Merlin Circus AU » Pendragon Circus was a sight practically every child dreamed of seeing. Every young boy would come to see the daring Arthur preform stunts and risk his life. The young girls would stare in awe at the lithe acrobat Morgana. And who didn’t love the talented Gwen’s tricks with the animals? But when the ringmaster, Uther Pendragon, decides to bring aboard a young and talented magician named Merlin, he seems to steal everyone’s breath away, especially Arthur. Amidst impossible performances, unbelievable illusions, and secret love, it’s a show you can’t miss.
lines for victorian!merthur :) the ~final version will be colored, but i’m really pleased with the just-lines version so i’m posting it because, well, that’s what this blog is for :3
also: reminder that there’s free international shipping at my society6 shop till may 12 when you go through this link!
There should be a picture of Merlin and Gauis with a caption that says: “This Is Love Too.”
(although WHY it’s such an unpopular opinion is completely beyond me)
It seems like everyone is pretty much convinced that after Arthur dies Merlin leaves and never comes back to Camelot, and I’m just like
NooooonoOOoOOoOoooo…oooo………o………….
(made rebloggable on request. I’m sorry if it’s not 100% that coherent, I’m in quite a bit of pain right now, and typing one-handed mostly so I appologize for any mistakes, etc.)
______
I think the fandom is being really unfair to Merlin and his strength when lots of people are all ‘Merlin never went back to Camelot’ ‘Merlin was depressed and lonely waiting for Arthur’ etc.
I think it’s a disservice to the character.
I think Merlin would have gone back to Camelot. Because there are people there that he loves deeply. Especially Gaius. And yeah, maybe it’d take a while. Maybe he’d go back to Ealdor first, stay with his mom, mourn. But I think he’d go back. He’d want to be there and be able to tell Gwen what happened to Arthur. (One could argue that if Percival ever made it to Avalon’s lake, then Merlin could have told him and Percival would have related the news but yeah).
Mostly, I don’t think Merlin could live with himself if he left Gaius alone. I think people underestimate the love between them. Beside Arthur and his mom, Gaius is the most important person in Merlin’s life, and the only one in Camelot that ever truly knew aout him.
And yeah, I think there would always be a part of him that’d wait for Arthur, but I think with time he’d learn to live again. And there would always be that part of him bruised by loss, heavy with it, but he’d live again, love again. He’d learn more about magic (maybe even help Gwen as I’m sure after all that happened she’d lift the ban on magic), he’d maybe train with the Druids. He’s hardly the only immortal magical creature in the world. He’d have companions for a while. He’d travel, make discoveries, learn, fall in love. And maybe there would be periods where the wait would get heavier, harder to bear, since that’s pretty normal, and immortality is not an easy thing to go through, seeing all the people, and things you love, change and die. I think that immortality itslef would be harder to bear than Arthur’s death, but that the promise of a return would give purpose and drive and reason for it.
Merlin has always needed purpose, that’s why he embraced this whole destiny thing without much of a blink. I think, after grieving, he’d channel all his energy into a new purpose. Of course it’d take time. The last ten years of his life have been dedicated to this one dream, this one man, this one idea, and now it’s gone. He’d feel pretty useless, an purposeless, add to that the shame of thinking he has failed his destiny. The guilt. I think he could find some kind of balance eventually. He’s strong. He’s brave. He’s not much of a coward, and he cares.
I think it’s unfair to think that Merlin cannot be Merlin without Arthur. He might not feel 100% complete without him, but I think he could still be happy. He could find what it means to be himself, for himself as well, and not for another.
ETA: If anything he’d want to be ready for Arthur’s return. Which would mean training his magic, learning about it, learning about the world, the people etc. You can’t do that if you hide yourself forever. Also, GAIUS. Merlin would go back to at least see Gaius one more time.
Die if I must, let my bones turn to dust. I’m the Lord of the lake and I don’t want to leave. All who sail off the coast ever more will remember the tale of the ghost on the shore.
Merlin Alternate Universe - t h e p a i n t e r
For years Arthur searched for his muse. The one person who was worth the paint, worth the hundreds of etches and fine brushes. For years people visited his chambers. Noblemen would bring their daughters, begging Arthur to paint their soft features and round faces. The maids would bustle through his chamber, lingering near the windows, letting light caress their smiles. But the painter turned his visitors all down, all but one. The one who stumbled in his chambers one day by pure accident and kept coming back ever since;
“Your cheekbones are- they are- they catch the light very well. They are quite captivating.”
“Are they?”
“Oh yeah.”
artists!AUs for the win!
artist! Arthur:
![My Elena/Mithian (and other femslash pairings) Rec List
Some of my favourite Merlin femslash stories—mostly Elena/Mithian, but really good ones involving Vivian, Freya, Gwen and Morgana as well. (+ a little to-read list)Rare pairings and women being awesome.
(under a read more so it can be updated)
[[MORE]]
I put a little star beside my very favorite ones. If you’re not used to femslash, or don’t read it often, or don’t know where to start I’d say try one of those first, but they’re really all good :D
Girls & Horses, by sophinisba0.5K | Elena’s fourteen and she’s never met a girl who loves horses as much as she does.[ podfic, by quintenttsy ]
The Loneliness and the Scream, by quintenttsy8.5K | After Elena’s father forbids her from joining any sports teams, she decides the next best thing she can do is join the cheerleading squad. Much to her surprise, it’s a challenge and she really enjoys it, even if she is the clumsiest one on the team. Cue self-exploration! Growing as a cheerleader, becoming more accepted by the team, making friendships and fumbling through high school politics.
☆ A Perfect Woman, Nobly Planned, by nonisland2K | Four things Mithian learned to do for her kingdom, and one thing she did for herself.
☆ Starships, by ingberry2.5K | Elena had never met anyone who loves HORSEs as much as she does before attending Nemeth Intergalactic Military Academy. Meeting Mithian, who handles The Bow like it’s an extension of herself and rides a HORSE fearlessly, changes everything.
A Statue Strong Enough For Two, by lady_ragnell39K | Elena is a street-level superhero—she’s never been one of the ones who wanted glory. Now, though, a visit from an old enemy forces her to step up and see what she might have to do with the Sidhe who invaded and were sent away twenty years ago. Luckily, she has fellow superheroes, especially the Huntress, to back her up, and a new girlfriend in her regular life to make things feel more normal. (Though nothing, of course, can ever be normal when you’ve got a secret identity.)[ podfic, by exmanhater ]
☆ The Sun Hasn’t Died, by lady_ragnell11K | You have to figure out how to survive somehow, after the world ends. Elena does it by stealing horses and roaming, at least until she finds the village of Camelot and its residents, especially its librarian.
Words That I Can’t Say, by lady_ragnell8K | Elena’s got a massive crush on her politics TA, and Mithian’s doing absolutely nothing to discourage it.[ podfic, by quintenttsy ]
» » Mithian / Elena / Vivian☆ The Last Human Word, by lady_ragnell0.8K | Princesses are supposed to have feelings, after all, but only good ones.
» » Elena / VivianRumpled, by samyazaz0.7K | Elena wasn’t one to set store by gossip or rumors. She knew the things people said about Vivian — generally some variation of “bitch” or “slut”, depending on who you asked — but Elena thought she was perfect.
» » Elena / MorganaA Sky of Diamonds Just For Us, by nonisland1.8K | <Morgana programs the order, and when she does her sleeve falls back just enough that Elena can see a curl of gold beneath it. It could be jewelry, of course, but she doesn’t think it is. The daughter or—? question of earlier bubbles up in her mind again, but this time she finishes it prisoner.[ podfic, by quintenttsy ]
» » Freya / Gwen☆ The Shoemaker, by fleete23.5K | Historical magical AU. In turn-of-the-century Glastonbury, Freya Lake is the headmistress of an orphanage for magical children. And despite all the seers’ dire warnings, Freya is happy; her infatuation with the shoemaker’s apprentice—who may or may not be a girl underneath his shirt and trousers—is slowly coming to a head. But then a woman claiming to be Morgan Le Fay shows up on the orphanage steps, demanding to see Emrys, and Freya is forced to rearrange her priorities.
All the Wrong Turns, Turned Right, by slightlytookish (Elena / Vivian)
I Want Your Drama, the Touch of Your Hand, by nonisland (Elena / Vivian)
Beneath The Starlit Sky, by slightlytookish (Elena / Freya)
Oh Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, by quintenttsy (Elena / Mithian)
Keep It Steady (while your heart is hot), by quintenttsy (Elena / Freya / Mithian)
If We Are Monsters, by allyoxin3 (Freya / Morgana)
Induction, by glim (Freya / Morgana)
Mistletoe (tre), by Ren (Freya / Vivian)
The Are the Fables, by Glinda (Freya / Vivian)
A Seduction Between Shots, by bloodsongs (Mithian / Morgana)
Be Wary of Powerful Magic and Strong Drink, by Netgirl_y2k (Morgana / Vivian)
Like A Fish Needs a Bicycle, by Netgirl_y2k (Morgana / Vivian)
Tell Me Something That’ll Save Me (GEN), by nonisland (Morgana / Vivian)
We’re All Damsels Here, by itachitachi (various)](http://25.media.tumblr.com/6ff6aab04061097453d752c7fa983cbc/tumblr_mmepw9JrVU1rpe9ipo1_r1_500.png)
My Elena/Mithian (and other femslash pairings) Rec List
Some of my favourite Merlin femslash stories—mostly Elena/Mithian, but really good ones involving Vivian, Freya, Gwen and Morgana as well. (+ a little to-read list)
Rare pairings and women being awesome.
(under a read more so it can be updated)
