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meldelen · 2 months ago

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What does Sauron feel for Galadriel?

I'm aware I might be not saying anything new or original, I've read and queued other good metas that basically stand for my point as well; nevertheless, I feel like sharing my two cents concerning this. Sadly - or not - it will be another long ass read.

To be honest, whatever is going between Galadriel and Sauron is one of the main show's assets. Love it or hate it, the show would not be the same without this spice. And the way it is presented leaves no one indifferent. I could talk about this from Galadriel's POV, but I think I'll be going for Sauron's first, if anything because I find it more fascinating, as we're talking of a character that isn't even human, and the main villain, of course. And I'm doing it mostly concerning the show, even if I know Tolkien's books since I was 12. Unfortunately I can't analyze every single scene they share because it would last forever, but I'll try to focus on the ones that have more resonated with me.

Even if Galadriel is undoubtedly one of the most famous elves in Middle Earth, it doesn't look like Sauron knew her before meeting her in the sea. It is pure chance - apparently so - they meet and are taken together to Númenor. In these first moments he's mostly indifferent - and even hostile - to her, per their dialogue, except the moment he dives in and saves her from drowning amidst the storm. From that moment, a confidence grews between them as she's reassured in her position - which he never disclaims - of thinking he's a fallen king from a Southlander throne. Disguised as the human castaway Halbrand, the most fascinating about Sauron, I think, it's that he never lies to her, but doesn't make an effort to take her out of her incorrect assumptions. While not being honest to her, he seems to drift away from her as he pretends to "start anew" - through his long learnt abilities as smith -; while, at the same time, he gets drawn towards her by their kindred spirits.

Which is the start of it all. Sauron recognizes in her someone alike, fierce and relentless, prideful, ambitious and reckless. I think the discussion in the forge, after she drops him in the middle of a plot to return to Middle Earth and crown him, is highly underrated. He only wants to be left alone, she apologizes for having used him, and then confesses - thinking she talks to a friend and not a deceiver - that she can't stop, that because she was compared with the evil she was fighting they mutinied against her and was sent away. She also drops Finrod's line of needing to touch the darkness if one want to reach the light.

Halbrand's reaction to this is priceless. His expression, both shocked and emotional once he realizes she might be just the only one in Arda that might understand him - they mutinied against him as well, he ended a castaway. And then he expresses his condolences for her suffering and particularly, the death of her brother. Now, I believe he was genuinely sincere here, that he really felt for her grief. But being set on the path of becoming something different, it's precisely Galadriel who puts him out of it. Who sends him again to his former path. The horror of it all.

He never gets to tell her who he really is, and only admits it when he's discovered, because there was no way back once this is uncovered. Charlotte Brändström has confirmed that Galadriel loved Halbrand - rather, I think, the idea of Halbrand - in first season, but after the mask falls she won't love Sauron - for obvious reasons. He then offers her the most valuable position he can give her, but what does he offer?

To make her a queen. A queen, mind, not his queen. Now, I know shipping is nice and fun, but for all the tenderness he put into the offering - the warm voice, the chin caressing, the flattering and the temptation; "You bind me to the light and I bind you to power" - I can't avoid seeing that he never offered himself as part of the bargain. Love is selfless and you must give yourself for it to be real. As Charlie Vickers have well put, he does not see her as an equal. It is not a marriage/lover alliance of a king and a queen ruling together with love as a seal between them. Sauron appeals to her ambition, not to her heart. Even in that moment, before the blast of Orodruin, where they got the most intimate and close - "Fighting at your side, I felt... if I could hold on that feeling, bind it to my very being.." "I felt it too" - he is talking about fighting, and power, and ruling. And she understood it lately, when telling Adar he promised her an army, not himself. Maybe she meant something else in that moment, but he meant an alliance. And alliance in which they're not equals. A queen, but not his queen.

He has no queen. There's only one Lord of the Rings, and he does not share power.

I understand it's very tempting and frankly easier to read this in a romantic code, but I can't forget it's Sauron we're talking about. He's not human, he does not feel and act as human always, he's been awake since the creation of the world and he hardly can see an elf as an equal. The way he tried to manipulate her by taking the shape of Finrod, the long lost brother, and twisting his words to sway her will - it was beyond cruelty. It was Machiavellian, sadistic - and it was only the first of many offenses.

Even before wrapping her in his thrall he throws at her face all the sentences and reasons she had told him before, when she thought he was Halbrand the southlander and not the Dark Lord. Twisting her own words and shooting them at her like arrows - no, you said my past didn't matter, you told me to be free of it. Putting before her eyes the fact that he's back thanks to her and her alone. And that she's now isolated, for no one will accept her once it is known she's the reason he's back. Presenting himself as the only one who would take her, flattering her leading and ruling talents in his benefit, wrapping it with the cover of a redeeming light. Bastard.

Thankfully, Galadriel acknowledges his abuse and manipulation and actively rejects him. What does Sauron do then? He leaves her to die. Tied in his thrall, drowning, back to the point where she was sinking when he saved her, when she still did not mean much to him, but enough to care. Now it's over. You've chosen to refuse me, so die. Go back to the starting point.

And in that moment, he meant her to die, for she had hurt his pride. He's not a scorned lover but a narcissist that has been confronted in his arrogance, and so she has to pay. There is not love in any of these actions. In a fit of rage, he had let her to die. If Elrond wasn't around when he pulls her out of the pound, she would've drowned.

That fit of rage passes, and as it happens, he has time to reconsider his position. Does he know she has survived? What matters is that he moves to Mordor and directly sells her to Adar. Telling his former lieutenant that she has aligned with Sauron - !!! - and both must be stopped. He sells her location and sets an army of Uruk against her and Eregion. Dressing this betrayal as heroism as he endures torture for the sake of the soutlander prisoners, who get free thanks to this bargain.

Are these actions belonging to one who loves? It is atrocity after atrocity. Per his actions you can't tell he's in love, rather the opposite. You could say he's actively punishing her and plans to keep making her pay for her refusal. But of course, he's not driven solely by scorn and revenge, it's not even his main goal. Enter Celebrimbor and the Eregion plot.

When it would seem Galadriel is out of his mind, then this scene with Mirdania happens. Taking advantage of her vulnerability and terror of having seen him in his true form - even if Mirdania herself isn't aware that it was him who she saw in the Unseen World - Annatar flatters her and caresses her hair, comparing her beauty with Galadriel's. Yes, I know it's very satisfying to watch how he praises Lady Galadriel's beauty in front of another woman, in a moment of intimacy, but yet again, I don't see how this can be love.

It is obsession, and of course, manipulation. Playing a double game: one, to recruit Mirdania, to gain her confidence and devotion - he's well aware of what Mirdania is starting to feel for him! - by flattering her - your were so brave, your hair looks like Galadriel's in this light - because we should remember that Galadriel is famous for her beauty, but particularly for her hair is said to remind powerfully of the light of the Trees of Valinor, a light that was encased in the Silmarils. A light she refused to Feänor when he asked her strands of her hair.

Second, it is not only she won't leave his mind, at this point, he's starting to obsess with her, he covets her. He covets her and at the same time wants to punish her for her rejection. Again, I hardly see love in any of these actions. And it is horrifying how he later dismisses Mirdania's life after promising her reward, because she meant nothing to him. Galadriel, on the other hand... cut to the final temptation.

The most shocking in that last fight is that he starts by effortlessly blocking her attacks, for he does not want to hurt her - as he tells her himself. She goes berserk on him, driven by fury and rage, and all he does is blocking her, until he's forced to slash her to remind her who has the upper hand there - she's no match for him, even if she's a skillful sword fighter. In that moment, he's still in control of himself, and even he allows himself to playfully spit her back again the words of Finrod, twisted by his own interpretation: touch the darkness. Many fans have seen a lewd expression and breathing in that point - I think he's mostly panting for the fighting effort, but if there's any lust as you want to read it, then yes, it's lust for getting her, control her, for humiliating and proving her wrong again by drawing a false equivalency between him and her. In his mindset, of course. Innerly, though, he is searching for a servant, a slave if you want. Not a lover, not a partner.

Special mention to those shocking words, when she accuses him of having deceived and manipulated her all the time, and he answers it was "not all of it", for yes, I will concede him that he was genuine. He never lied. He had an honest feeling of starting anew. He saw in her a kindred spirit, and that is not gonna change. He might be admitting he cares/feels something for her, even in his own toxic, twisted way. Truly, the range Sauron has in acknowledging his feelings and not suppressing them, also in admitting them and use them as weapons, has me baffled. Maybe one of the most fascinating traits of him as character.

Galadriel won't stop attacking and rejecting him, so he loses his patience, particularly after being brutally kicked in the chest and thrown over the rocks. Then he pulls again his most cruel card by letting her see Halbrand again - the one she got to love, and he's well aware of it. But the thrall won't work anymore, so he switches to herself and Celebrimbor, to keep mocking her with cruelty, to draw again this false equivalency between them.

And when nothing of this works, and she keeps attacking him even after he offers again to join him, he has again one of those fits of rage and goes ballistic on her, until he resorts to the most brutal, sadistic resource: in what I think it's the foulest allegory of rape I've ever seen, he nails her to the rock by stabbing her with Morgoth's crown. Which is not just a mean to hurt her physically, rather, he actively forces the bond she has rejected to establish with him twice by then. Only blood can bind, and the iron crown already contains his blood after Adar stabbed him with it. His blood and Galadriel's blood merge and then the connection happens. His enraptured expression at this moment is both mesmerizing and revolting, for he's doing that against her will, while dragging her across the stone surface and twisting the spike inside her wound to increase her pain, so excruciating a tear runs down her cheek. While he repeats her he would've made her a queen, and put all Middle-Earth at her feet. Then he pulls out of her and watches as she drops to the ground. Truly brutal and sadistic. The punishment goes on and on.

After this he gains the ability to communicate to her telepathically and to watch her movements. Probably, also to know her thoughts more clearly than before. And he must have thought to command her will also, for she manages to trick him into believing she was going to give him Nenya, and after that she lets herself fall back on the verge of the cliff. Does he, with an alarmed expression, reach for the coveted ring, or for her instead? Does he do it for both? The fact is that he lets her fall.

And even immediately we see he's watching her, for the unwanted connection also allows him to spy on her. Again, he's making sure the ring is safe, or is she his concern? I'm gonna say he was rather checking on her. Nenya is made of mithril and adamant, so very unlikely to have taken damage for a fall.

Why this contradiction? His brutality and cruelty on her hardly fits someone who loves, and he has actively tried to kill her twice by now - always in a fit of rage, not all the time, as Vickers has explained. He didn't want to hurt her - when calm - and yet he forcefully bonded himself to her and enjoyed doing so, not minding her physical and mental agony in the process.

I can't see the slightest glimpse of love in all this abomination. He might have found someone so alike to the point of making him feel alive again and set him back on the path of world domination, but he's an older, immortal, cruel superior being who's been too long under suffering, darkness and despair himself. This is not an absolution, though. I still think he could've chosen differently, but as much as the next narcissist, when challenged or refused he takes a brutal, unrighteous retaliation and doesn't mind to make her suffer for it. Yet it is obvious he feels something for her, so she gets a special treatment if we compare Galadriel with the other lives he so quickly dismisses - much to her disgrace, though.

And I think it's this obsession of him, of having found someone so alike to him who could've been at his service - not at his side! - which makes he won't suffer that this someone refuses him and actively seeks to fight him. For that, he'll make her pay again, and again, and again, while claiming she's special to him, while tempting her with promises of power and light that aren't real. If anything, she'll eventually get the same treatment Celebrimbor got, as soon as she fails or rebels against him. As Morgoth did to him.

The fact the ship is so successful is tied to the fact that Sauron, for all his ancient origins and immortality, is still very human in his emotions and doesn't mind to open and show them. And the fact that once, Galadriel loved Halbrand, or rather the idea of Halbrand. He knows that, and it flatters him. It pushes his pride further, it lifts his ego even higher. He enjoys interacting with her in this twisted way and so playing with Galadriel might become his new entertainment, until bending her to his will, which is to make her serve... not to love her at all. That's why he won't kill her either, as long as he keeps that rage under control.

I thank the show for opening this world to us, for surely it's one of its best potentials, and unlike many haters claim, it is rooted in Tolkien's lore itself, which doesn't contradict. It its truly a complex dynamic and I'm sure many fans, specially shippers, might disagree with me, but this analysis doesn't intend to cancel anyone, rather the opposite. Shipping is fun and nice, but for me it's also important to acknowledge this dynamic is deeply rooted in abuse and keep in mind that Galadriel deserves all our credit for resisting his brutality and calling out his cruelty and manipulation, which a fair form can't mask after all, and they're doing right in not to bend to other narratives that might end quite differently, or burden a higher cost on the abused character, just for the sake of a temporary satisfaction.

#ok ENOUGH #the rings of power #galadriel #sauron #halbrand #annatar #mine #tw rap3

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darcytaylor · 6 months ago

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I don’t know why but I feel like Luke has lost himself a little in the chaos of being the leading man, and the worldwide tour. I can only speak for myself but I have ADHD like me, and a lot of chaos going on around me sends me on a disruptive path.

This is pure speculation as obviously I don’t know, and never will, but it just feels like Colin’s storyline ie, having a glow up, and travelling has also become very like Luke’s. He knew he was going to be the lead, so started making changes - eating better and investing in a stylist. Along the way he splits up with a long time partner, and I can only speak for myself here, but I not too long ago split with my partner of 6 years, and I’ve needed drastic change in my life. Again this echos what’s been happening imo.

I can only compare, but I do remember seeing people going mad for Corey and India during the press run for Queen Charlotte. I do remember the former saying in an interview that he had a girlfriend, perhaps at the end of the run where he could say things? It just seemed then that he was putting firm boundaries and the speculation was becoming too much for him and India, I do remember comments of them looking distant and purposely standing apart, and the hate he received for bringing her along to a Netflix event in Brazil.

Luke and Nicola had six months of this, and no one will ever know what truly went on, but from the outside looking in it seemed that they were really supporting each other and getting on. This is where the speculation reaches fever pitch - they were very touchy feeling with each other, and would often hold hand. Luke sometimes even seeking Nic out and grabbing her hand to calm his nerves (he says he suffers with anxiety) it’s sweet that they can calm each other down. Nicola does seem like the more confident of the two. All this is happening whilst in the background he has a girlfriend, great. I wish them well, but it’s all sneaky. She attends some events low key - the New York premiere. I do wonder if he wants to be open, keep it private or he’s advised to by Netflix. I don’t think the streamer can actually make them keep them quiet? Corey being open about his relationship says not?

Now I don’t agree with the timing of the hard launch, that’s my problem and not his. I do agree with fans saying that the timing is not good, he could have waited and it gone down so much better. I do feel like it’s slightly disrespectful to Nic, who carried that promo tour imo. People vibed more with him than her. I sincerely hope it was his choice to go public, and it was not forced. I know she was in Milan with him, but it does feel strange that her Mum was with them; your daughter hasn’t seen her boyfriend for a while, and you tag along with them? Feels a little strange to me. Maybe that’s just me, and add in the unconfirmed rumours that the Mum liked fatshaming comments about Nic.

I’m certainly not one to hate on another women for simply being in a relationship, and I really don’t like that side of the fandom that has come out. Regardless, I hope that Luke (and Nicola) keep their feet on the ground, and have people around them who keep them on a healthy and productive path in life.

Thank you for your detailed message!

I do think that it would be hard to navigate the onslaught of fame that Luke would be going through, and some people are able to handle it better than others (Nicola being amazing at it). You can tell that Luke struggles with the fame and knowing what to do and what to say.

I do think he made some mistakes in regards to his relationship and how the whole thing transpired (which really kicked off on New Years). But I will give him a bit of grace since he may not have realized the impact his season of Bridgerton was going to have on people.

It is very funny all of the parallels that can be seen in regards to Colin and Luke, I really wonder if he has admitted that to himself or has even realized?

This may be a hot take, and while I enjoyed Queen Charlotte, I didn't love it. I also didn't follow any of the promotion in regards to Corey and India.

I have said it here before, but I never thought that Luke and Nicola were anything other than friends. You can clearly see the bond that they share, and I can understand why people thing they are more. While I thought their handholding was adorable and you can see the comfort that it gives Luke (and even Nicola), it never occurred to me that they were dating because of that.

I have been working for many years, and I have insanely close relationships with coworkers. Coworkers understand a part of you that nobody ever will! And then to top that off with them having to do intimacy scenes, I can understand why they share a bond (that nobody will probably understand).

The paparazzi pictures on the premier night were terribly timed. It wasn't a good look and I can understand some of the outrage. Then adding fuel to the fire with Milan. I guess they thought that since they were spotted once and it was out in the public, lets just lean into it. Definitely the wrong move!

But like I always say, who knows what is actually happening. I don't know any of these people, so anything is possible.

#luke newton #bridgerton

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bridgerton-bard · 6 months ago

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Bridgerton Season 3 Rambles

Warning: Spoilers for Romancing Mister Bridgerton and Season 3 of Bridgerton on Netflix

Just a compilation of thoughts that I have had about Netflix's adaptation of Romancing Mister Bridgerton for Season 3.

The combination of writing and/or editing was definitely different, and not necessarily in a way that I enjoyed. I am not a cinematographer, so I can't necessarily say why, but this season definitely felt like a much faster pace than S1 & S2. This is especially true for part 1. Prior seasons felt like they were meant to be watched casually and understood easily on the first watch. This season was so dense that I ended up re-watching part 1 again just to make sure that I didn't miss anything. Part 2 did feel like a slightly more reasonable pace, but still faster and more chaotic than any other Bridgerton season. Given that Netflix controls exactly how many episodes and how long they are, I wish they had decided to do 10 episodes so that the story could be slowed down to a more enjoyable pace and less context for each storyline had to be cut for time.

I liked all of the side stories. There are no characters in this show that I don't want to watch. Knowing the backstory from Queen Charlotte, it was so great to see Violet with Marcus (her garden is most certainly in bloom 🌸) and to see Lady Danbury get some closure from the past. It was also great to see more of the continuation of Lady Danbury and Queen Charlotte's friendship. Watching the Featherington women reconcile with each other was probably my favorite of the side plots. I enjoyed the Mondrich storyline. (🎉 Welcome to the ton, officially, Mondrich family! 🎉) I was a little skeptical about how the Benedict/Lady Tilly storyline was going to prep him for S4 (🤞) at the end of part 1, but fully onboard after part 2! I just wish we had more time to see the romance between Colin and Pen build before and after their wedding.

Side note: Do we think that Netflix/Shondaland had always planned for Benedict to be bi/polyamorous, or do we think that choice was made after they were heavily accused of queerbaiting in their characterization of Benedict?

Colin's realization of love seemed rushed even in RMB, but it seemed out of place as it happened in the series. There needed to be more development. Maybe we were meant to see his feelings growing through Colin's conversations with Eloise about Penelope and Cressida, but due to his characterization as "good guy Colin", it mostly just seemed like an older brother who wanted his two friends to reconcile? There was something missing. If the show had gone in book order and Kanthony/Benophie had been around, Colin maybe could have realized his love based on witnessing how those couples interacted?

In my opinion, all of the time in part 1 spent on the Queen coming up with a new name for a diamond ("sparkler") and then agonizing about naming one could have been put to better use. I know that the show doesn't want to bore watchers by automatically having the female Bridgerton lead of the season being named the diamond on repeat, but it's functionally the same and 10ish minutes of screentime that could have been better served elsewhere. Especially with the Queen playing such a big role in the potential match between Francesca and Lord Samadani as well as the reveal of Whistledown, I could do without the agonizing over the special title the female lead will get.

I really missed Lady Danbury playing the role of encouraging Penelope to be herself the way she did in the books. I know Lord Debling might have taken on some of that role in the Netflix series, but there's a different dynamic when Penelope realizes her worth based on a suitor compared to the objective perspective of a smart woman in the ton. To me, Netflix Pen felt like she gained some confidence simply based on that Debling was interested and not that she actually realized she was desirable. Whereas in the books, Lady Danbury encourages Pen to be more confident and show more of her personality because it makes her more authentic and fun to be around.

Speaking of Lord Debling, we were promised during the press tour that Debling wasn't going to be used as a plot device to make Colin propose, and that Colin would express his feelings to Penelope without that sword hanging over his head. But what we got was Violet mentioning to Colin that Lord Debling was planning to propose to Penelope which prompted Colin to rudely interrupt them and cause Debling to rescind his proposal????? I really did enjoy that book!Colin loved Penelope for being Penelope and proposed to her even though he knew that nobody else would and it would lower his social standing to marry the unpopular spinster girl who read romance novels.

In general, past seasons have felt like even where Netflix/Shondaland changed plot points in the books, the changes were still correct in the characterization. While the above might be correct to Colin's characterization it's a significant downgrade from the story that was already written. Why did that need to be changed?

Speaking of characterizations, I really enjoyed the characterizations for Francesca and John. They're such different characters to the other leads on the show and I really appreciated that both seemed to be characterized as neurodivergent in some way. It's nice to see the show acknowledging that gay people, neurodivergent people, etc. still existed in regency times even if the public awareness/conception of them was different.

I wish we had seen more of Colin and Pen repairing their relationship after Colin learned that Pen was LW. I know they were trying to build the drama, but the whole time it felt like Colin was two seconds from applying for an annulment, which was not even mentioned in RMB. Again, it just felt like too much was implied and not shown here, or that the show's characterizations were off from the books.

I enjoyed the peek into Cressida Cowper's world that we got this season. She's no longer just an antagonist cardboard cutout that's moved around the ballroom to create conflict. It's nice to understand her motivations. I really appreciated her storyline this season and I'd love to see a spinoff about her life in Wales and her eventually making her way to the continent or back into the ton. The scene where her mother threw her under the bus as she was counseling her that it was every woman for herself in the ton was beautifully sad. I think it was only in that moment that Cressida realized the only way for a young woman to do well for herself in the ton is to befriend and rely on her peers. I appreciated the aspect of tragedy that Cressida only realized her bad moves when it was far too late to go back and correct them.

Another issue with the writing: some of the modern language was slightly jarring. I know Bridgerton flirts with the modern/regency dichotomy because there are multiple parts of the show that aren't period-accurate. That being said, you're really on the cusp when a character in a regency period drama says "Don't come for my cane". I'm not saying I want it to be 100% period accurate with bonnets, etc. However, I think maintaining the use of Regency slang and slightly modernized regency phrases/syntax is part of what helps make it feel "regency" even though the fashion, music, and social norms about race and sexuality are not accurate to the regency period. The same can be said for obviously acrylic nails. Not everything needs to be period accurate, but some things are definitely a step too far. Big disparities like this are distracting and remove people from the story.

I know people have a lot of feelings about Michaela Stirling, however, I want to let Netflix/Shondaland cook. We don't know yet whether Francesca is also going to be bi or whether she's going to be a late-to-life lesbian. We truly have no idea. I have liked how they've handled Francesca/John so far, so I'm just going to wait to see how this plays out.

I think that's all for now. I'd love to hear anything you'd like to add, as I could yap about Bridgerton for hours.

Varley . . . release the BUGS!

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imaginationfanstar · 2 years ago

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Inspired by a TV Show

Ok so this idea was originally inspired by @glendybluebird and her Encanto Empire AU. I just loved her character designs and the idea of a Royalty AU with the cast of Encanto when it hit me! What if it was a Regency AU instead? And what if it was based on Bridgerton?! 🤯

Ok so in this AU the Madrigals aren’t quite royalty but they are prominent members of the ton. Very close with the crown. Maybe a Dukedom, I’m not sure yet.

Anyway, the story is a mix between conflicts in the movie and the drama from the show. Isabela plays a part similar to Edwina and Daphne, Dolores plays Penelope, Mirabel and Camilo are Eloise and Benedict, Luisa is Kate, and Abuela is basically Lady Danbury with a hint of Violet Bridgerton. Mariano is the Prince, with a role similar to Colin and his Grandmother is Queen Charlotte. (See where I’m going with this?)

Alma and Queen Carlotta Guzman are old friends and determined to see their families united. So, when the three eldest granddaughters of the Madrigal household, finally come of age, Queen Carlotta has her pick of the perfect suitor for her son and declares Isabela, the Diamond of the Season. With the two of them being long term friends, everything appears to be going perfectly. But nothing is as it seems.

Ever since Dolores was young, she new that her best friend Prince Mariano Guzman was the man of her dreams. Unfortunately, he seems smitten with her cousin and their abuela’s are determined to see them together. Despite being a wise and lovely young woman with a talent for writing and music, Dolores is often overlooked in favor of her older cousin. Compared to Isabela’s popularity with the ton, her perfect poise, and beautiful flowers, Dolores fears that she will always be in her cousin’s shadow. However, being a wall flower does have its advantages and Dolores is keeping a powerful secret.

Isabela Madrigal has always done her best to be the perfect young lady and to please her Abuela. However, she longs for far more freedom than marriage to the crown could give her. She’d much rather explore and travel the world, go horseback riding and cultivate new and exotic plants than reside in the palace, throwing balls, making pretty flower arrangements and popping out babies left and right.

Although she is the younger sibling Luisa is very protective of her family and feels it is her duty to ensure their safety, security, and security within the community. She is strong, smart, intimidating and well read, often emulating their fierce and equally protective Abuela. She will do anything for her family often at her own expense and she can usually be found helping people either within the family or on their vast estate. She does not have many friends amongst the ton nor suitors so she focuses all her energy on vetting the people trying to get close to them. However, under the surface, she longs to finally let down her walls someday, to share her burdens and interests, and finally truly relax.

Meanwhile, Camilo and Mirabel, as the younger spectators of this spectacle, contemplate what they desire out of life, outside of romance, and try to solve the mystery of the ton’s unknown gossip writer. Much like Benedict and Eloise, Camilo and Mirabel are more interested in broader pursuits. Camilo would like to be a performer and work in a theater. While, Mirabel would like to start her own Modiste Shop. I’m also thinking of aging Antonio up about 5 years because I want to give him plot relevance but I’m not sure what that will be yet. 🤔

I’d for a story like this to come to life someday but this is all for now.

#MAYbe I’ll make this someday #encanto #encanto fic #encanto fanfic #bridgerton #prompt 14 #writing prompt #alma madrigal #isabela madrigal #dolores madrigal #luisa madrigal #mariano guzman #camilo madrigal #mirabel madrigal #antonio madrigal #tippenfunkaport #glendybluebird

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shewhotellsstories · 1 year ago

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It’s crazy ironic how you go on and on about how “Penelope stans call Eloise a white feminist/criticise her/etc to bring up their fav (Penelope)” when literally all u do is criticise Penelope as a half baked attempt at defending Eloise.

Let me be clear - I am not a Penelope fan. I do not like her, and I fully agree with your criticisms of her. That said, it’s ridiculous how pretty much ur only method of responding to Eloise crit is by bringing up things Penelope has done. Like, they are two different people. Penelope’s bad behaviour does not in fact have any bearing on how Eloise should be examined.

And all this while constantly complaining about the same damn thing u urself are doing ??? Insane levels of hypocrisy honestly

You know, I went a good chunk of the summer without getting any obnoxious anon messages. But all good things must come to an end, and of course, the peace would end over Regency Era Perez Hilton. So let's get into this anon.

If you've read my blog you'll see that my issues with Penelope Featherington pre-date her falling out with Eloise. I've said I think she punches down quite a lot. I've said I find it wildly unethical that her stans call what she does "reporting" because reporters have ethics, editors, a responsibility to fact-check, and ways of being held accountable if/when we get something wrong. When you're hiding behind a pseudonym and printing whispers and rumors as fact, with no way of verifying if it's truth that's just not happening. Additionally, at the end of season one after the reveal I posted that I didn't think Penelope's hurt feelings over an unrequited crush were as serious as the threat facing Marina as an unmarried pregnant girl (google fallen women, they tend not to live long). I don't think that Colin deserved to be tricked, but given the alternatives of a lifetime of poverty or being married off to a creep twice your age who approaches an engagement the same way a person purchases a horse, I understand why the desperate 17-year-old pursued the boy her own age who she knew would at least treat her well. Not only that, but I said I found it gross that she was smiling in Marina's face while having exposed her secret in the cruelest way possible.

Here's another Eloise-free critique of Penelope, she's the worst kind of mean girl, the kind with a victim complex who wants to do nasty things while still being seen as an angel who can do no wrong. Do you want another criticism of Penelope that has nothing to do with Eloise? I think it's icky that she mocked Kate for being a spinster and called one of the few Indian women on this show a beast. I heard that was in the books too, but fun fact, Black and brown people being compared to or flat-out called animals has a racist history and present. Despite the "Penelope woman of the working class people" song and dance, I pointed out that she's trying to stay in Madame Delacroix’s good graces because she can blow the whistle on her.

I've said, it annoys me that people behave as if Penelope's crush being unrequited is a terrible hardship that justifies all her misdeeds, when Colin has never been cruel to her about romantic feelings he doesn't know are there. Contrary to Penelope stans version of history he hasn't tried to lead her on or hurt her, he treats her like a friend and nothing more. In Queen Charlotte, I said it was a dick move to needle the Queen about her lack of heirs during her granddaughter's funeral.

Now, you're saying that I only use Eloise to criticize Penelope, but not only is that untrue it's devoid of context. I only started comparing Eloise and Penelope because after their falling out Penelope's stans started saying that Eloise was a privileged white feminist as a reason that Penelope's actions weren't wrong and why she had no right to feel betrayed. Eloise's feminism is flawed, there's a lot she hasn't considered because she's been sheltered. ICYMI, I pointed out that she failed to understand that due to their class differences, Theo was in more danger than she was because he didn't have a rich family nor the protection that comes with her surname. I even agreed with Theo getting frustrated with her because due to class he is vulnerable in a way she is not. Furthermore, when Penelope stans say Eloise is an entitled white feminist it's not really about what Eloise has done, it's said in service of absolving Penelope of any wrongdoing. I've pointed out that it's said as if in comparison Penelope is Audre Lorde and hasn't been almost as privileged as Eloise up until her father died.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Who acts like more of an entitled white feminist. The girl who is ignorant or the girl slut shaming other women and notably hurting women of color for her own selfish gain? Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony would be proud. Sure, it's despicable that they used racism to gain support for women's suffrage and threw Fredrick Douglas under the bus, still wanting voting rights is less selfish than wanting the high and financial gain that comes with running an anonymous burn book.

Call me a hypocrite if you want but I've got the receipts to show I started criticizing Penelope way before she fell out with Eloise. And frankly, it's hypocritical of you not to realize that my Eloise and Penelope comparisons are a response to the "Eloise crit" that are just thinly layered Penelope apologism and revisionist history.

Have the day you deserve anon.

#asked and answered #anonymous #anti penelope featherington #bridgerton #eloise bridgerton #white feminism

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myfairstarlight · 7 months ago

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You have truly spoiled me today, gentle author, thank you so much for taking precious time to respond to my ask <3 You have put into words so many thoughts I've been having, jumbling around in my head, and much better than i ever could! I am grateful for you!

I agree with you on all counts, especially Colin's jealousy!! It's rather sad that it had to be relegated to the backburner in order to fit everything else, when them being writers was one of the ways they truly bonded in the book. And that Penelope was old hat and had something to teach him--as an accomplished writer herself-- which paralleled the fact that he could teach her about sexual intimacy, that was nice too.

If I may ramble some in your inbox a little longer, although I admittedly lean more towards enjoying the show than the books (not to say the books aren't also enjoyable, of course, its just a matter of preference), another thing that the books have over the show as a whole, in my humble opinion, is because they are so exclusively focused on their primary couple, we get so much more time and attention on them as both individual characters and a couple--apart, together, in a room full of people, just the two of them, etc.

The shows side plots can be a bit of a double-edged sword in that way. On one hand, it's nice to meet characters and see interactions we didnt have in the books--we got to know Penelope so much earlier as a result, for example, which I liked a lot. But, I feel some show subplots dont always make the most sense or are resolved in such a way that it's kind of like "what was the point?" As a result, we also lose time with our primary love match of the season, literally LOL

Both mediums certainly have their pros and cons, but I guess what I'm getting at overall is I'm so glad we get to have both ha!

Good night and sweet dreams, gentle author, thank you again for your kindness <3

Dearest anon, the pleasure has been mine!

What a lovely message to wake up to, thank you (let's ignore that I'm answering in the afternoon as I type this).

That is the main reason I always try to not compare books and show too much, or you just sign up for disappointment if you only care about the main couple.

I personally like that the show decided to make it an ensemble show, like you said it allowed us to be introduced to Penelope much earlier, and even other characters have already been introduced like Sir Philip who casual viewers won't think much of, but those who read the books get excited as they point to the screen. It allows us to see all the Bridgertons be a family as well, and see them grow and expand, as well as see new relationships the book would never explore (Penelope and Madame Delacroix come to mind, they were a delight this season! Gen is the only woman who understands what it means to have a business and not wanting to let it go, she is the only one who understands Penelope in that regard). Now the downside is that, with only 8 episodes per season, and such a large rooster of characters, there's only so much they can fit without things feeling overwhelming or rushed, and that's an issue all 3 seasons have in my opinion. I do feel like it could be easily fixed by having more episodes per season because it is clear they have a lot to tell, but oh well.

Bridgerton as a show is definitely more of a drama than a truly romance show in my eyes, especially with the way they used Lady Whistledown compared to the books where she did not have as much of a power, and with the addition of Queen Charlotte as a character. S3 challenged that a bit by introducing rom-com elements especially in part 1, but part 2 did show that it thrives with drama and tension as well. But the books are definitely a good addition for those who wish for more content focusing solely on the couples and their struggles. The show is adjacent-enough, but it took a lot of liberties. I suppose it depends on the individual to decide if that is a good or bad thing, personally, I like that it's so different (especially in how it portrays the men, actually, though I would still like to duel Show!Simon), you still get to be surprised, whether you start with the show or the book. I know people have been complaining about the lack of more polin scenes this season, but I fear that is just the standard Bridgerton formula, saphne and kanthony were not spared this issue either, and I fear the other couples will find the same fate. We can still complain though, we definitely did not need so many cuts back to Benedict having a threesome in e8.

Finally dear anon, if you ever wish to continue discussing even more on our mutual love for Colin and Penelope, know that my messages are open <3

#bridgerton #star.txt

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palior · 1 year ago

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Awards 2023 : TV Shows

Third and last category: TV Shows that I’ve watched at least one complete season of this year.

Apocalypse Won Award - The Last of Us - Season 1 Episode 3 "Long, Long Time"

Still crying over those strawberries.

These Gays Award - The White Lotus - Seasons 1 & 2

And the world finally knew the greatness of Jennifer Coolidge *dolphin sounds*

Royalty But With Heart Award - Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story - Mini-Serie

The Queen and King of Hearts in a surprisingly touching tale. Personally, there's not enough free space under my bed to hide from the heavens.

Best Performance Award - Foundation - Laura Birn - Season 2 Episode 10 "Creation Myths"

Give her all the awards ! Her portrayal of Lady Demerzel inner turmoil is the biggest reason to watch this show.

Best Queer Show Award - Our Flag Means Death - Season 2

Glory to Calypso !

Warm Blanket Award - Hearstopper - Season 2

Dark clouds are on the horizon but that won't prevent Charlie, Nick & co from being one of the best feel good show around right now.

This Is An Insult Award - Secret Invasion - Season 1

NOTHING in this show works. The spy stuff is not suspenseful, the action is laughable, Fury is bored from start to finish and nothing carries over in the MCU. Let's all forget that this thing ever happened.

Awkward Goodbye Award - The Witcher - Henry Cavill - Season 3

At least we still have Yennefer to stan for.

Could Have Ended Better Award - Ted Lasso - Season 3

Compared to how excellent the two previous seasons were, this final one is such a mixed bag. So many storylines lead to absolutely nothing while others were so weird, and I'm not a fan of how it ended (but damn was Jamie hot this season). So long Richmond, you've been (mostly) great !

Best Goodbye Award - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel - Season 5

Midge + Suzie = OTP <3

Best Audio Serie Award - Third Eye - Season 1

For her first foray in the audio serie format, Felicia Day rocks it out of the park with a heartfelt story of a Chosen One who failed to save the world of magic and had to live with the consequences. Impeccable sound mixing and vfx with a stellar cast. Give it a listen, you wont regret it.

Best WTF Award - Mrs. Davis - Season 1

The story of a nun who has a vendetta with an AI that controls the world. The script is on acid half the time and worth it. Also, hot Jesus.

Best Comedy Award - Abbott Elementary - Season 2/What We Do in the Shadows - Season 5

Again this year, the two funniest comedies with the most heart win the award. Special mention to Guillermo finally realizing that becoming a vampire is not really for him.

Best TV Show Award - Scavengers Reign - Season 1

A show that makes you feel like you are reading a Mobius album. Gorgeous to look at, within a vibrant world with the most hostile and fascinating fauna I've seen in a long time. Topped with touching and interesting characters. Can't wait for season 2.

#my awards 2023 #tv shows #The last of us #The white lotus #Queen Charlotte A Bridgerton Story #Foundation #Our flag means death #Heartstopper #Secret Invasion #The Witcher #Ted Lasso #The Marvelous Mrs Maisel #Third Eye #Mrs Davis #Abbot Elementary #What we do in the shadows #Scavengers Reign

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orangepeelshortbreadcookies · 1 year ago

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Hi! Your anti Penelope fanfic was amazing! I loved it so much! It was so satisfying to read because she annoyed me from the first season onwards, I thought Lady Wistledown would be a kind anti hero or something but when it was revealed its Penelope I started disliking her. She purposefully wrote bad things about people including her Best Friend's family and her own and then she went on and ruin Marina's life who saw Penelope as a sister. I wish there were more anti Pen fanfics out there. What do you think would have happened if the ton founded out before the Bridgertons. Have a lovely day!

Hello anon! Thank you for liking the story. I sympathise with your frustrations with Penelope. Our goal was to have Pen realising the consequences of her actions when writing this fic, but still keep the door open for a redemption if possible. We're leaving it up to be Pen's choice, hence the two endings.

If the ton was to find out before the Bridgertons did, realistically, I would imagine Penelope getting served at least one defamation lawsuit, because Pen has written a lot of nasty things about people, and some of them would not be as kind as the Bridgertons in our fic (even if some readers of ours don't believe so). In the context of the show however, I expect "everyone applauses" at the Whistledown reveal like how the book goes, as cringe as it sounds. Queen Charlotte might say something affirming about LW to Pen to make her look better. Because it seems to be the tendency of the bee show, as well as some fans, for their white women production faves, that they are unimpreachable girlbosses who can do no wrong, and should not be judged even when they do horrible things. See also Daphne and her s*xual assault on her husband (which I have also written a fic about, albeit a modern!AU). Meanwhile their WoC characters get sidelined (at times in their own season ie. Kate and Mary), and get condemned for comparatively way less damaging transgressions.

#anon asks #my writing #anti penelope featherington #bridgerton

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gadgetblogger · 7 months ago

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My (Non-Spoiler) Thoughts on #PolinSeason

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Bridgerton Season 3 finally graced our screens. Naturally, I binged all four episodes twice within 18 hours of the launch. Okay, I might have sneaked in episode 5 during the special fan viewing on Tudum the night before, but who’s counting?

Overall Thoughts and Book Comparison

Compared to the first two books, this season stays fairly true to the original story. The TV adaptations of key moments from the book were spot on and felt refreshingly progressive for today’s world. Here’s what stood out to me:

Modern Love and Career Balance: It beautifully showcases that women can have it all—love and a thriving career.

Equal Partnership: It emphasizes that a man’s place is to support his wife just as she supports him.

Self-Reliance: Women don’t always need saving; sometimes, they just need unconditional support.

Friendship Goals: Female friendships can flourish without competition, and they’re crucial at any age.

Nature vs. Nurture: People aren’t born mean; it’s often a result of upbringing. While forgiving isn’t easy, time reveals all, and karma eventually catches up.

The Power of Female Friendship: True female friendships are grounding and powerful.

No More Mean Girls: The mean girl trope is stale and needs to end.

Perfect Soundtrack: The music perfectly complemented the scenes.

The Romance Factor

The steamy scenes weren’t as intense as the PR hype suggested, but they were relatable and heartwarming. It’s lovely to see a romance that grows from friendship, showing genuine comfort and love. Of course, I would’ve loved more Polin love scenes—just like we craved more in the Kanthony season.

Colin and Penelope’s Journey

I enjoyed Colin’s struggle to find his way and be the husband he’s meant to be. He’s figuring it out, and it’s endearing to watch. Penelope’s unwavering commitment to her career dreams, without sacrificing them for a man, was a refreshing nod to characters like those in "The Devil Wears Prada."

What I Could Do Without

Lady Tilly. She had too much airtime and a rather pointless storyline. This is where "Queen Charlotte" excels, with its on-point side stories.

Character Development

Watching Penelope and Colin’s growth through the seasons was delightful. Their development and eventual shine were heartwarming. While I wish they had more screen time, we did get the wedding of the century on TV, and that’s enough to keep me content in the Bridgerton universe.

Final Thoughts

If I have to wait another 2-3 years for the next season, I’m not sure if my interest will hold, but only time will tell. For now, I’m satisfied with this beautiful closure.

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petalsmooth · 8 months ago

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Really over people conflating one event with another.

Just in general here is the deal.

People ship real people. You, as random on internet, have NO control over that and should stop acting like you do or policing others who do. I don't believe in say tarot readings but you know what? That has NO affect on the actors and is not responsible for stories about whether they are together in real life. Those stories crop up because the general audience is seeing their chemistry when they hold hands on a red carpet or she hugs him while he's in a chair. Not because polin shipper read cards and maybe you should back the hell off of bullying the person to tears over it.

I DO get the fandom has WAY overstepped in past by trolling real people and their significant others because they want actors together and by all means you can call out people for THAT. For stalking those significant other's pages, leaving comments, sending DM's, getting mad at the actors for not being real life dolls. But huge difference from that to individuals on their own pages bothering no one really wishing two people would be together

I'm not doing the real life shipping thing here but I don't have an issue with it if kept in appropriate quarters.

As for omg! this will cause Luke and Nic to pull back...stop it. That already happened when lunatics went over his last GF. You are acting like this is a whole new situation they have never dealt with. They already know there are a group of people without boundaries and at this point have decided not to let these people affect what they do. Stop comparing them to two actors on Queen Charlotte who knew each other for one season and may or may not ever work together again. As if they are the blue print. The blue print are the two who dealt with this first, survived it and doing fine.

But I really have had it with scapegoating one person in the fandom (who I have never even talked to) over cards for why the media/general shippers asking if they are together when it's actually because Nic/Luke are just really close in those interviews and people pick up on THAT and wonder. That is a Luke/Nic thing, not fan thing. And unless you are planning to lecture them, and you had better not, get over it.

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alrightsnaps · 3 years ago

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I'm already dreading seeing Penelope and Philip in season 2. Like in the books I did like Penelope (like she wasn't one of my faves but I could get along with her. I never liked Philip and Eloise deserves far better), but in the show she is far removed her book counterpart.

With the expansion of the lady whistledown as a more active plot point (which Queen Charlotte is wasted on, like she's such a fascinating character and rather than delve into that they're simply ignoring it in favor of lady whistledown), and the introduction of Marina last season, by having Penelope become this spiteful, vicious character with little redeeming qualities if any, who destroyed Marina's life out of pure jealousy (had it not been Colin, had it been any other character, had it been any other Bridgerton brother, she wouldn't have done it).

She destroyed Marina's right to make choices for herself and her future. Penelope helped trap her in a marriage that we know from the books will end up killing her. Seeing people on here saying that they can't wait for Philip and Eloise (while I'm rooting for you cute guy who's name and actor I don't know from the season 2 trailer lmao) and seeing the absolute venom they spread about Marina...

Trying to justify what'll happen to her as "a plot necessity", like no, depression and attempting to take your own life and dying a horrible death shouldn't be treated as a plot necessity and if the show isn't going to handle the topic respectfully and at the very least allow Marina to be a character in her own right not just Philips wife or the mother of his children, they shouldn't do it at all. I'm hoping this season they feel out giving Eloise a better love interest and then choose to do it so she'll get a partner actually worthy of her and so Marina no longer has to a horrible life in order for two white leads to get a happy life (four if you count Colin and Penelope).

I also see people hoping for Colin's I don't want to marry Penelope line this season and I'm like??? You want her to hear him be a douche about her??? Like given past behavior she's going to take it out on probably Kate or Edwina or maybe Marina again through lady whistledown but I have no doubt her supporters will find a way to justify her venom 🙄

Like had Penelope actually felt remorse rather than having that stupid smirk at the end of the season and had they portrayed her as at least going to far and addressed that she had a long way to go to redemption, I could tolerate her but they're portraying her as the hard done by, forgotten girl who has never harmed anyone or done anything wrong ever. They wanted to write her as a more complex version of her book counterpart but stripped away anything good from her book counterpart and accidentally wrote a villain they don't intend to hold accountable for her own actions.

Saaaaaame anon!!! 👏👏👏

I didn't have an issue with Penelope in the books, I found her bland and uninteresting as a character but hardly unlikeable (as you said she can't be remotely compared to Philip who I simply found repugnant). If anything it was Colin I found annoying in RMB. But they've completely changed her character in the show to make her into this spiteful, venomous person that I simply cannot find a reason to sympathize with..

What she did to Marina is inexcusable and it was purely motivated by jealousy. After all, would Penelope have exposed Marina if she were to marry that old creep?? No, she only decided to do so when she responded to Colin's flirtation (who became infatuated the moment he met her and could very easily grow to love her as she could grow to love him in a marriage) and was about to marry him. And all this bullshit about how she wanted to “protect” Colin? Why then didn't she go straight to him and tell him the truth rather than humiliating and ruining Marina for all of polite society? Except then she'd actually have to face her fallout with Marina and be held responsible for her actions and she's obviously more used to spitting venom under her alias as Whistledown rather than facing the music.

The fact that she tried to ruin Daphne's marital prospects (though narratively inconsequential since it's immediately resolved) also tells a lot about her character and jealousy being a motivation behind much of what she does as Whistledown. Daphne had never done anything to provoke Penelope (we hardly even see them interacting). She was the first daughter to come out of her best friend's family, a family that had been nothing but kind to Penelope. Daphne's crime? Being chosen as the diamond of the season by Queen Charlotte.

The fact that so many fans justify Penelope after the Marina incident and use her as some self-insert of the plain wallflower who gets her Prince Charming by ruining a pregnant girl's life (because she was manipulative and Colin didn't love her anyway! She only liked her for her looks! She deserves a girl who will truly love him and would do anything for him!) is frankly... sad. And it screams internalised misogyny.

I don't know how they're planning to make Penelope into a sympathetic lead at this point, since they obviously have no intention to give her a redemption arc anytime soon. The evil smirk at the end of s01, Nicola’s comments on how Penelope feels no remorse for what she's done and separates herself from Whistledown? And what if she keeps targeting people the audience cares about, like the Sharmas and Sophie? Why would the Bridgertons ever forgive her?

And no, I cannot possibly justify Marina's death as a plot necessity. Or the suffering she went through (and I really doubt they'll change her depression given how Marina was portrayed in the s01 finale, they were obviously building up to that) before she died. There is absolutely no excuse for including Marina's character in the first place since they obviously intended to use her as a stepping stone not only for Eloise and Philip to get together (which would be bad enough) but for Colin and Penelope as well. What were they even thinking?! TSPWL is bad enough with Marina as a character that doesn't even have a voice, and you actually bring this character in the show, flesh her out and give her a sympathetic backstory? For what? To make everything that happened to her even more tragic and unfair?

The best thing they could've done with Marina was have her mentioned as Philip's dead wife who died in childbirth or something in s05. Scrap the entire mental illness story too given how it's treated by her husband. And if they wanted to include the show!Marina storyline have her reunite with the father of her child in the end of s01 and give them their HEA as they get married and go back home to raise their kid.

The attitude of both polin and philoise stans towards Marina is just disgusting, they really just treat her as a woman that needs to get out of their way for their faves to get together.

Honestly the funniest thing for me will be watching them lose their minds when normies have a wtf reaction when they realise Philip is supposed to be Eloise's love interest. Many people are already angry that the show's given her a male love interest when so many wanted her to be a lesbian, but can you imagine non book readers reactions when this woman

goes from this cutie

to this dude???

It's going to be hilarious.

#bridgerton asks #marina thompson #eloise bridgerton

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cummingforkylo · 4 years ago

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The Prince Of Alderaan Chapter II

Chapter Summary: Lady Whistledown’s latest papers leaves you quite indignant and unsure of your next steps. Hyde Park is beautiful at this time of year but when you venture out with your Mama, you have anything but flowers in mind.

Chapter One | Read On AO3 | Send me a Ko-fi

Rating: Explicit...eventually

Word Count: 5,309

Warning: None as of now

Pairing: Kylo Ren x reader

Notes: Okay, Okay, I KNOW if you’ve seen Bridgerton you know that I pretty much took this one key element from the storyline but I promise i’m going to do it differently.This story is inspired by the netflix show/book series Bridgerton. It’s kind of a crossover because I do use some themes and characters from the show but it is mostly a Kylo x Reader fic. Remember: historical accuracy is not the goal!<3

Dearest Lords and Ladies of London,

After the first event of the season last night I’m sure we are all wondering what scandal or excitement awaits our hungry appetite! This writer has heard from her sources that while the ball seemed to be laden with the typical talk(Miss Philippa Featherington danced with no one, Lady Browning indulged far too much in champagne and had to be removed from the party by her son, Lord Linfield was rejected by countless ladies for a dance…despite his sizable fortune-perhaps it is the lingering oder of cabbages and onions that accompanies him wherever he goes) there was one bit of excitement that stood far above the other more typical anecdotes. The most scandalous young lady of this season so far, Miss Huntington, seems to have caught the eye of the most coveted (and reluctant) bachelor of the season, the Prince of Alderaan.

Prince Kylo Ren of Alderaan spent much of the evening avoiding the dance floor and was seen to scurry away from many very suitable young ladies including Miss Bridgerton-Queen Charlotte’s choice of the season. While he resisted strongly(and some might even have called his actions rude) most of the young ladies he encountered he seemed to be unable to keep himself away from Miss Huntington. Miss Huntington, still fresh off of her family’s embarrassing gambling scandal last year did not do herself any favors at the Danbury Ball. She danced with a number of men who would have been perfectly adequate for her, but she seemed to have had nothing but contempt for them. Showing no more interest in them then a horse shows a fly and this mare perhaps should not be brushing flies away too quickly, no matter how much their buzz annoys her.

But perhaps the Prince sees something in Miss Huntington that society as a whole does not, because after ignoring the Queen’s choice of the season all night, the Prince and Miss Huntington came together for, by all accounts, a most heated dance. I will be interested to see if Miss Huntington has a royal caller today and what that could mean for her prospects later on. Perhaps the Queen has chosen the wrong girl for the diamond of the season this year, perhaps we have all put our eggs in the wrong basket. But—perhaps not. Only time(and this writer) will reveal.

Yours most sincerely,

Lady Whistledown

“Contempt?” You gasped as you paced back and forth in front of the piano in your sitting room. Mama was sitting in front of a table holding the latest Lady Whistledown, a quickly cooling cup of tea completely forgotten sat on the table in front of her. “I didn’t show any of those men contempt! I was perfectly polite, Mama!” You complained. You were affronted to hear what that wretched Whistledown had written of you, written of you and the Prince.

“I understand that, but the members of the ton might not now that they’ve read this.” Mama sighed. Nerves clenched at your stomach, how could your status seemed to have gotten lower since the Danbury Ball? “Not all of what she wrote of you was terrible, dearest.” Mama said, trying to perk up. She set the paper down next to her tea on the table. “Don’t you agree, Ella?” she continued, looking to your lady’s maid who stood nearby.

“Oh, yes, not all of it was-“

“She compared me to a horse.” You said, turning around to face the two of them, frustration and irritation plain on your face. Ella’s face dropped and she nodded, looking away. “Sorry, Ella. I do not mean to take my own frustrations out on you.” You said.

“She did mention the Prince being taken with you-“

“Yes, what was the word she used to describe our dance?” You asked, “Oh yes, heated. That’s a scandalous word if ever I’ve heard one.” You said. You strode over to the table and picked up the copy of Lady Whistledown Society Papers that now sat on the table beside your Mama. You found yourself wanting to rip it into a million pieces, that of course would not be a proper display, even just in front of your mother and lady’s maid.

Your Mama reached out and took your hand, running her thumb along the backside of it in a comforting way that only a Mama knew how to do. You looked down at her and found yourself for what felt like the millionth time, wishing things were different. Wishing things had not exploded for your family last year. How much easier would life currently be if your father had not indebted himself to so many people, not made a mockery of your lives? You tried to brush away the thought but anger pulsed through you. A most unlady-like feeling, anger. It caused you to think of actions you wanted to take but never could, words you wanted to speak but never would allow yourself to. It made you long even more for a different world wherein you could do and say those things. And longing wasn’t ladylike either.

“Dearest, she also compared you to Daphne Bridgerton and said the Queen herself may have been wrong in her choice. That the whole ton might have been wrong in thinking the diamond of the season was Miss Bridgerton, and she means that it could be you.” As your Mama spoke a whole knew vista of opportunities, and chances seemed to open up before you. You could, no, you had to prove this true. That you were more eligible, more likable and just…more than anyone else. The Prince could call on you and he could court you, and ask for your hand and marry you. Then all this worry, all this anger and pain and scandal would be for naught. It would be forgotten about because you will have made the match of the season. Even if he was rude, cruel and you became irritated at the mere memory of his mocking voice, you would still become a Princess when you married him and that was exactly what your family needed. Yes, that was the goal and you were heartened by it.

“My guess is you will have quite a lot of callers today, suitors ready to vy for your hand.” Mama said and you smiled because you really did agree with her.

Your mood dissolved as the day went on, you spent the entire day in the sitting room awaiting on callers. You paced, and no one called. You sat on the sofa and tried to read, and no one called. You played piano and no flowers or gifts arrived. You talked to Ella about other things to try and distract yourself and no one called. You picked out fabric for your next dress from the swatches the Modiste had sent and no one called. Not one suitor. You had been so convinced that the Prince would call, or at least send flowers that in the afternoon when there was a knock at the sitting room door you were sure it was the Butler there to tell you that he was there but instead the door opened and your eldest brother walked in with his wife and your niece and nephew close behind. Matthew was jovial as he greeted you and your Mama,

“Did you read Lady Whistledown today? That woman has a knack for writing compelling stories does she not?” He asked as he grabbed a biscuit and sank down at the table. His wife, Rose sat down next to you at the piano as the children ran about already causing havoc. You rolled your eyes, had they not read the same thing this morning? Why would he think it compelling?

“She compared me to a horse, Matthew.” You found yourself saying once again, turning to look at your elder brother who attempted and failed to hide a smile.

“I told him not to bring up Lady Whistledown.” Rose sighed, reaching over to take your hand in the sweet and gentle way that she did.

“Ella, can you call down to the kitchens for more tea, please?” Mama said, looking to Ella who said,

“Of course, Ma’am.” She curtsied and left them. Matthew watched her go from the room, and leaned back against his chair.

“She may have made a few brash statements, my dear sister but she also reminded everyone that their choice of Daphne Bridgerton for the diamond of the season could be false and it could be you.” Matthew said, delicately selecting another biscuit from the tray in front of him.

“That is precisely what I pointed out out to your sister earlier.” Your mama said approvingly glancing from Matthew to you over her teacup.

“That was before absolutely no suitors came to call this morning,” You reminded your mother, irritation coloring your voice once again.

Your nephew sped past the table his father was at, grabbing a biscuit as he went.

“Simon, where on earth are your manners?” Rose asked. Simon stuck his tongue out at his mother and continued his game of chasing his sister around the couch with the biscuit in his mouth.

“You had no suitors this morning? None at all?” Matthew asked, and the shock in his voice made you want to shrivel up and die. It was unfair, unfair that Matthew was there to bare witness to your suffering, unfair that he should be here with his happy wife and children watching you fail at your only duty in life. Your mama shook her head to answer for you because you were looking anywhere but at your elder brother. Rose squeezed your hand and your chest flooded with sudden emotion. The tiniest gesture made you feel as though you were not alone. Had she once felt like this? Had she too wondered if anyone would want her? Had she wondered if she would amount to anything more than the hated title of ‘spinster’? No, Matthew had been there from the start, he had been interested and active in seeking her out.

Matthew was frowning as if in thought, “Does father know?” he asked, trying now to hide some of his shock by asking pointless questions. Of course Father didn’t know, Father wasn’t home, how would he know? Mama answered in a more polite fashion than you would have,

“Not yet,” She said.

“Hm. Well. There is still time.” He said shot you a quick smile, perhaps you weren’t entirely useless. Your mood did not improve, even when you retreated to your room to get dressed for walking in Hyde park. You knew you could not get discouraged. You knew you had to prove yourself as the best. Lady Whistledown might have helped along the No Suitors Situation but she herself had also said you could be the rightful Diamond of the Season and not Daphne Bridgerton. Everyone had already said this to you today and now you had to remind yourself. You had to convince yourself because it would take that confidence to pull it off. As Ella helped you dress you found your mind floating back to the night before, at the Danbury Ball and how flat every dance had felt, every look between you and a man had had no significance, every touch was dull and expected. It had all been nothing. All except one—the Prince. The rude, cruel, infuriating Prince Ren who had called you improper, even though he had been the one staring at you. Kylo Ren, who had…touched your skin. Your heart pounded at the mere memory of his fingers grazing against your back. It made you ashamed but not nearly as much as it should have, because it also was the only memory from the Danbury Ball that exhilarated you. He had sought you out, and you alone, it had to have meant something. And yet when he danced with you it seemed as though all he wanted from it was to humiliate you. You wished it wasn’t possible. You wished it hadn’t worked. And you very much wished you still weren’t thinking about it.

***

Your thoughts of Prince Kylo Ren didn’t abate when you left your house for the short carriage ride to Hyde Park. You were still thinking about him as you strolled along the walking paths with your Mama and your Lady’s maids. You were trying to work out what exactly he had meant by his behavior, why choose you to be the only young lady he danced with and then be nothing but rude to you? Perhaps he did not think himself rude? Perhaps he just spoke his mind very bluntly. You considered this as the best option for a while, barely noticing where your feet were carrying you as you walked alongside your Mama. But a memory resurfaced from that night, that made it very clear to you that this could not be the case. It was the memory of the smirk that seemed to hang even in his voice as he said, “You stared at me, my lady.” Your insides twisted at it. That and the way his eyes burned. He knew precisely what he was doing, he knew he was trying to humiliate you, trying to make you feel as if you had done something wrong. “How improper,” those words sent a spark through your body, something akin to anger and embarrassment. His voice had been dark and intense, your mind was absorbed in it…accompanied with the feeling of his gloved fingers against the bare skin of your back. It wasn’t the correct place for him to place his hand while leading a dance, it was slightly too high. Yet, he had done it. Accidentally? It must have been. He just had not been used to dancing with someone quite that much shorter than him, perhaps. Those fingers blazed through your memory, leaving little room for anything else in your brain. You could imagine his fingers there again as you looked out across the Serpentine River, which was little more than a shallow man-made pond that cut through this section of Hyde Park.

Your mind was so wrapped up in the feeling of those fingers, and the burn in his eyes that it took you far too long to notice you were staring directly at the real thing. It took your mother taking your arm and hissing in your ear,

“Staring at the Prince is not very lady-like.” She squeezed your arm and you blinked. She, of course, was right. Across the lake, the prince was standing arm in arm with the Queen Regent of Alderaan, his mother. Someone he had not been seen with years. As you took him in you realized he had not noticed you yet, you should look away, being caught staring at him yet again would surely end in more humiliation. He paused in his walk with his mother, his expression was irritated, lips tight, body stiff and upright as she spoke to him. His eyes flicked up and you were very suddenly caught in his gaze. Caught wasn’t quite the right word to describe it, trapped was probably more accurate. A shiver ran up your spine, it was that same blazing glance, a whisper of the memory of a hand on your skin. You watched as humor suddenly joined the irritation on his face, recoloring it. He turned to look at his mother, spoke and then pulled his arm away from her. He began to walk to the foot bridge nearby. She called something after him but he ignored her, she turned to her Lady’s maid who was standing nearby but your eyes were following his Grace as he walked over the bridge.

“The Prince is headed in this direction,” Mama hissed to you quite unnecessarily. You were about to hiss back that you knew but you started to feel not only his eyes on you, but many eyes on you. Everyone who had gone for a late afternoon stroll through Hyde Park seemed to be looking at you. All because Prince Kylo was stepping off the foot bridge and striding over towards you. You found yourself having the insane desire to run away. Perhaps it was because you couldn’t face him after he had caught you staring, or perhaps it was because of your disastrous dance at the Danbury Ball…or perhaps it was because of the persistent and scorching thoughts of his hand in yours, his fingers on your back. You wanted to hide from all of that and hide from his gaze but he walked up to you a moment later and inclined his head respectfully,

“Miss Huntington,” He said and then he turned slightly towards your Mama. “Lady Huntington,” He said.

“Your Grace,” Your Mama said, dropping to a curtsey. When you finally remembered how to move, and curtsied as well.

“Your Grace,” You mimicked your mother.

“What a pleasant thing, to meet you here.” Mama said, smiling almost adoringly up at Kylo. “Were you escorting your mother?” She asked. Something shifted slightly in his face, the subtle shift was enough to make his face go from mildly polite to the beginnings of irritation.

“Yes.” He said. “But I happened to see Miss Huntington across the Serpentine and thought she looked as though she could use a companion this afternoon.” He said. He offered his arm to you. You didn’t move. You were unsure if you should take it, unsure if you even wanted to take it. You knew you should and something inside of you did long for it, longed for his gloved hand in yours so that you could again revel in the memory of it against your bare back. Shock swept through you at your own thoughts, and with that shock was the realization that the prince had his arm held out to you still, “Would you care to walk with me, Miss Huntington?” He asked. You took the proffered arm as gracefully as you could manage while you still recovered from your own thoughts and the longing that still drove you to consider his hand at such length.

“Yes, of course, Your Grace.” You said. You watched him give your mother a tight smile and nod, before he turned you away form her and began walking.

It was quiet except for the sound of your steps as you walked along the Serpentine, you listened to his heavy footfalls and your lighter ones keeping pace. Was he going to mention the rude things he had said when you had last spoke? Should you bring them up? You were about to ask him if he planned on insulting you again on your walk when he spoke,

“I thought you might have learned your lesson about staring the last time we met.” He spoke casually as though he wasn’t attempting to wound your pride. “That does not seem to be the case.” He said. You looked about, wondering if anyone was within earshot, but no, Mama and her Lady’s maid were the closest people to the both of you and she was at least twenty yards back.

“First of all, Your Grace, I did not realize I was looking at you this afternoon.” You said, turning to look up at him. He was so much bigger than you that it felt as though you had to lean back to see his face. “Secondly, I maintain that the last time we met, I was only looking at you because I had caught you looking at me.” You insisted, and again the memory of that evening filtered into your head. The way you had felt his eyes upon you and how you looked back with curiosity.

“Hm.” Was his answer, and for a long moment it seemed as though he was going to leave it at that, then he spoke with no humor in his voice, “You presume to know better than I?” He asked. Your body felt tight and if you had not been holding on to his arm, your hands would have been shaking. Was it just because he was a prince that he was this intimidating or was it more? No, it had to be more, there was something about him that screamed at you to be nervous, to be afraid. You had to take a deep breath before you spoke to him again,

“I presume to know when I am being looked at across a ballroom, Your Grace.” You said, turning your face away from him so you looked forward at the path in front of you instead.

“Do you know so acutely what that feels like?” He asked, you felt his eyes on you again, that intense gaze that had burned into your across the ballroom at the Danbury estate. He was mocking you again, because he knew you did not know what it felt like. You swallowed and your eyes flicked up to him and then away again as you tried to recover.

“Perhaps not, but I knew I could sense your gaze.” You insisted.

“Perhaps I could sense yours.” He said.

“That’s impossible because I was not looking at you yet.” Your voice was colored with anger now and you wished you could take back the words, your frustration only seemed to spur him on.

“I think you might have been.”

“I was not.”

“Says who?”

“Me.” You almost ripped your arm away from him but you knew deep down that you could not. Not only was it impossible because you knew it would cause a scandalous scene but you could not because your body would not allow you to pull away from him. It felt like you were glued to his side.

“You seem unreliable to me,” His voice was humorless, irritated at your refusal to accept his version of events. You walked in silence next to him, not wanting to give him more fuel to flame his suspicions that you were an unreliable source, or a hot tempered girl. “Did you have many callers this morning?” You were so surprised by the question that you stopped walking, or you tried to because with your arm in his he simply towed you along with him.

“Excuse me?” You asked, breathless. It wasn’t an entirely unreasonable question for a friend to ask but you would not consider him a friend or even a potential suitor at this point. He had made it quite clear that he thought of you as nothing but an improper, unreliable, little girl.

“Lady Whistledown wrote that you might surprise everyone by making the match of the season,” He explained as he continued to tow you along with him. You turned your head to gaze up at him again, he was shocking in so many ways. Not only did he follow no real social protocols, but he spoke his mind and was too handsome to be reasonable. You wished you did not think it true, but as you looked at him you couldn’t help but notice again every pleasant thing about his face. Full lips, dark eyes with their fire-gaze, straight nose, and skin that was kissed with beauty spots in all sorts of delicate places. You blinked a few times, trying to beat back all the feelings that rose with appreciating his beauty,

“You read Lady Whistledown?” You asked, hating how stupid you sounded.

“Doesn’t everyone?” he asked. Your brow knit, you didn’t like being reminded of that fact. It must have shown on your face because he raised an eyebrow and his lip twitched towards a sardonic smirk, “I thought you would appreciate most of the things she wrote of you, Miss Huntington.” He observed. The idea that you would appreciate the things she wrote of you, of your family irritated you more than anything else he could have said. You let out a long, slow breath, trying to not let the anger towards Lady Whistledown effect the way you spoke to him. You were about to answer when he continued, cutting you off yet again, “You should appreciate that she’s willing to speak of you at all,” The frank way he put that boiled your blood and again you found yourself wanting to rip from his arm and march off but your body betrayed you once again and you remained stuck next to him.

“She…I can’t believe- that woman…she compared me to a HORSE!” You exclaimed, your voice dripping with contempt as you tried to not speak too loudly. Kylo frowned in thought a moment,

“I had not recalled that.” He said easily ignoring your fuming. “So, did you have callers this morning?” he asked again. You felt deflated, you had been so angry only seconds before and it was like it had been a soap bubble that he had burst. You swallowed and forced your eyes down, away from him. You felt your cheeks burn and you hoped your embarrassment didn’t show too much,

“No.” You said in the most dignified voice you could manage, lifting your chin. You weren’t sure why you were telling him the truth, but lying about it made it seem more shameful.

“No?” He confirmed, sounding surprised.

“No.” You said again, “No callers, no flowers, nothing.” He had walked you down the Serpentine to the next footbridge and now you were beginning to cross it. As you reached the middle of the bridge he stopped and looked down towards the water, you paused and stood on your tiptoes to look over the railing on the bridge as well, there was nothing but shallow dirty water below. Nothing of interest, but it was a good way to avoid his gaze.

“That surprises me. You danced with others at the Danbury ball I presume?” He asked.

“Yes,” You finally did look back towards him and again were struck by his handsome face. Your heart started to thrum faster in your chest. “I did think that perhaps you would call,” You admitted in a rush. The silence that fell seemed like the longest silence in your life. You wished you had not said anything. The words hung in the air and you wished they were physical so you could grab them and press them back inside of you, into your chest where he could no longer know them.

“Why would I call on you?” It was the emphasis on ‘you’ that hurt more than the sentiment itself. You let out the breath you had been holding and tried to replace the hurt with the frustration you had felt towards him earlier.

“I was the only young lady you danced with at the Ball,” You said, “And now you’re standing here, walking with me and asking if I had any callers. Forgive me, for thinking that might mean some form of interest, Your Grace.” You said.

“I am not interested, Miss Huntington.” He said so easily that you felt that same hurt as before. Why was he here then? Why was he walking with you now when you could have been walking with someone who was truly interested. Perhaps it was rude but at the moment you didn’t care,

“Why are you here then?” You demanded, you were finally able to pull your arm away from him now. “If you want so little to do with me, why walk with me?” You placed both hands on the railing of the bridge and turned fully towards the water once again. You tried to even your breathing, it was unbecoming to be gasping for breath even if it did feel like you had been kicked in the stomach.

“To irritate my mother,” He answered. Now it was easy to replace the hurt with anger, he was using you for his familial issues and it was at the expense of the rest of your life. How were you to have any suitors if he took up all your time with stupid walks that were only to his benefit.

You turned slowly towards him, feeling like anger was swelling up inside of you like the soap bubble from before, only you doubted it would be as easy to burst this time.

“To irritate your mother?” You asked, your voice dangerous and quiet. He was unapologetic. “How dare you? You think just because you’re some…some Prince that you can use me however you would like for your petty problems with your mother?” You gasped out, you were shaking now. Your whole body was responding to the indignity of what he was doing to you. His face darkened slightly and he stepped towards you, towering above you. Anyone watching might have mistaken this for something romantic if it hadn’t been for the loathing that was apparent on your face.

“You speak to a Prince like this?” he growled.

“When this Prince has acted anything but gentlemanly and has insulted me repeatedly-“

“Even when what I’m doing will help you in the long run as well?” He asked, his voice lowering even more.

“-by blatantly disrespecting me and my—what?” You pulled up short when he asked you that. “How on earth could this help me?” You paused, and then added with as much sarcasm as you could muster, “Your Grace.”

“Have you not noticed how many men have been watching you since I took your arm for this walk?” He hissed, leaning down closer to you. You could smell him now, and his scent with the overwhelming power of that dark gaze was enough to make you lose your breath for a moment.

“I-What?” You asked again, hurriedly looking around towards the other groups of people in the park.

“Don’t look now, stupid girl.” He growled. “Yes, my interest in you has piqued the interest of quite a few other men. You need suitors. I need my mother to stop pushing for me to marry…and I also need some peace from the idiotic Mama’s who push their daughters on me at every event I attend.” He said.

“I…I don’t understand.” You said softly, but you were beginning to, you remembered the way you had felt eyes on you when he had first come over to you. It hadn’t just been the eyes of gossiping old ladies, no, it had been the watchful daresay jealous eyes of men. He was proposing something to you, not something you would have thought of…but something almost as helpful.

“If you and I are seen together…seen as an item. Seen as if we were courting, you would become the most appealing girl in the ton. You would also become a challenge and men love nothing more than a challenge.” He said.

“And you…”

“Well, I would get exactly what I want as well-“ His eyes flicked to the other side of the river and down back where they had come where his mother was still walking with her Lady’s maid. You felt as though your heart would beat out of your chest, if he was right, if this worked it could very well get you a match by the end of the season.

“Do you think it would work?” You asked.

“If Lady Whistledown believes it. The whole ton will follow.” He said. “You just need to stop making scene of us in public.” He said. “Now take my arm again,” He instructed. “And walk back with me.”

You did as he said, hoping against hope he was right. He had to be right, your future was relying on it. You had to maintain that you were courting, you had to maintain it realistically and you had to do it while not thinking too much about his hand grazing your skin or the way his fire-gaze scorched your insides, burning excitement into your veins.

#kylo ren #kylo ren x you #kylo ren x reader #kylo ren fanfiction #kylo ren reader insert #ben solo #kylo ren au #regency!kylo #fanfic #writing #kylo ren smut #fanfic: tpoa

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tokimihyachi · 4 years ago

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Dainty Fingers

BC Holiday Special #6

Pairing: Yami Sukehiro X Charlotte Roselei

Warnings: None

The melodious sound of the string quartet playing below her room echoed throughout House Roselei and a few meters from their home. Ringing in her ears as she sat up to carefully look from below, basking the warmth of the sun as it touched her skin.

Her grandmother, decided to stay, anointing herself as head of the House for a few days. The reason for her return, was mainly to push her granddaughter to finally 'take a bite' of the man she's been in love with for several years.

The electric blue-eyed maiden smiled at the memory, knowing her grandmother meant well. She was the first to know of such forbidden secret, seeing how the young Roselei was once in a daze as if daydreaming when her Prince Charming would walk through the doors and kiss her on the lips like she always wanted.

She looked over her shoulder, swiftly moving up from the chair she sat on to the scarf she tried sewing. Sewing. Most women had several intrinsic skills that were used to base how good of a wife they would become.

Charlotte in particular had no interest in such whatsoever, but hearing that her former Captain who was dubbed as the 'old and maiden rose' sent her an invitation a few days ago, informing her that she is to be wed to a man, a being she's told her she despised for years, on February the following year.

The former captain of the Blue Rose summoned Charlotte two days ago. Happily rambling about the joys of being engaged and loved, 'called me to brag? so much like you.' she said to herself, preventing herself from rolling her eyes and making any noise that proven she was unintrested to hear her love life.

But her former captain mentioned something about what makes a woman 'wife material' which caught her attention. When the woman listed down all of the requirements that must be met, Charlotte started practicing all of them.

Knitting? She was horrible at it. Compared to the ones her grandmother made, the old woman's creation was beyond beautiful that every pattern was of foliage or flower in flowing swirls, as if together, in print and hue, it told of the oneness of Earth.

Cooking? She nearly burned their kitchen. If not close with a few maids she would've embarassed herself completely if the secret that the next head of House Roselei was not a great cook— a total contrast to her mother; one of the greatest chefs in Clover Kingdom that even the King favored her dishes.

Conversations with men? The worst. Simply trying to hold a conversation with other people was difficult, much less with a man, and what more with him who she loves deeply.

The only thing she seemed to pass was cleaning. Her room has always been tidy. Everything placed where it should be and some even considered their places thoughtful as it was in an area that was most convenient for its use.

She eventually gave up, claiming she really wasn't meant for the job, but she always remembered how exposed his body was to the cold. 'A scarf would be good' she said to herself, smiling when she thought about sewing or creating one.

Despite her greatest efforts, she failed, and failed, and failed.

"A-Ahck!" she cursed, accidentally stinging herself with the needle. Looking at her fingers that were now covered in bandages, she sighed and slumped her back onto the wooden bench of the garden of their base.

"This is hopeless." she said out loud, raising her hand into the air realizing how bad it looked like. 'I'll just wear gloves. It is the winter season so no one would think it's strange...'

"What the heck happened to your hand?" Bolting from her position, she sat up, eyes meeting his dark ones she drowned endlessly in.

Gulping, she tried to open her mouth to speak, but no word came out of it. Without a warning, she hid the scarf she made behind her along with her hands. Yami groaned as he sat beside her, "Show me your hands." he quietly said, eyes staying on her figure that was melting under his gaze.

She looked down and swayed her head left, then right. Yami crushed the cigarette on his hand with his foot, and sighed, "Too late to hide it." was the last phrase he uttered before attempting to see what she was hiding.

The stubborn woman Charlotte is continued to repress it further, stretching her hands upward in the air, and when Yami was able to grab a hold of it, it was only then when he realized how close their faces were to each other.

Her lips were a pale pink that reminded him of a rose bud. The top lip was thinner, but not too thin, and it had a natural cupid's bow; the bottom one was larger and more plush. He stared at them and back to her eyes— repeating this action several times, not knowing what to do.

It was too late for Charlotte now. Her mind completely shut down the moment she understood the direction their actions were heading to. Yami did the first move and placed his lips above hers. Their softness was nothing like the words she spoke at all.

Charlotte froze in place. When the captain of the Black Bulls felt that she wasn't reciprocating the kiss he pulled away, "A-Ah shit. Sorry Prickly Q—" as if acting on impulse, Charlotte wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him closer.

The first drop of snowfall goes down as they kissed in the coldness of the winter. The snowflakes run down their faces to where their lips meet, both of them tasting the cold drops. Instead of detracting from the intensity of the moment, it brings them to new heights.

Charlotte pushes her lips in more firmly and the wave that runs through him that was intoxicating, making her head swim as he pulls back to take in her beautiful face, feeling tears trailing down her cheeks.

The black-haired man tucked her hair behind her ear, slightly smiling as she was blushing profusely. 'Cute.' he thought so uncharacteristically to himself.

But seeing her cry and release her emotions was something he least expected, was he perhaps that much of a bad kisser? Did his breath smell? But he brushed his teeth thrice before going here to bring the letter Julius asked him to— wait where is the letter!?

He bent down to take the letter that was... open? Accidentally peaking inside of it, he saw a piece of paper that had nothing written on it. 'Damn you, Julius. Did you know this would happen? Tch. Now I owe the old man.' He looked at her again, who was able to calm down thanks to the gentleness of his calloused hands rubbing hers— avoiding places that had bandages.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked hesitantly, "I-If you don't I- It's okay. No pressure." he added, reassuring her as she sniffled in place, holding his hand tighter.

"I-I... I wa-wanted to g-give you this ri-ridiculous scarf." she laughed, crying while doing so. Yami, the careless and sometimes clueless man that he is, roared laughing, 'Seriously,' he thought again, looking at her who was sending him to the underworld with her intense glare. Charlotte swatted his hand and stood up to walk out, only to have Yami pull her into a warm embrace.

"Tsk. I'm not belittling your capabilities or thinking of any other self-degrading thoughts you're having." Yami said, hugging her tighter. Charlotte stopped squirming and pushing him, "This," he said, taking her hand and raising it, "should be taken care of." he finished, planting a soft kiss on her hand that made her breath hitch.

"Looks like even the Prickly Queen can prickle her self." he joked making Charlotte scoff. Her heart wanted to burst right out of her chest, but the heaviness her lungs have been carrying was somehow released with his presence, unlike before that suffocated her.

"Thank you." she whispered, responding to his hug and tightly wrapping her own arms around him. The pain she felt upon prickling her own fingers with the needle already gone and long forgotten, as all she can ever think of is him, who was embracing her— reassuring her that she needed not to be like other women for him to like her back.

#black clover #yami sukehiro #charlotte roselei #yami x charlotte #yamichar #bc #one shot #fluff #yami #charlotte

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theleafpile · 4 years ago

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Mazikeen and the Importance (and Frustration) of Sub-Plot Characters

Looking over Lucifer Season 5a and the frustration fans are feeling toward the writers’ treatment of Mazikeen has me thinking about the role of subplot characters. More than any other reason, Mazikeen exists in the Lucifer universe in order to be a foil for our titular character, and that is why when we see Lucifer rise, Mazikeen falls.

--- Warning: Spoilers For Season 5a ---

According to The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John Truby, there are four main types of characters that populate every story: the hero (or protagonist), the opponent (or antagonist), the ally, and the subplot character. These characters can be further differentiated by adding in second or third opponents, a fake-ally opponent, or a fake-opponent ally. The more complex the story, the more characters that are needed to populate it, and the more often characters change or overlap in their duties; for example, in Lucifer Amenadiel, Linda, Charlotte, Dan, and Eve flip between being allies and opponents depending on whose side they are on, which is usually determined by what they know and dependent on whose character POV we are seeing them from, generally Lucifer’s. From Lucifer’s perspective, Chloe can be an ally one moment and an opponent the next for the same reasons, and vice versa.

So what, exactly, is a subplot character? According to Truby,

The subplot character has a very precise function in a story, and again it involves the comparative method. The subplot is used to contrast how the hero and a second character deal with the same problem in slightly different ways. Through comparison, the subplot character highlights the traits and dilemmas of the main character.

Before moving on, let’s examine Mazikeen’s arching story lines over the years:

Season 1: Maze is disdainful about the changes Lucifer appears to be undergoing; Lucifer is curious and takes steps to seek out what might be causing it. She consistently goads and riles him up to be the Lord of Hell she desires him to be, but her actions have a way of backfiring and pushing Lucifer toward further emotional development. As a result, she teams up the opponent (Amenadiel) against Lucifer.

Season 2: Lucifer’s mother enters as the opponent. Maze maintains her stance against her as Lucifer begins to befriend her. Mazikeen begins the process of developing emotional connections (notably with Trixie and Tribe Night), eventually moving toward allying with the opponent to spare Lucifer’s feelings, but becomes a temporary opponent toward him when she feels abandoned/wrong by his thoughtlessness. When the opponent threatens those she cares about, her actions ally with Lucifer’s (predominately in saving Linda’s life).

Season 3: Mazikeen sets out to discover her true self away from Lucifer. Amenadiel and Linda’s burgeoning relationship threaten Maze’s abandonment issues. She begins to demand more respect and care from Lucifer and others. When she doesn’t receive it, she desires to return to Hell. When that is denied her, she teams up with the opponent (Pierce/Cain) in order to get what she wants. Her emotional growth prevents her from taking further action, and she is allied with Lucifer once more.

Season 4: Linda’s motherhood story line brings up Mazikeen’s feelings about her mother and subsequent abandonment, causing her to project her insecurities onto Linda. As a result, she tries to discover her identity outside of the friendship, culminating in a desire to have a relationship with Eve. When Lucifer treats Eve badly, Maze teams up with her desire to have Lucifer return to Hell with Eve as his Queen, resulting in their switching over to become Lucifer’s opponent. When Eve’s desires threaten Linda’s well being, Maze returns as allied to Lucifer and helps defeat his opponent.

Season 5a: in an attempt to distract herself from both Lucifer and Eve abandoning her and Linda’s focus on Charlie, Mazikeen works with Chloe in Lucifer’s stead. When that backfires, she lashes out and learns that Michael is masquerading as Lucifer. Though her anger at Lucifer causes her to contemplate aligning herself with Michael (the opponent), her ultimate refusal causes Michael to turn on her. When Lucifer’s return and Michael’s reveal about Lilith brings up her abandonment issues, she projects it onto Linda’s motherhood, attempts to reconcile her problems by imitating Ella, then ultimately decides to team up with Michael in the hopes of him giving her her own soul. When Michael goes “a step too far” in threatening her established relationship with Chloe, she turns on him and allies herself with Lucifer once more.

The fan’s frustration comes from Mazikeen’s story lines feeling repetitive, which they are. She begins and ends allied with Lucifer, but at some point switches to being allied with the opponent.

However, each story line develops and challenges her emotional/character-driven issues in the same way that Lucifer’s are developed and enforced. Lucifer, too, backslides in his development and behavior, but the difference is that he is the protagonist and therefore is unable to side with the antagonist in an effort to get what he wants, because that would make the antagonist an ally. When it appears the antagonist is doing what Lucifer wants--Mum leaving of her own accord and Cain dying--these actions are taken because Lucifer has won the battle he set out to fight, making him the hero victorious.

Mazikeen is, essentially, one step behind Lucifer in terms of character development. Her role in season 1 was most similar to his opponent, and from that point on she is relegated with “chasing” him. Lucifer has also projected his issues onto someone else, desired to return to Hell, desired to feel wanted and needed in his job, imitated a coworker, felt threatened by others’ developing emotional connections without him, and so on.

The difference between Lucifer and Mazikeen’s development, however, becomes most stark at the end of each season.

Lucifer wins, but Mazikeen loses.

How so?

Season 1: Lucifer saves Chloe and Trixie, is brought back to life by his father, and sends the bad guy to Hell. Mazikeen uses her one ticket back to Hell to save Amenadiel’s life.

Season 2: Lucifer’s sends his mother away peacefully, reconciles with Chloe, and decides to move forward with the truth. Mazikeen’s final shot is of her unsure and in tears watching her loved one (Linda) bloodied and badly beaten being wheeled away on a gurney.

Season 3: Lucifer saves Chloe’s life, exacts retribution on those who would harm her, and kills the bad guy. Mazikeen, drugged, bloody, and badly beaten, is told by Linda that emotions are hard and then apologies for her behavior.

Season 4: Lucifer is told by Chloe that she loves him; he returns to Hell to save the lives of everyone he knows. Mazikeen, after defeating the bad guy with Lucifer et all, is told by Eve that there is an emotional connection between them, but it is not enough to keep her around.

Whatever season 5 will ultimately bring may or may not be similar.

But why is this the case?

Truby continues,

The subplot character, like the ally and the opponent, provides another opportunity to define the hero through comparison and advance the plot. The ally helps the hero reach the main goal. The subplot character tracks a line parallel to the hero, with a different result.

(my emphasis)

Mazikeen is consistently denied her heroic, triumphant moment at the end of each arc, because Lucifer gets his. All her heroic triumphs are in relation to Lucifer, not her own character growth. As a result, her character is the most likely to slide back and/or side with the antagonist because nothing she does benefits her in the end.

Despite Lucifer’s arguments otherwise, Mazikeen is still very much his henchman, his lackey, his subplot character.

At their core, Lucifer and Mazikeen share the same weakness: they are fearful of being left by those they care for. Since they approach the problem in different ways, we the audience get to see the pros and cons of each. It is important to note that the subplot character is rarely also the ally, and as a result they are allowed to change between being allied with the hero and opposing him.

It is because of Mazikeen that we understand Lucifer. She is our comparative tool. Her character showed us more about Hell and its dynamics than Lucifer. She showed us what Lucifer could have easily been, and throughout the stories, showed us what Lucifer has consistently grown from. Because of her, we know how far our hero has come. By comparing the two characters, we get to see how much each of them has changed in relation to where they began and where they stand in relation to one another at any given moment.

Mazikeen’s role in important in Lucifer, but it is a subservient one. No matter what arc she is given, the story centers around Lucifer. It is the same with any other character, but because we compare the two more often, her pitfalls are more obvious. I love Mazikeen, but given the way this story is structured, she would be unable to be the protagonist and as such is often left bereft.

The writers can change this by giving her happier endings at the culmination of each season, and the best way for them to do that is to not have to have her crawl her way back into our hearts after needlessly siding with the opponent again.

Give Maze a true happy ending please! Here’s to season 5b, and season 6!

#lucifer #lucifer on netflix #mazikeen #on writing #lucifer meta

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