#not a fan of going to work in this dire state

[ladyinfierno]

girl help, my endometrium is falling to pieces

[babyblue711]

Loyalty

Aemond Targaryen (HOTD) x Alys Rivers - Part 1 Summary: Alys reflects on her time at Harrenhal under the reign of the Prince Regent, Aemond Targaryen. Words: 2.6K

Chapter Warnings: NSFW, Dubcon, Sexual Content 18+, Smut, War Things, Typical Westeros Misogyny A/N: I fully realize not everyone is an Alys fan and that is perfectly fine. Perhaps once the show airs, I'll change my opinion too. But, as of right now, this is fanfiction and, therefore, my fantasy. I personally tried to humanize Alys, which I hope you all will see. As always, I love reading your thoughts, comments, and reblogs! 😘 And - No tag list since I don't know who will be in to Alysmond. 💙 Beta read by the Queen herself: @arcielee 💙 Beautiful banner gif by the one and only: @myfandomprompts

The prince was insatiable at times.

Sometimes he was gentle, sometimes rough. Though she never knew what she was going to get, the news from the battlefront and the state of affairs of the kingdom often foretold the sort of night she could expect from the Prince Regent.

With the weight of the green faction firmly resting on his shoulders, periodically he would be consumed by raw desire; he was fueled by passion, fueled by rage, fueled by an innate need to dominate and control, as certainty was a rare commodity given the unpredictable nature of war. On those nights, his touch was borderline cruel, harsh and demanding, and she would brace herself, anticipating the forcefulness with which he would claim her, feeling a mixture of pleasure and pain as their bodies collided. She didn’t know how to tell him ‘no’. She didn’t think she could. She needed him just as much as he needed her… or so she was leading him to believe. 

But at other times, he would approach her with a soft touch, his fingertips tracing delicate patterns along her skin, his words filled with warmth, just like the first night they spent together. Those were the nights when she had felt cherished and safe, enveloped in his affection and care. She couldn’t ever remember a time where any man of higher standing had ever worshiped her in such a tender way. 

Presently confined within the ominous black walls of Harrenhal, tonight she is suffering the prince’s wrath. The recent tidings are dire: Kings Landing has fallen into the hands of the enemy, igniting the red hot rage of the dragon. She knows Aemond feels solely responsible for this significant blow to their cause, for leaving his family unprotected as he seeks out his greatest foe, terrified of what is happening to those he has left behind. Tonight, he uses their intimacy as a conduit for his pent-up emotions, unleashing his fury upon her in a desperate attempt to find temporary respite from the anarchy gripping the Seven Kingdoms and the chaos of his own soul.

In the dimly lit chamber, the air is heavy with tension and the scent of burning candles. Pinned to the bed underneath him, his long fingered hand is wrapped firmly around her throat as he thrusts powerfully, hips snapping into her with a brutal force, a look of utter madness in his lone purple eye. His grip tightens on her throat as his unhinged gaze flicks from her bouncing breasts up to her face. 

“Why couldn’t you have told me about this before?” he demands with a harsh growl that echoes off the stone walls, his fingers digging into the delicate skin of her throat so that she can barely breathe, let alone articulate an answer. She chokes slightly, wrapping a dainty hand around his wrist, begging with her eyes for him to soften his grip, which mercifully he does so she can speak.

“My prince,” she gasps as he continues to rut into her, “My visions do not work on command…” She attempts to explain but anger clouds his face and his grip tightens once more on her throat, cutting off any further speech. The Prince Regent does not want to hear her excuses. His desperation and anger is evident in every movement, in every harsh word, in every mark he leaves upon her body. She clenches her jaw and tries not to whimper as his teeth sink into the soft flesh of her neck and breasts, afraid weakness will spur him on further; mentally, she tries to disassociate from what is currently happening to her. She is fully aware that he sees her as a means to an end, a tool to gain an advantage in the chaos of war; she purposefully has supplanted herself in this position, just as he is her mechanism for survival in return.

She knows deep down that she cannot fulfill his demands; her gifted visions do not bend to her whim or will, and she cannot control what they show her. To admit this to him would mean certain death, and so she bears the pain of his grip, the forcefulness of his thrusts, and the weight of his expectations, all while concealing the truth that she cannot deliver what he seeks.

With a guttural groan, his hips stutter as he spills deep inside of her, his fearsome eye closed in some semblance of bliss as he reaches his peak. Without acknowledging any need for her pleasure, he tucks himself back in his pants and departs the room in silence, his rage barely satiated. 

Alys lays upon the bed, her chest rising and falling to catch the breath withheld from her while caught in Aemond’s iron grip. She shifts slightly into a more comfortable position, feeling the slickness between her thighs and, despite his brutality, she quietly hopes for a silver-haired babe, further securing her own position and a testament to her worth.

She wonders if Aemond does not think she is capable of having children and, therefore, is much less cautious where he spills his seed. Her moon’s blood is late, but that is not unusual for her, though she still thinks it is too early to tell if they have been successful yet. She rests a hand on her lower belly, willing her womb to quicken, something that hasn’t happened in years. 

Exhaustion tugs at the corners of her eyes as she rests, waiting for her soreness and aches to lessen so she may get a few hours sleep. Sighing deeply, she stares into the dying flames of the fire in the hearth and reflects on the last few months of being caught up in this accursed Targaryen civil war. Life with Aemond is, at least, a little better than when Daemon ruled these halls. The Rogue Prince had been a formidable presence, his sharp eyes saw through her facade of obedience from the moment he landed astride his fiery red dragon. She had never underestimated him, knowing that he would not be easy prey to be fooled by her own ambitions.  

But when Aemond descended from the heavens upon his colossal, ancient dragon, Alys suspected the young Prince Regent to be a lot more volatile, and thus, a little more vulnerable than his formidable uncle. Aemond was desperate to prove himself in the ongoing war, his ego inflated by the fact that he commanded the largest dragon in existence. His mere presence struck fear into the hearts of warriors, who readily bowed before him as he issued commands with an air of undeniable authority. Yet, beneath his bravado, Alys discerned a deep-seated fear—that of failing his family and being perceived as a disappointment.

Recognizing these traits, she decided to try to leverage this to her advantage. She harbored no ill will toward the prince; in fact, she had developed a fondness for the young man during his stay at the fortress. But she knew that sentimentality had no place in the games of power and politics that defined their lives; the world was cruel, especially to lowborn women, and no one in her position would turn down such an opportunity to wield the influence that came with being entwined with a Targaryen Prince. 

It still took considerable effort to gain Aemond's trust, considering his sharp intellect and initial tendency to see her as nothing more than a lowborn woman with limited utility. However, upon learning that she had some experience with the healing arts, he tasked her with tending to the injuries of his soldiers, which she executed without fail. 

It was one fateful night that the prince called upon her for help with his own affliction - the vicious scar that marred the left side of his beautiful face. She concocted a poultice aimed at soothing the damaged nerves around his missing eye that was causing him some discomfort that particular night. Witnessing the visible relief on his face once she had applied it, and taking advantage of being alone with the prince for the first time, she seized the opportunity to subtly offer strategic information, mainly concerning Daemon's previous tenure at Harrenhal. Aware of Aemond's desperation for any advantage in the ongoing war, especially for any knowledge that had to do with his uncle, Aemond clung to anything she could tell him about Daemon and his war strategy. She was aware of just enough information to be deemed useful and what she wasn’t aware of, she may have elaborated just a bit, as the prince would never know. This gesture swiftly elevated her status in his eyes, securing her a place in his inner circle sooner than she had even anticipated. 

But it wasn’t only Aemond she had to charm; she also understood the importance of gaining favor with Ser Criston Cole, the Hand of the King and Aemond's second in command. Although she suspected that Ser Criston could occasionally see through her intentions, she had a knack for manipulating him too.

Late one evening, after he had a few too many cups of wine, she prophesied his future, whispering words that she knew would resonate with him as they gazed into the flames of the fire. Men in positions of power and influence loved to be told exactly what they wanted to hear and Ser Criston was no exception. Soon, both he and Aemond would come to depend on her clairvoyance much more than either should, but war often strove men to desperate measures and she delicately played this hand when she had no other choice.

Another aspect she did not expect to contest came a few weeks after Aemond and his army came to stay at Harrenhal. It was Aemond who turned their relationship into something more physical; whether it was brought on by boredom or loneliness, she’ll likely never know, but she certainly had not anticipated becoming the Prince Regent’s bedmate. She remembered the night well, the way his fingertips grazed her wrist lightly as she poured him more wine. The intense look of his eye was…different that night, a primal look of longing coupled with a smoldering desire. The bulge in his pants was obvious and it was clear what was intended from her that night.

Worried to displease the prince by refusing him, she settled on her knees in front of him as he sat by the fire. She held his gaze as she slowly unlaced his breeches, pulling his thick, veiny cock from the confines of his trousers, and began pleasuring him with her mouth. Wetness had formed between her own thighs as she sucked him with abandon, enjoying the way his sharp face contorted with the gratification she was giving him. When he shot his seed down her throat, she expected that to be the end of it… until he asked her to show him how to pleasure her in return.

She could perfectly recall the earnest look in his eye as she stared at him with bewilderment; it was highly unusual for a man to be concerned with a woman’s pleasure, let alone a high-born royal like himself. After a moment’s hesitation, she willingly agreed to his request and they spent the night exploring each other’s bodies; she taught the prince about the bundle of nerves located above her entrance and the special spot buried deep inside her cunt. He was an excellent student, mastering her body quicker than she thought possible. His expression was hungry with intensity when he watched her unravel underneath him as she succumbed to his touch, and she knew this gave him a different sense of power over her body. She encouraged this, fully committing to being the prince’s loyal servant in all things, further gaining his trust and, in return, his protection. 

She lost count how many times she came that night during their passionate lovemaking, and her hopes ignited further when he shot his seed deep into her cunt. Since then, he had called upon her almost every night to visit his bed, torturing her deliciously as her velvet walls clenched around him repeatedly, milking him dry as her cries of ecstasy filled his room. Afterwards, she would pray to the gods to bless her with his child.

However, she was beginning to wonder if she had played her part just a little too well. Unfortunately, the prince, gaining confidence in their arrangement, had started to abuse his position of power, more often than not just using her body as a vessel for only his pleasure. Her disappointment was palpable; he had shown so much promise and she thought she could teach him to be different, that he would continue to treat her with respect.

But such wishes were not to be, as dark thoughts of the first time she had suffered the prince’s wrath resurfaced. On that fateful night, after a particularly fearsome thunderstorm culminating with bad news of the war beyond Harrenhal, Aemond and Vhagar had descended from the storm-stricken sky in a fury, his dragon’s wings clapping louder than the thunder itself. As was customary, she was summoned to his chambers. Lightning flashed as she entered his dimly lit room, illuminating his countenance —a hauntingly beautiful sight. But as she caught sight of his murderous expression, dread filled her gut and she knew she was about to face the consequences for whatever misfortune had transpired.

Afterwards, he seemed to emerge from a trance, apologizing to her as he gazed upon the red marks from his fingers on her neck, the bite marks on her breasts, the bruises that littered her body. She was dumbstruck once more, never had a man shown remorse for hurting her before. As their tryst continued, their passionate lovemaking became rougher and more animalistic, her own pleasure forgotten at times as he used her body as a means to his own end, but she made the best of it, knowing that to bear his child would outweigh her suffering and reward her tenfold. 

Back in the room, these memories of Aemond lulled her to sleep as she curled in his bed, warm and comfortable from the smolder in the hearth. The reprieve was short lived as she was roughly shaken awake, startling at his harsh touch.

“Wake up,” Aemond says gruffly. “We’re leaving.” He refuses to answer any of her questions, throwing clothes at her and telling her to get dressed in a hurry. She has no choice but to obey, noticing he has given her breeches to pull on as well as several warm layers, including riding boots and soft leather gloves. 

The moon shines brightly in the nighttime sky as Aemond takes her by the hand, leading her outside the gates of Harrenhal where the immense form of Vhagar looms in the distance. Alys pulls back on Aemond’s arm, terrified, slowing her pace, her unusual attire dawning on her as it is obvious that the prince means for her to fly on Vhagar. The energy that emanates from the massive dragon is unlike anything she has ever felt before. This was an intelligent being that could not be tricked by pretty words or prophetic visions that danced in the flames, for she was fire incarnate herself.

Feeling her tug on his arm, Aemond whirls to face her, impatient, furious. Vhagar rumbles like thunder from behind him, disturbed by her rider’s erratic energy, but makes no effort to move as she waits for him to mount her. 

“Aemond…” Alys starts to sputter, “I - I don’t think she’ll let me ride...?” Terror clutches at her throat as she tries to stress to him the dire warning in the pit of her stomach, but he only smirks, taking hold of her chin with his thumb and forefinger, his breath fanning her face. 

“Vhagar does as I command,” he says confidently as if this could assuage her fear, “but I am going to need your help with something else.”

>>>> Part 2

[majaloveschris]

it’s interesting, back when all this hoopla began, some blogs were convinced this was all genuine because of two reasons: 1) CE didn’t need to do PR to get more attention because he was already famous. 2) the attention was negative and did not help him and why would he go through all this for negative publicity?

While I agree to an extent that the attention with this relationship brought a lot of negativity to him and his family/friends (and obviously, hers too) - I maintain the belief that it wasn’t about the who he married, it’s about him having a partner and settling down and being married. To lots of people, this shows stability and being able to commit. It finally aligns with his “wants to settle and have a family” narrative. The GP will look at recent posts or movies of his and go oh yeah he got married (if they even bothered to remember that) and move on with their lives. His fans are the only ones currently bothered by all this because they hate the partner he’s with. But to me, they achieved their goal and now no matter what happens, at least he was married once and he’s seen with a ring - check and mate.

I kindly remind people that this is Hollywood. Public image and persona still is extremely important, and celebs always do things for reasons and most often, there is a bigger picture to unveil later on.

That being said, look at Taylor and Travis. She definitely is famous enough and imho, she did not need the publicity of a more public relationship. Some people said she quickly pivoted to Travis after her last guy Matt something was revealed to be problematic (I forgot why) and her PR team was quick to pull her out.

I don’t know if I agree with that. If it was as simple as erasing the controversy of a bad partner, she could be seen with Travis but not to the extent she has been. They got the NFL - aka one of the biggest money empires in the American sports and entertainment industry - involved. If you are not an American you may not understand how big NFL football and the Super Bowl is here in the states. But the levels they went to make Taylor and Travis a thing is interesting,

That’s why I think Chris very much needed the PR. I think it’s the woman choice that caused this ordeal to fall apart at the seams. Because I imagine a different situation:

Let’s say, he got paired with someone like an Ana de Armas or even Dakota Johnson (if either were single) - look at how the public reacted to Dakota and Chris at Central Park. Look at how the fans reacted.

It was mostly positive and people were surprised, including his own fans. Surprised that he looks good with her and physically they fit better together. Now the idea of them playing love interests isn’t so dire as people once thought.

The perception here is totally different. If he did scare videos with someone like Ana, did an IG montage, I don’t think the reaction would have been negative at all.

Him posting a pumpkin pic, or him doing restaurant tours with a different more favorable woman would have been completely different. If he showed up to VF after party with any of his ex gfs - and took a pic in the same red suit - I still think the reaction would have been less negative from his fans.

It could still be cringe to some but I highly doubt it would be at this level of animosity.

if the partner was different, I think you’d be seeing a much different result for both of them today. His partner, if she was also an up and coming actress but received better by his fans and the GP, could have seen herself get further in her career simply due to followers and visibility. If she was a different person with a different attitude towards work and promotion, she may be reaping more benefits today.

I think you have similar thoughts to me, maja, that this situation was unfortunately a failure due to the choice of pairing. If AB had gotten a different man, maybe even if she had stayed with Lucas B, you may be seeing a different result for her too. Her/his fanbases didn’t seem to hate them together as much, and also they did look pretty good together considering.

I wonder, would we still be seeing her post a ridiculous homemade shower video to distract from her friends problematic tweets? Would we still be seeing her pretend she’s never online and hiding away for months at a time? Would we still see her try so desperately to prove a point if she had simply ended up with someone else?

Yeah, I definitely see what you are saying. I don't think she was the first choice, in my opinion, especially because of the age gap. He's always been dating women who are close to his age, so choosing her for this whole "marriage" thing is interesting. Maybe choosing a younger partner was on purpose, and they were looking for someone who isn't that close to his age to attract a new demographic. I mean, a lot of younger women now think they might've a chance with him and thirst even harder, so who knows? I think people outside of the fandom only have problems with the age gap part, but unfortunately people are used to this, especially in HW, and 24 and 40 isn't even that bad, considering people like Leo (who is older) notoriously date younger women, and for him this is the first time. That we know of, of course. 

As you and I said, they should've chosen someone else, someone who hasn't done, said, or posted questionable things. The same goes for her friends. The most problematic part is her and her friends' personalities. I think most people would've moved on from the age gap thing; after all, they both are adults, even if 24 is a bit young for 40 in my opinion. And maybe if they were truly looking happy or in love, that could've made everything a bit better too. However, the fact they both look as if they don't want to be around each other helped at least him a lot. But they look relativly cute together with Lucas; it seemed like at least they liked each other. 

At the same time, I still think he and his team didn't know about the tweets, because I truly believe if they did, they wouldn't choose her.

I think his team failed this test, and this was a huge lesson for him too. 

[yumeka-sxf]

My thoughts on Spy x Family: EYES ONLY Guidebook (English ver) - part 2

Continuing from my previous post about the English version of the SxF manga guidebook "EYES ONLY," today I'll be going over Endo's interviews, as well as showing my favorite "fun" page spreads!

Endo's interviews with his editor Lin and other manga-ka

First off, let's address the elephant in the room: as some of you may have heard, a horrendous clickbait article was released a while back citing an interview from this book (when it was only in Japanese). The article claims that Endo states in the interview that he doesn't like Anya or any of the other SxF characters. Thankfully u/fuyukochii on Reddit had provided an unofficial translation of the interview, so most fans were able to see that this article was bogus. And now we have the official translation as further proof...

Lin, Kato, and Amu are teasing Endo about the fact that he tends to not draw handsome men ("ikemen") in his series. So when he finally did with Loid's design, they joking applaud this big sacrifice he made, to which Endo replies (again, jokingly) that this compromise to his preferred style is why he has no emotional attachment to his characters. Again, all the "laugh" and "clap" interjections in this exchange make it clear that they're all joking around. The article took this statement of his completely out of context and twisted the "no attachment" wording to mean total dislike. It's unfortunate, but false information gets published like this all the time, and often for more dire issues than a manga fanbook. But it seems like a lot of fans didn't fall for the clickbait, which is good. And now everyone who reads the book officially in English can see that there's no way someone like Endo who has such dedication to his craft could downright dislike it.

Moving on, I totally agree with Nishimori, Kato, and Amu's praise for Endo's work in the below exchanges…

The trait SxF has that they convey here is "balance:" balance between making its world believable, with enough serious conflict so that we care about what's at stake, but at the same time, stretching the veil of realism a bit to have comedic moments. There's also great balance to the characters in that none of them are totally good or totally bad, but because we know what's going on in their world and why they do the things they do (like what Nishimori mentioned about the scene with Loid), we can still sympathize with them.

Going along with that thought, Endo's responses on the below page further illustrates his balance between "dark" and "comedic."

I like how he says that he's not interested in grotesque violence as much as dark themes of the psychological kind…the dark side of humanity more than visual depictions of violence. We can see this in how he portrays the serious moments in SxF where, instead of showing actual horrific scenes of war, the focus is instead on the psychological impacts that war has had on the characters. Likewise, he mentions how perhaps "the comedic nature of their (the characters') daily lives is rooted in the severity of their reality." It's said that within comedy there's often some form of tragedy, and I think SxF is a good example of this as so much of the comedy has its roots in the darker aspects of life, like the fact that the characters have to lie about their true identities. But at the same time, Endo mentions that he doesn't want to shy away from the sad reality of war, which was a big driver for why he made the cruise arc. And again, his intention was not to show any kind of "good vs evil" thing, but simply what motivates people to do extreme things in times of war. His quote about how he never intended to show the Forgers as a completely righteous family is something I knew about before and I think is very poignant. It harkens back to what I discussed before about balance and the fact that his characters aren't shown as completely good or completely bad.

On a related note, in the below comment, Endo acknowledges that Loid and Yor have "darker sides."

It's cool that he likes drawing those expressions. It seems like he makes a conscious decision to show their "darkness" at the right times.

It's also very interesting that so many elements of SxF were decided last minute, as mentioned on the below page.

I can't believe Anya being telepathic was decided on so late! Considering it's such a big player in the series' humor, that's very surprising. But Endo does admit on this same page that he hadn't planned out the story at all. Since he had only done short/one-shot series up to that point, I'm sure he wasn't expecting SxF to continue on that long. But once it became so popular, he had to keep fleshing out the story and characters, probably beyond what he originally thought. But considering how little he had come up with for the series initially, he's done a fantastic job keeping up its quality and continuity. It really was some crazy mix of timing, talent, and perhaps a bit of luck, that turned a series with no long-term planning and so many last minute decisions into such a hit.

Other parts of the interview highlight just how dedicated Endo is to his research and how he agonizes over the fact that he may have been inconsistent with something.

I also have to say that as I read through all of Endo's interviews and comments in this book, I admire how down-to-earth he is. Like, rather than sugarcoat things, he just says it like it is, for example, he said he doesn't reveal new character names that often because it's a hassle to come up with them (pg179), how he didn't give any thought to Anya's pink hair besides it being "cute" (pg181), how it's a lot of work to draw characters in a variety of clothes (pg178), and how the main emotion he feels with SxF getting an anime series is "tired" (pg174). But there's often a "laugh" interjection in many of these interview answers, so we know his comments aren't to be taken that seriously!

And here's his message to readers at the end of the interview. Definitely not the words of a man who dislikes his story and characters.

My favorite "fun" pages of the book

Since the Endo interviews were pretty heavy, I'll finish up this post with the lighter topic of highlighting my favorite funny page spreads in the book!

First off is a spread featuring all of Yor's cooking!

The sarcasm for these meal descriptions is hilarious, lol. And what was that dessert Yor made at the end of the cooking lesson chapter? Guess we'll never know.

The next spread from Anya's POV about her made-up spy group "P2" is absolutely adorable.

I love how they included all her mispronunciations of words. Also her calling Fiona "Agent Mean Lady," lmao!

And lastly, Yuri's collection of Yor photos (made with Anya's help!)

This is all just 4th-wall breaking fun as obviously no one was taking photos at these moments in canon, so Endo could just roll with the joke. Anya's inclusion in this whole gag is too good, from Yuri calling her an "unnamed collaborator" to her "Paparotsies, eat your heart out!" And I absolutely love her comment at the end about how she can't show Yuri some of Yor's less attractive expressions, lol. Pure SxF comedy gold.

I'll have one more post of EYES ONLY content coming soon, so stay tuned!

Continue to Part 3 ->

<- Return to Part 1

[fiddlehead-soup]

Raphael x chronic hand pain!Reader

It'd been years and you'd tried every potion. Every healer you can find. You've had surgery and still, the pain in your hands persisted. There seemingly wasn't much anyone could do anymore. Everyone told you to just live with it, but you didn't want to--you wanted things to change. You want to feel better. So you sought out the devil Raphael.

Raphael turned out to be much more handsome and charming (funny; so damn funny) than you ever could've ever imagined. You even had a lot in common. The arts were one of the few things left in life you could appreciate without expending yourself. It was how you passed the time. It was what brought a smile to your face amidst your aches, what softened the pain for you when medicines could not. The romantic poems and heroic tales brought you to places you could never imagine going in real life anymore.

Your passion and appreciation for them extended beyond the typical fan and Raphael not only saw this, but admired it. Not to mention the fact that you hold conversations much better than most, even though at first, to him you were just a pitiful mortal in dire need of help like the rest of them. The more sadistic part of him even enjoyed watching your daily struggles, knowing each one would bring you closer to selling him your pretty little soul.

Maybe you knew that deep down, but it just felt so good when he held your hands in his. He made them hot--really hot--and that warmth was always a boon to your aches, it soothed them so quickly like nothing else. Afterwards, he'd lift each hand up to his lips and leave you with two kisses atop your hands, the charmer.

At least he did at the start. The typical routine eventually lead to five little kisses on each of your knuckles. Ten total kisses.

Maybe one on each cheek for good measure afterwards.

They kept adding up, but you never complained. It felt, ironically, heavenly.

A year of that passed. He eventually stopped reminding you to make a contract with him. He no longer chided you when you complained, no longer teased that he could heal you in an instant if you weren't such a scared little mouse (just sign the damned thing already).

No; when you called for him then, exhausted after a long day of strain; he simply held you. Hugged you, kissed you, sang with you, read with you. There was no magic at work, but yet, you felt better each time. Just for awhile.

And it was around then that Raphael realized in a moment of horror? Disgust? Betrayal? Honesty. That he did not really want to cure you. Should you have made the contract with him and healed, you would have no need for him any more, or so he thought. And he wanted to keep visiting you. Dare he admit to himself that he rather enjoyed the time you two spend together listening to live music, attending theater, and reading romantic literature...

Five years, that situation continued on. You'd found a new reason to want to live. You'd grown so much. He didn't realize he was a part of it all, not really. He was too busy focusing on how brightly you smiled, the sound of your laughter, the way you held yourself up with more confidence, even when he wasn't around.

It really did seem like you'd no longer a need for him, even with your condition. You healed in your own way.

He didn't like that. He didn't like the hold you had on him, either--he needed you to need him the way he had grown to need your company.

Unbeknownst to him were your true feelings for him and so, perhaps in a rash act of desperation--something to keep you wanting, needing, something to cause you ache as he did whenever he saw you--he left you a goodbye letter dressed with a rose on your night stand to wake up to one random morning.

The letter stated: Though he'd thoroughly enjoyed his time with you and finds your taste in many things rather impeccable, including in his own company, it is clear no actual business was ever to be done between you two. The devil would always welcome you to his home with open arms--should you decide to ever make him a serious offer--but the curtain on the show you starred in must fall at some point. This letter would be the end of whatever it was you had, and what a grand finale it was.

Silly devil! Didn't he know, the best shows always featured an encore?

[hellaverse-critical-confessions]

I am seriously so tired of the “Stolitz wasn’t exploration it was just sex work” excuses, especially from people who sympathize so heavily with Angel Dust’s character

First of all, let’s remember how the deal was made. It wasn’t Blitzo approaching Stolas and saying “hey, if you give me your book, I’ll fuck you once a month”. It was Stolas waiting until Blitzo was in an extremely compromised position (being chased by violent humans) and being FULLY AWARE he was in danger and not in the right headspace to respond and then making that decision. This is sexual coercion. Blitzo is in a life or death situation and knows fully well that Stolas could simply take the book and make his situation go from bad to dire if he was trapped on earth.

I’ve seen real sex workers come in and say it’s sexual coercion and they’re sick of fans using their jobs (which is heavily misinterpreted by people like Vivziepop) to justify sexually abusive relationships. Vivziepop even planned for Stolas to be a villain in the pilot and episode one, so it’s not like she was ignorant to what that scene was intending. Blitzo also had to threaten Stolas in season 2 not to fuck him because he knows he has no power in that relationship.

And then of course there’s full moon which completely destroys the whole “it was consensual sex work”. Stolas himself states that their relationship was not healthy (while taking no accountability) and Blitzo misunderstands his behavior as him taking away the book forever and what does he do? He gets on his knees and BEGS HIM TO NOT TAKE THE BOOK FROM HIM, because it’s the only way Blitzo can have a job! What exactly is consensual about someone having control over someone else’s livelihood and using sex to keep it alive? I am truly astounded by this fandoms inability to understand consensual relationships

.

[psychic-refugee]

I understand if people are disappointed in Jenna by her lack of vocal support for the past election in the States. There is always the hope that a celebrity we follow are “on our side.” Elections can have dire consequences, and we hope to get all the help we can get.

I don’t think these expectations are reasonable, per se, but I understand the natural inclination and the disappointment that follows when those hopes/expectations fail to materialize.

I’ll repeat that we must manage our expectations when it comes to celebrities and Jenna is not exempt from that.

I don’t know where she stands on a lot of issues. I also don’t know how she voted if she voted at all. At bottom, we don’t have a right to know. Voting should always be a private matter if they so choose.

Celebrities are still private citizens who have a right to privacy and don't owe us transparency.

I think disappointment in the lack of political support is valid in terms of personal feelings, and I don’t want to put words in Jenna’s mouth of why she may not have been more vocal.

I don’t know Jenna and my next thoughts are very generous towards her, I own and admit it.

I want to give grace to those I can. Perhaps time will prove she is unworthy of it, I’ll give it anyway. Kindness and grace are a choice, and I only hope that others will choose them as well.

While I don’t know her stance on issues, I equally do not know her mental state or what is going on with her personal/real/work life.

I’m not too hard on anyone who chooses to refrain from engaging with social media in any capacity and for any reason. I think people’s safety and mental health will always take precedence.

One can’t give from an empty cup.

One of the things I keep in mind when it comes to Jenna and her social media use specifically, is that she is a hyper-sexualized celebrity. We are in a time where AI is rampant, and it being used for porn is becoming endemic. Globally, we are nowhere near having laws to combat this, and I don’t see it as a priority for any nation to reign it in.

Jenna has already been run off from one social media platform because she was sent AI porn of herself. Other social media platforms are not any better. Certainly, on Tumblr I regularly block and report accounts that post AI porn/photoshop/links to porn when I see it, Jenna is a popular target.

Then there are others who do “handcrafted” porn across different medias (drawings, fiction, etc…), and they try to profit from it, and they do so in public forums such as Twitter/IG/social media. If it’s not being sent directly to the celebrity, it’s easy to find and possibly shoved in their face via the algo. OR their siblings/family are finding it as well.

There are others that nitpick at her looks and make sexually charged comments about her body freely and openly.

Social media is not a safe place for Jenna.

I certainly wouldn’t frequent anyplace I knew I was going to be sexually harassed or heavily criticized, even for benign things such as attending a concert or a farmer’s market. She is literally being stalked by her “fans” and they are happy to spread it and act as if they’re doing her a favor.

Yes, Jenna’s social media posts have become essentially completely professional. Even when we know she has been to social engagements with people she works with and we presume are on friendly terms, she does not post about it. I believe she only posted about Gaza twice, three times tops. She never endorsed any candidate.  

She’s not active on social media in general, not just inactive with politics.

I think she would totally forgo social media if not for her professional obligations. It is my understanding she’s only on IG, all others she has shutdown despite likely being able to monetize all of them.

I think it says something that she limits social media as a revenue stream.

Maybe the few posts she did upload regarding voting, even so late in the game, was all she had the mental bandwidth for.

I also would understand if she felt overwhelmed to the point of inaction. She has admitted to anxiety surrounding social media. (Independent, 07 June 2024) Perhaps seeing how Roan Chappell was torn apart for attempting to explain a nuanced opinion on a complex issue had scared her off even more.

Perhaps she is in a place where she could not make herself the target of social media nutjobs.

I’m confident enough to say that anything she said would have invited harassment, no matter what it was.

I’m not going to be too hard on anyone who chooses themselves first, and/or is dealing with mental health issues.

She shouldn’t have to set herself on fire to keep others warm.

Social media is just another type of theatre, and she does not need to perform her values for me.

I see her lack of social media presence as protecting herself by removing herself from what may be hurting her.

I will never criticize anyone dealing with anxiety on how they manage their anxiety.

Jenna has a lot of privileges compared to a lot of people, it doesn’t mean she should be forced to put herself in front of the metaphorical firing squad that is always locked and loaded on social media.

Again, this is a very gracious view of one of a million possibilities that could have been going on in a world I’m not a part of, and with people I’ve never met. I do not conflate social media with knowing someone.

Having a large platform is irrelevant, does not cure anxiety, and does not create obligations.

Expectations from randos on the internet are not obligations.

This is not to dissuade anyone from being angry. This is merely a possible different point of view one may consider.

As I’ve said, grace and kindness are a choice. I’m choosing to think the best of her intensions and situation.

[xivu-arath]

man after putting a lot of my gripes about relatively recent writing together with The Lore Circle, and then seeing the article about just how dire the state of bungie is right now, it's really... not a surprise. we'd been noticing and feeling the effects of this in bits and pieces for over a year, at least

the weird flattening and streamlining of story and narrative and characters, the unnecessary amount of connections being made with zero ambiguity allowed, characters and dynamics being written in reaction to overall community opinions and vibes but often without actual depth, the very... on the face and rote pattern of seasonal dialogues. not that I care much about gameplay, but the intense pivot towards "challenging gameplay" that feels both one-note and pretty damn brutal for casual players like myself. I'd long held that there had to be a strong executive meddling for how things were being handled, and it sucks to have been so right

and it's so easy to see how things will spiral into going worse. why should longtime fans extend any grace or trust to bungie now? how can we be "earned back" when all the good writers and community managers and counsel and musicians have been laid off? when every well-meaning initiative has been promptly shut down and everyone involved is gone?

I don't generally have the energy nowadays to Express Opinions or be as loudly disappointed as many of my friends are. but I am disappointed and tired and also really fucking sad. the destiny that exists in my memory could actually be pretty good, and sometimes almost matched what I was writing and imagining in my own head. and... it's probably never going to return to that. I'm not going to leave it! I will probably hang around and keep plucking out the dregs that appeal to me, and keep writing and theorizing and talking with the talented and passionate community I've found myself in. I've scavenged and remained invested in much worse and more overall garbage stories

but I am going to grieve this decline for a long time, too. not just as a fan, but for the hundreds of people who did work on this big and silly universe and put their hopes and best efforts into it, and got crunched up instead

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

happy bday ruggie

Me: “Oh wow, a new chapter of the TWST manga came out on Ruggie’s birthday?? Ayyy, what a way to celebrate this special occasion. Lemme take a look at what’s poppin’ :D”

The manga:

I didn’t seriously expect TWST to ever depict the circumstances of where Ruggie came from, but 💦 wow, does it wrench the gut to actually see it. We hear all the time about just how dire it is in his hometown and how much those experiences have impacted him, and these visuals really make those points clear.

The dilapidated buildings, malnourished children lying on the ground, young Ruggie having go eat out of the garbage can… The images are brief, but they make you empathize with him and really get a sense for why Ruggie acts in the ways he does and why he works so hard (though his penny pinching is also sometimes used to comedic effect in both canon materials and in fan content).

I’d imagine it would be challenging for the game to take us on a trip to Ruggie’s hometown… It isn’t as “glamorous” as the other places we’ve explored (especially when juxtaposed with Leona’s castle and luxurious hotel for guests of the state), and it would inevitably bring up the very difficult task of depicting a low-income community in a respectful manner. The way the manga does it is just right; keeping it short while not downplaying the situation.

Gamaba, Ruggie 😭 You deserve all the donuts and headpats for this day, and for every day after…

[amandacanwrite]

Violet Thread of Fate || Part Nine : A Vigil

Part One || Part Two || Part Three || Part Four || Part Five || Part Six || Part Seven || Part Eight || Join Taglist

POV || 3rd Person -- Gale Dekarios

Scenario|| Elinna Inklynn is an orphan with an uncanny ability to mess up even the simplest of spells. It’s not her fault; she hasn’t ever had access to a proper teacher. But she has had access to books, and she’s read about a certain gentleman wizard in Waterdeep that may just be willing to help her.

She books passage on a ship from the Moonshae Islands and sails to Waterdeep, only to be rejected by Gale Dekarios. He doesn’t take on apprentices.

But their paths become inextricably intertwined when an enormous Nautiloid targets the City of Splendors.

Word Count || 4,400 words

Warnings || Mentions of blood and fighting. Allusions to non-consensual biting by a vampire.

A/N || I just love writing Gale being working and protective. That's it, that's the tweet.

Taglist || @verba-writing @softvampirewhump @horizonstride @thoughts-of-bear 

@mymybirdie

@tiedyedghoulette @drabblesandimagines @madwomansapologist @hijirikaww @tryingtowritestuff24

@laserlope @auroraesmeraldarose @puckprimrose @dont-try-pesticide @cherifrog

@circusofthelastdays  @nourangul @crucibelle @fan-aaa-tic

Gale focused on the quiet, shallow breaths going in and out of Elinna’s lungs as he carried her through the caverns. He tried his best not to think too hard; not to over analyze the quality of each breath, how much time passed between each exhale and the following inhale, or the concerning blue quality to her faintly parted lips. 

It helped him, he thought, to focus on the fact that she was still alive, however dire her state was. And it also helped him refrain from incinerating the vampire spawn that drained her of the blood she needed to flush the toxin out of her system. 

The four of them were quiet as they walked, listening for where the rush of water became louder and trying to make it whatever underground stream would lead them to freedom and, hopefully, a cure for the little ingenue in his arms. 

Blessedly, it wasn’t long before they found the way out, though it required wading through waist deep water. Cold water. 

“Why don’t you let me take her?” Halsin offered Gale. “Best to keep her from getting too wet; hypothermia is not an ailment we should add to the litany she’s already got.”

Gale hesitated, loath to let her go after being separated from her once. But he handed her over, knowing he was right. 

Halsin cradled her like she weighed nothing at all and sloshed into the water, heading for where the moonlight streamed in at the far end of the cavern. 

Lingering nearby was Astarion, looking unburdened as ever. 

It made Gale want to shake him. 

“Why Elinna?’ Gale said, his tone tight. “Why hurt her and then coerce her into playing tour guide for you? Why couldn’t you just have asked for help from us like a normal person?”

Astarion looked a little surprised that Gale was speaking to him, his eyes widening for a moment before they narrowed again. His expression was oddly serious. 

“As if there is ever a reason for wanton cruelty,” Astarion said. “I learned a long time ago to stop asking questions with no answers. Maybe you should do the same.”

Astarion stepped into the stream and followed after Halsin. 

Briar came up from behind Gale and looked up at him. Gale was still looking at Astarion as he walked away and he found himself suddenly so very tired; so exhausted by everything that had happened. 

“Halsin is one of the most gifted healers you could meet, Gale,” Briar said. “Now that we’re out, I’m sure Elinna will be alright.”

Gale nodded and heaved out a breath before wading into the stream. “Thank you, Briar,” he said. 

They walked for a long while after exiting the caverns, finally setting up a small camp in a meadow. Briar took Astarion with them to look for the herbs and barks that Halsin required for the healing poultice as Halsin kept an eye on Elinna’s state and Gale took to setting up tents for everyone. 

As Gale worked on starting up a fire, he heard the faint tinkle of the bells on Elinna’s overcoat. Gale’s head whipped to look in her direction, thinking for a moment that she was rousing on her own accorf. His heart leapt but immediately dropped when he saw what had caused the sound. 

Halsin was stripping the outer layer of her armor off! 

“Wh-what?! Are you DOING?!” Gale sputtered. 

Halsin’s scared brow quirked. “I can’t very well work on her wounds while she’s fully clothed.”

“You can’t just disrobe her in the middle of camp!”

“I’ll need the light to work on her, and I’ll need to see if she has any other wounds that need treatment,” Halsin said. “Believe me, it’s not in an effort to ogle her. I’m merely trying to heal her. Being unclothed isn’t anything to be ashamed of. Certainly it’s nothing any of us haven’t seen.”

“I–I– just take her into the tent,” Gale stammered. “I’ll conjure light for your work, just don’t disrobe her out here in front of everyone, please.”

Halsin chuckled. “I understand wanting to keep the finer details of your lover to yourself.”

Gale almost choked. “She is not. My lover.”

Halsin’s brows shot up with surprise. “She isn’t?” he asked. “Forgive me. Your protective nature in regards to her–the way you went after her abductor–I just assumed.”

Gale’s face heated and he smeared his hand down it. “Just. Take her to the tent. Please.”

Halsin gave a private little smile before scooping Elinna up in his arms once again and taking her to the tent Gale had set up for himself and Elinna to share. He couldn’t decide if he preferred Halsin disrobing Elinna on his own, or if he preferred to be there. As the sound of bells came from within the tent, he still wasn’t certain. He sat down near the fire and dropped his head into his hands with a groan. 

Some time later, Briar returned with a burlap bag on their shoulder, Astarion close behind. The bag was brimming with various plant life foraged from the meadow beyond. 

“Where are they?” Briar asked. 

Gale pointed to the tent and Briar nodded. Leaving Astarion and Gale alone once more. Astarion sat by the fire, leaning back on their palms and crossing their legs. 

An awkward silence yawned between them, and then, seemingly out of nowhere, Astarion spoke. 

“For what it’s worth, I am sorry,” he said. “I know that what I did wasn’t considered very…eh…polite. But I truly never intended on delivering the girl to death’s doorstep. It was all just…bad luck.”

Bad luck–as if the elf hadn’t kidnapped her and forced Elinna into the very position that  led to this situation they were in. Gale inhaled slowly, rubbing his fingers across his brow, trying to cool his temper. Trying to be civil, though he didn’t want to be. 

“I can’t accept an apology on Elinna’s behalf,” Gale said. “I appreciate that you helped us get out of there in a timely manner so that she could be seen to. But I’m not terribly interested in being your friend.”

“Understandable,” Astarion said. “No one ever is.”

The vampire let out a guffaw at his self-deprecating joke before exhaling slowly. He looked toward the tent where the druids were treating Elinna and sobered. “I do hope she’s alright, wizard.”

“Now that is something we can agree on,” Gale said. 

“Who is she to you exactly?” Astarion asked. 

“A young lady who sought me out as a teacher a couple of days ago. I’d rejected her proposition and was ready to have that be the end of it, but the Nautiloid showed itself in waterdeep and stole us away…I presume you know what followed,” he said. 

“Intimately,” Astarion said with a cringe. “If you rejected her…why were you still traveling with her?”

Gale exhaled as he realized he didn’t really have a good answer to that question. Sure, they’d helped one another after being abducted by the mindflayers, but neither of them had any obligation to each other. He’d been telling himself that it was a matter of convenience, but the last day and a half had been anything but convenient. 

The truth was, in the few days he’d had the girl with him, he had rather come to enjoy her company; perhaps even relate to her insatiable curiosity. 

“She’s a kind young lady,” Gale finally said. “It felt wrong to leave someone so innocent and guileless to handle the wilds on her own.”

A half truth, Gale realized. And one he hoped Astarion wouldn’t challenge him on. 

Astarion snickered. “Well, she’s not that innocent,” he said. “You should have heard the sounds she made when I fed on her.”

Gale glared at the vampire spawn and he lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’m just saying. It’s not every day that someone enjoys having their neck feasted on.”

“Stop talking,” Gale said flatly. 

“Jealous that you didn’t get to hear it for yourself?” Astarion teased. 

“You are making it very hard for me to avoid bloodying your nose,” Gale said. 

Astarion didn’t back down, seeming to relish Gale’s discomfort the same way he would have enjoyed a glass of warm blood. “Ah, the way she opened up like flower petals for me. The way she just melted like butter in my hands once she surrendered to it. The little moans she sighed out~”

He didn’t want to think about Elinna melting, or opening up or moaning. He didn’t want to picture the little catches of her breath at feeling a wicked pleasure in something she shouldn’t. She didn’t want to think about the ways her body might tighten in just the right places if he–

Gods he was thinking about it, wasn’t he?

“I wonder what she would have let me do to her,” Astarion said with wicked delight. “If I had let her stay conscious just a little longer.”

Gale couldn’t take it anymore. He balled one fist in the vampire’s doublet and used his other fist to land a blow right on his stately nose. There was a bit of a crunch and then the flow of dark, burgundy blood. Like blood that had been sitting in a vial for too long. Blood that didn’t belong to him. 

The sight of it, the realization that it was likely Elinna’s blood that spurted from his nose, was enough to set him in a rage. A scuffle ensued where Gale got himself poised above the blood sucking bastard and landed two more blows to his obnoxiously pretty face. 

Astarion laughed as his teeth stained red with more of that borrowed blood.

“There you go, Wizard,” Astarion said. “Get it out of your system.”

Gale put both of his hands in his shirt and thrashed him against the ground. “Don’t patronize me you arrogant little–”

“Gale!” Briar called from the tent where Elinna was being treated. 

Gale came to an abrupt stop, head whipping to where Briar stood in the open flap of the tent, backlit by the cantrip Gale had used to illuminate their work. Briar grinned. 

“She’s stable, if you want to come see her,” they said. 

“And her modesty is protected,” Halsin called from within the tent. 

Briar looked over their shoulder with a questioning glance and Halsin chuckled. 

Gale ignored it as he got up off of Astarion and hurried for the tent, eager to see Elinna healthy again, with some of the rosy flush back in her face. “Coming,” he said. 

Briar stepped out of the tent as Gale went in, clearing room in the small space. Halsin seemed to take up so much of the space as he sat with his glowing hands held over Elinna’s body, covered by a warm looking hide of what seemed to be a bear or perhaps a dire wolf. 

She was still unconscious, but some of the color had returned to her face, her lips a pale pink instead of a ghoulish blue. And her chest was rising and falling with slow, full breaths. 

“When will she wake up?” Gale asked. 

“The antitoxin worked well, but it will likely take a day or two for her body to recover the blood she lost. She may wake up briefly here or there, but the body does most of its natural healing while sleeping, so encourage her to sleep if she does wake up.” Halsin said. “We’d do well to get her to an inn; get her out of the elements and somewhere with warm, hearty food. Let us rest tonight and we can carry her to a nearby town tomorrow.”

Gale nodded and heaved out a sigh, his eyes burning with tears he refused to allow. 

“Halsin, thank you. Thank you both for everything that you did. I’m in your debt.”

“Think nothing of it,” Halsin said. “At my age, with all that I’ve seen. It’s just a relief that something went the way I hoped it would. Now, let me leave you to your charge. Briar and I will retire to our tent and we’ll see you come morning.”

Gale nodded and Halsin wasted no time in seeing himself out. Elves rarely needed to sleep, but after the long day, he was sure Halsin was looking forward to some much deserved slumber. 

As the flap to the tent closed and Gale was left with Elinna, he found himself not wanting to sleep. He worried that doing so would undo whatever luck they’d struck in getting her back from the brink of death. He decided he would keep an eye on her instead, perhaps read a good book while he waited for the coming morning. Try to find something interesting to share with her when she woke up. 

But shortly after he plucked a book from his pile of things and started flipping through it as he listened to the calm breaths flowing in and out of Elinna’s lungs, the wizard found his eyelids began to droop. 

And before very long at all, he too found rest. Sitting next to Elinna, his head propped on a folded hand, his book discarded in his lap. 

As if he held quiet vigil over her as he slept.

[skyrim-forever]

Day 7: Companion

A/N: Being brave and posting this before the final day is written, hoping it will motivate me to do it today. This one features Theodora adjusting to life in raven Rock, the threat of Miraak still looming, with a newfound friend. Enjoy! All of my tesfest pieces are up on ao3 under the name We Will Find a Way. Tagging: @tes-summer-fest

Though the threat of Miraak still loomed over Solstheim, Theodora had made good progress in Raven Rock. Upon arriving she intended to go after him right away but after her experience at his Temple she knew she wasn’t in a state to handle him now. Even if she hadn’t been pregnant at the time, discovering Miraak’s allegiances to Hermaous Mora had frightened her. Of all the Daedric Princes, Mora was the one she  wanted to interact with the least; it was one thing to outright be killed -going mad was an entirely different matter. But from the first day in Raven Rock she quickly learned the town was in dire straits. After having been attacked by Ash Spawn she took on the role of discovering their source, an Imperial Captain in Fort Frostmoth who long should have been dead. After this, she became more trusted by the people in town, eventually getting the ebony mine reopened and even stopping a plot of the First Councilor’s life. 

Though the people of Raven Rock were deeply wary of outsiders, Theodora had earned their trust, now residing in Severin Manor. Although, she couldn’t have done it alone. Frea of the Skaal had been very helpful during the latter months of her pregnancy, supplying herbs and even delivering Arthano when the time came. Whereas the people of Raven Rock could be guarded, the Skaal had been very welcoming, especially once she said she was there to defeat Miraak. Frea had already done so much for her and she promised she would more than make it up to her. 

But in truth, the biggest help had come from the mercenary, Teldryn Sero. Self-proclaimed best swordsman in Morrowind, he had more than lived up to it. Not long after arriving on Solstheim, Theodora became acquainted with the local tavern, a sujamma joint named the Retching Netch. Although she couldn’t drink due to her condition, she had spent a lifetime socializing in taverns and the little fact of being sober wasn’t going to change that. The owner Geldis Sadri had recommended him and the Dragonborn couldn’t be more thankful. He had acted as a guide, formidable spellsword, and had become somewhat of a friend. A constant companion as she fought dragon priests and ash spawn. 

“I have to say I am quite a fan of the work you’ve had for me recently.” Teldryn chuckled as their dwemer swords clashed. 

“What, you don’t miss the Nordic ruins?” Theodora threw back at him. He let a deep laugh, one that showed the years of ash damage he had taken. 

“As long as you're paying I’m game for it.” Ducking under her next blow he continues “but practicing sword forms does certainly carry less risk.” It had been a few months since she’d given birth, Arthano was already six months old, but now that she had had some time to recover she was ready to get back into training and regain her strength. I’ll need all the strength I can get. Thankfully, she had the best around as a sparring partner. A couple more swings until Theodora puts her hand up, panting. 

“Okay, I have to call it here for the day.” 

“You’re doing well, the muscle memory is still there.”

“I’m still too weak though, it’ll be a miracle if I am back to normal by the end of the year.”

“Do not worry, you’re Dragonborn aren’t you? Can’t you just shout him to death?” Theodora lets out a half-hearted chuckle. 

“So is Miraak.”

“Well, what does he have that you don’t?”

“I don’t know, just a dragon, a Daedric Prince backing him, and give or take 4000 years experience?” Teldryn lets out a long sigh. 

“The Daedra aren’t all they are cracked up to be, believe me.” He pauses for a moment. “You’ll get there, you’ve already improved a lot in the past few weeks.”

“Thanks.” Sheathing her swords, Theodora makes him an offer. “Do you want anything? Tea, food? I’ve got a couple of jars of sujamma. Geldis insisted on giving them to me and I can’t have them for at least a few more months.” 

“Well I suppose I could take one off your hands. How much time do you have?”

“Cindiri is looking after Arthano until dusk, so I could spare a couple of hours.” The Second  Councilor’s wife had been incredibly kind to her. They began meeting for tea when she was still expecting, confessing how she had always wanted children but unfortunately was unable to do so. So when Theodora mentioned needing someone to look after him, the woman happily offered. Theodra was thankful, not only because it gave her more time to train, but also meant she knew he was in good hands. 

Tossing a jar of sujamma at him, Theodora then takes a seat opposite him. It felt nice to sit down, not have any obligations for the next few hours. Arthano was a good baby, not that she had much experience, but he was sleeping mostly through the night now and had begun to crawl,not yet walking so mischief making was limited. He looked exactly as he did in her dream. A beautiful golden boy with dark eyes. Although she had to confess she was hoping he would look more like her, rather than the spitting image of his father. Being a mother had been even more tiring than anyone said it would be, but he was so sweet that she couldn’t imagine being without him at this point.

“Gods you look tired.” She side-eyes him. 

“Thanks Teldryn, ever the charmer you are.”

“The great warrior, brought down by motherhood.”

“I’d like to see you try to be the Hero of Tamriel and take care of a child.” Teldryn takes a large swig of the liquor.

“No thanks. The hero's life is far less glamorous than the songs would leave one to believe.” Changing the subject, Teldryn asks “I’ve noticed you have a very Dunmer fighting style, evident even before we started training. Who taught you how to use a sword?”

“My Uncle Elo, when I was young.” Theodora beams. 

“Your uncle was Dunmer?”

“Not my biological uncle, no. He was my father’s first mate and most loyal friend. He always brought me back gifts from their adventures, and taught me everything he knew about swordmanship.” She gestures to her swords now hung on the wall. “Those were a gift from him, I was 13. My father had been a bit apprehensive about giving them to me, until Elo reminded him that he’d been in jail at my age.” Teldryn laughs.  

“Sound slike quite the character. First mate? Are you from a family of sailors?”

“Pirates.”

“Fascinating. So where was this Elo from?” Her face scrunches a bit, trying to recap the memories. It had already been so long since he passed that details began slipping. She realized it had been a long while since she spoke about him. The last time she spoke of him was to Ond- don’t think about him. It’ll only hurt.

“Oh, somewhere near the border with Black Marsh, outside one of the major cities.”

“Tear?”

“Yes! That was it, Tear, I’ve got to remember that. He didn’t talk much about his upbringing, but I gathered none of it was good.” Teldryn gruff voice responses. 

“I’d reckon, a dastardly place. Controlled by House Dres, most of the population is slaves.”

“I knew Elo was a bastard of some Dres noble but wow.”

“My people can be beyond twisted. But then again, so can yours.”

“Believe me, the Empire will gain no sympathy from me.” 

“Don’t lie, didn’t you end the Civil War for the Empire?” Her eyes darted up to meet his, only finding the chitlin helmet he never took off. 

“I wasn’t given much of a choice but to side with the people who would have chopped my head off if not for that dragon attack.” Tedlryn lets out a roaring laughter.

“Of course they’d nearly kill the one person in Nirn who could save them. Anything to make the paperwork easier.” Now it is Theodora who laughs. “So what’s next after Miraak is taken care of, back to Skyrim?”

“I don’t know yet, I have several properties there.” Lakeview would be viable, secluded, lots of space. Faendal was a good steward and could be a good influence on her son; she knew him and Camilla wanted children so Arthano could have other kids to hang out with. She planned to hold on to Proudspire to keep it in the family but she wouldn’t feel comfortable in Solitude. Let alone at the family estate. I’ll want to sell Vlindrel Hall eventually. But that would mean going to Markarth. 

“Theodora” Teldryn says. 

“Oh sorry, my mind wanders.”

“I can tell.”

“But to answer your question, I don’t know yet. I’ve been leaning toward Cyrodiil, the Imperial City is big enough to get lost in. People from all over the continent are there so it would be good for the boy. I’ve given up on planning too far ahead, so much can happen in such a short time.”

“You sound old.” 

“Oh you’re terrible. I am old.”

“No you're not.”

“For a human I’m not as young as I once was. How old are you anyways?”

“Old enough to remember the Red Year.”

“Now you sound old.” They sit in silence for a few minutes, Teldryn polishing off the last of his sujamma. 

“You know, you don’t have to go. You’ve got property here, you’re quite well-liked and these people do not trust easily.”

“I’ve briefly thought about it, it is nice to be out of the Empire’s grasp. I just don’t know about raising Arthano alone here.”

“Well you’re not alone, Second Councilor Arano’s wife considers him a gem, I think you could go away for weeks and she’d be perfectly happy to watch him. And besides, as he gets older he’ll need to have someone to teach him magic.”

“You want to be Uncle Teldryn?”

“Why not? Well, once he’s older and can handle himself better. Besides, he’s half Altmer, magic is in his blood. It would be a shame to waste that potential. With the proper training we can prevent him from becoming a stuffy mage. ” Theodora softly smiles. Teldryn made a point, perhaps he could be to her son what Elo was for her.

“Thank you Teldryn, you can be quite kind when you want to be. I’ll think about it.”

“You’re welcome Boss.” 

[afreakingdork]

Plot Bunny - Seconded (BadFuture!Rottmnt!Donnie x Reader)

So, the bad future timeline starts out as a code conversation on a broken down computer with Donnie reaching out to any viable connected tech for survivors (while grappling with Krang infecting tech and the like). He finds one in a small group of survivors (like 10-12 people) who have holed up in a long overrun and abandoned military outpost. Donnie and Reader exchange messages, but the situation is dire. You’re almost out of food and since your place was taken over by Krang once and your group fears it will happen again. Donnie ends up comforting Reader and is online nearly all hours of the day. It’s nice to know someone is out there even if you don’t really know who. He’s said these incredible things, but there’s no way to know, especially with the state of the world now. Not one to allow personal preference to sway decisions anymore, Donnie is trying to work out a way to get Reader’s group to the Liberty City Colony so they’ll be safe, but the timing and movement of the Krang aren’t allowing for it...

Liking this so far? Read the entire plot bunny by joining the 1$ a month tier, afreakingreader, over on my patreon!

FAQ:

What is this?

Did you know that when I'm not writing, I'm writing? By definition a plot bunny is "a story idea that refuses to go away until it is written." Basically even though Weak Spot takes up 99% of my thought processes, the other 1% of my mind is still overflowing with creative. I've got to write these bad boys down and bring them to a sort of fruition. What you will find if you subscribe is a fully realized idea in outline form. It only isn't a true 'completed' fic because it doesn't have any of the nuance I would put into writing. That being said it is 'done' in my mind because I have no plan to turn it into a fully realized work.

Why is this behind a paywall?

Now fan fiction can exist using elements of copyrighted material because it is free. I don't claim to own or have any affiliation with The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or their properties. I do claim that the unique concept of my creations and my time which is wholly my own. When you support me on Patreon, you are not paying for the work itself (all my work is free), you are instead paying for my time and to get behind the scenes content and insight into my writing. Here, since these are not 'completed' works and instead 'outlines,' they fit into the behind the scenes box.

What are the tags on this?

Seconded is rated Mature, gender neutral reader, involves multiple character deaths, eventually has a relatively large age gap, involves time travel fuckery, is a romance at heart with angst flowing through it, explores the meaning of what it means to be 'you,' and who is 'your person.'

[arkus-rhapsode]

Let's Talk About Fire Emblem Supports: A Discussion on the State of one of Fire Emblem's Iconic Mechanics

So I'm sure if you are someone who is keyed into the Fire Emblem community, something that has been discussed for some time is the current state of the support system. Arguably Fire Emblem's defining feature which in recent years has almost come to eclipse other facets of the gameplay.

However, with that has come some pretty noticeable backlash. Lets back it up for a second.

This is not going to be a "This is the right way to do this and if you disagree you are wrong" post. This is me as a long time fan of the franchise giving my honest opinion on how I feel about these aspects of the game and why I think they are the way they are and what I think could be improved and what I think works as is. I don't think Fire Emblem or InSys are gonna go be "diluting" themselves if they don't make these improvements, nor do I think someone who has different interests in how the support system should be implemented is wrong. I'm just a fan with an opinion.

So Fire Emblem's support system has been with us since FE4 in a primordial state, but its modern day form really started in FE6. While entries after that varied in terms of things added to it, it was around Awakening with the franchise on dire straights did making it so every character could support and marry for their prime future baby. This pairing mechanic brought on a bunch of new fans that enabled them to get a bunch of character interactions that resulted in loads of content for fans to then take into transformative properties. But the thing is that a lot of Awakening worked in context. What was assumed to be the last FE means its flaws were less evident and were built with the child mechanic in mind.

Now, Awakening's supports are seen as okay supports plagued with a bunch of redundancies due to the fact that one character interacting with everyone character can only produce so much dialogue. That and each support's length could also lead to loads of padding. The child units were also discarded after Fates basically proved that the mechanic without some proper context can feel more intrusive. But that still leaves us with games with many many characters and a lot of interactions.

The criticism of modern FE Supports can vary but the general points are

Too many characters

Too much repetition in interactions

Length of each support

Separated from the events of the narrative

The supports themselves are just poorly written

This is also not ignoring the ways this has been shaken up like Shadows of Valentia's use of memory fragments, the base conversations of the Tellius games, the monastery scene of Three Houses etc. So any discussion of how these support systems could be improved often calls back to other variations of the support system. And that's at least how we will be trying to examine FE's support system, using its other systems and variants for reference and comparison.

So firstly, I think the stance people take on this will actually be different depending on what aspect of the game you value most. If you are a gameplay fiend your focus will be more on integrating supports into the gameplay the way a Persona game might. If you are a more narrative fan of Fire Emblem you would more take the stance that the supports are relevant and reactive to the plot. And if you're a character fan, you likely want the content of the supports to be plentiful but endearing to the characters. So I want to at least establish that where you fall on how supports are implemented will be of personal preference.

As this is my post, my personal stance is Fire Emblem is a narrative game with supports acting as ways to elevate the characters. As such, that is why I feel confident in saying that I am personally not a fan of the idea of making every FE character support relevant to the narrative. The narrative is important to me, but critical world building and character motives shouldn't just be buried in the supports or battle conversations. I shouldn't need to play with certain character combinations to find out vital information for the plot you are writing. In my personal opinion, the best remedy for this was the creation of the base convos. These were interactions the played out when certain conditions were met at certain points in the story.

This had allowed for a lot of side characters to feel as they had some relevance even if they weren't plot relevant. To contribute to how far along this journey has been and how a map scenario may relate to them. A small version of this was done in Garreg Mach Monastery where each chapter would allow for Byleth to walk around the hub world and speak with characters who would provide their thoughts on the previous chapter or what might be coming in the next chapter. These weren't as long as base convos, much shorter. But it still gave the idea of everyone contributing a new insight. That said, as much as I think base convos are good in games like FE9, they should not be a replacement for the current support system but rather an enhancement. These I would consider as narrative moments that often hinge on events that happened in the narrative. With character commenting and interacting off of it. But I feel that if we were to remove the support system and only have base convos we would be distancing a lot of the casual fans of FE who want to see characters interact, but not always as serious. And because FE is often a war story franchise, the tone of base convos are often serious in subject matter.

With Engage and the implementation of the somniel and even walking around defeated battlefields, I actually really would have liked base convos to be implemented this way. Perhaps after a battle you may be able to walk around a camp and see an indicator of who you can talk to about an event that just happened that would trigger a more fleshed out cutscene. I say camp, because while I appreciate the monastery, but one of the issues I have is that it is a stationary location and makes FE not so much a journey but rather just able to fast travel to certain conflicts. Making the world feel smaller and repetitive.

Most likely than not, you will not unlock every support in game on your first try. This to me adds replayability and an incentive to grind with characters you may not regularly use. However, in the case of base convos, unlocking them often hinges on them just being alive at the time. So if you were someone like me who impulsively starts over even on casual mode to not lose a character, when you see all base convos, you have seen them all. You can only walk around the Monastery and ask Sylvain what he thinks about fighting Miklan only so many playthroughs before you just don't bother. The replayability will then come from difficulty spikes and not character or story incentives. So I do believe base convos should return but as an enhancement not a replacement.

(Some may suggest that one could implement a support system lock like FE3H did with its time skips, but that suffered from an issue of not accounting for everything interaction when the time skip happened. So it actually feels very bizarre to watch Ashe and Petra have a lunch time excursion in Faerghus when the country is apparently under occupation. So I think weaving supports with narrative dependency for some supports but not others will actually be more confusing.)

In fact I daresay, supports that are disconnected could actually add levity. Mia and Ilyana's support is almost completely comedic, and it feels more endearing than watch the two of them brood over Daein and Crimea.

Speaking of repetition, lets talk about support redundancy. This is part of another issue in FE's supports which we will get into, but let me at least try to establish what people mean by redundant. I find saying FE characters are "too anime" rather lazy and dismissive. At their core a lot of side FE characters are stock characters with some limited traits. So when you hear Sully talking about working out, or Rosado's obsession with cute things, or Raphael loving food, a lot of the supports they have can come back to or revolve around these topics. And when you have games with the other issue of many many characters hearing them have these convos around these topics again and again can be very boring.

Some could say that this is an easy fix by simply reducing the number of characters. Focus more on say the size of a persona cast. Well the difference is that FE is a tactical RPG with permadeath while Persona is an RPG with a focus on time management. The smaller sized cast benefits the player in ways that help them interact with every character, but not having to worry about one becoming unplayable after you spend a lot of time on one. FE however as a tactical RPG where the mass amount of characters is so you have options to solve strategic map scenarios. Reducing the number of characters to only plot relevant ones would be very difficult. Hypotethically, if we reduced Engage to the characters who have to be around for the plot that only leaves you with Alear, Vander, Clanne, Framme, Mauvier, Veyle, Alfred, Ivy, Diamant, and Timerra. Not exactly a plethora of options for making interesting maps.

Now InSys seems to have begun implementing changes to this already. No longer are we going full Awakening or Fates with supports. Supports are much more limited in scope but not quite as anemic a line up as Shadows of Valentia did with who could support who. 3H and Engage have honestly made far more strides in lowering the number of supports and honing in on who may be relevant for a character to interact with and who outside of that circle could they interact with. Three Houses often relies on the house members each being to support each other with maybe one or two students from other houses or the monastery staff. Engage seems largely to focus on characters from countries having the same interactions with a few from others. This is a good thing, honestly if we were to get a remake of Radiant Dawn, I would love for something similar to be implemented between the Ike, Elincia, and Micaiah casts with some crossover supports when you get to the back half of that game.

So if this is already something InSys is improving, why is it something people are still critical of? Well I think what some may miss is that even if we compact a cast to more manageable interactions, that still leaves the interactions themselves.

Remember how I said Fire Emblem characters are stock characters with some limited traits? Well that is often done with identifiability. When you meet L'Arachel as a holy women but she has a snotty attitude or Sylvain the noble who hits on every woman, its done so you can recognize this character. But when you get into their supports, you often see that there might be reasons for why they act this way or it makes them more fleshed out and rounded characters than how they may seem at face value. This is where I think some Fates fans will often argue that Nohr's cast is very compelling in their supports even if the game's narrative had made many come off as one note. But you can see the flippside with Engage where its supports are more manageable, people didn't think supports were elevating the characters in ways that you had known them. That's not to say all of them, Yunaka is a stand outing how her supports both inform her as a non plot relevant character but also endear her to the audience. This to me is a sign that supports will ultimately be cases of writing. And there can just be poor writing and utilization of characters. This can also hinge on context as well as 3H has recruitment of characters far different from any FE game and just hands you your house with the expectation your interactions with them will make you learn more about them rather than just playing and recruiting on a quest like some may want.

I may have been a bit snide to Shadows of Valentia as even by the account of wanting less quantity of supports, I still found it almost too small. But even then some of the supports are the best in the franchise. Particularly Python and Clive's. But I don't think this was good because SoV had less character supports, I think it was good because the writers had looked at this pairing of characters and what each one was about and what depths could the reveal about each character. I would very much like to see that for a majority of supports.

Last point is length, and honestly we've seen this improved with games like 3H. Some supports can just be short. In fact some people can have only two support chains. Honestly, just doing more of that would've probably led to less issues overall and hope for that to cut down on padding.

So with all this in mind, what is my final take away. Well I ultimately think it comes back to what I usually want out of a Fire Emblem game. The narrative should be all there in the campaign with characters arcs for plot relevant characters, but the supports should be used as a way to enhance these units. Adding dimensions to characters who ultimately don't factor into the plot as a whole. I think 3H did make a lot of these improvements particularly because it was made with the social aspect in mind with that game practically carried by all of its characters and their depths. But I did feel as the narrative of 3H had suffered and wasn't all that tight. Post Engage, I think we are seeing a system I'd like to maintain, but I think what was lost was some of the added depths to cast members that supports can provide as well. Yes, Engage was made with a lot of celebratory fun in mind so it wasn't all that serious, but it would be nice to get more Yunakas and Pandreos in that case than say Ambers. Another aspect is the pairing, and I really hope that pairing characters without the need for child units returns as well.

I am all for the return of base convos like FE9, but I don't think it should be a replacement. Again it is another form of enhancement not replacement for supports. I think completely junking supports in favor of the base convos would be a bad idea especially with newer fans of the franchise. Overall, FE supports I feel are where they should be, but there are plenty of minor tweaks that could be implemented, if just more utilization of the characters beyond their face value.

[hotjaneaustenmenpoll]

95 Willoughby propgaganda time! (sort of)

First of, let's state the obvious because in a 'who's physically hottest' contest, there's no way he should lose to this Capt. Wentworth.

BUT! As much as he's a villain we all love to hate and hate to love, he's also more than that. Out of all of Austen's antagonists, he is probably the most troubled soul.

He's a man who's madly in love with Marianne, but burdened by the responsibility and expectations of his family (estate and legacy). Did he do Marianne wrong? Absolutely. Is he a villain without nuance? Absolutely not.

Re: Marianne's letters and visits: yes, he acted like a dick when she confronted him, but she was the one who sent the letters, despite knowing how scandalous it was for unmarried women to write to unrelated men. She put him in an impossible situation with her public confrontion and there really was no way that would ever not end ugly, plus it had the potential to utterly ruin them both (and Elinor to boot).

Re: Miss Grey: imagine yourself in his shoes, with all the responsibilities and trappings of the society in which you were raised. You have a home that is in dire need of (costly) maintenance, a demanding aunt you depend on, and a responsibility to take care of your family's estate, including providing work for your local community. Do you marry the wild and dramatic Marianne, who's dirt poor and, for as much as she'll give you emotionally, will only strain the finances further (and lose you your inheritance)? Or do you go for Miss Grey with her £50.000 (£5.2mil today!) dowry, who will provide stability and security so you can keep living how you've been raised to expect? I'm not saying I agree with his choices or that he handled things well, but I can understand why he did what he did when looking at it within the context of that era.

Re: Miss Eliza: yeah, he fucked up. Both he and Eliza made some bad choices and she was left with the consequences. There's not much I can or want to say in his (or her) defence there 🤷🏻‍♀️.

So, in conclusion, Willoughby is a masterfully written portrayal of a complex young man. He did some bad things and made some wrong decisions, and he spent the rest of his life regretting not chosing Marianne. I don't think he's a good man like Wentworth is, but neither do I believe him to be the villain he's often painted as.

Anyone who's not a diehard Wentworth fan should consider Willoughby's context before voting for either man. (And he is the hotter one, just saying...;)

Willoughby (1995) Vs Captain Wentworth (1995)

[rangercorpstherapy]

Here was my theory about Arazan’s Wolves. Yes, John Flanagan said Alyss is dead and would stay dead. Royal Ranger is my favorite book, her death made the great ending possible. I was sad Alyss died, but it worked well for the plot. Now Will has not had any character development at all since (and let’s be honest, Maddie hasn’t either) so to bring Alyss back would be a great way to change and grow him as a character. Here were my reasons as to why it was possible:

1. No body.

This one is not the best, given the givens, but an inn fire could not have burned hot enough to completely incinerate a body.

2. The inn was likely partially made of stone, which was common in the area (South Araluen, this will be important later) so as the fire flared up in front of her, she could have fallen through the floor and a combination of roof beams and the stone walls could have protected her.

3. If she was alive, why didn’t she go back home to Will? Head injury causing amnesia and massive change in personality (will be important later)

4. She was in Southern Araluen, very near Celtica where the sorceress was. Not too far to walk.

5. The sorceress controls Wargals. We know from Siege of Macindaw that Alyss was susceptible to hypnosis, and her head injury could have changed her enough to make her even more receptive to the mind control magic system in the books to control Wargals.

6. Head wounds can cause severe changes in personality making Alyss want to rule the world.

7. To rule the world, what one has to do is this: control the Wargals to make the locals mine silver for you, buy a bunch of land in Gallica, take over Gallica, and from there take over the world.

8. The Sorceresse’s name. Arazan. In Nihon-Ja, because the locals couldn’t pronounce her name, Alyss went by “Ariss-san” pronounced identically to Arazan.

Personally I think my theory was far better than the book itself. Comments or questions?

I've never been a fan of 'return from the dead' scenarios in general. but honestly, I think it perhaps could work for in this scenario. Perhaps also because arazan's wolves is set a few books after the royal ranger so the twist doesn't feel as cheap. imagine if will and maddie came back home after the entire jory rhul thing just for halt to be on his doorstep and be like 'uhm your dead wife is alive and evil now, sorry.'

I love the idea of alyss becoming an antagonist with no way to ever get her back to her 'normal' state, which would mean that she would have to die or they will never be together again. and I love traumatizing will further than he already is and also indeed bring some much needed character development.

what i would change about your au is maybe the world domination plot point.

Alyss survived a fire, we can safly assume she will have some pretty bad scarring all over her body and/or face. from the the sorcerer of the north we know the people of araluen aren't the most accepting of people with physical differences. so this alyss who is very badly scarred, has no idea where or who she is and is also being ostracized by the communities she asks for help leaves the country.

maybe she saves a direwolf or a direwolf saves her which leads to her forming connections with them or mind control she's unaware of. this would be the first time after the fire incident she would feel loved and safe. she can create a stronghold in the mountains somewhere in celctica were she can live in peace because at this point she way to traumatized by people, and just let her dire wolves kill everyone who comes to close which would in the end lead to the same thing that happens in arazans wolves; will gets called to fix their issues, and angst ensues.

the similarities between arazan and the ariss-san is SUCH a cool observation. it would mean that alyss, somewhere deep down, can n remember her past, but it's distorted and layered in contexts she can't understand. ouch.

But how do you see this ending on the evil alyss route, who kills her? does will try and can't bring himself to do so which means madelyn has to step in? what happens after?

[racefortheironthrone]

Hello Maester Steven,

You stated that you didn’t rate Turtledove as an alternate historian. Who would you call the best writer of alternate history out there today?

That's a bit tricky, because some of the best alternate histories ever written were one-and-done efforts by sci-fi writers who didn't continue in the genre, and vice-versa, a lot of writers who specialize in alternate history are pretty dire.

So instead I'm going to list what I consider to be some of the best alternate history novels out there regardless of whether they come from the pen of a "writer of alternate history":

Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson. AH can be a very American- and European-centric field, which makes Robinson's POD that completely eliminates Europe (and thus the United States of America) during the Black Death and then really follows through on exploring a world where India and China become the world hegemons all the more impressive.

The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. A fascinating exploration of Jewish identity, Zionism, and organized crime set in a world in which, rather than turning away Jewish refugees during WWII, the United States established a temporary homeland for Holocaust survivors...in Alaska.

The Difference Engine by William Gibson. Although Gibson is perhaps better known as one of the fathers of the cyberpunk genre, he's also someone with a long-standing interest in alternate history as a genre, both as a critic/reader (he's a big fan of Kingsley Amis) and as a writer. The Difference Engine is a fascinating exploration of the political and cultural impact of Charles Babbage succeeding in creating the first computer in the 1820s, and in addition to being a very good work of alternate history, essentially gave birth to the steampunk genre as well.

Sailing to Sarantum and othe novels, by Guy Gavriel Kay. Although Kay has a tendency to disguise his alternate histories through relatively subtle world-building and naming changes, what Kay is actually about is depicting alternate histories where Justinian's legions never march west, or where the Langue d'Oc culture of southern France is not swallowed up by the expansionism of the Parisian metropole.