[fic] What's Puzzling You Is The Nature Of My Game 5/?

[burningqueen]

Title: What's Puzzling You Is The Nature Of My Game, Part 5
Pairings: eventual Arthur/Merlin and background Lancelot/Gwen
Rating: PG-13 for now.
Word Count: ~4200 words this part.
Disclaimer: This version of Arthur, Merlin, et al belong to Shine and the BBC, not to me.
Summary: It's 1963, the Cold War is in full swing, and Arthur Pendragon, agent

Comments

[burningqueen]

This is exactly the reaction I wanted to get from this bit. Thank you!

[shiny4love]

First I must apologise as I have followed this fic from its first posting and I'm not quite sure why I have not left a comment before

[burningqueen]

Thank you for commenting! I usually don't invest in WIPs either (I only posted this before it was finished because it had been sitting on my computer for a year and was fighting to get out) so I completely understand and appreciate you investing in this all the more.

I think Arthur is a lonely character in general, not just here, and I think in this he's especially isolated from the world at large after having grown up in as insular an enviornment as MI6. (Did that sentence just makes sense? Let's hope so.)

And thanks, I really am fond of this Merlin. He's so interesting to write from Arthur's perspective -- there's a lot going on there, Arthur just doesn't know most of it yet, so neither do you.

One of the things I was very clear about when I started planning this out about a year ago was that I didn't want it to be the West vs. Russia. I didn't want the Russians to be the bad guys. It's not as black and white as communism vs. capitalism.

[shiny4love]

I didn't want the Russians to be the bad guys. It's not as black and white as communism vs. capitalism.

No totally agree about that and I really think you get that across. I'm 35 and I still remember the last dregs of that cold war fear. Its hard to explain to my 11 year old nephew that when we were his age that we genuinely worried about nuclear bombs being dropped. As a person who doesn't believe in parliamentary politics and spent her youth as a Socialist I can see both arguments and how people got stuck with certain perceptions.

The way you weave historical events in the story makes this all the more believable.

I think Arthur is a lonely character in general,

Indeed and for different reasons so is Merlin. They are both trapped by the power, status and destiny they have. Its ironic really how much they have in common and sad that they can not be each others crutch.

Again wonderful fic and look forward to the next update :)

[burningqueen]

Yeah, well, I just got through a class on the US since the second world war and a huge theme in it was obviously the Cold War and the everyday fear of the bomb. But to people of my generation who were born as the USSR was breaking up (I was born in 1989) we're the first people to be learning about this without any first hand experience. It's hard for me to imagine living like that myself, but I know it intellectually, so I can write it.

And honestly, having people who are old enough to remember these things say that I'm representing it well is the biggest compliment I can get, so thank you!

[vivitchi]

*flail*

THE JOY, MY JOY AT THE KISS, THE PLOT, THE MAGIC (that doesn't make me cringe; I hate it when magic is forced into a plot, ick), ARTHUR, MERLIN, IDEK.

MORRREEEE \o/ Can't wait~

[burningqueen]

Thank you! I appreciate the flail!

[burningqueen]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, but, yes, this is exciting. I was excited to post it, lol.

Thank you!

[ashoakandthorn]

Well... well. I'm not really sure what to say other than I really really like this and it just keeps getting better with each chapter.

[burningqueen]

Thank you!