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xmalereader · 2 years ago

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Simon “Ghost” Riley x Male Reader

|| Masterlist ||

Authors Note: Back at it again with some more Simon shots! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°), had to write this one because I can’t stop thinking about Simon being some rich guys bodyguard and perhaps a small hint of enemies to lovers-ish? Well, :/ you Can decided what you think!

Summary: Reader is the son of a very powerful man who is protective of their own son and hires a bodyguard to keep a close eye on him. Reader tends to drive his guards crazy due to his escaping and hiding but this new guard can’t be outsmarted.

Warnings: Fluff, angst, auctions, language, ghost is soft, mention of sex, devious reader, ghost is done, artist, art work, past memories, childhood.

Word count: 4.3

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He didn’t need a bodyguard, he was the son of one of the most dangerous leaders ever who knew how to defend himself, but his father thought otherwise. Thinking that he wasn’t strong enough or needed extra protection from someone else. His own father had hired a bodyguard behind his back when he returned back from Germany, scolding the old man and arguing that he didn’t need someone to watch him twenty four seven.

He was capable of taking care of himself but, due to his fathers work getting dangerous he was becoming a main target for his enemies and needed a bodyguard at all times. He had refused to meet his new bodyguard, escaping the hands of his father and finding places to stay hidden and away from his fathers men. He kept a low profile whenever he was out in public, hiding away the fashionable clothes and dressing casual. The clothes he was given weren't comfortable and preferred to wear something warm and to his liking. With winter approaching he didn’t want to wear anything too revealing or something that’ll keep him cold for the whole day. When his father told him about his new bodyguard he’d ran away, jumping out of his bedroom window and escaping the place, not wanting to deal with his fathers business again as he runs into town to hide from said, bodyguard. He knows it’s immature to run away like a school teenager who just threw a tantrum at their parents, he didn’t act spoiled nor did he care about money. All he wanted was privacy and his own freedom from his fathers grip, far away from everything.

He thought he got that freedom when he ran into town, keeping his identity hidden from everyone only to slam face first into his new bodyguard. He didn’t think that he’d be found so quickly, impressed but also upset at the fact that he was not smart enough to hide or runaway. When he first met his bodyguard it was in the streets of Camden, his father was doing business near the area and lived close by, giving himself the chance to escape before he got to meet his new guard who found him shortly in less than ten minutes, not giving him time to hide or to stay away from such dangerous streets. His new guard had snatched him from the streets, hand gripping him by the collar as he glared down at him.

“Your father mentioned that you would hard to find, but the challenge was too easy.” He hears the man’s gruff voice, earning a harsh glare from the other. His guard had let go of him when he pulled away, fixing his jacket as he grumbled. “Can’t have five minutes of privacy without someone getting in the way.” He hissed at the guard who only stared at him through his mask.

“Your fathers orders.”

“Yeah? Well guess what, you can ignore his orders and go along with your day. I don’t need a guard and can take care of myself.” Said Y/n.

“No can do.”

Y/n groans at the man’s words, rolling his eyes as he huffs out some air, glancing over at his new guard who stood taller than him. A skull mask covering his face, giving him access to seeing his eyes only. He wore dark clothing that kept him hidden in the dark and nothing that’ll expose his position as a guard. “Do you have a name?” He suddenly asks the guard, eyeing him up and down.

“They call me Ghost.”

“Ghost?” Y/n scoffs, shaking his head. “Okay, ghost—imma get going.”

“Can let you do that.” Ghost sidesteps, refusing to let him escape from his grip again. “Your fathers orders were to keep you safe and out of Camden town, it’s far too dangerous for someone like you.”

“Not my fault he decided to stay in this god forsaken town.” Y/n murmured as he tries to go around ghost but is stopped by the larger man wrapping his hand around his wrist. “Whenever you go I go.”

Y/n sighs deeply. “Fine.” He admits defeat as ghost lets go of his wrist and allowed him to continue forward. He gives himself the chance to head back home, fuming in anger as his new bodyguard followed him all the way back, standing a few inches apart but still close enough to get a hold of him if he were to run away and disappear from his sight. When they arrived at the large mansion he’s quick to rush inside, slamming doors open. He didn’t care if he was interrupting an important meeting or embarrassing his father, the old man deserved it.

When he slams the door open to his fathers office the old man sitting behind the desk isn’t phased by his actions, focused on his paperwork before glancing up with a grin. “I see you found him—told you that he’s a slippery one.” His statement is directed to ghost who stood behind him.

Y/n frowns deeply, turning to face his father. “I don’t need a bodyguard, I am capable of taking care of myself and deserve some privacy without having some—“ he waves his hand. “Some dog chasing me everywhere I go!” He exclaims angrily while his father continued on with his work. After signing one last document he sets his ink pen down, eyes moving from the documents to his son. “You’ve gone through five bodyguards on the last year, not one was able to keep track of you until now. I only Want you safe and aqua from enemies.”

“I know when an enemy is near!”

His father raises a brow. “Even the one who had you bent over a table?”

Y/n’s breath hitched, an embarrassed smile on his lips. “I’m my defense I didn’t know he was the son of Ethan and I apologize for when you walked in on us…” he murmurs the last part shyly. His father wasn’t one to care if he slept with a man or a women, he simply cared that he was with someone he could trust rather than someone who’d try to kill or use him.

“That doesn’t matter—!” Y/n exclaimed. “What matters is that I don’t need a body guard. I can handle myself.” He repeats himself one last time but his father only ignored his words. “He will remain by your side whether you like it or not and that is final.” His father stands from his seat, rounding the table and step in front of his son. He placed his hands on his shoulders and sighs deeply. “I have business in Mexico—you are to remain here in London while I get things done.”

Y/n frowns, looking away from his father as the older man gently lets him go. “It’s for your own safety.” He hears him whisper out before walking off with his own guards behind him. His father was a dangerous man but he wasn’t a monster, he didn’t kill for pleasure or do terrible things towards innocent people. His father cared about his own son and would do anything to keep him safe—after losing his wife and Y/n’s mother the two were all they had and his father couldn’t lose his only family left.

Y/n watched as his father leaves the room, leaving him alone with Ghost. The man was stoic and silent, never showing any hints of expression. He remained to himself from what Y/n learned just by observing him. The two remain in the silent room, breathing softly as he exhaled through his nose, keeping himself composed from wanting to lash out on his father for providing such unnecessary guard. When he collects himself he walks out of the room, pushing the door open as ghost follows behind him and around the house.

“You don’t have to follow me exactly everywhere I go.” Y/n grumbled out, looking over his shoulder to see ghost standing a few feet away. “Fathers orders.” Is all he says.

“I know.” Y/n rubs his temples, heading up to the stairs to his bedroom. “Let me get changed, I’ll be out quickly.” He tries to close the door quickly but ghost slams his hand against the door, shoving it open as he steps inside. “Not on my watch, your slippery and I ain’t letting it happen again.”

“So you want to watch me change?” Y/n suggests with a raised brow.

“I ain’t risking it.”

Y/n sighs. “Do what you want.” He walks around his own bedroom, collecting the discarded clothes and books that he had lying around. He wasn’t a very decent person when it comes to personal rooms, he kept things the way that made him feel comfortable or easy access in case he needed anything last minute. He hardly cleaned his own room and whenever the house maids tried to clean he’d panic by the sudden change in his room. It didn’t feel right nor did he feel safe. His bedroom was his security blanket and if anything is moved or changed without his notice he will panic.

“Didn’t think that someone like you would be so disorganized.” Said Ghost, his eyes following the young man that ran around his room like a frantic animal in panic. “Yeah—well, I like it this way. It keeps me from misplacing anything that doesn’t belong where it goes.” He explains. “Besides, I do clean—just…not today as you can see.” He kicks a specific book under his bed which doesn’t go unnoticed by ghost.

“Before you arrived I wasn’t just running away from my fathers responsibilities, I was heading to an auction. They host one every year and sell artifacts along with paintings and every year I go to try and find a specific painting but they never have it until now and I need to be there.” He explains to ghost, tucking away his things in different areas of his room. Finally showing some tidiness.

“It’s not safe.”

“Nowhere I go is safe! I live in a fucking cage with no exit.” Y/n lets his anger take over, shouting at ghost. “I can’t go anywhere without anyone watching me and I can’t leave without anyone knowing where I’ll be! This auction is important to me and I need to go—weather you let me or not I am going because I am not missing my chance.” Y/n had moved around his room frantically, leaving the balcony door open and giving him a quick exit to escape.

“Again, I am going.” He slips the backpack that he was preparing over his shoulder. “I already said that you can’t, kid.”

Y/n gives Ghost a sly grin. “I know.” With that he runs towards the balcony, jumping off as ghost cursed and ran after him. Y/n had jumped off the balcony many times and knew his way around, landing on a tree branch and jumping off to land onto the grass. Once he’s safe he looks up to ghost and smirks before running towards his own way out without being detected from the other guards that surrounded the mansion. He’s gone through the same route many times and his father still couldn’t figure out how he’s able to escape each time.

Slipping away from the guards and over the gates he’s able to sneak back into town. He is quick to put his hoodie on as he makes his way around, blending in with the crowds and keeping an eye out for his guard but also keeping an eye out for a specific address that he is to head too. He’s been there many times and should already have the address memorized but he can’t help but rethink the location and making sure that it’s the right place, he couldn’t miss this auction. What he needed to purchase was far too special and important to him that he’d spend every penny getting it back in his hands.

It takes him a few minutes to find the hidden auction. He takes notice of couples and other rich folk, dressed up in properly for the auction as they entered the building whilst murmuring amongst themselves. Y/n steps forward to get inside the building but is yanked back, someone gripping his backpack as he’s shoved away from the crowd and into an alleyway.

He’s pinned against the brick wall, coming face to face with ghost. An angry look in his eyes as he holds him against the wall. “Slippery but easy to find.”

“How did you—?”

Ghost holds up a tracker in hand, showing him his location. Y/n gaps at Ghost, “you—you bugged me?!” He whispers harshly in realization. “Not hard when your not paying attention.” Ghost slips the device into his pocket as Y/n pats his own self down, trying to find the tracker that was place on him. “That’s cheating.” He huffs out, leaning his head against the wall.

“Time to go, kid.”

“Wait, wait! Please let me do this! It’s urgent and I need to be inside it’ll be fast. Just one quick bid and then I’ll be out.” He pleads, clasping his hands together in a prayer, begging to be allowed to head inside. Ghost stares at him, glancing over to the entrance of the auction as he sighs deeply, knowing that he’d regret his decision later. “Fine—“

“Yes!” Y/n jumps in excitement.

“Hold on now.” Ghost grips him by the collar and pressed him up against the wall again. “A few rules.” His voice is gruff and stern. “You stay near exits, if anything looks suspicious or out of the ordinary you leave.”

Y/n nods in understanding.

“You wear this at all times so that I can hear you.” Ghost hands Y/n an earpiece that connects to his radio. “Use it in case anything happens and you must keep it on, understand?”

“Yes, sir.” Y/n nods firmly but deep down inside he was bubbling with excitement, vibrating and anxious to get inside. Ghost can read him like an open book, still not knowing why he wanted to go to some snobby auction filled with rich people who only cared about themselves. “I’ll be watching.” Ghost lets him be aware, but Y/n wasn’t paying attention, slipping the ear piece in as he nods. “Yeah, got it—thank you!” He rushed out of the alleyway and towards the building across from them.

Ghost sighs deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose before getting to work. He’s quick to climb the roof and get a good view of the building across the street. The building had a skylight, big enough to see the inside as ghost slips out some binocs and uses then to keep a close eye. He doesn’t spot Y/n until a few minutes later, his hair is done properly and is wearing a nice suit that helped him blend in with the others. He must’ve brought his own change of clothes in order to fit in with the rest of the people.

Y/n didn’t interact with anyone and kept to himself, remaining away from anyone staring as he makes his way towards the front of the room where chairs lined up in various rows as they prepared for the auction. Ghost watched as everyone takes their seats and wait for the first item of tonight’s auction to be revealed to the public. Ghost is able to hear everything as they announce each item; a few jewels coming from the seventeenth century from a royal family, a few artifacts that were found in Egypt and related to ancient pharaohs. Ghost expect Y/n to bid for some of those items but was surprised when he didn’t.

Y/n didn’t bat an eye at the jewels or relics, leg bouncing anxiously as he continued to wait with crossed arms over his chest. The auction has gone on for almost an hour and ghost was losing his patients, perhaps y/n had lied to him and was waiting for the right time to escape him again. Before he can call it and burst inside the building and drag him back home he hears the auctioneers voice cut into the com.

“Next we have a special piece of art work by none other than Mademoiselle Marionnette.”

Ghost looks over to the skylight to see Y/n airing up straight, a determined look on his face as he stares at the painting presented to the group of people. Many murmured and whispered amongst each other on how much they are to bid on the piece of art work.

“Let’s start the bidding at five thousand.”

All of sudden everyone started bidding, the number increased as each hand went up. Y/n continued to raise his, frowning at a few couples that tried to outbid him but he kept going, offering more and more as the counting continued. It wasn’t until the bid was nearing fifty thousand that people began to give up, only a few continued onward.

Ghost keeps listening as Y/n cursed under his breath, hearing the numbers increase. He didn’t care how much he paid or made his father pay but he was going to get that painting one way or another. As the crowd began to pull away it was only two bidders left, leaving Y/n and a strange elderly women on their own as they raise their hand. “Eighty?” His hand goes up. “I see ninety.” The elderly women sits up straight with a calm look on her face as she nods at the bidder. “I hear a hundred.”

Y/n glanced at the elderly women as she grins mischievously towards him. He takes that as a challenge and stands from his seat. “One million!” He shouts, earring the crowds wide eyes and soft gasps. He smirks towards the women who glared at him, looking away with a huff as she gives up on the bidding. Y/n smiles widely at his new purchase.

“One million for a painting?”

Y/n is startled by the voice in his ear, tense shoulders relaxing when he remembers that ghost was nearby. “It’s special.” He simply responds back to ghost, watching as the bidder dismisses the auction for the night and allowing those who purchased their items to go towards the back of the room. As Y/n stands to make his way over he hears Ghost speak up. “I’ll loose visual on you when you enter the room, if anything happens—“

“I know, I’ll let you know.” Y/n sighs to himself, making his way to the back where he sees a few people collecting their winnings, providing the money to the proper people as guards stood around the room, protecting the items in case anything is to be stolen. Y/n spots his painting, approaching it quickly as he stands in front of it, smiling softly to himself. He’s quick to pay for the portrait, taking the painting with him and trying to exit the building without chasing any trouble.

When he steps outside he lets out a deep breath in relief, holding the painting in his two hands as he steps out into the open road where he finds ghost leaving again a car, waiting for him patiently. “You do know I live close by?”

“Do you want someone to steal your million dollar painting?”

Y/n nods. “You’ve got a point.” He approached the Vehicle as Ghost opens the door for him and lets him get into the back, closing the door on him and rounding the car to get to the drivers seat. Y/n sets the portrait in front of him, smiling again as he takes in the details and features of the young women in front of him, his fingers trace over the rough patches of the painting, taking in the women who sat in a field full of flowers with a smile on her face as the wind blew into her hair. The silent ride back home ended in less than a few minutes, arriving to the front gates as Y/n tucks the painting to the side, glancing outside to see no sight of his fathers car and men.

He sighs in relief that once Ghost stops the car he’s quick to jump out with painting in his arms as he ran inside the large house, rubbing up the stairs and to his room where he slams the door open and sets the painting inside his closet. When ghost climbs the stairs and stands outside Y/n’s bedroom door he watched him searching his own bedroom for any signs of his father a stepping inside.

“What’s so special about the painting?” Ghost suddenly asks, curious.

Y/n glanced at ghost, making his way around him to close his bedroom door and locking it before heading to his closet and digging the painting out, displaying it against the wall as he steps back to examine the painting again.

Ghost takes a few steps forward, standing shoulder to shoulder as he eyes the painting. “Who is she?”

Y/n smiles softly. “My mother.” He mumbled out. “After my mother passed away, my father burned and gave everything that belonged or reminded her away. He didn’t want a trace of her in the house—afraid that he’d continue grieving or that he won’t be able to get over her death.” He explains while Ghost glanced at him, taking in his expression on how softly he was staring at the portrait. “This was back in Switzerland—“ he points to the background of the painting. “I was fifteen when we visited, she was healthy and strong and full of life. When my father was too busy with work it was I who spent time with her. I was there when she would say some dumb joke or when she’d punch a guy in the nose when we entered a pub because we just needed to use the restroom and some guy thought it would be funny to slap her bottom—which resulted in her punching him.” He chuckles at the memory of his mothers rage, letting it out on the man who touched her.

“It was our last day there and she took me to this nice view to have a nice picnic. I asked her if we could paint together and she urged me to paint her.”

Ghost turns to the painting, pointing at it. “You painted this?”

Y/n nods. “Yep, drew it and painted the damn thing.” He chuckles. “My mother really loved my work and I kept it for as long as I can remember…until her death, my father started to throw stuff out and sold this piece—claiming that it was my mother who painted it when it was really me who did that.” He remembers that day clearly, his father upset after his wife’s death as he cleared out her things, leaving no trace of her living with them.

Y/n never had a chance to keep something that belonged to her and perhaps provided him a memory or something that was apart of her. His father always found ways to get rid of her things and he wasn’t going to allow him to do the same to this painting. Y/n gives ghost a nudge in the shoulder. “Do you have a knife?”

“Yes.“

“Can I borrow it?”

Ghost gives him a questioning look, not trusting him. Y/n rolls his eyes, “I can handle a simple knife.” He snatched the blade from Ghosts vest, grumbling annoyingly as he sets the painting down on the floor, kneeling down to cut the portrait out of the frame. He’s careful enough to not ruin anything as he cuts around inside the border. When he finishes he sets the blade down and gentle removes the canvas from the frame, holding it up to get a good view of the painting.

Ghost takes the time to really examine the painting. He wasn’t an expert at art but he admired the man’s work, watching him role up the painting and stepping around his room as he takes a chair and placed it in the middle. “Can you hold this down?” He asks, tapping on the chair as ghost sighs deeply and holds the chair steady, watching him step onto the chair and standing on his toes to remove a fake part of the wall, revealing a secret empty hole as he placed the rolled up painting inside and closing up the small space. He sighs in relief, knowing that the painting was in a safe place.

He’s careful when climbing off the chair, ghosts hand against his back, cautious if he is to slip and fall. “Does your father know about that little secret of yours?” Ghost nods upwards to the hidden compartment that Y/n had in his own bedroom. “No—are you going to tell him?” Y/n questions with a small frown on his lips while Ghost looks into his eyes, sighing to himself as he shakes his own head. “Your secret is safe with me.”

Y/n gives a faint smile. “Thank you.” He mumbled. “You know, as annoying as I can be your not that bad. Perhaps I’ll let you stay around, unless you really get me upset then I won’t hesitate to make your life a living hell.” He jabs a finger to ghost who chuckled at his words, surprising the other when he hears the soft sound. “Trust me, you already made my life a living hell. I’ll get used to it.”

He chuckles too, smiling widely at his new bodyguard and perhaps his first favorite too. “We’ll get along just fine.”

#simon ghost riley #simon riley #ghost x reader #ghost mw2 #Simon Riley x male reader #ghost x male reader #angst #fluff #cod mw3 #long shot

2K notes · View notes

muiitoloko · 6 months ago

Note

I was thinking could you do another Phil Allen story, this time with a female character. I had an idea that his son’s girlfriend had a half sister and she comes over from the US to see her sister. She meets Phil because obviously her sister is dating his son. They get get to know each other and develop a connection, they embark on a secret relationship due to their fear of what his son and her sister’s reaction would be. They mainly meet up in her hotel room. Do what you want with that idea.

Title: Dirty little Secret

Summary: You knew this was worth it.

Pairing: Phil Allen (Blow Dry) × Fem! Reader

Warnings: Smut

Author's Notes: I absolutely loved your idea for Phil! It's such a juicy premise with plenty of potential for drama and intrigue. I've crafted a one-shot based on your concept, and I can't wait for you to read it! I hope you enjoy the story—I put my heart and soul into it. Let me know what you think!

Also read on Ao3

As you lazily caress Phil's chest, your mind drifts to the complicated web of emotions that entangled the two of you in a forbidden love affair. You're tired of hiding your affection for Phil, tired of sneaking around like teenagers trying to avoid getting caught. But Phil's reluctance to make your relationship public weighs heavily on your heart, reminding you of the countless obstacles that stand in the way of your love.

Being Christina Robertson's half-sister only adds fuel to the fire, as you come from the lineage of Phil's rival, Raymond Robertson. The tension between your families is palpable, a constant reminder of the divide that separates you from Phil.

The fact that you're also his son's sister-in-law from Phil's son, Brian Allen, makes your situation even more precarious. Brian's relationship with Christina only adds another layer of complexity to the mix, as your very existence threatens to unravel the delicate balance of their romance.

Despite all the odds stacked against you, neither you nor Phil can resist the magnetic pull that draws you together. From the moment you met, there was an undeniable chemistry between you, a spark that ignited a flame of passion that refuses to be extinguished.

And so, here you are, stealing moments of intimacy in the confines of your hotel room, the only place where you can truly be yourselves without fear of judgment or reprisal. It's not the ideal situation, but for now, it's enough to sustain you, enough to keep the flame of your love burning bright in the darkness.

But as you lie there with Phil, you can’t help but wonder how much longer you can keep up this charade. How much longer can you live in the shadows, denying yourselves the chance to be together openly and without shame?

With a sigh, you bury your face in Phil's chest, inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne as you cling to him desperately. You know that the road ahead won't be easy, that there will be countless obstacles and challenges to overcome. But as long as you have each other, you're willing to face whatever comes your way, together.

When Phil gently tugs on your hair, turning so he's above you, a shiver of anticipation runs down your spine. His breath catches in his throat at the sensation. You can feel the heat of his body pressed against yours, his touch sending waves of desire coursing through your veins.

With a soft moan, you arch your back, offering yourself up to him completely as he leans in to kiss your lips with a hunger that leaves you breathless. His lips are soft yet demanding, claiming you as his own with each passionate kiss, his tongue tracing lazy circles against yours as he explores every inch of your mouth with a fervor that leaves you dizzy with desire.

But as his lips leave yours to trail kisses down your neck, your mind reels with the knowledge that this forbidden love affair could spell disaster for both of you. The thought of being caught in the throes of passion with Phil fills you with a heady mix of excitement and fear, your heart racing in your chest as you cling to him desperately, unable to resist the magnetic pull that draws you together.

His tongue flicks out to tease your nipples, sending jolts of pleasure shooting through your body as he sucks and nibbles on each one with a skill that leaves you gasping for breath.

You arch your back, offering yourself up to him completely as he takes you in his mouth, his tongue tracing lazy circles around your hardened peaks as he worships your body with a devotion that leaves you trembling with desire. Each flick of his tongue sends shockwaves of pleasure coursing through your veins, your hands tangling in his hair as you urge him to take more of you into his mouth.

With a low growl of desire, Phil complies, his mouth closing around your nipple with a fierce intensity that leaves you gasping for air. He sucks and nibbles on your sensitive flesh, alternating between gentle caresses and firmer tugs, each movement driving you closer to the edge of oblivion as you surrender yourself completely to the ecstasy of his touch.

And as Phil's erection pressed against your thigh, a surge of excitement rippled through your body, your fingers tingling with anticipation as you reached between the two of you to grasp his throbbing member. With a soft moan, Phil released your nipple from his mouth, his gaze locking with yours as he watched you stroke his cock with practiced ease.

His breath hitched in his throat as he felt your hand wrap around him, your fingers trailing over the rough but well-trimmed pubic hair that framed his length. Phil took pride in his grooming habits, always meticulous in his attention to detail, especially when it came to his appearance below the belt.

With a grunt of frustration, Phil pulls your hand away from his throbbing cock, his desire evident in the way he grips your wrist tightly, his eyes smoldering with need as he gazes down at you. "I like your touch, darling," he murmurs, his voice husky with desire. "But I need more than just that. I need to bury myself in your sweet pussy, to feel you clenching around me as I fuck you senseless. Feel your taste on my tongue."

You whimper in response, the ache between your legs growing more intense with each passing moment as you watch Phil lower his head between your spread thighs. His fingers part your lower lips with practiced ease, his tongue flicking out to tease your sensitive clit as he explores every inch of your pussy with a hunger that leaves you breathless.

You cling to his hair desperately, your hips arching off the bed as you chase the exquisite sensation of his tongue on your skin. Each flick of his tongue sends shockwaves of pleasure coursing through your body, your breath hitching in your throat as you surrender yourself completely to the ecstasy of his touch.

But just as you feel yourself teetering on the edge of oblivion, Phil pulls away with a mischievous glint in his eyes, his lips glistening with your arousal as he gazes down at you with a devilish grin.

"Sorry, darling," he says, his voice dripping with amusement. "But I can't have you ruining my hairstyle."

You roll your eyes in amusement at his antics, unable to resist teasing him in return. "Oh, please," you retort, your voice laced with mock indignation. "Your hairstyle was ruined the moment you woke up this morning."

Phil feigns a disappointed sigh, his hand pressed dramatically against his chest as he gazes up at the ceiling in mock despair. "Oh, the cruelty of fate," he laments, his voice thick with sarcasm. "To be blessed with such natural beauty, only to have it marred by a simple touch."

You can't help but laugh at his theatrics, the tension between you dissipating in the face of his playful banter. With a playful swat to his shoulder, you pull him back down to you, your lips crashing together in a passionate kiss as you lose yourselves once more in the heat of the moment.

With a low growl of desire, Phil's lips find yours once more, his tongue delving deep into your mouth as he claims you with a ferocity that leaves you breathless. You moan into his mouth, your hands roaming over his naked body as you revel in the exquisite sensation of his skin against yours.

But just as the heat between you threatens to consume you both, Phil pulls away with a reluctant groan, his eyes smoldering with desire as he mumbles something about getting a condom. You nod eagerly in response, your heart racing with anticipation as you watch him disappear into the bathroom.

Alone in the dimly lit room, you can't help but feel a surge of excitement at the thought of what's to come. The anticipation coils in your belly, aching to be released as you wait for Phil to return to you, his cock hard and ready to claim you once more.

And when he finally emerges from the bathroom, a condom in hand, you can feel your pulse quicken with desire at the sight of him. His body is a masterpiece, every line and curve a testament to his raw masculinity as he stalks towards you with a predatory gleam in his eyes.

With a wicked grin, Phil crawls back onto the bed, his eyes never leaving yours as he positions himself between your spread thighs. His cock is thick and swollen, glistening with pre-cum as he rolls the condom onto his length with practiced ease.

You watch with rapt fascination as he sheaths himself, a thrill of excitement coursing through your veins at the thought of him filling you completely. With a low growl of desire, Phil leans down to claim your lips once more, his hands gripping your hips as he positions himself at your entrance.

And then, with a single, powerful thrust, he buries himself deep inside you, filling you to the hilt as you cry out in pleasure. Your walls clench around him, the sensation of him stretching you to your limits sending shockwaves of ecstasy coursing through your body as you surrender yourself completely to the pleasure of his touch.

With each thrust, Phil drives you closer to the edge of oblivion, his movements becoming more urgent, more desperate as he chases his own release. You meet him thrust for thrust, your bodies moving together in a primal dance of desire as you lose yourselves in the heat of the moment.

As the pleasure washed over you, your mind couldn't help but drift back to the tangled web of secrecy that surrounded your relationship with Phil. Despite the intensity of your connection, the thought of being his secret weighed heavily on your heart, casting a shadow over the ecstasy of the moment.

"Phil," you whispered breathlessly, your voice barely above a whisper as you clung to him desperately. "When are you going to tell Brian about us?"

Phil paused mid-thrust, his movements slowing as he processed your question. For a moment, his expression was unreadable, his eyes searching yours for any sign of doubt or hesitation.

But then, with a sardonic chuckle, he leaned back slightly, his lips curling into a smirk as he looked down at you. "Gee, darling," he replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I must be really bad at fucking if that's what you're thinking about at a time like this."

You scolded him with a playful swat to his chest, your voice laced with annoyance as you chastised him for his flippant response. "That's not what I meant, Phil," you insisted, your tone firm with resolve. "I don't want to be your dirty little secret anymore. I want us to be able to be together openly, without having to hide like teenagers sneaking around behind closed doors."

But Phil ignored your protest, his movements becoming slow and deliberate as he continued to fuck you, his forehead resting against yours as he whispered words of affection in your ear. "But you love it, don't you?" he murmured, his voice thick with desire. "To be my dirty little secret, to have me sneaking into your hotel room and fucking you on this fancy mattress before I have to sneak out again like some kind of forbidden lover."

You couldn't deny the truth in his words, the thrill of secrecy adding an intoxicating edge to your passion as you surrendered yourself completely to the ecstasy of the moment. With a soft moan, you arched your back, offering yourself up to him completely as you lost yourself in the heat of his touch.

"God, Phil," you gasped, your voice thick with desire as you clung to him desperately. "Fuck me harder, make me yours completely. I want everyone to know that you're mine, that we belong together no matter what."

With a sparkle of mischief dancing in his eyes, Phil held your hips firmly as you wrapped your legs around his waist, the heat of his body pressed against yours as he intensified his thrusts. The headboard rattled against the wall with each powerful stroke, echoing the rhythm of your shameless moans as you called out his name in ecstasy.

"Oh, fuck, Phil!" you cried out, your voice filled with raw desire as he buried himself deep inside you, hitting all the right spots with each delicious thrust. "Harder, please, I need you to fuck me harder!"

Phil's lips curled into a wicked grin as he obliged your request, his movements becoming more urgent, more desperate as he chased his own release. He knew just how to push you to the brink of ecstasy, his cock driving into you with a primal intensity that left you trembling with pleasure.

"That's it, darling," he growled, his voice rough with desire as he watched you writhe beneath him. "You like it rough, don't you? You like it when I fuck you senseless, when I make you scream my name until you can't think straight."

You nodded eagerly in response, unable to form coherent words as pleasure consumed you completely. With each thrust, you felt yourself spiraling closer to the edge of oblivion, your body teetering on the brink of ecstasy as Phil drove you to new heights of pleasure with each powerful stroke.

And then, just when you thought you couldn't take anymore, Phil trapped one of your nipples in his mouth, sucking and nibbling on it with a ferocity that left you gasping for air. The combination of his relentless thrusts and the exquisite sensation of his tongue on your sensitive flesh sent shockwaves of pleasure coursing through your body, overwhelming your senses with pure, unadulterated bliss.

"Fuck, Phil!" you cried out, your voice echoing through the room as you surrendered yourself completely to the ecstasy of the moment. "I'm gonna come, I'm gonna come so fucking hard!"

Phil's only response was a low growl of desire as he redoubled his efforts, his movements becoming more urgent, more desperate as he chased his own release. With a final, powerful thrust, he buried himself deep inside you, his cock pulsing with pleasure as he spilled himself into the condom with a primal roar of ecstasy.

As you tumbled over the edge into blissful oblivion, your body convulsing in the throes of orgasm, you knew that this forbidden love affair was worth every moment of secrecy and shame. In Phil's arms, you had found a passion that transcended the boundaries of time and space, a love that burned brighter than any flame, and as you clung to him desperately, you knew that nothing could ever tear you apart.

#phil allen x reader #phil allen #blow dry #alan rickman x reader #alan rickman

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chthonic-cassandra · 1 year ago

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Some of my strongly held Nabokov defense opinions, some of which I can back up and others which I cannot:

Obviously he's a csa survivor, he tells us this in Speak, Memory in which of course he minimizes the abuse which is entirely unsurprising, but clearly it was an extremely important experience to him, why are we even still discussing this

Sure, he obviously had some homophobic baggage, but also it's not totally fair to blame him for not wanting to publicly write about his gay brother who was killed in a concentration camp because of all the many reasons why that might have been a painful thing to do

Véra was for all intents and purposes a co-author on almost all of his works to the extent that 'VN' really needs to be treated functionally as an authorial entity encompassing both of them

Why did she choose to work in this way and not write independent works under her own name? We don't know and likely will never know

But the fact that their son also chose to write fiction under a pseudonym which he never revealed probably tells us a lot about that family's feelings about privacy and secrecy and the meaning of artistic work

VN&VN (VNx2) were very traumatized, very neurodivergent people who found participating in general social life notably challenging, and we should be grateful that they were willing to write for the public gaze at all

Harold Bloom's anecdote about playing chess with Nabokov as an undergraduate is amazing and tells us everything we need to do know about both of them

#nabokov

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horizon-verizon · 8 days ago

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How do you feel about the portrayal of motherhood for Rhaenyra, Alicent, and Helaena in the show versus in the books?

Answer: It didn't make sense for either Rhaenyra or Alicent to try to find some peace when they have given neither any sort of room to believe that the other wants such, esp Alicent not believing it of Rhaenyra that. Mothers in HotD should expect to sacrifice or devalue their kids in the event of wanting to demonstrate good/tolerable personhood more so so an audience can love them than to create real people. Perhaps the writers are even confused on how to portray the possible conflicts of motherhood vs good personhood, but the way they've gone about it tends to:

maintain and uphold the very patriarchal principle of the materiality of one's offspring -- Alicent-the-character in the HotD canon tends to use her kids more as indications of her own obedience and value more than her children

deny them their humanity for the sake of a type of "heroism" or goodness they try ascribe to their central female characters for them to have any appeal.

Context: The writers are trying to define feminine heroism by their willingness to consider any and all avenues towards nonviolence (not necessarily real peace, though) despite the reality of the situation and the building preparations against both women. And I guess, in short that these writers don't seem to understand or care about parents and try to make as if a parent putting their kids first always is automatically an amoral actor. Especially considering this sort of weird anti-children-in-public-spaces or in general thing I've noticed online amongst the same people who say that celebs lose their humanity the moment they become celebs (mostly the female ones) and submit being stalked, harassed, yelled at for photos, etc. bec they so badly want the chance to express their frustrations out on celebs (a class that they have mentally deemed are the ones who are most appropriate set of people to get to experience this sort of crazy bc they are socially and economically removed from "ordinaries" like them)...like bad acting children.

ALICENT

Alicent sacrifices her children toward a "higher power" and authority she hopes will reward her, and the show tries to pass it off as her being noble. She is mostly compelled to serve an insubstantial sense of righteousness, but the show also wants us to think that pursuing such a thing is in of itself a "noble" and positively ethical pursuit.

The writing wants to say two things at once about Alicent's motherhood:

she wants to do the objectively "right thing"--to her, that is both complying with the patriarchal order she was raised in/to obey male authority which includes preparing her kids for a pre-emptive strike bc she values their lives above her own AND her kids are part of how she expresses and performs her "duties" to her father, the crown, etc. so she can affirm her own value but the moment where she has to see how she can't use said kids to affirm herself, she bounces

she succeeds at doing morally good & noble deeds...AND one of them is giving up her kids to die when she had a heavy hand in training them that way

It undermines how we're supposed to think Alicent primarily fights for her kid Aemond for his eye/"justice" and this whole time all her sons' lives ("You are the challenge, simply by living and breathing!"). In S1, it appears she wants a very strong something other than protecting her kids...validation in her role as woman. And by S2, we have evidence to say that she values this validation above her very children's lives....again after episodes of her flagrantly (and seemingly but I simply was never convinced) defending her kids or keeping them from possibly getting any sort of punishments.

S2 Alicent:

uses every opportunity to make things about herself

sleeps with a guardsmen meant for her family instead of leaving him be for said protection

wants to approach a grieving daughter and talk about how it's her fault or whatever and the show has Helaena "forgive her" (apparently Jaehaerys didn't mean that much, no, Alicent's feelings & the confidence of her lack of obligation towards her kids/grandkids did)

S1 Alicent has the eggs of S2 Alicent in:

her attacking Rhaenyra over duty and sacrifice

her sudden change of heart only after Rhaenyra applauded her taking care of Viserys and apologizing for not respecting her position as the queen consort in epi 8

However, these were at least (insubstantially but at least) accompanied by:

her choices to protect Aegon from punishments

Aemond not getting recompensed or justified for his eye

her verbal accusations of Rhaenyra having to kill her sons

So in S1 she at least seemed like she cared about her sons, or we're left with a better impression of that through a better portrayal. I say it was still pretty "insubstantial" bc she only turns against Rhaenyra because Rhaenyra lied about her sexual activities.

It is too huge an assumption for anyone to make about Rhaenyra's lying---even on her dead mother--about private sexual impurity/disobedience leading to her willing to commit OPEN kinslaying in front of all her supporters and the realm she hopes to rule someday in relative and with as much peace as possible. Basically do something against her own interests even if she didn't genuinely valued her siblings lives for that particular connection (which doesn't have to mean she loves them; plenty of people don't love their family but would anything to not kill them even as a last resort...she should have realized this when Larys showed himself to be a freak [not talking about the feet] but the point that maybe the show might be trying to solidify is that she is deluding herself and is just jealous....this is before we get to the confirmation in S2). Especially when Alicent seemed to genuinely believe that Rhaenyra would make a "good queen" (Episode 3, talking to Viserys in chambers) and not to kill her kids (early Episode 5).

We have never seen Alicent ever ponder, try to investigate whether or not Rhaenyra has "plans" against her or her kids. To explain her train of thoughts towards her episode 5 dress reveal and unsubtle declaration of "war", we were shown just Otto's dismissal and his words to her just before he left, not her pondering on her own or observing Rhaenyra to carry her train of thoughts. And he already tried to say to her Rhaenyra would do stuff before that moment, so why now? Because Rhaenyra flagrantly "gets to do what she wants", not because Alicent wants to do the "right thing"! Thus the only, primary reason the show has shown us as to why she turned against Rhaenyra was pure jealousy the ability to disobey and "refusal" to do so so the "playing field" is level and Alicent doesn't have to feel lower than she already has and does.

And you know this was all fine and whatever, but the writers stay writing to also convince us that this woman is a good actor of morality with all her scenes of reflection and her last "misunderstood" noble decision.

There's a way to write a jealous/conservative woman who genuinely also wants to keep her kids alive under the impression that they'd be executed if their eldest sister were to come to power without compromising her "realness" or substance as a person who happens to be a mother. But the writers' shoot themselves in the foot when they also try to make her seem as if she's a not a bad actor by portraying her her "sacrificing" her sons for peace as the deepest personal sacrifice. And at the same time, having devalued the worth of said sacrifice all this time!

It's the refusal of accountability for her sons' turnout/behavior and for how she interpreted Rhaenyra's personhood/possible actions...they want their cake and eat it, too, and so does Alicent. Alicent really is the true backbone AND expression of their writing's shifting, disingenuous ethical core. In contrast to the book, Alicent wanted her cake and eat it too under more understandable and logically consistent circumstances that didn't undermine her (twisted) humanity--she thought it was her sons' gods-given right as male heirs to inherit over their older sister and believed that they would be executed or assassinated if she were to ever ascend. Seemingly simple, but it doesn't stray away from how wrong morally because we can see how she'd want the trappings of being the mother of a king.

RHAENYRA

While show!Rhaenyra doesn't outright "sacrifice" her kids the way show!Alicent does for some grand, higher power, she does seem more willing to deny the reality of her relationship with Alicent and what she's capable of. It's for the sake of complying with her deluded father's nonconfrontational approach to fulfilling a prophecy that had no business being the ethical center of this particular set of characters.

Yes, this is fantasy fiction and Aegon's prophecy or the Azor Ahai prophecy is the purpose of the action in ASoIaF. But It wasn't for the characters of the Dance and despite the bullcrap of "both sides bad", this was part of the point BUT the Dance was a culmination of how a particular flavor of feudal misogyny (Andal-Faith) the Targs assimilated into for their maintenance of power--possibly to fulfil that prophecy and thus perhaps is a story of intentions backfiring through not using one's power towards good or positive systemic change--that lead the Targs/the world into the current events with Dany, Jon, the others and the Others.

Rhaenyra seeks out to negotiate after Alicent's son kills hers? After years of fearing for herself and her sons from Alicent's abuse? Nah.

Her children were more exposed to potential harm in the wake of a war and one was even a fighter. The thing is, in the book, the situation kinda went out of her hands when Aegon refused to surrender after her counterarguments to his terms. Yes, the calling of supporters to show strength might have made the greens back off, but also:

Aemond killed Luke

even before that, Aegon dramatically denied any sort of terms from Rhaenyra when she insisted on being queen and pardoning him and his siblings (but not Alicent or Otto), and Alicent was certainly not going to let Aegon accept such terms even if she and Otto hadn't been listed as those Rhaenyra would kill (she called the council in the 1st place, she was fully oust-Rhaenyra-now, no one had to push her)

and even so, how well could Alicent and Helaena continue to successfully convince Aegon to not attack Rhaenyra (did Rhaenyra even know they would do this, we don't know), we saw through his decision to go to Rook's Rest and what happened there. 🤷🏾‍♀️

[S1] I won't get into Aegon's prophecy as I've done that at least 2x already--how this is just a tool to reinforce Rhaenyra's obligations to fulfill her fathers' flaccid, self contradictory desires about nonviolent non confrontation.

Rhaenyra could have been shown to worry over some specific possibilities and think her children, stepdaughters, included, were at some or great risk:

three were suspected bastards, by the same party who stands to gain the most from such a "reveal"; what will the greens do with them either now or in the future?

her other sons are told they'd be held hostage...in an environment that will likely not care for them and see them as enemies bc they are so "clearly" trueborn?

Rhaena/Baela are more assured by having Corlys as their grandfather...but if they somehow try to force Corlys to make Baela or Rhaena become Lady of Driftmark against Corlys' wishes, the greens'd make enemies of him and Rhaenys. If they seek to lower the chances of Corlys biting back, they could sic the Triarchy against Corls' lands and ships--obviously not good for him and his house. If they marry Rhaena to one of their own, again, enemies and I doubt Daemon would take that lying down anyway, esp when under this constraint where Rhaena basically becomes a hostage. What about if either twin is prevented from accessing dragon eggs for her own hypothetical kids (that could be a move but maybe they'd use some sort of pretext behind another reason as to why they camp out their troops around Dragonstone) and all that plus other stuff shows the greens clearly wish to depower the Velaryons/Corlys....At one point does Rhaenys feel pressured to use her dragon at some point? Baela, too, against Vhagar, Sunfyre, and maybe Tessarion? Another Dance?

Maybe I'm just doomspiraling and talking nonsense just like my version of Rhaenyra could be accused of as if I'm in her shoes. But my point is that the show writers didn't allow Rhaenyra to at least run through those thoughts and scenarios in all its likelihood to generate the tension and provide reason on her side towards either a desire for peace and then suspicion for a "necessary" war.

To allow the greens so much, or really, intend on either giving up the throne or your "birthright" AND complying even with a few of the terms Otto gave out in epi 10 and trying to negotiate with the non-negotiable? Seems like a dumb "plan", not because peace is stupid, but because the people you're dealing with--while they want to make a good image for themselves in their usurpation--they also will never feel secure with you walking around after they've performed the usurpation. Unlike the reverse if they had sat pretty while you come into power

[S2] Rhaenyra points out that she wouldn't have had to kill Aegon, but the usurpation made it a definite thing...this was always the case, that she wouldn't have done it before (sibling relationship, the taboo against kinslaying, image)...

The show here makes it as if that is the only or primary reason why she wouldn't have AT THE CURRENT [S2] POINT. After her brother killed her son, all bets were off, both emotionally AND in the culture they live in. Aemond should have been forever tainted with that kinslayer label, accident or not, the need for time under strikes or not.

So now we have a mother not even list the death of her own son for why she would have to put down her brothers; no, it's only because so her "righteous" rule can prevail.

Ironically, the show's refusal to think of motherhood as compulsory moral duty in of itself that is not weighed by an higher social demonstration towards others in society out of "good will" sets up the claim of juvenility behind the idea of "but my daddy said so". Which was and is itself a claim that Viserys choosing Rhaenyra to rule is insufficient reason for her to pursue the throne and that any questions about how she or how important it was to have a female monarch at least provide that precedent for this particular society was important. Because it points out that the reason of "the last king, my father, named me as heir for going on 20 years and if I were male, this would be good enough...why is this not so now, when I have a younger brother....especially with how incompetent he is?"

Like I mentioned, because Rhaenyra doesn't fight for her kids' lives and is not shown to express why she feels she has to fight for them through an expression like this--as well as her own desire to claim a thing not accredited to a woman--it makes it seem like her remaining motivation has to be petty "this is mine, my daddy said so!" And that protecting her kids is also a "petty" thing.

Thus, their refusal to take sexism all that seriously as the PRIMARY impetus behind the Dance has also affected Alicent & Rhaenyra's sense and how the audience could really validate her desire for the throne or any woman's ambition as well as such a person's right to fear for their kids' lives. the idea that Rhaenyra's kids are even in any sort of danger at all if she doesn't step up is not even considered! Such a sort of Rhaenyra's implied and treated as if she's this absolute self indulgent seeker of power. No, she had her fears for her family.

And where do all these things I think of come from? From the eroded, then ABSENT trust (that really was shown to be there anyway) between the factions for over 20 or so years. There was a point of no return long before Viserys' death, and in the show it was actually episode 5, not 7, when Alicent chose her color green dress. Even so, the show tries multiple times to set up moments where it really feels like they can come back from this (episode 8 feast).

All this would have also added at least that much texture to the gaps of information we have canonically for bk!Rhaenyra, who isn't recorded tp be that participatory in the wartime stuff like strategy and logistics and whatever while not erasing her grief over her kids. No, instead, they could have used this concern and priority to push her towards making principle decisions herself, like the Sowing or part of Daemon's stuff at Harrenhal or at least work with him there. There are several councils in the book where it's not noted who says what for some of the plans Rhaenyra's council makes--not that her saying nay or yeah to some plans wasn't an important task in of itself, but there is a gap she could have filled between Luke's death and the capture of KL/the Red Keep.

HELAENA

Short and easy: They seem to be working Helaena as a device toward quickly emphasizing this "righteousness above kids" thing. Alicent--embodying it herself and thus a representation more than person--is let off an ethics hook and not confronted to take accountability through her daughter's anger and rejection because poor Alicent needed Cole in her bed...ironically a show of more sexism towards Alicent but a digression.

Show!Helanea clearly loved her kids any sort of distance one might have felt is not due to contradictory writing but the circumstantial effect of noble women's relationships with their kids where nannies take care of them AND the show being constrained by the industry's hatred for anything more than 10 episodes each season.

But:

they used her non-bk-compliant-neurodivergence as the carrier for her inability to do as her bk self did and stay to fight more for her kid's life, thus it was a weaker plotline

the moment they had her "forgive" Alicent for whatever Alicent was going to confess to her whan she again made it about her, I knew that this show was devoted towards their weird Alicent-centeredness

Why in the hell is Helaena so forgiving without also showing the depth of her own limits living with such a family that might have lead her into such complacency or feeling of helplessness? It should have also been Helaena just saying that because she knows Alicent likely won't leave her be, because that is one of the very few things that could ever explain why Helaena "forgave" Alicent sexing the man in charge of protecting her and her children and one's head getting brutally sawed off his shoulders.

#asoiaf asks to me #helaena targaryen #rhaenyra targaryen #alicent hightower #alicent's characterization #helaena targaryen's characterization #rhaenyra's characterization #asoiaf parenthood #hotd characterization #hotd critical #hotd comment #asoiaf #hotd #book vs tv comparisons #hotd rant #rant

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thepastisalreadywritten · 8 months ago

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By Simmone Shah

29 February 2024

While Catherine Middleton has been absent from royal duties for two months due to a “planned abdominal surgery,” the British public has been full of speculation about what's going on with their future Queen Consort.

But the royal family has always held a fine line between balancing private health matters with disclosure to the public they serve.

“You could argue that details about a head of state are in the public interest,” says Richard Fitzwilliams, an expert on the royal family.

“But on the other hand, to what extent does a public figure have a right to privacy?”

Catherine's absence fits into a long and evolving history of how royals have chosen to handle health issues.

Past generations often shrouded them in secrecy. Perhaps most famously, in the 1950s, the British public was not told when King George VI had lung cancer.

In 1951, he had his left lung removed because of what was vaguely described as “structural abnormalities," and cancer was not mentioned in his death announcement.

Occasionally, past generations would be more open about less significant problems.

Once in 1982, when Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, had to visit the hospital after nearly choking to death on a fishbone, she issued a statement to the press, joking, “It was only the salmon getting its own back."

“The fishbone is quite revealing because they tended to be more open about minor instances,” says Gareth Russell, a historian and author who focuses on the British royal family.

“Britain was a much more reserved society in the 20th century, and in families across the land and across the social spectrum, cancer or fatal illnesses often weren't discussed.”

Catherine and William’s approach has proved to be starkly different, as they’ve addressed private matters with far more candor.

“Catherine and William are members of a different generation, so they feel no shame in being open about challenges,” says Clare McHugh, a royal historian and author.

Neither Catherine or William have shied away in the past from speaking out about health matters.

Prince William has spoken extensively about the importance of mental health, and Catherine spoke about the difficult morning sickness she faced during her pregnancies.

She also revealed her postpartum baby bump in photos hours after giving birth to her son, Prince George.

In part, it’s a necessary tactic for the internet age in which secrets are much harder to keep.

“I think they do recognize that in order to survive and flourish in a modern era they need to be honest about what is going on with them,” says McHugh.

“It’s better for them to be candid up front rather than let internet rumors fly.”

That they have previously been somewhat transparent only makes their current silence stand out, experts say.

“That’s why William and Catherine’s reticence about what's going on with them is odd,” says McHugh.

As Kathryn Lamontagne, a lecturer in Social Science at Boston University says, sometimes saying nothing causes more of a stir than addressing the problem head on, a lesson the Royal Family learned when Queen Elizabeth II missed parts of a major event in the months before her death.

“For Royal followers, her absence from the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022 was a glaring sign of how unwell she was and a clear indicator of a serious issue on the horizon,” Lamontagne said in an email.

Still, despite her candor in the past, in many ways the Duchess of Cambridge’s silence is simply following tradition.

“This dance between private and public information nudges the line of medical privacy and a public clamoring for details, but it still follows the pattern of giving very few medical details of a certain kind to the public,” says Lamontagne.

“‘Never complain, never explain,’ in the words of the late Queen.”

#Princess of Wales #Catherine Princess of Wales #Catherine Middleton #Kate Middleton #British Royal Family #health issues #abdominal surgery #right to privacy #King George VI #Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother #Prince William #Prince of Wales #Queen Elizabeth II #medical privacy

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thatsmybook · 7 months ago

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Linnéa said that she told Lisa before they made season 3 that, as they were sending these characters off into the rest of their lives, she was interested in who they were going to become as people. They both wanted to delve deeper into who they were.

So it would seem that by putting all five of them through the conflicts and consequences of all their secrets being out in the open, their true characters and how they problem solve would come to the fore. This would then give us an idea of how they would manage and choose to respond to adversity in the future. Their strength of character was tested in the last season, and I would say that all five of them rose to the challenge.

August's I find interesting. He is having to reckon with who he is viewed as by the outside world, and he does not like the legacy he is leaving behind. It's interesting that the first people whose opinions of him he cares about are Wille and Simon. I guess no one likes to be viewed as a shitty person, and hearing Simon's mum shouting that he ruined her son's life must make him realise that he did a really awful thing, even if he doesn't care about Simon as a person. He cares about what that says about him as a person IN FRONT of the Royal Family.

Though Nils and Vincent laugh at his loss of agency and ability to party hard and live a life of Riley, August has never been a 'party prince'. He often sits in the society room at parties and has to put on a smirking mask to be amongst his partying peers. He takes the Society and brotherhood very seriously and doesn't like Wille belittling it and everyone's status at the drinking and drugs party.

But he is eager for his life to mean something. He's an overachiever at school, a natural leader. He remembers important people's names and is good at networking at public events. He is completely at ease in a public role. He is eager to please authority figures and is good at liasing conflict and seeing the bigger picture.

Whether Sara has helped him view his elitism in a different way is maybe still a question. He is more aware when side-eying the class import signifier that Vincent asks him to vote on. He has been made aware and has fully sat in the consequences of his actions. He's been lucky to get away with them, and I think he is taking his second chance seriously. I get the sense that he would take the Crown Prince role very seriously and be one that the Royal Court would love. He would totally uphold the nobility and be duty bound. He has become aware of his eating disorder, been validated that what was done to him in the first year was not okay, and he is more open to talking with a therapist. His future seems quite hopeful. He has, however, lost someone who he truly loved and who loved him for himself. I picture him thinking about Sara whenever he takes Rousseau out for a ride and treats that horse impeccably, the way Sara would have.

#young royals analysis #young royals character analysis #august horn of årnäs #young royals #linnéa roxeheim #lisa ambjörn

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justinspoliticalcorner · 3 months ago

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Parker Molloy at The Present Age:

In recent weeks, Elon Musk's comments about his transgender daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, have reignited debates about gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Musk claimed he was "tricked" into supporting his child's transition and that the "woke mind virus" had effectively killed his “son.” However, Wilson's own words and experiences tell a starkly different story — one that underscores the life-changing benefits of gender-affirming care and the importance of listening to transgender individuals themselves.

Musk's high-profile statements come at a time when several U.S. states and entire countries are pushing to criminalize gender-affirming treatments for minors, and some political commentators are suggesting that adopting anti-transgender stances could be electorally advantageous. Yet these positions fly in the face of established medical consensus and the lived experiences of transgender individuals like Wilson. In this article, I’ll examine why Elon Musk is wrong about his daughter and gender-affirming care, drawing on Wilson's own statements, scientific research, and expert medical opinions. I'll explore how Wilson's story actually provides compelling evidence for the positive outcomes of gender-affirming care, and why political efforts to restrict such care are not only cruel but fundamentally misguided. Ultimately, I'll make the case that medical decisions — whether regarding gender-affirming treatments or other personal health matters, such as abortion — are best left to patients, their doctors, and in the case of minors, their parents, rather than being dictated by government legislation or political expediency.

Vivian Jenna Wilson's Experience: Living Proof of Positive Outcomes

Wilson's story provides a powerful counterpoint to her father's claims. Far from being "killed" by gender-affirming care, Wilson is a 20-year-old college student who has found the strength to speak out against misinformation about her own life. In her first public interview, Wilson directly challenged Musk's narrative. "I think he was under the assumption that I wasn't going to say anything and I would just let this go unchallenged," she stated. "Which I'm not going to do, because if you're going to lie about me, like, blatantly to an audience of millions, I'm not just gonna let that slide."

Wilson's account of her relationship with Musk starkly contrasts with his public statements. She described him as an absent father, stating, "He was there, I want to say, maybe 10% of the time. That's generous." When he was present, Vivian recalls him as "cold," "very quick to anger," and "uncaring and narcissistic." She recounts incidents of Musk berating her for exhibiting feminine traits, including an instance in fourth grade where he "was constantly yelling at me viciously because my voice was too high." Contrary to Musk's claim of being tricked into authorizing her treatment, Wilson asserts that he was fully informed when he consented to her gender-affirming care at age 16. She states, "He was not by any means tricked. He knew the full side effects," explaining that Musk read the medical forms at least twice before signing them.

Her journey also illuminates the typical timeline of gender identity realization and disclosure. She came out twice: first as gay in eighth grade, and then as transgender at 16. This aligns with research showing that many transgender individuals realize their identity years before disclosing it to others, countering notions of sudden or externally influenced gender identity changes. The positive impact of gender-affirming care is evident in Wilson's ability to live authentically. She emphasizes her autonomy and self-determination, stating, "I am an adult. I am 20 years old. I am not a child. My life should be defined by my own choices." This sentiment echoes the goals of gender-affirming care: to allow individuals to live as their true selves and make informed decisions about their bodies and identities.

Wilson's experience also highlights the crucial role of family support. While her relationship with Musk is strained, she speaks positively about her mother's support: "She's very supportive. I love her a lot." This underscores the importance of accepting and affirming parents in the well-being of transgender youth, a factor consistently emphasized in research on outcomes for transgender individuals. Moreover, Wilson's ability to pursue higher education and advocate for herself demonstrates resilience and personal growth. Her willingness to challenge misinformation about her own experiences, even in the face of her father's global platform, shows strength of character and a clear sense of self.

[...]

Science vs. Ideology in Transgender Healthcare Policy

The current political climate surrounding gender-affirming care for transgender youth is fraught with tension, as evidenced by the recent Supreme Court decision to hear a case on state bans of such care. This legal battle represents a broader conflict between scientific consensus and political ideology, with potentially far-reaching consequences for transgender individuals across the United States. As of July 2024, 25 states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors. These laws have been passed despite the fact that such treatments have been available in the United States for over a decade and are endorsed by major medical associations. The disconnect between medical expertise and legislative action is stark and concerning.

In this context, it's particularly troubling to see suggestions like that made in the New York Times's The Morning newsletter. Writer David Leonhardt urged presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris to adopt a position on healthcare for trans minors that would restrict the type of access that Vivian Jenna Wilson received. [...] The Yale white paper discussed earlier directly contradicts Leonhardt's characterization of the European medical consensus. It points out that while some European countries have recently reviewed their policies, there isn't a uniform European medical consensus against gender-affirming care for youth. Many European medical bodies continue to support such care when appropriate. [...]

Embracing Evidence-Based Care and Individual Rights

Throughout this examination of gender-affirming care for transgender youth, several critical themes have emerged. Wilson's personal journey stands as a powerful testament to the positive outcomes of such care. Her ability to live authentically and advocate for herself directly contradicts her father's claims about the harm of these treatments. Importantly, her experience aligns with the broader scientific evidence supporting gender-affirming care. This scientific consensus, as detailed in the Yale white paper and numerous studies, provides a strong foundation for the benefits of gender-affirming care. Improved mental health outcomes, enhanced quality of life, and remarkably low rates of regret are consistently reported. It's no wonder that major medical associations, including the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Endocrine Society, all endorse gender-affirming care based on this robust evidence.

Yet, we've seen how this evidence can be misrepresented. Claims that gender-affirming care is harmful or lacks scientific backing often distort the true scientific consensus. The critique of the Cass Review in the Yale white paper illustrates how selective interpretation of data can lead to misleading conclusions, underscoring the importance of comprehensive and unbiased analysis. The current wave of legislative restrictions on gender-affirming care represents a troubling intrusion of political ideology into medical practice. These laws not only contradict medical expertise but also risk causing significant harm to transgender youth who rely on these treatments for their well-being. Even more concerning are suggestions that political figures should adopt anti-transgender stances for electoral gain, as proposed in the New York Times newsletter. Such proposals prioritize political strategy over the health and rights of a vulnerable population, raising serious ethical concerns.

As we look to the future, it's imperative that we prioritize evidence-based care and individual rights. Medical decisions, whether about gender-affirming care or any other health matter, should remain in the hands of patients, their doctors, and in the case of minors, their parents. Government interference in these personal decisions, especially when it contradicts medical consensus, sets a dangerous precedent that extends beyond transgender healthcare. The upcoming Supreme Court case on state bans of gender-affirming care underscores the national significance of this issue. As this legal battle unfolds, we must continue to amplify the voices and experiences of transgender individuals like Wilson, whose firsthand knowledge of the benefits of this care is invaluable. Musk's statements about his daughter and gender-affirming care not only cause personal hurt but also fly in the face of scientific evidence and the lived experiences of many transgender individuals. The political efforts to criminalize this care are both cruel and misguided, potentially denying life-saving treatments to those who need them most.

Parker Molloy with yet another insightful column on gender-affirming care and Elon Musk’s trans daughter Vivian Jenna Wilson.

#Elon Musk #Vivian Jenna Wilson #Gender Affirming Healthcare #Transgender Health #Transgender #LGBTQ+#Cass Review

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rumbelleshowdown · 5 months ago

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Author: shopgirl

Group: C

Prompts: Siren's song, full moon. Landlord troubles. Challenges.

be still my foolish heart,

don’t ruin this on me

Belle French, independent bookstore owner and all around romance novel aficionado, didn’t hear the chime as she leaned out, reaching for a book on the very top shelf. She reached and she reached and she reached, but just as her fingers closed around the spine of the books, she slipped off the ladder.

She fell, a shriek escaping from her lips, the ground rushing towards her but the impact never came. Instead of hitting the hardwood floor and breaking who knows what bones, she was caught, surrounded by warm, safe strength.

Belle blinked up into the eyes of Mr. Gold, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck. She had barely registered that someone had entered, and let alone crossed the short distance to catch her.

“Oh!” Belle said, “Thank you.”

Mr. Gold seemed just as surprised as she was to have her in his arms. Her eyes dropped to his lips, unable to stop herself. The thought crossed her mind, as it did in their quiet moments together, and in the solitude of her bed, that she wanted to kiss him, quite badly.

He set her down. Belle awkwardly smoothed her skirts and scrambled to pick up his cane, passing it back to him. Their hands brushed as she did so, and she nearly dropped it.

“T-thank you,” Belle repeated, “I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t caught me.”

“Think nothing of it,” said Mr. Gold, looking just as awkward as she felt, “Just be more careful, dearie. We wouldn’t want Storybrooke’s top procurer of the written word to end up with a broken bone.”

Belle picked the books that had fallen when she had.

“And what book were you risking life and limb over?” He asked.

“It’s the newest R. M. Stiltskin novel,” Belle held up the blue book, the cover was an illustrated ocean scape with two mermaids in the distance. “Siren’s Song. It came out last week and it’s been flying off the shelves.”

The author was also a recluse, never appearing in public, which added to the mystery of the novels.

“Hm,” he didn’t sound impressed, “I do not understand everyone’s fascination with those books.”

“Monster romances aren’t for everyone,” said Belle. She set down Siren’s Song, picking up another book. “But their debut novel is my favorite, it has far off places, daring sword fights, and a prince in disguise.”

“Perhaps next time dearie,” said Mr. Gold, “As long as you’re alright, I’ll be heading to my shop.”

“Of course, and thank you again,” Belle stepped forward, taking one of his hands in both of hers, “I mean it.”

Mr. Gold’s expression dropped for a moment, staring at their intertwined hands. He squeezed her hand, before pulling away and slipping out the door with only the briefest backwards glance.

“Mail’s here,” Ruby Lucas said that afternoon, tossing the envelopes onto the front counter.

Belle made her way to the front desk, leaning against it as she shifted through the mail. It was mostly junk mail, but one envelope stood out- handwritten, the address in recognizable swooping cursive.

It was from none other than Cora Mills, the owner of the building Belle’s Books resided in and their landlord. Carefully, Belle opened the letter, eyes flitting across the contents as a feeling of dread filled her.

“Belle?” Neal Cassidy broke through the roaring in her ears, “Are you okay?”

“It’s from Cora Mills. She says she’s selling the building.”

…

“And how was your week?” Rumford asked as he bounced his grandson Henry on his knee.

“It was going great until I learned I might be out of a job soon,” his son Neal said.

“Miss French is planning on downsizing her staff? I thought business was going well.”

“It’s not like that. Belle got a letter today from her landlord saying that the bookstore has to be out by the end of the month unless she can buy the whole brick and mortar building- the landlord wants to sell to a developer who’s going to tear down the block to build a parking lot.”

“That is… most unfortunate.”

“Yeah, but I was thinking, you know what could generate enough money for Belle to stay in business? If R. M. Stiltskin did a first ever in person book signing at Belle’s Books,” said Neal, wearing a pleased with himself grin that Rumford knew Neal had inherited from him.

“Neal,” Rumford began with a sigh.

“Oh come on,” said Neal, “People love your books, they’re bestsellers- even the backlist titles! You’d be her knight in shining armor.”

“Miss French is not a damsel.”

“But she is in distress. Just promise me you’ll think about it.”

Rumford handed the baby back to his son, “I will consider it.”

Neal glanced down at his son, deep in thought, then he added, “She has a crush on you, you know.”

Rumford choked on air, sputtering, “How- I-“

“She hasn’t like, told me or anything, because you’re my dad and that would be weird,” Neal said, “But she’s super into you.”

“That is impossible. Miss French is a very kind young woman taking pity on a lonely old man.”

Neal rolled his eyes, “That’s not remotely true. You should see her on the days you stop in and bring her tea. I wasn’t going to get involved but it’s been three years of watching the two of you pine after each other- it’s getting ridiculous.”

“You do not understand the… challenges, of romantic entanglements at my age, I cannot simply ask Miss French out-“

“Sorry I’m late! I brought pizza!” Neal’s wife Emma Swan called as she let herself in. As Storybrooke’s sheriff, she often worked odd hours, so it was all for the better that Neal worked at the bookshop and could bring their son Henry with him.

She disappeared into the kitchen to set the hot pizza down, then joined them, “You two look like you’re in deep discussion.”

“I finally broke the news to pop that Belle has the hots for him,” said Neal.

“Oh yeah, everyone knows,” Emma nodded.

“Perhaps we should have some of that pizza that you brought before it gets cold,” said Rumford, ending the conversation.

…

Over the past few years, Belle had found so much solace in her book store. She hadn’t known anyone when she’d moved from Australia to Maine, instead focusing on what she loved most, books, to build a life for herself. She’d worked tirelessly to build it up, to make it the thriving shop that it was in Storybrooke and now it felt as if all that work had been for nothing.

She tried to tell herself that she could start again, but it felt so final, and the idea of moving away from the town she’d come to call home made her heart feel as if it would break.

Just as the dark mood threatened to spill over, Belle’s computer dinged with the notification of a new email. She swiped at her eyes, furrowing her brow at the subject line, An Opportunity for Your Shop, and clicked read.

Dear Ms. French,

I represent author R.M. Stiltskin who would be honored if your bookstore would host his very first public appearance as an author and book signing. As compensation to your establishment hosting this event, 100% of the profits made would go to your store, R.M. Stiltskin would wave his usual percentage.

The email continued but Belle could barely read it. It was a miracle, this could save her store. An event like that would generate enough funds for her to buy the building outright, and everything would be right again.

The bell above the door chimed, jerking her from her swirling thoughts. In the doorway stood Mr. Gold, holding two to-go cups from Granny’s. Belle broke into a grin.

“You seem happy this morning,” said Mr. Gold, setting her tea on the counter. Belle had forgotten how the tradition had started, but every Friday, he had begun bringing her tea to sip while they discussed whatever books they were reading and the town gossip. Today, she couldn’t help herself, she came out around the counter, flinging her arms around his neck in a hug.

Mr. Gold stiffened in her embrace, but only for a moment. Then his hand wrapped around her, carefully resting on the small of her back, “And what is this about?”

Belle felt as if she were going to cry from relief, “I’ve just gotten the best news. R.M. Stiltskin wants to hold a book event here!”

“Then perhaps it's him you should be hugging,” said Mr. Gold.

Belle couldn’t help but laugh at that, impulsive pressing a kiss to his cheek, making him blush as she pulled away.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop and talk about Mystery Under the Full Moon today, there’s so much to do to get ready,” said Belle, letting go and stepping away.

Mr. Gold smiled softly, inclining her head, “Of course my dear, take all the time you need.”

“Thank you,” said Belle, “And thank you for the tea.”

…

“Mr. Gold!” Belle said, “I’m so glad you could make it! R. M. Stiltskin is due to arrive any moment.”

He was standing in the back doorway, almost as if he’d appeared there in a puff of silent magic. People had begun to fill up the bookstore hours ago, more than her modest shop had ever held before, and the guest of the hour had yet to show.

“That’s quite a turn out,” he said, nodding towards the front.

Belle nodded, “All for R. M. Stiltskin.”

“Belle-” Mr. Gold began when a dark haired woman pushed past him, offering a hand to her.

“Ms. French I presume, Regina Mills, Gold’s agent. We spoke via email,” Regina had a no nonsense demeanor and a firm handshake. “Never thought I’d be back in Storybrooke of all places.”

“You’re from here?” Belle asked, “Wait… Mills-? Gold’s agent?”

“Yes, mother dearest is the one trying to buy you out,” said Regina with a flip of her hair, “Which is why I was none to happy then to help crush her parking lot dreams when he suggested it. Turns out all he needs is a little vengeance to make his big first appearance. Meanwhile I’ve been trying to get him to go on a book tour for years.”

The words didn’t make sense to Belle. She looked from Regina to Mr. Gold and back to Regina again, “I don’t understand.”

“Miss French,” Mr. Gold said, “I should have told you sooner-”

“You’re R. M. Stiltskin,” said Belle, “This whole time.”

“You didn’t tell her?” Regina demanded, “You said you were friends!”

“A moment, please Ms. Mills,” he said. Rolling her eyes, Regina walked back out into the back alley.

“To be honest,” he began, “I didn’t think you’d believe me.”

“It is pretty unbelievable,” said Belle.

“I began writing after my wife, Neal’s mother, left. The work felt so dark and hopeless, that I enjoyed imagining one full of light and love, one where the monsters could be loved too. R. M. stands for Rumford Malcom,” Rumford Malcom Gold said, “Stiltskin is a pen name.”

“Wait, the dedication in the Siren’s Song,” said Belle, picking up a copy, “To the bookshop owner who saw the man and not the beast- is that really what you think? That you’re a beast?”

He looked away, shrugging, “Well-”

Closing the distance between them, Belle threw her arms around his neck, kissing him. Much like when he’d caught her, he froze for the briefest moment before his arms circled her, kissing her back. Rumford’s mouth was warm against hers as he deepened the kiss, his hand on the small of her back pulling her closer so not even a sliver of light could be seen between their bodies.

#rumbelle showdown #round three fic #author: shopgirl

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saintmeghanmarkle · 6 months ago

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Lady C Tea YouTube 5/23/24 (mini-nuggets paraphrased by me - the Tendonitis Edition) by u/daisybeach23

Lady C Tea YouTube 5/23/24 (mini-nuggets paraphrased by me - the Tendonitis Edition) Greetings from Castle Goring,Lady C says David Sherborne is a very good attorney and making a lot of money from Harry. He was excellent against Rebecca Vardy. Lady C was asked if Sherborne could be sanctioned from the court for taking advantage of a client. She does not think Sherborne has none anything unethical. The legal system was setup by lawyers, for lawyers and not for Justice. However, Justice Vancourt has already recognized that what Sherborne is trying to do is alter politics with the Harry lawsuits. Trying to change the laws to muzzle the press. Let’s see if Harry settles or continues to waste money on these lawsuits.Lady C’s bongo bongo drums tell her the H&M marriage has hit a rough spot but this does not mean they are divorcing anytime soon. Someone who knows H&M well told Lady C their relationship is sadomasochistic. Meghan mostly dominates Harry, but sometimes they flip roles. Meghan’s big role in the relationship is to blame Harry for failing to protect her and failing to keep her safe. And Harry’s main role in life is to blame himself for failing to protect Mummy so he must protect Meghan. Harry tortures himself that he can never be good enough as a husband. As a son. Harry is constantly being lassoed by Meghan. Unless he cuts the rope and frees himself, he will never escape. Lady C does not have hope that Harry will realize he is abused by Meghan.Lady C says the Getty family was not involved in Newsom’s defense of Meghan and Harry. She was told Newsom did this to make the California Attorney General look bad. She does call out that SOMEBODY sought to undermine H&M’s Nigeria trip by leaking Archewell’s delinquency status.This Redditors note: Newsom is termed out as Governor of California and is now a lame duck. I do not know why he would seek to undermine the California Attorney General.Lady C says the Line of Succession is handled by Parliament, not the Royal Family. Children born are automatically entered into the LoS. If something is amiss, it is the role of Parliament to address.Lady C says nobody can control if William chooses to travel via helicopter with his kids. The protocols say the heir and second in line should travel separately, but William does not adhere to this. What is everyone to do with an obstinate Prince of Wales?Lady C says if the Royal Family allowed Meghan’s dubious past to be released into the Public Domian before the wedding, Meghan would have played the race card anyway. And then Meghan would have doubled down on her victim narrative. By the time the Royal Family got all the background info on Meghan, it was too late. Lady C says the rumors surrounding Catherine are preposterous. Americans are mostly perpetuating these rumors. Princess Catherine should be left in peace while she does her treatments. We do not know how grueling this is for her, but we can assume she is deeply challenged at the moment. Toodles Sinners post link: https://ift.tt/TSIzAy9 author: daisybeach23 submitted: May 24, 2024 at 06:29PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit disclaimer: all views + opinions expressed by the author of this post, as well as any comments and reblogs, are solely the author's own; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrator of this Tumblr blog. For entertainment only.

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josefavomjaaga · 1 year ago

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Oudinot jun. about Masséna and Ney in Portugal 1810

These are memoirs by (future general) Victor Oudinot, oldest son of Marshal Oudinot, who accompanied Masséna as aide de camp onto the third expedition into Portugal. I’ve only come across them by accident and found they have some really nice remarks on both the general-in-chief André Masséna and his reluctant subordinate Michel Ney. Among other things, Oudinot jun. says a bit about Masséna’s mistress who caused so much stir among the leading generals:

The Marshal rarely appeared before the troops at the time, and I sometimes took the liberty of pointing out to him that this was a source of grievance against him. "Don't you see," he replied, "how difficult it is to assemble soldiers who, in order to live, are obliged to go marauding all over the place? The sight, moreover, of the privations they suffer and which I am unable to alleviate, would break a soul which needs to remain focused and strong."

To me this does sound a lot like: They’re behaving badly, if I go to them I am obliged to notice that, while I cannot do a thing about it. So I do not go.

Malignity attributed this isolation to another cause. Thiers himself seems to allude to it when he says: "Masséna was indulged in his pleasures." The truth is that in accepting a mission to which he had to devote all his faculties, the Prince of Essling made the mistake of not controlling a penchant that another great captain, the Marshal of Saxony, found impossible to resist. In Portugal, Masséna was accompanied by a woman with whom he had an established relationship. She sometimes followed him on horseback, dressed as a man; moreover, her attitude was very restrained; and, for my part, I never exchanged a word with her, although I was treated by the marshal with paternal benevolence.

A footnote of the editors at this point gives the name of Masséna’s mistress as Henriette Leberton, née Rénique, sister of one of his ADCs and wife of a former subordinate staff officer, and points out that before dating Henriette, Masséna had already for a long time dated her older sister Eugénie, who worked as a dancer at the Paris opera. Seems it all stayed in the family.

Masséna combined an excellent heart with a lively and penetrating mind, from which sprang remarks that were as judicious as they were refined; his conversation was therefore very seductive, but few people enjoyed it in Portugal at the time. He usually had only official relations with the heads of departments. An enemy of pomp and pageantry, simple and even a little careless in his dress, considering expensive horses an unnecessary luxury, he left the command-in-chief without prestige. Malice took advantage of this: it had an ever-bubbling source at the Duke of Elchingen's headquarters.

This is not the first and surely not the last time during this campaign young Oudinot is very critical of the Duc d’Elchingen aka Michel Ney. However – at least that was my reaction on reading his memoirs – whenever there was a point when I wanted to be rightfully annoyed at Ney, Ney always did something either really heroic or really cute that totally blew away my anger. I wonder if Oudinot felt the same.

Like at the end of the campaign, when Ney’s open disobedience leaves Masséna only one choice if he wants to save his own authority: to remove Ney from his command. Masséna after his first defeat was apparently not ready to give up the fight just yet; he wanted to join forces with Soult (apparently ready to drag the latter into Portugal again if need be) and to return to Lisbon in order to challenge Wellington a second time.

Once Masséna's plans had been made public, they gave rise to violent opposition. Reynier, whose corps had been stationed in Extremadura, declared the region completely wrecked. Junot, still recovering from his wound and twice unfortunate in Portugal, did not disguise his reluctance for a third expedition. Ney's pride, above all, rebelled at the idea of remaining submissive to a colleague whose glorious past bothered him. He sent letters to the Prince of Essling containing criticisms and remonstrances unacceptable to the dignity of a commander. Finally, he ended them with a formal refusal to obey and a declaration that he was going to lead the 6th corps to Almeida. Exasperated, Masséna immediately resolved to strip the Duke of Elchingen of his command. Nevertheless, he wanted to give Ney one last chance to repent; he asked Ney in writing if he persisted irrevocably in refusing to accept the authority with which the Emperor had invested him. The response was no less violent than the previous ones. It was no longer possible to avoid the scandal. At 10 o'clock in the evening, the Prince immediately sent aides-de-camp to inform the generals of the 6th corps that Loison, the most senior divisional officer, was to be given exclusive command of this corps. Ney, no doubt thinking of my father, had always shown me a special kindness. This motive gave the general in chief the idea of entrusting me with the painful mission of announcing this decision to the Marshal. When I approached the Duke of Elchingen, he was lying on some straw. I handed him, bursting into tears, the dispatch addressed to him. After reading it quickly, he shook my hand convulsively and throwing his coat on the straw bed: "Sleep here for a few hours, Oudinot," he said. "Tonight I will give you my reply."

His instructions given, he lay down next to me, spread his coat over his bedmate (as he called me) and the next day, at 2 a.m., he charged me with the following letter: "The Emperor having entrusted me with the command of the 6th corps, His Majesty alone has the right to withdraw it from me. I therefore protest again against this new measure. However, if the division generals of the 6th corps obey you, I will go to Spain." Despite his confident countenance, the Duke of Elchingen could not conceal from himself the extent of his wrongdoing […]

And I wonder in how far that played a role in why he wanted to have a bedmate in that moment, after having realized that "oops, this time I really might have gone a little too far..."

#napoleon's marshals #andre massena #michel ney #portugal 1810 #peninsular war

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cherrylng · 6 months ago

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The Resistance Interview [STYLE Series #004 - Muse (August 2010)]

Rock is supposed to be uplifting. It's the kind of thing that makes you feel okay about taking on the world, and I wanted to get that part of me back.

The three members of Muse have never hesitated to take their music to a level of expression that would normally be considered “a little too far,” and have always delivered music that is supremely dramatic, hilariously moving, and never betrays us. What is Matthew's intention for “The Resistance,” a masterpiece that combines the experimental and the popular, the highbrow and the vulgar? Before the album's release, Matthew carefully answered our questions about the background of the lyrics and sound-making of the album.

Muse - Matthew Bellamy - The Resistance / Author: Craig Mclean/ Lucy McGregor / Norbert Pek / ©IFA-Amsterdam, 2010 Translation by Aki Tamura

With their 2006 album “Black Holes and Revelations,” the three members of Muse took a step or two forward from the influences of 90's alternative guitar bands and the dramatic, symphonic production of Queen, and created a unique world where progressive rock experimentation and pop sensibilities coexist beautifully. The three members have created a world that only Muse can create. With their success in the U.S., they became more and more confident and finally started to work on a self-produced album. The fifth album they completed, titled “The Resistance,” is both challenging and dramatic. The lyrics evoke images even more than the previous album, and the sound is larger in scale. The result is a work that combines the richness and dynamism of a stadium live performance with the subtlety and literacy of a literary element.

Here is an interview with Matthew Bellamy about “The Resistance” conducted prior to “A Seaside Rendezvous,” Muse's triumphant outdoor show held on September 4th and 5th, 2009, in their hometown of Teignmouth. The following are Matthew's remarks by theme from the same interview about “The Resistance”.

Matthew Bellamy laughs, “Whenever the electrician here comes over, he always brings a T-shirt and a CD.” 31-year old Matthew James Bellamy has just finished dinner at his mother's house in Plymouth, Devon. The mailbox at his parents' house is full of letters from local fans and school alumni in anticipation of Marilyn (Matthew's mother) telling her celebrity son to give it to him to read. Matthew is back in England for band rehearsals and currently resides in Lake Como, Italy (perhaps Nick Chester is a neighbor?) — he was very happy to be there. Chris Wolstenholme (bassist for Muse) had called about two hours earlier to inform him that after some political wrangling, permission had finally been granted for a two-day triumphant return to the Teignmouth Den, an outdoor venue in this small country town where the band used to frequent. The news was good.

“We had a meeting with the town council today,” Matthew explains. “This is the first time we've ever done a proper show in town. We're very happy to finally get permission to do this. We've never played there before. It's a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere, with not a single venue for a live show. But there was a really cool square by the beach, and as kids we always thought it would be great to play there someday. And that someday is finally here,” he said, his voice rising with emotion.

In order to get permission for the gig, Chris had to go directly to the town council to make the case for the band's position on the occasion of the first public performance of songs from their fifth album, "The Resistance."

"He thought he was the right person for the job, because he's lived here all his life, and neither I nor Dom (Dominic Howard, drummer) live here anymore," Matthew explains. "He did a great job of getting a lot of his local friends and fans together, and he did a really good job of making the case." Does that mean that every single one of Matthew's nostalgic old school friends will be there on the day of the gig?

"No doubt about it," he chuckled. "Shortly after that, three letters arrived at my mum's house, all saying, “Please, can you get us tickets?” I think the venue there can accommodate about 7,000 people, but I guess half of them will be treated as guests." (In fact, one Internet post about the gig even pleaded, “My husband taught at Teignmouth Community College for 34 years and just recently retired��. I would love to get us tickets so that he can see his former students in their finest hour of glory. Could someone please help me?")

Twelve years after leaving town, and fifteen years after forming the band in high school (although the original band name, “Rocket Baby Dolls,” has been abandoned out of embarrassment in the meantime), Muse is finally making a triumphant return to their old hometown. "The Resistance" is arguably the band's most ambitious work to date, and that's saying a lot for a band whose sound is a blend of arena-style rock anthems, epic space rock, and grand futuristic sensibilities.

Some have mocked the band's emphasis on showmanship over songwriting, and have criticized Muse as stuck in a time warp. But fans and most critics agree that they are currently the best live act in the world.

“We've always been interested in the polarity of things. We like to go back and forth between the two extremes. It's a roller coaster journey full of peaks and valleys.”

The mix of classical and progressive hit patterns and uplifting riffs is simply irresistible fun. Recorded for the first time in the band's own studio in Italy without any help from a producer, The Resistance opens with its first single, “Uprising”. Matthew sings of his love of conspiracy theories — "They'll try to, push drugs that keep us all dumbed down/And hope that we will never see the truth around" as his voice chants "Hey!" like a football field chant on every snare. It's the same kind of love that drives the album's title track (“Love is our resistance/They'll keep us apart and they won't stop breaking us down”) and the 80s pop-tinged of “Undisclosed Desires” (“I want to reconcile the violence in your heart”), is a familiar theme in Muse's songs. The glam guitar solo of “MK Ultra” is followed by the smooth piano pop of “I Belong to You (+Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix)” (the latter part of the title is a reference from the opera “Samson and Delilah”). With a romantic piano accompaniment, Matt sings sweetly, “I can't find the words to say/When I'm confused/I've traveled half the world to say /"You are my muse"”…… The song then builds to an epic, choir-driven musical climax. Even more surprisingly, “United States of Eurasia,” reminiscent of Queen's rock opera, rivals “Knights of Cydonia” in terms of sheer scale.

—In “The Resistance,” there is a frequent contrast between “us” and “them.” For example, in “Uprising,” you sing, “They will not force us/They will stop degrading us/They will not control us/We will be victorious.” As a rather wealthy and socially successful young man, who is “us” and who is “them”? Matthew: (laughs) The first one especially, that's a real “us” and “them” song.

—I know you like well-made conspiracy suspense stuff……. Matthew: Yeah, I love all that stuff. But the funny thing is, there are much more gruesome things going on in the real world these days than that stuff. Like the whole damn banks and MPs thing (supposedly alluding to the big scandal that has recently come to light in the UK (2009) where several MPs have been charged for obscure expenses). There is a level of depravity and corruption going on in our government and in our banks that the average citizen would find hard to believe. These two institutions are supposed to be serving us, but it turns out that they have been ripping us off with impunity. This is not a fantasy, this is a very real event, it is not a conspiracy or anything like that. Oh, in a way, I'm expressing my vague disappointment here. The moment I realized that corruption still exists. Maybe that's “them” and “us” is everyone else who has to pay for it.

—Now, are you satisfied with the quality of “The Resistance”? Matthew: Pretty good, yeah. I think we hit the nail on the head with this album. We took a bit of a gamble. We did some things we've never done before. We weren't sure how it would be received, but it seems that most people like it. The order of the songs on this album is pretty much in the same order as we recorded them.

—I was just about to check that out. I mean, the progression of the album is like the unfolding of a movie. There's a lot of action, and then it converges into a big circle. I don't think it's strictly a concept album, but did you have a concept behind the whole thing? Matthew: Yeah, I had some ideas. I had the opportunity to re-read "1984" (George Orwell's novel), and I think everyone knows the content of that book, but this time I wanted to take a look at the background behind the so-called political unrest and problematic elements in that book. I was really drawn to the romantic tragedy part of it. I wanted to give the same kind of feeling to "The Resistance," but with a modern political context. "Uprising" incorporates many events that are currently happening around the world. We recorded the song as we were writing it. As you can hear when you listen to it, we're picking up right where we left off musically with the rhythmic chants of "we're all working together against them" kind of thing. The first two songs on the album are probably what people expect from us. But from there, the album starts to get weirder and weirder.

Picture: The three members at the 35th annual O2 Silver Clef Award presented by Nordoff Robbins, a British charity that provides music therapy to people with illnesses and disabilities, on July 2, 2010. Presenters were Brian May & Roger Taylor of Queen. The charity auction included signed guitars. pic: Dave Hogan/Getty Images

—Perhaps new listeners will respond more directly to the second half of the album. Did you intend to be clear about how you wanted to start and end the album? Matthew: We have always been a band interested in the polarities of things. For example, one person might be singing, and then all of a sudden everyone is singing. It's like a raw solo voice and then all of a sudden it switches to a loud choir……. Something very subtle to very loud, or something loud and flashy to very restrained and subtle all at once. We always like to move back and forth between these extremes, and we are attracted to that kind of thing. Why we are attracted to such things is still a mystery to me. It's like a roller coaster ride of peaks and valleys, where you get your hopes up and then you get dropped with a thud, and so on and so forth. But I think the ending of the album is quite interesting. It's a quiet, understated ending.

—It's different from your usual approach, isn't it? Matthew: No, it's not.

—You will be making your triumphant return to your hometown in a short time, and you already have tour dates lined up for the rest of the year? Matthew: Yeah, it's a tight schedule through the summer. It starts with a gig in Plymouth, then a gig in my hometown, and it goes on and on from there. Most of them are short TV stuff, like the one we just did in the US for MTV. Then we'll do a few in Berlin and Paris as a meet and greet. But the real tour will be with U2. We're going to tour the U.S. with them for a couple of weeks. It's going to be interesting (laughs). Our main tour will start after that. The U2 tour will be a warm-up for us to get back in gear and also to see their shows up close and see how they do it…….

—Do you mean "The Claw" (as U2's ‘360° Tour’ set is nicknamed is a huge steel structure that looks like a claw. It's a four-legged set of steel claw-like frames, 40-60 meters high)? Matthew: “The Claw”, yes, I'm looking forward to seeing that. Our tour will start after that and last until December. We are hoping to play the Big Day Out (an outdoor festival in Australia) if possible.

—Tell us about “United States of Eurasia”. It has a cool Queen-style break and strings that remind me of Led Zeppelin's “Kashmir,” with Muse's signature subtle touch. What criteria do you use to decide if you want to go too far or not? What is “too much” for Muse? Matthew: We are very self conscious as to whether or not we have gone too far. The song “The only one!” (the part of the multi-track with the “Bohemian Rhapsody”-style vocals) can be found at …… I think anyone can't help but pump their fist in the air in a Freddie Mercury pose when they sing that one (laughs). But when we were working in the studio, we were totally aware of that. We thought, "Let's look back at what we've done with the past albums." Not that this is the case with all of our albums, but we've tried a few times in the past to keep the flow from going too melodramatic or extreme. It happened once.

—Really? Because I think Muse has always been melodramatic enough (laughs). Matthew: For this album, we produced it ourselves, so there was no one telling us what to do. So we thought, “Why not? We should have fun and laugh our hearts out!"And that's what we did, and that's how it turned out.

—I'm wondering if your theatrical side is well received in the U.S.A.? To be honest, I have the impression that Muse's popularity there has so far not reached the same level as in the UK, etc……. Is that situation changing already? Are big mouths working to your advantage, or is it the other way around? Matthew: Well, I would say that the tables have turned now. Apparently, people in the U.S. like that stuff more than people in the U.K. In the U.K., there is a kind of saturation of rock music with those elements. Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, etc., have a history of that kind of thing. But I don't think people are sick of it. They're much more interested in what's going on right now. Whereas in the U.S., and maybe even in Australia, that aspect of music exists more as something to be genuinely enjoyed. It's an element that has been missing from rock music in the past 5 or 10 years. The music of the 90's took itself too seriously and became very serious, and sometimes lost all interest. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, but I don't want to forget that rock music is supposed to be fun. Rock music is supposed to be uplifting. It makes you feel like you can take on the world. I wanted to bring that back.

—Another unprecedented change in “The Resistance” is the very frankness of your feelings, especially in the latter half of the album. Is the song “Undisclosed Desires” a direct reflection of your relationship with your girlfriend? You've never written a song that was so public about your private life, have you? Matthew: Yeah, that's something that I've been wondering about for a long time. Personally, I don't like songwriters who bring their “domestic life” into their songs. I get bored listening to them. That song is certainly …… Well, it's not totally domestic, but there's a lot of personal stuff in it. I think that's one of the things I'm testing myself on. I don't know if I'm really ready to bring that kind of element to Muse... But on the other hand, publicly revealing what's going on with my family, my best friend, or my girlfriend in a way that is clearly recognizable is not what I want to do. Of course, I'm sure those things are in the songs, but I try to put them in a different cloak so that they're not obvious at first glance. Sometimes I make them more graphic than they really are, and sometimes I put a melodramatic spin on them, depending on how I use pronouns. Conversely, depending on the context in which it is placed, it is possible to tell a more open story about oneself. Sometimes I really let it all hang out in the lyrics. In the end, you have to cut out your true feelings. It's a strange contradiction, a strange paradox. If I say, “This is a story about me and my girlfriend,” then of course I'm limited in what I can say. But if I put myself in a different scenario, for example, on this album, I can use the dramatic political backdrop to create a romance…… With that kind of setting, I can explore a lot of ideas without having to be so honest.

"Up until now, we had been holding back the flow to prevent it from going too melodramatic."

—To be honest, how well do you think your fans know you? Do you feel any familiarity with them? Matthew: Well, when I think back to when I used to listen to records and go to concerts of various bands, I feel a certain closeness to the bands I follow because I feel like I'm in direct contact with their thoughts and feelings. It's an extraordinary experience for the fans. We throw a lot of stuff at them on stage. Our fans probably know a little bit about me, and maybe that makes them feel like they know me better than someone in my family, and maybe they feel closer to me. But having said that, my family knows a completely different side of me than they do. There are many sides to people, aren't there? I think that when you put that kind of multifaceted humanity into music, you feel an undeniable connection between the sender and the receiver. I feel that when I play. I feel very close to the people who are watching me. I feel great that they are there to see me, and I feel great that they are seeing what we are expressing, which can only be experienced in that moment, in that place. It's really great.

—You performed with an orchestra in the three-part symphony “Exogenesis.” What was it like to hear a song you wrote played in that way? Matthew: I was surprised and extremely nervous (laughs). I thought, "They're going to laugh, they're going to think it's so cheesy and rudimentary." Because they usually spend their time playing masterpieces by really great composers. But it turned out very well, and I really enjoyed the recording process from start to finish. I had the opportunity to work with the entire orchestra, and finally made some last-minute changes to the score to get a better idea of what they were capable of. It was a great experience. It was amazing to hear my own compositions played by so many people. It was an experience like nothing else.

“I re-read 1984 shortly before we started work on the album. I wanted to do something that was more relevant to our time, not something based on a dream.”

—Now, I'm very interested in how you will reproduce the songs from this album live. Maybe with an orchestra in the background? Matthew: I was seriously thinking about doing a live show. But just last week we started rehearsing and realized that Dom, Chris, and I could do our parts surprisingly easily. We have a fourth member who plays with us, Morgan (Nicholls), who plays synthesizer, keyboards, and piano parts as needed. We basically just leave it to him and say, “Take care of this!" So he is in a panic even as I speak, because he has to play all those symphony parts on the keyboards, hahaha. Well, I will probably have to use more samples and electronics than before, but I'd rather play a live version than just reproduce the studio version as is. However, I still don't know if I will play “Exogenesis” live or not, or if I will include it in my regular set. Maybe only at festivals. We want to add a little fun to the show.

[About the lyrics.] —What kind of work did you have in mind for “The Resistance”? Matthew: I had read “1984” once when I was a teenager (Editor's note: A novel by British author George Orwell published in 1949. In Japan, a new translation of “1984” by Kazuhisa Takahashi was published by Hayakawa epi Bunko in 2009 and attracted a great deal of attention.), but at the time it didn't leave me with any particular impression. I happened to have a chance to read it again shortly before I started working on this album. I was watching all the news that was going on in the world right now, such as the economic crisis, the banking crisis, and the embezzlement scandal of a member of the House of Commons (in the U.K.)……. I wanted to make an album that was more closely related to the reality of the times we are living in, and not something based on a dream.

—In the lyrics of “Uprising”, you use the word “they” frequently. For example, there is a line “they want to control us,” but who are these “they”? Matthew: People who listen to the album can interpret the meaning however they like. I know who “they” are in “Uprising,” but the interesting thing is that it can be very different depending on the situation. For example, if you are in the resistance, you may feel that the police are trying to forcefully suppress you. Then “they” would be the police. Or perhaps the protagonist lives in China, where freedom is being taken away by a communist regime. Well, that could be any government. But what strikes me as particularly strong is what is called “corporate fundamentalism.” In other words, the industrial system that rules the world. Power is concentrated in the hands of a handful of large corporations, maybe even the magazine you are writing about is owned by one of them. They own TV stations, and sometimes they control all the natural resources of an entire country. They are so powerful, sometimes more powerful than the government. When I say "they", I mean those people. They are the ones who create economic crises.

—In “The Resistance,” you sound as if you're scared of something. You say you are concerned about whether your secret is safe and that you can't trust anyone. Matthew: I definitely have paranoid schizophrenic tendencies. But anyway, I saw on the news that there is a big scandal in the UK about government spending, and there is a movement against government policy. People have decided not to support the current government anymore. There are wars going on all over the place, and most English people want nothing to do with them. I began to think that this whole situation could be the subject of an album, so I started doing some research. First, I went back to 1984. I was very impressed with the love story in that book. It's a very tragic story. The lyrics of "The Resistance" were very much inspired by the love story in "1984".

—The album closes with the three-part symphony “Exogenesis. It seems that the title was taken from a new theory about the creation of mankind……………… Matthew: The original idea for “Exogenesis” has been around since our third album. The dazzling piano part in part 2 was something I kept messing around with while we were working on “Absolution”. But at the time, it just didn't seem like it would work for a rock band, so I ended up throwing it away, but the song itself was inspired by that theory. The lyrics are minimal. The song is based on a fictional sci-fi movie that I imagined in my head, part one of which follows an end-of-the-world scenario, a nightmarish hellscape where everything comes to an end. In Part 1, a few astronauts are selected and given the mission to take humanity somewhere beyond the cosmos in order to save the species. In part 2, we see them leave Earth with hopes and fears for the future. In Part 3, they arrive on an unknown planet and begin a new evolutionary process. But in the process of evolution, it is revealed that human DNA is moving through the universe in a certain cycle, and this time is no exception. The evolutionary bag is passed down through the generations, transported to various types of stars, and then dropped off. So that's what Part 3 is about.

"Up until now, there have always been some parts where we weren't sure if we were right, but now we have a firm sense of confidence."

[About the sound aspect] —Your previous album “Black Holes and Revelations” had quite a few heavy songs, such as “Take a Bow” and “Knights of Cydonia”. Did you feel like going a little lighter with “The Resistance” in light of that? Matthew: Well, there were songs that were kind of the cornerstone of the album's safety standards, and they became the first and second songs on the album. Those were the first two songs we recorded when we started the recording process, and the first songs we were happy with. They were what you would call standard Muse rock songs. We thought that because we had that song, we could explore other areas. Starting with a rock song, we felt we had to do something different and unusual. As work on the album progressed, we started doing weirder and weirder things. For example, “Undisclosed Desires” is an electronic song where I don't play anything but Chris plays slap (chopper) bass. Then there's “Exogenesis,” which has a classical influence and sounds like a 70's prog song. And we decided to make it a three-part symphony. So, I started out just trying to make a good song, but as I went along, I decided to try something a little more risqué. And each time I tried something new, I got more and more excited, and finally I decided to make a symphony.

—When and at what stage did you first decide to create a classical symphony format? Matthew: I had been playing some of the piano parts on that song for years, but it was never my intention to make it a Muse song. But when I played it to Dom and Chris, they liked it so much that we decided to give it a try. The best thing about this song was that we were able to work on it in our studio. We didn't have any time constraints, we didn't have any restrictions, so we were able to try out all the ideas we had and figure them out.

—Do you have to keep changing things up musically so that you don't get bored? Matthew: I think we are always looking for something exciting, something that will always stimulate us and make us feel like we have discovered something new. There's nothing better in life. Artists are always looking for something. Especially at milestones in one's life and at times of change in the world. When you are faced with these two things, you always want to try something different.

—But didn't you want to play that classical tune part earlier? Matthew: No, I wasn't planning on making it into a song. To me, it was just like a phrase to practice on the piano. I was just playing around with it. I didn't know how to incorporate bass and drums into it, much less guitars and orchestration. It was purely piano solo material. But for this album, I decided to make the piano part into something that could be played with the band.

―It sounds like it's more difficult than a "normal" song, but was it actually difficult to make? Matthew: It wasn't hard for me. Basically, whatever I'm comfortable with is relatively easy to understand. It just takes me a long time to get used to it. When you listen to Middle Eastern or Indian music, it seems very difficult to understand, but for the people who are actually making it, it's very simple. But when you try to explain it in words, it sounds very complicated. They use completely different sounds and scales than we normally use. But for them, it's not difficult at all. The strange thing about this album is that it is the easiest album we have ever made. And by easy, I mean that there was no doubt in our minds. With our previous albums, there was always a part of us that wasn't sure if we were doing the right thing. But now we have solid confidence. I think this is because we are comfortable with the style we have now. It's a pure Muse album, no outsiders, no record company, no management, no producers to impose their opinions. It is purely the work of me, Dom, and Chris.

—Was it difficult for you to record the album on your own? Matthew: People react in many different ways when they are thrown out on their own and told to do as they please. Some people are at a complete loss because they don't know what to do, while others, on the other hand, are motivated by a competitive spirit and work hard. We were pleasantly surprised to find that we were the latter.

—Your band members must have been surprised at times, too. This album contains not only classical music, but also French lyrics and electro-pop. It's quite a variety. Matthew: I don't know, maybe it's just a coincidence that we met in the same town, but we are musically compatible. Chris has always been open to different sounds. Dom is the same way. I think this kind of thing probably has an influence on what kind of town you were born and raised in, or what kind of childhood you had. I don't know. But I think our band has an openness to all kinds of things, and I think that creates an atmosphere that allows us to break away from the norm, even in terms of our feelings.

“When you've been working with an outsider's opinion for so long, it makes you want to re-evaluate what your pure, unadulterated form was like.”

—You have always been open about your influences. For example, on your last album you said you wanted to do something with Prince. Was the opening track “Uprising” on this album inspired by Goldfrapp? Matthew: No, no, no. Glam rock originated back in the 70's, with Gary Glitter and the like. There are definitely elements of glam rock from many different eras in this song. The most recent being the well-known Goldfrapp, who did an electronic version of glam rock. But have you heard of KLF? They have a song called “Doctor Who,” and “Uprising” was inspired by the synthesizer featured in that song (Note: KLF is the house unit of Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty. Matthew's reference to “Doctor Who” is actually “Doctorin' The Tardis,” which was released under the name The Timelords before they called themselves KLF, and is an unauthorized sampling of the theme song from the popular long-running BBC science fiction drama "Doctor Who." (The original song was created in 1963 and has been rearranged several times since then.)). The melody is very similar to “Doctor Who”. It's a combination of influences from Gary Glitter and “Doctor Who” and, yes, maybe a little bit of Goldfrapp. There are a lot of pop artists doing glam rock these days. Britney Spears did it on "Womanizer". However, we wanted to put a guitar in there, so in that sense it was a risky genre.

—Is this the first time you have recorded in Lake Como, Italy? Matthew: We had done the B-side of the single “Man of Mystery,” which was on the cover of NME many years ago. But this is the first time I've done a full album (“The Resistance”). It was also the first time I recorded an entire album from start to finish in the same studio. The only string part was done in a studio in Milan, but that only took two days. All the performances by me, Dom, and Chris were done in the same studio. With our previous albums, we had always moved from one live-in studio to another, so it was great to be able to settle down in one place and work with the acoustics of the room thoroughly.

—You (three) produced the album all by yourselves. This is also a first for Muse. Matthew: We really wanted to try it once, without any outside input, and let ourselves be free to do what we wanted to do. Of course, an objective point of view can be valuable, but after working with outside opinions for so long, we wanted to see what our pure, unadulterated form was like. That was my approach going into this album. I wanted to take a no-holds-barred approach to the music, both in terms of production and songwriting.

—The single “Uprising,” the album's title track, and “United States of Eurasia” are bold, large-scale, highly detailed rock songs, reminiscent of Queen at their peak. Were there any challenges in writing and recording these songs? Matthew: Most of the songs were a challenge in their own way. The first songs we recorded were “Uprising,” “Resistance,” and “MK Ultra,” which we felt were following a style we were familiar with. They all sounded like typical Muse songs. We decided to start there and finish them all at once. Of the three songs, I think “Uprising” was the one I burned through the most. Playing shuffle beats all day long was quite a struggle. It took us a long time to get it right because we weren't used to this style. But once we finished recording those three songs, we felt we had a solid foothold for the backbone of the album, which is the relatively traditional Muse songs. With that feeling, we decided to go out on a limb with the rest of the songs on the album.

—"I Belong to You" is very un-Muse-like, isn't it? Matthew: Yeah, it's much more pop and upbeat. I've never been a big fan of the Beatles, but I definitely see Paul McCartney's influence on that song, from the “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band” era. Or “Pet Sounds” (by the Beach Boys), the sound of the so-called “60s,” when anything was possible when it came to music. I added a bass clarinet solo and it sounded like the theme music for a BBC children's cartoon. We all had a lot of fun. Every time we listened to that song again, it made us all feel good……. On our recent albums, we've tried not to be too heavy in a lot of places, because the older albums tended to be a bit darker overall.

Picture: The two other members of the band, except for Chris, who is now a father of five children, seem to be enjoying the rock 'n' roll life. They have become celebrities in the U.S., but there is no sense of flirtation.

—I also think that for most rock bands, creating a three-part symphony (like “Exogenesis”) would be considered an arrogant and irreverent act of folly. But, if there is a band that can pull it off, Muse is the only band on the scene today that can do it. Matthew: I think there has always been a slight classical element in our music. Over the years, this has become more and more prevalent, especially in concerts, where there are many people who respond favorably to the so-called “epic” songs. I think that gradually we began to think that it would be acceptable to do something a little more elaborate along those lines. However, even in that symphony, we were careful to let the emotion of the music be the star and the driving force. We didn't want to show off our technique or ability. That's why there are no solos for each part or anything like masturbation. I just wanted it to be a soundtrack to a very contemporary movie.

—Speaking of soundtracks, did you have a good experience working on the soundtrack for the Hollywood suspense film “The International”? (Ed. note: The 2009 action suspense film starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts. Matthew is credited for the song titled “The Bank of the Fallen Colossus: End Title.) Matthew: Yes, definitely. I did it more as a chance to get used to orchestral software than anything else. All film composers these days are writing songs using computer software for scores. Instead of writing by hand the old-fashioned way, you just have to type it out like you would type. I learned a lot about the software, and I was able to contribute ideas to the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, which was playing the soundtrack to the film at the time. That gave me a little bit of confidence, because I got to hear a live orchestra play and reproduce the melody, the parts, and the arrangement that I had created. And I started to think, if I can do this, then of course I can do it in Muse. It gave me a lot of confidence.

[About personal life and band] —There was another new scandal recently. It is about a British tabloid newspaper that has been tapping the phones of celebrities. Have you ever been afraid that your phone might be tapped? Matthew: I don't know, I never really thought about that. They are only interested in people whose private lives are intriguing to the general public. They're insanely famous people.. We as a band and as individuals don't expose our personal lives to the public that much. I don't think there is anyone out there who is interested in my personal life. I have no complaints about that.

"We're probably the type of band that's allowed to incorporate more theatrical elements into our gigs than other rock bands."

—What was the reaction of the other members of the band when you first told them you had decided to move to Italy? Matthew: Well, I don't know. But the great thing is that no one really cares when I'm over there. We're so busy touring and recording all the time that when we're on our own, we all disappear like spiders scattering. Some go to Australia, some go to New York, some go to London. In my case, I'm going to Italy. It's not a big deal.

—However, the recording for the last album was done in Italy, close to your home, wasn't it? Matthew: I had to do a lot of extra work on the album, so I asked the other members to come to Italy. It took some convincing, though. But maybe for the next album the studio will be in England.

—The latest R.E.M. album, “Accelerate,” is a very good album. They said they felt like they could be a band again with that album. On the earlier albums, they had been living in different places in the US and rarely played together anymore. Do you feel there is any danger of that? Matthew: We still spend more time with our members than we do with our families. Groups like R.E.M. are much older than us. I think when you get to that age, you don't tour as much for a long time anymore. We tour a lot more now than R.E.M. did. If we stopped touring and slowed down, say, to tour for 6 weeks and then take a few months off, I think it would be difficult. In our case, we spend most of our time together. That's more time than I spend with my girlfriend. We spend most of our time in hotels, on tour buses, in concert halls, or in studios. If that is going to decrease, it will be more important to live in the same place.

[About the live performance] —How is Muse going to get any bigger? Matthew: Well, I don't know if we can get any bigger, but we can get better. That's a fascinating thought. But the scale of our concerts will definitely get bigger. It's not your average rock concert. We're going to take a cue from “1984” and build on that by playing to an audience that surrounds us. It's something more theatrical. It's not opera, but it's as close as you can get.

—Is it like U2's “360° Tour”? Matthew: No, it's different. We have the audience behind us and in front of us. In a way, it's more like a Pink Floyd setting, like being trapped inside a building. It's a message of breaking out of the utilitarian system.

—So you want people to feel the atmosphere of “1984”? Matthew: Exactly. It's going to be exciting.

—Are you looking forward to the three-week U.S. tour with U2? Matthew: I think it's going to be a very simple, no-frills set. We'll be on stage in the daytime, so we won't need any lights. The tour is a great opportunity for us to get back into full-fledged live mode, and it's kind of like a rehabilitation program for us. And we get to see U2 up close and personal at night. I'll get to see how they do it. They are one of the biggest and best live acts in history. Also, it's a lot less pressure to be in the front of the lineup. You don't have to worry about video shoots, performers, and all the other stuff that goes along with being the main act, you just focus on your music. It's the perfect warm-up to get your body acclimated to the live mode.

—Muse is also known as one of the best live bands in the world, isn't it? How do you expect to top your last show in the U.K., where you played to 150,000 people at the renovated Wembley Stadium? Matthew: I try not to think too much about going over. We look at things differently every time. But I'm sure we'll have more of those balloon-dangling-performer gimmicks. We are probably the type of band that is allowed to incorporate more theatrical elements into our gigs than other rock bands. Of course, we'll be playing a selection of new songs from the new album. What we're looking forward to is trying to recreate that symphony live. I don't know if it will work, but it will probably be a Hans Zimmer-style synth version (Ed. note: German composer and synthesizer player famous for his film scores for “The Lion King,” “Gladiator,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” etc.).

#Matt Bellamy #Dom Howard #Chris Wolstenholme #Muse #The Resistance era #my scan #translation #interview #FINALLY done with this!#I've put lots of links to stuff that is worth listening to #seriously just listen to them all #especially Elīna Garanča's rendition of Camille Saint-Saëns' 'Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix'#it's tearfully beautiful #STYLE Series #STYLE Series 004

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