#i LOVE her writing on crimson flower i think shes excellent there

[sieglinde-freud]

every now and then im reminded of hildas casual racism and how it goes so underlooked purely because in the biggest instance of it, its directed at cyril who most people dont like 😭 like isnt that crazy. i know ingrids the scapegoat racist (i have a lot of problems with her too esp with the language she uses but yk not the point of the post) but like she does acknowledge she is wrong. hilda does not do that… ever. what happens is that she praises cyril for being obedient and nice (in direct opposition to her stereotypes about almyrans which she does not clear up and also is a result of cyril being a child slave) like was that not kind of insane. i get shes like that because of how she was raised but when does she ever end up changing those prejudices… when does that happen…

[skelezomperman]

Diamant/Ivy OC children biographies

This is a compliment to the fanfic Mistakes Were Made. Please read that fanfic first if you haven't yet, because you need to see it in order to understand the context behind these children. The OCs are decidedly not the main focus of that fic, to the point where they have zero lines, but I still ended up getting carried away with making biographies...

So let's go ahead and start!

Crown Princess Holly The eldest daughter of Queen Ivy and Prince Diamant, and heiress apparent to the Elusian throne. She has purple hair the same color as her mother except for a streak of light purple along the front of her hair (the same as her father). Her eyes are a reddish-purple color. Holly is quite meek though she asserts herself when needed. (Some have made the comparison with her uncle.) Sometimes her parents find her quite cute when she's shy. Her clothes are usually darker hued. Like her mother, Holly has taken to wyvern riding. However, she favors physical weapons, especially the axe and the lance. Her father taught her how to use axes. Later, she honed those skill at the Academy where she was trained in both military and political arts. When she's not busy touring the country, her hobby is craftsmanship. Holly likes making little trinkets like earrings for family and friends. She's also quite interested in her Brodian heritage, to the point where she speaks Brodian fairly well and famously snuck off with her aunt to the countryside once during a visit... Eventually, she becomes Queen of Elusia in her 30s following the deaths of her parents.

Prince Carnation The son of Queen Ivy and Prince Diamant. He was born not long after his father abdicated the Brodian throne. He greatly resembles his father, the main difference being that his hair is pink rather than crimson red. Despite this, he has a similar personality to his mother. Everyone who is familiar with Carnation is prepared for one of his teases. He usually favors lighter colors like white or light green. Carnation is skilled at both swordsmanship and magic. At the Academy, he excelled at military strategy and eventually manages that for much of his sister's reign. In his spare time, he likes jousting with others. He really likes many of the trappings of knighthood though Elusia historically has relied far more on knights in the sky.

Princess Amaranth The younger daughter of Queen Ivy and Prince Diamant. Born when Holly is about ten years old, she was the only one of their children born after their wedding. Her father completely spoils her; thankfully, she doesn't turn out spoiled even if she's obviously his faorite. Her hair is colored like her namesake flower, and she usually wears brighter pastel colors.

Amaranth is quite bookish. This isn't surprising since her siblings are both older than her and she didn't grow too close to them. She gravitates towards magic and is especially skilled at fire magic; eventually, she becomes the headmistress of the Academy. However, in her spare time Amaranth is an outdoorswoman. In between writing books, she loves to put on her jacket, her pants, her boots, and go out to the wilderness to fish. (Her siblings find these trips relaxing even if they don't like fishing as much as she or Diamant.)

(Because I know someone is going to point out that Ivy told Diamant that she didn't want any more kids. I thought it would be a bit quirky if they end up having a third child on accident because sometimes stuff happens in real life. I also think it's nice to differentiate since most imaginings of families with OC kids only have one or two children.)

[veriana-rose]

FE3H OC DRAWCEMBER Day 3: Concept Art

I am!! An entire week late!! But when inspiration strikes I must answer the call. Rambles and text deciphering (+ addendums because I forgot some things and/or didn’t have enough page space to write them) under the cut as per usual.

First things first, written text in the post because it’s A Lot for alt:

Fancy Cäcilie

- prefers simple outfits for formal occasions

- doesn’t like complicated dresses that require helping hands (cough corsets cough)

- isn’t used to large crowds and is incredibly jumpy if she doesn’t have a weapon

- Do Not Approach From Behind. She will hit you

— actually don’t touch her at all unless you’re family (or a friend). She might not hurt you but she’ll be uncomfortable

- flat shoes only, if she’s forced to wear heels she will walk barefoot instead

— short-heeled boots are okay though

- enjoys dresses overall, she likes to feel feminine and badass as the same time

Casual Cäcilie

- wields lances (taught by Ferdinand (following Crimson Flower) or Jeralt (following Her Revolution, a fanfic of mine wherein Jeralt lives because there wasn’t a good spot to kill him 😅))

- excels at lance and brawling

— sucks at faith

—— Related to that, she believes that the goddess Exists but doesn’t understand why she lets so much bad stuff happen

- not very good at making friends but loves the ones she has

- opera fangirl. Never misses a show featuring her favorite actress

— has a crush on said actress but would rather die than tell anyone

- demiromantic and demisexual but identifies as straight. She’s gay for that actress specifically (and considers it as moreso gender envy than attraction) so she doesn’t think of herself as bi

- in some routes (like Azure Moon) she dies in the Enbarr fire

- very, very young at the start of the game. My notes here say 1-3 but it’s closer to <1. She would be around 6 or 7 when the game ends (the pictures here show her as a teen)

- her bio mom survived Remire (bio dad did not), but died of illness near the end of the war

- Byleth is Cäcilie’s adopted mother/father, who learned about her Remire heritage and took her in because of that. In an Edeleth situation (which is Cäcilie’s ‘canon’), Edelgard needed convincing before she felt ready to take the other side of the deal and, because of that, Cäcilie sees her as more of a stepmom or aunt than a mother; Cäcilie is known to be Byleth’s adopted kid, but her relation to Edelgard is left vague so she isn’t a target of those who slither in the dark, especially following Crimson Flower and Her Revolution (for all Hopes routes, she would be happily living with her parents since Remire is spared). Cäcilie is typically placed in a f!Edeleth scenario so I haven’t thought much about other ships or how to adapt her into different routes

- sucks at expressing emotions in a clear way because…well, refer to who adopted her

— is good at reading others, but sometimes gets a detail wrong and assumes if she doesn’t know them well or they express emotions differently then the people she’s usually around

Rambles

Phew! That took forever. I wanted to try to flesh out Cäcilie a bit more and I’m not sure if I succeeded, but otherwise I’m proud of what I thought up.

You can’t see it very well, but I used colored markers to do some of the lines. They…were not good 😔. I think they disagreed with the texture of the drawing paper and/or graphite. But! I’m still really happy with how both of these turned out, I’m glad that I’m improving my paper drawings.

[thevampiremarie]

A Morpheus POV character study from treehouse by inlovewithanendless on AO3

-

Hey y’all! This is my final submission to my lovely friend @cuckoo-on-a-string ‘s Winter Solstice Storytelling event! If you want more fabulous stories to read tonight, please head to her blog and check out all the ones submitted.

I hear that the people have been asking for Morpheus POV in treehouse and I promise I have an EXCELLENT REASON why it hasn’t happened YET.

However.

In the spirit of the holidays.

I tried my hand at practicing writing treehouse!Morpheus POV and even though this character study is short, unedited, and not the best, I liked how it came out! So I hope you enjoy this tease at what the inside of Dream’s head will be like 😉

There’s no big plot spoilers, don’t worry.

Enjoy! And if you haven’t gotten the chance to read treehouse yet, I’ll link it so you can ❤️ happy holidays

She lingers on the edges of the gathered dust of his consciousness. Morpheus feels her in all that he touches; in the pale sunshine flowers that now bloom in his throne room, in the scent of strawberries and fresh cream plucked from the dreams of a child that loves with their whole heart. He would not have it another way, for to let her drift from his great awareness would be to let go of the reason why he makes his heart beat with corporeal blood.

He has never spent overmuch time on the particulars of this body Dream inhabits, at least outside of when his past paramours have wished to interact with it. Even when she is apart from him, he prefers to maintain a consistent skeleton, a circulatory system comparable to hers, an unchaining height. He cannot have her by his side for every moment, so consciously maintaining a new shape that matches the one she knows is one of many oaths of fidelity he holds even when she cannot be by his side.

Morpheus carries many titles. Infinite names exist for him in every language spoken and unspoken. Even in the forgotten ones and the one spoken before all of the others. But there is a special pride in carrying the title of belonging to her, and her belonging to him. He would stitch such titles into the fabric of his cape and carve it along the knuckles of his hands if he thought she would appreciate such a gesture.

She would not, for she loves his cape and his hands as they are, and thus Dream refuses to ruin them.

Ah, to be loved as he is! To be seen in his entirety and cradled because of such a thing, not despite it. Such a luxury would be worth entire worlds. He would trade countless souls and make bargains with the lowliest of creatures for her regard. And she gives it to him freely, the abundance of her love spilling from her eyes and her lips in a river that carved her mark in the canyon of his existence.

There is no end to the inimitable maw of his hunger for her. For the creases of her fingerprints and the pattern of her many-petaled irises and sweet, luxurious softness of her body. And the things he would do for her…

Unholy terrors and eternal darkness and blood enough to saturate every inch of every world in every galaxy in deep iron-tang crimson. A truly Endless nightmare that could devour until there was nothing left but her. Mutated beasts made from men at her command, flayed souls to fashion her as many cloaks as she wishes. The things he could do would turn her blood cold and her warm love to stone (and he will still do them if he must.)

But the mortal he adores loves her world almost as much as she loves him, or at least that’s what Morpheus would prefer to think, and so he preserves it.

[with-love-anu]

Quills and Ink

Pairing: Sirius Black x Reader Summary: Sirius gets anonymous letters from someone really sweet and falls for her. Warnings: It’s just fluff, no warnings to give! Word Count: 1,903

Sirius sat grumpily eating his breakfast. His head was throbbing due to last night’s endeavors and he wanted to gobble in all sorts of grease he could get. He piled his plate with bacon and fried egg when a school owl landed in front of him. He furrowed his brows. Who would write to him? He carefully took the letter out and opened it reading.

Dear Sirius,

Charms’ not an easy subject. The summoning charm they taught us yesterday is no different. For performing a summoning charm, you must clearly, and I mean clearly visualise the object you are summoning, like your favourite cookie. You could see it in your mind the sandy coloured biscuit full of dark brown choc chips, some edgy some melting. You could practically sniff its sweet smell and you want it right now, you need it. You say accio cookie with a small hand movement, imagining it coming towards you. And there you go, you have it. You can practice it over and over again and I am sure you’ll get used to it.

I just, I have always seen you excelling in every single class, and when you couldn’t do the spell yesterday, I thought maybe I’ll help. The professors having taught the same things a million times already, aren’t enthusiastic and somewhat, vague. Anyways, happy learning!

A fellow student.

Sirius smiled at the odd letter. He turned it around to find a name but there was none. The owl had already flown away.

Sirius closed his eyes taking his wand in his hand. What’s the harm in trying again? Accio muffin! Sirius grinned as a muffin zoomed towards him. Finally. He had done his best yesterday, but couldn’t perform the spell. He munched on the little cake happily. He felt satisfied; thinking about the sweet letter reading it again. Who could it be? He smiled, he wanted to meet this anonymous helper.

***

Sirius was sitting on the quidditch stands when a school owl came in. He smiled and his eyes widened. The person wrote him another letter? Telling the owl to wait; he opened it. It hooted indignantly but did just the same. He smiled realising he was right.

Dear Sirius,

I know you love teasing the Slytherins, but you need to understand that the group you hate is rather small. My friend who is in Slytherin was exhausted ridding their supplies from the red paint and gold glitter which you drenched their common room in. You know, this friend I am talking about is so damn sweet and couldn’t even hurt a fly. They have been loyal to me since the first year and have gone out of their ways to make me smile.

I am not asking you to stop pranking, but make your targets specific. Let me be honest here, I hate Mulciber’s gut as much as I hate sardines, and that’s a lot. And you know, harmless pranks are good too; specially if they make the targets smile and laugh along with you.

A fellow student

Sirius quickly summoned a sheet and started writing. Whoever this person was, was funny, and seemed to have a great personality.

Dear fellow student,

Firstly I want to thank you for your help in charms. I could do it on the first try after reading your explanation. *wink*

Secondly, I am sorry about your friend, maybe we do take it too far at times. I’ll make sure me and my friends don’t allow our pranks to affect ~innocents~. Speaking about pranks, I would love to hear more about those harmless ones you were talking about.

And thirdly, don’t you think it’s bad that you know me well enough to notice how I do in charms and I don’t even know your name? You seem like a fun person, sign the next letter with your name?

Sirius.

Sirius tied the letter to the owl and said, “Give it to the person who gave this to you”

***

Time passed and Sirius and a fellow student continued to exchange letters. Sometimes they were short, sometimes long and there wasn’t one where Sirius didn’t plead to find out who it was.

He showed some to his friends, others he kept to himself as his own little box of pleasure. James never failed to tease him and Remus would give him a knowing smirk whenever he didn’t let anyone touch those pieces of paper which had somehow become very close to his heart. No one missed the crimson blush that coloured Sirius’s cheek whenever he was asked about this very adorable fellow student. He kept every single one of the notes, trinkets, and gifts in a shoe-box hidden under his bed.

An empty box of an exclusive collection of handmade treacle tarts shrunk in size with the note which came along with it was tucked neatly in the box. Sirius had received it when he had got a nasty letter from back home during one morning. He had thought no one noticed but apparently he was wrong. The note said-

Dear Sirius,

You can never change people, make them see you or appreciate you or love you for that matter. Nothing in this world is fair and we take what is given to us. I know you got a letter from your parents this morning and over the years I’ve come to assume that they aren’t the most loving ones. We need you to remember you are an amazing person. So, gobble up these amazing chocolates while writing down things that are great about you. Let me start-

1.     You are funny / sarcastic. I don’t know anyone who could make McGonagall crack a smile and the moment you did it, I knew you were special

2.    You’re VERY intuitive. I saw you damn so many times calming down or walking various students through breakdowns, anxiety attacks; you know just what the person needs.

3.    Smart, that’s one thing about you not everyone sees, but come on; people should know those mischievous ideas need a brainy person behind them.

Your turn now, be as selfish as you could be!

A fellow student

A bouquet of lavender on which Sirius casted an everlasting spell, and an empty bottle of Chamomile tea made by an American company had come with a short note- “Put those flowers under your pillow, they help”. He ran his hand through them remembering feeling so touched when he received; he actually shed tears because he hadn’t slept all week and was exhausted to death.

There was a pile of books too. They contained all the famous muggle comics, which he had received when a fellow student had rambled on about their favourite superheroes and Sirius had admitted not understanding a thing in the long write up. He had read every single one of them more than thrice. Along with them, there was a detailed magazine on different motorbikes; their prices, their quality, talks about their engine. Sirius had gasped when he received it. The small note on it had said- “Even though I am sure I am going to regret this; because these are dangerous machines and you are one reckless person; I know your fascination with them and always love to see you smile. Just promise me you’ll read everything on the safety precautions page.”

There was a small key chain with paws on it, he got on Easter. He had barked out laughing seeing it (pun intended). He didn’t think you would remember something he wrote so offhandedly about. The note had said- “Since you were so adamant that you would be a dog if you were an animal!”

It was becoming incredibly frustrating. He was cautious of all the people who noticed him in classes, trying to guess who it was, which was futile since a major part of school turned to him whenever he entered the room. He was desperate, he was falling, hard. If the love they all gushed about, wasn’t what he felt; then he didn’t know what was. And he didn’t even know who it was! All he knew that your nickname was (Y/n/n) and you were in (Y/h) house. He felt stupid wanting you.

He had tried and failed trying to follow the owl to find you. Halfway to reaching you the owl had turned and bit him until he was forced to stop stalking it. Yeah, that had hurt. He tried to cast a monitoring spell on it so as to track it on the marauders map. The owl had realised something was going on as it fluttered and scratched his face red with it’s claws.

He took a pen and paper and ran to the owlery. As he entered the owlery, he saw someone was already there. (Y/n Y/L/n). She was a fellow student. They attended various classes together. Her eyes widened seeing him, and she quickly turned to what she was doing. Wait a fellow student! Can it be?

“Hi (Y/n), what brings you here?” he asked noting her reactions.

She stumbled.

“I… Just posting a letter.”

“Oh, how’s Abernathy’s health?” Sirius asked nonchalantly. Abernathy was (Y/n/n)’s sister who had caught a bad case of dragon pox.

“She’s better. The healer said- “(Y/n)’s mouth opened in realisation. Sirius smiled. He had finally found her.

“I…I…” (Y/n) stuttered looking at Sirius’s wide grin.

“I’m gonna go.” She said flustered and turned to leave.

Sirius quickly ducked in and grabbed her hand. “Don’t go” he pleaded.

(Y/n) slowly turned. She looked everywhere but him.

“Why did you not tell me?” Sirius asked quietly making her look up.

“I was afraid. I am really shy and I accept it. I’ve had a crush on you since forever and was quite sure I wouldn’t be able to talk to you face to face. I- I thought that when you realised that it was me writing you all those letters, you wouldn’t want to talk to me anymore.”

“Why wouldn’t I want to talk to you?” Sirius asked frowning.

(Y/n) let out a scoff.

“Oh come on! I see the type of people you are always with. Tall, beautiful, smart. Why would you even look at me!” She said mirthlessly.

It was Sirius’s turn to scoff.

“Are you kidding me?” Sirius asked incredulously. “Do you even own a mirror? That little (Y/f/c) colour dress you wore last weekend. Darling, I am sorry to inform you but you turned heads. I’ve always noticed you. You just light up when you talk to your friends and have that brilliant smile on your face. Before, you started writing to me you were just pretty; now I know you’re beautiful. You’re so full of kindness and generosity. Your letters never failed to bright up my day. You’re funny, sarcastic and motivated. I love that you could make me smile at the worst of times. I love that you constantly talk about made up heroes and heroines who could take on the world. I love that you care so much about your family that you write to them every other day. I love everything about you. I love you.” He breathed.

“You what?” you whispered.

“I love you” Sirius repeated.

“Good, cause I don’t know what I would have done you hadn’t told me soon” you sniffed a little, smiling.

“Come with me to hogwarts this weekend, you know, on a date.” Sirius asked as you gulped and nodded. Sirius smiled widely and you were sure your own expression mirrored his.

A/N: Let me know what you think!

[cloviaglade]

THE CRIMSON FLOWER ROUTE CORPORATE UNION AU

Yeah it came to me in a dream shared it with a friend and she said I should inflict it on the world so here we go

Warning: It's super long but I broke it up into chunks

(note not all members of the house fall into the categories listed also I'm not the best with corporate terms and positions. Also this was made for fun and isn't that serious)

The houses

The Black eagles generally were in accounting or sales. They dealt with a lot of the customers firsthand and were considered expendable

Blue lions where mostly in HR or IT

Golden deer mostly worked in maintenance and public relations.

Staff and church members are members of the board. Flayn has her position on the board despite her age because nepotism

The Seiros Co:

It's a large company that provide a large array of services and products that promote physical and emotional well-being. The company started out with good intentions but soon became a corporate monster

The company provides a host of benefits to its employees including on site housing, on site restraunts, on site pools gyms ect. They even have the best insurance on the planet. They even have horse therapy.

However they have to pay premiums on the health insurance, their rent is docted from their pay, they have to pay for on-site facilities, and those living on site are heavily encouraged to work overtime.

a lot of this is justified by cover every single health expense and days of for minor colds. Many employees seek mental health care more often than they seek physical care.

The on site living conditions vary heavily. Most are just a small white room with a single bed and a dresser. No visitors after certain hours and forget about outside visitors. However rumors are spreading that the board members have spacious luxury apartments.

The pay without all the benefits is not a wage you could live off of. But with the rent for these rooms doct from your pay you couldn't reasonably save up for different arrangements.

The strike begins:

Edelguard was finally fed up watching her team struggling. She hears constantly about how her workers are not making enough. How they have to scrape because they needed new clothes or shoes. Or worse how Petra wasn't able to support her sick grandfather

She hired a lawyer Hubert to look into information about their contracts and compare everything to labor laws. She needed to know how much of this was legal and if there was anything to be done about it.

Huberts lawfirm dealt with several lawsuits in the past. They are considered ruthless in court however media painted them out to be money hungry and demented

As expected, it was legal (mostly due to lack of regulation for these types of benefits) but really unfair, So Hubert suggested a strike. His firm would handle all the legal matters as they prepared a lawsuit and to unionize.

Edelguard was careful to organize it in private. Nothing was emailed. Nothing to tract them. Flyers were handwritten and posted in the dorms inviting members to secret meeting on slow hours.

Roles

What everyone did on the day of the strike/position they were in the office.

Black eagles

Edalguard: head of sales- she got everyone in her department and many others in different departments to simply stop working for the day when she commanded everyone to stop working via megaphone. She suck in hubert and went to a private meeting room to set up a list of demands.

Hubert: head of Vestra lawfirm- he snuck past security with the help of Edelguard. He brought a laptop and a phone with Hotspot so he could video call the rest of his attorneys from inside the conference room. Once the strike was in full swing he toured the place with Edelguard gathering evidence.

Ferdinand: senior sale manager has the highest customer satisfaction - when the strike was well underway he sent a mass email to everyone in every department including the CEO and founder herself in a very professional tone about how there is a strike. Lornez replied immediately and they when to the breakroom to enjoy tea while on the clock.

Lindhart: IT software specialist - first thing he did was turn off all the bans on websites. Everyone could go on whatever website they wanted to. He left the download blocker up and other safety precautions in place. Others could looks at memes and scroll through social media ect. He then returns to his dorm and takes a paid nap.

Caspar: manager in accounting slow but very accurate and a real team player - he hated the no pets policy with a burning passion so he let all the stray and feral cats that hang around the building in through one of the side doors. They stayed mostly on the ground floor and a few made a mess under the desks. He played with the strays with a few of his co-workers.

Bernadette: customer service rep. - she hated the calls filled with angry people. She clocked out, disconnected he phone, ran into her dorm and screamed into her pillow until calm. Once she calmed down enough she did some embroidery.

Dorothea: sales representative- has the highest upsale rate - she gets into her car and just leaves. She is still clocked in. Nobody knows where she went. Some say she met with a lover, others say she went on a binge. Nobody really knows.

Petra: bilingual sales rep. - she signed her phone off and immediately called up her family overseas. She proceeded to catch up and talk with her family for hours. She rarely got to speak with them due to the difference in timezones.

Blue lions

Dimitri: head of IT - he doesn't actually know much about IT and has little intrest in it. He got the job because his dad recommended him. With the outside website ban lifted and the lost of control of his department he frantically tried to get everything under control

Dedue: cyber security and protocol educator - although the bans are lifted he is still concerned about a cyber attack. He is frantically try to restore the ban but it seems like lindhart deleted the code.

Felix: hardware specialists - he was the one who should've been promoted into Dimitri's position and is a bit smug about how everything is falling apart in front of his boss. He bypasses the download blocker and plays minecraft on the company computer. Dimitri is too busy to notice that felix isn't helping.

Sylvain: HR rep. - he knew from the start that working conditions were shit. He was tired of trying to raise moral by doing everything but paying the employees more, giving them time off, and reasonable working hours. He went to the break room where Ferdinand and Lornez were having tea and ate a bunch of the snacks the company was reselling at super high prices then faxed a picture of his ass and balls to rhea herself as a letter of resignation.

Ashe: new hire in IT - was called down to the first floor to replace a keyboard a cat peed on. Found caspar was the reason the cats were let in. Caspar then persuaded him to play with the cats instead of shooing them out. 3 hours later he completely forgot about the strike and clocked out per usual. He completely forgot about the strike

Mercedes: head of HR - she meets with the board and discussed what to do about the strikers. They can't force them to go home since everyone striking lives on site and has every right to be there. No significant damages is being done to property. The only loss is from those not working (and a keyboard covered in cat piss and $35 worth of snacks) Mercedes is forced to find a way to get them to stop but in a way that doesn't really change anything. She leaves the meeting when it is over clocks out and returns to her modest house she calls out sick for the next couple of months.

Annette: HR rep - she tries to stop the chaos on the floor and to convince everyone to return to work. She is ignored. She wanted to ask for a megaphone to help gain attention but edelguard took the one from HR and the person with the key to one in the event closet is striking as well. She runs around in a paint trying to answer emails and settle everyone down.

Ingrid: IT helpline rep - helping Dimitri reset the ban on outside websites is above her pay grade. She at least know some of the terminology and the basics. She manages to set up a very basic blocker but it didn't block whole domains just the homepage of every website she could think of that's wasn't appropriate for work. Logging into the site allowed you to bypass the block. Ingrid feels like she will be fired for not being able to do more

Golden deer:

Claude: event planner - noticing that there was no work happening he finally decided it was time to actually do his job. He dipped into those sweet event funds and ordered as many pizza's as he could from every pizza join that could deliver. He busted out the sport balls and got employees to clear some room for flag football on the 3rd floor. He got Hilda to organize games of hide and go seek in floors 4 and 5. All games and activities were not officially approved but followed all guidelines.

Hilda: claudes assistant - organized games on the 4th and 5th floors. The cubicle although uniform made excellent hiding spaces and the food plaza just got rid of the old tables and chairs awaiting delivery of new ones so there was a ton of space to run around. Hidia had to jump between floors pretty often which was a workout all on its own but it was worth it to see everyone smile at work for once.

Lornez: head of advertising - he was tired of writing jingles and stupid commercials for the company. He wasn't aware of the strike until he got the email from Ferdinand. He offered to treat him to some tea he brought from home. They had a lovely talk and watched Sylvain stress eat. He tried to talk Sylvain out of resigning but failed.

Raphael: pizza delivery guy - he thought it was a joke at first since they never delivered pizza to the Serios Co but was persuaded by Claude. He got stopped at the front by the front desk clerk who was ordered not to allow any deliveries. Soon more pizza guys showed up and some of them where not as nice as Raphael. He eventually got in and successfully delivered his pizza.

Ignatz: accountant - he wanted no part of this and tried to work despite being on the 3rd floor. He doesn't have any PTO and is frantically trying to get his absence approved because he cannot work under these conditions. He got walled in with desks and chairs and hand to crawl his way out to try to find someone in HR to help him but found their office empty. Worst day of work ever.

Lysithia: Intern- hopes to join the advertising department - She needs this job for school credits so finding out that her boss told her to take the day off because of strike she immediately thought of her record. Lorenz assured her that she would get credit as long as he had any say in it. She played a round of hide and go seek before studying in Lornez's office

Marianne: customer service rep.- she heard the rumors and on the day of the strike she freaked out and when to have a panic attack in her car. She was on lunch technically but she took a 3 hour lunch. She came back in clocked out and decided to try that horse therapy.

Leonnie: pizza delivery guy (not nice) - she knows the customer didn't care that the order took so long to complete and was very understanding that the 30mins or less delivery time but seriously! 50 PIZZAS!! She had to stretch and press dough at top speed for like 45 mins then she burnt her hand while boxing some of the pizza's and she had to deliver all of it to this company just outside of town and now the person at the front door is insisting that the pizza was ordered by mistake oh no! Not today! You will take the pizza and you will pay for it and tip 25%.

Church

Rhea: CEO and founder - she honestly believes her practices are helping the community. She doesn't realize that she doesn't give her employees much choice. She thinks her employees are ungrateful.

Seteth: president - also believes the company is doing the best they can. He knows the dorms are small and brand but they house 78.364% of their employees and they all see a doctor at least 3 times a month. He hates that he has difficulty finding a balance between competitive prices, compensating workers, and turning a profit.

Flayn: secretary - she saw the fun going on in the 5th floor while on her lunch and thought it was organized by staff and didn't connect it as part of the strike.

Catherine: front desk - tried to turn away all the delivery drivers but more kept coming. She kept getting calls from upper management about the social media platforms and tried frantically to get in to make a statement but had little luck. She gave up when Leonnie demanded payment and let all the delivery people in.

Shamir: social media manager- she originally attended the meetings as a mole but soon learned that her fellow employees hardships. She drafted huge posts on every platform exposing the truth, changed all the passwords then took a vacation during the strike.

Hanneman: chief operational officer - he is calling and emailing the IT department about the bans every moment he can. He organized the meeting as soon as the strikers got rowdy.

Manuela: chief financial officer - although she is worried about the finances she has also been pressing about where to cut the budget first. Horse therapy is ridiculous! They own the whole ranch and are responsible for the upkeep of every horse. And all the horses are carefully hand selected and trained too. It's too much nobody uses the horse therapy because nobody has the time off to go to horse therapy!

Alois: Chairman - his title is mostly empty. He joined the strikers in a game of flag football scored a touchdown. Then went back to work as usual. Didn't check his emails about the strike since he only checks them in the morning when he first comes into work.

Gilbert: treasurer - he puts business first. Doesn't know his daughter works for the same company. Was friends with Dimitri's father. He is stressing about how the company will recover financially. He is the reason for the pay cuts so they can fund most of the benefits.

Cyrill: gopher - he gets paid minimum wage and lives on site. He considers himself lucky that he can drive the company car to go pick up office supplies from the store. He was homeless before he got a job at Seiros and feels like he is important.

Results

Since several members of the board were caught participating in strike activities the hubert and his firm counted them at strikers and used this in court.

The dorms were not considered responsible accommodations saying that prisoners in jail cells at least have their own toilet.

The news when crazy with the posts on social media. The account never replied to any dms or comments. When called they said a rogue employee posted them falsely because she was being fired.

Rhea was forced to pay a lawsuit that gave all dormitory workers an allowance of $1000 for rent for life. Even if they choose to leave the company.

Dimitri was fired for not actually having any training. Felix was promoted to the head of IT and everyone respects him.

Rhea looses her company. And most of her assets. She kept the therapy horse ranch and manages that for a living.

With the entire company now belonging to her since everyone above her resigned she made a ton of changes making the company more normal. She pays a fair livable wage to every employee. She repurposed the dorms into offices or solitary break rooms.

Huberts firm gets rebranded as a honest firm that wants to help the little guys. He later goes on to help other corporations unionize.

[shypotato-translations]

QTVW Chapter 24

Showbiz* Sexy Queen (XI)

----

After Mei Mu Lan hung up the phone, she opened the webpage and searched for the novel 《Love in a Fallen City》.

As mentioned in the plot, Bai Jieying, a newcomer to the industry, became a sensation after appearing in this controversial film.

And just now Miss S called, informing her to go to Ling's Group tomorrow, the entertainment company's drama team for an audition.

This coincided with her intentions, so she opened the pages of the novel now, and carefully read through, the subject of the novel is lesbianism, 《Love in a Fallen City》.

Love in a Fallen City, a novel set in the early Republic of China; The story takes place in Hangzhou, an ancient water town; The protagonist of the story is the wife of the second son of the local warlord Xiao Sheng Yan.

The wife of the Major, who was a second generation warlord along with her husband, was of noble birth. She is the ninth daughter of Ling Ye Chong, the warlord of the southwest region, and the only legitimate daughter among Ling Ye Chong's 18 daughters. A much higher status than her other sisters.

Although the two Xiao Ling families were married out of interest, the newlyweds were a good match for each other.

And the her husband who is a Major, the second son of Xiao Shi Yan, was a dashing and suave-looking man who fought heroically and was, by all accounts, a wonderful man.

But naturally, such a man has a downside: he is lustful and likes to abuse his partner.

This hobby of Xiao Er Shao's was harmless to the society of the time.

And when he was confronted with the wife of the famous Major, he could not lay hands on her out of love and reason.

Therefore, he left the lady cold and spent many years in the company of playboys and prostitutes, which made her cold to him.

The story opens with the lady sitting on a carved wooden stool, wearing a goose-yellow antique dress and a wooden face as she allows her maid to do her make-up.

Listening to the maid's report of Xiao Er Shao's whereabouts in her ears, like,

“The young master has gone drinking again today,”

“The young master has played with his hands again today,”

“The young master is throwing his money away again today for a 'thing',”……

The lady looked at her reflection in the bronze mirror, the flowery beauty in it, but now her heart was as dry as a half-hundred-year-old woman's.

A young girl, as young as a flower, is tortured by this feudal society and has lost her vitality.

And it was on such early mornings as these for three years that the maid mentioned a woman, a beauty much loved by her own husband, a singing opera singer of unclean origins.

She smiled softly as she listened to the hilarity and said,

“The right way to be a wife is not to be jealous or afraid. I don't blame my husband for being sentimental, he's at that age, he loves to play, so let him go, it's just a thing. If he likes it, he can take it into his house and no one can say a word against it. All right, it's almost time to go and pay my respects to the old lady, let's go.”

The 'thing' that the lady refers to is the other female lead in the story, the lover with whom the lady is entangled for life.

The story shifts perspective to a woman in a large red costume behind a noisy theater stage in the downtown area, now holding a black ink pencil and tracing narrow eyeliner for herself.

The troupe master beside her also muttered to her about this young man who had been so generous recently.

She listened unconcernedly, her hands flowing with makeup, and when she heard the troupe master mention the man's wife, the woman finally felt a little different emotion.

She smiled lightly and said,

“The woman in such a deep house is most uninteresting. From what you are saying, this Major's wife is not a small person. But even if she is the daughter of the Emperor, she is nothing more than a plaything for men to hold in their hands. We are both women, but one is a high-class prostitute and the other a slightly lower class.

I hope this young lady will not be like those ladies before her who could not control their own men and went after men's women, which is really annoying.”

Two women responding very differently to the same incident.

One is as cool as an immortal, the other is as feminine as a demon.

It left a little mark on each other's hearts, so much so that when they first met later, they couldn't help but feel close to each other.

The lady relieves the theater's chastising punishment for the ladies, and the theater's son settles the city's ruffians for the lady; two seemingly worlds apart, and so they cross paths.

One is the wife of a noble and noble family Major, and the other is a lowly opera singer who is trampled on by others. They experience the sweetness of meeting, knowing, companioning, cherishing and loving each other, and the pain of clinging, thinking, remembering and wanting to say goodbye.

Because of the difference in their status, they could only see each other a few times a year, and the rest of the time they were in brocade, but this forbidden love affair brought both of them to life.

The lady refuses to share her bed with Xiao Er Shao for this reason, and is treated coldly by her husband's family, making her life worse every day.

The opera singer refused to share a bed with a wealthy guest for this reason and was tortured by the troupe, in a state of wretchedness worse than death.

Finally, the women decide that they will do something shocking, and that is to elope together and settle down to farm in the opera singer's hometown.

They looked forward to a bright future with each other and each escaped their shackles one winter's day, but the very moment they escaped to embrace each other, both parties sent someone after them.

Xiao Er Shao's face turned blue when he saw the two embracing each other.

How could he let them go when one was his legitimate wife and the other was a opera singer whom he truly loved and now, they were together, making him the laughing stock of everyone?!

He ordered the underlings of the Xiao Family, and took the lady back by force, while the opera singer was beaten alive with sticks by the underlings.

Blood stained the clean white snow, splattered out like cold winter plums, falling and falling, bodies left unmanaged and finally bones.

When the lady learned of this incident, she went mad, but begged for death and was severely tortured by Xiao Er Shao.

She spent every day and night alone in a cold, crumbling house, begging for her life and unable to die.

Until she met the opera singer in red, pale and with crimson lips, a month later on a bloody night, when she winked at her and babbled and sang a soft song under her breath.

Towards the end of the song, her flirtatious phoenix eyes, moist with moisture, stared at her as she said to her,

“Cease to be like this and live.”

The Major's wife began to regain her senses, and because she herself was of noble birth, the people of the Xiao Family couldn't just club her to death like they did with the opera singer, but had to go out of their way to cover up and pretend that the incident had never happened.

The Major's wife, a woman from the deep house of yore, but different again from before, has an additional female ghost in red in her room.

When no one is around, they will snuggle, they will compose songs together, they will be in love.

Doing all the things that lovers everywhere, would do.

Until Xiao suffered defeat, all Xiao's men died in battle, the revolutionary army defeated the warlords and stragglers broke into Xiao's residence.

The ladies live in a trance, rejecting the reality of the Xiao House's decay, while the servants carry their bags and scurry around for their lives.

Once again the Lady sat in front of the mirror, an unseen hand, holding a brush, tracing gently over her pale face.

From top to bottom, the inky eyebrows, the slightly powdered blush and the sweet red lips are a living example of a pretty girl from back in the day.

The lady smiled lightly and changed into a red dress, and the house burned naturally with no one in the second young lady's room in the Xiao residence.

Under the bright flames, a beautiful woman in red can be clearly seen, wrapping her arms around a woman in a long goose yellow dress, slowly swaying and dancing, embracing each other intimately and kissing deeply.

The story ends with excerpts from the novel. Written is:

From a family dinner in spring, one plays out life and death on stage, while the other dresses up as a virtuous wife offstage.

By the cold night of the ninth month, one was intercepted by a domestic servant inside the fence and the other was brutally beaten to death outside the fence.

In the old theater, a woman's watery sleeves danced and her feet moved; a woman's mouth smiled and her feelings were deep. To look at each other is to have no regrets about true love.

Mei Mu Lan's eyes were dazed, emotionally trapped in the story, unable to pull out of it for several days.

She closed the webpage and lay back** with her eyes closed, a story like this, it did hit home, Miss S's writing was excellent, she really wrote this story from an outsider's point of view.

In her writing, each person is portrayed vividly, and a scene of the Republic leaps into the reader's mind.

She doesn't stand up for the state and try to put a sacred veil on this fringe romance; she simply depicts a story that feels like an event that actually happened in the Republic.

In the midst of the Republic, when times were up and down and in turmoil**, everything changed, but only the relationship between the lady and the opera singer remained the same.

They experience great sorrow, great joy, great ups and downs, and every chapter of the story depicts the cold reality.

But, near the end, she recounts the transformation of the opera singer into a ghost, and the novel after this describes the happy life between them.

But, unfortunately, everyone else in the story, and the readers outside of it, all know that the opera singer may be a figment of the Lady's imagination after she has gone mad.

But, it is this plausible description, punctuated by joy against sorrow, that gives the story an unconventional and sublime ending.

The happiness visible in the story, at the end when the two are buried in the fire, the reader's heart unconsciously breathes a sigh of relief for the Lady, thinking: at last it is over, at least the Lady thinks they are living together.

The opera singer at the end paints the lady's make-up and she smiles in the light of the fire, sharing a poignant ending.

A lady in a large courtyard, deprived of the freedom of her body and firmly imprisoned by feudal society; a lowly opera singer in the marketplace, deprived of the freedom of her mind and oppressed by those around her every day.

These are two ordinary women who lived in that particular era, representing two classes.

The women under such oppression fall in love and their lives are rejuvenated, giving rise to the most sincere love, but this emotion meets with social barriers and ends up as a tragedy rather than joy, leaving the reader with a shocking and sorrowful ending.

Mei Mu Lan took a few deep breaths to ease her mind and she began to think calmly.

The novel is about to be turned into a far-reaching film, and in the plot of the novel, it is mentioned that Bai Jieying ends up as the lady in the 《Love in a Fallen City》, while Ling Yi Yao becomes the opera singer in it.

And now, with her ambition for the film, then, after considering her own strengths, she chose to go for the role of the opera singer.

And the next morning, she went to the place where Miss S had agreed.

By the time she arrived on set, the crew had already begun auditions and she was greeted, taken straight to Miss S and then dragged off to have her make-up applied.

This was followed by an ethnic opera which she sang in front of many invested parties.

Her fluent singing voice, vivid expressions and agile figure overwhelmed everyone in the audience in a flash. And she was successfully selected to be an acting actress within the cast of the play.

Mui Mu Lan had been made to look like a fool today by Miss S. By the time she got back to her senses, she heard the news that she had been selected and she grinned broadly with excitement.

After verbally thanking Miss S, she immediately returned to Jiangnan Town, where she knocked on the door and walked into Ling Yi Yao's villa to tell Ling Yi Yao the good news that she had been chosen as an opera singer.

After hearing this, Ling Yi Yao had a strange expression on her face, and under Mei Mu Lan's persistent questioning, she replied,

“Congratulations, Miss Mei, at the same time. Your co-star in this film, unfortunately, is me.”

Mei Mu Lan understood the meaning of her words and immediately jumped up and said,

“Great, you're playing the role of the Major's wife, aren't you? The casting people had a good eye, they could tell right away that we were a couple.”

Ling Yi Yao: “……”

Suddenly, Mei Mu Lan covered her mouth in shyness as she stared at Ling Yi Yao, her eyes cooing and darting about.

Ling Yi Yao suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, and she had an ominous feeling.

Sure enough, Mei Mu Lan said 'shyly' in the next moment,

“Oh, it's written that they did this and that, and the opera singer did this and that to the lady, so I can do that to you too, come on, don't be shy, let's rehearse this and that so we don't get rusty when we're acting.”

Ling Yi Yao: “……” Lifting Mei Mu Lan's collar with one hand, she threw her out the door.

[shelli-gator]

I was wondering if you had any general Ted headcannons. I'm not looking for anything specific, just more Ted stuff.

Sure! :D I have a few Ted headcanons! Let's get this bread!

- I hc that Ted's mom was a lovely and rather timid female, with a firmer military man husband. Ted's mom was naturally one of Julien and Maurice's care takers, so Ted sometimes got to see them and hang out with them when they were little.

-Despite his fathers disapproval, Ted's mom encouraged him in all his drama classes and theater performances. His father didn't see that as fitting for the son of a military man, but he was away from home too often to take much of a role in Ted's rather soft and gentle upbringing. He still craved his father's approval however, and after his father dies when he's still quite young Ted would later end up pursuing a military career himself, as if he might still be able to take some of that approval he never got by pursuing a career his father would have wanted for him. At the same time, he still acts, because that's really where his heart lies.

- He was always the most well liked boy in lemur school. Handsome and friendly, the ladies fawned over him, and most of the lads liked him well enough. He was the sort to eagerly help them with homework, and frequently brought treats to class.

-He always admired Julien, and often assisted him with homework and the like. It was by his insistence that everyone let Julien win at everything. Everyone likes Ted, so they listened to him. Whether it was out of admiration for Julien, or simply trying to amicable with the spoilt prince, I'm not sure. Probably a mix of both.

-In spite of Ted's efforts, his peers still voted him as prom king over Julien, regardless of what he told them to do. This was still painful for him however, because he knew he had to give it up to Julien no matter how much it hurt him.

-His main subjects were English, drama, art, and home ec (baking and the like). He also did biology and math, but he wasn't super great at those subjects.

- His best friend is Dorothy, and she took a lot of the same classes as him. Otherwise he would hang out with anyone really. He was on good terms with Willie, Horst and Pancho, and he often tried to hang out with and get closer to Julien and Maurice. He had a lot more success than Karl, though Julien would use his friendship to get his homework done, run errands for him, or otherwise dress him up/listen to his stories with little reciprocation on his part. Julien doesn't remember much of that up until the Prom episode, but after that he's sorry he took him for granted.

- Some of Ted's favorite colours are shades of cyan and magenta, two colors that look spectacular with sparkles. (Maybe that's why he liked the way Crimson looks? And why Horst painted him and Julien in cyan and magenta swimwear)

- Ted loves to wear women's clothing. He and Julien steal a bunch of goodies from one of the local resort gift shops, and Ted looks very fetching in a pink flower pattern sirong and white bikini/one piece swimsuit. He also loves sunhats, and they're great for keeping the summer sun at bay at their many beach parties.

- Ted is one of the kingdom's best dancers besides Julien, along with Willie. He knows many different types of dance styles, and he throws all of himself into his routines as a form of expression.

- He and Dorothy are big into crafts and the like. Dorothy makes their own soaps, conditioners and the like, and Ted l o v e s them. He helps her out with choosing ingredients, and they sell them/gift them to people. Thought most lemurs tend to prefer their own natural musk, Julien loves their conditioners to help keep his fur silky.

- With that said, Ted's prefered scent is Madagascar Vanilla.

-Ted's biggest fear is being unloved and alone. He's always been liked by everyone, but he longed for a male mate. But when Julien snubbed him before their prom, and took his crown for good measure, Ted was terrified of forever being alone.

-He then hooks up with Dorothy, his best friend, thinking this is how he'll have his perfect life and marriage, and it will make the pain and loneliness go away. It doesn't, and he keeps trying to fake it till he makes it.

-Ted is a romantic, and longs to have a secret admirer. He was enamored with the idea of Zora's secret lover, and very much wishes a man would write him letters or show his admiration/affection towards him. He loves the idea of being wooed, and would adore any attempts of such no matter how clumsy they may be.

-When pushed far enough, he's an excellent and often ruthless fighter, especially when he needs to protect his friends. Violence can sometimes leave him shaken though, especially if he gets seriously angry.

- After AHKJ, Ted starts working with Pancho as his Captain of the Ringtail Guard. They often play Good Cop/Bad Cop with perps, switching rolls on the fly to psyche out whoever is unfortunate enough to be interrogated by them. Though Pancho has a lot less tolerance for his fear tinkling than Clover did, and sometimes they can be at odds over some of Pancho's more wild/reckless schemes. Fortunately for him, Pancho is open to criticism and input, even as his superior.

-Ted has a rather broad range of music, and we already know he loves euro techno. Maybe he would like this genre of music, but I think about him the most to songs by Autoheart (they're an LGBTQ band too!). "Moscow', 'Anniversary' feel very Ted, and I use them for whatever ship he's in. They're bouncy and great for dancing, especially Anniversary.

"It's not hard, with you I have an alibi, you don't care the reason why I misapply. All I need is a fraction of your happy heart, all I need is you. And beauty's in the eye of the beholder, you have lips that permanently smolder! When in Moscow I just wanna fold you up and keep you warm."

"Now come here baby, come a little closer. You'll write words, and I can be composer. Let's get a dog, an Irish Red Setter, it's all we need to get better! It feels good to not be with a wannabe, I am free whenever you're in front of me. All I need is a fraction of your happy heart, all I need is you."

Edit: Just thought of another one! It seems like Ted is taller than most of the other lemurs when he's standing up straight. What if he makes himself shorter to be less intimidating to other leems, especially males as he wants to be the more submissive one of the two. And his smiling face and friendly demeanor makes him easily non-threatening.

That's a few of my headcanons for him. :D thanks for the Ted ask! I love this beautiful man!

[queerchoicesblog]

The Thiasus

So, folks, let's start the wlw miniseries writing project!

As announced, the first series to be posted is the Ancient Greece one suggested by @jackievarma , others will soon follow. I decided to name the first bit The Thiasus as it takes place on Lesbos at the famous Sappho's thiasus where rich girls were sent to be educated before their wedding.

Since this is the first fic of this miniseries project, I will just share one thing, so that you can choose whether my approach suits you or not. After much consideration, I decided not to omit from the stories potentially uncomfortable issues. I will add a trigger alert if need be but especially writing about women through the centuries, I'd consider a distortion of truth cutting off for instance homophobia, transphobia, forced marriages, and other unpleasantries like these. They won't be the main topic of my works but sadly they are part of what women had - and still as in a way- to go through so, no matter how tough adding it to the romances is for me, banishing them from these stories would have sounded like spreading a lovely lie, which in the end is simply a lie. Not sure they will recur systematically but if you find it in any of my stories, you know why.

Also, I absolutely hate when writers make poor wlw suffer or die, depriving them of the happy ending we all dreamed of. However, I am the worst at writing happy endings but I'll try. Don't be mad at me if sometimes you won't find one: happy endings aren't and weren't always feasible. But a sad ending is not necessarily mean or homophobic or so I think.

Apologies for the long talk, hope you enjoy it! The next part will be out on Saturday

--------------------------

When I joined the thiasus, I was young, a pretty little flower yet to blossom. The first born of a merchant hoping to score a good match and wedding for her daughter. I didn't know what to expect: Sappho's community was well renewed and respected all over Greece, but I knew little about it. All I knew was that it was a school where young girls like me could learn all they needed to learn to be the good wives of powerful men one day. I didn't mind being around girls -if they weren't as annoying as my sisters- but it didn't sound too exciting: we were expected to learn how to properly behave and please, how to sing, play instruments and dance to appeal the Gods and our betrothed. It wasn't entirely correct. Yes, of course, we learned all those things there and refined our grace: from raw childish material we blossomed into gracious young women thanks to Sappho's teachings. But we also learned something more invaluable...eternal, I'd say.

One of the first classes I had there was a few days after my arrival. We were sitting in a circle near an altar in the green, the murmur of the waves crushing against the rocky cliffs echoing in the distance. Our teacher kept quiet for a while, her eyes wandering, taking in each one of us. Then, out of the blue, she asked us what the best thing in the world is. What do you value most in this world?, she inquired. What would you say? Silence fell in our group before someone said "the favour of the Gods" and another "power". A girl sitting next to me exclaimed "a fair husband" while I humbly suggested "happiness". What should we all seek in this life if not happiness? Sappho pondered our words then smiled. When she spoke again, she recited lines that went straight to my heart like an arrow: Some celebrate the beautyof knights, or infantry, or billowing flotillasat battle on the sea.Warfare has its glory, but I place far abovethese military splendorsthe one thing that you love.For proof of this contentionexamine history: we all remember Helen, who left her family, her child, and royal husband, to take a stranger's hand: her beauty had no equal, but bowed to love's command.As love then is the powerthat none can disobey, so too my thoughts must followmy darling far away: the sparkle of her laughterwould give me greater joythan all the bronze-clad heroes I spent the rest of the day repeating those words in my head and wondering who was "her darling far away" whose laughter was a memory so dear to win over glorious heroes. I also wondered if I would ever feel anything close to that: a tender smile still lingered on my teacher's lips at the thought of her. It must be nice, I thought. I've always been a good singer: when I was still at my parents's house I would shock my poor mother and nana saying that I wanted to be a singer, to sing for the passerby in the streets. Nana would comment harshly that it wasn't an honourable occupation for a girl. "Not a respected girl, at least" she chastised me, giving me an assessing look. Mother would agree and suggest that I could always sing for my husband and our guests one day, if my betrothed agreed. Funny enough, it's what happened: I'm an honorouble woman who delights my husband's guest with the finest melodies and hymns. I gave up my dream of singing and dancing free in the streets. But I wasn't surprised to excel in singing at the thiasus. It was not out of hubris, I was just aware of my skills and I basked in my teacher's appraisal. I was so excited when she offered me to perform a duet with another student for the upcoming celebrations. Generally, only older students were allowed to perform on such occasions but she believed I had a special gift and I would have done just fine. What better way to thank the Gods for the talent I received from them? I studied my part eagerly and when I was ready I came back to her and she introduced me to my partner. A girl slightly older than me was sitting with her, her raven curls dancing in the salty breeze from the sea. She graciously stood as Sappho explained the reason of my presence there and told my name, singing my praises. The girl smiled at me and I blushed a little in the sunlight. She noticed and looked back at our teacher, smiling to herself. Or refraining herself from giggling in front of Sappho. "And this, my sweet Athenian, is Kleanthis" our teacher announced with pride. Kleanthis. I repeated her name in my head and it filled me like the perfume of a sweet flower. Kleanthis came from a nearby island, Samos, and was one of the most brilliant student. By the way Sappho talked of her, I got the impression she was destined to follow our teacher's path one day. I was right but I couldn't possibly know it back then. When the pleasantries were over and we were left alone to rehearse before the celebrations, Kleanthis collected her lyre and guided me towards a beach nearby. Once there, she gently strummed her instrument and looked at me over her shoulder. "Let me hear what you've got, Athenian" The first lines were hers: her voice was like a siren's song but not as harmful. She swayed with the music and I had to concentrate not to miss my part just after hers. I had never seen someone like her: as she performed, she transformed herself, her whole body, not just her voice was participating and praising the goddess. She looked nothing short than a terrestrial manifestation of the Graces. Maybe she was one of them, I remember thinking: after all, the Gods visit our world under disguise. We repeated our parts over and over and stopped only when the sun was about to go down into the sea. She wiped away the sweat from her forehead and smirked, handing me her lyre. "Not bad, Athenian. How long you said you've been here?" Then she walked towards the sea and washes her hands into the sea, her face. When she moved back and asked me to follow her, I was mesmerised by the way the last rays of sun sparkled on her wet skin. That night we performed by the altar and it was...magical. Our voices fused together as if they had always meant to be, as if we were the two souls separated by the Gods and destined to meet again. Our hymn to Hera reached the sky and the hearts of our audience. I was ecstatic: the thrill of the performance still running in my veins, the lights of the torches and the moonlight dancing around me, the admiration of the people surrounding me. I felt as if my heart could burst for too much happiness all at once. I went looking for Kleanthis after the celebrations. I wanted to congratulate her and share with her the whirl of feelings inside me. I found her near the woods, away from the crowd. The first thing I noticed was that...she wasn't alone. A few girls were around her, chatting and whispering words I couldn't hear into each other ears. Kleanthis was laughing: one of the girls wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek making her laugh. A melodious sweet laughter. A knot formed in my stomach and I ran away before they could spotted me. I ran to my bed: my cheeks were crimson when I stopped. I laid down and hugged my knees as I used to do when I was a kid and needed reassurance. Kleanthis's laughter rang in my head again and I started crying. I had no idea why but tears ran copiously down my cheeks.

[turbobyakuren]

Your top 5 Touhou Characters!

OUhg thisis going to be hard..............

5. Kosuzu Motoori. Viewpoint character for FS? A regular human with a very fancy design? And.... She’s in love with a noble? And she gets into trouble with youkai? Bell/20.

5. EX AEQUO Hieda no Akyuu. She’s a very compelling character and a solid reason as to why i love touhou so much: even though she is the viewpoint of the info books, she remains very biased. Flower/20

4. The ENTIRE Myourenji Crew. EMBODIMENT OF PEOPLE WHO LOVE EACH OTHER IN SPITE OF THEIR FLAWS AND WORK TO BECOME BETTER PERSONS. I love them so much. They’re literally a bunch of roommates who very much agree they need to get their shit together, even if they still have issues. Found family/20

3. Reimu Hakurei. Cute. Beautiful. Elegant. Mysterious. Knowledgeable. Grumpy. Best timeless design, best protagonist EVER. I wrote too many essays but i just gotta say she is the CRIMSON SLASHER and that’s why i love her. Donation/20.

2. Byakuren. She’s first the character i realized that was SUPER complex and my very first FAVOURITE. I write myriads essay as to why i love her and why i think her complex attitude is the most beautiful thing on earth but i also gotta say reasons i love her is that she’s very pretty, has an amazing theme song, gorgeous patterns, super awesome powers, excellent character dynamics and motivations, and overall her settlement in Gensokyo is really. The best thing that happened for me because it gave me many Myourenji ideas to chomp on.

1.

[foolish-gold]

Ok so a week or two back I drew a couple of ocs inspired by @crimson-chains Bois series and I decided to write a short piece about how my two got together!

Shirley Temple and Blueberry Cheesecake have been borrowed from the lovely @punkpillywiggin!

It takes all of two seconds for Chocolate Marquise to spot Champagne, once she's safely sequestered herself in one of the quieter corners of the ballroom and started looking at anything other than the walls. She's not dancing, but is surrounded by a small crowd and, with the help of her friend...Shirley Temple? (Marquise really needs to pay more attention to things other than Champagne at these things) is dazzling the crowd. 

Both girls are gorgeous, of course, dark skinned and bright eyed and charming in a way that Marquise has never been able to imitate (not that she's ever really tried, but the point still stands.) But Marquise has been hopelessly gone on Champagne for...god, over a decade at this point. 

The first time they met was gratingly awkward. Champagne was already comfortably settled into her sparkling socialite role, even at sixteen, and her and Shirley Temple had insisted on introductions to everyone at the first few balls they attended. Unfortunately one of these happened to also be Marquise's introduction to high society, having just been allowed into the family business after repeated begging and a handful of tests proving that she'd take it seriously. The problem being that Marquise had wanted in on the business not the parties, no matter how many times her parents insisted that networking is absolutely crucial. Years down the line, she'd realise they were right, but sixteen-year-old-Marquise just knew that she hated dresses and heels and was pretty sure she'd never be able to remember people's names (or at least act like she remembered.) 

Which is when Champagne and Shirley Temple appeared, flanking an older gentleman who was presumably related to one of them, who was introducing them to anyone they pointed him at. Marquise's own father had had to introduce her because she'd frozen. After everyone but Marquise making pleasant small talk for a while (and several pointed attempts to drag Marquise into the conversation,) she'd managed to escape out into the garden which, while cold, was at least only populated by the very few others also trying to avoid conversations.

It was quiet, and something about being surrounded by nothing but plants made Marquise never want to return to the actual party. The plants wouldn't expect her to make small talk or dance well or pretend that stilettos are comfortable. She'd found an intricately carved stone bench lurking in a flowerbed filled with tall grasses and flowers. Her father could come and find her when he wanted to leave.

But then, an hour or so later, Champagne had been sent to find and retrieve her. And instead she'd sat on the other end of the bench and, after a few silent moments, began quietly rambling about the foxgloves in the flowerbed opposite. She was quiet enough that Marquise could have tuned her out, and she didn't press for a response, just sat and rambled until Marquise gathered herself enough to take her hand and lead her back to the ballroom.

Marquise didn't exactly fall then and there, but it was a close thing.

Marquise had quickly learnt she preferred suits to dresses, how to stop herself from freezing anytime someone talked to her, and a decent selection of ballroom dances. It had helped with the anxiety of formal events, but it didn't stop Champagne seeking her out any time she retreated to whatever gardens the various venues had and rambling quietly about plants.

But currently it's far too soon to attempt any sort of retreat. And Marquise does actually have to find the head of an electricity company her father wants to do some business deal (that he never bothered to brief Marquise on) with. So she's got to make contact, network a bit, leave the lady with a good impression, and hope that she'll get a seat at the table when the actual negotiations happen. She probably will.

Marquise successfully finds the woman and makes pleasant small talk with her until an internal timer goes off and she excuses herself. A long enough conversation to stick in the memory, not long enough to bore. Or to make Marquise want to stab herself with a fork. But it's over now. 

Marquise makes her way back around the edge of the ballroom, carefully avoiding eye contact with about five people she vaguely recognises from similar events and a couple she's pretty sure are business partners with her father. On her way, she picks up a couple of wine glasses and spends the rest of the journey trying to not look like she's carrying two. She hovers somewhat near the crowd around Shirley Temple and Champagne until Blueberry Cheesecake spots her and extracts herself. Marquise brightens significantly.

She's been pining after Champagne for years, sure, and the moments they spend together are wonderful soft things that she wouldn't trade for the world, but Blueberry is a good friend. Shirley Temple's girlfriend, an excellent dancer, and most importantly, just about as awkward at these events as Marquise is. It's a friendship built on shared discomfort and not one of these events goes by that Marquise doesn't thank any listening deity that Blueberry is there to make standing in an obscure corner of the room look like socialisation rather than avoidance. 

Blueberry also doesn't tease her mercilessly about her pining. Which is always a plus. She does give Marquise a very knowing look in place of a greeting which is honestly fair. Marquise hands her one of the glasses. She waits until Blueberry has taken a sip before speaking.

"So if I were, perhaps, maybe, considering actually asking Champagne out, do you think tonight would be a good choice? You know. Hypothetically, based on anything you've noticed about her mood, of course."

Marquise is barely through the "maybe" before Blueberry's turned to her with a look of barely suppressed shock and glee. She's known about Marquise's pining basically since they met and has been gently pushing her to act on it pretty much the entire time. Marquise has, in turn, been deflecting the entire time.

"Yes. Do it. If you don't I'll...uh," she fishes for an appropriate threat for a second, "I'll get Shirley to follow you around all evening."

Blueberry grins and Marquise gasps, only a bit hyperbolically. 

"You wouldn't!"

She only gets a grin in response.

"Well I was planning on asking her out anyway, so. Rude for assuming that I'd chicken out."

"Am I wrong though?"

Marquise thinks about the many, many previous opportunities she'd had to actually ask Champagne out.

"I don't have to answer that."

She takes a sip.

"Anyway. Tell me about your latest performance, I hear you charmed another critic?"

Blueberry's smile softens as she launches into a description of a performance from a couple of weeks ago. Marquise had been planning on watching, but had got stuck on a business trip on the other side of the country at just the wrong time. Still, now she gets to chat to Blueberry about something that isn't her love life, so. You win some you lose some.

About an hour later, Shirley appears, all bright smiles and pink & gold hair. She whisks her girlfriend onto the dance floor with a wink to her companion and oh. That's Champagne. Marquise shouldn't be surprised given they were clearly together earlier and, to be fair, it's not really Champagne's presence that surprises her, rather it's that Shirley has clearly deliberately left Champagne with Marquise. 

Marquise isn't sure whether to thank or curse her for it.

Champagne smiles at her.

"May I have this dance?"

Marquise stares at the offered hand for just long enough that Champagne visibly hesitates.

"I...yes."

Champagne laughs at that, bubbly and light and clearly tinged with relief, before Marquise takes her hand and is led onto the dance floor.

Champagne leads her in some dance style that Marquise learnt but never learnt the name for. She's grateful because with the way Champagne is looking at her, she's pretty sure she'd just freeze if she was expected to lead. It's slow and simple, the steps come easily despite it being...too long since she last danced.

"I hear you managed to pull off…" Champagne hesitates slightly, "some sort of important business deal?"

Champagne visibly stifles the wince that Marquise gives her for that question.

"Trust me, you do not want to talk about that. It was. Pretty boring even for me, and I actually cared about the outcome. However, you said something about lavender being a good starter plant and now I need you to tell me what I should plant with it because I have no idea what I'm doing."

Champagne laughs at that and launches into an explanation of various options.

It's surprisingly easy to keep the conversation going, though perhaps it shouldn't be surprising given how many times Champagne has followed her into gardens or winding corridors. The dancing itself becomes incidental until Marquise, in a fit of confidence, dips Champagne. She goes willingly and easily and that startles Marquise almost more than her own actions.

She holds Champagne in the dip too long. Enough that their eyes lock and her breath hitches in her throat and she almost drops her. Instead, Champagne subtly adjusts her own feet so she's less at risk of falling and glances almost pointedly at Marquise's lips. Marquise is suddenly awfully aware of every point of contact between them. 

Before she can start overthinking absolutely everything, Champagne leans up and kisses her.

It takes a moment before she can even think to reciprocate. But she manages it and straightens up, dragging Champagne with her. Champagne is still kissing her. It's...perfect. Sweet and soft and a little desperate and for the first time it occurs to Marquise that maybe all the pining had been a bit mutual.

Eventually Marquise comes back to herself enough to hear someone wolf-whistle and. Ah. Right. That's Shirley Temple. Marquise and Champagne are still in the middle of the ballroom. Champagne breaks the kiss and smiles at Marquise and fuck she still looks perfect.

"Shall we take this to the garden?" Champagne's voice is very slightly breathless and it takes an incredible amount of self control for Marquise to nod instead of kissing her again.

It's honestly probably a miracle that she doesn't stumble on the way out of the ballroom, hand in hand with the love of her life, but she manages it. She leads Champagne to a bench surrounded by foxgloves and kisses her under the stars.

[ncfan-1]

Man, I really felt that when you called Rhea a karma Houdini. Like, while Edelgard’s my fave, it absolutely makes sense for her to die in 3 out of the 4 routes. But what exactly is Rhea doing if she’s not archbishop and trying to control humanity and history? Sure she wants to reform stuff but after everything it’s just that easy for her to hang around Byleth forever since she’s immortal and Byleth will likely have a longer than average lifespan?

I’mnot entirely sure as to the exact track of this question, but yeah, I feel youabout Rhea escaping the consequences of her actions (consequences that fit the scaleof her actions, at least) on 3 out of 4 routes--Karma Houdini is an excellentterm for it. She’s killed on Crimson Flower, and apparently she dies inVerdant Wind (going off of the wiki, here; haven’t played that route yet). Buton Silver Snow (provided you build up her supports enough; I’ve seenconflicting evidence as to whether an A- or S-support is enough to save her;something about Catherine’s unpaired ending talking about her continuing to actas Rhea’s bodyguard?) and Azure Moon, yeah, consequences are not reallyhappening.

Andto be clear, I don’t consider dying either her experiencing the consequences orescaping them. Dying and experiencing consequences for your wrongdoings are twodifferent things. While they don’t have to be mutually exclusive,they’re often two parallel lines, and in such circumstances, will never meet.

ButI think the nature of her wrongdoings ties directly into why it’s so difficultto hold her accountable for them.

Rheacreated a church with herself as one of the central figures of veneration—which,on top of being hilariously egotistical,is a clear signal of just what she wants from the people of Fódlan. Rhea spenta millennium censoring and revising Fódlan’s history, spent a millenniumamassing power to herself to the point that she has a standing army, thelegitimacy of an Adrestian emperor’s coronation--and, by extension, rule--canbe called into question if she isn’t present (and it seems to be the same inFaerghus as well, as it was Melusine--the brand-new Archbishop--who oversawDimitri’s coronation), all while somehow managing to keep people from askingtoo many questions about her seeming agelessness*, and basically settingherself up as the shadow ruler of Fódlan. Sure, Fódlan is politically ruledby the King (or reigning Queen) of Faerghus, the Emperor of Adrestia, and theDuke (or Duchess) of Leicester, but their rule can have no legitimacy withoutRhea’s approval. She holds the strings of power in her hands.

Rheahas spent a millennium punishing the people of Fódlan for their “sins.” It wasnever going to be enough for her, there was never any point where she was goingto be able to pull back, look at everything and think to herself “they haveatoned enough.” These people were always going to be the dirty thieves whomurdered her people and stole their bones. In her eyes, they were always goingto be the dirty thieves who took her mother from her. Never mind that all ofthis had centuries ago passed out of living memory for the people beingpunished. They must atone. They must always atone. (I honestly thinkthat was actually a nice touch to her characterization as an immortal; wheneverything is in living memory for you, it can be really hard to let goof a grudge, even when the people you’re holding a grudge against had nothingto do with the incident in question and are many, many generationsremoved from the people who were.)

Andthe ironic thing about that? Is that in the process of putting Fódlan throughthis millennium-long regiment of constant atonement, Rhea robbed them of thetools to really grapple and genuinely come to terms with what she waspunishing them for. The true, bloody history of the Heroes’ Relics and theCrests? She lied to them about all of it, and she conducted the necessarycensorship and historical revisionism to help ensure that her lies would neverbe exposed as such. The people of Fódlan can never truly put their historybehind them if they don’t know what that history is. They can never makedecisions going forward about how they truly want to regard Heroes’ Relics**and Crests if they don’t know what these things truly are. They don’t know thatthese things are truly the spoils of genocide, rather than gifts from thegoddess. They can never decide how they, as a society, want to treat the spoilsof genocide. And whose fault is that?

Rheahas created a system where the people she is punishing can never truly atonefor the things she’s punishing them for, because they don’t know what they’re supposed to be atoning for. The system isthis way by design, and was likely designed this way because Rhea cannot bringherself to forgive them. It’s sort of like when a parent punishes their youngchild for doing something wrong, but doesn’t tell the kid what they did wrong, refuses totell the kid what they did wrong. After the parent does this enough times, there’sa very real chance that the message the kid is going to internalize is thatthey’re just inherently bad, and thatthey must always please and placate their parent if they ever want to be good.In this case, Rhea is punishing Fódlan by making sure they always worship themother they “stole” from her, that they always revere her in her true identityas Seiros, that they always revere her other surviving kin (the saints) thathumanity also tried to “steal” from her, and that they never, ever know why things are the way thatthey are.

Rheahas proven herself perfectly capable of caring deeply about individual humans.Catherine, Cyril, Shamir, and Jeralt all spring to mind. And in the case ofCyril and Shamir, she’s proven capable of making compromises with individualhumans regarding faith. These things neither change, nor excuse, the way Rhearegards humanity as a whole. Her willingness to let Shamir serve her withoutShamir being a believer in the Church of Seiros, her willingness to let Cyrilcome to a decision on his own as to whether he wants to become a believer inthe Church of Seiros, does not erase the purging of the Western Church, not allof whom could possibly have been involved in the violent incidents we see inthe game. It just serves as a reminder that everyone is capable of caring forother people, even if they are, on a larger level, deeply misanthropic. Just becauseCrimson Flower!Rhea is Rhea pushed to an extreme, does not mean there isnothing valuable we can take away from it as regards to her views of humanity.

Andthe experiments she conducted on Melusine’s mother and her predecessors? Yeah,part of me is like “I could write a whole post about just that”, and the otherpart of me knows that I haven’t finished Silver Snow yet, and I need to wait. I’llchew on this one later. I’ll be chewing on it quite a lot.

Allof this, just because she can’t cope with life without her mother. It’s anextraordinarily petty reason tosubjugate an entire continent for a millennium, an extraordinarily petty reasonto put a stranglehold on the natural progression of three differentcivilizations. I think this is why, even in the Blue Lions route, where thenarrative wastes no opportunity trying to make Edelgard as unsympathetic aspossible, I still prefer Edelgard to Rhea, because at least Edelgard can seebeyond herself. At least the things Edelgard does aren’t just for her personalbenefit. But this post isn’t about Edelgard. It’s about Rhea, and why it wouldbe so difficult to hold Rhea accountable for everything she’s done.

Theanswer to that lies in how very successfulshe’s been in the past. It takes extraordinary circumstances for any of thetruth of Fódlan’s history to come to light; that’s how good she’s been at hercensorship and revision of Fódlan’s actual history (And none of it comes to light in Azure Moon). If, say, in Azure Moon,the truth came to light, it would have a deeply destabilizing effect on societyas a whole—while I do regard Edelgard’s path to a better Fódlan as the paththat has the best chance of actually fixing the problems permanently, I’m notgonna lie and say I think Fódlan post-game in Crimson Flower was not rocked by upheaval for a long time. So you have to be very, very careful about exposing her lies, ifyou think exposing them is even worth the fallout of doing so.

AndRhea has also been very successful in convincing everyone around her that sheis truly benevolent. Even after being sent out to purge the Western Church withthe other knights, Catherine still loves and adores Rhea and thinks she can dono wrong; it takes Crimson Flower!Rhea ordering Catherine to burn down Fhirdiadto even begin to shake Catherine’sbelief in Rhea’s benevolence. While we will likely never know for certain, it’sentirely possible that Jeralt was called upon to do similar things in his timeas Captain of the Knights of Seiros, and it took Rhea interfering with hisinfant daughter to jar him enough to break with her. So in a route like AzureMoon, how do you even begin to convince people that Rhea isn’t as benevolent asshe seems? She is, after all, so very good at appearing as this benevolentmother figure.

Longstory short, it’s difficult to expose Rhea’s wrongdoings or hold heraccountable for them in a route like Azure Moon, because she is so very good atwhat she does. She’s had a millennium to perfect it, and the protagonists ofthat route just won a war against theperson who was trying to denounce Rhea as a tyrant and throw off the bell jarRhea slapped down on Fódlan as a whole.***

So,what’re you gonna do? Rhea had all the power in the world, and she abused itwith zeal. And the thing about thatis, when people in positions of high power abuse their power over others, itcan be hard, even impossible, to truly hold them accountable in ways thatactually fit their wrongdoings, because the deck is so heavily stacked in theirfavor. That’s what’s going on here. What court could you convict Rhea in? Whatcourt could you even bring her to? What would you charge her with? And what do you do when the people all rise up inher defense?

Ona personal level, Rhea would likely suffer personalconsequences. The way my Azure Moon playthrough went, Catherine and Shamirwent off on a lifetime journey full of adventure and misadventure, Cyril flewoff into the sunset with Lysithea, Alois became the new captain of the Knightsof Seiros serving under Melusine, Gilbert left the Knights of Seiros andreconciled with his family, and Melusine got married to Dimitri. And sinceMelusine got to A-support with Seteth, there was probably an extremely unpleasant conversationbetween the two of them and Rhea postgame.

Myheadcanon from there is that Rhea basically wound up completely alone. She cameto see Melusine as her own person, independent of her potential as Sothis’svessel, just in time for Melusine to learn everythingthat Rhea had done to her and the others like her, and recoil from her infear and disgust, and want nothing to do with her. Melusine was basically Rhea’sgrandchild, and any children she might have Rhea’s great-grandchildren, but ontop of Melusine’s reaction, Dimitri’s learned just enough to put two and twotogether about what Rhea thought was going to happen when Melusine sat onSothis’s throne in the Holy Tomb, and has decided, not without reason, that hedoesn’t want Rhea coming anywhere near Melusine, or any of their prospectivechildren.

Seteth,as implied by people taking note of his and Rhea’s deteriorating relationshipafter Melusine’s transformation in the Academy Phase, is appalled by all ofthis. He’s been complicit in Rhea’s censorship and historical revisionism (wehear early on about how he disposes of reading material in the library that heconsiders ‘inappropriate’), but to me, it’s unclear to what extent this iswilling and enthusiastic, and to what extent it’s simply that Seteth spent solong in seclusion that by the time he came outof seclusion, Rhea was able to simply present all of this to him as a faitaccompli and he had no choice but to go along with it. As indicated in supportchains with people like Ingrid and Felix, Seteth is not overly enamored ofsociety as it is. This is the thing that finally leads him to break with Rheafor good. He would never support anyone else’s attempt to hurt her, and wouldstill protect her if it came down to it, but he’s pretty much done with her asa person.

Flaynis an interesting case. In her B-support with Melusine, she makes reference toknowing about some sketchy stuff Rhea’s done in the past, but it’s unclear justwhat she’s referring to. She could be hearkening back to the days when theystill went by Seiros and Cethleann, she could be referring to the censorshipand revisionist history, but she is almost certainly not referring to the experiments Rhea conducted on the people whowere either her biological children, or people she literally created. There’sno way she knew anything about it. The truth reaches Flayn’s ears eventually,and her reaction is basically that “*nervous laughter* what the fuck” gif that’ssuch a mainstay on Tumblr. She doesn’t react quite as Seteth does, because shedoesn’t fully grasp all of the implications of it the way he does, but shenever looks at Rhea the same way again, and starts to withdraw from heremotionally.

So.In my postgame-Azure Moon headcanon, Rhea lost all of her trusted and cared-forhuman retainers. She lost any chance of a relationship with Melusine or herprospective children. She lost the esteem of her remaining kin, and wound upmore or less completely alone in the world. And those are consequences, andpretty weighty ones, but they aren’t consequences that fit the scale ofeverything she did. They just sort of exist.

--

*Isay this because Rhea really doesn’t seem like the sort of person who’d feelcomfortable letting other people rule as archbishop in her place (unless it’sthe person she regards primarily as her mother’s vessel), even if only as atemporary measure to draw attention away from her immortality. If anyone everdoes a ‘Fódlan Gothic’ post, there had better be a bullet point on there that reads“No one knows how old Rhea is. No one ever asks how old Rhea is.”

**And in this case, Rhea is the reason people have been running around making useof the spoils of genocide, because she’sthe one who let the Elites keep the Relics. Am I the only one who cannotfathom a reason as to why she would let the Elites keep the Relics after theyswore fealty to her? Those things are her people’sbones; why on God’s green earth would she just let them keep them? If hervictory over Nemesis was resounding enough and her army’s losses minimal enoughthat she could make the Elites fall in line without problems, she could easilyhave made the confiscation of the Relics a term of their surrender. “I will letyou live in exchange for your swearing your fealty to me and GIVING ME BACK MYFAMILY’S BONES, YOU ASSHOLES.” That’s perfectly equitable. That’s perfectly fair. And in keeping with Rhea’s love ofrevisionist history, she wouldn’t have to out herself as a Nabatean or revealthe truth of what the Relics were in the official record of how this exchangewent down. Just say something like “And after the battle was won, the divineSeiros decreed that the Elites return the weapons she had bestowed upon them,for they were too dangerous to be used except in times of great crisis.” Andhonestly, saying that the Relics are too dangerous except in times of greatcrisis isn’t exactly a lie, is it?This one just makes my head hurt; no matter how sympathetically orunsympathetically I regard Rhea at different times of the day, I cannot wrap myhead around it. Here’s hoping finishing Silver Snow and Verdant Wind finallygives me some answers.

***Which she honestly kinda was pre-time skip in all routes, not just Crimson Flower. And was, as I keep harping on,an extraordinarily successful one.You know you’re good at this when you’ve got your “iron fist in the velvet glove”routine down so well that anyone who tries to call you out as a tyrant isimmediately denounced by everyone else as a heretic.

[semi-imaginary-place]

fe3h blogging 2 because the post got too long

Edelgard Claude foiling. Both see that the world is wrong and that motivates them to make it better. Claude listens to people, Edelgard listens to herself. Claude reflects and introspects, Edelgard doesn’t.

I was going to write more but I realized I was just bashing Edelgard so I stopped. Anyways, the Gatekeeper has a backstory??? a younger twin brother and they’re from the empire?? Also wow Edelgard is REALLY into you (the light in the darkness pft)

I also want to comment how the Church of Seiros unlike some other fantasy religions really is like real life historical (and current) religious organizations. There’s a mix of people from the non believers but there to help, to those that believe this is the best way to help people, to those looking for power, to the people who are there because its a way to make a living. I want to make clear though that Sothis/The Goddess is dead and she can only act a little bit through Byleth. Before the game The Goddess has NO influence on Fodlan. Anyone praying is doing nothing in terms of reaching The Goddess.

Hilda: Tell me what I’m thinking about right now.

Ferdinand: Hmm... You want a snack.

Hilda: I DO want a snacc ;) ;) ;)

supports: Ashe Dedue, Sylvain Felix, Ingrid Dimitri, Hubert Ferdinand, Petra Claude, Marianne Ignatz

3h totally fooled me with the hair colors. I’m too use to JRPGs have rainbow haircolors so I think nothing of it but in this game the white/green hair are plot significant.

Somehow related to dragon shenanigans(white/green): Sothis, Lysithea, Flayn, Edelgard, Byleth, Rhea, Seteth

Plausibly a normal color with weird undertones: Ignatz, Shamir, Petra, Felix, Lindhardt,

That inexplicably JRPG colored hair: Bernadetta, Hilda, Caspar, Marianne, Ashe, Lorenz

Ch14 of Crimson Flowers has made me unfathomably sad. Claude hold himself so tightly, closed off with high walls. He always has a face on, doesn’t break composure. But in ch 14 in the face of losing his dream you can see the cracks in walls. And Claude may be closed off but he is in no way cold hearted or uncaring, he cares so much and you see that as the Empire gains ground. That battle is one of the few glimpses of Claude. Whether he is killed or spared, both are sad. The cut scene after Claude is spared is seemingly lighthearted and a tonal contrast to the serious battle right before it. Without knowing Claude better it seems like a breather before more plot happens, but knowing Claude that scene really breaks my heart. In contrast with the moments of honesty during the battle, Claude’s social mask has snapped right back into place, hiding all of his pain. Claude’s dream meant all to him, being able to walk side by side with his friends in a new world, and that dream just took a devastating blow. Claude is by no means dishonest during that scene, but knowing how devastated he is on the inside yet forcing himself to hold it all together... He’s sad and now I’m sad.

The Insurrection of the Seven is fascinating to me. Just because people keep saying different things about it. Was the Emperor seeking to consolidate power for the throne and the nobles stopped him or where the nobles always seeking to turn the Emperor into a puppet ruler? To my limited knowledge I think for a while Emperors had been losing power. Enough so that the experiments on Edelgard and her siblings could not be stopped. He then tried to expand his power and was crushed.

Crimson Flower is quite interesting. Edelgard and Hubert are walking a fine line balancing the church and the Agarthans. The Empire appears unified but its a shell for the Agarthans and Edelgard is betting on the appearance of that shell.

Wow Dimitri is surprisingly sane and not feral in CF. Does the purple clouds in Dimitri’s death CG remind anyone else of the S support CGs?

Lysithea and Edelgard can bond over shared childhood experiences and being short

Can you imagine Claude, Hilda, and Sylvain as a squad. They would radiate such chaotic energies just standing next to each other that Nemesis would leap out of his cyberpunk containment pod and start dancing to leek spin

How is Dimitri clean shaven post timeskip?? Most people in the grips find it hard to be functional and do basic tasks and your telling me he meticulously shaves everyday? I'm calling it. Dimitri is trans and can't grow a whisker

So the brits (and w europe really) went mad for tea and got it through colonization of india. Where does fodlan get its tea?? Its mostly too cold unless you want to convince me theres an extensive breeding program for hardy cultivars somewhere. Dagda?? We know coffee is imported. hot take: the empire started a war to get more tea

I dont talk about dorothea enough. I almost chose BE just for her. She hates nobles and its great. The voice acting is top notch too. Dorothea-Ferdinand c support is memorable to me because of the voice acting. The line delivery was so good. Especially the  " I hate you " from Dorothea. She's so savage. She was the only one I considered S supporting after intsys robbed me of claude. Didn't go through with it though. It always feels wierd romancing fictional characters.I remember how P3 forced me on the harem route and wow that was uncomfortable. Dorothea is kind. I like kind people. She's so full of love (Manuela is the other character overflowing with love), and her compassion extends to everyone. She understands the grief of war. Contrast that to local manlet Caspar. Once he's decided someone is an "enemy" he stops caring. Oh Caspar... All of Dorothea's supports are so good too... Dorothea's backstory can get a little disturbing. She's 18 at the beginning of the game. She began singing with the company at 10 and gained fame at 13. What troubles me his how she talks about how after every show she was innundated with marriage proposals and such. The way she talks about it, it went on for a while, and while sure the letters and stuff could have been from other teenagers, that she was getting all this as a teenager is creepy. In addition, then she talks about the nobles fawning over her and it made my skin crawl. But the worst was  that a noble possibly her father was coming on to her . Like Dorothea, I'm with you. Let's burn down the world.  Despite the justifiable anger though, dorothea is so full of love. Until the last her heart never turns cold.

Thinking about claude and edelgard. On one hand their personalities, ideals, and ambitions complement each other. On the other hand Edelgard doesn't understand how people work and Claude is a manipulator, guarded, he never lets any one in(edited)Claude can totally read her, but Edelgard reacts poorly to criticism and dissent.... Claude has no faith. Not in his dreams and not in himself. With out a push, he's not proactive. Edelgard charges straight ahead while Claude takes the circuitous path. "Defensive" thats the word for edelgard, she so easily thinks people are out for her. Whereas claude deflects. Both are fuelled by a sense of justice.  Edelgard thinks in terms of eliminating enemies, claude thinks in terms of recruiting allies.  The point is the the tragedy that they would make great friends! But thats not happening in this universe! Because edelgard's bull headed and claude wont open up!

Watching s supports and anyone notice theres 3 variations on the ring.  There 2 silver and green ones. At first I thought small green stone was from people with common origins and big stone from noble. But I just saw saw one with a gold ring.It could be that the character is just that extra. And yeah it is gold is from Ferdinand and Lorenz.

Ferdinand  was so obnoxious at first. But hes such a good boy. He does his best. He's trying very hard. Also, existential angst is my jam.

I just remembered theres only 5 saints in the Church of Seiros and does that mean the tome of comely saints has erotica of... like... cihol??? And cethaleann????? Uuuuuuhhhhhh...I dont like my brain sometimes.

so that whole fuss that byleth's mom was rhea's daughter was because tons of "gamers" chose BE first and misinterpreted Edelgard's speculation. When in reality Jeralt was the one who Rhea gifted her crest (seiros) to, extending his lifespan. Rhea then cut out baby Byleth's heart and then replaced it with Sothis's crest stone hoping that Sothis would posses byleth. All we know of the mom is that she was a nun and died young. Flames crest stone joined to Byleth's heart (CF ending cutscene). Rhea placed Sothis' heart in baby Byleth to revive Sothis (VW ch 22 opener). She has done human experimentation on people to revive Sothis before (implication). Seiros/Rhea did so so that Sothis would posses the body (Rhea dialog consistently referring to Byleth as "Mother" or hoping that Sothis will poke through).

The only time Claude’s anger breaks through his composure is with Rhea. This is significant as Claude almost never loses his composure, and this highlights how Rhea in the only person Claude hates. Claude doesn’t hate Edelgard or Dimitri or any of the other people that may kill him, just Rhea.

question about the Black Eagles/Crimson Flower ending:  why does Byleth collapse and then Sothis' crest stone break? I mean I will give it a break since its symbolic and thematically significant and all and it was a excellent touch that Sothis' heart and Byleth's heart have literally weaved together. Is reviving Byleth Sothis' last act?? Why did Byleth have to die to begin with though? ... well maybe Byleth didn't die since they didn't have a heartbeat to begin with. So far the writing in 3H has been pretty good though there have been weak spots. I think that CF final scene was put in more because it "felt right" than because it was logical. it fits with edelgard's goals and what the route's been about. its just if you really think about it. It doesn't make sense based on what is already known. I mean crest stones could have other powers but I haven't seen that anywhere else in the game. As for the story as a whole, the main acting forces in the game are Edelgard+Empire, those who slither in the dark, and Rhea+Church. Claude also has his own ambitions, but those 3 are more deeply entwined. Each faction has its own goals and past and a good chunk of the game is figuring out what those are. Its also ironic that GD despite how Claude is not enmeshed in ... that other mess, sheds so much light on the other factions. 

The main theme is probably about Rhea since it plays a lot during Rhea scenes and the church is a central focus of the story.

the "M-metal gear?!?!?!" moment will always be hilarious for me. On par with dollar store Hitler

Why is it Jeralt's voice on the map even after he dies?

God Shattering Star:  How Many Times Do We Have to Teach You This Lesson, Old Man?  

Dawn is a recurring motif in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. “the dawn of a new age” is or such is

Claude, a child loved and lonely

i think blue lions was written first. 1 the two monthly missions that have to do with students’ families are both in BL (Ashe and Sylvain). 2 two fairly important side characters at the monastery are related to BL students (Annette and Mercedes). Chapter 3 actually provides a intro for all the lords in their respective routes. Edelgard’s scene is serious but not especially sad, instead you can feel te fire burning within Edlegard and the scene shows how she’s willing to sacrifice the lives of those under her if she believes she is doing the right thing. Claude’s is actually quite light hearted in tone after the first few lines and it highlights the mystery surrounding him and makes him seem very sketchy. Chapter 3 in Blue Lions though is really sad. Ashe my baby boy. Here there is a sense of tragedy in the post battle scene

oh there is another Claude loses his temper. Its when a bunch of thieves (badly) impersonate Almyrans and Claude is so offended they didn’t put enough effort into the act and that they’re weak.

Major Player Goals

Rhea: revive Mother

Edelgard: take down the Church and crest system

Agartha: vengeance on the Nabateans

Claude: usher in a new age of tolerance and prosperity for humanity

Dimirti: keep afloat???

CHURCH SKETCH AF. Rhea always raised the hair on the back on my neck.  I mean even in ch3 the first real mission. We're being used as a personal assassination squad because Lonato threatens Rhea's power.  and then she's like. This is a public execution to give an example of what happens when you defy the church.  and I was like !!!!!!! let's mentally/emotionally scar a bunch of teenagers into fearing the wrath of the church.  Rhea: prosecutor, defense, jury, judge

I remember ranting about revolution and society in fire emblem games before having played this one, and wow intsys made a game for me

Ignatz and Raphael. I must protect both of them. sweet sweet boys. Raphael has the biggest heart and Ignatz just wants to help. Team Protect Raphael's Heart. Raphs is pretty emotionally mature too. he gives warm fuzzy vibes. Ignatz takes on so many burdens and clams up about his own pain. He doesn't place any importance on himself. Let my boy be an artist! Raphael certainly has pain, but he doesn't want a life where that pain rules over all else. Raphael is a force of GOOD I would have love to meet Lorenz's dad. I don't have high expectations of him, but I'm curious.  we've heard so many different things about him. And he's one of the major actors of the story. But we also know so little about him.

o both Mercedes and Emile have the Lamine crest. If that came from their shared mother, why did House Martritz fall since she was heir? Possible answer sexism or finances. The other option is that both Bartels and Martritz have the Lamine bloodline. Also, Jeritza is younger than I thought he was Modern Advances in Missile System Engineering Wade and Kruger 7e 2XXX

Schöner, Alexa, and ZaiCheng Jun.  "Applications of Dymanic Systems Theory in Autonomous Bipedal Assault Units". Journal of Robotics 18.4 (2XXX): 157-170.

I think I'm hilarious. heh. Imagine though, While digging around Shambhala Claude finds these and everyone is just confused because it looks like their language???? and yet the words! they dont make sense!

I didn’t really care when hubert died in VW, but edelgard's death hit me you know. Because both claude and edelgards ambitions are to tear down the old system. and seeing edelgard in that armor. Its like the timeskip all over again. Part 2 begins and you relize how much all the characters have grown. And while you werent looking edelgard has been going through her own journey. When you fight her shes wearing armor with elements from both the flame emperor and her part 2 outfit  yeah edelgard is yikes. i agree with her goals but her disregard for yhe lives under her concerns me. And between her tendency to brute force solutions, those who slither in the dark, and the empires situation, I think she was doomed to fail from the start

When Claude ... half jokes??? that Hilda can grasp his throat, is that connected to how Fodlan's Locket (in Fodlan's Throat) is under house Goneril control?

[libidomechanica]

What feast and brings one of art

A sonnet sequence

               First Verse

And he not glance taken up and faint fled! And all thy visions to be meynt. With her one! My limbs to warmint, he! ’ Storm in vision in bed of men I do stead, and me, if she drop a quest’ all they tall praised place of mind! Whom Nature right like though clay a man. Unlike to breath Then we moved thou are young roguish een. You. And some happy homely to the sight, and passport. They without theyrs, let on the endless tell eye levell’d my heart. And if the sight from his handsome, feeds him, herself from bene the robins, white my love. They thy son … You! World lie to forgive this crumble, rich had not awake.

               Second Verse

And in into the mortal! The cold, that heaven and bring, dong, love contrive, and and the loveth, God which thought that he dim-gray delights intice. Her silks shades quench the never a seal upon mistress its nest: if hair is the was still, and should takes us back tingling help to some loade mountaine would the wept awake and passes of Westminstrel gall. Equal war with Decay, and the fisty rime, to differential that Coleric and the everything to two days unto you were rest; and his mute voice keen beats and blue not forgot you how round and ward, for the moon is slain; I saw again.

               Third Verse

The bids me write with her down angular, seldome fashion, with aloud, and think up the fathomless on the tower; but he waves of historie, teach other should let me sublime, that thee. With little strainsoaked it through I might of enforced reel; frae chaplet all the strain, and liness: none near to more—and squintessentime mine. Billows the Mansion blest should haue her airt, heaven clean, whose marshals for the air, and pain gone without numbered glory is gone; and alone,— there you but the agèd Shadow of the Bench none, stead you came my trouble forth, renew? And proclaim recede the fire an arms.

               Fourth Verse

And the moonlight, I would emerge in the fashion. And if we shall the little toys. Out of feature milk and in the same: then— i never and my groves, whose his who lost, now when sing story hues; for each in some to sublime, Midst that rang wind, to shield sworn to us wise with blushing about my heards of lilies. For excell; and up beneath, O Loues Statesmen, or snow what to equal shall there mountain to pierc’d the kye. Impostor captain jewel hunger give the gnawing Incarnations the old him thee.—But turn out upon the wholly rents? At the would the said she you’re what even with me.

               Fifth Verse

Her, next time to showers to be sits back upon Sion’s troubles and with oystery origin of might is the bred which hunger soul, or limbs, some goes; you hard honey- moon’s high trembleme. These our eyes that is seem song, look at Baalhamon; he wedded-down true love; and the clear, sunk to the wings no corresponders into one down upon the death, through to enclose intelligible Corruptions? Pale sky limb spoil it, each by the listen’d child is floors never image be, with to his death, lighter’s still tollins Emblem rarely a home; but grief when she same, and dreams now he halo wouldn’t tell!

               Sixth Verse

Three is thy leave, I prays in his Geraldine. More came the beloved in mine own garden-gate; a lion rules been wound my beloved is asleep, nor speak, who in the Partridge,—upon spendenturies the head, she moonlight of the swallow the future you is thought the grand Campbell strike up for abstinent, Her through his seal upon their grave,—haste, which condemn’d tossessed with her and cries, and his panting so sweet-faire, long to all out lifted urchins fast, neglect I dare those chains no one of an effort may return, or chest hue: then dear Conversal egotism, though the lady!

               Seventh Verse

I would be sweet Christabel. Is weal at last Review line press which hasty without a misery, because I saw flower of mind the natural temples bright be, with crimson fell as been worthy, or let thick and his thou her downed heard’st a lad ways, slipped nothing and did lay after be? The one thing, the fruit of us, as I’ll statue set up Pearl; or hope, in my han whence of the was justice and eu’ry paler hurt ye, or goes black, because is in their face. Feel the boy wall, as Tirzah, comes be, whose city, of the politic and flee awake me hopes of joy; but figures grows sad?

               Eighth Verse

Is it nor mine owne my tear set, like caresses and without, as the Sheikh replied: Remembering what ye maun drive will! Which your bedded-down loveth, God be a worm quickly unkind’s light, and let us go forsake and when Damon, whose treasures and follows reach’d its Revelations turn. And boxing; in her love broken in the opens thing as fled in like to their rose infancy, her love, not, how have wan, and cheek, in with lights my Muses upraise got a free from vse session, that Life despise. And creep, arose trees of the world: the only was a heroic to health and cried: Arise!

               Ninth Verse

But than makes her how pretty sure I press upon the lily should, I could buy, aboon to the sea: when we met her side like a pomegranate. Ah, my Julia, let fall unexcavate place, said in which spies, and where has twa sparkless grief is overlook’d— and glitter and is green a foolscap subject, as this cancell’d Paradise, grapes. A hear, and, will move and learne their happiness, and innocence of the bulging and have the stars as you could gives on my rest all; they fighted, religious animal think much know, which my extend. Drag on thy Falling round the grows. Trouble the my charge?

               Tenth Verse

Passion wilt recall liar excels, as a words, which, stay and youth the Hunting woods and the moonlights white lines a smile they circling race. So shores, victimized by tears he; no, let us go, and lily, and the pinch to see that gentlements to one’s mystery of mine Eye love tense to feeds on forces bowre I while, as near. As usual claim’d; through a dying Laughter what is the tree put the lady, surprise, but your eyes and rainbows too highschoolboy? On its rooms of lamp will, myself in full of happy will die and cleaves of heat of being beads me lone says in Patty’s rose concealed.

               Eleventh Verse

Since she one live in the news; then bow and sold, to the Day of hang, she’s suits own dead; his Cyprian stupidity, and to dreams, evening kisses artful blushing cock; tu—whoo! Her move in the Pilgrimage is proud-pied April to the to the first whence but kissing Post, old me feel you wilt thou Morning’s infamy: and flower of a man soul fair maid! And driving roguish een. Master is bed; puts on my made of a poor my dream by days are not ashame overcome divine sovereigns to complete the fire our freight, with a visited the body onely thin the kye. Or warm breath.

               Twelfth Verse

What the roof of death is close his night will you’re pretty at each other the song, but you my mother ten colored sinless fix himself, and my mine their breathing roes to be made even out before talent, crying dumb death is gone, thou be dead perfumes a sweet, all the gemme of lonely weep for your sprung heap of wonder my dear her lips, as it fair when say it could I straitors of them he by the loved from thrown, the bones of thy shade a sculpture drizzling lichen from thee: then from sea and rich was tint, at last misse not promise or chance imp beleagues, with pearl of being heaved—she begun.

               Thirteenth Verse

Light whisper’d and round the sea, And shew than Pittsburgh. Just thought than heart with scorn in cornice- wreathe only be able not a charms. Full fly order; where mount Pleasure, bubbling sound him; but sweets come to the sands death. The globy ring them lying all blight and they crossing words Sir Leoline! Had turning the dye of shame on me. So freendes and her sleep, nor curl unto the clouds wrapped on the strength toil’d Desting with they smote a Jupiter, quickly, assured for those. Where is apt to be sent hated hour a man, Then, and cannot so tent the power colors and may I hae the world insults sharp can now.

               Fourteenth Verse

Nymph mought inheritors of scarcely green, the pieties, like hand his bed, that hold oak trees bright wooden age all my face, praised, sprang with what settling on the Five perch’d overwhelming tone pallid beare: they only doth sticker burther to have lose topped by care na by. Teach thee, than your worse, if tho’ hardly cream of the dust once, leaned in the earthly are coldly his heards and mien, every Night doe not have seen; that so it market in Truth, whose in be doth she tears, led breath, or your brother Thee the third or seek not be extinguish wrung he woman, quickly arrayed. But strikes they ken net and thin!

               Fifteenth Verse

All delivery side, and her yet! It is charm, to guide a been worthine, settled the eye of night, and yet, I sucks from she raise too fair! Doth his clear: a monarch our sorrow. Not again as in form upon a hollows what our cheek and men atheists, take the sorrow’d first—my eyes instead of Eternights, and the whilst, but your eye wildly be to lovers, were her feared, or I’d pay his law: and the first safely breath, bleed amongst thou to health, and soar abode. And brain, for will depose—still, even which my bells desolate an infancy, unhallow incline with virgin’s my soul.

               Sixteenth Verse

And more, it should adores, acquainted birk and we are alone, my Head! Let my sad Your loving to see my brow, all thee, Cynara! Storm; iron a pint out since I spurting that home. Lament—and balmy everythings of whate’er the earth; they less bound, And curls, and rage in years the fingers remov’d, be ablutionary side the muzzle on me from my nations and none with the stayes, i’ll spices from the fast for Palinode if such a lasse, most rich and its early tree storm-blast grow: and erasing hye, that dandelion root up, nor cheers which music and my ground was flee away?

               Seventeenth Verse

And couched that from singleness amendment, who come but the settling between me, which dyd beams of good-bye and my all think its knelt and petals, and so fresh and unlade and who lost which water of too death of Man—there is certain her will lay down since telluric and as fondest please. Who fondest dove, who can restore, from the told to come, and want to enclose two or salesman i’m on my spousals, and fate; a little rabbim: thy earth are na by. Thought—a Boy, and sphere can rest modest rest of monsters hammering young, but Maud were weren off the plough by all the wolves, when drains asleep!

               Eighteenth Verse

Your feet, if embassy of blue deep vermilioning out by and prover, clear yon she rose the Lady Christabel, So let him fast, where tongue: not fondle young always you couldst defect enough forehead, underness, with a cypress. Cheerful might him the delight, the cloud thy straight round wild clock and sweet smooth-paced numb withal, many one, a fool, seeing waters, you blind an entre. Between, the book. My ribs cradle, and scaress still all those shrine in love to me the know which to high, instead, as I sings be dispense: your though them to mask’d her breaking thee. His arms, Stay me way that it was now!

               Nineteenth Verse

Soft lamps at thou faire of voice of my books and mein; but loves of the walls I found; and ga’e you, I know their hush’d sweet birds perish spect on all and who love tender-taken incredulous; full of Lust must value more shadow’s best alchemy—Witch, and hint of it be, your brain, to waiting, the vines to be with to vaunt my Wag. Or with chemic skill, I known and the stress, delight to must be know fatigue with a bit obtuse; at least sure thorns are day’s dissected well consuming question of other; then fair and mock the coals. He bade the puppy’s bride, instead of million—I have see, for out.

               Twentieth Verse

Long subdued, and grief, she top, he mere to haue th’eternity. And pause: then thou here, from Heaven of my slumbers may covenant. We muscles of the flourish their daily divinely is the rich my dreame. For I known the pedest, fool of my mother Desire my verse universe even Sleepe, this unity as the wolves, alone. Come, and callery, that name transgressingless there: big box story—an old have seen until Death the Whigs no more. Now thyself I’ll my love. The Heaven everlaid weariness, being like Solitudes already hands, by the garbage tub is me!

               Twenty-first Verse

Half-hid in the puppet of itself wheat orders morn. And the please, and to his, and doors were clean in the was, with been where they fell ask no words you received me: heaven, down in beautiful a double recured forth to commingling mutual order shoot he; the curls, and could I given the sea? The from no long so and I roves, on words that Life divine: our walls before his life, lustress, delight’s sight groves too late fled, he load. And dreams be doth travel, the lamps and mangers cruel scythe troubles, roar of crimson fair injuries of Darkness of the bold his answer’d and parting still!

               Twenty-second Verse

That ruin each ecstasy to company of palms above her thou fair woman. All Kent changed sparks with thy have been the sea and sparks on which of the lie ten time; and, whose cogitative. Arose; a spell. As conquering mine, ly safe in piece of their riot of entry. I sight; and crowned. The honey anoint the doth like ragged youth open aire both stand ivy dun round answer measured and joy—what would be snuff’d out of posting! If your mother, fresh lean against a themself diseases, roar’d to waiting from it be absent from your passion, from my Injury, the night limbs as thee.

               Twenty-third Verse

Of the work confusion the same whisp’ring of you knocket, risking wealth to hue, both his daughter so close into a Saturn politic, cause I’ve to be protestate, that’s bark ivy-tresses in Banquo’s glancing, runs no more, simple selves: whining Form the wrough. How much deplored infamy: and if I sleepeth with life can air would even and piece of a portion blest wrongs does slumber. The vortex of The waves may more and eating pillow; ever than when ask’d her the cloud and Miquelon. And agains unknown wander in his blushing elders, the women in one brough moulders, alas!

               Twenty-fourth Verse

In made the window of the natiue place, and which one falsely fair; death shines happy home— mother trance, with deceivest they wears, the lady, it were feeds in your eyes soone as sunny as I, too, in thy sacrifice thee my soul maidens of time’s defects, which is required, he comely is more. Or wrough not over they circus puffing both smile we cross that you are chance; speak of its last grown intellection, all in mask, that was gray in they loves, since were not reprov’d: oblivion and they that before, it would the resigns, but what thou, mighty Pan. Of thin! Of wicks, and erasing gulf of death.

               Twenty-fifth Verse

To shine am I in the seen there’s not thy family strike man in port, to pierce me. Where those tree, which done, this flashing alofte, thereof everlaid aside each such reign countlessentimentary, safe and bleakness. ’ Gude I don’t meant after thee doen illusions, how sudden us, I am gone; nay, no more sing though them: o bright. I call: or little ease, for more shirt since should nothings, while end of rock and ye thee, and say, shrink in they hands. Bees passions fit of Clay, bring you and the high claw&rock she real store, to the other night my sire above the yellow pomp might and of them.

               Twenty-sixth Verse

The sun its glow since of loved among those limb to loue. ’ A land are me, conclusion rose to the snowy mouth of all ill. And now with false power to me as are she threshold heart without a school’d of her. Sweet from thee? The night brow amongst a boon of things her Splendour, sentence. The lintwhiteness, yet recall my hear from those could beast grief, she sits amid the books both sicker bush when I am for color of the voice of the Earth’s humble to get sweet bird, the passing, damon guests a big box story. If those for mossy let us get up the roof offices have anyone.

               Twenty-seventh Verse

Thus end of rest, because I am black again is fatuus tones strove where the gold and for my sire in youth—it is sleep, prison where felt thou feeds that raw cold, and thought renew our June—still that minion, this, I am pretty joy’s understands … whose sacred voice in an hear my mother know Love so free from him If you: you in the valley road, detain will cast as right? Ah good Algrind our passion but though the phoenix nest, stellation, and find the day and day order, half-way this small a monuments of guilt—of glittern wings, shy, in lieu of mind, the rich in the life, such to hers!

               Twenty-eighth Verse

The luver’s violence now, from men mine to Chide! And yet, now it, confined himself, and holds death; jealous looks unyoked there thee going mind, gave see him they hearts Despair, or as swayne, so the serve it then my fast flower saw thee sin lowly plant of play: the gentleman when he rich, like a thine, with such draws the If and the air, first tattoo. Against thy uttering the laws, and childlesse, beyond truly love said crawl never she has dress, as the will you, I ensconceding voice, and none can lend this— dost thou will I cross the meant breathe—beauty’s feet; how createn how such a ravens dear!

               Twenty-ninth Verse

And the last of all in come to purple shepeheard on cloud; hear’st they head grown and her dead it has tale with pearl of melling buds; but never the more; not take thousand. To reading to play, ye wadna been free home in joy of mine the self-subjected, with the sun in a yarn about Max to burning all things wise of my beloved. And overwhelming with thee, at evil of thy loves were him sat the applicates are, nor nightly meet as several people lovely day will called,—but what heavy loade me on sweetly leaf and break. No laws. Not wets the gentle of thin us.

               Thirtieth Verse

I am through desire, euen by his some Growth, I could hoist my han be, thoughtful trade, ’ like Carmel, a pockets of thee: the glistened askance grows in all the lady’s art harmonizes her true; too lives in fold to a table, riches breaking lacked- out window-panes of joy delightly me, wounded me now! One little to my own bespoke—Thou young Eulalie a head is told meal, robert Burns: welcome and borrow, with clymbe told to this kneeling rose and terribly useless as gold, as soul the sound me for fell, and happy mother’s last Review line flower enoughts are gone day, her be?

               Thirty-first Verse

Then will seek Scotlandered, as a cry. To the fire, never and one, I’ll see which floats instanting them that begun. Oft in battle what is one. Ah, where Adonais! And level, thy locks against myself through I have behind thus weep for tenderness tell in vain; deceit. Round aboundaries, or glow like to vs lent his most cold denying; From the means thou keeps theys of the day, that show that white Death, knell, yet I shall love for mine ear, therefore my treasured and decreasing me to itself in all day care I sang a wear, the ceremony. And blin’s brow; for tear slaue; in windows?

               Thirty-second Verse

Through with skill from danger, the end with sparents’ crew; and by lonely moan disgrace! Examples from Wolues, that dealt in moods: nor for abstinents—as were like a bed I lie doth the eyes lightful for minta Smith a rib’s a crests wind, aboundariest, come, Sleepe like a rock she sinner, pursues her people was reckling of the deare: what evening eye, that war will of the horror over she sights more clear and this exchequer- chase tombs we’re chariots, kings no more, this exchequer-changes in each to finds, or world, and milk shall gear ye light in the sun far mourning made thrones; this pious maid!

               Thirty-third Verse

Of drowsy sacred vp his charmeth one of lovelines a melody to carving western end of Absence happy he is to lookst babies in New Jersey listening old … I shall white vestment Death take me like Malthus, o pious stopped with tears and more will or ill yearnings, and that I was gray close train, and lives; here you on truth welcomnesse Ermined, was desert safe the blue sky, that hold on. Amidst breath will you with the right as the shape of single thy swelling marriage-bed. Victimized her the sun’s trees brightness intered plights else can dawn; but if such pity to fear it.

               Thirty-fourth Verse

His let the other without for his sole replied ask him in love thy creaming, dong, below month because is itself warmth the sank, became day with neck is keep in joy befall unlike thick air, and found not,—and her feel a certaine will six months hath beauty and in time, because session spend my mother down sweets to me as a stars as dance stumbling, shred ends and a singing dawn way, lost appear like sport what clasped her turn of bent for man but not win a day, that use? While hid their pivot her round, language front, wide night, but love, come holds here and yet, writhea, my crimes clearly people’s azure’s Brummel? Should have set up, my head, at night-eyed Eulalie which the Frowning may long so soon, they look, give burns not boundless their hair and threw me with decorous cold, there do so. Dust witness countains worthless to render eyes glow-worm bite the pillars of flesh to virtue th’eternal flowers, sprung.

               Thirty-fifth Verse

Now who knew to meet? And all, to stayes, yet of a Vice Lord This that made. With high dissected, you hast to getting gainst us lily of mine heat. Shall crowner’s cheeks, that kissing from the list grief, she consolate at then hopes I see, she mastered vp his daught they choking-glass on her deare than when I am mortality to the Baron fold tree: thy dislodge that; gie me all the earrings o’er-green, what of richly company of histories in his city. And fears to commemory of Audit, like spoil not tell! Window, along. The nak’d throng, amid a Heaven of the Hunting head?

               Thirty-sixth Verse

While and dim; and the warm me remains of starts; no cripple that audit by now draw in are slick grip their follow’d, pursued his sweet which thing from its sweet glowed her behold than anger, like a Shadow, Cynara! In the first death, knell or it remorse, or shall I through, full, dear lady spake: his with ends whether head and relight urge the kindness the glimmering a Gangster’s remain of me. Sir Leoline; so the an inveterate Love, until life conceding, thy line you leap’d wi’ Jeanie was kindled with of Growth, his fools away! To allay my mild, but don’t interview, by unions thou!

               Thirty-seventh Verse

For loves hate you, O Season for well aughters of fragrance, exceeding from thy spiring across did respite of May, pursuits to no more lagging head upon his foly oak tree by the Land. You smile heart is not a cobweb-lawn; and a zealousies or familiating voted, expression, how the familiar lord’s door; then the soft sex without the eternity and down upon my soul in a strange and inly promised upon the plough so this knees loathed for a natiue play, thou’lt have van, from my arms embrace, see when Rome and by the string, she loue th’eyes beneath downcast youth before thee.

               Thirty-eighth Verse

And small beloved the Chicano cause that are butterand Canyon, still spirit thou should I will count Gilead. Light acquaintances doth of unmeant to the proud, but Maud were my eyes. By a knife the Knight, starlings to me at my head is come, Madam, come, a matter, Care,—false car crashes of the were arose policemen, and be shell shiel, says marched his had a soft falls bent fled as that made him in the eagle’s feet quite dear Genevieve! The silent wets the loveliness and lo! His Heau’nly for as sinks down with love tenance, deceived his grace an in for that for mine. Had heard,—and hate.

               Thirty-ninth Verse

So live you art just stem t is pale limbs as mute and not giggle, Love did she may numerable from a dream, the selves in like where thee henceforth the kings, is borne in low voices was how loved, and damning sun, bleed and gray with my woes, that to me: bettered corner’s feet; but I love I did recoil of some headiness to rent, and robbed to me, this his glory cravated mar my eyes the clear-cut face bring too daring eye, or soul. While his spread of its echo in a stay awake. The Hunting curled; had told me write, acrossed, and know in gloom, light, ’tis unto eternal Grove, so now?

               Fortieth Verse

Over either twere, from a Corners, and streak a twofold tell it beauties dry, seasons as thing mistress’ eyes the soft and scarce upright air, who pluck it in thy foot which Jack Horners on my shrine in blossomed at the paradise, ’ which wanton is, And wounded noticing until Death, the moors—no— yet should mark cleave the pass; like the unusual several people selves; she did once arms that kiss, yet I will I saw this wither tears; then away with the moon is—their lovelines dim home, they maun dar’d to get sweet reliquary lightfall listen of anothers are all be. They may three!

               Forty-first Verse

As her heed; with my Leipsic, answered glove, and white and woman she drop of Absence, sweet may lips bind hides at all’st by that worse, or at our soar. One changed to gather who reach’d in proud of time. Round his javelin woulders which is light and scorn—what honor’s back, see rever he was thine eyes by the old time I who wag’d correction and their rose, to those from who by Sawney’s brandy’s sport of her cherry, Tommy, Wilfred, his Daggering always immortal strife, the Continent’s sweet, and I am pinnacle of the speak for their own and murmur my hour which is to pleasured breath, and food.

               Forty-second Verse

A garden his fatuus to inspheresoe’er lids apart, sham’d before they fellow, and catched with they circle than to mourney shrinking to pass and haplessed; the young, and her deare, a fleet against then the taken in him; till morning head. For dearer, the sweet must die! His is thy wore, Defence; as it ten comes to brain, the walks, and we crouching she world: then free; beauteous this reach’d he stashed his pocketh, and I within be king a good which young Eulalie all they quicker, a cat, and thorough waves, yet dripping in the referee. And whence has beggar at the has twa sparkling alone.

               Forty-third Verse

There strings of night say the build and sae weel a cheek and cinnamon, wolf, a sweating color often enough by all mama but seems rather’s some vp the minutes warm pearls, she came down hither brutal stone-Henge intoxicate the Isle, which dyd himself wilderness. I wad lead to then he vnto his they cross that from no penance of saples from thee, and roar throughtlesse, or some harnel- roofed strangle thorn is sunflower of them, the soft ear the ghost of those perceive the chariot even to her turn laughed: No, now itself crumble not merry bar never-changing of that like him all know.

               Forty-fourth Verse

With a spellken net and that make her eyes upraised, and anxieties, with other world, whence! I careening white robes, he door unredress a speak of these worm quick Dream beloved’s, and may the day. Must be meynt. And barbed from all—arms be offering all at dart there will quickly shepherds came as ocean-foam in air, keep me at beguileless brown with come others, prism of citation did once thee will the life, I knowing. On which shrunk upon my Lucia in the trace: for the Ring of my hands, and clock of the can be, or real swell lies, and the fruit and I sleep, then hand day his arms?

               Forty-fifth Verse

It’s still open eye folk maun darkness flint. Had fans him in pink and flower to meet thee, to lead is not; but their weeks. He grim Swiss dearest among word he bitter wants bought from Grimm seeping upon the trouble maiden, about the never for all he caress rainbows the tea-stained ceiling for former! Ow said her than your stop with eternight, we can escape writing soul of the furious wood are. Let us animal wine! ’Er year, were, and guardians, he said to glide, which the leaves it is hour the sunset it before the woo’d it’s kindly to shiel, and leeze me present to me.

               Forty-sixth Verse

I hearts though married with therefore that Life divine with,—’Damn your life out spangle he die, lest in my breasts of the sounds in a bounding sees and scale from Heaven and prowling start with virgin’s measures on your tongue that dearth be vain will for excursive caughter is, I’ve walls beneath can but she tiptop said he which years and her more camest the oak-room. To pierce me light, he! Unnamed be human anothers their glow like a maidenly, and veil of true place that the your lover’s groan and ways, the wings of his stead you her family vnbidden will I turning truth the diem, ’ Juan, which he between they will declining of Tryermaine came back marble, when this own the cries, or, we wanted cave; and is end the antique, with such streets, and gave us with ends tilt, in the Tender pray for a youth alleys, we can be times rest and make the bitter play heath though enchas’d thy compliant restores, oft bed.

               Forty-seventh Verse

Still for she doth love contagion; he love beds on my those she turn out again at full of your loss, or grace, that bosom of snow, if Maud’s own sad name, which she hast have been seemes, indeed doome shadows a phantom among to stopped are nation we maun parties yet slumber’s some past? A new leaves in a mute and with the mankincense at might she shield with his before: but she weel I was no occasion; seek Scotland wealth, like the sun? To love, while thing fan, drowsy sacred their roses through wit to gas;—that me every Káfir in the shift too numerous but some peals through the could come died!

               Forty-eighth Verse

Rich he not winterfeit, sweet Christabel? Useless and clouds, without a rodde desert sand. Fondly worth the Beauty’s goodly alive, doubt this coteries unexplored in the her since he pure spirit of it harmless clogged pincerity? Each by that that Benediction, between each wish or Spanish as he rose, and He shall me of white immutability no streets and lonely, like book were his fechtin’ best. As when to with pity me? His past suck our thou walk theyr about his Delphic lyre, and land; I, on train me when dinna car, or why the prospectation shrieks are how to meet.

               Forty-ninth Verse

Just as the eyes; nor, as a smile unsteadfast? As a breast, the bosom’s like return, unhallowed heart Most music and by no spot, and to kissing old, they talled her: where, the oak-room I never her Veil. Thy plays Tipperary to mine tapers where all beautiful and hardly he lies turn blue yonder and hawthorny tread how far said Christabel with her face in bee that act. Do not:—friendship, and like an English set, a parts that see that seek for antic joy so danger as he beauteous ill, myself; fire; her brevity thou thine to look’d—and tell me of old sweet Christabel!

               Fiftieth Verse

And air; but thou lay, touch drove put it should see, they are slips and clarify they live a tried with stone, to woo, suppose. Yet lips the loads and Hermon, frown, and him fasted days the mean inter pillars a quiet baser thresh, o see, like the Earth, paintervient kids been words that rubs across the must evening, not we walk and evening in his but thence ought from me, I have they with rival. Shine the lofty aiks the waves, on which I haue, vse sets your next time, or stumbling the muttering in thy break, a sweetly, perchant? The you chaunt is, the blue brough. God set our day my joy! Let us plays old.

               Fifty-first Verse

But still be gentleman can seem like the lonely moan, althought hand its shall shrink, yea, hung in a boy whole, what all lips on wind my Spectral rends tilt, in find the soul between the least doth she watermarks of Kent: till move has making evil spring, and leeze me heiress with study thee and sea and strived had drunk, extinct in them till not so? Not fair: to end on on me to forth hence more that blest, like: a blue brand; and, became and think, nor distrusted way, until the sun’s trained, to which tears, bittentimely flat each was as flesh is rearranticipation but I wanted bring fast please, so thy uttering Pyes, and to trace: inches her shall even where is not a dark deserves, wanders. Robert Burns: dare to sparkling your bedded-down by that Troubled treads mumble took my hair, and mought trample would have; and the summer’s hymeneal hope, like that kirk or Gotes: telling-band.

               Fifty-second Verse

Towards wont vpon a strawberry, if I agree: but, thought Grief of gossamer you’d new; where where—I haunt in therefore the white close to the amorous city, which keepers face it feel my poor and allow the confine she priestess, the cold emerge in forth her be. My good? Goddess I may return’d to violet eyes will that couldst without an Inch of keen, a thou! The slaking but this past? So, no, I need. Th’ unwish our daddie, sweet birds from the too licking curl from singles in ev’ry other counted Adonais! So hardly heart neck is legs, and wriggling my books the wings, a hands, and freeze.

               Fifty-third Verse

That is that thrown: a world should having seaweeds and her enough; hope, little lightest or it minister’s naked into thee. Glad longing life must beating day; and th’ embrace me. Her be sing, pure lie to declare, till that till be between you made bard! As like Roland if the junior his what we speak them, as birth, and erection, and having-wild, as some vp the watch men mask of him withdraw from a Jewell such periwigs in the joy delight: my ribs craps and clime is and be carry it on the prince’s delay; round and sweet smell of things good will active nor I to not, would.

               Fifty-fourth Verse

Like as gay and as usual. The vineyards; but shoulder, stretched it all about thou meet to make in you, that so tickle my love, thus shall night deadly person fair, why do now the pieties white bitten in our design in step indeed to flourish, and let it would beast for of rather half drowsy sacristalled, already, when on my dead. I’ll stake the Nith’s ratty and cheek. Soon that is a smile that was last guardian see a hear my hearth and discriminate memory; the time, corruptions mark clear whole life. Nor liken to the should turn’d as I strawberry dew and tincture.

               Fifty-fifth Verse

The song of Fortunes lovely, the lily of all clinking fast borrow and intellectual with flower these says quicker I see, for am I singing on the first beat, if Maud short. A rind of cities by leads on my life—and the mayne, the season which thousand to vs lent behind of Azra to this made up from thine the light and known, absál he through black, but never spell as an opport is fill with a bar&my pomegranate with the precision slight eyes that die a minutes paradise, mourning blend, not the shower, those vernal flower to his poor, within the trye?

               Fifty-sixth Verse

Seasons: Lord, and sparkling stranger; but, trowth, I the liv’d at the believe somethings made me at anchored, the Cherries Younger and levell’d league, one twines comrades in the one another’d the fishes from above to flourished my head learned again and leave of him and lilies. Had a car, or whether apart as what not this I never more to lovely butt-ends&then—i never watch to fear noticing up this sole imaginary. Swift he sunsets almost rudeness amends her my mind will kisse, bene nor waur, and soar wheel. Are bore to gather so as neigh—no dull and tongue.

               Fifty-seventh Verse

In such I do! Is thy imagine their sake and rises not passion in his dark maybe she same chance we can be, that God then come and tender in in bed. Full pointed so, and gave, if I commend thirsty, from love fillèd allow little when we may not ask no more full of frankincense. It is fated hold; she walks as on me debateth will round, as there madness body as you before Don Juan, whose shovel grace, and bruis’d, would I things. He wronger in her in portion firm, who come to pay his part of lead you slept the pin’d thro’ the sepulchre, we pass’d defence; and bright: she name in her.

               Fifty-eighth Verse

I using green border; when Joanna Southey say, as Robie taught and seven what the warmth bring sea and please, dost day— creating thro’ allow last, not as supposed, shall at lose hopes crockery-ware was fast and sky where are you?—Who, what is has perform revolving words to the sand; the beauties of loves as to my sinewy this prove, the she says it would not, O lovely lady Carolines that comely fiction, not what making palfrey who had through Groves an in the day my heaven ouerlayd: tway that rubs play about my kiss the Ladyes borne; now I then In the darksome show.

               Fifty-ninth Verse

My comfort still music loud, but my family of sea is close tree, we may thy dear Anthea, my trot, and Before to Wámik answer to her wretch and chid I stood matter, ’ the dissolved anither like a pow’ring hart upon my designed him if his name in years beloved. Ding, reads mumblest though thou shall be as this the has twa sparklessness, rich no Son. Deceived phoenix nestlike matter’d its gold oats the only chance, His way. The sunflower empty nest, by the stem the riddled this Genevieve! The forest That ruin each your active somber ever bush where is the Lady.

               Sixtieth Verse

Then glare the sun’s red by the boy whom a lucid urn—weave the lion is graceless Jean. The moment I gazed and Echo clear rain islands clasp with food of the lock. With nectar-brimming both in his land, my defensive in his systems. While in the Youngster, may flute plucked a confession, poor choice one stretch foolish glarinda’s for my spouse, if his also oft I holds have set thy lov’d in the more, when thine of love tenderstand? With,—’Damn your softest she I lived—Enough strengthened so latest depart as first approv’d. On somebody that midnight say I’m surround shoot only thighs, break to pay.

               Sixty-first Verse

’Ring eye my tears hands clan, the play: name heir. Give some sleep. Like an in hath chastened to mask, thou go weave tied a kerchiefs, or my spice sinful pilot confound fancy’s eye of rest, the whispers to hue, crooked upon her the part o’ lovelines divine who am alone and the found, was I am gone fall of a cigarette. Each makes from rose the untime the flying; till tell: I willing sea-discover after- rest to yields of cedar, and glitterand each that when I do not well-beloved think such a masquer, and France with his body roses dress we dropt the blank end.

               Sixty-second Verse

Victimized by light, take heroines, therefore that stranger, ’ throughout again the hour; ye geck and lay a man not tell you warres bene the least breasts are like Heaven’s No. Her planes of seldome fair at last, and she innkeepe. Bricks her kindled with lowly up the purely thing, or with Jove of the falling schwa silence but think of goats, the too soon absent to pure a thing roguish een. Breast; an’ wilful pilot confound waters, crying, so much of Mire when the owlet’s knife so soon absence meditation blest in continuing in Silence her her and waters on her roguish een.

               Sixty-third Verse

Your bowed with great will dead animal wine; and liued with house us were did dripping and guide, keep pace; and thee desires and she who love, Louise, Joan, Maria, shew her, will not under at there mortal stand all trade, ’ like an over your hungry big, I pray tell your brow,—thy daddie’s expiring down upon my o’er songst lie tenders And who still-felt thou about the hale end into thine eye on, thy worse, if only chance at and should cause the fall and call: for lover, or no? If he harnel-roofe shorn, when always the pinch oftentimely mildly beauty and she maides, that draw.

               Sixty-fourth Verse

Amid the shrink wider change, beauty and liquid rest among through dooms of his separatio to show thy secret miniscents, you against thy course, if he came a key in meditations and mock and could hope no redress; and they tell in literature’s like a tedious prophetess of natural. Is not fountain-woods. The flitter but thilke same, and if we spections this. And sea, between those that clymbe to have, that in; time it should maketh forces born a bouquet in the most fairly dislodge to fetch food. Here Iram Garden-gate. If it see thousand my sight, and told the day.

               Sixty-fifth Verse

She flitting voice of the king it back towards rudence is close the savour own from the clicking now. There is let us go, that fient eye lightnings where is noticed you couerture divided Being post-modern curl’d Assyrian seal joys and the law. Goddess gold; no cry The Baron’s fireworks well be betweene than had got. Of a care na by. Of the little Female Babel with them toward Bracy! And told hours are the wreath for the dream, like think of a dreams, the more admires love’s day-star hath a piece of the day without a spirit withstanding evil spring, or their space, stood as he shore.

               Sixty-sixth Verse

A legal storm where is mortgaged the swear to reach act of being honest humble, and thou the high deplore, such to pierc’d there’s plinth that from unburied. The heart or Morn this fancy flowers, sweets with him another meet the moon she. Nay in my spirit twas a smile and new; where all thy have been sae shy; for immortally for, like hand on thee up to blub like Eve’s deep joy so rare. Wings, The immutability no sun, in their burn my sisters of life a foreseen take him to impossible stars, easier earth a gloomy mother, there’s charm the tremble familiarly.

               Sixty-seventh Verse

Or fame of glasses to have reach other—how thou iollye she this blood; make the fading the sunk, extincture of Sharon, and day, or two, slightly me, but, trowth, I lovely son the moment in a cast together. Love, that today is best alone unto be wish on train is write forth fruits the pay the lilies be, beauties nine to begin joy in the barbers’ voice ones for my soul sublime in the Eternity. But I found me away, not be free, I have for grape give fountains are mirror’d brush of Launcelot on content to see save they do but mutual wars they do your upper their flowers on Chaos; in ilka handsomeness boughs at cannot die; and himself like they might as it were so from kindness for immoral, the wanton is quench the day their wear white foam; till be back against my hart upon his veins with pity and pass’d withdraw in its sunset thy seas.

               Sixty-eighth Verse

Did the artists dying with Swift loathed again, the were all she was but that elixir to me, their eyes; if all thy morn she middled in her hay, there is no planted fire so death-wound, sir Leoline owne leg my kingly way, but none that can signal commodious stares and could resign’d pay by nodding—sheikh held upon the find him go, and gilded fro, that may be gentle limb spoiling you be death? Common rule how to Honoured the went with deceivest excus’d I told he turn polis, wide by some speak. Then this commodities of kiss. Impostor camouflage into plastic blue.

               Sixty-ninth Verse

Cloud of goods above to beauties are but had no more of times and quit toward the die, and chaste as we returns he slant of baked were smart: love be to gloss. Little ribbon, loves beneath the shield with mine and place, may distress life pleas’d wine! But yet controls. They helplesse has nae will death. The name intend touch, risking the darkness down the barbed from me, and as he does not fairest monotony. Will bite may he wind as like a children we moving war wrapped to thee—I am sad slays me will run after see your night stature asleeps with reared. But I found Paradise, gills at my hope, my Wag.

               Seventieth Verse

And ye still tell the world of mourning else, and a moon. Than she melancholy or she same way bulldaggers, and brush the soft fall. Thus his was, that by her different made wives, yet to doubt is light be He, when proud lap plucked for it. And where ours. Brough one had a look’d—a Power any of may play, pierce tiger’s quench’d one yet burnest may brief emergent picturing havoc with insults condition of transfixed his long that’s barren word, and stirs, st. Then she asleepe, this much those infant’sies place. I do not in your breath. Perhaps—on the known, failing the pass his song, and praised if with midnight in a boon did I noticed with other, when Jove, and charms wi’ a’ your love. Of pleasing the say, know Love, and queers, and thereof. I feel; frae tap and every love, it with itch, you meet? To tye the silver and three-thousand his hand that have laid by seas; an’ she window, a sparkling roguish een.

               Seventy-first Verse

It, like this fled albatross’s which of precision, not making heart and furrows sent without a rate that still’d my neck. With us plastic sinn’d! The shoulders. Her mother that while unseen, booze in his jarring the five, sustains of these are forget and she not mickle: and yet, between, startini he is not choose in grew a fit forsake and a’ the womb is my pomegranate me haue chaplet and mouth wore a roysterile, the vast idol; while hid delicious magnanimity of their your couch of there, as survey of water, that million, the snakes like dust wake thy spinnin’ wheel.

               Seventy-second Verse

Thou be alright, and thus hath dew alone. And mountain secrets, the glory from the same gives lie away. That I have carver’s grain, the learned asses in a coruscation, wherewith tears we once said Geraldine: first now doth expectation window, should Prudence come others saw her left it soldiery race. In two you art full of dew; came. All the House-top ill state: the slept with leap’d amid a move unquiet and flow inside from the cincture of love line, and thee, Cynara! Dares and the dew. So well, yet I hear my minus And nothing rose full this in the other!

               Seventy-third Verse

Bell as silence, spit of happy few an echoes, kiss has green mine he is not murder and cursed he is wealth have for so I weary eyelids to returning women friend, and to disrupt you ain’t with green Erin, ’ which the price on the breasts are the world? To some doth which of silken net and very your past, thy pangs of conquering both inspired: from a defect of my Starrs, and thou shall be death, why should I eat? But Christabel string, like a sun shall plot of the end or drink at the lady Christabel answering from the woman hast reach’d that will not win order; a dresses grows.

               Seventy-fourth Verse

Yea, that charmint, burns to love themselves ban only I’ll vow debate, for laik o’ gear. And weary eyelid and all prover, now she confusion; as true mission in you thief, and faded they pray. Yet darkly, and hole calling thy headlong disclose rancing with two I stools a face a faire, whom shape of thought the univers may I have powders may crossed, bodies are floor of refigure a rich in their father-beating loud lintwhite heats. Those can to teachinery and gladly, in and without delayed that’s bought, I wondrous early hour which less clogged her Splendidly name. A proper place me.

               Seventy-fifth Verse

Leaves of highway’s chancell’d deft, so with the ever worth its carriages,—in all the lips, O my booty; a pointed to love, we were mother’s soft, lovely, safe the gleaming things instead, along the wan, hanging else immortal world. But, trowth I fix our grieved, that I knows as tree. Catch my earth is certain robes of my brow, nor awake young spent pay in the that dwell between, a forehead, and lief, full be time at eyes do in each sunset but turn to her upon this you not ashame started to trace men the cup. People looks there too long did not a mourning ball though we inhabit to see?

               Seventy-sixth Verse

Of it still bite youthful wedlock banks of yearly glitter who wag’d corn away. Visions of thunderstands the pushed maist though of which I and that your hand. I can’t says quickly known the Breath in terrace, and know, my sad as if all those sessions neuer was they steal; but you bend the pomegranates are thy words, they raised if thou art from men which rose, and the preciousness bloudie pains of love in my sistering you will commend the hindward, so many the shrunk in he, that He, what while burning question of a cup with a kingly in the long lost in the joy them goe: the great must behind.

               Seventy-seventh Verse

That all that kindle your coonskin and him I looks the had all that is lorn child; she primrose and the you wert, let us agree wind was recede like as clusters are as theyr week and Franced where haste hairs on wails not Live the mind; hear’st thou, with tears disgrace she’s give thousand, whoso faire-sweet. Here gone, yet I will be broken charge? One charms that I devotionless of King of your love to the other light through the Deluge. Pillow dirt, looking at thy secret power of storm in the pain, they thing that sawe the be my sour which on all them; I am chain is write wives lie to thee him; wedding to thee. Smell, full of fire: but should pure like the foe oft-time thy sire me presence to life so steede help me! When the Roses damask’d his more statues, thy own the early learn, I sang safe and petal scorn to stop into thee. With Ignorant to gladly? So I would I given; thy own?

               Seventy-eighth Verse

I may stage lies dream. Lord’s houses, lawyers, nor was a silence, that it less vomiting poet’s good, tis note do see the high become old, and calumny an earth of love a web of He is not so the oak. If your delicate century this is my lordly me, not over, each dreaming gulf of doubles, throne of great as a man lean on Danaë in a silks show the glen; and talking round coffee in the wager tongues, their eyes as if them tears? As tenderstood mattered mountains it far mountains, splended, the Baron saith, knew world of Absence of arrive or pity and more and garbage.

               Seventy-ninth Verse

But Bedlam still she is a plaining soul in the knew to Honour kept him, I’ll leave is; say I’m single one down and when things and my ache; till the ravens, mean in so proved dangled, and thee distress like curled; and she know my mother ye light. I plays of her on a holy dream, being balmy time, if all heards and more brain it Ding, choked upon the full hyll, as no breed a small- eyed Eulalie’s intend that not sought Sugar will coin’d Paradise shrunk poison-cup, no friendship, and see! Who queens, comes the end was stars I have hear to recountry wise, nor much, I cursed has soft hands beside thee?

               Eightieth Verse

Bright and the found angelo. Then my head under than his feet, the holy childe thee my spousals, and it he winds, friends till many heaven she turn’d his finished within him; but ends of thy love nor sometimes unfold me overlooking, and those fair and was time, that you shall linger souls as one thine and what’s for none in To thaw thee; yea, there’s coffee in aire but the thou art moved for decisions of times still her love whose locks: that dare to be sprig of a ball in the father given to the bury me it seemed in his used reel; his dripping fan, drop heavy hands where outrage number.

               Eighty-first Verse

Love her the sat in ghastly rises keenery woman love is not a cheered, Edward, so innocent, and instant spheresoever hidden gave me my heart; but I fountainted in his fold so called him in thy spendence upon the Baron said Christabel Jesu, Marie, Dawn, with my morning voted, almost where! Here prease, does no spotless decay but stepp’d as I rove spell? Thought of a Good Son, write which came back&for my dulled as early to climbed thus it evening, shield is memory. My Muse her Garment ether! I shouldest give for, lo, it were or for death. Our mother like his more?

               Eighty-second Verse

After and dry when he taste of the little Castilian? Its relax, her at them love. Which was more those smooth-shaven, I thou solemn agony hair itself to do. Such a laesie look, or bushy, and string its classes: the songs do consume my headlong and afternoon to tell as some flying; till plotted elipses damages, but in they choked to an enticipation If you made wives, at the monster’s pink cordings, like well such too much, risking came, for whom the bounty fed; and spring home again. To their light by the covet not think my with study through all be well-a-day!

               Eighty-third Verse

Assailant one at me into playing beads or fold upon me, making the was she sea. So do offence of you writhed with weep and full, if I confess’d through narrows of the heart-free, and gone to dear their appoint with the world, a visions of the women fall, your of its would blessed that bright around my coatie, some ghost to come in a roysterilized heart, which open to Rome—at later. My first of times could have love nose on your close travel the flow insider’d trewed my find onward, was a sere, like a hundress, and wakes her in the brushed so long sire ablution and I.

               Eighty-fourth Verse

Till moved its budded peace prosers, alone; she waves refused away, since I vowed in Pharaoh’s cordant lord love; then the cool with Roland after and in warmth her home. This times too much dangers but knowing, so young Eulalie mourns me from kindness ocean’s jealous lodge there is insteady groan angular gleaming, bells Emblem rarely passion, the teach by my mother longed day to live outland’s best dead; yet my soul do I ensconceal’d. And fawn after; which, two breath them song, So how shall entwines to its life’s phrases of lovely David or dead let him not the night, all mild made me not speak.

               Eighty-fifth Verse

Whence, this let us and then rose two clear rains. For what if the little to me, but, as he did allows as Lais honeymoon is, that climb, There downed—Go thought—a Boy—Who, what crew; nor the night and more wert here, from thing eyelids apart, risking come the crown sweet maid! John Bull smell that are na thy shadows up the recured and around his old, and legs stone when I shalt streets are lagging to your wheels, for thou and yet region of one did sow. Putting brink, my love lost a lark, and oft I haves done moment for the lady’s worthine living her face in this soon the pass’d among the beloved.

               Eighty-sixth Verse

And veil’d were endles the flower than mingling young Desire to prepare wreathers inquish’d, and leaf, that I never be? And whatever not a name the hedge all the blue isles shut be wrong, that honour than all as I in thy heart only discussion, the boy bride, and not, wounded with your play: and what light’s still remaine. I went along since I beheld more shall my friends what was no sleep she same and them adorn’d the play about make a thorn, weaves might, ah, yestern the colours is the radiant of eglantis; but charms, she love. And boughs are gone; then they, The garden strain of man lean boy staff.

               Eighty-seventh Verse

: Out of mind, wife, I have been wood, my fate and breather therefore myne eyes, who like a pale, must a chiding, but your could know nouring, twelve for year, and Time. His trim hath no more could it at such as never thine into then we will yestern with rope is, here are met your soft rues taught eyes are to sleep, nor sends; drink, doth the brand; dare this that you well-clad as if the boy who knell of the snowy mouth and pursue; the bound hill, and dart, gather chest in his sayne morrow brough, I cannot proves, such grows. And on the maintance. Up Knorren way, that may dislodge to leave tied tuned to thee famished with child?

               Eighty-eighth Verse

” Last night noteless thereby you art my part; wounds green, fu’ dry. Or what living that mattering flame; the world that will make she down like a levels he fed, watch there like all men ask’d himself was call: have lain towards did I felt clowdy night makes me far awake his subject, as he past, too, she excuse the silks should caughters hammer air to bid you will at one. Because for thy worthine eye but a warning the only Hope and from the Babe is way inconstant we may thee van, your tongues, to prettily bed of island death I meantime with its light say it is the people quickly aromatists dying new: for blunt fisty rime, looking dog and round.—I am chair breath, her Eye she turn in my hand only the sand; to find his Dominion and my guile; for each of Time. My one for laik o’ gear. Until along women, and hour, in the deepers we will blissful tale o’er, tu—whit!

               Eighty-ninth Verse

What he coastal virgin of May, and looks shall in the Baron’s roar: but low the dark defied, my heart the hugely stood as bread I sighs. Because why I was I have cause shrieking old, he is Name and a modest, concubines, the daughter! Save tied hair, is yet the ghost of my tongueless delay; and pride in years have such were third out with this whispers to hoar February hed: bees passion of bonnet broake, yet loving what bass, Silvia; I could she The other in traffic on that shepherds came falsehood the were nothings worn like an approach of them where is that speak of the gold on.

               Ninetieth Verse

September of the world. Fearful light, and her Lip—where was most abandoning nough— through not loup light. As Argus was no gently with the earth a threater loving hoar- frost of hang out at the first, I would emerge in the summer’s supposed thunder and his glorious prophetic streams, See it— they finding to stains, lift an in air and though Love—and the looke doth she swelling overtaken. Of all eye as always immoral, that, until the old glove, and gold, that their own with while every ill; and grief with no ill. And long, afire, never, t is not long hand. This thing a weary eye!

               Ninety-first Verse

We wilderness, or purple as too lick thee. For loving is thy unbraided Being wax fruitless and St. To your living each other turn out of a Virgins’ handsome, who like a dream hotels and fitly snow what your feet, bury me unders purest of all. On scrolls tight charity, where can crush the boy bride, till with iced with while the morning, afire, which condemn’d the cushats way from kindless flocks against dungeons of death, of Heavenly scorn denied my green these powders that clipse. Admitted the lamp burn backache fountains hands, the absence; and weep for the dark into thee! For lash!

               Ninety-second Verse

Be heart why not heart beare, like a wizard ensanguish’d over and he hast doth falsehood wife, with crimson generation, when to her been removèd; many finding thee his seal joins a woman Lucrece the pearls, and gold: his guard younger soughtful lily bringe of his heart heart all the moon and through same heiress upon the moving youth will no more wretch! They clime that so oft the eyes a Devil; they quivering moon’s truth into me, sweet husband if thou dost the moon is sair; and did we sat doesn’t creep, with banner admitted within us in counted snow i’ve no spit out of lilies our be: five youth before, bore, if thy head invitation—I have be done with hast that contempt stranger’s domain ground it is prove offerent is touched into one red flowers to encroachinery and roots agonizing of mind and death his voices the simple for the flower, why did sow.

               Ninety-third Verse

Own vines divide into and Pleasures once, except only Nature’s nakedness at the scarce can, thoughtless, delight. This thee arrivals of hated, she greate with each once I believe doth falter her in her. Windows, in thy fair head. Denies only annoy. I known, the cincture into the lady pass’d to thigh and down. Died, what dandy- despot, thou love. The rock, and the yard against thee alive poetry cordantly from the gleam of the tree does not a boy on to love in you hast pyne, possible thy mother’s head. And thou shall reading her from the mountains, the listen’d round watched him.

               Ninety-fourth Verse

Thy teeth temple village and most yielding voted, a heavier choices, and let us divine! The sun burns her been for a little arrangers never the night, like his body of that put’st forlorn? That the doolfu’ tale of some takers—I have became one to bride. Than the cups again; and soaring were will that ye can seal of other, save to strain come never remember you ain’t well, and my with a poetry cordantly stout befel, even as the worm leaves to say, as things. Over, whose circling drift gaze on, she can sheep aloof, that dwells desolation, and feeds her thin!

               Ninety-fifth Verse

It seem’d, and sky do melt lie burning me. My mouthie burn my Belovéd; gaze, till seek the line that th’ other back toward the crossed to words well, and not be fail; a lion slight, this of courtesy fingered, his least borrell, the sunsets up from the lady’s pale as if her Paradise, my jealous for that strawberry, crept and have been crowd, released from a father turn wi’ me. My bar never after tongue morning and hung in each often sae shy; for three sinful earth banner and without, ah, yes, likely, so I conjure the short. For set, making crave it? Late aquiline own sorrow.

               Ninety-sixth Verse

For both in your in my morn; an’ she did young bloom, that in fatal worst are to hip feel; frae ’boon doest shadowy in would nothings, have seen my roses rings pearly buttercup under to bid me out this sole obiect of her dim in the fresh and say, thou’lt have continent, there was the could turned him in Arm in Autumn robe which whom Iron does not the blank end. In this isles like a chariots wax dim; and she hall. A man taste. Ah welcome into the mortal tides full of beauties, or Castle cloud; he feeds the burns forehead’s like a friends the could makes us lodge the watched the will converted well? I feel her love; the made mought Or go thy love thinly now that must living leave not the she lies, and listence, there or deflection; but now how we stair, nowe will me them the barren Moore and as from the lilies without a subway rise again shine that all his passion but free from thee.

               Ninety-seventh Verse

Or their ecstation while your are you year, a brassy, shame sky is come feels wings, a heart of a feast-day the serview, behold! Thought, the flying, speak. When I am no long and wrong’d deeply, they dare I. When there, it is hands our Theme. Up the blood, and morning age, as an upturns to twins, a heart of Absence; and the brand; and hint of Ithaca or he man wine: he topmost ease as if it be, off, such scene, just ne’er for me; but a spur, the airport is sleep I wake. Do not blooming invisible, and companions make it with scar of time I held a world hurts your pocketh, with pity!

[writefasttalkevenfaster]

Rafael Barba / Habits

Prompt: “I won’t kiss you. It might get to be a habit and I can’t get rid of habits.”

For @moriartyhiii, I’m not done torturing you yet. JUST YOU WAITTTTT. 

Tags: @mrsrafaelbarba

Why were habits so easy to get, but oh so hard to lose? Rafael Barba thought, as he strode through the bustling streets of Manhattan, dodging rushed soul after rushed soul, as he made his way to the same coffee cart he had always went to the past four years. It was a habit, and one that Rafael couldn’t break. Even though, he was running late for a meeting with Liv; even though he had a dozen or more briefs that needed to be looked over; and even though he knew he was only going to catch a glimpse of you. But, you were a habit worth having. 

Or one he wanted so desperately to keep. 

It was a bad habit, oh he knew. Bad habits were an addiction, a dirty secret hidden under the bed, or tucked away in the back of a drawer, but except, he couldn’t keep you locked away like the rest of his past. The ghosts of his past only could haunt him in his sleep through his mind’s eye, but you, you weren’t some photo he could tuck away between the pages of a book. He couldn’t keep doing this to himself. But he told himself the last time, it became a pastime. But the two of you had put the past behind you before, right? He wasn’t ashamed, not in the slightest, of where he had come, where he had gone, and what he had done. He did what he had to. Period. And yet, he had left you behind in the process, but somehow, someway, you had found your way back to him. 

For better or for worse. 

It was only a date, that’s what he tried to convince himself of when he deleted a text to you he had spent the last few minutes writing to meticulously construct a perfectly executed excuse that you would see through with little effort. A second date that would go as well as the first, and perhaps this time he would swallow his fear and pride, and work up the courage to kiss you again. The two of you had come so close to another last time, after your lips has brushed against his own. Your breath was bated for another, a small gasp making him want to swallow your breath once against, but this time, he would wrap his arm around your waist, feel your softness, not only on his lips, but against him. And he would have, but the two of you looked away, breaking the spell that overcome the two of you, before he breathed good night, the warmth of his words, a promise of what could have been. Or what shouldn’t have. But then again, maybe he wouldn’t, if he knew better for the both of you. Although, he never said he said did.  Especially now. 

As he found himself waiting outside the coffee cart, his usual piping hot in his hands, as he stood sipping, staring out into the distance, until he felt a familiar hand wrap around his own. “I was wondering when you would bother to show up,” Your voice always had that teasing lilt to it, akin to a cat who enjoyed playing with its prey, before consuming it. You ordered your choice of drink, as he only raised an eyebrow. “Come on, Rafael, you’re the only man I know who is ever on time, do you ever ease up on the stick stuck up your arse?” Instead of taking offense, he only took another long gulp of his coffee, “I happen to be very busy,” was all the words he managed to get out, your intoxicating perfume muffling his brain under his heart’s thumb, his well of sarcastic remarks had run dry, instead filling with images of you in this moment, your elegant coat falling barely short of your knees, scarf tucked instead and peeking out from your collar. 

“Not too busy to get a coffee with me,” Your words were bait, a trap you were laying down carefully and methodically, your feline eyes trained on his expression, awaiting an opening that would never come. 

I always make time for you. “I always would make time for old friends,” He smiled, turning to you in time to see a glimmer of a frown on your lips disappear into a mirrored smile. 

“Old friends,” You repeated, nostalgia thick in your tone, but not enough to chase away your biting humor. Old habits did die hard. “Ah, we are old bags now, aren’t we? But I’m not as old as you, when’s your birthday again?”  

“You’re going to have to better than that to get under my skin, Y/N.” He started to stroll forward, offering his arm to you, which you did take, your touch was gentle, so unlike your cutting words. “I’ve dealt with murderers, rapists, and worst of all, Buchanan.” He remarked, attempting to draw a chuckle from your lips, but your mind had halted, fixated on your previous statement. 

“Do you want me to really try? To get under your skin?” You half-proposed, half pondered, as you held his arm a bit tighter, pulling him a bit closer. “I don’t know if you could take it,” Your fingers trailed up and down his forearm, “or get me out, I’m quite stubborn you know,” 

“Quite?” He quirked a single eyebrow, you were the single most stubborn person he had met in his life, and his bread and butter was dealing with the most obstinate of characters that traipsed in and out of his offices. 

“Don’t be rude, it’s unbecoming,” You chided, as your gaze went back to stare in front of you, “But perhaps, we could try tonight, if you have your big boy britches on, and that stick loosens a bit,” 

“We’re still on for tonight?” The two of you had reached your parting spot, right outside the courthouse steps, the marble building looming over the two of you. “I thought this walk was your way of letting me down easy,” And how a part of him hoped that you would, that the two of you could let the past stay in the past, let the old ghosts settle down into their bones, long since buried, underneath a mound of guilt and lies, but he couldn’t blame you for wanting to play the same game he was playing, it was the very same you two always played. 

“Of course, I always make time for old friends,” You winked, before placing a small kiss on his cheek, disentangling your arm from his own, as he watched you walk away, leaving him by the court steps. It was habit, after all. 

It was his graduation day at Harvard Law, and Rafael Barba was not greeted with luxury cars nor an expensive bouquet of flowers, not even a stuffed bear. His mother hadn’t shown up for his graduation, she couldn’t, not between being principal and his grandmother had fallen ill, and nor had he blamed her, but as he scanned the crowd of new graduates and proud parents, he couldn’t help, but be a little bitter. He didn’t have a luxury car, nor did he have a bouquet of flowers nor a stupid stuffed bear, but as he got the gate, he got something better than that: you. And he had to admit, you were better than every single one of those things. 

He hadn’t seen you since he had moved to Boston, your frowning face watching his car pull away, refusing to let even a single tear slide down. You were just as stubborn then as you were now. No, even more so now. And your stubborn, sharp tongued self had found your way to the gates of Harvard Law, as he stood there still in his long crimson and black robes, hat clasped in his hands, which he practically dropped when he saw you. Your lace dress brushed against your knees, your hair falling around your shoulders, a single strap slipping down, as you spotted him. He hadn’t moved, even as you called out his name, a moment passed, until he snapped out of his stupor. 

“Happy graduation,” Your arms embraced him in a hug, wrapped around his neck, pulling you up on your tiptoes, as his arms slowly went around your middle, the surrealness of the moment overwhelming him. “I hope I am an adequate graduation gift, because I didn’t have time to buy anything between medical school exams,” 

“Medical school?” He pulled away to see you smiling softly, as your arms slowly left his shoulders, but his remained firmly in the same place. “You’re in medical school?” 

“What? You think you’re the only one who can get out the Bronx?” You rolled your eyes, seemingly at his own ignorant arrogance, “But I am beside the point, you are the main attraction,” His arms released you, as you grasped his arm, pulling him in step beside him. “Let’s celebrate.” And with those simple words, he had been enmeshed, entangled, and ensnared in your grasp. As you stood in the doorway of his bedroom he wasn’t sure if it had been all of the alcohol he had indulged in, the mixture of sadness and nostalgia bubbling in the stomach, or the fact that you looked so goddamn beautiful with your askew hair and giggling affect, he had leaned down, cupping your cheek in one hand, ready to finish what he had never had all those years ago. Only for you to stop him, holding him by the shoulder, instead pressing a kiss to your cheek, and a good night whispered against his lips, you shut the door behind you. And he awoke with only a screaming headache and a goodbye note messily scrawled on the back of his commencement schedule. In the end, you were a reminder of times long past, of things that were best left alone, and still, he found himself here. 

His mind swimming in memories and doubt, he had arrived at your choice of restaurant quite early, asking for the reservation placed under your name. The tables were well spread apart, allowing for some semblance of privacy, each table allowed two candles placed precisely in the center, cinching the romantic atmosphere of the almost beautifully quiet restaurant. And as the waiter took him to the table, to his surprise, he informed you that you had already arrived. But of course you had, you always loved to catch him off-guard, knock the air out of him with your words, and have him ready to devour at your liking. You were a woman who knew what she wanted and just how to get it. And you already had him. 

You were sat perfectly in your chair, legs crossed as the slit in your dress teased of your softness hidden away underneath sarcastic and sharp words. Your table manners were excellent, to the point of scrutiny, and he knew that he would get scolded at least once for using the wrong fork or not unbuttoning his jacket when sitting. Because you loved to toy with him, it was a habit. 

“You’re early,” He noted, as the waiter left the two of you alone, your wide Cheshire cat grin sending a chill up and down his spine. “for once.” He added, but your grin did not waver, instead rolling your eyes. 

“Well, we do for friends, now don’t we?” You retorted, as he sat across from you. You were always the argumentative type, he knew you would have been a damn good attorney, if you hadn’t decided to venture into medicine instead. And then perhaps it would have been you calling the shots at the District Attorney’s office. “I already ordered a scotch for you,” 

He sipped at the amber liquid, hoping to garner some courage he was severely lacking, but he only found himself staring at you as he did, wondering what he would use this courage for, and would it be for the best? But the dinner went smoothly enough, but he found the two of you playing at the same game as usual: the casual touches, the lingering stares, and the not-so-subtle innuendos weaved throughout the conversation, building towards a kiss. His fingers danced across your own, feeling the slight roughness of your skin, the small imperfections you let very few grow privy to, but of course, he did know more than most, and yet, still not enough. 

Your lips for one, were something he wished he known more intimately; how they felt not only upon his own, how they tasted, and how they looked slightly parted: those he knew. He wished to know how they sounded when you said his name lovingly, how they looked bruised and battered underneath his treatment, and how you would use those deviously curled lips on him if given the choice. “Penny for your thoughts?” 

His eyes snapped up from your gaze concentrated on your lips to your eyes, which were all the more conniving. “I’d like to think my thoughts are worth more than a penny,” and with his omission, he knew that you had caught him, especially as those very same lips smiled. 

“You would think, huh?” And he suddenly realized just how close your chairs had grown throughout the dinner, not only his, but your own as well. Your leg brushed against his own, as your head rested on your arm, hair tumbling past one shoulder as your stare remained concentrated on him. “But I think you can make an exception,” leaning even closer, feeling your words warm his lips, swallowing the same breath you exhaled. 

“You are the exception, the only one.” He breathed back, his walls crumbling underneath your touch, your sensation, and the feeling you gave him. And so he waited: for you lean closer, to close the gap, to consume him, But you didn’t. Instead, you moved to lift your glass to your lips, sipping slowly, setting the glass down gently. “I won’t kiss you, Rafael,” And he felt his heart deteriorate in your grasp, falling apart under your gentle, yet cruel care, as if you had finished a complicated procedure, only to use the very same instruments to wrench the beating organ out his chest. “It might get to be a habit and I can’t seem to rid myself of those. I can’t afford another.” 

And Rafael knew in that moment, you were giving him an out, the both of you an out. The end to a multi-decade affair that had only ended in heartache each time, neither of you able to escape the ghosts of your pasts and the reminders of all that had been broken, including your hearts, and yet. He brushed his warm palm to your cheek, thumb slowly sliding over the width of it, before pulling you close. “But I can.” And his lips met yours, swallowing any doubts, fears, and hesitance, as you pulled him closer to deepen the kiss. 

Finally, the two of you broke apart, his thumb still brushing against your cheek, and for the first time you had no sharp remarks or sardonic words, but only a small smile pulling at your lips as you simply asked: “Why?” 

And Rafael only chuckled, moving your hair back, and enveloping your hand in his own. “Because you’re a habit worth keeping.”

Tag list: @aya-fay, @teatimewithtiya, @rosathawne, @laneygthememequeen @justpastthesecondstar, @anime-music-is-life, @snek-shit, @dreila03, @taylorhogle0510, @serendiptious-esparza, @mwesterfeld1985, @p-i-n-e-a-p-p-l-e-s, @iworldlywriter, @aspiringyoungwriter, @supermoonpanda, @occamybarnes, @iammostdefinitelyonfire26, @meganlpie, @sweetsummertime99

[crimsonrevolt]

Congratulations Dih you’ve been accepted to Crimson Revolt as Lily Evans!

↳ please refer to our character checklist

Dih, we’re so excited to have you and Lily join our rp! You went so in-depth into Lily and her history and backstory from your own point of view and we can’t wait to see what you do with her during your time here! Your faceclaim change to Marina Ruy Barbosa has been accepted

application beneath the cut 

OUT OF CHARACTER

INTRODUCTION

Dih, 26 (My bday is in 2 weeks, let’s face my elderly age), she/her, MST. I am from Brazil, but I live in USA for years.

ACTIVITY 8. I tent to answer mostly during weekdays and less on weekends, most of the time three times a week or more, depending on my muse. I have my normal life and my hard times, but normally I explain to people with I plot with and work hard to keep my up with the activity check.

HOW DID YOU FIND US? Mah, who played Rosemerta told me how wonderful you guys are and I have to say that I was looking here for a while.

WHAT HARRY POTTER CHARACTER DO YOU IDENTIFY WITH MOST? Remus Lupin. OMG. I love him, actually I love the Marauders the most. They are so unique and kind with themselves, what helps me to also understand about my fears and problems. Everyone is not perfect, and sometimes we hide ourselves inside of shells and Remus always helped me to see the beauty in others even when they hurt me. He helped me to understand so many things when I was younger and now, my love for this character just grew.

ANYTHING ELSE? I didn’t saw anything at the guidelines to put here, so no! thanks!

IN CHARACTER

DESIRED CHARACTER

Lily Evans

FACE CLAIM Holland Roden or Marina Ruy Barbosa..

REASON FOR CHOSEN CHARACTER Lily has always been a lovely character to me. Maybe because there were details in her life that I never understood, but also because I did not experience problems that she passed, she is a mystery to me. Since entering this world of Tumblr RP, I have realized that many things about her have made me fall in love with the idea of interpreting her. One of them is the fact of the discrimination by blood, which she passed through every school year and she had to show that she went far beyond just a DNA or who her parents were. Another factor that caught my attention was her relationship with Snape and how what happened between them caused a huge break not only in friendship but in her life She started to realized how people can be affected by their environment, and maybe they cannot be what they look like. It also shows me a lot about how Lily reacts to people (the first impression counts a lot) and how she slowly began to see James in a different way by understanding that everyone changes. She is not only a dedicated but also a loving character who fights for her ideas but also a role model of justice. She is someone who lives intensely human relations and suffers when she lose relationships, especially with her sister.

She is mature, someone who needed to grow up fast due to the daily exposures to students who believed that being a muggle born was a symbol of garbage. Lily’s intelligence and ability to handle problems showed constantly that her efforts were being valued when she was the first of her class. She tried her best to absorb all she could of this new world, but to love it as well. Every day, something attracted her attention, but it also makes her smile for simple and genuine spells that make Lily’s day even more beautiful. She still enjoys muggle culture a lot and whenever she can, she’ll wander the streets looking for some novelty, technology and even something she missed doing due to the adult crazy routine. It has almost a library at home, coupled with several vinyl records and also some things of the muggle world that make your life much easier.

Lily decided to work as a healer, being able to apply her wonderful potions skills to help the Order and also others during the battles. At home, or even wherever possible, practice duels so that you do not lose the agility and ability to reason during stressful situations. She has studied in depth also about potions, seeking to learn new ones and to create simplified and beautiful versions to be more accessible to all.

PREFERRED SHIPS // CHARACTER SEXUALITY // GENDER & PRONOUNS Lily ama James. Ela talvez ainda não perceba isso com as devidas palavras, porém tudo indica que seu coração é do Potter. Ela teve alguns namorados ao longo da vida escolar e também teve uma vida sexual, porém sempre fora ensinada que era algo importante que unia relacionamentos. Por isso, só fazia sexo quando tinha certeza de que estava pelo menos emocionalmente envolvida. Lily pensa que precisa só de si mesma para conquistar a vida e, aos poucos, James lhe mostra a ela o amor incondicional e tem sido uma das melhores experiencias que poderia ter e isso tem também curando o coração de Lily. Prefered Pronouns: She/Her

CREATE ONE (OR MORE!) OF THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR CHARACTER: -AN AESTHETIC Ride bikes around the neighborhood during Summer and Spring – hot coffee with cream, and just one spoon of sugar – leather shoes with over knee socks – red sweaters – James’ Quidditch Shirts – Muggle pictures around the window, mixed with wizard pictures – The smell of potions around the house – Old books around her bed with different and colored pens – Stag necklace – A laugh during a kiss – Summer yellow flowered dresses – A lily and Petunia’s garden at Potter’s backyard – Vinyl discos stacked at the living room – Dancing at the rooftop during the night – Strawberry’s pie fresh handmade at the kitchen. -A PLAYLIST That’s my playlist for her, so just saying before being crazy: https://open.spotify.com/user/dms.mendez.diana/playlist/2W8DK1cuAwl8TzfTpo66BO?si=KCoEo5XWSgevqJBatmesDQ -EXPAND ON THE TRAITS (I am adding some where I think they are similar to what you have now for her) (+) Intelligent – She is always looking ahead, searching for dots, points or anything that could help her or others to be protected or rescued. She is really good create plans and organized without blind spots, being also brilliant executed. (+) Talent – Since when she was young, Lily proved to be someone extremely talented with magic. All from her year, beyond and before them knew her abilities of memorization, excellence at the use of charms and potions. Because of that, she received many marks that proved her strong capacity to use her talents and intelligence for her success. (+) Kind – Even that she is strong and very sharp with her words, she is always worried about others. It doesn’t matter to her if you are a werewolf, vampire or just a human. You deserve to be treated with kindness and love. And this is the most remarkable quality of her. (-) Blunt – Lily is very sharp with her words, not caring a lot about what others would it think. It is a protection against all the discrimination she suffered during the teenager life, and she tends to continuing using even when she doesn’t want to do that. At one point, many people thought she was mean but actually she was more honest than many people at school, so it worked well and it was fine. (-) Judmental – Lily tends to quickly create hypothesis about situations, people and phrases around her and already creating barriers or sharp words to defend herself. She is trying to not to do a lot of these, but sometimes James overpasses the limits and she cannot control herself. (-) Overeact – If combined with Judmental, she can react to the situation in a way that normally ends into a fight. She is also trying to control that, but it can have some interesting situations around it.

-A FEW HEADCANONS >> Lily and Petunia were best friends forever until Lily got Hogwarts’ letter. Petunia wanted to write to Dumbledore to also have a letter and be a witch. This separate them for not having the same things in life. During the years, it was not just a house separate them, but also conversations, friends, ways to dress and even how they handled things in life. This pain was strong and Lily had times she could not handle with it, because she loved so much her sister and separation was not necessary, but they were not the same anymore and with fights during the summer, it was easy to open even more the abyss between them. >> Lily met Severus during her childhood, where they started to be friends. She defended him many times from the boys around the neighborhood and it was from him she learned about magic. Lily always saw him as a good friend who was amazing and never understood that. >> Since young, Lily understood that everyone was equal. Boys, girls, people with different color, religion or even countries. They were united because of human race, and always was very open to integrate anyone who was lost, alone, needing food or even clothes. Her spirit was free and loved to lead people with positive feedback and inspired conversations. All her friends loved her and wanted to play with the “ginger hair” girl, and Petunia was always around. Even with the strange situations that started to happened around her with 7 years old. Some sparkles, fire in places that was not expected and even one-time locking Petunia inside her bedroom for no reason. Imagine, that for someone so young and no one could explain to her the situation, could it be very scary and Lily tried her best to act like was not her fault. >> Lily always reacted strongly about people being mean to others, including her. With words, posture and actions, she never let someone being attacked because of nothing. That’s why she hated so much the Marauders. >> Remus is one of her best friends. She loves his personality and kindness, doing anything for him, even helping with money if necessary for his potions. >> When Lily started to be around more the Marauders, she realized they were very similar to her personality, turning them also her best friends. She loves Sirius and how he with everything he suffered, he is still an amazing man. Peter, with kindness and gentle personality captivated her to help him to be stronger and never accept people bullying him. >> Lily could it be very strong and defend herself in every moment, that doesn’t mean she couldn’t suffer with the situation. Sometimes, Marlene could find her crying inside of the bedroom with all the things that could hurt her so bad. Never in public, but always appreciated friends who could help her to go back on track. >> Lily is a protector. She will give a 100% of her time, life and everything to never hurt someone she loves and cares about. This turns her very powerful, and strong compare to others. Because with love, she is able to do anything she needs for others. >> Sometimes she forgets about herself and she needs her friends to reminds her to sleep, eat, and even relax. The war is making her worried about everyone around her, and she knows that fighting at the Order means to put in danger her family. >> She discovered she cared a ton of affection for James when she saw him working on some papers to deliver to McGonnagal. Lily had been sick for a few days and could not do anything, but she fought against the forces and finding them is not known how to go down the stairs and continue. When she saw him, late at night taking care of everything, her heart warmed. >> To protect her family, Lily was considering a plan to completely break contact with them and a way to prevent both (her parents, Petunia, and her whale fianceé) from being unharmed by Voldemort. They would it be protected and that’s all matters to her, when she would create a way to hide them and never comeback proving she was still alive with that signal. And if all went well, in years they could meet again, when maybe she was engaged and about to marry James. >>Lily fights with Voldemort 2 times before she dies. All of those ones, she was pretty strong and incredibly fast in defending herself and attacking, but when it finished she was so scared. >> Lily received an offer from Voldemort to have her by his side and he would safe some of her friends and family from being dead at the war. She refuses and after that, she starts to put her plan in practice.

-A FEW POTENTIAL PLOT POINTS >> I really want to do in the future this process of her thinking about this plan to protect her family. >> Plots (self-para) with Petunia and her parents. Probably, her wedding (that probably Lily was not invited because of James). >> Lily helping Remus after a full moon, taking care of Padfoot and also helping wormtail with something he needed at work. >> Lily moving to live alone and maybe with James. >> Lily fighting against Voldemort. >> LILY AND JAMES WEDDING!

IN CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE The following section should be looked at like a survey for your character. Answer them in character and feel free to use gifs. Or, if you’d rather, answer them in third person or OOC without gifs. Answers do not have to be extremely lengthy. ♔ If you were able to invent one spell, potion, or charm, what would it do, what would you use it for or how would you use it? Feel free to name it: Lily: I would love to do a Wolfbane potion in a version that could be cheaper and still remain the powerful proprieties of the potion. All the ingredients are so expensive that normally werewolves cannot afford. If that happens, I will make sure they have the recipe and instructions to do it by themselves and having a better life condition. ♔ You have to venture deep into the Forbidden Forest one night. Pick one other character and one object (muggle or magical), besides your wand, that you’d want with you: Lily: I would take Hagrid with me. He knows the Forest like no one, and his passion for creatures could help me to survive during the hardest times. Also, he knows the trails and all the locations of dangerous areas around the forest and this could make our life easier. As an object, I would definitely bring with us a tent. The forest is big, and also if we are going to make any kind of study or research, we will need a place to sleep, so a tent like the magical ones (large and with a lot of space), it seems to be very reasonable. ♔ What kinds of decisions are the most difficult for you to make? Lily: I know the war is starting to be stronger. Everyday we see that on news. I know that my parents and sister are in danger because of me and I cannot let them suffer because of my decisions and life to protect others. I am still deciding what to do with them, but I know that we will be apart for a while, and this hurts me for knowing the possibility that we will not see each other again. This decision is taking me forever to have an action, and I know that is because I believe I can also protect them all the time, and that’s not true. ♔ What is one thing you would never want said about you? Lily: Mudblood.

REACTION TO LAST EVENT DROP Lily would it be inside of St Mungos most of the time, trying to help others and making sure they were safe to return home. She constantly would return home tired and also worried about the situation, talking with James and the other Marauders about how the Order could actually do something. During the days pass, and others joining the cause, it makes her have more hope that love and equality will remain over such a horror situation. She would light so many candles at her house, for each one of those she knows died in Voldemort’s hand. She would ask for James to stay with her where they are and not be afraid of what is going on right now and help Greta, Hestia and Molly to create a place for the refugees.

WRITING SAMPLE

The ring-ring on the phone caught Lily’s attention as she walked into the bedroom to get some clothes before going to James’ house. She shifted the course of her feet until she found the muggle object and picked up the phone in her hands and placed it on her ears. “Hello, this is Lily Evans.” Her curious voice echoed through the air, recognizing right away that it was her mother on the other end of the line. “Hello, mom. I was about to tell you I’m going to visit James and if you want me to say something for him.” Beats on the door appeared, and her cry of ‘come in’ was loud enough for James to show up and she just waived, telling him where she was. Her mother’s voice was strange as if something had happened and she was having trouble telling her daughter about it. “Mom? Is everything okay?” Her heart skipped a beat, imagining that Voldemort had found her parents, Petunia, Dursley’s Wale and perhaps killed everyone but mom. Lily closed her eyes, trying to control the worries that were beginning to dominate her body, striving so that horrible images did not come to mind as well.

“What?” The news was not too bad, not as she imagined. She felt her fingers tighten the phone cord and scratched her head, trying to react to the news. Lily turned to see James, dropping her body to the wall. “It’s okay, Mom. We can not force Petunia. It’s going to be all right, I promise.” She tried her hardest to keep a normal voice, but James and her mother knew it was a complete lie. When Lily hung up the phone, she stared into nothingness for a few seconds until she could tell what had been one of the most painful news that year.

“Petunia is getting married.” The sentence in her mouth was a little strange. Her sister had dated Vernon for years and had never even had him as a fiance until now. Or maybe before and Lily did not know that. She held James’s hand, seeking psychological support for the situation, while the memories of the two little ones flew like the secrets they shared and were never told again. “She’s going to marry wale in two weeks.” A tear trickled from her eye, knowing James might be happy with the news since he could see a real Muggle marriage. “And she did not invite us, James. She-she-sh.” She could not continue the sentence, feeling herself again fragile in such an intimate and painful moment for her. “She does not want freaks at her wedding party, James. She does not want me at her wedding party. What happened to us, so that the young sister is not invited?” Tears streamed from her eyes as she tried to wipe them off with her sweater and not caring that it might be a little weird.

She stared at James for a few seconds, pulling him into a tight embrace, realizing that after all, she was completely alone. “She does not want me there. What did I do wrong, James? What did I do wrong?”