#When I said that he inherited his mother's temperament

[detherun]

Fun Fact: When He is extremely upset, crazy or Furious, He usually speaks in Spanish and forgets to speak in English...

(Although he hardly shows that side...)

[adini-nikolaevna]

Hi! Me again! It's always about the six princesses of Luxembourg. I would like to know more information about their childhood? Do you know where I can find information about that? Also, are there any books in French about them?? Thanks!!!

Their childhood was kind of overshadowed by their father’s terminal illness. Marie Adelaide (who was Grand Duke Adolph’s special favorite; he called her “Maus,” and when he was very elderly and nearly blind, she would guide him to ensure that he didn’t trip) and possibly Charlotte, helped her mother to care for Grand Duke Guillaume. Marie Adelaide was painfully shy, so Charlotte often accompanied her official events, and it was generally said that Marie was more beautiful, but that Charlotte (known en famille as Lotti) was the charming one. Marie was not particularly devout as a child—that came later—but she did tell her mother that she would never marry, so she must not ask it of her. She loved the airy Edwardian fashions, too. Hilda was the fiery one. It was said that she inherited the Braganza temperament, and her playmates would say they must “do as Hilda does.” She was also considered somewhat clairvoyant (shortly before Marie Adelaide’s death, Hilda had a dream where there were only five sisters instead of six). Antonia, known to her family as Toni, was very intelligent and a talented musician. Elisabeth (Lissi, as they called her) was the sweet one—she once allowed a bee to sting her because she said it was better that it didn’t sting “poor Papa.” Her future husband, Prince Ludwig Philipp of Thurn und Taxis was the love of her life, and the couple’s displays of affection sometimes made Marie Adelaide a bit uncomfortable. Sophie’s parents called her “Little Portuguese” because she strongly resembled her mother’s side of the family, and as the youngest, she was probably doted on. A fortune teller accurately predicted that she would be the mother of three sons. All six sisters were very close to one another. Antonia and Sophie looked so much alike that their own children sometimes had difficulty telling them apart!

I don’t know of any French language books, but The Nassaus of Luxembourg has a chapter devoted to each sister, and it has a lot of information about their early lives.

Hope this helps!

[alicent-vi-britannia]

A brief analysis of color symbology in the important characters of Code Geass

Next, I'll discuss the symbology behind the color palettes of six major Code Geass characters. The purpose of this post will be to show how colors describe character traits. I clarify that I am not an illustrator or an animator. I'm just a quasi graduate who loves Code Geass and symbols and I want to use my knowledge to combine two things I like. And that I want you to take into account four points about the symbols and, therefore, the colors: The first is that they are polysemic. I'm going to adjust to the context of the series and the nature and role of the characters. Well, to give an example, violet is the color of sexuality and lust and I don't think that was what the animators had in mind when they established violet for Lelouch. The second is that they are ambivalent. They have two sides. One positive and one negative. The third is that the meanings of the colors vary depending on the cultures (and the times). I've tried to stick to universal meanings. And the fourth is that the symbols aren't isolated signs, they establish relationships between them and reinforce or annul meanings. Don't forget that there are colors that are born from the combination of two; so those resulting colors inherit certain meanings from their "parents", so to speak. Hence some of the connotations are repeated.

Having said all that I had to say, let's start with Lelouch. Black is Lelouch's signature color. He always plays chess with black, his casual clothes are black, his army is the Black Knights, his Knightmares are black, the two great rebellions he has led have been dubbed the Black Rebellion, one of his nicknames is the Black Prince, his hair is black!

So what does black symbolize? Well, black is precisely the color of rebellion and protests. It symbolizes how illegal and forbidden are many of the acts that Lelouch carries out. It's also a symbol of elegance and youth. This is because most of the youngsters claim that black is his favorite color and don't be surprised by this, but Lelouch is a youngster.

Black is the color of dirt and evil. How many times has Lelouch dirty his hands with shit for carrying out his goals? Infinite times! "The world does not change with beautiful words", it changes with actions and many are dirty. How much evil did Lelouch do for the greater good? Phew! We could spend hours talking about it!

Black is the color of brutality, violence and hate. Three meanings that it has in common with red and these two colors make up a standard combination (it's no coincidence that one of the people closest to Lelouch and with whom he forms a powerful team has red as his distinctive color). Lelouch harbors hatred towards his father, his family and the empire that disowned him. Hence why he is so ruthless against Britannia. Unlike Suzaku, he believes that violence is the answer.

Black is the color of death, destruction and mourning. Lelouch brings death and destruction wherever he goes (to give a couple of examples, just think of the Battle of Narita and the Japan Administrative Zone massacre). In the same way, he always has mourning in his heart. He is reluctant to let go of loved ones who die (since the death of his mother).

Black usually has a negative connotation and whenever he is next to bright colors he will subvert the positive values of it. In association with yellow (which is a color present in Lelouch, albeit to a lesser extent), it connotes selfishness, guilt, and melancholy. Lelouch started his rebellion for selfish reasons and ended up consumed with guilt as he watched his revenge spiral dragging innocents and loved ones into harm. He is a character with a melancholic-choleric temperament.

[Black symbolizes bad luck and Lelouch never overthrew Britannia while he was wearing black, is that why he was always so close to landslide victory? :v]

Soon I will return to black to point out two specific aspects, now let's talk about Lelouch's second distinctive color: violet.

The combination of black and violet is one of the least negative and symbolizes magic and the dark forces of nature and magic. The Geass was a supernatural gift that Lelouch possesses. Violet is the color of vanity and extravagance. Zero was a striking character, partly because of his manner, partly because of his aura of mystery, and partly because of his looks (Lelouch is arrogant and proud, but there is a shade of difference between pride and vanity).

Violet is the color of power. This is because extracting the violet pigment was difficult and therefore very expensive; so only the nobility and members of royalty could afford to buy clothes of this color. The fact that Lelouch has chosen purple as the color of his Zero costume seems funny to me because it means that he hasn't renounced his princely roots (the series itself wanted us to be clear about it and, for that reason, gave us the dialogue from the snow in episode 10 of the first season). He is and will remain a prince (in fact, his arrogance and negative outlook on vulnerability are a product of his upbringing in Britannia). Yellow reinforces this meaning.

It is the color of penance, martyrdom and mourning. Lelouch bears the weight of his sins and suffers as a result. Lelouch never quite gets past the dueling stage.

Violet is a singular color because it derives from the mixture of red and blue and these two colors represent opposite values. In violet these values are in communion. Hence, violet is considered an ambiguous color. In terms of morality, Violet is in the middle of good and evil, just like Lelouch, who is capable of doing good for the worst reasons and evil for the best reasons. This tells us about the amorality of the character. Violet combines the values of blue and red.

Blue is the color of coldness and intellectual qualities. Lelouch stands out for his intelligence, although the haters deny it. Red is the color of passions and Lelouch is a character moved by passions. He is very passionate, only he knows how to channel his emotions. Most of the time he is calm and he analyzes coolly, even in pressured situations. Only when his loved ones become involved does he lose control of his emotions and subservient to them.

In its negative aspect, violet symbolizes the abuse of power and who is distinguished by purple, besides Lelouch? His father who is a full-fledged tyrant.

Britannia is distinguished by the color white and white symbolizes the divine. It is the color of the gods and royalty, of absolutist monarchies, to be exact.

White as opposed to black symbolizes what we are all thinking: the eternal fight of good against evil. The angels are always attired in white robes and have white wings while the demons have black wings. Although the interesting thing about Code Geass is that it inverts those values since the Britannia (the whites) are the bad guys and the rebels (the blacks) are the good guys.

White recovers its positive values with Suzaku and Euphemia. Let's go with the second.

White is the color that represents good. I had already said it. And it is, additionally, the color of integrity, honesty, transparency and purity. White shares all these connotations with blue. In fact, white and blue are the colors of spiritual virtues. Blue is the color of trust, friendship and sympathy. What does this tell us? That Suzaku is a boy with a noble and pure heart and a good friend.

White is the color of innocence and, curiously, blue is the color of the unreal, that is, of ideas that are far from being realized. It is the color of dreamers and fantasy! Is this a subtle sign that Suzaku is some poor self-deluded idealist? Maybe.

White symbolizes mourning (in oriental countries and don't be surprised by this fact either, but Suzaku is Japanese). Like Lelouch, Suzaku also has a hard time saying goodbye to loved ones who leave this earthly plane.

On the other hand, blue represents the calm, the passive and the introverted. It is the color of longing and peace. Suzaku longs for a world of peace. He tries to leave violence as a last resort, before opting for peaceful ways when dealing with conflicts.

Blue connotes sadness and loneliness. Suzaku is a melancholic and withdrawn type. Note that he doesn't tend to socialize. He is more comfortable closed in on himself, in his comfort zone. I remind you that when he entered Ashford Academy he didn't try to make friends and everyone teased him until he demonstrated his bravery by saving Lelouch from falling. He didn't try to bond with the rest of the Knights of Round either, rather, it seemed that Gino adopted him just like Anya [normally, extroverts adopt introverts]. As he drowns in his problems, he isolates himself more and more from the people who love him and the rest of the world.

Speaking of melancholy, he had mentioned that it symbolized the union of yellow with black. Yellow combined with white connotes weakness and fear. Suzaku's fear of the dark side of him. Deep down, he is just as pragmatic and selfish as Lelouch, but he is terrified to admit it. His weakness to accept his true self and his reality.

By the way, yellow, in its negative aspect, symbolizes lying and both Suzaku and Lelouch are skilled liars. It's a very contradictory and fickle color (it radically changes meaning when paired with another color) and Suzaku and Lelouch are full of contradictions. That is what makes them so human. Likewise, yellow is the color of traitors and Lelouch and Suzaku have betrayed their loyalties for different reasons.

All the positive meanings of white that I highlighted in the previous slide with Suzaku apply to Euphemia, so I'll move on to talking about pink.

Pink is the color of charm, courtesy, sensitivity, delicacy, tenderness. In short, all the qualities considered typically feminine and that Euphemia possesses. I don't think I need to justify myself or provide examples.

Pink is the color of illusions and dreams and, in that sense, it reminds me of blue. Let's not forget that the dream of a peaceful world is inherited by Suzaku from Euphemia (she is an idealist at heart). Although she was aware of the evil that afflicted the Elevens and the grudge that Lelouch harbored in her heart, she was simplistic. We could say that Euphemia had a rosy vision of life (a good and insightful person, but a lousy politician without the necessary cunning and pragmatism). I reiterate that white is the color of innocence and pink is the result of mixing red (which is the color of love and Euphemia has plenty of love) and white.

White is also the color of neutrality and if there is a neutral character in Code Geass is C.C.

Perceive that C.C. is the only member of the Black Knights who wears a white uniform which I had already said is the color of the enemy, which is weird, but makes sense (let's just say she's really only true to herself). She also has a black uniform with the Black Knights symbol on her chest. She adopts black because of her alignment with Lelouch, but it's not like she really takes a stand on the rebellion. She is there for personal reasons that are neglected in the political context.

Green is the other color that predominates in it. Green symbolizes balance and consciousness. Whenever Lelouch is about to collapse, C.C., who is the voice of reason, is there to bring him back to earth (she did better in the first season, let's be honest). Green is the color of intermediate and impartiality, par excellence. In itself it is neither good nor bad. As C.C.

Green is the color of youth and immaturity. Due to the Geass, C.C. has earned eternal youth and, at certain moments, she behaves like a carefree teenager who doesn't measure the consequences of her actions (yes, I mean the scenes of her in Ashford and her interactions with the Black Knights ). In contrast, yellow is the color of maturity and C.C.'s eyes are amber. So many years of experience have given him a few kilos of wisdom. For me, C.C. part of the archetype of the mystical Greek goddess Hestia, the one who is young and old at the same time.

Yellow is the color of security, confidence and tranquility. In her role as her confidante, C.C. has known how to bring these sensations to Lelouch.

Green is the color of otherness (the strange). What color do monsters, aliens, witches and demons paint? Green. C.C. is the only Code Geass character with green hair. She manages to stand out in the sea of characters because of her looks (she has to, she's a witch).

Green symbolizes freedom. Because of her immortality, C.C. feels prey to this existential plane. She is wandering aimlessly through the flow of time that seems endless. At the end of her journey, she manages to free herself from those ties and learns to feel good about herself, renewing her will to live. Let's not forget that, although she wanted to die, she needed to live first because she had not really lived her life. Green is also the color of life and bitterness. At first, she was frustrated. She did not fulfill her wish to be loved and was forced to live an immortal life that she did not want.

Like C.C., Kallen takes on black after bonding with Zero; but it is indisputable that Kallen's color is red.

Red is the color of emotions and passions. Good and bad. Our face turns red with shame, anger, shyness, love (in fact, Kallen is the character who has blushed the most in the series for different reasons). It is the color of love and hate. Kallen loves her family, her friends, and Lelouch as much as she hates Britannia. She is the most emotional character in the series. I also think that she is the most impulsive and that's why: she gets carried away by her emotions.

Just as red has a natural alignment with black (Lelouch), she has a natural opposition with the passive soft blue and innocent white (Suzaku). Red symbolizes strength, courage and aggressiveness. Kallen's fighting style is aggressive, both in hand-to-hand combat and in a fight between Knightmares. Unlike Suzaku, she's not going to give you a chance to give up, she's going to kick your ass openly. She goes without saying that her two greatest virtues are her bravery and her strength (and I would add her poise).

Red is the color of fire and Kallen is a burning flame. If you approach sparingly, she keeps you warm. If you approach carelessly, you can get burned. She is warm and, at the same time, hot-tempered.

Red is the color of danger, violence and the forbidden. It is associated with the revolution. This reminds us of the meanings of black that we had reviewed with Lelouch. Kallen follows Lelouch and doesn't question him because they share his methods, his goals, and his beliefs. Do you see why black and red get along so well? Both are rebels by nature.

Red is the color of allure, and Kallen is the most sex-appealing girl at Ashford Academy. I'm not saying it, all the boys who wanted a kiss from her.

Red is the color of war and anger. Paradoxically, it is the color of freedom and justice, which are the two things that Kallen wants and demands for her people. Like white, red is a political color.

Kallen also wears pink (which results from the combination of red and white) and I think it brings out the softer, more youthful and sweet side of her.

To finish, I leave you with this curious fact. Let's see how much of you have noticed…

Throughout the series, Lelouch and Suzaku wear black and white respectively (I'll open a parenthesis for clarification: only Zero's cape is black, but, if you look closely, in R1 his suit is a darker violet than in R2 and I It seems that the modification is in line with his change, since in R1 we have the meanest and most vile Lelouch and in R2 we have the most self-sacrificing and noble Lelouch). By the time the series is winding down, Lelouch and Suzaku are reversed and now Lelouch wears white, posing as the Emperor of Britannia, and Suzaku dresses in black, reaffirming himself as Knight of Zero.

What does this mean?

It means that Lelouch and Suzaku have exchanged targets.

Lelouch, who wanted to destroy Britannia, is going to change it from within as the Emperor himself.

Suzaku, who wanted to change Britannia, is going to liberate the world by destroying the tyrant who oppresses it as Zero.

All in favor of the same purpose: to build a friendly world and establish an era of peace. Everything was thrown in our faces through the symbology of color before the meaning of the Zero Requiem was revealed in the final episode and we didn't realize it. [In addition, I think it is also a way of externalizing the final transformation that these characters have experienced at the end of their inner journey].

Were the colors chosen randomly without any special motivation? No symbols in Code Geass? Ha ha ha! Look how the cows fly!

This is as far as this analysis ends. They let me know if they knew this information. I hope you liked it a lot. I invite you to tell me in comments what you think and what is your favorite color.

I have two (I can't decide): the black and the pink. [Nobody cares to know, but I'll leave it there].

We will be reading, God willing and if not, too. To hell!

Greetings and thanks for reading.

[merlot-and-chardonnay]

A Lark Among the Wolves and Dragons: Chapter 56

Masterlist

Chapter 55

I want to let y'all know right up front that Aemma ain't exactly going to go into a screaming match with her father just yet in case you were expecting that right away. I'm working out how to go around that, but the confrontation will happen, I promise you that. First we have the Driftmark petition...and the Greens coupe.

--------------back in Vergen------------------

"What troubles you so?" Geralt questions you the morning after your daughter's departure. Once again, you and the witcher had another night of passion together and here you were in the aftermath laying underneath the sheets; after all, who knows how long it would be until you see each other again as this was the day the two of would part ways for the time being.

"Nothing troubles me" you assure, sighing as lay your head back against the pillow. "Don't lie to me, (y/n)," Geralt gives you a stern look, "remember what Regis said about keeping your thoughts bottled up like that. Remember what that did to you during our trip to Nilfgaard."

You give a heavy sigh this time around, knowing your lover was right about that. "...I'm worried for Aemma," you confess to him. "I don't believe her father would try and harm her," Geralt tried to assure you, "you said it yourself once before." "That was 16 years ago, who know how much has changed since then," you point out, "and I'm not exactly worried about Daemon doing anything to her. I'm worried Aemma is going to do something reckless in this crusade of hers. She's clearly inherited my stubborn streak, and the way she reacted to my story, she has her father's temperament. That's not exactly an ideal combination." 

Geralt was silent for a moment thinking on what you had just expressed to him. "Perhaps I could...delay my journey for a bit, follow her to Westeros at a distance," he suggests. "Geralt, no," you say wide eyed, "you still have  a bounty on your head, you can't go anywhere near that place." "Besides," you continue, "I can't protect Aemma forever, especially now that she is grown. She'll have to realize sooner or later that her father is well protected. No one can touch him and force him to face justice."

Geralt nods somberly, knowing you had made your peace with that idea a long time ago.

"There's more," you add, "I...I'm not sure how I feel about her cousin Aemond. There's something off about that boy, I just can't quite put my finger on it." "How so?" "He...he reminds me a little too much of Daemon in some ways," you tell him, "he's a little more chivalrous, I'll admit, but it feels like he's wearing a mask...and there's something insidious hiding behind that mask. I...I don't think I like it."

"...I don't think your intuition would be off there," Geralt admits, which took you by surprise, "the whole time he's been here, been with Aemma, he was adamant about bringing her back home, by order of his mother the queen apparently. The way he went about it, I noticed, he would go out of his way to override her agency, even to the point if it meant dragging her back kicking and screaming."

"So it's not chivalry then," you realize, "that boy is a chauvinist." "What's the difference?" "There is a fine line somewhere, I can assure you...and it seems Aemond has crossed it where Aemma is concerned."

---------------Dragonstone-----------

"...Aemma?"

Daemon had a look of shock the moment he caught sight of his oldest daughter, someone he had not seen in years now. When it first was made known to the Rogue Prince that Aemma vanished without a trace, he was practically beside himself. He questioned his children as well as Rhaenyra's, he mounted Caraxes to search Dragonstone and Driftmark as well as the outskirts of the Crownlands and even the Riverlands, he sent letters to the major lords of the Seven Kingdoms, and had previous connections sent to Nilfgaard and Redania.

He heard nothing concerning Aemma for the next six years. Now seeing his missing daughter right before his eyes, Daemon had to blink twice to make sure this was not a dream.

Aemma stood there, steeling herself. She hadn't really given herself much time to properly prepare for this moment. She had played this scenario multiple times in her head during her flight to Dragonstone, how she intended to march up to her father, look him straight in the eye, sword in hands, and force him to tell her the truth of her mother now that she knew all the things he's done to the Lady of Larks. When Aemma actually made it to Dragonstone, she was more fixated with making up for lost time with her siblings and her stepmother that she didn't give it much thought. 

But now that her father was back...she wanted to do all the things she planned, but Rhaenyra was present, and Aemma wasn't so sure what her stepmother would say or do, if she would even believe Aemma if she started pointing accusations at her own father. 

So, Aemma stood where she was, practically frozen in place. She saw the look in her father's face, one that conveyed a myriad of emotions he was feeling such as relief, joy, happiness that his oldest daughter was back after years of him not knowing where she ran off too the last six years. 

Daemon approached, Aemma felt herself flinched when he pulled her in for a hug. Daemon didn't seem to notice Aemma's passive resistance to this gesture.  "Byka zaldrīzes," Daemon whispers. Aemma was almost certain she could hear the sobs in her father's voice as he pulled her close, nuzzling her hair. Aemma felt the bile rise to her throat, thinking about the hands that were wrapped around her. 

The same hands that have been used to cause harm to her mother.

Out of sheer reflex, Aemma pushed her father away, Daemon now having a look of hurt on his face. "Uh, apologies, father," Aemma hastily says, "I'm uh, I was feeling smothered." Daemon soften a bit at the explanation. "Where have you been, little dragon? Wherever did you go? It's been six years."

Aemma wasn't sure what to say, so she used Daemon's question against him, "where have you been? I've been back to Dragonstone since this morning, I've been waiting for you." Daemon was silent for a moment, but decided to answer, "I was on the Dragonmount looking for eggs. I couldn't help but hear Cirillia has brought forth her first clutch." "She laid three eggs," Aemma confirms, "I gave one of them to Rhaena."

Daemon raised an eyebrow at that.

"Aemma," Rhaenyra steps in, "we...were just talking before you walked in, Daemon and I. I know you've just got back, but we need to begin making preparations for our trip to King's Landing." "King's Landing? What for?" Aemma's eyes widen a bit. Rhaenyra shared another glance at Daemon before she told her stepdaughter, "Vaemond Velaryon is heading to court as we speak. He plans to make a petition before the king-" "the Hand of the king," Daemon interjects, rolling his eyes. "...Vaemond intends to petition to inherit Driftmark upon Lord Corlys' passing."

"But, Lord Corlys is still alive and well, why would Vaemond do that?" Aemma frowns confused. "Corlys was gravely injured during battle in the Stepstones," Rhaenyra explains, "I know you were fond of the man, he considered you like one of his granddaughters. But there is a possibility he may not survive his injuries. His brother has now sought this as an opportunity to call Lucerys' legitimacy into question. Should he succeed..."

"I think I have some idea of what you are suggesting, mother," Aemma says. "We leave at first light," Rhaenyra informs, placing a comforting shoulder on Aemma, "Ill leave you to catch up with your father." 

Aemma was now left with Daemon alone. This is it, Aemma thinks. This was the opportune moment to finally confront her father, make him confess the truth of his relationship to the Lady of Larks, how it was not the great romance he made it out to be, but one filled with poison.

"Father-" "I recall you didn't enter my previous question," Daemon brings up, "where were you all these years, Aemma? Do you have any idea how worried we all were?" "Father-" "Six years, Aemma," Daemon continues, taking closer steps towards his daughter, who was fighting the urge to step away from him, "Six years, you disappeared. Vanished without a trace, and we heard nothing from all this time. I was certain it was going to be a repeat of princess Area and Balerion, you remember that story, yes?" "Of course I do," Aemma says. "So," Daemon places a hand on Aemma's shoulder, giving her an indecipherable look, "where did you go?"

Aemma started to feel herself falter under her father's gaze. Part of her was wondering if Daemon was actually worried for her. Or was he worried she somehow discovered the truth since she was no longer under his control during this time? "I...I was..." Aemma wanted to yell at Daemon, make him confess his crimes...but with everything going on, with the Driftmark petition looking over their heads...would he end up taking his anger on Rhaenyra in some way if he refused to confess...if he chose to dig his heels in and insist angrily that he loved her mother.  There were so many ways it could all go wrong.

Aemma looked into her father's eyes and saw a brief flashback of Daemon decapitating a man in the council room in front of another man. She saw the severed head the two brothers had brought to Daemon, which made her realize it was the bounty hunters who murdered Letho's witcher friend.

 Aemma found herself remembering her mother's words in their previous conversation prior to leaving the Continent...

"No one is going to hold Daemon accountable for his actions...It doesn't matter what recourse there is, your father is not going to see justice. I know this."

"I..." Aemma began to stutter, "I uh...I was on...the Continent," she finally confesses. Daemon showed no change in emotion. No anger, no panicked look, nothing to betray what he was feeling the moment she made that confession. "the Continent?" "I...the events that happened on Driftmark had...left me distraught," Aemma explains, "I...ran off, I couldn't bear to stay in this place any longer. I wasn't thinking apart from that. And...I wanted to learn more about my mother. I tried to find people who once knew her." "Where exactly did you go?" Daemon questions. Aemma had to think about it for a moment. She couldn't tell him about meeting Vesemir or living in Kaer Morhen. She certainly couldn't tell him about her mother, Geralt, Ciri, or even Jaskier.

"I...I went to Nilfgaard," Aemma provides for an answer, "or at least I tried to, but I got lost. I traversed the Continent. I met people. I had hoped they would tell me more about my mother." "...did they?" Aemma shakes her head, "...no. They didn't have anything more to say of the Lady of Larks than I already knew. It turned out to be nothing more than a wild goose chase. I'm sorry I caused you worry all these years. I'm sorry I ever doubted your love for my mother."

Daemon raised an eyebrow at that. Last time Aemma tried asking him about her mother, she was questioning the story he told her as a child. Now it seemed she had drunk the proverbial nightshade once again. He pulled Aemma into another hug, this time she didn't flinched or tried to push him away, "I'm just glad you had returned to us. You are home now, little dragon. Where you belong."

"We should ready for our journey on the morrow," Aemma tells him. Maybe this would not be the best place to confront him here. But perhaps after the petition she could talk to the king, and have him force a confession out of Daemon.

"Sleep well then, my sweet girl," Daemon says, placing a kiss on Aemma's head. "Father," Aemma calls out as Daemon walks away, "did...you said you loved my mother...did she love you?" Daemon was silent for a brief moment before he gave his answer, "your mother loved me in her own special way. She was my Little Lark after all."

Once again, Aemma felt the bile rise to her throat when she recalled the way Eredin called her that, how her father's voice echoed each time the elf king said those words.

The moment Daemon was out of sight, Aemma felt her knees falter, causing her to lose balance. She clung to the table, keeping from falling flat completely. She felt her breath become shallow, almost as if she were having a panic attack. How could her father, after all these years, still maintain the lie he's told her since she was a tot, all without remorse, all without so much as blinking an eye?

It felt like forever, but Aemma was able to regain her composure and get back on her feet. She felt her legs carry her to her old chambers so as to rest for the coming days ahead.

On the way there, she heard voices coming out of Rhaena's room. The door was cracked open slightly, so Aemma took a peak.  She saw Rhaena on the floor along with Jace and Luke playing a card game of some kind. Aemma's eyes widen when she realized what the game it was they were playing.

"Is that what I think it is?" Aemma walks in, getting her siblings' attention. "Aemma," Luke greets, "Rhaena has been teaching us how to play Gwent." "I'm surprised by you, sister," Aemma admits.

"Well it is a fun game once you get the hang of it," Rhaena tells her, "besides, since I no longer had Baela to beat me each game, I had an opportunity to educated lesser opponents," the young princess puts her card down, winning the game. "Fine," Jace exasperates, putting his deck down in defeat.

Aemma giggled, remembering the look Rhaena having a similar look when Baela would best her at Gwent.  "Mayhaps, dear sister, you are now ready to face a worthier opponent then?" Aemma suggests, pulling out her own deck of cards. "You've have your own?" Luke asks surprised. "I was able to find people to play for cards on the Continent," Aemma admits, shuffling and placing her deck of cards before Rhaena, "I've been honing my skill the last skills, let's see if yours holds a candle to mine." As much as Aemma was happy to spend time with her sister and stepbrothers, Aemma hoped this time with them would be keep those dark thought she had at bay for the time being. She would have to wait till they reach King's Landing tomorrow, where she would go to the king and tell him what she knew.

---------the next day--------------

Daemon and Rhaenyra departed at first light by ship along with Rhaena, Joffery, Aegon, and Viserys. Jace, Luke, and Aemma had elected to fly to King's Landing on their dragons.

Aemma had already seen Arrax when she first flew back to Dragonstone, but she was also quite impressed that Vermax had grown quite a substantial amount since she was gone, the green dragon being nearly as big as Cirillia. Flying passed the Dragonmount, part of Aemma had began to wonder which of the dragons had laid with Cirillia to produce her first clutch. Arrax was  a little young. Vermax could've been one possible candidate, though maybe he was a little small to be mounting Cirillia. Other possible nest mates could've included Caraxes. But what if the wild dragons took a chance? It couldn't have been the Cannibal as he would've killed Cirillia afterwards. Vermithor is fiercely loyal to his nest mate Silverwing, so it couldn't have been him. What if it was the dragon Sheepstealer? Rhaena did mention Cirillia was eating a lot more sheep during this time, perhaps Sheepstealer had taken sheep to her for food. The trio flew passed a larger dragon flying over the sea, practically skimming the waters.

Aemma decided to try something, closing her eyes and muttering the incantations Phillipa taught her. She opened her eyes to see her far vision was better than before. She was seeing through Cirillia's eyes once again. From this point of view she could get a good look at the dragon skimming the water, and recognized him to be Seasmoke. Cirillia called out to him and surprisingly Aemma heard Seasmoke call back. Was Seasmoke that one who put the eggs into Cirillia?

Aemma pushed those thoughts aside once her vision was back to normal. She kept focused on the journey ahead as she flew alongside her stepbrothers towards King's Landing.

-------------King's Landing-------------

Aemma had Cirillia fly up ahead of her stepbrothers as they got closer to King's Landing. Aemma hadn't seen the place in so long, she felt the need to explore to see what has changed and what has remained the same.

During her detour, she noticed a large shadow was cast over the two of them. Aemma looked up to see it was Vhagar.  Aemma guides Cirillia to fly upwards so as they were both aside the older she-dragon now. Sure enough Aemma saw her cousin astride the old dragon. "Aemond!" She calls out, to which Aemond looked over. Aemma waves at him before guiding Cirillia to fly off towards the Dragon Pit. The Dragon Keepers were clearly surprised to see Cirillia as well as her rider as she dismounted. They greeted the princess in Valyrian before guiding Cirillia into the pit. Cirillia seemed a little hesitant to enter, however. Aemma couldn't exactly blame Cirillia; after spending six years flying freely on Dragonstone, the confines of the pit probably didn't seem all that appealing to her anymore. "Lykiri, Cirillia," Aemma places a comforting hand on her dragon, "it will be alright." Cirillia was still reluctant, but eventually she allowed the Keepers to lead her inside.

--------------the Red Keep-----------

With the arrival of the rest of the family, Aemma accompanied them to the courtyard. Aemma stood by Rhaena's side, right behind their father. 

Aemma didn't quite feel much sense of homecoming in King's Landing as she had on Dragonstone. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that the bulk of her beloved family was on Dragonstone. The only person she could think of looking forward to again here was her cousin Helaena. She thought of Aemond, but remembered they didn't exactly part on the best of terms when they parted ways on the Continent. 

Although Aemma had heard Rhaenys had flown to court earlier, and accompanying the older woman was Baela. Aemma was quite excited to see her other sister again, though she couldn't help but wonder how Baela would feel about seeing Aemma again; much as she knew Baela loves Aemma very much, she might not be as forgiving as Rhaena was about Aemma leaving and causing her sisters worry. 

Unfortunately, there was not as grand a welcome as was expected for the Princess of Dragonstone and her family. Only person who bothered to show up for the most part was Ser Steffon Darklyn to announce the arrival of Rhaenyra and her consort Daemon. No one else bothered to welcome the princess, not the king, queen, the hand of the king, and no one from the Small Council.

After some uncomfortable time of waiting, the doors to the Red Keep opened, and the family was welcomed inside, escorted by the Lord Caswell.

First thing Aemma noticed when she entered the Holdfast was how much the interior had changed since she was gone. The Targaryen Heraldry clearly replaced with emblems and symbols of the Faith of the Seven- the dominant Faith of Westeros and the Seat of Power for House Hightower. 

Clearly, Aemma wasn't the only one who noticed the 'subtle' changes as well, as she saw the looks of disgust on Rhaenyra and Daemon's faces. 

Rhaenyra had her children dismissed while she and Daemon went to see the king, whom Aemma remembered was in failing health. Seeing the king would have to wait, so Aemma elected to follow Jace and Luke, whom were eager to see if that hole in the courtyard was still there from that time when Luke thought he could handle Ser Criston's Morningstar.

Sure enough, when they did reach the courtyard, said hole was still there. Luke had a certain look on his face when Jace was reminiscing on that particular memory. "Something on your mind, Lucerys?" Aemma asks with concern. "...people keep staring at us...at me," Luke points out. Aemma looked to see people in the courtyard making not-so-subtle looks at her stepbrothers. Aemma understood what Luke was talking about.

"Just try and ignore them," Aemma encourages. "I can't," Luke shakes his head, "it's just...no one would question me being heir to Driftmark if...if I looked more like Ser Laenor Velaryon then Ser Harwin Strong." "Doesn't matter what THEY think," Jace confidently assures.

The conversation was interrupted by a sparing match in the courtyard. Aemma, Jace, and Luke go to investigate. Aemma recognized it to be Aemond engaging in a sparring session with Ser Criston. Aemma looked over to see Ivan was present among the spectators, both he and Criston were back in their Kingsguard armor and Ivan had his scarf tied back around his ears again. It appears Ivan was still keeping his elven heritage secret and Criston- for the time being- was keeping that secret to himself.

Aemond had an intense look on his face as he kept focus, and Aemma had to wonder if this was her cousin working desperately to hone his skill as a warrior, especially considering his time on the Continent showed he still had ways to go from the way the one-eyed prince had his ass handed to constantly by witchers and elves of all sorts.

Aemma noted that Aemond's stances were a little more rigid, not as fluid as the training she had under Vesemir. Of course, Aemma was trained to fight monsters. Aemond was training in fighting people.

Aemond was eventually able to get the upper hand and found an opening in Criston's defense. The spectators cheered at the prince's victory. "Well done, my Prince," Criston congratulates, "you'll win tourneys in no time." "I don't give a shit about tourneys," Aemond says, before turning his attention to Jace and Luke, "Nephews...have you come to train?"

The intense look Aemond had for his nephews did  not go unnoticed by his cousin. Aemma figured Aemond still held a grudge after that night on Driftmark. If she told him what really happened that night, would he listen to him, turn his wrath towards her instead?

The contemplation was interrupted by the gates opening with the arrival of Vaemond Velaryon. Aemma didn't notice the small smirk Aemond made as Vaemond entered the courtyard. 

Chapter 57

[keikaru]

love's imbroglio - mystic messenger (Jumin Han/MC)

“I might not have the experience or knowledge like you, but I am a fast learner. Teach me, and I’ll be able to perform within your range of expectations. If I can’t keep up—dismiss me. But before you let your biases muddle your judgement, at least let me prove myself that I am not incompetent to whatever level you hold me at.”

Her eyes narrowed to the same firmness of her voice. She knew her mild temperament was close to succumbing to fury and disgust, but she smoothed her skirt and reigned in her anger. Once the elevator descended to the lobby, she could walk away and forget everything.

In fact, she could have walked away at any moment, damn the consequences. Yesterday, three days ago, last week when the deal was finalized. Yet she stayed. She couldn’t find it in herself to leave—not when her parents’ businesses were on the line. Not when her mother’s high end fashion line and her father’s grand hotels were at stake.

Although she should have been aghast by the severity of the situation, something far greater than those concerns reeled her attention away. Where did her older sister go?

The eldest was all gung-ho about inheriting her mother’s business that she interned and worked along their mother after high school and the following years. Her sister cut back on college classes and managed to be a part-time model and promote clothing lines and promotional items.

Now she—the second daughter—was thrust amid family problems. Correction—family business problems. Her disinterest in her parents’ business was clear, yet she found herself in the very core of it.

Most importantly, why did her sister disappear? And where did she go?

Her knuckles whitened as she curled her fingers into a tight ball. Her jaw was taut with tension. It was too soon to be reminded of her sister. She disappeared just five months ago. 

She saw Jumin visibly stiffen, but his face was impassive as he brushed her comments aside with a pointed, sidelong glance. His eyes reflected a cold indifference, almost imploring her to utter one more bold statement that would lead to her resigning by tomorrow. 

The air between them was filled with a thick silence. Mingled in with a tension and discomfort on a spectrum she hadn’t known existed until now.

She was going to be fired. She was certain of it. As her gaze caught his reflection in the elevator mirror, she noticed that he crossed his arms—it crinkled the sleeves of his dark tailored suit—and lowered his gaze. He suddenly found interest in the plush carpeting. Likewise, she averted her eyes to the wall beside her. But she had to voice her concern—her irritation about his inability to look beyond the small world he submerged himself in. That, and his obsession with his beloved feline partner, Elizabeth the third. “I apologize for my behavior,” Jumin said quietly, keeping her at a distance. Jumin shifted and leaned his shoulder against the wall. His eyes were trained on the glowing elevator buttons in front of him, but his body partially faced her. “I’ve been under much duress as of late. I didn’t mean to ignore or snap at you this entire week. I’ve been…inhospitable ever since our first meeting. And truthfully, it is not your fault by mine.”

[stitcherofchaos]

A Defense of Maglor

Maglor is my favorite character in the Silmarillion. I know there are people out there who loathe him and there are people out there who love him. I know he murdered, that is a fact. There is also the undeniable fact that he chose to take the oath and burn the ships. There is the fact that he was deathly loyal towards his family.

But I have to say this...

Whoever says that he turned around and became self righteous or delusional, clearly didn't read The Silmarillion as how it ought to be read. These are pretty darn bold words but the reason I like Maglor's character is because of two things.

1: He is fictional. I think if you use his name alone, you can misconstrued him subconsciously into a real life person (but I am going to use his name because saying ‘Maglor’s character over and over drives me nuts) the point is, this essay is about CHARACTER not a real person.

2. He raised Elrond into the elf we see/read in The Lord of The Rings. I'm pretty sure if Elrond was abused in any way by him, he would not be the same great elf lord. Not to mention Elros was a mighty and gentle king, as if I don't know who THAT'S reflecting.

3. He was the only son of Feanor to throw away a silmaril, and regret sorrowfully (now tell me if he is so 'self righteous' or 'delusional', why is he so sorrowful and regretful canonically?)

I had to say these things because Maglor hate makes me physically nauseous (and for pete's sake, I'm exaggerating). Now, you may think I am a hypocrite for taking one's perspective alone on a character so seriously. But I am a self made writer myself; I am not trying to force my opinion on anyone. But when someone misunderstands a character from how they themselves view them instead of seeing the character the the author intended to write, that bugs me greatly.

And yeah yeah, there are people out there who just don’t care and writer whatever that heck they want due to their fanon ideas….

Why don’t you go and write about your own character from those ideas and create your own story instead of leeching off from a famous author?

I like Maglor because the way Tolkien rewrote several drafts of the silmarillion to create characters into the way he saw them.

Maglor is not perfect, he is morally ambiguous at best and evil at worst, but who was the one who saw the Star of Earendil and had hope? The fact that he's not a perfect character or the 'good' or 'nice' son of Feanor is the reason I like him so much. Tolkien did say he inherited his mother’s more gentle temperament. Again, an ignored fact in canon.

At least I am not one of the greater hypocrites who gives his good traits to Maedhros and Maedhros's bad traits to Maglor. Is it because Maedhros is hot? You can be honest with yourselves. Everyone wants to find excuses for the handsome ones.

I don't find excuses for Maglor. Whether anyone in this site wants to admit it or not, finding excuses for a morally ambiguous character is a toxic trait. It is not a healthy way to go through life.

That being said…

Who has ever thought of the idea that Maglor's soul was ripped apart when he realized he was the enemy all along?

Tolkien was a Catholic first and foremost. I believe that when he wrote that Maglor could not withstand the pain of the silmaril, he meant the great spiritual pain of his soul being torn apart by the guilt and regret.

((I also have a headcanon that his body became a husk afterward and did eventually fade, it was like in a catatonic state where he could only walk and sing. Also, that you can hear his voice along the cliff sides or caverns of the beaches, he was known as the mighty singer, it's not because he's still around, but because of the eternal echoes that still haunt the beaches.) I like solid explanations before anything too abstract.)

Also, another thing. Who the heck thinks they themselves are self righteous enough to decide whether to forgive the feanorians or not? They are FICTIONAL. And besides, that's the Teleri's job. If someone asked me whether or not I would look Maglor in the eyes and forgive him. I would tell that person that I had no right because it was not my business. Some people hate Maglor/the feanorians so much to the point where you would wonder if they actually believe that they were personally effect by the feanorians. If you’re one of those people, please either get some therapy or touch some grass (I’m trying to be as gentle as possible so forgive me if I offended you).

The reason I like Maglor, it's actually a pretty deep and personal reason. But, who cares, it's not like he's real or that anyone else on this site cares about self preservation or privacy.

I read the Silmarillion during a darkplace in my life. So when I read about a character who was loyal, merciful, imperfect, ruthless, and regretful... I admired him. Someone who gave up his morals to protect and serve his family, that is admirable. Though his loyalty should have been with his morals, it was still fierce and bright like any son of feanor, or any more so than any of his brothers.

I like him, because he taught me what you should do in times of hardship and crisis and what you should not do, which is basically what I was going through during that time, and even now. That is, despite circumstances, remain hardy and stick to your morals because doing so will give you a prosperous ‘harvest’. Stay close to your family with loyalty and charity, but be wary of the family members who use or manipulate you, get out of that kind of situation. Like imagine you have a ‘Fëanor’ parent. Would you rather live with him or your ‘Nerdanel’ parent? Make a better choice than the choose of those seven brothers. They chose wrong and it lead to their deaths.

Tolkien wrote stories to create, and to teach. I don't see why I should ignore these values instead of appreciating and learning from them. It's the reason why I prefer to look at Maglor's character and learn from him rather than hate or search for reasons to hate him.

[newsalvations]

eli brown, homosexual + homoromantic, trans man + he/they → isn’t that arthur ashe? i’ve seen them hanging out with the humans. i hear they're twenty, but they’ve only been in alexandria for six months. they seem to be astute + pragmatic, but also unnerved + withdrawn. they are not heightened! |

BASIC INFORMATION

full name: arthur adler ashe

nickname(s): artie

age: twenty

date of birth: august 28

hometown: new haven, connecticut

current location: alexandria, louisiana

species: human

ethnicity: white

nationality: american

gender: trans man

pronouns: he/him

orientation: homosexual + homoromantic

occupation: book store clerk

living arrangements: with his uncle

language(s): english, french

accent: northwestern american

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

face claim: eli brown

hair color: brunette

eye color: brown

height: 5'5"

weight: 145 lb

build: slim

tattoos: none

usual expression: grave

distinguishing characteristics: his curls

PERSONALITY

positive traits: astute, pragmatic, intelligent

negative traits: unnerved, withdrawn, passive

myers brigg: infj

zodiac sign: virgo

element: earth

enneagram: the investigator

temperament: melancholic

hogwarts house: ravenclaw

moral alignment: true neutral

primary vice: envy

primary virtue: patience

fears: meeting the same fate as his parents

hobbies: reading, writing, doodling

FAMILY

father: alastair ashe (deceased)

mother: alice ashe-adler (deceased)

other relatives: archer ashe (uncle)

sibling(s): none

pet(s): none

FAVORITES

weather: cloudy, rainy

season: autumn

color: blue

music: indie

movies: romance

beverage: tea

food: meatloaf

animal: cats

NSFW

preference: vers bottom, submissive

kinks: breeding, light dom/sub, handcuffs, open to others

anti kinks: scat, vomit, etc

BIOGRAPHY

arthur had pretty normal and healthy upbringing. both of his parents were yale graduates who encouraged a young arthur to persue his studies. his father was a high profile lawyer and his mother was a celebrated journalist who traveled the world. although arthur spent most of his formative years being looked after by a nanny, his parents still made an effort to be there for their son.

when arthur was sixteen and on vacation in italy with his parents, something unusual happened and the trip was cut short. his parents became paranoid after the trip and constantly looking over their shoulder, though they never told arthur what happened or why.

shortly after his nineteenth birthday and just as he was starting a new semester at yale, arthur got a call that his parents were found in a terrible accident. rushing off campus and across town, their home had been caught on fire and his parents bodies couldn't be identified nor autopsied. this left arthur orphaned and alone, he was wrecked and could hardly finish the remainder of the semester.

deciding to take a break for the spring semester, arthur was able to live off the hefty inheritance his parents left for him though he was a ghost of his former self who simply locked himself away in an apartment near where his old home was. by that summer when he was re-evaluating what he wanted to do next, he got a surprise visit from someone he hadn't seen in nearly a decade. his uncle archer.

the man had always been a mystery to arthur, he seemed to always be traveling and never visited for more than two or three days at a time until he stopped showing up. archer stayed with him for several months, encouraging arthur to start over somewhere new. he mentioned that he had a place down in louisiana that arthur could stay at until he figured out where he wanted to go.

and so he did, arthur packed up his belongings and said goodbye to connecticut. alexandria is unlike anywhere arthur has ever been to before and he's still not adjusted to the humidity or the strange aura that the town has. he's taken a job at his uncle's book store in the mean time.

[silverhallow]

Speaking of Violet looking for a partner, does she or her brothers encounter any difficulties on the marriage mart due to their mother's reputation and past? I know love would triumph in the end but these attitudes would persist. I could imagine a prospective partners family asking questions and wanting to know where Sophie came from. Maybe on of the children would have a scandalous marriage themselves, to a catholic or a bastard or a poet! My word!

Bridgerton Babies Love Stories

I wrote something AGES ago, it was that long ago I can’t find it on my blog anymore and I can't work out what I tagged it as so i’m starting again…

So Charlie, I remember what Charlie’s was but I’ve decided to change it up.

Charlie’s story…

Charlie ends up being inspired by his Uncle Philip and goes off to study Botany. He has his mother’s brain and temperament, out of all four children he is the most like his mother but unlike his mother, he has a talent for getting plants to grow and he eventually restores the gardens at My Cottage.

He continued on with this studies when he was 23 met the woman who was going to be his wife… he was not paying any attention to where he was walking and he walked straight into a woman as he had his face in his book as he walked through the bookshop in London with a new book on some plants he was trying to grow, Viorna Group clematis, also known as the Sophie flower. 

He’d discovered them whilst reading and saw that the “Sophie” flower was a deciduous, perennial climber with pinnate, dark green leaves and, from spring to early autumn, small, urn- to bell-shaped, purple flowers with yellow anthers and thought it would be a beautiful way to honour his mother.

The woman he walked into scowled at him, “Watch where you are going!!” and Charlie felt his entire world lurch as he stared at the Blonde Woman in front of him as she stormed away from him.

He had no idea of her name or who she was and for the next two months went back to the book shop every day looking for her, desperate to meet her, finally understanding what his father talked about for all those years, how his life finally seemed to start.

Two months and nothing, he couldn’t find her, the bookkeeper and store owner had no idea who she was and he thought perhaps she was just visiting and passing through and he wondered if he would ever see her again.

Until he is at an Art gallery with his father, for his father’s fourth piece being hung and he sees her again, standing with her mother, talking to his father.

He straightens himself over and walks over to meet her and be introduced to which Benedict does happily not realising this is the woman his son had been pining over…

Emily Granville. Henry and Lucy’s only daughter… (who actually isn’t Henry’s… but only Benedict knows the truth. Emily is the product of one of the art parties but like Vivi is a mini Sophie, Emily is a Mini Lucy so no one suspects a thing… save for the blonde hair… which Henry just jokes he was a blonde baby)

Emily looks at Charlie in a little bit of Horror realising she had shouted at her father’s protigee’s son… and apologises and Charlie just smiles at her warmly “all will be forgive if i may take a turn around the room with you” Lucy and Benedict share a small smile as their children walk off and that evening when they dance together at Violet Bridgerton’s ball Benedict knows that his son is well and truly in love…

Alexander’s story…

Alexander inherits his mother’s brain and head for numbers and figures, and his father’s artistic side but it was obvious from a young age that despite his penchant for Trouble, he had a charm about him that Grandma Violet said reminded her of Andrew Rokesby and Benedict’s cousin Roger…

And when he was sitting as a child one Christmas in the corner with 8 packs of cards away from everyone and their Great Aunt Billie was there she spotted him and laughed, the little look of concentration on his face reminded her of Roger and Andrew… when he was done, shouting at anyone who went near it… it became obvious… Alex was meant to be an architect.

And when he learns what that meant… there was nothing else that would do for him and he was determined that he would be one and be a great one at that…

He was 23 and back in London after being in Italy for the summer when he met his future wife…

Lady Isabella Cowley, the only daughter and youngest child of the Earl of Cowley… as the Countess died giving birth to Isabella and as she is 20 and 18 years younger than her two brothers, she was very much a surprise child… was left alone a lot as a child, cared for mostly by the nurse, and the household staff..

Lady Isabella becomes friends with Violet and Charlotte Bridgerton, being the same age as his Cousin and he saw her talking to them when he snuck up on his sister to surprise her during her first season in London.

Lady Isabella was instantly taken with Alexander and his bright charming smile and the Hazel eyes that were full of mischief.

She was quite a bit younger than her older brother’s who were all married off by now and her father was desperate to marry her off… but Lady Isabella… from that moment was determined there was only one man for her… one Alexander Bridgerton…

The Earl however is not happy and tells his daughter that she is not to waste her time with the second son of a second son, regardless of who that second son might be… though at the time was unaware that it was one of the Bridgerton’s.

Until the year Vivi meets Edward… which Benedict is sure is the most stressful season of his life…

Over the last few months, Alexander had formed an unlikely friendship, having met Prince Albert in 1839 when he was in Italy for the first time with his Cousin Roger’s eldest Son and Roger visiting the construction of some buildings… the new Queen’s husband had recognised Alexander straight away and was thrilled to see his friend.

That season becomes rather interesting as the Earl of Cowley is trying to marry Isabella off. To some grumpy old Earl from Scotland

Heartbroken Isabella confides in Vivi and Lottie her feelings for Alex and how she really doesn’t want to marry a man twice her age and so Vivi takes it upon herself to inform her brother that she needs him to save her friend…

Alex who rather liked Isabella is outraged that her father would do that to her agrees to help but at the party when he plans to speak to the Earl, Isabella finds him in a corridor as she’s running away from her father in floods of tears and he hugs her to calm her down and he’s staring into her green eyes as she sniffles and he feels something change and feels himself drawn down and is about to kiss her when the Earl Isabella’s supposed to be engaged to… appears…

And all hell breaks loose…

Ending with Prince Albert storming in, telling the older Earl to unhand his friend, Earl of Cowley raging but upon realising that Alexander is the Nephew of the Duke of Hastings, Lord Bridgerton and the renowned Artist's son… crumbles like a piece of paper… also having the Queen’s husband glaring at him to protect his best friend says he will not demand satisfaction if the Bridgerton marries his daughter…

Earl Cowley doesn’t approve of his son-in-law and Isabella is basically disowned and Sophie rages at the Earl and gives him a very public setting down at the wedding reception once the newlyweds leave on their honeymoon… much to the amusement of Cowley’s two’s sons (who incidentally don’t approve of their father’s actions and spend time with their sister and her husband after their wedding without telling their father)

Earl Cowley learns that his son-in-law has been made one of the chief architects for the Prince and the Queen on their constructions and plans to help society and he decides that he is finally willing to accept his son-in-law but when Isabella writes back to her father to say that she wants nothing to do with him, he can’t change his mind because her husband is making a name for himself… dies without ever making up with his daughter… and she… she couldn’t give two tosses… she’s a Bridgerton and her mother and father in law have accepted her like a second daughter.

William’s Story…

William is the son that looks most like their father, down to his height and startling blue eyes… and very much a mama's boy.

He hated Eton and being away from his mother and being without his sister and cousin Lottie, he feels lost but he finds himself in the piano…

He inherits his Aunt Francesca’s musical talent but he’s the shyest of all the Bridgerton’s. With his brother’s he is fine but when he isn’t… he has the same artistic and life struggles as his father and Sophie can’t help but find it adorable that her youngest son has the same things in life as his father…

Upon finishing Eton, he earned a place at the Royal Academy of Music, following his cousin Miles who was an incredible violinist.

William continued through the school and was well known for his musical abilities but he wasn’t like his brother’s and cousins when it came to women, he was shy around them unless he was with his cousins’ and Edward who was his best friend and went on to marry his sister (much to Will’s chagrin) but he, like his father, just assumed everyone was after him because of his surname…

And hated the way people made him feel and after hearing someone call him number 3. He blanched and it took his mother calming him down to get him back into the ballroom…

But it wasn’t in london when he met his wife…

He was visiting Ed and Vivi and they went into the village and he heard a woman singing…

And he froze…

He just stood there and listened to the voice of an angel wafting through the air and filled his heart with a warmth that he had never really felt before… he felt his entire body tingle and he turned around he saw a woman, a young governess with a gaggle of children sitting around her as she sung and William honestly felt like he was struck by lightning as he looked at the woman.

Red hair that shimmered in the son and the greenest eyes he had ever seen safe for his sister and mother and he was memorised… and he fell in love in an instant.

Vivi, knowing the young woman, introduced her brother to Elizabeth… Elizabeth was the illegitimate daughter of an Irish Earl who sent her to England several years ago when he was ailing and unable to look after her and she became a governess having been well educated (much like his mother had been) not many people know about her past as she kept it to herself but she had become good friends with the Duchess to be… and had confined it to her when she asked why she had come to England…

Violet didn’t share her mother’s past as it wasn’t her place to say…

Elizabeth, though attracted to William, spurns his advances, knowing her position in life and his job didn’t go together… but William is not having any of it…

He continues to try and court her… sending her flowers, music that he’d written since he had met her and Vivi invites her to dinner, when her mother was visiting… thinking it might help…

William plays a song and though it wasn’t said, Elizabeth knew it was dedicated to her and she stared at him and Sophie saw the entire thing and over hears a conversation between her son and Elizabeth in the gardens when William confesses his love to Elizabeth and begs her to marry him… but she refuses, telling him that her type… people like her… don’t get to have happy endings, don’t get to marry people like him…

And Sophie finds her an hour later crying and packing her bag to leave when Elizabeth gets a shock by her and Sophie asks her if they can talk…

And Sophie, for the first time in nearly 30 years… tells her story.

And Elizabeth is shaken. “You will never find a more accepting family that us Bridgerton’s… if you do not return Williams’ affections then please… say… but if you do… and i suspect you may… darling girl… know you will be loved as we love our other two daughters in law… and our children… your past doesn’t define you”

Elizabeth says something about not wanting to disgrace her family… Sophie chuckles having used the same words herself… “Darling, my daughter is soon to be a duchess and my second son is best friends with the Prince… as well as the rest of my in laws… if my past and all of the Bridgerton antics did not embarrass the family… then this will not” and she pressed a motherly kiss to Elizabeth’s head and leave Elizabeth to think…

She finds a heartbroken William a little later on and says that she would marry him if he would still have her… and that she loves him very much.

William and Elizabeth… end up being the prolific providers of 6 Grandchildren for Sophie and Benedict.

[matrilinear]

✒️ tell me about her kids

SOURCE • @gutterblade & @noxianwill.

I'll start with TALON because he is the odd one out.

Soreana's attitude towards Talon has been mostly neutral. I don't think she's ever been openly hostile towards him barring some passive-aggressiveness. Even that wasn't meant for him but rather Marcus; when he wasn't present, Talon would become the primary target. He was the stray Marcus adopted without her consent and as a replacement for Katarina; that's two strikes against him.

Besides that, Talon remains an outsider who, per Soreana's opinion, never really tried to assimilate into their family. He wasn't acting like a son nor an apprentice but rather something in between—other times he just was, much like furniture. Except furniture ordinarily isn't equipped to kill.

She never trusted him, never considered him as a son. He was too much of a lapdog to earn her respect and too socially inept to be converted into a pawn after Marcus' disappearance. With him gone, Talon's allegiance isn't as strong as she'd like it to be.

She also finds it contemptible that he got to enjoy freedoms her daughters have been denied. None of the duties and all of the pleasures of the highborn lifestyle make for an aimless, ungrateful adoptee, which is what he is to her.

Finally, she still allows him to sleep in their house, presumably in her vicinity, so she's not ready to let go of him. Is it some latent desire to connect spurred on by her own loneliness or a desperate ploy to recruit him for his investigative skills?

KATARINA has always been a handful.

She might've inherited her father's bright locks, but the mercurial temperament is all Soreana. One of the main reasons they couldn't fully connect is they're too much alike. Granted, Soreana mellowed with age and with the help of her education. She would've liked the same for Katarina, she just wasn't receptive. To this day she regrets having not forced her into it even if she did blossom under her father's tutelage.

Not only does Katarina remind her of her young uneducated self; she also spurs on feelings Soreana believed she had abandoned long ago. Family members and housekeepers alike can confirm no one could make Soreana go red in the face like her own daughter could. A woman who thought she had risen above her own weakness undone so easily by something so trivial as a child's outburst. Oft times she would look back on their arguments and feel embarrassed. What would you do?

Soreana avoided her, said her place was by Marcus' side given her listlessness and talent for acrobatics; both being Soreana's inheritance. It was a mistake on her part as it yawned a rift between them. Had she looked to their similarities as strengths and used them to build rapport, their relationship would've been the closest out of all of the children.

As with most firstborn children, Katarina marked many firsts. They could've done better by her. Soreana is too arrogant to admit this. She is also too arrogant to admit she is very proud of Katarina. She is a self-made woman for the most part even if she is playing for the wrong team. Soreana wanted to play a part in both of her children's achievements, partially because that would have bred a sense of gratitude, of indebtedness towards her that could be used later—alas.

There may be a point when she will be made to face the same dilemma again. At this point, I think she would choose differently.

For CASSIOPEIA, I wrote a little in-character thing once. 

Cassiopeia is the favorite. She was closest to her mother, they spent a great deal of time together, and most prominently, she cared for her when she was ailing. There's something to be said about the people who remain at your side when you are at your most vulnerable. It's easy to idealize them, to regard them as saints or as your personal saviors.

To her, she was faultless. The perfect child. This is one of the reasons her disappearance hit her harder than Marcus'. She was simultaneously her savior, her apprentice, her victim, and her little girl. That's too many roles to tack onto anyone. Given time, Cassiopeia might've been able to use this to her advantage.

From Soreana's perspective, she is solely to blame for what happened to her. She should've prepared her better, should've foreseen the ill that befell her in that tomb. It was supposed to be Cassiopeia's test but if a pupil so bright failed it then the blame falls on the tutor.

Were she to find her in her current state, she would support her in any way she could. Soreana is actively searching for her, too stubborn to give her up. If she is successful, she will consider it as her redemption from both Cassiopeia and Marcus' loss.

[caripr94]

I posted 316 times in 2022

13 posts created (4%)

303 posts reblogged (96%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@gch1995

@fanfic-lover-girl

@archer-bro

@tragicfantasy-girl

@lakeside-conservative

I tagged 311 of my posts in 2022

Only 2% of my posts had no tags

#politics - 141 posts

#science - 139 posts

#leftism - 124 posts

#sjw - 122 posts

#star wars - 87 posts

#anakin skywalker - 66 posts

#pro life - 63 posts

#abortion - 57 posts

#christianity - 56 posts

#profanity - 45 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#it doesn’t mean she deserved what happened to her at the end of rots but padme was still a very flawed character in her naïveté and elitism

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

@fanfic-lover-girl

Yeah, that coward OP blocked me for criticizing their precious Bail Organa on their post, so I'm going to have to say it here:

I disagree with there being necessarily nothing wrong with taking advantage of an opportunity. It is wrong when that opportunity comes from someone else's misfortune and you take advantage of that misfortune instead of helping to alleviate it as much as possible. That baby girl's family was being torn apart and instead of helping to keep it together, Bail took advantage of the opportunity for a child to claim as his own and scavenged her from them. That's quite covetous, callous, and cruel, and that's the problem with so many adoptive parents, which is why the adoption system is so corrupt. As for not considering all the factors, Bail Organa was an experienced politician in the middle of a crisis who held the fate of an entire planet in his hands. He should have considered all of those risks to his nation and his family before making such a stupid decision. Like you said, that makes him a bad leader that he was willing to endanger his planet like that.

But you're right about everything else, though.

@tragicfantasy-girl

@praetor-canis

@gch1995

@wingletblackbird

@redrikki

@rogue205

@allronix

@cptsd-skywalker

@the-chosen-anakin

@leias-left-hair-bun-again

@riana-one

@skyguy8108

@thatonecrazyfan

@avayarising

@alyraa-undomiel

@creativesplat

@kit-kat-of-midgard

@stuckylokanefan

@mynameisanakin

19 notes - Posted June 12, 2022

#4

Hello! I've been thinking about adoption after your post and wanted to follow up. What's your ideal adoption system? I know some parents want free babies to prevent possible interference from biological parents down the road. Even though babies may form bonds with their mother, won't they just eventually forget anyway? I can hardly remember anything before 5 years old.

That kind of adoptive parents you're talking about are half the problem with the adoption system. It's because of them that it's a corrupt industry that makes millions of dollars off of exploiting and manipulating vulnerable women, much like the abortion industry. They're spoiled, entitled, covetous vultures who want womb-wet babies to replace the ones they can't have while ignoring the fact that God gave them to someone else first. Preventing interference from biological parents should be the last thing on their minds, but it's often the first thing that they consider, even though it's rarely ever what the children need. Those babies may consciously forget their moms, but I don't think that their subconscious minds ever forget. The trauma that separation from their moms causes is so profound that it has significant psychological and even physical effects that can last a lifetime. And then there's still the inherited genetics that determine their brain structure and chemistry, which lays the foundations for a child's temperament, preventing them from bonding with their adoptive parents like they ever could with their biological parents. Even adoptees with loving adoptive parents always know that there's something missing, even if they don't always acknowledge it and it takes them decades to do so.

I already mentioned in the comments on that post that kinship care and legal guardianship are better alternatives if the parents can't or won't care for the kids no matter how hard you try to convince them or support them. Adoption should be a last resort if an option at all, and even then, it shouldn't be closed or lasting.

26 notes - Posted May 26, 2022

#3

@steambabyweek was supposed to kick off yesterday, but it didn't. It probably doesn't have enough traction right now, but that needs to change.

34 notes - Posted May 17, 2022

#2

You know that your interpretation of a ship is bad when you have to ignore the significant character and relationship development in the narrative (especially in later parts) that makes the ship work. You also know you're misinterpreting it when you're comparing it to characters and ships that have nothing in common with it.

38 notes - Posted September 7, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

A message from a Zutarian

Kataang shippers and other Zutara antis, you might have Bryke and their canon, but we now have the other writers and their broadcast drafts of the scripts. There's now no valid reason to call us delusional for reading Zutara into the A:TLA narrative any more than Kataang. So I suggest you take a good look at these before proceeding to do so or telling us that the buildup was never part of the canon.

55 notes - Posted October 14, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[faerune]

lil info dump about the robbmira brood :3c

eddard - their firstborn. called ed by his close friends and family. mentored by sansa to be her heir when she passes. they have a really great relationship and he really respects her. spends his whole childhood learning to listen to the women around him imho. he’s incredibly intelligent and loyal, possessing the good traits of both is parents - politically savvy and a dutiful, noble heart. he’s more serious like his mother. it’s not surprised that he’s known as “good king ed” during his reign. he finishes a lot of his mother’s projects in rebuilding the north and nurturing art, culture, tourneys, etc. in true northern fashion. he’s also very devout in his belief in the old gods.

rickon - their secondborn! he’s more timid about ruling despite being first in line to inherit mira’s seat of hawkharbor when she passes. he isn’t very booksmart but he’s very loyal, gentle-hearted and kind. a huge mommy’s boy and also loves his sisters a lot. as such, his younger sister lyla he sees as better to inherit hawkharbor over him which mira respects greatly and robb comes to understand when rickon joins sansa’s queensguard. he really wants to protect his family. he serves in his brother’s kingsguard as well. im thinking he has a little smth smth with someone he’s Not Supposed To because i love forbidden love

lyla - the picture of her mother in looks and personality but inherited robb’s warmness. she idolizes mira and mimics her when she’s young :’). she’s very much a Mom. a rule follower and does Not Have Time for her younger (or older) siblings shenanigans. even more serious than ed. she feels she has a lot to live up to. very intelligent and is a good ruler when rickon abdicates the hawkharbor seat. she’s got the sharp mind and temperament to continue slate’s good name. 

ayara - named for arya, she bears a remarked resemblance to said aunt much to arya’s excitement. she loves horses and is often off riding when she should be studying much to her mother’s exasperation. she’s quite good with a bow and can rival ed in sword fighting. i’m not quite sure what she ends up doing in her adult life but she’s quite the troublemaker and very wry and sarcastic. lives for making lyla and ed’s jobs harder.

catelyn - one of the few robbmira babies who get the tully red hair! soft-hearted and such a daddy’s girl. the apple of robb’s eye. she loves to garden and read. also very devout like her big brother ed. a bit shy but if you get a few drinks in her at feasts she loves to dance. really, really wants to be a Lady and a mother to which mira is like ok that’s not ALL you can be and she’s like but that’s what i want. and mira is like ok ok ok. so robb and mira really work to find her a good, kind husband im thinking in a similar fashion to the maiden ball for aegon iii. 

bryden - EMO KID. he’s the baby but hates being doted on. wants to be Independent and is sulky a lot of the time. spends quite a lot of time with his nose in the books and next to lyla is probably one of the smartest of the six kids. i honestly can see him either becoming a member of eddard’s small council or joining the night’s watch. he’s basically if aemond and jon snow had a baby

[freyjalumiere]

The 12 Houses

During the past weeks i was working on my videos on Youtube in Portuguese. We know there are 12 zodiac signs, 9 planets and 12 houses.

The first House is known as the House of Self, the ruler is Aries alongside with Mars. It represents the body, the physical appearance, the impression we make to others, new begginings, the sense of identity (who we are and what we represent) and the general temperament. The Ascendant is always here.

The second House is known as the House of Possessions, the ruler is Taurus alongside with Venus. Is related with finances, material goods and the concept of value. The house where physical and material property finds personal value and spiritual abundance. Because Venus dominates this house, she gives it a touch of beauty and love. That's why also connects with ideals around self-love.

The third House is known as the House of Communication, the ruler is Gemini and Mercury. It is associated with the intellect, the mind, studies, short trips, all types of communication (written and spoken), the way a problem is solved, the way information is collected as well as processed and also the way we learn best. Since we receive most of our learning in childhood, our lives as children are also important in this house. And that is also why it is said that the relationship that exists with our siblings is found in this house. The fourth House is known as the House of Home and Family, the ruler is Cancer and the Moon. It represents our ancestors, roots and heritage. I leave aside the belief whether the moon is of feminine or masculine energy, this is due to the increase of people within Nordic paganism. Last posts i wrote about the siblings Máni and Sól. However, it represents the caregiver or guide, be it the father or the mother. It is the house that speaks of our privacy.

The fifth House is known as the House of pleasure, the ruler is Leo and the Sun. The sun and the lion represent royalty, kings need to reproduce heirs. And no mother protects her cubs more than a lioness, just as the father lion is known to take care of his cubs when the lioness goes hunting. So, despite being called a house of pleasure, children are a very strong theme in this house. And also the house where he tells us how we can govern as well as where to be the center of attention. It speaks of our pride, how we educate and inspire others, especially young people.

The sixth House is known as the House of Health, the ruler is Virgo and Mercury. Above all, it represents our activities that are repeated daily. That is why Health and work fall in this house. Our pets are also found in this house, because they are in our daily lives. But not only that, it is also strongly related to service to others. So planets in this house can indicate whether the person will be a nurse, doctor, veterinarian, etc.

The seventh House is known as the House of partnership, the ruler is Libra and Venus. The theme of this house is to cooperate and relate to others, which we join with the purpose of achieving something. Partnerships can take various forms: marriage, business relationships, contracts, legal issues, negotiations and agreements. If the ascendant is always in the first house then the descendant is always in this house.

The eighth House is known as the House of sex, death and rebirth. The ruler is Scorpio and Pluto. During our lives we live a process of dying and being reborn. The occult, mystery and deep connections are also important themes. This house also talks about shared resources such as inheritances, alimony, taxes, insurance and support of another. As well as any other financial, spiritual, emotional and physical support. That is why this house as well as the second house speaks in relation to money.

The ninth House is known as the House of philosophy, the ruler Sagittarius and Jupiter. When the third house speaks of short trips, this house speaks of long trips. This happens because Jupiter is the planet of expansion. Topics such as higher knowledge, religion and spirituality are equally important themes in this house. If the third house speaks of the studies we received when we were young, this house speaks of the studies in adulthood.

The tenth House is known as the House of social status, the ruler is Capricorn and Saturn. While the fourth house speaks of our privacy, this house speaks of our public life. Authority, promotions and our fame are found in this house. This house also represents our vocation. The Midheaven also known as Medium Coeli (MC) is always found in this House.

The eleventh House of friendship, hopes, and wishes. The ruler is Aquarius and Saturn. It represents our role in the community, the collaboration and support we receive from other people. As well as social networks and our abilities to realize our dreams. Something very interesting about this house is that it talks about destiny.

Amongst all the houses, the most instriguing one is the last one also known as the House of the unconscious. The ruler is Pisces and Neptune. All things that exist without physical forms, like dreams, secrets, inspirations, intuitions, inner voice and emotions.

I remember while studying that our spirit guides, divinities or Guardian Angels reside here. Deep in my thoughts and looking around near me i was saying in silence to my spirit guide/divinity: "Can I really find you here in my birth chart?" Then the top of the trash bin started to move. I smiled as it was a small sign of a reply i was looking for.

So here you have. The meaning of the 12 Houses. Hope you like it and if you need anything, do not hesitate to contact me.

[themomsandthecity]

How Understanding Acceptance Healed My Latina Mother Wound

A therapist recently shared a profound insight that resonated deeply: "The only people who owe you acceptance just for existing are your parents. For everyone else, it's a choice." In those words, I found solace, the final piece that helped me close the chapter on my mother wound. The truth is, I am the shadow of my mother's monster-which is my father. From a young age, I grappled with the complexities of my relationship with my mother. My childhood was defined by her inability to accept and understand me, a journey that started before I could fully grasp the nuances and lasting effects of her abuse. Early on, I had to reconcile and exist, knowing that although my mother would do whatever it took to put a roof over our heads, she wasn't able to truly get close to me because she couldn't separate me from my father - her abuser. My mother is a single parent to four daughters; none of us share the same father. Still, we were raised as sisters in our house - but we all knew that our different last names represented different times in her life. As the only child between her and my father, I bore the burden of inheriting the scars he left behind. I've always known I looked like my father; what I get from my mother is in the form of her resilience. Unfortunately, my resemblance to him strained my relationship with my mother. My father, a charming Gemini, has the confidence of a true renaissance man, the type of fella who convinces himself his tales and lies were true to excuse his behaviors. Unfortunately, this trait latched onto my mother's behavior towards me during much of my upbringing. For years, I didn't know that victims could adopt the behaviors of those harming them. In a way, I grew up believing my parents shared the same temperament and personality. Dubbed the nervous 'problem child' straight out of the womb, clashing with my mother was a frequent occurrence during my upbringing. My relentless quest to emotionally bond with her, hoping for mutual understanding, often fueled these conflicts. Nevertheless, the burden of enduring over a decade of physical and psychological abuse inflicted by my intermittently present father deeply affected her and our entire family. Despite her persistent fear of his escalating actions, her entrapment led her into profound mental turmoil during my adolescence, finally breaking free when I was 10. When I was a kid, my mother often complained about how much I cried. It didn't matter what she did; in my mom's eyes, no diaper changes, bottles of milk, or nursery rhymes could calm me down. And some days, the idea of ripping off her own head felt like a viable option. I was what you would call a sensitive child, and my mother's battered mind was not equipped with the tools to handle me. Her abuse and fear of my father began way before my conception. Her undocumented status held her in a complicated situation with a married man that eventually led to intimate partner abuse during pregnancy. Alice Miller said in her book, "The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self," that "If the mother is suffering, the baby is suffering too, the pain never gets discharged. The organism does not develop the confidence that it can regulate itself, that things will happen the way they should." As I like to think of it, I was born the manifestation of my mother's pain and the image of her nightmare. However, being the child of a witty, clever, and emotionally detached Gemini mother made it difficult for her to trust my tears, as it was one of my father's many tactics. Just to clarify, my mother didn't abuse me beyond what her culture deemed appropriate discipline. Unfortunately, the physical abuse I eventually faced was assigned to an impressionable and equally traumatized older sibling, but that's a story for another time. However, in my mother's stress, depression, and terror-stricken grief, I was born a traumatized person who picked up on everything as an… https://www.popsugar.com/family/how-i-finally-healed-my-latina-mother-wound-49370243?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[jaymendell]

Wilfred had never wanted to bite someone as much as he did right now.

“Is that supposed to make me feel sorry for you?” he sneered. 

His head was pounding, and his shoulders ached from how his hands were tied behind his back. His stuffy nose only exacerbated his torment.

He had cried in front of this man. Real, actual tears had fallen down his face. And he thought now was the time to bring this up?

“Don’t be cross now,” Cedar said, tone just the right amount of disapproving to show that they had, indeed, been raised by the same governess. “I’m trying to give you some friendly advice.”

“Advice from my father’s bastard?” Wilhelm scoffed. “I don’t need it.”

Cedar’s eyes widened for just a second before he regained his composure. 

“You knew?” he asked, raising a brow.

“You’re hardly the first,” Wilhelm replied stiffly. Not even the first to threaten his life, as it turned out. 

Livia was actually quite the lovely woman, if one could ignore the poisoning attempts. And Zakaraiah would have been almost tolerable, if he was more like his mother and less like their father, including both looks and vicious temperament. The less that was said about Dofín, the better. Wilhelm still had a hard time looking at an apple strudel without shuddering.

And those were only the ones that he could name off the top of his head!

Honestly, Wilhelm thought they should be doing some more communication with each other, rather than leaving him as the one to explain everything all over again to the next sewer rat that came crawling in off the street.

“Look, I’m trying to help you as much as I can,” Cedar said, letting out a sigh. He really was related – it was rare that someone could manage that exact tone of disappointment inherited from their father. “But you need to work with me here. Our father isn’t who he says he is, and – “

“If this is about the whole ‘treason’ thing, don’t bother,” Wilhelm interrupted. “I’m sick and tired of hearing about it.”

Most days it felt like every damn vagabond in the kingdom knew about his father’s idiotic attempt at war profiteering, and Wilfred was thoroughly done with the whole thing. The man was already confined at home on order of the Crown (to accommodate for his ‘ailing health’, allegedly), what did it matter?

“No, it’s about – he committed treason?” Cedar backtracked, blinking rapidly. “What?”

“Oh, you really are new to the Capitol,” Wilfred scoffed. “Whatever my father might have done to you as a child, I can promise you that he is no better here. Or, indeed, any more helpful. I would encourage you to seek your vengeance elsewhere – a husk is no satisfying target.”

It honestly hurt Wilfred to defend the man, even in such a roundabout way, but he couldn’t help it. He’d been raised all his life to accommodate for his father’s faults, and he had too much practice in it. The gestures were nearly automatic, at this point. He barely even thought about it.

“No, listen to me!” Cedar finally raised his voice, frustration brewing.

Something dark and satisfied began to settle inside of Wilfred. It was always easier when they began yelling.

“Our father stole the identity of a provincial lord! He’s not even nobility, and neither are you!”

Wilfred froze, finally caught off-guard.

“What?” His voice was hoarse, cracking at the seams.

Just when he thought there was nothing more to lose.

“I just want to be a good son…”

“I understand that. It’s just that trying to be a good son to someone like him is impossible. Nothing is ever enough.”

“How do you know?!”

“Because I almost died trying to prove that I could be.”

[la-undercover-latina]

Pissed Off Biersack

Summary: After not being able to be the flower girl for her godmother’s wedding, Addison Biersack felt an emotion that she never had before.

‘How is she?’ The text came through from the concerned mother.

‘She’s resting. When I checked her temp last, she was still sitting at 101,’ Heather responded, running her fingers through her grandbaby’s dark brown curls.

‘Should we take her to the doctor?’ Amber texted. This was day three of Addison being sick, and of all days for her to come down with whatever bug she had- on the day of her godmother’s wedding.

The one she was actually super excited for since she was actually around to be a flower girl.

‘If her fever doesn’t break by tonight, then yeah. But she’ll be okay honey. Tell Ella and Alex I said congratulations 😊’

“Gamma?” Came the croak from the three year old laying her head on her grandmother’s lap.

“Yes princess?” Heather answered, moving curls from her flushed and clammy face.

“Can I still be a flower girl?” She asked and what Heather had to say broke her heart.

“Not when you’re sick like this Princess,” Heather soothed, to no avail though because big fat tears welled up in the three year old’s eyes.

“Why?” Her voice cracked and Heather gave her a sympathetic smile.

“Because you’re sick. You wouldn’t wanna get Auntie Ella and Uncle Alex sick, would you?” Heather asked, hoping desperately that Addison was sick enough not to stick to her guns.

“No?” She crossed her little arms across her chest before a coughing fit took over her small body.

“Gamma, it hurts,” she whimpered when the fit ended.

“I know baby. Do you wanna watch some cartoons while I make you some soup?”

“Can I have red juice?” She asked.

“Yeah, but you have to have water too honey,” Heather pressed a kiss to Addison’s forehead before heading into her kitchen to make the soup and grab a little bottle of Gatorade for her. She poured half of the bottle in her sippy cup and topping it off with water.

——

After the wedding, Andy and Amber came by to pick up their little princess, who’s fever slightly broke during the wedding. She was asleep when the pair pulled up to Heather’s house in the Hills.

“My mom texted me like an hour ago and said her fever broke. But we’ll wanna keep an eye on her tonight,” Amber whispered while they stood at the door. After a few moments, Heather answered with a sleepy Addy dressed in her footie pajamas and curly hair in pigtails braids.

“How has she been?” Amber asked, making sure her temperament didn’t change.

“She’s been normal,” Heather told her with a smile. She finally got a look at her own baby girl and son in law. Amber was dressed in a floor length flowy champagne colored dress, and Andy stood beside her with a black tux that had a matching champagne colored handkerchief in his suit.

“Heather, is her stuff in the living room?” Andy asked softly.

“Most of it is in Amber’s old room. But her sippy cup, bear, and baby blanket are in the living room,” she told her son in law.

“No honey. Just take Addy. I’ll grab her stuff. She’s a daddy’s girl,” Amber told him softly, putting her hand gently on his arm.

“Addison, come here sweetie. Daddy’s got you,” he told her gently, taking the toddler from Heather.

“I feel like I just passed off Amber,” Heather laughed.

“Amber was this big as a toddler?” Andy questioned. He knew that his wife inherited her father’s height. But Addison seemed so much bigger than other kids her age.

“Yeap. She’ll probably be the same height as her, maybe a little taller since you’re taller than Tommy,” Heather told him as Addison snuggled against her dad’s chest, the vibrations from his baritone voice helping soothe her.

“Daddy? Can you sing me to sleep?” She asked drowsily.

“When we get home, I will honey. Do you want me to put on one of my cd’s in the car on the way home?” He asked and she nodded. He kissed her forehead and a smile pulled at Addison’s lips.

“I’ve got her stuff. Thanks again mom,” Amber pulled Heather into an awkward hug since she was trying not to spill or drop anything.

“Of course honey. Keep me posted on how she is,”

“We will,” Amber promised, kissing her mom on the cheek.

“Thanks again Heather,” Andy told her with a smile, before taking Addison to the car and buckled her in.

“Beary? Blankey?” Addison croaked and Amber gave both things to her.

“Here you go baby. I’m putting your sippy cup next to you,” Amber told her before pressing a kiss to her forehead and climbing into the passenger seat while Andy picked Addison’s favorite of his albums to play on the way home.

——

After just over a week, Ella showed up at the Biersack home.

Mainly to show pictures from the honeymoon, but also to check on Addison.

It broke her heart that her godbaby couldn’t be at the wedding when she was so excited.

“Addy, Auntie Ella’s here,” Andy told her when he answered the door.

The three year old, who was almost completely back to normal, let out a huff, making sure to whip her pigtails as she went to her playroom to go play.

She was still mad that she couldn’t be a flower girl.

Her auntie/godmother promised.

“Everything okay with her?” Ella asked as she entered the home, Persephone, the family’s golden retriever, coming up to greet the newlywed.

“She’s been like that since the wedding. She’s mad that she wasn’t a flower girl,”

“But she was sick,” Ella’s eyebrows knitted together.

“Doesn’t matter. You promised,” Amber shrugged.

“Yeap. She definitely got your personality,” Ella told her cousin, who gently shoved her.

“Alright, let’s see pictures,” Amber told her, leading her to the couch where Persephone curled next to Ella.

“Just scroll through the album. I’m gonna go talk to Amber’s mini me,”

“But she looks like me!” Andy objected.

“Looks like you Biersack, but acts just like her mama,”

“Hey!” Amber called out as Ella walked towards the playroom. She knocked on the door, hearing her niece’s voice pitch low as she was playing with one of her male dolls.

“Hey munchkin. How are you feeling? Mommy said you were sick,” Ella asked her and Addison pointedly ignored her aunt.

“Alright, what’s up? Normally you plow into me when I come over, and now? Not a peep?” Ella sat on the futon and Addison continued to ignore her.

“Come on Addy. What’s wrong honey?” She questioned, her voice getting much softer.

A small tear streaming down Addy’s cheek betrayed her. Ella gave her a sympathetic smile.

“So how was August at doing our job?” She asked, a note of venom in her voice that Ella never heard from the toddler.

Jealousy.

“I really wanted you there sweetheart. But you were sick Princess,” she told her and opened her arms for a hug. That was what caused the damn to burst.

“August replaced me,” she walked into her aunt’s open arms and tried to wrap her tiny arms around Ella as tight as possible.

“No Addy. Nobody could replace you. I promise. You’re my first niece. And my very first godbaby. Do you know what that means?” Ella asked her with a smile, as tears threatened to spill from her emerald orbs. Addison shook her head.

“That means that I love you more than any other kids,” Ella told her, lifting her cheek, and moving some baby hairs from her ivory forehead.

“Really?” Addison asked, wiping her face with the sleeve of her sweater.

“Yeah Munchkin,” Ella told her and Addison wrapped her arms around Ella’s neck.

“I love you auntie,” Addison whispered in her ear, and a beaming smile came over Ella’s lips.

“I love you too Addy,” she told her while rubbing her back soothingly.

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[starlightshadowsworld]

"It was for the greater good" Said Ron looking at Percy.

Percy stopped his rant, he froze looking Ron in the eye in horror and concern. "Greater good... Is that what he told you, Ron?" He said, he wasn't yelling anymore he was quiet.

"That you're safety didn't matter, that it's fine that you have almost died every year since you were 11...that the people who were supposed to prourect you failed you?" He said, he looked terrified and it shook Ron to the core.

And he wasn't the only one, Harry was looking at Percy as if he'd never seen him before.

"My brothers bought you home from a literal cage, and I'm right in assuming that wasn't the first time that happened aren't I, Harry? How can you defend a man who raised you to die."

There were horrified gasps throughout the room but no one stopped him.

"Voldermort killed my parents, its my duty as the chosen one" argued Harry, trying to find his footing but he couldn't. "He's killed thousands, Harry. You're parents, my uncles, Longbottoms parents... I don't know about this whole chosen one shit but you are a child." Said Percy.

Harry frowned "and what, that it means I can't do anything that I should just sit there as he kills everyone I love?!" He yelled, Percy shook his head "I'm not saying that, I'm saying that this shouldn't be you're responsiblity. You should be playing Quidditch, focusing on your exams and classes, playing with your mates... Not fighting a war at 11 yearolds old. I'm not saying you can't fight, I'm saying you shouldn't have to." Said Percy, he was pleading almost begging that Harry could see that.

"Percival" said Arthur, warningly and Percy's demeanor stiffned and shifted to anger. People often forgot that Percy was the one who had inherited his mother's temperament. "What? Do you value that crusty old man's words so much you'd let him kill you're children?" Snapped Percy.

" How dare you say such a thing, to your own father." said Arthur, trying not to lose his own temper. Percy laughed, it was cold and humourless and sent shivers down there spines. "He came up with a plan to lure your children to face a murderer all to test them... He knew about the chamber and never did anything not even when you're daughter was having her life sucked out from her. Ginny could've died... And he did nothing. Does that not mean anything to you!" Spat Percy, tears in his eyes.

No one spoke.

Percy shook his head "fine... I should be heading out anyway" he said, turning to leave but before he did he looked at the younger ones sat she'll shocked. "Don't any of you ever think your life was made to be thrown away." He said, trying to stop himself from crying than and there. Percy put a strong hand on Ron and Ginny's shoulders "I know what you think of me, and that's okay. But if you ever need me, I'll be there. Be there for each other, don't... Don't lose yourselves for another man's war." He said, getting up to leave.

"Percy..." Said Harry, Percy turned around. Harry wasn't sure what to make of Percy's statement, he felt werid and maybe one day he'd understand those words the middle Weasely child had yelled before heading into the dead of night alone.

"Thank you" said Harry, simply. Percy nodded, rigid as usual but there was a softness to his face, hope even as he left.