#But they’ve maintained that they don’t make political statements as Queen

[not-the-coffee-machine4]

I really love how Queen have defended the Break Free video. It absolutely destroyed their career in the USA at the time. America was the motherland of musical success, it was their hopes and dreams that they worked their asses off for and they made one video that cost them future hits and lost them their audience and potentially millions of dollars and they VERY EASILY could have immediately backtracked and been like “haha yeah we didn’t really like it, probably wouldn’t do it again but you know how Freddie is”

Y’know trying to please both sides and crap so they could remain business as usual. Or just not taking it as seriously as they did. But Freddie didn’t want to tour there—in protest and probably also for safety reasons—and they were with him completely and have STOOD. BY. THAT. VIDEO

FOR FORTY. Y E A R S

and you see it in interviews from across all those decades, questions like “did you ENJOY dressing up as a woman??” “How much convincing did it take” “must’ve been Freddie’s idea of course”

and every single time both Brian and Roger have been like “absolutely no convincing whatsoever, we loved it, best time we’ve had making a video, it was awesome, we had a blast, this is our favorite one”

THAT is true allyship. Common sense nowadays, sure. But for a musical act of their status in that time and culture/expectation to completely give up their golden ticket in favor of what was (kinda) protest for a social issue (and of course, protecting Freddie I’m sure)…it’s just not what you would expect but it continually delights me

[loyalflutist]

Just a Dream - Part 1 (F!Byleth x Edelgard)

Rating: General Audiences Archive Warning: Major Character Death Words: 2,173 Summary:  The war is finally over and it was the Adrestian Empire's win. Most everyone moved onward from the conflict at their own pace. For Edelgard, she has a surprise coming from Byleth one night.

A/N: Obviously due to Tumblr’s layout, I doubt I can leave my author’s note to the bottom like I intend to. Oh well. This is a fun side project I was working on! The second half should be out next week or so... depending on how my school load is going and, god forbid, if my PI isn’t a jerk. Hope you enjoy this! I enjoyed writing this fluffy piece, heh.

-----

The atrocious conflict that lasted for more than five years came to a roaring conclusion.

What should have been a magnificent creature in legends stayed as a legend, its real counterpart far crueler than any villain in history. Two brave leaders swung their relics at the formidable white dragon. In one strike, the beast pierced the fiery battlefield with its shriek. An axe and a sword plunged its sharp edges into its thick scales. Bloodied, battered, and bruised, the large monster wildly tossed its head left and right. Another inhumane squeal tore from its elongated throat as it dug its massive claws on the cracked pavement.

Byleth and Edelgard plopped back on the ground simultaneously. Sweat gleamed on their foreheads, their breaths bated, and eyes trained on the foul beast. Their weapons were deeply ensnared in its moist flesh. No matter how much the dragon shook, it won’t remove the powerful blades. Amidst the flames in the background, their surviving comrades and troops watched in awe.

“It’s… finally over,” the emperor breathed. “We won.”

Just as she uttered that confident statement, the white dragon collapsed to the side, its jaw jutted open. Black blood pooled underneath its large head as its last light flickered out. Everyone kept their limbs locked in place, their respiratory system temporarily paused. Byleth and Edelgard eventually straightened their posture. Although they were out of breath, they exchanged glances. Then, a worn smile broke out from their face.

“Thank you… Byleth.”

This war’s victor was none other than the Adrestian Empire.

Peace draped over the united land after five, long miserable years. Although there were plenty of sacrifices and regrets from Byleth and Edelgard, they marched forward with their heads held up high. After all, the emperor must reign over their new country and people with persistence and conviction. It was a worthy offering for the next chapter in Fodlan.

As for the leaders of the Black Eagle Strike Squad? Many of their comrades retired from the battlefield. Some of their comrades worked under or alongside with Edelgard.

Petra returned to Brigid with the songstress shortly after the final battle to build a diplomatic relationship between the two nation. Eventual news about a new theatrical show in Brigid starring none other than Dorothea spread across the sea. Its popularity skyrocketed as many nobles desperately scrambled onto the next boat to catch a glimpse of the beautiful opera singer. Lest to say, many were disappointed to hear that she was already taken. The Brigid queen made sure to make it clear.

Linhardt resumed his activity as a researcher, eager to chew on anything that perks his interest. Whenever Edelgard and Hubert visited the man’s estate, he would greet them with a piece of toast, their much-need answers, and a slam of a door. Hark, it was not from malice! Disturbance of a slumbering prince would present a predictable reaction. This led to a small stack of apologetic, handwritten letters from the green-haired to the emperor.

Bernadetta slithered back to her life as a noble— Well, it would have been more peaceful had it not been for Caspar. That young man made sure to take her out every month to sightsee a new scenery during his service with Edelgard. Safe to say, Bernadetta both did and did not appreciate his way of carrying her high up the mountains or through the fields in plain view. (How embarrassing!) Their laughter could be heard from miles away as the couple bloomed in the vast, green field.

Ferdinand and Hubert continue to maintain a close relationship with their new emperor’s activity at the castle. Of course, many of the guards and Byleth would spot them sharing a moment of tranquility over tea with each other. Suffice to say, they knew how to take care of each other in ways not even Edelgard knows.

Shamir and Catherine broke off from the group and traveled the country. No one knew where they were. The only clues they’ve left behind were the occasional, unaddressed letters delivered to Byleth at the castle. That didn’t include the rumors of famous fight scenes that broke out throughout Fodlan. (It appears they were mostly self-initiated by the troublesome duo.)

Overall, the turbulent times simmered down to a lazily, wafting steam. Those Who Slither in the Dark were still a danger to society, but Edelgard, Byleth, Caspar, Ferdinand, and Hubert were on top of their game. It was a lengthy session of chess, but so far, they’re nearing the endgame. Hubert, Ferdinand, and Byleth approximated about five more years until this evil is squashed for good. Five more years until Edelgard can retire.

“Edelgard?”

At the emperor’s patio of her grand bedroom late at night, the woman in bright red glanced over her shoulder. Edelgard released her hold on the concrete railings and approached the older female. The moon’s soft rays of light lit Byleth’s entrance into her vision. Her ex-professor had both hands behind her back, her hues sparkled like the stars. It would almost seem out of character had they not been dating!

Edelgard tried to resist an amusing chuckle as Byleth slowed her steps.

“Professor, what brings you here?”

Both females stood in front of each other. The close approximation allowed their breaths to tickle each other. They shyly giggled. Byleth soon leaned down to plant her lips on the shorter’s forehead. Pleasant warmth grew in the noble’s chest as she rested her hand on the other’s chest. She lowered her head and felt the corner of her lips curve upward.

“Okay, Byleth, what is it that you have to tell me?”

“You’re always straight to the point.”

“That’s just who I am.”

“Well… I have a surprise for you.”

Byleth began to back away from the emperor. The ex-mercenary got down on one knee. Her hands that were once behind her back were brought forward. There was a small object pinched between her thumb and index. It was a silver ring ornamented with bits of fine gemstones and diamonds; a precious gift that her father, Jeralt, had once given to her mother. He bestowed it upon his daughter before the incident that transpires afterward.

“Will you marry me, El?”

Her cheeks flushed. Those were the words Edelgard would never expect to hear from anyone in her life. Commitment to ending the Hresvelg line and isolating herself from politics once her duties were complete was all that filled her mind. She and Byleth had fallen in love, but they never exchanged anything more than a simple peck or tender embrace. Honestly, Edelgard held low expectations for their relationship to deepen. The fact that her partner in battle would become her lifelong partner increased her heartbeat’s pace.

' Is this a dream? It's too good to be true! '

The noble’s violet hues searched for an object other than Byleth to fixate. Happiness was an understatement. It was a complete understatement. No terminology in any living dictionary would be able to describe the euphoric sensation that threatens to burst from the seam of her epidermis. She failed to completely remove her gaze from Byleth as her reply tumbled out of her mouth like a rockslide.

“I— Wow, yes… Yes!” She finally diverted her attention back to the teal-haired. Hidden ears as rosy as her cheeks, she grinned from ear to ear. “Yes, I want to marry you, Byleth!”

No time was wasted in slipping the ring onto Edelgard’s finger. She cautiously removed the armored glove. Scars and permanent engravings from her surgical procedures were exposed to the open air. A shudder ran down Edelgard’s spine; she had to resist the temptation to rip her hand away. Besides, when her tactician inserted the precious band, all forms of negativity eroded away in a flash. The ring’s surface glimmered in the moonlight as Byleth brought her lips on her soon-to-be-official-wife’s knuckles. The sensitive flesh brushed upon the marked hand.

“We’ll always be together in spirit.”

“Just in spirit, though?”

Edelgard chuckled as her professor rose from the crouch. Hands now holding each other, they exchanged a kiss. At her lips’ touch, the vermillion girl blossomed like a flower. Sweet nectar dripped from her lover’s whispers as they went in for a second round. They repeatedly kissed, the one after another becoming briefer and more playful. Their eyes were closed as giggles emitted from their direction. From a distant, it would be to no one’s surprise if literal heart shapes sprouted from the couple.

“Once we finish ridding Those Who Slither in the Darkness, we shall find an appropriate person fit for the throne.”

“Mm… Five years is long, isn’t it?”

“We cannot help it. We have to stay focused on our goals.”

“It would be nice if five years were to hurry, don’t you think?”

“I agree.”

Edelgard placed a hand on her hip once their hold broke away. She looked downward, the smile lingering.

“Still, I have you by my side. To think that I would be walking down this path on my own… I was mistaken. I wouldn’t know what to do if you weren’t with me.”

“You should learn how to be independent without me, El.”

“Oh, hush! I doubt that would ever happen now that we’ve promised to be with each other.”

“…in spirit.”

“Why do you keep saying that? I hope you are misunderstanding the original phrase—”

A faint, but warm, yellow light glowed on Edelgard’s face. Stars. Tiny, little stars twinkled before the shorter female.

“?”

Particles of light began to grow brighter around the emperor. Edelgard raised her head; her violet eyes widen at the newfound sight.

“Byleth…?”

The older woman tilted her head, eyelids closed and smiled. Those particles grew in its number as Byleth became transparent. Their gentle nature floated near her face, almost as if they tried to hug her. Alas, these creations were not permanent. They were meant to fade away into nothingness… just like her Byleth.

“Byleth!”

She reached out towards her lover with the same hand that received the ring.

That was right… How could she have forgotten?

During the final battle, the two emerged victoriously… but at a heavy cost. Byleth had collapsed after the dragon’s death. Edelgard immediately dashed to her girlfriend; she ignored the throbbing aches from her bruises and stings from her cuts. The noble flipped over the instructor. A quick examination told her of the bad news. Confirmation was needed, and it was a confirmation Edelgard wished she had never done.

Byleth’s heart stopped beating. No matter how many times she pressed her ear against her chest, pressed her fingers upon her wrist, and shook the older woman, Byleth would not crack open her eyelids. Not a single peep came out of her mouth.

Did she die peacefully?

She didn’t know. She won’t know. She will never know.

“Are you leaving me again?”

Tears stained Edelgard’s cheeks as she witnessed her professor nod at her direction.

“This is farewell.”

Farewell? There was no need for farewell when the noble glanced down at her hand again. The ring… it was still there. Yes! It was still there! That same ring that she had slipped onto her ring finger! It… No— it has always been there. Byleth had given it to her and proclaimed her proposal right before the final mission. It was the last gift her girlfriend— her wife had given to her before the untimely demise.

She felt her throat become dry and lips tremble. Edelgard grabbed at the bright lights that encompassed her significant other. They went through her fingers. But she repeated her actions. It became frantic and wild as dizziness seeped into her skull. The tears continued to pour from her lacrimal glands as Edelgard shook her head with slanted eyes.

“No… NO!”

This isn’t right!

“Don’t you dare—!”

Her heart squeezed until it physically caused pain. Streams flowed down her face as her fingers curled inward at the golden clumps. Another outcry burst in-between her sharp exhales.

“I’ve already lost you once!”

No no no no no—!!!

Why can’t she grab her?!

Why?!

WHY?!

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?!

“Don’t leave me again!” she wailed at the disappearing woman. “Please! I don’t know what to do anymore!”

Byleth reached her illuminated hand out. Though contact was not felt, she began to smooth the crying noble’s head. Particles from her legs began to dim as she tilted her head. Despite the anguish from her lover, she still smiles. How could she still smile…? No, that smile was only because she was an illusion. Edelgard’s blurred vision deluded her of a Byleth she finds solace in. Her lips trembled violently as another choking sob blubbered out of her.

Her professor, her friend, her lover, her only one closed her eyelids.

“Open your eyes, my dear Edelgard. This was only just a dream.”

This delusion has to end… and the first step to it is acceptance. As Byleth vanished, Edelgard crumpled to her knees. She cried hard into her hands, her weeping echoed into the lonesome night.

[eponymous-rose]

Talks Machina Highlights: Critical Role Episode 111

Guests are Liam O’Brien and Matt Mercer. Full video on Project Alpha!

Brian: “Hello, welcome to Talks Machina. I am... dressed for success.” Liam: “You are very cute today.” Matt: “I call this look Saturday Darin De Paul.”

Matt is doing much better than he was on Thursday.

Digital copy of the Critical Role comic is out!

There’s now a Talks Machina shirt in the store.

Episode 111 is tied for the most natural ones in an episode.

The show has now surpassed 10,000 d20 rolls. Brian suggests buying @critrolestats​ a yacht for keeping track of all this.

The comic takes place before the game. At the first session, because it was meant to be a one-shot, Matt just had everyone assume they all knew each other and were used to working together as a party. The comic explores how they actually met and started working together as an adventuring party.

Moments they’d like to see from the pre-stream game if the comic continues: meeting Gilmore, finding Percy in Jorenn Village, going after Grog’s dad, the birth of Burt Reynolds, early interactions with the Clasp, the one time Pike and Vax had a solo adventure together. Brian: “Do you think we would have to get rights from Burt Reynolds’ estate to... oh, wait, he’s still alive.”

The pacing of this arc was always going to be different, since it’s epic-level stuff and many of the character-centric arcs have been closed; it’s a lot harder to draw in character backstory the way the previous arcs could. The time-crunch aspect of this particular plot (the villain is actively moving through his to-do list whether or not Vox Machina intervenes) is a careful balance to make sure the players don’t feel too rushed but can still maintain that sense of urgency. Liam: “I am consistently surprised and shocked by everything that’s happened, so no complaints from me.”

If it were just Liam’s decision, he’d want everyone to take a long rest before facing Vecna. He thinks losing Vasselheim might be the cost of actually having a slim chance of defeating Vecna.

Matt’s been slowly been building this last dungeon over the last six months. It’s right up there with Opash’s necromantic lair as his favorite dungeon he’s made. Liam wants to see the dungeon mapped out and described in PDF format at some point, and Matt mentions that, depending on what state it’s in at the end of this campaign, it might be a location in a future Issylra campaign guide.

Matt and Liam talk about how early adventuring in D&D is generally a selfish endeavor, and then later on there are considerably higher stakes. Matt mentions that even in high-level D&D, you want to include obstacles in a dungeon that characters can bypass easily as a reward for quick thinking or just being awesome at high levels. The dungeon is also fundamentally a power-sink where you have to prioritize where you put your resources before the final battle you know is coming.

GIF of the week. Matt: “It’s funny the effect painkillers have on running a D&D game...”

Once the oven had closed, once a round, everyone in the room would’ve taken 1d6 fire damage, then 2d6, then 3d6, and so on. Solving it was meant to be a little more high-stakes, but the party avoided getting trapped in the room themselves.

Matt had half a page of information, a voice, and a name prepared for the nothic that Vax just annihilated. Could’ve ended up being a small encounter or a temporary alliance with a Gollum-type character or an uneasy alliance that could’ve gone wrong. Matt: “What you did was quintessential D&D, and I loved it.”

Liam recently ran a D&D game for his whole family in which his son rolled a d20 on opening a door he wasn’t supposed to go through, forcing him to improvise.

Matt’s been working with Travis to build his next character, and he keeps having to remind him that most characters only have a movement speed of 25 or 30 feet.

Brian: “Like Matt and I, you too can be not in terrible debt and situationally famous without going to college!” Matt: “I cannot support any of these statements at all.”

Vax would be willing to sacrifice even Emon or Whitestone if it meant stopping Vecna, because the alternative is Vecna reigning supreme over the Material Plane... or the Divine Gate coming down and armageddon ensuing.

Fanart of the week.

In-universe flashbulb memory of the campaign: Chroma Conclave attack. Liam: “The goldfish dive will be remembered for millennia.” Matt: “Young druids will be taught from a very young age...”

Matt gave the party the ring to give them a level of comfort in a near-impossible situation, but the risk of fucking it up is what makes it fun.

Liam: “Matthew Mercer is one of the sweetest men I’ve met in my life, but I know within the boundaries of this game that you have this really devilish streak, like an inclination to fuck with us... fucking rakshasa.”

Vax has made peace with everything, but he thinks about the Tomb all the time, especially since the Raven Queen is the goddess of fate. Liam: “As Liam, I loved every dumbfuck thing that I chose to do in this game, ‘cause I’m sitting with my best friends making each other laugh every week, we love each other, we get a fucking kick out of each other every week, and the mistakes are some of the greatest memories of all time.”

Liam’s top priority even way back in the home game has always been that Vax will do whatever it takes to keep Vex alive; Vax still thinks that the Raven Queen will only keep her side of the deal if he does as well. It’s made things extremely complicated, but that’s the fundamental backbone of his character and he isn’t going to mess with that.

Matt has never had players embrace the sibling aspect of their characters to the extent that Laura and Liam have. Matt: “It’s been a gift from a storyteller’s standpoint to play in that space.”

Matt thinks Sam did a fantastic job on his one-shot, and encourages other new DMs to just commit and jump in and see how well it turns out. Liam: “It’s not a religion and it’s not appellate court, it’s just the world’s best game. Just fuckin’ have fun with it.”

Matt was expecting the undead titan reveal to happen in early or mid-July, but it just worked out to happen at Gen Con. Stressful as it was, Matt was excited that he could have such a big reveal at the live show.

Liam wasn’t worried about Simon because he knew it would take more than fire to destroy a magical item.

If the game had continued as a home game, Matt probably would’ve truncated elements of the narrative because they got to play so seldom. Both he and Liam agree that getting to play weekly was the best part of starting to stream the game.

Vax’s "this could be the last time” moments this week had less to do with his imminent death and more to do with Liam processing that in the next few weeks they’re going to be ending this game that they’ve been playing together for four years.

Brian is very sad about the end of the game as a fan of the show; he remembers Ashley coming home after the home game and giving him multi-hour summaries of everything that had happened. The game started around the same time as he and Ashley started their relationship, and he’s really delighted by how close they’ve all gotten since then. Brian: “I mean, we’re practically... I plan on sleeping with both of you on After Dark.” Liam: “I’m open to it.”

Talks Machina After Dark: Liam hosts for the first time!

Liam: “The only reason I agreed to do this Dungeons and Dragons show is so I could sit here, now, and I have you both right where I want you. Undress.”

If Matt could forget everything he knew and join VM as one of his NPCs for the final fight, from a personality standpoint, he’d want to play as Allura or Gilmore, but from a functionally helpful standpoint, probably Kima.

Matt once LARPed World of Darkness and had a very stressful experience where he was thrown into the midst of an extremely political game with no knowledge of what was going on.

Matt’s never had to ban particular items or spells, but there are aspects of the game that require discussion. In a primarily good/neutral campaign, he won’t ban evil characters per se, but he’ll require a discussion to figure out how not to ruin the experience for the rest of the characters. Liam points out that Jayne (an evil character) could easily have killed Clothesline in Sam’s oneshot, but he decided against it because it’d make Ashly’s game less fun and would mess with Sam’s having established that they all survived. It turned out to be more fun having to come up with a reason for that.

Worst possible person for Vax to face as part of Vecna’s undead army: his mother. Liam: “That would fuck his shit up.” Or Vex, if she were killed and then immediately brought back by Vecna.

On the theoretical possibility of a new campaign starting in a post-apocalyptic Tal’Dorei if Vecna wins, Brian: “It would be hard to Transport via Plants.” Matt thinks it’s an exciting prospect, and he has things in his mind if it goes that direction, but he thinks it would be really sad to culminate a five-year campaign with a loss, although planting seeds for the next story could make it retroactively pretty hopeful. 

Liam: “Story-wise, I know that everything’s gonna hurt and everything’s gonna be amazing, and I also trust you to flip my expectations somehow. We just love discovering the story together.”

[jcmorgenstern]

Hi friend! Do you have any shadowhunters s3 theory on what will Jonathan's and Lilith's relationship be like? The bit when Jonathan tell Izzy about his mother having a strange way of showing her love and that he forgave her was obviously about Lilith. It makes me wonder if her 'love' for Jonathan will turn out to be another child abuse rollercoaster (since Edom is her realm she apparently allowed demons to torture Jonathan and Jon had to scheme with Azazel to escape her). Watcha think?

Hey there friend!!! Okay I was super excited to get this ask because I have a lot of Lilith Feelings, so I hope this won’t devolve into an excited ramble (it will), but thank you so much for sending this ask!!! I love talking about Sebastian, maybe too much lmaooo. Anyway, without further ado:Okey so first off, I personally interpreted what Sebastian says about his “mother” to be about Jocelyn, but that definitely could be wrong. I just sort of assumed that when he said “she’s gone now” he was referring either to Jocelyn abandoning him/Val, or her death. Though he could also mean that Lilith is “gone” because he escaped hell, though I personally just didn’t think of it that way?? But either interpretation is valid honestly. Either way, I sort of found his statement that he’d forgiven her sort of disingenuous, since he does tend to lie through his teeth at the drop of a hat, and I’m pretty sure he hasn’t moved on from anything that’s happened to him, ever. I did find it a bit odd that Lilith is supposed to rule Edom with Asmodeus and she didn’t lift a finger to help him. Like, how many half-demon half-shadowhunter kids are there out there??

I did also find it a bit weird the demons chose to torture what could have been a pretty good ally (what better way to get out of hell than to make Jonathan like them and then summon them as soon as he’s out?), so either that’s a writing goof or they’ll come up with some sort of explanation. Especially since they apparently torture him (for his awful bowl cut?)…but also give him sweet shapeshifting lessons? “Now that you’re ugly as shit, you’ll have real motivation to learn how to shapeshift into someone prettier!!”

Jokes of dubious taste aside, I’ve given this a fair bit of thought and overall we can’t really know what justification she’ll give, but she certainly seems to owe him one hell of an explanation. I sort of guess it’ll be a political thing, like Lilith was somehow out of favor and couldn’t do anything, but it’s definitely possible they’ll take it in another direction so that she’s heartlessly manipulating him to her own ends.Personally speaking, I would like to see a dynamic where Lilith is overjoyed to finally have a child, and resents the Clave/Jace especially for what they did to her “baby,” and Sebastian is so happy to have a parent who loves him he’ll do literally anything for her. I’ve seen a theory (unfortunately probably not going to happen) that she might imitate Jocelyn at some point, and while that would be awesome, it seems Anna Hopkins is cast as her and Maxim Roy isn’t returning. I do find it strange they chose to present Lilith as the Big Bad for s3 (and perhaps beyond?) and give her the world-destroying motive she never quite had before. Maybe because they don’t feel show!Sebastian really has the villainous force to try to conquer the world yet? I do have a pet theory that the Seelie Queen and Lilith are teamed up and the Seelie Queen is going to make Simon help bring Sebastian back (and perhaps the “secret” Valentine told the Queen before dying has something to do with that).

Either way I really want Sebastian + Lilith to target the Clave, especially if they manage to add some moral grey to it. That is, make it less “murder everyone for funzies” and more “it’s time for the Clave to end, look at all the bad shit it did, even the Consul was in on it.” Especially if Lilith seeks the downworld’s help, and the Clave (read: long-suffering Alec) is forced to justify the Clave’s existence to the people it oppressed for…literally forever. Especially if Javier Munoz’s character is secretly on Lilith’s side?? She is the mother of all warlocks, after all. Play the warlocks against Magnus for siding with the Queen, all the while being in league with Lilith who’s in with the Seelie Queen….the Intrigue!!! I also think that would make the struggle of Clary trying to deal with the fact Jace is being controlled much harder and more interesting, because it’s harder to condemn a morally grey goal than a pure evil one, and the whole “you’re just like me, join me” from Sebastian will make more sense.

(on an unrelated side note, Sebastian reacting to Clary murdering Valentine will be interesting. He maintains in the books he would never kill his father, and I’m guessing that’s why show Sebastian chose to try to banish Valentine to Edom rather than kill him. I’m guessing he will have complicated feelings about it, which may feed into the whole “you’re more like me than you think” line).

If they don’t have the rights to COLS and COHF, I’m guessing they’ll modify the plot structure so that Lilith is the Big Bad and Sebastian is her morally-grey pawn (they seem to be enjoying making him more morally ambiguous than in the books, so I hope that doesn’t change any time soon). I’ll sort of be bummed if that happens, because COHF was hands-down my favorite book, but IP rights are IP rights :// There’s also theory that Sebastian will be more like book Sebastian when he returns, which I reaaaaaally hope isn’t true, book Sebastian has much less of the complexity that show Sebastian does. But after he’s back and mad as hell, he might be more aggressive, especially with Lilith leading the way.My guess is they’ll go for a mix of this, a “is she using him or does he have an ulterior motive?? or both??” sort of thing, though they promised that with Valentine in 2b and unless they drop some real tea on us that…didn’t happen lmao. Valentine pretty much played the abusive parent “I love you and didn’t mean to upset you by sending you to hell!! you’re so sensitive!!!” card and Sebastian came running, which is extremely depressing when I put it that way. So they’ve set the stage perfectly for him to be manipulated, but they could also make him into more of a “monster” by giving him what he’s always wanted, a mother who loves him and will tell him exactly what to do, just like Valentine did. Yike!

One last thing that I think may end up being extremely important: if they don’t have the rights to COHF, and even if they do, Clary and Jace’s vision from Ithuriel in 2a is probably gonna be REALLY important in how Sebastian is ultimately defeated. (For those of y’all who don’t recall what the hell I’m on about, Clary and Jace have a vision of a half-demon half-angel being destroying the Soul Sword and dying along with it). Sound like anyone we know? At first I was super stumped by this, because who cares about the Soul Sword it’s basically a MacGuffin, but if they can’t use the heavenly fire because Rights Issues, maybe they’ll convince him to hold the sword for some reason and zap him. It obviously doesn’t work if he just holds it, because he threatens Valentine with it in 2x16 and carries it off in 2x10, so maybe it needs electrical activation like it does with Jace’s angel blood? it’s a mystery. (They could also have it be used as a sort of redemption arc thing where he dies to save the world or something if Lilith tries to change the Sword’s allegiance to kill all Nephilim instead of all demon-blooded creatures, but based on Will’s commentary it seems they’re painting him as a slightly more villainous/tragic figure than that, so I’d be surprised).

tl;dr: My personal hopes are that they go for an angle of Lilith fulfilling Sebastian’s deep-seated need to be loved while also completing his descent into villainhood, but they have also definitely set him up to be kept as a manipulated pawn as well. I personally think it might stagnate him a bit in terms of character evolution to have him stay the abused child throughout the series, but it could definitely work, and we’ll just have to see how it plays out!!

[ultramarcypan]

A Soft and Messy Thing

Characters/Pairings: Shingo Sawatari, Yuya Sakaki, Dartshipping

Summary: Kings rise and fall; what determines the success and length of their reign are the faithful knights who serve them--and Shingo is nothing if not faithful.

Notes:So, Kingdom AU has taken on a life of it's own and this fic can best be summarized as "I needed a way to drive the plot forward and made Yuya cry to do so"This is why I can't have nice things.

Heads up for a brief mention of homophobia.

The quiet of the castle is almost suffocating.

Shingo had been brought up in a country filled to the brim with whispers that were very much treasonous and not at all kind towards the royal family because, as honorable and as noble as the Sakaki royal family is, human nature requires a handful of people to be dissatisfied no matter the situation. “The coffers have almost run dry--the family has no power left,” the whispers said.  “The King makes deals with demons in the dark and the Prince is a bastard child.”  Shingo listened to these whispers, these malicious rumors, with a quiet, wide-eyed wonder.  It was amazing what adults would say with a child in the room, especially one who kept his mouth shut and clung to his father’s leg. “Is what they say true?” He had whispered once to his father.  In return, he’d been given a sharp glare and a hard squeeze on his shoulder. “Hush,” his father had whispered back harshly.  “True or not, what does it matter?”

At the time, he hadn’t understood what his father had meant.  Now, though, he thinks he may just have the smallest inkling.

It is human nature to whisper and to jeer and to mock; no matter how good life is or kind the ruling body is, there will always be those who find issue with the situation.  The court will whisper as long as it exists, but as long as it continues to whisper, the world will carry on and the status quo will be maintained.

It’s when the whispers stop that one should be concerned.

So yes, this unnerving and endless silence that has plagued the castle for well over a week now has set Shingo’s every nerve on edge.  It speaks volumes for what the nobles of the court dare not say out loud. The King has run off with a mistress, are the unspoken words that echo in the silence.   He has abandoned the Crown and Kingdom for a whore from a far off land.  And still the nobles of the court greet the Queen Regent and her son with broad smiles that have no meaning and grand gestures that are merely that--gestures.

The Queen Regent and her son take the rumors in stride, meeting the accusations and distrust with their heads held high.  It’s the first time that Shingo hasn’t seen Yuya smile and it makes his heart ache for the young lord.  In its place are hollow eyes and a look of grim determination that are the only hint of how tired the Prince truly is.  

Shingo can’t begin to fathom what Yuya is going through right now.  Shingo never spent much time with the King, but even a blind man could see how close the Prince was to his father.

Now, not only is his father missing, vanished like a thief in the night, Yuya has to contend with vicious rumors slandering his father’s good name.  

Yuya meets every false word of comfort, every cleverly disguised jab at his father’s integrity with a polite nod and impassive gaze, and Shingo wants to scream every time he sees it happen.  But words and politics are a far more powerful weapon than any that Shingo has been trained to use, and no one ever thinks to teach one how to protect themselves against such barbaric methods.

It all comes to a head late one night, a few hours after the Queen Regent has announced to the kingdom that Yuya will be acting as King from here on out.  Only then had the whisperers resumed, but Shingo hadn’t cared to listen to them at the moment.  He’d been far too preoccupied with watching Yuya’s face, with how his mouth had set into a thin, grim line, how his shoulders had stiffened almost imperceptibly, how his hands had tightened into fists that left his knuckles white.

Shingo wants to offer his lord words of comfort, anything that could make the situation right, but he has none to give and now isn’t the time anyway.  A knight’s role is the silent protector by his master’s side, not the one to comfort him in times of hardship.  It’s a mantra Shingo has to echo to himself daily to keep his composure.  He would give his life and so much more for Yuya, if their positions would allow it.

Still, he finds himself outside the Prince’s--the new King’s--chambers late that night, hovering outside his door.    There are a thousand reasons that he shouldn't be there, but the thought of Yuya suffering alone is enough to force him to raise his fist and rap lightly on the wooden door.  For a long moment, nothing happens and Shingo is just preparing himself to knock again when there’s the sound of scuffling behind the door.

He lowers his arm just as the door swings open, leaving Yuya standing in the empty frame.

“Figured it was you,” his lord says, his voice low and scratchy.  He titles his head and by the light of the moon Shingo can just make out the tears still clinging to his lashes and how he’s shaking from head to toe.

He acts before he can stop himself, before rational thought and years of manners can kick in and prevent him from doing what he truly wants to, which is to crush Yuya against him in a fierce hug.  The other lets himself be embraced without a sound; in fact, he tucks his head neatly under Shingo’s chin, burying his face into the crook of the other’s neck.

“Oh, Yuya,” he breathes out, nuzzling against the top of his lord’s head.  Yuya’s hands clutch at his tunic, balling the fabric up in tight fists.  He wants to reassure the Prince that everything will be fine, but he has no proof of that, and both of them are sick of empty words.  He settles for stepping into the other’s room fully, taking care to shut the door behind him and running his hand through Yuya’s hair.

“You’re such a soft and messy thing,” Shingo says quietly, brushing unruly strands of red hair back.  Yuya shifts in his arms, letting out a small whimper.  “Not at all like a King is supposed to be.”

“Believe me,” Yuya says, voice muffled against Shingo’s chest.  “I’m well aware.”  He lets out a breath that’s more a shuddering sigh than anything else.

“No one quite knows what to do with you.”  And it’s true: the whole court has no idea what to make of their new King, though Shingo knows it won’t be long before the political games start.  He grimaces in the dark, over Yuya’s head; his master will need a guardian now more than ever.

“Liar.”  Yuya’s voice is still shaky.  When he lifts his head there are tear tracks clear on his cheeks, but his eyes have a fire in them.  He pulls away just enough so that he can look Shingo in the eyes.  “One person knows me very well.”

They’re playing a dangerous game now, one made even more perilous given the recent circumstances.  Yuya’s soft gaze is doing nothing to help his already troubled resolve to remain neutral, and Shingo is only a man.  “I...milord--”  Shingo cuts himself off, unsure of where he was planning to go with that sentence.

“Don’t!”  Yuya’s voice is uncharacteristically sharp and harsh.  Shingo blinks in surprise.  “I don’t want to hear any more words tonight, they’re not good for anything!”  The p--King, Yuya is the King, he must not forget this--is still trembling but there’s a set to his body now, one that suggests he’s through with being sad and hopeless.

“Then what do you want?”

He’s not surprised in the least when Yuya leans forward and lets their lips brush against each other.  It’s a chaste thing and lasts only a few precious seconds but it’s enough; they’ve passed a point of no return now.

“This is a fool's errand,” Shingo whispers to him, but he still doesn’t pull back.  From how close they are, every word he speaks makes his lips brush against Yuya’s.

“I don’t care.”  Yuya’s hands release his shirt and move up to wrap around his neck.  “The court has already made their judgments of me, so what does it matter?”

“They’ll kill us if we’re found out.”  It’s not a whole truth, not really.  There is no ready heir to take Yuya’s place, but Shingo is just one of many knights.  It’s scandalous enough for the King to take to bed with another man, but even moreso if that man is supposed to be his loyal retainer.  There will be a price on Shingo’s head should all this come to light and though he doesn’t really want to protest, someone has to be rational right now and it’s unfair to place another burden on Yuya’s shoulders.

His King’s eyes burn with a hard fire, one born of determination and sudden realization of the harshness of the world.  “They can try.” He says grimly.  “But I don’t intend to roll over and die for them--do you?”

“No.”  It’s one word, but it makes for a powerful statement.  “No,” Shingo repeats, pulling Yuya closer to him.  His hands curl around Yuya’s slender waist, and he relishes in the way the other tilts his head to place a soft kiss to the underside of his jaw, how Yuya’s hair tickles his cheek and the softness of his skin.

“Stay with me,” Yuya whispers, sniffling slightly.  The statement is ambiguous; Shingo doesn’t know if he means just for the night or something much more than that.  He supposes it doesn’t matter.  His answer would be the same regardless.

“Always.”