#The knight and his Queen

[neo--queen--serenity]

Marcille is actually one of the biggest reasons it took so long to pinpoint which Chilchuck was the imposter in today’s episode.

The Senshi and Marcille imposters had their own reasons for being hard to decipher, but that was a joint effort on the party’s part. Chilchuck was the only example where a single member’s bias actually swayed the others so strongly that it made them all doubt themselves.

Ryouko Kui did an excellent job of giving us a rich background on how different races interact, and how they may descriminate against each other. Each of the races in this series struggles with these prejudices. Our main characters are not exempt from this, and we see it clearly in the way the shapeshifter manifested as each party member, showing us how the others percieve them.

Marcille knows Chilchuck well, and cares deeply for him as a friend. But she’s not immune to assumptions and biases that come from her elven background. The Chilchuck imposter we are faced with, when it’s down to two of them left, is Marcille’s memory of Chilchuck, Marcille’s perception of how he behaves.

One of the first manifestations of this bias occurs when shapeshifter Chilchuck can’t get a jar open.

The real Chilchuck knows that this would never happen—at least not in this way. Chilchuck is proud, yes, but he asks for Laios’ help all the time. Laios is actually one of the party members he is the most likely to ask help from, given how long they’ve known each other, and how much mutual trust exists between them.

However, the whole scenario isn’t right. Chilchuck wouldn’t give up so easily on opening something; his whole job is opening and unlocking things. He would never quit an attempt like this within 5 seconds, then run to Laios so that “big strong adult tall-man” can open it for him.

Marcille is the one who asks, “Huh? Why do you say that?” because Marcille is partially right. Chilchuck does rely on Laios, and Marcille knows this to be true. But she fails to realize how he relies on Laios.

Chilchuck respects many of Laios’ talents, but the most important ones are his combat skills, his emotional fortitude, and his quick thinking when delegating tasks. He trusts Laios as someone he is comfortable following (he literally said to him and Shuro in the last episode: “Laios!! Tell us what do!! Give us orders!!” when chimera Falin was quickly overpowering them).

So while Marcille almost understands Chilchuck’s confidence in Laios, she tends to accidentally infantilize him in the process.

She immediately believes that Chilchuck B (the imposter, who is specifically using her own memory as its base for Chilchuck’s personality) is the real one, and says so, because she’s blinded by her perception of him as being childlike and adorable because of the very common racial prejudices that half-foots deal with all the time.

She dotes on the imposter, and is open with her affections, as usual (again, her care for him is clear), but doubles down on that bias, on her own assumptions of Chilchuck’s behavior shown through her own lens.

And ultimately, Laios was able to tell the difference, but only because he watched how the Chilchucks handled other minute tasks. Marcille’s stance on which Chilchuck was real truly did throw the others for a loop, at least until the threat passed. And honestly, that’s part of what makes the shapeshifter so terrifying. Its strategy almost worked.

[chalkrub]

new guyyy whom i love from a design trade

he's a demigod cimera knight who was brutally defeated and then spared by a tyrant queen, with the caveat that she cut off his goat head and uses it as a hostage to keep him loyal to her. unfortunate but what are you gonna do

[gravitycoill]

holy balls it's dark in here can someone turn on a light...

close. ups. yup hi

[justaz]

just imagining the knights who have grown used to treating merlin like arthur’s consort, letting him get away with all these things, and introducing new knights to the unspoken rules - merlin may not be the consort in title but you better treat him like he is - and carrying that into arthur’s reign as king only for one (1) feast to go horribly, horribly wrong and the knights of the round table are trying to put out these all these fires and calm all these lords and ladies feelings and trying to talk arthur down from waging war and trying to get merlin to talk to the king dammit i don’t care that you’re upset, arthur is drafting up a literal declaration of war please slap talk some sense into him all the while drafting up new rules that HEY actually let’s treat merlin like the queen instead

[omnisentient]

Commander in Chief of Philos' Military And The Crown Prince

[drenched-in-sunlight]

obsessed with the way in JP dialogue, Trina refers to Miquella as “that child” (あの子, also an endearment term to call someone who is your junior), as opposed to Malenia who refers to him as “big brother” (兄さま, ani-sama, a very respectful way to put it).

reminds me of Marika calling Radagon “leal hound”.

even though Marika went about it in an obviously much ruder way, Trina’s “that child” carries the same overbearing connotation. The godly female half that positions themselves as knowing better (and srl, they do) & trying to save their other half from their own folly.

It makes me wonder if somewhere along the way Miquella had grown bitter towards his own other self, who got to grow up, become a Saint and actually be able to save people and taken seriously without having to rely on charming power.

They are such parallel to Marika & Radagon in that I believe he loves her, but he can’t stand not being able to be her equal, always falling short and being talked down to.

Imo that’s why Miquella is close to his dad who shared the same pain, while Trina grew the flower bearing their mother’s name in her garden of purple.

[merlinmylove]

Arthur: Who was your first love? I’m only joking of course, it’s me duh

Merlin: No actually I couldn’t stand you at first. Lancelot was my first love

Arthur: What? Gwen, my love, talk some sense into him

Gwen: No Arthur, and lancelot was also my first love

Leon: Yeah me too

Arthur: Et tu, Leon?

Leon: He’s just so dreamy !!

- - - - -

[telemcchus]

Falseren friends to lovers to exes to enemies to lovers based around king Ren arc in season 9. Am I cooking?

Absolutely anon 🙏🙏 s9 Falseren pre brr is such an interesting dynamic I wish we got more of them in the ren the king arc !! But it’s okay bc we can hold hands and imagine it :D

They’re so divorced (they’re not married)

[marsbotz]

posting like its 2021

[yuwuta]

MORE KNIGHT YUTA PLEASE I BEG OF YOU!!

yes ofc. he’s obedient, but still sly...... to me, knight yuuta will do as you say, but he will also act before you speak if he thinks that’s what’s right to protect you...... it’s like..... he thinks he’s the only person who can protect you, and you’re the only person who can protect him from himself........ anyway, enjoy this teehee cw mentions of murder (what else is new)

Yuuta sighs when he sees your silhouette in the moonlight, peering over the grand balcony. The heavy fabric of your dress resists rustles in the shallow winds of the evening; it tells Yuuta that you have not gone to bed, that he did not wake you, that you waited for him, that you anticipated him. 

From his position below, standing center in the courtyard, you appear something like a goddess, but he knows better than to compare to something so fickle. Gods are fable and you are truth, you are real. 

“Princess, you should be asleep. Might I help you to bed?” Yuuta offers, voice loud enough for you hear him one story higher, but quiet enough not to rouse the other knights on watch for the night. 

Yuuta watches intently as you shake you head, trails the smooth movement of your fingers grazing across the stone ribboning of the railing. You stop at the center, resting your clothed forearms against cold stone, wrists and hands hanging over the edge, and the lightest hum escaping from your lips, “If I were to fall, would you catch me, Yuuta?” 

Yuuta nods, without hesitation, “Yes, princess.” 

His eyes remained glued to you, carefully tracking your movements as you slowly sway to your left, delicate footsteps carrying you to the top of the stairway. Yuuta’s body turns with yours, standing at the base of the stairs, awaiting your arrival. 

Your careful to lift up the skirt of your dress with one hand, press your palm to the railing for support with the other, tilt your head down enough so that Yuuta can see your face in the moonlight, “And if I were to ask you to escort me to the kitchen, would you?” 

One, two, three steps, and you pause. Yuuta answers, “Yes, princess.” 

A hum, another step, then three, then four, then another question, “And if I said I craved fresh berries, and asked you to gather and wash and prepare them for me, would you?” 

“Yes, princess.” 

You continue at a slow pace, three steps, another question, three more, and Yuuta answers; always yes, always willing. You stop, three steps before the end of the stairs, and yet it only makes you a head taller than your knight. You drop your dress, take the smallest step forward, but not down, before you pose your next question. 

“And if I asked you to return to your quarters and not kill Lord Hajime tonight, would you?” 

This time, Yuuta cannot meet your eyes, head turning down, gaze set on the cold floor of the courtyard.

“Would you not do what is asked of you, Yuuta?”

He hears your voice first, then feels the warm touch of your fingers when you reach out to comb through his hair. Your fingernails scratch against his scalp, tugging with gentle vigor until you’ve forced his head up, until you’ve forced his gaze; and then, slowly, you bring your other hand to join its companion, and you have him between the palm of your hands. You always do. 

He holds his tongue, still; he wouldn’t dare say no to you, even if he thinks it. 

“Or do you only do as you please?” you tilt his head between your hands, “You would lie to me, wouldn’t you? You’ve done it before.” 

“Only for your protection,” Yuuta says, pleading, “I promise.” 

You hum, warm fingers brushing against his cold skin in the night. You look daunting, beautiful. 

“I might not be as conniving as my guards, nor as divisive as my cabinet, but I am still the princess, and you still serve me,” your words are calm, steady, eerie; Yuuta shudders into your touch when you trail you left hand down, pointer finger tracing along the frame of his face before hooking under his chin, forcing further accession between you and him, “Do you no longer wish to please me, Yuuta?” 

Yuuta sighs, raising his hand to wrap around your wrist, the cold metal of his armor whistling with his movement. With worried words and weary expression he asks: “Would Lord Hajime please you, princess?” 

He watches as your face falls, eyes sad and lips solemn, moving your hands down his face to swipe your thumbs against his temples. Yuuta lets go of your wrist, but he remains pliant in your hold, obedient under your touch, grateful when you shake your head.  

“Then why can’t I kill him?” Yuuta questions, earnest and upset. 

“Oh, Yuuta,” you muse, brushing away a fallen eyelash before bringing his head to your chest and cradling it between soft palms and soft cloth, “My Yuuta,” your words are spoken against the top of his head and the warmth radiates down the rest of his body.

“Lord Hajime will be dealt with accordingly. This is not how I wish to resolve things,” you assure him; Yuuta doesn’t like your solution, but you are his princess, so he will listen, he will stand and be warm against you, “And you are obvious. Another murder would only raise suspicion.” 

“They do not know it was me.” 

You chuckle, only lightly, and Yuuta can feel it against your chest, “But now I know.” 

Yuuta looks up, chin resting against your chest, his hands reaching up, resting greedily against your waist. Your palms find purchase against his cheeks again, and his eyes flutter closed for a moment, sinking into his dream. 

Slowly, he opens his eyes, blinks up at you. “I will accept whatever punishment you see fit.” 

This time, you tilt your head, allowing the moonlight to strike his face. Yuuta glows in anticipation, awaits your word. A moment, and then a hum. 

“I’m sure you will,” you tell him, before removing your hands from his face. Yuuta whimpers, pout growing deeper when you turn around in his hold, your back to him as you begin to ascend the stairs. 

Again, he waits, hands falling to your side as he eyes your silhouette. He counts ten steps before you turn your head over your shoulder, “Come. That’s an order.” 

Yuuta dips his head down, clasps his hand behind his back before he begins to follow you up the stairs, “Yes, of course, princess.” 

[dayurno]

and what makes me happy is that kevins duology absolutely obfuscated tsc3s title drop. he would be so happy to know he stole someone’s thunder

[pruskita]

A knight and a counselor who became kings because of the loss of their loves, even without knowing what to do in royalty, do it to carry on the memories of their deceased husband and wife respectively

And two former rulers of their own kingdoms who died, Both lost their heads, one because she went mad from obsession and the other because he was decapitated to save what mattered most to him, now in Hades they are just like two more souls

[princess-self-shipping]

It is said that when the late Queen flees to her garden, none are able to find her aside from her most loyal of knights

And sometimes the King will vanish into his office during those times

What a shame! One must only imagine how the two missed each other during those times.

[danibee33]

No one:

Me: ok, but hear me out- knight!ghost and his queen

[justmenoworries]

Really funny how LO's narrative and fans wanna make us believe Hades' type are strong women when he literally has a history of sabotaging every ambitious woman in his life, making them dependant on him and then preying on them at their most vulnerable.

[onegianthotmess]

*Riddle and Silver peacefully coexisting in friendship in the Equestrian Club during Riddle’s Ceremonial Robes vignette*

Me: *staring intently at my phone* KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KI-