Comments | mandysbitch: Fic (Merlin): Ascendant (AU, NC-17)

mandysbitch

Fic (Merlin): Ascendant (AU, NC-17)

Feb 14, 2009 23:55

Ascendant
Merlin, (Merlin/Arthur, AU, NC-17)
Warning: Ambiguous consent
Author's Notes: This is one of 5 AUs that were written to go into a piece together but some were good and some *really* weren't so I decided to separate out the better sections and post them individually. With thanks to gatefiction and theonlytwin who helped with that decision and others.

( Later he would blame his answer on the King’s unwavering stare. )

fic miscellaneous, fic_ merlin

Comments 48

leksa February 14 2009, 16:18:30 UTC

!!! Yes please. The mood of this is so askew & wrong (ie. right) & the characterizations so just so, I totally clapped my hands to myself a little.

mandysbitch February 15 2009, 10:37:47 UTC

The mood of this is so askew & wrong

Some of the other stories I wrote in that series attempted to be all dark and wrong and came out kind of overdone. I think this one was a bit more subtle or something? I was also experimenting with writing longer sentences because I have a tendency to be all staccato like when I'm hammering out a story and I'm sure it gets annoying. what do you think? Not my style? Noticeable difference?

Anyway, I'm grateful as always for your comments. Your loyalty is appreciated.

Also, I really like your Morgana icon. I need more Merlin icons... these ones are getting overused.

theonlytwin February 15 2009, 00:40:35 UTC

brilliant expansion. i particularly love And then Arthur laughs. “I’m sure you’re very talented,” he says, slapping his thigh. The rest of the Court laughs along with the King although Merlin is pretty sure most of them haven’t a clue what he finds funny. this is dark and funny and still the hottest thing ever.

mandysbitch February 16 2009, 11:08:29 UTC

this is dark and funny and still the hottest thing ever

This is the one that seemed most effective - the other might never see daylight. I'm not wild about them.

Speaking of expansion, you can probalby tell I've tried to expand on the sentence structure. It's a thing I'm trying.

Thanks for your help on this story and for the comments. Cheers.

walkingshadow February 15 2009, 07:17:07 UTC

this is by far the most disturbing merlin fic i've read to date, and i mean that as the highest compliment! everything is just so clearly *wrong*, it's like a horror movie, or the trough of the uncanny valley. and yet, i'm honestly not sure what makes me sadder; the arthur of this universe, or the idea you've planted of our arthur, who has had the whimsy and frivolity beaten out of him.

mandysbitch February 16 2009, 11:12:13 UTC

this is by far the most disturbing merlin fic i've read to date, and i mean that as the highest compliment!

I plan to start the disturbing and scary Merlin fic revolution. Or something. I'm flattered by the compliment though. Definitely. I was going for wrong so disturbing is good.

you've planted of our arthur, who has had the whimsy and frivolity beaten out of him.

I imagine it's the curse of being the future king. No having high jinks, no mistakes. That's got to be kind of sad, right?

Thanks for the comments. With comments like these I'm almost inspired to dip into this universe again. Uh - we'll see. :)

slashweaver February 15 2009, 11:33:43 UTC

I liked that very much! An AU, yes, but still very much them. Well done!

mandysbitch February 17 2009, 02:49:52 UTC

I wanted them to be recogniseable - if just a little askew - so I'm glad you think they are still them. Thanks!

fresica February 15 2009, 11:59:20 UTC

What an... interesting idea. I like the shift of timelines, with Arthur already king when Merlin gets to Camelot. I think that your characterisation of Arthur is a bit intriguing, as well. Without Merlin's influence, he's still a bully, which I can see. (I wonder if, as his relationship with Merlin continues in this universe, his personality would begin to smooth out the way it does in the show.) On the other hand, I do feel a bit bad for Merlin...

Either way, the scenario is well written and even kind of plausible. I like it, over all.

mandysbitch February 17 2009, 04:01:00 UTC

I like the shift of timelines, with Arthur already king when Merlin gets to Camelot.

Well - it's not so much the timeline that's shifted as the idea that Uther died when Arthur was young - which, you can be forgiven for not knowing as i didn't really go into it. There was a version where I gave an explanation... but ah, useless exposition. In the end I thought it was unnecessary.

That said, if this were a timeline that had shifted, then it's Merlin's late arrival that makes the difference - I like that too.

wonder if, as his relationship with Merlin continues in this universe, his personality would begin to smooth out the way it does in the show.

Good question. I like the idea that the damage is done and it's all downhill from here. I guess I just like the idea of it all going wrong. Eh. It's just my thing.

Thanks for the thought provoking feedback. :)