Merlin Camelot AU Recs
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Can I just talk about something that bugs me real quick? For me, fics that follow along with canon event in any fandom, are Canon AUs. Because it isn't actually canon, it's canon in an alternate universe of what could happen. Alternatively, fics that take place in the canon world, but don't follow canon events (like in Merlin fics where Merlin never came to Camelot, or grew up with the Druids, etc.) wouldn't be Canon AUs, they'd be Camelot AUs, alternate universes that take place in the Camelot world, but do not follow canon events. But nobody seems to agree with my way of seeing things, and most places refer to the fics in this list as "Canon AUs". C'est la vie.
In the Warnings section of each entry I have different tags, so if you are looking for something specific (like "underage" for example) just ctrl+f and enter your tag and it should highlight the relevant entries!
♥ = favorite
updated April 20, 2015
Arthur/Merlin Camelot AUs
Title: The Omega Run
Author:
marguerite_26
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 1,327
Content/Warnings: AU: Omega!Verse, AU: Camelot, alpha/beta/omega dynamics, first time, omega!merlin, bottom!merlin, dub-con, heat cycles, fuck or die, underage, age difference
Summary: Arthur immediately recognises what he has stumbled upon. He has heard rumours of the barbaric practice still occurring, but he hadn’t believed it could be on Camelot’s soil again. Omega Runs have been banned from this land for more than twenty years, but this couldn’t be anything else.
I love a/b/o fics and this one was short and fabulous. Makes me want to keep reading in this verse!
Title: Something Beautiful
Author:
cherrybina
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 4,903
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, bottom!merlin, age difference, underage
Summary: King Arthur meets his new manservant, a 16-year-old boy named Merlin. Canon era AU.
So hot! Loved the age difference here and how that did and didn't change their dynamic. Plus guilty Arthur and seductive Merlin are just made of win.
Title: A Moving Target
Author: chicaintcheap
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~7,000
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, bottom!merlin, merlin-holidays
Summary: The story of a prince and his assassin.
Really cool Camelot AU with Merlin being raised by druids and sent to Camelot to assasinate Arthur. Which, of course, he cannot bring himself to do.
Title: Lupercalia
Author:
novemberlite
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 8,268
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, AU: Omega!Verse, alpha/beta/omega dynamics, omega!merlin, outdoor!sex, first time, bottom!merlin, knotting, heat cycles
Summary: Canon AU. On his way to Camelot, Merlin goes into heat for the first time. Things progress from there, as they are wont to do.
Super hot fic that takes place pre-canon and fuses the canon verse with a/b/o dynamics.
Title: Melin LeFay Series (3 Fics)
Author:
halfhardtorock
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin, some Merlin/OMCs
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 9,516
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, pseudo-incest, underage, spanking, bottom!merlin, dirty talk, first time, dub-con, outdoor!sex
Summary: This is an AU where Merlin is Arthur's little brother. Well, Merlin is Morgana's little brother and he's come to live with Arthur and Uther.
Mega hot Camelot AU where Merlin is Morgana's younger brother and is raised with Arthur. Pseudo-incest and some age difference kink, so basically everything I love.
Title: Treaty Negotiations
Author:
marguerite_26
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 10,559
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, king!arthur, bottom!merlin, tattoos
Summary: In the face of his people’s suffering, Arthur turns to the druids to see if a treaty with magic users can secure his kingdom’s future.
Awesome Camelot AU with King Arthur and druid!Merlin. Super interesting and sexy!
Title: Borderlands
Author:
Nympha_Alba
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: Hard R (rated T on AO3, but I think M is more accurate)
Word Count: 10,762
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, arthur finds out, forced proximity
Summary: Canon era AU. When Arthur is separated from his knights by a mysterious fog on the Mercian border, he finds himself trapped in a place that seems to balance between dream and reality. To regain his freedom he must put his trust in one of Lord Bayard's closest men - a man who calls himself Merlin.
Such a lovely Camelot AU with Merlin and Arthur getting trapped together and getting to know one another. It's sensual and beautifully written with a wonderful hopeful ending. I wish there was more! :D
Title: The Hunt
Author:
novemberlite
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 12,132
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, rough sex, outdoor!sex, first time, bottom!merlin, mating run, knotting, rimming
Summary: “Those Pendragons, they’re a different sort. Beastly, but clever. It’s said they’re drawn to magic--to power--and that’s how they find their... mate.”
Awesome Camelot AU with super hot mating hunts and knotting!
Title: Leashed
Author:
riventhorn
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 13,162
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, AU: Slavery, slave!merlin, collars, first time, bottom!merlin, bondage, light D/s
Summary: Rather than killing all sorcerers, Uther has select few "leashed" and enslaved to the service of his armies. Merlin is leashed and Arthur is his master.
Really interesting Camelot AU that has Merlin collar and given to Arthur as a boy to train and tame. So lovely seeing their relationship evolve and how they both deal with this inequality. beautiful and super hot.
Title: Let Us Dare
Author:
kianspo
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: Hard R
Word Count: 29,511
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, bottom!merlin
Summary: Uther dies instead of Ygraine when Arthur is born. Balinor helps Ygraine secure her position as regent, magic isn’t banned, and Merlin and Arthur grow up side by side. Camelot is different but not cloudless, destiny is still a troublesome thing, and Arthur is still charmingly oblivious when it comes to things that matter most in life.
Super wonderful Camelot AU where magic was never banned and Merlin and Arthur grow up together. I adored seeing how the canon events where fused into the world, and I really enjoyed that there was still some tension here between Arthur and Merlin. Really great read.
Title: The Omega Ball
Author:
Unloyal_Olio
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin, background Lance/Gwen, Morgana/Gwaine
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 31,782
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, AU: Omega!Verse, alpha/beta/omega dynamics, omega!merlin, alpha!arthur, bottom!merlin, heat cycles, mates, knotting, first time, MPREG, outdoor!sex, arthur finds out
Summary: It's the way alphas and omegas meet: they go to the druid's omega ball. Given his father's proclivity for murdering magic folk, Arthur has to go in disguise. Meanwhile, Merlin is still trying to hide his abilities. Morgana is up to no good with an ancient potion. Lancelot is fearfully noble, and Gwaine is laughing at everyone.
Somehow, nobody ends up properly waltzing.
Awesome Camelot AU merged with Omega!Verse. Fun and sexy and really quite funny.
Title: Remember When We Never Faded
Author:
giselleslash
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin, background Lance/Gwen, Morgana/Gwaine
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 37,246
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, bottom!merlin, first time, outdoor!sex, arthur finds out, memory loss, amnesia!fic, paper legends fest 2013
Summary: Merlin and Arthur don't meet in Camelot: they meet near Ealdor. Merlin brings an unconscious Arthur home from battle, but when Arthur wakes, he's forgotten who he is. The closer they become, the more Merlin believes in the world their shared destiny could create.
Fun twist on canon, with Arthur and Merlin meeting in Ealdor instead of Camelot. The amnesia trope was well written here, and watching Merlin and Arthur's relationship grow was just lovely.
Title: dreams for wings and wanderers
Author:
Etharei
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin, Arthur/Gwen, implied Gwaine/Percival
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 66,717
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, AU: Fusion, Temeraire fusion, arthur finds out, dragons, bottom!merlin, paper legends 2012
Summary: Dragons are feared and mistrusted throughout Albion, and there are very few of them left in Camelot, for Uther’s long campaign against magic also included hunting down all the dragons in the wild. Now, Camelot is recovering from the invasion of Cenred and Morgause's army. Prince Arthur is the one in charge, and Merlin finds out that his secret regular visits to the covert haven't been very secret at all. There's a great deal of manly bonding with the Knights, inquisitive dragons being inquisitive, and a record-breaking number of near-death experiences for Merlin. And this is before he gets his very own dragon. (A Merlin/Temeraire fusion.)
Really fascinating fic! I don't know anything about the fused fandom, but the dragons here are perfectly incorporated into the Merlin Universe. Canon has been tweaked just slightly to account for the new dragon lore, but the whole thing is really seamless. Love Arthur and Merlin's slowly evolving relationship here, and Merlin's characterization is especially fabulous.
This entry was originally posted here on Dreamwidth. Please comment there using OpenID
Can I just talk about something that bugs me real quick? For me, fics that follow along with canon event in any fandom, are Canon AUs. Because it isn't actually canon, it's canon in an alternate universe of what could happen. Alternatively, fics that take place in the canon world, but don't follow canon events (like in Merlin fics where Merlin never came to Camelot, or grew up with the Druids, etc.) wouldn't be Canon AUs, they'd be Camelot AUs, alternate universes that take place in the Camelot world, but do not follow canon events. But nobody seems to agree with my way of seeing things, and most places refer to the fics in this list as "Canon AUs". C'est la vie.
In the Warnings section of each entry I have different tags, so if you are looking for something specific (like "underage" for example) just ctrl+f and enter your tag and it should highlight the relevant entries!
♥ = favorite
updated April 20, 2015
Arthur/Merlin Camelot AUs
Title: The Omega Run
Author:
marguerite_26
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 1,327
Content/Warnings: AU: Omega!Verse, AU: Camelot, alpha/beta/omega dynamics, first time, omega!merlin, bottom!merlin, dub-con, heat cycles, fuck or die, underage, age difference
Summary: Arthur immediately recognises what he has stumbled upon. He has heard rumours of the barbaric practice still occurring, but he hadn’t believed it could be on Camelot’s soil again. Omega Runs have been banned from this land for more than twenty years, but this couldn’t be anything else.
I love a/b/o fics and this one was short and fabulous. Makes me want to keep reading in this verse!
Title: Something Beautiful
Author:
cherrybina
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 4,903
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, bottom!merlin, age difference, underage
Summary: King Arthur meets his new manservant, a 16-year-old boy named Merlin. Canon era AU.
So hot! Loved the age difference here and how that did and didn't change their dynamic. Plus guilty Arthur and seductive Merlin are just made of win.
Title: A Moving Target
Author: chicaintcheap
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~7,000
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, bottom!merlin, merlin-holidays
Summary: The story of a prince and his assassin.
Really cool Camelot AU with Merlin being raised by druids and sent to Camelot to assasinate Arthur. Which, of course, he cannot bring himself to do.
Title: Lupercalia
Author:
novemberlite
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 8,268
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, AU: Omega!Verse, alpha/beta/omega dynamics, omega!merlin, outdoor!sex, first time, bottom!merlin, knotting, heat cycles
Summary: Canon AU. On his way to Camelot, Merlin goes into heat for the first time. Things progress from there, as they are wont to do.
Super hot fic that takes place pre-canon and fuses the canon verse with a/b/o dynamics.
Title: Melin LeFay Series (3 Fics)
Author:
halfhardtorock
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin, some Merlin/OMCs
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 9,516
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, pseudo-incest, underage, spanking, bottom!merlin, dirty talk, first time, dub-con, outdoor!sex
Summary: This is an AU where Merlin is Arthur's little brother. Well, Merlin is Morgana's little brother and he's come to live with Arthur and Uther.
Mega hot Camelot AU where Merlin is Morgana's younger brother and is raised with Arthur. Pseudo-incest and some age difference kink, so basically everything I love.
Title: Treaty Negotiations
Author:
marguerite_26
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 10,559
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, king!arthur, bottom!merlin, tattoos
Summary: In the face of his people’s suffering, Arthur turns to the druids to see if a treaty with magic users can secure his kingdom’s future.
Awesome Camelot AU with King Arthur and druid!Merlin. Super interesting and sexy!
Title: Borderlands
Author:
Nympha_Alba
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: Hard R (rated T on AO3, but I think M is more accurate)
Word Count: 10,762
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, arthur finds out, forced proximity
Summary: Canon era AU. When Arthur is separated from his knights by a mysterious fog on the Mercian border, he finds himself trapped in a place that seems to balance between dream and reality. To regain his freedom he must put his trust in one of Lord Bayard's closest men - a man who calls himself Merlin.
Such a lovely Camelot AU with Merlin and Arthur getting trapped together and getting to know one another. It's sensual and beautifully written with a wonderful hopeful ending. I wish there was more! :D
Title: The Hunt
Author:
novemberlite
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 12,132
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, rough sex, outdoor!sex, first time, bottom!merlin, mating run, knotting, rimming
Summary: “Those Pendragons, they’re a different sort. Beastly, but clever. It’s said they’re drawn to magic--to power--and that’s how they find their... mate.”
Awesome Camelot AU with super hot mating hunts and knotting!
Title: Leashed
Author:
riventhorn
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 13,162
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, AU: Slavery, slave!merlin, collars, first time, bottom!merlin, bondage, light D/s
Summary: Rather than killing all sorcerers, Uther has select few "leashed" and enslaved to the service of his armies. Merlin is leashed and Arthur is his master.
Really interesting Camelot AU that has Merlin collar and given to Arthur as a boy to train and tame. So lovely seeing their relationship evolve and how they both deal with this inequality. beautiful and super hot.
Title: Let Us Dare
Author:
kianspo
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Rating: Hard R
Word Count: 29,511
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, bottom!merlin
Summary: Uther dies instead of Ygraine when Arthur is born. Balinor helps Ygraine secure her position as regent, magic isn’t banned, and Merlin and Arthur grow up side by side. Camelot is different but not cloudless, destiny is still a troublesome thing, and Arthur is still charmingly oblivious when it comes to things that matter most in life.
Super wonderful Camelot AU where magic was never banned and Merlin and Arthur grow up together. I adored seeing how the canon events where fused into the world, and I really enjoyed that there was still some tension here between Arthur and Merlin. Really great read.
Title: The Omega Ball
Author:
Unloyal_Olio
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin, background Lance/Gwen, Morgana/Gwaine
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 31,782
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, AU: Omega!Verse, alpha/beta/omega dynamics, omega!merlin, alpha!arthur, bottom!merlin, heat cycles, mates, knotting, first time, MPREG, outdoor!sex, arthur finds out
Summary: It's the way alphas and omegas meet: they go to the druid's omega ball. Given his father's proclivity for murdering magic folk, Arthur has to go in disguise. Meanwhile, Merlin is still trying to hide his abilities. Morgana is up to no good with an ancient potion. Lancelot is fearfully noble, and Gwaine is laughing at everyone.
Somehow, nobody ends up properly waltzing.
Awesome Camelot AU merged with Omega!Verse. Fun and sexy and really quite funny.
Title: Remember When We Never Faded
Author:
giselleslash
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin, background Lance/Gwen, Morgana/Gwaine
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 37,246
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, bottom!merlin, first time, outdoor!sex, arthur finds out, memory loss, amnesia!fic, paper legends fest 2013
Summary: Merlin and Arthur don't meet in Camelot: they meet near Ealdor. Merlin brings an unconscious Arthur home from battle, but when Arthur wakes, he's forgotten who he is. The closer they become, the more Merlin believes in the world their shared destiny could create.
Fun twist on canon, with Arthur and Merlin meeting in Ealdor instead of Camelot. The amnesia trope was well written here, and watching Merlin and Arthur's relationship grow was just lovely.
Title: dreams for wings and wanderers
Author:
Etharei
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin, Arthur/Gwen, implied Gwaine/Percival
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 66,717
Content/Warnings: AU: Camelot, AU: Fusion, Temeraire fusion, arthur finds out, dragons, bottom!merlin, paper legends 2012
Summary: Dragons are feared and mistrusted throughout Albion, and there are very few of them left in Camelot, for Uther’s long campaign against magic also included hunting down all the dragons in the wild. Now, Camelot is recovering from the invasion of Cenred and Morgause's army. Prince Arthur is the one in charge, and Merlin finds out that his secret regular visits to the covert haven't been very secret at all. There's a great deal of manly bonding with the Knights, inquisitive dragons being inquisitive, and a record-breaking number of near-death experiences for Merlin. And this is before he gets his very own dragon. (A Merlin/Temeraire fusion.)
Really fascinating fic! I don't know anything about the fused fandom, but the dragons here are perfectly incorporated into the Merlin Universe. Canon has been tweaked just slightly to account for the new dragon lore, but the whole thing is really seamless. Love Arthur and Merlin's slowly evolving relationship here, and Merlin's characterization is especially fabulous.
This entry was originally posted here on Dreamwidth. Please comment there using OpenID