#(Rose) The Rebell in the rebellion

[wonder-worker]

"The division between the two families [the Woodvilles and the Nevilles] and their allies can be seen in the royal charters that they witnessed. Warwick, Rivers and Archbishop Neville of York, while serving as chancellor and afterwards, were fairly constant witnesses to royal charters and consequently often appeared together. This was not, however, the case for other family members and friends. From 1466 to 1469, if Scales or Woodville associates like Sir John Fogge, John Lord Audley or Humphrey Lord Stafford of Southwick witnessed royal charters, then members of the Neville group, such as John Neville, earl of Northumberland, or John Lord Wenlock would not, and vice versa. Discounting the ubiquitous Warwick, Rivers and Archbishop Neville, of the twenty-four charters issued between February 1466 and June 1469, twelve were witnessed by men associated with the Woodvilles, eight by men associated with the Nevilles and two were witnessed by no member of either group beyond the two earls at their heads and the archbishop; only two charters, both from 1466, featured associates of both families.

Such striking segregation of witnesses suggests that something more than simple convenience or availability was at play. [...] The evidence of these witness lists does show the extent of the split between the two groups from early in Edward's reign and of the need for political society to work with that cleavage in the heart of the Yorkist regime."

— Theron Westervelt, "Royal charter witness lists and the politics of the reign of Edward IV"

*This is specifically applicable for Edward IV's first reign; in contrast, the charters in his second reign displayed a great deal of aristocratic and domestic unity and cohesion.

[book-challenger]

Travel Destination: Hungary

Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves

16 year old Anna Arden is barred from society by a defect of blood. Though her family is part of the Luminate, powerful users of magic, she is Barren, unable to perform the simplest of spells. Anna would do anything to belong.

After breaking her sister's debutante spell, Anna is exiled to Hungary, and her life might as well be over. However she discovers that nothing is quite as it seems. Not the people around her, from her aloof cousin Noémi to the fierce and handsome Romani, not the society she's known all her life.

With rebellion sweeping the lands, Anna might be the catalyst to it all, Anna must choose: deny her unique power and cling to the life she's always wanted, or embrace her ability and change that world forever.

This Rebel Heart by Katherine Locke

In the middle of Budapest, there is a river. Csilla knows the river is magic. During WWII, the river kept her family safe when they needed it most, But that was before the Communists seized power. Before her parents were murdered by the Soviet police. Before Csilla knew things about her father’s legacy that she wishes she could forget.

Now Csilla keeps her head down, planning her escape from this country that has never loved her the way she loves it. But her carefully laid plans fall to pieces when her parents are unexpectedly, publicly exonerated.

Blood Countess by Lana Popović

In 17th century Hungary, Anna Darvulia has just begun working as a scullery maid for the young and glamorous Countess Elizabeth Báthory. When Elizabeth takes a liking to Anna, she's vaulted to the dream role of chambermaid, a far cry from the filthy servants' quarters below. She receives wages generous enough to provide for her family.

However this dream doesn’t last long and It's not long before Anna falls completely under the Countess's spell, the Countess takes full advantage of this. Isolating her from her former friends, family, and fiancé, Anna realizes she's not a friend but a prisoner of the increasingly cruel Elizabeth. Then come the murders, and Anna knows it's only a matter of time before the Blood Countess turns on her, too.

The Door by Magda Szabó

A busy young writer struggling to cope with domestic chores, hires a housekeeper recommended by a friend. The housekeeper's reputation is one built on dependable efficiency, though she is something of an oddity. Stubborn, foul-mouthed and with a flagrant disregard for her employer's opinions she may even be crazy. She allows no one to set foot inside her house; she masks herself with a veil and is equally guarded about her personal life. And yet Emerence is revered as much as she is feared.

Embers by Sándor Márai

In a secluded woodland castle an old General prepares to receive a rare visitor, a man who was once his closest friend but who he has not seen in forty-one years. Over the ensuing hours host and guest will fight a duel of words and silences, accusations and evasions. They will exhume the memory of their friendship and that of the General's beautiful, long-dead wife. And they will return to the time the three of them last sat together following a hunt in the nearby forest, a hunt in which no game was taken but during which something was lost forever.

[sonic-rebellion-official]

PAGE 3 • PART 1

P1 Cover ▪︎ Previous ▪︎ Next

[autistic-harley-quinn]

Y'know given this commentary about "secretly being a Jedi" is very clearly about the whole her repeatedly flagging her own queerness for years on end it would be like if Tay 'lor Spiff kept referencing Jedi works in her music, using the same social cues that the rebellion use to signal to each other that they're part of the rebellion, uses the force onstage while hanging out with obi wan and Mace windu, publicly declared her allegiance to the rebellion, and wore Jedi/rebellion color scheme repeatedly, write several songs about the rebellion will win in the end and she's on their side, had a song making fun of the sith and empire on the setlist of her intergalactic tour, had Jedi friends who publicly hint that she's also a Jedi, and STILL all the people who know being out as a Jedi/Rebellion soldier isn't the safest thing in the world are going

"No clearly she's on the side of the empire and has never once been even a little force sensitive or even a little rebellious. All of those things are coincidences and you're all crazy conspiracy theorists for thinking it's even possible she's a Jedi."

"She's Jedi-baiting you!" Okay then you have to admit that her Jedi friends in the entertainment industry are complicity silent and at times actively participating in the Jedi-baiting, meaning the "real Jedi" you keep telling me to support are helping a sith hint at being a Jedi and hanging out with her like it's fine? That makes more sense to you than maybe she's just not as loud of a Jedi as you've grown used to? I remember when publicly calling yourself a Jedi could get you killed, it still can, we've made great progress in the rebellions acceptance in society but we have not overthrown the empire yet. Do you not remember how in Star wars some rebels were actively fighting out in the daylight as rebels and some were doing other things like gathering supplies, sending aid, political negotiations, corporate dealings? Some may have been force sensitive but never trained in the ways? Some may have become a Jedi but don't say that to everyone they meet?

in my head the star wars equivalent of tswift is some human woman named tay’lor spiff or something and her stans are losing their minds over theories that she’s secretly a jedi singing about the horrors of war, even though she’s from a neutral system that hasn’t seen so much as a moral panic in 50 years

[sunderingrivers]

The Queens Who Never Were 〚18 / 17〛

╰┈➤ ❝ Robert will never keep to one bed. I hear he has gotten a child on some girl in the Vale. Love is sweet, dearest Ned, but it cannot change a man's nature. ❞

The only daughter of Lord Rickard Stark, Lyanna was described as iron-willed, wild and free-spirited. She loved horse riding, the scent of winter roses, and may have even practised tilting; with her brother, Ned, telling his own daughter that Lyanna would have picked up a sword if she could. She is remembered not just fondly but also vividly by many of the Northmen for these things, and those memories seem to be the truest indicator of her nature separate from the romanticised descriptions of the South.

As she grew up, she began to develop what is described by most who knew her as beauty, so much so that it remained fabled and honoured decades after her death. Robert Baratheon became infatuated with her, and after bringing his suit to Lord Rickard, secured their betrothal. Despite this, she remained mischievous and tomboyish, attacking the squires who bullied Howland Reed with a tourney sword and even being rumoured to have ridden in his honour as the Masked Knight of the Laughing Tree - beating the knights those squires served.

During that same Tourney, Prince Rhaegar, a man of 22 years, passed over his own wife and named Lyanna his Queen of Love and Beauty at 14 years of age. The following year, he abducted her with the help of two knights of the Kingsguard, spurring Robert's Rebellion as the Starks, Baratheons, Arryns and Tullys all raised their banners in her name. It is unknown what Rhaegar did with Lyanna; some, such as Robert, claim he r***d her, while others claim they were in love. All that is known, is that when Eddard found her at the Tower of Joy, she died "in a bed of blood", weakened by fever. Her last words were "promise me Ned".

Perhaps the ultimate Queen Who Never Was, both of Lyanna's hypothetical paths to becoming Queen are mutually exclusive. Had she married Robert and lived with him peacefully, he would never have rebelled and become King; were it true that Rhaegar took her with the intention of marrying her, and himself become King and thus her Queen, Robert would never have rebelled, or may have failed. A near-mythological figure in the current ASOIAF timeline, it is widely theorised that Jon Snow is her son by Rhaegar, as is shown in the Game of Thrones TV Show.

[andy-15-07]

Hi,

I love your work. Can we get a story about marcus conquering a city and then be in a political marriage with the princess of the fallen city ? She hates him at first and then of course they both fall for each other

The Princess of a Fallen City

Pairing: Marcus Acacius x female reader

Word Count: 1961 | Requests are open! (send requests, I will gladly answer them all)

Pedro Pascal Masterlist

The city of Lystra fell under a blood-red sky. Marcus Acacius, General of Rome, stood at the edge of the conquered city’s grand palace, his armor glinting with the remnants of battle. Soldiers celebrated in the streets, their cheers echoing through the hollow corridors of what had once been a seat of power.

Marcus’ gaze fell on the bound figure brought before him. Princess Y/N of Lystra stood tall despite the chains adorning her wrists, her eyes blazing with defiance.

“The lion of Rome,” she said mockingly, her voice sharp as a blade. “Come to gloat, have you?”

Marcus’ lips curved into a slight smile, though his dark eyes remained cold. “Gloat? Hardly. This was a necessity, not a pleasure.” He motioned to the soldiers to release her chains. “I prefer my conversations unrestrained.”

“How generous of you,” she replied, rubbing her wrists as she was freed. “Do your victories often involve slaughtering innocents?”

“War is never clean,” he said, his voice even. “And no one is truly innocent in a rebellion against Rome.”

Y/N’s jaw tightened, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of a retort. Instead, she straightened her posture, looking every bit the queen she would have been.

Two days later, Marcus stood in the opulent hall of Lystra’s palace. The once-bright tapestries had been torn down, replaced with Roman banners. The elders of the city knelt before him, offering allegiance. But his attention wasn’t on them. It was on the proposal laid out by his advisors.

“A political marriage,” his second-in-command explained. “It will secure loyalty. The people will be less likely to rebel if their princess is bound to you.”

Marcus considered the idea, his expression unreadable. He didn’t need a wife, much less one who despised him. Yet, there was logic in the suggestion. “Summon her.”

When Y/N entered the chamber, her expression was wary. Marcus gestured for the guards to leave, leaving the two alone.

“You summoned me, General?” she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“I did,” he said. “Sit.”

She didn’t move. “I’d rather stand.”

“Suit yourself.” Marcus rose from his chair and walked toward her, his imposing frame towering over her. “The terms are simple. A marriage between us. You’ll remain in this palace, and your people will be spared further suffering.”

Y/N’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You expect me to marry the man who destroyed my home?”

“Expectations are irrelevant,” Marcus said evenly. “This is a matter of necessity.”

“Necessity for whom? Certainly not for me,” she snapped.

“For your people,” he replied. “You claim to care for them, yet you’d risk their future out of spite?”

Y/N’s fists clenched. “Don’t you dare speak of care to me. You don’t know the meaning of the word.”

“Perhaps not,” he admitted. “But I know loyalty. And I know duty. Think carefully, Princess. The choice is yours.”

Her silence stretched, heavy with tension. Finally, she spoke. “I’ll agree. But don’t think for a moment that I’ll ever forgive you.”

Marcus nodded, unperturbed. “Forgiveness isn’t required.”

The days leading to the wedding were filled with preparations. Y/N’s attendants fussed over her, but she felt like a prisoner in gilded chains. Every glance in the mirror reminded her of the man she would soon call husband—a man she loathed.

Marcus, on the other hand, approached the event with the same stoic detachment he applied to war. He made no attempt to ingratiate himself with Y/N, understanding that time and actions would speak louder than words.

The ceremony was grand but cold, much like their union. As Marcus placed the ring on Y/N’s finger, she fought the urge to recoil. His touch was firm yet impersonal.

Weeks passed, and life in the palace settled into a tense rhythm. Y/N avoided Marcus whenever possible, though their paths inevitably crossed. One evening, as she wandered the palace gardens, she heard his voice.

“You find peace here?” he asked, stepping into view.

She stiffened. “Peace is a rare commodity these days.”

“For both of us,” he said, surprising her. “You think this is easy for me?”

“Is that supposed to make me feel pity for you?” she retorted.

“No,” he said simply. “But perhaps you might understand. I do what I must for Rome. Just as you would do for Lystra.”

For the first time, she detected a hint of vulnerability in his tone. She frowned, unsure of how to respond. Instead, she walked away, leaving him alone in the fading light.

Their dynamic began to shift subtly. Marcus’ actions—small gestures of kindness, moments of unexpected humor—chipped away at her hatred. He had a way of speaking that made her question her preconceptions, though she fought against it.

One night, during a formal dinner, a senator insulted Lystra’s culture. Y/N bristled, ready to defend her people, but Marcus spoke first.

“You forget yourself,” he said coldly. “Lystra’s traditions deserve respect. They are now part of Rome.”

Y/N stared at him, startled. He met her gaze briefly before returning to his meal, as if nothing had happened.

It was during a rare moment of vulnerability that the walls between them truly began to crumble. Y/N found Marcus in the war room late at night, staring at maps with a haunted expression.

“Can’t sleep?” she asked, surprising even herself.

He looked up, startled. “No.”

She hesitated before approaching. “What keeps you awake?”

He sighed. “The faces. Of those I’ve lost. Those I’ve killed.”

For the first time, she saw the weight he carried. “Does it ever go away?”

“No,” he admitted. “But you learn to live with it.”

Their eyes met, and something unspoken passed between them. For the first time, she saw him as more than a conqueror. And he saw her as more than a defiant princess.

Months turned into a year, and their relationship evolved. Their shared moments grew more frequent, filled with tentative smiles and genuine laughter. Y/N found herself drawn to Marcus’ strength and quiet resilience, while he admired her fiery spirit and unyielding determination.

One evening, as they walked through the gardens, Marcus took her hand. She didn’t pull away.

“I never thought this would happen,” she admitted softly.

“Neither did I,” he said. “But I’m glad it did.”

Their lips met, tentative at first, then with a passion that spoke of everything they had endured. The past didn’t vanish, but in that moment, it no longer defined them. They were no longer conqueror and captive but two souls finding solace in each other amidst the ruins of war.

As their bond deepened, Y/N began to see Marcus in his element as a leader beyond the battlefield. He often walked through the streets of Lystra, speaking to its people. Though they were wary at first, they slowly came to respect his pragmatism and fairness. It was his way of showing that he was more than the general who had broken their gates.

Y/N joined him on these walks, observing how he handled disputes and sought to rebuild what had been destroyed. “You don’t have to do this,” she told him one day.

“I do,” he replied. “It’s my responsibility now. Just as you’ve taken on yours.”

She nodded, a faint smile on her lips. “Perhaps you’re not as heartless as I thought.”

“Perhaps you’re not as inflexible as I thought,” he countered, his tone teasing.

The seasons changed, and with them, so did the hearts of the people. Y/N’s initial resentment gave way to admiration as she saw how deeply Marcus cared for the future of both Rome and Lystra. He, in turn, found in her a partner whose strength and compassion matched his own.

One evening, as they stood on the palace balcony overlooking the city, Y/N leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder.

“Do you think we’ll ever be free of the shadows of the past?” she asked.

“No,” Marcus said, wrapping an arm around her. “But we can build something new. Together.”

And for the first time since the day the city fell, Y/N believed him.

Their relationship blossomed, a delicate flower in the shadow of war. Marcus, surprised by the depth of his feelings, found himself seeking out her company. He would find excuses to visit her chambers, bringing her rare fruits from distant lands or books of poetry he thought she might enjoy. He would linger in the gardens, hoping to chance upon her, their conversations growing longer, their silences more comfortable.

One evening, as they strolled through the gardens, the moon casting long shadows across the path, Marcus stopped and turned to face her. "You know," he began, his voice husky, "I never thought I would find… this." He gestured vaguely between them.

Y/N looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "This?"

"This feeling," he clarified, his gaze unwavering. "This… peace. This… joy."

A blush crept up Y/N's neck. "I… I feel it too," she admitted softly, her voice barely a whisper.

Their hands brushed against each other as they reached for a fallen blossom. A jolt, electric and unexpected, passed between them. Marcus's breath hitched. He wanted to pull her close, to taste the sweetness of her lips, to lose himself in the warmth of her gaze. But he hesitated, unsure if his feelings were reciprocated.

Y/N, sensing his apprehension, took a deep breath. "Marcus," she began, her voice trembling slightly, "I… I don't know how to explain it. But… being with you, even amidst the ruins, it's… it's like finding a sliver of sunlight in a darkened room."

Marcus's heart soared. He took her hand, his touch gentle, reverent. "Then let us bask in this sunlight, my princess," he murmured, his voice rough with emotion.

Their first kiss was a hesitant exploration, a tentative touch of lips that quickly ignited into a fierce passion. They clung to each other, their bodies trembling, their souls yearning for a connection that transcended the boundaries of their past.

In the aftermath, they lay side-by-side, the moon casting long shadows across the garden. "I never thought I would feel this way," Y/N confessed, her voice a soft sigh.

Marcus smiled, his hand tracing the curve of her cheek. "Neither did I."

Their love story continued, a delicate dance amidst the ruins of war. They faced challenges together – political intrigue, the lingering resentment of some of Lystra's citizens, and the ever-present shadow of Marcus's past. But through it all, their love grew stronger, a beacon of hope in a world scarred by conflict.

They learned to cherish the quiet moments – sharing stories by the fire, exploring hidden corners of the palace, simply enjoying each other's company. They found solace in each other's arms, their bodies seeking warmth and comfort, their souls finding a haven in the depths of their shared love.

Years later, as they sat on the balcony, watching the sun set over Lystra, a city now thriving under their joint rule, Y/N looked at Marcus, his face etched with the lines of time and the weight of his responsibilities.

"You know," she said softly, "we built something beautiful from the ashes, didn't we?"

Marcus turned to her, his eyes filled with a love that transcended time and circumstance. "We did," he agreed, his voice thick with emotion. "And it's all because of you, my love."

He leaned down and kissed her, a long, slow kiss that spoke volumes of their journey, their resilience, and the enduring power of love to heal even the deepest wounds. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the city in a warm, golden glow, they knew that their love story was far from over. It was a testament to the enduring power of hope, a beacon of light in a world that often seemed shrouded in darkness.

[maxx-the-queer]

One of my criticisms about Dragon Age, and this isn't unique to Veilguard, is how antirevolutionary their narratives are. (Spoilers for Veilguard ahead, naturally)

Narratively, they're not adverse to all change (since stories have to have some change in order to exist) but they're hardly accepting of it either.

Any change that happens to the status quo has to happen within the system, otherwise it's deemed extremism and wrong in universe.

Contrast that with when Anders or Grand Enchanter Fiona take actions against the systems of the Circles that spark the mage rebellion - they're vilified for it by the narrative and everyone around them. They're painted as fools at best, malicious murderers at worst. All because their steps for change were taken outside of the system. (Anders blows up a Chantry, Fiona starts a vote to disband the Circle of Magi)

In a worldstate where Leliana becomes Divine Victoria and disbands the Circles to allow for the formation of the College of Enchanters, she's celebrated because she stayed within the Chantry, rose to the top through unconventional but still allowable means, yet achieved radical societal change nonetheless.

If Dorian becomes Archon, his anti-slavery views aren't seen as unreasonable or too radical because he stays within the system. His work with the Shadow Dragons - an anti-slavery group, who by all standards aren't that different from the mage rebellion in the south, is deemed different because their leaders are still trying to work with the systems for change.

Solas gets both versions of this anti-revolutionary treatment. In Inquisition, he felt honestly quite reasonable to me in his motivations to tear down the veil, but he can't escape that same vilification as when he's trying to fit the mould of a force for rebellion, he's treated like a monster or has significantly more flaws in the narrative. When his motivations are framed as complete systematic change, he's shown to not view anyone in modern Thedas as 'real people.' In one of his approval scenes in Inq, he goes out of his way to tell the Inquisitor essentially "you're one of the good ones." He's ignorant, racist, and singlemindedly focused on destroying the world to have a second Elvhenan but better.

But in Veilguard, in order for the narrative to consider him redeemable, his reasons for wanting the veil to come down get changed from wanting betterment for the elves and restoring the Elvhen people, into personal regrets he needs to fulfill. He's no longer framed solely as a political, rebellious force for change, but as a mere man who went too far for a woman he loved. Suddenly the narrative gives the player permission to give him redemption. Because he doesn't actually want change, it's just what he thought Mythal wanted, so that's fine and different.

Your player character protagonist can never actually flat-out agree with the vilified rebel characters either. I can't have my pro-mage rights Hawke say "hey, actually, Anders was right to blow up the Chantry, I agree with him," you always have to ultimately condemn his actions, even if you agree with the outcome.

I can't have my Dalish Inquisitor or an Elven Rook say "hey, actually, maybe Solas has a point, this world does suck for elves and maybe the veil coming down would fix that," they always have to ultimately believe that the veil has to stay.

The games do everything they can to avoid letting the player come to the conclusion that revolution is a good thing. Instead, they force the idea that the only way change is ethical is if you do it within the preexisting status quo.

[spookberry]

I like to be positive and imagine that most people understand that she is a complicated character with good intentions even if her actions weren't always good,, however, there is a select group of people that keep trying to Argue with me that she's actual like satan reincarnated and pure evil because she "started a war". Like god forbid a woman do anything fr

No but actually it's absurd to me the way supposed fans of the show will critique Rose Quartz and her actions in the exact same way the diamonds view Pink Diamond. "She just had to be the rebel kid and start a war meh meh meh" like are you White Diamond??? Cuz thats literally white diamond's belittling comprehension of the situation and it's pretty clear that she and the other diamonds are WRONG for that.

The war wasn't a fucking game. I don't understand how anyone can watch steven universe and not comprehend that Rose started the rebellion and founded the crystal gems, to Protect! The! Earth!!! Regardless of whether her initial love of earth and desire to spare it came from a more self-centered view of existence she still knew the colony was wrong, so she set out to stop it!! That is just blatantly good. The way people spin this to be a negative point of her character leaves me just incredulous. Rose can be spoiled and childish, but that was not the reasoning behind rebelling. It is the diamonds who treat her like a spoiled child with a toy and it's the audience's job to understand that that was them belittling and ignoring her.

Faking Pink's death to become Rose Quartz wasn't just a silly little Hannah Montana bit she did where she got to enjoy the luxuries of a being a diamond while playing pretend citizen and having her little sapphic frolics in the woods with Pearl. It was a War Strategy! She was her own built in spy and double agent. She was was an activist within gem bureaucracy as well as someone actively protesting on a ground level. It didn't matter how the crystal gems viewed Pink because that became a role she performed so she could HELP them.

We know blatantly thanks to Pearl that once it became clear that bureaucracy wasn't working that she gave up on that avenue. It's boiled down to something easily watched with an 11 minute episode however, it's clear Pearl and Rose had talked about the plan before hand. So it wasn't something she did on a whim. It was a Political Move. That maybe killing off an Important figure such as Pink Diamond would allow the fight to fall more into the crystal gems favor. It wasn't just her being silly and forgoing the privilege's of being a Diamond, it was a Threat. A statement that said "if I can shatter Pink Diamond, I can shatter any diamond, so you better fucking listen to me."

And sure you could argue here that it was a dumb plan, personally I think its pretty clear that she was desperate and if she rebelled As Pink the other diamonds would've just stepped in and "grounded" her and the war would've been lost entirely anyways. Hell Pearl even says as much. If Pink Diamond proved incapable of following orders with the colony any power she held over it would've been taken form her, Earth woulda been another one of yellow's after that. So she makes this extreme choice to make a statement out of Pink Diamond instead.

The statement has unexpected consequences. However and this is important to keep in mind, this is a story. And there's a foreshadowing set up here. Pink Diamond/Rose Quartz has to lose. It's how the story works, and how she fails is supposed to make something clear to the audience. And that is that shattering the diamonds isn't the answer. It was Never the answer, not with Pink not with White or Blue or Yellow, and that's why the finale of SU is the way it is imo. So people that are mad at Steven "forgiving" the diamonds yall are also stupid.

Anyways back to Rose. She isn't perfect, obviously, she makes choices that ultimately cause future problems for those she cares about(though arguably she had no idea the war would ever Come Back, she spent thousands of years uninterrupted on earth before she had steven). But she is a war general, she is the leader of a doomed uprising. She did what she had to and she didn't always know whether what she was doing was right or not, because no one had ever done it before.

Can i go on a rant about Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond real quick?

[emptyjunior]

Still in hunger games analysis mode, do you guys ever think about what Seneca did Wrong. About where he failed at the job he was given.

Because I think what his true fatal flaw was, was he believed it. He believed in the game and all of the propoganda surrounding it.

And this was something that was bound to happen in Snow's kingdom eventually! He made citizens that were clueless and lost in his little cloud nine. You can't make killers out of your arrogant, privileged sheep population!

Seneca Crane believed that the games were about the great show, about making stars and entertaining the masses.

The cold truth that you and I and Snow are aware of, is that the games are one part of the great oppression machine. They're a good political tool to be in control of, they can be used as a punishment to target whoever you need to, you can manipulate the big show on screen in a crude mockery of what's going on in real life! You can crush the spirit of certain districts, you can keep other ones loyal to you. And the victors are an extremely valuable Product that you are endlessly creating, idols and mouthpieces for your horrible propaganda machine.

So that's what the games do! A good tool for a dictator to have, and if you're aware of all the context, then being in charge of them gives you a lot of power.

But Seneca?? Seemed to genuinely believe he was there to put on a big fancy show😭 He was so excited about it, he chatted to sponsors, he did the interviews, he picked themes😭

Like of course he gave Katniss a 12 after her stunt, he wasn't worried about the fire outfits or her popularity at All. Because he thought it'd be good ratings, and it was! That's what he thought the goal was: Get the best, most entertaining story possible.

All those talks in the Rose garden?

This was not Seneca checkin in with the boss, that was the boss saying Hey what the Fuck are You Doing.

Because Seneca truly did not understand at all! How dangerous it would look for someone from district 12 to rise up that fast! (And Snow most definitely understood Very Quickly because he has been dunked on before by a black haired girl from district 12😭)

But even after that Very explicitly clear talk, Seneca kept allowing Katniss chances to tell the Mockingjay story. Because he is a fool, who thought he was there to make tv😭 And did not realise that the silly story they tell in the games, has very real effects on the districts.

Like the metaphor for it could be you hire someone to make you maybe pro-military, pro-war, propaganda films, and that goes great for years until they get a few generations in and the new guys are like "oh we're just making popular films here right?" And let your direct rebel enemy, star in a touching depiction of how great rebellion is😭 And then your movie guy goes "how was that boss? Lots of people watched!" ☠️

[winters-rose-daughterofcain]

Something about romance and love for people and art and humanity being it's own form of rebellion, something about both music and art being taken less seriously, something about the narrative role of a love interest, about seeing a character through someone else's eyes. Something about the protagonist being told a philosophy by the one they love, (People are okay, it's what the world dose to them{...}It's up to us to stay on the right side of that line/ Just because the sun rose yesterday, dose it mean it has to tomorrow{...} Stop that sun from rising/I want to still be me, more than a piece in their games, I want to show them they don't own me) and the different ways they reflect on and enact on them. Something about a captive capital audience during an interview and a rebel message written in orange and a boy symbolising hope and spring, something about soft, like the sunset, something about luck and coming home. Something about a girl who looked after her family forever changing history before being erased from it forever, all for knowing how to put on a show, for preforming and charming her way out of certain death, for using music and creativity to craft the song of the future rebellion, for leaving like her name sake forever a mystery to a boy she couldn't trust. Something about a girl who showed empathy for a grieving mother and sung forbidden songs and displayed her rebellion thought art being killed by poison to punish the boy she loved. Something about a boy being tortured to punish the girl he loved, a boy who painted a dead girl to hold her killers responsible and sweet talked the capital and calmed a woman he didn't know into a peaceful death and had to relearn who he was, a boy who bakes and creates and builds, who's favourite colour is the sunset on the reaping.

[candyskiez]

so, you've heard shows be recommended because they had gay characters. you don't really know what they're actually about though, and don't know if they'd be something you'd be into and are worried about spoilers. here's spoiler free plot summaries of em!

The Owl House

The Owl House starts out as a typical teenage girl goes into a fantasy realm story, but with a twist. Actions have consequences. The protagonist is a girl named Luz Noceda, who was being sent to a camp to make her behave normally by her mother after causing too much trouble at school. She ends up finding a place she's always dreamed of: a fantasy world. A world where everyone's so much weirder than she is. And she thinks, maybe if I don't belong out there, maybe people will like me here. Maybe I can be special here.

It's a story about found family, propaganda, erased history, living with disability, religious trauma, and neurodivergence. It's fundamentally a show about people who's brains work differently finding each other and making a family that treats them right. Definitely my favorite of the ones on this list. It's about people who've been oppressed being pissed about it and about finding yourself again after giving up on everyone around you for so long. It's basically a show about being a minority and trying to be understood and to understand yourself in the process. It's about growing up neurodivergent and how isolating it feels and figuring yourself out. It's about repairing broken relationships and parents who fuck up. And it's just. Such a love letter to anyone who was the weird kid in school. It's sad and heartbreaking and also so hopeful, and it's wonderful.

Content warnings: Abuse, Death, Grief, Animal Death, Suicidal thoughts, Vague suicide attempts, Depression, blink and you'll miss it s/h, body horror, religious trauma

She Ra and the Princesses Of Power

Adora was raised in the Horde since she was a baby, being fed propaganda about how cruel the princesses were. After learning how the horde actually was, though, she defects. But there's one problem. Her best friend, Catra, stays behind. Adora finds a sword that can transform her into She Ra, and might be the key to figuring out who she really is, while Catra takes her place as force captain.

It's a story about abuse, at the end of the day. Adora and Catra were stuck in a golden child and scapegoat dynamic, despite how much they care about each other. This leads to them knowing everything about each other but not understanding it. There's a fundamental disconnect between them, because both of their traumas are completely different. They have complete misconceptions about each other. Even in their initial split, they both have completely different perceptions of what's going on and why the other is upset. It's not a story about magic princesses, it's about the cycle of abuse and what makes it so complicated. Does it have flaws? Yeah. But ultimately I really really enjoy it, and when it does something right it does something RIGHT. Get through season one, it starts kids show-y but it gets very good during later s1.

Content warnings: Abuse (obviously), body horror, gaslighting (and I mean actual gaslighting, not what the Internet thinks gaslighting is), suicide, depression, flashing lights and eyestrain during the finale

Steven Universe

Steven Universe is a sins of the father story. Steven is the son of the leader of the rebel group The Crystal Gems, who's name was Rose Quartz. He navigates the confusion of being half gem and half human, as well as trying to figure out the mess of the rebellion and what his mother left behind. He's constantly in her shadow, for better or for worse.

It's a story about grief. How it impacts relationships, how it taints history, how it impacts family. It has some definite flaws, but ultimately it's about very flawed people who have lost so many people in their life trying to cope with it. Trying to handle what they lost and trying to adjust to life without them. It's about how expectations fuck a kid up and about agency and just a show about complicated relationships in general, at the end of the day. Also, it has some FANTASTIC music.

Content warnings: Grief, Abuse, body horror, very creepy people I don't know how to tag, heavy allegories for homophobia

Nimona

Nimona is a story about a guy who gets framed for murder. His name is Ballister Boldheart, a commoner who hoped to become a knight. It seemed everyone was waiting to watch him fail, so it was no surprise when he was the immediate target. Heavily injured and away from the man he loves, he's left alone trying to figure out a way to prove his innocence- until a strange kid comes into his life. This kids name is Nimona, and while he is intent on proving his innocence, she gave up on being anything but a villain a long time ago.

It's about deconstructing the model minority myth, trans rage, propaganda, and with a healthy dose of "FUCK the police".

Content warnings: Heavy injury, on screen suicide attempt, flashing lights

feel free to add more shows! just remember to keep the summaries as spoiler free as you can and add content warnings!

[anti-praxis-antihero]

I can't even call this propaganda "all of them have various advantages and points of intrigue" lmao but Love the tags amazing you saw through all my choices. @thecruellestmonth

I'm reanimated my Jedi Duke au. Duke heads!

ALL the other bats are Mandos. EVERY SINGLE ONE. YES EVEN THAT ONE-the one your thinking of that appeared in the 90s-00s and was never mentioned again them too

[of-crowns-and-echoes]

Magic users have always existed alongside normal humans, hidden but present. Eons ago, powerful sorcerors created a ward of magic, separating the magic from the mundane. And so the existence of Sancteiros was wiped from every map and every mind, forgotten as if it never existed in the first place.

But the wall has now fallen, and non-magicals are gearing up for an attack. You play as a Divine One, the current ruler of Sancteiros when the wall falls.

After three Divine Ones dying only a year into their rule, can you be the one to restore stability? Or will your crown fall alongside your people?

DEMO out now!

Names have power: Choose your name, gender, and appearance.

The past is never dead: Customize your character's background and past

Make magic yourself: Choose from three magical classes- mages, sorcerors, and witches.

Don't forgive, don't forget: Rule over a country that has been isolated for centuries, and decide which factions are allies and which are enemies.

No man is an island: Four characters to befriend or romance (or make enemies of)

ETHEL VIVER [m] Vibrant and reckless, Ethel's been your friend for four years now. A witch and a liar, Ethel has a reputation for being loud and knowing entirely too much.

MAREN AIREL [m] The newest recruit of the Guards, Maren rose the ranks of popularity quick. He's the reason that the Guards are known more for adventures than protection, now. He's the son of the last Chief Advisor, and has half the population of Sancteiros swooning at him.

ARTISE CORREL [f] Artise leads the rebels, but the only thing you (or anyone else) knows of her is her insignia - a white feather - left behind at every site of the rebellion. The instability of the regime has led to her growing power, loathe as the Guards are to admit it.

CEDIS DAY [f] Cedis is the second-in-command of the human ambassadors, distrusting and far too cautious. Though most of your council prefers her to the human leaders, she resolutely refuses to talk to anyone but you.

+other minor and major characters

[serpentface]

Taighr A Teng, current high priest of Finnerich and beloved populist monarch, posing in his eclectic mix of royal regalia, a simple commoner's cloak, and dancer's garb.

---

His career as king has, so far, been notably impressive.

He had his starts as a lesser nobleman from the plains on the northwestern edge of the region. This northern region was never directly occupied by the Imperial Wardi invaders and only loosely controlled by the tributary puppet government, and the rebellion against this loyalist government and the resulting Finnerich civil war originated here. He rose to prominence in this war, eventually functioning as the general of these rebelling forces.

These forces utilized guerilla tactics and light archer cavalry (the latter being central to the warrior culture of northern Finns) to great effectiveness, and Taighr received a bulk of the credit for this. He claimed to have been visited by the solar chief god Neghri and cloaked in his armor. He never declared himself a possible king, but his confidants (conveniently) publicly urged him to undergo a rite of kingship to prove his god-given invulnerability, and he was successfully seen to perform the naked dance through fire unscathed. This granted him acknowledgment as truly chosen by Neghri, and planted the notion of Taighr being potentially a legitimate king (a status that is usually hereditary, and only granted to high lords when not) in the minds of many of his people.

Afterwords, he prominently fought on khaitback half-naked, clad only in the garb of a dancer (Neghri is a god of the dance among many other things). His claims of divine armor seemed to hold true- he never suffered any more than flesh wounds in over three years of sustained warfare.

He led battle in which the Wardi general Odomache was captured and killed, and is heavily suspected to be/popularly championed as the one who executed her with her own handcannon. He will neither confirm or deny this, but has the gun in his possession and sometimes appears with it in public. Either way, his role in this pivotal battle, subsequent expelling of Wardi troops, recapture of the capital and eradication of the Wardi-loyalist government cemented his status in the minds of a significant majority of his people. He performed the fire dance yet again in the capital and was formally declared king in the aftermath of the war.

He entered into kingship under the near-worst of circumstances. His kingdom has been decimated and politically fragmented in the aftermath of two decades of Imperial Wardi occupation as a grain tributary/colony, and the onset of a multi-year drought began that very year.

Part of his success against this adversity rested in seizing unprecedented and wholly centralized power. The former system of kingship rested upon a council of lords that each governed their own territories, with a king's power Publicly resting in his authority as high priest but practically resting in his lords' alliance and loyalty. He declared this system to be responsible for Old Finnerich's downfall (already a very widely held belief in the general public) and executed almost all the remaining lords (who were also political rivals, having a claim to the crown more legitimate than his own by the traditional standard) and their kin under accusations of being Wardi loyalists.

These executions extended further to many lesser nobles and other identified traitors, in the end wiping out a sizeable portion of previous authority figures. He replaced executed lords and nobility with trusted loyal compatriots and popular public figures, and made efforts to legitimize his reign by taking the daughter of a former lord (who had died a martyr resisting the original Wardi invasion and was widely beloved) as his queen.

This capitalized on general public sentiment of distrust of surviving former leadership (who, if not loyalists, at least Submitted to Wardi occupation) and was a move favored by the majority of commoners (who received none of the fringe benefits that benefited loyalist nobility under Wardi rule, and this invasion occurred in the context of Preexisting tension and peasant revolts). This was not, of course, a universally accepted move, but Taighr's merciless treatment towards accused traitors along with general public favor for his action has gone a long ways towards dissuading dissent in these first years of his reign.

He has so far used his heavily centralized power to great effectiveness in rebuilding efforts and famine response. He reduced taxes on commoners, supplementing this lost income with the very substantial liquidated assets of the former lordship. Much of these assets were grain, which has been stored en-masse and rationed and periodically redistributed to alleviate the famine. The hardier, more drought resistant grain (particularly a strain of barley) has been heavily invested in planting projects. He divided the lands of his executed nobility and civilians killed in war and granted it to members of the peasantry to farm with increased status as landowners, which has caused a sizable migration to the fertile southeast of the region.

Some of his most recent maneuvers have involved resumption of raiding Wardin and Bur's trade ships and coastlines. The piracy has been beneficial to securing needed resources and wealth, while the raids (which have largely hit villages and small towns that don't have a Lot to offer mid-drought) have more of a function of terrorizing weakened enemies and building public morale in trying times. He's also in the process of courting a neighboring kingdom of Hrolje (with historical trade ties to Finnerich) into full allyship against their shared enemies (Imperial Wardin, the Burri republic, and several Royal Dain kingdoms).

A drought (which has lasted six years so far) occurring the very year he took the crown is a spiritual issue as well as a practical one. As the people's high priest, he should have the power to commune with the gods (particularly Neghri, chief of the gods with whom he has a singular connection as king) and prevent such a thing from happening. The public reaction to this drought has been varied, but most see its occurrence immediately following the expulsion of Imperial Wardin and defeat of its high priestess as significant. Many consider this to be the foreign god Odomache's vengeance, and question why their own gods (who are much more powerful and hold total sovereignty over this land) have not intervened to help them.

Taighr's public stance is that this is not quite the case. Their own gods have sent this drought to both punish their enemies and to test the Finn people. They have not forgiven Finnerich's surrender to their enemies, and require proof of the people's loyalty and strength before they will call the drought away. This message is harsh but hopeful in tone, and has been embraced (or at least accepted) by a sizeable majority. A sense of purpose to their suffering (HEAVILY bolstered by effective practical measures of famine alleviation) has gone a long way to keep Finnerich's general populace unified and confident in their new king in the face of adversity.

He has had tremendous success so far, but his rule has clear potential for future instability. While he is very popular among the peasantry, not everyone loved the whole 'mass execution of political rivals and their families' thing. Some members of these families are known or suspected to have escaped (and potentially have more legitimate claims by tradition than Taighr does). His reduced taxation on the commoner class cannot last forever, and his functional creation of a new landed peasantry class is untested and likely will not remain stable in the long term. A small but not insignificant minority interprets the drought not as a test but punishment from the gods for the acceptance of a false king.

---

Taighr has shunned most regalia for his public image. His outfit here has only the bare minimum regalia of the torc and headdress (along with his tattoos), and the rest is dancer's garb and a simple cloak. His image is partly as a maneuver to appeal to his people, who simultaneously desire a traditional king (as their protector and benefactor who can commune with the gods) but are utterly disillusioned with their former dynasty for having so deeply failed them (and being somewhat unfavored even before their surrender to Imperial Wardin).

His choice to partly neglect a traditional 'royal' image emphasizes his outsider status from this now heavily scorned ex-dynasty, while still appearing in such a way that legitimatizes him as a king to public perception.

The arm tattoos and banded motifs on the headgear contain symbols widely used in Finn art, but are forbidden to be worn as tattoos for anyone other than kings (unless the right has been granted by a king in recognition and blessing). A kings rule is marked with arm and leg bands added for each year of sovereignty, with symbols chosen to represent the character of each year and a king's accomplishments and actions therein. These tattoos tend to be flattering in their meaning and serve to cement a chosen narrative into the king's very skin- his successes are lauded, his difficulties are acknowledged but framed as a struggle in which he remained strong/will ultimately be triumphant.

The first year shows an abstract symbol of unification and brotherhood, representing his role early in the war when he had already emerged as a military leader was first acknowledged as a potential king. The second denotes clouded skies and an obscured sun, representing the struggle and uncertainty in the height of war. The third shows victory by the arrowhead, celebrating the end to the war, Finnerich's restored sovereignty, and the expulsion of invasive elements. The fourth shows the motif of maize, denoting the sense of hope and regrowth in the first year free of tributary occupation (somewhat in contrast to the reality of the drought). The fifth shows clouded skies yet again, as this was when public elation over their victory was thoroughly quashed by the drought not only Not Stopping but having its worst year of all, one of the more difficult years of his sovereignty. The sixth shows foundations, a sense of rebuilding in regards to great public works and triumphant management of the famine, a year in which more rain came and his land/grain distribution system entered full swing. The seventh shows an abstract symbol of clasped hands in unity and arrowheads, celebrating allegiance with Hrolje and great success in raids against enemies. He is in the eighth year of being recognized as a king, and the latest one has been outlined but not completed.

The tattoos on the back of his hands mark his status as legitimate king chosen by Neghri, capable of communing with the gods and performing acts of magic. This symbol is completely forbidden to be worn by anyone besides a king (including on clothing/jewelry/etc) and is the ultimate symbol of lordship, sovereignty, and connection to the chief of the gods.

His head (not directly visible here) is artificially lengthened, having been bound in infancy. Artificial cranial deformation is a widespread practice among many of the North Viper peoples, where it tends to be associated with beauty, nobility, and/or a semi-divine status. This practice is reserved exclusively for the hereditary nobility (kings, lords, and lesser nobles) of Finn culture. The trend for most Finn headgear to be very tall and pointed is at least related, giving a person a noble and dignified bearing (regardless of their skull's actual length).

[crimsonbubble]

ATZ AS CHASE ATLANTIC SONGS

- this is all for fun and my personal opinions -

HONGJOONG - INTO IT

Aesthetic: Neo-futuristic punk / Rebel visionary Colours: Black, metallic silver, blood red Visuals: Neon city lights, smeared lipstick on mirrors, studio clutter with vintage tech, ripped fashion zines Textures: Leather, mesh, metal chains Vibe: Creative chaos, unapologetic ambition, “art as rebellion"

SEONGHWA - SWIM

Aesthetic: Ethereal noir / Siren elegance Colours: Midnight blue, deep teal, soft pearl Visuals: Rippling water at night, candlelit rooms, fogged-up glass, underwater silhouettes Textures: Silk, velvet, wet skin shimmer Vibe: Alluring mystery, slow-burning desire, melancholic beauty

YUNHO - OKAY

Aesthetic: Soft-grunge nostalgia / Golden-hour dreamer Colours: Sepia, dusty rose, faded denim Visuals: Old camcorder footage, Polaroids with scribbled notes, empty diners at dusk Textures: Corduroy, cotton, scuffed sneakers Vibe: Smiles hiding heartache, warmth tinged with sadness, trying to stay okay

YEOSANG - SLOW DOWN

Aesthetic: Minimalist luxe / Quiet enigma Colours: Charcoal, ivory, muted gold Visuals: Long shadows on concrete walls, wine glasses half-full, watch dials ticking Textures: Satin, cold metal, matte leather Vibe: Controlled elegance, silence with weight, stillness before the storm

SAN - Drugs & Money

Aesthetic: Lust and chaos / Romantic thrill Colours: Crimson, lilac, shadowy black Visuals: Lipstick-stained cigarettes, mirrors cracked from heat, rain-soaked kisses Textures: Latex, mesh, crushed velvet Vibe: Addictive passion, danger you crave, beauty that bites

MINGI - HEAVEN AND BACK

Aesthetic: Dark romanticism / Fire and fallout Colours: Rust orange, smoky grey, deep plum Visuals: Flickering candles in ruins, handwritten love letters burned at the edges, stormy skies Textures: Burnt paper, distressed leather, wind-blown coats Vibe: Intensity that haunts, devotion that destroys, beauty in ruin

WOOYOUNG - FRIENDS

Aesthetic: Flirtcore meets heartbreak / Neon temptation Colours: Hot pink, cherry red, inky black Visuals: Neon motel signs, shared earbuds, club bathrooms, late-night texts left on read Textures: Satin, lip gloss, denim jackets Vibe: Electric charm, toxic connection, love masked as fun

JONGHO - LOVE IS (NOT) EASY

Aesthetic: Emotional strength / Heroic tenderness Colours: Burgundy, navy, warm beige Visuals: Rain on glass, empty stages after the show, strong hands holding fragile objects Textures: Wool, rough denim, soft cotton tees Vibe: Quiet heartbreak, power with soul, resilient softness

[darknight3904]

Between the Comfort and the Chaos

𝕊𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕪: ɪɴ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴄᴏʀɪᴏʟᴀɴᴜꜱ' ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴄᴏᴍᴇꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴄʟᴏꜱᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇ ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀꜱ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴄʟᴏꜱᴇꜱᴛ ᴛᴏ ʜɪᴍ

ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ꜰᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇꜱ ᴋᴀᴛɴɪꜱꜱ (ʏᴀʏ) ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɴᴏᴡ'ꜱ ᴄᴏɴᴠᴇʀꜱᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴇɴʜᴏᴜꜱᴇ. ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ᴛᴏ ꜰɪᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ꜱᴏ ɴᴏ ᴏɴᴇ ɪꜱ ᴀʟʟᴏᴡᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴀʏ "ᴏʜ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱɴ'ᴛ ʜᴏᴡ ɪᴛ ᴡᴇɴᴛ!" ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ɴᴏᴡ. ᴛʜᴀᴛꜱ ᴡʜʏ ɪᴛꜱ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ꜰᴀɴꜰɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ.

ᴘʀᴇᴠɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴘᴀʀᴛ / ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ / ᴍᴀɪɴ ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ

𝕎𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤: ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴜɪᴄɪᴅᴇ

ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴀᴅᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴛ ʙᴜʀɴꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ. ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ɪɴꜱᴘɪʀᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴀɴ ᴀꜱᴋ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴍᴀᴢɪɴɢ @squidscottjeans ,ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏɴɢ ᴄᴇɪʟɪɴɢꜱ ʙʏ ʟɪᴢᴢɪᴇ ᴍᴄᴀʟᴘɪɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴍɪꜱꜱ ʏᴏᴜ, ɪ'ᴍ ꜱᴏʀʀʏ ʙʏ ɢʀᴀᴄɪᴇ ᴀʙʀᴀᴍꜱ.

Italics designate that it is a dream.

The sun is warm on his skin as his eyes meet yours. Musical laughter fills his ears and soft hair tickles his nose.

"What are you laughing at now?" He asked, his voice deep with sleep.

"Your hair is ridiculous, Coryo." You tease pointing at his head

"And who did that hmm? I seem to remember you pushing your fingers through it a thousand times last night." He replies shifting around in the soft white sheets so he's sitting upright.

"You lie! I'd never." You laugh, sitting up beside him, clothed in a soft-looking nightgown he picked out for you.

"Sure you would, you're a menace." He says, wrapping his arms around you and caging you to his chest

"How rude to say to the only person who puts up with that terrible attitude of yours!" You say trying to free yourself from his iron grip.

His muscles flex slightly and his fingers begin to tickle you.

"Coryo!" You laugh, wiggling around in his lap "Coriolanus Snow! I'm going to pee!"

He relents and lets you go at the threat of urine. Wetting the bed is unattractive.

Coriolanus wakes with his heart feeling full. A smile fights for a spot on his face amongst the wrinkles that have formed over the years.

"Now there's something you don't normally see on a dead man's face, a smile."

His smile falls and his gaze snaps to the voice. He groans and straightens up in the uncomfortable chair he dozed off in

"I'm Commander Paylor. From District 8. I wanted to see you before the Mockingjay executes you tomorrow."

Coriolanus isn't entirely sure what to say to the woman in front of him.

"You wanted to meet the monster up close?" He asks, pulling a pure white rose from its spot next to a fountain.

"Yes." She confirms.

Her voice is unshaken as he steps towards her and holds his hand with the rose out.

"Give the Girl on Fire this for me. As a gift." He requests

The woman, rebel, Paylor, slowly takes it from him, undoubtedly suspicious. He smiles when she does, a sign of good faith, but it must scare her because he can tell she's not charmed.

Unsurprisingly, his good looks had vanished years ago.

"What makes you think she'll want this?" She asks shoving the rose back at him.

"You're right, maybe she she wouldn't want it. Although perhaps she'll find me herself, then I can give it to her directly."

Paylor doesn't say another word to him and instead takes her leave. He watches her mumble something to the guards before walking. Most likely demanding that they watch him closely. Like he had somewhere he could run off to, the moment the Capitol's children were killed by bombs, he had lost any bits of support he had left.

He isn't surprised when she appears in his greenhouse. She looks laughably out of place amongst the dazzling white and green, clad in black as she admires one of his roses.

"That's a nice one."

His voice must frighten her because she spins around quickly. How easy it is to startle a bird outside of its cage. It reminds him that Katniss Everdeen, the Girl on Fire, the Mockingjay, the symbol of the rebellion that will kill him tomorrow is nothing more than a scared little girl.

"Nothing says perfection like white." He says, wiping at his mouth, " I was hoping you'd find your way here. There's so many things we should discuss."

Katniss walks towards him as he sits down on a bench, old knees prevent him from standing the way he wanted to. She's silent but he catches her eyes and how they watch the blood on his handkerchief.

Katniss is quiet, waiting for him to elaborate.

"I was 18 when I killed my first person. It was a boy, in the arena. I was there to rescue my friend who was stupid enough to enter the arena to administer burial rights to a District 2 boy he believed was important."

"I don't care," Katniss says getting ready to walk away, clearly uninterested in his life.

"You don't want to know the thoughts of an old man? After all, I'll be dead this time tomorrow. Then my story won't matter. I'll be nothing but pages on a history book one day. You'll be the only one to know how my mind worked back then."

His words get her to stay. Perhaps she is curious about him. Or maybe she doesn't have anything else to do, now that the Districts have taken the Capitol. How terrible it must be to lose your purpose so early on in life.

"I saved him, Sejanus Plinth, that fool. I saved him only to sign his death warrant later. Plotting to escape Panem and killing the mayor of District 12's daughter. You see, Miss Everdeen, taking life without purpose is wasteful. The mayor's daughter never did anything to Sejanus."

"You say don't take life without waste but what about your Fiancee? The one who killed herself. There have been whispers about it for as long as I can remember. I've never bought that she died on her own accord."

"Patience, Miss Everdeen." He smiles, surprised that the rumor about you still has life, he could have sworn he had covered that up perfectly.

"Have you ever heard the name Lucy Gray Baird?" He asked, genuinely curious if that foolish Covey of hers had passed her name down the way her songs had swirled around the rebellion.

"No," Katniss says

"She was a victor of the Hunger Games, just like you. The first victor of District 12 to be precise." Coriolanus watches Katniss' face as she listens, "There's nothing left of her though. She is but a whisper in the wind, I saw to that myself. I must not have done it thoroughly though, after all, you know her songs. The Hanging Tree, and that sweet song you sang that little girl who died in your arms in your first games."

Coriolanus smiles as Katniss' face knits into a mask of displeasure and anger.

"Stop it." She demands, no begs.

"Calm yourself, Miss Everdeen, I'll be finished shortly."

He watches her fists clench, suffocating the stem of the rose she picked between her fingers.

"You asked about my fiance. You're right about your theory, she didn't kill herself the way the gossips spread their lies across this country say. I rid myself of her one day, it was an accident you see. She attacked me first...I regret it though. I regret it most when I'm alone."

Coriolanus sighs, suddenly overcome with sadness as he thinks of you, Lucy Gray, and even Sejanus.

Katniss is quiet for a moment. Her fingers turn the rose over in her fingers, examining it for nonexistent imperfections.

"You deserve it. You deserve every bit of pain her death causes you. You deserve to know the pain you've caused countless families by sending their children into the games. What you've caused me and my family by killing Prim."

He can hear the emotion dripping in her voice when her sister's name leaves her lips. In a way that sister is responsible for where he is now, a prisoner in his own greenhouse.

"Yes, I wanted to tell you how sorry I am about your sister. I was about to release an official surrender when they released the parachutes." He says, truthfully.

"You released those parachutes," Katniss says, her tone cold.

"You think I gave the order? We both know I'm not above killing children, but I'm not wasteful. I take life for specific reasons. I always have. There was no reason for me to destroy a pen of Capitol children."

He coughs, wiping at his mouth, wishing his sores would stop aching.

"It was a masterful move on Coin's part. It turned the last of my guards against me." He smiles "There was no resistance left in the mansion. Did you know it aired live?"

He watches as Katniss takes in his words, her face remains stoic but he can tell she understands him. Understands that Prim is dead because of the woman who is to take his place as leader of Panem.

"I'm sure she wasn't gunning for your sister...but these things happen in war."

"I don't believe you," Katniss says, determined to convince herself more than him.

"Oh my dear Miss Everdeen, I thought we had agreed never to lie to each other."

Sleep is something that has usually evaded Coriolanus Snow. Whether it be his old bones aching, the sores in his mouth, or just a busy mind, he hasn't had a peaceful night in many years.

Tonight is different though. Perhaps it was his conversation with Katniss, or maybe the fact that he would die tomorrow. Tonight Coriolanus Snow falls into a deep slumber, avoiding what his future holds.

Coriolanus!

Coriolanus!

Coryo!

He can't believe eyes. Here you are, healthy and whole in front of him. Not a winkle or smile line, pollutes your face.

You are as beautiful as the day you left him.

"Y-You're here...with me." He stammers, cursing himself for his blunder.

"Where else would I be, silly?" You smile "This is my room after all."

He glances around and sure enough, you're right. Your sunroom is here, he's in it. Coriolanus sits across from you on the plush baby blue furniture you hand-picked. It's color is as vibrant as ever, not faded like the last time he saw it. Your overflowing desk is to his on his right, burdened with books, drawings, and wildflowers of every color.

"You look lost, Coryo." You observe, taking a sip from the tea cup in front of you.

He takes in your appearance. A pretty sundress sits on your figure. Its yellow flowers make you look as delicate as the teacup in front of him. Your hair is done immaculately and a soft touch of makeup enhances your already stunning features.

"I'm sorry." He suddenly blurts out

"For what?" You ask

" I'm sorry for looking like this." He apologizes, suddenly self-conscious that he's an old man.

"Looking like what?" Your musical voice fills his ears.

Suddenly a mirror is there, in his lap. He looks down and is met with a familiar yet unfamiliar face. Sure, his reflection stares back at him as it always is. But, this time he is met with how he looked the day he killed you. His youth is back, curly hair a mess on his head, out of the confines of the gel he used to slick it back. It is styled just the way you like it.

"Are you sorry for anything else?" You ask sweetly

Coriolanus thinks for a split second that you're testing him. But what reason would you have?

"For everything that happened between us. I regret it all." He admits

Silence feels like a weight on his chest as he waits for you to speak.

"Do you regret what you did to me then? How we ended?" You ask

He can't look at you as he disgests your words.

"Yes." He says, his voice barely a whisper.

"Look at me, Coriolanus."

His gaze remains down, has he always been wearing blue socks?

"Look at me, Coriolanus!"

"Look at me!"

"Look at me!"

"Look at me!"

His eyes open to meet the bright light of a flashlight being shown into his eyes.

"He's still alive." A gruff voice says, switching the light off.

"Unfortunately." Another snickers " Here I thought we might get to tell Coin he died of old age."

"Stay alive, snake. We want a good show tomorrow when Katniss shoots you." The first one says tossing him backward onto the small cot that has been placed in his greenhouse for him.

"You're a monster, Coriolanus."

Your voice. It's you!

He turns around and there you are, a gray scarf has been added to your outfit. It's out of place and clashes with your pretty yellow dress. He wants to tell you to get rid of it.

"I'm not." He denies

"You are. Look what you did to Sejanus, to Lucy Gray, to me, to every child who ever stepped foot in an arena. There were never any victors, not really, only you." You hiss

"It is the order of things." He tries to defend his actions, hearing you spout this incorrect information is angering him. Every life he has ever ended has served a greater purpose.

"Snow lands on top, isn't that how it goes?"

Your words send a shiver down his spine.

"I wish I could have changed what happened to you." He says

"No, you don't. You wanted to do it. You wanted to hurt me." You spit

"No, I didn't you're wrong. I never meant for any of that to happen!" He panics, wishing your harsh tone would stop. He haunches over elbows resting on his knees, hands over his ears like a child.

"Yes, you did." You say

He looks up at you now. The ugly scarf is gone but Coriolanus wishes for its return. Deep purple bruises mar your once-perfect skin. From his position, he can see the chinks of the chain that had pressed into your skin.

"You can't even accept what you did to me. You're disgusting, Coryo."

And just like that you're gone. A figment of his imagination comes to life and vanishes just like that.

His chest heaves as he wipes his bloody lips on his deep red robe. His heart rate slows and he wishes someone would bring him a warm cup of tea to soothe his burning throat. Perhaps those guards might indulge him.

A low whistle reaches his ears as he fiddles with the string that sticks out of his pillowcase.

I've taken some hits, so

No wonder I'm wary.

It's why I

Need you-

You're as pure as the driven snow.

Lucy Gray Baird's sweet voice fills his ears for the first time in decades.

"Hello, Coriolanus." She greets him, stepping out from behind a display of roses.

"What do you want?" He snaps

"Well now, there's no need to be rude." She scolds

"Say your piece I'm tired." He says, uninterested in playing her games

"Ah, did she tire you out? She's feisty. I understand why you went back to the Capitol for her." Lucy Gray says

"No, you don't. You barely even met her." He says

"Now thats where you're wrong. She and I know each other well. After all, we're connected through you." Lucy Gray taunts

"You're not real!" He exclaims. "You're gone! Nothing but a whisper of songbird chatter left behind in the woods of District 12!"

His outburst doesn't faze Lucy Gray Baird who smiles at him.

" I can see you're not interested in talking to me the way you did her."

"You're right, I'm not," Coriolanus confirms, wishing Lucy Gray would disappear again.

"Very well, then. I'll leave you to it, then."

The rest of the night is sleepless for Coriolanus. He lays on his back and tries to shake the whispers that flood his mind. Your voice dances with Lucy Gray's tonight, taunting him, driving him mad. Lucy Gray's singing swirls through him like a thick fog over city lights and clouds his mind. At some point, you join in and Coriolanus can't even fathom how you've learned the words of a ghost's songs.

The sun has arisen by the time your voices finally go quiet. He suspects the guards that stand outside his greenhouse doors will come to lead him to his execution any moment now.

"Did you ever stop and think that what you were doing was wrong?"

Sejanus Plinth. He should have known his mind would save the most annoying for last.

"I've never viewed my actions as wrong. Maybe I didn't mean them all but they all served a purpose." Coriolanus affirms, not bothering to look at Sejanus who is apparently behind him.

Sejanus lets out an amused laugh and Coriolanus feels his blood boil. What does a dead boy have to laugh at? He is the one who got to live a long life, not Sejanus Plinth.

"You meant every wrong you've ever committed, Coryo. You're a monster that's going to burn in the deepest pits of hell."

He finally turns, ready to rip Sejanus apart for his words and the use of his personal nickname, a name reserved for you only. He is ready to send Sejanus back to whatever corner of his mind he resided in but is met with nothing but roses.

He runs a hand over his face. Coriolanus Snow has never felt more weary than he does now. He wishes to bury his head beneath his blankets and let the world melt away.

He never gets a chance though because as he relaxes back into his mattress, the greenhouse doors open, signaling his time here has come to a close.

"Get up." a voice orders "It's time."

Coriolanus can see Katniss Everdeen growing closer with every beat of the drums that play. The bow in her hand is as pitch black as the costume she wears. A soft breeze threads its way through the tense scene as he awaits his doom. He's not so worried about it now, his mind has dragged him through the dirt so much within the past twelve hours that he wants an out. He never wants the ability to listen to Sejanus' garbage or Lucy Gray's sweet voice, Coriolanus doesn't even want to have another conversation with you in your sunroom.

No that's not it. Perhaps he was wrong. Maybe he does want some of those things back. Maybe not Sejanus or Lucy Gray but he does yearn for you. He wants you to wrap your arms around him and tell him it's alright. He wants to sit down with you and exist with you in between the comfort and the chaos of this world. He wants you to stay by his side and say that you didn't mean to say that you disgust him.

Maybe none of it was real. No none of it was. You had left him that night in the basement. Your eyes had glazed over and you had stopped fighting him and the chain that brought about your doom.

He can feel hysteria creeping into his mind as Katniss Everdeen stops walking. Behind her, the victors that escaped him stand tall. He catches the gaze of Peeta Mellark, the boy he had kept in your room after he used tracker jacker venom on him.

Three birds fly over him, they flap their wings in perfect harmony. Their black feathers are a stark contrast to the light blue sky that he stares up at now. Coin's words fall on deaf ears as he ignores her whole speech.

"Mockingjay...may your aim be as true as your heart is pure."

Coriolanus watches Katniss Everdeen release her arrow. He expects something, perhaps a dazzling white light or maybe even pitch darkness but it never comes. Instead horrified gasps fill his ears and the thud of a body.

Coriolanus doesn't have to even try to turn around to see what has happened. He knows what the Mockingjay has done to what was Panem's future.

Time slows down as the mob behind her rushes forward. The birds have flown away, off to start a different life, away from darkness and all things bad.

His laughter rings in his ears as his eyes comb the crowd. He can't see much but the red rouge of an academy uniform catches his eyes, accompanied by a flash of rainbow. Sejanus, Lucy Gray. What were they doing here? They couldn't possibly be in the crowd that was running towards him.

They're growing closer, the mob that will end his life. He looks at them, ready to let go. They collide with him, their fists are brutal but justified and he can feel his end rapidly approaching.

"Coryo."

And there it is, at last. Your sweet voice is calling him home.

Thank you for reading this little bonus story. If you enjoyed it please comment, like, or reblog! I love getting feedback. Follow me for more content or check out my master list.

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