#i mean me too but. for FINNIAN???

[ewitsrin]

nat im worried about you.

being a fan of a friend's ocs is actually so humiliating....... like yes my favourite character rn is tragically doomed and a pillar of humanity who i think is relevant to the current world. you can find information about them on discord dot com and sometimes in late-night conversations with this guy i know. what the fuck

[spyres]

if we do get scorbunny as the fire starter in plza like people are predicting i really hope that the starters get regional variants again instead of megas otherwise it's going to fuck with my bunny family backstory

[timelessxmemories]

Ah! Good evenin’, sir, it’s my pleasure to meet you! I mean a pleasure— Well, it is my pleasure— Wahh, sorry, I’ve messed up already! -Finnian 🌾

Nice to meet you too, Finnian! And don't worry about it, it's alright! I promise! I'm Captain in command, and Chief Surgeon Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce. Long title, but I'm used to introducing myself including my titles, you'll have to excuse me. -Hawkeye Pierce

[azuresins]

The first thing I noticed in the chapter 204 cover art was both Finny's thorns and, the way his hairclips are arranged like Roman Numeral Eleven. (XI)... This is also a reference to Jesus Christ, which. Seemed like Yana wanted us all to know for absolute certain, that this thorn crown is specifically a Christian reference and wants us to really notice, and for us to compare Finny to Jesus. Which is interesting to me, because in the picture Finny is dressed like a vampire... I can't help but wonder, if Christ's resurrection, is meant to enter our mind, too. ...? The dead can't come back to life that we know of in the context of the manga so far, but there are Bizarre Dolls (I forgot no one calls them Weird Barbies except me and I almost typed that and left it in), and there are Death Gods, both of these are beings that were human, once and have died (more or less). We don't know anything about vampires, but now I have to wonder what Yana has in mind for Finny's fate...

Is he... fated to be die, and come back...?... is that too good (or terrible??) to be true...? Finnian is my favorite, and I know I'm actively trying to talk myself out of the hope that he's not just going to die, and thats it. But, still. That seemed a highly specific choice. There's nothing to suggest any human character will be a Grim Reaper definitively and I certainly can't make that claim off of one thing she's drawn, but Finnian in particular, always kind of gave me pause simply because. He's the gardener. He uses garden tools every day. What if that was some kind of foreshadowing, since all the grim reapers in Kuroshitsuji use a variety of garden tools and not just typical scythes ... is it possible? The only others we've seen garden to that degree, are Grelle (...lol) and Sebastian. For a human character we've known for a long time, to undergo that human to death god transformation, in real time? Before our eyes? We haven't seen that, yet. That could be interesting... but would she do that, and would she choose someone like Finnian (or any of the other servants) for that part? I don't know, but. I am looking directly at this art and I am suspicious of it. If nothing else, it's scratched my brain. Is it possible fanfic fodder, if nothing else? Yes. I feel like I'm repeating myself a lot, but I stand by that I think Finnian is extremely important and paramount to this story, there's more to him than most think... It's also worth mentioning by contrast, Snake, is dressed as a Hogwarts Wizard, right. Except... Snake, really DOES actually TALK to snakes. In that context, this frames that reference a bit interestingly... because to talk to snakes, would mark someone as a respected, feared, and powerful wizard in the context of the series he's making reference to. Our snake isn't a powerful wizard (I mean, that we know of, we really don't know much about snake yet), but that's not the point I'm trying to make. In that series talking to snakes isn't a good thing, but, it still makes his outfit interesting-- because he can actually do that. Talk to snakes. What does Finny, then, have in common with a vampire with a Jesus complex? "Super human" quality? Abused by humans? Guilt? Unwavering loyalty, to the point of martyrdom? ... is that all? Is there anything else? ???

[edenityy]

( chapter twenty-three ! )

"Young Master, we caught some suspicious-looking guy!"

Bursting through the door, Finnian nearly knocks the wood off its hinges when he and the other Phantomhive servants make a roaring entry. They all have a mild look of unease on their face. But the first thing to catch anyone's attention is the bag tightly clenched in Bardroy's hand.

The sudden intrusion causes a stir among the guests, snapping their heads toward the door. If not for the words that left the servant's mouths, they would be deemed a little too unruly.

Even Ciel himself appears startled, stiffening beside Leah, who instinctively grabbed ahold of his arm. Neither dares to teenager speak a word yet. Only an exchange of eyes is passed between Leah and Anna, an almost knowing glance.

When the chef notices that the mysterious fellow isn't following them, he raises his voice without a second thought. "Come on, get in already!" he demands, his face expressing agitation.

With slow, deliberate steps, a man clad in a suit takes his entrance. He has a tall stature and appears to be on the older side, with a noticeable lack of fat on his cheeks that draws attention to the area and his temples. His hair is black and slicked back, his eyes harsh and unwelcoming, his mouth turned into a frown, and his slightly large nose. However, the most noticeable thing is the rope tied around his waist and restricting his arms.

"Huh?!"

The reactions around the room are somehow both similar and varied.

"Wha- He was real?!" yells Charles in distress. "Where on Earth was he hiding?!"

Ciel's eyes are wide, and he hides as he takes an almost invisible step closer to Leah. "You're.." his voice trails off to silence.

"So you mean.. this is the killer?!" sweat drips down Woodley's face, equally as shocked as Charles.

Unlike the others, Lau lives up to his reputation and merely smirks. "To think the fifteenth guest would show up this soon. Even I am a little surprised."

He rises from his seat. If Lau wasn't so nonchalant, everyone would be holding their breaths. Instead, he is just watched in mild curiosity as he stops beside the man and places a hand on his shoulder.

"So, who're you again?" asks Lau, a semi-smile on his face.

Before the young Earl can have a chance to protest against Lau's behavior, the man speaks up. "My name?" he smirks, rainwater dripping down his face.

Ciel's eyes darken, listening to the thunder outside the window. His fiancé can sense his small shift in demeanor but doesn't mention anything. He's always been a sense of mystery to her, no use in questioning when she won't get an answer.

"It's been a while, Jeremy," he doesn't offer a smile and keeps his hands stuffed at his side.

Lau almost appears surprised. "Earl, is this old guy a friend of yours?" his word choice earns a cocked brow.

"Y..yeah," says Ciel, sounding hesitant and making his way over to the man, ignoring Leah's irritated pout. "This man is Father Jeremy Rathbone. He's a popular advisor to the local church and somewhat of a famous person."

Behind the boy, Jeremy is now smiling kindly. "Please, just call me Jeremy."

The silence of the guests causes a rift in the room, eyeing him warily. It's hard to tell if his smile is genuine or unnerving and fake. That and he's the potential murderer.

"Clearly not famous enough if I don't know him.." Leah mutters dramatically, trying to jab at Jeremy, which almost gets a reaction out of him.

A couple of feet away, Arthur is focusing on the new identity. "A.. father?" his brows knit.

If suspicion isn't a good enough reaction, then surely Woodley causing another scene is.

"Like I'd trust a suspicious-looking guy like you!" he shouts as he points an accusatory finger, flashing the many rings that adorn his hands. "The only one who could have committed the murders of the fifteenth person without an alibi. No matter how you look at it, it has to be this guy!"

Still standing by the window, a grimace crosses Leah's face as she covers her ears with a soft hand. "Indoor voices.." her voice is no more than a mere whisper that coaxes a glance from Ran Mao and Anna.

Flashing a smirk, Jeremy keeps all attention on him. "Actually, your reasoning is utter nonsense, Mister Woodley."

"How do you know my name?!" Woodley yells in distress and aggravation, beads of sweat rolling down his cheeks.

"Looking at your ring, it's actually quite obvious," Jeremy leans in uncomfortably close, his height almost dwarfing Woodley's. "The only place you'd be able to mine a large diamond like that would be South Africa. Furthermore, the only way you'd be able to get the special round brilliant cut this diamond has is with the latest polishing machinery recently developed by the Woodley Company. I've also heard that the London jeweler, Daniel Anderson, has been holding sales talks with women, saying it's a rare item that hasn't really appeared on the market yet," his lips curl. "If you consider that one of the people invited to the Earl's evening party is wearing such a rare ring, it is most likely the director of the Woodley Company. In other words, you, Mister. Am I wrong?"

Leah's hands twitch, the primal urge to groan at the rambling and explanation trying to claw its way out of her throat. She manages to keep herself together, though, forcing a large swallow and training her eyes directly to the floor. 'Don't draw suspicion.' she reminds herself. 'But surely the others find this boring as well? It's the same as Sebastian. Just talking your ear off.'

However, no one else around the young lady seems affected. It appears she may be alone on this one, as she tends to be.

"More importantly, how in the world.." Arthur stops to correct himself. "No, why and since when have you been here?" he rephrases his question, gaining the attention of Jeremy.

"Sheesh, nothing but questions," huffs Jeremy before turning to Bardroy, who still has ahold of his bag. "Hey you, would you mind opening my bag?"

Being no stranger to following orders, Bardroy moves to set the bag down and carefully opens it to reveal its contents. But what is inside causes a stir of surprise in both noises and action, for a sleeping white owl lays peacefully on a cloth with a letter wrapped around its claw.

"Woah!"

"This is Mister Sebastian's owl!"

Meyrin's face contorts in discomfort, eyeing the creature from some feet away. "I—Is it dead?" her voice wavers.

"No," Jeremy responds with a shake of his head, "but since it resisted, I put it to sleep for a while with some medicine. It will wake up soon."

"Wha— Just because it resisted a bit! How cruel!" yells Finnian in exasperation, his face almost darkening.

On the opposite end of the room, Leah's interest is piqued. 'An owl?' She's never seen one up close before. So naturally, as the spoiled girl she is, she immediately takes it upon herself to approach the unconscious animal. 'It's so cute!' There's a noticeable curl on her lips.

"Please look at the letter at its claw."

The words don't register to Leah's ears until she feels two bodies beside her, noticing Ciel on her left and Jeremy on her right. She can't help but shift uncomfortably and subtly scoot closer to her fiancé's side, eyeing up the intruder. The action could go on for days, but Leah decides to focus on the letter in Ciel's hand, pushing her head close to his, causing their hair to brush together.

"Young Master! What did Mr. Sebastian say?!" asks Meyrin, her hands clasped by the sound of Ciel's silence.

He shuts his eyes, both in thought and in an attempt to stop a faint flush from working its way onto his cheeks at the feeling of Leah so close. "It seems that he anticipated that he would be killed and sent a letter to Jeremy," Ciel crumples the paper tightly in his hand before shoving it in his pocket, slightly upsetting Leah, who didn't get to finish reading.

"Oh my.. Mr. Sebastian.." Meyrin's voice is low as it trembles, her hands brought closer to her mouth.

Leah, lacking the empathy she typically does, stands with the owl nestled between her arms, cradling the creature as if it were a baby. There appears to be a content look on her face, finding the image of a sleeping owl adorable.

Some people aren't so happy, though, like Grimsby. "But you can't prove he isn't the killer with just a piece of paper! If he came from outside, he could just as well have committed last night's murder!" he protests.

"Actually, I have a simple solution to your lack of evidence," counters Jeremy with an aloof expression. "In my coat pocket."

Being the closest to the man, Finnian is the one to shove a hand deep within the pockets, pulling out a crumpled item. "A ticket.. is it? For a play.." his voice is filled with confusion and wonder.

"What's the date?" asks Ciel, his gaze half focused on his betrothed holding an owl.

"Yesterday.. It's for the evening show on March nineteenth. The place and program are um.. the.." Finnian's voice trails as he struggles to sound out the letters and words. "The Lady of the Lake at the Lyceum Theatre!" It takes him a moment, but he succeeds.

Irene chimes in, finally breaking her silence. "The Lady of the Lake is indeed playing at the Lyceum Theatre at the moment."

"Indeed, I went to the Lyceum Theatre in London last night," Jeremy nods and lowers his head. "The play ended at ten p.m. Even if I took Hansom cab and threw him a sovereign, it would still take over two hours to get here. Furthermore, in this rain, the road would become so muddy it'd take at least twice as long as usual," he explains.

Hardly paying attention to the conversation at hand, Leah runs a hand over the owl's soft feathers. They feel nice between her fingers, tickling the skin and drawing a faint giggle. She should certainly be more concerned with the situation at hand, though.

But when has she ever?

With raised brows, Irene speaks up once again. "A Hansom cab in this rain?" she questions.

"In this rain, the river along the road would be flooded, there's no way you'd get over the bridge in a horse-drawn carriage!" says Bardroy, eyes flickering to the window where the rain pours down against it.

"Of course, there are countless ways of getting here. Walking or swimming.. Though those aren't really ways I'd recommend for normal human beings," a smirk is evident on Jeremy's face, water still dripping down his hair. "There are always as many ways of getting to a result as one can count the stars. But there is only one truth."

Leah's attention is now drawn. The attention is not good, though. She can only shift in discomfort, trying not to tighten her grip around the owl and potentially harm the creature. 'Normal human being..?' her thoughts can't help but trail to Sebastian or Thomas. Two people she would prefer not to think about.

Her fiancé notices this change in her demeanor, lowering his head to take a look at her face. Ciel can see the unease written all over. As much as he would like to attempt to comfort her, he can't afford to get distracted in his very moment. So, instead, he pushes the thought to the back of his mind for later.

"In other words, you mean that you cannot be involved in the killings because you were in London last night.." Arthur butts in. "Am I right?"

Jeremy nods in approval. "As expected of a master novelist, thank you for speeding up the conversation."

"Huh?!"

"You can find out a lot about people's jobs and the like from examining their looks and habits, you know," Jeremy gets close to Arthur's face, just as he had done with Woodley.

Uninterested, Leah places the owl down with a slight reluctance. As much as she would like to hold the thing forever, it would wake up eventually. And who knows, perhaps it would claw her face off due to not recognizing her.

Shuffling back over to Ciel, she stands close and keeps her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't like that man.. he is strange," she bites her lip.

"He is not a bad man," Ciel shakes his head. "He just acts odd sometimes. If you can be comfortable with Lau, surely you can grow to not want to claw this one's face off?"

Leah's face shows uncertainty, but she doesn't dare protest anymore. She can't find it in her and wants to try and trust Ciel's judgment more.

"Well, now that your doubts should have been lifted, would you mind getting this rope off of me?" Jeremy cocks a brow, drawing attention to his arms that are still bound. "It seems that the air around this mansion is heavy with the smell of a crime that will rid me of my boredom."

═╬

After unbinding Jeremy's arms, everyone returns to their seats. As much as they would wish, it still isn't calm. Their silence is due to the information of the previous nights being explained, courtesy of Arthur, who is in charge of the investigation.

"That's all that happened from the time of the first murder up until the murder of the butler that called you here," says the wordsmith.

"I see.. That's very interesting," Jeremy thinks over this newfound information, his hands pressed together. "Could I first see the bodies? They will eloquently tell me nothing but the truth."

Some people share glances, but no one else dares speak. If Leah wasn't so tightly pressed against Ran Mao to avoid being any closer to Charles, she would be staring directly at Anna, who is a few feet behind her.

Arthur rises from his seat. "Well then, let's go to the basement wine cellar together."

"Stop!"

"Huh?!"

"I would like you to move each of the bodies to a separate room," says Jeremy, as if this is not an odd request.

A rift and discomfort is caused by this.

Beads of sweat drip down Arthur's cheeks, gazing questionably. "But why?" he asks.

"The scent might be a clue to the crime. If we put the bodies together, their scents will interfere with each other," Jeremy explains as if this is common sense. "Also, the wine cellar will have a particularly strong scent of wine. On that note, can you lend me three rooms, Earl?"

Ciel only offers a shrug and an initial silence. "That would be fine, I guess," he turns to his servants. "You guys, divide the bodies over three rooms."

"Certainly."

With those orders, the Phantomhive servants quickly take their leave to carry out their duties.

Watching them leave, Jeremy makes his way over to the young boy. "Earl, will you allow me to change my clothes in the meantime?"

"Sure.. The clothes of my predecessor might be a little too small. I'll lend you some clothes of the dead butler," Ciel doesn't offer any smile, not bothering with hospitality. "I'll take you there."

Over on the lounge, Leah can't help but shudder. 'Wearing the clothes of a dead person? Seems rather.. weird. Disrespectful even so soon after his death.' Nonetheless, she doesn't let this show.

═╬

It only takes about fifteen minutes for the bodies to be gathered and moved, indicated by the fact that Leah isn't throwing a tantrum from boredom. There are only a few things that the girl hates more than being utterly bored.

As if on cue, Bardroy opens the door just as lighting crackles above the manor. "Young Master, we have finished transferring the bodies."

Ciel only manages a nod, but Jeremy loudly claps his hands together. "Well then! I'd like you to show me the bodies in the order that they were killed," there is a hint of a smirk on his face, lacking discomfort at the thought of dealing with dead bodies.

"We'll start from Lord Siemens then," nods Arthur.

Walking over with a raised arm, Charles inserts himself into the mini-circle. "I'll come along too."

As the men gather themselves, a certain young lady can't help herself from feeling nosy. Well, it's more about combatting her boredom. Murder is off-putting, but that doesn't make the situation any more interesting to sit in unnerving silence.

"I want to go too!" Leah quickly stands from her previously seated position, giving Ran Mao more space to move.

Once again, Ciel can't find it in himself to attempt to argue with her presence. Her involvement doesn't hinder much unless you count her occasional insults. Responding with a sigh from his nose, he simply sets off out of the door and shortly down the hall.

"Over here."

Only some feet away, three doors file down a wall. Each looks similar, but they all contain something different.

"The bodies of Siemens, Phelps, and Sebastian have been placed in order of this side of the hallway," drones Ciel, keeping a hand on Leah's wrist to guide her.

Jeremy nods in approval. "That'll save us some trouble."

Stepping inside the first room, the group glance down at the tarp covering Georg Von Siemens' body. It isn't the first time they've seen it, certainly not, but it doesn't make it any less uncomfortable, at least for Leah. The men around her seem almost unfazed.

This can be seen in how Jeremy mindlessly kneels beside the body and rips the tarp off, immediately beginning his examination. He spares no time to unbutton his coat, staring down at the blood against the white fabric.

"The only external trauma is the wound on his chest. A single stab with a sharp-edged blade, it seems." he holds the coat open, digging inside to retrieve a watch. "He was quite the violent drinker during his lifetime, wasn't he?"

Charles raises a brow. "How do you know?"

"I knew as soon as I saw this," Jeremy turns the watch around for the others to take a look. "This is an expense pocket watch, but the area around the winding keyhole is full of scratches. You'd only do this if you were either a very crude person or drunk, right?" he says as though this is something many would consider.

Leah, off to the side, doesn't look very impressed. As a matter of fact, any good stance with the man continues to dissipate when he starts smelling the air.

"And this strong scent of alcohol is proof that he was gulping down strong liquor up until the moment before this death," with his nose held high, Jeremy continues to sniff.

"What's wrong?" asks Ciel, trying to ignore the incredulous gaze Leah stares at him with.

She tries to stay silent. She does. But watching Jeremy now stuff a handkerchief he borrowed from Arthur deep inside Georg's mouth, a grimace covers her usually soft face.

"This man is weird!" she whispers harshly, though only Ciel and Charles seem to hear it.

With Georg's examination being done, everyone starts to file out of the room, including Ciel. "You can complain my ear off about him later. For now, just occupy yourself," he whispers back, his voice quieter and more detached.

Nonetheless, they move on to Phelps.

═╬

Phelps' examination goes quite quickly since one of the other things to observe is the holes in his neck. So, naturally, Jeremy has them all go up the stairs to view the scene of the crime.

Just up some stairs is the crumbled door to Ciel's bedroom, pieces of wood lying on the floor of the entrance. As everyone else cautiously steps inside, Jeremy opts to speed towards the bed, seemingly pulling a magnifying glass out of nowhere.

"Where did he get that?" Leah shakes her head. If she could get an award for being unwelcoming and hostile towards people without truly knowing them, her house would be full beyond its capacity.

Jeremy does respond to this, though, pulling back from a piece of rope. "It seems there are several killers in this crime."

Noises of surprise across the room, widened eyes staring him down.

"So there were multiple culprits after all.." mumbles Ciel, letting Leah take a step closer.

"It will be simple to catch Georg's killer, but it will be quite troublesome to catch Phelps' killer. In order to avoid any further victims, it'll be better if we make sure to catch this criminal soon," says Jeremy in thought, a finger pressed to his chin. "No human will be able to get out in this storm, anyway."

Arthur pipes up. "What do you mean?"

"In order to catch Phelps' killer, there are two requirements. One is to wait for nightfall, the second is.." Jeremy's eyes wander to Ciel. "Your cooperation, Earl," his lips curl up in a grin.

Ciel's grip on Leah tightens ever so slightly, looking a tad bit uncomfortable with being placed on the spot. "My cooperation?"

"Yes, yours," Jeremy nods. "I'll tell you everything when night has fallen."

Everyone begins to leave the room again, heading towards the last room to check Sebastian's body. However, Leah can't help but notice the odd look Ciel and Jeremy share. Their eyes meet, Ciel with furrowed brows, but Jeremy is appearing still in the face.

Waiting for the man to leave first, Leah turns her head to her fiancé. "Why are you two looking at each other like that?" she asks. She ignores a lot of details, but she isn't stupid enough to let everything slip by her.

When she doesn't receive an answer, she fights back a pout.

"Well, exercise caution. I still think he'll kill someone.. No non-murderer acts like that."

═╬

The door to the room that holds Sebastian opens up with a creak, revealing the body lying center on the floor. It doesn't appear any different than last time, but it's hard to say when the tarp only leaves the feet in view. To the wall, tall windows stand to show the rain and set the atmosphere, the lovely curtains clashing against the environment.

Rain does little to frighten the group, though. Having seen three murders— three bodies —rain is one of the last things that can deter them.

Yet again, Jeremy is the first to approach the body. "I believe you told me that the butler was stabbed to death after being hit," he says for confirmation, leaning down to slightly lift the tarp off Sebastian's body.

Before the body can even be entirely revealed, Ciel doubles down in the back, tightly holding on to Leah for leverage. His face has darkened and paled quite a bit, hand covering his mouth to give the illusion of feeling sick.

"Earl?!"

"Ciel..?"

"Are you alright?" Leah questions before Arthur has the chance to, placing an arm on his shoulder. Although she is typically horrible with comforting people, sickness is different than crying.

"I'm sorry. Seeing Sebastian's corpse so many times.." Ciel buries his face into his fiancé's hair, trying to hide his face and trembling voice, "is just too much for me.."

A frown crosses Leah's face, ignoring all others to place her entire focus on Ciel. "Perhaps you should step outside and get some air. Or sit down for a moment?" she suggests, thinking of what she can do with the little knowledge of what her betrothed is feeling.

"Thank you.." says Ciel, his voice shaking as Leah and Arthur lead him out of the room.

However, some are so convinced.

"What?" Charles deadpans, his eyebrows raised. "Weren't you fine when you stripped the butler's corpse a while ago?" he asks as he follows the trio out.

By this point, Jeremy has finished examining the last corpse. They all now slowly walk down the hall, preparing to go back to the sitting room. It is surprisingly calm despite the activity.

"It's almost dinner time, I'm hungry~" sings Charles, earning a look of shock from Leah as she fights back an insult. "What's on the menu today?"

Ciel also looks tired but isn't ready to claw at the man's throat. "Who knows? Shall I ask the servants?"

"No, it's fine, I'll be looking forward to it," Charles swiftly turns around with the wave of his hand. "I'm heading back," he sets off down the hall, leaving the others behind.

Any other voices drown out against Leah's ears as she focuses on Charles walking away, only recognizing the feeling of Ciel guiding her in a direction. It appears as though she is lost in thought, but she is actually subconsciously listening in on the faint noise of Charles' movements. This is evident when she hears the sudden sound of his footsteps picking up, barely noticeable but louder.

"I think I hear him running..?" her voice sounds uncertain.

Sadly, she is mostly ignored.

═╬

After a bit of a long wait, the dinner table is full—but the plates are clear. The meal was delicious, evident in the content expressions as everyone at the table finishes up. But, some think this more than others.

"Ahh, I'm full!" Charles smiles widely with a hand on his stomach, stacks of plates piled in front of him. "It was delicious~ Today's hamburger steak meat wasn't greasy at all, I could've gone on eating forever. As to be expected, the meat used by the Phantomhives is something else," he compliments.

Ciel finishes off his wine. "Thank you."

Across from Charles, though, Leah isn't so kind. "Gluttony is a sin," she smiles, but it is nothing but condescending.

Charles shares the smile, though his eyes are squinted into a glare. If they weren't surrounded by people, he would consider lunging. But so would Leah.

Before either can make another smart remark, Lau brings attention to himself. "Well then, now that we're all full, why don't you finally let us in on the truth of these incidents?" he waves around a napkin as he speaks.

"Well, let's not be hasty now. There are still some things I want to prepare before that," replies Jeremy as he dabs at his mouth. "Will you lend me your assistance, Earl?"

Ciel, not finished with his food, pauses his motion of bringing another bite to his lips. "Yes, what should I do?"

With a twinkle in his eyes, Jeremy's lips curl. "Well then, Earl.. take off your clothes."

Gasps ripple throughout the room, including Leah nearly choking on her drink. What could the man possibly have in store?

"What?!"

═╬

Later that same night, Ciel lies in his bed. Jeremy, Arthur, Charles, Leah, and Anna all sit by the door, waiting for an abnormality. Jeremy had only told Ciel of his plan; the others left in the dark.

Anna's surprising appearance isn't as thoughtful as it seems, though, as she simply refuses to let Leah in a bedroom as her fiancé sleeps. Let alone surrounded by other men.

The wait isn't as long as anticipated. For a strange sound begins to travel into their ears, making them look every which way. It draws closer, but they can't make out where exactly it is coming from. Not until they notice a movement in Ciel's bed.

"Now! Step aside!" shouts Jeremy, signaling Ran Mao—the one truly under the blankets—to throw it off with a swift kick.

The fabric falls to the floor with a quiet thud, triggering Charles to draw his sword. "Gotcha!"

This attempt is stopped by Jeremy, saying something that Leah doesn't pick up. She is too busy dragging a half-asleep Anna over to the bed, using Arthur's candle as a light source.

Finally able to see, the culprit is revealed before them.

"This is the killer?!"

[phxntomhives]

Kuroshitsuji chapter 211 spoilers under the cut!

New chapter new anxiety unlocked.

The imagine shown to summarize the chapter terrified me ngl

On the other hand, the cover of my babies is so cute 🥺 yes I adore these two four. I hope they will come back later to do something more

The chapter was intense, I spent my time screaming at Finny to not go towards the light pls 😭 we already lost Snake, I don't need another loss this soon.

Also snake please, since you couldn't survive, I'm begging you to stay dead. Please. For me 💜

I was so happy when Finnian broke the bars for idk what reason. Maybe it's because we are seeing a different expression on him? He is determined to protect the ones he cares about (yes I believe he likes the children) and especially so soon after losing snake I like him going "not in my watch" and destroy everything.

I need to talk about this page now. Like:

It's so pretty? And with 3 single pannels I went from full despair to the happiest girl alive. Plus I like it mirrors when Ciel took his hand in the past 🥺 i wonder if Yana dropped some random hints with the hands (I'm getting paranoid because of this Manga)

But I'm a little petty we didn't get his past fully explained. I hope it means we will get the "Germany is making big bad weapons" back later? Maybe with the comeback of Sieglinde? (I just miss my girl right now)

I admit I wasn't that fond of Archie but it's all in the past, he is my baby and I love him now (Theo is still first tho)

Please Yana let me hug him. He needs a hug. We should all hug him. This page broke my heart once again.

The original tiny child is backkk 💜💜💜

Ok but, this reaction, what do they mean? They can offer something else to Nina that is not money, but what? Is Sebastian politely telling Ciel to fuck off and let her dress him up? WHAT IS THE MEANING?

But I'm confused, I thought everyone had to go undercover? Is he going undercover as R!Ciel? It would be easy if only he didn't have a full demonic contract in his eye? Is Sebastian going to change Ciel's aspect?

Oh wait, maybe Sebastian was hinting to let Nina dress Ciel AS A GIRL? Maybe that's why Ciel is going (o_o) ? Idk

Also I want to shoot the dude who went "well they either come back or drown, any is fine" FUCK YOU. YES YOU ARE A VILLAIN BUT IDC.

Sebastian is there too I guess.

[lilabella12]

1316 - Day 1

The supplies are starting to run low at Dresden Farm and Emma and Finnian start to feel the effects of the famine as well.

Most days there's still food on the table, but only anough for the children... and Finnian, because he has to stay strong to go out for the hunt every day.

Even though Emma's stomach is hurting constantly from the lack of food, she still manages to do her chores very day.

Evan meanwhile, is devastated. He tried to help Stephen as best as he could, but the litlle boy dies in his arms one morning anyway.

With Ralya and Stephen now gone, he's desperatly trying to hold on for his twin girls.

His brother tries to help out, comes by every night with food for their dinner table.

Evan: "Thanks, brother. I don't know what I woudl do without you."

Finnian: "It's what family is for, Evan. I'm here for you. So is my wife. If it ever gets too much, don't hesitate and come by, I mean it."

Evan: "I will. And the same to you. If there's ever anything you need me to do..."

Stehpen is buried by his mothers side a few days later in the cemetary of the Curch of the Watcher.

| previous | next |

[nightsidewrestling]

D.U.D.E Bios: Fabian Rhydderch

The Cyhyraeth Duke of C.R.C Fabian Rhydderch (2020)

Jarlath's son and Naoise's grandson, Fabian. An Irish-Catholic living in Wales and a methodical and enthusiastic father. He's also one of Kirby's first cousins once removed.

"Call on me, if you need a friend."

Name

Full Legal Name: Fabian Banquo Huckleberry Gemini Rhydderch

First Name: Fabian

Meaning: From the Roman cognomen 'Fabianus', which was derived from 'Fabius', a Roman family name, itself derived from Latin 'Faba' meaning 'Bean'.

Pronunciation: FAY-bee-an

Origin: German, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, English

Middle Name(s): Banquo, Huckleberry, Gemini

Meaning(s): Banquo: Meaning uncertain, possibly derived from Scottish Gaelic 'Bán' 'White' and 'Cù' 'Dog, Hound'. Huckleberry: From the name of variety of shrubs (Genus Vacinium) or the berries that grow on them. Gemini: Means 'Twins' in Latin.

Pronunciation(s): BANG-kwo. HUK-el-behr-ee. JEHM-i-nie

Origin(s): Literature. Literature. Roman Mythology, Astronomy.

Surname: Rhydderch

Meaning: From the given name 'Rhydderch', from the Old Welsh name 'Riderch', derived from 'Ri' 'King' and 'Derch' 'Exalted'.

Pronunciation: HRUDH-ehrkh

Origin: Welsh

Alias: Cyhyraeth Duke, Fabian Rhydderch

Reason: This is Fabian's Ring name

Nicknames: Huck

Titles: Mr

Characteristics

Age: 21

Gender: Male. He/Him Pronouns

Race: Human

Nationality: Welsh

Ethnicity: White

Birth Date: June 13th 1999

Symbols: Banshees, Cyhyraeths, Ghosts, Crowns

Sexuality: Straight

Religion: Irish-Catholic

Native Language: Welsh

Spoken Languages: Welsh, Irish, Scottish (Scots Gaelic), English

Relationship Status: Married

Astrological Sign: Gemini

Theme Song: 'Hole in My Heart' - Cyndi Lauper (2017-)

Voice Actor: Stefan Pejic

Geographical Characteristics

Birthplace: Llanfaethlu, Anglesey, Wales

Current Location: Llanfaethlu, Anglesey, Wales

Hometown: Llanfaethlu, Anglesey, Wales

Appearance

Height: 6'1" / 185 cm

Weight: 166 lbs / 75 kg

Eye Colour: Blue

Hair Colour: Brown

Hair Dye: None

Body Hair: Sparse

Facial Hair: Goatee

Tattoos: (As of Jan 2020) 5

Piercings: Ear Lobe (Triple, Both), Tragus (Both)

Scars: None

Health and Fitness

Allergies: None

Alcoholic, Smoker, Drug User: Smoker, Social Drinker

Illnesses/Disorders: None Diagnosed

Medications: None

Any Specific Diet: None

Relationships

Allies: (As of Jan 2020) The Rhydderch Clan

Enemies: (As of Jan 2020) None

Friends: Adam Nye, Roger Lum, Macario Marino, Joseph Winter, Enrico Di Napoli, Heddwyn Pritchard, Padrig Llewellyn, Macaulay Rhydderch, Pace Rhydderch, Hale O'Hannigan, Walker Rhydderch, Eadburg Rhydderch, Iago Rhydderch, Jacob Rhydderch

Colleagues: The C.R.C Locker Rooms / Too Many To List

Rivals: None

Closest Confidant: Jean Rhydderch

Mentor: Jarlath Rhydderch

Significant Other: Jean Rhydderch (22, Wife, Née's Patterson)

Previous Partners: None of Note

Parents: Jarlath Rhydderch (44, Father), Ursula Rhydderch (45, Mother, Née Cavanaugh)

Parents-In-Law: Finnian Patterson (51, Father-In-Law), Iona Patterson (52, Mother-In-Law, Née MacAlastair)

Siblings: Eadburg Rhydderch (24, Brother), Gardenia Rhydderch (18, Sister), Hadley Rhydderch (15, Sister), Iago Rhydderch (12, Brother), Jacob Rhydderch (9, Brother), Kayla Rhydderch (6, Sister), Lalage Rhydderch (3, Sister)

Siblings-In-Law: Fiachra Rhydderch (25, Eadburg's Wife, Née McWilliam), Francescu Patterson (19, Jean's Brother), Ianthe Patterson (16, Jean's Sister), Anto Patterson (13, Jean's Brother), Iole Patterson (10, Jean's Sister), Bruno Patterson (7, Jean's Brother), Jocasta Patterson (4, Jean's Sister), Dobroslav Patterson (1, Jean's Brother)

Nieces & Nephews: Alan Rhydderch (4, Nephew), Anna Rhydderch (1, Niece)

Children: Moire Rhydderch (1, Daughter)

Children-In-Law: None

Grandkids: None

Great Grandkids: None

Wrestling

Billed From: Anglesey, Wales

Trainer: The C.R.C Wrestling School, Naoise Rhydderch, Jarlath Rhydderch

Managers: Jean Rhydderch

Wrestlers Managed: Jean Rhydderch

Debut: 2017

Debut Match: Fabian Rhydderch VS Jarlath Rhydderch. Double Count Out

Retired: N/A

Retirement Match: N/A

Wrestling Style: Brawler / Hardcore

Stables: The Rhydderch Clan (2017-)

Teams: No Team Names

Regular Moves: Belly To Back Suplex, Bulldog, Figure-Four Leglock, Inverted Atomic Drop, Low Blow, Multiple Jabs, Poking /Raking Opponent’s Eyes, Running High Knee Strike, Big Boot, Atomic Drop, Backbreaker Rack, Diving Overhead Chop, High Knee, One-Armed Body Slam, Piledriver, Running Big Boot, Running Leg Drop, Vertical Suplex Powerslam

Finishers: Sleeper Hold, Jumping Knee Drop, Top Rope Jumping Knee Drop

Refers To Fans As: The Fans, The Family

Extras

Backstory: Fabian Rhydderch of the C.R.C (Welsh Wrestling League / Cynghrair Reslo Cymru) Owning Rhydderch Family. When Jarlath dies Fabian will have a 1/448th ownership of the promotion. Fabian is a 'Cyhyraeth Style’ (Brawler / Hardcore) trainer. He’s mostly Irish

Trivia: Nothing of Note

[aviandtheseals]

The Rowntrees Ultimate Decades Challenge - Winter 1374

I'm not feeling as motivated to play and I'm starting college soon, so I'm going to try writing shorter posts from now on. This year will be a story in 4 parts (one each season).

At the start of 1374, news arrived in the village: the fighting in the war against France had come to an end! A few men who fought came back to the village, but news from Gilbert hadn't arrived yet. The family waited anxiously for Gilbert's return but were not sure when he'd arrive. For the time, Kymmie chose not to say anything to Sabina, to not get her hopes up.

Since Finnian's injury, the women were left to take care of the garden. Kymmie and Sabina did not have the strength or stamina to work outside for long hours, so a lot of the tasks fell to Edussa. However, having her work in the garden brought down the store, which Kymmie was often too busy to open.

Edussa loved running the store. She learned simple math from Kymmie when she first married into the family and enjoyed counting up the change and bartering with customers. While gardening, she tried to come up with ideas to make gardening more efficient, so she could return to running the store. Then one day, Edussa came up with a plan she thought was good enough to run by her mother-in-law.

Kymmie had noticed that Edussa did not enjoy gardening and tried to calm her daughter-in-law.

"I know gardening is boring, but perhaps it would help for you to concentrate on the food and money we will get once the crops are harvested," Kymmie advised. "And you taking care of the garden means Finnian is not stressing about it, and he will heal faster."

Edussa was not convinced. "Um, yeah," she said distractingly. "Speaking of the garden, um, I had an idea of how we can take care of it without me having to do it. But I'm really not sure it will work."

Kymmie wanted to chuckle at Edussa's nervousness. She went for a joke instead. "What is it, sell me off as hunting bait? Because I think I'm too old to fetch that good of a price."

Edussa smiled weakly. "So I was thinking, we can't afford to hire a gardener. But... what if we can?"

Kymmie looked on, confused.

"There's going to be a lot of men coming from the war, right?" Edussa spoke quickly. "So, there will be more people, but the same number of jobs. And probably some people who don't have any life to get back to will pass through our village. And all these people will need jobs but won't need to be paid much. If we hire a gardener now, we can pay him half the usual price and still find someone."

Immediately after she said her idea, Edussa wished she hadn't. Kymmie was usually kind to her, but what if she thought Edussa was lazy or ungrateful for not just dealing with the current God-given circumstances?

But Kymmie beamed at her instead.

"Edussa, sweetie, that's a wonderful idea! You are a very clever young lady to think about the situation like that. You are right. I remember my father telling me that after he came back from the war when he was young, many stragglers showed up on his farm looking for jobs. I will open the shop tomorrow and ask around for someone looking for a job."

Kymmie wondered how many ideas Edussa had kept quiet about because she feared a negative response.

"Sweetheart, you're a very smart woman," Kymmie told her daughter-in-law. "When you have ideas, even if they end up not working out, you should still tell me about them. It's important to be curious and constantly think about ways to improve your situation."

After talking to Kymmie, Edussa was ecstatic. Her entire life she thought her purpose was to be a good mother, and she was shocked when her first child didn't bring her the joy she expected. Now Edussa realized her purpose was to be a good mother, just not in the way she thought. She wanted to run the store successfully and come up with tricks to sell more stuff. And one day, by being a successful businesswoman, she would make enough money to guarantee her children didn't have to be serfs. Edussa was grateful that she married into a family where she wasn't just stuck as a farmer's wife.

[bapydemonprincess]

Imagine, hypothetically, after the f.o.l. orphaned kids escape from what they've uncovered in the recent chapters.. they have some time to think on it.. (especiall theo).. breathe... distract themselves with chores or games or cooking or whatever...

But then... at night.. when they meet up once more they are all a wreck

Yelling and rambling and panicking ensues on what to do next. They don't know!! The next Fledgling Day is so soon!! And they KNOW so well what would happen if caught escaping!!! There's no way out no way out NO WAY OUT-

Finny carefully puts a hand on Theo's shoulder. And Artie's. And ushers Oliver and Mabel close who are already outright sobbing.

And he starts to sing.

Finnian isn't the best at remembering specific things like his script lines for his cover story for this mission. Nor can he always recall Mr. Sebastian's strict instructions for certain garden chores.

But he knows his favorite lullabye.

"Guten Abend, gut' Nacht Mit Rosen bedacht Mit Näglein besteckt Schlüpf unter die Deck' Morgen früh, wenn Gott will Wirst du wieder geweckt-"

Recognition sparks in a few of the childrens' eyes, and they quiet down..

Artie even starts mumbling the English version.

And they soon all join in.

Softly.

Holding each other close.

Though Oliver and Mabel are still trembling, they sniffle and smile comfortingly to each other.

And when the little comforting tune peters out, they are all quiet...

And soon staring up at Finnian...

"You know the original German version.. and so well.."

"Aheh," Finny chokes out, freeing a hand from Theo's shoulder to scratch his hair nervously. Bashfully..

"I uh- I grew up with it.. I mean um.. I know German, but I was brought to England um uh.."

He scrambles to explain without giving away the whole truth..

"I... used to know someone.. like a Father... who sang it to me when I was scared at night.. And couldn't get to sleep."

"O-Oh I'm sorry.." Oliver starts, eyes still wet and big staring up at the older boy.

"Thank you for singing that, it was lovely.." Mabel shakily tries.

Theo hums awkwardly, and shifts to move slightly away from Finny.

But he smiles up at the older boy too greatfully.

"Yes, it was much needed... I ah, hope the man you considered your Father is proud.. wherever he is now."

Finny goes bright red, and laughs some more nervously. But also..

Looks down at the gritty dark dank floor of the room they're hiding out in.

"Me too..." He squeaks.

[gvldntrbl]

Skai + Bear @theartofruling

Location: Shoe X, The Dark World

-😈-

It all began with an outfit. A tiny little onesie that Skai brought home while she thought Finnian wasn't looking. He had. Hell, the two were attempting to be far more normal than usual and were unpacking items from a recent, joint shopping trip when the little pair of clothing caught his eyes. An adorable set of baby's clothes with a miniature beanie cap to match. It literally made Bear's heart ache and quiet excitement rushed through him at the sight. Only for Skai to rush to hide the clothes and share that she'd bought it on a whim and not as an indirect message. For a year, the couple tried to actively have a child. A desire that Skai finally joined him in having years into their marriage. Before then, after they two married, he learned quite quickly that motherhood hadn't been a part of Skai's plan. And so, Bear didn't ask. He didn't push. After all, he could make due with his core family being them two and Robin. It was fine.

When Skai approached him last year on Valentine's Day with the news that she'd thought about it and that she wanted to expand their family; Finnian was overjoyed. But with each new month, a new issue arose, and the pair while devoted to the process, saw the absence of the child they both longed for. Sure, having telepathic abilities and sharing emotions with his mate was fine, but discussing the hurt and disappointment they both felt at how long it was taking was a hard reality. Even for a guardian faerie King. But the sight of the infant clothes, while it pulled at Bear's heart strings, reminded him of a very real thing. He wasn't alone. Not with this journey, nor in his marriage, with Skai. An idea came to him and, in true Finnian Ambrose fashion, Bear ran with it.

"Y'know," He began, Skai's hand warm and familiar in his own as he led her into the shoe store. It was a large, yet fashionable looking warehouse. Music piped throughout the space and less than three employees were visible on the floor. Aside from them, the Ambroses, and their royal guards, there was no one else in the store. "The other day I was here. Buying a few sneakers." Their fingers interlaced, Bear brought them over to the wall that held infant shoes. Sneakers, in fact. "When I saw these." With his other hand, he pointed out the pair. The little set of white and blue sneakers on the wall. "I just couldn't shake the image of our kid in 'em. Of their little feet. Who they'd look more like." Bear chuckled under his breath. "Hell, if they were pigeon-toed or not. Almost bought 'em too. ...Then later on, you buy that damned onesie." He sighed, lightly squeezing Skai's hand and glancing down at his wife before continuing. "I didn't say anything 'cause I didn't wanna make you feel bad. Or like you were doing something wrong. You're not." He reaffirmed Skai, meeting her eyes in a serious gaze. "And you're not alone in thinking about that kid. In wanting them here already. I'm right there with you. Every fucking step. Whenever we get 'em, I can't wait to raise them with you." Bear tucked Skai into his side and kissed the top of her head before leaning lower and kissing her on the lips. "I love you, Kirsche." He murmured against Skai's lips and kissed her again.

He returned to his full height. "This is weird. But you wanna buy out the store with me? Get a shit ton of stuff for our future kid. For whenever they do get here?" He paused. "I mean, we can get us something too. Whaddya say?"

[eludin-realm]

So it’s (very regrettably) been so long since I wrote something and I’ve finally whipped something up that I can be somewhat proud of. Here it is, under the cut, and I hope you enjoy it. I needed to get it down before I forgot it.

The last thing Wulfric remembered was Niserie crying out his name amidst the eruption of battle among mysterious invaders upon Aeredalian soil. Now, a dull, throbbing ache pulsated through the young mage's side as he slowly came to, the sounds of chaos only but a distant memory to his foggy mind. "Niserie?" he whispered, attempting to find his voice. What the hell was going on? Where was he? Before he knew it, Lucretia Neith was at his side, breathing a sigh of relief and checking him over. "Good, you're awake. You're in one of the makeshift infirmary tents. Just try to relax," she said softly, her magenta eyes weary. "You were... Unconscious for quite some time. That knight landed quite a hit on you. I was afraid my magic wasn't going to work on your wound." Wulfric's brow furrowed as he tried to comprehend what he was being told. He still couldn't remember... Just a fight, that's all. "Lucretia, y-you're too... You need-" Instantly, the other's eyes seemed to light up with determination and she raised her hand, stopping him. "Wulfric, please relax. My home is under the grip of chaos as well. Do you think I won't help people who are hurt?" This caused Wulfric to freeze. Did she mean... Aeredale, known for being ever peaceful, under the throes of a conflict? There was no way... He tried to sit up, but the pain in his side shot through him suddenly, causing him to gasp. Lucretia rushed to his side again, and gently ushered him back down. "Aggh, Lucretia, you gotta tell me what's going on! Niserie, Niserie-" Lucretia gently placed her hands on his shoulders, her touch unfortunately offering little to ease his anxiety, nor his whirling mind. "Wulfric, please, breathe. Stressing isn't going to help you at all. I understand you're worried about her, but she's out there, fighting her heart out." "But what happened?" The younger female before him sat next to his cot, a long sigh expelling from her lips. "Nobody knows. I would hope Ywain doesn't have something to do with it, but, we're under attack. We have no idea where they came from. Another realm, we think." "And you?" frowned Wulfric, mind still racing with all kinds of possibilities. "Much to my dismay, nobody would let me fight, so I decided on treating the wounded. I think I'm OK with it now though. It's what Finnian would want." Wulfric shook his head, taking in a shuddering breath as another wave of pain shot through his body. "I need to get back out there! People are getting hurt..." He knew he couldn't. "You're in no condition, Wulfric. You need to rest, my friend. The sooner you rest, the sooner you can," Lucretia begged him. "The others are doing what they can. I'm here for you in the meantime, although I may not be the best company in the world." A joke to lighten the mood, she hoped. She was right... he had no choice. And the only thing he could do is pray that his friends would be okay. ~~~~~~~~ Dark was exhausted. Fighting... So much fighting. There were these damn people no matter where he looked, as far as the eye could see, but who were they?! He clutched his sword pommel tight and pierced the tip into the ground as he collapsed to his knees, chest heaving with wheezing breaths, sweat collecting upon his brow. His red eyes lost its usual vivid crimson as his vision blurred, blinking constantly to try and combat his body screaming at him to stop. The grip on his sword pommel tightened as he tried to stand, but fatigue pushed him right back down. Gritting his teeth, he struggled for breath, desperate. Sector suddenly landed next to him, catching his weapon. "Dark, you're losing it, man. You need to fall back! Don't end up like Wulfric!" There was no way he was going to give up his home to these pests... Once more information was found on them, he'd make sure they'd regret every ounce of torment they'd caused.  "I ain’t...goin’...anywhere...! You know me better than that, Sector," he said in between gasps. "Quittin' ain't in my vocabulary!" Aeredale was his beloved homeland, and he'd protect her until his last breath. Stumbling to his feet, he swallowed hard and took a long, shaky breath, and slowly recovered, shaking away the ache in his bones, then, planting his feet, his eyes flared bright red with newfound fury... He charged, and let out a mighty cry, swinging at an enemy. And Sector watched his best friend with awe, shaking his head at his friend’s recklessness. Though he couldn’t blame DV, he thought, considering the situation at hand - he just hoped nothing would happen to him pushing himself to such limits. Soon enough, Sector, too, joined into the fray, tossing his weapon like a boomerang in an attempt to disarm a foe. He wouldn't let his home fall either. No matter where they came from...

[astramthetaprime]

Marking Time

Since I finished “Windfall” I’ve been at a loss, really.  I have no motivation really to write anything, not fanfic or original stuff.  I’ve listened to some writing podcasts (the excellent Writing Excuses, seriously good advice from these folks).  I’m meaning to start working on Pathfinder again, and as I’ve got the story to a place where Finnian is stuck inside the cargo hold of Yuka’s ship and will be for a while I’m sort of wondering how I’m going to advance the story any.  There’s been some insights thanks to the podcasts but nothing has helped the motivation.  I don’t want to sink back into not writing anymore.  I feel alive when I’m writing, I want that. I need that.

But on the other hand, I guess I’m too worried about other matters to really do much.  

$11 / hr is just not enough to live on.  I can’t cover all my bills.  I’m afraid.  

I work at a grocery store that throws food away on a daily basis and yet doesn’t pay me enough to afford to actually buy groceries there.  If I took home any of that thrown away food, it would be considered stealing.  And since I’m working I can’t qualify for food stamps.  And yet, my dog and I still need to eat.  And I have a mortgage which isn’t getting paid.  I’m not sure what to do and no one can help me.  I may be looking at losing the house.  

So yeah, that may be why I haven’t got much motivation to write.  

I’ve started looking for another job.  Remote data entry this time, but I’m aiming for $15 / hr full time because seriously that’s what I need to live.  Why beat around the bush about it?  

I just ... having a reason to live helped, y’know?  

[saetgviareadsbooks]

reviews volume eight: fear the flames

dragons, war and romance. the golden trio. or so i thought. mild spoilers, but not being spoiled isn't going to make the book any better.

rating: ⭐️

age: 15+

synopsis: elowen is a lost princess, bonded to five dragons since birth. she has been taking care of her own kingdom, aestilian, but when an army general from varaveth says he can help her get her dragons back, she is led on a journey to her home country to perform the greatest dragon heist. supposedly.

review: I was told this was like Fourth Wing. The perfect book to cure my hangover. It was not. It was worse than I imagined.

I came into this book excited, hoping to read a fantasy adventure of dragons and romance. Fresh off my Fourth Wing high, I opened the book and was immediately met with exposition. Not even good exposition, but information that was just dumped on the reader and would’ve been much better if it had been slowly revealed throughout the novel. I couldn’t understand the need for half of the information and the author completely forgot about show don’t tell. I mean obviously, this should be ignored in some cases but this was not one. This was the main issue which made the writing sound unprofessional and honestly annoyed me a little, and I kept imagining how I would write it better. However, Cayden and Finnian were very well written and I loved their characters. Saskia and Ryder were also very good and I found myself enjoying their company.

Even further into the book, the author kept describing Elowen’s love for coffee and gardening and steamy romance books and it got a little annoying. Darling used a nice metaphor about the shards of Elowen coming together to forge a blade, but then overused that metaphor and took away some of the emphasis from its meaning. As well as this, some of the events were just too convenient to be realistic. I know it’s fantasy, but it needs some element of relatability. It can’t all fall into place that easily.

Also, where were the dragons? They were badly integrated and seemed like more of an afterthought. We heard more about Elowen’s love for spice and coffee than the actual main objective of the book, and the Fire Cult and the whole structure of it honestly just pissed me off. Worldbuilding where? We get thrust with a bunch of names in the FIRST FIVE PAGES with ZERO explanation of what this is, where they are etc. Also the magical creatures?? Huh??? What is up with that?? Another plot hole. There's no context on how the world ended up being this way, what the places are, the significance of the locations or animals. So we just accept that Elowen is bonded to 5 dragons with no explanation? We just accept that some seer showed up to read her fortune and boom five dragons? WHY DID THE SEER EVEN BRING THE DRAGON EGGS?? Why are Vareveth and Imirath at war? Are there any other countries? Why did her dad beat her up instead of using the dragons for political gain? What is with the gods? What happened to them? Do you hate them or pray to them? The Fire Cult?? Explain?? What is the magic system? Because it just seemed like it was there for convenience! I spent half the book thinking there was no magic and suddenly there is?? What??

The motivations as well were terribly explained. Like first of all, Elowen took approximately 5 seconds to make an alliance with a strange man that she knew nothing about. Secondly, her uncle has this weird convoluted reasoning that I can't even remember because it was explained so badly and ends up betraying her.

Why does Cayden call her ‘angel’? Doesn’t he hate her?? What kind of nickname is ‘hazel-eyed heathen?’ This seemed like more of a 'I saw you I fell in love'/'romance is here for convenience'/'reluctant allies to lovers' if I give Darling the benefit of the doubt. She overplayed things so so so much and I was getting so annoyed. Like, how many times are you going to say 'The look in his eyes was more intimate than the times we kissed?' She comes up with good analogies but overuses them to the point they get annoying and repetitive.

Overall, the concept was alright but the execution was iffy. It wasn’t smooth and professional and a lot of it was info dumping and repeating that information, a lot of which could have been integrated much better and in a much more engaging way. The worldbuilding could have been much much better and the exposition could have been utilised better to explain the questions the readers have. Even for a debut, this is far below the benchmark. Trust me, and don’t waste your time.

[lilabella12]

1315 - Day 4

Rayla is getting weaker by the day.

Evan: "Love, please... you need to hold on. We need you, the twins, Stephen and me especially. I don't know how to do this without you."

But it's too late. When he comes home one day he finds her in front of the fire. His grief is so deeo, he doesn't know what to do with it.

How will he be able to care for Stephen and the girls alone? Nursing was the one thing that kept Stephen healthy and well fed, and he has no means to replace it.

He feels absolutely overpowered by the circumstances and even makes up his mind to sell Domino to make some money for his family, but... he can't do it. He can't do that to his oldest friend.

When Finnian hears of the loss of his brother, he comes by immediatly.

Finnian: "I've brought you some milk for Stephen. These are the last few bottles... I've had to sell the cow."

Evan: "Thank you so much, brother. I don't know how to feed him otherwise. he is still to small for solid foods."

Finnian: "You would have done the same for me. I can also come by tomorrow for some food. I'm going hunting again today."

Evan: "Let me come with you. I feel like a leech when I take everything you work so hard for."

Finnian: "You can't. You have to look out for your children. They need you now more than ever."

Evan: "Yes, of course... I'm... sorry. I still haven't come to terms with it yet."

Finnian: "I understand. I'll see you tomorrow."

He tries to give the twins some comfort before he leaves and heads back into the forest to look for food again - now for both of their families.

| previous | next |

[scorbleeo]

Book Review: Problems

by Brea Alepoú & Skyler Snow

Source: Google Images

Finnian

Jack O’ Brien is off limits. To me, to Ronan, to Cian. None of us should want the boy with big bright eyes and a sassy tongue that we’re forced to protect.

Too bad we do.

Ronan denies it. Cian taunts him. I try to ignore his existence. Deep down I know that he needs a firm hand on his soft ass. But why do I want to be the one to give it to him?

He’s the boss's son, forbidden damn fruit, but everytime I see Jack I want to take what’s mine. Turns out so do Cian and Ronan. We’ll do whatever it takes to protect our boy. Even if we have to slaughter everyone who gets in our way.

Jack belongs to us.

Source: Goodreads (2023)

Why do I do This to Myself?

I will say, this book is not for me and that is why I gave it such a low rating. Objectively speaking, the writing was acceptable and each character had distinct personality traits so it was easy to get used to these characters. Unfortunately, that is all. Everything else? I kinda dislike.

Problems has a lot of kinks I personally do not like or enjoy reading about. This book mainly circles around daddy kink and I have absolutely no issue with it, I just never thought calling my sexual partner "daddy" was hot and so I couldn't enjoy it. It also features a polyamorous relationship and I really don't mind poly relationships at all. What I do not appreciate is when I'm reading about everyone in the relationship being in love/attracted to that same one person. I like a poly relationship where all parties love each other, equal or not it doesn't matter.

Other than the relationship dynamics, there really was nothing else to read about. The plot was severely lacking, no one can convince me they enjoyed reading Problems for the storyline because let's be real here, if you enjoyed this book, it's most likely due to the smut or the tension leading up to the smut. And even with four main characters, nobody was good enough to forgo the lack of a storyline. Jack's so average, I don't understand what's so lovable about that boy. The only one I can justify for "falling in love" with Jack was Ronan, the other two? Yeah, subplots were created without including it in the book. Ronan's probably the most interesting "daddy" because for someone with his job, this man was a cinnamon roll. And like earlier on, a backstory was created without adding it into the book. Finnian's a very standard "daddy" if you know what I mean and other than his sexual tension with Cian, dude was very boring. Last but not least, Cian. This man was so unhinged. I really don't like him, Problems could have gone on without Cian. It's like the authors wanted a pinch of craziness in the book so they created Cian and gave him too much craziness.

I know I said the daddy kink is not for me but then, I also believe this book could have had so much more potential if efforts were being placed in given it more depth. I can see myself enjoying Problems if there was a better storyline in the first place.

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5)