Merlin - Realms [Part 6 - Final]

[cat_77]

Title: Realms
Genre: pre-slash: Arthur/Merlin, tiny bit of het: Gwen/Lancelot
Rating: R for violence
Length: ~45,000 words - Complete
Spoilers: Through Series 2, AU after the end of Series 2
Warnings: Violence, death of minor original characters
Synopsis: A portal has opened in Gaius’ rooms between Merlin’s realm and one very much like it,

Comments

[lving_darkness]

omy god this was perfect and wonderful and amazing and awesome and you are just incredible and beautiful and this was just perfect and Arthur would never betray him and Merlin told the baby dragon cousins to stop so they did and James is giving Arthur a run for his money in the mother hen department and Uther is kind of awesome and everything in between and thank you and love.

but seriously. this was amazing. your characters are spot on, and I love love love James. also, love that they call him Lord Emrys and love how Arthur thought that was funny.

I am obsessed. because this was just so wonderful to read, and I was so disappointed when it ended because i never wanted it to end ever, and I wanted to hear about Merlin's first journey over [because this isn't a sequel, right?] and everything, and guh. perfect.
there aren't enough words.
you are BAMF. and awesome.
and love love love.

[cat_77]

Thank you so much for making it all the way through this monster, and for leaving such an awesome comment! I am so very happy that you liked the final result. It kept growing and growing and...

There was no previous story to this, though a prequel type snippet is tempting (TJ wants a sequel about the wyverns and their new life with a new hatchling *g*). I kind of liked the idea that there was this big adventure that helped bond the different characters from the different realms together so that, this time around, there was less of a sense of mistrust and more of a sense of what they could do to help each other based on what they know about each other.

Thank you again for reading and for your very kind words!

[lving_darkness]

Prequels! prequels are your friend!
I WOULD READ ANYTHING YOU WRITE. EVEN IF IT'S MERLIN'S SHOPPING LIST. ♥

[helva2260]

This is so wonderful! I always love your fics for their solid character and interesting plot, but to get such an epically big story is just...wow! So very good!

I love how we got to see Arthur really struggling with his preconceptions, and with his history and the history-that-might-have-been. And it was just as fascinating to see the respect with which Merlin was held and the way that impacted on everything else.

Also, yay Aglain! I wish we'd had more time to know him - it was lovely to see him again and get the chance to play out that conversation of guilt and forgiveness and a sense of "you did your best with the information you had."

(Now I'm craving an episode with a visit to a different reality in the show itself... :D)

[cat_77]

Thank you very much! I am so very happy that you liked this monster of a fic! I think one of the biggest compliments an writer can get is that the characterization works, so thank you for letting me know you thought it did.

And Aglain! I wanted him in it, but knew Merlin would have to have at least some lingering guilt for his role in what happened to him. I so wish we had seen more of him and his role amongst the Druids on the show - it would have been fascinating.

Thank you again for reading and letting me know what you thought of the finished product!

[paradox18]

I loved this, it was simply amazing

[cat_77]

Thank you so much!

[frogspace]

I love mirror worlds, alternate realities and dimension portals! This pushed so many of my buttons that I couldn't decided whether I should read faster to get more, more, more or slow down to savor it. :) Protective!Arthur sharing a bed with an injured Merlin and Arthur meeting his (alternate) mother were two of my favorite things in this story but I also really liked the action/adventure plot (and that everyone actually managed to keep Merlin's magic secret *g*).

[cat_77]

Thank you! That was actually something I debated about for a while: should Arthur fully know about Merlin’s magic, or just be made aware of the Dragonlord powers? He may suspect there is more but can currently attribute everything to the Dragonlord heritage (at least for now).

[archaeologist_d]

That was great. I loved the differences between the two worlds and how Arthur had to realize just what Uther and Ygraine's choices were and how those choices affected everything. Well done.

[cat_77]

Thank you! I am so happy this worked for you!