#along the shores

[watchandseeamazingthings]

[sulfies]

the water is kneedeep….

[arsenicflame]

It's a time-honoured tradition- every time Sam comes across Izzy (and Ed) in their travels, he asks Izzy to marry him. And every time, Izzy turns him down.

At this point, Sam is asking more for the sake of it than any belief Izzy will ever say yes, a remnant of childhood dedication touched with 30 years of heartbreak and regret- though even now, a small part of him still holds out hope. Sam's promises have only got more extravagant over the years, from a job as his first mate, to a captaincy, a fleet at his command, a whole fucking island if that's what Izzy wants- but he knows it isn't though, not really. If Izzy was ever going to agree to marry him, to leave his life and go with Sam, it wouldn't be for anything Sam could offer him. Izzy never did care for flashy shows of wealth, for a ship or to be captain. The only thing that ever mattered to him was loyalty given, and loyalty shown in return. 

It all comes to a head after Stede left and came back, after Izzy lost a toe, lost his leg. Sam hasn't seen him since before things with Ed started to really slide off the rails, before stress permanently set into the lines of Izzy’s face. So, when he sees a dishevelled man with a hoof for a leg in a no-name port, he doesn't even consider the idea that he might know him. It's only when he turns towards him, and Sam catches a glance at those oh too familiar tattoos, he realises this is Izzy, his Izzy, that stands before him.

Knowing Izzy's discomfort with pity, he doesn't treat him any differently than he would in years gone by, positioning himself in Izzy's line of sight before approaching and sweeping him up into a bone crushing hug. 

“Israel-goddamn-Hands!” he exclaims, as Izzy grumbles back a begrudging “Samuel-fucking-Bellamy”, a tradition almost as old as their friendship itself. Izzy might not hug him back, but he can’t keep the corner of his mouth from twitching, just for a second.

(If Sam holds Izzy a little tighter and a little longer than usual, well. That's his business)

By the time Sam lets go, most of the crew has appeared in the town square, drawn in by the commotion. They may have given Izzy his leg and welcomed him as one of them, but still there’s an underlying tension, with nobody quite ready to set aside everything that happened before the Kraken. Seeing him cosying up to an unknown man sets everyone on edge, unsure whether to come to their first mate’s aid, or to assume that they've been betrayed once again.

When Ed sees that the yelling was Sam, his hand goes tense where it's held in Stede's. He knows the routine, has seen it more times than he can count, but as he watches them part he realises that this is the first time in a long time he's unsure of what Izzy's response will be.

Knowing that something’s different, knowing that Izzy's feeling vulnerable already, Sam doesn't go for the same flashy proposal he’s been giving for years. He doesn't promise Izzy the world, he doesn't cause a scene (or, any more of a scene than he already has, anyway). He looks at the fractured man in front of him, takes his face in his hands, and says the exact same thing to him he said when they were little more than boys. “Israel, I have to ask you. I know what you'll say, but I have to try. Come with me. Marry me and sail away with me. I'll keep you safe”

And Izzy… hesitates. He glances over at Ed, at Stede, and says to Sam “...We’re staying in port for a week. Ask me again then”

That's the moment Sam knows there is something deeply, horribly, wrong. He's not just looking at an Izzy who got seriously injured in a fight and is struggling to cope, this is something so much bigger than that- and that Ed has something to do with it. Izzy wouldn't even be considering leaving if he didn't. Whether it was negligence or something more sinister, Sam doesn't yet know, but he intends to find out.

[backpackingspace]

Do we think odysseus started pranking Athena and her temples at some point? Because I do. He argued that it was good for sneaking and evading training. And you know what Athena couldn't argue that. Her chasing odysseus across the island was good training.

[hoot-hoot07]

My thoughts on Romance options in Horizon 3

DISCLAIMER: This isn't me bashing ships or anyone's opinions, if this does come off as such, I apologise as this is genuinely not my intent. It's totally fine to ship Aloy with someone else, and view her however you want, this is just me sharing my thoughts on romance options and why I believe Aloy and Seyka are a good pairing. Also my opinions aren't fact, please don't harass me over anything, you can just not agree and move on with your life. (Also I do like other ships, but Aloy/Seyka are my personal fav)

(Also a note to toxic Seyka fans, I'm not defending you, you can not like a ship, but you shouldn't harass others over it, it's rude and genuinely harmful)

I personally don't think that having romance options for multiple characters in the 3rd Horizon game would be beneficial to the story or fit with Aloy's character. This is because of how flashpoints work and what Burning Shores has set up for the 3rd game. To just get it out of the way, if GG wanted Aloy to be in a romantic relationship with a pre-existing character, they would've showed or implied it already to set it up for the future. If romance options worked similarly or exactly how flashpoints do (choosing what part of Aloy's personality is expressed at that moment, not what she thinks of something), it would feel weird because it would imply that Aloy had developed feelings for all of the romance options. To me, this would make Aloy feel like less of an individual person or character, and more like the player choosing who she likes and what she thinks of characters.

This leads into why I believe that Aloy and Seyka work as a pairing in canon. (again, just my own opinion, you are totally allowed to disagree). To me, the reason that Aloy likes Seyka is because of how similar they are, but the key difference being that Seyka cares for her people, regardless of how they think of her. Before breaking Quen law, Seyka fully belonged in the tribe, this is clear when walking around Fleet's end in many scenes with her, and when exploring Heaven C's location and Heaven's Rest. Everyone in fleets end knows Seyka, and they no longer fully respect her after breaking the law, despite her good intentions. She still cares about them and her missing people, even if they didn't want to be saved. This dedication and care for those who are ungrateful for it is why Aloy likes Seyka, because Aloy wouldn't have put up with the Quen's bullshit like Seyka did, and she admires her for that. Another reason that Aloy likes Seyka is because Seyka doesn't have any preconceived view of Aloy. She doesn't know Aloy is a clone of Elisabet (She doesn't even know who Elisabet is, unlike Alva), or the Savior of Meridian, Tenakth Champion, Anointed of the Nora, etc. She just knows Aloy as Aloy, with no pre-existing image or knowledge of how many tribes value her.

I won't yap on for longer since this is already a lot, just to summarise: I don't think romance options would work outside of Seyka, they would feel unnatural for Aloy's character and wouldn't benefit the story. I also believe that Seyka's ability to put up with her tribe's bs about her breaking the law to help them, as well as not knowing about Aloy's list of titles and preconceived images of her are two of the reasons why Aloy likes Seyka. Again, you are totally allowed to disagree with me on anything, I do not intend on invalidating ships, just please don't harass me.

[akakris10]

never forget that the sea is now kind

[playypause]

Lorna Wu & The Coral Shore - The Ballad of the Witches' Road (1978)

side 1

The Ballad of the Witches' Road

Miles to Go

Ember

Something Wicked

Call the Corners

side 2

Mary Mary

Red Haired woman

Cinnamon & Sage

Flick of the Wrist

Swan’s Song

[yuecrafter]

I’d wanted a Lorna Wu shirt since early October, here’s my take on it. The sticker version will be a part of my Agatha All Along sticker drop this weekend.

Before the sticker drop: this shirt up on both TeePublic and RedBubble!

[multifandominfj]

🎵 If I can’t reach you

Let my song teach you

All you need to keep our love alive

If I can’t hold you

Remember what I told you

It’s the only way we survive 🎵

I bet you Agatha hearing Lorna’s lyrics…is probably what she was thinking when she was burying Nicky. 💔

[ghost-bxrd]

hi! Idk if you've heard this little saying before but here is what I remember:

A little girl walks along the beach picking up starfish that have been beached and puts them back in the water. A man stops and tells her that she won't be able to save them all. She knows--she can't save the world, but for each starfish she saves, that starfish's whole world changes

-fd

⭐️ this saying is so sweet I am in tears. That little girl is a whole mood 🥹💚

[sirensea14]

Challenges of an entrepreneur poster for a subject but its In Sound Mind characters 🗣️🗣️🗣️‼️‼️‼️

Lol low quality pic (my cam's blurry)

[deadqueernoldor]

Thinking thoughts about those from Cuivienen and how they later treated the Valar, especially after Cuivienen was destroyed.

I imagine a foundation of sorrow and a layer of betrayal and pettiness. They had promised safety. And how did it turn out? Kin of Tata and Tatie their first leaders, slain in Valinor by the Dark Hunter from which the Valar promised protection in Valinor.

And then, the War of Wrath comes and with it the destruction of Cuivienen.

If any of those were re-embodied in Aman, I wonder if they make it a point to always turn their back to Valar and Maiar. I wonder if they only speak in the tongue they had first devised all those millennia ago and spoke in Cuivienen before time and different kindreds changed the tongue, not Sindarin or Quenya from the Great Journey's time or later. I wonder if they sing songs in their ancient tongue, songs about the beauty and unsullied health of Cuivienen every time any of the Ainur are near.

I wonder if the Valar feel any shame when those who they once looked upon in wonder and love gaze back at them with indifference or disgust.

[spookberry]

Born to love to the coast but cursed to hate the beach

[interrobang-merchant]

{there’s a knock at your front door}

@settinggeneral

(Cassilda opens her door.)

Ameow! Hi! How are you? You're super cute!

[gulliversed]

I was rewatching Agatha all along and I just noticed Billy says Lorna’s band has sold 40 million copies worldwide which is INSANE like?$?? Why didn’t I catch onto that before like they really were famous

[littleplasticthings]

Along Newfoundland's Shores, 1962