Winter in Camelot

The television show Merlin was filmed from spring to autumn. As a result, we never see winter in Camelot, and fans like to use fanworks to fill in the gap. Fanfiction set in these periods are often time skip fics where they try and display what life would have been like in Camelot during the winter months. They can often include domestic elements, like holiday celebrations, to hurt/comfort style stories that include hypothermia and huddling for warmth. Fanartists like to illustrate the beauty, or the harshness, of winter scenes.
As Merthur is the juggernaut ship of the show, this trope is most prominant in fanworks for the pairing, though it's also used in fanworks involving other ships or gen.
== Common Tropes and Storylines in Winter Fanworks ==
Some popular plot points presented in these fanworks are: 
*Arthur and Merlin go hunting in a wintry forest, get lost in a snow storm or are surprised by heavy snowfall and have to seek shelter. 
*They encounter winter personified and have to deal with matters of the Old Religion. 
*One of them breaks through the ice and they need to share body heat because of hypothermia. 
*Often it's cold in the castle as well, so Merlin crawls into Arthur's bed to stay warm or Arthur asks him to warm his bed. 
*Sometimes Merlin suffers from the cold and Arthur doesn't notice and there is h/c to make it all better. 
*There is also a lighter side of winter with snowball fights, holiday spirit, hot mead, and all the activities surrounding the midwinter festival.
==Story Examples==
=== Merlin/Arthur ===
* Fall Off The Earth by torakowalski (3,100 words) - They're a two-day walk from Camelot, making their way back around the edges of the barren, wintery forest of Sherweald when a snowstorm hits, shocking in its suddenness. Features hypothermia, a cave and a magic reveal.
* all I wanted was a white knight (I got a prince instead) by Anonymous (13,600 words) - Arthur makes Merlin warm his bed.
* Dream of a Future by b_b_banana (4,200 words) - Winter arrives in Camelot with little fanfare, tiding on snowflakes that kiss the windowpanes of the tallest towers and melt before they reach the ground. Merlin invites himself into Arthur's bed.
* As Falling Snow by i_claudia (5,300 words) - Canon Era futurefic where Arthur broods and trudges through the snow while figuring out whether he can trust Merlin and his own feelings. (written for Merlin Reverse Big Bang 2012)
* Finding Home by riventhorn (7,900 words) - When Gaius retires, a new physician takes over and kicks Merlin out of his room. Arthur finds Merlin sleeping in the stables...and it's winter. Hurt/comfort where Arthur makes Merlin sleep in his bed and is in no hurry to find a new room for Merlin.
* The Great Winter by littlesleepfic (9,100 words) - It's the Little Ice Age. OR. The Great Winter, when the Pendragon's are forced to bed down for a month under furs until the weather is warm again. Arthur's only seen the Great Winter in babyhood. Now, he must find a proper Royal Bedwarmer to share his Winter's rest with.
* Like Ashes by yavannauk (3,300 words) - Trapped in a snowstorm cave story where Arthur finds out about Merlin's magic.
* Light of Arthur by venivincere (63,000 words) - The winter will not end and Arthur and Merlin have to go on an epic Quest through Albion to bring back sunlight and save the kingdom.
* Until the Morning Light by kianspo (9,900 words) - The citadel is coldest during Midwinter vigil, but warmth comes in many forms on that magical night. Written for merlin_holidays.
* A Little Fire to Warm by janne_d (4,100 words) - After Arthur breaks through the ice, Merlin has to warm him up in Arthur's own bed. Gaius's order!
* Marzipan Series by tetsubinatu (8,800 words) - The series is a WIP set in the winter between series 1 & 2 and is expected to end with an Arthur/Merlin pairing. Most of the stories are Gen but there may be a hint of the pairing lurking in the background of these. The stories are set, one a day, in the lead-up to Yule.
* Misrule by thehoyden (4,300 words) - It's midwinter in Camelot and everyone celebrates the Feast of Fools. Servants get to play King, Queen, and Prince of Misrule for a day and the luck of draw determines that Merlin is the Maiden.
* Sacred Fire by ebonystar (3,700 words) - Winter bites hard in Camelot, especially around the solstice and Arthur can become very demanding; Merlin learns of a change in his duties. Written for merlinadvent 2008. Merlin shares Arthur's bed because it's cold.
* Springes to Catch Woodcocks by myashke (82,300 words) - "Merlin falls through the ice saving Arthur and then hurt/comfort ensues - basically, for the first 20,000 words of this thing (and maybe more than that), Merlin is freezing to death and that's an excuse for him to be cuddled by various mostly naked knights."
* The Thaw by RurouniHime (2,500 words) - Merlin falls into the icy river and Arthur saves him.
* An Unnecessary Freezing of Water by Shine (8,200 words) - Separated from their hunting group, Merlin and Arthur have to find their way through a snowstorm. When Arthur falls into a frozen river, Merlin goes after him to save him.
* Winterbloom by shinybug (6,200 words) - Deep in the woods in the frozen heart of winter, a careless comment leads to a redefinition of Arthur's relationship with his manservant.
* Winter's Trial by janne_d (8,200 words) - The first snows of winter have fallen and Arthur has Merlin to find and a test to pass out in the cold, or neither of them will make it back to Camelot.
* Winter Solstice by harlequin (8,750 words) - Part 3 of a series focusing on Arthur and his relationships with Uther, Merlin, Morgana and Gwen. During the depths of winter, Arthur discovers that Merlin has magic.
=== Gwen/Morgana===
*It's magic (never believe it's not so) by glim, Wherein Gwen meets a dragonlord, helps plan a holiday party, and discovers that being with Morgana actually is magic after all. (09 May 2011)
*Still, Still, Still by Val_Creative, It's the first snowstorm of the year in the mountainous countryside, and all of their friends are pleasantly tipsy and huddling in the back of Gwen's house for the warmth of the roaring fireplace and more drinks. She warms herself with Morgana instead. (07 Dec 2014)
*I get knocked down by Merlinsdeheune (sindhunathi), Modern AU It was seemingly just another day working at the ice rink for Gwen, helping skaters stay on their feet. She hadn’t bargained on being swept off her own feet. (11 Dec 2017)
*Hang Onto Hope by Val_Creative for dandyartz, A winter storm hits Camelot. Morgana insists that Gwen stay with her until it passes. (17 Dec 2020)
* Only You by talesofcamelot, "It's winter in Camelot. Gwen and Morgana are cuddling in Morgana's chambers." (23 Dec 2021)
* Don't Think Twice by Lion_owl, "This is where a romantic walk in the gardens leads." (12 Jan 2019)
=== Gwaine/Merlin ===
* May stars fill up our sight by Nebula5030, "Winter in Camelot is cold- but there are places where the cold can't reach." (14 Nov 2018)
* The Most Hideous Thing Any of Us Will Ever Wear by MoonDragoness, "As the only mother figure left in their lives, Hunith knits everyone matching scarves for the winter season this year and sends them to Camelot with her love... As well as something extra special for Merlin. Arthur has never worn anything so hideous in his life, but he's never taking it off." (24 Jul 2022)
=== Other Pairings ===
* Last night (Leon/Merlin) by paintedpigeon, a hungover Merlin "has a vague memory of kissing someone in a lion’s head mask. But who?" (19 Dec 2022)
* Ghosts of Christmas Past (Gwaine/Percival) by Salamandair, "Everyone loved Christmas time. Except Percival. Or so it appeared to Gwaine, anyway." (30 Dec 2023)
* The Heart that Made a Family (Gaius/Geoffrey of Monmouth) by harlequin, Modern AU in which "Gaius and Geoffrey have been together for decades", and have been foster-parents to many of the younger characters. (2 Dec 2018)
=== Gen ===
* I'll be Your Harvester of Light (Leon & Merlin) by thetreeofwillow, "Winter solstices in Camelot are very different to the solstice in Ealdor, Merlin can't help but think as he watches the kitchen staff ready for the big feast. (24 Dec 2023)
==Gift Exchanges==
The fandom has produced several holiday gift exchanges that are set around the winter solstice:
* merlin_the_elf - Secret Santa gift exchange (2008)
* camelotsolstice - Secret Santa gift exchange (2009 - 2010)
* merlin_santa - Secret Santa gift exchange (2008–present)
* Merlin Holidays - Secret Santa gift exchange (2010–present)
* Merry Merthur - Merlin/Arthur gift exchange (2010)
* merlinadvent - Merlin Advent Calendar (2008–present)
* WinterKnights - a prompt based holiday fest (2015–present)
==References==
Category:Merlin Tropes & Genres