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thekinslayed · 1 year ago

Text

You Adored Me Before

summary | Aemond comes to claim what has always been his.

warning | 18+, minors dni

tags | oral sex (f), mentions of war, death, and injury, infidelity, aemond is the king of consent and pussy eating champ

wordcount | 4.9k

note | this is my first fic in almost 4 yrs, so i'm still a little rusty! i had tried to make aemond a little dark but i am a hopeless romantic at heart and this is super self indulgent oopsie :D part 2 is in the works, but i am debating whether i should write more parts bc i do have some ideas! i would love to know what you think <3

song rec | Good Looking - Suki Waterhouse

(dividers by @targaryen-dynasty)

1/2

She had been on her knees for hours when she had heard it. Thunderous flapping, the wind picking up speed as a shadow covered the light streaming into the small window of the dark castle’s own sept.

It couldn’t be.

She had heard of her old friend’s infamy as he spread havoc throughout the realm. Kinslayer. Terror of the Trident. Every time she heard word of a new catastrophe the young prince had brought upon innocents, she thought back to the day she had left him. Biting back tears, he held her hands in a vice-like grip. Promises of their reunion fell from their lips before she was pulled away by her then future husband into a carriage, snatching her away to a new life without him.

From her place in front of the altar, she looked upon the face of the Seven. She could hear the panicked pattering of feet in the halls. He has come for us! One had said, as though he were the Stranger himself come down on to soil. Her knees bid her to get up. Her eyes begged to turn to the window to catch a glimpse of a head of silver hair. Her ears strained to hear any sign that his monstrous mount had landed, and he had crossed their gates. Though, she moved not an inch, and merely closed her eyes once more in prayer.

He could feel the fear upon the eyes that stared at him as he made his way through the fortress. A low chuckle escaped his lips at the pitiful sight. As war waged on, Aemond had learned how much he liked instilling this fear into people. It made claiming what he desired all the more easier.

The Prince Regent was led to the vast hall, where lords of the smaller houses in the region had gathered to welcome him, and to discuss the matter which required his attention. A young man was sat upon the high table in the hall, one reserved for the members of the great house Aemond was called to. It was an old house, closely connected to the crown and loyal for many years, up until the war. Their Lord Paramount had bent the knee to Rhaenyra and had been part of the thousands that marched for her cause. Now, the highly respectable lord laid injured in a tent, hanging onto a thin line between life and death. As his health dwindled, the matter of his succession came to question.

The Lord Paramount had left behind a daughter, merely a child of five namedays. It wasn’t hers, no, but from his first wife that died bringing the babe in the birthing bed. His brother, the young man stood beside Aemond before the men, had contested on the child’s claim to power for the reasons of her age and sex, arguing that their house would not survive with a babe as its head during a time of war. This had brought about much discourse among the men, those fiercely loyal to their previous lord pushing for the fact that the child had every right to become lady of the House, others agreed with the second son.

As a form of good governance, the Prince Regent took it upon himself to solve this matter. The lord’s brother had promised Aemond that he shall bend the knee to Aegon should he become lord of the house, and she shall free to be his once more. And so, as Aemond sat in front of the old, dull faces of the lords that had argued and argued upon the matter, he had turned his head to the man beside him ever so slightly. He was beginning to grow impatient.

“Where is she?” Aemond demanded. His lone eye scanned through the room for any glimpse of her, but to no avail.

“I was told she is in prayer, your grace. It is how she spends her days as of late, ever since she had heard of my brother’s condition.” The young man explained, uneasy eyes studying the prince’s reaction. The last thing he wanted was a knife through his skull before he could become Lord Paramount, all because his good sister would not stop praying for the life of a dead man.

Aemond pretended to attentively listen to whatever the lords had droned about for what felt like hours more. A finger tapped against the armrest of his chair, his patience dwindling the longer this farce continued, when a movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention.

She had slipped into the hall quietly, discreet, like a mouse. The lady stood behind some of the men that had crowded along the sides of the hall. Aemond’s eye widened as he caught sight of her, having to move his head to get a proper glimpse of her in between the bodies that covered her. His throat had suddenly felt so dry, prompting him to take a sip of the wine that had sat there, previously untouched, before turning his attention back to her once more. Their eyes had met, and she had given him a meek smile.

“Your grace, if I may…” said another, standing up to say his piece of the matter still at hand. Aemond was snapped out of his reverie, turning back to the center of the room once more. Having ran out of what little patience he had in the first place, the Prince Regent stood from his seat, silencing the last lord that had spoken.

“I appreciate hearing all of your thoughts on this matter, but as your Prince Regent, I believe it in your best interests to have a figure of leadership that shall serve you during these precarious times. There are no exemptions in war, and your lands, your people, shall benefit with having a capable Lord Paramount to protect you all.” Aemond said, an air of finality in his words. The young lord beside him smirked in victory, before bowing to the prince. Before the new Lord Paramount could express his words of gratitude, the prince turned to him once more, speaking low enough only for them to hear, “And might I suggest sending the girl to a sept as soon as possible, my lord, to prevent further… disagreements.”

All the while, a pair of curious eyes had stayed on Aemond. Her eyes scanned down his form as he spoke to the people. It seemed not much has changed about him; it had only been less than 3 years since she had last seen him after all. However, the more she studied him the subtle changes upon his form became apparent to her. His form, lithe and slender, had become quite hardened as his body became exposed to battle. His face had lost most of the plumpness from his youth, shedding away to reveal the sculptured structure of his handsome face. Her Aemond, who had always carried himself with pride, had taken on a different aura to him. A sense of authority now surrounded him, one that came with taking on the weight of the crown, she figured. Like a true Targaryen prince, Aemond was the image of regality, and of power that can only come from dragon blood.

As the crowd dispersed and the matter had been settled, Aemond’s eye searched for her once more. Though as the hall emptied, she was not to be found. She had slipped through the figures that crowded her, leaving behind a dumbfounded prince still standing in the great hall.

Her handmaidens had only left merely a few moments before the door to her chambers opened, startling her.

“Gods.” She said, turning to the figure standing in the doorway. “I am aware you have just become Lord Paramount, dear brother, but you are still required to knock upon entering my chambers.” The lady chastised him, pulling her robe tighter around her figure to protect her modesty.

“Do not start with me tonight.” Her brother-in-law warned her, coming to stand before her seated figure on her chaise. “You have embarrassed me with your shamelessness. Your husband may have allowed for this kind of behavior, but I shall not allow you to continue with this insolence.” He chastised, angrily pointing a finger at her. The lady watched as he paced in front of her. Her eyes caught the way a vein pulsed upon his temple as he clenched his jaw.

“What have I done to anger you so?” She asked, confused as to why he has come to her with such vexation. Her husband’s brother stopped pacing in front of her, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

“You are no fool, girl. Do not start acting like one now!” He berated her. The lady only furrowed her brows at him further. “Do you know why he has come here? Did you really think the Prince Regent would take the time in the middle of this hellish war to settle an affair between mere lords?” He sneered at her. In his indignation, spit flew from his lips as he spoke, some landing on her which made her frown in disgust.

“He has come for you. He has asked for you, yet you act like a child and ran away hiding doing gods know what!” He exclaimed, wild hands moving around in the air. She only looked at him, not uttering a word as he continued to pace once more.

The lady knew. Of course, she knew. Before she had left King’s Landing, before she left Aemond, she had promised him she shall return to him once more. A married woman she shall be, but they shall see each other again. And now, she found herself almost a widow, and her prince had come to fulfill his end of their promises. He had come for her.

The lady was snapped out of her reverie when the Lord Paramount ordered her to visit him in his chambers. “W-what? My lord, as much as my husband’s conditions worsen, I am still a married woman!” She rebutted, standing up from the chaise to face him. “Do you consider me for a whore?”

“My brother is almost as good as dead, dear sister, and the Prince Regent has requested for you, in return for making me Lord Paramount. I shall not have you denying him.” The young lord declared, leaving no room for the lady to argue. “You know what he has done to the Riverlands, my lady. There is not much preventing him from burning my house once we displease him, and you will not be the cause of my demise.” He warned, pointing his finger at his face once more. She resisted slapping his hand away from her face, her blood starting to boil as he looked at her with such disdain. The lady had never gotten along well with her brother-in-law, only tolerating each other in her husband’s presence. With him gone, there was no point in pretending to be in good spirits with each other.

“That hardly seems to be my problem when I am soon to be widowed, my lord.” She countered defiantly, though she had been taken aback when he had laughed darkly in her face.

“Deny the dragon and my house will burn, yes, but so shall yours, good sister. I am aware you have been looking forward to reuniting with family once your husband has passed, but believe me, you and I will not be saved once dragonfire starts to rain from the sky.” He spoke. The young lord approached her, watching as uncertainty began to cloud her eyes. “Your home shall perish in flames, taking with it your father, your brother, sister, and everyone you have ever cared about.” Her eyes turned away from him at his words, looking towards the ground as her confidence dwindled.

“You are all he wants. Do not deny him, and you may just be the person to save us all.”

Aemond had been staring at the flames upon the hearth, lost in thought, when a knock sounded from the door to his guest chambers. “Come in.” He had muttered, and the door open to reveal the very person he had come for. His dear lady.

His heart swelled at the sight of her, though his face concealed his feelings well as he stayed seated on the settee. “My lady.” He said, watching as she entered the room and closed the door behind her.

“Prince Aemond.” She curtsied to him. It was then Aemond noticed she only donned a nightgown, covered by a robe that was tied around her waist. The gown did little to hide her figure, her curves accentuated by the tightness of the rope. He could see the swells of her breasts that dared to peeked through, the sight making his cock stir as a warmth grew in his belly. For three years, he had dreamed of this very moment, of her standing in front of him once more, for him to take as he pleased. He had imagined all the ways he would take her, how he would show her his affection which he never had the chance to make her feel. He would show her what she had missed out on all these years. She would be his, and his only. No husband to stand in between them.

“You have called for me, my prince.” She said softly. The air in his chambers carried a tranquil feeling, and she dared not to disrupt it. Aemond merely nodded at her words, before getting up from his seat to walk to the serving table where a pitcher of wine and some glasses sat. "I have, my lady." He affirmed, pouring two glasses of wine before turning back to approach her. She fiddled with the hem of her robe, her eyes trained on her slippers as she felt him stand before her.

"I had been hoping to have a moment alone with you, but I have been told you are quite preoccupied during the day." Aemond said, voice as gentle as always with her. A cup of wine came into her view, making her let go of the fabric her fingers toyed with to accept the drink he held out to her. He led her to sit on the settee, before settling down on the chaise opposite her where he could take a good look at her. Anxiously, she took a sip of the red liquid in her cup, hoping it would help her feel more at ease.

"My apologies, my prince. I have been spending most of my hours in prayer as of late. With my husband's condition turning for the worse, I can only pray to the Seven to help him when I cannot." The lady explained, a rueful smile on her lips as she met his eye. Aemond sucked in a deep breath at the mention of her husband and nodded in understanding.

"It is a shame what has befallen a respectable lord like him, my lady. You have my sympathy." The prince sympathized, silently observing as her eyes left his gaze and focused on the cup in her lap instead. A silence passed through the two, the only sound being the crackling of the burning wood in the hearth. It wasn't as unpleasant as she had expected, rather it was almost comfortable, familiar. Aemond's eye stayed on her figure, taking in as much of her as he could lest she slipped away from him again. He wanted to hear her speak more, to hear the voice he had started to forget as time kept them further apart.

"Was he good to you?" Aemond asked, breaking the silence. His lady looked up from her lap and met his gaze. Her eyes shone as the fire danced in the reflection of her irises.

"Yes, he was." She responded, a sad smile on her wine-stained lips. "He never lifted his hand to hurt me. He was never cruel."

The one-eyed prince couldn't deny the relief he felt upon hearing her words. Aemond had worried for her well-being ever since she had been whisked away to be married off and had only hoped she was being treated decently. “Good.” He nodded.

"I never... It was not love, but we had respect for each other. That is much more than a woman could ever ask for in her marriage and he was gracious enough to grant me this kindness." She spoke. The lady’s lord husband was a good man, that she could not deny. He had been distraught over the loss of his first wife on the birthing bed and was merely pressured by his men to take another wife in hopes of birthing a son. She was almost twenty years younger than him. He thought her kind, sweet, and well-mannered, hence the reason he had made the marriage proposal to her father. Though the young lady’s womb never bore fruit, her lord husband had treated her well, making sure she was well taken care of before he left to fight for his queen. The lady felt indebted to him, for he might have just saved her from a life of misery and heartache, bound to a lord who treated her as a mere broodmare.

Aemond swallowed down the envy that bubbled in his chest as his lady smiled fondly as she remembered her husband. Perhaps he should feel at least a sliver of shame course through him, but none ever came. Here he was, in another man's house, coveting his wife as the lord laid wounded in a tent somewhere. However, he had stopped feeling shame for his actions a long time ago, right when Vhagar had swallowed Lucerys and his minuscule dragon whole and he had accepted the person the realm would come to know him as.

I have only come to claim what has always been mine. He thought.

“And you, my prince? I hear you are betrothed to a Baratheon girl.” The lady mentioned. It was her turn to ask the questions that plagued her mind about him, the wine and the growing warmth in the room making her feel more at ease in his presence. Though I had heard more talks of a bastard witch, she wanted to say.

Aemond hummed at her words, a slender finger tracing the rim of his cup as he listened to her. “I was. Though there has been a change of plans.” He admitted. It was technically the truth. Borros Baratheon did not appreciate having been the host to the two princes when Aemond had killed Lucerys in the sky. The lord of Storm’s End most certainly did not appreciate when Aemond offered one of the Four Storms his nephew’s eyes when he returned, drenched from the rain and a bloodlust in his amethyst eye. “If the time came for me to marry, it would be after the war, but there is someone in my mind I plan to ask.” He stated, looking at her in the eye as he spoke. Aemond wasn’t one to play games, he wanted to get straight to the point. There was a reason for his being here, and they both knew the reason why.

“Aemond…” She trailed, understanding what he was hinting to. Her prince stood from his seat, walking over to stand before her seated form. A hand cupped her jaw, making her look up at him with big, shining eyes. His thumb caressed her skin, gooseflesh rising everywhere as he did so.

“Do you have any idea how much I have longed for you, hm? How much agony your absence has brought upon me?” The prince queried. His hand upon her jaw trailed down her neck, pushing past the hair that covered her skin. Fingertips traced her collarbones, before toying with the hem of her robe. Her hand covered his, stopping its ministrations.

“My prince, please, I am a married woman.” There was a slight crack in her voice as she spoke. Aemond could see the inner struggle in her eyes. Honor begged her to remember her vows, but the aching desire her heart only felt for the man before her threatened to spill through and overtake any sense of integrity she had.

“What use is a husband if he lay on a cot in a tent somewhere, rotting away? He has one hand in the Stranger’s grasp now, my lady. Let us not keep up this folly any further.” Her prince refuted, his eye darkening.

“That is not fair.” She argued, yet her tone was as weak as her resolve. It was not fair to her, not when the reason her husband is dying because of him, of a war he started.

“You must know by now little is fair in these games we play, my lady. If one wishes to survive, he must have the wit and the will to take what is his, lest he allows it to be taken away from him. I had been a fool to let him take you from me, now I shall take back what is rightfully mine.” His hand returned to her face, grasping it to prevent her from looking away. She could see how his pupil dilated as he emphasized his words, instilling a strange feeling in her belly. It was in this moment she saw a glimpse of the man he has become. The Kinslayer. Terror of the Trident. This was a man she did not know, yet was familiar. The prince studied her face as she starts to frown, feeling her start to pull away from him. His hand softened its grip on her face, thumb caressing the soft plump of her cheek.

Her heart thumped in her chest as Aemond lowered to kneel before her. A breath hitched in her throat as his hands gripped the fabric covering her. His face lowers to kiss her thighs, almost in reverence, before nuzzling his face into her lap. Tears started to well up in her eyes, though she did not know why. To feel his touch upon her flesh once more tugged on her heartstrings, the benevolent devotion she held for him buried deep now threatened to make itself known.

“Aemond.” The lady had whispered; he whispered her name in return. Rough, calloused hands found her waist, squeezing her gently as his lips continued to pepper ardent kisses on her thighs. A shaking hand came to caress his head, feeling the soft silver tresses she had longed to feel under her fingertips once more. She cupped his jaw, urging him to lift his head so she may gaze upon his face.

In the privacy of the walls that enclosed the pair, it was then she was able to see her old friend, the prince that she knew. As he looked at her with adoration and a glimmer of sadness for what should have been, she is reminded of the young princeling that followed her and Helaena around the gardens in their foolish youth, hoping to spend any waking moment with her as much as he could.

Keeping his lone eye on hers, his hands left her waist to caress her ankles, dipping past the fabric of her nightgown to trail his touch up her legs. His lady let him lift the fabric to her knees, revealing her flesh to his eye. Their eyes stay locked on each other, Aemond’s silently asking. When no rejection came from her, the prince’s lips return to her thighs, now on her exposed flesh. Kisses course upwards, but a hand comes to his shoulder, halting his trail as she stops him. With his eye trained on her, his warm, larger hand covers hers, lifting it to breathe in the scent of her flesh before planting a soft kiss on the inside of her wrist.

“Will you let me?” He asked, his words a soft whisper. She was barely able to squeak “yes” as a shudder passed through her spine, her resolve long crumbled into pieces since he kneeled before her. She allowed him, of course, she allowed him. The young woman would let him devour her entire being, soul and flesh, if he asked to. She knew in her heart she had no will to deny him, as weak for him as he is to her.

She held her breath as her nightgown is further lifted, baring her core. The air feels cold on her center, despite the fire that continued to rage on the hearth. Aemond’s lips descended down once more, kissing, and sucking on the meaty flesh of her thighs. Small marks started to litter her skin, marking her as his. Warm breath blows on her center, making her clench involuntarily. She gripped onto the fabric pooled on her sides as two fingers spread her folds, exposing her arousal.

“Fuck…” She heard him murmur, a gasp left her lips as his tongue licks a stripe up her slit, catching her off-guard.

“You taste divine.” He marveled, leaving her no opportunity to respond as he tastes her once more, relishing in the small whimpers that started to leave her lips. His tongue continued to lick her folds, giving an occasional deeper dip into her core. Aemond pulled his face away from in between her thighs momentarily to look at her. Her cheeks were flushed as her chest started to heave. Before he could admire her flustered state any further, her hand came up to the back of his head, urging him back down to her center. He smirked against her skin, before continuing his ministrations against her folds. A thumb gathered some of her essence before spreading it on her pearl, rubbing it in circles. It was then she began to moan in earnest, the grip on his hair tightening as her hips started to cant against his face.

His finger prodded against her slit, switching out his tongue to breech her entrance. Aemond almost moaned as his middle finger was enveloped by warm, wet, muscle that clenched as he curved it upwards. His name left her pretty lips, whining as he found a rough patch, sparking a sure of pleasure in her belly as he continued to massage it. Another finger soon joined, and Aemond’s lips sucked on her pearl. Pulling away, he watched as her face contorted in pleasure, eyes rolled back and brows furrowed as moans openly fell from her lips. A flush had spread on her cheeks, down her neck, and some of her chest that was exposed from where her robe didn’t cover her. Aemond committed the sight to memory, wishing he could paint this moment on a canvas to immortalize it.

“Do you like this?” He cooed, though he needed no answer. Her grip on his tightened, making him groan as she lost herself to utter bliss.

“I—Oh, Aemond…” She moaned out, making Aemond’s cock strain against his breeches at the sweet sound. Selfish as he may be, the focus would solely be on her tonight. There would be more opportunities for them to explore each other’s flesh, this he was sure of. For now, he needed her to give in to the desire that threatened to overwhelm them both, so she may be free from the restraints impeded on her by her marriage.

His mouth and fingers alternated in pleasuring her core, though Aemond had found that she seemed to enjoy his tongue on her more, the tighter grip on his hair and the louder moans echoing through his guest chambers were enough proof. With his finger circling her pearl, he led her to the precipice of her release. Her thighs quivered as her peak overcame her. A warmth spread through her whole body as she spilled on his tongue, her core pulsing as he continued to catch every drop of her essence until she was oversensitive. She had never been so overcome with such fire, had never found herself so lost in the throes of pleasure. Her husband had touched her before, but not like this. Regaining her senses, she looked down at the one-eyed prince who was already looking at her with a look filled with ardor. His chin still had trails of her essence which she wiped with her thumb. Her hand stayed on his face as their eyes met, communicating with their gazes, before pulling him in to seal her lips against his. He kissed her back hungrily, teeth clashing as their tongues danced. Her hand pulled on his doublet, urging him from his knees. A hand leaned on the back of the seat, the other on the back of her neck.

She had trailed her hands down his chest to cup his cock that bulged from his trousers, but he had stopped her, his hand gripping her wrist before she could do so. Their lips pulled away, his lady looking at him in confusion. “What is it? Is something wrong?” She had asked, a worried look on her sweet face. Aemond caressed the side of her head comfortingly, his nose breathing in the scent of her hair.

“Not tonight.” The prince said, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. If he were to take her now, while she remained someone’s wife, Aemond knew this would weigh heavily on her conscience. He dared not to push her to do anything that she would regret and made her pull away from him. Aemond would have to be patient, though he knew he would not have to wait long. He had ideas on how to free her from the vows that prevented her from fully being his, but for now, he would have to wait.

His lady would be all his for the taking soon enough.

#bella writes ✍️#aemond targaryen x reader #aemond targaryen smut #aemond targaryen imagine #aemond targaryen x you #aemond x reader #aemond targaryen x fem!reader #aemond smut #ewan mitchell #aemond targaryen #house of the dragon x reader #hotd fic #aemond fic recs

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dreamersofcolor · 1 month ago

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welcome to the dreamer's lounge! 💌

this is a self ship blog dedicated to uplifting & supporting people of color in the community! i'm your mod, @taibobo!

things we offer here:

an open ask box for advice, discussing topics related to navigating self shipping as a person of color, gushing about your f/os, and showing support to other POC in the community!

promoting POC self shippers through reblogging their posts and supporting their commissions and mutual aid

imagine requests & submissions tailored specifically towards self shippers of color!

events and raffles that include prizes like free art, letters from your f/o, fanfiction, moodboards/stimboards, + more!

this account is villain / problematic f/o friendly (within reason) and non-sharing friendly (as long as you're respectful and kind towards doubles), but i do ask that any self shippers who condone or engage in adult/minor shipping, RPF, or shipping between related parties please do not interact!

additional rules below:

ask box rules:

though i aim to be a listening ear for those who don't feel they have one in the community, particularly sensitive subjects (SA/CSA, self harm, suicide, incest, police brutality) are prohibited to be discussed in detail, as well as excessive venting about personal issues not related to the self ship community

i try to be understanding of most people's f/o sources (lord knows mine are not free from discourse), i do ask that anyone who self ships from DSMP or any similar minecraft SMP channels and/or from the game clinical trial do not gush about those characters in the inbox! i also won't be reblogging posts with these characters. this is just a personal boundary, i hope you understand :)

non-detailed discussions of 18+ / nsft topics are ok, as long as you let me know at the beginning of the message via a content warning so i can always tag it properly!

just a reminder that i am doing this as a service to uplift people, so hate towards me or any other person is not tolerated!

also, i am just one guy, so please be patient! i have a full-time job, work freelance, and have several other projects on the side, among other things... i'm a busy little guy, so this is just a little thing i wanted to do for fun!

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i will not be writing any 18+ / nsft imagines or similar posts, nor will i be posting anything containing explicit content! this rule may change or have some kind of exception in the future (maybe some kind of 'after dark' events?), but for now-- SFW imagines only!

no imagines discussing the previously mentioned sensitive subjects in detail. things like "your f/o comforting you during a depressive episode" is fine, but something like "your f/o saving you from an attempted SA" or "your f/o stopping you from an attempt" is not.

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i won't be reblogging from any accounts that break my dni or any posts that break any of the rules i've discussed earlier. i'll try my best to support everyone i can outside of that, so if you need any assistance, please feel free to shoot me a message with your post and as long as the rules are followed, i'll reblog / add it to the queue!

tags

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#advice column: for advice

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(divider credit)

#self ship #self insert #yumeship #oc x canon #yume community #fictoromantic #fictosexual #from the clouds

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incomingalbatross · 5 months ago

Note

Regarding Portal Fantasy as child abuse, the book I just read (the Dark Lord's Daughter) is an interesting touchstone in that discussion because her mother comes with her

Hi!! I meant to answer this a week ago and I don't know how it slipped through the cracks. Sorry!

But that's definitely an interesting addition to the Portal Fantasy Discourse, yes.

I do love to see familial support and the parents getting to maintain, you know, an actual parental role in their kids' adventures. On the other hand, it also creates new challenges for the author of making sure the kids still have enough to do for themselves - keeping it a real and meaningful Adventure - without them either being left to fend for themselves by the parents or protected so much that they're no longer the Adventurers of the story.

From what I remember you posting about this, it soudned like the daughter had enough of a Chosen One By Birth deal going on that her mother couldn't avoid her narrative significance, which seems like a good way to deal with that. How did they do on maintaining the support/agency balance overall, do you think?

#asks #thank you for the ask!

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scentedpepper · 6 months ago

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Of Crowns and Chains

AEMOND TARGARYEN X MALE SERVANT OC!

Masterlist Pervious Chapter

Synopsis: Prince Aemond Targaryen bestows upon his servant a wish the man finds makes his stomach churn.

CONTENT WARNINGS: Desc. of wounds & effects

Date: The Early Morning of S1E8 “The Lord of the Tides” HOTD — 130 AC

Author Notes: None :p

Chapter 1-1. The Servant Without

Eyes shrouded in heavy exhaustion when the morning comes.

This much, Emrik Frost knows he will see upon entrance.

When the first peak of light turns the sky a light blue, the boy, aged ten and eight, arrives at the castle on horseback. He is alone. A black vest, lighter than the ones he wears during the winter, is situated across his chest with a white dress shirt beneath it. He holds the reins of a brown rouncey horse when he enters through the gates of the Red Keep, exchanging brief greetings to the guards before departing with nothing of value but an insignia of House Targaryen attached to his garments.

The staircase to the royal chambers is much more dimly lit than the grand entrance hall despite its frequent visitors, there are thinner banners lining the twisting walls as you go, all containing the fire breathing three headed dragon and the colors of red and black. It's quiet, empty and far from as bustling as Emrik usually knows it.

The sound of Emrik’s footsteps bounce around the walls as he walks with a speed dedicated to efficiency, his back straightened in a fashion even too proper for the nobles residing in the castle.

He is the only presence within the halls aside from fellow servants, and kingsguard, amounting to their duties at each royal apartment, from King Viserys all the way down to Prince Aemond Targaryen, tucked in the curve of the hallway.

This is where Emrik is headed when the discourse of Ser Cerys Oakheart and Ser Seraphis Dayne strikes his ears. Their voices are quieted, as if any louder may render the castle to disease. –Perhaps, speaking of the Prince's nightly troubles was not far off from that.

“...all night."

“That bad?”

“Even from halfway across the castle, you could feel the weight of the boy's night. I’m not certain he managed much rest, if any at all.”

Ser Seraphis carried his Dornish accent at the top of his throat when he spoke, and if it wasn't the tanned skin and deep brown eyes that gave him away, it’d certainly be the way his voice grumbled in his chest as words sounding more concerned than demeaning left his tongue.

“Good morrow, Ser Cerys." Emrik’s steps paused as he bowed to the two knights. “Ser Seraphis."

“Emrik." Ser Seraphis was as warm as he always was, addressing the curly haired boy with a kind regard that bordered on excitement. Emrik was the closest resemblance of his son in the Red Keep, his character familiar to that of Dornish.

“You’ve heard our discussion, I gather." Ser Cerys speaks, knowing the pinch in Emrik’s brow had to count for something.

“Yes, it is a misfortune to hear of the Prince's torment. How many nights has it been now?”

“Twelve." Ser Cerys says, voice heavy with emphasis. “Twice what it was last month."

Emrik can't help the breath he releases at the sound of the Prince's seemingly worsening condition, his dark eyes flitting to look at the doors behind the two knights, mulling over his thoughts. "I’ve spoken with the maester," he says, a moment of realization crossing his face. "Let us hope the ointment arrives ere noon, yes?”

The knights nod to Emrik in fluid agreement before they part, allowing him to place his hands to the large wooden door and push it open where he is immediately met with the flood of busied people, most of them gathered around the tub, just beginning to pour steaming pots of water into the porcelain.

The faces of the servant women are familiar, some younger looking than others as they coordinate with each other, a clear way of teamwork established amongst them.

In the back, a separate woman stands at the wardrobe, one who Emrik recognizes the long black locks of, tied loosely behind her. Tania sometimes left her post in the kitchen for a short time to wake the Prince, call the others and gather his clothing, subbing in for another that otherwise would have taken Emrik’s duties up since he usually doesn't arrive until later in the morning, when the Prince has dressed and is going about his regular activities.

Today, as expected, would have been no different from that. So when Tania looks to the heavy opening entrance, a befuzzled expression befalls her face at the sight of Emrik and her rushed movements inside the wardrobe pause.

Their exchange is brief at best, because there is a more pressing matter and it is sitting slumped on the foot of the bed, groaning.

Emrik is struck by the sight, feeling an accustomed familiarity run over him as he thinks of the Princes brother's usual state of consequence from the night before. Which– are most days.

The boy shares another look with Tania, this time etched in the same concern Ser Seraphis’ posed when he talked just outside the door, before he began his approach.

As he nears closer, he can hear Prince Aemonds stifled noises of pain clearer. The boy's hair has frizzed, draping a curtain between him and Emrik as he leans in on himself, hands pressed to his sockets in an effort of futile suppression. His skin looks almost dewy underneath the faint light flooding through the window and if it were any other day, Emirk may have thought this to be nothing but Targaryen beauty. But Aemond’s skin did not glisten in the way a bird's tweet brought solace, but rather, it shone like the greasy foods the Prince so often found his lip turn up at, lining the long feasting table as if the gardens had nothing better of substance to offer.

“Good Morrow, My Prince."

Aemond did not meet him immediately, refusing to move from the way he crammed himself into his own body. The pads of his fingers touched tenderly to the inflamed skin around his coarse and ruined flesh, the pulsating twitches in his sockets a constant no matter what position he took on.

“I gather you have not engaged in bathing activities?” Emrik went on, observing from above with boring eyes that left a heavy weight on the Prince's hair.

Aemond shakes his head slowly in a negative answer to the prodding and he sighs, fingers still curled into his forehead as he looks up, posture slightly improving. “No..I have not."

The words come slower than his head shake, quiet and strained as if speaking any louder may judder his brain too quickly and shatter the walls of his skull. His violet eye appears darker under the shadows of the room and his eyelids droop slightly more than usual. The weight of exhaustion has a clear grip on him as he holds Emriks gaze for a few moments less than intended, his head gradually moving back to its hung position, fingers pressing against his face once more.

Emrik watches him curiously, his body moves as if it is ten times heavier than it was yesterday, the collar of his nightshirt has been stretched widely enough to fit the rest of his body through if he so sought wish to and his veins seem even more apparent through his bordering sheer, pale skin.

“Very well. The water should be cooled enough in a few moments, My Prince." Emrik passes glance to the women at the tub as he turns on his heel, striding to the wardrobe where Tania still stands, having watched the Prince with just as much intensity as the man.

“He is not well, is he?” Tania says in a hushed tone, tearing her gaze away from the white haired as she passes the already gathered clothing items to Emrik. Their faces sink into the depths of the wardrobe as they speak, supposedly busied by the grand task of picking out Prince Aemonds uniform black on black outfit.

Emrik sighs quietly, running his fingers along the silky material of a proper shirt. It has become a common question between them, how the Prince is.

There is a brief silence between the two before Emrik replies.

“No." His brow furrows as his hand moves down to the knob of the drawer containing small clothes. “Ser Cerys Oakheart says it is worse than last month."

Tania nods, the skin between her brows crinkling as she glances at the prince, who looks as if he may blow away with the wind. She is older than the two of them, perhaps wiser than both, far browner than Aemond and even Emrik. She has been around the young Prince since before his eye was taken, and yet, she finds herself lost on words when it comes to the vitality and wellness of him. It is Emriks' job, after all, not hers.

It is then, she exhales a deep sigh indicative of clear dread at the prospect of what Emrik can only suspect is a task within the kitchen. He looks at her from his peripheral, closing the drawer softly.

“I must go." She tells him and she looks toilworn already.

Emrik’s lip tugs as he gives her a commisertaive nod and the two leave the wardrobe, Tania parting for the doors first as he makes for the bed moments later. He folds the clothes soundlessly beside the Prince, his gaze returning to the hunch of his body once more, noticing the slight shake in his arms.

The boy does not register the footsteps of his Chamberlain until the matured woman is close beside him, her voice a mere whisper as she speaks to him in caution of the Prince, her head tilted upwards.

Ameonds eye remains shut tight despite the murmurs. He doesn't speak, nor does he make any movement as the two discuss him right beside his form, a topic that was once foreign to his ears. But now, after the loss of his eye, Aemond is privy to every word exchanged between Emrik and his fellow workers. He hears it, and he is aware, that this is what they think of him. That the prince with the missing eye is a shell. A call for concern. That he is the living corpse, the embodiment of a man who has died before death even found him.

Perhaps they are right, and he is a ghost, but it does not mean the pain he feels is any less.

The footsteps go in a group, sounding faintly of hoofbeats as the serving women exit the room, leaving only Emrik to bathing duties, as per instruction.

Emrik has set the clothes on the couch, beside the flicking flames of the fireplace by the time the room has emptied and he carries his weight carefully back to the foot of the bed, his touch featherlight along the Prince's shoulder as he beckons him forth. “Come, My Prince."

Ameonds body is tensed when the touch meets him, he barely registers the warmth from Emriks fingers as his eyes crack open and he stands, discarding the sheet wrapped around his waist. His brows are furrowed as his head enters a new space in the air and he walks past the small sofa, thin nightshirt draping haphazardly over the armrest.

His hair falls far down his back, mingling with the muscle and the shoulder blades beneath it as he undoes the button on his trousers.

Emriks expression remains unremarkably plain as he watches the Prince conduct the task of undressing on his own, his eyes moving away as he too, walks to the tub, rounding the sofa on the opposite side of the Prince.

The air is silent as Aemond steps in, the water reaching his thighs and Emrik can see the visible release when he submerges fully, the warmth sloshing quietly around his collar bones.

This is their routine, the Targaryen boy has not bathed in front of another since he was 14, a year after Emrik came into his service. It was his mother, Queen Alicent, who insisted that he needed a companion with whom he could share the most intimate parts of his life, his body, his mind, his soul.

Aemond thought it shit. Now, he still part way does. He was not a child, and even as a child, the thought of anyone else helping him, especially another boy, made his stomach churn.

But Emrik was different.

When Aemond looked at the boy, he saw no one. Not a lord, not an heir, not a Prince, not the future King. Just a boy. With the same amount of problems as he. A boy with the same amount of fears, the same amount of wants and the same amount of needs. More, even.

Aemonds tilts his head back against the porcelain, his eye shut in an attempt to relieve the pain behind his lid. The bath is hotter than the ones he normally takes, his muscles are taut and his breathing has slowed to an almost painful rate as his lungs expand beneath the water.

“You're early." He says after another moment, dismissing the sponge in Emriks hand with a wave.

“My shift has been moved to an earlier time, My Prince." Emrik explains as he sets the sponge back into its place, taking up a seat on a small wooden stool beside the tub. "It seems my position in the bakery is no longer needed."

The Prince opens his eye to look at the boy, the dark curls of his hair framing his face, his matching eyes boring holes into the floor as his hands settle atop his lap.

Emrik is a boy who does not smile, his face is as serious as Aemond imagines his own. But he is not angry, nor is he cold, rather, his demeanor is that of a blank canvas, and he paints upon it, with strokes that tell Aemond exactly what his mood is.

He can sense his discomfort, the way his shoulders have slightly curved in and the way his mouth hangs just a bit lower than usual. Aemond is no fool, and despite what Emrik believes, the way the skin underneath his eyes are just a bit more purple, the way his curls have grown a tad longer, the way his skin has dulled just the slightest, are all signs of fatigue.

His brow furrows deeper.

"What happened?"

"I do not know, My Prince. The details were not explicit." Emrik's gaze finally leaves the floor as he looks up at Aemond, the crease in his brow has smoothed a bit, but it is still prominent. “Are you well, My Prince?”

Aemond pauses, his good eye looking away as he mulls over the details of his night. He knows the answer from the moment Emrik asks, but he cannot bring himself to answer it truthfully, nor linger on the topic of his well-being for long. “I am fine." He answers. “You do not have to call me ‘My Prince’ anymore."

Emrik blinks.

“You are a prince."

“You are my personal attendant, not my servant." Aemond looks back at him.

Emrik is silent for a moment.

“They are one in the same, My Prince."

The water begins to slosh again as Aemond sits up, propping his elbows on the edges of the tub, his hair sticking to his shoulders.

"You are not."

"If I was not, then I would not be here."

The statement is blunt and honest, and Aemond feels the corner of his lip tug into a partial smirk, straining against the pound in his head that has somewhat subsided since his sink into the hot water.

"Very well. " He says. "Then only when it is us."

"Yes, My Prince."

"Aemond."

"Yes, Aemond."

#aemond targaryen x oc #aemond targaryen #house of the dragon #oc #male oc #aemond targeryen x reader #ameond targaryen x male reader #ofcrownsandchains

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capnseamus · 1 month ago

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Thinking about the nature of Star Wars storytelling

Like most people I've been thinking about Andor, but there's something that hit me that I haven't seen a lot of discussion on. (Largely because we're deep in the very valid "how do we fight fascism" discourse which we do need to continue.)

I had some mixed feelings about Andor. Like it's fantastic without question, but I think someone said it best when they said that it pushes what Star Wars means. It's pretty far from George Lucas' "fairy tale meant to teach 12 year olds about good and evil."

That's not a bad thing, but it does lose a lot of the stuff I love about Star Wars, and it's pretty disheartening to see fans say this is the best Star Wars, or the only good Star Wars, or the reason it's good is because it stripped out all of my favorite stuff. That's fans for you, and on the flip side it's a super well done property. It's doing exactly what it set out to do, and good lord is it important to again discuss and examine in this clear age of fascism how and why we need to stand against fascism.

While I am still grumpy about some stuff (like ignoring all of the previously established Saw Gerrera appearances in favor of giving him a gas huffing subplot) the show did something really interesting.

I once posted that Lucas built his stories in service to the characters rather than consistent world building. The world and themes fit the main character. The prequels were the tragic fall of Anakin Skywalker, so the rules of the Jedi weren't really reflective of Jedi philosophy. They're there to be things Anakin can't do. All of the characters are doing what they think is best, unknowingly dooming themselves. It's all there to fuel the tragedy. The original trilogy is Luke's adventure, so the tragedy is gone in favor of high myth. The Empire are clear bad guys. Scary, but not too scary so it's cool when the heroes beat them. Our hero wins because love gave him new insight into his magic, allowing him to reject evil. It is a fairy tale.

So with all of that in mind - I look at the main character of Andor. Ironically despite the name, I don't think it's Cassian. Cassian is as much of a supporting character as Mon Mothma. A person who grows and is motivated by the shows actual protagonist -

Luthen Rael.

Luthen lays out his story in his signature monologue from season 1 - that he has to use evil methods to fight against the Empire until a better method can be built. That he wants to build a rebellion he knows he will be damned to ever be a part of. So if the GL model is that the storytelling and environment reflect the main character - In that way the story not just being a spy thriller set in Star Wars but one that's too morally grey, too dark, and too much for some people, maybe too much to be Star Wars, is actually kind of brilliant.

You can argue that Andor isn't Star Wars, but telling a story where As the rebellion transitions from people like Luthen and Saw to Mon Mothma, the story goes from the morally grey and dark spy thriller, to the hopeful fairy tale might be the most George Lucas thing I can think of.

#Star Wars #andor #Star Wars meta

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gabriel-seths-pr-assistant · 2 months ago

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About

Made a tumblr account so I can join the Warhammer 40,000 fun here.

A quick Q&A:

What first caught my attention about WH40K I love the living WMD human rights violations that are Space Marines. To protect humanity, their own humanity is surgically excised, then they're raised in a death-worshipping warrior cult teaching them their only purpose in life is to die gloriously. This makes them great literary vehicles for a lot of themes I enjoy exploring (and fun to poke with sticks).

First WH40K novel Angels of Darkness by Gav Thorpe (2003). I do own a first edition copy of Ian Watson's Space Marine (1993), but I read that a bit later.

Favourite WH40K book or series Everything by ADB, everything by Abnett, a lot by Simon Spurrier and Graham McNeill, some by Chris Wraight (I need to read more of his novels so he can move up the list) and Guy Haley.

Most re-read WH40K book or series I added this question because I realised I hadn't actually named any books in the previous one (I have a lot of favourites). However, these are (some of) the novels I'm currently revisiting, either for fanfic purposes or just for the joy of reading them: - The Night Lords omnibus by Aaron Dembski-Bowden - The Gaunt's Ghosts series by Dan Abnett - Eisenhorn (+ Ravenor and Bequin) by Dan Abnett - The Unremembered Empire (+ the prequel Know No Fear) by Dan Abnett

Favourite character(s) As the blog name reveals, I do have a soft spot for Gabriel Seth, the most misunderstood character in the setting. I also like Guilliman, another character who is often misrepresented in the fandom. If my AO3 account is anything to go by, though, it's Septimus, along with First Claw – they're fun to poke with sticks.

Army/faction played 15 years ago, it was Grey Knights. Now I just enjoy reading the books.

Favourite faction Night Lords. They're horrible people, I love them.

Take on the current state of WH40K lore I'm old-school; Gaunt's Ghosts was my main serial when I was most involved with the wider fandom, and I'm nowhere near done exploring the M40 and M30 eras of the lore. One day, I will make the jump to M42, but it won't be today. So I have no takes on the newest lore. Fandom-wise, I'm likewise happy to play in my own corner of the sandbox.

What I do in fandom I write fanfics (slowly). I participate in a handful of annual AO3-based fanwork exchanges, and also post my own ideas (mostly NSFW, mind the tags). FYI, this blog is pro-shipping. I remember when this meant shipping Scully/Mulder in the X-Files, which means I'm too old for all that discourse nonsense. All ships are welcome here (yes, also that one).

Goals for this blog To get a little more involved with the fandom again, hopefully participate in some discussions, post my fics and book recommendations, etc.

Feel free to get in touch if you like!

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writesaboutdragons · 9 months ago

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365 Promises of God

Day 297 – Unless You Repent You Will Perish

I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. (Luk 13:3 NKJV)

Read: Luke 13:1-5

Ever imagine Jesus giving a facepalm? I sure do. I bet I’ve given him plenty of reason to have one. And today’s reading is no different. Jesus had just finished in Ch12 giving a discourse on being faithful to those put over you. Then he goes on to tell them that he’d come to bring division. And asks why they can’t judge among themselves rather than bringing each other to court.

These things seem random, but they are all connected, as we will see in a moment. The question that was presented to Jesus at this point was about a group of Galileans who followed Judas Gaulonites. Their sect believed that they had no sovereign but God, and did not recognize Caesar as king, refusing to pay any tribute or tax. They went so far as to endure suffering and death rather than call any man Lord. These men had been slaughtered by Pilate INSIDE the temple, and their blood had defiled the blood of the sacrifice, turning it into an abomination.

To those standing around, this seemed to them an indication of God’s judgement. They perished, and their sins could NOT be forgiven, because their own blood defiled their own atoning sacrifices. Surely God was condemning these vile sinners to hell, as evidenced by this tragedy. And frankly, the Jews in Jerusalem often thought those backwards people living in Galilee were bigger sinners anyway. Maybe Jesus was just like them?

It’s probable that this exchange was initiated because Jesus had discussed His own lordship in Ch12, and Peter had even called Him Lord. In fact, this word, kyrios, appears NINE times in Ch12. Would this multitude surrounding him call Him Lord? Eh, no, they missed the point to stab at him.

The men Jesus was addressing had condemned their brothers on circumstantial evidence. They turned the knife, so to speak, by pointing out that they were ‘Galileans’. But Jesus answers their question with a ‘question answer’. “Do you think these ‘Galileans’ were bigger sinners than all the other ‘Galileans’ because of this?” Normally, a ‘question answer’ isn’t rhetorical. But Jesus supplies the answer FOR them, because it’s critically important.

NO! They weren’t worse sinners than any other Galileans. Away with your condemnation of others for their misfortunes. Instead, look in a mirror and consider your OWN soul. Unless you REPENT, you will all likewise perish. Sadly, this was a prophesy and a promise. Because this tragedy DID happen to many standing there, in AD70, when Titus invaded Jerusalem to quell an uprising, and slaughtered a multitude there inside the temple where they’d taken refuge.

Jesus doesn’t stop there, though. He asks another question, much closer to home, about a tower in Jerusalem, overlooking the Pool of Siloam, that fell on and crushed 18 people. These weren’t ‘Galileans’. They were your close neighbors. Yet some random tragedy, an act of God so to speak, had happened, and killed them all. Were they worse sinners than all of YOU?

Again, he doesn’t leave the question unanswered. Away with your bigotry about the Galileans. Away with your condemnation of others. Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. And again, this is a prophesy that was fulfilled in AD70, when Rome, destroying Jerusalem, tore down towers, buildings, and walls, crushing the inhabitants of Jerusalem under the rubble.

Yet this sad promise doesn’t just pertain to the men standing there, does it? The statement Jesus makes here is critical for all of us to pay attention to. Hell is hot, and we are not. Unless WE repent, there’s outer darkness and weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth and a lake of fire.

‘Repent’ is not a word we like. It indicates we’ve done something wrong. It tells us we are headed the wrong way, and need to turn around. Most of us would like to avoid that word. To pretend we are all ok, doing what we are doing, and that somebody else is the ‘bad guy’. But when we take a good hard look at the person in the mirror, we understand the truth. It’s only by His mercy and grace that we have any hope of avoiding the eternal ‘perish’ indicated here.

It's my prayer that this promise is NOT for any of us. But even if you, reading this right now, realize this promise is aimed at you, it begins with a sweet word. The word, UNLESS. The same word the Lorax left at the end of that Seuss classic, and it’s the same word left for you and me. That word gives us hope, that there’s a chance. A chance to avoid all that unpleasant eternal lake of fire. The judgement we deserve, but can avoid, through that simple word, repent.

This Greek word, metanoeo, is found 34 times in the New Testament, and each time translated ‘repent’. It means to turn around. Turn from sin to God. Agree with God that what you were doing was wrong. It’s so simple, yet so hard, sometimes. And everything depends on it.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for another chance. You are always giving me second chances. Lord, I repent of what I’ve been doing that wasn’t right and good and pure. Help me to follow you with all my heart, today. Amen

#christian #devotional #365 devos #365 promises of god #booklr #writing #chris solaas #repentance #faith #salvation #jesus #christblr

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arkus-rhapsode · 2 years ago

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I want to talk about Crimson Flower and 3H as a narrative

So... after FE3H discourse makes the round every other week, I end up thinking about it for a bit until I realize, hey maybe its better to not focus on a 4 year old game at this point and occupy your time with something else. Everything has basically been said about it at this point and you know where you land.

But this time my thoughts were just getting too strong for me to ignore, so that's why I'm writing this both get it out of my system and maybe just be another voice in the crowd that some people might want to listen to on the divisive topic that is Crimson Flower route.

Now I really hate that I have to put this disclaimer up front, but I feel like the well of this discussion has become so poisoned that I have to before I make my piece. I want to say that if you enjoy Crimson Flower, if you love Edelgard and believe she did nothing wrong and this is the right route, if you are a Black Eagles stan and you genuinely do not have any issues with Crimson Flower route as a whole-that is perfectly fine.

This will be a somewhat critical examination of the narrative choices about the execution of CF, which I feel like whenever 3H, specifically Edelgard is discussed, there is often very disingenuous arguments people make. Which I believe can create more defensive fans of a particular aspect of a story that we should be able to criticize freely. Which perpetuates this never ending cycle of discourse of legit criticism and defense against that criticism becomes drowned out by trying to decouple these very disingenuous claims from legitimate flaws. So I at least want to make it known that I am going to try my best to be in good faith with this post about this tricky subject.

I also want to just say, this is also going to be mostly an examination of narrative. The thing that I personally enjoy the most in an FE game, but we need to genuinely acknowledge that narrative isn't the only reason why people may like Fire Emblem. The ability to form parasocial relationships with fictional characters and being able to experience something the genuinely brings you emotional fulfillment is not invalid. Being able to enjoy fighting against establishments or ideologies you in the real world disagree with through the experience of a video game is not invalid. The same way someone who plays this game for the experience of gameplay isn't invalid when their primary enjoyment stems from the actual mechanics rather than the "logistics" of the story. The point I'm trying to make is that everyone will engage in media in different ways and will enjoy it other ways and that you don't want to invalidate those feelings someone had with their personal experience. So this is going to be about me and my experience as someone who primarily enjoys narrative.

I am just one guy with opinions who is going to layout what I had an issue with and how I think for me that could've been improved upon. You don't have to agree with me on that, and I'm not saying my way is legitimately better. This is all opinionated.

Buckle this is a long one

First things first Im gonna say Im not going to be using any information given in Three Hopes that may contradict what Im about to say. As in my opinion Three Houses came first and does not include the content from Three Hopes so I should think that Three Houses can stand on its own merits and the content that was provided.

Next thing is I want to catch people up on what in my opinion are the points I think CF did for me that ultimately left me unsatisfied

The post time skip Fodlan was too different and felt contradictory to Byleth's role

Edelgard's Characterization in CF in comparison to the other lord's in their respected routes

The role of Rhea

The role of Those who Slither in the Dark

SO the first thing is probably the thing I'm mostly going to have to defend if I haven't lost you already, but Fire Emblem Three Houses as a narrative provides us with a five year time skip in the game that depending on the route will change who is control of the monastery at this point in the war, with each route providing a lord the chance the forge their campaign. However, something I don't think is brought up enough is talking about the liberties that CF takes with their time skip vs the other three routes. Azure Moon, Verdant Wind, and Silver snow all paint a post five years Fodlan as one where the monastery territory has been abandoned, Rhea has been captured, the Alliance territory is split between an imperialist faction and an anti imperialism faction, and the Kingdom has been split with Cornelia making an alliance with the Empire to create the Dukedom of Faerghus as the houses of Gautier and Faldarius hold up the Kingdom.

There are obviously minor changes like Dimitri camping out in the monastery in Azure Moon rather than in the care of Kingdom Allies, but for the most part there is a consistently defined world between the three routes. However, Crimson Flower's post Fodlan is much different. With a grid locked Fodlan after five years with just the church territory falling under the control of Adrestia, Rhea wasn't captured and instead made it to Faerghus, The Alliance is still feuding amongst itself, but most importantly than all, Faerghus is a complete kingdom with Dimitri as King and no Cornelia's Dukedom.

So there are two main reasons why this bothers me.

The first is that Three Houses as a game wants to present you with three options at first, with the idea that your choices will effect the outcome of the war when Byleth returns, however there's enough consistency to imply that this is what Fodlan would be like regardless of whose House you would join, with the primary effect being your class making it to the church for the festival which in turn will make the monastery your new territory for which route. However, Crimson Flower decides to do away with the consistency, implying that the effect Byleth had on the situation is far greater than that of any other route resulting in a drastically shifted Fodlan. So this is more of a problem with FE3H as a whole with the consistency of choice. Fire Emblem has never really had a BioWare style choose your own adventure type of game. There's only one real choice you're given in the case of 3H and that's which house you side with, which you are essentially locked into. Black Eagles is really the only route that offers a choice beyond that with choosing to side with Edelgard or Rhea which will effect who the class sides with in the time skip. The reason I bring this up is that it essentially means that you the player are for the most part on rails for a predetermined plot where all the choices for the series have already been made. So the Fodlan post five years being consistent makes some sense as essentially mostly everything that happened in White Clouds was the same with the acceptation of the class. However, the Crimson Flower one not being consistent and being so radically different based on a game with so minimal choice feels more like an act of narrative convenience. That this is what happened because of a writer fully independent from me the player had decided that this is how Fodlan shall be for this story because it fits what they want to tell.

Somewhere I had once read that FE3H shouldn't be treated as one story, but since its a bunch of routes they're all a different universe. Everything might look the same but everything is fundamentally altered that you should accept it as an independent universe. And I can't necessarily say that's wrong as the concept of multiverses is to create a world/scenario that allows to explore familiar characters in unfamiliar settings and you could say that Byleth effect on Edelgard in picking this universe was just so much greater that it would result in such a different universe.

I personally disagree with that which brings me to my second point as I believe this one is going to be a more philosophical point on game design. But I feel like the effort to make three routes so consistent with each other with one so different seems to deliberately undercut the core themes of the game. Offering you a choice that this is who you get to spend your happy schools days with and it is what is going to result in them returning to the monastery one the day of your return. That is the true effect of Byleth on the characters. But as you play through white clouds you can't change what happens to other characters which will result in a brand new scenario. Byleth's presence can never stop Dimitri from going blood mad, Byleth's presence can't stop Claude from discovering the Immaculate One research, and Byleths presence can't stop Edelgard from declaring war. And that is a good thing for this type of on rails route story. Byleth while a player insert who can help their lord in the future, right now everyone is on a path that Byleth can only lightly change. With the characters acting independently of what Byleth and the player desire. And the post time skip Fodlan is a sign of that. Its Five Years without Byleth. This is what these characters would do, that they were always capable of doing and that is why Byleth's return and effect on them is important. This also gives us the ability to observe what a lord is like now after the war, and Byleth's effect on them but also see what a character could be like without that Byleth effect on them. Without Byleth Dimitri stays mad, without Byleth Claude always flees Fodlan, without Byeth Edelgard... well lets put a pin in that.

The only other true choice the player can make beyond the initial one is the side with Edelgard or Rhea which radically alters her. Which honestly feels kinda defeating in a game that has locked Byleth so much on a path and the one time it can deviate actively alters everything. It just feels very hollow as there are parts that make you realize how great the effect Byleth could have on people's lives could be if the game actively wanted to integrate choice with the plot. But it didn't. It wants to make one early choice then lock you in that route for several chapters then remove Byleth and then have their return effect real change on the future of Fodlan. Except for this one route. Its why Crimson Flower feels so much like an asterisk compared to the other route. And I don't just mean the lack of chapters, but this feels like a route that can only exist because it was the one that the developers bothered to create something overly deviating from everything else.

Which brings us to Edelgard's role in Crimson Flower as a whole. Now lets just get this out of the way. Im not going to be talking at all on the morality/realistic implications of what Edelgard is doing. I feel like the "Is she a fascist/authoritarian" conversation is not really helpful to talking about FE3H as a work of narrative and mostly exists to create a bunch of petty beef. This is also not going to be a deconstruction of ever minute detail of Edelgard as a character. This is an examination of her as a character in the narrative that we are presented. This will also involve comparison's to Edelgard and other series lords and I want it to be known that this is not a talking down to the only female lord in the game as being something "lesser" than her male contemporaries. I believe there is genuinely sexism when discussing Edelgard as a character, so I want to say that I am approaching Crimson Flower and Three Houses as a whole in a good conscious that there is not a "right route." That this is a game that where all choices have their pros and their cons. Because that's why we like this entry, right? That 3H would provide us some genuinely complex lords who were all capable of doing great and terrible things regardless of gender?

That's why I had such a long winded discussion about why the change in the post time skip Fodlan is so important both for narrative consistency, but also just generally keeping with the tone, but also it reinforced that Fodlan and its lords while all righteous in their own way can be dangers in their own way. Well that's when I return to the pin about Edelgard. So first I want to go through how the lords are characterized in non devoted routes.

Dimitri in non AZ routes is portrayed as someone so damaged by loss that his who response is to avenge and fight. To never stop making those pay for the damage it has brought on his kingdom as well as any lives lost during the tragedies in places like Duscar and Remire.

Claude in non VW routes is portrayed as a brilliant individual with a lot of charm but seems to be hiding something from everyone. He's a lot smarter than one could assume and that he has some mysterious tie to the kingdom of Almyra that he departs after leaving his land to the stronger kingdom that has come so far, be it Dimitri or Edelgard or the Church.

Edelgard in non CF routes is portrayed as a conspirator to overthrow not only the church but all rule in Fodlan as she believes the Crest based system is flawed and that the only way to enact systemic change is through a single rule. And while she is aware her ideals have costs, she believes that those costs are worth it when weighed against perpetuity of the crest system.

Now I want to talk about what happens to those lords as you play them in their routes.

Dimitri in AZ is portrayed as someone burdened by loss and his quest for vengeance has led to a neglect for his own health and his own actions. That his kill everyone attitude will perpetuate more loss of those he loves and that he needs to learn to rely upon others. That is his true responsibility as king.

Claude in VW is portrayed as an individual who is outside of Fodlan's system who has observed it more as a third party and believes it can be a great place if people work through diplomatically. He too is not a fan of inequality and racism and wishes to make a Fodlan that is more accepting and able to work through negotiation. While he still leaves Fodlan at the end, this time he has been able to implement real systemic change and make one that is sustainable beyond that of a ruler.

In CF we find out that Edelgard is a traumatized girl who was experimented on for the purposes of Crest Research. This makes her a conspirator to overthrow not only the church but all rule in Fodlan as she believes the Crest based system is flawed and that the only way to enact systemic change is through a single rule. And while she is aware her ideals have costs, she believes that those costs are worth it when weighed against perpetuity of the crest system.

Hey wait a minute, that's the same?

So this is where I get to the most glaring flaw for me in this case of narrative and why I think altering the post time skip so much did a lot of damage. Edelgard is a good character and a fascinating one, but in the practice of her narrative, her character journey in her own route isn't like the other lords. Rather she is "right" from the start of the time skip and with the world altering in ways to justify why she is that way.

Now look, I know right now someone could be saying I can't read, that its clearly stated in the text that Edelgard says without Byleth she may have turned into a complete monster to see her goals through to the end. This is referring to how in non CF routes she is on the backfoot getting beaten back and forced to take more drastic measures as whoever Byleth comes closer to ending her ideals. Unlike Dimitri or Claude there's not really a psychological arc she is working through with her sociological arc. Dimitri's arc is almost entirely hinged on him as a character changing in his route. And while Claude the character is also mostly the same, you get an understanding of how his continued participation in Fodlan's politics is so important as he effects sociological change. Claude also does the less stuff that could be considered questionable in Fodlan. He neither initiates the war nor does he intimate greater conflict that is tied into a character arc like Dimitri. Claude action's through the war are mostly to keep the Alliance fighting against each other with avoids giving one side a greater advantage. The truth is Claude real "flaw" is that by being an Almyra he is from a race outside of Fodlan that is inherently untrustworthy in society so his continued prescience in his expanded campaign is done with changing that mentality.

Now one could look at everything I said about Claude and say "well isn't that Edelgard though? She's not the one who needs to change but rather society needs to and this is you making it a fruition?" And I would agree however, then why did post time skip need to change and not Edelgard? So going back to the altered Fodlan, the Fodlan post time skip we see in non CF routes has what can be argued Edelgard's biggest moment of political conquest, making an alliance with Cornelia inside of Faerghus using her authority and influence to expand and bring over a chunk of the kingdom underneath Edelgard's wing. And this makes sense with what has been proposed before us-Edelgard had released a manifesto to lords that would side with her and become her allies in the war to come. This act of subversion is something that benefits her goals for conquering all of Fodlan. However, this is one of the key alterations in CF's time skip. Faerghus is not broken in half, with Edelgard having not empowered Cornelia over the five years. In fact, you do battle with Cornelia with her as a kingdom general.

So if Edelgard isn't a character who is subject to change, why did the world change? Well there is speculation in universe that perhaps Rhea fleeing to Faerghus didn't give her the ability. But I do believe the most likely reason is that narratively the writers of 3H wanted to avoid a scenario where while Byleth was gone Edlegard may have empowered and individual like Cornelia. One of the most objectively evil characters in the game. Now I won't go into to detail if I believe Edelgard knew Cornelia was a TWSITD or not, but as it is presented to us, she seems unaware. Instead I'll focus on the primary point is where they don't want to discuss that while in her route Edelgard was capable of doing something that would potentially cast her in such a negative light. After all, the point of her campaign is the while the bloodshed is worth it to make a new Fodlan free of crests, she's willing to show lenency to those who bend the knee. Again, an action not unreasonable for her character. However, I feel like this not happening in CF genuinely robs us from exploring the flaws of Edelgard's path/showing us what Byleth's effect on her truly is.

This is compounded by my issues with how CF is the only route in which you have an active choice beyond class. That by choosing to side with Edelgard when given the option in the tomb would result in this much radical history alteration. But also all of Byleth's effect on her not being as much conqueror over the last 5 years was all done pre time skip. That all that change was done at that moment rather than being something that prompted her to return to Garreg Mach where they'd remeet Byleth and then that would get them to claim it as a base of oppositions in their future war. In CF, Garreg Mach is already claimed rather than the formation of the Dukedom with no real progress. So it makes it seem as though Byleth's real effect on altering this lord's path was always possible in the short time they knew them before disappearing over five years. Of course this is again a bit miffling given that CF is the only route this is a possibility. We can't Change how Dimitri will act in the pre time skip. That he will make choices without Byleth even if they feel urged to remeet at Garreg Mach. But in the case of CF, Edelgard has apparently been changed despite the only real difference in white clouds fighting beside her in the tomb and against the church pre timeskip. But that has sociologically altered so much of Fodlan.

And maybe you genuinely believe that one extra change is enough. Perhaps that one extra choice is enough justification for such a radically new scenario. For me personally, I find that unsatisfying and feels more like the writers traded in a level of consistency for this new scenario that greater justified being on the side of someone who is portrayed as a more active antagonistic force in other routes (Reminder this not me saying the Empire route is an antagonist route. All routes are antagonistic relative to which side you are on).

This is where we get my first what I would've done to make it more narratively satisfying for me. Keep the same post time skip Fodlan as the other routes. Keep Edelgard having brokered a deal with Cornelia to establish the Dukedom and have Byleth find out about it. Be some that either Byleth or another character close to Edelgard questions the extremity of. Then have Cornelia do something evil like she's experimenting on people for TWSITD or maybe she's just abusing the power. Then have Edelgard clean it up. Have Edelgard realize that while she still wants to make her dream of a crestless Fodlan a reality she can't just back lords or nobles that are willing to go along with her for more power. She can still keep the Dukedom territory, but instead she'd be now more understanding what it means for there to be a ruler with a noble soul. So she continues her campaign of conquest but has realized that if she's going to be emperor, she can't just empower people arbitrarily.

In my opinion this not only would tie together some more TWSITD plot while also paralleling it to Edelgard's past and how there was no authority figure to step in and help her all those years ago. But now she is that authority figure. And while it doesn't call her method in question and like Dimitri and Claude she can continue her expanded influence over Fodlan, but now we actively see that Byleth has helped show her that her allies aren't just those pledging loyalty, she actually needs to empower those who are good. She gets to have her fight with Cornelia level and this won't stop her from killing Dimitri in the future.

Like I said, this is what I'd do. And in my opinion it would give Byleth's presence in CF more purpose beyond the bond with Edelgard is nice and fun. But also stay consistent with each route. Showing that there are flaws in Edelgard's sociological plan, but not undercutting what her actual goal is. You can still believe her quest is just and the only right one with her taking an active role in not making the mistakes she perceives Rhea as doing.

And if you are still with me up to my third point, lets talk about Rhea.

So Rhea as a character can best be described as a neutral evil throughout White Clouds. She doesn't really do anything but there is a lot of ominous foreshowing and presentation that Rhea may be up to something or at the very least complicit with many of her policies and tendencies. And when I say "evil" I don't mean she's bad (please don't skewer me Rhea fans). I mean that if the crest system is flawed and the church is emblematic of the systems maintenance of that flawed system. Then Rhea as the face/founder/head of that church bares some responsibility even if all she does is passive.

In all other routes, Rhea is captured by the Empire. Imprisoned in their capital. Anytime she is seen after she is characterized as somewhat docile or defeated, having been imprisoned for so long. VW goes a step farther to reveal what she did as Seiros and all of her actions leading to this point presumably all thanks to be imprisoned and rethinking her life over. CF is the only one Rhea is allowed to be an active player, she is now portrayed a ranting self righteous warrior priest who swears vengeance upon Byleth for being the reincarnation of her mother but not being a proper vessel as she intended and fighting against her. Naturally, if Byleth being the potential for the reincarnation of Sothis siding against her is what her drives her mad, that is believable, however much like the altered Fodlan Rhea in this version is not captured. This is now for Rhea to serve as Edelgard's true climatic opponent. With her symbolically killing the representation of the church and the power of crests being slain by Byleth and Edelgard. Its very poetic. But once again we reach my issue of the time skip altering so much in CF.

As stated before, Rhea was presented as a neutral evil, in doing so she's not really a direct antagonist in any route. Except of course Silver Snow. Where she is deployed as a weapon against Byleth. In this case killing the immaculate one symbolically is cleansing the church of Rhea and allowing it to pass into the hands of the new archbishop. However, Rhea in that fight is under control. Rather than be conscious as an opponent, they make her more of a beast without choice. Thus making this less a flawed character meeting their end and rather a forced confrontation by the evil cult of evil. Now Rhea I think being kept a neutral party was ultimately a good choice. We are given enough about her to understand she has done things questionable and should possibly not hold the authority she has. But she also has not instigated any open any hostility. As such Rhea is more a symbolic player. By making her an active player, CF has to make Rhea more domino and more a threat. She can't portray constant neutrality in a war. But by making her the active antagonist, it makes her less of a symbol and more if just a rotten character who Edelgard is justified in wanting dead. And much like Cornelia and the Dukedom, this alteration comes off as an attempt by the writers to never truly challenge Edelgard's plans for Fodlan. That Edelgard has no flaws in her plan and the bloodshed is beyond justified more than just philosophically. Had Edelgard captured Rhea in CF this would lead to some genuinely uncomfortable questions of keeping her a prisoner. And to 3H's credit they were actually willing to make the player uncomfortable already in Dimitri's route showing him as a mass murderer. Once again, I want to express this isn't me saying Edelgard's quest or goals are wrong and the plot should undermine it. This is me saying that for a game that wants to genuinely have nuanced and uncomfortable political choices made by their character, this is the route where they opt to alter the scenario so that Edelgard is the most justified and does less things that one could find objectionable. Flattening a lot of interesting implications this would raise and what Byleth as a force in this route could possibly able to influence.

Now one could again say, well the reason Rhea wasn't captured because Edelgard didn't use crest beasts this time. Edelgard not using crest beasts is a sign Byleth is changing her and thus that greatly alters the future. Once again, I can see that as understandable justification, but again, my issue off only ever being able to effect this lord pre time skip comes in again. If it was possible to get Edelgard to not use crest beasts, then how come it wasn't possible for me to get Claude to have Almyra support? How come I couldn't stop Dimitri before the war? The answer is again as a game the only other narrative choice that could possibly alter the story happens in CF which is the side with Edelgard in tombs choice. And while I'm not against the idea of angry pope Rhea, but I feel making her CF's full on antagonist was almost making a straw man antagonist for your opposition.

As an aside we also know Arundel is still on Edelgard's side and he is Thales so while she might not know his entire deal, I hesitate to imagine he'd stop using crest beasts in the war over the two years Byleth was gone.

If I was going to once again alter CF to be something I would personally find more satisfying. Have Rhea captured and then have Arundel use the same rage stuff he uses on her Silver Snow. This way you can facilitate an Edelgard vs TWSITD conflict AND you still get your symbolic victory of Edelgard and Byleth killing the symbol of the crests and church. Again, Edelgard is able to do what she wanted to originally, but now we are also confronted with the role TWSITD did play in her life and allowing her to rectify it as well as truly killing the old world by getting rid of Rhea and Thales.

And final point TWSITD. TWSITD are bad. They've always been bad. And they genuinely damage the overall story of CF because this is beyond just a narrative choice, its very clear CF as a story wasn't complete. I feel confident in saying that given the numerous chapters missing compared to the other routes, but also the epilogue needs to say "Oh yeah there was totally a bunch of war against them. Totally." I know this point is probably the least controversial when talking about CF, but I still think its a glaring flaw.

So what's the tl;dr?

This is not an "I hate Crimson Flower or Edelgard post" I genuinely have no interest in debating people about characters that like or enjoy. Nor did I want to turn this into a moral argument about the implication CF. I feel like these topics do real damage to any real criticisms one can have for CF as a narrative.

Which for me, CF as a route fails to really mesh with the rest of 3H as a whole. It feels like it takes a lot of narrative ways out to avoid potentially making their lord seem objectionable, despite much of this game wanting to be about how tragically flawed everyone is. Im not saying Edelgard needed a come to Jesus moment of "Are we the bad guys?" No absolutely not. In my opinion we just lack seeing Edelgard change the same way post time skip as others have due to creating an entirely brand new setting that keeping her as a mostly the same character is not questionable. Nor does she have to do anything that could truly be seen as flawed. Things that Byleth's influence may overcome.

Edelgard is a good character and her goals are understandable. I just personally find the narrative bending to accommodate her in ways so different from the other time skips genuinely make it a weaker narrative for me.

If you enjoy CF as it it. More power to you. Please keep loving CF. This isn't supposed to be a dissuading post. This is merely me as one guy who likes a lot of FE because of the stories it can tell sharing why he personally didn't enjoy this one. Maybe I helped put it words for some who might feel similar. But this is just my opinion

If you have something you'd like to add or reply in the replies or tags please flee free, but for the love god, please be cordial about it. There is so much toxicity and disingenuous takes around Fire Emblem Crimson Flower and Edelgard and Rhea in general, that I would like for us to please be able to talk about this in good faith.

#fire emblem #fire emblem three houses #fe3h #black eagles #edelgard von hresvelg #crimson flower #rhea #dimitri alexandre blaiddyd #claude von riegan #rhapsode rambles

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eyra · 5 months ago

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hi it’s me, the anon, back to discuss :)

yes by the end of book 3 we have wrung out the rhys/feyre novelty and we are parched for something new. acofas was a cute little transition from the end of book 3 to the start of book 5, it really just sets it up a bit so that we can start Nesta’s story with some context.

re: Tamlin. Agreed, in book 4 he is pathetic and I pitied him too. Sad. He has a lot to work on and we all wish him well on his healing journey. I hope the spring court has a good therapist. Lord knows they all need one. You should see the Rhys/Tamlin ship discourse lolll people are feral with that. I think once Rhys is no longer being portrayed as dark/morally grey (bc from Feyre’s pov he’s perfect) they just become uninteresting and not really relatable anymore. Three books was enough, and sjm did the right thing with book 5 imo. Although I’m very curious what your take on Rhysand in book 5 will be…

Oh boy. You’re in for a ride. You’re gonna eat up acosf. It’s totally brainrot but with layers, which is just so fun and quite an emotional rollercoaster. It’s self-indulgent for sure. And cringe in so many ways that it’s like, alright this is unpolished and not always flattering in a kinda refreshing way after the monotony Feysand fell into, aka boring healthy married life (no shade to married folks, that was just a joke). And yeah, the spice level is definitely turned up a bit, so I think you’ll enjoy.

Anyway I can’t say more I don’t want to spoil anything.

You should also see the Azriel/Eris crack ship discourse. People get weird with that. But don’t look into it until after book 5 bc you’ll get spoilers for sure.

Keep us (me) updated on your book 5 journey!! 😈🖤

🗡️👑📖

YES ANON. ok I’m like 70 pages into book 5 and straight off the bat rhys and feyre can absolutely do one. like bore off with your holier than thou attitudes! just because you’re married and trying for a baby, that doesn’t make you better than everyone else! and rhys specifically is being an asshole to nesta for reasons I honestly can’t get my head around. rhys, who apparently was sooo good and patient with feyre when she was Going Through It. and now he’s having a meltdown because nesta likes a drink. wow sorry about it…. also how have we gone from “we have so much money it’s actually obscene” to “nesta’s bar tab is going to bankrupt my family” in the space of like 8 pages? why is everyone being so mean to her when she was literally the one who killed the king and also her dad just died… let her LIVE omg.

you’re so right about rhys - once he became perfect he became boring. it’s the way it goes. and I don’t want to read about a happily married straight couple. that’s not why I’m here.

rhys/tamlin….. hmm tamlin deserves better I fear. and azriel/eris is insane. azriel/cassian on the other hand… also seeking: mor/nesta, tamlin/a hot wife, rhys/a personality.

#no I’m being unfair to rhys #he’s fine he’s whatever #I loved him in book 2 #but we as a society have outgrown the need for him #and that’s okay #acotar spoilers #acotar #ask

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vincentsims333 · 1 year ago

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Ephesians 6:10. This verse serves as a gateway to a powerful section in the Bible that discusses spiritual warfare and the armor of God. At its essence, this passage is a rallying cry from the Apostle Paul to the believers in Ephesus, encircling the theme of inner strength and divine might.

To envision the setting, imagine the Apostle Paul writing to a young church in Ephesus, guiding them through the complexities of their newfound faith amidst a world filled with challenges and spiritual adversities. It's in Ephesians 6:10 where Paul begins to draw his encouraging discourse to a close, voicing an impassioned exhortation that resonates through time: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power."

These carefully chosen words pave the way to understanding that the source of our resilience is not within our own finite capabilities, but rather, it is found in the boundless power of God. The subsequent verses (Ephesians 6:11-17) extend this premise to the full armor of God, portraying a vivid metaphor for the spiritual defenses needed to stand against the forces of darkness.

Let's embark on a journey to decode the depths of this significant scriptural segment, as we explore how the timeless instruction to "be strong in the Lord" is not just for the Ephesians of the past, but a lasting beacon for us today, providing the key to enduring strength and unwavering faith in a complex and often turbulent world.

#bible scripture #bible study #god #jesus christ #jesus #proverbs

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gascon-en-exil · 1 year ago

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A bit late and a bit long, but to add to the Edelgard being sexualized post, it bothers this anon that nobody in the fandom is willing to acknowledge the issue with the developers making the ONLY female lord in 3h the one that no matter the route is unequivocally in love with/obsessed with the main character. A lot of people criticize the increasing avatar-worship in recent FEs, but Edelgard is almost never included in that discussion despite her being the biggest and most blatant (1/3)

example of that type of writing in 3h. Hell, compare how Edelgards obsession with the avatar is portrayed in fandom as a cute, awkward schoolgirl crush while other characters like Tharja and Camilla has their avatar-obsession near always be portrayed as creepy, unsettling and unhealthy. The FE fandom just does not view her like the other fanservice characters, and hilariously your original post actually contains a mistake that is an excellent example of this: when artwork for year four (2/3) of CYL was revealed, people were outraged at notorious sexy artist Cuboon for DARING to sexualize Edelgard by giving her boob armor - except thats exactly what her Emperor class outfit looks like in 3h. It was pretty funny to watch people near combust over this "blatant sexualization" when it was always there and they just failed to notice. I guess nobody who played CF actually used her Emperor class. (3/3)

Well, as multiple comments on my latest video are pointing out, dark mage/bishop being male-only doesn't matter all that much because those classes suck. You could say the same thing about emperor. *rolls eyes*

But seriously, I can somewhat excuse that reaction because the boob armor is a lot more prominent on her brave alt than on the in-game model.

That's just FEH being FEH.

Edeleth is a fraught topic no matter which angle you look at it. If you like or don't like how Byleth is a flat silent protagonist, how you feel about blatant Avatar pandering, which gender it's acceptable to ship Edelgard with, and of course the antis who call all Studentleth pairings grooming.

It must be tough shipping Edeleth sometimes and coming across discourse from so many different corners of the fandom...but considering how some of the ship's fans have acted (and continue to act) to me over the years, I find it very hard to be sympathetic. I believe I was being charitable in my Dimidue video when I called Edeleth - either M/F or F/F, of course - the most comparable pairing in terms of canon material.

#Fire Emblem

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diviningjade · 2 years ago

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you're here this early again? so diligent...

here are my rules! please abide by them, or i will block you. my roleplay boundaries summary is at the bottom of the post. apologies for the messiness of this post :(

general rules (both ask and thread roleplay)

please be respectful.

standard dni– do not interact with me if you are racist, transphobic, homophobic, etc.

please don't rush my replies etc. i'm a full-time college student and my free time will fluctuate.

do not download or use my graphics (banners, layout, replycons, etc).

no nsfw (i'm a minor). i'm fine with suggestive content/dirty jokes but outright nsfw is not okay with me.

do not negotiate my boundaries with me. no means no.

please do not send me stuff related to discourse/callouts. i won't post it, it makes me uncomfortable (but i will keep it in mind).

if i soft-block you, please don't ask me why i did.

please be patient with me. i'm pretty new to the tumblr roleplay scene and i am neurodivergent, so if i get something wrong, accidentally cross a boundary, do something you're uncomfy with, etc– please, please let me know. i don't bite!!

list will be updated as time goes on.

thread rp rules:

here's a general overview of my boundaries/stuff you should know: boundaries overview: nsfw: no do i write in lowercase: yes, unless if you don’t triggers tagged: yes (except for swearing, all caps/caps lock, self-depreciating/dark humor) dark/triggering content: maybe (see below for detailed notes) discourse/callouts blogged: no, see below for more details vagueposting: no do i post ooc/personal: yes (ooc/personal posts tagged w/ 玉 | aspen's ramblings) can personals follow: yes do i send passwords: yes are thread response reminders okay: yes block liberally: no (unless you fit my dni or break my rules) multi or single muse: single mutuals only: no selective: no crossovers: yes shipping: yes!! (multishipping okay) writing with duplicates: yes (if you're a mutual and you find this uncomfy, pls lmk) ship boundaries: no age gap, please ask me before shipping our characters length/style matching: yes (unless discussed beforehand) activity: fluctuates, usually semi active roleplay with ocs?: yes plotting: i like it, but if you don't have a plot, then that's a-okay (replies might be slower though)

and here's more notes:

i'm pretty causal when it comes to this stuff. i'll respect your rules of course but if you're looking for a serious roleplay partner, i'm not the blog for you, sorry :(

i will usually reflect your style. that is, if you respond with lots of text, i will as well. if you add replycons, i will as well. if there's anything you want me to do (respond with more text, no lowercase, don't use replycons, etc) please ask me and we can figure something out!

i have adhd and anxiety so my output and response time will fluctuate. please be patient! feel free to send me an ask if you're wondering about a response (but again please don't rush me ahaha).

i am comfortable with most topics except heavy gore and body horror.

i am comfortable with writing dark/potentially triggering content, except if that dark content involves characters that are canonically below 15 (unless they are aged up). i will only write dark content in dms/private roleplays with mutuals under 18 (as i am a minor as well and it make me more comfortable).

triggering topics will be tagged with "cw [trigger]". my catchall tag is "玉 | banned from the divination commission".

crossovers are okay!

i swear/use all caps a lot and dabble in self-depreciating humor, so that won't be tagged.

if there's anything else you wanna ask/want tagged, feel free to dm me or send an ask! i respond quickly (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و except during exam week lord help me

#玉 | navi

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number63liveblogs · 6 months ago

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Dark Lord of Derkholm 4

Okay, this chapter discussion is going to be coloured by the Dungeons and Dragons Pathfinder alignment discourse a Discord I’m in has been having.

Also by the fact that the campaign some people are having has had hostile gods who have been able to cause small accidents at the most inopportune times, because that’s what this chapter felt like. Especially when the fact that the setting has gods who do things has been established.

Anyway, discourse:

[“]I could have killed him in seconds, even with that demon in his pocket, but he would have been just like food. He wouldn’t have felt guilty, and neither would I.”

This is super alien to me. In fact, this is the opposite of what I think is a moral thing to do. Because to me this sounds like “I didn’t want to buy having a world without him because he wouldn’t have been hurt enough because of it.”

Like, hurting and killing people is evil. Sometimes by hurting people you are able to buy something good, like if you have to kill someone to stop them from killing someone else. But that should be the only reason why you should kill someone else, and you should in fact try to do all killing with the minimum pain to the person you’re killing.

I do hope I’m misreading this, because having a character let someone like Mr. Chesney continue hurt people around him because killing him wouldn’t have made him sorry enough is going to be frankly insufferable, especially if the narration doesn’t challenge that point of view at all.

#dark lord of derkholm #liveblog #number 63

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azure-clockwork · 1 year ago

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Way to tell us your groundbreaking original opinion shared by only more than half the fandom in a "better than everyone" tone despite being an extremely surface level analysis.

Like damn, I'm not arguing with you and I'm sorry for the rude sarcasm, but you gotta understand that post like yours keep popping once in a while in the characters tag ( despite having all discourse tag and discourse-prone blog blocked ) when they don't add anything to the discussion. Three Houses is such an interesting game to analyze so if you're going to do discourse, at least get a bit in depth!

Because yes, you're complaining about the discourse but your post is just... participating in the discourse, just in the average "centrist" fe3h fandom way for a lack of a better word. If you hate it so much why add your grain of salt in it? You're the same as the annoying Edelgard/Dimitri/Claude you're speaking about! I mean at least some of them at least provide interesting analysis about the game within rant.

At least tag your post the next time, because even some of the worst lord stan have the decency to do that.

Sorry you got my rant, but your post was the drop that makes the ocean of badly tagged similar takes overflow my discourse limit. Three Houses discourse sucks hard in every form it takes. Still, have a good day at least.

Okok I did say I was asking for this so, fair

First, sincerely, how would you like me to have tagged this? This is an honest question to which I don't actually know the answer, and I'll go back and edit the tags cuz I don't want to bug more people (and kinda the only reason I'm replying because otherwise I feel like engaging is kinda not what I wanna be doing with my life nor yours, but sadly my brain doesn't shut its trap once I start thinking so I feel compelled to share with the class). Actually, you can skip the rest of this if you don't wanna bother lol

Secondly, I just wanted to be funny because I think that accusing fire emblem characters of war crimes is amusing. I recognize that the Geneva Convention sorta breaks apart the moment magic or crests or dark beasts or gambits come into play, and it's also not what people mean when they say 'Dimitri did war crimes' or 'Edelgard is a war criminal', but I think its hilarious to do anyways. When I see people making arguments about characters and using the term 'war criminal', roughly half of my brain starts laughing about how teeeeechnically using that one gambit with the poison barrels counts as criminal, regardless of if I agree or disagree with the argument made. And I'm memeing on myself here too (or at least trying to): "Jay is gay for Edelgard" is a truly terrible justification to base decisions of morality on . I'd argue that picking a house/the church based on attraction to the lord/Rhea is a sillier motive than a numerical tally of official violations of the Geneva Convention.

I really didn't want this to come across as Discourse tm because I don't want it to be; I just wanted turn my own desire to make a list of every single 'technically a war crime' into something semi amusing, because nobody actually wants to sit and read far too many words about how technically if you recruit and deploy Cyril to rescue Flayn (which is before his 15th birthday by like a month) that makes you a war criminal.

If you want my actual opinion (because making you scroll back thru my blog to read the unhinged rants I came up with while deciding between crimson flower and silver snow would be kinda a dick move), fe3h is a messy, morally grey game regardless of your chosen route. You have to make rough choices, kill your friends and former students, and stand by while everyone, including your allies, does terrible things. For me, I bonded really hard with most of the cast fairly quickly because white clouds let me feel like I was doing the worlds best job teaching my kids. And then you have to kill them. You cannot save them all. It broke me a little. The first student I killed, perma-killed, with the music dropping out and all, was Hilda during the Deirdru fight against her and Claude. It was an accident; she died on enemy phase, and I was out of Divine Pulse charges. She wasn't even a requirement for victory. That was the cost of taking Deirdru; that was the cost of waging war. I lay awake that night thinking about how if I had a different sword equipped I couldn't have counterattacked her from 2 tiles away, or if I had done less damage, or tanked a hit, or--

I'm not arguing that every route is equally morally reprehensible, but I think it matters quite a bit that every route makes you complicit in some terrible things. For several reasons, I'm a big fan of crimson flower (I Do Not Like The Church and I also agree with all of the characters who would like to do away with the nobility and crest systems), but that's tempered by the weight of the actions of Those Who Slither. I am continually unsure of just how much I feel the weight of TWSitD's actions falls on Edelgard herself, and I vacillate between "she didn't really have any other options to cause any kind of change from her position, so an uneasy alliance with TWSitD was the lesser of two evils" and "she bears a significant chunk of responsibility for all of their actions, including Jeralt's death". And I have similar, albeit often less strong thoughts about the rest of the characters. Nobody is operating with the full picture, the characters are all massively blinded by their emotions, and everyone makes choices between what they think is the lesser of a few evils. While the exact number of war crimes is irrelevant because whoops, the Geneva Convention doesn't exist in Fodlan and war crimes aren't the only immoral things you can do, thinking about what means are justified by which ends and who bears the responsibility for what acts is actually a really important part of the game for me.

I guess at the end of the day, I walk away from this game believing the war should not have had to happen. But the world doesn't run on shoulds and should nots (in Fodlan or irl), so the best we can do is make choices based on what we do know, and to do our best to help people with the tools we have. I personally land on crimson flower in the end, but I think the real beauty of Three Houses is just how hard it makes that choice.

Ok, I'm done blabbing; just tell me how I ought to tag this to avoid bugging people and I'll be on my way. I mean this sincerely: have a nice day yourself, and sorry to have annoyed you!

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gobboguy · 2 years ago

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Chapter 12: The Realization of Dagdhelm

In the stately war room of the Viper Palace within Dagdhelm, Lord Edon, a man of cunning intellect and strategic prowess, found himself surrounded by the tangible echoes of past victories. The walls adorned with maps chronicling the expanses of his domain, and tables strewn with war plans testified to the meticulous thought that went into governing the Calona Duchy. Five years had passed since the region had grappled with border disputes, particularly with the stout dwarves of Bhia to the east.

At that critical juncture, as the whispers of conflict danced through the corridors of power, a roving warband of strange, green-grey-skinned creatures emerged on the scene—Orcs. Instead of yielding to the traditional adversarial approach, Lord Edon showcased a remarkable feat of diplomatic prowess. He treated with their formidable leader, Gelbeg, an Orc of undeniable influence and strength. Through a series of negotiations, Edon forged an unprecedented truce, transforming the once-perceived threats into unexpected allies.

The 1000 Orcs, who had initially posed a menacing threat to Calona Duchy, now stood as loyal allies under the banner of Lord Edon. The diplomatic triumph not only secured the Orcs a home but also mitigated potential raids on Edon's people and fostered a fortified border alliance with the dwarves. Edon reveled in the success of his astute maneuvers, a testament to the wisdom that governed his rule.

As he sat amidst the glow of dim candlelight, reviewing maps that detailed the shifting dynamics of his realm, a knock reverberated through the chamber. Atauma, the steadfast steward, entered with a bow of deference, bearing news of Duke Starfallen's royal messengers—envoys sent to discuss the ongoing border situation. Lord Edon, with an air of quiet confidence, prepared to engage in a complex diplomatic dance, eager to ensure continued stability for Calona Duchy and further solidify the newfound alliance with Gelbeg's Orcs. The war room, steeped in history and strategy, now became the stage for the next chapter in the intricate tapestry of Lord Edon's rule.

The opulent throne room of the Viper Palace unfolded in grandeur, a testament to Lord Edon's regal power and refined taste. Towering pillars of ebony rose majestically, their polished surfaces reflecting the dim glow of flickering torches that lined the walls. The air hung heavy with the fragrance of incense, weaving an atmosphere of subdued elegance. A vast tapestry depicting the emblem of Calona Duchy adorned the rear wall, a silent proclamation of the realm's authority.

At the heart of the room, Lord Edon's throne, an imposing seat carved from dark mahogany, dominated the dais. Its intricately detailed armrests curved into serpentine motifs, mirroring the venomous symbol of House Starfallen. Edon, resplendent in regal attire, sat with an air of composed authority, his eyes watchful and calculating.

As the Duke's Royal Messengers made their entrance, the room's hushed ambiance intensified. The messengers, clad in flowing silk replete with intricate designs, commanded attention. Logan, the Duke's Historian and Artificer, cut a striking figure with a wide-brimmed hat casting shadows over his sharp features. He had grey hair and dark eyes and clutched a cane tipped with a silver eagle with wings tucked in a dive. Beside him stood Snell, the royal messenger, a mousy fellow in ill-fitting clothing, the embodiment of nervous energy with a tic that betrayed his unease. Occasionally he would blink several times in succession, as if both of his eyes had something in it.

In the presence of Lord Edon, Snell, with an attempt at pompous confidence, stepped forward. His voice, however, carried a noticeable quiver as he declared, "My Lord Edon, we speak on behalf of Duke Starfallen, bearing grave tidings and seeking discourse on disturbing rumors that have reached the ears of Calona Duchy." The messengers' words hung in the air, casting a ripple of tension that echoed through the grandeur of the throne room, a prelude to discussions that would shape the destiny of the realm.

As the Duke's Royal Messengers stood within the grandeur of the Viper Palace's throne room, Snell, the mousy-looking envoy, shifted nervously, a hesitant timbre in his voice as he addressed Lord Edon. "My Lord, grave rumors have reached the ears of Calona Duchy. Whispers tell of monstrous creatures patrolling the border between Bhia and Calona, a border plagued by an escalating conflict. The dwarves of Bhia accuse your lordship of orchestrating these creatures to harass their caravans and settlers, fueling the flames of discord between our nations."

Edon, seated upon his imposing throne, arched a skeptical brow at the allegations. "Rumors and accusations, Snell. You bring unsettling words to the halls of the Viper Palace. I assure you, these monsters are not of my doing. While I've heard whispers of their presence, my knowledge is but passing, and I am as perplexed by their origin as Bhia seems to be. I've dispatched my men to root out these creatures, but patrolling the vast expanse of the Gorkin Mountains year-round poses a logistical challenge. This issue has persisted, an ongoing quagmire in the shadowed realms of the borderlands."

Snell, attempting to maintain an air of pompous confidence despite his unease, persisted in the dialogue. "Duke Starfallen wishes to address these unsettling rumors, Lord Edon. The dwarves of Bhia demand answers and resolutions to this conflict. The situation festers, and tensions between our nations threaten to reach a perilous zenith."

Lord Edon, his tone firm, responded, "I dismiss these accusations as baseless. I am not the puppeteer behind these creatures, nor do I desire conflict. My priority is the prosperity and stability of Calona Duchy. I extend my hand in earnest dialogue, willing to uncover the truth behind these monsters that haunt our borders and forge a resolution to the longstanding strife." The air in the throne room hung heavy with the weight of diplomatic uncertainty, the fate of nations hanging in the balance.

Logan, the Artificer, his figure stooped with age, spoke up in a gravelly and hoarse voice that carried the weight of years. "Lord Edon," he rasped, "what peculiarities do these creatures possess? Describe them in detail, and perhaps we can unravel the threads of truth woven into these rumors."

Edon, seated upon his imposing throne, took a moment to consider, his expression betraying a mix of disdain and solemnity. "Picture this, Logan. Muscular limbs, arms and legs alike, adorned with exaggerated fat guts, prominent breasts, and protruding buttocks. A nauseating odor trails them, and their behavior lacks any semblance of modesty or class. Brutes, uncivilized and crass."

Logan, the Duke's seasoned Historian and Artificer, scratched his grizzled beard in contemplation. After a brief silence, he chuckled, the sound echoing through the grandeur of the throne room like the grinding of stones. "Greenskins, you say? Lack of wit and poor mastery of the English tongue? It bears the hallmarks of some form of mountain troll or a Goblin subspecies yet unknown to our chronicles."

As the weight of this revelation settled in, Snell, the royal messenger, joined in the amusement, suggesting they retire to discuss this newfound information privately. The trio turned to leave, but Edon, finding humor in the situation, couldn't resist a parting laugh. "Curiously enough, they dub themselves 'Orcs,'" he remarked with a wry smile.

However, as they moved toward the exit, Logan abruptly halted, his gnarled hand gripping the hilt of his cane tightly. His pale eyes widened, and a sudden hush descended upon the room, a palpable tension lingering in the air. The revelation of the creatures' identity had triggered a reaction in Logan, awakening ancient echoes and hinting at a history that transcended the borders of the throne room.

Logan, the aged Artificer, moved with surprising swiftness, his gravelly voice rising in a tide of concern. "Edon, did I hear you right? Those creatures, the ones you so casually refer to as 'Orcs,' they truly call themselves that?" His eyes, etched with the wisdom of years, betrayed a growing anxiety.

Edon, perplexed by the Artificer's urgency, nodded. "Yes, Logan, that's what they claimed. About a thousand Orcs landed on the Northwestern shore of Calona Duchy. I let them pass through. Sent them on their way, you know, not wanting any unnecessary trouble."

Logan, his face paling, struggled to grasp the enormity of Edon's words. "One thousand? Did I hear you correctly? A thousand Orcs?" His words rushed out in a torrent of disbelief.

Annoyed by Logan's incredulity, Edon affirmed, "Yes, Logan, nearly one thousand Orcs. I dealt with the situation as I saw fit. We can't patrol the entire coastline."

In a sudden eruption of rage, Logan's voice rose to a crescendo, the air punctuated with curses directed at Edon. "Fool! Damned fool! Don't you realize the peril you've unleashed? Orcs breed at a prodigious rate! The great nations of the world quarantined their homeland long ago, and you, in your shortsightedness, have welcomed them to our shores!"

Edon, still bewildered, faced Logan's fury. "I had no knowledge of this quarantine, Logan. How could I have known? They appeared to be a disorganized horde, and I chose pragmatism over needless bloodshed."

Logan, seething with anger, spat out his words, "Pragmatism? You've sown the seeds of chaos! How did these Orcs escaped their island? By Antilaco, the consequences of their escape could resonate far beyond the borders of Calona Duchy! Do you realize that these creatures should never have been allowed to continue to exist, let alone escape? Their beasts! Only concerned with killing and breeding!" The room, once filled with intrigue, now crackled with the tension of unfolding consequences, the fate of nations hanging in the balance.

Logan's gravelly voice cut through the air with a stark revelation, "Edon, in the five years since those Orcs landed on our shores, their numbers could have nearly tripled, perhaps even quadrupled. Their breeding rate is unlike anything we've seen, and the great nations of the world feared and contained them for a reason."

Edon's face paled, and his usual composure wavered. Stammering, he muttered, "Tripled or quadrupled? That's… that's inconceivable. How could I have been so blind?"

As if grappling with a puzzle, Edon's mind raced, mental calculations etched across his furrowed brow. The reality loomed large—the Orcs, with their prolific breeding, threatened to overrun the mountains of Gorkin.

Suddenly, Edon leaped to his feet, his eyes wide with fear. In a voice that rang with urgency, he bellowed for Atauma, his loyal steward. "Gather my bannermen! We march on the mountains, now! We must root out the Orcs from their home before they multiply further. The future of Calona Duchy depends on it!"

The grandeur of the Viper Palace throne room was now charged with a frenetic energy, as the urgency of the situation spurred Edon into immediate action. The fate of the realm teetered on the precipice, and the mountains of Gorkin, once a natural barrier, now loomed as a battleground where the survival of Calona Duchy hung in the balance.

#fantasy #goblins #orcs #literature #gobboguy #SongsofPower6

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