#but the royals have their own understanding and the rest all go into the teaching scene

[florelia12]

I was thinking about future Florelia as one does…

I really do like the idea of Flora eventually becoming Alfea’s Headmistress. I can see Griselda wanting to keep her position and not take over Faragonda once she retires.

Flora would probably start by teaching classes, maybe even a new subject like Herbology that goes a little more in depth than Potionology. Maybe even does exchange classes with Cloud Tower.

She does continue her Realm/Land restoration projects on the side, and she would definitely push the school to take part in it too. Bringing students along to heal magically destroyed lands.

Then of course as Faragonda retires, she would ask Flora to take over and she would be thrilled and so honoured.

At the same time, as cute as it would be if Helia took over Red Fountain, I don’t think he would actually want that. It would feel like ultimately resigning to a fate he once tried to escape from.

I do think he would have taught at RF at some point. He’s not the most passionate about teaching but he is good at it. He’s patient and kind, and very understanding. He would still want to pursue Art and I think he would do a good mix of both. At first he’ll feel like he needs to choose but eventually he realises this is what makes him happy and he’s found a nice balance that works for him.

But you know who I’d love to see take over RF, Timmy.

I like the idea of Riven, too. But I feel like Timmy and Saladin share similar characteristics. As much as Riven would grow into becoming a good leader, I think he would enjoy taking over Codatorta’s role more, especially since it’s more hands-on and field work.

Timmy and Flora power-duo is so underrated!!!

But yeah, it’d be really cute for Helia and Flora being teachers at the respective schools, then Flora taking over and Helia going to visit her and him just being chill and enjoying life (painting until morning, wrangling dragons after breakfast then heading on over to Alfea for a little lunch with his wife 🥲) happily ever afters im gonna cry

[jimblejamblewritings]

love letters and second sons | part 1.

Summary: The princess is finally ready to debut in society. But before she does, she decides to disguise herself and see the true faces of the ton.

Author's Note: Hello! Yes, I'm here with a wip before finishing my other stuff. The Bridgerton girlies have got me. Congratulations to you all. So before you read this, please read: I Hate Accidents by @i-hate-accidents AND Over The Garden Wall by @homeofthepeculiar AND The Ultimate Deception by @maximoff-pan. These stories are some of my favorites and really inspired this fic.

Warnings for the Series: light sexism in line with the times, light classism in line with the times, mental health stigma, shitty doctor care, smut, suicide attempt (will get it's own warning when the time comes),

Pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x princess!reader

Word Count: 5.4k

Author's Note: To those who have read my other works, you'll notice that the author Mercutio's stories are something special

My Dearest Ton and Wonderful United Kingdom, 

I am pleased to welcome you all to the start of another social season. Of course, people love and look for love all year round but each year the season just seems to invite love to blossom. I hope all of you find the match to your souls. Marriage is a business but can it not have love as well? A business built with love surely must be a business that tries to last. I ask our respectful citizens and subjects of the United Kingdom to make love a part of their search. 

I would also like to ask about businesses that do not involve marriage or love. How are you? In the business of health, is everyone safe from all sickness? In the business of finance, does everyone have enough to eat and clothe themselves without falling into poverty? Are businesses afloat even if only by a small margin? How are you? Truly, I want to know. If you would like to write to me, please do so. The royal mailboxes should still be in perfect condition. 

Of course, if you have something urgent then I am sorry but you must come to the palace and request an audience. My valets hold all letters for a day or a few out of safety for everyone. But rest assured, I read every letter once received. 

I would also like to say that I can feel the winds of the ton calling me to grace their presence and to stop being rude by ignoring them. Naturally, the wind is very rude to say this and then cut through my dress and chill my bones even when it is snowing. But I digress, the wind is right. The time for introduction must be soon. And a lovely time that will be. I cannot wait to meet you all. 

Yours truly, 

A Not So Young Anymore Youngest Princess Y/N Hanover (Truly, I need a proper surname and not just the name of my father’s house)

My Dearest Ton and Wonderful United Kingdom, 

Would you like to know what I have learned yesterday? I know the Americas are still a touchy subject for some but I hope you don’t mind me talking about it, just to share my studies. Philadelphia is the center of American debate. So many great men (and women that have probably gone unnamed but aided their counterparts in their quest of education) have lived and are currently still living there. 

Going to America simply for a debate sounds terribly dreadful. But what if we had one here that wasn’t relegated to just the universities. An entire city becoming a center of debate seems incredibly foolish, not to mention disruptive to its current residents, but buildings of debate do not seem like a bad idea. 

Even if some feel like they aren’t smart enough, they should participate. Ideas are nurtured by sharing them. May some debates lead to great compromise and understanding and maybe even propositions for laws. 

I, for one, debate with my father every day on which science is the most important to teach to young children and which science can wait until university should they like to pursue that path. He believes all of it. I believe that medicinal science is too much for a young mind and they only need to be taught how to mind their health until they can understand better. What do you think? I am delighted to hear your opinions. Maybe mine will be swayed. 

Yours Truly,

Youngest Princess Y/N Buckingham (I am trying out new surnames until one I like sticks)

My Dearest Ton and Wonderful United Kingdom, 

I apologize if my stance may be radical but nothing in society ever got done if the start wasn’t a little radical. I believe that young women should be properly taught about relations… let me just say it, sex. Not when they are children, no, but when they are about to debut. Consider it. You all know that as a royal, despite being a woman, I have been taught all things. Everyone is aware that I know what sex is. But if I and my sisters were taught sex so that we may be aware of malicious advances and be able to protect our virtue first rather than waiting for our virtues to be saved by someone and risk them being too late, then others should as well. Therefore, I implore all mothers and governesses to teach their young ladies about to debut what sex is. And to fathers who may be without wives, please find any woman to teach your daughters.

I shall return with more radical ideas for a better and more prosperous United Kingdom. 

Yours truly, 

Youngest Princes Y/N Kew 

The printed letters delivered to London, had everyone enthralled in the early morning. Some people that lived close enough to the central town square didn’t bother with the prints and went straight to the wooden pin board there to look at the princess’ handwriting on the original letters. Whenever the Young Princess or the author Mercutio Quick wrote, people stopped and paid attention. 

Princess Y/N was the people’s princess. The one who listened to their complaints and wasn’t cheap on her charitable acts. She was so much like her father, Farmer George. Even with his illness he still ran a good country… when he was in charge. So much better than her eldest brother, George IV. Then again, any royal sibling was better than their eldest brother, even if only by a very small percentage. Everyday the public hoped another child would challenge George the Younger. They would rally their support behind them. 

They were hoping that any day George IV’s daughter, Charlotte, would have an heir. If she was pregnant then it would be so easy for the public to support her and convince either George IV to step down or convince Parliament to present a motion to King George. They would have a ruler and an heir. Charlotte the Younger would be the easiest transition for George IV to understand.

But neither her father nor husband seemed to care about the lack of heir. But the thought of succession and coups and duels was forgotten for a moment to read the Young Princess’ letters welcoming them to the new social season with new balls, debutantes, and drama. 

In the Bridgerton house, the family ran around like chickens with their heads cut off. They were trying to get ready to present Daphne to the Queen while also trying to read the Young Princess’ letters. Benedict laughed as he slapped his copy of the letters. 

“Mother would have a fit if she had to speak with Daphne about sex.” 

“I’m surprised she would even suggest such a thing,” Colin said as he returned to reading the first letter, thinking he might actually write to the Young Princess about his familial concerns and wanting to travel desperately but being unsure about leaving them. 

Eloise finally smiled as she came downstairs with the rest of her siblings. “I for one think it’s rather refreshing. She is right. Our mamas should be teaching us more than just how to meet the Queen… Daphne! You must make haste! Do you think she heard me?” 

Colin rolled his eyes. “She most certainly did. But on the matter of the princess, what is wrong with a woman’s husband teaching her about sex?” 

“Everything is wrong with that.” 

“Hmm.” 

He looked down to reread the paper, wondering if he could understand what the princess actually meant. Even though the letters were left at home, talk of the princess never ceased. How could it? The monarchy’s youngest princess might actually be joining them. Everyone wanted to know what she would look like, not in the face of course. Even her fourth brother didn’t take off his mask until after five months of being introduced to society and he was the shortest time it took to see the royal children’s face. 

“Do you think she will be tall like her eldest sister or short? Plump?” Eloise asked as their carriages started their way towards the palace. “I’d imagine I’d be very lovely and plump if I could be stuck in a palace all day with the most wonderful food imaginable. Not that anyone should ever value a woman based on her body but Penelope has stated that her sisters are terribly upset because all the dress makers have started saying that plump is going to be in fashion once again in only a few years time and by the time they become plump it’ll be out of fashion again.” 

Daphne looked out the window. “I wonder if she’ll look like the Queen or the King. Oh, what makeup do you think she’ll wear? What mask did she have created for herself? When do you think we’ll actually see her face?” 

Violet touched the knees of all her girls. “Whatever she is like, do not be rude and gawk. The poor thing will already have the vultures’ eyes on her all night. If she even comes out tonight. Perhaps it will be at a ball this week. That would be quite a fantastic introduction. I do hope she at least meets us this season.” 

Francesca smiled. “I imagine her dance card would be quite full.” 

“She’d have bracelets of dance cards going up to her arm,” Daphne agreed.  

“But she isn’t coming into society yet. She’s just introducing herself to us,” Eloise said. 

“She’s still a princess royal. A very well-known one at that. There’s no way the men would pass on an opportunity to dance with her. They’d want to start making their intentions known now, get ahead of everyone else.” 

The boys’ carriage was speaking of a different matter entirely. The princess and Mercutio had written to the ton at the same time. With the presentation to the Queen taking up so much of the day, most people wouldn’t be able to read his work until later that evening. Colin and Benedict simply couldn’t wait. Colin sat with his brother as he drove the carriage and read the story out loud: 

“Arsehole,” Cecilia muttered. 

Ignoring the sharp stinging of her backside, she hopped off the bed to find something to put on. All she needed to accomplish was getting back to her room, clothed. She knew there must have been some spare clothes in their dressers. It was just a matter of sorting through which garments were hers and which belonged to the others. She had been sorely mistaken to ignore the three members of nobility behind her, thinking they hadn’t heard her. 

Lovell scrunched up his face, resembling a rat. “Is receiving another punishment something you really care for? Because this attitude you’ve acquired is going to earn you one.” 

“Piss off.” 

“Is that any way to talk to your dominants?” Madison asked, adjusting herself in Tommy’s arms. 

Cecilia scoffed as she walked towards the door, placing one hand on the doorknob. “Lavender.” 

The other three faces fell at the use of that forbidden word. Cecilia’s hand reached up ever so gently and wiped away tears. She wondered if the tears were for her former lovers or for finally realizing her mind was deluded to think she would be with anyone above her station such as Lovell. 

“I don’t want this anymore.” 

“Cecilia.” 

“You never believe that I don’t enjoy breaking our established rules. You only listen to Madison.” 

“Cecilia.” 

“It is clear you both like her more than you desire me. I am down.” 

“Cecilia.” 

“You shall see me around this manor, doing my job as I always have. But that is the extent of our relationship.” 

“Please, just give u—” 

“Good day, Lord Parham. Lord Newall, Lady Wilcher.” 

“Riveting,” Colin said as he finished reading. “Mr. Mercutio has done it again.” 

Benedict nodded. “Indeed he has. I was a bit worried when he announced that he wanted to dabble in the themes of erotic pleasures in his stories but this was just as enjoyable as all the others.”

“Agree… Oh, it says here that they have earned a publishing deal. The penny stories will still come out once a week, chapter by chapter but readers can also purchase a book if they would like to keep the story properly or are in a rush to read it. I for one will be buying the books.” 

“I second that.” 

“I wonder what his next story will be about. Actually, no, I wonder what our dear sisters and mothers can be talking about.” 

“The princess, no doubt.”

”Do you think any of our brothers will approach?” Eloise asked in the women’s carriage, more to herself than anything. 

That made Hyacinth’s face light up. “If one of them marries the princess does that mean we get to be princesses too?” 

“As if any of our brothers even could or want to.” Francesca pulled her face away from the window.

“If anyone is going to bring them to the marriage mart,” Daphne started as she fanned herself. “It would be the princess. Anthony would be a good match for her.” 

Violet laughed, thinking of the idea. “A viscount and a princess are a perfect match.” 

All talk of the princess stopped as they approached. The worst thing that could happen could be a footman overhearing them and mistaking their speech for malicious gossip rather than light-natured and report it to the princess or the queen or even worse, King George himself. They would forever be ostracized from society. 

From upstairs, you watched from a window where you knew no one could see you even if they looked up. How you desperately wanted to be down there. All the men were dressed up and looking like penguins. Handsome they were but still penguin-like in silhouette. And the women’s dresses. Some, while upper class, were of a lower social standing and wore older dresses that looked just as gorgeous as the empire and rather shapeless dresses of today. 

But today was not your day. You actually weren’t sure when your day would be. Your mother and father let their children choose when they would be introduced to society. Of course you all had to wait for a certain age and it had to be a date at the start of the social season but you could pick the day. And unlike your last sibling, you wanted it to be at a ball instead of the selection of the Diamonds. You didn’t even care which ball it would be. Perhaps it was selfish but you did want a day all to yourself or at least a day with you as the main focus. But that wasn’t this year. Or any year perhaps. 

You were excited to finally leave the walls of the palace if you were allowed, having proven yourself capable of not causing an incident. Unfortunately, you couldn’t say you had proven yourself without illness. You weren’t that lucky. You and all your siblings were locked inside until the royal physicians could observe and confirm that you weren’t sick with whatever madness your father had. They didn’t have to observe you. That was also why you picked a ball instead of today. You wanted to prove you didn’t need a chaperone literally holding your elbow. You wanted freedom like your siblings. Freedom to explore that you weren’t sure would get because of your illness. 

After a nearly fatal drowning in the lake — an event your siblings still get chewed out for at least once a month — you started showing symptoms like George did. For you it wasn’t about if you would be as sick like your father. It was about how bad and how quickly the illness would get. 

You didn’t get to see George as often as the others. The doctors thought you shouldn’t be around him for prolonged periods of time unless it was after an episode. They thought that too much exposure would make you more like him instead of better. They wanted to send him to Kew but you promised that you wouldn’t go to his quarters as long as he got to stay at Buckingham. 

Charlotte, silly as it may have been, had hope. They caught your sickness early. Nine was a very young age to almost go mad. Maybe you could be saved from a cruel fate unlike George. They were too late for him but not for you. Of course this only brought jealousy from your siblings who didn’t feel like they got as much affection anymore. Every time you even twitched, it became about you. They could never hate you. It wasn’t like you asked to be sick. But it was hard to be around you. Everyday visits became once a week. Still, you cherished those visits. Like the one yesterday. They expressed their sympathies and hopefulness that you would get to introduce yourself and maybe it could even be this year or maybe this month. 

You could have scoffed. After what you did just two days ago, you were unsure. The daylight came into your room before you were prepared for it and you had been convinced that Buckingham was on fire. You couldn’t be calmed down until you jumped into the water fully clothed. Immediately, you pulled yourself out of the trance but no one really cared. The royal physician had been called anyway and you had ruined all chances of attending the presentation to the Queen. 

“Your Highness!” a voice disturbed your thoughts and your eyes from looking at your siblings’ carriages leave in the morning. Your lady-in-waiting approached you with a paper, an entire pamphlet. “It’s already spread through the ton like a fire. We haven’t read it yet. We figured new literature would be a treat for you.” 

“Thank you, Pandora. Shall we read it in the kitchens this morning when we return home?” 

“Not your room?” 

“I’m so terribly sick of my room and the washroom and the balcony and the bedroom.” 

“You are getting restless.” 

“It’s only a matter of time. Maybe even tomorrow it’ll happen. And soon it will only be a couple of years at most before the mask is gone. By the way,” you said as the two started to leave. “Did you hear about the Feather girl that fainted? Is she alright?” 

“Oh yes, she’s fine.” 

“Good. Have someone send flowers to her tomorrow with an inquiry about her wellbeing after taking such a tumble. Oh and no flowers to the Diamond. I want to meet her myself one day. Now, let’s read about this… Lady Whistledown. She already sounds like an interesting woman.” 

Interesting it was indeed. The maids and kitchen staff hung onto your every word as you read the pamphlet. You weren’t exactly sure how you felt about the pamphlet yet but Pandora was right about one thing. It was literature. Lady Whistledown seemed bold enough to list subjects by name. By their entire name as if she wasn’t afraid of any repercussions. You supposed she wouldn’t be since Whistledown was obviously not her real name. 

It wasn’t the subject of what she published that bothered you. A lot of it was standard gossip that goes around during the social season but it was her personal opinion. She almost seemed to want the ladies she wrote about to have miserable ends like inquiring about Daphne Bridergton’s flame burning out quickly. The lady must know that what she published could ruin a reputation. Gossip is no longer gossip when publicly written down. It has the potential to become fact. 

You slapped the pamphlet against your hand. “Well, I suppose Mercutio Quick from York will no longer be the entertainment of the ton. Sad, and right as I earned a publishing deal too. Perhaps, I should take up a different art. Like making dresses for all my days or learning to play the harp and cello properly so it sounds better than a dying whale according to my brothers.” 

The cook shook his head. “Your stories are very entertaining. Even Lady Whistledown couldn’t stop that.” 

“Thank you for saying that. I am rather jealous that she is penning under a woman.” 

“But you have chosen a name based on your favorite characters, have you not?” 

“I have but maybe I should’ve chosen better. This Lady Whistledown might be making more change for women then I hope to accomplish.” 

At this, the staff scoffed. Pandora cleaned up your dishes from the kitchen island in front of you. 

“Your Highness, with the utmost respect, you are the one who is going to do more for women than this Whistledown. Everybody already wants someone other than your kind brother on the throne. They’re all praying your niece gives them any child so they may protest for her with the added benefit of an heir. They love her and what you write about in your letters make her seem even better. Hell, they love you and they don’t even know you. They listen to you. And with your words, Princess Charlotte the Younger will be on the throne and you will prove women are more than capable of whatever and we might have real change. Is she still on board?” 

“Yes. She hates her father as much as anyone else does. George is nice once you get to know him… sort of. But Lettie approves as long as I agree to be in her court. I said yes of course.” 

“Then it is settled. Thank God we might actually get change in our wretched lives. Now you must wash up and oversee the Bridgerton gowns before they are sent off. Shall we pick certain ones from your wardrobe?” 

“Give the Diamond the one with lace and her family’s colors. Pick whatever you want for the rest of them. Oh and patterns must be on the Feather mother’s dress. I noticed she wears the most ill-favored ornamented dresses but she seems to like them. And put in an order with the modiste, I should like to do this often if this first gesture goes well and the gift wardrobe will need more clothes than it has at present. Clothes for the lower classes as well, nothing that could get them attacked and the clothes stolen off their bodies.” 

“Yes, Your Highness.”  

“And, by the way, I already washed up.” 

“Yes, but now you’ve been sitting amongst smoke and smells.” 

You gave up your fight and nodded as you jumped down from your stool and began the walk to your room. No one was around today. They wouldn’t be for most of the social season as they had other duties, including watching your siblings. Despite your madness, you weren’t the biggest concern at all. It was your rakish brothers in brothels, your sisters constantly leaving their husbands or suitors, and all of them sneaking away. You paused for a moment before walking quicker until you reached your room. 

Why couldn’t you sneak out? Now would be the perfect opportunity. And no one was looking for you. It would be so easy to scale the vines up the garden wall and just have fun for a moment. You washed up quickly and put on a very simple dress — one more like the style of today rather than your father’s time. Grabbing a cloak and your mask, you put them down on the bed before sitting down at your writing desk to pen a letter. The slam of the door nearly made you jump out of your skin. You calmed as you realized it was just Pandora. 

“Oh, good. It is just you.” 

“I have the Bridgerton and Featherington dresses but what do you mean it is just me, Y/N?” 

You stood up, abandoning the letter now that someone was around. “I am going out to see the ton.” 

“What?” 

“It is still dark. I have a map, my cloak, and the mask. And I have a very clear destination with vehicles that will get me back in the most discreet of ways should I need to use them.” 

“Your Highness.” 

“Pandora. I am nearing my introduction to society. You will all have to let me go at some point. I know everyone cares for my wellbeing but my happiness is gone. I am seen as nothing but my illness. Before I have an episode in public like the king, let me meet the ton. Let me not be Farmer Y/N for a brief moment of my life before I am a farmer forever, before I stay in that garden just like Father.” 

Pandora’s mouth shut. She simply locked the door and unlocked the window. “You must return before your midmorning promenade and snack. Since you ate downstairs, I can convince them to overlook your absence of a breakfast request. And don’t take your mask. It’s better if they don’t know who you are at all.” 

She gasped as you hugged her. 

“Thank you, Pandora! Thank you! You are truly the bestest friend a woman could have.” 

“Just go so you can come back quickly and I can have my sanity back.” 

You closed the window, shocking Pandora as you pulled a picture frame off the wall to reveal a staircase that led outside. The door was hidden behind the trellis covered in vines and flowers. You pulled the hood over the cloak over you. The last thing you did was check for your bracelet and if your papers were inside. Until you were introduced to society, all the royal children had bracelets that couldn’t come off unless cut off. There were just in case measures with the eldest two but became necessary after so many nights sneaking out. The bracelet wasn’t going anywhere but you didn’t want to lose your birth certificate. It was your first safety measure. Even if you were kidnapped or harmed, you’d be returned to the palace for a pretty penny. You did pull your sleeves down so your bracelet wouldn’t be noticed.  

You couldn’t contain your smile at the excitement of being out. London was so different without all the noise. The brothels and pubs were starting to close down for their few hours of rest and relaxation. You stuck to streets where you could see all the action but wouldn’t be easily spotted. No one bothered you until you arrived at your destination. 

The footman stood to attention. “May I help you?” 

“Yes, hello. I bring a package from Buckingham House for the Bridgertons, courtesy of Princess Y/N.” You handed him a letter with your official stamp at the end of it. 

The footman’s eyes went wide as he handed you back the letter and ran inside. The Bridgertons looked up at the frantic knocking, pulling slips over Hyacinth and Daphne before telling the footman he could enter. The Bridgerton boys came upstairs after hearing the heavy pounding of their employee’s footsteps running up the multiple stairs. 

“Is there a problem, Marshall?” 

He panted before taking in a deep breath. “The Young Princess’ lady-in-waiting is here, bearing gifts.” 

“WHAT?!” 

The Bridgertons collectively yelled before the scramble happened. You tilted your head when you saw the windows open and a maid shake out some bedsheets. She squeaked when she looked down to see you. You laughed as she ran back inside. It couldn’t have been more than five minutes before you were escorted into the house by a very out of breath footman. The Bridgertons stood on the steps at the end of their entrance hall in chronological order with their mother starting the line at the very bottom step. Nervous smiles graced their faces when you finally reached them. You curtsied to which they curtsied or bowed back. 

You gave them a second to assess you before speaking. Even though it wasn’t true in the slightest, everyone thought the ladies-in-waiting and manservants were reflections of the royals themselves. Not in character or value but in appearance. They figured they could form some sort of picture as to what the young masked royals looked like. If you were ugly then surely the princess was too. You hoped they at least found you to be average looking in appearance. 

Anthony Bridgerton — the new head of house from what you remembered of your studies — stepped from behind his mother to greet you formally. He bowed once again, deeper, before offering up his hand. You settled yours in it to receive a chaste kiss. 

“To what do we owe this sudden pleasure, Mrs…” 

“Beckett,” you lied, just using Pandora’s last name. 

“Mrs. Beckett?” He didn’t recognize the name as one belonging to an upper class member of the ton. He wasn’t sure he recognized the name at all. 

“Apologies, I should explain. The princess doesn’t distinguish in her court, we are all there to work. All women are ladies-in-waitings, all men are valets. Regardless of station, regardless of marriage.” 

“So, I am to take it that my earlier statement was incorrect.” 

You nodded. “Simply Miss Beckett.” 

“Well that sounds like very forward thinking actually. All the same, it is our pleasure to meet anyone in her highness’ court.” 

Violet smiled as she watched the interaction. If her son was close to anyone in the princess’ court, especially someone that seemed so close to the princess as to be sent here, then he would be able to meet the princess with good graces. He’d be ahead of any man by leagues. 

“Princess Y/N has sent me on her behalf. She extends warm greetings to the Bridgertons and the Featheringtons whom I will meet after our encounter. The princess congratulates Miss Daphne Bridgerton for earning Diamond of the Season as well as congratulations to the Dowager Viscountess for raising such a fine woman and to Viscount Bridgerton for chaperoning and keeping the family together therefore allowing his sister to shine.” 

He cleared his throat and started to smile. “Please give the princess all of our thanks for the most kind of compliments.” 

“And she would like to assure Miss Bridgerton that I have not been sent on behalf of any princes. Her brothers will not be bothering you today.” 

They all chuckled when you laughed. 

You set the first box down on the table next to you and opened it. “The princess has brought new dresses for the ball. The Diamond and the rest of her family should have the opportunity to shine with the utmost and wholehearted respect and support of the Crown. Please, enjoy them.” 

The family ran to the table, picking out dresses and suits and matching them to the person’s name on the paper pinned to each garment. They kept singing praises and admiring the outfits. Violet turned back to you. 

“When are you planning on visiting the Featheringtons?” 

“In an hour or so, I must be back before the princess’ morning promenade. She has a very busy day afterwards.” 

“Will the princess be introducing herself this season?” 

“Hyacinth!” Anthony and Violet yelled at the same time. 

You laughed. “It is no trouble. I’m at liberty to answer as the princess’ head valet.” 

“Valet? I thought you said they were all men. They are usually all men.” 

“If the princess should become heir to the throne then she will receive a male valet alongside me. For now, it is just me. The Crown believes someone of the same gender should always be with her should she need to confide in someone about very personal matters.” You took a breath before testing the waters. “Such as affections of the heart.” 

It had dawned on you in that moment that you could spy on the ton. When the time came, you would still have to dance with all the bachelors of the United Kingdom but you at least you would have a better picture of them. You’d have to apologize to Pandora for the countless strokes she was about to earn from you but you couldn’t make this your only time sneaking out.  

Violet smiled, knowing she was right. “Well, would you like to stay for breakfast?” 

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to impose.” 

“It would be no trouble at all. We have more than enough room. Eloise, dear, if Penelope is to come over please request that she do so now.”

(part 2)

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[leosxrealm]

ꜱᴀᴜᴅᴀᴅᴇ

pairing(s): prince! Arthur Leclerc x male! knight! reader

warning(s): mentions of injury, mentions of death, royal au! forbidden romance(?), angst

(a/n): a lot of backstory and angst. also this was inspired the moodboard i made. and inspired by the song– sign of the times by harry styles. also the dynamic was kind of inspired by patrochilles from tsoa.

wc: 1.6k

!not proofread!

"Y/n! Uncle!"

You hear the high-pitched voice of a young boy. On turning around, you see him running towards you. But he never reaches you.

You let out a sigh. Seeing Arthur trip on his own feet was not an uncommon sight for you. You could never understand how a prince could be so clumsy. You walk over towards him, helping the poor boy up.

"Prince Arthur," your father greets him with a small smile.

"Uncle!" the younger beams.

"What brings you here, your Highness?" your father asks him, curious about why the youngest prince was near the soldier's quarters, which happened to be on the opposite side of the Prince's room.

Arthur stills for a second, gathering his thoughts. "My father has requested your presence. He said something about- about-" He trails off, not remembering the rest of what his father had said.

Your father smiles down at him. You didn't know what he found amusing about him. Your father turns to you, giving you a small smile, "I have to go. Please take care of Prince Arthur and escort him back to his room."

"Yes, father."

---

You look around the hallways as you walk behind the youngest prince. The royal quarters were completely different from what you were used to.

Arthur's room soon comes into your field of vision. It was only a few paces down Prince Charles'. "Do you want to come in?" he asks excitedly, eager to show you the new toys his father had brought from his recent travels.

You accept his request. It's not like you could say no to a Prince; you were a nobody compared to him.

---

You had been practicing your sword skills near the river bank before you were disturbed by the presence of another person. It took you a second to recognize him. After all, you didn't expect him to be here. 

"Hello!" he said after spotting you, his eyes full of innocence and with the biggest smile on his face. 

"Your Highness," you bow, just like you were taught to. He frowned, he never liked how you treated him like a prince. He wanted to be your friend, and friends don't bow to each other. Or act like one was superior.

He quickly changed the topic, asking you to teach him some of your sword moves.

"You have a trainer already," you pointed out, "appointed by the king."

"But I don't like him," he replied, pouting like a child. You sometimes forget that he's a prince. From what you were told, a prince shouldn't act this way. Maybe he got away with it because he was the youngest, you wondered.

"I'm not a teacher," you replied, hoping the annoying boy would go away already. "But you could teach a friend!" Arthur replied happily. You take a moment to answer. "You're a prince. We can not be friends." You walk away from the river, going back to the soldier's quarters.

Arthur watched you walk away from him. He didn't understand why you disliked him so much. All he wanted was a friend.

---

You were appointed to accompany the youngest prince while he went to the local bazaar. He wouldn't let anyone else accompany him and of course, the king couldn't let him go alone.

Arthur had made it known that you would be the only one he would allow to be near him. So upon receiving direct orders from the King, you couldn't exactly say no.

---

His eyes beg you. Trying to covey the words his mouth couldn't. Was it selfish of him? To want you to stay when the kingdom was under attack? He searches your eyes. What was he trying to find?

You step closer to him. Your hand gently cups his face, bringing him closer, till your foreheads touch.

"I have to go," you whisper, your breath tickling his face. A lump forms in his throat. He doesn't want you to leave.

His stomach churns at the thoughts that cross his mind. The 'what if' scenarios running through his mind. He can't shake off this feeling he has.

"Don't." It's so quiet you barely hear it. "Please."

"My Prince." You pull him into your embrace, gently tucking his face in the curve of your neck. One of your hands around his back, the other supporting his head.

"My love," you try to console him. It hurt you to see him like that. It hurt you the most to know you were the reason for his current state. 

"At least..." he tries to say before his own sobs cut him off. "At least stay the night." 

You look at Arthur. He was clutching your vest, scared that if he let go, you would leave. He reminded you of the young boy you had met all those years ago. 

The clumsy little boy, who used to run around the palace barefoot, tripping so often that his arms and legs were scattered in scars. 

The determined little boy, who used to beg you to teach him how to fight because he didn't think he was strong enough to deserve the title of prince. The smart little boy, who taught you how to read and write, something you had never learned because a soldier had no use for such things.

The caring little boy, who stayed up all night once to look after you after you had caught a severe cold.

The sensitive little boy, who cried when he found a dead butterfly in the garden. You didn't have the heart to tell him that those things barely lived for a few weeks. The brave little boy, who fought his father, the king, because the king forbade him from spending time together with lowlifes.

You smile at the memory. Arthur had fought his own father all because he called you a lowlife. You knew your place in the system. It wasn't the first time you had heard such a thing. It's what you were so you didn't ever consider it an insult. 

But seeing Arthur defend you like that, against the king of all people, had really made you see him in a new life.

You tighten your arms around him. You didn't want to leave him here. But this was a war the kingdom couldn't afford to lose. Things had been especially tough on the frontlines. 

"Of course, my love," you reply softly, pressing a lingering kiss to the top of his head. 

---

Arthur woke up the next day to an empty bed. You were nowhere to be seen. Deep inside, he knew you had already left. You were probably about to reach the battlegrounds.

He rolled over to your side of the bed. At least that's what he had been calling it ever since you had started spending the nights in his room. It was already cold.

He tried to sleep again, to get away from the thoughts clouding his mind but to no avail.

Something caught his eye. It was sitting on top of the nightstand. He reached out grabbing the small piece of jewelry.

He recognized it. It was a simple silver chain with your birthstone hanging from it. It was the most precious thing you had. You had told him once. A gift from your late mother.

He carefully wrapped his fingers around it. He knew how much it meant to you. It was your treasure and you had left it in his care. He brought the necklace closer to him. Like he was holding a piece of you. 

He curled up in a ball, weeping quietly. The reality of the situation hit him. There was only one instance he could think of where you would leave behind your most treasured necklace.

---

The Sun had already settled for the day. The stars, shining like little gems in the blanket of darkness. It had been a long day for the two young boys. Sweaty and tired, they laid in the freshly trimmed grass. 

"You did good today." the shorter of the two turned  his head to look at his companion. You had never been the first to start a conversation with him, much less compliment him. Arthur felt himself turning red as you laid there oblivious. 

"Thanks," he meeked out. He turned to look at you once again. Your had laid comfortably on the ground, your eyes closed, the moon that had previously been hiding behind the clouds was now shining its luminance onto you. 

Heavenly. You looked heavenly. It was the only way he could describe you. He closed his eyes, taking in the smell of the grass surrounding him, and of the blooming flowers through the wind. the sound of the leaves rattling, and you.

"I want to learn life with you."

You opened your eyes slowly. It had been so quiet that you barely heard it. You turned to the boy next to you. Or rather the man next to you. He was fifteen, turning sixteen in a few weeks. 

He was no longer the clumsy little boy you had met. He fitted into his role as the prince perfectly. He knew how to fight now. He was attending meetings when his brothers couldn't. His opinions were heard in the council. Everyone had acknowledged him as a man, as a dutiful prince. 

He had even changed physically. He was taller than you remembered. Stronger, even. His muscles were starting to show. His voice was slightly deeper. His hair was longer. He had grown. Before you knew it, a smile had appeared on your face. 

---

He holds the letter close to him, the edges of the paper crumbling under his fingers. The tears staining the paper. It was written in a hurry, he could tell. Addressed to him, sitting neatly on the nightstand next to your necklace.

He wailed.

Please forgive me, my prince. I would not be there to accompany you till the end. I wish it didn't had to end like this. I wish I got learn more of life with you.

I hope we can meet again somewhere. Somewhere far away from here. Maybe in the after life. Until then, take care of yourself, my love.

Love,

Your Knight

(a/n): i've written after soooo many months so its kinda weird and all over the place. and a little rushed. I'll get better when i start writing more eventually i promise🤞🏼i still hope you guys enjoyed it

[utytimeline]

I might make some people mad, but I'm gonna say it, anyway.

So, Ceroba's reason for choosing Chujin over Star was because she wanted someone more mature. At least, that's my understanding. Star was playing cowboy and role-playing with his friends while she wanted to settle down and raise a family.

And... yeah, Star had a lot of growing up to do. And he did almost none of it until Ceroba stopped him from shooting us.

Star's main character flaw is his ego, but it's even worse than just an ego. Half the reason he set up the Wild East was to help everyone else. He wanted to bring in money to help his family when the Swelterstone's effects caused a drought; he wanted monsters to get a taste of what the surface is like so they don't drown in despair; and he wanted to make Ceroba happy after she lost both her husband and her child. All of this on top of feeling like he was a "nobody farmer" that couldn't do anything or help anyone.

So Star's primary character flaw isn't as simple as just having a big ego. His primary character flaw is trying to fix others as a way of fixing himself.

Sometimes this is a good thing, tho. I often think of Star as the "papa" of the Feisty Five. He's the protective one, he's the one teaching them ethics (reminding Mooch that they're not supposed to be bandits, playing dead to teach Clover about the responsibility of potentially hurting someone), he takes care of the town, he's made ALL his own money from this town that he built himself (enough that Mooch wants his inheritance, so it's a sizeable amount), he even gave his posse a designated nap time, gave Ceroba a home (and possibly gave her his bed while he crashes on the couch), sews his own clothes, set up all the rules and regulations... and I could go on, but I think I've made my point. Star is not wholly irresponsible. He's not perfectly responsible- he, and the rest of the posse, have a habit of breaking and losing Blackjack's weapons, they're all loud and rowdy, and they have a tendency to forget to turn off their boulder machines out in the Dunes.

So, yeah, Star does still have some growing up to do. But he's got a good start.

As for... everything that went wrong... That was entirely due to Star's worship of humanity. Star fell in love with westerns and with the justice and overall sense of romance that they portrayed, so much so that he not only tried to make himself into one of his western heroes, but he then extended this worship to the first human to ever set foot in the Dunes- namely, Clover. And because of this, Star completely threw everything that was good about himself out the window. He sees a human an immediately decides "this is my deputy," without even really giving Clover a fair chance to see if they even are deputy material. He forgot the safety glasses, got so worked up he forgot how to pronounce "duel," became extremely temperamental, apparently forgot that Vengeful Virgil was scheduled for the train mission that day, locked up a Royal Guard against her will (arguably committing treason in doing so, I might add), and just generally began running over everyone's words and emotions, including Ceroba's.

So when it came down to the Showdown... Star blamed Clover. Star's not an idiot. He knows good and well it's not Clover's fault. It's Star's fault- or more precisely, it's his worship of humanity that is to blame. But the problem is, he's taken it upon himself to guard the feelings of other monsters, to make them feel hope and joy. And he just screwed up and stole all that from them. So he's conflicted, not willing to admit that he has done the exact opposite of everything he set out to do. And since it's his worship of humans that led him to this point, he decides to blame the human.

Hence, the Showdown.

But he doesn't want to do it. He says himself, "Monsterkind's Hero is a title soaked in blood." He loves humans. And he sees Clover as a friend. He doesn't want to kill them. He's not a killer, and he doesn't want to be one. He doesn't believe in it. Justice is one thing, but... how is it just to kill someone that did nothing wrong?

So. Here's where Ceroba comes in. Telling Star he needs to calm down and go back to who he used to be. And Star points out that she's changed, too. Even Ceroba says, before taking Clover to the Steamworks, that she doesn't know if she has room to tell Star to go back to the Starlo she used to know.

Ceroba, tho, is no different than Star (this is the part that I said might make some people mad). Ceroba worships Chujin just as much as Star worships humans.

Ok, look. Chujin was a great craftsman. He built so much- furniture for Dalv, his and Ceroba's house, the space heater at the Honeydew Resort, many other items in use throughout the Underground, Kanako's toys (even programmed a video game for her), and so much more. So much that even Star respects him for all that he did for everyone.

However, there is also much that indicates that Chujin wasn't the best at his job. His only award is "You Tried at Engineering," and it took 14 tries for him to build a working robot. In Chujin's defense, I will say that it is impressive that he did build a working, sentient robot without the use of a SOUL, which is how Alphys made both Mettaton and Mew Mew; however, if Chujin is really such a genius, why did it take 14 tries to get Axis to work, when it apparently only took 1 try for Guardener?

And then Chujin didn't just stop with robotics, but went on to SOUL research. Two completely different fields. (And before anyone starts commenting on Alphys, I just want to point out, yet again, that both of the robots she built did use SOUL power; so, realistically, Alphys never was a great robotics genius, but rather, everything she did was a part of SOUL research- hence, the reason Asgore hired her as the Royal Scientist). But Chujin decided to press on with his SOUL research, despite there being no indication anywhere that he had ever done any such research before.

Now, I'm not trying to say that Chujin wasn't remarkable or a genius. I'm just pointing out some things that indicate that maybe he wasn't quite the genius that Ceroba wanted to make him out to be. And... Ceroba's reaction to his "You Tried" award. She's proud of him. More pride than what is warranted by such an award.

Ceroba said she met Chujin when he pretty much rescued her after she twisted her ankle, fell into a ditch, and laid there for several hours, unable to move. She also said that she had considered dating Starlo before meeting Chujin. So... hate me for this if you want to, but I feel like she may not have the best judgement when it comes to guys. Now, that's not to say she picked losers or creeps. Both Chujin and Starlo were/are sweethearts that care deeply about everyone around them. But the fact remains that Ceroba left behind the guy that she'd known all her life for a guy she just met, just because he rescued her from a bad situation.

And I'm not even saying she made a bad choice! By all accounts- including Ceroba's, Martlet's, and even Starlo's- Chujin was a good, kind-hearted, hard-working monster, and a wonderful husband and father. But... he wasn't perfect. And I think Ceroba, even though they had to have been married at least 10 years, just always had stars in her eyes where he was concerned. He was her everything. She believed he could do no wrong. She believed it so strongly, she was willing to do... many horrible things.

Ceroba's drive to kill Clover started with her love for Chujin. She wanted to do anything to keep him alive in her own heart. And when their child begged and pleaded for a chance to help, Ceroba agreed, because Kanako woshipped her father, too. Ceroba's misguided belief in her husband guided her to do things she would never have done otherwise.

Thus the reason for her guilt. It's not just guilt over killing her own child. It's also guilt over knowing that it was her own misguided worship of a monster that wasn't as perfect as she thought he was, that this was what led her to kill, and to kill again.

Ceroba worshipped Chujin. Just as Starlo worshipped the ground Clover walked on, Ceroba worshipped the ground Chujin walked on.

So when people point to Ceroba's comment that Starlo didn't grow up... yeah. She's right. Starlo needed to grow up.

But so did Ceroba.

One of the hardest parts of growing up is realizing that the people you worship are just people. They make mistakes, and you, yourself, are mistaken for believing they can do no wrong.

So, anyway. There's as much Staroba (Starfox, I call them) hatred as there is love for the ship. I've seen both sides of the argument: Starlo isn't mature enough; Ceroba is insane. Yeah. You're both right. And that's why they're perfect for each other. They both made the mistake of changing everything they were in an effort to continue worshipping their idols. They both went nuts. They were both driven to kill. This is the inherent danger of idolatry, believing so much in something that isn't real, that you will do anything to make it stay real to you.

[mirai-e-jump]

TV Guide Dan Vol.50, January 2024 Issue ft. Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger Cast Members Sakai Taisei x Masato Yano Interview (translations below)

Publication: January 26, 2024

"Please introduce the character the other is playing in Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger."

Sakai: Yano-san plays Racules Husty, the big brother of Gira Husty, who I play. At first, we were led to believe that he was a bad guy who hurt his citizens, but unknown to Gira, he was carrying a huge burden on his shoulders, and was deliberately behaving in a way that made him look like that. Gira may have lost his childhood memories, but I think he respected Racules in those days, and even now is of great importance to Gira.

Yano: Gira is the younger brother of Racules, but at the same time, he's a mysterious being. Somehow, he can communicate with the Shugods…For the rest of the story, it felt like he was moving forward with innocence, but gradually, he gained leadership, moved the hearts of those around him, and became the driving force for the previously broken up Royal Sentai to become one. Furthermore, he's also been gaining more and more dignity as the new king, and now he and Racules have resolved their differences and are fighting together.

"Outside of your roles as brothers, what's the relationship between you two like?"

Yano: (with a solemn expression) We normally don't get along very well.

Sakai: (with a straight face) We fight alot.

Sakai & Yano: (laughs).

Yano: No, we're just joking. That's not the case at all.

Sakai: Yano-san takes very good care of me. He cares about me, asking, "Are you eating properly?," and also gives me advice on acting.

Yano: I'm not offering anything major. I just say, "Here's what I'm doing."

Sakai: For example, in running scenes, Yano-san breathes loudly with, "Haa, haa" to make the sound easier to pick up. Since Gira has many running scenes, I try to incorporate this in my own way.

Yano: I believe that each actor has their own way of creating emotion, so I often talk about the technical aspects. For example, it's better not to blink during important scenes, as it could distract the viewers. If there's no dialogue in a scene where you're close to a character's face, I'd suggest that you express your feelings by clenching your teeth or swallowing saliva.

Sakai: He teaches me these things in a way that's easy to understand. Furthermore, Yano-san has so many variations to his performance! He's always been a great help.

"Speaking of, what do you usually call each other?"

Sakai: I call him "Aniki."

Yano:…You've never called me that once though.

Sakai: Ahaha! Just now, I got scared~.

Yano: I immediately started thinking about the best way to respond to your joke.

Sakai: Actually, it's "Yano-san."

Yano: For me, it's "Sakai". Sometimes I call him "Taisei." Like when we go out to eat.

Sakai: It makes me happy to be called Taisei by Yano-san. From now on, I want you to call me Taisei!

Yano: You prefer Taisei?

Sakai: Yeah, but Sakai is fine too. I've been called that since I worked together with Yano-san in the drama "Shinyu wa Akujo."

Yano: Everyone called him Taisei, but I intentionally chose Sakai.

Sakai: Eh? Was it to make me feel special?! I'm so happy~!

Yano: Well…that's right! (laughs). What does Ikeda Masashi call you by?

Sakai: You mean by everyone?

Yano: Why'd you respond like that? (laughs). Sakai is like this, and sometimes I can't get through to him. The other day he asked, "What did you eat for dinner?" and when I answered, about 3 minutes later, he asked me the same question again.

Sakai: I wanted him to respond with, "How many times have you asked that?!" (*he wanted to do a bit with Yano)

Yano: Absolutely not. I could tell by your face. Sakai has a different kind of expression when he's like that.

Sakai: Eh? So you can understand such subtle changes! Yano-san is the mood maker on set. When he's on standby in front of the cameras for a monologue scene, he makes strange faces right up until the actual performance (laughs).

Yano: Hey, hey, that makes it seem like I don't take my job seriously! Well, it is true that I make strange faces (laughs).

"We've heard from your co stars that Yano-kun is lonely, and that he posts the most in the King-Ohger cast's group LINE…"

Yano: It's a misunderstanding. There's a reason for that. It's a common occurrence among actors, but even if you create a group LINE with your co stars, after filming begins or after some time passes, no one says anything. I don't like it, so I post frequently, but no one ever responds…

Sakai: I often have trouble speaking up because I'm too considerate of my seniors.

Yano: Sakai doesn't really say anything. Rather, he doesn't return private LINE messages.

Sakai: That's not true. I reply as soon as I see them!

Yano: You didn't reply the other day.

Sakai: I might've been working.

Yano: Let's just leave it at that (laughs).

"Since you play brothers in this work, we'd like to ask what kind of household chores you'd share if the two of you were to live together."

Sakai: Leave the toilet and bathtub cleaning to me!

Yano: Are you good at it?

Sakai: I'm the type of person who makes things beautiful when my "switch" is turned on. However, folding clothes and vacuuming…I don't feel like doing that.

Yano: Well then, guess I'll do it.

Sakai: Please also take care of the cooking!

Yano: How strange! (laughs). Because, Sakai, you have a rice cooker at your house, and yet you eat precooked rice packs, right?

Sakai: Cooking rice is a pain…

Yano: I really don't understand that feeling.

Sakai: Everything depends on my mood (laughs). If I feel like cooking rice, I'll cook it.

Yano: So, on days when Sakai feels like it and cooks rice for me, I'll have to say "Thank you~!" out of consideration. How annoying~ (laughs).

"(laughs). In the future, if you were to work together again as actors, what kind of production would you like to work on?"

Sakai: I'd like to play a yakuza role.

Yano: I see. Your role would be something like, "Even though his face is cute, his face is calm when he kills," does that sound good?

Sakai: That's good!

Yano: Well then, I'll play the role of the detective who hunts him down. There was a drama like that, right? It was…"Informa," featuring Morita Go-san and Kiritani Kenta-san!

Sakai: Ah!

Yano: Sakai would be in Kiritani-san's position in that drama. Or, I'll be in Kiritani-san's position and Sakai will be in Yokohama Ryusei-san's position.

Sakai: That's really good!

Yano: Personally, I'm looking forward to it. What kind of work will Sakai first appear in after he graduates from King-Ohger? I think it's really important to make that first step. What kind of production do you want to be in?

Sakai: I have almost no experience in acting, so I'd like to play any kind of role.

Yano: Then, if you had to choose between comedy, romance, or serious, which one would you prefer?

Sakai: Are they genres I can do? In that case, I'll do it.

Yano: No, don't just say "I'll do it." I just gave you choices.

Sakai: I see, my bad (laughs). If I had to pick, I'd like to do a serious one. Also, comedy.

Yano: You chose two (laughs). And they're completely opposite genres.

Sakai: I'm greedy (laughs).

[hlficlibrary]

✤ Omegaverse Fics ✤

A series of posts with the top five fics of each category by kudos plus five more hidden gems from that category! Remember to leave kudos and a comment on the fics you enjoyed to show your appreciation! You can find the library's other recs here.

- Top 5 H/L Fics -

1️⃣ Cold Little Heart by seducedbycurls {T, 194k}

Louis is a soft omega with an abusive past and an alpha child A few months after getting a divorce, Louis meets Harry, an ex-military alpha wolf that offers him something -odd.

In exchange for teaching him how to cook, Harry will babysit his son, Abraham Louis really could use the help

2️⃣ Swim In The Smoke by whoknows {E, 101k}

“What about this, Captain?” Liam asks, nudging the boy kneeling between their feet with the toe of his boot. The boy hisses and swipes at him, slurring out something unintelligible around the makeshift gag Niall had to stuff in his mouth. He misses by a mile and tries again, just as ineffectively.

Harry looks down at him, at the way the sun streams over his face and shoulders, at the way the gag stretches his mouth, lips pink and chapped. He’s lithe and pretty, smudged all over with dirt. They had found him tied up below deck, mostly unconscious, next to a barrel full of gold. He’s clearly a prisoner, but there’s something familiar about him, something that niggles at Harry’s brain. Something he can’t quite put his finger on.

“Put him in my cabin,” Harry decides, turning back to deal with the rest of the loot. The boys screams out jumbled curse words at Harry’s back, muffled by the gag, and Harry can’t understand any of it.

3️⃣ With love comes strange currencies by mediaville {E, 16k}

One day One Direction will be over and Louis won't be around Harry every waking moment. He'll be able to finally get some space, let their bond dissipate as it's bound to do, if they don't mess up again. He can move to Costa Rica and forget that Harry Styles popped his first knot inside him. Until then, he's going to have to deal with this.

or, They're Accidentally Mated and Dealing With It Rather Badly.

4️⃣ You Smell Like by mystic_believexx {M, 185k}

For her part, Jay took everything in her stride, barely batting an eyelid when Louis came into the kitchen the night Harry left and said, “I seem to have accidentally become the pack’s Alpha”. 

Ever since Harry left town, Louis’ found himself with the role of pack Alpha, despite being human. So he can’t wait to hand over the reins when Harry returns. Except, it’s not quite that simple…

OR The one where Louis is the Alpha’s mate and everyone is aware of it except for Louis and Harry. Go figure!

5️⃣ Queen of Arizella by seducedbycurls {M, 277k}

Stealing from Royalty is punishable by death.

Louis starts over, doing his best to keep his hands at his sides but he is hungry and he tries stealing from the wrong Royal.

Harry is King of Arizella, he needs a Queen and who better than an omega on the run from death? Louis will learn to become the perfect Queen -the perfect fake Queen, but only for a few months.

A fake lover, a fake Queen, but a real bond.

HIDDEN GEMS:

💎 Love After the End of the World by @mercurial-madhouse {E, 162k}

“Wait. Just so I’m clear in me fucking noggin,” Niall says. “An international worldwide takeover is well under way and the only thing standing between having hot showers and a second end of the world is us five fuckers?” 

Society shattered when all electricity suddenly cut off across the globe, plunging the world into darkness. Now, Prometheus Industries is the sole remaining supply of power, a saving grace to those who survived Lights Out. As fugitives in no-man’s land struggling to break into Prometheus HQ, death lurks around every corner for Louis and Zayn. Things get complicated when a routine recon falls apart and Louis collides with Harry and his mates Niall and Liam, survivors with their own agenda.

When staying alive is already a constant battle, the deadliest weakness is to be in love. For Harry and Louis, finding each other sits on top of the endless list of What Else Could Go Wrong.

💎 Unveiled by @phdmama {M, 65k}

The train grinds to a halt and Harry leans forward in his eagerness to take it all in. It’s a gorgeous Spring day, the sky the same intense blue that he knows from home, which comforts him. There’s much here that looks almost familiar, but then so much that is new and strange to his eyes. The bustling station platform and winding streets beyond paved in cobblestones look much like home. There are vehicles ranging from small to very large, some with strange and unusual shapes of which he can only guess the purpose. But most surprising are the people. There is a crowd gathered, filled with men and women, some in what looks to be a military uniform, some in what must be the street clothes in this Land.

There are no robes. And not a single one of them is veiled.

💎 dip you in honey by delsicle / @eeveedel {E, 28k}

Princess Harry, the pearl of England, is set to be married to the youngest prince of France in just six months. Anxious about his performance on his wedding night, he enlists the help of his loyal handmaiden Louis to help him practice everything he needs to know

Omega/Omega AU

💎 I'm Weaker Without You by The_Halcyonic_Lachesist / @chai-hat-tea {T, 20k}

Alpha Lord Louis Tomlinson is a rake who refuses to settle down. Will he settle down for the Society's most talked about Omega? What about the enticing scent that belongs to the Beta? How will he react to said Beta pursuing the Omega too?

💎 Where I'm Meant To Be by Halos_Boat / @halohamilton {E, 6k}

Harry and Louis have been sleeping together casually for a while. As two Alphas they never wanted to define it as anything more.

When Louis helps Harry out with his rut so he can get it done in time for his exam, they're forced to face feelings they were harbouring for a while.

[tidaltwilight]

Me?

Scream about Twilight Princess?

Absolutely

Always

The way the story is handled in the game compared to the manga always makes me tear up.

Why?

BECAUSE THE RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS.

IT’S A GREAT SEQUEL TO OOT/MM.

THE STORY IS COMPELLING TOO IDC, COME AT ME FOR THAT.

•••

Anyways. Onto the actual paragraphs.

First things first the relationship between the two Links, Twilight and Time. If you’ve played TP and OoT, you’ll understand where the two follow each other in the timeline.

In this separation of the timeline TP takes place in the Child Era when the Hero/Link(Time) is victorious and is sent back by OoT Princess Zelda. Time goes to warn the royal family about Ganondorf and he is promptly dealt with causing the sacred realm to be protected and preserved.

However, this also caused Ganondorf to be sent to the Twilight Realm(TRealm) during his execution. This was during the time the Sages would send prisoners to the TRealm as a way to get rid of them without actually executing them. He possesses Zant and causes mayhem for Midna and the rest of the Twili, starting TP as a whole.

As we know, Time grows up to be a knight in this timeline. Protecting the royal family and eventually becoming the Hero’s Shade after he dies. A skeleton and wolf spirit used to teach Twilight sword techniques. These techniques would assist the Hero of Twilight in his journey to save Hyrule from Zant and eventually Ganondorf.

Having a past variation of Link teaching that game’s Link is a phenomenal way to connect the stories, not just having the previous variation of Ganondorf as the enemy. A teacher and his student.

—

Next is the relationship between Midna, Twilight, and Zelda.

I. Love. Their dynamics.

Whether it was in the manga or in the game; the relationships between the three of them are always a chef kiss.

It goes from enemies to friends/lovers. Recovered friendships. Fated ties. The list goes on.

We already know the dynamic between Twilight and Zelda. The Triforce of Courage with the spirit of the hero and the Triforce of Wisdom with the will of the goddess. Forced to forever reincarnate due to the Curse of Demise and Hylia’s will to protect Hyrule and its people.

Zelda wishes to protect her people, keeping a distant hand due to the risks set upon her. Twilight wanting to protect the things he cares about, being the direct driving force besides Midna. There isn’t much interaction between the two, but you can tell their ancient ties come through. It’s especially shown in the manga during Twilight and Midna’s visits to the castle along with the final battle against Ganondorf.

Midna and Zelda have a complex relationship. Midna was a friend lost in the manga, but Zelda knew who she was when they met again. However in the game the two are rulers of Realms they care very dearly about. Midna slowly learns to love the Realm of Light and in turn its people. Zelda sacrifices herself to save Midna, which the Twilight princess never forgets.

They are two sides of the same coin in a sense. Both powerless to what Zant is doing to both realms, but one is actively trying to stop it while the other cannot. Zelda cannot act or else her people are at more risk than they already were. Her kingdom would fall to absolute chaos more than it already was. Midna was torn from her powers, her throne, her people. But once in the Realm of Light she was able to act because she already had one piece of the puzzle.

All Midna needed was someone she could use. And that brings us to her relationship with Twilight.

The two have an incredibly rocky start to say the least. Midna is only using Twilight for personal gain, Twilight only using her as a guide in the twilight as per their agreement. She’s a jerk to him at first and with good reason, she just wants to save her people. However during the journey you see her start to warm up, especially when Zelda sacrifices herself to save Midna. She wants to help Hyrule just like her own realm, willing to sacrifice herself to the greater good.

The two start to become friends, good partners in their journey. In the manga you notice there is some romance occurring on the sidelines. In the game it is there, but not as prominent. Twilight clearly cares about Midna by the end, and you can tell she cares about him too.

It’s sweet, yet sad. Especially considering the three of them have to say goodbye to each other by the end. Midna returns to the Twilight Realm, shattering the Mirror of Twilight in the process as a selfless sacrifice to protect both realms. She leaves Zelda and Twilight in Hyrule with a bittersweet goodbye.

—

God the freaking story though.

Twilight is a village farmboy who takes care of the kids and the goats. Tasked with delivering a sword to the royal family of Hyrule. In the game he has some trauma that gets explained deeper into the story.

Mans has some s e r i o u s lore.

I digress.

The way Ganondorf is told in this sequel and how the events of OoT play a part in his upbringing in this game. God damn. The strong hatred towards the spirit of the hero and Time. He is out for blood.

I do wish we could’ve gotten more information on the Twili since they’ve been around for a LONG time, but the information we have is just as good. Especially since they’re just descendants of the Interlopers who became a peaceful race just trying to live.

I do hope in future games they tell us more about the Twili and even the Interlopers story. I feel we have a lot to learn especially with that one shrine quest that happened in BOTW. I have yet to check that area in TOTK and honestly I really should.

That’s all. I’m done bye

[twinkleallnight]

Book: TRR AU/ Once upon a time prequel

Pairings:Liam x Savannah 

Word count:1367

Disclaimer: All characters belong to pixelberry. 

Rating: Mature

Warning: none

A/N: The @kingliamappreciationweek (day 1 ) was an excellent excuse to revisit my very old WIPs. Thank you @lizzybeth1986 for brainstorming the title for this fic that hopefully will be a mini series.

Prompt: That's how the story goes @choicesflashfics and flower, sunrise @aprilchallenge by @peonierose for @choicesmonthlychallenge

🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀🥀

The island of Corsica, 

Mediterranean sea, 

France. 

The first rays of the rising sun kissed the peak of Monte Cinto igniting the deep red of the granite and then bowed at its foothills before bathing the valley of Lozzi. With the thick backdrop of chestnut forests and the evergreen sheet of the shrubs, the village of Lozzi brightened to its glory. The fragrance of the flowers of the Maquis carried far out across the land as life stirred awake on the “Scented Isle.” 

Savannah was already up on her toes, hastening through her morning chores before she reached her workplace. 

It had been a couple of years since she left Cordonia and had made her little abode on this island. She had no regrets, no complaints. With her qualifications she was able to pick up a job that helped her manage her expenses in Corsica. Moreover, she was grateful for having a reason to live. A reason to look at the world through the innocent blue eyes of her little munchkin. She thanked the Almighty in her prayers and then got ready for the day. 

After a couple of hours, she walked down a curved path to a cream building that had a dull blue board with a large print of 'Middle school of Moltifao'. This was where she had found her happiness. She was re- living her childhood teaching history lessons to some ten year olds here. She entered a modest room decorated with hand made amateur charts. 

Twenty one curious little minds were eagerly waiting in that room for an interesting story from their teacher, whom they adored. They were all delighted to see her and so was she.

Except, the topic for the day was a bit difficult for her to deal with. It was going to bring back memories of her 'Prince Charming' and so much more. But, 'the show must go on' she thought and began…

"We discussed Vatican City last time. Today let's talk about Cordonia. Can anyone tell me what's common between these two countries of Europe?" She made their little minds work. 

The plump girl on the first desk shot her hand high in the air. Savannah smiled at the Hermione of her class. 

"Yes, Susan, tell me." 

" They are both absolute monarchies." She beamed proudly. 

"You are right." 

Rio, who always had doubts about anything and everything, interjected, "But why? I understood the reasons for Vatican City in the last class Ms Walker. Why is Cordonia ruled by a king when the rest of the countries in Europe have elected governments?"

"Good question, Rio. Cordonia had its own struggle too. There was a period of unrest when a group of people revolted and did not want the royals. But everything changed when King Liam took over the reins." 

She felt the blush rising to her cheeks. She was irritated, realizing what effect his name had on her even after all these years. 

She covered up her nervousness and shifted her gaze from Rio to the rest of the class. "Anyone know about him and how he brought about the change?" 

Susan again stretched her hand high, but so did Sana, the quietest of them all. Savannah smiled at Susan in an understanding and then asked Sana to speak. "He is King Liam, the wise. He is very kind, cares for his people and loves them." 

"Very good, Sana!" She encouraged her.

Sana coyly looked at her classmates and when she saw everyone smiling, she continued, "King Liam belongs to the Rhys dynasty. Ever since his coronation he has helped his people. He relaxed many rules to ease out the life of common people. Unlike other nobles he gels with commoners and is comfortable with us." 

The last word sent Savannah's mind on a spin. 'She said 'us'. What does she mean by 'us'? Is she from Cordonia? What are the odds? Will my secret be revealed?' her thoughts were racing yet she maintained her poise and politely asked, "That's very nice,Sana. How do you know these details?" 

"My aunt lives in Cordonia. They have apple orchards there. Aunt Cher told me there was an attack once by bad people and all their orchards were destroyed. She says King Liam waived off the taxes and came down himself to work with farmers.  That's how the story goes." Sana concluded. 

Savannah would have been lost in her thoughts, of her time with him around the apple trees, had Nader not raised a question, "Did he fight the bad people?" 

Sana shrugged her shoulders and looked at her teacher for an answer. 

Savannah composed herself again, "Not exactly, Nader. The attacks happened when King Liam was just crowned." 

Nader interjected wide eyed, " You mean there were more than one attack?" 

Savannah nodded sadly. "Cordonia had a tough time. Liam had to face another such attack before he could prove himself. But under his command, the military became stronger, the council became more sympathetic to the needs of citizens and the country started flourishing. The bad people had to give up their fight and accept that Liam is the best ruler they have had in a century." 

Emanuel, the wise boy of the class shared his opinion, "He seems to be a very nice person." 

Savannah felt a wave of pride as she added, "Indeed he is. Liam is liked by not just his countrymen but he is even a favorite in meetings held at global levels. And guess why?" She spurred the kids. 

Emanuel replied or rather questioned back, "Is it because he is very kind and always respectful?" 

Savannah agreed, "Yes Emanuel, he is affectionate and gentle. He is courteous and obliging to all. That is the whole reason he is called people's king."

Rachel asked in a shy tone, "Is he handsome?" 

Savannah almost snorted at the little girl's interest, "Very much! He is the most gallant and chivalrous gentleman you will ever meet."

"What does he look like?"  

Savannah realized that she had turned as red as Rachel, blushing while she answered. " He is tall and a strong man. He looks at you with the calmest blue eyes and he is ever smiling, making you forget all your worries." This was getting a bit out of hand so she thought of changing the topic but the children seemed unstoppable.

Dave raised a point that turned out to be the most disturbing for Savannah, "Did you ever meet him or see him?" 

She closed her eyes for a moment. 'I was supposed to be with him but I can't tell you that.' She took a deep breath before she spoke. "Yes, I was lucky to see and meet him a few years ago." 

Some of the kids gasped at that. She responded with a weak smile. Rachel seemed to be fascinated just as Savannah was as a little girl. So she inquired, "That must be like a dream come true!" 

Savannah nodded through teary eyes and tried to curb the choking feeling in her throat. 'No more.' she couldn't fight her emotions for long so she decided to wrap up the session. 

She swallowed thickly, "I think that's enough for today's class. Your assignments are due next week. Till then, read well and enjoy the tales from the past." She waved off with her signature line. She picked up her belongings and scurried away from the class in an effort to hide the overwhelming feeling she had. 

Her students were to just read their history books but for her it was revisiting those excruciating wounds that were left from the memories of the man she loved. 

She moved out of the door and started to her left without looking. She thought she banged into a wall but it was cushioned and smelled familiar. Too familiar. Like a part of her. No, it was the missing part of her. She shut her eyes tight to shoo away the daydream but the sound that followed, confirmed that it was real. 

"If you like me so much, why did you leave me?" Liam lamented in his deep tone.  Savannah slowly opened her eyes, to face the set of peaceful ocean blues. She lost all her control and the dams of her eyes came crashing down. 

(part 2 coming soon. Thank you so much for reading 😊)

Tags: @3pawandme @alj4890 @angelasscribbles @annabellewynter @bascmve01 @bebepac @busywoman @dcbbw @choicesficwriterscreations @harleybeaumont @iaminlovewithtrr @karahalloway @kingliam2019 @lovingchoices14 @nestledonthaveone @neotericthemis @mom2000aggie @phoenixrising0308 @princess-geek @sazanes @secretaryunpaid @sfb123 @sillydg @tessa-liam @tinkie1973 @txemrn @walkerdrakewalker @rubiwalker @703cowbarn @kyra 75 @likealotus @kskvb20 @marietrinmimi @juan-francisco-palencia

[a-couple-of-notes]

types in tension: kit tanthalos as royal and skeptic

a lot of people have pointed out how archetypal and dnd-esque the characters from willow feel - and I agree! they're absolutely tropey and built to serve very clear, specific functions within the ensemble. willow is the wizard and the mentor. elora is the sorcerer and the chosen one. boorman is the rogue/barbarian and the sixth ranger.

but I want to talk about my favorite example of this: kit. kit has her own clear place in the ensemble - but the archetypes she's made up of are ones usually in tension. this gives her a fascinating kind of depth and motivation - and is, perhaps, reflective of similar tensions in the rest of the characters. let's discuss.

kit as the royal

kit is introduced in contrast to jade, her humble, dutiful, long-suffering knight. this highlights all of kit's opposite qualities: her relative arrogance, rebelliousness, and desire for adventure over duty. when she conflicts with her mother and makes a scene at the party, we understand that she's feeling constrained by the arranged marriage and dreading a future stifled political life like her mother's. but the narrative also makes it clear that this is a selfish thing to do; kit clearly hurts jade, graydon, and airk, who haven't done anything wrong.

so kit is set up as a rebellious/spoiled royal: she chafes against her responsibilities and her sheltered life, not knowing the full extent of her privilege. she wants to go into the outside world but underestimates how dangerous it is. her arc should be about getting thrust into those dangers and balancing her headstrong, cocky independence with a dose of humility. she should come back stronger, but with more respect for duty and the difficulty of leadership.

basically, kit should be kind of like merida. which makes a lot of sense, given the very merida-like speech kit gives during the party.

but then airk gets kidnapped, and kit is thrust into the outside world, taking her place in an ensemble of other characters. and something interesting happens: kit becomes a skeptic.

kit as the skeptic

to balance the group, they were always going to need a skeptic - someone more invested than boorman (the apathetic) but not falling over themselves to save the world like willow (the mentor and true believer in elora danan, at least as a concept). with jade sworn to the queen’s (and thus elora’s) service and graydon falling in love, they needed someone who could/would consistently challenge elora; who could suggest practical courses of action against high fantasy wish-wash; and whose narrative arc toward belief would be, essentially, the show's ideological argument for hope and idealism.

so it's kit. kit wants to keep them on track. she doubts magic and the idealistic plans the others have for elora. not only is she aware of the practical concerns of the quest, she's often the one reminding the others of that. while it may be out of jealousy, the kinds of questions she asks - “is this really working?”, "how long until elora can do magic?" - are things that the party has to consider just...logically. will it significantly slow their travel if willow has to teach elora for an extended period of time? will they need more rations? when will elora be able to contribute to potential combat?

skeptics on magic shows like this often get a bad rep (except when they get a very good rep because they're hot and sad), because we know the show's overarching philosophy is one of belief. there's a combination of out-of-universe impatience, waiting for the skeptic's narrative arc to catch up, and in-universe - well, arcing, where the the events of the story prove the skeptic wrong and the other characters (the believers) right.

here's the thing, though: skeptics have usually come by their cynical realism after a hard, unfair life. they've seen some shit. they've got a tragic backstory. they’re your han solo from star wars, eretria from the shannara chronicles, cara mason from legend of the seeker. we understand their abrasiveness and accept their position as a legitimate argument because it's born from experience - experience that the idealistic heroes don't have yet.

so here's an interesting tension: how is kit both royal and skeptic?

because the arc of a rebellious/spoiled royal hinges on the fact that they don’t have experience. they don’t know how tough the real world is, and they haven’t thought through the practical considerations. and where the royal is the one who needs to be taught these things, the skeptic is usually the one teaching.

I suspect this is the crux of some people’s annoyance with kit - she’s taking the place of the skeptic in the party, rough-edged but logical, but her introduction indicates she doesn’t have enough experience for that. so instead of going, “you know, even if that wasn’t the nicest way to put it, that’s a good point. in-universe, it doesn’t seem like elora is going to learn magic very fast, and that might be a legitimate liability to the party,” the response is, “what do you know? you grew up a spoiled brat!” 

why is this happening?

before I discuss the implications of kit’s character as both royal and skeptic, I want to take a moment to talk about why it’s happening. I think there’s lots of factors - well-written characters often involve things in tension, and there’s a whole layer of kit trying to imitate the seasoned warrior type of her father - but I think there's one main reason: elora must displace kit as the royal in the ensemble.

elora isn’t spoiled, of course. but she starts out pretty naive and chases after airk without practical consideration to her actual abilities or (later) her duties as the chosen one. she is the one that everyone has sworn to protect and save, sometimes from problems of her own making. elora must learn to lead, master her powers, and make hard decisions in a messy world.

the switch is clear even in the very first interaction kit has with elora. when kit asks if dove has any battle experience and dove snidely reverses the question, it’s establishing kit as the more practical, skeptical, and indeed, experienced, voice. kit has, actually, had more real-world battle experience than dove.

so while we were initially introduced to kit as the hero and royal, in the party, elora is the hero and royal, with kit falling to the lancer and the skeptic. this neatly dovetails into kit’s feelings of abandonment and jealousy over everyone choosing elora. even the framework of the story, the meta functions of the characters, have placed elora over kit.

the implications

so why am I even talking about this? why does it matter? after all, despite her function in the party, large parts of kit’s arc follow the rebellious/spoiled royal’ arc. kit is constantly getting knocked down a peg, losing what she thought was hers; this follows the general arc of spoiled royals losing everything and then rebuilding themselves as stronger, kinder people. but I do think the royal-skeptic tension adds another layer, and here are three thoughts as to why:

1) I said that viewers might feel that kit’s royal background makes her “unqualified” to be the skeptic; I also think this is an interesting lens to apply to the characters. graydon dismisses kit’s irritation with elora as “she’s just jealous.” jade and boorman say that kit could never do the dirty work of killing a corrupted graydon, with the implication being that kit can’t take the reality of it. are these lines just excuses for the writers to tell us with 100% certainty what kit’s motivations and limits are? maybe. but it’s more interesting to me if these characters are interpreting kit through their experiences of her - as a royal who graydon barely knows and who jade has spent years protecting - and missing some stuff.

2) it adds a cool dimension to kit and elora’s relationship. we’ve talked about the rebellious/spoiled royal’s arc as one of learning humility, and that’s one kit’s definitely going on. but at the same time, kit must complete a skeptic’s arc: learning to believe in magic and idealism, learning to believe in the chosen one/royal - which means the story is just as dependent on elora proving herself to kit as it is kit yielding to elora. a lot of kit’s other relationships center on kit humbling herself (kit has to apologize to jade and graydon, kit has to learn to respect willow). but kit and elora’s dynamic - and their whole arcs! - require both of them to make an equal effort. 

3) the royal-skeptic tension just...adds all sorts of possible motivational layers to kit’s actions. there’s the jealousy underlying kit’s questions to elora, which we’ve talked about: it’s both a royal’s discomfort with losing privilege and a skeptic’s practical logic. but there’s also kit’s name-dropping; it seems like a classic royal move to get special treatment, but two of the three times she does it, she’s doing it for pretty practical reasons. she’s identifying who sent them to the nelwins - not trying to pull rank - and she’s proving to the bonereavers that she can get them money - a pragmatic offer to get the party out of trouble. how much of kit’s friction with willow is royal naïveté, ignoring the words of a more experienced mentor, and how much of it is an equal competing philosophy, a skeptic’s real-world practicality against an idealist’s grand plans? it’s both. kit is always both.

(note: I feel like this reads as favoring skeptics over royals, which is not the case; they’re value-neutral narratives. however, as this is, at least in part, my attempt to figure out why I've felt so bothered by people interpreting kit as simply a “spoiled princess,” some of that frustration may have leaked in. though I think even if kit had followed the royal arc to a T, with none of this archetypal tension, I still would have been frustrated by, like, misogyny and people not letting characters go on an arc. you can’t win, I suppose.)

[malsfefanfics]

Dorothea and Rosamund C-Support

Summary: Dorothea hears someone singing, and decides to follow the sound. To her surprise, the singer is Rosamund, who is currently working on laundry.

Written in script format under the cut.

Dorothea: Another day, another love lost. What a jerk. Is this how Manuela feels after dates? I'm starting to understand how she- Hmh? Wait, is that…. Rosie's singing? [FOLLOWS THE SOUND] It is….

Rosamund: [HANGING LAUNDRY, SINGING] ♫ Oh run, my valiant hunter, when soon we meet once more. Should none attain my hide and tail, come find me along the shore. In the sun that sets 'cross the ocean, my fur shall then catch aflame. And my dear and valiant hunter, you'll finally know of my name.~♫

Dorothea: [WALKS UP BEHIND HER] Oh my. That…that was beautiful.

Rosamund: What?! [DRAWS HER DAGGER, STOPPING WHEN SHE TURNS TO SEE DOROTHEA] You…what were you thinking?! You should never sneak up on a hunter. Ever.

Dorothea: Sorry about that. I heard singing as I was passing by, so I wanted to see the face behind the voice.

Rosamund: Well, now you have. If you don't mind, I would like to return to work.

Rosamund: [IF PRE-TIMESKIP OR IN CF] I have to finish hanging the laundry before Linhardt gets back with Tancred. They both really needed a rest after that last training session, so I took over laundry duty for them.

Rosamund: [IF IN VW] If I don't finish this soon, Lorenz will be all over me about it. I do not want to deal with him right now. Or at all. Pompous nuisance.

Dorothea: Well, why don't I help you? It'll speed things along. And we can sing together as we go.

Rosamund: If you want to help, I won't stop you. But I won't sing with you.

Dorothea: Aw, why not? You have such a lovely voice. Your control is magnificent. And the pitch. I'm just surprised since you've never really even hum in front of anyone. Did you have professional training at all?

Rosamund: ….sort of. Women born or marrying into the Vestra family are required to know the basics. Mostly for lullabies. The men are as well, but mostly it's just so they can teach certain family songs to their future wives.

Dorothea: Really? I had no idea such traditions were a thing in the nobility.

Rosamund: Our family is…different from other noble families. We don't own land, we don't have very many portraits, and those of us who did not live at the palace working for the Emperor grew up in a safe house for the royal family, being trained to serve the Empire most effectively. As such, in lieu of land, we have our own coffers, a few heirlooms, and some intricate family traditions.

Dorothea: So you're basically born and raised almost like cattle for one purpose and one purpose alone? I can't imagine being born into that kind of situation. To be honest, that sounds rather horrifying.

Rosamund: Perhaps it is, to some. But my brothers and I made the best of it. I actually had a lot more freedom than most in my station would. Though… Hubert definitely drew the lucky straw in being assigned as Lady Edelgard's vassal.

Dorothea: Not sure I'd call that lucky, given the circumstances.

Rosamund: He still was, though. He's always been the lucky one…

Dorothea: You know, you sound almost jealous of him.

Rosamund: I wouldn't say I'm jealous. More like…. sometimes I wish my path were more certain. More clear cut, like his.

Dorothea: 'Clear cut', huh? Not sure I'd call it that. Hubert is a little too one-track minded when it comes to Edie. Sometimes I wonder if he has any interests outside of serving her. It's almost… no, it's definitely obsessive. And yet…

Rosamund: My brother is, admittedly, a little…. zealous, to put it mildly. But to serve Lady Edelgard, and to move somewhat freely, to make choices for yourself and those who trust you to do right by them? That's much better than having the blade constantly swinging above your head, don't you think? Almost idyllic.

Dorothea: Maybe but….what sort of blade are you referring to? I can't exactly see any over you right now.

Rosamund: It…it doesn't matter. Why did I even bring it up? I shouldn't even be talking about these things with you. Just… forget everything I just said, okay? Pretend you heard nothing.

Dorothea: Oh, come on now. No need to be so cold. To be honest, I'm liking this little chat of ours. This is the most you've spoken to anyone since joining us.

Dorothea: [PRE-TIMESKIP] You make a point of avoiding most activities with other students here at the monastery, so…

Dorothea: [IF IN CF] Anyone that isn't Hubert or Edie, that is. And even then…

Dorothea: [IF IN VW] I mean, you've hardly spoken at all since we left the Empire.

Rosamund: And what of it?

Dorothea: Well, it feels like you're always keeping us at arm's length. It's nice that you're willing to have any sort of conversation, especially about something so personal. I feel like I know you a little better now.

Rosamund: I don't need you to know me any better.

Rosamund: [PRE-TIMESKIP OR IN CF] I'm a Vestra, I serve Lady Edelgard, and I like raising hounds and hunting.

Rosamund: [IN VW] I am the Vestra who betrayed her homeland and everything she once proudly stood for.

Rosamund: I also just happen to sing. That's all you really need to know.

Dorothea: Well, what about trusting us, at least? You seem to trust me enough to speak so openly about your family. You must feel a little comfortable, right?

Rosamund: You haven't any idea of my feelings. I trust very few people. Do not just assume you're one of them. [TURNS AWAY TO FOCUS ON LAUNDRY] Let's stop talking and get this done, okay? In silence.

Dorothea: Very well then. But perhaps we can continue our conversation later over tea?

Rosamund: We will not continue this conversation. ….however, tea does admittedly sound nice.

Dorothea: Wonderful. I'm looking forward to it.

[arcsparkasriel]

Vtubertale Profiles: Ralsei Dreemurr

For those who heard the story from my first post, you probably already know the gist of it. However, I'm sure those among you want to know the story of my adorable little brother Ralsei again! Or at least with a bit more detail.

After "The Plan" failed quite catastrophically, when Chara and I...expired. Mom and Dad were pretty darn distraught. I still have issues from what happened, but I'm glad I have everyone to help me through it. Mom doesn't like to talk about that day, but I think I know what happened. All Mom could do was cry for the next three days until her mind and body couldn't cry anymore. I wish I didn't know how badly our selfish plan would affect them. Dad took it really badly too but in a different way. Yeah, shocking I know. Going nuts after watching your children die. He did not cry, he hardly spoke, and seemed to shut down completely, having retreated inwards. Then you know the rest. Dad let his mouth move before his brain could and declared war on humanity in a fit of rage.

Mom being disgusted with him and everything that had happened, had enough. Leaving her role as queen and essentially divorcing Dad, moving back to our old home in the Ruins, never to be seen for years.

However, Ma and Dad...ahem, most definitely...had a moment of romance any day at least a month back before this all happened. I did the math a long time ago. Understandable I suppose. Mortifying thinking about the details as their eldest son, but understandable. On the day of "the plan," I was only a week away from receiving my first weapon as a Monster, and my own royal circlet, officially being called a Prince. Ma and Dad were about to have their 1st honeymoon in centuries. So spirits were high at the time...until they weren't.

Another month after she left, did Mom realize she was with my first biological sibling. I've only gotten a few details from Mom about her time of pregnancy and I only remember a few scattered memories while being stuck inside that FLOWER. The Flower though didn't appear until she was further along. Maybe five months down the line? I do remember hearing her talking to herself...or Ralsei rather every day while she was carrying him.

"You'll always be safe with me. I'll teach you everything you'll ever need to know."

"We'll have so much fun together."

"We may not be the fullest family anymore, but I'll be all the family you'll ever need."

Stuff like that. The Flower didn't think much of it and probably scoffed at the comments at the time. Thinking back on it, however, I could tell Mom was barely hanging on to sanity. Frisk and I just convinced her to go into therapy just a few weeks ago. Both of us are convinced Mom was only an edge away from snapping and doing something insane. Yeah, I know all about the "Underfell" and "Horrortale" versions of Mom that did break and lost their sanity. One of my other selves told me as much. Those possibilities scare us every day. How Frisk and Ralsei managed to keep her from snapping I still don't know. We love her so much though. Mom is worth it.

When the day came...maybe enough of my soul seeped through the Flower to remain near Mom. Cause I vividly remember hearing every labored scream throughout the whole process. I was right outside the window. She was in the kitchen, just out of sight. Days prior, the Flower saw her gathering durable rope, a ceiling hook, a large bag of pain-dulling mushrooms, dozens of pillows, rubbing alcohol, and a large plastic tarpaulin. Typical, always thinking hygienically that mother of mine.

Jeez, she actually had to go through it the ancient way with no pain relievers or access to the royal hospital. Well, she was once a shield maiden before the war. So maybe Mom was just defaulting. Yeah, maybe I'll share that story with you all in a future journal. The labor itself probably took a full day, which still makes me mentally cringe and sympathetic. I don't know how I managed to keep the Flower still during all that time, the details are really fuzzy. I don't put too much thought into "the power of love" but perhaps there is something to that.

The next thing the Flower heard was the baby's first cry. And Mom doing her best to stifle her own joyful sobbing. She must have been exhausted but pushed through all of it. I got the best Mom ever. I could hear her voice shushing the baby and trying to soothe him. Surprisingly it worked. A small gasp I remember from her, but then a moment of silence and a soft cooing like a dove's call.

"Born in the dark, I suppose this was going to happen. I love you anyways, my little baby boy. It's nice to meet you, little one. I'm your mama. My little Darkner. We'll need to make sure you're covered. The light might be too much for you. For how long I cannot say."

I don't think the Flower quite understood what she meant until Mom somehow stood up to stumble into her room six hours later. The tiny wrapped bundle cradled in her arm. She was wearing a simple lilac gown in place of her royal robes. She was visibly drained of stamina and exhausted in every possible way. Bags under her eyes, a slow gait, and heavy breathing.

The Flower saw what the child looked like. 'Unnaturally pale with some pinkish hues coming through the fur. His tiny nails as well as his horns once they grew in would be that same pinkish shade.

"Albino" I remember the flower saying. And then laughing that horrible laugh that never leaves my thoughts. "Albinos never last long in the wild, let's see how long he lasts in captivity. Even if the barrier breaks, he'll fry like an egg in the sunlight."

After that, the Flower regained control and that's the last thing I remember.

Over the next few years, the Flower popped around to spy on them. Ralsei grew quite fast and took to his immortality quickly. By that time, the loop had already started to take effect and I had reset quite a few times by this point. For Ralsei's fifth birthday, Mom got him green robes and a pointy hat, for his eighth birthday, she made him a long hot pink scarf and gave him an ancient crucible steel human cauldron that fell from the surface. Just last week, we took it to be appraised by a professor at the nearby university. Ancient Celtic apparently. Very well preserved. Probably thanks to Mom's efforts. Ralsei still uses it to practice his unique "Cauldron Cooking". Not that much different from using a crock pot. Ralsei's Sea Salt Ice Cream Cakes are quite good.

When the human children began falling down into the Underground, Mom tried to help and adopt each and every one of them as her own. Ralsei was so excited each and every time to make a new friend, never having anyone else other than his own mother to play or talk with. It was quite a lonely existence in the Ruins.

Which only made their deaths all the harder on both of them. And every time it happened, a piece of their hearts broke. Ralsei just became more and more fragile. Mom only got angrier and angrier at Dad. Ralsei retreated further into the safety of his mind. The Flower from time to time would pop out and torment him. I still feel guilty about that.

I often saw Ralsei hanging around the flowers at Chara's grave by the entrance to the Ruins. Maybe some part of him knew something was there, even though Mom would never dare speak of Chara or me. The memories were still too painful.

When Frisk arrived, everything changed. There's something special about him. You know, other than the master of time manipulation, ability to fight infinitely stronger opponents, and superhuman willpower to keep his soul together. Once Frisk connected with us monsters, we couldn't help but love him.

After Chara betrayed us, I not only thought I was incapable of giving love but receiving it too. Sure, there was a time when she was my best friend too. She was my sister. Mom, Dad, and I wanted to save her all that time. To give her a family and a place to call home. Unfortunately, vengeance blackened her heart long ago. Mine nearly was. I walked the abyss of the Underground every day for centuries of time loops. Somehow I avoided falling in permanently. Chara just...didn't want to be saved. She fell into that pit years ago, and nobody, not even I could have pulled her out of it.

You definitely know the tale of how Frisk escaped Mom and began his journey right? Well, it happened just a little differently. Ralsei didn't want to stay trapped in the Ruins either. He had grown too attached to Frisk and didn't want to see him go. So he slipped some melatonin into Mom's pie. I'll have to ask him what kinds of things Mom was teaching him. Frisk confronted her at the exit like normal, except Ralsei disobeyed and followed them. After Mom allowed Frisk to go, Ralsei told me Mom was losing consciousness quickly, so he dashed out of the Ruins after Frisk.

Ralsei caught up with Frisk quickly and started following him on his journey. I think everyone in the Underground had an inkling about what Ralsei was, even with his robes on and his hat covering his head, including the smiley trash bag. But for whatever reason they chose not to say anything.

Most of the journey went just as how Mr. Toby Fox displayed it in the game he made about our story. With the addition of maybe a few extra conversations Ralsei and Frisk had with the other monsters and each other. I wasn't around them the whole time, and I'm still learning details as time went on.

At the end, Mom was livid with Ralsei, but forgave him immediately when she reunited with Frisk. And then there's Dad...

Meeting Ralsei for the first time was... wonderful, but hard for Dad. Not knowing that he had another blood son. Never being there for his birth, his birthdays. Never being there to make his first toy, or play ball with him, or anything really. It was even stranger for Ralsei. Since he had never known or been told about Dad from Mom. He wasn't angry at Mom for never telling her. Ralsei isn't one much for cliched responses. All he wanted was to learn more about his father.

The details after that go into how I came back, which I'll cover in good time. All you need to know is officially meeting my new little brothers for the first time as myself was probably the best moment of my life.

These days. only a year after we left the Underground, life is finally getting better. Not always fantastic, but so much better. Every day, one step at a time. Ralsei, Frisk, Susie, and I are still close as ever. We all live together in a seven-room multimillion-dollar apartment, paid in full by the government of England. Susie having just joined our family only a month ago. On the surface, Mom thought Ralsei should have new more modern clothing. So he traded out his robes for a modern-style Poncho to cover his Torso.

When he goes out into direct sunlight, we always try to get him to wear his pointy hat or a sunhat that Muffet made for him. We had to swap out his old glasses for some professionally made ones. Of course, boss monster-sized glasses for big monster eyes weren't readily available, so we had to get his custom-made from a company in America.

His cooking is starting to rival Mom's and my own. His Cauldron Cooking is quite top-notch.

Our apartment is very much like his own little kingdom. Since he can't always go outside, he takes care of most of the chores and cooking when Mom can't. We have our own sizable library that he's been spending a lot of time in. For work, I've been having to learn a few different languages being so close to other countries. Spanish, French, Polish, German, Italian, and Danish. And the ancient languages that I'm glad to have persisted. Celtic, Welsh, Latin. So I bring a lot of language learning books home that he snags almost every time.

When he does go out, he's often visiting Dad and my other work friend Noelle and her sister December.

Ralsei, Frisk, and Susie aren't quite ready for public human schools, so until we can find something suitable for them, Alphys often stops by to be their tutor.

It's getting late, but I will expand on more details of Ralsei's life here later. Maybe you can catch Ralsei and Susie hanging out silently in my streams! Howdy to you all and I hope to see you again next time!

[seeingteacupsindragons]

Supportive, understanding, compassionate mentors who allow their young students to be children and get very protective when the rest of the world expects them to shoulder unreasonable responsibilities.

I spent my entire drive to work thinking about this one. I think these are so rare because there's a lot less tension in there for the audience in these kinds of supportive relationships. Because so many people think if you have a supportive, protective adult or Adultier Adult, then the problems don't have to happen, but that's not true at all! After all, if a mentor does everything for their mentee, their mentee isn't really learning, right?

And while we can get really great mentor/mentee team ups, people would often so rather make the major relationships in a story romo that it's less common.

So we end up with a lot of asshole mentors who are helpful but not kind, or reluctant mentors. And then we get characters like Saul in JR, who are genuinely supportive and care a lot and help their mentee out a lot, but are also kind of sarcastic and rough sometimes. But of course Richard also counts as a good, supportive, very protective mentor himself!

Or like, Jack, who was supportive and helpful, but also like. Taught some children how to kill with some pretty hardcore training. Like all right.

I always wish I was better at writing these and then tend to forget to include them whoops. But my last short story kind of hinted at one, although it involved a reunion between a Settled Adult and his college mentor/professor.

Weirdly, I think Star Wars is actually really good at this one: Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon. The original EU even had whole series of books about Obi-Wan and Anakain's Padawan years with their mentors. Not Yoda, but in the original EU (Legends), Luke also totally fit this trope. They kinda ruined it in the last trilogy, but in the original extended books, he rebuilt the Jedi Order and fixed a lot of the problems. He taught adults (like his sister), he made sure kids still knew their parents and were attached to their families. They could and did go home to visit them, etc. Now, part of that is that he was one guy and obviously couldn't hoard an entire load of orphans to teach, I'm sure, but the fact is: he tried so hard to be a better teacher than the ones who failed before him. And I love that, because in the original trilogy he has that line that really describes the culmination of his character arc with "I am a Jedi Knight, like my father before me," and it's a really great moment where he took what he'd been taught and made it his own. I think there's even some push and pull in the series between Good Mentors and Bad Mentors and how they can influence a character and digging into the flaws even of Good Mentors...or, you know, it could've been better at that if it weren't...Star Wars.

Some other mentors like this:

Baccha in the River of Royal Blood

Arguably Silver in Treasure Planet

All Might and Eraserhead from My Hero Academia, I would think...

I know there's more, but that's what I've got for now. It's early.

[revivingthegospel]

Do Followers of Christ Have to Keep Commandments?

There’s a lot of confusion surrounding God’s commandments. To keep or not to keep, that is the question. The one hand, when we obey commandments and encourage others to do the same, we’re accused of being judgemental or trying to earn salvation. On the other hand, if we preach “grace alone” for salvation, we’re accused of promoting sin. So, what should we do? Do followers of Christ have to keep commandments? Should we rely solely on grace and do whatever we want? Let’s see what the Bible teaches.   

What is a Commandment?  

First, what is a commandment? In the Hebrew Bible, the word mitzvah, or mitzvot in the plural, is sometimes translated as “good deed,” yet the word literally means “commandment” (mitzvah). Several sources suggest the word mitzvah is derived from the word tzavta, which means “connection”, “joining”, or “unite.” In the New Testament, the Greek word entolḗ, (ἐντολή), often used to refer to the Lord’s commandments, can mean “injunction”, “order”, or “royal ordinance.” In the most basic sense, a commandment is an authoritative direction, order, or instruction.

What are God’s Commandments? 

Let’s start by recognizing what God’s commandments aren’t. Men’s traditions and individual interpretations of the Bible do not constitute God’s commandments. In fact, these traditions often conflict with God’s actual commands, like in Matthew 15:3-9. The fall in the Garden of Eden is another example. In my opinion, Adam’s wife ate from the forbidden tree because an instruction was added by man, “You shall not touch it.” (Gen. 3:3). She would have been putty in the serpent’s hands if he had only persuaded her to brush against it. Just imagine the level of deceit!

Serpent: “See, I told you you wouldn’t die if you touched it. God is obviously lying to you. What else is he lying about? Why not take a bite of that fruit and find out? Go on, sister. Let loose and dig in.” 

And the rest is regrettable history. 

Unless it’s clearly stated in God’s Word or supported through historical or cultural facts, it is a teaching of man, plain and simple. Whatever the source of the instruction, whether a Jewish Rabbi, a Christian Pastor, or a social media influencer, if it’s not found in God’s word, then it’s not from God and shouldn’t be treated as such. It’s simply someone’s attempt to understand God and his commandments, which is respectable but debatable. 

So then, what are God’s commandments? They are the precepts, or mitzvot, found in the Torah. Torah in Hebrew can mean “guidance”, “direction”, or “instruction.” God’s commands are given to his children as a loving father would instruct his child and expect him or her to obey. His commandments shouldn’t be imposed on people, but taught to those who are his children.

“Adonai said to Moshe, “Come up to me on the mountain, and stay there. I will give you the stone tablets with the Torah and the mitzvot I have written on them, so that you can teach them.” (Ex. 24:12 CJB) 

According to Jewish tradition, in the 3rd century AD, Rabbi Simlai revealed that there are 613 mitzvot in the Torah. However, this number has been disputed. Some believe there are less than 613 commandments in these first five books of Moses, while others insist there are more than a thousand—but hey, who’s counting? Certainly, not me. I’ll take their word for it. But the fact is, there’s a whole lot of ’em, and as many Jews even acknowledge, no one can keep them all.

One reason is because many of the commandments can’t be observed today, even if one tried. For instance, sacrifices can’t be made without a Temple. Therefore, atonement for sin can’t be made, and festivals requiring a sacrifice can’t be observed—at least not as God prescribed.  Despite some who claim these, and other commands are obsolete for this purpose, we never read where God himself made that declaration. Therefore, it’s only man’s assumption based on his own understanding. Consequently, those who choose to obey the Law of Moses as a means of being made right with God, are still under obligation to fulfill the entire Law. (Deut. 6:25; Gal. 3:10-12; Gal 5:3; Jm. 2:10).

Other commandments are either irrelevant to us today or were specifically related to the promised land (Deut. 30:16-20). When was the last time you were entrusted with a neighbor’s donkey when they went away? (Ex, 22:10) How many times have they lent you their ox? (Ex. 22:14) Additionally, while droppin’ dollars in the offering bucket at your church in New York is noble, it doesn’t meet Torah’s requirements for tithing. (Deut. chap. 12-16) In fact, it doesn’t even come close. 

The Lord told the Israelites they were to be his specially separated, or “holy” people…” (Ex. 22:31). Therefore, they were to live differently from the nations around them. Additionally, Moses was instructed to record the terms of the covenant God had made with him and Israel; not with the whole world (Ex. 34:10-28). Despite arguments made by some, it’s clear that many of these commands were given specifically to the people of Israel to be observed in their land and in their time. Therefore, they don’t apply to other nations today.

So, Should New Testament Believers Keep Commandments?

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 7:19, “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts.” The word keeping refers to the act of observing, which in this context, means to “follow”, “carry out”, or “practice. ” The word observe has roots in Latin and French terms meaning “safe-keeping” or “guarding.” This means we’re entrusted with preserving God’s standards in a world that has become increasingly unreceptive to them. 

Additionally, Christ states in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Jesus himself stated that his purpose was not to dissolve, terminate, annul, or bring the Law or the Prophets to an end. “The Law and the Prophets” refers to the whole Hebrew Bible, also known as the Old Testament, or Tanakh. “The Prophets” consists of, well…prophets, and the “Law” refers to the Torah, which includes God’s commandments. Therefore, as Jesus didn’t come to abolish the “Law”, he also didn’t abolish God’s commandments. He fulfilled them. The word fulfill doesn’t mean to “bring to an end.” Given the context, it means to “execute”, “carry out”, “complete”, or “accomplish.” In his short life, Jesus fulfilled many prophecies and accomplished what Israel could not, by fully observing all the Torah’s requirements. 

So, considering these things, are followers of Christ expected to keep commandments? 

Absolutely! 

Furthermore, the Word teaches us to let our lights shine in the presence of others so they may see our good deeds and glorify our heavenly Father (Matt. 5:16). Therefore, we should stand out for the Lord! How do we do this? Not with pride or arrogance, but by being different. This difference comes from following the Lord’s teachings not following the ways of the world. We observe God’s commands not out of obligation, but out of reverence and love for him. Jesus told his disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commands” (John 14:15) and “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” (Jn. 15:10) Loving God involves obeying his commands, and his commands are not burdensome (1 Jn. 5:3). They’re a delight to those who delight in him. 

Obedience to God’s commandments doesn’t “prove” our salvation, but it shows our trust and belief in him as the Lord (Romans 10:9), the only true God (Jer. 10:10), and the one and only Savior (Is. 43:11). It’s through observing his commands that we can connect to, and also demonstrate our connection to the true God. A believer who refuses to obey, is like a person who is hired but doesn’t listen to their boss. They accept the title and paycheck, but they don’t acknowledge or respect their employer as one with authority over them. The employee won’t last long, and in the same way, our disobedience to God hurts our relationship with Him.

Jesus asked, “Why do you call me “Lord”  but don’t do what I say?” (Lk. 6:46) 

A father’s guidance can help his children succeed in life, and a well-disciplined child is a testimony to his character. In obeying God’s commandments, we demonstrate his righteousness to the world, and his teaching causes us to live wisely. Living set-apart by obeying his instruction not only improves our quality of life, but it proclaims the Lord’s nature and goodness to all.

Now, I know what you may be thinking: “But you just said most commandments don’t pertain to us today!” That’s correct, so just cool your jets. Because many don’t apply to us, we’ll need to determine which teachings do apply so we can be sure to practice them.

The Greatest Commandment

Jesus was once asked, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matt. 22:34-38 NIV)

Here, Christ quotes Deuteronomy 6:4-5 which says: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Perhaps this is the greatest command because if one doesn’t love, trust, and acknowledge the God of Abraham as the only true God, they cannot, and frankly, will not, keep his other commandments.  

Jesus continues and says, “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ (Matt. 22:39) (Lev. 19:18). Our love for God will lead us to obey his commandments, including his command to love others. 

One day, a wealthy and conflicted young man approached the Lord, asking, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” Jesus replied, “Why do you ask me about what is good?” There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself. “(Matt. 19:16-19 NIV)

Notice that Jesus didn’t recite every mitzvah from the Torah, nor did he list the Ten Commandments in their entirety. He seemed to emphasize commands that are central to loving others as that is the essence of his teaching. He told his followers, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (Jn 13:35), and “This is my command: Love each other” (Jn. 15:17).

Love God and love one another. Jesus said, “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:40) Therefore, the logic goes as follows: The 613 (or over a thousand) mitzvot in the Torah can be summarized by the “Ten Words”, or Ten Commandments. These Ten Commandments, also given by Moses, can be further summed up in two simple commands: Love God and Love Your Neighbor. The entire Law depends on these.  

Paul’s writings are consistent with this teaching. He wrote: 

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”(Rom. 13:8-9)

“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Gal. 5:14)

The Bottom Line

The Ten Commandments weren’t just for Israel. They’re for all of mankind. These commands were given by the Lord himself (Ex. 20:1-17). The rest of the mitzvot elaborated on them and were addressed to God’s people at that time. Because they didn’t have Bibles back then, the Lord made things plain and in black and white – it was completely practical for them. How else could they learn his righteous requirements? Under the New Covenant, however, we have liberty. Therefore, we aren’t obligated to observe each of the 600+ mitzvot, but we can still extract their principles (2 Tim. 3:16), focusing on the Spirit of the Law vs. the Letter of the Law.

Today, our understanding of God’s moral commandments are shaped mainly through the teachings of Jesus and the writings of the Apostles, neither of which permit us to disregard God’s commands. Instead, they teach us their true meaning and purpose. We are called to be free, but we aren’t to use our freedom to indulge the flesh, but rather, to serve one another humbly in love. (Gal. 5:13). We’ve been freed from sin’s power, so we can freely serve the Lord. 

As New Testament believers, we don’t have to follow a set list of rules to uphold God’s standards; we have the Bible and the Holy Spirit to guide us. The teachings of the Apostles, Christ, and God the Father, provide direction on how to relate to the Lord and to each other through love. Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8) and “Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” (Prov. 21:21) From leaving gleanings of the harvest for the poor and foreigner in the land (Lev. 23:22) to a thief restoring double of what he’s taken (Ex. 22:7), the Torah commandments along with the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles, exemplify God’s standard of love. Loving others to fulfill God’s will, may seem absurd to our corrupt nature, but it’s in line with God’s character— because God is love (1 Jn. 4:8).

His purpose and will for his people didn’t change with Jesus’ death on the cross. Therefore, there’s no reason to believe he’s changed how he wants us to live. We must still live lives that honor him by obeying him. We must keep his commands and distinguish ourselves as his people. Nevertheless, while following God’s commands, we don’t disregard his grace. If we could obtain righteousness through the law, Christ died for nothing (Gal. 2:21). Only by grace through faith in Jesus, do we become descendants of Abraham and children of God (Gal. 3:29; Rom. 5:1-2). “Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.” (Rom. 3:31).

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecc. 12:13-14)

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**Unless otherwise noted, the thoughts expressed in this post are my own, and are intended to guide, not replace one’s own conviction and study of Scripture.

Bibliography

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of commandment.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/commandment. Accessed 14 January, 2023.

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of mitzvah.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/mitzvah. Accessed 14 January, 2023.

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of observe.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/observe. Accessed 15 January, 2023.

Perseus Digital Library. Ed. Gregory R. Crane. Tufts University. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu (accessed January 13, 2023)

“Torah.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/topic/Torah.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights rediscipleserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[orcristwielder]

Kara walked out of her quarters and quickly through the halls until she found Thorin with the others. Biting down on her lower lip, she held out a beautiful white linen undershirt that was hand stitched with black and gold words in dwarven. She was blushing as she handed it to him. "Kili helped me with the writing on it. Its a prayer for health, long life and a strong sword?" She looked a little confused at Thorin's nephew but he just smiled at her. "Bard helped me get the threads and the fabric but I made it all myself. Sewing is a ladies job in my world and is something that you do for someone you care for."

•UNPROMPTED ASKS• @abeautifulmencgerie — always accepting!

HEARING FOOTSTEPS PULLED THE ROYAL'S ATTENTION FROM A BOOK HE'D BEEN READING. Bright blues looked upon the woman as she entered, the rest of the company having stood up to greet her only to step aside and allow Kara the room she needed. Thorin had been confused for a moment or two, until his gaze shifted and looked upon the gift she held out. While it was understood that Kili had been teaching her their language, not that the elder minded, but he should have told the woman what this meant.

With a breath taken the brunette looked up to the woman tilting his head slightly as he hesitated. Should he tell her? It wasn't like they were going to court one another, was it? Thorin was unaware of what her feelings toward him were, but this? Kili would be given a stern talking to after this mess was cleared up.

"Kara.."

The dwarf's gaze locked on to her own his heart breaking over the mere fact of having to break the news to her. The gift had been a sweet gesture in his eyes, but for her not to fully understand their customs and for him to have to explain what this had meant. It was either going to make her sad or absolutely confused. Balin had been watching from the side wondering just how his king were to handle this, and how Kara would take the news.

"Did my nephew tell you exactly what it means when you present one with a gift such as this?"

[lumierecharity]

GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH - MODULE 73: CELESTIAL TREASURE

GOOD SHEPHERD CHURCH SEMINARY

MODULE 73

SERMON ON THE MOUNT: 

CELESTIAL TREASURE

Humankind was born for greatness

In the Sermon on the Mount, the Law of the Kingdom is clearly laid out by Jesus in Chapters 5 to 7. The reality of Biblical history is that humankind was born for greatness. "God created man in His own Image, in the Image of God He created him." [Genesis 1:27]    Clearly, there is something infinitely lovely here. Man and woman were essentially born to be royal within the Kingdom of God.

The spiritual history of humankind within the Bible shows that humankind lost their greatness. Instead of achieving royalty through being servants of God, humankind became the slaves of sin.

Jesus, our Saviour, came to this world from Heaven to show us that humankind can regain our greatness. Even after the disaster and distress of the Fall and the abandonment by our ancestors of the Plan of God, God did not allow humankind to be destroyed by our own folly. Rather, He sent His Son Jesus Christ into our world to liberate us from the shackles of sin and so that we could regain full fellowship with God.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us the Law of the Kingdom and the royal road to greatness.

Celestial Treasure

Jesus counselled us not to think only of the present, but to store up for the eternal future. Those who scurry after wealth, prestige and power on this earth search for a phantom which will melt away when earth's day is done.

No house, no silver, no gold, no finery can be taken with us when we go to God. We leave this world at the moment of death to face our personal judgement with God, with no earthly goods at our side. What items we have accumulated on earth will not stand to our good in heaven. Through His Blood shed on the cross, Jesus Christ paid the penalty of sin and satisfied the demands of Divine Justice, reconciling humankind with God. 

The Son of God triumphed over sin, death and the power of the devil over humankind. Jesus secured redemption for each person in the past, the present and the future. It is up to us whether we accept the Saviour's redemption and the grace which His resurrection won for us. Our true treasure in Heaven are our efforts to do good, give alms, be kind, do godly actions. 

Jesus told us not to lay up treasures upon this earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal, but to lay up for ourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Jesus tells us, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  [Matthew 6:21]

Spiritual treasure

Spiritual treasure are the holy moments which shape the journey of our lives, where God touches our hearts not to pursue people, money, and objects with no thought to the Commandments of God. Spiritual treasure are actions of justice, kindness and godliness which will stand to our good stead when we have to answer to God for our actions and inactions during our earthly lives. 

Do not be afraid of your judgement

Do not be afraid of your judgement. Do the best you can, and entrust the rest to God. We are but made of the earth, and are frail. God understands this. Yet, we are not only made of earth. We are also made in the Image and Likeness of God. God does not expect us to manage our lives all on our own. God stoops to us, and assist us to deeds of mercy, justice, compassion, understanding, forgiveness and godliness. Turn to God when you need Divine Help and Grace to rise above natural tendencies to pride, anger, avarice, greed, lust and jealousy. God will surely help.

The teaching of celestial treasure has as kernel the reality that if one places one's treasure in Heaven, that is where one's heart and attention also will be.

Godly actions

Godly actions are not to trumpet your good deeds in front of others [Matthew 6:1].  Give assistance and alms to the needy {Matthew 6:2-4]. Pray to God the Father in privacy [Matthew 6:5-8]. Fast [that is, be temperate in your eating and drinking] and do this in Honour of Almighty God [Matthew 6:16-18]. Thus, good deeds, alms, prayer and fasting are supports which store up treasure in Heaven. 

Our true and lasting treasure consists of our love for God, our respect for His ways, our striving to do good in His Name. Alms in good spirit, fasting in faith-filled way, prayer in intimate relationship with God, love for others and good self-respect, kind deeds in the Name of God; these are the true treasure we must store up for Heaven.

Fine clothes disintegrate over time

Fine clothes disintegrate over time; wealth can be stolen; paper currency may be destroyed. Houses, estates and palaces may be lost or fall into ruin. 

Royal testimony of character

Yet the celestial treasure of following the Ten Commandments and the Law of the Kingdom as laid out by the Son of God in the Sermon on the Mount will stand to our good and be our royal testimony of character, forever in Heaven. [Matthew 6:19-21]

[betweenthetimeandsound]

OC Interview III (tag game)

Thanks @basalamander-corner for tagging me! Sorry it took a while to do so, but here it is! This time, here's Queen Aleria Semaine of Carina and its Territories!

Are you named after anyone?

I think my parents were trying to give me something auspicious, something worthy of a princess of my stature. The Aleris are all about fighting for the light, and that radiated down to myself.

When was the last time you cried?

I don't know when, but a few weeks earlier, I thought of my sister Ekaterina and cried. I don't know how we became royals of opposite realms; I thought she would always be my side.

Do you have kids?

I have a sweet daughter, named Teranesia Manevie. She's twenty-two and is looking to be a worthy heir to the throne. She's good in how she listens to her fellow students at university and has a nice run in her test reign.

I also had a son, but...he was not long for this world.

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

I'm not sure what you mean by that, do you?

What's the first thing you notice about people?

Their intents and how they compose themselves in the room. If I could read out what they want before they say anything, it's to my advantage. Unfortunately, only those who control the mind could master that skill.

What's your eye colour?

An emerald green--fitting for somebody within my line. In the right light, you could see the sun in them.

Scary movies or happy endings?

What is a movie? (somebody goes to her ear and tries to explain)

I don't watch them very often, but I do enjoy a good theatre. And I need it it end well, otherwise I cannot have my rest.

Any special talents?

I have control over the air; I found out about my powers when I was fifteen years old. While I think my diplomatic achievements are important to me, I think my abilities to control the weather and to speed through the forests are also a nice achievement, and could make me a legend. (laughs)

Where were you born?

I was born in Kornye, the capital of my realm! Apparently, before I was born, somebody accidentially launched a firework at the palace, and all the grounds had to go on lockdown. My late mother, Clarisse, jolted and hid in the catacombs when her water broke. It took a while for them to give birth to me.

Do you have any pets?

I keep an assortment of birds in the Birdia; a special place in Kornye where they are allowed to fly freely. I don't manage them because of my current affairs, but I still cherish them as they were my own. Hopefully, the next generation of Carinians will be able to enjoy them.

What sort of sports do you play?

Does running count? Because I could beat you in that anytime.

How tall are you?

Around average for women...would that be 1.65 meters in your world? 1.7 meters?

What was your favorite subject in school?

Carinian philosophy and literature--not only because I enjoy a good book, but also to understand my country's psyche a little bit more. Recently, I've read a poem by an anonymous soldier, who though the sea would make him better, but the sirens to took him away instead. They might not sing as well as in your world, but they have great powers.

I always enjoyed learning about the extent of my powers, though struggling to prevent a storm front before a coronation was quite intense.

What is your dream job?

Who could say that they don't want to be queen? (laughs)

That being said, if I had to give up my throne, I would retreat myself back into the universities and be a scholar. What would I study, I'm not sure, but I could be sure that it's something worthwhile. Or I could teach others calligraphy--people have really tried to copy my signature these days.

@charlies-storybook, @forever-and-almost-always, what about you?