#but I love her your honour

[inlovewithjemily]

[mightymizora]

So, I’d love to hear some commentary about ‘Even If Love,’ specifically regarding Lae’zel’s chapter.

One day she calls her Darling in front of the others, and they laugh at her. The Blade in his cloying softness explains that the word is a form of endearment, not usually a name, but the creature tells them all that it is as good as anything else. That she doesn't know what else she is, or could be. Astarion proposes more; Red Reckoning, Freckles, a game that amuses the others to no end as they wander through this endless, dull rock, but nothing is proposed that stays.

She hates the dawn that brings the day here. She hates the muted browns of the earth, the rolling hills, the leaves on the trees and the constant sounds of chittering. She hates the rules of this place, the look the Cleric Shadowheart gives her of disgust, she hates the way things are not-said in the places between, she hates the lack of discipline, the children expected to frolic with no training, the sad face of the Blade of Frontiers when he says they should just be allowed to be children. Children, indeed. Darling looks on them with a similar confusion, and she asks her why as they leave the grove with their new ally on their heels.

Lae’zel literally so autism creature to me ❤️. My wife with poor social understanding. Also, she and Manva are incredibly similar. Objectified as weapons, violence is power, etc.

Is Manva Lae’zel’s darling from beginning to end of BG3? Does Manva care about her at all? Does it mean anything to Manva that she is the source of Lae’zel’s bruises? And finally, I’m curious about this stanza:

She will betray you too, you know that, don’t you? Shadowheart tells her before she leaves. The Nightsong is with Ketheric, and the Cleric will never fulfil her destiny. She is the last to leave them, and was not the first. She places her forehead against hers with a sharp grip on her neck, an intimacy not earned that she squirms against, but is held fast to. Do not let her, Lae’zel. You will ride a dragon one day. I believe it.

She had almost forgotten.

She will not forget.

Explain!

- 🫀

Weee I get to talk about my fave! I love this fic honestly.

Answering this director's cut question... about my fics!

I'm probably going to jump straight under the cut as this ask is quite long!

So the first thing to say about this fic is that these little things are short, typed-into-the-browser character studies so they're very much vibes led. I just have a thought, take a moment to sit down and just type away with no real edits!

With Lae'zel I had been thinking about names and what she knows and doesn't know. I had, as I often do lmao, been thinking about a line in @popiellart's seminal, beautiful, masterful The dark urge sleeps alone which is my favourite bit (hard to choose but it just about wins) when Wormwood and Lae'zel are fucking nasty and this exchange suddenly happens:

"You remind me of my sister." "What's a sister?" Lae'zel demands breathily, and drops her hips down, spearing herself on him without hesitation, drawing a desirous, possessive growl from his draconic muzzle. His eyes, half-lidded with hunger, have that foggy, far-away look that vexes others, but she doesn't mind. He is living, yawning death on the battlefield, his scales turning regal crimson whenever he's bathed in blood, and when he violently grips her and slams her down on the crumbling altar, bruising her back and cracking this font of worship to some dusty, dead god with the roaring fire of their living, he is a dragon red enough for her. "I don't know," he admits, finally. "Something sharp, I think."

(God what a FIC.)

It got me thinking a lot about what words probably don't have a direct translation in Tir'su, and forms of affection was something I came back to a lot. Lae'zel has no real choice but to take things as they are presented to her, and I thought it was odd and kind of sweet that she might take a term of endearment to be a name and, without anything better to give her, Manva allows it.

I think Lae'zel is a tremendous love interest for a Durge on the middle to relapsing path. Astarion, Wyll, Gale, Karlach and Shadowheart offer so much for a resist!Durge, and of course Minthara and a full evil run is sublime. But there's something so beautiful and sad in the fact that Durge and Lae'zel meet each other in a similar space, both understanding violence, passion, a calling to something potentially. But as Lae'zel has the potential to grow into a new part of herself, Durge kind of either goes far away from what made their love beautiful or hurtles so far into the violence that it leaves her broken. It's just...!

With Manva specifically, post-Kressa she's a very reduced version of herself. She's not completely different, but there are gaps, uncertainties, and she falls back very much on relying that the energies given to her will guide her right. You're right, they are SO similar, especially in the tentative steps into the world in act 1. Again, they're both very much taking the world as they see it at the beginning of the game. Lae'zel is so forward with her affections, but when it comes down to it, although she cares for her very much, I don't think Manva loves her in the way Lae'zel needs her to. She's also dazzled by Minthara, and she reserves a lot of (eventually non sexual) intimacy for her friendship with Astarion. It doesn't end technically, but it doesn't grow into something deeper because Manva just craves more and more blood and passion, and it ultimately will destroy them both if Lae'zel doesn't stop (she'll never love anybody as she loves her father, anyway.)

As for this final bit! I thought it might need a bit more set up but I left it as it was. Manva's relationship to Shadowheart was always very much "You can stay, but you stay for your oath." and Shadowheart follows because she thinks that Manva understands the importance of a higher call. It's a very tense relationship. Then Manva doesn't take her to the Nightsong and instead gives her to Balthazar, a decision that I don't even think Manva understands at that point (she doesn't really understand her relationship to Ketheric, but there's something left that makes her decide to hand her over.) That's the betrayal. Manva promises them all something; that Astarion and Minthara will have their revenge and take their power, and that Lae'zel will ride a red dragon, but Shadowheart sees her for who she truly is. She will never do right by them, and they must not be drawn into her web. And she's right.

(I also can't resist a little Shadowzel moment. Poor Lae'zel should have gone with her when she had the chance!)

[lambert-simnel]

Did you know Nana Visitor said in an interview she wasn’t considered a beautiful actress in the 90’s? absolutely insane

I actually had a hard time finding reference images for early season short hair big shoulder pads Kira. I guess they did less promo and the camera quality was maybe a bit shit in early on idk but this is my favourite outfit of hers ever I literally wrote about it for uni once

Anyway I can see definite improvement from my Dax painting, i’m still colour picking from the reference so I might challenge myself not to do that next time. I think this took around 3 hours? I should probably start timing myself

I’m really happy i’m getting better at digital painting but it has made me a little sad that I do so little traditional art now. that being said this is soo much easier to post getting a photo of the VVitch poster was so difficult and it would not scan correctly!!

all art is under #my art ,click for better quality !

[thebxghag]

just skeetchin -- Princess of one liners and kicking your butt at pai sho.

[howbrightthemoon]

the definition of blushing giggling kicking my feet

this was so cute, I love my dorks.

[nick-nellson]

PARKS AND RECREATION | 7.01 2017

[thenegoteator]

it's a busy busy time but I did manage to bang out this one prompt for @sabineweek

[mrsbridgerton]

nicola coughlan (who plays penelope featherington in netflix bridgerton) is currently mid press in promoting a new season of one of netflix's biggest shows (bridgerton) and continues to show her support to the people of Palestine.

QUEEN SHIT ONLY

[chiquilines]

Public garden study date!!

[spidertroupeart]

Poor quality doodles because art block is strong but SNUFKIN GAME

[bailiesartblog]

The Githyanki Warrior

[enneegon]

she should get to wear more pretty dresses

[twink-with-an-agenda]

They were right that mercy sure can morn

[barlowstreet]

[ameamedraws]

Kicking off the new year with some good yuri

[kingofscoops]

Auli'i Cravalho as Janis 'Imi'ike Mean Girls [2024]