#literary necklaces

[revivalofadornment]

𝕺𝖕𝖍𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖆 | "O, woe is me, T'have seen what I have seen, see what I see"

[wesstars]

crush

cairo sweet x fem!reader (no pronouns used)

summary: when cairo goes home, what comes to mind are thoughts of you. wc: 2.3k tags: explicit, minors DNI!! all characters 18+. university au. masturbation, smoking, non-linear narrative. reader is cairo’s teaching assistant, reader described as masc presenting. a/n: let me know what y’all think :) for the vibes

masterlist

“Is Professor Miller not coming?” Winnie had just dropped into her unassigned assigned seat next to Cairo, two minutes before Greco-Roman Literary Theory started. The flipping of pages punctuated the chatter of other students waiting, a comfortable sound.

“He said he’d be gone today,” Cairo replied absently. “There’s a ‘guest lecturer,’ our teaching assistant.”

“Oh, right. Who’s that?”

Cairo shrugged. “Who knows.” 

As if on cue, the door swung open. Cairo didn’t even look up—Miller mentioned that he kept a handful of research assistants that would be there to help with the advanced reading. But honestly, Cairo wasn’t sure what they could tell her that she didn’t already know. A melodic hum fell through the air for just a moment, a chorus. 

“Good morning.” At your lilting voice, rough with the edge of 10am, Cairo started. She watched you set your messenger bag on the desk. Your white shirt pulled over your shoulders; there was a glint at your collar, a necklace peeking through. A thin watch adorned your wrist. Winnie, along with some of the class, echoed your greeting, and Cairo blinked.

Late spring afternoon draped across the furniture in Cairo’s room, the quickly waning light giving easy way to a blue hour. Dropping her bag at the door, she tore off her shirt and skirt with the confidence of one standing before a crowd. Running a hand up from her sternum to her neck, she stretched languidly, sinking down onto her bed. After so many uneventful days—when she applied to Yale, she didn’t think that there would be any uneventful days—she finally had a story to turn over in her mind. 

You. You were a mystery. Even as you had started the class with an introduction, telling Cairo you’d graduated from a middle-of-nowhere college in California and sought a writing career in Vermont before delving into research, she longed to lay out the details and pull them out from under the rug. Where did you learn to teach? Did you like to drive, or be driven? Mountains, or the sea? Where did you grow up? Was there coffee or tea in your cupboard? Cairo’s stomach burned to know. Her dark eyes burned the ceiling with smoke signals, searching for you even though you were god knows where in that seaside state.

Arching her back, Cairo let her hand travel down, palm flat against her stomach, to trace the seam of her upper thigh. As the class had progressed, your keenly observant nature did not elude Cairo. Maybe listening was something that your pedagogy instilled in you, but the way you held each student’s question in the cant of your head, an answer in your crinkling eyes, listening seemed to be in your nature. It was meticulous, the way you picked apart the class text, weaving in references and tying it all in. In that two hour lecture, Cairo learned that you watched the same way you listened. 

Balmy as it was, the humidity made her dark waves cling to her skin, and she shivered as she brushed them back, thinking of a different pair of slim hands. Your scrutiny of each student had an intention that she couldn’t quite place; a determination that thrilled her. Cairo imagined that you’d observe her the same way, that she would be the one you were most fond of. It was only natural that her own attention would draw yours onto her. Holding the weight of your envisioned gaze made Cairo’s core twist, a pleased little flush that she prayed you could see. Your affected impartiality didn’t bother Cairo—in fact, it pulled her into your shadow. In her bed, she rolled onto her stomach then her knees, shaking her hair out. 

Her hands were steady as she reached for her bedside table, thumb rolling on the wheel of her zippo as she held the cigarette to her lips. Cairo took a drag, blowing out neat smoke rings as she settled back on her heels. The skin of her own fingers was cool against her lips, and when she took the smoke away, she studied the pattern of her lipstick on the white paper as she had so many times before.

She’d watched, unabashedly and unafraid of being caught, as you drummed your fingers on the chalk tray. Would your fingertip be soft or work hardened if it pressed down her tongue? Would your skin carry the stain of her red lip as deeply, as obediently, as the malleable wrapping paper?

“Alright, class,” you cleared your throat, turning slowly around the room to make eye contact with each student. “As you know, Jonathan’s away on a conference today. I’ll start with a bit of roll, just so I can learn your names. Not many of you come to my office hours, I know.” You smiled easily. It was so guileless, Cairo mused, nearly childlike. You had the class go around the rooms with names and majors, a circuit that Cairo gave no attention to other than your lilting rhythm of hums, the tapping of your foot on the floor, the way you flicked the corner of the role sheet with your thumb. Your gaze was soon on hers, waiting expectantly. She looked right back with a blink.

“Cairo Sweet. English major.”

“Cairo.” Her name rolled off your innocent little grin, making her cock her head. “Wonderful.” Fascinating. Would you whisper midnight black desires in her ear, so deep and dark they might be murmured into the ink of your own empty room?

You continued, circling back to the front and easily transitioning to the lesson plan. You had an awfully effortless way of grasping the class’ attention, holding gently and never forcing. It wasn’t like Professor Miller, who always seemed to hasten through the lecture so he could return to his research. She could tell you liked the woods of the text, to fall down into the depths of each word, feeling its weight in you and letting it rock. Just like Cairo. 

She sighed into the warm air prickling up her skin, the curl of your voice around her name making her nipples harden in her bralette, even in retrospect. Exhaling around her cigarette, Cairo brought her hands up to palm her breasts, feeling the drag of her rubied nubs on her palms. Was it the high of the nicotine, the blur of smoke ridden air that made her float straight up into the lofty space you’d created in her mind? Though the feel of her own fingers scraping the lace against her skin was familiar, she found herself keen to think of your soft or callused hands. She was wet already, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d gotten wet so fast.

The weight she imagined of your touch on her flushed skin was completely, deliciously foreign. Unbidden but intimately welcome, Cairo wished that your caress would find the map of her chest as familiar as a classic, something you had searched a million times over yet always managed to find something new. Shamelessly, Cairo trailed her fingers down her stomach, nails catching on every rib as she arched her back in the spilled moonlight. The mystery in the crossing of your long legs as you’d leaned back on the desk climbed up her belly, curling in the thump, thump, thump, of her heart. The uneven roll of your sleeves clung to the corners of her eyes, eidetic and oh, so, tempting. She had watched you so ardently—did you like to watch? Would you watch? 

The space between her thighs was achingly empty, craving the set of your narrow hips. She was comfortable there, and she remembered the taut stretch of wool as you dropped into your chair and set one ankle over your knee. There was something endearing about the way your trousers had pulled up to reveal slouchy black socks, and darker her mind went as the material pulling creases around your lap made her shudder and—she reached behind to pull one of her fluffy pillows under her, smoke billowing into the air. 

Cairo gave her hips an experimental roll, imagining it was the soft fabric of your slacks against her aching cunt, and grinned around her cigarette. Unlike the pillow, you would be ever so solid under her, grabbing for her thighs like a dog yearns to please. Were you more likely to bruise her skin, yanking her into you without care for blood—or would you guide her gently, make a home in her innocence and hold her more dearly than life ever could? Either way, your desire for Cairo would be so apparent that you couldn’t help yourself.

The dip of your tongue in her navel, the little smirk you’d undoubtedly wear as you went down further—would you go for her throbbing clit first, or would your lips press so warm—she didn’t know. She didn’t have to, content with all those different versions of you unfurling before her. In her bedroom, each time she moved her hips, it became easier to imagine you guiding her actions, the bump of your nose on her folds, damned if not addicting.

Cairo grinned as she fell onto her forearms, hips pushing into the soft pillow without abandon. The slide of her panties soaked with slick against her sensitive clit felt like the delicate press of your splayed hand on her desk as you’d passed, eyes occupied by the text you were holding. It had only been a split second, but it was enough for her to memorize every crease, every vein. Cairo let out a whine, a demanding little sound, as her movements grew erratic. Looking up into the heaven where you must be, she imagined that you’d murmur to her, “I’m here, I’m here, how could I be anywhere else but here?” as you traced the dip in her back. Her arousal took her down every sullied path she’d ever dreamed of, but her mind stuck on one gesture that made her mouth go dry. 

She remembered the way your shirt got just a bit untucked when you stretched during the class break. You’d instinctively tucked it back in, quick as you surveyed the class. Cairo thought that you’d dress yourself back up the same way after you bent her over the desk after class, pushing her skirt up and shoving your fingers into her, painting bruises onto her hip bones with how tight you held her.

The two of you would share a mutual understanding that she wanted this, wanted it bad enough for you to take it whenever you saw fit. Cairo decided that today, this time, you’d be as rough as you pleased, a cup of pens clattering to the ground as you pushed her down, forearm across her shoulder blades. Your necklace would be cold on her warm skin, would it be cold on her tongue? You’d put two, three fingers inside, humming in that absentminded way you did. She thought you’d nuzzle into her ear, all lips and sharp teeth, asking if she’d sprayed your favorite hair mist of hers because she hoped you’d notice—she did—and take her, break her, whatever you wanted. 

You’d send her plummeting down towards a deeper hell (or was it higher, up to your majestic heaven?), already knowing everything that her body needed. Cairo imagined herself coming so helplessly around the stretch of your fingers, so high strung from nights of trying to mimic the press of your touch on her clit, unable to reach the same heights you sent her to. As she held back tears, eyes on the ceiling in reverence, feeling herself drip to the floor, you’d sigh as your mind wandered to other things already, carelessly running a hand down her back. 

Cairo gasped, dropping her nearly finished cigarette in favor of gripping the bed sheets. The white fabric wrinkled around her fingers, reminiscent of your shirt creasing as you’d rolled your sleeves up. This was something new you could show her, just how fast she could come and just how wet it made her. It was a marvel, feeling the fabric cling to her cunt, almost as good as how you’d feel. Resting her forehead in the crook of her elbow, she murmured your name over and over again, a little susurrus of a litany, so similar to your preoccupied hum. Panting, Cairo giggled in her bliss, soft and bright as Californian oranges clinging to rich leaves. You were dark enough to be tucked into the wrinkles in the soft pillow, dark enough for Cairo to love, as a journal loves a secret.

Sated, Cairo grabbed her phone and typed your name in. The results spilled out, and she scrolled, looking for all of the details in the background of your social media posts, curiously drunk on the year’s gap in your CV. Cairo noticed the perfect little circle where the cigarette had burned when she dropped it, and she brushed away the remnants. The gesture smeared the ash on the sheets.

—

Walking into your office with barely a knock, Cairo took in the familiar room of an academic, but with your unfamiliar knick knacks around the place. A lighter, a leather wallet, glasses and wired headphones. You didn’t look surprised as you glanced up from your laptop. Instead, you smiled. 

“Cairo, isn’t it?” 

A flush of pleasure shot straight into her—you remembered. She nodded. Your shelves were covered in books and stacks of reviews, the morning’s leftover cup of coffee sitting on one of the ledges. Did you smoke before, or after your coffee? The terrible, terrible want to replace the taste of smoke on your tongue with the taste of her gave Cairo just the confidence she needed. 

“What can I do for you?”

Cairo leaned over your desk, watching the way your eyes dropped to her burgundy lipstick. “Would you be able to help me on the Aristophanes reading?” She pushed her copy of The Clouds towards you. “I can’t seem to grasp it.” Your eyes met hers. “Of course.”

--

a/n cont'd: can you read my mind, i’ve been watching you… there’s just something about you, baby… ♪ / hope you enjoyed @woewriting :)

please do not repost, reproduce, copy, translate, or take from my work in any way. thank you!

masterlist

[thewritetofreespeech]

hello. I read your bg3 marriage headcanons and was wondering if you could do a follow-up on what their first anniversary would be like? also add rolan, even though he wasn't in the original. only if you want to.

BG3 - 1st Anniversary Headcanons

[original ask in question X]

Gale

What does Gale ‘grand gestures are my love language’ Dekarios have planned for your first anniversary? Oh nothing special.

Just all your favorite meals cooked & ready for you. Starting with breakfast in bed. A small, light picnic at your favorite shoreline spot to watch the tides come in and enjoy the sea air. Ending with a romantic candlelight dinner that would put some of the finest Baldurian restaurants to shame.

He gives you a book of love poems as your present. Paper is traditional for the first anniversary after all. It is furthermore inscribed with his own, original poem on the front cover for you.

Astarion

He actually isn’t aware it’s your anniversary. Until he is reminded by someone. It’s not that it’s not important to him. Astarion has just never celebrated one before. How could he, when none of his previous lovers ever even stayed the whole night?

He has to work fast. But luckily Astarion is extremely clever and resourceful.

Playing it off like it was his plan all along to ‘pretend’ to forget, only for you to be further surprised is simply part of his plan. He plays it off so well that you believe him when he tells you that he got you a new necklace because ‘it reminded him of your eyes’. He makes a mental note to remember next year and be more genuine in his efforts.

A!Astarion

Of course, Astarion remembers the day you officially became his. Body, soul, and now legally.

Part of it may just be the celebration of having something that’s his. He hasn’t had anything for so long that he goes overboard. And with you, his most prized treasure, he can’t help it either.

The day, like all your days, is just about the two of you. He has a portrait commissioned for the two of you and commits to having one done every year, so you remember what you look like & how happy you are together. The old ones are kept in an archive below for safe keeping.

Wyll

He’s been looking forward to this day almost as much as getting married to you, the love of his life.

If he chose to stay in the Gate and become the new Grand Duke Ravengard, Wyll will host a ball so that you can celebrate with all those you hold dear. Old and new friends. He has the bard’s college compose a new song to commemorate the occasion, one that he can lead his partner out to the dance floor with and waltz them around all night.

If he went to Avernus to continue as the Blade, they will waltz together, alone, on the stoney rocks of the Hells. While Wyll hums a private tune between them to keep the music going.

Halsin

Halsin isn’t much for ceremonies or constructs of time. Nature and time move hand-in-hand with one another without making much note of their relationship, and he feels that they should do the same.

But…he can appreciate that something like this should be marked & remembered.

He will make time to get away from his duties as ‘Daddy Halsin’ to be a husband for a while; no matter how short it might be. He carves them a beautiful ornament. Something of a remembrance of their year to hang on a tree by their home. Halsin tells them that he hopes, one day, it will be filled with as many happy memories as leaves. The tree growing as with their love for years to come.

+Rolan

Who has time for such frivolities? Rolan has an acclaimed magic shop & literary archive to run, along with the magical commitments he has as the new caretaker of Ramazith's Tower. Surely, as his partner, they must understand that.

Lia gives him an extremely firm talking to about how selfish and narrow-minded he is being. That it’s not just about him anymore it’s about them.

Though Rolan will never admit that she’s right, he does make it up to his spouse. Apologizing to them for being so callous and making an effort to be more ‘traditionally romantic’. He presents them with a single white rose. Enchanted, so that it will never die, never wilt, and never fade. “It will always be as pure and radiant as my love for you. Should I forget to tell you every day, look upon it and remember. Though, I will try to remember to tell you everyday until my last ones.”

[crazy-ache]

SJM, you ain't slick with your elucien references...

One of my favorite things about the way Sarah has set up Elucien so far is that she has put some of her favorite influences into their slow-burning set up. Specifically the deliberate use of pearls.

Fact: We know Lucien was inspired by Jamie Frasier from the Outlander series. And Sarah is a BIG fan of both Jamie and the series.

Jamie gifts Claire a pearl necklace on their wedding night.

Fact: We know Sarah is a huge fan of the book Jane Eyre. To the point, she's re-read the book many, many times and has listened to the audiobook several times as well.

She even gives us a big clue they're playing an influence with these two quotes.

[from Jane Eyre] “I have a strange feeling with regard to you. As if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly knotted to a similar string in you. And if you were to leave I'm afraid that cord of communion would snap. And I have a notion that I'd take to bleeding inwardly. As for you, you'd forget me.”

vs.

[from ACOWAR] “It felt … strange,” Elain breathed. “Like you pulled on a thread tied to a rib.” Lucien exposed his palms to her. “I’m sorry.” Elain only stared at him for a long moment. 

Mr. Rochester gifted Jane Eyre pearls during their first wedding ceremony (which she then rejected/ran away from for some time, but he clung to them in longing and love for her). Remember, this is a love story. When they're reunited, she accepts them this time, and they are married as husband and wife.

This is actually paralleled with Elain being avoidant to the pearl earrings at first, as she will not accept them until she accepts her new identity and her bond.

Side note: Jane wore a pearl brooch before she got the necklace. Much like Elain had the pearl ring and barrettes in the Hewn City.

I love seeing her literary influences show up in her set up Elucien. Last fun fact: my husband gifted me pearl earrings as a wedding gift. There is so much romantic symbolism of the pearl itself, the extravagance of the jewelry, and the historical association of jewelry with marriage and courting. I have a feeling the pearls will play a role in their book one day.

[my-name-is-apollo]

So, Apollo and jewellery!!

I want to start off by saying that Apollo (or any male god, really) wearing jewellery is not a common occurrence in the ancient greco-roman art forms. So there's not a lot you can get, but I've put together whatever I've found so far.

On the vase paintings, you'll find body chains across his chest and there's bracelets too:

^ He also has a leg bracelet in this one

In this painting, along with a body chain and a bracelet, there's a thigh band and a finger ring as well.

Then we have waist belts. I did entertain the possibility of this being an embroidered belt. However in the first image, the belt is gilded with gold, so imo it's meant to be a belt with gilded gold, if not made entirely of gold.

In this Etruscan painting representing Apollo going to/coming back from Hyperborea on a swan, he's wearing necklaces.

Apollo wearing a necklace and an arm band seems to be a fairly common sight in the Etruscan art (so Aplu, technically ig), as seen in these two statuettes:

and some Etruscan mirror arts:

Now moving onto the diadems! A diadem referred to something you could tie your hair with - it could be a ribbon, a wreath of fresh leaves, or a jewelled wreath/head piece - it's the last one that I'm counting as jewellery. Diadems like the one Apollo is wearing below were usually worn by noblewomen.

You can also find depictions of Apollo with a jewelled wreath on his head. They resemble a laurel wreath, but they're made of gold, and have gems embedded. Here's a statue for example:

There are also Roman frescos and mosaics that show you what it actually looks like in color.

And here, you can see not just a gold diadem, but also bracelets on both his hands as well as anklets on his legs:

And there's what seems to be earrings as well? But honestly I'm not that sure, it could just be a damage on the fresco (even if that's the case, we can still appreciate the winged eyeliner amirite)

There's also this fresco of Apollo judging a beauty contest between Venus and Hesperus. Here he is not wearing a gold wreath, but there is a gold band upon his head:

And unlike other pieces of jewellery, you'll find literary references as well for Apollo's diadem:

"When Apollo was born, Zeus equipped him with golden headband and lyre and gave him also a chariot of swans to drive" – Alcaeus, Hymn to Apollo (trans. David A. Campbell)

"Apollo puts his hair in order by shaping his flowing locks with soft foliage and braiding it with a golden diadem." – Virgil, Aeneid 4 (trans. Ingo Gildenhard)

"...he fastens bay about his lyre and the woven brilliance of his coronet, and ungirds his breast of the pictured girdle..." – Statius, Thebaid 6 (trans. J. H. Mozley)

"But you will say, Phoibos has a goldgleaming diadem." – Nonnus, Dionysiaca 4 (trans. William Henry Denham Rouse)

[Inscription]: "Apollo the mighty, Lord incomparable of the Diadem, who hath set up statues of the Gods in this kingdom" – Ammianus Marcellinus, History 17 (trans. John Carew Rolfe)

[Inscription]: "Mighty Apollo, seated upon truth, Lord of the Diadem, who hath gloriously honoured Egypt as his peculiar possession" – Ammianus Marcellinus, History 17 (trans. John Carew Rolfe)

And that's pretty much everything I've come across so far. I was a bit surprised at the lack of literary references for the effeminate gods. Not just Apollo, even Dionysus' effeminacy is described by his fair face and long hair and perfumed garments, and there are no mentions of jewellery afaik. But of course, just like with Apollo, you can find jewellery on Dionysus in the visual arts.

[ipseitydelrey]

headcanons: dating spencer reid ♡

(i’m so totally normal about this man)

ship spencer reid x gn!reader

warnings mentions of schizophrenia & alzheimer’s

a/n thought this would be a good first post! interaction would be appreciated, but your readership would be enough! enjoy~

★ he regularly gives you books he has read, completed with small annotations.

★ to go with the previous headcanon, you would give him more modern books you enjoy as opposed to the classical/foreign ones he gifts.

★ expect for your first couple of dates to be more awkward (he has definitely asked derek for advice on more than one occasion).

★ he makes it a point to learn all that he can about whatever you like at the moment, even if he himself isn't into it/doesn't understand the appeal. it's mostly just so he can connect with you more and to share fun facts about your interests.

★ he's awful at cooking, but once or twice, he has definitely attempted to cook a homemade meal for you two as a romantic gesture. you both decided that what he made wasn't edible, but you appreciated the attempt and ordered takeout instead.

★ weekly bookstore visits! half of the time you would go to barnes & noble for your literary needs, but you two also enjoy supporting local bookstores (+ they tend to have rare books too).

★ when you two are cuddling, he loves it when you run your fingers through his hair and give him a head massage; it really helps with his migraines.

★ convention is in town? best believe that you two are wearing matching cosplays, especially if the characters you're dressing up as is canonically a couple.

★ spencer doesn't just ask derek; he also asks penelope and jj for advice too.

★ on the first couple of dates he generally avoided touching, but now? he can't get enough of you, how warm you are and how soft your hands are.

★ much like how he tends to go on a tangent, he loves it and listens intently whenever you infodump about a topic you're interested in.

★ antique stores! you both find the atmosphere lovely and you would get gifts for each other there.

★ his love language is praise, both giving and receiving. he wants to make sure you feel loved and wanted. even when it's something small, like getting him coffee for example, he'll go on and on about how wonderful you are, how good you are to him and how much he loves and adores you.

★ on the receiving end, he'll absolutely melt if you give him reassurance that you reciprocate his love. and if you hold him — cup his cheeks or wrap your arms around his waist — while whispering praises? as emily said, IQ of 187 slashed down to 60.

★ the first time he said "i love you" was sort of an accident. he had just come back from a case and he was so tired that he collapsed into your arms and you had to drag him to bed. you were making sure he was comfortable and in his delirious state he mumbled "love you" in the sleepiest voice imaginable.

★ movie nights! whenever it's his turn, he either picks some pretentious, foreign language, criterion collection, 3+ hour film...or he just puts on reruns of star trek or doctor who.

★ when you moved in with him, you both had to buy another bookshelf. both because of the books strewn around spencer's apartment that were unable to be shelved due to overcrowding, and to fit your books there too.

★ he's super worried about doing something wrong. this is probably his first actual serious relationship, so he's being extra cautious to not accidentally insult or hurt you. over time, he learns to relax around you but the worry is still there, just in small doses.

★ he doesn't really like PDA, but he makes up for the lack of it with tons of hugs, kisses, and close contact in private (specifically at home, but anywhere private will do).

★ whenever you two go out and you want to wear formal attire, he'll help you with putting it on! he'll zip up your dress, help tie your tie, fasten your necklace, maybe help with cuff links. he absolutely loves being able to assist you with anything, no matter how small.

★ he was definitely worried when he brought you to go meet his mom for the first time, so he made sure to pick a day where she would be in one of her good moods and also told you everything he knows about schizophrenia and alzheimer's. he was thankfully relieved when his mom liked you and vice versa.

★ a bit corny, but he loves reciting love poems to you. this can also extend to passages from books that discuss romantic love; he has an eidetic memory after all and he's going to put it to good use!

[elrielffs]

Alright. We'll talk about the necklace and how you can't use a piece of jewelry designed and bought for another woman as a literary device in romance to indicate the passing of the torch for love.

The necklace is described as beautiful but unremarkable.

Just like how people see Elain in story and out, that Elain is beautiful but there's not much to her--she's boring and sweet.

But when the light hits the necklace, the true depth of the colors show.

Just like when we finally shine a light Elain aka her book, we'll see she has depth and there is more to her than being sweet, gardening, and baking. That's what SJM has been building around Elain--that she's finally grown claws (Nesta says), that once Elain is free to be who she wants to be, we'll see a different side of her (Rhysand says).

And the fact that Azriel designed this necklace for her let's us and her know that Azriel already knows this about Elain. Knows she has depths. That he sees her, really sees her past her looks to who she is. Secret, lovely, beauty. The beauty here is not Elain's attractiveness, but the beauty of her soul.

The necklace is a metaphor of Elain. It's literally a rose.

It can't be used as a literary device to indicate Azriel's interest from one woman to another because

That's gross.

He didn't even give it to Gwyn with intent or an accident directly and even told Clotho to give it to anyone and we don't get to see Gwyn's reaction to it even.

We got blatant descriptions of Gwyn's neck and wrist and she's not wearing it.

The fact that secret, lovely, beauty was repeated at the end with Gwyn doesn't mean that the whole thing had always been about her.

The necklace is still about Elain no matter where it is because the necklace is one glaring metaphor for Elain and chiseling away and slap dash a metaphor for another woman on top of it doesn't work. Gwyn is not associated with roses, Gwyn cannot wear Elain around her neck. (And also what a constant reminder to Azriel of Elain every time he would look at Gwyn. Nice romance.)

A secret, lovely, beauty was there to make you sit up and notice that something was going on (Lightsinger)

[lady-embers]

That necklace used in Azriel's Bonus Chapter?

It was a literary device meant to show us the ending of one *possible* pairing and the beginning of a new and brighter one.

It's that simple.

[lovemyromance]

How do people not see the description of the necklace in Azriel's bonus chapter ... the "secret lovely beauty" is a metaphor for Elain...?

Do these people genuinely think Azriel is just randomly out here being poetic about a NECKLACE? Not why he picked the necklace specifically for ELAIN???

Why are we acting like we can't pick up on basic literary devices now? Don't these people claim to have 79000 English degrees ???

[sthenoaloraquest]

🌩 Onyx Storm Spoilers and Theories

The Zehyllna Zinhal Gift Game

The "gift" game seems to be predictions for the future of all the characters that are still alive and played it.

Mira, being the first to pick, gets a wine bottle. At the end of ch. 58, her throat gets sliced, and she is actively bleeding out.

Maren receives two orange tunics. I am assuming to spot where her brothers are when the last Venin attack happens and she goes to save them.

Dain gets slapped. Now, either he is betrayed since people tend to phrase betrayal as a "slap in the face," or it's to the brief pain he encounters when letting Sloane siphon magic from him to give to Brennan. Who could have betrayed him? I think it's Aetos Sr or Panchek. In Xaden's POV, we know Panchek has been feeding venin information. Aetos Sr might have been an accomplice in this.

Garrick is given a rusted steel bucket. At the end of Imogen's POV, she has an idea. I think Garrick collects the alloy-hilted daggers in his bucket.

Aaric receives a fractured hand mirror that cuts his thumb. This I see more as foreshadowing him being a precog. He might be able to see several different scenarios, and one scenario ends in blood shed. (The other thing it could hint at, but I doubt it. Aaric joined the riders quadrant for the same reason Xaden and the marked ones sneaked out weapons. To defend the people of the Continent and defeat the venin. If Aaric was meant to get a second signet for the same reason the marked ones were, he might go insane instead. Other than bad luck, broken mirrors can suggest that something is broken within you.)

Xaden gets an empty box the size of his foot, with pewter hinges and edges. I do not know how big dragon eggs are, but seeing how Violet could give a shell to Courtlyn, i think the box is for the missing dragon eggs. Or forshadowing Xaden fully turning since venin don't have feelings

Violet gets (supposedly) a broken compass with a needle that doesn't point anywhere near north. This could be a few things. She has an argument with Brennan about how she picks to save everyone, and Brennan wants her to pick between saving the people or saving Xaden. She is missing 12 hours of information at the end of the book and lost her sense of direction. Or her fighting between not wanting to be a leader and being a leader.

Cat is given a gold necklace with a dangling ruby the size of Violet's thumb. Two things: either, she ends up dangling off the side of a cliff, or the ruby might be something special to use as a bargaining chip to get information from someone.

Drake is given Broccoli or "the claw." Drake went back to Cordyn (with broccoli, RY hinted to that in an interview), and who is Tecarus close too? Courtlyn. And what was Courtlyn's beautiful creature? Panthers. Drake might be working in getting Courtlyn to join the war somehow or secure trade of weapons from Violet's deal.

(And to whoever reads this, I know what you're thinking: "But stheno you're forgetting someone." No, I'm not. I'm just actively avoiding it and will not be putting bad vibes out there against Ridoc "good thing I fuck like a third/I hate sewing/I kept the inside voices on the inside" Gamlyn. I know what it could mean in a literary sense, but I'm going to think of it as he gets a great idea and someone kisses him on the mouth for it. Point. Blank. Period. With a scenario as innocent as that, why analyze it? He makes it out alive in book four, ok? OK?!.......... ok, I need to calm down and touch some grass 😂)

[leth-writes]

The Cullens with a human s/o

Edward

• we've already seen his behavior with Bella, but I think in general he'd try his hardest to stay away

• If you're a more dominant personality, I can see you confronting him for his behavior and him being cowed into making a decision

• If you have a quieter personality, I can see Alice pushing him into talking to you.

• When given an ultimatum, I think he ultimately wouldn't be able to avoid the person he's truly interested

• once you get past that first large roadblock, the relationship is filled with Edward's sardonic and self-depreciating humor

• He whispers little quips to you in class, trying to get you to smile; it's his life's purpose

• He tries so hard to make the relationship seem perfect

• any time anything goes wrong he's using it as token justification as to why you shouldn't date him

• obsessed with classical allusions; you'll be compared to a whole variety of literary characters (as a romantic at heart, he often compares you to Juliet. He wishes he could cross that species gap)

• incredibly dedicated

• you'll get a whole host of gifts: bracelets, necklaces, music, any hobbies you two share...

• NEVER rings. he's saving that for marriage. He already has it picked out :)

• study classical music and surprise him with your knowledge. You'll catch a rare genuine smile instead of his usual wistful grimace.

Alice

• She's already seen you coming for years

• She stresses and spends ages just flipping through possible futures, making sure your first moments will be perfect together

• As someone who lacks a past, she's enamored with your history, so be prepared to have any childhood photos devoured and displayed in her room

• She dresses perfectly for your first meeting, aiming to complement whatever outfit you're wearing perfectly

• Unfortunately, all that preparation doesn't save her from being a little awkward; she's weirdly intense for someone who doesn't know her

• She has every vision of you memorised, so she sometimes lets something slip you know you never told her

• this results in you pulling away and her being heartbroken and determined to fix the relationship

• Thus, she takes you to a beautiful spot in the forest, timed perfectly so she glitters just right. You're so in awe that you temporarily forget your grievances

• She promises not to skip forward and learn everything about you, and spends days answering any questions you ask to even the playing field

• She's dedicated to matching your wardrobe

• She's already decorated her room to match your tastes :)

Jasper

• Jasper had to practice. A lot. Alice warned him to prevent any... accidents

• He plays up his drawl, knowing many find it quite attractive

• He acts as a soothing balm in any uncomfortable situations, which is a blessing if you have anxiety

• He tries to tone down the staring, but has to be told over and over that humans find it weird when you stand outside their house at night

• He doesn't go very long without telling you

• Without Alice's help, he shows you in a withered field (he wanted to show off his speed); this convinces you he's going to commit murder.

• After everything is cleared up, he won't stop apologizing for scaring you

• he strives to fix his behavior to be as welcoming as possible

• Alice decks him in cozy knit sweaters, often green, and corderoy pants.

• Eventually you can sense how tense he is all the time and ask him to be himself

• He finds that happy balance eventually :)

Rosalie

• Rosalie can be intimidating at first, and she wields this like a shield

• but she would never want to scare you, so she turns it down slightly when talking to you

• anytime a guy approaches, she glares so harshly it's like she wants them to vaporize

• please ask her to stop she's terrifying the local population

• She's hyper-aware of potential predators and has to be convinced not to go on a spree, just like she did all those years ago

• Carlisle gets her to submit some evidence to Charlie Swan instead so they won't have to move

• Edward breathes a sigh of relief and she almost attacks him

• Rosalie is happy to fix your car or even spend the afternoon just working on one of hers while you talk to her, perched on the counter in the garage

• She loves listening to your voice, and isn't even always paying attention.

• She loves that you see her for who she really is, not many do.

• She isn't as shallow as everyone thinks, she just doesn't have much of a reason to show everyone her true self

• She's not turning you. Don't ask.

To be continued :)

[tenthmuseondine]

The Back Pearl of Braavos and 16th century Venetian Fashion:

There is a common consensus among fans that Braavos - a city sited on a group of small islands that are linked by bridges and walkways, divided by canals, channels and waterways of varying size - is heavily inspired by Italian mercantile/maritime republics, of which Venice is the most famous.

Furthermore, the canal-based, inter-connecting island architecture is not the only similarity between Braavos and Venice; both cities are famed for their courtesans.

Indeed in 16th century, Venice was famed for its many elaborately dressed and coiffed courtesans; Veronica Franco (1546–1591) is a famous example! She developed her position in Renaissance Venetian society as a cortigiana onesta (Honest Courtesan), known for her notable clientele, feminist advocacy, literary contributions, and philanthropy.

Her fictional parallel in ASOIAF could be Bellegere Otherys II - one of the famed courtesans in Braavos (the other being Daughter of the Dusk). We know Bellegere comes from a family of courtesans, bearing the title of Black Pearl of Braavos - a moniker borne by a descendant of Bellegere Otherys I, the first Black Pearl, a pirate queen who became a mistress of Aegon IV Targaryen.

The eldest bastard daughter of King Aegon IV and Bellegere, Bellenora Otherys, became a courtesan under the same name. Bellenora's descendants became courtesans as well, each eventually bearing the name "Black Pearl".

We can also assume that Bellegere is rather wealthy, owning her own barge and servants to pole her to trysts and when purchasing three cockles from Arya, who is disguised as Cat of the Canals, paying ten times what the cockles are worth. This wealth is directly reflected in her clothing!

"She was so lovely that the lamps seemed to burn brighter when she passed. She had dressed in a low-cut gown of pale yellow silk, startling against the light brown of her skin. Her black hair was bound up in a net of spun gold, and a jet-and-gold necklace brushed against the top of her full breasts." (TWOW, Mercy)

The aforementioned "low-cut gown" immediately brings to mind the 16th century gowns worn by Venetian courtesans!

Look at this art print of a Venetian Courtesan (Cortigiana Veneta) published by Pietro Bertelli in 1591.

Notice the incredibly low and exposed neckline of the gown!

It is important to mention, however, that not only courtesans dressed this way. Venetian noblewomen of the 16th century also bared their breasts in keeping with the fashion of the day.

For example, look at this art print of a Venetian Bride (Sposa Veneta), also by Pietro Bertelli. There is virtually no difference; perhaps that is why the civic authorities decried the courtesans' deliberately misleading resemblance to 'honest women.'

In some portrayals, the Venetian woman's neckline opens almost immediately below the breast!

In Dress of Venetian Women (Habiti delle Donne Venetiane) ca. 1591–1610, the engravings done by Giacomo Franco show ornately dressed courtesans and respectable women, all of whom sport very low cut bodices.

In the second plate we see a depiction of parentado, or the ritual presentation of a bride to her relations. Here, a bride in a richly embroidered dress wearing pearls and a bejeweled crown is presented by her ballerino, a dance instructor who prevented the woman from toppling over in her chopines, or platform shoes.

In conclusion, in depicting Bellegere Otherys - the Black Pearl of Braavos - I would most definitely illustrate her wearing a gown inspired by 16th century Venetian dress (worn by both courtesans and noblewomen). She'd look rather striking I think.

[mdzsxperience]

☆ Wei Wuxian's names etymology

Here's a complete post on the etymology of our beloved Wei Wuxian's various names. I've always appreciated how authors would give out names that fit their characters so well, which is why I chose to share this.

▷ Wei Wuxian Master Profile.

Birth Name - Wei Ying 魏嬰

Wei 魏 (wèi) – tower over a palace gateway; from the radicals 鬼 "ghost" & 委 "entrust/shift". His surname Wei primitively meant “ghosts and spirits” (the radical 委 means spirit and 鬼 means ghost). After it became a royal family name, it is to this day used to describe something as “grand, tall, or mighty”. The surname Wei is familiar to history majors, as it’s one of the three nation-states in the Three Kingdoms Period. The original meaning of the word 魏 is grand and majestic – the left half of that character means god or entrust, while the right half means ghost. Fitting surname for a grandmaster who deals with the deceased.

Ying 嬰 (yīng) - infant. Wei Ying’s formal name Ying 嬰 literally means babe. In ancient times it used to also refer to necklaces. Historically there are at least a handful of well-known figures with that name. The Taoist term YuanYing 元嬰 refers to a state of primordial transcendence, often considered an intermediate phase on the path toward deity WWX’s birth name Ying (婴) commonly means “infant”. Another meaning for Ying is “to pester, to touch”. This second meaning derives from a famous piece of literature by Western Jin Dynasty official and writer Li Mi called 「陈情表」 (chén qíng biǎo). The first two words 陈情 are also the name of WWX’s flute. The work describes the story of Li Mi’s grandmother’s great sacrifice to bring him up and his determination to repay her. Today it is one of the most famous literary works for teaching new generations about filial piety, a key Confucian virtue. Even though 陈情 on the surface has two meanings, (1) “to convey one’s inmost feelings”(abbreviation of 陈述衷情) and (2) “former relationship” (abbreviation of 陈旧的情义).

Birth name is rarely used by anyone other than close family members, teachers, and elders in the family, clan, or sect. Using it implies either a certain type of intimacy or a certain type of seniority over the person being spoken to.

Courtesy Name - Wei Wuxian 魏无羨

WuXian 无羨 (wúxiàn) – to have no envy Wu 无 means none, nil, the lack of Xian 羨 means envy. Wuxian is a perfect name for someone who embodies the untamed, envious of none. His outlook on life is never to bemoan his fate, come what may. He doesn’t know the meaning of jealousy. He is complete in and of himself. His courtesy name Wuxian comes from the last line of a poem by Ming Dynasty literati Xu Ben. “即无羡鱼志，外物非所迁” (jí wú xiàn yú zhì, wài wù fēi suǒ qiān) translates as “to be free of envy and aspire to greater heights; not be misguided by honorary reputation and personal gain”.

即 - to seek; aspire. 无羡 - to be free of envy. 鱼志 - derives from the Chinese idiom 鲲鹏之志, originating from a literary work by Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi meaning “to be ambitious”. 外物 - literally means “objects external to the body”, now used to describe personal gain and external honors. 迁 - misguide; led by.

The courtesy name, in The Untamed, is given early on. In many wuxia/xianxia novels, characters don’t receive their courtesy name until they are adults. This is a name friends, acquaintances, and peers (those of equal standing) use.

Title - Yiling Patriarch / Laozu 夷陵老祖

Yiling 夷陵 (yílíng) – a place; 'barbarian mound' YiLing is simply a place name, literally the Yi Hill. However, it sounds a lot more sinister and ghastly in the original language because of the connotations. The character Yi is historically used to refer to barbarous and uncivilized regions to the east of ancient China, while the character Ling refers to hills and mounds of dirt that are often associated with mausoleums. Yeah, it sounds worse than it looks in the show.

Laozu 老祖 (lǎozǔ) – patriarch Laozu doesn’t have anything to do with patriarchy, since the original Chinese is a unisex term. The characters separately mean “old” and “ancestor” but the combined term is typically used about the founder of a religious sect.

This title is about Wei Ying’s place of origin where a grandmaster established himself (people are starting to forget he was from YunMeng originally because they’re so fearful of him) and his unorthodox powers (he’s the first one to successfully harness the dark arts). The reverence is inseparable from abhorrence.

The title is just what it says on the box. It is used to express respect, but also a certain amount of distance. 

Would anyone be interested in Mo Xuanyu's name etymology?

Author Note: I am not an expert in Chinese at all, English isn't my native language either - I hope everything is correct.

▷ MDZS Home Page

[ completed ; 17/07/2024]

★ ⁺. ໒꒰ྀི｡- ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১ ૮꒰˶ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ˶꒱ა ˖⁺‧₊˚

[ohdorothea]

This tournament is being run by and for queer fans so please keep that in mind! Homophobes will be blocked on sight <3 More polls here and more info and lyrics for the songs under the cut!

The question is which song is queerer to you! Queerer can mean whatever you want it to mean; you might consider a song queer because you think it was written that way, or because of Swiftian lore. It might be queer to you because of how you relate it to your own life. Maybe you think from a purely literary standpoint the lyrics have queer themes; maybe you're just thinking about vibes!!!

If you’d like to send in interpretations or propaganda for a specific song you can send them to my inbox! All interpretations are welcome and let’s be open and kind in response to all interpretations <3

🫶🫶🫶

How You Get The Girl lyrics

Oh, oh, oh

Oh, oh, oh

Oh-oh, oh-oh

Oh-oh, oh-oh

Stand there like a ghost, shaking from the rain, rain

She'll open up the door and say, "Are you insane-ane?"

Say it's been a long six months

And you were too afraid to tell her what you want, want

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl

And then, you say

I want you for worse or for better

I would wait forever and ever

Broke your heart, I'll put it back together

I would wait forever and ever

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl

Oh-oh

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl

Remind her how it used to be, be, yeah, yeah

With pictures in frames of kisses on cheeks, cheeks

Tell her how you must have lost your mind, ooh

When you left her all alone, and never told her why, why

And that's how it works

That's how you lost the girl

And now, you say

I want you for worse or for better

I would wait forever and ever (Ever and ever)

Broke your heart, I'll put it back together

I would wait forever and ever (Ever and ever)

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl

Oh-oh

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl, yeah, yeah

And you know, oh, oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh, oh-oh-oh

That I don't want you to go

Remind me how it used to be

Pictures in frames of kisses on cheeks

And say you want me

Yeah, yeah, 'cause (And then you say)

I want you for worse or for better (Worse or for better)

I would wait forever and ever (Ever and ever)

Broke your heart, I'll put it back together

I want you forever and ever

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl ('Cause that's how it works)

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl (Get the girl, that's how it works)

And that's how it works (Oh-oh)

That's how you get the girl, girl (Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh, oh-oh-oh)

And that's how it works

That's how you get the girl, girl (Oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh, oh-oh-oh)

And that's how it works

That's how you got the girl

🫶🫶🫶

Out Of The Woods lyrics

Looking at it now

It all seems so simple

We were lying on your couch

I remember

And you took a Polaroid of us

Then discovered (Then discovered)

The rest of the world was black and white

But we were in screaming color

And I remember thinking

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet?

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods?

Are we in the clear yet? Are we in the clear yet?

Are we in the clear yet? In the clear yet, good

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet?

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods?

Are we in the clear yet? Are we in the clear yet?

Are we in the clear yet? In the clear yet, good

Are we out of the woods?

Looking at it now

Last December (Last December)

We were built to fall apart

And fall back together (Back together)

Ooh, your necklace hanging from my neck

The night we couldn't quite forget

When we decided, we decided

To move the furniture so we could dance

Baby, like we stood a chance

Two paper airplanes flying, flying, flying

And I remember thinking

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet?

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods?

Are we in the clear yet? Are we in the clear yet?

Are we in the clear yet? In the clear yet, good

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet?

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods?

Are we in the clear yet? Are we in the clear yet?

Are we in the clear yet? In the clear yet, good

Are we out of the woods?

Remember when you hit the brakes too soon

Twenty stitches in a hospital room

When you started crying, baby, I did too

But when the sun came up, I was looking at you

Remember when you couldn't take the heat

I walked out, I said, "I'm setting you free"

But the monsters turned out to be just trees

When the sun came up, you were looking at me

You were looking at me, oh

You were looking at me

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet?

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods? (I remember)

Are we in the clear yet? Are we in the clear yet?

Are we in the clear yet? In the clear yet, good (Oh, I remember)

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet? (Yeah)

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods?

Are we in the clear yet? Are we in the clear yet? (Are we?)

Are we in the clear yet? In the clear yet, good

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet?

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods?

Are we in the clear yet? Are we in the clear yet? (Yeah, yeah)

Are we in the clear yet? In the clear yet, good

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet?

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods?

Are we in the clear yet? Are we in the clear yet?

Are we in the clear yet? In the clear yet, good (Do you remember?)

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet?

Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods?

Are we in the clear yet? Are we in the clear yet?

Are we in the clear yet? In the clear yet, good

[shesjustanothergeek]

I was reading over Ch. 9 of TGWCT to get into the vibe of writing and came across these paragraphs:

"The womanly figure he saw within the courtyard was able to be admired. The slope of your elongated neck that still held your necklace led down to your two perfect mounds of flesh, rounded and shaped almost to the teardrops that sparkled on your skin—a soft place to rest your head in comfort. Curves and rolls decorated the rest of your body as he watched you move in time with Jace, bestowing upon Aemond the perfect view of your hips that were sturdy and plush, housing a womb to bear your future husband’s children.

Your body was a picture of the Maiden, Aemond mused, feeling his cheeks heat with growing desire. You were a depiction of a woman, so soft and plump, a perfect contrast that would fit with his muscular and sinewy body. The Prince could imagine your stomach stretched with a child and breasts full of milk as they leaked through pert nipples and onto his tongue."

Like bro 😭 I really wrote that. I captured the essence of a woman. I'm a literary genius!

If only all my paragraphs could be as great as those 😭

[theodditylacey]

oc list and requests ﹒୨𝑒 ﾟ ˖

keith steyes

Pinterest

17 yrs old, blonde, surfer, skater, plays acoustic guitar, loves beaded necklaces, and markets

charlie townsville

Pinterest

18 yrs old, brunette, wears wire-framed glasses, into classic lit and is obsessed with grandpa sweaters

joe solberg

Pinterest

16 years old, works in his family pizza shop, basic in an endearing way, golden retriever type of guy and loves nike sambas

simone visage

Pinterest

19 years old, smokes cigarettes, wears leather jackets, a city girl, insanely cool, into records, fiona apple fan and reads feminist theory

noel visage

Pinterest

16 years old, simone’s younger brother, awkward in a cute way, black hair, thick framed glasses, gangly and tall, super smart, science and math guy, and sweet

requests

you can request scenarios with these characters and i will write for them <3

example:

what it would be like dating charlie

simone helps you in a club bathroom

noel assists you with your homework

also please make sure to specify what type of relationship the oc has to the reader

you can also ask for interactions between characters as they are all in the same literary universe

currently taking no nsfw requests <3

more ocs coming soon!

tagging moots: @daystarpoet, @toooster, @soft-likethesunset, @sofiavaa, @cultclassic111,

@tuliplover222, @forestgromlin, @auntiejohn,

@glxsyymads, @wish-i-were-heather,

@thisfeelslike-iykyk, @rins-batcave, @hearts4ruby, @azzie-mazzie, @hxress23, @scelesticgalimatias