#ch; guinevere

[syfysource]

Merlin 1.05 Lancelot

[simgerale]

another cas shot but this time of someone i hope to introduce soon…!!! maybe tomorrow?

[in-her-shadow-if]

Ok but fairly angsty ask??? That validates my feelings lmao. So, what if MC was born sickly on top of it all? Like they were easy to fall sick with colds, ferver and stuff... there was a fragility to their build, if you pushed them they would break etc etc... reactions of the ROs. Cherry on top pretty please if guin being guin and daddy dearest only make her condition worsen :)) would the ROS be protective???

The ROs would be protective in their own way.

I'll-fight-these-fools kind of protective mixed with waiting on MC hand and foot to comfort them: Arthur, Lancelot

Death glare to Guin / Bran while plotting revenge: Merlin, Kay

Resisting the urge to set Bran on fire mixed with comforting MC and taking them away: Morgana

Reactions (warning: some assume touch is okay, reaction would vary for MC otherwise, also: fire):

Arthur - He notices the exhaustion in your eyes after Guinevere left "MC? Are you unwell?" A soft hum from your lips tells him yes. His own body was heating up from annoyance at your sister. But he didn't notice as he gently scoops you up and into his arms. "Let's get you to the bed, love. And then I'll grab you favorite pillows and a glass of water." Arthur glanced down at you. "And that book you love - I'll read it until you fall asleep." And then I'll find Guinevere and give her a taste of her own medicine, he thought.

Lancelot - "Hey! Time for you to leave," Lance growls as he steps in to shield you from your father. Bran glares at the Knight. "How dare you talk to a King like that!" Lancelot chuckles and takes step forward, his chest touching Bran's. "I dare much more than talking, Your Majesty. I suggest you leave before I do something you regret" he responds. The King sputters, unable to respond before giving you an annoyed look over Lancelot's shoulder and turning to leave. Lance turn to look at you. His face softens. "Want some fresh air in the garden?" You nod and he wraps a gentle arm around you shoulder, pulling you close so you can rest your weight on him. Fuck, I hate that guy, Lance thinks.

Morgana - You sigh at the feelings coming over you while your father talks. All things you've heard so often. You wish he'd leave Camelot so you could be in peace. Well, partial peace considering Guin's presence. "Dammit, are you listening to me, MC?" You meet your father's eyes but before you can respond he lets out a yelp and starts jumping around. Your eyes widen and you stumble back, bumping into something soft. "Help! I'm on fire!" Bran swats his arm sleeve as he struggles to get his robe off. You hear a soft giggle and look to your side. "How peculiar!" Morgana says. "You don't see that everyday, do you?" She winks at you before turning back to watching the flailing Bran.

Kay - Your eyes search for a way out. You're trapped with Guinevere and its already brining on a headache from her entitled demands. Guinevere grabs your sleeve, drawing your attention. "Listen when I talk to you," she says, annoyance flashing in her eyes. Her grip is broken by a lady Knight in shining armor. Kay glares at Guinevere, a look so severe that you shiver. "MC is needed elsewhere. I've come to retrieve them." Your sister rolls her eyes. "Whatever," she says before turning away. Kay turns to you with a bright smile. "Shall we?" You follow her out of the room, noticing how she glances at Guin on the way out with a balled up fist. The day will come.., Kay thinks to herself.

Merlin - Guinevere opens her mouth to continue but both of you turn to look as a portal opens and Merlin steps out, tossing an aggravated look at her. Xe stops in front of her and huffs. "Your grating voice carries to the tower. Don't look so surprised, I told you this the first day you arrived in Camelot. How can I get work down with you in the same building?" Guinevere lets out a small shriek. "You can't talk to me like that! I'm the QUEEN." Merlin rolls xir eyes and turns to you, a small smile tugging at xir lips. "See what I have to put up with it? It's insufferable." Xe turns back to Guin. "And I won't tolerate it. Sleep with an eye open." With that, Merlin guides you out of the room with a barely contained smile and sparkling eyes.

[seraphfighter]

I'm having the true bg3 experience of reaching Act 3 and starting a new playthrough.

Meet Guinevere--my half-elf, wild magic sorceress who was an old rival of Gale's at the Academy. But joke's on them because they both get tadpoled and end up falling in love.

[masked-alien-lesbian]

You keep saying shit like that I’m gonna kiss you...

[cpt-indigo]

part of my list of to read books was oph 2 & 3 bc i never finished after what they did to raf…. even 2 yrs later i still don’t know if im strong enough to go through that train wreck again 😭😭

[queer-ragnelle]

is there any text or tumblr post that dives into the ways in which sir lancelot is insane? like a freak? i’ve read a couple extracts ab him giving the idea that he was effed up a bit and like a whole murderbot with raging feelings of hatred and love? i would like to know more ab the crazy things he does or says that make ppl go “this man is a freakazoid”. also i adore your blog thank you for making sumn this nice!

hi there!

i'm unsure if you mean excerpts from medieval sources in which lancelot is "mad" or academic articles dissecting those instances...but i have both for you lol now a disclaimer: i'm neither a medievalist nor a psychologist, so all i can offer you is the raw material and my opinion. while we shouldn't "diagnose" anyone of the past as we do now, lancelot isn't a real person, so i think that affords us a little more freedom to speculate about him, and more importantly, what it is he represented: a medieval anxiety surrounding trauma and the resulting mental toll. info and sources below a cut. huge content warning for self harm and suicidal ideation.

Academic Sources: Medieval Attitudes Towards Mental Illness by Edith A. Wright, Of Metal and Men by Julie Singer, The Enemy Inside by Brian Burfield

Medieval Sources: The Knight of The Cart by Chréiten de Troyes, The Vulgate Cycle edited by Norris J. Lacy

so for starters, let's establish what it is people are responding to when they discuss lancelot's mental instability. the character first appears in "the knight of the cart" by chrétien de troyes, and right from the getgo, lancelot exhibits a lot of mental distress, up to and including, a suicide attempt.

from his inception, lancelot was unwell. at another point, he appears to disassociate so completely, he forgets his own identity, and loses perception of his body.

now you may have noticed that the text always links lancelot's episodes to his fixation on guinevere. we'd be here forever if we incorporated the way medieval authors offset the blame of their protagonists' deteriorating mental states onto the fault of a woman (see also: yvain/owain's madness when laudine/countess divorced him, tristan's madness out of longing for isolde, etc.) whereas when a woman shows upset, it's never attributed to her lover, but a shortcoming within herself. so for the sake of staying on topic, we'll focus on lancelot's symptoms as they are, rather than trying to unravel the middle ages-sized knot of misogyny that is the fictitious root of these madness episodes. "medieval attitudes towards mental illness" by edith a. wright discusses this trend in depth.

i'm going to be focusing on "the vulgate cycle" as my main source of lancelot's madness as he has multiple distinct episodes in that text written in excruciating detail that we can discuss. generally speaking, lancelot is presented as an extremely anxious individual that's highly susceptible to outside influence (whether that be guinevere's, galehaut's, etc.) but that in and of itself is not necessarily indicative of mental illness so much as a rarely explored introverted quirk of his personality. as discussed in "of metal and men" by julie singer, it seems lancelot's at his most confident when operating as an anonymous knight and therefore not subject to the scrutiny of societal expectation.

this, however, can develop in extreme ways when lancelot is pushed past his limits, and he succumbs to a berserker-like state neither his friends nor family can shake him from. while imprisoned at saxon rock, lancelot has to be segregated from the other prisoners, despite galehaut begging to be housed with him, the jailers refuse as lancelot's psychosis is so intense that he'd kill his fellow hostages and thus neutralize the enemy army's advantage. lancelot's refusal to eat exacerbates his symptoms. [Lancelot Part II, Ch. 71. Lancelot’s Madness and Cure; Defeat of the Saxons and Irish; Lancelot, Galehaut, and Hector Become Companions of the Round Table]

this psychotic episode continues even after lancelot is freed. eventually guinevere is forced to lock him alone in a room to protect the others, as he continues to attack anyone who comes near, including his own younger cousin and squire lionel who had attempted to talk him down and was struck. lancelot only recovers after his adoptive mother, the lady of the lake, arrives and utilizes strikingly modern de-escalation techniques, such as referring to lancelot by his childhood name to ground him, administering some medicine to help him sleep, allowing him uninterrupted rest, and then bathing him. (this is tinged with medieval mysticism, of course, but you get the idea.) the lady of the lake then instructs guinevere on how to care for him thereafter. once lancelot awakens from his magic/healing-induced coma, his sanity is restored.

it feels important to note here that, once lancelot regains his senses, he feels ashamed of his behavior, and worries that his mental instability would cause guinevere to love him less. but she assures him that she loves him and is committed as long as they both live. even in medieval times, people recognized that a strong support system was of utmost importance for the mentally ill to thrive.

lancelot is, for the most part, stable for a time after this, contented to live at sorealis with galehaut (and guinevere for a bit as well). but growing restless, lancelot leaves galehaut's company to go adventuring. through some misunderstanding, galehaut believes lancelot had died, and thus dies of heartbreak himself. on discovery of his beloved's tomb, lancelot grieves so bitterly that he intends to kill himself on the spot. [Lancelot Part IV, Ch. 120. Lancelot Discovers Galehaut’s Casket and Defends It; Lancelot Rescues Meleagant’s Sister]

it's here that a messenger of the lady of the lake arrives. the lady had been informed by her oracle that this would happen, so acting quickly, she sent someone to intervene. the messenger takes the sword from lancelot and immediately gives him a task, one that would exhume galehaut and bring his body to where lancelot would eventually be buried beside him. in the short term, this prevented lancelot from harming himself, and in the long term, guided him toward shifting gears long enough that he eventually overcomes his grief through completion of his lady's instruction.

the next time lancelot is driven mad is after he is beguiled by elaine of corbenic into bed with her at camelot. (this is the second time, galahad had already been conceived). [Lancelot Part VI, Ch. 176 Lancelot and Arthur Go to Gaul; Claudas Abandons Gaunes; King Pelles’s Daughter Deceives Lancelot; Guenevere Expels Lancelot]

at this point, lancelot is beyond the reach of even his mother, the lady of the lake, so this psychotic episode persists for many years. he's declared missing and all of the knights set out in search of him, to no avail, and he is assumed dead. lancelot, meanwhile, survives the winter by attacking people and stealing their resources. [Lancelot Part VI, Ch. 178 Lancelot’s Madness and Subsequent Cure]

eventually, while lancelot is subdued in a deep sleep, a pair of charitable brother knights, recognizing that lancelot is unable to care for himself and a danger to those around him, successfully transport him to their castle. they don't know who he is. they keep him chained for safety but feed and clothe him. during this time, lancelot mutilates himself to be free.

eventually, lancelot is calm enough to be freed from his bindings, and lives with the brothers in this way for two years. he eats little and completely loses touch with his identity and the reality of the world around him.

but one day, lancelot looks out his tower window and sees a passing boar. he's compelled to follow it and departs the castle of the brothers without a word. he ends up in a battle with the boar which he barely survives. a holy man happens upon him and tries to administer healing, but lancelot attacks him.

after this the holy man flees and enlists the help of some men-at-arms, who assist in capturing lancelot and forcibly strapping him to a litter to be drawn away. ultimately, despite the best intentions, lancelot's condition only worsens.

i'm going to make a brief aside here as this reminds me of an article i read detailing a similar situation which occurred in real life. in "the enemy inside" by brian burfield, john of ancaster suffered mental distress as a result of the war in france, subsequently inflicting harm on himself and others. in this case, it was his father that restrained him into a horse-drawn cart, and brought him to a place of healing which was revolutionary of the time period, as friar bartholomeus recognized the connection between trauma and mental distress without attributing it to demonic possession, thus attracting many people in need of help to his monastery for treatment. so there is, at least in part, historical precedence of similar occurrences.

anyway, back to lancelot. he eventually flees from his intended caretakers yet again and wanders to the town of corbenic. there the children recognize his madness and begin to harass him, throwing stones and sticks, until he's incited to retaliate and wounds anyone who crosses him. eventually he wanders into the castle itself. the courtlings recognize he's mad, and feed him scraps. satiated, he literally curls up and sleeps on the floor like a dog. it's this, at last, that allows him to begin the slow recovery to wellness.

finally, after all these years, someone recognizes lancelot for who he is. none other than elaine of corbenic.

she tells her father pelles and he concocts a plan to capture and cure lancelot using the power of the holy grail. so as the times before, they wait until lancelot falls asleep, and bind him up. then at long last, his senses are restored.

when lancelot awakens from his stupor, he knows not how he got there, but begins walking upright and talking coherently again. he implores pelles to explain how he came there. once up to speed. lancelot is grateful no one but pelles and elaine recognized him. now let it be made clear that while lancelot's psychotic episode had finally concluded, he's not otherwise alleviated of mental anguish. he's still depressed about his banishment from logres and camelot, and deeply ashamed of his many years spent mad. thus he requests of pelles to live somewhere far away, where no one but pelles and elaine will ever recognize him.

so an island with a castle is located on which lancelot can live and he, together with elaine and a small court, go there to stay. lancelot loses his knightly abilities and instead takes up the daily ritual of subjecting himself to painful memories of logres, which then in turn bring him "relief" and "comfort". an apt description of rumination and self harm.

eventually, lancelot sends a secret message back to the land of logres intended to entice people to the island to fight him so he can relive the glory days.

in the end, it's lancelot's own half brother hector along with young and newly knighted perceval who find lancelot on the isle of joy. hector tells lancelot that the queen summons him, and lancelot immediately prepares to leave. on hearing this, galahad tells his grandfather he'll go and lodge in the abbey run by his great aunt, so that he might be nearer to his father. [Lancelot Part VI, Ch. 179 Hector and Perceval Find Lancelot, and They All Return to Camelot; Galahad’s Arrival Is Announced]

and with that, lancelot reenters society with his brother and son, which kicks off the grail quest in the subsequent book. that's a lot of info and reading, but all this to say that yeah, lancelot is known for his mental instability, to say the least. thanks for the ask!

[choicesficwriterscreations]

Thank you to our creators who have submitted their Top 5 fics of 2023! I know this is a terribly difficult task. After all, I did it myself! But I've always felt this list was the more important of the two - it's not about the numbers; it's about the works that nourished their creator's souls and brought them joy. So, thanks to each of you for sharing with us! Links to all stories can be found below the break!

@aallotarenunelma ✒️

Moonlit Hearts (IL/ID Crossover/AU) - Original Characters

Childhood Memories (ILW) - Lincoln McQuoid x NB!MC

Close to the Flame (ILW) - Lincoln McQuoid x NB!MC

Another Sun Will Rise (ILITW) - Dan Pierce x MC

Indigo Blood (ID) - Cas Harlow x MC

@angelasscribbles ✒️

The DeFacto Queen (TRR) Ⓜ️ - Drake x MC, Liam x MC

A Fervid Fixation (TRR) Ⓜ️ - Drake Walker x MC

The Dark Kingdom (TRR) Ⓜ️ - Drake x MC, Liam x MC

In Your Room Masterlist (TRR) Ⓜ️ - Drake Walker x Leo Rys

Laws End (TRR) Ⓜ️- Drake Walker x MC, Liam Rys x MC

@baldwinboy5ive 🎨and ✒️

Aerin Prison Visit (BOLAS) 🎨- Aerin Valleros x F!MC

The Right Path (BOLAS) ✒️- Aerin Valleros x F!MC

Name on the Wall (BOLAS) ✒️- Aerin Valleros x F!MC

Bye-Bye Baldur (BOLAS) 🎨- Aerin Valleros

Aerin x Raine Fanart (BOLAS) 🎨- Aerin Valeros x MC

@cariantha ✒️

All He Wanted (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

Hey Stranger (OH) Ⓜ️ - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

For You, I Will (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

War & Peace (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

A Solid Strategy (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

@coffeeheartaddict2 ✒️

Everybody Hurts Sometimes, Ch. 7 Ⓜ️(OH) - Ethan Ramsey, MC

Love in all Forms (OH) - Ethan Ramsey, F!OC, Tobias Carrick

Power to Overcome (OH) - F!MC, Aurora Emery

Everybody Hurts Sometimes, Ch. 15 Ⓜ️(OH) - Ethan Ramsey, etc.

Desire Ⓜ️(OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

@inlocusmads ✒️

Past Lives (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC

Music for the Lost (and Found) (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC

The Feverish Itch (Guinevere) - Guinevere, Queen Artura, F!Lancelot

Cross Your Heart and Set it Ablaze (COP) Trystan Thorne x F~!MC

The Bow That Burned Bright (BOLAS) - F!Elf!MC, Kade

@jerzwriter ✒️

A Mother's Journal Ⓜ️(WTD) - Eli Sipes

What's Forever For Ⓜ️(OH/AU) - Tobias Carrick, F!MC

Breathe Again (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC

A Bit Dark (OH) - F!MC x F!OC

I Do, Me Too (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

@ladylamrian ✒️

Welcome to the World of Night (NB) - NB Side Characters

A Meeting in Wyoming (NB) - Nik Ryder x F!MC

Towards the Future (NB) - Nik Ryder x F!MC

Duty & Pleasure (NB) - Nik Ryder x F!MC

Sweet & Tender Hearts (NB) - Original Characters

@liaromancewriter ✒️

La Vie Avec Toi (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC, Sienna Trinh x M!OC

Late Shift (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

The Reluctant Valentine (OH) - Sienna Trinh x M!OC

When the Clock Strikes Twelve (OH/AU) - Sienna Trinh x M!OC

Breaking News (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

@moominofthevalley ✒️

The Haunting, Part 1 (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC

Turpentine (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC

The Girl With the Glass (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC

I Will (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC

Future Days (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC

@peonierose ✒️

Wildflower (OH) - Keiki Lahela x M!OC

Kintsugi (OH) - Original Characters

Summer's Kiss (OH) - Bryce Lahela x F!OC

I'm a Sucker for You (OH) - Bryce Lahela x F!OC

Rose All Day (OH) - Bryce Lahela, Keiki Lahela, OCs

@stars-are-within-me ✒️

The Rain (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC

Reflections (BOLAS) - Aerin Valleros

A Day Off (COP) - Trystan Thorne x MC

In the Gray (COP) - Eveline Goncharov, Maksim Thorne, etc.

The Lonely Prince (BOLAS) - Aerin Valleros x MC

@storyofmychoices ✒️

Shadows & Deceptions: A Royal Murder Mystery (Crossover/AU)

Can I Have This Dance? (OH) - Bryce Lahela x F!OC

Shadows of Hope (BOLAS) - Mal Volari x F!MC

The Quest for Daenarya (BOLAS) - Mal Volari x F!MC

Dealing with a Narcissist (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC

@tessa-liam ✒️

Smoke & Mirrors, Ch. 11 Ⓜ️(TRR) - Liam Rys x MC

Cappadocia Ⓜ️ (TRR) - Liam Rys x MC

Marabelle, Ch. 2 Ⓜ️ (TRR) - Liam Rys x F!OC

Turning the Page, Ch. 5 Ⓜ️ (TRR) - Liam Rys x F!OC

Ti Amo Molto Ⓜ️ (TRR) - Liam Rys x MC

@trappedinfanfiction ✒️

Fast Break, Epilogue (OH/AU) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

What's in a Name? (COP) - Trystan Thorne

Crossroads Ⓜ️(OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

By Your Side (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC

A New Neighbor (COP) - Trystan Thorne x F!MC

@zealouscanonindeer ✒️

Dangerous Games Ⓜ️ (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

Naughty & Nice (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

Like Whom? (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

Roots (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

Drunken Nights (OH) - Ethan Ramsey x F!MC

[gawrkin]

Now that we're talking about Lancelot's Knighthood in relation to Guinevere in the French Narratives - in that Lancelot considers Guinevere to be his Feudal superior - its absolutely hilarious to me that Thomas Malory tried to retcon this aspect of Lancelot's character.

Its in Book 18, Ch. 7 of Le Morte:

Anon as the king wist that, he took the queen in his hand, and yode unto Sir Launcelot, and said: Sir, grant mercy of your great travail that ye have had this day for me and for my queen. My lord, said Sir Launcelot, wit ye well I ought of right ever to be in your quarrel, and in my lady the queen's quarrel, to do battle; for ye are the man that gave me the high order of knighthood, and that day my lady, your queen, did me great worship, and else I had been shamed; for that same day ye made me knight, through my hastiness I lost my sword, and my lady, your queen, found it, and lapped it in her train, and gave me my sword when I had need thereto, and else had I been shamed among all knights; and therefore, my lord Arthur, I promised her at that day ever to be her knight in right outher in wrong

Compare this to how French!Lancelot deliberately ditched Arthur to have Guinevere finish his Knighting, Malory clearly didn't like the idea that Lancelot wasn't actually a man in complete fealty to Arthur.

[vesperpharsalius]

I read the quote you posted from golden son and I didn’t immediately read the tags so I was going crazy because I remembered the scene differently, but since I have only read GS translated in my language I thought it was a translation change. But now I feel dumb because what are the RR snippets I need more of whatever that was because that was beautiful, the lancelot part got me screaming crying and throwing up. please help😭

Thanks for the ask!

My copy of Red Rising (which is just a standard American mass–market paperback I bought back in 2016) has a teaser for Golden Son at the end, excerpts from Ch. 11–12, which cover the Gala.

It is mostly consistent with the corresponding parts of GS, with less dialogue and detail and overall polishing than the actual book, but there’s the occasional thing that got cut or changed in the final version. Strangely, the teaser at the end of my GS is identical to its corresponding scene in Morning Star—it’s the prologue—so I’m not sure whether this was deliberate.

Here’s the official version of THAT scene:

He of the bloodydamn golden curls is with the girl who nursed me to health in the winter, who helped me remember Eo's dream. His hand on her waist. His lips whispering into her ear. As surely as Cassius au Bellona put a sword in my stomach, he now sticks a dagger in my heart. His hair thick and lustrous. His chin cleft, hands steady. Shoulders powerful, made for war. Face made for the hearts of court. And he wears the rising sun of the Morning Knight. The rumors are true. It rips through the party. The Sovereign has made him one of the twelve. Despite the fact that I won the Institute, he's risen higher, tearing through the Dueling Circuit on Luna like an ancestor possessed. I've watched him on the HC, watched him stalk around the Bleeding Place as another Gold lies near death. But here, now, he dazzles, charms. Face split with a white smile. In his Golden body he has all I have and more. He is faster on his feet than I. As tall. More handsome. Wealthier. He has a better laugh and people think him kinder. Yet he has none of my burdens.

And this is the teaser from RR:

He of the bloodydamn golden curls is with the girl who nursed me to health in the winter, who helped me remember Eo's dream. His hand on her waist. His lips whispering into her ear. As surely Cassius au Bellona put a sword in my stomach, he now sticks a dagger in my heart. His hair thick and lustrous. His chin cleft. His hands steady. Form powerful. Shoulders made for war. Face made for the women of court. And he wears a crown badge. The Sovereign has taken him for one of her lancers. Despite the fact that I won at the Institute, he's risen higher, tearing through the Dueling Circuit on Luna like an ancestor possessed. I've watched him on the HC, watched him stalk around the Bleeding Place as another Gold lies near death. He stalks like a famished beast as if one life cannot sate the hunger that roils inside him. Here, now, he dazzles, charms. Face split with a white smile, he is the man fit for stories of romance, a Lancelot galloping from myth to steal a woman who could have been, but never was, my Guinevere. His is a charmed birth. He has all I have in his Golden body and more. He is faster on his feet than I. As tall. He is more handsome. Wealthier. A golden knight. He has a better laugh and people think him kinder. He does not have my burdens.

As you can see, the final version is a little more eloquent and better–worded. The teaser is rawer and a little clumsier. But… whoever cut the Lancelot and insatiable beast bits out should go to Deepgrave, fr, because they’re just 🤌🏽

With the exception of THAT scene, the differences are minor, the Final Cut being obviously superior and often opulent by comparison. Still, there are some notable omissions that didn’t make it, like:

A brief but important conversation between Darrow and Karnus (where he guzzles like, four glasses of wine in less than a minute; Eagle Rest needs an AA chapter, apparently) about butter, in which they establish that A) Lunese food has too much butter and not enough salt and that B) butter is disgusting and makes them feel like pigs.

Karnus also mentions that Julian loved butter so much he ate it by the stick, alone. Wtf, Julian.

Darrow also remarks at one point that A) Martians pride punctuality and always arrive on time, that B) Venusians disdain it and are always fashionably late, and that C) Lunese either come first or last, to keep people guessing and mess with their heads, ofc.

(I like to imagine the Raa being equally punctual and Dido coming to dinner two hours late wearing a diaphanous dress and body glitter, getting criminally offensive side–eye.)

Secret canon facts! Reblog for Lancelot Cassius and Carny Julian.

[in-her-shadow-if]

Did the Ros ever ask why MC wasnt at the wedding or never visited? If yes what excuses did Bran and Guin use??

"Oh! MC is far too ill to travel," Bran tells them, pursuing his lips. "I hate leaving them in such a fragile way, but duty becomes before all."

Guinevere didn't have much to say. "Hmm? My sibling? I wouldn't know, ask my father." (She got immense enjoyment watching him wear his concerned-for-MC father mask.)

[hazel-of-sodor]

What's Lost is Found

Ch.16 Bring Them Home

other stories

other chapters

 A piece of tarp had been secured around Seren's face to ensure her eyes remained covered during the trip. Mali had volunteered to ride alongside Seren to make sure it didn't fall off in the journey, Screech wrapping her tendrils securely around the coaches, crew, and engine.

They had emerged onto the track they had departed from, facing the opposite direction, startling Enid and the work crews as she emerged from thin air with a whistle blast.

 Everyone had made it through safely, although Mali had thrown up over the side of the flatbed as soon as Screech's tendrils released her.

Screech had simply simmered smugly as the workers ran around the train.

"You didn't have to startle us like that." Enid pouted.

Screech raised an eyebrow, "of course I did."

Enid looked at her skeptically, "And why is that."

Screech smirked, "because it amused me."

"And of course, our only purpose is to amuse you," Enid said mock solemnly.

Screech patted the top of her head with a tendril, "I'm glad to see you understand."

"Oh for the love of the Lady..."

Seren laughed from her flatbed, "Are you always like this?"

"No Screech is normally flirting with Abb...Screech! No! Don't you dar..."

***

Enid was still sulking when they reached Uman, fruitlessly blowing steam in an attempt to dislodge the dirt and sand covering her running board.

Screech shunted alongside her smugly.

"I was just cleaned Thursday," Enid complained, before sneezing out a cloud of sand. "Where did you even get sand from??"

Guinevere rolled up on the other side. "I see your trip was successful?"

"Only because your shadow can teleport and didn't tell anyone," Enid said petulantly.

Screech rolled her eyes and tapped the 97xx's running board, causing the dust and dirt to fall away from her. Enid sighed in relief.

"Seren this is Glastonbury Abbey, our express engine. Her official name is Guinevere."

"A pleasure to meet you Seren" Abbey said kindly, before glancing back at Screech, "That's everyone on that line?"

"Everyone they need us for. There was talk of some wagons, but they could manage those without us"

"Good." Abbey said firmly, "I'd hate to imagine anyone else left up there. Two engines were quite enough."

"The rest of us were sold off before that Miss Abbey," Seren said quietly.

Abbey frowned, "Miss Morgan will have to find out where they went then. But for now, let's get you and your coaches to the works."

She set off towards the work's shed, Screech following behind.

[masked-alien-lesbian]

She’s such a gentlewoman! 😍😍 and my MC is so not lol

[ghelgheli]

The Stuff I Read in June/July 2023

Stuff I Extra Liked is Bold

I forgot to do it last month so you get a double feature

Books

Ninefox Gambit, Yoon Ha Lee

Heteropessimism (Essay Cluster)

The Biological Mind, Justin Garson (2015) Ch. 5-7

Sacred and Terrible Air, Robert Kurvitz

Wage Labour and Capital, Karl Marx

Short Fiction

Beware the Bite of the Were-Lesbian (zine), H. C. Guinevere

Childhood Homes (and why we hate them) by qrowscant (itch.io)

piele by slugzuki (itch.io)

بچه‌ای که شکل گربه میکشید، لافکادیو هرن

بچه های که یخ نزدند، ماکسیم گورکی

پسرکی در تعقیب تبهکار، ویلیام آیریش

Küçük Kara Balık, Samed Behrengi

Phil Mind

The Hornswoggle Problem, Patricia Churchland,  Journal of Consciousness Studies 3.5-6 (1996): 402-408

What is it Like to be a Bat? Thomas Nagel, (https://doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674594623.c15)

Epiphenomenal Qualia, Frank Jackson, Consciousness and emotion in cognitive science. Routledge, 1998. 197-206

Why You Can’t Make a Computer that Feels Pain, Daniel Dennett, Synthese, vol. 38, no. 3, 1978, pp. 415–56

Where Am I? Daniel Dennett

Can Machines Think? Daniel Dennett

Divided Minds and the Nature of Persons, Derek Parfit (https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118922590.ch8)

The Extended Mind, Andy Clark & David Chalmers, Analysis 58, no. 1 (1998): 7–19

Uploading: A Philosophical Analysis, David Chalmers (https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118736302.ch6)

If You Upload, Will You Survive? Joseph Corabi & Susan Schneider (https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118736302.ch8)

If You Can’t Make One, You Don’t Know How It Works, Fred Dretske (https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4975.1994.tb00299.x)

Computing Machinery and Intelligence, Alan Turing

Minds, Brains, and Programs, John Searle (https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X00005756)

What is it Like to Have a Gender Identity? Florence Ashley (https://doi.org/10.1093/mind/fzac071)

Climbing towards NLU: On Meaning, Form, and Understanding in the Age of Data, Emily M. Bender & Alexander Koller (10.18653/v1/2020.acl-main.463)

On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots: Can Language Models Be Too Big? 🦜 Emily M. Bender et al. (https://doi.org/10.1145/3442188.3445922)

The Great White Robot God, David Golumbia

Superintelligence: The Idea that Eats Smart People, Maciej Ceglowski

Misc. Articles

Ebb and Flow of Azeri and Persian in Iran: A Longitudinal Study in the City of Zanjan, Hamed Zandi (https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110694277-007)

WTF is Happening? An Overview – Watching the World Go Bye, Eliot Jacobson

Using loophole, Seward County seizes millions from motorists without convicting them of crimes, Natalia Alamdari

Punks, Bulldaggers, and Welfare Queens, Cathy J. Cohen, Feminist Theory Reader. Routledge, 2020. 311-323

Is the Rectum a Grave? Leo Bersani (https://doi.org/10.2307/3397574)

Why Petroleum Did Not Save the Whales, Richard York (https://doi.org/10.1177/2378023117739217)

‘Spider-Verse’ Animation: Four Artists on Making the Sequel, Chris Lee

Carbon dioxide removal is not a current climate solution, David T. Ho (https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-00953-x)

Fights, beatings and a birth: Videos smuggled out of L.A. jails reveal violence, neglect, Keri Blakinger

Capitalism’s Court Jester: Slavoj Žižek, Gabriel Rockhill

The Tyranny of Structurelessness, Jo Freeman

Domenico Losurdo interviewed about Friedrich Nietzsche

Keeping Some of the Lights On: Redefining Energy Security, Kris De Decker

Gays, Crossdressers, and Emos: Nonormative Masculinities in Militarized Iraq, Achim Rohde

On the Concept of History, Walter Benjamin

Our Technology, Zeyad el Nabolsy

Towards a Historiography of Gundam’s One Year War, Ian Gregory

Imperialism and the Transformation of Values into Prices, Torkil Lauesen & Zak Cope

[countrymusiclover]

Ch 40 - The Targaryen Queen

Part 41

Fire OF A Stark

@dragonixfrye

A Few Years Later

The Iron Throne had been destroyed. The throne that kings and queens fought over for thousands of years until a dragon burnt it to the ground. The six kingdoms have been faring quite well over the years. It took a lot of long hours and council meetings to get the country back into shape. Sansa had her hands full running the North as an independent kingdom like our brother Robb wanted it to be before he died. “What if I am not good enough, Father. They may have accepted Bran as King but he isn’t the last dragon?”

Lifting my head up in the room I shared with Jaime in the rebuilt Kings Landing castle I was still feeling uneasy about all this. Eyeing myself in the large mirror leaned up against the wall I slumped my shoulders. The dress I had chosen was red and golden with gray and black designs across it. It was short sleeved showing a banner seal of the

Lannister lion and the Targaryen dragon split together to combine one house seal. I had my riding boots on like normal running my hands down the fabric until arms wrapped around my waist from behind. “You have nothing to be nervous about, my dragon wife.”

“Jaime…” Spinning around in his arms I draped my arms on his shoulders lifting my gaze up so I could meet his green orbs. “We have been traveling so much with the kids. Casterly Rock to here and then Dragonstone. All over too many times to count, I just don’t want the people to think that I am not looking out for them too.”

He tilted his head to the side, raising his left hand up to cradle my cheek. Leaning into his palm he slowly spoke to me. “Listen, little dragon. Ruling isn’t easy and you are a mother first. I told you once that the rest of the world doesn’t matter, it’s just us.”

“But that can’t be true-“ He cuts me off with a quick kiss resting his forehead against mine.

He whispered back where my fingers gripped onto his armor that he was wearing. He wasn’t a Kingsguard but he decided to wear the golden armor on my coronation day. He was wearing the Lannister colors underneath like usual. “It is still true, Lynesse. As long as we are in this room or one of our chambers in either place we call home. We don’t have to worry about responsibility…all we focus on is our family.”

“Daddy!” A child’s cry came from the other side of the door making us break away from each other. He opened the door getting his legs tackled by our youngest daughter Guinevere.

The girl wrapped her arms around his legs giggling. She had taken after her father with the green eyes that almost would match my eyes at some points . But she had fully taken to having my white hair that looked blonde when she was in the sunlight. “Be careful there, little G.” I responded, bending down on my knee tugging her off her father’s leg and up into my arms.

“Mommy, Eddie keeps asking to see Uncle Tyrion.” Another girl’s voice that belonged to our eldest Rhaenyra ran inside the room where I could see her wearing a red short dress and trousers coming towards me. Her hair was in two separate braids falling over her shoulders.

Finally as if on cue Eddard entered afterwards. The locks of golden hair scattered everywhere in a set of messy curls almost on top of his head. He was wearing a training sword, reminding me so much of Arya. “He is Hand of the King, Rhae!….oh and Queen. Sorry mother.”

“It’s alright, Ed. I am not the Queen just yet.” Bouncing Guinevere on my hip I sent him a smile enjoying that he accepted his uncle with such happiness. Everyone in the world had hated the dwarf for long enough.

Guinevere tugged on my dress strap asking in her sweet voice. “Does that make daddy King?”

“It’s not like that, little lioness.” Her father stepped up taking her from my arms, ticking her stomach making her giggle loudly. “Your cousin Bran is king. I am simply the husband to the Queen of the Six kingdoms.”

Eddard raised his sword in the air with his right hand following his father with being the best young swordsman in the young King and Queensguard. “I will be a Knight, like father.”

“Nah Eddie. Dragon rider is better.” Rhaenyra crossed her arms over her chest sticking her tongue out at her younger brother. She had been riding Joanna with me since the day we told her she was old enough to ride a horse on her own.

Guinevere made a raspberry noise at her. “Princess….”

“Enough all of you. Whatever path you may choose is important. You are my children and you will be able to choose whatever you want. We have taken away the old traditions of the Gods.” I waved my index finger at the three once Jaime had placed our youngest girl on her feet so they were all looking up at us.

Someone knocked on the chamber door altering all of us. Jaime crossed the room opening the door meeting the gaze of our First Lady Knight Brienne. “Ser Jaime, My Lady. Everyone is ready. I shall escort the children downstairs.”

“Go on young dragon-lions.” Jaime nudged them with his knee sending the three of them forward. The three ran forward following closely behind the woman that was now named Commander of the Kingsguard/Queensguard. “Shall we, my dragon queen.”

He offered me his left arm that I looped my hand through tightly. Intertwining our hands together I stared up at him before we started walking through the hallways. Scanning my eyes around I felt nervous walking down their halls when we first came back here. At first glance I could only see my father Ned being killed even though I wasn't here the day it happened. I could still see a dream of it happening. But Jaime isn't without his own nightmares as I am well aware. Some scars stay with you. "What if not all the remaining houses accept me as their Queen?"

"What will it take for me to convince you that they will. Shall I drag you back to our chambers for a private reminder?' He sent me a glare tugging our walk to a halt, smirking that cocky grin he knew usually works on me.

"Jaime-" I attempted to say but he squeezed my hand still in his.

"Lynesse, this whole coronation is more for the Lords and Ladies to show their support for you in a formal way. You have been ruling the six kingdoms beside your cousin since the day the small council declared your name. You will always be their chosen queen from now and always. Just like you will forever be my loving wife." He pressed his forehead against mine, leaning down kissing me. Leaning forward I deepened the kiss until we needed breath starting our walk to the former throne room.

Walking in almost sync with each other there was a thought that kept crossing my mind. “Does it seem or feel weird to you. That I am queen but you aren’t the king of the six kingdoms?”

“Gods no, I never thought I could handle the job as Hand of the King. I most certainly couldn’t handle taking on the role of being king.” He snorted out, making me think that he was more used to sword fighting than anything else in his life.

Shrugging my shoulders I turned my head seeing that we were standing outside the main doors. "Here we go, my lion…" I muttered under my breath squeezing his hand a little tighter in mine.

"You'll do just fine, little dragon." He kissed the crown of my head watching the doors opened by two guards standing on either side. Together we strides through the aisle of people who all had their eyes on us. The train of my dress got dragged behind me when I walked. Before our eyes I noticed that Bran was sitting in his chair on the top set of the stairs where the Iron Throne used to be.

Sansa was standing beside him being on the front row of the crowds. Brienne had Rhaenyra, Eddard and Guinevere standing beside her. Arya would have been here but she was traveling the world so she was only here for Bran's coronation. Jaime and I finally stopped where he stepped to the side nodding at me with a proud smile. "Today we are gathered here to witness a beautiful moment for our time of new reign. My cousin and I may not have wanted the power but we shall keep doing our best to rule..Lynesse, please take a knee. Brienne, I will need your assistance."

"Of course, your Grace." She bowed her head stepping up to stand beside his chair ready to assist his help.

Bran glanced over to a Septon that walked forward carrying a pillow with Rhaenyra Targaryen's crown sitting on it. He held it out, never breaking his gaze with the king. "Lynesse Stark-Targaryen now married Lannister. I am here to ask will you honor the duties of the realm. Will you wear the crown and uphold the safety of the realm. Will you defend the houses and keep the peace from this day until the end of your days?"

"I will, King Brandon." I declared resting my elbow on my knee that I didn't have bent on the stone steps. Above his head was a painting made of glass that showed an image of the Iron Throne before it was destroyed and a Targaryen banner behind it. In place of the throne there was two separate thrones now on either side of the burnt swords that had been cleaned up.

Bran nodded at the Lady Commander simply. "Commander Brienne." She stepped forward pushing his chair forward where he could reach me closer.

She then handed him the crown, stepping back with a light bow. "Your Grace. My Lady."

"By the power vested in me by the Crown and law of the Six Kingdoms I hereby declare you Lynesse Lannister, formally born Targaryen, raised true as a Stark, Lady of Casterly Rock, Protector of the Realm. Now decried to be Queen Lynesse, The Last Targaryen." He lowered the crown down onto my head gently. I shut my eyes, sucking in a breath feeling the weight of the jewelry on my head. Rising to my feet I turned to face the crowd seeing Tyrion standing beside Sansa's side.

He raised a cup of wine in his hands declaring. "I, Tyrion Lannister, Hand of the King swear fealty to the Queen Lynesse Targaryen-Lannister!" He bent down on a knee nodding his head at me.

Ser Bronn of the Blackwater now known as Lord of Highgarden and Master of Coin. "I swear fealty to Queen Lynesse Targaryen-Lannister."

"I, Yohn of House Royce swear fealty to the Queen Lynesse Targaryen-Lannister." Another lord bent his knee to me.

Young Robin stepped forward, dropping down. "I, Robin Arryn of the Vale swear fealty to the Queen Lynesse Targaryen-Lannister."

"I, Edmure of House Tully swear fealty to the Queen Lynesse Targaryen-Lannister" Catelyn's brother got up bending down by his wife Roslin's side as she was holding their son in her arms.

Sam, Jon's friend from the Wall raises his hand coming to bend the knee next with a king smile. "I, Samwell of House Tarly, Grand Maester, swear fealty to the Queen Lynesse Targaryen-Lannister."

Davos Seaworth, Master of Ships. "...swear fealty to the Queen Lynesse Targaryen-Lannister."

"I, Gendry Baratheon of Storm's End…" Who used to be Robert's bastard son. "swear fealty to the Queen Lynesse Targaryen-Lannister."

The two final Lord and Lady finished their vows. "I, Howland of House Reed….I, Yara Greyjoy of the Iron Islands."

"I, Jaime of House Lannister, Lord of the Rock and Husband pledge to swear fealty to the Queen Lynesse Targaryen-Lannister." Jaime was the last person to bend the knee to me. His green eyes only focused on me as he sent me a proud smile.

My gaze fell down onto him watching the rest of the guests in the room bend down on their knees and bow their heads. "Gods save King Bran and Queen Lynesse!" From that moment I knew our story was far from over.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[poparthuriana]

Those who troll King Mark: Agravaine, Brandiles, Dagonet, Dinadan, Griflet, Mordred, Ozana le Cure Hardy, Uwaine les Aventurous

*From Le Morte d’Arthur, book X, ch. XII. Most of it is Dinadan, Dagonet, and Mordred.

The queen’s knights: Agravaine, Dodinel, Griflet, Kay, Sagremore

*The knights protecting Guinevere in The Knight of the Cart; suggestion courtesy of @grail-lifesupport