#And later in the scene I'm angry but I'm like frustrated angry and I'm venting to my buddy. Not angry to my lover->enemy->fiancee's face th

[siobhanromee]

When you are trying to figure out characterization and then someone suggests an action your character would take.. and you have to go he would not fucking do that.

[vaporclan]

Seriously, though. Putting Fernfreckle on a shelf and censoring him from the public's eyes until they can be normal about him is all fun and games but I gotta be serious for a second

Every single time Fernfreckle is angry, or says anything even remotely related to Beetlebud/his car injury, I get comments like "he should've moved" "he should have run away" or anything implying it's his fault he got hit by a car because he froze on the road

This was a 6 month old kitten, on his first day out of camp, with no clue what a car is, after being told by his mentor its safe. I wrote this scene with the intent of having a flawed character (Beetlebud) make a stupid mistake.

He's angry because he got half his body scraped raw, his eye popped out, his ear gone and he broke his jaw - because he was told it would be SAFE.

He is angry because he believes Beetlebud is not safe to be around children and brought 3 babies into the Clan despite the young cat death toll (he has been venting his frustrations with his StarClan buddies since his accident - this is explained later in the comic)

He is frustrated because they wanted to figure out how to fix the Clans before any new litters were brought in, because he KNOWS that cats dont usually live past a year old in this Clan.

What he is Not is a character who is an asshole just to be an asshole. And to spoil his whole arc because I'm tired, yes, he becomes less closed off and less of an asshole as time goes on. Because again, it's been less than a year.

It has been 9 MONTHS in the comic since Fern's injury - not even a year yet. We're still EXTREMELY early into this Arc and Fernfreckle's character in general.

You don’t have to like him - but its extremely odd that whenever anyone wants to criticise him they immediately turn to blaming him for the car accident. As a disabled writer writing a disabled character, this is really disheartening

Please, research what the Freeze response is. Have you never seen the Deer in the Headlights metaphor?

I just keep getting nasty comments every time Fernfreckle so much as opens his mouth, and the comments always get likes which implies people agree with them. I do not want people with a victim blamey mindset reading my comic.

Fernfreckle is going to be a main character throughout this arc. If you can't be normal about him, stop reading here. Im begging.

[sir--crow]

I wanna write SO BADLY these days but I cant

I've been craving my old routine of working out, daydreaming, and writing out my silly thoughts

but I can't right now

I know I'll get back to it one day but right now I'm just feeling the frustration of my chronic illness and disability.

*angry crow*

if u wanna read more of an explanation I left it under the cut! I guess this is sort of my update/explanation for why I've been gone for awhile

I wanna keep this brief (I'm tired), but I also wanna spread some awareness on ME/CFS since it's what I'm dealing with.

I got COVID (yes it's still around and no the pandemic is not over) back in October, and after feeling horrible for weeks thereafter I was diagnosed with Long COVID... and then my doctor also diagnosed me with ME/CFS. It was a lot to take in at the moment, and ever since that appointment I've gotten worse.

ME/CFS is also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I like to also call it the Big Tired. but it's not just tiredness, it's straight up soul crushing fatigue, pain, brain fog, memory issues, dizziness, vertigo, weakness, and so much more. Post Exertional Malaise (PEM) is a main factor of ME/CFS that has crushed my being. to keep it brief, it basically makes u feel sick and get worse after any exertion of energy whatsoever. this includes physical, mental, and emotional. I once laughed too hard and felt sick hours later.

I find that these days I'm too tired to daydream now, which really makes me sad. the other day I turned on some music and started to daydream, and it got pretty intense (fight scene in my brain was going hard) and then I felt ill. I was out of breath and had to sit down because my heart started to race too fast. I can't fucking daydream like I used to and I'm so sad.

I know that I'm just having a bad flare up, but like I said before I'm just feeling frustrated and wanted to take this moment to vent/spread awareness on ME/CFS.

I'm still in the process of figuring everything out and I'm very lucky and privileged to have an amazing support system through my mom. I know that I'll daydream and write soon, since I'm stubborn, but yeah brain fog and fatigue suuuuck.

if u wanna learn more about ME/CFS I highly recommend researching it since it's a lot more common than you might think. also just a reminder to stay safe, wear a mask, and take care of yourself <33

[mystic-starlights]

I love reading the interactions spiderverse fans have with anons. In several of them, I read yours about expectations for BTSV, Miles needing to have a rest break and new friends after being betrayed.

Well, I'm writing a fanfic that takes place on Earth-42 before Atsv with my OC meeting Miles G and she starts working with him as a Prowler (in the beginning it's just as a helper, but later she becomes his active partner in the missions like two vigilantes, so to speak).

My OC's name is Daisy Jones (or DJ as Aaron calls her and Miles sometimes). Her interactions with Miles are very much a grumpy x sunshine vibe, but also a rivals to lovers type of thing in the beginning, and even after friends keep teasing or fighting 😆. She also always has the habit of calling him "kitten", "kitty", "hunk" and cat-related jokes in general (he even makes a joke of calling him "Prrrowler" because he loves to see him angry 😂).

She's like a light of joy in Miles G's life, someone who makes him laugh and he's started to crave her company every day since Jeff's death. She was the only person he felt good enough to tell about his father and the fateful day he lost him. She is the only, if not one of the few friends that Miles G has, however he can only vent his most intimate problems with her because he knows that she will listen to him until the end, then she will console him with sweet words or simply wrap him in a warm embrace. 🥺💗❤️ 🩹

Going back to the beginning.

I was reading the asks with anons and I got excited thinking about writing a scene that would go like this:

My OC Daisy has a warm friendly conversation with Miles Morales. As an understanding person, she understands the frustration and hurt that Miles is feeling (she imagines it to be almost the same as Miles 42 went through) but she also tries to understand that her friends must not have betrayed him on purpose, but she understands that Miles 1610 would not forgive them so easy. Then she touches his hand and assures him that with them (her, Miles G and Aaron) everything will be fine. The two smiling, laughing makes Miles 1610 feel a little better.

In the end, Miles G appears behind them, staring at the two with a frowning face, Daisy and Miles M realize that their hands are still together and quickly separate 😂❤️💜.

@breeandhermunches @moodysunflowerbaby @moralesmilesanhour

[shadowmaat]

I've been mocked and ridiculed before for "giving up too easily" on shows when they take a turn (or series of turns) I don't like.

The thing is that I've never regretted it. I've never thought "damn, I should have kept watching" or just returned to watching something which I'd previously abandoned. It may mean I "miss out" on something good, but the "good" is usually buried in a pile of stuff I'd find bad, frustrating, tedious, etc. So no, I wouldn't consider it worth it to have kept watching. These days if there ARE "good bits" I can just watch the individual scenes on y.t. and skip the rest.

I can also say, from lived experience, that it's far better for your mental health and social standing (such as it is) to bail out sooner than later. Otherwise you'll just get increasingly bitter as every little thing "confirms" your negative opinion. Hatewatching isn't fun and bitching about a show you've stopped watching is, mm, counterproductive. The temptation to do so remains strong, but learning to resist it will be good for you. Trust me on that. LOL!

I still make slip-ups, but growth is a work in progress. It's also interesting to see that as I get older I'm less angry about shows going in a direction I dislike and more sad, both at the lost "potential" and that something I once loved is not longer being made "for me."

That's a helpful mindset, too, BTW. It isn't that something is bad or has gotten bad, it's that it's no longer something for you. It's clearly still something good for a lot of other people, and that's a great thing for them. You shouldn't make other people miserable for liking something you hate. Vent in the privacy of your own blog if you need to, but don't go after other people for being happy. We all need escapes from the stresses of reality; don't snatch joy from someone who needs it.

Anyway, I may be sad and disappointed with the direction things seem to be going, but there will always be fanfic. And there will always be the world in my imagination, which may never get written down but still exists whenever I need it. And that, my friends, is perfectly fine.

[browniefox]

Crisis Core - The Nibelheim Mission

Alrighty, at long last I've gotten back to playing Crisis Core! And before we actually get to Nibelheim, we need to finish up saying goodbye to Aerith! Or, making her a flowercart, essentially the same thing. Also, another long one, so I added a break!

This games is just, it's so funny what it decides it needs to shove in here. 'Did you know that Zack actually named the bar Seventh Heaven, and that the guy who made it already knew it would have a secret room and be a base for terrorists'. Like, it's so funny but also c'mon, why'd ya do this?

Zack's little moments with Aerith are so nice. I think, you know, a more fleshed out game showing their relationship would be better, but they do have such a fun dynamic when they off each other, just this chemistry that is so likeable right away, at least for me.

Saying goodbye to my boyfriend Kunsel, who I'm sure I'll see again so so very soon ;-; I really love him. Again, like Aerith, i wish we could see more interactions with Zack and Kunsel, but you do still get the sense that these two are friends.

So, surprise surprise, I wish we got to see Zack interact with the Turks more. We've had a few interactions between Zack and the Turks - I think exactly three - and then we're told that he's hung out with them a lot since Angeal died. Still, i do like that we get to see Zack getting Tseng to more or less promise that he'll watch Aerith - not just for Shinra, but for Zack's own peace of mind.

The three flower carts <3 I love that Aerith loves the cute one, and Zack loves the cool one haha. And I just love the idea of Zack putting all of these together, trying to make Aerith happy. Even more, I want to imagine they actually built the later two together.

CLOUD SHORT LITTLE BABY BOY!!!! It's so weird to think that he's sixteen. In my mind, he's like 26 in FFVII and 21 here, because that's still pretty young but in my opinion a little more believable.

Can't believe they made Tifa stand so far back, she looks even shorter compared to the tall ass SOLDIERs! It's so weird to be that the climbing Nibelheim scene is just told through photos. I'm not even sure you can tell the bridge fell???

As good a place as ending to add I love that Sephiroth tells Zack he's considering of leaving Shinra. I think it goes with the trajectory of what's been going on that he's thinking about it, and to me Sephiroth specifically requesting Zack to come with him on this mission to me means he's hoping that Zack also leaves with him.

Weird way to ask someone if they're down to bang but whatever floats you boat.

For real, it's so funny that Genesis just kicks Zack and decides to have a moment with Sephiroth. He really is just flailing around trying to figure out something that is going to work. I don't think I totally hate him showing up here in concept, but the fact he reveals Sephiroth's true parentage like, a scene early, is just so weird and jarring and I do think I hate that.

I've been very vocal about hating how heavy handed the symbolism in this game is, but I do love this line and how it contextualizes further the connection between SOLDIERs and monsters and what makes one a monster, and also how Genesis is using this ongoing conversation to hit Sephiroth hard.

Tall Zack! They're fine, but thank's Tifa for taking care of Cloud.

I love most of this scene between the two, getting to talk about their anxieties, their fears, especially Zack getting to kind of vent to Cloud. Also I love Cloud's little pose. Zack's speech about being so frustrated and angry with the choices he's being forced to make, becoming disillusioned, I love it, but then the ending of the scene feels so weird, where Zack compliments the sword and Zack seems to have some revelation we don't?

I'M SORRY ZACK, YOU SEE A LIVING PERSON SLEEPING IN A COFFIN IN A LOCKED SECRET UNDERGROUND ROOM AND JUST DECIDE TO LEAVE HIM??? AND WHY DOESN'T HE HAVE A MODEL YOU COWARDS SHOW ME VINCENT!!

The montage of Sephiroth reading is one of my favorite things tbh, you really see him pacing and going a little crazy, I love it. I do *not* love how it throws you right into the Nibelheim fire???? The pacing of this whole section sucks ass.

Oh my god, how Tifa curls away from Zack in hate and in fear??? Brilliant stunning amazing, I love it.

And Sephiroth is going crazy! Sephiroth, who has lost so much, thinking that he's finally gained something, some kind of connection, that he's learned the answer to why he's had to go through so many bad things in his life, why he's so different. This game has definitely made me like him so much more.

FUCKIGN GET IT CLOUD HELL YEAH HELL YEAH HELL YEAH!

Being normal human, that had to have been so hard for him to life and fight Sephiroth, even just the few blows that he manages to land, but I love him getting this moment to finally act.

AND THEN HE OVER POWERS SEPHIROTH!

It is so importnat to me that Cloud, a normal human, managed to kill Sephiroth. That he's a normal guy, a regular joe, who killed him. It speaks to the power of all human people in the whole world of the game, in my opinion.

And Sephiroth, in his shock, doesn't even think to let go of his sword, like he can't even comprehend what is happening.

Seeing Cloud slide down the stairs tho was so fuckign funny.

I love that Zack's vision of Angeal shattering, those wings that mean freedom, was him shattering the glass and obtaining his own freedom. Beautiful, chef's kiss. I hope he killed that scientist.

Yay, Zack and his bestie Cloud! Watching Zack have to go through such lengths every step to get Cloud just out of the mansion gives you such a vivid picture of how hard the rest of it is going to be, getting Cloud to Midgar. He has to clear the way, then go back and drag Cloud through again. I don't even want to think about how hard getting Cloud up the ladder must have been.

He cares about him So Much. He doesn't even worry about himself, just tries to find a change of clothes for Cloud. Wonder what a First uniform is doing here, though. Maybe it was Zack's? I think in the original he slept in the mansion while Seph was going crazy in the basement. Also, Zack trying to get out of Nibelheim as people try to drag Cloud away??? Oh my god, so mean but also I love it? Again, Cloud is this dead weight right now, but leaving him behind isn't a choice, it's not something Zack ever considers.

Oh Cissnei, if only you had more screen time to I actually cared about this. I do love, though, that Zack is willing to kill her for his freedom. I mean he's not, like, excited about it or anything, but that he's fully accepted that Shinra and everyone associated with them is a threat to himself and Cloud, and he's not going to let anything happen to them again so long as he can help it. And god, how he jumps to Cloud's defense the second she sees him??? Everything I've ever wanted.

And then Cissnei, well, good move on your part for giving them a motorcycle. Why did she have a motocycle? We'll probably never find out, but still, thanks anyway.

Motorcycle boys! Further question on the motorcycle is why does it have a sidecare. My sister suggested that Tseng usually sits in the sidecar, which just makes me imagine him T-posing in the sidecar like Saionji does in Utena.

It really never ends with this fucking guy, huh. What has he been doing for the last five years??? That one of the things that's really bothering me is that so far we never get a sense of the passage of time. I mean, last we saw Genesis, he was dying. But I guess he wasn't dying too badly because it's been five years and he looks exactly the same. Personally, I feel like the Genesis stuff probably should have been wrapped up before Nibelheim, or have a better integration into the current time in the story.

Also fucked up what happened to the copy who ate Zack's hair. God, Genesis really doesn't view the copies as, like, people, does he? He's still searching for answers, but I'm not sure he's ever going to find what he's looking for at this point.

And somehow, we made it to Gongaga! I can't believe Zack didn't realize he was getting so close to home? Don't know what we're doing here, but maybe he'll run into his parents, so that's fun!

All in all, I have to say, this section of the game feels like we've lost the breaks. It's just going two miles a minute over here, and cutting out some stuff that I think should have been shown. It clearly expects you to have played the original game, and I don't think that's fair tbh. Oh well, at least it's still fun to play with friends and laugh at all of the terrible pacing issues and weird line reads.

[tottymatsuno]

One of these days i wanna actually draw out this whole scene instead of sketching it but dhahsbi talked aboit this w hollie and think their dynamic is rly interesting to watch esp as Touhi ages.

Read more if u dare

So as a preface, these are characters i made for two aus that just kinda became the same au. One of it was a fic I wrote called baby blues, and the other was the "old au" that i previously shared with another person.

The old au was about second chance love when you're an older person/after hitting rock bottom. And it involved a younger design of todomatsu from an episode in s3. Since i couldnt ship with that totty, i decided to recycle his design as my son! However since this was a second chance love story, thematically Todomatsu needed to be a single father of the character, and thus thats how Goonie was created!

So his mother passed away during childbirth, and since irl I'm baby crazy, and was a coworker/unofficial work wife (bc i look eerily similar to his home wife), we end up sleeping w each other a few months after the baby is born for mutually pathetic reasons. Then kinda move in together bc Todomatsu's grieving and very very resentful towards his son to the point where he cant even give the baby a proper name at first. So initially his name is Matsuno Matsumatsu 😭

Anyways thats the big crux of the au. Ive written about Totty's dynamic with Goonie (a nickname i chose for silly reasons i dont care abojt getting into, but its a personal one) where there isn't any grief and its wildly different where theyre mutually loving and cute together as parent and child, which is unfortunately a not relationship theyll ever have jn this au.

When touhi is little hes very sweet and kind and innocent except when hes angry, bc when hes angry he vents all of his frustration about the emotional neglect Todomatsu has specifically for him. And it takes Todomatsu a LONG time to fully get over the loss of his late wife. Like two whole sets of twins later. So totty is kinda openly blaming him the entire relationship

Which makes me spoil him a lot in comparison, which touhi also notices and it makes him even more mad because I'm not as strict with him as everyone else, out of pity so he feels like he's not *really* my son bc of it.

This all comes to a head multiple times when touhis a teenager but i think its more realistic that each time it happens, even if his emotions are validated and accepted, and even if we try to do right by him, that Touhi never receives any closure for it. Eventually he feels even more complex because we do love him, and have apologized to him, but it doesnt really help bc what he wants is to be able to further justify his own poor behavior but can't bc he doesn't have the excuse of "well my parents dont love me and never said sorry"

When we do.

Anyways i always thought touhi would be the only one to inherit tottys delayed puberty, but unlike Todomatsu who began HRT after graduating high school, touhi was considered pretty popular with his age group and suffered no real set backs, and waited until he went thru puberty naturally in his mid 20s.

His relationship mellows out significantly post puberty and post angsty teenage years, esp when Todomatsu transitions. He gets this weird sort of idea that since Todomatsu’s no longer his father, he could be the better version of her since he has the same face.

So he and Chichi, who like. Still thinks he's cool despite him being a fuckboy (Tima sorta hates his guts for it tho bc she basically sees it as if hes using his generally happy upbringing as an excuse to be a slut and play around with his peers feelings for literally no reason and tbh shes right for it but i cant judge bc hes my son and i support him right or wrong) are like. Both trying to be cooler than Todomatsu.

So Todomi or whichever name i settled on kinda just side eyes them, and this rly breaks both of their confidence in the matter since Touhi later realizes his mullet really was stupid and Chichi wears those big ass dorky glasses and they both actually really respected and was influenced by Totty's style when she was all dressed up.

Anyways Touhi grows up kinds being in between being a silly cutie, and actually succeeding with the whole heart-breaker thing Todomatsu tried to do around his age.

I get the feeling tho he's not gonna ever claim any kids he does happen to have in the future, and cant see him getting married, but he'd definitely be a fun uncle.

You all must click my uncropped and quickly done sketches of my children to understand her headache. Here they are thru out the years.

[phantom-of-the-ruckus]

My weird thoughts about the Midnight Show BETA

Disclaimer: This is meant to be taken as humor, don't take it too seriously. I may exaggerate in some things but I am being honest. I'm also cool with cannon but I have a tendency to yeeted out for experimenting xd

I actually never thought an angry normal bald man jumpscare would actually scare me. Dang it, Jake! You just don't appear out of nowhere on people's face - Oh wait actually I forgot that Baldi's basics exits, so this is the second time it happens. *Insert Doof nickels meme*

Owen is not taken seriously, and everyone thinks him as a D***. Cool

I am not gonna talk about the ponytail chick that later becomes Mortimer host. I acknowledge her existence, but I don't think she's Scout. (It kind of goes against the first game cannon and it just doesn't make sense choosing your Scout.)

Owen actually being an awkward tired dad is welcome. Still, did you thought spending that much money in a book was a good idea.

Jump cuts that take the sense of the story? Uncool >:(

Mortimer just being a little Sh*t to Owen makes me chuckle tho It's hard to think they're the same Mortimer

"You're in BIG trouble mister. " Owen just radiates dad energy

The puppets are basically Owen's family because he's a weirdo who likes puppets and nobody is into that (Except for my Amy, but Owen f*ck things up)

Mortimer has a saw :D

Jump cut D:<

How long have this bastards have the studio and why nobody is getting sus?! GAME EXPLAIN!

Everyone has Owen voice at the first cut scenes. This is the most WTF and hilarious thing I heard

Nick level got some glow ups and I missed my ugly barnacle boi (JK! Nick is bootiful )

Everyone just being playful and cheerful with Owen except for Riley. Noice

Owen attempting to assert his dad and Riley telling she doesn't care about his ass. Riley is just the best

Hahahahaha denial goes brrr *cries in a corner while hugging Moriley*

Riley proving once again why she's the best character in this entire franchise just with her voice lines

Riley prob is an atheist. I don't have prove but no doubts

Owen's VA did great at trying to imitate the cast voices, still their Daisy Voice was hilarious

Ah yes. Nick forces you to sit through his performances and Daisy wants you to help him, and there is Riley not hiding the fact that she hates you and has lower expectations of you on trivia!

Wait... how long have this guys done stuff?! Owen did you took that much time?!

Oh a demon was in the book. Makes sense, but I kind of wanted corruption arcs except for Riley, the queen of Sarcasm prob would take that path anyways

Guy: Dude Destroy the puppets

Owen: NoOoO tHe HaNdEeMeN aRe MiNe

Never doubt the power of attachment and being a looser puppeteer middle age man

So you get to choose what level you want? Cool :)

Oh it's buggy >:(

Love the fact that Nick and Daisy rhyme about what they want you to do. Riley straight up asks you why the hell are you keeping coming back and how are you still alive but her cocky ass just rolls with it. Riley is the best character change my mind

Nick venting his frustrations with Riley. I have a good word for it but I'm not gonna use it, but it's the other name for the rooster xd

Daisy being a sweetheart and saying mom things

Riley denying her daddy issues and trying to convince herself Middle age depressed boi is not her dad. Mood

Riley calling for Rosco is the most adorable thing and I'm here for it

I like how Riley and Nick use technology as traps, but Daisy uses bear traps :D

Riley insulting you or giving a sassy remark when you pass your trivia. My favorite is "*deadpan* Hooray! Hooray! U don't die today >:("

Riley has some fine AF eyebrows

Nick's performances are so well done

Nick slipping out that he actually has a crush on Riley gives the whole "If Riley tries me once more, there will be nothing of her but Gore!"Basically Riley drives Nick crazy that it frustrates and makes him madly fall in love with her

Why Riley doesn't have two different eye color glow?!

No cut scenes like the in the demo? OK then :(

I'm both happy and disappointed at the beta

The midnight show exists but I chose to mostly ignore it in most of my AUs because attachment issues, I'M NOT IN DENIAL, and also because making those AUs last year took a hella time >:(

Wait.... why Riley's icon have a mask when that event happened after Pierson was taken over?!

Riley putting Rosco as an answer for a trivia question is the most adorable thing. This lady loves her giant dog and I'm convince that she's a proud dog mom you can't tell me otherwise

Nick clearly doesn't know Shakespeare

The fact that Nick wrote a poem about his love for Riley implies that he probably has made art using her as a muse but Nick is too embarrassed to admit he likes her. That's so Nick

What if Riley struggles with other emotions other than anger and uses science and sadism to express she likes something. So when she said with such glee that she wanted to experiment on Nick implies that she kind of likes him? Or maybe that she wants him dead. um Both. Yeah Both

[fortunatelylori]

Hi! I apologise in advance if this question comes off as antagonistic, because I'm worried that it will, but please know that I'm genuinely curious. I've been reading some comments by you and @nothinghappensinalstonville and noticed you're both very critical of Sansa during her arguments with Jon, and seem to think he was absolutely right and she was absolutely wrong. (part 1 of 2)

My question is, can you elaborate on why – if you believe she undermines him and her advice to him is always wrong – you think she’s a good match for him, why you think they’d be a good team, why she’d be a good queen to his king? I’m sorry, my question sounds petulant even to my own ears, but I don’t mean it that way, I promise! I truly would like to hear your thoughts on why she’s good for Jon when you seem to think she’s been so wrong in all their interactions. (part 2 of 2)

Dear nonnie,

…..

I’m trying very hard to contain my frustration right now because you seem like a very nice person. However, I spend a lot of time and energy writing my posts and comments. I try, to the best of my abilities, to be fair and as objective as I possibly can and explain my point of view in detail. That takes quite a bit of thought and effort on my part so to know that, in your case at least, all of that was an utter and complete waste of time is a deeply disheartening feeling. 

To make it clear, I have no issues with people disagreeing with me or having different interpretations. Nor do I have issues with people sending me asks where they challenge my views. What I do take issue with is when my opinions are misrepresented or I’m accused of saying things I didn’t say. 

If you’re genuinely curious to find out my opinion, you could have checked out my blog before sending me this ask. I have a meta page all set up for anyone to go through and see what my opinions are. 

There is a tendency in the GOT fandom to believe that stanning a character should mean that you believe that character is above reproach, is never wrong and anyone who might disagree is not a “true fan”. By and large, the Jonsa fandom is more open to debate on the nature of characters than other groups but even in our little corner, there is a tendency to try to protect the character of Sansa from any and all criticism, mostly in relation to Jon. 

I understand the impulse to a degree. Sansa has been my favorite female character since season 1. I’ve gone on the bat defending her time and time again and I understand people being protective of her because Sansa is very much a maligned character in the rest of the fandom.

However, the way I stan characters doesn’t conform to this approach. To give you a clear example, my favorite literary character of all times is Scarlett O’Hara. That’s not because I believe she is perfect and beyond reproach but rather because of the complexities of her character that include both positive and negative traits. My liking of Sansa Stark is the same.I like characters, flaws and all and I have no problem discussing those flaws and I don’t think I should stop doing it just because fans in general are unfairly criticizing Sansa. That is not a valid argument to me. I would find it completely disingenuous and hypocritical on my part if I spent my time criticizing every other character, which I do, but stopped myself from doing it with Sansa because my opinion does not conform to the general consensus of the Jonsa/Sansa fandom or because she’s already unfairly criticized in other places. 

So, let’s get this over with: 

seem to think he was absolutely right and she was absolutely wrong

you seem to think she’s been so wrong in all their interactions.

I never said that. In this post I said the following: 

My problem with the way this whole thing is presented in the fandom is that it’s taken as a very black and white issue and people feel compelled to either defend Jon or defend Sansa.

The discourse is either:

“OMG! Look! Sansa is undermining Jon! Dark Sansa is coming, people! Alert the presses! This episode … this season … in 2035. It’s coming!“

Or

“Sansa is right. Jon is stupid. He makes decisions with his heart, instead of his head.“

Except that things are never as simple as that and it’s this type of decision that could cost you in the larger scheme of the game of thrones. Deciding whether to pardon the child of a bannerman that betrayed you could go many different ways.

And also: 

So to say that Sansa was right in this situation and Jon was wrong is oversimplifying things. It’s those kinds of decisions that a medieval king/lord is always struggling with and there is no 100% guarantee that you will make the right choice. Jon and Sansa are very young and they have a huge responsibility on their shoulders. There’s a lot you need to learn in order to be a successful ruler, and that goes for Sansa as well as Jon.

In my addendum to that post, I also said: 

I have also talked in the past, on several occasions, about Jon being a poor communicator, acting like a lone operator and blindsiding Sansa with his decisions despite them needing to act like a united front.

In a post I wrote just yesterday, I said this: 

Since season 6, Sansa has been frustrated that Jon doesn’t listen to her:

1. When she argued that he shouldn’t take Winterfell until they had enough men.

2. Before the battle of the bastards, when she warned him about Ramsay and felt that he wasn’t taking her opinion into account

3. In season 7, when she argued against his decision regarding Alys and Ned.

4. In season 7, when she felt he was paying too much attention to the NK and not enough attention to Cersei.

5. Still in season 7, when she told him not to go to Dragonstone and he blindsided her by announcing to everyone that he was, in fact, going.

So this: “this is the way he is, the way he’s always been. he never listens to me” business is a standing issue between them since the start of their relationship in season 6.

I didn’t find it strange that she would say that. She was angry and venting and she’s frustrated with Jon always doing things without talking to her or taking her opinion into account.

if you believe she undermines him 

Except I don’t believe she’s undermining him which is why I wrote an entire meta attacking the “undermining” argument that you can find here. 

In case you don’t want to bother reading all of it, here are a few excerpts: 

Now people have pointed out that, as one of his vassals, Sansa has every right to question him publicly. The problem is that’s not how Jon sees her. He very distinctly separates Sansa from the rest of his court. And since we already had the “we need to trust each other” scene at the end of season 6, I think it’s safe to assume that he sees the two of them as a unit that is supposed to be on the same page so the fact that Sansa speaks out against him in public, instead of privately, feels like a betrayal.

However, if there’s one thing you learn sooner or later, is that there are two sides to every story. That’s why it’s never a good idea to side with one party whenever couples fight.

Because if we look at things from Sansa’s perspective, you can see how she might feel dismissed. The fact of the matter is Jon isn’t the world’s greatest communicator and failed to talk his decision over with Sansa before announcing it to the Council, which in turn makes Sansa feel sidelined, hence her aggressive snark and Joffrey digs.

And that’s because the audience support is very much skewed  in  Jon’s favor. Being on tumblr, sometimes you forget that the Jonsa fam is very much the minority and that exclusive Sansa fans are the unicorns of this fandom (#love4unicorns). The vast majority of this audience will not look at Jon as an unreliable narrator, as every character in this show is, but as the ultimate authority on how this scene should be viewed.

If he says he feels undermined, then it must be because he’s being undermined, which by extension means that Sansa will betray him.

I simply believe that just like Jon, Sansa makes mistakes not only in their conversations but in her approach to certain issues, like the Alys/Ned incident. Jon and Sansa’s arguments, in my opinion, are not clear cut or black and white. There are points to be made on both sides of the debate and pretending like Sansa is completely correct and Jon is wrong is oversimplifying things, as is the reverse. I’ve already talked ad nauseam about the Alys/Ned situation. So here are a 2 other examples: 

Sansa warning Jon that they don’t have enough men  prior to the battle of the bastards: 

She is correct in that they don’t have enough men. That doesn’t change the fact that they’re stuck in the middle of freezing, wintry terrain, a fact that is brought into the plot by Davos who says Stannis lost the war primarily because of the weather, which is in fact correct. In addition to that, by that point they’ve already tried to gather up more men and were denied at almost every turn. It’s not that Jon can’t count, it’s that he doesn’t see any possibility of getting more men and is afraid that he’s going to lose the men he has if he waits. That is a valid argument. 

The reason why Sansa is so resistant is because she knows there’s the possibility of getting more men but dreads having to resort to calling the Knights of the Vale because Littlefinger comes attached to that particular deal. Jon can’t really be blamed for that since he doesn’t know. 

Sansa warning Jon that Ramsay will try to trick him: 

She is correct in her assessment of Ramsay. However her: “Don’t do what he wants you to do” isn’t going to help Jon much, is it? What does that mean? How do you build a strategy around that? She doesn’t know either. Saying that Jon should have listened to Sansa in this instance is … I mean, listen to her about what? He can do absolutely nothing with the info that Sansa provides. 

Her being angry that Jon doesn’t specifically ask for her opinion in a meeting where she is present is also, quite frankly, debatable. Could he have asked? Yes. Could she have just said what she thought instead of taking her frustration out on him in private? Also yes. 

That’s about it … These are the instances where I kind of lean  towards Jon’s point of view more than Sansa’s but also acknowledge the fact that she has reasons to say the things she says, thus making it a more complex situation than one of them being wrong and the other right. 

For those 3 instances, I am now stuck writing another extremely long post trying to defend what are not, as far as I can see, opinions that should garner this amount of controversy. 

But since now I must also atone for those opinions by proving just how much I love Sansa, here is the list of reasons why I believe they’re a good match and she’ll make a good queen to Jon’s king: 

1. She is more politically minded than he is. Their debate on trusting Tyrion is proof enough of that. She also has experience in dealing with an extremely treacherous court in King’s Landing and that will prove very useful in managing their future court. An experience Jon completely lacks. 

2. He has a tendency to be impulsive whereas she is more controlled and strategic. They balance each other out. Jon is a big picture thinker which is fine but that can cause him to miss details that might turn into huge conflicts later on whereas Sansa is much more aware of the subtleties of situations and can identify potential risks. 

3. Jon has a hero complex and a self-sacrificing streak, where he wants to save and protect everyone. Sansa is more willing to accept the possibility that you can’t always do that. But Jon will continue to try to protect people so he needs someone to protect him, sometimes even from himself which is what Sansa can do for him. 

4. In my post regarding the alliances that Sansa and Jon can make, I called Sansa the most eligible match in Westeros. The amount of allies and strategic power she can bring to the table is undeniable and will be among the main reasons why they end up king and queen.

5. They’re both humanists. Despite Sansa’s more calculated temperament (something she learned, btw because naturally she’s not a calculated person),  she would have given a mob of people that attacked her and almost raped her bread if she had had it, she takes charge of calming the spirits of the women during the Battle of the Blackwater and as Jon’s regent, she supervises the food storing and preparations for winter. They both have the same view of what leadership is and the kind of leaders they want to be. They both very much see leadership as a duty and want to do right by the people that they govern.

6. On a personal level, they’re both romantics who dream about a quiet, domestic life. They want to have children and raise a family. So their personal goals and temperaments are aligned. 

7. Jon is insecure, particularly when it comes to how other people view him and since the moment they have been reunited, not only has Sansa understood that but given him the validation he needs to feel secure, content and happy. In turn, Jon can be the brave, gentle and strong man that Ned promised Sansa and that she’s always dreamed about. 

8. They fight a lot, they both make good and bad point along the way but at the end of the day, their fights are constructive and lead to both of them growing and developing as people. They push each other to be better. 

There are probably many more reasons that can be added but this is all I can come up with at this time. 

One more thing I’d like to add before I finish this:

I was under the, perhaps mistaken, impression that people sending me asks or reading my blog were interested in my honest opinion on topics and not just in answers and posts that validate their pre-existing views. If that is the case, I don’t think my blog is for you. I will never shy away from expressing my thoughts on a subject, even when that might be controversial. So if that bothers you, I understand. Please unfollow me, block me or otherwise scroll past me if you feel leaving a comment disagreeing is not enough. I don’t want to make anyone’s fandom experience anything less than a happy one, if I can help it. 

So, in an effort, to keep the Jonsa fandom experience a positive one for myself, I’d like to let everyone know that this will be my final answer on this subject. If you’re ever tempted to send me an ask telling me that I don’t think Sansa is entitled to voice her opinions, that I think Sansa is undermining Jon, that I’m trying to steal her agency in order to prop up Jon or that I think Sansa is always wrong and Jon is always right, please know that I will delete those asks and not answer them. I really don’t like doing that because I love talking to you guys and I really appreciate your interest in my blog and my opinions but at this point, if you still believe all of those things, there’s literally nothing I can say that will change your mind. Thank you for understanding!

Have a nice day, nonnie!

[arrantknave]

Goodevening my dear, I come here begging your help- you are my only hope;-; My school started an expressive reading project, and the play my class is working on is Hamlet. I got the role of Hamlet but since the school had problems starting the project I have only 5 lesson before we perform and I'm like- panicking. Our teacher didn't even teach us about how to read. How would you describe Hamlet's feelings in act II, scene V - act III, scene I - act III, scene IV - act V, scene II and his death?

I’m not sure when I received this ask, and this could be far too late, but here are my two cents for those scenes, just in case.

Some notes, just really quick.Act II, scene 5

Technically, there isn’t a scene 5, but I’m guessing you’re referring to the soliloquy at the end of the act?

Hamlet has just heard and seen a professional actor. He’s astounded by how much control this guy has over his actions and how he can cry on cue – but, he says, “all for nothing”.

Hamlet starts to compare the actor’s motivations to his own. He gets frustrated and disappointed with his lack of progress with regard to avenging his father, and he directs a lot of anger toward himself (“who calls me villain?”) and then later toward Claudius (“O, vengeance!” – a lot of actors practically yell this line).

There’s a tiny shift right after that, because he realizes raging at himself and other people just isn’t productive (and makes him look stupid). He tries to be more rational instead (“about, my brain”). At this point I think he’s calmed down a bit, and with some clarity he finally has his eureka moment: “I’ll have these players play something like the murder of my father before mine uncle.”

From my understanding there is a pang of fear that comes with his consideration of the ghost as a demon; his doubts are residues from the first act.

The speech seems to end with cautious optimism.

So, (bounded) in a nutshell, he’s trying to come up with a solid plan but he gets sidetracked by fears/doubts and anger.

Act III, scene 1

The infamous “To be or not to be” speech.

This speech gets moved around a lot in some adaptations because we don’t really know what in particular triggers this soliloquy.

There are so many ways this could be done and interpreted, but it seems to me that this speech mainly seems to highlight a kind of fatigue, or world-weariness. For some reason I don’t really think I’m qualified to do an in-depth analysis of this speech, so may I suggest this post: http://schmergo.tumblr.com/post/171601384691/i-think-people-often-miss-the-real-point-of-to-be

The part with Ophelia also heavily depends on interpretation. Is he pushing her away for her safety? Is he being watched? It’s up to you whether or not you want to play his relationship with Ophelia as genuine.

Hamlet often snaps after her “at home, my lord”, because it’s often interpreted that he knows Polonius is there, watching, and she just lied.

Act III, scene 4

Here he tries to follow from the second scene of the same act:

O heart, lose not thy nature; let not everThe soul of Nero enter this firm bosom.Let me be cruel, not unnatural;I will speak daggers to her, but use none.My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites-How in my words somever she be shent,To give them seals never, my soul, consent!

In this scene his obsessions and moral nature come to the surface. He’s been bothered by his mother’s union with Claudius since act I, but it’s only now that he gets to vent these feelings of disgust and anger before his mother. He loves his mother (but not in the Oedipal way, that interp has no place here) but the way he manifests it is to be cruel. His harshness at the beginning even makes his mother think he’s going to kill her.

Read it how you like, but some say Hamlet stabs the curtain impulsively to make up for his hesitation in the last scene with Claudius. Upon killing Polonius, Hamlet may or may not be in a state of shock or horror. Later lines would suggest that Hamlet got over it quite quickly (ex. puns: “this counsellor Is now most still, most secret, and most grave” “draw toward an end with you”). At the same time, Gertrude says that he “weeps for what is done” (4.1). Just something to consider.

Hamlet rails against his mother’s act of marrying Claudius. He appears to be deeply disturbed by it – angry, disgusted, and even quite confused (notice how many question marks there are in his whole “o shame, where is thy blush?” line). You could see strands of the first soliloquy in here, where he makes a stark  contrast between his father and Claudius. What feelings he held back in that first speech is manifesting now, almost explosively.

The Ghost’s return may have an effect on Hamlet similar to the first time it appeared to him, which can be interpreted as something like stunned reverence.

Why, look you there! Look how it steals away!My father, in his habit as he liv’d!Look where he goes even now out at the portal!(Dude still misses his father a lot.)

Hamlet is a bit less intense now, but he continues a moral tone (“Confess yourself to heaven; repent what’s past” and his talk of virtue, which is kind of ironic considering he’s just killed somebody).

Act V, scene 2

Death scene. As with many other parts of this play, this is largely up to interpretation, and could depend on what kind of Hamlet you played before he was shipped off to England. It’s worth mentioning though that the prince of the fifth act is often considered more mature than the last time we saw him. He’s not as afraid of death as he was before.

He’s also sincerely repentant about what he’s done to Laertes.

But I am very sorry, good Horatio,That to Laertes I forgot myself,For by the image of my cause I seeThe portraiture of his.

Two parallels here. Both Hamlet and Laertes have lost their fathers, and are trying to avenge them by killing the murderer. On the other hand, (and in a more negative note) Hamlet is in the murderer’s place, like Claudius. If he thinks his uncle is meant to burn in hell, what does that make Hamlet? As mentioned earlier, he’s a remarkably moral character – coming across that realization would hit him hard, and he might even think that, in his final moments, he deserved to die for what he’s done.

[lizzybeth1986]

Note: This is really a Drake-centric diamond scene. So I’m not sure I can peacefully club this under Liam’s diamond scenes per se, but since Liam and Hana’s dialogue dominates the flashback I felt it was important to add. I will list be listing this as a Drake scene in the masterlist. Since this is a Liam-centric set of essays, I'm afraid I will only be focussing on the flashback itself.

The flashback in Drake’s marshmallow-toasting diamond scene basically charts out the same plan that Liam gives the MC in the balcony, but in greater detail. We now know that:

1. The three LIs actually met and operated together rather than working in individual capacities based on their own plans.

2. Liam worked out that Olivia had left under duress too (his reaction when she talked to him already seemed to indicate this, plus he knows her personally, and knows that she would have never accepted defeat without a good reason). The question that now remains is whether anyone has contacted her, or aims to contact her, any time soon. I doubt it, considering that Liam aims to lie low for now. If Olivia is to make an appearance now, it would have to be (like the MC) on her own initiative.

3. All three of them refrained from contact for similar reasons. Liam and Drake did it to keep her safe and make sure they didn’t raise suspicions, and Hana herself was not allowed access to the outside world until Madeleine contacted her parents.

4. Liam knew that the MC would make her way back to the court. Not because he had any contact with the Beaumonts, but because he knew the Beaumonts and the MC well enough to consider her return a certainty. He knew Maxwell and Bertrand well enough to understand that they would trust her and train her, and he knew the MC well enough to know that she wouldn’t talk such an attack against her reputation lying down.

5. Most importantly, he knows this goes beyond just someone who wants to get rid of the MC.

I feel he uses treachery, a pretty loaded word, to describe a bigger picture. As mentioned in the Balcony essay, Liam has an intimate knowledge of how deep the rot within the royal court runs, but up until now has had difficulty getting to the bottom of it. He doesn’t know who he can trust - besides Drake, Hana and the Beaumonts - or who is involved. Or how much of the court is involved (I will elaborate on this later on in the essay).

My breakdown of the post-Coronation focusses on three aspects:

Initial Reactions to the MC’s Plight

In a fascinating role-reversal, the more mild-mannered love interests (Liam and Hana) vent out in anger, while the normally brusque Drake remains calm, and urges his friends to do the same. To understand their reactions, I think we need to take a look at the time gap between the MC’s ouster from the ballroom and Liam and Hana’s entry into her room. This might also help us understand why the LIs collectively chose her room particularly to regroup and discuss their next move.

As we all know, the MC was already dressed before she arrived at the palace, and possibly dropped her luggage in her room before greeting the King and Queen at the ballroom entrance. I doubt she would have unpacked much, given she didn’t seem to have much downtime before the ball began, so forcing her to repack and leave couldn’t have taken very long. Between walking to her room, hurriedly collecting her remaining things, changing into her normal clothing, checking for anything left behind, and being dragged to the car, I’d give it possibly 15 minutes maximum.

Drake tells us before he begins his narrative that he ran after the car that was taking the MC away and missed it by minutes, following which he found Liam and Hana already in her room. Which means, obviously, that any action that the three could afford to take happened after the MC was already gone, and not immediately. Remember that this court, right now, is still in a state of chaos.

If we assume it took the MC fifteen minutes to leave, then we’ll also need to assume that within those fifteen minutes Drake and Hana were being held back by the guards, and Liam forced himself to ensure that there was calm in the court first, complete whatever formalities were left and possibly accept congratulatory words from the guests at the ball. I would assume that the guards might have let go of Hana early, if she didn’t put up too much of a fight. Since the ball was coming to a close with the coronation/bride-announcement anyway, I would assume Liam left soon after. Given that they knew the MC’s things were in her room, there is a possibility both were trying to see if they could find her there (remember, Liam was insisting on talking to her to Regina). Drake took longer, since he was fighting with the guards to get to her, and then chased the car till it disappeared.

Hana

(My Coronation pics for all three have been downloaded from YouTube, sorry)

Hana appears distressed when the MC is dragged out, and is angry by the time Drake finds them. The book cites her as fighting alongside Drake to reach the MC, but since she couldn’t put up too much of a fight (evidenced by the fact that the guards let go of her earlier than they did Drake), I wouldn’t be surprised if she was as furious about her own state of helplessness as with the people involved in the scheme.

Hana’s background reveals a woman who has had to repress her emotions repeatedly for the sake of her family, has had to make their interests her own just to advance her position. We have plenty of evidence from her diamond scenes that she is someone who has been taught to muffle her feelings, her likes, her personality, in the hopes of finding a suitable match. She “doesn’t mind” the pain of a broken arm because it’s the one time her parents show affection. She would rather purposely fail at a piano performance - an activity she loves - than directly confront them about using her as a trophy. When Peter, her former fiance, confronts her about her feelings (or lack thereof), she maintains that she would have gone through with this loveless match anyway, because she felt she had no other option. Same, with her alliance with Prince Liam: it doesn't matter to her parents whether she loves him or not as long as he chooses her, and had she not fallen for the MC she would have gone along with this plan. In fact, until the MC came along, Hana tells us she never really felt alive.

The only other time we see Hana losing her temper is when the MC encourages her to fight back at Applewood. Given how repressed she is emotionally, and how helpless she feels, I wouldn’t be surprised that she chose this moment - with friends she trusts - to break into an outburst.

Drake

In contrast to Liam and Hana, Drake seems calmer and more interested in figuring out their next move. I would argue that this is a result of having expanded enough emotional energy, in fighting the guards and in the subsequent chase, to now mind his every move and remind his friends of what is at stake. During the finale, Drake seems to be the only one who seems to react to the MC’s plight with anger, rather than shock, or helplessness (remember, at that point, we’re not sure why Liam is angry when he announces Madeleine’s name). However this sequence shows us that all three were equally furious at how things went down - only that Drake was able to express his anger as it happened. Having had his space to vent emotionally during the chase, he is able to move forward and think with a clearer head.

Drake, as a commoner, is considered an outsider to the court and does not feel the need fit in. His emotional growth with regards to the MC has more to do with opening up to warmer, happier experiences. Anger and frustration are easier emotions for him to deal with, so I would imagine he doesn’t repress that as much as Liam and Hana do.

Drake’s state of calm in front of Liam and Hana is possible only because he has already spent his emotional energy on trying to reach the MC before her car drove away. However, in the light of the situation, his calm, practical approach is exactly what Liam and Hana need.

Liam

Of the three, Liam’s reaction seems the most confusing during the Finale, and the most extreme in this scene. His immediate reaction to the scandal (or rather, to the impending threat on the MC’s life) ranges from sadness, to shock, to frustration, but he never gives an indication as to what drives him to this decision. He is angry, yes, but his anger is controlled and simmering beneath the surface, evident only by his fisted hands when Madeleine kisses him.

His outburst in the MC’s room couldn’t be more different. He protests against it, he curses, he slams his hand against a table, not caring that he has possibly injured himself in the process. It takes Drake’s reminder that he is being watched - and the implication that his present behaviour could blow his cover - to get Liam to calm down.

Like Hana, Liam has been taught to repress his emotions. However, this is something he cannot shake off as Hana possibly can in the future, but a very important component to how he operates as a monarch. He has been trained from childhood to never show his emotions in public, to never make other people aware of how he is feeling. This quote from Regina (in RoE Book 2) gives us a good idea of the kind of upbringing that’s made Liam this way.

Think of this. This is only his first night as King of Cordonia, and already the court has been plunged into chaos, his intended bride dragged away right in front of him, and Cordonian law hanging over his head. The country is practically looking to him to prove himself a fit ruler for their country, the memory of his brother’s abdication still fresh in their minds. He has mere minutes to make a decision. He not only has to grapple with choosing another woman so soon after admitting his love to the MC, but also is aware that his every move is being watched and one step in the wrong direction could give his motives away and harm her. Not only does he feel anger at the injustice of it all, and anger at himself for contributing to her humiliation, he also has to instantly show outward calm and appear as though the MC doesn’t matter to him. Unlike Drake and Hana, Liam doesn't even get the opportunity to process this overload of information properly.

By the time he reaches the MC's room, Liam's stoicism and sense of restraint are in shreds.

Liam the Person vs. Liam the King

So far, the MC has only seen the personal aspects of Liam’s life - his family, his childhood, the stories he grew up hearing. Most of their scenes together show us a man who is eager to please his beloved, ready to move out of his comfort zone to make her happy. In his personal life Liam is a man who frequently asks consent for everything (eg. he asks Hana if she wants to return to court, and hopes he isn’t “being presumptuous” by considering her his friend), does not like to assume anything on behalf of other people, does not like to impose his needs even on those he considers his friends. Even the moments where he exerts authority are behind-the-scenes and hardly viewed by the MC (eg. the decision to make Drake an informal bodyguard). Most of his normal speech is in the form of questions, leading statements made so that the MC can choose her response, suggestions and polite requests.

In contrast, as soon as he has recovered from his outburst, he explains the risks to Hana, and answers her doubts regarding his actions at the Coronation.

Following this, his language is direct, practical, marked with instructions - only retreating to his normal-person speech to get her consent on returning to court and establishing their friendship. With Drake, his best friend since childhood, he doesn’t even need to do this, since he knows both of them are on the same page and have already established a comfort level in their roles as King and Right-Hand Man. As a politician he exudes confidence (in getting Hana back to court, in in the fact that the Beaumonts will ensure the MC’s safety, in the roles he has enlisted Hana and Drake to play), reveals a calm demeanor, establishes his authority, gives directions and literally spearheads this mission to unearth the truth.

Contrast his speech with the MC (“would it be presumptuous of me to guess that you’ve had similar thoughts?”, “were the roses okay [for the date]?”, “you’re full of surprises, aren’t you? ”) to his demeanor here (“I am the King of Cordonia”, “So it’s settled”, “Drake, I know I can count on you to help the MC”). Once he enters into his role as king, he adjusts his demeanor and personality to do what kings do best - lead.

Applewood

There is no direct connection between this sequence and the Applewood scene with the maid at the end, but the fact that the book leads us to Applewood so early on in the story leads me to believe this is a red herring. The Beaumonts go there to find a lead on the investigation, and seem to have found it successfully in the maid who, no matter how your MC treat her, reveals to her that she was involved. Chapter 2 ends on this cliffhanger for a reason.

As readers of both TRR and RoE, we are aware of the dangers of the court and how deep their intrigues go. The MC isn’t, not entirely. So it makes sense to have her believe that she will finally discover who the culprit is…only for it to be revealed that things won’t be that easy. There are more chances that the lead the maid will give will be weak at best, forcing the Beaumonts to return to court armed with new hints, and an understanding that the conspiracy goes deeper, much deeper. The MC is one victim among many to the manipulations of the royal court, and to the traitors who make it so hard to maintain peace.

Liam hints at this when he uses the word “treachery” to describe what could be going on in the court, and in doing so reveals that the attack on the MC and her reputation could be part of a bigger, murkier picture.

–