#Courtship

[yesterdaysprint]

Etiquette Problems in Pictures, Lillian Eichler, 1924

[kafkasapartment]

The Courtship, c. 1920. Wayman Adams. Oil on board.

[feminineenergylife]

Normalize black women being provided for, cherished, loved & courted in relationships.

𝘍𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘓𝘐𝘍𝘌 ❀

[life-imitates-art-far-more]

Jules Bastien-Lepage (1848-1884) "Village Love" (1882) Oil on canvas Realism Located in the Pushkin Museum, Moscow, Russia

[inky-duchess]

Etiquette of the Edwardian Era and La Belle Époque: Courting

This is a new set of posts focusing on the period of time stretching from the late 19th century to the early 20th Century right up to the start of WWI. I'll be going through different aspects of life. This series can be linked to my Great House series as well as my Season post and Debutant post.

I get asked a lot about courting, what's acceptable or what's off limits and how one may woo a prospective spouse. So let's explore how to win the hand and heart.

Meeting (not so cute?)

Firstly, it is really difficult to have a meet cute in the Edwardian era. Women and men are kept separate for most of the day, only really getting to meet at designated events: A dinner, a ball, a social event. Meeting in the park is a cute idea but a gentleman can't just approach a lady (or another gentleman) without being introduced by a third party, either a senior party or a mutual friend. However, an introduction at a ball is sort of like Cinderella's get up, it ceases to matter when the ball is over. Your gentleman must not approach a lady after that ball, he must be reintroduced. Once an introduction has been made, he can speak with her.

An Interest

When an introduction has gone satisfactory, a gentleman must make the first move by calling to her parents'/guardian's home and making a formal request to begin courting. Her parents/guardians must consent, usually leading to a short brief interview of the gentleman's family, his connections, his wealth (though in not so vulgar terms, they may inquire where he lives which is an indicator). The woman's opinion did matter, she could give her reasons for accepting or turning down the offer. When the interest is approved, the gentleman can start offering invitations.

Three's Company

Of course, just because the parents agree, doesn't mean the couple gets to be alone. The young lady will be accompanied by a chaperone either a lady's maid, a governess, her mother or another female relative. While the couple is together, the chaperone will always be a few steps behind or have them in sight. She's there to ensure that nothing more than a conversation happens. This is not only for her young lady's reputation but also to save the man from any claims of impropriety. The chaperone also serves as a sort of spy, gauging whether this relationship is worth pursuing.

Activities & Tokens

A gentleman may invite a lady out to lots of different activities. He can invite her for a promenade at a local park or gardens, out the theatre, visit her at home, invite her to galleries, to balls or to be his companion at sporting events such as the races, tennis matches or boat races. When visiting in the house, the gentleman would be expected to speak with all the family, be polite and courteous. This is how the family guages his suitably. The gentleman must provide transportation and funds for any excursion. Gifts are to be refined as well. Expensive gifts are considered vulgar and will likely be turned down. Small gifts such as flowers, books, cakes are acceptable. Gifts aren't as important as the time spent together.

Rules of Engagement

There are certain unspoken rules surrounding courtship that every gentlemen must follow for a successful courtship:

A gentleman should always pay attention to his lady, and not exclude her or cast her off for others

A gentleman never smokes in front of his lady nor forget to remove his hat.

A gentleman must always offer to refresh his lady on an excursion

A gentleman must defend his lady from any offense be it an insult or a scene unfit for her eyes or within an argument. Throwing in an apology for any offense can add a cherry on top.

However if she's the one giving offense, without any reason, the gentleman must seek to create peace, apologising on her behalf.

When walking, a lady will be placed in the inside of the pavement.

A gentleman should never spend above his means to impress his lady. Staying within his means is not only smart but a show of restraint and a glimpse of what life ought to be if they marry.

A gentleman should always offer his assistance when a lady is exiting a carriage or going up a flight of steps or carrying anything heavy.

If a man accompanies a woman to a ball, he's expected to dance with her on her first and last dances of the evening.

A gentleman must always make his intentions known and not string a lady along with no intention of marriage. He must never joke about his intentions or lead her on.

Marriage

Courtship usually promises marriage which is why a gentleman or lady should not enter into courtship unless they would consider marriage. Courtship may last a few months or a few weeks and while it is going on, both sides should consider whether marriage would be a viable option of either of them. Parents/guardians would be consulted, the gentleman must make his intentions known to her father or nearest male relative before approaching the lady and popping the question. A courtship that doesn't end in marriage is seen as a failure and may damage the reputation of both parties, leading people to wonder what happened and who is to blame. For example is a perfectly eligible gentleman will not marry a perfectly eligible lady or she turns down his offer, people will usually leap to the conclusion that there is something lacking.

LGBTQIA+ Courting

Gay people have always been here. They have courted and they have loved. Whilst it was illegal in this time in many parts of the world, love did prevail. (fun fact: lesbianism wasn't illegal because nobody wanted to explain what it was to Queen Victoria). The good thing to know is that courting whilst gay was likely easier in this period. Whilst there were restrictions and rules for straight couples and chaperones haunted their every step, none of this would happen if two people of the same gender stepped out together. Two gentleman going to the opera together or dining at a restaurant or attending a ball together (dancing in public was unlikely) or two ladies promenading in the park or attending a concert would not be examined like a courting couple. They would have more freedom to move around but of course, with legal impediments PDA was kept a minium. Whilst they wouldn't be allowed to marry legally, there was little stopping couples from moving in together. Nobody would say much about two spinsters sharing a home or two bachelors crashing together

[kasagia]

Mastermind

Pairing: Benny Cross x fem!rich! reader Summary: Benny sees you at one of the car picnics the Vandals have invited themselves to. You catch his attention immediately. When his eyes land on you, he knows that nothing ia gonna stop him from getting you. Unfortunately, you're with some rich bastard. Luckily, Benny is a mastermind. And he won't stop untill you will be his. Taglist for Benny: @aleemendoza2425-blog My mumbling: To be honest, I don't know what it is, I just had this idea in my head and this fic took on a life of its own. Benny Cross' Masterlist ~•♤♤♤•~ Main Masterlist

"Who is this girl?" Benny nods in your direction. You eye one of the more decent cars, glancing every few moments at the Vandals’ abandoned bikes a few feet away.

But your gaze isn't full of disgust or fear. No. It's pure curiosity, excitement, a yearning for the thrill of danger. And who is Benny to ignore the call of such a beautiful girl?

At first, at a very first glance, he was simply interested in you. You were beautiful, dressed in expensive clothes, out of his league, but Benny liked a challenge and the thrill of the chase.

But when he saw you save one of the Vandals' kids from being hit by a moving car and calm the kid down, entertaining him without a shadow of aversion to the bikers' kid, until he forgot about it and went back to his parents, something in Benny clicked. No one else saw it but him. But that's the moment Benny knew you were going to be his wife.

"Don't even think about it, boy. Princess of Chicago. Her father sleeps on the cash register, it's a miracle she's even here and hangs out with commoners like us." Johnny pats him on the back, laughing. But Benny's got a plan. And he'll stick to it until he gets you.

"I asked for a name." Benny replies calmly, still glaring at you even after some stupid rich spoiled kid who spat at Vandal earlier walks up to you and wraps his arm around your waist. Benny wants to rip the man's hand off of him for that desecration of you.

"Y/N Y/L/N. The apple of her father's jewelry company's eye. Future heiress to the fortune and out of your reach, boy." Benny nods at this information, still watching you.

"You know what they say... Strategy sets the scene for the tale."

He lights a cigarette and sees you pointing at a beautiful black Triumph Fury from England. Benny doesn't say it's the best choice, but he's seen worse cars. You had... quite good taste.

His blood boils when your stupid boyfriend snaps something at you, but instead of listening to his shit, you just walk away from him and leave him alone by the cars.

Benny giggled a little.

You lean against one of the trees and reach for a cigarette. Your flame in the lighter fortunately refuses to obey. Benny sees his chance.

In a few quick steps he's in front of you while you're still struggling with the lighter. You lift your head at him and Benny swears his heart stops for a moment as your eyes finally land on him.

He watches your face carefully, inhales the scent of your sweet and probably expensive perfume as he carefully raises the lighter with the flame to your lips painted with a sinful red lipstick and lights a cigarette for you without a word as you stare at him in amazement. Benny tenses his muscles just a little to look better in front of you.

"Thanks." You mumble and grab a cigarette in your hands. You lean against the tree and exhale, calming down from the nicotine smoke and not caring about his presence.

"No problem." Benny nods and leans silently against the tree next to yours.

He refrains from looking at you and instead looks at the bikes in front of you. He barely suppresses a smirk as he feels your piercing gaze on him.

"What are you?" You ask him, looking him up and down carefully.

Benny shrugs and taps his Vandal pin on his chest a few times with his index finger. You roll your eyes at him and blow smoke from your red lips, making Benny want to inhale the cloud you exhale.

He was so lost...

"What do you want?" You ask him angrily, assuming that lighting you a cigarette wasn't a selfless act. Because it wasn't. Benny had his purpose in doing it. But you didn't need to know that yet.

"Nothing." He shrugs and lets go of the cigarette, holding it between his lips as he shoves his hands in the pockets of his jeans and looks at you the way you look at him.

"Then why are you standing here?"

"And why are you standing here, sweetheart?" He answers your question with one of his own. You frown, and Benny smiles softly to himself at how adorable you look all irritated and wrinkled.

"I have a boyfriend." You respond coldly. Benny, however, is not put off by this. He just throws one contemptuous glance at the loser who is your boyfriend and goes back to looking at you.

"And I have a bike." You snort at his words before you can stop yourself, and when Benny hears your soft giggle, his heart skips a beat.

A smirk tugs at his lips, adrenaline pumping through his veins from the excitement of making you laugh as he watches you intently, as if trying to memorize the exact image of you.

"Oh, I've seen." You mumble dismissively, but Benny sees your gaze fall on HIS bike.

The mere fact that you know which one belongs to Benny makes you unconsciously show him that you are at least the slightest bit interested in him. And that is exactly what Benny needs for now.

"Like it?" He asks, approaching you. He leans against the same tree as you, his bare shoulder brushing yours.

Goosebumps rise on your skin and you try to hide your reaction to his proximity by casually throwing your cigarette to the ground without looking at Benny.

"Did you steal that Harley?" Benny gives you a mischievous, mysterious smirk at your accusation.

He takes another step towards you and stops right in front of you. He's clearly invading your personal space, but he's far enough away to leave millimetres between your bodies. Your scent intoxicates him, and the heat of your body calls to Benny like a siren's song to sailors. And how much he wanted to be devoured by you...

"Who said it is an origianl one, little shrew?" You swallow and look away from him to analyse his bike again.

Benny can see the gears in your head turning, the way you squint as you try to find the difference between his bike and the original. And god, Benny is only a man, of course he took advantage of your moment of inattention and checked you out. Especially the valley between your breasts...

"Wait... you made it? On your own?" You ask impressed and he simply nods.

Unfortunately, you don't get to talk any longer. Your pathetic excuse of a boyfriend walks up to the two of you and, ignoring Benny completely, tells you that you have to go back to some stupid family dinner.

I can see in your eyes that if it were up to you, you would stay longer, but you're reluctant to leave Benny's side and follow your boyfriend.

"If you ever want a real ride, look for Benny!" He shouts after you. Out of the corner of his eye he sees you turn around but he's not looking at you anymore.

He goes to his bike and starts it with a loud roar. He adjusts the side mirror to get a good view of you and does a few of his signature stunts before he drives off.

He smiles to himself, realizing you've been watching him the whole time. The bait worked.

"Holly shit." You mumble to yourself as you stand on the side of the highway.

You sigh as you get out of your car, wondering how the hell you're supposed to get to the city now that your boyfriend's tires are flat. He's fuming, cursing at the car while you calmly smoke a cigarette sitting on the trunk of a broken-down car.

"Why aren't you doing anything?! Do something! I'm not pushing this into town. Take off that sweater and try to hitchhike." Your boyfriend yells at you angrily. You raise an eyebrow at him and continue smoking calmly, refraining from punching him in the nose. Just then you hear the loud roar of an engine.

You turn your head and see the same Vandal from the car picnic. You look at each other for a moment, intently, your boyfriend stares at you in surprise but you don't pay much attention to him anymore.

"I would use that ride now." You tell him and throw the cigarette on the road. Your boyfriend shouts something at you but you completely ignore him, staring at the Vandal in front of you.

"I thought you had a boyfriend." He says, sending you his mischievous glare. You shake your head with a small smile.

"Not anymore." You say while looking at your now ex-boyfriend.

"What the hell, Y/N?! You're really going to go with that outcast and leave me here? I'm the hottest catch in town, and you know it damn well!"

"No, no, no. I AM the hottest catch in town, honey." You correct him and grab your bag from his car. You walk over to Benny's bike and sit behind it, rolling your dress up to your thighs so as not to give anyone a show. "Have fun with your ego. God knows you two will be just fine pushing this junk through. You could always drop your pants and try to catch some desperate old lady to give you a ride. Although with your calibre it'll sooner be some guy." You wave at him as Benny gasps his bike and accelerates with a screech of tires, leaving your ex far behind.

You scream and grab the biker by his jacket, unprepared for such a fast ride. You dig your nails into his muscular torso and cling to his back, riding a bike for the first time.

Benny is in heaven. Your perfume is carried by the wind, making the ride on his bike even more enjoyable.

You press your front against his back, so he can feel every delicious curve of yours. And the way you dig your fingers into him makes his mind wander to other situations you could be doing this in. And this, surprisingly, seems much more enjoyable than riding his bike completely alone.

You rest your cheek against his back and gaze at the scenery around you. Benny is racing so fast you can barely see anything but him, your heart is beating wildly and a strange feeling of excitement inside you makes you wish he would never make it to town, but would just race you through the cornfields.

At some point, however, your ride ends. Benny parks outside the Vandals' bar and waits patiently for you to get off his bike and let him go. Although he is not at all pleased that your hands are leaving his body.

"Thanks. If not you, I would stick with that asshole." You say, and he leans against the wall of the building. He slides you one of his cigarettes, but you shake your head and take yours out of your purse. "How much do I own you?" Benny frowns at your question and stares at you as you wait for his answer, already looking for the money for him.

"I don't want your dad's money." He surprises you again. You stop all your movements and blink a few times, almost dropping the cigarette from between your lips.

"But... for gasoline..."

Benny simply shrugs as you continue to process the fact that he really doesn't want anything from you. There had to be some hidden meaning to it. There always was. Everyone wanted something from you, there was no selflessness in hanging out with you. It shouldn't be any different with this Vandal.

"My bike, my petrol."

"You drove me halfway across town and off the fucking highway. That's a lot of petrol. I insist." You say, practically shoving the money into his pocket. But Benny pulls away and grabs your wrist, before you can pay him for this little ride.

You swallow as his thumb lazily strokes your skin, bypassing the gold bracelets on your wrists to caress your skin instead of the expensive metal.

"If you care so much, you can buy me a drink, little shrew, because I won't take any money from you." Benny mumbles hoarsely and reluctantly lets go of your wrist. Before you can respond, he's already heading to the bar.

With no other option, you sigh and follow the Vandal to the bar. You try to avoid the ripped, fat men and follow Benny like a shadow, hoping that none of them will bother you.

The atmosphere of the club is thick, you can almost feel the cloud of testosterone in the air, piercing through the smell of cigarettes and strong alcohol. A real den. You've never been in a place like this. And with man like him.

"Two beers." Benny nods at the bartender. He hands you both your drinks and you quickly put your money on the table. Benny puts his arm around yours and, holding your drinks in both hands, leads you to a less crowded part of the club.

Benny's arm around yours makes you feel a little safer and more comfortable in the sea of ​​tattooed men. Some whistle at the two of you but you follow Benny's example and ignore them, trying to focus on the man who was leading you.

Benny was different from most guys you knew. Most of them couldn't change a tire on their own car, hadn't dirty their hands with hard work, and basked in their families' fortunes.

Benny was the definition of masculinity, danger, and self-sufficiency. He was something new, exciting, titillating. Every good little rich girl's wet dream. And maybe if you were younger and more naive, you would have fallen into his arms and let him destroy you completely to his own liking. But you knew all too well how guys like him behaved. And even though Benny drew you like a moth to a flame, you preferred to keep your distance from him and any trouble he could bring. Or at least you tried hard to.

"Why are you doing this?" You ask him, getting straight to the point as you sit down at the table.

"Doing what?" He asks, sipping his beer. He looks at you like you're the only interesting thing in the world. And as much as his intense gaze sends a pleasant tingle through you, you're afraid you won't be able to resist him for long.

"This. Don't look at me like this." You say, swallowing hard. Goosebumps rise on your skin as Benny pulls his chair closer to yours, leaving only a mere centimetres between you and you can smell his scent mixed with grease, cigarettes, and the wind from the fast ride.

"Like that?" He asks innocently, resting his hands on the back of the chair and flexing his muscles.

He sips his beer, wrapping his full lips around the neck of the bottle and his gaze never leaving yours for a second. You clench your thighs and shift in your chair, embarrassed by the effect he has on you.

"Benny! Will you introduce me to your company?" With a small sigh of relief, you turn to the man who interrupted you. Benny is slouched and sulking in his chair, furious at Johnny for interrupting him when everything was going his way.

"Johnny. Club leader. Y/N. My girlfriend."

"I am not your girlfriend." You snap at him, turning your angry gaze at him. And that bastard just smiles sweetly and shrugs.

"I'm sorry. My little shrew." He corrects himself with a sly smile. You narrow your eyes at him, wanting to punch him in that smug face of his, but then his Johnny starts talking to you.

You sit in the club for a moment longer and then go to their phone to call someone from your residence to come pick you up. Once you have all the details sorted out, you don't go back to the table, you just run straight for the exit.

Unfortunately for you, Benny is very attentive.

"Stop, kid." Johnny says and gently pushes Benny into a chair. "She's not the girl for you. Better let her go and forget about it. Girls like her don't fit in with people like us."

"The first time that I saw her, I knew I wanted her badly. Nobody will stop me, Johnny. Not even her. I've already made up my mind. The dominoes cascading in the line." Benny answers confidently and runs after you.

He leaves the bar and looks around. He sees you walking far down the street, turning a corner out of his field of vision. He gets on his bike and starts it faster than ever and follows in your footsteps.

He was so close to making you care even a little as much as he did, and he wasn't going to stop now that he had you practically within reach. Benny knew that if he let you go now, all his efforts would be for nothing. And he wasn't going to start from scratch with you. His engine roars furiously beneath him as he chases after you. He smiles to himself when he sees you waiting outside one of your father's stores and pulls up to you. He stops right in front of you and doesn't turn off his engine. He doesn't look at you, just ahead on the road, waiting for your next move.

Benny hopes he doesn't show how stressed he is about what you're about to do, how impatiently he waits in the cold, deafening silence.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" You ask him, shoving your hands into your pockets. Benny sees you twitch slightly out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm waiting for you to get in." He replies calmly, taking his hands off the handles of his bike to rest his elbows on his thighs. You raise an eyebrow at him, wrapping your hand around the keys you carry in your pocket. Just in case. After all, you didn’t know that guy.

"I have no intention of doing so." You talk tough. But Benny is just as stubborn, if not more so. He won't let you off the hook that easily.

"Then I'll wait until your driver comes to pick you up and then I'll follow you to your house."

"You are lying. You can't do that. That's fucking stalking. And from what I know, you already have enough problems with the police."

"So you're interested in me after all, princess?" He gives you a dirty, wolfish grin and a wink, making your heart race. You find your reaction very pathetic, but you can't control yourself at all when this ridiculously handsome Vandal is flirting with you and doing things like this. He's a little unsettling, but also very exciting. No guy has ever wanted you as much or shown as much interest in you as this one. "Test me." He challenges you and calmly pulls out a cigarette to light it. The bike beneath him continues to roar furiously as he awaits your decision.

"Why are you doing this?" You ask, narrowing your eyes at him suspiciously. “You don’t want my money, but you follow me around like a lost puppy. What’s your problem, man?”

"You." He mumbles in that sinful raspy voice of his, staring at you as if he was tearing your soul apart. You swallow, trying to avoid his intense gaze.

"And what about me?"

"I fancy you." He shrugs like it’s an obvious thing to state. You stiffen as he dismounts his bike and walks over to you. You take a few steps back, gasping as your bare back hits the brick wall behind you.

"Me?"

"Uh-huh." He purrs and leans toward you. You hold your breath in some strange form of anticipation as you stare at him and wait for his next move.

A shiver runs through you as his fingertips brush your cheek. He caresses your red-hot skin, stands close to you, inhales your scent, and acts as if he's doing nothing out of the ordinary, as if being this close is proper and normal.

"I think about you. Often. When I am on the road. And I wish that you could sit behind me and hold on to me as we both race with the wind."

It's such a trite line. The one he probably fooled a lot of girls with. But God, how can you think logically when he's standing so close to you and telling you things that every girl dreams a guy will tell her?

"You'll take me home or what?" You ask, swallowing, trying to hold on to the last bit of control you have as his hand lazily brushes your jaw, tracing a line along your neck and stopping at your shoulder.

His hand is large. Warm. Rough but comfortable. His fingers dig into you, the cool metal of his rings calming you down a little. But your heart is still beating wildly, wanting to break free and give itself to the man before you. Even though he was a huge pain in the ass.

"Get in, little shrew." He says and nods to his bike. Not trusting your legs too much, you take small steps and carefully place yourself on his bike.

You shiver when he suddenly puts his warm Vandal jacket on you. You accept the cover without looking at him and put it on yourself. You almost moan as his warmth and scent envelop you, and his large, threadbare, grease-smeared jacket suddenly becomes the only one you ever want to wear.

Benny climbs onto his bike. He starts it, the engine humming and shuddering beneath you, but Benny doesn't move yet. You frown, wondering what he's waiting for. You quickly get your cue when he reaches behind your hands and wraps them around his torso. You blush, feeling his abs much better now that he's wearing just a black T-shirt.

"Harder, princess. I'll go fast." That's the only warning you get before he starts the engine. You scream and grab him hard, practically digging your nails into him. And Benny just laughs at it. Or at least that's what you gather from the way he trembles under your hands.

Because of the speed you're going, you arrive at your gate pretty quickly. The security guards stare at you in shock, but only for a moment before they return to their professional demeanor. They let you through, and Benny parks right under the steps to your entrance. You thank God your dad is away on business and won't see you riding Vandal's bike.

You get off your bike and stand there stupidly next to Benny wondering what the hell you're going to do with him now. Will he get bored and ride off? Or will he wait outside your house? Or will he want to come inside?

"Will you ever get the fuck away from me?" You ask him angrily, not knowing what to do.

"Is this what you really want?" Benny asks calmly and lights his cigarette.

You don't answer that. Somehow this Vandal became.. close to you. You don't want him to go anywhere, to leave you alone. Somehow it was exciting to run into him from time to time. But he wanted more...

"I won't date you. My dad would kill me if he saw me with one of you. Or disinherited and thrown out of the house." You tell him right away, hoping that he'll get bored and leave you alone. Because you can't tell him to fuck off anymore. You can't seem to get it out of your throat and sound sincere.

"Then it's a good thing I don't want you to date me." You try to keep a straight face at his words. You nod and turn to go home, probably get drunk and try to forget about those damn striking blue eyes. But then Benny's scream stops you. "You will marry me, princess!"

An involuntary smile forms on your lips, and that familiar, pleasant excitement returns. He really wants to race and play this game with you. Somehow, it seems much more enjoyable than the advances of those rich assholes. This one really tried and put an effort in chasing you.

"Not even in your wildest dreams, biker-boy!" You shout over your shoulder and go to your house.

Benny stands by your door for a moment longer. He finishes his cigarette and watches the lights in your house blink. Once he figures out which window is yours, he smiles at himself and starts his engine.

The real game has begun.

"Oh my God, how romantic!" Your hairdresser squeals above you, glancing over her shoulder every now and then to watch Benny lean against his bike, smoking a cigarette, watching you through the window, waiting for you to finish your hair appointment.

"Rather frustrating." You comment without taking your eyes off your reflection in the mirror as your hairdresser does your hair.

"Honey, do you know how many women come here? And do you know how many men wait of their own free will for them to leave while we finish doing their hair? NONE. And that handsome guy on the bike... get after him before one of us grabs him in our claws."

You roll your eyes at her words and light a cigarette, trying to push down the ugly feeling of jealousy at the thought of some hag riding your Vandal's bike and hugging him from behind like you do.

Not. Fucking. Happening.

"As if I cared." You mumble and let her finish your hair.

You pay her and chat for a while at the cash register when out of the corner of your eye you notice Benny, who is still leaning on his bike and waiting outside the hair salon for you to come out, now talking to some girl.

You say goodbye to your hairdresser and leave. You walk closer to the two of them and your anger flares when you hear the other girl flirting with him.

"So... do you have a girlfriend?"

"I don't know... do I, princess?" Benny shifts his gaze from her to you and raises an eyebrow, smiling stupidly and maliciously when he sees the fury written all over your face.

Without a word, you get on his bike and wait for him to join you. Benny quickly abandons the girl he was talking to earlier and starts the engine.

You dig your fingers into him a little more painfully than usual and press your body against his. You rest your cheek against his back and give the other woman a warning look, marking your territory.

Luckily Benny doesn't see it. He drives ahead with you in the back and only then do you realize your stupidity. You let him take you wherever he wanted just because you had to point out that he was yours. He wasn't yours, but...

"Here we are." He pulls you out of your thoughts. It's only because of him that you realize he took you out of town to one of the infamous Vandal picnics.

Your dad will kill you if he finds out.

You feel a little out of place in your white mini skirt among all the bikers and their women in leatger jackets, but Benny doesn't care that you don't fit in with his company with your Chanel bag.

He takes your hand and pulls you closer to the fire. A few people whistle behind you, and you involuntarily move closer to Benny, seeking safety. Seeing this, he puts his arm around you and pulls you into his side. And you wonder why the hell you're letting him drag you like a rag doll.

Benny sits on a log and waits for you to join him. You decide to sit on his lap since you don't want to get your skirt dirty on the branch of wood.

"Don't think too much about it." You mumble at him and he just smiles evilly, feigning innocence.

"I would never dare."

You spend the evening with the bikers, listening and laughing at their stories, sitting on Benny's lap. A few of them called you Benny's girlfriend and you didn't feel like correcting them. Besides, it would be hard to explain your relationship… you don't know exactly what it is that connects you with the biker.

You think about it as you ride cuddled up to Benny on his bike again. The night air hits the two of you, and you're glad you're wearing Vandal's jacket. You sigh, thinking about how over the past few days he's changed your routine and crept into your life, like a thief taking away bits of your time until you practically spent the whole day with him. And surprisingly, it didn't bother you one bit.

It's only when you stop that you notice that Benny hasn't been driving you home. Instead, you're on the outskirts of town, near a small forest. You breathe in the fresh night air and look at the stars above you.

Benny moves on his bike so you can lean against his chest. He envelops you in the embrace of his strong, tattooed arms and rests his nose against your hair, sighing your scent. You sit there for a moment in blissful silence, listening to each other's breathing and the sounds of nature. You've never known such blissful silence as with Benny.

"You enjoyed today." He states, doesn't ask.

You know him well enough now that you know he's been watching you closely all night, and your every little reaction to his Vandal family. And he was right, you quite liked it. But spending one evening like that, and all of your potential life with Benny, is a big difference. And you don't know if you'll be able to keep up with his crazy life, since you've been accustomed since you were a child to having the best comforts and living in complete safety and control.

"I did." You reply, lazily tracing patterns with your finger on his arm. You almost giggle when you see the hairs on his arms stand up in response to your touch. "But I still won't be your girlfriend."

"And I think I've already told you that I want a wife, not a girlfriend."

"You hardly know me." You adopt a new tactic, trying at all costs to dissuade him from this idea, to prove that you do not belong together at all.

"I know enough to know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. The moment I saw you, I knew I wanted you. And when I get to know you and your character, I realized that we are meant for each other."

The way he looks at you now, his closeness, the warmth, the smell of cigarette smoke and the beer he's been drinking make it hard to think straight. Especially when he's practically opening all his cards to you.

"I hardly know you." You mumble in shock, prepared for the fact that someone might actually care more about you, that someone is chasing you and not your dad's money, that someone wants you and not the privilages of your last name.

"You will have time for getting to know me, princess. Besides... I think you know about me much more than you are willing to admit to yourself."

You swallow hardly. Benny's hand plays with the button on his jacket that you're currently wearing. You sigh as his fingers dig into your hips, pulling you closer to him. His fingers travel under your shirt, and you bite your lip hard, holding back a moan as you feel his cool, long fingers on the heated skin of your stomach.

"My dad will kill you." You mumble in warning, not really paying attention to it yourself now as his roving hand gently caresses the skin of your stomach and brushes teasingly over the material of your bra.

"I'm stronger than you think, little shrew." In proof, he tightens his grip around you. You sigh slightly, biting your tongue hard to keep from moaning his name as his hand cups your clothed breast. "Nothing can stop me… unless you really don't want me." He whispers hoarsely in your ear and presses his lips to your temple.

It is both a warning and a promise. He can leave you alone, but you must reckon with the consequences. You know that a man like him leaves with the first goodbye, with the first sign that he is an undesirable element in your life. But what can you do when he pulls away from you, stops rubbing your breast teasingly, and gets off his bike, depriving you of his warmth and the strong embrace with which he protected you from the outside world? How can you reject him once again?

You have not such strength in yourself. You are already glad that you lasted that long with turning him down and didn't give in to him at the very first meeting, when he came to you and lit up your cigarette.

"I can't just marry you. It hasn't even been a month since we first met." You remind him and yourself, but you feel that along with his hot, intense gaze on you, any remnants of your common sense are melting away.

You want him. No matter who disagrees with it or how people react to it, you feel that you can no longer live without him in your life. He was everything you never had. Freedom, wildness, passion, boundless, sick love that makes you swallow you whole, and you are able to do stupid, irrational things. And you want all of it. Even if you have to sell all your nice things and walk around covered in grease and gasoline like him.

And that was a big declaration coming from a rich, spoiled daddy's little girl like you.

"Sometimes you just see and know. You can't say you don't feel it, princess. You're meant to be mine. You know it." After his words, silence falls between you. You are in a kind of staring contest, since you try to endure his deep look.

You feel that you are slowly losing control, that your life is slipping away in a completely new, unknown direction, and honestly, you do not want to turn back for a moment. But your parents raised a cautious girl.

"We are making a prenuptial agreement." Benny snorts with laughter but nods, obediently agreeing to your terms.

"I've told you before, I want you, not your money, but fine. If that makes you feel safe, fine, we will sign one." You stare at him in deafening silence, unable to believe that this was really happening, that he was really running after you just to have you, to be his. You. Not your parents' money, not the expensive things you could buy him, not the job you could offer him at your father's company. Just you. It's just you.

"You are crazy." You laugh in disbelief. His jacket wraps around you snugly, providing comfort from the cold night wind that ruffles Benny's hair, making you want to run your hand through it yourself and see if it's as soft as it looks.

"You're crazy too. You finally agree." He says with a small smile, and you blush.

You roll your eyes and shift your gaze to the forest beside us. Benny won't be having this. He steps up to you and takes your chin between two fingers, forcing you to look at him again. You swallow, your gaze travelling from his eyes to his plush lips.

"I want a ring. And fancy motorcycle's wedding. With the cans attached to your bike and everything."

"Deal." He whispers back and cups your cheek in his hand. His thumb strokes your skin, his touch searing, igniting a flame of desire so great within you that you wonder how the hell you could have lived without knowing such a feeling.

"And I want to settle down someday and have real house, family and so on."

"Okay." He mumbles and presses a kiss to your other cheek. You sigh shakily, grabbing his bike with all your might to keep from tearfully and desperately digging your fingers into Benny and pulling him closer to you. You're fucking trembling, and the guy hasn't even touched you properly.

"Seriosuly? You are going to do so and agrree just like that?"

"I told you. I want you. I will do everything to have you."

You envy the calmness in his gaze and actions as he lazily presses kisses across your face. Cheek, temple, forehead, nose, other cheek, the edge of your jaw… anywhere but your damn lips.

"You didn't even kiss me yet." You remind him angrily, and Benny can only chuckle deeply at your indignation. He tugs a strand of your hair back and takes a step towards you, standing between your spread legs as you remain on his bike.

"A mistake I intend to fix." He mumbles, and finally, after many years, centuries, enoahs, of waiting, he presses his lips to yours.

You sigh, grabbing him by his shirt and balling the material into a fist, pulling him closer to you. His lips move in such a wonderful way, caressing yours, tasting you intently as if he’s trying to memorize the shape of your mouth, every little gasp at his caresses, and everything about you.

His touch is electric. It fires up every neurone in you, turning you into a whining, needy little mess as his tongue connects with yours in a mad dance. You stop caring about anything in the world, just being as close to him as possible; that's all that matters; all that matters is Benny. You break the kiss only to have him angrily rip his shirt off of him, and you quickly silence any attempts he makes to mock you and your haste by capturing his lips in another bruising kiss as you explored his muscular torso that you've been clinged to so many times while riding his bike.

Your thinking goes out the window when all you can feel and worry about is Benny.

Benny presses you against his bike and deepens the kiss as you moan into his mouth, feeling every muscle of his against your body. He practically rips your shirt and bra off of you, leaving you in nothing but his Vandal's jacket as he trails his kisses from your jaw, neck and collarbone to your chest.

You tangled your hand in his hair, pulling him as close to you as possible, and it made Benny feel like he was in heaven. You wanted him as desperately as he wanted you, and Benny was going to give you exactly what you wanted and needed.

Benny smiles against your silky skin as he leaves his marks on you. He had managed to do exactly what he had planned. And he was extremely happy about it.

And with your soft moan and the clumsy, quick fumbling with the waistband of his pants, he only has one thought on his mind.

Checkmate. Benny couldn't lose.

And now you are only his.

[femininedating]

Call me old fashioned but I value marriage.

I expect to be courted not stuck in a talking phase.

I expect proper dates not Netflix and "lets chill".

I expect a ring not to be a long-term girlfriend playing house.

I expect a provider husband not a passive man who will waste my time.

Being a wife is the goal.

[moonface-on-tmblr]

zircons...

they're canon and no one can tell me otherwise

im not sorry

[writingtraumaforever]

Courtship: Chapter 1

Notes: This is Post-Sonic 3 Mini-Series!! I’m making this because I’m obsessed with the movie-verse for these two and wanted to make a little something before the movie came out. Movie assumptions to make for this fic: 1.) Shadow tried to kill Tom because a Wachowski shot Maria. 2.) Shadow doesn’t fall from space because Sonic saves him. 3.) Shadow goes into isolation and hiding at the end of the movie out of guilt.

Summary: Sonic wants Shadow to know he doesn’t have to be alone.. Misunderstandings ensue.

Rating: G

Chapter Select: Chapter 2, Chapter 3

Link to my AO3!

Start:

‘That'd better be a licensed toy or I will freak out.’

“That’s totally him!! I’d know that voice anywhere!”

“I don’t think so, Sonic. He sounds more like Dane Dehaan,” Tails argue quietly, scratching his head as he looks up from his tablet at the movie on the screen.

They’re watching Superpets for the first time on family movie night. Sonic, Tails and Knuckles are each sprawled on their respective beanbags in the middle of the floor while Maddie and Tom take the couch behind them. Ozzie is rested beside Sonic’s bag, Sonic mindlessly scratching behind the dog’s ear.

“Dane De— no. Absolutely not. That’s my Keanu, I know it! The man is a—“

“National treasure, we know,” they all groan in unison, Sonic just nodding like it’s a fact.

“Exactly! I’d know that sweet boy’s voice anywhere!”

“Why do you not just court the man if he is so sweet to you??” Knuckles questions, a confused furrow in his brow.

“Okay, first of all,” Sonic holds up a finger, “Ew. I’m a minor, Knuckles.”

“A minor what??—“

“Second of all,” another finger, “He’s a celebrity. We’re from two different worlds! Both literally and metaphorically.”

Knuckles just looks even more confused now, “Do you mean to say he thinks he’s of higher standards than you??? Ha! You are the Blue Justice of earth! Do not let a puny human convince you that you are not worthy of his affections!”

“Aw gee, Knucks, that’s almost sweet—“

“We shall kidnap this national treasure and force him to court you!”

“Yeah- see? You’ve ruined it, Knucks,” Sonic groans with a roll of his eyes.

“You’re both ruining the movie with your yapping,” Tom points out behind them.

“And Batman is, in fact, Keanu,” Maddie adds, holding up her phone to show them all her Google search.

“Ha! See?? Told ya I know my man!”

“How is he yours if you do not court him—“

The microwave beeps in the kitchen, interrupting their repetitive conversation with the popcorn Maddie had prepared for them.

“Saved by the bell!” Sonic grins before dashing into the kitchen to retrieve their snack.

Hopping up on the counter, Sonic opens the microwave and pulls out the bag of popcorn. Emptying it into a bowl and adding extra salt and some cheese powder, he hops down and carries it back into the living room.

Pausing in the doorway, he looks at his family all huddled in front of the screen watching contentedly and can’t help but sigh. 

It’s nice for things to be settling down again. 

After the ARK incident, Sonic wasn’t sure things would ever be the same.

He has lost his family and world once before with Longclaw and the echidnas, and he almost had to watch it happen again with the ARK nearly smashing into earth.

Not to mention Tom almost being murdered for something his great grandfather had done..

It’s been three months since that. 

Sonic hasn’t seen that hedgehog since..

He had only narrowly saved him from falling to earth from space. And even then, Shadow had tried to fight Sonic’s hold on him off.. insisting he deserved this fate after what he’s done.

But Sonic wouldn’t let him go.. wouldn’t let him die like that. 

Even after everything Shadow had put him through, all he could see was a lost soul that was alone and scared and confused. Everything Sonic has been before..

Once they were back on earth, Shadow had ran off. Disappeared. No one even saw him go.

Sonic thought about him often.

Sometimes he’d secretly leave a plate of leftovers out in the woods near their home in hopes Shadow would be somewhere near. He always returned to an empty plate waiting on him the next day, but never any sign it was Shadow and not just some wild animal eating it.

He left a blanket once, too.

And a second pair of thicker gloves and warmer socks for cold weather.

They disappeared, too. No signs of Shadow.

Still.. Sonic liked to believe he was close. He was safe. He was okay..

Sitting the bowl of popcorn down between himself and Tails, Knuckles immediately began complaining that he couldn’t reach the bowl.

“Hey! What about me???”

“What about you??” Sonic questions coyly with a little smirk.

“I want some, too!” 

“Go get a bowl of grapes or somethin’.”

“Grapes are sweet. I crave salty.”

“And I crave Keanu Reeves, so hush so I can hear him—“

Their interrupted by Ozzie suddenly jumping up from his spot on the floor and barking, everyone flinching in surprise at the sudden loud noise. Knuckles immediately covers his ears and growls at the dog,

“Hush up, dog! There’s no need to shout!”

“What on earth has gotten into him??” Maddie questions with a knit in her brow, sitting up to try and reach for Ozzie’s collar to calm him.

Sonic’s eyes are locked on the window behind Tom and Maddie, though. The window Ozzie is barking at. The window he swears he just saw two red eyes staring through before disappearing.

“Uhh— he probably just has to potty,” Sonic quickly says, dashing to the coat hanger by the door and snatching Ozzie’s leash off it before appearing back in the living room to clip it to the dog’s collar, “I’ll take him out real quick!”

“Are you sure??” Maddie asks, looking at Sonic a bit suspiciously, “You said watching him potty was violating and disturbing.”

“It is,” Sonic deadpans before quickly adding, “But I’ve gotta pull my weight around here! So I’ll do it. No worries.”

He’s already walking Ozzie to the door, “I’ll be right back— Knuckles, don’t touch my popcorn.”

He’s not even out the door yet, and the echidna is already reaching to grab a few handfuls only to have his hand swatted by Tails who doesn’t even look away from his tablet.

Shutting the door behind him, Sonic is met with the cold air of the night. He shivers a bit at the change in temperature before looking over at the window he had sworn he saw the eyes in..

No one is there.

Sonic walks around the yard a moment, Ozzie sniffing like crazy at the ground. Emerald eyes searching everywhere but spotting nothing. He frowns a bit, sighing as he walks where Ozzie leads him towards the edge of the treeline.

He tries not to be too disappointed.

Maddie has already assured him that when Shadow is ready to be found, he’ll be found. Still, it’s in Sonic’s nature to want everyone safe and together. And he just wants Shadow to be okay..

Ozzie suddenly jerks Sonic forward, the hedgehog stumbling with a “woah” before regaining his composure when the pup stops under a tree. He’s sniffing with his nose straight up, one paw on the tree as he whines.

Sonic blinks at the dog then slowly looks up.

Red eyes stare wide back down at him.

Sonic feels his breath leave him with a little gasp, staring right back at Shadow with wide emerald eyes.

They stay like that, frozen for a long moment before Sonic eventually shakes himself from his daze and clears his throat,

“Uh— you can come down. He doesn’t bite.”

Shadow doesn’t respond. Just keeps staring like a deer stuck in headlights.

Sonic purses his lips and then gives a little tug on Ozzie’s leash to pull the dog back to his side. Ozzie stays whining and sniffing up towards Shadow, but sits obediently on Sonic’s left.

Shadow watches with intrigue, his head tilting just slightly as he seems to relax some. Not much, though.

“…Does he obey you?”

“Huh? Oh- well, for the most part, yeah. Though, he’s not quite gotten down the idea of not eating the food off the countertops when no one is looking,” Sonic snickers back with a little shrug, never looking away from Shadow.

Shadow just stays quiet, observing the two as if silently debating his actions..

And then he starts to climb down.

Sonic can’t help but smile the closer Shadow gets to the ground, practically beaming by the time Shadow’s is close enough to hop down with a grunt and turn and face him.

“…I didn’t mean to disturb your family,” Shadow says after a long moment of silence, uncomfortable with the way Sonic is just staring and smiling.

“Oh- no worries. I’ve read spoilers online, so I’m not missing much,” Sonic shrugs, Shadow just staring at him with a blank expression.

“I have no idea what that means.”

“Right, um-.. just don’t worry about it,” Sonic reiterates with a wave of his hand. Ozzie’s whining is getting a bit more persistent now with Shadow standing before them, tugging slightly at his leach but Sonic keeps him in place. 

“It’s nice to see you again,” Sonic smiles earnestly, “…I’ve worried.”

“You shouldn’t,” Shadow mutters quietly, eyes looking away a bit shamefully. It makes Sonic’s chest ache.

“Well, I have. And so has Mom—“

“Mom?” Shadow questions with a raised brow before he seems to remember, “Right.. you call the humans your parents.”

“They are my parents,” Sonic corrects with conviction, tightening his grip on the leash before sighing and relaxing some.

Shadow doesn’t mean offense. He just doesn’t understand.

“Sorry..,” Shadow mutters, taking a small step back as he rubs his arm awkwardly.

Sonic shakes his head and offers a small smile, “It’s cool, dude.. no worries.”

Shadow hums at that, looking back to Sonic after a moment and then to the home behind him. They can still see the bright screen playing the movie from here, the silhouettes of the Wachowski’s inside enjoying their movie night.

“..You.. could come in..?”

Shadow flinches at that.

“If you wanted,” Sonic quickly adds, not trying to scare Shadow off, “They wouldn’t try and hurt your or anything—“

“I don’t belong here.”

Sonic frowns a bit at that, “Right..”

Another pause of silence.

“…You could belong here—“

“I should go.”

Sonic’s ears droop back at this, immediately wanting to reach and grab the hedgehog before he disappears again.

“Wait!”

Shadow pauses, already halfway turned around to leave.

He doesn’t look at Sonic, but his ears are pointed to show he’s listening.

“I—,” Sonic stumbles on his words, unsure what to say but knowing he needs to say something or he’ll lose him all over again—

“You wanna race??”

Shadow blinks, turning his head to properly look at Sonic now with a raised brow, “..race??”

“Y-yeah! No one can keep up with me like you.. it could be fun!— W-well, I can’t tonight, of course, because it’s movie night. But I can tomorrow!.. if.. if you want..?” Sonic’s brows knit, his emerald eyes earnest and hopeful.

Shadow looks at him for a long moment, pondering his offer in silence and leaving Sonic practically on edge..

“Alright.”

“Alright?”

“Yes.”

“Yes,”  Sonic grins like the sun, unable to stop his tail from wagging. He bounces on his toes excitedly. 

“We’ll meet at the Green Hills sign.”

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s perfect. Cool.”

“Cool,” Shadow nods, looking at Sonic a moment and then at the dog. Then Sonic again.

“…I’m leaving now.”

“Okay,” Sonic says, still smiling and unable to stop, “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Alright..”

Another awkward silence of Sonic just beaming, and Shadow looking at him like he’s the oddest thing he’s ever seen..

And then Shadow’s gone with a gust of wind, leaving Sonic standing there with his dog.

Sonic giggles immediately, jumping in the air with a fist pump and then holding a hand up to Ozzie for a high paw— which Ozzie promptly gives thanks to Sonic’s training.

He turns and leads Ozzie back inside, heart still pounding with nervous excitement as he opens the door and unleashes the pup to let him trot back into the living room.

Sonic follows after him with a dazed look that everyone seems to immediately notice.

“That took a minute,” Maddie points out, eyeing her blue boy suspiciously, “You okay??”

“Huh??” Sonic looks at her before blinking and, “Oh yeah! Yeah. I’m cool. Just a little chilly from the wind.”

“Well come here and cuddle with momma,” Maddie babies, her arms spreading wide and her fingers curling to beckon him into her hug. Sonic doesn’t think twice before he dashes right over, never one to pass up on cuddles.

Maddie immediately wraps him up between her and Tom in their blanket, petting Sonic’s head as Tom chuckles and readjusts to have his arm behind the both of them.

Sonic sighs and melts into the cushions between the two of them, eyes on the screen but mind on tomorrow..

Knuckles takes advantage of his distractedness and eats all the popcorn.

[type1lemonade]

Courtship💕

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Bone Saddle from Bohemia, c.1400-1420 CE: this Medieval saddle is decorated with bone plaques that depict scenes of romance and courtship, with references to sex, pleasure, and chivalry

This saddle was crafted from staghorn, bone, birch bark, rawhide, metal, and limewood. Bone pins and glue were used to fix each plaque to the limewood core of the saddle, and the panels were originally adorned with brightly-colored paints.

The bone plaques are decorated with intricately carved scenes of romance; some of these scenes show women being serenaded by suitors and troubadours, lovers caressing one another, couples exchanging tokens of their affection, and men offering luxury containers in exchange for their lovers' hearts. Squeezed beneath the left flank of the saddle is a scene that depicts two lovers holding hands and gazing at one another, while another scene on the right flank shows a man and woman standing cheek-to-cheek as the woman wraps her arms around the man's back and pulls him to her breast.

Knights, dragons, and monstrous figures are also depicted on several panels.

As the Metropolitan Museum of Art describes:

Romantic and erotic imagery adorned not only the pages of late medieval manuscripts and the vessels of a lady’s private dressing table; these themes were equally suited to the public self-fashioning of European nobles.

Illicit touch and unmediated sight are just two of the carnal senses evoked by this saddle. Tucked between larger figures, troubadours and instrument-bearing grotesques evoke the auditory pleasures of the court, while floral and arboreal motifs conjure the alluring sights, smells, and tastes of a pleasure garden.

On the right tip of the saddle’s pommel, a man pokes his hand into a conical hat as a cheeky reference to the amorous intentions of the embracing couple below. ... Even the shape of the saddle is suggestive. The accentuated curvature of the pommel and the double-lobed cantle (a common feature of Eastern European saddles) emphasize the saddle’s phallic form.

For those viewers bold enough to inspect the saddle’s hidden surfaces, grotesques under the pommel and at the center back of the cantle offer comic relief while also warning against the bestial side of desire.

The morals of late medieval Christianity are primarily embodied on this saddle by Saint George, shown as a knight spearing a dragon on the right side of the pommel. According to hagiographic precedent, the dragon’s defeat secured the safety of a captive maiden, an ideal of feminine purity threatened by the corruption of evil.

Saint George and the dragon and scenes of courtly love dominate the roughly twenty bone saddles that survive from late medieval Europe.

Attached to a limewood core with bone pins and glue, the carved panels probably derive from the pelvic bones of cows or other large animals. The underside of the saddle is lined with hide and birch bark. Although these fragile materials are ill suited for the battlefield or daily use, bone’s off-white color and receptiveness to carving served as the ideal ground for eye-catching carvings and paintings.

Viewers today should remember that the saddle was originally brightly colored with blue, green, and red paint. The saddle was also just one part of a larger ensemble of a horse’s parade armor.

This particular saddle is associated with the court of Wenceslaus IV.

Sources & More Info:

Metropolitan Museum: Bone Saddle

Museum Publication: Prague: the Crown of Bohemia

American Journal of Archaeology: Mediaeval Sculptured Saddle

The Gothic Ivories Project at the Courtauld Institute of Art: Trivulzio Saddle

Central European University: The Art of Love in Late Medieval Bone Saddles (PDF)

[artemlegere]

Marguerite and Faust in the Garden

Artist: Ary Scheffer (Dutch, 1795-1858)

Movement: Romanticism

Date: 1846

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia

Description

Scheffer’s work has been criticised as being overly sentimental, but his emotionally charged images struck a chord with the public, and he was one of the most popular artists of his day. Scheffer was inspired by the clarity of composition, and the direct approach to narrative, of Italian painting from before 1500. He frequently drew inspiration from great works of literature, such as, in this painting, Goethe’s Faust. Here Faust is seen courting Marguerite, watched by her neighbour Martha and Mephistopheles. The mocking expression on the face of Mephistopheles points to the tragic consequences that will result from this courtship.

[vladdyissues]

Day 16: Courtship

[boy-warbler]

The pursuit of happiness. This Mallard female wants to be where the boys are

[lulublack90]

Prompt 27 - Courtship

@jegulus-microfic December 27, Word count 298

Previous part First part

As soon as the door shut, James dragged his eyes away from Regulus and looked around the room. It was a bedroom. Why in Merlin’s name was there a random bedroom on the seventh floor? The door had just appeared as well. Was this another of Hogwarts’s many secrets? 

Regulus grabbed his chin and tried to get his attention back on him, but James was far too interested in the room. 

“What is this place?” He asked, taking in the crackling fireplace and the thick rug before it. Regulus huffed but answered him anyway. 

“The house elves call it the come-and-go. It can only be found by those who know it’s there, and it can be anything you need it to be,” Regulus closed his eyes, his nose wrinkled slightly as he thought, and James wanted to kiss those little creases so badly. 

A trunk full of fluffy blankets banged on the floor beside the fireplace as it popped into existence. James gasped. He left Regulus and went to touch the blankets. They were real and ridiculously soft. He closed his own eyes and thought about what he wanted for the room. 

Dozens of candles appeared, flames blinking into existence one after the other. Vases of sweet-smelling flowers appeared on every surface as he walked forward and wrapped his arms around Regulus, ready to pick up where they left off. 

“James, this isn’t a courtship,” Regulus scoffed at what James had added to the room, trying to escape James’s arms, but James tightened his grip, forcing Regulus close again. 

“No, love, it’s already far more than that,” He dipped his head and captured Regulus’s lips, revelling in the little moan that escaped Regulus’s throat that he had caused. He smiled as he slowly guided Regulus towards the bed. 

Next part

[oasisr]

When men neg you by putting down your talents, run. Things will not get better.

Even if you aren't good at something and are just a beginner, he should not be mocking you or bullying you for that.

I'm not a great singer or painter, but I enjoy singing and painting sometimes. My ex would mock me and tell me that he wanted to marry someone who could actually sing.

I gave him another chance after he hurt my feelings. He was good for a couple of weeks, and then went right back to mocking me and putting me down.

Just run. You are beautiful even if you aren't good at everything you try. You don't need someone to put you down and try to harm your self-worth.

You are worthy of someone who will treat you like you are a special and beautiful woman. Because you are.