Tumgik
#merlin being invaluable to arthur
citharaposts · 2 years
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
MERLIN'S IMPORTANCE IN ARTHUR'S LIFE 3x02 || The Tears of Uther Pendragon Part 2 Prev | Next
648 notes · View notes
etoilesombre · 4 months
Text
Hey, do you guys want to hear a story? Let me tell you about the romance between Lancelot and Guinevere, as recounted in Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur.
So, I thought I knew the basics. I grew up reading modern versions of Arthurian legend that focused on other aspects, but had a general knowledge of the Arthur-Guinever-Lancelot love triangle. It didn't show up too much, but I assumed it was subtext in some other versions. What I picked up was that it was sort of pure, almost an ot3, and not the cause of a lot of problems. 
My friends. In this version it is NOT SUBTEXT, it DEFINITELY CAUSED PROBLEMS, and it is WILD. It is a true will-they-won't-they drama fest soap opera romance, and I need to share. So please, come on this journey with me.
[I’m looking at you, Black Sails fandom people. I need you to know that Flint canonically would have read this. He would almost certainly have also grown up hearing these stories. I’m not saying he’s Lancelot coded, but I am saying it's interesting that he would have been aware that was something it was possible to be.]
A couple notes, before we dive in. I am very much just summarizing what happened in the book. The thing is, the book is a million pages long and also in Middle English, and this is just one of many plots, which I think is why it's not more widely known. I will show some excerpts so you can get a feel for the text, but you don’t need to read them to understand the story. I'm referring to a version that is as close to the manuscript as I can find, though with spelling regularized. For real fun, see what the original looked like. Malory purports to be translating part of the French Vulgate cycle, which likely is where the character of Lancelot originates, but in fact he is doing much more than translating, and compiles other stories as well. Point being, when he says “so the French book sayeth” etc, that is the “book” to which he is referring. Because of my lack of knowledge about the language and cultural context, this lecture series from Mythgard Academy was absolutely invaluable to my understanding. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Inevitably, some of the opinions of the prof are reflected here. I do not have it in me to compare the scholarship of various medievalists right now, I just want to tell you about this DRAMA. 
Let’s start with a prophecy. When Arthur decides he wishes to marry Guinevere, Merlin advises him to take someone else, because if he takes her, she will betray him with Lancelot and it will destroy his kingdom. All of this is foretold, not only to us, but to Arthur himself. Of course he takes her anyway, and all is doomed from the start.
As we begin the main arc of this story (several books after the prophecy), Lancelot is widely acknowledged to be the best and most renowned knight of Arthur’s court. He is plainly and hopelessly in love with Guinevere, and she loves him in return. Arthur doesn’t have a problem with this - who wouldn’t love Guinevere? This sort of love is socially acceptable, so long as they do not sleep together, which would be treason. Arthur in fact seems to support their love, because it means that Lancelot will be Guinevere’s champion should she need one. This is a role Arthur himself legally cannot fill because he is the king, and so would have to be the judge. Lancelot is indeed a good champion for her, and fights for her when she is wrongly accused of murder. 
Lancelot is deeply chivalrous, in a way that seems sincere. This is a great place for a first excerpt, a conversation with a Random Damsel Lancelot has been helping:
‘Now, damosel,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘will ye any more service of me?’ ‘Nay, sir,’ she said, ‘at this time, but almighty Jesu preserve you wheresoever ye ride or go, for the most courteous knight thou art and meekest unto all ladies and gentlewomen that now liveth. But one thing, sir knight, me thinks ye lack, ye that are a knight wifeless, that ye will not love some maiden or gentlewoman. For I could never hear say that ever ye loved any of no manner of degree, and that is great pity. But it is noised that ye love Queen Guenivere, and that she hath ordained by enchantment that ye shall never love no other but her, nor no other damosel nor lady shall rejoice you; wherefore there be many in this land of high estate and low that make great sorrow.’ ‘Fair damosel,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘I may not warn* people to speak of me what it pleaseth them; but for to be a wedded man, I think it not; for then I must couch with her, and leave arms and tournaments, battles and adventures. And as for to say to take my pleasance with paramours, that will I refuse, in principal for dread of God. For knights that be adventurous should not be adulterers nor lecherous, for then they be not happy nor fortunate unto the wars; for either they shall be overcome with a simpler knight than they be themselves, or else they shall slay by unhap and their cursedness better men than they be themselves. And so who that useth paramours shall be unhappy, and all thing unhappy that is about them.’ 
So after doing his Knightly Deeds for this damsel, Lancelot asks if she needs anything else. She says no, but you are lacking one thing, which is the love of a woman. It is rumored that is because Guinevere has through sorcery made you love only her, and that causes all of the women great sorrow. In reply Lancelot makes this speech about how he cannot have a wife or paramour and be a good knight, but everyone thinks it is at least in part because his love is reserved for Guinevere.
Now, throughout the book his chastity DOES notably cause all of the women great sorrow. Everyone wants to sleep with Lancelot. Literally he is kidnapped by the four most beautiful queens other than Guinevere, and they say he has to choose one of them as a lover (not even a wife, a lover) or else die. He says he would rather die, though in the end he escapes. This is just an example, truly it is a recurring problem for him. He is, at one point, tricked into sleeping with a woman with whom he conceives his son Galahad (as was prophesied, it's a long story and the romance is only part of it. It is worth mentioning that something similar happens to Arthur, which is how Mordred is sired.) When Guinevere learns that Lancelot has been with someone else, she is angry and banishes him from the court. They still love each other and eventually reconcile. 
So, Lancelot goes on the quest for the holy grail. But he fails, specifically because while he is outwardly dedicated to God, in his private heart he is still dedicated to Guinevere. And so he makes a vow to renounce his love for her, acknowledging that it is beyond measure (beyond what is right, even if they have not technically done anything wrong.) However when he returns to Camelot, he cannot keep this vow, as we see. 
Then, as the book saith, Sir Lancelot began to resort unto Queen Guenivere again, and forgot the promise and the perfection that he made in the quest. For, as the book saith, had not Sir Lancelot been in his privy thoughts and in his mind so set inwardly to the Queen as he was in seeming outward to God, there had no knight passed him in the quest of the Sangrail, but ever his thoughts were privily on the Queen. And so they loved together more hotter than they did beforehand, and had many such privy draughts together that many in the court spoke of it, and in especial Sir Agravain, Sir Gawain’s brother, for he was ever open-mouthed. So it befell that Sir Lancelot had many resorts of ladies and damosels that daily resorted unto him to be their champion: in all such matters of right Sir Lancelot applied him daily to do for the pleasure of Our Lord Jesu Christ. And ever as much as he might he withdrew him from the company of Queen Guenivere for to eschew the slander and noise, wherefore the Queen waxed wroth with Sir Lancelot.
He and Guinevere start spending a lot of time alone together, and so there are rumors circulating about them in court. In order to put a stop to the rumors, Lancelot starts paying other women attention and doing more good knightly deeds for them. Guinevere is terribly jealous, but he tells her it's for their own good, and also tells her about the vow he made, and his concern that their love is beyond what is appropriate. She is devastated, and weeping banishes him from the court (again). 
Lancelot then rides in a tournament, disguised. (Why? Because this is simply a thing knights do.) To make it an effective disguise he takes the token of a woman, the sleeve of the fair maid of Astolat to wear on his helm. When she discovers that he was only using it for the disguise, and he does not indeed love her, she is so heartbroken that she says if he will not marry her or be her lover, she will die. He refuses, on the grounds that love must not be constrained and should arise from the heart, and offers her a thousand pounds a year instead if she marries anyone else. Properly insulted by this, she does indeed die. She has her body sent in a boat to Camelot, with a letter in her hand, saying that she died of her love for him, that he would not return. 
Seeing this, Guinevere reconciles with Lancelot, presumably reassured by the fact that he would let this very beautiful much younger woman die of her love rather than being with her. She insists that from now on he will not fight in disguise, and will openly bear her token. 
Then Queen Guenivere sent for Sir Lancelot, and said thus: ‘I warn you that ye ride no more in no jousts nor tournaments but that your kinsmen may know you; and at these jousts that shall be ye shall have of me a sleeve of gold. And I pray you for my sake to force* yourself there, that men may speak you worship. But I charge you as ye will have my love, that ye warn your kinsmen that ye will bear that day the sleeve of gold upon your helmet.’ ‘Madam,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘it shall be done.’ And either made great joy of other.
It is important to keep in mind that, to this point, there is no textual evidence that they were sleeping together, and a great deal of evidence that it was important to Lancelot that they not cross that line. There is much less evidence that this is important to Guinevere.
So then one fateful day in May, Guinevere goes picnicing with an entourage of knights. They are captured by someone else who is in love with Guinevere, and taken back to his castle, but she manages to send a message to Lancelot. At the castle, she insists that her knights sleep in her bedchamber on the grounds that they were wounded in the battle when she was captured and need tending, but truly she wants them there to keep her captor from raping her. 
Lancelot arrives to rescue her, and the person who kidnapped her agrees to give her back in the morning. She tells Lancelot to visit her room in the night. He climbs up to her window, which is barred. They have a heartfelt reunion and she says she wishes he could come in to her. He acquiesces and breaks the bars to get into her room, cutting his hand to the bone to do so. Despite the profusely bleeding wound and the ten other men sleeping in the room, they at last do sleep together, in this passionate blood covered consummation. He sneaks back out and replaces the bars.
In the morning, the man who kidnapped Guinevere comes in and sees blood all over the bed. He accuses her of being unfaithful to the king, saying she lay with one of the knights who had been sleeping in her room. She denies it, but it is very clear that she did sleep with someone who was bleeding. 
Lancelot says he will fight to defend her from this accusation, which is right and proper because he is her champion. In this story people take trial by combat and oaths before God very seriously, especially Lancelot. He really does try. So he swears an oath that he will prove with his life that Guinevere did not sleep with one of the wounded knights who lay in her room. This of course is TRUE, but only on a technicality. Lancelot, having slept with her himself the night before, is also the one who defends her honor after. I love this story so much. 
Instead of fighting him, the kidnapper takes Lancelot captive. In captivity he encounters ANOTHER damsel who insists that sleep with her in order for her to help him. He refuses, still faithful in his heart to Guinevere. Eventually she settles for him holding and kissing her, which is not across the line of appropriateness apparently, giving us some idea of where that line is drawn. Anyway, Lancelot gets out, fights for Guinevere and wins. There are indications that he feels like he barely dodged a devine bullet. 
Guinevere and Lancelot return to Camelot. Finally the rumors about them are true, the deed has been done, but of course nothing appears particularly different as there were already rumors about them. Two knights, Mordred and Agravaine, who have been intriguing against Arthur already, go and tell Arthur that Guinevere is being untrue to him. Here is his response: 
‘If it be so,’ said the King, ‘wit you well, he is none other; but I would be loath to begin such a thing but I might have proofs of it. For Sir Lancelot is a hardy knight, and all ye know that he is the best knight among us all; and but if he be taken with the deed he will fight with him that bringeth up the noise, and I know no knight that is able to match him. Therefore, and it be sooth as ye say, I would that he were taken with the deed.’ For as the French book saith, the King was full loath that such a noise should be upon Sir Lancelot and his queen. For the King had a deeming of it; but he would not hear thereof, for Sir Lancelot had done so much for him and for the Queen so many times that, wit you well, the King loved him passingly well.
Arthur says he will not hear of this without proof, because if Lancelot is accused and allowed to fight he would beat anyone. And, it is said that Arthur had some idea of the affair, but would not credit it because Lancelot had done so much for him and Guinevere, and he loved Lancelot greatly. 
So, one night when the king is away hunting, the two accusers contrive to catch them in the act, with a group of twelve armed knights. They do find Lancelot in Guinevere’s chamber, but the text is notably, pointedly vague about whether they are actually in bed. In any case, Lancelot asks for a trial. The knights say no, they have caught him and so may kill him. He is Lancelot, so he kills all of them instead, save one (Mordred) whom he leaves wounded. Lancelot flees, intending to return to rescue Guinevere and take her to his own castle to protect her from Arthur’s wrath. He maintains her innocence, and still intends that they will all reconcile.
Guinevere is to be burned at the stake (normal in this situation). Lancelot rescues her from the burning at the last moment, killing a number of knights of the round table. Arthur seems to blame the accusers more than Guinevere and Lancelot (for good reason; keep in mind that the romance is a subplot, there is a great deal of political intrigue going on.) Now a war will begin, whether anyone wants it or not, because of the people Lancelot killed. Lancelot takes Guinevere to his own castle. Battle lines are drawn, and Lancelot and Arthur confront each other in the fighting:
And ever was King Arthur about Sir Lancelot to have slain him, and ever Sir Lancelot suffered him and would not strike again. So Sir Bors encountered with King Arthur; and Sir Bors smote him, and so he alit and drew his sword and said to Sir Lancelot, ‘Sir, shall I make an end of this war?’—for he meant to have slain him. ‘Not so hardy,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘upon pain of thy head, that thou touch him no more! For I will never see that most noble king that made me knight neither slain nor shamed.’ And therewith Sir Lancelot alit off his horse and took up the King and horsed him again, and said thus: ‘My lord the king, for God’s love, stint this strife, for ye get here no worship and I would do my utterance. But always I forbear you, and ye nor none of yours forbear not me. And therefore, my lord, I pray you remember what I have done in many places, and now am I evil rewarded.’ So when King Arthur was on horseback he looked on Sir Lancelot; then the tears burst out of his eyes, thinking of the great courtesy that was in Sir Lancelot more than in any other man. And therewith the King rode his way and might no longer behold him, saying to himself, ‘Alas, alas, that yet this war began!’
So Arthur tries to slay Lancelot, but Lancelot, the better fighter, refuses to slay him and indeed when Arthur is unhorsed Lancelot forbids that he be slain, and gives him his own horse. Arthur weeps for the honor that is in Lancelot, and laments that the war began. 
The pope intervenes and tries to negotiate an end. Lancelot confirms that he is willing to return Guinevere to Arthur, and says he has always been willing to do this and will still defend her honor, but that he does not feel he can do so because Arthur has listened to liars and been misled, and he had more reason to take her away than the accusation of adultery - he does not trust she can be safe in that court, with things as they are. 
Eventually they do make a deal, with some assurances, and he surrenders Guinevere to the king. He kisses her openly, says that he will leave, but should she be in danger or ever again accused of being untrue, he will fight for her as he always has. He departs the court forever, to much great sorrow, and returns to his own lands. 
The war continues - eventually Mordred seizes the throne, Arthur kills him in battle but is mortally wounded himself and passes to Avalon. Following the king’s death, although her love would no longer be adulterous, Guinevere retires to a convent rather than reuniting with Lancelot. He seeks her out, and this is her reaction: 
Sir Lancelot was brought before her; then the Queen said to all those ladies, ‘Through this same man and me hath all this war been wrought, and the death of the most noblest knights of the world; for through our love that we have loved together is my most noble lord slain. Therefore, Sir Lancelot, wit thou well I am set in such a plight to get my soul health; and yet I trust through God’s grace and through His Passion of His wounds wide, that after my death I may have a sight of the blessed face of Christ Jesu, and at Doomsday to sit on His right side;* for as sinful as ever I was, now are saints in heaven. And therefore, Sir Lancelot, I require thee and beseech thee heartily, for all the love that ever was betwixt us, that thou never see me no more in the visage. And I command thee, on God’s behalf, that thou forsake my company; and to thy kingdom look thou turn again, and keep well thy realm from war and wrack. For as well as I have loved thee heretofore, my heart will not serve now to see thee, for through thee and me is the flower of kings and knights destroyed. And therefore go thou to thy realm, and there take ye a wife and live with her with joy and bliss. And I pray thee heartily to pray for me to the everlasting Lord that I may amend my misliving.’ ‘Now, my sweet madam,’ said Sir Lancelot, ‘would ye that I should turn again unto my country, and there to wed a lady? Nay, madam, wit you well, that shall I never do, for I shall never be so false unto you of that I have promised. But the self* destiny that ye have taken you to, I will take me to, for the pleasure of Jesu; and ever for you I cast me specially to pray.
Rather than rejoicing in Lancelot’s presence, Guinevere laments that their love brought about the downfall of the Arthurian court, and the deaths of the knights of the round table and King Arthur. She calls upon Lancelot, by all the love that was ever between them to leave her presence, telling him to marry someone else if he wishes and see her no more. Lancelot replies that he wants no one else, and that he will respect her wishes, but will also renounce the world and join a religious order. He asks Guinevere for a final parting kiss, which she denies him. 
When Guinevere lies dying of illness, Lancelot sets out to go to her, having had a vision. She knows of his coming, and prays to die before she sees him, because she cannot bear it. She dies a half hour before he arrives, leaving instruction that he is to tend to her body, and then lay it to rest beside that of her lord King Arthur. Lancelot does this with great sorrow, and after ceases to eat or drink, and within weeks is dead himself. 
And there you have it, the love affair that doomed Camelot.
HUGE DISCLAIMER: Any and all mistakes or misinterpretations are my own. This is what I gathered, but I am not a medievalist. I am barely an interested layperson. I’m just a random fic writer who got obsessed with research for a story, and had to share this tragic mess. 
83 notes · View notes
Text
Tumblr media
After her father is killed, Kayley dreams of being one of the Knights of the Round Table, and she gets her chance when the fabled sword of Excalibur is lost. Without its power to protect him, King Arthur falls victim to Ruber, an evil knight bent on destroying Camelot. Arthur's only hope is that Kayley will find the sword. Along the way, she gets some invaluable assistance from Merlin's trusty falcon, a dragon with a split personality, and a sweet blindman named Garrett. (Starring Jessalyn Gilsig, Cary Elwes, Gary Oldman, Eric Idle, Don Rickles, Jane Seymour, Pierce Brosnan, Bronson Pinchot, Jaleel White, Gabriel Byrne, John Gielgud, and Frank Welker)
Released May 15, 1998
7 notes · View notes
taylortut · 5 months
Note
Can you do "Will you focus? This is important." from the bingo card with Arthur as the whumpee? kthxbai ily
hello!! thank you for being so patient while this has sat in my inbox forever!! <3 I hope you like this!
Tumblr media
Arthur pries his eyes open from another too-long blink, hoping that his father and the rest of the nobles don't notice. He's not sure he's going to be so lucky. He feels Merlin's eyes on him from across the room, but he's ignoring him. He's been concerned about Arthur's exhaustion levels all week, all month really, and it's starting to become overbearing. He's preparing to take over a whole kingdom some day. It's bound to be stressful. He's going to be tired. It's a necessary sacrifice. 
This past week has, admittedly, been especially difficult. A few dignitaries have been in Camelot to talk about a peace treaty, so their days have been filled with meetings and the nights have been filled with preparation for said meetings. He's been up late every night writing speeches, preparing arguments, reviewing plans. Even when he does have the odd moment to catch an hour or two of sleep, he's been finding it difficult. Sleep just won't come. He's too worried about the next meeting. His thoughts are constantly wandering. 
When did his eyes slip shut again? How long have they been so? When he glances at Merlin, he can tell it's been long enough to notice. His father doesn't seem too happy about it, either, but elects to ignore it. 
"I believe your request is reasonable, King Uther, but my King thinks that the offer is paltry." 
"I'm offering a hefty amount of gold," he argues, "not to mention security under Camelot's army should you ever be attacked." 
"But use of our farmland is invaluable to your people. You simply cannot keep up with the needs of your people as it stands." 
After the incident with the unicorn, times had been tough. People had been without food for weeks, and their rations had been nearly entirely depleated. The farmers simply cannot keep up with the demand of replenishing them before winter, so they've been doing everything in their power to track down more land for crops. However, word travels fast, and every other kingdom knows exactly how badly the richest kingdom in the land needs farmland. 
"Arthur, you've been awfully quiet," Uther prods. "Care to chime in?" 
Arthur honestly has barely been following what's been said. Though he'd spent all night outlining this vecry conversation, he can't think of a single thing to say. He's got no idea what's been said and what hasn't. 
"I'm sorry," he says. Gods, he can't elaborate more than that, because he's not even sure what they're talking about. 
"Will you focus? This is important." 
"Of course," he replies, "I'm so sorry. Continue." 
Merlin's eyes are on him like a hawk's, following his every subtle move in his seat. Everything feels like it's spinning, and it's suddenly very hot in the throneroom. He can feel his cheeks flush. His eyes aren't cooperating--he can't keep them focused nor open. He sways in his seat to keep from falling and hits his elbow on the table.  
"Sire?" Merlin calls. Uther's face contorts immediately, whirling around to face him. 
"You will speak when you're addressed." 
"Fahter," Arhtur attempts to start, but his tongue is clumsy in his mouth. It comes out slurred and stilted. He stands to defend his oldest friend, but as soon as he's upright, the spinning feeling is violent, taking his vision at the edges. 
"Arhur?" 
The last thing he hears is his father calling his name before unconsciousness overtakes him. 
He wakes in his bed. 
Though he's unsure how much time has passed, it's concerning that it's dark through the window. He pushes the blanket away in an attempt to stand, but Merlin is fasterr.  
"Arthur," he breathes, motioning for a guard to send for someone. Gaius, maybe, or perhaps his father. Merlin presses a hand to his cheset to keep him sitting. "You're awake."
"Seems so." His head is pounding and he takes the goblet of water offered to him. "What happened?" 
"What do you remember?" 
He thinks for a moment. "I remember being in the meeting. I couldn't stay awake." 
"You passed out. Gaius didn't find any signs of injury or infection, so he thinks you're simply exhausrted." He nods. That's probably true. "Why didn't you say anything?" 
At that, he shrugs. "I thought I could handle it." Really, he'd just thought he SHOULD handle it. If he's going to run the kingdom some day, he's going to have to get used to times like this. Times where there's no time to rest becuase he's got more important things to focus on, like whether his people starve to death from a magical drought of his own doing. 
"Talk to me. It's more than that."
Arhtur hesitates. It's not something he really wants to tell Merlin, but at the same time, it's eating him up inside. He needs to talk about it no matter how much he doesn't want to. 
"This whole thing is my fault. The unicorn, the drought. I just thought that if I can help fix it, I should." 
"Oh, Arthur," Merlin frowns. "It's not your fault. It's just something that happened." 
"I'm the one who killed the unicorn." 
"You couldn't have known." 
"Doesn't matter." 
"Of course it does. It's not as if you did it on purpse."
"Well, sure, but--"
"Arthur, do you really think anyone expects you to work yourself half to death over this?" 
"No,but I--I just don't want to fail them." 
"That's why you need rest. You were barely even awake in the meeting with that Noble. You've got to take care of yourself." 
Arthur nods as if he's been given a task, becuase that's how he needs to see it in order to prioritize it. It feels selfish, but Merlin is, unfortunately, right. He usually is, though he'd never admit as much. 
"I'm still so tired." 
"I imagine so. You've only been out a few hours." Merlin raises the blanket back to his chest. "Go back to sleep. I'll be here if you need anything." 
"You sleep, too. You've been up far too long, as well." 
Merlin nods. "Goodnight, Sire." 
Arthur rolls over in bed. "Goodnight, Merlin." With that, he's asleep once again.
10 notes · View notes
merlinfic · 2 years
Text
group ask for lost fics #39
Hi y’all! Below are a few lost fics that us mods just can’t seem to find. That being said, we’re hoping that you lovely followers are able to help! If anyone knows any of the fics below please reply below or send in an ask with which anon/user and group ask that the fic corresponds with when the ask is back open!
Note: previous group asks and all lost fics!
Anon 1 asked:
Looking for a fic where Arthur and Merlin broke up bc Arthur was ashamed of him and was royalty, and he comes out during an interview that Merlin is watching with Hunith, I think they had a kid together as well
Anon 2 asked:
Hi, hello. There's this merthur fic I'm looking for where merlin is taking a potion to suppress his feelings for Arthur. Arthur doesn't know about it until one day he goes out with Merlin and Merlin's apprentice(?/it could also just be a random servant) tries to give Arthur Merlin's "vitamins" but Arthur's like nah he doesn't need that just leave it. Also Merlin's the court sorcerer.
Thank you so much for all the work y'all do, I am a huge fan ♥︎
Anon 3 asked:
Hi! Thank you so much for everything you guys do, really.
Can you guys help me? There was this fanfic that I read a really long time ago, that Merlin got hit by a curse/spell that the consequence was his mind was like, loosing his memories, and I think was him going back to not feel afraid and Arthur was with him and at some point Merlin was happy and Arthur questioned him about it and he said that he just meet a girl and they're going to run away together, at the end of the memory regression he didn't know who Arthur was
Anon 4 asked:
Hi! I was looking for a fic which I read a while ago likely on ffnet, it’s a post reveal where Arthur and Merlin communicate with notes in the margins of a magic/spell(?)book. I’m sorry I don’t have more to go on, it was a humorous, probably merthur fic. Does this ring a bell for anyone ? Thank you :)
Anon 5 asked:
There’s a fic i’ve been looking for but I can’t seem to find it! Basically the knights piss some lord off and they offer to give him their gold as appeasement, but instead of money, the lord ends up wanting Merlin. If you can’t find this exact one, are there any other fics similar to this? Much appreciated!
Anon 6 asked:
Hi! Hope you're having a chill time; this blog is such an invaluable resource. I kinda lost track of a fic, I read it years ago so it's a lil hazy sry. All I can remember is Merlin & Arthur in A's room, maybe a spell on one of them (not a love spell) & when they touched there was magic & them promising to wait for the other, as if they finally realized who they were to each other. They passed out & Gaius saw part of it, and felt such reverence for their destiny, who they'd be. Thx in advance!
As usual this post will be updated if any fics are found!
42 notes · View notes
itonje · 3 years
Text
some medieval english arthurian texts
with the green knight (2021) coming out today i want to talk a little about other arthurian english works because i find them interesting and entertaining <3 these were medieval arthurian texts written in english, not translated into it. all of these are in middle english, though many were written in different time periods and in different dialects. if you’ve read sir gawain and the green knight, many of these have similar plot beats, feature our beloved sir gawaine in a major role, or are alliterative in the same wonderful way sgatgk is! many these come from the university of rochester’s camelot project and it is an invaluable resource! however a lot of these texts are also written in a style that may be archaic or inaccessible- i will try to link more modern translations and reworkings if i can. 
the avowing of king arthur, sir gawain, sir kay, and baldwin of britain: in which the four title characters go to inglewood and, as stated, swear on various vows. 
the adventures of arthur at the tarn wadling: this is actually about gawaine, as most arthurian texts are. featuring ghosts and a duel! what could be better? there are several copies of this texts in manuscripts, including one where it’s in a collection with avowing (see above), said manuscript being the only copy in which avowing survives. 
layamon’s brut: by layamon, of course. this is a pseudohistorical text, going off the account of wace who went off the account of geoffrey of monmouth, but is longer than both and focuses almost solely on arthurian content (including a lot of merlin if you like him). if people want to read history of the kings of britain but don’t want to get through a lot of stuff that isn’t arthurian, i really recommend this. as another draw i will say this features baby gawaine (walwain) and modred. iirc this is the oldest text on this list. 
of arthur and of merlin: a text first about the background and story of arthur’s birth and early reign, including a variety of numerous battles. very merlin heavy. has a fair bit in common with the prose merlin. the copy i linked might be a bit hard to read, sorry. like layamon and aforementioned PM, also features baby gawaine (wawain) and brothers!
sir launfal: by thomas chestre, based off of lanval by marie de france. in which lanval has a secret romance with a magical woman. in this version it’s more implicit than the original lai, but guinevere is canonically homophobic <3 love loses 
sir perceval of galles: a...i would honestly call it a borderline parody of the typical perceval story. this one is deranged. in a fun way! 
ywain and gawain: based off of yvain by chretien de troyes, has the same basic plot beats. very fun even if you’ve already read yvain though, especially (imo) for the rhyming. 
sir tristrem: based off thomas of britain’s french tristan, the latter of which survives only in fragments. based off the tristan and iseult courtly branch. have not read this so i can give little opinions on it. 
i thiiiink lancelot of the laik belongs on here iirc the text is english but it’s from scotland and has scots influence. it’s inspired a from the first part of the lancelot-grail cycle-the poem itself is incomplete. 
the stanzaic morte arthur: poem about the fall of camelot as from the prose cycles. i really like this one, if you don’t want to read le morte darthur for it’s heaviness, i recommend this instead. it has all of the longing and eerie finality of any death of arthur story, even amplified in this work imo. elaine of astolat fans will enjoy this one, she features fairly prominently in the first part. 
the alliterative morte arthure: poem about the fall of camelot, taking mostly from the pseudohistories. i’ve jokingly said i like this as an iliad fan before, but if you are intrigued by the arthurian portions of british pseudohistories, and you like modred (oh my god i really recommend this for people who like modred) you will really love this one. it’s very entertaining! fair warning if you don’t like battle scenes or duels in other arthurian works you will...not enjoy this one. but i love it <3
the prose merlin: OUR FIRST PROSE WORK YES! based off of robert de boron’s unfinished merlin poem and parts of the lancelot-grail cycle, like arthur and merlin, tells of merlin’s birth, life, and the early reign of king arthur. this features a lot of battles and a lot of gawaine and his brothers! i think in this edition of it i’m linking, there are parts cut out, fair warning. i really like this one as well. 
sir gawain and the carle of carlisle: this one is similar to the avowing of arthur. gawaine and co (the same in avowing barring arthur, actually) arrive at a castle for refuge for the night during a storm whilst hunting, and the lord within gives them various tests of chivalry and integrity. this one is fun- a text i recommend after reading sir gawain and the green knight if you liked it for the plot and so on. if you read them concurrently you can imagine that gawaine repaired his reputation post sgatgk. 
if the above text is a little too unreadable for you (which is fair), i also recommend the carl of carlisle, a more condensed version which tells the same basic story with some minor differences (there’s a beheading in this one :3)
the marquis of bath’s manuscript of a latin account of the kings of britain: now, you may be saying, that said latin! well, i guess whoever wrote this decided that for arthur’s portion he would write it in english verse as opposed to latin prose? this one is fairly obscure, but, again, tells a plot similar to other arthurian portions of pseudohistories. 
the jeaste of sir gawain: i think this one tells the story of gawaine’s son, ginglain, the fair unknown, and combines it with gawaine’s romance with the lady of lys from the first continuation of perceval. i haven’t read this text, but i know the plot of gawaine and the lady of lys ditty, and i...do not like it. and i feel like i’d like this one less. 
the wedding of sir gawain and dame ragnelle: everyone’s familiar with this one. the archetypal story of the knight who seeks to figure out ‘what women truly want’. i enjoy this one and i feel like i’ll come back to it in the future analysis wise. ragnelle is a girlboss, etc. may have been written by sir thomas malory. speaking of which...
le morte darthur by sir thomas malory: will let its notoriety speak for itself. amazing work, though long to get through. if you like gawaine, and are looking at this post for gawaine content, while he is probably presented at his worst and most repugnant here out of any other story on this list, honestly this is one of my favorite versions of his character, and that’s the main reason why this text is even going on here in the first place (it’s popular enough, and borderline modern imo lol). 
anyways, happy reading, and happy a24′s the green knight release! summer of dev patel, summer of gawaine, etc!
835 notes · View notes
colorofmymindposts · 4 years
Text
Been thinking about how I would do BBC Merlin differently and honestly, I think Gaius should have died at the beginning of series 4, not Lancelot.
Series 4 really should have been the season for the changing of the old guard, not just for Arthur but Merlin as well. Uther and Gaius have been constant forces in these two young men’s lives series 1-3, arguably to the detriment of Merlin’s and Arthur’s shared destiny. During that time, they’ve reinforced that fear and self-preservation should be Merlin’s and Arthur’s sole motivators, that great change isn’t worth the risk.
Gaius knows what Uther is doing is wrong, but he rarely takes any action to stop the king’s carnage unless Merlin insists that they intervene or Merlin’s own life is on the line. As Kilgharrah states as early as 1x06 Gaius, often turns “a blind eye,” “struggle[s] against (Merlin’s) destiny” and his main characteristics, besides his wisdom and wit, are that he is cowardly and unchanging. This not only impedes Merlin’s progress, but it makes Gaius’ role as a character mostly useless in terms of servicing the plot, especially once Merlin becomes more and more knowledgeable about magic; he has an easy mastery of his abilities by series 4. Beyond filling in as the father Merlin never got to have (RIP Balinor), Gaius doesn’t do much.
Arthur and Merlin losing the most important elders in their lives around the same time would have been an excellent parallel that would have reinforced that coin metaphor, and their shared grief would have brought them closer together than ever. It would have also expanded a lot of story opportunities for Merlin (for instance, does he have to give up being Arthur’s servant to become the Court Physician, or does a new character take on the role?)
In argument of Lancelot staying alive: Lancelot, on the other hand, perfectly represents the radical change Camelot needs to see. He’s a knight who didn’t come from a royal family, and he accepts magic wholeheartedly from his first encounter with it. He knows that magic can be both a force for good and evil; he implicitly understands that its users have nuance, just like all warriors. His perspective as a non-magic user and a trusted friend of Arthur’s would have been invaluable to Arthur accepting Merlin’s magic and, more importantly, the potential for magic to be used as a force of good.
There’s a number of fascinating dynamics you could have established between Lancelot and the rest of the Knights as well, not just his relationships with Arthur, Merlin and Guinevere. It also cuts out the possibility of 4x09 happening, which in my book, is only a good thing considering how shoddily Lancelot’s resurrection was handled.
This isn’t to say that Gaius was necessarily a bad person, but there’s no arguing his advice led to a score of Merlin’s terrible decisions, when if Merlin had trusted his gut instinct, things probably would have turned out at least a little better for him.
Tldr: If we wanted to see Arthur and Merlin grow into their destiny together, they both had to lose their problematic mentors who were keeping them rooted in the past.
2K notes · View notes
mayonnaisetoffees · 3 years
Text
Mayo's Fic Recs
List of my favourite fics below the cut; this list is a WIP and completely personal taste; a mix of fandom classics and lesser knowns
Please remember to leave comments and kudos for the authors and podficcers!
*shows particular favourites
Fandoms currently included: Spn, Merlin, Les Mis, BatFam
Fics That Changed Me Fundamentally
Loaded March*** by Footloose. Merlin | E | 1.26M(Series)/ 35k (First part) | 188k hits (First part)
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.
You can read all about my thoughts on Loaded March here, here, and here. Basically this fic series is beautifully written, has absolutely delicious UST, has found family, magic, and high stakes. It’s been part of my life for almost a decade now, I made friends through LM that I still have to this day, and it genuinely changed me as a person. Plus there are 78k of Extras to itch that I Finished Now What scratch. Parts 1-5 have been podficced and you can find them in works inspired by this one in each part.
Down to Agincourt*** by Seperis. Supernatural | E | 1.12M(Series)/ 154k (First part) | 73k hits (First part)
The world’s already over and they’re already dead. All they’re doing now is marking time until the end.
S7!Dean is transported back to the aftermath of where 5x04 The End left off. Much like LM, DtA was one that I avoided for a while. I didn’t think it would be my thing. I’m not usually into End!verse, it sounded so bleak from the summary, and it sounded so long for something I wasn’t sure about. If you’re reading this and nodding along? You are as much a fool as I was. Yes, it’s the end of the world. But it’s not over yet. This is a beautiful journey in what it means to be yourself, how to survive the end of the world, a How-To for Coups, and a study in food as a love language. I only read this fic this year, but like LM, it has genuinely changed me. Map of the World has been podficced.
Supernatural
Let’s start with the current hyperfixation. All of these are at least passively Dean/Cas unless otherwise stated. I've split into ones from my first time around in the SPN fandom and more recent ones because the vibes are actually really different and it took me some time to adjust (Not in a bad way! In a time has passed they have grown as characters way)
Old-School SPN (AKA the Classics my first time around)
Canon-Compliant or Divergent
Home in Motion* by nomdeplume13 M | 232k | 48k hits
Castiel swore he was done with spur of the moment decisions that permanently changed Dean Winchester's life. A year after the angel's most disastrous, his newest may present the largest challenge of dean's life: Fatherhood.
Did someone say kid!fic in canonverse? This is perfect. Canon divergence from the end of S6. Cas saves a baby from a neglectful mother and gives him to Dean to raise. They all move in with Bobby. Great OCs. Bobby considers Cas his son. Listen everything I say here will not be able to begin to encompass how much I love this fic. Just trust me on this one.
Named* by RC_McLachlan M | 95k | 95k hits
Jesus Christ is dead. Somehow, that isn't the worst part of Dean's week.
With a summary like that, need I say more? No but I'm gonna. This is one of the funniest fics I've ever read, but it doesn't take any emotion from the serious moments, if anything it heightens them. There are so many quotes from this I think about all the time. It was written in 2010 and so there's a bit of misogyny/character assassination of Anna in places.
Second Childhood by CloudyJenn (read by exmanhater) G | 16k (1h30) | 10k hits
"Dude, I can't do this whole thing by myself," Dean said with far more desperation leaking into his tone than he liked. It would just be too much to make it through hell and death and Lucifer only to have Castiel bail on him because of a frigging baby.
They beat the Apocalypse (OG-S5) and then Sam gets de-aged by a spell. I've listened to this so many times I know it by heart, it's an ultimate comfort fic to me.
Defy Any and All Expectation* by Tenoko1 (read by Tenoko1) M | 138k (14hrs) | 37k hits
Chuck's newly released books tell of another war between Heaven and Hell. Team Free Will sets out to try to defy prophecy, only to realize there is a lot more at stake and amiss than the not-quite-accurate words of one Prophet of the Lord. Along the way, Dean and Cas' relationship continues to evolve into something neither expected or were prepared for, all of their lives transforming in ways no one could have expected. But with no shortage of cases, monsters, and mayhem, it's going to require the help of new friends and old enemies if they're to have a hope of saving the world one more time. Alternate Season Six.
So this is a re-written version of Tenoko1's The Path We Choose which I don't think is around anymore. By the time I was reading the re-write as each chapter came out, I knew every single line of TPWC and it wasn't all that much shorter. It's such a perfect canon divergence because they are all 100% in-character. If you're into podfic, you already know what an absolute gift 14 hours is, but if you have never tried podfic before, Tenoko1 is a fantastic place to start. Her voice is soothing and energetic and her Cas sometimes comes to mind when I'm reading fic in Misha's place (sorry Misha)
His Fucking Kids 'Verse by 8sword M | 96k(Series)/ 3k (first part) | 26k hits (first part)
Jesus, the school should just have a parking spot labeled, “Reserved for the Novak-Winchesters,” because Dean’s getting sick of having to cruise around the parking lot looking for a spot every time he gets a call from the principal about Emma.
Emma survives and Dean and Cas are raising her and Claire. This fic series will make you laugh, make you cry, and (nowadays) make you wish Emma had survived to be a part of Wayward Sisters.
One Species Too Many by wallmakerrelict E | 22k | 37k hits
While Dean is laid up for a month after breaking his leg on a hunt, Cas decides that it's a perfect time to adopt a litter of kittens. But even though he's gotten better since Purgatory, Cas still isn't quite the same as he was before fixing Sam's head, and being trapped in a cabin with him for weeks on end is making that all the more obvious to Dean. When Sam takes off on a hunt, Dean has to figure out on his own how to navigate his new relationship with Cas while also helping to raise a bunch of fuzzballs that aren't even cute. Not even a little bit. (Well, maybe a little bit.)
Dean breaks his legs, and honey!Cas brings home some kittens to foster. It's achingly sweet and also painful because you know Dean wants to fix Cas but there's nothing to fix. It is tagged for ableism for this.
Tripping* by Hatteress E | 49k | 78k hits
That time the universe decided Dean belonged with Cas and wasn't afraid to pull out the big guns to make it so. Big guns in this case being obsessive fangirls, archangels turned tricksters and overly enthusiastic cupids. Welcome to Dean's life.
Alt!S5 and it is beautiful. Also any fic with Missouri is an automatic win.
Broadway Musical by Grifitings M | 12k | 79k hits
This is the day that marked the Holy and Blessed Union of Dean Winchester and Jo Harvelle. The merging of prominent bloodlines is always a grand occurrence, but breeding pedigree hunter families like Winchester and Harvelle is something to be rejoiced. It is also something to be meticulously planned, which thankfully the Host is very good at. Or, the romantic comedy where Dean Winchester and Jo Harvelle are destined to get married, Castiel is given the task of playing matchmaker and fails terribly, the entire Heavenly Host becomes a sitcom audience, God warns against male pregnancy, and Jimmy Novak is incredibly unimpressed with angels in general.
Jimmy deserves a sainthood and frankly I don't even want to hear about crack if it's not on the level of the Host yelling at Cas not to touch the butt.
Classic AUs (AKA AUs from my first time around)
Try Something Tuesday by almaasi E | 48k | 144k hits
Dean Winchester teaches a third-grade class. He's new to this whole ‘bisexual’ thing - but by pure happenstance, he meets Castiel: a particularly dapper male librarian who moonlights as a substitute teacher. Dean's curious and Castiel is willing, so why the hell not? Except, fate never intended it to be one-time-only...
This was one of the first spn fics to really really stay with me and it never really left.
Rock 'n' Roll Queer Bar by ChasingRabbits E | 127k(Series)/ 8k (Part1) | 29k hits (Part1)
Ellen and Jo Harvelle run Harvelle's Roadhouse, a bar that unintentionally becomes a beacon for wayward queer souls. Her employees: Dean, the smartass runaway with a big heart and bigger mouth; Castiel, the college drop-out turned hippie; his (surprisingly heterosexual) trouble-making brother Gabriel; and Charlie, who has been told several times that the back room is not to be used for after-hours Dungeons & Dragons games. But there's a lot of love in this place, and a new family for anyone who may otherwise be without.
This series. If you've ever felt unsure or out of place or anxious or just really felt like no-one understood you, this fic is for you. I first found this series when I was coming to terms with my queerness and I genuinely think it was invaluable. Also I am a sucker for the go for a dinner at Cas's family and end up storming out trope.
Play It All Night Long by janie_tangerine (read by Tenoko1) NC17 | 43k (4hrs)
The rom-com-ish one where Dean hosts a late night radio show, Castiel is a regular listener of his who starts calling one day and ends up calling more often than not and Dean finds himself liking it. This, until one day Castiel calls for not exactly petty reasons (just before Dean's brother Sam is visiting with his girlfriend for spring break) and things get very, very crowdy at his place. He also doesn't know it's just the beginning of it. Also features Gabriel, Chuck, Andy, the Roadhouse crew and a huge amount of music quoted. Especially Bob Dylan.
Again, this podfic has got me through many a night of insomnia. Cas calls in after a particularly shitty day and it all goes from there.
New-School SPN (AKA post-2014)
Canon-Compliant or Divergent
Tall Grass by aeli_kindara E | 57k | 28k hits
“I think we should have a garden,” Cas says. Dean looks up from his beer. He hasn’t had that much to drink, but Cas still has a vague look of unreality about him, a splash of living color that doesn’t fit in the bunker’s echoing stillness. Dean didn’t hear him coming. A lot of the time, Cas is so unobtrusive it feels like Dean has the bunker to himself, with Sam away. Dean shakes his head to clear it. “A — garden?” he repeats.
There is a reason you will see this recced time and time again. It healed parts of me I didn't know needed healing.
So Says the Sword* by komodobits E | 85k | 73k hits
The briefing was simple: ‘Stand guard over the Michael Sword until the battle is ready to commence. Await further instructions.’ Castiel doesn’t mind working security duty; he was briefed shortly after the initial salvation of the Sword from the pit, and again before taking up his position. He knows what to do. However, it’s easy to forget that the green room isn’t real. Time moves differently there, the space ever-changing to make a prison of mountains, cathedrals, salt flats, orchards, and whatever Castiel was led to believe about Heaven’s greatest weapon—Dean Winchester is something entirely unexpected
I saw ssts mentioned in like every single If you're getting back into the fandom READ THIS rec list. For good reason. It's described as "canon-adjacent in that seasons one to three happened exactly the same, but when Dean goes to Hell, he is not raised by Castiel". It's one of the most interesting concepts I've read and it's one of those fics where the writing style will stick with you. Castiel POV in a way you've never read before.
Aching in the Absence of You* by sobsicles E | 95k | 9k hits (in 5 days)
Brittle and battle-worn, Cas looks at him over coffee one morning and says, "I need to go," and Dean instantly knows that he's not coming back. He's not really sure how he knows it, but he does. It settles into the pit of his stomach, curling hot and tight like something he instinctively wants to tear out with his bare hands. He takes a breath, and it gets stuck in his throat, hitching there. It hurts, hurts, hurts when he finally exhales. "Yeah," Dean says, "of course you do," and he nods jerkily as he looks down at his phone. He doesn't say goodbye. He doesn't look up from the screen when Cas gets up and leaves the room. He doesn't finish his coffee, or move for a long time. By nightfall, Cas is gone.
If you don't already know sobsicles, I am delighted to introduce you to the person who will smash you to pieces with a hammer to put you back together Kintsugi-style. This one is post-finale but without 15x18 (it'll make sense as it goes). Cas says he's going to leave again and again Dean doesn't ask him to stay. Full of lines so beautiful they'd make Shakespeare weep, Sobsicles has this way of writing that is so evocative and paints such a clear picture. Fair warning, if you're Dean-coded, this might be A Lot.
dumbassery, denial, doing (the three d's to the destination)** by sobsicles E | 108k | 25k hits
Freedom is just one adjustment after the next. ~~~ Cas hums again. "I think you already have. It's been months since everything settled. All that's left to do is...get used to it, and perhaps—" His voice stalls out, uncharacteristically, and his gaze roams Dean's face with intensity. When he speaks next, his tone is a little raw. "Perhaps what one does with peace is...whatever they want." "What if I don't even know what that is?" Dean grumbles, arching an eyebrow in challenge. "'Cause I know damn well you don't just mean good food and a good bed and time in Baby, not simple wants like that. You mean—ya know, the big things, the wants we didn't get to have before." "Yes," Cas agrees. "If you're not sure, figure it out." "Easier said than done."
Yes, two sobsicles recs back to back. This one I read first and it still holds such a special place in my heart. A sign of a good fic is being able to picture it perfectly. The sign of an amazing fic is that when reading this I was so in Dean's shoes I could feel a pool cue between my hands and Baby behind my back. And I sobbed like a baby in this. It has probably my favourite ending ever. It's genuinely beautiful. If you don't read another on this list, read this one.
Teaching Poetry to Fish by aeli_kindara M | 52k | 14k hits
In which Castiel teaches poetry to fish. Also, himself. Also, eventually, Dean. (A series-long story, diverging slightly from canon after S14.)
The ultimate Cas character study and interwoven with poetry.
So There It Is, I've Said It All by PorcupineGirl (read by Ceewelsh) G | 4k | 13k hits
"Why, do you have something you need to say to me that you don't think I'll like?" I think I'm in love with you. "Yeah. I guess so."
Dean figures out he's in love with Cas then can't stop thinking it. This is genuinely beautiful and if you've ever had trouble actually saying the thing you're thinking, you'll relate to Dean here. I recently did the podfic for this.
you won't find this place alone by amidsizedfrog G | 9.5k |
When Claire said she was dropping out of college to pursue hunting full time, Dean said, “right,” and left the room. Or, the cross-generation conversation about formal education, choosing your own path and figuring out what it looks like to find a family. Or, in other words: "But what I do have is a GED and a give-'em-hell-attitude, and I'll figure it out." - Dean Winchester
This is a beautiful look at education in the hunter world, and I love anything that looks at Dean and Bobby's relationship and this does it perfectly. Also best cameo ever.
Seek to Know You Better by ahurston E | 33k | 23k hits
Dean and Cas, a long stretch of highway, and 36 questions empirically designed to make two people fall in love. As if they weren't already.
This is perfect. It has a lovely slow pace like it has the vibes of an indie film if that makes sense? Like it's two guys going from place to place talking. It was an instant favourite.
Newer AUs (AKA more recent AUs)
And This, Your Living Kiss* by opal_bullets M | 57k | 69k hits
Only a very few people in the world know that the celebrated and reclusive poet Jack Allen is just Kansas mechanic Dean Winchester, a high school dropout with a few bucks to his name. Not that it matters anymore; life has left him so wrung out he never wants to pick up another pen. Until, that is, a string of coincidences leads Dean to auditing a poetry course with one Dr. Castiel Novak. The professor is wildly intelligent, devastatingly handsome...and just so happens to be academia's foremost expert on the poetry of Jack Allen.
When I asked which fics were absolute must-reads for someone who'd been out of the fandom a few years, this was said repeatedly. But what really got me to read it was everyone actually told me more about what it meant to them than just the summary. It's a study in poetry, a study in learning who you are and who you used to be, and a reminder that it's never too late.
The Graveyard Shift* by riseofthefallenone, PurgatoryJar E | 620k | 175k hits
Dean’s favourite coffee shop, The Graveyard Shift, is only open after the sun goes down. Which is perfect for him, because that’s exactly when he craves coffee the most while doing the overnight at the fire hall. The coffee shop’s owner is pretty perfect too, but it’s kind of a bummer that Dean never gets to see Cas during the day. In a world where the supernatural live more or less in peace with the rest of humanity, it’s a little impolite to ask Cas just what he really is - or what his dark past entails.
A fantastic magical realism fic - magical creatures live and work with humans. Gabe and Cas run a coffee shop, Dean is a fireman, and the burn is slow and delicious and the intrigue kept me reading for like a week every single spare minute.
Painted Angels by WinJennster E | 106k | 162k hits
Author Castiel Novak has finally hit the big time, with a book based on his failed college relationship with a brilliant painter. He's put all his pain behind him, but at a book signing, he comes face to face with Dean Winchester for the first time in twelve years, and the reunion doesn't go like Cas hoped. Dean's a broken man, with a lot of scars and secrets, shoulders weighed down by his demons and self loathing. Cas sees a second chance with the man he's never stopped loving, but Dean's moved on, and is about to get married. Sam launches a "brilliant" plan to reunite his brother and his best friend, but Cas is worried it will all blow up in their faces, and he'll go through the agony of losing Dean a second time.
The first part of this I actually saved back when I was first in the fandom but I never got around to reading it (I had a To Read folder of 100+ fics that I absolutely dove into when I got back into spn) and the rest of the series finished in 2016 so I'm counting it in this section not the other. On the one hand, I wish I'd read this when it first came out. It's beautiful and heartbreaking, and so visual. On the other hand, I think I appreciated it a lot more now than I would have seven years ago. The parallel of me coming back to the old fandom that I loved dearly with Cas coming back to see someone and places he loved so much really hit. (Although coming back to the spn fandom was much easier and much less heartbreak!)
Finale Fix-Its (yeah fuck you Dabb that this has to be a whole category)
The Goldenrod Revisions by aethylas M | 66k | 15k hits
A rewrite of Supernatural’s final two episodes, expanded into a five episode arc - in which Chuck needs to be defeated, Castiel deserves to be saved, and the characters in this story get a very different ending.
Script format re-write of 15x19 and 15x20 into a 5-episode finale fix-it. As far as I'm concerned, this and chocolatecakecas's American Pie fanvid are the Supernatural finale.
break the skin (to break the barriers)* by sobsicles M | 30k | 9k hits
The first time she meets him, he's nothing more than an almost-missed appointment. ~~~ Dean is silent for a long, tense moment, then he gruffly says, "It's not for banishing the angels. It's to summon them. So, it doesn't—it's not to get rid of 'em, but to draw 'em in." Mitzi can't help but glance up at him at that. His voice is so heavy with so much unexplained pain, and she doesn't understand why, or what angels have to do with it. She knows religion can impact people. She's very aware that it can get complicated, and that it can be a huge source of pain for someone, but Dean sounds grievously wronged, somehow, as if it's a truly personal thing. She pushes through, focusing back on her job, clearing her throat before murmuring, "Well, I guess we all want angels to visit us sometimes." "Just the one," Dean mumbles. "Your guardian angel?" Mitzi asks. Dean breathes out, "Something like that. As close to one as an angel will ever get."
Therapy through getting tattoos and telling your life story to someone who obviously doesn't think it's real. Outsider!POV not just done well, but done literally the best.
Kingdom Come by ahurston E | 17k | 10k hits
Cas wakes up on the coast of Maine. He makes his way home.
I don't know if this counts as finale fix-it as it's more fuck the finale we're ignoring that. There's just so much love and care in this fic.
The Family Business by chai_lattes M | 16k | 5.5k hits
It's all over. It's been weeks since Chuck's defeat and Cas' return from the Empty. There are no threats on the horizon, no apocalypses to stop, but there's something that keeps the Winchesters from being happy. Something that's maybe always been there. On their way back from a hunt, they find John Winchester, back from the dead.
If you're anything like me, you start rubbing your grubby little hands together at the tag John Winchester's A+ Parenting like yes let's address this! This is one of the best examples of John coming back and how it jars with the life that they have built. Also Claire and Jack getting to share screentime!
Merlin
If I have a forever fandom, it's Merlin. I've always kept one foot in this fandom, and it introduced me to fandom, and most importantly to podfic which kinda had an impact. All Merthur unless stated.
Canon-Verse
Seven Magpies by syllic (read by lunchee) E | 33k (3hr15) | 58k hits
Arthur opened his eyes a minute later to the sight of seven magpies streaking across the top of the clearing, their shapes dark against the white clouds and the muted grey of the sky. He tried to remember what it was that seven magpies meant—he'd had a nurse who had sung the rhyme to him as a child—but couldn't. Arthur wakes up somewhere he doesn't recognise, but where he clearly belongs.
Okay so this is an AU but it's Canon-AU so it's going here. Fantastic role reversal fic that you will be thinking about for weeks.
and from your grace, i fell by TheDragon (read by Ceewelsh) T | 4.6k (41mins) | 13k hits
“Where’s Merlin?” he asks the maid. “Where’s that idiot of a Court Sorcerer?!” “Begging your pardon, Your Majesty. I thought you knew,” the maid replies, not daring to look him in the eyes. “He’s taken ill.” “And he couldn’t be bothered to tell me himself that he would be unable to attend today’s council meeting?” Arthur questions, voice full of acid. “He hasn’t woken since he collapsed two days ago, Sire,” the maidservant says, blissfully unaware that what she’s saying the power to stop Arthur’s heart in its tracks.
When I first read this, it had me completely transfixed. I could not stop reading. It was so raw and so full of emotion. I was then lucky enough to get TheDragon in our exchange, so I did a podfic for it and it's probably the most proud I've been of one.
Modern AU
The Student Prince* by FayJay (read by FayJay) M | 145k (15hrs) | 696k hits
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...
A classic is a classic for a reason. I'm also pretty sure this introduced me to podfics so like special place in my heart x2. Did you know if you filter AO3 by hits on Merlin, this has 426k more hits than the second result? Now that is a Fandom Classic.
Drastically Redefining Protocol* by rageprufrock (read by lunchee) E | 46k (5hr30) | 269k hits
In which Prince Arthur meets Merlin and all hell promptly breaks loose.
As I always say, if this can happen to me and I still love the fic, nothing is going to change that. Arthur hides from his duties in a cupboard and gets stuck in there with a chainsmoking med student.
Fundamental Imperfections by Starlingthefool (read by bravenclawsome) M | 12k (1hr35) | 123k hits
In which an argument about Dickens leads to a Twitter scandal, broken bones, midnight conversations, and transatlantic longing. (Or, an AU with Arthur and Merlin as moderately famous authors.)
This fic has everything: Charles Dickens, long distance texting, Morgana choking a Sherlock cosplayer with his own scarf. This is the ultimate comfort fic and I compare all fics to this even when they're incomparable. I never read the sequel because it was WIP and I was waiting for it to complete, it hasn't been updated since 2015 and apparently ends on an unhappy note, so if you're going to read the sequel you have been warned.
Les Mis
Modern!AU
Overzealous Oddities by YassHomo e/R, Courf/Cosette/Marius, Comb/Ép | G | 6.4k | 4k hits
Courfeyrac: Remember when I smashed our tv and we laughed about it? Enjolras: No. Courfeyrac: Let me rephrase Courfeyrac: I've smashed our tv, lets laugh about it.
I love me a text fic and this is in my opinion the best one around. Just look at that summary. I have quoted that so many times.
But Paris was a very old city and we were young* by GingerNinjaAbi E/R, Courf/Jehan | M | 99k | 42k hits
Perhaps somewhere in between all the cups of coffee, shots of tequila, sunny March days, terrible lumpy jumpers, love, cigarettes, drunken nights and the desire to change the world they'll all leave Paris with a degree in something. Or not. Grantaire's money is on no. But he's a pessimist who's hopelessly in love, so perhaps his opinion shouldn't count.
The ULTIMATE modern!AU tbh.
Tagged by Salomonderiel E/R, Courf/Jehan | E | 155k | 28k hits
So there's this artist. He could probably be compared to Banksy, but he's a lot more... cynical. He shares rooms with a poet who braids his hair with flowers, in a flat near Covent Garden they rent from a short-tempered shop keeper with a penchant for fans and who'd do anything if you mentioned Poland. Sometimes, the three of them will go and deface public buildings in London whilst completely smashed off their heads. And then there's this, shall we say, 'revolutionary'. He has a band of other revolutionaries, who all meet at this cafe by Borough Market. He shares rooms with his best mate, a philosophy student, spends too much time with a flirty guy who has a thing for poets, goes boxing with a guy in a red vest, wants to punch the wet sop who drools on the blonde waitress and is getting tired of this guy who keep breaking his laptops through sheer dumb luck. Thank god the hypochondriac's there to keep an (slightly too) attentive eye on their stress levels. The revolutionary thinks the graffiti artist's work is a waste of space. The artist thinks the revolutionary's campaigns are a waste of time. And all the while, the poet and the flirt drool over each other in the background...
This is perfect and it's funny and it's beautiful and it rips my heart out multiple times.
Canon
To Be Free by kjack89 (read by Ceewelsh) Gen, Cosette/Marius | T | 3.8k (32mins) | 375 hits
Three blows from a bayonet had transfixed Combeferre’s breast, followed by a fall from the barricade as he rapidly lost first blood and then consciousness. But neither of these, it seemed, was enough to kill him, as much as later he might perhaps wish that they were.
I read this because it was on a list kjack89 did of their favourite fics which don't necessarily have the same hits traffic. It's nothing I would have usually read (canon era, not e/R, MCD) but I am so glad I gave it a go. It's a study on what if Combeferre had survived the barricades too and the guilt. This stayed with me for days afterwards until I eventually messaged kjack89 to get permission to podfic it.
BatFam
Canonish (I don't know differences between canons but these are all they're superheros fics)
Robins United by laceymcbain (read by reena_jenkins) Gen | T | 49k (6h15)/ 19k (2h25) (First part) | 103k hits
Bullets, knives, a three story fall, even a fucking crowbar hadn't managed to keep Jason down permanently, but Dick Grayson (and the rest of his "family") was going to kill him with kindness.
The ultimate batbros series. Also if you haven't heard reena_jenkins' podfics before, you are welcome. Pre-pandemic I took a lot of public transport and reena_jenkins kept me sane.
batcoons by drakefeathers (read by reena_jenkins) Gen | G | 6k (49mins) | 14k hits
Jason and raccoons have a lot in common. (Additionally: his so-called family are much bigger pests than the stray animals hanging around his safehouse.)
This is funny, it's heartwarming, and it's a really good character study.
AU
Here Comes the Sun by batsy_rocks Clark/Bruce | T | 19k | 20k hits
Clark Kent is a kind-hearted reporter working in the big city. Bruce Wayne is a stressed dad of four with no idea of what he's doing. Then they meet.
Bruce Wayne is a Tired Single Dad™. It's genuinely such a sweet fic.
23 notes · View notes
supercalvin · 3 years
Note
🙍👋🛂
Don’t ask me when I got this prompt, it’s too embarrassing. This was just an excuse to write one of my fav tropes because that’s self-care babyyyyy
Ficlets
***
The Camelot Airport was not busy. It was the smallest of the five airports in United Albion, but even if that wasn’t the case, it was the middle of the night and the only scheduled flight was a small flight coming in from Thailand.
Arthur had been sitting in an uncomfortable plastic seat for the last two hours. Out of nerves he had arrived early, despite not having to be the one to go through customs. He had thought about getting up to grab a tea but every time he had stood up, he worried that Merlin would walk out of the security check right at that second.
Most people coming into Camelot didn’t have a problem, if they were citizens. But Merlin wasn’t a citizen, despite having been born and raised in United Albion. His citizenship had been revoked five years ago when he had been exiled for ‘several counts of sorcery and treason.’
Arthur checked his phone for the hundredth time in the last hour. He wanted to pace, but he was certain that would only work himself up more.
Merlin had been hired as an aide during Arthur’s campaign for MP, and he had quickly become an invaluable of Arthur’s staff. To this day, Arthur didn’t think he would have ever been elected without him, but besides that, Arthur didn’t think he would have become the man he was today without Merlin.
Arthur had discovered Merlin’s ‘so-called-treason’ two years after he had first met him. It was a punch to the gut finding out one of his closest friends was a sorcerer. Arthur had been raised to think that magic, at best, was a disgusting abomination, and at worst, a power that could overtake innocent lives. But Arthur had also been taught the same things about LGBTQ people, and he had quickly changed his mind on those matters in university, when he found out he wasn’t quite ‘disgusted’ but rather ‘terrified that he identified with them.’
Arthur stood up. He really should get a tea. He checked his phone. No texts from Merlin. When was his flight supposed to arrive again? The arrival time kept changing and Arthur couldn’t remember. He sat back down.
There had been an awkward period of time between the two of them after Arthur had caught Merlin using magic in his flat. Arthur wasn’t about to turn Merlin into the authorities, but he was an MP, and if he didn’t follow the law, how was he any better than the corrupt politicians he hated? Except laws weren’t always ethical. Less than a century ago, Arthur would be imprisoned for kissing a man and yet he had done that plenty of times.
Arthur’s phone buzzed and he opened it so quickly he almost dropped it.
‘We’re landing soon. Might take me a while to get through security. Are you at the airport yet?’
Arthur wanted to laugh. If only Merlin knew.
‘Already here. Text me when you land.’
‘Of course. Love you.’
Arthur’s heart squeezed. ‘Love you too.’
He locked his phone and decided he now knew he had enough time for some tea. Despite knowing this, he still rushed through his purchase and quickly made it back to the firm plastic seat a few feet away from security check.
If someone had asked a young Arthur, who had just finished his law degree, what he would be doing ten years later, he didn’t think he would ever come close to guessing this. Being an MP? Maybe. Having a boyfriend? Hopefully. But the fact that he was one of the leading proponents for legalizing sorcery and that his boyfriend was a sorcerer? That would have never cross his mind.
He still remembered Merlin’s shocked face after Arthur had kissed him for the first time. Arthur thought Merlin was going to slap him. But then Merlin had laughed, sounding so confused and so delighted at the same time. They had been on awkward ground since Arthur had learned of Merlin’s magic, but apparently the fact that Arthur had fallen in love with Merlin a long time ago made it easier for Arthur to change his personal biases. The world was wrong about sorcerers and Arthur was sorry he had ever thought otherwise. Merlin had seemed over the moon about both these revelations and enthusiastically kissed Arthur back.
Arthur sipped his tea, wincing at the burnt taste. Airport tea was a mistake. It wasn’t as if Arthur was going to need the caffeine. So much adrenaline was rushing through him he wasn’t sure he was going to sleep for the next forty-eight hours.
When Merlin had been caught by Aredian Matthews five years ago, Arthur had thought his fairytale ending had been shattered. Merlin was going to be kicked out of the country and Arthur was never going to see him again. Arthur had wanted to drop his career and come with Merlin, but his boyfriend insisted he stay in Albion.
“Listen to me Arthur,” Merlin had said, wiping away Arthur’s tears. Merlin had been about to be imprisoned until he could be officially deported, and there he was, comforting Arthur of all people. “You can fix this. Remember all our plans? You can do it.”
“I can’t, not without you here,” Arthur had choked out. He needed Merlin by his side.
“Yes, you can.”
Merlin had believed in him and that was what kept him going in the years that followed.
They had kept in contact as best they could, but Merlin had decided to move to Thailand, and the time difference was difficult, to say the least. But Merlin had claimed that since Thailand had never been colonized, many of its sorcery laws hadn’t been influenced by European standards and Merlin wanted to study them.
Arthur’s phone buzzed.
‘Landed. Security is going to be awful, but I’ll see you soon’ Merlin texted, followed by a series of emojis which were mostly just various kinds of hearts.
‘Finally’ Arthur texted back, throwing out his half-drunk tea and stepping up to the security line, too anxious now to sit anymore.
It had been a full year since Arthur had seen his boyfriend in person. They couldn’t see each other much. But they had made time for a few holidays. The last time they had met in the middle, spending two weeks in Greece. But over the last five years, they had only a handful of days spent in person. Mostly they had had to compromise with texts and late night and early morning phone calls. It was torture, not knowing if this was going to be the rest of their lives. But once Arthur had gathered up enough MPs to pass the Sorcerers Rights Act, it was just the beginning. It took a few pain-staking months of pardoning the sorcerers who had been exiled (because it wasn’t just Merlin, but the dozens of people who had been unjustly removed from their homes.)
And now finally…
Arthur watched as a few people trickled out of security, looking like weary businessmen and tourists. Arthur’s heart raced as he counted…a dozen…another ten people… Merlin had likely been waylaid by security, like they had thought, but that didn’t make Arthur any less nervous. What if Merlin was denied entry into the country by some egotistical airport security officer? After years and years of work?
Then Arthur saw a thin man, his hair looking like a puff of feathers (he had likely been sleeping on the plane and had left him with horrible bed head), carrying a red jumper (Arthur recognized it as the one he had given Merlin on their Greece trip), and eyes scanning the mostly-empty airport.
His eyes locked on Arthur’s and his quick walk turned into a jog and then a full-out run. Arthur stepped forward, but before he could take more than a few steps, Merlin was already in his arms.  Merlin’s suitcase skidded and clattered to the floor, but Arthur’s didn’t care, he wrapped his arms around Merlin’s skinny hips and pulled him up and spun him around. Merlin’s face was pressed to Arthur’s neck, and he could clearly hear him laughing, small hiccupping sobs interrupting him.
Arthur was likely making the same noises as he buried his face into Merlin’s neck, his fists clenching into Merlin’s shirt.
Merlin pulled back, just enough to kiss him, fast and desperate. Arthur laughed into the kiss, trying to steady them, because if he didn’t, Merlin would tip them both over.
“You taste like mint,” Arthur said.
“Gum,” Merlin said, pulling back to finally look Arthur in the eye. “Knew I was going to kiss you, didn’t I?”
Arthur smiled, brushing a reverent hand over Merlin’s bed head.
“Ready to go home?”
Merlin’s eyes watered as he smiled. He opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out. He nodded.
Arthur smiled, and pulled him close, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Arthur bent down, picking up Merlin’s suitcase and holding out his hand. Merlin took it with a firm squeeze.
104 notes · View notes
sundove88 · 3 years
Text
Quest For Canterlot (Quest For Camelot Parody) Cast
In this animated tale, Twilight Sparkle dreams of being one of the Knights of the Round Table; she gets her chance when the fabled sword of Excalibur is lost. Without its power to protect him, Howl falls victim to Voldemort, an evil wizard bent on destroying Canterlot. Howl’s only hope is that Twilight will find the sword. She gets some invaluable assistance from Avatar Roku’s trusty parrot, a dragon with a split personality, and a sweet Pegasus named Flash Sentry.
Twilight Sparkle as Kayley (MLP)
Flash Sentry as Garrett (MLP)
Voldemort as Ruber (Harry Potter)
Catra as Sir Lionel (She Ra)
Adora as Juliana (She Ra)
Howl as King Arthur (Howl’s Moving Castle)
Avatar Roku as Merlin (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
Blu as Ayden (Rio)
Gilda as Ruber’s Gryphon (MLP)
Heihei as Bladebeak (Moana)
Zak and Weezie as Devon and Cornwall (Dragon Tales)
Nappa as The Ogre (Dragon Ball Z)
12 notes · View notes
citharaposts · 2 years
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
MERLIN'S IMPORTANCE IN ARTHUR'S LIFE 2x13 || The Last Dragonlord Prev | Next
601 notes · View notes
Text
Need to vent some writer's overload off before starting on The Boy King again, so here's a list of random funny/interesting bits from the King Arthur thing, which I have elected to call The Matter of Britain:
The main characters of The Boy King are literally an Englishman (Arthur), a Welshman (Kay), an Irishman (Bedivere) and a Scotsman (Gawain).
At one point in Le Fay Morgause tells Morgan about the whole 'sleeping with Arthur to sire Mordred' thing, and Morgan genuinely has to figure out if the reason she's grossed out by it is because she's gay or because of the incest. Needless to say when Nimue is just as grossed out Morgan's relieved it's not just her.
Speaking of Morgan, not only does she act a lot like Guinevere's jilted ex, but when she got sent to the nunnery by Uther (in an attempt to curb her alleged affairs, which backfired dramatically) Guinevere ingratiated herself to Uriens and basically took over raising Ywain and Morfydd, so at various points pre-Morgan trying to kill Arthur they genuinely do act like divorced wives fighting over custody of their kids.
One fun thing I did re:Kay is adapting his Culhwch-era superpowers. Most of them make it through intact and are the result of Merlin doing unethical magical science on him, but one I kinda had to change is the 'grow a hundred times his own height' one, because... why isn't this guy in every battle? Regardless, what I came up with instead is this: Kay, in touching any man-made structure, is able to extend his consciousness to the entire structure, essentially being able to 'see' anything that happens in it. Rather naturally, this makes him invaluable as both a seneschal and a spymaster, but not as useful on the battlefield as growing to the size of a small tree.
One of the subtler jokes is that the Ladies of the Lake, whilst strange and unknowable to the POV characters, are remarkably... modern, to us. Gawain describes their 'strange, ethereal way of dress', and assuming I do it right it takes you a while to realise he's talking about a t-shirt and hotpants. Arthur mentions their 'perculiar manner of speech' because they're talking about things like insurance deposits and compound interest. Morgan is completely stunned that they practice democracy for three of their four heads of state.
Guinevere has a coterie of knights serving her directly, like in a lot of the myths. The key difference here is that a great many of them are women, and Guinevere herself is no particular slouch at defending herself - she's not going to singlehandedly defeat an army any time soon, but she's a pretty skilled archer and has been in her fair share of tussles. In fact, her and Arthur meet on the battlefield outside her father's castle, where she's serving as her father's squire. Hilariously, however, Arthur doesn't recognise her until years later, when she brings up an argument they had on the battlefield and he realises he'd called his bride-to-be ugly and instantly regrets all his decisions.
Nimue's probably the character I've changed the most from the ""originals"" - she's Arthur's half-sister and the younger sister of Morgause and Morgan, for one, and only barely affiliated with Avalon for another. Her relationship with Merlin is... complicated, and how she traps him is equally so, but she's also way more effective a Gandalf figure than him, in that she actually helps Arthur figure out how to use Excalibur instead of just throwing him an ungodly powerful weapon and telling him to deal.
Although one really funny bit with her is that, after she traps Merlin in a tree/cave, she shows up at Camelot and asks Arthur for the Court Sorcerer job, citing as her qualifications 'I locked your last Court Sorcerer in a tree'. Several of Arthur’s more dickish knights, not believing that a mere woman could possibly defeat Merlin, go out in search of him and are all promptly killed by Morgan. Arthur, on the other hand, is not as bummed about Merlin being gone as he might have been, largely because he knows Merlin is... well, Merlin.
For a long while I was iffy on what to do with Gaheris and Agravaine, but then Chronicles of Darkness casually mentioned the idea of Agravaine: Vampire Slayer, so now I’m only iffy on what to do with Gaheris.
I need to do way more research on this before it becomes more than a passing fancy, but one idea I keep coming towards is that, when Arthur visits Ireland, he’s kinda blown away by how... not a shithole it is. Because, like, unlike in The Warlord Chronicles, 6th Century Ireland was at the beginning of what a lot of historians call Ireland’s Golden Age, largely because Ireland was mostly unaffected by the fall of the Roman Empire and the ensuing collapse. Most of the sources we have from those time periods were made in Irish monasteries, and the island was essentially the one bright spot in Europe's Dark Age. Take that, combine it with the general sense that some form of magic is causing technology to advance at a rate faster than can be expected - hence why people go from the occasional full suit of chainmail to full plate armour in about 30 years - and Ireland’s practically a utopia, a utopia that's peeking over the proverbial wall of the Irish Sea at Britain and going "...You cool? Because you don't seem cool, what with all the screaming and stabbing each other." In fact, I may go so far as to say that a lot of Arthur's ideas for Camelot are made in childhood visits to Ireland, but all of this requires a more in-depth look at 6th Century Ireland than I'm currently able to do, although I will get round to it eventually.
And that's my list of ten. If you have any questions about the things on it, or if there's a specific part of the Arthurian mythos you want to know about, please send me an ask - seriously, I'm at that point in the writing process where I kinda need someone to vent off to, and my brother's sustained enough of my ramblings.
49 notes · View notes
Note
Maybe a pirate au 👁👁
800 Follower Challenge (O.C QnA)
For the first 10 people who send in O.C questions I will draw a response. Out of the 10 three posts will get a prize. They can chose to comission a free short story (2-5 pages) or ask for a sketch from the T.O.A show of their choice.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Anon asked for pirate a.u
~~ In this world GumGums are Sea pirates fighting against the Kings naval ships that keep trying to take their land.
Trolls are semi aquatic creatures that live deep underwater away from the sun or on land in wet bogs and marshlands. They kept to themselves leaving humans be but due to Camelot furthering their borders Gunmar rose up saying trolls had to take action. Siding with Changelings halfling creatures similar to sirens, the changelings man the ships during the day while the Gum Gums hide underneath the deck or follow their ship from under the waves away from the danger of the sun.
Wizards and mages in this world are beings able to use magic similar to changelings and sirens. The sea flows through them and with their magic, they can bend water to their will. Their magic also allows them to control the tides of the sea and the weather.
Camelots Navy is comprised of soldiers with advanced sea training. Arthur dislikes trolls but a few trusted troll families have been picked as Captains or soldiers to be used for his boats protection. With these "good trolls" there have been less casualties fighting the GumGums. Trolls can also smell a Changeling or mage making them invaluable in the fight against Gunmar and his GumGum pirates. ~~
💀 💀 💀
Meet Dawna the Destroyer, Scourge of the Seven Seas and Captain of the Skullcrusher Ship while Gunmars away.
Dawna Annabel Walthomew Nobel was once Princess of Camelot and meant to ascend the throne. However after her mother Morgana a talented sea captain and witch was put in jail without trail, Dawn realized she could no longer follow her uncle King Arthur.
Running away from the Kingdom stealing the legendary Heart of Camelot a bounty of 100,000 golden coins is put on her head.
Dawn on the run joins Arthurs enimies and follows Gunmar and his pirates. They not only associate with mages but welcome them into their ranks. As she furthers her knowledge of magic to become more powerful and steals gold from the king she saves for her mothers bail while giving back to her people.
Chasing Dawn and fighting the GumGums along the way is the Trollhunters ship. Lead by Merlin Morganas old teacher, they wish to capture Dawn and take the princess home by Arthur's Order. Dawna clever as ever remains elusive as she works on how to save her mother and overthrow the King.
~~~
The Skullcrushers Ship Crew
Dawna: Captain of the Ship and Powerful Sea Sorceress
Bular: First Mate to Dawna/ Warrior
Strickler: Navigator/Map Maker and Tutor of the ship
Otto: Ships Medic/ Interrogator
Nomura: Ships spy/ Warrior
About 10 nameless changelings and five nameless GumGums who follow Orders and keep their heads down.
~~~
The Trollhunter's Ship
Merlin: Captain
Hisirdoux "Douxie": Ship Apprentice/Mage in Training
Jim: First Mate/ Warrior
Claire: Nobel Sorceress
Toby: Warrior in Training
Blinkous: Scholar/ Navigator
Aarrrgh: Warrior/Guard
Draal: Warrior
( I still have like 10 of these asks open. Please send some in to get the chance to win a prize :D )
15 notes · View notes
gremlinbehaviour · 3 years
Note
Dealer's choice of Knights 'you're safe now' kiss?
Set just after (or maybe during the very end of?) The Sword in the Stone Part 2.
They'd known from reclaiming the castle from Morgana the first time, only two years ago, that the aftermath would be nearly as chaotic as the battle itself. It was a good thing Gwen had returned; Arthur would have been lost without her. Leon's help was also invaluable for keeping the castle running, as was Merlin's. Percival helped distribute supplies to the townspeople and generally carried anything that needed to be moved, since organization wasn't his forte. It wasn't Gwaine's either, but he offered to try anyway, just for something to do to help. He wasn't strong enough to help Percy. In fact, he was still having trouble standing for more than a few minutes at a time. Arthur had just laid a hand on his shoulder and thanked him for the offer before sending him back to bed.
"I told you he'd turn you down," Elyan said when Gwaine returned to their shared room. His own room was being used as a secondary dining room for the peasants who had pleaded for shelter in the castle, and Gwen also had the ridiculous notion that he shouldn't sleep alone. He stood up to help his friend across the room to his side of the bed, as he didn't look too steady without the hallway wall to hold onto. "He didn't even let me help, and unlike you, I can actually walk without help." His sister had somehow found out about the nathair and insisted that he rest, even though he felt fine. He'd only agreed to stay in the room to look after Gwaine, since otherwise Merlin would have to, and the servant was already busy caring for Gaius and following after Arthur as always.
"I can walk," the other knight insisted. In response, Elyan let go of him, and he toppled immediately into the bed. "Well, I will be able to tomorrow, I'm sure."
"Sure," he humored him. Between the malnutrition, physical exhaustion, and numerous beatings he'd taken, Gwaine would be lucky to be back to even light duties in a week. He was drifting off, fully dressed, within a few minutes of lying down, despite it still being mid afternoon. Elyan, who was only a little tired, nonetheless lay down beside him. He was bored and being awake alone in the room wasn't very appealing, so he might as well get some rest.
He woke up screaming, with Gwaine shaking him awake. Whatever the nightmare had been, for he couldn't remember it, it left him with a sense of terror so profound that tears sprang instantly to his eyes. Alright, so maybe Gwen was right and he wasn't as okay as he tried to pretend.
"Hey, it's okay, it's okay, it was just a nightmare," Gwaine reassured him, squeezing his arm. The knight was also trying, and failing, so sit up in bed, probably so that he could light the candle that had gone out. Recognizing that this seemed to be beyond his capabilities, he instead just rolled over and wrapped his arms around Elyan. He wasn't strong enough to squeeze him very tightly, but it was enough. The terrified knight pressed his face into the crook of his shoulder and hugged him back fiercely. Gwaine rubbed his back and leaned down to pepper kisses into his hair. "It's okay, you're safe now. We're not in the dungeon anymore, and Morgana is gone. We're safe." When Elyan had used up his panicked tears and pulled his face back from Gwaine's shoulder, he leaned down to kiss his lips gently after giving him time to pull away. He held his face gently and looked into his friend's dark eyes, searching for any fear or anguish left in them. "Are you okay?" He asked gently. Elyan paused before shaking his head.
"No. I'm not."
"Is there anything I can do? Or that someone else can do, if I'm not up for it."
"I don't think so. I'll just need some time." Sitting up, he rubbed the rest of the tears from his eyes. He could still vaguely hear the sounds of a busy castle through the door and some daylight still crept in under the blinds in the window, so it was likely still evening rather than night. That was good; he had no idea how he was going to react to the dark. "I'm going to go get us some food from the kitchen. We both need to eat." Half a loaf of moldy bread a day had not been enough to sustain them and Gaius, especially when Gwaine was being forced to fight.
"Okay. Be safe, and come back soon."
"Worrywart," Elyan teased, forcing the smile to reach his eyes. "But I will." He had no intention of staying away from Gwaine for long. Not when his lips were reassurance and his arms felt like safety.
19 notes · View notes
Text
some of my fave merlin/merthur tropes:
some new knight or noble seeing Merlin and being like ‘yes please’ and giving him loads of attention and treating him so well and Arthur looking on and being like ‘no please’ and becoming a jealous wreck
additionally  the thing where Arthur realizes he treats Merlin terribly and feeling super guilty
Arthur realizing how much he’s underestimated Merlin and the place Merlin has in his life
Arthur showering Merlin with gifts and just being nice and taking him on little trips to lovely places just because he knows Merlin likes it
the two of them arguing like a Married Couple and everyone rolling their eyes. 
New people to Camelot being very confused about Merlin and Arthur’s relationship
Merlin basically helping Arthur rule the kingdom. He’s an adviser, a spy, assassin, confidant, page etc and is invaluable. Everyone knows Merlin and how close he is to Arthur and they go to him if they need something. Whether or not they get it, is another story entirely.
That Moment when Arthur realizes how good Merlin is at lying, at redirecting conversations, at building up his story and shielding his emotions behind a doofy smile
when the sunlight makes a crown on Arthur’s golden hair
Merlin talking to animals and other types of nature and nature responding in kind. 
Merlin has a horse. It’s not his officially since he could never afford it. But, he’s the only one that rides it, it loves him and refuses to be rid by anyone else. He talks to his horse a lot and it seems to understand him. 
Merlin and Arthur finishing each others sentences, or having entire conversations with just their eyes and facial expressions. 
Merlin’s clumsiness being due to the tight hold he has over his magic and when he lets go of it, him becoming damn near graceful. and even when he’s not performing magic, his eyes sparkle slightly with gold. 
Arthur kind of falling apart and becoming frantic with worry when Merlin is missing or injured
Merlin’s goofy persona melting away to something dangerous when Arthur is missing or injured
2K notes · View notes
twoohugs · 4 years
Text
BBC Merlin 1x12 To Kill the King
[Click here for a full list of my BBC Merlin commentary]
Tumblr media
We all know Uther isn’t above killing lots of innocent people just to prove a point, but still every time I see him ordering something like this I get a fresh wave of hatred towards this man. 
He knows you can’t identify a sorcerer just by looking at them and he definitely know these people most likely don’t even know he’s a sorcerer. They probably would’ve reported Tauren if they knew who he was. And he still does this? This is murder, this is.
I have to think, though, how powerful his tyranny is that he could do something like this and not result in an uprising of some kind? I mean, he just pulls people out of their homes, go “oh, btw one of the customers you served last week was a sorcerer. you didn’t know that? I don’t care!” and then kills them. How could the people not get angry?
Tumblr media
This duo!! We all need more of this.
(cue the Good!Morgana AUs where they help each other learn magic and become BAMF together)
Tumblr media
Every time I see traces of Uther and Uther’s idealism on Arthur my heart breaks a little more. The Pendragon’s manual for excusing your cruelty:
1. say “but it’s magic!” like that justifies everything
2. when countered with a logical argument, end the discussion by pulling rank
The sad thing is after doing it “the Uther Way” you can see Arthur is not comfortable. He isn’t like Uther, he can’t do this without it weighing on his conscience, but he’s stuck between knowing Uther’s wrong and having been trained to blindly follow the king. Poor guy.
Tumblr media
I hate how Uther doesn’t mind saying these things in front of Arthur because he knows Arthur wouldn’t defy him. Like, if he says this to Morgana she would went “you said it’d be a fair trial but you’ve already decided on it!” and then yell at him for not being fair and just or something like that. But he knows Arthur wouldn’t. 
I think Uther knows how he has groomed Arthur to obey him without question and he abuses this power every time. (Last time Arthur stood his ground, though, when he wanted to starve his people. Hey Merlin writers are we gonna forget that happened? Every time Arthur learns his father is wrong and he could and should defy him he unlearns it the next episode?)
Tumblr media
But not from its king, apparently.
Ooooh or is it some twisted form of the ‘best friend’ mindset? like, “I’m allowed to kill you or leave you to die but the others can’t touch you because you’re mine!”
Tumblr media
“I love you more than anything”, he says. “Your counsel is invaluable”, he says.
This is like those horror/thriller movies with a psycho control freak mother that ended up beat her children to death because they don’t obey
Tumblr media
At this point you just have to absolutely love Morgana because she’s said everything you want to say. Straight in Uther’s face.
Tumblr media
Am I bad for not agreeing with this? I mean, not that I condone murder but, killing innocents is not the same as killing a murderer who you know would kill more people if you let him live? Like, if you can kill one man and save countless others, would you? If there’s some other way, of course killing is bad, for example if you can lock him up, but what if it’s a last resort? What if you know it’s either death or let him walk free? Then when you make the choice to save his life, you’ve also damned the lives of the many people you know he would kill.
Tumblr media
All of which! You don’t have!
Tumblr media
The first time I watched this I wasn’t watching carefully and I thought he looks pained because he realizes he’s made a mistake. But then I watched it again and I think it’s up to everyone’s interpretation but for me it looks like he’s not actually regretting it?
In the third pic he’s like, “gosh you’re not making this easy for me, but guess I’ll have to do anything the placate you”. Not only Uther is a lying liar who lies, he made it look like it pains his to admit he’s wrong. Like, he’s so sure he’s in the right it takes a lot out of him to even lie about regretting it. Like “fine, I’ll say I’m wrong, I’m such a great guy, admitting I’m wrong even when I’m obviously not. The things I do for you.”
And in the last pic after he so painfully grates out “yes” he immediately look up at Morgana to gauge her reaction, like “Was that enough? Is she satisfied yet?” and it’s just… urgh.
Tumblr media
THANK YOU GAIUS he’s the only one who’s ever gives Merlin any credit and god knows he needs it
[Stand With Hong Kong]
26 notes · View notes