#(connection: mehmed)

[molarbeardoc]

HUR HUR HUR HUR HUR HUR HUR HUR HUR HURRR

HUR HUR HUR HUR

HUR HUR HUR HUR

HURRRRRRR

HUR HUR HUR HUR HUR HUR HUR HURRRRR

HUR HUR HUR HUR HUR HURRRRRR

HUR HUR HUR HUR HUR HUR

HUR HUR HUR HUR

HUR HUR HUR HUR

Hur hur

Aka PART THREE!!!!

You were supposed to perfect.

You were to rule beside me on this disgusting wasteland.

To make them all grovel at our feet.

To destroy ANYONE who stood in our way.

The others may have assisted in your creation. They may have helped you crawl. They may have fed you. They may have checked your vitals, monitored your every move, written down everything you DID in their presence.

And while I did as well…

I did it with the promise of you becoming something great…

I taught you to speak.

I even remember your first word: beaker!

I spent hours in that DAMNED building, helping you walk on your own two legs.

I showed you the marvellous wonders of the world, even the ones I found pathetic and vile…

When you were sick, I never left you alone.

When you were hungry, I was always the first to feed you.

Even during the storms!

When the bolts of Zeus and the lion roared vicious and earthquaking thunder, every time you were afraid…

I…

NEVER…

left your side…

So why would you think it was okay to leave mine?

Was what you saw so overwhelming that you’d think you’d steal my life’s work without consequences? Was what you read so aching that you just HAD to run away?

To run away from them?

Run away from me?

That’s not how this game works…

When you go against me, you are going against life and death itself.

You are a peasant and I am royalty.

You are but drop of water while I am a mighty blaze

You are prey and I… the predator

Do you understand now?

Do you understand the great turmoil you’ve brought on not only yourself but those around you?

I fail to see evidence that you do..

And while I yap and yowl and hiss and snarl and whisper and retort…

You’ll never believe until I SHOW you, why everyone fears me..

A man’s words mean nothing when it comes to his actions. Shall he fail to fill his hole, it will become his new grave. It shall hold him until he sees his last sky, breathe his last breath, feel his last touch, smell his last aroma, and hear his last song. It was hold him for before he dies and after he dies.

Fortunately for me,

Gods do not die…

When you’ve angered them, there is but one way to appease them.

Through sacrifice…

Your suffering will be eternal.

And I’ll make sure to include your acquaintance in your turmoil…

.

..

…

It had been a fun-filled day! The two had spent it making new conspiracies theories… Well at least Bive did. She managed to make them all connect in one way or another. Split was a different story. She somehow managed to get Bive to play a few of the games that were in the dinner.

Note to future self: Bive is really good at air hockey. Guess when you’re a paranoid detective looking for danger around every corner, you’ve gotta be quick on your toes!

They had stayed there virtually all day! It was nearly dark when they had finished. As the two made their way back to the elevator, Split glanced down at her flea-ridden hairy friend, noticing her tired expression and feeling a side of self-pride rising in her chest.

Her plan had worked perfectly.

She was exhausted. Split wondered how she even managed at all, she looked as if she were about to fall over.

"Hey Bive..?"

"Mehm?"

"You alright?"

"Mhm…"

Split gave her a concerned smile. Maybe she should stay with her? Just to be safe of course.

"Uhh so… Would you mind if I stayed over tonight?"

"No."

Oh…! It was pretty straightforward. That’s pretty nice actually. They get to have a sleepover! Darn she’s gonna have to go back and get some clothes.. Oh well!

.

..

…

Eventually the two made it back to the funny maze, of course after visiting Split’s floor to allow her to get her sleepwear, Split having to guide Bive away from any walls to ensure she didn’t walk into them. As well as keep her away from Scary Mike and Fleshy. Scary Mike was, of course, Scary Mike; randomly appearing in hallways as its corrosive black oil (🇺🇸) dripped from the walls and evaporated once it disappeared. It even reached its hand from around corners trying to grab at one of them as if it intended to cause harm but would always evaporate into cloud of foul smelling smoke before it could.

Fleshy, however, wasn’t actually a problem. If anything it was more of a sweetheart, curiously watching and following the two while babbling random nonsense. It even went as far as the help guide Split to Bive’s corner of the maze whilst protecting the two from Scary Mike, hissing and growling at it every time it saw it until it saw the cloud of smoke.

In all honesty, as weird as her roommates, if you could even call them that, were, they seemed interesting and were decently enjoyable company. She might have to visit more often just so she can speak with the fleshcousin. Maybe even befriend it like she did the other! Who knew they were all such sweethearts?

Once they made it to Bive’s part of the maze, Fleshy gargled a difficult to understand farewell before leaving, disappearing around the corner as if seemingly purred. Fleshcousins are weird… yet cute in a silly way.

It was rather chaotic. Papers and empty styrofoam coffee cups littered the floor, causing the Fruit-taur to wonder if she ever cleaned. Well… Now that she thought about it, she never bathed. It made sense for her not to clean up. As they descended deeper she started to take notice of red string, old photographs, and even thumbtacks on the floor. If that wasn’t bad enough, there was writing on the walls made with white paint or lead.

They were either equations or some sort of question that related to one of her theories.

`2 + 2 IS 4 NO MATTER WHAT!`

`Clown military hiding inside cacti?`

`Snow soldiers collaborating with Gnarpians?`

`Government using sonic waves to make people hungry to buy more products from companies?!`

Okay Split could see that partially happening it wasn’t too unbelievable.

"Wow… You must be hard at work here huh?"

"Mhm.."

Split continued to look out for any stray thumbtacks before coming to a stop as two made it to her 'room'. It had the basic necessities as well as coffee maker, tiny mini fridge, and her famous corkboard.. And it was much larger than she expected. How much free time did she have? Uh… Oh well!

After getting dressed, she sat beside Bive, watching as the detective fought to stay awake before eventually succumbing to sleep.

Split watched as she fell still completely, the only indication of life being her side rising and falling.

It took her longer to fall asleep but her own thoughts kept her busy until she did. Why didn’t she sleep often? Is it insomnia? Or did she just not like sleeping? Why wouldn’t anyone like sleeping though? Did something happen that made her just stay awake?

For now, her questions could receive answers later as she slowly drifted off into her own peaceful slumber.

Perfect…

HI HI HI HOPE YOU ENJOYED. PART FOUR IS GONNA BE DEVASTATING RAHHHHH BATS EYELASHES MALICIOUSLY

[hojiteaversion]

Mehmed/MC - Fic Recommendations

An asterisk (*) before the title indicates the fic is in Russian! (I read with a browser translator and it's fine! Sometimes some things sound funny and/or pronouns are translated wrong, but it's all understandable!)

All the fics are completed!

Collision by BorgiaBarbie

Laia struggles when the return of Mehmed complicates her already messy love life with Noe. Oh, and she has one week to restore a priceless painting. Can Laia somehow figure out who she is and what she wants before the sand in the hourglass runs out? Laia/Mehmed and Laia/Noe. Mess. Chaos. Jealousy. Angst. Set after the events of Dracula a Love Story Season 4 Episode 3. Chapters 9 & 10 are set 6 months later.

Hilarious? Check ✅ Great writing? Check ✅ Fluff, angst, humor, and smut?! Check ✅

Also, chapter 4 is what most people would call a religious experience. Please, please do yourself a favor and read it.

The Sultan’s request by nesrinslittleworld

Lale Hatun has a conversation with her Uncle when she visits him with the second portrait.

Really well-written short fic. Mehmed/MC is just implied, but I really enjoyed this look into Lale's conflicted feelings about him.

*The trap of excitement by Akulova Anastasia

After her joint incognito outing with Shehzade, Lale continued to avoid Mehmed, fearing her own feelings, and he, having chosen the path of her methodical conquest, found another safe way to get closer, which could not help but seduce the gambling nature of the Sultana: he promised to teach the game of chess, bypassing the prohibitions. The tactics turn out to be correct, but soon Mehmed sets off on a new campaign. On what note will they say goodbye to Lale, and will she agree to one small bet?

This fic has excellent Mehmed characterization, excellent chemistry and development between him and Lale, an amazing dance scene, and a top-notch epilogue. No spoilers, but there's a moment between the two in the smut scene that I find beautifully done and quite touching!

*Obsession by Akulova Anastasia

“Sorry… God, I don’t know what came over me,” I muttered in confusion and embarrassment, for some reason backing away and awkwardly knocking over the paints. Damn it, in this life we ​​have known each other for only a few days and we are not connected by anything except the memories of the reckless passion of young Lale, who probably did not end in anything good, another me, who has long fallen asleep. So why am I now torn by such unbearable thirst and longing? Why did I… kiss him?

Some beautiful and memorable moments between Laia and Mehmed in this one, especially in chapters 2 and 3. To further entice you, I will say one of these excellent moments involves a knife 🙏‍🙌

*Swallow and flame by linalisavv

“I need to run away from you like fire, but I’m flying towards you like a stupid, naive moth, hoping not to scorch my wings,” Lale said almost in a whisper. Her lips collided with the Shehzade’s, and the air around sparked.

This fic (set after 3x11) imagines how Lale and Mehmed could get together in the Ottoman Empire. I think it's very well-written! And while Vlad plays a minimal role here, I think it's fun that this fic is technically set in a Mehmed and Vlad route. Kudos for the sweet epilogue too!

*A fragile tulip in his hands by Seagull with cookies.

Her mind told her: “Get out, run. He is a cruel tyrant. Madman. He will destroy you." And my heart screamed: “It won’t hurt. Can not. His feelings are too strong."

Friends... This one made me insane. It had a lot of things that fit their canon dynamic so well! I want to let you experience it for yourselves, so I'll just say: drawings, teasing, understanding, breathplay (!!!), and falling in love. Please read it.

*On the edge of the abyss by Little_romantic

"I'm scared. I'm afraid it will hurt again…" "I will never hurt you." His whisper sounded so convincing, so soulful that goosebumps ran across my skin. She knew he believed it, but…

I have recommended this one before, and I will do it again! Each chapter is independent from the others, but guys, the sheer longing in these glimpses of them as Mehmed and Lale want, more than anything, to make them work even as they're scared because, you know, it's them... I think it's a beautiful work and it makes my heart just go out to them.

[evilelitest2]

Russian-Ukraine War Part 4: The Birth of Russia

So Russia is big. It's like one of their defining traits, vodka, art, brutality, colonialism, communism, and being massive.  But did you know that once Russia was once…not so big?  Let's do some history.

So the Mongolian Empire was a brutal genocidal engine of conquest but if you survived the initial invasion, it wasn’t so bad by the standard of brutal imperialists, the Mongols were big on religious tolerance, cultural integration and above all trade.  So the Russians found themselves suddenly connected to Central and East Asia through their Mongol overlords, and Russia for the first time in Russian history, it is as connected to East Asia as it is to Europe.  

The Mongolian Empire was great at conquest but struggled a lot with the ruling, and it probably won’t surprise you that it broke into 4 smaller states shortly after the death of Genghis Khan, located in the Middle East, China, Mongolia and Russia Respectively.  The one that concerns us is the Golden Hoard, the Russian based Mongolian state, who were called “Tatars” by the locals. 

The Golden Hoard wasn’t an Empire that spent most of their time breathing down your neck and setting major policies in their capital, instead they ruled indirectly via tributary states.  They would basically allow your kingdom to exist and kinda do its own thing as long as you paid your taxes, and one special boy kingdom was allowed the honor of collecting the taxes.  The special boy of our story is the Grand Duchy of Moscow, which will overtime be upgraded to the Principality of Moscow, to the Grand Principality of Moscow as they steadily get more and more powerful, using the privileges they got as the Mongol’s special boys to eventually grow their military and economy. 

Eventually they were able to push back the Mongols (assisted by the Golden Hordes constant civil wars), and by the time of Ivan the III aka Ivan the Great, the state was independent and a massive nation. Ivan III is kinda seen as the first independent Ruler of Russia, where Russia exists in its own right and not just as a Mongolian Tributary state.   Ivan’s grandson, Ivan the IV, aka Ivan the Vasilyevich, aka Ivan Grozny, aka Ivan the Terrible eventually decided that the Title of Grand Prince wasn’t quite good enough and so it was he who formally turned the state into an Empire, giving himself the title of Tsar, after brutally conquering all the people around him.  And so the Russian Empire was born between Ivan the Great and Ivan the Terrible, go figure.

(Ivan the Terrible, Very stable man)

So Ok, Russia is an independent Empire, but under Ivan the IV it becomes more than that, it becomes the Orthodox State.   Let me walk back a bit.  Christianity first super huge split was in 1054, where the Eastern Greek Speaking Orthodox Church broke apart from the Western Latin Speaking Roman Catholic Church.  The Catholics have the Pope, who manage to establish himself as a religious power greater than even Kings, while the east had the Patriarch, whose power was limited by the Emperor?  What Emperor you say?  Well time to talk about the Byzantine Emperor 

Patriarch (left) Pope (right)

So the Byzantines are the dominant supreme cultural power of the East right?  Well by the time of the Mongols, not so much.  The great city of Constantinople was sacked in 1204 by the 4th Crusade, in one of the greatest own goals in history, and the Empire was in a state of decline ever since.  And I mean actual decline, not Edward Gibbon (your decline is almost a thousand years) decline, which was pretty upsetting for the Rus, the other great Orthodox power (Ok I see you Bulgaria and Romania, you’ll get your own episodes another time calm down), and as Byzantine declined, Muscovy keep taking on more and more of the role as “big Orthodox power of the east”.  But the striking blow came when Constantinople fell in 1453 to the Ottoman Empire under Mehmed the II aka Mehmed the Conqueror, bringing a final end to the Byzantine empire…ok there were a few splinter states but Mehmet gets them 20 years later so once and for all Byzantines are gone.

(Mehmet II preparing to destroy Byzantinium)

SO I cannot empathizes enough how much of a blow this is to the Orthidox World. The Byzantine Empire was THE Orthidox power for over a thousand years, it was the center of the Orthidox world.Consantinople had been the center of the Orthodox church since Constantine himself, it's like Rome turning Muslim or Mecca Christian, like this is a theological crisis.  However, the Grand Principality of Moscow was eager to take on the role of center of the Orthodox Church, and Ivan the Great started to call Moscow “The Third Rome” to succeed the Byzantines as the Byzantines had “succeed” the Romans (despite being Roman…look i never said it is smart).  This is why Russia’s coat of Arms is the two headed eagle of the Byzantines.  His grandson Ivan Grozny unified the Principality into a strong centralized autocratic state through the power of brutal oppression and secret police, creating the Russian Empire.  Later the Patriarch would relocate there, effectively the closest thing to the head of the Orthodox church, making Moscow the new center of the Orthodox faith.

As the "Third Rome" Russia wasn't just an Empire, it had a divine mandate to take territory and spread the Orthidox Faith. The notion of this Russian style Manifest Destiny is going to come up again in this series, and it has never completely left the Russian National identiy.

Ivan took the title of Tsar which means Caesar as in Emperor.  As an Empire rather than a Principality, the “Divine Mandate” of Russia became to serve as the protector of the Orthodox Church, to reunify the old Kievan Rus, and restore Constantinople.  Like most empires, including the Mongol, the Russian Empire is based on the notion that they have a divine right to rule over everybody else. This dream was put aside for the Time of Troubles, a civil war so horrific that it makes Game of Thrones look peaceful, but after that confusion Russia was ready to go (this is where the Royal family goes from Ruik to Romanov) This is not going to be an extensive look at all of Tsarist Russia, just the stuff which I think is important to understand for Ukraine.  Colonization, the Tsar and Serfdom.

[nesiacha]

The problem of Magnificent Century: The screenwriters diabolize too much Hurrem, Mahidevran, Nurbanu. In fact they take up the cliché that the “evil woman” caused the fall of an empire or a country. For the empire of Rome it is the fault of Cleopatra (false), for the fall of Granada it is either the fault of Isabel de Solis or Aicha el Horra (equally false). And now for the Ottoman Empire it is firstly the fault of Hurrem (since the series almost entirely blames Hurrem or even Mahidevran, the sisters of Suleiman for the death of Mustafa even if fortunately Suleiman is not spared), Mahidevran for having killed Mehmed (another times false historically it is sure that she was relieved just as Hurrem was relieved of the death of Mustafa due to the fratricidal law but no proof for either of them of intrigues to kill the son of each other), Nurbanu is blamed for the death of Bayezid (once again historically false, Bayezid himself signed his death warrant). All this for not blame the real cause of the falls of Empires, for the Roman Empire I would abstain from the real reason because I do not really master the subject but it is 100% certain that Cleopatra had nothing to do with it , for the Ottoman Empire the main reason is that the jannissaries wanted to meddle too much in the affairs of the Empire and when the military meddles in the affairs of the country it is never a good sign and it can precipitate a country towards its fall ( for example you only have to look at Bonaparte's government, in the end the Bourbons returned to power and France lost practically all of its territory while during the revolutionary period from 1794 this country had managed to repel all its enemies that whether outside or inside even if there were excesses of the Terror it remained a democratic country and not a sort of military dictatorship for me or at least an extremely powerful authoritarian regime) , the fact that Suleiman made too many useless conquests and from the wrong side unlike his father (even if some historians think that the beginning of the fall was under Murad III especially after the death of his mother), etc… So no connection between theses womans and the fall of Empire Ottoman. It's frustrating to see this writing from Magnificent Century because there was the potential to make so many excellent, complex and very intelligent female characters (we see Hurrem's intelligence in MC but only for the plots and even if we see her charity, the screenwritters didn't show her diplomatic skills , her correspondence with Poland, her good political advice, the same for Mahidevran who was historically a very strong and intelligent woman, we could have seen something else from Suleiman's sisters if the screenwriters had respected their historical facets instead of playing the role of the "bad" step sisters even if I really like Hatice and Shah Hubban) I would have liked a historical series that didn't whitewash male leaders by wrongly blaming this country's problems on women. When will there be a series without sexism and which does not glorify aggressive military conquests (and I am talking about a series produced by its own country which would unreservedly denounce its own conquests)? I'm exaggerating and there are certainly works that do that like GRR Martin but I find it very little especially since it is inspired by many historical events.

[gulnarsultan]

Yandere Fatih Sultan Mehmed ve Cariye okuyucu. (Okumayı biliyor.)

[ Doğrusu Haremdeki cariyelere okuma ve yazma dersleri veriliyor. Bunun dışında bir çok yetenkler için dersler alıyorlar.]

Okuyucu Şehzadelik döneminde Mehmede sunuluyor. Mehmedin annesi Hüma Hatun okuyucunu hususi olarak yetiştirmiştir. Okuyucu okuma ve yazmada hususi kabiliyyete sahiptir. Bunun yanı sıra zeki bir cariyedir. Mehmede sunulduktan kısa sürede onun en sevdiği cariyesi olmayı başarıyor. Mehmed cariyesini el üstünde tutuyor. Okuyucu ona kitaplar, parşömenler ve eserler okuyor. Çok geçmeden okuyucu hamile kalıyor. Bayezid ve Gevherhan isminde sağlıklı ikizleri oluyor. Mehmed başka eşler almak zorunda olsada hep okuyucuya bağlı kalıyor. Mehmedin kalbine, ruhuna, aklına ve aşkına sahip olan tek kadın okuyucudur. Mehmed en çok vaktini okuyucu ile geçiriyor. Okuyucunu şımartmaktan vaz geçmiyor. Okuyucunun yapması gereken tek şey istemek. Okuyucunun sesi Mehmedi sakinleştirme yeteneğine sahiptir. Mehmed saatlerce okuyucunun konuşmasını dinleye bilir.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

Yandere Fatih Sultan Mehmed and Concubine reader. (She can read.)

[Actually, concubines in the Harem are given reading and writing lessons. Apart from that, they are taking classes for many skills.]

The reader is presented to Mehmed during the Prince's period. Mehmed's mother Hüma Hatun trained the reader specially. The reader has special abilities in reading and writing. Besides, she is an intelligent Concubine. In a short time after being presented to Mehmed, she manages to become his favorite Concubine. Mehmed cherishes his concubine. The reader reads him books, scrolls and artifacts. Before long, the reader becomes pregnant. They have healthy twins named Bayezid and Gevherhan. Although Mehmed has to take other wives, he always stays connected to the reader. She is the only female reader who has Mehmed's heart, soul, mind and love. Mehmed spends most of his time with the reader. He never ceases to pamper his readers. All the reader has to do is ask. The reader's voice has the ability to calm Mehmed. Mehmed can listen to the reader's speech for hours.

[buggysimp]

Literally no one asked for it nor wanted this but I can't keep repeating it to my friends so now I must dump this onto Tumblr too

My headcanon for trans!Cartman and scenarios ig (super indepth and lengthy post 🤞 be warned)

So essentially, Liane still lives in Nebraska with her family, the broncos came to Nebraska to play against their team and that's when Liane became pregnant. She gave birth to and raised Cartman up until his toddler years in Nebraska, until he was able to talk and was like 'mehm I'm literally a boy 🤨' for months he was very adamant about it and would get confused when the family and strangers would call him a girl. After another month Liane moved to South Park, where no one knew them and she could raise Cartman as her son in a town where no one knew him as anything else. Since he was socially transitioned so young he doesn't even realize he's transgender cus he's 'always been a boy', in the cissy plot he'd recite all that stuff about trans people without ever connecting it to himself cause he was never a girl so he can't be trans obviously 🤨 ?? He's just a different type of boy his mehm told him so 🤞 I think Kyle would be the first one to find out and would be like WTF YOURE TRANS ?? and Cartman would just go I'm not trans I'm a dude until learning what it actually means then confronting his mom and she's just like 'sweetie I thought you knew I mean really you never questioned why you're the only boy without balls??' and his whole world is shattered cus he thought they grew in after puberty (him telling Heidi he thought balls were at the bottom of the vagina). After the initial shock he'd definitely use it to his advantage and would constantly accuse Kyle of being transphobic during argument and would threaten the school to get his way.

I think separately it'd rock Stan's world an he'd ask his dad like 'dad am I.....trans?' and Randy's js like stfu 😭

Also like the jersey episode Kyle would be complaining to Stan about Cartman accusing him of being transphobic and Stan would ask him 'yeah that's crazy, were you being transphobic though..?' and it would drive Kyle actually insane

Wendy would also be so pissed cause Cartman would say some sexist shit then defend it by saying he's also a chick so she can't get mad at him, alternatively Wendy would genuinely come out and go by both Wendy and Wendyl (genderfluid king) and Cartman would be pissed he's not the only transgender in school anymore

Like the cissy ep, butters would defend Cartman so fckin hard against 'transphobia' (the school saying Cartman can't have a second sloppy joe) and would be his ride or die

Uhmmm I think that's all I got rn if you read this 😽 thank youu I'm so actually mentally ill about this little guy please ask about this plesplesples

[hassiegfrieddoneanythingwrong]

Not going to happen because I have no trust in any of the Fate writers, but Theoderic becoming a servant and giving more character to anyone involved in the wild hunt would be amazing.

He could also add to Charlmagne's unique instance as the fictional part of Karl de Grobe if Theoderic was allowed to be part Dietrich and part Theoderic, only accepting both parts because his people were the ones to think up such fantastical exaggerations of his life.

Even if they were wrong.

Oh, and I don't think he'd be rough on Siegfried; it was Kriemhild who riled him up and goaded him into dueling Siegfried thinking husband would win against the fire-breather.

Did I mention this man was held ransom by the Byzantine/Eastern Roman Empire in his youth? Now you have a thin connection with Constantine to build up with.

However, if he shows up in FGO, I'd want to make sure he at least establishes some kind of bond with the last master of humanity, regardless of what it is, because otherwise (and I don't care if this is an unpopular take) he'd be no better than a background character to fill in crowds for the story, and I despise one note fillers.

Doubly so if I vouched for them beforehand as a potential compelling character.

But let's be real, any chance of Attila/Etzel/Altera/(spoiler) getting more character development means it will never be touched in the first place.

Yes, I'm still salty.

Theodoric Alter is a ven diagram, bridging Lalter's "leader/member of the Wild Hunt" and "Alter version appears first before the standard version" and Charlemagne's "split between a fictional and historical version". I don't believe he (Theodoric Alter) would become playable either, but it would be cool on how he would be built up as a character, especially with how far My Room lines have come since Year 1 (except for that one line from Summer Tenochtitlan, but this isn't here or there).

Continuation of All Roads Lead to Rome, lmao. At least Con isn't going to immediately be on the defensive compared to Mehmed II. Maybe. Probably.

I've practically given up any hope on any of the writers giving Altera anything that isn't "civilization good/bad". Yeah, I know there's a lot more to her in Extella/Extella Link and her appearance here in FGO is just a glorified cameo (that's also an out of nowhere boss), but still. Her previous self as Selphr/Velbar is the cause of two consecutive Lostbelts, but gets jackshit. I'm also aware that she's part of M!Hakuno's animations, along with Charlie, Gil, Tamamo and Nero, but again I'm not hoping for anything. At least there's fanfics...

[mekana47]

A 2022 The Old Guard Rec List

I wanted to finish out the year with an non-definitive list of some of my favorite The Old Guard fics from 2022. My ‘Marked for Later’ list is overwhelmingly huge, and I read other fandoms, so I know I’m missing some gems, but the following are still worth checking out. In no particular order and with an assortment of pairings, lengths, and genres--

Sleeping Somewhere Cold -- kaerith   T. Nicky’s been a captive practically since he killed Joe on the battlefield. Canon events bring Joe to Merrick, Nicky’s latest captor. (Technically posted in 2021, but I read it in 2022.)

So let's take a ride there is nothing to hide I'll be by your side -- imoshen   T. Nile returns to the team after a year of travels with stories, presents, and hope for a new relationship.

My hands (my body’s gates of tenderness) -- dana_norram @negotiumcrucis   M. Joe and Nicky have a quiet moment waiting for pizza at the end of Force Multiplied (comic-verse).

The Drop -- @goldheartedsky   T. Booker does not have good associations with having a bag over his head, to put it lightly. In fact, he spirals.

you made a fool of death with your beauty -- asifnotbound   E. A progression of Yusuf’s deaths, near-deaths, and risks, both calculated and not.

Every Book a Letter -- jasminetea   T. In exile, Booker heals his connections to the others through one-on-one novel recommendations and discussions.

baby let’s stay home tonight -- mehm    M. Part of a Quidditch AU series. Now that Joe has retired, his relationship with Nicky suffers 1000 small strains until they hardly have a relationship at all.

The Returning -- @isabellehemlock   G. When one of the team dies, they respawn where they were first born. Nile has just revived outside of Chicago yet again.

Put Your Faith In Me -- flawedamethyst   T. Joe and Nicky’s soul timers countdown to each of their reunions after a death. That can be a promise or a problem.

We’re the reason we’re here -- sindirimba   E. Nile learns how to live with her immortality, and if she likes spending time with Booker, well, the others aren’t around to judge her choices.

[coffeewithcutcaffeine]

are there any parallels that fascinate you while working on voievod?

(missing you like hell my beloved lin, hope life's treating you well ❤️)

My beloved Lizzie, thank you endlessly for sending this question my way, it definitely made me sit down and think hard about it! I am not sure if I mention all the parallels (more will definitely appear with time), but I will try to elaborate on at least a few that occupy my mind at the moment. ❤️ I am sending the biggest hug your way, my dear, and I hope you are taking good care of yourself! I miss you so so much! 🥰️

Now that I finished reading Mehmed’s biography, I was struck by the remarkable similarities between his and Vlad’s personalities. Both were natural rebels, active and restless souls, brave visionaries. They both displayed a paradoxical blend of cruelty and generosity. What sets them apart are the subtle nuances, the different shades and hues of their personalities, that shape these similar traits into something uniquely their own. This is a fascinating thing to explore in writing because typically when two figures stand on opposite sides (as enemies, opponents, rivals, you name it), they are often portrayed as respective polar opposites. In media, the “hero” is typically portrayed as the antithesis of the “villain”, and vice versa. This is different because both men are viewed as heroes and villains simultaneously, their perception shifting based on the observer’s perspective. I also find it fascinating that, from their initial encounters, the tension between them stems not from their differences but from their similarities. Had they ever chosen to collaborate, their combined strength would have made them unstoppable. It is the core values they both strongly stick to that leave them no choice but to stand in opposition to each other.

There are delicious parallels in the family dynamics of both Vlad and Mehmed! This is so much fun to work with because the events within both royal houses show how we often unknowingly echo the missteps of those who came before us. Without giving much away so that I do not spoil the crucial moments, Vlad’s father was sent away from home as a small child. As a result, he retained few memories of either parent. When he becomes a father, he chooses to shield his children from such a life and consciously strives to be a more present parent. Nevertheless, circumstances compel him to send his two sons away from home, forcing him to retrace his father’s steps, no matter how much that decision torments him. When Vlad becomes a father himself, he is determined not to repeat the mistakes of his grandfather and father and also consciously strives to be a better parent, yet circumstances once again force his son to be sent away from home. The fatalism in this is so powerful because each generation tries to undo the wrongs they suffered in childhood and, while they do make progress and become better, life’s circumstances (though vastly different in each case) inevitably push them to do what they have sworn to avoid at all costs.

In Mehmed’s case, it’s the tragic deaths of the favourite sons. His father, Murad II, abdicated and left the throne to the then twelve-year-old Mehmed because he was so stricken with grief over the death of his son, Şehzade Alaeddin Ali (who died at eighteen), that he simply could not bear the burdens of ruling any longer. Mehmed deals with the situation in his own way, viewing his father’s response as a weakness throughout his life… until he faces the same situation and must lay his own son Mustafa to rest. Unlike his father, Mehmed did not abdicate, but Mustafa’s death reportedly wrecked him. It shows life’s cruel irony that is imposed on us sometimes — Mehmed could never connect with his father and scorned him for many things, only to finally sympathise with him when struck by the same horrible tragedy his father experienced.

As for more universal parallels, it is interesting to see how many of the themes I explore in Voievod are still present in our lives today. Six centuries later, we still witness nations bleeding just to carve out a path toward self-determination. Not all countries are treated equally, some people still face being looked down upon, while others continue to fight for the right to shape their future course and their destiny for themselves, without others dictating to them what to do and what not to do. The methods have changed, we do not live as violent times as the Middle Ages were (but Vlad’s methods must be taken into consideration through the context of that period), but it is not difficult to relate to Vlad’s dreams and objectives, to loving your country so much you would die just so the future generations can live in freedom of being able to choose, of being able to decide for themselves, of prospering on their own. Also, power continues to leave its mark on people’s character today, much as it did then — if not outright corrupt them.

[teatimemols]

Before, I thought it was the Sultan who had made a deal with a demon: he had been sick for a long while, he was full of regrets and dead children; but now...

It's so odd! It looks exactly like Mehmed's mom did the deal, but it still doesn't make sense that the Sultan's other children died for it?

Why would they? If it were the Sultan, there would be a clear connection! The Sultan's children were only alive because the Sultan had sex with the Harem women, so it could be the case of "destroying one's own creation..." If the price of his deal was his children.

However, he wouldn't deal his own children for the last one, would he? I highly doubt that.

Maybe he would for the ottoman empire...before it was an empire (and before his children were born), but then again, I have no idea what stage of the empire it was in.

Also, Mehmed's mom was something else after the deal, she was probably...possessed? What's going on? 👁️👄👁️

.....The Demon didn't let go of Mehmed, did it? That guy watching him...

[chaos-of-the-abyss]

it's very funny how in most fictional cases of ambiguous paternity played for drama, the maybe-father finds himself conflicted by a sudden sense of emotional connection to his maybe-child... and then you have dod ibrahim who is like "şehzade mehmed might be my son? oh allah this is a disaster i have to kill him before he potentially compromises the genetic integrity of his highness suleiman's line!"

[buildingislam]

Religion in Islamic Architecture

Even though there are some parts of Islamic architecture that to modern knowledge lack symbolic religious significance, there are, nevertheless, connections to religion. Islam, which believes that everything and anything created by God is under his order and should not be idolised, does not sensationalise living things, in contract to Christianity.

The monotheistic religion of Islam has its own tenets and traditions, such as charity, fasting during Ramadan, and if possible, a pilgrimage to Mecca - even though it shares the prophetic history of Judaism and Christianity. Although it can he challenging to define Islamic art, it is understood that not all Islamic art is religious and that not all artists who produce said art must be Muslims (Artsy Net., 2023).

With regards to architecture, as mentioned, there can often be no symbolic links to religion, and the connections that are made, are often portrayed through the use of calligraphy, colour and geometry - the hallmark characteristics of Islamic architecture.

This specific blog post will explore the architecture of some of the most outstanding examples of religious institutions within Islamic style architecture - beginning with The Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

Sultanahmet Mosque (The Blue Mosque)

The Blue Mosque, Istanbul, 1723.

The Sultanahmet Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii) more commonly known as The Blue Mosque was constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I by architect Sedefkâr Mehmed Agha - the detailed workbook of the construction of this mosque consists of eight volumes and still lies in the Topkapi Palace library. The recognised name of 'The Blue Mosque' being attached to the building is due to the hand-painted blue tiles that adorn the interior walls, alongside the blue cast that envelopes the mosque of a night time as a result of lights framing the mosque's five main domes, six minarets and eight secondary domes.

The Blue Mosque features two main sections: a large unified prayer hall crowned by the main dome and an equally spacious courtyard (Smart History., 2023). As mentioned, the Mosque has six minarets (the only other mosque in the world with this many minarets was the Haram Mosque of Mecca - this led to the religious leaders of the time to become outraged and send out the Sultan's architect to Mecca to build a seventh minaret so that the holiest of mosques could retain 'superior status') and eight secondary domes, and its design was a culmination of two centuries of Ottoman Mosque design, with an incorporation of Byzantine elements of the neighbouring architectural masterpiece Hagia Sophia with traditional Islamic architecture and is considered to be the last great mosque of the classical period. Sedefkâr Mehmed Agha, the architect, synthesised the ideas of his master Sinan, aiming for overwhelming size, majesty and splendour (Architectuul., 2023).

Tall wooden gates envelop the courtyard of the mosque, and the mosque itself is revealed behind the gates presenting spectacular dove-grey domes, marble walls and gold-tipped minarets. Tourists are recommended to use the south door of the Mosque as to allow worshippers to enter through the main door only, and allows for the prayer sections of the Mosque to retain its sacred air.

Upon entrance of the mosque, there is an introduction to the more than 20,000 blue Iznik tiles in traditional Ottoman patterns adorn the walls and ceilings. Lilies, carnations and tulips are depicted throughout. The Blue Mosque's interior domes are tiled intricately, painted and decorated with verses from the Quran and the sayings of prophet Muhammed (The Travel Bunny., 2021). Many of them written by Seyyid Karim Gubari, a 17th century Ottoman artist celebrated as one of the most accomplished calligraphers of his time.

The upper levels of the building have more than 200 stained glassed windows - the coloured glass for the windows were a gift from the Signoria of Venice to the Sultan - with beautiful designs allowing natural light to ascend the interior, as of modern day there are chandeliers to aid the lighting in the building. On the chandeliers, ostrich eggs are found that were meant to avoid cobwebs inside the mosque by repelling spiders.

The floors wear carpets that are regularly replaced by donations due to them getting worn out because of the number of visitors that walk upon it.

According to architectuul.com, the most important element of the interior of the mosque is the mihrab, which is finely carved and sculptured marble, with a stalactite niche and a double inscriptive panel above it. Surrounded by many windows - the adjacent walls are sheathed in ceramic tiles.

Mihrab of Sultanahmet. The Blue Mosque.

Architecturally, the best way to enter The Blue Mosque is to approach it from the hippodrome (west side of the mosque) - non-muslim tourists are encouraged to visit the mosque, however, they are not allowed in during prayer time, which is of course five times a day - the mosque closes for 90 minuted each time. Shoes have to be removed from your person, and it is vital that you are dressed appropriately, women should wear a head covering - but they are freely available upon entrance of the establishment. For everyone, legs and shoulders should be covered.

It is absolutely required that tourists do not use flash photography and remain quiet always - this is not just an architectural masterpiece, but a place of worship, and that should be respected always.

Selimiye Mosque

The second religious institution to be analysed on Building Islam is another Turkish mosque called Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, and started construction in 1568 with its completion in 1574 by architect Mimar Sinan - a famous architect of the time who will be explored in the upcoming blog post.

The Selimiye Mosque was built at the peak of the Ottoman military and cultural power, Sultan Selim II - the son and successor of Suleiman the Magnificent, chose Edirne instead of Istanbul as the location to build his own sultan mosque. It is debated amongst historians as to why this location was chosen with some speculating Selim II had a passion for the city as he serves as governer between 1548 and 1550, and others speculating it is because Selim II had not commanded a victorious military campaign which Islamic scholars believe to have been a requirement for building a sultanic mosque in Istanbul. The construction of this mosque was funded by the help of the sultan's share of the spoils from the successful conquest of Cyprus, Selim II died in December 1574 meaning he never saw the mosque fully completed (UNESCO., 2023).

The Selimiye Mosque is considered to be the masterpiece of architect Sinan's entire career, and is thought to be one of the most important buildings in the history of the world - architecturally and monumentality. The mosque, together with the two madrasas on its southeast and southwest is located within a courtyard. A row of shops and recitation school (darülkurra) to the west of the courtyard were added to the complex by architect Davud Aga in the reign of the Sultan Murad III (1574-95).

The mosque has a rectangular, borderline square, prayer hall and on the north side, a courtyard with porticoes. There are three entrances to the courtyard, north, east and west. In the centre of the courtyard is a 12-sided fountain. Each corner of the prayer hall features a 71m high minaret each with a balcony. The mentioned balconies are accessed by three separate corners on the northeast and northwest corners (Discover Islamic Art., 2023). The approach to the north façade of the mosque is dramatic with aligned gates of the outer precinct wall and forecourt focus the eye upwards towards the intricately designed dome.

The dome rests on eight muqarnas-corbelled squinches that are in turn supported by eight large piers.

Muqarnas are faceted decorative forms used in Islamic architecture to bridge a point of transition - in relation to the Selimiye Mosque, the broad base of the dome above and the slender piers below (Khan Academy., 2023). A complex system of exterior buttresses support the east and west piers and do most of the handling for the weight of the dome. The buttresses are purposely hidden amongst the exterior porticos and galleries. The interior allows for galleries to fill the spaces in between the walls and the piers. The Qibla wall (the wall facing Mecca) projects outwards to emphasise the vast interior space. Another unusual thing that was decided upon through construction by architect Sinan, was the placement of the muezzins platform - under the centre of the dome. From the platform, the muezzins who lead prayer chant to congregation, and art historians have compared its positioning within the mosque to that of a church altar - a raised stand for biblical readings - supporting the fact that Sinan was interested in surpassing Christian architecture. The platform also creates a vertical alignment of square, octagon and circle, using geometry to refer to earthly and heavenly spaces.

Through the centuries since the construction of the Selimiye Mosque, the interior had changed as it has been repainted and then extensively restored in the 20th century. The polychrome Iznik tiles remain largely untouched since the 16th century, but in the 19th century Sultan Abdülmecid I had most of the painted decoration including arabesque motifs, plant of flower motifs, and calligraphic inscriptions added for his ordered restoration.

The sultan's private balcony for prayers, is set to the eastern corner of the mosque in an elevated position and is intricately decorated with Iznik tiles also.

Iznik tiles next to the mihrab.

The Selimiye Mosque was not only an architectural masterpiece in relation to Mimar Sinan's incredible career but in regards to the influence it had on later mosque constructions. The form of Laleli Mosque in Istanbul built in the 18th century is based on the Selimiye Mosque, as well as the modern Sabancı Merkez Camii in Adana (1988). Despite being 80% the size of the Selimiye Mosque, the Nizamiye Mosque in South Africa is modelled on it and remains the largest in the Southern hemisphere.

Laleli Mosque, Istanbul Turkey.

Sabancı Merkez Camii, Istanbul Turkey.

Nizamiye Mosque, South Africa.

Having now discussed two architectural pieces of religious institutions in the Islamic architectural style, the following blog post will focus on the work of three of the most celebrated Islamic architects and their works containing Mosques.

The production of this blog took much longer than anticipated but to finalise this post, I will share that in the next couple of posts I will be incorporating images of my own families homes and local mosques in Pakistan - the incorporation of my personal family and life has come about thanks to a group of fellow students named The Blog Club that help me with deciding what to talk about next! And hopefully create an informal, comfortable space for everyone to discuss their thoughts and opinions!

P.S. The Blue Mosque and The Selimiye Mosque are some of my favourite examples of Islamic architecture!

Summer Marshall-Miller

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

THE BLUE MOSQUE

Artsy Net (2023) Islamic Art and Architecture. Available at: https://www.artsy.net/gene/islamic-art-and-architecture (Accessed: February 15, 2023).

Smart History (2023) The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii). Available at: https://smarthistory.org/the-blue-mosque-sultan-ahmet-camii/ (Accessed: February 15, 2023).

Architectuul (2023) Blue Mosque. Available at: https://architectuul.com/architecture/blue-mosque (Accessed: February 15, 2023).

The Travel Money (2021) Istanbul and the Beauty of the Blue Mosque. Available at: https://thetravelbunny.com/istanbul-blue-mosque/ (Accessed: February 15, 2023). 

Blue Mosque (2023) Blue Mosque Mosque in Turkey. Available at: https://bluemosque.co/en/ (Accessed: February 15, 2023). 

THE SELIMIYE MOSQUE

UNESCO (2023) Selimiye Mosque and its Social Complex. Available at: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1366/ (Accessed: February 20, 2023). 

Discover Islamic Art (2023) Selimiye Mosque. Available at: https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;isl;tr;mon01;23;en (Accessed: February 20, 2023).

[hojiteaversion]

DLS Gang and Their Favorite Mitski Albums

Vlad: Puberty 2 and Laurel Hell

Look at that title: Puberty 2. The agony of growing up and becoming. All over again. It's… mostly devastating. It's a portrayal of depression that takes your hand and holds it tight. I think he feels understood by it. Laurel Hell, on the other hand, continues Be The Cowboy's idea of "It's that kind of growing up and realizing that it's not cool anymore to be sad, but you're still sad." It's an upbeat, but conflicted album that is trying to find healing while knowing that, regardless of what a person chooses or does, they will have to live with disappointment and pain. But they're gonna keep living.

I feel like that's Vlad. His life is so full of hard choices that a clear right path has ceased to exist a long time ago. Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't, but he's gonna keep trying his best. His highlights: Thursday Girl, Happy, I Bet On Losing Dogs, Everyone, Stay Soft, Valentine, Texas, Heat Lightning

MC: Retired From Sad, New Career In Business (pre-DLS events) and Lush (during/post-DLS events)

A lot of the songs in Retired From Sad are about finding your place, both in relationships and in life. About being a little lost and unsure if anything will work out and just wanting to have someone direct you to the correct path, or at least to hold your hand while you figure it all out. I think pre-canon MC would connect to that. On the other hand, Lush deals a lot with identity and lack of power (especially in relation to men) and the pressure to be beautiful because you are always being perceived and judged, by everyone. I think a MC who has gotten to know her past incarnation (+ is chasing/being chased by Mehmed, depending on your choices) would have a newfound appreciation for this album. Her highlights: Abbey, Liquid Smooth, Goodbye, My Danish Sweetheart, Circle, I Want You (this one feels more post-DLS) (And bonus for Mehmed route: Eric)

Leo: Bury Me At Makeout Creek

BMAMC can be a very angry, rebellious album — not that the others aren't, but this one feels honed in those emotions + most of the songs sound gritty; it's possibly the album that made everyone describe Mitski as "raw". At the same time, this album has some of the softest, arguably most romantic songs in Mitski's discography. This album is for our sun. His highlights: Townie, I Don't Smoke, Texas Reznikoff, I Will

Sandra: Be the Cowboy

Let this woman feel her trauma 😃 In contrast to its sonically cohesive, devastating-sounding predecessor, BTC goes through so many styles, so many upbeat/lively tunes… But at the core of it is the same despair. I think Sandra would like that layer of distance between her and her feelings. She would understand putting up a front and trying to move on, but not being able to forget it or escape it. Her highlights: Why Didn't You Stop Me?, Remember My Name, Geyser

Noe: the songs that aren't in her albums

Now, if I were to bullshit a reason for my choice, I would say it's because Noe is an outsider. Noe doesn't belong in this world, but arguably not really in the dark world either. Of course he would be drawn to the songs that aren't part of something united and cohesive and it's not because I'm running out of albums. Her non-album songs tend to be the occasional cover or collaboration, with some original ones sprinkled in. Funnily enough, most of them are dripping with longing. And since Noe is in love with people he can't have, I think Noe would like her take on these songs. His highlights: I'm a Fool to Want You (cover), Cop Car, Susie Save Your Love (Allie X feat. Mitski), Why Didn't You Stop Me? (Hoji Tea Version), Nightcall (cover with M. Roosevelt), Fireproof (cover)

Hasan: would like the song Door, and that's all I know about him

That's a lie. He would also like Crack Baby.

Mehmed: he has bad taste <3

[tgaisobelfieldsend]

"In the beginning of 1462, Vlad launched a campaign against the Turks along the Danube River. It was quite risky, the military force of Sultan Mehmed II being by far more powerful than the Walachian army. However, during the winter of 1462, Vlad was very successful and managed to gain several victories. To punish Dracula, the Sultan decided to launch a full-scale invasion of Walachia. His other goal was to transform this land into a Turkish province. He entered Walachia with an army three times larger than Dracula's. Finding himself without allies and forced to retreat towards Targoviste, Vlad burned his own villages and poisoned the wells along the way, so that the Turkish army would find nothing to eat or drink."

The Battle With Torches by Theodor Aman (c. 1866)

"Moreover, when the Sultan, exhausted, finally reached the capital city, he was confronted by a most gruesome sight: hundreds of stakes held the remaining carcasses of Turkish captives, a horror scene which was ultimately nicknamed the "Forest of the Impaled." This terror tactic, deliberately stage-managed by Dracula, was definitely successful. The scene had a strong effect on Mehmed's most stout-hearted officers, and the Sultan, tired and hungry, decided to withdraw."

while there's little connection between vlad dracula and the modern myth of vampires, it's interesting to see how his reputation for severe punishment (namely impalement, earning him the nickname of "vlad the impaler") and cruel - bordering tyrannical actions were able to inspire these tales of blood-thirsty beings.

[bonesandthebees]

BEE IM SO EXCITED LETS GO OKAY GLASS FIRST WOOO THIS IS ALSO GREAT BECAUSE IM GETTING MY HAIR DONE RN AND NEEDED SOMETHING TO DO

ahhh thats the palace hes there in there in that yep

he might as well be dead i mean the pythia that he once knew is dead

flashback wooooo

your descriptions are alwasy SOOOOO

GOOD LIKE IDK THEY JUST AHHHHH

omg theyre at nikis right probably

“my pythia” why dont you go crawl up you own a— anyways. this is a pg zone (i just dont curse)

i want to slap him around a bit, just a tiny bit just like hang him from the ceiling and wack him like he’s a piñata at a five year olds birthday

THEY ARE AT NIKIS

TATTOO

HES DOING IT ISIRJSF ANDOQLFNWIF

tommy is so baby brother

NOTNIN THE PHYSICAL SENSE *spins around very quickly like a tornado*

WHO HE IS OH MY GOD BEE

why is schlatt

i think schlatt would look nice with a black eue it would bring out how much kf a d— anyqays

TAKE THAT SCHLATT

i need more people to draw this tattoo because every singly one is so ahhhhh like i have no clue how this is supposed to look bjt every design peiple make makes sense and i need more im so curious to see how people see

i love the way wilbur thinks i want to take his brain and poke around in it like its so intriguing

also like idk as a person feeling your pulse is always so… intimate? i do it a lot, like just feeling my pulse reminding myself that im human, we all have a pulse. idk its comforting in a way just feeling the way the blood pumps through your body regardless of the world, that youre alive no matter what as long as that blood keeps pumping. like even when everything feels out of place, youre still human.

sorry anyways

anywho thats why hes fiddling with the cuff then hes nervous aboht them seeing

UGH HES SO ANNOYING I WANT TO CHUCK HIM ONTO LIKE I-5 OR SOMETHING

im gonna send a prayer your way schlatt.

GO WILBUR GO

god hes so idk his brain man and the way you write and god i love this fic so much

WHY DOESNT IT FEEL LIKE MINE AHEOHEIFJWO SO WOROWKK OK DA P WAS HEQID

im cool and chill

the vessel.

yep.

cool.

thats cool.

HES WILBUR

i just like god this fic man

ah yes tommys tattoo

just saying on… july 28th i said it was from wilburs murder attempt!! im so smart sometimes

HE DOENST WANT TO BE EMPTY AGAIN WHAT RHE FUEFUVJ

anyways im so normal aboht this fic

oh me too wil lets fist bump over our shared fear of failure and disappointment

me when he realizes that they werent empty he jsut didnt know they were allowed to not be empty

THEYRW FMAKILTLY OU YK EGOD THEY MEHM

BROTHERISHD OH MY GODHD I LOVE RJEM

BOOM AH

GUNSHOTS AH

HIS UBER DRIVER IS HERE YAY!!!!

TOMMY!!!!!!

HIS HROTHERUWIDHS IM NEVER GOING TO HE OKAY WHEN THEY SAY THAT

i loveddddd the way you formatted it it was super neat and idk im just a sucker for interesting formats of swifching between past and present and like idk yeah it was cool

AND NOW OFF TO READ THE ROYALTY AU!!!

- 🪿

hi goose this is a few days old now but finally getting around to answering this!

aaa thank you I'm so glad you like my descriptions :D it was definitely a bit tough getting back into the glass writing groove with the style I use for the descriptions and stuff so I'm glad it turned out ok

"my pythia" made my skin crawl to write

YEAHHH TATTOO TIME. every single time I see fanart of the tattoo I freak out (/pos) so much because all the interpretations are SO cool. I love seeing what people come up with because I myself have no artistic ability, I can only describe what's in my head through words, so when people are able to actually put that into art form it just makes me so happy

yes exactly that's why I wanted it on his pulse!! I wanted it to sit right over the reminder that he's human! that he has blood pumping through his veins! everyone has that blood and that heartbeat and I wanted the tattoo to sit right above that both because of the connection to his heartbeat, but also because it's the place other people can feel your pulse. it's the connection point almost between your pulse and others, if that makes sense.

(random fun fact, I can't feel my own pulse on my wrist. doctors and nurses can't get a pulse from my wrist either. like there have been many times I've gone to the doctor and the nurse has tried to take my pulse and they frown and readjust their hand and then they try the other wrist and no matter what it doesn't work and I'm just sitting there. the only place you can get a pulse off of me besides straight up feeling my heartbeat is on my carotid artery on my throat)

aa thank you I had a lot of fun describing wilbur's thought processes in this chapter, especially with the alternating format

you were RIGHT about the vine tattoo you got it and it was so funny I had to just not say shit but i was like yup, several people have already figured it out :)

HIS UBER DRIVER IS HEREEEEE

aaa I'm so glad you enjoyed!! I had so much fun with the format of this chapter. I plotted it out a bit before my trip, and I specifically wanted to finish ch 25 before my trip because I knew ch 26 was going to be the one I'd most want to write after I got back. I needed a REALLY good exciting chapter to come back to and the alternating format was going to be the way I sucked myself back into the story after being out of that headspace for 3 weeks straight, and it worked. it was just so cinematic in my head y'know? I can perfectly picture the flipping between past and present with like different color grading and lighting and music and all that

[gulnarsultan]

Hi, I saw you writing for Magnificent Century; do you still take requests? If it's a no then feel free to ignore but if it's a yes then I would love to see what would happen if let's just say that Sultan Suleyman has 2 other sons by another concubine but the relationship between them gets really awful and sour throughout the years "even more so that mahidevran and suleyman" and because the concubine has little to no support (like mahi with Ibrahim pasha & hurrem with suleyman) she gets exiled from the palace along with her two sons, but while they lived a poor live they weren't completely cut off of the outside world so through the years the oldest son came to be the greatest seafarer throughout the world making connection and gaining wealth wherever he goes while the second son became one of the best swordsman of his time and since you are familiar with GoT/HotD they are basically the replica of Corlys velaryon/Arthur dayne. So, after a decade of building their names, the sultan and his other children realize that the greatest sea captain and swordsman are actually his sons/their brothers. How would they react ? 

Hello. I hope you will like it.

Reader and Suleyman have two sons. Smaller than Mustafa, but older than Mehmed. After Hurrem arrives, Suleyman completely turns away from the reader. The reader knows very well that she has to take his children and leave. Otherwise, Hurrem will find a way to kill her children. The reader is escaping to a distant country with her children. Over the years, her first son becomes a famous sailor and her other son becomes a famous swordsman. Their flour reaches as far as the Ottoman Palace. In fact, it is learned that these two famous men were the Sehzades who escaped from the Palace for a time. Everyone is shocked. Because many thought they were. Most likely, Suleyman will invite his sons to the Palace. He will try to give them the titles of Sehzade. Most likely, neither of them will accept returning to the Ottoman Empire and becoming a prince. Sehzades will be very jealous of your brothers. Mihrimah actually wanted to meet them.