#bran isolde

[pbjelly90art]

Spaceverse Faer sketch dump, part 3!

Back again with more recent colored/WiP sketches of Faer related characters. This time we have, in order: Rhys, Esther, and their son Daniel (Danny) when he was younger, then Rhys solo, then some Fomorian/Fae characters with Dimitri, his sister Sasha, their parents Fyodor and Natalia, and Yosha. Then we have a chibi drawing of some of the kiddos, Rosie, Hope, Gwyn, and Bran. After that we have Roksana, the wildfae Sela, Tristan (should be with the Phanos characters, but he happened to be on this page), Galatea (Gal), Eulimene (Mena), Amanita, her daughter Ramona (both newly introduced to take the roles of Aliana and Joan), Aedus, Cynder and her little brother Chase.

Then there's some older sketches that predate the RP, including: Malin, Halldor, Randall (not yet in the RP, but will likely appear as an ally/friend of Josefa's on Apex Prime), Danny (doesn't have his Spaceverse color palette here, this is from a previous story world where he was a human mage with water magic), another Danny sketch from before this RP, and then a very old sketch of Ancia and Arlen that I still love and wanted saved here.

Dimitri, Yosha, Rosie, Bran, Cynder and Chase belong to Sakume, and the other characters depicted here belong to me.

[marwyn]

what do you think of rhaegar x lyanna?

The asoiafblr equivalent of

I suppose I did have it coming though. What we know of their relationship definitely compels me, and I’ll start by elaborating on this post—besides the readily apparent Paris/Helen and Tristan/Isolde allusions, Rhaegar and Lyanna remind me of the principal characters from Thomas Chestre’s Arthurian romance Sir Launfal but gender-swapped. Let’s start with the Tourney at Harrenhal.

But the next morning, when the heralds blew their trumpets and the king took his seat, only two champions appeared. The Knight of the Laughing Tree had vanished. The king was wroth, and even sent his son the dragon prince to seek the man, but all they ever found was his painted shield, hanging abandoned in a tree. It was the dragon prince who won that tourney in the end. (ASOS, Bran II)

Ned remembered the moment when all the smiles died, when Prince Rhaegar Targaryen urged his horse past his own wife, the Dornish princess Elia Martell, to lay the queen of beauty’s laurel in Lyanna’s lap. He could see it still: a crown of winter roses, blue as frost. […] Promise me, Ned, his sister had whispered from her bed of blood. She had loved the scent of winter roses. (AGOT, Ned XV)

Now I’m sure the following won’t be news to asoiaf veterans but for the sake of comparison let’s lay it all out. It hardly seems an accident that the infamous laurel happened to be made of a flower beloved of its recipient; most likely Rhaegar did in fact find the Knight of the Laughing Tree, who turned to be one Lyanna Stark, they conversed, and since she had had to flee the tourney and thus forfeit her chance of winning he decided to win it himself in order to honor her publicly in the only way possible by making her Queen of Love and Beauty (not a particularly strategic move, but I have to say that I appreciate the sort of fairy-tale logic of it all), and finally, if you believe that Lyanna ran away with Rhaegar willingly, they may have also made plans to correspond secretly in the future. With all of this in mind let’s take a look at some of the pertinent story beats of Sir Launfal:

Launfal rides off alone into a forest and rests under a tree

Two maidens approach and invite him to speak to their lady Tryamour in her pavilion

Tryamour is the ethereally beautiful daughter of the powerful fairy king of the west

The knight and the fairy princess profess their love for one another, she bestows upon him several gifts, and they make plans to correspond secretly in the future.

Rhaegar may be a less obvious choice than Lyanna “Knight of the Laughing Tree” Stark for comparison to a character of the opposite gender, but the gender paradigm in Sir Launfal is already an interesting one given that the fairy princess provides financially for her knight lover and ultimately rescues him like a damsel in distress (more on that later). Furthermore, Rhaegar himself also experienced some friction in regard to his proscribed Westerosi gender role:

As a young boy, the Prince of Dragonstone was bookish to a fault. He was reading so early that men said Queen Rhaella must have swallowed some books and a candle whilst he was in her womb. Rhaegar took no interest in the play of other children. The maesters were awed by his wits, but his father’s knights would jest sourly that Baelor the Blessed had been born again. Until one day Prince Rhaegar found something in his scrolls that changed him. No one knows what it might have been, only that the boy suddenly appeared early one morning in the yard as the knights were donning their steel. He walked up to Ser Willem Darry, the master-at-arms, and said, ‘I will require sword and armor. It seems I must be a warrior.’ (ASOS, Daenerys I)

Now let’s take a look at why Lyanna and Launfal might have decided to run away with the royals they met in the woods.

“Robert will never keep to one bed,” Lyanna had told him at Winterfell, on the night long ago when their father had promised her hand to the young Lord of Storm’s End. “I hear he has gotten a child on some girl in the Vale.” (AGOT, Ned IX)

Launfal and other noble knights, however, did not like [the future queen Guenevere], for the lady had a reputation for having lovers besides her lord too numerous to count. (Sir Launfal, trans. James Weldon)

Soon enough Launfal finds himself the unwelcome focus of the queen’s amorous intent and his refusal goes very poorly. He is saved when his princess lover rides up to Camelot and takes him away to the land of the fairies, leaving naught but a rumor in his wake:

Every year upon a certain day people can hear Launfal’s steed neigh and see him. Whosoever desires to joust and keep their armour trim in tournament or fight can find his match with Sir Launfal, the knight. (Sir Launfal)

Which of course tracks nicely with the happenings at Harrenhal:

The mystery knight dipped his lance before the king and rode to the end of the lists, where the five champions had their pavilions. […] The porcupine knight fell first, then the pitchfork knight, and lastly the knight of the two towers. None were well loved, so the common folk cheered lustily for the Knight of the Laughing Tree, as the new champion soon was called. (ASOS, Bran II again)

All this to say that I find their relationship quite fascinating in its metatextuality. Was it love at first sight as in Sir Launfal? Almost certainly not, but it seems clear to me that they had a strong connection and I’m glad Lyanna was able to escape the arranged marriage to Robert which she clearly did not want. As for the common discourse topics on here regarding their relationship i.e. their respective ages, his marital status, the prophecy, these generally just aren’t that interesting to me…and post.

[dragonagepolls]

@songofamazon

[birdonawiresara]

‘Ship Bias’

Send ‘Ship Bias’ and I will share up to 5 Ships I have a bias for for my muse!

I don’t think it’s any secret that Canarrow ie Oliver/Sara is my favorite canon ship for Sara of all time. Their chemistry was off the charts. They understood one another in ways that no one else could, having both endured the Gambit going down together and time on Lian Yu, not to mention their separate and yet similar paths of being turned into weapons. And yet he was the one who convinced her to come home, who convinced her she didn’t have to continue to be a weapon, that she could fight for good - to save lives instead of ending them. He was the one who was helping her to find her way before all hell broke loose. With that being said, there’s a million other little things: the way they fought alongside one another, the way they anticipated each other’s thoughts and words and actions, their small touches (and their passionate ones!), their moments of understanding when certain things were too difficult to discuss, etc. They were two sides of the same coin. As Caity said, she was basically the female version of the Green Arrow. And if left together, they would’ve become something marvelous.

Non canon-wise, and I’m only referring to current active ships, I love Bran and Sara. I feel like they’re building a life together from the ground up, and it’s interesting to see her do so with someone who’s outside of the Starling City madness. The Tristan and Isolde AU has been everything from romantic to infuriating to heartbreaking and I can’t wait to see where it goes next. But when it comes to @adsagsona they could write a rock, and I would find a way to ship it with Sara so 🤷🏼‍♀️

Other than that, it’s just chemistry. Characters I feel fit well with Sara, and her particular brand of darkness, quips, and clothing/food thievery. Oh, and if there are any active ships I forgot, or potential ships that I haven’t mentioned, please forgive me. I’m just going off of the top of my head as to what I’m actively currently shipping and my favorite canon ship.

[literaturemini]

Musicians in the romantic period

From the 1800s to about 1910, Western classical music was defined by its soaring melodies and ever-expanding orchestrations, originality and self-expression. Here are the composers who made all this possible: There are many musicians in the romantic period.

Romance time. In the wonderful words of composer and classical FM host John Branning, "They named him twice. So good."

The 'early' Romantic era began around 1800 with the great classical music of the time Ludwig van his Beethoven. His symphonic revolution ushered in a new era in music history. Fast forward to the turn of the century and music looked very different from the classical era (1730-1820). Late-romantic composers like Rachmaninoff and Mahler expanded the orchestra to an unprecedented scale, adding more colors and instruments, transforming the music into a range of human emotions, from sorrow to joy, passion to sorrow. I changed it to a way to express the whole range.

Here we explore some of the biggest contributors to romance.

01. Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Frédéric Chopin was a virtuoso pianist who wrote almost exclusively for his instrument. The piano underwent major changes in his nineteenth century, with composers becoming more ambitious in range, color and dynamics. It became a symbol of Romanticism and was expanded to meet the needs of musicians like Chopin. Of his repertoire, preludes were favorites of Polish Romanticism, and his nocturnes, waltzes, etudes, mazurkas, sonatas and concertos are still some of the pianist's most popular repertoires today.

02. Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Another composer, Franz Liszt, called "the world's first rock star", took the virtuoso piano art to new heights. The great Hungarian composer, known for his astonishingly demonic La Campanella repertoire, was a showman who revolutionized the performing arts. At his recital, Liszt's fans stripped him of his clothes and shouted his name. This is the phenomenon that the German poet Heinrich Heine called "listomania".In today's recital, we often hear Liszt's timeless and beautiful song No. 3 in A-flat major.

03. Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)

The undisputed king of Italian opera, Verdi is known not only for his monumental Requiem, but above all for his great stage productions: La Traviata, Rigoletto, Nabucco, Aida. Fate of Destiny" and "Il Trovatore". Written primarily around the time of Italian unification, Verdi's operas have become an integral part of Italy's national identity, and his chorus has been adopted as the hymn of Italian freedom fighters. In nineteenth-century Italy, Verdi was the king of music. His death in 1901 brought grief to a nation deeply connected to his passion for opera.

04. Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Richard's list of Wagnerian innovations in 19th-century music goes on, including new instruments, bespoke venues, and extraordinarily long works A rather controversial figure largely due to his ties to Nazism – see his gallery of facts here for more – Wagner was a musical visionary best known for opera . His most enduring works include The Flying Dutchman, Tannhäuser, Tristan, Isolde and of course his monumental Ring Cycle, his four opera productions lasting 15 hours. . He gave the opera a "leitmotif". It is a musical feature that is widely used today and intended to represent characters and themes. Remember the music of Darth Vader from Star Wars.

05. Fanny Mendelssohn (1805-1847)

Fanny Mendelssohn was a truly great composer, but getting her work published in the 19th century was an almost overwhelming ordeal. Her brother Felix Mendelssohn wrote that the Violin Concerto in E Minor and Hebrides was a regular feature in her 21st Century Concerts program, and Fanny felt she should not publish music as a woman. was He decided that many of her works, including her rather wonderful song Italia, should be published under his name. In all, Fanny wrote 460 pieces of music, including many without words, a genre of piano music made famous by her brother Felix Mendelssohn. Musicologists now believe Fanny to be the pioneer of this form.

06. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Tchaikovsky is one of the most successful Russian composers. He is a prolific composer of symphonies, concertos, operas, ballets, and chamber music, whose ballets The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty are guaranteed to sell out worldwide, and whose symphonies and The concerto is a mainstay on the international concert stage today. Tchaikovsky was also a deeply troubled man, and his work was shaped by the emotional aftermath of a disastrous marriage, multiple love affairs, and homosexuality, which was illegal in Russia at the time.

07. Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Have you heard the German Requiem? Brahms is one of the most respected and beloved composers of the Romantic era. His symphonies, piano and violin concertos, delightful academic overtures for his festivals, and the moving German Requiem, written after the death of his mother, are among his most performed works. . Discovering Brahms' music also means exploring the fascinating blend of classical tradition with folk and gypsy influences that are the inspiration for his 21 dynamic and varied Hungarian dances. .

08. Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

You say sobbing Aria, we say Puccini. This great Italian composer is one of the most performed operas of our time, including La Bohème, Tosca, Madame Butterfly, and Turandot, and the core of every song is absolutely heartbreaking music. In fact, his last opera, Turandot, contains the great tenor's aria "Nessundorma", making him one of the few 20th-century operas to gain a foothold in opera houses around the world. It's one. While working on his final work, Puccini said:

"God Almighty touched me with his pinky finger and said, 'Write for the play, remember only for the play.' "And I obeyed his highest orders."

09. Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

Rachmaninoff is now moving into the late-romantic period, the ideal turn-of-the-century type of grandiose melodies and virtuoso pianism, whose masterpiece was certainly his 1901 Piano Concerto 2. Its subsequent use in the movie Brief Encounter made it one of the most popular to date. A famous gentleman with big hands, Rachmaninoff could have spanned his 12 piano keys from little finger to thumb. His Piano Concerto No. 3 has long been a favorite in his concert halls and challenges the soloist (literally) to the limits of his abilities.

10. Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

For many, Mahler represents the culmination of the astonishing transformation that Western classical music has undergone over his century. As a symphonic master, Mahler thought: it must encompass all. There's more to Mahler's symphonies: frenzied violence, deep sentimentality, existential boredom. With Symphony No. 2, the phrase 'size matters' has never been more appropriate, but Mahler wanted to emphasize life and death in all its terrifying glory. Its emotional range and melodic tension make him one of those classic repertoire pieces that not only audiences want to hear, but orchestras and conductors alike want to play. .

Of course, romantic music doesn't end with these ten composers of his. The 19th century produced a melting pot of musical expression, with composers such as Richard Strauss, Felix Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Berlioz, Schumann, Grieg, Dvořák and Debussy contributing productively. Click on the name to learn more about the composer and their music. 

[schmooplesboop]

[fromtheboundlesssea]

young Brandon Stark fancast? (Wild Wolf, not Bran)

Henry Cavill, but specifically when he was in Tristan & Isolde as he is three years older than Brandon was when he died in this movie.

[epic-summaries]

Isolde conspires to get Brangaine and Palamedes under a mistletoe

Isolde: Tris, I push Bran and you push Pal. It will be the perfect plan.

Tris: Are you sure pushing them will work?

Isolde: Yes.

They push the two into each other. They bang into each other.

Isolde: I mean their lips did meet? Sure they’re bleeding now but they did kiss!

Tristan: honey, *shakes his head and puts his hand on her shoulder.* Time for a new plan.

[nyxshadowhawk]

Nyx’s Complete List of Goth Names

Abaddon: From Greek, means "destruction" or "demon of the pit."

Acheron: The River of Woe in the Greek underworld.

Achlys: Greek primordial goddess of poison, misery, and sadness, personification of the death-mist.

Adonis: Means "lord" (as in Adonai). In Greek mythology, the most beautiful youth in the world, loved by both Persephone and Aphrodite. Died tragically.

Adrian/Adrienne: English, from Latin; means "from Hadria" (the Adriatic Sea). I've heard sources saying it means "dark one," but I haven't been able to confirm this. It's still a really cool, kind of gothy name. (Also the real name of Alucard from Castlevania.)

Ahriman: The Zoroastrian devil/evil god.

Akeldama: Means "field of blood," a place in Jerusalem associated with Judas.

Alastor: Greek, means "avenging spirit."

Alcmene: (Female) Means "might of the moon," Heracles' mother in mythology.

Alecto: One of the Erinyes (Furies), the goddesses of vengeance. Means "unceasing."

Altair: The brightest star in the constellation Aquila (the Eagle), from Arabic, meaning "the bird."

Amaranth: (Female) Greek; a mythical purple flower that never fades, a symbol of immortality.

Amethyst: A dark purple crystal, associated with wine and preventing drunkenness.

Andromeda: Greek, means "thinks like a man," the name of a princess in mythology, a constellation, and a galaxy.

Anubis: Jackal-headed Egyptian god of death and embalming.

Arcana: From Latin "hidden, secret" (literally "to shut in a chest"), refers to secrets or mysteries. Also refers to the groups of cards in a tarot deck (the major and minor arcana).

Arianrhod: Means "silver wheel," Welsh goddess of the moon, stars, and the flow of time.

Artemis/Diana: Greco-Roman goddess of the hunt, the moon, and virginity

Asmodeus: Means "wrath-demon," a Goetic demon appearing in a number of texts, representing luxury, sensuality, and lust. (Also Asmodai)

Asphodel: A white flower planted on graves, said to grow in the Greek underworld, and therefore heavily connected with death.

Astaroth: (Unisex) A demon in the Ars Goetia (from the Lesser Key of Solomon), described as a male demon and a Duke of Hell, but the name likely comes from the Phoenician goddess Astarte (or Ashtoreth), who is a version of Ishtar (Babylonian) and Inanna (Sumerian).

Astor: A French and German name from Occitan, meaning "goshawk." A goshawk is a bird of prey. I've read on naming sites that this name was originally a derogatory term for young men with hawk-like, predatory characteristics, but I haven't found anything to confirm this. This is the name of my alter-ego and one of the main protagonists of Shadowbook.

Astra/Astrid/Asteria: From Greek, "star." In Greek mythology, Asteria was a Titaness of astrology and prophecy, the mother of Hecate. An aster is also a star-shaped flower.

Atropos: The last of the Moirai (Fates), who cuts the thread at the end of life.

Autumn: The darkening part of the year, when everything is dying, and Halloween happens.

Azrael: The name of the Angel of Death, means "whom god helps." (Also Asriel)

Azazel: A Watcher's name, means "scapegoat." Taught humanity the arts of weaponry and cosmetics. Commonly associated with demons and evil.

Baphomet: A goat-headed, winged deity associated with Satanism; obscure etymology.

Bastet: Egyptian goddess of cats.

Belial: A Hebrew name meaning "worthless," a name of the devil or a demon.

Belladonna: Also called "deadly nightshade," an extremely poisonous plant that causes hallucinations and death.

Bellona: Roman goddess of war

Bezaliel: Means "shadow of God" or "damaged," a Watcher's name.

Blodeuwedd: Pronounced "bluh-DIE-weth," means "flower-face." A Welsh goddess who was turned into an owl.

Bram/Brom: Technically short for Abraham ("father of a multitude"), the author of Dracula, Abraham "Bram" Stoker.

Bran: Welsh, "raven." The name of Bran the Blessed, a giant and king of Britain in Welsh mythology.

Branwen: (Female) Welsh, means "white raven" or "fair raven."

Breksta: Lithuanian goddess of night, dreams, and twilight.

Caligo: Latin word for “mist,” “gloom,” and “darkness.” (Calignes is the plural, which could also work) (feminine)

Calypso: Greek, "she who conceals." The nymph who kept Odysseus imprisoned on her island.

Carmilla: A lesbian vampire from the gothic novel of the same name, predating Dracula. The name seems to have been invented by the author.

Cassius: Roman, "empty, hollow."

Ceridwen: Welsh enchantress or goddess who stirs the cauldron of poetic inspiration.

Cernunnos: Celtic forest god depicted as having a stag's antlers.

Chiroptera: Literally means "hand wing," the order of bats in taxonomy.

Circe: Means "circle." In Greek mythology, a sorceress who turned Odysseus' men into pigs (and later helped them).

Cora: From the Greek name Kore, meaning "maiden." A name for Persephone. (Also, Coraline.)

Cornix: A princess transformed into a crow by Athena in Ovid's Metamorphosis.

Corvus/Corax: Corvus corax is the scientific name of the common raven.

Crimson: Dark, rich red, the color of wine or blood. One of the Gothiest colors that isn't black. It's very easy for this to sound banal or cringey, especially if it's a character's given name, so use with caution. Scarlet works, too, if you want something easier to use as a given name.

Damian: From Greek, means "to tame," tends to be associated with demons or vampires, a bit cliche at this point.

Dantalion: A Goetic demon, the name is particularly cool.

Desdemona: A tragic character in Othello, comes from Greek and means "ill-fated." Can be shortened to "Mona."

Desmodus: The genus of common vampire bats. (D. rotundus)

Devana: Slavic version of Artemis/Diana, goddess of the hunt.

Dorian: The corrupt, depraved, nearly immortal and astonishingly beautiful protagonist from The Picture of Dorian Gray. (Turns out Oscar Wilde invented the name; it did not exist before the book was written.)

Dracul: Romanian, "devil" or "dragon." What really needs to be said?

Ebony: A very dark wood.

Echo: In Greek mythology, a nymph who was cursed so she would only repeat the names of others; died while pining after Narcissus.

Edgar: Anglo-Saxon, "rich spear." The name of the one and only Edgar Allen Poe (also, my cat).

Eidolon: A type of spirit or ghost in Greek liteature. Also a genus of bats.

Eirlys: Welsh, "snowflake."

Elatha: An Irish god, described as the "beautiful Miltonic prince of darkness with golden hair." Not sure what the source for that is, but cool!

Elvira: Spanish, means "foreign true," a stereotypical Goth name (and the name of the Mistress of the Dark!). Actually, I first ran across the name in reference to a vengeful ghost called Elvira Blood in New England folk legend. Spooky!

Empusa: A kind of Greek female demon (similar to Lamia) that served Hecate.

Endora: Comes from the Witch of Endor, a Biblical sorceress.

Endymion: In Greek mythology, a handsome shepherd whom Selene fell in love with. Zeus granted him eternal sleep so he would never age. Means "to dive, to enter."

Erebus: Greek primordial god and personification of darkness.

Esmeralda: Spanish name meaning "emerald." (Also, the heroine in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.)

Ethelinda: Anglo-Saxon, means "little serpent."

Euryale: Greek, means "far-roming," the middle Gorgon sister.

Eurynomos: Greek chthonic spirit of corpses.

Eventide: It could work as a name.

Fenrir: A wolf demon in Norse mythology, the son of Loki.

Finvarra: Irish, King of the Fairies (and sometimes King of the Dead), a benevolent entity that ensures a good harvest and abundance.

Gabriel: The angel. Means "warrior of god." Gabrielle also works (and is the name of Lestat's mother).

Gehenna: A Hebrew name for Tartarus or Hell.

Golgotha: From Hebrew, "skull," the place where Jesus was crucified.

Grimm: The surname of two German brothers who recorded a classic collection of oral folklore and fairy tales, many of which are very... well, grim.

Habundia: A Celtic name for the queen of witches and night creatures, possibly another name for Nicnevan. Etymology uncertain.

Hades: The Lord of the Underworld in Greek mythology (also the name of the Underworld itself).

Hawthorn: A type of shrub steeped in folklore, associated with fairies and with Beltane (1st May).

Hecate: Greek goddess of witchcraft, magic, the occult, the moon, necromancy, the Underworld, and the crossroads. Means "worker from far off."

Hellebore: A type of evergreen flower, some species of which are poisonous. Believed to summon demons, also believed to cure madness.

Hemlock: A plant used to poison people.

Herne: "the Hunter," a ghost that haunts Windsor Forest (sometimes identified with The Horned God).

Hesperos/ia: The evening star.

Hypnos: The Greek god of sleep.

Iblis: Satan in Islamic lore.

Idris: Welsh, "ardent (passionate, fiery) lord."

Igor: Russian, "bow-warrior." Became famous as the name of Frankenstein's hunchbacked assistant, even though he doesn't exist in the book and his name in the original Universal film was Fritz.

Ingram: Swedish name meaning "Ing's raven."

Iolanthe: Greek, means "violet flower." (eye-oh-LAHN-thay)

Iseult/Isolde/Isolt: A tragic lover in Arthurian legend.

Jasmine: A type of flower, in this case referring to Cestrum nocturnum, or night-blooming jasmine.

Kali: Hindu goddess of destruction, name means "the black one."

Kasdaye: Means "hidden power," the name of a Watcher (another name for Tamiel). (Unisex)

Kiara/n: Gaelic, means "little black one."

Kimaris: A Goetic demon. (Male)

Kokabiel: Means "angel of the stars," a Watcher.

Lacrimae: Latin word for tears.

Lamia: A female demon in Greek folklore who devours children. The name of the witch in the film version of Stardust.

Lenore: A variant of Eleanor (also a good name), means "foreign," the lost love of the protagonist of "The Raven," also has her own poem.

Leshii: A Russian god of hunting, similar to Veles

Lethe: River of Forgetfulness in the Greek Underworld.

Leviathan: From Hebrew, "twisted in folds," a Biblical sea monster. Sometimes associated with Midgard's Serpent.

Libitina: A Roman goddess of corpses, funerals, and the dead.

Ligeia: Greek, the name of a Siren, also the subject of a Poe story of the same name.

Lilah: Comes from the Arabic Leila, meaning "night."

Lilith: Means "of the night" or "screech owl." In Hebrew mythology, Adam's first wife and the Queen of Demons. She refused to submit to Adam, so she left Eden and began screwing around with demons. Often considered a succubus or vampire, or a champion of feminism. A lilim is also a succubus or incubus.

Loki: Trickster god in Norse mythology with ambiguous morals.

Lorelei: German, means "murmuring rock," the name of a German Siren.

Lucius/Lucifer/Lucien: All mean "light" or "light-bringer," a name associated with Satan.

Lucy: From Dracula, also could be a shortening/feminization of Lucifer. (Still means "light.")

Luna: The Roman personification of the moon.

Lycoris: A Greek word that means "twilight," the name of an Asian red flower, associated with death and the underworld (much like Asphodel).

Maeve: Comes from Gaelic, means "the intoxicating one." Associated with the Fairy Queen Mab.

Makaria: Greek goddess of blessed death, a daughter of Hades and Persephone.

Mania: Etruscan/Roman goddess of the undead, ghosts, and underworld spirits, goddess of madness. Also a modern medical term referring to a specific mental illness.

Mara: A name steeped in darkness, referring to a nightmare spirit (nightmare), a (benevolent) goddess of death in Latvian mythology, a (male) demon in Buddhist mythology, and a Sanskrit word meaning "death."

Medea: In Greek mythology, the sorceress who helped Jason, but then went on a murderous rampage when he left her. Considered to be a priestess (or, rarely, daughter) of Hecate.

Megaera: One of the Erinyes (Furies), the goddesses of vengeance. Means "grudge."

Melanie: Greek, "black" or "dark."

Melantha: Greek, "dark flower."

Melinda/Mindy: English, "black serpent."

Melinoe: Greek goddess of ghosts, nightmares, and madness, a daughter of Hades and Persephone.

Mephistopheles: The name of the devil in the Faust legend, could be from Hebrew and mean "disperser of lies," or from Greek and mean "does not love the light."

Merle: (Unisex) from French, "blackbird."

Mina: From Dracula. Short for Wilhelmina, a German name meaning "will-helmet."

Morana/Marzanna: Slavic goddess of winter and death.

Morgan/Morgana: From Welsh, means "sea-circle," the name of Morgan le Fay, a sorceress in Arthurian Legend (who may be good or evil, depending on your interpretation).

Morpheus: The Greek god of dreams, the main protagonist of Neil Gaiman's Sandman comics. (Also, The Matrix.)

Morrigan: An Irish goddess of death, battle, and ravens, name means "great queen."

Morwenna: A Welsh name meaning "maiden." ("Morwanneg" is the name of the witch in Stardust.)

Nepenthe: A magical drug from the Odyssey that cures sorrow and causes forgetfulness.

Nephthys: Means "lady of the temple," the Egyptian goddess of the dead, mate of Seth and mother of Anubis.

Nergal: Mesopotamian god of death, war, and destruction.

Nicnevan: Queen of the Fairies in Scottish folklore. She is the Scottish version of Hecate.

Nightshade: A family of plants including tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants, but also the notorious deadly nightshade.

Nisha/nt: A Hindi name meaning "night."

Nocturne: Self-explanatory. Refers to a night prayer, a musical composition evoking night, or a night scene in art.

Nyctala/Nyctea: Two obsolete genera of owls. Nyctala is the genus of Boreal owls before it was changed to Aegolius, and Nyctea was the genus of Snowy owls before it was changed to Bubo. Both probably mean or are related to "night."

Nyctalus: A genus of bats.

Nyctimene: A princess from Ovid's Metamorphoses who was so ashamed at having been molested by her father, she refused to show her face in daylight. Out of pity, Minerva (Athena) turned her into an owl. Also a genus of bats.

Nyx: A Greek primordial goddess and personification of the Night. (also Nox)

Oberon: From French, means "elf-ruler," the name of the Fairy King in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Referred to in one scene as the "king of shadows").

Obsidian: A shiny black volcanic stone.

Onyx: A type of banded stone, most famously black. (The word comes from the Greek for "fingernail.")

Ophelia: A tragic character in Hamlet, which probably comes from Greek and means "help."

Orcus: A Latin word for Hell, and a Roman god who punished the dead (possibly an epithet of Hades/Pluto).

Orion: A hunter in Greek mythology, and the famous constellation.

Orlok: The name of the ugly-looking vampire from Nosferatu.

Orpheus: Greek name, possibly comes from the word orphe, "darkness." The name of a demigod with an impossibly beautiful singing voice who attempted to rescue his love from the underworld, failed, and then died tragically.

Pan: Greek goat-horned god of nature, herds, and lust, induces "panic."

Pandora: Name means "all-gifted." In Greek mythology, the name of the first woman, who opened a box that unleashed evil upon the world.

Pandemonium: The capital city of Hell in Paradise Lost, name literally means "all demons."

Persephone: Greek Queen of the Underworld, wife of Hades, and goddess of springtime. You probably know her story. Her name might mean "thrasher of grain" (which would make sense for an agricultural goddess), but could also mean "slayer."

Phaenon: Means "shining" in Greek, refers to the planet Saturn (which has long been associated with darkness in mythology, being the furthest planet from the sun that is observable with the naked eye).

Pluto: Hades' Roman name, also the ninth planet, or what was the ninth planet.

Ransley: An English name meaning "raven's meadow."

Raven: This is by far the most cliche Goth name there is (I originally created this list to provide alternatives to the name “Raven”), but it’s classic, it’s simple, it’s unisex, and it’s undeniably Goth. 

Ravenna: Self-explanatory, also an Italian city.

Renwick: Scottish surname meaning "raven settlement."

Sable: A word referring to the color black.

Salome: From Hebrew shalom, "peace." The daughter of Herod and Herodias, unnamed in the Bible, who requested the head of John the Baptist and danced the Dance of the Seven Veils.

Samael: Means "venom of God," a vicious angel of death, the mate of Lilith. He is not technically a fallen angel, but a servant of God who does the dirty work.

Sekhmet: Egyptian goddess of war and destruction, with the head of a lioness. Her name means "power" or "might." Her epithets included "Mistress of Dread," "Lady of Slaughter," and "She Who Mauls." Ra had to stop her from killing people by getting her drunk on beer that was dyed to look like blood.

Selene: Greek personification of the moon. (Includes "Selena" and variants.")

Senka: Basque name meaning "shadow."

Seren: (Unisex) Welsh name meaning "star."

Seth: A name of Set or Sutekh, the Egyptian god of evil, chaos, and storms. He killed his brother Osiris and cut his body into pieces, and then was defeated by Horus. His head is that of an animal that looks kind of like an aardvark but is not an actual existing creature (at least not anymore). He was associated with the color red and the desert. His name possibly means "one who dazzles."

Shadow: Self-explanatory.

Silas: From Greek, means "from the forest." In The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, it's the name of a [spoiler]vampire.

Silver: The color of the moon, and it looks nice with black.

Sinistra: Technically, it's Latin for "left," but it obviously has "sinister" connotations.

Skiá: Greek word for "shadow" or "shade."

Skotos: Ancient Greek word for "darkness," especially the darkness of death or the netherworld, or obscurity.

Skuld: The last of the Norns (Fates), representing death. Means "debt."

Sombra: The Spanish word for "shadow."

Somnus: Roman name for Hypnos, sleep.

Spyridon: Greek name referring to wicker baskets, which implies wealth. Could also be connected to the Latin spiritus, which means breath or spirit. Usually shortened to Spyro.

Stella: The Latin word for "star."

Stheno: Greek, means "forceful." The eldest of the Gorgon sisters.

Styx: The River of Hate in the Greek Underworld, the most famous of its rivers. The souls of the dead are ferried across it by Charon, and the gods (foolishly, if you ask me, seeing as they always regret it) swear on the Styx to make unbreakable oaths. The word "Stygian" means "of the River Styx" and refers to something very dark or abyssal.

Summanus: Roman god of nocturnal thunder.

Sylvia​​​​​​/Sylvana: Latin, "from the forest."

Tanith: Phoenician, "serpent lady."

Tartarus: The deepest hell-pit of the Greek Underworld, where evildoers are punished.

Tempest: A wild storm, from the Latin for "time."

Thanatos: The Greek personification of Death.

Tiamat: Babylonian primordial dragon goddess.

Tisiphone: One of the Erinyes (Furies), the goddesses of vengeance. Means "murder-retribution."

Tristan: Welsh, "riot, tumult." (Although it sounds like the Latin tristis, which means "sad.") The name of Isolt's lover in Arthurian Legend, and the name of the protagonist in Stardust.

Valerian: Roman, means "strength" or "valiant," also the name of an herb.

Vega: (Unisex) Latin from Arabic, means "falling" or "swooping," a star in the constellation Lyra. It is one of the brightest stars in the entire sky.

Veles: Slavic horned god of cattle, forests, magic, and the underworld.

Veliona: Slavic goddess of death

Velvet: A fabric that most goths love to wear.

Vervain: An herb (verbena), meaning "sacred bough," considered a magical or holy herb in multiple cultures.

Vesperus: (or just Vesper), a Roman name meaning "evening." (Vespera for a girl)

Vespertilio: A genus of bats.

Victor: The first of the trio of gothy male "V" names, means "conqueror," as in "victory." Frankenstein's first name. (Victoria also works for a girl.)

Vincent: The second of the trio of gothy male "V" names, also meaning "conquering," from Latin.

Vivian: The Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legend. From French, means "lively."  (Another name for the Lady is Nimue, which is Welsh and may be related to the Greek word for "memory." She sealed Merlin in a tree.)

Vlad: The third of the trio of gothy male "V" names, the name of Vlad Tepes or "Vlad the Impaler," the real-life Romanian prince who inspired Count Dracula. It's Slavic and means "ruler."

Willow: A beautiful and mournful-looking tree.

Winter: The dark, cold season. Unisex!

Yvaine: Scottish, means "evening star," the name of the star in Stardust.

Zagreus: The name of a chthonic Greek god who was potentially a son of Hades and Persephone or Zeus and Persephone, considered in Orphic lore to be Dionysus before he was dismembered and reincarnated.

Zillah: Hebrew name meaning "shadow."

[icantivanbelieveit]

day one - sneaky witch-thieves

The Wicked Aunt

Isolde takes on more than what she bargained for when she agrees to babysit Cullen’s young nephew for the day. Little Bran has got it into his head that Isolde is a witch, so Isolde decides to tell him the story of just how her hand came to glow green. Let’s just say that some stories are a wee bit too scary for a three year old.

I only just found @dahalloween today so trying my hardest to make up for lost time! 

“You sure you’ll be alright?” Those were Cullen’s parting words as he turned at the doorway. Isolde smiled, nodded - she had this… or, well, she thought she did…

It turned out that caring for a three year old was a lot harder than Isolde had first thought. Little Bran Junior was somehow here, there, and everywhere all at once. Isolde soon regretted her decision to volunteer to babysit. She had offered to do so with only the best of intentions, hoping to prove herself a useful part of Cullen’s family. She had instead proved little, other than her inability to keep up with a toddler.

“Get back here, you little monster!” she exclaimed, and she was not exaggerating. Bran was all blonde curls and dimples, but with his father and aunts out at the market with his Uncle Cullen, he was proving to be a nuisance to this newcomer.

She cornered him just about, clambering up the bookcase in the living room, knocking books down as he did so. Isolde caught him easily around the middle, but not before the little brat knocked her on the head with a particularly thick book. One of Varric’s, presumably.

“I told you to get back here!” Isolde grunted, holding the struggling boy against herself. “You’d have hurt yourself.”

“I want Dada!” Bran screamed and wailed. “I want Uncle Cullen! I don’t want you!”

“I don’t want you too!” Isolde snapped - and she instantly regretted it. If he was going to parrot anything she said, it would be that. Plonking the toddler down onto a nearby chair, she took a deep breath and crouched to his level.

“I’m sorry,” she said, slowly. “Would you like a story?”

Bran folded his arms and pulled a face.

“I don’t want a story!” he snapped.

“A cake?”

“No cake!”

“A game?”

That caught Bran’s fleeting attention span. The little boy paused and thought on it.

“Yes, Auntie Izzy,” he said, all blonde curls, big eyes, and dimples again, “but not chess.” He pulled a face again. Isolde smiled at that; she too would happily miss yet another game of chess.

“What game should we play?” Isolde struggled to think of any. She tried to remember the games she played with her siblings before she was sent to the Circle, but she could only remember that one time Fee won hide-and-seek by hitching a ride out of Ostwick and disappearing for days. Hide-and-seek was off the menu then.

“Templars!” Bran exclaimed excitedly. He jumped up off of the chair. “Where’s my sword?”

Isolde struggled to hide her distaste at that: “Let’s play something else…”

Bran curled his lip, but Isolde was adamant. She held his glare easily; it was the toddler who broke first.

“Fine!” he said, eventually. “Let’s play…” But before he could come up with a suggestion, Isolde’s hand began to flare up.

Throughout her long vacation at Cullen’s family home in the Southreach, the Anchor had not bothered her once. Yet the moment she was left alone with a small child, the damned thing woke up again, sending out flares of green light and causing her to have an awful cramp in her wrist.

“Blasted thing!” she snapped, struggling to close her fingers over it. Months had passed since she had defeated Corypheus, yet she was not truly free of his actions. She looked up to find Bran watching her, his mouth agape.

“No, no, no…” she went to say, doing her best to hide her glowing hand behind her back. “That’s nothing! Don’t you worry about it…” But Bran was not worried. He was anything but.

“You can do magic?” he whispered, eyes wide, amazed. “Are you a witch?”

“No! I mean, yes. I mean I’m not a witch... I’m a mage, but that… that’s something else. Did you say you wanted cake before? I swear your aunt Rosalie had some fruitcake leftover…”

“Fruitcake’s gross.” Isolde could not fault his judgement there. “Let me see.”

Isolde kept her hand behind her back, feeling the energy pulsate beneath her clenched fist. All she had wanted to do was make a good impression on Cullen’s family, joining them in the run-up to Funalis. It was not as if things had got off to a good start.

Cullen’s family were polite and kind - but Isolde still felt left out. She wondered at first if it was down to her being the Inquisitor - running an international organisation and defeating Corypheus was a big deal - but, as time went on, she realised it was more down to her being a Marcher than anything. Cullen’s family were Ferelden to the core and there was only as much Mabari hair that Isolde could take.

Matters could not be helped if Bran started spouting out about Isolde practicing magic. Isolde being a mage had not raised any comment among Cullen’s relatives, at least in her earshot, but, from what Cullen had told her, the family had long ties with the Templar Order. She knew Cullen would understand, him having been with her throughout her journey first as Herald then the Inquisitor, but she could not trust his family to be so understanding.

“Bran,” Isolde said, before pausing. She did not have much experience with children - scratch that, she had no experience with children. She had no idea how to explain any of this to a small child, but, looking into Bran’s frank gaze, she realised that there was no way she could talk down to him.

So she sat down onto the chair and pulled him onto her lap. Her hand had stopped making a scene of itself and rested, quietly, by her side.

She explained to him first how she met his uncle, downplaying parts of the story where she thought necessary. How his uncle had helped her fight her way to the temple ruins to fight the Pride demon there and close the rift above it. She explained to him that her hand behaved like that when a rift was close… Bran’s eyes certainly widened at that! But she hastily explained that it also went off for other reasons. Reasons she was not so sure of herself.

She explained to him her time at Haven and then facing Corypheus and his dragon at Haven that wretched night. Bran listened attentively, his little nails digging into her arm, as she told him of her escape through the tunnels beneath the town and how his uncle had found her lost out in the snow.

Next, she told him about Skyhold, having to pause to answer Bran’s sudden pleas to visit. Of course he was welcome to come and stay, so long as his father had no problem with it… Isolde could only hope Branson was better than her at saying ‘no’ to a three year old. She may have had little experience beforehand in child-minding, but she had the sense to know that some stories of desk adventures were not suitable for little ears.

By the time she got to the part where she faced Corypheus in the final battle, Bran could not keep his eyes open, no matter how much he tried to. His eyelids drooped, his mouth opened into a yawn, and, before she knew it, he was fast asleep, his little head resting on her chest.

It was like that Cullen and his siblings found them, Bran still asleep on her lap. Branson thanked her profusely as he lifted his young son from her, while Cullen gave Isolde a hand back up to her feet.

“He wasn’t too much trouble then?” Cullen said, with a sly grin. He had been the one who had tried the hardest to talk her out of volunteering.

“Piece of cake,” Isolde retorted, folding her arms. “Didn’t think that I could do it?”

“I knew you could do it,” Cullen retorted, and he pulled her close to him. It was one of the rare alone moments that they could find in this crowded house of Rutherfords. “The toddler-whisperer,” he teased in a low voice, his breath tickling her lips as he leaned in to...

They were interrupted then by a Branson, arms folded, followed by a red-faced, tear-streaked young Bran.

“I had a nightmare,” he wailed, dragging his blanket behind him. “Cor- Cor-fee-us was coming with his dragon to eat me!”

All eyes in that room turned then to Isolde, who stood, flummoxed, under the combined weight of their appalled stares. Seems perhaps some stories did not make suitable bedtime stories for young children...

[endeavorsreward]

Excerpt (Bk.I, Ch.3)

The other eight members of his company were assembled in an informal cluster, just on the edge of the parade grounds. Ramza wanted at first to say something about military discipline, but a second look squelched the thought before it had fully unfurled.

That the healing arts accelerated the body’s natural capacity to rebuild meant that it relied upon adrenaline to function. And if it was true that the average person might “crash” upon the cessation of frantic energy that came with battle, a soldier who’d been administered al-chemickal potions or healing magicks experienced that tenfold. Most of the cadets had gone from battle to drinking with the briefest of respites in-betwixt; what Ramza now beheld was a horde of undead. Cuthbert was seated ‘pon a marker stone, hat crushed in his fist, trying to keep his eyes open. A bleary-eyed archer he didn’t yet know was looking at him with near-open contempt. And Osric... Osric looked more ill than he’d ever seen a man out of bed.

Ramza cast an eye back at Delita, who stood tall. But of course, Delita would not show weakness in front of anyone.

“I’ll not patronize anyone with a ‘good morning,’ then,” he offered, and received only a few weak smiles: one from Dorothea, and one from a girl whom he couldn’t help but recognize, as Gariland had precious few Galgastani students: it was Latisha Isolde, whose father was a business-owner of some renown in the Merchant City of Dorter. “Wealthy enough not to be ignored,” as Dycedarg might say, but certainly not noble. He’d bought her way into the Akademy. He needn’t Delita to know the rumors surrounding her, that her father was hoping to find some landed cadet of low enough reputation to wed her. She was in matching kit with Dorothea, and standing at some remove. Osric was pointedly ignoring her, but the archer kept casting her dirty looks. Troublesome.

He sighed. “Let’s form up.” Delita jointed the crowd, and so five men and four women stood, if not at attention, at least in something resembling ordered rows. “Everyone is already aware of our orders, that we go to bolster defenses at Eagrose, but we have been given a spare few days leave to make the journey slowly, and get to know each other a degree. Some of you, I fought proudly beside only yesterday, but everyone here served with distinction.” There was a snort from a man in the back. He looked to have five or six years on everyone else assembled and was missing a piece of his ear, but he was also the only one bar Delita standing appropriately rigid. Latisha was frowning, as though she had a similar thought but more self-control. He continued. “I am Squire-Command Ramza Beoulve. I would be remiss in not acknowledging that but a day ago I stood beside you as a fellow cadet, and so it is my hope that respect and discipline as representatives of the Northern Sky need be the only cause for obedience of the chain of command. Neither my family name nor my pride need motivate anyone, and I’d rather serve beside you than above you in matters where such latitude can do us no harm. But I am honored also to command you, and you’ll find me no yielding tower to be toppled. I shall do my best to earn my position, and you shall each do the same.”

“Well and good,” sneered the archer, “But I work best alone.” He was tall, lithe but with strong shoulders, with close-cropped hair that revealed too-thick eyebrows. Cuthbert, standing next to him, was looking at him curiously, as though puzzling something out.

“Strange words from a Gariland cadet,” Ramza offered, taking a step forward and not losing eye contact. “The levies are past us, you stand here by choice.”

The archer crossed his arms. “Oh, I’ll follow your orders, you needn’t fear, but I’ll not suffer this pretense of camaraderie. I’m proud enough to serve Gallionne, I needn’t do so with bowed head.”

“Wait... I do recognize you.” Cuthbert waved a pointed finger. “Myles Kinnison, yes? You placed second in the Frontier Marathon last year!”

He gave a sarcastic half-bow. “Third-best archer in Ivalice, by my reckoning.” He looked back at Ramza. “Skill is the only true metric by which one shall be judged, and I have long-proven myself. Have you?”

“He led us capably only yesterday!” Snapped Dorothea, but Osric shrugged.

“Spent half of it wounded, did he not?”

“Enough.” If Ramza Beoulve had a single gift that was his and his alone, it was his voice. He so rarely used it to its fullest, but since childhood he could be counted on for one thing: pure volume. So it was now, that his enough brought the bickering to a halt instantly. It prompted others walking the grounds to turn in their direction, likely paused Ser Ronald in the middle of his paperwork halfway across the Akademy property. The assembled cadets slowly returned to something closer to form, and Osric clutched at his head in agony. “I shall repeat myself once, for all of us are less than a day’s time from our first true engagement, but I shall not do so again. I shall do my best to earn my position, and you shall each do the same. If this is unsuitable to you, report to Ser Ronald now. I’ll think no less of you, but I cannot imagine he will. We serve the Northern Sky and shall do so proudly. My desire for... camaraderie... is subservient to that calling.” He looked to Delita. “Roster.” His friend wordlessly handed over the sheet of names. “I shall call each of you in turn, acknowledge your presence that we might know you by name.”

He cleared his throat. “Nicholina Bouchard.”

“Yes.” Calmly, and with a level of bemusement at the whole congregation.

“Cuthbert Fawkes.”

“Present.” Cuthbert was looking over at Nicholina, trying to hide a dry smile. Hmm.

“Bran Goddard.”

“Present.” The older man with the chipped ear, who looked implacable; his voice steady and quick, a man who already knew how to follow orders.

“Delita Heiral.”

“Here,” said Delita, but with just enough of a sarcastic edge to acknowledge that Ramza knew damned well they’d arrived together. He tried not to roll his eyes and failed.

“Dorothea Ingram.”

“Aye!” She was darkly glaring at Osric, who was making a point of ignoring her as he had Latisha. Hmm again. Indeed, speaking of which...

“Latisha Isolde.”

“Here, sir.” Deference with sincerity, their second chemist offered a salute, with which even Bran hadn’t bothered.

“Myles Kinnison.”

“Present.” Desultory, arms crossed.

“Avelyn Somerhild.”

“...”

Ramza frowned. Some of the cadets looked at each other quizzically. Delita shrugged at him.

“Avelyn Somerhild?”

“Oh!” Called out a voice from behind the others. “Here, I suppose.” The group parted to reveal a girl who, rather than dressed for marching, was instead in a dress, a simple gown in blues and greens. Osric tilted his head in the manner of a hound that didn’t recognize his meal; Myles looked disgusted. Dorothea and Latisha were asking each other questions to which nobody had an answer.

Ramza strode forward, hands at his sides, attempting to remain calm. “You are Avelyn?”

“Yes?” The girl had looked much younger from a distance, but now Ramza could see that she was indeed a cadet of their age. Her chestnut hair was tied up in some sort of snarl that Alma could likely identify, and she looked for all the world like she was off to market, rather than assembled with the rest of her company... save for the frog around her waist, which bore a short sword. “I am sorry, my mind had wandered.”

“Avelyn.” Ramza wiped at his eyes. “You are not dressed for battle.”

She frowned. “Were we to battle? I had thought we were gathered to meet one another before setting out.” She put one finger to her cheek in contemplation. “I’d assumed the others more comfortable in their togs and such.”

“I... But if you’d not thought to be in uniform...” He could feel Osric and Myles judging him to one side, like a heavy blanket tossed over one shoulder. “You are still armed.”

“Oh! Yes, I’d not go without it.” Avelyn smiled. “There were brigands about only yesterday.”

“...Indeed.” He turned towards Nicholina, whose face he still could not see. Was madness to be a common cause for his unit? He stood up straight and addressed the crowd. “No harm need be done. We shall only be marching as far as the Beast’s Maw today. I’d have everyone meet at Tannhaüser Gate  in three hours—in uniform and prepared to move.” He took the gil pouch, the gift from Lord Brother Dycedarg, and tossed it to Latisha. “Latisha, Cuthbert. I’d have you in charge of procurement. Assume the full week of travel. Everyone will have with them their belongings, as we do not plan to return to Gariland—bring your practice equipment as well—and any requests should be brought to those two. The rest of you have leave to say any necessary farewells.” As they began to disperse, save Delita who stood by his side, he held up a hand. “Osric, Bran, if I might have a word.”

The two men approached, Osric with a frown, Bran more stoic. The older man crossed his arms. “I’d not pay Kinnison much mind, milord. I’ve seen his kind before. He wishes to affirm his place and you all are too recently peers, but his is all bark. He fashions himself an alpha wolf, I’d wager, but bringing him to heel will be easier if you don’t give him cause to resent.”

“Naturalists disproved that ‘alpha’ business,” Delita said, and the man chuckled.

“Aye, so I heard once. But those men studied common wolves of the forests. The desert wolves are another matter.” He tapped his forehead. “That bone across their bridge, their minds are smaller. Operate more on instinct. I was once caught out in the sands, our group was hemmed in by those furry dastards, I had more cause to observe their behavior than an academick.”

Ramza frowned. “No more ‘milords,’ I pray you. Bran, why are you enrolled in this Akademy? It takes not an academick to see that you’ve already served Ivalice’s military in some capacity.”

Bran rubbed his chin. “It will surprise none assembled to learn I’m not of noble breeding. And I’ve no coin with which to play at a title, either. But my tale isn’t so interesting. I answered the call for men as soon as I was of age, and saw only small exchanges. But I took a blow meant for Ser Voltaire, and when he offered a reward, I requested patronage.”

Delita raised an eyebrow, but frowned when Ramza continued. “But why? If you served with distinction, to be a cadet...”

“To say ‘distinction’ may be to overstate.” He shrugged. “I am no knight, either, though I’ve seen more combat.” He rapped one gloved fist against his escutcheon. “If I’m to find ‘distinction’ it shall be in acquiring that knighthood, by my wager. And through training am I considered in active service. My pay never ceased.”

Delita nodded, satisfied. Osric clapped his hands together.

“Well! Our unit is quite... colorful, is it not?” The look he was giving Ramza was difficult to describe, but he didn’t like it. “We are quite the collection of strays.”

“I’m not certain I like the pointedness of the world ‘color,’ Osric.” Ramza glared. “You give me cause to reconsider why I asked you both to remain.” He sighed. “I keep Delita’s counsel because I long know his wisdom—and when also to disagree—but I’d be a poor commander to only listen to one voice. We hold no firm hierarchy as squires, and so it falls upon me to assign titles as I did for Latisha and Cuthbert. I’d have you both, Osric and Bran, serve as my officers of a fashion.”

“Ser,” Bran said, and saluted, but with less formality. Osric was looking at Ramza suspiciously.

“Why choose me?”

Ramza threw up his hands. “Need you a reason, Osric? For there are many to choose from. I’d not promote many men over the king’s bastard. I find value in hearing the words of a man with whom I oft disagree, even if I choose to dismiss them. Because in proving to you I value your input I hope to stave off your complaints at failing to lead. Because Delita and Bran are common men, and some will take issue. Because there are only ten of us, and so options are only so plentiful. Because you outperformed me yesterday. Which reason would suit?”

Osric opened and closed his mouth a few times. “I...”

Ramza stuck his finger out. “I’ll not abide you deriding your fellow cadets any longer, or this title, informal as it may be, shall be summarily stripped.”

“...Understood.” Osric was bright red.

“We can discuss training and other plans en route.” Ramza waved them off. “Say your farewells, or ready yourselves for travel.”

And they departed, leaving only Delita, as it was to start. Delita put his arms behind his back as the two of them walked back to the Boardhouse to gather their things. Neither of them had people enough to say good-bye.

“Shall you pick a name?” Delita’s tone was light. “It’s customary, is it not?”

“I was thinking ‘Company Zero’ might suit.” Ramza grimaced. “Osric’s preoccupation with class—and I fear with race—notwithstanding, he is to a degree correct. We’re all bastards and exceptions...”

“...And whatever Avelyn is,” Delita allowed.

“I’d thought this assignment important enough—for a cadet, yes, but under that purview.” He threw up his arms. “What was he thinking?”

“Our commander has either a sense of humor, or he saw an opportunity.”

Ramza side-eyed him. “You believe he gathered his embarrassments together.”

“I’d not describe it thus. To treat you thus would embarrass your Lord Brothers.”

“At times I wonder. But ‘tis a fair enough point.”

“Consider it thus.” Delita ticked off on his fingers. “Were this group disseminated amongst the units hunting the Corpse Brigade, or whatever they’re assigned to the north and east, each would have to deal with the... friction. But leading us together in service of Eagrose will be meritorious for you. While some of us may exist by the good grace of others, Ser Ronald would be well within rights to dismiss Myles or Avelyn, to name two, if he thought it just.”

“You are of course correct.” He sighed. “You found Bran’s tale more interesting than he did.”

“Mm.” Delita averred. “He strikes me as wholly pragmatic. I can admire that.”

“I’m sure you can,” Ramza said dryly, and they entered their dormitory for the final time.

[epic-summaries]

Tristan: I know how Brangaine and Palamedes will finally get together! She'll heroically save him while I'm fighting him. That must reveal their true feelings!

Isolde: Yes! Now remember go a little easy so you don’t hurt Bran!

Tristan and Palamedes fight.

Brangaine is worried and starts to go. Mark stops her because it would besmirch Palamedes’ honour.

Isolde is a frustrated shipper and yells at her husband later.

*secretly Brangaine goes to see him and they have a nice romantic hug.*