#neither of these really felt necessary. they just felt like overly ruthless for no reason other than kneejerk reactions and being edgy

[wormsical]

like I'm not even kidding the ch 2 death and execution in dra are so needlessly violent it's completely tactless

[rainbowpacifiers]

Twin Kingdoms (A3! Event story) - Chapter 10

Sorry for the long wait. It’s super text-heavy. They used a lot of effects for this play, so if you haven’t watched it yet or can’t and would like to see, let me know! Excuse any potential mistakes! 

Chapter 9 | Index | Epilogue

Noble A: "His Majesty's magic was superb. In his younger days, his sword skills were first-class as well." Noble: "Compared to that, Lord Cain, however.... If at least it were the other way around with the foster brother, Lutz." Noble A: "He is not very good at magic, either. I hear that is the reason why he still won't take command of the army." Noble B: "Without another heir around, what will happen?..." Cain: "......" Lutz: "Don't take it to heart, Cain. Such fellows will complain about anything." Cain: "Stop trying to console me." Lutz: "Wait, Cain--" King of North Aria: "Cough." Noble A: "Your Majesty!? Somebody call the doctor!"

Noble A: "To think his Majesty would fall ill... What does he intend to do with the throne?" Noble B: "His Royal Highness is quite advanced in age, but I feel a little uneasy about Lord Cain." Noble A: "In the first place, is Lord Cain even qualified to be heir of the throne?" Noble B: "Be careful about what you say." Noble A: "Until now, he has not appeared in royal ceremonies. It is only natural to doubt him." Noble B: "Once someone other than Lord Cain is appointed, the country will fall into ruin." Izumi: (For our setting, we have the kingdom of the north, North Aria, which has been in a long-standing conflict with the kingdom of the south, South Agis, which is surrounded by active volcanoes.) Izumi: (The story begins when North Aria's king collapses as the two countries are in the midst of approaching peril due to unexplained climate change and starvation...)

Cain: "Father...I'm sorry." Lutz: "Where are you going at this hour?" Cain: "--Why are you here?" Izumi: (Haruto-kun's performance of a delicate Prince Cain is great. It's classy and perfectly fits the GOD Troupe's vision.) Lutz: "We have been together since birth. At the very least, I know what you're thinking. Running away won't solve anything." Cain: "I know that. But my existence creates an idle conflict." Lutz: "Well, right now, the palace is not a safe place for you. It might be good to go into hiding for a while." Cain: "Thank you for everything you've done, Lutz." Lutz: "I'm going, too." Cain: "Huh?" Lutz: "I was just thinking that I wanted to go on a trip. Come on, let's go." Cain: "Hey, wait--" Izumi: (The dialogue between Haruto-kun and Shift-kun has changed quite a bit compared to when we first started.) Izumi: (You can now feel something like familiarity and affection between relatives.)

King of South Agis: "Don't make me repeat myself. It is not a matter for you to meddle in." Gilber: "Tch, that pighead! His brains are fossilising with old age." Sasha: "Whatever the circumstances may be, you are going too far, Lord Gilbert." Gilber: "Now, while the people are impoverished, it's ridiculous to have a war with North Aria. Neither the high officials nor my father are staring reality in the face." Sasha: "It seems we cannot avoid the beginning of a war." Gilbert: "Now that things have come to this, a coup is our only option." Sasha: "Do you really mean it?" Gilbert: "I jest. Prepare yourself, Sasha. Tomorrow morning, we ride for North Aria." Sasha: "A surprise attack?" Gilbert: "Your jokes don't sound like jokes." Gilbert: "The inspection results determined that the dry weather and drought have spread from North Aria." Gilbert: "We're going to investigate the cause for the change in climate. There is a way to save our people without a war." Izumi: (Tasuku-san's princely manner is even more majestic than during his performances at the MANKAI Theatre. The way he changes his acting to match with the GOD Theatre is just what you'd expect from him.) Izumi: (The way Azami-kun carries himself is smart and really conveys the role of an obedient valet skilled with a sword.)

Cain: "Oh....silverwork, huh?" Shopkeeper: "Mister, are you perhaps interested in that?" Shopkeeper: "Just between us, but this is a type of magic tool produced in South Agis. Depending on how it's used, it has the power to blow away a house." Cain: "A magic tool..." Shopkeeper: "Since this is our special, I can't just sell it for an inadequate price. Well, how about I trade it to you for that brooch you have?" Cain: "My brooch?" Shopkeeper: "Yeah. I just happen to have a customer who is interested in such things." Cain: "Well, in that case..." Gilbert: "Hey now, don't be deceived by such obvious fraud." Shopkeeper: "What!? If you're going to get in the way--" Gilbert: "If you keep on being overly ruthless, I'm going to hand you over to the military police." Shopkeeper: "--Tch." Sasha: "We might be the ones getting busted and caught by the military police, though." Gilbert: "It was obviously just a threat. Hey, young master, are you alright?" Cain: "What do you mean, fraud?" Gilbert: "That sort of silver rubbish isn't even worth a fragment of your brooch, you know?" Gilbert: "You wouldn't find something as valuable as magic tools on a market like this. There is a limit to how ignorant of the world one can be." Cain: "Wh-- Don't insult me!" Gilbert: "Whoops, my bad. It looks like I overstepped. Does the young master need to experience the real world?" Cain: "You--!" Lutz: "Hey, what are you doing, Cai?" Gilbert: "Your companion? It seems it's still too early to send the young master on an errand." Lutz: "And you are...?" Sasha: "It appears that he was being offered an unfair barter that was not worth the value, and though it might seem a little forward, my lord stepped in." Lutz: "I, I see? Looks like we owe you. Thank you." Cain: "There is no need to thank such rude fellows." Lutz: "But it's true that you know little of the world. Even brooches will add to our travelling expenses. We should be grateful to them." Gilbert: "Then, in return, won't you buy us a drink? We just got into town, so we don't know of any places." Cain: "Why, you impudent--" Lutz: "There, there. It's no bother at all."

Lutz: "I'm sorry that you ended up buying us a drink instead." Gilbert: "You did tell us a bunch of stuff." Cain: "I don't remember asking you to, but thank you, anyway." Gilbert: "Haha, well, if we ever meet again..." Lutz: "Safe travels." Sasha: "We will be going, then." Gilbert: "Alright, where should we stay for the night?" Sasha: "I arranged something at the first establishment." Gilbert: "That's my capable attendant for you." Lutz: "What interesting people, right?" Cain: "How? I have never met such a rude fellow before. Is this the norm in town?" Lutz: "No, rather, that person--" Lutz: "Look out, Cai!" Cain: "!?" Bandit A: "Tch." Cain: "What do you want?--" Bandit B: "Hand over that brooch!" Lutz: "We refuse!" Bandit A: "Ha!" Lutz: "!? Magic--no, magic tools, huh?" Cain: "Why are bandits using magic tools--?"

Gilbert: "--" Azami: "What is the matter?" Gilbert: "I felt a faint hint of magic. Someone must be using magical tools. Let's go!" Azami: "Yes!"

Lutz: "--gh." Cain: "Lutz!" Lutz: "There are still too many of them..." Cain: "We should just give them this brooch..." Lutz: "Even if we hand it over, they're not the sort to just quietly return home." Cain: "Uh--" Gilbert: "Seems as if you have a disposition to somehow get caught up in trouble." Lutz: "Mister Gil!" Sasha: "I will assist you." Bandit A: "Tsk."

Izumi: (The two princes who met in the border town between North Aria and South Agis-) Izumi: (come to take joint action in order to investigate the identity of the attacking bandits...) Gilbert: "It's the crest of the 'Dragon's Followers' who worship the ancient dragon." Cain: "I've never heard of them." Lutz: "Same here." Cain: "Isn't the fact that magic tools were used proof that they're from South Agis?" Gilbert: "That may not necessarily be the case. In the underworld, they are traded by North Aria, too." Sasha: "In all likelihood, they aren't just random rogues."

Izumi: (The party who determined the identity of the bandits with the strange crest as their clue, chases after the bandits who attacked again and enters their hideout...) Gilbert: "Canvassing of historial ruins...? We had such ruins?" Cain: "Not in my memory." Lutz: "Those ruins seem to be the sanctuary of the 'Dragon's Followers'." Gilbert: "The demon clan sealed the ancient dragon that once ruled this land... That dragon brings about a curse once after two thousand years." Gilbert: "So two thousand years later would be this year...?" Cain: "Nonsense. I have never heard of such a story before." Gilbert: "I'm of the same opinion. But it might be necessary to investigate it. That 'two thousand years later dragon's curse'." Sasha: "We are out of time." Gilbert: "--So they're already back." Lutz: "We will have no choice but to engage, it seems." Gilbert: "We only need to earn enough time to secure an escape route." Sasha: "I doubt it will be that easy. We're surrounded." Cain: "--What do we do?" Gilbert: "No other choice, then...." Sasha: "Lord Gilbert, please refrain from rash conduct." Gilbert: "We can't just let them kill us without a fight, either." Cain: "What are you talking about?" Gilbert: "Make sure you don't get caught up in it. Oh power of the source surrounding heaven and earth, dwell in my hands--" Dragon's followers: "Uwah!" Lutz: "Flame magic!?" Cain: "Don't tell me that you're South Agis'--!" Lutz: "How overwhelming..." Cain: "Gil, are you part of South Agis' royal family?" Gilbert: "I'm more or less incognito. It'd be of great help if you could keep quiet about it." Lutz: "South Agis' young lion, Prince Gilbert..." Sasha: "That's why I told you that your alias was too simple." Gilbert: "But I'd just give myself away by using a name I'm not used to." Lutz: "To think that you would be a prince! What a surprise. Are you perhaps on reconnaissance?" Gilbert: "Our goal is just as I've told you. We are investigating the cause of the climate change. Although I didn't think it would lead us to the ancient dragon." Gilbert: "Getting you any deeper involved would be dangerous. For now, you should get away from here so that you won't be discovered by their comrades." Cain: "What are you planning?" Gilbert: "We will investigate the ruins." Cain: "--We will go, too. We can't just pretend to be ignorant after coming this far." Lutz: "Cai--are you serious?" Lutz: "Alright. Mister Gil, may we accompany you for that?" Gilbert: "You surprisingly have guts, young master." Cain: "Stop calling me that." Gilbert: "Cai seems like he is a young master from a prestigious family too, so how did you end up on a journey when you're not yet used to travelling?" Gilbert: "There is probably more to it, right?" Cain: "...You would never understand my feelings." Cain: "Not you, who was born to be a king and is blessed with the makings of one." Gilbert: "...I'm sorry for asking such a personal question." Izumi: -- Izumi: (In the midst of their journey, the scene where Cain gives vent to his own feelings...) Izumi: (The violent emotions he has been bottling up for so long in a darker and deeper part can be seen more clearly than during the auditions.)  Izumi: (His gloomy inferiority complex that has been accumulating, his jealousy of Gilbert, who has everything, and his strong desire...) Izumi: (That's a Cain that no one but Haruto-kun could have enacted.)

Izumi: (The party arrives at North Aria's sacred mountain that they were led to by the Dragon's Followers...) Gilbert: "Ugh..." Cain: "Gil? What's wrong?" Gilbert: "I'm not sure--suddenly, my strength--" Sasha: "Get down!" Gilbert: "Waah!" Lutz: "His magic suddenly went off--!?" Cain: "Don't tell me this is the dragon's influence." Sasha: "It's dangerous. Please move away." Cain: "But at this rate, Gil will--" Sasha: "I will stop him. Hah!" Lutz: "Wait, you're actually slashing at him?!" Sasha: "Even if my lord has lost his mind, he should be able to avoid this much." Lutz: "The trust between you runs really deep! Alright, then I will believe in that and back you up." Lutz: "Excuse me if I inadvertently stab you--looks like I needn't have worried." Cain: "--ghh." Cain: "--damn it, my eyes can barely keep up." Sasha: "Hgg--" Lutz: "Sasha, any more is too risky!" Sasha: "But--it is my duty as an attendant to stop Lord Gil." Gilbert: "Aaah!" Sasha: "Ugh--" Gilbert: "Hah, uhuh..." Cain: "Sasha!"

Lutz: "Seems like Sasha is out of the woods for now. Mister Gil is still asleep." Cain: "...I was useless. Even here, I couldn't do a thing." Lutz: "Come on, pull yourself together. Under those circumstances, there was nothing to be done." Cain: "I was born a prince, too, so why...." Lutz: "You have your own things that you should do. That's why I followed you here. So that you could save this country as its prince." Cain: "All I did was run away." Lutz: "Enough!" Cain: "--" Lutz: "Search for what it is that you ought to do. I know you can do it. I'm saying this as someone who has been with you since we were children, so there's no doubt." Izumi: (Leaving the wounded Sasha behind, the other three head to the sacred mountain once more, for the purpose of investigating the ruins.)

Gilbert: "Should it appear as if my power will spontaneously discharge again, don't hesitate to abandon me and run away." Lutz: "Don't mind if we do. We won't be able to stop you on our own." Gilbert: "Hearing that makes me feel at ease. Let's go. We are almost at the top." Cain: "Ah, the ruins are over ther--" Gilbert: "Kuh--" Cain: "Gil!" Gilbert: "Damn it--again--escape!" Dragon: "Roar!" Lutz: "--A dragon!?" Cain: "There is no body. It's an illusion. But there is no doubt that Gil's powers are being used by the dragon." Lutz: "At any rate, he is not someone we can win against. I will buy some time. In the meantime, you should--" Dragon: "Roar!" Cain: "Ugh--Lutz!" Lutz: "Run...away!" Cain: "Lutz! Don't die!" Gilbert: "Guaah!" Cain: "Why...am I powerless...! I, I...!" *glowing light* Cain: "--Just what?" *bright light coming off Cain* *darkness* Gilbert: "Cai...? Did you do this?" Cain: "Me...? No, I don't have magic..." Lutz: "...ugh." Cain: "Lutz! Are you alright?!" Lutz: "......" Cain: "Lutz!" Gilbert: "Calm yourself. He's just sleeping. More importantly, what happened?" Cain: "I don't know..." Gilbert: "I felt powerful magic. Did you perhaps...." Cain: "...I am the son of North Aria's ruler, Cain." Gilbert: "Prince Cain...You...." Cain: "Let's check the ruins. The key to saving our countries lies here."

Cain: "Ancient language..." Gilbert: "Can you read it?" Cain: "Yeah." Cain: "The brothers who carried magic sealed the dragon here. At that time, the earth was plunged in darkness because of the dragon, who was set free above ground, and his curse." Cain: "The older brother cast all of his magic and subdued it. Thereafter, the curse will manifest itself again once in two thousand years." Cain: "In order to subdue it, the saviour child will be born among the descendants of the brothers, concealing enormous magic power within themself." Cain: "Pass on the key without ever losing it. Dispel the curse before the dragon is awakened by the magma." Gilbert: "A saviour concealing enormous magic power..?" Cain: "Among North Aria's royal family, magicless children have been discarded as children to shun for generations." Gilbert: "It is the same for South Agis." Cain: "In the first place, which family is this about?" Gilbert: "That magic just then - it felt similar to my power. It's possible that the power of the two royal families was originally one and the same." Cain: "We, from the same family...? So our ancestors would have been the brothers that felled the dragon?" Gilbert: "Though my rockhead of a father would probably die of indignation if I asked him." Cain: "But with this, I know what it is that I have to do. If we use my magic, we can dispel the dragon's curse. And both countries will be saved." Gilbert: "So you're going to use the power from just now?" Cain: "Since my birth, my magic powers haven't manifested even once. That thing just now was just a coincidence. If we don't have the key..." Gilbert: "I've never heard of any key." Cain: "Neither have I. The fact that the saviour child came to be abhorred in the first place may mean that the key and folklore have been forgotten." Gilbert: "....In that case, we have no choice but to use my power, right?" Cain: "The dragon would just take over you again. You might not be able to return to your senses." Gilbert: "Even so, it is worth a try." Cain: "How can you just resign yourself to that without hesitation?" Gilbert: "If there is something you ought to do, then just do it, right? What is there to hesitate for?" Cain: "...I'm a fool for asking you." Gilbert: "Where do you intend to go?" Cain: "I will return to the royal capital and look for the key. You do what you have to do." Gilbert: "I'm counting on you, brother." Cain: "Who are you calling your brother?" Gilbert: "We're relatives, so it's all the same, right?" Cain: "Hmph, what an overly friendly guy."

Citizen A: "An enemy attack! South Agis is invading!" Citizen B: "Kyaah!" Citizen C: "A war at a time like this--!" Cain: "We're looking for the key." Lutz: "We don't have to stop them?" Cain: "We will leave it to the other prince. He should be able to figure something out." Lutz: "You're putting your trust in him." Cain: "Wipe that grin off your face."

King of South Agis: "We will make North Aria a country of mine! That is the only way for us to survive!" Gilbert: "That stupid old man--!" Sasha: "You're going too far." Soldier A: "R, reporting in! --an eruption! The vulcano has erupted!" King of South Agis: "What!?" Gilbert: "The magma will awaken the dragon from his sleep..." King of South Agis: "W, what is this rumbling of the ground?" Dragon: "Roar!" Soldier A: "A dragon! The dragon was resurrected!" Dragon's Followers: "Oh...noble dragon! Burn this foolish human race to nothing!"

Cain: "All soldiers, change your target to the ancient dragon!" Noble A: "B, but, what about South Agis attacking us!?" Cain: "They should be aiming at the dragon as well!" Dragon: "Roar!" Gilbert: "Cai! Did you find the key!?" Cain: "I'm sorry. Not yet--" Gilbert: "That's too bad. In that case, there is only one way left." Cain: "Are you sure? If you use up all of for magic power, your life will come to an end." Cain: "To begin with, we don't know if we can seal the dragon with your power alone." Gilbert: "Even then, there is no one else but me who can do it." Cain: "Why do you have no doubts?" Gilbert: "It's not like I don't have any. It's just that there is no another way." Gilbert: "In that regard, you are the brave one for throwing away the throne and trying to break away. Have a little more confidence in yourself." Gilbert: "I'm leaving South Agis and North Aria to you, brother." Cain: "Wait, Gil--Gilbert!" Dragon: "Roar!" Lutz: "Cai, get down! This place is getting too dangerous!" Cain: "--Let go! There is something that I have to see through." Lutz: "--I have no choice then. I will go with you." Cain: "Lutz..." Lutz: "Let's go!"

Gilbert: "Damn it, I can't contain is...." Dragon: "Roar!" Gilbert: "--gh." Sasha: "Leave your back to me!" Gilbert: "Sasha!? Your injuries--" Sasha: "I cannot just let my lord go on his own." Gilbert: "Do you intend to follow me as far as the other side? You truly are a model attendant." Sasha: "Hng." Lutz: "We will back you up!" Gilbert: "Lutz--Cai...so you came!" Cain: "Sealing that dragon is my duty." Dragon: "Roar!" Lutz: "That being said, what will you do without the key!?" Gilbert: "If you don't have the key, wrench it open!" Sasha: "That's very extreme." Dragon: "Roar!" Lutz: "What power...!" Sasha: "Uh...I'm draining quickly. How long will it last?" Gilbert: "Sorry...Cai. Take care...of the rest." Cain: "Gilbert!!" Lutz: "Uargh!" Sasha: "--ugh." Cain: "If there is any power within me... If there is a meaning behind me never manifesting magic, then..." Cain: "Show it to me right here, right now...! So that I can save my comrades and my people!" Dragon: "Roar!"

Cain: "Uugh..." Gilbert: "Hey, are you alright? Cai!" Cain: "...Gil? So you survived." Gilbert: "I should be saying that." Cain: "--What about the dragon?" Gilbert: "Fell into slumber." Cain: "I see..." Gilbert: "In the end, you were the saviour child. The entire time, the key was within you." Cain: "Inside of me..." Gilbert: "I told you to have a little more faith in yourself." Cain: "Humph. Don't act all big."

Noble A: "...Hereby, we enter into a permanent peace treaty, prohibiting any hostile acts between the two countries of North Aria and South Agis." Gilbert: "It was hard work getting that rockhead of an old man to keep quiet. You were finally able to make it this far, brother." Cain: "I don't remember becoming your brother. But, I feel the same." The people: "Long live North Aria! Long live King Cain!"

Reni: "--" Reni: (I have been looking after the actor Asuka Haruto for many years, but to think he was an actor with such feelings hidden inside...) Reni: (The longing of have-nots....I also remember it.)

Haruto: Thank you very much! Shift: Thank you~. Tasuku: Thank you. Azami: Thanks. Lady in her prime: ..... Haruto: --. Haruto: (Was that--no. It was just for a moment, so I might have mistaken her.) Haruto: (It doesn't matter. From tomorrow onwards, I only have to carry out performance after performance like today's with everything I've got, so that I can hold my head high even if my mother comes to watch.) Haruto: (And then, if we manage a smooth run-through until closing night--ya won't mind me comin' home after all this time, would ya, mum?)

______________

Chapter 9 | Index | Epilogue

[allfandomxreader]

Under the Stars

Pairings: Billy Hargrove x Reader Request: Can I get a billyxReader imagine where the reader is just like billy (to billy) to teach him a lesson and she flirts and all that jazz but they both end up falling in love? I love your blog by the way!! Warnings: Swearing, a drunk guy forcibly kisses the reader and makes her uncomfortable Words: 1,687 A/N: I’ve been really discouraged in my writing lately because I think everything is turning out to be shit and because of that I’ve lost motivation which makes me write less and I’m really sorry if you’re waiting on a request. I promise I’m trying to get them done.

Billy Hargrove hasn't attended Hawkins High School for more than three weeks and you already loathe him. You can’t understand how he has a new girl wrapped around his arm every week, what you do know, is that you’ll never be one of them. You despise how he treats his “girl-of-the-week” --actually, you despise how he treats everyone. Your biggest wish is for someone to give him the taste of his own medicine.

You tap your pencil on your history notebook, watching the second-hand circle around the clock in the front of the room. Seven minutes left and you were home free, in the comfort of your own home for the rest of the weekend. You feel eyes burning into the back of your neck, you don’t need to turn around to know that the “New King” has been eyeballing you for the past hour.

When the bell finally rings you’re out of your chair and out the door in seconds. You push through the crowded halls and disgusting couples to make it into your locker. You quickly turn the dial and unhinge the lock, determined to get out of this hell hole within the next thirty seconds. You shove textbooks into your open backpack before slinging it over your shoulder, your foot kicks the door shut sending a slam throughout the hallway.

“Where are you off to so quickly?” Your eyes twitch at the sleazy voice beside you. When you turn, you see no other but Billy himself leaning against the nearby lockers, trying his best to seduce you with his stance.

“Anywhere you’re not,” Billy only laughs at your sly remark, leaning closer, completely invading your personal space.

“I like feisty girls,” His eyes scan your entire body, staring at your chest a lot longer than necessary. Just his gaze makes your skin crawl.

“Yeah, I’m sure you do,” You scoff, spinning on your heel and making your way towards the exit. Much to your dismay, Billy is hot on your heels.

“Are you coming to Tina’s party tonight?” He genuinely sounds interested in your response, it catches you off guard only for a moment before you answer.

“Not if you’re there,” You let out a breathy sigh, wanting his presence to disappear and leave you alone. However, you don’t dare to tell him off, unsure how he’d react.

“Ouch,” He mumbles under his breath, in that instant, you felt sorry for your remarks. Technically, Billy has never done anything to you, there really wasn’t any reason for you to be outwardly mean other than the fact that you simply couldn’t stand him. “Look, I can tell you don’t like me -which is your loss- but I think you’d have fun, maybe get to know me more?” You furrow your eyebrows at the boy standing in front of you.

“Hard pass.” You say after contemplating his offer. You yank your car door open, relieved you can finally escape the god-awful conversation. You slide behind the wheel and slam the door shut before he could get another word in. It felt nice being locked in the comfort of familiarity and away from Billy. Your heartbeat started to slow as you peel away from the school parking lot, you hate that Billy was the reason for it to quicken in the first place.

Four hours later you find yourself standing in a crowd of intoxicated teenagers. The stench of sweat and alcohol wafts through the atmosphere and invades your sense, you try for a moment to breath out of your mouth instead but quickly realize the air tastes worse than it smells. You cling to the cup a stranger handed to you almost an hour ago taking sips when you felt necessary.

A familiar kid bumps into you as he tries to make it into the kitchen. He almost passes without saying a word, but when he catches a glimpse he stops, looking you up and down. “You’re… Y/N, right? I’m Matthew, from biology.” He explains. In the midst of his talking, your eyes wander behind him, locking with Billy. Billy’s expression is unreadable as he stares at you and the talking classmate. “Would you like to come get a drink with me? My cup just hit empty,” Matthew asks kindly gesturing to his empty solo cup. Your eyes dart away from Billy and onto the attractive guy speaking to you.

“Sure!” You sound overly cheerful as you accept his invitation. You don’t give Billy a second look as Matthew takes your hand in his and leads you towards the kitchen. The room is overcrowded with mingling people, leisurely refilling their cups when they start to run low. Matthew makes small talk as he fills your glasses to the brim with “Pure Fuel” you knew you couldn’t possibly finish it, it definitely doesn’t taste as good as people lead on. Nevertheless, you kindly take the full cup.

You and your new friend stand in the corner of Tina’s grand house talking about anything and everything. You haven’t seen Billy since the first encounter with Matthew, but you knew he was lurking, you can feel his cold stare as you stand a little too close to your classmate and laugh a little too loud at his stories.

As the night progresses, Matthew had a substantial amount of alcohol coursing through his veins. You still hold onto your drink, you’ve barely touched it since he filled it up for you. Matthew inches closer, his hands grip your hips as he tries to pull you closer towards him. Your hands find his chest in a frenzy to push him away, even though Matthew is a scrawny guy his strength overpowers yours.  “Matthew, stop,” You shove his shoulders away harder but his body clings to yours is if you were magnetic. His lips press sloppy kisses to your neck ignoring your clear signs.

Suddenly, Matthew flies away from you and crashes into the table earning screams from the party goers. Red liquid spews from the abundance of red cups onto the walls and the surrounding people. All eyes fall on you and Billy Hargrove.

Billy’s face is twisted with anger as he stares at Matthew, his fingers clench into fists as he winds his arm back to send blows to Matthew’s jaw. Your hands grasp Billy’s upper arm as you tear him away from the scene, he struggles to free himself, only causing your grip to grow stronger. “Billy, let’s go,” You strain to hold him back from Matthew but when Billy locks eyes with your own that are glazed with fear, he stops resisting.

“I should’ve killed him,” Billy grumbles when you’re in the safety of his car. “Did he hurt you? Touch you worse than what I saw him doing? Do you feel fuzzy? Like, do you think he roofied you? Did he-”

“Billy!” You scream, he jumps at the sudden rise in your voice, “Please, just drive.”

The car ride is silent as Billy drives through windy backroads of Hawkins. Out of your whole life living here, you never ventured further than the city limits, you never had the need. Billy pulls into a clearing just off a gravel road, he exits the Camaro and opens the passenger door for you, extending a hand to help you out. You can’t help but give him a questioning look, “The stars are prettier out here,” He admits, rolling his eyes slightly.

“You look at the stars?” You inquire. He rolls his eyes once more, gently shoving his hand towards you to take.

Cool metal presses into your back as you sink onto the hood of his car, Billy talks absentmindedly about constellations and points to each one he comes across. You smile at this side of him, you know he doesn’t show it often, you wouldn’t be surprised if you were the first one who’s seen it. As the conversation about balls of fire comes to an end, you lay in a comfortable silence. Neither of you knew what to say, you had no common interests or even shared classes, searching for a meaningful conversation seemed almost impossible.

“Why do people think I’m such a bad person?” Billy asks, breaking the silence.

“Probably because you are.” Your tone is harsher than you intended.

“Ha. Ha.” Billy retorts, shifting to make himself more comfortable on the metal.

“I was being serious.” You glance towards him, the corners of his mouth twitch into a frown. You feel sorry for him, you knew something must’ve happened for him to turn so cold and ruthless. If you were being completely honest, you didn’t want to know.

“Yeah,” He sighs sadly, “I know.” Silence fills the space between you yet again. “I come out here to think at night, it’s quiet, people rarely drive out here,” Billy explains, “It’s nice just to have a place to escape.”

“You picked a pretty place for that,” You smile, looking up at him.

“I picked a prettier girl to share it with,” A warm blush sneaks to your cheeks at his cheesy words, a quiet giggle lingers in the air as the wind picks up, raising goosebumps to your arms. Without thinking, you rub your hands on your skin. Billy shrugs off his leather jacket and gently covers you in its warmth. You open your mouth to protest but Billy waves off the unsaid words before looking up towards the sky. You scoot closer to his side, snuggling into him as he wraps his arm securely around your shoulders.

“Tell me more about the stars, I could listen to you talk all night,” You sigh. Your head falls to his shoulder as he racks his brain for star facts.

“Did you know, the constellation Hydra takes up 3.16 percent of the sky?” He asks making you smile.

“I didn’t, do tell me more.” You watch the boy talk for hours, not only about the stars either, about anything and everything. Meaningful conversations didn't seem so impossible anymore.

Tags: @superfrankie111​

[moiraineswife]

I really love your post about Rhys. I like the character a lot but the fact that he is being constantly put on a pedestal takes away from the character from me. I find the fact that he sacrificed his legion for Myriam and Drakon particularly interesting because who else do we know that sent his friends to potential death? Wasn't that how Andras died? And while Tamlin was not putting himself at risk, the men he sent were part of his court. They were invested in what they were doing. Did Rhys's

legion have any ties to Myriam and Drakon or were they sacrificed for something that primarily affected Rhys? I am not saying that he is as far gone as Tamlin was in some points of the trilogy, but he is definitely not a special snowflake that makes ambiguous choices only when there is no other way.

Right I’m going to say some Even More Unpopular Things here: frankly, I consider what Tamlin did to be more “right” than what Rhys did (IN THIS INSTANCE). I think Tamlin and Rhys contrast-parallel each other a LOT in this series which I’ve written about before which I thought was really interesting until it just got so black and white ‘Rhys is right about everything; Tamlin is wrong about everything’. 

Setting aside their relationships with Feyre and Tamlin’s abuse and just stripping this back and looking at it based on ‘two leaders making decisions in war time scenarios’ I think what Rhys did here is infinitely worse than what Tamlin did. And the only reason it might not instantly be read that way is because of how it gets filtered through Feyre’s narrative, the way she condemns Tamlin but the way the novel (this bit is Jurian but it amounts to the same thing - all the characters love and absolve Rhys - as we the reader should too) praises Rhys. 

If you strip out the biased reactions though and just look at what they’re doing and why...Rhys is worse. 

Both of them are sacrificing their men. Both of them are doing this for a greater good. Rhys is the only character who is actually comfortable in doing this. Tamlin isn’t. Rhys will make small sacrifices that benefit the many and consider this a morally right action. Tamlin will not. (See: him sending Feyre away in ACOTAR despite her wanting to stay and help because he refuses to sacrifice her life to Amarantha even if it will save the rest of Prythian) 

So the sentries thing is something that Tamlin struggles with. Tamlin needs control and this manifests itself in several different ways. With Feyre it makes him overly protective and abusive and in trying to keep her safe he smothered her. When it comes to being a leader and matters of war it manifests itself in something more...Noble, I suppose, if entirely impractical. 

Rhys and Tamlin are BOTH actually quite self-sacrificing in a lot of ways. (I think Tamlin gets called selfish a lot - and I get it - but I also don’t believe it) Rhys’ form of self-sacrifice involves him making the hard decisions and taking the guilt for them and, for the most part, having himself be the ‘few’ that he chooses to harm in favour of protecting the ‘many’ (mostly his people). 

Tamlin is a lot more literal than that. Tamlin quite literally just wants to take everything upon himself. He wants to do everything by himself. He wants to take all of the risks and just get shit done alone. See: the way he marches off to deal with any breaching of court boundaries in ACOTAR, the way he works alone in ACOWAR and doesn’t tell anyone that he’s a double agent, he just gets it done himself. 

With regards to the sentries that was one of the cruellest things Amarantha could have done to him tbh. Rhys would have felt guilty as heck sending those sentries out but he’d have been able to justify and rationalise it to himself and he’d have been able to sleep at night because it’s necessary, he has no choice, and it’s for the greater good. Tamlin is driven much more by emotion than Rhys who is driven much more by pragmatism. 

The result of all this is that Tamlin stopped ordering the sentries to go over the wall and try and get themselves killed because he couldn’t stand the guilt (selfish, not, right/wrong, that’s where the debate enters into it and makes things INTERESTING because this is one of those rare things the novel doesn’t give us commentary on - we decide how we feel about this and it’s conflicting)  

The sentries actually begged Tamlin to let them go over the wall to die and try and give Prythian a bit of hope. He kept refusing and it was only when they got desperate that he allowed Andras to go over the wall where he met Feyre. Andras knew exactly why he was going over the wall, he knew exactly what a shot in the dark this was, he knew that he could die and he knew that that might not be enough to save them. But he went. He chose. 

And that’s what’s interesting here because the crux of this matter (for me) is that thing that Rhys gets praised for so much: choice. 

Tamlin’s sentries consented to his plan. They knew what they were doing. They knew why. They actively begged Tamlin to let them do it because it was the only shot they had. Andras chose. Andras went over the wall of his own volition. Andras died of his own volition. Andras sacrificed himself whereas Rhys sacrificed his soldiers. There’s a big difference. 

Obviously we don’t have the context of what happened with Rhys since we hear about it second-hand from the super-biased source that is Jurian. However I think, like, common sense dictates enough to say how this went down okay. It doesn’t say Rhys’ legion sacrificed themselves on his orders or anything it says that HE sacrificed them. Rhys made that choice. Not his soldiers. I am like 98% sure that if he went to them and just, okay guys we’re going to march into this castle and I’m going to get you all kidnapped, tortured and killed to save this one person, you cool with that? The overwhelming response would have been ‘uh, no???’ 

Also it doesn’t fit Rhys’ MO to tell people what he’s doing. Rhys makes executive decisions and doesn’t bother explaining his reasons behind them (see: everything UtM, tying the IC to Velaris and refusing to let them leave to save him/to keep them safe (which...is an awful lot like what Tamlin does to Feyre in ACOMAF, just saying) the CoN, his own sacrifice at the end of ACOWAR etc etc etc. Rhys does what Rhys thinks is right. end of story. 

Now, both of these actions were, perhaps, necessary. Miryam and Drakon were likely essential to winning the war and Rhys knew that. The deaths of his soldiers were necessary; in the same way that the death of Andras and the other Spring Court sentries were necessary to defeat Amarantha. 

This is where the moral debate of ‘was it justified/right/excusable’ should launch but instead ACOWAR tries to clumsily just tell us how it is. Feyre condemns Tamlin for killing the sentries then not standing by them with Ianthe (when he’s backed into a corner); Jurian tells us what a great dude Rhys is for having done this and it takes a reader to sort of sit there and.....Hold up dude, I don’t think so. 

But the problem is we have to do that over and over again. The narrative forces us to contradict it in the name of like...common sense over and over and over again. Because Rhys is NOT flawless. And I don’t particularly care how many times the story shoves down my throat what a tragic hero he is, how noble, how selfless, how good, the fact is he’s a ruthless, morally flawed, morally grey bastard and that’s just how it is. 

Tamlin and Rhys were set up as deliberate parallels to one another. They are opposites in almost every single regard: appearance, morals, leadership style, their relationships with Feyre, the way their courts are set up, how they think, how they act, how they operate, literally everything. And that’s interesting. Because the only part of this that’s a real clear-cut ‘Rhys is better’ is when it comes to the relationship with Feyre (which is also biased/set-up that way tbh (some of Tamlin’s lines in ACOWAR for example were so outrageously out of character that I just cringed at them - but it’s meant to make him seem like a misogynistic tool to Rhys’ uber feminist which is just...*rubs temples*)) 

When it comes to leadership style, morality, the choices they make as leaders caught up in a war, the sacrifices that they make, their motivations, intentions and the consequences of their actions, though, that’s all a grey area. Or it SHOULD have been a grey area. I said like twenty times before ACOWAR came out that I thought it would reinforce that greyness between the two of them. Tamlin is not a cardboard cut-out villain (like...every other villain in this series) and never has been. 

The dynamic between him and Rhys was compelling and interesting because it was not black and white. They were opposites, they went about things completely differently but it was not a case of ‘this way is right and this way is wrong’ it was a case of ‘these two characters are polar opposites and neither of them is completely right or completely wrong. There is merit and fault in both of them. They are grey characters. 

As far as ACOWAR is concerned, for the most part, hideous ooc high lord’s meeting aside, Tamlin’s greyness is reinforced. We’re reminded (sort of) of the things that he does right as well as the things that he does wrong. He’s a grey character. He’s made mistakes but he is trying (I’m talking about all of this in terms of him being high lord of spring NOT in terms of his relationship with Feyre, just to make that clear, there’s no grey area there for me) 

Tamlin’s arc should have, and did, focus on his actions as a high lord/leader. The problem was it wasn’t so much a sustained arc more as...a series of stepping-stone moments that were not connected or fleshed out enough to give him a proper redemption storyline. Instead I kind of ended up with whiplash being pulled back and forth between ‘he’s good, no he’s bad, no he’s good, no he’s bad, no he’s good’ - ‘he’s against us, he’s with us, he’s against us, he’s with us’ etc. It was sloppy and messy and, like almost everything else in this book, there was some real potential here it just wasn’t executed well at all. 

This is what should have happened with Rhys but in reverse. We should have seen him making questionable morally flawed decisions (see: the CoN fiasco) and being reminded that he is not flawless, he is a grey character as well, he has both faults and merit and at the end of the day he and Tamlin are both trying their best to make the most of the shitty hand of cards they’ve been dealt in this war and this world. 

Unfortunately what I got was the set-up of Rhys being a morally grey character once again...and zero follow-through. Where the narrative mostly left Tamlin’s greyness up to a reader to decide, it was shoved down our throats how Good Rhys is, how he is The Best Of Them (*gags a little*). So they’re both grey characters but someone comes along like Alice in Wonderland and tries to paint Rhys white. Most unfortunately that doesn’t actually change who or what he is it just makes me annoyed and frustrated because no, sorry, he’s not a great guy and I’m not buying what you’re selling. 

Rhys is a good character. Tamlin is a good character. They are both morally grey individuals and the dynamic between them is actually endlessly fascinating if you sit down and think about it yourself. The dynamic between them as it’s written in ACOWAR is endlessly frustrating because it SHOWS them as morally grey characters but then it TELLS us that Rhys is really great and is above all possible contempt or questioning with regards to his actions. So it falls flat and it feels forced and bland and oh god this book could have been so good and instead I’m just sitting here like W H Y.  

Bottom line as far as I see it: if SJM’s dedication to fawning over her own characters and making them (I include Feyre in this too since she suffered from this perfect airbrushing like Rhys, just not as much) perfect and beyond any possible criticism hadn’t prevailed over her dedication to telling a compelling story and writing INTERESTING instead of perfect characters this book could have been something special. And instead it was something bland, empty and forced and this is where I’m at. 

TL;DR: Let the characters speak for themselves. It is not an author’s job to tell me what to think and how to feel about their story and their characters. At a certain point you’ve got to trust your readers enough (and yourself, I guess) to read things in the way you want them to be read. Don’t spoonfeed them. Don’t force things. Don’t airbrush your characters to try and make them above criticism. It doesn’t work. We just end up with this mess. - Lauren’s problems with ACOWAR in a nutshell.