words by chaosgenes, art by @eviko
Summary: Merlin meets a mischievous older alternate future Arthur who doesn’t know how he ends up there. While keeping him secret from the Pendragons, Merlin tries to send him back home while ignoring his suggestions to seduce Young Arthur, which “accidentally” happens many times anyway. Arthur begins to fall for Merlin and tries to help him send the other Arthur home, even if Arthur doesn’t like or trust his future self.
Click HERE for the story and art!
I want to give a shout out to my favourite Merlin fan art artists.
The Fan art artists
amphigoury
You are probably one of the first Merthur fan art artists I subscribed to when I first got into Merlin. You have no idea how much i adored your art as i got into Merlin (Still adore your art). It really spoke to me. I loved all your merthur fan art and I admire your talent. You hold a special place in my heart when it comes to your merthur art. I know you don’t upload that much anymore but when you do, it really means a lot to see new art of yours.
Ta-moe
You are also one of my first fan art artists of Merthur that i followed. I adored your series ones and Doujinshi. Of course i adored all of your merthur art and your cosplays. She does an amazing Merlin. Your art was and is so special to me. I couldn’t get enough of your art. You did so much in so many new ways, it blew me away. You also hold a special place in my merthur heart too.
Obsidianserpent
You are my hero. I probably knew your art since i started watching Merlin. You have SUCH a talent. An enormous talent that i just adore. I love your merthur art so much. Your expression, colour and aura. Just...wow. I just can’t express how much i love your art. All of your merthur fan art are my favourites. I cannot for the life of me pick the best one. I really don’t know what to say, I love your art. The emotions and the feeling of the art is so brilliant. The mood is portrayed so well. I know what i should be feeling when i look at the painting. The scene you portray is done in such a brilliant and intimate way with the characters.
Maryluis
Omg, you god. Seriously you are fantastic. I LOVE your art style. You have so much energy and life in your art works. They are so expressive and real in a way where they have they’re own lives. I’m so glad you do Merthur fan art. You have no idea how happy your fan art makes me. I could be having an awful day and your new art just brings a huge smile to my face. I can’t express myself enough, I truly love your fan art. You really are an inspiration to me. I wish i could be as good as you xD Your humour is so good as well.
Whimsycatcher
Your art is spectacular. Truly. I love your art style as well. Your lines are so brilliantly done. Your realism and colour is just mind-blowing. Seriously, you are fantastic and I love your art. I don’t think i can express enough just how much i adore your art. It’s so pleasing to the eye. So, so impressive! You are probably one of my fav merthur fan art artists atm. Def top 3.
Alexandar Cho
Your art is fantastic. So aesthetic. I just love the colours and how you draw. It has such a magical feel to it. I love all your merthur fan art work. Honestly. I ADORE your druid king one and your crown me. It has so much energy and wonder to them. They are so pleasing to look at.
syllirium
Your art is fantastic. You add so much wonder to your artworks. So creative with how you do each piece. You create little stories within the painting so well.Your colours and brush strokes are so precise and excellently done. They have so much emotion in your character’s expressions and the mood and tone is just so well done and you put it out in such a great way.
kneelmortals
Your characters have so much character. Honestly, i love your humour and what they get up to in the fan arts. Some to make me cry, laugh, smile and weep over. From domestic modern to beautiful medieval intimacy. I love your art so much. You have such a wide range of eras and moments and emotions in them, they can be enjoyed by everyone. So much fluff too, so sweet.
barbitone
Wow. I just can’t tell you how much I love your art style. It’s so finely time and with amazing detail. The colours and lines are so rich with colour and beauty. So smooth and even if messy it’s done in such a beautiful and rough way where it’s so pleasing to look at. Your stories have so much soul and personality to them. The characters are great. Everything about your art pieces of merthur is fantastic. The speech bubbles, the writing, the colours and lines. The features, just...flawless. So brilliant, I just love your art. From simple to extremely detailed, I love it to pieces. And some will make me cry and other will make me grin from ear to ear.
mformadness
So bright, so happy, so hopeful and beautiful. Wonderfully drawn, gentle and lovely characters. Your SHADING OMG. I can’t stand how amazing it is done and how it’s so well blended together. Your lighting is SO GOOD. So much fluff, humour and sadness. So brilliant.
frejafenris
Ok, so. When you sold your soul to the fan art gods, it worked. You are godlike. Your art is OUT OF THIS WORLD. That hospital art work, broke my heart. EACH and EVERY one of your merthur artworks just blow me away! Seriously, SO realistic and beautiful and brilliant. The emotions and it’s just so PERFECT. I’m GLAD you take those pics of the close in shots of pieces of the artwork because now I can see just how INSANELY talented you are! I bow down to you. You are brilliant.
artgroves
Wow. Wow. Wow. Your intimate merthur ones are just amazing. So real and beautiful. So domestic and gentle. They have such a real, homely feel to it that warms the heart. So expressive. Others suggestive. Imaginative and BEAUTIFULLY drawn. Your shading is lovely and everything is amazing. So stylistic. So emotional and so magical and creative. You hold such a special place in my heart.
gj-fangirls
So different and stylised with so much emotion in them. So much action and expression and the feels are SO real. The art and colour is super amazing.
komadoree
You hold a very special place in my heart. I really love your artwork. They make me so happy. So beautifully done and expressive and just so fantastic. I saw your talent grow and grow over the years, just so brilliant and amazing to see that happen. and you tried so many different things. You really give it your all.
Eviko
How can I not talk about you? Everything about your art is amazing. Your story telling is brilliant. Your characters so so expressive and it tugs on my heart strings to no end. It brings me so much joy to see your art.
Achelseabee
Much love. Just so fantastic, your colours and blending is fantastic. You have so much talent. So cheerful and beautiful and lovely to look at. So domestic and homely and fluff.
Puckboum
Fantastic atmosphere. Setting and emotion as well as the whole mood. ON POINT 100% brilliant! I can’t say it enough. Makes me so happy to see your work.
Sexgenius
YOU NEED AN AWARD. Bless you. Your talent is amazing and out of this world. Your classic art and colour is just stunning!! I don’t know what else to say. Perfection. Just 100% beauty and the mood is stunning.
Deheerkonijn
How can I NOT talk about you? You are my number 1. You are a blessing to this fandom, you have done so much and helped so much. Your art is fantastic, beautiful, heart warming, funny and beautiful and expressive. So much emotions. Just so beautiful. You make my day. I know you haven't done much merthur fan art lately but wow, you have done so much of it. They are all so beautifully done. Just so fantastic. I remember how excited I got when i saw another one of your new artworks. So special, honestly. So so special. I can’t say it enough. Thank you so much. Really. :)
There are others but i wanted to show my faves. I want to thank all of you for all the amazing fan arts you are all doing. To every other merthur fan art artists, thank you so much for your art, all merthur art makes me happy. Its great to see that new people are joining this fandom and there is still fan art of such a great pairing still being made.
words by chaosgenes, art by @eviko
Summary: Merlin is magically crippled after going back to the wrong time in medieval Camelot. Arthur lives but an evil Morgana is still in hiding and as Merlin tries to recover his magic, he also attempts to "fix" the past. Never would he have thought that everything would be set against him, even his own king, Arthur. (This is the darker prequel to A Servant of Two Kings but can stand alone.)
Click HERE for the story and HERE and HERE for the art!
@eviko @foxmittens @askevi - ...ok so you’ve blocked me after my comment trying to help. i’m sorry if i offended you somehow. that wasn’t my intention in the least. i was honestly just trying to let you know why someone might have added a story on your art or reblogged with the story and tell you about xkit’s notification block, which is a great resource and which i thought would help. i see in your response that you don’t feel you should have to block anything on your own post, which i understand, but in my experience, just putting a statement out on a blog doesn’t reach everyone while a notification block would solve the problem, especially since it’s causing you distress.
again, i’m not trying to invalidate how you’re feeling, but i’m sorry if it came across as such. i do wish you hadn’t blocked me after you replied, since i don’t know if you’ll even see this, but i hope you can find a good solution.
And for the record, I love all of your art - even the experimental ones you may have done.
“Honestly, Merlin, you figured out my armor in less than a week but you’re still useless at dress laces after all this time? We haven’t even begun on my hair yet.”
“Well, unlike formal banquets, you actually enjoy beating up your knights under the guise of training and will sit still long enough for me to do my job, cabbagehead.”
A quick sketchy gift for the lovely @eviko as thanks for treating everyone to such beautiful artwork all the time~! ♥ Not exactly as sweet as you seem to draw these two, but an attempt nonetheless plz take pity upon me
No reason in particular, you’re just awesome, so I thought I’d try out your ladies!Merthur designs. I’ve always admired your color choices and ability to convey motion, and such softness with your lines and markmaking - but I especially love the way you do hair (I know I cry about it all the time at you in the tags hahaha and I probably always will cause i mean.....who wouldn’t).
With these designs in particular I love Arthur’s long long braid, and Merlin’s soft-looking waves. :’) I’m not so sure I was able to accurately emulate what I love so much about your work, but all the same -- I’m continually inspired by it!!
Sending you big big hugs and wishes for a restful weekend. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
Send me a Letter+Number and I’ll write aficlet for my OTP
Ayyy thanks my friend ;) I’m choosing 7 (genderswap) and O(h/c). I hope eviko doesn’t mind that I was inspired by her lovely art, becauseI really love WarriorPrincess!Arthur and Genderfluid!Merlin.
***
Princess Arthur was the strongest and bravest knight ofCamelot. Donned in chainmail and armor with a sword in her hand, not manyknights would be willing to face her. The people of Camelot were accustomed totheir warrior princess, knowing that one day Arthur would lead their kingdom asa great Queen.
Not everyone had always been used to Arthur though. When shewas younger she had had a maidservant, but she had only lasted up to Arthur’steen years. Princess Arthur needed a servant who was trained to know armor,battle wounds, and men’s trousers. Therefore she usually employed a manservantover a maidservant. Of course when Merlin came around, they didn’t know any ofthese things, but then again, Merlin didn’t know how to be a servant at all.
Not that being a maidservant or manservant mattered to Merlin.Sometimes Merlin wore maidservant’s skirts, smiling to themselves as theyadmired the soft fabric, and other days they wore the practical trousers of amanservant. Princess Arthur didn’t mind it either way, as long as Merlinfinished their chores on time and polished her armor sufficiently.
In her first few years of being crown princess of Camelot,Arthur’s skill with the sword was put to the test. A war was rising betweenCamelot and a neighboring kingdom, and it was Arthur’s job to quell theconflict before a few battles erupted into war.
Steady on her horse and her sword in hand, Princess Arthurlooked down to Merlin, “Do me a favor, and stay in the camp. I don’t need yourunning around the battlefield and getting yourself killed. Make bandages and readythe physician’s tent for knights.”
“Well, do me a favor and don’t rip your chainmail. It’s apain to fix.” Merlin replied with a roll of their eyes, but there was atightness in their jaw that betrayed their fear.
Hours passed and the battle continued. It wasn’t until duskthat the Princess returned, with Leon on her shoulders, a man so much tallerthan herself that he dwarfed her. “Merlin, get him to Gaius.” Arthur saidbetween gritted teeth, even with all her strength she was weary and seemed tobe struggling to hold Leon. A few knights lifted Leon off Arthur’s shoulder andMerlin directed them to Gaius.
Before Arthur could hide herself, Merlin was by her side.“Arthur.” they said with a worried brow. In an instant Merlin’s hands were onArthur’s shoulders, steadying her.
“It’s fine, Merlin.” Arthur promised with a weak smile.
Merlin couldn’t see the wound, but they didn’t stop to askwhere it was. They wrapped an arm around Arthur’s waist and helped her back toher tent. Once inside, Arthur seemed to deflate, finally acknowledging theinjury.
“Damn…” Arthur hissed out as Merlin pulled off the armor andchainmail.
“Told you not to rip this.” Merlin said, as they inspectedthe chainmail, though their voice was more soft than reprimanding.
“Didn’t do it on purpose.” Arthur said, pushing back wispsof blonde hair. Sometime during the battle it must have come out of its neatbun, now lying down her back in a long braid.
Merlin moved closer, inspecting the wounds and bruises onArthur’s body. “Here, let me…” Merlin said as they grabbed a bowl of water anda cloth. Merlin ran the cloth over the bloody wound on Arthur’s upper arm, andthen the tender bruises of her sides and chest.
Arthur’s skin prickled with goosebumps as Merlin touched herwounds, but she didn’t speak. Merlin silently wrapped a bandage over thePrincess’ arm and spreading a healing potion over her bruises. Arthur’s eyelidslowered and her muscles started to relax as Merlin continued their work.
Carefully, Merlin lifted the Princess’ hands and removed thecloth that had protected Arthur’s hands from the sword hilt. Underneath theprincess’ hands were rough with callouses and red from holding her sword allday. Merlin rubbed ointment over her hands, and Arthur let out a contentedsigh.
“Thank you, Merlin.” Arthur said, squeezing Merlin’s handsas they continued their work on Arthur’s.
“Anything else I can do for you, my lady?” Merlin asked,looking up with soft blue eyes and a worried look on their face. Almostabsentmindedly, Merlin’s fingers ran lightly over Arthur’s wrist.
Arthur’s eyes ran over Merlin’s face, and her hands twitchedinvoluntarily over Merlin’s. “I’ve had a long day…” Arthur began, but there wasa long pause as she thought of her words. “Stay the night with me? I’d like…thecompany.”
Merlin’s lips twitched, as if they wanted to smile. But theyonly gave a short nod. “Of course, your highness.”
Arthur stretched out on her bed in only her trousers,allowing the ointment on her upper body to dry. Merlin blew out the candlebefore lying on their side next to Arthur. Tentatively, Arthur took Merlin’sarm and laid it across her middle. Merlin tightened their hold and laid theirhead on Arthur’s shoulder, careful of her wounds.
“Sleep well, my lady.” Merlin said.
“Goodnight, Merlin.” Arthur whispered back.
Send me a Letter+Number and I’ll write aficlet for my OTP
