#we kings of avalon

[chronologiical]

It was not love.

[elainemorisi]

til that, although children's books seem to love sticking Merlin or Morgan (apparently usually both! as is appropriate!) into their stories when they need A Magician, there are... slim pickings indeed...? when it comes to actual Arthur legends for (little) kids?

[dollopole]

We deserved more of just Merlin

The little head tilt, the sweet voice and the tiny smile, the moment he asked Arthur:

“Don’t you?”

To Merlin, magic had always been there for everyone to see, to feel.

He is magic, after all.

For all those years, Merlin had believed what he felt was obvious, and that everyone else felt the same way. It was strange to Merlin that Arthur couldn’t understand that the forest, the animals, even the smallest, living in it, were sacred. Because life is sacred. He couldn’t grasp the reason why the knights couldn’t feel that the old Druids’ camp was haunted, and therefore didn’t believe him. He had literally heard death, and cried because of it.

“As if everything is much more than itself.”

The phrase could refer to him too. Merlin is much more than… Him.

That’s what brought his doom. He had never had the chance to truly know himself. He was either a servant, or the sorcerer of a prophecy, or a Dragonlord.

Never just him.

And in this moment we see he had missed being one with nature, breathing in the animals’ lives. He was himself again.

He was vibrating, much like anything else there living with him.

They never went deep into Merlin’s powers, they were just there for Arthur. Merlin had lost sight of what he wanted to do with them, he even forgot he was so powerful he could have overthrown Arthur himself, if he really wished to.

Merlin was the only man alive able to see Avalon.

During the knights and the king’s quest to save Gwen, Merlin met the Queen of a Queendom no one had ever even seen.

He could have killed Morgana (and did try) multiple times, although she was an High Priestess, and simply decided not to, but he had more than just the power to do so.

The Catha, the Druids bowed to him, met him in the woods, called to him.

Merlin created a telepathic connection with Arthur the first days he was in Camelot.

He survived death multiple times.

His immortality forbid him to die.

Merlin hated hunting because he could feel the animals being scared, followed; he had recognised Gwen when Morgana transformed her into a deer; he could hear the magic around him, inside objects and inside people, like a whisper, as if it was nothing; he could call lightning from the sky.

He could stop the time, or at least slow it down.

Every magical being knew him by name only. But he was not a leader, he was just different.

“Is she like me?” “No one is like you, Merlin.”

After everything he had witnessed, even Gaius knew Merlin was special and did nothing to help him understand why he was.

Merlin was the reason Aithusa was born, why Kilgharrah was free, and we were robbed of him getting to really know his powers, both as a Dragonlord and as the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the earth.

He literally deleted himself just to be at Arthur’ side, and it hurt him. We saw it constantly. He was sad not only because everyone and everything was against him, or because he couldn’t use magic for simple tricks, but because he couldn’t really know what he could do, both as a magical being and as just Merlin.

To study his powers meant treason and death, and Merlin forbid himself to go beyond what he already knew.

His incapacity to understand, his lack of will to know, and his indecision about who he was, literally helped the fall of the great destiny he was a part of.

Merlin’s decisions, whatever he wanted them to happen or not, helped Arthur die.

Merlin’s real enemy was himself.

[bluismie]

finished reading And like the cycle of the year, we begin again by katherynefromphilly and was obsessed at the part of the fic where Arthur is reluctant to sleep alone due to the fear of the dark and Merlin being afraid to let go the King out of his sight because the Avalon might take the loss of his life away from him so they just have to sleep together !!!!

[curiouspupsicle]

Good Omens Fan Fiction Friday (12/6/24) - Illustrated Stories

Whoever decided that adult books didn't need artwork? I enjoy reading 19th century stories with line art from when they had been serialized (Dickens, Doyle, etc.) And who doesn't love Howard Pyle's beautiful illustrations for Robin Hood and King Arthur? So today I'm pleased to share a few of my favorite fan fics (but not all; some I've shared previously) accompanied by illustrations or in comic form. Like many illustrated fics, Butterflies in a Bell Jar (T) came about when a Big Bang united a writer and an artist. Writer Still_Not_King and artist @wyvernquill tell the story of co-workers Crowley and Aziraphale who team up at karaoke night and feel a spark. But it turns out, the company's no-fraternization policy is specifically directed at them and no one else. A surprising story that flies under the radar despite being truly unique and quirky. Rain in Avalon (M) by @snowfilly1 is set in Wessex after the death of King Arthur. Heaven wants peace. Hell wants war. Aziraphale and Crowley make a plan to keep both happy and themselves out of trouble. Start of The Arrangement. Sadly, I can't make out the name of the artist of the beautiful kiss illustration at the end. But worth stopping by to check it out. The latest from @klikandtuna, Naked and Afraid: Jingle Hell (T), is a Human AU in which Crowley and Aziraphale are competitors on reality show Naked and Afraid. This one-shot has great banter. I laughed out loud. And the writer also created the illustrations. Bonus is that it's set over Christmas for those looking for new holiday reads. Fan favorite @mrghostrat, wrote and illustrated Big Name Feelings (E) in which Crowley is a big name fan fiction writer who invites artist Aziraphale to pretend to be his boyfriend at a fan convention. Love the story and the style of the illustrations. Stalwart sun, wily moon (M) is a long, twisty tale in which Crowley is an art thief at the top of his game and Aziraphale is the former art conservator swept up into his world. Can't give much away without spoiling this tense and engaging story. But the writer/artist @dustandhalos decided that both our heroes are serious clothes horses. And provided stunning illustrations of their amazing outfits in the form of magazine cover art. Loved it!

I adore the style of @dreamdust who has been releasing two illustrated stories on tumblr. The first is Six Thousand Years in Love (NR) in which we see the developing relationship of our favorite pair starting in Eden. Each story comprises about 6 parts before going to a new setting. If you liked the cold open of episode 3 of the first season of Good Omens, don't miss out on what it inspired in dreamdust. And the second is Charmed (and Witch) (NR). A beautiful femme depiction in which Crowley is a witch and Aziraphale is the maiden caught in her enchanted grove. It is a WIP updated regularly. Purrchance to Dream (M) is a lovely collaboration between writer Calico and artist @vavoom-sorted-art. It's a WIP on hiatus but absolutely worth reading and subscribing in hopes they're able to get back to it. Crowley is suffering since Aziraphale returned to heaven. But he finds himself being stalked by a fluffy white cat who won't leave him alone. The comic form of One Night in Bangor (and the World's Your Oyster) is by @anotherwellkeptsecret based on the original fic by Atalan (found here - rated E). Heaven and Hell hold their annual joint meeting. But this time, the demons have made a bet about which hellish employee will be first to bed an angel. Both versions are hilarious. Do you have any favorite illustrated fics? Bonus points if the writer is also the illustrator. Please leave them in the comments. And please follow if you want to keep up with my weekly recs based on a different theme each time.

[ramblings-of-a-chaotic-neutral]

This au was created with the combined forces of the amazing and awesomely talented group of @griffonskies, @hufflehobbitmakes, @lorienrobins, and myself (and they're all super cool people and you should all check out their blogs!) in an absolutely hilarious conversation, so I had to flesh this idea out. Enjoy!

This is a post-canon AU, where Merlin is still living by the Lake of Avalon in modern times, awaiting Arthur's return. While the world has changed immensely in the time since Arthur's reign, there were a few things that have stayed the same. And one of the things that had stayed constant throughout the last 1500 years were the druids and their worship of Emrys.

As Merlin's powers grew following Camlann, he found that he could hear the prayers that the druids directed at him, and he could answer them to the best of his ability with his magic while staying at the shores of Avalon. Besides, the druids knew better than to seek him out in person unless there was an absolute emergency.

Now, fast forwards to the 21st century, and there's modern druids worshipping Merlin as Emrys, and they pray to him and leave offerings, and he still sometimes answers their prayers. While the most popular offerings to Emrys are physical offerings, such as wooden carvings and food, their songs and dances praising him work as offerings as well.

However, one day, some Gen Z druids get an idea. Their religion isn't very well known, how about they spread more awareness of it online? And what better way to reach a wide audience than to share one of their dances praising Emrys on TikTok!

And of course, their dances for Emrys blows up online and go viral. The consequences of this, besides the rising interest in their religion, is that Merlin has accidentally gained millions of new worshippers, who have performed the dance without really knowing what it means.

Suddenly, with millions of people performing dances in honor of him online, Merlin is more powerful than ever before, much to his own confusion, since he's just chilling in a cabin next to the lake and doesn't really spend much time online.

However, one day, Arthur's reincarnation does the new dance trend at reincarnated Morgana's insistence. Merlin immediately senses his king performing one of the dances made to worship Emrys and teleports to Arthur's location, scaring the shit out of him. Now Arthur's stuck with a maybe-a-god-but-honesty-kinda-hot guy in his flat who keeps calling him "sire" and telling him to go to some lake so he can pick up a sword. It's a very confusing day for poor Arthur!

Bonus: some quotes from Gen Z druids in this au explaining their religion online: "Yeah, we can talk directly to our god, but he doesn't always respond because he's kinda busy being sad next to a magical lake."

"No, we swear he isn't a cult leader looking for a tax break!"

"If you catch him in a good mood he might do a pub crawl with you! That happened to my cousin once!"

"Yeah, I heard he turned water into beer on that pub crawl! Wild night."

[littlesmartart]

DRAWTOBER #25 - The Court of Avalon by Imagined

Under the guidance of the mysterious Lady of the Lake, Arthur spends the many years between his death and his revival in the realm of Avalon. There’s plenty of deals to make with the Sidhe, prophecies about magic to unravel, and mostly—there’s Merlin to watch, on the other side, always waiting for Arthur. A tale spanning centuries, as Arthur finally returns magic to Albion.

this fic... woooo boy this fic... most Arthur Returns fics prefer to focus on Arthur's experience post-return, or Merlin's experience waiting for him. this fic covers the centuries before he wakes up, but from Arthur's side - the summary is a very good summary of the fic so I won't repeat it, but the dynamics between Arthur and Freya, between them both and the Sidhe, the way we really get to see Arthur acting like a king, making tactical choices in his diplomacy and learning and growing... it's SO GOOD. I've not read anything else quite like it.

[larluce]

Arthur and Merlin travel back in time without knowing the other is from the future too AU

Tagging @aceauthorcatqueen , @fallenxjas , @smileytrinity ,@lucifertookmyshoe , @an-entity-i-think , @thecornerofbelu , @griffonskies , @odinjm , @cinnabon-sweetroll-tiramisu , @thelady-mary , @bennedict , @nightninjaboy , @st8-of-grace , @star-rie , @error-username-not-available , @dogberryrowan , @jamieweasley13 , @tansyuduri , @tercais , @robynnemrys , @evadne01 , @serasvictoria02 , @hairdryerducks , @hopeaha , @curiously-lazy , @ harriettesthings , @andrealux16 , @wacko-weirdo , @greatdonutenemy This is going to get WILD!

LINKS TO THE OTHER PARTS OF THIS AU HERE: PART 1 , PART 2 , PART 3 , PART 4 , PART 5 , PART 6 , PART 7 , PART 8 , PART 9 , PART 10 , PART 11 , PART 12 , PART 13 , PART 14 , PART 15 , PART 16 , PART 17 , PART 18 , PART 19 (You're here) , PART 20

More of "The Gates of Avalon"

Arthur and Merlin encounter Sophia and his father while hunting, and, althought Arthur already knows is a trap he goes to their rescue cause this Merlin doesn't know that (as far as he knows) and it would be weird if he didn't come to a damisel's rescue.

Merlin: (tries to kill the sidhes with magic subtly)

Sophia and Aulfric: (block Merlin's magic with their staff just as subtly)

Merlin: (thinking, frustrated) Damn, their magic is blocking mine! (makes a branch fall on one of the bandits)

Arthur: (noticing the branch fall while still fighting other bandit, thinking) I should have known.🙄 (finishes to kill the bandit off and turns to the sidhes, thinking) Could it be that I can slay them and pretend it was an accident?

Sophia: (Turns her eyes red as soon as Arthur's eyes find hers)

Arthur: (Thinking) What the- (his thoughts turn off)

Merlin: (concerned) Arthur?

Echanted Arthur: (ignores him and goes to Sophia) Are you alright? They didn't hurt you?

Sophia: (takes of her hood seductivily) No, thanks to you. I'm Sophia, This is my father.

Echanted Arthur: Arthur Pendragon (he smiles chivalry) at your service. (kisses her hand)

Merlin: (thinking) Oh, fuck.

Time skip. Merlin and Arthur in Arthur's chambers.

Echanted Arthur: Make sure to put her in a decent room.

Merlin: There's an empty room in the other side of the castle, sire. I think it's perfect.

Echanted Arthur: Aren't the chambers next to mine empty?

Merlin: Those are mine, sire.

Arthur: (coming back to his senses) Oh... that... that's true... Why... why did I...?

Merlin: (seeing his chance, holds Arthur by the shoulders) Arthur, listen to me. Sophia is echanting you!

Arthur: (thinking) Shit! (says) I... I have to tell my father... I... (trails off)

Merlin: Arthur?

Echanted Arthur: Of course I'm echanted, Merlin. Sophia is a beauty.

Merlin: (sighs, forcing a smile, and lets go of him) She certainly is.

Echanted Arthur: (frowns) What is it?

Merlin: Hmm?

Echanted Arthur: That smile was not genuine.

Merlin: I just... don't have a good feeling about her. It's all.

Echanted Arthur: (snorts) You and your funny feelings, Merlin. (thinks for a moment) But if it makes you feel more at easy, put her in the room you suggested.

Merlin: (relieved) Of course, sire. (bows and leaves)

Echanted Arthur: (shouts as Merlin leaves) Just so you know, my intentions towards Sophia are completely honorable! (mutters to himself) Such a paranoid.

Time skip. Arthur talking to Merlin while he makes his bed.

Echanted Arthur: So, I need you to cover for me-

Merlin: (dryly) No.

Echanted Arthur: Excuse me?

Merlin: I won't lie to the king just so you can get laid.

Echanted Arthur: (offended) I'm just taking Sophia out for a ride, I would never-

Merlin: Sophia this, Sophia that, would you shut up! 😡

Echanted Arthur: (confused) What's wrong with you?

Merlin: (sighs, calming down) Nothing, but I won't do it.

Echanted Arthur: Oh, Come on! I promised Sophia I'd take her out and if I don't turn up, it'll blow up my chances.

Merlin: Good.

Echanted Arthur: (frowns) I thought we were friends.

Merlin: (angry again, almost shouting) Don't you dare use that on me! I don't care that you're enchanted! Friends don't make each other lie to the King risking they would end up in the stocks or flogged! Friends don't dismiss the other's advice. I told you I don't have a good feeling about her and you still don't care, so fine! Go, but I won't cover for you and if you decide I'm not your friend for that, then we're not friends! (his voice breaks at the end and his eyes water a little)

Echanted Arthur: (very shocked)...

Merlin: (composes himself and continues to make the bed, turning his back at Arthur)

Echanted Arthur: (frowns, feeling bad for upsetting Merlin though he doesn't know why) We ARE friends, Merlin. (taps his back) You're right, I shouldn't have asked that of you. I'm sorry. I'll tell Sophia I'll take her out another time, maybe later today when I'm actually free.

Merlin: (still not looking at him, finishes to make the bed with hard movements) Of course you will.

Echanted Arthur: And maybe you can come with us.

Merlin: (finally turns, surprised) What?

Echanted Arthur: This way you'll see what I see.

Merlin: (confused) I'll see what?

Echanted Arthur: That there is nothing not to like about her! 😍

Merlin: (sighs) Right...😒

Time skip. Arthur goes to his date with Sophia with Merlin.

Sophia: (her smiles fades as he sees Merlin arriving with Arthur) What is he doing here?

Merlin: Trust me, I don't like this more than you do. 😒

Echanted Arthur: Ha, ha, he's joking 😄 (shoves Merlin playfully, then scolds him in a whisper) Be nice.(to Sophia) Merlin is my personal manservant, I thought it wouldn't hurt to bring him to carry our things and serve us in whatever we need.

Merlin: (thinking) I just came so you wouldn't get yourself killed, you little sh- (forces a polite smile at Sophia) It would be my pleasure to serve you, Lady Sophia. (bows)

Echanted Arthur: He could carry your staff for y- (about to take her staff)

Sophia: (puts the staff away from Arthur) Don't touch that! 😡 (composes herself and smiles sweetly) Sorry, it's a family heirloom.😊

Echanted Arthur: It's beautiful, just like you (cradles her face tenderly with one hand)

Sophia: (about to kiss him)

Merlin: (yells, pointing somewhere) Bandits!

Echanted Arthur: (pulls away from Sophia and looks around) Where?!

An arrow flies towards Sophia but she deflects the arrow subtly with her staff.

Merlin: (thinking) Damn, it was so close.

Echanted Arthur: (runs to Sophia) My love! Are you alright? (holds her hands)

Sophia: (nods, trembling) I was so scared.🥺

Echanted Arthur: (turning to the bandid, who is hidind behind a tree in the distance, furious) YOU! 😡

Lancelot: (disguised as a bandid, bow in hand, cause Merlin asked him to) Fuck (runs away).

Echanted Arthur: Come back here! (runs after him)

Merlin: (turns to Sophia as soon as Arthur is out of sight, serious) You're nothing without your staff, aren't you?

Sophia: What?

Merlin: Don't play dumb with me.

Sophia: (smiles sweetly) Why would I? You're playing dumb enough for the both of us.

Merlin: I know what you are.

Sophia: I also know what you are, Emrys.

Merlin: (surprised).. How... How did you..?

Sophia: If I can recognise The Once and The Future King, don't you think I can recognise his protector? We've been watching you, we saw the kind of relationship you have, so I knew I had to use a stronger spell.

Merlin: Then you know you shouldn't mess with me. (aproaches her threatenly) Stay away from my Arthur.

Sophia: Jealousy doesn't look good on you, darling. I don't blame you though. He's such a gentleman... and a good kisser too.

Merlin: (raises his hand furious, eyes glowing)

Sophia: (raises her staff) Careful.

Echanted Arthur: (comes back) The bastard escaped, such a-What's going on? (looks at Merlin and Sophia's postures, confused)

Merlin: Ah... we are... killing mosquitoes!😅 (claps the hand that is raised with the other) They are everywhere! (keeps claping around)

Sophia: Yeah! (moves her staff around as if fighting said imaginary mosquitoes)

Echanted Arthur: (laughs fondly) You shouldn't worry about that, my love. Let Merlin handle it. (smiles brightly at the both of them) I'm glad you're getting along now.

Merlin: (forcing a smile) Oh, you have no idea. (slaps Arthur in the face)

Echanted Arthur: Ow!

Merlin: I killed it! 😊

Time skip. When Arthur requested an audience with the king.

Echanted Arthur: I have requested this audience, Father, to discuss a matter of great importance. It cannot have escaped your attention that I and Lady Sophia Tirmawr have growned very close.

Uther: Is that so?

Echanted Arthur: We're in love, which is why I have come before you today to ask your permission to marry.

Uther: (cracks out laughing)

Echanted Arthur: (serious face)

Morgana: (looking, worried)

Merlin: (scheming how to stop Arthur and Sophia from running away together)

Uther: (stops laughing when he sees Arthur's seriousness, surprised) Oh, you're serious.

Echanted Arthur: That's right, father. We are getting married.

Uther: This… this is great! 😃

Merlin: What? 😨

Morgana: What? 😱

Sophia: (her smile fades) What? 😧

Echanted Arthur: (just as surprised, but very happy) Really? 😃

Uther: Of course! I'm delighted you've made such an excellent match, Arthur.

Merlin: (thinking in distraught, his heart squeezing) No... No! This can't be! They can't get married! Arthur can't... This didn't happen in my other life! What the hell is Uther thinking!

Morgana: (to Uther, concerned) My lord, don't you think it's very hasty that they want to get married after knowing each other for only two days?

Uther: When love calls that's how it is. And how could he not fall in love with her? She is beautiful, charming, very cultured and from a good family.

Morgana: And from a kingdom that was invaded by raiders!

Uther: Exactly, She's been through a lot and yet she remains strong. I admire that in a woman. And she's still a lady from nobel blood. If Lord Aelfric agrees, of course, I don't see why they couldn't get married.

Aulfric: (very confused at the turn of events too) Uh... I guess, I don't have a problem either, Your Majesty.

Echanted Arthur: (holding Sophia's hands, ecstatic with love) Oh, you see, dear? They accept our love! 🥰

Sophia: (barely hiding her dismay) Oh, how explendid! 😅

Merlin: (realises, thinking) Wait... She can't run away with Arthur now! (smiles to himself triumphantly, though he's still sad) Oh, well. At least I still have time. She won't be able to kill Arthur if they can't leave. That's... that's good.

Morgana: (realises that too) My lord, I'm very worried about the bandits that attacked Lord Aulfric and Lady Sophia. They attacked twice, it seems pretty personal. What if they attack during the engagement party or the wedding itself?

Uther: That can be arranged. I'll reinforce the security so no stranger enters.

Morgana: (turns to lady Sophia with a smile) And it will be in your best interest to not go outside the castle at all, Lady Sophia. For your own safety, of course.

Sophia: (glares at Morgana)

Echanted Arthur: (with passion) I won't let anything happen to her! I'll protect her with my life!

Merlin: (rolls his eyes)

Uther: (very pleased) All is settled then. You'll be married by the end of the week.

Time skip. Morgana encounters Merlin in a hallway.

Morgana: So, what's the plan?

Merlin: (confused) What?

Morgana: To stop the wedding! What's the plan?

Merlin: I'm no going to stop the wedding.

Morgana: WHAT?!

Merlin: I mean, if I can expose Sophia and her father before the wedding, sure. But I highly doubt I can. For now, the only thing I can do is make sure they don't leave the castle.

Morgana: (fiercely) WE, Merlin, WE are together in this and WE are going to stop them.

Merlin: Right, we. (smiles, thinking) It's good to have an ally for once. (laughs a little and says) Only Arthur would be stupid enough to marry his potential murderer, honestly. (gets sad again)

Morgana: (comforting) Merlin, you must know Arthur feelings towards Sophia are fake, right? I don't know what she's doing to him, but it's not love. He only has eyes for-

Merlin: (explodes) I don't care if Arthur is in love or not! I don't care if he gets married or not! He could marry a troll for all I care. I just don't want him to die!

Morgana: Alright, alright! I get it. You don't care.

Merlin: (sighs) Sorry, I'm a bit stressed out it's all.

Morgana: How are you planning to expose them then?

Merlin: I think the staffs they always carry with them are magical. If we can get a hold of one of them-

Morgana: We can bring it to the king and prove they are impostors! 😃

Merlin: Yes, that's exactly what I was going to say. (thinking) And not that we can kill them with their own weapon as soon as they are defenssless. Sometimes I forget you're too nice now to think something like that.

Morgana: And since they'll be acussed of sorcery, Uther will kill them himself for messing with Arthur's mind! 😡

Merlin: (thinking) Or maybe not...

Time skip. The engagement party.

Merlin: (thinking, while watching from afar Arthur and Sophia eating at the table, smiling and laughing together) It's fake, it's fake. For gods' sake, Merlin! You've seen him getting married once! At least this time it's fake, you shouldn't be so upset.

Morgana: (whispers to him as Merlin serves her drink) Did you notice? (points at Arthur's and Sophia's direction subtly)

Merlin: (whispers back) Ahm... They seem... happy?

Morgana: No! The staff, Merlin. She's not carring her staff!

Merlin: (looks at Sophia again) You're right! She must have left it in her chambers.

Morgana: I'll go get the staff! (starts standing up)

Merlin: (stops her) No, it would be weird if the King's ward leave in the middle of this important event.

Morgana: Can you do it?

Merlin: (shakes his head) She already suspects me, if she sees me leave she'll know something it's up. (thinking) And I can't leave Arthur alone with her.

Gwen: I'll do it.

Morgana: ...

Merlin: ...

Morgana: Gwen, how long have you been there?

Gwen: Long enough. So, the staff?

Morgana: (points Aulfric, who is carring his staff) It's identical to that one. You have to enter her chambers, get it and bring it to Gaius to analyse it.

Gwen: Got it. (leaves)

Merlin: (thinking) How odd. Why did Aulfric bring his staff, but Sophia didn't? (gets closer to Sophia and Arthur carefully) I can't do anything while her father is close. I need to get her alone... Oh, I know! (drops the drink he's carring on her 'by accident')

Echanted Arthur: (calls him out, standing up) Merlin!

Sophia: (Furious, stands up) You gigantic fool! 😡

Merlin: I'm so sorry my lady, let me fix it. (tries to clean her dress)

Sophia: Don't you dare touch me! You did this on purpose!

Echanted Arthur: Excuse my poor excuse of a servant, my love. He's too clumsy for his own good, but I'm sure he didn't mean for this to happen.

Sophia: You're going to defend him? I'm your fiancee!

Echanted Arthur: I'm not defending him, I'm just-

Uther: (aproaches, almost shouting) What is happening here?!

Sophia: (Pointing at Merlin) He dropped the drink on me on purpose!

Echanted Arthur: I'm sure it was and accident. (holds Sophia's hands) My love, you look beautiful either way.

Uther: I apologise for this impertinence, lady Sophia. You may go change.

Sophia: Thank you, Your Majesty. (bows and leaves)

Uther: (turns to Merlin in anger) And you will not come back to this party, understood?

Merlin: (knowing perfectly this will happen, lowers his head in a shame he doesn't feel) Yes, sire. (bows and leaves)

Echanted Arthur: (looking silently where his fiancee and his servant left, feeling uneasy but not knowing for which of them)

Time skip. Sophia walking to her chambers enraged while Merlin follows her from behind.

Merlin: Please, my lady. I really didn't mean to-

Sophia: (turns to Merlin) Stop following me! 😡

Gwen: (gets outside the room with the staff)

Merlin: (grabs Sophia's hand so she doesn't turn and kneels, begging) I'll give you half my salary! No, all of it! But please forgive my mistake!

Sophia: (very confused and irritated) You don't have to keep pretending with me. What on earth are you doing?

Gwen: (leaves as quietly as she can)

Merlin: (drops the act as soon as Gwen is out of sight and turns serious) There's no guards at your door rooms.

Sophia: What?

Merlin: (lets go of her and stands up) You left your staff unprotected in your room and went to the party completely defenseless... or that's what you wanted me to believe so I would let my guard down. (sighs) Where is it?

Sophia: What?

Merlin: The real staff, where is it?

Sophia: (smiles and takes out a necklace she had hided in her dress neckline) Nothing gets pass you, right, Emrys?

Merlin: (recognises the gem in the necklace) Oh, so you can wear it as necklace too. How practical. Are you going to kill me now that there's nobody around?

Sophia: I don't need to kill you. You hold no power here. You're nothing but a servant.

Merlin: I hold more power than you can think of.

Sophia: And yet you can't use it. Not if you don't want to be discover. (pouts) Poor little thing. It must suck to be you.

Merlin: (laughs) You are trying to provoke me and it won't work. I've been called all the insults you can imagine my entire life and nobody has ever broke me. Besides, you're the one who's losing here. Your plan failed. You're the prince's fiancee now. You can't leave the castle and you can't do magic cause everyone's eyes are on you too, how sad. (looks her up and down) You definitely need to change, that stain is starting to look disgusting. (bows mockingly) My lady. (turns around and starts leaving)

Sophia: (raises her voice as he leaves) Oh, I'm not in a hurry, once married to Arthur and as a princess, I'll have aaall the liberty I need.

Merlin: (ignores her and it's about to turn a corner)

Sophia: (raises her voice more) And who says I can have my fun meanwhile? Especially at my honeymoon!

Merlin: (stops and turns around, a hard expression on his face) What?

Sophia: (aproaches with a fake sweet smile on her face) Oh, you know, I've always been interested in exploring the pleasures of the flesh and now I have the perfect toy for it.

Merlin: (furious) A toy?! Arthur is not your experiment to have fun with!

Sophia: I have every right to it. I'm going to be his wife after all. Something you'll never be.

Merlin: (threatens) If you dare to touch him- 😡

Sophia: You're going to do what?! 😡

Meanwhile, at the engagement party.

Echanted Arthur: (to Morgana) Something's wrong. Sophia should be here by now.

Morgana: We women take our time getting dress. I'm sure it's nothing.

Gwen: (to Morgana, whispers) Morgana, Gaius couldn't find anything weird in the staff.

Morgana: (whispers back) What? But that's impossible. Merlin- (she crosses eyes with Aulfric, who is smirking at her) Oh, no...

Gwen: What?

Morgana: I think they set us a trap.

Echanted Arthur: What are you talking about?

Suddenly two guards enter.

Guard 1: (to Uther) Sire! There are intruders attacking Lady Sophia in her room.

Uther and Echanted Arthur: What?!

Guard 2: The doors are blocked, other guards are trying to break them as we speak.

Echanted Arthur: (worried) Sophia! (leaves running)

Uther: (to the guards) You two, put everyone to safety. (leaves too)

Morgana: (tries to follow them)

Guard 1: (stops her) My lady, you can't go. We have to put you to safety.

Morgana: Try to stop me. (passes him and leaves)

Arthur, Uther, Aulfric and Morgana arrive at Sophia's doors. There are noises of struggling, things crashing and colliding and screaming, while the guards try to break in.

Echanted Arthur: Sophia! (draws her sword)

Uther: (draws his sword too and orders the guards) Now!

Guards: (open the doors)

Everything in the room is a mess, like a tornado passed there.

Uther: (in shocking disbelief) What the-

Echanted Arthur: (utterly baffled) Merlin?

Merlin and Sophia: (fighting like cats rolling on the floor)

Sophia: (puts herself on top of Merlin, screaming) I'll steal Arthur from you! (Slaps Merlin in the face)

Merlin: (puts himself on top of Sophia, screaming) Arthur is not something to steal! (Slaps her too)

Sophia: (spits him in the face and sits) Freak bastard! (punches him)

Merlin: Nasty whore! (Pulls her hair and she cries)

Echanted Arthur:...

Uther:...

Morgana: ...

Aulfric: ...

The Guards: ...

Uther: What are you waiting for? Seize him!

The Guards: Yes, sire. (pull Merlin apart from Sophia and restrain him)

Merlin: (his nose bleeding, nail scratches across his face and neck, neckerchief about to fall, but still struggling hard against the guards holding him, furious beyond reason) Let go of me! I'll kill her, I swear I'll kill her!

Sophia: (Her hair a mess, a split bleeding lip, dress all teared up, throws herself at Merlin still wanting to fight, beyond furious too) You insolent poor excuse of a man!

Morgana: (quickly holds her from behind and pulls her apart from Merlin) Stop you two!

Sophia: Let go of me! (To Merlin, yelling) How dare you hit a Lady, you street trash! 😡

Merlin: (yelling too) I see no Lady, liar snake!😡

Sophia: (tries to free herself, moving forward) Cheap slut!

Merlin: (tries to free himself, moving forward too) Fake bitch!

Uther: (shouts) ENOUGH! 😤 What on earth is the meaning of this?!

Sophia: Your Majesty, (points at Merlin) this scumbag humiliated me in the worst way possible just because I wanted to reclaim what it's mine.

Merlin: Stop talking about him like he's property! 😡

Uther: Silence! 😡

Sophia: For my honor, I demand this servant to be punished inmediatly!

Uther: (turns to Arthur) You heard, Arthur?

Echanted Arthur: (confused) Yes, I'm here, listening.

Uther: So? What are you going to do?

Echanted Arthur: Me?

Uther: It's your servant after all. What punishment are you going to give him?

Echanted Arthur: Oh, right. (Goes to Merlin) Merlin, you will apologise to Lady Sophia-

Merlin: I rather die.

Echanted Arthur: (more sternly) You WILL apologise and you will be put in the stocks for an entire day, so you'll learn the consecuences of your actions! Do you understand?

Uther: ...

Uther: That's it? He humiliated your fiancee! And by extention he insulted the crown! And you're only going to put him in the stocks for a day?

Echanted Arthur: Right, this deserves a more severe punishment. Merlin, 3 days in the stocks... and no salary for you for three months!

Uther: (in disbelief) No salary?! Are you still planning to keep him as your servant after what he's done?

Sophia: (with tears in her eyes, to Arthur) So this is how our marrige is going to be? Always second to a servant?

Echanted Arthur: No, my love, that’s not-

Sophia: No! I won't tolerate one more humilation! (Finally frees herself from Morgana) This wedding is OVER (leaves enraged)

Echanted Arthur: Sophia! Wait! (Makes a gesture to go after her, but stops and turns to Merlin, a conflicted expresssion on his face) Merlin...

Merlin: (urges him, whispering) Don't go after her.

Echanted Arthur: (frowns, still conflicted) You...

Uther: Arthur, your fiancee is leaving!

Echanted Arthur: (snaps out of his conflict, turning to the door) Sophia! My love! Come back! (Runs after her)

Uther: (turns to Merlin, furious) And you! I'll decide what to do with you later. (To guards) Arrest him.

Guards: Yes, sire (start leaving with Merlin)

Merlin: Wait! Sire! You don't understand! They want to kill Arthur! Sire! Sire! (Struggles but the guards take him away)

Aulfric: (To Uther) I'll try to talk to my daughter. Make her reconsider, but after this... I don't promsise anything, your Majesty.

Uther: (sighs) I completely understand, Lord Aulfric. Whatever she decides, I'll make sure to compensate you both for this outrage.

Aulfric: (bows and leaves)

Uther: (To Morgana, tired) I'll announce to the guests the threat has been handle. (Leaves)

Gwen: (arrives running with Lancelot and they stop infront of Morgana, out of breath) I brought help!

Lancelot: My lady, (bows) I've heard there were intruders in the castle.

Morgana: ...

Lancelot: My lady?

Gwen: Uh... Did we miss something?

Morgana: Oh, you have no idea.

...

Merlin and Sophia:

Someone would think since they are from the future they would handle things better xD. Oh, well...

Episodes where Arthur got enchanted ✅️ (Well kind of, part 2 of this is still missing and there's another one when he got echanted too)

How our favourite warlock got out of this situation? Find out in the next episode of "Merlin: the Prince's favourite"

[haveyouplayedthisttrpg]

Here is a list of all the games i played in 2024

Agon

One of my favorite games, gm'd it for a local con. It's basically the Odyssey, but told in a fast & furious fashion

Argyropée

French only, a optimistic renaissance fantasy game where i enjoy the universe, the worldbuilding decision, but the system could be better

City of Mist

A noir urban fantasy game, of misteries and myths, stories mixing with regular life.

Donjon & Cie

french only for now. Instead of playing the adventurers, instead your characters are the monsters of the Dungeon, in reality the biggest business in the land. Dongeons meet the office. Will be "translated" ( more of a 2nd edition) by the Merry Mushmen as Dungeon Inc.

Eureka investigative urban fantasy

What it says in the title. It's good, it's great, it's what i will use to run cthulhu modules in the future

Exquisite Biome

Occuped some long train rides this year. A solo game where you create little ( or big) creatures in the environment you made up.

Feathered adventures

It's ducktales without the branding. A diceless and possibly gmless game that plays like Scrooge McDuck comics

FIST

I think I traumatized my fellow players with my character. It's great

Knight an avalon rpg

A french game translated in english ( the books are coming). King Arthur in mecha armor fighting against horrors that threatens humanity in the 2030s. One of the most played because we're playing the epic (yes, epic, not campaign).

Lalaland of the dead

French only. Being in the right discords, sometimes, you can play with the authors themselves. A zombie apocalypse game that is also a musical. Sing for more dice.

Magie de minuit

French Only. A gmless tarot game of witches fighting darkness within and out.

Mausritter

Play as little mice, it's totally not terrifying.

Meanwhile in the subway

The game is not a book, it's a subway map

Mothership

The worst rolls possible at creation. Yet the character survived.

Naheulbeuk

French only. The ttrpg parody that is often played at the club when we just need a quick one shot, a silly session.

Nova

The sun exploded ( or did it ? some revelations of the designer on the bird app says it was eaten actually), so get your power suits out. My players managed to be the Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

pasion de las pasiones

A demo session with the french translator. Now sitting nicely on a shelf.

Rune

Elden ring as a solo game

The Dark Eye

In germany they created this to avoid playing D&D. I am wary of games that ask me to successfully roll a d20 3 times for each roll. (yes you do roll 3d20 for most things)

The Thunder perfect mind

In development, a game created by Tanya Floaker during NaGaDemon that I playtested. A gmless game of gnostic gothic punk where you play as undeads.

Triangle agency

It's on most list of games of the year for a good reason. Also be careful when reading it or you will get too many demerits and lose access to the Frozen Yogurt Room.

Troika

Used to be my cursed game. The one I would propose but something always happened and couldn't play. Finally I have played it. (But the curse transfered...)

Vaesen

Occult mysteries based on Nordic mythology.

Wilderfeast

Monster hunter meets Dungeon Meshi. I love cooking monsters.

World Wide Wrestling

The new cursed game. Did a first session for a group ( for a mini campaign). That was in August and was supposed to last 1-2 months.............this was the only session

[justaz]

merlin owns an arthurian museum with authentic items from the third/fourth century as well as statues, busts, and portraits from different artists over the years of king arthur (and the others). who better to ensure everything is real rather than someone who was there? eventually, people are pushing for him to find more artifacts bc its been a few years and bc history nerds are bloodthirsty beasts. people also want to find excalibur but whatever. merlin caves and is like “might as well see what else fell into lake avalon” so they dredge it up. merlin is relaxing at home when he gets a call. he’s expecting them to say they found something small like perhaps a link or armor or a rare, old jewel. then he hears

“we found a body”

[thasa]

Warrior!!

JJ and Lee Byung-hun was in First We Feast and it's sponsored by Monster Hunter Wilds 💚 so I drew JJ and Lee Byung-hun in their fantasy video game era, JJ in The King of Avalon and Lee Byung-hun in Lost Planet 🫂

[asha-mage]

Their is always this moment in "Arthur returns" fics where the subject of how government has changed comes up and Merlin invariably goes "Oh yeah we have this thing called democracy now and it's really good haha" and each time I can't help but be taken back.

Cause look. I love Merlin but that boy is a hardcore, dyed in the wool Royalist if there ever was one. He believes in his King so much that he waited for more then a thousand years for the crisis bad enough that it would call Arthur back from Avalon to reclaim his throne, never doubting that he would return and he would fix everything when he did.

Merlin 100% believes in the institution of absolute monarchy as a result of Arthur. He would still be bitter about the Magna Carta in the year 2023 and have a dart board somewhere with a picture of Cromwell taped to it. He would be disgusted by the office of sovereign being reduced to figurehead celebrity and is convinced their hasn't been a proper sovereign since Anne Stuart. He calls the Hanovers "those posers from the continent". He likes the Windsors a little bit better but not much: George VI and Liz II won some points in his book for their services in World War 2, but he detests the advent of the modern "celebrity royal" for degrading the dignity of the crown to new lows.

Everything wrong with England and Britain, in his mind, is the fault of Parliament who he still sees as a bunch of unruly Barons and angry Roundheads squandering the nation's future to stay in power.

(If anything Arthur "I want what's best for my people always" Pendragon is the one much more into the idea of democracy and parliament, and would crush Merlin's hopes of simply dissolving to body by instead reforming it to make it more fair.)

[comicaurora]

Following off of, but moving away slightly from all the Fate talk: If you were to write a ‘King Arthur but female’ story, how would you go about it? What would you look for in such a story?

I can think of a couple ways I'd do it!

First, the easy part. Sword in the anvil/stone, whosoever draws it forth is the rightful king of England. Well shit, that little peasant girl just pulled it out like it was nothing. Hail to the king, any objections can be directed to The Indomitable Soul Of Albion Herself.

Or, if ancient England accepting a lady king is too much of a stretch, Merlin has a habit of helping people out with magical disguises. If necessary - and if it would be fun from a story standpoint - our peasant girl of Secret Noble Heritage could get a magical disguise that lets her appear male. Could even go full fairy tale and do something like having her appear as her true self at night, and King Arthur during the day. If we really wanted to blend it, we could let her female identity be Morgan le Fay, Merlin's student with an affinity for dark times. However, doing that would spoil the potential gay drama of letting Morgan be a powerful villainess who learns Arthur's true identity early on, and that might be too good to pass up. And since Arthur's eventual destiny is to be taken to Avalon by Morgan to sleep until England's greatest hour of need, that gets Cool Layers if we let them have a whole enemies-to-lovers thing going throughout.

Arthuriana is extremely loose in the canon department anyway, so while there are touchpoints I'd want to hit, we'd have a lot of freedom of movement in how we'd hit them. This would basically just add layers of characterization to how Arthur would handle the various adventures she gets into - especially if she feels the need to obscure her identity from some or all of her knights. There's a surplus of damsels in various folktales that could be Arthur stuck in her secret identity due to Magical Hijinks.

Unfortunately, Guinevere's foundational role in the story almost always involves her sleeping with dudes who are not Arthur, and since the overall story of Camelot is a tragedy whose downfall is brought on by a schism in the royal family, we might need to keep that for thematic consistency. And it takes on layers if we stick with the "Arthur's public identity, at least at first, is a Dude" thing, because - shocking as this may be - some people actually aren't even a little bit gay, and if Guinevere ended up politically wedded to Arthur only to learn that her husband is in fact not her preferred gender of lover, she might not be jazzed about that.

Other than that, let the cool swordfights and quests remain unchanged and I think you've got a good recipe for episodic character drama.

[aftercamlann]

ACBB 10th Anniversary Recs: Our Destinies Our Own

And our final ACBB rec comes from dvigano10:

Title: Our Destinies Our Own Writer: katherynefromphilly Artist: Lao-Pendragon Ship(s): Merlin/Arthur , past Gwen/Arthur Rating: Explicit Word Count: 94,755

Summary: In the few weeks since Arthur stepped out of Lake Avalon, he's been confronted by perplexing technology, ancient prophecy, and belated epiphany about his true feelings for his manservant turned friend turned sorcerer turned- god help him- lover.

With prophecy fulfilled, Arthur and Merlin now face a new adventure: Finding their place in the modern world.

This is a story of what happens next. After Arthur and Merlin save the world and find each other. Of how an immortal sorcerer and an ancient king learn to move away from the past, and on toward the future, in love and together.

Link: FIC: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15736473/chapters/36588432 | ART: https://lao-pendragon.tumblr.com/post/177628090393/our-destinies-our-own-post-1-post-2-post-3-for

Why dvigano10 recommends this ACBB: this work is the second instalment in the "We Begin Again" series by the same author. I use the entry that the fantastic Kate nominated for ACBB 2018 to highly recommend reading the whole series!

-This comment is about the first part as to not spoil too much-

If you, like me, are a sucker for a "Arthur returns" fic then you absolutely cannot miss this series! There's everything from a refreshingly accurate characterisation of the once and "now" King, to the ups and downs that our two protagonists have to overcome to get to know each other again, and figure out how to start living together again. All of this is peppered with some hilarious situations of a "fish out of water" Arthur, who doesn't know how to orient himself in the present, and a lovely, spunky old gall, who can't explain what happened to the grumpy but dear old man who had become part of village life. We still have a couple of days before we start posting our 2024 ACBBs, so there's still time if you want to sneak in one last ACBB rec from our archive! Feel free to send us your rec through our 10th Anniversary Rec form!

[merlinrarepairfest]

2024 Masterlist

And that's a wrap, everyone! With 27 incredible fills, this year's round of the Rare Pair Fest concludes, and I want to say a massive thank you to all the writers, artists, readers, and cheerleaders! <3

You can find all fills in the AO3 Collection, and also listed beneath the cut. Enjoy!

Title: like diamonds we are cut with our own dust AO3 username: SlantedKnitting | @slantedknitting Rating: Explicit Warnings: none Medium/Word Count: 5,068 words Pairing/main characters: Merlin/Elyan Up to 10 tags: canon era, Merlin’s magic is horny

Summary:

Merlin’s magic has always been sensitive to iron. When he moves to Camelot, iron becomes harder to avoid. Especially when the local blacksmith is the most beautiful man Merlin has ever seen.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59524846

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Title: Yet Another Super Psycho Love Story AO3 username: merthurianlegends | @samwinjester Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings Medium/Word Count: video & fic (794 words) Pairing/main characters: Gaius/Uther Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (implied) Up to 10 tags: Video, BBC Merlin Rare Pair Fest 2024 (Merlin), Grumpy Old Men, GILF action, GILF, Old Friends, Friends to Lovers, Possession, Spells & Enchantments, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence

Summary: 

Uther's bewitchment didn't quite go away, and then mister loose tongue licky-licky caught the King's eye. Maybe there's a kiss in the throne room. Maybe they run a ponzi scheme together. Maybe the goblin sees it as a perfect opportunity to get the ultimate gold (Uther's crown). The possibilities are limitless.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59889388

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Title: More Than Being Unknown AO3 username: solsprite | @jayprobably Rating: T Warnings: mild violence, internalised transphobia Medium/Word Count: 4,535 words Pairing/main characters: Leon/Merlin Up to 10 tags: trans!Merlin, trans character by trans author, everyone in Camelot is emotionally constipated, angst with a happy ending, first kiss

Summary:

“Please just—don’t tell Arthur. I’ll go. I’ll leave Camelot as soon as I can, but let me take my secrets with me. Let me say my goodbyes.” “Merlin.” Leon’s always steady voice sounds devastated, and it takes Merlin by surprise. The sheer depth of concern in it is the complete opposite of the reaction he was expecting and he finds he has to look away for a moment to collect himself. “I won’t tell a soul,” Leon continues, despite the fact Merlin can’t even meet his eyes. Sincerity bleeds into his words, the raw emotion from a moment ago seemingly in check, though when Merlin forces himself to look at Leon again, worry is etched clearly on his face. “Nobody is going to make you leave Camelot. I’m just so very sorry you’ve been carrying this alone for so long.”

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59918920

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Title: Kiss me on the mouth and set me free AO3 username: GuiltyScarl3t | @guiltyscarlet Rating: M Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Medium/Word Count: 1,350 Pairing/main characters: Lancelot/Arthur Pendragon Up to 10 tags: Episode: The Darkest Hour, Episode: Lancelot du Lac, Canon Divergence, Shade Lancelot, Mind Control, Assassination Attempt, Hurt No Comfort, Ambiguous/Open Ending

Summary:

Set in Lancelot du Lac. "These doe eyes, which have been haunting his nights since Samhain— long before that if he’s being honest—meet his own and steal his breath." or Lancelot returns months after Samhain

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/bbcm_rare_pair_fest_2024/works/59982856

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Title: AVALON VOICES AO3 username: be_my_druidess | @the-king-and-the-druidess Rating: T Warnings: Creator chose not use Archive warnings Medium/Word Count: Fanfic/11,039 Pairing/Main Characters: Mordred/Morgana; Morgana, Mordred, Catrina Tregor, Uther Pendragon Tags: Modern Setting, Reincarnation, Arthur Pendragon returns, Heavy angst, Mental health issues, Romance, Morgana-centic, Wicca, Good Mordred, Mental institutions

Summary: 

Unable to cope with the loss of her brother and problems with her father and stepmother, Morgana ends up in the Avalon Mental Hospital. She leaves it with the desire to become a witch. Through strange visions, fears and nightmares, she tries to find her way and find out the truth about what is happening to her. This leads her to Mordred, a neo-druid and manager of a Wiccan bookstore.

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60021823

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Title: Courage Was The Key AO3 username:RangerJedi67 | @wanderingjedihistorian Rating: Gen Warnings: None Apply Medium/Word Count: 4,337 Pairing/main characters: Leon/Morgana Up to 10 tags: Canon divergence, Siblings Arthur & Morgana, Background Arthur/Gwen, Leon & Arthur friendship, Suspicious Arthur, Protective Gwen, Determined Morgana, Competent Leon

Summary:

“Sir Leon and I wish to marry.” Morgana stood to her full height, carrying herself with surety and courage. Arthur respected that. Her words, however, confused him. Why did she and Leon wish to marry? “You what?” Uther said, tone just this side of incredulous. Squaring her shoulders, clearly preparing to dig her heels in for a fight, Morgana stared right back at him. “I wish to marry Sir Leon,” Morgana repeated. “I will marry him.”

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60028777

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Title: Caged Prince AO3 username: cynthia1314 | @cynthia39100 Rating: Explicit Warnings: Rape/Non-Con Medium/Word Count: fic/11869 words Pairing/main characters: Arthur/Gwaine, (one-sided) Arthur/Cenred Up to 10 tags: Arthur Whump, Essetir Knight Gwaine, Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Non-Con Content, Referenced Drug Use, Hopeful Ending

Summary:

Arthur was forced to marry the enemy king Cenred in order to stop a war. Gwaine, never lost his father, is a reluctant knight of Essetir. Knowing the danger they're in, the two of them still fall for each other. 

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60030565/chapters/153162175

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Title: Conium maculatum AO3 username: twistedshipper | @twistedshipper Rating: Mature Warnings: Chose not to warn Medium/Word Count: Fic,5,933 words Pairing/main characters: Morgana & Morgause Up to 10 tags: Post-series 2, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, The Dark Tower, Witchcraft, The Old Religion, Sister-Sister Relationships, Poison, Dissociative Identity Disorder

Summary:

When Morgause's plans to overthrow the mad King Uther come to ruin and all on account of a young boy and a flask of poison hemlock, she whisks Morgana away to the Isle of the Blessed whereby to bring her back from the brink of death, and from there to the Dark Tower to subject her to the hallucinogenic mandrake root in order to win her over to her side once and for all. All goes according to plan, and Morgause is more certain than ever of her sister's loyalty to her and her cause, except what if what she brought back is not entirely the Morgana she once held dear and loved?

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60034450

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Title: sweet like honey AO3 username: kairennart (personaje) | @kairennart Rating: Mature Warnings: Choose Not To Use Warnings Medium/Word Count: Digital art Pairing/main characters: Lancelot/Arthur Pendragon Up to 10 tags: Shade Lancelot

Summary:

Lancelot's lips don't leave Arthur's as he slides his hand under the pillow and grabs the dagger. He sits up, feeling the way Arthur shifts underneath him, and with both hands drives the dagger to his King's chest.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60072397

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Title: The Talking Treatment AO3 username: PierrotPatroclus | @pierrotpatroclus Rating: Gen Warnings: None Apply Medium/Word Count: 3663 Pairing/main characters: Leon/Gwaine Up to 10 tags: Childhood friends, soulmate au, miscommunication

Summary:

They've been friends forever, but an offhand comment at a bar causes a complete re-evaluation

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60049156

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Title: Figures On An Urn AO3 username: Ynnealay | @thefollow-spot Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Medium/Word Count: 2,041 words Pairing/main characters: Leon & Arthur Up to 10 tags: Some angst, Relationship Study, Character Study, Druid Raids, One Shot

Summary:

Arthur is shaken in the aftermath of his first Druid raid. Leon is there for him.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60053725

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Title: keep the windows open A03 Username: Sage_Owl Rating: teen and up audiences Warnings: no archive warnings apply Medium/word count: fic/4,806 Pairing/main characters: Ygraine/Nimueh Up to 10 tags: modern era, soulmate-identifying marks, college, weddings, not actually unrequited love, arranged marriage, first kiss, getting together, happy ending, everyone hates Uther Pendragon 

Summary:

Nimueh knows she can't ever have Ygraine in the way she wants- but that doesn't mean she's willing to lose her, either.

A03 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60055756/

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Title: The Mirrhe sweete bleeding, the Ash for nothing ill AO3 username: Zorbo_Jorks | @zorbojorks Rating: G Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Medium/Word Count: Fic/ 1300 words Pairing/main characters: Elena/Mithian; Elena, Mithian Up to 10 tags: First Meetings, Feasts & Banquets, Pre-Relationship, Post-Season/Series 3, Cute and Happy, Horse Talk, Bonding over Horses

Summary:

It has been months since Elena has been freed of her changeling curse, and to say the adjustment to normal princess-hood has been easy would be a flat-out lie. She is still the same clumsy, blustering young woman she ever was, only now she is aware of how embarrassing that can be for her. Especially when her father is hosting a feast for delegates of neighboring kingdoms. Even more so when one of those delegates is Princess Mithian of Nemeth, who has the keen ability to fluster Elena with just a look and a smile. Oh, how can she possibly make it through the evening?

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60066730

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Title: but, baby, i'm a rebel AO3 username: insane_faclon | @insane-ohwhyfandoms Rating: T Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Medium/Word Count: Fic, 1.8k Pairing/main characters: Elyan/Morgana Up to 10 tags: AU - High School, Party, Underage Drinking, Sexual Harassment by Cenred, Kissing

Summary:

Morgana's crushing hard on her best friend's older brother. It's a problem.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60069466

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Title: [ART] My Pet AO3 username: Mischel | @magicalmischel Rating: M Warnings: none Medium/Word Count: art Pairing/main characters: Morgana/Freya Up to 10 tags: digital art, light dom/sub, cat ears, bamf morgana, suggestive themes, canon divergence

Summary:

Merlin isn't the one who found and rescued Freya. Morgana is.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60077356

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Title: Learning to Stay AO3 username: SlantedKnitting | @slantedknitting Rating: Mature Warnings: none Medium/Word Count: 5.5k Pairing/main characters: Elyan/Gwaine Up to 10 tags: canon era, Elyan has magic

Summary:

Elyan has always had a hard time staying in one place. Thoughts of leaving always tempt him, even when he’s settled in Camelot as a knight. It doesn’t help that he always has to hide who he is and hide his magic. Then he and Gwaine grow close, too close, and maybe Elyan has a reason to stay put this time. Until Gwaine discovers his secret, and all Elyan wants to do is leave. Again.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60069850

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Title: Merlin's knight in muddy armour. AO3 username: ohmerthurcharm | @oh-merthur-charm Rating: Mature Warnings: Angst Medium/Word Count: 1,244 Pairing/main characters: Gwaine/Merlin Up to 10 tags: Merlin's magic revealed, angst, kissing, crying, escape, bathing/washing, affection, hopeful ending.

Summary:

Arthur is saved by Merlin publicly just before he gets seriously injured. The problem? His magic was revealed by his daring attempt in saving his King's life. Now he is on the run, with two pairs of footprints being tracked by the King and his men. Merlin has help and it is Sir Gwaine himself. Prompt: Gwaine has always been Merlin’s knight. By: HadrianPeverellBlack. This is for the Rare pair fest 2024.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60070792

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Title: The Green Duvet AO3 Username: pyjamacryptid | @pyjamacryptid Rating: Gen Warnings: Major Character Death Medium/Word Count: Fanfiction / 2,292 Words Pairing/Main Characters: Gwen & Gwaine, Elyan & Gwen, Elyan/Gwaine Up to 10 Tags: Merlin (TV) Season/Series 05, Grief/Mourning, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Relationship Reveal

Summary:

Gwen, finally released from Morgana’s curse, finds herself with a lot of mourning to catch up on. Gwaine, mourning more than he lets anyone know, finds Gwen in Elyan’s room. They talk and, maybe, begin to heal.

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60070741

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Title: Saw You In A Dream AO3 username: lavender_spice | @lesbianlefay Rating: G Warnings: none Medium/Word Count: 1.9k Pairing/main characters: Gwen/Morgana Up to 10 tags: Role Reversal AU, First Meeting

Summary:

When Morgana met a mysterious girl on her first day in the castle, she had no idea how much her life was about to change.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60077800

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Title: to hold our destiny AO3 Username: fictified | @fictivecircle Rating: g Warnings: none Medium/Word Count: 1,778 words Pairing/Main Characters: Iseldir/Leon Tags: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Modern Camelot, First Responder Leon, Iseldir makes coffee as well as moves, but this is really just very soft, First Meetings

Summary:

Iseldir serves the coffee; Leon comes back for more.

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60123463

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Title: You Should Never Know (How Easy You Are To Need) AO3 username: BeBraveDearHeart | @bebravedearheart Rating: M Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Medium/Word Count: Fanfiction - 8,374 words Pairing/main characters: Arthur/Lancelot Up to 10 tags: pining, closeted Arthur Pendragon, canon compliant, Arthur Pendragon Needs A Hug, Arthur Pendragon Is Bad At Feelings, Lancelot is so bloody sincere, Goodbyes

Summary:

"Arthur waited on the training field in full armour, his surcoat pristine with the Pendragon crest sewn on in shimmering thread by Guinevere (by far the best seamstress in Camelot). He held his head high and proud, shoulders back, spine straight and drawn up to his full height. He looked resplendent, and knew as much by the second and third glances that came his way from nobles and servants alike as he strode the corridors, then the grounds. Suitably intimidating then. After all, he needed the best; he wasn’t going to go any easier on Merlin’s friend just because that was who it was. The man that walked up to him gave Arthur pause. He wore chainmail and a surcoat dyed a shade of orange that ought to look garish and unprofessional, yet somehow complemented the would-be knight’s dark complexion. His deep-brown eyes and hair to match fell just above his shoulders, and his chin was shadowed with stubble kept neat. He stood half an inch shorter than Arthur, though held himself with quiet confidence. The angles of his face were statuesque and they captivated Arthur as much as any fine piece of art."

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60151489

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Title: Sorting Out Shenanigans AO3 username: 429_CarCrash | @carcrash429 Rating: Gen Warnings: None Medium/Word Count: 549 Pairing/main characters: Gwen & Gwaine Up to 10 tags: slice of life, behind the scenes, Episode: s04e06 A Servant of Two Masters (Merlin), Chaotic Besties

Summary:

It’s good to have a friend to check in with when something is afoot in the castle.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60250057

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Title: Rogue Resonance AO3 username: Pearl09 | @pearlll09 Rating: T Warnings: No archive warnings, but violence Medium/Word Count: Fic: 11k, art: 3 pieces! Pairing/main characters: Morgwen Up to 10 tags: Cyberpunk AU, Dystopia AU, Double Agents, Falling in love, getting together, codenames

Summary:

Morgana has a plan to infiltrate the rebels, who have been causing chaos in the city. She hopes to gather important information Arthur and Uther can use to break the group down, but doesn't know that the rebels are actually doing more for the city than Uther ever has. Can she truly pick a side without being seen as a traitor by both groups?

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60667987/chapters/154915444

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Title: friends are the ones who are there at the end AO3 username: Shana_Rose | @shana-rosee Rating: T Warnings: none Medium/Word Count: 3,725 Pairing/main characters: Mithian & Arthur Up to 10 tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Childhood Friends, Male-Female Friendship, Platonic Relationships, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Bisexuality, 5+1 Things

Summary:

The moment she opened the door Mithian knew something was wrong. Arthur was breathing heavily on his bike, holding a bag close to his chest. “Arthur? What’s wrong?” Arthur climbed off his bike and looked around before opening the bag.' She gasped, it was full of broken glass! “My dad says we’re not supposed to touch broken glass Arthur!” - Five times Mithian helps Arthur out, and the one time, he returns the favour.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60842395

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Title: Turn and face the strange (Changes) AO3 username: Salamandair | @salamandair Rating: Teen+ Warnings: None Medium/Word Count: 19k Pairing/main characters: Arthur/Gwaine Up to 10 tags: Modern AU, Fake Dating, Pining Arthur, Happy Ending

Summary:

Against his better judgement, even though he has unrequited feelings for him, Arthur agrees to accompany Gwaine to his family’s for the weekend as his fake boyfriend. It was just for a weekend, it wasn’t a big deal. Right?

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60917116/chapters/155609077

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Title: Finally I know you  AO3 username: Fighting_for_Creativity  Rating: Teen and up  Warnings: no archive warnings apply  Medium/Word Count: Fanfic, 1,863  Pairing/main characters: Percival/ Gwaine, Percival, Gwaine  Up to 10 tags: Post-Canon, story of healing, getting to know your beau, Friends to Lovers, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, having lived with druids Percival, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Feelings   

Summary: 

The war was over. The loss was great. Percival could not lose Gwaine too, and thankfully he didn't have to. Both men have lived through hell, and it takes time to recover from that. Thankfully, they both got it and arms they could hide from the world from in.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60895162

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Title: and underneath all that, it's you AO3 username: The_Questing_Beast | @ummyesisthisjasongrace Rating: General Audiences Warnings: none Medium/Word Count: 1787 words Pairing/main characters: Gwaine/Leon, Leon, Gwaine, Percival, Elyan Up to 10 tags: Canon Era, leon is an emotional mess, emotionally repressed, repressed feelings concealed by sense of duty, Gwaine's a little shit (canon), The Rising Sun, Knight Shenanigans (sort of)

Summary:

One thing was for sure: he would never - ever - listen to Gwaine again. Why he had ever let himself be persuaded that this would be a good idea in the first place seemed incomprehensible to him now. It must have been a temporary mental derangement on his part, otherwise he would never have agreed to come along when Gwaine had invited all the Knights into the Rising Sun after training. So there he was now, crammed on a bench between Elyan and Gwaine, taking a sip of his second jug of ale because no, of course the others wouldn’t let him leave after just one. Still it didn't seem to be enough just yet. Or: Leon is almost as emotionally constipated as Arthur, but Gwaine knows what lies behind his dutiful exterior and tries to tickle it out of him.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60941803

[kaibutsushidousha]

What do you think would happen if the Lostbelt War was simply carried out properly?

The only way the Lostbelt War could only be "carried out properly" is Novum Chaldea not appearing. And Chaldea is relevant to the motivations of many participants, so why they don't appear alters the situation.

If the cause of the divergence is Chaldea dying in the prologue, Beryl has no reason to bother anymore, so he just remote-triggers everyone's Sirius Lights. However, Akuta amputated her Sirius Light long before, so only her Lostbelt doesn't explode. ORT could possibly survive the Sirius Light, but he would explode his own heart in one year anyway, so it's just a matter of waiting. Eternal China Ending.

If the cause of the divergence is Chaldea never returning from their Imaginary Number dive, there's no proof they're gone and Beryl will keep waiting for Mash, extending the conflict a lot more long-term.

January

Chaldea takes 3 months to come back, so the movements of the Crypters will remain pretty much the same until March. Keyword: the Crypters. They're not the only players in Part 2.

As soon as the Lostbelts form, Kama escapes India and begins planning her Oo'oku. She's supposed to build it in 6-7 months by yoinking roughly 210 Servants from Chaldea, but here her best option is to take everything from Atlantis. It's the Lostbelt with the most Rogue Servants and it's the only one with a surface level not supervised by its Lostbelt King. The Godbreak Alliance plus the Atlantis Defense Servants gives her roughly 20 Servants, allowing her to build Oo'oku in 60-70 months if the world there keeps spawning new Rogues at the same rate.

"Doesn't Traum have 1000 of Servants to grab at once?" Yes, but Traum didn't appear in Sion's map scan at LB3 prologue, so I'm assuming it doesn't exist yet. Novum Chaldea only discovered it after the New Year, but since Don Quixote moved to it before their arrival in Atlantis, I'll assume it formed somewhere between June and October.

March

Without Fujimaru summoning Avicebron, Kadoc doesn't have the means to beat Ivan. After his Amadeus dies and his Salieri can't handle the job, Ivan awakens and learns the truth as he did in canon, but here he survives and remains active.

Rasputin's main interest is in letting Anastasia be satisfied with her ending, so in canon he only ensured Kadoc's survival and freedom after Kadoc and Anastasia had an honest shot at ruling the Lostbelt, but since here that didn't happen, Rasputin will take both outside to try conquering a new Lostbelt. There are six options for Kadoc to go to, but for reasons, I have to choose Rasputin sending Kadoc and Anastasia to Britain.

April

Gotterdamerüng without Chaldea leaves Napoleon and Sitonai as Ophelia's only opponents. Even if they still have the idea of freeing Brynhild, they lose the fight if they rush in unaware of what Ophelia's eyes do. This means Sigurd's body isn't killed, therefore Surtr doesn't incarnate in April, therefore Skadi is still in control of the Fantasy Tree. No progress on Ophelia's side until Russia grows big enough for their walls to touch. Checking the map, the distance between Scandinavia and Russia is roughly twice the distance between Britain and Atlantis. Atlantis touched Britain during the climax of Olympus, but that was a case where Britain wasn't growing. With both sides growing at decent paces, we can schedule the contact for October.

"But why Russia? Britain is closer." Yes, Britain is also not growing because its tree was sucked dry 2017 years ago, and most importantly, due to the reason I had to send Kadoc to Britain. Britain has a prophecy I'm forced to deal with. There inevitably has to be one outsider mage who accompanies Arthuria's journey and all the steps there need to happen, including all bells, all calamities, and the journey allowing Cnoc to dethrone Morgan. And I feel like Kadoc has the best opportunity to do that. Avalon le Fae in April causes fewer changes than you'd expect. All parties were pretty much done with their 16 years of prep time and were only waiting for the Child of Prophecy. Pretty much everything would play out the same except:

Mash's absence means Beryl would be not invested enough in the plot. After he was done with Spinel and Morgan lost the throne, he'd declare himself a loser and bail to Olympus before the calamities began.

Pepe isn't there to save Kadoc from the Moss humans, but that's nothing Anastasia can't deal with. Freeze them without touching and everything is fine.

Koyanskaya is not developed enough to survive Muryan's request very long. Koyanskaya dies in April.

Muramasa's absence means Arthuria fully becomes a Holy Sword.

Arthuria needs to save Kadoc from the Garden of Lost Will. He can't get out on his own like Fujimaru. And recovering from this would require gigantic progress in his romance arc with Anastasia. Huge increase in Kadoc's protagonist level.

Anastasia was a member of Aesc's party. I really would rather have Kadoc there, but if she has the reaction speed to shield him from Billy's bullet in canon, she has the reaction speed to shield him from the Water Mirror.

The most instrumental changes come from the differences between Mash's and Anastasia's personalities. With how deeply devoted she is to her emotional attachments, she'd take Morgan's side in the faerie conflict. In the Camelot invasion, she'd beg Morgan to escape Britain with them and find a new home in Yaga Russia. Morgan is absurdly stubborn but if they get her to check her memories with Nastya, have this emotional appeal from both Nastya and Habetrot, have a logical appeal from Kadoc telling her that Britain is doomed and that Cnoc will steal her throne but the prophecy doesn't mention that Morgan has to die so she can get away with just disappearing to Avalon, and Spinel's murder removing her last attachment to the fae world, they have a chance of getting through to her.

The last thing Kadoc's journey needs is a means to let him escape Britain during the calamities. Which he can get if he manages to recruit Morgan, the other Avalon le Fae. While Arthuria will forge herself into the Holy Sword, Morgan could forge herself into the Avalon sheath, allowing Kadoc to survive Britain's collapse and return to Russia. Like in canon, Oberon's world-ending hole fails to expand and consume the planet because Melusine cuts him off. But since Kadoc didn't fight the calamities, this time it's a mutual kill from both of them starting at full health. Britain excised. 6 Lostbelts remain.

Another April event in canon is Nemo diving into Imaginary Sea in search of the Chaldea survivors but in this version, we can't have him finding them. He could still find Gogh drifting there, but without Fujimaru forcing riskier decisions, he'd dump Gogh back there if not outright kill her. If Sion's canon plan was already revealed, I could work out a Sion plotline by having her redo her predictions and respond accordingly, but since that's not the case, I'll just write Sion and Nemo off by saying their computer tells them Chaldea is in the Imaginary Sea and they keep searching indefinitely.

May

Kadoc, Anastasia, and Habetrot sneak their way back to Russia. Kadoc could use his new tools as a catalyst to summon King Arthur but opts against it because he can't afford Excalibur coming out of his own mana supply. It's better to lend his Holy Sword to a capable Rogue Servant, and luckily Beowulf is a suitable option for the job. Beowulf excaliblasts Ivan dead. It was a convoluted journey, but Kadoc has finally established Anastasia as his Lostbelt King. Now it's steady expansion progress until contact with Scandinavia.

June

Without Chaldea's intervention, Shi Huang's war preparations continue smoothly. They finish reverse engineering Mei-ren's body for themself and she gets paid with Xiang Yu's ownership. Lan Ling and the couple retreat to the peaceful uninhabited mountains and Akuta stops attending the Crypter meetings. Nothing to worry about until contact with India, and even then that's mostly Shi Huang's problem. China and India's distance is not that much bigger than the distance between Britain and Olympus, so I'll schedule that for November (it won't happen).

September

Without Chaldea's intervention, I think Nezha kills Pepe here. Even if Pepe survives and fights the same way Chaldea did, with Koyanskaya dead in April, Daybit can't save Pepe from Asclepius. Pepe dies. 6 Crypters remain. Lakshmi and Jinako are the only forces opposing Arjuna. "How does Jinako's big cube work?" I have no idea. It may have never existed. Doesn't matter either way without anyone to pull Jinako out of the cube.

October

Three more Yuga cycles after Pepe's death, Arjuna burns his own Fantasy Tree as Douman planned. India excised. 5 Lostbelts remain. Douman once again moves to Olympus.

In the same month, the walls of Russia and Scandinavia touch. Ophelia has the overwhelming advantage in soldiers (the giants and Valkyries vs the Yagas) while Kadoc has the overwhelming advantage in heroes (Anastasia, Habetrot, Beowulf with Excalibur, Billy the Kid, Minotaur, and Atalante Alter vs only Sigurd possessed by Surtr). Kadoc has enough of a tactical eye to figure out that Skadi is not a fighter while she's using all her power to keep the giants (+ Surtr) in check, so his strategy should be to assassinate Skadi first. But all the snow serves as Skadi's eyes, so she should know that's what he's going for. I don't think aiming for Skadi first would work, especially with Ophelia's eye being a factor. But Kadoc is informed about her eye and not informed about the consequences of killing Sigurd's body, so his logical approach would be: Attempt to kill Skadi regardless of counters -> Ophelia stops this possibility -> kills Sigurd instead. That causes the Surtr scenario. Skadi hits the panic button and frees the prisoners Napoleon and Sitonai. Kadoc is forced to shoot his trump card: Beowulf with Excalibur. Ophelia's sacrifice Sirius Light + a blast of the Holy Sword + an overloaded Grendel Buster + Napoleon's finisher should defeat the giant. Ophelia dies. 5 Crypters remain. The last major enemy left in Scandinavia is Skadi, who wishes only for her children not to be trampled. Kadoc seizing Scandinavia's Fantasy Tree instead of cutting it down doesn't make him an enemy, and it only plays to Kadoc's advantage to recruit Skadi instead of fighting her. Russia and Scandinavia merged. 4 Lostbelts remain.

But October is not over yet. Fantasy Tree Magellan is blooming. That's where Zeus set up Demeter and Aphrodite to die fighting Chaldea so that he could run away from the incarnated Alien God without shaming himself in front of his family. But here there's no Chaldea. So we're left with the challenging question of "Would Zeus prioritize his pride or his survival?". And that's the divergence point of the Lostbelt. This is a Zeus that chooses to survive at all costs. Zeus would abandon Demeter and Aphrodite, moving the two to Kirschtaria's side. Zeus escapes the Lostbelt and tries to escape Earth. But like Koyanskaya's egg, he can't leave. The dome to the cosmos is closed. He'd need to open a hole with a properly charged World Discipline Keraunos but other things are happening at the same time.

As usual, Muramasa kills Atlas, preventing Kirschtaria's plan while Kirschtaria is being held off by Beryl. The Rhongomyniad tactics aren't at play here, but Beryl can still fight full-power Kirschtaria because he got his Woodwose transformation earlier than canon. U-Olga successfully emerges. Apostle count 3->4. Muramasa is urgently dispatched to deal with Zeus, causing the last World Discipline Keraunos charge to be wasted smiting him. Muramasa dies. Apostle count 4->3. Olga gets to consume the Olympus Lostbelt, removing the Cronus Crown power source that let Zeus use his Noble Phantasm, so now he's just stuck on Earth, humiliated and desperate.

Olga didn't consume Olympus in canon because of Kirsch's Sirius Light kicking her away, but here there was no Rhongomyniad that he had to wall, so no opportunity for Beryl to fatally stab him, and Kirschtaria wouldn't use Sirius Light if he wasn't about to die anyway. He has the option to survive. Caenis was always in and out of the Lostbelt walls thanks to Poseidon's authority, so Kirsch could have an emergency escape route by having Caenis pilot the actual Poseidon Alitheia carrying his party of Dioscuri, Demeter, Aphrodite, and Artemis.

Since U-Olga still manifested, Douman still got inspired to develop Naraka Mandala, and Beryl refuses to die without seeing Mash again, so he allies with Douman and uses that as his ticket out of this doomed place. Olympus excised. 3 Lostbelts remain.

November

Zeus studied his options. He has nothing left to lose. He just wants to get away from CHALDEAS ASAP and needs all Fantasy Trees gone for it. South America is a time bomb thanks to ORT's heart, so Zeus will resort to stalling against this one. China is beatable at any time despite Shi Huang's Grand-level body. But Russia is an easier pick now since Skadi still hadn't much time to recover. Zeus attacks Kadoc and can counter or overpower all of his remaining options.

Meanwhile, Kirschtaria has a big target on his back due to betraying CHALDEAS. With his plan lost, trusting his friends is his only option. He mainly trusts Daybit to save the day, but he can't join Daybit because that would draw U-Olga's attention to him. Instead, he chooses to join Kadoc's side. Kirschtaria with his party of 5 gods is all Kadoc needs to turn the tides against Zeus. Kadoc's roster suffered a few casualties, but should still have its most important members (Anastasia, Habetrot, Skadi). Kirschtaria's third and last use of his ideal magecraft happened here, so he's no longer a combat asset for Kadoc.

At the same time, Douman is running the Imperial Holy Grail War in the Heian without Fujimaru's presence to intervene. This time he also brought his new assistant Gatto Beriru, probably with a really stupid spelling like 歹戸辺璃瑠. Fujimaru is honestly not much of a factor in Heian. Douman would still set up Ibuki to become a Beast, still realize the day before that Ibuki was not guaranteed to be loyal to CHALDEAS, still try to become the new Beast himself instead, still fail because he never loved mankind, and still get chopped by Kintoki. Cagliostro obtained. Apostle count: 3 -> 4.

There is a crucial difference in this scenario, however. Pepe never put Douman on his last life. Kintoki's victory accomplishes nothing. Douman can just reset the Singularity and try again. Grab a second copy of Cagliostro while he's at it, why not? Neither he nor Cagliostro can be turned into Beasts by the Fantasy Tree because they never knew true love, but Douman's team in this version has one more member. One full of opinions on love and beauty. One with a solid vision for the mankind he wants.

Speaking of Beasts, Kama also lost her source with Olympus being excised. She needs to reevaluate where's the new best place to grab Servants from, and luckily, Traum exists now. That's a few thousand Servants taken, making for a bigger, badder, and more loading-screen-filled labyrinth than ever before. However, Traum fails to provide with a human to complete the ritual by breaking all the Buddhist vows. Our twig and nerves friends aren't too equipped for that life of desire. Kama returns Bluebook to Traum, where they begin to rebuild their Servant armies from scratch. His main partner Zhang Jue might be still around.

December

Douman's second round of Heian concludes with the manifestation of Beast VII, U-Beryl. Now that he has Independent Manifestation, he can roam the Imaginary Sea in search of the disappeared Shadow Boarder. He plans to keep his word about being an allied force to CHALDEAS and U-Olga Marie, but he'll only be back after he finds Mash, and since that'd defeat the premise of this scenario, he'll never do. Nonetheless, Douman and Cagliostro consider this a job well done and regroup with U-Olga and Kotomine in Mictlan. Beryl doesn't die but metamorphosizes and leaves the plot for good. 4 Crypters remain. Cagliostro 2 obtained. Apostle count: 4->6->5 if you want to count U-Beryl as one.

Beryl's metamorphosis leaves Kadoc and Kirschtaria as the last two humans on Earth, therefore Kama's only options for Oo'oku. I don't think either of them would be able to cheat the system the ways Fujimaru did, but together, they have the combination character traits necessary to succeed. Without Goredolf completing Kama's maturation, she shouldn't be much trouble. Mata Hari's hypnosis duty can be done by Aphrodite. Scheherazade's Reality Marble duty can be done by Demeter's land-making authority. Tajima's swording really good duty can be done by a Saber from grabbed Traum. We know Yamato Takeru was one the earliest summons of the Revenge Realm, so that works. Kama gets defeated not too differently from canon. Unfortunately without Kiara to enable her development.

Second January

The canon crumbling of Oo'oku returned all Servants to Chaldea, so in this versions, all Servants in the walls should return to Traum (except Takeru who went to Kadoc's party). But Traum was already reconstructing for 2 months, so it already developed new factions. Kriemhild and Constantine are no longer faction leaders and I don't think they could manage rising to the top again. Kriem probably wouldn't even try since she'd find Siegfried in their return. Either way, someone would get the three Grails, and Zhang Jue would lead the attack on Antarctica.

We still don't know enough about CHALDEAS's total forces, but considering Kriem with 2 Traum Grails was on Siegfried's level, I can confidently say Bluebook's army gets easily wiped. No casualties among the 5 Apostles.

With that surprise threat quickly out of the way, the Apostles can return to their respective plans. A Douman shikigami attacks Kadoc, dies easily to his current party, as everyone including himself expected, and the two Cagliostros get planted in Kadoc's and Kirschtaria's heads. They don't have Dantès to cause an Id scenario, but Aphrodite continues to be an extremely value party member, allowing an Anastasia power of love solution to the horrors that inflates Kadoc's protagonist levels even harder. Kirschtaria's relationship with Caenis is unfortunately not like that, so he'd have a worse handle of the malignant information, but he can infodump all of the plot's secrets to Kadoc before he's gone. Cagliostro double dies. Apostle count: 5->3. Kirschtaria dies. 3 Crypters remain.

Second February

Kadoc and Kirschtaria not dying at the same time causes a huge disadvantage state for CHALDEAS. Remember, the reason why Bluebook could command millions of Servants at once was because he gained Representative of Mankind status from being the last human of his world. Camazotz seems to count as another example of the power a Representative of Mankind gains. Akuta and Daybit aren't human, so Kadoc is the last one left. He now can make his own Traum equivalent and become a threat CHALDEAS can't afford to ignore.

However, this is happening at the same month as ORT becomes accessible. They need to be on these two battlefronts at the same time or else they're checkmated by the one they previously ignored. The smartest option here is send Olga to get rid of Kadoc and send Douman and Kotomine to kill Daybit and secure ORT.

Even if Kadoc doesn't stand much of a chance against full power Olga, I don't believe there is any fast solution for a Representative of Mankind, so the Mictlan side of the conflict should end first. Not much to say here. Kotomine and Douman just kinda get hard walled by Camazotz. Daybit wins the race.

Izcalli's change of heart comes from the Dinosaur King reveal rather than from the few times Chaldea humiliated him, so I think he'd still say no to ORT at the last minute. And without Olga's heart to make Daybit a viable core, they have to use blond Tezca to wake up the spider. ORT retrieves the sun with practically no resistance. Apostle count: 3->1.

Kadoc and Olga probably disengage to go after Olga. Camazotz is also fighting on their side. I think ORT still takes this one. Kadoc's Servant army is very whittled down from holding off Olga, Olga can't assimilate ORT because Tezca is already there as a core, and most importantly, even if they manage to destroy ORT's body, it should be able to make shikigami copies after eating Douman. RIP Earth. Kadoc, Akuta, and Olga die. No Apostles remain. 1 Crypter remains. The Russia-Scandinavia, China, and Latin America Lostbelt weren't excised but their lands were shattered, so maybe they still exist but only in the shard that contains the tree. Lostbelt count: 3->0 or 4 depending on how this works.

ORT, Daybit, and Camazotz all survive to either be lost in space forever or become another planet's problem. The end.