#lord please make 2025 tolerable

[leupagus]

Please note that this fic is going to take the better part of 2024 and probably 2025

(and given my track record might never be done):

Sansa

"Do you like the taste?" asked Littlefinger, watching her closely as she tried the wine. He always watched her closely.

They had stopped at the Inn at the Crossroads; she hadn't wanted to, but she would have had to explain to Littlefinger why. So she had choked down a meal and refused to think about the last time she had come through this way, where the first member of her family had been murdered in the stable while Joffrey had sniveled and lied and shown her, for the first time, who he really was.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about," she answered. "Why do men love it so much?"

Littlefinger shrugged. "It gives some men courage."

"Does it give you courage?"

He smiled, the way he did when she had stung him. He would take his revenge on her somehow, she knew. He was nothing like Joffrey, but there was a smallness to him that reminded her of the king.

The dead king, now.

A flash of armor to her right made her look up; a familiar woman, tall and broad of shoulder in a suit of armor, had approached their table. "Lord Baelish. Lady Sansa. My name is Brienne of Tarth."

Sansa opened her mouth to reply, to tell her she knew who she was, of course she knew. Tyrion had mentioned her often, usually after rebuffing yet another request by the lady of Tarth for an audience with Sansa. I hope you don't mind, and Jaime vouches for her, but Cersei has made it clear she's to go nowhere near you and frankly this giantess makes me a bit nervy. He'd been glad to recount the tale of Lady Brienne and Ser Jaime, traipsing through the Riverlands on their way to King's Landing.

Before Sansa could speak a word, Littlefinger had made some cutting remark, the sort he was so good at. She'd yet to be on the receiving end of any of them but she flinched all the same, watching Brienne's face. Littlefinger was something like Joffrey — and something like herself, too, when she'd been young and pleased at her own wit. Looking back, she knew now that she had only ever been cruel.

Lady Brienne seemed not even to hear Littlefinger; as though he were no more than a gnat to be tolerated until such moment as he could be swatted. She knelt, awkward but not clumsy, and looked earnestly up at her. "Lady Sansa. Before your mother's death, I was her sworn sword. I gave my word I would find you and protect you. I will shield your back and keep your counsel, and give my life for you if needs be. I swear it by the Old Gods and the New."

Would she have given the answering vow? She would never know, because once again Littlefinger was talking, sliding his glance over to Sansa to see what remarks might prompt a reaction. Sansa stayed still and watched as Lady Brienne's attention was at least drawn away, glaring at Littlefinger.

"Strange," Littlefinger was saying. "I knew Cat since the time we were children. She never mentioned you."

"It was after Renly's murder," said Lady Brienne, direct and blunt. She and Sandor would get along well, Sansa thought suddenly. Pity they had never met.

"Ah, yes," said Littlefinger. "You were accused of killing him."

Lady Brienne blushed, a splotchy red spreading across her cheeks. Shame, Sansa thought, but not guilt. "I tried to save him," she spat out. She did not glance over, to see if Sansa would believe her.

"But you were accused."

"By men who did not see what happened."

"And what did happen?"

"He was murdered by a shadow. A shadow with the face of Stannis Baratheon."

"A shadow? With a face?" Littlefinger turned to Sansa, and that was when she knew whatever he was about to say was a lie. "This woman swore to protect Renly. She failed. She swore to protect your mother. She failed." He smirked up at Lady Brienne. "Why would I want somebody with your history of failure guarding Lady Sansa?"

Lady Brienne made a face. "Why would you have any say in her affairs?"

"Because I am her uncle. I married her Aunt Lysa shortly before my beloved's untimely death. We're family now. And you are an outsider. Forgive me, Lady Brienne. But experience has made me wary of outsiders."

She gaped at him, then looked back at Sansa. "Lady Sansa," she said, and paused, as though at a loss for how to convince her. "If we can have a word alone?"

"Yes." Sansa rose, knocking into the table. The goblet of wine spilled and ran down her dress, but she was on her feet at last. The sellswords Littlefinger had brought with him moved in, one of them putting a hand on Lady Brienne's shoulder. She tensed and in just a few seconds there would be bloodshed, there would be someone dead on the floor and it would be her fault.

"Uncle Petyr," she said loudly, her heart rabbiting out of her chest, "Thank you very much for understanding. I will speak with Lady Brienne as you suggest, and then we shall resume our journey."

The sounds of eating and talking died out as faces turned toward her. A round-faced boy came bustling up, a wide, customer-friendly smile pasted on his face. "Is there anything I can help with, milord?" he chirruped.

"A room for the ladies," said Littlefinger, still watching her. She nodded very slightly and his mouth twitched.

"Have you anything on the floor above?" she added, addressing the boy with a nervous glance toward Lady Brienne.

"Er," came the reply, "Yes? Right this way, milady. Miladies."

Sansa leaned toward Littlefinger. He smelled of wine and the oils he used on his hair. "Could some of the guards watch the door?" she whispered. "And some near the stairs. Just…in case."

"Of course," he said, though his eyes were on her mouth.

The way Littlefinger had spoken of her mother, there had been a great rivalry between himself and Ned Stark; and before that a rivalry between himself and her uncle Brandon, who'd been betrothed to Catelyn before his murder. Littlefinger had always sounded like the defeated lover, the man who had nearly won his beloved's hand.

Mother had never mentioned Littlefinger. Father had, once they were in King's Landing and he'd been forced to admit an acquaintance. He'd sounded irritated more than angry; her mother had never loved him, had hardly ever thought of him. Her parents had lived and loved each other and all the while Littlefinger had stewed in his own curdled affections, imagining a love story that had never existed.

She could never decide what had moved her to kiss him on the cheek. Perhaps it had been a clever ploy to distract him, or a way to tell him she would return. She would have liked to have been that clever. But in the moment she could remember only how sorry she felt for him. "I'll just be a few moments," she promised him, lying.

Minutes later she was in a small bedchamber, with two dirty windows on each outside wall and the ominous creak of leather and metal just outside the door, signaling that Littlefinger's sellswords had taken up position. Lady Brienne, for her part, looked as uncomfortable as she had downstairs. "Thank you for speaking with me, my lady," she said.

"Can you fight them all?" Sansa asked her, keeping her voice down. They would need to be overheard soon, but they had a few seconds. Enough time, perhaps enough time. "If there's four in the corridor, and four downstairs."

"What? Yes, of course," said Lady Brienne, expression torn between confusion and offense. She fought off a bear once, Tyrion had told her with glee. Even beat my dear brother in a sword fight. When he still had both hands.

Sansa went to the first window. A long drop onto hard ground, and it faced the road as well as the hitching posts. The second was more promising: hay bales stacked haphazardly next to the wall, and the wood only twenty hards away.

"Start talking," she hissed at Lady Brienne.

She frowned. "I'm sorry?"

Sansa mimed opening the window. "Start talking. About anything. Honor or duty or what my mother was like. Whatever you'd say if you were trying to convince me."

Lady Brienne's eyes widened in understanding. "I…am not much for speeches, my lady," she said slowly, then more loudly as Sansa pulled open the window slowly, mindful of any squeaking. "But I found your mother an honorable woman, and your brother too. I brought Ser Jaime Lannister back to King's Landing at her request, so that you might be returned to your mother in exchange."

It would never have worked; she'd known that even then. The Lannisters did not understand the notion of letting go of an advantage, once they'd sunk their teeth into one. Even Tyrion had never offered to take her to her family once they'd been married. He'd had his reasons, and they had been good ones, but she'd learned another lesson that day. "So you sacrificed your oath to protect my mother for an oath to protect me?" she asked, making sure her voice carried as she swung her legs over the sill. "How can I know you'll not abandon me, too?"

It was important not to think. If she thought about it, she wouldn't do it.

She held her breath, put her hands over her mouth, and fell.

[ace-reviews]

Spring 2025 First Impressions Digest

GREAT:

A Ninja and an Assassin Under One Roof:

rest your cheek on her tiddy

Anne Shirley: excellent adaption of well-loved classic novel i've never read

Apocalypse Hotel: it's like if the good part of wall-e was a slice of life anime

Can A Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?: yeah, but this show doesn't think so

KOWLOON GENERIC ROMANCE: sci-fi mystery about nostalgia set in a place that used to exist but doesn't anymore

Lazarus: it's directed by shinichiro watanabe

Witch Watch: excellent adaptation of a really good manga

GOOD:

Food for the Soul: cute women doing cute things club anime but it occurred to me after i finished up my first impressions that the whole episode the main character goes on and on about how she's afraid of trying new things but the episode opens with her trying a new thing

mono:

FLUFFY FLUFFY

Once Upon A Witch's Death: fun main character with clear motivation that might be a bit too shmaltzy for some people

Summer Pockets: it's an adaptation of a key visual novel that gives you everything you'd expect from an adaptation of a key visual novel

Yaiba: Samurai Legend: very old school shonen in both the good and bad ways

ZatsuTabi: wish i could go to japan

OKAY:

Catch Me At the Ballpark:

if youre going to translate a loan word you could at least not do it wrong

The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows: at least Our Hero doesn't condone slavery

Teogonia: would be good if the production was better

GOOD BAD:

I'm the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire!: absolute garbage and hates women but at least the shithead main character gets reincarnated to gundam instead of dragon quest for once

Please Put Them On, Takamine-san:

yes bra

Yandere Dark Elf: it's about a dark elf who is yandere

BAD BAD:

#COMPASS2.0: fuck off with your hashtag in the title

The Beginning After the End:

if your 2 year old has only just learned to walk and can only vocalize without babbling or talking you should consult your pediatrician

The Dinner Table Detective: not even mamoru miyano can make me care about a rote mystery with a detective who commits the mortal sin of being an actual cop

The Gorilla God's Go-To Girl: just watch witch watch

The Shiunji Family Children: it could be good bad if it was less well made

The Too-Perfect Saint: Tossed Aside By My Fiancé and Sold to Another Kingdom: boring collection of oversaturated webcomic tropes

The Unaware Atelier Meister: boring collection of oversaturated anime tropes

I STARTED TO WATCH THIS ONE BUT DROPPED IT AFTER 2 MINUTES BECAUSE THE SHOTABAIT ONE'S PUBESCENT SCREECHING WAS MORE THAN I COULD TOLERATE

Classic★Stars: ugh

[mattanaministry]

Mattana Ministry

Welcomes You To :

Sunday Sermon: 12 January 2025

Theme: Did I Missed the Joke?

Music/Videos:

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMk5GbGPJ/

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMk5GgDJR/

Scripture: Gal. 6:7 - 8 & Matt.10: 32 - 33

Message:

Gal.6:7-8

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Matt.10:32-33

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

I'm going to be very honest now, I'm not someone who reads or listens to the news. I also don't watch things like the Oscars, Emmys, or Golden Globes.

Somewhere between the "Me To", unequal payments, racial dispute, Pro Israel, or Pro Palestine, I completely lost interest anyway. In addition, the clothing is lavish and the catering enough to fill the bellies of many hungry children, and to be able to teach quite a few more.

The result is that I haven't the faintest idea what happens on such occasions. I also always hear the gossip first when it comes up on one of my "feeds".

So I only saw the video excerpt late in the week where everyone laughed together about who was in the lead to be mentioned in the resignations. I scratched a little further and found another extract. However, I must confess that my sense of humor has failed me. I didn't "catch" the joke at all.

I was shocked, though, to see how many people were laughing together. How many people just went on and listened further? I looked to see if anyone had gotten up and walked out (if there was, sorry if I missed them).

It is shocking to see what is the norm of our world. How little respect there is for God. How few people stand up and walk out or even say anything at the moment that God is mocked? Somewhere it became acceptable to mock God. Somewhere it became acceptable to make God part of the joke.

How long will God’s patience with mankind last? How much mockery are we going to tolerate then? Are we going to sit at the events and listen to the jokes and then just dismiss them as a joke? Is it going to be more about all the publicity and open pointing out for us or are we just going to keep listening? What do we do when God is mocked?

Do we miss the joke and let our sense of humor fail us or do we laugh and mock together? Anyone who confesses Jesus before men will confess Jesus before God and anyone who denies Jesus before men will deny Jesus before God.

*Prayer*

Father thank you for the week we had. Lord, please be with us during the coming week. Lord, help us not to participate together in the mockery and jokes regarding You and Your Kingdom. Jesus, please forgive us when we do wrong. Holy Spirit please guide us to see and recognize our mistakes and work on them. Father, please let Your Will be done in our lives, and please make us subservient to Your Will. In Jesus Name.

MM

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