So Are They All, All Honourable Men
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| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | So Are They All, All Honorable Men |
| Author(s): | seperis |
| Date(s): | 02 February 2009 |
| Length: | 18,118 words |
| Genre: | slash fanfiction |
| Fandom: | Merlin |
| External Links: | So Are They All, All Honorable Men (AO3) So Are They All, All Honorable Men 1/2 (LiveJournal) So Are They All, All Honorable Men (Ebook Library) |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
So Are They All, All Honorable Men is a Merlin/Arthur slash story by seperis (18,118 words). It won the Spring 2009 Merlin/Arthur Fanfic Awards in the categories drama fic and hurt/comfort fic. The story is a fan favorite with more than 500 bookmarks on delicious[1] and is included on almost every Merlin rec list.
Summary: Considering Arthur's future wife will be chosen less for compatibility than for her political value, Merlin may be the only marriage he'll have that won't end in bloodshed or a great deal of fortifying wine.
One rec summarizes it as "Merlin is pissed off at Arthur. Unfortunately he snaps on the wrong person and ends up facing a duel against someone looking to grind an axe with Arthur."[2] The story features protective!Arthur, Merlin and his loyalty, politics, oaths of fealty, and beautiful Merlin/Arthur first time.
Recs and Reviews
I have read a remarkable number of good Merlin fics but this one stands out because it portrays a remarkably good leader and King filled with honour and wisdom but also unhesitating in his leadership and willingness to protect.[3]
"It's nothing like a marriage," he says.
"Except for tupping him over your bed, it might as well be. And the sooner you realize that, the sooner you can go back to cheerfully mocking his services and he can stop making the chambermaids nervous that they are no longer needed. Please do so. Gwen's reassured three this week, and hysterics are not pleasant to listen to, let me assure you." This story is beautiful and elegantly constructed and had me on the edge of my seat for about two hours, first laughing, then tense with anticipation and fear. New favourite, absolutely. You must read this.[4]
Merlin makes the word "Sire" sound like "chamber pot" about a thousand times, challenges are issued, and they protect each other, like always. "How is it you have an obedient maid and I have--" Arthur searches for a word to describe Merlin. There are no words to describe Merlin. "Merlin."[5]
Shortly after a squabble (and while Merlin is still sulking), something happens during a training while Arthur is away. No one will say exactly what precipitated the incident, but what is known is that Merlin attacked a knight and said knight is demanding vengeance. This is my favorite sort of Merlin fic: one featuring late season Arthur, where he's still a bit of a prat but his more noble side is shining through. Merlin and Arthur's relationship is well-drawn, especially as the date for the fight between Merlin and the knight draws near, when we see just what Arthur is willing to do for Merlin. You also have fantastic showings by Morgana, Gwen, and Gaius. All in all, a very solid, meat-and-potatoes Merlin fic.[6]
I thought this was a story about a betrothal, and though I love those stories, this was so much better than I expected. A knight challenges Merlin to a duel after beating him and insulting both him and Arthur, causing Arthur to train Merlin how to fight. A fun aspect of this story is that Merlin and Arthur are in a fight, and Arthur cannot think of anything else; I found it really adorable that everything Arthur did and everywhere he went reminded him of Merlin. Morgana and Gwen are also fantastic, they are extremely strong female characters. The small twist at the end of the story was just the cherry on top of an already perfect cake.[7]
Okay, I don’t know why I waited so long to finally read this fic, but I finally did and holy fuck I love it. This wasn’t what I expected when I first started reading it, but it’s amazing. (And it’s seperis so no surprise there.) How Merlin will do anything to protect Arthur, even his honour, and how Arthur will stop at nothing to protect Merlin–and in this case, in the behind-the-doors political sense rather than evil, magical danger sense. I just can’t. But really, Arthur, Arthur, Arthur. I loved him in this, just everything about him in this. Okay, shutting just now. Read this if you haven’t already.[8]
Inspired Fanworks
- arthur knows there is something to be said of the way a man wears his scars, Archived version fic by arthursknight
References
- ^ 549 bookmarks (LJ version) as of June 10, 2010.
- ^ meretricula. so there's this show, right, and it has a plot and a dragon and... (Accessed 10 June 2010)
- ^ phaelyne. Delicious note. (Accessed 10 June 2010)
- ^ CRASH AND BURN: Fanfiction Recs. BBC's Merlin (2008). (Archiv ed 11 Sep 2011)
- ^ loftily. Just another Merlin rec list., 03 March 2009. (Accessed 10 June 2010)
- ^ "Rec by jane_elliot at epic_recs". Archived from the original on 2023-05-23.
- ^ "Post at Lionheart Library". Archived from the original on 2023-05-23.
- ^ "Merthur Fic Recs 45". Archived from the original on 2023-05-23.