#and will not acknowledge the legitimacy of such a title.

[lurking-latinist]

.

[ashesofdeadempires]

I have always perceived the act of kneeling in the scene where Tav undergoes the transformation into a spawn not merely as an act of submission, but as a kind of oath-taking ceremony. In D&D lore, vampires possess a lawful evil alignment, which is inseparable from strict principles of hierarchy. Astarion calls Tav his consort, emphasizing not only his power and status but also Tav's crucial role in his plans. This also symbolizes their union within the framework of vampiric hierarchy and the new life that will begin after Tav's transformation.

Consort is a title traditionally used to refer to the spouse of a monarch. In the context of a royal family, a consort does not hold the rights of a ruler but serves as an important figure in public and state affairs.

It is particularly noteworthy that it is right after the night of the turning that Astarion first calls Tav his consort, which I personally cannot see as mere coincidence unless he intentionally imbued the event with ritualistic meaning. Such wording is undoubtedly steeped in an aura of regal solemnity, which is especially remarkable for Astarion, given his yearning for grandeur and liberation from his former subordinate position.

When Tav knelt before Astarion, I was reminded of the painting «The Coronation of Napoleon» by the French artist Jacques-Louis David. The painting depicts the moment when Napoleon Bonaparte crowns his wife Josephine during the ceremony held in 1804 at Notre-Dame de Paris. Napoleon stands on an elevated platform in his imperial attire, including a luxurious cloak trimmed with ermine, as he places the crown on Josephine's head himself.

Meanwhile, in the developer's note to the animation tag for this scene in the game, it says: «Tav kneels before Astarion. Astarion stands proud before the Player. He is powerful. He is free.»

I have no doubt that Astarion was indeed imbuing this moment with a special ritualistic meaning. He wants Tav to acknowledge his supremacy by kneeling before him, as if it were an oath-taking ceremony. This is not just an act of dominance but a kind of ritual with profound cultural and historical undertones.

Undoubtedly, this scene is filled with clear eroticism, which perfectly aligns with Astarion's love for decadence and theatrics. I find this quite amusing, and I'm sure Astarion also enjoyed playing with this subtext, giving the moment a particular sexual tension and sharpness. All of this comes together in a quirky pattern, creating an exceptionally rich scene where cultural and erotic motifs intertwine.

Kneeling is a gesture that carries a variety of meanings depending on the cultural, historical, and social context. It is commonly associated with expressions of respect, submission, devotion, or acknowledgment. In a religious context, kneeling symbolizes reverence before a higher power, humility, or repentance. For example, in Christianity, people kneel before an altar or during prayer. In some religions, the gesture signifies a plea for help, mercy, or forgiveness. In a monarchical context, kneeling has been used as part of rituals such as knighting ceremonies or being admitted into the circle of royal privileges. In the feudal context of the Middle Ages, vassals knelt before their liege lord as a symbol of loyalty and submission. This act was often accompanied by kissing the hand or a symbol of authority (such as a sword or crown). In a romantic context, kneeling is a gesture symbolizing a marriage proposal, as well as an expression of respect, admiration, and love.

For myself, I highlight the following:

Acknowledgment of sovereignty — kneeling before a monarch symbolizes submission to the authority of the crown and recognition of its legitimacy.

Acceptance into the circle of royal privileges — in this context, the act can be interpreted as a ritual of initiation, where kneeling marks entry into an exclusive circle, granting access to the advantages and status associated with monarchy.

Astarion perceives himself and Tav as something superior to all other beings, stemming from the fact that Tav becomes a vampire. He believes that the transformation of Tav into a vampire grants them the opportunity to become "something more," elevating them to a new level. This transformation not only makes Tav a vampire but also symbolizes their entry into a special, elite category of beings who possess power and authority beyond the reach of ordinary mortals or other creatures. For Astarion, as a vampire, this means that Tav can now share in his greatness.

Astarion: You are stronger now. Better. You will thank me one day, I am sure. Astarion: You will be stronger, swifter, sharper, but you won't be different. You were already perfect before. It's hard to improve.

An expression of respect and devotion — such a gesture underscores reverence for the monarch as a divine or political symbol.

Kneeling as an act of humiliation:

In Astarion's thoughts, one can discern that he views Tav’s decision to stay with him and become his spawn as something indicative of degradation, perhaps even moral decline.

When Tav agrees to become Astarion’s spawn, it can be interpreted as a conscious act of self-sacrifice, where they relinquish equality in the relationship and willingly submit to him. This step symbolizes the rejection of personal autonomy and the acceptance of absolute dependence. Tav entrusts their life entirely into his hands. Astarion: You have given me everything. Thank you.

Astarion likely perceives such a decision as a form of "degradation," believing that a normal person, from his perspective, would not make such a choice. He tries to understand why Tav would do this and concludes that Tav derives a certain satisfaction from such a dynamic, perhaps even having an inclination toward it. Narrator: But perhaps you wish to degrade yourself. And he knows it.

This explains his surprise when Tav, contrary to his expectations, asks for tenderness. It’s simply not what he anticipates. His reaction reveals confusion and forces him to reassess Tav’s motives, as such a request goes beyond the scenario he had envisioned.

Astarion: So, tell me what you desire. What can I do for my dearest pet? Player: I want you. I want your body. Astarion: You've earned it. But don't you want more - don't you want eternity? One more bite is all it would take. As for Welch's remark that Astarion "won’t respect you," this narrative only applies to the phrase "I want your body," which itself is not required in the game. This line adds an interpretative layer but is not central to all the possible interactions between Tav and Ascended Astarion.

Baudelaire Welch: He's literally looking down on you because you are someone in that situation who believes you deserve sex as a reward. He will give it to you, but he won't respect you.

In essence, the entire narrative about the sexualization parallels the scene with Araj in Act 2, where the player asks for sex as a reward for defending Astarion before Araj or helping with Yurgir's murder. And although Welch desperately tried to impose this motif in the Ascended route, limiting roleplay, it is not the only one, and far from the most obvious. There are other reasons to help Astarion with the ritual, and even he is aware of them:

Astarion: Of course I understand love. All too well. The gravest crimes committed in this world are committed for love. A hunger crueller than bloodlust.

Many also overlook that Tav's consent to become his spawn is seen by Astarion as an expression of exceptional trust and devotion. His gratitude the following morning confirms this: he sincerely expresses appreciation for the trust shown in the very first phrase he addresses to Tav. Astarion: You are so beautiful... And you will be beautiful forever. Thank you for trusting me. Moreover, trust becomes the leitmotif of his dialogues afterwards, especially when their relationship with Tav is questioned or criticized by their companions. Each time, he emphasizes that their relationship is built on this foundation:

Karlach: You know, Astarion, I'm not sure I can trust you anymore. You're… different. A bit scary, to be honest. Astarion: I have one person who trusts me completely. That's enough for me. Lae'zel: You have shared your new power with your lover, Astarion. I'm surprised - I expected you to turn your back once you got what you wanted. Astarion: Quite the opposite - I need someone I can trust. And now I know they'll never betray me.

Unfortunately, in the kiss scenes of Patch 6, the original context was lost, and the focus shifted to themes of fear and humiliation that were not present in the original dynamic with Ascended Astarion. Considering that the kiss scenes were based on the scene of Tav’s transformation into a spawn, which is almost obvious, their emotional tone was distorted. For example, initially, Tav knelt entirely of their own free will, which emphasized the intentional and voluntary nature of their decision. In the kiss scenes, on the contrary, Tav is shown kneeling out of fear, the source of which remains unclear. Throughout the game, it is never shown what consequences Tav could fear for refusing to do so. In the transformation scene, Tav can refuse and not face any frightening consequences.

It also seems illogical when Tav is frightened when Astarion grabs them by the throat. This contradicts the transformation scene, where Tav themself initiated it, asking Astarion to hurt them and even tilting their head back, exposing their neck.

Astarion: It will only hurt a bit, the pleasure will be far greater than the pain. Player: Oh, come on. Let it hurt.

In the kiss scenes, however, this dynamic, based on mutual consent, was changed to an act of violence. This further exacerbates the inconsistency, especially considering that in the original script of this scene, it was noted that both Tav and Astarion derive pleasure from what is happening.

In dialogues, Ascended Astarion also demonstrated a willingness to be tender with Tav when Tav expressed it through words. He was not solely focused on rough dominance, as was attempted to be imposed in Patch 6. This change is likely an attempt by Larian to please the audience who, without going through the Ascended route and without understanding its nuances, actively promotes the narrative of the collective majority about the cycle of abuse.

Yes, the facial expressions in the kiss animations were changed due to fan requests for the Ascended route, but the aftertaste and consequences of these changes remain.

Some players still argue that facial expressions in role-playing games should be imposed "for the sake of the great narrative," while others use game conventions, such as cyclicality of animations, to demand the return of scared expressions. However, bringing back this dynamic would undermine the story and the character that fans of Ascended Astarion have known and loved for six months after the game's release.

In my opinion, to expand the role-playing experience, it would be much more useful not to return the scared expressions as an option, but to add the possibility for the lord to use more standard kisses, similar to those in Patch 5.

It is unclear why many are convinced that the vampire lord is incapable of tender kisses with Tav when his love scene demonstrated just this tenderness, and the moment with the kiss on the hand is one of the most refined and delicate romantic episodes. In particular, the kiss on the hand, which happens after the "be gentle" option is chosen, not only emphasizes Astarion's attention to Tav's desires and his willingness to listen, but also contradicts the notion of his exclusively dominant and cold nature.

If Astarion is capable of expressing such tenderness in intimacy, why is it excluded that the same softness could be maintained in his kisses?

The kiss in Patch 6 would only make sense if, upon choosing the "be gentle… if you can" option, Astarion ignored Tav's request, and his actions were no different from those in the "let it hurt" option.

I would also like to draw attention to the sharp contrast in Tav's facial expressions in the bite scenes, written by different writers. In Act 1, when Astarion was written only by Stephen Rooney, Tav's facial expression shows ecstasy, and this same expression is repeated in the lord's love scene, which, according to Welch, they did not write.

However, in the transformation scene, which, as Welch confirms, was written with their involvement, Tav's facial expression is noticeably different.

It’s not fear, like in the kisses from Patch 6, but the expression conveys a "problematic/kinky" mood — a term that Welch themselves used to describe this scene. This looks particularly strange in the dialogue where Tav explicitly asks to be hurt:

Astarion: Shall we have one last night together before you join me in immortality? One for the road, so to speak. Player: We shall not. I just need you to bite me. Astarion: Impatient are we? Well who am I to deny you?

This suggests that Welch’s views on "kinks" are at least debatable, and this influences how they are portrayed in the game. For example, Welch sees the transformation into a spawn as an "irreversible sex-pact/kink/form of gratification," but Tav's reaction in this scene is somewhat more uneasy than in previous episodes involving similar actions.

Both scenes are consensual, but they have a different tone simply because one of the writers condemned the player for "kinks," while the other did not.

In the cinematic context for the transformation scene, the following was stated: "You are naked and vulnerable before him." This feeling, it seems to me, is what the animators tried to convey and embody, capturing the intimacy of the moment. However, with the release of Patch 6, this message became distorted, turning into something entirely different — crude and devoid of the original subtle undertones.

In this context, I believe that the kisses from Patch 7 appear much more consistent compared to the facial expressions in Patch 6.

Especially when considering the following points:

Astarion grabs Tav by the neck solely at the player's initiative, and the dialogue clearly implies that Tav wants this.

Tav has previously reacted with obvious pleasure to similar actions by Astarion in other scenes.

I genuinely do not understand why Baudelaire Welch's contribution should be considered more significant, given that they joined the project during the later stages of the game's development. Especially when you consider that the character was originally created by another writer, who laid the foundation for his personality, story, and key traits. Prioritizing late additions that distort the original concept seems unfair and disrespectful to Astarion's creator and his vision.

At this point, I would like there to be an option in the game to kiss Astarion's hand. A hand kiss is also a symbolic gesture that conveys respect, devotion, submission, and acknowledgment of power or authority. I find this incredibly romantic, and I truly miss it. It would further emphasize the symbolism of this route.

[lizzyiii]

His Lady Love (3)

pairing | aemond targaryen x vampire!mikaelson!reader

word count | 3.7k words

summary | calm before the storm. the queen forces you to go to the targaryen-hightower supper where you finally sit face to face with aemond, (whilst getting interrogated by prince daemon as well.)

tags | reader is just here for the targ drama tbh, fluff, small angst/but reader comforts,

note | I just realised that both rebekah and reader fall for boys that they technically watched grow up (not really, but really tho, also would you consider this pedophilic, since rebekah and reader had mere platonic feelings, while marcel and aemond were already obsessed)

likes, comments, reblogs are much appreciated ✨

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 — 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 — 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫

It had been a moon's turn since your return, and Aemond had taken to shadowing you through the sunlit halls of the Keep, his presence felt like a specter lurking just out of reach. Instead of confronting you directly, he observed, his violet gaze lingering on you with an intensity that sent shivers down your spine. Meanwhile, the currents of Targaryen drama began to stir anew, this time not over the succession of the Iron Throne, but over the shores of Driftmark and the title of the Lord of Tides.

Lord Vaemond Velaryon was set to make his case, summoned to the court to argue vehemently against Lucerys Velaryon’s claim to the ancestral seat, while the King deliberated on who would wear the mantle of the next successor.

Your mind, however, was torn asunder by the weight of the situation. It was as clear as the midday sun that Rhaenyra's three sons bore the mark of bastardy, the truth hanging in the air like a bitter fog. Yet, despite their dark hair and brown eyes, they were still Princess Rhaenrya's sons, making them true Targaryens, and as long as the crown acknowledged their legitimacy, they had every right to embrace their heritage.

Yet, the specter of justice loomed heavily. They bore no true Valaryon blood in their veins, a fact that rendered their claim to Driftmark similarly disquieting. If they were to inherit such a coveted title, it would be naught but a dagger to the heart of the Velaryon legacy, erasing centuries of honor and heritage in one fell swoop.

But who were you to cast judgment on the matter? You were, after all, a bastard yourself in your own right. With no discernible features from either your father or your mother, the only tether to the Mikaelson name was the multitude of witnesses who could attest to your mother birthing you into this world.

Soon enough, the matter erupted into a grand spectacle, as the Queen had relayed with a glint of grim madness in her eye. Viserys, frail and near death, had heaved himself from his sickbed, a ghost of his former self, to proclaim the legitimacy of his grandsons. That proclamation, laden with tension and bitter truths, secured their claim to Driftmark—an act of desperation that would surely echo through the halls of history. It was not long after this madness that the Prince, Daemon Targaryen, wielded his fury like a sword, severing Vaemond Velaryon's head from his shoulders for daring to call Rhaenyra a whore.

To your great displeasure, Queen Alicent had insisted your presence at the supper of Targaryen and Hightower—a feast destined to spiral into a night of revelry or ruin, most likely the latter. You preferred the shadows, where the light of their self-destructive feud would not touch you, allowing you to observe from afar rather than be ensnared in their political webs. Yet, refusal was a luxury you could not afford.

As the time of the supper approached, you dedicated a substantial time deliberating over your choice of attire. The vibrant hues of black and green were decidedly unfit, signifying discord and allegiances you wished to avoid at all costs. Instead, you selected a gown of soft pink silk, its flowing fabric draping elegantly over your form, a symbol of innocence amidst the clamor of tensions. You wove your hair into intricate braids interspersed with delicate pearls that caught the flickering candlelight, culminating your preparation with a cherished pendant—a family heirloom adorned with the Mikaelson crest.

Stepping into the grand dining hall, you were met with the scrutinizing gazes of the Blacks. Whispers and curious glances darted in your direction as you approached the long table, poised and unwavering, choosing to disregard Aegon's lecherous leers that felt all too familiar. A frown tightened your lips when you spied that both seats beside Helaena were occupied. Resigned yet resolute, you claimed the next available chair—seated close to Aemond.

"My prince," you intoned softly, offering a nod of acknowledgment.

Aemond's violet eye bore into you, a swirl of unspoken thoughts birthing an electric tension between you. Time seemed to stretch as he regarded you, his expression inscrutable, before he replied, "My Lady," his voice low and controlled, yet laden with something you couldn't discern.

With practiced grace, you settled into your seat, the heavy air thick with unspoken politics. You leaned slightly forward, attempting to listen as King Viserys, broken and weary beneath the weight of his crown, delivered a grand speech. He spoke of unity and the bonds of family, though in truth, all you wished for was the freedom to roll your eyes, a habit you had long restrained. His words felt hollow, a poignant irony given his role in fracturing his family as much as he sought to mend it

From what Queen Alicent had confided in you, you were painfully aware of the King's heart-wrenching choice—his decisions that saw his first wife deprived of her future and life, all in favor of the male heir he hoped for. That tragic episode echoed through the halls of the Red Keep, leading to not just his wife but both her and their son's death. And now, as King Viserys eagerly sought the son he so desperately desired, he had all but disregarded Aegon, neglecting the boy from the moment of his first cry.

As the King’s voice echoed in the hall, you caught sight of Helaena, Aegon, and Aemond—each face twisted in quiet agony, a poignant testament to the empty love their father bestowed upon them. In that moment, you felt a surge of empathy and support for them — even Aegon. With a discreet but deliberate motion, you slipped your hand beneath the table, gently covering Aemond’s tightly clenched fist.

He tensed at your touch, but after a heartbeat of hesitation, Aemond relaxed and opened his hand, intertwining your fingers with his. A small squeeze passed between you—a silent token of gratitude that spoke volumes in contrast to the empty words spilling from the King's lips.

As the evening wore on, the air thick with unwelcome tension, your mind began to drift, thoughts becoming a haze as the speeches droned on around you. It was only when Aemond's hand slipped from yours, his presence withdrawing as he rose to his feet, that your gaze sharpened. You found him casting a fierce glare at Jacaerys, who was regaling the gathering with yet another toast.

However, it was Helaena's gentle voice that truly broke through the fog enveloping you. She stood, her lovely countenance illuminated by a warm, sugary smile as she raised her glass high. "I would like to toast to Baela and Rhaena," she declared, her tone carrying a dreamy lightness, "They'll be married soon. It isn't so bad. Mostly he just ignores you... except when sometimes he's drunk."

Her words pierced your heart, the bittersweet truth laced within them shattering whatever sympathy you had harbored for Aegon. With a mixture of sorrow and indignation igniting within you, you cast a venomous glare towards Prince Daemon, who, aflame with mirth, laughed at Helaena’s toast. Yet you were not as discreet as you’d hoped; the piercing gaze of Prince Daemon met yours, a knowing smirk creeping upon his lips.

“I do believe I am yet to have the distinct pleasure of being introduced to our guest,” Prince Daemon declared, his voice tinged with the kind of arrogance that could curdle the blood of the unwary. The room fell silent; all attention was drawn to you, as if you were a curious creature caged among the dragons, and you suppressed the urge to sigh at the mischief brewing in his expression.

Queen Alicent cleared her throat—a notable attempt to extricate you from Daemon’s merciless gaze. “She is one of my esteemed ladies, Prince Daemon,” she interjected, her tone hinting at a subtle warning, though the sharpness of the prince’s wit remained unyielding.

“A lady, indeed?” Daemon’s voice was laced with mockery, his eyes flickering over you as if you were an intricate puzzle, “Yet here she sits, so comfortably, as if she belongs to the very blood of House Targaryen.” Daemon replied, the cunning glimmer in his eye only intensifying. He leaned forward, every inch the contemplative predator. “What is your name, my lady?”

The warmth of the hall contrasted sharply with the coolness of his gaze, yet you met it with unwavering resolve, the remnant courage of your lineage steeling your heart as you told him your name and lied about hailing from The Reach, your voice steady, resonating amidst the stillness.

"Mikaelson?" Daemon mused, his smirk as sharp as Valyrian steel. His silver hair framed a face both youthful and hardened by conflict, and his voice dripped with the playfulness of a cunning predator. "And yet you're no son."

A tight smile graced your lips, the playful banter igniting the spark of your short temper. "My father has enough sons, I assure you, Prince Daemon," you rebuffed, your tone dipped in irritation.

"How old are you? Six and ten?" he pressed, his gaze unwavering, while you caught sight of young Jacaerys approaching Helaena, asking her for a dance. If only irony were not woven into the very fabric of their fates—how you wished Queen Alicent had seen fit to unite them in a more harmonious bond than the betrothal she made with Helaena and Aegon.

But also at that moment, you recognized the precariousness of your own web of lies. Since your arrival at King's Landing, you had deceived the queen into believing you were six and ten, which in truth you were. Oh, how the centuries rolled by, yet your vampiric nature kept your visage untouched, a fragrant bloom eternally in its prime. It was a game of wit and veiled truths, and you knew well how to play.

You met Daemon’s piercing gaze anew, your expression turning steely, tinged with an edge of irritation. “No, your highness,” you replied, your voice as cool as ice. “I am three-and-twenty.”

Prince Daemon raised a silver eyebrow in surprise. “My, my, even older than Prince Aegon,” he drawled, the words rolled off his tongue like honey laced with venom, aimed to sting, "And unmarried, I presume?"

Though you longed to retort with the truth, that you were even older than him, a creature of darkness preserved by the very essence of your nature, you instead offered a demure smile, saying, “Yes. But I prefer it that way. Much more preferable than marrying whilst I was a girl." Your words, though soft-spoken, held a steel beneath their surface—a blade forged in the fires of countless unsaid anger at the world around you.

Daemon’s lips curled into an amused smirk, and he shrugged, seemingly unfazed. “And yet, that is the world we live in.” His tone was laced with the disillusionment of a man who had seen much—his own brand of charm wrapped in an air of indifference.

“Indeed, a world where old men prey upon young girls,” you countered, your voice steady and unwavering, “but I daresay you are no stranger to such tactics, your highness.” The look of amusement that had brightened Daemon’s features dimmed, his smirk wilting like a flower in winter, which you took great satisfaction in.

You jolted in your seat, when Aemond, seated beside you, suddenly slammed his fist onto the table. The cacophony of music and chatter in the hall fell silent as he rose, his goblet held aloft like a rallying cry. "Last Tribute!" he announced, a boldness in his voice that demanded attention.

You glanced around the room, and the unease reflected in the faces of his kin did not escape you. Aemond continued, "To the health of my nephews: Jace… Luke… and Joffrey. Each of them handsome, wise… hm… strong."

A faint gasp escaped your lips as you caught the veiled insult aimed at the Velaryon boys' bastardy. The shocked expressions of the Targaryens around you were a clear indicator that Aemond’s words had struck a nerve. Queen Alicent, her composure straining against the affront to her family, attempted to intervene. "Aemond," she cautioned, her voice taut with concern.

But he paid her no heed, raising his goblet higher, a wicked gleam in his eye as he spoke, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Come… let us drain our cups to these three… Strong boys," he declared, the words echoing through the revelry like a distant thunderclap.

The hall fell silent, eyes turning to Jace Velaryon, whose face had flushed a deep crimson, betrayal etching lines into his young features. He advanced on Aemond with the fury of a dragon, fists clenched tight. "I dare you to say that again," he challenged, his words barely concealing the tempest of wrath within him.

"Why? 'Twas only a compliment." Aemond retorted with a smirk that could cut glass. "Do you not think yourself Strong?" The taunt flew from his lips like a well-bred serpent, and before the words had fully settled in the air, Jace's fist met Aemond’s cheek with a resounding smack.

Yet, to Aemond, it seemed naught but a gentle breeze, his expression barely shifting as he staggered back only a pace. His pale violet eye sparkled with mischief, unfazed by Jace's sudden fury.

In a swift motion, you rose from your place at the table, the wooden chair scraping against the stone floor as you moved to intervene. Aemond, with a dismissive shove, pushed Jace down, the young prince hitting the hard ground with a thud.

Without thinking, you stepped towards Helaena, and gently took her by the arm. “Come, boys are such immature creatures, yes,” you said softly, guiding her away from the escalating chaos that threatened to engulf them both. Her wide eyes flickered with uncertainty, but she leaned into your touch, casting a sorrowful glance back at the scene as you ushered her away.

You watched as Aemond stormed out the dining hall, his anger crackling in the air like the storm clouds that often loomed over King's Landing. As chaos settled around you, you felt an impulse, a momentary lapse in resolve, and left Helaena's side to pursue him.

He strode fiercely through the halls of the Red Keep, the glint of his silver hair catching the flickering torchlight. You hurried to match his pace, concern fluttering in your chest. "Aemond," you called out softly, "are you alright?"

The scent of his wrath surrounded him, palpable as the incense in the court. He did not glance your way, his voice a frigid whisper laced with venom. "Absolutely splendid."

Your brow furrowed at the sharpness of his words, and with a hint of naïveté, you responded, "I sense a trace of sarcasm in your tone."

Aemond exhaled sharply, quickening his steps in a feeble attempt to distance himself from your probing presence, but your determination was steady. "Did my mother send you to chastise me?" he snapped, the words like arrows loosed from a drawn bow.

"No," you responded gently, your eyes softening with empathy. "I am here of my own accord, wishing only to know if you are truly well."

His stormy glare wavered for the briefest moment, as if the floodgates within him were on the verge of breaking, as if realising it was you he was talking to. But just as swiftly, he clamped down on it, his demeanor hardening once more. Suddenly, he halted and turned to face you, the tension palpable in the air between you.

You lifted your chin defiantly, unwilling to cower beneath the intensity of his stare. "Knowing," he began, his voice low and resonant. "And yet I find I do not know you at all."

Your brow furrowed, a hint of confusion playing at the corners of your lips. "I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean."

He raised a hand, holding out three fingers as if counting off a point. "Three things," he affirmed, his tone matter-of-fact. "I now know three things about you: your name, your home, and that you have brothers."

You paused, gazing at him with wide, innocent eyes, your voice a gentle whisper, "You seem troubled by this knowledge."

He exhaled heavily, pressing a knuckle to the jagged scar that marred his skin, perhaps seeking solace from its lingering pain. A part of you longed to ease his suffering. "It is only my frustration that weighs heavily upon me," he confessed, his tone laced with a mix of irritation and longing. "You hold the knowledge of my life in your hands, yet I know naught of your story."

You crossed your arms defiantly, donning a mask of indifference, "I do not understand the depth of your frustration."

Aemond's singular violet eye bore into your soul with an intensity that made your heart race. "I suspect you do. You are well aware of the affections I hold for you."

A sharp breath caught in your throat as you shook your head, dismissing the peculiar warmth blossoming within your chest. "Those were mere whims of a boy, your grace," you retorted, attempting to cloak your uncertainty in bravado.

His gaze remained unwavering, a storm of emotion swirling within that piercing eye. "Yet here I stand, no longer a boy, and the flames of my desire for you still burn fierce."

"You mustn't speak so," you urged, desperation threading through your voice like a fraying rope.

"Why ought I to remain silent?" Aemond shrugged, a hint of defiance lacing his words. "This is but the truth of my heart."

"Which is wholly improper," you retorted fiercely, the tension between you thickening in the wake of your words.

An awkward silence enveloped you both, heavy with unspoken thoughts, until Aemond cleared his throat, shifting the fragile atmosphere. "You held your own remarkably well against my uncle's incessant probing," he remarked, seeking lighter ground.

You wrapped your arms around yourself as a tendril of chill from the nearby window touched your skin, though the coolness hardly bothered you. "There is only one man who may speak to me in such a manner," you replied with a touch of defiance, "and that is my brother."

“Mhm,” Aemond murmured, his gaze locked onto yours, an intensity in his violet eye that seemed to pierce through the very air between you. “Pray, tell me more.”

You stifled a roll of your eyes, at once annoyed and amused by his insatiable curiosity. "I am the youngest of six," you said, your tone now lighthearted yet elusive, "and my favorite color is pink. Might that suffice for your unquenchable thirst for knowledge about me?"

His lips curved in a smirk, his gaze unwavering. "No," he replied, his voice low and firm. "It shall never be enough."

With a genuine exasperation, you rolled your eyes this time, a small smile betraying your annoyance. "Well, if you must know—"

But your words were abruptly stolen by Aemond’s boldness. His strong hands cupped your face, his touch igniting a warmth that seeped through the layers of silk between you. In an instant, his warm, soft lips met yours, and time seemed to freeze. Your heart raced, an unexpected firework of emotion exploding within you as you instinctively leaned into him, responding to the kiss despite the whirlwind of confusion in your mind.

Yet reality came crashing back as your senses settled, and you hastily broke away from him, breathless and bewildered. The air in the room felt charged, and you glared at him, regaining your composure and a semblance of control

The fool wore a dopey grin, that infuriatingly charming smile that only deepened your ire. You shot him a withering look. “I was speaking,” you pointedly reminded him.

His brows knitted in confusion, a flicker of surprise on his face. “What?”

You planted your hands defiantly on your hips, your indignation brewing like a storm. “I was speaking, and you interrupted me! Not only that, but you did not seek my permission to claim my lips.”

Aemond’s laughter rang like the chiming of bells, an amused glimmer in his eye as he observed your vexation. “Very well, my lady. May I kiss you again?”

Your irritation flared, your cheeks warming with a blend of anger and embarrassment. You took a deliberate step back, confusion simmering just beneath your skin. “No, of course not. You have already stolen a kiss from me, but I shall not so easily grant you another.” You held back the childish urge to stomp your foot in frustration. With a petulant huff, you turned on your heel to storm away, your voice carrying a wisp of indignation. “This is most improper and indecent! Good night, your Highness.”

“Good night, my Lady Love,” Aemond murmured, his violet gaze lingering on you until you vanished around a distant corner. His heart swelled with an unexpected mix of hope and affection, the chaotic Targaryen supper and the impending shadows of war fading from his mind. With a tender gesture, he brushed his fingertip against the spot where your lips had just brushed against his, savoring the memory.

And as you stalked off into the dimly lit corridors of the castle, the weight of his gaze lingered, leaving you with a tumult of emotions swirling in your mind, an echo of the kiss that you could neither dismiss nor desire to forget.

[marinette-buginette]

Kiyi is not a Princess - A Look At the Fire Nation's Line of Succession

It's not even that much about Kiyi. But the creators seemingly got so lost in the sauce that their ideas about how absolutist monarchies work are as good as taken out of Disney movies now. So, let's set the record straight.

The Fire Nation line of succession

When it comes to royal lines, there were multiple elements that went into setting the line of succession: descent, sex, legitimacy, religion etc. For the Fire Nation, the ones we have 100% confirmed are descent and legitimacy (this last one seen with the Camellia-Peony War, where Chaejin was excluded from the succession because he was born out of wedlock). I would have gone on a whim to say sex counts as well, however, it is a bit foggy. In the Reckoning of Roku, it is mentioned that Firelord Taiso believed Zeisan (Sozin's younger sister) would have been a more competent ruler but could never become Fire Lord due to being a nonbender (I didn't actually read the book, so if someone who did wants to pitch in with the exact wording, please feel free to). This implies that being a Firebender is a requirement, but being a woman isn't. However, it also implies that Taiso would have been fine with ignoring the descent part (Sozin was older) if he deemed fit. Skipping the firstborn in favour of the second one isn't unheard of when it comes to succession so sure. And he is the absolute monarch, if he wants to pass papers to change the line of succession, he can. It is unclear to me if there is any power in place to veto or block a Fire Lord's ruling on any matter so for all we know, if he wanted, he could have. Plus, the fact that Ozai got crowned over Iroh because it was 'Azulon's dying wish'. For the religion part, it seems like the Fire Sages have to perform the coronation and acknowledge the monarch.

So to make it more digestible, the line of succession (while Azulon was still alive) is: Iroh → Lu Ten (firstborn of the heir) → Ozai → Zuko → Azula. With Lu Ten dead, Iroh MIA (at the time) then we have Ozai → Zuko → Azula. When Iroh came back, he gets added at the end of this line of succession. I am a bit unclear on Iroh in current times because it looks to me like he rescinded his role in the line of succession altogether with deciding to live in Ba Sing Se and letting politically inexperienced Zuko rule instead of taking over for a few years to create some stability.

Right now, we have Fire Lord Zuko and his heir presumptive (aka an heir that can be displaced if the monarch has children) Azula. Unless he wrote a decree to take her out of the line of succession — which would require a lot more brain cells than the writers are willing to give Zuko, not that he had a lot of them when it came to politics to begin with —then she's next in line. It doesn't matter how much anyone wants it or not, if Zuko drops dead tomorrow, Azula gets the throne.

Now, onto the other matter.

How does one become a Princess?

Option 1: You marry into the royal family. For example, Ursa was styled as a Princess, as she married Prince Ozai.

Option 2: You're born in a royal line. For example, Azula is a Princess because her father is a Prince, her grandfather, at the time of her birth, was the ruling monarch of the Fire Nation etc.

Bonus Option it's complicated: Royals had a habit of having children out of wedlock sometimes. Said children, if acknowledged, could be granted titles (Count of X, Dutchess of Y etc.) . Getting acknowledged and a title does not automatically put you in the line of succession, though. For example, Firelord Chaeryu was forced to acknowledge Chaejin and avoid dishonoring his noble mother and her house, but he excluded Chaejin from the royal family.

So Kiyi is not a Princess. Simple as that. Neither of her parents are of the royal line.

Could she become a Princess?

Well, this gets interesting.

Let's start with the fact that Kiyi got a pretty bad deal in a class-based monarchical society.

First thing, while her mother is a noble, her father is a commoner. Even if Ursa's family became destitute after Roku's death because of political reasons, it does not change the fact that she is still nobility unless Sozin revoked Rina's title, which I am not 100% sure he did. We don't know anything about Jinzuk besides the fact that he was the magistrate of Hira'a. While magistrates do not have to be part of the nobility, they can be. He could have been a second/third/fourth son of a small noble family with limited power/resources, given the position he was given was in a place like Hira'a, which is what I am inclining towards. He could have also been just some guy, but someone appointed him, and as a rule of thumb, you don't just go into the street and pick a random person to appoint to an administrative and leadership role, even if it's a small town. Given that Azulon was set on Ozai marrying Ursa because she was Roku's granddaughter, whether or not Jinzuk was a noble, it doesn't matter all that much in the grand scheme of things. However, in Kiyi's case, it does if Zuko wants to give her a title. It's more stigma than anything because people can be given nobility titles for specific services to the crown etc. But this is not her only issue. Which leads me to...

Second thing, Kiyi is a bastard. Which, in my opinion, would hold even more stigma than her father not being a noble. Ursa never divorced Ozai. As far as we know, polygamist marriages aren't a thing in the Fire Nation, so her marriage to Ikem/Noren is invalid. Could she be granted a divorce retroactively by the Fire Sages? Actually, yeah. Because Zuko named Shyu as High Sage, which was like the one sound political move he ever did tbh. We don't see what the Fire Nation's stance on divorce is, but given that Shyu is a Zuko loyalist, he'd probably grant Ursa retroactive divorce from Ozai. I am not a legal expert, however, as far as I know, retroactive decisions tend to be reserved for correcting a mistake or omission in the written record. She was still married to Ozai when she went and married Ikem. Though technically, she married him under a fake identity (and so did he), which might make the marriage void regardless in the eyes of the law. Idk how Spirit involvement affects legal matters in the world of Avatar, but as things stand right now, unless we pretzel-twist ourselves to make excuses, Kiyi is born outside of legitimate wedlock.

Now, Zuko might not care. In fact, he probably doesn't. He could still give Kiyi a title, including that of Princess. It was not uncommon for illegitimate relatives of rulers to be offered roles/titles once acknowledged. The real question is if he would put her in the line of succession. Kiyi has no business being there because she does not have royal blood.

Could Zuko do whatever he wants, give her the title of Princess and shove her in the line of succession while taking Azula out of it for good measure? Sure, he can. He'd probably love that, in fact. But that leaves two things open.

One, nobility would not take kindly to a bastard child of a commoner with no royal blood being in the line of succession. If we also add the angle of taking Azula out of it, it would just increase their ire. There is already a long list of why the nobility is probably angry at Zuko (and should attempt to assassinate him a lot more than they do), but I think this one in particular has other implications. There might be nobles who are neutral about Zuko. Shamelessly discarding societal norms on a whim might make their perspective swing towards negative. It could make him lose goodwill he might have or potential allies.

Two, it will make the commoners wonder. If this random girl, raised as a peasant, with a commoner father, born out of wedlock, can be put in the line of succession just like that — while discarding a princess of the blood if we are at it — then… is the royal line not that special? The whole premise of a monarchy is that the monarch and their descendants have the divine right to rule. Being part of that bloodline gives you the right to rule. So if that can be discarded, if that bloodline is not all that important… should Zuko be Firelord? And most importantly, does the Fire Nation really need a monarch at all?

Kiyi is not a princess, and for the well-being of Zuko's reign — which is already barely holding together — he better not make her one.

[dereks-unrelenting-heart]

SFTH Chaotic Highlights (Too Big To Be A Jockey)

My 5th longform commentary :)

Classic stagecraft confusion with not knowing where exactly the horse is-

"It's not about the rider" "I'm pretty sure it's important" Sam could've said a lot more then (a la 'invading Spain through the East') but he clearly restrained himself this time

"You're a specialty" "I'm a specialty" "Yes" When instead of acknowledging it, they double down on their bullshit

"Ol' Johnny Jones, even though he's a tall guy" "He's 6'6"" They loved assigning roles to Tom early on huh

"Don't slap me in front of Thunderclap!" What is this, an abusive relationship with their child in the room?

Sam trying to fit the show title into the story also happened in a lot of earlier shows

"Get your hand off my horse's tits" One of my favorite Sam running jokes

Johnny Jones choosing the creepiest possible way of entering the scene, sneaking up and putting his hands on Jeremy's shoulders before letting himself be known to Franklin

"I'm saying if this man rides this horse too many more times, she's gonna split in half" You know, I am starting to feel bad for Thunderclap here

AMAZING CHOICE for Johnny Jones to just lift Thunderclap to move her

"Little man" "He is a little man" Absolutely shocking this bit wasn't directed at Luke for once

Johnny Jones being taller at 5 years old than he is now, nice one AJ

"Swallow the spit, don't waste it" I take back my previous statement, Tom was never safe from the spit jokes.. And this is a damn good one

"The one with the Irish Yorkshire-man" ".. I thought he was from London, personally" It's not a SFTH play without a bit of accent confusion

"And by golly he can win that competition!" "She" "She?" "Don't misgender the horse" Yeah Luke you fucking bigot /ref

"Ridiculous double names these poor people have isn't it? It's just the same name twice!" "They couldn't afford another one" Luke and Sam's rich person humor vs Tom's reference to improv comedy not being a great financial choice in OMGITAJ

"He's lost all of his races" Hey Johnny Jones, it wasn't just your height and weight before, we definitely were questioning your legitimacy as a jockey

I know this wasn't the implication from the 'not standing next to an object' thing, but I just imagine Johnny Jones sending a job application with a photo of himself in front of one of those school photoshoot backgrounds that's either a pure black void or a random mix of colors

Sam fully losing it from his own dumb 'wrong station' joke is so great

"I go home to inform him of the horses" I imagine those conversations are incredible "Daddy daddy daddy, the horses!" "Yes son, the horses are still there" "And Thunderclap, is she okay?" "Yes son, she's fine" "Are you sure? Johnny Jones isn't curving her spine into the shape of a horseshoe?" "... Thunderclap is as fine as she usually is"

"Creepy.." "Get you mind out of the gutter, I said my annex!" You can blame the fake alcohol all you want, but what you were thinking was a little more than just 'creepy'

Sam blatantly setting up for the kid to be the jockey, only to act baffled by the idea when Luke finally suggests it

"But, sir-" "w h a t" "... Good idea-" The death glare I know Luke gave him in that moment was deserved

"Ice?" "Come on, sir. You're meant to be upper class" Coming from someone who is both below the legal drinking age and is very much NOT a part of the upper class, let the man have some ice-

"My presence bestows upon you a great many blessings" Wrong direction, but sure close enough

"We are family, even though we look nothing alike" This is one of the only times in sfth history where that's an incorrect statement

AJ: *gets on his knees and kisses Tom's knuckles* Tom: *surprised at the mafia route his character went in*

"The horses do not like it when you cry.. I do though" Cantuccini and his nephew are both freaks huh

Oh boy it's time for my favorite scene

"I'm to be your new jockey!" *literally points and laughs*

Sam urging once again to move the plot along

"I'm here to ride horses and take names" Best line, specifically because it's coming from a 5 year old whose voice sounds like Sam inhaled helium

My reaction to AJ going from 0-100 by getting out a gun is perfectly summarized in Sam's subsequent "what thE FUCK"

"I changed my mind :(" Sam really has a knack for taking up animals roles and ultimately regretting his choices (ie. Mario the Sheep)

"What is this tiny fucking runt of a pony?" Luke, 10 seconds before playing the role of 'small blonde dog':

Luke, the most fabulous blonde horse/dog I ever did see

I like how while AJ and Tom are talking here, Sam and Luke are having their own telepathic conversation of just "Was I not.. supposed to be here? Did I fuck up?" "Idfk man, just let them sort this shit out"

I was gonna say that when it cuts to him riding Thunderclap, Sam is the perfect embodiment of the :D emoji, but turns out the official subtitles beat me to it

Anyway, this kid is so happy to be riding a horse, I sure hope nothing happens to him! *cut to Johnny Jones running towards him at record speed* oh no!

"I'm so terribly sorry about your son, Gavin" Oh my god he's dead "He's been trampled to death by Johnny Jones" HE WHAT

Luke: "Did he have a brother?" Gavin, sweating: "No."

Poor Gavin's gonna lose both of his sons in one terrible work week

"What is the exact nature of the land I own?" When Luke realizes he doesn't know what's going on and desperately tries to stay in character while asking about it

"What do you farm?" ".. Peasants?" Insane response, I love when Luke plays a morally questionable/evil rich guy

I'd comment on their back-and-forth about farming, but I know no more than Luke does about the subject so I'm just gonna 🤐

Realizing I don't know Luke's character's name here or if he was given one, so I'm gonna call him Sir since that's what Gavin's said about a million times

So 'Sir' is very insistent on potentially killing another kid, leaving Gavin sad and childless

This scene is a good second place the the first child one

Bro knows exactly what he's getting into and he is not thrilled at all

"Hullo.." *long pause* *gets gun* "..Look I've had a shit week alright, can we not do this right now-"

What A Twist #2

"The butler" "No" "The land owner" The farm owner, or farmer, one might say

"So it's you who's been sending children to my stables" Yeah and it's you who's been threatening them at gunpoint for some fucked up reason

"Look how high he can lift you with his hands" "I've got a gun" Well there goes Johnny Jones' murder plans

Tom coming in with the ultimate plot twist

I actually thing this is the only time they do a costume related switch up where they can't either continue being themselves (Bubba from Inside The Mysterious Cube) or have the actors swap out (Jelly Jeremiah, also from Inside The Mysterious Cube), so it's just extra confusing

AJ and Sam's opposite reactions to the turn of events, AJ telling him to quit it and Sam immediately wanting to hear Tom attempt to explain how the fuck this is possible. I'm team Sam 100%

I also have no idea who supposedly slapped AJ there, but that's one way to leave a scene ig

Not sure what's more fucked up, the fact the kid was alive the whole time and he didn't tell anyone so his family mourned him, or the fact to stay hidden he made a MEAT SUIT OUT OF THE DEAD GUY... Probably the latter but you know, food for thought

"You leave my family alone!" "Or else what? Oh right, the broken hand-" Tom would never forget such an important detail in his stagecraft *cough*Unrelenting Aubergine*cough* smh

"We're gonna ride the horse together" "But we weight too much together" I thought you were each basically 80% helium tf is this about

Luke's Small Blonde Dog/Horse returns!

"And they said I was too big to be a jockey" Love whenever Sam does this, as mentioned earlier, but I especially love that in this case it doesn't make any sense for the character-

Final Thoughts: We'll never know what Sam was gonna say before Luke called scene at the end..

[synchodai]

"But Jace inherits the crown through Rhaenyra, so it shouldn't matter who his father was." How many times do we have to have this discussion: a bastard cannot inherit, especially if he has trueborn siblings. Marriages are political agreements that decree that the child born from said marriage gets their parents' lands and titles. Harwin and Rhaenyra made no such contract and therefore Jace is entitled to neither parents' holdings and/or titles. Rhaenyra could legitimize Jace, but doing so would acknowledge that he is a Strong and not a Velaryon which makes her sons forfeit the Driftmark wealth and navy.

"Jace doesn't need a dragon to prove that he's a Targaryen when he's obviously Rhaenyra's son." Jace being upset over the lowborn dragonseeds wasn't because him being Rhaenyra's son was ever in question. It's because he knows that being a bastard will not make people respect his right to rule and so he has to surround himself with other signs of legitimacy like a dragon. Dragons are seen by Jace, and a lot of Westerosi, as status symbols. By giving dragons to the lowborn, they are being devalued as indicators of a divine mandate. In short, he knows people won't care that he's Rhaenyra's biological son if he doesn't have the Targaryen might and mystique to back it up.

Again, this is feudalism. Marriages are political contracts. Biological parentage alone is not sufficient to argue your right to succession, because people had children outside of wedlock from multiple women all the time. A marriage contract between parents is what secures a child's inheritance, and Jace doesn't have that.

[anaszpan]

[ IMAGINE ] : You are an elven princess, Thranduil's sister. One day, you came instead of him to negotiate with Thorin. Thorin began to insult you. The negotiations fail and you leave Erebor with a bang.

[ A/N ] : Don't hesitate to use this idea in your story. The photos / gifs do not belong to me. I do not claim any copyright to them and do not own any. 📷 Mary GIF src: [X]

[ ( ´ ꒳ ` ) ♡ ] : In the heart of the Misty Mountains, the air was thick with tension as I approached the grand gates of Erebor. I typically held no interest in the squabbles of dwarves, circumstances had compelled my brother to send me in his stead.

The last rays of sun glimmered upon the polished stone as I strode into the Great Hall of the Lonely Mountain. My attire spoke of my lineage — an elegant gown woven with silver threads that sparkled like starlight. I held my head high, braids of dark hair woven with delicate leaves, representing both my status and the deep connection I felt to the woodland realm from whence I came.

At the far end of the hall stood Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the Company of Dwarves and the heir to the Kingdom Under the Mountain. His eyes were sharp, glinting with pride, but I could sense the flicker of disdain beneath his bravado. As I approached, his expression shifted to one of mockery.

"So, the great Thranduil sends his precious sister instead of attending himself..." he proclaimed, his voice booming and dismissive. "How charming. I suppose he is too busy preening in the woods to bother with matters of true importance. Perhaps he fears the strength of a true king, knowing that I, Thorin Oakenshield, have reclaimed these halls.""

I inhaled deeply, allowing the anger that brewed within me to settle into a calm determination. "My brother is a king who respects protocol, Thorin Oakenshield. Though I may not bear the title of king, my wisdom and experience in matters of diplomacy are greater than you presume. To insult me is to insult the very alliance we seek to forge."

His laughter echoed through the hall, harsh and grating. "Wisdom? Wisdom from a woman? Your presence here does nothing but show the weakness of your kin. A true ruler would not hide behind a lady’s skirts." The dwarves at his side snickered, and I felt the heat of indignation flush my cheeks. "And what do you know of struggle, dear lady? Have you ever faced the spitting breath of a dragon, or the bitter chill of winter in the dark corners of a mountain? Perhaps you’d prefer a negotiation steeped in ribbon and poetry?”

With a steady resolve, I replied, "Let it be known that wisdom is not measured by title but by actions and experience. Your pride will cost you dearly, Thorin."

Yet, the truth was, I had known that these negotiations were precarious from the start. It was no surprise when Thorin, in his stubborn pride, refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of my propositions. With each failed attempt to reason with him, the situation grew more heated. The dwarves had their minds set on their treasure, and Thorin’s arrogance blinded him to the potential of alliance with the Elves.

Finally, after an exhausting exchange of barbs and bluster, it became clear that we would achieve nothing further that day. I turned my back to Thorin and the assembled dwarves, my heart heavy but resolute. "This meeting is concluded, then. If you wish for my brother’s aid, you will have to look beyond your own pride, Thorin. Remember this."

As I made my way to the exit, I paused to take one last look at the great halls of Erebor, so resplendent but filled with such foolishness. Then, summoning a bit of elven magic, I raised my hand subtly. The torches lining the great hall flared brightly, casting dancing shadows that painted the walls. A gust of wind surged through the hall, rattling the torches and stirring the garments of the dwarves.

“You will regret this, Oakenshield.” I intoned, allowing my voice to carry like a whisper in the wind. Then, with a flourish of my dress and a fierce spark of light, I exited, leaving the hall aglow with the radiance of my departure.

Outside, I mounted my swift steed, feeling the sharp sting of disappointment but also a sense of pride for holding my ground. As the last echoes of laughter faded behind me, I took a deep breath, vowing that I would return to the dwarves, not as an insult to their pride, but as a force to be reckoned with. The balance of power was shifting, and the tale of our kingdoms was far from over.

[myapothecarydiary]

Thoughts from reading The Apothecary Diaries Manga Ch. 4

First have to share some thoughts about the title page because look at it! I love how the moon looks like an ominous eye and the "ghostly" figure looks more sinister than ethereal. And check the framing at the bottom with the cotton rose. I love details!

Right away we get some framework for this chapter–it will address freeing oneself from one's circumstances. A woman traversing (or dancing on) the line (or wall) between freedom and captivity is quite the image. Escaping the cage of the rear palace is said to be impossible, but is it?

Maomao values competence–we see this so often with her praise of certain individuals and criticisms of others (see Hongniang vs Jinshi)

And instantly we get an example of someone she criticizes for their work ethic–Jinshi, of course.

Here her mind takes her thoughts of criticism a bit further. "As a eunuch, he should be in the offices of the palace domestic service..."

"...but he doesn't seem to be attached to any one place...it's as if he's overseeing the entire inner court. Perhaps he ranks higher than a director then..."

Maomao is beginning to connect the dots about Jinshi. If he isn't acting like a normal eunuch, then maybe there's more to him and his position than she initially thought. His actual position perhaps explains his odd behavior.

Lol I adore lightbulb Maomao. Her "assumption" that Jinshi is the Emperor's lover is both kind of a way for her to stop thinking too much about Jinshi's actual position/identity (preventing herself from reaching the truth) and an indication of where her mind goes due to her background. It's also funny how casual Maomao is about "indecent" thoughts coupled with how Jinshi still clocks that type of thought crossing her mind (maybe she isn't as casual/unaffected as you'd think and/or Jinshi is good at picking up on those types of thoughts due to his looks and the situations they potentially get him into).

I feel like Maomao defaults to assuming people have a certain level of lust/desire. There may be some legitimacy to her interpretation, but I also find it interesting considering how she herself comes across as lacking this sense of lust and attraction. She never exactly describes herself as "different from others/the norm," but she is conscious of how she is different/unusual.

I guess that is to say it is not something that really bothers her or something she gets caught up on. She just views it as a fact of life. It's as if through her personality and upbringing, she has been forged into this almost "objective" observer, which is reflected in her skill for deducing information and solving mysteries. Like with describing how anyone would be attracted to Jinshi, she does not include herself in any reflection on "everyone." But she is not objective and recognizes this–acknowledging the background that formed her knowledge and perspective + emphasizing when conclusions come from "conjecture." That being said, I do think she is more affected by things than she likes to admit and is suppressing certain thoughts and feelings. She does to herself as she does with discovering knowledge about others–like with the pieces she is putting together regarding Jinshi, it is easier to not think too much about certain things.

Going back to lust, she is matter-of-fact about its existence, but perhaps she puts too much weight on it sometimes. I feel like she is more willing to acknowledge her bias and subjective pov regarding other topics. And she is different, but maybe others, though they act a certain way outwardly, are more like her on the inside than she thinks.

Anyway, Maomao has deduced that Jinshi: oversees the rear palace, has a higher position than it seems + one that affords him a certain amount of freedom, is connected to the Emperor somehow.

~time line interlude~

3 months in rear palace @ start of the story: Maomao writes notes of warning to Gyokuyou and Lihua

1 month later: Lihua's son passes, Jinshi tracks down Maomao and makes her Gyokuyou's lady-in-waiting

1 month later, ~5 months in rear palace/1 month in Jade Pavilion: Maomao approached about "ghost"

We continue...

So, the reason I wanted to outline the timing of everything and how long Maomao has been in the rear palace and specifically the Jade Pavilion is because of how Maomao treats Jinshi here (and how she has come to understand his behavior).

He's seeking her out directly and one-on-one, and she can tell this means he wants something from her. Interesting that this makes her privy to certain information not to be heard by everyone (like the doctor. Or does Jinshi simply want to be alone with her for his own benefit/to work his charms? Both?) It's funny when taken with how people like the other ladies-in-waiting and Xiaolan gossip to her–with all the information, gossip or more official, she's like "leave me alone with this" while also being curious.

More notable is how Maomao speaks to Jinshi. "Why are you really here?" Very blunt and kind of throwing her respected etiquette out the window! It's like the "you're a caterpillar" glare in verbal form. She's really skirting the line now, if she hasn't already crossed it. This increasingly expressed lack of respect for etiquette and Jinshi seems indicative of growth in their relationship, as odd as that may sound. Has she learned how far she can push it? Does she not fear Jinshi as much as she perhaps did at the start? This behavior doesn't seem very "I want my head to stay attached to my body" of Maomao.

Which reminds me–look how much she avoids his gaze/looking at him. Is this her trying to remain that modicum of respect and/or to not be subjected to his fake, overbearing smile?

It seems Jinshi is learning how to pique Maomao's interest, but this little "It's not that hard to figure out" and Maomao's upset response to it stands out to me as it is an adaptational change and I'm not totally sure what to make of it. Is he trying to show off? Does this work to emphasize his own deduction skills?

Maomao's statement of her area of expertise in the light novel is an attempt to get Jinshi to leave her alone with this topic (and in general), but here it almost comes across as an angry rebuttal like "hey, that's my territory, I know more than you."

This is also more of "lack of physical boundaries" Jinshi with Maomao clearly rejecting his touch and trying to remove him. Is this for his own enjoyment or is he still trying to seduce her? It feels like he is toying with her. In the light novel, I feel like it is more clear that he is trying to get her to help him and knows she can't say no if she meets his gaze. I guess this is a more physical interpretation where he actually grabs her to make her look at him.

The whole scene does end with her giving in once forced to look him in the eye. But the interest she showed regarding sleepwalking seems like a more promising approach than Jinshi's go-to method. Does he realize this?

I guess this scene in particular is one where I would benefit from hearing the thoughts of others.

Sorry to get stuck on Apothecary's presentation of gender (but not really because I find it fascinating and thought provoking haha), but here we have another example of Maomao's understanding and perspective being challenged with how Gaoshun looks "very masculine" and not "like a typical eunuch at all."

I think there are a couple of interesting things happening here. Maomao comes at gender from a perspective very reflective of the context in which she exists, and in some ways, what first appears to challenge that perspective actually works to reaffirm it. Gaoshun appearing more masculine and like a military man is not presented in the story to challenge a bias but it is Maomao's first clue that something else is going on with Gaoshun, that there's more to the story. The same thing happens later when Maomao inspects Jinshi's body and sees it is more muscular than a eunuch's would be. Without further investigation, the presentation of eunuchs that don't fit the stereotype challenges that stereotype, but the truth of the matter actually kind of relies on and reaffirms those stereotypes. Gaoshun isn't just a eunuch and wasn't always a eunuch. Jinshi isn't a eunuch at all. If they didn't seem like regular eunuchs, it's because they are not.

And yet, Jinshi still appears very feminine. That is, arguably in part due to the drugs/forms of suppression Jinshi uses to assume his eunuch persona and operate in the rear palace, but even without those measures, he still possesses a great "feminine" beauty. He is sort of a contradictory figure in that sense.

So I don't continue to rant and ramble and disrupt the flow too much, I will expand more on these thoughts and the pin I put in the idea of how Maomao views beauty back in chapter one here.

Curiosity vs. etiquette/respect for rank–Gaoshun not being the stereotypical eunuch scratches Maomao's brain though.

Gaoshun's request for Maomao = Maomao is not being as subtle as she thinks + Gaoshun is observant too.

The introduction of Xiaomao! The cutest. And an indication of some of Gaoshun's fatherly and affectionate ways.

This reminds me of @i-guess-im-into-this-now's thoughts on how this chapter is covered in the anime–they note that with Yinghua and the other ladies-in-waiting worrying about her and the doctor providing her with tea and snacks, Maomao is "slowly building a support network." I love this, and here Gaoshun joins in! I think a nickname like "Xiaomao" is a little opening, through which affection seeps. Maomao is accumulating a circle of people who care about her, and as much as she wants to put her head down and do the work until her time is up and she's free to leave the rear palace, I think this circle of people will complicate that, whether she admits their impact or not. She's also becoming imbedded in this circle and building a life here.

This support network can also serve to contrast the initial perception of the rear palace–one full of fakeness and skin-deep beauty, a cage that traps women and pits them against each other with the sole goal of producing an heir. It still is these things, but there's more to it than that. There is genuine affection and care. It would be easy to write off the rear palace as being full of game pieces and a means to an end. And a lot of the time, people treat it as such (even among themselves in the rear palace), but the motivations behind the actions are often very messy and human. So there's a combination of humanness and dehumanization. Considering all of this, the rear palace also functions as a fairly good metaphor for Jinshi.

And speaking of Jinshi, he truly looks like an excited little kid when he is telling Gaoshun about Maomao's way of looking at him. I love seeing the contrast in the depiction of Jinshi when he himself is reflecting on Maomao's glares and when Gaoshun is reflecting on it.

Gaoshun of course views Jinshi as a child he looks after (along with respecting Jinshi's position) because he is a father figure to Jinshi and does know his true age (and identity), but Jinshi does seem younger/more his age in his excitement about Maomao. She often brings out the true him.

Jinshi himself refers to Maomao as a "toy," which could be considered a childish way of viewing things and thus also indicative of his true age and identity, but within the context, he is also thinking of her as a useful "tool," which sort of feels like a nastier, more grown-up way of viewing a toy. That being said, Jinshi's relationship with the concept of Maomao as a toy is complicated and emphasizing her usefulness could also function as him trying to justify his fascination and enjoyment regarding her to himself.

Either way, Maomao is disturbed by Jinshi's positive reaction to her glares XD

I just find this a fascinating, round-about explanation for why Gaoshun wants to avoid dealing with gleeful, Maomao-glare-induced Jinshi. Could it really be (or also be) that Maomao brings out that youthful, unprofessional behavior in Jinshi, jeopardizing Jinshi (and Gaoshun's) cover in the rear palace?

But yes, poor Gaoshun. Looking after Jinshi (and later Maomao too!) is surely a headache XD

Maomao realization then oh, I see face of deeper understanding. Is there a hint of sadness in those eyes? (about the reality of the situation and how women work to escape their fate?)

More moments of hmm will this be relevant later with "conflict of the heart [can't] be cured with medicine" Adding to my collection of ~medicine symbolism, poison symbolism~ Maybe I'm delusional, but certain lines and moments just hit hard, as if they are supposed to leave a mark.

Gyokuyou picks up on what's truly going on–understands the constraints of circumstances and how a woman must operate to navigate them.

Maomao is doing her duty but choosing where she ends her story/the extent of the information she shares. She will do this again in the future–it's sort of her way of possessing power/protecting individuals/seeking some form of justice within the confines of her station. In some ways, I think she does this with herself as well–"gatekeeps" parts of herself from others perhaps in part as a form of self-preservation.

I assume Gaoshun is trying to tell Maomao to hold in her "you're an insect" glare, but in how it pops up at this exact moment, it also almost appears like he is telling her to not give in to Jinshi and refrain from sharing all the details. To keep withholding information. Jinshi seems to know there's more to it.

I just love Gyokuyou and how this whole scene offers glimpses of the depth beneath her shiny exterior and position as the Emperor's favorite. More of that "the rear palace is more than skin deep."

Also love the insight from @i-guess-im-into-this-now that Maomao telling Gyokuyou the full story but not Jinshi reveals "where Maomao's trust and loyalty lies." I think Maomao probably also thought it was safer to reveal this information to Gyokuyou than Jinshi in terms of it not being used against Lady Fuyou, but I wonder if it is also indicative of her trusting women over men?

I mean just look at Gyokuyou's expression! This is an interesting clash of personal desire vs duty and what takes precedence. Maomao's expression here gets to me too, and I think she demonstrates an ability to sympathize with, or at least be understanding of, the situation Gyokuyou is in. You might think someone from Maomao's background, and someone who has spent time as a lowly servant in the rear palace, would be more resentful of the women higher up, but she seems to recognize that each position comes with its own constraints. Its own cage.

This bit here feels revealing about the Emperor and his relationship with Gyokuyou. Also speaking of desire vs duty, the Emperor gets to experience an intersection. Yes, it is his duty to father heirs, but let's not pretend that he doesn't get some enjoyment out of the process. He's serving the country and himself.

I do wonder about the differences between the story Maomao tells Jinshi and the one she tells Gyokuyou, the abbreviated version vs the extended version. Maybe I have removed myself from context by stewing over this chapter too long, but they both involve the courtesan gaming (or even cheating) the system. It's only in the second story that the courtesan is in cahoots with the buyers and playing for love. I could totally be missing something though and would love an expansion on this.

And here the ending hits with another moment of "how will this be important later on." What is the power of love? What could it cure? Interesting that Maomao observes how it enhances Lady Fuyou's beauty, almost like a natural counterpoint to cosmetics.

It feels like these beginning chapters are much more episodic in nature and work to establish the characters and the world and tease ideas that will be important down the line.

Referencing @i-guess-im-into-this-now yet again: "I wonder if the story of Lady Fuyou has any parallels to the main story? In a palace where the concubines and servants are trapped one of them manages to defy fate and escape to a future of her own choice." Thank you for sharing your wonderful analysis of the anime and I hope it's okay that I used it here! It revitalized my interest in this chapter quite a bit.

[scotianostra]

On 20th January 1649 Charles I went on trial at Westminster.

The King was accused of being ‘a tyrant, traitor, murderer, and a public and implacable enemy to the Commonwealth of England’. The situation was unprecedented – this was the first time a sitting king had been brought to trial in England, and it would end in Charles’s death and the abolition of the monarchy.

Charles’s relationship with his Parliament had been poor since the beginning of his reign in 1625. There were ongoing tensions over many issues – particularly money – and despite Parliament’s insistence that it had an essential role, Charles was a firm believer that by the Royal Prerogative he could govern alone as he saw fit.

This fight for power eventually lead to the first English Civil War in 1642, with Parliamentarians set against Royalists. After a series of defeats for the Royalists, it ended in 1646 and Charles was held under house arrest by Parliament. But while in captivity, he plotted with the Scots, who planned an invasion on his behalf to restore him to the throne. A second Civil War broke out in 1648, in which the Royalists were once again defeated. Now Charles was to be held personally responsible for inviting the Scots to invade, and causing the deaths of thousands of people. He was to be tried for treason against England.

Charles believed wholeheartedly in the divine right of kings – that the king was responsible to God alone and that no mortal man could judge him – and did not recognise the authority of the court. When John Cooke, the chief prosecutor, began speaking to ask that the charge against Charles be read, the king repeatedly tapped Cooke on the shoulder with his cane, demanding that he ‘hold’. Cooke continued to speak, until Charles hit him hard enough that the silver tip of the cane broke off and fell to the floor. King Charles, who had been waited on hand and foot since birth, looked for someone else to pick it up but no one did. Eventually he reached for it himself, putting it in his pocket. This reminds of the current King Charles who furiously motioned for an aide to move an ink pot as he signed the proclamation, many on social media found the moment amusing and turned it into a meme....back to his namesake.......

Throughout the trial Charles refused to enter a plea as he believed that would be to acknowledge the legitimacy of the process. It frustrated the court, and Parliament decided there was no other course they could take but execution. Charles was again brought before them on 27th January. He was refused his title, and referred to only as ‘Charles Stuart’ when he was told that he had been found guilty of the charges against him, and would be put to death.

Charles I was beheaded on 30th January 1649, and England was declared a Commonwealth. This lasted until 1660 and the restoration of the monarchy when Charles’s son, Charles II, was welcomed back from exile to take his throne.

[s-b-party]

Imbibitor Lunae & Bailu of the Path of Permanence

****Spoilers for Imbibitor Lunae companion quest****

The title might not make sense now but trust me I’ll explain lol

To sum up Imbibitor Lunae’s companion quest, it looks more into Dan Heng’s past life as Dan Feng

As we see the internal conflict amongst the Vidyadhara, we also take a close look at the relationship between Dan Heng & Bailu as two high elders (past & present)

There are 2 main sides who want different things when it comes to the high elder: those who want Bailu to stay as the high elder & those who want to change the high elder

The main reason for those in support of Bailu is that she herself was chosen by Dan Feng previously, so it is a case, as Jing Yuan states, of legitimacy

Those in opposition of Bailu do not acknowledge her bc they believe she is weak

And of course a majority of the vidyadhara we see (aside from Bailu) does not want Dan Heng back anywhere amongst them bc of what Dan Feng did

To clear up some possible confusion, there are 2 crimes at this point that Dan Feng may have committed, one is in regard to Blade’s backstory & the other involves the transmutation arcanum; the one that seems to be more relevant in this companion quest is the 2nd one

NOTE: In my original thread on Twitter, my phrasing was poor so it sounded like it was all facts but it's still essentially theories/implications at this point so I apologize for my bad phrasing over there if that's what you saw first, remember to take with a grain of salt

*For context of the 1st crime, it's implied that Dan Feng granted immortality to someone of the short-lived species which turned out to be Yingxing aka Blade; it is known that immortality is taboo on the Xianzhou so it would not be surprising if Dan Feng got punished for helping someone become immortal, leading to his molting rebirth & eventual exile as punishment*

*Arcanum comes from Latin meaning secret, could also be referring to a cure/medicine at times, transmutation refers to the process of changing one material into another (they need to have similar properties in order to be transmutated i.e. one metal to another metal, etc.)*

When we look at the dialogue of some of the characters, we can see some who mention a “draconic abomination”; we don’t know for certain who this is referring to, some would suggest Bailu because of the word “draconic” but what doesn’t click immediately is that they seem to talk about this abomination as if it was violent which doesn’t seem to fit Bailu’s temperament; now we aren’t completely sure of everything that happened back then so perhaps this could imply that Dan Feng tried to alter the transmutation arcanum multiple times & got different results aka there were experiments; Bailu’s last character story explains that something likely went wrong w/ the transmutation arcanum which stunted her growth so it would seem that Bailu’s (re)birth wasn’t typical (she also hasn’t seen any dreams of dragon ancestors); idk if I would go so far as to call her an abomination so it might be someone else

The changes made to the transmutation arcanum were to help the Vidyadhara escape the constant cycles of rebirth & to give them a way to procreate normally; it seemed that Dan Feng somehow managed to find a solution to that & this was his 2nd crime (because he was playing god by creating life)

Now the reason why I mention all of this is because it can be tied into what the existence of Long the Permanence could mean and I think that IL & Bailu could be considered as those who embody (not follow) the Path of Permanence (I know they are the Paths of Destruction & Abundance respectfully but hear me out 😂)

HYV recently released the video regarding Long & it brought up an overall interesting question: what is the meaning behind the existence of permanence?

For Preceptor Taoran, he states “Only by comprehending & aligning with the way of the world can one’s path lead to everlasting existence. Countless new creations emerge when one dragon meets its end among the morning stars. For the Vidyadhara, this is the true meaning of the Permanence.” (2:16 in video)

Now obviously not every Vidyadhara is going to agree w/ this but it does bring up what the 2 sides in the quest truly seek; there is an irony to the reasoning behind both sides’ views against Bailu & Dan Feng/Heng respectively

In Bailu’s case, she is seen as “weak & useless” & the high elder should be someone strong and yet she has healing capabilities that make her extraordinary even among the Vidyadhara; Dan Feng was known to be a warrior but then he committed sins which involved tampering of life & immortality for which he was punished

Both are resented for something they lack or something bad they did but they are revered for the traits they do have

Bailu is revered for her healing abilities but resented for her lack of strength, Dan Feng was revered for being a strong warrior but resented for messing w/ life

I’d like to suggest that the quest presents Bailu & Imbibitor Lunae as 2 halves of a whole which make up the Path of Permanence, life (Bailu of abundance) & death (Imbibitor Lunae of destruction)

As Taoran stated, life is full of changes and those who understand the world & its laws can reach everlasting existence; life is full of cycles of life & death which Bailu & IL symbolize

Even more interesting is how well Bailu & IL get along with each other despite their differences & how others view them; they are a great duo to depict balance

At the end Bailu wonders why Dan Feng chose her as his successor & even though Dan Feng committed some crimes, part of me thinks that him choosing her makes sense if we look at it symbolically (after destruction comes life & it’ll repeat), it all comes back to life & death which is needed for balance & it’s this balance that makes up Permanence

So what about the other Vidyadhara? What they want is one or the other, representing imbalance which would contradict a bit of what Taoran stated was the meaning of the Permanence

Now this isn’t to say that Dan Feng was right about doing what he did or that they should get rid of Bailu, what I want to emphasize is that the Vidyadhara’s internal conflict beautifully depicts the question of what Long’s revelation about Permanence signifies for them

There isn’t truly one single correct answer; if we refer back to “Exodus of the Five Dragons” Penman Oppenheimer gives 3 possible answers that could answer that big question

The thing is not everybody is going to have the same answer

Some might agree w/ either of those that Oppenheimer suggested, others might have different answers, but that is just how life is

We often say that nothing lasts forever which is true but I think that some of the things that do last forever are life’s beauty & its complexities

[imperiuswrecked]

Has Namor ever reclaimed the McKenzie name? I remember he rejected it or something. Why everyone keeps using it?

The surface dwellers use his human name, Namor McKenzie or they call him The Sub-Mariner. He uses it too, but it's mostly on the surface world.

All New Invaders (2014) #10 - Prince Namor McKenzie

In the ocean and Atlantis Namor goes by many titles:

Prince Namor

Namor the First

The Avenging Son

The Sub-Mariner

Imperius Rex

Namor Fen-Son

Namor, Son of Fen

Son of Atlantis

Prince of the Blood

Prince of Atlantis

Prince Namor the First

Prince of Destiny

Scion of the Seas

Sea Lord

King Namor

King Namor the First

King of the Seas

Sea King

Phoenix King

Avenger of the Deep

Lord of the Seven Seas

Sovereign Monarch of Atlantis

Lord of the Undersea World

Emperor of the Deep

Supreme Commander of the Undersea Legions

As you see Names & Titles are important in Atlantean Society. A notable comic about his names: Namor, The Sub-Mariner (1990) #37 - Namor is called Namor McKenzie (the Atlanteans pronounce it Mak Kenzee) by Suma-Ket, the Ancient King of Atlantis. (He also has a few titles: Suma Ket, Prophet King of Ancient Atlantis, Lord of the Old Ones, The Dark King, The Devil-King).

Namor asserts he is "Namor, Son of Fen"

Suma-Ket once again calls him, Namor Mak-Kenzee after capturing Namor.

Namor shows his true strength and breaks free to fight Suma-Ket. Who is surprised because he thought Namor was weak (bc he's half human).

Namor once again asserts his princely birth and says he's the Annointed Avenging Son (because his mother named him Namor which means "Avenging Son" in Atlantean)

When Namor's true strength/power is shown Suma-Ket calls him, Fen-Son. Acknowledging his legitimacy.

So Namor has always gone by his father's (Captain Leonard McKenzie) last name but he was raised by his mother, Princess Fen, alone and views himself more closely tied to his mother and Atlantis. Do he is Namor Fen-Son, much like how Fen is called Daughter of Tha-Korr or Andromeda is called Andromeda Attumasen (Her father is Attuma)

I love Fen's other titles too

Princess Fen

Princess of the Blood

Beautiful Goddess of the Seals

Queen of Sharks

Empress Fen

As I was writing this out I recalled another time where his name came into question and I think this must be what you were asking about:

In The Order (2007) #7 Namor renounced the name McKenzie.

In my opinion people shouldn't read too much into this comic because it's clear the writer set up Namor to be used for the main character's plot of being the new guy who has to handle high profile situations.

Namor rarely, if ever lies, in 90% of his comics, he's one of the most honest and brutally in your face about speaking the truth characters in comics. The other 10% percent is when writers don't know his character. lol.

It's clear in this comic that Namor is angry because his people have no home again and he wants to embrass Tony Stark (due to the events of Namor (2007) limited series) and he wishes to become a political prisoner to further his plans to help the Atlanteans (it makes no sense to me at all plus at this time Namor was living in Latveria with Doctor Doom, this comic just ignores that I guess) and he is being difficult on purpose (more than his usual difficult self, lol) and rejects his human name even lying about the events of his mother and father's meeting. The main character calls Namor out for the lies and ends up saving the day.

So while I do enjoy Namor being abrasive mostly this comic just doesn't fit with the rest of his character history but I understand that sometimes writers do things for the sake of the plot.

So I guess to wrap up your question: Namor never actually rejects the McKenzie name (really The Order is the only time I remember this happening), however he views himself more as his mother's son, and a Son of Atlantis, than he does as his father's son. He does acknowledge his father and that he is his father's son but it's not as important to his character as his mother is.

Everyone uses McKenzie because it's his name and I guess it's shorter than his many titles. lol. People call him Namor or The Sub-Mariner more often. Honestly I only see his last human name used sparingly in all the hundreds of comics he has.

Namor's struggle with his human/atlantean parentage is always interesting to read about.

[wonder-worker]

Ælfthryth must have been very much aware of her vulnerability in the case that Edgar died. She had arrived at a court where there was already a male heir to the throne and from which two consorts had already been expelled. In ensuring that her legitimacy and that of her son was publicly declared, Ælfthryth may well have been planning for a future without Edgar. After all, none of the West Saxon kings were especially long-lived.

Observing the patterns of Ælfthryth's charter witnessing, it is notable that no authentic charter gives her the title regina until 968. Whatever moves were being made to distinguish her from other queen consorts, in her early years in the role this was limited to public acknowledgement of her as the king’s wife. Ælfthryth witnessed only one other legitimate charter in 966 in which she appears as fifth witness with the title coniunx regis (wife of the king) (S739). Edmund does not appear, perhaps this charter was issued before his birth, but Edward subscribes as second witness where he is designated as clito, his father’s heir. Ælfthryth, named as Edgar’s ambilis coniunx (beloved wife), is also given another estate by Edgar this year, this time in Dorset near her family’s powerbase. Ælfthryth appears in no charters in 967.

Not only does Ælfthryth begin to attest charters as regina from 968, but she also starts to appear more regularly in administrative documents, if not in a more prominent position. She witnessed ten authentic charters from this year through to Edgar’s death in 975 and appears in the corpus of several others. The question is, what changed in 968? There are likely several factors at play. In the first instance, Ælfthryth had given birth to a second son, Æthelred, around this time. The birth of another heir prompted Edgar to further augment his wife’s status. However, the idea to designate Ælfthryth as regina was unlikely to have been his alone. By this stage, Ælfthryth's key allies held prominent positions at court. Æthelwold appears first among the bishops of the realm in charter witness lists, while Ælfhere and Ælfheah are usually at or near the head of the list of witnessing secular lords. This trio may have advocated for Ælfthryth to be styled as regina in the hope that she in turn would be better positioned to advocate for their interests at the court. Finally, it is important to recall that any such political manoeuvres were taking place against the backdrop of the tenth-century Church reforms of which Edgar was an enthusiastic supporter. Sacral kingship was one of the key ideas being promoted by the reformers and, as evidenced by the Regularis Concordia issued only two years later, Æthelwold, in particular, envisaged that a queen would stand at the king’s side and share in his duties to the Church. It may then represent the year in which Æthelwold’s theory was put into practice, though it is probably a combination of these factors that saw Ælfthryth formally adopt the title of queen in that year.

— Matthew Firth, Early English Queens, 850-1000: Potestas Reginae

[bonefall]

Do you think Onestar would go so far to give Crowfeather a dishonor title for the month he's exiled post-secret reveal? Or would that be too far considering how Crow is blessed by the stars?

I think it's a bit too much. It's usually exile or Dishonor Title, both of them is a very severe punishment.

After all, the punishment is living alone. None of their friends or family, catching all of their own food, just them and their own thoughts. The Dishonor Title is for the Clan to remind them of what they did, while living within it.

Exile + Dishonor Title is the sort of thing that would be done to Darkstripe. I'm thinking about Firestar hitting him with the name, "Belladonnaheart," "Poisonheart," or just "Nightshade" in the translation, for poisoning Sorrelkit.

Not sure which one yet, but in any case, Tigerstar refuses to acknowledge it. He challenges ThunderClan's judgement, and Firestar's legitimacy in this way.

Functionally, a Dishonor Title + Exile is meant to warn other Clans about what they have done. It would have been 100% appropriate for Tigerclaw, but I think Bluestar was so shaken she just wanted him OUT of her sight. Her first lapse of judgement in the beginning of her decline.

[jeanjauthor]

I want to write a fic for my aunt that’s basically the royal family finding out about Charles and Diana’s daughter (Prince Phillip had her secretly adopted by her now deceased parents but now there’s been a whistleblower. She didn’t know) so If princess Diana was pregnant (by King Charles) before she passed and the daughter delivered but was sent away without Charles knowing only to be revealed now. Would said daughter be entitled to the inheritance Prince Harry and Prince William got finically when younger plus the Jewellery their wife’s got? Or would they not give it.

That's an interesting Alternate Universe / Alternate History idea!

Of course, if it were set in this world, iirc (not a UK lawyer/solicitor/barrister type)...in the UK, illegitimate children cannot inherit directly unless all the most rightful legitimate heirs are deceased or in some other way legally cut out of the inheritance list.

In noble & royal families, certain things are "entailed" which basically is a handy one word statement that meants "this inheritance is attached to the noble/royal title and cannot be separated from whoever by law gets that title."

This can include both funds and jewelry. Now, King Chuck's family would obviously have a lot of entailed stuff in it. Diana was Lady Diana Spencer (also nobility in her own bloodline), so there may be entailed stuff in that situation.

The reason why I mention illegitimate is because these rules overlap with unacknowledged children, and the rules of royalty can get pretty sticky when it comes to royals acknowledging their own child AS their own child. On top of that, if someone was going to get pissy about it *coughcamillacough*, they could argue that children born out of wedlock included children who are born after their parents got divorced.

If the child were acknowledged by the person holding the title of interest, then there might be some entailed inheritances. And by law, at that point "annual incomes" and "family jewelry" might then come into the daughter's possession, since in a lot of European families, entailed jewelry and/or dowries have historically been a thing. In the case of the entailed jewelry, she would only get to wear it for as long as she remained within the family; if she gets kicked out or storms out officially/legally, nope, it goes back to the vaults of the original bloodline--pawning entailed jewelry is very much seen as a no-no, for example.

But that covers entailed or "goes with the title" stuff. If it's regular funds & regular (non-entailed) jewelry? If it is mentioned in the will. Such as by the phrase "to be divided equally among my children," but without naming them individually. Those children would probably then have to cough up a portion of their own inheritances that would equal the missing share, etc.

If it's regular inheritance stuff, and it's not mentioned in a will, even in an indirect phrasing like the example above...that kid gets nothing.

Again, I am not a lawyer in the UK, let alone one specializing in inheritance laws. But these are things that are generally how it works.

In this universe.

If you want to write one where inheritance laws work a little bit differently, go for it!

However, you might want to clue in your readers that the story is most definitely in Another Version of Earth. Maybe the inheritance laws are based on DNA, regardless of legitimacy? Maybe there was a secret will? Or even just clauses in a will that were withheld and not available to everyone after Diana's passing? Maybe the truth wasn't to be revealed until The Other Woman *coughcamillacough* passed away, to ensure that The Other Woman couldn't harm any daughters (who would have more right to wear certain jewelry than her, even if not the right to wear all the jewelry instead of her).

...Or maybe you just have "Ye olde timey London dinosaur cabbies" walking around in the background, driving carriages with tour business banners attached to the spine-plates of the stegosauruses plodding their way through Trafalgar Square.

I dunno! You do you. It's your story.

[thedudleywomen]

ON THIS DAY - 26 December 1605

On This Day (26 Dec) in 1605, Penelope Devereux and Charles Blount, 1st Earl of Devonshire, 'married' in a clandestine ceremony held at the Earl's Essex home of Wanstead Hall.

Penelope Devereux had been married to Robert Rich, 3rd Baron Rich since Jan 1581, shortly before her 18th birthday. Despite this unhappy and incompatible marriage, the couple produced four children that survived to adulthood, including an heir, Robert (later 2nd Earl of Warwick), and 'a spare', Henry (later 1st Earl of Holland).

Penelope and Charles appear to have began their 16 year long affair in the final months of 1590. There was previous acquaintance with the family, with Charles having fought at the Battle of Zutphen in 1586, alongside Penelope's cousin by marriage and likely one-time paramour, Sir Philip Sidney. The couple made great efforts to keep their relationship private - they lived separately and did not mention each other in correspondence - with Penelope continuing to portray herself as a loving and obedient wife, whilst spending time with Charles at his and mutual acquaintances's homes, including Wanstead and Essex House. Six children were conceived from this affair, born between 1592 and 1606, of which Charles claimed paternity.

In Nov 1605, in the immediate aftermath of the failed Gunpowder Plot, a week-long hearing took place at London's ecclesiastical court, headed by Archbishop of Canterbury Richard Bancroft. Likely given Penelope's close proximity to the plot (as her brother-in-law, Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland had been arrested on suspicion of misprision), the timing of the hearing is significant; prior to this, it appears that her husband tolerated the affair and illegitimate children, given Penelope's good standing within the royal courts. Penelope was sued on the grounds of adultery, to which she confessed, providing all details of their years-long affair.

On 14 Nov, the court granted the divorce a mensa et thoro - authorising the legal separation, proclaiming that the spouses no longer needed to co-habit. However, the marriage was not legally dissolved, which would have required an act of parliament, and led to the illegitimacy of their children. Therefore, the couple were ordered to live in celibacy, with remarriage not permitted during the other's lifetime.

Despite this order, on 26 Dec, Penelope and Charles made the decision to undergo a secret marriage ceremony at Wanstead, performed by the Earl's private chaplain, William Laud (who himself would be nominated as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633). When knowledge of their union became known to James I, Penelope born the brunt of his anger - he viewed her one of the 'dominant' and 'manipulative' women of whom he had expressed fear and paranoia throughout his reigns in Scotland and England. Whilst Charles remained as a strong source of support and diplomacy for James, including his participation in the trials of the Gunpowder Plotters in Jan 1606, Penelope was punished - she was removed from her role as lady of the Queen's bedchamber, and effectively banished from court, as her mother Lettice Knollys, Countess of Leicester, had been before her, following her secret marriage to Robert Dudley in 1578.

Their marriage, which had taken place in defiance of canon law, ensured that the union was illegal and invalid. As such, it was ruled that Penelope was not able to use the honorific title of 'Countess of Devonshire'. Also, despite Charles acknowledging paternity for Penelope's youngest children, multiple attempts to claim legitimacy for his children were unsuccessful, and on his death less than 4 months after their marriage in Apr 1606, no legal heir was identified.

[mariacallous]

The United States Department of Justice has failed to convince a group of US lawmakers that state and local police agencies aren't awarded federal grants to buy AI-based “policing” tools known to be inaccurate, if not prone to exacerbating biases long observed in US police forces.

Seven members of Congress wrote in a letter to the DOJ, first obtained by WIRED, that the information they pried loose from the agency had only served to inflame their concerns about the DOJ’s police grant program. Nothing in its responses so far, the lawmakers said, indicates the government has bothered to investigate whether departments awarded grants bought discriminatory policing software.

“We urge you to halt all Department of Justice grants for predictive policing systems until the DOJ can ensure that grant recipients will not use such systems in ways that have a discriminatory impact,” the letter reads. The Justice Department previously acknowledged that it had not kept track of whether police departments were using the funding, awarded under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, to purchase so-called predictive policing tools.

Led by Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat of Oregon, the lawmakers say the DOJ is required by law to “periodically review” whether grant recipients comply with Title VI of the nation’s Civil Rights Act. The DOJ is patently forbidden, they explain, from funding programs shown to discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin, whether that outcome is intentional or not.

Independent investigations in the press have found that popular “predictive” policing tools trained on historical crime data often replicate long-held biases, offering law enforcement, at best, a veneer of scientific legitimacy while perpetuating the over-policing of predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods. An October headline from The Markup states bluntly: “Predictive Policing Software Terrible At Predicting Crimes.” The story recounts how researchers at the publication recently examined 23,631 police crime predictions—and found them accurate roughly 1 percent of the time.

“Predictive policing systems rely on historical data distorted by falsified crime reports and disproportionate arrests of people of color,” Wyden and the other lawmakers wrote, predicting—as many researchers have—that the technology serves only to create “dangerous” feedback loops. The statement notes that “biased predictions are used to justify disproportionate stops and arrests in minority neighborhoods,” further biasing statistics on where crimes occur.

Senators Jeffrey Merkley, Ed Markey, Alex Padilla, Peter Welch, and John Fetterman also cosigned the letter, as did Representative Yvette Clarke.

The lawmakers have requested that an upcoming presidential report on policing and artificial intelligence investigate the use of predictive policing tools in the US. “The report should assess the accuracy and precision of predictive policing models across protected classes, their interpretability, and their validity,” to include, they added, “any limits on assessing their risks posed by a lack of transparency from the companies developing them.”

Should the DOJ wish to continue funding the technology after this assessment, the lawmakers say, it should at least establish “evidence standards” to determine which predictive models are discriminatory—and then reject funding for all those that fail to live up to them.