#meriels

[solmints-messyocdiary]

The character I made along with @probably-a-plant-thing little character design challenge!

My original goal was to made her a slime girl but... she might as well be an alien too considering David Bowie was one of her inspos.

She's tol too

[ennalydonsbee]

@merrymerielle

Enna knew Merielle Sands. not super well, they'd only met once before the takeover. but she'd been seeing more of her lately. They both spent a lot of time outside, roaming the streets of the capitol. so whenever Enna saw her, she walked with her, ate lunch together, and hung out.

Yeah, they were friends.

"Vox Dei!" she greeted, when she saw merielle on the street today. she dropped down, sitting beside her, to present her finding of the day. "I. got. chocolate. you'd think it'd all be gone by now, but I found some. you know where? inside the register of the craft store. crazy, right?"

"do you wanna split it?"

[piouchas-basket]

wings again but I might get used to it

Meriel getting a little freaky because why not

[gacougnol]

Olivier Meriel

Le renard dans la brume

1904

[otmaaromanovas]

"Fleeting memories come back to me of those cloudless summer days. Pictures of the Emperor and his daughters at the Garden Party at Tsarskoe, the little Grand Duchess Anastasia, her cheeks scarlet with excitement, surrounded by a group of midshipmen, plying them with eager questions. “You will take me up into your conning tower,” her clear childish voice rang out above the hum of conversation. “Couldn’t you let off one of the guns and just pretend it was a mistake?”

The Grand Duchess Olga, her eyes the colour of the blue flowers in her hat, gazing up at a tall lieutenant-commander, who was explaining the way in which a ship was navigated."

-- Meriel Buchanan, Ambassador's Daughter

[lyra-kolb]

Lyra skimmed the training center, moving along the perimeter and looking for a skill to brush up on. It was all a careful balance— who she worked with and what she worked on. She could practice a skill that wasn't her best, but that threatened to reveal weaknesses. She could show off something she was well-versed in, but that was arguably a waste of her time. Finally, Lyra's eyes settled on a victor. If she didn't want to work on a skill, she could at least pick someone's brain for strategy. "You're a District Four victor, right?" She asked. "Are you manning any particular station or just general tribute babysitting today?"

@merrymerielle

[arkhelios-gameplay]

After some whispering and deliberating, Titania rose from her seat, her delicate wings fluttering in agitation. She cleared her throat.

"Esteemed members of the council, Rose Mariose Munoz has confessed to the brutal murder of her father, Fabio Rivales, in a sacrificial ritual with the intent of resurrecting her grandfather. The act itself was not only a violation of the sacred laws that bind us but an affront to the very essence of life and death. We must acknowledge the gravity of the crime committed and the impact it has on our realms. The suffering inflicted upon Fabio Rivales was not only horrific but went against the principles that govern our existence. I propose that we find Rose Mariose Munoz guilty of murder."

Everyone raised her hands, echoing: "Yes."

She continued: "I propose that we find Rose Mariose Munoz guilty of murder with intent."

"Yes."

She continued: "I propose that we deem Rose Mariose Munoz highly likely to commit a crime again, due to her also having sacrificed her soul in the ritual."

"Yes."

"I propose that we thus sentence Rose Mariose Munoz to the maximum sentence, 18 years."

[nighttimepatrons]

Thinking about in Valinor everyone was told that Meriel when to Lórien to rest and heal before fading or whatever, but in reality she turned into a great white dragon and flew away.

[asanasterisk]

[alder-reid]

"Merielle?"

He should, of course, be prepared to see familiar faces in the Capitol a couple of days before the Games began again, but it was still strange, in general, to be in this version of the Capitol with the usual fare of people he generally associated with the worst times of year.

Well. He supposed now, for at least one more Games, he'd still have to.

Except Merielle was standing near the produce (or... where the produce should be, there was one sad looking apple and some canned pears that seemed to date to the Dark Days put out on the shelves today), with an unreadable look on her face. He didn't know Merielle very well, but the Victors who were cast into the Games the way they had been did look out for one another.

"Merielle, you good?"

@merrymerielle

[merrymerielle]

Blue is the Eye | Self-Para

word count: 2,034

TW: violence, death, drowning

As soon as the news reached her, of intruders, of intruders in Four. She didn't give it a second thought.

Merielle didn't seek permission, or let anyone know that she was going, she was simply gone one morning, having found the easiest and fastest way to go home. The Vox wouldn't have cared, they were stretched thin as it was, and it was a sick sort of satisfaction that came with feeling truly free - a force unto herself.

The arrival into the south of the district, and the first sight of the ocean, made her feel dizzy for a moment and almost sent her running back to the Capitol, but she willed herself to keep moving forward.

The walk home had been lonely, though people had recognised her they'd left her to herself, pausing to gawk before they began their gossiping. She didn't mind, even understood, she hadn't been home since her Victory tour. Now that she was back she could see smoke, off in the distance, the northern part of the district, billowing in thick clouds. It only strengthened her resolve, outweighing what would have been paralysing fear and replacing it with venomous adrenaline.

Eventually she arrived at her childhood home, both familiar and alien at the same time, as if time had both stood still and moved on without her. She didn't knock, she knew she was welcome, and that it would be a short visit.

It took approximately 20 seconds before she was swarmed by her family, children and adults alike reaching for her, and her trying to hold each one of them at the same time. Eventually the woman she called 'mom' for so long, Maria Sands, parted the crowd to stare at her, nodding slightly with a smile. She raised her hands to sign but before she could Merielle lifted her own.

Where's dad?

Silence. No one spoke or moved. She looked around the small room again, making a mental tally of everyone present - Pearl, Talia, Cove, Coral, Marina, Caspian, Kai--

Where is Sebastian? Marisol?

Pearl signed first, they went north to fight the invaders. they wouldn't let me go with them, that's why you're here, right? to fight?

Merielle's blood ran cold and she could feel the blood rushing in her ears.

Before she could ask anything Pearl signed again, let me go with you, I can help, I can-

Reflexively Merielle reached out and grabbed Pearls hands, stopping her from signing.

"I can help." the fourteen year old whispered, trying to pull her hands away from Merielle's vice-like grip.

"don't you dare. I will not have you putting yourself in unnecessary danger for some idea of greatness."

"but you--"

"I had no choice." She hissed, clenching her jaw for a moment, "if you really want to help you will stay here." Merielle let go of Pearl's hands and shook her head for a moment.

She looked around at everyone in the room, half of them had heard every word and the others were being filled in by a flurry of hands. She flexed her hands for a moment, you will all stay here, this is not negotiable. you will wait until I get back with dad, Marisol, and Sebastian. while you are waiting you will pack.

Her green eyes spotted the movement of young hands, about to argue or question, but she fixed Cove with a look that would have withered grown adults, so it was no surprise that it worked as effectively on the 16 year old.

you will pack, because we will be leaving. I have room in the Capitol for us all, and once it is safe to return home, you will be free to. Do you understand?

Resignation, slow nods, and a few silent tears.

Cove lifted her hands again, will we be able to come home?

Merielle looked from Cove, to Maria - who simply nodded, and back again. of course. not a lie, not the truth, the unknown. but I have to go, I'll come back for you all, okay? But you need to be ready to go.

Once she was sure that everyone had agreed, she began to prepare herself. She'd travelled with a trident and a dagger, the latter she strapped to her thigh, and the trident she attached to her back. A pile was made of her bag and her jacket, by the door, ready for when she came back.

As soon as she was ready she felt a hand on her shoulder so she turned. Maria was stood behind her, dark brown hair now speckled with gray, and her face warm and aged by the sun, and Merielle knew that she would have asked her to stay if she thought that would work.

Instead, Maria dipped her thumb into a pot in her free hand, and smeared the pigment across Merielle's cheeks. Nothing was said, or signed, but there was an understanding. Merielle knew that when she joined the fray there would be at least three other people, hopefully still alive, with the same markings she now bore.

When she left she didn’t look back, she knew that they were watching her, and they didn’t need to see her cry.

She walked north for an hour, keeping the ocean to her left and following the billowing smoke. People hurried past her in the opposite direction, trying to escape while they could with whatever they could carry - clothes, children, cherished belongings. Some paused when they saw her, she was used to being recognised as a victor but these were people she should have known, should have come home to sooner, yet they held no judgement and simply nodded at her in understanding as they passed.

It didn’t take much longer to reach the band of fighters. A mixture of rebels, fishermen, and Vox soldiers all reunited against a common cause.

Thankfully her family were easy to find, though the reunion was short lived as she was quickly informed of the plan.

They knew where the invaders had made it to, it was their fires Merielle could now see in the distance, and the plan was to at least cut them off using Sea Fire.

If she’d been nervous about stepping foot on a boat and being out at sea again, that was replaced entirely. Sea Fire was not something she’d seen in action, it was usually used by fishermen out at sea to signal for help or to light the way home - water wouldn’t put it out.

She stuck close to her family, silently making their way towards the ocean, the sound of water lapping at the shore had once been the focal point of her nightmares and now it might definitely lead to her death.

Merielle hadn’t realised she had stopped moving until she felt a hand on hers, Devere - her dad for all intents and purposes - was with her no matter what. They didn’t say anything but she nodded and squeezed his hand before wading into the ocean with him, only letting go so that they could swim out to their boat.

SIlence surrounded them as the boats cut through the water, slowly leaving trails of Sea Fire oil behind them, close enough to the shore to have an impact, not close enough to be noticed immediately.

When the camps came into view, a couple of boats continued on but Merielle’s had stopped. The Sands and Drake families were all together, all painted by their loved ones in patterns specific to their families, and began to ready themselves. Tridents, ropes, daggers, and the younger Drake sister even had a blowgun with darts.

Minutes passed in silence, awaiting the cue from the furthest boat, and when that shout finally came to alert the encampment that had set up, nothing happened for a few more moments.

Movement.

Swarms of people moving towards the water, jumping in and swimming out to the boat, armed and ready to fight. From what she had heard, these people revelled in battle and thrived in the bloodshed, if they only removed a few from the equation that would surely help, right?

It was a tense minute as they waited, watched them swim closer and closer, and then matches were lit, boat by boat. Marisol held theirs, out over the edge, and as soon as the intruders were close enough the matches were dropped.

The screams were horrendous, and would have been deafening, but the roar of the flames and the sight of the ocean on fire was the sensation that would remain with Merielle.

As planned, the boats began to move, heading back to safety as their enemies burned and drowned. Weapons remained readied, no one dared to think that this would be so easy. The moment a hand grasped onto the side of their boat Sebastian speared the intruder with deadly accuracy and kicked them away, but there were more that followed.

Some were still burning but pursuing as if possessed.

Luckily, everyone was prepared for a fight. Darts whizzed past Merielle’s head with terrifying accuracy, and she could hear the crunch of bone on bone as her dad fought another, eventually kicking them into the briny depths.

Merielle ended up taking a dagger to the ribs, but she’d dealt with worse and with her trident was more than happy to pin her attacker to the deck as they flailed like a fish. They were up against formidable fighters but thankfully the numbers were thinning, and for every blow that one of them took they dispatched an intruder.

By the time the water stilled, she was bleeding from countless cuts, her body already aching with the bruises to come. But there were no more attackers in sight. She barely had a moment to breathe when a shout rang out behind her.

She spun, dagger at the ready.

An intruder stood on the deck, half-burned and still smoldering, holding Devere like a shield. One dagger was already buried deep in his side; the other pressed against his throat.

Time stretched painfully. What was likely only seconds felt like an eternity.

She couldn’t lose him. Not like this. What would they tell the younger children? Maria? 

There was no way out for the intruder, no escape that would let him leave alive.

Merielle locked eyes with her father. He nodded.

Her heart pounded, but her hands didn’t waver. She could barely see half of the intruder’s face, but she didn’t need more. She had trained for this moment. Sure, she was better with a trident, but her aim was still sharp. She hurled the dagger.

It struck the intruder’s eye with a sickening thud. He staggered back, losing his balance as he toppled over the side of the boat, dragging Devere with him.

Merielle ran, ignoring the pain in her side. She slipped past Marisol’s outstretched hand, leaped past Sebastian who reached for their father, but it was all in slow motion, every second stretching on as Devere fell into the water.

She dove, desperate to save him before the darkness swallowed him whole.

The leap.

The dive.

The slice of sharp metal across skin as a final action..

The bloom of red.

The cold water.

Frigid water engulfed her, but she kept swimming down, her chest burning with denial. She couldn’t have just seen her father die. She couldn’t accept it. If she could reach him—if she could change something, trade places, do anything—it wouldn’t be too late.

Saltwater flooded her mouth, the weight of it pulling her deeper into darkness.

---

When she woke several days later, déjà vu rolled over her like nausea. The sterile white walls, the faint hum of Capitol machinery, familiar in a way that did not bring comfort.

But this time, there was no glamorous cosmetic surgery, no erasing the damage inflicted upon her a week ago. Her scars would heal in time. Her voice would come back. But her father wouldn’t.

A nurse handed her a letter. Her family had written to say they were staying in District 4 for now. Marisol and Sebastian had enlisted, desperate to avoid the Reaping at all costs.

The Games had returned, and Merielle had woken up in a Capitol hospital after nearly drowning—again.

[cress-meadowforge]

Her glazed-over expression was vacant, hands moving thoughtlessly upon instinct, executing a well-worn routine. Kya used cloth diapers, half out of desire, but half out of necessity. And without textiles coming in from Eight, new fabric had become a rarity. Scarcity seemed commonplace, and they were left endlessly wanting: for food, for freedom, for peace.

Cress pinned the new diaper into place, working idly to collect the linens that needed washing. Without Avoxes, she did them herself -- quietly. It was easier that way, to move through the Tower unseen, avoiding bitter glares and comments that always seemed punctuated by the curse of loyalist. So when she sensed they were no longer alone, Cress peered up curiously.

"I think you're on the wrong floor," she murmured, hiking the basket of fabric up onto her hip, eyeing Merielle suspiciously. "And if you're looking for Slate, he's downstairs working on the magazine."

@merrymerielle

[everettcannon]

Everett had no idea how to approach getting Cade out of jail. He was certain that he didn't belong there, that he hadn't done anything, that he would support the Vox -- if they'd just let him out of his cell. But he didn't know how to prove that, and he barely had a voice himself in the Vox order, having only just joined and being generally under suspicion already. He'd pledged his loyalty and everything, but how to get Cade out, too? He had no idea. So he found himself knocking on Merielle's door, having heard that she was involved in vouching for some of the Victors, hoping she'd do so and help out Cade as well.

@merrymerielle

[raichana-artblog]

#OCtober - Rain

"don't say it" Vincent mutter, wringing his rain soaked uniform with little to no luck.

"I wasn't going to" Meriel grinned. "But... I did say it was going to rain, if only you listened to me, then i wouldn't need to say I told you so~"

this was a lot of fun, I got the prompt of wet hair/wet cloths from https://www.tumblr.com/card-queen/729896661233565696

I may do more prompts from that list but yeah no promises, i'm having fun going promptless.

I hope you enjoy these two goofballs.

[letterboxd-loggd]

Home at Seven (Murder on Monday) (1952) Ralph Richardson

May 18th 2024

[linkcache]

@merrymerielle

if link knew Merielle, and after ten games of being friends, she did, Link knew she'd be on the fourth floor tonight.

They'd both lost a tribute. and Link knew how the older mentor took that, even if she hid it mostly. So once she was done with her strange dance of hyping up Phi and talking up Slate whenever sponsors proved uninterested in sending a teenager from three anything, she headed upstairs. not to three, but to four.

Merielle was on the couch, and Link headed straight for the kitchen. "Turn off the recaps, mer." She advised, calling over. "Davy's still just on the beach." and Sven was going to be dead. "Baked potato?" she offered, because it was in reach and microwavable. plus, very few ingredients, no powders. a good choice for dinner. "come over, help me reach the pans. four keeps them so high up." watch me cook.