OH HOW I LOVE IT. So muuuuuch, and I haven't yet found a fic that does this to my satisfaction, partly because 90% of all Merlin fics are Merlin/Arthur porn and the odds are stacked against me :(. Pendragons (and also Morgana/Gwen), I've got ideas about them that's been percolating since forever, I just haven't been in the right mindspace to get something rich and sink-your-teeth-into-it out of it yet. I want a Noble and Most Ancient House of Pendragon fic to be nothing less than that. ('Cos that's Pendragons!: they're rich and you wanna bite 'em.) I want the fic to break my heart and I want it to make me relate to all members of the Pendragon family, and clever observations about courtly life and kingly duties are a plus, along with all the ways Pendragons are subtly terrible at each other (accidentally or otherwise). HAHA, I already anticipate my flaily reactions to a fic that doesn't exist, good lord. Aaaaaanyway.
Actually, now come to think of it, maybe the thing is to approach the Pendragons from another angle. Maybe capture them through rumors, records, and correspondence. So they can seem even MORE larger than life through the exaggerated lens of gossip! I dunno, it just seems easier than actually narrating Pendragon actions and thoughts.
Could Gaius possibly be the manipulative person character at court? I think he can be. Uther trusts him a lot, so he knows he has a lot of sway. He drugs the only other sorcerer of high rank. And who knows what kinds of potions he can make -- maybe he's kind of like Snape, stoppering death and bottling life or whatever. Geoffrey the librarian is probably occasionally in cahoots with him. Together they are like, the ultimate Slytherclaws of Camelot. And maybe years and years ago when Hunith maybe used to chill at Camelot too, she'd roll her eyes at them a lot and say stuff like, "Fine fine, keep your secrets and play your silly little games, I've got better things to do."
AND GAIUS AND GEOFFREY, whenever they have to talk to the Dragon, they're like, "It's your turn," and "Oh no, it's your turn, don't try to wriggle out of it," and like, "I'm not wriggling, just ask him and we'll be off tonight," and like, "Tonight? You're awfully optimistic. Answers are like pulling teeth with this one."
Arthur and Merlin are destined for each other so they end up together despite everything, hooray!" Rather than "they end up together despite everything, fuck." yessssss. This is possibly just me being contrary, but I want the fic where they explore the claustrophobia of their relationship. I want Arthur and Merlin resenting each other at least a little bit! The pitfalls of knowing each other in a way no one else can. Getting in each other's space. Not aggression so much as entropy, and the natural disintegration of the spirit when you block change out of your life. Like, sheesh, it can't be all porn and endearing name-calling all the time.
Intriguing! How would it go? More beatniks? More gender politics? So, if you go original, would Uther be the real president of the time?
no subject
Actually, now come to think of it, maybe the thing is to approach the Pendragons from another angle. Maybe capture them through rumors, records, and correspondence. So they can seem even MORE larger than life through the exaggerated lens of gossip! I dunno, it just seems easier than actually narrating Pendragon actions and thoughts.
Could Gaius possibly be the manipulative person character at court? I think he can be. Uther trusts him a lot, so he knows he has a lot of sway. He drugs the only other sorcerer of high rank. And who knows what kinds of potions he can make -- maybe he's kind of like Snape, stoppering death and bottling life or whatever. Geoffrey the librarian is probably occasionally in cahoots with him. Together they are like, the ultimate Slytherclaws of Camelot. And maybe years and years ago when Hunith maybe used to chill at Camelot too, she'd roll her eyes at them a lot and say stuff like, "Fine fine, keep your secrets and play your silly little games, I've got better things to do."
AND GAIUS AND GEOFFREY, whenever they have to talk to the Dragon, they're like, "It's your turn," and "Oh no, it's your turn, don't try to wriggle out of it," and like, "I'm not wriggling, just ask him and we'll be off tonight," and like, "Tonight? You're awfully optimistic. Answers are like pulling teeth with this one."
Arthur and Merlin are destined for each other so they end up together despite everything, hooray!" Rather than "they end up together despite everything, fuck."
yessssss. This is possibly just me being contrary, but I want the fic where they explore the claustrophobia of their relationship. I want Arthur and Merlin resenting each other at least a little bit! The pitfalls of knowing each other in a way no one else can. Getting in each other's space. Not aggression so much as entropy, and the natural disintegration of the spirit when you block change out of your life. Like, sheesh, it can't be all porn and endearing name-calling all the time.
Intriguing! How would it go? More beatniks? More gender politics? So, if you go original, would Uther be the real president of the time?