I feel like I haven't updated in about a million years! Mostly because I haven't had anything to actually post with - I'm hideously behind on all the icon and fic plans that I had. I still love Merlin fandom, and I'm planning on scouring rec lists for everything I haven't read and really should have, recently - our little fandom has exploded! But it's the hiatus, and I always cool off in between brand new episodes. Plus, I've been using all my spare time to indulge my old loves, Gabriel Byrne and Trevor Eve. I cried more at In Treatment than I have at any TV show in a long, long time. I've also been immersing myself in Waking the Dead, reminding myself how much I love crime drama and a fucked up, aggressive prick solving them - seriously, Peter Boyd may be my favourite detective ever. Trevor Eve is just knocking everyone else's acting out of the ballpark with him. I also totally want to write a crossover where he and Sandra Pullman have a history and solve crimes and are ridiculously hot.

I do have another excuse for my hermitude(?) - my new job. Which is weird and fun and totally crazy. It's all to do with Scottish heraldry, and I get to chat with Dukes and Viscounts and a million other peers and baronetcies, etc., and lonelyfajita, how cool is this? There are like, loads of Heralds in Scotland, and whatever they are, I call them by their location. So Albany Herald, even though his real name might be Derek Putney (it isn't), has to be called Albany. And so I get to call Unicorn Herald Unicorn. His actual name that people call him by is Unicorn. It's the coolest name of an otherwise not so interesting bunch of names, unfortunately, but still. Unicorns!

Meme time! I've made a pledge to actually read 50 books this year, and despite my new commute every day, by train, I'm ridiculously behind schedule. So I thought I'd fill in this list to make myself feel a bit prouder - feel free to steal!

( Apparently, the BBC say that the average person will only have read 6 of these. Yay! )

Title: Quietly They Go
Author: julesoh
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Word Count: 739
Summary: "Take as long as you need," Arthur replied, dropping his hand to entwine his fingers with Merlin's.
Spoilers/Warnings: Future fic, barely-there spoilers for 1x09 and 1x10.
Notes: Written for the sixth challenge at merlin_las which, this week, was Merlin in Ealdor, with a 750 word limit.

( Quietly They Go )

Title: Soldered
Author: julesoh
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Word Count: 10300
Summary: Merlin fell to the side, clutching at his leg in agony, and the blue sky dimmed and wavered in his vision, ice-white clouds mocking him as they swirled. He opened his mouth to cry out, but a name came to his lips instead, unbidden: “Arthur.”
Spoilers: Set sometime between 1x09 Excalibur and 1x10 The Moment of Truth, though I don't think it fits too well into canon anymore given later episodes - it was written before the final three aired.
Notes: Written for b_c_draygon in the merlin_the_elf ficathon - which has some truly awesome entries, check it out - for a prompt involving Arthur fighting for Uther's approval.

( Soldered )

It's been ages since I posted icons, mostly because I am really fucking lazy and then, because of my laziness, I kind of forgot how! Eek! But, anyway, a few random ones from 1x09 and also a bonus few of Sharpe - which is a grainy, hard-to-cap show that doesn't really lend itself well to colouring. All those greens, too. But, pretty.

Examples

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01-18 Merlin - 1x09 Excalibur
19-33 Sharpe - Rifles, Company, Promos

( I didn't choose you )

Also, I was wondering if there are any people on my talented f-list who speak Spanish and would be willing to check over a few phrases for me for a fic I'm doing? I haven't actually written the Spanish bits yet, and it's literally going to be a line or two here and there, but I'm hoping to have them done sometime in January and haven't really got a clue!

I finally got round to watching the X-Files movie, the new one (well, I bought it for a friend who got two copies, then remembered I hadn't seen it so kept it) and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I mean, I loved the series, and though it was kind of odd, in its pacing and the quiet vibe to it all, not very like the series in many ways, I really, really loved it. It just seemed to work. I mean, I'm a sucker for slow, creepy crime thrillers filmed in snowy, abandoned landscapes anyway, and then there was the bonus of it being X-Files. Plus, David Duchovny! My slightly weird crush on Mitch Pileggi! CALLUM KEITH RENNIE! And Billy Connolly was pretty fucking good too, and I always love Amanda Peet. And Gillian Anderson has always been a fantastic actress, but she was really just knocking it way out of the ballpark. Okay, I totally fucking loved it. Plus the soundtrack was to die for.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Title: All In The Eyes
Author: julesoh
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Word Count: 699
Summary: “I won’t leave,” Merlin insists, but Arthur’s hand presses tightly on his wrist.
Notes: Written for the fifth (I skipped the fourth) challenge at merlin_las which was to write 700 words of an AU - and I chose the prompt involving someone not dying or dying at a different time than is canon. Also, I won! :-) Thank you! </bragging> And also, apologies for my Arthur's useless attempts at Old English.

( All In The Eyes )

Title: Take Me Home
Author: julesoh
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Word Count: 950
Summary: “But you could do it, couldn’t you?” Arthur insists. “You’ve conquered life and death - surely a little thunderstorm won’t pose much of a problem.”
Notes: I don't really know what to say about this - I just really wanted some kind of Arthur/Merlin touching in the episode, so this spluttered out of my head. Oh, also, spoilers for 1x13!

( Take Me Home )

I FEEL REALLY GUILTY, OKAY, BECAUSE NOT LOVING MERLIN AS MUCH AS USUAL FEELS LIKE KICKING A PUPPY WHILE LISTENING TO NAILS DRAGGING ALONG A BLACKBOARD. BUT. IT WASN'T AS AWESOME AS I'D HOPED. D:

There is more positive stuff under the cut, I promise, I did love it and I love my show and I love the characters and I'm happy. I just - I could be happier.

( Le Chest d'Arthur )

As usual, longer and whinier and more ridiculous than I expected it to be, and I'm oddly conflicted. But, I have Rifleman Harris diaries to cheer me up, and there is nothing more delightful than watching Sean Bean in his Sharpe uniform, smoking a fag and listening to football results and reading Esquire. And spilling coffee over himself. El Beano, I love you.

Definitely the best Arthur/Gwen fic I've read so far: Sometimes I Forget I'm Still Awake by paperclipbitch. It's so rich and well-written, just the way I like fic to be, all thoughtful dialogue and gradual build-up of respect. Gwen is spot-on, in particular, everything she should and could be.

I'm shockingly on top of my to-do list at the moment, but behind on making useless observations about Merlin, so: ( Merlin chat behind here, spoilers for episodes 1x9, 1x11 and 1x12, and the extras. )

Also, that turned into much more of a ramble than I expected, and I'm useless at meta, so coherence and insight: not here.

WE HAVE A SECOND SERIES CONFIRMED! YAY! ASH, ILU.

Title: Ambush
Author: julesoh
Rating: G
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin (pre-slash)
Word Count: 2145
Summary: “I’m a soldier, Merlin. I’ve been training to defend myself all my life. You’re my servant, not my bodyguard, it isn’t your job to protect me.”
Notes: Written for Day 10 at merlinadvent, for the prompt: Cold.

( Ambush )

I secretly love opportunities to talk about myself, and got tagged by the lovely prelusion! In turn I tag - with no pressure - lonelyfajita, __justaday, harem_ent, sej_1986, sweetkat417 and farothiel. Because guys, I really want to know what you eat for breakfast and stuff. These are things that define a person. Do you eat kippers? That tells me you are very patient. There is no way I would ever sit and pick all those stupid bones out. Do you like Coco Pops? You are after my own heart. Sausages! They rock and are fun!

( YAP YAP YAP )

This is ridiculous. Apparently I'm not just content with the awesomeness of the show as it is, and nor am I simply satisfied by the genius extras and RPF. No, my brain feels that it is also necessary to shove these characters into other worlds instead, and so, as a result, I have three teeny snippets from AUs that I really shouldn't write but totally will, and now you have to be subjected to them too. HAHA!

And so: These are all pre-slash/femmeslash, Arthur/Merlin and Morgana/Gwen, and I'd rate them PG-13. Ish.

( Rifles - Napoleonic AU )

( CSI: Camelot. No, really. )

( Morgana and Gwen = Cagney and Lacey )

Consider this post market research, or simply fishing for compliments - I would love to know what you guys think of them - is there a burning desire to see Arthur and Merlin storm the breach at Badajoz? To see Merlin, the wily pathologist, solve the mystery of Jack the Ripper with his genius? (Not really.) And what about Morgana and Gwen, flying across New York in their Chevrolet Caprice?

Title: Queen of Fake Smiles
Author: julesoh
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Gwen/Lancelot, implied Arthur/Merlin
Word Count: 643
Summary: Gwen has been training to be queen all her life. She just never knew it.
Notes: Written for the third challenge at merlin_las, for the prompt Gwen and Lancelot, no more than 650 words.

( Queen of Fake Smiles )

EVERYONE ON MY FLIST WHO DOES NOT WATCH MERLIN (I THINK YOU'RE IN THE MINORITY, LOL), WATCH IT! IT IS THE MOST SATISFYING BUT SOUL-DESTROYING SHOW EVER, OK?

( SPOILERS FOR 1X10 - I THINK THE TITLE WAS AWESOMEAWESOMEAWESOME OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. )

Ahem. That turned out to be way, way more angsty and LONG than I expected. Oh, Merlin.

Second merlin_las challenge: Morgana. Apologies for those who have seen it already!

Title: A Fire Is Burning
Author: julesoh
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Merlin
Word Count: 493
Summary: Morgana, saying goodbye.
Notes: Written for the second challenge at merlin_las, for the prompt Morgana, no more than 500 words.

( A Fire Is Burning )

Mostly from The Beginning of the End, with a couple of recolours from The Gates of Avalon thrown in. Despite my huge, giant, and ever-growing love for Uther, I still only make his face orange, red and purple. And it's not an attractive look on him. So there's mostly Morgana, quite a bit of Merlin, and, for me, a shockingly small amount of Arthur!

Thank you, prelusion, for the gorgeous caps I stole from your picspam! :-)

Examples

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( My name is Mordred ... *creepy face* )

Posted here simply because I like everything in one place and would lose track of it otherwise; my entry for the first challenge at merlin_las. Apologies for anyone who has already seen it!

Title: Run
Author: julesoh
Rating: G
Fandom: Merlin
Word Count: 497
Summary: Arthur and Uther, separately, in The Poisoned Chalice.
Spoilers: Spoilers up to 1x04.
Notes: Written for the first challenge at merlin_las, for the prompt Arthur and Uther Pendragon, no more than 500 words.

( Run )


Also, shantirosa, I have been listening to Center of the Sun on repeat since yesterday, good call! :-)

OMG, YOU GUYS, THAT WAS AMAZING!

Seriously, this show can do no wrong. I'm a state of awe. And it only grew at the National Lottery because Bradley looked hot, although WHERE WAS COLIN and why did Angel team those trousers with that top? Although her hair looked cute.

Hurry the fuck up, iPlayer team!

( SPOILERS FOR 1X08, K? )

Or possibly re-read moonythestrals's amazing Fratboy!AU, over here because even though I'm pretty sure everyone and their mother has read/recced this, it really is deserving of SO MUCH PRAISE.

I can't wait to read all of your reviews, guys, in much more coherent/insightful prose than mine!

And Siri, HE WILL BE FINE. You know what I mean. ;-)





Seriously, iPlayer, what is your beef tonight?!?!

ETA: As soon as I posted, iPlayer started working. Coincidence? Hmm.

I really didn't mean to make 69 icons, despite it being appropriate given how bloody slashy the episode was.

But there was so much pretty in this episode it was unreal - flicking through the caps, everybody looked gorgeous. I had to tear myself away. A lot of faces, as usual, mostly Arthur, Merlin, and Morgana, and some colouring experimentation, although nothing radical - I'm too lazy!

Examples

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( Friend for life )

BBC iPlayer, please don't fail me now! I need to do train of thought commentary because I can't keep still!

Before the incoherence begins, just know that I LOVED IT. If this episode was a person, I would marry it.

( Summary: Pretty, pretty, cool! Pretty, pretty, touching! LOL LOL LOL LOVE! )

Also, I was wondering if any of you think there would be an interest in transcripts of the episodes? Because I would be willing to do them - sit through the episodes? Again? What a chore!