Merlin Fic - Or I needed another fandom like I needed a hole in my head...
AUTHOR:Fee_Folay
FANDOM: BBC Merlin
TITLE: DESTINY
GENRE: Poetry… Don't ask. I am not sure how it happened either.
RATING: PG Slash… or baby slash, if you will.
AUTHOR’S COMMENTS: Oh goodness.
I really wasn’t in the market for a new fandom. In fact, I quite deliberately avoided watching BBC Merlin for a while for that very reason - I suspected it would draw me in. I’ve been a follower of the Camelot legend since I was a child. There is a print of the Lady of Shalott hanging above my computer desk, a castle candle holder on the bookcase beside me, a couple dragons perched on my hard drive tower, a sword in stone paperweight holding down my mail - well, you get the idea. A British production, with a bunch of attractive actors and a strong bromance? Entirely too tempting. As it turns out, due to the rather unpredictable television schedule for Merlin here in the states, it’s been rather easy to avoid the show. But now it is on Netflix - and - ah hell…
Granted, this take on the Camelot legend trends towards downright silly on occasion, hits the reset button on characterization and relationships a bit too often for my tastes and has some plot holes large enough to accommodate a herd of apatosauruses. It also plays a fast and loose with historical accuracy and the established Arthurian legend to an embarrassing degree. I mean really… reading glasses, high-heel shoes, and beer cans in Medieval Europe? FAIL. I sincerely hope no youngsters are gleaning their historical knowledge from this anachronistic show. Many times, I have had to forcefully ignore the little voice in my head that quibbles, “But that’s not how it happened!” Furthermore, the number of flatulence and pratfall jokes, makes it painfully obvious that the targeted demographic is pre-teen boys, of which I am neither. (I sometimes fear the show is actually written by pre-teen boys, but my sister assures me this is the male writers likely suffer from arrested development.) But despite its weaknesses, the show is all done with such a lighthearted sense of fun, I find I can forgive it a great deal.
And it has a great bromance (or several) at the core. What can I say?
So here we go… My very first writing in the Merlin fandom.
And I really have to wonder if my muse has gone a bit soft in the head, because really… poetry?
(And likely bad poetry at that.)
Poetry is not my usual thing.
Still, I’ve written something, and I shall try to be happy with that.
And maybe someone else will appreciate it too.
Oh, and I know the title is lame and has likely been used three thousand times before in this fandom (now three thousand one) - but it seemed to fit.
Sometimes you can shape your DESTINY, and sometimes DESTINY shapes you.
DESTINY
When DESTINY first speaks
in Dragon-tongue of flame and fire
Merlin turns away
and does not listen
will not hear
Why bind his life to that of another?
One so unworthy
obnoxious
supercilious
Why?
But DESTINY takes no interest in questions such as these
DESTINY simply is -
and denial comes at a price too high to pay
So Merlin is trapped
shackled to a future of legends and myth
his life no longer his own to command
He is but a pawn, to be shuffled about by forces he cannot control
This he comes to understand
And DESTINY is something he resents.
But, as the seasons turn and autumn chills to winter
DESTINY becomes something welcomed -
it gives him purpose in a life adrift
adventure when he has known little more than daily toil
a future to hope for when the present bleeds with pain
It gives him a knotty-pated prince
And he watches because that is his DESTINY
And he protects because that is his DESTINY
And he defends because that is his DESTINY
It is no easy task
The prince is forever running-
Running headlong into danger and death
And Merlin always trailing behind
overlooked
forgotten
shackled to a prince and a DESTINY of legend and myth
and cursing both
for neither seem to hold any love for him
He must play the knight and protect his prince
and this he accepts.
But as the seasons turn, and winter blossoms to spring
DESTINY becomes something longed for -
it gives him companionship as he wanders alone in a world that does not welcome him
laughter when his heart is heavy with grief
a brother he never had
It gives him fair-haired Arthur
And he watches because he appreciates beauty
And he protects because his heart is fierce
And he defends because he cares
It is no easy task
For Arthur is forever running-
Running headlong into danger and death
But Merlin is learning to anticipate him
and sometimes he catches up before it is too late
He has become the rook, the walls that stand between Arthur and those who would harm him
And this he welcomes.
And as the seasons turn, and years slip by DESTINY becomes something cherished -
it gives him fond blue eyes and lazy smiles
fevered hands speaking a language of possession upon his skin
heated kisses and promises in the dark
It gives him love
And he watches because he cannot turn away
And he protects because Arthur is his
And he defends because he cannot bear the loss
It is no easy task
His love is forever running-
Running headlong into danger and death
But Merlin now knows where the path will lead
and sometimes he gets there first
He is neither queen, for that falls to Gwenivere
Nor is he bishop, for religion is no friend to his kind
He is but himself
Merlin
Emrys
He is magic
And this he embraces.
But sometimes, on dark nights when rain lashes the windows his thought follow dark paths
he thinks -
If I build a wall around him one hundred cubits high
no one could reach him to do him harm
If I wrap him in chains that bind his hands and feet
he could not escape and come to ruin
If I shut him in a tower and seal off the entrance
I could keep him safe from all ills
If I turn him into a small bird
with jeweled feathers
and lock him in a gilded cage
placed on a shelf
in my chambers -
he will be mine forever
But these thoughts twist and burn inside like bitter poison
evil spells uncast
and he knows them for the wrong they are
So the only walls he will build are ones that offer safe harbor from the storms
And the only chains he will fashion are those that bind his lover’s heart
And memories alone will he dare imprison
Nor will it be a bejeweled bird he births with magic-
it will be the Once and Future King of all of Albion
Because that is their DESTINY.
FANDOM: BBC Merlin
TITLE: DESTINY
GENRE: Poetry… Don't ask. I am not sure how it happened either.
RATING: PG Slash… or baby slash, if you will.
AUTHOR’S COMMENTS: Oh goodness.
I really wasn’t in the market for a new fandom. In fact, I quite deliberately avoided watching BBC Merlin for a while for that very reason - I suspected it would draw me in. I’ve been a follower of the Camelot legend since I was a child. There is a print of the Lady of Shalott hanging above my computer desk, a castle candle holder on the bookcase beside me, a couple dragons perched on my hard drive tower, a sword in stone paperweight holding down my mail - well, you get the idea. A British production, with a bunch of attractive actors and a strong bromance? Entirely too tempting. As it turns out, due to the rather unpredictable television schedule for Merlin here in the states, it’s been rather easy to avoid the show. But now it is on Netflix - and - ah hell…
Granted, this take on the Camelot legend trends towards downright silly on occasion, hits the reset button on characterization and relationships a bit too often for my tastes and has some plot holes large enough to accommodate a herd of apatosauruses. It also plays a fast and loose with historical accuracy and the established Arthurian legend to an embarrassing degree. I mean really… reading glasses, high-heel shoes, and beer cans in Medieval Europe? FAIL. I sincerely hope no youngsters are gleaning their historical knowledge from this anachronistic show. Many times, I have had to forcefully ignore the little voice in my head that quibbles, “But that’s not how it happened!” Furthermore, the number of flatulence and pratfall jokes, makes it painfully obvious that the targeted demographic is pre-teen boys, of which I am neither. (I sometimes fear the show is actually written by pre-teen boys, but my sister assures me this is the male writers likely suffer from arrested development.) But despite its weaknesses, the show is all done with such a lighthearted sense of fun, I find I can forgive it a great deal.
And it has a great bromance (or several) at the core. What can I say?
So here we go… My very first writing in the Merlin fandom.
And I really have to wonder if my muse has gone a bit soft in the head, because really… poetry?
(And likely bad poetry at that.)
Poetry is not my usual thing.
Still, I’ve written something, and I shall try to be happy with that.
And maybe someone else will appreciate it too.
Oh, and I know the title is lame and has likely been used three thousand times before in this fandom (now three thousand one) - but it seemed to fit.
Sometimes you can shape your DESTINY, and sometimes DESTINY shapes you.
DESTINY
When DESTINY first speaks
in Dragon-tongue of flame and fire
Merlin turns away
and does not listen
will not hear
Why bind his life to that of another?
One so unworthy
obnoxious
supercilious
Why?
But DESTINY takes no interest in questions such as these
DESTINY simply is -
and denial comes at a price too high to pay
So Merlin is trapped
shackled to a future of legends and myth
his life no longer his own to command
He is but a pawn, to be shuffled about by forces he cannot control
This he comes to understand
And DESTINY is something he resents.
But, as the seasons turn and autumn chills to winter
DESTINY becomes something welcomed -
it gives him purpose in a life adrift
adventure when he has known little more than daily toil
a future to hope for when the present bleeds with pain
It gives him a knotty-pated prince
And he watches because that is his DESTINY
And he protects because that is his DESTINY
And he defends because that is his DESTINY
It is no easy task
The prince is forever running-
Running headlong into danger and death
And Merlin always trailing behind
overlooked
forgotten
shackled to a prince and a DESTINY of legend and myth
and cursing both
for neither seem to hold any love for him
He must play the knight and protect his prince
and this he accepts.
But as the seasons turn, and winter blossoms to spring
DESTINY becomes something longed for -
it gives him companionship as he wanders alone in a world that does not welcome him
laughter when his heart is heavy with grief
a brother he never had
It gives him fair-haired Arthur
And he watches because he appreciates beauty
And he protects because his heart is fierce
And he defends because he cares
It is no easy task
For Arthur is forever running-
Running headlong into danger and death
But Merlin is learning to anticipate him
and sometimes he catches up before it is too late
He has become the rook, the walls that stand between Arthur and those who would harm him
And this he welcomes.
And as the seasons turn, and years slip by DESTINY becomes something cherished -
it gives him fond blue eyes and lazy smiles
fevered hands speaking a language of possession upon his skin
heated kisses and promises in the dark
It gives him love
And he watches because he cannot turn away
And he protects because Arthur is his
And he defends because he cannot bear the loss
It is no easy task
His love is forever running-
Running headlong into danger and death
But Merlin now knows where the path will lead
and sometimes he gets there first
He is neither queen, for that falls to Gwenivere
Nor is he bishop, for religion is no friend to his kind
He is but himself
Merlin
Emrys
He is magic
And this he embraces.
But sometimes, on dark nights when rain lashes the windows his thought follow dark paths
he thinks -
If I build a wall around him one hundred cubits high
no one could reach him to do him harm
If I wrap him in chains that bind his hands and feet
he could not escape and come to ruin
If I shut him in a tower and seal off the entrance
I could keep him safe from all ills
If I turn him into a small bird
with jeweled feathers
and lock him in a gilded cage
placed on a shelf
in my chambers -
he will be mine forever
But these thoughts twist and burn inside like bitter poison
evil spells uncast
and he knows them for the wrong they are
So the only walls he will build are ones that offer safe harbor from the storms
And the only chains he will fashion are those that bind his lover’s heart
And memories alone will he dare imprison
Nor will it be a bejeweled bird he births with magic-
it will be the Once and Future King of all of Albion
Because that is their DESTINY.