#THIS IS BASICALLY DAUGHTER OF DIONE

[lxdymoon0357]

Idk if your requests are open it not but if it is can you give me some pinjng for Roxanna x fem reader / gen reader? I need more of her 😭

(Honestly, understandable. She is a bit of a goddess...a demonic one, but a goddess nonetheless. Homophobia LGBT ally)

© Writing belongs to me, Lxdymoon0357. Do not plagiarize, but reblogging, liking and commenting is deeply appreciated.

Roxanna Agriche X Fem! Reader Headcanons.

⊈ Rozanna either met you as you were her maid or you were a pet from another noble house. Either way, she had you under her control, doing her dangerous betting every single day. She had you easily wrapped around her perfectly, bloody manicured finger.

⊈ Your life was daily in her hands and she was always careless with it, but you know what you did when you came here; either by force or own desperate situation, but of-course it never scared less not knowig which is your last day.

⊈ Eventually you and her did fall in love and she had you close...Though Lante was horrified at his daughter being in love with a girl, but afterwards he calmed down and let her date you, as long as she'd somehow get a child for him to his lineage continues and Roxanna nonchalantly agrees.

⊈ Level passed!! New Level: You're an Agriche now!

⊈ Of-course you're now also a victim to many of the Agriches, including Dion, Charlotte, Fondaine and possibly others. But it's okay, Sierra adores you, Maria...she is weirdly infatuated, Jeremy is slightly jealous you're taking his sister's attention, but eventually you also become his friend.

⊈ She often feeds your blood to the butterflies as well, so they can recognize you too. Also adding tiny doses of poison into your tea, food, drinks. Has the most expensive furs decorating you with the heaviest security around your room.

⊈ Freedom is basically non-existent with the way she moved you into her room and you didn't go outside for like...three months! (I know it's normal for you nerds, probs. But please be normal right now.) ut yeah, almost zero freedom of going out, your'e free to do yada yada in your room though.

⊈ I know for SURE! Roxanne doesn't allow Dion anywhere near you, you'll easily be his next victim so Dion can see Roxanne's emotions more rawful, Charlotte is just annoyed with you being here, because you're simply BELOW her and you're also one of the favourites of THIS HOUSE?! FUCK YOU!

⊈ Speaking of favourites, you'll be joining them in Lant's "special-favourite children dinner" whenever it happens, maids and butlers and cooks are asked to taste everything in advance so you don't get poisoned by ANYONE. It will rain hell by Roxanna if anything happened.

⊈ Has you in makeout sessions right before bed, her fingers gently groping your tits and tweaking your nips, very gently though...depends if it leads to more or simply just a makeout sessions where you both sleep snuggled against each other, where she wakes up every few hours to make sure you're alive.

⊈ Has made sure you're always as safe as her mum, speaking of her mum. You spend a majority of your free time with Sierra, she likes you though a bit nervous around you two. You have to be super nice and get her to warm up to you and she'll adore you as much as she adores her daughter, likes that someone in this house brings her daughter happiness even if she herself couldn't.

⊈ Lanta, Charlotte, Dion, Maria, Grizelda are weirdly homophobic..yet allies? I don't get it, but imagine them just mocking Roxanne for liking a girl despite being beautiful, but the moment a guy or anyone would try to get near you and the person is dead because they're like "Not Roxanne's little shit, you fucker. I'll fuck you up if you hurt her, she's only ours to hurt" like a messed up family dynamic which is hysterically insane.

[sacredhyacinth]

THERES MORE EXPERIMENTS THAN ANITA??? I NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THEM PLSPLSPLSPLSPLSPLS 🙏🙏🙏

OK

I’ve had this idea for a while however I might tweak a few things so take this with a grain of salt

when David was creating the Blood Moon time, he went to Gunua under the pretense of trading with the island—however he spent his time there with the Gunua Court trying to get to Lady Eleanor. When he finally had to chance to speak with her, David offered to exchange Flores’ method of managing different worlds and creation of life through herbs—for a cup of honey from the bottle of eternal life, Eleanor would agree only to use it to monitor the Flowers Grove world

however to create the BM timeline, David was required to go outside the island—to bypass this, he requested a worshipper of the temple to go find these herbs/items in his name

in exchange he gifted the worshipper half the cup of honey—telling them to only use it when necessary HOWEVERRR this worshipper would try to use the honey to try and cheat life, so they ran away from the island. Maida’s previous teaching in Scaylum had a passed down tradition of healing—but never immortality as it would require the honey

so the worshipper went to Scaylum/aka the Plains and used the sacred tradition to keep them alive for hundreds of years. Over the years the Worshipper would also try to revive the dead using honey, famously it would work with Caina (#002) however it would take years for her to actually wake up—the experiment was a success and see would be the model for the rest of the revival experiments. but the Worshipper would have to deal with the consequences of these experiments—the side effects of these half human half plant patients (Caina, Leona) and quickly faded into obscurity

the experiments would be picked up by Anita’s mother (around 1910s) who was a medical student under Opuntia. They extracted the honey from the flowers grown from the experiments to revive Rosemary (#004) a daughter of a nobleman in Spain. Then Anita’s mother would keep Opuntia alive through the years with the honey—but the same side effects would occur similar to Caina, Leona, and Rosemary. In late 1960s, Anita’s mother and Opuntia would famously revive Dione and Jupiter Mellon, two American socialites whose families sought the treatment after the story of Rosemary became well known through the states. However their side effects would be different as Dione would become akin to an oracle, and basically gained visions of the future—however her husband Jupiter could transfix the weather and thunder if under high levels of stress

after the “positive” side effects Dione and Jupiter were given, Anita’s mother was convinced it was time to attempt to revive her daughter IT WORKS LMAO however Anita can’t adjust to the modern age (early 1990s, 2000s) and avoids journalist who ask for her story on beating death—unlike the rest of the experiments who were already obscure and were well off enough to numerous shows/interviews/publications, Anita was the only one who was “public” enough to be interviewed, which is why Juliana is deadset on interviewing her and trying to find out the revival process Opuntia and Anita’s mother took

uhh it’s short short summary the experiments were just rich families paying to revive their children/beloved family members, however Loretta is only classified as an experiment because she was created with the honey like the others, and it had super weird side effects to go with it—for example Blood Moon Lori was basically omnipotent

Also if you guys remember #009 (Sol) basically Elise will take over the next experiment by trying to maintain the anger of Sol, the (kinda) rebirth of the deity Sol. The design is super old and I’m gonna have to design #009 but that’s basically my lore for Anita’s story, it might change to make it less Rick and morty but its fun to write lol

[mask131]

I just thought of bringing back some of the Homeric versus Hesiodic differences, after a chat I had with @themousefromfantasyland . This is not exhaustive but just a few points you can bring up in discussions.

Hesiodic Aphrodite: born from Ouranos' cut-off family jewels thrown into the sea (most popular version today). Homeric Aphrodite: a more "regular" Olympian born of Zeus and Dione (poor Dione goes from prominent Homeric character to secondary Hesiodic character).

Hesiodic Eris: One of the children of Nyx the Night, born in primordial times and part of a whole host of personifications of the afflictions of humanity. Homeric Eris: Part of the Olympian family, sister of Ares, daughter of Zeus and Hera.

Hesiodic Hyperion: Definitively different from his son Helios, not the same dude. Homeric Hyperion: almost always an alternate name for Helios (except maybe for one instance...)

Hesiodic Oceanos and Tethys: just part of the regular host of Titans. Homeric Oceanos and Tethys: primordial entities considered father and mother of all the gods, and very likely creation gods that predated or equaled Gaia and Ouranos.

Hesiodic Moirai: the three spinsters we know today, a trio of specific goddesses dealing with lifespan of mortals and the greater fate to which all the gods must abide (though the Hesiodic tradition offers two different lineages for them, either Zeus' children and thus part of the Olympian family, either daughters of Night and thus primordial forces like Eris). Homeric Moirai: do not really exist, as "Moira" (singular) is more of an abstraction/figure of speech than an actual goddess - meanwhile it is Zeus, as king of the gods and master of the universe, who is the "god of fate", in charge of stuff like weighing individual destinities on a scale to check what to do next.

Metis and her legend comes from the Hesiodic tradition. There's no mention of Metis in Homeric tradition: we know Athena was born "without a mother" out of Zeus, but we don't know the how and why. In a reverse, the Hesiodic Hephaistos was born of Hera alone, without a father, while Homer (according to later commentaries and scholia) pushed forward the Zeus+ Hera parentage.

Also... Hesiod doesn't (at least from what I recall) evoke the whole "Aphrodite cheated on Hephaistos" thing? I don't recall seeing him talk about Aphrodite marrying Hephaistos anywhere. The story is present within Homer, but in the Hesiodic tradition, while we do have Aphrodite hooking up with Ares and Hephaistos marrying Aglaia, we don't have anything about a possible adultery that led to this situation... Though for this last point I am not certain, I haven't checked this part in a while.

There's much more, of course - and feel free to add more. But it's already, I think, a good reminder of how the very "basic" texts, the "foundations" of Greek mythology are born of two differing tradition, an "older" one (Homeric) and a more "recent", classical one that dominated in later texts (Hesiod) - meanwhile what we have in "common culture" today is a random mix of the two.

[lyculuscaelus]

The Iliad, book 5, line 406–415

νήπιος, οὐδὲ τὸ οἶδε κατὰ φρένα Τυδέος υἱὸς ὅττι μάλ᾽ οὐ δηναιὸς ὃς ἀθανάτοισι μάχηται, οὐδέ τί μιν παῖδες ποτὶ γούνασι παππάζουσιν ἐλθόντ᾽ ἐκ πολέμοιο καὶ αἰνῆς δηϊοτῆτος. τὼ νῦν Τυδεΐδης, εἰ καὶ μάλα καρτερός ἐστι, 410 φραζέσθω μή τίς οἱ ἀμείνων σεῖο μάχηται, μὴ δὴν Αἰγιάλεια περίφρων Ἀδρηστίνη ἐξ ὕπνου γοόωσα φίλους οἰκῆας ἐγείρῃ κουρίδιον ποθέουσα πόσιν τὸν ἄριστον Ἀχαιῶν ἰφθίμη ἄλοχος Διομήδεος ἱπποδάμοιο. 415 Fool—the son of Tydeus, down in his heart he knows not That verily he who fought with gods will not live long, Nor would his children call him “papa” by his knees Upon coming back from war and dreadful battle. So now let the son of Tydeus, for so mighty as he is, Beware, in case anyone better than you attacks him: Not before long Aegialeia—prudent daughter of Adrestus, Wake up from sleep mourning in her house for her love, Yearning for her wedded husband, the best of Achaeans— Even she, steadfast wife of Diomedes tamer of horses!

Notes:

δηναιός: ��long-lived”, basically δην- (long) plus -αιος (suffix added with the sense of “belonging to”). Here when you look at the text: οὐ δην(αιός) in line 407 is actually resembling μὴ δήν in line 412, both denying the lasting of time.

παππάζουσιν: as you can see, the verb παππάζω (pappazo) comes from the noun παππάς (pappas), very onomatopoeic. It means “prattle, call someone ‘papa’”. And I just can’t get over this because it being used here just hurts so much…gets me every time.

μή τίς: here specifically, “in case anyone”, since there is the subjunctive μάχηται (should he attacks) being used with the phrase. Also for reasons I believe Homer is using another wordplay here: when joined together, μήτις means “no one”. And if you put this in the context: Dione (Aphrodite’s mother in the Iliad) telling Aphrodite “no one is better than you”, as in a mother telling her daughter who just got hurt that “you’re the best”, as comfort.

μὴ δήν: “not in a long while”. So I’ve seen translations that take δήν (long, for a long while) as δή (indeed, verily) but they’re in fact different words. Also look, another wordplay: when put together, this is part of Diomedes’s name: (Διο)μήδην (accusative form). It’s like having Aegialeia as “part of Diomedes”.

περίφρων: “prudent, wise”, characteristic epithet for Penelope—a prudent woman who’d rather trick her suitors for three years straight for her husband to return, instead of consorting with them. Here, it’s used for Aegialeia. Let it sink in.

γοόωσα: “wail, weep, mourn”. Could it be she’s mourning for Diomedes’s potential death if it ever happens that someone better than Aphrodite attacks him? Could it be she’s weeping for Diomedes just because she’s “yearning for her wedded husband”? (I’d say, both.)

ἐγείρῃ: “rouse, wake up”. The same form corresponds to a few grammatical cases for the verb but 3rd person singular subjunctive active fits both grammatically and contextually here. It means “should she wake up”, and combined with μὴ δήν at the start of this sentence, “it would not be long should she wake up (from sleep weeping)”.

ἰφθίμη: “steadfast, stately”. It’s used for somebody stalwart to someone else. It’s also used for women being stately and comely. Apparently in Homer’s point of view a woman being stalwart contributes to her comeliness. And here, it’s used for Aegialeia. Let it sink in.

Διομήδεος ἱπποδάμοιο: “Diomedes tamer of horses”. Being in genitive form, this naturally comes along with ἄλοχος (wife) meaning “wife of Diomedes tamer of horses”, instead of with ἄριστον Ἀχαιῶν (best of Achaeans) which is in accusative form here—that doesn’t fit grammatically. So can we just talk about how Homer used the flexibility of Ancient Greek grammar to separate line 412 and 415 when they could totally stick together, to put “wife of Diomedes tamer of horses” at the end of the sentence, not only to contrast with πόσιν (husband) in the previous line, but also to emphasize Aegialeia’s identity as, “steadfast wife of Diomedes tamer of horses”. Which is a bad*ss line drop just like “��ερσὶ δαμέντ᾽ Ἀχιλῆος ἀμύμονος Αἰακίδαο.” from book 16 (line 854)—“overpowered in the hands of Achilles blameless grandson of Aeacus!”

[lilithprincessofdarkness]

The Infernal Messengers who can help guide one through Sheol (Hell)

Good spirits to turn to when you need to tame a demon.- By Lailith Hazot Venus. (Leala)

She is a wise old mother, Goddess keeper of the gates. God respected her and gave her the rule of parts of Sheol, Earth, and Heaven. She's known notoriously for rescuing Eve from Samyaza, allowing her to return to Earth she has her hands in shadow work, pharmakeia, and the challenges of the crossroads. She is the Goddess of the Moon Diana and mate to Lucifer.

Her symbol is a maze with a Sapphire in it representing the knowledge in the darkness. ❤️

She is a Triple Moon Goddess as Hekate-Eve-Lilith (though originally it was Hekate-Eve-Demeter.

Circe, Hekate's daughter, is the master of Pharmakeia. She will help your green magick grow amazingly. She can also guide you to use plant based knowledge to embrace shadow work. She is known for seducing Odysseus and turning his crew to pigs. She represents the fangs of the witch. Turning someone to a pig is basically embarrassing them. She teaches you how to be a step ahead in a debate.

Nyx, the goddess of the Night who was feared by even God. She is beautiful but unpredictable. She is the true and first mother of Lilith, Lilith later on became Dione's daughter then she was adopted by Hekate when she became a demoness. Nyx's symbol is a pentacle with a black moon at the spirit point she will force you to face your darkness, and help you sleep and calm down. She will also shed light on your taboos and has similiar power to her daughter Lilith.

Samael is a primary angel of death and divine justice son of Nyx. He is the perfect partner to do shadow work and spiritual core strengthening with. He, like Hekate, Lilith, and Lucifer, can easily navigate the realm of Sheol/Hades/The Spirit World and can work easily alongside Hekate, Lilith, or his mother Nyx.

♡

[corpseri]

I have a funny idea... The roxana cast with Jeremy's twin reader.. She's younger ofc.. I want to know how Chaotic it'll be.. Like what if she's lante's favourite other than dion? She's Dion's favorite little sister too? So many ideas-

TWTPTFLOB WITH JEREMY'S TWIN SISTER

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Yes I loveeeee. Sorry if this was rushed

The moment you both popped out of your mother's vagina all hell broke loose

You both were like two peas in a pod, actually. After your mother killed herself you both made a secret vow to always be there for each other

To get Lante's attention, you have to do something extraordinary. Being a woman means less opportunities as you don't go out for missions, instead using seduction and intellect in your plays

I think you would have to start small. Maybe you made him a little trinket when you were around 6. He kept it on him because it was small and he wasn't bothered to deal with your whining

Then you made him another, this one was more intricate. He wouldn't admit the hours he spent in his office just staring at the thing, wondering how a child could make it

So he asks for commissions, buying uou the best quality metals and materials to practice on. It wasn't long until you started selling them for profit

You'd also make some free of charge trinkets for your siblings. As I said in a previous headcanon, Jeremy flaunts everything you make him, so news will eventually spread

And of course, you gave one to the second oldest sibling of the Agriches. You both were quite young, so he was more likely to accept such a small, delicate thing

But eventually, you stopped giving free trinkets. Someone's gotta make some profit, yk

He got sad, so he actually pays for your services, giving you a huge tip at the end (100% tip) so you basically double your profit

Sometimes he would even sit down on a chair in your work space in silence, watching you do your thing

As you had practical use of business, Lante gave a special exception with the final test thing everyone has to do at 16, he thought you to be too valuable to risk losing

And soon later, you became the favourite sibling and daughter of the three most important figures of the Agriche

©️umi-adxhira [07/11/2024]

[trashwithvariety]

OC Tag Game

Thank you for tagging me @hedwigoprah and @the-bear-and-his-sunbird ! I know this is a couple days late but life has been wild recently.

Tagging @serbarris @rooks-leather-jumpsuit @curiouswisp and anyone else who would like to yap about their OCs!!

OC: Francesca! Ofc because I'm in love with her. This is gonna be about game Ches, somewhat different from AU Ches.

General:

Name: Francesca Ingellvar

Alias: Ches, Professor, Rook

Gender: Female (she/her)

Age: 48

Spoken Language: Nevarran, Common, and a minor amount of Tevene, and she can read Tomb Script

Sexual Orientation: Demisexual

Occupation: Mourn Watch - Professor of Defensive Magic, Veilguard Mama

Favorite…

Color: emerald green, burgundy

Entertainment: music and dancing, romance novels (guilty pleasure)

Pastime: an avid chess player, loves to challenge the team at strategy games, and she and Emmrich like to share his office space to catch up on university work and enjoy each other's company

Food: She's pescatarian! She got a taste for fresh fish while visiting Dorian in Minrathous when they were younger

Drink: She enjoys Antivan blend coffee (basic but delicious) and likes to have a glass of wine at the end of a long day. Sweet red.

Have they…

Passed University: Yes! She was actually in school with Dorian when he was training under Emmrich. She graduated and became a Watcher, then worked her way into teaching! She teaches young Nevarran mages basic defense against malign spirits.

Had Sex: Yes!

Had Sex in Public: ...perhaps, but she would never say...

Got Tattoos: Yes... Though one of them was not voluntary.

Got Piercings: She has her ears pierced, covered in different pieces of grave gold and precious gems.

Got Scarred: Her tattoo could technically be considered a scar...

Had a Broken Heart: Once in her youth, but she tends not to fall in love easily, so not since then

Are they…

A Cuddler: My girl is touch starved please someone give her a gentle touch... She wants to reach out but she's afraid to. (Emmrich touching her hand on the skull sent her heart hammering)

Scared Easily: Not very. She has anxiety that she has learned to cope with over the years, but she tends to wait until she knows she's alone before she cries it out.

Jealous Easily: Hmm... Moderately. But only for Emmrich. She feels somewhat possessive of him more than any other lover she's had.

Trustworthy:  Absolutely. She's the person you go to vent to, who you know won't tell anyone whatever you told her. She's had several students over the years confide in her when they've had trouble or needed help out of scrapes.

Family…

Sibling(s): None that she knows of.

Parents: She was a foundling, so they're probably out there somewhere, but she has no idea who they are.

Children: None :,) (except in my future Thedas fic, she has a daughter named Dione!)

Pets: She had a cat (Binx) when she lived in Nevarra, then gave it to Myrna when she had to leave after the War of the Banners.

[millimeraki]

Leaders, Dreamers & Rebels

[Cidolfus Telamon / Fem!Reader]

Summary: You, the daughter of one of the most prominent bishop houses of Sanbreque, attend the Remembrance Ceremony in Whitewyrm Castle. Driven by your sense of adventure, you soon find yourself swept away into the moonlit castle gardens by a completely new and unexpected acquaintance – one that leads you far from the expectations of society and deep into the thrill of the unknown.

Word Count: ~ 7k Tags: Teen And Up Audiences, Pre-Game Events, Royalty, Royal Ball, Reader Is A Sunshine Character, Adventurous Upperclass Reader, Freedom Themed, 💃A Little Party Never Killed Nobody💃, Meet Cute Credits: Dividers by @saradika-graphics 💕 Header by me (I tried lol) Author's note: This one has been sitting in the back of my mind for a long time. It basically began as a fanfiction of my own fanfiction which is weird enough, but I like the idea enough so I decided to write is as a stand alone. Also: Why is it that in the FFXVI universe my mind always goes to the royal/upperclass shiz of it instead of the Bearers? (Answer is probably that I watched one too many Royal drama shows). Should I...continue this??  Read on AO3 Inspo Songs: Tide Lines - Heroes ; Midnight Sun Delta Rae - Run Celtic Woman - Ballroom Of Romance

“If I were a bird,

I would fly – away from this place,

out of this cage.

I would journey to where the sun meets the sky,

beyond the reach of time,

and rise anew – kissed by the light.

For if I were a bird,

I would spread my wings and fly,

if only to know that freedom isn’t a lie.”

The man in front of you, young, yet somehow already carrying the air of someone far older – likely due to his distinct mustache – applauded you for an unnecessarily long time after you recited your little poem. You felt compelled to smile in return, just as unnecessarily long, with a wide and polite smile, as was your habit, while subtly scanning your surroundings for an escape route before he could ask…

“May I reserve a place on your dance card? So that we might have a little more time later? I find the flight paths of birds to be an utterly fascinating subject.”

“Oh, well, you see, I mean, yes, I know there’s a truly lovely ball being held today for this joyous occasion, but shouldn’t our focus lie rather on our noble leaders and the singular accord they’re signing for the good of the realm?” you tried to get out of it, gesturing with your closed fan toward the far end of the ballroom.

There, seated at a long, elegant table, illuminated by more crystals than you’d ever seen used as decoration before, set with sumptuous-looking food and an abundance of expensive wine, sat the leaders of all three kingdoms of Storm.

When you had entered the hall alongside your family not that long ago, and your father had introduced you to the table with haste, you had been almost too impressed to recall the proper etiquette.

Elwin Rosfield, his wife, and their two sons, the lord marquesses of Rosaria, one of them the Dominant of the Phoenix; members of the Dhalmekian parliament, accompanied – or perhaps led? – by the Dominant of Titan, Hugo Kupka; and then, of course, your own leader, the Emperor of Sanbreque, flanked by his cardinals, including High Cardinal Sylvestre Lesage and his son Dion, Dominant of Bahamut. All of them had gathered at one table to sign the Triunity that would unite all three kingdoms so that a war of independence like that of Kanver two years ago would be prevented from happening again. 

You knew you ought to feel honored to be in the presence of so many high-ranking individuals, and you did, but your experience of attending this noble ceremony was somewhat dulled by the social entanglements it came with, as you had to admit in this particular moment.

The man in front of you – you had already forgotten his name – remained polite in the face of your evasive response. “Indeed,” he agreed. “A truly joyous event, one I would most gladly celebrate on the dance floor with a fair maiden. May I?” He pointed at your dance card, and you had to suppress the reflex to quirk your mouth. He probably wouldn't let it go, so you had just lifted your wrist, where the little card dangled, when your name was called out – your salvation.

Your two best friends from the other bishop houses had spotted you in your distress. They came rushing over in their ornate, beautifully flared ball gowns. You used your own voluminous, white tulle dress to force the man at a distance with a sweeping movement, your arm raised joyfully and waving. 

“Thank you kindly for the offer, Milord, but I’m currently otherwise occupied,” you said brightly. “But I’m sure we shall see each other again later this evening.” After offering a curtsy, you hurried past the flustered man.

“That was close!” you whispered with a chuckle once you and your friends had regrouped and put your heads together. “I nearly had to dance with Lord Moustache.”

“Sorry we're so late, our fathers absolutely had to speak to Cardinal Lesage and wouldn't let us go,” explained Cecilia, your friend since childhood. Your families were close, your father likewise good friends. “That's what happens when yours always wants to be the first everywhere.”

“He's a particularly important bishop, after all,” you nodded exuberantly, a grin on your face. 

“Lord Moustache aside, there are a few handsome gentlemen here tonight,” remarked Marina standing next to Cecilia. You two had befriended her at her debut into society. 

Cecilia snorted. “None as important as the Dominants. You should’ve seen how our fathers,” she gestured back and forth between you and her, “tried to cozy up to Cardinal Lesage, just to get into conversation with anyone at that table. They’d marry us off to any of the Dominants if they could.” She leaned in, voice lowering even more. “Though everyone knows we don’t stand a chance with the Dominant of the Phoenix. The Rosfields only marry within their own blood relations, so the Phoenix keeps being born into the ducal house.”

“Really?!” Marina asked under her breath, trying to keep her surprise in check.

The three of you immersed into a soft, giggling conversation, mouths hidden behind your fans, whispering about the Dominants, nobles, and everyone in between, standing at the edge of the opulent, richly furnished, golden ballroom of Whitewyrm Castle. In the center, the formal dances had already begun. For this event, which they called the Remembrance Ceremony, the Emperor had truly spared no expense or efforts.

Everyone who was anyone was present tonight to witness the signing of the most significant accord since the beginning of the Continental Calendar. It seemed that all the guests had already arrived – from influential merchant families to the noblest authorities of the Greagorian Church.

You wouldn't describe yourself as particularly noble, though your father certainly would – your family was one of the bishop houses, those who governed the dioceses under the five cardinals. And so, your father had dressed you and your two older brothers in the finest garments your house had to offer and sent you off, the scions of an influential family, on a mission to find equally influential partners, your brothers to secure a dowry, and you, to offer yours. All so that one day, your father might ascend to the rank of cardinal himself.

“By the way, have you noticed that man back there?” Cecilia asked, her piercing blue eyes gesturing toward the entrance that led out into the gardens. There, near the buffet, stood someone who seemed completely out of place.

The first thing you noticed were the two swords at his side – why did he think it necessary to carry two? Did he use them both at the same time in battle? And more importantly: why was he even allowed to carry blades at all at an event so clearly dedicated to continental peace? His outfit looked more casual than formal, leather, plain, not exactly what one would call ballroom-appropriate.

“Well, he looks dangerous,” you remarked, stealing a slightly longer glance at the man, who stood upright yet somehow relaxed. Your interest faded just as quickly, and you looked for something else to do – maybe he was a soldier, a security officer in disguise. He certainly didn't belong to the Dragoons. Then it was a man you could ignore for now, he wouldn't approach you and you wouldn't have to fight him off.

“Kind of mysterious, though, isn't he?” Marina replied. “He doesn't look like he belongs to any of the noble houses.” 

“That's what I thought too! Shall we speak to him?” Cecilia, ever the adventurer – as all of you often were – was already leaning into the idea.

“Later?” you asked with a grin. “Let’s dance first. My brothers are right over there.”

“Where?!” Cecilia asked eagerly. She’d known your brothers as long as she’d known you, and, honestly, you wouldn’t have minded if she married one of them. Then you’d be sisters for real.

The two brothers, born just a year apart, stood only a few steps away, engaged in conversation with two young ladies you had seen around Whitewyrm Castle once or twice. Very elegant, very polite – noble enough to make a good match. Unfortunately, they would have to find each other again later.

“Aaron!” you called sweetly, prompting your eldest brother to turn toward you. He was dressed stately, almost entirely in white, his clothes adorned with tasteful embellishments, tailored pants that suited him far too well, a loosely fitting shirt, and the only splash of color: a light blue vest. He greeted you with his ususal warm, inviting smile.

“Here comes the cavalry,” grinned the middle child of your family, the son who had it easiest out of all of you. His outfit was casual, not as polished as Aaron’s or yours, but not giving the impression he didn’t care about his looks, either. Duncan didn’t have to worry about inheriting your father’s position or marrying well. He let life pass him by, took from it what he could, and had a good time doing it. Sometimes, you envied him. But then again, you also did plenty of things out of selfish joy yourself.

“We hate to interrupt, but we’d like to invite these gentlemen to dance,” Cecilia teased with a similarly playful grin, already taking Duncan’s hand. He allowed himself to be pulled to the dance floor without protest.

Aaron at least had the decency to say goodbye to the girls in front of him. “Forgive me, ladies, family duty calls, embodied in my far-too-pushy sister.” He placed a hand to his lapel in a respectful gesture and lowered his upper body towards the somewhat disappointed-looking women.

You took pity as you pushed Aaron in front of you, leaned over to the two of them and muttered with a conspiratorial wink, “Sorry, I'll make sure to send the two of them back to you later.” 

That didn't seem to conciliate them, and you even understood. They showed rather sour expressions before turning away and disappearing from your view.

The self-inflicted hostility didn’t faze you, Cecilia, or Marina. Even though stealing Aaron and Duncan hadn’t been the most graceful move of your lives, you always managed to distract them from whatever they were engrossed in and get them to spend time with you. That’s what came of knowing each other nearly your whole lives.

You lined up with the dancers in the middle of the ballroom, Cecilia opposite Duncan, you opposite Aaron, and Marina, spontaneous as ever, quickly found herself a dance partner too. As business-like as such grand soirées could be, you always found joy in the dances at the countless parties you’d attended since your debut into Oriflamme’s society – was it four, five years ago now?

The large orchestra struck up a cheerful melody, to which you could give yourself over completely. Performing your practiced steps, you moved across the floor in the midst of the dancing procession of guests without having to think. A wide grin crept onto your lips, you couldn’t help it. Cheerfully, you danced around Aaron, switching partners as the steps dictated, smiling at this stranger too, before returning to Aaron, who in turn was beaming from ear to ear.

He glanced left and right, his grin turning a touch more mischievous – then, as the two of you reached the edge of the formation, he held you close. “Come on, let’s give them a real show.” You let out a squeal, more delighted than anything, as he pushed you out of the group with a hand on your back. He earned a few nasty looks as he did so, one couple even stumbled over their own feet. You broke out of the planned sequence of steps, and just like that, Aaron was flinging you across the wide dance floor, apparently without any planned pattern at all, both of you laughing loudly in no time.

Aside from those whose rhythm you had disrupted, no one, not the orchestra, nor the world leaders at the great table, seemed to mind Aaron’s little rebellion. On the contrary, the first to join in were Cecilia and Duncan, who you had to actively dodge.

You and Cecilia exchanged a deeply affectionate, joyful glance before you lost sight of her, then only able to locate her by the sound of her melodic laughter. If she wasn’t already a real eye-catcher, everyone’s heads would have turned the moment she raised her voice and enchanted the people around her with whatever words she spoke.

Then you noticed that Marina had also persuaded her dance partner to embrace the spirit of the moment. Though, he didn’t seem to appreciate it quite as much as the rest of you. He participated, but his lead lacked enthusiasm, his circles on the dance floor far too small, while other couples swirled past him.

Cecilia and you had the same idea at the same time. You left your brothers behind, rescued Marina away from the man too boring for her, took each other by the hands, and the three of you, sisters at heart, began skipping in your own little circle.

And that’s what you did until the song ended and the orchestra took a break. Naturally, you turned to face the musicians to applaud them, just like everyone else. They bowed in your direction, some looking at you skeptically, others amused, probably the ones who had seen you at parties before and were used to your shenanigans.

“Best not to make eye contact with the head table now,” Cecilia whispered. You all agreed and hurried off the dance floor so that the attention could drift away from you. You heard the crowd murmuring and, as always, opinions were mixed. The younger guests who had joined your improvisation smiled encouragingly, while the older, more traditional ones gave you stern looks and a few scolding words. You just giggled.

Aaron and Duncan caught up with you, both slightly out of breath. It hat do be hot in those outfits. You were warm too, but nothing a little break and a fresh drink couldn’t fix.

“Oh, children,” came  from beside you. Your mother peeled herself out of the cluster of people you were about to disappear into, a tired expression on her face. “Aaron,” she turned to your older brother, “as the future head of the family, you really shouldn't always be so…,” she searched for the right word, “out of line.”

Aaron, who had looked like he was about to apologize, showed a surprised expression, followed by an amused smile. “Pun intended?” He slung an arm around your mother’s shoulders and gave her a warm squeeze.

Your mother clicked her tongue, her expression softening. “It’s not like I don’t know how much fun it can be. But of all things, at this ceremony.” She pinched Aaron’s cheek. “Of all occasions, I would have liked my children to behave at least slightly better than usual. You’re lucky your father is very focused on supporting Cardinal Lesage.”

She nodded toward the grand table, near which the cardinals stood, including Cardinal Lesage, with your father next to them. The two of them were engaged in lively conversation. Cardinal Lesage laughed after something your father said, then both their gazes drifted over to you. You froze, your eyes widened, unblinking, afraid that you had drawn the Cardinal's wrath upon you. But things turned out quite differently. Cardinal Lesage gave you a very gentle smile and raised his cup toward you. Your father next to him smiled benevolently. You exhaled in relief, offered your most charming smile in return, followed by a curtsy and a respectful bow of the head.

“Seems to me we made just the right impression,” Duncan remarked, clearly not missing the silent exchange. “Your father also seems to be charming Cardinal Lesage, Cecilia.”

Cecilia rolled her eyes. “Where her father is, mine has never been far behind.” Her gaze also drifted over to the cardinals and bishops. “I wonder where Cardinal Lesage’s little Dominant is.”

Now that she mentioned it – Dion Lesage was no longer at his father's side, where he was usually often to be found. 

“Look, there he is. He found a little friend.” Marina pointed toward a quieter corner, where the two young Dominants of the Phoenix and Bahamut stood together, chatting, both with polite, gentle smiles on their faces.

“Adorable, those two.” You heart swelled at the sight of the two sweet boys, the futures of their kingdoms, standing side by side. It made you wonder whether it was time for you to start thinking about your own family. But what would become of you then? Was that the fate you truly wished for?

You told your family and friends you’d fetch some drinks and took the opportunity to take a moment for yourself. With slowly sauntering steps, you made your way to the lavish buffet, treating yourself to a snack or two, a grape here, a piece of cheese there, until you reached the drink section: juices, lemonades, anything the heart could desire. Even alcohol was freely available on the tables, but you left it at a lemonade to quench your thirst for now. Then you looked around for a tray to carry more glasses.

“That was quite the lively display of defiance, if I may say so,” came a voice from beside you. So much for a quiet moment to yourself. As you turned your head toward the voice, you were already thinking about what kind of witty reply you could use to brush off the suitor, but the words caught in your throat when you saw Hugo Kupka standing in front of you. The man was positively huge, practically the embodiment of his Eikon, even though you’d only ever seen images of Titan. He exuded the kind of arrogance only a thoroughly self-important man could possess, Dominant or not, this image only reinforced by the rich jewelry on his person: a fancy ring on every finger. At least he made an effort to conceal that attitude with a smile, albeit unsuccessful. As far as you knew, he was about Duncan’s age.

You adjusted your expression as quickly as you could, hoping he hadn't noticed your momentary surprise. With a curtsy, you replied, “My brother always knew how to surprise people, milord.” 

“That was your brother you danced with?” Kupka asked curiously, rubbing his chin and glancing toward your family, who were still engaged in their own conversation.

“Indeed.” You knew better than to turn a Dominant down. “Do you have siblings, milord?” 

His intense gaze came back to you. “No, my family didn't have enough money for that.”

“Oh. Oh well. I can assure you, milord, that it’s not always sunshine and rainbows when you have two older brothers like I do. You learn early on to be prepared for all sorts of things others wouldn’t even think about.” You had to grin.

Kupka raised an eyebrow and showed an amused expression. “And what sort of things would those be?”

You were just about to start telling the story of how Aaron and Duncan had once left you stranded on a small island when a new voice interrupted the conversation – not entirely to your displeasure, though slightly so, because it was another man.

“Hugo, so far from your noble colleagues?” The voice was deep and gravelly, slicing through the air like sharp stones, though it carried a hint of mischief.

Kupka’s eyes narrowed at the sight of the newcomer, who now stepped into your field of vision from behind. You swallowed. It was the stranger whom Cecilia, Marina, and you had eyed earlier, the one with the two swords at his side and the leather outfit. Your eyes had never traveled up to his face. Now, looking at him thoroughly, you were annoyed at the way surprise washed over you once again and your cheeks warmed up.

“A man with a physique like mine’s gotta eat. Not like you scrawny old man would understand,” Kupka replied pointedly. He clearly didn’t like the man in front of him.

“Ouch, now I’m scrawny and old. Remind me what happened the last time you ran into this scrawny old man?” A grin spread across the man's well-proportioned face, his scruffy stubble shifting with the movement of his facial muscles.

“Careful, Cid. I don’t even know why they let you in here, but I’m not above kicking you out.” Kupka was visibly getting more irritated by the second.

You observed their threatening conversation, wondering why they were so hostile towards each other. Perhaps they had once faced off in a skirmish and this Cid had bested Kupka. You had to admit, it was hard to imagine. The Dominant of Titan, a muscular man through and through, versus the one standing across from him. He wasn’t really scrawny, nor did he look particularly old, but he was shorter and had less muscle mass – not that that was difficult when compared to Kupka.

Not keen on standing by should the two go at each other's throats, and also not inclined to interfere to defuse the escalation that might be imminent, you cautiously began to move away from the men.

“Oh look, you made the lady uncomfortable,” you were unfortunately stopped immediately, two sparkling forest-green eyes locking onto you.

“O-Oh.” You couldn’t help but stare at Cid in fascination. His presence impressed you, though you couldn’t quite say why. Maybe it was the confident demeanor that, unlike Kupka’s, felt inviting; or the crooked grin on his face that somehow intuitively told you he wasn’t a threat; or the notion that life with him would never be boring.

“I just wouldn’t want to interrupt what seems to be an important reunion, gentlemen,” you pulled yourself together and regained your confidence. “I was actually on my way to bring my family some refreshments.” You gestured toward the drinks beside you.

“This is certainly no important reunion,” Kupka grumbled. “No matter, Telamon’s presence has soured the whole scene anyway. You can have the lady if you’re that desperate.”

Kupka gestured grandiosely patronizingly toward you with his wine glass, then walked off without another word.

You wanted to protest that it really wasn’t necessary to argue over you, you were just here to get some drinks, after all. But Kupka leaving now suited you just fine. He was more intimidating than charming anyway. 

The man beside you snickered as Kupka walked away. Then he turned to you. “You’re welcome.”

“Did I seem like I was in some kind of peril?” you asked challengingly, though you couldn’t stop your lips from curving into a smile. Something about the other man’s aura made you feel more at ease than with most others. It was the same kind of ease you felt around your brothers, only with the added complication of a very attractive face.

“When you’re near Titan’s Dominant, you’re automatically in some kind of peril,” he said with a smirk. “Not that you wouldn’t maybe have had a good time with him, Lady…” He looked at you inquisitively.

You introduced yourself.

“Ah, one of the Bishop daughters who gave that extraordinary performance earlier. Seems to me like your names are always on some tongues. Very infamous. I am almost envious.”

“Only almost?” you asked with a grin.

He returned your gesture. “Aye, only almost. That is, because I have the luxury of not having to dance and look pretty in the first place.” 

“Mhm,” you hummed, the thought flashing through your mind that he hardly had anything to hide, he was more than pretty enough himself.

“And then,” he continued, rummaging in the pocket of his jacket, “I can’t lose things like this.”

He produced a soft-white ribbon you immediately recognized, as it bore some embroidery you had done yourself. Surprised, your hand shot to your hair, only to discover that you had lost it and no one had noticed, or no one had told you. 

“Thank you, for picking it up,” you thanked him with a big smile, this was one of your favorites, took it, pressed your fan into the man's hands and began to fix your hair. 

“Don’t mention it.” The man examined your fan curiously, then pulled a pack of cigarillos from another pocket and lit one using a crystal he also wore on him. You had never liked the smell of smoke, but you had gotten used to it, it was all around you anyway.

He took a drag from the smoldering stem and lazily exhaled the smoke. “Always happy to help a beautiful woman to be able to tie a bow in her hair.”

The words made you flustered, so you just smiled, opting to focus on getting the knot right.

“I suppose, from what I’ve gathered, I have to to thank a man named Cid Telamon for that?” you asked afterward, resting your now slightly aching arms down and reclaiming your fan, which you held in both hands.

“Aye, that would be my name. Charmed, I’m sure.” He tilted his upper body in your direction, causing a chuckle to escape you. It was obvious he didn’t belong here.

“What?” he asked, still with amusement in his voice.

“That looked...interesting,” you simply said, ”do you rarely do that, my lord?” 

“Rarely enough, apparently,” he smirked and took another puff on his cigarillo. “Not attending these kind of events very often.”

“I gathered. Those garbs don’t exactly scream Sanbrequois nobility, or any other for that matter. Where do you hail from, Cid Telamon?”

He took his time answering your seemingly innocent question, though you were curious to know what country he belonged to. He clearly had some quarrel with Dhalmekia. This was supposed to be a peace ceremony between Rosaria, Sanbreque, and Dhalmekia. Did that mean he was from another kingdom? A leftover soldier from the Northern Territories?

“Just someone with a keen interest in this fine ceremony,” he answered cryptically.

You pursed your lips in a pout and crossed your arms. “My friends were right when they said you were a mysterious character. Maybe,” you lowered your voice conspiratorially, “you’re a spy.”

“Sounds more like you and your friends were spying on me, standing innocently in the corner,” he countered, his voice equally playful and leaning just close enough to make your temperature rise from warm to hot.

“Surveying the premises,” you shot back with all the coquetry you had in you. “It was actually my best friend who saw you first. Maybe you should talk to her about all the spying she did.”

You pointed in the direction of your two friends, engrossed in a conversation with two distinguished gentlemen, from what you saw from one of the high houses of Rosaria - apparently they didn't miss you. 

Cid followed your gesture, but his steadying gaze quickly returned to you. “But I’m talking to you right now.”

You nervously toyed with your hair, opened your mouth to ask a more innocuous question and keep the refreshing conversation going, only to be interrupted by a loud proclamation from the center of the hall: “Hear, hear! It is time for the signing of the Accord – bear witness to this monumental milestone in Valisthean history.” The bannerman struck the marble floor with his staff. All the guests turned toward the front table, murmuring excitedly, slowly forming a cluster in front of it that blocked the view of the Rosfields, the Emperor, and Hugo Kupka.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle, you suddenly felt a warm breath on your ear. A shiver ran through you as Cid whispered to you in a gravel voice, yet so enticing: “Wanna get out of here?” 

You turned to him, catching the adventurous sparkle in his eyes and his hand extended toward you. In a split second, you decided to take it. He pulled you along, and while everyone else was distracted, the two of you slipped past the buffet toward a side entrance you knew all too well. It led to the more secluded part of the imperial gardens. If you were already breaking the rules again, you figured, you might as well grab a delicious-looking chocolate cake from the buffet, a move to which Cid responded with a snicker. 

You left the immediate surroundings of the castle behind and wandered deep into the vast gardens. Gradually, silence settled around you, the murmur of voices replaced by chirping creatures in the bushes nearby. The air was heavy this summer night, the sky clear, though you could make out thick clouds on the horizon.

For a moment, you felt a queasy feeling creeping up on you at the hasty decision to leave your familiar surroundings and the proximity of society alongside a man who was essentially a stranger as he let go of your hand in the middle of the gardens next to a crystal-powered fountain, surrounded by tall, opaque, meticulously trimmed hedges and fields full of wyvern tails. You placed the cake you'd brought along on a bench in front of the fountain, wondering if this had been one of your particularly stupid ideas, and looked at Cid.

Your doubts vanished instantly when you saw his face in the glow of the crystals, not looking at you, but gazing up at the sky. The soft light contoured his features just right, tracing his jawline, casting a very special gleam on his smile, and you felt so drawn to it all that you couldn’t help but stay.

His eyes wandered from the night sky to you, then to the cake you had stolen. “Sweet tooth?” he asked.

You giggled. “Yeah, I hope you do, too. Brought two forks.” With as elegant a swing as possible, you dropped onto the bench, from where you looked at him expectantly. 

“Usually more of a whiskey and salty kind of guy, but for you, I’ll make an exception,” he replied, and the remark didn’t surprise you at all as he sank down beside you and accepted a fork. You placed the dark cake on the skirt of your white-and-blue dress – risky but intentional – and plunged your fork straight in.

It was an especially rich, flavorful cake, and with the first bite, you let out a satisfied sound. “This is really good. Think we’ll eat the whole thing?”

Cid smirked. “If you can manage that much.” He also took a bite. “Gotta admit, though – it's delicious.”

You ate the cake side by side in silence. The truth that you couldn't eat that much cake in one go came quickly. “So,” you said, subtly lowering your fork, “why did you suggest we most indecently sneak away from society?”

He didn’t miss the fact that you’d stopped eating, so he lowered his own fork as well and instead lit another cigarillo, taking his time with the answer, exhaling a cloud of smoke into the night air. “Cause I thought you looked like you could use some fun,” he said with a mischievous look, “and space to breathe.”

“Oh, well,” you smiled at the accuracy of the observation, “it is not easy being a child of a most holy house. Then again, I have it easier than most, I guess.” He just watched you, the cigarillo between his lips, and you felt like you should keep talking. “But,” you turned your gaze away from him to the star-speckled sky above, “have you ever wondered what it would be like? Not to carry all that burden, I mean. No expectations, no...no pretense. Just going wherever you want? Doing whatever you want, without people talking about it? I guess what I mean is…being free.”

You fell silent right after the words had left your lips. You felt lighter having said them, but to whom? You laughed awkwardly. “Sorry, that was so inappropriate, we don’t even know each other.”

Nervously, you looked in his direction, only to find him smiling sympathetically. His eyes drifted from yours down your face and stopped at something. You raised your hand in confusion, about to ask what he saw, but he beat you to it, lifting his gloved hand to the corner of your mouth. Your eyes widened as the cold leather touched your heated skin, his thumb brushing across the corner of your mouth, then along your lower lip, and you tasted a hint of chocolate. After he withdrew his hand, you wiped your mouth once more with delicate fingers, making sure there was no more chocolate on you. 

“I think my hunch on what kind of person you are is pretty solid,” he said. “I can relate.”

“You can?” you asked, still feeling the whisper of his glove on your lips. “So what kind of person are you?”

“Me? I’m just a soldier like any other,” he replied, though his gaze lingered thoughtfully on his hand. “But if there isn’t something comforting about what you would do if you were truly free, right?” He looked at you then, his eyes giving nothing away of what his words stirred inside him.

“Yes…” Your features softened, your hand twitched forward, you barely stopped yourself from touching him, though you already wanted to. You thought for a moment, then a curious question came to mind. “Cid.”

“Hm?”

“What would you do?”

“What would I do?”

“If you were truly free, what would you do?” You smiled invitingly, more intrigued by your own question than you'd expected.

The sparkle returned to his eyes. “What would you do?” He leaned casually against the back of the bench and stretched his arm out to rest behind you. 

“Hey, I asked first,” you giggled.

“Fair.” He thought for a while, took a drag from his cigarillo. “If I were completely free to do as I pleased,” he exhaled the smoke slowly into the air, filling it with aroma and anticipation, “then I’d move to a nice little town and open a shop.”

You blinked in surprise. “A shop?” You leaned toward him with curiosity. “What kind of shop?”

He stubbed out the cigarillo. “You first. What would you do if you were truly free?”

“Unfair!” you exclaimed, amused, bouncing a little on your seat from excitement. He smirked. “But alright.” You placed the cake still resting in your lap on the ground in front of you and stood up. “I’ll start small. If I were truly free, I would do this.” You bent down and freed yourself from the constricting, painful heels. Your feet touched the cool grass beneath them, eliciting a happy sound from you. 

“Here you go.” You handed your shoes to Cid. He took them with the same grin and intrigued expression.

You gathered your skirts and strutted past the bench. His eyes and body followed you as you climbed onto the edge of the fountain behind you and jumped straight into the water. You squealed softly as your feet touched the cold water, but it was a welcome relief from the increasingly muggy air. Your face was sprinkled with a bit of water from the spout. Your dress got soaked too, but at this point, that hardly mattered.

Cid stood up from the bench laughing, still holding your shoes. “What a daring thing to do.” He watched as you let go of your skirts and, with arms stretched toward the sky, danced through the small fountain, beaming.

You gave a small laugh. “I feel very free and very daring.” Out of the fountain, you looked up at him, invitingly. “So? What kind of shop would you open?”

His grin widened. “It would be a 360-degree engineering shop.”

“Engineering shop? You mean like a forge?”

“Sort of. I’d need a forge, but also a carpenter, a tailor, basically any craft that gets their hands a little dirty.” He looked dreamily into the distance. “I’d design contraptions that help us in our lives, that serve the greater good. Advanced designs for infrastructure, agriculture, our cooking stations.”

“So your calling is to be an engineer?” you asked, surprised that a soldier had such a dream.

“I’ve been told I’m good at it. Even designed a really big, really fast ship.”

“Oh, impressive. Is it faster than the Einherjar? I heard she’s the fastest vessel in the whole world.”

“We’ll have to find that out. Your turn.” He adjusted his posture, but with your shoes in his hands, he looked a bit stiff.

“You can put those down, I don’t need them right now.” You gestured toward the shoes.

“That’s alright. I rather like them. Look as sweet as their owner. I like the little flower pattern on them.”

You smiled shyly at the compliment and the unusual topic of fashion, something you normally only discussed with other women.

“Right, my turn. If I were truly free,” you thought for a while, trying to fill the air with anticipation just like he had, “I would travel the world, see everything, experience everything, eat the most exotic foods, just...be, live.” At least, as long as the Blight hadn't taken up too much of the world yet. 

He made a sound of recognition. “You don’t think it would be lonely?”

You laughed softly. “I’m never lonely, only alone. Besides, as you can see, I can have enlightening conversations with chocolate cake and an attractive stranger anywhere, completely unexpectedly.”

He snickered. “So you think I’m attractive?”

“As if you don’t know you are,” you countered playfully.

“Quite the adventurous lady.”

“As if you didn’t know I was,” you shot back again.

“True. Wanna get out of that fountain anytime soon?” He finally placed your shoes on the edge of the fountain and offered you his hand. You placed your hand in his for support, when you suddenly felt a raindrop on your arm. A glance upward revealed the clouds you'd seen earlier on the horizon. Now they loomed dark overhead. A rumble echoed through the air, and in the next moment, the sky opened up. You squeaked as the rain instantly drenched you, the drops thick, heavy, and cool against your heated skin.

You allowed yourself a moment to stretch your face toward the sky and feel the summer downpour. You had always loved nights like this, and somehow, tonight had unexpectedly become something truly special. Smiling brightly, you looked at Cid, whose cheerful face was streaked with small lines of rain. A flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a clap of thunder so immediate you screamed in surprise, looking for support on his shoulders, then burst out laughing. He laughed too, his deep voice vibrating through his shoulders. His hands rested at your waist, steadying you, but also pulling you closer to him at the edge of the fountain.

His gaze softened, the grin on your face faded into a gentle smile as he raised a hand to brush a wet strand of hair away.

You snorted quietly, amused. “Who are you?”

His face came closer. “Just someone named Cid, for this evening.”

For a moment you hesitated, but then cupped his face in both hands and placed your lips on his. Rain-slicked, they glided effortlessly and smoothly over each other. Your skin tingled, and despite the cold pour above you, you felt warmer. Unexpected, but not unwelcome, he stretched out your connection. His kiss was deep, and you plunged right in to let it consume you. It overwhelmed your senses, blurred out the world around you, until only the feel of his lips remained – along with the lingering taste of chocolate and cigarillo.

He gave you only a brief moment to catch your breath before his hand settled on the back of your neck, pulling you to him once more. Your lips collided with increasing passion, and it took everything you had to keep standing as your knees weakened. A shiver raced down your spine, your stomach fluttered with excitement. A soft sigh escaped you, followed by a barely-there gasp against his lips as he drew you even closer, only the narrow ledge of the fountain keeping your bodies from being fully pressed together. You barely heard the repeated thunder, it was as if he had pulled you into another reality, one where you were as free as a bird.

The kiss left you gasping for air, yet still yearning for more as he severed your connection once more. You kept your eyes closed, your mouth slightly open, savoring the proximity of his lips as they brushed against yours all too gently. Your fingers glided over the stubble on his jaw, the slight tingle at your fingertips a welcome contrast to the softness of his lips. Your heavy breaths mingled, but you could feel this endearing grin returning against your own. The anticipation of another kiss already hung in the air. You smiled softly, looking ahead, only his moss-green eyes visible before you.

“Take me somewhere nice then, Cid.”

[12minuteairquoteactressairquote]

I did !!!!!! I watched that movie and didn't even pay.. they have it uploaded for free on some sites!

I watched borderline and honestly? It was so confusing.

The movie kicks off with Jack Nicholson’s sperm—aka his son—playing the stalker. He starts by stabbing Eric Dane’s character, who is left lying there, staring up at the sky like he’s contemplating all his life choices. Meanwhile, Jack Jr. runs through the house, messing with a bunch of ’90s pop star memorabilia before eventually calling the police on himself.

Fast-forward about six months, and now we see Sophia hanging out with a Dennis Rodman knockoff—excuse me, Devonte (cute, Jimmy… couldn’t call him Jamal without it being a little racist, huh?). They’re fiddling with a camera, asking “introspective” questions about music—if you can even call listing off songs from that era introspective.

Then, we check back in on Eric Dane’s character, who, despite surviving his stabbing, now spends his time talking about puzzles and reflecting on life choices. He heads home and gives his daughter a heartfelt speech about why he’s a security guard, because… sure, that’s relevant.

Meanwhile, Sophia goes clubbing with Dennis Rodman knockoff, comes home, and—boom—Eric Dane is there. Oh, and guess who else is back? Stalker Jack Jr., fresh out and ready for more chaos.

Then Sophia argues with Dennis Rodman knockoff, who acts all shocked when she basically confirms what’s been obvious: “What do you mean this white girl was just using me because it’s cool?” I hate that. She kicks him out after he says some stupid shit but somehow still can’t grasp why she doesn’t take him seriously.

Then Paul—aka Jack Nicholson’s sperm—shows up, hits her with a “let’s get married”, and introduces her to Pepe Le Pew from Portugal, who immediately makes it clear she wants in on this drama. She’s all “You’re not pretty,” and then is like “Let me go get your makeup.” But while she’s off doing that, Sophia gets out, preparing to defend herself, because she thinks Pepe Le Pew from Portugal is coming after her… but nope. It’s Dennis Rodman knockoff.

She, naturally, hits him with a guitar, thinking it’s Pepe, and then Pepe actually comes back. So Sophia picks up a bat, starts swinging like Roberto Clemente mid-game, but then—mid-swing���decides it’s time to have a Celine Dion moment, belting “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” Pepe tells her she’s flat (mind you, she was singing midrange, so like… what?). Then Pepe grabs a tambourine and starts throwing hands—literally throwing Sophia through a window.

Now they’re both fighting, they spray each other with lighter fluid, and then Pepe—for some bizarre reason— ask to lit on fire.

Samara character for some reason speaks in 3rd person and says “Sofia don’t light people on fire.”

At this point, I’m thinking… So does Sofia wanna die? ‘Cause who doesn’t light up a bitch that’s actively trying to kill them? But no, she doesn’t. Instead, she goes to get her Dennis Rodman-ass boy, tries calling the cops while doing that, and BOOM—Pepe Le Pew from Portugal comes back for round two.

they fight shove her into music booth and then pepe is all like oooh no and is happy but then is oh no and screaming in pain and that is all of her scenes..... in fact yall saw most of it... the only ones you didn't see is the one she uploaded on her story and her punching a priest and that's it.... i wuld say collective 12 mins is her time in the movie

SPOILERS!!!!!! DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT THE MOVIE SPOILED!

Thanks anon. I read the script awhile ago and it sounded stupid. Aah mcsteamy. Iykyk. I wonder why he isn't being talked about but 12 minute actress is.

[roseaceae]

and i won't forget to put roses on your grave

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟ you look A LOT LiKE the swaying MARiGOLDS ❀ ✎ . . introducing the fandom

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟFANDOM NAME. BLOOMIS  ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟHANGUL. 블루미스  ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟKANJI. ブルーミス

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟBEHIND THE NAME. ❝ bloomis ❞ was technically meant to be blooming originally, but for a group called blue rose, they wanted a fandom name that was unique in some sorts. along with " blooming " being the original fandom name contender, " floresce " was a very popular one rising in early 2016, it became the placeholder fandom name for so long until it's actual announcement. eventually, the fandom name was announced to be " bloomis " on the groups 100th day anniversary, the word is a mix of " blooming " and " bliss ", making the groups fandom name " blooming bliss ". though some of the fandom were (and are) still very attached to the name " floresce ", they have come to accept the new fandom name and it's become such a relaxing name for them.

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟOTHER NAMES. ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ emo weirdos ❞ ୨୧ from one of cupid's unhinged early livestreams, where he was playing music in the background and began asking fans for suggestions. among the requests, one fan suggested a bring me to the horizon song, to which cupid joked that they were "an emo weirdo", even though he did proceed to play the song and know all the words. he originally got flack for feeling so comfortable joking with his fans, but the name has since been adopted by bloomis' everywhere. ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ crazy fuckers ❞ ୨୧ from the time dione found out that a group of fans had designed a clothing line for them back in late 2016, and he promptly called them "crazy fuckers" in his fit of shock. considering he had no media training, he could not avoid swearing for the rest of the live. ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ anemones ❞ ୨୧ derived from the name of their debut album, and considering that anemones in general mean a lot to the groups lore, fans have taken a very specific liking to the flower. it's basically their semi-official fandom name.

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟNICKNAMES THEY HAVE GARNERED. flower fiends. blueberry blossoms. anemones. hot chocolate warriors. strange little creatures. honey bees (on occasions). pirate crew. yearning professionals. 45 year old rock dads. flora. sadness 24/7. gay sons and thought daughters. endless ceres worshippers. skittles squad (debatable).

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟFANDOM EMOJIS. 🌼 / 🌀 / 🃏 / 🧿

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟLOCATION BREAKDOWN. ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ korea ❞ ୨୧ 49% ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ international ❞ ୨୧ 51%

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟGENDER DEMOGRAPHICS. ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ male ❞ ୨୧ 50% ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ female ❞ ୨୧ 32% ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ other ❞ ୨୧ 18%

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟAGE RANGE. ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ 8–13 years old ❞ ୨୧ 1% ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ 14–18 years old ❞ ୨୧ 30% ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ 19–30 years old ❞ ୨୧ 47% ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ 31–60 years old ❞ ୨୧ 15% ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ 60+ years old ❞ ୨୧ 7%

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟREPUTATION. among other fandoms, bloomis are known for their "eldest sibling syndrome" and "sibling rivalry" type of love towards each other. most bloomis' have been fans since the early days, quite literally at the groups side since their day of debut. because a lot of bloomis are up in age, they usually don't have free time to endlessly stream, vote on music shows, constantly watching live streams, running fan accounts, etc, but the group mainly having older fans also adds to the homely feeling of it all. most original bloomis are very close to the members in age, and because of that, they bounce off each other rather smoothly. they often engage in banter with the members so seamlessly it's hilarious, they really do just get along so easily.

if there is anything bloomis are, it's concertgoers. they will sell out a fucking stadium the moment blue roses name is uttered, this fandom loves a long concert. bloomis are very social with each other, they often have concert traditions and inner inside jokes that are simply between the fandom. they exchange friendship bracelets, rings, and other jewelry, as well as also designing their own merch for the group, for some reason, a lot of the fandom happen to be crocheting professionals who study fashion, so many of them create designs, and some of them are even in the groups official merch. the fandom are very known for their own closeness to each other, igniting the whole "sibling rivalry" trope with how much bickering is between them.

though bloomis are usually known for being calm fanwar wise (because lets be honest most of them have jobs and careers to worry about..), they do not play when it comes to "comedic" interviewers and their way of talking about the members. they once forced a comedian to resign and apologize after he made yunseok tear up because he was teasing him out his appearance. just so you know, they do not play about the members. the fandom has a very large queer demographic, because something about blue rose (juniper and ceres) attracts gay people, and maybe that's their theme, because the members don't seem to mind. bloomis always say things are.. out of pocket you could describe them as. like the members, they aren't afraid to say things that could be used terribly out of context, they're said to have a "swearing problem".

bloomis and blue rose have a close bond, again calling back to most of the longtime fans being in the same age range as the members, they bicker so frequently that you'd think they were actually fighting. it's almost always juniper they pick a fight with, because he is just so easy to irritate. it gets to the point that the members recognize familiar faces in the crowd, and always pretend to roll their eyes when they again see them at fansigns. bloomis usually don't care about dating rumors, in fact they want for the members to get into rumors with someone because their music is so sad. they're simply waiting for one of the members get exposed by dispatch, and they always make sure to bring it up to even the members themselves. they literally cheer when the next rumor pops up, they're tired of the yearning tunes.

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟFANDOM FRIENDSHIPS. soda bombs ❪ cherryade ❫ exol ❪ exo ❫ once ❪ twice ❫

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟANTHEMS. ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ marigold ❞ ୨୧ their song marigold is about balance and melancholy, a soft song describing the true feelings of sadness. it has since been a fan favorite since it's release in 2017, and though the group rarely perform it regularly, it is always a tradition for them to sing it last at concerts or on tour apart of the encore. the song is basically their theme, it comes to represent their journey in a sense, it always makes people cry. ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ black flower ❞ ୨୧ the opening track on lover of the lavender, this song is one of their most beloved title tracks, even if it recently had a viral boom back in 2022. it became an anthem because of dione randomly deciding to sing it during a livestream, unknowingly making one of their old title tracks go viral. ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ here we go ❞ ୨୧ the closing track on 1275 iris avenue, and arguably the most "not blue rose song ever". it's a song that, admittedly, was created last minute, the members sat in a circle and cooked it up with only a week of preparation allowed. the reason the song is so beloved is because of the members participation, though all six of them have written songs together before, producing and arranging lyrical distributions was a whole different story. the song is often said to be their only upbeat one, and whenever a bloomis is tired of the depression, they just put on here we go to cheer themselves up.

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟFAVORITE ALBUMS. ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ the field of lost anemones ❞ ୨୧ this one is a classic, the groups debut album released in the brusising february winter. this album was peak blue rose sadness, the beginning of their melancholic journey. are there vocally and visually better albums of theirs? yes, of course, but bloomis hold onto it like it's their firstborn. the vibes are simply different. it's basically the groups baby as well. ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ 1275 iris avenue ❞ ୨୧ arguably their best album, both vocally, visually, and musically, 1275 iris avenue is a bloomis classic that dropped randomly in the chaotic year which was 2020. it was a surprise album, and strangely enough, it was one of their least promoted, yet it is often considered their best either way. the album would go on to win three daesangs, and there is no argument for the love of this project.

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟFAVORITE TITLE TRACKS. ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ flower rock ❞ ୨୧ again, the classic. their first title track, and often always in the top 5 of bloomis' rankings. the air in their first era was undeniably different, and flower bed as their first title track seemed to perfectly fit the bruising winter of february 2016. even with hard rock instrumental, it perfectly encapsulates the melancholic experiences of their first album. ˚ ꒦꒷ ❝ now or never ❞ ୨୧ the title track of 1275 iris avenue, it's always in discussion for being the groups best title track. it's the groups most streamed title track, beloved by bloomis' everywhere like the album it's from. now or never isn't considered the fandoms theme song, but it's considered to be the blue rose song. it's pretty much untouchable.

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟFIRST BIAS. yunseok cupid / juniper / hyeon / ceres / dione

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟMOST POPULAR IN KOREA. yunseok ceres / juniper / cupid / hyeon / dione

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟMOST POPULAR IN JAPAN. juniper ceres / dione / yunseok / hyeon / cupid

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟMOST POPULAR IN CHINA. ceres yunseok / juniper / cupid / hyeon / dione

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟMOST POPULAR INTERNATIONALLY. ceres juniper / yunseok / hyeon / cupid / dione

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟMOST POPULAR OVERALL. ceres yunseok / juniper / cupid / dione / hyeon

 ִֶָ ᯽ .ﾟFAVORITE BLOOMIS MOMENTS.

ℒ. when a bloomis discovered that she and cupid were distant cousins after they were attending a wedding together. hilariously enough, she was continuously updating her twitter feed in tandem.

ℒ. a bloomis shared their design for the groups upcoming album "no man no love" and it was viewed by dione who loved it so much he contacted the creator to make it a real thing. the creator agreed and they earned 75% of the proceeds while another 25% went to a charity for victims of domestic violence.

ℒ. a niche subsection of bloomis' being older in age due to blue rose's musical concept emanating concepts similar to late 90s and early 2000s rock bands. these fans are often referred to as the "45 year old rock dads". there's a running joke that if you're looking for an older man, you'll probably find one at a blue rose concert.

ℒ. bloomis and their desperation for the members to get into relationships. constantly complaining on twitter about the songs they sing about toxic relationships. they are BEGGING for the members to get into relationships.

ℒ. bloomis' trending #OHHESFINE when dione's relationship was revealed.

ℒ. a group of bloomis' literally getting a sasaeng arrested after they doxxed yunseok's family online.

ℒ. trading necklaces, rings, bracelets, and other accessories during concerts to make the experience much more fun.

ℒ. a bloomis who brought her child to a fansign became a fan favorite of hyeon's after he got to hold her and she basically said he was her favorite. recently the fan reunited with the idol, and her daughter, now in her final year of elementary school, recognized hyeon's face, making him get very emotional.

ℒ. a quarrel between a fan and ceres went viral after they spent twenty minutes at a fansign bickering about the ending of how i met your mother.

ℒ. getting a comedian fired because he kept making fun of yunseok and made him tear up on tv.

ℒ. where a bloomis brought a gift for cupid, who was a fan of her dad's rock band, and he said "no the fuck you didn't!"

[anakinsafterlife]

Music and Arts for Interview with the Vampire and other French-Enjoyers

I am so genuinely excited to find out that Zachary Richard, the Francophone folk singer from Louisiana, has released a novel! The story addresses the concerns of the American Francophonie with the story of a family wracked by politics and violence in the wakr of the American Civil War.

Friends, this the is the first American novel to be published in French since 1894! Although there is still a Francophone community in Louisiana to this day, they have been dealing with forced Anglicization for well over a hundred years, including the forced Anglophone education of Francophone children.

Zachary Richard remains an outlier in an largely English American cultural landscape. He wrote and recorded the majority of his songs in French and is popular in the international Francophone musical community.

I have been meaning to talk about Richard for a very long time, particular in the context of Interview with the Vampire. There are a good many cultural references in Interview, but unfortunately it seems that the show-runners are not really too informed about historical French arts because there aren't many references to French music or playwriting. Lestat would be more likely to act Moliere than Shakespeare. Louis would be somewhere in between, probably listening to and speaking both French and English songs. Unfortunately, I'm not too familiar with Black Creole musicians, of which there were/are indeed plenty in Louisiana. I've been meaning to educate myself in that area and post a selection along with my favourite tracks from Richard, but life has been very pressing indeed these last few years, so that never happened.

Here, then, are a few of my favourite songs from Zachary Richard and a few brief recordings from Black Zydeco artists, as well as the blurb from Richard's novel.

I didn't include translations, because that would make this long post long indeed, but Richard's lyrics are readily available in any search engine.

The novel:

Summary:

In the disarray that fell on southern Louisiana following the Civil War, André Boudreaux, seventeen years old, discovered life with his grandfather Drozin. This southern veteran, who became a rich man thanks to the arrival of the railway, tries to regain his prestige and his political power. But the sordid murder of André's uncle, the turbulent elections of 1882 and the political aims of his daughter-in-law will turn his world upside down. Les Rafales du carême is the first French-language novel published by a Louisiana author since 1894.

The music:

Dans les grands chemins. (On the big roads). A song about personal history and being drawn away from your place of origin to explore the wider world.

Au bord de Lac Bijou (On the shore of Lac Bijou). One of his bigger songs and very basic of me, but it's beautiful.

Le Ballade de Jean Batailleur. Again, one of his big ones, but it's a ballad about an orphan who grows up to be a criminal and dies alone. Depressing but gorgeous.

And this one gives me chills every time. It's a live rendition of Richard's song "La Promesse Cassee," performed with Celine Dion. This is hands down Dion's best performance ever, imho. Her voice is so nuanced and her expression so powerful, without ever once over-singing. The song's content probably has a lot to do with that. Richard wrote it in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when New Orleans was so utterly devastated, and the US federal government promised aid, which, after days of waiting, never came. "The Broken Promise" is a scathing and haunting commentary on that betrayal.

"Laisse le vent souffler" (Let the wind blow) addresses the same issue, but years later. The singer tells the story of the police arriving to evacuate the community as another hurricaine approaches. He refuses to leave because he has already survived other storms and he has seen how the police have failed to support a scattered community in the past.

Can't believe I almost forgot this one:

Reveille--A powerful song addresses the expulsion of the Acadians, the forced removal (by British/English Canadian forces) of the Acadian French from the Canadian east coast and northern USA east coast. Many of the Acadians were shipped further south or "back" to Europe, where most had never been. Plagued by attendant atrocities of starvation, drowning and disease, thousands of Acadians were killed. Those who survived the journey down the American coast eventually became known by the shortened name of "Cajuns."

There are also a few extra things here from Richard's YouTube, where he highlights other Louisiana French singers and musicians. I've only included a couple, but people writing for Interview might want to explore his page more, since there's some Black Zydeco (Louisiana folk and French) musicians there.

J'ai une chanson dans mon coeur:

I couldn't find anything out about this. A young, Black American girl sings this song in an American school. I think, and hope, that she's another member of the French Louisianian musical community. Very sweet.

Zachary Richard talking about his influences and earlier Zydeco music in Louisiana.

[harpagornis]

I still hate Greek mythology, but I recalled the fact that Dione is basically a female version of Zeus, so the account Aphrodite is their daughter is basically masturbation

[robo-writing]

whilst cid is a confirmed girl dad what type of dad do we think the other lads are, i have some ideas and i’m curious to how others think:

-clive: born to also be a girl dad but he has one son then 2 daughters with said son somehow inheriting even more protective big brother genes. his daughters probably think he’s super cool as a shield and try to become some of rosaria’s first female shields. the son probably ends up being more the scholar type by chance, the “i told you so” older brother.

-joshua: truly versatile but i think the universe would end up giving him a single boy that has all of his Bratty Younger Brother genes but More. it’s payback tenfold for the years jote and clive had to endure of him refusing to stay in bed whilst sick and having to attempt to father an even more stubborn version of himself. i also think he should have a kid that LOVES carrots like they eat it by the shovel-full

-dion: boy dad through and through. raises like 3 completely chivalrous fairy tail prince sons and has one 4th son who is such a rogue and trouble maker than he balances out his 3 brother’s personalities by himself. they’re also his biggest supporters, think he’s the coolest dragon to ever exist. probably would end up with one of them succeeding harpocrates and another being very artistic.

-barnabas: either no kids or a single child but he doesn’t act different based on the kids sex/gender. possibly adopted? most likely to adopt, i think he values an innate sense of discipline for the kid’s self benefit. but he seems like the type of king that raises a queen so well that waloed is also historically called a queendom during her reign. as long as he can teach them swordsmanship he’s chill

-hugo: bald and childless <3 he would only have kids with benne but she’s not fucking doing that, she knows medieval childbirth statistics.

gav: like 9 kids. like so many. he probably also adopts half the hideaway’s kids. they all develop his accent even if they’re adopted and it’s like hearing a warbling nest of birds. probably the most chill dad ever like they all say their secrets with such security he’s like in on all the gossip of their generation. he just comes back to the hideaway with a new kid calling him dad

Oh my god anon you’re so right for most of these, you basically did my job so lemme just add a couple ideas to compliment yours

Clive- absolutely a girl dad, and his one son becomes extremely protective of them just like he was to Joshua. He’s also the voice of reason between the three because his girls also inherited his sense of bravery, and they tend to get into antics a lot. Very active and energetic while big bro is more calm and collected (except when his sisters are in trouble, and it’s there we see that famous rosfield anger)

Joshua- a singular boy that makes his father’s life much more difficult than it needs to be (I wonder where he inherited that from.) He’s also very energetic, and is more than likely the mastermind of whatever scheme he and his two cousins get into. Too curious for his own good, just like his father, and absorbs knowledge like a sponge even if the methods used to obtain that knowledge are a bit orthodox. Keep an eye on him at all times, and if you hear silence from him, he’s definitely doing something.

Dion- literal Disney princes, the pinnacle of chivalry and honor, it’s as if you plucked them from a fairytale. He saw the man his father grew up to be and wanted them to be better, and have a better childhood than he did. Even when his fourth turns out to be a bit of a rebel you can still see that Lesage honor shining through and through, albeit in his own special way. While his first three sons might stop a bully by talking him down the fourth would sooner shut him up by breaking his jaw, for example. (He was harassing a poor student, he couldn’t just stand by!)

Surprisingly enough his fourth son is incredibly smart, top marks in all his classes effortlessly, if only he could get a rein on that temper.

Barnabas- he’s most likely to adopt, but he would love that child no less than his own flesh and blood. Firm but fair, he’d raise them to be strong, and to never take anything from anyone, ever. At the same time he enjoys that his child does not have that same bloodlust in their eyes that he did when he was their age. He doesn’t say his emotions outwardly, but rather expresses them with quality time, such as training or bringing them to royal meetings.

Hugo- childless lmao, even if he wasn’t obsessed with benedikta his ego wouldn’t allow him to take just one woman as his bride, and I highly doubt he’d be a good father. If he did have a child they’d be more likely to run away once they’re a teenager

Gav- oh sweet Gav, his nickname is the daycare with how many children he raises on a daily basis. Half of them aren’t even his, and does it really matter? He loves having a big family, it’s more entertaining that way.

[illegiblewords]

Some post-FFXVI analysis.

I figure there were themes throughout about how a parent is supposed to love their child and want to see them grow, and then exploring questions of power imbalance not only between parents/creators and their children/creations but also the world itself (non-bearers) vs the few with great and terrible potential (bearers and dominants). I think the theme has echoes in Otto and his son, Dion with his father as well as Anabella, Edda being protected by her child and Gav stepping into a familial role despite not having any obligation, Charon doing similar with Goetz, the Waloed orphanage director and his daughter/bearers where he utterly betrayed those children, OG Cid and both Bearers as well as Mid (adopted), abandonment of Benedikta by Cid, and even Mid’s choice not to make the airship because she doesn’t trust the potential and power it holds. Plus like (in case I need to explicitly say it) Ultima vs humanity and Anabella vs Clive, Joshua, and Olivier. It’s basically caretakers and the choice to nurture potential or not, and different characters make different choices because there isn’t a single answer to how those kinds of relationships unfold. I get that.

The spots I want to zoom in closer are these questions though.

1) What the fuck is even happening with Barnabas thematically/symbolically with the Oedipus complex? 

He’s technically fucking both Ultima (parent to humanity) and his own mother (how Ultima presents to him) with his goal to sacrifice the will of not only himself but humanity overall in Ultima’s name. Ultima is the Jungian devouring mother who doesn’t seek to see her children grow but to use them, live through them, and keep them forever stunted. This is also Jungian Tiamat, who devours her own children (dragon’s mouth = yonic)--basically Barnabas is on the one hand artificially kept a child when he should have been an adult, entirely in thrall to his mother who seeks to destroy him to her own ends. On the other hand, he is willingly surrendering himself and humanity this way so the horror comes from doing such a thing with full, adult agency. It’s a similar perversion--he has taken Ultima’s side and chosen to engage in Ultima’s goal (not treating child/creation like a child/creation) and, despite being possessed of his own will and thus an adult, engages in Ultima’s inappropriate mission willingly. He becomes an active participant at Ultima’s side victimizing humanity and himself. There might be further nuance to it but the situation feels like trying to twist my brain into a pretzel. 2) What is going on with Anabella and Ultima!Olivier? 

Anabella is analogous to Ultima in her entire mindset, and I guess she sort of... she doesn’t personally love any of her children, but she loves what Joshua and Olivier represent to her in ambition and tools. Olivier has been basically dead the whole time and Anabella didn’t even notice, because she doesn’t care about his will or him as a person. Olivier being Ultima like... is it kind of like saying her own child is dead because of how she views/treats her children as extensions of herself, and she effectively is parenting an analogue of herself instead in Ultima? The reason she commits suicide isn’t just the destruction of Olivier as a tool for herself--it’s because she also has to see him as the horrific, destructive reflection of herself, and that self is an abomination. She refused the role of a true parent while simultaneously holding nothing else of value within. She cannot be the monster of Ultima but nor can she comprehend or invest in her children, and now she can’t even pretend that she does. I don’t think it’s remorse for her, but sort of realizing she is something monstrous. She dies a monster, never acknowledging her children as people--but she might be aware of herself refusing to acknowledge them. This might have other angles to it too.

3) With as much feminine symbolism and iconography as Ultima has, why make his default form male here? It’s not just in-game feminine motifs (Ultima even refers to himself relative to the role of mother rather than father), but Ultima’s history within the franchise with femininity. See Final Fantasy Tactics in particular, all sorts of Final Fantasy XIV stuff, possibly Ultimecia though there’s some translation funkiness there. Regardless, that was an active creative choice there and I think it has to do with symbolic meaning. I don’t think it’s for secret shitty implications or anything like that. It could be that the developers wanted to indicate it’s not a woman-exclusive propensity but a parental one, and since Anabella especially helped drive home the devouring mother Ultima was used to broaden the lens? I think there’s more to it, and I don’t particularly figure Ultima has a fixed gender or even one as humans conceive at all--but he presents masculine when that didn’t have to be the case.

[annachum]

Some more of my Cars OCs:

Valerie Shiftwell

- Late wife of Finn McMissile and mother of Holley Shiftwell

- Killed by Lemon squad when Holley was 8

- Also inspired by Tracy Draco - Bond and Vesper Lynd

- Looks kinda like an older version of Holley except the paint is more midnight purple and the eyes more deep blue

- Sounds kinda like Eva Green's Vesper Lynd

- Finn and Valerie's love story literally has some nods to On your Majesty's secret service and Casino Royale

- Is 26 and Finn was 37 when they first met when they are paired up as new secret agent partners of CHROME

- Extracted so many intimate information of the Lemons before she died

- While not on spy missions, she has this meticulously crafted public persona as a model/socialite who has her own jewelry line

- She comes from a powerful shipping magnate household and mainly grew up in Bath, England. Her German Swiss mother is a Rothschild.

Kiyomi Yamaguchi

. Wife of Shu Todoroki

. Kiyomi had a pretty interesting backstrory

She and her younger sister Suzuki didnt have much as children, so their mother sent them to a Maiko school when they were adolescent for them to become geisha as a way for them to earn some extra money for the family

Kiyomi and her spunky younger sister Suzuki grew up in Kawagoe, a town near Tokyo main area.

And then Kiyomi becomes a geisha turns stay at home mom turned food blogger, while Sakura becomes a chef for the Maiko school

( That was also inspired from Cooking at the Maiko House Netflix show btw )

. Kiyomi and Shu were 26 and 41 when they first met at a Kabuki theatre place thing.

. Kiyomi was 18 when she becomes a fully fledged geisha, but she doesn't stop educating herself, as she also went to take college level courses in business

. Later on, Sakura Todoroki will grow up to become a professional racecar with her own car painting line 🤩🤩🤩🤩😁😁😁😁

. Kiyomi sounds kinda like Kimiko Glenn but with more of a Japanese accent

. Kiyomi is a Pink Toyota car with brown eyes

Sakura Todoroki

. THE BABY

. Shu and Kiyomi's energetic daughter

. Is a bit more like her mother except more spirited

. Also quite a daddy's girl

. Is basically a bit like Agnes from Despicable Me as a kid

. Loves unicorns and drawing, racing and car painting

. All the other World Grand Prix racers are charmed by little Sakura

. She often asks SO MANY QUESTIONS

. Had better English than her parents ( usually )

. Looks kinda like a mini version of her mom

. Sounds kinda like Agnes from Despicable Me as a kid

Carlos Lopez

. The flamboyant gay son of Ramone and Flo

. Becomes a car painter/model in LA after college

. Is basically 2 years younger than Lighting

. He's 20 in Cars 1 and the first time he meets Lightning is when Carlos is home from UCLA for the summer.

. Carlos instantly becomes good friends with Lightning and Sally

. Carlos is kinda like a mix of Angel Dust and Blair from Dion and Blair but a car and a car painter

. Often switching flamboyant car paints

. Can pass off as a Brandon rogers animated character

. Clearly a mix of both parents

. His parents love him fiercely and unconditionally

. He came out as gay on his 15th birthday

. Sounds a bit like Angel Dust in spades but more Cali accent or smth

Giulia Esposito

. Francesco Bernoulli's wife

. She is a Neapolitan car painter who first met Francesco a year after Cars 2, when she was 26 and he 31, and she was working for VOGUE Rome as a car painter

. Francesco and Giulia married 2 years later and Giulia founded her own car painting brand

. Fiery, sassy and classy. Kinda like Gia from Madgascar but in a different font

. A beautiful Alfa Romeo Giulia red car with brown eyes

. She is basically the Sally to Francesco's Lightning

. Sounds a little like Gia from Madgascar

[abookishdreamer]

Character Intro: Amechania (Kingdom of Ichor)

Nicknames- The Struggle Goddess by Dione

Mother by her daughters

Ma'am by her son-in-law

Age- 50 (immortal)

Location- Shadowstone neighborhood, New Olympus

Personality- She's structured, no-nonsense, & blunt with an intelligence to match. She can be manipulative and sees nothing wrong with her nihilistic pessimitic worldview. She's asexual & is currently single.

She has the standard abilities of a goddess except shapeshifting. As the goddess of helplessness & want her other powers/abilities include intangibility (phasing), being able to temporarily possess another being, invisibility, as well as having an innate sense of a being's desires.

Members of Amechania's immediate family include her fraternal twin daughters Penia (goddess of poverty) & Ptocheia (goddess of beggary) in addition to her son-in-law Porus (god of resourcefulness).

She lives by herself in a charming townhouse in the Shadowstone neighborhood of New Olympus, her daughters a half hour away. The interior design is classic & minimalist with the color scheme being gray, cream, white, and black. The flooring is white oak while the furniture (leather & cotton) as well as the furniture pieces (wood & glass) is second-hand, bought from a thrift furniture store in the Underworld. The kitchen has the neccessary appliances along with plain wood cabinets. The bedroom has a few wall mounted shelves for her books, a four poster bed covered in black & gray pillows and sheets, as well as a small 30 inch flat screen television that has basic cable.

Notable physical features include her sharp cheekbones and her nearly waist length shiny black hair that doesn't have a hint of gray.

Amechania is fluent in most languages spoken in Olympius. She currently learning how to speak Serpentis, the language spoken amongst the Gorgon population.

She primarily gets around in her sleek dark gray car, but doesn't mind using public transportation or walking.

Amechania typically starts out her day with a walk through the city, some time before the sunrise. She'll then stop by at her favorite outdoor newstand in Acropolis Square where she'll by the daily copy of The Oracle newspaper as well as The Chthonic Chronicle- the most popular newspaper in the Underworld. Amechania will then read the newspapers in a Roasted Bean coffee shop a few blocks way from her townhouse while sipping one too many london fog lattes.

A typical breakfast for her is a bowl of plain oatmeal topped with granola and blackberries. She also likes a lightly toasted onion bagel spread with whipped feta cheese from The Bread Box, unsweetened yogurt, or a bowl of Earthly Harvest raisin crunch cereal.

She may not have been the most "stereotypical" mom that gave warm snug hugs or gabbed with her girls about boys, but Amechania prepared her daughters for the real world with their positions as minor goddesses. She knows that her & her daughters weren't going to be given respect, so they demanded it.

Amechania personally admires the iron will and tenacity of Penia. She feels like her other daughter Ptocheia is "too much of a dreamer" and that she's far too dependent on Penia. Amechania has dinner with her daughters every week at their apartment.

A go-to drink for her is mineral water. She also likes red wine, ginger ale, pomegranate juice, mint tea, orange juice, espresso martinis, as well as manhattans.

She enjoys listening to classical, traditional Greek, & alternative music.

A lot of her clothes is bought from a vintage clothing shop.

Amechania has a collection of literary fiction books that she buys from a bookstore that primarily sells used books. She especially likes the "3 for Friday" deal. Two books are bought and the third one is free. She also likes the smell of old books.

In the pantheon, Amechania is well known for being able to "squeeze a drachma out of an obol." She's an avid couponer- looking for the best and cost effective discounts & rebates on purchases. There's even the Eriounios app on her smartphone- which was developed by Hermes (god of roads, travelers, thieves, merchants, messengers, speed, trade, sports, borders, thoughts, communications, money, & luck).

Her favorite things from Hollyhock's Bakery is the dark chocolate brownie and blackberry scones.

Amechania's means of income comes from her job as a social worker. Her office is located at 920 Dark Helm Avenue, about 20 minutes driving distance from her townhouse. She primarily helps clients with aquiring affordable housing & unemployment in addition to other social and domestic issues.

She finds the wealth disparity in Olympius and the Underworld to be nightmarishly garish.

A guilty pleasure for her is the quarter pounder burger with extra pickles from Olympic Chef. She also likes the turkey avocado sandwich on rye bread with extra havarti cheese from The Bread Box.

In the pantheon Amechania is friends with Hysminai (goddess of fighting & combat), Adikia (goddess of injustice), Oizys (goddess of anxiety, misery, & depression), Hybris (goddess of insolence, hubris, & reckless pride), Lethe (Titaness of forgetfulness, oblivion, & concealment), Iapetus (Titan god of mortality, pain, & death), Styx (Titaness of hatred), and Praxidike (goddess of judicial punishment).

She respects the intelligence & ingenuity of her son-in-law Porus. What he lacks in brawn, he more than makes up for it with his brain.

Amechania had a falling out with a former friend Amphillogia (goddess of arguments, disputes, & altercations). It stems from Amechania dating Amphillogia's ex-husband Kydoimos (god of uproar & battlefield confusion). She didn't really see the point of the drama that came from that considering they've been divorced for a couple of hundred years.

She dislikes Pseudologos (god of lies), Clymene (Titaness of fame & renown), and Aplistos (god of avarice).

Amechania secretly can't wait till Penia & Porus blesses her with a grandchild.

During her relationship with Kydoimos, she couldn't quite mesh with his overbearing brash nature, his instance at staying the night at her place, or how his hands would find their way to her backside whenever they kissed. Amechania ended things after a year.

She absolutely hates ice cream.

There's an alley across the street from Amechania's townhouse where stray cats gather. She'll sometimes leave cans of tuna along with bowls of milk & water for them.

She preferes cologne to parfum and body sprays.

Meal prepping is one of Amechania's favorite pasttimes. A lot of the meals she eats, she cooks, with dining out or take out being a rare treat. She also brings lunch to work. Some of her favorite meals include grilled chicken with broccoli & kale, gyro rice bowls, chickpea salad with quinoa, sheet-pan garlic butter salmon with asparagus, and balsamic pasta salad.

In her free time she also enjoys reading, knitting, going to museums, chess, pilates, jogging, and helping out at her daughters' soup kitchen.

"The fewer desires, the more peace."