Title: Off the Beaten Path
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Categories: AU, Drama, future
Length: Long (~25,000 words)
Warnings: character death (Uther)

Author on LJ: Natala on DW
Website: n/a

Summary: Merlin had been gone three hundred and seventy-two days when Morgana disappeared. This how they came home.

Review:
I have two lines of thought on this fic; one I like to call "semiprofessional fic reccing" and the other I've named "fannish joy and delight." Both are equally incomprehensible, but here is the first line of thought:
This is a truly excellent story, epic in scale and atmosphere. The character arcs alone would make this worth reading, but the way the author paces the story, and the emotional intensity of it all make it one of my fandom 'essentials'. I loved how the characters break the status quo and go off to form their own little tribe, and how strong they are together. Morgana is a delight to read here, I fell in love with her narrative in a way that the canon could never really sell to me, through this fic. The longing and depth of emotion between Arthur and Merlin is palpable, and really well done. Even Nimueh gets to shine in the story. The framework each scene is structured with doesn't feel forced, and it fits well into the plot. A wonderful, emotionally fulfilling story that will leave you wrung out but happy by the end.

Here is the second line of thought:
OH MY FLIPPIN' GOD THIS IS AWESOME! Morgana in a chain mail tunic and sword! Merlin and Morgana being magical BAMFs!! MERLIN WITH TATTOOS! (passes out in joy, wakes up) King Arthur magically marrying his Merlin! Their love is so very sappy and awesome. Nimueh's super-secret diary!
(serious face)
Mordred
('nuff said.)

But in all seriousness, folks. Go. Read. Love.

Off the Beaten Path