#I thought I'd make this for y'all

[inky-duchess]

Fantasy Guide to Wards and Fostering

I get a lot of asks about wards and recently it's been a FAQ. So here's a quick guide to warding.

What is Warding?

Warding was a tradition in which a noble it royal family would take in a child from another family to their home for the purpose of educating them and preparing them for adulthood or to protect their interests. Warding was seen as a big compliment to the family of the foster child, especially if the family that fosters their child is much higher ranking. However, warding could also be in response to the family's misbehavior and insubordination or in some cases their death. Warding isn't adoption. Warding does not entitle the child to inherit anything. They cannot inherit a place in the succession, they cannot inherit lands or money or titles.

The Ward

The ward was usually a child of a lower ranking family, between the ages of seven to maturity at 16 or so. Wards usually had parents in which case the foster family was charged with the child's physical and educational welfare. The ward could return to their parents at any time either at their insistence or with the blessing of their foster family. Wards were raised alongside the host family's children as well as other wards. They were fed, clothed and educated by their foster family as essentially treated as part of the family. However, wards that come from unfriendly or rebellious families were essentially used as chips for good behaviour. If their parents or kin act up, they could be killed. Wards could also be orphaned. In this case, their foster father would have control their lands and money which is why an overlord would seek to claim warship over a vassal heir to ensure peace. Wards could also be adopted by family.

The Foster Family

The family were nearly always higher ranking and usually had another motive other than charity for taking in the ward. Sometimes the child could be used as collateral against an untrustworthy family or sometimes they were prospective spouses for the family's heirs. It was the responsibility of the foster family to discipline, educate and protect the ward. They would be charged with teaching the ward all the trappings of their position from warfare to statecraft to etiquette.

Wards to Royal families

In some cases, a ward might strike gold and be warded at court by the monarch. Wards would live at court but would be unlikely to be taught the skills by the monarch or Consort personally but would be provided with the best tutors. Wards could be brought in to be companions to the Royal children or in order to ensure their inheritances were not subjected to disputes if they were orphans or again, if their family were likely to commit trouble. Royal wards were always nobility but in some rare and extreme cases they could also be royal themselves, usually of displaced and exiled families or as prospective matches to royal children.

Wardship & Women

In some cases, an unmarried woman or a widow could be placed in the protection of an overlord or male relative in order to protective her interests. If a woman was the heir to a grand title or vast fortune and had no father or brother, the monarch or overlord would insist that a male relative or her overlord would take her in lest her claim put her in danger. Usually, it would be up to their host to arrange a match or aid her in brokering one herself.

[chogiwow]

CHANGBIN | 240719 FACECAM

[jontaro-kun]

God I love women I wish they were real

[thelilylav]

"Tell me every terrible thing you ever did, and let me love you anyway."

Darabella they could never make me hate you <3

[stabbyfoxandrew]

I am proceeding orderly to your askbox, totally not running and stumbling over myself, humbly requesting the light of my life, Angel Neil. Or Mer AU, if Angel Neil isn't behaving and needs quiet time in the corner. (I haven't been paying much attention to Tumblr lately, I hope you're doing well!)

WIP Wednesday (9/25) | Guardian Angel Neil AU (Part 239)

"Her name was Lacey,” Bee says finally. “She said she saw ghosts."

"Past tense?"

"Past tense." Betsy repeats, looking solemn. "But there are no similarities between you and Lacey. You describe Neil as an angel, a being who would not hurt you. Her case was... Very different. I just wanted to be sure. And now I am. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Oh, I have plenty to worry about. Neil is not on the list.”

“If that ever changes, if Neil ever threatens you, I need you to tell me."

"He won't." 

"But if he does."

"Then I swear on hot chocolate and reality television that I will come to you first." Andrew says, holding up his hand as if he's testifying in court. Bee seems pleased by that. And amused. Andrew puts his hand down. “So… You're still of the mind that Neil's my imaginary friend, correct?"

"Or a harmless side effect of your medication."

Andrew sits there for a moment, pushes his tongue into his cheek. "What if he's not?"

"What if he's not harmless?" Bee asks, looking the slightest bit alarmed.

"No." Andrew gestures with his hand, trying to communicate without having to come up with words. "What if he isn't a side effect?"

"Are you suggesting that he is actually an angel here to protect you?"

"What I am suggesting, Betsy, is that it's a bit strange for him to only have shown up a few months ago when I have been taking these things for years."

"I…” Betsy closes her mouth. “That's a good point."

"So, what if the drugs have nothing to do with him? What if I'm just plain ol' psychotic?"

"I'm not sure that's a possibility, Andrew," Betsy says, flipping through his paperwork. "You have no family history of psychosis—"

"Oh Betsy, you forget who you're speaking to. I have no family history, period. If you recall, I only have two living relatives and they're both my age. My sperm donor could be tied down in a psych ward anywhere in the country and I would never know."

"Okay. You're right. It is possible. But I think the chances are pretty slim.”

“How slim?”

“Nearly non-existent.” Bee says. After a moment, she continues, “I have patients who are psychotic, Andrew. I’ve had patients who were schizophrenic. You do not exhibit the same symptoms as they do. I promise.”

"So I don't need to get fitted for a straight jacket."

"Exactly. Andrew, I'll reassure you as many times as you need me to. But I think you're fine. After June, we'll know if Neil was a side effect. If he sticks around after you're off your meds, we'll talk about it more. Okay?"

“I don’t think he’s a side effect, Betsy.” Andrew says. “I’ve seen him without them.”

“Without them?”

“At night when I come off them to sleep. Early in the morning before I’ve taken them.”

“Ah. Then, like I’ve been telling you, he’s a coping mechanism.” Betsy says. But she's wrong. Andrew has seen Neil eat and drink and hold things. He’s felt the angel’s warmth when they sat side by side. If Andrew has seen him sober, Neil is not a side effect. If Andrew is not psychotic, Neil is not a hallucination. That means he’s real. 

Boo hoo for Lacey, but Andrew's got an angel.

"I think you'd like Neil," Andrew says randomly.

“Of course I do. He’s good for you." Bee says, taking Andrew by surprise. She's said as much before, but not in so many words. As if answering an unasked question, she continues with, "You've told me that Neil encourages you to take care of yourself, to spend time with your family, to catch up on school work, and to take exy more seriously. These are positive things." 

“The rest I’ll give you. But exy will never be a positive.”

[somewhatsentientspellbook]

having some trouble choosing an identity ashton? these new revelations messing with your sense of self? are you a nobody, a hishari, or a hell?

[butwhatifidothis]

Still baffled that Hopes so blatantly wrote Claude as the typical Evil Vaguely Middle Eastern Man set on destroying the Good White Nation for his Evil Vaguely Middle Eastern Nation that is often seen in fantasy settings - complete with him being seen as worse than a white woman who does many of the same evil deeds he does in-verse, even by his friends (should it be the bad ending route of SB) - and so many in the fandom were so eager to gobble that shit up. INSIST that "Clearly A Racist Stereotype" is LEAGUES better than "Subversion Of A Racist Stereotype" even. Like I don't think I'll ever get over how supremely fucked that is

[notdysfunk]

Alright, work was very slow today so I had a lot of time to make a lot of assumptions about your boy. Here goes:

He knows the basics of sewing. This has made him the main guy the kids run to when a plush toy gets ripped or a button on a jacket comes off.

Even though he looks like he'd drink coffee (if he could drink) I imagine he actually prefers a nice herbal tea.

Is a loner, so all his friends had to initiate the friendship. He's aware of this and worries that if he were to lose any of them, he wouldn't be able to easily find another.

Really good at side-eyeing.

Doesn't like when people call him Cal.

Can't dance and isn't interested in learning, but if he had to, he'd probably want to learn something elegant and smooth rather than anything bouncy (don't ask me what specific dance he'd want to learn because I don't know anything about dancing lol)

Doesn't mess with things he doesn't understand. If a new machine is installed he wants to know what it is, what it does, and how exactly to work it before he so much as touches it.

Not a great hugger tbh. If he saw someone open their arms to hug him he'd proabably open his arms defensively and back away (or just ouright tell them he doesn't want a hug). If he does actually get hugged he just goes stiff as a board, maybe he'll give the hugger an awkward pat on the back if he likes them tho.

Really good at cooking eggs??? I don't know why but I just feel like he'd be really good at cooking eggs! Maybe I'm just hungry idk. I'll let you know if I come up with any more.

ALRIGHT LETS DO THIS, I LOVE ALL OF THESE IDEAS HEHE Lemme tell u if ur right or wrong mwehehe 1. Actually, no! @end3rf0x's Accimer and @kh0well's Tilaa are the only two who really could do a good job of sewing. In later eras of the story, Callisto actually bonds with Accimer by asking him to sew up a hole in his coat. 2. He doesn't drink often, but I imagine he'd be down for both! 3. Yes! He's my angsty boy, when he arrived at the Fazology Plex, he was NOT down to clown. He had lost the only person he knew, and was terrified to lose anyone else- and thus he didn't make any effort to get closer to anyone. Tilaa, serving as a motherly figure, was one of the first to get him to crack. Myrtus, Accimer, Pluto where a co-workers-to-friends line quickly after 4. LOL?? PROBABLY 5. I often call him Calli, and Myrtus calls him Callico sometimes. But yeah, he wouldn't like just "Cal" 6. Hmmm? I imagine he's not a very good jig-dancer. He'd learn a ballroom dance for the sake of his partner, but yeah he just kinda... shimmies if asked to groove. 7. This one's really interesting, I'm not sure? In a wild attempt to get someone back from his past, he has tampered with all kinds of technology and wires- He was pretty reckless then, maybe he's a little more careful now 8. THIS DEPENDS!! If it's someone he isn't super close with, i.e. a human coworker, yea he's very awkward about it. One of the kiddos? He'd give the best hugs, his plush coat would make it so soft. And if it were someone he's soft for, Myrtus, Pluto, Accimer, Tilaa? He's likely have a pretty good cradling-back-of-head hug. His hug for people like that would likely be pretty solid, it'd likely feel for him as if a loose grip would cause him to lose them too... 9. LOL MAYBE? Never even thought about him cooking- but since I like fried eggs I'll say yes oops almost forgor lemme toss this little picture of him on here

[skeletoninthemelonland]

he wants to give you a hug

oh no

[turtleduckmocha]

trimeshi enjoyers i see your chimera!vash and raise you... wolfwood as [MANGA SPOILERS] marcille

or as my partner @sozosnipes named him, Wolfcille <3

[forthevibe-w]

as usual with me, we have to take it slow the first time that i peg her.

despite her usual docility, she guides my strap to her hole. i'm sure she'd prefer if i did it, but i need help for the first time.

so she positions herself, then slowly lowers herself onto my strap. and she moans so loud, undoing herself before me, fucking herself on my dick. i will just watch with fascination, figuring out how to replicate what she likes. if she sounds so pretty now, i wonder what she'll sound like when i do it.

after a few moments, i will stop her. i'll grab her neck, or her hair, or even her waist, and tell her to stop. i'll remove myself from her hole, and flip us around, and pin her to the bed. i'll kiss her pretty lips and wait her her to beg for more. she's so desperate at this point, i doubt it'll take long, but i won't rush. i will touch her softly and bite her hard until i hear her ask for me to fuck her. if she rushes, i'll curl my lips into a smile, and whisper "be patient," until i'm ready.

this time, i'll fuck her myself. i will position myself over her aching hole and listen. when she begs, having tasted my strap but not truly been fucked by me, i will give her more than a taste. she said she likes it rough, so rough i will be. i'll slam into her with brute, unpracticed thrusts. i don't know how to be gentle, and would i even want to be? seeing her, i always want to take. this time, seeing her pleading beneath me, i want to fuck her at my will. i watched her do it, i know how she likes it, so this time, i'm letting her lie back and i am fucking her.

i'll watch her squirm beneath me, those huge eyes rolled back, helpless and consumed with pleasure. i'll listen to her pathetic noises moaned in sync with my rhythm, watching her hands go above her head without my action. i'll watch her become overwhelmed, crying, and incoherent. and then i'll watch her cum harder than she has in a long time.

and after she finishes, i want to hold her tight. i want to take her in my arms, and kiss her forehead, and make sure it wasn't too hard. i'll take off the strap and trace patterns into her skin while she comes down. i want to keep her there until the after tremors have faded and she's able to say more than "wow."

all this say, i want to fuck her, but we'll have to take it slow the first time. at least, slow at first. i'm sure i'll get used to it, but it'll take me a moment.

[meadow-roses]

HI! is 'With a Story Brush, Paint the Dusk Venetian Blue' a reference to something? its really pretty!

Hello! :D It's actually a misquote of an Owl City song, from "The Real World". The actual lyrics are "With a starry brush, paint the dusk venetian blue" but I misheard it lol and decided not to change it. XD

I think of it kind of like the Christian's mission to create beauty in a fallen and dark world. What I specifically am seeking to create are good stories to inspire and encourage that can be a light to someone in a dark place. "With a story brush paint the dusk venetian blue"... it's easy to look at the way things are and only see the bad stuff (trust me I know lol) and often times it takes help from someone outside you to help you see the beauty and whimsy that's all around you. So often this help comes from stories!! Yeah it's dark out but look at the fireflies! Look at the way the dusky sky is painted so rich and beautiful! It might be dark now but the sunset is a herald for the sunrise- morning is coming! :D

[camellcat]

I love being a multishipper

[thatgoddamngingerundercut]

just a lil color comp post because why is the swamp filter even a thing honestly???

[crossbackpoke-check]

Why I Am Not Coming In To Work Today [abridged], Jess Zimmerman

part one | part two

[secrettastemakerland]

colin and edmund bridgerton..... tyler the creators' like him........