#and makes him realize that even though mrs. bennet goes about it all wrong

[halfagony-halfhope]

do i like fics where darcy and mr. bennet become good friends before his marriage to elizabeth? yes. but like, if we are being real, i think it would be really difficult to darcy respect mr. bennet bc of the way he behaves as a husband and father. darcy being someone who takes his duties seriously can’t admit someone ignoring their responsibilities.

[nametoshort]

Far From the Madding Crowd

I have a hot take about classical lit that will have academics everywhere coming for my head, but Thomas Hardy wrote Far From the Madding Crowd from the wrong perspective. Gabriel Oak is fine, but he is predominantly an onlooker on Bathsheba's life, meaning that we miss a lot of narrative insight. Why would she send the letter to Mr Boldwood? According to Gabriel, she thinks it would be a good joke, which is fair enough reasoning, but for all that happens after, I feel like we would gain a lot from knowing her own thoughts during and after. When Elizabeth Bennet rejects Mr Collins's proposal, despite being a sensible choice of marriage, we have it from her perspective, so even though she turned down a good match, we understand completely why she would. Again, with Mr Darcy's first proposal, it is an advantageous match, but we see it all from her perspective, so turning him down makes sense to the reader. With Mr. Boldwood, however, we only really get a retroactive explanation, with his later actions proving her decision right, but almost feels like Hardy is trying to justify it to the reader because marrying Boldwood was very much the sensible choice. I know comparing any novel to Jane Austen is unfair, but at the same time, there is a lot that can be compared to Pride and Prejudice.

To compare, if P&P was told from Mr. Darcy's perspective, I think we would miss a lot of the development, so when Elizabeth accepts his second proposal, it might come across to the reader as if she is accepting as a way of thanking him for saving her family. If we were told the story of Pride and Prejudice from Darcy's perspective, we get a lot of consistency because his feelings for Elizabeth don't change much from the first rejection. If the story was told from his perspective, we would get a lot of insight into his character development from the brash "your family are poor and trash, so marry me" to the final proposal. But the main development comes from Elizabeth's side, especially regarding Darcy, and realizing that she was hanging on to her prejudice against him. Both characters learn a lot, yes, but from a narrative perspective, seeing someone challenge their own prejudice is much more engaging and rewarding than someone shedding their pride. Because we are told the story from Elizabeth's POV, we are certain that she is marrying Darcy because she loves him, not because he saved her family or the fact that he's rich.

I think that's why Far From the Madding Crowd is told from the wrong perspective. Gabriel Oak is consistent (as is shown in his name) in much of his character and his feelings towards Bathsheba. Miss Everdeen, on the other hand (read that in the voice of Donald Sutherland), goes through the most change. In a way, her marrying Gabriel blurs the lines between her realizing that who she wanted was in front of her the whole time and settling for the last man standing because we don't get that internal monologue. When you only see development from the outside, through the perspective of a character who is unchanging, you lose a lot of nuance and don't fully grasp the extent of that change. Because of this, it feels almost as if Bathsheba is settling at the end by marrying Gabriel Oak.

[bethanydelleman]

Sir Thomas as a Parent

We don’t see many good fathers in Austen. Mr. Morland seems to be one (though I don’t think he’s ever on page) he has adequately provided for his children and was engaged in their education. Mr. Musgrove is another, who promotes his daughters’ happiness and isn’t mercenary about it. Mr. Dashwood sounds like he did his best, but he dies (and joins the pantheon of good Jane Austen mothers who are also dead). Then we have Mr. Bennet (checked out, insults his wife and children frequently), General Tilney (verbally abusive, mercenary), Mr. Woodhouse (smothering, enabling, hypochondriac), and Sir Walter (vain idiot).

Sir Thomas is an interesting case. It seems like he actually wants to do the right thing and often even knows what the right thing is: “Sir Thomas, seeing how much she needed encouragement, tried to be all that was conciliating: but he had to work against a most untoward gravity of deportment”, as in, he sees Fanny needs to be comforted but he can’t do it in a way she can appreciate. He is right that Fanny should be raised carefully, but he allows everyone to push this idea way too far and squash her. He is right to offer Maria an “out” from her engagement, but then doesn’t press the matter far enough because of his own ambitions.

Unlike Mr. Bennet, Sir Thomas is active, he even used to test Fanny in English and French, but he also just gets it so wrong. His children hide their true natures from him, he is unaware of how much Mrs. Norris is poisoning his children’s minds, and he doesn’t seem to know what to do with Tom. So I actually do pity him in some ways, because he actually tried. He doesn’t just throw up his hands and give up, he brings Tom with him to Antigua to try and straighten him out.

Sir Thomas’s reasons for wanting Fanny to marry Henry are also complex, I think he does think it’s the best thing for her (and he has no idea what happened during the play) but he also wants to be relieved of the obligation to provide for Fanny. He basically becomes Mrs. Bennet for a while, scheming to get the two together, and pushing her cruelly towards Henry. Sending her to Portsmouth to break her into accepting was awful. 

But in the end, Sir Thomas is redeemed. He realizes that Fanny is the daughter he always wanted, he discovers his errors with his children and he does try to make up for the way Fanny was treated. Mr. Bennet doesn’t have the same arc, he is sorry for a moment about Lydia and then goes right back to making jokes. The rest of the bad fathers don’t learn a darn thing. I like Sir Thomas, despite his faults, because he grows. 

One last note about Sir Thomas: as a member of parliament, he will either have to attend his own daughter’s divorce hearing or sit it out (which would be noted). I can’t even imagine. Would you like to sit in a room of your peers and learn about all the adulterous sex your daughter had? He really does suffer for his mistakes in a way that no other parent in Jane Austen does!

[in-tua-deep]

I would love to see Delores punch the Handler! Your ideas for the pride and prejudice AU are inspired! What role would the rest of the family play in this story? I just love your blog so much!

oh i am very down to detail out this au and make it one big post

SO you have Eudora Patch playing the role of our lovely Elizabeth Bennet, and Diego playing the role of Mr. Darcy, protective idiot who puts his foot in his mouth frequently. Eudora’s parents died when she was little and she was raised by her godparents alongside Dave and Dolores, who she considers her siblings - but Dave is her best friend in the world

Dave is kind of ridiculous and more than a little gay and he’s a soldier home on leave, and when Netherfield is occupied and he goes to the ball he falls head over heels for the biggest dumbass in the known universe, Klaus. So Dave is Jane Bennet and Klaus gets to be Mr. Bingley!!

Then Mr. Bingley has two sister and a brother-in-law in the book so that’s just going to be Allison, Vanya, and Luther hanging around. Allison takes Diego’s side after the absolute disaster that was Vanya falling for Leonard (ew) and agrees to help convince Klaus to leave Netherfield with Diego, so she’s taking the role of Caroline Bingley except less bitchy

So the reason the kids have all returned to Netherfield is because their father just died and they’re dividing up the estate etc. etc. and the reason Ben isn’t there is because he’s up in London dealing with the financial stuff because let’s be real there are two (2) people in the family who have the head for finances and one of them is thirteen (and also I needed a reason for Ben to not be there for the falling in love part because he would yeet Diego and Allison’s attitudes out the window)

and then there’s Five who still lives at Netherfield and is best friends with Dolores but they’re secret friends, or at least they were because now the old man is dead he can associate with whoever the fuck he wants wheyy BUT some of the debate over inheritance is also about who gets custody of Five

which is a long way of saying that Five has a vested interest in trying to get at least one of his siblings to stay in Netherfield so he can continue being bros with Dolores and doing whatever he wants because he doesn’t want to have to move

Dolores?? Sort of gets the younger Bennet sisters roles? Sort of Lydia Bennet because she does run away briefly but YEAH she’s Dave’s little sister and is mute and Five is her best friend and she taught him sign language but honestly half the time it’s like they’re reading one another’s minds anyway?? 

They met when they were younger and Five ran away and Dolores found him and was like ?? well okay and proceeded to smuggle him food and hide him in the shed for a day and a half before he ended up going back because he did miss his siblings but the two decided they had bonded and Five frequently secretly exited the manor to meet up with her and play

Dave knows that Five exists abstractly but just knows him as some kid in town that Dolores plays with so he does not put two and two together until later shenanigans when he realizes his little sister’s best friend is the love of his life’s little brother who can pull some strings

anyway

so Wickham’s role goes to the Handler who ?? tried to kidnap Five or something when he was younger? Or rather, she convinced Five that he wanted to go with her because she pretended to be his friend and Five ended up escaping, which was actually the whole ‘running away’ thing where he met Dolores (except he never told Dolores because that Handler highkey scares him and he’s actually kind of ashamed the Handler tricked him to begin with)

so yes obviously someone the whole family despises but is very manipulative and probably weaves some tragedy for Patch to sympathize with and when Diego sees them associating he’s even ruder to her and there’s that whole misunderstanding going on

So Patch is happy for Dave, who is in love, and then Klaus ends up being convinced to go to London to chill with Ben who is his favourite brother because Diego Doesn’t Trust Like That and Patch gets super pissed off about it because Dave is heartbroken and mooning around sadly and being depressed and how DARE Diego do this to her best friend/brother?? absolute fucker

meanwhile Diego is wrestling with his attraction to Patch and making every single wrong step in the book

Five and Dolores plot in the background and are up to shenanigans which involve trying to set their idiot siblings up in situations where they are forced to interact (Dolores is actually invested while Five is sort of just throwing Dave and Patch at his siblings to see what sticks because he really doesn’t want to have to leave Netherfield and Dolores) while Dolores ALSO tries to figure out The Mystery of The Handler because Five goes super pale when he sees her in town but won’t tell her why and no Patch she doesn’t care that you think the Handler is actually good there’s something weird going on here and she’s going to find it out

I’m not usually one for human Dolores aus but I’m delighted by the idea of this child who loves her pretty dresses and things that glitter but who also learned how to sew just so she could add pockets to all of her pretty dresses so she could put things like frogs in them for when she wants to Do Crime with her bestie. Dolores is 80% of the brains behind the operation while Five is 70% the ‘sneaky little shit who can get into just about anywhere’ part. He was probably the one who taught her how to pick a lock. And no, Dave does not know that Five is teaching his baby sister Crime Skills.

but yes Allison is probably still married to Patrick in this au and is kind of angry/irritated because they fight quite a bit which is probably why she was willing to project some of those bad feelings on Klaus and Dave as well

what even other character are there in Pride and Prejudice idk

Grace exists but she’s the kids stepmother or something and for whatever reason she isn’t actually a part of the inheritance?? She’s just sort of in the background waltzing around fussing over her kids and also reminding Diego to be nicer and is probably the catalyst of Diego realizing what an utter shit he’s been after Patch’s big old “Fuck you I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on the face of the planet and also fuck you again for good measure” speech

Vanya just really wants to be able to play cards in peace and stop being dragged into whatever the fuck is going on now but she 100% takes Klaus’s side when everything is dragged up and is like “C’mon guys for real just let Klaus go back to Netherfield and see what happens, Dave seems really nice. And also fuck you for comparing every person we want to date to my shitty ex, like, we GET it, I made some questionable choices.”

Luther is doing his level best to ignore the family drama going on and actually try and do what they came for which is, you know, dividing up the estate and figuring out custody and etc. etc. but every time he brings things up his siblings blow him off because they’re all too focused on their personal lives and drama and the love stories unfolding and Luther is suffering because it’s like herding cats but somehow worse

Dolores finds out about the Handler and decides she’s ready to throw down and runs off to pick a goddamn fight because how fucking DARE and Patch doesn’t know where she IS and her and Dave are STRESSED and Diego hears about it and ends up going and fetching this child and bringing her back which makes Patch respect him or something idk

but at the end, Dave and Klaus get together and they’re cute as FUCK. Patch and Diego get together and their terrible childish rivalry evolves into a terrible childish romance which evolves into what is sure to become a terrible childish marriage. Allison and Patrick actually speak to each other and sort out some of their issues. Ben comes back into this clusterfuck of a situation like that one pizza fire gif and ends up sorting everyone out while nursing a migraine. Vanya gets some god damn peace and quiet. Luther finally manages to sort out the estates. Dolores and Five get matching best friend necklaces or something because they’re kids and high five the fuck out of one another at the wedding because hell yeah all their plans worked (even though like 90% of their plans backfired, accomplished nothing, or were just hilarious but not actually successful)

and yeah that’s the pride and prejudice au

[fictionadventurer]

For the fandom ask: Psmith/Wodehouse and/or Austen

Wodehouse

the first character i ever fell in love with: For Wodehouse in general, Bertie Wooster. For the Psmith series, Psmith.

a character that i used to love/like, but now do not: I used to adore Jeeves, but as time goes on, I get more and more annoyed by the coldness of some of his manipulations.

a ship that i used to love/like, but now do not: Can’t think of anything.

my ultimate favorite character™: You’re making me choose? Psmith for the Psmith series, Bertie in the Jeeves and Wooster stories, and Lord Emsworth in the Blandings stories.

prettiest character: It feels wrong not to say Psmith. Though I think Eve would be offended by this.

my most hated character: Downing is annoying.

my OTP: Psmith/Eve and Mike/Phyllis

my NOTP: Jeeves/Wooster, Mike/Psmith

favorite episode short story: I remember liking “Uncle Fred Flits By”, even though I can’t remember much of what happens it in.

saddest death: Does anyone die in Wodehouse?

favorite season book: Surprisingly, Mike and Psmith. My last reread gave me a new appreciation for it.

least favorite season book: Of the Wodehouse I’ve read, maybe The Pothunters. Surprisingly enjoyable, but ultimately nothing terribly memorable.

character that everyone else in the fandom loves, but i hate: Not sure there’s a big enough Wodehouse fandom for this question to be applicable.

my ‘you’re piece of trash, but you’re still a fave’ fave: Bat Jarvis is a gangster, but I can’t help liking him. He’s just so bizarre.

my ‘beautiful cinnamon roll who deserves better than this’ fave: Phyllis.  And for that matter, Mike. They should not have needed to rely on Psmithian shenanigans to find happiness. (Of course, we get a great book out of it, but these kids deserve a break).

my ‘this ship is wrong, nasty, and makes me want to cleanse my soul, but i still love it’ ship: Not applicable.

my ‘they’re kind of cute, and i lowkey ship them, but i’m not too invested’ ship:Peavey and Cootes in Leave It to Psmith. They’re kind of cute in a bizarre way, but compared to the other two couples in the book, I’m not really invested.

Austen

the first character i ever fell in love with: Mr. Bennet. I had this idea (brought about by the furor around the ‘05 Pride and Prejudice) that Jane Austen was all about sappy romance. But when Mr. Bennet quipped about his wife nerves being his “constant companion for these last twenty years”, I realized she was writing comedy, and I fell in love with Austen.

a character that i used to love/like, but now do not: I used to like Edmund Bertram much more than I do now. He seems more weak-willed yet more know-it-all than I remember. Of course, this opinion may change if I ever finish my reread.

a ship that i used to love/like, but now do not: I used to like Fanny/Edmund more than I do. I still think they’re way better than Fanny/Henry, but as time goes on, I grow more and more uncomfortable with how Edmund shapes Fanny’s personality.  

my ultimate favorite character™: Anne Elliot. Such strength and selflessness, and I love her arc of gaining more confidence in herself.

prettiest character: Jane Bennet.

my most hated character: Mrs. Norris. Is. Evil. She’s just so insidiously horrible to Fanny.

my OTP: Anne Elliot/Frederick Wentworth. Wentworth’s outgoing, confident nature is such a perfect balance to Anne’s gentler, more cautious personality.

my NOTP: Fanny/Mary

favorite episode unfinished work: If The Watsons had been finished, it might have been my favorite Austen. The main character’s in such an interesting situation, and it seems to have the seriousness of Mansfield Park with the wit of P&P.

saddest death: Mr. Dashwood’s, because of the situation it leaves his family in.

favorite season book: Persuasion. I spent most of February mentally composing essays about its brilliance.

least favorite season book: Sense and Sensibility. Just dull and hard to get through. I’m not sure I’ve ever reread it.

character that everyone else in the fandom loves, but i hate: I still love his character, but I feel major hype backlash toward Mr. Darcy. He’s fine, but he’s not the Best, Most Wonderful, Most Perfect and Romantic Man Ever, and I get tired of all the focus on him.

my ‘you’re piece of trash, but you’re still a fave’ fave: …is it weird to say Captain Wentworth? He’s one of my favorite characters, but it’s partially because of his flaws, which him more complex and realistic.

my ‘beautiful cinnamon roll who deserves better than this’ fave: Fanny Price. She deserves better in the book, and she deserves way more appreciation from fandom.

my ‘this ship is wrong, nasty, and makes me want to cleanse my soul, but i still love it’ ship: I absolutely hate myself for even thinking this, but maybe Fanny/Henry? It’s SUCH a cliché in the Austen fandom, and I don’t agree that Austen should have made them the couple. I think Fanny was 7000% right to kick him to the curb. But in an AU where Henry can become a less horrible person while Fanny still retains her moral strength? It’s kind of interesting.

my ‘they’re kind of cute, and i lowkey ship them, but i’m not too invested’ ship: Harriet Smith and Robert Martin. They’re cute, but my feelings don’t go much beyond that.

[anghraine]

I’ve grumped about it before, but:

I was reading some articles about the significance of the Fitzwilliam references in P&P, which I’ve always found fascinating, but they all assume that Darcy’s family pride comes from the Fitzwilliams. Most scholars do. Most fans do. But this is never stated or even really implied in the novel. 

The Fitzwilliam connection is important, absolutely. But there is literally no point at which anyone attributes his pride solely to his relationship to the Fitzwilliams.

Before anyone knows anything about his connections, Charlotte says:

One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, everything in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud.

Elizabeth, who later explicitly says she knows nothing of his connections, originally thinks:

She hardly knew how to suppose that she could be an object of admiration to so great a man; and yet that he should look at her because he disliked her was still more strange. She could only imagine, however, at last, that she drew his notice because there was a something about her more wrong and reprehensible, according to his ideas of right, than in any other person present.

Mr Gardiner, although familiar with the Fitzwilliam connection by then, echoes her characterization of Darcy’s position in its own right:

“But perhaps he may be a little whimsical in his civilities,” replied her uncle. “Your great men often are.”  

Wickham says:

It has often led him to be liberal and generous,—to give his money freely, to display hospitality, to assist his tenants, and relieve the poor. Family pride, and filial pride, for he is very proud of what his father was, have done this. Not to appear to disgrace his family, to degenerate from the popular qualities, or lose the influence of the Pemberley House, is a powerful motive.

Even Lady Catherine, though predictably prioritizing the Fitzwilliams, persistently treats Darcy’s status as linked to both the Fitzwilliams and Darcys, not her side alone. For instance, when she’s congratulating herself on providing the appropriate retinue for Georgiana, she says:

Miss Darcy, the daughter of Mr Darcy, of Pemberley, and Lady Anne, could not have appeared with propriety in a different manner.

Consummate snob that she is, she sums up the respective roles of the families as:

My daughter and my nephew are formed for each other. They are descended, on the maternal side, from the same noble line; and, on the father’s, from respectable, honourable, and ancient—though untitled—families. Their fortune on both sides is splendid. They are destined for each other by the voice of every member of their respective houses.

i.e., the history and wealth of the de Bourghs and Darcys would be even better if they were titled, but that history and wealth still goes a long way. She doesn’t talk about them as country squires only raised to importance by intermarriage with the Fitzwilliams, but as great families—though inferior to hers—with similar resources and interests. 

As a sidenote, she also complains that a marriage to Elizabeth would be to someone “of inferior birth, of no importance in the world, and wholly unallied to the family!” The last is interesting, because “allied” could mean different things. The most obvious would be that she’s not related to the Fitzwilliams, by blood or (currently) marriage, since “alliance” is a frequent shorthand for “marriage.” 

And that’s possible, given that Darcy and Anne’s familial relationship is a plus in Fitzwilliam terms. But it could also more vaguely mean something like “associated,” personally or politically. That is, it could mean that it’s particularly offensive that Darcy and Anne’s marriage would be impeded by someone whose family has no association with the Fitzwilliam-de Bourgh-Darcys as well as being much lower-status. (If the families share anything like their RL counterparts’ predilections, it would be true.)

Anyway. Going back to the “great man” description that Elizabeth and Mr Gardiner use: that was a fairly widespread way of referring to the upper class of influential, high-status men, as “great lady” was for women (Lady Catherine is repeatedly described this way). It bypassed quibbles around titles and precedence and other signifiers to get straight at what ultimately defined that class: inheritable power and property. Elizabeth doesn’t need to know that Darcy’s uncle is an earl to realize that he belongs to that class. The fact that he has inherited a “very large property” bringing in ten thousand a-year from a long line of previous heirs makes it apparent.

The number is significant. According to G. E. Mingay's English Landed Society in the Eighteenth Century, the propertied classes in the eighteenth century could be essentially divided between great landowners and lesser landowners. In the 1790s, when P&P was written, lesser landowners had incomes ranging from about five hundred to five thousand a-year, depending on their stature (gentlemen without qualifiers: about £500-1000 p/a; squires: £1,000-3,000 p/a; wealthy gentry: £3,000-5,000 p/a). Great landowners formed an aristocracy of families with a) around 10,000 acres of land or more, b) a manor-house, c) a house in town, and d) incomes usually ranging between £5,000 and £50,000 p/a. The average income for that group was £10,000 p/a.

This is Darcy, point-for-point. In eighteenth-century terms, Darcy isn’t a genteel squire who just happens to have a really big income. He’s a great man with the “splendid” fortune you could expect of one. We hear about the house in town. We hear about Pemberley as a “mansion,” old enough that its period is a matter of debate between the Gardiners. We hear that Pemberley comprises multiple estates, with a ten-mile round park that would correspond to well over 10,000 acres. Obviously we hear about that “clear” £10,000 p/a. Austen is careful to lay all of it out.

And none of that has anything to do with the Fitzwilliams.

The sole attribution of Darcy’s elevated position to the Fitzwilliams tends to also undercut one of the most important moments in the book, when Elizabeth tells Lady Catherine that she is Darcy’s equal.

To be clear, her position is far from egalitarian; she’s not his equal because of a common humanity or whatnot, but because of her own birth as a lady. But this is the same woman who thought Darcy so much a great man that she couldn’t even imagine him being interested in her. Her ultimate insistence that any gentleman’s daughter is a social equal to any gentleman is not an objective sociological fact, but a drastic change from her earlier position—when she did not know he was the nephew and grandson of earls.

That’s also around the time that Elizabeth turns out to have felt “offended by the neglect” of Darcy. She couldn’t imagine him being interested in her, but she sure wanted him to be.

And I think that’s important to this later scene. Because the first one is ... uncomfortable. It’s uncomfortable enough at the time, but would be a hell of a lot more when they’re on the point of marriage.

The reversal is particularly important, IMO, because Elizabeth is so eager for a different sort of society than she’s experienced at Longbourn. But Austen is careful to frame it in terms of quality of life, in terms of marrying away rather than up. She really, really does not want Elizabeth looking—or worse, feeling—like a social-climber.

And we don’t want it either. Sure, Mr Bennet talks of her needing a husband she looks up to as a superior. But she doesn’t, personally or socially. She can’t, for a proper resolution. Darcy and Elizabeth’s relationship is about balance. The social gap worked as an obstacle to their marriage, but it can’t be a feature of their marriage.

And—okay, there’s a lot more going on, too. But I think Elizabeth’s reversal with regard to Darcy’s position in society is important. And reducing that position to the Fitzwilliam connection cuts out the reversal altogether.

[butterflieshq]

* ( AMADEUS SERAFINI, 22 , MALE, HE/HIM ) welcome back to the redwoods ( BENNETT RAWLSTON III ) i hope this time goes better for them than last. their friends like to call them the ( LIAR ) but they don’t believe that they behave quite that way. they are know for being ( CHARMING ) and ( PROTECTIVE ) but I doubt that people will over look the fact that the ( TWENTY TWO YEAR OLD  ) is also quite ( PERSUASIVE ) and ( INDEPENDENT ).  i hope they can survive until the morning light *

TW FOR UNDERAGED DRINKING, MENTIONS OF SEX, PREGNANCY AND DEATH UNDER THE CUT! 

BIOGRAPHY :

Coming from a prestigious background, it wasn’t abnormal for one to have a tendency to break the rules from time to time. Whether it be sneaking out of the house, robbing the local gas station, or spray painting the exterior walls of abandoned buildings; anything was possible with the teens in the outskirts of New York.

Bennett Rawlston was no exception to this rule. He was the exact opposite of what his family expected of him. While the Rawlston name was known for their prideful, elegant, sophisticated nature, most people that were in Bennett’s life knew him as being quote the opposite. The boy had a passion for trouble. While his friends would do most of the work, Bennett was always right there following along and of course taking as much of the credit as he could. Cause, honestly, what kind of fun were you if you couldn’t at least pretend to live on the edge of your seat right?

Being a Rawlston wasn’t all fun and games though. While Bennett spent as much time as he could away from home, he still had an image to maintain. His father - Bennett Rawlston II - was a circuitous lawyer, one that had many clients who were usually found guilty on whatever terms he was fighting against. Brown hair mimicked his son’s, but most of his features were the completely opposite. Skin a pale color due to lack of sunshine. Voice gruff and stern, though, quiet most often as he usually wasn’t seen without some documents, a whiskey glass or both in his hands. All were features that could be described by most people in New York City; he was the seventh generation of Rawlston men to maintain the name sake in the city after all. Marina Rawlston - a reserved lady with little to no say about most things in her own life - was  kind. Blonde hair and blue eyes accented her face; the smallest hint of fear cascading in the deep crevices of her eyes for reasons most people - even her family - didn’t understand.

Friday nights were always dedicated to dinner parties, grand meals and many guests gathered around the table, congratulating the family on their next biggest triumph. Being a Rawlston was a whole event within itself, and anyone would be thrilled to be a member of the family. That was, of course, everyone except for Bennett.

The older the male got, the more he desired to cause trouble. His group of friends got smaller, but the schemes among his friends got larger, and Bennett was living for it. It was at the age of thirteen that Bennett met Kaila, the girl he fell head over heels for. She was the complete opposite of him in most ways - her family was no where near rich, which was the only thing that really mattered to him - and she was the life of the party. Even though she was a bit older than him (three years older than him to be exact), that didn’t stop Bennett from pursuing her in any way he possibly could. The two hit it off quickly, and before he knew it things were getting serious, intimate, and Bennett was falling - hard.

Nearly six months into the relationship the crew all gathered for a night just to party. Alcohol - provided from Mr. Rawlston’s liquor cabinet - was the higlight of the night of course. Kaila and Bennett couldn’t keep their hands off of each other, all while the rest of the friend group made fun of them for the amount of PDA they were expressing when Kaila asked Bennett if they could be alone. After being intimate, the girl told Bennett she needed to tell him something. She was pregnant; Bennett was going to be a father at thirteen years of age. How could he have been so careless? There was no way this could happen; they were too young and he had to convince her to do something.

Two weeks after Kaila told Bennett the news, the group of friends were all at an abandoned warehouse, partying just like they’d done many times before. Bennett seemed distant, but the male knew it was just the  nerves of trying to talk to Kaila that was bothering him. Conversation struck and an argument began to spark; the girl was going to go through with the pregnancy. She didn’t care how immature and drunk Bennett seemed to be, she was going to keep this baby, regardless. She didn’t want him to ‘regret it in the morning’. The fight continued and Bennett and Kaila separated, but unlike most of his friends who didn’t care, Bennett was too drunk to try to go home, so instead he slept there, the concrete floor serving as his bed for the night.

Hours turned into days, which turned into weeks of no communication between Bennett and Kaila. The fight had been pretty bad; Bennett wasn’t concerned. That of course, was until rumors started spreading. Kaila had been missing for weeks and no one knew where to find her. Her parents hadn’t seen her since the night of the argument, and Bennett had been too drunk to at least make sure she made it home safely. News stories flooded all the stations with reports of the missing girl, none of which led to anymore evidence that she was found than the one before it. It was all a blur, a crazy stupid nightmare. It had to be.

That was until Kaila’s body was found at the warehouse that Bennett and his friends had been at that night. The coroner explained that fowl play seemed to be involved, and that she’d been there for nearly a month and a half - the timeline adding up to be the night of the argument. Kaila had been murdered, and all signs pointed to Bennett. With his father on his side, Bennett fought to prove his innocence; there was no way that he was going down without a fight. The trial seemed to be never ending, and by the skin of his teeth Bennett was able to get by, the case being ruled as an accident, but the town still pointed their fingers at Bennett even with little evidence he was there. Rumors flew that he pushed her off the ledge and that’s why she was on the bottom of the ground like that. others stated they could be heard arguing about her cheating on him and that’s why he was so angry. Others - some of his friends - say that he acted enraged, but that even they knew that Bennett was innocent. Once his name was cleared and everyone gave the family a second to breathe, the Rawlston’s packed and moved town. A fresh start would do them some good.

As Bennett turned fourteen and the start of a new school year was fresh upon him, he began to create a new life for himself. One where he could do whatever he wanted. Be whoever he wanted. His friend group began to grow as he made himself familiar with the school, and Bennett began to become more thankful for the fresh start; here he didn’t have to maintain a reputation because of his dad. Here, he could be normal. Freshman year was the year that Bennet Rawlston became the person everyone wanted to be friends with. Maybe it was the designer clothes he wore to school everyday. Maybe it was the giving personality he seemed to radiate around the school as he tried to fit in. All he knew was that he loved it.

At the prime of his fourteenth year - and without even realizing it was happening - Bennett (or Benny as his new group of friends liked to call him) was introduced to a girl that would change his life again; Nathlia Scott. Benny and Nat hit it off rather quickly; some even joke it was love at first sight. And while the thought was reassuring, it also scared Benny, more than he cared to admit. Every second of every day was spent with Nat, whether it be together alone or with their group of friends that he’d made here you’d never see one without the other. The two became serious rather quickly, and by the time they both were the age of sixteen, people even joked they were going to get married. Everyone was envious of their love for each other, and while Benny was still terrified from times before him, he was learning more day by day to live in the moment.

While everything for Benny and Nat was pretty much picture perfect, there was a secret that Benny was hiding from everyone in the friend circle, including Nat. He’d been sleeping with her friend for months without anyone knowing. The two of them knew of course, and while Benny knew that it would ruin Nat if she ever found out he just couldn’t stop. There was something so intoxicating about them, about the way that they connected on a more physical level than he ever had with Nat. He loved Nat, probably more than he’d ever loved anyone or anything, however, Benny loved sex just as much, if not more.

Things between Benny and Nat were starting to get distant. With the talk of college, the next big chapter of their lives becoming prime conversation topic for most of Benny’s senior year, things were starting to become stressful. Every conversation felt forced almost, and Benny wanted the freedom he’d felt when he first moved here. That of course all changed when they took the trip that weekend that changed their lives forever.

Benny had fully prepared to talk to Nat about them taking a break, that maybe some time apart would be good for both of them. The night ended up going the opposite as planned though, and Benny never got to talk to her. Between the alcohol, the partying and Benny getting locked in a room with Nat’s friend for the night, things couldn’t possibly go anymore wrong then they already were. Of course, that’s what everyone thought anyways.

That was before Nat went missing; and one of them was the culprit. Which one was it? Which one was at fault? Did someone know about Benny’s secret romance  and this was their way of getting him out of it? Or framing him? But most importantly, what would his friends think if they ever found out the real reason he moved to the Redwoods; and that this wasn’t the first time this had happened to him?

PENNED BY KATELYN !

[thatlongspringnight]

Woohoo~ *throws candies on the air* It's halloween party time, m'lady!! May I request SLBP Lords in Halloween party hosted by Keiji scene! :3 p.s: i'm sure ladies would be curious how they gonna dress up based on their personality! ʕง•ᴥ•ʔง

THE LORDS AT A HALLOWEEN PARTY (College AU Edition)

(OKAY SO THIS ENDED UP BEING A LOT LONGER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. I HOPE YOU LIKE IT.)We all know that Keiji is going to throw a complete rager of a party. Free flowing liquor, lots of food, and wild dancing.We also know that ALL the lords are going to show up, whether they want to or not. In costume and on constant guard. You never know when Keiji is going to swoop in for a kiss. 😉 

Nobunaga: Well, he wouldn’t be called the Devil King if he didn’t come dressed as one, right? Our scarlet devil comes with a snazzy sharp and incredibly expensive tux and a black and red cape. Honestly, it’s a compromise, Nobu didn’t want to dress up but did it begrudgingly for MC. He didn’t want to “Look like a fool in front of men like the Tiger of Kai.” So he’s dressed to the 9’s and ready to party. His MC comes as a demure angel (because yes they are the couple that chose to be the devil/angel combo). Just revealing enough, she looks striking in a clinging white silk dress and wings. He’s sure to be taking that halo of her’s off halfway through the night in one of the many empty rooms wherever Keiji decided to host his party.  

Mitsuhide: He puts a lot of thought into his costume, he really does. Whatever he chooses he’s going to put the most effort into. This year he picks a more traditional costume. Vampire, a classic. Also, oddly enough (and totally not planned) he manages to come dressed closely enough to Nobunaga, that everyone wonders…did they match on purpose? Mitsuhide’s MC dresses like a cat, also a classic, complete with ears and a swishy tail. She spends the night teaching him all the dances to the music they are listening too. He doesn’t drink so she can. They retire from the party early, because he can’t get enough of how good she looks in that cat outfit and wouldn’t you know she has a perfectly shaped hickey the next day…Guess he really took his costume to heart, huh? 

Hideyoshi: What he really wanted to wear was one of those couples’ costumes, like the plug and plug-in. He was firmly denied. So he ends up going to the costume party dressed as a werewolf to his MC’s little red riding hood. Is it cheesy? Yes. Does he love it? Sure. If it means he gets to prowl the entire party and wander behind people and scare them. He’s about it. His MC is less appreciative of his efforts. But she looks killer in her outfit, so she doesn’t mind as much. Hideyoshi of the 1000 lovers does get an earful for flirting too hard with Toshiie’s MC, some things never change. Oh, and he did not manage to avoid Keiji’s kisses. He got a lot of Keiji kisses that night, tongue and all.

Inuchiyo: Everyone knows poor Toshiie is being forced to go as a puppy. With a collar, ears, and everything. Hideyoshi all but dressed him himself when he found out that Toshiie hadn’t gotten a costume yet. So expect lots of pouting, he doesn’t want to be at Keiji’s party anyways, but in his own words, he couldn’t leave his MC alone there with guys like that. Once the party kicks off and he starts drinking, he gets happier and manages to lose his shirt. Not that his MC minds the show (or any of the other people there, really, we all know Toshiie is gorgeous). His MC plays along and also dresses up as a puppy, to lessen the sting. Hideyoshi was more than willing to buy her a more ‘dominating’ outfit so she could ‘show the puppy who his owner was’ but was respectfully and firmly denied. She ends up having to cart his drunk ass home after the party. But he rewards her later for it…and he keeps the collar on. 

Mitsunari: This tsundere does NOT want to go to any stupid, foolish, insipid party. That is…he doesn’t want to go until Hideyoshi invites him. Once that happens, he’s going. He’s going for Hideyoshi, don’t mistake his reasoning for anything else. Nevermind that maybe his MC wanted to go, and maybe she convinced Hideyoshi to put in a good word. Mitsunari leaves the costume decisions to his MC, so they end up going as Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. For most of the party Mitsunari sticks with Hideyoshi, that is until his MC starts chatting with Ieyasu about their shared classes. The moment that happens he has her on the dancefloor, safely away from that ‘golden-haired bastard’. Waltzing to the music doesn’t make sense, but it works. Oh and he’s the one that gets too drunk because of Hideyoshi so his MC spends the rest of the night, once they are home, rubbing his back and comforting him as he vomits.

Ieyasu: Ieyasu goes purely because Nobunaga is going. He doesn’t fight it. Doesn’t make a scene. But he wears that unsettling smile of his the entire time. He also doesn’t “dress up” really. He styles himself more like Phantom of the Opera or Interview with the Vampire while wearing a masquerade mask. He drinks in moderation and listens to what ~everyone~ has to say. He can’t stop himself from his snide comments though and almost manages to get into fights with Mitsunari and Yukimura, although both come to naught. His MC wears a slinky black dress and a mask too (just to match, Ieyasu, jeez) and spends the rest of the night dodging references from 50 shades of grey. Jokes that have Ieyasu pouting and flustered by the end of the night. She’s willing to handle a bit of fussing from him because she knows where it leads, especially when he’s been eyeing her like that all night. Maybe some of those Christian Grey rumors weren’t wrong. 

Yukimura: Talk about being PUMPED for this party. Yukimura is so excited to dress up with his MC and have a good time with all his friends. He dresses up in the soccer uniform of his favorite team and even brings a soccer ball to the party. He and Inuchiyo DO have a drinking match at some point in the evening, for sure. His MC dresses as a nurse, and no not a suggestive nurse. She spends most of the night actually administering first aid at this party. All the people getting drunk and falling keep her busy. Not to mention that her poor boyfriend can’t seem to keep himself from running into things when he gets wasted. That isn’t to say she doesn’t own a sexy nurse costume, she just saves it for after the party, where she can use it on Yukimura. Saizo: Saizo goes because Yukimura wants to go and Saizo’s MC wants to go. So, He guesses he is going. He dresses as a stylized version of himself. So imagine the professor vibe up to 11, complete with glasses. He’s pretty much drop dead gorgeous. He spends most of the party keeping his girlfriend out of the clutches of Keiji and making sure Yukimura and co. stay out of trouble. He is the one to ensure that the people who work for the tiger of kai make it home safe that night. Although no one realizes it. His is a thankless job. His MC dresses like a school girl, plaid skirt, blazer, thigh highs and everything. Mostly to taunt her boyfriend. Keiji thinks she looks precious and is pretty glued to her most the night. When he starts drinking she starts passing him off to unsuspecting people to avoid getting kissed. Although she does give him a peck on the cheek for his efforts, much to Saizo’s chagrin. But then again, he does get to punish her for bad behavior, doesn’t he?

Masamune: He and MC go as pirates! Mostly because it’s a costume where his eyepatch doesn’t stick out so much, so it makes him feel more comfortable. They take the time to handmake their costumes together, because its something they can use to spend time with one another, and his MC is great at sewing. There IS a costume contest and they are the winners, granted their prizes are just Keiji kisses, but still. Masamune drinks and gets a little tipsy, and it is revealed that he is a lot more touchy when drunk, so he spends the rest of the night basically glued to his girlfriend, not that she minds. Shigezane takes lots of embarrassing pictures of the two of them to show them when they sober up. 

Kojuro; “We should dress up as Bontenmaru, MC” “No” Kojuro really does want to dress up as bontenmaru the turtle. But his MC and Shigezane hardcore veto that.  So he ends up going as Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon. Complete with a cape…and a rose…and random declarations. Finally, his MC gets to decide if her teen crush on Tuxedo mask lives up to her man. Her man dressed as Tuxedo mask takes the cake. Kojuro’s MC dresses up as Sailor Moon, duh.  She basically has to. They come in 2nd place to Masamune and his MC for costumes in the contest. Although Kojuro and his MC end up taking the most pictures, especially posing and quoting the show. A bunch of the girls at the party end up taking a sailor senshi style photo with Kojuro’s MC in the middle. It’s a magical night.

Kenshin: Kenshin is too pretty for normal costumes. He goes in traditional clothing, heavily embroidered, and he might be wearing makeup? No one is sure if his ethereal beauty is natural or not. His MC is the group photographer, so she wears normal clothes and just takes pictures. Not that she minds, she prefers it this way. She takes so many stylized shots she considers making them into a book at the end of the night.

Shingen: Shingen 110% shows up to this party in a tiger pint loincloth and cat ears and that is it. He spends the night mostly with Yukimura and Kenshin and ignoring little Nobunaga and his death glare. They can settle their political arguments outside of social time after all. His lady goes as a lion tamer, although he’s no lion, the idea doesn’t go unnoticed. She’s got a whip and everything. He doesn’t mind. He certainly doesn’t mind later on.

Bonus:

Shigezane: He’s had his costume planned since last year. He goes as a referee, he even has a whistle. He uses this to spend the entire night jumping into random situations at the party, blowing the whistle and shouting “PARTY FOUL.”  He even gives people red cards, where is he carrying all those red cards? He also takes part in the Yukimura/Inuchiyo drinking contest. He has a blast. He is the only person to willingly kiss Keiji apart from Kenshin. His MC goes as princess bubblegum from Adventure time. She wanted to do a Disney princess, but couldn’t pick one. Either way, the princess starts a game of captain dickhead and gets most of the other MCs drunk, because she’s so good at holding her liquor. At the end of the night, he gives her a piggyback ride home because he’s a gentleman

. Hotaru: Hotaru has to go because big-brother Saizo is going and so is Kenshin. Obviously. So he and his MC dress up that day after finding out. He goes as a forest spirit. Lots of leaves. The look suites his innocent face. His wide eyes shining under his flower crown. His MC goes as a deer. Her makeup sealing the deal, and she even wears a headband with little antlers. They end up fast friends with Masamune and his MC and end up sort of separating from the wildness of the party to form a smaller, quieter party. At the end of the night, he and his MC go stargazing.

Oichi, Umeko, and Kiku: What, you thought they wouldn’t come? They totally come. Luckily for Kojuro’s MC, they come dressed as other Sailor Senshi! Because those girls are the best. Oichi is Sailor Mars, Umeko is Sailor Venus and Kiku is Mercury.

Now, where is Keiji in all this? Wandering the crowd, drinking, and kissing everyone of course! He comes to his party dressed as Cupid so he can give “shots” of love (actual alcoholic shots, and shots that are just kisses!) It’s a great party and everyone remembers it for one reason or another. It’s a great party, the end.

Tagging: @lady-of-oshu and @han-pan  and anyone else who wants to read this? :3 

[thevalkirias]

Why Pride and Prejudice is the best love story of all time and the deconstruction of love at first sight

Perhaps everybody has heard, read or watched a story about love at first sight. It’s a cliché that always works in movies. The quirky girl, in a hurry to get to a meeting, stumbles on a grumpy man in the middle of the street and he lets all his stuff fall down. Both bend over to gather his things that are on the street and, for a second, only a second, the girl is not in a hurry anymore and the man’s soul is light as a summer day. That’s it, the passion is born. It’s simple, easy, and works almost every time.

Despite its efficiency in fiction, it’s always rather weird to apply this concept in real life -- to believe someone can fall in love without even knowing the other person. I, personally, can’t imagine falling for someone that supports Trump, or that hates Harry Potter. And you can’t identify these things just by looking at someone.

So why do we so easily believe in the concept that love can overcome anything? That’s another weird-ass concept; should love truly overcoming every single obstacle? If I ever fall in love with a misogynist serial killer, please, rescue me from that trap!! There will never be enough attraction to overcome so many differences. And so we go back to love at first sight: even if I fell in love with someone just by looking at them, I think it’s unlikely I’d still be in love after actually getting to know them.

My favorite love stories are the ones in which none of the central characters is interested in one another when they first meet. The “love at first sight” trope (or: a cliché or allegory used in fiction in order to develop characters or plots) is still recurrent in literature, but many books have been trying to subvert this cliché; such as Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell, or The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater. Both are pretty recent examples – Fangirl was released in 2014 and The Raven Cycle started in 2012. Maybe the subversion of love at first sight is a recent phenomenon, but long before any of these books were published, long before these authors were even born, we already had a good example of a love story in which love itself is a construction that takes a lot of time, and its title is Pride and Prejudice, written by Jane Austen.

2017 marked the 200th anniversary of the author’s death and the 204 years that passed since the first publication of the novel which is perhaps the most iconic Jane Austen wrote. Despite being two hundred years old, Pride and Prejudice is one of those timeless stories. It’s a classic.

In Why read the classics Italo Calvino explains that a classic is a book you always re-read; because if it’s a classic everyone already knows the plot, so even if it’s the reader’s first time with that specific book, she’s revisiting it nonetheless. We can say Pride and Prejudice is a classic because it’s a story that everyone knows: girl meets boy, girl hates boy, time goes by and the guy shows himself worthy of the girl’s affection and both declare they love for each other. Happy ending. It’s not by chance that Jane Austen’s story has inspired many modern adaptations, such as the Bridget Jones’ Diary series, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, or even the amazing web series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Pride and Prejudice remains relevant nowadays.

Even though I agree with Italo Calvino, I want to add here another factor that makes Pride and Prejudice a classic: identification. If the characters of the novel were not well developed, so complex that they seem real, a great portion of the strength of the book would not exist. Even more so because in real life people can change their minds, they can turn out wrong and have strong opinions that sometimes lead to mistakes or misjudgments. Being wrong is not necessarily equivalent to being a bad person; actually, those are pretty different things. We are all wrong at some point in our lives – or in many of them. And that’s fine, because we can all realize the mistake, apologize and become better. People can always – and should always – become better, listen to others, empathize and stay away from prejudices. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, the heroes of the story, make mistakes, misjudge each other and others, are prideful and prejudiced, but also regret their mistakes, apologize and become better.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of good fortune, must be in want of a wife. It’s with this sentence that Jane Austen begins her original novel, a quote that has become quite famous in the literary world and is recognized as one of the most memorable first sentences that exist. Reading it here like this, it must sound silly; what if the single wealthy man does not want to get married? Or what if he was gay and is in want of a husband? Nowadays this sentence makes even less sense than it did back then, but this is not what makes it so important: it’s what comes after it.

For those who have read the book or seen the movie, it’s known that the single wealthy man can be either Mr. Darcy or Mr. Bingley. These two are the main male characters that will get married throughout the story. But if we only take Mr. Darcy into account, the truth universally acknowledged does not apply. Maybe the truth is not so truthful, after all. Mr. Darcy is indeed single and has a nice fortune, but we don’t know if he is actually in want of a wife. The sentence “universal truth” is neither “universal” nor “true” because, even though it fits the expectations of the English society at the beginning of the 19th century, Jane Austen knew very well that that’s not the way love stories work. Elizabeth Bennet is not in want of a single wealthy man to marry, and neither is Mr. Darcy looking for such a wife.

Returning to love at first sight: if love depended solely on our first impressions of others, love affairs would be in severe decadency, and if this rule applied to Pride and Prejudice, none of the characters would be married by the end of the story (maybe Jane and Bingley). Elizabeth would remain prideful and Darcy prejudiced, but thankfully second chances exist!

Love at first sight usually comes with the idealization of the loved one. Even though it’s easy to imagine how the other person must be and nurture feelings for this idea, it’s also dangerous. Women’s representation in fiction, even more so in love stories, often comes with the idealization of a perfect woman, a male dream that becomes true. This gives rise to another very common trope: the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, that quirky and beautiful-without-even-trying girl whose only purpose is to help in the development of other characters (usually her significant other). Despite the many studies surrounding this theme, along with the calling out of these flaws, women’s representation in fiction is still in bad shape. Of course, we have to this date many well-developed characters, but there’s still a long way to go. However, two centuries ago, Jane Austen created complex characters, with wants of their own and a critical view of the world.

Elizabeth did not like Darcy when they first met -- or the second time they met, or the third. In fact, she only starts to think positively of him when they really get to know each other – when they talk, apologize for their mistakes and open themselves to each other’s point of view. Elizabeth does not exist solely to make Darcy a better man, nor is the opposite true. Both are equally well-developed and tridimensional characters. It’s almost impossible to read Pride and Prejudice without empathizing or identifying with them.

I think empathy is the main word when it comes to Pride and Prejudice, because it’s only when Darcy and Elizabeth put themselves in each other’s shoes that they are able to get out of their own personal worlds filled with pride and prejudice and start seeing the other with new eyes. And this is also true for Elizabeth and her sister Jane, or her friend Charlotte and her mother; it’s also true for Darcy and the Bennet family, and Darcy and his friend Bingley.

Pride and Prejudice is perhaps the best love story ever because it is about characters that are compatible with the real world, because it believes in second chances, because it depends on empathy, because it shows that it’s possible to make mistakes, regret them and become better and because it shows us that no one is perfect, not even love.

About the author

JÚLIA MEDINA

Júlia studies letters and has studied Russian in college. She has spent way too much time feeling conflicted about being more pop or more cult before she realized that what's truly cool is having fun. Aspiring critic and meme maker, she is just another millenial trying to get over Sirius Black dying. She was born on the same day as Junior from Sandy & Junior and in the same year as Harry Styles (1994) and she considers this to be a victory.

This piece was originally published in Portuguese on March 14th, 2017 as "Por que Orgulho e Preconceito é a melhor história de amor de todos os tempos e a desconstrução do amor à primeira vista". Translated by Anna Viduani.

[coleendalida]

Recently, I am into watching old foreign films which tackels about love and relationship. I have a best six that I really admire, so I decided to write a review about my perceptions on those movies. So yes, here it goes..

• Me Before You. ★★★★★

This was the first time again that I cried for a movie after watching Me Before You. The film can make a person inlove, vulnerable, and be part of the story which I really felt during the time I saw it.

I find the movie pleasing because of its uniqueness – where a girl could develop a strong feeling to a man with disability but definitely love is not just enough for them to stay. Louisa sacrifices a lot just to stop Will on going to Dignitas in Switzerland for assisted suicide but she failed. That was the scene which I cried the most; and the conversation of Louisa and her father which he tells that “You can’t change who people are… You love them.” is also memorable for me. Another doleful scene is when Louisa went on his favorite coffee shop in Paris and read his farewell letter made me very emotional – minutes after I finished watching the film I was still crying and I can’t really stop my tears. Until now, I searched and read the letter of Will because I forgot the content and it has still a big impact in my heart.

• One Day. ★★★★☆

This is another film which made me in tears while watching it since the ending was tragic for the two of them. Actually, I never felt any romantic excitement or “kilig” type of emotion since from the start they treated each other as a besfriend; and Emma hides her feelings for Dex. But, I have so many realizations from this especially about how important to never waste time for non-sense things; and karma is definitely true. I like also the flow of the story, the actors, and definitely the script.

“I love you, Dex, so much. I just don’t like you anymore. I’m sorry.” This is one of my favorite lines from the film because I feel the pain of Emma while she was saying those words to Dexter. I was speechless when I finished watching it since I thought in the end they would live happily but unfortunately Emma died because of an accident. This film is an eye-opener to everyone, specifically for the young adults out there.

• Love, Rosie. ★★★★☆

This is similar to One Day because Rosie and Alex were bestfriends but apparently none of them died in the end. Before they achieved their happy ending, they had been into challenges and struggles. The movie permeates on my heart because I felt different kind of emotions while watching it – I laugh, I feel the romantic feeling, I become doleful, and it gives hope to me.

My favorite scene here is when Rosie found the letter of Alex for her who hide by Greg – “You deserve someone who loves you with every single beat of his heart, someone who thinks about you constantly, someone who spends every minute of every day just wondering what you’re doing, where you are, who you’re with and if you’re okay.”While she was reading this, I thought I was in her place and that letter is for me too since I really felt the love and pain she experienced that time.

From this movie, I became a huge fan of Lily Collins because of her brilliant acting and stunning face.

• Pride & Prejudice. ★★★☆☆

I feel triggered to watch this since I read the book “After” and I decided to view first the trailer before the full movie. The story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy were typical for me – a rich man with full of pride and a canty girl who came into a middle-class family. But, it became my favorite because of the cinematography, characters, and script. I also like the outfit they wore and the old culture of the European side.

The thing I admire in this film was it not just only focuses to Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy – Jane and Mr. Bingley, Lydia and Mr. Wickham, and Charlotte and Mr. Lucas love story was also shown on the film. Though, they have different stories but their will for marriages are the similarities of the four couples. There are two reasons why the characters of this film wanted to get married: first, the romantic feeling of being inlove; and second is the benefit they’ll get even they don’t feel any affection which mostly happened in this generation.

I have three favorite scenes here, first is when Charlotte answered Elizabeth for her reason about marrying Mr. Collins even she doesn’t love the man. Second, is the rainy scene where Mr. Darcy confesses his feelings for Elizabeth. And third, the famous scene on the top of the hill where both of them finally admitted there love for each other and Mr. Darcy said to Elizabeth, “You have bewitched me body and soul, and I love.. I love.. I love you. And wish from this day forth never to be parted from you.” From then, the story of the two also captured my heart.

• 500 Days of Summer. ★★★★☆

This is the movie I wanted to watch since before because of its good reviews to the viewers. As I finished watching it, I can say that it is really a great film though it’s kind of confusing for those who wouldn’t be observant since it is a nonlinear narrative. I never had the chance to watch the trailer so I don’t have any idea of the flow of the film; and I thought it is similar on The Fault in our Stars because of its title but apparently, I was wrong.

It became close to my heart because I’d been into that kind of situation, so I understand Summer’s decision. Aside from this, I love all the scenes especially when Summer told to Tom that she got married because she felt sure about her husband and something she wasn’t with Tom.

You cannot just only feel different kinds of emotion in this movie but you will definitely learn a lot of things.

• The Vow. ★★★☆☆

A Channing Tatum film! I have a big crush on him so I literally experienced the romantic feeling while watching the movie. I still admire the whole story, even I cannot understand some of the words of Leo – I think he was too fast and there was something on his accent that I can’t explain.

I was really affected by their acting and the script is so gorgeous so it becomes one of my favorite romantic films. You cannot miss any scene from it because it was all breath-taking from the start until the end. I feel also pity to Leo while watching it – I just want to grab and hug him coz’ he doesn’t deserve to be treated like that. But, I understand also Peige point of view since she can’t remember anything. The thing here is, even you lose your memories, your passion and one you love will forever stay in your heart.

[the-lupine-sojourner]

I’m rewatching the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie and may or may not be conjuring a LotR AU for Eomer and my OC Rowena O’Niell. 

Basically, my OC is Elizabeth Bennet and Eomer is Mr. Darcy.

I haven’t figured all of it out yet, but the basics is this: 

Faramir: Mr. Bingley

Eowyn: a combination of Georgiana and Jane Bennet, really, since she becomes close friends with Rowena after meeting her when Elizabeth met Georgiana in the movie, but is in fact still Eomer’s sister.

Grima (maybe): Mr. Wickam, cus that would explain why Eomer hates him. And Grima seems like the scheming, gold-digging type. Plus, he was trying to seduce Eowyn in LotR, so...

Kinda Lady Katherine: Theoden, but at Edoras/Meduseld instead of his own estate like Lady Katherine. His health is starting to fail him, though, and he relies more heavily on his heir, Theodred, who’s seen injured in the line of duty as a soldier and has never fully, recovered, leaving his health on a knife’s edge.

(A less annoying version of) Mrs. Bennet: Meredith O’Neill, my OC’s mom.

Mr. Bennet: Gandalf, but as the uncle/grandfather that took over caring for the family after Rowena’s father ran off to hide from his gambling debts.

And that’s as far as I’ve got with the characters.

Let’s say Edoras is a large estate renowned for its horses, and Meduseld is the hall in which the Lord of the estate resides. 

That would make Pellenor (which, as I understand it, is just the acres of land around Minas Tirith, right?) Faramir’s estate with either Osgiliath or Minas Tirith as that estate’s main residence. I kinda like Osgiliath as the estate since that means London can be Minas Tirith.

Alright, as far as plot goes, I don’t have much more than this: Rowena’s family, after being deserted by Rowena’s father (let’s call him Thomas, but I just now realize I’ve never named him lol) relocated to Gandalf’s estate near Edoras, and the family becomes quite close with the neighboring village, the Shire.

There, Rowena and her siblings meet Merry, Pippin, Sam and Frodo, though they’ve known the family too long for anyone to think of marrying (till Merry falls for Rowena’s sister, Willow, and they marry properly, not through eloping) each other.

Then, all of a sudden, there’s a ball at Meduseld Hall, and it’s the first time there’s been any outsiders in Meduseld since Theoden’s wife died and Theodred returned so battered from his service. 

Not only that, but Eomer and Eowyn are there, and no one’s seen them since Meduseld closed to outsiders, either.

No one can seem to pry any information out of Eowyn or Eomer, they as they might. 

Rowena simply engages Eomer in normal conversation and Eomer assumes she’s buttering him up to get information out of him so he’s curt and only as polite as he has to be since Theodred persuaded him to hold this ball the man can’t even attend with his health.

Then, after reluctantly dancing with Eomer (getting nowhere in renewed conversation with him), Rowena overhears Eomer talking to Faramir, a more outgoing Lord of Osgiliath estate, recently come into his inheritance after his father ‘tragically’ died in a fire in an inn he was staying at on his way to some meeting or something. Eomer can’t get past his assumption about Rowena and confesses this assumption to Faramir, who unsuccessfully tries to convince his friend otherwise.

That incenses Rowena and she begins to dislike Eomer. But then she meets Grima, who convinces her he’s the victim of some inheritance withholding and weaves a tragic tale that only enflames Rowena’s distaste for Eomer. 

It’s only when Eomer, after another ball (where Rowena is as curt and polite as he is, and barely holds back sarcasm and derision in her words) and several months where he barely talks to her, proposes to Rowena and she explodes at him about everything she thinks she knows about him. 

Eomer is like ‘hold on. Maybe I do need to change some things here’ and explains himself in a letter as best he can. 

Rowena, usually a good judge of character, is mortally embarrassed that she could have gotten him so wrong and allowed herself to be deceived by Grima. So she avoids Eomer until she can figure out just how she feels about him now. Then her aunt and uncle are passing by Meduseld taking Rowena to see Minas Tirith and they of course want to see what the hall is like inside, and Rowena has an awkward conversation with Eomer after he sees her in Meduseld.

She excuses herself and Eomer doesn’t pursue her, instead staying where he was, assuming she still hates him. 

Then he invites her, her aunt, and her uncle to Meduseld and is further entranced by watching Rowena interact with Eowyn during and after dinner. Rowena is now further confused as to what she feels for Eomer, though it’s swaying toward love. 

Then Merry and Willow attempt to elope and Eomer catches them and convinces them to return home and be married properly. 

Willow accidentally lets it slip to Rowena that Eomer had caught them and urges Rowena not to say anything, as Willow was sworn to secrecy. 

Rowena is summoned to Theoden’s bedside (his health has deteriorated drastically and it’s likely he won’t last much longer) and he asks her point-blank if she still refuses Eomer’s proposal. Rowena talks with him and discovers that Eomer and Eowyn have been running the estate all on their own for years now and she can finally admit she may indeed have fallen into at least the beginnings of love with Eomer. 

He blesses their marriage and she finally sees Eomer again after he comes back to her parents’ house. 

Did I mention that the Faramir/Mr. Bingley and Eowyn/Georgiana/Jane love story is also happening? Cus Eomer, after initially trying to keep them apart (something adding to Rowena’s disdain for Eomer until he explains himself) reunites them and helps them get married.

Anyway, everyone lives happily ever after, the end! XD

Sorry that was a lot to throw at you guys! 

[fayecallasdatingblog]

9 Signs He’s a Player And Has Bad Intentions With You

If you’re looking up “signs he’s a player,” I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that you’re dating a guy who seems to be playing with your mind just a little bit. A man who won’t commit, no matter how amazing you are. A man who sees you as part of his lineup of women that he’s sleeping with.

But before you cut ties with him, you want to make absolutely certain that he is indeed a player. Then you’ll cut bait and move on. Am I right?

Between the ages of 24 to 28 years old, I loved to party. I loved to go out a lot. I wouldn’t say I was a “player…” but looking back, I’m sure some of the women I dated saw me that way. Looking back, I can’t believe how I was then and how much I’ve changed.

But now, being in a very happy four-year relationship, I have a different insight into signs he’s a player (and yeah, that I was, too). I’m going to share those with you so that you can quickly determine whether this man is worth your time and emotion or not.

Your Coach,

      P.S. If you can get a man to commit, you never have to worry about him being a player! Sign up for my special training to get a man to miss you and commit to only you, and you won’t have to read articles about “signs he’s a player” anymore!

9 Signs He’s a Player That You Should NEVER Ignore

You’re looking for true love. You’re not looking to date a man-child who only wants one thing from you.

You want something real. And you deserve it.

Dating after 40 is tough. I get it. If a guy hasn’t been married…you want to know why. If he has…you want to know what went wrong. There are a shocking number of players out there at every age…and you simply don’t have the energy to cut through the crap to find the real gems…if they’re even out there.

They are, I promise. Good guys — men worthy of your love — exist, and once you learn to identify the signs he’s a player, you’ll be able to pass on all the wrong men to get to the right One. So if the man you’re dating is showing any or all of the following signs he’s a player, don’t waste another second on him, because he’s standing in your way to happiness.

1. He Almost Seems…Emotionally Dead on the Inside

Is there an empty spot where his heart should be?

Have you ever dated a guy and wondered to yourself, “Is this dude a f$#%ing robot?”

He’s probably not a robot…he’s just not trying to show you the emotion you want to see, that you need to feel a connection with him.

(By the way, I shouldn’t knock robots; scientists are working on creating robots that feel emotions, so even they have this guy beat!)

When a guy is sleeping around, hooking up with various women, the last thing he wants to do is open up that emotional side to any of them. He’s not about to get sucked into a relationship when he can keep playing the field, so he compartmentalizes sex from emotion. Men are good at that.

Relationship counselor David Bennet says:

“Men are more emotionally compartmentalized — women’s brains seem to have more overall connectivity, which means emotions from one experience or task spill into other experiences and tasks.” 

So if you’re dating a man who seems void of all emotion, he’s not a scientific anomaly. He’s just a player who doesn’t want you to see that vulnerable side of him. You never will see it, either, so don’t try to convince him otherwise.

2. He’s Got a Player Lifestyle

If you find yourself attracted to bartenders or musicians or professional athletes…be aware that there are a high number of players in these professions. Even men who travel all of the time are more likely to be players since they’re rarely in one place long enough to have a relationship and it’s easy to hide sleeping with other women when they’re scattered all over the globe.

In each of these examples, these men are exposed to a ton of women — women who, like you, are attracted to lead singers or men who can make a mean martini — and the temptation is always there. If they aren’t into being in a relationship, they see their profession as the perfect opportunity to sleep around with as many women as possible.

Now, I know it’s a bit unfair to jump to the conclusion that all bartenders or musicians are players because that certainly isn’t true, but…if the man you’re dating is in one of these professions and exhibits some of these other signs he’s a player…then tread very carefully.

3. He’s Really, Really Smooth

via GIPHY

How did you meet this man?

Did he approach you from across the room, chat you up, get your number…and it felt too good to be true?

Sorry to say, but it probably is…unless you like dating a smooth operator!

Guys who are good at flirting and getting women’s attention are good at it for a reason: they do it a lot. Trust me: as a dating coach who used to teach men how to meet you sexy, single ladies, flirting really is a learnable skill. The more they go out and flirt with women, the better they get at doing it.

So if the guy you’re dating is really smooth at flirting, he’s probably flirting with more than just you.

4. The Relationship Revolves Around Sex

Will he meet you for lunch on a Tuesday?

NOPE. Never has happened. Never will.

The only time he’s willing to meet you is if he knows it will result in sex. Sorry to break it to you, but you’re not dating this guy. You’re sleeping with him. It won’t turn into a relationship, so you’re better off cutting ties now before you get really hurt.

5. He’ll Meet Your Friends, But You Won’t Meet His

Sure, he’s willing to meet your friends, to chat them up, so that you like him and will continue to sleep with him…

But he won’t risk having you meet his friends. Why? Because, quite frankly, they might spill the beans about the floozy he brought to them the week prior.

One of the signs he’s a player is that he’s pretty secretive about his life, and that’s for a reason. He doesn’t want to get caught with evidence that he’s sleeping with multiple women.

6. His Life is in Flux

While you used to admire his wanderlust, now you wonder what he’s running from…

Is he constantly jumping around from job to job…

…Or looking to move to Chicago one week…then Berlin the next?

If that’s the case, then security and commitment are clearly not core values in his life right now.  He’s jumping around, trying to figure out what to do with his life. That isn’t necessarily a sign he’s a player, but it does mean he most likely will not make a good partner for you right now…or ever.

7. You Catch Him in Lies About His Social Life

Did he tell you he’s got a boys’ night out on Friday? But then you saw on his Instagram story that he was with a group of girls…not guys.

Dishonesty isn’t the way to start a relationship…and you can be fairly certain he’s sleeping with at least one of those women.

But some guys are too slick to get caught on social media like that. Are there other inconsistencies? Like you ask what he did last weekend twice, and you get two different answers? Or he goes to elaborate efforts to tell you about a place he went…that you’ve actually been to and it doesn’t match up?

Listen to your intuition here. A liar will never be Mr. Right.

8. You’ve Slept With Him More Than 3 Times…But Never Been on a Real Date

Guys that are players don’t want to take women on real dates (like paying for, oh, I don’t know, DINNER?) because they don’t want to set unrealistic expectations. They want to keep it in the bedroom.

So if you’re finding that you’re having sex but not really doing what real couples do — i.e. having meaningful conversations over coffee, going to a nice restaurant, even just being out in public holding hands — chances are he only wants sex from you and is indeed showing signs he’s a player.

9. All of Your Friends Tell You He’s a Player

Your friends only want you to be happy…so start listening to them!

All of your friends are telling you he’s a player…or even worse, your friends are sending you this video and article right now to tell you to get out of a bad situation!

Look: are your friends always right? Of course not! BUT if all your friends are giving you the same feedback — that this guy is playing you — you owe it to yourself to explore the situation a bit further and really heed their advice. After all, they only want what’s best for you.

Conclusion:

At this point, you’ve come to one of two conclusions:

Conclusion 1: You realize that the man you’re dating isn’t a player, but that maybe he’s just moving slowly. He’s exhibiting signs of wanting to be in a relationship with you (he takes you on dates, you have long phone calls about anything and everything, he’s looking for more than just sex), but maybe hasn’t taken the step toward full commitment. I hope that’s the case because you can definitely work with that.

Conclusion 2: You have read this list of signs he’s a player and you’re like “oh yeah, Adam. This guy is totally a player.”

The question is, in the second situation: what will you do now? You respect yourself too much to let this man play you, and he’s just a roadblock on your way to finding true love. So don’t waste a single second on him. And don’t try to play games to give him a taste of his own medicine either. Just exit stage left as quickly as possible.

What can you say to end things?

“We seem to want different things right now. I’m looking for something of substance, while you seem to be looking for something casual.”

“I’m really a one-guy kind of gal, so dating other people isn’t really something I’m into. Best of luck to you!”

Realize that his ego will be bruised. Above all, players like collecting trophies (women), so he might not let you go so easily. He may make promises that, I assure you, he cannot keep. He may lie and say he’s not dating other women, even though you have evidence to the contrary.

Again, trust your gut. Look at him as part of the bigger picture: can you imagine yourself still dating him in six months? A year? 10? No? I didn’t think so. Make your speech and move on.

So now let me hear from you ladies. Have you ever dated a player? Tell us the story in the comments below (and boy, I’m willing to bet there will be some good ones!).

While you can’t change a player, you can make the right man move a little faster toward committing to you. In my Make Him Commit Webinar, I teach you how to open his eyes to show him what a high-value woman you actually are.

  The post 9 Signs He’s a Player And Has Bad Intentions With You appeared first on Sexy Confidence.

from Meet Positives SM Feed https://ift.tt/2QK0A7t via IFTTT

[travisandersondatingblog]

9 Signs He’s a Player And Has Bad Intentions With You

If you’re looking up “signs he’s a player,” I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that you’re dating a guy who seems to be playing with your mind just a little bit. A man who won’t commit, no matter how amazing you are. A man who sees you as part of his lineup of women that he’s sleeping with.

But before you cut ties with him, you want to make absolutely certain that he is indeed a player. Then you’ll cut bait and move on. Am I right?

Between the ages of 24 to 28 years old, I loved to party. I loved to go out a lot. I wouldn’t say I was a “player…” but looking back, I’m sure some of the women I dated saw me that way. Looking back, I can’t believe how I was then and how much I’ve changed.

But now, being in a very happy four-year relationship, I have a different insight into signs he’s a player (and yeah, that I was, too). I’m going to share those with you so that you can quickly determine whether this man is worth your time and emotion or not.

Your Coach,

      P.S. If you can get a man to commit, you never have to worry about him being a player! Sign up for my special training to get a man to miss you and commit to only you, and you won’t have to read articles about “signs he’s a player” anymore!

9 Signs He’s a Player That You Should NEVER Ignore

You’re looking for true love. You’re not looking to date a man-child who only wants one thing from you.

You want something real. And you deserve it.

Dating after 40 is tough. I get it. If a guy hasn’t been married…you want to know why. If he has…you want to know what went wrong. There are a shocking number of players out there at every age…and you simply don’t have the energy to cut through the crap to find the real gems…if they’re even out there.

They are, I promise. Good guys — men worthy of your love — exist, and once you learn to identify the signs he’s a player, you’ll be able to pass on all the wrong men to get to the right One. So if the man you’re dating is showing any or all of the following signs he’s a player, don’t waste another second on him, because he’s standing in your way to happiness.

1. He Almost Seems…Emotionally Dead on the Inside

Is there an empty spot where his heart should be?

Have you ever dated a guy and wondered to yourself, “Is this dude a f$#%ing robot?”

He’s probably not a robot…he’s just not trying to show you the emotion you want to see, that you need to feel a connection with him.

(By the way, I shouldn’t knock robots; scientists are working on creating robots that feel emotions, so even they have this guy beat!)

When a guy is sleeping around, hooking up with various women, the last thing he wants to do is open up that emotional side to any of them. He’s not about to get sucked into a relationship when he can keep playing the field, so he compartmentalizes sex from emotion. Men are good at that.

Relationship counselor David Bennet says:

“Men are more emotionally compartmentalized — women’s brains seem to have more overall connectivity, which means emotions from one experience or task spill into other experiences and tasks.” 

So if you’re dating a man who seems void of all emotion, he’s not a scientific anomaly. He’s just a player who doesn’t want you to see that vulnerable side of him. You never will see it, either, so don’t try to convince him otherwise.

2. He’s Got a Player Lifestyle

If you find yourself attracted to bartenders or musicians or professional athletes…be aware that there are a high number of players in these professions. Even men who travel all of the time are more likely to be players since they’re rarely in one place long enough to have a relationship and it’s easy to hide sleeping with other women when they’re scattered all over the globe.

In each of these examples, these men are exposed to a ton of women — women who, like you, are attracted to lead singers or men who can make a mean martini — and the temptation is always there. If they aren’t into being in a relationship, they see their profession as the perfect opportunity to sleep around with as many women as possible.

Now, I know it’s a bit unfair to jump to the conclusion that all bartenders or musicians are players because that certainly isn’t true, but…if the man you’re dating is in one of these professions and exhibits some of these other signs he’s a player…then tread very carefully.

3. He’s Really, Really Smooth

via GIPHY

How did you meet this man?

Did he approach you from across the room, chat you up, get your number…and it felt too good to be true?

Sorry to say, but it probably is…unless you like dating a smooth operator!

Guys who are good at flirting and getting women’s attention are good at it for a reason: they do it a lot. Trust me: as a dating coach who used to teach men how to meet you sexy, single ladies, flirting really is a learnable skill. The more they go out and flirt with women, the better they get at doing it.

So if the guy you’re dating is really smooth at flirting, he’s probably flirting with more than just you.

4. The Relationship Revolves Around Sex

Will he meet you for lunch on a Tuesday?

NOPE. Never has happened. Never will.

The only time he’s willing to meet you is if he knows it will result in sex. Sorry to break it to you, but you’re not dating this guy. You’re sleeping with him. It won’t turn into a relationship, so you’re better off cutting ties now before you get really hurt.

5. He’ll Meet Your Friends, But You Won’t Meet His

Sure, he’s willing to meet your friends, to chat them up, so that you like him and will continue to sleep with him…

But he won’t risk having you meet his friends. Why? Because, quite frankly, they might spill the beans about the floozy he brought to them the week prior.

One of the signs he’s a player is that he’s pretty secretive about his life, and that’s for a reason. He doesn’t want to get caught with evidence that he’s sleeping with multiple women.

6. His Life is in Flux

While you used to admire his wanderlust, now you wonder what he’s running from…

Is he constantly jumping around from job to job…

…Or looking to move to Chicago one week…then Berlin the next?

If that’s the case, then security and commitment are clearly not core values in his life right now.  He’s jumping around, trying to figure out what to do with his life. That isn’t necessarily a sign he’s a player, but it does mean he most likely will not make a good partner for you right now…or ever.

7. You Catch Him in Lies About His Social Life

Did he tell you he’s got a boys’ night out on Friday? But then you saw on his Instagram story that he was with a group of girls…not guys.

Dishonesty isn’t the way to start a relationship…and you can be fairly certain he’s sleeping with at least one of those women.

But some guys are too slick to get caught on social media like that. Are there other inconsistencies? Like you ask what he did last weekend twice, and you get two different answers? Or he goes to elaborate efforts to tell you about a place he went…that you’ve actually been to and it doesn’t match up?

Listen to your intuition here. A liar will never be Mr. Right.

8. You’ve Slept With Him More Than 3 Times…But Never Been on a Real Date

Guys that are players don’t want to take women on real dates (like paying for, oh, I don’t know, DINNER?) because they don’t want to set unrealistic expectations. They want to keep it in the bedroom.

So if you’re finding that you’re having sex but not really doing what real couples do — i.e. having meaningful conversations over coffee, going to a nice restaurant, even just being out in public holding hands — chances are he only wants sex from you and is indeed showing signs he’s a player.

9. All of Your Friends Tell You He’s a Player

Your friends only want you to be happy…so start listening to them!

All of your friends are telling you he’s a player…or even worse, your friends are sending you this video and article right now to tell you to get out of a bad situation!

Look: are your friends always right? Of course not! BUT if all your friends are giving you the same feedback — that this guy is playing you — you owe it to yourself to explore the situation a bit further and really heed their advice. After all, they only want what’s best for you.

Conclusion:

At this point, you’ve come to one of two conclusions:

Conclusion 1: You realize that the man you’re dating isn’t a player, but that maybe he’s just moving slowly. He’s exhibiting signs of wanting to be in a relationship with you (he takes you on dates, you have long phone calls about anything and everything, he’s looking for more than just sex), but maybe hasn’t taken the step toward full commitment. I hope that’s the case because you can definitely work with that.

Conclusion 2: You have read this list of signs he’s a player and you’re like “oh yeah, Adam. This guy is totally a player.”

The question is, in the second situation: what will you do now? You respect yourself too much to let this man play you, and he’s just a roadblock on your way to finding true love. So don’t waste a single second on him. And don’t try to play games to give him a taste of his own medicine either. Just exit stage left as quickly as possible.

What can you say to end things?

“We seem to want different things right now. I’m looking for something of substance, while you seem to be looking for something casual.”

“I’m really a one-guy kind of gal, so dating other people isn’t really something I’m into. Best of luck to you!”

Realize that his ego will be bruised. Above all, players like collecting trophies (women), so he might not let you go so easily. He may make promises that, I assure you, he cannot keep. He may lie and say he’s not dating other women, even though you have evidence to the contrary.

Again, trust your gut. Look at him as part of the bigger picture: can you imagine yourself still dating him in six months? A year? 10? No? I didn’t think so. Make your speech and move on.

So now let me hear from you ladies. Have you ever dated a player? Tell us the story in the comments below (and boy, I’m willing to bet there will be some good ones!).

While you can’t change a player, you can make the right man move a little faster toward committing to you. In my Make Him Commit Webinar, I teach you how to open his eyes to show him what a high-value woman you actually are.

  The post 9 Signs He’s a Player And Has Bad Intentions With You appeared first on Sexy Confidence.

from Meet Positives SM Feed 3 https://ift.tt/2QK0A7t via IFTTT

[thebookrat]

Joining me today is Maria Grace, whose Austenesque stories you already know I love, and who is currently celebrating the release of the final book in her Jane Austen's Dragons series! Check out what she has to say about bringing this unique series to life, and the inspiration behind it, and then enter to win a copy of your choice of the three books in the series, below! And don't forget to stop back by tomorrow for my thoughts on book 2, Longbourn: Dragon Entail!

The Myth and the Mashup

I’m utterly tickled to announce that the Pride and Prejudice arc of my Jane Austen’s Dragons series is complete with the release of Netherfield: Rogue Dragon. Now wait, I can hear you muttering and rolling your eyes, “Dragons? Really? Seriously—dragons? Why—just why?” You’re not the first to roll their eyes at me and mutter that, expecting an answer like “Because zombies, vampires and werewolves have already been done.” And while that is utterly true, and the sort of thing I might say if you caught me at just the right—or wrong—moment, it isn’t a very good answer. You’re rolling your eyes at me again. I know just it, but give me a chance and hear me out. I promise, Jane Austen would approve. Why, you say, rolling your eyes yet again. Because, if you take a glance at English mythology, it is full of dragons. Seriously, they are everywhere. Don’t believe me, here’s just a partial list: the Lambton Worm, the Dragon of Mordiford, the Dragon of Unsworth, the Dragon of Wantly, the Dragon of Longwitton, the Dragon of Loschy Hill, the Bisterne Dragon, the Worm of Linton, the Stoor Worm, the Sockburn Worm (or Wyvern), Blue Ben, and the Lyminster Knucker. Even the father of fabled King Arthur has a dragon connection. King Uther Pendragon was said to have seen a dragon shaped comet that inspired the dragons that graced the standards he carried. With dragons just about everywhere in English myth, it seems likely that Jane Austen herself was familiar with many of these dragon legends. One of the fascinating—and crazy making—aspects of studying mythology is the number of different accounts of the same story. Since, until the early modern era, tales relied on oral tradition for transmission, each teller would craft a slightly different version of the story, making finding the ‘real’ story nearly impossible. While there were moments in the research that made me want to beat my head against the wall, it did lead to an interesting line of thinking: What if… (A word of caution, when a writer says “what if”, it might be a good time to politely excuse yourself…) So, what if those dragon myths contained a large helping of reality and there really were dragons in England? What it they weren’t just a thing of the medieval era, but continued to be a very real presence in British society into the modern era? How might that work? That would require a research trip back to medieval dragons. The best known version of Uther’s story comes from Geoffrey's Historia Regum Britanniae (1136). Uther is the youngest son of King of Britannia, Constantine III upon whose death, Constans, his eldest son succeeds to the throne. Constans though is murdered by an advisor Vortigern, who seizes the throne. Uther and his other brother, Aurelius, flee to Brittany, when they grow to adulthood in safety. As adults, Aurelius and Uther return to Britannia, where Aurelius kills Vortigern and becomes king. Under Aurelius’ reign, Uther helps Merlin bring the stones of Stonehenge from Ireland to Britain. Later, while Aurelius is too ill for battle, Uther leads his army against Vortigern's son and his Saxon allies. On the way to the battle, Uther sees a comet in the shape of a dragon, which Merlin interprets as a sign of Aurelius' death and Uther's glorious future. Uther wins the battle, but returns to find that Aurelius has been poisoned. Uther becomes king and adopts the use of a golden dragon as his standard. So, what if Uther Pendragon was embroiled in battle not just with the Saxons, but with dragons as well and he saw a real dragon who could speak with him, not a comet as most stories suggested? Would not others have heard it too? Wait, no—what if the dragons had a way of hiding in plain sight that only a select few people could see through and Uther was one of those and made peace with dragonkind… Suddenly I saw a world, hundreds of years removed from medieval England, where mankind and dragonkind could coexist, governed by the Blue Order, an organization founded by Uther Pendragon himself, on human and dragon partnership, dedicated to protecting the safety and interests of both species while keeping the dragons secret from the very large segment of the human population with hearing insufficient to detect dragon voices. Moreover, another myth, that of the Lambton Worm, began to inform my hero, Mr. Darcy, whose estate, Pemberley, (according to Austen) was in walking distance from Lambton. The legend of the Lambton Worm originates from County Durham in North East England, near the River Wear. In it, John Lambton, an heir of the Lambton Estate, battles with a giant worm (an early reference to a dragon) that had been terrorizing the local villages. John Lambton is actually responsible for the presence of the worm himself. As a young man, he skipped church on Sunday and went fishing in the River Wear. There he caught an odd creature whose description varies with different tellings of the myth. All agree that it was ‘no fit fish’ he caught and he discards the creature in a nearby well that later became the wishing-well known as “Worm Well.” John forgets about the creature and goes off the fight in the crusades as penance for his youthful follies. When he returns, he discovers that his father’s estate has been laid waste by the creature. His father keeps it placated with daily offerings of twenty gallons of milk. Realizing he is responsible for the creature, John seeks the advice of a witch that allows him to defeat the creature in an epic struggle. Like many other British dragon stories, the myth connects the slaying of a dragon to the provenance of some aristocratic family and their self-proclaimed right to rule over the domain they protected from the dragon. So many inspirations in this tale. Dragons and the landed class tied together; a dragon in Lambton, so near Pemberley, and connected to a local estate; a baby dragon who grows up abandoned in a strange place…oh so many things that came to play in crafting Pemberley: Mr. Darcy’s Dragon. And Darcy was not the only one shaped by dragon legends. The Mordiford Dragon, began to inform my heroine, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, a woman whose sympathy for and understanding of dragonkind goes far and away beyond anything England has ever known. The story of Maud and the Mordiford dragon (a wyvern actually, not the more typical ‘worm’) is set in the Herefordshire village of Mordiford. Maud finds a green baby wyvern while out walking one morning. Maud takes the baby back to her home as a pet and feeds it milk, comforting it by stoking its claws and cuddling it. As the creature grows older, it starts dining on the Mordiford villagers, but refuses to injure his friend Maud. Not surprisingly, the villagers insist this is intolerable and find a nobleman (or condemned convict, depending on the version of the tale) to dispatch the beast. Maud was described as ‘insane with rage’ over the death of her wyvern. A painting of the creature hung in the village church until 1811 when the vicar ordered it destroyed as a ‘sign of the devil’. So many inspirations in this tale! A girl who loved a baby dragon; who rescues dragons and cuddles with them; a grumpy wyvern that others cannot seem to get along with; Herefordshire/Hertfordshire, Mordiford/Meryton, ok, not the same, but it did make me do a double take for sure…oh so many things that came to play in crafting the characters of both Elizabeth Bennet and her wyvern Longbourn. All the being said, I present for you, what Pride and Prejudice might have been had Jane Austen known about the Uther Pendragon’s Blue Order. If you’re not totally hooked by now, here’s a preview of Pemberley: Mr. Darcy’s Dragon, to give you a taste of this world:

Click the link or the pic to be taken to an excerpt of Pemberley: Mr Darcy's Dragon!

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about the book:

Elizabeth Bennet thought she was prepared to do anything to make the Dragon Conclave accept her beloved young dragon, Pemberley, into the Blue Order, but she had not anticipated it would leave her banished from her ancestral home and betrothed to none other than Mr. Darcy. But before Elizabeth and Darcy wed, they must find a dangerous rogue dragon before it provokes a war amongst the dragons and brings the fragile peace between dragons and mankind to a catastrophic end. Nothing written in the annals of dragon lore has prepared Elizabeth to manage a dragon not governed by the Blue Order. Dragons have always loved her, but this one finds her arrogant, selfish and insensitive to others. With only her instincts to guide her, she must convince the rogue of her good intentions before the Blue Order loses patience and decides on more drastic measures. Called away to the other side of the kingdom, trying to settle the dragons' unrest, Darcy learns the nature of the force poisoning the rogue dragon against Elizabeth. One nearer and dearer than they could have imagined. Can Elizabeth and Darcy convince with rogue dragon to cooperate before darker forces turn it against them, without destroying the fragile bonds uniting the couple?

about the author:

Though Maria Grace has been writing fiction since she was ten years old, those early efforts happily reside in a file drawer and are unlikely to see the light of day again, for which many are grateful. After penning five file-drawer novels in high school, she took a break from writing to pursue college and earn her doctorate in Educational Psychology. After 16 years of university teaching, she returned to her first love, fiction writing. She has one husband and one grandson, two graduate degrees and two black belts, three sons, four undergraduate majors, five nieces, is starting her sixth year blogging on Random Bits of Fascination, has built seven websites, attended eight English country dance balls, sewn nine Regency era costumes, and shared her life with ten cats.

via The Book Rat

[jones573]

the following is a list of characters who appear in the ‘St. George’s’ RP saga (even tho they havent been at St George’s in like, a long time, shush, details). 

characters with an ‘r’ are played by reynarda , with a ‘t’ by tsukasakadoya, and with a ‘j’ by me, still_jones573 . 

some characters do not really belong to anyone and are just there, or have only been mentioned by certain characters that DO belong to someone but said character isnt really being ‘played’ by anyone because they havent appeared, you know.

The Gang: aka the primary characters, they all currently live together in a townhouse owned by Vlad & Bram

(r) Vladimir Drakoni: Full vampire, born in like the 1400′s?, has a long-standing feud with the Council Chair, Claudios Von Batts. His family was removed from the Council, but he is still pretty involved in their business, cuz he’s nosy and doesnt trust them. Magically tied to Bram by things beyond comprehension, and has after many decades, gotten used to it and they’ve even been able to harness the power of friendship, to the horror of their enemies everywhere. Is short (at least enough that Bram likes to tease him for it), has dark hair (?) 

(r) Abraham Lluewen (??sp?): Human, born in like the 1400′s to the family of hunters that created ‘silverblood’, a liquid silver that is particularly dangerous to vampires. Has worked for and with the Hunter’s Guild over the years, most recently as the head of St. George’s (a monster-hunting school, basically), though is now on ‘parental leave’. Along with Vlad, has a tendency to get into dangerous situation, and also to collect sad magical children and make sure they eat their veggies. Is the tallest member of the Gang, has red hair

(r) Devon Von Batts: Claudios’ son, lived with his human mother until she died when he was a preteen. Stuff happened, he went to juvie, Von Batts Sr. found out he had a son and asked Vlad to pretty please deal with that. Devon lived as Claudios’s son for a few years, having previously been ‘privately tutored’ or whatever. Was part of the plot to infiltrate St. George’s school with young vampire spies, but a lot of stuff happened, he got a bit stabby, things went south, etc. Is now in the care of Vlad and Bram. Recently got his fangs! Has blonde hair, is tall but not quite as tall as his sister (tho this could be because she has a soldier’s posture, and her skininess makes her seem even taller than she is)

(j) Winona Von Batts: Kidnapped from her human mother at birth, raised by creepy vampires who were obsessed with creating a perfect weapon, though they had many and often contradictory ideas about how that should be done. Basically, it really sucked. She eventually killed her ‘family’ when they tried to force her into killing young human girls and drinking their blood, and was picked up by the Guild. Was not exactly communicative, so she ended up at St George’s. lots of stuff happened, now she lives with Bram and Vlad. I think outside the townhouse gang, no one knows (or should know) that she and devon are, in fact, only half vampires. winona is quite tall, and muscular in a way that suggests she was encouraged to exercise frequently but had poor nutrition, tho that has likely been getting less obvious over the last few months. she has brownish stubble across her scalp that might prove to be lighter if it grew out some, but she scratches herself and rips at her head when she’s nervous or often while sleeping, so her head stays buzzed and her nails short.

(t) May Garrison: Quite possibly the destruction of the world is small, adorable human form. a sacred magical ritual on an island went wrong, and the resulting magical baby was taken home by bill garrison who likely did not realize the next 20 years would be spent thinking ‘i was just being a good person, why does magic exist’ may eventually left his island home, and met gabriel, who tasked him with (???? i honestly dont remember the specifics) being at st georges on a plot-heavy day. the aforementioned stuff happened, and tho the Council was reluctant to deal with WInona themselves they also DID not want to just let Vlad have her, so May volunteered his services as a neutral party that would report on Winona’s progress. Is asexual, uses magic through precious gems and stones, likes pineapple on his pizza to the dismay of many. the shortest member of the gang by far (he’s like 5′1″? 5′2″?), i think he’s blonde?, and he wears a lot of very bright outfits

(j) Alex Moraes: Full vampire, from standardly rich and powerful family. Grew up living on the Yates plantation, going to fancy boarding schools, alternatively learning ball room dance and financial investment strategies, visiting the Moraes home in the Andes, etc, etc. Feels a LOT of pressure to be a perfect son and heir, in the human and vampiric traditions, tho honestly he could probably relax about that, as he is already doing WAY better than his parents were at his age. Is gay and closeted and has a lot of conflicting feelings about that, also has an enormous crush on May that is obvious to everyone but may. Is growing his hair out because he wants to have a stylish mane like his father, and because he no longer goes to a boarding school that forbids that sort of thing. maybe also because sometimes may admires it, but im sure thats just convenient

The Legal Team: aka other important people that show up and do stuff, mostly covering everybody’s ass even tho they themselves are kinda an ass

(t) Gabriel Last Name?: Vampire (presumably full, as his family used to have a Council seat), lawyer, May’s employer and friend. Has his fingers in many pots as it were, perhaps not all entirely legal. Bad blood between him and his brother Chris, who absconded with all the family’s wealth and hasnt been heard from since (many many years ago- at least 20 or 30?). Not really the most warm and generous seeming of people, but has come through for the gang. Most notably, he was their legal representation in the case of ‘yall dont really want this dangerous vampire child who might kill you while you sleep, why dont you give her to bram and vlad while you clutch at your pearls and pretend you care about atrocities committed on your watch mkay?’ he and his boyfriends (denatro, a full werewolf and Locke, a bitten vamp) came to the townhouse for an awkward yet hilarious yet terrible christmas dinner. has red hair, generally dresses himself in a corporate fashion

(j) Maria Moraes: full vampire, Council member, member of indigenous population based in the Andes mountains that no longer exists any more, trans woman, also born in like the 1400s (honestly i forgot??), alex’s other mother but that is known to like, three people. a shrewd and savvy businesswoman, Maria is a no nonsense lady who is very unimpressed with the amount of nonsense alex has recently gotten into. but also sees the value of having Von Batts in her debt, and allying herself with Vlad and Bram, as well as Winona- she doesnt like wild cards, but she’d rather they be in her hand than loose in the deck, as it were. she secured the votes of other councillors for the ‘vlad gets winona and devon’ plan, and is apparently quite comfortable manipulating her colleagues. she has many business and political connections in the human world as well, as she does not subscribe to the isolationist theory many old supernatural beings prefer. in a not-serious-but-maybe-serious relationship with Mags, a werewolf gal from Deno’s pack. practices magic, but more like ‘spells’ and potions than the abilities Vlad has. can turn herself into a hawk, which is quite useful as she hates mechanized transportation

The Extended Fam & Friends: aka some more people that the Gang is fond of

(t) Bill Garrison: May’s adopted father, a very patient but bewildered man. His family, especially his parents are well respected in the community, which allowed him a bit more flexibility in the ‘adopting this random and potentially dangerous baby’ thing. handyman and builder

(t) Henri LastName: May’s best friend and confidante. Is a ‘guardian’ (i think that’s what they are called? basically, she’s involved with the giant world eating snake thing their island has going on, though she seems much more friendly with May than the others in her position). A take-no-shit lady, sells fish, i dont think she gets along with her mother? rocks a nice suit

(j) Matt Moraes: Alex’s ‘father’, Maria’s older brother, married to Annabelle. Enjoys art perhaps a little too much, as he seems to have taken the ‘my wife and sister can do as they please so long as im not interrupted from this project’ and honestly, they have some /dangerous/ projects that could use somebody willing to stand up to them. But generally, a kind man who has a good life- his marriage to annabelle is primarily a political one (they’re both gay), but they get along well enough in public that few would suspect they aren’t genuine. also, absurdly handsome. has a great beard and great hair, College Professor Hot™

(j) Annabelle Yates: full vampire heidi klum. elle woods disposition and charm, the manners of a southern belle, but also a cross between iago and mrs. bennet- she loves to know everybody’s business and she LOVES to be involved in it. not necessarily ill-intentioned in her manipulations, but manipulative nonetheless. has dabbled in most of the potentially high-profile ‘socialite careers’, tho right now is mostly focused on cooking and catering (but goodness knows that could change on a whim). she makes it a point to always look put together and have control over any situation, but she is incredibly protective of alex. loves parties, loves being adored, loves being right. has been known to flaunt whichever lingerie model she’s been seeing at maria, her ex, in attempts to make her jealous. does not actively practice magic, as her family has the rather unfortunate predisposition to go mad with power lust in their obsession to acquire more and more dangerous magics. has long, bright red hair and a smile a dentist would love to use in advertisements. (also, is maybe pregnant! this was going to alluded to more heavily in a thing i will hopefully eventually post that explored matt’s relationship to his family, but i was having difficulty with the dialogue and abandoned it for the time being, so)

(t) Denatro LastName: Deno, full werewolf, son of his pack’s previous alpha and younger brother to the current one, but has not been ‘home’ in years. his dad was an asshole that made him feel like having had a complicated birth (has only one eye, usually wears a patch over it in human form) was somehow in his control and thus his fault his mother died. Married to Locke, and the two are dating Gabriel. Deno is somewhat grumpy, not keen on people or tidiness or many other things besides. His wolf form is on the smaller side for a werewolf, but he’s faster and nimbler for it (i think he has black fur? and a very good nose?) annabelle thinks his butt looks nice in his suit, deno thinks wearing suits should be outlawed. has tried to eat a cat at least once.

(t) Locke Smith: owns a gas station with Deno in canada, bitten vampire, that’s not his real name (i mean, at least none of the Moraes-Yates gangs are still going by their original names, so he’s fine). Got into some real awful shit with some vampires when he was younger and had to kill his sister after she got violent, first met gabriel as his lawyer. eventually took up hunting, met and started dating Deno, got bitten at some point, got married at some point. reconnected with gabriel, they started seeing each other. like deno, is not keen on socializing, but is far more patient and polite about it. seems to wear a lot of turtlenecks

Ye Olde Baddies: people the gang dislike and/or have to fight against or are just generally suspicious

(r) Claudios Von Batts: Council Chair and leader, full vampire, full trash bag. i keep wanting to sympathize with him, but R assures me not to bother. slept with a human woman (the indignity! for a respectable vampire anyways) after his vampire wife died, obviously did NOT follow up. feels comfortable enough going to vlad when he needs help with child custody stuff, but also is cool with kidnapping and torturing vlad, so. power amongst the councillors and the supernatural community in general have been shifting, and Von Batts wishes to hold onto his at all costs. Is blond, is paranoid, lives alone in his huge mansion (maybe he listens to phantom of the opera as he swoops around? who knows)

Gautier: i almost forgot about him? full vampire, Council member, french dude. generally, a grade A creep. likes to ‘collect’ things (people, lbr). Assumedly connected to and even employing Rawe, and perhaps behind the kidnapping attack on May. i described him as looking older and ugly, but at times ive also implied vampires can influence their appearances, so who know. maybe he likes looking a guy colbert would make fun of

DeLuna: another random council member? wants von batt’s power for herself, seems suspicious of the commonly held belief that the twins were his late wife’s children. had her car stolen by May and Winona.

(j) Jack: cosmic entity charged with making sure sentient life doesn’t magic itself out of existence on accident. why Maria and Matt are the only remaining members of their civilization, gained the ability to posses a human body after helping merlin out, and now just hangs around on earth sometimes, eating food and enjoying carnal delights, etc. has become fond of Matt over the centuries they been sharing the second, but is unlikely to admit it. is absolutely enthralled by the prospect of May, and was invited to the New Years party in an effort by annabelle to satisfy jack’s curiosity without exposing may to much danger. is currently inhabiting the body of a dutch coma patient, and sorta looks like a man who hasnt left a hospital bed in years- very grayish skin, limp black hair, creepy eyes

dr rawe: .... a boogey-man, magic scientist dude? we needed to shake stuff up with some drama, so i created him to kidnap May and then came up with the explanation for what he was later on, dont judge. at any rate he’s dead now, having been quite injured by the gang and then eaten by jack

party goers: people at Annabelle’s primarily-human New Year’s Day party that the gang and others are interacting with

(j) Ilhan: human, Alex’s friend from prep school who is currently studying at MIT. Also, his girlfriend- the relationship was always a bit of an intentional ruse, but Alex has never actually talked to her about it, and probably should. I suspect that she genuinely does like him and would be hurt if he admitted that he has no interest in her, but probably not surprised. is wearing a white hijab and a long dress with galaxies across it

(j) gavin LastName: human, son of the fictional texas governor. a real asshole. he and alex dated secretly for awhile, under the pretense that gavin would be ostrasized and disowned if he came out, and became very manipulative of alex. it eventually became clear that gavin was largely just using alex for his own means, mutual friend Ilhan got real damn angry and things went south. gavin is... bitter about this. i keep trying to sympathize with gavin and give him more complex motivations (there are lots of people who cannot come out and that is valid! it is not inherently abusive to ask your partner to keep your relationship private! -things that i think and also alex probably thinks when he frets about it and wonders that maybe he /was/ in the wrong, no matter what ilhan claims) but honestly hes just a superficial high school jock villain and it can probably be left at that

(j) Chris Yates: i gotta rename him because there are only so many red haired characters that can have a brother named chris, but he’s annabelle’s younger half brother and runs their security firm. (they freelance with the mob, they are NOT the mob, its different) a decent dude, though was a stereotypical ‘big brother’ to alex growing up- as in, he was WAY cooler to hang out with than alex’s parents, but also likely to tell him scary stories and encourage him to do dangerous things that annabelle would have absolutely forbidden. i got some other backstory on him with the Yates family and the civil war and all that stuff, but basically he was very useful when annabelle exerted herself as head of the Yates family (i dont wanna say he shot folks who disagreed with her, but thats pretty much what happened)

annabelle’s ‘family’: yall i keep meaning to post something meaningful about the ‘cousins’ but basically its a large collection of full vampires and bitten vampires and a few in-the-know humans who were brought in as significant others but didnt want to be bitten. its not exactly ‘Council approved’, but they’re basically a coven of vampire rednecks and muscle thugs and the council was like ‘if we recognize the Moraes-Yates marriage and give Moraes a council seat then we have power over Annabelle and by extension her coven, without actually having to directly interact with her coven, soooo’ Technically Maria is ‘head of the family’ in the ways that matter for vampire law, but to the cousins, Annabelle is head of the family in the ways that /actually/ matter, and in the ways recognized by the old magics of the yates matriarchs. she keeps them out of trouble, disciplines them as needed, and the Council generally gets to sleep sounder at night knowing that at least things are much better than they were before annabelle took charge (and killed and exiled a good portion of said trouble-causing family, but thats another thing!)

Assorted Side Characters: aka people who i forgot to mention or didnt have a category

(r) the vampire doctor lady whose name i forgot: she’s friends with Vlad and gets away with because the supernatural community is pretty shit about medical research and the Council can’t really afford to alienate the world’s best (and only) expert on vampire health and wellbeing. probably one of vlad’s inside eyes and ears on the Council, has been treating Winona to recover use of her voice

nora: winona’s primary care-giver until she was maybe seven or so, and protected her from some of the abuse of the others. was presumably killed by the others in the coven, but if we ever need a new plot idea, nora can definitely be alive. though goodness knows if she really cared for winona or was just another manipulative sicko, so i supposed i would have to figure that out

victoria: a mysterious lady that Bram used to date, much to the displeasure (and detriment, it seems) of Vlad. Possibly why Vlad is so against Bram dating in the present

the folks on the island: May’s community is something of another mystery- Henri and Bill, at least, are very much on May’s ‘side’ as it were, but it seems that sentiment is not widely embraced, and there may be some who are anxious for May to die young, as has been predicted

(j) FirstName Domagala: aka ‘Mags’, a werewolf from Deno’s pack. She is older than him (maybe 5, 7 years? idk) and is also in a somewhat self-imposed exile, tho the details of that are unknown to us (aka i havent decided) and she formally left the pack several years after Deno had. She initially left to study medicine (surgery, specifically), but in recent years her seizures (which she used to only get after transforming) have forced her out of practice. is ‘seeing’ Maria, and weirdly enough, it seems to be approaching a ‘real relationship’, tho who knows. her parents were well respected and loved, her father being deno’s father’s best friend. she DEF killed him. it should be noted that Mags has several variations and though Werewolf Mags is certainly not warm and personable, she is a LOT nicer than Apocalypse Mags and Mutant Mags. 

sara weaver, greg parker, some other gal whose name i dont remember: the other kids in this generations vampiric baby boom. greg was the youngest by a few years, and real shy and nervous i think? and sara and alex have always been friends in the same way you might be friends with the kids of your parents college friends that you see once or twice a year- you get along and enjoy catching up, but outside of that connection, you dont make a lot of effort into maintaining the relationship. initially they were maybe going to be closer, but i decided that if alex supposedly had a ‘normal’ life he should maybe have some human friends, so ilhan became his primary friend outside the gang. sorry sara.

apologies for the many details i got wrong or outright neglected (like gavin’s last name, which i have already forgot, or Mags’ first name, which i STILL havent come up with, despite the character having originated even before her appearance in the Northern Ridge Werewolf RP sheesh i should get on that) i tried to include physical descriptors when i remember them, but obvs they are not complete nor necessarily accurate.