#because I don't think she should marry anyone who wants to humiliate her

[laurasimonsdaughter]

What if Disney adapted King Thrushbeard?

I deeply dislike King Thrushbeard and pretty much all its variants. Yes, the princess is proud and mean and she deserves one hell of a scolding, but King Thrushbeard is cruel. Her father forces the princess to marry him (disguised as a beggar) and he humiliates and sabotages her continually while she is completely under his control. And then when he reveals he's the king and she can be queen she has to be happy about it! Why did he even want to marry her in the first place if she's so nasty? I personally think it should end with her stabbing him to death on their royal wedding night, and I mean that sincerely.

The Italian variant The Crumb in the Beard is a little better, because here the insulted prince at least takes the trouble to woo the princess while in disguise. She chooses to marry him even though he is poor. It also has the added virtue of the prince's mother at last telling her son he has had enough revenge and he himself explicitly begs his wife's pardon for what he has done. So that's at least tolerable.

A nice twist on this tale type is what Hans Christian Andersen did with it in The Swineherd. The emperor's daughter in this story isn't just proud and spoiled, she only cares for artificial trinkets and not for anything "real" (like roses or birdsong). The spurned prince, after having his sweet rose and singing nightingale cast aside, disguises himself as a swineherd and trades two magical trinkets for first 10 and then 100 kisses from the princess. When the emperor finds out he's so scandalized that he exiles them both. Then the prince abandons the princess, because he wants nothing to do with a person like her. If you think about this in real world consequences, this is still extremely cruel, but the overall tone of this tale is much more over the top and comical than the others. I think if you adapted this into something with very bright colours and emphasis on the comedy, it might actually be fun. (And I think the princess could always take her magic cooking pot and orchestra rattle and earn a living amusing people on market days and county fairs.)

[calisources]

𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒, 𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐐𝐔𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒.

All sentences have been taking from different media and literature, movies and more regarding the topic of mistresses and favorites, mostly in the setting of royal court but can also be adjusted to other time periods. Change names, pronouns, locations as you see fit. Some of these include foul language, so beware. Implications of cheating are also in these.

You are my king, Niko, and I need you.

Everything I say is obeyed; everything I want is given to me.

You are such hard work to seduce, Niko.

She wanted to sit ON him, not next to him.

Never underestimate the power of a woman's intuition.

Behind every great king, there is a great queen. And behind them, there is a mistress.

The King is allowed to have as many favorite as he pleases.

A queen is never without her secrets.

A woman's beauty is her greatest weapon, use it wisely.

Rules are meant to be broken, especially by queens.

Queens do not beg for love, they command it.

Have as many bedwarmers as you wish, but I am your wife and you will not humiliate me.

A queen's grace can disarm her enemies.

He will grow tire of you, as he does with the others.

Having an ugly mistress is therefore a fatal mistake.

When a man takes a mistress, he doesn't turn around and divorce his wife.

Finding out that you are not your lover’s only lover hurts.

But a mistress can do interesting thing with food. Shall I describe them?

You will come back to the castle with me.

I-I'm not your responsibility.

You are mine. They gave you to me, remember? And I want to keep you. 

Your Grace---I am a virgin.

I realize that, and it pleases me. You do not doubt that I can be gentle with you?

They say you grow tire after the first night. No mistress last longer than a night with the king.

I know what you are trying to do, but do not think to take the King away from me. Let him play with you.

Done being sore yet, by chance?

From a mistresses’s perspective, taken men are low maintenance. All they want is sex, sex, sex. 

Do not take it harshly. It’s only flesh. And a body wants what it wants.

Kings have mistresses, Queens have secrets and they die with them.

To be the mistress of a married man is to have the better role.

The role of a mistress if make a man’s mood change and send him happy to his wife.

Don't be mad at a hoe for doing what she does best, besides it's not her that owes you that loyalty.

It was not a request. I will take you to bed and make you mine.

My wife has no interest in my bed, butb I assure you, my bed has interest in you.

 Wives are young men's mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men's nurses. 

I don't want her to know the truth about us.

They know about us and they do not care. My wife does not mind to share.

As long as I do my duty, I am allowed to do who I please.

This absurd jealousy.

A mistress should be like a little oasis, refreshing and exciting, away from the mundane realities of life

The bedchamber is where political alliances are sealed, and where empires are born.

A king may rule a nation, but a woman's allure can conquer the king.

Behind every great king, there are the whispers of his mistresses.

The allure of a mistress lies not only in her beauty, but in her ability to manipulate.

A mistress must be both lover and confidante, juggling passion and secrecy.

In the court of kings, a mistress can become more powerful than a queen.

He is one of his favorites, and everyone knows it. You must become his favorite too.

In the arms of a mistress, a king can escape the weight of his crown.

I want more than this. You cannot offer me more than secret meetings and a warm bed. People whisper.

You can be my wife here. 

If I desire to marry someone else, would I be allowed or you would not let me?

I'll take you as my only mistress. I won't have a thought or an affection for anyone else.

I call Mary my English mare, because I ride her so often.

He cannot give you his true heart... for *I* have that in my keeping.

You can't have 3 people in a marriage!

Seduce me. Write letters to me. And poems, I love poems. Ravish me with your words. Seduce me.

You've taken her honor!

I swear to your grace, someone else was there before me.

They say all his liaisons are soon over. He blows hot, he blows cold.

Sometimes I believe you will grow tire of me. But then I find you here in my bed.

If I cannot please the King, will he kill me?

You must not touch me, for Caesar’s I am.

Everyone knew she was his queen and wife in anything but name.

You will have this orgasm if it’s the last thing I do.

What happened to the art of seduction? A woman enjoys being seduced.

I will not be the laughing stock of the realm. A woman who can only be a lover, never a wife.

I found her a very beautiful young woman with a very sweet and yielding disposition, She confessed to great admiration for Your Majesty. Should I, arrange ...?

If you put the Queen aside for this affair, the kingdom will fall apart.

If you seek Your Grace, you know where to find him.

I trust his mistress more than I trust any man on this table.

My husband is extremely jealous. Wants me sent to a nunnery.

I am with child. It is His Majesty's child.

Slow down so I can see how you do it.

Think of this as training. For your future husband’s pleasure. And mine.

should like to be your wife in every way.

I was wondering if you'd like to become my mistress.

You like to board other men's boats.

You know perfectly well what the King desires and what he shall have.

I saw with my own eyes how attentive he is to you.

My only satisfaction is that in frustrating you, I hasten your fall from the King's good graces.

Any man is weak against a maiden’s magic. Alluring and sweet. Like spring.

I make you this promise. When we are married, I will deliver you a son.

I have yet to decide whether to make your bedmate a head shorter.

So you can have your lovers and I have my own, but at the end, we return to one another. 

If you are not careful and a bastard is conceived, you will be ruined.

Everything will change for her. That kiss is her destiny and fortune.

So, what about this girl, this putain, the king's whore? Why doesn't somebody just get rid of her?

Have any of the women you've bedded with lied about their virginity?

Pretty, witty Nell, don’t forget you are mine until I say so.

Do you seriously expect me to be the first Prince of Wales in history not to have a mistress?

I will teach you many things, how to please a man and in turn, you will be my eyes and ears in court.

I thought you wished for us to be over.

How can I when you plague my mind at every turn.

Let me have you, at least once. Many women would consider it an honor.

[el-moscorrofio-y-el-mercachifle]

I don't see many people talking about Patricia's character anywhere, so I'll talk a little (give my opinion) here.

I personally feel VERY sorry for her. Okay, many of Patricia's attitudes and actions are not justifiable, but you can't help but feel empathy for her at least at some point throughout the story. She was never a saint because several times she was not strange when it came to manipulating/seducing to get something, she never thought before humiliating people among other things that make her a bad person.

But despite all this, you can see that several times she showed herself to be a naive person, she filled herself with expectations, deluded herself and lied to herself, (like for example the whole story with Mário, which she faithfully believed he was would marry her and keep her), and as you said, she always thought she was in control of everything and all the relationships she was involved in, but she never was.

She tried to use everyone and always ended up being used, she tried to manipulate everyone and they easily manipulated her, situations that show that she was really a vulnerable and naive person. I believe that her being so materialistic and wanting to find a rich husband is not only to solve her economic problems, but also to fill a void, because what she really is, is a very lonely person. She's so empty that she'd rather go to the gym than buy food, she'd rather not give up things she doesn't need than live poorly. These things only show that she is a person who lives by appearances, who tries so hard to be someone she is not, rather than showing the reality: that she is alone and does not have someone who loves her to the point of caring about her.

She was so at the bottom mentally (stopping eating to try to look like a life she can't keep it’s not normal, also other things she did) and economically that she had to humble herself to people, like when she went to Daniel because he had become president (that's all he wanted, and we know that sooner or later he would tell her the worst possible way how shameful this situation was and how much she fell to get to that point), or when she tried to seduce Mario to get a ride home.

Anyway, Patricia could be selfish, materialistic and a lot of other things, but that just reminds us that she is a REAL person like so many others out there.

I know many will definitely disagree with me, but as I already said, I know that she is no saint throughout the entire novel, but she suffered as much as those who were called and considered the “good guys” in the story.

Hiiii! Loved that you shared some of your thoughts! Here are some of mine too🥰

Patricia's character was definitely... a topic. It's no secret that to me she became a wasted potential and I dislike the decision to make her purely comedic relief when at first she was honestly pretty much in the same camp as characters like Armando and Marcela: very entitled and blinded by their own gigantic ego, to the point of hurting others for their own benefit even though they didn't realize it. I'm not saying she should have gotten a redemption or anything of the sorts. Characters like Mario never got them but they were still super well worked with. Patricia just became a joke.

I've also mentioned before that I too feel pity for her, or at least, I feel for first-half-of-the-novela Patricia. She was never kind, polite, humble or endearing, sure, but she seemed much more human. She was truly excited to think Mario fell for her, and seemed truly disturbed by that firdt encounter with Daniel. I feel for that Patricia because up until that point, her story felt real. I wouldn't say she was naive, but rather, too egocentric to realize there are bigger fish on the sea. She thought she could do anything to anyone and she'd always triumph. Uo until there, you feel she is a real person clinging to appearences because her life is so empty she literally has nothing else. Eventually it just became comedy and exagerated whining that made you forget that she's actually a person with real suffering, even if she's causing it herself (most of the characters cause their own suffering, too).

I couldn't pinpoint exactly when she became a parody of herself. At some point her role was just to throw venom, be comedic, and complain. That's it. She didn't even cause much trouble like at the beginning, and her extreme poverty was merely the butt of the joke. This last part particularly is where I feel the potential was the most wasted. I would have loved to see more of Patty's real struggles, and, if we had had a but more time with the novela, perhaps we could have even seen this for character development (or character regression, whichever you choose!): for example, how poverty is keeping her from eating, which is leading to headaches and dizziness and lack of energy. How poverty is landing her homeless. How she's forced to rely on, for example, Nicolás. I could totally see their love story having formed from this, like her falling so badly that she has no choice but to rely more on Nicolas now not only for frivolous things like the car and the cellphone, I mean real things like food and shelter and seen in a more real light.

Anyways, Ik why they couldn't develop more their "love story" (I think they probably were meant to be together, as in Gaitan probably had that goal, but we all know all the problems that theproduction went through), so it's just an idea.

I do think Patricia was probably mentally ill, tho. Her obsession with appearences is so bad, like you said, that she's willingly STARVING herself. She's starving and yet she doesn't miss a single day at the gym. She's willing to risk going homeless but doesn't stop buying new clothes or hair dye. She's willing to shower with cold water and go back to a pitch dark apartment where there's no food or entertainment as long as she can still look and act like a rich person in front of everyone. I think we often forget how insane Patty's situation was because we remember more her funny/malicious sides, but honestly, her whole world view was crazy.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and sorry this took so long!😂❤️

[paracosmic-murdock]

Tell me what are my words ; Benedict Bridgerton x Reader

Chapter 18: "La rumeur"

Pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x fem!reader

Summary: It has been two years since your secret was exposed and you had to leave London. Two years with deep buried misery and in which you missed everything you used to have. However, neglect, novelties, and letters made sure to give you more than one reason to return to claim someone who is as rightfully yours as your estate and your people: Benedict Bridgerton.

Warnings/tags: idiots in love, eventual smut, mutual pining, (kinda???) enemies (fake, this is just pride) to lovers (surely), bisexual benedict bridgerton, feminist themes, historical inaccuracy (for the sake of the plot), inspired by mulan (1998), song: the lakes (taylor swift), other tags to be added

Chapter summary: The news of your 'secret engagement' was the protagonist of Lady Whistledown's most recent issue. It might have been easy to spread them, but it would certainly not be easy to face the consequences.

Word count: 1.5K

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❁ mila's anthology (main masterlist)

"I knew it! I knew there was something between you and her!"

Benedict sighed. "I guarantee you that what Lady Whistledown said is utter nonsense, I don't even know how on Earth anyone could have thought that."

"Mr. Bridgerton, how could you court me for so many weeks and then be engaged to be married to her?!"

"I am not engaged to be married to her or to anyone for that matter!"

Miss Prince groaned. "Then, what?! There is obviously something going on between you and Lady Y/N, I have seen the way you look at each other for God's sake!"

"How do we look at each other, according to you?" he questioned, a tired look in his eyes. Benedict knew well enough that you were behind all of that, there was no way that you were not behind the spread of this ridiculous rumor.

"You look at her like she is… everything; and she… Lady Y/N looks at you as if she would die for you, Mr. Bridgerton, and either you are blind to it, or you are making a fool of me."

He shook his head. "That is not true."

"It most certainly is."

"Just… forgive me for this absurd rumor, I swear it is not true. I will fix this."

"Mr. Bridgerton, I hope you are well aware of the humiliation this signifies for me."

"I am sorry, Miss Prince. I- I will repair all this awful situation."

"Pen, where did you get that rumor from?! Of course, Y/N and Benedict are not engaged!"

"Madame Delacroix told me!"

Eloise shook her head. "No! How could you do something like that to her again?! Is it because she danced with Colin?"

"No, no! Of course not, Eloise, I… I had to, I couldn't not."

"You are not seriously telling me that, Penelope. You could have said it was not true!"

"But Madame Delacroix told me that Y/N had told her herself about the engagement, I assumed she wanted it to be known."

"You could have asked me first, Pen. I knew they were not engaged, they are certainly not."

"She said it was a secret."

"Do you really think she would have kept that a secret? After everything she has done to get my brother back?"

Penelope sighed. "I am sorry, Eloise."

"Do not apologize to me, Penelope, you- you should tell her the truth."

"Oh, no, I cannot!" she exclaimed. "She will hate me."

"She will find out sooner or later, Pen," Eloise warned. "You probably did not consider how badly that issue of Lady Whistledown would affect her, did you? Because if word of it reaches the King of France, she will be executed. If you tell her the truth, she will forgive you, I am sure."

"How are you so sure?"

Eloise exhaled deeply. "Because she is kind and she appreciates you. If you apologize and tell her the truth, she will help you."

"Are you certain?"

"I am, Pen."

Benedict left the home of the Cowper family, sponsors of Miss Prince, making his way to Danbury House to speak to you.

Curious glances tried to burn him alive meanwhile, but he couldn't care less. Not until you were in front of him and gave him an explanation.

"There is no point in denying, I know full well that you are behind all of this," he stated once you were in front of him, a sheepish grin on your face. "Your mess, so you might as well fix it."

You pursed your lips. "I do not know how could I fix it, Benedict, I do not recall telling Lady Whistledown that you and I are engaged. If you find her, let me know and I will do as you please! Let me know once you do."

"Don't you put this on me, Y/N."

"Whatever do you mean, Benedict?! I will not try to prove myself to you as I am aware you will not believe me regardless of what I have to say. Why bother, huh? Why bother explaining myself or repairing a situation that does not affect me at all?"

He rolled his eyes. "Because it affects me! Not to mention that Miss Prince is-"

"I could not care less about Miss Prince, Benedict," you reminded him. "In fact, if she loathes me for any reason whatsoever, I will be most proud! If my alleged actions affected her somehow, do not even suggest I will regret them."

"How could you be so inconsiderate? This isn't you!"

"Of course it is me," you said, approaching him. "Remember everything I went through before believing I am incapable of something. Do not underestimate the things that I can do, Mr. Bridgerton."

"Is that a threat?"

You looked into his eyes, determination and passion in yours. "A promise."

"A promise?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"A promise," you confirmed. "I give you my word, Benedict, that I would do everything humanly possible to retrieve your affections."

He exhaled with difficulty, getting closer. Inappropriately closer. "What is it that I have, my Lady, that has you so determined to have me?"

"You chose me," you replied, whimpering at the heat of his body against yours. "I fear I have fallen from grace, Benedict, and I did not care about having lost everything. I only cared about you. You are the one whose loathe I mourned the most."

Benedict put his forehead against yours, and you thought that this war was finally over. "I could never feel that way about you, those were just words…"

"I never wanted you to hate me, my heart."

"I do not hate you," He stroked your hair. "I couldn't, not even if I tried for a century, not even after what you did… We both made mistakes, Y/N, and I most certainly do not hate you."

"What are we doing, Benedict?"

"I cannot take you back, Y/N… No matter what you do, I will not fall again."

You shook your head. "No."

He chuckled with pity. "You must say that it is not true that we are engaged, Y/N. This humiliated Miss Prince and you should leave her out of whatever you are trying."

"What about me, Benedict? Have I not been humiliated enough?"

"Nothing you did not bring upon yourself, Y/N," he replied. "Why do you keep fighting?"

"I do not know."

"You do not need a man, Y/N. You do not need me," Benedict noted. "You have come far enough, and you do not need a man to tell you what you are worth."

"I know that."

"Perhaps you should return to France."

You nodded. "Perhaps I should."

What surprised you, however, was the unexpected kiss he gave you. It was tender and loving, and it made you hate yourself.

"My affections will remain yours until the end of time." Benedict left Lady Danbury's home, and you sat down on the couch.

You were unchaperoned, just like every time either of you requested to speak in private.

It pained you that this was the last time you would be in private.

"Lady Y/N?" the voice of Antoinette interrupted your pondering minutes after Benedict left. "Miss Penelope Featherington wishes to speak to you."

You nodded. "Of course, Antoinette. Let her in."

She left and seconds later Penelope joined you. "Good afternoon, Y/N."

"Hello, Pen," You smiled weakly. "What brings you here?"

"I, uh… must speak to you about something quite important."

"Of course, do tell."

She stood in silence for what felt like centuries, and you understood she would tell you something that is not at all easy to say.

"I am Lady Whistledown."

You gasped at her confession.

Never in your wildest dreams, you could've imagined she, of all people, would be Lady Whistledown. Perhaps not because she was incapable of something big, but because she used her platform to hurt you. You were supposed to be friends.

"Did I hear that right, Penelope? That you are Lady Whistledown?"

She pursed her lips. "It is true."

"Get out of here." you commanded with tears in your eyes.

"But-"

"Get out of here, Miss Featherington, or I swear by my parents' graves that you will regret ever being born." you ordered one last time, covering your mouth with your right hand before sitting on the couch in disbelief.

Penelope nodded and left immediately.

Your Majesty,

I am afraid I could not give you this news personally, but under the latest circumstances, I am obliged to return home once again.

I, however, could not leave without bidding my farewell to you, and thank you for your support. To do that, I must inform you of something the both of us have been wanting to know for a while now: the identity of Lady Whistledown.

The person behind the gossip pages is Penelope Featherington.

With this revelation, do as you please. I consider it an act of treason from her, as I told her in confidence about my secret and she decided to expose it, even after having called each other friends. One cannot trust anyone these days.

I look forward to receiving your visit sometime,

Lady Y/N of Burgundy.

taglist: @yentroucnagol @crimsonincursive @czarinera @uwumd @omgnctchina

[ladymorghul]

Hot Take: Alicent’s characterization from Episode 8+9 should have been her characterization during episodes 6+7 (up until the eye incident), where she was still trying to make some sort of peace while also trying to protect her kids.

Her characterization in episodes 6+7 should have been her final characterization. Scheming and working more actively against Rhaenyra and undermining her. Calling her out during small council meetings and giving her the stink eye and more actively making her kids aware of the danger (with them getting her concerns since it would be after Aemond lost his eye).

It just feels like they went backward instead of forward. That last bit isn’t a hot take. But still.

i don't feel like this is a hot take because it's... very real

i'm sorry but no amount of arguments will ever make me not believe that episode 8 alicent was a mess, writing wise

i mean think about it: alicent is groomed by her father and rhaenyra's father, rhaenyra's father decides he wants to marry her, rhaenyra is upset with her and stops talking to her for 3 years. at this point alicent is still trying to reach out. she's been through the hell that must have been the beginning of her marriage alone, she gave birth alone, she underlines herself that she doesn't have many friends (which is weird, and another decisionTM by the writers), rhaenyra never tries to call out her father for picking her best friend and is likely more upset with alicent even though she is aware alicent's position is a unpleasant one ("it bothers you does it not?" "laena is your daughter princess, does it bother you?" "of course it does")

so if anyone is blaming a woman for the deeds of a man first, it's rhaenyra. at no point after that even during their good times does she try to help alicent. to me it's always been a friendship where alicent gives and rhaenyra receives. it's alicent who always thinks of her and wants to go back.

and then of course comes the lie that makes her look like a fool and she loses the only family member she had at court with her. even when that man wasn't having her own mental health as his priority, she still depended on him as being the only one in her corner, even if it was for his own benefit. she's all alone, for a long time. she grows bitter, and rightfully so. i think for me the point of no return would have long before that but i digress.

by this time it's obvious rhaenyra's children as bastards, harwin makes it a done deal too, and after years and after all of that rhaenyra thinks of making an offer: marry your only daughter to my son who is obviously a bastard. she refuses, everyone is like omg "don't you see how hard rhaenyra tries?" eyeroll etc etc

then episode 7 happens with aemond and well, that should be a done deal for anyone right? it would be for me. i think i'd rather chew glass than think of rhaenyra as a friend at that point. emma was right, alicent is gaslighted and dare i add humiliated in front of an entire room of people. her son loses his eye, rhaenyra asks for even more of him, viserys couldn't care less and in the end it is still alicent and her sons that get threatened by viserys.

by that point i would be planning big, violent things

it is unrealistic to me that alicent still holds and treats rhaenyra with kidness in episode 8, that she has kind words for her, that she does so without being given an apology for aemond, especially after daemon and vaemond. imo it is unrealistic. she should have been scheming the biggest scheme.

this isn't a woman turned into an evil caricature, this is a normal reaction to living in a hostile environment with a hostile family that does not regard you or your children with love or respect.

unfortunately alicent is being largely written in a way to tell rhaenyra's story so she has to have such deep love for her that is bigger than for anyone else because the writers need to show how special rhaenyra is and how much they love her through alicent. as a character, she's forever tied at the ankle to rhaenyra and the narrative is largely written to punish alicent for not choosing rhaenyra. this is also tied to jaehaera having to die and the "sins of our father" trope.

no matter how we like the green characters and their potential, the writers largerly care more about team black characters and have striped alicent of much of her ambition.

it is silly to write alicent as a character that only finds out in episode 9 that "the council" was planning to instill her son as king. it is silly to write alicent as choosing to crown her son and by extension declare war literally.... overnight. it is silly further for her to do it or push the idea that just before he died, viserys whispered of aegon ii.

of course that is the story we're given, but it is ultimately not a great story for alicent hightower and they could have done so much better, but they were mainly focused on writing daemon and rhaenyra and that's about it.

but yeah, i totally agree. anything positive from alicent past episode 7, especially in the manner in which she acted during the dinner in episode 8, is unrealistic imo.

[fkinavocado]

okay...my unfortunate dating app stories...

after my divorce i joined an app, i don't remember which one. i met a few of the guys who just wanted hookups, which i expected. then i started talking to this other guy who seemed sweet but he was already like ready to make us a couple before we even met. it kinda freaked me out so i ghosted him and deleted the app. i felt bad because i hate having it done to me, but i think i just wasn't ready yet. a few months later i joined another, i think it was okcupid. i started talking to three guys, all younger. one of them lived nearby, the other two on the other side of the city. i met the first one, he was cute and we hit it off, then he ghosted me the next day when we were supposed to get together again. he'd blocked my number and everything. second guy i think was just a fake who was having fun flirting and pretending. i never met him. third guy i hooked up with several times. but i should have noticed the red flags from the beginning. he claimed he had a female roommate who had horrible anxiety around new people, so i had to come over when she was at work. his bathroom was full of female stuff like makeup, etc. he claimed she didn't have a phone. the first night we went to a motel and he said he had to get home because his roommate was home and freaking out about something. i asked how she could text him without a phone and he laughed and said she used facebook on her computer. over time, i told him i was fine with meeting her, i wasn't gonna bite or anything. then it finally dawned on me that she was not just his roommate lol. i felt so dumb. but it wasn't until he broke it off with me. like i knew, but i didn't wanna admit it, you know?

months later i heard from the first guy again. he told me he had this crazy ex gf who saw our interaction and was threatening him and to kill herself or some shit. but that he finally got rid of her and wanted to see me again. i gave him another chance like a dummy and he ghosted me again. i think he was just having fun playing games.

so a year or so later, i finally got up the nerve to try a third app, hinge. i started talking to this guy who messaged me first. we talked for a while and he said he was from london but had been living in my city since before the pandemic and was currently in la on business. we made plans to meet up when he got back. but he kept pushing back the date of his return. this went on for a couple months until he sent me a "new" pic that had the name of his business in the background. i googled it and it was a company that he supposedly owned, or at least the man he claimed to be owned. but it didn't add up because the guy he claimed to be still lived in the UK. i found his instagram, his website, and even some youtube videos. this guy had never lived in the US. in fact, he had gone to a wedding which he had a video of on his instagram. i called him out on it, saying he couldn't be at two places at once. long ass story short, this guy owned up to it, but would never tell me who he really was. no surprise. he even had the nerve to keep trying to contact me after all of this shit, so i finally changed my number, my email, and all other personal info. i nearly had a nervous breakdown over it, and lost $400 which i won't get into. let's just say it was the most humiliating experience of my life. i will never do dating apps ever again.

oh lordy lord. girl all of that was such a rollercoaster!!! i absolutely don't blame you, i mean i talked to some weirdos (thankfully found out they were weird before we actually made it to a first date) and then had this one date that was fine, i just wasn't into him in person- and i feel like never giving anyone a chance on these apps again!!! but what you guys are telling me really puts things into perspective! damn. i can't pick which one is the the most traumatizing for me... (just conceptually ofc since i don't know the full story) but i feel like the what must've been married guy would've been the worst one for me :( i'm sorry hun. clearly the one thing all these man had in common was they were pathological liars. you didn't deserve any of that:(

[mary-fantg]

Thoughts on PB

Хочу отставить некоторые свои мысли здесь, потому что очень хочется их высказать, пока у меня острая фаза впечатления от просмотра се��иала. Надеюсь моя горечь со временем уляжется, потому что я сама не могу себе объяснить почему увиденное так затронуло моё сердце, ведь я уже довольно взрослая тётенька, последни�� раз я так расстраивалась из-за фильма наверно когда была подростком. 

It's a shame that the plot turned out this way in s3. I'm talking about Grace, of course. I understand and fully agree with SK that, according to the whole logic of things and justice, we must pay for all our actions in life. That is why Thomas Shelby should not be happy, and not only he, all Shelbys are deeply unhappy people, as far as their personal human happiness is concerned (be it Polly, Arthur, Ada, John and even Michael). but! due to commercial considerations, the script was so compressed that it does not fit into my head, to lead a couple to a reunion for so long (s1, s2), to create an intrigue about who will be the bride (although, as for me, everything was so obvious that it was not worth it, but more on that below), to gain a huge audience fans of the T/G pair (yes, I hope that we are still the majority) and stop this literally in 2 episodes. It's just like a face on the asphalt! Well, why not let us look at them at least a few more episodes in the season to better understand their relationship, the character of Grace in a new role for us, when she can be herself, and not the “bartender from s1”, to get to know her biography better. That's something I'll never forgive SK. The actors managed to create such amazing chemistry on the screen that their shared scenes gave me goosebumps personally, I can look at these two forever! In parallel, it was quite possible to run a story about Tommy's machinations with the Russians, but without all this dirt, orgies, humiliating scenes with tattoos under the testicles, sex in front of icons. This is already some kind of sick imagination of the author, IMO.

In general, this is what hurts the most, the fact that they did not allow you to enjoy the couple properly, but interrupted everything in the most interesting place.

МЭЙ. 

 I must say right away that I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, this union also has fans. But in my opinion, their storyline was also hasty, hasty, sex made me feel embarrassed, there was a feeling that people were trying very hard to portray passion, but at the same time they were terribly embarrassed and did not experience what they needed to show, because of this I was embarrassed to watch them. Maybe it was awkward for the actors to play it with each other, I do not know, but I did not believe what I saw on the screen, I'm sorry. And this whole scene with a kiss in e6s2, when T. tells her that he will definitely find her, in my opinion, absolutely does not fit with T.'s actions in the previous series, where he goes to her far away (I do not know how foreign friends will understand my phrase, it is unlikely that the translator will translate it correctly), in general It's a long way to say they need to stop. Although at that moment he already knows that Grace will most likely sail away (“who is she?”- “the one that will sail away soon"). And apparently understands that despite this, he still wants her and will think about how to solve it. It is quite obvious that this was invented on the fly in order to increase the degree of intrigue for the next season. But how many broken hearts have appeared among the fans of this potential couple.

GRACE'S MARRIAGE. 

I don't know, everything seems to be logical. She and Tommy are not together, the chances are 0, we need to move on, Grace is smart and beautiful, of course she easily arranges her personal life, gets married. And I understand her like a woman when you don't order your heart, no matter how good your husband is, but Tommy lives there and there's nothing you can do about it, she's such a love, you won't run away, you won't hide. There is also infertility in marriage, everything is not happy. Of course, I understand her desire to see Thomas in order to close this hellstatt for herself, if everything went well with him, then you need to move on, you won't be nice by force. Anyway, I think this was her last attempt to talk to Tommy.  And then we all know, again this chemistry on the screen blew my blood, an amazing acting duo, guys, I believe them every time I see them together 😄

And then I again did not have enough dialogue in the script, why did they not tell each other about their feelings, why did they answer the question “why did you come here today?” The answer was that the doctor thinks it's about me. It's not that I still love you, Tommy. Because of this, so much hatred later descended on Grace from fans of the series, because her behavior was interpreted as greed, a desire to get pregnant, etc. But we understand that this is not why she came.

I don't know, I didn't understand the depth of their dialogue. Her gaze of course screamed that she still loved, as did his gaze and tenderness too.

As a result, it is logical that Thomas assumed that she was “still working undercover”, since she came out to him again, at such a tense moment between him and Campbell and did not really say anything about her feelings.

Of course, this is my question for the script, not for Grace.

ЛИЗЗИ. 

I will not talk much about her, this character is unpleasant to me, I will not hide that I am glad that the script did not come up with a great love for them with Tommy, everything is logical, logical and honest in my opinion. She got what she had to, given her selfish nature, and the arrogance that she invented for herself, believing that she had “grabbed” Tommy and wiped the nose of the rest of his ladies. To be honest, it was unpleasant for me to watch the s5 and s6. Firstly, the behavior of all the characters seemed somehow feigned in s5 (especially Polly and Lizzie), overly pretentious, even grotesque. Finding out at a family meeting why Tommy told Polly something, and not Lizzie, looked like a caricature, considering what kind of relationship between T and L we see further throughout the season.

But what do I want to point out. 

I was very pleased that Lizzie treats Charlie warmly, because it's hard to imagine how lonely this child is, especially in s6. I think that was the main reason Thomas married Lizzie, Charlie needed a family, a mother and a little sister. Thanks a lot for that, because she agreed to take Charlie with her, even though he is the child of Tommy and another woman who always stood between them. This is an act!

Moreover, in S6, when Ruby got sick, when she died, my heart was torn by the sight of Lizzie. I felt so humanly sorry for her that I wanted to hug her and cry together. She went through all this in absolute solitude. Tommy didn't even hug her on the porch of the hospital when she told him that Ruby had died. It was terrible! He was completely cold to her, absolutely. Of course, Thomas's complete inner death is also shown here, he “seems to see everything on the screen.“ In general, it's a difficult season and Lizzie paid off all her debts in full, I'm very sorry for her.

Result.

Thanks to everyone who reads this, I really wanted to speak out, because all this has been spinning in my head for several weeks after watching PB.

I will be glad to receive feedback and any opinion on all this.

[makerkenzie]

So I read your posts about the Martells and how their plans to team up with the targs are.....faulty to say the least lol and I completely agree. Your posts hit on a lot of the same issues I have had with the Martells and GRRM's handling of this plot point. We are told that the Martells in general are haughty and slow to forgive. We are introduced to Oberyn, he loved Elia more than anything, and like any overprotective brother didn't believe any of her suitors was good enough for his sister. Yet, GRRM does not allow Oberyn, and then later, Doran, to make any comments about Rhaegar's treatment of Elia. Yes, Tywin gave the order and Loch and Clegane executed those orders, but none of that would have happened had it not been for Rhaegar setting the ball in motion. This makes absolutely NO sense and gives the fandom cover to say garbage like, 'well, even the Martells don't blame Rhaegar so Rhaegar was a good guy...' Oberyn? The same man who didn't think anyone was good enough for his sister wouldn't have been enraged at her husband seemingly leaving her for another woman after she just almost died giving him a son? Seriously???

This is just....very bad writing and dropping the ball on Martin's end. On top of that, he has the Martells betroth Arianne to Viserys. Why the FUCK would any family do that after seeing how one targ man already treated their beloved sister in a previous marriage match???? It's baffling.....absolutely insane. But I can't bring myself to blame the Martells, because this is yet another area of illogical carelessness by GRRM when it comes to his handling of Rhaegar and Elia.

Parts of this fandom refuse to acknowledge that Rhaegar is significantly at fault for the rebellion and what happened to Elia and his children and it borders on gaslighting imo. The amount of times I've seen people say 'well, Rhaegar didn't start the way, it was Brandon making a mess in KL and then it was Aerys' fault for demanding Robert and Ned's heads.' Okay......but literally none of that would have occurred had Rhaegar and Lyanna not ran away. Had they not done what they did, Brandon would have had no reason to got to KL to confront the prince.

Anyway, a lot of this hits on GRRM's, imo shockingly tone deaf, handling of Rhaegar, Elia, and Lyanna. I have no doubt that back in 1996 he envisioned R and L to be some Romeo and Juliet love story with two sympathetic people that meant well, but ran into a string of bad luck 'love is the death of duty' etc. etc. Except, it's easy to romanticize Romeo and Juliet who were two capricious teens in the blush of first love. Importantly, neither of them had a spouse and two young children they abandoned to go screw their lovers in said spouse's homeland. And then had their spouse and children brutally murdered as a result of the war they started 'for loveeee' lmao. The fandom harps on the age gap between R and L and honestly that doesn't even scratch the surface as to top five worst things about this relationship. I'm not even bother getting into L's hilariously hypocritical views on fidelity and having bastards lmao. I think GRRM inadvertently had the inciting relationship of his series be, not only predatory because of the age gap, but be based on the degradation and humiliation of an innocent wife and mother, and just....like......didn't realize it??? lmao. It's very weird, very very weird. I mean, on the other hand, I do think he....kinda...gets it because if he wanted a uncomplicated romance he simply would not have had Rhaegar be married with two kids.

All that being said, I think Martin is committed to making R a tragic hero and this a tragic love story, that he refuses to allow the people who should realistically hate Rhaegar and the targs the most, the Martells, excoriate him in the text. I had a conversation with another ASOIAF fan about this and she said that one of the good things the show did was allow Oberyn to call out Rhaegar for abandoning his sister, which he doesn't do in the text. I think there's a lot of cognitive dissonance with GRRM not realizing just how bad Rhaegar, and Lyanna imo, come across to readers in the text and, tinfoil time, I think not having to explain this relationship to readers is one of the many reasons he won't finish the series. I think he now realizes just how bad it is and how much 'fixing' of that ship he's going to have to do for both of them not to be absolutely hated by the fandom.

Obviously Martin is keeping very mum on the rebellion because he doesn't want to reveal too much and obfuscates a lot so we really don't have a lot of concrete opinions on Rhaegar from non-targ sycophants.....which is good writing technique.....usually.....but when you're taking 30 plus years to finish a series and are going on year 13 of having the fandom wait on the book that should in theory answer a lot of these questions....it's not great lol.

I don't see a question here, but I'm not above poking the viper's nest when I'm bored, so: okay, I'll bite!

If GRRM is trying to write Rhaegar as a tragic hero and R/L as some epically tragic love story, then, yes, he's doing a piss-poor job of it.

I don't think that's what he's doing.

I think he's intentionally writing a deeply frustrating story around the Martells. Whatever his initial idea of the Targs was in 1996...the story he's writing now is that dragons plant no trees.

He doesn't let the Martells acknowledge the Targs' mistreatment of their family because this is not a story in which they'll be vindicated or victorious. This is a story in which they are screwing themselves over. Which isn't exactly fun to read, but the pieces add up that way. The Targs are not the heroes the Martells need for their fairytale, any more than the Lannisters are the villains they need for that tale.

Especially Rhaegar. Seven Hells, are people actually saying "clearly Rhaegar was a good guy because the Martells don't blame him"? That is really...special. Nah, the Martells' refusal to hold the Targs, and especially Rhaegar, responsible for the injury done to their family is not an argument in favor of the Targs. It's 60% or more of the way the Martells are driving themselves off a cliff.

I don't have any firm opinions on why GRRM is taking so long to finish the Winds of Waiting. It's likely the result of many contributing factors, as the series involves many, many moving parts. But I doubt very much that he intends to write the Targs as the good guys Dany seems to think they are. They're a mix of hero and villain, like many other players in the game. Meanwhile the Martells' investment in the dragon is doubly tragic because where the Targs are actually heroic, they still don't reciprocate the Martells' loyalty. They hardly even see it.

[nikkiruncks]

You mentioned somewhere that Donna is annoying you lately, so I'd love to know what you'd most want to change about how the character was written (and/or acted). Based on how she's described, I expected to adore Donna. In theory, Donna should be one of my favorite characters of all time, but in reality I range from being just "she's fine" to outright dislike (mostly past season 2!) It's so disappointing because I wanted so much to love her and to buy into her and Eric as an iconic couple, but I ended up hoping Eric would find someone else.

Yes! I mentioned it here.

Gonna put this under read more just in case.

When it comes to Donna, my issue is when it comes to her relationship with Eric. Both of them are flawed and make mistakes, but the difference is that Eric is always called out in canon and always held accountable, even for shit that isn't even his fault.

Whereas Donna almost never got that luxury. In season 1-2, I have no issue with how she's written, aside from the fact that her sisters were retconned. But after that, it's so much worse.

In "Eric's Panties", I can't get over how trusting Donna was of Eric until Jackie stuck her nose in. But my main issue is Donna's reaction. Like why is she even listening to Jackie in the first place? The only relationship she ever had was with a guy who cheated on her several times and would constantly pressure her into sex. She's not exactly the relationship expert. Even Hyde was defending Eric, and Donna still humiliated Eric and Shelly. And didn't even apologize! There's also the adding fact that even she believes Eric was lucky enough to be with her and boy did it show.

And then there was "The Backstage Pass" where Donna ditches Eric and doesn't even TELL him she's going to meet with Ted Nugent. Not only that, but she somehow believes that trust and honest communication only applies when two people are married? Then there's the cherry on top where she says she isn't sorry. Like wtf. If I were Eric, I would've broken up with her right there.

Don't even get me started on season 4. But my issue isn't even how Donna acted because I get it. I actually think in terms of writing, that's one of her strongest seasons. But it's the fact Eric is just Donna's doormat and he just...takes it. Aside from "Bye Bye Basement", Eric literally never claps back. She has so many more opportunities whereas Eric is the "loser".

In season 5, she seems fine from what I've seen sans her initial reaction to JH, but their attitudes about her relationship with Eric are no better and this goes on for seasons on seasons, so I'm not as mad.

Then there's season 6, where she gets mad at Eric for having fun with Jackie. Like Donna has a right to be upset that he tried to get out of it with her, but shouldn't she be happy that he did end up having a good time? Yet she's upset that her plan to make Eric miserable backfired and somehow he has to be the one to run after her. Her being like 'ugh' is a human reaction, but idk. They just should not have rushed the wedding and should've had a long engagement.

Also her saying they shouldn't have sex before their wedding because it would make it "less magical" is weird. I get what she's saying, like having a clean break. But like them not having sex for a bit and then doing it after marriage doesn't really do anything if you look at it from a logical standpoint.

Then there was her reaction to Eric dating Chloe while they were broken up and she was dating Casey. Like accusing him of cheating and somehow the mere possibility of them having being revolting?? Don't even get me started on her slut shaming Chloe. I've noticed this habit of her (and Jackie) slut shaming every woman they hate. And it can't be a coincidence that all the women Donna shamed are blonde (a pattern I noticed is that it's mostly blondes getting put down) but anyways.

I'm also very disappointed in her season 7 arc, with her and Eric stuck in this going nowhere fuck buddy relationship. Idc what anyone says, they were NOT dating this season. They called themselves 'bf/gf', yet didn't do ANY of the things people do in relationships. And then there was her reaction to Eric going to Africa. Which, her being upset makes sense. Her boyfriend is going to be on another continent. But her and Kitty teaming up to stop him from going is so selfish.

Donna herself even mentioned maybe wanting to travel, but when Eric does it, she's mad? And her being upset he "didn't include" her is ridiculous given that she walked out before Eric could even do so.

Also the fact that she, herself, post s2, seemed to believe Eric was lucky to be with her. Guess everyone's bs got to her head. And Red's bs advice got to Eric's head in s2 and so did everyone's comments after that. Even his own brother believed that Eric was lucky to be with Donna. It's so disappointing and he deserved better.

[loveisalwaystheanswer]

Hello! How are you ? I wanted to ask you what is your interpretation of Tommy and Lizzie's relationship, in S5 and S6? I never saw love, from Tommy, but Lizzie's fans did, so what are your thoughts?

Thank you!

Hello, anon!

Firstly, I apologize for my late response. I'd hoped to reply sooner, but my phone almost died last week and I had to reset it to factory settings. I'm glad I had had the forethought to create my own cloud storage for photos, but unfortunately I hadn't done it for my text notes, so I lost them all. I found it out the next day and coped with it very badly tbh (crying was included). I have to re-write my latest notes now.

Back to your question. I'm surprised this is still relevant. 'Tommy and Lizzie' isn't my favourite paring of the show, as far as you know if you read my blog. So analysing them is my own sort of torture. S3 itself and Tommy's interactions with Lizzie are my pet peeve. I don't even know where I should begin. For a start, let me tell you about my favourite description of Lizzie which I read a long time ago but I still find it very accurate "the old girlfriend Tommy drunk dials when he's feeling lonely late at night" (x).

Tommy bends her over a desk sleeps with Lizzie because sex is his coping mechanism. This guy cries through his dick into Tatiana or Lizzie. He even declares she was saving his heart from breaking. Honestly, these words are like nails on a chalkboard. It's so disrespectful on so many levels. Firstly, to Grace. Oi, you moron, the love of your life died (because of you btw) few months ago, it usually causes heartbreak! Secondly, to Lizzie. You say you still pay her for sex and make it known in front of the entire family and therefore humiliate her.

There were no reasons for them to reunite in s4. It's been said, I see no logic in the narrative. Especially in Lizzie's actions.

They get married for two reasons: 1) Lizzie is pregnant, 2) it can be useful and very handy for Tommy's political career. He uses her, again. As benefit, he can shift the responsibility for raising Charlie to Lizzie, because he's fully aware of what a terrible father he really is. She's a useful decoration as a mother and wife. Lizzie knows his condition and wants to help him, but he doesn't let her in. There's a huge gap between them. In 5th season I didn't see any hints of love. It was mostly about his possessiveness ('he lays a fucking hand on you, he will be meat for Johnny Dogs') or his ego ('he spoke badly to my wife').

In s6 we see that they've become a more ordinary family. He works, she is being a mother. He keeps cheating on her. She accepts it. But here's more understanding between them and Ruby's disease brings them closer for a short time, but when she dies, Tommy has sex with Diana, Lizzie is humiliated in front of people (again), they become even more distant and Lizzie hits the bottom and leaves him.

Lizzie is in love with Tommy since s2. Tommy uses Lizzie since s1. I don't think he will ever be in love with her. But he grew to love her as a person, as a friend and this is a VERY big part of his development as a character. Because he never cared about any woman anyone who isn't related to him or who isn't Grace. He loves Lizzie, but not in a romantic way. Tommy always only used her for his own purposes and he never was kind or compassionate towards her, but in s6 he cares about her so that's why he says she doesn't deserve him and doesn't deserve to share his fate. That's why he tells Diana he isn't upset that Lizzie left him. Because he loves her and she is dear to him. He is deeply grateful for everything she's done for him and he defends her from Mosley's offensive comments even when Lizzie can't hear it. Don't get me wrong, anon, I don't justify his actions and his speech doesn't make him a saint. What he's done is beyond to be fixed and he should've thought of the consequences earlier.

I know this is a very sketchy analysis because I simply didn't want to go into depth. But I hope I managed to answer your questions.

thanks!

🤍

[djavlaalskadeunge]

Letter 17

"4-3-26

Darling!

Thank you for still remembering me. I am so happy every time I hear from you and at the same time unhappy to be reminded of everything I am excluded from. Saxon has been here as you well know - he is very decent and I always like him well except when he wants to marry me. I have been and still am unhappy about my heart. I don't think it's often that a woman has felt so inferior and worse than I have felt. I have humiliated myself, been bitter, mean, crazy, but I never escape from what fate throws at me. I might as well be a hundred years old as twenty. I have no wish, no distinct longing, I soon don't know what is behind or ahead.  

Sometimes a terrible desire to be reborn awakens in me so that (I) can be freed from the feeling of being nothing. And yet. I'm so ungrateful - my film has been shown here, the public criticism was wonderfully kind - but I don't think I was anything so I can't enjoy what I don't think I deserve. I don't know that all the Swedes were fond of me. I was not as well photographed as I could have been and the acting was nothing. And if they also don't have someone like me here, they can get tired soon enough if you can't act. Maybe I know something, but my mind is so heavy to carry that I am disgusted when I stand on stage. I am very lonely. I don't want or can't seek American companionship, therefore it would be a greater relief than I can speak of to have someone who liked me. I would so like to take my sister over because you can never come - but mother got so sad and lonely so I can't possibly do that. Every time Mimmie I have complained like this I repent and promise to do better. It is so ungrateful and ugly to trouble your friends with such things, but Misse you are the one I can talk to more than anyone else. And I know, I won't change my mind about you. If you were to travel over here, it would only cost you the journey. You were supposed to live with me. But you never know how things will turn out here either, if you stay long. Will now start for Stiller soon. I am grateful and scared, I don't know how it will go to play for him. Gotta tell you my movie is running for the second week at the N-Y. biggest theater - two weeks there is very rare and they credit me for it. I should be happy. Come over and tell me Is Nizzi in the theater now too?

I haven't written anything to Vera, say hello to her, I heard someone say that she spoke a little badly about me and that made me sad, maybe she doesn't like me, I don't know. Or maybe it wasn't true what was said, you have to listen to stuff like that. Misse, maybe my movie will be playing at home soon, write honestly what you think, don't be afraid, I've said what I thought myself. Lars Hanson plays for Sjöström ---? Went and everyone talks about him that he wants to be something special. Karin takes care of the household and no movies at all. Then there is nothing to tell here as usual. By the way, I have to learn to ride ladies' saddles for the next film and it's terribly difficult. Try it, you'll see the fun. You can fall off as often as you want. If you want to write to me soon, I will be happy and don't forget to tell me details about yourself. Say hello to Nisse that he owes it to be healthy now for all time when he's got my girl. Also say hello to Gösta K. Take care darling and don't forget me. ———-Gurra"

[aajjks]

TC!JK It was all so sudden. One minute she was talking and the other her hair was yanked. He was pulling it so harshly it would leave a bald spot if he doesn't stop. However, it doesn't seem like he has any plans of doing so.

Her hands grip his that have a hold on her as she tries to get away but it's of no use.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!! LEAVE MY HAIR!”

“SHE IS NOT A WHORE YOU BITCH! I WILL KILL YOU!”

She looks at him with tears in her eyes from all the pain spreading in her scalp and the look in them scares her. That's probably the most infuriated she has seen him.

“You are a whore, I’d love to make you my whore if you want, dearest princess… she’s so much better than you, she’s going to be queen and you’re gonna be my side whore.”

He's doing this all because of that unknown woman. Humiliating and hurting her all because of That Unknown woman. That woman is above her? Superior to Her?!

“GUARDS! SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!” she screams out for someone just anyone to come in and rescue her.

Just then two guards come running inside and their eyes are wide open at the sight in front of them. They don't know what to do as they see the scary look on the Crown Prince's face.

They try their hardest to pull him away but it's of no use. The Prince has lost it. He's screaming and is violent. Too dangerous for anyone who comes close to him.

There's a commotion outside the room.

YN's POV

Yn was going to complete her task for the day. She had to beg Yerim to let her go and work. She's not that far along her pregnancy to stop moving her body altogether. Besides, what else is she supposed to do all day long?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the screams reverberating in the hallway. Curious, she follows the sound and she finds several other people outside the door. All looking inside with shocked expressions on their faces.

She leans in further to see what's happening and goodness does the sight please her.

Her Jungkook is gripping that whore's hair and with so much force. The painful expression on her face brings her a sense of delight and the screams she's letting out add onto it.

She can see herself in Jungkook right now. The crazed look on his face is eerily similar to what she has when she...

He shoves the guards, before forcing himself inside her chamber and he locks the door. “You bitch you shouldn’t have disrespected her.” he shoves her to the ground.

His plan should work

“Now.. This was only a little flicker of what I’m capable of doing to you so be a good girl and you’re gonna go to my father tomorrow and you’re gonna tell him that you cannot marry me because if you don’t, I will actually fucking kill you” he crouches down and looks at her tear stained face.

No one can disrespect you because he will make them suffer in the worst way possible

How could you call you a hoe?

She brought this on her own self. He was a kind man.

“Okay? I think I speak pretty well in your language so you better understand me or I will force you and you know what happens when I force you right? You will have an audience with my father tomorrow.”

[sarifinasnightmare]

A Personal Rant

I want to rant, especially since I can and no one will stop me.

So a couple of my younger friends wanted me to get into K-dramas and C-dramas, recommending me a few and I watched them. It led me to watch others and my overall opinion is that I dislike them...a lot.

Why are many of these male leads toxic? Like genuinely toxic, walking red flags. They're arrogant, possessive, manhandling, wall pushing, ignorant, and selfish. Some are downright violent, threatening and violating.

How the fuck am I supposed to find that attractive? There are some people who are like "he's a red flag but he's so hot", hell no. There is no amount of good looks that could make me find a red flag person attractive.

One ML forced the FL to have an abortion, another who ignored his "love" who lost their baby because his concubine took all his attention, one who locked the FL up in his house because he saw her talking to another man, another who threw himself on top of her several times threatening to violate her, another who forcefully picked the FL up and put her into his car because she didn't want to talk to him, another who to "protect" her falsified her medical records so she'd be diagnosed with cancer and then publicly humiliated her. And of course the dumbass god ML who couldn't defend his mortal love, took her eyes out for a crime she didn't commit and then promised he'd take care of her afterward. These are the only the ones that come to mind but have been others that just made my skin crawl.

And the arguments defending these MLs are laughable. "He doesn't know how to love, he was only trying to protect her, he was tricked, he had a traumatic childhood, he's just a little jealous, he made a mistake but he's so sorry about it." Regrets and lamentations are about as useful as a blade of grass. If a man did any of these things to you would you be so quick to excuse it? I cannot, nor would I allow anyone whom I care for be treated so despicably.

This one ML at one point said, "we're going to get married". The FL said something like, "What if I don't want to" and ML said "You don't have a choice." I literally lost my shit and turned it off.

Is this behavior considered romantic?? To whom?? Who has fantasies about being treated like trash by their lovers?? About being treated like a piece of property? And don't point out the BDSM community because those people communicate and set rules before they do anything. These K and C-drama couples can't communicate to save their lives!!

I would like to think that with the 4B movement going on that Korean women look at these shows and scoff at them.

I write smutty stuff myself, for enjoyment, but even at my roughest love scenes I always make consent and respect of boundaries clear. Whether the man is dominating or the woman, respect is present. These acts, for me, are the height of romance and love and should be shown more to wider audience.

I can think of only one show "Marry My Husband" where the ML is a genuinely caring, respectful guy. I'm going to give up watching any more of these drama shows.

[ugly-anastasia]

Friday, November 3 -- Everyone’s a Critic: Write ten reviews that your character would leave for books on Goodreads, movies on Letterboxd, or something similar! Include their star rating. 

ANASTASIA TREMAINE'S DIARY, 2002

This book is now going to be for movie reviews!!! I have decided that I am going to be a journalist and to be a journalist you have to have bye-lines. I am going to be a critic which means you are the one who tells people which movies are good and which are not. So we are starting off with the best movie ever, Anastasia.

ANASTASIA (Five Stars)

This movie is the best movie. It's about a girl named Anya and she has the prettiest hair and she thinks she's an orphan in France but really she is a princess and her name is actually Anastasia!!! And her family died in the war but she survived and now she has to learn how to be a princess. And this boy Demitri falls in love with her (he's SOOO cute) and there's this scary wizard guy but she defeats him in the end. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone.

THE SWYNLAKE PRIMARY WEEKLY NEWS, 2003

Film Review: What A Girl Wants (Reviewed by Anastasia Tremaine)

THREE STARS

This film was very unrealistic. Amanda Bynes and Colin Firth both had an excellent performance, and the song by Christina Aguilera was very good as well. However, it really doesn't make sense that Henry Dashwood did not know he had a daughter all this time and then as soon as she shows up he just stops caring about his actual stepdaughter-to-be so that he can spoil this girl he's never met before. I think Daphne was actually the villain of this movie. But it still gets three stars for the sountrack. Also the costume department did an excellent job.

THE SWYNLAKE SECONDARY SUN, 2004

Film Review: The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (Reviewed by Anastasia Tremaine)

TWO STARS

This film had many good qualities. It showed how many important duties Princess Mia had to learn in order to run a country. It also had some very good performances by Anne Hathaway, Chris Pine, and of course Julie Andrews. However, the end of the movie was a huge mistake. Andrew was a perfectly good option for Mia to marry and she put on this whole big fancy royal wedding only to humiliate him at the altar. I get that she was in love with Lord Nicholas, but she should have let Andrew down more nicely. Or maybe just married him. He was a perfectly nice person. For that, I have to give it a score of two stars.

THE SWYNLAKE SECONDARY SUN, 2009

Film Review: 500 Days of Summer (Reviewed by Anastasia Tremaine)

ONE STAR

This movie was so awkward. I'm sorry, but it's so unattractive to pine after the same girl all summer when she obviously isn't into you, and she's not even that pretty. Get a life, Joseph Gordon Levitt! Ugh. Embarrassing. If you like this movie, you're probably a loser too.

THE SWYNLAKE SECONDARY SUN, 2013

Film Review: The Great Gatsby (Reviewed by Anastasia Tremaine)

FIVE STARS

An absolutely gorgeous film. Leonardo DiCaprio is a genius, as is Tobey Maguire. The visuals were stunning and I adored Lana Del Rey's contributions to the soundtrack. One must wonder: where are the modern men who will rise to this level of romance and grand gestures? Perhaps we can all learn something from this masterpiece of a film.

IMDB, FIFTY SHADES OF GREY (2015)

by user annieratesfilms

FIVE STARS

I don't know what all the feminist uproar about this movie is lol. If Christian Grey wanted to give Ana all these things and fly her around the world, he should be allowed to. It's called being romantic. No wonder people say chivalry is dead, it's because every time a man tries to be romantic people rip him apart. Personally, I found this movie hot. Just saying. Call me a sexist if you want but I'm literally a woman.

IMDB, HEREDITARY (2018)

by user annieratesfilms

ONE STAR

This movie was just disgusting disturbing and made absolutely no sense. Completely unnecessary nudity and way too many weird scenes with the miniature houses. I thought this was just going to be a normal scary movie about ghosts but it turned out to mostly be about the mom having a mental breakdown. So disappointing.

IMDB, THE MENU (2022)

ONE STAR

by user annieratesfilms

Extremely disturbing, zero redeeming qualities. The characters got punished for being rich (by being murdered) but the chef was clearly also very rich and famous so it was totally hypocritical!!! I especially felt bad for the girl who said she went to Brown and got murdered for that. There were no positive characters in this movie and I don't even know why I watched it.

SOUTH SWYNLAKE HOMEOWNERS IN IT TOGETHER NEWSLETTER, JUNE 2023

Movie Corner!

Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse: Three Stars

As some of you may have heard, there is a new animated Spider-Man movie out! However, I would like to warn everyone that just because it is animated does not mean it is appropriate for children. While it has many inspiring messages, it also has some poor role models for children. Gwen Stacey has a truly awful haircut and is very disrespectful to her father. Also, there is a Spider-"Punk" character who has a very negative attitude. Enjoy the movie on your own, but maybe don't bring the kiddos!!!

SOUTH SWYNLAKE HOMEOWNERS IN IT TOGETHER NEWSLETTER, JULY 2023

Movie Corner!

Barbie: Three Stars

This movie was so pretty! The costumes were gorgeous, the sets were amazing— it was like stepping into Barbie Land for real!! Margot Robbie did an AMAZING job. However, I will say that it is a little more anti-men than I was expecting. Just takes things a bit too far at times! Not a good message for children! And there are quite a few scenes that your little girls will probably be bored watching. So overall it was a bit of a letdown. However, it is still a pretty good movie, I just think it could have been better. It should have been more positive and cheerful, as a movie about Barbie! Just my opinion :)

[dollypopup]

#like yes id have loved a little bite back for fun (i wrote a post abt it)#i love people who go 'what if it she said ok he doesn't want this so for his happiness ill call it off' (i rbd a post abt it)#and frankly i kinda wanna write a fic about it bc he'd freak out. we know he would. he'd be like 'no god please i didnt mean that#you have to marry me please please please' it'd be fun i know#but truly truly thinking she should blow the whole thing up bc he said one angy thing is. like. have yall ever been in a relationship or na#at the very least you definitely don't understand theirs#cause this line is also (i rbd a post abt this too) colin holding onto the marriage with his nails. and i think pen knows that a little bit @anastacialy

Respectfully? No.

These tags are so antithetical to what this post is about that it's almost insulting. Because, once again, it misses the entire point of this couple. Write what you want to write, but I don't think you understand just how out of character that would be for Penelope, and for Colin, too.

People WANT this comment to be Colin holding onto the marriage with his nails, but what it really is is a manifestation of his hurt. He loves her and she hurt him, and he's lashing out. Sometimes that's just what it is. Yes, he still wants to marry her, not out of obligation, but because they have history and he has feelings for her. But people really just want to gloss over the fact that she hurt him.

Y'all, she hurt him. Lying to him continuously and keeping that secret from him is a painful thing she did to him. So if she said 'fine, no entrapment then, we're done' that is, realistically speaking, the death of their relationship. He's reeling from the realization that she just kept an entire secret persona from him, and not a cool one with superpowers, but one that has insulted his family and him to the entire city, taken their trust and turned it back on them, and kept that truth from him even after they were intimate with one another. She lied. She lied to him more than anyone had ever lied to him. And he had to find out on his own. His trust in her is broken.

Thinking he'd go 'oh god, please I didn't mean that, you have to marry me, please please please' is such a. . .idk how to even say it- dehumanizing? way to view him? He loves her, yes, but like. . .god, how does that NOT turn your stomach? Taking the hurt and trauma she inflicted on him and then making him beg for the relationship? When SHE should be the one apologizing and trying to understand him?

I guess the closest scenario to compare that is the 'Goodnight Mr. Bridgerton' line. She calls him cruel, and someone writes that he'd be like 'oh, okay? So I'm cruel? Fuck you, then, no more friendship' and she goes 'no no no, I didn't mean that, I missed you, I value our friendship, I was just mad, please please please'. It's equally as out of character of a scenario. Colin understood she was just lashing out because he hurt her, and he didn't hold it against her, but you want Penelope to be petty and cruel to HIM? I genuinely hate the fics where she blows up at him for that line, because there's just such a lack of empathy for Colin's character in this fandom where we just don't CARE that he's hurt, and we can't STAND the fact that SHE'S the one who hurt HIM. It doesn't matter. HE doesn't matter. And Penelope can't EVER be the party who was wrong! So we can humiliate him or kick him when he's down, because he's the only one we want to put emotional labour into this relationship.

Wouldn't it be cute if Penelope bit back at him and then made him beg to have her back in his life after he found out she hid so much from him and lied to him? Wouldn't it be FUN to see Penelope emotionally manipulate him and have absolutely zero sympathy for this man she's claimed she cares about? Isn't it just such a nice, lighthearted read? Your fanon Penelope is an awful partner if she does that. She's coldhearted, and proud, and she's demonstrating that it doesn't matter the magnitude of her own harms, her hurt feelings take precedence over everything. That's not a woman worth holding onto, fam.

But a Penelope who recognizes that Colin is hurt? A Penelope who assures that she loves him? A Penelope who sees that line for what it is and wants to reconcile with him and make amends for the harm she's caused? A sympathetic, warm person who has the comment roll off her back because she knows who he is at his core and that's what matters? THAT'S a woman worth marrying and working through issues with. And that's who she is. Why y'all insist on making her a bad partner, and not to explore her character but just to make Colin an accessory with no valid emotions of his own, I'd never know.

This fandom just doesn't get it.

The entrapment line comes about *because Colin now doubts that she loves him*. He already was spiraling because he believed she didn't, and that she was just overcome in the carriage and didn't actually care for him. She didn't say that she loved him back when he said it, or when they had sex for the first time. She said she had to tell him something, and that something was that she's Lady Whistledown, but then she tells him that she loves him, instead. For the first time. So in his mind, she very well could have been lying about loving him as a save from admitting her secret, because that replaced her confession about being LW, and so the fandom's solution is to have her reassure him that 'Yeah, no, you're right, I DON'T love you' Not enough to empathize. Not enough to stay. Not enough to want a marriage.

We expect Colin to stay through a three year long betrayal, but Penelope to up and leave from one comment?

Y'all don't get Penelope and you don't get Colin either, frankly speaking.

I guess what I find most funny about the 'She should call off the wedding because of Colin's entrapement line!' crowd is like. . .y'all really don't get Penelope at all, do you?

She has loved this man for YEARS. She's loved him through his engagement to someone else, she's loved him through him saying he wouldn't court her, she's loved him through multiple countries, through her family mocking their closeness, through a potential marriage to a Lord. She loved him so much she couldn't even DENY having feelings for him to save what she thought was her only chance of getting married. Do you know how easy it would have been for her to go 'No, we're just friends, I don't like him like that, you're proposing to me and that's what matters'? She couldn't denounce her feelings for him even THEN. Even when she doesn't think he reciprocates them and she's made peace with a life with Debling and is expecting his proposal. Colin was *always* first in her heart, through all those hurdles.

Because Colin has been kind in a cruel world, and he's made her laugh, and he encourages her confidence and he's warm and he's gorgeous and he centers her and he values her and he listens and makes her feel desired and beautiful. He's a good man, and her love for him makes her feel good, she treasures it. Even in the books she says it feels good to love a good person, whether he loved her back or not. And now she knows that he does and you think one line that Colin says in obvious hurt after finding out she's been hiding a secret persona for him is enough to shake that love? She spent what? Half a decade looking out her window pining for him and now on the eve of getting to live a life with him as husband and wife, she's going to chuck that away because of one sentence? How lowly do you think of her? How *stupid* do you think she is? To throw away the love of her life over what? Her pride? This fandom's OOC Fanon Pen is a disservice to Penelope's actual character.

Her love for Colin is steadfast. It's made of tougher stuff than all that. It has survived everything that has been thrown at it. Distance, other people, Portia. And y'all really, truly believe that a singular statement will make her go 'Naw, I don't want it anymore!' PUHLEASE. Even when she offers him that annulment, you KNOW she knows it's not on the table.

Stop playing. OF COURSE she didn't call off the wedding. Of COURSE she chose to understand where he was coming from and went 'I didn't mean to trap you, Colin, I love you'. Of course she asks what the marriage will be and is comforted by the fact that he still wants to go through with it.

Penelope Featherington has loved Colin most of her life. It has been one of the few constants in her existence. He has been good to her in said existence, consistently. He's listened, he's cared, he's apologized to her, he's taken ownership of his actions, he's invited her to be more open, he's joked with her, he's supported her, he saw her when she was invisible. She. Loves. Him. And for good reason.

It's not going away because of one line. Or two. Or three. Come back next time when you actually understand her.

[smylealong]

He Zhaojun

I have been seeing a lot of hate for He Zhaojun here. I have seen people blame her for what happened to her family to some even saying that she deserved what was coming to her. But I have a few things to say to that. Some things I would like people to consider before piling hate on her. Spoilers ahead, so kept under the cut.

Let's not forget that all of these people are supposed to be teenagers. Can anyone honestly say that they haven't been absolute entitled little shits in their teens? I know I was. He Zhaojun was essentially a mean girl.

She never loved Yao, just like Yao didn't love her. The two were engaged by their families. Neither seemed to have a say in it. Neither wanted to be engaged to the other. The two knew each other from childhood and she constantly bullied him. Looks like no one corrected her and she didn't even know that what she was doing might hurt Yao. She was a self-absorbed whiny teen.

When she met Xiao Shi, a master manipulator, he managed to woo her. It was likely not a coincidence that she bumped into him. I am fairly certain that Xiao Shi orchestrated the meeting. Again, a teen with zero life experience outside her rich, spoiled upbringing, did not see past the silken words of Xiao Shi.

She broke off an engagement that, let's not forget, neither wanted. Yao was relieved to have gotten rid of her.

Once she was married, Xiao Shi revealed the true face. The monster that he is. He proceeded to brutally kill all of her family. This isn't what she deserved. To say that she deserved it, or she had it coming, or that she brought it upon herself is victim blaming, pure and simple. Think of the implications of what you're saying. This is how abusers operate. They are the sweetest, most loving partners till they have their prey in their hands. Then they flip the switch. No one deserves to see their loved one die horribly. Even if they have been a bully, this is not something anyone deserves. This is domestic violence. No one deserves to be at the receiving end of it.

General He's last wish and the implication it had on Yao and Niao Niao's lives is a complex topic and needs to be addressed in separate bullet points. (a) When General He made the wish, he had no idea that Yao was betrothed to Niao Niao. He was only worried about his children's safety and chose what he knew to be a safe option. He Zhaojun had no say in it. (b) The Emperor did not force the issue on either the Luo family, the Cheng family or the He family. General's wish was voiced and he asked the inputs of the people involved, leaving the decision to them. (c) Luo family was more than keen to break off the engagement because the aunt and the cousin don't like Shaoshang who would stand up for Yao. They think that by getting him married to Zhaojun, they'll keep the second chamber under their thumbs forever. Luo Yao's mother came up with the absurd and humiliating idea that Luo Yao marry both girls, and Luo Yao did not immediately say no. He should have. (d) Niao Niao recognized a losing battle. I will admit I did not like the way she flipped and broke off the engagement, but I think she realized that now she would have to go against everyone's wishes to marry Yao and she just did not love him enough to fight against the world. (e) Yao is left hurt, betrayed and is the one having to marry his childhood bully. I truly feel sorry for him. He did not deserve this. But I do think that the He Zhaojun he's marrying now is not the one he once knew. She's a whole different person.

He Zhaojun's insistence that she be married to Yao is actually coming from a place of absolute terror. She knows that her and her brother are alone. She knows that she cannot make another mistake like the one she did, because the little brother, the innocent party, is now at his most vulnerable state. She needs to protect him. She also wants to protect herself. She knows Yao wouldn't harm a hair on her head and she has latched on to the idea. She's projecting a brave, stoic and somewhat demented persona, but deep down, she's broken and terrified. This decision is stemming from fear.

I agree wholeheartedly that Yao did not deserve to get married to the woman who has done nothing but belittle him, degrade him, and humiliate him. I also agree that for this, she deserved some comeuppance. But to say that she deserved what happened or that she caused the tragedy is victim blaming and absolutely toxic. There is only one person to be blamed for the horrific things and that's Xiao Shi. Not He Zhaojun. I also believe that she will make up for all the torment she's caused Yao over the years because she's finally understood what it is like to be hurt, deeply. That Yao has grown a semblance of a spine is only going to add to that.

Having read this all, do you think He Zhaojun deserves a second chance? To quote Ling Buyi, "It's for you to decide."