#ac 209

[redvanillabee]

Not me only now overanalysing this shot like look at the shadows. It’s actually Jack and Vega who are trapped. Daniel is right where he needs to be.

[ssr-archives]

#agent carter#i kinda wish they hadn't leaked this before the episode#because our reaction when it popped up in the show would have been priceless (via @agenttanha)

[francy-sketches]

I bet aerion's carrd would go crazy

[misguidedasgardian]

AMOR VINCIT OMNIA I.

I. Antithesis

Summary: You had always wanted to marry, so you welcomed the man your mother chose for you with open arms, you never thought you’d come willingly to your own cage

Warnings: Use of she/her pronouns, reader has hair, Ancient Rome accuracies and inaccuracies, arranged marriages, age difference (Marcus is late forties reader is 20), cursing, use of historic characters that don’t belong on this timeline, and other sort of inaccuracies (i'm not an historian), MIGHT MISS SOME WARNINGS I did not checked this before i posted... much... I ws excited

+18, MINORS DNI

Notes: AAAHHH made a tiny mistake in the prologue, Rome is not a Republic at this time… hasn't since like 28 AC, and we are here at like 209 D.C so… jejeje Empire it is! sorry about that…ANYWAYS, THIS STORY IS INSPIRED BY “THE SOLDIER IN THE ARMOUR” by the coolest @stylesispunk

You had such beautiful dreams that when you opened your eyes and saw out of the window at the warm sun falling over the garden, you smiled.

Since Cecilia’s wedding a week ago you had been like walking on clouds, some day soon Lucius was going to ask your mother for your hand in marriage, his father was going to give a proposal your mother was not going to be able to refuse. And you sighed contented at the very thought of it. Although Summer was ending, fall was quickly upon you.

Your thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock. 

“Good morning love”, you smiled as you saw your mother entering your rooms, after letting herself be known. 

“Well, good morning mother”, you greeted with a soft smile. You knew her, better than she believed, and you knew there was something bothering her, and that had to do with you, but you didn’t press her.

“Why don’t you get dressed, and we eat something in the gardens?”, she asked softly. You only nodded.

Maids came inside and helped you get dressed, they fixed your hair, and helped you put on fine gold jewelry in your arms and fingers. 

Then you were escorted by your very mother Lucilla to the garden that was in the center of the villa. You took a seat at the table right in the edge of the fountain, its magical sounds of running water always put a smile on your face, and the day was set to be beautiful, you enjoyed the warm morning sun, still not as scolding like midday, while the maids brought you delicious food to eat. 

You started right away, and then you noticed your mother wasn’t eating, she was looking at you in the way that she wanted to know your very thoughts, so you interrupted your assault on the breads, cheeses and honey, and gave her your undivided attention. 

“After much thought…”, she began, looking at you with what you recognized was that look she gave you, when you had done something naughty but in an innocent way, and she was trying to explain what you had done wrong and why. “I have decided who you must marry”, she said carefully.

You smiled widely, but that is what concerned her, even though you didn’t know it then

“Really? Has Lucius’ father already spoken to you?”, you asked her, excited for what the Parcae might have weaved for your destiny 

“No my love”, she said gently, she moved uncomfortably on her set weight next to you, caressing your arm. You didn't hide your disappointment, but you trusted your mother above anyone else.

It had always been her and you, since Lucius was sent away, since your grandfather and then uncle perished. She had raised you alone, with caring hands and soft words, mostly in the country, or in the very guts of Rome itself. Under the shadow of the imperial palace.

You were excited to get married, since your mother told you it was time, that you were old enough and a bit more, you wanted to fall in love with your husband, to have beautiful children, to have a villa to call your own home, to love and be loved, to secure a place in this world, for you, for your mother, for your family.

Your mother has also spoken to you about it, numerous times, about Rome, about what it could be, and you wanted to be a part of that, marry a good man that could help you in building it, for everyone to come. So now, as your mother had chosen a husband for you, you knew it had to be the very best man in the Empire

“Is it Publio Cornelio Scipio?”, you asked then, to help ease her tongue, as she seemed visibly concerned. You were equally excited for the Patrician man, you haven't personally met him, but he had divorced his wife recently and his exploits as General of the Empire were legendary. You had seen him engaging your mother in conversation in the latest event.

“No…”, she chuckled softly

“Is it…?”

“Amica mea”, she chided softly, you closed your mouth and you looked back at your mother wide eyed 

“I’m sorry”, you mouthed, as you couldn’t hide your excitement, she chuckled, easing her nerves.

“You must marry… Marcus Acacius”, she said softly, and you couldn’t hide your surprise.

You truly didn’t know how to feel about that. 

“General Marcus Acacius?”, you asked her, frowning, she nodded, you called upon the image of him to the forefront of your mind.

One of the greatest generals of Rome, you saw his face as clear as day, as he was standing right in front of you. He had a memorable face, you thought, he was very handsome, with that prominent nose of his, symbol of his long patrician lineage, and those sweet dark eyes. He was tall and broad, with those dark curls, a bit tainted by time… 

You found yourself smiling softly

He was handsome, from a good family, he was powerful, he was older than you, as you thought he was the same age as your mother, but it could be worse, you believed. 

“Dear”, your mother called, she couldn't identify the face you had made. She was trying hard to read your thoughts

“Why?”, you asked her then looking at her with curiosity

“I believe him to be the right man for you”, she said, “he will protect you, he was a dear friend to your father, and a loyal soldier to your grandfather”, she said gently, “and he is my dearest friend, I trust him with you”, she explained, “I believe he will care for you, as I would”

“Oh”, you muttered simply. “But… Did he ask you for my hand?”, you asked then, as he would never even look in your direction, you had never thought of a moment in which he had given any signs of… wanting you, wanting to marry you.

“Well…”, she began, she again looked conflicted, “yes”, she said then, smiling softly, “he asked me personally, and I couldn’t refuse him”, she assured you, and that made your stomach flutter, as it was filled with butterflies  

“He did?”, you asked, the excitement returning to your face

“Yes my darling”, she whispered happily. A small lie, what wrong could possibly come from it?

You look down again, thinking about Lucius, about the future you had fantasized about, about what he had said

“But… Lucius…”, you mumbled, “he said his father was going to speak to you”, you murmured, looking up at her

“I know my love”, she said with a soft smile, she grabbed your hand softly, her face got serious all of a sudden, “but I do not trust them”, she said firmly, “you are the granddaughter of Marcus Aurelius”, she said, “your blood is the one of emperors and empresses”, she said, “that cannot be taken lightly…” 

“Are you saying that Lucius would have tried to… manipulate me?”, you asked, “use me?”, it was odd, this feeling that settled in your chest, you had never seen your mother like this, so worried, so… so… decisive. She had never spoken to you like this either, never spoken about such things

Her silence spoke volumes so you just lowered your eyesight back to your lap, playing with your fingers nervously.

“Are you certain?”, you just asked dumbly, “that…”

“I cannot take that chance”, she said, sometimes, a very few times, her tranquil voice unnerved you, “you are one of the two most important people to me, I cannot trust just anybody with you, my love, my daughter”, your mother never mentioned your brother, not anymore, so her only implying it made you realise how much she wanted this.

She had your best interests at heart, did she not? she was your mother, the person you loved the most, you had to trust her, above anyone else.

But Lucius, the handsome man you liked… you shook your head softly, you then raised your eyes to look at your mother

“I’ll marry Marcus Acacius mother”, you whispered, she smiled, contently

“You won’t regret it, my love”, she said, “he’ll be joining us this afternoon, to begin the preparations for the betrothal”, that was incredibly fast, you thought.

It was ominous, as the summer was ending. If you wanted to marry this year, it had to be soon, before the winter. 

That made you feel lightheaded 

Now your mother seemed visibly relaxed, smiling softly. She ate fruits and pieces of bread, she would find you staring, and just smile at you.

An uneasy feel settled in your chest, but… you believed it was the obvious nervousness of the whole ordeal.

You were set to marry General Marcus Acacius 

And he was coming to your home. 

You didn’t know how to feel, you certainly were truly nervous, as you finished your breakfast slowly, alongside your mother, who didn’t seem less nervous than before you told you about her decision. 

As you wanted the midday to last as much as it could, the sun moved relentlessly through the skies, the day went by and suddenly guards were telling you they had spotted a commitive led by Marcus up the Via.

You were fidgeting so much your mother grabbed your hand reassuringly, stopping your nervous movements with your fingers, you raised your eyes to look at her and she smiled softly at you, nodding surely, you returned the gesture, only for you both to turn towards the doors that opened slowly, through which appeared the general himself.

He was a sight, with or without the armour he looked just as imposing.

“My lady”, he grabbed your mother’s hand first, and kissed it, smiling at her and she smiled at him brightly back, then he turned to you.

The way he looked at you… you couldn’t read it, you couldn’t find anything within those dark eyes, but he grabbed the hand you offered him and kissed it too, his gaze not leaving yours

“My lady”, he repeated

“General”, you greeted back, even more nervous now that you had him at arm’s length 

“You should call me Marcus”, he said softly, finally drawing a small smile for you, you smiled back

“Yes… Marcus”, it sounded so strange in your mouth, so raw, without his rank as the distinctive.

“Let’s take to the gardens”, it was your mother’s favorite place in the villa, as was yours. She insisted you two sat next to one another on the round wooden table. His presence was warm, imposing, he wasn’t even touching you and you could feel the heat emanating from him. Your mother seemed more relaxed, as since she told you of her intentions she had been walking from one place to another, making the maids cook a rich lunch and clean all around the villa, as if Marcus Acacius was going to look under each furniture looking for lint rabbits. 

The very thought of the General kneeled down on the floor looking under the triclinium made you stifle a little giggle. Both of them looked at you, but only your mother just smiled at you, content.

But as you looked up at Marcus and smiled at him, you realised that he paid you little mind before he turned to your mother.

You watched attentively, but they engaged in conversation between themselves, more than with you, he spoke about his latest campaigns at the north of Gaul, known as Gallia Belgica, you listened attentively at his experiences, you found it fascinating.

Before your tutor retired, he would teach you about history and geography, things some normally would teach a male heir, and not a girl like yourself, but you enjoyed it so much, your mother allowed it, maybe even encouraged it. 

But soon you’d realise that no matter how many questions you had, neither Marcus nor your mother would give you space to ask them. So you got quiet and played nervously with the rings in your fingers.

Have you forgotten yourself? Were you supposed to keep your mouth quiet? Was that the proper thing to do? you had forgotten all about it. You had never attempted to entertain a future husband before… But you couldn’t help but wonder if you had done something wrong?

As it was only you and your mother, and you didn't have a father, you didn’t really understand how the betrothal and marriage was supposed to come to be, since you didn’t have  a paterfamilias, and your mother couldn’t fill that role, no matter she was the daughter of an emperor, no matter if she was still called a Princess by the people of Rome who adored her. 

So you couldn’t quite know, right now… you found it odd, as you watched them speaking with smiles on their faces… but, since it was you he wanted to marry, the one he proposed to, shouldn’t he be trying to make conversation with you?

Well… you guessed everything had to go through your mother first, he was being courteous, it was customary, was it not?

When his gaze found you, you realized you had been staring at him, like a little girl who believed to be in love. So you lowered your gaze to the table in front of you. You heard him emit a low chuckle, and kept speaking with Lucilla

Eventually your mother seemed to remember you were there, she turned to you and directed the conversation towards you

“I think it would be best for you both to get married as soon as we can make it happen”, she said. Marcus’ face turn serious all of a sudden, turning to you

“It would be my greatest honour, to marry you, my lady”, he said, the second time he directed his words to you the whole afternoon

“As it would be mine… Marcus”, you said with a shy smile, finally raising your gaze to meet him.

“The betrothal must take place first, but…”, she hesitated, “we need to seek the blessing from the Gods”

“You mean the emperors?”, asked Marcus, his tone was laced with seriousness

“We must”, she said

When your uncle passed, with no male heirs of his own, the senate gathered after a hundred years to decide the fate of Rome, one among them raised, taking power… he did not please the senate and he was killed, after 87 days in the throne, then came another, chosen by the senate, but not by the armies, that one lasted 66 days before he was killed by the generals. 

Then came Septimio Severus, he had the power of the military, o he threatened the Senate, and he remained in power for ten years, until last year, where he passed by natural causes, or so they say, leaving in power his twin sons Caracalla and Geta 

A different dynasty from yours… but…

“Little sister!”, greeted Caraclla as he saw you passing through the huge gates of the imperial palace. You had gone straight after the meeting in your house, after all, they were close as both your Villa and the Imperial palace was atop Palatine HIll.

They received you in the entrance hall, where a beautiful big pond was across the room and was decorated with marble statues and plants and flowers. It was a magnificent room that led to the main Via of Rome. 

The twins stood together, dressed in gold and heavy jewelry, as they used to do, the unique colour of their hairs was accentuated by a simple gold crown. 

You just stood still with a soft smile as Geta grabbed you, kissing both your cheeks 

“Salve, my sister”, he said, nodding at you, you smiled brightly at him, he went to greet your mother as Caracalla giggled at you.

“Salve, little one”, he said, even though they were only a couple years older than you. 

“Lucilla dear, you are always a vision”, said Geta, “General”, he greeted them.

The twins looked so out of place, you thought, like yourself, when you played dress up with your mothers tunics and gowns. But they were emperors, fitting properly in their robes or not.

“We present ourselves today, to ask for your blessings for a union of marriage”, your mother started with a soft smile

“For you?”, asked Caracalla, looking at your mother, then at Marcus, “it was time…”

“No, for my daughter, and General Acacius”, she said then, and Geta turned straight to you with a shocked look on his face. Caracalla behind him giggled, sitting himself on the reclinium behind him.

“Is this your will?”, asked the older brother, more concerned for the matter at hand as Caracalla, who seemed bored to be here, like he had been drawn out of bed. 

“Yes”, you said simply, smiling at him reassuringly, turning to Geta, who seemed truly concerned, he then turned and saw Marcus, standing there very firm and stiff, his eyes locked in the older Emperor. Geta then turned to you again with the question still lingering in his mouth. “Marcus Acacius is a great man, a hero of Rome, and I want to marry him”, you said, with a firmness that surprised even you, “this marriage will bring stability to my family, and to Rome”. Geta was pleased then, smiling brightly 

“You are a princess of Rome!”, he said, pointing at you, “granddaughter to an emperor, and myself, as emperor…”, Carcalla giggled by Geta’s side, interrupting him, making the oldest twin look at his brother with anger, but then he turned back again to you theatrically, arms wide open, “I am your paterfamilias, the leader of your Imperial household, and as such…“, he raised one of his fingers with chunky gold rings, he looked at Acacius and smiled widely, he took two long, slow paces and grabbed the general’s face making you wince, “I’ll allow it, I’ll allow this marriage, between the littlest princess of Rome, and our best General Marcus Justus Acacius”, he chanted, slapping the chest of your future husband, and then finally releasing him. 

You were surprised how impassive Marcus seemed, even though Geta was squishing his cheeks he didn’t move an inch or made a face. 

“Feliciter!”, giggled Caracalla, it was barely after midday and yet… he seemed… like he had indulged a bit too much in his wine. 

“Let me host the betrothal party”, said Geta. Back to Lucilla, who was smiling softly

“You honor us, emperor”, said Acacius firmly

“Yes! party! exactly what we needed”, the younger brother giggled yet again, as he seemed to pick up just what he wanted from the conversation. As you gazed upon him now, he seemed… paler than when you last saw him.

They were a bit older than you, and you remembered playing with them in the royal palace when their father and mother still lived, shortly after he came to power. A lot of things have happened since then. 

As you looked at Acacius, you wondered how he felt, how he really wanted to do this, as he stood impassive, with that serious look on his face, his gaze lost at some point in the wall behind you.

Although you wouldn’t know what to say to him, you found yourself wanting to speak to him, for him to talk to you, all the words towards you were cordial, and you wondered if that’s the way it went with the other marriages around important families, if it was supposed to  be this… formal

You found yourself wondering if the betrothal with Lucius would have gone the same way. 

“A party with the most important families of Rome”, said Caracalla, “in honour of the little princess of Rome, and our best General”, he sentenced, “and games as well! for the wedding! for next week!”

���So soon?”, Marcus’ voice truly surprised you then

“Why would you want to make your future bride wait any longer?”, asked Geta, almost mockingly

“We were thinking Ianuarii for the wedding”, [January] interfered Lucilla, “as is the most prosperous months for marriages to come”

“Fine!”, relented Geta, “but the betrothal is happening here”, he insisted, “a week from now”

You nodded, contended. You were barely in September

More than a celebration you felt like this whole chain of events was a chariot led by wild horses in a chariot race, once the race began, there was no stopping it

You always knew you were going to get married, although you never pictured being this way.

It was a day like any other, since last week you had not seen Acacius, and that ade feel uneasy. Ws he ever the patient, calculated man? Was he not nervous as you were? You guessed he wasn’t, he was a seasoned soldier and now general, he had fought in wars and conquered cities, and you were a young woman. 

But the way he wouldn’t even show a pinch of emotions really made you feel uneasy, nothing? not a warm look your way?

So now you were even more nervous, as the maids fixed your hair. It was only the betrothal today, you were not getting married but you were going to promise to do it. You were going to exchange gifts and sign the pact.

“You look beautiful”, muttered your mother, caressing your shoulders, looking at you through the polished metal you used as a mirror

“I’m not wearing anything special”, you whispered, a bit shy, only a white tunic with red and gold lining, and beautiful jewelry your mother lent you. Your hair was covered by a thin golden veil. 

The day was beautiful, and the sun was hiding in the horizon when you met in the imperial gardens, with the emperors, Marcus Acacius, and many witnesses, members of the Senate, and other important figures 

Marcus stood before you, dressed in deep red and golden jewelry, his curly hair was lustrous and seemed soft to the touch. You felt your cheeks heated at the very thought of combing his curls with your fingers

You stood in front of him, and by the side of Geta, who was preceding the short ceremony 

What separated you from the guests was a big golden table, beautifully carved with the figures of the Shewolf, eagles and Laurels. 

Your stomach was twisted in knots since you woke up, not like you slept many hours anyways, and no soft encouraging words from your mother could change that. You were getting betrothed to be wed today, you were standing beside the man himself. Soon everyone got quiet, and the ceremony began. 

“I, Marcus Justus Acacius, promise to take (Y/N) Aurelia Verus into marriage”, he said loudly, as he was commanding his army, he raised his arm, in your direction, he looked at you with soft eyes, and you felt your hand embarrassingly sticky with your sweat. You looked at Geta expectantly, so he then smiled at you too. 

“I, Publius Septimius Geta, promise to deliver my good sister (Y/N) Aurelia Verus to the manus of Marcus Justus Acacius, to be married”, he spoke out loud and proud, with a hint of amusement in his voice, he then grabbed your hand and placed it atop Marcus extended one, “and give a dowry of a hundred thousand Denarii”, you heard exclamations from the public at that was a gigantic amount, even Marcus seemed uncomfortable by it. 

You then heard applause, but you didn’t care, as Marcus Acacius gave you a golden ring, with a precious stone in it. He placed it in the third finger on your left hand, and you smiled at him brightly

“For my future wife”, Marcus said then, he signaled with his arm behind him and two soldiers brought forwards a beautiful mare, with silver coat and strands, you smiled widely.

“She’s beautiful”, you exclaimed, and when you looked back at him you found him smiling at you warmly, it made your stomach flutter. Even Geta disappeared as you connected with Marcus in the ceremony, nobody else in existence but the both of you. 

“My gift is a bit smaller”, you whispered, you presented him the ring your mother gave you, it was a gold band with a beautiful opal stone, “It was my grandfather’s”, you whispered only for his ears, as Geta retreated a couple of paces. 

The face he made was priceless, as he looked carefully at the inside of the ring, as your grandfather's name was carved next to a former general of Rome he cared deeply for. He placed it on his finger himself

“Thank you”, he said firmly, you beamed at him

“We need you to sign this”, the Vestalis Maxima herself approached you, “the contract, for your marriage to come”, she placed a parchment atop the ceremonial table, and you both signed with your names.

It was the contract. 

It was done.

Come January, you were going to marry General Marcus Justus Acacius

You watched as the ink dried, making the words indelible, so were so entertained that you barely noticed Acacius approach you.

He placed his hands and cradled your face, making you look at him, he caressed your jaw with a single finger, and then he leaned in and sealed your promise of a union with a kiss

You had completely forgotten it was coming, but here it was. 

You had never kissed anyone before, his lips felt so soft against yours, so gently, like the touch of a feather. You became so lightheaded that you grabbed onto his forearms for balance. Just as it started it ended, he separated from you slowly, gently putting you out of the spell he casted on you. 

“It is done!”, Geta exclaimed, Caracalla giggled and clapped his hands together, only then the people applauded too. Marcus placed his hand on your forearm, directing you back to the people. All the senators were there, friends of your mother, and then… you found Lucius and his father Consus Licinio Craso, and he did not seem pleased at all. You were saddened you didn’t get to marry Lucius, but at the same time, you felt guilty for even thinking it, as you were now going to marry Marcus.

He was a good man, he deserved that you tried, that you tried to be a good wife, to give him everything you could.

You paid them no mind as your mother came to congratulate you, as the senators and everyone there. 

The only one you did not see was Lucius, he came to you after, finding you alone in the gardens, smelling the jasmines after everyone went inside the palace for a feast. 

“It was supposed to be us”, Lucius said with glossy eyes, you raised your eyes to meet his gaze. He had surprised you.

“I’m sorry”, you whispered, “he came and neither my mother or Geta opposed”, you explained, he looked down at you with his sad big eyes, “he is my mother's dear friend, always has been”, you said then

“Yes it makes sense, everyone knows he was very close to your mother, many say he is her lover”, he threw that for you out of nowhere, making you open your mouth widely

“I know you are angry”, you said firmly, “but I advice you to not do this now”, he sighed loudly

“Is he truly what you want?”, he asked then. 

“It is was has been chosen for me”, you said with a soft smile, to pressure him, “he will make me happy”, you said

“Not as I would have”, he assured you, “my father is angry… he was preparing to make a big offer, he prepared a Trirremi fixed with golden statues for us to…”

“I’m sorry Lucius”, you interrupted him, he got quiet, you could tell he was frustrated

You were interrupted again as a voice called your name, you looked back to find Marcus standing in the entrance of the garden, and he did not seemed pleased to find you alone with Lucius Licinius Craso

MASTERLIST

Notes: Alright so… marriage in ancient Rome was like that, if the marriage didn’t bring you security and benefits, you did not marry! just like that, well at lest for the most “prominent” families.

YES I KNOW MANY NAMES REPEAT THEMSELVES BUT THAT’S ANCIENT ROME FOR YA, and yes I know reader isn’t the sister to the twin emperors, I hope that was more clear… jeje just clarifying

I wanted to play in all that “sheltered life” for reader, and she is well… a bit childish because of it

 some people (other than our main characters) are real historical roman figures!! the Scipions are the coolest family of Ancient Rome but sadly they are somewhat extinct by the time of Gladiator II timeline, as was Marcus Licinius Craso, he was alive at the time of Spartaco! bananas! anyways… but this is fanfiction, MY FANFICTION! muahaha so yeah… If you want to read the story about the Scipios and the Punic wars… and you love historical novels as do I… you should read “Africanus”, which is the first part of the trilogy by Santiago Posteguillo. They are the best books I have ever read. 

Anyways, hope to see you in the next chapter! love you all!

Taglist! @orcasoul @peelieblue

[goodqueenaly]

what do you think is the reason for baelor breakspear, the literal crown prince, marrying jena dondarrion, a lady from a very minor house in the dornish marches who presumably didnt like the dornish very much? could it have been daeron ii arranging this marriage to curry favour with dorne's enemies by marrying his very dornish son to a marcher lord's daughter and thus in a way simulating peace between the marchers and the dornish in the eyes of the realm? or could it have been a way to keep the blackfyre supporters in line assuming baelor married after the first rebellion, since one of the reasons for the uprising was anti-dornish sentiment?

Number one, I don’t think we can call the Dondarrions “a very minor House”. Indeed, Yandel himself counts the Dondarrions (alongside the Swanns, Selmys, and Carons) as one of “[t]he greatest of the Marcher lords” and refers to the Dondarrion seat of Blackhaven as “[a]mong the sternest of the Marcher seats … with its forbidding black basalt walls and bottomless dry moat”. Lord Harmon Dondarrion seems to have been of equal rank to Lord Tarly and Lady Caron, as all served as commanders during the campaign in Aenys I’s reign against the Vulture King, and Lord Dondarrion served as one of the three Marcher representatives at the wedding of Queen Alyssa and Rogar Baratheon. Queen Alysanne clearly considered the Dondarrions important enough to include on the royal couple’s tour of the Dornish Marches in 54 AC, and later a Dondarrion was one of the “dozen fresh young maidens chosen from amongst a hundred who coveted the distinction of serving as a companion to the queen [i.e. Alysanne]" - proof, I think, of the rank of the Dondarrions even relative to other Westerosi aristocrats. Notably as well in the main novels, Sansa thinks that while Jeyne Poole - herself an aristocrat, albeit an actually low-ranking and probably landless one - mooned after Lord Beric, the Lord of Blackhaven “would never look at someone so far beneath him”. 

Number two, it seems almost certain that Baelor and Jena were married prior to the First Blackfyre Rebellion. Valarr, their elder son, was not only old enough to joust as a knight at Ashford in 209 AC, suggesting that Valarr was at least 16 or so at that time, but was also big and tall enough for his nearly 40-year-old warrior father to plausibly borrow and wear his armor during the trial of seven, suggesting that Valarr was old enough to have reached his adult build and height. Personally, I think Baelor and Jena were married roughly around the mid to late 180s and Valarr was born around the late 180s, but whenever the actual wedding occurred, it’s impossible that Valarr was born in or after 196 AC, and as such his parents had to have been married ahead of the First Blackfyre Rebellion.

All of that said, why do I think Prince Baelor and Jena Dondarrion were married? Put very simply, I think Daeron II correctly recognized the fault lines of political factionalism in his kingdom and wanted to repair, rather than deepen, those divisions. From the beginning of his reign, King Daeron had very publicly advertised his desire to unite Dorne with the Targaryen kingdom. Not only was Daeron himself happily married to Myriah Martell, but as Yandel notes, “one of [Daeron’s] earliest significant acts after assuming the throne was to begin negotiations with his good-brother, Prince Maron, to unify Dorne under Targaryen rule” - negotiations which ended with the homage of Prince Maron and his wedding to the king’s sister, Princess Daenerys. Between the unique “significant rights and privileges” granted to the Dornish lords and the Prince of Dorne in particular in the peace accord, and the Dornishmen who were given places at court and “offices of note” under Daeron II, the king was making very clear that his government was openly and ardently pro-Dorne. 

Yet as Daeron II certainly realized, such courtly and political favoritism toward Dorne generally and House Martell specifically would hardly be received rapturously by the entirety of his realm. From the earliest days of the Targaryen monarchy, the dragonkings had, in the tradition of the Plantagenets and any number of other real-world monarchies, claimed dominion over Dorne, in title if not in fact. Daeron I had come closest, if relatively briefly, to making this paper crown of "King of the Rhoynar" a reality, and Daeron II’s own father Aegon IV had (albeit almost certainly for selfish and petty reasons) attempted to reignite (pun intended) the conquest of Dorne by House Targaryen. Daeron II’s pro-Dorne policies, then, were very much poised to be seen, at least by some of his subjects, as a jarring reversal away from a century and a half of Targaryen posturing and conquest and toward a political reality where the Dornish were, to borrow Yandel’s phrase, “rivals for the king’s attention or largesse”. That suspicion extended to Daeron’s heir: according to Yandel, “many men looked upon Baelor’s dark hair and eyes and muttered that he was more Martell than Targaryen”. This Martell-looking eldest son of a Martell queen, double first cousins with the future of the ruling dynasty of Dorne, may have seemed to suspicious factions to be the living guarantee that Martell, and more generally Dornish, royal favor was going to continue, if not indeed be increased, in the next generation of the Targaryen monarchy. 

The solution, I think, for Daeron II was to marry his eldest son and heir into one of the marcher lord dynasties. These families, founded explicitly according to Yandel to “[protect] the realm of the Storm Kings from the ancient enemies to the west and, especially, the south” and to “create a bulwark against incursions from the Dornish”, would almost certainly have been the most natural opponents of Daeron II’s pro-Dorne policies (and, given their famous pride, perhaps among the most vocal in their opposition). By choosing from among these lords for not just his daughter-in-law but the future (expected) Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and (expected) mother of the next king, Daeron II was making just as public a statement that his was not a client state of Sunspear but a united realm - one in which the proud marchers would have just as much opportunity for courtly favor and advancement as the Martells and other Dornish nobles did. The Dondarrions, and by extension any of their relatives and allies among the marchers, would be directly invested in the dynasty, with a tangible incentive for supporting Daeron II’s government (as opposed to, say, looking to Daemon Blackfyre as a rival for the throne). Too, if I can quote myself, the future (expected) royal children of Baelor and Jena, especially their (expected) eldest son and heir, “would be a microcosm of the peace Daeron sought”, as “Dornish blood and marcher blood, eternally spilled at the other’s expense, would mingle in a single person, a future king of the united state of Westeros”. 

One question I do have - though we’ll probably have to wait until Fire and Blood Volume 2 for an answer - is why Daeron II selected a Dondarrion rather than, say, a Swann or Caron. It could be that there were no daughters of the right age among any of other other prominent marcher families; it could be that Daeron II knew or liked Jena’s family more than he did, say, other marcher families; it could even be that Daeron chose the Dondarrions to temper the local geopolitical ambitions of the Swanns and Carons to each be counted “the oldest of the Marcher houses” and superior over the rest, with the king perhaps quietly reminding the Swanns and Carons that he had the power to humble as well as exalt. 

(Let's just hope that F&B Vol. 2 improves upon its predecessor and has Jena as an active, developed crown princess and would-be queen, rather than a walking womb or - ugh - another victim of death-by-childbirth.)

[lonestarflight]

Cancelled Missions: Skylab Rescue Mission (SL-R)

Mission patch for rescue mission for SL-3

Spacecraft: CSM-119

Launch Vehicle: Saturn IB AS-208, later AS-209

Commander: Vance D. Brand

Command Module Pilot: Don L. Lind

Intended launch date: September 1973, (on standby from August 1973 - February 1974)

Skylab rescue mission crewmen Vance Brand (left) and Don Lind.

"Influenced by the stranded Skylab crew portrayed in the book and movie 'Marooned', NASA provided a crew rescue capability for the only time in its history." Prepared for launch during Skylab 3."

"Skylab rescue vehicle phasing - NAR Space Division drawing illustrates phasing of 5-seater Skylab rescue vehicle for a Skylab mission."

Date: April 5, 1971

"A kit was developed to fit out an Apollo command module with a total of five crew couches. In the event a Skylab crew developed trouble with its Apollo CSM return craft, a rescue CSM would be prepared and launched to rendezvous with the station. It would dock with the spare second side docking port of the Skylab docking module."

- information from Astronautix.com: link

"The Apollo Command Module as modified to rescue stranded crews for the Skylab program. Two crew + three rescuees packed like sardines...."

"Skylab 3 astronauts Alan Bean and Jack Lousma helped design the "field modification kit" to use a standard CSM for rescue, and would have flown the CSM for their mission to rescue Skylab 2 if necessary. The standard Skylab Command Module accommodated a crew of three with storage lockers on the aft bulkhead for resupply of experiment film and other equipment, as well as the return of exposed film, data tapes and experiment samples. To convert the standard CSM to a rescue vehicle, the storage lockers were removed and replaced with two crew couches to seat a total of five crewmen."

Posted on Flickr by Mike Acs. NASA ID: 108-KSC-70P-69

"Soon after Skylab 3's launch the crew's CSM developed a problem with Quad B, one of its four reaction control system thrusters. On August 2, 1973, six days later, a snowstorm-like effect outside the station startled the crew during breakfast. What appeared to be 'a real blizzard' was fuel leaking from Quad D, opposite from Quad B. The malfunctions left two available quads, and while the spacecraft could operate with just one, the leaks posed a possible risk to other systems. The fuel for all quads and the main service propulsion system (SPS) engine were from the same batch; if the SPS fuel was contaminated, the CSM might not be able to deorbit.

source

NASA considered bringing the crew home immediately, but because the astronauts were safe on the station with ample supplies and because plans for a rescue flight existed,  the mission continued while the Saturn IB rocket AS-208 with CSM-119 was assembled in the Vehicle Assembly Building at Launch Complex 39 for possible use. It was at one point rolled out to LC-39B.

Illustration of the rescue Apollo spacecraft preparing to dock at Skylab’s lateral port. source

NASA announced on August 4 that Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 backup crewmen Vance Brand and Don Lind would fly any rescue mission; they had immediately begun training for the flight once the second quad had failed on August 2. After engineers found that the leaks would not disable the spacecraft, the two men used simulators to test reentry using two quads. If ground personnel worked 24 hours a day and skipped some tests, the mission could launch on September 10, and would last no more than five days. The astronauts would attempt to prepare Skylab for further use but returning experimental data and diagnosing the cause of the problem were more important, with Lind choosing what would be brought back. Human urine and feces samples and Apollo Telescope Mount and other film were the priorities. Although Skylab had two docking ports the primary one would be used if possible, jettisoning the Skylab crew's CSM if necessary.

Posted on Flickr by Drew Granston: link

While many within NASA believed that the rescue mission would occur, within hours of the failure of the second quad the agency canceled the rescue mission. Beyond NASA's conclusion that the failed quads would not disable the Skylab 3 CSM and the SPS fuel was uncontaminated, Brand and Lind had already shown during their training as backup Skylab crewmen that a reentry with failed quads was safe. They also devised a method to deorbit with the command module's attitude control system. Later joking that they were 'very efficient but perfectly stupid, because we have literally worked ourselves out of the mission', Brand and Lind continued to train for a rescue mission, as well as for their backup roles, but the Skylab 3 crew was able to complete its full 59-day mission on the station and safely return to Earth using the two functional RCS thruster quads,  using the SPS engine once instead of twice as precaution."

- Information from Wikipedia: link

Posted on Flickr by Ed Dempsey: link

Saturn IB SA-208 was used for Skylab 4 and SA-209 was assigned to the standby rescue mission. At one point, CSM-119/SA-209 was slated for the Skylab 5 mission but it was cancelled when SL-4 was extended and completed all of it objectives.

Mission patch for rescue mission for SL-4

Later, CSM-119/SA-209 was the backup launch vehicle for Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission and standby rescue vehicle. After the Apollo program ended, the surplus rocket and spacecraft were displayed at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

NASA ID: 71-H-662, S73-31922

source, source

[malleefies]

Ser Aladore Florent, heir to Brightwater Keep, circa 209 AC.

[agentrouka-blog]

How GRRM works a fall arc.

209:

Dunk's finest moment, and a rare bright spot in the asoiaf depiction of chivalry: He faces off against Aerion "Brightflame" Targaryen (who would go on to accidentally kill himself with wildfire trying to become a dragon) to defend a helpless Dornish peasant, and as a result seven knights willingly come to his defense in a trial by seven, among them the crown prince of the Seven Kingdoms.

Egg hated Arion so much his first reaction upon seeing him was to seethe "Kill him".

259:

What became of the dream of dragons was a grievous tragedy born in a moment of joy. In the fateful year 259 AC, the king summoned many of those closest to him to Summerhall, his favorite castle, there to celebrate the impending birth of his first great-grandchild, a boy later named Rhaegar, to his grandson Aerys and granddaughter Rhaella, the children of Prince Jaehaerys. It is unfortunate that the tragedy that transpired at Summerhall left very few witnesses alive, and those who survived would not speak of it. A tantalizing page of Gyldayn's history—surely one of the very last written before his own death—hints at much, but the ink that was spilled over it in some mishap blotted out too much. ...the blood of the dragon gathered in one... ...seven eggs, to honor the seven gods, though the king's own septon had warned... ...pyromancers... ...wild fire... ...flames grew out of control...towering...burned so hot that... ...died, but for the valor of the Lord Comman... (The World of Ice and Fire - The Targaryen Kings: Aegon V)

When we meet Egg, he is mistaken for something he is not. Naked and hairless emerging barefoot from a body of water. An egg. Unhatched.

Dunk and Egg is the candy GRRM uses to lure you into a tragedy of failed idealism and bitter corruption.

His specialty.

[summoneryuna]

Lady Dyanna Dayne was noblewoman of House Dayne of Starfall. She became the wife of Maekar I Targaryen, and was Princess of Summerhall through marriage to Maekar. She is the mother of Daeron, Aerion, Aemon, Aegon, Daella, and Rhae Targaryen. Unfortunately Dyanna died well before 209 AC, before Maekar’s accession to the throne. Thus, she was never able to be Queen Consort. She was Maekar I Targaryen’s only wife.

[deutschland-im-krieg]

44 victory ace Lentomestari (Flight Master) Urho Pikkujätti (Little Giant) Lehtovaara in the cockpit of his Messerschmitt Bf 109G-2 (MT-209), W.Nr. 14745, and other Finnish fighter pilots and ground crew , Karelia, 1943. For more, see my Facenbook group - Eagles Of The Reich

[batmanonthecover]

Batman #209 - February 1969 (DC Comics - USA)

Cover Art: Irv Novick

JUNGLE JEOPARDY

Script: Frank Robbins

Art: Irv Novick (Penicils) Joe Giella (Inks), John Duffy (Letters)

Characters: Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Alfred Pennyworth; Commissioner James Gordon; Second-Story Aces [Squelch (villain); Brainwash [Mr. Esper] (villain); Fingers (villain); Ginko (villain); Jax (villain)]

Batman story #1,262

[redvanillabee]

yea no i tried so hard not to jd on main this rewatch but the little chat after vernon lets them out of the cell just did it for me. i miss them so much.

[hawaii-official]

I've done so much and I still have so much left tondoioi!!!!

Ganymede: Vltava -kafkas metamorphosis OST

Psmathe: Chug chug with you -Leviathan

J 10: malice mizer -baroque

Umbilic: meow meow meow meow sad song

Styx: red sex -vessel

Squire/time: vox vulgaris -rokatanc

Cataclysm: fireflies -owl city

Ring: dance monkey-kidz bop

Ariel: pacify her -mealnie Martinez

'6 'hebe': cause I'm a liar -Mcki Robyns-P,

3c-273: piano man -billy joel

Iapetus: last Friday night-katy perry

Armarcotilus: howling gears -fire emblem heroes ost

Dactyl: let's die together in kurasaki-SLAVE.VVR

Umbriel: Animal Cannibal- Karen sklanday

333 badenia: MHA season 1 intro music

Amalthea: stop nagging me-Owata-P

Earth: rises the moon -liana Flores

Astro: movinglikeazombie -ericdoa

Voices of astral: doopliss battle theme

Penelope: the flute song -russ

Internet/Igor: lonely -akon

Daphnis: Burnin' For You -Blue Öyster Cult

Chixlub impactor: ???

Catherine: god-ish -will stetson

Crux: backstabber -kesha

Hercules-corona borealis great wall-???

Alcor-home depot theme

Zilph: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik -mozart

Unicorn: closer -nine inch nail

Albiorix: dark horse -katy perry

Methone-???

Epimiethus:???

Aegaeon: corpse dance -kikuo

Sol III: Superman (it's not easy) -five for fighting

5th:???

Joey:???

Ringless Saturn: ???

Dear Saturn: watching him fade away -mac DeMarco

Universe/cosmos: your new home -gooseworx

Formless hunger: there were many things for which we exist -nowt

Didymos: ???

Pasiphaë: tough love -the villains lair

Proto earth- Nicki Minaj

Astral court: pursuit theme -ace attorney

Eblm-j0555-57ab- DuckTales 2017 into theme

Hubble space telescope:???

As 209: heaven says Mandela catalog mix

The smallest little quark: cats on mars

The world snake: ???

The quantumverse:???

The omniverse:???

Vogsphere: Ew

Caliburn:???

Kamo'oalewa: Tim tok-kesha

Sycorax - ???

Hd1 galaxy-???

Ceers 2782:???

l448 irs2e

Torcularis septentrionalis

Mesthula star

Intermediate mass black hole

Ophicius the serpent bearer

90 antiope

79360 Sila nunam

Fenrir

A green rock

Alcyoneus

Jupiter LII

The dark moon of Venus

Herta space station

Fs Tau b

4 vesta

2 pallas

Hailey's commet/wheel of fortune

Hermes/the tower

Vredfort asteroid

Touttasis asteroid

The void/devil

The world/reality

IT/infinity

Sedna l

Fast radio bursts

All consuming astral energy

EXOSAT

Capricorn

The sun's rings

Officina Typographica

GRB 090423

Pleiades supercomputer

Lrotues

S/2002 N 5

Jupiter's Great Red Spot

Curiosity rover

Cordelia

ymir

nereida

The ekpyrotic theory

south Pole–Aitken basin

Jotunheim

Solaris

Extra Planet β(Kirby)

Mirinoi

The speck

Craft world

Britain the planet

2018 AG37/farfarout

Voyager 1

IRAS-Araki-Alcock

Boson star

Big Rip

Mbabamwanawaresa

Haumea

Quaoar

15789) 1993 SC

Space trash

Luna

Dysnomia

Tarantula Nebula

Tatooine

19521 Chaos

SALACIA

WHY IS IT SO LONGGGGG

[boinin]

Understand My Ship Meme (7/?): 🐍🍣 Edition

I joined the church of AikuSen recently, so it's time to share another one of these.

What I enjoy most about them as a ship is the tension pre get-together: when Sendou is down bad but doesn't realise, and Aiku is flaunting his interest in men as hard as he can to get Sendou to notice (he doesn't). There's major idiots-in-love vibes.

I also like that they're assholes in different ways. Like, Aiku's this giant, cocky team captain, who gets on with everyone but isn't afraid to throw his weight around. While Sendou's a bratty drama queen, smarting about his place as ace being taken by other players. They bounce off one another deliciously.

The potential for jealousy and possessiveness is a draw for me. And, can't lie, big fan of Aiku calling Sendou his ace. 🫠👌

They're a fun duo, though a blank canvas as far as canon goes. We don't have much detail yet on Sendou, so what I've shared above are my best guesses at his age/height. I hope there's a uptick of interest and content for them when we reach season 2!

I take requests for these btw, if anyone wants to see a pairing I haven't covered before. Open to doing other pairings with the same or different characters.

Credits: Gibbarts for the template. Manga panels are from chp 209 | chp 115; colouring by me (Aiku | Sendou).

[nulnoildrinker]

Team Black this, Team Green that!

You bolt awake at Ashford Meadow. It is 209 AC. You are Raymun Fossoway. The past does not matter, but the future honor of House Fossoway does. Your rotten cousin must be struck down.

[starry-aesthetic]

Maekar Targaryen, Prince of Summerhall, and Dyanna Dayne, Princess Consort.

As a fourth son, Maekar was not expected to rule. He married young, to Lady Dyanna Dayne. Dyanna died before 209 AC, well before Maekar's ascendance to the Iron Throne in 221 AC, thus she never became queen consort.