#but Ella Enchanted is more like Cinderella i think it would be hard to not see the parallels

[angstintensifer]

My Ashlynn Ella headcanons

making this bc shes been my fav character in eah since like 2013 tehe

Ashlynn is autistic and one of her special interests are shoes and nature, as she has such strong feelings about caring for it and the environment in general.

I can also vouch for this as sometimes her dialogue consists of nature and her love for shoes, as an autistic person I know that we like to talk about our special interests a lot.

Ashlynn's love of shoes also comes from learning the story of Cinderella from her mother.

Ashlynn and her mother would bond over fashion and shoes when she was young, Ashlynn would also steal her mother high heels and always get them dirty by going out into the woods.

Ashlynn and her father aren't that close, he has a kingdom to run and doesn't care for animals or chores or shoes or anything Ashlynn finds interesting. He can often treat Ashlynn like a push over and tries to buy her love with money rather than spend time with her.

One of the reasons Ashlynn didn't want to marry a prince because of how they acted, entitled and royal, that is because of her father and how he treats the things Ashlynn and her mother care about. Instead Ashlynn wanted someone who shared her values and interests.

Ashlynn can communicate with animals and sometimes finds it easier to talk to them about her struggles instead of her friends, this would be more prominent in s1 when Ashlynn and Hunter's relationship was a secret. She would explain a date in detail to her pet Phoenix because she couldn’t tell anyone else.

She feels like she can be completely herself around animals, they don't hold judgement or resentment the way humans do.

Ashlynn always supported Briar's decision to not sign the storybook of legends as Ashlynn always hated the idea of losing Briar to her destiny.

Ashlynn has boundary issues and is a major push over, she has a hard time saying no to people and will put others needs before her own whether she likes it or not. This also ties into her Cinderella destiny as the step family in it constantly give Cindy orders that she complies too.

Certain people can see this clearly and will either help her through them (Briar, Apple, Crystel, Farrah, Hunter, basically anyone close to her)

or use them against her (Her future step sisters)

Ashlynn always makes sure any shoes sold at her shop are made from materials that did not come from animals. And sometimes the money she earns at the shop she gives to charity.

Her dream destiny is become an environmentalist and help the environment instead of becoming a princess, but she doesn’t like to admit it out loud because she’s afraid to pursue it as she feels she’ll be letting down everyone, her mother, Farrah and whoever her destined prince is.

She feels guilt very deeply, she felt guilty about lying to her friends about her relationship, she felt guilty for not wanting the amazing destiny she was determined to have.

Ashlynn is also a Tailer Quick fan and her favourite album is fearless.

The enchanted forest is her favourite place in ever after.

She adores ice skating and dancing with headphones because it lets her imagination run free and it exercises her energy.

She stims a lot but fidgeting with her hands, she needs something to do with her hands in order to focus. (Hunter once noticed this and asked her to make a flower crown for Pesky)

She’s terrible at making decisions under pressure and over thinks a lot. She gets her fashion design inspiration from the nature around her.

Ashlynn and Duchess aren't exactly friends but Ashlynn does feel bad for her, Duchess made her realise that she was taking her own destiny for granted when hers has a happily ever after and Duchess's story doesn't.

Ashlynn knows that if Duchess were to apologize for trying to expose her and Hunter. Ashlynn would forgive her.

Apple, Briar and her have been best friends since they were children, they are all very loyal to each other.

Ashlynn is a very private person so she doesn't like to be open about a lot of things about herself unless she's comfortable with someone. (most of the time its usually with animals)

Ashlynn is a light sleeper so when Briar snores sometimes, Ashlynn has ear plugs to help her sleep.

Ashlynn always gets early, she's a huge morning person and loves a walk in the sunrise.

Ashlynn and Raven became very good friends after legacy day, Ashlynn will never forget the hope she got after Raven didn't sign the book.

They definitely bond over being Tailer Quick fans.

Ashlynn and Cerise become friends after her and Hunters relationship is out. Ashlynn greatly respects Cerise and wanted to get to know her as she’s one of Hunters close friends.

After Cedar found out about Ashlynn and Hunter. Cedar became Ashlynn’s go to person to talk about the relationship (as we see in true hearts day)

Ashlynn dreads the day her mother will die and that she’ll only be left with her father.

While away at Ever After High, Ashlynn calls her mom very frequently, more so in legacy year because it felt all more real for Ashlynn that her mothers death was coming soon.

[priincebutt]

NICE ASK WEEK! If you could make a list of the top fictional characters that all combine to describe you and your spirit, your soul characters, who would they be and why?

OK VAL I'M FINALLY DOING THIS.

First and foremost, I love this question so much. I have so many soul characters, so I'm going to try and be succinct here lolol

Since I've been talking about a Dirty Dancing AU, I'd be remiss to not mention my girl Frances 'Baby' Houseman. I dunno what it is about Baby that I just instantly bonded with when I watched this movie. I think this idea of leading a kind of sheltered, well-off life and wanting to do more with what I've been given really resonates with me. I also think I share in some of Baby's naivety and innocence, and I also have that same sense of seeing the good in people.

In the same vein, I have always considered Rapunzel my soul character. She speaks so deeply to the side of me who has always longed for adventure and to see the world, knowing it's bigger than my small little bubble and wanting so badly to get out and explore. I also think I have some of her bubbliness and infectious optimism.

Coming out of right field, I recently saw the new Mean Girls movie and was like, Janis is absolutely a soul character for me. Someone who goes against the flow and stays true to herself? Hell yeah, I feel like I identify with that so hard. Plus, I had a big friend fall out when I was in high school, and her song 'I'd Rather Be Me' explains me to a t.

And finally -- my main squeeze Jo March has gotta go on this list. God, I was such a Jo girl growing up, and she's stuck with me, nestled in close to my heart at all times. I wanted to be a writer just like Jo when I was young, and I still have that dream within me. I loved Jo's take no shit attitude. And, as on theme, her longing for adventure and a bigger world always resonated with me. Now, also, I identify a lot with her want to be loved but not really knowing what love is for her.

Honorable mentions go to: Alex Claremont-Diaz, Ella/Cinderella (but specifically Ella Enchanted), Jyn Erso, and Lirael from The Old Kingdom by Garth Nix.

[madamescarlette]

Eden! Would love to hear all the things you love about A Cinderella Story!! :D Also I hope you are having a marvelous day darling! <3

Magpie!!!!!!!!! 💖💖💖💖💖💖 My dear my darling my friend I am SO delighted you asked!

Of course I had to go back and re-watch to be able to answer this properly, but in all honesty this is one of my all-time movies- I think I watched it for the first time about ten years ago and I even repeat the lines to myself at random to make m'self laugh. I'm never quite sure whether it's actually GOOD but I love it. Therein lies all the difference I suppose.

A list of Good things:

- Carter! Carter is such a good addition. I think a lot of adaptions are definitely aided by what I would call the lizard-who's-only-a-footman role, or a person who can stand by Cinderella and be witness to the love that enters her life. Carter really freshens this film and lifts it above what it might be otherwise, because I think he's a reminder for Sam that she can be self-reliant, but she doesn't HAVE to be, which makes all the difference.

- Rhonda! I will fully admit I have cried to the scene where Sam is moving into Rhonda's cottage more times than not, maybe because to me Rhonda represents a lot of what I want to be, but am never quite certain if I will get there. I think she's a really great addition as well, because it's rare for an adaption to have the fairy godmother play a real role in the story, but this one (like Ella Enchanted) has her as essentially a main character, present as Sam's best friend and closest thing she has to a parent. The Rhonda who goes to bat for Sam, who spends years working a job that has become miserable to help watch over her girl, who always has a place for Sam to be safe and loved- she matters a lot to me.

- "I am a VERY APP-EAL-ING PERSON!!!" "Yeah, in your head!" (The amount of times I've mimicked this line in my life!!! it's weirdly perfect.)

- Carter looking back when Sam gets to the party and everyone's staring at her and his smile of pride and hope and joy for her!!!!

- The prince (Austin) is an actually decent person! He throws back her baseball and is impressed that she's the one who hit it so far! He offers to pay for his friends' drinks and is upset when they're rude!

- "Love her dress. Hate her!" (If we all could all sum up things this succinctly and clearly, it would make life a lot easier, I think)

- a good dance scene. a proper one. it can heal many ills in a movie, just to have a proper dance scene without any self-consciousness to it. though as always, it cracks me up that there are just. random musicians standing there who were like. i mean i know this isn't the wedding we were hired to play for but we'll play for these young lovers. they need to have their very important moment of looking at each other that is really them Looking at each other. sounds plausible sounds real. (though I will admit, from my childhood of being part of the family who played for everyone's wedding, this might be legit if you catch us in a good enough mood.)

- "I'm late!" "For what?" "Reality."

- there's something almost Shakespearean to me about how fundamental a lot of the plot elements of this movie are. Like the mistaken identities? The straightforwardness of the cloying and fumbling evils of the antagonists? The mutual pining a la Miraculous Ladybug where they're both caring for each other without being really conscious of who it is they're caring for, just wanting to do so anyway? It's all chef's kiss for me.

- The entire silent exchange when Austin shows up to the diner and Sam informs all her (diner) family that he's The Boy- I die every. time. someone tries to ask Rhonda a question in the background and she's like "no. I'm busy watching my daughter flirt. come back later."

- the Dress being a wedding dress. perfect to me somehow, despite it being a very early oughts type dress.

- the deeply Sensible character that Sam is. as a person who has worked hard at cultivating my relationship with being sensible for years, this is wonderful representation for me. Sam is a hard worker, and is probably even more of a tryhard than I am, which is saying something.

- her speech to Austin at the end!!! Is very, very good. her disappointment in him is so palpable and in my mind, highly justified when put in context with his place of privilege as opposed to Sam- Austin is intelligent, popular, surrounded by people who like him, as well as the vital thing of a parent who still loves and cares for him, which even with his feelings of being trapped by all these things make her reasonably upset that SHE'S the one who has to be brave first and reach out first despite her having very few of the same advantages. There's a straightness and clearness and purity to her showing up and telling him how it is and how he's affected her. It is what really, really sells this movie for me, I think.

- Sam: “Besides, if I don't go, who else is gonna explain the game to you?”

Carter, nodding: "Yeah...."

Sam: "I like what you're wearing, what character are you today?"

Carter: "Myself."

Sam: "I think it's your best look."

there's very little I don't love about this exchange.

- there's a sweetness to the climactic scene of this movie that I'm very fond of. the end of the drought being this rainstorm of emotion and honesty!!!! the "our secret moments in a crowded room" energy of it all. him running after her and her, sensible girl that she is, being like WHAT are you DOING??? The "I'm sorry I waited for the rain." "It's okay."

- also Sam's future being secured by the will hidden in her fairy tale book, like a wink from her dad telling her that it's okay to dream and that he'll be there supporting her.

ultimately, it winds up that I love this film because it touches on all the elements of what makes a true Cinderella adaption to me, which is the question and search of identity. For me, what makes Cinderella my favorite story in all its forms is the essential question nestled in its center, and for me the real question is always: if you are a person going through a storm, can you relate to who you were before, or are you now ultimately the person who is covered in ashes? Can you be seen through them anyway? Can you retain your joy with the sorrow of now? And even this film covers that in a real way, which is what makes it a real Cinderella to me, when multiple others want to be but aren't. (what makes an actual Cinderella adaption is usually whether I like it or not; it's a very complicated process but you can report back here whenever confused.) It all boils down to a girl who doesn't know if she can ever be known, and the boy who still knows her. It's as simple as that, and I love it very, very dearly.

[pink-flame]

2, 4, and 5?

2. Why do you write fanfiction?

(stolen from myself the other day answering the same question on discord, forgive me 😂)

I write fanfic because if I love a show/movie/book my brain almost always starts thinking about what I would want to see from those characters and those worlds. Fanfic lets me get that out. I also do it because the feedback and reactions from people feels really good let's be honest. I write in general because it's just always been one of my creative outlets. My mom is a writer who always encouraged me to do it so I can't really remember a time when I didn't. And as soon as I had access to the internet I was hooked on fanfic specifically for better or for worse. 😂

4. Are there any writers that inspire you?

Hmm...so there's this author Tana French who writes these combination mystery/thriller/procedural/twisty and hard to explain books set in Ireland and I love everything she does. I aspire to the way she manages to combine plot with atmosphere and character work, and just enough hard to pinpoint weirdness that there's an almost fantasy element. Also Gail Carson Levine who wrote my favorite book of all time the middle grade book Ella Enchanted (nothing like the Anne Hathaway movie based on it though I love the movie too). Really looking back what is Ella Enchanted other than Cinderella fanfiction so it all makes sense!

5. What’s the fic you’re most proud of?

This is a really tough one. In a lot of ways there is the obvious answer which is We Found Wonderland because it had such an amazing reaction and it's so long and yet I managed to finish it the way I always intended. So I am insanely proud of it. But I would say I'm even more proud of Feels Like I Opened My Eyes Again because when I started it I had been away from writing for awhile, wasn't in the best headspace and had zero reason to think anyone would actually read it. And I wrote it anyway. And I finished it! And I like how it came out overall! All things that didn't feel guaranteed. So yeah, that's the one I'm most proud of.

Thanks for the ask!

Ask me a question from this list.

[imagine-loki]

Ella

TITLE: Ella

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: One-shot

AUTHOR: breemaggs

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Odin throwing a ball, inviting all the young ladies of the realm to come to be chosen by Loki to be his future wife. (a bit like in Cinderella I guess?) Loki despises the idea, knowing all the women won't be interested in him, but just in the related power and wealth ... And to prove it, he tricks Odin by projecting an image of himself during the ball ( ...refusing every dance and every contact for obvious reasons...) while he disguises his true self in an ordinary ( but still handsome) young man. He tries to see if any of the girls would be interested in him for his personality instead of the possible power of match with the prince of Asgard. (Click to read the full imagine!)

RATING: M

NOTES/WARNINGS: Rated for language. This is very much AU. I tweaked the imagine a bit to fit the muse’s demands. Enjoy!

“...a ball the likes of which the Kingdom of Asgard has never seen!”

Loki rolled his eyes, not even bothering to hide his annoyance at this point. Such grandeur was right up Odin’s alley, but he found it in poor taste. And the reason for the ball? Simply archaic; Odin wanted to marry off his last prince and he figured that packing the castle chuck full of Asgardian noblewomen ought to be the perfect way to do it.

But Loki knew better than to kick up a fuss. It would only make Odin enjoy the entire process more. So he stayed silent, limiting his protestations to body language only. But it was difficult; he had to bite down on his tongue more than once to stay quiet and just let him carry on.

All he could think of was how dreadful it was going to be. Daughters of important dignitaries and nobles... He suppressed a shudder. The daughters were bad enough on their own, but the prize at stake was going to make them absolutely crazy. He could almost hear them simpering about how much they adored him and wanted to forever be in his favor. And the mothers... Fuck, best not to think about the desperate mamas seeking a match for their babies.

His only saving grace was his mother. Frigga kept casting concerned glances at her youngest son when the King wasn’t looking. He took comfort in the fact that his mother was on his side. She had always been on his side, even if it was often only in secret. And while she couldn’t completely keep the atrocity from actually occurring, she could keep it relatively under control.

It would have to be enough.

xoxoxo xoxoxo

Well, it wasn’t a complete atrocity, Loki thought as he looked across the ballroom from his hiding place. It was going well. Or at least, that’s what Odin must have thought as he watched Loki’s illusion interact with the silly debutantes. He was careful to keep his projection from touching anyone. It wasn’t difficult; he’d been playing with illusions since he was a child and he’d damn near perfected them. He didn’t even have to babysit them anymore.

It helped that his mother was running interference. He was sure that she knew it wasn’t really him on the floor. She was waving off the formal greetings for all the women who were trying so hard to even graze against him. He loved her all the more for it.

And he was having his own fun, proving his personal theory correct. He knew none of these women wanted him for who he was. He wasn’t stupid and neither were they. Love matches were exceedingly rare. These women were out for blood; they wanted to align their families with royalty. They wanted the endless pampering and wealth that came from a marriage to a prince.

So he’d cast a glamor over himself, creating a new identity. No one paid him any mind, just as he had expected. It was fun to experiment, though. No one was interested in anyone but the prince. Woman after woman had turned down his deep bows and offers of a dance. He’d taken it well enough, but a hint of annoyance was beginning to creep in.

Fucking nobles. They were all the same. Money hungry and utterly ruthless in their attempts to better themselves.

Deciding he’d seen enough for the moment, he headed towards the library, shedding his glamor as he did so. There would be no need for a disguise in his favorite hiding place. It was his sanctuary. It was where he went when he needed space to breathe.

And he definitely needed some space to breathe tonight. He loosened his collar and let out a long sigh as he approached the closed doors. He threw them open and was well on his way to his favorite nook when he realized that he wasn’t the only person in the room.

He stared in shock as the loveliest woman he’d ever seen, scrambled to pick herself up off the floor from where she’d been sprawled out reading. She had auburn curls that were escaping their pins, sending her hair into disarray around her heart shaped face. Her green eyes were a bright contrast to her perfectly tanned skin and they were pleading with him as she looked up at him.

“Shit! No, um.” She fumbled for words. “Fuck. I’m sorry. I’ll go, okay? Please, please don’t tell His Highness that I was trespassing!”

At that, he laughed, charmed by her mouth and the way her lips shaped her filthy words. “I promise you that I will not tell on you, my little trespasser. Your secret is safe with me.”

She gave an audible sigh of relief and her shoulders sagged with it.

“I am curious, though. Why is it you are in here and not out there-“

“Oh, please. Those blathering idiots.” She rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t be caught dead vying for the hand of a prince. The only reason I accepted the invitation was to see the library.”

He cocked a brow, but let her continue as he watched her eyes sparkle with enthusiasm.

“This library is the stuff of legends. Noble women aren’t encouraged to read or, in all honesty, have much of a brain. My father thought that was stupid and made sure that I had the best private tutors and teachers.” She trailed a hand down the spines of the books on the shelf closest to her, her eyes faraway and a small frown forming on those damnable lips. “But that all changed when he passed away. My stepmother didn’t agree with him. She thought he was indulging me and filling my head with nonsense.”

He opened his mouth, but he didn’t know what to say. She turned towards him and gave him a grin.

“She’d shit her pants if she knew I was wasting this opportunity in the Royal Library.”

He laughed again and was rewarded with a true smile from her. She stepped away from the shelves and put her hands on the desk in between them, leaning forward just enough that he could see the barest hint of cleavage. But he was raised a gentleman and yanked his eyes away from temptation and met her amused ones. She graced him with a smirk as if to say that she knew exactly where his thoughts had gone.

“So, what about you? Why are you hiding in the library when there’s such a wonderful party going on? Too much competition from the prince, huh?”

It was at that moment that he realized she had no idea who he was. She didn’t know he was the prince. She thought he was just another guest in attendance. And that filled him with relief. Finally. Someone who wasn’t after him just for his title. Someone who could hold an intelligent conversation.

“Something like that,” he affirmed with a shrug, pulling out the seat in front of him and sitting down at the desk.

She took the hint and pulled the chair on the other side so that they were sitting across from each other. “I can’t imagine you having trouble finding a date,” she admitted, propping her elbows on the desk and cradling her face in her hands.

He smirked. “I find that their company is extremely lacking,” he confessed.

It was her turn to laugh and he immediately loved the sound. It didn’t grate on his ears the way most women’s laughter did; he supposed the fact that her laughter wasn’t forced or faked had something to do with it.

“I can’t say I blame you,” she agreed with a soft sigh. “They’re all bitches, if you ask me.”

That. That right there. He loved that. What would she say next? He had no clue. It was a constant surprise. He had known her all of twenty minutes and he was already enchanted. She was so different from any woman he had ever known and that was so very appealing to him.

He lost track of time as they swapped stories about their childhoods and shared interests. And there were a lot of shared interests, they found as they continued talking. It wasn’t until she was yawning in front of him that he realized that it had grown late.

The clock chimed midnight and she started in front of him.

“Fuck! Is that clock right?” Before he could answer, she was up and out of her seat. “I have to go. If I don’t beat my stepmother home, my life is over. This was fun! We should do it again!”

Her last words were toss over her shoulder as she raced out of the room. He took chase, calling after her. He couldn’t lose her now. He’d only just found her.

“Wait!” How did she run so fast in those fucking heels? “I don’t even know your name!” And I never told you mine.

She looked over her shoulder, surprise written all over her face. “It’s Ella!” And mine is Loki. Prince of Asgard.

And then she was gone, tearing through the gates as if the very hounds of Hel were on her tail. At least he had a name. Ella.

Now he just had to find her. And then tell her that he was the prince.

He’d have to figure it out.

xoxoxo xoxoxo

It had been a week. A very, very long week.

He was frustrated. He was smart. He was resourceful. He was multitalented. And he had still been bested by a woman. A woman who had seemingly vanished into thin air. Ella. She’d said she’d gotten an invitation to the palace for the ball, but he couldn’t find her name on the guest list. And he’d checked it more than once.

To make matters worse, his father was insisting that he should abandon his search and marry one of the many other girls that had attended. His mother had stepped in at that point; she knew the entire story as she was the only person Loki had trusted enough to confide in. She’d urged Odin to let him find his mystery woman. Odin had reluctantly given in to his wife’s request.

Loki knew that wouldn’t be the last conversation on the matter, but for now, the subject was closed and he was free to try and find her. He poured all of his time and energy into finding her. He pulled the previous year’s census report, but because he had no surname, it wasn’t any help.

He was exhausted and beginning to lose hope. So he decided to go back to where it all started; his safe haven, his favorite place. The library. He did his best thinking in there anyway, surrounded by books that held years of knowledge.

With a heavy heart, he yanked the doors open and was, once again, shocked to find someone already using his space. His heart leapt into his throat as he took in the form of a woman patiently restocking the shelves. She slowly turned around at the sound of the door and his heart began a wild rhythm in his chest.

Ella.

She shot him one of those smirks he had so enjoyed the night they had met. “Took you long enough,” she told him, setting the rest of the books down on the desk they’d shared only a week ago.

He frowned and crossed his arms. “If I knew all I had to do was return to the library, I would have done it a week ago,” he replied crossly, trying to ignore his leaping pulse.

She laughed. “Calm down, I wasn’t trying to insult your intelligence. Your mother said you spend a lot of time in here. I thought we’d have crossed paths before now, that’s all.”

His heart dropped into his stomach and his jaw dropped ever so slightly. He swallowed. He didn’t know what to say. This was uncharted territory. He’d prepared a speech to explain to her that he was, in fact, the very prince she’d been avoiding at the ball, but apparently she already knew. And his mother was in on it.

She laughed again at the expression on his face. “It’s okay,” she said with a soft smile.

She came around the desk to stand in front of him. She used her hands to uncross his arms and tangle their fingers together. She tilted her head and studied his eyes. What she saw in them, he wasn’t sure, but he found that he couldn’t look away.

“Loki,” she breathed and he bristled.

Assuming she knew who he was and having it confirmed were two very different things. And suddenly, he was very worried that she’d just played a very elaborate game to trap him. He didn’t like that notion. He finally dropped his eyes away from hers and fought the growing hurt.

But she wasn’t going to let him off so easy. She lifted his head with gentle fingers until their eyes were locked again.

“Let me explain. A week ago, I truly didn’t know who you were,” she told them and he could see the truth in her eyes. They were shining bright with determination. She wanted him to believe her. She wanted him to know that she wasn’t lying to him. She took a deep breath and the rest of her words came tumbling out of her mouth.

“But the day after the ball... The prince was all my stepsisters could talk about. They regaled me with tales about the prince’s soft raven locks and cool eyes. They told me about how polite and wonderfully handsome he was. With every description, I found myself thinking about how very similar you and the prince sounded. And then there were the posters...” She paused to frown, drawing a finger down his smooth cheek. “Stasja got her greedy hands on one of the promotional pieces for the ball... And there you were staring at me from my dining room table.”

She visibly swallowed and closed her eyes for a moment. He reached up and swept her unruly hair out of her face. He let his hand tangle in her hair. She leaned into his touch and he felt the knot that had formed in his stomach loosen a little. Her words rang true to his ears.

“I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to see you again, but I didn’t know how. The fact that you are a prince...” She winced.

“It’s okay,” he whispered, feathering his thumb across her cheek.

She didn’t seem to believe him and continued with her explanations. “You have to understand. My father came from a very noble and old bloodline. But my stepmother is nothing more than a leech. After my father died, she began treating me like dirt beneath her feet. I had to sneak out of the house to get to the ball. That’s why I ran out of here so fast.”

If I don’t beat my stepmother home, my life is over.

“Your mother caught me trying to sneak into the palace two days ago.” She smiled. “I thought was dead. Caught by the Queen. Fuck, I thought she was going to send me straight to the dungeon. But she seemed to know who I was.”

“That sounds like mother,” he agreed.

She sighed and finally lifted her eyes to his. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions.”

She shrugged. “I get it. You’re used to the bitches at court.”

He laughed and tugged her against him. She wrapped her arms around him and returned his embrace. She felt so good against him. Better than he had ever dreamed. He pulled away ever so slightly and used the hand in her hair to angle her head back. And then he took the plunge and kissed the woman who had literally run away with his heart.

She kissed him back with a ferocity that surprised him, but shouldn’t have. She knew what she wanted and she went after it. It was in her nature. And she, apparently, wanted him. She wanted him for him. Not for his title. The thought lit a fire in him and he deepened the kiss, wanting her to feel the depth of his emotions in that kiss.

She whimpered against his lips and opened her mouth, giving in to his demand. Her hands were pressed flat against his back and she used them to pull him impossibly closer. His hand in her hair tightened and tugged while his other hand squeezed her hip.

When it became clear that the kiss was getting out of control, he broke away from her. It took everything in him to keep from kissing her again when he saw her lips that were swollen and wet from his kiss.

“Why did you stop?” she asked.

“Because I would hate for someone to catch me fucking you against the bookshelves,” he murmured wickedly in her ear.

He stepped back with a grin and watched as a blush spread up her neck and to her cheeks.

“But what if that’s what I want?” she shot back at him, her eyes flashing.

He smothered her devious laughter with another kiss. She would be the death of him.

He was looking forward to it.

[choking-on-roses]

)Rules: List your 10 favorite female characters from 10 different fandoms and tag 10 people

thanks for the tag, @theshinsun! This is so difficult omg. I spent a long time thinking about these and it’s still really hard...mostly because I’ve just kind of been floating in the ether between fandoms for the past couple of years.

1. Lisa Simpson (The Simpsons): I always have and always will adore Lisa Simpson as a politically charged, liberal character on a mainstream TV show. She’s amazing.

2. Katara (Avatar: the Last Airbender): and not just because I recently finished rewatching the series for the 4th time. I’ve loved the show (and Katara) since I was a kid and it was airing on TV. Two episodes stand out to me in particular: the one where she challenges Master Paku, even knowing she’s going to lose, and the one where they’re lost in the desert. She is just so strong, intelligent, loving, and yet also more multi-faceted than the general “mom” female character archetype, as showcased by her drive to fight and the righteous anger she often displays. Getting angry enough at Master Paku’s sexism to challenge him to a fight she knew she couldn’t win, just to get some small satisfaction out of it....Big Dick Energy. I know many people stan Toph the most, but it’d be a slightly different beast for Toph in a situation like this- she isn’t a newbie at bending and would absolutely already know she’s going to win. Having the courage to challenge someone you know you’ll lose to just to make a point? Different set of balls entirely. 

3. Ella (Ella Enchanted): where do I even start??? How about with if you haven’t read this book, READ IT IMMEDIATELY! It’s a book for kids so it’s only like 200 pages and a fun/easy read, but holy SHIT. So it’s an extremely creative re-telling of Cinderella and it’s incredible. Basically, Ella has been cursed at birth to be obedient- if someone orders her to do something, she *has* to do it. The whole book is about her wild, independent spirit and her journey to breaking the curse and the whole thing is a brilliant commentary on women in society while also being full of humour and magic creatures and adventure and fun and it’s my favourite book of all time! 

4. Nynaeve al’Meara (The Wheel of Time): she is very angry and bossy and I adore that. Over the course of a 14 book series, there’s way too much to get into with her, but I love her and her stubbornness. For anyone who hasn’t read the series, she’s a magic-user and becomes incredibly good at healing out of pure stubbornness. Picture a “fuck you, you aren’t going to fucking die because I SAID SO DAMMIT” type of character.

(this is fanart because she’s a book character)

5. Shion Uzuki (Xenosaga): again, stubborn, bossy, smart.....I have a type don’t I hahahaha

6. Leela (Futurama): I’m outing myself as a Matt Groening stan but c’est la vie, I love the female characters in his shows. Leela is a great combo of tough badass/low brain cell count and I love her so much.

7. Starfire (Teen Titans): first of all, I am gay.....and she’s incredibly powerful but also very kind, and I love that combo.

8. Mrs. Brisby (The Secret of NIMH): *cries* precious mother trying to save her kids!!!!!!!! Plus it’s an amazing movie. 

9. Eris (Sinbad): she is one of my favourite female villains. Coy, toying, dangerous. And I suppose this doesn’t have much to do with her character, but her hair design is fucking COOL. I’m gay and we need more amazing female villains that aren’t just there to be sexy.

10. KOS-MOS (Xenosaga): again, I am very gay....I remember buying this game when I was 12 just because her picture on the cover was so pretty (that kid wasn’t straight I’m tellin ya). Anyway she’s the sexy robot archetype- except she’s literally a robot and speaks like a robot and has no empathy and will kill you, and I’m willing to excuse the skimpy outfits she’s put in because a) I’m gay and b) she was canonically designed by a woman (#5′s Shion Uzuki no less) and we are here for Space Lesbians and the gay pining of a woman who wants nothing more than for the beautiful killer robot she designed with her big science brain to become real and Love Her 

(this is REAL, ACTUAL, OFFICIAL art for the game.....can it get any gayer?!?!)

Anyway, I’ve talked enough, so I’m tagging @squirrelmort, @konekat, @editingatwork​, @fanonorcanon​, @pixielle​....I’m not sure who else is into these types of memes so I’m not sure who to tag, so if you want to but I didn’t tag you, feel free to do it! I want to see everyone’s picks!

[oscurolibelle]

A Cinderella Story - Madatobi Fairytale #1

Elements:  Teens in love, Sappy garbage, Child abuse, Someone gets their eyes poked out.

Inspiration: The Messed Up Origins of Cinderella | Disney Explained - Jon Solohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6Q43yhccHM

Music to listen to while reading: Patrick Doyle - Ella Suite (Cinderella)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g46nRrINbqQ It all started with just a dream. A wish. A tired, tired young man in search of peace. All he wanted was a night away from his duties as eldest boy. What he got instead was this. Madara's heart pounded as ruby eyes met his and all his breath was stolen from him in an instant. The Senju young lord, second in line for clan head was enchanting in his own right, draped in silver and midnight blue cloth, sparkling in the bonfires of the festival. Madara swallowed hard, trying to remember his station. Eldest son of the main line of Uchiha family tree, a clan of gypsies. A clan of tradesmen and warriors. Not of warlords, kings, and princes. Oh but the prince before him shone like the moon that hung high in the sky. 

It wasn't until the young man turned from him, ending a conversation with whomever he was talking, that Madara had been brought back to the reality of his situation. Tajima didn't need to know he was here. In fact, if he found out, Madara was sure 'sparring' wouldn't be the only punishment waiting for him. His dark eyes drifted through the crowd, thinking about how his brothers would be sleeping now. The ones not currently on missions anyway. Wearing the best robe he could find in his family heirlooms and stealing away from the darkened home in the dead of night to attend a festival his father found 'trivial' and 'childish', Madara found himself entranced by the fire, the music, the dancing, and the smell of food he'd never and would never have the chance to taste. "Excuse me." The deep rumble of a voice pulled Madara from his thoughts and he turned, fingers playing with the edge of the dark purple embroidered sleeves of the heirloom. Again his breath was taken as he came face to face with the young heir himself, more glorious up close than he'd ever thought possible. A curt bow and Madara froze watching frosty locks sway in the movement. "Tobirama, Second Heir of Senju. Might I ask your name?" "Madara." It tumbled from his lips without his permission and immediately he scowled. For all he knew, Uchiha weren't welcome at this festival. Peasants weren't allowed in and Tobirama was here to- "Marvelous." "What?" Madara blinked wide at the pale face inches taller than his own. Unless it was his imagination, the heir turned pink in the firelight, looking away for a moment. "Your eyes. They are... dark as the midnight sky, rich like the earth bed of a stream. Marvelous." The young Uchiha couldn't find the words. Hell, he couldn't find the action to take at such an obvious pass. Did the second heir of a prominent clan so openly prefer-"Dance with me?" Without a word, Madara's hand took the out stretched one before him and the heir whisked him away towards the fire, pulling him in close and twirling him with expertness that Madara had never experienced. He'd danced before, with his brothers, with his clan in honor of their patron Goddess but never for fun, never like this. Pulled so close that the scent of the young man before him permeated his lungs, filled him with excitement and made his entire body gasp for air. Spun around as if he were something precious and sparkling and Tobirama had to get a look from all sides. Held by his hands and pulled, pushed and twirled as if no one else existed. And in that moment, no one else did. But as all moments do, this one ended. Tobirama pulled him in, their chests touching, his pale arms wrapping around Madara loosely, the two of them breathy from the dance that lasted longer than both of them noticed. The sky began to lighten and Madara jolted. "Show me where you come from, Madara. I must know you." The young Uchiha turned, hair a wild mess and eyes wide. "Let me walk you home-" And Madara's heart dropped into his stomach. No. Tobirama could never know. He couldn't be a part of Madara's world and Madara couldn't be a part of his. It would never work. Madara would be disowned by his father, his clan. Never see his brothers and- in his panic, Madara said nothing, turning and bolting before the young heir could do much more than blink. His feet carried him quickly through the trees, bounding at full speed back home, racing the rising sun to escape his father's wrath. The branch movement behind him startled Madara and he rolled, slipping and catching himself last minute as the moon-child he'd danced with raced after him. His heart pounded. The heir was faster than anyone he'd ever run from. He could catch him, could follow him easily. Madara darted a different path and zigzagged his way through before slipping into the Uchiha compound. Tobirama slid to a stop just inside the treeline, watching the wild mane of hair leap over the wall and disappear on the other side. His heart ached in the morning light peeking over the mountains, closing his eyes and doing his best to remember the scent of the young man who'd captured his heart. -- "Madara! Again!" Exhausted from the night prior, Madara slowly dragged himself out of the dirt in the evening sun, blood and sweat pouring from his body. Tajima frowned, kicking the scythe back at Madara. The young man grabbed it and groaned, peeling himself up and into a readying stance. "You are the clan heir! Act like it!" The young Uchiha launched at his father again, sparring harder than before and wrecking himself to prove a point. The evening passed quickly. Madara stopped by his mother's marker to pray, a young willow, planted in her honor, and then returned home, starting dinner for them all. "Maddy!" Izuna ran out of the bedroom jumping with joy at the new kunai he'd been gifted by Kou. Madara smiled, stirring the soup for dinner over the open flame and ruffled the youngest's hair. "Did you use it today?" Nodding profusely, the bubbly boy decided to show off by throwing it, nailing a passing by fly and lodging the knife into the wall. Madara tried not to groan. He'd have to fix that later. "See Aniki! I did good!" "You did. It stuck well, Izu." "I'm hungry!" "It's almost finished. Go. Clean up for dinner." "Okay.." The young boy bounded out of the house, kunai forgotten. Tajima fussed about the kunai damage to the wall. He fussed about the plain soup and Madara's horrible skill at cooking. He fussed about Madara's performance during training. He nearly made Madara want to punch him in the face. Grumbling, Madara laid down on his futon, groaning from lack of sleep and tossed and turned as moon rose. Every time he closed his eyes, the Uchiha couldn't see anything past the fire lit face of the moon kissed Senju heir. The way his name rolled off of pale lips, the way ruby eyes sparkled at him as if he were the only person alive worth anything at all. Madara sighed, listening to his brothers mumble and snore in their sleep next to him. His dark eyes opened, looking at the setting moon and wondering if he should return before the festival ended for the night. Rising, he donned pants and a shirt to visit his mother's marker. With thoughts of Tobirama still swirling in his head, he was surprised to see a glimmering red cloak hanging from one of the branches of the young willow, weighing it down in the moonlight. Perhaps.. He thought to himself. One more night. Whatever this sign might have been, Madara didn't know, but the draw to the Senju second heir was too much and his heart longed for adventure. For more than what he'd been destined to do here in this small compound. Without another thought, he snatched the red robe and headed for the festival. -- Tobirama's heart yearned for the wild haired teen he'd met only last night. Bored, he watched as others danced, remembering only the way Madara felt in his arms, the way they were perfectly complimented. The entire day seemed to drag on for him, and tonight he found no joy no solace in the things he might have a night or two ago. "Otouto!" Hashirama beamed, dressed in emerald greens and clearly drunk off wine. Their father must have thought it a good idea to give the overgrown tree the alcohol. For what, Tobirama couldn't fathom. "Anija." Cool and collected, bored and uninterested in the festival any longer, he was doomed to spend the rest of his time here with his bubbly older brother, watching his younger siblings woo their way through the many girls so desperate for their attention. His gaze lifted to the moon, wishing for one more night with his Madara. As if the Goddess heard him, Tobirama spotted Madara in the firelight, this time drenched in deep scarlet robe, hair wilder still, dark eyes glimmering in the heat of the flame. Without a word, he pushed away from his brother and followed Madara through the crowd, closing in on him quickly, lithe fingers wrapping around Madara's darker wrist. "Madara." He breathed, pulling the young Uchiha close in the crowd, swallowing hard at the fluttering in his chest. "You came back.." He lifted his hand slowly, knuckles gently dragging across the shorter man's cheek before burying themselves in his inky hair. "I-" It seemed to be fate that he recognized the lightening of the sky behind Tobirama's head. Madara's brow furrowed. He should have never come. Tearing himself from Tobirama's grip yet again, he set off into the woods, repeating the prior night's chase with energy he didn't know he had. The Senju watched as his mysterious love bounded over the wall yet again and pondered going in after him. But for the Senju Heir to be so bold as to infiltrate another clan's settlement without warning... would surely mean war even if unintended. -- Tajima slammed Madara into the ground, bruising his face, busting his lip and growling all the same. "Lazy good for nothing! You think you can just sleep in?! Who will do the chores?! Take care of the boys?! You selfish boy!" The young man groaned, taking it in stride as he had a thousand times before. But Madara's mind was elsewhere. Tajima had hit a spot today deep in his heart and the sounds vibrated off the walls of his soul. When the sun fell, Madara would steal away again, back to the festival and never return. Tobirama looked majestic in white and silver, eyes blown wide at Madara's sudden reappearance and boldness. The Uchiha took the Senju's hand in his and bolted to the opposite side of the festival, dragging the second heir with him. In retrospect, wasn't quite such a good idea, as his guards seemed to follow them everywhere Madara could think of in his frantic movements to give them some peace. The chuckling behind him gave way to hitched breath when his companion twirled him around and pinned him against a nearby pop-up stall wall and closed the space between them. "Don't run this time. I implore you.." "I have to run." "I'm afraid I don't understand." Tobirama's eyes darted to Madara's busted lip as he spoke and the Uchiha blushed, pressing a hand into the sturdy chest before him, mostly to help himself breathe in such intoxicating closeness. "You run. You return. You run again. You return to me again. What would make you stay-" "I cannot!" The outburst startled the albino who looked confused. "You.. reject me then?" "Never!" The shorter man groaned in frustration. How could he reject such a companion that's graced his every thought for three nights, his every waking moment of two whole days. "Then stay, Madara. Let me know you." A soft plea in the darkness as guards slowly closed in on them, giving them little privacy to discuss. The raven haired young man bit his lip trying to think of how to tell this gorgeous man what he must. "No more questions, Tobirama. I will give you tonight, as long as you have no more questions." Conflicted, the Senju gently pulled away, giving him space but not letting him go. Fire light flickered on all attendees, and cast shadows across the ground. "I only have tonight to give." Madara sighed, thinking he could not leave his brothers. No matter how much abuse he would endure by Tajima. Seemingly able to read the melancholy in Madara's blood, Tobirama nodded and quietly took his hand in his, placing a tender kiss on the back of it. "Dance with me?" Dark eyes slowly looked up, twinkling in the light. "Yes." Again, they danced until the night faded into twilight of morning, twirling and spinning, tangled up and let loose. Madara turned, noting the light beginning to cross the sky and Tobirama felt his heart drop. But he had no intentions of letting Madara go this time, even if he had agreed to the terms in the beginning of the evening. As Madara disappeared into the woods, Tobirama followed him quickly, quietly, and far enough back that Madara would believe he wasn't being chased. Closing in at the last moment, Tobirama darted out, fingers touching Madara's long trailing hair as he sped ahead, combing through them and gasping at the softness of it's wild texture. Madara turned, feeling the strands move on his scalp and his dark eyes widened, breath lost at seeing Tobirama so close to him. He stumbled, landing the jump awkwardly onto a sappy tree limb and nearly broke his ankle jumping again, losing his sandal in the process. Panicked, Madara sped forward without thinking and dove behind the wall yet again, only to meet Tajima waiting for him on the other side. Tobirama carefully peeled the sandal from the sticky trap he'd laid earlier in the day. Finally. He had something he could take into the compound. Something to find the love of his life with. To make him stay. -- He returned the very next evening in his armor, white fur around his neck his brother at his side. A few guards around them shifted and Tobirama ran his hand over, the sandal in a side pouch at his hip."We come in peace!" Hashirama shouted at the closed gates, the guards leering down suspiciously at them. "We are looking for a young man of your clan that attended the festival near Naga River! As heir to the Senju Clan I bless my brother- second heir's wishes to wed the young man who's captured his heart. And to form an alliance with your people!" That seemed to do the trick as murmuring increased and a few guards slipped out of sight, no doubt to find the clan head and discuss the potential alliance. "You are certain we can't just use his name?" "No, Anija. It could have very well been a fake name.. I will know him.. when I see him." Hashirama only looked back at the gate, waiting for it to open. And surely it did, Senju alliances held power. No clan would turn that away, especially if this one was to be forged by both love and arranged marriage. "I am Tajima Uchiha. Who is this young man you speak of?" His dark eyes fell upon Tobirama and the albino was struck as the Uchiha guards poured out around him. "I know not his name." He lied, taking in the situation that just got more complicated. Hashirama leaned in close, whispering, "Are you sure? They all look very very similar.." "Hush, Anija." Tobirama hissed, ears pinking in embarrassment. It was night, and the firelight plays tricks on ones eyes. He frowned, looking over some of the guards. This would not bode well. Shifting, causing the satchel to adjust. His mind lightened. "I know not his name, but I have this." He pulled the sandal from his satchel, holding it up and noting the imprints of the foot itself. A well worn sandal. Only the true owner's foot would settle into the divots the right way. Tajima raised a brow, knowing it was Madara who the sandal belonged to, catching him early that morning from returning from the festival. But no heir of his would be wed to another man. Much less that of another clan. "Very well. Try it on any of the young men you find here. If the owner is Uchiha, we may make an alliance.” Hashirama beamed with excitement and Tobirama ordered a guard to assist in the task. Several Uchiha refused to even try the sandal on, knowing it was not theirs and telling the second Senju heir this. The day dragged on as each would try the sandal and yet none would fit it correctly. Hashirama sighed in exhaustion with the situation, embarrassing Tobirama further. "Uchiha-sama, do you not have sons? Would they not be around Tobirama's age?" "I do." Tajima folded his arms, seeing no way out of the situation without losing face. "Kou! Toga!" Two young men emerged, younger than Tobirama and bowed. "Let them try it." Toga looked at Kou for a moment before trying the sandal on, curling his toes so they would not fit in the slots. It mattered not, Tobirama knew the boy was not his Madara. Kou however, attempted to flatten his foot, to fill the slots and nearly did, causing Tobirama great discomfort, knowing Madara's hair was far too long to be short like Kou's. "There. You've found your match." Tajima raised his chin, rather sacrificing Kou than Madara. "I suppose I have." Tobirama breathed out not wanting to make a scene, coming chest to chest with the young man who met his gaze head on. "May I..?" He lifted his hand to Kou's face, fingertips near his hair. Kou swallowed, knowing he was not the match, and gritting his teeth. "Yes." Pale fingers gently brushed into his hair, cupping his head and instantly Tobirama knew. "It is not him." He pulled his hand back and stood straighter. Kou both tensed and breathed a sigh of relief simultaneously. "Have you no other sons?" The look that flashed across Tajima's face told Tobirama all he needed to know. Perhaps he'd been wrong before. Maybe Madara was the young man's name. He quickly took the sandal from Kou and stepped past him towards the main house at the protest of both Senju and Uchiha, yelling, "Madara!" Pausing, looking around, he ignored their frantic skittering and murmurs. "Madara! I have come for you!" Moving closer to the house, he was stopped by Tajima, who narrowed his eyes. "I have no other sons." "You are a liar. I will have him." Tobirama growled, Hashirama pulling them apart quickly. "Forgive my brother, Uchiha-sama, he is in love-" "Love!" The Head cackled. "He claims he loves a boy he's only just met?! He's only seen him thrice in the firelight! How can he possibly-" "Tobirama." A deep drawl, surprised gasp from the side of the house brought all their attention to the main house porch. Madara stood barefoot, dirty from head to toe in holy pants and shirt, and carrying a wash bin full of clothes. "Madara." Tobirama breathed out, pushing past Tajima and rushing the steps. "I have found you." The bin dropped to the porch and they met at the top of the stairs, seeing eye to eye. "Why would you come here?" Madara hissed, looking into ruby eyes and blinding white hair in the sunlight. "Because I could not bear to be without you." Gentle fingers reached up, touching Madara's black eye and swollen face. "This was not there last night.. who has hurt you?" A sharp inhale by the Uchiha. "I see. I will take care of it." Handing Madara back his sandal, Tobirama slid his hand into wild inky locks and cupped Madara's head, tilting him for a deep kiss.

The squawk Tajima let out was nearly drowned out by the cheering behind them of the two clans. Parting for air, Tobirama whispered,"Come with me. Let me know you." "I cannot." Madara breathed, heart breaking. Tobirama turned to see Madara looking at his four brothers and fuming father. "Then I will stay." "No heir of mine will be wed to another clan's second!" Tajima stated flatly. "Then he will not be heir." An elder piped up, watching Tajima shuffle back from the crowd in disbelief. "He will be Head." "Nonsense-" "This abuse has gone on long enough." Tobirama straightened at the word. "Madara, how long has he done this to you?" The Uchiha heir felt his heart ache, looking away without a word. "No matter. He will never touch you again, I promise." With a fist to his chest and a curt bow, the Senju second heir honored Madara startling him. Tobirama rose and turned, "I would marry your Madara, make him my own." "Then you would become ours?" The elder croaked as Tajima protested. "I would and Senju and Uchiha would be allied for all eternity." A dark looked crossed the elder's face as he turned to the others. "Take Tajima's eyes that he may not look upon his sons ever again." Startled, the Senju retreated quietly from the compound, all save Tobirama who watched with a bit of morbid satisfaction as Madara became Uchiha Clan head, and his abusive father faced the wrath of crossed elders and children's guardians.

[firelxdykatara]

This is for the ask meme, but how about top 5 underrated characters or movies? (also your blog has easily become one of my favs, thank you for existing and for your excellent commentary/takes!!!

kjfdgkdjfg well thank you! i’m glad you enjoy my ramblings

TOP 5 UNDERRATED CHARACTERS: UHMMM this is hard, cause some characters are underrated by the show but loved by the fandom, and sometimes the opposite, but these are the ones that come to mind:

1. Tyler Lockwood, from The Vampire Diaries. In the first two seasons of the show, he had a pretty fantastic ‘jerkass jock to decent human being’ character arc, and his relationship with Caroline was beautiful to watch. In season 3 Forwood lost all of the emotional depth it’d had and became almost entirely about sex, and then Tyler got put through the absolute ringer and then... kind of vanished? He came back every once in a while to get shit on by everyone (I will never not be pissed that Stefan punched him in the face for daring to be upset that the woman he loved had slept with the man who murdered his mother and slaughtered his pack--he had every right not to want to be around her after that, and to get upset when she refused to back off), and then got unceremoniously killed at some point, I think over on The Originals. I don’t know, cause I stopped watching TVD after season 6. Anyway, Tyler Lockwood deserved better, and that is that on that.

2. Wells Jaha from The 100. It’s been, what, five years since season 1 of that show? And I’m still fucking pissed about the way Wells was unceremoniously killed off in the third episode, and barely referenced again. After having been Clarke’s best friend for most of her life. Meanwhile, the ghost of Lexa, Clarke’s two-week fuck buddy (god, ok, before anyone comes to yell at me, I’m sure they were in love and it was longer than two weeks, whatever, I never cared for the relationship and I didn’t buy it in the slightest) has been haunting the show ever since she died, turning up every season like a bad fucking penny. But Wells who????

3. Alistair Theirin from Dragon Age. Now, don’t get me wrong, a lot of the fandom loves him, but I see a lot of that love centering on like... cheese jokes and ‘lol he’d be a terrible king he’s a fuckin dork’ and like, I get it, but also??? This man has been through some shit. He was abandoned by his mother, his father dumped him on Arl Eamon’s doorstep where he grew up feeling lonely and unwanted because Eamon’s wife thought he was Eamon’s illegitimate son and treated him like trash because that’s the kid’s fault of course, then he was shipped off to the Chantry because said wife was sick of having to look at him--and he didn’t even fit in there, it wasn’t until he joined the Grey Wardens that he finally felt like he had a place in the world, and he had a family he loved, and he lost literally all of them. Including the man he’d grown to care for as the father figure he’d desperately wanted all his life. And it of course depends on the choices made, but Alistair can be a damn good king if given the chance, and sometimes I get tired of people acting like he’s some helpless fop who exists to be the butt of jokes.

4. Clint Barton from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I’m sure I don’t have to go into detail regarding how he was criminally underutilized from the very beginning--he was taken out of half the action of The Avengers via brainwashing, and it only got worse from there. A family was dropped on him out of nowhere, effectively cutting off any potential development and growth he had via any other relationships. And all of that aside, there is a wealth of potential characterization and personality in the comics that MCU!Clint just... doesn’t get. There are glimpses of it, and Jeremy Renner absolutely could’ve pulled it off.... but nope. And I don’t even want to get into what Endgame did to him. But basically, he was written off as the ‘boring human’ (where even Nat got to be The Gorgeous Superspy) from the start, and just... never got to grow beyond that. And it was incredibly frustrating to watch.

5. Luther Hargreeves from The Umbrella Acadmy. I’m still mad about the way the fandom treated Luther and his trauma vs how they treated Vanya’s (and there are exceptions on both sides but you still can’t throw a stone in the general tags without seeing some anti luther crap), and how it’s totally ok and understandable that Vanya slit her own sister’s throat because she couldn’t control her emotions or her powers, but Luther was evil incarnate for believing she was dangerous and trying to keep her contained until they could figure out how to help her without risking her destroying the planet (remembering that he had no way of knowing what a trigger that room would be for her). Anyway, Luther deserves better and I hope season 2 treats him well.

TOP FIVE UNDERRATED MOVIES: Probably won’t get as detailed here but!

1. Aquamarine. I actually wrote a post a while back about this movie cause it’s??? So good??? And such an amazing take on how love is important in all forms, not just romantic, which is pretty rare for a romcom, and I just really love it.

2. George of the Jungle. There’s a post floating around out there about why this is such a great movie, and how it flipped the ‘sexy/objectified female love interest’ trope on its head, but I don’t see this movie talked about enough and it should be. (The first time I saw this movie, I was six years old, it had just come out on VHS, and my father laughed so hard he fell off the fucking couch. It was the kind of thing that can only happen once, the first time, because after that you know it’s coming, but it’s still great on rewatch and I just. It’s such a good fucking movie ok.)

3. Sky High. Why isn’t there more of a fandom for this movie. It was great, and I’m still mad it didn’t get a sequel yes I still ship layla/warren don’t judge me, but it had so many great comedic beats and had a great take on superhero school and breaking down the superhero/sidekick dichotomy and they’re still teenagers with teenage problems but that won’t stop them from saving the day. And also Ron Wilson, Bus Driver, was absolutely fucking priceless.

4. Cinderella (2015). In fact, Cinderella herself routinely gets a lot of flak just in general, I guess because people can’t understand why someone in her position wouldn’t just stand up to their abusers and leave (and where the fuck would she even go?? it’s not like she had anyone she could trust to take her in, and being treated like a servant in her own home was better than starving in the cold), but I just... love so much that the live action remake focuses on her kindness and her courage and just... Have courage, and be kind, and she offers forgiveness to the Lady Tremaine, even if she didn’t deserve it and wouldn’t take it, because that’s who Ella always was. There was no room in her heart for anger and bitterness, and that’s not to say that anyone who is angry at their abusers is wrong for it, but that’s not the only way to cope. And Ella got her happy ending because she never stopped being true to herself, and it’s just. So very beautiful.

5. Enchanted. It was a really cute movie but also a great look at the typical Disney Princess formula and turning it on its head while still showing such a deep love for the source of that formula and I just love it so much. Plus Patrick Dempsey. A+++

[justanoutlawfic]

Before & After: Street Rats

So, @trueloveismagic and I have discussed Glass Believer adopting, which I feel they would at some point. This is how their family of 5, grew to 6 in a very short period of time. Takes place when Lucy is 15 and the twins are 3 1/2.

Also on AO3

Ella blew a loose strand of hair out of her eye and looked around the kitchen. A lull at last. She loved her restaurant and wouldn’t change a thing about it, but sometimes it could be just a tad overwhelming.

 Once they moved to Storybrooke, Tiana had been torn between her past life and her cursed one. She had loved being queen, but she had also loved running the food truck. With her wealth in her hands once again, she could afford to open her own restaurant, but then who would take over the kingdom? After lots of talks with Ella and Naveen, she decided that she could have both. She would rule over her kingdom while also owning The Bayou, along with it’s food truck counterpart. However, the business would be co-owned by Ella and Alice, so Tiana could trust that her business was well taken care of.

 Alice had loved working on the food truck, so she had taken over there with the help of Robin. Ella had gotten the restaurant and she employed an amazing staff to help her. Still, she found herself doing most of the cooking. Many of the recipes were either hers or Tiana’s, or passed down to them from family members over the years. She found it hard to trust anyone else.

 However, all the meals were out and they weren’t expecting more people for a while, so Ella made her way out into the dining room. It was like stepping into New Orleans, with lights strung everywhere and a beautiful mural that Alice had painted of the bayou.

 She went around the restaurant, checking on everyone and getting pulled into a conversation with David and Snow. Just as she was walking away from them, however, she caught something out of the corner of her eye at the takeout counter. A young boy, who only looked to be a bit younger than Lucy, was going through the different containers and removing food. He stuffed them into his sweatshirt pockets and kept looking around to see if anyone was watching.

 Ella walked up behind him and cleared her throat, causing him to drop the piece of cornbread that was in his hand. “Don’t you think you’d enjoy it more if you sat down?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really?” She held up one of the plastic containers. “Because this doesn’t look like all of our fried green tomato special.”

The boy rolled his eyes. ���I didn’t steal anything.”

“Right. Empty your pockets.”

“You’re not the police.”

“No, but my mother-in-law is, so I suggest you do it before I call her.” She wouldn’t dream of calling Emma, but she wanted to call this kid on his bluff.

“I didn’t do anything. Geez, just leave me alone.”

 He headed towards the exit and Ella followed after him.

 “What’s your name, kid? I’m going to call your parents.”

The boy stopped by the door and then turned around for a moment. “Flynn,” he said and for a moment, the sarcasm and wit left his eyes. “And I don’t got any parents, lady.”

 With that, he was gone.

Henry did some digging after Ella texted him about the thief. His first stop was the group home that rested between the lines of Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest. Unfortunately, even with all the realms united, not every child had a home. Regina arranged for there to be countless meeting days between prospective parents and children, but it always seemed that the older ones got left behind.

 Sure enough, Flynn Oliver was one of the children there. At 12-years-old, he had spent most of his life in care. His parents were villagers from Arendelle who took off when he was young. He had always been rebellious, but after the reuniting of the realms, he had even more reason to take off and cause trouble. The leader offered to look for him, but Henry said he’d find him.

 He had heard stories from his parents and grandma, all of whom had spent some time as street kids. They had always told him that sometimes you just looked for a safe place to hide, somewhere that had shelter and warmth.

 Alice’s old boxcar came to mind. When Regina had united the realms, somehow Hyperion Heights was apart of that and joined them. It was easy for everyone to grab their old things and bring them into their new life. Alice had no use for the boxcar, obviously, so it had been abandoned for quite some time.

 Henry made his way over there, zipping up his jacket along the way. He pushed open the door and found the boy that Ella had described on the other side. Henry could tell that Flynn tried to look tough, but he saw straight past that. He was 12-years-old, only a few years younger than Lucy. Henry cringed at the thought of his daughter being in this position. She almost would’ve been, had Gothel won.

 “Go away, Henry,” Flynn said.

Henry arched an eyebrow. “You know me?”

“Everyone knows you. Son of the Good Queen and the Savior, husband of Cinderella.”

“She actually prefers, Ella, ya know?”

Flynn rolled his eyes. “I only steal when I have to.”

“Oh, I get that.” Henry sat down on the old air mattress that was losing its air.

“How would you even begin to understand my life? You grew up as the queen’s kid.”

“Maybe so, but my other mom didn’t always have the best life and neither did my dad or grandma. They were street kids for a while. Had to steal to survive, sleep where they could.” Henry tilted his head. “Though, you have a place to go.”

“That group home?” Flynn snorted and rolled his eyes again. “I’m not going back there. It’s gotten a bit better since we merged with Storybrooke, but not by much. No one gives a shit about you there.”

Henry nodded. “So…here’s better?”

“I’m on my own. Got no one to tell me how to live my life or when to go to bed.”

“Has to be pretty cold out,” Henry countered. “Almost winter in Maine and all you’ve got is a sweatshirt and no heat in this boxcar.”

Flynn frowned and folded his arms over his chest. “Not all of us can have the life you do.”

“Maybe you could. Go back to the group home and one day, you’ll have a family of your own.”

“Right. I seem to remember the stories of Emma Swan being an orphan her entire life.”

“Until she came here.”

“Well, I’m not interested in waiting another 16 years.”

 Henry looked at the boy and could see the pain in his eyes. He was stealing to survive and would rather live in a dingey boxcar, then a group home with heat. As much as his moms did their best to make sure those places were well run, he knew there was only so much they could do. He thought of his own children and all they had. He and Ella worked hard to give them the world, so they never knew how Emma, Neal and Snow once had. They also made sure to show them the love that Regina never received.

 Flynn didn’t have any of that, but maybe he could.

Ella set the table with the help of Lucy that night. The twins were nearby, playing with trains and making dramatic noises as they crashed into each other. She couldn’t help but laugh and shake her head. They were creative, just like their father.

 The door opened and Henry soon appeared in the dining room…with Flynn next to him, a backpack slung over his shoulder. Lucy tilted her head.

 “Who’s that?”

“This is Flynn,” Henry explained. “He’s going to be staying with us for a while.”

  He looked over at his wife with pleading eyes and she knew she should be upset with him, bringing home a kid like a stray puppy and at the same time…she knew that she couldn’t. This was her husband, this was the man she fell in love with. He looked out for the underdog, always. So, she simply smiled and turned to her eldest daughter.

 “Luce, set another place for our friend here.” She looked back over at Flynn. “I think I know you appreciate my cooking.”

Flynn slowly smirked. “Yeah…it’s alright.”

Flynn:

[hellokelly7]

Must Read Children’s Books

I have a lot of nieces, nephews, and friends with children. HENCE! Here is my list of books I like to buy and my thoughts on them. (FYI - Books make 0 noise, easy to store, and are educational. Do it.) Also a lot of them are about food.

Strega Nona

- Who doesnt love a story about a magic pot of pasta? Also the Christmas one is fantastic too.

Corduroy

- A bear looking for his button. Almost breaks a button off a perfectly good bed.

Frog and Toad

- Great series. Taught me about self control. Taught me I don’t have it.

The Prince and the Li Hing Mui

- Cinderella story with a delicious local Hawaii twist!

Tiki Tiki Tembo

- Ever wondered why the Chinese give such short names to their children?

Make Way for Ducklings

- Takes place in Boston. It’s about how one bored police officer causes ruckus when a family of ducks decides to relocate themselves.

Caps for Sale

- Hat salesman takes nap under tree and (spoiler alert!) a bunch of monkeys steal them.

Big Pumpkin

- Halloween classic. It teaches you about team work to achieve a common goal (aka pumpkin pie).

Bernstain/Berstein Bears Series

- Who DOESNT love these books?? Teaches you great lessons. Like not to each junk food.

Babar

- SAVE THE ELEPHANTS! Also make sure to tell your kid marrying your cousin is frowned upon today.

Richard Scarry Books

- Author might have the word scary in it, but it’s far from it! Fun busy illustrations keep you entertained for hours. Lol the cats.

The Wrinkled Woos

- A textured book. Wrinkly food never looked so good. 

The Apartment Book

- One day I’ll make a book just like this. A lot of pictures, great for both children and adults. Gives you what a day in the life of an apartment building is like. I still have a copy of this book.

Amelia Bedilia

- Teaches children what the word “literally” means. And it’ll make you hungry for some lemon meringue pie. Actually this book taught me what lemon meringue pie was. 

The Five Chinese Brothers

- Okay, apparently even the Chinese cant tell each other apart in this book. But besides that, it’s all about team work, sacrifice, and special talents. And that being a bratty greedy kid will result in you getting swallowed up by the ocean.

The Paper Bag Princess

- Another story about not being a greedy brat. She was basically a with with a B.

Ferdinand

- Okay, the movie really took some creative license with this one. Basically he’s a peaceful bull and the matador throws a fit because he cant show off.

Arthur Books

- My favorite was the one where he had a wiggly tooth. I learned about what peanut brittle was from that.

Rainbow Fish

- Literally gave parts of himself away. Sharing is caring. Also love the iridescence. 

I Spy

- Great for parents and children.

 Find Waldo

- Duh.

How Much is A Million

- Funnest math book I’ve ever read. Also Steven Kellogg illustrations are awesome. That detail doe.

Jamberry

- Book about berries. If you dont want to eat berries by the end of this book, there is something wrong with you.

Gregory the Terrible Eater

- A story about how a goat that starts off with good taste in food and great eating habits gets ruined by his parents.

Madeline

- I can hear the song in my head from the TV show. The book is great. Learned about appendixes.

Jamie O’ Rourke and the Big Potato

- Great for St. Patty’s day. Learn about the many ways to consume America’s other favorite carb. 

Many Moons

-  The court jester is the best gift giver ever.  Pretty classic book. 

The Hundred Dresses

- I just remember I wanted to draw 100 dresses after reading this book. A lot of them looked alike. Also this was kind of a sad take away. 

Pretzel

- Same author and illustrations as Curious George books. About a wiener dog who is very long and tries to win the affections of a girl dog.

Books That Are a Bit More Advanced (Big Range)

Baby sitters club series - These books made me want to write and become an entrepreneur. But also as an adult, I wouldnt trust pre-teens to babysit. And the Specials made me want to travel.

Goosebump series - Green slime. Monster blood. Oh man. And the choose your own adventure ones were great too.

A Wrinkle in Time - What a trip.

Alice in Wonderland - Same comment as above.

The BFG - Imagination has expanded. Also really wanted a lot of little eggs after this.

Matilda - Imagination has expanded x2. Also I wanted powers after this.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - We all know what the movie was like.

Henry Sugar - NOT FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. I would stare into a candle sometimes just to see if I could see through objects after.

Ella Enchanted - The romance my preteen self wanted one day.

Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - You’ll be very disappointed once you try turkish delight IRL.

Ramona (and Beezus) Books - I remember reading one where they cook dinner for their parents (sounded pretty gross to eat) and one about where she got sick at school (couldnt eat oatmeal for a while). Also enjoyed these as well.

American Girl books series - Fun stories that really put into perspective the time period and are female centric. I would highly recommend reading these and I mean the classic illustrations, not the redone ones. I think I had a lot of Samantha and Molly books, but they were the best. Shout out to Felicity too, life was hard back then.

[ninawritesastory]

I remember a while ago you mentioned Tweek with a Cinderella motif - if it's not too much, could you maybe elaborate on that a little more?

I absolutely can.

I’ve always associated Tweek with a Cinderella motif because…well…it’s pretty fucking apt. Sure, Tweek wasn’t orphaned and left with a cruel stepmother and horrible stepsisters who force him to do all of the housework. But. Tweek does live in an emotionally and mentally abusive home where he is expected to work on a regular basis with the success and survival of the coffeehouse ranking well above his own individual needs.

It’s a pretty subtle motif in a lot of ways. The thing about Cinderella is that, at its core, it’s about a young woman who is terribly abused by the people meant to care for and love her but still manages to stay kind and empathetic through it all. This suits Tweek perfectly. Despite all of the shit going on in his home life, he’s still proven himself to be a kind and empathetic person; he cares about his friends and how he acts with Craig speaks volumes.

In a lot of my writing, I kind of subconsciously work with the idea that Tweek either read the Cinderella fairytale or watched the Disney movie or was exposed to any of the numerous adaptations (he would’ve gotten a kick out of Ella Enchanted) and really identified with it. Especially because, in a lot of those adaptations and retellings, the Cinderella character is usually ignored and/or people who should notice that something’s not right about her situation either don’t or pretend that someone else will speak up for her. Which is something I think would really resonate with Tweek; it’s pretty obvious to anyone who’s actually listening that the Tweaks don’t treat their son as well as they should. But no one says anything or tries to help him. This sort of isolation is something Tweek would identify pretty strongly with.

And that’s another thing! In a lot of Cinderella adaptations, her only friends are mice and birds, and maybe other animals she cares for. Or, if the story is taken off the isolated manor setting, her friends are just as powerless in society as she is. Considering Tweek is often shown to be working in the coffeehouse in his spare time (and possibly even pulled from school on a fairly regular basis to work), it’s likely that his tics and spasms weren’t the only things keeping him from developing much in the way of friends.

There is so much in the Cinderella story that echoes in Tweek’s situation that I find it hard to associate any other fairytale motif to him. I think a young Tweek would’ve watched Disney’s Cinderella and identified intensely with her and her struggles. And I also think that identification might also have something to do with just how well-adjusted Tweek is for his situation. That overlying message of “don’t let the bastards grind you down” is something he’s probably internalized. Which is why he’s as friendly and emotionally intelligent as he is. He took the story as a sort of rainbow: just because his life sucks now doesn’t mean it can’t get better. At some point, he’s going to manage to get away from his abusers and his abysmal home life and end up living happily ever after.

This correlation struck me pretty much out of nowhere, but it’s the one fairytale motif I will honestly defend to the death because it fits so goddamned well. And here’s a little add-in that I thought of while writing this: Tweek humming and singing A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes whenever he needs cheering up. And I think Cinderella’s spoken lines in the song were probably what sold him on her story: “Even [the clock tower] orders me around. Well, there’s one thing—they can’t order me to stop dreaming.” Just…I can’t imagine Tweek hearing that and not identifying with it.

[bookcub]

A list of books I have 2 copies of

Because I just got a second copy of another book. 

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan- My first copy was one of the first books I bought with my own money. The Cover has fallen off and been taped back on and I’ve had it for half my life. The second copy I got from my mom and sister when we first went to the college I now attend. It’s the illustrated version and it’s beautiful. This book gave me friends when all of mine were leaving me and then found me new ones when I was older. 

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray- I just bought the ebook of this book because I constantly quote and think about. I have the hard copy, which I got when I was 17, I believe, maybe 16. It drastically changed my mind of the world and myself and made me a true feminist. It’s hysterical yet completely serious and always makes me think and laugh.  

Soulless by Gail Carriger- This was an accident, but the hard copy was 50 cents and the entire series as a collective ebook was like $15, and how could I pass that up? Plus the series is fun and engaging and it’s a great book to lend out. 

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss- So I bought the ebook about a year after I read the book, but I wanted to highlight my edition and write notes and be able to search for certain parts and quotes. Then, one day, a few years later, I saw the hard copy version, which I’d never seen. It was far too expensive but I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to lend it out to people and that has paid off, as it’s now being lent to the third person. It’s clever and beautiful and heart wrenching and I’m practically in love with it. 

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine- The fact that I have two copies is an accident actually. I bought a copy for a dollar and told my mom and she was like, but don’t you want my copy, which is the one I grew up with. So now I have 2 copies of my favorite retelling of Cinderella, one I can give to my sister for her kids when she has her huge family. 

Graceling by Kristen Cashore- Now, I kind of sort of have 3 copies of this one. My mom has one copy, and I bought 2 other copies for a VERY nice price, thinking I would give one to my sister. And apparently, neither my mom nor my sister want a copy, so I will have three. It’s a superb series and everyone should read it and now I can lend it to everyone I know. 

The Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce- I was perfectly content with my one set of this series, which is mismatched, but I’ve had since I was 10, and had to replace the spine on the first one. And then I walk into a book sale and there is a beautiful, barely used collection of all four books of matching editions. This series has been with me through thick and thin and always comforted me and I just had to have another set. 

Hushed by Kelley York- Okay, so I used to have a hard copy of this and then I lent it to a friend and I never got it back. But now I have the ebook version of this, and in spirit, I feel as though I have 2 copies. It’s a good book, really, something special and should be read more. 

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakspeare- I directed a version of this last semester, so I had the Folger’s version, the Sparknotes version, and a printed out copy in a binder, which cost the most. All of them are written in and I want to give them all away now. 

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs- This was a fluke. I got the paperback version for Christmas one year and the ebook was free one month so I got it and I’ve never finished the series. 

Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller- So I got my first copy of this when I was 9 because my friend lent it to me and I loved it and she hated rereading. It’s a soft cover version and very beat up and taught me half of what I know today, very educational (it’s where I learned how to pick a lock). And a few years later, my mom’s school library was giving away its old books and Kiki Strike was one of them. So now I have an old library version. (read this book you will learn so much)

Princess from Another Planet by Mindy Schanback- This was also unintentional. But like, really unintentional. I had this book since I was 8, I believe. And I lost my copy and I was devastated because it’s a hard book to find. One day, at a used book store, I saw a copy. I bought it without hesitation (I was 12 maybe). Then I went home and cleaned my room and found my first copy. I feel bad for hoarding them but alas, I can’t part with them. 

The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss- I bought the ebook the day it came out, no hesitation. But there are beautiful illustrations that are limited by my ereader and I want my sister to read it, which she won’t do on an ereader. So I bought a copy this weekend so I can make her read it. It’s stunning on every level and seeing the physical version just brings me joy. 

Bonus: During the summers, there are THREE sets of Harry Potter at my house because my mom bought her set as they came out every year and my sister and I each got a complete set for graduation. This is also not including the incomplete tape or CD audio books we also have of the series. There also may be an extra copy of The Half Blood Prince floating around the house as well. 

(I think this is all of them but who knows for sure) 

[theonceoverthinker]

OUAT Rewatch 1X04 - The Price of Gold

Week two!!! I’d say my thoughts on this episode are just GOLDEN, but I don’t let me INFANTIZE your experience - go read below the cut if you don’t believe me!

XD We have fun here sometimes!!!!

Press Release Emma tries to help a young pregnant woman escape from the clutches of Mr. Gold. Meanwhile, back in the fairytale world that was, Cinderella makes a regrettable deal with Rumplestiltskin. General Thoughts Past So, Snow gives a very interesting recontextualizing of the Cinderella story. I think it’s important to discuss that because that’s what the Cinderella story (And its many, many indirect retellings) was designed to show to audiences. I once took a theatre class that showed that during times like the Great Depression, theatres were making Cinderella plays and musicals as a way to show that there was hope for improving one’s situation. My only problem with this flashback is that Ella 1.0 is not super compelling. I buy her desperation, which gets a lot more understanding once “The Other Shoe” aired, but otherwise, she’s not exactly pleasant nor interesting to watch on the screen. All of the interesting plans having to do with her are made around her, not with her. That said - in that same vein - she serves as a great introduction device for the theme of “all magic comes with a price.” Her naivete allows us to see just how much can go under your nose when you’re willing to do “anything” to get what you want.

And Rumple plays off her brilliantly, taking advantage of that naivete to get what he wants, and all the while, making Ella feel twisted every way. Speaking of which, finally, I want to touch upon a unpopular opinion I have. Many take issue with the fact that we never see where Rumple stowed Thomas, but I don’t share that concern. It’s pretty clear that where he was didn’t matter and that no matter what, nothing short of the honoring of Ella and Rumple’s deal would bring him back, and in the present, only when Emma makes a substitute deal is the family reunited. Present Regina has fascinated me in that she’s continuously - despite being evil in these moments - delivered the themes of the episodes. While I was mostly talking about the roots line when I wrote that last sentence, the next line below fits this BEYOND perfectly too! “People don’t change. They only fool themselves into believing they can.” To quote Rumple, “when you can see the future, there’s irony everywhere.” Still, at the same time, while she tells the theme, it’s others who show it, providing a very layered level of insight for Emma. For example, in this episode, Emma sees the danger of running away and its effects on the safety and well being of a family dynamic and internalizes the lesson so she can prove herself beyond what Regina thinks. Also, Emma’s speech is just remarkable. It speaks to a more nuanced approach to her cynicism. She’s more than that and has optimism, but optimism on her terms. It’s a mix of the Lands With and Without Magic that genuinely works. I’d also be a fool to not talk about Gold, because wow! Immediately, he knows just the right strings to pull with Emma - someone who he’s only conversed with for a matter of seconds - to get her to do whatever he wants. But even still, while Gold does prevail through similar means, Emma does show that she’s only one or two small steps behind him with how she breaks through hit litigation with real world sympathies.

Now, I said Ella wasn’t too compelling, but Ashley by contrast is super compelling, She’s a foil to Emma, and really shows her dedication to changing her life in every scene she’s in and we get a sense for it as more characters talk about her. While it breaks the “show, don’t tell rule” a bit, I find that it works well enough. Sean too really sells what it’s like to be between a rock and a hard place with his family and his dad is not without a smidge of dimension too! Insights I like how the wands of the different fairies all have different designs. Cinderella’s fairy has a wand that’s like a light bulb - it’s glass on the outside, but there’s light on the inside. Meanwhile, Fiona’s is closer to tree bark mixed with charcoal. I’m going to pay closer attention to the wands going forward. I wonder if they knew when they wrote this episode that Rumple was going to have future powers. “It all comes down to the number seven.” SOMEONE ON THAT STAFF WAS FUCKING PSYCHIC! Maybe Adam’s tweet was real! XD This is our first real appearance of Gold’s shop, and what an introduction! The darkness alongside the creepy music and the fact that it’s a break in allows for an unhinged tone to settle in and we get to see some foreshadowing and call backs in a way that doesn’t take one out of the experience. Why does Regina never hire a babysitter? Henry is ten and he’s snuck out no less than three times in as many episodes. Get Sidney to spend a couple of hours in your house! He will literally do whatever you say! Why when breaking in and out of places do these people not wait ten minutes?! I mean, i know why - narrative shorthand (Same for why Henry has no babysitter), but damnit, they might see you! XD I love that awkward bit between Henry and Gold. Honestly, half of my insights here are just going to be that irony line. Emma’s whine about trying to be responsible is just adorable! I don’t want to be “that girl” who bitches about continuity stuff, but under the curse, does Ella have another step family? Because her real step family is in the Land of Untold Stories. “Anyone who wants to be a mother should damn well be able to be one.” I feel like there’s a lot to unpack about that line but I’m going to choose to interpret it as “anyone willing to dedicate themselves to motherhood and understand the responsibilities that come with it deserves a chance to be a mother.” The gardens are so beautiful in this episode! I wonder what Henry’s nickname for Emma was. “Mom,” perhaps? That would make sense given that’s exactly what he calls her not even a season afterwards. Awww! There’s a Regal Believer parallel. Just as Cinderella’s prince found his True Love’s shoe, Regina found Henry’s shoe!!! Arcs Emma’s journey of belief - What I like about season 1 is that most every episode contributes to the growth of this single arc, and here’s no exception. Just like Emma and Henry’s relationship needs roots to grow, as do the seeds of hope with one firm belief. While Emma doesn’t believe Henry, she does believe in Henry and in their bond, and as that develops, she takes more and more steps to cement it. Emma and Rumple’s deal - While there are mentions if it here and there going forward, as we all know, this arc won’t conclude until season two. Still, I like this deal as it’s created because the idea of keeping a baby and a mother’s life options is so personal to Emma so it makes for a compelling deal but at the same time isn’t something she would back out of. Regina and Graham’s affair - This is introduced here, and I’ll have more to say on it in a few episodes. Favorite Dynamic Emma and Henry. Already, you can see inklings of payoff for their dynamic. Emma is starting to seek Henry out a bit more to spend time together, as evidenced by her insisting on walking him to school. Additionally, when Henry tries guilt tripping her, Emma is much more overt to the fact that it’s working. Their quips are so much more casual and friendly and it just makes me so excited to see more of them! It’s such a far cry from episode 1, and in the best way possible! Writer David Goodman gets his first go around and he gets a strong start here! His strength - at least here - is a delivery of theme. Both themes - the price of magic and the need to not run away in order to create a family - are delivered with precision, but at the same time doesn’t feel like I’m being beaten over the head with it. Rating 9/10. My only problem is - again - Ella. You’ll see later on that I love Once’s diversity in terms of showing women with different qualities to their characters. Some are braver and sassier, some are mean, some are gentle and never fight, and some are scared. I think that that is so important because male characters often get to be all these things and more where as women are often bozed in as either ice women or more or less princesses. By that merit, I should love Ella too, but what I don’t love is that she really doesn’t have all that much agency in the flashback. Apart from her initial deal with Rumple - the character’s best flashback scene in this episode - she mostly just follows what other say and whines. That said, through her, we get to see the first instance of a theme that will occur regularly on this show, “all magic comes with a price,” and she serves that theme effectively enough. But please, don’t take this as me disliking the episode, because there’s so much to like. Despite playing once again a minor role in this episode (Which is funny considering the episode’s title), Rumple/Gold shines like a polished apple here. In the Enchanted Forest, not only does he deliver the theme of the episode brilliantly alongside Ella, gets to finally show off his own villainy. He kills a fairy and tries to extort away an infant. That’s just dastardly and I love it! And in Storybrooke, he tries it again and additionally manipulates Emma. The way he pulls on her insecurities makes him so compelling. We’d already seen it does with Regina, yes, but they have history. Emma - despite Gold knowing her role in the grander scheme of things - is a stranger to him. Also, while not working in the Enchanted Forest for me, Ashley is fantastic in Storybrooke! Finally, just all of the little nuggets of storytelling with Emma. Her various dynamics in this episode really drive the theme she needs to learn as well. Flip My Ship Ella/Ashley and Thomas/Sean: The relationship between Ella and the Prince really works. They don’t get a lot of time together, but in every moment the Prince is on screen, he is kind and supportive in an active way, making me really buy the connection between the two of them. He’s also very no-nonsense, making him a pretty strong character in his own right. And in Storybrooke, the tough position Sean is in, and the decision he makes at the end of the episode makes forgiving him really easily. Glass Believer: In the Regal Believer moment with the shoe, we get some probably not-at-all-intended-but-still-cute-as-hell Glass Believer too!!!!!

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Thank you for reading and to the fine folks at @watchingfairytales for setting this all up! See you next time! Season Tally (39/220) Writer Tally for Season 1: A&E (20/70) Liz Tigelaar (10/20) David Goodman (9/50)

[playchoices]

The Royal Romance

Inside Choices is a behind-the-scenes blog from the Pixelberry team. Got any suggestions for future blog posts? Let us know!

It's been an exciting few weeks at Pixelberry! Spring is in full bloom, and with it, we've seen the release of the newest The Crown & The Flame book and Endless Summer's grand finale -- and yes, Endless Summer: Book 2 is currently in the works.

But that's not all we've got in store for you! We just released The Royal Romance, a thrilling whirlwind of love that doubles as a spin-off of Rules of Engagement. It's the first of several new books we're hoping to unveil throughout the spring and summer.

The Choices team is pretty much constantly hard at work on current and future books... but I did manage to snag the two writers from The Royal Romance for a quick chat:

Let's hit the basics first. What is The Royal Romance about?

Jennifer: 'The Royal Romance' is about a normal girl who has one magical night with a prince and makes the spontaneous decision to travel to his kingdom to try to win his heart. But will you end up with him or fall for someone else along the way?

Kara: We'll sometimes start off with a guideline, kind of like a one-line prompt. For Rules of Engagement, for example, our goal was something more dramatic than The Freshman and following four different characters. For The Royal Romance, our premise was to write a fish-out-of-water romance about a normal girl who gets swept into the world of royalty. We knew we wanted there to be some kind of competition element to it, so what we ended up with was something like a cross between The Bachelor and The Prince and Me--all of the thrill of falling in love with the adventure of traveling and trying to compete for the person you love.

It's always fun spotting the crossovers in different Choices books and seeing the universe grow. How did you settle on the idea of creating a Rules of Engagement spin-off?

Jennifer: We'd already started developing the kingdom of Cordonia for Rules of Engagement, and when we found out we'd be making a romantic, royalty-focused book, it seemed like a good opportunity to expand the world and dig deeper into what it's like there since you don't see it very much in Rules.

Kara: Technically, The Royal Romance is also a continuation of The Crown & The Flame, though that may be a little more subtly done! One of the characters, Olivia, is a descendant of Zenobia, who appears in book 2 of TC&TF. Readers can probably tell that we love crossovers. Part of that's because we all love seeing what the whole team is working on, so we play all the Choices books. But part of it's also because writers will switch books when we need to help out with something else. For example, Jennifer moved from The Freshman to help launch Rules of Engagement. The writers from Most Wanted are currently working on Endless Summer and #LoveHacks, as you might have figured out from all the mysteries and jokes! Braidwood Manor had a writer from The Freshman on it, which is why there's some cameos there.

Sometimes it can be hard when you work on a story for so long to then move on to start up another book. Leaving The Crown & The Flame to focus more on Rules and The Royal Romance was really difficult for me because I love those characters so much, but TC&TF was fortunate to have two other amazingly talented writers to keep it going. We're always excited to get the chance to tell new stories, tackle new genres, and experiment with new ideas, but I think we all also have so much love for the other characters and worlds we've created that it breaks our hearts to leave them behind. I think that's why we have so many crossovers in the whole game! It's our way of taking our worlds with us.

What do you personally love most about The Royal Romance? And what are you most excited for our readers to encounter?

Kara: One cool thing we really wanted to do was have people get to pick their prince. This is the first time we've let you customize a love interest! Another thing I'm excited for is that because we're using the same customizable character as #LoveHacks, we were able to get more skin tones and facial features so players have more options for how to customize their own character, too.

Jennifer: Also, we've had a lot of fun building up the characters around the Prince, and if dating a prince isn’t your cup of tea, it’s quite possible there are other lady and gentleman suitors for players to encounter.

All of our books have, to varying degrees, some romance in them. But this book is unabashedly about romance - it's in the title! What are your thoughts on romance as its own genre?

Jennifer: I love romance and reading romance! Whenever I talk to people about it, though, they usually bring it up in a guilty way like maybe it's something to be embarrassed over or perhaps because some don't really see it as real literature. It makes me sad when people feel like they need to be ashamed of what they like! It feels sometimes like certain genres are deemed less literary or worthy, and I feel like the genres that get called out are often ones that are loved by women or young adults. A certain genre might not be for everyone, but that doesn't make it less important to the people who care about it.

I think romance stories have a lot of heart, and that's something I love in storytelling. To me, ultimately, a good romance is about seeing how people relate to one another and find meaning in their life. Connecting with people--whether it's romantic or not--is a fundamental part of existing, and romance stories have the opportunity to explore that. And if you can find something real in what you're reading, then isn't that the point?

This book came together while you were simultaneously working on Rules of Engagement. That's taking multi-tasking to a whole new level. How do you do it? Just how much coffee do you drink in a day?

Kara: Sometimes it feels like we never stop working! When you love the stories and the characters as much as we do, it can be really hard to stop thinking about them, even in the middle of the night. Plus, Jennifer and I have been best friends since high school, so we spend a lot of time outside of the office together, and when we're excited about a project, we can't stop talking about it. On New Year's Eve this year, we were brainstorming The Royal Romance while everyone else was watching the ball drop.

At the end of the day, though, this isn't just a job to us, and I hope it shows in the stories Choices puts out. It's crazy how much we end up caring about the characters and the stories we're telling. I think that's the hardest part. We love writing and we want to do our best, tell the best story, and write something that will touch people. In most other forms of writing, you'd get a lot more time to agonize and revise, but we've got to hit weekly releases, so when Wednesday comes, time's up. There's a lot of pressure to write well, write fast, and, in this case, to build something new in a very short amount of time. The scariest thing is feeling like with so many things that go into every chapter and every book, and so many deadlines to hit, we might mess something up and let our fans down. But when it all goes right and we put out something that readers love, it makes it all worth it!

Finally... I've got to know. What's your favorite fairy tale princess story?

Kara: Sleeping Beauty! I was convinced after I heard that story that my parents would some day reveal that I was actually a princess in hiding...

Jennifer: Cinderella. I love it as a transformative rags-to-riches story and also as a tale that you can see told across many different cultures. I do tend to favor more modern interpretations though, like the novels Just Ella or Ella Enchanted which are two of my favorite books.

Thank you for taking the time to chat! And to all of you reading along, The Royal Romance is out now -- check into your game for a whirlwind of love, adventure, and more! Hope you love it just as much as we do.

-Jessica

[silverfronds]

do you have a crush on anyone? no

what’s your favorite candy? kit kats, crunch bar, symphony bar/chocolate with toffee, take 5, butterfinger, sea salt milk chocolate!! Also gummy bears/worms

favorite love song? this is an impossible question so I'll just list the one I'm really into right now, thank you - dido. I love you always forever by donna lewis also bangs

what was your first kiss like? meh...I was in a closet and it was just weird

what was your last kiss like? I will copy your answer here because it was also just a peck with a friend

sexual/romantic orientation? lesbian

do you prefer poems or love letters? a well written poem can take your breath away however few are well written, so letters

favorite fanfic trope? mutual pining..............

have you ever been in love? no

favorite milkshake flavor? chocolate I guess, I don't drink milkshakes like ever. I love orange juliuses though

dinner dates or brunch dates? dinner because breakfast/brunch food sucks and going out in the day time......I don't think so. Real vampire hours

favorite flowers? calla lilies and other lily varieties, orchids

favorite perfume/cologne? victoria's secret love spell

favorite candle scent? granny's spice cake lol. Also yankee candle midsummer's night

what’s your ideal first date? honestly like...I'm such a homebody that the person needs to be okay with not going out pretty much ever like for REAL lol so at their apartment, getting takeout, talking on the couch I guess

favorite love story? you know what the handmaiden is valid. I might have to say titanic though........ Also I love cinderella stories like ella enchanted and ever after for some reason

what’s the most attractive thing a person could wear? sheer black tights

chocolate, vanilla, or red velvet? chocolate but red velvet is right behind with an axe ready to chop

snow, rain, or sun? from a having to drive in it standpoint, sun. If I'm home, snow

sweetest romantic memory? lol

favorite dating sim (and favorite character)? I have rarely played a good dating sim :/ like you know how I hate my wife liara, didn't LOVE dream daddy..... Sad

fictional crushes? obviously,,, elgra but I love so many cartoon/tv women like I can't even begin

what’s your dream wedding like? still kind of think of that cave wedding I used to want haha but more than likely just in someone's yard or something when it's cool, very small, chinese food catering!!!

what makes you blush? having attention called to me

do you believe in love at first sight? no

do you believe in soulmates? I go back and forth which seems like a copout answer but I'm being honest

denim jackets, leather jackets, or bomber jackets? None I hate jackets

what’s your sign? cancer

are you single? yes

do you prefer to charm, or be charmed? be charmed

guitar or piano? whomst cares but I guess piano

favorite romcom (or any romantic movie)? you really said moulin rouge..... But yeah I guess titanic even though it's not a comedy

do you fall in love easily? no

valentine’s decorations: yay or nay? I like decorations but I'm also lazy so like yay if someone else puts them up BUT Valentine's day decorations are kind of lame except teddy bears and other stuffed animals and candy based designs

would you prefer to propose or be proposed to? what’s your dream proposal? Be proposed to and I don't have an idea in mind other than 100% private and I like aquariums and planetariums

cloud gazing or star gazing? star gazing

do you like to dance? yes

what’s your OTP? Naivera and elgra /devil emoji

kittens or puppies? KITTENS

coffee, hot chocolate, or tea? hot chocolate or coffee, it depends what creamers are available

favorite soda? cherry coke

do you prefer gazing wistfully out the window or lying dramatically over the sofa? gazing

favorite ABBA song? here's where I admit I basically only know dancing queen and mama mia so uh dancing queen

fuck/marry/kill? fuck naivera marry elgra kill yvaine

favorite pajamas? basically the same as you, capris or stretch pants and a big shirt

favorite liquor? for taste HONESTLY...seagram's escapes and I have no clue what alcohol that even is. Oh actually you know what, hard cider

do you think about love a lot? also agree...fictionally

a walk in the park or a walk on the beach? Beach but only at night when it's kind of cool, and private

hand kisses or nose kisses? hand

what’s your dreamhouse? Absolute wildest dream house would have an in-ground pool or indoor pool and library or one of those little in-home theaters and high ceilings and no neighbors