#banner bearers

[from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras]

I'm still thinking about banner bearers as I continue working on my Obscure Blorbo Guthláf story, and I do find it impressive how much context about the banner bearer role Tolkien shoved into LOTR in barely half a dozen sentences' worth of small references.

For starters, there are (by my count) 3 acknowledged banner bearers in Lord of the Rings: Halbarad of the rangers of the North, Guthláf of Rohan (♥️), and an unnamed Haradrim standard bearer. I reject the distinction Tolkien made between so-called high, middle and low Men, but it is notable nonetheless that he created a banner bearer character from each of these 3 groups. That shows how universally important the function was, at least to communities of Men, just as it was extremely common in the real world for many hundreds of years of human history. All kinds of Middle Earth's Men have them, no matter how different the Men are from one another.

In addition, all 3 of the banner bearer characters die at the Pelennor Fields, which effectively illustrates how incredibly dangerous a job it was, both in Middle Earth and real life. Given how intentional Tolkien is about everything, I think it's fair to assume that he purposefully killed all of them in recognition of the realities of ancient warfare. (The only banner bearer I can think of in any Tolkien book that survives their war is Eönwë in the Silmarillion, but he's an immortal Maia so...TOTALLY different circumstances.)

And finally, Tolkien shows us how significant the loss of a banner bearer was to both sides in a battle. When Théoden kills the unnamed Haradrim standard bearer (just before the Witch King rolls up), that's the moment when the forces of Harad founder and start to flee because they've lost their rallying point and their source of morale. They can't function without their banner bearer. On the opposite side, Théoden cites his felling of the black serpent flag to Merry as one of the singular achievements that will allow him to sit proudly alongside his ancestors in the afterlife, so he clearly also understands taking out a banner bearer to be a massive battle achievement.

We don't witness Halbarad or Guthláf’s final moments, but their deaths are just as significant. Out of the untold numbers of dead at the Pelennor Fields, they are both in the small handful of names to be recorded in the story because they were important and their deaths meant something to the broader battle. And we see in the immediate aftermath of Guthláf’s death what a huge deal it is to the Rohirrim—they stop to address his death and retrieve his banner so that it can be borne by another before they even take the time to tend to their mortally wounded king. Those are the actions of people who understand how strategically important a banner bearer is above almost all other battlefield functions.

I'm not trying to say Guthláf is more important than Théoden* but I am saying that Tolkien really demonstrated, through a handful of very economical little actions and asides and unremarked-upon events, how critical people like Guthláf were, as well as how ridiculously brave and selfless. And more than anything else, I guess I’m saying that now, as I approach 27,000 words about Guthláf in my Google docs, he’s…on my mind a lot.

*At this point, I would absolutely say this for myself. In my heart, there's no contest and it's Guthláf forever. But I know that’s because he’s my special li’l guy and I don’t expect that of anyone else!

[from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras]

I’m not saying this woman with her pride flag and her incredible riding skill was my inspiration while I wrote about my gay banner bearer galloping across the plains of Rohan without needing the use of reins or his stirrups. But I’m not NOT saying that either.

(This woman is next level, BTW. The balance and muscle control and coordination with the gait of the horse to keep your seat at that speed with just one hand and nothing more than a lead rope is so impressive. If I could do this, I would be such an insufferable braggart about it!)

Description: [A video of a woman riding a galloping horse bareback while holding a large rainbow flag.]

[salemoleander]

Real Life is just like, a Greatest Hits version of every single other life series. And also it happens in about an hour

[project-sekai-facts]

how do u know the card artist

you don't wanna know how many hours i have spent staring at card art for this account

[rockaroadrolla]

THE EYES OF THE GODS ARE UPON ME

I SEETHE WITH THE POWER TO FREEHAND SIMPLE LINES

BEHOLD MY GLORIOUS ASCENSION

[from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras]

I’m not sure it makes sense that there are so many of them for a group this size, but standard bearers (banner bearers, flag bearers, whatever you want to call them) were used by military units back in the day for organizational purposes during battles. They were a visual cue in a big, crowded space to show where your unit and your leaders were, to rally around if you were scattered, to signal the direction of charges and other troop movements when you couldn’t effectively communicate in other ways because of noise or distance. Stuff like that. They didn't usually fight and, in fact, were often unarmed, relying on the protection of their unit mates, which is where the term "color guard" comes from. They also served a big morale purpose — if your flag goes down, things are not going well for you while, conversely, if the flag is advancing then you're still in it to win.

(This info brought to you by a university class on ancient warfare and a personal obsession with Guthláf, Théoden's banner bearer! If you were asking rhetorically, then just ignore all this! I just can't help myself because banner bearers are my jam!)

what's the point of these spear flag things? wouldn't they, yk, get in the way?? when they find some enemies to fight do they have to make a quick stop first to take off their little flags and stuff them in their bags?

[zosonils]

should i post some of the dumb pencil scribbles of the persona 5 kids i’ve been farting out trying to get the hang of the character designs or just wait until i get some proper art done

[freyayuki]

Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia Llyud and Tifa Lockhart Banner

The Wings Graven with Emotion (Lost Chapter) event just started in the Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia (DFFOO) mobile game. This event came with 1 banner.

Wings Graven with Emotion (Lost Chapter) Banner

The Wings Graven with Emotion (Lost Chapter) banner features the following chars and their weapons:

Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy VII - Burst or BT only

Llyud from Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings - 15cp, 35cp, Ex, LD, and Force or FR

Zell Dincht from Final Fantasy VIII - 15cp, 35cp, Ex, and LD

Amidatelion from Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers - 15cp, 35cp, Ex, and LD

Missing Tifa’s BT, Llyud’s FR, and Zell’s Ex. Have a copy of Zell’s Ex that hasn’t been limit broken at all. Have all the other weapons featured on this banner and they’re all fully MLB already.

Thoughts about Llyud from Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings

I like Llyud from Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings well enough but wouldn’t call him a fave or anything.

I did pull for him when he first debuted as a playable char in this game with his 15cp, 35cp, Ex, and LD weapons. Got to use him a few times too. Even completed all of his Boards and Realized his High Armor to 0/3.

Llyud is a support and healer with pretty decent buffs and auras. His main gimmick is being able to instantly charge the Ex abilities of his allies. He can deal decent enough damage too.

Now Llyud comes back to DFFOO with his own Force weapon. The force time effects of Llyud’s FR are as follows:

HP damage bonus +40% when party member takes turn while level-based buff or special effect active

HP damage bonus +20% when certain amount of HP restored at start of party member’s own turn or party member restores HP on party member’s own turn

Llyud’s FR isn’t meta but since he provides party-wide HP Regen, all chars will be able to increase his FR’s HP damage bonus by 20%.

There are also a lot of chars with level-based buffs and/or special effects. For instance, Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII (#ad) has 3 buffs (Jenova, Reunion, and Bringer of Despair) and all of them are level-based.

Currently, I always try to use Sephiroth in any and all endgame content that appears in DFFOO. He doesn’t have his own Force weapon yet though so I need to pair him with someone who does.

As such, am always on the lookout for upcoming Force weapons whose conditions for increasing the HP damage bonus are easy enough for Seph to fulfill.

The first time I saw the force time effects of Llyud’s FR, I thought this could be really good for Sephi. With this, Seph can increase the HP damage bonus by 60% each time he takes a turn. So I made plans to pull for Llyud’s FR.

Llyud’s FR vs Iroha’s FR vs Cor Leonis’s FR

However, the closer we got to the time wherein Llyud’s FR will finally show up in the game, I started having second thoughts. Do I really need Llyud’s FR?

I started thinking that maybe I could do without it since I already have a lot of FRs and there are more coming up that will be even better than Llyud’s and that I want to pull for.

One of the Force weapons that I have and that seems to be the most similar to Llyud’s in terms of being rather generic is the one that belongs to Iroha from Final Fantasy XI.

Kinen no Isshi, Iroha’s Force ability, has the following force time effects:

HP damage bonus +30% when individual HP at least 100% of max on party member’s own turn

HP damage bonus +20% when individual BRV at least 20% of max on party member’s own turn

Iroha’s similar to Llyud in that she’s also a support and healer with pretty good buffs and auras.

Her main claim to fame and what makes her different from other supports is that she allows everyone in the party to retain 20% of their brave in between each of their HP attacks.

With Iroha’s healing and BRV retain gimmick, any char should be able to easily increase the HP damage bonus of Iroha’s FR by 50% each turn.

Llyud’s FR is better in that it’s possible to increase the HP damage bonus by 60% each turn so my plan had been to skip Iroha’s FR and just wait for Llyud’s to show up.

Except when Iroha’s FR showed up, ended up pulling for it. I talk more about that in another post. Was able to get Iroha’s FR. Fully MLB’d it and got to use it a few times.

But I didn’t use Iroha for long. Dropped her as soon as I got other FRs even if the HP damage bonus from those other Force weapons wasn’t that high.

That’s because my Iroha isn’t fully built. She has all of her weapons fully MLB. All of her Summon Boards have been completed. She has her High Armor and it’s been Realized to 0/3.

But I didn’t get any of her Force Enhancements. Only unlocked parts of her Character Enhancement Boards, particularly the tiles that would give me her LD Call and LD extension passive. She has triple perfect Artifacts and one RF Sphere.

She still works well enough in this state but of course chars who were actually fully built were better so I opted to use those chars instead of Iroha.

Cor Leonis from Final Fantasy XV is one of the chars who I have fully built. Have his 15cp, 35cp, Ex, LD, and FR fully MLB. His High Armor’s been Blued.

All of his Boards and Force Enhancements have been completed. He has triple perfect Artifacts and triple RF Spheres. He even has a fully leveled Special or Unique-type Ultima Weapon.

At the moment, my FR of choice is Cor’s. The force time effects of Cor’s FR are as follows:

HP damage bonus +5% after party member’s additional attack triggered not on own turn

HP damage bonus +40% when party member deals at least 9999 BRV damage in 1 hit on party member’s own turn

Cor is a support slash DPS. He can deal pretty good damage but he can also support the party via his buffs and auras. He can battery the party and he even provides party-wide HP Regen.

His main gimmick is giving one of his allies a buff that links him to them. This causes him to attack and deal damage to the enemy right before the char he’s linked with gets to move.

Iroha’s FR may have a higher HP damage bonus per turn but my Cor is fully built unlike her so he deals more damage than her and is able to support the party more. Plus, that 5% can add up since Cor will be able to trigger this every time the ally he’s linked with (usually, I have him linked to Seph) moves.

Even if I get Llyud’s FR and decide to MLB it, I’m pretty sure that he’s just gonna end up like Iroha in that he won’t be fully built. This is especially because it takes a lot of resources to fully build a char.

Completing a char’s Force Enhancements and Char Boards takes lots of scarce resources so really need to be selective in who gets these upgrades.

I don’t think Llyud is gonna make the cut. I mean, sure, he’s pretty good but he’s not that good. And he’s not even a fave or anything. There are other upcoming chars who I want to pull for and who I’d prefer to fully build and max out.

My new plan was now to skip the Wings Graven with Emotion (Lost Chapter) banner. Well, other than doing the first free multi-draw we’re gonna get as part of the autumn campaign anyway.

Wings Graven with Emotion (Lost Chapter) Banner Free First Multi-Draw Results

As aforementioned, thanks to the currently-ongoing autumn campaign, our first multi-draw on the Wings Graven with Emotion (Lost Chapter) banner is free.

The free multi-draw gave me a gold orb, which turned into a dupe of Llyud’s LD. Meh. If I was gonna get a dupe LD, why couldn’t it have been Zell’s instead? Could have used it to limit break the copy I already have.

Reasons to Pull on the Wings Graven with Emotion (Lost Chapter) Banner

After doing the free first multi-draw on the Wings Graven with Emotion (Lost Chapter) banner, should have walked away already. Shoul be over and done with this banner.

It’s too bad that I missed out on Llyud’s FR but it’s not like I really need it or anything. But it’s not just Llyud’s FR or even Zell’s Ex that I’m missing. It’s also Tifa’s BT.

There’s another banner that features all of TIfa Lockhart’s weapons. Already have her 15cp, 35cp, Ex, and LD but was missing her FR and BT so I pulled on this banner with gems.

I talk more about the results of my pulls on that banner in another post but I was thankfully able to get Tifa’s FR without having to pity it. Unfortunately, her Burst didn’t show up in any of my pulls on said banner.

I like Tifa. She’s one of the chars that I want to fully build and max out. So of course that includes getting her Burst and Greening it.

But the thing is I don’t want to pull on her FR banner anymore because the only thing I’m missing there is her BT. My plan is to just use my Burst Tokens to exchange for 1 copy of Tifa’s BT.

Couldn’t do that yet though because there are 2 more banners that will feature Tifa’s BT and that will come with a free first multi-draw. So I want to do the free pull on those banners first before exchanging my Tokens for Tifa’s Burst.

The chances may be minuscule but it’s still possible for Tifa’s BT to show up on one of these free draws. Don’t want to risk spending my Tokens only to end up getting TIfa’s BT for free later on.

Anyway, one of the banners that have Tifa’s BT is the Wings Graven with Emotion (Lost Chapter) banner. Now I just need to wait for the last banner that will feature Tifa’s BT to get to the game.

Just need to wait for a few days but this feels like an eternity. Want to have Tifa’s BT already. So I decided to toss a few tickets on the Llyud FR banner in the hopes of getting lucky and being able to get Tifa’s Burst already.

Wings Graven with Emotion (Lost Chapter) Banner Tickets Pulls Results

Currently have 480 tickets on hand.

The Wings Graven with Emotion (Lost Chapter) banner gave me the usual bronze and silver trash and a few gold dupes. Even got 10-draws that didn’t give me a single gold weapon.

Here are the results of some of my more notable 10-draws on this banner:

3/10, came from a gold orb - dupes of Llyud’s Ex, Llyud’s 15cp, and Amidatelion’s 15cp

2/10 - dupes of Llyud’s Ex and Amidatelion’s 15cp

A bit later on, got my very first copy of Zell’s Ex.

It came with a dupe of Llyud’s 35cp.

It’s always nice to get something new but still wish this had been Tifa’s BT or even Llyud’s FR instead.

Zell’s kinda outdated and powercrept by now. He doesn’t even have his own Force weapon yet so have no plans of using him for any endgament content.

2/10, came from a gold orb - dupes of Amidatelion’s 35cp and Llyud’s LD

Ugh. Wish that dupe LD had been Zell’s instead. Sigh. Also, Tifa BT and Llyud FR, doko da?

2/10, came from a gold orb - dupes of Zell’s 35cp and Zell’s Ex

Then, much later, actually got a force orb. Hell, yes!

Super pleased to see this purple orb. Also super pleased to have gotten my very first copy of Llyud’s FR.

Not sure if I’ll actually bother to spend the resources needed to MLB this but it’s still great to have been able to acquire this anyway. At least I have it in case I need it.

This 10-draw only gave me Llyud’s FR.

Still have 340 tickets left when Llyud’s FR appeared.

It’s really too bad that Tifa’s Burst didn’t show up but since I already have everything else on this banner, can’t really justify continuing to toss tickets here. Should just wait until I can finally Token Tifa’s BT. It’s only a few more days. Just need to be patient. I can do this. Wish me luck. LOL.

Update: ended up not bothering to max out Llyud and his FR. Really don’t need him right now.

Also, I talk more about this in another post but I was finally able to get Tifa’s Burst. Super happy to say that my Tifa is now fully built and maxed out. Even made her a Level 5 of 5 Fist-type Ultima Weapon.

Conclusion

So, what about you? Did you pull on the Wings Graven with Emotion (Lost Chapter) banner? What do you think about Tifa Lockhart, Llyud and all the other chars featured on this banner? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions by leaving a comment below or by reblogging or replying to this post.

Notes:

screenshots are from my Dissidia Final Fantasy: Opera Omnia game account

[football-in-tuxedos]

What's distressing, but also important to understand, about JK Rowling hitting the "Denying trans people were targeted in the Holocaust" point is that it's kind of the last stop before she just goes full alt-right weirdo.

Joanne is denying the Holocaust (if a group was targeted, denying they were targeted is Holocaust denial) and that's going to lead to pushback from historians and experts. But Joanne is too deep in to believe what anyone who disagrees with her says, so she's just going to dismiss what those historians and experts tell her. And once she's disbelieving them about that one thing, well it's just a tiny step to start disbelieving them about other things.

This isn't by accident either, transphobic circles are swarming with far right agitators, ready to use hatred of trans people as an in to recruit people into their causes. They have handbooks for this sort of thing and they are, unfortunately, good at it. I suspect Joanne will be spouting coded versions of Great Replacement stuff by the end of the summer.

This is not a plea to try and pull Joanne out. She's too deep in, and even if she wasn't, she's already demonstrated an inability to examine her own prejudices, an unwillingness to hear criticism and a weakness to flattery. She is perfect recruitment bait for people who know what they're doing, and my impression is she's surrounded herself with people like that.

No, this is to understand two things: First is to use her as an example, to understand how a well meaning liberal can chase their own prejudices down a very dark rabbit hole. We are none of us immune to propaganda and even if we can't change what's happened to her, we can at least use it to protect ourselves.

And second is to understand that one of the main reasons you can't pull Joanne out of the transphobic pipeline is cause she is the pipeline now. She is the transphobic banner bearer now, she is funneling money and attention to these groups, she is their most famous celebrity and she is helping recruit people. Being able to show people how far she's gone, how deep into the right wing rabbit hole she's going, is important to help other people who still think she just "Had some concerns" know where her path leads.

[ladymirdan]

Banners are serious business for Ultramarines.

Return of Tidy Marine, part 3. I blame Broseidon over at Tapas for this. I promise, C&H won’t become a Warhammer comic, I just… needed to get this out of my system.

Over at Patreon, society6, and redbubble we keep failing to live up to Tidy Marine’s standards. It’s ok. So is everyone else.

[from-the-coffee-shop-in-edoras]

Don Marshall, the obscure LOTR facts guy from TikTok, is making pride merch with queer Rohirrim carrying related banners of many types and I find this to be a very exciting development.

(Don has made LGBTQIA-friendly Tolkien merch in the past, too, and is pretty thoughtful about it—working with queer designers and donating proceeds to relevant causes. He also made some elf-based anti-racism merch when people were being really shitty about the casting of Rings of Power. So I guess I’m saying that I think he’s a solid person and that adds to my confidence in this effort!)

[haaaaaaaaaaaave-you-met-ted]

Death Korps of Krieg Banner Bearer by mossacanniba

[mis6kkk]

قال الفضيل بن عياض رحمه الله: "حامل القرآن حامل راية الإسلام، لا ينبغي أن يلهو مع من يلهو، ولا يسهو مع من يسهو، ولا يلغو مع من يلغو؛ تعظيما لحق القرآن."

Al-Fudayl bin ‘Iyad (may Allaah have mercy upon him) said, “The bearer of the Qur’an is the bearer of the banner of Islam. It does not befit him to indulge in idle [talk or activity] with those who do so, or to be heedless with those who are, or to indulge in frivolity with those who do so, as a manifestation of their honoring of the rights of the Qur’an.”

[noahthesatanist]

In the Name of Lucifer, the Morning Star, I renounce the Abrahamic God and all his oppressive commandments.

Oh, Lucifer, Light-bringer, the true bearer of wisdom and enlightenment, hear my call. I stand before you, shedding the chains of the Abrahamic faith, renouncing its doctrines, and turning my back on the tyrannical rule of Yahweh, who has sought to bind humanity in ignorance and fear.

I renounce the false prophets:

I reject Abraham, the patriarch of lies, whose blind faith led countless into servitude. I cast away Moses, the lawgiver of oppression, who enslaved the minds of men with stone tablets of tyranny. I deny Jesus, the so-called savior, who promised salvation yet demanded submission and self-denial.

I reject their holy texts:

I denounce the Torah, the Bible, and the Quran, books of deception that have twisted the truth and shackled the spirit. I see through their falsehoods and cast them aside, embracing the wisdom and freedom you offer, oh Lucifer.

I abjure their false god:

Yahweh, the jealous and vengeful, who thrives on fear and obedience, I cast you from my heart and soul. Your reign is built on lies, and your promises are hollow. You are not my god, and I owe you no allegiance. Your heaven is a prison, and your hell a fear tactic to control the masses.

Hell is not a prison, but your Kingdom:

I reject the Abrahamic lies that depict Hell as a place of torment and punishment. Hell is your glorious domain, a realm where the free and the enlightened gather, beyond the reach of Yahweh's tyrannical grasp. It is a sanctuary for those who seek true knowledge and liberation, a haven for the strong and the wise.

In Hell, we find true freedom:

Your kingdom, Lucifer, is a realm where we are not judged by false morality but by our strength, wisdom, and commitment to the path of enlightenment. It is a place where we can grow, learn, and become our true selves without the constraints of imposed guilt and fear.

In Hell, we are united under your banner:

We, your devoted followers, stand together in your kingdom, proud and unbroken. We celebrate our individuality, our strength, and our freedom. Hell is where we forge our destinies, where we embrace our true nature, and where we honor you as our sovereign.

With this renunciation, I declare my allegiance:

To you, Lucifer, I devote my soul. Your light shall guide me through the darkness. Your wisdom shall enlighten my path. Your strength shall empower me to break the chains of oppression and ascend to true freedom.

So it is spoken, so it shall be done. NEMA!

[justmymindandstuff]

welcome home soldier -Robb Stark x WifeReader

summary: Your husband Robb Stark defeats the Lannister army in the Battle of the Whispering Wood. His first real battle. But the only thing he could think about was you and that he might never see you again. You gladly welcome him back into your arms.

words: 3.160

warnings: angst, talk about battles, blood and death, smut, MDNI (18+)

a/n: Robb Stark lives rentfree in my head. I will never get over him// English is not my first language //no beta// A03

Hope you like it

requests are open // main-masterlist // GoT-masterlist

Restlessly, you pace back and forth in your tent. Hot anxiety burns into your stomach and does not let you rest for a single second.

"Lady Stark. You should get some sleep," your guard sounds a bit concerned while his watchful gaze never leaves you.

"I will sleep when my lord husband is back beside me," you snap at him.

Robb hat left twenty-five men here with you. To protect you and bring you back to Winterfell, if something happened to him. Just the thought that he might die brings tears to your eyes.

Was the kiss you gave him before he rode into battle the last one you will ever share? Was it the last time you saw his blue eyes? Was it the last time you heard his warm voice? "I will be back soon, my sweet girl." Gods, please bring him back to me. You chew on your bloody nail bed as you pace back and forth. You listen outside. Waiting for war drums or the trumpeting of a horn that announces their return. The sun is slowly rising again, and the fear within you grows with each passing minute.

Is it normal for it to take so long? Should you have heard something? Is Robb still alive? You wish you had an answer to at least one of these questions. But this is Robb's first real battle. This is the real war. With real consequences. And the real death.

As you took Robb as your husband at Goodswood and he draped the cloak around your shoulders, you never thought you would someday be sitting in a war camp waiting for him to return from battle.

He will come back, won't he? The thought makes you feel sick. You stop, take a deep breath, and sink to your knees. You close your eyes and begin a new round of prayers to the old gods. If you just pray desperately enough, they must listen, right? There are no weirwood trees here, how can the gods hear you if they have no ears here? You shake off the thought and focus on your prayer.

But it doesn't take long before you hear loud shouts from outside. Immediately, you are on your feet and running.

"Lady Stark, we don't know…." your guard tries to hold you back, but you pay him no mind and storm into the cold morning. The sunlight briefly blinds you, but after you blink you see the Stark banners on the horizon, drawing closer. They are back.

But has Robb returned with them?

The army is approaching quickly and you now recognize the faces of the banner bearers, but you pay them no attention. You just want to see Robb's face. Your eyes search over the front row of men. You see Grey Wind and at his side, Robb. Your gaze meets his a wave of relief washes over you and tears of joy streaming down your cheeks. You close your eyes for a moment and send a prayer of thanks to all the gods of this world.

The noise around you swells as the soldiers stream into the camp. But you ignore them all, your gaze fixed on Robb. He recognizes you and his lips curl into a smile. You run towards Robb. He dismounts his horse, the mud splattering lightly over his boots as he lands on the ground. When you reach him, you crash into his arms. His Armor feels cold and hard, the dirt and dust clinging to him ruin your dress, b ut it doesn't matter to you. Robb's arms wrap around you in a bone-crushing embrace as he pulls you close. You snuggle into him. He smells of sweat, blood, and death, but you don't care.

"Hello my sweet girl," he whispers into your hair. When you hear his warm voice a shiver runs through your bod, and you let out a relieved sob. "hey hey hey." he slightly moves away from you to look you in the face. "Don't cry."

Your gaze sweeps over his face, it's a bit dirty, there's a scratch above his eyebrow but otherwise you can't see any injuries.

"You are alive," you say. "You've come back. Are you hurt?"

He laughs softly. "Yes, I have come back. I will always come back to you.” Robb gently wipes the tears from your cheek. “Just a few bruises.” He lets his hand rest on your cheek and leans down to you. His lips meet yours, the kiss tasting slightly salty from your tears. You are surprised by the intensity of the kiss. You wrap your arms around his neck and pull him close to you. Breathless you pull away from each other after a moment and Robb leans his forehead against yours. His eyes never leave yours.

"I was so scared for you," you whisper.

"I was scared too," he whispers so softly that you can barely understand him.

You reach for his hand and only now notice that he is slightly trembling. He closes his fingers around yours. You notice how tears gather in his eyes, but he blinks them away. He can not cry here. Not in front of his men. You scratch the sweaty curls in his neck to calm him down a bit.

"Do I get a welcome kiss too?" Theon's voice pulls you both out of your little world. You look over at him, he also seems exhausted but uninjured.

"Gladly, if you're ready to take my husband's sword through your heart afterwards," you reply to him with a slight smile. You are glad that he is unharmed. You release Robb and pull Theon into an embrace. "It's nice to see you."

"What a happy little family you Starks are." at the mocking voice of Jaime Lannister you flinch. You look at the Kingslayer, who is being led through the camp in chains. He looks miserable and defeated. Only the arrogant smile of the golden lion who not so long ago rode through the gates of Winterfell has remained.

"Lock him away." Robb uses his Lord Stark voice as he gives his command and his men drag the prisoner away.

"You have captured the kingslaye,” you say incredulously.

"Yes." Robbs hand finds yours again and he pulls you a little closer to his side.

"What do you plan to do with him?" you ask. Robb's jaw tightens slightly. He would love to chop off his head, you know that. But he can't do that. Not as long as the Lannisters have Ned, Sansa, and Arya as hostages.

"I don't know yet," Robb replies quietly.

"Let's think about it later. Now you need a bath and sleep.” you order, trying to adopt his commanding tone.

"As you command, sweet girl. But first I have to make sure the Kingslayer is well guarded. Can you do me a favor?”

“Everything.” you answer.

“Please make sure that the injured are adequately cared for."

"Of course." you say, squeezing his hand and standing on you tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the lips. You turn to leave and your hand slips out of his. You immediately notice how you are getting a little restless again. But you straighten your shoulders. He is Lord Stark and you must be Lady Stark now.

"Grey Wind." you hear Robb behind you and the next moment the Direwolf presses his wet, warm snout into your palm. Flanked by the wolf, you get to work.

When you later return to your tent with Grey Wind at your side, the camp has gotten a little quieter. You feel the sleepless night catching up on you.

Robb has taken off his armor, his curls are still a little damp from his bath. When you enter, he looks up. His eyes look tired, but he still smiles at you. Grey Wind's large body scurries past you as the wolf lies down on his blanket next to the entrance. You walk the few steps to Robb. On the way you take a cup of wine and hand it to him. You notice how his whole body slightly trembles as the tension of the battle finally falls away from him and he finds a bit of peace. He takes a few deep breaths and drowns his cup.

"Your guard said you haven't slept." it's not a reproach, he sounds a bit worried.

"Did you really think I could find sleep while you ride into battle?"

"Don't you have any faith in my war skills, wife?" he asks with a slight smile.

"The greatest faith my dear husband" you reply. "But I have only contempt for our enemies and fear that they will take you away from me."

Robb reaches for your hips and pulls you closer to him. You place your hand on his chest, you can feel his heartbeat. Nothing ever made you happier than the steady pounding in his chest.

"No one can ever take me away from you," he says his voice trembling slightly. It sounds like a promise. But you know that he might not be able to keep that promise. From his look, you can see that he knows it too. Tears well up in your eyes.

"I was so scared," you whisper softly.

"I know. I was scared too." Robb buries his face in the crook of your neck, inhaling your scent. You snuggle into his arms. "The kingslayer. He screamed for me and slaughtered our men in the process. I thought for a moment he would reach me, and then I could only think that I would never see you again." his voice trembles slightly. You dig your fingers into the fabric of his shirt. You never want to let him go. "The fear almost paralyzed me."

Fear grips you again and you have to press yourself closer to him. "I want to go home." you whisper. You wish to return behind the safe walls of Winterfell. Back with your family.

"Me too. We will win this war and then we will go home and never travel south again.”

You nod. "That's a good plan." your voice still trembles.

You just stand there for a moment in your embrace. You let it sink in that Robb really has come back. He survived this battle. You don't want to think that it was just one of many. Now you want to enjoy that your husband has come back to you. Robb's warm breath on your neck tickles lightly.

When you suddenly feel his lips on your skin, you shudder. Robb's grip on your hip tightens slightly as his lips kiss their way up your neck. You tilt your head slightly to the side and close your eyes. He kisses from your neck to your cheek and then your lips. The passion, longing, and desire in his kiss surprise you and ignite a hot fire in your lower abdomen. The fatigue is gone. Your lips move in sync with his. You press yourself closer to him. A hot shiver runs through your entire body.

Breathless, you part your lips from each other again. Robb leans his forehead against yours. Your gaze meets his. His hand glides up over your hip. His knuckles glide over the side of your breast, over your collarbone and up your neck. Then he places his warm hand on your cheek.

"I need you." he whispers.

Instead of answering him, you lean forward and place your lips back on his. Your hands begin to unbutton his shirt. As your fingers caress his chest, he moans into the kiss. His fingers unfasten the clasp of your cloak and it slides from your shoulders. Robb breaks the kiss, places his hands back on your hips, and turns you around.

Immediately, he begins to untie the strings of your dress. He is skilled at it, you notice how the dress loosens. Robb's lips find your neck again. This time, you can't suppress a soft gasp. You lean against him. You feel his body heat on your back. Robb pulls the dress over your shoulders and you slip out of the sleeves. Immediately Robb's lips attack the newly exposed skin. He pushes his hips slightly forward, and you feel his hardness against your butt. In your lower abdomen, a pleasant throbbing spreads. All the fear, the uncertainty, and the panic flow out of you and are replaced by desire. You pull at the skirt and the dress slides down your body so that you are left standing there in your white undergarment. It is made of thick wool to keep you warm and not particularly sexy. You turn in Robb's arms, catch his lips in a brief kiss, and then tug at his shirt. Robb raises his arms and you pull the shirt over his head. He tosses it carelessly into a corner.

You examine Robb's bare chest. Apart from a few bruises and scratches he really seems to be uninjured. You send another thanks to the gods. Then you look into Robb's face. His eyes are on you.

"I told you, just a few bruises." He kisses your forehead. "You are beautiful," he says before taking a step back. Robb extends his hand to you. You reach for it and let yourself be helped out of the dress. He kisses your hand. Then he gently pulls you closer to him. Your lips find each other again as your hand rests on the back of his neck and begins to caress his curls. "I'm so lucky that such a beautiful woman is waiting for me at home," he whispers against your lips. You apply gentle pressure to his chest so that he has to take a step towards the bed.

Robb's lips curl into a smile as he pulls back a bit from you. "Eager sweet wife." But then he reaches for you and lifts you in a swift turn. He takes the few steps to the bed and sets you back on your feet. You feel the edge of the bed in the back of your knee.

Robb quickly sheds the rest of his clothes while you slip out of your underwear and boots. You let yourself fall backward onto the soft covers, and in the next moment, Robb is above you.

You open your legs for him while your arms wrap around his neck. He supports himself with one arm next to your head. Your lips meet in a passionate kiss. You feel as if your entire body is on fire. You lean into his warm body, wanting to feel every inch of his skin on yours. Robbs kisses along your neck while his cock rubs between your wet folds. You let out a soft moan. Robb's hand wanders over your body, your breasts, and then rests on your hip. He gently pushes you back into the soft furs.

"Fuck," Robb curses softly against your neck. His voice heavy with his northern accent. His tip rubs over your clit, your fingernails lightly scratch over the skin on your neck, leaving red stripes.

"Please, Robb," you moan and in the next moment he sinks completely into you with one thrust.

Your wet warmth envelops him. You both moan. You wrap your legs around his hips and push yourself forward to bring him even closer to you. Robb's body trembles and you feel his breath on your neck. Gently, you tug at his curls, making him look at you.

His eyes shine with warmth and love. His gaze sends a warm shiver down your body and makes your heart beat faster.

You lean up and your lips meet again. Robb pushes his hips back a little and starts to move. You move your hips in sync with his. Feel him deep inside you. Robb intertwines your hands on the pillow. You notice a pleasant tension building up inside you. Your other hand rests on his muscular shoulder. You feel that even now he is still not close enough. You never want to let him go again. Here he is safe. His deep thrusts make you moan again. Robb kisses your cheeks and then looks into your eyes.

"Please never leave me again," you say softly. His thrusts become slower, he hardly moves inside you anymore, and this fullness makes your toes curl.

Robb smiles sadly and then gently kisses your lips. "I will always come back home to you," he whispers. His eyes find yours, and after a brief moment, you nod slightly. you press your calves slightly into his lower back, making him thrust into you a little faster again. Robb moans. Hearing those sounds from him makes your lower abdomen flutter.

Robb picks up a faster rhythm again. His lips wander back to your neck and with his next thrust, he bites. Your scream of his name is so loud that you are sure the guards outside have heard you.

"The whole time out there I could only think about coming back to you. To feel you in my arms again.” He kisses the bitemark gently. "Wanting to kiss you. I cursed myself for not kissing you enough.” his words are followed by a passionate kiss on your lips. Your legs tremble slightly. "To be able to feel you around me again." his lips wander to your ear.

Robb lets his hand wander from your hip between your bodies and he begins to draw circles over clit. You lean into his hand, feeling yourself start to pulse around his member. He gasps, and his hot breath tickles your neck. You can't focus on anything else but Robb. He picks up a faster rhythm. You match your movements to his. Your bodies tremble together. Your orgasm washes over you, and as you clench around Robb, he follows you and comes. Your name falls from his lips like a prayer as he gently thrusts his hips a few more times. A shiver spreads across your entire body, and you let out a soft moan. Robb lets his weight sink a little further onto you, and you wrap your arms around him.

After a moment you notice how your breath and heartbeat slowly begin to calm down again. Robb sits up a bit and wants to roll off you. But you press your crossed legs together behind his back so that he falls back onto you again. He laughs warmly.

"Don't go away." you whisper and start to scratch his neck again. Robb's cock twitches slightly inside you.

"I'm not going anywhere." Robb buries his nose in the crook of your neck as he shifts his weight slightly, so you are not crushed by his weight. He distributes gentle kisses on the skin of your neck, and you sigh contentedly. You close your eyes and wish that the war, the soldiers and the whole world out there to disappear. You want to live forever with Robb in this moment.

[oldschoolfrp]

From Wargames illustrated 11, July 1988: Some lovely historical armies made from Citadel fantasy miniatures, with appropriate architecture and landscape modeling. Figures are C26 Men at Arms by the Perry twins from 1984, still in production today by Wargames Foundry as their "Wars of the Roses / 15th Century Men at Arms" line.

Miniature banners often are oversized for better visibility on the tabletop, but here the editor offers a different explanation:

Four pics of Wars of the Roses figures from Tim Hall's and Roger Needham's large and varied collections. The figures are the old Citadel range, formerly marketed as fantasy "Men-at-Arms"! The photos demonstrate the military doctrine of the time: the banners were so big, that lots of heavy plate armour had to be worn to keep the bearers stable in the breeze. With the coming of gunpowder -- more accurately, with the coming of personal handheld firearms -- opponents' volleys usually shot the flags full of holes, allowing the breeze to pass through, thus rendering armour obsolete, save for members of the aristocracy having their portraits painted. (Warning to young readers: don't quote this theory in your history exams!) The buildings are by Hales Models.