#if i was queen of the dreaming I'd wear that dress for the shits and giggles

[orionsangel86]

The girl dressed as sand at the met gala - loving that for you. Someone put Dream of the Endless in that look right now. Sandman dressed as sand I'm-

I'm cracking up im sorry its the best mental image I've ever had

[mab1905]

More Fitzjames content? Yeah... here’s a playlist for ya’ll...

These are songs which I think describe him at different points in his character developement or simply different aspects of his personality. Somewhat James/Crozier (Fitzier) but all about James.

(25 songs, 1 hour 33 min)

Song List + Most Character-Relevant Lyrics:

Fancy — Orville Peck

We didn't have money for food or rent / To say the least, we was hard pressed / Then Mama spent every last penny we had / To buy me a dancin' dress / Mama washed and combed and curled my hair / And she painted my eyes and lips / Stepped into a satin dancin' dress / That had a slit in the side clean up to my hips / It was red velvet trim, and it fit me good / Starin' back from the lookin' glass / There stood a woman where a half-gown boy had stood / ... / It sounded like somebody else that was talkin' / Askin', "Mama, what do I do?" / She said, "Just be nice to the gentlemen, Fancy / They'll be nice to you" / "Here's your one chance, Fancy, don't let me down / Here's your one chance, Fancy, don't let me down / Lord, forgive me for what I do / But if you want out, well, it's up to you / Now don't let me down now / Your mama's gonna move you uptown"

gold rush — Taylor Swift

What must it be like / To grow up that beautiful? / With your hair falling into place like dominos / ... / At dinner parties / I call you out on your contrarian shit / And the coastal town / We wandered 'round had never / Seen a love as pure as it / And then it fades into the gray of my day old tea / 'Cause you know it could never be

The Name Of The Game — ABBA

Your smile, and the sound of your voice / And the way you see through me / Got a feeling, you give me no choice / But it means a lot to me / So I wanna know / What's the name of the game?

Spectrum — Florence + The Machine

And when we come for you / We'll be dressed up all in blue / With the ocean in our arms / Kiss your eyes and kiss your palms / And when it's time to pray / We'll be dressed up all in grey / With metal on our tongues / And silver in our lungs / ... / And when we come back we'll be dressed in black / And you'll scream my name aloud / And we won't eat and we won't sleep / We'll drag bodies from the ground / So say my name / And every colour illuminates / And we are shining / And we'll never be afraid again

Dreamy Bruises — Sylvan Esso

How can we question / What we knows feels right / Black eyes turn to marigolds / In the morning light / Ohweeohweeoh kids move so slow / Shaken all over like some dogs at the pool / Ohweeohweeoh kids move so slow / They’re kicken all the records over acting like they hanging water / Ohweeohweeoh kids move so slow / Down in the basement where the sun don't show / Ohweeohweeoh kids movie so slow / Naked dollars wonder piles dreamy bruises rotten lovers / And they say I want you / To bend me back in two / To make me sing your tune / To make those words so smooth / Fill me like a song do

Wolf — Sylvan Esso

But no birds nor beast does he eat / He only wants the tenderest meat / And oh the sounds he makes them speak / Under all different patterns of sheets / ... / The modern wolf, the modern wolf / Drippin' in all the lives that he took / He'll go on home, try to wash them off / But when he shaves, he hears them call

Francis Forever — Mitski

On sunny days I go out walking / I end up on a tree-lined street / I look up at the gaps of sunlight / I miss you more than anything / I don't need the world to see / That I've been the best I can be, but / I don't think I could stand to be / Where you don't see me / And autumn comes when you're not yet done / With the summer passing by, but / I don't think I could stand to be / Where you don't see me

James — MGMT

James / If you need a friend / Come right over / Don't even knock / And I'll be home / The door is always open / And we both can say, "Who's laughing now?" / Oh, James / My little doll / You just go outside and you call / Oh, James / Oh, you're never too far off / If your fire's out / There's no need to shout / I'm always home / And walk on in / I'll make you tea and breakfast / And we both can say, "Who's laughing now?"

South London Forever — Florence + The Machine

I drive past the place that I was born / And the places that I used to drink / Young and drunk and stumbling in the street / Outside the Joiners Arm's like foals unsteady on their feet / With the art students and the boys in bands / High on E and holding hands with someone that I just met / I thought it doesn't get / Better than this / There can be nothing better than this / Better than this / And we climbed onto the roof, the museum / And someone made love in the glass / And I'd forgot my name / And the way back to my mother's house / With your black cool eyes and your bitten lips / The world is at your fingertips / It doesn't get better than this / What else could be better than this? / Oh, don't you know I have seen / I have seen the fields aflame / And everything I ever did / Was just another way to scream your name

Oh! You Pretty things — David Bowie

I think about a world to come / Where the books were found by the Golden ones / Written in pain, written in awe / By a puzzled man who questioned / What we work here for / All the strangers came today / And it looks as though they're here to stay / Oh You Pretty Things (Oh You Pretty Things) / Don't you know you're driving your / Mamas and Papas insane / Oh You Pretty Things (Oh You Pretty Things) / Don't you know you're driving your / Mamas and Papas insane / Let me make it plain / You gotta make way for the Homo Superior

Venus As A Boy — Björk

His wicked sense of humor / Suggests exciting sex / His fingers they focus on her and touches / He's Venus as a boy / ... / All across your lips, oh, then until / Well be that it's a little now, until / He believes in a beauty / He's Venus as a boy / He believes in a beauty and gentle

Winds Change — Orville Peck

Had a lover but I lost my patience / Gonna get a song on a radio station / Got a fire but you just can't use it / I don't mean no lies, baby, please don't lose it / Lost my way on the other side / I know why, I don't know when / From the way that we said goodbye / I knew I'd never see you again / Left my mind in the Salt Lake City / Met a lot of men who would call me pretty / Pack of reds, watch the days get colder / Don't it make you cry, how we're getting older?

Fluorescent Adolescent — Arctic Monkeys

Oh the boy's a slag / The best you ever had / The best you ever had is just a memory / And those dreams weren't as daft as they seem / Not as daft as they seem / My love, when you dream them up... / Flicking through a little book of sex tips / Remember when the boys were all electric? / Now when she's told she's gonna get it / I'm guessing that she'd rather just forget it / Clinging to not getting sentimental / Said she wasn't going but she went still / Likes her gentlemen not to be gentle / Was it a Mecca dauber or a betting pencil? / Oh the boy's a slag / The best you ever had / The best you ever had is just a memory / And those dreams weren't as daft as they seem / Not as daft as they seem / My love, when you dream them up / Falling about / You took a left off Last Laugh Lane / Just sounding it out / But you're not coming back again.

Cheerleader — St. Vincent

I've had good times / With some bad guys / I've told whole lies / With a half smile / Held your bare bones / With my clothes on / I've thrown rocks / Then hid both my arms / I've played dumb / When I knew better / Tried so hard / Just to be clever / I know honest thieves / I call family / I've seen America / With no clothes on / I don't know what I deserve / But for you I could work / Cause I don’t want to be a cheerleader no more

Queen Bitch — David Bowie

She's so swishy in her satin and tat / In her frock coat and bipperty-bopperty hat / Oh God, I could do better than that / Oh, yeah / She's an old-time ambassador / Of sweet talking, night walking games / Oh and she's known in the darkest clubs / For pushing ahead of the dames / If she says she can do it / Then she can do it, she don't make false claims / But she's a queen and such a queen / Such a laughter is sucked in their brains / Now she's leading him on / And she'll lay him right down / Yes, she's leading him on / And she'll lay him right down / But it could have been me / Yes, it could have been me

Boys Keep Swinging — David Bowie

Heaven loves ya / The clouds part for ya / Nothing stands in your way / When you're a boy / Clothes always fit ya / Life is a pop of the cherry / When you're a boy / When you're a boy / You can wear a uniform / When you're a boy / Other boys check you out / You get a girl / These are your favorite things / When you're a boy / Boys / Boys / Boys keep swinging

Caterpillars (Of The Common Wealth) — Will Connolly

You know you'll always be my valentine / Now swear to god that you will never tell / They're streaming every indiscretion live / For caterpillars of the commonwealth / Gotta go / You can stay / Make yourself at home / Gotta go / This campaign / Don't run itself you know / You've got potential little parasite / I tie your hands so i can wish you well / Cuz i'm a gentleman and you are like / A caterpillar of the commonwealth / Gotta go / I said no / You need to know your role / Gotta go / I said no / It's all under control

Imposters (Little By Little) — The Fratellis

You wear your mask, I'll wear mine / They don't come cheap, but they fit just fine / You can be her and I can be him / We can both sink when the rest all swim / ... / We can pretend that our fates were entwined / A beautiful lie is the beautiful kind / Everybody knows that the sun still sets / And everybody gives and everybody gets / ... / I could be the one that you just can't shake / Till you swear that your eyes go blind / We can disappear till the sun burns a hole / In the life that we left behind

Sweet Painted Lady — Elton John

I'm back on dry land once again / Opportunity awaits me like a rat in the drain / We're all hunting honey with money to burn / Just a short time to show you the tricks that we've learned / If the boys all behave themselves here / Well, there's pretty young ladies and beer in the rear / ... / Forget us we'll have gone very soon / Just forget we ever slept in your rooms / And we'll leave the smell of the sea in your beds / Where love's just a job and nothing is said

Super Trouper — ABBA

Super trouper beams are gonna blind me / But I won't feel blue / Like I always do / 'Cause somewhere in the crowd there's you / ... / So I'll be there when you arrive / The sight of you will prove to me I'm still alive / And when you take me in your arms / And hold me tight / I know it's gonna mean so much tonight

Babooshka — Kate Bush

She sent him scented letters / And he received them with a strange delight / Just like / His wife / But how she was before the tears / And how she was before the years flew by / And how she was when she was beautiful / She signed the letter / All yours...

Paris is Burning — St. Vincent

I write to give word the war is over / Send my cinders home to mother / They gave me a medal for my valor / Leaden trumpets spit the soot of power / They say, "I'm on your side / "When nobody is, 'cause nobody is / "Come sit right here and sleep / "While I slip poison in your ear" / We are waiting on a telegram / To give us news of the fall / I am sorry to report / Dear Paris is burning after all

Dream of Sheep — Kate Bush

Oh I'll wake up to any sound of engines / Every gull a seeking craft / I can't keep my eyes open / Wish I had my radio / I'd tune into some friendly voices / Talking 'bout stupid things / I can't be left to my imagination / Let me be weak, let me sleep and dream of sheep / Ooh, their breath is warm / And they smell like sleep / And they say they take me home / Like poppies, heavy with seed / They take me deeper and deeper

Hunger — Florence + The Machine

At seventeen, I started to starve myself / I thought that love was a kind of emptiness / And at least I understood then, the hunger I felt / And I didn't have to call it loneliness / ... / Tell me what you need, oh, you look so free / The way you use your body, baby, come on and work it for me / Don't let it get you down, you're the best thing I've seen / We never found the answer but we knew one thing / ... / And it's Friday night and it's kicking in / In that pink dress, they're gonna crucify me / Oh, and you in all your vibrant youth / How could anything bad ever happen to you? / You make a fool of death with your beauty, and for a moment / I forget to worry

[solaeter]

hi !!! congrats on 100 followers !!

soooo i'm here for the jujutsu kaisen match-up hahah... alright let me just get started

1) i'm lightskin black girl. i have fuller lips, a smaller/average nose. i've got brown eyes and thick, straighter eyebrows :) i have collarbone length hair that is curly, dark and cut into a shaggy mullet,, kinda messy lmao

2) my love language is touch !!

3) i'm bisexual :)

4) my goals are to be involved in the arts, i love being creative in everyway. anything that can help me become more creative or just anything new that i can learn is always good for me ! but if i had to pick a specific career, i'd love to be an actress.

i'd say my only fears is not living up to my full potential, or just letting myself down. also spiders.. 🧍‍♀️

dislikes,,, anyone who is unnecessarily rude.

5) what i look for in a person,,,, someone who understands me or atleast accepts me for all the randomness that goes on in my head lol. just want someone on the same wavelength as me, some i can laugh w, someone who can be my best friend before my lover. cuz personally i can be v sarcastic, so to have playful banter back and forth is so important to me !! 😭

i'm an introvert, but can be loud around people im comfortable with. i am v scatter brained,,, so i just have random outbursts of energy lol

6) hobbies and interests,, i love creating things ! call my ass bob the builder LMAO but i do love art, editing, fashion and dancing :)

7) what makes me feel confident,, i'd have to say the music i listen to, the clothes i wear. if i wake up one day and feel good then i'm goof for the entire day haha. and insecurities,,, i don't think i have if im being honest... cocky much 😭

but yeaahhhh, hope i didn't overdo it 😭 sorry if i did. but thank you and congrats again !!

Jujutsu Kaisen Matchup Event | OPEN

Thank you so much for participating! Since you didn’t give an emoji, I went ahead and picked 🧍‍♀️ if that’s alright ( •⌄• ू )✧. It’s for when I make the masterlist, I can use it instead of revealing names heh. Thank you again!! Hope you enjoy!!

Out of everyone in Jujutsu Kaisen, I pair you with…

Honey you are gorgeous and Yuji will fall flat on his face in love with you. He isn’t picky with appearances and will probably compliment every little thing because he can’t narrow down what he loves the most. Sure he may say that he loves a tall woman with a big ass, but his heart is too pure to be limited to such a thing. You will be his queen and no one can tell him otherwise. 

In the beginning of your relationship, Yuji is an all in type of boy. He's gonna act like you've been together for fifty years and hold you in high regards. For one, you actually accepted to date him out of everyone which he's shocked about as well. Secondly, you just make him so happy that he can't hold back. The only respect he has in the beginning is the amount of pda. Hand holding and hugs are a must but everything else comes with him. 

Yuji will lowkey wanna play with your hair cause he's amazed by the curls. He would grab one and pull it to see it bounce. That boy will be like 😲 and do it again until you tell him to stop. [as someone with curly hair too, I find it funny when this happens jskssksks so I had to include it]. 

Those lips, Yuji will be all over you. He's all for physical affection, so he will not hesitate to kiss you and then make some type of cute remark about how your lips feel on his. He will absolutely melt if you kiss his face; cheeks, nose, chin or just anywhere..he will be putty and have a blush on his cheeks and a stupid smile to match. Like I said, he's in love with you completely. 

Yuji definitely relates with you in terms of your fears, aside from spiders. He will willingly kill those for you and be deemed the hero. Anyways, Yuji will listen to your fears and concerns while also adding his own so that you know that he feels the same and that you aren't alone as long as he's around. Yuji is also your biggest supporter, he will encourage you to be the best version of yourself while saying it's fine to make mistakes along the way. Just do the same for him, you both build each other up ❤

Yuji isn't very creative, so seeing you take an interest in just about anything you set your mind to, he's right behind you with full support. You wanna be an actress? Yuji is your biggest fan and helps you practice if you plan to pursue the dream. He admires everything you do, from the littlest things to the biggest. Yuji also helps you discover new things, especially if he knows it'll catch your attention even for a short while. 

Yuji sees you dancing? Girl please, he's gonna join you even if he can't dance for shit. This boy is hard to embarrass, so you'll have a partner no matter what. Your love for fashion? Yuji will let you pick things out for him, he just has a strong preference for hoodies. Other than that, he gives you full reign to play dress up on those days you both spend time at the mall. 

In terms of conflict, Yuji would want to settle the matter as soon as possible. He can't deal with the idea of losing someone he holds so dear. He'd give you space, but not for too long. Yuji is the type that would come to you and just pull you into his arms. The contact is one form of reassurance and the apologies that soon follow only make it better. Now if you weren't one to apologize right away, the hug is definitely enough for Yuji to ease his worries. 

Yuji can take jokes just as he can dish them, even it they're a little dumb. He admires your randomness, he thinks it keeps the relationship fresh and there's always something to discover. As much as Yuji loves you, he also considers you to be his best friend as well. It's the best of both ends really. You mesh really well with him and he to you, so much to the point others would question if you were dating or not. Especially if you both got into a teasing battle that bordered on offensive to some but funny to you two. 

Lastly, Yuji really admires your confidence. He loves how your whole day can be made from the time you wake up. If only it were that easy for him, but your positive vibes do rub off on him more often than not. And your lack of insecurities, ma'am you are surely strong and that has Yuji tossing heart eyes at you. He has his own internal battles but your strength helps him keep his head high. 

[finalgirlfae]

Teenage Idol - Chapter One

For my sake, when Rosemary shifts she shifts to a reality where racism, misogyny, homophobia and all that bad stuff doesn’t exist. Doris is born in 1939 and Connie is born in 1940 for book purposes.

hey nonny ding dong, alang alang alang boom ba-doh, ba-doo ba-doodle-ay

“ROSIE!”

Rosemary woke up nearly frightened, low music played in the distance and the room smelled of tobacco and flowers. She looked down at the fancy sofa she had woken up on, now realizing it was not the queen size bed she had laid down on a nap for. 

“Where.. where am I?” Rosemary asked, looking around frantically and a bit panicked.

“Geez.. how hard did you hit your head?” The woman laughed. Rosemary looked at her with wide eyes, this was Doris fucking Day.

“Doris?”

Doris titled her head and laughed. “Rosie? You okay?”

This has to be a dream.

“There you two are! We go on in 5!” Another voice called out. A woman with short brown hair, fair skin and red lips rounded the corner. She wore an off the shoulder black dress that hugged her waist tightly and poofed a bit at the bottom.

(like this)

“Well I was just wakin up Rosie.” Doris said, standing up and smoothing out her identical dress. They both had white gloves on, Rosie looked down to see she was wearing the same thing.

“What year is it?”

Connie raised a brow, “Rosie stop goofing off. It’s 1958, you know that.”

Oh shit.

“Next up we have a few special ladies.” A voice from front stage spoke, Doris grabbed Rosie’s hand and pulled her up a bit harshly. She was then dragged to a curtain where she stood in the middle of the girls, confused as ever.

“Please welcome to the stage Rosie Valentine, Doris Day and Connie Francis with their new hit single, Be My Baby!”

The large audience clapped as the curtain was pulled revealing the three girls, they walked out to center stage. Rosie in the middle and Doris and Connie behind her like they were to sing backup.

What do I do?

Music began to play, the song sounded very familiar to Rosie but she couldn’t quite place a finger on it, in her conscious mind at least. Body moving before mind, Rosie gently took hold of the mic and began to sing.

The night we met I knew I needed you so And if I had the chance I'd never let you go So won't you say you love me I'll make you so proud of me We'll make 'em turn their heads every place we go

So won’t you please-

Doris and Connie began to sing back up, the three ladies moved in sync with each other to a little sway dance that went with the song.

(Be my, be my baby) Be my little baby (My one and only baby) Say you'll be my darlin' (Be my, be my baby) Be my baby now Wha-oh-oh-oh

I'll make you happy, baby, just wait and see For every kiss you give me, I'll give you three Oh, since the day I saw you I have been waiting for you You know I will adore you 'til eternity Rosie noticed how the faces in the crowd looked at her with adoration instead of hatred, and this was weird. Even the white men in the crowd seemed to enjoy themselves, some even having a bit of love in their eyes. So won't you, please (Be my, be my baby) Be my little baby (My one and only baby) Say you'll be my darlin' (Be my, be my baby) Be my baby now Wha-oh-oh-oh-oh So come on and please (Be my, be my baby) Be my little baby (My one and only baby) Say you'll be my darlin' (Be my, be my baby) Be my baby now Wha-oh-oh-oh (Be my, be my baby) Be my little baby (My one and only baby) Oh (Be my, be my baby) Oh Wha-oh-oh-oh-oh

When the song was over the crowd went wild which was even more confusing. Black and white alike, sitting in this theatre looking happy and clapping for the group. And even more strange, a black lead singer with two white women as backup?? This can’t be 1958.

A man walked on to the stage, Rosie instantly recognized him. He was Dick Clark, the host of the Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show otherwise known as The Dick Clark Show.

“Say, Rosie.” Dick said, coming over with a mic in one hand and wrapping his arm around the girl’s shoulder. “Was that song for any special someone in the crowd? Maybe a certain guy or gal?”

Rosie’s body again, moved without her mind. She smiled and shook her head no, “I’m not dropping any names, Dick.”

Dick laughed and let go of her, snapping his fingers. “Aw dang it, I was really hoping to see who had stolen the heart of our teenage idol. Anyways folks give it up one more time for Rosie Valentine, Doris Day, and Connie Francis for their new single; Be My Baby. You heard it first here folks.”

The girls all took a bow before walking backstage, Rosie was slowly starting to understand where she was but not why she was there. The last thing she remembered was listening to a crew cuts song on her laptop before falling asleep. The year was 2021, so how did she go back 63 years. Maybe this was just a realistic dream?

“You sounded great Rosie.” Doris complimented, removing the long black gloves she had on.

Connie’s smile turned into a sly smirk when she saw who was walking towards them. “Don’t look now girls, but David is coming our way.”

David,, as in David Nelson?

“Ladies,” David greeted, walking over to the three girls who smiled back at him. He hugged both Connie and Doris before turning to Rosie.

“Gee Rosie, I don’t believe we’ve met. My name is David, David Nelson.”

Rosie laughed a bit to hid how much she was freaking out on the inside. She binged his parent’s show on YouTube everyday. But this isn’t real right? 

“I know, I watch the show. Rosemary Valentine.” She spoke, shaking his hand.

He smiled at her, “Well the real reason I came over here was well one, to meet you and two, my brother is too afraid to.”

His brother,, as in Ricky mother fucking Nelson,, is afraid to meet me?

Connie giggled, “You think he knows that song is about him Rosie?” 

Rosie and Doris scoffed, both sending Connie glares. She faked coy with a hand over her mouth and giggled even more.

David raised an eyebrow, “So it is about Rick? Say, he should be coming back here right now, about time you’ve met.”

And just on que he rounded the corner to the backstage, sighing when he saw his brother.”

“Geez David, at least let a fella know before you go wandering off. You’re my ride back after all.”

“I’m sorry Rick, I was just talkin to Rosie.”

Ricky’s eyes travelled to Rosie who looked a bit dumbfounded, or at least felt. He broke into a soft smile at the dark skin girl who he had been geeked over since she made her debut last year.

“Rosemary Valentine, we meet at last, How do you do?”

Rosie could feel Connie and Doris’ eyes looking at the two of them and practically hear the giggles.

“Why, I’m alright. You?” She spoke, not knowing where her transatlantic accent suddenly came from. She stuck her hand out for a shake and Ricky took it gently.

“With you here? Never better.” He said softly, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it gently.

oh my fucking god ricky nelson just kissed my hand

David laughed a bit at Rosie’s now flustered expression. “Say, would you ladies like to go get something to eat? I know a lovely place by Times Square. The girls looked at each other an nodded.

“We’ll change and meet you right here. Excuse us.” Doris said, giving her charming smile and leading her two friends to their dressing room for the night. When Doris closed the door Connie freaked.

“You have to dance with Rick!” She exclaimed, shuffling over to the rack of dresses as she tried to find the perfect one for Rosie.

“Wha- why?”

Doris shook her head, “Everyone knows when a guy and girl dance it’s the first step to going steady. I know where David is taking us, it’s a nice little diner with a jukebox and tiled floor perfect for dancing.”

Rosie took a deep breath, just last night she had been reading a fanfic and now she seemed to be living in one. Or, until she woke up that is.

“Fine, get me dolled up ladies.”

The girls squealed and pushed her down into the chair, giving their friend the perfect date night look.

Is this really a dream?

unedited

[gothicwidowsworld]

Lewis Capaldi #16

Requested - @megandonaldson

Hello can I get a Lewis Capaldi imagine, when she’s a lead singer in a band and she wins an award??? Thanks

Imagine...

Curling the last strand of her y/h/c hair Y/N delicately placed her iconic black rose and crystal studded flower crown on her head before checking to make sure she looked presentable. She felt amazing, her dress hugged her just right while also being comfortable and her makeup looked stunning. “Would you stop worrying i’m sure you look fine.” the well known voice announced breaking her from the slight daze the girl had managed to slip into. Making her way into their shared bedroom Y/N simply grinned at her boyfriend of 1 year “Easy for you to say.. You never look like you give a shit about what you’re wearing.” Lewis being the drama queen he was simply feigned shock “I’ll have you know I’m performing this evening.” flipping his non existent hair. “Well you won’t be if we don’t get a move on” Y/N said with no ounce of sympathy in her voice before leaving the room to get into the car waiting outfront.

“I’m here with Y/N the lead singer from Beatrix’s radio” the male interviewer Jamie Laing stated loudly over the roaring crowd to all the people watching at home. Yasmin Evans greeted the familiar singer warmingly, Evans had become quite close friends with Y/N after interviewing the y/h girl for BBC 1 a few months previously. “It’s great to be here.” Y/N responded into the mic that had practically been thrusted into her hand once the hosts had hijacked her off the red carpet. “So Beatrix’s radio has been nominated for ‘British group’ and ‘British artist video of the year’ how exciting” Yasmin question her London accent making an appearance. Smiling Y/N nodded “Yeah it’s honestly unreal and it’s such a shame the rest of the band couldn’t make it. I mean we’ve worked so hard to make it to where we are and I mean the Brits who would have thought it.” after a couple more questions about the band’s new album and upcoming tour Y/N was allowed to leave and continue her way up the carpet.

Finally it was time to announce the winner for British group. The nerves Y/N had managed to shed throughout the night returned only this time they were taking no prisoners. Grabbing Lewis’ hand from under the table out of habit Y/N waited, blood pounding in her ears making the rhythmic heartbeat known and forming a headache. “And the winner is…” this was it. Lewis squeezed her hand lightly thumb rubbing circles in an attempt to calm her. “BEATRIX’S RADIO”.

It was unreal, like a dream. It was as if Y/N was on autopilot or having an out of body experience.

“Wow, I’m sorry I don’t really know what to say. You see I’m not normally onstage by myself.” the audience chuckled lightly at the girl. Y/N had become well known in the music business over the past year or so working with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Niall Horan and Little mix but she was also well known for being awkward at times. “I’d just like to thank everyone who spent their time voting, and to all the people who made us feel so welcome.” she trailed off before thinking “I’m just hoping I'm not forgetting anyone or I might get kicked out the band.” Jack Whitehall pulled a face to the camera crew before heckling the y/h/c girl “GET ON WITH IT I WANT TO SEE LITTLE MIX”. Giggle Y/N continued “OK well thanks.. Don’t make me tell your father Jack. Anyway, I'd also like to thank my Boyfriend Lewis for being there when I had diva moments after hours at the studio even though he had his own album to deal with. And I’m sorry for eating the slice of Pizza you were saving. But in all seriousness Thank you for dealing with us.”

After the show was over and Lewis had performed, tears had been shed, awards won etc it was time to go home. At some point Y/N had removed her heels and was now just walking around barefoot award in one hand and swinging lewis’ hand in the other. Turning to face the 22yr old only one word fell from her red lips “Pizza?” Could this night get any better?

Gif Source

Giphy

[lizzybeth1986]

Quick Thoughts on The Royal Heir, Book 1 Chapter 1

• We're back! Hopefully with a better series this time, but I'm not going to keep my hopes too high.

• If my QTs are clogging up your dash, I recommend you block these particular tags: #trh quick thoughts, #trh qts, and optionally #long post.

• Much like my Book 3 QTs, I will be exploring as many playthroughs as I possibly can to see how each LI's route is being written. Last book, this experiment definitely helped me figure out that they were putting more effort into some characters and less into others, and I'd still like to keep an eye out for these things as much as possible.

• I feel this QT might be shorter than my usual (edit: joke's on me - it's not!! 🙈), mostly because the opening chapter itself is...pretty light, and is mostly meant for us to spend time and have fun with our chosen LI. Plus a tiny smidgen of buildup to the premise, which is having a child in Cordonia. But I do have a theory about the overall theme that I'm going to be expanding on towards the end of the chapter.

• Okay that's it for preliminary explanations, it's time for me to start with the chapter! XD

• Ooh. Oooooooh. This loading page now has tidbits about Cordonian society!! Interesting.

• Title: Happily Ever Afterwards

Alternative Title: Be Grateful We're Letting You Have This Much Sex For Free This Week, Because That's The Last Time It's Happening.

• I'm extremely offended they're making me wear that Pepto Bismol outfit again.

•

...thanks so much for reminding me you still don't care about Hana, PB! 🙄 Everyone else remains to be some version of "loyal", but Hana is still considered more for her skills than for her own steadfastness, even though she was the most hardcore-loyal of the four (SHE LEFT HER FREAKING HOME. HER FREAKING FAMILY. FOR YOU. While the other three were certainly loyal and honorable to the MC, they definitely didn't have to completely cut ties with their families to do right by the MC).

• The "fairytale" aesthetics of the frame story were what drew people into TRR in the first place, so it's not too surprising that the LIs and MC give a nod to the flagship series with a "once upon a time". If you're with Liam, it goes straight from "falling in love with the Prince" to what his relationship with her taught him, before the happily ever after. If you're with one of the other three LIs, it specifies that she came there for Liam but fell for someone else. Sounds a lot like Maxwell's book 😄 In Maxwell's playthrough, in fact, there is a reference to it when the MC calls him a "famous author".

•

(Screenshots organized as follows: 1 - Liam, 2 - Drake, 3 - Maxwell, 4 - Hana. Liam's and Hana's are my own. Drake's from @thefirstcourtesan, and Maxwell's from Kaitlyn Walker's YouTube channel).

The other interesting thing to note is that in Liam's playthrough, he leads the narration. While in everyone else's the MC is the one who steers it. One reason I can think of is that the narrative still treats this story as Liam's story as much as it is the MC's (if I'm right about the theme) - which...has honestly always been a sore point with the fanbase in TRR. That would depend on how us and our baby are now further involved with Cordonia in the story. Another factor for why she leads the narration...could be that essentially, the MC took initiative in the other three relationships, while in Liam's case it was he who took a more active role by proposing to her.

• The little story ends with this question from the MC:

Question: But what happens after Happily Ever After?

Answer: Mess. In Cordonia it's always mess.

• Cordonians (specifically the upper classes, since I don't know enough about the common populace to tell, since they're, yknow, practically invisible) are addicted to tea, apples and fucking shit up where they don't even need to.

• ANYWAY. What (literally) happens after 'happily ever after' is a tropical honeymoon on Liam's private island. In the case of the other three, he allows them access to the place and gives the staff instructions on making the stay comfortable for them.

• Now, since Liam owns the island and has probably visited it a could times, he shows more familiarity with it. He tells his wife that on previous trips the island had more rustic accommodations, but the villa they're now staying in was prepared recently. Additionally, the butler welcomes Hana, Maxwell and Drake as newcomers to the island, considering it's their first time. With Liam, there is an air of familiarity - he calls the butler by his name (Javier) and enquires about him and his wife (Mariana) - to show us perhaps how familiar he is with this holiday spot.

• Why the hell does everyone call Liam "Your Highness"? It's been two whole books since he became King, and the proper title for a monarch is "Your Majesty". How is it that Constantine gets to rake the MC over the coals for calling him Your Highness, yet Liam has to hear this from practically everyone. From Javier to freakin' Protocol-Monitor-Madeleine! The disrespect, I tell you!

• Okay so we're having a candlelit dinner by the ocean, and we get our first OOTD. Cute beach dress, has bright flowers and some crochet work on the bodice. I bought it because I couldn't bear to have Esther stay another minute in that Pepto Bismol of a dress.

• LOL @ all the LI responses to "this spot is right where the sharks are!"

• Tuna sashimi and pineapple aioli, huh? I have never had either so idek what that's supposed to taste like (someone on this writing team likes pineapples). I remember having to cut down on tuna during pregnancy, which meant no more Subway sandwiches since the tuna sub was the only one I liked at the time. IIRC most of my family were also cautioning me against pineapples and papaya during my first trimester!

• My gosh this butler doesn't waste much time jumping into assumptions huh?

• Also Javier, why is Cordonia's future so dependent on the well-being of my foetus even if I'm not ruling the country?

• Does Cordonia have sex ed? My money is on no. (esp in the Hana route).

• So there are two parts to the way the premise of wanting to have kids is built up in this sequence. In the first part, the LI impresses upon the MC the need to have children soon after the wedding. The second part addresses the urgency - the "why right now?" factor, and explores the LI's personal emotions towards having children. This bit also feels a bit like a follow-up to the Valtoria balcony scene in Chapter 15.

• The first part is pretty similar for Drake, Hana and Maxwell - all three of whom are now married to a Duchess and are aware that securing the duchy is important. They word it in their own distinctive styles, but the gist is pretty much the same. In Liam's case, since he is the king of the country, he speaks more about Cordonia and its tensions with neighbouring countries.

Take note of this because I'll be returning to this point later. (also who are the writers trying to convince about Cordonia's size. "Small kingdom" my ass).

• I'll be going by the LIs' personal reasons to have a baby now, one by one, along with a summary of their views on children in the Valtoria balcony scene last book (since this scene clearly references that diamond scene if you've bought it last book).

(Screenshots: Liam's and Hana's screenshots are mine, Drake's is from @thefirstcourtesan and Maxwell's is from Kaitlyn Walker's YouTube channel)

- Liam: Liam's love for family and need for children is well-known throughout the series. In Book 1, he's dropped hints about wanting to have a different kind of family dynamic from the one he'd experienced as a child, and in Book 2 there were multiple references to wanting to not be Constantine - both as a King and as a father. In the balcony scene in Book 3, Chapter 15, Liam tells us a number of things - about the value of having more heirs for succession, of him always dreaming of having at least 3 children, about Kenna, Cordonia's most legendary warrior queen which leads to an interesting factoid about how the rules of successions for both the throne and duchies are not gender-specific (he also cites Olivia and Penelope as being in line to inherit their duchies). In this sequence Liam undoubtedly has more to say about the political aspect of having an heir than the personal, but his statement about "someone missing" in their lives is of no surprise when he's been enthusiastic about kids for three books straight.

- Drake: Drake perhaps gets the lengthiest 'personal' bit of all, revolving around his eagerness to be a father and his own family history. This scene has Drake speaking of wanting a child with "your eyes and my hair", but most of all of Savannah and her little family, and wanting the happiness his sister is experiencing now. The writing often manages to tie Drake's thoughts about his future family with his past: in the Valtoria balcony scene, his memories of his father and his desire to bring up his own kids the way Jackson did are dominant in the conversation on children. He speaks at length about the absence of a proper 'home' so far in his life (stating that his room at the palace always felt like "a room in someone else's house") and how high on his priority list the prospect of having children is. The Valtoria scene shows him eager to have kids asap, and this scene builds up the same urgency. You're left in no doubt that he wants those kids now.

• Maxwell: Maxwell's route of this scene soundly pretty sudden, tbh. In his Valtoria scene, Maxwell expressed doubt and nervousness when it came to children, citing the example of Bartie ("I love palling around with little Bartie and everything, but if he bonks his head or something, I can just hand him back to Savannah. When it's your kid, you're the one people hand him to."). While this is referenced in TRH's dialogue when Maxwell jokes about forgetting diapers and baby socks - it's a pretty big jump from the man who didn't exactly feel ready to have children yet, and not enough work was done to justify that shift. This could be somewhat excused in the beginning of Book 3, when the narrative had just begun to treat him like an LI, but they've had an entire damn book and several months after to reflect on how to write him properly. That is...if they actually gave a damn.

- Hana: They don't even have the excuse of "relatively new LI" in Hana's case. Because she is the lone female LI married to a female MC, her scene should have been a lot more extensive and explored her urgency to have children so soon after their wedding, a whole lot more. There are tiny changes, like the one where she hints at the "logistical concerns" that come with two women considering a family, and where she speaks of giving her child the childhood she never had (which, frankly, is an extremely vague statement and could be applicable to more than one character in Cordonia). But there is urgency that, again, isn't properly explained in the scene. Even Hana's Valtoria scene doesn't have much that would explain why she would want a child barely weeks after her wedding. The Valtoria scene does have her outlining her dreams for the duchy (along with a joke about her enacting "Beauty and the Beast") and her happiness at the thought of being a mother (she maintains that out of the things expected of her, motherhood is the one she looked forward to). They could have spent some time thinking up a reason for why Hana would rush this, even before anything has happened, or outlined something personal and not ultra-generic. Both Maxwell and Hana deserved a lot better than this.

• Maxwell speaks about possibly forgetting diapers (PLS NO MAXWELL NO) and baby socks (um okay not as bad but depends on the climate), and one of the MC's dialogue options is to say..."diapers and socks are overrated". Guys your kid won't care how much fun you are when they have a bum rash.

• A-ha! Diamond scene. First-chapter diamond love scenes always come cheap in these series' (12 diamonds) and are usually quite a steal.

• ESTHER HAS NEW LINGERIE OMG I'M SO HAPPY I'D BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT FOR SO LOOOOONG 😭😭😭😭

• ...and it is also matches Liam's underwear. Maxwell's too 😅

• The scene is nice, there are variations between the ways the LIs work up their appetite before they finally roll in the...well, sand 😅 Maxwell has what they call an "ocean duel", Hana's fulfills her lifelong dream of carrying and spinning around her wife on a secluded beach, Drake chases the MC through the water...and Liam just enjoys being a huuuge tease, okay? 😂

• Oh God, why are they still using the old LoveHacks sexytimes music. That "DHUM-boom-ta-doom-DHUM" beat drives me nuts, and not in a good way. You have better music now, PB! Like the sexytimes tunes from RCD and PM. Use those!

• My gosh this entire group is quite horny for dominant duchesses, aren't they. Every last one of them. Each playthrough has these four gazing at the MC in wonder and telling her some variation of "I think you ordering me around is hot". Olivia could trample over them all with spiked heels and they would thank her!

• As always, when something suspicious happens, my dumbass MC goes ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and never thinks about it again until shit actually goes down. This woman will never learn, will she.

• Anyway! We now move on to the rest of the honeymoon, summed up in three-four varying scenes per LI:

(Screenshots: Liam's and Hana's screenshots are mine, Drakes is HIMEME's YouTube channel, and Maxwell's is from Kaitlyn Walker's YouTube channel).

- Liam: Focused and dedicated. And insatiable as hell. Sex on a bed (SHOCKING!), sex after his wife points out what could be an apple constellation during stargazing (the MC effectively killed Liam's boner for Cordonia, I see), sex after having chocolate strawberries at a sunlit pond, sex again on a bed (Why is he getting four? 🤔). While the staff is still around somewhere on the island. This is a man with a mission.

- Maxwell: Fun and playful - kind of a "let's live wild and do daredevilry while we can!" vibe. In one Maxwell and the MC cliff dive into the ocean, debating over the wisdom of such risky adventuring when they may possibly be having a baby. In another, the MC watches, concerned, as Maxwell eats a raw squid appetizer. There is a nice callback to Maxwell's House sigil - the kraken - when he tells her that a squid would never hurt a fellow squid. The third shows them playing Strip Monopoly in the comfort of their bedroom.

- Hana: Adorable, caring and looking through every detail. Hana's three scenes involve her showing the MC the sights around the sunlit pond (which Hana and the MC lovingly call the "Hana Lee Honeymoon Itinerary"), watching the sunset under blankets, and this little scene of them choosing sperm donors for their baby:

It's a nice addition, but it still doesn't explain why they couldn't have waited a few more months. Nothing has happened yet in the timeline of the story, the women are (they believe) finally safe and happy, and while Javier seems to believe that babies born to a couple that consists of two women pop out of nowhere, I'm hoping the denizens of their duchy will have at least a little more common sense (this is Cordonia, so "hope" is the operative word).

- Drake: Langorous, relaxed and contented. Stargazing on the beach (I wonder whether this was a nod to the meteor shower scene in Book 1), whiskey on a patio/balcony/whatever in the afternoon, and eating roasted pork by the fire. Plenty of sex but also lots of outdoors, which means lots of the stuff Drake enjoys doing.

• Aaaaaand it's time for sexy scene 2! The couple are now relaxing in bed on the last day of their honeymoon, and the LI proposes a momento in the form of a sensual photoshoot (which comes with artwork of the LI in their underwear, posing for the MC) The male LIs pose with their hands at the back of their heads, smirking at the camera, while Hana strikes a coy pose, leaning against her hand. It's a quick, fun scene that's supposed to squeeze as much alone-time out of the couple as possible, because from here on the focus may shift to other things. Basically this chapter is meant to be one giant (but largely safe for readers) smutfest. I like the artwork - it's different and I guess meant to be a little more realistic than the usual full-page art in the books (like the engagement and wedding photos with your LIs last book), which is why I think it takes a little getting used to. I know it took me some time!

• Maxwell got an underwear upgrade too!

• We've now come to the end of our honeymoon, our bags packed and ready for our return to Cordonia. The chapter ends with us seeing a "familiar face", who could either be Liam (if you married someone else, and he doesn't show any expression) or an unspecified person (if you married Liam, and he looks ultra happy). Now that could either be related to some paparazzi-related stuff, if the flash of light was paparazzi-related, or it could be a fake-out and he's actually brought along the rest of the gang to surprise you. Idk and I don't want to speculate too much on this, mostly because something more interesting caught my eye.

• So that's it for my thoughts on the scenes themselves! On to the "general thoughts" section.

• General Thoughts and Potential Theories:

- As a first chapter for a new series that is still tied to an older one, it worked. It mirrors the light feel and sensibility of TRR's very first chapter, in that both chapters build an illusion of a fairytale-like place, with hints of the darkness within emerging the next chapter onwards (in this series though - since we're already familiar with Cordonia - the darkness is lightly hinted at this chapter itself). In a lot of ways I think we're going to see a lot of parallels between TRR and this new series.

- Unfortunately, one of those similarities also includes the imbalance in the writing for the LIs. Specifically with Maxwell and Hana. It's the most glaring in the dinner scene, which builds for us the premise on which this entire book stands (the topic of pregnancy). There are ways you could have them make the jump from nervous about having kids to excited, if you tried - there are elements in their storyline that could have helped us understand their urgency.

- I played Liam's route first, and was happy overall with it but I still have my misgivings. The good in terms of Liam's story is that he gets importance because the story is also about him and his country, where we are staying. He gives us some very important details in his route, and personally I like that his role as Guide To The Intricacies And Nuances of Cordonian Society still exists...but you can't deny that there were things in his storyline which should have been addressed and never were. I hope those are addressed this book. If they do the same this time around, it will only be to their detriment.

- Also, I find it highly ironic that Drake is the one to mention Savannah and Bartie when it was MAXWELL who was more involved in helping her with the child. Sure, he was - as he confessed in that Valtoria scene - more the "fun uncle" type, but he was still pretty heavily involved. Still keeping track of what Savannah needed and what Bartie would want. In his own final Book 3 scene, Maxwell is shown having an amazing rapport with little Bartie, playing peekaboo with his nose. I can barely count scenes involving Drake and Bartie with the fingers of one hand. Why couldn't Maxwell reference that last moment in Book 3, drawing up some inspirational moment from it? Like spending more and more time with Bartie changed the way he felt about kids? Or maybe that Savannah or Bertrand said something regarding the joy children bring to him. Anything that gives us some idea of when this shift happened.

Maxwell may have been new last book. It may have been a struggle to know what to do with him last book. But that isn't the case right now. By now they should have settled in their writing of him and figured out ways to make his story make sense? To give him more depth rather than simply reducing the man to the court jester? Maxwell's story was supposed to be about him growing, the scene in Valtoria was supposed to be about wanting to be a good father for his future children but fearing he might fail...yet the writers have the same man say the exact opposite. Maxwell's family history was thrown away for no good reason last book, and was replaced by Savannah drama. There was more space given to Savannah's love story with Bertrand (which didn't NEED the entire book to gain fruition) and Drake (optionally) enjoying humiliating Bertrand. That time, energy and effort could have gone in building up Maxwell, getting an insight into what happened to the Beaumonts that they became so poor...but no. The only Beaumont that mattered seems to be Savannah (and we know exactly why). And going by the fact that they're going to force an entire wedding storyline involving Bertrand and Savannah down our throats, that still seems to be the case.

- Hana's is even more worrying considering that it was poles apart from the rest of the playthroughs and therefore SHOULD have had more thought. Yes Hana loves the idea of being a mother. Yes Hana loves children and has a nurturing nature. But the urgency is still the same as the others' in her playthrough, and it made absolutely no sense. There was a clear dissonance between their current situation and the rush these two were in.

Hana's deserved at least some more time in her dinner scene. Maybe one where she could speak about growing up an only child, with no companions and not even toys. She could explain the loneliness involved in having a small family with parents who gave her more duties than affection, and then speak about giving her kid a better childhood. There isn't even any discussion about which of them should be the person carrying (we know it will be the MC, but why it has to be her in their case is anyone's guess).

What the team have done here is give Hana the bare minimum, after an entire two books of giving her even less than that. I know I'll probably be judged for thinking negatively rather than being cautiously optimistic, but the fact is that the moment this team feels they can get away with tossing scraps or less than that, they can and will do it. It's not stopped them before: not from botching up Hana's storyline, not from giving Hana fans a reception full of goof-ups and shoddy writing, not from pairing her with her bully. Perhaps last year I would have been happy and grateful to see Hana and the MC calling each other "my wife". This time...I refuse to settle for just mere scraps. If you can give thought and care to Liam and Drake's storylines, you'd better be able to do the same for Hana and Maxwell, otherwise what's the point of reviving this book? What's the point of using Hana specifically in two of your ads as bait for your lesbian/bi/wlw fans?? Might as well let the entire series rot in the trash where it belongs in that case.

- I've heard theories about our child becoming heir to the throne, thanks to a possible future arc that may make Liam unable to have children. I personally hate this possible plot line for two reasons:

1. As it is the MC gets more importance than she deserves, whether or not she actually puts in the work. She becomes a front-runner during the social season even if she fails. She becomes a Duchess even if she lacks even the most basic skills, while Hana who has done way more than she ever had for the country gets nothing, not even a needle-point's worth of land. She becomes Champion of the Realm even if she is literal garbage throughout that book, when that title could have easily gone to Olivia or Hana instead if she didn't earn enough to get it. And now to have her kid be made an heir to the throne? For no good reason? Get outta here.

2. Forcing Liam into yet another storyline that is tragic and painful (and I'm pretty sure the writers will find yet another excuse to write a thesis on Drake Walker in the time they could be using to let Liam actually break down, or vent. If they couldn't be bothered to explore the man's feelings when his own father died, do you really think they will bother with him in this??) on top of whatever else he's had to experience so far? At this point I can do with less of that. I'm honestly sick of storylines that put Liam in very uncomfortable, painful situations with very little space for him to air out his grief. Give the man a fucking break. Let him have some breathing space to rule his goddamned kingdom, get him a fantastic therapist and get him better friends while he's at it. Pushing him into yet another messed-up situation when you've barely even scratched the surface with what his experiences have done to him, is really just drama for the sake of drama, nothing else.

- Nonetheless, since this is about a pregnancy and a future heir, I believe there will be plenty talk about succession, and about the importance given to fertility and children in Cordonian society. But as with the social season in Book 1, the engagement tour in Book 2, and the wedding + Unity Tour in Book 3, I believe the pregnancy itself is a frame story. The kind of story that justifies the glitz, the glitter, and the glamorous events...that can serve as a temporary gloss to cover the conflicts within. All while the inner stories reveals those conflicts, layer by layer (again, if it's done right. Book 3 is a good example of a great premise ruined by bad writing. I sincerely hope this book does not go in that direction).

- Remember those screenshots I put up in that dinner scene from Liam's route? About Cordonia's tensions with its neighbouring countries, and how the country may be viewed as vulnerable? I think that's where the actual theme of the story lies.

Books 1 and 2 mostly revolved around the illusion of Cordonia - the fairytale kingdom - before the MC herself is confronted with the tensions brewing within. Book 3 was about strengthening Cordonia through resolution of internal conflict. It was about learning about the intricacies of the country, its most powerful duchies, their histories and identities, Cordonia's messy, complicated history - to tackle the problems that lay within.

I feel like Book 4 would be taking a natural progression from resolving internal conflict to finally standing united as a nation against outside forces. Constantine - in his conversation with the MC in Shanghai - hints not only at groups within Cordonia that wanted to destroy the monarchy, but also foreign powers ("suffice to say there are those who envy Cordonia's prosperity...". Not the royal family's - but "Cordonia's").

Keeping a united front and showcasing strength through pride in the country - ergo 'patriotism', or perhaps 'national integration' since Cordonia is home to many different cultures and geographical locations (I originally wrote 'nationalism here, but now realize there may be negative connotations attached to that word in today's times: thanks @musicallisto!) is often viewed as an asset against alien forces. The MC is now a part of the monarchy/nobility, and will be irrevocably tied to the country's future - so it makes sense that she will now dig into the deepest and most intimate parts of Cordonia's history, and go several steps further in helping to unite the nation.

- Why do I theorize 'patriotism' or 'national integration' as being a theme? There are several reasons for this:

The Unresolved Storylines: We still have a ways to go in understanding Cordonian history. We don't know which other forces were involved in previous assassinations, and we don't have a clue what happened to Liam's mother. All we do know is that other people and groups that we have probably not even seen yet, may have been involved. Francesco (who also knew Liam's mother) and Xinghai, the only foreign delegates/visitors that we got to network with in Book 2, have minimal roles so far but SEEM to have had some influence when they were introduced earlier. Francesco particularly could have some sort of role to play, given what we were told about him in Book 2. Now would be a good time to explore why he needed contacts with these people (other than the fact that Xinghai is Hana's dad). It's possible that nothing will happen and we may not even see these two, or exchange any important information, but I'd still hope that there is some importance to their appearances in Book 2.

The Connections We Made In The Engagement Tour: Meeting Francesco in Capri was related to getting access to EU markets for Cordonian products. The engagement tour itself revolved around grabbing international attention towards Cordonian problems - one of which was the tsunami that hit Portavira, which we learn more about in Book 3. There is a possibility that these threads may be picked up in the future.

Both the above points hint at possible threats, or allies. At this point we can't exactly determine who is friend and who is foe, but it is clear that neighbouring countries - and indeed countries we have associated with in the past - will play a pretty big role in the way we view Cordonia, and in the way we direct the narrative of this country.

The Artwork: I love this part of my theory because it is the most based on actual evidence rather than guesswork. The idea of a nation depends as much on items of familiarity and symbols, as it does on history. It's why countries have national animals, anthems, fruits. Why art depicting national and local legends can often be considered almost sacred. The book has barely even begun yet, and already it is FILLED with all kinds of things symbolic to Cordonia.

Let's first take a peek at the cover art:

Now let's ignore Liam's and Drake's (busted) faces in this cover and focus on what the three are holding.

The MC holds a rattle in her hand, and the jewel within the rattle looks similar to a ruby, which has been associated more than once with apples in the story (Cordonia's most valued variety of apple is the Cordonian Ruby, Liam's wedding gift to the MC is a ruby in the shape of an apple. The same rattle shows up in the second cover [on the left] as well. It's a stretch, I know, but I've got better evidence. Stick with me).

Liam holds a onesie with a crown design on the front - and we know that "for crown and country" is a popular phrase, especially for toasts, in Cordonia. Drake holds out a toy lion: the lion is the national animal, and holds a place of pride in the national Coat-of-Arms. The throne on which the MC herself sits, is blue and gold - both considered national colours. That's at least 4 symbols related to Cordonia vying for our attention on the same cover!

I mean, even Book 3 had just two major symbols - the apple (related to Cordonia) and the phoenix gown (related to Valtoria) - featuring on its cover.

The biggest proof to me, however, is not the cover, but the loading page. To be more precise - what is written above that loading page. A number of Choices books (BB, for instance) write little factoids about the world they are building above the loading bar, which players can read while they're waiting for the chapter to load. This wasn't a common practice with TRR, but they've definitely started it now! Some of the commentary is usual stuff - about gaining advantages through outfits, welcoming you back to Cordonia, etc...but THIS TIME there are tidbits of information given to us as well. And 80% of those involve apples!

Here are a few I managed to catch. One fact on the importance of apples in Cordonian culture, two specifically on the Cordonian Ruby itself including a rare recipe, and two old proverbs (this isn't the only time we've heard apple-related proverbs in the books - in Book 3 for instance, Bertrand refers to their trip to Fydelia as 'slicing two apples with one knife'). Proverbs in general often give us an idea of what people within a region hold up as important, as so connected to their life experiences that they can use those familiar objects as motifs for things that they see in daily life (eg. proverbs in my home state, Kerala, often refer to things/animals we find locally: jasmines, coconuts, jackfruit, dogs, elephants).

The fact that the apple features so often and with such emphasis in the loading page itself - and we have already seen what this simple fruit means to Cordonia - indicates to me that this national symbol - and the idea of the nation itself - will be of great importance. Not only will we be exploring foreign relations, IMO, but we'll also be learning how to build a national narrative that will benefit and strengthen Cordonia.

What's also interesting is that the apple symbolizes fertility to the Cordonian people as well - the apple cutting ceremony during a wedding (as explained by Regina to Leo's fiancée in RoE) is "a symbol of the fruit the tree will bear - you being the tree, of course", and there are chances that the fruit may feature often within the context of pregnancy/having children as well.

• That's all for now, guys. I hope to write more and theorize more as the chapters progress! Until then, I hope you enjoy this one, and I'd love to hear what you have to say.

• I did the Hana screenshots for this chapter, since the first chapter allows me to play repeatedly within losing keys, but I won't be able to do so from Chapter 2 onwards. If there are any Hana fans out there who keep screenshots of scenes in their route and are interested in sharing, I'd love to hear from you and will definitely credit you for the screenshots I put up!

• If you'd like to be tagged in future QTs, please let me know! Tagging @nikkisha16 for now since she asked xD

• Until Saturday, folks!

[coralsgrimes]

Ooff Benny boy definitely needs to never shave that beard, hairless Ben just doesn't work.

The newest fan pic I can tolerate but the gym selfie and the Wimbledon push? yeee he can't pull it off without them face pubes anymore. 

ALSO he was invited by Ralph Lauren but came dressed in the exact same grandpa cardigan as in the best part cover video lol I mean his standard fit from his lil Benny wardrobe

BUT! He does look better than his costars who showed up too... Not gonna point fingers but like I don't think I have too. Ye know... Mr Lauren himself said that he ain't making clothes, he's making dreams buuuuut like this is clearly a nightmare 🙊

so based on the evidence I do conclude that this is the only yess for bessie on my side. couples who dress badly together, stay together x.x

BUT to make it even worse! In partnership with beardless pumped lips and cheeks Benny I present to ye wax figure fairy queen!!!

Like this is one of the most terrifying pictures I ever seen. If I had seen her in the dark doing this creepy face? I'd shit maself on the spot. She fuckin look like she could rent her face as a prop for a new version of The Mask x.x OR THE BLACK PHONE! seen this one? also why her face/forehead has different shades? And why do I think someone fucked up the lace front of her wig 🧚🏻‍♀️🧚🏻‍♀️🧚🏻‍♀️

Ngl our Benny Boy is one lucky fella [we decided to redact the joke as Coral is trying to be a less of a cunt] with Jules and her face forever frozen in time...

NOW! no one complimented ma detective skills but I shall post the face shit anyways ;c i know it’s probably for the film and his hair are shorter too but lemme indulge myself

Ok so Benny looks like he's a yacht club boy cuz his father is one as well (especially the wimbledon pics!!)

Lookin like one of them bald rats. I know that I said he do be having that shaved baby face but he do be lookin older now somehow. Like he looks so unappealing rn it makes me sad

He looks like he wants ye to call him daddy but the best ye can do is a thanks I'm not interested in your Hamptons inheritance if ye keep up this masturbatory talk about yer law school days

He does look like he got no bitches and it is true, proven scientifically actually

Just let him wear normal glasses instead of shades and he gonna be lookin like tory boy

[disneydreamlights]

Alright, so I'd like to know about Sera (2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 25), Stella (2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 24, 25), Kat (1, 4, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16, 23, 25), Nina (4, 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, 18, 20, 23, 24, 25), and Terra (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 16, 20, 22, 25) cuz wainot. owo

So many questions Dustin whai? XD

Sera:

2: their smile

Sera’s smile is very similar to her sister’s but honestly a little bit more reserved. She tries not to be so reserved in it, but she doesn’t quite have the same willingness to share all her emotions.

3: their greatest achievement

So I’ve mentioned a lot of times how she’s really disappointed she can’t really wield a Keyblade because of the injuries she sustained with the darkness. The longer I’ve been thinking on this, the more I think her injuries are a lot more severe than just that and she probably had to go through some serious recovery, and to me I think there would be no greater achievement to her then starting to dance and being able to prove she’s physically fit to do things, even if it’s too late to learn how to wield a Keyblade.

5: their shortcomings

Her self confidence is always constantly in doubt, sure she acts super strong, but because she can’t be a Keyblade Master like her sister she honestly believes she’ll never be as good as her. This doubt and inferiority actually leads to her having a darkness issue too, one that she tries to ignore.

8: what they like to eat

Sugar, sugar, and more sugar, her sweet tooth is absolutely awful, as in it’s worse than mine.

13: their embarrassing memory from years ago

...Okay listen I’m not saying Sera actually got drunk before any of the rps but there was one time where Sera accidentally drank some alcohol while she was fifteen and remembering any of the time she was drunk and Sky had to watch over her like a two year old the entire time to keep herself from hurting herself.

15: how they react to a brainfreeze

She literally ignores it and keeps eating, this girl is crazy with her ice cream but if she gets a brain freeze she’ll like wince and keep eating and what the fuck Sera how???

18: how they sleep

Curled into a ball, hugging a small plush toy her sister bought her right before leaving to start for Keyblade training. She’s long since outgrown the toy, she shouldn’t keep hugging the small doll, but she does anyways just because she loves it so much.

20: their reaction to a mystery love letter

Honestly Sera’s really pretty and a famous dancer, she’s very used to receiving love letters and the stuff, so she doesn’t really give it a second glance unless she recognized the handwriting.

22: what they're like on two hours of sleep

Sleep drunk. She gets silly and loopy. She also loses all sense of balance so dancing becomes a pain in the ass for her to do. XD

25: why you enjoy them

I love Sera because she’s one of the most challenging to get a grip on, but she’s also incredibly good for interaction and I can’t say I’ve had a bad performance with her so long as she interacts with a few different characters. So I guess she’s my go to when I want an easy oc.

Stella:

2: their smile

She gives a lot of small, hesitant smiles. It’s not that Stella doesn’t like giving big smiles, she’s just had a pretty rough life, and that makes it fairly difficult for her to be willing to give bigger smiles.

6: how they deal with grief

Ahahahahahahahaha. One time Dustin and I were bored (and yes Dustin I know I’m answering for you shut up) and we did a PMRP.

Stella went off the rails and tried to take over the world with her primary motivation being that she lost a very good friend. (This rp was actually why I made Stella.) To say she is bad with grief is a very, very large understatement.

7: how they like to dress

Stella would wear a dress every day if they weren’t so much pains to clean. But since they are she just tries to do her best to stay stylish and look cute whenever she can. She wears a lot of long sleeves or some reason.

10: their fashion sense

I uh...Stella has real good fashion sense, just not good color theory. It’s part of the reason why she tries to stick with dresses or jeans since they go with anything, otherwise she’s real bad at picking matching colors.

15: how they react to a brainfreeze

Stella actually avoids ice creams and smoothies and stuff to avoid brain freeze, that’s how much she hates dealing with it. Poor thing.

16: their dreams

Stella wishes to live in a world where people don’t get hurt, and where she could avoid having to hide what she is from people without worrying about them freaking out and being like “Shit what the fuck a robot? AHHHHHHHH” Too bad that won’t be happening for a while.

17: their ambitions

To escape to safety. Stella’s backstory is she’s an android who developed emotions and therefore was considered a threat when she reacted incorrectly to the people who made her who attempted to reprogram her. She just wants to avoid being reprogrammed for the most part and live in hiding safely for the rest of her life.

18: how they sleep

While she’ll sleep in a bed to preserve her own safety (typically on her stomach) Stella actually prefers sleeping in chairs. They’re easier to get out of and she can react quickly to anybody who might try to hurt her and get out of the area.

24: what motivates them

She’s motivated by two things. Love for the people who make all the difference to her, and fear of being found by the people who want to reprogram or deactivate her. Both are equally important to her.

25: why you enjoy them

Stella is a lot of fun to rp, her cheerful disposition that hides a lot of anger and hate and fear is one of the more complex characters I’ve actually rped, and that in turn makes her a lot of fun to write, not to mention her moral ambiguity is also pretty fun.

Kat:

1: their voice

Kat is very soft spoken, she doesn’t have the loudest voice and it is possible to miss some of the things she says. Honestly I’m bad at describing voices.

4: their insecurities

Anything related to her family and the fact that they’re all heroes or accomplished such a major thing, like holy crap the idea that she might fail to be as good as them is honestly so horrifying to her that it makes her not try because she’s not like them.

8: what they like to eat

Anything made by her grandpa, he’s probably the best cook she’s ever had the pleasure of meeting.

13: their embarrassing memory from years ago

So a fun fact of the day. Since most of her siblings with Kat was little had her mother’s lavender hair, Kat really wanted lavender hair, so she bought some hair dye with money she snuck out of her mom’s purse and then proceeded to dye her hair purple, but because she didn’t bleach the hair first and she died her own hair at like age nine, it looked like a disaster and her face was colored in the purple dyes for like two weeks. None of her siblings ever let her live it down.

14: how they react to burning their tongue on food

Kat will actually drop the food on the floor if it happens, don’t give her scalding hot food ever.

16: their dreams

Her dreams are really complicated. On one hand, Kat wants to be normal and nothing like her family, but really deep down, she dreams of being a hero, and it’s the fear of not being one that causes her anxieties and the belief that if she wasn’t one she’d let her family down. This causes a bunch of confusion for her tbh.

23: how they act when they're sick

Pffffft, drama queen. She acts like she’s dying, but I guess she got that from her mom. XD

25: why you enjoy them

Because Kat got good character interactions with a lot of the characters she talked to, and that was always pretty fun to do.

Nina:

4: their insecurities

Her intelligence is a big one. Nina is not the brightest apple in the bunch when it comes to anything with a lick of practicality, and as such she gets easily embarrassed by her own mistakes.

6: how they deal with grief

Nina panics, and panics, and panics, and it’s really quite good at trigger a depressive state in her tbh. The idea of somebody she loves dying will honestly make her want to die. So needless to say she is really, really bad at handling grief.

8: what they like to eat

If I were to give you one long list that said chocolate would you believe me?

13: their embarrassing memory from years ago

Honestly her entire life is one giant embarrassing memory. The worst was when she was learning to summon Vulll with her dad and somehow managed to use a Fire spell...I’m still not quite sure how it happened but she was covered in soot and managed to burn down a chair.

15: how they react to a brainfreeze

“Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!” “Nina it’s just a brainfreeze” “Niiiiiick I don’t care it’s a brain freeze it huuuuuuuurts.”

What a baby.

18: how they sleep

Nina sleeps best curled into people. I have it in my head that even when she got older she would sometimes sneak into her parent’s beds to sleep at night, and she loved having friends over who were chill with it since she liked to cuddle like that.

20: their reaction to a mystery love letter

She gets so excited and spends hours puzzling out who sent it, and even if she didn’t have feelings for them she’d probably agree to the date. Unfortunately for her, not a lot of people have feelings for her.

23: how they act when they're sick

She’s such a baby when sick oh my god. She won’t leave her blankets and acts like she’s dying literally the entire time. Nina you’re not dying stop being so dramatic a cold won’t kill you.

24: what motivates them

Nina is motivated entirely by her goals of helping others and becoming great. She’s a loving person and anybody she loves becomes another motivation for her to keep going no matter how bad it may get.

25: why you enjoy them

Honestly, Nina is fun. She’s not one of my best ocs, in fact writing wise, she’s probably one of the worst I’ve gotten the chance to use, but who even cares because she’s just fun. Does she have a serious backstory? Nope, I don’t even know most of it myself beyond the necessary events, but I also don’t care.

Terra:

1: their voice

Deeper voice, very loud. She has a surprisingly overbearing presence.

2: their smile

Terra gives out toothy smiles, a lot of the time after she’s just finished laughing especially. They’re honestly big, but not like the best smiles ever I guess.

4: their insecurities

Terra’s biggest insecurity is her fear of failure, but in a different sense than her sisters. Where as Kat is so afraid of failure she doesn’t try, Terra’s so afraid of failure she works doubly hard at whatever the goal may be.

5: their shortcomings

Terra’s shortcomings come a lot from being too determined to keep track of one goal. In all honesty in SS if it wasn’t for Matt, Clary, and Kenshi all working with Terra, she might’ve been ten times more obsessed with figuring out how to bring back Nicole. And I mean...she was already pretty bad with that in the rp itself.

7: how they like to dress

For lack of a better descriptor, think of the most stereotypical adventurer’s clothing you can think of. Now put it in a pastel shade of blue or purple.

That’s how Terra’s style works. Dammit Terra. .-.

8: what they like to eat

Terra shares her sister’s love of their grandpa’s cooking...and also sour candies. She lives on those things tbh.

13: their embarrassing memory from years ago

Once upon a time Terra met Clary. This resulted in baby Terra flocking to her cousin and acting like a cat for a whole twenty minutes.

She may have been only like two and being silly, but her parents have never let her live this down.

16: their dreams

To bring her grandmother back to life and be a Storm wizard worthy of following in her footsteps.

20: their reaction to a mystery love letter

I’m really leaning towards making Terra ace/aro tbh, so in all honesty she just really doesn’t care much about this love letter that she gets.

22: what they're like on two hours of sleep

Not functioning. She literally will not function until she manages to get her hands on something caffeinated while running on that little amount of sleep.

25: why you enjoy them

She may be trash for trash’s sake, but I think that’s part of the reason why I like her, because she’s me acknowledging full out that yes I am and want to be trash, which is also kinda dumb, but meh.

I also like some of the stuff I came up with involving her being an older sister after I made Kat but shhhh.