#really this is quincey in the Good Ending AU too

[ibrithir-was-here]

"My strength is as the strength of ten because my heart is pure--and has a not insubstantial amount of vampire blood pumping through it. But still"

@animate-mush per your Vampire Quincey being a Percival type (I know this quote is for Galahad but shhhh)

[shy-sapphic-ace]

Guys should I write a Dracula musical. Should I???

[vickyvicarious]

very little spying time left

ohhhh I forgot about this. what was the other queer sound?

AGH CREEPY I hate when she is super cheerful after these it's so creepy

although I do love Mina's "haha you're so silly. no." reaction to Van Helsing yelling at her to obey him lmao

I choose to reject monolingual Quincey, sorry. Let him speak Spanish

if things didn't go at such a rapid pace in this section, the Consul and Vice-Consul both being absent could seem mighty suspicious/be a big issue. But that doesn't really seem to make much of a difference, as they're able to get the information they need pretty quickly anyway

Everyone being kind and helpful <3

(in large part thanks to Arthur's money/status but still)

I do love the way this Captain is just like "well, it was the devil's wind but at least it was going the way we wanted so better to just go alone with it rather than make the devil mad" it's so funny

"he know when he meet his match!" making the skipper happy... buddy that's not truly a compliment for you it's Mina he's running from

"The Roumanians were wild, and wanted me right or wrong to take out the box and fling it in the river." another absolutely hilarious Ignominous End AU. I have a whole collection of funny ways this could happen but this is the closest to canon

"his arguments were pointed with specie - we doing the punctuation - and with a little bargaining he told us what he knew." again with the silly wordplay around bribery. Jonathan I love you

"telling him to receive, if possible before sunrise so as to avoid customs," I know they're bribing him right now to track down someone else's stuff but it's still very funny to me how blatantly this guy is just like 'yeah so I was asked to smuggle this giant box ashore'

Everything with Skinsky as well feels like it could have been a longer slower detective section. They keep getting sent to various people who might not be found or might not be willing to talk or turns out to be dead when you do find him, and maybe our heroes could get arrested/involved in the official investigation - but no, we have no time for that, everyone is in a huge hurry and this whole minimystery is resolved in less than a day while they head off

"As a preliminary step, I was released from my promise to her." Ohhhh he sounds so relieved <3

the way Mina complains about if she'd had to write with a pen is so funny. Very Jack of her.

this is such a big hero moment for Mina once again. they did all the legwork running down the clues, now it is Mina's job to look at the pieces and connect them together to figure out a plan. Not that anyone has assigned her that job precisely but she chooses to try and of course succeeds, now that she's once again caught up on Dracula Daily

the way Mina describes Jonathan.... I'm so soft about it, but also another instance of him not mentioning how badly off her is/downplaying it.

the line "can only summon fog and storm and snow and his wolves" is so funny. Like it makes sense in context but imagine complaining about such limited magical powers :( can only summon three weather phenomenons and a bunch of predators :(

Mina laying everything out logically is so sexy. Love the way her mind works

^ Jonathan right before he makes out with her in front of everyone

ART IS SO DETERMINED

also both of them playing to their strengths and quickly volunteering

Jack telling Art "we shall not rest until the Count's head and body have been separated" and looking at Jonathan... who later pushes himself too hard and isn't willing to rest until Art knows better and makes him

Mina's hesitation to say Vampire is so well done. so creepy

Jonathan is torn here between his two desires, to stay with and protect Mina, and to hunt and kill Dracula. I do love the way he and Arthur are the ones who get to go on the most likely direct route after him

the way Van Helsing says "I can die, if need be" is so solemn. So good

"your so swift little steamboat" awww it sounds so cute

Mina following in Jonathan's footsteps from the beginning of the novel....

I love the rousing music during this speech

oh godd the way Jonathan almost chokes up on "death-trap". How rough his voice gets, how thick with horrified emotion and breathing hard, and it feels like he is back there again, seeing it before his eyes (the moonlight, the shapes whirling in dust), feeling it again (the Vampire's lips on his throat-)

It's SO GOOD. that last line like such a fierce demand, and then utter agony when he sees Mina's scar

the intention is not for Mina to ever enter the castle

Jonathan's sob :(

Mina's glowing praise of the rich boys spreading around their wealth is a nice moodlifter

Mina's got a gun! Jonathan insisted!

ohhh god the little shaky breaths when Mina says she may never meet Jonathan again. The way her voice trembles on almost crying. Oh god, that farewell must have been so intense

I love Jonathan and Art's boat trip so much. But ESPECIALLY Art taking care of Jonathan and looking after him. It's so damn sweet.

the way Jonathan fears for her. how he calls her "my darling" <3

the looong pause after "her going out into that awful place..." and then the short little scoff. it has done terrible things to me.

the DELIVERY "of dark and... dreadful things" was SO OMINOUS

especially with the music and then ending the episode on that furnace door shutting...!

[see-arcane]

Renfield (2023) Thoughts fresh from the theater

Spoilers and so on below

If I had to summarize the whole movie, it would be, “First fanfiction ever written by a middle schooler who just finished watching Dracula (1931), fell in love with its version of Renfield, and made a clumsy attempt at updating and rescuing him with an AU that gives him a massive century-long body count and a happy ending at the cost of giving only him and Dracula any real effort in character while leaving the rest of the cast to be filler.”

Which is to say, C+.

Count Cageula and Houltfield were fun and you could tell they were putting energy and joy into their roles. Everything else? Oof.

Oof.

The supporting cast’s only highlights were the support group’s members and the actress playing the mob boss Bellafrancesca—big bonus points to her for so easily selling a camp villain counterpart to Cageula; instant evil MILF4DILF chemistry in their one scene together, 11/10.

Meanwhile, the majority of the characters delivered their lines like high schoolers stumbling through their first play. Awkwafina was already wince-inducing for making her play Token Good Cop with Quincey’s name tagged on, but she acted this whole thing like she was counting down until payday. There’s one scene towards the climax where she’s tricking Cageula to get close for an attack, and her delivery has less character to it than an Alexa response.

But then, there wasn’t exactly a ton of great dialogue to work with. The few plum lines were reserved for Hoult and Cage. Everyone else got raisins.

Other practical nitpicks would be the very odd choice to go 100% on some great monster and gore prosthetics, but then revert back to early 2000s-grade CGI blood spurts. These victims were goddamn gushers. Oh, sorry, not victims—the cannon fodder baddies in the action sequences.

The victims got some good classic bloodshed! Thankfully, the only murdered innocents on screen were killed by Cageula. But, like the trailers hinted, Cageula wanted Houltfield to fetch him some innocents himself. An order we’re led to believe was some ‘new’ order that Houltfield couldn’t bring himself to follow, which would’ve been a great callback to Original Renfield who hit the brakes on obeying Dracula when it threatened Mina. And maybe this really was the first time Cageula made that an explicit order! We do get a scene where Houltfield drags in some villain corpses for Cageula to snack on with him assuming this will satisfy.

But Cageula spits the blood out, declaring it trash. He wants blood from good people.

Which, as certain reveals show, Houltfield should already know, considering he’s spent the better part of a century getting Cageula’s meals. The fact that Houltfield seems surprised at this demand for innocent victims is either him being disappointed that his plan to reduce his own secondhand villainy has been thwarted, or else it’s just a flub in the writing.

And this comes on top of a reveal that Houltfield apparently left his wife and baby daughter behind for ‘greed and power’ offered by Cageula. It’s acknowledged in-dialogue that this wasn’t Cageula’s will, just an opportunity that Houltfield went for.

(An addition that makes me a little gladder that they didn’t try to swap Jonathan Harker (or, to nod back to the 1931 version, ‘John’ Harker) for this spot. Because any version where he would leave behind Mina and their child for Dracula’s sake, no matter the interplay of manipulation or Faustian nonsense, would have been a nail too many in the coffin.)

All that said, it’s very much a mixed bag. So much so that I feel I should give the caveat that I may be being too harsh, as I am a sour little gremlin who’s spent the last year with their head in a vat of Dracula fixation juice. And it also deserves saying that there were good bits worth seeing, Houltfield was very endearing, and the gleefully evil Cageula was a laugh and a half. Watch the movie for that if nothing else. It could be there’s some gold there I missed by being too prickly.

One major silver lining? I am doubly looking forward to having Hoult portray Thomas Hutter in Robert Eggers’ upcoming Nosferatu remake. Thomas Hutter and Renfield ala 1931 are already 90% harvested Jonathan Harker parts, and this movie proves how well Hoult can play the ‘sweetheart manipulated into a bad situation’ character. I’ll take it as a good sign for that role if nothing else.

[gardenofshadcws]

Dracula Daily Day 82

Dr. Seward’s Diary

It’s always nice when Quincey shows up

“There has been so much trouble around my house of late that I could do without anymore” That is the biggest understatement ever made

Van Helsing throwing shade at Jack for being a skeptic gives me life

You know, VH, if you would just be straight with people it’d be a lot easier to get their permission

This is such a fascinating condemnation of Victorian repression.  Never question why you’re doing something, just do as you’re told and focus on maintaining your social status as a gentleman and a Christian and nothing else matters!

Aaaand opening your dead girlfriend’s coffin seems pretty sacreligious to me but what do I know?

Awww Arthur sweet bean he got his hopes up so high :( 

Of all the times for Van Helsing to be straightforward it’s “May I cut her head off?”

Arthur is a real one.  It’s so sweet how protective he is of Lucy, even if he’s misguided.

Time for sneaky sneaks!

GASP she’s gone again!  You know, sometimes you wake up and want to go for a little walk

Quincey in particular is taking all this VERY well

“Dark-haired woman?”  I thought Lucy was blonde?  Or did turning into a vampire give her a Goth dye job?  Which, you know.  Fair.  Gotta keep the aesthetic.

It’s so sad to see everything we loved about Lucy turned monstrous, as much for us as it is for the suitor squad

“Come, my husband, come” shiver

Quincey and Jack catching Arthur as he collapses is too pure.  We love the polycule

Hey Van Helsing you want to stop leaving small children abandoned on the side of the road?

Dr. Seward’s Diary

They don’t even need to communicate anymore, they’re all on the same wavelength.  You love to see it.

Not sure I love the idea of Lucy being monstrous because she’s not “pure”.  Stoker conflating those things and demonizing desire is kinda icky

Vampire Arthur would be an interesting AU

It is now Not Fucking Around O’Clock

Goodbye Lucy :(  

The descriptions of Vamp!Lucy dying again are deliciously gruesome and absolutely chilling

And to end it with Lucy sleeping there like nothing happened is gut-wrenching.  Goodbye, sweet girl.  Now you can finally rest in peace.

Bless you, Stoker, for letting Arthur cry and not being all macho about it.  We love when men are allowed to have feelings

Surely The Horrors are over now!  Look, the sun is shining and birds are singing!

Oh right Dracula still exists

And Mina!  Mina’s coming!  The squad is together again!

Mina Harker’s Journal

It’s okay Mina he’s just reminiscing

It’s even more impressive that Jack can recall all these conversations word for word as recordings.  I wonder if he does voices for all his friends

Awwww he’s embarrassed!  What a dork.

RIP Jack Seward you would have loved podcasts and Voice Memos.  You can search through those

Look at these two babies getting to know each other by reading each others diaries I love them

Dr. Seward’s Diary

Awww, Mina.  Lookit her being all empathetic

“We need have no secrets amongst us” Why did no one say that like a month ago?

Mina Harker’s Journal

Holy crap this is a long day

“Fortunately I am not of a fainting disposition” Bless you Bram Stoker for not falling into that Victorian trop

“The world seems full of good men - even if there are monsters in it” is SUCH A GOOD QUOTE

Jonathan Harker’s Journal

IT’S MY GOOD FRIEND JONATHAN!!!

God Dracula really did think of everything.  Eugh.

[lucy-shining-star]

I have weird idea that is no ‘dracula au’ but ‘Nina really likes Dracula and wants to make Dracula play’. Probably musical on skates to be in spirit of show

Set probably at least like...two years after season three?

Anyway I decided it would be done by those who were teens/really early in 20s during series, who are in intros.

It is kinda accodring to canon ships, but like...only in case of Nina’s and Luna’s ships. And even then not fully

(oh btw, I imagine Eric and Nina broke up, Nina and Gaston are back together and Eric is over it. Matteo and Luna also broke up) 

Also since Dracula has much more male characters I couldn’t give all girls lot-of screentime roles so. Jim and Yam would play lot off less important roles, and Ambar, Emilia and Delfi probably also will get some, maybe even some others

Anyway, starting with characters from Dracula, that are important enough that people who play them won’t have more roles:

Mina Murray/Harker-Nina. Well that was her idea and I think she would like to play Mina, and even if she wasn’t sure she could pull this off especially with skates thing, Gaston and Luna convinced her. Also she they are both good at making observations and drawing conclusions from them.  Also because they have names ending with same letters

Jonathan Harker-Gaston. Well, first of all he is Mina’s fiance/husband, and second. He was supposed to be in Transylvania way shorter than he was. So there is some similiraity here. With difference that Jonathan was being kept ouy of England and Gaston in England. Also I think Nina would love to recreate romantic jonmina moments 

Lucy Westernra- Luna. Well cause Mina’s best friend, and also they had sleepwalked. Also because they have names starting with same letters

John Seward- Pedro. ...I admit I don’t have much reason for that except for I prefer to give important role to Pedro than Eric?  (this sounds as I Seward was Mina’s suitor, not Lucy’s well he was Lucy’s but she wrote to Mina he would fit her if she wasn’t already with Jonathan so that’s why I kinda wondererd) Though maybe he does give some vibes especially early first season Pedro in love with Tamara

Arthur Holmwood-Simon. Well he is one of two characters who kissed with Lucy. And her fiance that’s why precised that Luna and Matteo broke up so it wouldn’t be too awkwardXD But also just Simon and Arthur give me more similar vibes that Simon and Quincey?

Quincey Morris- Matteo. Well he is one of two characters who kissed with Lucy. Also Matteo and Quincey give me more similar vibes that Matteo and Arthur. Also there is killing Dracula in team with Jonathan

Abraham Van Helsing-Nico. I dunno really. Probably cause I made Pedro John. 

R.M Reinfield-Ramiro. I dunno just imagine him being most likely to agree to be asylum patient who eat bugs but can also make educated converstations. Or maybe he is just easiest for me to imagine as that

Dracula-Benicio. I imagine him wanting that role after only watching some Dracula movies and thinking he is so cool and get the girls and Nina agreeing an thinking to herself ‘We are making it book accurate sucker’ (although she does have some doubts considering it’s her boyfriend who has most scenes with him) (He is kinda too short for this role to be truly book accurate but who cares)

Vampire woman from castle-Ambar, Delfi and Emilia. I think Emilia would dye her hair black and Ambar would play the blond one. I wondered if it shouldn’t be Jazmin instead of Emilia, but I can’t imagine Jazmin as this

Mrs Westernra-Jazmin. I just. Just vibes of throwing out garlic flowers without asking and calling someone maidenless check out

Captain of the Demeter-I think Eric

Mr Swales-I think Jim

Peter Hawkins-I think Yam

First mate of the Demeter-I think Yam 

Lady who gave Jonathan crucifix-I think Jim

Priest who married Jonathan and Mina-I think Yam

Woman who go to Dracula’s castle to get back her child-I think Yam

Sister Agatha-I think Jim

Zookeper-I think Yam

Pretty girl in Piccadily-Jim

So this is like roles I think are definitely needed to others I’m not sure. Okay so t just like Jim and Yam would play minor characters. And bigger group is needed than like going from most likely to play it-Eric, Delfi, Emilia, Ambar, Jazmin, Matteo, Simon (cause there is like 9 people on crew of Demeter) ...I don’t think more than nine people is anywhere? So anyway they all would need wigs and maybe some fake mustaches and beards

[fischerfrey]

HPMA AU; A Christmas Prince

Chapter 10: Alderly’s Past, Present, and Future

Summary: Dawn’s time in Alderly is running out, but he still has one card up his sleeve to help Quincey.

A/N: Second to last chapter. I might also include a little epilogue after Ch11, but we’ll see...

Words: 2.5k

Characters:

Dawn Harvelle and Evander Alderly by @potionboy3

Beginning | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Chapter 10: Alderly’s Past, Present, and Future

Olympia helped Dawn sneak back into the palace. She had suggested going through her father’s papers in case they could uncover something that might help Quincey, and Dawn jumped at the chance. It was way past midnight, and Dawn felt like he might fall asleep standing.

“Got anything?” asked Olympia, sat on the floor with a bunch of old journals.

“I got excited when I saw this was a legal document,” said Dawn. “But then it was about the building regulations of fences.”

“Riveting,” said Olympia. “I’ve been introduced to the teenage angst of one Prince Edward of Alderly.”

“Oh, wow.”

“He doesn’t want to study philosophy; he wants to party.”

“Sounds like someone we know,” said Dawn.

“Yeah, except good old Eddie actually wrote this himself,” Olympia said. “Terrible handwriting.”

“Go Eddie, I guess.”

“I don’t know if these are going to be any help at all…”

“Well… If we want to prove that party boys can be kings, then that is a gold mine.”

“Yeah,” said Olympia “I remember this guy from history class... he ended up being alright. Married an ancestor of Diana's, too.”

“Ah, hey, I think I might have a perfect solution,” Dawn said, peering at Olympia over the papers he was studying. “What if you just marry Evander?”

Olympia laughed. “I don’t think the cousin thing is even as bad as the fact that’s he’s just… the worst.”

“Oh right, I wasn't even thinking about the cousin thing, I just figured you'd marry him, suffocate him in his sleep and then we could be like ‘oh look, Quincey is the next in line for the throne’.”

“Love the idea,” she said and shuffled through the journals, frustrated. Eventually she discarded them and moved on to go through another drawer in her dad’s desk.

“I have many other murder plans in store for him, if you want to hear,” offered Dawn.

“Oh please, do tell.”

“Okay, so,” started Dawn. “There’s one involving fire, symbolizing my burning hatred for the man…”

Dawn came up with several funny was of killing Evander for the next half an hour or so, while they read through boring legal document after boring legal document. Just as Dawn was about to bring up the guillotine, Olympia gasped.

“What, what is it?”

“Oh… my god, look,” she said and motioned for him to go over. Dawn did and examined the paper she had found. It was a draft addressed to parliament, suggesting the change of the marital law.

“It’s dated only a few days before father died,” said Olympia.

“Holy shit…”

“It’s only a draft, but this could help,” Olympia continued, and then spotted something that had been under the legal draft. It was an envelope, addressed to Quincey. “Father’s handwriting.”

“You can take these to the meeting tomorrow.”

“You won’t come?” asked Olympia.

“I don’t think Quincey wants me there…”

“I...”

“Olympia, I have to catch my flight because I can’t afford another ticket home.”

“I…” Olympia began. “You’re really going to leave?”

“I think I’ve caused enough trouble here, O.”

Olympia frowned. “I’m just going to miss you.”

“You can always visit,” Dawn offered.

“Careful, or I’ll come round every weekend.”

“My dad would love you.”

“You think? Even though I'm posh?”

“Well, I do.”

“I love you too,” said Olympia. “Precisely because you aren’t posh.”

Dawn smiled. “Good to know.”

“Now I think we should get some sleep if we want to make it to the meeting tomorrow.”

As they headed, out, Dawn almost tripped over the books Olympia had left lying around. He picked one up on a whim. A journal of one King Henry III of Alderly.

“Are you okay?” asked Olympia.

“Yeah… hmm…”

“What is it?”

Dawn flipped through a couple of pages. “It’s one of the journals,” he said. Olympia read over his shoulder. The page that had been lying open had contained plans to change a few laws, and that had drawn Dawn’s interest. Mostly they were about taxation and workers’ rights. But there were also more personal notes about riding trips, dinner parties with friends, and wishing the king need not have been separated from some mysterious he who wasn’t named.

“When was this?” Dawn asked, looking for a date.

“Early 1900s,” said Olympia, aptly.

“The way he writes about this man sounds…” Dawn started.

“Romantic?” Olympia finished for him.

“Why would something this just be lying around in your father’s study?”

“Maybe he had a reason,” said Olympia, eyeing the letter her father had written for Quincey.

Dawn turned a page. Stacked away on it was an old photograph of four people in Edwardian garb, holding champagne glasses. Olympia pointed out the king and Dawn turned the photo around and read: “New Year’s Eve, 1903; Henry, Primrose, Elian, and Malcolm.”

“Huh… I know three of those names. Those two were married.” said Olympia, pointing to the only woman in the photo and the tallest of the men.

“Do you think…?” Dawn started. “Maybe that last one’s our mystery man?”

“I mean…”

“As the historians would say,” Dawn started. “They were probably just really good friends.”

“Of course,” said Olympia.

“Want some light reading for bed?” asked Dawn.

“Yeah.”

Dawn handed her the book. He wasn’t crazy enough to sneak it out of the palace, but Olympia insisted he take the papers. “For safekeeping,” she said. “I don’t trust them to stay safe in the palace. You can give them back to me in the morning.”

“Alright,” Dawn agreed, but only because he’d gotten a first-hand experience of things going missing from his chambers.

They headed out. Olympia went off to create a distraction, so Dawn could get out of the palace and to the inn he was staying at.

~

The next morning, things didn’t go as planned. Olympia never showed up for their meeting outside the palace. She was supposed to get the papers and go to the meeting, while Dawn headed for the airport. Dawn suspected she had been caught by Miss Pince, or worse yet, her mother. Luckily, she’d had the foresight to give Dawn the papers, but not a way to actually get in the room the meeting was held in. Eventually he just trusted his tried-and-true method of marching in and hoping no one would stop him. They did. Then he said he had to speak with the Queen urgently, and that didn’t work either, so he tried the Prince. When that failed, he bolted and ran past the guards and to the door, opening the door with loud enough bang that every single dignitary and parliament member in the room turned to look at him with astonished expressions. Dawn didn’t have time to feel embarrassed. He saw Quincey in the room, sat at the table next to his mother. Olympia was nowhere to be found. Quincey was looking at him as he made his way to the table, stopping to stand at the end of it.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” he started. “But I have some new information regarding the constitution and as the person who discovered it in the first place, I’d ask for a permission to speak.”

It was the Prime Minister, who got his mouth open first: “This is highly unusual.”

“What information?” asked the queen.

“Who let him in here?” asked a woman sitting next to Evander with a striking resemblance to the queen.

Dawn ignored her and grasped at the straw of the queen asking him directly about the information. That sort of counted as a permission to speak, did it not?

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” he told her, and then cleared his throat. “Hi! I'm the shady reporter from yesterday you’ve come to know as the finder of the law we’ve all gathered here to talk about. I’ve continued my research and come across this paper,” he held the king’s petition for all to see. “It's a draft of a petition for parliament, singed by the king himself. He was planning on submitting this before his death.”

“This is outrageous,” said the woman by Evander, presumably his mother and Isabella’s sister. “Who let the reporter in here?” she demanded.

Isabella looked at her sister with an expression that, to Dawn, said: Who let you in here, bitch?

Then Quincey stood up. “Let him speak.”

The prime minister looked mostly confused. “I… fine, alright, Mr… Whoever you are. Let us see that you have.”

Quiney looked at Dawn. Dawn took the paper to the prime minister.

“I believe the king meant to have this matter handled before his death,” Dawn continued. “This might shed some light to it.”

In his other hand he was holding the letter to Quincey. “It’s addressed to you, Quince–, Your Highness.”

A palace aide came over and took the letter to Quincey, who opened it and read. Everyone waited with bated breath.

“Dawn’s right,” said Quincey. “He meant to take it to parliament but then he fell ill. He… he wished it to be repelled entirely, since such a law doesn’t really represent the needs of a modern country.”

“This document is as Mr… Dawn… said, as well,” the prime minister said. “Signed by King Stefanos.”

“Let me see that, Prime Minister,” said the Queen and took the document. “Oh…”

Evander went to see it as well. There was a low murmur in the room and Dawn took a step back.

“Yes, well, that was it from me so…” he said and then looked at Quincey who was clutching the letter from his father like a lifeline.

“Well, no, actually not. I also think that you're all bonkers if you let this stupid old law have effect on who becomes your next ruler. I came here with the expectation that I would find some irresponsible party boy, who's not fitted to be king but while getting to know prince Quentin, I've seen that he is quite the opposite of that and cares about Alderly and his responsibilities just as much as Count Evander here does. He just doesn’t make as big of a spectacle about it.”

Quincey looked back at him. Dawn couldn’t be sure, but it’s almost like he mouthed thank you. Then he turned towards the prime minister. “Let me see the draft.”

The prime minister handed it to Quincey and said: “It isn’t yet law but we can push it through parliament to respect the late king’s wishes. Only, the interregnum is over in less than twelve hours. The law allows for a coronation if the monarch has the intention of getting married within a year.”

Evander’s mother got up from the chair. “The fact remains, that the law has not been changed yet. My son is getting married. He has followed his duty.”

“Mother,” said Evander. “My engagement ended an hour ago. I wouldn’t push the law so hard right now, if I were you.”

Dawn wasn’t sure he’d heard right. He gaped at Evander.

“I believe this law has been put in place originally, to ensure a small nation’s line of succession during the Medieval period,” the prime minister said. “As it stands, I would argue that in the 2020s, it is not of as paramount importance as it was back then.”

“What do you suggest?” asked the queen.

“I suggest we take it to parliament to be considered at the earliest opportunity,” he continued. “And until then, we act… unconstitutionally.”

The room erupted into chaos. Evander’s mother was yelling. Isabella told her to shut up, Amelia, Evander massaged his temples like he was having the worst headache of his life, and the prime minister was trying, in vain, to get everyone to calm down. Dawn felt like his moment had come. With one last look at Quincey, who was looking at the letter again, he headed out.

~

The trip to the airport was a blur. He hadn’t gotten to say good-bye to Quincey or Olympia. He wasn’t even sure if the plan had worked. He wanted to go home and cry in his bed for a week. He didn’t want to go home but return to the palace and find Quincey and beg for his forgiveness. He almost called a taxi, but when he went to look for his phone in his pocket, it wasn’t there. He couldn’t find it anywhere in his luggage either. He swore and went through everything one more time. He must’ve dropped it at some point on his way to the airport, but there was no way he’d have time to retrace his steps before his flight.

“This is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 89B to London, Gatwick. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes time. Thank you,” a loudspeaker announcement came. Dawn clutched his passport and boarding pass and headed for the gate.

Bonus: Quincey

When he finally remembered Dawn’s letter, he was sure the suit jacket was long gone to the cleaners. Returning from the meeting exhausted and after having spent an hour looking for Dawn, he’d finally gone to Olympia. Mother had, in all her kindness, locked her in her room to stop her from interfering with the proceedings. Olympia told him that Dawn’s flight had left already, but that he’d left her with his father’s address in Bristol. Phone number would have been nice, Quincey mused and wondered about the address. Then he remembered the night before, the ball, the letter Dawn had handed him. He had called it an apology. Quincey rummaged around in his room and found the jacket in question, with the letter in its pocket. He opened it with shaking hands, and read:

 “To His Quinceyness, The Star Of My Sky, Or The Reason For My Currently Crumbling Career, (which ever works the best for you love),

I have to confess something that I should have started with.

The reason for my arrival was not your sister, it was always you. I'm actually a reporter for Beat Magazine and I was sent here to write an article about your scandalous life. So far what I’ve got for my article is a selfie in front of a posh Christmas tree and some shaky pictures of children and whatever is left of a snowman. Sadly, my other material was burned down in a horrible accident and so thus ends my oh-so-successful career as a journalist. But never mind you, I didn’t much care for the job anyway.

I know you will probably hate me after finding out the truth, and while usually being the most honest person one can find (too honest, I hear), I wanted to save the last days I had with you for my own selfish reasons and decided to write to you instead. I am hoping for an angry answer letter from you in return, or maybe I’ll never hear from you again, to which I’m not as prepared as I would like to, but which would surprise me less.

I wanted you to know the real me, but I think you already do. I didn't end up lying about that many things, just my name and address. I actually live in London but will probably soon be moving back to Bristol with my dad after my boss finds out that I don’t have anything juicy to write about. I'm giving your sister my dad’s address, just in case you do want to write to me. I'd like to know what you think.

I'll also be following keenly the start of your kingly days and looking forward on seeing what the future holds for my dear Alderly. I need to hurry to your coronation ball now, so I’ll have to cut this short. The truth is that in the process of discovering the truth about you, I may have fallen in love with you instead.

Dawn Harvelle (not whatever the last name was).”

 Quincey sat on his bed and finally let himself cry.

Tag list:

@lifeofkaze​​ @gcldensnitch​​ @magicallymalted​​ @endlessly-cursed​

[gellavonhamster]

Lucy Westerna and Abraham Van Helsing for character meme! (Lucy could use a father figure and being alive; Abraham could use a daughter or two)

Anon, are you psychic or what, because recently I’ve been thinking of how in an AU where Lucy survives (for example, if the Crew kills Dracula before she has turned into a vampire, so the process gets reversed, like in case of Mina in the novel) and gets to marry Arthur, Van Helsing would probably be the one to lead her to the altar because both of her parents are dead and he’s the closest thing she has to a father figure... well now I’ve made myself sad

Lucy:

First impression: she’s cute, I don’t like her as much as Mina, but I definitely like her

Impression now: I wish I could protect her from everything bad that happens to her, but I can’t :(

Favorite moment: I love her earliest letters to Mina - for example, the one in which she described the proposals. They’re so much fun and yet unclouded by the impending doom 

Unpopular opinion: I don’t think she was in love with Jack and Quincey - or, rather, I don’t think she was as much in love with them as with Arthur. I like the idea of all of them being in a poly relationship (add Mina & Jonathan to that mix too), but I don’t think that in canon her “why can’t a girl marry three men” signifies anything else than her being upset that she had to hurt two people she really likes by rejecting them. Going into a more headcanon territory, I think she sometimes fantasized what it would be like to marry Jack or Quincey, or even - gasp! - to kiss them (this must be unrealistic because it’s Not Victorian Enough, I guess, but I’ve always pictured that one kiss she and Quincey shared as a proper kiss on the lips, which made her think “...should I say yes to him maybe” for a brief moment; the next instant she was already extremely ashamed of having thought that), but for the most part whatever feelings she had for them were friendship.

Favorite relationship: definitely Lucy and Mina. There are certainly things to be said about how Stoker writes female characters, but I think he did a great job at portraying the friendship between these two (which I also cannot help reading as at least half-romance, because hello? “She has more colour in her cheeks than usual, and looks, oh, so sweet”? “If Mr. Holmwood fell in love with her seeing her only in the drawing-room, I wonder what he would say if he saw her now”? “I love you with all the moods and tenses of the verb”?? Hello???

Favorite headcanon: she’s younger than Mina, and by the time Mina became a teacher (not yet an assistant schoolmistress), she was still a student. Sometimes Mina had to teach classes to her, which always involved Lucy trying her best to be a good student but in the end starting to grin or wink at Mina, while Mina would stare at her like STOP I AM TRYING TO BE AN ADULT

Van Helsing:

First impression: well, here we have the man, the myth, the legend, let’s see what he’s like without being filtered through the lens of modern pop culture

Impression now: the man, the myth, the legend is actually a weird uncle who adopts every younger person he meets, and I personally think it’s much better than whatever ~cool~ interpretations of him pop culture has produced

Favorite moment: making cocoa for - oh wait that’s not book canon. Pulling Jack’s ear, because I find it so funny that their dynamic is simultaneously a respectful relationship of two fellow scientists and Dad’s Here to Embarrass You in Front of the Girl You Like

Unpopular opinion: I am lowkey mad at him for suggesting that they leave Mina out of the vampire hunt because I’m not sure if the rest of the Crew would’ve made the same decision if he, their authority figure, hadn’t suggested that (at least I don’t think Jonathan would’ve kept secrets from his wife). Still love him, though

Favorite relationship: What I said above about him and Jack + him and Arthur because Van Helsing’s lost his son and Art has just lost his dad and I find it beautiful how they fill these voids in each other’s lives 

Favorite headcanon: Quincey Harker calls him “grandpa” :’)

[captain-aralias]

8, 10, 15!

thank you for these asks <3 and they’re ones i ain’t got yet. three out of three.

8. What is a scene you wrote that you are most proud of?

ONE SCENE. i always say ‘hang the moon’. that’s a good scene. 

but i’m also always surprised and delighted when i write any action scene at all, as i still think - i can’t write action! that’s for people who can write description!!

and i love both ALL THE EPILOGUES. so ‘the mage’s heir, ‘keep calm’ and the epilogue to ‘hang the moon’, which is a whole fic. i think this is cheating. but one scene - that’s not many. 

10. When you write fics, how much of canon are you willing to ignore/skip over?

not much. 

i’m really wedded to canon. not really out of choice. partly, i’m just not inventive enough to make shit up. but also, my brain is sort of hardwired this way. 

if i change something for an AU, i will still try and keep everything else either the same or plausibly different as a result of that change. there are some things in ‘greener grass’ where this isn’t quite true although you probably wouldn’t notice if i didn’t point it out... for example, baz calls fiona a day early (because the situation is worse for him in my version - so that’s fine. that’s in line with teh AU twist) and she calls him back the same day, which she didn’t do in canon. does that matter? it doesn’t. (maybe she was busy the next day, but wasn’t on this one.) but my brain thinks... IS THAT OK????

(that was such a pathetic example, i’m sorry. but it is literally a real story from my real writer’s life - no wonder i dont get more done.)

writing ‘the sweet fruit of the palm tree’ really fucked me up because i knew the reading room was closed in real life, and yet they stole the books from the reading room. that fic will aways bother me because it’s not right. and it wasn’t my fault - it was the canon not making sense. 

on the other hand, i was willing to ignore baz claiming that vampire bites would 100% for sure kill you in ‘carry on’. but i think - and it was proved the case - that there was significant deniability in this case.

i dont know - basically, i’ll only change something if there’s a reason. i like to work within the confines of canon.

i know you love an AU-AU (as opposed to canon divergence). i love them too! although i haven’t written one for this fandom. i’m much more flexible with this as it is completely different. 

15. At what point in writing a fic, do you decide to quit?

i generally don’t. i dont have enough ideas to throw them away, i’m often writing for challenges or for someone, or i just want the praise that i won’t get if i don’t publish... all of that is a strong motivator. by the time i’ve written something i probably knew what i was doing at SOME point. ‘sound of silence’ i abandoned for a whole year while i was writing ‘keep calm’ but i thought it had to be easy, really. i finished a blake’s 7 fic about three years after i started it. 

otherwise, in decades of writing, i’ve only abandoned about five things. often, i knew i was onto a loser right from the beginning i.e. i started writing without an ending.  

in the immortal words of peter quincey taggart:  never give up, never surrender.

[eggutamaplz]

Unbelieveable (Original Story)

So even though I haven’t gone on Ao3 in a really long time, I have been working on school and other personal projects...

And that includes a genderbend AU.

Yup! I've been currently writing a story that centers around a genderbend classic adventuring party AU based on this post. Because it does not belong to a fandom, I can't post it to Ao3, but it is available on my Wattpad! Without the "behind-the-scenes" background inspiration on characters, this can be seen as an original story on it's own! Yes, I am aware it's spelt wrong, but my friend Megan, who I'm collabing with on this fic (she's going to make art and animatics with VOICE ACTING from our friends! It's so exciting!) is the one who named it, and so the series is named that way forever I guess. I've decided to post it here to Tumblr as well. I hope you'll give it at least a little skim!

Series Summary

Briana is tired of the life of a princess, and wants to go on adventures sailing the vast sea. One night, she gets the offer along with her two trusted knights and a group of her friends from a mysterious drunk who claims to be a pirate... Join a "band" of adventurers as they set off into a journey filled with comedic moments, treasures, and ships... of both kinds!

Genderbend/Classic Adventuring Party/Pirate AU featuring friends. Roles of all the characters in the story will be explained as they appear, and loosely based off a zodiac textpost. All roles explained in the first chapter. Characters involved in the story: *Names are listed as "genderbend first name, last name, (irl person first name)". Evan Maldo (Emma) Mason Shen (Megan) Kaleb Ung (Kayla) Ashley Khon (Asher) Erica Ai (Eric) Briana Min (Brandon) Aden Daniel Bale Chan (Belle) Nicholas Ye (Nichole) Hannah Chu (Hansen) Sabrina/Sabi Cusainovic (Sebastian/Sebi) Carlos Obrusnik (Carmela) Anthony Carillo (Anna) Kaden Vasquez (Kassandra) Brenda Lee (Brendon) Created 09/04/17 in collaboration with dis_lazy_otaku.

Chapter 1: The Royal Ball (Briana's POV)

"And I present to you, Princess Briana of Uminami!" Hundreds of individuals in attendance bow or curtsy in respect as I enter the ball room. Straighten your spine, smile, greet other attendants, act like the princess that is expected at a diplomatic ball, blah blah blah.

No thanks. I'd rather be with the pirates.

Externally, I am that perfect princess. Briana of the royal Min family and crown princess of Uminami. But internally, fuck all of that. I want to be Briana. Just Briana. No royal duties, no "suitors" to be married to (almost all of them are dickbags anyway), no titles. No connection to the royal family, because frankly they pressure me on my future as a "princess" and it's not like I'm already pushed to the brink with all my studies as it is. I make my way over to a corner in the ballroom where no one really goes to. Others have said it has this weird dark aura that radiates depression. I find it the best spot in the vast area where I am trapped tonight, because everyone avoids it. I want to be free from all this, free to do whatever I want. Fuck hierarchy. Fuck the law. Fuck this b- "Hello there miss." I look up to see a prince with dirty blond hair, blue eyes, that one hairstyle I've deemed "The Fuckboy Haircut™", and a suit decorated with medals and pins. He probably bought them to make himself look good. In summary, I could already tell this guy was a total douche. Fuck the external perfect imagery. "I was wondering why what a wonderful lady such as y-" "Yourself is hanging out in a shady corner all by herself, yadayadayada. Go away, I've heard all this before," I say, quickly shutting down the dickbag prince and giving a death glare. "Aw, c'mon sweetie," he said back, "don't say that to Prince Quincey, future ruler of Uminami." My cold stare intensifies. "How about you go marry some other princess who actually falls for your shit so called 'flirting techniques', because it's not going to work on me buddy. So final warning, back off." Can't this guy seriously take a hint? I think. To be safe, I look over to my most trusted knights, who are standing guard not too far away from me. They catch my glance, nod, and silently march over to me, ready to back me up. Prince Quincey, however, does not notice, and I can clearly see the annoyance in his eyes. "You know, a princess should not have such a filthy mouth," he says while slowly invading my personal space. "But no matter. It'll be even filthier when you su-" His advancements are stopped with a quick kick in the shin from my foot. I was aiming for his genitalia, but it'll do. "Princes like you are such hypocrites. I told you, final warning. Next thing I will kick is your ass out of this castle and Uminami if you do not cease your behavior this instant." "Why you-!" Prince Quincey snarled. The look on his face was hilarious. "I'll show you who is dominant in this society." He stepped dangerously close when two swords blocked the distance between me and him. "Huh?" Quincey said, stepping back when he saw Kaleb and Evan, my guards who I mentioned earlier, as well as some of my closest friends, cross their weapons in front of me. "With all due respect, your majesty, the crown princess of Uminami does not appreciate your unauthorized advances," Kaleb said, his voice dangerously low. I could see his jaw clench. Evan slowly stepped towards Prince Dickbag, sword poised to strike. "Rest assured, Princess Briana could probably take down your prideful gait in a flash, as I am eyewitness to that. If were not for her being a representative of her kingdom, you would already be out cold." His face laced with displeasure and anger... his trademark "Angry Dad Glare™", as we called it, had resurfaced once again. He held up his sword to the prince's neck. "She has said it twice, she does not have to say it again. Step. Away. From. The princess." Quincey faltered, fearful eyes darting from Evan's sword to his face. Then he sneered. "Now, I remember you. You're Evan Maldo, that commoner that always snapped at me and my comrades. You disappeared from my kingdom a while after. Glad to get rid of scum like you." "Hierarchy does not determine purity of the heart and soul. Maybe you could learn a thing or two if you actually paid attention to your royal studies." Evan's face remained unamused and stony, his voice steady. "I will warn you one last time to step off, or I will show you how this commoner became a royal knight." He pressed his blade closer to the douchebag's jugular. "May I also mention I know the places where a body bleeds out the fastest?" Prince Fuckboy whimpered, then stepped back, tripping and falling on his ass. "My father will hear about this, and there will be no trade deals with our kingdoms!" "For what," Kaleb growled, stepping forward. "Making unwanted advances on a princess, getting shut down by her and her guards, and then taking the defeat sorely? Not a good image for a future ruler." By this point, nearby attendants have their attention over to our fight. They watch as Quincey storms back into the crowd, oohing at the event of him being ridiculed by me and my knights. I then silently walk away from the corner and outside the building, Kaleb and Evan by my side. As soon as we are out of sight, Kaleb hugs me from the side, worry laced in his features. Evan turns and grips my shoulders tightly. "I swear to God, Briana, did that ass of a prince try to hurt you in any way possible because if he did I swear I'll-" "Okay Dad, calm down," I reply laughing, using Evan's nickname amongst my friends. Evan is a person who is extremely loyal and fiercely cares for comrades and close friends, so much that we ended up comparing him to an ideal father figure, and it's been that way ever since. I can see why he became a knight, and if he does become a real father in the future, he'd absolutely raise a great child. "You witnessed what happened, and you stepped in when he crossed the line. I'm fine, don't worry." "Okay, good." He lets go of my shoulders. Kaleb still hugs me. Despite his armor, his hug is enjoyable, the cool metal soothing compared to the brief excitement. "Princess Briana? Sir Maldo? Sir Ung?" A voice calls from behind us. We turn to see my father's messenger. Oh no. "Princess, why are you outside of the castle? Your Majesty has called for you three in his study. It seems you have caused a stir in the ballroom?" My eyes widen, and so do Kaleb's and Evan's. We turn to each other, knowing what a summon from my father to his study ensued. Oh crap. TO BE CONTINUED...

Characters introduced: Briana Min, Princess of Uminami. Tired of royal life, wants to be free from the castle walls. She constantly dreams about running away from the castle, living life at sea where her kingdom was built around. Her favorite places in the castle are corners where she can curl up and sit there. Briana is able to play a clarinet, and is also learning how to play a tenor saxophone. Is constantly accompanied by her royal guards and friends, Evan and Kaleb, of which the latter she has started to experience strange feelings?... (Virgo) (Person based off of: Brandon, Clarinet-senpai) Kaleb Ung, royal knight and guard of Princess Briana. Dedicated to his country, and even more so to the Princess he's sworn to protect, he became a knight through the ground up. Kaleb met Evan through knighthood training. Both were assigned to the princess, and is close friends with them as well as several people throughout Uminami. He also has a knack for drawing, and is able to play trombone. Has seemed to have feelings more complex than just friends to the princess?... (Taurus) (Person based off of: Kayla, Trombone-Kohai) Evan Maldo, royal knight and guard of Princess Briana. Hailing from a family of medics in a farther kingdom, he trained to become a knight from a younger age, but still picked up some first aid, as well as a little bit of healing magic?... As a commoner training for knighthood, he was constantly ridiculed for his bloodline by the higher classes, especially the royalty; however he was moved to Uminami where he met Kaleb, as well as more people whom he became close friends with. Accepted as the fatherly within his friends, he is affectionately called "Dad". Evan is fiercely protective and loyal to friends, as well as incredibly empathetic. (Taurus) (Person based off of: Emma, or me lol)

Thanks for reading! Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated!