#and celebrate all the great art that is produced

[pitchblackespresso]

Here’s where my unprecedented, unrivaled genius comes in to present the Most Objectively Perfect Compromise

I just draw them both the same height

Will everyone stop being mean to artists who draw link taller

This is literally racist just because someone Japanese fan doesn’t draw your ship the way they want you it and we need to stop gate keeping the ship.

His hight is inconsistent anyway. This person on twitter has a point

It’s inconsistent because the developers don’t care about his height  if you see link as shorter that’s ok but stop harassing artists because they don’t draw him the way you do because if you don’t like that people draw him a way that’s may not canon then stop adding your headcannons on to him in your art 

sorry if my spelling and grammar is bad I’m in a rush

[c-rowlesdraws]

So my dad is a chef and Ratatouille is his favorite Pixar movie. Less for the story and more for the attention to detail they put in keeping a professional kitchen true to life. The whole "anyone can cook!" motto of the story was kind of undercut by Linguine just...not being a good cook? But there's more to a kitchen than just the head chef! A restaurant, a kitchen can't function without EVERYONE doing their jobs. Even dishwashers to keep things clean and sanitary are critically essential; the person who just chops up the vegetables is a simple job but is crucial when there's a a metric TON of onions that needs prep. And is that not cooking? Is everyone working together, cooperating, keeping people fed and happy what it's all about? Linguine wasn't a good over a stove without Remy, but we saw by the end he was a good waiter - that's important too. A great side arc while Collette learns to re-love her passion as a chef is teaching Linguine that he isn't defined by Gusteau's legacy, and not being a *chef* wouldn't mean his contributions to a restaurant aren't valuable either. It would be a great dual 'finding / refinding yourself' arc for both of them!

“The whole "anyone can cook!" motto of the story was kind of undercut by Linguine just...not being a good cook?”

YEAH OKAY like… my biggest problem with the movie was how confused the message seemed to be. Like— “anyone can cook”, that’s a great smaller message, you can be an okay home cook and not a ✨chef✨ and that’s still cooking, that’s still something to be proud of; and another interpretation of that phrase spoke to the main message of the film: “anyone can cook”/“a great artist can come from anywhere”, as in, you can have the potential to achieve your dreams no matter how humble your origins are. But all that was undercut by the film, for some reason, needing to emphasize that some people are doomed to mediocrity even with the best teaching— I remember feeling like, “wait… what?” at the end of the film when the voiceover said, “not everyone can be a great artist” as the camera focused on poor Linguini. It seemed unnecessarily mean of the movie to separate people into, as it seemed to me, people destined to be singular “great artists” and those destined to fail. After having learned more about Brad Bird and his ego, the confusion of the message makes more sense to me. But yeah—back then and especially now, with my professional bakery and kitchen experience as an adult, I don’t like how a movie about a restaurant, where teamwork from top to bottom is essential and “rockstar” chefs are usually red flags, seemed to conclude by celebrating the idea of the singular genius artist.

I feel like it’s also worth pointing out that animation studios, like restaurant kitchens, make art through an incredible amount of teamwork, so it kind of hits extra dirty for me that this army of creative people were directed to produce a story about a similar workplace, where the message wasn’t really ultimately about teamwork or valuing each person for their own skills and contributions, but about how one little special guy ascended to being the bestest specialist guy of them all.

Also YEAH like. Head chef whatever, important position, makes the Big Decisions and is very cool and etc, but good luck running service without anyone doing prep, taking out trash, or washing the dishes. Everyone, especially the head chef, knows the success of the entire damn kitchen rests on the shoulders of the guy in the dish pit.

[disneytva]

Dynamite Comics Launches Kickstarter for GARGOYLES Classic Comics As Part Of The Show's 30th Anniversary.

Dynamite Comics and Disney Comics are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Gargoyles with the first-ever Kickstarter campaign featuring brand new graphic novels collecting long out-of-print Gargoyles comic books.

Dynamite Entertainment brought back Gargoyles as a comic series in 2022 to great acclaim. Now the publisher is crowdfunding a reprint of the classic comics based on the beloved animated series. To celebrate the 30th anniversary, Dynamite is excited to offer three beautiful tomes collecting all of these previous tales for fans. The set is initially being offered on Kickstarter to reach and communicate with diverse fans of all ages directly.

“I’m honestly thrilled that these three volumes will finally give Gargoyles fans easy access to these great stories, including the canon SLG tales!” said Weisman. “I think the Dynamite Kickstarter is a great way for Gargoyles fans to get the word out and to reserve their copies. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I hope our fans don’t miss out!”

The first volume is the hotly anticipated compilation of the first-ever Gargoyles comic series from 1995. This 11-issue title was originally released by Marvel Comics and is set loosely between the first two seasons of the original TV show. The memorable first issue featured a jaw-dropping cover by artist Joe Madureira, one of the biggest superstars of the era from his work on Uncanny X-Men. The series was written by Martin Pasko (Superman) and Mort Todd.

The second and third volumes of the Gargoyles Classic Years will be an incredible treat. From 2006 to 2009, a new Gargoyles comic series was launched from SLG Publishing in association with CreatureComics — the first written by Weisman. The main series, often referred to as “Clan Building,” was joined by a companion title, Bad Guys. Issues #9-12 of Gargoyles and #5-6 of Bad Guys did not see release and were only printed in paperback collections with small print runs. They were produced at a smaller digest size and have been incredibly expensive for years on the secondary market. 

The three-volume set is available in multiple variations for different kinds of fans and collectors. Each is available as either hardcover or paperback. Deluxe hardcover editions with signed tip-in pages are being offered. For the Gargoyles diehards, the most premium option will be the Gargoyles 30th Anniversary Premier Editions limited to just 1,000 copies each!

In addition to the books at the center of this celebration, the campaign will offer several add-ons for backers, including lithograph prints of Jae Lee and Amanda Conner’s covers for Dynamite’s Gargoyles #1. The most premium art piece anyone can get will be a deluxe signed and remarqued giclée print of Lee’s Gargoyles art.

In addition to the reprint of the full series, fans can get special facsimile editions of the very first issue with gold or purple foil stamping. Sketch cover options are also available, as well as commissioned original art from Lee. Plus, collector packs of variant cover sets or premium limited editions and metal covers for Dynamite’s series can be added.

[whencyclopedia]

A Brief History of Egyptian Art

Art is an essential aspect of any civilization. Once the basic human needs have been taken care of such as food, shelter, some form of community law, and a religious belief, cultures begin producing artwork, and often all of these developments occur more or less simultaneously. This process began in the Predynastic Period in Egypt (c. 6000 - c. 3150 BCE) through images of animals, human beings, and supernatural figures inscribed on rock walls. These early images were crude in comparison to later developments but still express an important value of Egyptian cultural consciousness: balance.

Egyptian society was based on the concept of harmony known as ma'at which had come into being at the dawn of creation and sustained the universe. All Egyptian art is based on perfect balance because it reflects the ideal world of the gods. The same way these gods provided all good gifts for humanity, so the artwork was imagined and created to provide a use. Egyptian art was always first and foremost functional. No matter how beautifully a statue may have been crafted, its purpose was to serve as a home for a spirit or a god. An amulet would have been designed to be attractive but aesthetic beauty was not the driving force in its creation, protection was. Tomb paintings, temple tableaus, home and palace gardens all were created so that their form suited an important function and, in many cases, this function was a reminder of the eternal nature of life and the value of personal and communal stability.

Early Dynastic Period Art

The value of balance, expressed as symmetry, infused Egyptian art from the earliest times. The rock art from the Predynastic Period establishes this value which is fully developed and realized in the Early Dynastic Period of Egypt (c. 3150 - c. 2613 BCE). Art from this period reaches its height in the work known as The Narmer Palette (c. 3200-3000 BCE) which was created to celebrate the unity of Upper and Lower Egypt under King Narmer (c. 3150 BCE). Through a series of engravings on a siltstone slab, shaped as a chevron shield, the story is told of the great king's victory over his enemies and how the gods encouraged and approved his actions. Although some of the images of the palette are difficult to interpret, the story of unification and the celebration of the king is quite clear.

On the front, Narmer is associated with the divine strength of the bull (possibly the Apis Bull) and is seen wearing the crown of Upper and Lower Egypt in a triumphal procession. Below him, two men wrestle with entwined beasts which are often interpreted as representing Upper and Lower Egypt (though this view is contested and there seems no justification for it). The reverse side shows the king's victory over his enemies while the gods look on approvingly. All these scenes are carved in low-raised relief with incredible skill.

This technique would be used quite effectively toward the end of the Early Dynastic Period by the architect Imhotep (c. 2667-2600 BCE) in designing the pyramid complex of King Djoser (c. 2670 BCE). Images of lotus flowers, papyrus plants, and the djed symbol are intricately worked into the architecture of the buildings in both high and low relief. By this time the sculptors had also mastered the art of working in stone to created three-dimensional life-sized statues. The statue of Djoser is among the greatest works of art from this period.

Continue reading...

[thetempleofthemasaigoddess]

Being Zoro's dance teacher would involve...

Prince!Roronoa Zoro x princess!reader. Animanga characters who have not (yet) appeared on the show are mentioned.

*****

💚 Zoro is the adoptive son of King Mihawk of Kuraigana. While neither is a particularly affectionate man, they care deeply about each other; Zoro is grateful to Mihawk for having given him a safe home when he was an orphan and for having taught him everything he knows about swordsmanship, and the older man is now aware of how lonely his life was before that stubborn, overconfident but fragile boy crossed his path. The young man has given him much to be proud of: he is brave, clever, resilient, generous, loyal, and will make a splendid King one day… especially with the right Queen by his side. Unfortunately, unlike most young men his age, Zoro is completely uninterested in finding a spouse, whether for personal or social reasons. He does like girls, Mihawk is quite sure, just… he is perfectly satisfied on his own, and since he’s still so young, and his father is in excellent health, Mihawk has no intention of forcing him to marry and produce an heir. 

💚 On the other hand, since the prince is by now almost an adult, it won’t hurt to introduce him to a few suitable ladies, both in the kingdom and abroad, in the hope that he finds one he likes. Mihawk would be particularly pleased to see his son marry princess Nami, second daughter of Queen Belle-mère (the elder, princess Nojiko, is engaged to prince Ace of Foosha kingdom) of Cocoyashi, a kingdom with which Kuraigana has just sealed an alliance. Zoro is a very attractive young man and would make a fine husband for even the highest-born ladies; the only problem is, Zoro has virtually never spoken to a girl in his life, and would probably be unable to impress one. Specifically, Zoro is completely unable to dance, a pastime most ladies and princesses appreciate and take part in; also, more matches, both the love sort and those decided by the future spouses’ families, have been sealed during a ball than in any other situation. Mihawk hopes his son will find a wife who appreciates him for more than his ability to do a double reverse spin but, he decides, it won’t hurt if he’s able not to step on his partner’s feet, and to avoid throwing her to the ground because he turned the wrong way during a reverse embrace. After all, his heir will come of age in just a few months, and the occasion will be celebrated with a great ball, which many princesses and highborn ladies will attend. They -he- need someone to teach Zoro how to dance, and more broadly how to interact with women and impress them.

💚 Mihawk’s choice falls on you, a fellow princess, younger child of a King whose realm is a longstanding ally of Kuraigana. You have started dancing when you were barely capable of walking, and your talent as a dancer is well known; also, the king reflects, a woman his age will be better suited for teaching Zoro to interact with potential brides. So, Mihawk writes to your father, explaining his request and asking for your assistance; he wants you to come live at his court and be his heir’s tutor in the art of dancing, to transform him into a suitable groom. While surprised, you are happy to accept: dancing has always been your passion, and more than once you reflected that had you not been a princess, nothing would have made you happier than opening a school and spending your days teaching others the art you love so much. King Mihawk’s offer is probably the closest thing you will ever have to the realisation of your dream, and so you beg your father to allow you to go. 

💚 Two weeks later you’re at Kuraigana, curtseying deeply in front of the King, who is favourably impressed with your grace and elegance; he also tests you -”I hope you don’t mind, but I wouldn’t put my son’s future in the hands of anyone but the best teachers”- having you partner one of the court’s noblemen for a few rounds of the court’s most popular dances. Relishing the challenge, you perform admirably, and Mihawk is reassured he made the right choice. 

💚 “Allow me to introduce you to your pupil.” he then says, gesturing to a person who has been waiting in a corner, unseen, ever since you entered the room “Zoro, this is princess (name); I’m sure you’ll do your best to welcome her in our kingdom, and will scrupulously follow her directions.” And so you find yourself face to face with your pupil, who advances towards you with the same enthusiasm of a prisoner on his way to the gallows. “It is a pleasure.” he mumbles as he stares at his own feet, while his father looks on disapprovingly “I appreciate your help, my lady, and I swear I will do my utmost to please you.” 

💚 The prince is a very attractive young man, which you can’t help noticing, like you can’t help noticing the three -three!- swords he carries at his belt; you curtsy deeply, and then there’s nothing you can do but stare at each other, suddenly embarrassed and unable to find something to say. The last thing you want is to remain silent, since you’ve been called at court especially to teach the prince to talk to ladies such as yourself, so in the end you force yourself to say a few words about how happy you are you’re going to work together, and how you hope he’ll enjoy learning from you. Then fortunately you are dismissed, a comfortable set of rooms having already been prepared for you at the palace, to make yourself at home and rest… until that night, when your first dancing lesson will take place.

💚 And so, your new life as a dancing teacher begins. You and prince Zoro practice every day for two hours in the palace’s ballroom, and it is immediately evident to you that the task you have accepted will be very hard, perhaps almost impossible, to successfully accomplish. You are determined to do your best, to be patient and helpful with your pupil and not to complain if it takes him days, or even weeks, to master the easiest steps; in short, you want to be an encouraging teacher, the sort a pupil can pose questions to without fear of being reprimanded for not having learned already. Unfortunately, it seems at first all your good intentions are wasted, because your pupil seems at first as gifted at dancing as a fish would be at flying.

💚 Zoro -not prince Zoro, not your highness; he made it very clear on your first day that he finds titles completely superfluous, at least in your current situation. Since we’ll spend time together every day we might as well do without formalities, right? You can call me Zoro and I’ll call you (name), he pointed out. You had to recognise the sensibleness of his proposal, not daring to think what your father would think, knowing you’re letting a man you’ve known for no more than two hours call you by your first name- is completely unable to dance, which you thought impossible for a man who grew up at court; he doesn’t know the name of the most common steps, and can’t even tell a waltz and a foxtrot apart. It’s clear he has no interest whatsoever in the art you love, you could almost say he actively hates it, which is perhaps not surprising, since many men consider dancing a feminine art from which to stay away, lest their masculinity be put in question, but you really wish you could understand why, because that might be the only way to unblock a situation that in the first days of your permanence on Kuraigana seems lost from the start. Mihawk has told you how imperative it is that his heir makes a good impression on his coming-of-age ball, and you’re determined to help him as much as you can, but even with the best intentions you can’t teach a student who doesn’t want to learn.

💚 Zoro never skips your lessons; sometimes he’s late in joining you in the ballroom, but you’re soon informed that is due to his abysmal sense of direction rather than lack of interest or disrespect towards you. Clearly unenthusiastic, he does pay attention as you show him how to move, or explain why this particular dance is different from others, and can even replicate a simple sequence of steps after you’ve shown it to him a few times. He has less sense of rhythm than any person you know, but he’s smart enough to understand that the basic figures of a certain dance are based on the repetition of the same movements, whether there is music or not. When you ask him to dance by himself, arms raised to hold the body of an invisible partner, he manages, even though he still stumbles and occasionally takes the wrong step, and you do see him improve, slowly but surely. If what you had been asked to teach him were solo dances, the sort one performs by themselves, or group ones, you’d probably be able to make a decent dancer out of Zoro in a matter of weeks, and maybe even a respectable one with a little more time. 

💚 Unfortunately it’s couple dances that Mihawk has entrusted you with teaching his heir, and tuat he would be mainly called to perform during balls, and it’s then, when he has to dance with another person, that Zoro freezes. “Put your hand in mine… no, the other hand, that goes on my side… yes, here, and… left foot forward… left foot Zoro, and… aah…!” Soon you have to exchange your delicate dancing shoes for a more sturdy pair, because your pupil keeps stepping on your feet, and he moves so awkwardly a couple of times he almost throws you to the ground; he forgets steps he had executed on his own only five minutes ago, turns the wrong way nine times out of ten, and is suddenly incapable of following the music at all. While until now he had patiently, and dedicatedly, listened to your teachings and done his best to follow your instructions, he is suddenly anxious to conclude your lesson and get away. Truth to be told, you can’t help but get the impression he doesn’t want to dance with you; he doesn’t mind when you’re giving him directions, showing him the steps and correcting him as he dances on his own, but when he has to partner you it’s a completely different matter: Zoro treats you as if you smelled bad, or had some terrible infectious disease - as if, in short, being close to you, sharing your air and touching your hands, were unbearable.

💚 It is perplexing, and frustrating, and also hurtful. Zoro is clearly a solitary person, unless he has known someone for years, and the friends he spends his time with are all men, but in the days since your arrival at Kuraigana your relationship had become cordial, if not exactly friendly. Zoro is quite introverted and taciturn, but as you dined with him and his father or shared a brief walk in the gardens after a chance encounter, you always found a topic to discuss, and you never had the impression he disliked you. What reason would he have? You had never met before, and you’ve never mistreated him when he made a mistake during your lessons -unlike one of your own teachers, who had the unpleasant habit of hitting you on the back or the legs with his cane when he was unsatisfied with your posture- and while he could probably find a more pleasing way to spend his evenings than learning to dance, he told you he’s determined to do his best to please his father. You really don’t understand why during the second part of his lessons, when he has to put into practice what until now he clearly made an effort to learn, he invariably looks like it physically pains him to simply hold your hand and put his on your hip.

💚 You have tried asking him what the problem is, whether you make him uncomfortable and if there’s something you can do to make him more at ease, but he never answered, simply mumbling that it’s not your fault and that he’s sorry, all if it looking at his feet -a habit you’re still desperately trying to make him get out of as a dancer- rather than at you, and offering no explanation for his behaviour. You can’t force him to confide in you, but you fear that if Zoro does not overcome whatever problem prevents him from dancing with you, you will never be able to teach him to dance beyond the very basics. You can always decide to go home; no one is forcing you to remain at Kuraigana in the role of dancing teacher to the prince, and for all his intimidating attitude you know Mihawk won’t get crossed, or worse complain with your father, if you explain to him that you don’t think you can help Zoro, even though you did try your best. The last thing you want is to put your pupil at odds with his father, who he respects immensely and who will be highly displeased to know his heir had his dancing teacher give up after only a few days, but perhaps what Zoro needs is a different approach, a person, preferably more experienced than you, with a different method who will succeed where you have failed… unless, of course, the prince of Kuraigana also treats them as if the simplest touch were an agony he can barely stand. 

💚 One night you try teaching Zoro the basic figures of one of the most popular dances of the kingdom, which requires the man to circle his partner’s waist with his arm as he holds her hand in his. You begin the lesson determined to give your best shot, your last attempt before admitting defeat, but unfortunately it goes even worse than usual; Zoro does passably well for the first part of the lesson, making it clear he actually listened to your instructions and is doing his best to follow your steps, but as soon as you ask him to assume the position, he immediately looks away, as if steeling himself, and is only able to perform -badly- a couple of steps, his body almost physically rejecting yours, before giving up, and brusquely stepping away from you. “This is so stupid!” he exclaims, frustrated, and that is what really sets you off; as a princess you have been taught to keep your opinions to yourself unless asked, but you can’t stand it - you can’t stand him, and the way this stubborn young man insults the art you have dedicated your life to. “How dare you? Dancing is not stupid!” you cry out, pressing a finger to Zoro’s chest “Dancing is an art that has existed as long as humankind has, and you have the courage to dismiss it because you lack the intelligence to appreciate it? You are the fool, since for days you’ve been wasting my time and yours and you can’t even tell me why! If I really am so - so unbearably hideous in your eyes, at least have the courage to tell me to my face!”

💚 Zoro stares at you, flabbergasted, but you see realisation dawn on his face as you turn and stomp -which is proof of how upset you are; as a princess and a dancer, it comes naturally to you to move as lightly and gracefully as you can, but Zoro has brought out the worst in you- out of the room, leaving him alone. The next day, you beg to be excused from the lesson, blaming a terrible migraine, and spend the evening in your room, packing for when, tomorrow morning, you’ll talk to the King and ask to be allowed to return home. Part of you is actually saddened by this failure, and wishes you could have shown Zoro the beauty and the joy that can be found in dancing. You also wish you could have made friends with him, since the prince has many of the qualities you respect and appreciate in people, but the interest is clearly one-sided, since the simple fact of being close to you makes him uncomfortable. You were probably wrong to raise your voice at him, but what is done is done, and after tonight you are pretty sure Zoro will never want to see you again. You really hope Zoro finds someone he feels more at ease with and can learn from, but you can’t help feeling sad, and disappointed, that your first and perhaps only chance to be a dance teacher was a complete failure.

💚 You try to go to sleep early, in anticipation of your departure tomorrow, but two hours later you’re still awake, tossing and turning in your bed; in the end, with a sigh, you get up and put your dressing gown on, wondering if a short walk in the castle’s gardens will help you fall asleep. It will be highly awkward should the King, or Zoro, see you, for different reasons, but you’re pretty convinced you’re safe: the gardens will surely be deserted this late at night, and by now you can move around in the palace well enough to go unnoticed. A few minutes later you are crossing a long empty corridor on the ground floor, not far from the ballroom, when an unexpected noise reaches your ears, the sound of metal clashing against metal, grunting and muffled cries; a sword fight is taking place, you realise as you approach, the ballroom having turned into a field of battle, and the contenders are not two of the palace’s guards, or courtiers who decided to settle a dispute letting their weapons talk for them. It’s the King and his heir… Mihawk and Zoro.

💚 You knew Zoro is a swordsman; it would have been hard not to know, since he carries his three swords wherever he goes, even though you ask him to leave them on a chair during your lessons, not to mention that with a father who has long been considered the world’s strongest swordsman, it was probably natural for him to develop an interest in the art. You have also heard someone mention father and son spar almost every day, as soon as both of them have a free hour, but you never saw them, and perhaps that’s why you instantly forget your programme of walking in the gardens until you feel ready to return to bed, and remain to witness the duel, peeking from behind the door. 

💚 The fight is violent, even brutal, not a simple spar or a friendly match but a serious battle with the two opponents actively trying to hurt each other, so much that at first you wonder if you shouldn’t go call someone to separate them. Soon, though, it becomes clear that Zoro is not attempting to get rid of his father to conquer the throne, nor is Mihawk punishing his heir, like your father occasionally did with you and your brother using his belt; they are training. “Now try a reverse grip, and don’t lower your guard!” the King explains as he effortlessly wields his huge black sword, clearly not restraining himself even though his attacks could easily kill a less experienced adversary “An overhead strike is not appropriate if you’re not right in front of your opponent, you better parry and then a lateral lunge…” 

💚 Zoro is wielding all his swords, the third in his mouth (!), and is… well, he’s exactly what you wish he were during your dancing lessons: at ease, enthusiastic, determined to do anything to succeed as he parries or evades his father’s blows and does his best to counterattack. He’s a formidable swordsman, even someone like you who has never wielded anything larger than a steak knife can see it, but clearly at a disadvantage, struggling to even just keep up with Mihawk, but there is a savage joy in his eyes, the exhilarating feeling of a man who is in his element, focused on the fight above all, willing to get hurt if it means hitting his target. There is a brutal, uneven but compelling sort of elegance in the way the two swordsmen dance -yes, dance- around each other, exchanging blows and trying to break through the opponent’s defences, the clashing of the swords in the place of the gramophone’s music, and parries and lunges playing the part of the steps. You know Zoro can’t win, but as you observe the fight you find yourself cheering every time one of his blows is successful, or when Mihawk silently compliments him with a nod of his head. There is no trace of the awkwardness and unease you have gotten used to during your dancing lessons; if Zoro could be half as thrilled, at ease and motivated then as he is now as he battles his father, you reflect, he’d become a first-rate dancer in a matter of weeks. 

💚 As you look at your pupil, excitement and elation and resoluteness evident on his face, you know this is exactly what you look like as you dance, when you let the music carry you to the point you don’t even feel your feet hurt and even the least coordinated partner becomes graceful, and you’re flying without the need for wings or magic. The sword is Zoro’s passion, just like dancing is yours; you may be as different, and your interest as incompatible, as it is possible to be, but for a moment you feel him close, almost able to perceive the emotions that animate his body. This is when you begin falling for him, even though you don’t realise it yet; when you see the real him, beyond petty fears and untold truths, shining through, the instinctive joy of knowing you are doing what you are meant to.

💚 The duel finally ends, as you expected with Mihawk emerging victorious even though the King does have words of praise -well, of not criticism- for his heir’s performance; the two exchange a few words before Mihawk leaves. “You’re not coming? It’s quite late.” he points out, and Zoro answers that he wants to practise a new technique before going to bed. You remain hidden in your nook while the King leaves the room, and once he has disappeared around the corner you return to look at Zoro, well aware that is not exactly polite, not to mention proper, to spy on him, but you can’t tear your eyes from the heaving, aching young man in front of you, who you feel as you were seeing from the first time… and you sort of are. Zoro takes a minute to drink from a water pitcher placed on a little table in a corner, wipes sweat from his forehead with his shirt -and you’re not as fast as you should be to avert your eyes when the fabric is lifted to expose his toned stomach- then, unexpectedly, he places the sheath with his swords against the wall… reaches the middle of the room… lifts his arms…

💚 … and starts dancing.

💚 If your father were here he’d tell you how unladylike it is to stare at someone with your mouth hanging open, and you’re quite relieved he’s not here, because gaping is exactly what you are doing, left completely speechless by the scene in front of you. He’s performing a simple waltz, counting the steps under his breath, which you have told him to avoid as much as he can because dancing should feel or at least look natural, but otherwise better than he’s ever done during your lessons, even when you let him dance by himself. If this is what he can actually do you’d call him, if not a natural, at least a quicker-than-average learner; does it mean that even if you’re not touching, it’s your presence that disturbs him, making Zoro unable to reach his full potential? Is he simply more at ease practising without a public, like it happens to many artists and athletes? But even so, why is he doing it now?, on the first day he hasn’t been forced to attend a dancing lesson - a freedom he should relish, especially after your tantrum of a few hours ago; you know the lessons were Mihawk’s idea, and how important it is for Zoro to have his father approve of him, but…

💚 “One-two-three… one-two-three… front-back-front…” Zoro keeps repeating in a whisper, stumbling a bit but then quickly catching himself, and you’d happily remain here looking at him for the rest of the night, and this is why you decide to make yourself known, because no matter how unexpectedly pleasant and sweet that chaste form of intimacy, and how lovely it is to look at Zoro, the real Zoro, free of the expectations of his father and the court, you know you’d be terribly embarrassed in his place, not knowing someone is observing you. 

💚 “Good evening.” you murmur, abandoning your hiding spot to reach the centre of the room, and Zoro, startled, is immediately suspicious, even on edge, as if you had caught him as he committed a crime. “What are you doing here? Were you spying on me?” he asks, arms by his side and feet still in a waltz position, and you admit that, having accidentally stumbled upon him and his father on your way to the gardens, you remained to observe them duel… and then him, as he practised his dancing. “I’m sorry, I know it was discourteous.” you admit, which Zoro does not deny “It’s just… you were exceptional.” “You’re exaggerating, I’ve been dancing for less than two weeks.” “You do dance better than I could have imagined, but I was actually talking about your swordsmanship; you… you were amazing, Zoro. I’ve seen my brother use a sword, and there are many capable warriors in my kingdom, but no one is like you; you held your ground against your father, which is not something many people can say. But it’s not simply that you were fighting to win, or for your life; I… I could almost see you pouring your soul in your sword, as if that was what you were put on earth to do; you… you look just like I feel when I dance.”

💚 Zoro is clearly affected by your words, flattered by your compliments and… touched by your ability to understand exactly what he feels as he fights, the sensation of being one with his sword, as if the weapon were an extension of his arm and he could feel every blow it parried on his body, metal and flesh fused in one. He does consider you an intelligent and sensitive person and he does know how much you love dancing, but he never thought you could be similar in that respect… that no matter how different the arts you are passionate about are, you both made them a huge part of your lives, even beyond the objective importance they assume in your everyday lives. Zoro has already been called to fight for the safety of his kingdom, or for his own life, many times, but he would still keep his swords by his side and train with his father even if the whole world were at peace; and he doesn’t doubt you would still dance on your own, even in the narrow space of your room and without music, if balls had been outlawed. Yes, maybe you are more similar than he had imagined… two people who have made of their art a purpose in and a way of life, something that makes their very existence more worthwhile. 

💚 Suddenly as he regards you, and while many would not describe him as the forgiving sort, he’s no longer angry about having been spied on; he’s not even angry you all but shouted at him earlier today, even though you humbly ask for his forgiveness. You end up sitting side by side on the floor, having the first frank, open conversation in the two weeks you have known each other, and finally, without even having to ask him, Zoro shares with you the reason for his awkwardness as you dance together. “I don’t find you… repulsive, at all.” he admits, the relative darkness of the ballroom hiding the slight flush that has crept up on his cheeks “I mean, you don’t smell or… there’s nothing wrong with you; it’s just that… I’m not used to being so close to a woman, and I’m not… quite sure what to do.”

💚 You are left completely speechless by his explanation, which is the last you would have ever imagined. “You are saying… that you are shy?! Not that… there’s nothing wrong with it…” you hasten to add, to which Zoro raises an eyebrow, as if momentarily doubting your sincerity. “But, Zoro, there’s nothing wrong with two people touching each other as they dance; as long as you maintain the correct position, and you don’t take advantage of the proximity to grope, which I know you would never do, no one will ever accuse you of impropriety. Maybe… you have promised yourself to someone, and you don’t want to disrespect them if you dance with someone else?” “Of course not!” Zoro answers, openly surprised you could think he has a partner, as if he had never even considered the possibility; do swordfighters usually prefer to remain celibate, with their sword as their only lover? Or are all the ladies in Kuraigana’s court completely blind, unable to notice the unquestionable attractiveness of their prince? “It’s just… I never had a mother, or a sister, or to be honest a girl friend since I was little, so I never knew how to talk to them, you know? Or what to do when I’m with them, and since most girls like dancing…”

💚 He’s really shy, you realise with a sudden, unexpected surge of tenderness, not to mention the relief of knowing he doesn’t hate you, or find you repulsive, for some mysterious reason. Poor Zoro, he’s the sort of man who considers women a completely different race, with inscrutable rules of their own, and he probably fears that not knowing how to act in their presence, he’ll end up looking like a fool, or a brute, and shaming his father. “Well, in my experience, and while I know well how complicated and ambiguous court etiquette is, many ladies will appreciate it if you simply treat them with kindness, and try not to step on their feet.” you point out “Come to think of it, that is the second reason why your father asked me to come here, is it not? To teach you to talk to women, to make a good impression on them; don’t worry, once I’m done you’ll be the darling of all the ladies of the continent.” “Thank you, but I’ll be happy if they don’t consider me a barbarian after knowing me for five minutes, and they survive a dance with me without bruises.”

💚 You share a laugh, the way friends do. “May I see your swords?” you ask then, still curious about that part of Zoro’s life, so important for him but that you have glimpsed at tonight for the first time, and the young man by your side seems happy to show you his weapons, explaining the history and strengths of each of them, and even invites you to hold his favourite, the Wado Ichimonji, in your hands, to feel how light it is despite the exceptional durableness of its blade. “I wish I could learn to wield it.” you murmur, lost in your thoughts, and Zoro grins. “Really?” “Well… it’s something I’ve never done, you know? There are female swordfighters in my kingdom, but I never thought about joining them or learning. Maybe I should have, you can never know…” “I can teach you if you want.” “Excuse me?” “I can give you swordsmanship lessons, just like you teach me to dance; it’d be a way to repay you for all the time and effort you devote to me.” Zoro proposes, more and more excited as he explains his plan to you “I can tell my father I require more time for my dancing lessons, and no one will disturb us; I must have a blunted sword somewhere… come on, I am sure you’ll love it!”

💚 In your heart, you doubt you’ll be any good, since you have never had any aptitude for weapon fighting -or hand-to-hand, to be fair- and you’re probably too old to learn something completely new, but after all, you decide, why not? You know Zoro will not make fun of you for your clumsiness and complete ignorance of the most basic rules of swordsmanship, and you like his enthusiasm at the prospect of having a -or maybe you as?- pupil of his own. “Alright; I promise I’ll do my best, even though I doubt I’ll ever be worthy of joining the King’s Guard.” you say, and Zoro smiles at you, clearly excited. “You want to bet I’ll prove to be a better teacher than you are?” he jokes, and you smile at him. “I’m sure I’ll prove to be both the better teacher and the better pupil, even though you started your lessons two weeks ago…”

💚 You spend a few more minutes with Zoro, who tells you about his training, that his father started when he was barely five years old, and that an inexperienced witness like you might find excessively hard, brutal and even cruel, but that Zoro welcomes with joy, despite the more or less superficial wounds his father often inflicts him, and the fact that in fourteen years he has never been able to best his teacher, because he knows the King wouldn’t be so hard on him if he hadn’t faith in his potential as a fighter. As he tells you about his swords, of the techniques he has learnt and of the many opponents he has bested, Zoro’s eyes shine with joy, the enthusiasm evident in his voice; it’s quite a difference from the withdrawn, awkward or in the best of cases distant young man you had come to know. Maybe, you reflect, now that you’re finally free from his embarrassment and fear of coming off as inappropriate, the two of you might become friends, able to both teach and learn from each other, and to appreciate your time spent together. As Zoro’s hands touch yours to adjust your grip on the sword’s hilt, you think that nothing would make you happier. 

💚 In the end you both decide to go to bed, since sunrise is only a few hours away. “Lesson number one: a gentleman always offers to accompany a lady somewhere.” you tell him. “But your bed is only fifty paces away.” “It makes no difference, it’s the thought that counts.” Zoro rolls his eyes, secretly amused. “Very well; can I walk you to your room, princess (name)?” “No, thank you, prince Zoro; but thanks for asking.” “Oh, you are unbelievable…” In the end, it’s you who has to help Zoro find his way to his rooms; standing in front of the door you say good-night, and to your surprise, he bows and kisses your hand, much more at ease than he was doing the same on the day of your first encounter. “I’m glad we… I mean, that we talked and there are no problems between us.” he murmurs, his breath warm on the back of your hand as he avoids your eyes “I’ll see you tomorrow, yes?”

💚 You only sleep three hours that night, but you wake up the next morning feeling well-rested and ready for a new day, your intention to tell Mihawk you have decided to leave and return home completely forgotten - at least for now. You and Zoro share a secret smile while you sit at the breakfast table, and that night you present yourself at the ballroom wearing the only pair of pants you own -for riding; you doubt it’s the appropriate clothing for a duel, but you have nothing better- and clumsily fail to grab the blunt sword Zoro tosses you. Amused, he helps you adjust your grip on the hilt, explaining that the grip must be firm but delicate, otherwise your hand will hurt. “Ready? Now try to hit me, however you want.” he invites you, and not knowing any better you launch yourself at him, swinging the sword that is, obviously, taken from your hand in a matter of seconds. “Keep your sword in a defensive position until the last moment before attacking, or you’ll be dead before you get to touch your opponent.” Zoro explains “And you’re not using a broadsword, there’s no reason to use both hands to hold it…”

💚 After five minutes of repeated assaults during which you spectacularly fail to even touch your opponent, Zoro helps you assume the correct position -feet as apart as the width of your shoulders, straight back, knees slightly bent, sword raised at a forty-five degree angle in front of you- and then teaches you a few simple movements, parries and lunges both, that you practise and practise until you’re sure you can repeat them in your sleep. A couple hours and Zoro deems himself satisfied with your performance, and concludes your first lesson. “So? How was it?” he asks, half excited and half nervous, as if fearing you could decide to throw in the towel after a single session; he clearly still hasn’t the faintest idea of the sort of person you are. “I had fun; and I can’t wait to do it again.” you admit “I’m sorry I was so terrible, Zoro, you’re used to training with your father…” “You did well for your first time; and I’m sure you’ll improve rapidly. Now, you want to take over?” “Excuse me? Oh, right…”

💚 You had almost forgotten you also have a lesson to teach, but after Zoro places the swords against the wall, and you both take a minute to drink some water and wipe your sweat off, he returns to you, looking as determined as he was as he fought his father, and you hurry to turn the gramophone on. You tell your pupil there’s no need for him to practise on his own anymore, having seen with your eyes how well he can dance when he believes there’s no one observing him, and so, without wasting any more time, you help Zoro assume the correct position, an arm around your waist and your hand in his, only a few inches separating your bodies. “I can’t believe it is considered proper for a man and a woman to be this close.” he mutters “We can practically k… I mean, if I had bad breath you would smell it!”

💚 (he doesn’t, fortunately)

💚 “I know; in fact, that is the reason. Most of the time it wouldn’t be proper for a man and a woman to be so close, so dancing is a relatively appropriate way for them to have… a moment of intimacy. Not that there is something inherently romantic or sensual in dancing.” you hurry to add; the last thing you want is for Zoro to fear some princess he’s dancing with will take advantage of the situation to let her hand wander “I mean, it is absolutely fine to simply enjoy the music or talk with your partner. Now, are you ready? One, two, three…!”

💚 And so, almost miraculously, you are dancing, your partner still a bit clumsy and slower in his movements than he should be but leagues better than he was only twenty-four hours ago; you move together in a simple, repetitive sequence of steps, and Zoro smiles as he realises he had nothing to fear. “I’m sorry I gave you the impression I… disliked you.” he murmurs after a while “The last thing I wanted was to hurt you.” “I know; and let’s not talk about it again. I’m happy things are clear between us now.” you answer sincerely, and before any of you knows it you have danced successfully for a whole hour, and both of you are satisfied, even though your feet hurt. “Same time tomorrow?” you ask Zoro, and he smiles in return. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

💚 It’s like you have finally found the key to open a particularly sturdy door, to find the treasure hidden inside. Now that misunderstandings and awkwardnesses no longer exist between you and Zoro, he quickly begins improving as a dancer: he’s still rigid, a bit clumsy with the movements he hasn’t been rehearsing for weeks, but every day he’s a little better, and you are confident his father will be more than pleased with the results at his coming-of-age ball. Driven at first mainly by curiosity, you in turn develop a strong interest and fascination for the sword, and the moments you spend learning to wield a blade are soon your favourite during the day. It is tiring, painful, your body sweating and bruising under your clothes, your hand aching as you grip the sword’s hilt, well aware that Zoro could easily parry your every attack, blindfolded and with one hand behind his back. Being a swordswoman is, in short, as different as it can be from being a dancer, and this is why you like it so much: it’s something new, something you have never done before and that you have to do your utmost to be barely passable at -quite a change, given your long experience and objectively uncommon talent as a dancer- a challenge to yourself you’re determined not to lose. You are not sure you’ll ever be a more than mediocre fighter, but you will do your utmost, you promise in the privacy of your heart, for yourself and for Zoro, in order not to look bad compared to his constant improvement as a dancer and to repay all the effort he puts in his lessons.

💚 As a natural consequence of the time you spend together, your at first cordial but distant relationship flourishes in a close friendship. You and Zoro spend long hours talking, either as you walk in the gardens or you take tea in his rooms; a couple of times Zoro invites you to go riding with him, and while you’re pretty sure it’s because none of his friends is available at the moment

💚 (it isn’t)

💚 you are happy to accept. Soon, Zoro is not only a pupil in whose company you’re forced to spend hours every night, nor someone you hang out with out of necessity, since none of your friends has followed you to Kuraigana; you become sincerely fond of him, at ease in his presence like you’ve never been with a person you have known for such a short time. Zoro is introverted, stubborn, despite his father’s best efforts more inclined to solve a problem with his swords -or his fists, occasionally- than diplomatically, but he’s also loyal, generous, and kind, no matter how hard he tries to hide it under a semblance of gruffness; he’s polite towards even the humblest servants of the court, and you’ve seen him with your eyes as he harshly punished one of the guardsmen who had beaten a young groom guilty of not having readied his horse in time. He’s a good man, a good friend, and he will be a good King, when his time comes; soon, the loneliness you had felt after having to say good-bye to your family and friends disappears… and you can’t help thinking of how you’ll miss him, once it’s time for you to go home. Who knows if Zoro will write to you, or even decide to pay you a visit in your kingdom…

💚 The dramatic, terrifying event that leads you to question the tranquil friendship between you and Zoro takes place very late at night. You have completed another productive pair of lessons -Zoro has finally mastered a particularly complex waltz figure, and you have learned a semi-circular parry that allows you to block your opponent’s attack without lowering your defence- when examining your practice sword, Zoro decides it’s time for you to learn to wield a sharp weapon. “Every self-respecting warrior, even a King, takes care of their sword personally, rather than having a servant or a squire do it; tomorrow I’ll show you how to use a whetstone.” he promises, unaware that you already have a little experience in this particular task, having been friends as a girl with the weaponsmith of your father’s palace. You’ve never exactly used a whetstone, only witnessed him doing it, but how hard can it be? You’ll take care of the edge of your sword by yourself, you decide, and tomorrow you’ll present Zoro with a perfectly sharpened weapon; you’re sure he’ll be impressed. 

💚 So you wish Zoro good-night and, rather than returning to your own room, you begin the short trek towards the armoury, where you’re sure to find a wheat-stone. It’s really late and you ought to be in bed, but you’re too excited for your little plan to think about sleeping. Twenty minutes later you are sitting on a stool, your still blunt sword on your lap and a whetstone in your hands as you dearly wish your weaponsmith friend were here to help you, when suddenly you’re not alone anymore. 

💚 The man who has stepped into the armoury is a sergeant of the palace guards, recently assigned there from another fief of the kingdom for having killed, apparently in self-defence, a comrade. He is completely drunk, having spent the evening at the tavern, and when he sees you in the armoury, he thinks that you are a servant busy performing a late order from her master, or a village girl who sneaked in the palace to steal some valuables; someone, in short, he can abuse impudently, because she’ll be unable to react, and to defend herself. 

💚 He’s wrong. 

💚 The man approaches in silence. You’re still focused on the sword when a violent blow collides with your temple, making you see stars; before you have time to realise the danger you’re in, you’re on the ground, with the man above you, a hand pressed on your mouth to silence you. Terrified, unable to move and scream for help, you manage to grab the whetstone that had fallen from your hand and, almost blindly, to hit him in the face with it; the man screams, but when you manage to stand and try to make a run for the door, he grabs you, whispering in your ear that if you scream, he’ll break your neck before the guards on duty can intervene. “If you’re good and make no sounds I’ll let you live.” he whispers, not even trying to sound convincing; as terrifying as it is to realise it, he’s right: no one will come to help you.

💚 Suddenly, as the man’s cold hands start fumbling with your belt, you think about Zoro, and what he would do in a situation like this. He would not passively let this brute abuse him, no, he would fight back, he would show his assailant what he’s capable of, and you are without a doubt less strong than your friend, perhaps even less strong than your abuser, but that doesn’t mean you’re just gonna stand there and let him do as he pleases with you…

💚 Fixed to the wall you’re facing there are several metal hooks, with swords hanging from them that the guards can readily take before the start of their shift, or in case of emergency. Kicking wildly, you hear your assailant emit a cry of pain, and he lets you go long enough for you to reach and grab one of the swords, heavier than the one you have been training with but perfectly sharp. “Let me go or I’ll gut you.” you snarl as you turn to face the man, who has now a hand on his groin, the sword raised in front of you. You have never been so scared, yes, but most of all you’re angry, furious, at this pig who tried to make you -not a princess, not a guest of his King, but a woman with thoughts and rights of her own- his pleasure toy “I swear to God, I’ll kill you if you touch me!” The man laughs at your determination, but thank God Zoro has taught you well, and while the execution is not perfect, your blow hits the mark, and soon the man is on the ground, screaming and calling you words you know but had never heard out loud, as the wound you have inflicted him bleeds profusely. You waste no time gloating, but walk out of the armoury to reach the men standing guard in front of the gate, who heard nothing of your struggle. “Please send for the King.” you tell them, your tone calm and measured even though you’re screaming inside “There is something he needs to see.”

💚 Twenty minutes later you’re in the castle’s kitchen, sitting with an untouched cup of chamomile in your hands, while Mihawk has a quiet but tense conversation with the captain of the guards, who had approved your assailant’s transfer to the palace and is technically responsible for the security of the grounds at night, and Zoro stands silently next to you like a sentinel - or a bodyguard. You have no idea who thought of calling him, but you’re grateful; he has not uttered a word, but you saw his shoulders sag with relief when his father told him you were not wounded or hurt in any way. Neither smiles when your gazes meet, but he steps closer to rest his hands on your shoulders, and it takes all the will-power you own not to shift your weight against his solid body; neither of you is aware that the King has noticed the moment of intimacy between you, correctly reading in it much more than what the relatively chaste contact would suggest. He wisely decides not to mention it, at least for now.

💚 A minute later the King is with you, the guards having left; your assailant will live, he informs you, which he will soon have to regret, and Mihawk will make sure he will never hurt another woman in his life. “Forgive me for asking, princess, but what were you doing in the armoury so late at night? Were you… meeting someone?” He thinks you were waiting for a lover, you realise, feeling yourself blush under the King’s piercing bird-stare. You hurry to tell him the truth, explaining that you wanted to sharpen your sword in preparation for your next swordsmanship lesson, tonight. “You see… I have asked prince Zoro to teach me, in return for his dance lessons.” you explain; you don’t know if the King would find his son offering you to use a sword inappropriate, but you don’t want to risk him getting mad at Zoro. 

💚 Mihawk does not seem to disapprove though; rather, he commends you for your courage and ability to defend yourself, and apologises for what happened, telling you he’s sincerely sorry you had to experience something like this, and happy you’re alright. “I will understand if you want to return home; and I’ll offer you and your father whatever reparation you will decide.” he tells you, and you feel Zoro’s hands tense on your shoulders. You tell his father that what happened wasn’t his fault, that the last thing you want is to leave Kuraigana, and that you see no reason to tell your father or to demand compensation, especially since thank God nothing serious happened. “All I need is a good night’s sleep, and tomorrow I’ll feel much better.” you optimistically explain, and Mihawk is about to call for a maid to walk you to your rooms when “I’ll do it.” Zoro says. Father and son share a long, intense look that you can’t decipher, and a moment later your friend has offered you his hand to lead you out of the kitchen. 

💚 You both remain silent, still hand-in-hand, until you reach your rooms crossing the empty, dark corridors. Like you have taught him to do, Zoro opens the door but waits for you to invite him in, which you do in a whisper; he observes you abandon the blanket on a chair, and then “I’m sorry.” he murmurs “(name), the fault is all mine, I’m so terribly sorry.” “Why should you be? You did nothing wrong, and the decision to go to the armoury was mine. Please, Zoro, there is only one culprit for what happened tonight, I refuse to feel guilty for it and you should do the same.” you point out weakly “To be honest I should thank you; if you hadn’t taught me to use a sword, that man would have probably…”

💚 You can’t finish the sentence; you don’t need to. You cover your face with your hands, and this time Zoro does not hesitate before approaching. “May I embrace you?” he asks, almost shyly “I’d like to comfort you, but maybe you… you’d rather not be touched…” “Of course not.” you hasten to reassure him “I’d be happy to be touched… I mean, if you embraced me.” A moment later you’re held in Zoro’s arms, and you begin crying quietly, your face hidden against his shoulder, because you know you’re safe now, and you should feel proud for how you were able to defend yourself, but you were so scared, and it doesn’t matter if it’s all over now, you can’t stop thinking about it…

💚 And then suddenly you’re moving, Zoro’s arms around you guiding you through the steps of a waltz, and your feet following instinctively. “Zoro, what…?” “I thought dancing would make you feel better.” he explains, and the truth is that it does, even though the beneficial effect is due more to the presence of the young man in front of you than to the pleasant activity he’s leading you in. You adjust your arms’ position, taking one of his hands in yours, and no matter how late it is, and how absurd you must look, you spend a few minutes dancing, with your bed and vanity and wardrobe as your only witnesses; you are no longer crying. “I noticed you told my father our swordsmanship lessons were your idea.” Zoro murmurs after a while. “Well… I wasn’t sure he’d approve, and he wouldn’t get too mad too a guest, and a woman, would he?” “Quite the contrary, I think that knowing you want to learn to use a sword made him automatically fonder of you; hmm, so you did it to protect me…”

💚 He does not comment, but you see Zoro smile. “I’m glad you’re alright.” he murmurs “I know you took care of it, but I wish I could have been there; I would have killed that man with my bare hands.” “Really? For me?” “Of course; I… I don’t know what I would do if something had happened to you.” He looks at you, and you look at him, suddenly aware of how close your faces are, and your bodies, close enough you can feel how fast his heart is beating, but that is alright, because yours is pounding as well, and you’re probably too close, dangerously and inappropriately so, but Zoro couldn’t look less uncomfortable if he tried…

💚 For a short, precious moment, you could swear he’s about to kiss you; that he wants to, at the very least. Heart in your throat, without fully reflecting on what you’re doing but letting your instincts guide you, you whisper his name as you offer him your mouth, feeling his breath on your face… and a moment later Zoro has broken your embrace, even taking half a step back to put some space between you. “Zoro…” “I’m sorry; that was… inappropriate.” he murmurs, a hand pressed to his mouth as if to keep himself in check “I… can’t.” “Why not?” you ask him, half-desperately; you always thought that begging for a man’s attention and affections was the most humiliating thing a woman could do, but you don’t care, not now, not with him… “What would be so wrong about it?”

💚 You receive no answer; avoiding your gaze, Zoro asks you if you want him to send a maid to keep you company until you fall asleep, and then he leaves - leaves you, alone, feeling if possible even worse than you did twenty minutes ago in the armoury.

💚 The next day, Zoro seems to do his best to pretend nothing happened between the two of you - and it technically didn’t, which is the reason why you struggled so much to fall asleep last night and feel embarrassed just thinking about it. You talk briefly at the breakfast table, half-heartedly fighting over the last boiled egg in the bowl, but you can see his mind is elsewhere, and he makes sure to look you in the eyes as seldom as he can. The King looks at the two of you out of the corner of his eye as he butters his toast, but doesn’t comment, politely asking after your swordsmanship lessons, and informs you that both those and Zoro’s dancing classes will have to be suspended for the day, since the court is receiving two important guests: lady Perona, a distant relative of the King who lives on Thriller Bark Island, and lady Hiyori, sister of the Shogun of Wano, who Zoro will be tasked with entertaining during their visit. 

💚 Later that day, you look at Zoro walking in the gardens with the two ladies -both older than him, but exceptionally beautiful- and feel your heart yearning, for him, and for the chance to be in their place. Whatever was born in your heart, maybe last night in your room and maybe slowly, silently, in the weeks that preceded that moment, is still too new and raw to give it a name, but it has taken root, and you fear it’s already too late to ignore or forget it. “He seems to be doing well, don’t you think?” the King asks as he comes to stand next to you, and you nod, proud despite your pain; Zoro has behaved admirably and clearly made a good impression on the ladies. Thank God he’s not dancing with them; your heart couldn’t bear it. 

💚 “Oh, yes; I’m… quite proud; he’s perfectly at ease, and I’m sure the ladies will think well of him.” you answer, hoping to sound more enthusiastic than you feel, and the King nods, satisfied with the results. “I’m sure they’re not the only ones.” he murmurs, more to himself than -apparently- to you; you turn to look at him. “What do you mean?” “Nothing, do not trouble yourself.” Mihawk says, but you could swear he’s grinning, as if amused by a joke you haven’t caught. 

💚 Something very dangerous has begun blossoming inside you, and you fear that, even if it’s just a natural consequence of the moment of intimacy you and Zoro shared, it will end up hurting you if you don’t put an end to it before it has time to grow. For this purpose, you begin returning the attentions of a young lord of Kuraigana’s court, who you know has looked at you with interest since your arrival on the island; he’s a very good dancer - in fact, he’s the partner Mihawk asked you to dance with soon after you were introduced, to test your ability. You take walks and have tea together - in the castle’s dining room or on a patio, never in the privacy of his or your room. Your new friend is pleasant, attractive, polite and clever; you sincerely enjoy your time together, even though, you must admit, sometimes you can’t help wishing there was another man next to you, holding your hand as he helps you descend a set of stairs or smiling at you as your feet touches his under the table. 

💚 It’s dangerous, you tell yourself more than once, unfair towards a man who has done nothing to deserve the unpleasant role of rebound and probably pointless, because not even the most self-controlled person can tell their heart what to feel, or towards whom, but you can’t help it. One afternoon, you and your friend meet Zoro, back from a ride, during one of your walks in the gardens; the two men exchange a polite greeting, and you find yourself observing Zoro’s expression, hoping against hope to find on it a trace of… what? Displeasure? Sorrow? Jealousy, perhaps? But you don’t; the prince simply reminds you of your lesson that night and departs, your gaze following him with a feeling of longing in your heart you can’t stop any more than you could stop the sun from rising every morning.

💚 To all appearances, everything is fine between the two of you: you keep meeting every night for your dancing and swordsmanship lessons, teaching and learning from each other - a perhaps odd situation you nevertheless both enjoy, and naturally look for each other’s company whenever you wish. Your relationship has developed into a firm, sincere friendship, a bond that you cherish and from which at the same time, you can’t help wanting more; you care deeply for Zoro, and you know he’s equally fond of you… even though something changed since that night in your room, since that embrace, a nameless, difficult to define tension that sometimes makes you think that you could be something else, something different but equally precious, if only you could be sincere, throw caution to the wind and tell Zoro what you feel… 

💚 Or if he did; unfortunately, it’s not always easy to understand what Zoro feels. Most of the time he seems happy with your relationship as it is; he never asks about your friend, not even to playfully tease you about him like friends do, and when you mention lady Perona and lady Hiyori, fearing to discover he has developed an affection for either of them, he simply shrugs and tells you they were both nice - which could mean everything and its opposite. Zoro told you he never had a lover, or wanted one, whether in the form of an official engagement or as a passing dalliance; most of the time, he gives the impression of being much more interested in swords than in women -or men- and that his feelings for you are purely platonic. 

💚 And then there are other moments - few and far between, so much that you could almost forget about each of them or consider them nothing more than random accidents, but you never do. There’s the way he holds you closer than he should, almost possessively, as you dance a waltz; the slight tremble in his hand when he takes yours to help you pass over an obstacle on your path; the genuine affection in his eyes when you catch him looking at you, lifting your gaze from your embroidery or a letter to your father, and the slight flush that colours his face when he realises you’ve noticed. In those moments, you can hope; in those moments, as warmth fills your stomach and your heartbeat accelerates, you can be almost be sure that it’s not simply the romantic reveries of a woman who sees what her heart wants her to, but that Zoro feels the same, that he cares about you beyond friendship, and that if only one of you found the courage, and the right moment, to confess, then no couple in the world would ever be happier than the two of you…

💚 Of course it’s more complicated than that. You’re a princess, and you know well that it’s your duty to marry for the sake of your kingdom and your people, to secure an alliance or to put an end to a bloody war; it’s a role you’re ready and even happy to play, confident that your father will choose a good husband for you, and not simply sell you to the highest bidder with no regards for your happiness. Surely Mihawk is of the same mind, and will one day select a few unmarried princesses and ladies to introduce to his son; who knows if you could be one of them? Your kingdoms have been allies for decades, so a marriage between the two heirs might seem superfluous, but perhaps you and Zoro could convince your fathers, make them see that an union between the two of you would still be beneficial, and wouldn’t the heir of a firm ally be a excellent match for their own child…?

💚 Usually it’s a man’s prerogative to begin a courtship, but Zoro doesn’t seem inclined to confess his feelings - out of shyness, you hope, rather than because he has never even thought about you as a potential partner. Then you’ll do it, you decide; soon, preferably, since Zoro’s coming-of-age ball approaches, and he’s by now a good enough dancer he can keep practising on his own, without a teacher, which means you’ll soon have to return home. The last thing you want is for you and Zoro to have to part before you can tell each other what you feel; you need to act fast. You’ll make sure you won’t be disturbed, take his hands in yours and tell him, Zoro, no matter how grateful I am for your friendship, I have come to care greatly about you…

💚 “You’re distracted.” Zoro points out suddenly, and you blink, momentarily taken aback. “I thought I was doing fine.” you defend yourself, even though there was no trace of accusation in your friend’s voice; you have been sparring for a few minutes and you were able to par or avoid most of Zoro’s lunges. He nods, admitting that you’re improving by the day, but it's nevertheless evident you have something on your mind. “Is something wrong? I know you received a letter from your father today; is he alright? Does it concern your lover?”

💚 You tell him that your father is in good health, thanks for asking, and that the person he has mentioned is not your lover, just a friend you have taken walks and drunk tea with a few times. “Are you sure? Because this morning he told one of my friends he is going to ask your father’s permission to court you.” he points out, his expression unreadable “But it's fine, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Here… I have something for you…”

💚 This time you're not simply taken aback. Completely speechless, you observe the object Zoro has put in your hands: a sword, clearly newly made, with the coat of arms of your kingdom engraved on the hilt. “I had it done by the best weaponsmith in the kingdom; I hope you like it.” Zoro says “I know you’ll never devote your life to the sword like my father and I have, but you seem to genuinely enjoy it, and you’re becoming quite proficient at it… well, I thought you’d enjoy having your own sword. Do you like it?” Zoro asks, clearly more unsure that he’d like to be, and “It’s beautiful.” you murmur reverently as you inspect the weapon, the grip on the hilt perfect for your hand. For a whole minute neither of you speaks, and unfortunately you’re too focused on the sword, because otherwise you’d see the way Zoro is looking at you, and that would be enough to dispel any doubt regarding his feelings.

💚 “I guess now it’s up to me; I’ll have to gift you a pair of dancing shoes.” you point out in the end, making him laugh, but you’re not, because you understand how important this is for him, for a man who is a swordsman before anything else, who has made the sword his religion, his ambition, his cause, almost his reason to live, to give you your own blade “Zoro, I… I don’t know what to say; this is beautiful, and I really appreciate it. I promise I’ll treasure it forever, and I’ll work hard to be worthy of this gift.” Zoro smiles, relieved, and then for a minute neither feels the need to talk; in the end, just as you’re gathering the courage to tell him what you feel, Zoro takes your hand and “You know that it’s going to be my birthday soon?”

💚 Of course you know. On his next birthday, Zoro will officially come of age according to the law of the kingdom; lavish celebrations are being planned, with dozens of important guests, including your father, who confirmed in his last letter he’s going to come, leaving your older brother as a regent; you can’t wait to introduce him to Zoro. “Of course; I know that by now you’re a more than capable dancer, at least for balls and other social occasions, but I hope you don’t mind if I stay until then.” “Not at all; in fact, I’d really like it if you stayed, because… well, because we’re friends, obviously, and also because there’s something I need to tell you. Something very important.”

💚 “What?” you ask, not daring to guess, not daring to hope, but Zoro insists on waiting, and that he can’t tell you before the day of his coming-of-age ball. “Why don’t we return to our lesson?” he suggests then, and you nod, eager to test your new sword, your heart trembling. Hours later, at the end of yet another fruitful lesson, you bid Zoro goodnight, kindly refusing his offer to walk you to your room for a reason you barely dare to admit in the privacy of your own heart. “Zoro?” you call him once you’ve reached the room’s door, and he turns to look at you as he ties the swords’ scabbard around his waist “About my… friend. I really consider him a friend and nothing more; I swear.” 

💚 Zoro smiles; you would have to be blind not to see the relief in his eyes. “I’m glad to hear it; he’s not good for you.” “He’s a perfectly polite person, clever and very kind.” “I know; but he’s not like you. He’s not…” he hesitates before adding “... special.” and then he mumbles a goodnight and turns to fumble with one of his swords. You leave the room silently, the weight of the unspoken things between you a sensual shiver down your spine as you walk towards your bedroom. 

💚 Zoro’s coming-of-age ball is only a week away. While the whole court seems busy with the preparations, you spend most of your time helping the honoree practising his dancing; Zoro will probably have to dance with many ladies, including queens and princesses of families allied with his father, and it’s of the utmost importance that he makes a good impression - or at least that he doesn’t cause a diplomatic incident tripping his partner into the punch bowl. You also give him a few tips to help him make a good impression on the fairer sex. “There is no reason to be nervous; in the end, women are people, in many respects the differences in how to relate to them or to men are minimal.” you tell him “Be courteous, avoid swearing, introduce them to other people to make them feel welcome; maybe ask about their interests, take a chair or a drink for those who need them.” “And that would be enough to make them love me?” Zoro asks, clearly sceptical, as he, almost without noticing, executes perfectly a complex dance move that he had already attempted a thousand times, holding you against him, the warmth of his body seeping into your blood. You’re tempted to answer that yes, you wouldn’t be surprised if every single lady who will be at court that night asks for his hand, because Zoro is a man easy to love, and easy to fall in love with; after all you did, without even realising it until you were completely lost. It’s a feeling you had never experienced, so intense and special it makes your previous relationships, short-lived dalliances and unrequited crushes, disappear; it scares you, but at the same time you’re grateful you get to feel it - grateful you got to meet Zoro.

💚 “You’re going to be fine.” you reassure him in the end, as you both bow at the end of the dance “And whatever happens… even in the remote case the evening is a disaster, know that I’m proud of you; I know how hard you worked to learn, and I know your father will as well. It’s going to be alright, Zoro; and even if it doesn’t, I will be by your side.” He nods, more relieved to hear your promise than if you had sworn to stand by his side against a whole army of enemies. “Thank you for everything you have done for me; I know I haven’t been the best pupil, at least at first.” “Don’t mention it; I’m glad I could help you.” you assure him; and then, less sincerely: “I can’t wait to see you dance with the ladies during the ball.”

💚 And finally, the big day comes; guests from kingdoms far and wide have started arriving since yesterday, including your father, who is happy to see you, and to hear Mihawk praise you for all you did to teach Zoro to dance. You can’t wait to introduce your friend and your father, but there’s an equally important, although less pleasant, duty you need to fulfil: talk to your friend, who has just returned from a brief trip visiting relatives, to tell him you don’t intend to continue your relationship. It is, as you expected, a difficult and painful conversation, but to his credit, he reacts politely, thanking you for your sincerity and accepting your offer of friendship; he kisses your hand, and then asks to walk you back to your rooms, which you of course accept. “Oh, look who just arrived.” he notes a minute later, looking out one of the large ogive window of the east corridor; curious, you stop to peek as well, and see Mihawk, standing in front of the main gate, as he helps a woman step down from her carriage, followed by a younger one: they must be exceptionally important guests, you think, for the King to come personally to welcome them. “Who are those?”

💚 “That is Queen Belle-mère of Cocoyashi, and her daughter, princess Nami. I’m sure the prince has mentioned her.” “Why? Is Z-is the prince a friend of hers?” you ask, more and more confused, and your former suitor looks at you surprised, as if you had just admitted not knowing the sun rises in the east every morning. “Friend? No; princess Nami is his future bride; they are going to marry soon, to seal an alliance between the two kingdoms. You really did not know?”

💚 You didn’t.

💚 In the early afternoon, one of the maids comes to the room you have all but secluded yourself in, telling you the prince has asked about you; you ask her to report you’re too busy to answer, and remain in bed, curled up under a blanket despite the relatively warm day, your face hidden in the pillow you have already drenched in your tears. 

💚 He’s going to marry soon. You can’t believe Zoro never mentioned it, but after a moment of reflection you have to admit you should have at least suspected it. After all, what better occasion to announce the engagement of a prince or a princess than during a ball in front of so many other royals and nobles? Mihawk probably wanted to make sure his heir wouldn’t make a fool of himself in front of his fiancée; Zoro is his father’s only child, how could you not imagine he would be formally engaged as soon as he came of age? The longer you think about it the more you realise how blind you have been, and your heart breaks for it: you taught him to dance, and how to act in the company of women, while in the meantime developing feelings for him… all of it, to prepare him for an union with another bride. Is this why Zoro didn’t kiss you that night, because it would have been improper given his status as an almost-engaged man? You wouldn’t be surprised, given how honourable he is; but then, what of the feelings you could have sworn he has also developed for you, and of his evident jealousy towards you former suitor? Did you imagine all of it? And what of the sword he has given you - a parting gift, perhaps, to remember him by once he has settled with his new wife and you’ve returned home? 

💚 Now that you remember, he did say there was something important he wanted to tell you, after the ball. About what? Why would he want to wait until his official engagement? You have no idea, and frankly you don’t care. The three other people you have spoken about it after your former suitor mentioned the matter -one of the maids, an older lady, and one of the castle guards- all confirmed the whole court has known about the engagement for months, since before your arrival in Kuraigana, even though no one bothered to tell you - or who knows, maybe it’s your fault, and you simply didn’t realise the fact was common knowledge because you were too focused on your lessons with the prince, and on Zoro himself, who has now become more important for you than anyone has even been. You really thought he cared for you, and maybe he does; you have no idea of what his feelings towards princess Nami -who is really beautiful, elegant and shapely and with hair of a lovely tangerine-orange colour; you’ve peeked at her from behind a column as the King led her and her mother inside the palace, and had to admit she and Zoro would look lovely together- are, whether he hates her, loves her, or whatever else, but he wouldn’t be the first royal who develops feelings for someone while engaged with someone else…

💚 Does he… does he plan on asking you to be his mistress while he’s married to Nami?! You can’t believe Zoro would propose such a squalid arrangement, but even if the alternative is losing him, even if he confesses he’s in love with you and that would be the only way for the two of you to be together, you’re determined to refuse: you have your dignity, and you’re not going to humiliate yourself into an illicit affair, not even for the man you have fallen in love with. You’ll beg your father to be allowed to return home tomorrow morning, and until then you’ll do your best to avoid Zoro, and his future fiancée.

💚 That night, as the whole court celebrate its prince’s coming-of-age, you beg both your father and Mihawk to be excused from the ball, citing period cramps -the perfect excuse; not the sort of ailment that would lead your father to call for a doctor, a matter a man would not ask to know more about- as the reason, and remain in your room with your dinner served on a tray. You had looked forward to the evening, dancing to your heart’s content and seeing Zoro impress his father’s guests, but witnessing his engagement being announced requires more strength than you can gather. You had bought a new, beautiful dress especially for the occasion, and had also hoped Zoro would reserve for you the most important dance of the evening, the last, but you have no doubt princess Nami has eclipsed you in both regards. You spend a rather lonely evening, chiding yourself for having been so naive not to realise the man you had fallen for was already spoken for, and at the same time unable to regret having accept Mihawk’s request to come to Kuraigana: despite your broken heart, you’re glad to have met Zoro, and to have been his friend, and even though you’ll never be able to call him yours you will carry his memory in your heart forever. 

💚 In the end, the music you can hear filtering from the ballroom two floors below ceases, a sign that the ball has ended. You are already in bed, slowly drifting to sleep surrounded by the darkness of the room, when suddenly you hear an urgent, insistent knocking at the door. Your first, mostly irrational, thought is that you’re being called upon because something has happened to your father; you leave your bed and run to the door, but when you open it the person you find yourself face to face with is not the assistant of the castle’s doctor, nor a maid.

💚 “Let me in.”

💚 It’s Zoro.

💚 “Are you out of your mind?” you hiss, suddenly tense; you have no reason to believe he toyed with your feelings, but he’s the last person you wish to see now “Do you have any idea what time it is? If someone saw you now, at the door of a lady’s room, someone could think…” “No one will see me if you let me in.” Zoro answers, stone-faced “I need to talk to you, and no, it can’t wait.” Grumbling, and mentally ordering your heart to stop pounding, you make sure the corridor is empty save for Zoro, allow him to enter, and quickly close the door behind him. “So? What’s so important you felt the need to disturb me so late at night?” you ask, staring at Zoro, arms crossed; in your heart you know he does not deserve your anger, but right now, given what must have just happened, you don’t have the strength to pretend all is well. Zoro is silent for a minute as he regards you, breath-takingly handsome in his dress uniform but strangely tense, hesitant as if he didn’t know how to express what he’s thinking; you wonder how it feels to be engaged, and what he felt as the court observed him slip a ring on Nami’s finger “Why didn’t you come to the ball? And don’t tell me it’s because of your time of the month, because I know you had them last week.”

💚 He knows, you remember blushing a bit, because he heard you complain your stomach hurt and got worried you were falling sick; of course, it’s highly improper for a woman to discuss that sort of private matter with a man, but explaining the real reason for your malaise to Zoro felt natural… because you knew the two of you were past that sort of false embarrassment, and that there was very little you could not discuss frankly, and be sincere about, despite the gender difference.

💚 You don’t quite know how to answer Zoro’s question, and you already know he won’t leave without having received a response; suddenly, as you face each other, like two dancers ready to take the first step, you feel naked, even though you have grabbed your dressing gown on your way to the door. “You haven’t been entirely honest with me.” you point out in the end, and Zoro blinks, nonplussed. “... I haven’t?” “Well, you didn’t have to discuss your personal matters with me, but I found it odd that you never mentioned the fact that you’re engaged.” “What? Who told you? And why does it matter to you that…? Oh…”

💚 Zoro looks flabbergasted for a moment, and then an odd kind of calm seems to fall on him… tension barely kept at bay, not unlike the way you have seen him face his father, swords at the ready, before the beginning of a new duel. “And why…” he finally starts, his voice barely rising above a whisper “Why is it so important to you whether I’m engaged or not? Don’t tell me you’re hurt because as friends we’re supposed to share everything, because I won’t believe it.” He’s right, obviously, and no matter how deeply you’ve come to trust and care for him, at the moment you feel so humiliated you can’t bear to look him in the eyes; Zoro knows what you feel, and you just want him to go and leave you with your disappointment… 

💚 “(name), look at me.” “Go away, Zoro. If you care for me, if you consider me a friend, please leave me alone.” “I won’t; not before we can talk. Listen…” A moment later, as you still refuse to look at him, he has stepped closer to take your hands in his. “I am not engaged, (name).” he murmurs softly “If you’re talking about princess Nami, well… my father did ask me whether I’d be willing to marry her; I told him marriage did not interest me, but I would meet her to please him, and he promised to respect my decision. I’ve met her today and she’s… nice; she’s very smart, and pretty, I guess, but I don’t like her that way.” He’s not going to ask for Nami’s hand, he insists, first of all because she’s not available: she’s been engaged to princess Vivi of Alabasta, and plans on telling her mother as soon as she comes of age, next year. Also, for his part… well…

💚 “When I realised you hadn’t come, I asked your friend where you were; he told me he had no idea, and also that you had broken up with him.” “Well, I did tell you I only saw him as a friend.” “You did; but I can’t help wondering if there’s another reason, one that… has to do with me…” You smile; now Zoro is embarrassed, and while you don’t enjoy making him uncomfortable, you can’t ignore the timid, fragile hope that has blossomed in your heart. “May I ask you a question? That night, when you walked me here from the kitchens… were you going to kiss me?” you ask, and Zoro flushes; he bites his lip before admitting: “I was. I… wanted to, at least.” “And why didn’t you?” “(name)... you had been assaulted. Did you really think I could approach you, even with a simple kiss? I thought that at least in that moment, the last thing you wanted was to be touched by a man.” 

💚 You sigh, grateful for his discretion. “I wouldn’t have minded, though.” you admit in a whisper “Not with you, and at least for a kiss… or several.” “Glad to hear it.” Zoro admits; he’s blushing furiously now, but you couldn’t tease him even if you wanted, because you are in the same state “For your information, I danced splendidly; even my father was impressed. And I didn’t make a fool of myself even once. You should have seen me, and you could have, if you had come speak to me rather than listening to court gossip; you had promised you’d be there.” “You’re right.” you admit “I’m sorry, it’s just… well, I wasn’t sure about what you felt, and I hoped you would… tell me…”

💚 Zoro admits that this is exactly what he planned on doing after the ball, once he had officially come of age: declare his feelings and ask for permission to court you. “I… already tried, in fact. You probably don’t know, but among swordsmen and warriors in general, there is a tradition… to gift a weapon to one another, as a declaration of intent. I enjoyed teaching you to use a sword, and want you to have one to defend yourself, but I also hoped that… well, that you would understand I was trying to tell you what I feel…”

💚 You softly point out that you had no way to know the hidden meaning of his gift, since all you know about swords, you have learned it from him; but now that you do you appreciate it even more… and one day, maybe, you’ll find a sword powerful and special enough to gift it to him. By now you’re both smiling; there are so many things you should say, but none is more important than the pure, precious feeling of belonging you are both experiencing, trust and friendship and affection all in one, Zoro’s forehead resting against yours as you feel able to breathe freely for the first time in years. Then your eyes meet and “May I?” he asks “I know I shouldn’t be here, and I can talk to your father first thing tomorrow if it makes you…” He can’t finish the sentence, because you have silenced him with a kiss, long and passionate, that Zoro instantly returns, holding you close as you lock your arms behind his neck; when you part, both gasping for air, neither of you feels the need to talk, but you hold each other tight. 

💚 In the end, Zoro quietly asks for your permission to speak to your father; he has already spoken to his, and Mihawk has approved his decision -”Seriously?” “Absolutely. He didn’t look surprised, but I could swear he was sincerely happy for us.”- to ask for permission to court you. You tell him that nothing would make you happier, but he better wait for you to come of age as well, in three months, and until then you can write to each other, sharing your feelings in the intimacy of the written word. 

💚 “Can’t you stay here until then? I think I’m in dire need of more dancing classes.” “Hmmm, I should help you perfect your technique then…”

💚 That night you throw caution to the wind, and ask Zoro to stay, which he eagerly accepts. You spend hours holding each other in bed, sharing whispers and kisses as your hands move to explore skin you had until now barely dared to hope you would one day get to caress. “This is why I couldn’t bear to dance with you at first, you know?” he confesses in a whisper as his fingers play with your hair “Because I… I already cared for you, and the thought of touching you made my pulse quicken. I feared that I wouldn’t be able to keep myself in check, and I would end up making a fool of myself.” You assure him that you could have never considered him a fool, and that knowing of his feelings makes you indescribably happy.

💚 “So, my prince, you think you can understand ladies a little better now?” you ask him in the end, as he holds you in his arms once more, your cheek resting against his shoulder, and Zoro smiles. “I think I got to understand at least one.” he points out softly “And that is more than enough for me.” 

💚 You get married two years after your coming-of-age, with the approval of both of your fathers, surrounded by your friends, including princesses Nami and Vivi, who you have grown very close to and who are also newly married; by now you’ve become quite capable as a swordswoman, even though Zoro insists there is always room for improvement. Your husband, more handsome than ever in his wedding suit and whose eyes are full of the love you share and that never stops growing, takes your hand to lead you to the centre of the ballroom, and you feel your heart burst with joy, excited to spend the rest of your life by his side. “Ready, wife?” “I’ve always been ready, since I met you, husband.” you assure him; you rest your left hand on his shoulder and let him take the other in his, confident in your heart he’s never letting it go. A moment later you’re following him through the steps of your first waltz as a married couple, your bodies moving as one as the world seems to disappear from around you. 

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Claire Windsor (Souls for Sables)—no propaganda submitted

Alla Nazimova (A Doll's House, Camille, Salomé)—She was a proud lesbian, she was a director, she was artsy and experimental, she was instrumental in the rise to fame of Rudolph Valentino, she had the worlds biggest strap on energy

This is round 1 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Alla Nazimova propaganda:

"HOT as hell. GAY as hell. TALENTED as hell. Producer, director, writer, actress. A silent era superstar who is credited with having coined the term "sewing circle" as a code-word for gatherings of lesbian and bisexual women. Has been called "the founding mother of Sapphic Hollywood" and was the owner/operator of the Garden of Alla Hotel in West Hollywood, which she bought in 1919 and sold in 1928 after deciding she wanted to go back to Broadway. In addition to starring opposite Valentino in Camille, she also had an affair with BOTH of his wives (Jean Acker and Natacha Rambova). In her day, she was one of the most influential women in the business."

"Nazimova was primarily a star during the silent film era, and her career in film started when she was almost forty. She was openly bisexual, and was engaged in two lavender marriages during her life while she carried on relationships with women (including at least one, and possibly two, of Rudolph Valentino's wives). She was brilliant and an autodidact - when she first moved to the United States from Ukraine, she spoke no English, but taught herself "in about five months" and went on to work as a screenwriter (among other things). Her predilections lay in art film, and she's credited with starring in / producing / directing one of the first American art films, the adaptation of Oscar Wilde's play Salome (1923). She has an elegant and commanding presence in all of her films, and is an absolute sensation to watch in motion."

Gif link, another gif link

A great actress who also produced a great deal of her films, Nazimova is absolutely mesmerizing to watch. She was also bi and coined the phrase "sewing circle" for sapphic celebrities.

[the-cat-and-the-birdie]

Spidersonas are the perfect exercise and I recommend everyone try -

Quick-Spidersona Exercises

How I use new Spidersonas as Artistic Practice

[A MEDIUM length post where I share ideas and exercises to create Spidersonas quicker and easier, while practicing your writing/art]

Spidersonas can be a great tool for any artist!

If you're a writer looking for a way to get better at character creation, research, and world-building - Or an artist looking for a way to get better at character design:

Consider trying out Quick Spidersona exercises as a fun way to do that! I use them all the time, because seriously, who says you can only have ONE Spidersona?

(I think I have at least 15-20 now - counting the eight named kids I gave Miguel & Moche)

I usual end up making at least one a week - and I find they're amazing for learning how to make characters quickly and in a really fun way.

Everything can be canon in the Spider-verse, including a sentient piece of Lego-Plastic and a Pre-historic Spider-saur.

Plus, with the Spider-Society being full formed, and canon events at your choosing, you have a loose template for a background - making it easier to throw them into the story.

I use a couple different exercises on making Fast-Sonas, and I thought I'd share some.

Here's a couple of my favorites! If you find this helpful, let me know!

1 - Hour Sona Challenge

Ever have a half-baked Spidersona Idea or come up with a funny crack Spider?

Give yourself an hour (or two) and go at it.

[This challenge is good for quick practice, Character Creation & Design]

Design them a suit as quick as you can, coming up with abilities and a rough personality.

You don't need to go into backstory if you don't feel like it, and it's a great way to get started

This is something you can do routinely - I do, I usually do this once or twice a week; And soon you'll have a full cast of sonas that can interact with each other!

It's great practice, and the more you do it, the easier it gets.

When you're doing it on the fly, or know it's just one hour - it can produce characters that are more natural, because you don't have time to second guess. Plus, since it's only an hour, you can get as silly as you want!

Stoner-Spider is an example of a 2-hour Sona Challenge.

Adapt-A-Spider

This challenge is good for Character Design

Make your own cross over!

For something a bit easier - Take a Non-Spider character and make them a Spider-person.

This could be anyone, from other Marvel characters, to Disney Princesses, Celebrities, and characters from your other fandoms. You can even make some of your old OCs into Spider-people!

For Artists - this can be a real fun challenge - try and blend the characters original outfit and design into a suit suitable for swinging.

For Writers - try to adapt their current background, and shift it around so they have 'canon events'. If the character you like has lost someone, the person they lost could stand in for their Uncle Ben or Aunt May.

Example: If you're looking to adapt Ellie from The Last of Us, losing Joel could be her Uncle Ben canon event.

This works for every character (basically). What if Black Widow ACTUALLY got bit by a black widow? Now Nat Romanoff is on campus. (Every Peter thinks she's an MJ cause the red hair at first).

No matter how ridiculous, you can stretch it. In Spiderverse, everyone is Canon.

If they can write a SpiderCar - you can write ANYTHING.

Some ideas are:

Celebrities, Animals (like SpiderCat or the Dinosaur), Princesses, Greek Gods, Historical Figures, Fandom Characters,

Mundane Spider

This challenge is good for: Character Building & Design

Not everyone is extraordinary. SOMEONE has to flip those McMiguel burgers goddamn it.

If making a huge story and traumatic canon events send daunting - just... Don't do it. Challenge yourself to make a Spidersona that's literally just a person.

Like a Target employee who got bit by a spider that came out a shipment. And now they have to work at the Society AND target. They wear the Target polo over their suit.

Pick a normal type of person, and challenge yourself to make them super.

Maybe a stay at home mom that got bit by a house spider, or a college student that got bit at the library. Any one could be a Spider-person! So don't worry that they're 'boring'.

Ideas for this:

A person based on your town/city, Random Professions, Teachers, Therapists, People based on hobbies you like to do (ex: Margo is eSports. SpiderCanada is hockey based),

History Spider

[This is good for Research]

History Buffs WHERE U AT?????

If you love a period of history - GO ALL IN.

Take the SpiderNoir and Hobie route.

If your Spidersona was from Ancient Egypt, what would they wear? If you really like the Medieval Era, would their city want to burn them at the stake?

For Artists - What would they wear? And how would the fashion trends of their time period effect their suits?

For Writers - What would be their real name, if it were time period accurate? How would they act and speak? Consider how they would adjust to things like 2099, and how their time period would effect their fighting style.

Culture Spider

If you're from a interesting culture or place, make a Sona for that!

[This is another great one for Research, as well as Character Design too]

I've seen it all, from my own IncaSpider, to Korean Spider-people and Romanian Spider-people.

For Artists - It's REALLY fun adapting traditional dress and colors into a Spider-suit, and you may even find yourself falling down a research hole.

For Writers - This can go DEEP. You can pick any time period of your culture and home. Things like their accent, their behaviors and traditions, and their backstory can all be reflections of your culture.

With HUNDREDS of years is material to pull from, using Culture as a back drop for a Spider can help them seem deep and natural. Plus, you can just Google clothing and use that as suit inspo

Ben Reilly - Mary Sue Spider

Arguably my FAVORITE. Not for the faint of heart.

[This is the best for everything - Literal SELF CARE I MEAN THAT]

BE CRINGE. DO IT ON PURPOSE.

Write a character that's super strong and effortless about it. Pavi is. And he's still a great character.

Write a character who ALWAYS looks kick ass and rides a cool motorcycle or plays a rad guitar - Jess and Hobie are literally THAT.

Want your character to be big and super smart with deep trauma that haunts them? - Ben Reilly and Miguel. The three of them can be a trio.

Challenge yourself to make the COOLEST MOST FLAWLESS DRAMATIC SONA YOU CAN.

Every time you draw something or write something that makes you cringe, or feels to OP or too much.

Good. Leave it in. Turn it up to 11.

Go all out. Draw your Instagram dream outfit. If you want your Sona in 12 inch heels - have at it!

'Oh but that's impractical and stup-'

They're literally a Super-Human. If Gwen can catch a helicopter like that, I think a Spidersona can manage stripper heels or Final Fantasy Hair.

What's the worst that can happen? You're doing it on purpose.

At the best, you'll make someone REALLY REALLY rad - like Hobie.

At the least, you'll make someone REALLY REALLY funny - like Ben Reilly.

Disco-Spider Diane is an example of this. She was probably supposed to be a completely self-indulgent, unhinged Sona.

So much so that she thinks she's perfect, even though she's a little bit naive, lazy, and in her own world. But because she doesn't care.. it's all good :)

No Logic Whatsoever Spider

[This one is just funny. Great one for Character Design and getting out of your comfort zone.]

Spider-Ham, Spider-Car, Spider Cat, LegoSpider, Spiderplush and SpiderPopsicle all have a club. The No Logic Whatsoever Club.

Challenge yourself to make a new member.

Break all the laws of logic. If something can be Spiderman, then it is or duty to make it so.

What's your favorite animal? Make that.

Can they put on the suit themselves? No? Who cares they're a Spiderperson-thing now.

Is there a funny art style you like - make a Bendy's style 1930's black and white silent cartoon.

For Artists - This is a great one. It can be as simple as drawing Spider-man merch and making it sentient. Or as bizarre as drawing a Dinosaur in a Spider-man costume.

For Writers - HARD MODE. For pure crack fanatics. Enjoy trying to make logic of this. Or don't. They are what they are.

----------------------------

So here are just some exercises and ideas for those looking to strengthen their writing/art skills with Spidersonas.

They can be really quick to make, and you can always build on them over time, do a '1hr Sona Update' Challenge, run them through canon events and see them change.

Having multiple spidersonas can be fun, make writing easier, and it's great practice that translates everywhere - into world building, character design, research, and a lot of other creative skills.

Literally theres no need for just one! The Spiderverse is open to any Sona, no matter how bizarre, mundane, or self-indulgent!!

If this gave you and ideas or inspiration, let me know. If you try a challenge, I'd love to see too!

And as per usual if you've read this far: Here take this as a token of my gratitude

Go forth, create, and kill cringe with your bare hands. Smash it into a moving train. That usually does the trick.

Bye.

[booksandabeer]

Stucky, Fandom Longevity, and "Primacy Bias"

There’s this post that's been floating around the past few days about how the Stucky fandom in its heyday produced fic and art masterpieces like they were all collectively possessed by an unprecedented spirit of creative insanity. It’s a good, fun post and I agree with the person who wrote it. (not rb'ing because I didn't want to hijack their post with something that's only tangentially related).

It was indeed a magical time and the creative output in both quantity and quality in the two-year period following the release of CA:TWS is—with perhaps a few exceptions—unmatched by anything that I’ve seen before and since. However, going through the notes on that post, I noticed something that left me a little irritated and quite frankly sad since it is in congruence with, and to a certain extent the confirmation of something that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately.

For one thing, there are so many people in the notes expressing sentiments along the lines of “it was such a wonderful time; I wish I could go back; I miss these fics; I want to read these fics again,” etc., etc., you get it. And it feels a little silly pointing this out, but…you can just do that? Almost all of these fics are still right there, waiting for you to be (re)read. Yes, a lot of people left the fandom after The Great Devastation of 2019, but their stories didn’t just disappear. It's not like there is now a big, black hole where the Steve/Bucky tag used to be on AO3. So, if you miss these fics and you want to revisit them—just do it. Chances are the authors will be delighted that people are still finding and enjoying their stories all these years later. And—since apparently this needs saying, too, judging from the notes on that post: A lot of people seem to be very concerned with losing ‘coolness points’ for openly admitting that they still miss the ship and often feel tempted to dip their toes back into the Stucky pool. I don’t know how to tell you this, but if someone tries to shame you for simply enjoying or missing something, they are an asshole. Not to mention that all this is happening on tumble.com—'coolness' doesn't exactly live here. And that is a good thing, to be clear. Fandom is not about being cool. It’s about being as enthusiastic, as silly, as absolutely fucking unhinged about the things you love as you want to be. So, stop caring what other people think and enjoy yourself.

The other thing is that there seems to be a pretty widespread misconception that the Stucky fandom hasn’t produced any good fanworks after 2016.

First, that is patently and demonstrably untrue. There is so much incredibly good fanfiction and fanart still out there. Not as much as back in the day, sure, but it still exists. And more is being posted every day! Even some of the OG Big Names are still around. One of the most beloved Stucky series that started all the way back in 2014 was updated as recently as December of last year. The artist, who I believe the op is referring to as creating ‘baroque’ paintings, posted their latest Stucky art not even two months ago.

Second, I find this “primacy bias” more than just a little insulting to the many hardworking and incredibly talented people who are still putting their blood, sweat, and tears into creating for this community. And it’s one thing if people who have long left the fandom believe or say something like this, but it’s frankly irritating when I see people who are still very much active—and therefore definitely should know better—feed into that same false myth. Yes, it sucks that the Stucky ship isn’t as big as it used to be, but that doesn't mean there isn't any 'fresh talent' to be found anymore. I’m also not saying we shouldn’t still celebrate and recommend older works—I do it all the time! And it sure as hell doesn't mean everyone has to reblog absolutely everything all the time, either. Your blog, your rules.

But maybe we should put a little more focus on the good things, on the creators and the community we have now, especially if we want that community to still exist in another ten years. I mean, imagine you’re a person who’s just gotten into the fandom (because yes, there are indeed still new people discovering Stucky all the time) and one of the first things you’re being told is “eh, nice that you're here, but you’re about 7 years late; the big party is already over.” Does that seem like a fun space to hang out in to you?

So. Let’s all—and I do not exclude myself from this because God knows, I love to complain—spend a little less time mourning the ‘good old days’ that are never coming back anyway, and instead focus our attention on enjoying and appreciating both the incredible treasure chest of an archive we have AND the wealth of high-quality art and fic that is still being created by this wonderful community every single day. With this in mind:

🥳🎊Happy Stucky Week 2023!!! 🎊🥳

*I want to make it very clear that this is a general thing that’s been on my mind lately and that I’m trying to work through here—probably not very coherently. I'm not trying to tell anybody 'how to do fandom' and I’m most definitely not vagueposting about any particular incident, person, or group in this fandom. This isn’t a callout post. It’s an I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about this and I don’t know what else do with them post.

[quillpokebiology]

Any Maractus Facts? I love the little guys.

I love them too! Their little jigs are so cute

Maractus Facts

(Art by limereptileart on Twitter)

-The scientific name for Maractus is "Cassa Tripudium" which roughly translates to "Dancing Hollow"

-Maractus are very close relatives of Cacturne, both being cactus pokemon that live in the desert. Crossbreeds between them are quite common

-Maractus will dance and jiggle around to make a maraca-like sound to scare off bird pokemon that will try to nip at their seeds. They will also do this to communicate with each other and just to have fun

-Unlike Cacturne, who is nocturnal, Maractus are Diurnal, making their songs in the day and sleeping by night

-Like most Monocot pokemon, Maractus don't need to eat and can instead photosynthesize for their nutrients. They also don't need much water

-When sleeping, Maractus root themselves so they can collect water in the sand and so they don't fall over

-Maractus scatter their seeds once a year. Their seeds contain a lot of nutrients and many dishes contain Maractus seeds

-Baby Maractus are called Mara(s)

-Maractus bury their eggs in the sand. To protect them, they'll root by the eggs until they hatch

(Art by Ninja-Jamal on Deviantart)

-Maractus are very popular for cultural dances. South Unova and Stow-on-Side have outfits based on Maractus used for celebrations

-Maractus live in groups. Not much to say there, but it can be horryifiying when your walking st night and accidently wake them, and you see a bunch of glowing eyes staring at you making maraca sounds (they were not aggressive, but it's still creepy)

-Both male and female Maractus produce seeds. Their seeds is not how they reproduce, but if planted, Cacti will grow. A lot of Cacti do come from Maractus seeds

-They do have mating dances. What qualifies as a mating dance depends on the group that they're living in, but almost all mating dances include scattering seeds

-Maractus are long-living pokemon, with Maractus being 200 years old! (Headcanon by @adobe-outdesign )

-Their needles aren't as sharp as Cacturne's needles. If you're careful, they are safe to hug

-They don't always have their flowers in full bloom. Some Maractus have flowers that will close at night, and most Maractus flowers will close in the winter

-Maractus will also dance with each other to reestablish bonds. Dancing with your Maractus is a great way to have fun and get closer to them

[romanarose]

Triple Frontier Write-A-Thon

Hosted by @romanarose and @for-a-longlongtime

Hello everyone! March 13th of this year is the 5 year anniversary of Triple Frontier, a movie that was underrated but very precious to all of us. To me, it is a comfort movie and something that through fics and fandom has helped me process a lot of things. 

Charlie Hunnam announced recently that there is potential for a sequel and he is trying to get it in production and has signed on as a producer. Me and @for-a-longlongtime want to both drum up a little noise and celebrate this media we all love so much!

How it works

Write a fanfiction of Triple Frontier, following the content rules listed below. This is for both art and fanfiction. We encourage you to utilize twitter or instagram if you’d like to share either, and #triplefrontier or #triplefrontier2019 on any site you post on. If you don’t want to make art or write, we encourage you to use social media platforms with the hashtags to help make some noise.

We are highly encouraging LGBT themes and for you to think outside of x f!reader. 

All fics that fall under the rules are encouraged, so if you write Santiago Garcia x afab!f!reader, that’s great! But we’d like to take this time to encourage gay/bi pairings, trans readers, or even trans interpretations of the boys. Branch out!

When you post, tag @triplefrontier-anniversary on tumblr and we will reblog it there. We also may reblog onto our main, so consider tagging one or both of us so we know what’s up! Please follow that page to see what other people are writing! In the tags, please tag it triple frontier write a thon, just to make everything easily found.

If you want to post art that tumblr doesn’t allow like nude art, link the content in a tumblr post, like a twitter link, and we’ll reblog that!

If you exclusively write on ao3 or wattpad or other, you can either make a link on a tumblr post and tag us. Other option is to message me (RomanaRose) privately and I’ll make a post and link you and reblog it to the page.

Rules

We will run from March 1st to March 14th. Fics and art posted before or after will not be counted.

This is not a dark event, sorry! Some of us enjoy dark content but wanted to keep this particular event mostly non-dark. That being said, we will allow dub con in the context of mild alcohol use, power dynamics etc. Kidnapping/arranged marriage etc is fine as long as consent is given for anything sexual. Mostly we are looking to avoid non-con/violence. If you have questions, don’t be afraid to reach out to us!

All participants must be 18+, although smut is not required

No incest, including Millercest. None of the usual ‘no’s’, such as underage content apply in addition to no dark.

We have the right to exclude any fic that makes us uncomfortable. It’s our event.

However, we will NOT be excluding people for personal biases, unless it encroaches on our boundaries. I.E. If we have you blocked, please don’t try to enter the event. However, if we’ve had petty beefs or you and one of our mutuals don’t like each other, we generally will include your work. This event is to promote Triple Frontier, not about us.

LGBT themes are highly encouraged, not required.

Tom is allowed. We’re not gonna tell you not to include him if that’s what your little heart desires. However, we highly encourage that your work includes at least one of the usual 4

Leave me alone I love Arrested Development, RIP Carl Weathers.

We hope everyone has fun and this drums up more Triple Frontier fics, in which we are severely lacking!

Remember to reblog and comment to support artists!

Please come to us with any questions!

[acontrariis]

the prelude.

pairing. Aemond Targaryen x OC word count. 1.3k warnings. mention of miscarriage and death.

summary. Aemond Targaryen never intended to marry, much less fall in love. But fate has a way of flipping a coin, rewriting the stories we thought were set in stone. Bound by a union neither expected, Aemond and Vienna will navigate through the treacherous sea of love in hopes they might just be strong enough to defy fate. In a world where history is written by the victors, "Veiled in Fire" reveals the untold story of a love that could change everything.

History remembers names. 

Rather, whoever’s writing it does. Little does anyone say about the ones that got lost in time. Patches of ink on crumpled paper that have been turned to ashes. 

Pieces of a forgotten past. Buried under the retellings of a deceitful memory.

After all, only those who win get to tell the stories. 

Teach the lessons. 

Erase the failures. 

This is what this story is, a recollection of failures . The black sheeps of the family. The little branch that got cut from the tree. The letters that were burnt. The passages only some knew and even fewer remember. 

This is a journey through the cracks, the secret tunnels that threatened the perfect foundation we now stand on. The remnants of a life that grows in the fissures.

For all it takes is a single ray of sunlight to bring us back to life. 

⸺

Our story begins a few years in the near past. 

History books tell us that Viserys I Targaryen’s reign was decided at the Great Council of 101 A.C. Having yet to produce a male heir, Daemon Targaryen was the closest heir the King had. A young, wild and hot-headed man, unsuited for the throne. 

The two brothers served as two sides of a coin, night and day, the heirs of the Targaryen Household. 

However, what most ignore is the thin line of blood wiped from the records, a reckless child, the third brother, Daeron Targaryen. It is said that with his birth, he took what little life was left of Princess Alyssa. Hated by his father and resented by his brothers, the child grew prone to aversion and hostility. Those who knew him would whisper of the Prince’s indiscretions. 

A privileged child, who had everything but his family’s love. 

From a young age, the little Prince showed excellence in all areas. A lover of arts and a skilled swordsman. 

Perhaps the previous statement should be corrected, he was excellent in all areas that could be taught .  

A quick learner that despite his talents, was not blessed with the natural gifts a Targaryen should possess. 

Perhaps the only true gift his blood had given him, along with the white hair and amethyst eyes, was madness and, as he stared at the egg that never hatched, this one only worsened. 

As he grew, the main pleasures of his life came from sex and death. He controlled the powerless in a way he wished to control his own fate. 

Once he was old enough, he made it his goal to know the Seven Kingdoms. Never staying in one place for a long time, his days passed in a constant turmoil. 

A maid once heard him say if he stayed still for too long, the voices would surely eat him inside. So he kept moving, an enemy to silence and a lover of chaos. It is said he rivaled his brother Aemond in mischief. 

Daeron’s life was a constant loop, a whirlwind of emotions overflowing the body of an unstable young man. 

In a makeshift throne, at the heart of the harvest celebrations, the young Prince was said to meet his match. 

Time stops in the eye of the hurricane. 

Ebony hair reflected the red fire that engulfed her movements.  White pearly teeth shining under the veil of a golden mask, accompanied by deep black orbs that swallowed his soul. 

Elaena. 

Her name came like a prayer, a sip of water to a dying man. 

⸺

Five springs their love bloomed in a long forgotten castle, neighbors to House Arryn on the eastern lands.

Devoted and faithful, their eyes only saw each other and knew no one better than the other. 

Despite the insistent disapproval of the family, the lovers married soon after that first night. 

The Prince was said to happily adjust to married life. Leaving his wandering days in the past, he committed himself to the newfound happiness he had so desperately craved. 

Their days were filled with a peace that came from building a life together.

As their household bloomed with love, it was not to say it didn’t suffer its own hardships. 

Many losses were suffered through the years, the Princess agonizing cries ringing through the castle walls as yet another life was lost. 

Some thought it was a curse, “Perhaps the Princess is not meant to bear children”, the Maesters would say. 

Still, despite the Prince's protests and fears, the new Princess’ attempts didn’t waver. She wanted to give him a family, she would say. 

He deserved that . 

A dried up egg arrived from the Red Keep, as a final effort was attempted.

This time, a Priestess was called. An old friend from another life. 

Seeing the fragile state of the Princess, her first thought was to terminate the pregnancy as soon as possible. The only thing that refrained her from expressing it was the hopeful look on Elaena’s face. 

The once rosy cheeks now hollowed and pale served as proof of the pain she was desperately trying to hide inside. Her swollen belly was too big for her worn out body and yet she caressed it with such devotion, one might think her a saint.

It is said the Prince became a shell of what he once was, consumed with worry and fear for his wife, he would not leave her side if he could help it. It took a nudge and a sleeping remedy for the women to have some privacy. 

There are some things, in a marriage, one must keep from the other. 

Whether that is to protect them or to protect themselves, that is of little importance when dealing with the consequences, which is why the Priestess didn’t flinch when hearing the Princess’s confession. 

- “I won’t live much longer, and neither will my husband.”

A blood curse is not easily, if ever, truly broken, for there’s no curse more twisted than love. 

On the third night of a cold winter night, a black haired babe was born with wine colored eyes, shining full of life as her cries echoed through the castle. And as her father had done before, her birth sealed their parents fate, for the hex was impossible to crack.

The pale complexion of the Princess covered in sweat, showing something close to a smile.

The Priestess, Marmee, held Elaena’s hand in hers, as the latter silently cried, her strength long gone. 

- “I will take care of your child. Whatever the course, I swear to look after her.” 

A promise.

A vow. 

A sentence. 

The Princess’ cries, begging for forgiveness and regretting making their daughter an orphan, echoed through the castle.

Three nights the new Mother bled, the pain driving her to delusions. Her husband held her through it all, and by the time her last breath was exhaled, with it went his. 

For their lives have been joined as one, as only true lovers could be. 

At last, as the couple held each other, their final goodbye was lost in the cries of their newborn child.

⸺

The bards would sing of the Prince’s madness. 

Tired of his brothers’ mistreatments, he took out the rage on those weaker than him. His wife, an unfortunate victim. 

Stories tell they killed each other in a fit of rage, the witch, tired and resentful, made sure that was the last bruise he put on her face. With a dagger in hand, the desperate wife launched her attack, the precise aim of a killer striking the vital points of her lover. 

It is said the wench, covered in the warm blood of her husband, took the knife to her neck, bidding one last farewell to the crying infant in the crib. 

⸺

Rumors said an egg was stolen from a baby's crib. Blacker than the night sky, covered in amethyst jewels, the unclaimed dragon from the hatched egg was a vision in itself. 

Many tried to tame it, their flesh served as fuel for the creature to grow, forever without a rider.

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[thefugitivesaint]

Sasha Weiss, in a recent piece in the New York Times Magazine, offers an account of Ezra Edelman’s nine-hour documentary about Prince and how unexpected conflicts with the controlling interests of the Prince estate (who switched executors well into the process of making the documentary and those new executors took issue with the project) might mean that said documentary might never reach a viewing audience. Weiss' overview of the project inspired in me a strong desire to give it a watch. She writes that Edelman's work, "...offers one answer to a question that has agonized the culture at large for the last decade. How should we think about artists whose moral failings are exposed? Edelman manages to present a deeply flawed person while still granting him his greatness — and his dignity."

It's an engaging read and whether you're a fan of Prince or not. How do you explore the life of a man who resisted being known and who spent much of his life crafting a public persona that was always shifting and changing? Does exposing the flaws of an artist diminish that artist or does it help humanize them, giving them a deeper context, and, perhaps, allowing the public a better understanding of their art in the process? "As Edelman completed his interviews — more than 70 of them — he realized there wasn’t some big secret that people were hiding. Instead, what he found were the defining traumas of Prince’s childhood and his constant recapitulating of them. The story unfolds slowly, hauntingly, over the course of the film." ............. As a quick aside (and possibly unnecessary digression): buried in the piece is a brief discussion about the erosion of quality in the content being produced by Netflix, particularly in the field of documentaries, "Netflix, which is still the biggest platform for documentaries, has, in recent years, moved away from the kind of prestigious, provocative films that helped make the company’s reputation, toward content that is inexpensive to make and appeals to a global audience. Many people pointed to the platform’s increased appetite for gauzy, entertaining celebrity documentaries — of, for example, Beyoncé, David Beckham, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez, all of whom were intimately involved in their creation." Of course, this "move away" from "prestigious, provocative films" for more superficially pleasing documentaries is about money. Whenever you see something getting worse, no matter what it is, usually the foundation for that degradation is avarice, greed, the chasing after profit above all things. It's the fundamental problem with the media (and the billionaires who own it), with the economy, it's the engine of the housing crisis, it's why the internet sucks (see Cory Doctorow's 'Enshittification' for an exploration on this particular topic). The list is potentially endless. The new executors of the Prince estate, so speculation goes, are resistant to the films release because they think that it will hurt the public image of Prince, get him "cancelled" posthumously, and "devalue the estate’s bottom line" (i.e. make them less money).

[maraschinocheri]

Happy 39th birthday to the London production of Les Misérables (which officially opened on 8 October 1985 at the Barbican Theatre, though previews began at the end of September)! By way of celebrations, scans from the 1985/86 / 1986/87 Royal Shakespeare Company Yearbook, which honoured the success of the Barbican production and its transfer to the Palace Theatre by making Colm Wilkinson and Michael Ball during 'Bring Him Home' its cover stars. The annual RSC Yearbook summarised productions in all of the company's (at the time five) theatres and on tour with production photography and critical commentary from newspapers and other media. Text from the pages above is under the cut below, with bracketed extra information to clarify some references.

Not since Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd back in 1979 has there been a score which soared out of the pit with the blazing theatricality of Les Misérables, and to those of my tabloid colleagues already in print with feeble and fainthearted objections to the show, I have but this to say: remember the demon barber. Sweeney, too, we were once told; was too dark, too savage, too downbeat a theme for a musical. Six years on, that show has won more awards and been acclaimed to more opera houses than any other in the entire history of the American musical. Les Misérables, in a brilliantly intelligent staging by Trevor Nunn and John Caird, will achieve a similar kind of long-term success …

[The Times’/Punch’s Sheridan] Morley went on. ‘… The greatness of Les Misérables is that it starts out, like Sweeney and Peter Grimes, to redefine the limits of music theatre. Like them it is through sung, and like them it tackles universal themes of social and domestic happiness in terms of individual despair.’

[The Financial Times’ Michael] Coveney talked of the allying of ‘Nickleby*-style qualities of ensemble presentation to a piece that really does deserve the label ‘rock opera’, occupying brand new ground somewhere between Verdi and Andrew Lloyd Webber. It was not, he thought, a company celebration like Nickleby, ‘but an appreciation of those values along with the musical experience gathered by the team (Trevor Nunn, John Caird and David Hersey) on Cats and Starlight Express.’ To that extent, he went on, the show was an important one, ‘bridging gaps between musical and opera, and subjecting rock musicians to RSC tutelage while last year’s Clarence [in the RSC 1984 production of Richard III], Roger Allam, is unveiled in the role of Javert as an outstanding performer in the musical idiom.’

[*The RSC's landmark 1980 production of an adaption of Charles Dickens’ The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby]

[The Guardian’s Michael] Billington posited that if you fillet any great nineteenth-century novel, ‘you are left with melodrama.’ Les Misérables, he said, jointly produced by the RSC and Cameron Mackintosh at the Barbican, becomes exactly ‘high class melodrama.’ It was staged ‘with breathtaking panache by Trevor Nunn and John Caird. It is impeccably designed by John Napier. It has a lively score by Claude-Michel Schönberg. But it is three-and-a-half hours of fine middlebrow entertainment rather than great art.’ Billington claimed to have ‘conned’ the novel sufficiently ‘to realise that it is a towering masterpiece about social injustice, redemption through love and the power of Providence.’ What the musical offered, he went on, ‘is the hurtling story of Jean Valjean, the paroled prisoner who becomes a provincial mayor, who is relentlessly pursued by the policeman Javert and who achieves heroic feats of self-sacrifice at the 1832 Paris uprising. What you don’t get is the background of moral conflict that makes this more than a classy adventure story.’ In this he thought, Hugo’s novel was infinitely more dramatic than the musical.

[The Times’ Irving] Wardle spoke of the temptation in such circumstances for anyone who has read the novel ‘to quarrel with any adaptation for its omissions and liberties instead of judging the adaptation on its own merits.’ In this instance, he maintained, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg had done a capable gutting job. ‘They present a clear outline of the epic contest between Jean Valjean, the saintly ex-convict, and his implacable pursuer Javert: including Valjean’s defeated attempt to save the wretched Fantine, and his life-long devotion to her daughter, Cosette, only to lose her to a young love, Marius, amid the Paris barricades of 1832.’

The adapters had cut corners with boldness and ingenuity, Wardle believed, and had found fresh situations where Hugo’s are theatrically unworkable. They had also preserved the essential sense that Valjean and Javert are two of a kind, belonging, as Hugo puts it, to the ‘two classes of men whom society keeps at arms length: those who prey on it and those who protect it.’

Coveney maintained that the organization and placement of the continuously revolving stage was ‘beyond praise’, with John Napier’s design doing as much honour to Hugo’s Paris as he lavished on Dickens’s London [in Nickleby]: ‘Two huge trucks rumble on and form a barricaded wall which, just as Hugo describes, seems to contain a city in itself, a fantastic jumble of chairs, barrels, planks and people, a teeming segment of a revolutionary catacomb.’

This alternative society, Coveney said, was presented without sentiment ‘as indeed are its urchin sentinels, the daughter of Thenardier (a devastating waif performance by Frances Ruffelle) and Gavroche … sweetly and surely sung by an admirable child actor and just when you feel the production is slipping by allowing a [writer of Oliver] Lionel Bart-ish point number, he is shot full of bullets and left to sing plaintively on the wrong side of the barricade.’

The music, [The Sunday Times’ John] Peter though, ‘has a fresh, astringent lyricism and a powerful, ballad-like drive: number after number makes robust contributions to character and drama.’ The best performances, in Peter’s opinion, came from Alun Armstrong and Susan Jane Tanner as the ‘horrible Thenardiers', Patti LuPone (Fantine) and Frances Ruffelle (Eponine). But this was, he pointed out, ‘essentially a company musical rather than a star vehicle. If it transfers to the West End where its masterful theatricality would outshine almost anything else on offer, it might show people that success in this genre doesn’t depend solely on expensive star turns.’ The transfer to the Palace, of course, came swiftly after the Barbican opening.

[The Observer’s Michael] Ratcliffe described Schönberg’s score as ‘all tinselly arpeggios, stabbing staccato, pile-driving trumpets and thinly-disguised hymns.’ In polite terms he said, it was ‘electric, trailing a range of references from high-tech Bizet and Massenet to the air-time acceptable, and Celtic Fringe Folk.’

Some scenes, said Coveney, go straight into operatic form, ‘for example the apprehension by Javert of Valjean at Fantine’s deathbed, or a beautiful garden trio for young lovers in Valjean’s garden hideaway.’ There was also a ‘startling thematic echo of Rigoletto as Valjean ponders the son he might have had.’ Colm Wilkinson’s Valjean was in Coveney’s opinion ‘a remarkable study in impassive acquisition of self-knowledge … He [has] particularly fine and lyrical use of his upper register. Above all he transmits palpable goodness without sounding like a prig or a boar [bore?].’ [The Sunday’s Telegraph’s Francis] King thought Wilkinson not only sang the role with eloquence ‘but – far more difficult – brings out the essential goodness of a much-wronged man.’ The outstanding voice of the evening in King’s opinion, was that of Patti LuPone as Fantine.

The band under the stage and the musical direction of Martin Koch include some rumbling brass premonitions of disaster as well as some very fine work on synthesizers, brass and strings. The score also underpins such exciting production movements as the arrival of the barricade, the suicidal leap (done by the bridge flying up as Mr Allam free falls on the spot) and the descent to the sewers with lots of dry ice and naked banks of light not equalled in impact since Mr Hersey did something similar in Evita.

In short, this is an intriguing and most enjoyable musical, fully justifying the mixing of commercial resources with RSC talent and personnel, even if not all that many RSC actors are involved.* Being now acquainted with the demands of the score, I see why that should be so. [Morley]

[* The RSC members who appeared in the Barbican production were Roger Allam, Alun Armstrong, and Susan Jane Tanner. Other RSC members at this time joined Les Mis in later companies, among them David Delve, who would replace Alun Armstrong as Thenardier.]

[whencyclopedia]

Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel Ceiling

In 1508 CE the Pope commissioned the celebrated Florentine sculptor and painter Michelangelo (1475-1564 CE) to paint scenes on the ceiling of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel. The walls of the chapel had already received decoration from some of the greatest of Renaissance artists, but in four years of toil, Michelangelo would outshine them all with his ambition and technical skill, producing one of the defining works of Western art of any century. The multi-panelled ceiling shows the story of Genesis from the Creation to Noah and the Great Flood. Essentially, the scenes show the creation of humanity, its fall from grace, and ultimate redemption.

The Commission

The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Palace complex in Rome was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV (r. 1474-1481 CE). The building was only completed c. 1481 CE but the development of a massive crack in the ceiling in 1504 CE required a repair job that also offered an opportunity to add yet more artwork to an already impressive art-packed interior. What was required was a work to match the excellence of the wall frescoes showing scenes from the lives of Jesus Christ and Moses, which had been created by such masters as Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510 CE) and Pietro Perugino (c. 1450-1523 CE). One man then stood above all others in the art world, an artist already celebrated for his paintings and sculpture, especially for his massive 1504 CE statue of David, which now stood in the open air of his hometown Florence. This man was Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti, and Pope Julius II (r. 1503-1513 CE) was determined to get him for the job.

Continue reading...

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

02/10/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Long Post is Long. Cast & Crew Sightings; David Jenkins; Matt Maher; Clowning; Rhys Darby; Rosie; Samba; Max Trolling Reminder; Coyote Vs Acme Cont'd / Articles; Watch Party Reminders for Feb 11; SafeSpaceShip; Art Director's Guild Nominee; We Need to Be a Lighthouse! Game; AdoptOurCrew Choose Your Own Adventure; Love Notes; Daily Darby / Today's Taika;

= Cast & Crew Sightings =

Well as you can imagine, the David Jenkins IG is the big news of today. The clowning forecast has gone up significantly. Dad posted one of the late-blooming SaveOFMD banners in NY and attached Elton John - Candle In The Wind to the post. This song has some very specific significance to our fandom.

Apparently back when we lost Lucius in Season 1, Chaos Dad posted this song to Nathan Foad. Src @cptn_brightsky's Twitter Post

Now ADD to that... David Jenkins ALSO added this picture of Matthew Maher standing in front of a saveOFMD flyer found out on the street.

NOW OF COURSE, we are all clowning, but I think as usual Chaos Dad is trying to give us info without giving us info since the fandom pays so much attention to every little detail.

@saltpepperbeard has a theory that I'm down to clown with until I turn blue in the face. Src.

So yeah, as always take the clowning how you will, but I'll be honest, this looks like great news to me. It really does. CLOWN ON MY FRIENDS.

= Other Cast & Crew Sightings =

Rhys Darby's going to be at The Bourbon Room Hollywood next Friday, 2/16 at 8 PM PT.

== Rosie ==

Since doing cute stuff just doesn't stop in the Darby houshold, tonight I wanted to make a special shout out to Rosie Carnahan Darby, Rhys' Wife who has been active the last couple days. First and foremost, she knit a little blanket and hat for Samba's baby!

Second apparently she's restocked the Awesomeness Comedy website with more Buttons McGinty books and Comedy Special DVD's in case you're interested.

Oh and by the way, Samba loves the blanket:

= Vico Ortiz =

Tonight Vico was out performing with Them Fatale Drag Kings at their last night at their home bar Redline! Just some shots from their IG stories, feel free to check out more.

== Max Trolling ==

Gentle reminder luvs, if you're going to IG, or Twitter to troll Max posts, let's try to remember not to post OFMD/Negative comments on any posts that are celebrating underrepresented groups. We want to support those groups. Please note however, if you'd done it previously and didn't know, don't beat yourself up! We all make mistakes, just please try to keep it in mind going forward! (If you can delete your previous posts, great, if not, again not the end of the world).

== Coyote Vs Acme Cont'd / Articles ==

Why Deleting and Destroying Finished Movies Like Coyote vs Acme Should Be a Crime

This article is from yesterday but this blurb was pretty damn specific so I wanted to make sure if you missed it you got to see some of the reasons why Max did cancel OFMD.

"Some of the company’s tactics post-merger were garden-variety ruthless, like eliminating 87 series from its streaming platform Max, so that they won’t have to pay union-mandated residuals to the talent that created already-existing programs or pony up funds to produce more seasons of existing ones (such as “Our Flag Means Death,” one of the company’s most popular and critically acclaimed comedies—canceled after just two seasons)."

= Watch Party / Event Reminders =

Feb 11: Q+ and AdoptOurCrew Season 2 Live-Rewatch Party

Times: 2PM GMT, 9 AM EST, 6 AM PST

Watch Party Hashtags:

#OurFlagMeansBBC 

#OurFlagMeansRewatch

#SaveOFMD 

#AdoptOurCrew

= Feb 11: Relax I'm From the Future Watch Party! =

Sunday February 11th, 1 PM PT. 4 PM ET, 9PM GMT

Watch Party Hashtags:

#PiratesFromTheFuture

#SaveOFMD

#AdoptOurCrew

== In Person Events: San Diego CA ==

February 11, 2024 at 4 PM at Maritime Museum of San Diego

Costumes & Cosplay Encouraged! Location: Maritime Museum of San Diego 1492 North Harbor Drive San Diego, CA 92101

Hashtags:

#SafeSpaceShip

#SaveOFMD

#AdoptOurCrew

= Art Director's Guild Award Nominee! =

Sorry, I forgot to add this one yesterday!

Ra Vincent - Nominee for Half-Hour Single - Camera Series. Src: @AdoptOurCrew and ADG

Check out the Design Presentation: OFMD_s2_art.pdf

== We Need To Be A LightHouse! ==

Have YOU heard of this awesome new Monkey Island Inspired Point and Click Adventure Game by @blueberreads and @eldawee? They've been working on it for months and it's FINALLLLLLLY HEEEERE!

These folks are so incredibly talented! Please go check it out here! https://dawee.itch.io/lighthouse If you're using a MAC OS you'll most likely need to download an executable at the bottom of the main page. Just FYI! If it prompts you with the "you downloaded this from the internet" error just click OK. I already started playing with it and I'm in love.

I pushed Ed and he asked if I wanna do something weird xD Okay no more spoilers, GO CHECK IT OUT!

== AdoptOurCrew Choose Your Own Adventure Game!==

In honor of the s2 watch party with Q! tomorrow, @adoptourcrew did a really adorable choose your own adventure game on twitter today! They did polls and let the majority pick which direction they wanted the story to go!

Since it was a lot of pictures I made a separate post so you can see the whole story: @adoptourcrew Choose Your Own Adventure here on tumblr. Please check it out!

== Love Notes ==

Alrighty lovelies. It's been another busy day. Lots of clowning, lots of hope, lots of emotional roller coasters. I hope you had a good time and generally it was more positive than negative. I have a lot I want to say, but my brain is still pretty foggy. So I'll make this short.

Sometimes when things go well, our brain gets excited and then they overcompensate when we calm down. It starts to think a lot more negatively because it had so much extra dopamine for a time. When that happens, little things can be really devastating. I just want you to remember that we all make mistakes and YOU, you beautiful imperfect being are not your mistakes. They hurt, and we learn from them, but they don't define us. Try not to listen to your brain if it's telling you otherwise. You are so very wonderful.

Anyway, I hope that makes sense.

Here's a picture I found today I thought really applied to all you wonderful people. Thank you to all the folks who reached out to me and checked in and sent me love when you knew I was struggling (there are too many to list and I don't know if you want to be tagged so please just know how much I appreciate you). I love you all so much, and I'm so lucky to how found people who make me feel like it's ok to be me.

== Daily Darby / Today's Taika ==

Tonight is once again animal themed. I wish I'd made that Taika gif last night for the lovebirds theme, but here we are.

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Alla Nazimova (A Doll's House, Camille, Salomé)—HOT as hell. GAY as hell. TALENTED as hell. Producer, director, writer, actress. A silent era superstar who is credited with having coined the term "sewing circle" as a code-word for gatherings of lesbian and bisexual women. Has been called "the founding mother of Sapphic Hollywood" and was the owner/operator of the Garden of Alla Hotel in West Hollywood, which she bought in 1919 and sold in 1928 after deciding she wanted to go back to Broadway. In addition to starring opposite Valentino in Camille, she also had an affair with BOTH of his wives (Jean Acker and Natacha Rambova). In her day, she was one of the most influential women in the business.

Olive Thomas (The Flapper)— There’s something about her that’s just so beautifully genuine, like you could reach out through the screen and touch her hand. She was a showgirl-turned-Hollywood-star who died a mysterious death, and now she haunts the New Amsterdam Theater. I’ve actually met her ghost— she seems pretty sweet!

This is round 2 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Alla Nazimova:

She was a proud lesbian, she was a director, she was artsy and experimental, she was instrumental in the rise to fame of Rudolph Valentino, she had the worlds biggest strap on energy

"Nazimova was primarily a star during the silent film era, and her career in film started when she was almost forty. She was openly bisexual, and was engaged in two lavender marriages during her life while she carried on relationships with women (including at least one, and possibly two, of Rudolph Valentino's wives). She was brilliant and an autodidact - when she first moved to the United States from Ukraine, she spoke no English, but taught herself "in about five months" and went on to work as a screenwriter (among other things). Her predilections lay in art film, and she's credited with starring in / producing / directing one of the first American art films, the adaptation of Oscar Wilde's play Salome (1923). She has an elegant and commanding presence in all of her films, and is an absolute sensation to watch in motion."

Gif link, another gif link

A great actress who also produced a great deal of her films, Nazimova is absolutely mesmerizing to watch. She was also bi and coined the phrase "sewing circle" for sapphic celebrities.

Olive Thomas propaganda:

Olive Thomas was one of the OG Hollywood starlets, and the only woman to seriously challenge Mary Pickford for Hollywood Queen supremacy. She was known for her stunning face and long ringlet hair, which is pretty amazing considering she was also the original flapper girl (so-called because of HER in the movie The Flapper!). She was also one of the first big Hollywood scandals, because her death was/is very suspicious and the idea that she might have died in a drunken accident (or been murdered by Mary Pickford's brother) was considered beyond the ability for "middle Americans" to understand. WE STAN A GORGEOUS MYSTERIOUS FLAPPER QUEEN!