WinterKnights: A BBC Merlin Winter Holiday Fest!

2023 WINTERKNIGHTS - SIGN UP HERE!

2023-10-15T20:44:39Z

Posted by: fifty_fifty

❄ If you have not already read them, please take a moment to consult the complete fest rules/guidelines.

❄ Fanworks can be posted either under your own name, or anonymous (until reveals). Please let us know your preference when you complete your submission form.

❄ Prompts can be found in google docs/sheets format HERE and airtable format HERE (please note airtable only contains prompt from 2017 onwards, google sheets shows all prompts submitted since the fest began. All years prompts can be used).

❄ Prompts are available for use by everyone and can be used by multiple participants.

❄ You may create something for your own prompt.

❄ If you don’t see a prompt that you like, you may use your own idea as inspiration.

❄ You are allowed and encouraged to claim as many prompts and submit as many creations as your muse and time allows.

❄ All submissions must follow the theme of any holiday held during December. This includes Christmas, Hanukkah, Traditional Yule, Winter Solstice celebrations, any other religious festivals that usually occur during winter, or New Years.

❄ Check-ins are the week of November 27th. Completed creations are due by December 2.

❄ Entries should be emailed to WINTERKNIGHTSFEST at GMAIL dot COM.

❄ The minimum word count is only 500 words. There is no maximum.

❄ Your fanwork should be created specifcally for this fest. However, it may be crossposted to merlin bingo, or other similar bingo fests, AFTER your posting date. If you require a specific posting date because of this, then please let us know when you submit your entry and we will do our best.

❄ If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact the mods at WINTERKNIGHTSFEST at GMAIL dot COM.

❄ To Sign Up, please EITHER comment here using the following form and post as a comment below, OR use the airtable form HERE:

(Comments are screened so only the mods will see your sign-ups.)

Thank you!

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WINTERKNIGHTS 2023 - NOW ACCEPTING PROMPTS

2023-10-11T19:16:28Z

Posted by: clea2011

There is a limit of 10 prompts per person. Other than that, please go wild! Leave your winter, holiday, or New Year’s prompts here!

Please take a moment to check our Fest Guidelines before submitting your prompts.

There are many different ways to prompt. Feel free to leave any full prompts/scenarios, random words/keywords, picture prompts, song lyrics, etc in the comments.

We will compile them and have the prompts available for your inspiration at the time of claiming and signups!

Prompting starts NOW and will close on the evening of October 15th.

Please leave your prompts in the comments of this post or via Airtable here

Have fun!

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WINTERKNIGHTS 2023 - SAVE THE DATES

2023-10-11T19:14:12Z

Posted by: clea2011

winterknights is a prompt based holiday fest for the Merlin fandom! Use any winter or holiday themed idea to create fic, traditional art (pencil, painting, digital etc.), photo manipulations/other graphics, handmade crafts, podfic, fanmixes, and more!

2023 Timeline

Prompting Opens: Saturday, October 7
Signups: Sunday, October 15
Check-in/Drafts Due: Monday, November 27 - Saturday, December 2
Posting Starts: Monday, December 4

❄ Fest Info ❄
❄ Prompting Post ❄
❄ Sign-Ups: Now OPEN ❄
❄ Fest Prompts ❄
❄ Submission Info for 2023 ❄
❄ Promo Banners ❄

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Winter Holiday Prompt Fest Guidelines & Rules

2023-10-11T19:11:09Z

Posted by: clea2011

Winter Holiday Prompt Fest
Guidelines & Rules

# winterknights is a prompt based holiday fest for the Merlin fandom! If you can not find something that inspires you from the list of prompts, you can use any winter holiday themed idea!

# Fic submissions must be at least 500 words long. There is no upper word limit, so if you want to write something that is 30,000 words you are more than welcome to. We do not accept AI generated fics.

# Submissions can be any rating, any pairing/moresome, and any genre. This applies to both fic and art.

# All submissions must have a theme of any holiday held during December. This includes Christmas, Hanukkah, Traditional Yule, Winter Solstice, or New Years celebrations.

# Prompts are available for use by everyone and can be used by multiple participants.

# You can use as many prompts as you wish, in any combination you wish.
(E.g Merlin and Arthur want to go somewhere warm for the holidays + picture prompt of a beach + "I'm sick of freezing my bits off" + watching an eclipse.)

# You are more than welcome to submit more than one entry. The more the merrier!

# Art can be any of the following: Traditional art (pencil, painting, digital etc.), photo manipulations, graphics or handmade crafts e.g Christmas tree ornaments. AI generated art is not accepted for this fest. We also welcome podfic, fanmixes, and more. If you have a question about what is allowed, please just ask!

# All content is allowed, providing it is properly warned for.

# Participation is through registering your interest on the sign-up post and giving an indication if you will submit Fic, Art or Other. Sign ups will close one week before entries are due.

# All entries must be emailed to WINTERKNIGHTSFEST at GMAIL dot COM

# There will be no penalties if you cannot fulfill your registered interest in this fest. December is a busy time of year for everyone, and this is supposed to be fun and relaxed, everyone knows that Real Life gets in the way of our fandom lives from time to time. We just ask that you please let us know if you can't fulfill your signup! Thank you!

# Don't forget to to add winterknights to your friends list, so that you don't miss any important information regarding the fest.

# If for whatever reason you need to pull out, please just email the mods at WINTERKNIGHTSFEST at GMAIL dot COM and let them know that you need to pull out.

# If you’re submitting fic please ensure that it has been beta read, is free from errors, and that you are happy for it to be posted as it is received. If for whatever reason your regular beta is unavailable, let the mods know and we will see what we can do.

# Please use the following header (or check out the current year's submission into):

# Submissions are due by December 2.

# Submissions will be posted by winter_mod either under the participants name, or anonymously, depending on the participants choice, with reveals occurring in the New Year, within the first week of January.

# Any questions can be sent to WINTERKNIGHTSFEST at GMAIL dot COM.

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WINTERKNIGHTS 2021 - FINAL AUTHOR/ARTIST REVEALS

2022-01-08T09:35:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

It's time for our final masterlist and reveals for the 2021 WinterKnights fest!

Thank you to everyone who participated and supported the fest by showing your love through comments and kudos! If you haven't made it through all the fantastic works yet, it's never too late! Feedback is always appreciated.

The AO3 Collection has been revealed, and you may now cross-post your entries anywhere you please with your name attached.

Thank you all for another wonderful WinterKnights!

( ART )

( FIC )

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WINTERKNIGHTS 2021 - Anonymous Masterlist

2022-01-02T09:18:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Thank you to everyone that participated in this year's WinterKnights fest!

Please continue to enjoy these wonderful works and share your work with the creators! Reveals will be going up in a few days.

( ART )

( FIC )

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FIC: I'm Gone Without You, Could It Be Forever? (No, Not Anymore)

2021-12-29T08:29:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Title: I'm Gone Without You, Could It Be Forever? (No, Not Anymore)
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Merlin & Arthur Pendragon
Prompt: Arthur returns on Christmas eve, when Merlin is stuck in a car during a snowstorm near the Lake of Avalon. (Original Prompt)
Word Count/Art Medium: 2116
Rating: PG-13
Contains (Highlight to view): *None applicable, unless fluff counts.*
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Beta’d by my sister, so many thanks to her.

Link to AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35664307

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FIC: Matched for Christmas

2021-12-26T09:11:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Title: Matched for Christmas
Pairing(s): Gwen/Lancelot, Merlin/Morgana
Prompt: Character A gets invited for the Christmas holidays by friends. There they meet Character B and fall in love. Get out all the tropes you like: snowball fights, cooking together, getting snowed in, whatever you enjoy.
Word Count/Art Medium: 6257
Rating: G
Contains (Highlight to view): *Please warn for possible triggers and squicks.*
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Many thanks to the mods for their patience while I dealt with computer trouble! Thanks also to my beta, B, who isn’t on LJ or AO3 but is appreciated anyway.
Summary Morgana has nowhere to go for Christmas, so Gwen invites her back to Ealdor. There Morgana meets Merlin, who rocks her world in a good way

Link to AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35633995

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FIC: Wonderful Christmastime

2021-12-22T08:09:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Title:Wonderful Christmastime
Pairing(s): pre Merlin/Percival
Prompt: Character A gets invited for the Christmas holidays by friends. There they meet Character B and fall in love. Get out all the tropes you like: snowball fights, warm cocoa, cooking together, getting snowed in, whatever you enjoy.
Word Count/Art Medium: 1355
Rating: G
Contains (Highlight to view): No warning apply
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary Merlin and Gwen are invited by Arthur, son of Earl Pendragon, to spend a few days in his mansion after Christmas.

Link to AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35546497

( WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME )

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FIC: Just Another New Year's Eve

2021-12-19T09:35:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Title: Just Another New Year's Eve
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Prompt: N/A
Word Count: 2845 words
Rating: Teen and Up
Contains (Highlight to view): *Brief mentions of hypothetical dub con kissing and teasing threats of bodily harm.*
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: With thanks to the mods and to my beta. Happy holidays, everyone!
Summary It’s New Year's Eve, and Arthur is once again trying to get up the nerve to tell his best friend that he's in love with him. Of course, it would help if Merlin didn't already appear to be having the time of his life with someone else.

Link to work on AO3: Just Another New Year's Eve

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FIC: Walking in a Winter Wonderland

2021-12-15T08:07:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Title: Walking in a Winter Wonderland
Pairing(s): morgwen
Prompt: #5 Garden
Word Count/Art Medium: 2264
Rating: T
Contains (Highlight to view): * mention of past bad relationship with family members.*
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: thank to ratsbys on discord for the quick beta!
Summary: In which Morgana meets a cute girl and somehow ends up setting up a vary of Christmas displays.

Link to AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/winterknights2021/works/35469055

( WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND )

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FIC: Orion

2021-12-12T08:06:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Title: Orion
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur, Gwen/Morgana, Gwen/Lancelot (Mentioned)
Prompt: Character A gets invited for the Christmas holidays by friends. There they meet Character B and fall in love. Get out all the tropes you like: snowball fights, warm cocoa, cooking together, getting snowed in, whatever you enjoy.
Word Count/Art Medium: 22,152
Rating: T
Contains (Highlight to view): *Alcohol Use, Brief Mention of Homophobia*
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Enormous thank you to my beta, who can be found under the username paradox_machine_40 on ao3
Summary Merlin’s spending Christmas this year at Gwen and Morgana’s home in the Welsh mountains, and when he meets Morgana’s brother, Arthur, he’s pretty sure he’s dull, pompous and more than a bit spoiled. However, over the course of shared hot chocolates, late night talks, and snowball fights, Merlin finds that he may have ended up liking Arthur rather a lot more than he originally intended.

Link to AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35454811/chapters/88376044

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ART: Building A Snow Man

2021-12-08T08:27:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Title: Building A Snow Man
Pairing(s): Gwen/Morgana
Prompt: NA
Word Count/Art Medium: Digital
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Summary A little winter fun.

Link to AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35348038

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FIC: What Does A Snow Monster Sound Like?

2021-12-05T09:38:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Title: What Does A Snow Monster Sound Like?
Pairing(s): merthur. Merlin/Arthur
Prompt: Prompt #20: Family fic: building a snowman or playing in the snow with nieces/nephews and talking about adoption.
Word Count/Art Medium: 1961
Rating: T
Contains (Highlight to view): * Slight anxiety expressed by character. *
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Thank you to ratsbys on discord for the beta.
Summary Arthur & Merlin watch their friends' kids for the day.

Link to AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35470144

( WHAT DOES A SNOW MONSTER SOUND LIKE? )

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WinterKnights 2021 - submissions due by Dec 3rd

2021-11-29T10:09:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

As a reminder, WinterKnights submissions for 2021 are due by Friday, Dec 3rd!

Detailed submission instructions can be found here: https://winterknights.livejournal.com/83104.html

Thank you to everyone who has signed up to participate - we can't wait to see what you've created!

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WINTERKNIGHTS 2021 - SUBMISSION INFO

2021-11-06T10:41:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Please read the full post to find out how to post AND submit your WinterKnights creations! And remember, sign-ups are still open if you’d like to participate!

Posting:

Submissions will be posted anonymously, by winter_mod with reveals occurring in the New Year.

We plan to post to both LJ and AO3. (If you would prefer that we post to only one or the other, please let the mods know.) We've set up an AO3 collection for the fest. You can submit your fics to the collection and they will be marked as anonymous and unrevealed until the mods post them for you! If you need help posting to AO3, please let the mods know!

Our 2021 AO3 collection can be found here:
WINTERKNIGHTS 2021 AO3 FEST COLLECTION

There is also a permanently Anon Collection HERE for anyone who wants to remain anonymous even after the fest ends:

Submission Info:

Here are a few things that will make the mods' jobs easier as we receive submissions:

- Please send your submissions to: winterknightsfest at gmail.com

- Include your name in the email subject as well as 'FIC' or 'ART'.

- Include your header in both your fic document AND the email text.

- Please place an lj-cut tag in your story.
The lj-cut text should be "The Title of your Fic". < lj-cut text="FIC TITLE" >

- Check the formatting of your fic to ensure there are manual line breaks between paragraphs.

- Include all other other html coding that is needed. You may want to test post your submission in a private entry to your journal before submitting to be sure that the coding is correct.

- The fic/art header appears below.

Check-in:

We are asking that participants please submit your creations between Monday November 29th and Friday December 3rd.

Thank you again to everyone who has signed up and supported the community and fest! We are looking forward to all your fabulous creations and so excited to share all the holiday cheer with you starting next month!

Any questions can be sent to WINTERKNIGHTSFEST at GMAIL dot COM.

Thank you!

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2021 WINTERKNIGHTS - SIGN UP HERE!

2021-10-03T08:39:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

❄ If you have not already read them, please take a moment to consult the complete fest rules/guidelines.

❄ Fanfic and Fanart will be posted ANONYMOUSLY (until reveals), so please remember to keep your work a secret.

❄ Prompts can be found HERE.

❄ Prompts are available for use by everyone and can be used by multiple participants.

❄ You may create something for your own prompt.

❄ If you don’t see a prompt that you like, you may use your own idea as inspiration.

❄ You are allowed and encouraged to claim as many prompts and submit as many creations as your muse and time allows.

❄ All submissions must follow the theme of any holiday held during December. This includes Christmas, Hanukkah, Traditional Yule, Winter Solstice celebrations, or New Years.

❄ Check-ins are the week of November 29th. Completed creations are due by December 3.

❄ Entries should be emailed to WINTERKNIGHTSFEST at GMAIL dot COM.

❄ The minimum word count is only 500 words. There is no maximum.

❄ If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact the mods at WINTERKNIGHTSFEST at GMAIL dot COM.

❄ Please comment here using the following form to sign up for the fest:

(Comments are screened so only the mods will see your sign-ups.)

Thank you!

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2021 WinterKnights PROMPT LISTS

2021-10-03T08:38:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

❄ We have many wonderful prompts to choose from for 2021, PLUS hundreds more from previous years!

❄ You can find the list of prompts HERE! The first tab are this year's prompts, and you can look through previous prompts all the way back to 2015

❄ You may choose to use any prompt from any of the years

❄ Prompts are available for use by everyone and can be used by multiple participants

❄ You can use as many prompts as you wish, in any combination you wish

❄ If nothing on any of the lists strikes your fancy, you're welcome to create something based off your own prompts/ideas

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WINTERKNIGHTS 2021 - NOW ACCEPTING PROMPTS

2021-09-25T10:01:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

There is a limit of 10 prompts per person. Other than that, please go wild! Leave your winter, holiday, or New Year’s prompts here!

Please take a moment to check our Fest Guidelines before submitting your prompts.

There are many different ways to prompt. Feel free to leave any full prompts/scenarios, random words/keywords, picture prompts, song lyrics, etc in the comments.

We will compile them and have the prompts available for your inspiration at the time of claiming and signups!

Prompting starts NOW and will close on the evening of October 2nd. Have fun!

comments

WINTERKNIGHTS 2021 - SAVE THE DATES

2021-09-25T10:01:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

winterknights is a prompt based holiday fest for the Merlin fandom! Use any winter or holiday themed idea to create fic, traditional art (pencil, painting, digital etc.), photo manipulations/other graphics, handmade crafts, podfic, fanmixes, and more!

2021 Timeline

Prompting Opens: Saturday, September 25
Signups: Sunday, October 3
Check-in/Drafts Due: Monday, November 29 - Friday, December 3
Posting Starts: Sunday, December 5

❄ Fest Info ❄
❄ Prompting Post ❄
❄ Sign-Ups: Open NOW ❄
❄ Fest Prompts ❄
❄ Submission Info for 2021 ❄
❄ Promo Banners ❄

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WINTERKNIGHTS 2020 - FINAL AUTHOR/ARTIST REVEALS

2021-01-10T09:09:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

It's time for our final masterlist and reveals for the 2020 WinterKnights fest!

Thank you to everyone who participated and supported the fest by showing your love through comments and kudos! If you haven't made it through all the fantastic works yet, it's never too late! Feedback is always appreciated.

The AO3 Collection has been revealed, and you may now cross-post your entries anywhere you please with your name attached.

Thank you all for another wonderful WinterKnights!

( ART )

( ART + FIC )

( FIC )

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WINTERKNIGHTS 2020 - ANONYMOUS MASTERLIST

2021-01-06T08:13:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's WinterKnights fest! We had 22 fantastic entries, including 4 pieces of artwork, 1 fic/art combo, and 17 fics.

Please continue to enjoy these marvellous works and share your love with the creators! Reveals will be going up in a few days.

( ART )

( ART + FIC )

( FIC )

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FIC: The Bookshop Around the Corner (Merlin/Arthur, G)

2021-01-04T07:38:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Title: The Bookshop Around the Corner
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Prompt: Loosely based on this prompt: Arthur is working in a bookshop and is absolutely done due to the stress of working Christmas time in retail. He‘d be so close to quitting if it wasn‘t for his one charming customer (Merlin) who seems to need another book for another present every other day and thus takes Arthur all over the shop for his opinion/Expertise on different genres
Word Count: 2475
Rating: Gen
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Thanks to the mods for letting me send in this rather late submission and my beta for stepping up at the last minute to help me with this.
Summary: After a sudden rainstorm sends Merlin running for cover, he discovers a delightful bookshop and an even more delightful bookseller inside, who just might be the best Christmas gift of all.

Link to work on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28517439

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ART: Winter Ball (Morgana/Gwen, M)

2021-01-03T09:47:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Title:Winter Ball
Pairing(s):Morgana/Gwen
Prompt: (vaguely used) #53 New Year's Eve formal dress masquerade ball. Gwen/Morgana, or any (author's choice). Bonus if there's some sort of fight over who wins a raffle prize.
Word Count/Art Medium: digital
Rating: M
Contains (Highlight to view): *Mild nudity - boobs*
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Thank you for the lovely fest<3
Summary: Not the kind of masquerade ball you'd expect, but the one we need this year.

Link to work on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27981507

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FIC: blow cold the season (Merlin/Arthur, G)

2021-01-02T09:02:00Z

Posted by: winter-mod.livejournal.com

Title: blow cold the season
Pairing(s): Merlin/Arthur
Prompt: Normally, it would be snowing by Yule, but this year there is no sign of it. Merlin loves the snow, so he magics some up for the holiday.
Word Count/Art Medium: 4105 words.
Rating: G
Contains (Highlight to view): *Brief mentions of past canonical character death, Uther's A++ parenting.*
Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Thank you so much to the mods for being so patient, and for keeping the fest running for another holiday season. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, and I wish you all a safe and happy New Year!
Summary It's Yuletide in Camelot, but things are far from merry. Homesick for the familiar traditions of Ealdor, Merlin can't help feeling lost amidst the hustle and bustle of castle life, and it doesn't help that Arthur has been in a terrible mood recently. Fortunately, as the longest night commences, Merlin comes up with a way to cheer them both up—and maybe give destiny a helping hand into the bargain.

Link to work on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28425090

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