#it was the actual death sentence to arthur

[dollopole]

“You would have chopped my head off.”

What was the first thing Merlin saw, as soon as he arrived in Camelot?

An innocent man, who had practiced magic, and whose head had been chopped off in front of the entire town.

No matter how Uther decided to kill those with magic, the nightmare that Merlin brought with him, for more than ten years was the first one he witnessed as soon as a young man he came to Camelot.

He had been so frightened that the man on the chopping board could be him to the point that no matter what he had witnessed, that was still his greatest fear:

Merlin was scared his head could have been cut off.

[botanicallyinclinednerd]

More stuff about my Merlin soulmate au:

Something I think I forgot to mention last time is that soulmates take comfort in the presence and physical contact of each other, feeling safe and content with them by their side.

The other kingdoms view Uther's policies on soulmates to be barbaric and cruel, and is a contributing factor to the tension and conflicts Camelot faces with the surrounding kingdoms.

Morgana still goes evil in this one lads, but with an important change of her anger being exclusively directed at Uther, Arthur, and Merlin. Gwen is her soulmate and she loves her, she wants Gwen at HER side. Her rage at getting a vision of Gwen becoming queen isn't because she is queen, but because she's ARTHURS queen (I do want to clarify that Gwen and Morgana's relationship in this au is platonic, but it only makes sense for Morgana to want one of her soulmates to rule beside her, and her other soulmates are her sister and a child)

So all the attempts on Gwen's life are gone (though both the shade plot and the dark tower might still be in play, but with the intention to get Gwen back all to herself, not to harm her)

(Merlin does not know Morgana is one of Gwen's other soulmates until after he poisoned her and Gwen let's slipped that she's really worried about Morgana, but at least she knows she's alive.)

(Gwen being Morgana's soulmate is a treasure trove of angst that I do plan on exploring fully)

The Coming of Arthur is going to be fun in regards to Morgana and Gwen (and Leon)

Morgana promising Gwen that no harm will come to her, not with her by her side.

"I know it's not fair of me to make you choose between soulmates, but Gwen, I can bring peace back to Camelot. Magic can be free again, soulmates cherished as they are supposed to be. Please, join me."

But the thing is, Morgana isn't just asking Gwen to choose between two halves of her soul. She knows both Leon and Merlin would never forsake Arthur, and if she chose Morgana, she would also lose both of them, not just Arthur. It's an unfair position to be in, an impossible situation (she chooses anyway. The Morgana she knew never would have ordered the death of innocent civilians to punish those who would not obey her. Something happened to the girl she loves, shes having trouble recognizing the holder of a piece of her soul)

(Gwen still goes to the dungeon to bring Leon food, though it goes a little differently, with Leon learning that Morgana is her soulmate. More on that in another post)

Arthur is going to repeal the laws against soulmates and magic as soon as he becomes king (he has been aware of Merlin’s status as a sorcerer for years and is unable to see how magic can be evil and corrupting when Merlin is one of the best people he knows and his soulmate to boot)

Due to most of them growing up under laws that prohibit talking about soulmates, it takes everybody far too fucking long to realize that they are all soulmates with each other cause no one says anything or compares notes.

I know its mean, but they finally figure it all out following Lancelot's death

(I have tried to figure out a way for him to survive but I really don't think he can)

(Poor Gwen all alone in Camelot breaking down while helping care for people because she feels Lancelot *die* with only Gaius to help her. No other soulmates available to hold her and help her feel a little less empty, a little less alone.)

Everyone experiencing the same pain and all knowing they just lost Lancelot leads to conversation.

Because while everyone in the group had been bonded with Lancelot, not everyone is bound together, which is totally possible, but Arthur knows he's soul bound to half this group, it would make sense to check if there's others in the group.

I will make a separate post about the events of the darkest hour cause I think this would get very long if I had it in here

Now, something I haven't gotten into yet is the magic part of soulmates (so far it's mainly been the destiny and social ramifications and interpersonal details)

Soulmarks are magic, and in some cases, an individual can develop a soulmate ability, a single ability that can be used in regards to exclusively one's bonded soulmates

Now these abilities vary in strength and specificity, some are dictated by touch, others apply no matter where they are in the world

Some soulmate abilities I've come up with thus far are:

The ability to always know what direction their soulmate is in relation to themself

The ability to know when their soulmate is lying to them, and a more broad varient of always knowing when they are lying period

The ability to always instinctually know what it is their soulmate truly means when they speak (I'm very tempted to give this to Gwen because I think it would make things interesting with Morgana, but I am worried it might break things a bit)

The ability to know what their soulmate is feeling emotionally by looking at them or touching them (I think I'm going to give this one to Leon?)

An ability confined to touch that brings to the soulmate's attention what their body most needs at that moment. (It's requires intent to be put into use, and it doesn't necessarily make the soulmate do that thing? It's not compulsory. It's more "Hey you're fucking exhausted you need sleep," or "Crying sounds so nice right now," or "Dude, EAT," and they can still fight these things, if they choose to, but those things are now at the forefront of their attention (making them more likely to be heeded))

Now, an ability I've thought EXTENSIVELY about:

A very rare and (before Uther nuked everything having to do with magic and soulmates) coveted ability that allows someone to, through constant touch, share their life force with their dying soulmate in order to keep then alive.

So say, for example, somebody (Soulmate A) is actively bleeding out from a fatal wound. The soulmate with the ability (Soulmate B) would have to touch soulmate A, skin to skin contact, and have this desperation, determination that soulmate A will not die, they won't let them.

Now, a couple things would happen.

One: Soulmate B's soulmark on Soulmate A's skin would move in some way to the point of injury (the method may vary depending on what their mark looks like. Like if the mark was a flower, the stem may extend and the mark itself stays stationary, or if it's something that's alive it would just fully move) and start "healing" the wound

Healing being in quotes because

Two: The injury is really being transferred partially to Soulmate B, enough so that the injury to Soulmate A is no longer immediately fatal, for the duration that they keep contact with Soulmate A. This buys Soulmate A time to be healed properly, but if the underlying injury is not healed in a timely manner, both Soulmate A and B could die.

Healing Soulmate A would also heal Soulmate B, as it was never truly their injury (though it sure feels and acts like it, and can be just as deadly if help isn't gotten in time.)

Because this ability is so inherently magic and is considered a spell, Soulmate B, even if they have the capacity to use other magic, can not cast a healing spell while using this spell, as it's only possible to cast one spell at a time.

I am naturally giving this ability to Merlin.

But the thing about abilities like this one is that it's impossible to know if you have it or not until the situation calls for it for the first time. It's impossible to know until your soulmate is dying right in front of you. Until you reach out and wish with every fiber in your being that they survive and they DO

The other thing about this ability? It can only be used once per soulmate. One get out of death free card and that's it

I haven't fully figured out if the dark tower would still happen, but if it does, Merlin would discover this ability saving Elyan's life (with the help of the knights who have to on the fly learn healing magic or else lose *both* of them)

That's going to be it for this post as it's starting to get long, but I have other posts I'm already working on. Also, if anyone has any questions, ideas, or suggestions in regards to this au, please feel free to send them my way!

[ggukalaxy]

just finished my rewatch of all five seasons of bbc's merlin, and my sister and i decided it would be fun to keep count of how many times merlin saved arthur's life throughout the show, so here is an accumulated list:

(disclaimer: it is absolutey possible that we weren't always watching attentively and that we might have missed a case or two, but i like to believe that it is kinda accurate)

times arthur would have died if merlin hadn't saved him

• 1x01: dagger thrown at arthur ⟶ merlin slowed down time to pull arthur out of the way

• 1x02: snakes supposed to poison arthur ⟶ merlin exposes the snakes and arthur kills them

• 1x04: poisoned cup ⟶ merlin drinks from it instead

• 1x05: a griffin attacks them ⟶ lancelot fights it, and merlin enchants his sword/spear so that it’ll work

• 1x07: arthur is to be sacrificed to the sidhe ⟶ merlin saves him

• 1x10: ealdor gets attacked, including arthur, and they’re doomed ⟶ merlin creates a huge wind gust to save everyone

• 1x13: questing beast attacks arthur ⟶ merlin kills it

• 1x13: questing beast bites arthur, the poison is fatal ⟶ merlin gets water from the cup of life to save him

• 2x01: arthur gets attacked by a huge boar (?) ⟶ merlin uses magic on a crossbow to save him 

• 2x01: camelot gets attack by living stone statues ⟶ merlin destroys them

• 2x02: assassin tries to kill arthur during a tournament on horses ⟶ merlin uses magic to make the assassin fall off his horse

• 2x12: dead stone statue thingies attack arthur and his knights ⟶ merlin uses magic to make the ceiling cave in and pulls arthur to his side, separating them from the statue thingies

• 2x13: arthur's wounds are getting worse ⟶ merlin finds balinor in time and has him help him (HONORARY MENTION)

• 3x04: arthur gets attacked (again) ⟶ merlin uses magic to save him (again)

• 3x07: morgause tries to kill arthur with a fire beam ⟶ merlin uses magic to make the fire beam explode before it reaches arthur

• 3x08: arthur gets attacked by wyverns ⟶ merlin uses his dragonlordness to stop them

• 3x08: arthur wears the eye of the phoenix bracelet (sucking life-force out of someone) ⟶ merlin takes it off him

• 3x12: arthur gets shot by a poisoned arrow ⟶ merlin uses magic to help him, then brings him to gaius

• 3x13: an army of immortal deads attacks camelot ⟶ merlin empties the cup of life of their blood to “kill” them all

• 4x01: dorochas attack arthur ⟶ merlin pushes arthur out of the way to get attacked instead

• 4x04: their food gets poisoned ⟶ merlin uses magic to save them

• 4x05: arthur fights in a duel and is about to be striked down ⟶ merlin makes the opponent’s sword fall out of his hands with magic

• 5x01: arthur and their men get attacked by morgana’s men ⟶ merlin saves arthur and gets them away from the battle

• 5x04: arthur almost got beheaded by odin ⟶ merlin created an earthquake with magic to stop that

• 5x06: dark tower traps ⟶ merlin parries an arrow with magic

• 5x07: arthur gets poisoned ⟶ merlin saves him with magic

• 5x08: someone wants to shoot an arrow at arthur ⟶ merlin attacks the shooter and saves arthur

• 5x11: kara tried to stab arthur ⟶ merlin uses magic to save him

and the one time he fails: 5x13, mordred stabs arthur with a sword forged on a dragon’s breath — merlin doesn’t get him to avalon in time

which brings us to a total of 27.5 times that merlin has saved arthur's life throughout the show

we also kept track of all the times arthur saved merlin's life, so here is that list:

• 1x03: merlin tells uther he is a sorcerer to save gwen (which would’ve gotten him a death sentence) ⟶ arthur convinces his father that merlin is lying out of love for gwen

• 1x04: merlin drank from a poisoned cup ⟶ arthur gets the antidote for him

• 1x11: arthur drinks poison so that merlin won’t have to ⟶ it was actually a sleeping draft though (HONORARY MENTION)

• 1x13: questing beast attacks ⟶ arthur pulled merlin out of the way

• 2x12: dead stone statue thingy attacks merlin ⟶ arthur strikes it down

• 4x01: a dorocha flies towards merlin ⟶ arthur pushes him out of the way

• 4x08: the lamia was about to kill merlin ⟶ arthur comes in at just the right time

which brings us to a total of 6.5 times that arthur saved merlin's life

it's kind of crazy to me to compare it like this, because on the one hand 27 near-death experiences across 65 episodes doesn't really sound like a lot. but at the same time i can't believe that arthur would have died 27 times if it hadn't been for merlin. and to think that arthur only saved merlin's life 6 times though?? oof

on my next rewatch, my sister and i want to make a list of all the moments that contributed to arthur's death (a so-called "doom list" with moments like merlin poisoning morgana in 2x13 etc), but that one is definitely going to be more subjective, since it'll be based on things that we think could've prevented arthur's death if they had gone any different

very excited to debate all the things that could go on that one!

[demonmoonsupreme]

Ugh. I have to say it. I’ve been holding it back because I know how much fandom hates this plot point so much. And like maybe it’s because I enjoy angst, or because characters coming in a vacuum sealed ‘morally upstanding’ package is just not realistic or enjoyable to me.

But Gwen should not have been ‘bewitched’ to cheat on Arthur with Lancelot. For one, it just sets another horrible precedence of magic use within the narrative. And two: it’s boring as hell. Oh, and also apparently Gwen was only allowed screen time in later seasons when her autonomy was nowhere to be seen. So three. Three reasons why I find it dumb as hell. And one that last front? Yeah, I think she should have willingly had an affair with Lancelot. I know, I Know. Cheating bad. Cheating make evil wrong person. Or whatever twitterinas are saying.

But hear me out (or don’t). How did Gwen feel after Lancelot died after she made him promise to return Arthur to her alive? Did she feel that she had unwittingly sentenced him to death? Her first true love; the man she looked for in other men. (Maybe we’d know how she felt if the writers didn’t have her going off like a broken record and just keep repeating what a great king Artie would someday be). I wish we had seen her grief, I wish she had been given time to mourn (as we know she never is in a series that kills every family member she has). And then Lancelot returns. She realizes she stills loves him, she feels guilty and blames herself thinking she had a part in his death. She thinks she asked him to sacrifice himself. And she wonders if she made the right choice. Lancelot and Arthur are there before her, and her wedding is in two days, and it’s all so sudden and the window of opportunity is about to be closed for the rest of her life; and she wonders if she’s chosen the right man. Gwen wonders if she’s been given a second chance, can she amend her previous choices. Does she want to amend them. Yes, this storyline opens her up to all sorts of criticisms. Fandom would condemn her a slut, she would join the ranks of women who can’t just make up their damn mind. Someone would declare it’s anti-feminist, because women aren’t allowed to be portrayed with “bad” qualities and when they are it just sets us all back.

But…it would be so much more nuanced than the plot they gave us. It would give Gwen the opportunity to make the choice because in the past it had been robbed from her (Lancelot leaving when he realized that Arthur loved Gwen, and Lancelot dying the first time). It would grant her autonomy over her own sexuality and choice of partner(s). Unlike the male protagonists in this show, Gwen is never actually given a real chance to morally grapple with anything, especially her own actions. She just is a good person who never does anything wrong, can be a bad-ass if it’s required, and falls into the straight and narrow path of ideal womanhood when she gets a boyfriend in a position of extreme power.

I know I’m barely making sense, but she just could have been written so much better. She could have been treated like a real person in the writers room, but she wasn’t.

[overlyspecific]

Part 6 of Merlin Hood

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12

Still in the past at Merlin’s magic trial, next part will be back to the present!

The first thing Merlin notices when he wakes up is that it’s daylight. He should have waken Arthur up hours ago, but somethings not right. Merlin knows he didnt need to wake Arthur up today for some reason, but what was the reason?

Uther: Merlin of Ealdor, you stand accused of using magic and treason to the crown. What do you have to say for yourself?

Oh, that’s right, its because Merlin is to be put to death today.

Uther: Well, do you have anything to say?

Merlin: *mumbles under his breath*

Uther: *angry* What was that?

Merlin: I said, ‘What makes me any different?’

Uther: 😡 What?

Merlin: Its just that you’ve murdered thousands of sorcerers and magical beings and never listened to them. What makes me any different?

Arthur: Merlin!

Merlin: No, Arthur, I’m already going to die, no thanks to you. I’d like to finally get the answers to questions I’ve been silent about my whole life.

Arthur looks at Merlin with a look on his face between apologetic and confused. Merlin has always found that look adorable, but under the current circumstances he has to look away. Arthur cant save him now.

Uther: You said you have your questions. I am willing to hear your last remarks. Ask away but do not expect any answers.

Merlin: Great! First question, when you decided to keep the last great dragon under the castle, did you do that just so he could torture me with half truths and vague prophecies or did he decide to do that on his own?

Uther: The great dragon?

Merlin: From the look on your face, I’m going to take that as a no and that you maybe didnt even know he could talk. Next question: the law says its illegal to ‘study and practice magic’ if I didnt study it, but just practiced it, would it still be a death sentence or could I be let off with a time served kind of deal?

Gauis: Merlin!

Merlin: What! I’m gonna die anyway, might as well see if there is any leniency.

Uther: So, you admit to practicing magic, then? Guards, take the prisoner to the pyre! I dont want to hear another word.

Merlin: *smiling a little too wide to be friendly* …And here I thought you actually wanted to hear me out. *Merlin shakes his head* Oh, Uther, you see, I don’t just practice magic. I am magic.

As the guards approach Merlin from all sides, he snaps his fingers and disappears.

Uther: Find him!

Merlin: *appears right behind Arthur* Arthur.

Arthur: *spins around too quickly in fright and tumbles into Merlin, who catches him* Ahh!

Merlin: *smiling while trying to keep Arthur upright* I don’t have much time.

Uther: There! *points at Merlin* Get away from my son!

Merlin: *takes off his neckerchief* If you ever need me for any reason, *starts to hand the neckerchief to Arthur, but Arthur doesn’t take it* seriously, Arthur, I’m trying to have a heartfelt moment here, you utter prat.

Arthur: *starts to smile at the insult, but quickly hides it with his blank princely expression* Merlin, you have to leave.

Merlin: That’s what I’m trying to do! *hastily ties the neckerchief around Arthurs wrist* If you need me, leave that in the darkling woods and I’ll be there as soon as I can.

Merlin jumps onto the throne that Uther vacated when Merlin vanished.

Merlin: People of Camelot! I will not die at the hands of King Uther in his unjust war on magic. I am Emrys, the most powerful warlock to ever walk the Earth. The Once and Future king is the only one I serve. I will be back when he reigns. Until then, however… *Merlin looks directly at Uther* …I’m going to make your life a very difficult. *turns to Gwen and Morgana* If anyone needs me I’m only a call away. *Merlin snaps his fingers and disappears again*

In Merlin’s absence, flowers fill the room and nobody says a word just staring at the flowers around them completely covering the floor.

Morgana: *picks up a flower and puts it in Gwen’s hair* Beautiful.

Gwen: *smiles, before creasing her eyes in worry* Do you think he’ll be alright?

Morgana: *looking over at Arthur who is staring solemnly at the neckerchief tied around his wrist* I’ll think he’ll be just fine.

[therealvinelle]

Can I hear your opinions on rita skeeter?

You know how some stories have that only sane man, the one person who isn't impressed by our dashing main characters or who's living in a different genre and rated story? The one, typically a fan favorite, character who has a fundamentally different perspective. They can also, shortly put, be the "this is stupid and you're stupid" character.

The NBC Hannibal show has Freddie Lounds ("I'm a bad, bad man", Will threatens her. He is then surprised when she runs a feature on the FBI hiring a creep to come to crime scenes and pretend he's a serial killer.) The Vampire Diaries had Elijah (he isn't a great example of this, but legacy fans will remember all the jokes about how the reason the writers never put him in episodes was because he'd have solved all the characters' stupid problems within twenty minutes and there would be no plot for the rest of the season. Elijah was perceived to be living in a different type of show than the rest of the teen drama cast), and there are some who think that this was Snape for Harry Potter.

They are wrong.

Rita, my dove

Let's take a look at a few things Rita prints over the course of canon, where we have an insight into what actually happened and know precidely what she printed. I have my copy of Goblet of Fire with me, it's in Norwegian so I'll be translating back to English but I trust that's alright.

The Quidditch world cup incident

What we know happened:

The British Ministry was responsible for the event. It was highly prestigious, with foreign leaders attending and people from all over the world camped out near the stadion. After the first match there's celebrations, which turns into a riot. Tents are set on fire, people are chased through the camp grounds, and there's total chaos where nobody knows where their loved ones are. The riot soon turns into a homage to Voldemort, with rioters in Death Eater uniforms tormenting the Muggles living nearby and someone putting up the Dark Mark.

Arthur Weasley, who works in the Department of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts (which is admittedly part of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement), is sent to make a statement on the Ministry's behalf to the terrified witches and wizards hiding.

What Skeeter reports:

Headlining "TERROR AT THE WORLD CUP" (me translating), with an image of the Dark Mark, Rita Skeeter writes (this is Arthur skimming): "Ministry blunders... culprits not apprehended... lax security... Dark wizards running unchecked... national disgrace..." (original English from the wiki)

A full section (and this is me translating again): "If the terrified witches and wizards who waited for information while they hid in the woods had hoped for any sort of reassurance from the Ministry of Magic, they were sorely disappointed. A department spokesman, who only showed up long after the Dark Mark had appeared, claimed no one had been injured but refused to give further information. It remains to be seen if this statement will quell the rumors that several bodies were seen being recovered from the woods an hour later."

Verdict

All of this is accurate, except the last sentence.

Nobody was killed in the incident. However, Skeeter was acting on the information available to her, and she makes it clear this last part is unconfirmed. Further, I'm going to come out in her defense and say that Skeeter, writing an article critical of the Ministry in a community with a very loose sense of free speech, can't take Arthur Weasley at his vague word and should refer to her own sense of judgement when deciding whether the rumors are credible enough to print or not.

As it is, a riot in a crowded area at night with people who dressed like Death Eaters, where the Dark Mark was fired into the sky, where mass panic erupted, in a world where children can produce deadly magic with their wands, could easily have led to casualties. I don't think it was a far leap for Skeeter that people might have died, and the Ministry didn't want to admit as much.

Notice her phrasing (and yes, I know you're reading my translation) when she talks about the Ministry: "It remains to be seen if this statement will quell the rumors that several bodies were seen being recovered from the woods an hour later." Not, "It remains to be seen whether the rumors that several bodies were seen being recovered from the woods an hour later were true.", or any type of phrasing indicating that the truth will out. Only rumors that may or may not be quelled.

Knowing that the Wizarding World doesn't appear to be a functional nor accountable democracy, that things like statistics likely don't exist (who will be your statistician if there is no basic math education? How will wizards interpret statistics if they don't understand basic maths, what use are error margins and percentages to them? This is important, because without statistics there is also no need to collect numbers - how many students take the core classes, how many are employed after X years, how many citizens die in a given year and of what causes... you see where I'm going with this), and that Arthur gets so defensive when reading legitimate criticism of his Ministry (not even his department or jurisdiction, mind, and Skeeter anonymized him), indicates a fraught understanding of governmental accountability and transparency.

In other words, who can say if anybody died that night. Arthur himself had gone to bed with his family as soon as the chaos was under control, and there was no tally after the riot, no controlled evacuation, nothing. Skeeter wasn't wrong for publishing what she herself clarified was speculation, either way I'm hard pressed to see her as a villain for putting the Ministry under pressure, in fact I have to wonder if this kind of pressure is necessary to get them to admit things they'd otherwise shove under the carpet.

Back to Arthur Weasley. In response to this article he says to his family (me translating again): "Molly, I must go to the office. Killing this is going to take some time."

Now, I know real governments have to cry over scandals that take time to move past as well: however, what are people upset over? What's the scandal?

Oh, yes, that the Ministry wasn't able to prevent a riot at a large sports event, flubbed completely once it had begun, and failed to give the people any kind of useful or timely information. All of that is true. The only part that isn't true, would be dispelled if they'd only put out a statement saying "no one was killed". The only reason why one such statement wouldn't work is if Ministry statements are not considered trustworthy - and this is where we return to the above.

So far, so good on Rita Skeeter, and so bad on Arthur who, going by this section, questions the Ministry less than Bellatrix Lestrange questions Voldemort.

Interlude: Percy and the vampires

While the article about the World Cup is read, Percy jumps in with an anecdote about Skeeter.

"That woman is always out to slander the Ministry," Percy said angrily. "Last week she claimed we waster our time fooling around with cauldron thickness when we should be extinguishing vampires! As though it is not expressedly stated in Guidelines for treatment of non-wizard halfhumans that-"

I'm not going to make any guesses as to what precisely Skeeter's criticism was, because Percy is angry and venting to his family, which doesn't make him likely to present her argument fairly. Who knows what, specifically, she criticized and why and what she asked for in her article. What we do know is that she questioned Ministry priorities and resource allotment, and Percy takes it personally, he gets angry about it. Hostility and defensiveness is the gut reaction.

More damningly, "that woman is always out to slander the Ministry" implies no one else is doing it.

Your star is rising, Rita.

Oh no, post got long

And this is the part where I'd go on to her interview with Harry and subsequent articles, and later on Dumbledore, but I'm realizing that would make this post a very long and decentralized mess.

Will cover it in follow up posts: today is for Rita vs. the Ministry and how the Weasleys think Muggles are so quaint with their democracricy and freedom of speech, teehee that's silly.

[mediocrecowboyhat]

Set in sand - Chapter 5

We mark the year 1934 and a peculiar journal falls into your hands. It's telling the tale of an outlaw and the downfall of a gang. Some pages are torn and others are downright unreadable, but nevertheless, you are still able to make out some parts of the tragic story.

With the help of a certain time traveler friend of yours, will you be able to safe the author of the journal or will you be the cause for his demise?

Previous chapter

Next chapter

Word count: 3906

Disclaimer: This is based on the side quest "Geology for Beginners" so the reader is from the future and aware of some things that happen, but not everything. The reader will also have she/her pronouns and this fanfiction follows the story of RDR2. Also English is not my first language so pls forgive me for any grammatical mistakes!

TW: end-game spoilers will be mentioned very early on in the story, 18+ MDNI, sexual themes, violence, gore, death, misogynistic themes (anything that happens in the game as well)

It's another slow day and usually you use them to pay your practice spot a visit, but not this time. Arthur and John are standing at the edge of the camp and you're currently busy eavesdropping a little bit.

It's not because you're nosy or anything. There's actually a genuine and good reason why you're trying to insert yourself into their business.

Yes, Arthur tells you about the jobs he's been doing all over Valentine and New Hanover when you have your daily conversation in the morning or evening, but the day that he told you about collecting money from this Wróbel and you not being aware of that...saying that it had scared you shitless would be an understatement.

Now that you think about it, it does sound a tad dramatic, but it wasn't like that in the moment! You sincerely thought that he had gone to Mr. Downes!

It's just that you don't want to miss it when he leaves to pay that man a visit. Then another idea pops up in your head. Maybe it would be smart to get a bit closer to Strauss and that way he might tell you when he'll send Arthur to get the money.

Something stirs in the corner of your eye and you watch Arthur and John head for the hitching posts.

Shit, now I missed the last part.

With hasty steps you make your way over to the two men and lean against the post Arthur's Tennessee Walker is attached to. John rides off almost right after.

"A train job, huh?" There is a mischievous smirk growing on your face and Arthur raises an eyebrow at that as he hoists himself up on the saddle.

"Yup." You were hoping for a longer answer, but oh well. At this point you've gotten pretty good at getting information out of this man.

"So where are you heading to?"

"I'm gettin' an oil wagon.", he answers while petting his horse.

Your reply shoots out of you like a bullet. "I know where to find one."

"Yea, I know already. There is this oil place so I'll be headin' in during the night to-" He doesn't get to finish his sentence before you interrupt him.

"No, no! There is a wagon in Valentine around this time usually. It's by the entrance of the town, close to the stables and if I remember correctly there is only one guard and that's the driver."

Arthur nods to himself as your words sink in. "Thanks for the tip. I'll go there then."

As he turns his horse around to leave, you almost immediately jump infront of him. "Take me with you."

It doesn't come to a surprise to you to see him shake his head at your proposition.

"Not a chance. There might be some shootin' and if we don't get hit then the oil wagon will and well." He waves his hand around in the air. "You know 'bout that part."

The corners of your mouth curl up into a knowing smirk. "What if I make sure that it doesn't come to that?"

A snort leaves his throat and he looks down at you in disbelief. "And how'd ya do that, huh?"

"I'll distract the guard. Lead him away a bit and by the time he notices it's missing you'll be long gone."

"And what about you?"

"Oh, he won't be interested in me anymore after that. While he's looking for the wagon I will slip away too."

His expression is unreadable, but the look in his blue eyes betrays the fact that he's considering it. With Francis you would have thrown another argument in to push him further to where you want him to be, but you know by now that Arthur is the opposite in that regard.

If you interrupt his thought process now then he will shut down completely so you're standing silently and waiting for his answer. It seems like the whole day is going by before he says anything.

"Alright. Hop on."

You bite back a victory noise that threatens to come out of your mouth and quickly make your way to the back. The outlaw offers his calloused hand to you and helps you on top.

It's been a while since your last crime, but the yearning for it has only grown over the course of the last two weeks. What a strange thing that is to find out about yourself. You would have never thought of developing these criminal tendencies, but there is a lot about yourself you've been discovering lately.

Arthur rips you out of your thoughts. "I'm assumin' that you got a plan?"

Of course you do. Ever since you overheard John talk about the train job the plan has been brewing in your mind like a good stew.

"We should enter the town separately so no one sees that we're together. I'll pretend that my horse has gotten injured further back on the road and now I need a big and strong man to help me." You put on a pretend desperate tone at the last past and theatrically place the back of your hand on your forehead.

"And what if that doesn't work?" His voice is thick with skepticism.

"Arthur Morgan! Are you implying that there is a person out there who would be able to resist my charm?" The feigned offense you're putting on earns you an amused snort from the man.

The reason why you're joking and not giving him a proper answer is, because you don't have a backup. You have no idea what to do if your plan doesn't work, so it's better to play it off confidently before he changes his mind and takes you back to camp.

Is it irresponsible? Perhaps. Are you still excited for it? Unquestionably so.

A few minutes later you get to the point where you part ways for now and you continue the way on foot. Just as expected, the oil wagon comes into view and shortly after you spot the driver leaning on a post next to it.

You take one deep breath to calm your nerves before you approach him and button up your summer coat a bit to hide the gun. Of course you don't plan on using it, but you won't make the mistake of leaving it back in camp ever again.

"Excuse me, sir?", you softly call out to him and his head snaps towards your direction. "Oh, sorry if I startled you."

The man takes a drag from his lit cigarette before shaking his head.

He looks young and by the state of his hands, couldn't have been working for too long in his life. A rifle is dangling off his shoulders and judging from his appearance it doesn't seem like he's on guard at all.

But then again who would be dumb enough to steal an oil wagon in broad daylight in a fully occupied town?

"Could you help me maybe?"

"I'm busy." His answer is short and clearly meant to shut down this conversation, but you know better than to give up now.

A strangled sob escapes your throat and you bury your face in both hands. "Sir, my horse got injured further up ahead and if my husband finds out- oh God-"

The noise you're producing starts to become a bit more hysterical and you take a peak between your fingers. An overwhelmed expression can be seen on the young man's face and he lifts his hands awkwardly.

"Miss, could you keep it down-"

Instead you let out an ear piercing weep and grab the driver by his shoulders. "He's going to shoot me! Oh, you're killing me, sir!"

Some passersby are turning their heads in your direction to get a better look at the loud scene you're causing. The guard firmly pushes you around the corner, visibly uncomfortable over the fact that you're putting him on the spot like that.

"Are you out of your damn mind?", he hisses through gritted teeth and you bite back the victorious grin that is threatening to form on your lips.

Arthur will steal that wagon any second now and you intend on buying him some more time. You fling your arms around the man dramatically and pick up your wailing again.

The man rummages through his pockets until he fishes out a few coins and shoves them in your hand. "Go get yourself a drink or somethin' and leave me alone, goddammit."

"But my husband-"

"I don't give a shit, Lady!" His sudden interruption startles you for a brief second, but you catch yourself again.

The moment he disappears around the corner and you hear him cruse in a raised voice, you take flight. It doesn't look like he's pursuing you or anything, but you still don't stop until you're on the whole other side of town.

Your plan is a success and you're going to make sure to rub it into Arthur's face later this evening, but for now you have to get home. Thankfully the camp isn't too far away from Valentine and you play with one of the coins as you start walking.

Helping steal a wagon feels good. Really good. It's giving you a certain rush as if you can take on anything and everything. As you leave the town behind you and pocket the coin you were fidgeting with, a voice calls out to you.

"Hey, sweet thing! What's a lady like you doin' all alone out here?"

A group of three men is standing to your right with their horses hitched to a tree. You don't dare to look at heir direction and so you keep your head down and pick up your pace. If you pretend you didn't hear him then maybe they will leave you alone.

"I'm talkin' to ya!"

Without them noticing, you start to unbotten your coat to give you easy access to the revolver just in case they keep harassing you or it escalates. Then you overhear another guy mumbling something to the other two.

"I've seen her before. She's ridin' with Dutch!"

Upon hearing these words you start sprinting as fast as you can and grab the gun from your holster. It's useless to outrun them, you know that. Their horses will catch up to you in no time and that is exactly what happens.

One of them cuts off the path infront of you and soon enough there is no way for you to escape to. They have you completely surrounded and you cling onto the cattleman with dear life.

"You're comin' with us, sweetheart.", one of them snarls and the blood rushing in your ears almost drowns out his sentence.

A familiar feeling gets ahold of you and keeps you in an iron grip. Panic. The same panic that coursed through your veins when you got attacked by wolves near Colter.

The man infront of you jumps down from his horse and leisurely strolls towards you. He doesn't seem threatened by your gun at all.

"Ooohhh, watch out, guys! We got a dangerous one on our hands!" His voice is oozing with a mix of mockery and sarcasm.

You should have fired a long time ago, but an unknown force is holding you back. It's like there is a wall in the back of your mind blocking you from doing it.

Before he can get any closer to you, though, you quickly jerk up the gun with trembling hands. His expression turns from one of amusement to surprise at your sudden motion and almost instinctively, he leaps forward.

All air leaves your lungs as his body collides into yours and you're being violently thrown into the dust. A gasp escapes your lips and you body sets into autopilot while the man tries to take the weapon away from you.

There is no question, he's way stronger rhan you and if you don't step into action now you will be doomed. So without aiming or giving it much thought you pull the trigger.

The bang leaves an uncomfortable ringing in your ears and you feel something warm and wet spread on your abdomen. You're met with a terrified expression and wide glassy eyes as your attacker stares down at you in shock.

Only a few heartbeats later, all life drains from his face as if it's being sucked out of him and his body goes limb. It takes a second for the realization of what you've done to hit you and boy, does it hit you hard.

For the first time ever, you have taken another person's life. There is this strange, hollow feeling in your chest and with all your might you push the dead man off you. The next moment you feel something of a strong wave course through your body and you empty the contents of your stomach instantly.

"You fuckin' bitch!"

Someone yanks you back to your feet by the collar of your blouse and your arms are being twisted behind your back. The rope around your wrist cuts deep into your skin and before you can react, you're being thrown onto the back of a horse.

"Colm's gonna have a field trip with ya. Fuckin' Van Der Linde trash."

You've never encountered any O'Driscoll members, not before or after joining Dutch and you haven't been exactly expecting to make their acquaintances this early on, but alas here you are.

Under any other circumstances you might have been pissing your pants, but the fear is being dampened by the weight of your previous actions. It's as if someone placed a veil over your head like you're looking at the world through a thick curtain.

Hoping is the only thing you could do at the moment. Hoping that someone back in camp notices your absence, but it might be too late by the time that happens.

You might either end up being handed over to the law or six feet underground and then no one will be there to save Arthur.

Arthur.

Thinking about him gives you a small sense of comfort and your eyes flutter shut.

He will come for me. He has to.

Throughout the entire ride you're repeating these two sentences in your mind like a mantra as if you will eventually manifest it over time. When the two men set up a temporary camp somewhere hidden in the woods, they leave you tied to a thick tree.

Your eyes are heavy, but you don't allow yourself to sleep. If you close them now then you might not see where they're taking you and you desperately want to remember the way.

Not that it would help you much anyways. Laying tied up on a horse (and on your stomach nonetheless) doesn't leave much room to take in your surroundings and besides, most of the landscape looks the same to you.

How long have you been riding now though? It's hard to tell. Maybe two days or so? The thought alone makes your aching stomach turn upside down some more.

Just trying to imagine how far away you must be from Horseshoe Overlook makes you sick and miserable to the core. An impending sense of doom is nesting itself in the back of your mind and is slowly crawling closer.

With every passing second, minute and hour you feel more and more lost. No way will Arthur and the others find you now. Not even Charles' impeccable tracking skills could pick up your trail and that revelation makes you want to scream and cry.

After what feels like an eternity, you finally arrive at what looks like a base camp. There are two wooden cabins in the middle and a bunch of tents around them. One of the men that has kidnapped you is dragging you harshly towards one of the small houses and you feel everyone's eyes boring into you.

"The boss will come soon and then he'll decide what we will do to ya."

You barely register his words as you stumble through the door. The stench of wet wood, mold and sweat penetrates your nose and you fight back a gag, but it's not like there's anything left inside you to throw up.

Another waiting game starts after they tie you to a bed post, but at least your wrists are binded infront of you. No one expects the dehydrated, malnourished and sleep deprived person they have snatched up to cause much trouble.

Much to your relief, none of the men in camp pay you too much attention. A nasty look here and there is the only thing they're giving you.

They probably don't want to act without Colm's approval which strikes you as odd at first. You didn't think that these animals would respect orders this much, but there is a lot that you haven't been able to foresee lately.

The sun has set a long time ago and the inside of the cabin is drenched in complete darkness. They have pulled the heavy curtains together so that not even the flickering light of the campfire could come through the windows. Either they don't care or they want you to lose the last bit sense of time you've got left.

He will come for me. He has to.

The words sound hollow in your head and have by now lost all meaning. Your eyelids feel like concrete as you struggle to keep your head up.

When was the last time you have allowed yourself to sleep? You don't even remember. How long has it been anyways? A week for sure or even longer.

A certain warmth and coziness suddenly gets ahold of your entire body and you feel yourself slip through a soft crack as darkness begins to envelop you.

---

Shouting can be heard in the distance and then the sound of fireworks. A soft smile forms on your lips at the memory of watching them as a child in the park and you lift your head.

Next thing you knew the door is being swung open and a large silhouette appears in your vision. The figure quickly walks over to the bed post and cuts free the rope

Arthur?

As you blink the sleep and disorientation away and your eyes slowly start to adjust to the light coming in through the open door, you finally get a better look at your rescuer. Only to realize that this person isn't here to rescue you at all.

The green bandana around his neck is indication enough that it's one of the O'Driscoll scum and he's probably here to take you away. No, you refuse you to be dragged further away from your gang.

That's also when you register that the fireworks aren't in fact fireworks, but gunshots.

So they did manage to find me.

With a revolver in his right hand he sneaks towards the entrance and peaks through the open crack of the door. Your wrists are still painfully tight tied together, but you can move your arms around just fine.

Both your mind and heart are racing and before you can even grasp a clear thought, you pick up an empty bottle from the table and smash it over the back of the O'Driscoll's head.

Glass shards scatter across the wooden floor and filthy carpet and the man comes crashing down with a shriek. His hand reaches out to the side as he desperately tries to pick up the gun again.

Before he gets even the chance to get close to it, you're already over him and swing down the broken bottle in a blind rage. There's no specific spot you're aiming for as you bring down the glass on him again and again and again.

You can't recall when his screaming and the gurgling noise coming from his throat stop. All that is going through your brain now is that you won't go down without a fight. You can't and if they do manage to take you then you'll drag them down with you.

Suddenly a pair of strong arms embrace your torso and you squirm, kick and scream in a craze.

Then you hear Arthur's voice close to your ear. "Hey, hey, relax. It's me. It's okay."

You don't halt your resistance immediately out of fear that your mind is playing another trick on you, but the more you hear him talk the more your muscles relax. It can't be fake. You hope it's not.

With an exhausted sob you slide down onto your knees and allow him to remove your ropes. His rough hands treat and touch you in such a gentle and soft way that it makes you want to cry out.

"It's okay. They won't hurt you anymore.", he mumbles under his breath and helps you get back up again.

All the sitting, laying and kneeling from the past week has made you weak in your legs and your thighs are shaking uncontrollably with every step. Arthur quickly takes notice of it and carefully picks you up as if he wants to give you time to protest.

"What took you guys so long?" The question comes out harsher than you have intended.

The outlaw's expression is a hardened mask and his eyes are fixed on something in the distance. If he gives you an answer, you don't hear it. Your consciousness slips away once again as darkness embraces you.

---

As your eyelids flutter open and you sit up with a grunt, you're being met with a freckled face and long, blonde, unruly hair. Saide hastily brings a cup to your lips and you take a sip from it.

The feeling of fresh, cold water sliding down your throat is indescribable and you empty the cup in a matter of heartbeats.

"These animals deserve to rot in hell.", Sadie hisses through gritted teeth and you recall the recent events in your head

Not only one, but two people have died by your hands now. A drained sigh escapes your lips and you pinch the bridge of your nose.

Your gaze wanders around to take in the camp and people, having to remind yourself that this is real and that you're safe now.

"What happened while I was gone?", you ask with your voice heavy with curiosity and the need to get your mind off the O'Driscoll camp.

"Dutch sent out a search party the moment we realized you were missing. It's not like he had much of a choice anyways."

The last sentence piques your interest and your ears perk up. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Arthur looked like he was gonna kill someone.", she answers in a matter of fact way.

It kinda makes sense. He was the last person you were with before you got kidnapped so he probably feels guilty.

"Where is he now?"

Sadie tilts her head and thinks for a moment before she answers. "Strauss sent him away to collect a debt."

Your heartbeat picks up on speed and you feel all the energy come rushing back to you.

"Where is he?"

The woman furrows her eyebrows in confusion at your sudden urgency. "I don't know-"

Your hands grip her shoulders and you lock eyes with her. "Did he say a name?"

"What has gotten into-'

"A name, Sadie!"

Her mouth stands slightly open as she gives you a puzzled look.

"He mentioned a Thomas Downes I think."

I'm too late.

Taglist: @shackspossum

[sequencefairy]

Would you mind sharing the link for the inception fic you mentioned because I'm like 👀👀👀 lol. I forget about inception a lot of the time but when I remember I'm OBSESSED with Eames/ Arthur lmao

Oh man! I read so much inception fic actually, but here's what I currently have in my ao3 bookmarks:

the dry sand of daylight - spqr | 15k, E, complete [or: Arthur is married to Eames for the better part of a decade. Then he wakes up.]

All the world is bullet shaped - pushdragon | 76k, E, complete If Arthur thinks that, just by waving enough money around, he can get Eames to risk his life and reputation to rescue him from a death sentence, he's got another thing coming. So Eames sets a malicious, undignified price on his services, one he can be certain that a man like Arthur would never condescend to pay. It turns out to be the first of many mistakes.

The Only Living Boy in New York - witling | 47k, E, complete Arthur and Eames, in limbo. For 47,000 words.

Presque Vu - rageprufrock | 69k, E, complete Or, "on the tip of the tongue." Arthur meets Mal first. He inherits Dom, after. Everything else is on him.

Patience, a Steady Hand - Helenish | 43k, E, complete 821 A.D. Arthur is in the nightmare business. Eames is a thief, a liar, and versatile with a pen.

^ these are all arthur/eames, just re-read the dry sand of daylight tonight again because I like to hurt myself before bed.

play the goddamn part - hardscrabble | 101k, T, complete One simple idea that changes everything: Ariadne, as Cobb sees her - the red-wearing maze designer and Cobb-unraveler - is almost too good to be true. That's because she isn't. True, that is; she's definitely, DEFINITELY good. When her thesis adviser Dr. Stephen Miles puts her in the way of a VERY interesting opportunity (for the low, low price of just one fake ID), Ari decides to go for it and winds up neck-deep in stuff she never knew existed.

When this is finished, she’s going to learn to wear a suit like Arthur, tell a lie like Eames, network like Yusuf, and pull perhaps two per cent of Saito’s annual income over her first five years post-doctorate. She's hung the rest of her life on this job, so she may as well get some off-resume skills out of it.

^ this is like, platonic throuple sort of? it's really lovely, however.

I promise to do a better job of bookmarking shit in the future but one of my sources for good fic, fandom irrelevant, are spqr's bookmarks and there are a BUNCH of good Inception fics in there too!

[demon-of-arts]

Y'know how there's the Kevin Day reads exy smut tag on ao3

I propose to you Aaron Minyard writes Exy Fanfic

Mightt be ooc but like it's an amusing idea

I even wrote a little snip- it

-

Sex wasn't Aaron forte.

Actually that sounded wrong when he worded it like that. Writing sex wasn't Aaron forte. Smut, erotica, porn. Whatever you called it, he sucked at writing it.

Don't get him wrong, anything else he could write and he excelled with a passion at it. Heart to Heart interaction? He could do that, simple, easy, piece of cake. Writing a character death? He could do it, it might piss people off if he did, but he could do it.

But smut.

That was Territory that he was scared to venture into.

He's had sex before of course he has, who hasn't at this age. But something about writing it made him shiver. He tried it once. A commenter had left a message of saying how much he had enjoyed Arthur and John’s tension that was on the court and replied (Aaron remember the words exactly) The tension of these two is crazy totally screaming they should fuck NASTY in the locker room. Then separated by a space, I loved this fic <3 keep up the great work!

Aaron has the ability to write words, but after trying to write a sentence of a smut scene he couldn't write for a week.

 Sudden writers blocked, he told himself.

[gmariam321]

This will someday be the sequel to the last bit of Merlin writing that I shared. That story, a one-shot, takes place immediately following the finale. This story, a short chaptered story, will take place about nine years later. And perhaps someday a third story will take place twenty or thirty years later. But first I must introduce a rare OC and I do hope you like her! This is not my final edit, but thank you for reading!

It is a warm spring day, and the mid-afternoon sun beats down upon the bustling lower town. Merlin wanders, directionless and almost dazed as he is almost overcome by memories of his life in Camelot. He sees a familiar face every so often and is glad the glamour spell hides his true appearance. After a while, he comes to a sort of square, where a small fountain now graces an intersection of narrow lanes. There are several wooden benches surrounding it, and Merlin sits down to rest, drawing out his waterskin and drinking deeply as he both mourns and marvels at the changes Camelot has seen since he left.

“Why are you fuzzy?” A curious voice breaks his train of thought. Merlin glances up to see a young girl standing before him, arms crossed over her chest as she gazes at him with narrowed eyes. Behind her the fountain trickles steadily, as if watching over her shoulder.

“Excuse me?” Merlin asks, and he actually looks around to be sure she is talking to him. There is no one else at the benches. “Fuzzy?” His voice cracks slightly as it’s been a long time since he’s spoken to anyone.

“Why are you hiding?” she asks, then leans forward and lowers her voice. “Because I can see two of you. Which one is real?”

He is impressed. Somehow, this girl sees through his magic. He takes a moment to study her: she appears to be about eight years old, with a warm complexion and clear blue eyes. Her hair is dark blond, almost brown, and tied back in a long braid that cascades down her back. Her dress is of higher quality than the girls in the lower town usually wear, and he suspects she is a nobleman’s daughter; for her to be out on her own at such as age is perhaps unusual, and he wonders if she snuck out. He notices that the hem of her dress is somewhat dirty and disheveled, and thinks she probably sneaks out fairly often.

“I’m in disguise,” he finally tells her, which is true, after all. His next sentence is not; it seems his ability to lie in Camelot has not left him.  “I wanted to learn more about Camelot, to write about it.”

Blue eyes study him again, and Merlin is keenly aware of how perceptive this child is. He almost feels like she can see through more than just his glamour. “You’re fuzzy and you’re lying,” she decides. Definitely too smart for her own good, then. “Do you mean any harm to Camelot?”

He smiles and almost wants to drop the glamour and be honest. Bless her for thinking of Camelot’s safety first. Perhaps he should be offended, but her loyalty, not to mention her precociousness, warms his heart. “I do not,” he tells her, bowing his head as if in fealty. “I mean no harm to any man, women, child, or animal, and certainly not to Camelot. It is near to my heart, and I wish only to surprise an old friend.” He smiles sadly as he speaks the truth, thinking of Gaius. “I have been gone a long time.”

She nods slowly. “You’re strange. You want to stay secret, so you’re using magic. But magic doesn’t have to be secret anyone.”

Merlin is more than surprised. Not only does this young girl recognize his magic, but she is not frightened of it.  Merlin finds it hard to believe that magic has been accepted in Camelot so soon after Arthur’s death. How is it possible, when it was magic that killed him? When the Once and Future Kind had died before bringing magic back to the kingdom and the golden age of Albion.

Merlin tilts his head curiously. “What do you mean that magic doesn’t have to be secret anymore? I remember well the law strictly forbidding any magic on pain of death.”

The girl actually rolls her eyes at him. “That was so long ago,” she tells him, drawing out the word ‘so’. “How long have you been gone?”

“Too long,” Merlin murmurs. He glances around, hoping to see signs of magic returning to Camelot. He reaches out with his own, almost desperate to sense it in return. There is some, like a faint distant hum that was not there before, but he sees nothing with his eyes, and Merlin is fairly sure that even if magic is no longer outlawed, it is also not yet openly practiced.

The girl sits down next to him. “Well, to be honest, it’s not exactly illegal anymore, but not a lot of people use it. I think most people are still scared of it.” She shakes her head with a sigh, slippered feet kicking at the dirt beneath her skits. “I suppose I know why they’re scared, but I don’t really understand. Magic isn’t scary.”

Merlin takes a risk, leans closer as if sharing a secret. “Because you have magic,” he murmurs. “That’s why I’m fuzzy to you.”

She nods, and he is relieved he did not frighten her away.  “I can feel it – I know you’re using a spell. I don’t know many myself.” She pauses. “I don’t know any, actually.” She looks both nervous and sad admitting it, and Merlin instinctively knows why. He finds himself relating to her, remembering his own childhood. While his mother had known, he’d had to keep it secret from many others over the years. And he’d had no teacher until he’d met Gaius.

“You haven’t told anyone,” he says softly, and she looks down in embarrassment. He nods in understanding before looking away. “It’s hard,” he says. “I was the same. You’ll find a teacher someday.”

She sighs. “I don’t want to keep it a secret. I really want to learn about it. But I don’t think…well, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to.”

“If magic is no longer forbidden, then why not?” asks Merlin, though he suspects many reasons. It may be legal, but as she said, many people most likely still fear magic. It’s almost certainly not accepted among nobles. And who would teach her? Gaius is surely too old now.

She doesn’t reply, and Merlin senses her sadness and confusion. He almost wants to pat her knee and reassure her that everything will be all right. Instead, he holds his hands together, murmurs quietly under his breath, then opens them to gift her with a flower, a yellow rose in full bloom. Her smile lights up her face, and she takes it with an almost awed reverence, inhaling deeply before tucking it into her hair.

“Maybe you could teach me!” she exclaims, which was really not what Merlin had been thinking or expecting. He had simply wanted to give her hope, cheer her up, and hates to break her spirit now.

“I’m afraid I’m only visiting,” he replies. “In disguise, remember?” And he winks, getting another eye roll in return.

“I can see you,” she reminds him. “So you can drop the spell. I’d like to see the real you.”

He shakes his head, and she continues. “Why not? If you have magic, you must not be afraid of it. What are you afraid of then?” Before he can reply, she answers for him with a title of her head. “Or maybe you’re not scared. You seem more sad. Is that why you’re visiting in disguise?”

Merlin can’t help but let a soft laugh escape. “Has anyone ever told you that you are far too clever for your own good?”

She shrugs. “Maybe. But I’m also good at keeping secrets.”  He gives her another surprised look. “And a good friend, maybe.”

This time Merlin narrows his eyes. “Are you propositioning me with an offer of friendship?” he teases, but she shakes her head. “I don’t know what propositioning means, but it doesn’t sound good. How long are you visiting?” she asks. “Because surely you’re staying more than one day, if you’ve traveled so far.”

“I never said I traveled far,” Merlin replies, but he is honestly now entranced with the girl. Her clever thinking reminds him very much of old friends. Not to mention her forwardness and natural sense of authority. Her openness and acceptance is refreshing.

“You’re sad and you look tired,” she replies.

“No, I’m just fuzzy,” he says, but can’t hold back a small smirk. She huffs at him, and it’s adorable.

“If you’re here tomorrow, I could show you around,” the girl says. “Camelot has probably changed a lot since you were last here.” There is an upward swing in her inflection that reminds him much of Arthur: the king always leaving unspoken his request, Merlin always knowing exactly what Arthur was saying without him saying it. And he knows exactly what this young girl wants as well.

“And in return, I’ll teach you about magic?” he murmurs quietly, not looking at her. He sees her swallow nervously from the corner of his eye, then she jumps off the ledge and is standing before him, holding her hand out with cheerful confidence.

“Agreed!” she exclaims. “I’ll plan everything out and meet you here mid-morning.” She turns to leave, but Merlin calls out to her.

“Wait! I don’t even know your name.”

The girl smiles, and Merlin notices it is a crooked smile, like one he has not seen for many years. “My name is Elaine,” she says. “It was nice to meet you…” She pauses, clearly waiting for him to finish her sentence.

As he not planned on speaking with anyone, Merlin is at a sudden loss. “Dragoon,” he says, almost without thinking. Elaine bursts out laughing.

“That’s a terrible fake name!” she exclaims, and she is actually holding her stomach as she laughs. Merlin tries to scowl, but finally joins her because she’s absolutely right: it was a terrible fake name from the first moment he used it years ago.

“Then call me Balinor,” he tells her.  “And I will see you here tomorrow, Elaine.” He stands up and bows to her, and she giggles like the child she is as she curtsies in return. “Thank you.”

“Goodbye, Sir Balinor!” she calls as she skips away, up the road toward the castle, and Merlin shakes his head as he walks in the other direction. He will correct her assumption tomorrow, that he is no knight.

As he heads toward the gates, intending to camp outside the walls, Merlin wonders about his meeting with the strange, capricious girl. Clever for sure, and intelligent. And at times almost so heartbreakingly familiar. That she has magic makes Merlin wonder if he was destined to meet her, if perhaps he is even meant to guide her. Then he remembers what happened the last time he came to Camelot, when he believed in a grand destiny that failed, and he sets the thought aside. There is only pain and heartbreak should he take that path again.

No, Elaine is simply a sweet girl who clearly needs a friend, particularly one with magic. Though it may be strange for an older man to be meeting a young girl for a tour of Camelot, he will let her guide him through the city tomorrow and then make his farewells. He will see Gaius and move on, as returning to Camelot has reopened old wounds and made him sad, just as Elaine said. And considering his first thought upon meeting her was of destiny, he would do well to leave Camelot and such thoughts behind once again.

His heart clearly longs for something he no longer has: purpose. But his fate is to be alone, unchanging and unknown.

* * *

[cosmichorroryadira]

So I’ve been recovering from being sick all week and instead of writing I’ve been playing Red Dead Redemption 2. It got me thinking too, about mortality. Spoilers if you haven’t played and plan on playing it even though this game came out years ago. The character you play as, Arthur Morgan, is absolutely going to die before the game is over. There is an actual honor system and the better of a person you are the more honor you got. This means you get rewarded more for being a better person. And it got me thinking… the part of the game I’m in right now Arthur has been formally diagnosed with tuberculosis, a death sentence in the time period where the game takes place. I’ve always strived to be nice in this game but now that I know Arthur is gonna die I’m doing my best to be even better behaved. Who am I doing that for? Am I doing it for the side characters I’ve enjoyed? For me? For Arthur? I have no clue, but I do like the idea of having done any semblance of good even if I may never make anywhere near that impression in real life, anyways I’m off to do more cowboy stuff. Y’all have a good day now.

[dollopole]

What I need to see more in Merlin modern AUs fanfictions is Arthur trying to be conventionally funny and therefore him trying to make his friends’ circle laugh, but he just gets all these weird, fond looks because no, he’s not funny, he’s not funny by a fucking mile, but his friends love him, so there’s that.

The one person who always cracks up at Arthur’s jokes, tho? You bet. Merlin will be right there cackling like a fucking duck that’s being chocked by an evil witch and snorting, even if Arthur said the stupidest thing on earth.

They’re that type of couple.

I imagine it going something like this:

Arthur: So then, I asked: how do you make Holy water?

The entire Round Table waits patiently for Arthur’s answer: Ehm… How?

Arthur, smiling: You boil the hell out of it, HA! *slaps hand on the table*

*everyone silently looks at each other, wonders if Uther’s lack of affection permanently affected their friend’s communication skills*

*Meanwhile, Merlin next to him dies of laughter, and slaps Arthur’s shoulder, like he’s the funniest comedian he’s ever crossed paths with*

*Arthur is happy he made Merlin laugh :)*

Gwaine, on the verge of a breakdown: Yeah, no, mate, that was not funny, at all—

Percival goes wide eyed: Do you have a death wish—?!?!

Gwaine: Someone has got to tell him—

*Merlin grabs Gwaine by the collar and growls on his face, while he still laughs at Arthur’s jokes and watches him attempt to make another, thinking he’s got everyone hooked*

Merlin, smiling through gritted teeth: Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Gwaine, or I’ll cut your hair while you sleep.

*Gwaine clutches on his hair like a fair maiden*

*Guinevere wants to be put to death rather than to listen to Arthur trying to be funny, again*

*Elyan is fast asleep because Arthur’s talks vary from animals documentaries to history documentaries*

*Percival reins in Gwaine from getting killed*

*Leon nods and smiles, trying to be supportive, but his laughs are so fake, Merlin shoots him daggers from across the table*

*Lancelot takes videos so he can re-play them when he’s sad, and threaten Merlin with them*

Bonus:

*Merthur going back to their home after the night ended at four in the morning, just because Arthur insisted on explaining how adorable sharks actually are*

*cuddling on the bed, Arthur on Merlin’s chest*

Arthur: It was a funny night, wasn’t it☺️🥰😊?

Merlin, tired to the bones and pecking Arthur on his temple: Of course it was, you made everyone laugh *rubs his shoulder*

Arthur: Yeah, I did☺️🥰😌🤍✨ *happily goes to sleep*

(Merlin will need to find a way to tell his husband that he’s probably the most boring man he ever met in his entire life)

I NEED A FIC ENTIRELY LIKE THIS😭

[thedragonlies]

oh no I made myself sad with this WIP

[after the whole business with Tristan and Isolde:]

“I can’t imagine dying anywhere else but in your arms, Merlin.”

Merlin looked stricken. “I don’t want that! As long as I still draw breath, Arthur, you will not die.”

“Merlin, please.” Arthur pulled his servant closer, rested his forehead against his. “You are the bravest man I have ever known. And it is extremely unlikely that we would die in the same moment. And I cannot lose you, I cannot bear the thought of it. I would be driven mad by it—you saw what happened to my father. So please, I know the burden I ask of you but you must do this for me, Merlin. When my time comes, you must see me out of the world with dignity and love, and carry me on in your heart forever.”

“I… Arthur, I…”

Tears streaked down Merlin’s dirty cheeks, and Arthur couldn’t stop himself from smearing them away with his thumbs, from leaning in to steady Merlin’s trembling lips with a press of his own.

When Arthur finally pulled away, Merlin nodded. The tears still came, but he finally finished his sentence. “I… have conditions.”

I’m kind of tempted to make this a future installment of the Boys Will Be series (even though it will mean finally diverging that from canon compliance), b/c I kind of like the backdrop that they’ve been casually banging behind the scenes this whole time but this is the moment when it Gets Real. And it actually feeds kind of nicely into another series on my “maybe someday” wishlist, Of Kings and Queens: When Arthur chooses Merlin after Isolde’s death, Gwen leaves Camelot and builds a new kingdom from the ruins of Cenred’s kingdom at Morgana’s side.

[achillesuwu]

Thinking back to the cardiocentric hypothesis which is something people thought was real in the Middle Ages : basically they thought the heart was responsible for our feeling, our cognition,… (reason why the heart has such a central part in the way we talk about our feeling and our decision ‘fellow you heart’ etc the brain was NOT making any decisions, just cooling of the blood) and like it could be SUCH a good plot point

- Like something something a someone change his heart with Arthur (to possess him ?) and Arthur has to prove that he is still himself 👀

- or something something someone take out Merlin heart, Arthur see it happening and see Merlin come back to life and think it’s something else who is in control of Merlin’s body

- Or like merlin is dying because his heart is failing and a minor god tell them he needs a new heart if they wish to not let him die (notice the formulation of the sentence lol like that minor god is like ‘well, idk you want him to not die ? He will just come back to life ? Gosh human are weird’) and arthur wants to give him his heart (so both hearts would be inside Merlin) and think it wouldn’t mind to share the same body with someone if it’s merlin (you could definitely go on 2 versions of this either Arthur actually die but merlin thinks they are one (or third version were Merlin’s magic actually make it true because Merlin thinks it’s) or the less angsty version where Merlin just die then come back to life with an healed heart so no death arthur)

[artist-issues]

My curiosity keeps knocking, so I've gotta pull the thread. Why would you erase Joker from existence if you could?

I'll break it down:

1. The Joker has no point.

There is not one consistent message in The Joker. It's not trying to "say" anything at all, because it commits to nothing. Instead, it almost says several things. It almost comments on the haves versus the have-nots. It almost comments on mental illness. It almost comments on society's treatment of those with mental illnesses. It almost comments on the government's spending. It almost comments on violence and comedy. But everything it tries to comment on feels like a sentence that gets cut off at the halfway point; after telling you the bad news and promising good news, it fails to deliver.

I'll tell you how it does this. Arthur Fleck is introduced as mentally ill. (As in, there was a developmental problem with his brain chemistry that causes him to miss social cues and laugh nervously.) This means that when he is mistreated by background characters for "being different," the audience should start to feel sorry for him and consider how a mentally ill person should be treated. But wait. He's not actually mentally ill because of a diagnosable problem with his brain chemistry—he claims he feels clearer and better when he's off his meds. Add that to the revelation that he wasn't born with a brain-chemistry issue. He was abused by his mom's ex. So, maybe he's not actually "crazy." Maybe, he's seeing the world as it really is? After all, it's been dark and terrible for him since he was a child. Or no, because what about that laughing tick, that's not normal, right? And he's hallucinating a life with a girl he's attracted to, and believes it enough to walk into her apartment like that's normal. So is he crazy, or just the only one responding correctly to a world as dark as he is?

The movie won't tell you. It starts a sentence, then cuts off before any thought or truth statement can be completed.

The movie also sets itself up as if those who have should be taking responsibility for society's "have-nots." Or it starts to. Mr. Wayne is introduced as directly responsible for the hardship Mrs. Fleck has fallen into. He is Arthur's father, and should be caring for him. But instead, he beats up and ignores the guy most entitled to, and in need of, his help. Just like the way he ignores the poor people in his city, right? But wait. No. Maybe none of that is true. Maybe Mr. Wayne is entirely innocent of abandoning Arthur and his mother—this was all the delusion of a selfish drug-addicted woman, and the rumors she's spreading ultimately lead to the assassination, not only of Mr. Wayne's good character, but of his actual life. And his wife's. So is the character who has power and influence and badmouths the poor a portrayed in a negative light, or a positive light? Is this character a selfish rich person who cares nothing for those less fortunate than himself, or is he just one more guy who could've been good if others' cruelty (Mrs. Fleck's lies) hadn't pushed him "past the breaking point?" Does that justify his cruelty, if it's true?

Both. Neither. Nothing at all. The movie won't tell you.

So you can pick whatever ending you want. But. No you can't. You can't even do that. Because guess what? It's all in Arthur Fleck, inmate of Arkham Asylum's, crazy head. Maybe none of it was real.

2. The Joker is therefore only successful as a piece of entertainment.

Everyone could've guessed that as soon as they saw it was a movie about the Joker. Nobody needed this movie in any sense. We already know more than one origin story for the Joker, as a character. We've already done-to-death every interpretation of his craziness. Everybody knows who he is and what he's like. So obviously, this was just going to be entertaining.

That's bad enough. Stories are supposed to remind you of goodness, beauty, and truth. Why? I'm not going to dissect it because everyone can read the pinned post on my blog. But because: the world's dark enough already, and it's easy to lose your sense of goodness, beauty, and truth. A story, even if it's a tragedy, even if it has no "happy ending," can still take you out of your present state of mind, sit you down in a fresh state of mind, and remind you of truth. Being "entertaining" is just one of the tools that the story uses to take you there. Or it's supposed to be.

When you take the point, the truth, the message, the "theme," out of a story, then it's just the Romans distracting the populace with coliseum spectacle so they forget that they're losing money and wasting their lives. Woohoo. "Fun. Entertainment."

You can disagree with me about that if you want. You can believe, like many I know, "it's fine to just turn off your brain and be entertained! Not everything has to mean something! I bet you're fun at parties!" Okay, cool, so you like being entertained, and The Joker entertained you.

The problem is, what were you being entertained by?

Because:

3. The Joker increases an appetite for evil in the audience.

I don't care. I said it. It's painfully obvious.

First of all, you came here to what? Watch the bad guy lose and the good guy win? No. This movie's got no Batman. You came to glut yourself on two hours of the bad guy with no pesky good guy to share his spotlight.

Is that too harsh? Maybe you just came in expecting the Joker to be about how a good man goes bad. Okay. Uplifting. But sure, maybe a cautionary tale could be useful.

But that's not what you get with the Joker. We already established: there's no lesson, no point, to this movie besides entertainment.

And I don't just mean "aw booo, there was way too much icky blood and scary suspenseful music. Oh no, a movie about a villain had villainy in it!!"

Nope.

I mean, tell me why Arthur Fleck only has moments of peace and transcendence after he murders someone? Why's the sunlight warming him up, like a benevolent gift from the heavens, in the shot after he smothers his mother with a pillow? Why are those somber strings playing out a ditty he can "be himself" and dance to after he shoots three young men? Why is he only experiencing clarity after he kills?

Why are the most "interesting" parts of Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal the parts where the character is killing, stealing, or thinking about killing?

Why is so much effort put into telling the story as if Arthur Fleck is sympathetic, no matter which way you look at it? He only kills mean people. Except his mother. Oh but she was kind of mean, too. Never mind that whatever caused her to ignore, lie, and abuse her son was also played off, in the movie, like a mental illness. The very thing we're meant to feel sorry for Arthur about.

The movie won't tell you who's right or wrong. But it makes you see everything through Arthur's eyes, with nobody to stop him or correct him or offer a differing point of view—and that alone is dangerous. Your mirror neurons are going to make you sympathize with that main character, regardless of how heinous his actions are, when the storytellers are so careful to offer you all these reasons why his actions were "justified."

The Joker was invented to have a Batman. Introduce a villain—even a sympathetic villain—but you have to also introduce the opposite of that villain. It can be one line of dialogue; it doesn't have to be a hero. But you have to say something about the evil when it is represented. Instead of inviting everyone to feel for the villain...then leaving them feeling vaguely satisfied when he commits atrocities. They can't help it. It's the first time he's looked at peace, or in control of anything. That's how the movie is made.

So you're entertained by looking for a statement that isn't there—or by watching one man brutally slay five people, one of whom is his mother, because you were just so excited to see some blood, to see a man snap. Panem et circuses. At its finest. And you paid for it. Smart. Cultured, of you.

I'd wipe that movie out of existence and force the writers and directors to stare at a wall while sad violin music plays in the background for exactly how many days it took them to make that movie, if I could.

[verdemoun]

If you feel up to it...! I absolutely love Timewarp Kieran and Arthur's relationship as best friends. Do you have any thoughts you'd like to share on their friendship? Also, would Kieran and John be friends at all?

MY BOYS MY LADS MY LIL BLORBOS bad time to ask me about john I just finished American venom again and I am furious at that little bastard man.

Their friendship was really inorganic at first. After getting used to timewarp, one of the first big issues Arthur had to deal with was how much Kieran's death actually messed him up. He saw bodies all the time, he killed people more times than anyone should in their lifetime, but to see the body of someone he knew (and was growing attached to) desecrated and used as Colm's little art project was mortifying. And, being Arthur Morgan, he felt guilty.

Arthur was making an effort simply because he felt bad. He was used to being the gang's big protector and Kieran was the only one who seemed helpless enough to need protecting. But Kieran still thought of Arthur as a vdl bogeyman and bodyguard, and did actually feel safer and more confident around him.

Kieran also realised Arthur would let him get away with murder. Innocent enough at first: being semi-verbal meant Kieran relied a lot more on physical contact eg grabbing someone's hand to get their attention. Arthur is not a very touchy person by any means, but very quickly got used to it exclusively for Kieran. And maybe it activated the touch starved portion of his brain but everyone else noticed Arthur started to pick up similar habits.

this led the invention of the Colter hold. Kieran was v close to meltdown on an outing, so Arthur in outlaw fashion just threw him over his shoulder and offered to take Kieran to the car. Kieran, instead, took a second and went 'actually this is fine'. Arthur proceeded to carry him around for an hour, and absolutely no one questioned it as it became a regular thing. Kieran can give Arthur a look that is the neurodivergent equivalent of uppies and without breaking stride or sentence Arthur will just. pick him up. variations include air jail, aka holding Kieran by his armpits like a cat off the ground when Kieran is already too far into spiral to be thrown over his shoulder.

Then, finally, Arthur clued onto the fact that Kieran was not innocent soft lil baby. Arthur lost Kieran at the store and was on the verge of a heart attack, expecting to find him curled up on the floor somewhere. As Arthur was walking around asking 'have you seen a 6' man who looks like he doesn't know what a bath is and is probably crying', Kieran stole a six pack of beer for funsies. Arthur found him happily waiting by the car.

From that moment on, their friendship was just golden retriever meets black cat. Or retired livestock guardian dog meets black cat. If Kieran is in the mood for antics, his victim will be Arthur because Arthur won't complain/finds it entertaining. On the rare, blessed, usually alcohol-induced days where Kieran feels like yapping, Arthur will be interrogating him because Kieran is so strangely enigmatic. Street urchin turned soldier turned gang leader turned O'Driscoll? When Kieran starts telling stories, he has the same dramatic flair as Hamish. Everything is an edge of your seat thriller and Arthur will shut everyone else up so he can listen to Kieran's tales.

Kieran has opinions on absolutely everything meanwhile Arthur was only starting to learn how to actually think for himself in canon era. Arthur looks like mr confident bravado but has the world's lowest self esteem, meanwhile Kieran looks one loud noise away from a nervous breakdown (and probably is) but his internal monologue is obnoxiously overconfident. They're two sides of the same coin and combined they are one very poorly functioning adult. If Arthur didn't have Kieran, he'd be miserably lonely. If Kieran didn't have Arthur, he would've permanently shut down and refused to leave Bessie's house.

Plus they're both horse girls and will drop everything they're doing to look at a horse.

--

Kieran and John are friends! But their friendship is based on the fact they don't like each other. Frenemies, really. John never trusted Kieran and never went through 'oh Kieran was a good person' post Kieran's death. When he timewarps and Kieran is just a snarky gay who the gang lets get away with anything, he wanted to scream I told you so.

Kieran, mr opinions on everything, does not like John. John is a bad dad towards Jack, also generally a bad person for how he treated Javier's feelings towards him. Give him a beer and make sure Arthur's there for him to hide behind and Kieran will tell John to his face.

It's their ride to six point cabin dynamic. Kieran will deliver a devastating character assassination on every mistake John has ever made, and John will just go 'yeah well it's 7pm and you're still wearing pyjamas from yesterday'. Arthur says they're both right and they turn on him telling him to have an opinion.

At the same time, if John asked Kieran to get him a beer Kieran would pause his shows to do it if just to call John a lazy bastard. If Kieran needed to call John because he got lost or an uber cancelled on him, John would drop everything to pick him up so he could call him a giant man baby for still not knowing how to drive.

John is genuinely annoyed that Kieran turns up as Arthur's unofficial third half the time John and Arthur had plans to hang out, but will also go 'aw where's Kieran' when he doesn't. They go to paintball, but at some point both John and Kieran put down the toy guns and start hurling rocks and sticks at each other. Arthur is meant to put up with both of them.

In another life, John and Kieran would've been absolute besties. They're both sulky brooding bitches. John actually loves how snarky Kieran is and Kieran thinks John is brilliant for how hard it is to actually get John to give a single fuck. Instead, they're all trapped in a 'Kieran could easily pass as one of the vdl siblings, it's like they were raised alongside one another' and 'Kieran would be disgusted at the thought of passing as one of Dutch's proteges' dynamic.