Title: Leashed
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Categories: Dark, Romance, AU
Length: Medium (~13,000 words)
Warnings: Slavery, mind control, dubious consent, torture, bondage

Author on LJ: riventhorn
Website: Fic Masterlist

Summary: Rather than kill all the sorcerors, Uther has a select few "leashed" and enslaved to the service of the court. Merlin is leashed and Arthur is his master.

Review:
This fic was written for the kinkme_merlin prompt:

In the fashion described regarding the treatment of Damane in The Wheel of Time, rather than killing all sorcerers, Uther has a select few "leashed" and enslaved to the service of his armies. Merlin is leashed and Arthur is his master.

It's a riveting read, and I loved how riventhorn manages to evoke the sweetness of young love and the horror of Merlin's enslavement by turns. The magic bond the collar brings between Merlin and Arthur is used well, and adds an interesting new dimension to their relationship (and the sex, though that may go without saying ;p). The dynamic between Uther and Merlin was especially great, as the struggle for Arthur's love rages. I loved how threatened Uther feels when it's suggested that the 'thing' (Merlin) that he 'gifted' to Arthur may turn his son against him. The inversion of the established power structure was really satisfying for me, as it was Uther's whacked-out psycho-crazy hatred of sorcerers that had led him to create (and subsequently abuse) the 'leashing' system. I just wanted to shout at him, "You SEE? Your son is a better human being than you will ever be, and no amount of violence or abuse will make him love this boy less than you!". I loved that Arthur grows up even better with Merlin at his side, and despite the circumstances and history between them, they are greater than the sum of their individual parts.

Leashed

---

wow, that was really wordy for one of my recs. Usually the most that manages to get out is "OMG pretty boys kissing! (flail) Characterization! (spaz) THIS IS THE BEST FIC EVAR GUYZ FOR SRS"