#i think my next one was going to be eros and psyche | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

celticcrossanon · 1 year ago

Text

BRF Reading - 9th of February, 2023

This is speculation only

Cards drawn on the 9th of February, 2023

Question: What will Prince William's next three months be like?

Interpretation: Joy at having his wife back mixed with dissatisfaction about the choices available to him and something happening to Harry.

Card One: The Two of Cups.

This is a card about relationships, especially romantic relationships, and it is the soulmate card. This card tells me that Prince William will have his soulmate back with him in the next three months. Princess Catherine will be well and happy and able to join him for events. This will be a great relief to him - a huge burden is going to lift from his shoulders when this happens.

The clarifier for this card is The Devil. This is normally not a good card, but in this case it is presenting in its astrological aspect. The Devil card represents the sign Capricorn, and it is Capricorn energy that I am getting from this card. Princess Catherine is a Capricorn, so this is verification that the Two of Cups is about her and she will be restored to her soulmate in full health and able to join him in activities again.

When I look at this card, I hear the voice of one of my friends who also reads tarot, saying that she always loves seeing the Devil card turn up when she reads for herself as for her it means wealth and worldly riches. I think Prince William is going to feel like he has all the riches in the world given to him when is soulmate is well and back by his side at events.

Card Two: The Nine of Cups in reverse

When the Nine of Cups is upright, it indicates emotional satisfaction, contentment, and wishes coming true. When it is in the reverse you are dissatisfied, not content, and your wishes have not come true.

The energy from this card is of dissatisfaction. Something is not going to go the way Prince William wants it to go, his wishes will not be fulfilled, and he will be left feeling unhappy about the result of something. The card shows the reunion of Eros and Psyche, so this could be something about himself and Catherine - for example, he may not be able to be with her as much as he wants over the next three months.

The clarifier is the Seven of Cups. The Seven of Cups is a card about choices, but some of those choices might be illusions, and some may be bad for you. It can also be a card of illusion and wishful thinking.

The card shows Psyche begging the goddess Aphrodite for a chance to be reunited with her husband, Eros. Aphrodite sets her three difficult tasks to fulfil before the reunion can occur.

The energy from the clarifier is of someone having to make difficult choices. They have to take the hard path, not the easy path. I'm feeling an energy of duty as well - doing your duty even though you would rather be somewhere else.

Both these cards are cups, so this is all about emotions.

I think that Prince William is rather unhappy about not being able to spend as much time with his wife (and his family) as he would like. He has to leave Catherine to perform some official duties while the King is out of commission. He knows this is part of his duties as the Prince of Wales, and he will do them to the best of his ability. but at the same time he would rather be home with Catherine, making sure she is well and recovering and has everything she needs.

I hope that makes sense. It's not resentment or anything like that which is coming through, but rather a sense of dissatisfaction about having to leave his family, a sense of 'this is not what we planned and I would rather be able to do what we planned', but instead he is willingly doing his duty because that is what he expects of himself (instead of, for example, pushing the duties onto Princess Anne and saying that he can't leave his wife).

Card Three: The Ten of Pentacles in reverse.

The Ten of Pentacles is a card of family, legacy, financial security, inheritance and tradition. In the reverse, it indicates family disputes or a broken family, turning away from your roots, debt, breaking traditions, and instability. The card can also represent the BRF as an institution.

In this reading, the energy from the Ten of Pentacles in reverse is that of a broken family. Something is going to happen that takes away the stability and/or the status of one of more members of the BRF, and Prince William will be involved in this is some way. The card is giving me a feeling of a small amount of hurt at what he has to do, but he will do it anyway as a way to restore stability to the BRF, even if it means breaking traditions.

The clarifier for this card is the Page of Pentacles in reverse. Pages can be messages, especially messages about money and/or status, and they can be children, in this case an earth sign child, or they can be the beginning of something (a bit like an Ace). This is also my card for the UK as a country. In the reverse, the Page of Pentacles signifies bad news about money/status or about an earth sign child, immaturity, unreliability, missed chances, and laziness.

The energy from this card is that of Prince Harry, the earth sign child of King Charles, who is currently embodying the values of immaturity, unreliability, laziness etc. The card speaks of a message going to Prince Harry that contains bad news about his wealth and/or status, Combined with the Ten of Pentacles in reverse, the two cards together give an energy of Harry being removed from the family in some way. The image I get is of the family as a group, and suddenly the group splits open and Harry is booted out, and then the group reforms.

I think that Harry is going to have something done to him that makes it very clear that he is no longer regarded as a member of the family, and I think that Prince William will be involved in this in a major way.

Both these cards are Pentacles, so this is definitely about material goods (e.g. money, status) in some way.

Underlying Energies (Three Cards)

Underlying Energy One: The Moon in reverse

The Moon in reverse is about things being illuminated, seeing clearly, and secrets coming to light. The energy of this card is very strongly that of secrets being revealed. Sometime in the next three months, some secrets are going to come to light, and as this is a major arcana card, I would say that they are going to be publicly revealed. The distorted shapes that you see in the dark will be gone and the light of truth will be shone upon these secrets.

Underlying Energy Two: The Six of Wands

The Six of Wands is a card of success, of coming home triumphant, of receiving rewards and public acclaim. This card gives me the energy of triumph. The reveal of the secrets in the Moon card will be a moment of triumph for the BRF and for Prince William in particular.

Underlying Energy Three: The King of Wands in reverse

The King of Wands is the card for Leo, and in reverse it means that a Leo is overshadowed or undone in some way. The card is giving me the energy of Meghan for the Leo person. Combined with the other two cards it says that the revelation of secrets and the triumph of the BRF will be over Meghan. She is going to be cast down, overshadowed, have her reputation ruined by whatever secrets are revealed.

The energy here is of relief - this revealing of secrets will be a huge relief to the BRF and will take a burden of stress from their shoulders. They are going to feel a great deal of relief when this happens, in a 'thank goodness it is over' kind of way, and they will be much more relaxed afterwards. This applies to Prince William as well, but also to the BRF in general.

Note: I think that this is the big reveal that Lady C has been talking about. It has the same sort of energy about it.

Conclusion

I have three energies for the next three months for Prince William. Firstly, his wife will recover and will be back at his side, which will take a burden of worry from him. There is a lot of joy around these cards.

Secondly, Prince William will be dissatisfied about the choices he has to make. I'm not getting acute unhappiness, but rather an 'I have to do this but I don't really want to do it' emotional discontent.

This could be about Prince William having to take time away from his wife to perform royal duties while she is recovering. He will do his duty, and he will do it to the best of his ability, but he would rather the extra duties had happened when Princess Catherine was well and not during her recovery period. It could also be about other choices that he has to make during the next three months.

Thirdly, something will happen about Harry - he will be removed from the family in some way, lose status and/or wealth in some way, and Prince William will be a part of this action, even though it does hurt him a tiny bit to do this to his brother, but it is necessary for the stability of the monarchy.

Underlying all this is the revelation of a secret or some secrets, most likely publicly, than will be a triumph for the BRF and very damaging to Meghan Markle. It is quite likely that her reputation will be ruined when this secret/these secrets are revealed.

95 notes · View notes

eclairris · 4 months ago

Text

I'm really obsessed with the idea of Nortalice but making it eros and psyche. The whole idea of Alice being told by a prophet to quite literally marry a monster at a summit tickles my brain in such a way that matches Norton's pretty awful hunter form. ESPECIALLY when Norton couldn't probably ever see himself worthy of love unless it's her. Someone who will physically prove that she adores him enough for him to have hit himself with one of his arrows. Him giving her as much freedom as he could possibly need on the conditions that she can't look at him fits them so unironically well that it makes me go nuts. Especially when Alice, being far too stubborn for her own good, goes about looking at Norton when he's asleep next to her despite his wishes. (Oh no, he's hot.) Alice going out of her way and completing all of these challenges by the hand of Aphrodite (Who would probably unironically be Orpheus in this case to reflect on the internal strife him and Norton have in canon. Think less of a familial role and more of a just gatekeeper type of vibe.) fits her character so well, and just really makes me giggle over Norton basically being the damsel in distress. In the myth, Aphrodite has Psyche grab an ointment from Persephone and the underworld, and when it comes to this au idea Melly and Frederick would 100% be chilling out down there together with a nice glass of wine for breakfast. Plus we all love a responsible Melly who understands Alice needs to get that bread. The whole idea of Alice having to do all this matches her SOOO well that it drives me nuts I think I'm going crazy over the idea of Norton being akin to a princess in a tower for all this.

#identity v #idv #alice deross #norton campbell #nortalice #journalist idv #prospector idv #eclairs nonsense #idv au #au #eros and psyche #eclairs aus

19 notes · View notes

moony-2001 · 1 year ago

Text

Lore Olympus ch. 253 critique

I think this time I'll start out with the major critiques and then move to the minor ones.

The Cause of Winter

So. Persephone is the cause of winter.

Can't wait to see where Rachel tries to take this one /s.

But for real though, I can't possibly imagine how this is going to work in this "modern feminist" retelling. In the original Homeric Hymn to Demeter, Demeter causes an eternal-like winter/famine in order to get her daughter back from Hades since he refused to return her, and since Zeus' solution to the situation was basically "tough tits". It was this huge feminist act to show that Demeter not only loved her daughter but was willing to burn the world to the ground in order to see her return.

And that's what galls me about Lore Olympus. The Homeric Hymn to Demeter was already considered to be pretty feminist for the time it was written. Demeter was able to subvert the traditional idea that once a daughter was married, she could never return home. She challenged this idea, challenged Zeus, something others wouldn't have gotten away with unpunished. This was something mothers in Ancient Greece could not achieve since they had no power or say in their daughter's marriage. Even though Demeter did not fully win in the end, with Persephone being bound to Hades for 6 months out of the year, etc., it gave ancient women hope that they, too, could one day see their daughters again.

In my opinion, there is no way that the action of Persephone causing winter can be more feminist than what Demeter did in the original story.

The Payphone

This one is a tiny one. Pretty much insignificant. But it just annoyed the shit out of me.

Really? A payphone? In the mortal realm? In a time where the modern technology we have today does not exist?

Additionally, there is no way Eros and Psyche could've gotten back to Olympus that fast because if they had, they might as well have warned Zeus in person. Why couldn't they have contacted Zeus through Iris? She is a messenger of the gods after all. Besides the very stupid plot that Apollo, of all people, would want to try and overthrow Zeus, this whole arc feels super rushed so much in fact that they have a frickin payphone where it should not exist.

Welp. See y'all in my next post. Hope everyone had a happy turkey day

#anti lore olympus #anti lo persephone #lo critical #unpopular lo #unpopular lore olympus #lo hate #anti lo #lore olympus critical #lo critic #lo criticism #lore olympus criticism

99 notes · View notes

e-r0da · 28 days ago

Text

Eros, part 3.

cw: reader is a princess and referred to as a woman. idk if this counts but there is a mention of the myth of pasiphae, so beastiality, but it is not related to any of the main characters. lmk if there is anything though and I'll add it!

a/n: this is a continuation of a thread with Eros/Cupid!Ness, Psyche!reader, and Aphrodite!Kaiser. here's pt.1 & pt.2 if you would like to get caught up. I was gonna make this short but um then I blacked out and here we are >.< don't look at me I am feeling soft. ness is my baby man I can't help it. Not proofread!!

If Kaiser was a treasure for all to behold—the literal pearl that rode in on an open oyster—Ness likens you more to a an exotic bird, one that only knows the bounds of its golden cage.

You're deep in sleep, that first time Ness slips in through your window.

The darkness did nothing to stop him from navigating through your castle's security. He was a god, after all. And moving barefoot across stone tile, bow slung across his back, he didn't expect anything, really, to get in his way. This was just another mission. Just another tribute to his one true god, Kaiser.

Ness had descended from Olympus earlier in the day, a few hours before sunset. He had decided to give himself the afternoon to gain his bearings and identify the princess who had become the source of Kaiser's anguish. When he landed, he assumed a human exterior and tucked away his wings, thinking he would need it while it remained light out.

He padded first through the empty temples, lain on the outskirts of town, which were once dedicated to Kaiser. A dull pain pulsed between his brows at the sight. Ness was no stranger to the way mortals so quickly threw away their convictions, their promises. Their memories were fickle, their proclamations of love even more so. But if Ness closed his eyes, he could remember the echoes of their voices coming from far and wide, thick with praise and prayer to the God of Love and Beauty.

It pained him, how far that memory was from what stood before him now, soft layers of dust found coating every surface and crevice.

When this mission was over, he thought, Ness would force them to remember where the true magic laid.

He turned his path towards town, next.

It was nothing grand, your city. This helped him, as it meant that your family—although royal—were still personably to your citizens. Every evening, at least since you and your sisters had come of age, your family stepped out onto your castle terrace to wave good night to the people. As he made his way to the town center, Ness found himself caught in the migration of individuals of all kinds, discussing with hushed excitement to see your face. The reasons were as varied as your audience.

Some remarked how nice it would be to look upon you after a grueling day. Others were itching to see how you had styled your hair, or your dress, in hopes of recreating the aesthetic. More seemed convinced that your beauty was somehow religiously divined, and had come to bring you their prayers. A few simply wanted to know when you would be married—both your sisters were, after all. To this Ness cocked a brow. But others simply argued that such pure beauty was better left untouched. That they preferred it this way. Where else would they go for their evening prayers, if you weren't there to serve them?

Ness held himself back from reminding them of the God which they had seemingly forgotten. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold himself back. And Kaiser had made it clear, Hera could hear none of this.

But it was curious, he thought, watching you and your family as he stood in the town square below. Comparing you to Kaiser wasn't something he could do as easily as he imagined. He quickly concluded that thinking as much wasn't disloyal—in truth, the two of you were just so...different. You were as lovely as they claimed, in such a...human way, if he had to describe it. He wouldn't, at least never out loud. But it made him wonder—why hadn't you married?

Ness asked around. From the sounds of it, you were not lacking in suitors. He met quite a few of them in fact, and interrogated them softly with a bit of suggestive magic mixed in. He learned that albeit overwhelmed with eligible suitors, requests for your hand were essentially non-existent. He initially figured that your temperament must have scared them away, but not one had a mean thing to say. You were pleasant, well-mannered by all accounts.

What else? Ness had asked.

Beautiful. Most importantly, you were beautiful. Is what they said.

Too beautiful to touch.

Which is how he had arrived now at your bedside, his lithe figure towering over your defenseless one. He watched you intently. Noticed the fragile up and down of your chest as you breathed softly. Then the delicate curves of your expression. His gaze slowly moved to your closed lids, the wispy nature of your lashes enticing him. He found himself wishing that you might wake up, so he could see the way your eyes lit up as you did.

Ness blinked hard, and took a step back, remembering himself. Instead of imagining about how you might sound when you laughed, he had to be planning how to ruin your life.

Your downfall had to seem accidental, if not natural, even. Men were easier, in this sense, to ruin physically. Enchanting an animal to mar them while on a hunt, or a tool to go awry while in use made the task simpler and believable. Noblewomen, on the other hand, typically fared fewer physical dangers, although horrific families and the evils of men were not ones that Ness was blind to.

A cursed object would work much easier, in your case. Hence, why he was now searching your room. To be effective, it would be best if the object was one that you used often, so Ness looked for items that showed signs of wear. Nothing in your closet or dresser struck him. It seemed that with the amount of gifts you had been receiving (evidenced by the large pile of boxes in the corner of your room), that your maidens were switching these things out frequently. It was only when he reached the far end of your room, the side covered in tapestries, did he find what he was looking for.

A loom. Your loom.

That night, Ness never should have looked up at your woven stories. He should have never become curious about the mortal whose beauty was proclaimed to exceed that of a God. He should have never wondered about the woman with so many suitors but not a single hand to hold.

So many nights before, his abilities as a god had served him in adapting to pitch darkness. He had used it countless times before to bring lives to a miserable end, or if Kaiser was feeling merciful, to bring one life to that of another. But this night, seeing too much was what had failed him.

Intricately lain into the fabric, weaving each strand together, was a feeling that now seemed to be bursting out of the seams in front of Ness's very eyes, as if waiting for him. It was a feeling that Ness had spent his entire existence trying to fill.

Yearning.

Yearning for true love.

Yearning for a magic that only exists when one soul experiences the privilege of what it is like to be known in another.

An ironic emotion, he knew, for a god which seemingly orchestrated love. When Ness had met Kaiser, a God that could command hearts and minds through proclamations of love, Ness thought he had found the closest thing to the version of it which maybe only existed in his head.

He had shot enough arrows to know that love was not only something that was easy to engineer, but manipulate.

Just look at Queen Pasiphae and her bull. Apollo and Daphne.

Ness had told himself that this fickle version of love might be all there is to it. Had come to terms with that. At least, that's what he thought.

Attention traversing through the scenes in your tapestries, Ness watched as the true love you desired passed you by, no matter how hard you prayed to the Gods, to even Kaiser himself. So many scenes showed you wondering what it might be like to be loved for who you were, rather than who you looked to be.

In your most recent one, you transformed into an old woman. Now free from the shackles of expectation, Ness watched as you searched for love with your new found freedom. A note read above the last scene:

Will I have to wait until I am no longer recognizable, until I am no more than wrinkled and grey, to find someone who might truly love me?

Then, below:

I fear by then that I'll be too late.

Ness only felt the tears when one slipped past the broken skin of his cheek. It added only a minute pain, at least compared to the one that now threatened to tear away at his heart, but grounded him nevertheless.

In a place where power exists in every form imaginable, true magic lies in that which can only be organically formed. The same can be said about true love. Ness had denied that fact for so long that he began to take it as truth. But how could he deny it of you? How could he, when like him, true love was all you ever wanted?

The shuttle of the loom, the part that you touched most often, shook in his hand. Conflicting loyalties and beliefs pulled Ness apart. He felt himself unravel as if made from cloth himself.

He looked back upon your sleeping face. Imagined it old and grey, and still thought it beautiful. Would you still work the cloth, bony hands weaving your hopeless search until the very end? Those bony hands that never had ones to hold? He looked down at his own palms. Then he put the shuttle down.

#I'm sorry for leaving it there but this needs to leave my brain while I still have space!!!#he will be back tho trust #anyways your honor I fear ness and I both love in a way that is so pathetic...like #just wanna see him get treated as he deserves #alexis ness #alexis ness x reader #bllk ness #bllk x reader

15 notes · View notes

mrhyde-mrseek · 1 year ago

Text

Little bit of Hyacinth posting; I’ve decided to show y’all the lyrics to some of the songs I’ve written for the musical!

“Our Own String of Fate”

[APOLLO] (spoken)

Come with me. I know where we’ll be safe.

[HYACINTHUS] (spoken)

What do you mean?

[APOLLO] (spoken)

I’m taking you to Delphi.

[HYACINTHUS] (spoken)

To Delphi? But it’s your sanctuary, the center of the world, what makes you think I’m worthy of stepping foot inside?

[APOLLO]

My love, I feel your fear

But I’m afraid we’re not safe here

So now it’s time to disappear

Doesn’t make a difference where or how but if we’re gonna go, we have to leave right now

(Spoken) When was the last time you left Sparta for any reason other than princely duties?

[HYACINTHUS] (spoken)

Um . . .

[APOLLO] (spoken)

Traveled more than a mile along the River Eurotas?

[HYACINTHUS] (spoken)

I—I don’t know.

[APOLLO]

See? That’s my point.

(Sung) You need to get out of this city

A life wasted indoors isn’t pretty

A future together awaits us in Delphi

If Zephyrus wants me dead, well then, he can kiss my ass goodbye!

Take a leap of faith

Don’t fear the fall, embrace the pain

The wind may be strong but it can’t blow the sun and his flower away

Like Eros and Psyche

Or Iphis and Ianthe

We’ll show that green-eyed ball of hot air we weave our own string of fate!

(Spoken) We’ll take my sun chariot. I’m usually very picky about who gets to sit in it—Artemis only gets that privilege once in a blue moon. (He laughs for a minute at his own joke.) But I’d like you to ride right next to me.

[HYACINTHUS] (spoken)

Really?

[APOLLO] (spoken)

Of course! That is, if you want to go with me . . . ?

[HYACINTHUS]

My life has been turned upside down

It’s too late to turn back now

Zeph’rus is coming with the hunters and hounds

Father will understand

I’ll be back as soon as I can

But now I have to take my fate into my own hands!

Time to take a leap of faith

The fall may be scary but it’s worth the pain

The wind’s howling now but all it can do is blow the clouds away

Like Eros and Psyche

Or Iphis and Ianthe

We’ll show Zephyrus together we weave our own string of fate!

(APOLLO’s chariot takes off. HYACINTHUS grabs onto APOLLO. Slowly, however, his fear turns into glee, and he leans out over the edge.)

[HYACINTHUS]

I’m ready for something new

A hint of danger, a taste of romance

With the wind in my hair and the sun by my side

My whole life has been planned out for me

Conferences, war tactics, learning to lead

A spot by my father’s throne

Waiting for one of my own

Waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and waiting

Everyday waiting, everyday hating

A destiny I can’t decide

Don’t fear the road ahead

No matter what omens the storm portends

I don’t care if I wind up dead

Right now, I’m alive!

(Key change!)

[BOTH]

Take a leap of faith

Don’t fear the fall, embrace the pain

The wind may be strong but it can’t blow the sun and his flower away

[APOLLO]

Like Eros and Psyche

[HYACINTHUS]

Or Iphis and Ianthe

[BOTH]

We’ll show that green-eyed ball of hot air we weave our own string of fate!

[APOLLO] (riff)

Our own string of fate!

[BOTH]

We weave our own string of fate!

#hyacinth: a greek tragedy #hyacinth #apollo x hyacinthus #apollo #apollo greek mythology #apollo greek god #hyacinthus #greek mythology #greek gods #musical theatre #musicals #wip music #wip musical

38 notes · View notes

twoidiotwriters1 · 11 months ago

Text

The Curse of Oenone (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: I love writing characters spilling their guts out, couldn't be me 😩✌🏼-Danny Words: 1,962 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Listen to: 'I Love You Too' -by Ezra Bell

XXXVIII: I Go through ✨Character Development✨

"So. You come to claim the scepter."

The boys stand on each side of Ara. Jason raises his voice. "Cupid, where are you?"

The voice laughs, but they can't quite place it. "Where you least expect me. As Love always is." Something tosses Jason away. Nico and Ara stand closer together in alarm. "You've found true love, after all. Or do you still doubt yourself?"

"Go get him," Ara tells Nico urgently.

The boy rushes over to get Jason. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Just sucker punched."

"Oh, did you expect me to play fair? I am the god of love. I am never fair." An arrow misses Nico's backside thanks to Jason's quick reflexes, the boys return to her side, and Ara changes Almighty into a bow."You're not a good archer, Arae." Eros taunts her. "Even Michael couldn't make you better that skill, no matter how hard you desired to impress him."

"Shut up!" Ara's face flushes. "Leave him out of this!"

"You don't get to silence me today." An arrow flies past, piercing a column right next to her face. Ara lifts her bow with shaky hands."You've undermined me enough."

"Is this guy Love or Death?" Jason scowls.

"Ask your friends. Frank, Hazel, and Percy met my counterpart, Thanatos. We are not so different. Except Death is sometimes kinder."

"We just want the scepter!" Nico insists. "We're trying to stop Gaea. Are you on the gods' side or not?"

Another arrow tries to hit Nico again, and he barely manages to dodge it."Love is on every side. And no one's side. Don't ask what Love can do for you."

"Great," Jason grumbles. "Now he's spouting greeting card messages."

He manages to injure Eros, there is ichor on the tiles where the god had stood."Very good, Jason," he sounds a bit strained. "At least you can sense my presence. Even a glancing hit at true love is more than most heroes manage."

"So now I get the scepter?" Jason asks impatiently.

"Unfortunately, you could not wield it. Only a child of the Underworld can summon the dead legions. And only an officer of Rome can lead them."

"But..." Jason hesitates, then quickly pushes it aside. "Just leave that to us. Nico can summon—"

Another arrow passes by striking Nico. It leaves no mark and draws no blood, the arrows aren't meant for that. The boy clutches his arm nonetheless like it's burning him. "Stop! Both of you!" Ara orders to the boys.

"Enough games!" Nico's eyes are wild, for a moment he looks like the ten-year-old he once was. "Show yourself!"

"No!" Ara pleads frantically. "We don't want to fight you—"

She gets kicked out of the circle. "You loathe me, little sister. All you do is oppose me—You think me a monster."

"Does it matter?" Ara grunts, pulling herself up to a crouching position. "I'm in love, aren't I?"

"You hold it like a curse," the god snarls. "Our mother cursed Psyche for her distrust. My poor lover was tormented, forced into exile, given horrible tasks to prove her worth. She was even sent to the Underworld on a quest to show her dedication. She earned her way back to my side, but she suffered greatly. If you face what you fear, you must conquer it."

Lighting hits near her feet and Ara screams. Jason lifts his sword to the sky, and a second later he gets thrown again, and Ara tries to get up to aid him. An arrow pierces her heart front to back and vanishes as quickly as it hits her.

The same burning heat she felt in the Argo II spreads across her chest, as a dark and poisonous-looking stain douses her shirt and fills her with heartwrenching memories. All the regressions she's had since childhood, Leo's playful eyes, crooked grin... Mike's roaring laughter, how his hair smelled, and how soft his hoodie felt on her. The very same hoodie she's kept at the back of her closet and hasn't thrown out or used since he died.

Ara collapses, tearing chunks of grass around her as she tries to pull air into her lungs. "Stop!" Nico watches the stain on her shirt grow and tries to get to her, but Eros drags him back. "Leave her alone!"

"Poor Nico di Angelo," Eros mocks him. "My beloved Psyche risked everything in the name of Love. It was the only way to atone for her lack of faith—the same lack of faith Arae has. And you... what have you risked in my name?"

"I've been to Tartarus and back," Nico growls. "You don't scare me."

"I scare you very, very much. As much as I scare my sister. Face me. Be honest."

Ara tries to get up, but a second arrow strikes her in the gut and vanishes just like the first one. Eros won't let her recover enough to fight him, her shirt is soaked with this obscure liquid she can't identify. It isn't blood, but it pours out at a quick pace burning her skin like acid, she's not dying but it almost feels that way.

Memories of the moment she fell in love with Leo get pulled from under her like a rug, and then Eros forces her to relive her first kiss, and how beautifully Mike behaved then. She'd pretended it hadn't been a big deal, but things changed between them after that night, she was too scared of what it meant and couldn't bring herself to face the truth.

"Give us Diocletian's scepter," Nico steps forward trying to shield her. "We don't have time for games."

"Games?" Eros slaps him and Nico falls over from the sheer force of it. "Love is no game! It is no flowery softness! It is hard work—a quest that never ends. It demands everything from you—especially the truth. Only then does it yield rewards."

"Nico," Jason pants, tossed around by the wind in his attempts to fight Eros. "What does this guy want from you?"

"Tell him, Nico di Angelo. Tell him you are a coward, afraid of yourself and your feelings. Tell him the real reason you ran from Camp Half-Blood, and why you are always alone."

"Stop it!" Ara gathers enough strength to stand. "I yield!" She can't recognize her voice, it's too full of despair. "Leave Nico out of it... You can have me."

"The children of Olympus have always belonged to me," Eros muses, his voice moving past her as quick as his arrows."But you, dear sister... you're just like me. People call me a monster, so what does that make you?"

Her hands are still clutching onto her past, trying to squeeze it out of existence. The one thing keeping her together was deep-rooted self-denial, and Eros wanted her to give it up. The moment she decided to pull her grief out, she would be nothing but an empty shell.

Ara's stomach twists with disgust as she struggles to speak. "Just don't... don't hurt Nico anymore."

She's the kind of person who wants to die undefeated, but she is willing to lose if it means she can right a wrong. This is what Hercules warned her about, Eros is right, all the children of Olympus have suffered through him, they are always bound to kneel before love and let it break them.

Eros sounds almost proud. "Very well. Though be warned, Di Angelo won't be excused forever."

"Enough," Ara takes a deep breath and speaks firmly. "You're right. I blamed you for my actions even when I was old enough to know better. I told those who asked that it was all you, that I was a victim..."

She collapses again, feeling like her insides are melting. Ara coughs a couple of times before continuing.

"I'm not the victim here. I'm not even cursed." Ara feels the tip of Eros's arrow pressing on her ribcage. "I am Leo Valdez's curse. If he keeps me he'll die... and I want to let it happen. And Michael Yew... Michael Yew was my first love. I refused to admit it, and Mike died thinking he had nothing to gain if he fought for his life. But that wasn't your fault, I decided to keep quiet. I'm the one who hurts everyone."

"Love is kind, but only if you care for it." The god's voice softens. "If you neglect it, it rots."

The staff falls at Nico's feet. Ara's hands cover her face and she sobs at last, overwhelmed by guilt. She cries her heart out, tightly holding onto the roots of her hair to exteriorize the pain that burns her gut.

All this time she's forced the world to acknowledge she can do everything while wounding the love it has for her. None of what she's done matters, because she keeps rejecting the things in life that would give them meaning.

"I'm sorry." Today, those words sting more than ever. "I was falling out of control and... Silena always said feeling too much was dangerous. I got scared."

Dark, beautiful, and so powerful it makes her cry like a baby, Eros materializes in front of her. "You misunderstood," he presses a hand to her chest, and Ara gets a high-level empath touch treatment, pulling out the poisoned love so she can breathe better. "Love conquers all, learn from it—only then you add to the legacy of my children of Olympus. Don't fight your emotions, feed them right."

He vanishes, leaving Ara with a warm and fuzzy sensation in her chest. Just a little uncomfortable, as it always is when true love strikes you for the first time.

"Why did you do that?" Weak steps get closer.

"I had to," Ara replies hoarsely.

"He wanted my confession."

"No, Eros thought you'd cave faster," she gazes down at the stain on her shirt, which is probably ruined for good. "We made a deal, and words don't get through to me, I'm a charmspeaker and a matchmaker."

"What's a matchmaker?" Jason approaches from her right.

"Someone who sees soul lights," she mumbles, still not looking at them. "People lit up like Christmas lights when they're near something they love, or thinking about it."

"Piper told me those are a myth," Jason continues. "But... I guess they're not?"

"It means you know what he wanted me to admit," Nico states in a strange voice.

Ara sits upright. "Eros just wanted heartache, Nico. We're full of it, but it was my turn to lose."

Nico kneels in front of her. "Why?" He asks confused and upset. "You could've told him just to hurt me and—"

"I wish I didn't care that I'm nothing next to my brother and you," she looks up at him bitterly, her lower lip quivering. "Because then I'd love you like before. We were good friends once, but I can't stand to have you near me. I'm just a weaker version of what you could be."

Ara uses her sword to steady herself and gets to her feet. Nico looks at her unmoving, an expression of shock on his face, but she doesn't want his compassion, so she looks away. The girl wants to sleep for a week, at last, she thinks she's done enough.

"Ara," Jason inches closer. "This must've taken a lot from you. Thank you."

Her torso stings, and every time she takes a breath her chest tightens as if she's recovering from pneumonia. Ara feels a sharp cramp near her heart and she doubles over. Jason catches her and she has no choice but to let him. Nico looks like he wants to help, but she leans closer to the older boy.

"We have to take her back to the ship—"

"I'll do it," Nico offers promptly. "Shadow travel is faster. We don't know if her heart's okay, the arrow went right through it."

Ara glares at him, but to Nico, she looks as threatening as a wounded doe. "I overexerted myself, that's all. Been a while since I cried this way, but I'm not dying."

"We should be careful anyway, you're body went through a lot," Jason disputes. "Alright Nico, take us to the ship."

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

@siriuslysirius1107 @ask-giggles1303 @asnyox-the-hoarder @im-planning-something-look @bandshirts-andbooks @coolninjapaper @thewaterlily @whenisthefall @1randomcomic @you-bloody-shank @sunflowergraves @owlalex44 @taylordaughter @typicalsolangelolover @writingmia @espressopatronum454 @slytherinnqueen @orbitingpolaris @obxstiles @ellipsisspelled @thepixiechicksh @ebony-reine-vibes

#twoidiots writing #pjo fanfic #leo valdez fanfic #doo #leo valdez x oc #heroes of olympus #percy jackson and the olympians

12 notes · View notes

goldenlaurelleaveswrites · 1 year ago

Text

Chords and Courtship ch 12

Spring, Recomposed

Chords and Courtship (AO3)

If you want a longer version of the song, here's a one hour loop version.

Hello everyone! I know it's been a very, very, very long time since I've updated this. When this story went on hiatus, I thought it would be a matter of a few months. Obviously, things didn't quite work out that way... But I've decided to come back to this story before finishing Juleka vs. the Forces of the Universe because quite frankly, I need to go where the inspiration is. And right now, the inspiration is hitting me with this story.

I unfortunately can't give any estimates on when the next chapter (for this and all my other stories) will be up, but I promise I haven't forgotten about any of them.

To those of you who have been with this story since the start, thank you so much for your patience and support. And to all reading, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

The room swirled around him in a dizzying array of colour and light, blending until they were so much like the watercolours Marinette had been paining with when he had stumbled upon her and Juleka having tea in the gardens for a second time. Everything was soft and hazy.

Except her eyes.

Her eyes, vivid and sparkling, were the epicentre of everything. They were steadying and grounding, yet dizzying in their own way.

She beamed up at him, the corners of her eyes crinkling in the most captivating way, and he stumbled over a step. He had been stumbling over himself for what seemed the entire evening, since the moment he had seen her drift into the ballroom in her ethereal white gown that made her look like an angel. Or a faerie from the poetry Jules liked to read and write. She looked beautiful in white. She looked beautiful in anything. But the image had been made all the sweeter by the lilac sash at her waist, and the ribbon lilacs once again adorning her hair.

He could almost smell the sweet perfume of lilacs, bringing him back to that moment in the woods, when he had blurted out an open invitation to his heart. To that moment he had no longer been able to deny that his world had shifted. Was that what it had been like for Eros, when he had first met Psyche? Or when Eurydice had first heard Orpheus play?

“Are you thinking of a new song, Luka?” Marinette asked, a little breathlessly from the skipping steps. “You look as if you are hearing music. Music other than what is playing,” she added with a small laugh.

He could not blame his own breathlessness entirely on the dance. “I am.”

Her smile grew even brighter at his words. “I hope I will hear it, once you have it.”

“I promise,” he said as they skipped up and back down the line of dancers, “you will.”

Even as the music guided their steps, music of their dance was swirling in his mind. The dips as they parted to spin with their neighbours, and the soaring notes with every reunion. With every spin, skip, and step, the music wrapped itself around his mind, settling into the very depths of his soul.

He was guiding her through another pirouette, when and a prickling sensation along the back of his neck pulled his gaze from Marinette’s eyes and bobbing curls to the spectators crowded by the edges of the dance floor.

Mme. Graham de Vanily’s face was stony, and there was something cold and calculated in her eyes. Her eyes were unnervingly similar to Felix’s. He strained his ears, trying to pick out the sound of her heart from the cacophony of the crowd. But what traces he could hear were slippery, and intent on eluding him. Her face suddenly shifted into a syrupy, sickly sweet smile as her eyes met his-

The way she had been looking at him- the way her eyes had so suddenly shifted- the notes of a song he couldn’t quite hear from across the room-

His foot—which Kaalki still deemed to be a second left foot—travelled a little too far for the step, and suddenly he found himself stumbling and tripping over both of his feet to correct himself.

Marinette laughed lightly as he rushed to right himself, leaning a little closer into him to steady him. And then they were off again, skipping across the floor of the Graham de Vanily ballroom. He had been… surprised would not be the right word, as it would have been a social snub that would have certainly caused gossip in the village if Felix had not invited him to his family’s ball. So while the invitation had been expected in that sense, he had had some trepidation about the invitation. A sense of general unease had settled over his shoulders when he had been handed the invitation, and it had returned as he had entered through the grand doors of the Graham de Vanily estate.

The home was a grand place, lavish with marble and dripping crystal The most up to date and expensive decor, like the apartments of the aristocracy in so many of the cities he had played in, left the impression of great style. But it had felt empty and oppressive. The house held a general air about it of grandeur; it was as if the house was trying to remind its visitors of their insignificance in comparison to it and its inhabitants.

And its inhabitants….

Felix had greeted him with cool disdain under his guise of manners and propriety. But his facade had not been able to hide the coldness in Felix’s eyes as he had attempted to look down his nose at him. A difficult feat given he was half a head taller than Felix. It was not until he had turned to greet Mme. Graham de Vanily that his unease had grown. He had turned from Felix to find her watching him with calculating eyes and a saccharine smile. She had been perfectly polite, and in contrast to her son, seemed a warm and welcoming hostess. But something-

“Luka?”

Marinette’s voice shook him from his thoughts, and he snapped his attention away from Mme. Graham de Vanily to focus on her. Her brows were furrowed, a little crease of worry forming between them.

“Is everything alright?” The way she squeezed his hand as she asked, so gently but strong at the same time was almost enough to send him stumbling again. What was he doing, letting himself be distracted and unnerved by Felix and his mother? He knew Felix did not care for him, he had felt the daggers of his eyes in his back ever since he had arrived, sharpened by the fact that he had beaten his host to asking Marinette for the first dance and the last waltz of the night. And given Felix held no love for him, it was of no great surprise that Mme. Graham de Vanily would be… off-putting.

“Everything is fine.” Marinette’s brows were still furrowed. “I just had a thought, something that didn’t quite fit the song. Nothing to worry about,” he said, hoping to convince himself as much as Marinette.

Her face melted into a smile, and all he could do was chastise himself again for ever letting such thoughts cloud the light of the evening.

***

She did her best to suppress her smile as she took a bite of her bread, but it was difficult not to smile at the silly joke her papa had just told. And if it was difficult not to laugh at her papa’s joke… well, then it was impossible not to smile at the way the corners of Luka’s eyes crinkled as he laughed heartily.

Ever since his ball, her parents had been quite vocal in their approval of Luka. She had been… not worried per se, but she would be a liar to deny that she had felt some anxiety. What if her parents had not liked Luka? What if he had not liked them? Those whispered thoughts had been quickly silenced at the ball, when she had seen the way her papa clapped Luka on the back from across the ballroom. And now…

She couldn’t help but laugh at herself for ever having had such anxieties.

Especially now… this was the third time she and her parents were dining with Luka and Juleka, and it seemed her parents approval and fondness of the Couffaine’s grew with every shared breaking of bread.

“And so,” he papa continued with his story, his soup seemingly entirely forgotten as he regaled them all with tales from the day to day running of the bakery. Many of which he had… embellished. Or as he would say, decorated. ‘Even the best tasting cake is sweeter with an added touch here and there,’ was what he always said whenever her maman pointed out that things hadn’t happened quite the way he told them. “There I was, with ten dozen profiteroles in the kitchen, half of them already filled when I realized that the order had been for five dozen profiteroles.”

“That sounds like quite the conundrum,” Luka laughed. It was a genuine laugh too, not the polite and indifferent smile of someone who was only humouring her papa’s tales. Beside her, Juleka’s quiet chuckle joined Luka’s laughter.

“It sounds like the time Luka mistook a request for a song written for a string quartet for an entire symphony. You should have seen the Duke’s face,” Juleka laughed quietly as her papa laughed himself into a fresh tale. One of exaggerated proportions like all the rest.

She looked down at her bowl as she took a sip of her soup, and when she glanced up, she caught Sass’s eye.

It was always an odd sensation, to be waited upon. Neither she nor her parents were used to it. Whenever she was at the Agreste manor, she could never shake the discomfort of being waited on. But from the night in the music room, and again earlier this evening when Luka and Juleka had both seemed almost surprised themselves when their staff had started to wait on them, she had come to suspect that perhaps they were not used to it themselves.

Sass’s face was the impassively neutral look every butler she had ever met wore. But when he caught her eye, a genuine smile flashed in his eyes and he shot her a subtle wink as he made a show of smothering a laugh at another one of her papa’s terrible jokes.

Laughing, she turned her attention back to the- not the conversation. It would not even be fair to say she returned her attention back to the table.

Her attention was wholly focused on Luka; on the way his eyes sparkled with laughter as he quipped with her father and the way his melodic laugh warmed the room. Her mind drifted back to the way he had greeted her mother with a courteous smile that had been so warm and guanine. The way he listened so closely to everything that was said, regardless of whether it was her, her parents, or his sister who had spoken.

In the warm and cozy glow of the candlelit dining room, she was lost somewhere between the past and the present. And perhaps, she wasn’t lost only in the past and present; it felt… More than anything, it felt like home. And perhaps, more than the past and present, it felt like…

Luka glanced her way once again as he laughed at something her papa had just said, though she was not sure what it was he had said. His words had been lost to the dreamlike quality of the room; everything felt so far away and fuzzy around the edges. Like a waking dream.

Everything, except Luka.

The moment his eyes caught hers, it was like time, which was already so muddled about, slowed. If she didn’t know any better, she would think he was a magician, the way he always seemed to make time slow around them.

His bright smile softened into something altogether more private. His eyes were still glimmering and sparkling, but even their light had softened to a gentle glow. Her cheeks warmed as her own smile spread across her face. If she had been lost in the moment before… she was truly lost in his eyes.

And yet, even lost in his eyes things had never been clearer.

“…what do you think, Marinette dear?”

She jumped at the sound of her mother’s voice. Turning in her seat, she found her mother watching her with a sly grin, one which, to her utmost mortification, was mirrored on her papa’s face. Suddenly, her cheeks were aflame with an entirely different sort of heat. Her eyes darted back to Luka, whose face and ears were suddenly glowing an unexpectedly becoming shade of pink.

A quiet voice broke the silence that had come to, at least on her part, awkwardly hang in the air.“I do believe that croquembouche is rather the trend, now.” Slowly, she turned the other direction in her seat to find Juleka, quiet and shy Juleka, smiling slyly as she swirled her spoon in her soup thoughtfully.“At least, that is what was served at the society weddings in Paris,” she added with a smirk sent in Luka’s direction.

“Jules!” Luka’s voice was closer in tone to that of a squawk.

“I am merely saying, brother…”

Juleka’s words trailed off to hang smugly in the air.

And then…

“I knew I liked you, Mlle. Couffaine,” her papa said before throwing his head back in a roar of laughter.

“Yes,” her maman added with laughter of her own, “I can see why Marinette has been enjoying spending time with you both.”

Her cheeks were flaming as her parents and Juleka’s laughter rang through the air. Even Sass was chuckling. The start of a groan began to escape her, but then, once more she turned to find Luka looking at her from across the table. Even with the heat of embarrassment warming her face, and his as well, she could not help but smile once more.

***

“In some ways, I suppose it’s a good thing it’s raining,” Luka said quietly as they trailed behind Nooroo. “Nooroo is too shy to admit it, but he’s been hoping for you to see the orangery and to hear your thoughts on it.”

She couldn’t help but smile at the thought. Since her tea in the gardens with Juleka and her unexpected stay at the estate the night of the storm, she had met Nooroo twice more. He had been as fluttery and shy as when she first met him, but his kindness shone through in his every mannerism, from the way he spoke of each plant in the gardens he tended to, to the way he described his plans for the gardens.

“I’m looking forward to seeing it,” she replied, just as quietly before sharing a private smile with Luka. She would never grow tired of the way his eyes crinkled at the corners every time he smiled. Nor would she ever grow tired of the way his hair always seemed to escape his obvious efforts to comb and tidy it, to sweep across his forehead. And the way it tempted her to brush it from his eyes…

“I hope you will love it in here, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng,” Nooroo said shyly as he pushed open a heavy looking set of doors.

Luka smiled at her before leading her into the room after Nooroo.

The first thing that struck her was the humidity and warmth; while it was warm and there was noticeable moisture in the air, it was not stifling or unpleasant. The second thing that struck her was the smell. The fresh scent of greenery and flowers and the richness of soil was undercut by a bright and citrusy scent.

She gazed at the room in wonder. Three of the walls were almost entirely made of glass, letting the bright grey light of the drizzly day light the room. Neatly planted in wide beds, organized neatly into rows, were trees abundant with leaves, blossoms, and the green beginnings of small fruits. Other plants, some that she recognized, others that she didn’t know at all also occupied the room. Small white flowers she recognized as jasmine climbed along trellises attached to the wall of the house proper. From somewhere deeper in the conservatory, she could hear the trickling of water in a fountain. In the very centre of the room, there was a break in the rows of trees to form a circular clearing with a table and chairs.

The table was set with china. Kaalki was placing a teapot on the table, while Juleka and Sass stood by the table, deep in conversation. Juleka was holding a small, black notebook and she was nodding at what Sass was saying.

“What do you think?” Luka asked quietly.

“It’s wonderful,” she murmured, letting go of his arm to take a few steps further into the room. She had never seen anything like it.

***

Their tea had already gone to dregs twice, and they still had not run out of things to discuss. She had traded stories of growing up in the bakery and all her favourite, secret places amongst the meadows and hills for stories of their childhood in the highlands and their travels across the continent and beyond. Juleka had told her of some of her writing, and had offered an extensive list of novels and poetry collections she might like to borrow from their library, and she had promised her new friend they would make another day of painting and writing in the gardens.

And Luka…

When she had mentioned offhandedly how she wished she could hear the symphony he was composing for King Ali, he had played for them- for her. Bashfully, and with an endearing flush to his face, he had played a small piece from the symphony he was working on on a violin Sass had brought in from the music room. He had told her the night of Felix’s ball that words often evaded him, or complicated his meaning. That music was his first language. And though she had never found his words left her doubting, she fully understood.

His music transcended language.

Every time she heard him play, it was like the world was waking up. The melody had painted spring skies and rolling meadows with perfect clarity. Around them, the colours had seemed somehow softer and brighter in the music. And she had sworn the flowers climbing the trellises along the walls had bloomed a little brighter when he had begun to play.

Though he had only played a small piece, she knew that King Ali- that any king would be lucky to have such a symphony composed and performed for them.

And when he set his violin aside, she had not been able to help but think of how everyone at the assembly halls had been so disappointed when he had returned the instrument to its original owner. And how foolish they had all been. For everything that his music was, and all that it filled the world with, it all came from him.

It was him.

There was music in everything he did; it was in the cadence of his voice as he told stories and jokes, in his quiet laughter and attentive eyes as she told stories and jokes of her own. It was even in his half-exasperated sighs when Juleka prodded him with affectionate teasing.

“Duusuu thought you all might like some more tea sandwiches,” a cheery voice said, cutting into the pause between Luka’s words as he recounted a story of their childhood dog. She turned to look as the rosy cheeked girl she had come to recognize as Daizzi place a plate piled high with more finger sandwiches on the table between them. As she always seemed to be whenever she saw her, Daizzi seemed to be holding back giggles. And where Daizzi went…

“And more tea for you,” Mullo said, her voice tinged with the giggles that always seemed to permeate the air around the two girls. Mullo slid a new teapot on the table before picking up the empty one.

“Thank you,” she said, smiling at them both. For some reason, both girls seemed to find her thanking them uproariously funny, because both burst into familiar giggles.

“Thank you, Daizzi. Mullo.” Luka half-sighed, which only make the girls erupt into more giggles as they both bobbed curtsies and them turned to leave, giggling as they made their way out.

“You’ll have to excuse them,” Juleka said, poorly concealed laughter of her own colouring her voice. “More tea?”

“Yes, please,” she said, turning back to Luka and Juleka.

“Luka, you can pour,” Juleka said with a nod, the corners of her eyes still crinkled with laughter.

“I like them,” she said as Luka, his cheeks dusted again with a flush, began pouring the tea. “They’re…” her mind drifted to M. Agreste’s housekeeper Mme. Sancouer and her chilly gaze, and Felix’s frigid and silent staff members whose names she didn’t even know because they refused to speak to her. “They’re warm. They’re like a family.”

“They are our family,” Luka said, notes of affection overpowering the traces of bashfulness in his voice.

She smiled thoughtfully at the china on the table, none of which matched. But that suited Luka and Juleka perfectly. Just as the way their staff was their family suited them all so perfectly.

“How did they come to be your family- what I mean to say is,” she hurried to clarify, “how did you all meet? If I may ask.”

Luka smiled. “We met most of them on our travels with James, and then on our own travels. Sass joined us when I was- I would have been twelve.” Juleka nodded in agreement. “He started as my, well, our tutor. We met him in Budapest, he had been studying at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, but the funding for his research had been cut and he could no longer support himself. But he detested putting his skills to use in the banks and no one wanted to hire a penniless nineteen year old student for an engineering position. So when he met us by happy coincidence, he joined us. We met Nooroo in Switzerland…”

She listened with rapt attention as he laid out the stories—with interjections from Juleka to correct and confirm details— of how they had found a family of their own throughout their years travelling. They went through another pot of tea as they recounted the adventures that had brought them all together from every corner of the continent and beyond. How they had all come to join their odd yet beautiful, and ever growing family from all walks of life.

All but one.

“What about Kaalki?” she asked quietly. Luka and Juleka had described how they had met all of their staff- their family, even those she hadn’t yet met. Except for Kaalki. Of its own accord, her gaze drifted towards the door to the orangery, and Sass and Kaalki’s retreating figures. Sass, with Luka’s violin tucked carefully in his arm and the empty sandwich plate in his other hand, was already at the door. Hiss tall and lean form was outlined by the door he was holding ajar as he looked back at Kaalki. Kaalki… her brows furrowed as she took in the wistful and… almost forlorn way Kaalki was lingering by the orange tree closest to the door. Her tray with the empty teapot was balanced effortlessly in one hand as she brushed the leaves on the tree. Before she could try to make sense of the look on Kaalki’s face, or the way the housekeeper who always seemed so set on propriety despite how relaxed Luka and Juleka were, lingered, Kaalki shook her head and continued her way towards the door, her dark curls bouncing primly. She watched as Sass bent to murmur something to Kaalki as she passed him, to which Kaalki nodded before they both disappeared through the door. “She…” she hesitated, “she looked sad just now. Is everything all right?”

“The orangery reminds her of home sometimes. We met her in Achu,” Juleka explained.

“It was hard for her to leave, she was only sixteen and, well, she does not like to dwell on it.” The way he was so careful with Kaalki’s story, and respectful and sensitive to Kaalki’s privacy, she couldn’t help falling a little bit more in love with him. “She’s been with us almost as long as Sass, we met her a I believe it was three months after Sass joined us?” Luka looked to Juleka, who nodded. “She started as Juleka’s governess-”

“Though she did insist on taking over Luka’s instruction in deportment,” Juleka said with a mischievous smile.

Luka groaned, shaking his head at whatever memories had been dredged up. “What was it she had said?“ he asked with rueful laughter in his voice.

“M. Stone, if you are intending to have Luka play in every court of Europe one day, he simply must be able to tell the difference between a fish and dessert fork,” Juleka laughed. She found herself laughing as well; Juleka had perfectly mimicked Kaalki’s prim cadence.

“She also took over our instruction in languages,” Luka continued. “And when Jules no longer had need for a governess, she took on the of housekeeper. I think the role suits her rather well. Perhaps too well sometimes…”

“And she is still able to tutor Luka in his deportment lessons,” Juleka snickered. “And his dancing.”

There must have been some hidden joke in Juleka’s words, because Luka’s face flushed. She couldn’t help but smile at the sight. He was so honest with his feelings, so sincere. And though he did not fluster as easily as she did, she would be lying if she denied she enjoyed having someone be flustered in her presence, given how often she was the one blushing.

As if reading her thoughts, Juleka turned from Luka to catch her eye, and smiled a smile that was somehow so sweetly devious, it left her blushing without her friend even needing to utter a word.

“They are lucky to have you- you are all lucky to have each other. I can see how much they love you both.” It was true; if it wasn’t plain enough how much Luka and Juleka cared for their family from the way they spoke of them, it was clear from the way the staff were so friendly and familiar with them. More than anything, it was clear from the warmth that the estate was brimming with.

It reminded her of her own home. And her own family.

“They’re rather fond of you, as well Marinette.”

Something in Juleka’s voice made fresh heat flood her cheeks. She glanced at Juleka, who was daintily sipping from her tea cup. It wasn't possible to smirk while sipping tea so primly. Yet she could not shake the feeling that somehow, Juleka was smirking.

And yet, it felt so different from the teasing she endured from Alya, which erred too far so easily and so often. There was something… warm about it. Whereas Alya’s teasing often came at her expense, particularly what it came to her stumbling words and two left feet, Juleka’s teasing and her word’s implications… She had never had a sister before, but she imagined this is what it would feel like, to have a sister who teased her.

Privately, on many occasions she had thought that she would rather like having Juleka as a sister. And those occasions were growing more frequent with very passing day.

She glanced back at Luka, and her face warmed again for an entirely different reason. His cheeks and ears were still aglow, and there were still traces of embarrassment around the corners of his smile. But as his eyes met hers, the last traces of embarrassment fled his face, and the brightness of laughter in his eyes was replaced by something altogether sweeter. Something that tugged at her heartstrings.

And for a moment, she swore she heard music the way Luka did.

***

The rain had long since stopped, leaving the world fresh and glowing in the late afternoon sun as she walked home. Luka had offered her a ride home in their carriage, but ever since the storm, she had found her fondness for the smell of fresh rain had grown. She had not wanted to waste such a beautiful walk home.

And perhaps, she had wanted a moment of privacy to let her giddy laughter and smiles escape her with no one but the sun and clouds and the flowers and creatures of the meadow bear witness. She still could not believe how late in the day it was; their tea had gone on for well over four hours. And yet, it could have been mere minutes, the way the time passed so blissfully.

She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the rain on the grass and flowers. Sighing, she smiled up at the sky. A flock of warbles flew across the sky, singing their hearts out as if they were sharing in her joy.

“Marinette!” She snapped her head to look to the side at the sound of the familiar voice. Alya was hurrying towards her, waving her hand to catch her attention. “Marinette, wait for me!” She watched apprehensively as Alya approached, unable to keep herself from biting her lip. “Marinette,” Alya puffed as she tried to catch her breath, “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“I’ve been-”

“At the Couffaine’s. I know.”

She frowned at the note in Alya’s voice. The one that was somehow both a demand and a reprimand at once. “I was having tea,” she said tersely. Ever since she had run out of Adrien’s sitting room and into the storm, there had been an unspoken tension between her and Alya. Alya had been relieved that she had been alright. But that had not stopped Alya from pointing out that if she hadn’t run out into the storm, she would have spent the night at the Agreste’s instead of the Couffaine’s.

“But your mother said you left for tea at noon,” Alya said as she linked their arms. “What could M. Couffaine possibly have to talk about for that long besides music?” Alya added with a laugh as she began to walk forward, pulling her along. “And his sister. She’s so quiet- I barely got ten words from her at their ball-”

“Plenty,” she said, cutting Alya off. “The conversation did not leave me wanting.”

Alya turned to eye her. “Well, I suppose you were able to keep the conversation going. Though for that long? I was waiting for you, you know.”

“You were?” She and Alya hadn’t had any plans together today. Perhaps she was a bad friend for it, but she had been avoiding spending time with Alya—just Alya—lately. They had spent time together with the rest of their friends, but they hadn’t spent much time in just each other’s company as of late.

“Of course I was!” Alya laughed, tugging her along to continue walking towards the village. She hadn’t even realized she had stopped until Alya tugged on her arm. “I had it all planned. Adrien and Nino went out for a ride early this afternoon after the rain stopped, and you and I were going to have a picnic. Then, they would come across us and join us. I even had the perfect spot planned, it’s so incredibly romantic!” Irritation and an unexpected protectiveness surged through her. Alya had gone ahead and made plans again without consulting her or even asking her if she was available. And the thought that Alya might have tried to plan a romantic set up between her and Adrien in the lilac woods- in her and Luka’s woods… “You know the hill that overlooks the village, the view is so beautiful, it would have been so romantic. It would have been perfect.”

At least the lilac woods hadn’t been sullied by Alya’s schemes. But that small comfort did little to quell her irritation.

“But Nino said he’ll convince Adrien to go out for an evening ride…”

Alya had not once consulted her on her ill-fated schemes.

Alya had not once truly apologized for all the times the plots had gone wrong.

Alya had not once asked her if she still wanted to try and win Adrien’s affections.

Alya had not once noticed how things had changed, how happy she had been since Luka came into her life.

“…just think, a sunset picnic would be even more romantic than and afternoon-”

She stopped short, yet again. But this time, she pulled her arm free from Alya’s, cutting her friend’s words off without uttering a sound.

Alya turned to look at her, confusion clear across her face. “Marinette?”

Her nails were biting into her palms, her fisted hands shaking ever so much. “No.” She could not remember the last time she had told Alya no.

It seemed Alya didn’t remember either. Her friend stared at her, flabbergasted. “What do you mean, ‘no��?”

“I don’t want to go out on a picnic.”

Alya stared at her incredulously, but then she began to laugh. “I suppose if you had tea that lasted that long you would not be particularly hungry,” Alya laughed, all traces of worry gone. “We can do it tomorrow evening then. That might be better, actually. Then the ground will be fully dry.”

Alya had just accepted- assumed that she did not want to go on a picnic because she was not hungry. And yet again, Alya had made a new plan without consulting her, or even asking her.

“I have a prior engagement for dinner tomorrow,” she said coolly. Her papa had insisted that Luka and Juleka dine at the bakery, and neither of the Couffaine’s had been particularly hard pressed to accept. Especially with her papa’s promise of his famous quiche.

“Well then, we do it- no, the night after is the assembly halls… then we do it the night after the assembly halls.” She opened her mouth, a protest barely past her lips when Alya narrowed her eyes. “Or do you have another engagement that evening as well? You have had many plans recently,” Alya said pointedly.

It was true, she was expecting she and Luke or perhaps she and Juleka would make arrangements to spend time in each other’s company. They would be leaving for Achu soon, and she wanted to spend as much time with them, with Luka, as she could before they left. But more than that… “I don’t want to go on a picnic with Adrien.”

“Of course you do-”

“I do not!”

Alya stared at her.”Very well, then what would you like to do with Adrien?”

“Nothing. There are other things I wish to spend my time on. Other people I wish to spend my time with. And I don’t want any more of your plots or schemes.”

Alya stared at her incredulously. And then, the familiar look of pensive frustration —the one Alya bore when things did not go according to her plans and she was trying to tangle out the reason why—crossed her face. “The dancing… all the outings… the teas and dinners…” Alya muttered, almost to herself, her brows furrowing more and more with ever word she uttered. “Marinette.” A sudden epiphany must have struck Alya, because she snapped her gaze up from the ground where it had drifted during her mutterings. Alya stared—almost glared—at her with accusatory eyes. “If you don’t stop this… this plot of yours, you will lose your chance with Adrien forever!”

Alya’s words struck her so hard, she took a step back. Plot? Alya thought this was all some, some plot? That she had been using Luka just to- She had to force herself to take a breath before she said something she would regret. Once she had quashed the hot and angry indignation that was flaring through her as best as she could, she rounded on Alya. “It isn’t some plot!” she cried. “I am weary- exhausted of plots!

“Then what is this? Marinette,” there was that awful, condescending note in her voice. That horrible, look in Alya’s eyes that told her her friend thought she knew what was best. “I don’t want to see you waste your chance. After all these years of loving Adrien and pining for him, you’re going to lose it all! And to some… some newcomer who has barely been here three months! Do you really want all your love to go to-“

“I don’t love Adrien!” she hated how she could hear the tears in her voice. But she couldn’t hold this in any longer. She couldn’t take it anymore. Alya gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth as she stepped back.

“What do you mean, of course you love him-“

“I don’t. I don’t know if I ever did. And even if I did love him once, I don’t anymore. And I refuse to spend the rest of my life chasing someone who doesn’t love me.”

“Marinette, of course he loves you. He just has to realize-“

“No, Alya. He doesn’t. He has never once paid me any attention. No matter how hard I tried,” she clutched her hands to her chest, trying to hold in the heartbreak she had bottled up over the years. The world blurred with her held back tears. “And I don’t want to spend my life trying to convince someone to love me. I want- I deserve to have someone who sees me. Who loves me without having to be convinced and tricked into it!”

“And he will-“

“No. He won’t.” Alya started to protest, but she cut her off before she could. “And even if he did, I don’t care. I have something. Something special. Luka saw me. He loves me, and I love him-“

“Luka?” Alya looked caught between indigence and flabbergasted. But it seemed she was quickly leaning towards incredulity. “When did that happen?”

She remained silent, not trusting herself to speak. But Alya was undeterred.

“And isn’t it a bit fast? You barely know him, you’ve known Adrien for-“

“I don’t know Adrien. Not really. And he doesn’t know me. Not like Luka. Luka understands me, he makes me happy! I see a future for myself with him.”

“But after all this time pining for Adrien!”

“You aren’t listening! I haven’t loved Adrien for a long time. I don’t think I ever truly did love him in the first place. Now that I know what love is… please,” she added quietly, “I am happy. Can you be happy for me too?”

Alya sighed. She still did not look convinced. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Marinette.”

“I have never been more sure,” she said quietly before turning and heading towards the path that would take her to the village the long way. Those words were long overdue. She just hoped Alya would listen. And that things would change.

For the better.

***

It was warmer in the sun, but it was comfortable with the breeze. Everything was comfortable when he was with Marinette. When he was with her, everything made sense. Except, perhaps, the language of flowers and fans and handkerchiefs, and all the other rules of courtship. But then, in many ways, it felt like those rules did not matter. Like they did not apply to the two of them, despite what Kaalki and Juleka said. Though that did not quell his curiosity regarding the lilacs and what Juleka had said-

“I do,” she said abruptly, breaking him from his musings before adding in explanation, “want children, that is. I’ve always dreamed of having them. Having a family of my own. Maybe two; I always wanted a sister.”

“They are more headache than anything,” he half chuckled, half mumbled, ignoring the feeling of Juleka’s eyes boring into his back.

He turned when he felt Marinette’s eyes on him. “Perhaps, but I think the headaches would be worth it, don’t you think?”

“They are,” he said softly, “I couldn’t imagine a childhood- a life without my sister. I couldn’t imagine my own children not having siblings.”

The smile that curled across her face was dazzling and gentle, and it lit up her eyes and the world around them. The world was suddenly… more. The songs of the birds and the voice of the breeze were clearer, the colours of the meadow were brighter. Everything…

They were all familiar notes: the songs of the birds, the breeze whispering in the grass, the wildflowers that carpeted the meadow like stained glass, the endless blue sky with its lazily drifting clouds, the warmth of the sun on his face.

Though the notes themselves were familiar, he was suddenly seeing them in a new light. As if a veil had been lifted from his eyes and he was seeing the world for the first time all over again.

The notes were rearranging themselves before his very eyes; suddenly he was seeing just how many shades of blue the sky held all at once, and the colours of the world were singing with new clarity.

This new arrangement was illuminating new truths in the notes. Truths that had been hidden in what he had once thought was the complete song.

And at the very centre of the recomposition, was Marinette.

***

The meadow had sung with new music the day before, when Marinette answered his question. He could still hear it now, singing with resplendent clarity even over the sound of Polaris and Nyx’s hooves.

King Ali may have commissioned him to compose the symphony, but the symphony was no longer for King Ali anymore than it was for the all the heavens above or all the water in the oceans and seas.

It was all for Marinette.

It was all because of Marinette.

Even now, the wind against his face and the soft thud of hooves against grass held the promise of a new song. Music permeated the world in a way it never had. Or at least, it never had before he had met Marinette.

She saw him. His mind wandered to the portrait she had done of him. He had almost not recognized his own likeness. She had seen him not just as he was but all and more than he had ever he hoped to be. And she heard him. As entwined as music was in the very essence of his soul, she heard more than his music. She heard him. She cherished his words and quiet as much as she cherished his music.

Beside him, Juleka and Nyx slowed as they approached one of the hills surrounding the meadow. He quickly followed suit. They ascended the hill in amicable silence, and once they reach the top they made a silent agreement to stop and take in the view of the sprawling hills and meadows and farms, the lilac woods, and in the distance, home.

It was such a short word. And yet, it held more meaning than one would expect of just a few letters.

“Luka?”

“Yes?” he answered, not turning away from the foundation of what would perhaps be another symphony in front of him.

“You haven’t proposed to Marinette, yet.” It was both a question and an accusation at once.

Looking away from the view in front of him, he turned to find his sister staring at him inquisitorially. His smile was all the answer she needed.

#chords and courtship #lukanette #endgame lukanette #lukanette endgame #luka couffaine #marinette dupain cheng #juleka couffaine #tom dupain #sabine cheng #nooroo #kaalki #sass #alya cesaire #alya salt #regency au

18 notes · View notes

eomma-jpeg · 1 year ago

Note

For the AO3 wrapped! 6,7, and 19

6. Favorite title you used

Hrmmmmmm i will always be partial to in the meadow even though it was literally chosen spur of the moment lol.

But really i love the title sealed in steam and i have a couple unpublished titles that i really like lol

like the one for my eros and psyche au !

7. If you use song lyrics, which artist’s songs did you pull from the most?

I actually don’t think any of my stuff has used more than one song from any artist, but in the meadow is famously named for a Nickel Creek song

This upcoming year i intend to use a few more Lizzy McAlpine song titles bc her music haunts me and my fanfiction intentions.

what a shame is named after her song, a work gifted to me by @noaafishfieldguide uses one of her songs, and i intend to use the song ‘Pancakes for Dinner’ as inspo for an upcoming chapter

I have yet to use hozier lyrics even though his music has certainly inspired several scenes and emotional interactions.

19. What’s one pairing you want to explore next year?

MILIVIO BABY

I cant wait to explore that ship sooooooooo bad

After Eden has got me thinking about domestic milivio T-T

I also have been holding out on stryfewood and need to actually write something sweet for them

Like the pride and prejudice au i keep saying im going to do oops

But i have more rare ships i want to explore

And obviously i will do more vashmeryl and millynai bc im sick ! in the mind !!!

ao3 wrapped

#hi squid !!! hiiiiii !!!!!!#ask #trigun #vashmeryl #millynai #milivio #stryfewood

13 notes · View notes

celticcrossanon · 11 months ago

Text

BRF Reading, 14th of March 2024

This is speculation only

Cards drawn on the 14th of March, 2024

Question: Is Harry blackmailing his father or holding something over his father?

Note: This came about as @ladykinrannoch and I were pulling cards on questions as we chatted to each other on DM, and something came up that suggested that Harry was holding something over his father, so we decided to investigate further.

Note Two: Lady Kinrannoch drew cards on this question at the same time that I did, but she asked from Camilla's perspective. You can find her reading and interpretation here: https://www.tumblr.com/ladykinrannoch/744857257180872704/reading-aging-camilla-what-is-the-cause-is?

Interpretation: I think he might be, surprisingly (I thought the answer would be no).

Note: On reading this over, it seems to go off into conspiracy theory territory. I am sorry! I will return to my more 'normal' readings tomorrow.

Card One: The Empress

This is the card of the female ruler, i.e. Queen Camilla, the mother, the wife to the Emperor (again Queen Camilla), and generally a card of fertility, abundance, pregnancy, and so on. It represents the planet Venus, the planet of love, relationships, and money.

The energy from this card is mainly that of Queen Camilla, which tells me that whatever is happening here, it concerns the Queen. Harry may be blackmailing/holding something over her as well as his father, or instead of his father.

The mother/wife/pregnancy energy makes me suspect - and this is me, not the cards - that Harry is threatening to reveal the truth about his children and their conception (i.e. by surrogacy) in a way that will implicate King Charles, essentially saying that his father was complicit in the whole thing, it was his father's idea etc.

The other thing it could be is something about Queen Camilla as the wife of King Charles, so something about their marriage.

The clear energy is that of Queen Camilla, so she is definitely involved in this somehow.

Card Two: The King of Wands.

This card is a puzzler. It is usually my card for Meghan, as she is a Leo, but I am not getting her energy in any significant way here. It is present as a minor energy, but far stronger and dominating it is the energy of a man/a masculine energy, and that energy has an almost Machiavellian feel to it It feels like someone who has a very likeable and approachable public face, but underneath that face they are scheming like mad. The saying "Angel abroad, Devil at home" comes to mind. I know that Meghan fits the criteria but this honestly does not feel like her. This is someone who is clever enough to pull off their schemes without the public suspecting anything.

This card is a puzzler for me. I don't know what this energy s doing here next to Queen Camilla.

Energetically, this card is linked to the Two of Wands below, so whatever Harry is planning, I think that this man has a hand in it / is using Harry as a 'useful idot' or something like that.

Card Three: The Ten of Cups

This is a card of emotional satisfaction, living happily ever after. It is also my royal wedding card as it shows the wedding of Eros and Psyche on Mount Olympus.

The energy of this card in this reading is wedding energy - a wedding between two people who enjoy each other's company and who find emotional contentment in each other.

I think this is the wedding of King Charles and Queen Camilla, possibly the first one with the civil ceremony, but definitely the second one which was also the coronation and as close to a full royal wedding as they would get.

Whatever the secret is that the Empress card holds, it has something to do with the marriage of King Charles and Queen Camilla and their coronation (Charles as King, Camilla as Queen Consort). The coronation was also when King Charles was 'married' to Great Britain as its King.

That is all I am getting from this card - wedding energy, marriage energy.

Card Four: Death

This is the card for Scorpio, the sun sign of The King, and I am definitely getting his energy here.

It is also, in a general sense, a card of transitions, of changes that can't be undone, of moving from one state to another with no way of going back (e.g. once you have given birth you can't go back to never having given birth). I am getting that energy as well - of a change that is permanent, a move from one state to another state.

Death is also the card of death , literally.

This is about King Charles. Something is going to happen, or is planned to happen, or is being threatened, that involves The King changing his status somehow. On the card, my eye is drawn to the people supplicating the Death figure with gifts - the change may come about because of the people asking for it.

The change may also be literally the Death of the King, in the sense of abdication (one king stepping aside and another taking his place).

I'm not getting much else from this card - just King Charles and change.

Card Five: The Nine of Pentacles

This card is about wealth and status, having enough wealth to live comfortably and securely. It is giving me so much smug energy, Harry's energy, a very satisfied 'I got what I wanted energy". It is turning my stomach, to be honest. It reeks of smugness, a sense of superiority, and someone patting themselves on the back almost constantly.

If Harry is holding something over his father, then he has been well paid for doing so and he is very pleased with himself about it. he could also be using whatever it is he is holding over his father to stop his status from being diminished, i.e. to stop the removal of his titles.

I can't stand the energy of this card any longer so I am moving on.

Underlying Energy One: The Two of Wands

This is a card of planning, deciding what to do and when to do it (and if you want to do it). It can also be a card about stepping out of your safety zone into something new.

The card shows Jason standing in front of Charon's cave. Chiron is the centaur on the card for the Hierophant, so for me the cave here represents the BRF. Jason represents Harry, he is outside the cave, so not part of the BRF. The Wands Jason/Harry is carrying are his way of lighting a way back into the cave, or of forcing entry into the cave, or even of making his way in the outside world (for example, Harry's use of his connection to royalty over the past years).

The energy of the card is of someone making a forced entry back into the BRF/the cave. I feel as if Jason/Harry is threatening to use the Wands to burn/hurt/destroy anyone who stands in the way of his re-entry.

Wands can be PR, so this card is telling me that Harry is absolutely threatening to tell something and spread it far and wide via PR, something that he can twist to burn/destroy the BRF, and he is using that to try and force his way back into the BRF (if you take me back I won't tell).

This card is linked to the King of Wands above it. The King is the mastermind/instigator, and the Two of Wands (Harry) is the drudge/peasant that carries out the work/plan.

Underlying Energy Two: Eight of Cups

The Eight of Cups is a card about walking away from something. The card shows Psyche, stripped of all her earthly possessions (the eight cups), descending into the underworld.

The energy of this card, very strongly, is of someone walking away from something. I don't think Harry is the one walking away. It feels like what Harry is threatening to tell and distort will be blown into such a scandal that someone else will be forced to walk away from a position that they currently hold.

I drew a clarifier, asking 'who will be walking away', and the card was Judgement, which is the card of Pluto, the ruling planet of Scorpio, and so indicates the King, who is a sun sign Scorpio.

Judgement is a card of being judged by other people, so it looks like the King will be faced with cries for him to step down if this scandal breaks. It is also the card of second chances, so maybe the King will be given a second chance, or he might feel that he is forced to step down as monarch (which I really do not want to happen).

I could also read this as Harry trying to force his father to step down as King, but 1) I do not want to believe that and 2) I have sinking feeling in my stomach that it may come to that in the end. If so, it may be as a result of the health of the King, as the descent into the underworld shown on the card could be a decline in health. It could also be the King taking this secret with him to the grave, i.e. stopping it coming out at whatever cost.

Conclusion:

This is the second time I have asked this question of the cards. The first time I got a definite yes, and I will post that reading after this one (it was a one card reading, so it will be short).

This time, instead of a yes/no answer, I received a story.

The energy behind the story is that Harry is trying to force his way back into the BRF, and his plans to do so either involve The King walking away from his position (abdicating), or will create such a scandal through PR (Wands) that the King will be forced to walk away from his position (he may just have to go into hiding until the scandal blows over, and if the scandal happens then I hope that is the outcome). There are indications energetically that Harry is being manipulated by a person who appears as the King of Wands in the spread (not Meghan, although the card also carries her energy).

Above these plans, we have two stories:

The first involves a wife/mother pregnancy energy, the king of wands as Meghan, a Leo, and her pregnancies/motherhood, a royal wedding, a change to another status, and being financially secure. I think that this is part of what Harry may be holding over his father - I'll tell everyone that you helped me hide the surrogacies because you were desperate for me to have an heir etc. It could also be hinting that the Harkle marriage, which led to Harry changing his status to a royal Duke and having a bigger house etc, was allowed because Meghan said she was pregnant (and she then had to make good on that statement), or something like that.

The second story, which is the dominant energy, involves the marriage and coronation of Camilla and Charles. There is a King of Wands involved in this, a man, and I have no idea who he is, but he is scheming against them. Something about the wedding or the coronation or the marriage is going to be used to try and force a change of some sort that leaves Harry in the possession of a lot of money and very smug about it.

Edit to add: So, I think that yes, Harry is blackmailing his father (or wants to blackmail his father), that another person is involved and is the 'mastermind' behind it all, and that the blackmail involves either or both of Meghan's 'pregnancies' and something to do with the marriage or coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla. If the blackmail/plot/plan goes ahead and is successful the result will most likely be the abdication of King Charles and a lot of money for Harry (and possibly an increase in wealth).

Sorry if this reading is unclear, the energy is more like a set of current energies that may form a coherent story in the future rather than one that is happening now.

I am going to have to look into this further in the future as the energy is not the clearest. Hopefully, that means that everything I have seen here is still at the vague and fuzzy stage in terms of manifestation, and it won't come to pass.

98 notes · View notes