#let's also make legend technically a prince/royalty

[winterlinksandotherlinks]

I can't tell you why, but my first impression of LiWiAU Legend was that, if he lived in our world, he would be at least partly Scottish or brought up partly Scottish, and that just kind of stuck when I started writing his character

I think he's one of my most fleshed-out characters, purely because he's been through a lot and it's easy to see how he might react to his circumstances to try to deal with everything

In terms of the order of his adventures, I’ve placed them as follows (his age in brackets): ALttP (8 yrs); OoS and OoA (16–17 yrs)*; Link’s Awakening (18 yrs); ALBW (19 yrs)

*I've seen people attribute Tri Force Heroes to both the Hero of Legend and the Hero of the Four Sword, so I'm holding off on a definite placement until I'm more familiar with it — however, if I attribute it to Legend, it'll fall within this time period

WARNING: The list below mentions implied alcoholism (point 27) and attempted suicide (point 29). I've numbered the list specifically so that you can skip these points if you want to

he gets better, I promise, he just has a rough couple of years after Koholint

This got really long, so buckle up:

this man has a kilt for every occasion — single-coloured and patterned — and hasn't been seen wearing trousers in years (Ravio made him a ring for temperature regulation one winter, and Legend's delighted);

likes tea with milk and extra sugar, and generally sweeter food (toast with butter and honey? an absolute treat in his opinion);

holds nonsensical one-sided conversations with Sheerow whenever nobody's around (Sheerow absolutely tells Ravio about it later, and Ravio thinks it's hilarious and adores it);

speaks too many languages for his own good (and is really good at picking up new ones);

very good at sowing and embroidering (guess who made Mitchi's pink-and-purple bunny!);

plays so many instruments, and sings really well — can also dance fairly well if he has to, but is slightly cagey about it;

is working on turning his adventures into memoirs, fully fleshed out with maps, travel advice, speculations, linguistics, and entire sections on cultural differences — this man is a closeted scholar and an absolute nerd;

familiar with magical items, and will leap on an opportunity to examine them, but hasn't really developed any magic of his own (though he has a serious well of divine magic at his disposal that he prefers to ignore);

has a sharp tongue and an observant eye;

y'know the vibe some men give off when they're comfortably settled in their own lives, with a job they like, a family they love, and a general sense of satisfaction with their circumstances? that sense of "this person is grounded"? Legend has developed a healthy dose of that, and you can see it in everything from the way he stands to the way he talks;

very protective of his family and friends, and a very loving husband and parent;

grew up on a farm in the outskirts of Hyrule, together with Grandma and Grandpa — Grandma used to sing to him, and for thr general mood of it, I'd like you to think of 'A Mhaighdean Bhan Uasal', popularised through Brave;

Grandma and Grandpa died when he was four, and he spent a month at the Royal House of Orphans before Uncle Tearlach gained the legal rights to adopt him (it was a Whole Thing, and Legend still hates bureaucracy and the Orphanage because of it);

this is also where his dislike of Hylia started, because he blamed her for taking Grandma and Grandpa away;

he befriended Zelda, because Uncle Tearlach often left him in the care of Zelda's nurse while doing his knightly duties — they got along like a house on fire, and were as sibling-like as two strangers could be;

loved helping Uncle Tearlach pick apples, bake, and cook, and they would sing together in the kitchen — learned to make apple pies from Uncle Tearlach;

Uncle Tearlach called him "m'eudail", which, as far as I've understood, is the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of "darling"/"dear", and is used by parents/grandparents towards their children/grandchildren;

turns out Legend grows up to look quite a bit like the Queen (and Zelda), which causes some rumours when he becomes a known figure, but he refuses all formal ties to the royal family, aside from a close friendship with Zelda (which causes another type of rumours);

Uncle Tearlach died when Legend was eight, and then Legend's first adventure started;

Zelda's half-brother (one year older, and the result of an assault on the Queen — the Royal family couldn't risk the scandal of having a child that didn't look like it belonged to the family, so for their own and the child's reputation they sent him off to grow up with the parents of the Queen's knight, Tearlach — the cover-up-story is that the child was kidnapped, and it becomes known as 'The Story of the Forgotten Prince');

in the years after his first adventure and Uncle Tearlach's death, he gets a room in the Castle and is looked after by Zelda's nurse;

he attempts to pick up a blacksmithing apprenticeship, but while he could do it, it doesn't capture his interest for very long (though he enjoys looking after Gulley when Gulley's born);

in general, his interests leap a lot during the next few years, and it's very much a case of getting decently good at one thing, then moving on to another, like he needs to keep himself busy with something At All Times (he just needs to cope somehow);

if he sits still for too long, his leg starts bouncing, or he taps his fingers or fiddles with his sleeves (later, he'll fiddle with his rings too);

when he's sixteen, he's had enough of rumours and sitting on his butt doing nothing, so he gets up and travels (OoS and OoA take place here, and possibly Tri Force Heroes);

he's a few months shy of eighteen when he lands on Koholint, and by the time he turns eighteen, he's head over heels for Marin and would like nothing more than to marry her;

he returns to Hyrule and busies himself with repairing Uncle Tearlach's cottage and tending to the orchard — he isn't coping well after Koholint, hides from social interactions, and drinks a little too much a little too often;

then Ravio shows up and ALBW happens;

by the end of it, Legend's nineteen and still not doing well — in the year that follows, he spirals deeper into depression and, at one point, attempts to end it, but Sheerow alerts Ravio and Ravio finds him and brings him to the Royal Infirmary;

the experience makes Legend realise that he does want to live, but isn't sure how to go about it — eventually he opens up to Ravio about Koholint and Marin, and then everything else, and makes the effort to improve his physical and mental health;

when he's twenty, Mitchi's dropped into Ravio's life, and Legend's terrified that Ravio might leave permanently to help Mamie bring Mitchie up — the experience makes Legend realise just how deeply he's fallen for Ravio;

at some point Ravio returns to the cottage, and Legend (almost single-handedly) builds a shop expansion that they name 'Link's Orchard and Ravio's Magic Items' — it's a successful business (a lot of people definitely come by just to gawk at the Hero), and although they never struggled financially, they now have a solid income;

at twenty-two, the whole Event that is Mitchi's adoption takes place, Legend and Ravio start dating, and they get married (this all happens more or less within the same 48 hours);

Legend sings Grandma and Uncle Tearlach's songs with Mitchi, and calls Mitchi "m'eudail";

he produces and sells apple sauce and cider, as well as honey and an occasional box of apples;

before they adopted Mitchi, he was convinced he couldn't be a good parent, because of the mess he had been post-Koholint, but a part of him was lonely and wanted a family and a home to return to (Ravio helped him see reason);

when he's twenty-four, Mitchi asks if he can have siblings one day, and Legend and Ravio take it into serious consideration;

at twenty-five, he's thrown into the adventure of the Links Winter AU

Final note on his design: I'd be lying if I said it wasn't inspired by LU Legend. Regardless of what's been going down in that camp (if you don't know, count yourself happy and please don't ask), LU Legend's design is a good one, from featheredPegasus Boots to red-and-green tunics and blue hat

In my design, I've kept the hat and the red tunic (with minor alterarions). I turned the white feathers into leather feathers (pinned to the sides of his boots), and split the green tunic into a green shirt and a green kilt. Does he wear shorts under the kilt? I don't know, that's for you to ponder and me to never mention again

[writingstarling]

Is it just me, or do y'all also want a story scenario that instead of Princess Zelda, we have Prince Link?

Like, their roles are still the same. Zelda incarnate of goddess Hylia and Link the Hero of Hyrule. But imagine instead of Zelda being exposed to royalty all these times, it's Link that gets that treatment since the day he was born and Zelda being the once nobody but suddenly has magical powers. And in every story we know how Link's task other than defeating Ganon or whatever evil is to rescue or protect Zelda right?

Now, hear me out. Imagine having this prince who's used to being waited on, whether he wishes so or not, suddenly being tasked to find this girl named "Zelda" from all those legends he's heard of and then rise up to being this big hero while as well protecting and working together with a girl he's never met that holds no social status in her name other than her legend.

Imagine the shock of it all when the royal family decided to name this son of theirs "Link" in honour of the Hero or smth and have their son become it without prior knowledge whatsoever. Since it has always been Zelda that's in royalty after all. Imagine looking at this prince that has no idea on what's happening suddenly having to face off an incarnate of a god of evil and protect someone when he himself is used to being protected all his life.

I honestly really want to see him struggle and rise to be the Hero his name is so famous for. I want to see him learn how to wield a sword like how SS Link first did. Someone who didn't need this knowledge and skill suddenly have to train himself to be the best at it??? Link learning basic life skills from Zelda, the angst of him doubting in himself like BOTW Zelda did, the feeling of discovery and just the joy of accomplishment he's going to feel everytime he manages to defeat a Bokoblin on his own or just managing to light a campfire without any advance tools or help.

I just want for once Link to be the clueless prince in all this without having a role swap between them. I want to see him being this Prince that has been protected all his life learn how to actually be independent and stand on his own. Even better, learn to protect others not just using his name, but physically sacrificing himself for his people.

Why am I specifically referring to only Link in all this? Because Zelda has actually been in a position where her name holds no privilege. SS Zelda wasn't someone worthy of much noting in her society before everyone discovered she was the incarnate of a goddess. (She was also a pirate, but technically being a captain's daughter is still some form of royalty to me)

But Link has always been this nameless child that rised up to be a hero. A nobody that swooped in and saved the day coming from all sorts of places. The only time Link was truly acknowledged from an early start was in BOTW, other than that, no one really blinked at Link with much acknowledgement to his name.

I wanna see Link struggle like BOTW Zelda. I wanna see him learn basic skills and feel this overwhelming accomplishment from managing to cook up this recipe that Zelda taught him. I wanna see him being scared of everything going on around him, but having the courage to face everything still. I wanna see Link, after having his heritage revealed to him by having that symbol on his hand like TP did or smth, spend casual time with Zelda other than just swooping in or knowing her just because he has to save her all of a sudden. I want a relationship between them like what SS and BOTW had.

I wanna see this prince strive to train himself and become worthy of the Master Sword. I wanna see this prince that has always had everything handed to him on a silver platter work his ass off to be worthy of his legacy. I wanna see him grow from a seemingly fragile prince into this strong, dependable young man that is on par to his ancestors before him.

And on the side, I wanna see his parents being supportive of him. Not just because of the calamity closing in and them having to rely on their son to have him save them all, but because they truly love and cherish their son and want him to fulfill his destiny. They might have not named him that on purpose, but they sure are gonna support him to the best of their abilities.

Link needs to learn how to wield a sword? The captain of the guards is gonna take some time off to train the prince.

He can't seem to figure out how to do what the trainer tells him to?? The king tries it out and when he succeeds he's gonna try to teach Link how to do it himself.

Link has been training exceptionally hard even in harsh winter??? The queen's gonna work hard too and knit him some gloves (or at least, try to).

Link is feeling unworthy and depressed because he's been unable to master the sword???? The king and queen take time off from their duties to comfort their son.

Just, let me see soft familial relationships. Don't always just omit their parents or make them a sort of ass (looking at you here, BOTW Rhoam). I want good parents that raised good kids. That are supportive of them and what they love.

For Zelda, I'm pretty content with one who's like SS Zelda. A normal girl merely enjoying life suddenly bombarded with a destiny to help seal away an evil incarnate with a boy who's supposed to be an incarnate of a legendary hero. A boy who wields a sword worse than her. A boy who doesn't know a lick about how to survive on his own. A boy who is still wandering through the dark in all of this, same as her. She herself still doesn't understand the extent or how to use her powers, and no one to teach her. The least they could do for each other was to be of solace for one another when things are getting tough and one needed comforting. To hold each other's hand through it all. To not be alone in the dark.

I want all the potential fluff and angst I can get from this AU. They're both scared for they don't know of their destiny until the time is short and the burden of it all is far much too large for their shoulders. But they can lean on each other. Better yet, they also have people supporting them.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

I wish I can write this on my own, but my writing skills have been failing me these past few months so I really wish someone would take this up and write it.

PS: if someone really did write this out, please, please, please, ping me. I desperately wish to read it.

[more-pokeimagines]

Stone Cold Body [04] - Chapter 3

A/N: I’m terribly sorry that it took me so long to finish this chapter, and I really hope your still interested in the series because I enjoy writing it so much. However, there’s not much going on in this chapter since I wanted to focus on the reader’s thoughts but I promise there will be a bit more action in the next one. Have fun reading! Feedback is always appreciated.

Warnings: none

Present

You still had no idea what was going on. Just one minute ago you were absolutely sure that there was nothing magical about the statue in the middle of a pretty park but the fact that the people around you stared at you like you had three heads made it almost impossible to deny that something of great importance had happened.

Well. In fact, you knew exactly what had happened. Even though you had always thought that it was just a stupid story to attract tourists, you couldn’t deny that the statue was no longer there. And the body in your arms definitely felt human.

You didn’t dare to look at his face, not even when he groaned quietly as he tried to sit up. It almost felt like you were rooted to the spot, as if you couldn’t move your arms and legs, even if you wanted to. His light grey, military style jacket was gold-embroidered and while it was dusty and ripped in some places, it still looked pristine and expensive.

You noticed that his hands were shaking and that his already pale skin looked almost translucent in the bright sunlight. His eyes, an unusual purple color you had never seen before, were full of confusion and panic.

And suddenly, the realization hit you like a brick. He was the statue. All the stories about the enchanted prince had been true, and now he was sitting here right next to you, trying to figure out what was going on and why everyone was staring at both him and you.

A murmur went through the crowd of tourists surrounding you when they finally realized what was going on: you had lifted the curse, the prince was back, and he was alive. In this moment, even you found it hard to believe that magic wasn’t real anymore.

Cameras started to click all around as the people tried to get a good photo of the scene right before them.

The boy stared at you, his mouth slightly agape. When your eyes met you held your breath for a moment, not quite sure if you really were ready to face the consequences of your actions. The next second, a wave of hatred washed over you. You didn’t understand why but you loathed him, even though you were dead sure that you had never met him before. And yet, here you were, staring at the allegedly dead prince of Galar and trying to resist the sudden urge to slap him across the face.

But before you could do something incredibly stupid, Gloria knelt down next to you and gently touched your arm, snapping you out of your weird thoughts. “Are you okay?” she asked. “Your fall looked a bit painful.”

“I’m fine,” you replied automatically, even though it was technically a lie. You felt weird and you still didn’t understand why you reacted so hostile towards the boy. There was absolutely no reason for your behavior but there was something about him that made you furious.

You watched Gloria bringing her attention to the boy. The prince, you corrected yourself. She let out a shaky breath as she examined him, her glance moving back and forth between him and the spot where the statue had been before you had touched it. Piles of crumbled stone surrounded him, a direct proof that he truly had been trapped in the statue – at least until you had put your hand on his shoulder and freed him.

“Holy moly,” Gloria mumbled to herself. “The stories are really true.”

You darted a cursory glance at the prince. He still seemed to be a bit disoriented but at least he wasn’t as pale as death anylonger. When he returned your look, you noticed that the panic in his eyes had subsided as well, replaced by something you couldn’t really put your finger on. Disfavor, maybe?

You turned your head to avoid his gaze and finally got up from the floor, shaking the dust off your clothes as soon as you were on firm ground again. Then, you offered your hand to the prince to help him up, even though you were really reluctant about touching him. Thankfully, he ignored your outstretched hand and struggled to his feet on his own. He adjusted his jacket, deliberately avoiding looking at you, despite the fact that he was standing right next to you.

After a few more moments of silence, you cleared your throat and finally asked, “Are you okay?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“I wanted to know if you’re feeling fine,” you repeated, your tone already getting more impatient. In Galar, royalty wasn’t relevant anymore, so you didn’t really care about the fact that you were technically speaking to a prince. “Or if you need something. Water, maybe.”

He shook his head. “I’m alright,” he answered stiffly. And then, as if he suddenly remembered his good manners, he added, “Thank you.” His voice was a bit hoarse, maybe because he hadn’t used it in such a long time, and much to your horror, you realized that it actually sent a shiver down your spine. Damn it. You didn’t want to like his voice. You didn’t want to like anything about him.

“Your grace,” one of the girls in the crowd exclaimed, rushing forward to get a better look at him. “It’s an honor to meet you. Me and my friends always believed that the legends about you were true, so we came here every year to see if there was something we could do for you.”

Once again, he raised his eyebrow but you weren’t sure if it was because of the girl’s impertinent attempts to get his attention or because she mentioned the spell he had been under. Or maybe there was an entirely different reason, and you quickly reassured yourself that you really didn’t need to care about it.

“I’m not sure I understand what you’re talking about,” he finally said. The girl beamed at him, obviously happy about the fact that he decided to start a conversation with her. “About the legends surrounding you. Some people always believed that your soulmate would be able to break the curse and bring you back to life.” She blushed, almost as if it embarrassed her that she hadn’t been the one to free him, especially since she clearly had tried it so often.

“I see.” It was evident that he didn’t believe her at all, and for the first time since you lifted the curse from him you asked yourself if he even realized that he had been trapped in stone for centuries. If he even understood how much the world had changed since then, or if he believed to be in some sort of weird dream in which people dressed strangely and didn’t know how to approach him properly.

Before you even knew what you were doing, you suddenly found yourself right next to him, placing your hand on his arm once again. “I guess there’s a lot we need to explain to you.”

*

It wasn’t much fun to walk around Wyndon with an enchanted prince by your side. The news that the statue had been destroyed by some stranger had already spread like a wildfire, and you felt like almost everyone was staring at you, a mixture of deep respect and utter confusion in their eyes.

You tried to convince yourself that they weren’t gaping at you but at the prince instead, especially since he was still wearing his light grey royal outfit. It suited him well, no doubt, but it was a bit too eye-catching for your liking, especially since it was pretty messed up. He really needed some more ordinary looking clothes if he didn’t want to stand out like a sore thumb, so it was probably best to head for the nearest clothing store to get him a shirt and a pair of jeans.

Thankfully, it didn’t take long to find a shop that wasn’t overly crowded and also not as expensive as some other stores in Wyndon, and only twenty minutes later, the prince had exchanged his noble attire for dark pants, a pair of black sneakers and a sweatshirt that had the exact same color as his eyes. It was obvious that he felt uncomfortable in his new clothes but at least he understood that it was necessary to look as ordinary as possible and other than a few complaints about the scratchy material of the sweatshirt he remained silent.

The prince didn’t talk much in general; he seemed to be completely lost in his own thoughts while he followed you and your friends through the city, and he kept his head down, almost as if he didn’t want anyone to notice him. Occasionally, Gloria tried to talk to him but the answers he gave were so brief and succinctly that she gave up after a few minutes and started a conversation with Hop instead.

As made your way through the small alleys to get back to the old town to grab something for lunch, you listened with half an ear as your friends talked about the plans for the next few days. Originally, you had planned to spend way more time in Wyndon but since you had an enchanted prince by your side now, they weren’t sure if it really was a good idea to stay here. Surely tourists would recognize him sooner or later, especially when those who had been in the park with you earlier on started to post their pictures to social media, and you wouldn’t be able to go anywhere without having a bunch of people surrounding you because they wanted to catch a glimpse of the prince.

You couldn’t deny that they were probably right. The people here in Wyndon had always been convinced that something magical would happen some day, and now that they had been proven right they were going to make a huge deal out of it. Heck, they probably wouldn’t hesitate to pester you with questions too since you had been the one who broke the curse,and just the mere thought was enough to annoy you. This was all Gloria’s fault. If she hadn’t insisted that you touched the statue while posing for a picture, none of this would’ve had happened and you would’ve been able to continue your road trip the way you had planned to. But no, of course things had to get out of hand.

You still thought about it when you arrived at a small restaurant twenty minutes later. It wasn’t a coincidence that Gloria had brought you here: only a few tourists knew about this restaurant, and the dining area was so small that only a few tables fitted in it, so it was actually a pretty private place which was absolutely perfect today.

While Gloria placed your orders at the counter, you found yourself examining the prince once again. There was a slightly arrogant line around his mouth you hadn’t noticed before but what really surprised you was the innocent expression in his eyes as he returned your look. “Do you like what you see?” he asked, his voice as smooth as silk as he raised an eyebrow. It was obvious that he was trying to mock you, so you quickly put on an awfully nice smile and shook your head. “No. I was just wondering if you realize how rude it is that you haven’t introduced yourself so far, Your Grace.”

You somehow managed to make the title sound like an insult but much to your surprise, he didn’t even seem to be bothered by it. Instead, his lips curled into a smile. “Correct would be Your Highness,” he said softly. “But you may call me by my given name”

“And that is-?”

“Bede.”

Your smile grew a bit wider. “There we go. I’m (Y/N), this charming guy right here,” you pointed at Hop who was sitting next to you, “is Hop and the lovely lady at the counter is Gloria. Very nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” Bede replied automatically, a wee bit of sarcasm in his voice. You knew that he probably only tried to hide his insecurity about the whole situation underneath his cool exterior but you rolled your eyes nevertheless. Apparently, it was beneath his dignity to at least treat you with some respect.

Luckily, Gloria returned with your drinks and spared you from answering. You had no idea why you got so angry about trivialities when it came to Bede, especially since it wasn’t the first time that he managed to make you livid, but on the other hand, you really weren’t obligated to like him just because you saved him.

Well. At least that’s what you tried to tell yourself because you knew exactly what everyone else would think about the fact that you managed to undo the spell. Everyone who knew about the legend would believe that Bede and you were soulmates; some kind of star-crossed lovers who belonged together, even though you basically knew next to nothing about each other – and if it was up to you it could stay this way forever.

Masterlist / Next

[elliepassmore]

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings Anthology Review

5/5 stars Recommended for people who like: anthologies, fantasy, sci-fi, female-led stories, South-East Asian folklore, Indian folklore, Chinese folklore, Middle Eastern folklore, Japanese folklore, Korean folklore, Hmong folklore Forbidden Fruit: Roshani Chokshi 5/5 stars Filipino Chokshi's story is based on the Maria Makiling folktale based around the spirit of Mount Makiling. The style of writing feels like a traditional folktale, the ones that include morals at the end and cautionary warnings (which is perhaps a redundant statement), and is set in fantasy. I like how Chokshi included cautions about the tale "do not trust the fruits of Maria Makiling. If you find your pockets full of thorny fruit, throw it out the window" (5) as bookends to the tale. In this story, the spirit of the mountain is in the form of a girl, and since it's a love story, she of course falls in love with a human boy. The story is only 12 pages, but Chokshi develops the emotions of the mountain so she goes from curious and solitary to someone who would risk losing her heart, and though we don't really see the village or know what's going to happen, Chokshi also weaves suspense and the development of greed and jealousy within the pages as well. Olivia's Table: Alyssa Wong 5/5 stars Chinese Wong's story is based on the Hungry Ghost Festival, and is set in a mix between modern-day Arizona and the Old West. In this story, our MC Olivia has taken up her late mother's task of feeding the ghosts in an, pun intended, Arizona ghost town during the Hungry Ghost Festival. I really enjoyed Wong's interplay between loss and family and helping others. Olivia's mom died about one or two years before the story began, though she still keenly feels her loss and reveals that it's what led to her girlfriend breaking up with her. Going back to the Ghost Festival to cook the food is Olivia's way of getting closer to her mom--both a figurative and literal attempt, as Olivia hopes her mom will show up as a ghost. As Olivia helps the ghosts find peace and closure through her food, Olivia begins to heal by helping a forgotten ghost and a lady ghost she had a crush on as a kid. I'm not explaining it well here, but it's one of my favorite stories in the collection. Steel Skin: Lori M. Lee 5/5 stars Hmong This is one of the sci-fi stories in the collection, and it's the one that goes the deepest into the realm of sci-fi. Based on the tale The Woman and the Tiger wherein a tiger kills a hunter and sneaks into the home of his family, killing most of them, only to get killed by the remaining family in turn. Lee flips this on its head a little, and even after reading it twice I'm still not sure who's the tiger in the story. Yer is the main character of this story, and she lives with her father and memories of a mother who was killed in an android uprising. Yer's father starts acting strangely and seems to be working in a now-illegal field of technology. The story starts out kind of slow and slowly builds as Yer's dad starts acting stranger and stranger until Yer tells her neighbor/boyfriend she thinks her father's been replaced by an android and the two decide to finally find out what's going on with her dad. Still Star-Crossed: Sona Charaipotra 3/5 stars Punjabi Based on the Indian folktale of Mirza and Sahiba, two star-crossed lovers who end the way most of them do--with one of them dead. This story is a modern reimagining of the original tale, set in New Dehli, New Jersey. This one is mostly just creepy. At first, I thought it was going to be a reincarnating story, where the star-crossed lovers knew each other from a past life and they'd both remember and it wouldn't be quite as creepy. Not entirely the case, though Charaipotra hints throughout the story (and in the afterword) that it's kind of reincarnation for the both of them. However, it mostly seems like the guy remembers the girl and keeps 'finding' (read: stalking) her in hopes she'll agree to hang out or enter into a relationship with him. The twist toward the end makes it even creepier. The Counting of Vermillion Beads: Aliette De Bodard 4.5/5 stars Vietnamese Bodard's story is a reimagining of the Vietnamese tale Tam Cam, which is about two sisters engaged in a jealous rivalry. Bodard turned it on its head and made it so the two sisters are loyal to one another, but have different ideas of what they want and can do in life. Set in fantasy Vietnam, the two sisters are census takers for the emperor. The elder sister, Tam believes they can escape and be free and go back to their home, while the younger sister, Cam, believes that the only way to freedom is through the system. Tam and Cam both tug their own direction, leading to a rift between the two for a bit, until they realize they can reconcile their ideas of freedom into something new. Cam is the narrator and is more passive than Tam, unwilling to view the system they've been a part of and the walls that surround them as a cage for most of the story, which is why the half star was dropped. The Land of the Morning Calm: E.C. Myers 5/5 stars Korean This one is a meld of sci-fi and contemporary, as it is technically set in modern-times, but also deals with a computer game that may or may not have real elements...okay, so it's also technically fantasy as well, since the game centers largely around magical, ancient Korea. Based on the Chasa Bonpuli epic that follows the main players of death: the god of the underworld, a grim reaper, and a guide to the underworld. Sunny, the main character, lost her mom five years prior while playing a computer game beloved by the whole family. Since then, none of them have touched the game. As the story opens, the grandfather is convinced the mother is back as a gwisin, or a ghost/spirit, and is trying to tell them something. Both Sunny and her dad brush it off, though Sunny decides to play the game one last time before it's shut down forever, and is thus transported into the land of fantasy and sci-fi. During the story, Sunny struggles to reconcile the death of her mother and the difference between clinging to the past and honoring it. The Smile: Aisha Saeed 4/5 stars South Asian A retelling of the legend of Anarkali, a girl who danced for the king and purportedly fell in love with one of his sons. I liked the story at first, though there were creepy undertones in this one as well. It's in a more historical setting than a fantasy one, and I enjoyed the way Saeed built the world and the people in it. I also like how Saeed explored consent in a relationship where one is royalty and the other is a servant/dancer of the palace. I mostly docked a star because of the creepy factor and the anger of the prince. Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers: Preeti Chhibber 4/5 stars Gujarati A contemporary reimagining of Navratri, a Hinu holiday about community and dancing and being good to people. The story intertwines the actions of the main characters in the contemporary, magic-free world with the events happening that create the origin of Navratri. Three friends go to a Navratri celebration together and come into contact with the infamous (to them) Dinesh, who's sloppy dancing on Navratri years ago led to one of them having their skirt come unwrapped. In the spirit of the holiday, they decide to get revenge. It's a funny, lighthearted story and the star drop is mostly just me being unable to handle people being embarrassed, which both the girls and Dinesh end up being, to varying degrees. Nothing Into All: Renee Ahdieh 5/5 stars Korean This is another story about siblings and jealousy, this time based on the Korean story The Goblin Treasure, where goblins give two siblings the chance to gain treasure beyond what they know. Ahdieh is one of my favorite fantasy authors and I really enjoyed her contribution to this anthology. In this one, two siblings venture into the woods in search of the goblins they saw one year. The elder sibling, the sister, still feels guilty for something that occurred in childhood and thus attempts to hide her successes from her brother for fear they'll upset him. The brother has since grown up to be jealous and angry over his sister and what he views as his sister's selfish wishes. Naturally, one finds the goblins and the magic and the other does not and an argument ensues. The story is an interesting exploration through guilt, forgiveness, selfishness, and what one will do for family, even when said family has done wrong. Spear Carrier: Rahul Kanakia 3/5 stars South Asian This is a take on the Mahabharata, a famous Indian epic and, I believe, the longest epic that's ever been written. In the Mahabharata there's a huge battle toward the end of the story, and Kanakia has retold a portion of this battle from the perspective of one of the millions of people/creatures that have shown up to fight. It's another mix between contemporary, fantasy, and sci-fi. This is a story that I'm disappointed I didn't like better, especially since I generally like retellings of Mahabharata stories. I thought this was a really interesting take on the kinds of massive, all-out war we so often see in epics and high-fantasy books, even if I didn't necessarily like the story itself. The narrator of the story seems to be a high school- or college-aged guy who basically ends up accidentally agreeing to be a part of the battle and spends the time thinking of heroism and who we consider heroes and brings up the rather good question of why people were even fighting in the battle to begin with. I think this question, which is what the author says inspired the story, is really what saved this one for me. Let's face it, when we read stories of epic battles, we don't really ask where every soldier came from and why they decided to fight, we just role with it. Spear Carrier offers the answer that people came from all over, from all times, some for good and some for bad reasons, to fight in a war that needs corpses. If the narrator had been less....I don't even know, less preachy and less like the kind of person who thinks that just because they think deeply has few friends it means everyone else is shallow. Other than that, it's a great concept. Code of Honor: Melissa de la Cruz 3/5 stars Filipino This story is based on the aswangs, which de la Cruz describes as "banshee-like beings" (237) in Filipino folklore, and from what I've gathered from research for one of my books, can also be thought of like a cross between vampires and witches. Basically, they're awesome, oft-forgotten in the West, mythological creatures, which is why I'm so disappointed I didn't like this story better. The premise of the story is a good one: an aswang who's been orphaned and is searching for the rest of her bloodline. Unfortunately, this comes through by the aswang attending a prestigious high-school in contemporary New York and then being discovered by the bratty popular girl. With the undelivered promise of the story, the fight in the bathroom scene, and the not-quite-answered questions still left at the end of the story I had to drop two of the stars. Bullet, Butterfly: Elsie Chapman 5/5 stars Chinese Chapman's story is based on the Chinese folktale of Liang Zhu, translated as The Butterfly Lovers, where class and duty keep apart two lovers who, again, like most star-crossed lovers do, end up dying. In the original, these two lovers end up being resurrected (reincarnated?) as butterflies. This is the only dystopian/sci-fi story in here and it actually makes me wish there was more of them. Chapman flips the original on its head a little and instead of having the girl dress up as a guy to go to school, the guy dresses up as a girl to go to the factory. In this world, the girls are the only ones to work in factories until they're old enough to go to war while the guys are stuck at war or in training for longer (unsure how long, I don't think it's specified, but the guys go off first). Viruses keep ravaging the country, which is why the main character isn't off fighting in the war at the moment, he's in recovery. So, he dresses up as a girl and goes to the factory and befriends Zhu. I like the realness of the two of them as they work and get to know each other, the little details Chapman adds, such as the corner they eat lunch in where no one thinks to look. I also like the metaphors she weaves throughout the story, such as the butterfly bullet that's been invented and the gun smoke choking out parts of the country. It's a very metaphorical story based in tragedy, but the characters and their relationships make it worth any heartache. Daughter of the Sun: Shveta Thakrar 4/5 South Asian I believe this one is set in a urban fantasy (or rural fantasy??) setting, though I'm not entirely sure. It retells the story of Savitri and Satyavan from the larger Mahabharata epic as well as the story of the goddess Gangu and King Shantanu. In this story, Savitri is born with a sun heart, and because her parents worry for her, they remain mostly isolated on a large museum-estate. One day, Savitri finds a boy with a moon heart standing by the lake being coaxed into the water by a swan. She saves the boy from drowning and brings him back to shore, and the two become fast friends and lovers, only, Savitri is hiding from him what the swan said and why she was luring him to the water--an incident which he has no memory of. As the story goes on, Savitri realizes that the swan, and the goddess she meets, is correct and she cannot make decisions for Satyavan, even if it means letting him 'die,' and thus she gifts him back his choices. I like the story and I like the characters, but I'm a huge fan of choice, so Savitri's decision to take Satyavan's choices without thenletting him know is a hard no for me, hence the dropped star on an otherwise fantastic story. The Crimson Cloak: Cindy Pon 5/5 stars Chinese Set in a fantasy world with a golden ox, Pon's story is a retelling of the Chinese legend The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, which tells the tale of a cowherd whose talking ox tells him to steal the red cloak of a fairy girl because it will mean she must marry him. The two marry, have some kids, and then are separated by the fairy's mother who makes the Milky Way to keep them apart, only allowing them to visit on the seventh day of seventh moon. Pon makes the girl the narrator and a goddess in this one. In it, the girl, Hongyun, sees the cowherd and sets out to trick him into meeting her because she's curious. The two become friends and then lovers, and then realizing that she cannot give him what he wants, Hongyun tries to let him go. It's a story of loving and letting go and coming back together again and how we remember in parts even if we love whole. One of the things I particularly like about this story is how Hongyun directly addresses the reader "despite how the legend goes, the truth of the matter is, Dear Reader, I saw him first" (282). I think it adds a clever dimension to the story, and even in short stories I feel like it's not something that happens a lot. Eyes Like Candlelight: Julie Kagawa 3/5 stars Japanese Based on the Japanese myth of the kitsune, trickster fox creatures that have the ability to manipulate the mind and transform into humans. The premise of the story is good, it's set in feudal Japan and centers around a young man, Takeo, as he tries to find a way to meet the rice quote for the daimyo's tax. He comes into contact with a kitsune...which is sort of where I stop liking the story. I'm going to be 100% honest, I think this story has some rapey undertones to it. While the kitsune family helps Takeo and gives him the rice he needs to in turn help his family and town, the girl kitsune also heavily manipulates his mind and at the end there's hints that the two of them have had a kid even though they only meet as humans once and Takeo doesn't even seem to fully remembers what happened during that time, despite literally being the third person narrator.

[touchmycoat]

kinktober: day 21

day 21: washing

y’all know lucky’s cinderella AU, so thank you @midnightluck for letting me play in your sandbox; anon who requested cinderella!AU I don’t know if this is what you wanted at all but uh, have some uniform/class/service kink 

“This is,” Ace hissed, “the royal bath.”

Even though Sabo had been conscientious enough to leave his boots at the entrance, there was still a trail of dirty footprints following him from the door. He bared his teeth at the creamy marble underneath.

“Yeah, Ace, I've noticed.”

“What are we even meant to do in here?” Ace was externalizing all the unease and distrust Sabo was choosing to keep under wraps, glancing agitatedly about and pacing around. But not pacing too far—he stuck within the perimeter of two square flagstones lining the floor, and Sabo watched as the soot gradually darkened in the shape of a rectangle. “Can we—Fuck it, let's just steal some water and get out.”

“You don't have to steal anything yoi, just bathe here,” came a familiar voice from the side door, its amusement echoing through the bath chamber. Marco came into view, dressed already for his birthday ceremony. As crown prince, there were all sorts of appearances he was expected to make on this big day, and apparently it began with this: a stiff purple coat with double-breasted gold buttons, a black leather belt cinching the waistline, a thinner one running across the torso, military stars and the family crest pinned to the chest, shimmering braided chords draped over a tricep. Trousers pressed with neat sharp lines, unflinching leather boots.

At Sabo and Ace's wide-eyed staring, he immediately held up his palms in apologetic recognition.

“It's a lot, I know.”

“Yeah,” Sabo heard himself say, “we were definitely just about to complain about how you look.”

“Cheers,” Marco acknowledged with a snort. He was quick to unravel the belts and shed the coat (Sabo may or may not have heard a soft sound of protest from Ace), then sat down on a dry bench to shed his boots. Most of his glitz laid aside though, Marco still looked every bit of the regal prince, tie done up and the collar of his shirt in perfect geometry. His bare feet stepped familiarly onto the flagstones that marked the beginning of the bathing space. “Well, in an effort to make sure nobody complains about how any of us look tonight yoi, let's get you both cleaned up. Unless...?

“No, no we'll still be going,” Ace piped up, quick to assuage Marco's concerns. He glanced down though, picking self-consciously at his servant's tunic, one that he definitely nicked from Sabo. Neither owners had ever been too precious with it (which was absolutely the point, Sabo thought, why have a shirt you couldn't even work in), and it showed. “We want to support you, y'know? But we just, I guess we're kind of...”

“Misled?” Sabo filled in with a scowl. “Why did Thatch tell us to get in the royal baths?”

“Well, it was closer I guess,” Marco blinked. “And you two are technically royalty and all—”

“Yeah,” Ace said, “but we don't really know how to—”

“—bathe?”

“Bathe here,” Sabo snapped. “Jerk.”

Along with the steam from the ever-warm bathing pool, something rigid and uncomfortable suffused the air. Marco slowly, fully took in the distraught expressions on Ace and Sabo's faces, and his smile cleared into something a little more serious.

“Ah, I see.” A self-effacing little quirk of the head and Marco was making his way to the hot water. The casual way he strolled through the palatial space (like he owned it—because he did) and rolled up his crisp shirt sleeves that somebody else ironed and starched for him only served to piss Sabo off even more. Made Sabo feel that much more insecure. “My apologies, I should've been more considerate yoi. There is a sort of specific way to do things in here.”

“Is it called getting servants to do it for you?”

“Sabo...” Ace sounded reluctantly chiding—keyword, reluctantly. He knew exactly what was going through Sabo's mind and getting Sabo's hackles up. Marco though, didn't really react, just crouched down and pulled two little wooden stools out from under the lip of the bath. He slid them nearer to Sabo and Ace, then pulled out a relatively big basin as well, with a little ladle tumbling about inside. In calm, certain motions, Marco filled the basin with water from the bath and poured in some fragrant soapy solution, giving it a quick swirl with his free hand.

Then he turned on his heel, looked right at Ace, then Sabo.

“I could call in some servants for you,” Marco said, crossing the flagstones. As he passed the stools, he set the basin down in between them. “But I get the feeling neither of you really want that.”

“Look,” Sabo sighed in exasperation, “we can just go back to the servants baths and do this, okay? Like we've always done—”

“Sure you can yoi. Or—” Pausing squarely in front of Sabo, Marco, with a meaningful look, lifted his hands to the top button of Sabo's shirt. “Allow me. My prince.”

Sabo bit down hard on the inside of his cheek. There were so many things he could say, some angry, some scoffing, all of them rejections. He drew blood instead and swallowed it with saliva. Looked instead to Ace for guidance.

Ace's expression was... strange. On one hand there was the daring, beautiful rejection of protocol he's always worn so well, sitting right underneath the day's dirt and soot. There was the matching tension in his knuckles, the anger to demolish the extravagance and lavishness that surrounded them that Sabo found so resonant.

But at the same time there was the helpless softness in his eyes for Marco, the bone-deep certainty that whatever unpleasantness scorched at their nerves, Marco wasn't the enemy here. Furthermore, there was the speculative angle in the tilt of his chin, an allured curiosity for what Marco was offering here.

Drinking all that in, Sabo made his decision. He lifted his chin, and let the curl of his lips go haughty.

“Go on then,” he said, throat bared so vulnerably to Marco. Marco the Crown Prince, the legendary top warrior of his father's kingdom, whom Sabo has seen fight in Impel Down and knew lived up to the legend. Marco, who's left all the medals and epaulettes hanging by the side door and offered to serve. “Attend us.”

A smile bloomed on Marco's face, so gracious and genuine that Sabo had to look away, heart pounding condemningly loud. Even as children, it was this precise smile that changed Sabo's life. Even after crawling through rosebush thorns, pinpricks scoring through his expensive shirt and across his skin, Marco's only ever had that smile for him.

He said you were pretty.

Sabo gritted his teeth when his side with all the scars became exposed to the swirling bathhouse steam. Marco's hands didn't linger on them though—didn't linger anywhere. He drew off Sabo's shirt with professional ease then started unbuttoning Sabo's pants. He didn't let the trousers fall, instead guided them down like they weren't frayed and stained with age and grime. His own trousers—the expensive ones, thick and pressed—kneeled right onto the damp floor tiles.

“You—” But Sabo shut himself up, because why would he protest? They were just pants for crying out loud, and it's not like Marco harvested and weaved and sewed them himself. And it was just water; a bit of sun will get the dark stains now around the knees right out. There really was no need to protest.

Marco smiled at him again like he was kind, gathering Sabo's shirt, trousers, and undergarments over the crook of one arm (those dirty clothes smearing immediately across the neat white fold of his shirt cuff). Standing up with nary a blink at the state of his own pants (nor at what removing Sabo's pants had revealed, which Sabo was absolutely not disappointed by), Marco now turned to Ace, who had waited patiently for his turn with the pink-cheeked, almost-smile of someone who's figured out his role in the script.

“You'll wash us both by yourself?” Ace asked, with only a hint of tentativeness, as Marco undid his buttons. “That's not enough hands to go around, is it? I'll go cold from the waiting.”

“I'll do my best yoi,” Marco replied. Now that Sabo was watching from relative distance, he could see how thoroughly Marco was actually enjoying this; it was visible not only in his face, but also in every gliding gesture, every curved posture. It was like Marco luxuriated in his servitude. He went to his knees again, and Ace was fully and gloriously nude. “Please, sit down.”

Eyes fixed on each other in both solidarity and hazy arousal, Sabo and Ace drifted forward to the stools Marco had pulled out earlier, and sat. The lines of demarcation in the bathhouse, Sabo could see now, were subtle; the flagstones marked out the space where the actual washing could be done, and the thin grooves carved across the flooring drained the water out to a corner. Things brought out to the flagstones were meant to get wet, carved out of heavy dark woods, and fine with a bit of dirt (unlike say, the polished cream marble that lined the entrance).

Shelves of powders, soaps, and bottles lined one side of the room, and that was where Marco went to fetch an array of items. He also grabbed a long flat legged plank that seemed the perfect height for sitting on, before piling on it thick fluffy towels of several different sizes and coming back over.

“Who's first?” he asked.

“Sabo,” Ace said, at the same time Sabo demanded, “Ace.”

“Sabo goes first,” Ace insisted, cupping some water and absently splashing it onto his own legs. “You'll never guess it but his hair's actually blond underneath all that soot.”

“Yeah, but your face is actually—”

“Sounds good to me yoi,” Marco interrupted cheerily, setting everything in his arms down on the floor. Sabo quickly scrambled, turning so that he faced Ace and pulling Ace's whole stool closer.

“Fine then, I'll get Ace while you're at it,” he insisted, desperate for something to do with his hands so he wasn't just stuck like a useless doll while Marco rinsed him off. This was stupid, but it'd be fine. They'll get the dirt off, none of it will get on things it wasn't meant to get on, and they'll be done in minutes. Just like normal. “C'mon then, gimme a sponge and your back.”

“Ah,” Marco made an apologetic sound, suddenly in Sabo's ear, “I'm afraid that's not how things are done here.” His torso against Sabo's back was a different kind of heat than the impersonal steam of the bathwater. A hand smoothed up the front of his neck and bared his throat. “Here yoi. Close your eyes.”

Obedience came easier than Sabo would've liked, but what else was he supposed to do, with Marco's face right over his? He heard a soft clunk, a glug of water—then he felt the water, a guided stream being poured over his hair. The overflow stopped just short of his forehead and trickled down the backs of his ears. Marco's arm touched gently against the scar on Sabo's face as he began carding his fingers through Sabo's tresses, getting them thoroughly soaked. The rushing splashes filled Sabo's ears, and his lips fell helplessly parted, drinking in the steam.

Marco refilled the water scoop. Repeated.

An echoed, low murmuring vibrated in the air, against Sabo's skin, but he didn't even bother to parse the words, so utterly enraptured by this sensation. He liked the soft brush of Marco's clothes on his back. He liked the soothing drag of water, and Marco's nails softly scratching across his scalp. He liked the new fragrance that's just appeared, wafting to his nose.

“Keep your eyes closed yoi,” Marco rumbled, all sonorous tenor and an echoic chest, and it still took Sabo a few moments to understand there was meaning in the phonemes. It's not like he was planning on opening his eyes anyways. “I'm putting in the shampoo.”

“What's that scent?” Ace asked, knee knocking comfortingly into Sabo's.

“Night jasmine. Seemed fitting.” Marco's fingers methodically kneaded a gelatinous paste through Sabo's hair, until suds coated every strand. There was a pattern to his motions, and Sabo's eyes fluttered open when Marco's thumb started rubbing soothing circles across his hairline. The disobeisance was out of trepidation; Marco would reach his scar this rate.

And reach it he did, swiping excesses of water and soap off the uneven skin without a single stutter in his motions. Sabo didn't want to meet Marco's eyes, but couldn't allow his own eyes to close either, not when he felt so fucking vulnerable—he stared up at the ceiling instead, that smooth dome of stone slabs, and worked on not letting those threatening tears condense on his eyelashes.

(He failed, when Marco finished washing clean the back of his ears and leaned forward, brushing just the gentlest kiss over the point on Sabo's forehead where the scar tissue began. Twin tears fell from the corners of Sabo's eyes and all three of them pretended it was just bathwater.)

“May I wash your face?” Marco asked quietly, and he looked prepared for Sabo to say no. So Sabo said no. Sabo wasn't quite ready to be completely cracked open yet. “Let me get your back then, yoi.”

There were still scars there, but at least Sabo wouldn't be in danger of seeing Marco's face (and whatever enticingly reverent expression Marco'd wear) every time he opened his eyes. He would see Ace instead, but Ace was—Ace was safe. Ace had seen Sabo's jagged edges and then chipped himself apart to match. For Ace, Sabo could fall to any pieces that he needed.

He scrubbed at his own face with the flat pads of his fingers, eager to sud up, rub the grime off into balls of dead flesh, splash the whole mess away. Except Ace was playing into a role as well, moving Sabo's hands away to wash at Sabo's cheeks in much gentler little circles. When Sabo glared, he just grinned and used a soapy hand to swipe Sabo's eyelids down.

“You put all that powder on my face, I wash all the dirt off yours. Seems fair,” Ace laughed, scrubbing up to the temples.

Marco started on Sabo's back at the same time. First came the blanket of water to wet everything down. Then there was a soft but textured flannel drawing determined swipes over the planes of Sabo's muscles, leaving soapy streaks in their wake. Another scoop of water. Soapy hands this time, the controlled drag of thumbs over the backs of Sabo's shoulders, finding spongey muscle with corded, tense tendons underneath, aligning the lengths and the pressures and pushing—

“—ah—!”

At the same moment of the instinctive flinch forward, Sabo also jerked his entire torso back, desperate for more of that amazing pressure. If his eyes had been open, Sabo was sure they would've rolled back in his head. Marco's grip, having slipped from the initial jerk, doubled back down, twin bars of beautiful force getting stronger and stronger and stronger until Sabo truly felt squeezed dry—

—and then abruptly released. Breath tumbled out of Sabo in a long unsteady stream, and his spine curled forward like a rubber band released. A whine escaped his throat.

“Good, yoi?”

“I'm pretty sure he'd say yes if he could,” Ace replied with both amusement and awe. “I'm gonna rinse your face now Sabo.”

He accepted the wash of water down his face without any squirming. Ace patted a dry towel encouragingly over his face. It all felt so dangerously indulgent.

“Your back is still quite tense,” Marco commented, thumbs tracing down the twin strips of muscle lining Sabo's spine. “A soak will do you good, yoi.”

And perhaps it was all the tension released from that one good prolonged squeeze, perhaps Sabo just felt like it was high time he got some control back in the situation, but the words left his mouth before he could think too much of them:

“Is that anyway to speak to your prince?”

Marco's beat of pause felt, against all odds, delighted.

“My apologies for overstepping,” another hesitation, like he was testing some waters he couldn't wait to leap headfirst into, “your highness.”

And—what the hell was Sabo actually playing at? Wasn't he the first and most enthusiastic shirker of crowns and titles? The moniker that tasted so genuinely bad in his parent's joke of a court—why did it seem so tempting here? Like a thick-petaled flower set on a dinner plate, meant for décor but inviting teeth. Like the soap that smelled so sweet but should sting his tongue so bitterly. And yet—

“Turn around Sabo,” Ace said, voice so hot with intention. “Let Marco wash your feet.”

[fvtvrelegends]

( charlie rowe, trans male, he/him, fire emblem: awakening ) * &. i know it must be scary for you, owain, after surviving the takeover. to turn into someone like owen faulk, a twenty-three year-old clerk at the hq, right here in castle town. just remember that you are as imaginative as you are impulsive, and to be wary, be safe, be true to who you are : heroic through and through. ( (H)O(Y)-(LIA) THERE )

               HOY THERE. Sup guys so I’m here with . . . the closest Fire Emblem has ever written to an actual LARPer who is ALSO my baby boy , fucking love of my life , favorite weirdo 10/10. Click for more under the cut , but beware of spoilers for Fire Emblem: Awakening !!

BEFORE CASTLE TOWN. / O W A I N. ( tw: parental death )

SOOOO OKAY. let me get some stuff out of the way ,

- - - UNDERNEATH THIS BOY CONSISTS OF SPOILERS FOR FIRE EMBLEM: AWAKENING ( and kind of Fates ) . A MARKER WILL BE SET TO INDICATE SPOILERS ARE OVER. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

Soooo’kay Owain !! Now Owain. Owain has the exact same circumstance as Lucina , who I recently dropped if you remember her. 

Not too familiar still ?? That’s fine !! He’s basically the future child of one of the heroes of the story , and like the rest of them , traveled through time as his future was a ruined land where chaos took over and zombies and evil dragons and . . . yeah. In his time , his parents are long dead. It’s not pretty.

Now who are his parents ?? Well his dad is determined by the player - I won’t clarify who his father is for plot reasons ( but my favorite candidates are Gaius & Lon’qu ) , but his mother is LISSA. Lissa , yes , your first cleric in the game , one of your starter heroes , and Chrom’s little sister. So this makes Owain Ylissean royalty of sorts ( his mother’s a princess ) , and also Chrom’s nephew , and Lucina’s cousin. 

Of course , you find out that all of the children got separated as they traveled through time - some like Laurent , who were displaced five years earlier than when you find him. Owain didn’t have a scenario like that , but this poor baby actually curled up into a ball and cried upon realizing he was alone. My POOR FUCKING SON -

An interesting fact is that he bears the brand of the Exalt - a thing of the Ylissean royal family that surfaces on the skin of each member - while his mother’s actually never surfaced. He has it on his arm ( isn’t clarified exactly where , but I like to think it’s on the back of his hand. ) 

SOOOO lemme just get this one out of the way because I feel like I need to address it - because the way Awakening works , Owain is one of the many characters who - thanks to the fact that every child unit save for Lucina inherits their dependent parent’s ( in this case , his father’s ) hair color , his hair color and be... literally anything. Now in Fates his hair’s blonde ( because Lissa’s is ) BUT ... I prefer Owain with dark hair so I simply said fuck it and went with that. Technically either Frederick , Kellam , Lon’qu , or even Stahl ( closely in a way ) could give him that sorta hair color but just because I made him have dark hair doesn’t mean his dad’s any of these dudes. Again , I won’t clarify. 

ALSO . . . I’m not. SURE on what I want to do for Fates because Owain actually does appear in Fates ( as a dark mage named Odin working under Prince Leo of Nohr ) but I’m not. Big on some parts of Fates but ALSO I . . . I REALLY LIKE HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH LEO & NILES so I guess I’ll be including that but not Ophelia since. As much as I love her it’s so hard to picture Owain as a dad with this kind of plot. He’s still Baby in my eyes.

AKA bring me a fucking Leo.

- - END OF MAJOR FIRE EMBLEM: AWAKENING ( and kind of Fates? ) SPOILERS. 

SO YEAH THE MOST INTERESTING THING ABOUT OWAIN is . . . well , remembering when I said he’s basically a LARPer ?? I wasn’t kidding.

A good chunk of his character is that most of the time he actually acts like a character from an old hero’s legend or something. He speaks in this overly theatrical Ye Olde kind of . . . dialect ?? I’m not sure if that’s the right way to put it but he basically puts on a show 90% of the time - but he also breaks character quite a few times in game.

( SPOILER WARNING )  Like when you recruit him with Chrom : “By the gods old and new! Another future traveler?! And yet, impossible, for I saw none like him in the light... Who are you, villain?! Speak now!” “Um, I'm Chrom. ...Of Ylisse? I have no quarrel with you, but if we must fight, then-” “UNCLE CHROM?!”

That is singlehandedly one of the best conversations in-game and it’s not even a support.

BUT YEAH he loves stories like these and always wanted to be that legendary hero so he goes around acting like it because he likes it and it’s so fucking pure.

One thing he has is his “sword hand” - it’s purely a theatrical thing , but he has this uncontrollable “sword hand” that thirsts for duel and battle and it’s why I almost made his url “svvordhvnd” but that was too obvious for Owain.

It’s changes to “aching blood” in Fates but that’s not as good as my opinion since in Awakening’s one of his voice lines is literally “My sword hand twitches.”

Lucina describes him as “colorful.” She’s not wrong. 

He also has a habit of naming his weapons and attacks and . . . shouting when he performs them ?? He also names these weapons & attacks after actual Fire Emblem characters & titles from previous games - it’s fucking funny.

And of COURSE all of these theatrics and imagination isn’t for naught since he’s actually a bit of a writer !! In his Hot Spring Scramble conversation with Laurent he actually has a manuscript all written down and apparently it’s well-written and damn good. 

But yeah in a nutshell - Owain is just a nerdy sweetheart who honestly never really grew out of playing pretend and it helps him cope with all the shit he’s faced so ?? Are we gonna blame him ?? Fuck no that’s my baby & he’s a creative baby who drinks respect women juice. That’s important. 

AFTER CASTLE TOWN. / O W E N. 

SO. Owain survived the takeover meaning he has all of his memories from Awakening ( and Fates w/ the exception of Ophelia I guess since I’m a sucker for Leo’s terrible trio ).

His one token is a staff from his mother ( in-game , he actually keeps a piece of one of his mother’s staves that he named after her but this time it’s The Actual Staff. )

He works at the HQ because honestly in this world too he was a fucking nerd and he embraces that shit constantly !!

Unfortunately he CAN’T be all theatrical because he realized Castle Town is a way different world than his and because people already thought he was strange back there , that’d only increased tenfold.

. . . BUT HE STILL GETS IT OUT SINCE HE REGULARLY PLAYS D&D and also acts sometimes at the theatre !! ( did u know in the future past dlc he actually becomes a performer w/ inigo and brady in the end it’s Fun )

. . . He. He Also. Performs at children’s parties for some extra cash because they looooove his whole “legendary hero” schtick and it makes him happy so yeah there’s that too. 

He likes a lot of things about Castle Town but again when he woke up and realized he was all alone AGAIN he really didn’t react well and basically . . . it was like the first time he got separated from his allies again. He’s gotten way more used to it now , but in the very beginning it was harsh.

His name’s now Owen bc I’m uncreative : )

He has parents he doesn’t really talk to - mainly because he knows they’re fake , and also they apparently weren’t the best fake parents either so he’s more dead set on finding his real parents again. 

AND.... yeah that it that’s !! Honestly it on my boy. I’d love to plot with u all bc I plan on being awake a bit longer to finish up tasks and things so YEAH come 4 me. 

Also bi as hell bc I do love projecting & also there’s no way Owain is straight thank u

[sanjuno]

It’s too late for a GoT/Code Geiss isn’t it? Not sure if Britanian Royalty as Targaryens is awesome or terrifying. Lelouch as Viserys and Nunnally as Daenerys would be, interesting. So would Lelouch as Aegon.

Technically, yes, but what the hell. One more for the Old Gods!

8/7 GoT Crossover Fix-its: A Code of Fire and Ice

So I know it’s kinda becoming a theme with these fix-its, but one of the best ways to fix GoT is to give Robert a legitimate heir that Tywin Lannister and the rest of the Baratheon Loyalists will support on the Iron Throne, so I’m going to sling Lelouch in here as a replacement for Cersei’s first canon pregnancy. (Also it’s hilarious to me how many of the Britannian names from CG sound like they belong in Westros.)

So Lelouch Baratheon is born within a year of Robert and Cerise’s marriage. The gods make it very obvious that they approve of the Baratheon rule in the form of the new Crown Prince. Lelouch is black of hair and violet of eye and the red shadow of a dragon spreads its wings over his heart. The Targaryen loyalists grumble, but the common folk chatter about the Crown Prince being chosen by the gods themselves to inherit the Dragon Throne.

Lelouch Lamperouge vi Britannia is kicked out of the World of C by the Dimensional Supervisor and told to go make miracles again in a new world. He’s born prince (again), then son of a warmonger (again), and the empire that he will someday rule was created through violent subjugation of indepentandt countries by refugees who just happened to have superior force multipliers (again). At least Dorne and the North manages to keep some of their cultural individualism. The world is primitive and the politics even mores, but it’s not until Lelouch look at his new baby brother and realizes that there’s no way Joffrey is Robert’s son that Lelouch realizes how hilariously outmatched the other players in the Game of Thrones are. Especially when compared the the Demon Emperor. The first thing Lelouch does is Geass Cersei into skipping her Moon Tea because Joffrey reminds him of Victor and that’s not on.

The twins are born with dark silver hair the colour of rainclouds, their eyes lightning bright Baratheon blue. Nunnery and Rolo Baratheon are doted on by Lelouch, and it’s agreed on by most of the servants that the twins learn to walk as fast as they do just so that they can follow their eldest brother more closely.

Lelouch is 100% involved in everything that happens in the Red Keep and realizes with some hilarity that his parents have switched roles. Cersei’s the one who reminds him of Charles, obsessed with eugenics and her brother and gaining power so she can rule. Robert is the one who reminds him of Marianne, having won a crown through War and rising above his birth station by killing off all his rivals.

Lelouch starts undermining his parents in every way he can as soon as he’s capable of coherent sentences. When Nunnally and Rolo are born Lelouch adjusts some Baratheon names to suit them and is delighted when they start helping him torment Robert and Cersei.

Arms training is hilarious to watch because Lelouch is still lazy as fuck but he’s also aware that people are going to try and kill him with pointy metal at some point. As the children grow it’s pretty obvious that Joffrey is Cersei’s favourite and the brat only gets more spoiled because Joffrey doesn’t even have to pretend to be a decent person because he’s the spare and not the Heir to the Iron Throne. So Joffrey’s still convinced that he’s hot shit with swords because of his “bloodlines” and Lelouch can smell the crazy from across the courtyard. So Lelouch takes his arms training seriously because Joffrey is all but rabid.

Lelouch is used to the idea of half-siblings, so the “stain” of bastard birth doesn’t really concern him, but Joffrey is the kind of cruel and delusional person that would try to kill off his litigate siblings to become the heir and causes bad reputations for all the other illegitimate children. One of Lelouch’s best jokes on his mother is that he’s collecting Robert’s bastards and setting them up to be the core of his household, because familial relations are a surefire way of ensuring loyalty when you leverage it the right way. Especially since there are already rumours about the Queen killing the Kings bastards if she gets her hands on them. Which means that Lelouch’s many half-siblings are well aware that he saved them from being killed or forced to live in exile. So Cersei is all but frothing at the mouth over the sight of so many Baratheon-coloured children. Plus the Baratheon Herd have all fallen prey to Lelouch’s cult of personality, and their loyalty to their Royal sibling makes Joffrey look bad in comparison.

Now once they get old enough Rolo and Nunnally are also going to train hard. Lelouch manages to arrange things so that Nunnally (and Robert’s other daughters) also get arms training. Nunnally is Whitecloak Legend level of good with a rapier. Lelouch and Rolo are shameless about letting their sister fight their battles for them. Rolo is primarily an assassin and Lelouch is a strategist, neither of which really lend to Robert’s “bash it with a hammer” approach to combat. Lelouch avoids tourneys by expressing admiration for Northern Values and Robert lets it go without argument.

Robert is painfully easy to manipulate even without Geass and Lelouch almost feels bad about it. Not bad enough to stop, but it’s still sad that Robert tore apart a Kingdom or Seven for love of a woman who died before he was ever crowned. Lelouch straight up delights int tormenting Cersei because she’s like the worst parts of Victor and Charles combined into one bitchy, petty, brother-fucking package. Irony is that Cersei does love her children while also hating that three of said children are obviously Robert’s while also loving the Targaryen features that they got from Robert while also loving Jaime’s children the most.

Lelouch corresponds with Tywin on the regular, and asks for Joffrey to be named Tyrion’s heir, as Tyrion is Jaime’s heir, as both lack offspring of their own. The logic progression of inheritance is enough to soothe Tywin’s long-stung pride and he agrees. Cersei is now kept busy fighting to keep Joffrey from being fostered with Tywin and is too distracted to scheme much. Lelouch is giving Joffrey until he’s fifteen to stop being a monster otherwise Joffrey will never see his sixteenth birthday. Lelouch has trimmed his family tree before, so become a “kinslayer” again doesn’t bother him.

Lelouch, Nunnally, and Rolo throw off the legitimacy questions, because of Valyrian and First Men blood magic nonsense, and so Jon Arryn is pretty obviously poisoned be another set of players in the Game. Instead of the Lannisters falling under suspicion, Cersei is being her usually overdramatic self about getting tasters for her children’s food. Super paranoid Queen is super paranoid. Lelouch has Lysa confined to the Tower of the Hand when she tries to run off with Robin. He calls is “giving her time to recover her spirits” and he makes sure that Robin is handed over to Stannis for proper fostering because Robin will be “safe” on Dragonstone and that way no one can accuse Tywin of anything underhanded.

Irony is that Lelouch is called the Black Prince because he’s the only one of his “trueborn” siblings with actually black hair. He thinks this is hilarious since he’s already collected something like five or six of Robert’s bastards for training in various fields by the time the epithet starts being used. Lelouch is heard to publicly say that “they are not any less my siblings for being my father’s natural children” when he hears the reasoning behind the nickname, and that pretty much means he’s got their loyalty for life.

Robert will want to go North when Jon Arryn dies, of course. Lysa is going to be dropped off at Riverrun on the way up. Lelouch is aware that Robert wants a Stark/Baratheon marriage and starts scheming. Tommen is betrothed to Shireen so the Baratheon name will stay on Dragonstone, and because Tommen isn’t forceful enough to displace Shireen’s authority as the Lady of Dragonstone. Rolo has been made Renly’s Heir “until Renly marries and has a son of his own”. Lelouch offhand mentions that the Targaryen’s denied the Starks a Royal Princess as a bride, and Robert stops looking at Lelouch as is now giving Nunally some consideration.

Lelouch wants Nunnally to be happy with her husband, and he knows that he can’t avoid her marrying forever, not in their current world, so the Starks sound like the best of a bad lot. For now Robert is torn between having Lelouch marry one of the Stark daughters, and having Nunnally marry the Stark Heir, so Lelouch can keep that indecision up until he’s satisfied with the choices for the matches that need to be made for the siblings that Lelouch likes. That’s why Tommen was matched with Shireen. Tommen is a bit like how Clovis was before he got into politics and he needs a smart wife who won’t be mean to him. That the match was politically expedient was just gravy.

Lelouch lays eyes on the eldest Stark daughter with her red hair and dreams in her eyes and nopes the seven hells out of that. Sansa is far too similar to Shirley for Lelouch’s comfort. Of course, then he gets ambused by Jon and Arya Stark and immediately recognizes Suzaku and Kaguya.

/…/

Jon Snow has eyes like glacier ice, sometimes Stark grey, sometimes dark as pine needles. Shifting and mercurial as the bastard’s moods, shadowed by the tangle of his dark brown hair. Catelyn Stark doesn’t know how to react to the boy who Ned has claimed is his blood, but she looks at Jon Snow and it’s not Ned she sees. (No, who she sees is Brandon with his wild energy and vibrant ferocity. There is some of Ned’s solemnness in the boy, but…) 

When the fever takes him Catelyn Stark prays for Jon Snow’s recovery, she prays and she begs and she offers the gods all she can. Catelyn makes a vow to do better by him, to be better, and when Jon Snow wakes up the first thing he does is apologize. Jon tells the Lady Stark that he’s sorry for hurting her by being alive and that he’ll try not to bother her any further. Catelyn, who has all those Southron prejudices against bastards softens towards the boy. This is her son’s brother, and that angle of thought is enough for her to start healing from the hurt she felt.

So there Starks are far more peaceful this time around, with less buried resentment lurking in their interactions. Suzaku has years of dealing with Nunnally and Cornelia and their anger at him over the slights done to their respective favourite siblings to help him get on Catelyn Stark’s good side. Of course, Suzaku also sulks a lot over being alone in the new world. At least until Arya is born and Suzaku realizes that she’s Kaguya and then he regrets ever voicing the complaint. Old gods please, he doesn’t need the chaos gremlin take it back.

Kaguya has a much easier time of it than canon!Arya because she knows the importance of appearances, and so she does the bare minimum of training in Westrosi “ladylike” pursuits so that she can fit in with the new world setting, but other than that she starts looking into training with the unfamiliar weapons. This time “Needle” is a set of hair sticks and Mikken is tasked with learning how to craft tessen. Arya is still the “wild” Stark daughter, but this time she’s canny enough to get what she wants without getting in trouble for it. Arya and Jon bond during hunting trips and long horseback rides.

Robb, Theon, and Jon are the terror of the keep and Suzaku is glad to have friends. Kaguya is delighted by the idea of her large family and refuses to let anyone push Jon aside. She saw where isolating Suzaku from his family led last time and she’s not going to let it happen again. So things are better for Jon, and he’s not planning on going to the Wall. Not much else changes with the Starks until the Royal Party shows up. At which point Suzaku and Kaguya nearly lose their shit because Lelouch is there.

/…/

Across the Narrow Sea, Viserys Targaryen sells his sister to a Dothraki Horse Lord and goes to bed dreaming of conquest.

Daenerys Targeryen rolls her eyes, steals everything she can carry including the three dragon eggs that she can feel the life stirring in, dyes her hair green, and takes off into the night. CC is done with this bbullshit, she’s going to go find her accomplice.

/…/

Then there are politics and plotting and ice zombies. Jon becomes Lelouch’s sworn sword, Lelouch is betrothed to Arya, the War of Five Kings never happens, and people are very confused by how well the Black Prince’s betrothed gets along with his mistress.

The dire wolves are still a thing, and at some point Lelouch, Suzaku, and CC all end up riding dragons. Then it’s all over but for the fire and the screaming.

[andromedaceline]

Ben Solo x Prince Zuko

**SPOILERS: AVATAR: THE LAST AIR BENDER & STAR WARS: XII & XIII**

My favorite animated series of all time is Avatar: The Last Airbender. For those who are not familiar (and you should get familiar, it’s great!). Here’s a quick synopsis:

The world is divided into four nations -- the Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation and and the Air Nomads -- each represented by a natural element for which the nation is named. Benders have the ability to control and manipulate the element from their nation. Only the Avatar is the master of all four elements. The ruthless Fire Nation wants to conquer the world but the only bender who has enough power, the Avatar, has disappeared ... until now. Two kids from the Water Tribe, Katara and Sokka, soon discovers that Aang is the long-lost Avatar. Now they must safeguard Aang on his journey to master all four elements and save the world from the Fire Nation.

It was a kid’s show on Nickelodeon (2005-2008), but it’s amazingly written and full of many adult type themes (watered down for kids, of course). But I watched the show as an adult and was blown away by how deep it was. It’s heavily influenced by mediums like Star Wars, Asian mythologies,  etc. But while watching this new Star Wars trilogy, starting with The Force Awakens, I couldn’t help but notice a ton of similarities between Ben Solo and Prince Zuko. I felt compelled to research more and write some of those similarities down. 

One main reason I want to compare the two is because (IMO) Zuko is one of the best redemption story ever written. When you first see him in the first episode of Avatar, you instantly hate this guy and think the worst of him. But as the series continues, you learn about his painful childhood and psychotic father, you realize he’s just a product of his environment and doesn’t know any better, similar to Ben Solo. His redemption in the end and when he confronts his father are some of best scenes in the show. I especially love when he (awkwardly) goes to ask Aang and the gang if he can join their group to help defeat his father, Fire Lord Ozai. It’s hilarious, sweet, and pathetic all at the same time, lol. 

I hope that when ep IX comes out, Ben will have a similar redemption arc, because both him and Zuko are anti-heroes cut from the same cloth.

BEN SOLO  X  PRINCE ZUKO

Facial Scar:

Ben: Large scar on right side of face.

Zuko: Large burn on left side of face

Royalty:

Ben: Prince - Technically royalty being Princess Leia’s son, although he was never given the title.

Zuko: Fire Nation Prince - Princess Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai’s son

Powers:

B: Very powerful Force user

Z: Very powerful Fire Bender

Alter Ego (Dons a mask appear more intimidating and conceal identity):

B: Kylo Ren

Z: The Blue Spirit

Temperament: 

B x Z: Hot-tempered, impatient, resentful, bitter and in pain from past experiences. Was never taught a healthy way to deal with these emotions.

Absent Mother:

B: Leia was a busy senator and leader of the Resistance. She was not around during Ben’s formative years. This, along with Han’s absence, ultimately led to Ben's abandonment issues and his longing to "belong".

Z: Ursa disappeared from Zuko's life at a young age (To protect him).

Abusive Father Figure:

B: At a young age, Snoke, twisted, abused, and manipulated Ben emotionally (probably physically too) growing up.

Z:  Ozai was a psychopath who did not love Zuko at all, and even at one point plotted to kill him when he was just a child. He challenged his 14 year old son to an Agni Kai (fire-bending duel), where he permanently scared the left side of his face. Afterwards, he banish him from the Fire Nation. (Also, fun fact: Mark Hamill voiced Fire Lord Ozai in the animated series, so there's that slight connection too.)

Lack of Connection with Father:

B: I heard Han had a hard time connecting with Ben due to his powers, hence one reason why he wasn’t around as much (not sure if true, but makes sense to me considering Han). However, Leia was much closer to Ben due to their connection to the Force. 

Z: Zuko's fire bending abilities were slow to manifest, and for a while Ozai thought he was a weak and useless non-bender.

Uncle’s Care/Betrayal:

B: Sent away in the care of his Uncle Luke, who was his Jedi Master and tried to instill values and "help" him. Eventually, he betrayed his Uncle - resulting in Luke isolating himself to Ahch-To.

Z: After banishment, his Uncle Iroh came along, who was his Fire Bending Teacher, and tried to instill values and “help” him. Eventually, Zuko betrayed his Uncle at Ba Sing Se - hence why Iroh "isolated" himself and refused to speak to Zuko after he was arrested.

Rivalry: 

B: Rivalry with General Hux - Both fighting for attention/good graces of Supreme Leader Snoke. Hux is a military genius, who wants only power.

Z: Rivalry with Commander Zhao - Both fighting for attention/good graces of Lord Ozai. Zhao's a military genius, who wants only power.

Almost Redeemed: 

B: Had a chance to make it right (Turn to “light”), but blew it for his own selfish pursuit of power (his offer to Rey in TLJ to "join him"). Selfishly asking her to join him at the expense of innocent people (Resistance), including his own mother.

Z: Had a chance to make it right (Join Aang), but blew it for his own selfish pursuit of honor (Betrayal of Aang and Katara at Ba Sing Se). Selfishly joining Azula at the expense of innocent people, including his Uncle Iroh, who cared for him when no one else would.

Evil Lineage: 

B: Idolizes Grandfather, Darth Vader - Who helped start The Galactic War (Empire vs Rebels) and the genocide of the Jedi. Severely insecure that he will never live up to the standards put on by Snoke or live up to the legend of his grandfather, Darth Vader.

Z: Idolizes Great Grandfather, Sozin - Who started The Great War (Fire Nation vs All the other nations) and the genocide of the Air Nomads. Severely insecure that he will never live up to the standards put on by Lord Ozai or live up to the legend of his great grandfather, Sozin.

Misguided Values: 

B x Z: Blinded by misguided teachings that their side (Dark Side/Fire Nation) is the “right” side, all other sides are wrong, and therefore must submit or be destroyed. No compromise.

Cruel and Menacing: 

B: Tortured, killed, terrorized Rebels and Allies

Z: Used terror and fear to instill control over Water/Earth Benders and Allies 

Path to Redemption:

B:  He has to find path of redemption on his own and "save" himself by letting go of his selfish desires/misguided beliefs. In order to truly redeem himself he must confront his past, join forces with Rey, and bring balance to the Force.

Z: Had to find path of redemption on his own and "save" himself by letting go of his selfish desires/misguided beliefs. In Book Three, he decided to give up all he ever wanted, defy his father, and join the Avatar to bring peace back to the world.

There’s probably more, but that’s all I could think of at the moment. 

It's very possible that Ben’s on a path to redemption similar to Zuko. One can only hope, as Zuko is such an amazing character, and a fine example of a redemption story done right.

I hopefully Ben's story will be too.

[mab-hatter]

Little Soldier Boy - Part 1

I have been writing this for AGES, (both due to procrastination, and just general life being a pain in the butt and getting in the way), but I've finally finished it and can share it with you guys. 

This is a meta that in its simplest form is comparing the two fictional worlds of Star Wars, specifically the Sequel Trilogy and Avatar The Last Airbender. And Yes, there is a reason it is first and foremost tagged as 'reylo'. So, obviously, there are going to be MAJOR spoilers for the entirety of Avatar The Last Airbender (Atla), as well as a few spoilers for its sequel The Legend of Korra (LoK), and I recommend you go watch both if you haven't already, especially the former. There are also obvious spoilers for Star Wars episode VII - The Force Awakens, (though I don't know why you'd be on this tag if you haven't watched it) as well as some potential spoilers for Star Wars episode VIII - The Last Jedi, and even some Clone Wars call backs. Anyways this is going to be extremely long, so you have been pre-warned. Also have fun.

There is no way I could completely sum up Avatar the Last Airbender or Atla in just a short overview. It's got too many variables and complexities for that. It would truly be a dishonour to try without showing you the actual show or telling you to go watch it yourselves. Simply put, Atla is a hero and heroines story wrapped up with redemption arcs and great villains. The main hero is a boy called Aang who was trapped in a ball of ice for 100 years and in those 100 years a war was going on, and still is when the story starts. It's set in a fantasy world with four nations representing the four elements (Air, Water, Earth and Fire). In this Universe there are people called Benders who can control their respective element, bending being that universes form of "magic" (it has a lot to do with the Asian concepts of balance, chi/ki and flow of energy - bending styles being inspired by different martial art forms and variants of tai-chi). The Avatar (Aang) is meant to represent balance by controlling all four elements. The story is about Aang and his friends going on a journey, set in a time of war with the Fire Nation (against the Fire Lord - whose voiced by Mark Hamill) who are trying to conquer "the world" - Its most definitely a morality tale, and in many ways a Fairy Tale too, and has essential themes about growing up, forgiveness, hope, love, following ones destiny and most importantly finding balance in a world tipped towards chaos and destruction. (I SERIOUSLY recommend you  go watch it, no NOT the horrible movie...ugh I wouldn't put you guys through that on purpose, no I'm talking about the miracle Nickelodeon Cartoon series If you haven't seen it already).

Now what does this have to do with Star Wars, Kylo Ren, redemption and reylo? Well when I first went into the movie theatre and watched The Force Awakens I was also taken aback at the serious hints towards Kylo Ren (the marketed villain) getting a redemption arc. I know there are so many wonderful and intelligently beautiful meta pieces about the in-movie and literary reasons etc for Kylo to be redeemed. Though for me initially, from the very start of the movie when Kylo spared Finn, to his behaviours and seemingly complex history, right to the jaw dropping 'holy shit' moment I had when he took off that helmet (I literally said in cinema - "whoa, was not expecting that" to the raised eyebrow of my Dad (an eternal star wars fan since 1977)) and just how the story ran his character - it reminded me quite nostalgically and strongly of one of my favourite fictional characters. This character, in my opinion, has one of THE BEST redemption arcs in all of fiction and I don't say that lightly, I've read quite a few (there might be better, but this one is certainly my favourite). I introduce you to Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation...

and I'll explain why me comparing Kylo to Zuko was the initial reason I thought Kylo was going to get a seriously awesome redemption arc.

Redemption.

First off, I'm going to compare their characters, backgrounds and personalities as well as their character relationships; going off of their character-portraits in their respective first acts. Whilst also taking some developed-traits and differences that Zuko displays later in the series that also link to Kylo. This is NOT me saying that Kylo is Zuko 2.0 or something like that, they're their own characters and I wouldn't have it any other way, this is me saying why the ways in which Zuko and in general Atla paralleling TFA and SW have lead me to believe that there are going to be some truly amazing things coming out of this trilogy of movies (that hasn't already been noted from TFA).

Zuko and Kylo are BOTH born of royalty, they're both Princes.

Zuko is the son of the Fire Lord, a prince of the Fire Nation and connected to the royal family through powerful bloodlines (Sozin's bloodline from his father Ozai, - Sozin being the Fire Lord one who originally started the 100 year war, and Roku through his mother Ursa - Roku being the previous Avatar).

Then there's Kylo, and although Han may have been a scoundrel and an orphan whose bloodline had no significance and wasn't force sensitive at all, his mother Leia is force sensitive, a Skywalker... so powerful blood from Anakin, as well as Leia being a Princess of (a destroyed) Alderaan. Furthermore Kylo being the Grandson of Padme Amidala a Queen of Naboo, as well as J.J's commentary of Star Wars being a Fairy Tale and him saying 'this' about Kylo, which also tie the hypothetical 'princely' bow nicely on the Skywalker present...

"But when his mask comes off, you see Adam Driver, and he just looks like a sort of prince. And it makes no sense. Why would he need to wear a mask?" - J.J Abrams (TFA commentary)

They both hail from families who have a history of good and evil, light and dark. Through them, Zuko and Kylo were both born into luxury and comfort due to their blood and high standing in their in-universe societies. Zuko and Kylo were also both born into dysfunctional families, Kylo actually more than Zuko in some respects and Zuko more than Kylo in others.    

When Zuko was born, his father despised him and thought him a 'blight/shame', because he didn't think he was a Firebender (even though he was) and even threatened to kill him by throwing him over the walls of the palace (what the fackity fuck Ozai?). Which is a direct contrast to Han who was weary of Ben/Kylo BECAUSE he was so force sensitive and Han wasn't and didn't feel he could connect with Ben due to this (as indicated in one of the Aftermath books I believe). Though don't worry I'm not saying Han's like the Fire Lord - god no. I love Han, it's just a bit ironic - a reversed mirror. Anyway, when Zuko was very young the only person who truly LOVED Zuko (apart from his Uncle) was his mother Ursa, who disappeared for "reasons" (it's in the series, though let's just say it was Ozai's fault), leaving Zuko alone with his powerful and cruel father and his evilly manipulative and snake like sister Azula. This turned Zuko, a youthfully innocent and kind boy, to become emotionally broken and incredibly angry due to the mental and physical abuse he received at the hands of his family. (Ozai and Azula were both hugely cruel dickheads to Zuko when he was young, leaving him mocked and alienated without his mother). Zuko is a very passionate and emotional character, and at 13 years old in a meeting he spoke out against his father  and a fire nation General. They were talking about strategically sacrificing innocent lives as a diversion in an attack against one of the nations. Zuko was called to have a fire bending duel (Agni Kai), to fight for his honour at having outspoken against his father's Generals and also having an opposing opinion of compassion compared to cold calculation, but instead of the General it was his father Ozai who came to fight him... and when Zuko refused, his father called him a coward, BURNED HALF HIS FACE and then proceeded to banish him. Yes, ZUKO has a burn scar on one side of his face... A scar (now I'm going to get to that later). You could also parallel that to Kylo seemingly not wanting to become a Jedi, if you take into account that Leia had to 'SEND' him away instead of him wanting to go - and how in the end, this led to Ben going down a dark path to become Kylo Ren and left him potentially feeling more abandoned than ever.

Although Kylo having those 'special powers' and being a force sensitive prodigy in a sense is actually more akin to Azula who was a fire bending prodigy, whereas Zuko had to work to become good at the in-verse "magic", and due to his lack of natural talent in bending, he actually became a master swordsmen at a young age and could be considered a prodigy of the sword (whereas I believe because Kylo focused so much on using his power in the force, his skills with a Lightsaber suffered a bit - as he uses only Form 1, the most basic Lightsaber fighting form - even though he is a good fighter, though I believe his 'lack' of training has a lot to do with that too).

I think that says more about the difference in the in-verse magic though. I've always thought that the difference between Benders is a person is simply born as a bender or a non-bender, and if you are a bender you could be more naturally akin to learning something and picking it up with practise than say another bender, even though technically they could become just as powerful as each other. Whereas in the Force there are people who are just born with more power when it comes to the manipulation of the force and mastery of its many nuances. That on some level everyone is force-sensitive, but depending on who you are that sensitivity varies, whether that's due to their bloodline or the will of the Force itself.

Now not much is known about specific events or what Ben/Kylo was like as a child (yet), but from this quote given by Adam Driver you can deduce quite a lot.

“If you really imagine the stakes of him, in his youth, having all these special powers and having your parents kind of be absent during that process on their own agendas, [being] equally as selfish,” said the Girls star. “He’s lost in the world that he was raised in, and feels that he was kind of abandoned by the people that he’s closest with. He’s angry because of that, I think, and he has a huge grudge on his shoulders.”  

Which says a lot. Both Zuko and Kylo felt 'abandoned' by their respective families, they both felt 'pressure' to be the best because of the bloodlines they were born from and the responsibilities they were born into. Therefore, because of this in Act 1 for both they share this arrogance and feeling of superiority over others (Kylo playing cat and mouse with Finn, mocking Hux, "You know I can take whatever I want" etc/Zuko calling people a peasant, pronouncing his need to reclaim his honour above all else and being just a general bully to those he deemed beneath him).

I believe they both have a grudge on their shoulders for both their families, for the same reasons. Their feelings of abandonment - making them feel lost, alone and unloved. At the start of their stories (and for a lot of Zuko's character arc) they are both angry, EXTREMELY SO.  Angry at the unjustness and unfairness of the world they've been born into, angry at the people they're supposed to be closest too for making them feel so alone and unwanted, and angry at themselves. I think that's something a lot of people misunderstood initially about Zuko, and some still do not understand about Kylo. They may lash out verbally and physically at the people and world around them, but really (though there are exceptions) they're not usually angry at what's around them or the people they meet, they're angry and frustrated at themselves. I saw that in Kylo, because I saw the exact same thing in Zuko.

They both actually use this anger to fuel their own power. Kylo uses his rage to fuel his power over the dark-side, and Zuko uses his anger and fury to make his bending more powerful and to produce fire more potent and additionally dangerous.

Both are desperate to belong somewhere, after feeling so lost for so long; making them extremely impatient and short tempered. Kylo wants to find that in the darkness, where he believes his Grandfather found belonging and a purpose, found strength. 'Supreme Leader is wise' he said, though I think he's trying to convince himself more than anything; a mantra that comes out of his lips that aren't actually his words, but someone else's falsities and fabrications, a fraying rope he's desperately clinging to even though his feet are literally inches away from the truth. He thought that being with Snoke and the First Order was the best place to be, that Snoke offered him a place at his side when everyone else left him behind...even Luke most likely (waiting for TLJ to give more details on their past and relationship, though I have a feeling what happened may have been Luke creating his own self-fulfilling prophecy). In the Aftermath books and Bloodline there are hints that Snoke has been targeting, grooming and manipulating Ben to come and be his puppet  before he was even born; which is extremely unsettling.

Excerpt 1: Luke. She reaches for him but doesn’t find him. The dark, now lit with stars. One by one, like eyes opening. Comforting at first, then sinister as she worries. Who is out there, who is watching us? Hands reach for her, hands of shadow, lifting her up, reaching for her throat, her wrists, her stomach - Inside, the child kicks. She feels her baby turning inside, right-side, up and down, struggling to find his bearings, trying so hard to find his way free of her. It’s not time, she thinks. Just a little longer. Leia.

Luke, she wants to cry out. But her words don’t come. Her mouth is sealed, a hand pressed over it. One by one, stars go dark again, winking out of existence as if by a hand slowly closing over them -

Leia! She gasps and wakes. Han. It’s just Han. He’s by her side of the bed, rousing her, gently shaking her shoulder. The dream recedes like a wave going back to sea. Hi, she says, her mouth tacky, her eyes full of sleep. Her middle twists too - it’s not the baby. It’s some unseen fear uncoiling. The remnants of the dream haunt her - but they break apart like a sand castle as she sits up and clears her head, doing as Luke taught her to do. Breathe in breathe out. Be mindful of the world, the galaxy, your place within it. Everything will be OK. The Force will be your guide. Excerpt 2: He is less a human shaped thing and more a pulsing, living band of light. Light that sometimes dims, that sometimes is thrust with a vein of darkness. She tells herself that it’s normal - Luke said to her, Leia, we all have that. He explained that the brighter the light, the darker the shadow. Right now, her son is upset, tumbling inside her as if he can’t get comfortable. His light, flickering with dark. She centres herself and concentrates. The walls of the room fall away. Everything is white and then it’s black. Then she’s in the calm, airless void. As Leia finds her peace, so does her son. He stops turning… Then he gets the hiccups. Hic.Hic.Hic. She sighs and it brings her out of it. But she laughs, too. Because the hiccups tickle her. They are like bubbles inside - a curious effervescence like nothing Leia ever felt before. My son is alive. The future is bright. … The baby turns inside her again, troubled by something she cannot feel and cannot yet understand.

Star Wars and Atla both have their "Big Bads"...

Obviously we don't have all three sequel movies yet, so I'm only going off of information said/shown and given in TFA and the canon TFA books about Snoke. To me the surface level of Snoke is him being, at least aesthetically, an Emperor 2.0 for the general audience. He's the giant hologram, the deformed baddie sitting above everyone on his 'throne' of command. It's to get them to think and recognise 'oh this guy's the Big Bad that's got to be defeated like the Emperor or the Fire Lord', and I think it was intentionally done to have this ancient evil giant hologram 'supreme leader' so the audience can essentially feel like it's Star Wars - to get them familiar with the franchise again. Although if you look a bit deeper, it's actually pretty weird... Why would they reveal the big bad in the first act? Both the Fire Lord and the Emperor were only physically introduced (not through hologram) to the audience in the third Act, like their character hype was seriously built up for the audience before the big reveal. With the Emperor having his giant Hologram moment during the 2nd Act/movie, and only once. Snoke is revealed in his 'giant hologram form' multiple times throughout the FIRST ACT of the story (no shadowy cloak or cleverly using camera angles to partially hide him - only lighting choices, and even then beams of light are mostly illuminating him from the back), and from rumours that there's going to be a physical life-size puppet of Snoke in TLJ it seems we're going to physically meet his character in the 2nd Act. Also although just like Palpatine and Ozai, Snoke is similar to them in terms of his snake like manipulation, grooming somebody whose very powerful into becoming their own personal puppet and wish to conquer and dominate their respective world/galaxy - Snoke is quite different. His personality, as one dimensional as it is in TFA, is not the fun and powerfully evil emperor of the original or prequel trilogy, or the cruelly brutal and mocking presence of the Fire Lord. Snoke is presented as this almost omniscient, crookedly "wise" and creepy father figure, who uses no physical violence as of yet, only his words and his use of a 'dark power' and the influence they have over others - especially to Kylo and even Hux (obviously this could change, but I have a feeling they wouldn't destroy a foundation they've already started and will instead build on the characteristics I mentioned).

^Snoke's full speech taken from the audio book of TFA to Hux and Kylo and reveals a lot about his character, ideals and motives as well as The First Orders and even Kylo's own knowledge and denial towards his inner conflict (his compassion).

Also, unlike the Emperor or Vader, Snoke isn't actually a Sith - as said by J.J and Pablo there are no Sith in TFA as all the Sith are supposed to be dead (thanks Anakin), which leads me to believe Snoke may be something far more ancient and far worse than a Sith (because why would they introduce a big bad that's less scary/powerful than previous villains?). This could lead into the theories that he's from the unknown regions, but its yet to be seen what his history is, apart from 'ancient evil'... (I'm not going to go into the 'Who is Snoke, potentially, theories' because I don't want to give myself more of a headache about it than I already have).

"No it was Snoke, he seduced our son to the dark side", is an interesting quote from Leia in TFA. Snoke has been manipulating and seducing Ben against his will to become his puppet for longer than the Emperor ever did with Anakin, and he succeeded because like the Emperor, Snoke was clever and wickedly patient. He exploited Ben's vulnerabilities (like a true child groomer), and used them to control him even though Ben at that time might not have been fully and or consciously aware of it.

Also the implied personal connotation of Leia knowing who Snoke is, most likely as a fellow political power since in Bloodline she has a huge role to play in galactic politics as a populist, and this means that Snoke parallels the Emperor in that way as a true puppet-master who has immense wealth (especially going off the TLJ Lego leaks that Snoke has a golden dressing gown - which is extremely humorous). As well as the potential spoilers of Snoke living in luxury which would all fit to this idea, and would explain how The First Order can afford all of the high-tech and dangerous "toys" they get to mess the galaxy up with. The fact that Snoke's character was revealed so early on, and that he has such strong ties to Kylo and his reasons for becoming an antagonist, is actually also a huge hint to Kylo's redemption. The Emperor and the Fire Lord didn't need to be revealed early, because they were just the big goal for the protagonists to defeat at the end of the story to complete their arcs and receive that happy ending (the proverbial dragons in the Fairy Tale being killed by the hero/heroine before winning the Princess/prince and having that 'they all lived happily ever after'). They didn't need to be revealed early on, because in the OT you had Darth Vader who was a faithful villain till the last moment of the third act, and in Atla you had Azula and her cronies for the second act and most of the third to carry the Villain title as Zuko went into his redemption. The fact that Snoke needs to be there, shows in itself that Snoke doesn't trust Kylo not to turn back to the light (confirmed by the fact he was given a 'test' to prove himself and that Snoke didn't complete his training), that without his presence he would most likely rejoin the 'good guys' and not be a self-sustaining Villain like Darth Vader or Azula. He's like a controlling parent, he has to be, because Kylo (unlike Vader or Azula) doesn't have clear motivations to have him act independently as a villain without Snoke's supervision (I mean he has a tracker on his belt - Snoke has SO much confidence in Kylo it seems -_-); and the fact that it conflicts him to the point of wanting to be 'free of this pain' show it wouldn't take much to push him one way or the other. Kylo's motives are a bit of a mystery to us apart from feeling 'abandoned' and wanting to be 'strong' and not 'weak like his father' (though I'm pretty sure there's more to it than that), or he does have clear motives but they're motivations that conflict between bad and good and we could say they do have some conflict with Snoke's plan; aka that entire thing about Hux saying,

"Careful Ren, that your personal interests not interfere with orders from Leader Snoke."

Which was about the map, which has connections to Luke and the first Jedi Temple...so we can assume a lot of his motivations have something to do with one or both of those things and assumedly whatever happened/Kylo did/Kylo learned/Kylo saw/Kylo ??? at Luke's temple (TLJ give me answers please). In essence neither is he truly good or truly evil (<- "there are no Sith in TFA")... which in my book makes him a beautifully crafted character and an interesting antagonist (at the moment), so much drama, like an ionic lattice of compelling story writing compared to the simple covalent character structure of other villains I can think of. (<- If you understood any of that, congrats).    

Anyway -  I don't really like Snoke's character as a villain, yet, because I feel like I need more to work with...But going off of what was said in the TFA novelisation (link above) about him always being there, watching the empire rise and fall, pulling strings, I can definitely say I hate him for what he did to Ben - what Snoke did to Ben is actually worse than what the Fire Lord did to Zuko, because for all the abuse Zuko received, the Fire Lord never really gave Zuko a reason to love him. Apart from Zuko's own sense of loyalty to his family, that he feels in his own naive thinking that, that is where he belongs - because his own morals and honour are important to him. Snoke not only makes Kylo turn away from his own family and turns that loyalty against them, but he nurtures it, grooms Kylo into feeling that what they're doing is morally justified. The fact that Kylo felt abandoned and lost was what Snoke wanted, and snapped Kylo right up into his proverbial jaws at the first chance he got - and Kylo let him, because he probably thought that nobody else cared. He'd convinced himself through Snoke's own 'offer' and manipulation that somebody actually cares about him, when in reality "Snoke is using" him and sees him only as another piece of clay to be moulded in order to attain his goals. Now will this deluded concept that Kylo has remain? Well in TFA it's already cracking. Like I said before he's trying to re-convince himself that what he's doing is right. And Kylo may be reckless, but like Zuko he isn't stupid - he's just lost, he doesn't know what's right or wrong anymore and that makes him feel SO conflicted. "I'm being torn apart...It's too late", he knows, god he knows, but just like Zuko in his reckless misguided naivety he thinks that by passing a test and achieving a goal all that conflict will go away - that he'll finally feel like he belongs.

The fact that Kylo actually shows such heavy signs of conflict in his first Act was astonishing to me, like he verbally pronounces it. For Zuko, who has a REDEMPTION ARC, there are practically no verbal queues to the audience from Zuko for a season and a half that heavily imply his redemption/inner-conflict. It's actually other characters like Iroh that say things such as,

"Your critical decision, what you did beneath that lake, it was in such conflict with your image of yourself that you are now at war within your own mind and body", - Iroh to Zuko after commits his first redemptive act towards the mid-point of the second season.

What I'm trying to say is that Zuko was actually less conflicted than Kylo at the start of their respective stories, which is amazing and really shines a light on the fact that the pacing for Kylo's redemption will be a lot faster/pushed forward more (which hopefully gives us more screen time of Kylo on the side of the 'good guys'/'neutral' depending on how they go about it- I can't wait for all the incoming snark, it'll be glorious).

We all know that the sequel trilogy (like the original and prequel) will be compromised of three movies/3 acts you might say. Atla is also compromised of three seasons (Three books) or 3 Acts and each act was crucial in Zuko's redemption, just as I'm sure the three act structure will be crucial to Kylo's. Let's get one thing straight, Zuko in the first season of Atla was a VILLAIN. He had goals that were conflicting with the Protagonists and he was one of their main antagonists during that time. Zuko had plenty, although not as many as Kylo, hints towards his redemption; but I'll get to that later. Obviously Star Wars will have to speed up Kylo's redemption a little more than Zuko's in Atla, that's just a given fact. A TV series of 20, 20 and 21 episodes with about a 20-25 minute run time per episode - in comparison to three movies with about a 2 hour run time each - can take it's time a bit and be a little more subtle. I'm not saying that Kylo's redemption can't be subtle, compelling and amazing; cause I have no doubt it will be. I'm just saying that for Kylo in his first act his hints are far less subtle than Zuko's, meaning the pacing's going to be run its course in a shorter time-frame.  

In Atla Zuko's turning point or where he redeemed himself is actually in act 3, but I think due to having less time Kylo's turning point will (quite naturally in the context) happen in the second Act/The Last Jedi. (Ach-To = Act 2 <- lmao). Although Zuko was actually supposed to have his turning point at the end of the 2nd season, but for some reason instead of it being his redemption it was turned into his test/rejection of a redemptive act/choice. (I'm not sure why the creators of Atla, Bryke (Bryan (Bryan Konietzko) and Mike (Michael Dante DiMartino)) decided to change this, but I guess it gave the story a few more twists and choice-encounters so whatever). Kylo may also have a rejection/a betrayal that he commits within TLJ too, just to show that characters redeeming themselves isn't usually a straight path from start to finish - and that characters do make mistakes and sometimes have a relapse in judgement, just as real life people do. At the very least I believe, there will come a point in TLJ where Kylo will have to make a choice...To redeem himself, or to be once again seduced by a false sense of belonging? We'll just have to wait for Christmas to find out I suppose (I'll go further into this idea later in the meta).                                      

Now both Zuko and Kylo have these 'goals' that they become obsessed with - and a 'test'. Zuko's goals are finding the Avatar and therefore restoring his honour so he can feel like he belongs. Kylo's goal is finding that map to the first Jedi temple - for both the Supreme leader and his own personal agenda. Although we still don't know what his agenda is, having something do with "I'll finish what you started" - aka whatever Anakin Started (the destruction of the Jedi? creating Balance? an extreme hatred of sand?????) but its either about Luke and or The last Jedi temple on Ach-To as I've said above - and not being tempted back to the light in order to prove to the Supreme leader and himself that he belongs somewhere.

Zuko's "test" is actually him rejecting the call to join the 'good guys' and he completes this test by betraying his Uncle and all his Uncle tried to teach him about doing good and finding oneself , by fighting the Avatar (there was this big coo with Azula and basically Zuko is pronounced to have killed Aang even though Aang was still alive...), and achieving his goal therefore returning his 'honour' and going back to his father and the Fire Nation.

Kylo's "test" was on that bridge, and although he didn't achieve his goal of getting the map (it's Rey's fault, he's just too recklessly curious about her, but I believe that he will get to Ach-To anyway and confront the protagonists; though that has stuff to do with Fore-Bonds and we're not talking about that at the moment), he did achieve his test albeit it almost accidently. Also his test and rejection to redeeming himself happen in the first Act, unlike Zuko's, also a sign at a faster paced redemption arc. He confronted his father, and killed him which was what the supreme leader wanted - but he did it out of rage and being pushed by the dark side. As J.J said, Kylo WAS being convinced to come back to the light, just as Iroh and even Katara started convincing Zuko to be on the side of good before he betrayed them. Zuko and Kylo both do these acts, and make these choices, believing that it will solve their conflicts and they'll finally feel like they belong - Zuko with his honour and Kylo in the dark side.

Guess what? It won't. For Zuko, even though he was accepted back by his father and reclaimed what he thought was his "honour", Zuko did not feel belonging. Redemption is not something that is deserved, or forced upon someone. Redemption is a decision that a person makes. Anybody can redeem themselves if they want to, but they have to want to, nobody else can decide that for them. They can influence* them but in the end it is their choice. This was the point in Atla that a lot of people realised Zuko's anger and frustration was directed at himself, and that what he had done didn't "magically" fix everything. In season 3 there's this episode where it becomes abundantly clear...

Zuko:

"For so long I thought that if my dad accepted me I'd be happy, I'm back home now, my dad talks to me, ha, he even thinks I'm a hero, everything should be perfect right? I should be happy now, but I'm not, I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why?!"      

Azula:

"It's a simple question you need to answer then, who are you angry at?"

Zuko (bold) - Azula, Mai and Ty Lee (normal):

"No one, I'm just angry"..."yeh who are you angry at Zuko?"..."everyone, I don't know" ..."is it dad?"..."No, no."..."is it your uncle" "No, no, no, NO"..."then who, who are you angry at?"..."answer the question Zuko"..."talk to us"..."who Zuko"..."who are you angry at"...

Zuko:

"I'm angry at myself.”

This. This is the result of Zuko completing his test and achieving his goal. He was being eaten up with guilt over what he did, and what he thinks he lost. It made him more feel more conflicted and lost than ever, he felt deep regret and emptiness at his own actions instead of the fulfilment and confidence in himself he thought he would feel if he proved himself. It is a false honour he had regained, because he thought honour was something that was given, not something that you proved through your own choices instead of others making them for you. And this pinnacle of conflict made him so angry and unbalanced that it lead to him making the ultimate choice - to want redemption.

"For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me. To accept me. I thought it was my honour that I wanted, but really, I was just trying to please you!" - Zuko confronting his father Ozai in Book 3.

Kylo is the same. Snoke implies to Kylo that by confronting his father, and in turn killing him and passing his 'test', he will become fully enveloped in the dark side, and become strong like his grandfather (Vader, not Anakin - it seems Kylo is seeing the truth as Obi-Wan said "The truth is often what we make of it" - his own interpretation/believing what he wants to believe. Seeing his own personal truth, not the objective truth when it comes to his grandfather, choosing to ignore how he came back to the light - as I believe he knew of Anakin's story, but Snoke twisted it for his own purposes). Snoke will then 'trust' him enough to "complete his training" and to Kylo this means that he will no longer be lost and unwanted. He will FINALLY belong. Of course I think that Snoke was lying, and 'using' Kylo by wanting to make him feel more conflicted in both the light and the dark as Snoke wants Kylo to be the epitome of both - as he believes that will be MORE powerful (not a Sith, not a traditional Jedi, something more), but will also make him easier to manipulate just like Palpatine did with Anakin. Kylo deep down knows he's being manipulated, he knows he's being used, and he WAS being convinced to go back. I believe he feels he, like Zuko, has no choice. That "it's too late", and he's done too much. He thinks he knows what he has to do to belong, and it's his 'addiction' to this idea of proving himself, of not being conflicted and finally being accepted that overrides his 'pull to the light' in this moment. They're addicted and obsessed with this idea of being accepted by proving themselves. Zuko is described as such in his first act...

'So that's why he's so obsessed, capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal' - A random Fire Nation soldier talking to Iroh about Zuko.

That says a lot about Zuko's Act 1 and Act 2 mentality. "Only chance" and "normal", that also reflect Kylo's mentality too, because Kylo's never really felt normal; and that this is his "only" chance to feel welcomed. As even in the First Order, Kylo was different. A Knight of Ren, separated and segregated from the rest - treated as if he really is a freak/creature/monster, still as alienated as ever. Above not among, which at the same time can make them feel like they're beneath. Just like Zuko, who was alienated from his nation and his people by his father, banished, still different, never welcomed.

"I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it" - this is his conflict warring within himself, it's almost palpable. He knows what he thinks he must do but he's starting to have doubts, and he hates himself for that. It directly parallels with this line from Zuko in season 1,

"Stop it Uncle. I have to do this".

Further solidifying the feeling of having little choice, that there are no other roads or paths that they feel are available to them that they think they can really go down. Kylo really is afraid he can't be as strong as his grandfather, not power no (I don't think he cares so much about that - he's more prideful then greedy), strength is something he seems to value and strives for just like Zuko strove to be strong and worthy in the eyes of his father. Kylo wants to be strong and worthy in the eyes of his grandfather, somebody he feels he can relate to. It's this fear and self-anger and frustration at himself that I think are the things that push him into committing this horrible patricidal deed. And let's be honest...what Han said was pretty emotional, but if you think of the years that Ben felt abandoned by his father (since it's pretty obvious Han hadn't seen his son since he was a boy/teen), you'd think Kylo wouldn't trust him over the 'wise' supreme leader who in Kylo's eyes actually gives a shit about him. Now we know that's not true, and Kylo realises it as well at THIS moment...

(Although this also links to Kylo feeling Leia's anguish at Han's death through a familial fore-bond I believe Kylo and Leia share, as well as Leia's general force sensitivity, Leia feeling Kylo's immediate regret and guilt which is reflected in Kylo's face and him reacting to what he's done). With that final swift hand touch (I know it was improvised, but Harrison Ford wouldn't have done it and J.J wouldn't have kept it in unless it was confluent to the scene and canon), and with evidence from the Junior novelisation of TFA Han 'forgives his son', because he loves him. In the script it says...

Kylo in his first act, after his 'test' of loyalty and proving thou self to the Big Bad, it does not make him stronger - it makes him WEAKER. Snoke lied to Kylo, in a way he betrayed him, someone Kylo thought had accepted him, and just like with Zuko it was not at ALL what he expected. Like Zuko he feels regret and shock and emptiness at his own act instead of the self-fulfilment and confidence that he was expecting, that Snoke promised him. He's 'horrified' at what he's done, just like Zuko felt horrified and guilty at himself for betraying his Uncle. I believe just as Zuko's act of betrayal to his uncle was the eventual thing that helped him make the choice to redeem himself, Kylo's act on this bridge and Han's sacrifice will be the deciding factor that will begin to turn Kylo back to the light, and redeem him as Ben Solo.

Kylo very literally does feel weaker by doing this, his act creates more conflict and confusion in him, which I actually think overshadows his usual rage with sadness and regret. Even with him being angry at Finn, and battering his wound to both stem the flow of blood from Chewie's Bowcaster wound though to also cause pain to fuel his anger, it's not enough anymore. With that diminishing rage his practised power/skilled control over the force diminishes significantly. He really does become weaker, because his reason/usual power that he draws on isn't as reliable as he thought. What I found incredibly interesting was that something very similar happens to Zuko. When Zuko decides to join the protagonists, because he's no longer hunting his goal to regain his honour, and has finally accepted himself for who he is, his usual rage and anger that powered his flames before when bending - it was gone. That well of power had been diminished, and it leaves Zuko being unable to bend/use his bending to anywhere near the level he could before. Zuko was also 'weakened'.  Now in order to become even more powerful than he was before, and regain his bending without drawing from anger (which btw is reminiscent of Sith teachings), Zuko has to go on a small journey of, I guess you could say 'enlightenment'... and I think Kylo's going to have a similar journey as even though drawing on the dark side and anger can be powerful, I think the sequel trilogy is introducing an idea of something even more powerful that Kylo will have to discover just like Zuko did - but I'll get to that later. Kylo must find a new reason, just as Zuko did.  

Going back to Kylo's decision on that bridge, Han forgives Kylo before his death, but he's also afraid for his son that he will never find his way home to the light. Zuko's Uncle Iroh, when betrayed by his nephew instantly forgave him because he loves him like his own son, but he was afraid for Zuko and that his nephew would never turn to who he truly was - a good person.

Zuko redeemed himself. He did it by himself, by making his own choices through realising his mistakes from his own feelings of regret. Kylo's guilt and increased feeling of conflict isn't going to go away any time soon, it's actually going to get worse. As Adam said in the Vanity Fair interview about TLJ...

"I feel like almost everyone is in that rehabilitation state. You know, I don't think that patricide is all that it's cracked up to be. Maybe that's where Kylo Ren is starting from," Driver teases. "His external scar is probably as much an internal one."

This quote sums up what I've been thinking about ever since I first started comparing Kylo to Zuko in 2015, and what direction Kylo's character would potentially be going. Kylo is trying to heal after what happened in TFA, but those internal scars aren't going to be healed with a bacta tank. Those scars of regret and sadness and conflicting emotions are going to eat Kylo alive in The Last Jedi, just like Zuko's started to just before he realised his mistakes and chose to change. I believe in TLJ we're going to see Kylo realise just like Zuko did that proving himself to be accepted by his 'master'/'abusive father figure' hasn't actually done anything. He doesn't feel stronger, he doesn't feel more confident or more powerful, he doesn't feel accepted. He doesn't feel like he belongs. Kylo's going to feel more isolated and lost than ever at the start of the Last Jedi. It's nothing like he thought it would be, and that's going to make him confused and angry. On the inside he'll be suffering, a self-inflicted wound that began with his parents, had started tearing open inside him with whatever happened at Luke's Jedi temple and with this act/refusal to be redeemed has instead of sealing the wound...he's torn it to reveal a chasm. What happens when a wounded animal feels cornered, wounded and alone like he must be feeling? They lash out. 

Kylo is not towards the end of his redemption arc just yet, actually he still needs to go through quite a bit before he concludes his arc. This is where the pacing of Atla and the sequel trilogy differ, with Zuko's test being in the second Act and his turning point in the third, Kylo's test was at the end of the first act and I believe his turning point with be somewhere in this second act. Zuko completed both the goal and the test as one and the same, well technically he completed his test - but since Aang was still alive his goal was still incomplete, though for a while nobody knew that. This makes Zuko incredibly anxious and worried, and he sends an assassin to finish the job (due to his sister being a political and manipulative snake, and using the knowledge that Aang may be alive as potential black-mail/insurance against Zuko for later). Kylo may have completed his test, but obviously as I've stated above he will not feel fulfilled and centred where he is. Kylo's failings I think are going to be heavily addressed at the start of TLJ/act 2, just like Zuko's were at the start of the second season of Atla (Ozai sends Azula to kill Zuko for  his failings - siblings am I right?) and I'm predicting there's going to be a very angry and disappointed scene with Kylo and Snoke at the start of TLJ. Kylo like Zuko is going to be kicking himself, his frustration and anger at himself are going to reach a fever pitch, it's not going to be pretty unfortunately. Combine that with Kylo's sadness, regret, guilt and increasing conflict and you have yourself one very misguided, confused and furious Kylo Ren. I believe he's going to be feeling all of this at the start of TLJ, and at some point that's where this is going to come into play...

The Broken mask. The fact that smokes coming up from it, means it's likely been destroyed by a Lightsaber, and I can't imagine why it'd be Rey or Luke (I don't think they'd specifically target his mask in a rage) - so it makes sense that Kylo's the one who shattered it. Now what I always found really interesting is that both Zuko and Kylo have personas. Now I'm not saying that the persona of Kylo Ren will be shattered with that mask, I think shattering the persona he's created will be a lot harder than simply destroying the mask. It will take time. Ben Solo became buried under the Dark side persona of Kylo Ren, using this persona to commit horrible acts on and to others (although the persona and the person underneath are one and the same, the person with the persona still feels a disconnect between the two if you get what I mean). Ben has Kylo Ren and Zuko has the Blue spirit.

They both use these personas to hide their own faces, to feel disconnected from who they truly are, so they feel morally justified in committing acts that aren't really very morally 'good' - similar to the 'split' between Anakin and Vader as personalities even though they're the same person.

Though Zuko never did anything nearly as bad with his as Kylo, you have to take it with a pinch of salt. Although Atla can get very dark at times and covers some really heavy themes and tackles really meaningful issues and philosophies it gets nowhere near as dark as Star Wars does, because that's just how they're both written - simple as saying Star Wars is just an incredibly dramatic space opera in comparison to Atla, not saying that Atla can't be dramatic because it can be, but nowhere near to the level that TFA is. (blowing up Hosnian Prime/5 planets with a giant red sun laser of death...). These personas represent the darkness in both these characters, and the outer-mask of strength they want the world to perceive them as and fear them for compared to the vulnerability within...or a "Vulnerable Warlord" - cheers official Star Wars Databank, loving the descriptive oxymoron, very Kylo... Zuko got rid of his mask just like Kylo's going to shatter his, after Zuko used it for the first time for good instead of bad, and it leaves him feeling so conflicted, yet wanting to keep using it cause it makes him feel powerful -  that Iroh tells him to let it go. That's where Zuko really starts to change, linking back to Iroh telling him he's at war within his own mind. That's why I believe that Kylo will in a way mirror this, trying to crush the conflict and feeling of weakness he feels after TFA by destroying the mask that he hides behind, and possibly feeling frustrated with what he couldn't do in the past, but with what he also must do in the present/future. (There are theories that the mask being a relic contains dark side energy/Sith energy, so by destroying it Kylo might actually be helping himself more than he knows). 

Uncle Iroh. Throughout Avatar the Last Airbender, Zuko's journey and story through both the first and second Act's and towards the end of book 3 - he is always there by Zuko's side. He supports Zuko, helps him, guides him in a way that is unbiased and completely selfless. Iroh is funny and wise from experience and extremely humble with kindness. He is also strong willed but softly peaceful, and incredibly open-minded. It is shown through Atla that Iroh experienced much pain and a lot of heavy responsibility in his life, but he unlike Zuko at the start of his arc, had come to terms with who he is and his place in the 'cosmos', and had found soulful peace and a deep connection to the spirit world.

He dedicated himself to teaching Zuko, to being the family the banished prince never really had, and to be the friend Zuko needed in order to realise what was really important. He mentors Zuko about the world, using his experiences of its many different cultures and all his vast knowledge, trying to open Zuko's closed minded and prideful views of his own reality and the people in it; to show him its diversity and complexity. That people don't have to stay on one path, but have the freedom of will to choose their own. He is (especially for Zuko at the start of his arc) one of Zuko's main character foils, who is also an 'antagonist' though I've never really viewed him as an antagonist, and more as a neutral character. The voice of reason, the lighthouse in the storm. He is Zuko's true father figure, who has really been a Dad to Zuko more so than his actual father -

"After I leave here today, I'm going to free Uncle Iroh from his prison, and I'm going to beg for his forgiveness - he's the one who's been a real father to me." - Zuko during his big speech to Ozai in Book 3.

I believe not just Zuko, but everyone, should have an Uncle Iroh in their life...and his Tea jokes.  

Especially Kylo. This is one of the main ways in which Kylo and Zuko differ as characters at the moment. Kylo doesn't really have an Uncle Iroh in his life - instead he has Snoke, and as I've talked about that's not a good thing. He didn't have one when he felt abandoned by Leia and Han as a kid, he may have had one in Luke but whatever happened at that temple unraveled whatever had been built between the two it seems (I need answers Rian!)...and in the last 6 years in the timeline since he joined the First Order, up to the present canon in the sequel trilogy of TFA and the start of TLJ it seems, Kylo is still very much alone. Zuko always felt nobody understood him, when the person that could understand him the most was literally standing right next to him the entire time, and his realisation of this is one of the big reasons he turns to become a protagonist. Just as romantic love turned Anakin to the dark side, it seems Kylo has the same conundrum with his familial bonds - in that the mistakes of his family are what pushed him to Snoke and the dark. Though that doesn't mean family won't play a huge role in his redemption, because it already has, and I believe there are characters in this sequel trilogy that will be Kylo's representation and will partially evoke the characteristics and story-relevance of Iroh and how they will influence Kylo's redemption like Iroh did Zuko's.

Han Solo (The Father).  

I've already talked above about how Kylo killing Han and Zuko betraying Iroh were their 'tests', and the relevance this had for Zuko and his redemption and how it already has and will impact Kylo in the future. As Iroh was the catalyst and the over-arching reason for Zuko to want to join the good guys, apart from his own moral conclusions, Han's death at Kylo's hands will be the catalyst that eventually redeems Kylo and pushes him towards that turning point and so on... as I've already explained before, so I think you get how Han and Iroh's characters parallel each other in that sense. (Unfortunately for Han and my heart, Han unlike Iroh with his nephew will never get to see his fully grown Son redeemed, and in a sense that's extremely tragic and makes what happened even more sad but powerful and important).

Now there was a line in TFA that always really stood out to me.

"Take off that mask, you don't need it", Han talking to Kylo on that bridge, wanting to see the 'face of his son' beneath, who he thought he was (Ben), not who he had become (Kylo). It stood out to me, because it always reminded me very fondly of this line...

"I wonder who could be behind that mask?" which was Iroh talking to the Blue Spirit, knowing it was Zuko underneath and wanting to see his nephew, not the beastly looking persona he was hiding behind.

In Zuko's case, after Iroh says this to him and sees straight through the persona, after finding Zuko in front of the protagonists pet bison Appa (who means a great deal to them and is actually what is driving the story at that point in the season - to find Appa) where Zuko was thinking about taking Appa as ransom... Iroh calls Zuko out on his short-term thinking and reckless actions. He worriedly and angrily shows Zuko that what he is doing is obsessive and could potentially get him killed - and then Zuko says,

"I know my own destiny", (Zuko) and,

"I have to do this", (Zuko) which very much sounds like a different way of saying that he has no choice, or,

"It's too late", (Kylo) and or,

"I know what I have to do, (but I don't know if I have the strength to do it).", (Kylo) - in my humble opinion. Iroh has this big speech, and part of it goes as such:

"Is it your own destiny, or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?".

Which also sounds very similar to Han saying,

"Snoke is using you for your power".

The words may be different, but the themes and meanings behind the two sentences are the same - that Kylo and Zuko are being used. Kylo and Zuko at the start of their arcs are blinded by this 'destiny' they both believe they think they have - and they do have destinies - just not the way they first believe and for Zuko this comes full circle by the end of his arc, just as I think it will for Kylo in knowing what their 'true' destinies are. One of Kylo's script prompts was -  

*Eager to fulfill his destiny* before landing on Takodana, and Zuko saying in Book one when he's the main antagonist -

"I want my destiny!", so both of them do have these notions of achieving their own destinies in order to be accepted, not realising that by chasing this false destiny, (although in real life I don't personally believe in the notion of destiny, but both Star Wars and Atla have pretty strong themes of it - so I'll go with it for the moment) they instead stumble onto their true destinies, Zuko's being that he joins the protagonists, and Kylo's will be the same in that he'll help Rey.  

Also Iroh says in his speech "I'm begging you prince Zuko! It's time for you to look inward", paralleling Han practically begging Kylo on that bridge that "No, my son is alive/Come home, we miss you", to find himself again, to step away from this dark path and become Han's son again - Ben.

A redemption arc essentially is taking a character that's antagonistic/done wrong, breaking their character down through different decisions/choices and events (which usually isn't a straight line, but has many twists, turns, rejections and conflict/regrets) and then building their character up again into a protagonist or someone who is more neutral through redemption. For both of them, the parts in which these quotes are taken from are the start of the breaking down of their characters into their redemption’s, like really announcing it if the hints hadn't already been obvious. Although Kylo has already taken his mask off for Rey, the removal of the mask in front of Han has its own weight. Han seeing beneath the persona and seeing his son/his vulnerable boy all grown up and buried in darkness whilst struggling not to drown really tugs on the heart strings, for the audience and Han himself. That scene on that bridge with Han, without the barrier of the mask, is the first time that Kylo really shouts out the obviousness of his redemption. There were hints throughout the movie, his 'pull to the light' when talking to Vader's helm, the obvious foreshadowing of 'I will not be seduced', cause let's be honest when a character (especially a Skywalker) says that the total opposite is going to occur. His sparing of Finn ('saving the cat' as others in the community have expertly noted with their over worldly screenplay knowledge, and yes I have read the book "SAVE THE CAT" by Blake Snyder, I highly recommend it if you haven't read it). The script ->

...scenes with Rey and his 'compassion' for her, his clear want to not use Star Killer and something else, something big that I'll save for later - etcetera... bam bridge scene! (and then links to everything I've talked about above, including Han's death as the catalyst). Han, although he may be gone, will be one of if not the most important character influence for Kylo's redemption and in turn will give Han's death meaning. In the points I've shown before, he has already been a major Uncle Iroh type character for Kylo and will continue to be even in death. He was supposed to be the 'weak and foolish' part of Kylo that his son wanted to destroy on that bridge, and although I expect others and Kylo to punish himself for what he did (for what he did was a terrible thing, and he needs to face its consequences which I'm pretty sure he will as 'patricide isn't all it's cracked up to be'), it will instead be the thing that makes Kylo wiser, more humble, and ironically stronger.

Leia Organa (The Mother).

Iroh never gave up on Zuko, not once throughout the entirety of Atla. Sure he became frightened/worried for his nephew, but he never turned his back on him, nor did he say anything as final and defeatist as "If Luke couldn't reach him how could I?" and or "We lost our son. Forever." which is what Han says. And then guess who stands her ground and says "We can still save him", and then goes on to say this...

"There is still light in him. I know it." Yeah Leia does. She believes he is still good, she hasn't given up on him, and she wants him back ("You think I want to forget him? I want him back!"). She still holds out hope, whilst fighting for what she believes in -  the rebellion/resistance - as she always has done. Just like Padme who said something similar about Anakin ("There is good in him."), and she was right, because "Women always figure out the truth - ALWAYS!". And just like Iroh, who continued fighting for what he believed in, through another secret organisation/'resistance' called the White Lotus alongside the other oppressed nations, he still held out hope his nephew would return and become good, even after he was betrayed by him - until Zuko and him reconciled later and his hopes were proven to not be futile.

"You have light and peace inside of you." Is a quote from Iroh talking about Zuko, to Zuko, that I thought paralleled Leia's quote about Kylo's inner light beautifully. Both are talking about the light they know and hope is there in these characters that they unconditionally love, who have taken a wrong turn and gone down a dark path. They believe and see their potential for goodness, where no one else does. When everyone abandons Zuko, Iroh is there, still believes in him, still hopes. Just like how when Kylo turns to the dark, everyone abandons him, even Han to an extent, except for Leia who although cannot be there with Kylo, believes in him and hopes he will come home. Her hope even convinces Han that his "Son is alive". All Leia wants is for someone to find Kylo and "Bring him home," Whether that's her, Han, Luke, Rey or anyone - even Kylo himself. In the same vein, all Iroh wanted for Zuko, was for his "Little soldier boy to come marching home...", in the absence of his own son, and he was shown that his hope that Zuko had potential for goodness and the freedom to make his own choices was not in vain. Atla is all about hope, and seeing the potential in people to be better. Star Wars is also about hope and seeing the potential in people for good, and Iroh in Atla and Leia in the sequel trilogy represent these ideals (whereas in the OT forgiveness and seeing good in people was more along the lines of Luke's character, whilst Leia and Luke together were more about Hope in times of darkness). I believe George Lucas once said something along the lines that the original trilogy was Leia's story, or as much her story as it was Luke's. She has always been fighting, even before the first movie introduced her, and she never EVER gave up. She was as tenacious then as she is now, and she will never give up on her son. (Ah~ I'm sorry if this is making anyone miss Carrie, I miss her too and I always will - it's just a really terrible thing, that has no positives for anyone).

Anyway, some people have speculated that Leia and Luke might meet in The Last Jedi. There's no hard evidence for this (cheers Pablo), but if Luke and Leia were to meet in assumedly the second act (since Leia's part of the resistance plot and Luke, Rey and Kylo are part of the 'force plot') of the movie, then there's a high chance that Kylo might be there with them. Now this is just pure theory and a 'hope' of mine I guess you could say, but I would love for a reconciliation scene between Leia and Kylo like the one Iroh and Zuko had. Just like in Atla, the scene would have so much power and emotional weight to it, and would be really compelling and interestingly heart-wrenching to watch. If this were to happen, it would also align with my thoughts on the sequel trilogy having a faster paced redemption than something like Atla, as straight after Zuko's turning point he meets the person he loves that he betrayed and Iroh forgives him, so if Kylo as I've speculated has his turning point in Act 2 of the story arc rather than act 3, then a reconciliation between Kylo and Leia would make sense. Also it's pretty obvious that Kylo cares for his mother, a lot more it seems than he did for his father. He felt closer to here as a child since they were both 'force-sensitive' and Leia understood him in that sense, (same excerpt where Han felt he couldn't connect with Ben) and Kylo is against using Star Killer BECAUSE the resistance planet (D'Qar) they were going to blow up after Hosnian prime potentially/almost certainly had Leia on it, and in the books as soon as Snoke mentions Leia's name Kylo immediately changes the subject. So although Han coming to and forgiving his son on the bridge was an emotional blow for Kylo, Leia coming and forgiving Kylo would for the character probably feel much more important. Not for the audience cause both Han and Leia are equal in that sense - but for Kylo it would be something he thought impossible and would show how Leia has evolved as a character even from her fully resolved arc in the Return of the Jedi - in that she understandably couldn't acknowledge or forgive her father and only did years later (with probably a lot of influence from Luke). Unless a character dies, even if they have a fully resolved arc, they are still always changing, always making mistakes, always growing even if it's not written. Just like in reality people have arcs of growth, but life isn't just going to be like 'yep, that's it your done, have a cookie', life is a series of character arcs that make up our own story, just like these characters, however fictional and that's what makes a character feel more realistically three dimensional/human.

Leia showing Kylo forgiveness would not only bring Leia's arc of forgiving full-circle, but would bring both Leia and Kylo that sense of peace, as it did Zuko and Iroh. They may not do this, and they may not meet at all, which would be a shame since It won't happen in episode 9 as Leia will not be there anymore (there's also a potential-spoiler that Leia might/will get seriously injured in TLJ, I don't know how early or late in the film this would be, but it'd be really tragic if Luke and Kylo did get to her only to find her in a coma or worse, unable to speak to/see them ever again even with them right there). She will still always be an Uncle Iroh type character, with his themes, with her silent support, forgiveness and hope as well as her will to fight evil from across the galaxy for the people who can't fight and her son - but if they do meet, then like Iroh her hopes will not be futile. Just like Iroh, finally, she'll be able to see her little soldier boy come marching home.

Luke Skywalker (The Uncle).

Talking about life still going on for characters who've already had fully resolved arcs, it seems Luke's gone on quite a bit of a tangent. Having his face the biggest thing on the poster; which is usually saved for the villains? Being doused in red which is a representation of the "dark side", just like Kylo our current antagonist (whose face on the poster is smaller/seemingly more passive or sad compared to Luke's aggressive facial expression)? Isolating himself on an island? Not coming to the aid of his friends and dear sister? Looking like a grumpy old man whose tired of the worlds shit instead of a wise peaceful and accepting Jedi? having his new order burn down? from which a presumable lapse in faith or an enlightenment ensued and so then wanting the Jedi to END?    

Ok I do actually like where Rian might be taking Luke's character, and how compelling it might be for the story and its ramifications on not only him, but Kylo and Rey too, as well as the whole of the Star Wars verse. The possibility of the old and seemingly corrupted ways of the Jedi being scrapped and a new order of force users being formed with their own code  aka grey (general term that's not canon) Jedi? Hell yes that sounds amazing! (also I enjoy the idea that either the force or the island itself is keeping Luke there, and once you land it doesn't let you leave or something along those lines).  

In Atla Iroh was one of the most neutral characters in the entire series, even when he was supposedly with the 'antagonists' he still found time to help those on both sides of the war. He supported Zuko in his quest for the avatar, but he also helped characters like Aang, Toph and Katara - the protagonists. He never discriminated between nations, he was always compassionate and kind to those he met, and never used violence unless it was absolutely necessary. If you've watched the series you'll know what I'm talking about when I say he was the grey between the black and white and a physical representation of balance, just in a different sense than the Avatar. Nothing can be confirmed till The Last Jedi comes out and reveals Luke's current character, but it would seem Luke after isolating himself on Ach-To due to whatever happened at the temple, has become a similar representation of neutrality. He has stayed on Ach-To, studying ancient force-user and Jedi scripture (those books in the trailer), trying to find this balance in the force, which is what I believe he is going to try to show/teach to Rey and potentially Kylo. Luke will not be on 'one side or the other' rather he will be a neutral character who only wishes to restore balance. One side conquering the other does not bring balance, as we've learned from both the prequel and original trilogy, just like how Iroh only wished for balance and peace; and is why he strove so fervently to have himself and Zuko try and help the avatar in book 2 and 3 instead of hindering him.

Through the Original Trilogy, Luke was one of, if not the most forgiving person in the entire galaxy. He forgave his father, Vader who had slaughtered and destroyed so many and so much, and returned him to the light. I don't know how much has changed with Luke's character, but I wonder if that forgiveness is still there, as there were rumors that Luke would order Rey to 'kill' Kylo if he landed on Ach-To. Life can do that to a person, it's not impossible or unrealistic for real life people, so it begs the question if this would happen to a character in Star Wars....but Luke's forgiveness was a powerful thing, and if like Iroh who forgave Zuko of his transgressions and betrayal that could have potentially doomed the world, then maybe if through Kylo slowly starting to show he can be redeemed through his own actions, Luke can forgive Kylo for what he's done and move forward as Iroh forgave his nephew after Zuko made his own decisions. If not to bring balance, then for Han and Leia's sake. Family has always been important to Luke, and I don't think that will have changed. Unlike Han, Leia or Rey, I don't think Luke's going to be one of the MAIN reasons Kylo will redeem himself, since Han already has said "If Luke can't reach him how can I?".

I say Luke could have the 'biggest' Iroh type role towards Kylo, because theoretically if Luke were to forgive his nephew and they were to reconcile, or even just tolerate each other as allies...Luke could take on the guide/teacher type role to Kylo as he had before the temple incident, only this time he will encompass all of the force instead of what I assume was just the light - as he will probably do to Rey, and the same role Iroh had to Zuko - to broaden their knowledge/minds and show them that instead of 'light' and 'darkness' it's "so much bigger" as Luke puts it in the trailer. In Atla it's revealed Iroh has learned bending techniques from every nation, after all his travels, in order to become stronger and more fluid/knowledgeable in his own element. This could link the idea of Luke using both sides of the force, or at least learning all branches of what makes up 'the force' instead of like the Jedi beforehand limiting themselves to only the light, trying to cut themselves off from basic human emotions/needs, which lead to their destruction in the first place. Iroh then uses his expanded knowledge of the other benders/cultures, specifically water bending techniques, in order to teach Zuko how to redirect lightning (lightning-bending is an advanced form of fire bending) which is incredibly important in terms of not just Zuko learning to defend himself from deadly attacks, but also an important lesson in understanding the elements and in turn the world aren't isolated from each other, but rather connected to one another. I don't know if this will happen or not, but like Iroh, Luke could be the guide Kylo needs in order to balance himself in the light and the dark, and rather than 'tearing himself apart', help him find the calm and belonging in the grey between the dark and light of the force. This is all speculation, and we'll just have to wait and see for the answers. I was hoping that Leia would take on an even more supportive/familial and guiding role for Kylo in ep 9 (which from things Kathleen Kennedy and even Carrie herself had said seemed possible), but due to Carrie's unfortunate passing, it looks like that role will most likely be passed onto Luke instead.

There is actually another character in Atla I could compare Luke to as a neutral, mysterious, god-like figure connected to the 'universe' as a whole through meditation and isolation. That's the Guru.

He helps to teach the main hero Aang how to unlock his full potential, just as Luke can teach Rey and possibly Kylo how to open themselves up to the world around them and learn to balance themselves in the entirety of the force, and be connected to it on a level beyond 'crude matter', just as Iroh was deeply spiritual in Atla.

We know practically nothing about what transpired that day at Luke's Jedi temple, what we DO know is that it shook Luke so heavily that it led him to believe the Jedi must now end, whatever students/acolytes Luke had (apart from Kylo) were killed, the Knights of Ren (and presumably Snoke) were involved, and this event has heavy links to both Luke and Kylo Ren and his 'turning point' to the dark side when he was seemingly 23 years old. Kylo/Ben would have been in his teens when he was 'sent away' to Luke to become his apprentice, so let's just say he was around 15 at the oldest. From 15 to 23 would mean Kylo spent at the very least 8 years under Luke as his student (compared to 6 years in the First Order). Add to the fact that they are family, would most likely mean Kylo and Luke in that time did have a friendly/familial bond between them and that they cared for each other on some level. When Luke and Kylo meet in the Last Jedi, and it's almost certain they will, ALL of that history is going to come to the forefront. I have a feeling that whatever is revealed is going to show either Luke is not as innocent as others may believe, or that Kylo was not as guilty as was first thought, or perhaps both - especially with how Luke's been marketed in posters and how Mark Hamill initially 'didn't like' where Rian had gone with Luke. In bloodline there was a 'dirty' political move made on Leia, where her and Luke's familial connection to Darth Vader was publicly broadcast throughout the galaxy; which both destroyed Leia's political career, but would also mean Kylo found out about his family heritage (which Leia or Luke hadn't revealed to him) most likely in public, surrounded by people who most certainly hated and feared Vader for what he had done to the galaxy, and would in turn be hateful/fearful of anyone related to him - especially if they were force-sensitive. In Atla, book 2, when Zuko goes on his own journey in the Earth Kingdom, he comes across a village where he is accepted and stays/works for a while, but when he reveals he is a fire-bender and is recognized as the Prince of the Fire Nation and his heritage/bloodline is revealed, even those who were kind to him in the village suddenly hate and fear him because of what he represents to them as the 'enemy'/a fire nation 'monster'. Zuko is shunned again, first by his own nation,  and now by others, both because of his family. The same with Kylo, in his mind he was shunned by Leia and Han and sent to Luke, and after this event he was probably shunned by the entire galaxy - no wonder he turned to Snoke. Both Zuko and Kylo are judged for their families mistakes, and not seen as simply themselves.

To conclude, Han is the one who is the representation of Iroh as a catalyst for redemption, and a parental figure of forgiveness. Leia is the representation of Iroh as one who has unconditional love, forgiveness and hope for her son. And Luke is potentially the familial support (instead of Leia) and voice of reason/the guide for Kylo, as Iroh was to Zuko (as well as family drama, and someone who potentially has all the answers).

Aesthetic.

Kylo and Zuko are very similar in their looks and personality, Zuko is the oldest in the group of the main 'kids', tall, quite mature, handsome, but his personality shows he can be vulnerable and emotional. Kylo is also incredibly tall, fit, looks like a 'prince' handsome and can be incredibly emotional/vulnerable... I mean...

^that's Kylo.

^realistic depiction artwork of Zuko.

I think you get the point.

What I want to talk about is how Zuko's aesthetic actually changes, as is normal when characters develop, through each Act of Atla and how that relates to Kylo. Visual story-telling is incredibly important in a visual medium, and this is especially essential when it comes to characters and the designs of their costumes and general look. Below is an image of what Zuko mainly looks like linearly through each of Atla's three books/three seasons. I'm going to for the most part ignore how his hair changes because it doesn't really apply to Kylo, and actually has more to do with Anime tropes and how an anime characters hair will change drastically as they develop (as I said Atla has heavy Asian influences, and some animators who take their styles/are from Korea and or Japan).

In book 1, Zuko wears heavily plated fire Nation armor that has many layers and covers him up almost completely. It has dark red and grey colorings, that incite imagery of fire and smoke - and it has always seemed like something that would be very suffocating and restrictive. Sharp angles and hard lines. His hair is shaven off all except for the pony-tail at the back, which gives monk like imagery in correlation to his exile, and the ponytail has links to the Fire Nation culture and his honor and loyalty to his nation. Also his face is usually pressed into a scowl, because book 1 Zuko almost never really genuinely smiles). 

Compare this to Kylo in TFA. Kylo wears heavy robes, and has many layers of clothing, that cover him up almost completely except for his head which is covered by a mask - it always felt like it restricted his movement and was incredibly suffocating, as if under all those layers he was making himself suffer, since wearing it constantly couldn't have been comfortable. The coloring is black and dark grey to elicit the visual metaphor of being enveloped in the dark side. He is described by some as a monk-like figure, uninterested for the most part in normal human carnal desires and behaviors, completely focused on his task (except for Rey, but even she is linked to him wanting to find the map, though loosely). There is only one point throughout TFA that Kylo actually smirks/lifts his lips upwards slightly, for the rest of the movie it's pretty obvious his mood is not one that invokes a happy face.

Both Zuko and Kylo in their first Act's metaphorically and physically are wrapped up in layers of 'armor' and their own walls, masks and personas they've created to hide themselves from the world in order to seem  stronger and not actually shattering apart on the inside and making themselves go through hell. Kylo taking off his mask was such a big deal, because it was a metaphor for him showing a part of himself that nobody else sees and making himself vulnerable, and no pure evil/villainous character would ever willingly show their opposition weakness, which makes it all the more strange that Kylo did.      

From the breaking down of a character through both their personality and their aesthetic, and then through redemption, they can slowly be built back up again - which is something that happened to Zuko and is what I believe will happen to Kylo.

In book 2 of Atla, after Azula has attempted to kill Zuko and he seemingly 'cuts ties' with the fire nation completely, he has to go into hiding. He loses the bulky Fire Nation armor for more common clothes, which are quite layered, but nowhere near as heavy as the armor. They're green and brown, colors that are more connected to the Earth and plants, and are much simpler and less grand in design. They represent Zuko 'coming down to earth' for a bit, or getting off his high-horse.  By wearing commoner clothes, he is no longer 'above' the people, but among them. It allows him to see from a whole new perspective/angle, and realise the world is a much bigger place and not everything is about him. It's about him learning and expanding his understanding of the world, and by shedding those extra layers he is metaphorically showing more of himself/being more like himself - which is ironic as he's hiding - by starting to accept himself and the world around him a bit more, but not completely (that only comes to full fruition in Book 3). He is less angry, more confused, lost and just trying to find himself.

Now from images we've been given of Kylo from the Battlefront II The Last Jedi heroes pre-order images, the TLJ poster, Vanity Fair and the TLJ trailer we can see the similarities of what happened to Zuko happening to Kylo.  He's lost the cowl to shadow his head and features, and replaced it with a billowing cape (like a true Skywalker). There has been a loss of some of the layers that were on his original outfit, giving him a lot more freedom of movement and should be less suffocating, including more of his neck and legs showing. From what we can see from the trailer and all the promotional stuff (including the broken mask), Kylo will not be wearing the mask for most, if not all of the movie, showing us his face which was considered a vulnerability to him in TFA. He's starting to strip away those physical and metaphorical layers, and from all the stuff we've been given off his face, rage hasn't really been the main emotion. Mainly it's been seriousness, lost and sad looks and even more vulnerability. It's possible in the movie, they may use less makeup and make him look a bit more disheveled like in the image above, in order to get across the point that on all fronts he's falling apart and off kilter. Also the coloring may still be dark, but it's leaning less towards black, and more towards grey (including the cloak), which could also be a visual queue for him starting to move towards the 'grey' area of the force that encompasses both dark and light. This is the stage where he'll be lost and trying to find himself, less confident and far more desperate. He's becoming more vulnerable, and will be showing more of himself rather than the character who just wants to be a Vader 2.0. It's indicating that instead of Kylo, we're going to see more of Ben Solo.

That's about as far as I can go in terms of comparison between the current aesthetic of Kylo in Act 1 and 2, compared to Zuko, as I'll need to wait for Act 3 or episode 9 in order to completely finish it, and by then I'm sure it'll all be confirmed anyway. But, since I do have what Zuko looks like in his Act 3, I'll try and make a prediction of how that'll link to Kylo in his own Act 3.

In book 3 of Atla, Zuko's main outfit for most of the season is that of 1 or two layers of light fire nation garb, the coloring of the clothes are that of light/dark reds and golds. His clothes at this point are incredibly light, non-restrictive allowing him to use his Chi/Ki more fluidly and really breathe (as fire bending is of the breath) instead of suffocating him. By stripping away all those metaphorical and physical layers, he's showing himself for who he is, and by wearing the colors of his nation and his ancestry it shows he has come to know who he is and should be (as he discovers his ancestry is not only to Sozin, but to Roku as well) and that he accepts himself - and therefore has found a harmony within himself (<-'The Fire bending Masters' episode) . He no longer cared about disappointing his father, for he realised there was no true honor in being a puppet to a father who didn't love him, and that he would only find honor by doing the right thing. And by doing this, accepting himself, he found belonging.

"We've created an era of fear in the world, and if we don't want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness."

- Zuko, The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse, Book 3. (his speech to Ozai)  

If Kylo follows this pattern by ep 9, and I'm not an expert on clothing, but I'm going to assume his clothes will be far less restrictive with different shades of grey and brown aka a lot lighter/less 'pure' dark side colours - I may be wrong, but we'll just have to wait and see. But more importantly, instead of being lost and confused, like Zuko he'll finally be able to have the truth instead of all the lies and mistruths he's probably been told by Snoke or not told by others, if he doesn't already figure them out in the Last Jedi (there are rumors that there will most likely be force ghosts in TLJ so let's hope they help straighten out the truth, especially Anakin). Instead of striving to be strong like his grandfather, or wanting to please the Supreme Leader, or hide from/fight the rest of the galaxy due to his heritage - he'll finally be free of those mental chains and able to see that he in fact does have a choice. And hopefully he'll finally accept himself for who he is, instead of trying to be someone else like Kylo Ren, and instead Ben Solo will finally find the belonging he's always been looking for... in unexpected places. And like Zuko, ironically it will make him stronger but also more humble and hopefully, kinder.

Act 1 = Villain/antagonist/anti-villain Act 2 = Conflicted anti-hero Act 3 = Byronic Hero/protagonist

Now I've been saving the best till last...their scars.

In terms of general aesthetics for characters, especially Byronic heroes, scars give the characters complexity and depth. There's history behind those wounds that can make them far more compelling. In the case of Zuko and Kylo, their scars come from very different circumstances, but the metaphorical weight behind those scars is still significant for each. The fact that Rian changed the scar for Kylo, moved it and made it smaller (cat-scratch) to be more aesthetically pleasing doesn't really scream 'ugly sith villain' now does it? More like 'I want this character to be complex, but not so much that he looks purely evil and loses that "princely" look' unlike Zuko that has quite literally a huge horrible burn across half his face, yet somehow makes him a far more beautiful character, in my eyes anyway.

Zuko's scar comes about when he dishonors his father at the young age of 14, and his father severely burns half of his face - he receives it before the story of Atla even starts. It was one of the many cruel lessons Ozai gave Zuko, a Punishment, and had the most lasting effects. He would hide it, wouldn't let anyone touch it/get near to it, he despised it - like a mistake in an otherwise perfect painting. It was first a blemish to Zuko, something that represented all his mistakes, all of his weakness. It represented everything Zuko didn't want to be, but as the series went on, his scar eventually turned from his weakness to his strength. By the end of the third act, Zuko no longer cared for his scar, it was a part of him, a representation of all he had endured and survived and risen above. By accepting it, he was accepting his flaws, and accepting himself.

Compare that to Kylo, who when we first see his face, it's of this handsome 'prince' like figure, no scar, nothing. Whereas with Zuko we never got that 'holy shit' moment, because to the audience he always had that scar, that was just who he was to us. It would be hard to see Zuko without it, as it was such an integral part of his character.

It's Rey that gives Kylo that scar in the First Act, different from Zuko in Atla, but in a sense very similar. Rey giving him that scar is a representation of Kylo's supposed 'weakness', his compassion. If he had killed Rey on that ledge it would never have happened, but he didn't want to - he wanted to teach her, and that lead to his face being burned and in a way Rey teaching him a lesson instead. Kylo's scar is a physical representation of the compassion and pull to the light that Kylo wants to crush and so desperately be free of. It's almost as if Rey made a crack in that wall of his, the lie of his persona being broken apart leaving him vulnerable, and now his 'mistakes' and 'regrets' a permanently etched on his face.

I read somewhere that the scar runs along the place where Han touched Kylo's face, and that it was some universal punishment for what he did. I like that idea, because not only is the scar physical, as Adam Driver has said it's also metaphorical, and it's a symbol for Kylo's own walls of confidence and denial starting to crack, due to what he did to Han and what happened in that forest with Rey. Zuko was burned because he refused to fight his father, Kylo was burned because he refused to kill Rey. It's his 'antagonistic' character starting to break down, as well as giving Kylo a personal link to the protagonist, Rey, and how they are personally connected through what she did to him. She didn't go for the kill, she could have but instead she went for the face, and there's a reason she did it.

Unlike Zuko's scar, which has nothing to do with attraction and more to do with honor and weakness, Rey sliced Kylo's face because she was attracted to him, and the fact he didn't look like a monster - and she hated that. She probably wanted him to look as monstrous on the outside as she thought he was within, as she thought she would see when he took off that mask. It was about lessening his beauty, and de-humanising him, just as Zuko is de-humanised and only seen as 'The banished Prince of the Fire Nation' instead of an actual person. The irony is, Kylo's scar may be a symbol for his weakness and compassion, but Rey gives him that scar because she too is trying to stifle her own compassion for him (aided by a petty revenge she was trying to enact due to her taking strength from the dark side at the end of that fight). It makes me wonder how she'll feel when she sees it in TLJ? will she try to stifle her compassion further, or will she feel even more guilt?

Anyway both Zuko and Kylo's scars represent their imperfections, physically and metaphorically, and weaknesses that have the potential to turn into strengths. I find it curious that they are both 'burned' by things linked to their respective in-verse 'magic'. For Zuko is was the flames from his father's 'fire bending', and for Kylo is was the concentrated plasma (superheated flame/the 4th state of matter + Kyber crystals are found in the heart of stars, giant balls of flaming gas, and that's how light sabers are powered) of his grandfathers Lightsaber - so they're both burned by fire that was created by one of their family members that they don't want to disappoint and prove to that they are strong - to sum it up simply. Kylo's scar, just like Zuko's, will be the symbol that he will at first see as the pinnacle of all his weaknesses, but then eventually come to realise it represents what can actually make him strong, and he will through that learn to accept himself and all his scars and mistakes, physical and or psychological...a reminder of his guilt at what he's done, so he doesn't repeat history and instead strives for better; bringing balance to the force. The fact that they gave him this scar AND he lost the battle with the hero in the first act are both key pointers towards setting the groundwork's for a complex character whose going to have a compelling redemption.  

Kylo Ren's "Failure" as a villain.

This is one of the main things I noted that indicated to me that Kylo was going to get a redemption arc, when I first viewed TFA, and re-watching ep VII only confirmed it for me. Zuko and Kylo in their first acts fail to be strong villains. Not strong in the terms of the characterization, because Zuko and so far Kylo are strong characters in that sense, more so in terms of us taking them seriously as antagonists.

Below I'm going to bullet point how Zuko and Kylo "fail" as villains within their first Acts, and why that's the point.

Zuko and Kylo are both Funny.

It's true, watching through TFA and Book 1 of Atla there were numerous times where I laughed aloud at these two characters, whether it was a silly/clumsy thing Zuko would do, or that Iroh would say to him, and don't even get me started on the humorous bits within TFA that come from Kylo and his character interactions (his sarcasm to Hux and Mitaka, his outbursts of rage always seemed very comical to me as a watcher, etc). Within their first Acts, Kylo and Zuko are constantly undermined and made fun of, which if compared to Vader or the Emperor, or even Azula would never happen. Sure there's dark humor, but usually from villains you don't get comedic relief like you do with Zuko or Kylo, because villains are supposed to be built up to be intimidating/feared and sure Kylo and Zuko can be powerful, intimidating and scary, but they don't evoke it in the way that Vader or Azula would.

Secondly, some things Kylo tolerated throughout TFA would have been instantaneously crushed if it had been Vader, but Kylo unlike Vader takes it out on the inanimate objects instead of his crew. Similar to Zuko, even when he was an antagonist, towards his opponents he was still honorable, unlike Azula who was cunning and very tactical. Like Zuko, Kylo always takes the direct path, he's not manipulative like Azula, and he's incredibly honest to his enemies just as Zuko was (aka not lying to Rey about her friends instead of lying in order to blackmail her). Sure you can have an honest villain, but you don't introduce antagonists who will stay antagonists by making them less threatening by undermining them and making their characters intentionally comical, ESPECIALLY within the first Act when you're trying to build up your villain. Sure, the rebellion won and blew up the first death star in A New Hope, but Vader still attained a victory by defeating one of the two last Jedi, and his former father-figure/master Obi-Wan and not having Vader himself physically defeated or even confront  the main hero, and NEVER was Darth Vader used intentionally as comic relief.    

Thirdly Kylo and Zuko are immediately undermined by the protagonists at the start of their stories. Zuko and Kylo both enter on large loud ships, surrounded by masked sometimes incompetent stormtroopers/fire nation soldier with ominous music playing, into a small isolated village that was hiding something important. After first showing up, and threatening the people there in order to attain the thing of importance (the avatar/the map) Zuko defeats Sokka in hand-to-hand easily and Kylo stops Poe's blaster bolt. Immediately after, Kylo is undermined by Poe when he's asking him about the map, talking back to him and not taking him seriously with the mask on. Similarly, Zuko is undermined (first by Iroh not bending to Zuko's commands) and by Sokka who humorously hits him round the head with his boomerang at the start of Atla - then by Aang straight after sending him on his backside. By undermining them at the very start of the story, the audience subconsciously takes them less seriously as 'scary' antagonists. You've made them amusing to us, and so we see them less as detached pillars of evil, than we had originally. Instead by making them tipped of balance by others/making mistakes, to the audience, you actually make them see more human.  

Fourthly, his continuous inability to retrieve the map. This is less important, because this mainly happens because him not getting the map is what moves the plot forward, just as not being able to apprehend Aang was what motivated Zuko and the plot of Book 1 Atla. Though just like Zuko, Kylo is thinking about his own personal goal of why he wants the map, just as Zuko wanted to get back Aang, rather than prioritizing his Masters orders, which shows Zuko and Kylo had a knack for being disobedient - especially when you consider Zuko turned his back on his Nation in Book 2 (although that was because his sister tried to kill him). The only order Vader ever disobeyed was when he redeemed himself at the very end of the story, and Azula was cunning but never disobedient when it came to her father Ozai. Not following orders, and getting sidetracked, such as capturing Rey instead of the droid because Kylo personally wanted to, were some of the reasons why he failed and allowed the resistance to not only win but find their way to Luke first, which was a huge blunder. And Azula only tried to kill Zuko and Iroh because they were apparently 'disobedient' and went against orders whilst being unable to fulfill the goal Zuko had been banished for in the first place, whereas villains like Azula or even Zhao had a better track record of victories than failures. Disobedience within the first Act is a clear foreshadowing to them turning their back on their "masters" completely later on, just as Zuko did to Ozai, and hopefully Kylo will do to Snoke.

Fifthly, one of the earliest clues supporting Kylo's potential redemption, and his first failure as a villain, was sparing Finn - one of the trilogies main heroes. He knew Finn didn't shoot, he can read people minds and intentions, so he knew why and he still let him go out of compassion instead of alerting someone or killing him. This Act, in terms of a domino effect, allows the resistance to win and get the droid. In the same vein, within Book 1 Zuko also saves Aang. The Avatar had been captured and was being held by Zhao, and although Zuko did it for personal reasons, under his persona as the blue spirit he saves Aang and frees him (not thinking about his Nation, but himself) and after this act, that was the first time Aang ever offered to be friends with Zuko. Even though he refused, putting that option on the table in the first place was proposing the idea that maybe they COULD be friends, which was huge. Them both having these "save the cat" instances are foreshadowing and a set-up towards their eventual turn to becoming good, but  are also moments that make us again see them as more human and less as "villains".

Finally, Kylo and Zuko both being utterly defeated at the end of their stories first Acts. At the end of TFA, although the fight was pretty close at times, Rey towards the end kicked Kylo's ass. She overtook him in the force, burned him, disabled his Lightsaber and all in all at the last moment completely overpowered him - granted there were many reasons Kylo wasn't fighting at full capacity, but he still Lost. Zuko at the end of the first season of Atla, gets his ass handed to him in the final fight. He gets completely overpowered and defeated by Katara after a back and forth battle, and altogether it's a victory for the good guys. With villains in stories, you DON'T have them get utterly defeated like that within the first Act. Usually the antagonist always needs to have their own personal victory, or the protagonists lose but live to fight another day, because if you have the antagonist lose in the first Act there is no tension later on. The hero has already won, there's no drama there, no build up towards a second potential fight because you know the protagonists have beat them before - they're less of a threat (and unless they're a onetime villain aka a mini-boss, this doesn't work). That's why with normal villains who are present through the majority of the story that doesn't usually happen, because that's just them being a failure of a villain and makes the story less compelling (lowers the stakes); UNLESS that "villain" is going to have a redemption arc. By having the protagonists beat an antagonist whose going to have a redemption, that allows for the antagonist to be knocked off their podium of pride, and re-evaluate the world around them/what they're doing wrong. It allows for a crack in their psyche, in which a character  can naturally be broken down and then built back up again as a protagonist.  

Looking at how many hints there are towards Kylo getting a redemption arc, it makes me wonder... Who is going to be the main "force" villain in either Act two or Act Three? Sure we've got Snoke, but he's the "big bad", the final boss. In Atla, we had the main villain in Azula, who was only introduced at the very end of the first act, and then towards the end of the third act the protagonists faced the final Big Bad - The Fire Lord. In the Original Trilogy, you had Darth Vader as the main villain who was present throughout the trilogy, and the heroes had to face the Big Bad - the Emperor - towards the end of the third act. In these stories there is always what I like to call the Beta villain to the Alpha Villain, usually this Beta Villain is the subordinate, student or underling to the Alpha Villain - they are powerful, and face the main protagonists on usually an equal footing, but they are still a servant to the Big Bad (This would be Kylo if he weren't going to be redeemed, but if he weren't I'd would be comparing Kylo and Azula instead of Kylo and Zuko, but I haven't since Kylo's character resembles Zuko's far, far more). When you've got a character you want the audience to root for/an antagonist you want to redeem later, you always introduce a villain that's worse. Aka in Atla it was Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Azula, and in the original trilogy it was of course the Emperor. We've got Snoke, but is that enough...

If Kylo is being redeemed, he's going to be fighting alongside Rey and the protagonists, not against them. Sure we've got Phasma and Hux, but Captain Phasma is more of a personal antagonist for Finn, and for force users like Rey and Kylo I'm not sure she'd stand much of a chance. There is Hux, but Hux is more of a Zhao type character, with some of the sibling rivalry that Azula and Zuko had - but not really the same. Zhao was one of the other minor antagonists within Atla Book 1, and just like how Hux is an antagonistic rival for Kylo who dislike one another immensely but are technically on the same side, Zhao was a power-hungry and villainous pain in the backside for Zuko, constantly undermining him and trying to rival him -  above all else wanting to win the Fire Lords favor and destroy Zuko's chances - even if that meant killing the banished prince, and so Zuko and Zhao also both hated each other; they even had an Agni Kai (fight of honor between fire-benders within the fire nation). Zhao was "taken care of" in Book 1 (by a giant blue fish), and was as I said above, a 'mini-boss' - aka not very impactful to the story overall. If Hux had died in TFA, (apart from the fandom and all the Millicent and hair jell jokes), for the story it really wouldn't have made much difference - and people are making bets as to whether he dies (and even how he dies - though that's more for fun) in the upcoming episode. So unless Hux is some secret dark side force warrior, and he's just been hiding it all this time, I don't think he's going to be the 'force plots' Beta villain either. I mean, they don't HAVE to have a beta villain, there are some works of fiction that follow similar story arcs which don't, and they could have Rey and Kylo simply mowing down Stormtroopers, taking out space craft, dominating battlefields, doing co-op undercover missions and using their skills on non force users till they get to Snoke, but it's extremely unlikely - why have Rey and Kylo train to become skilled in Lightsaber fighting and force powers only to have them fight enemies who can't also use said powers? This is Star Wars, one of the biggest space-operas and dramatic Fairy Tales in modern fiction, and having an opponent(s) who are on equal footing, can use the force and fight with a Lightsaber against Rey and Kylo is much more compelling, much more personal for the characters, and far more fun and dramatic to watch. I mean who doesn't love a force-warrior Lightsaber/force fight, especially in a "force plot" where you can have the resistance take care of less powerful threats and political maneuvering? There needs to be more to cause chaos than just Snoke, and it sounds unlikely that Kylo would be Snoke's only powerful piece on the board with how "wise" he seems to be.

There's a few options (they could do as I said above, about not having a Beta "force" villain, however unlikely). Either they're going to give an already established character a major upgrade or reveal (maybe one of the Knights of Ren? one of Luke's acolytes that survived? etc) - or they're going to Introduce a completely new character - and début them in the second Act/ep VIII, or even ep IX, just as Azula became the main antagonist/the Beta villain in Book 2 of Atla. Or...Snoke isn't actually the Biggest Bad, and there is surprisingly something far worse/far more powerful with the potential to be something we've never seen before in Star Wars, possibly something that exists outside the influence of the force (though unlikely), or something just plainly nightmarish. It's food for thought at least until we see for ourselves, I trust that whatever we're given at the very least it'll be a good story.

Betrayal.

In terms of paralleling Atla and The Last Jedi, I've been a bit all over the shop due to the differences between the two stories, but in this case linearly these two events would fall into the same place. The end of the second Act. I've talked about Zuko betraying Iroh before, as well as Katara and Aang in the finale episode of Book 2/the second Act "The Crossroads of Destiny", and how it really put a spanner in the works in terms of Zuko's redemption. Zuko and Katara even fight each other, after Katara becomes confused, angry and hurt over Zuko betraying her trust and saying something along the lines of 'I thought you'd changed'. I've always paralleled Zuko's betrayal of Iroh at the end of Act 2, to Kylo betraying Han at the end of Act 1 of the sequel trilogy. In TFA, Kylo although on the side of the First Order is tied to this continual theme of inner-conflict. Similarly throughout book 2 of Atla, Zuko spends the entirety of the second Act within his own conflict, between both good and bad. He struggled with it, just as Kylo was struggling with the light and dark. Zuko then has a moment where it seems he's going to join the protagonists, but then betrays them for the antagonists. The same thing happens to Kylo on that bridge, for a moment we think he's going to come back to the light, but then betrays the protagonists for the darkness. Only after did Zuko find his way to redemption in the third act, just as I believe Kylo will find his way to redemption in the second Act. I've already talked about the parallels between Zuko and Kylo, so why am I going over it again now? Well as I think I've said before, Zuko's redemption wasn't simple, it has twists and turns. Actually most redemptions in good stories are usually never as straight forward as that, it's just a general rule of basic compelling story telling; you make the character make mistakes, so they feel more human and it's even more satisfying when they eventually do the right thing. There has been speculation that if Kylo were to join forces with Luke and Rey, there's a possibility that at some point in TLJ he may betray them for Snoke and his manipulations. I have no doubt that he'd continuously be tempted to go back to the dark completely, but full betrayal is another matter. For one it would put another twist into Kylo's redemption arc, create even more drama between the characters and set up some interesting plot points for episode IX. However, Atla was able to have such a prolonged development and have multiple twists in Zuko's redemption, because Atla was a TV series. In movie form, they may simply not have enough screen time to break down Kylo's character, build him up in redemption then break him down through betrayal AGAIN and finally have him fully redeem himself. It's a bit convoluted, especially since I'm sure Kylo will be a protagonist by the end of this trilogy. I believe they're going to spend a lot of The Last Jedi having Kylo a bit on the fence like he was before, except this time he won't betray those he has compassion for, especially Rey.

This entire trilogy is about balance, as in all 3 acts will be metaphorical representations of this balance. If the first Act - The Force Awakens - was about light conquering darkness, then the second Act - The Last Jedi - will be about darkness conquering light. And finally in Act 3 there will be balance between both. In TFA, Kylo's light was  beginning to conquer his dark, that's why he was so conflicted. So in TLJ, perhaps instead it will be Rey's dark conquering her light? There have already been theories about Rey facing her inner darkness, and possibly her past being connected to some form of evil in the galaxy. It's very speculative, and it's more likely than not that it won't come true, but...what if Rey becomes the one who betrays the light? In TFA Snoke already ordered Kylo to "bring the girl to me" and had sensed that there was an awakening in the galaxy after Rey left Jakku. Assumedly, either Snoke is going to send Kylo to dispose of Rey, or he's going to send Kylo to retrieve her again for his own uses. The Last Jedi is going to end in a dark place. In terms of a story telling arc, as the second part of a trilogy it has to end badly for the protagonists, and be either a win or a bitter-sweet victory for the antagonists. So in the third act the stakes become higher and the story more compelling, or else there's no tension. There have been jokes and theories of Rey "going dark", but... If at the end of this second Act, a scenario occurs where Rey gets captured but this time by Snoke, or she goes with him as someone she cares about is in danger, or Snoke (or an even darker entity) manipulates her using her past and vulnerabilities as well as her own natural pull to the dark side as shown in TFA - it could set Rey on a dark path at the end of the second Act, or at least an extreme temptation to the darkness. Just as Zuko had a betrayal at the end of the second Act, perhaps Rey instead will parallel Zuko as the one who will betray. As Kylo begins to become more connected to the light and out of the darkness, Yin becoming Yang, perhaps Rey will fall more out of the light and into darkness, Yang becoming Yin. If anyone reading this knows of the Knights of the Old Republic, you know a similar scenario occurred between Revan and Bastila when they were on the Star Forge. One was a Jedi of the light, then fell to the darkness, before becoming more grey in terms of the force, though still good (Revan). Whilst the other was of the light, but fell to darkness before returning to become good, but more 'grey' (Bastila). If Rey turns to the darkness at the end of The Last Jedi, it will be Kylo who will not force her, but give her the choice to turn back to the side of good as he will understand what it is like - and show her the same compassion she will most likely show him. Where they can both become neutral/'grey' in the force and be balanced. Just like Revan gave Bastila the choice to either go back to the light or have him join her in the darkness, and just like Zuko gave Katara the choice, freedom and support to do as she needed in Book Three of Atla. Again this is all hypothesis until proven fact through evidence. Though it would be interesting to have one of the stories main heroines go through something like this, I'm skeptical about her going full dark and then coming back to the light, rather I think she'll be severely and rigorously tempted, but she is a strong willed and stubborn character, so I feel her compassion and natural affinity for kindness in the end shall prevail.

At the end of this trilogy, balance should be achieved. We know that when there are two opposing forces, even if one conquers the other, as the Original and Prequels taught us, that will never truly bring balance. That's why the idea of the "grey Jedi" is so important, and Lor San Tekka was right in a sense - "Without the Jedi there can be no balance in the force" - Jedi, just not in the original sense of the term, because they would encompass all of the force, and they wouldn't be tied to one side or one political group/government like the Jedi of the Prequels were. No more restrictions. They would be neutral warriors who not discriminate and or side with one thing, all they do is fight for what is right using what the force gives them naturally. Instead they'd focus on keeping balance and peace in all corners of the galaxy with their own freedom, no longer chained down to a corrupt creed. At the start of Atla, Zuko was the banished Prince, and by the end he was the Fire Lord that brought balance and peace. I believe by the end of this sequel trilogy, in a tragically flipped mirroring of Zuko, Kylo instead will be the banished Prince - as retribution for the sins he's committed, and he has done wrong there's no question about that, so he will need to have some sort of recompense in some form. A wondering neutral warrior helping those and bringing balance, mirroring Ben Kenobi the man he was named after, who spent 20 years doing the exact same thing. Who in that time did not consider himself a true Jedi, but never turned his back on his duty to watch over Luke, or help those who needed it.

Only this time, I don't think Ben will be alone.  

Well kriffing hell, cack me! Cheers for reading the First Part of me trying to type down the stuff inside my head about these two fictional worlds and their characters before I become (even more) insane. There is more but it was getting so long I decided to put it into a two part post, the second will expand more on general parallels and the ships rather than just redemption, so go to part two (when I finally get it up) in order to read more and become further engrossed in the dark side mwahahaha.

p.s If any of the Star Wars Connection People are reading this, first off hello there! Second off I was actually towards the end of writing this meta when I saw your videos on my notifications come out detailing similarities between Atla and Star Wars. I know parallels have been drawn in the community plenty a time, but it still blew my mind a little bit  that you guys were talking about something I’ve been furiously typing down for weeks - lol.

 If any of you guys haven’t already, I seriously recommend you go check out their Star Wars Connection Podcast on YouTube - it’s got some pretty funny yet brilliant analysis on Star Wars, especially the sequel trilogy. Including ships, symbolism and general theories. They’re a testament to the community and some of the stupendous people in it, and they’re only a small fraction.  

[distractionpie]

sledgefu for the ship meme?

Okay! I’ve never written for the pacific before but I havewatched it once and read a little fan content so I’m gonna take a stab at this,but fair warning my grasp on these characters is not great.

·        who’s the werewolf and who’s the hunter

Snafu is there werewolfand Sledge is the guy hunting down myths and legends and cryptids to find outthe true stories behind them who finds himself rapidly in out of his depth whenit turns out that this particular story is hunting him right back.

·        who’s the mermaid and who’s the fisherman

Sledge is thefisherman who is just out for a relaxing day on the water and Snafu is thecreepy sort of merperson, all teeth and gills and webbed fingers who usuallyswims deep down among the reeds, but Sledge’s boat catches his eye so he swimsafter him. Snafu would swear he didn’t mean to almost drown Sledge when hecapsized his boat, he was just curious and how was he supposed to know thathumans were so soft they couldn’t breathe underwater even a little bit.

·        who’s the witch and who’s the familiar

Snafu is the witchand Sledge is his familiar who spends a lot of time talking him down andkeeping him out of trouble. Strangers whisper that Snafu keeps his conscienceand his sense on his shoulder and not in his head, but they both get by okayand neither of them care about the opinions of people rude enough to gossip.

·        who’s the barista and who’s the coffee addict

Sledge is thebarista although technically the shop hired him to be their tea expert and Snafuis the coffee addict who he always ends up serving because all of the otherstaff seem to get mysteriously busy elsewhere whenever they see Snafu comingthrough the door. Sledge knows that they’re all scared of Snafu but doesn’tquite understand why since they’re the ones with the coffee and therefore thepower.

·        who’s the professor and who’s the TA

Sledge is theprofessor of ornithology and Snafu is the TA to a senior professor and expertwhom Sledge wants to discuss his recent research with, except instead ofhelping him set up meetings Snafu seems determined to be as obstructive aspossible – stalling him on the phone, constantly ‘forgetting’ to let the otherprofessor know Sledge has arrived therefore keeping him in the waiting areawith Snafu.

·        who’s the knight and who’s the prince(ss)

Sledge is thepretty pretty prince and Snafu is a commoner who fights in rusty old armour untilhe saves Sledge’s life and is knighted as a reward. He’s not actually keen onbeing a knight but he is keen on Sledge and there ain’t no other way he’s likedto get more opportunities to chase after royalty so he just goes with it.

·        who’s the teacher and who’s the single parent

Snafu is real proudwhen his kid gets a full ride to the fancy private school and he does want hiskid to have all the best chances in life but also he’s pretty freaked outbecause he’s worked for the sort of people who got their education in placeslike that he knows what they think of people like him and he could deal withfancy rich people looking down their noses at him, he’s learned not to lethimself care, but his son is sensitive and if anybody so much as looks at himfunny there’s gonna be trouble. Sledge is the teacher who is all about learningthrough nature and acts like Snafu’s son is the star of the class because ofall his knowledge about wildlife that’s just common sense for anybody growingup on the bayou, and Sledge is doing wonderings for the kid’s confidence andSnafu hasn’t got the first clue what to make of all this but every single meritcertificate is carefully stuck up on their refrigerator.

·        who’s the writer and who’s the editor

Sledge is the writer and Snafu is the editor who goesthrough his stuff dramatically cutting it down and putting in into smallerwords so that it’s actually readable to more than like five experts. “Youunderstood it, so it can’t be that impenetrable,” Sledge complains, but Snafujust points out that’s because he’s used to Sledge’s manner and has alreadyheard him talk it all to death before putting words to paper.

[findingniamho]

The Legend of Princess Katarina: Chapter 2

Read it here or below!

The key’s gone, Sam’s dad is wrong and where did all this hay come from?Please like and reblog if you enjoy, and I hope that you have a magical week! 🐟

👑⚔

If someone asked Katarina what the number one worst part about being a princess was (not that anyone ever asked), she wouldn't say the dresses were number one, but they definitely made the list. They were just so impractical, and they didn't even look that nice, in Katarina's opinion. She would rather wear the stable worker uniform than the red monstrosity she was being forced into this evening for dinner. At least she could run in that if she needed to. For all her mother's lectures about safety, it would be almost impossible to get away if someone made an attempt on her life. She looked into the mirror and was met with what looked like a tomato. Crossing her fingers of her left hand behind her back, she reminded herself that she may look stupid, but looks can be deceiving.

After a delightfully awkward dinner where she listened to her mother rant on about everything from snakes to shoes, Katarina snuck into a torch-lit alcove. There, she detached her skirt from the breeches she was wearing underneath (if she was going to wear a dress, it was going to be at least a tiny bit useful) and fished out a cloak from where she had stashed it in the corner earlier. All she had to do now was to wait for Quinn's signal. Gazing out of the window, she saw the great lawn below her with the yellow specks of sibius flowers dotting the surface like drops of sunlight. From her studies, Katarina knew that if you combined the petal of a sibius with a drop of blood it could make a particularly powerful bout of healing potion (although it also acted as a truth serum, so it was rarely used). These small pockets of knowledge brought beauty to Katarina's grey world, the way that sunlight does to just about anything. Knowing that all this would one day be hers did not give her the same comfort. She would be more trapped than ever, and would probably have to marry some stuck-up prince who would say dumb things like "wow, you're so pretty," and "I didn't know that you could do that." Like the only thing that she was capable of was looking pretty. Well, she was capable. And one day she was going to prove it.

👑⚔️

Sam strode across the castle grounds, black boots (well, mostly brown now) thumping on the grass. Her breathing came quick and sharp, much like the conversation she'd had with her father minutes before. The rhythm of her feet accompanied the pounding mantra in her head.

"Girls. Can't. Use. Swords. Girls. Can't. Use. Swords." The sneer on her father's face as he glared down at her returned to her vision. He looked at her like she was nothing. In this world, it felt like that was all she would ever be. Out of habit, she glanced up at the tower above her, where the high-ups lived. Surprised to actually see someone in the little window for once, Sam waved up at the shadowy figure, squinting to see through the sunlight that bored into her eyeballs. It was only after she'd nearly reached the edge of the lawn that she could see who she was waving at: the princess.

Oh, coopickles.

She was sweaty, raging and covered in muck. At least the princess had been too far away to smell her, thank Bisjak. Running a hand through her short hair, Sam turned back just in time to see her sigh and turn away from the window. She realised that she'd probably just worsened the situation on the mud front and the princess probably had much better things to look at inside the castle. She could have whatever she wanted in there. Like in the rhyme. From the sun in the sky to the river below, anything she wants let it be so. But the princess always seemed different from the rest of the royal family, not that Sam had ever spoken to her. First of all, it was forbidden for stable workers to interact with royalty and Sam also found that whenever she tried to talk to people, she got flustered and started blabbing on about dragons. The princess had waved back to Sam, though. That was something.

As she entered the armoury, Sam glanced around to check that no one was looking. Technically, she had signed up to clean the weapons, but seeing as they were spares, they lay on the wall, already gleaming in the last light of the day. The palace guards had to clean their own swords, which they kept on them at all times, so Sam was left with little to do as she let her fingers linger on the hilt of the longsword closest to her. The gold on the handle made up an intricate design of waves and curls, with ancient inscriptions weaving through in some forgotten language. The blade itself was so smooth that she could see her reflection. A ragged girl upon her eighteenth year, she was in the standard uniform of a palace stable worker: red and black flannel shirt over a grey t-shirt (both with the royal crest: a crown with two crossed swords), black trousers and black boots. Although now her uniform was more brown than black; it had been a day that was for sure. Her dark hair was short and curly and her brown eyes had flecks of gold in them if she looked close enough. She had her father's eyes. Thinking of her father made her remember that awful conversation that they'd had. He'd been screaming at her, outraged at the prospect of her becoming what she really wanted to be.

For as long as she could remember, they'd both wanted the same thing for her: to get married, have a family and live a blissfully domestic life. But then her brother went off to train to become a knight, boasting about his honour and how he was going to do his part for the queendom. Where was her honour? Where was her big part to play? Suddenly, she didn't know if the picture-perfect life that laid before her was something that she knew what to do with. And it wasn't like marrying a man was ever really an option for her...

So, she marched into the office of the head of the palace staff and demanded that he give her a job. Granted, it wasn't what she was expecting but it was better than the nothing that she was apparently destined for. Unlike the princess, who seemed destined for everything. She always seemed so kind, and smart, yet so sad. What did she have to be sad about? She had everything: beauty, grace, the entire queendom and all that it encompassed. Nothing could get to her in that tower. Especially the short stable girl with muck in her hair who looked back at Sam in the reflection on the blade. Sam grasped the hilt more tightly and lifted the weapon off the wall. It made a satisfying swish sound as it cut through the air. Sam grinned, eyeing the straw training dummy on the other side of the room, shafts of light creeping in through the wooden slats in the roof. Now, this she knew what to do with.

👑⚔️

Katarina had nearly fallen asleep by the time she heard a soft knocking sounding along the pipe inside the wall that she was leaning against. Drawing her cloak around her, she snuck quietly down the hallway, her torch creating flickering shadows, like fingers that snapped and snatched at her. She turned one corner, then another, making sure that no one could possibly tail her. After she'd collected the key that Quinn had pinched from her mother, she had to try and find the crypt. If the crypt was ever broken into or attacked, it would move itself to a different place in the palace or its grounds. One time, Katarina found it in the cellars. Another time, in a broom cupboard. That was another reason that Katarina was suspicious about its contents: if it was "just some old bits and bobs," like her mother said, then why did the crypt have so many protections in place? Why did the key to it never leave her mother's person? If it was important, surely Katarina had a right to know what was in there?

She heard the sound of guards marching towards her and ducked into the shadows, snuffing out the torch. Katarina held her breath as they clanged past her, the metal joints of their uniforms making them seem more mechanical beings than human. Once they had rounded the corner, she reached one hand up to feel for the loose brick. There it was, Quinn had turned it around which meant that... aha! Her fingers curled around something sharp and frigid. The weight of the object surprised her and it clattered to the ground, accompanied to the screeching of metal against stone. Katarina gasped, then covered her mouth with her hand as the clanging of the guards stopped.

"Did you hear something?" said one.

"Probably just some snids," replied the other. Snids were pretty harmless, just a bit of a nuisance. Their voices faded as they continued their march and Katarina looked down at what she had dropped. She relit her torch and held it up to the light. She had never seen it up this close before and gazed for a second at the inscription that surrounded the pattern of the royal crest upon it. The looping writing was almost illegible and not in any language that she had studied anyway. Katarina could have looked at it for hours, but keys were not made for looking at. Now she had to find something to unlock.

👑⚔️

Slash.

Useless.

Slash.

Nothing.

Slash.

Pathetic.

The sun had set over an hour ago now, and Sam was still hacking away at the training dummy, reduced to a flaking pile of straw now. She'd given up on proper technique long ago and the mud on her uniform had since turned to dust.

Slash.

Girls.

Can't.

Use.

Swords.

Her boots drew patterns on the sandy floor of the armoury as she danced across it, her blade catching flashes of moonlight as her mind caught flashes of memory. The thread on her shirt that she picked at as she refused to meet her father's stare. The clanging of pots in the kitchen as her mother prepared dinner. How the fireplace was reflected in her father's eyes as she told him that he rejected the road that was laid out for her and wanted to forge her own path.

"Your place is at home, with a husband and children. That is your legacy! It runs in the family!"

"Well, it runs out here!"

And then, well, then she ran.

Shaking, Sam sank to her knees and wiped the sweat off her brow. Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes but she pushed them down. She had never cared for tears; what had they ever done for her? She looked down at her trembling hands, at the dirt that sat in the lines of her palms. The blood that flowed beneath her skin had no legacy. A tradition was merely a flimsy way of pretending that anything she did really mattered.

A sudden orange glow and the scraping of feet upon the ground startled her and she grabbed her longsword, pointing it at the neck of her intruder.

The neck of Princess Katarina the Second.

[gatesofember]

Wheat fields, Bluebonnets, and Hedges: Chapter 2

PJO Arranged Marriage/Royalty AU Part 6

Rating: T | Pairing: Solangelo

Prev | Next | AU directory | Read it on AO3 (Recommended) | Arranged Marriage AU Masterpage

Summary: Now that he’s fully aware of his feelings for Will, Prince Nico spends his visit to Diana trying to lure his fiancé into kissing him, only to be continuously thwarted by either his guard or his fiancé’s obliviousness. Will, however, is more concerned with other matters — namely, his family’s ceaseless endeavor to embarrass him in front of the Prince.

Nico’s first day in Diana had not been a complete failure, but it hadn’t gone the way he had hoped.  To his surprise, he might have even done well when meeting Will’s family.  He had been quite determined to be polite and it appeared he had succeeded.  Yes, Will’s family was rather odd and lacked some refinement, but they were friendly.  They quite obviously adored Will—which was to be expected, as Nico believed it was rather difficult to not adore him.  Nico had enjoyed hearing about Will’s long-lasting admiration of him.  He’d also enjoyed the portrait.

However, Nico had been hoping for a bit...more.

When Will stayed in Divitia in the fall, Nico had attempted to get Will alone several times but Hedge had always been in the way.  All of Nico’s attempts to get Will to kiss him had been thwarted.  His disappointment had led to determination and Nico had resolutely decided he would succeed in kissing Will the next time they met.  Nico would never admit to it, but he had entertained fantasies about Will sweeping him into his arms and kissing him the moment he stepped foot on Dianan soil.  It was a ridiculous idea, so Nico wasn’t terribly disappointed that it didn’t happen.  He had been disappointed when Will didn’t kiss him at all that day.  Nico had given Will plenty of opportunities to do it.  He had complimented Will.  He had stood close to Will.  He’d touched Will.  He’d even managed to escape from Hedge!  And yet, Will had done nothing about it.

Despite that, Nico remained determined.  He vowed that he would get Will to kiss him on his second day.  Surely they would find an appropriate time for it; they would be in Delphi.

Delphi, the most important Sororal city in Jupiter, was located just outside of Phoebus.  Although they were both Sororal cities, Delphi and Venadica were said to be very different.  Venadica was the City of Enlightenment, a place where some of the most brilliant sorors and consors studied.  On the other hand, Delphi was known as a place for the entire Populus Romanus to gather and celebrate the gods.  Of course Delphi was dedicated to ’the hunt,’ as well—Will studied there in the winter—but that wasn’t the city’s purpose.

The city was most famous for its pleasure gardens.  The Gardens of Delphi were open to the public and contained not only stunningly artistic landscaping, but also an opera house and menagerie.  It was partially the Gardens of Delphi that made public pleasure gardens so popular throughout the Romanus Terris.  Its influence was no coincidence; the city had been a gathering place since ancient times.  According to legend, the city was the center of the world, located at Gaea’s navel.  Nico could remember Bianca telling him that late one evening when they had sneaked out of their rooms to play.  They had giggled about it all night long.

The important thing was that Will was taking them to a famously beautiful place and Nico would not let the day end before he got Will to kiss him.  It had occurred to Nico that he could simply tell Will that he wanted a kiss, but he had never seriously considered doing so.  That would be far too embarrassing and improper.  And, of course, Nico could theoretically be the one to kiss Will, but Nico would not allow himself to commit such a scandalous act.  The only viable solution was to somehow get Will to kiss him, preferably without revealing too much of his enthusiasm about the idea.  Unfortunately, Will was unlikely to do it on his own; as the Prince, Nico would be the one to initiate all novel steps in their relationship.  Nico had been the one to propose, their wedding would be in Nico’s home, and Nico would be the one to decide where and when they kissed.  So Nico had to somehow dictate the appropriateness of the setting to Will without actually giving the kiss itself.

“The room I stayed in was massive,” Nico said as they were traveling to Delphi.  “You didn’t tell me that your home was so beautiful!”

Will was watching him with a smile that was sweet, kind, and so very Will in a way that made Nico want to kiss it.  “Well, it is our best guest room,” Will said.

“But it was huge!  You could have fit a stable in there!”

Will chuckled.  “Rooms in southern Jupiter tend to be larger than those in Pluto.  The weather is warmer here.  Pluto’s harsh winters are what makes smaller rooms more common there; small rooms are easier to heat.  But, although your rooms are smaller, you have many more of them.”

“That is true,” Nico said thoughtfully.  Regardless, the Sun Palace had provided Nico with a clearer picture of exactly how wealthy his fiancé was.  Of course the Palatium de Divitae was just as opulent, but it lacked the liveliness of the Sun Palace.  The Divitae was kept clean and in good condition, but something about the atmosphere had seemed cold and dead since the Scarlet Delirium.  Will’s home was just the opposite; it was filled with people and activity.  Every room was kept lit, as they were constantly in use; the Sun Palace was home to not only Apollo’s family, but the staff and farm workers and their families, as well.  The wealth of the Dianan family allowed it to not only inhabit a beautiful palace, but to truly fill it with their presence and provide for everyone who called it home.

Even the carriage was luxurious.  They were taking one of Apollo’s, an updated model with a spring system that made the ride smoother.  There was enough room to comfortably seat Nico and Will as well as Reyna and Hedge, and there was still room for Asterion to lie on the floor between them.  The outside of the carriage was gilded like the Hall of Gold in the Palatium de Divitae and the inside was lined with leather.  Nico was in awe of how beautiful it was, but he was also insecure about what Will might think of the Pluton royal carriage he traveled in.  The seats were not cushioned as well, the ride was bumpy, and the design was rather plain by comparison.  Will knew about Pluto’s economic troubles, but how did that play into his opinion of Nico?

“Have you seen Rheae Fidelium?” Will suddenly asked, pulling Nico from his ruminating.

“I have not,” Nico replied, wondering if that made him seem uncultured.  It was a popular opera, but the royal family’s budgeting left the arts somewhat neglected.

“The current act in Delphi is performing it.  I thought we might attend, if you enjoy opera?”

“Do you enjoy opera?” Nico asked.

Still smiling, Will tilted his head to the side and said, “I asked Your Highness first.”

Without warning, Hedge suddenly exploded, “That is no way to speak to the Prince!”

Will looked shocked, then sheepish, but Reyna intervened before anything else could happen.  “Hedge,” she said sternly.  “Remember what we discussed this morning.”

Hedge grumbled to himself, but didn’t fight back.  It was pointless to resist Reyna; Nico knew from experience.  Earlier that day, when Hedge and Nico had gotten into an argument over what constituted as proper behavior of a suitor, Reyna had grown tired of their bickering and reminded Hedge that she was Nico’s chaperone, while Hedge’s main concern should be Nico’s safety.  Hedge feebly argued that he was trying to keep Nico’s chastity safe, but Reyna once again reminded Hedge that Nico’s chastity was her responsibility, not his.  “I find it difficult to believe that Lord William poses a threat to the Prince’s virtue,” she had added.  Nico hadn’t said it outloud, but he was fairly certain that he threatened Will’s virtue more than Will threatened his.

Nico cleared his throat to cut through the sudden tension in the carriage and said, “Yes, I enjoy opera.  And you?”

“I love the opera,” Will said.  Nico refused to admit that his breath caught just a bit at the word ’love.’ “ Rheae Fidelium is my favorite.  I admit I’ve already gone to Delphi to watch it a few times this season.  I never tire of it.”

“Then of course I would like to see it,” Nico said.  He wondered if they would have a box to themselves.  Last time they’d gone to the opera together, the box had been crowded.  Perhaps this time, they would be alone, sitting side by side in the dark.  Perhaps then Nico would get Will to kiss him.  They would kiss while listening to the music of Will’s favorite opera and it would make Will so happy that he would think of Nico every time he heard it in the future.

When they arrived in Delphi, Will showed him the city through the carriage window.  Nico’s heart raced when Will leaned closer to look over Nico’s shoulder at the passing scenery.  Hedge had looked like he wanted to interject, but Reyna’s scolding hadn’t worn off quite yet and he remained silent.  Nico was glad.  He liked the tingling feeling on his back as he imagined Will leaning closer, close enough to touch him.  To his surprise, he even liked the height Will had on him when his soft voice came from above his shoulder.  Will had grown taller since the last time they’d met in person.  Nico had grown taller, as well, and he’d hoped that he would have caught back up to Will’s height, but those hopes turned out to be in vain.  It was annoying, but also notably attractive.  Nico could admit that it was a nice angle to look at Will from.  Nico had also noticed that Will looked rather like his father and his oldest brother, Lee.  Both Apollo and Lee were quite handsome, which led Nico to believe that Will could only grow more attractive as he aged.  It was an appealing idea.

Will paid the entrance fee for the Gardens of Delphi—technically a voluntary donation, Will explained, but it was frowned upon not to pay—and Nico’s hopes about being alone in the dark were confirmed when Will sent notice to the staff that he would make use of the Duke’s box later that afternoon.  “Would you like to watch the nightly fireworks ceremony?” Will asked as they were exiting the carriage.  “I must warn you that it begins after sundown, so it will be late by the time we return to Phoebus.”

“Of course I want to watch,” Nico said.  “When will I have the chance to view the Gardens of Delphi’s famous fireworks ceremony?”

Will chuckled.  “Then we’ll be sure to make the most of your visit.  We have a few hours before the start of the opera if you would like to see the menagerie.”

When Nico agreed, Will offered his arm and started down the path that led to the menagerie.  Asterion trotted beside them while Reyna and Hedge followed farther back.  Will talked about the menagerie’s history as they walked, explaining that it had began as a collection of animals bought by an old Dianan duke who loved to flaunt his wealth.  “The menagerie is much better than it used to be,” Will said as he paid a second donation to enter.  “Long ago, they used to stage fights between the animals for amusement—bears and elephants, tigers and leopards.  Their care improved after the animals were moved to Delphi, but the menagerie was still rather ill-equipped to house them.  It puts quite the stain on Delphi’s history, to say the least.  Thankfully, the Sorority has learned quite a bit about animals since then.  Once, menageries were for spectators to gawk at exotic animals in cages.  Now they are becoming more educational in nature.”

Nico slowed their pace as they walked in front of the tiger exhibit.  “It seems to me that we are spectators gawking at exotic animals,” he commented as he admired the tiger’s coat.

“Well...yes.  But we made a donation when we entered and that will fund research and improvements for the facilities.  The animals aren’t in cages, as you can see.  The enclosures are much better equipped than they once were.  The foliage mimics the natural environment of the tiger and offers coverage, should she wish to escape from the view of visitors.  The menagerie receives complaints about the animals not always being visible, but zoologists believe that it gives the animals a sense of safety and a degree of control over their environment.  There are still many problems to be addressed, but this is progress.”

“I suspect the Sorority has had a hand in these improvements?” Nico asked.

“Of course.  Menageries are improving all across the Romanus Terris.  Delphi’s menagerie is by no means the largest, but it is one of the best.  The animals are quite active.” Will gestured to the lion exhibit, where a cub was playfully nudging and pushing his sleeping brother.  Ultimately, he gave up and lay down next to him to nap.  “Delphi’s lioness had cubs not long ago.  It attracted a nice crowd of visitors who donated to finance the cubs’ care.  They are doing very well.  Of course, the lions tend to sleep until dusk—many of the animals are most active at dawn and dusk, so we don’t always get to see it.”

“You seem to know a lot about the menagerie,” Nico said.

“I spent the last two winters studying the animals’ health,” Will explained.  “I was here when the lioness had her cubs.”

“You delivered the cubs?”

“No, no, the lioness did the work,” he said.  “I was only there to ensure it went well.  Most animals don’t need help delivering.  But anyway, would you like to see the apes?  Delphi is particularly proud of its ape exhibit.”

They passed by the elephants and camels on their way and Nico listened as Will talked about them.  He was quite impressed by how much Will knew, but mostly he liked listening to Will.  He was serious but passionate and excited, and he didn’t seem to be anywhere close to exhausting the topic.  Nico suspected he could spend days talking about it.  Nico also suspected he could spend days listening to Will talk; he enjoyed the sound of Will’s voice.  His Dianan accent was stronger than usual, which Nico found endearing.  Asterion seemed very interested in the apes and Will babbled about the exhibit for such a long time that he only stopped when he realized that they had to hurry through the remainder of the menagerie to get to the opera house on time.

“Many sorors and consors favor the term ’zoological gardens’ over menagerie,” Will commented as they were walking.  “They say it more accurately reflects the educational purpose.”

“Then why do you call them ’menageries’?” Nico asked.  It seemed like a movement he would support.

Will looked sheepish.  “I like the way it sounds,” he admitted.

Nico laughed, but he liked the way Will said the word, too.  “Your accent is different here.  It sounds much more southern Juvian.”

“Does it?” Will asked with a curious expression.

“You usually have a much more Venadican way of speaking,” Nico explained.  “At least, on the occasions I’ve seen you.”

“I suppose my accent changes depending on who I have been around,” Will said thoughtfully.  “I had not noticed that.  It’s a pity that neither Venadican nor southern Juvian are particularly attractive accents.”

“I don’t think so,” Nico protested.  “I think your accent is charming.”

Will’s face turned pink.  Nico liked it.  Nico wanted to reach out and touch Will’s flushed cheeks.  Were they hot?  Were they soft?  They were probably soft.  Nico wanted to touch them.  Then pull Will’s face closer.  Then kiss him.  A lot.

Nico forced himself to stop his thoughts there.

“But like I was saying,” Will continued, still blushing.  “Learning about the animals has helped us find out how to improve their lives.  Tigers prefer to be alone, but elephants like to be in groups, for example.  We do the same with our livestock.”

“Then we will need to make a proper ranch in Divitia,” Nico said thoughtfully.

“Yes,” Will agreed.  “Divitia must be prepared for the cattle before our wedding.  There are few options of suitable breeds that we are considering.”

“They won’t be the same breed as your herd?” Nico asked in surprise.

“No, they would not do well in Pluto’s climate.”

“I had not thought of that,” Nico said.  “Your family has considered everything.”

“My family has quite the passion for ranching,” Will said.  “My aunt cares deeply for animals, as well; zoology is one of her concentrations, along with gynecology and ecology.  She has sped up the Sorority’s progress on zoological studies.  She told me that her mother’s ranch inspired her love for animals.”

Nico sighed, remembering how sad Will had looked the day before when he told Nico he would miss being in Phoebus for calving season.  “I wish that you didn’t have to be so far from it,” he mumbled.  “When we marry, I mean.”

Will only smiled.  ��I will be happy in Divitia,” he said, just as he had the day before.

“Have you ever even been through a Pluton winter?” Nico asked.

“Once, about nine years ago.  I’ll admit it wasn’t pleasant, but I will learn to survive it.”

A few absurd thoughts about methods of keeping Will warm crossed through Nico’s mind.  He flushed.  “What animal is that?” Nico asked to distract himself, pointing to a sandy enclosure with a pond and a large reptile.

“A crocodile, Your Highness.  They are native to Aegyptia—wouldn’t do well in Pluto’s climate either, I’m afraid.  Austin loves crocodiles; they are his favorite animal.”

“Austin didn’t talk much yesterday,” Nico commented.  “You did say that he tends to be shy.”

“Only at first,” Will answered with a chuckle.  He stopped and said a few words to a soror at the exit of the menagerie as they left, but continued when they passed through the gates.  “Once Austin feels comfortable, he is just as loud as the rest of them.  Loud er, sometimes.  Austin is....” Will paused like he was searching for words.  “He feels very strong emotions.”

“Strong emotions?” Nico asked curiously.

“He’s very passionate,” Will said.  “It’s a good thing most of the time.  It’s why he is such a talented musician; he gets lost in the music.  When he’s happy, he’s a joy to be around.  He has a wonderful sense of humor—and a cleaner sense of humor than my older siblings.  Being a part of his family is...I don’t know how to explain it.  When Austin loves, he loves with his entire being.  Everything Austin does is loud and filled with emotion.  Unfortunately, that extends to his negative emotions, as well.”

“Such as...anger?” Nico asked.

Will shook his head.  “Oh, no,” he said quickly.  “Austin rarely gets angry.  No, I mean sadness.  Anxiety.  Stress.  He takes everything that happens to him to heart and he feels things so deeply that sometimes it overwhelms him.  He knows that he can sometimes experience things a bit differently than others do and he’s sensitive about it.  Last night Lee made a comment about Austin crying around the rabbit, if you recall.  That’s the sort of thing that might upset Austin, which is why Lee quickly assured him that he wasn’t teasing.  Austin tries to control it, but he can’t help the way he reacts to things.  I think he’s so quiet around strangers because afraid that his emotions burden people.  It’s not a burden, of course; I only wish he didn’t feel so much hurt.” Will sighed as they ascended the stairs to the opera house.  “Anyway, I’m sure you noticed that my family members tend to tease quite often.  It’s always for fun, never malicious, but we know it hurts Austin if we take it too far; we’ve all seen Austin break down at some point.  We take care of him—not so much that he feels singled out, but enough to let him know that we think the world of him.  Oh, the box is this way, Your Highness.  We ought to wait for Lady Reyna and Hedge so they can follow.”

Nico had nearly forgotten that Reyna and Hedge were with them; Reyna seemed to have been effective in reigning Hedge’s behavior.  She constantly reminded Hedge that chaperones and guards should be present, but not intrusive, and it appeared the lecture she had given him the day before had been effective—at least for the time being.

“Now Kayla, on the other hand,” Will said when Reyna and Hedge got close enough for them to continue walking.  “Kayla is a bit of trouble.”

Nico laughed.  Early that morning, Kayla had found Nico to excitedly flaunt her destroyed Paris doll.  She’d informed him that Menelaus had grown tired of Paris and murdered him in exchange for an apple.  The wooden doll had barely been recognizable, as she had smashed it to splinters using a hammer.  Nico had complimented Kayla on her thoroughness.

“A bit?” Nico teased, then mentally scolded himself.  He shouldn’t tease Will’s family, especially not so soon after meeting them.  He’d meant it as a joke, but if Will didn’t take it that way—

But Will chuckled.  “Alright, she’s a lot of trouble.  But so charming.”

“Yes, she is.  Rather like a certain charming young boy I’ve been hearing about recently.”

Will went scarlet.  “That...that wasn’t...it was all very exaggerated.”

“Was it really?  The portrait implied differently.”

“I...that...uh...Kayla,” Will stuttered as they reached their box.  “I was talking about Kayla.”

“Yes, tell me about Kayla,” Nico agreed.  The lights in the theater hadn’t been dimmed yet, to Nico’s disappointment.  He hadn’t forgotten his plan to get Will to kiss him in the dark.  However, he was pleased to see that Reyna and Hedge remained at the entrance of the box rather than coming in closer, and he didn’t mind when Asterion decided to lie next to him.

“Kayla is a bit of a terror,” Will said, letting Nico take a seat before joining him.  “It’s probably our fault for spoiling her so much, but we can’t help but favor her.  She never seems to run out of energy—thank the gods that Chiron is so patient.  When she’s not playing with her dolls or her blocks, she’s running around some place, usually causing trouble.  She loves to be outside and making a mess of her clothes—which, by the way, she loves.  She has quite the obsession with pretty dresses.  Unfortunately, she also has a tendency to ruin them after only a few wears, so she goes through dresses fairly quickly.  It doesn’t help that she keeps getting taller.”

“Hazel loves her dresses, as well,” Nico said with a chuckle.  “Not to the point of an obsession, but she is revolted by the idea of ever wearing breeches.  I have been trying to convince her that they are much more practical for fencing, but she will not listen.”

“That’s right, you were helping her learn to fence,” Will said, lowering his voice as the lights dimmed.  “Lee and Michael both enjoy archery and they have been pleading for Chiron to let them teach Kayla, but he hasn’t allowed it.  Kayla has shown a great deal of interest in the sport, but...well.  We are hesitant to give her sharp objects.”

“Understandable,” Nico replied in a whisper.  The crowd was growing quieter, but the orchestra was still playing the overture.  “Sometimes I worry Hazel is a little bit too happy to strike the training dummy—or me, when we spar.  I keep telling her she isn’t meant to stab, but she hasn’t listened.”

“I admit I know little about the sport, but I thought you were supposed to stab?” Will said, cocking his head to the side in a rather adorable display of confusion.  Nico wanted to kiss the subtle pout off his face.

“Well, yes, in the Juvian school of fencing,” Nico said, ignoring the voices in his head screaming for him to just grab Will and kiss him.  “The Plutonian school is different.  Hazel would probably prefer the Juvian school.”

“And which would you prefer, Your Highness?”

Nico thought for a moment.  Ordinarily, he would have immediately declared that the Juvian school was barbaric, but when Will asked, he was forced to admit that he had a great deal of respect for the style.  “I cannot say,” Nico eventually replied.  “I am comfortable with the Pluton school, but I don’t deny that the Juvian school intrigues me, as well.  But I think the show is about to start; we will talk more at intermission.”

Will agreed and turned to the stage, which offered Nico an opportunity to admire Will’s profile.  He stopped as soon as he realized he was doing it and turned to watch the performance. Rheae Fidelium—which was old Pluton for “Rhea the Faithful”—was a well-known opera about Rhea’s role in the war between the Titans and the Protogenoi.  It was not an uncommon topic; the war was a frequent subject in art and music, particularly Rhea’s role in it.  When the Protogenoi’s mutinous children rose up against them, Rhea was the only Titan who remained loyal.  The first act of the opera followed Rhea’s struggle with her conflicting allegiances to her parents and her husband.  It ended with the downfall of Ouranos solidifying her resolution to return to Gaea’s side.

Nico felt disappointed when the entr’acte began at intermission.  He had been too focused on the opera to get Will to kiss him.  The lights were raised between the acts, which made the atmosphere much less suitable for kissing.

Will, however, seemed delighted.  He asked Nico what he thought of the opera, then babbled about how much he loved it before leaning back in his seat, smiling, and saying something that shocked Nico.  “This opera house is where my father met my mother.”

Nico tried not to show his surprise.  “Your mother?”

“My birth mother,” Will clarified.  “Not my stepmother.  Daphne met my father at an arranged meeting, of course.”

“I see,” Nico said as he tried to organize his thoughts.  He was not sure how to respond; he did not mind that Will was natural-born, but usually such things were not mentioned in polite conversation.

“How did they meet?” Nico asked, pushing aside his astonishment.  Will was sharing a private story with him and Nico was honored to hear it.

“She was a singer,” Will said.  “My father always told me that he fell for her the instant he heard her voice.  After the performance, he asked to see her and they spent the rest of the day together around the park.  He went back to listen to her sing every day.”

“Was Daphne there?” Nico asked before he could restrain himself.

Will gave Nico a bashful smile.  “I was too nervous to ask,” he admitted.  “I’m not sure that either of them are willing to offer that information.”

“I did not mean to intrude—” Nico started.

“Not at all,” Will replied.  “I have no secrets from you, Your Highness.  Anything you wish to know, ask.”

Nico chewed the inside of his lip in thought for a brief moment, and then, before he could change his mind, he asked, “How did your stepmother react to your birth?”

“I don’t know what my father and stepmother’s relationship was like at the time,” Will admitted.  “I was my father’s first illegitimate child; I don’t know if she reacted differently to my birth than she did to Austin’s, but she accepted Austin into the family without question.”

“And what is her relationship with your father like now?” Nico asked, because he had been a bit confused the day before when Apollo was seated next to both his wife and his lover at dinner.  “I mean—you don’t have to answer that.”

“I don’t mind,” Will said.  “I am what I am, Your Highness, and there’s no point in being ashamed of that.”

“Of course, I didn’t mean to imply...I...I don’t mind.  That you’re natural-born.  It doesn’t matter to me—if you were worried, that is.”

Will’s smile was calm even though Nico’s hands were shaking.  “I didn’t think you would mind, but thank you for saying that.  As for my parents—my father and stepmother, that is—they don’t hate each other, but they don’t particularly get along, either.  My father married her because he fell in love, my stepmother accepted because of his wealth and influence.  I think....” Will stopped and cleared his throat.  “I’ve never told anyone this, but I think my father is still a bit in love with my stepmother.  I’ve always thought that he seems a bit sad after they fight.  I think my stepmother cares for him, too, in a way.  If you pay attention, you’ll start to see that she always seems to be looking out for him.  They are good parents.  Even if things between them aren’t quite right, they will work together for the family.”

“And what about Hyacinthus?” Nico asked.

“My father has a history of lovers,” Will said with a chuckle.  “He falls in love easily, but he has been quite monogamous to Hyacinth lately—apart from a few brief affairs, but he and Hyacinth don’t mind that.  Although, Hyacinth’s relationship with the Earl of Favonius has been going on for a few years now.  My father is a bit insecure about it; I think he’s afraid of losing Hyacinth.  Hyacinth is special to him.”

“Hyacinthus has another lover?”

“It’s confusing, I know,” Will said.  “Such is my father’s life.”

“But what about your birth mother?  What happened to her?”

Will sighed and folded his hands over his lap, looking less at ease and more artificially composed.  “She left,” Will answered.  “After she gave birth to me, she stayed as my wet nurse for a short time, and then she left.”

Nico nodded solemnly.  His own birth mother had also been his wet nurse, then she was a governess for both Nico and Bianca.  He remembered her fondly, despite being ignorant of their relationship as kin.  Will had not been given even that much.

“My father always told me that he was absolutely in love with her, but she had dreams that were too big for her to stay in one place for long,” Will continued.  “He said that she saw I would be cared for and left to continue singing.”

“And do you know where she is now?” Nico asked.

“No,” Will answered.  “I am not even sure that she is alive.  My father said that she was in a traveling act for a time, then he lost track of her.  She has never contacted since.”

“Have you tried to find her?”

Will shook his head.  “No.  I’ve never felt a need to.  She gave birth to me, she fed me, and those were the only roles we were meant to play in each other’s lives.  Daphne is my mother.  There are plenty of other women in my life who play that role, as well.  Perhaps it is cold or ungrateful of me to say this, but I don’t think I need her.  I am quite happy with the family I have.”

Nico wished he felt so at peace.  He considered Persephone to be his mother as much as Lady Maria, of course, but he felt dirtied whenever he thought about his illegitimacy.

I will tell him after we are married, Nico thought.  The King and Queen Consort had asked him to swear not to tell anyone, even Hazel, at least until she was older.  “It is a family secret,” they’d told him.  Nico had broken that promise twice: with Hestia and with Reyna, and only after asking for permission.  Truthfully, Nico hadn’t needed to be sworn to secrecy; he was too terrified of rejection to tell anyone.  He’d only told Hestia and Reyna because he trusted them to not judge him or leave him.

Nico knew he could trust Will with that secret, yet he still felt afraid.  Will was natural-born; it wouldn’t matter to him, would it?  Nico decided that he would wait until after the wedding.  When Nico married, Will would become part of the Pluton royal family.  Then Nico could tell him.

And if it did disgust Will, by then it would be too late for him to leave Nico.

“My brother Austin receives letters from his mother,” Will suddenly said.  “It was almost the same story: our father heard her compositions and went to meet her, then instantly fell in love.  Like my birth mother, she had dreams that were too big to be contained by one city, so she left after ensuring Austin would be cared for.  But for some reason, she stayed in contact even though my mother did not.”

When Nico turned to look at him, Will’s head was tilted to the side and he was frowning like he was trying to solve a difficult problem.  Impulsively, Nico reached out and put his hand on top of Will’s.  Will glanced at their hands in surprise, but he didn’t make any move to pull away.

“I don’t mean to complain,” Will said, offering Nico a smile.  “But I do admit, as a child, it was...confusing when Austin received letters but I did not.  But perhaps my mother was unable to.  Perhaps she is not even alive.  Perhaps we were simply not meant to have a relationship.  Whatever the case, I’m happy with my family.  I feel very blessed to have them.”

“I imagine that you must have questions,” Nico said slowly, struggling to find the right words.  “You were not left with many answers.”

“One thing that I have learned as a student in Venadica is that some questions will not be answered in my lifetime, others will never be answered, and still more should remain unanswered, at least until we are ready for the consequences that come along with that knowledge.  This is something I must simply accept.”

Nico looked down and saw that his hand was still on top of Will’s.  He had no desire to move it.

“Well, I...I think that she’s certainly made a poor choice, if she is alive.  She should know what a fine young man you’ve grown into.  I’d imagine everyone’s life could be a bit better with you in it.”

Will didn’t say anything, but when Nico looked up, Will was staring at him with a gaze so intense that it held him captive.  He looked handsome.  With the freckles splashed across his cheeks, his untamable curls of blond, and the soft, subtle part of his lips, just glancing at him made Nico nervous and excited.  Then there was the tender look in Will’s eyes: a soft but passionate depth that made Nico feel like his heart was going to burst.

Will had no idea what effect he had on Nico; that much was obvious.  Nico had once assumed that Will knew exactly how charming he was, but as he had gotten to know Will by watching his behavior and carefully reading over his letters, he had begun to realize that Will was not only sincere, but also was tragically unaware of how hard he’d made Nico fall for him.  It was so frustrating to know that even when Will looked at him like that, it meant absolutely nothing.  Will wasn’t trying to send Nico a secret message and he wasn’t trying to entice Nico.  Will really was just looking at him.  And yet, the things that simple look did to Nico....

He wanted to kiss Will.  Will was so close, just inches away.  Nico wanted to lift their joined hands and kiss Will’s fingers.  He could easily lean over and press his lips against Will’s cheek.  No one would be looking at their box.  It would be so easy, and it would feel so nice.

Nico suddenly recalled a thought he’d had when he’d first been introduced to Will in Divitia, before their betrothal had even been decided.  He’d thought that Will’s appearance was adequate, but nothing special, and had decided that was good; a terribly attractive suitor would have made him feel nervous and caused him to make a fool of himself.

How had he thought Will’s appearance was merely adequate at the time?  Had Nico not looked hard enough?  Had Will changed as he’d grown over the last year?  Perhaps Nico had simply been blind to it until Will had woven into his heart and opened his eyes.

And yes: as Nico had predicted, having a terribly attractive suitor did indeed cause him to make a complete fool of himself.  He thought about Will every day, sometimes sitting alone and making up fantasies in his head for hours on end.  He’d embarrassed himself on more than one occasion by revealing his enthusiasm for one of Will’s newly arrived letters in front of an audience.  He blushed and stuttered when he was supposed to be calm and poised.  His mind was muddled by rosy clouds whenever he spoke to Will.  And then there was Nico’s obscene desire to touch—no, his need to touch.  There was a persistent voice in Nico’s mind demanding constant physical contact, and even when there was physical contact, it demanded more.   Now touch him with both hands, it would say.   Hold him more tightly.  Step closer. Touch his face. Touch his neck.  Kiss him.

Nico tried not to listen to that voice, but it was too compelling to resist at times.  He couldn’t take his hand away from where it rested upon Will’s.  Even when the next act of the opera began, Nico hadn’t bothered to move it.  His hands felt like they were sweating and shaking and he wanted to adjust his hold, but he was afraid that even the smallest movement would mean the end of that static touch.

He found himself unable to follow the opera over the commands in his head for more Will.  He could move a bit closer.  He could entangle his fingers with Will’s.  He could lean over and use Will’s shoulder as a pillow.  He could kiss Will.  Gods, he wanted to kiss Will—but Nico couldn’t do that, no.  That would be far too brazen for a prince.

Nico gave in to one of the least scandalous impulses and shifted his hand to link his fingers with Will’s.  It felt better that way.  Nico liked how their hands fit together.

He caught Will glancing at him and immediately looked away, not wanting Will to know exactly how much he’d been staring.  He embarrassed himself enough around Will as it was.  It would be nice to preserve at least some of his dignity.  If he suddenly kissed Will, he would seem horribly unrefined; he had to somehow manage to get Will to do it instead.  Will always behaved perfectly; why couldn’t Nico be more like that?

But there had been a few times that Will had breached the rules of etiquette.  The first had been at the beginning of their initial arranged marriage meeting, when Will had nudged Nico’s foot with his own.  Why hadn’t Will done anything like that again?  Why was it that the only touch Will ever initiated was when he offered his arm to escort Nico?  Had Will tired of him?

Nico squeezed Will’s hand without meaning to.  Will’s eyes, which had drifted to the performance again, snapped back to look at him.  Nico smiled before quickly looking away, too nervous to use it as an opportunity to get Will to kiss him.

Nico knew that his fears were groundless.  Will wouldn’t initiate touch because Nico was a prince, simple as that.  Any rare moments when Will had breached that social norm had been exceptions to Will’s usual gentlemanly behavior.  However, knowing that Will occasionally acted on impulse gave Nico hope.  Perhaps if Nico managed to catch Will off guard, Will would be so overcome with his desire to kiss Nico that he would just do it.

That was what Nico had been counting on the day before.  He’d said such nice things to Will, he’d complimented Will’s appearance, he’d even touched Will’s hand and arm far more than etiquette required.  He had even touched Will’s ankle at dinner, futilely hoping that it would remind Will of the way he’d touched Nico’s at their first marriage consultation and then ignite such a passion in Will that he had to kiss Nico.

All Nico’s hard work had been in vain; Will had not seemed to understand Nico’s intentions at all.  Perhaps if Nico pushed him a bit more, he would finally figure out what Nico wanted.  Of course, Nico would have to find a way to keep Reyna and Hedge distracted.

However, this was all based on the assumption that Will wanted to kiss him.  It was entirely possible that Will simply had no desire to do so, but Nico thought that was unlikely.  After all, Will’s family had quite clearly alluded to Will’s long-lasting admiration of Nico the evening before.  Nico simply hadn’t pushed Will hard enough yet.  If Nico kept trying, Will was bound to understand at some point, wasn’t he?

The opera ended before Nico managed to find the courage to do anything more than hold Will’s hand.  Perhaps it was a good thing; if Will liked the opera so much, Nico didn’t want to distract him from it.  Unfortunately, Nico had been quite distracted as a result of Will’s mere presence and had missed much of the second act.

“Would you like to rent a supper box?” Will asked once they managed to get back outside.  He’d enthused about the opera until they’d managed to get through the crowd and leave the opera house.

Nico hadn’t realized how hungry he was until Will asked, so he agreed.  There was a dining area a short distance away with a row of individual supper boxes available to rent as well as tables across the green.  Will made their orders and they were directed to a box where they sat to wait for their food.  The supper box wasn’t much different from a box in an opera house, except it was outside; it was large enough to serve a group and opened to look out at the gardens, but still private.  Nico spotted Reyna and Hedge standing an acceptable distance away, and noted with satisfaction that Reyna was still keeping Hedge under control.

“Tell me more about your two eldest siblings,” Nico said.  “You haven’t spoken about them yet.”

“Three eldest, if you’ll pardon me saying so,” Will corrected.  “I consider Lou Ellen my sibling as much as the rest of them.”

“Three eldest, then.  Tell me about them.”

“They are practically inseparable,” Will began.  “Lee and Lou Ellen first got to know each other through letters while the arrangements were discussed.  Closer to the wedding, Lou Ellen traveled here for a visit so they could meet in person for the first time.  They had become friends through their letters and quickly connected in person, as well.  Michael, though—he was less than welcoming to Lou Ellen.”

“Is that so?  But I thought they got along well?”

“They do now, but I think Michael was afraid of losing Lee.  They have always been so close.  Michael, I think, was a bit jealous that someone else was stealing our brother away from him.”

“How did they ever become friends?”

“Oh, it didn’t take long.  Lou Ellen has quite the sense of humor; Michael wasn’t able to hold out against her.  Now they’re quite the trio.  Lee and Lou Ellen are deliriously in love, Lee and Michael are as close as brothers can be, and Michael and Lou Ellen are practically a pair of criminals, given the trouble they cause together.” Will paused as a waiter arrived with their food.  Nico was surprised at how fast it had been, but Will explained that they only served foods that were made in advance and quickly prepared, such as bread and cold cuts.

Will continued to talk about his family while they ate and Nico listened, occasionally tossing a cold cut in Asterion’s direction and ignoring Reyna’s disappointed glares.  Will looked happy when Nico asked questions and took interest in what he was saying.  “You must love your family very much,” Nico commented.

Smiling broadly, Will said, “Yes, Your Highness.  I’m very fortunate to have them.”

Nico took a deep breath before saying, “I hope that you’ll find something like that in my family, as well.” Really, he hoped that alluding to their marriage would spur Will into declaring his boundless affections before sweeping Nico into a kiss.

“As do I.  I’m quite excited to be a part of your family, Your Highness.”

Caught completely off guard by the warm hearted answer, Nico blushed and stuttered a vague reply instead of thinking of a way to steer Will towards kissing him.  At the rate he was going, it might be less detrimental to Nico’s pride to actually kiss Will rather than continue his blatant attempts to lure Will into doing it instead.  But Nico had committed himself to this particular course of action, and once he set his mind on something, he didn’t let go.  No, Will had to be the one to do the kissing.  Nico just had to figure out the right places to push to get Will to do it.

By the time they finished eating, the day was approaching dusk.  They were chatting and looking out at the gardens from their box when Nico noticed a hedge maze and started plotting again.

“The maze appears to be popular with couples,” Nico noted casually, having seen several pairs enter and exit.  He looked at Will out of the corner of his eye to gauge Will’s reaction.

Will flushed.  “It...um...yes.  It is.”

Nico waited a second longer, but when Will said nothing more, he tried to push harder.   “We are a couple,” he said.  “Shall we go there?”

Will looked embarrassed.  “I...um...” he began hesitantly.  “Well, I...I don’t think that Hedge and Lady Reyna would approve of Your Highness going there alone with me.”

Nico hummed and looked at the maze in thought.  It seemed likely that they wouldn’t be the first pair to hide from chaperones in the maze.  If he and Will could manage to to escape from Reyna and Hedge, they could go in there, all alone, in the dark, where no one would see them.  And then, Nico would finally get Will to kiss him.

His decision made, Nico said, “I don’t see why they should be notified.  Let’s go there a bit later, after we find a moment to slip away.”

Will looked alarmed.  “Slip away?” he asked.

“Wouldn’t you like to go in the maze with me?” Nico asked, knowing fully well that the answer was yes.  Of course Will wanted to spend time with him; Will told him that often enough, didn’t he?

When Will nodded, Nico bent his head closer and lowered his voice.  “Good.  Then we’ll make an escape and run for the maze.”

“Now I only wonder who will have my head first,” Will sighed.  “Hedge or Lady Reyna?”

Nico clucked his tongue.  “There will be no decapitation,” he said with finality.  Strict as they were, Hedge and Reyna still obeyed Nico’s orders, and Nico would allow no maiming to Will’s body.  Nico preferred for Will’s rather attractive neck to be intact.  “You mentioned that there would be fireworks.  That will be a good time to lose them.  We’ll slip into the crowd and they won’t be able to find us in the dark.”

“I get the sense that this is a very bad idea,” Will said.

“Nonsense, it’s a brilliant idea.  I want to go to the maze with you.  It’ll be exciting, won’t it?”

“Well...exciting is one word for it.”

“Please, Will?  It would make me so happy.”

Will sighed and rubbed his temple.  “Alright, yes.  When everyone starts to gather for the fireworks.”

Nico was shocked when his plan worked.  He had been expecting for it to go wrong—most of his attempts to get close to Will ended in failure—but when the sun set, they managed to escape.  A crowd shuffled around as visitors tried to find a spot with a good view, but Nico grabbed Will’s arm and hurried to the maze.  Thankfully, Reyna’s maintenance of an acceptable distance away had allowed them to get separated in the crowd.  They didn’t lose Asterion, of course.  It was probably good that Asterion hadn’t ended up with Reyna and Hedge; they could have used Asterion to track Nico.  Although he hadn’t been trained to hunt, Nico had trained him to do some basic tracking.  Unfortunately, Reyna had used that against him a few times in the past when Nico made the mistake of not bringing Asterion with him when he was hiding from his communication lessons.  Besides, Nico liked having Asterion around.

Although Nico was delighted, Will still seemed nervous when they entered the maze.  Nico even began to wonder if it had been a good idea after all; if Will was uncomfortable, he would never kiss Nico.  “Have you gone through this maze before?” Nico asked, hoping to lighten Will’s mood.

“A few times, Your Highness.  Austin and I got lost in here once when we were younger.  It wasn’t a pleasant experience, but I’ve gone through since then.”

Nico thought that it wouldn’t be so bad to get lost in the maze with Will.  He almost said that out loud, but he lost the courage.  “You will enjoy it this time,” he said instead.

“Of course I will; I always enjoy being with you.”

Nico almost tripped over a root in his surprise.  How did Will find the courage to talk like that?  Were Nico’s nerves just strange?

“Yes, also, for me, as well,” Nico said in an attempt to give some affectionate reply.  The sky was quickly getting dark, which only added to Nico’s excitement and put him more on edge.  “In fact, I think it wouldn’t be so bad to get lost,” he added, and then he suddenly didn’t know how to stop talking and kept rambling.  “In the maze.  With you.  And Asterion, of course, because Asterion is here and...but I mean, I would like to be with you here even if Asterion were not here.  That’s not to say that that I’m hoping to get lost, of course.  Just that it wouldn’t be such a bad stroke of luck, as a result of...uh...being with you.”

Nico finally managed to bite his tongue and stop himself from going further.  It was difficult to judge Will’s expression in the dark.  There was a beat of silence, and then Will said, “I...I agree.  It wouldn’t be so bad.”

They were saved from the awkward pause that followed by the sudden bang of fireworks, and then Asterion panicked and took off running.  “Asterion!” Nico called in surprise, cursing himself for forgetting that his dog didn’t like fireworks.  He ran in the direction Asterion had disappeared with Will following close behind.  They reached a divide in the path and Nico said, “I’ll go left.” Will voiced his agreement and they separated.

It didn’t take long for Nico to realize his mistake.  Getting lost in a maze with his fiancé?  Good.  Getting lost in a maze alone?  Bad.

He called out for Asterion loudly, feeling much better when he heard Will call for him, as well.  But it had been foolish of him to forget about Asterion’s sensitivity.  No dogs enjoyed fireworks and Asterion startled particularly easily.  Nico had been too focused on finding ways to get Will to kiss him to think about Asterion.

Nico tried to calm himself with assurances that Asterion would be alright.  He was smart enough to find his way back to Nico; Nico had trained him.  But the anxiety of being alone in the dark maze with no idea how to get out added to the stress of losing his dog was overwhelming.  He nearly crumpled helplessly on the ground, but his panic outweighed his hopelessness and kept him moving.  He had lost Asterion before.  He couldn’t lose Asterion again.

It wasn’t long before he heard Will’s voice again, this time calling for him instead of Asterion.  “Will?” Nico shouted back, and he had to repeat himself when his voice was drowned out by the fireworks.

Will’s voice replied, and Nico was able to pick out the words “I have him” over the noise.  He sighed in relief, reminding himself that his panic was pointless and that Asterion was safe.  He still sometimes had to reassure himself of that.

“I’m coming,” Nico called as he started walking in the direction of Will’s voice.  He struggled to remember exactly where he had turned in his hurry, but Will’s voice, always so gentle and calming, kept calling to him to remind him what direction to go.  He reached the divide they had parted at quickly and it appeared that Will hadn’t had to run far to catch Asterion.  Nico found Will sitting in the light of the fireworks with Asterion half on his lap, holding Asterion’s head against his chest and covering his ears.

“Praise the gods,” Nico said, deflating on the ground next to Will.  He reached out to pet Asterion, smiling when the dog’s droopy eyes turned to look at him.  “I forgot how much he hates fireworks.”

“We’ve got him now,” Will said comfortingly.  “He’ll be alright once he calms down.”

Sighing, Nico leaned back on his hands to watch the fireworks in the night sky.  Asterion would be safe in Will’s arms.  He could trust Will with Asterion.  He could probably trust Will with anything.

When Nico glanced over, he caught Will looking at him and offered a smile.  When Will smiled back, the fireworks illuminated the pretty lines of his face.  Nico found himself more interested in the way the light looked on Will than in the fireworks themselves and was so mesmerized that he just watched Will during the finale.  Will watched him, too.

“Will?” Nico whispered when the finale was over and the sky became dark and silent again.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“I think we’re lost.”

Will’s laugh made Nico feel warm.  He couldn’t stop himself from laughing with him.

“Lady Reyna and Hedge are going to string me up by my ears and drag me behind the carriage on the way back,” Will sighed, but he sounded amused rather than panicked.

“No, Hedge will string you up by your ears,” Nico corrected.  “Reyna will be too busy stringing me up by mine.”

“She’s really that strict?”

“Oh, undoubtedly,” Nico replied.  “But she likes me.  Sometimes I manage to win her over after I’ve been particularly troublesome.  This time, though...she is not going to be pleased.”

Will laughed.  “Well, at least we are lost together.”

Nico saw Will’s silhouette releasing Asterion in the dark.  “Thank you for finding him,” Nico said.

“I simply happened to run in the right direction,” Will said.  He got to his feet and offered Nico his hand to help him up.  Nico considered kissing Will in thanks, but his pride demanded that the first kiss must be from Will.  “Shall we try to find our way out?”

Nico sighed, but agreed and took Will’s arm.  “Asterion likes you,” he said.  “You care for him very well.”

“I do my best, Your Highness.”

“You are going to be a very good husband,” Nico said automatically.  He could barely see Will in the dark, but Will was definitely looking at him and he appeared not to know what to say.  It occurred to Nico that although he said that quite often, he didn’t say it in front of Will.  “I think that I’m very fortunate,” he continued.

Will was quiet for a few seconds, long enough for Nico to worry he’d said something wrong.  But then he said, “I admire you, Your Highness.  I always have.  I suspect I always will.”

Nico could have melted on the spot.  He wanted to tell Will that he admired him, too, but he couldn’t form the right words to express it.  The feelings he had for Will overwhelmed him and he wasn’t quite sure what to do with them or how to convey them.  A part of Nico just wanted to hold Will tightly and never let go.

“I’m flattered,” Nico stammered.  He wanted to stop talking, but he couldn’t keep himself from rambling on.  “I...um...I like when you say things like that.  I’m glad you feel that way.  I mean, uh, I also think highly of you, and I’m very flattered and...uh...I feel glad that you’re...um...with me.  Engaged.”

Nico wanted to sink into the hedges and hide until his mortification passed.  He hated the way he couldn’t shut himself up when he got too excited or angry or nervous.  He always ended up embarrassing himself.

“I’m also glad,” Will said.  Nothing in his voice suggested that he thought Nico had said anything strange at all.  “When my aunt first approached me with the idea of courting you, I...well, I hadn’t bothered to hope for even a friendship with someone like you.” Will faltered for a second before saying, “I never forgot you.  When we were introduced as children, it was a special moment for me—of course, my brothers already told you that much.  So when I learned that I would meet you again...well, I was terrified when I met you again in Divitia last year.”

His embarrassment receding, Nico mentally celebrated.  He hadn’t gotten Will to kiss him yet, but he had gotten Will to ramble about how much he liked him.

“I didn’t know,” Nico said once he was confident that he wouldn’t trip over his own tongue.  “You seemed so composed that I almost didn’t know what to think of you.  You were all politeness and kindness and proper etiquette.”

“I wanted to impress you,” Will replied.

“You did.”

“And do I still impress, Your Highness?”

Nico was surprised by how easily he smiled at Will and said, “Yes.  You do.”

Nico reaffirmed his grip on Will’s arm, fighting his desire to stand closer.  It was brazen enough that they were alone in the dark, far away and hidden from sight.  He should not behave so shamelessly.

Yet Nico’s hand slipped down Will’s arm and he laced his fingers with Will’s.  It was more intimate that way; not quite scandalous, but deviant enough that Reyna would have raised her eyebrow and given him a warning glance.

In the dark, Nico was just barely able to see Will looking at their joined hands in surprise.  The reaction made Nico second guess himself, so he asked, “Would you like to walk like this for a while?”

“I...yes, I would,” Will said.  Nico suspected he was blushing; it was regrettable that he wasn’t able to see it.  The maze was dark.  Only the moon and stars and the far away glow of gas lamps lit the path before them.  Nico and Will were alone, without a chaperone, late at night, and Nico had just initiated a rather intimate gesture.

So maybe it was a bit scandalous.

Nico wet his lips.  He did not find anything wrong with what he was doing; deviant, yes, and perhaps inappropriate, but not wrong.   In fact, he liked it.  He enjoyed being so alone with Will, touching Will’s hand, and being hidden by the tall hedges and the cover of darkness.  It was scandalous, true, but that only gave Nico a small rush of excitement.  Reyna and Hedge would lecture him for running off without them, but it was well worth the chance to be alone with Will, away from prying eyes, the way married couples were allowed to be.  Nico could act however he wanted with Will, so long as Will did not mind.  He could kiss Will, if he wanted.

He did want.

It was a good time to do it; after all, no one would be there to witness it.  The kiss would be a secret between Will and Nico.  And it had to be soon; Asterion would be able to lead them out of the maze with his sense of smell and then Nico would lose the opportunity.  But how?  Even though Nico had been so obvious in his attempts to get Will to kiss him so far, he had been unsuccessful.  Will had just professed his long-lived admiration for Nico, and he still hadn’t done it.

Perhaps Will required a more direct approach.  Nico could just tell Will to kiss him.  It was embarrassing, but it could work as a desperate last resort.  That way, he could transfer the authority of the kissing to his fiancé without subjecting himself to committing such a scandalous act.

“You may kiss me,” Nico said before he could become too nervous to do so.  He tried very hard to keep his hands from shaking and to exude a sense of confidence.

There was a beat of silence, and then: “Your Highness?”

Nico’s confidence started to crumble immediately, but he attempted to maintain his composure.  He stopped walking and turned to look at Will.  He couldn’t see much more than the outline of his face.  “Uh—I mean, if you would like to.  Kiss me, that is.  You may do so.”

“Oh,” Will said.  “I.  Um, yes.  I would like to.  If you would like it, as well.”

Nico almost sighed in relief, but he did his best to keep his demeanor suitably indifferent.  “Well, you are permitted.”

He heard Will clear his throat.  “But...would you like me to...?”

Nico did his best to keep his frustration under control, but said, “I—Lord William, I would not have given you permission if I found the idea less than appealing.”

“So...you want me to?”

“Oh, for the love of Rhea!  I order you to kiss me.”

“Right, of course.  Then, if you don’t mind, um....”

Will’s face came closer.  Nico tilted his chin up expectantly, then closed his eyes when he felt Will’s breath against his lips.   Finally!   screamed a voice in his head.  He had been waiting for months with absolutely no progress, and now—at last—he was about to succeed.  But for a moment, Will merely stood there and Nico began to wonder if something had gone wrong.  Then the moment passed and Will closed the gap between them.

The kiss was quick.  Will pecked Nico’s lips and then drew back immediately, fixing his gaze on his shoes.  It felt nice, though.  Annoying, as well, because although Nico’s knowledge about kissing was lacking, he felt sure that Will hadn’t done it properly.  Even still, it was nice.  Will had kissed him shyly and bashfully and Nico thought that it was very like Will to kiss like that.  Even if it had been mildly annoying, Nico wouldn’t have liked it any other way.

“Was that alright?” Will asked.

“Yes,” Nico answered quickly, his voice coming out more squeaky than he expected.  “It was very nice.”

“I, um, also enjoyed it.”

Nico cleared his throat.  “Would you like to do it again?”

“Oh, uh, now?”

“If you would like.”

“And...would you like...?”

“Yes.”

“Right.  Then I’ll....” Will pressed his lips against Nico’s a second time.  It was still brief, lasting less than a second, but it made Nico happy, anyway.

“Another?” Nico asked impulsively.

“Now?”

“Now.  If you’d like.”

“Yes.”

And Will kissed him again.  That time, Nico stopped him from drawing back.

“Keep going,” Nico said, pulling Will closer.  “Don’t stop until you want to.”

Will cleared his throat.  “But...what if I want to never stop?”

“Well...perhaps I want you to never stop.”

“We have to stop at some point.”

“Yes.  At some point.”

And Will kissed him a fourth time, and then a fifth time, and then Nico kissed Will, and then he stopped counting.  To his relief, kissing wasn’t very difficult.  They were learning quickly.  It felt nice; not as dramatic as he had been hoping for, but not disappointing by any means.  The kisses were soft and gentle, just like Will, and Nico concluded that kisses were good that way, too.

Nico would have gladly spent the next several hours practicing with Will, but he knew that Reyna would find particularly brutal ways of punishing him if he made her wait that long.  He could have survived it, but he would not survive the mortification Hedge would put him through if he started lecturing Will again.  Reyna might not be forgiving enough to stop him.

“Perhaps another time when we are alone this way, we can do this again,” Nico suggested, leaning his forehead against Will’s.

“I would like that.”

Nico grinned when he heard the smile in Will’s voice.  “As would I.”

Reyna and Hedge were not pleased.  Nico didn’t particularly care.

It had taken them a while after that to find their way out, even with Asterion’s nose helping them.  Reyna and Hedge had apparently figured out where they had gone at some point, because they were waiting furiously at the exit.  Reyna, who would have usually saved Nico’s lecture for when they were without company, wasted no time scolding him in front of Will.  Nico ignored her.  Hedge tried to scold Will, but Reyna, apparently too angry to tolerate it, shut him up with the reminder that she was the chaperone.  Hedge apparently found her very convincing.

Reyna didn’t stop lecturing him in the carriage, but Nico occupied himself with gazing at Will’s profile instead of listening to her, then he pretended to fall asleep on Will’s shoulder when she started to annoy him.  Eventually, he really did fall asleep on Will’s shoulder.  By the time they got back to Phoebus and Will gently woke him up, Reyna had finally stopped.

The Sun Palace was wide awake despite the late hour.  When the door was opened for them, they were greeted by complete chaos.  The floor of the entrance hall was coated with mud.  An entire herd of pigs—one of them ridden by Kayla—stampeded across the hall and down the corridor.  Apollo and Hyacinthus were arguing about something in a room close by and horrible screeches of a violin came from down the corridor.  Nico heard Chiron yelling at someone not to run indoors, and he found out whom when Michael and Lou Ellen raced through the hall after Kayla and the pigs.  “Don’t tell Lee!” they shouted in unison when they saw Will and Nico at the door.  Meanwhile, Daphne was leaning against the bannister of the staircase, sipping a glass of wine and watching the scene in amusement.  She offered them a wave, which Nico weakly returned.

“Don’t worry; this is normal,” Will sighed in resignation, then he navigated around the mud to escort Nico to his room.

The scene distracted Reyna’s rage for a little while, but as soon as they reached Nico’s room and were left alone inside, she and Hedge wasted no time resuming their lecture.

“Do you expect me to let this pass, Your Highness?” Reyna demanded when Nico suggested they leave to let him sleep.  “I have been lenient as of late, but this was too far.”

“Your Highness, you can’t sneak off like that,” Hedge said.  “I say this for your safety.”

Nico sighed.  “We were in Delphi, Hedge.  What harm could possibly be done in Delphi?”

“Anything could go wrong anywhere, with anyone,” Hedge growled.

“Will wouldn’t hurt me—”

“I’m not talking about Lord Solace hurting you.  I’m saying that you were far away from us in some dark maze where anyone could have been hiding.”

“We didn’t even know where you were,” Reyna added.

“Don’t forget the reason I was assigned to you in the first place, Your Highness,” Hedge said.

Nico looked at his feet.  No, he hadn’t forgotten the attempt on his life that had caused Hades to give Nico his own personal guard unit.  He still had the occasional nightmare about it.

“I...I had Asterion with me,” Nico tried to reason.

“Asterion isn’t a fighter,” Reyna said.  “I don’t doubt that he’d do his best to protect you, but I fear that there’s not much more he’d be able to do than alert us.  The same goes for Lord William.”

“And we would’ve been too far away to help,” Hedge said.  “Pluto can’t lose you, Your Highness.  Please don’t be so reckless.”

Nico sighed.  “I understand,” he relented.  “I’ll do better in the future.”

“And you can’t sneak off alone with that boy!” Hedge added aggressively.

“That was extremely inappropriate behavior,” Reyna said.  “I agree with Hedge this time.”

“Now you’re just being overbearing,” Nico sniffed.  “And anyway, Will and I had a wonderful time together.”

“That is precisely what we are afraid of, Your Highness,” Reyna said.

Nico lifted his chin smugly and grinned.  Reyna’s eyes narrowed.  “What did you do?” she asked.

“I kissed him,” Nico said proudly.

Reyna stared at him.  “You what?”

“I kissed Lord William,” Nico repeated.  “Or, more accurately, he kissed me—”

“He what?” Hedge demanded.

“Because I gave him permission, of course—”

“You what?” they both said in unison.

“Oh, calm yourselves.  You were engaged once, Lady Reyna; didn’t you ever sneak off with your fiancé?  Actually, I’m better off not knowing.”

Reyna didn’t even react to Nico’s goading.  “Your Highness, be sensible.  You, an unwed young man of considerable standing, snuck away from us late at night, in an unfamiliar location, to spend time alone with another unwed man, and now you tell me that he kissed you during this time?”

Hedge punched his palm aggressively, like he was imagining beating Will to a pulp.  “I must speak with Lord Solace about this; that was grossly inappropriate behavior and—”

“I asked him to kiss me,” Nico said with a roll of his eyes.  “He was the perfect gentleman.”

“You asked him to kiss you?” Reyna demanded.

“I really don’t see the problem, Lady Reyna,” Nico said with a frown.

“The problem, Your Highness, is that I have utterly failed as your chaperone!  There’s no telling what depths of trouble I’ll be in when we return to the Palatium de Divitae!”

“Well, why should anyone have to know?” Nico asked.

“Do you suggest we lie, Your Highness?” asked Hedge.

“I’m only suggesting you omit certain elements of the account.  No one saw.” Nico paused and fiddled nervously with the trim on his coat.  “And I’m happy, very happy,” he admitted.  “Please don’t tell.”

Reyna and Hedge exchanged a glance.  After a moment, they both sighed, apparently having come to an agreement.  “If it makes you so happy, then we will allow it to pass this time,” Reyna said.  “Do not expect me to continue to be so generous.  Please use more discretion in the future and take care not to let your courting schemes get in the way of your safety.”

“Of course,” Nico said, but he had no intention of doing so.  In fact, he was already plotting the next time he’d sneak Will away for a kiss or two.

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