#and isabella knew all of this and just wanted to get edward ii back from eleanor de clare

[heartofstanding]

Hi, sorry to bother you, but would you be able to tell me the names of the historians and documentaries that you were talking about in your post on Isabella of France? I'm looking to do a project on isabella for my history course and I'm looking for all sources and stuff i can.

Hi! In this post, I was talking about Kathryn Warner. She runs a blog on Edward II and has published mountains of books on Edward II's reign and while I think her early biographies of Edward II and Isabella are pretty solid, I think she's become so lost in the weeds that she's started going a bit... crank and started to imitate the historians she once railed against. The historians she rails against the most is Alison Weir (which, fair, Weir's Queen Isabella is very bad and very homophobic) and Paul Doherty's Isabella and the Strange Death of Edward II but the "badass girlboss" take on Isabella can also be found in Helen Castor's She-Wolves (both biography and documentary). There is a Dan Jones documentary that's famously homophobic but I don't think I've heard about his treatment of Isabella. The novels I mentioned were Susan Higginbotham's The Traitor's Wife and Colin Falconer's Isabella: Braveheart of France.

I haven't read it but Lisa Benz St. John's Three Medieval Queens: Queenship and the Crown in Fourteenth-Century England is very highly recommended, focusing on Isabella, Marguerite of France and Philippa of Hainault. Michael Evans' chapter on Isabella in Later Plantagenet and the Wars of the Roses Consorts is a good but brief biographical overview and if you're looking for more studies of Isabella in popular culture, his chapters "Queering Isabella: The ‘She-Wolf of France’ in Film and Television" in Premodern Rulers and Postmodern Viewers and "From “She-Wolf” to “Badass”: Remembering Isabella of France in Modern Culture" in Memoralising Premodern Monarchs will give you a good overview of the cultural representations of Isabella, the latter of which deals most with the "badass girlboss" view of Isabella. They should also give you more sources. Isabella also features heavily in many biographies of Edward II, probably the standard is Seymour Phillips in the Yale Monarchs series.

[blackboar]

I find arguments for Richard's innocence offensive on logical terms. They're using a lot of slippery rhetoric that sounds convincing until you think about it, and I'm annoyed they think so little of other people they expect us to believe it.

Afaik, everyone accepts Isabella had Edward II killed and replaced him with their son. Everyone accepts Henry IV had Richard II killed after replacing him. Everyone accepts Edward IV had Henry VI killed after replacing him. John is believed to have killed his nephew and taken the throne. Some even think Henry I had William II killed to replace him.

What I'm saying is, evidence or not, everyone just assumes any deposed king is automatically killed by the usurper, which is why they fought so hard to keep the throne in the first place. And if you're the usurper, it makes sense you "tie up the loose ends" by removing your predecessor in case they escape and do the same to you and your family.

But even with all those examples, Ricardians act like thinking Richard killed the boys he usurped is completely ridiculous and has no basis in reality, and you shouldn't think it unless you have camera film of him doing it personally! But if you did have a video, but it was a servant killing them, they'd say he was taking orders from Henry VII and everyone was just framing Richard!

They want to say the "usurper's usurper" (Henry VII) was the one who really killed them, but when in history has the 1st usurped king ever been alive to be killed by the replacement's replacement? It'd be like saying Richard II survived all that time and Edward IV really killed him.

I really don't like the way they start with a reasonable point (like we can never be 100% who actually did it, which is true) but if you agree there they act like you agreed your whole belief system is wrong! If you admit they got even one thing right they jump on it as weakness and proves the most crazy ideas are credible. So you can't even give them any credit there, but when you won't budge bc you know what they do, they pretend you're some hate filled lunatic which proves it's all been a conspiracy against Richard and you can't be trusted bc you're part of it.

If you don't have absolute documentary evidence, you're not allowed to believe Richard did it in all probability, and they won't accept a single point you have. But if they get one little thing right (like everyone's names) then you have to accept everything they say!

But look at it from Richard's point of view. He was a kid when he and George were hostages and if Edward IV hadn't become king both of them might have died to wipe out all the male Yorkists. Richard knew that because Edward wasn't killed by Lancaster he came back and got the throne. Then because Edward of Lancaster escaped to France he came back and Henry VI was reinstated. Then as Edward IV got away that time he came back too and killed both of them.

So in Richard's life he saw over and over again that if the rival claimant doesn't die they will come back and try to kill you and your children. So why wouldn't he kill the Princes to protect himself? I hope I don't sound like I'm excusing him, but I just think killing them is the most obvious thing to do.

If we believe this theory that Perkin and Lambert were who they claimed, that just proves deposed heirs will come and fight for their birthright. Like when have they not? When did any royalty/noble cheated out of what was his just shrugged and gone off to live quietly and bothered no one? It never happens! Which in itself proves Richard was "right" in a way to kill them.

Given everything that happened to Richard's own family in his lifetime, why would he let a rival stay alive and spend the rest of his life worrying they might get out and kill him one day like rivals always did, or reappear in his son's reign and kill him? Literally how does he benefit keeping them alive? How can he be the strong, capable ruler Ricardians say he was but leave a time bomb under his house?

I disagree that everybody thinks Edward II and Richard II were killed by their successor. While an overwhelming majority think that for Richard II, there is controversy around who killed Edward II and even if he was killed.

but when in history has the 1st usurped king ever been alive to be killed by the replacement's replacement?

It did happen. Justinian II killed not only Tiberius III but also the one he usurped the byzantine throne from, Leontius. Byzantines are special but it's not impossible to be killed by your usurper's usurper.

If we believe this theory that Perkin and Lambert were who they claimed, that just proves deposed heirs will come and fight for their birthright. Like when have they not? When did any royalty/noble cheated out of what was his just shrugged and gone off to live quietly and bothered no one? It never happens! Which in itself proves Richard was "right" in a way to kill them. Given everything that happened to Richard's own family in his lifetime, why would he let a rival stay alive and spend the rest of his life worrying they might get out and kill him one day like rivals always did, or reappear in his son's reign and kill him? Literally how does he benefit keeping them alive? How can he be the strong, capable ruler Ricardians say he was but leave a time bomb under his house?

Yeah, that's why most people connect the logical dots and think he killed them because otherwise, it doesn't make much sense. I think he probably took his ancestor John for example, because he survived killing his nephew Arthur.

What I hate is those saying, 'They weren't a threat because Parlement proclaimed them bastards, ' which is either an argument made in bad faith or a complete not getting it. In general, I think some of those discussing Richard's guilt do not consider the time's constraints and structures.

[minervacasterly]

Henry VIII & Catherine of Aragon: Once Upon a Time there was a young handsome man who swore he'd marry a beautiful, destitute royal lady ... their story is often glossed over and considered unimportant but it remains an important chapter in English history, one that sowed the seeds for her intellectual successors, her daughter, the first English queen and her successor. Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII are the perfect example of a fairy tale gone bad. Their story starts very idyllic. Boy meets girl, promises he will marry her after his older brother dies and like in the promises that couples still make today at weddings, the swears that he will love her until the death. But as it is common with most fairy tales, there is a darker element in the story, one that makes their relationship even sadder. Recent historians have done a great job documented the early years in their relationship, describing how Henry VIII were well-matched and she was often the go-to- person for foreign ambassadors who wanted to see His Majesty's favor. Henry VIII's disillusion with Catherine is the product of his ancestors' dynastic warfare, going all the way back to the Normans and the Angevins. England had been this close to having its first female monarch when Henry I made all of his barons swear allegiance to his remaining legitimate offspring, Matilda who was quickly married to Geoffrey, Count of Anjou and Maine in an effort to secure the Dynasty for him by providing her father with male heirs. Unfortunately, this was not to be. Matilda fought hard against her cousin, the barons' choice and her father's successor, King Stephen, for the English throne but following his son and wife's death, the two of them had no choice but to accept an uneasy truce in which Matilda gave up her claim in her oldest son, Henry FitzEmpress favor. Fast forward to three hundred years later and the country is yet facing another civil war, this time between two other powerful branches of the Plantagenet dynasty. Once again, it was up to a man to put an end to this war through his mother's claim, also using his wife's claim to give legitimacy to their offspring. Giving all that England had to endure for three hundred years, Henry VIII knew that it was up to him to secure the Tudor Dynasty. And the best way to achieve this was by having a male heir -and if possible, a spare, in case the crown heir died. Henry VIII was after all the "spare" and he knew all too well that there were other potential claimants who could easily take advantage of the succession crisis to garner support in the same fashion his father did. In spite of Catherine's miscarriages, Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon still enjoyed a happy existence with Henry still visiting her chambers in the mid 1520s. After she gave birth to Mary, Henry VIII consoled her and told her that just as they had a healthy daughter, they could have a healthy son. One wonders if Anne Boleyn knew what Henry VIII told Catherine after she had given birth to a healthy daughter since those were almost the same words he told her when she gave birth to another healthy princess. In any case, the first years of their lives were purely idyllic. As Amy Licence, author of In Bed With the Tudors, notes in her biography on the six wives of Henry, Six Wives and the Many Mistresses of Henry VIII: "In 1510, Thomas More wrote a poem which he called 'The twelve properties or Conditions of a Lover'. With the happiness of the newlywed royal couple evident to all, More explored the contemporary ideals of amatory behavior, which included fidelity and devotion as well as the more specific examples of dressing, or adorning, oneself for the pleasure of the spouse, being frequently in their company and coveting the lover's praise. It was also essential to 'believe of his love all things excellent, and to desire that all folks should think the same' and 'to serve his love, nothing thinking of any reward or profit'. This accorded with the advice given to Henry in 1501, by his tutor John Kelton, to 'choose a wife for yourself and always love her only'. With Henry soon to adopt the title of 'Sir Loyal Heart', his devotion to Catherine was beyond doubt. Henry had certainly grown into an impressive young man. According to Thomas More's coronation verses, he had 'strength worthy of his regal person' and stood taller than his companions. There was 'fiery power' in his eyes, Venus in his face and 'such colour in his cheeks as is typical of twin roses'. Yet he possessed other skills, too. He was skilled in the physical arts of war, with 'his hand ... as skilled as his heart is brave' with 'the naked sword, or an eager charge with leveled lances, or an arrow aimed to strike a target'. More also described how Henry's virtue 'shone forth from his face' and his countenance bore 'the open message of a good heart'. Wisdom dwelled in his judicious mind and his breast was untroubled; he bore his lost with modest chastity, his gentle hearth was warmed by clemency and his mind far from arrogant. He and his natural gifts had been enhanced by a 'liberal education', with his father's wisdom and his mother's 'kindly strength'. Henry was also Catherine's intellectual equal, having studied the Classics, French, Latin, Italian, theology, modern sciences and composing music, as well as playing upon the flute, virginals and recorder ... This was the man with whom Catherine fell in love. In all things, he seemed to be her perfect match just as she was his. More's praise for the new queen extolled her birth and qualities as qualifiers that made her Henry's true equal ..." Giles Tremlett, Patrick Williams and Julia Fox in their respective biographies of Catherine, were highly descriptive of Catherine's childhood and her education, pointing out that she and her sisters were among the most learned women in Christendom, with their mother, Queen Isabella I of Castile, wishing they'd receive the education that she never had. In addition to being taught about the usual domestic arts which included how to run a household, they also had a Humanist curriculum which included learning about the classics, art, music, dancing, and of course, canon and civic law. After Henry VIII wrote a powerful spiritual tract against Martin Luther, he was given the title "Defender of the faith"; not wishing to be left behind, Catherine also wrote something, although less incendiary, defending the papacy which also earned her the title of defendress of the faith. When Anne Boleyn, then Henry's intended wife, learned that Catherine had been allowed to speak at the Blackfriars trial, she reprimanded Henry, telling him that he should have known the dangers to let her speak since, she was sure to win every time. Bottom line: Henry VIII was prince charming who knew everything there was to know about sports, Humanism and faith, but when it came to winning an argument, Catherine of Aragon was a far superior at being a drama queen. Other interesting curiosities about Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon: 1. While Henry VIII claimed that he married Catherine to fulfilled a "long lost promise" to his dad because he was such a good son, the truth is that nobody bought it and as I suspect, some of you might not either. The truth is that people expected that Henry VIII, unlike his maternal grandfather, Edward IV, would listen to his councilors and marry whomever they'd tell him to aka someone who brought more to the marriage instead of a former widow but like his grandfather, he showed them that he was going to be his own man, subject to no one but his desires. 2. After Richard III and Anne Neville's joint coronation, Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon were the other glorious coronation that symbolized the coming of something new and hopeful. 3. Catherine of Aragon was the FIRST and only one of two Tudor Consorts to be appointed Regent while her husband was away fighting the French. In spite of Henry VIII's meager victory which he called one of the greatest that had ever been achieved, it was Catherine who won a bigger one and secured his throne from any future threats from his Northern neighbor, Scotland. By defeating James IV, King of Scots, Catherine's leadership, left a power vacuum in Scotland which had terrible repercussions for the Stuarts that lasted until Mary, Queen of Scots and sowed the seed for her terrible fate. 4. The similarities between Henry VIII and his maternal grandfather, Edward IV have long been established, but it is not so often that his relationship with Catherine is also paralleled with that of Edward and Elizabeth Woodville. Just like Elizabeth was a widow and five years and a half older than Edward, so was Catherine, five years and a half older to Henry VIII. History does repeat itself sometimes doesn't it? ;) It's a shame that Catherine and her beloved daughter didn't have a happier ending. 5. In her biography on Isabella I of Castile, Kirstin Downey says that out of all her daughters, Catherine of Aragon was the one who inherited her countenance. And while I am no fan of Feminist Karen Lindsey's short biography on the six wives, she is right when she wrote that had Catherine had been born a boy, Spain would have had one of its greatest Kings. 6. Catherine of Aragon was the first Female Royal Ambassador in Western Europe! While Catherine and her mother were very similar, she could also be as conniving and deceptive as her father. In fact, knowing that there was no other best person he could trust than his youngest daughter at a time when her future seemed uncertain and war was once again brewing in Spain over who'd control Castile, Ferdinand II of Aragon appointed her his Ambassador. 7. She set the stage for other learned women, including Queen Catherine Parr! Like Margaret Beaufort and Elizabeth Woodville's family who sponsored many renowned religious scholars, Catherine sponsored artists and humanists as well but she took a step further, inspiring other women to get an education for themselves and their daughters, one of those women was Maud Parr whose daughter was possibly named in her honor. She became Henry VIII's last wife and the second and last Tudor consort to also be named his regent, once again when he was away fighting the French. In his book on the education of Christian princes and women's intelligence, Juan Luis Vives, dedicated his texts to her, calling her a role model for all women. 8. Defendress of the Faith: As previously stated, besides Henry VIII writing an incendiary tract against Luther in support of the Catholic faith; Catherine also wrote her own defense which earned her the unofficial title of defendress of the faith. 9. Gentle, sweet but strong as her lady mother and pragmatic as her father: Appearances can be VERY deceiving. This is certainly true when it comes to Catherine of Aragon. She appeared sweet and meek on the outside but get into a verbal row with her, you were sure to end up being devoured! Not only that, this was a woman who had been witnessed to her parents' conquest. She was a child when she saw the way her mother inspected her troops and how her father played coy with the politicians, saying one thing but doing another behind their backs. During her regency, after she had received news of King James IV of Scots' demise, she coldly inquired as to why she was not being shown his body. They told her that it would be too much to send his body to His Majesty; something she didn't look too kindly upon. So she had no choice but to settle for his bloody cape, sending it to her husband as "proof" of her victory which she attributed to him. This just shows you that besides being a good politician, she was like her father, tough as nails. And like him, she was subtle but deadly in her letters. When she found out that the pope had not yet reached a decision about her marriage, she told Charles about it and told him to hurry up and exert more pressure on the pope. When -in her view- Charles wasn't doing enough to help her cause, she put pressure on Chapuys and finally on the pope himself, daring to questioning his commitment to the Catholic faith. Talk about audacity! 10. A Woman for all Seasons: Besides being praised by her allies, she was also praised by her religious enemies, including Luther who greatly admired her and like Juan Luis Vives and Thomas More, considered her a good role model for women and was deeply saddened by her death. 11. The longest Tudor marriage: Out of all the Tudor unions, including Henry VIII's parents, it was Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon's union that lasted the longest. Twenty four years! (More if you don't count parliament's ruling) Additional sources: There is one good book that gives a possible explanation into Henry VIII's degeneracy; it is by Kyra Cornelius Kramer and it is called "Blood Will Tell". The first chapters go deep into Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon's relationship, as well as their education. Other books I have found very useful when it comes to this topic are Catherine of Aragon by Garrett Mattingly, Six Wives, the Queens of Henry VIII by David Starkey and Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser.

[yoiotdfics]

Fic Rec List July 2017

R & R (Risk and Ruination)

fishingclocks

Summary:

On the floor by Yuuri’s bed, there is a forlorn little beep, as Yuuri receives his fifteenth unanswered notification of the morning.

One of them from his fiance.

One of them reading ‘YUURI!! TAKE THE DAY OFF!!! YOU’VE BEEN WORKING HARD AND I LOVE YOU BYE’ followed by a copious amount of varying heart emojis.

Going ignored, the screen goes dark.

Of Office Blunders

BunniesofDoom

Summary:

Yuuri accidentally sends a picture to his boss that he really shouldn’t have sent. AU.

“OOC MY ASS!”

preciousbunnynoiz

Summary:

Yuuri secretly writes fanfiction, including Victor Nikiforov/Katsuki Yuuri fanfiction and some asshole keeps telling him he writes too OOC.

Yuuri hates him so much

I’m Pretty Much Fucked

monstersinthecosmos

Summary:

Quick drabble about getting ready to have company over. :)

If you can’t take the heat…

mtothedestiel

Summary:

Stay tuned, coming up next it’s Top Chef: International! Join thirteen chefs from around the globe as they battle it out for glory and prizes in the one and only New York City (and share all their innermost thoughts along the way!) Who will emerge victorious, and who will burn out?? Heartwarming triumphs, devastating eliminations, and even ~forbidden romance~ are all coming your way on this showstopping season of Top Chef!

To Worship and Be Worshipped

Unforth

Summary:

Tumblr ficlet written to the prompt: Yuuri as god/deity of some sort and Victor as a completely besotted worshipper

Déjà Vu

KasumiChou

Summary:

“Are you planning to sleep all day?”

A voice questioned with a soft chuckle. A chuckle that set his heart alight.

Victor lay there for a moment, a feeling of déjà vu overtaking him.

Warning: Major Character Death

Soul Loop

Cherry101

Summary:

It was almost funny, how easily it was to watch the day restart.

At this point… it was even common. Every few weeks, there would be a day that would repeat itself. Once, twice, three times, and then everything would go back to normal.

Otabek knew what it was, but he didn’t know what to do about it.

All The Beauties In His Hands

WinterSky101

Summary:

The wedding of Jean-Jacques Leroy and Isabella Yang is the wedding of the century.

Load Paper Tray 1

esutonia

Summary:

Perhaps, Victor realized, they were all gifted in their own ways. The way that Victor could charm the ancient, malfunctioning Xerox into producing perfect packets was perhaps the same way that Yuuri could print carts of brochures but not once refill the paper trays.

Soulmates/Office AU: Everyone has a little magic in them, but soulmates’ powers complete each other. Soulmates don’t know they’re meant for each other, until they figure out how their powers fit together. Victor and Yuuri work for the same company, and end up together with the help of a particularly old, obnoxious Xerox.

we have at least eleven minutes

spicyyuuri

Summary:

just a quickie between gala performances. no big deal, right?

nsfw victuuri week ♔ day two ♔ clothes

Ache

Val_Creative

Summary:

She misses everything about Minako. Hasetsu isn’t the same — too quiet, too empty of joy and laughter.

rouge my knees and roll my stockings down

alykapedia

Summary:

“It’s just that only whores wear the knot in front,” Yuuri says, stepping in close to breathe in Viktor’s intoxicating scent before peering up at him through lowered lashes and affecting an accent he’s heard during one of his and Phichit’s ill-advised jaunts to Covent Garden. “Did you want me to be your whore, milord?”

(Or: A morning well-spent with Lord Nikiforov and his expensive whore.)

At First Bite

opalish

Summary:

“Phichit,” Yuuri said slowly, noting that the hamsters currently had fangs. Tiny, needle-sharp fangs. “Did you name your hamsters Spikester, Hamsticula, and Edward Cullen II because they actually drink the blood of the innocent?”

“Oh, you caught that?” Phichit asked with a winning smile.

The Track

YuriPirozhki (AceOfSpace)

Summary:

JJ liked to think that one day, he could realise his goal of skating flawlessly to a program and song that he’d put together by himself. That would be the day when he’d be more than just Jean-Jacques Leroy, the son of ice dancing’s power couple. He’d be JJ Leroy: Record breaker, history maker, and one of a kind. He was convinced that his new guitar would help him to get there.

places to go, sights to see

Mayarene Rose (Paradise_of_Mary_Jane)

Summary:

This is what Yuuri knows: There is a giant green monster blob, a man with a blue box, and a planet called Barcelona. Also there’s time travel.

(“Time and Relative Dimension in Space,” the Doctor had proudly explained which made absolutely no sense. But then, nothing in the past hour had made any kind of sense so Yuuri’s willing to go with it.

It’s probably not a dream.  Probably.)

Boof? Boof.

JMonCheri

Summary:

Makkachin tells us on how Viktuuri sexy times go down.

WARNING: EXTREMELY explicit. Don’t read unless you want to nut your intestines out.

Soft Things

airspaniel

Summary:

Yuri dresses up, with a little help.

Always Looking Out for You

TripCreates

Summary:

Mari walks over to the closet to start getting things out. She reaches for a box up on a shelf and she begins to pull it toward her. Once it slides off the edge, some sheets of paper slip off the shelf from underneath the box and drift to the floor. Mari laughs as she sees the familiar Viktor posters land on the floor. “I was wondering where those went.”

~~~ Or Mari helps Yuuri pack up his room as he gets ready to move to St. Petersburg to be with Viktor.

love is blind(folded)

hamartiawrites

Summary:

It’s the day of Viktor and Yuuri’s wedding.

Everything looks perfect. The decorations are perfect, every single visitor looks stunning, and Phichit is certain Yuuri will look absolutely breathtaking when those big doors at the end of the hall open.

There’s just one problem, and unfortunately, it’s a big one.

The groom, Viktor Nikiforov? The five time world champion? The Living Legend? The most decorated men’s figure skater in history?

Yeah, he looks downright ridiculous.

(Or the time where Phichit thought Viktor wanted to hurt Yuuri when all Viktor wanted to do was hurt himself with Yuuri’s beauty.)

My Favorite Shape

thoughtsappear

Summary:

Isabella has never doubted Yuri Plisetsky’s animal magnetism.

Firebird

LavenderProse

Summary:

“It’s almost like a marriage proposal,” Viktoria says, and the thing is—the thing is, if Viktoria wanted it to be, Yuri would make it one. If Viktoria had asked, “Is that a marriage proposal?” Yuri would have unhesitatingly said yes. She would have lowered herself onto a knee before Viktoria in Fukuoka Airport, the officially certified least romantic place in the world, and said Viktoria Konstantinovna Nikiforova, please—please—

(Yuri doesn’t know if Viktoria will stay. She wants her to. She wants her to want to. But she doesn’t want to be the only thing holding Viktoria here. Life for Yuri Katsuki is, as always, Hard.)

Cherry

sophiahelix

Summary:

Now Mila turns to look at her, blue eyes open and bright. She offers the cigarette back, pinched between two fingertips lacquered red as her lips, and quirks a smile, sarcastic and knowing. “You mean you don’t support your brother no matter what?”

“Hmph,” Mari snorts, and takes the cigarette back.

Situation Status: Possibly Awesome

ineptshieldmaid

Summary:

It’s early in the season, his first year competing in the Grand Prix as a senior, and Kenji is in a Situation.

We’ll Always Have Paris

Teuthida

Summary:

Lilia recognized her, of course.

The Struggles of Living with Viktor Nikiforov

Minipandacakes

Summary:

Yuuri had imagined life with Viktor in St. Petersburg as being a perfect blur of snuggles and laughter and kisses. And while he was right, he wasn’t quite prepared for the frustration that comes right along with the happiness when you first make a home with your partner. This one-shot is made up of a trio of short stories I couldn’t resist writing out. Enjoy!~

Blades of a Ballet Dancer

Katrinova

Summary:

When word gets out that Yuuri helped create his record breaking routine Yuri On Ice, the world wants to know if he thinks he could do solo work. Yuuri says no, everyone else disagrees. Obviously, everyone else is a traitor.

Part of Yuuri Week 2017 Day 4- [Theme: On Ice]

Strut For Me

Katrinova

Summary:

“Darling, as your coach and choreographer it is also my job to make sure you get the exposure you deserve!” Or, there were aspects of being a world champion figure skater Yuuri was not prepared for. At all.

Part of Yuuri Week 2017 Day 5- [Theme: Eros]

Tweet tweet - Yuuri Week Day 7

hazelandglasz

Summary:

In which Yuuri should never be left alone with a full bottle of vodka and a fully charged phone

[Player] is Suffering From Thirst. [Player] is Well Again.

counterheist

Summary:

“Tell him you’re a blacksmith, Yuuri, tell him you’re good with your hands.”

“…but I’m not a blacksmith?” Phichit is a blacksmith. Yuuri used to make saddles and gaze longingly at daguerreotypes of men wearing the newest shirt collar designs. Now he gazes longingly at Russian immigrants. Maybe he’ll see Nikiforov wearing a new shirt at the next Fort. Maybe he’ll drown at a river crossing first.

Who’s to say?

Crop Top Distraction

nerdlife4eva

Summary:

When Yuuri, Phichit, Victor, and Yurio take a vacation to an all-inclusive resort, Victor’s and Yurio’s fans begin to monopolize their time. Even though Yuuri is understanding, he easily goes along with Phichit’s plan to regain Victor’s attention. These dorks fall in pools over each other. Yuuri is in a crop top, Phichit is in a crop top. Victor is lucky to be alive.

This is part of YuuriWeek and the amazing art is thanks to my insanely talented friend Magical-Mistral please go give this artist some love and watch for our future collabs!!

not in service

PuggleFiclets (Pugglemuggle)

Summary:

“You know what they say…” Yuri replies. “If you crack the ice once, you better be ready to shatter the whole motherfucking pond.” In a dictatorship dominated by the International Skating Union, Yuri was bound to end up in prison sooner or later. He isn’t planning to stay there, though. No—Yuri’s got bigger plans.

[somethingvicked]

Masquerade of Life

Chapter 1

Claire

My cellphone rang the moment I came into my dorm room. I had just sat through a lecture about Dante Alighieri and what his work had meant to modern poetry, so a bit of distraction was very welcome, making me answer quickly before the caller hung up.

"Hello?"

"Claire?" I heard my father, Charlie Swan ask at the other end of the receiver.

It's my phone dad, who else, I thought to myself as I smiled from hearing from my father "No, chief Swan, you have actually reached Queen Elizabeth II. God bless me!" I exclaimed with my best British accent.

Charlie chuckled but his heart wasn't in it, which I immediately noticed and got tense. Something must be wrong.

"Nice to see one of my daughters still has her humor intact," he muttered making me confused.

"What?" I wondered, silently begging him to explain. So this, whatever it was must be about Bella.

My fraternal twin sister Isabella was currently living with our dad in Forks, Washington while I lived in London, attending Queen Mary's University. It was the first time Bella and I had been separated in our 18-years of life.

Up until a year ago we had both lived with our mom, Renee and then later her husband Phil. Renee and Charlie had met when Renee was only 19 and gotten headfirst into a marriage and then getting pregnant with us only a few months later.

Renee had tried, I guess, but it was no secret she hated Forks. She hated the constant rain, the small town life and only meeting the same people over and over. So when me and Bella were just toddlers she took us and left, divorcing Charlie in the process as he didn't want to leave Forks.

She moved to Phoenix in Arizona and it was not a bad place to live. Always sunny, lots of other children and never boring. I missed my dad lots though, making a habit out of going to Forks and visit him every Christmas and Easter.

Bella did so too during our younger years, but apparently lost interest when we were around 11 years old. She didn't like Forks either, she hated the rain and the coldness. Instead dad had to take a trip to California, booking rooms at a hotel as a compromise for Bella. I didn't like that and I had told Bella many times. Charlie shouldn't have to leave his home just to see his daughters. But Bella only said the rain made her depressed; making her want to curl up in bed and never get up.

The weather in Forks could be depressing, yes, she had a point there. But the fact that she couldn't put up with it for two-three weeks every year just to see our father, her own flesh and blood, made me angry at her and it was a recurring factor in the few arguments we had.

Which had made me even more astonished when Bella had decided to move to Forks last year when I got a letter from England, telling me that I had gotten an early acceptance into the Queen Mary University of London, a school for drama and literature – everything I had ever dreamed of!

Secretly I was also relieved because it would give me the chance to be something else than Bella Swan's sister. I loved Bella, I really did – we had come into this world together, me being just 11 minutes younger than her – we were family. But all my life I had to watch out for her. Even when we were little girls.

For some reason Bella was so utterly clumsy that she managed to trip over daisies and spraining her foot while walking over soft beach sand. And all my life, ever since I was old enough to understand the words it had been "Please watch over your sister, Claire! We don't want her to hurt herself!"

It was no different when we got older either. Renee had always been a bit of an eccentric mom, wanting us to try out as many hobbies as possible. Now, with a child like Bella one would think that she could leave her out of things such as volleyball, ballet and horse riding. But nope. And if Bella came home with a bruised face because the volleyball had hit her in the face I knew what would come: "Why didn't you look after Bella, Claire?" Same if she broke her toes during ballet practice. Or fell of a horse.

Bella didn't like it either – I assume no one would like to hear constant reminders that they need a baby sitter, especially as the oldest sister.

I couldn't resent my mom though. She was one of those eternal children of the world that never really grew up. She didn't know how to handle Bella's constant accidents so she looked to me for handling it.

It was also thanks to Renee that I found two of my biggest passions: Theater and kick boxing. I had joined a drama club at the age of 10 and been a member ever since. It was because of that it got me my early acceptance into the university.

By then Renee had met Phil, a junior league baseball player and married him. He was a bit younger than her but our mother had always seemed younger than her age so they mixed well together. But he had to travel a lot in his work and Renee missed him terribly. She tried to make it seem like no big deal but it was like watching an exotic flower wither in loss of the sun.

I sometimes played with the idea of bringing up moving to Forks for the last two school years, but I always thought better of it because of Bella's attitude to Fork's. Then when my acceptance letter came, Bella suddenly said she would go live with Charlie. Since I wouldn't be home anymore either then mom could travel with Phil.

When saying this she sounded more like someone in court pleading guilty to make a better deal but I kept my mouth shut. Charlie would be really happy to have Bella living with him and Renee would be happy to be with Phil. If Bella wanted to play the martyr and hope it got her into heaven I would let her.

It probably sounded like I resent my sister – I really don't. But even though she's my twin she can be a bit of a whiny brat sometimes. She was responsible in her own way, absolutely, no trouble maker at all. And she and I had silently shared the housework between us for years as it was easier doing so than trusting our mom to remember it. Neither Bella or I had complained about that - so I couldn't say she never helped out around home either.

But Bella shied away from people, not making contact and being socially awkward when I tried introducing some of my friends. I didn't fault her for that though – some people were just like that, introverts. But it was her face of moping and loneliness in the corridors of school that irritated me. One can't both complain about feeling like an outsider and not wanting anything to do with people at the same time.

The way she manipulated the love our dad had for us also made me angry – it always had to be about whether Bella was comfortable or not during our visits, not what Charlie or I wanted.

But when telling her this I always got a sad puppy-dog look and a: "How can you think that about me, Claire?!"

I woke up from my thoughts about my sister when Charlie asked in a high voice: "Claire! Have you even heard a thing I said?"

"Umm … no, sorry, dad. What did you say?"

Charlie sighed. "It's about that boy … Edward. She told you about him, right?"

Yeah, she did. Bella and I didn't talk regularly but we exchanged emails from time to time. I had thought about sending her postcards or letters from London but on a student scholarship I couldn't really afford it.

Bella had told me about this guy, Edward Cullen that she had started to date last year. It was a bit mysterious since Bella had seemed head over heels for him at first. Then, over a weekend she had suddenly broke it off with him, fleeing away from Forks, telling Charlie she didn't want to get stuck like our mother (way to go with hurting dad with just words, Bella!). And then Edward had gone after her and it all ended with Bella tripping down the stairs and crashing into a window, breaking her leg.

I had wanted to come to the hospital but mom had pleaded with me to stay in London. Bella was okay and apparently she didn't want me to come. Thanks for that one, sis.

I always wondered if Edward was the one that had hurt her, making her come back to him and back to Forks. But when I tried to ask Bella about the accident she had blown up at me and said Edward would never harm her, closed our chat window and ignored me for weeks.

Touchy.

Last I heard from Bella had been on our birthday two months ago and then everything seemed fine. In fact she mentioned that Edward's family was going to throw her a birthday party – just for her and them since they knew what Bella thought about birthday celebration. I thought it very sweet of them.

"What about him?" I asked Charlie, pushing my thoughts away again.

"Well … the day after yours and Bella's birthday … he and his family just … left! They left their house, Forks, everything. Edward apparently broke up with Bella and she … I don't know what happened – she didn't come home that night and this guy from La Push found her in the woods, all curled up and … and I don't know what to do, Claire. She's like a shell of her former self. She does everything asked of her but … and she's screaming during the nights. Crying in her sleep like someone's shoved a knife through her. Every freaking night, Claire!"

My father's voice broke and I could feel his pain inside my chest. It must be very bad if he called me.

"That's so awful," I said. "How could they just leave like that? And did that had anything to do with why he and Bella broke up?"

"I don't know," Charlie said. "Bella never told me much about him. I thought him a good kid despite everything. The doctor and his wife are nice people after all."

I sighed again. "Do you want me to come home, dad?"

He mimicked my sigh. "You don't have to Claire, I hope you know that. But honestly … neither I nor Renee know what to do with your sister. Renee thought you might know, with how close you guys have always been … it's okay with me if you don't, but it would also be nice to not be alone in this."

I frowned when he mentioned my mother's thoughts about me and Bella. Renee had always had some kind of mythological thoughts about us since we were twins and twins were supposed to understand everything about each other. I had tried to explain to Renee that is was really just a myth and that we were fraternal twins on top of that – not really closer than regular siblings since we didn't have the exact same DNA like identical twins did.

Me and Bella had been close as children when we really just were everything the other one had but as we grew and developed our own personalities and interests we grew apart from each other. That didn't mean that we didn't care about each other but we were not like Renee thought us.

"I understand, dad," I told Charlie, "Umm … well I have to speak to the university counselors and make a few arrangements. It's almost Christmas and just a few lectures left. I should be able to do them over distance. Then we can try and figure this out over the holiday."

Charlie exhaled in the other end, relief palpable in his tone. "Really? That's great, sweetheart. Thank you. Call me when you've gotten the go from your teachers, I'll book you a ticket home."

"I will daddy. I love you."

"Love you too, sweetie," Charlie mumbled and then hung up.

I tossed my cellphone on the bed in my little dorm room, angrily punching my bookshelf. What the hell had that boy done to Bella?!