Sons of our Fathers by s0mmerspr0ssen and The_Pen_and_the_Sword
Summary: When King Uther gets word of a dragon sighting, he sees a chance to finally get his hands on Balinor’s son, the last dragonlord. Prince Arthur is determined to prove himself and makes it his personal mission to slay the beast and capture its master. But amongst rising tensions with Mercia, Camelot’s hunting party is attacked and Arthur ends up alone in the forest, severely injured. He stumbles upon Merlin, who has been on the run with Aithusa ever since his father’s death. Merlin, oblivious that the injured stranger is the Prince of Camelot, ends up helping him – a fateful decision…
The Lost Children of Ikatera is fully posted. 🎉🎉Thank you to my writer without Ellie who is such a genuine friend and person to work with. I was so happy to collaborate.
@phantom-ellie read their stories
@ofmd-reverse-bang for hosting this wonderful event
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
I am so thrilled to be sharing my submission for the BBC Merlin Reverse Bang 2023!
The wonderful mood board above is courtesy of @maxmagi, of which this fic would not have happened without their fabulous artwork and prompt.
Thank you to @ravenwilds and @sugareey-makes-stuff for being our beta’s in this process! And thank you to @bbcmerlin-reversebang for hosting this event!
Thank you to all the fantastic podficcers, artists, and writers who participated in this first round! The fest was a huge success thanks to each of you. Without further ado, here is the masterlist for the 2022-2023 BBC Merlin Reverse Bang!
Sons of our Fathers
Artist: The_Pen_and_the_Sword
Writer: s0mmerspr0ssen
Summary: When King Uther gets word of a dragon sighting, he sees a chance to finally get his hands on Balinor’s son, the last dragonlord. Prince Arthur is determined to prove himself and makes it his personal mission to slay the beast and capture its master. But amongst rising tensions with Mercia, Camelot’s hunting party is attacked and Arthur ends up alone in the forest, severely injured. He stumbles upon Merlin, who has been on the run with Aithusa ever since his father’s death. Merlin, oblivious that the injured stranger is the Prince of Camelot, ends up helping him – a fateful decision…
Summary: Arthur had been watching Merlin ever since he had first met him. He was watching Merlin just like he watched the entirety of his kingdom to protect and defend. But as fate intertwined their lives closer and closer, Arthur started feeling like watching might just not be enough.
Summary: Life is relatively easy, if monotonous, for Merlin: he lives with his parents in Outer Hebrides, he works at the local supermarket, and sometimes he uses his magic for mundane little things. But all of that changes when one day, he learns terrible news: his father is dead.
Distraught, Merlin sneaks out in the middle of the night and cries out into the sky. And then, the cry gets louder, and becomes something else…
...and then, a huge golden dragon appears on the sky.
Summary: Lord Merlin Browning lives life as a mechanic in the dazzling city of Camelot, until one day an unknown ability throws him into a world of magic and fables.
FIC & ART :https://archiveofourown.org/works/45811813
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tangled up in your bedsheets (and in your arms)
Artist: feuxx
Writer: Imagined
Summary: Merlin parts the orange in two when he’s finished peeling. The juice streams over his wrist and upper arm, and he licks it off absentmindedly before he hands over one half to Arthur. Arthur hesitates for a moment, something strange flickering over his expression before he takes his part.
“They’re best shared,” Merlin tells him, and puts a slice to his lips.
Or: When PhD student Merlin Wyllt flies to a tiny, faraway Italian town for a summer job with Professor Ygraine du Bois, he finds himself unexpectedly at odds with her son, Arthur
But not only oranges blossom in summer, and Merlin finds that he and Arthur have a lot to learn from—and about—one another.
Summary: When Arthur secretly follows Merlin into the woods to discover what his manservant is up to, the last thing he expects is to be confronted by an actual, real-life dragon. A baby dragon, granted, but still, Arthur is determined to save Merlin from his own recklessness by capturing the monster...
Arthur's actions set the two of them on a path full of secrets and truths that might make or break their relationship, and Camelot along with it.
Summary: Calm settles over Camelot after the battle of Camlann. Everyone should have been happy, yet Merlin isn't. Even though Arthur survived, the thought of what might have happened, and what could still happen in the future have him stressed out. He has taken to hiding his feelings from Gwaine, his soulmate, which hasn't made him feel any better. He hopes that soon, everything can be revealed, and things will finally calm down.
Summary: Queen Morgana rules Mount Olympus with an iron fist, and when she proposes a match between god of spring Emrys and her estranged brother — the god of death Arthur —there can be no refusing.
But in the Underworld, Emrys, who prefers to be called Merlin, discovers that his marriage comes with a catch: his new husband resents his sister and her realm, and has no time for Merlin. Quickly, their mutual apathy turns to mutual loathing. Arthur grapples with his new marriage and holding onto his resentments while Merlin seemingly finds himself with only one option — to overthrow Arthur and install himself as the ruler of the Underworld.
Summary: Years before a young boy with destiny on his shoulders walked into Camelot, there was simply…Arthur, Crown Prince of Camelot: a young man vying for his father’s approval and desperate to prove his worth. A desperation that earns him a curse, even if it saved his life. Now his heart lies outside his chest, kept safe for the time within the metal of his mother’s sigil…
Summary: He lets Arthur's body fall, his tears streaming hot down his face. They're right here. The lake is right in front of them, and yet the dragon said there's nothing he could do. They were so close.
Anger rises in him like a wave, swift and strong. Because isn't there something? Hadn't he traded a life for Arthur's once before? Nimueh's face flashes through his mind, the visage blurred by time. He hears her voice again, proclaiming that she would guide Arthur to his destiny, even though Merlin was standing before her. He recalls Gaius's words about the visions he saw in the crystal cave, and how there are many futures, not just one. If there are many, then why can't he have this?
In which Merlin saves Arthur, but there's no quick fix after revealing the secret he's kept for ten years, and no destiny to guide him any more.
I am who I am and I am who I was and I am who I will always be
Artist: viraha
Writer: Pearl09
Summary: When Uther rests on his death bed, Arthur desperately turns to magic in a last effort to save him. Merlin, disguised as Dragoon, offers his services, and manages to catch Morgana's attempt at stopping Uther's return. Arthur then asks Dragoon of one more favor: to help him find the traitor he believes lives within the castle. Now Merlin must juggle more responsibilities and his two identities in the hopes of catching Agravaine in the act before his lies all begin to fall apart.
Summary: Merlin feels overburdened and under the weather, but he doesn't want to add stress to Arthur's efforts in revitalizing his kingdom after recovering the throne from Morgana, so he tries not to take it personally when Arthur gives him a hard time. But when reports tell of a dragon within Camelot's borders and Merlin gets dragged along on a mission against his nature, the king only seems to double down on his mistreatment of his servant, making protecting the royal clotpole a lot more difficult as he fights off an untreated fever.
"Any time he felt as though he was getting somewhere with his destiny something would come around and ruin it. And more often than not, that something was Arthur."
AU where Arthur knows that Merlin used magic to help him recover his kingdom from Morgana in The Sword in the Stone. Only, Merlin doesn't realize.
Summary: Morgana has taken over Camelot with the help of her sister and their undead army. Arthur, Merlin, and the others take shelter within an abandoned castle. There they lick their wounds, and make plans for the fight. Merlin decides now is the best time to reveal a hidden truth.
Summary: Merlin almost doesn’t believe what he’s seeing, they were fighting with magic? He hadn’t thought anyone would be brave, or stupid enough, to start a magic fight ring in Camelot. And not just anywhere in Camelot, but a twenty-minute walk from the castle.
The fight continues until the woman manages to knock a staggering blow against the man. She looks around at the people surrounding the cage and raises her sword while wisps of fire surround her.
She looks familiar…
When she looks directly in Merlin’s direction, he recognizes who it is, even with the mask covering the bottom half of her face.
Morgana.
-AKA-
Merlin stumbles onto a magic fight ring, where Morgana is one of the fighters.
Summary: An otherwise routine day takes a turn when Arthur wakes up the next morning to find himself quite small! Together with Merlin they try to figure out what to do... and if it's even possible for him to be returned to normal size.
Summary: When Arthur receives a mysterious mirror as a gift, Merlin immediately senses that it’s dangerous magic — and in his attempt to investigate, manages to get himself trapped inside it. Now, an evil doppelganger takes Merlin’s place and tries to kill Arthur.
Coincidentally, at the same time, Arthur is finally trying to express his feelings for Merlin and wants to start a relationship with him. The doppelganger does not appreciate it.
Summary: When Albion’s need is greatest, Emrys and the Once and Future King will return to unite the land once again.
A mysterious box with these words appears on the desk of History Professor Merlin Wyllt. Little did he know, it would turn him into a fugitive, send him beyond the walls of the city, and into the life of one Arthur Pendragon.
A story of past memories, of present lives, and a romance transcending the boundaries of both.
Summary: It's not that Gwaine's complaining, not really, because this is definitely the friendliest conclusion he's ever seen to a kidnapping. It's way better than torture and starvation followed by either a dramatic rescue or his untimely demise, but yeah, being knocked unconscious, tied up in a shack, having gibberish chanted at him and then being let go again is very definitely strange.
Or: Gwaine gets kidnapped and cursed by an evil sorcerer, but it's okay because Percival still really likes him.
Summary: King Arthur has spent countless weeks convincing his council to invite Emrys, the King of the Druids, to Camelot for a peace treaty. It's time for them to bury the hatchet...except things aren't as simple as they sound. Emrys is rude and beautiful and smug. Arthur is unwilling to let go of his past. When the two find themselves relying on each other for survival, how will they ever see eye to eye?
A hurt/comfort fic with some dungeon-shaped trouble and (hopefully) requited romance. See notes for warnings.
Summary: On Albion, the only space station in the Alliance of United Earth that welcomes open magic users, Merlin works as an assistant mechanic to Gaius. Though Merlin doesn’t hate his job, spending days repairing broken coffee machines and toasters can be tedious, but it's a small price to pay for being able to use his magic openly.
Then one day, a mysterious man called Arthur shows up with a broken droid and a barrage of questions. Arthur keeps coming back with more broken things, and as charmed as Merlin is, he knows Arthur knows more about Albion than he lets on, possibly even about the strange and suspicious incidents from a group of new crewmates. With the Alliance threatened by a brewing conspiracy, Merlin and Arthur find themselves putting differences aside to save both Albion and magic itself.
Summary: Camelot and Escetir are at war, and the gods never really learned how to leave the mortals to their own devices. There's also a prophecy because, of course there is.
Summary: Merlin felt it rush past him, and then Arthur was on the ground, clawing at his throat as he gasped for air.
In the blink of an eye, Merlin’s magic tore through Sigan’s spell. Coughing, Arthur doubled over, only just catching himself on his hands, while Merlin wrestled his magic back under control.
Withstanding the urge to rush to Arthur’s side, Merlin glared at Sigan. “You will not harm him.”
Summary:'He does not remember the feeling of panic rising in his throat at the thought that he would not be discovered before he became nothing more than a dead corpse in a dead Queen’s garden, an errant child out of bed after hours.'
After a lifetime of living on the knife-edge of death, when a seventeen year old Arthur is nearly killed by a traitor to in the very heart of Camelot, all he gets is a second glance and an imperious command from his father that Arthur is to get a new manservant. What's worse is that all his protests seem to fall on deaf ears.
Arthur doesn't exactly have the best history with manservants. And it seems like this one with Merlin is going to be shorter and worse than most. It is not just that he is forgetful, or disappears for days on end, but it seems like he had no grasp of common human behaviour. But despite everything, they manage to forge a friendship, and one night, long-kept secrets are revealed, pledges and sacrifices made, and a new era birthed.
Summary: After witnessing another sorcerer sentenced to death by King Arthur, Merlin decides he must overthrow him and rule Camelot, which is a unique way to end a relationship.
Summary: Merlin and Arthur have finally found each other again, and are happily settled in Oxford. But the course of true love never did run smooth, even for the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the earth. Arthur’s quiet, desperate yearning for family consumes him, yet ends up liberating them both.
Or
In which Merlin is surprised to discover that being a dad ain’t half bad
Summary: "So you—what? Want me to use my magic to help you?" Merlin asks, struggling not to let his disgust show.
"Not your magic, no," the man finally says after a too-long silence, interrupted only by the clanking of Merlin's shackles as he finally pulls himself to his feet. "The ritual would be performed on you. It can be done with or without your consent, but the chance of success will be much higher if you go into this willingly."
"And the ritual is?" Merlin asks after a beat.
"It's meant to dissolve the soulbond between you and King Arthur."
Summary: They said the wizard of the woods could give you anything you wanted.What Arthur wanted, more than anything, was to give up control. Let go of his burdens. Be calm.The wizard's idea seemed preposterous at first, but what harm could trying it do? After all, it wasn't like they knew each other.
Check out the fic HERE and the rest of the art HERE!
Summary: When Arthur secretly follows Merlin into the woods to discover what his manservant is up to, the last thing he expects is to be confronted by an actual, real-life dragon. A baby dragon, granted, but still, Arthur is determined to save Merlin from his own recklessness by capturing the monster...
Arthur's actions set the two of them on a path full of secrets and truths that might make or break their relationship, and Camelot along with it.
Check out the fic HERE and the rest of the art HERE!
The Little Prince That Could by chaosgenes and Lyskari
Summary: An otherwise routine day takes a turn when Arthur wakes up the next morning to find himself quite small! Together with Merlin they try to figure out what to do... and if it's even possible for him to be returned to normal size.
and the history books forgot about us by catasterisms & Jockles
Summary: He lets Arthur's body fall, his tears streaming hot down his face. They're right here. The lake is right in front of them, and yet the dragon said there's nothing he could do. They were so close.
Anger rises in him like a wave, swift and strong. Because isn't there something? Hadn't he traded a life for Arthur's once before? Nimueh's face flashes through his mind, the visage blurred by time. He hears her voice again, proclaiming that she would guide Arthur to his destiny, even though Merlin was standing before her. He recalls Gaius's words about the visions he saw in the crystal cave, and how there are many futures, not just one. If there are many, then why can't he have this?
In which Merlin saves Arthur, but there's no quick fix after revealing the secret he's kept for ten years, and no destiny to guide him any more.
