Fic: Merlin: Hope Is A Waking Dream

[emei]

From the day she meets Merlin, Gwen wants. She isn’t sure what, precisely. His understated bravery draws her to him like a moth to a candle. At the feast for Lady Helen, when Merlin pushes the Prince out of danger’s way, Gwen looks at him and thinks that this is what courage looks like. A slim country boy in plain clothes, standing unafraid and

Comments

[andropovka]

This is so heartbreakingly beautiful. ;____;

[emei]

Oh thankyou. I feel so sorry for them, Gwen especially.

[archaeologist_d]

This was great. I loved the gentleness of it and how Merlin let her down slowly. Beautifully done.

[emei]

I'm pleased you found it gentle, that's perfect. :)
Thank you!

[frames_in_aria]

Aw, Gwen. I really loved your characterization of her here; and the exchange between Merlin and Arthur in the end ♥

[emei]

It's great to hear that you liked the characterization of Gwen, I wondered if I'd taken her too far into pretentiously emotional. So I'm glad you liked it.
Thank you!

[special_schizo]

Sequel! A pro-Gwen sequel! I love it! And I use too many exclamation marks...

I love how even though we all know Merlin's actually go, it's never said, so you almost start believing how Gwen sees it. And that look Merlin gives her when they see each other at the end... Bittersweet once again. I love it, even though I should feel bad about that...

Oh look, I gave up on exclamation marks and moved onto ellipses.

[emei]

♥ you. Give in to the bittersweet, come on, no feeling bad. :)

Oh it makes me happy that you liked the way it's completely Gwen's point of view - it makes the genderbend very understated, but this is Gwen's story, so. Her beliefs.

Thank you!! (You get a bonus exclamation mark just for you. Return gift.)

[special_schizo]

Damn you for making me like the bittersweet. If you didn't do it so well, I might not like you.

It's good to get the story from different points of view, especially since completely Gwen stories aren't particularly common so it's a good insight into her character. The genderbend's also good because it's so understated.

(Thankyou! I shall treasure it always.) ! - You may do what you will with this one.

[emei]

Then it's lucky I do it well enough for you to like it. It would be sad if you disliked me for my (very evil, megalomanic, in search of world domination) spreading of the bittersweet.

I want more Gwen in fandom, really. She's interesting enough to have lots and lots of stories told about her.

Thank you. I shall use it wisely.

eh

[anonymous]

hmm...i know everyone's feeling compassionate towards Gwen here, but i honestly thought this background kinda took away from the previous story. i mean, knowing just a week before Merlin is so obviously smitten with Arthur she willingly makes out with Gwen and what? stops just cuz of the gender issue? in the previous fic, the gwen/merlin seemed one-sided, and that's fine, like the show, but this was a bit...odd...
it's true i don't like Gwenevere much, as a character and cuz she does interefere with merlin/arthur in some way. :) no bashing, it's just cuz it seems silly for her to be an issue when two other characters just FIT SO WELL. and also when merlin/arthur can be stuck together well in canon too, because let's face it, there is PLENTY of leeway in canon especially considering (BBC Merlin interepretation) and cuz she's not a great character there either. she's probably kinder in the show, actually, just a little hapless and plain.
but i did love the previous fic. ~shrugs~

Re: eh

[emei]

That's interesting. I suppose I prefer my stories, love, to be a bit complicated. For me, the fact that there's something between Merlin and Gwen doesn't have to detract from the Merlin/Arthur. And I imagined that Merlin stops for a lot of reasons - including not wanting to reveal her secret, but also because she knows that she can never love Gwen the way she loves Arthur, and that she's well on her way to breaking Gwen's heart already which would get worse if they continued. And she cares too much about Gwen for that.

And well, yeah, different viewpoints, different opinions. I find Gwen in the show to be a strong, interesting, multidimensional character. I want her in fic. I don't want to use the leeway to leave her out.

Don't know if you'll see this reply, but anyway. Thank you for commenting!