparting my knowledge to future generations. I'm sure they will find my comments helpful."

The book made no reply, so Merlin decided it was fine and leaned over the tome again adding, You can clean almost anything with it, even though in this book it refers to badgers alone. Don't believe that for a second. Just yesterday I cleaned out the extraordinarily vile bottom of Arthur's miscellaneous chest using this spell and it worked a treat. He thought for a moment before finishing, One downside: Leaves an odd sulphurous odour after use. Better not to use on clothing and/or self.

-so completely recommend, Arthur finds Merlin’s magic book with merlin’s handwriting in it. Wish we could have seen Arthur’s thoughts but that’s my only complaint

Radioman

The reason SAS Captain Arthur Pendragon can't keep a communications specialist in Team Excalibur because none of them are good enough. And then Lieutenant Merlin Emrys gets assigned to his squad, and Arthur does everything he can to prove that Merlin isn't good enough, either. Except he is.

-ok so this is a series, EXTREMELY long. I gotta admit I haven’t finished it yet but everything I read has been downright amazing.

The Crown of the Summer Court

The king sent me to get you," Merlin said, with a tone that implied strongly that he wasn't rolling his eyes where Arthur could see, but just wait until his back was turned. "He said you're to get changed into formal clothes and meet him in the Great Hall, there's a delegation coming from the Summer Court."

-right, so I am not only recommending this fic, I recommend any and all Merlin fics written by the author. She is downright AMAZING. Like, one of the best fics I’ve read amazing. Maybe THE best.

Three Tasks

Arthur is the Royal Arbiter for Suitable Suitors' Disputes. He (and his trusty companion, the golden-dragon-tasselled hat) alone can determine who is fit to woo royal servants and other assorted courtiers in Uther's court.

(In light of the sentence above, the following may not appear to be a truthful statement, but: not as cracky as that makes it sound. Really.)

This time: Arthur arbitrates a dispute (with heretofore unforeseen wisdom); Merlin observes.

-weird concept, but very good. I could really imagine being in Arthur’s head, it sounded just like him. And it kinda humanizes Uther, which is really hard to do.

The Pendragon Guide to How Not to Date

Modern day student AU. Still set in Britain. Morgana sends Arthur on some blind dates that don’t go quite according to plan

-warning. Smut. Liked it, was more fluff then plot, but seriously adorable

The student prince

A Modern day Merlin AU set at the University of St Andrews, featuring teetotal kickboxers, secret wizards, magnificent bodyguards of various genders, irate fairies, imprisoned dragons, crumbling gothic architecture, arrogant princes, adorable engineering students, stolen gold, magical doorways, attempted assassination, drunken students, shaving foam fights, embarrassing mornings after, The Hammer Dance, duty, responsibility, friendship and true love...

This story was inspired by the thought of Prince William of Wales (and indeed the current Max von Hapsburg) studying at the University of St Andrews; it is also, as the title suggests, at least a little inspired by the operetta 'The Student Prince'.

-so I don’t really go for modern day royalty much, but this was really good. There is a plot, though it revolves mostly around the merthur romance. Reads like a romance novel.

Two Weeks Notice

Arthur is a prattish Executive VP of the Pendragon Corporation with a disturbingly non-ironic love of Demotivational posters. Merlin is a tree-hugging barista with a "magic" tongue. Morgana's a peeping Tom and her breasts have superpowers. Gwen and Lancelot get married. Owain is the company bicycle. Arthur attempts to steal Merlin's affections from Will through epic DDR combat. Merlin gets drunk a lot. There is a pillow fight, and a helicopter ride, and rooftop confessions, and Arthur decides Merlin really is his destiny, whether he likes it or not.

-it’s like if you took the Merlin story and set it in modern times. Like, almost exactly. There are plot differences of course but it just feels like Merlin. well, if it was ‘stop killing the planet’ instead of ‘stop killing sorcerers’ and Arthur was prince of a company instead of a kingdom.

Harmonia Mundiais

Music has always been the centre of Merlin’s reality, and the idea of silence is unimaginable. But when Camelot is deafening, Arthur is distracting and the dragon is utterly unhelpful, will his gift turn out to be a blessing or a curse?

-the ultimate concept , takes the music instead of magic idea and makes it music is magic, like literally. Amazing. It does do this thing where Merlin gives off this kind of innocent thought process? It’s not a bad thing, it just gives this idea that Merlin prioritizes this music in his head and on a subconscious level he can’t understand how others can’t hear it, though he knows they just don’t.

Stars Above, Stones Below

After the disastrous end of his betrothal to Gwen and the regret of his offer to Princess Mithian, Arthur swears off finding a wife until he's ready to wed. When Merlin offers himself to Arthur as bedmate, Arthur suggests they hand-fast in secret for a single year of mutual pleasure without obligation. As their year together unfolds, and secrets and betrayals unravel around them, Arthur and Merlin learn there is no such thing as uncomplicated pleasure. Everything they thought they knew can change in the span of a single year.

-smuuuuuut happens. Magic reveal is good, lobe how it handled the Gwen banishment thing

send me any awesome merthur fics not on the list!

[rapha-reads]

Music Tag

Both @havocinthebluebox and @tasha-lemon tagged me a week ago, so here I go, and thank you two darlings ! That was a lot of fun, I love this.

Rules : List 10 artists you like before answering the questions (Translations of French lyrics at the end)

In no particular order : 1 - Sia 2 - Halsey 3 - Within Temptation 4 - Boulevard des Airs 5 - Nightwish 6 - Icon For Hire 7 - Renaud 8 - BigFlo & Oli 9 - Imagine Dragons 10 - Tryo

What was the first song you ever heard by 6 ?

I think it was Happy Hurts. Honestly I don’t remember how I discovered Icon For Hire, but I know that as soon as I started listening to these lyrics, I related and identified with them.  “Happy hurts sometimes, oh Blame it on the monsters in my mind, oh I've been getting better at slowly getting worse, oh What's wrong with me when happy hurts?” “ This on again, off again tempermental affection For my darling depression is making me go mad I hear there's a fine line between crazy and sad But I can't tell the difference up close There's a lot of us you know ill and undiagnosed But I don't need a piece of paper to tell me what I already know I'm not alright, for tonight, can we let that be alright? Pick up the battle again in the morning light”

What is your favourite song of 8 ? 

Aujourd’hui. I may not give that impression, but I am way too often afraid, afraid to take a step, afraid to do the thing or risk myself into uncharted waters, and this song talks about shedding off the fear and moving on, doing the things you want to do to improve your life and not wasting anymore time. “Aujourd'hui je fais, j'en ai eu trop marre de parler Aujourd'hui j'essaie de croire que demain sera parfait Sur la ligne, à vos marques, feu partez Le temps passe vite donc faut pas trop tarder”

What kind of impact has 1 left on your life ? 

I could write pages and pages about how much I admire and respect and look up to Sia. Her strength, her perseverance, her bravery are amazing and inspiring. She was dealt hard cards and she turned her pain, her anger, her sadness into art and beauty and strength. I recognize myself in many of her songs, Bird Set Free, Alive, Chandelier, Elastic Heart to cite only the most known, but I only look up to her as a role model, as someone inspiring me to keep going, never give up, never let go of my dreams and my principles. She struggled, still struggles, with so many issues, and she’s still here and still makes beautiful, haunting, magnificent songs. She is who I turn to when I feel like I can’t do it, I’m not enough, I’m weak, and she helps me get up again and keep going.

What are your favourite lyrics by 5 ? 

“I am the voice of Never, Never Land The innocence, the dreams of every man I am the empty crib of Peter Pan A silent kite against the blue, blue sky Every chimney, every moonlit sight I am the story that will read you real Every memory that you hold dear” From Storytime.

How many times have you seen 4 live ? 

This is actually the only band I ever saw live. I’m not a big concert-goer, big crowds and crowded places make me sick, but this band is from my mother’s hometown, where I lived for the last two years of High School, and they were back home to present their second album, so one of my then-friend - the one who introduced me to them - invited me to their very special concert only for their hometown. It was really nice. It was also something like 5 or 6 years ago ...

What is your favourite song by 7 ? 

“J’AI CHANTÉ DIX FOIS, CENT FOIS J’AI HURLÉ PENDANT DES MOIS J’AI CRIÉ SUR TOUS LES TOITS CE QUE JE PENSAIS DE TOI SOCIÉTÉ, SOCIÉTÉ TU M’AURAS PAS” Ahem. Société Tu M’auras Pas. I grew up with Renaud, and this song has always been my fav, even as a 5 yo who didn’t understood the lyrics. No wonder I grew up to be such an rebel ! ^^

Is there any song by 3 that makes you sad ? 

Hello, this is Within Temptation, all of their songs make me sad ! Also, so many of their songs can be associated with my ship OTP n°1, Merthur, so double the sadness. Like Memories for exemple - the song itself is pretty sad, but someone had the great idea to do a Merthur fanvid - do you know how much I cried when I saw the vid for the first time ? Or also The Truth Beneath The Rose, never fails to bring me down.  “Pray for me cause I have lost my faith in holy wars Is paradise denied to me cause I can't take no more Has darkness taken over me, consumed my mortal soul All my virtues sacrificed, can Heaven be so cruel?”

What is your favourite song by 9 ? 

So, you’re asking me to choose one Imagine Dragons song ? Uuuuuh ... Last year when Believer came out I listened to it on repeat, like, constantly. I really love the softness of Not Today. Demons is obviously great. Lost Cause makes me so sad because I relate (hiiiii, I’m extra and dramatic). I Bet My Life, though ... that would be my final choice. I love this one so much ! “I've been around the world and never in my wildest dreams Would I come running home to you I've told a million lies but now I tell a single truth There's you in everything I do Now remember when I told you that's the last you'll see of me Remember when I broke you down to tears I know I took the path that you would never want for me I gave you hell through all the years”

How did you first get into 2 ? 

I don’t remember, I think it was when she did Castle for the movie The Hunstman ? And then I discovered Gasoline, Angel On Fire, Control, and I went “yeeeeep, I like this girl” (because, again, I’m extra, and I relate to the lyrics). “And all the people say "You can't wake up, this is not a dream You're part of a machine, you are not a human being With your face all made up, living on a screen Low on self esteem, so you run on gasoline" Oh, oh, oh, oh I think there's a flaw in my code Oh, oh, oh, oh These voices won't leave me alone Well my heart is gold, and my hands are cold”

How did you get into 10 ? 

First step : when I was 10 yo we had to go back to France for a year (long story short, it had to do with my mother’s job). Second step : during that single year, my first of middle school, I got bullied (experience racism and sexism like never before !). Third step : my mother was so busy with her job that she more or less bought us everything we wanted (with reason), and she offered my their 2008 album “Ce que l’on sème” (single : Ce que l’on s’aime). With my sister we would listen to it every night before going to sleep, we knew all the lyrics by heart ... I knew them for before that, because they were kinda huge in France at a time, with songs like L’Hymne de Nos Campagnes or Désolé Pour Hier Soir (my Frenchies will understand), but that album is what made me love them. Though I have trouble listening to that album today, because, you know, memories and such.  “C'est l'hymne de nos campagnes De nos rivières, de nos montagnes De la vie man, du monde animal Crie-le bien fort, use tes cordes vocales !”

Translations (from yours truly, as always) and tags below

BigFlo & Oli : Today I do, I’m tired of speaking, Today I try to believe that tomorrow is perfect On the line, on your marks, fire, go, Time goes by fats so don’t wait too long.

Renaud : I sang ten times, a hundred times, I screamed for months I shouted it on the rooftops, What I think of you Society, society, You won’t get me

Tryo : It’s the anthem of our countryside, Of our rivers, of our mountains, Of the life, man, of the animal world, Shout it loud, use your vocal cords !

Tagging : @ruby-red-inky-blue - @wolfsnape - @nooowestayandgetcaught - @tinyrubywolf and @the-alexandrian-alchemist

[protectlenaluthor]

You were right!! It's freaking impossible to go to the Aithusa tag and NOT to choke on all the m*rth*r and M*rlin crap!!! And anyway!! if you are in your right mind and have minimal brain function you just can't continue loving M*rlin after S2 and blame & hate Morgana!! those white boy, the dragon and the old man-crone were to blame for starting 'Gana on this path! And then she was all alone & suffering.... Sorry! just wanted to vent))) your gifsets are marvelous!!! all the inspiration!!

Hello! 

Yeah! I mean, I don’t mind if people like Merthur or Merlin, everyone has their fave ship and character and often see their point of view of things. Merlin was the main character and was presented as the hero of the story while Morgana as the villain. So is not surprising that a lot of people loved Merlin and hated Morgana. Also, lots of times just because you love a character doesn’t mean that you agree with their actions, so I get that Merlin is a popular character and that most Merlin fans love him.

Personally, I don’t like him and I don’t like Gaius and the dragon. I hated their treatment of Morgana since the beginning. I hate them for isolating her, judging her, lying to her and gaslighting her all the time. Especially because there was a point where she would only turn to them and were the only ones she trusted and they didn’t help her. I think those are all big reasons why she ended up hating them all and becoming a “villain” and I can’t help but understand where she’s coming from. 

But going back to Aithusa, I was certainly surprised to see that there’s barely any posts about Aithusa and Morgana in Aithusa’s tag. Almost all the posts are like  “What if Merlin got Aithusa at the end” or “What if Aithusa forgave him” or AU’s where Aithusa was his all along and I don’t understand where this comes from because like I said in the tags, she didn’t even seem to like him and she didn’t listen to him. He forced her to do it because he could, but she always came back to Morgana, she kept helping her until the end. It’s sad we didn’t get to see how she reacted to Morgana’s dead. The finale was really rushed regarding Morgana and maybe they didn’t have the budget to have more Aithusa scenes but I feel like that was missing from the episode.

I think maybe some fans are completely ignoring the fact that Aithusa chose Morgana. She saved her and she decided to stay with her until the end. And Morgana did the same. She was held captive and tortured for two years, she sacrificed her freedom just to make sure nothing happened to Aithusa. So it’s a little sad that some people ignore that to make Morgana seem even worse and give precious Merlin a dragon. 

Anyway, the show ended a long time ago so it may not be relevant anymore but I love Aithusa and I love her relationship with Morgana and I wish there had been more scenes with them so I like seeing posts about them but after going to her tag I realized that all that it’s probably an unpopular opinion?

And don’t apologize, it’s okay to vent sometimes. The show might have ended but it will always give us all the feels! Sorry for the long answer! I have a lot of feelings about everything regarding Morgana. And thank you so much! I’m glad you like my gifsets ♥