#researching queen elizabeth the first

[wonder-worker]

"[Elizabeth Woodville's] piety as queen seems to have been broadly conventional for a fifteenth-century royal, encompassing pilgrimages, membership of various fraternities, a particular devotion to her name saint, notable generosity to the Carthusians, and the foundation of a chantry at Westminster after her son was born there. ['On other occasions she supported planned religious foundations in London, […] made generous gifts to Eton College, and petitioned the pope to extend the circumstances in which indulgences could be acquired by observing the feast of the Visitation']. One possible indicator of a more personal, and more sophisticated, thread in her piety is a book of Hours of the Guardian Angel which Sutton and Visser-Fuchs have argued was commissioned for her, very possibly at her request."

-J.L. Laynesmith, "Elizabeth Woodville: The Knight's Widow", Later Plantagenet and Wars of the Roses Consorts: Power, Influence, Dynasty

[rexstewartoriginals]

The galleon has been a complex subject for decades relative to structure and design. Through extensive research (from contemporary ships of MAYFLOWER and GOLDEN HIND), I utilized both as the foundation for the build of this model. But not without the documents/plans of the contemporary HALF MOON of 1989.

With these three elements, along with the acquired materials, it was a personal call to finally pursue the REVENGE...a deadly yet beautiful ship of her time. The video I just produced will highlight the undertaking that began in New England in the township of Southbridge, Massachusetts in 2010. This video can be found here https://youtube.com/watch?v=JwVX7N4kKRA.

Thanks for viewing!

[msangelamcpage]

[vampirenigh]

i hope this isnt weird or too specific--- (ignore this if u dont wanna do it!!)

i was hoping you could write about ciel and alois (blck btlr) with a very dreamy s/o? like, dreamy in so many aspects. like they look like they jumped out of a painting in a museum, or they could look identical to some figures they've seen in paintings. and their voice would be very calming too, quiet but clear iygwim.... like s/o is basically angelic and all that and their presence feels surreal to the boys

gn! reader if that's fine:DD

You are my everything

Hey. No problem at all. It's totally fine and thank you for your ask. I like when people send me specific asks because it helps me understand better and not mess up. At first I didn't understand what you meant by dreamy but because of your explication I think I got it. I will try to do gn but I never tried so if something is not right don't hesitate to tell me. And if you have any more ideas don't hesitate to send an ask.😁

Summary: Ciel and Alois whit a dreamy reader.

Characters: Ciel Phantomhive, Alois Trancy.

Warnings: gn!reader, some posesiveness in Alois?

Masterlist

Ciel Phantomhive

He first saw you in town. He was with Sebastian to take some things and investigate a new case given by the queen. But the care was totally forgotten when he saw you. You were the most beautiful person he has ever seen. He knew that you are from an aristocratic family from your clothes and your maid but didn't know which one.

So he puts Sebastian to do some research on you and he learns that you were Elisabeth's cousin. He couldn't believe it. Even more when he first talked to you at Elisabeth's birthday party. You were just so calm and welcoming that he felt safe in your presence. Your quiet but clear voice made him feel like he could tell you everything and you wouldn't judge him.

And because of that he broke the engagement with Lizzy and started to court you. Elizabeth's mother was a bit mad but couldn't stop Ciel because he loves him as her own son and he deserves to have happy memories.

So you two start to date after some time whit a new engagement made between Ciel's family and your's. He started to call you often at his mansion and talk to you. He could've sworn that you were an angel from heaven when you first comforted him after he had a nightmare and you stayed at his mansion overnight. You were so gentle with him like he was made of glass and would break at the slightest touch. It was such a different feeling that he felt he doesn't deserve it.

All this time he thought that the only thing that counts is to revenge his family and to reestablish his family name but now he starts to doubt it. The only thing that he can think of is that he doesn't want to lose you ever like he lost everyone else. He will protect you whit his life and will make sure that you are always comfortable.

God forgive anyone that hurts or embarrasses you because Sebastian will take care of him.

Ciel would often come to you to talk about what is bothering him and would be grateful for who you are that he sends you different dresses and jewelry that he knows will look good on you.

In conclusion he will love and cherish you till the day he dies and will always be grateful for your presence even in the darkest times.

Alois Trancy

He saw you in a museum in the art section. He couldn't believe how much you looked alike whit a portrait of a very beautiful women that lived over 200 years ago. He couldn't take his eyes of you so he made a move. He came to you and introduced himself in the hope that you will see him as fascinating as he sees you. And you did. You introduced yourself and engaged in a conversation whit Alois.

Your voice and your looks made him not want to leave you alone at all. He feelt like he is talking to an angel who came to safe him. He learned that you are the grand grand granddaughter of the woman in the painting and that she was one of the most beautiful women that lived in that time and that you are happy that you could resemble her.

He started to court you and made the engagement whit your parents. He asks Hannah some things that you would like and if you don't he will punish her severely.

He will eventually tell you everything about his past and about Claude. He feels so safe with you that he couldn't bring himself to hide it. And the moment when you just tell him that it doesn't matter, it doesn't define him he swore he could die right then and there as a happy boy.

He would tell Claude to protect you and to kill anyone who comes too close to you whit bad intentions.

He would be very clingy. He doesn't like being away from you. He feels like you are his lifeline and can't leave you.

Do you remember the time when Alois was on his knees in front of Claude to prevent him of leaving? He would do that when you wanted to go have some tea time whit another girl. (What can I say he has abandonament issues.)

He feels that he is the luckiest boy on the planet because he can have such a beautiful and calm lover who sees him for who he is and not for his money.

[aphrodeiities]

𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔩𝔬𝔤𝔶 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔪𝔬𝔰𝔱 𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔱𝔬𝔤𝔯𝔞𝔭𝔥𝔢𝔡 𝔭𝔢𝔬𝔭𝔩𝔢 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔩𝔡

♇ before i get into this post, these celebrities that'll be mentioned are not in order of who is the most photographed, and if there's a celebrity that i have left out in the most photographed people, i mostly likely purposely left them out, there's only twelve people i have picked.

♇ on the other hand, this post can be used to see how you might be treated in the future if you were famous and if you could even belong to the most photographed people in the world days beyond :) + neptune is a very important theme in this post.

+ is also a fame indicator post.

THE DEGREES EXPLAINED HERE IS AIDED BY JANDUZ OR BY MY OWN RESEARCH.

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the celebrities/figures i used for this information to be calculated were, pope john paul ii, queen elizabeth, barack obama, marilyn monroe, michael jackson, britney spears, elvis presley, princess diana, muhammad ali, rihanna, john f kennedy and audrey hepburn.

ASCENDANT

♇ the sign in the ascendant that had appeared the most was libra, second was leo and the third was sagittarius, for the modality; the modality that had appeared the most was cardinal while the element for the ascendant that had appeared the most within this research was fire.

♇ though for libra to be the sign that had appeared the most can link to how libra is venus ruled and venus is one of the planets that governs over pictures/cameras and is the more public and media sign of the venus if compared to taurus.

♇ the degrees on the ascendant that had appeared the most was the 18°, a degree that can bring respect to the individual, it's evident that all these people are respected to what they bring to the table, who they are and who they represent. on the other hand, most of the degrees that appeared within the research were mutable/water degrees.

♇ the ascendant aspect that appeared the most was the ascendant aspecting the sun, and much of these aspects were in opposition, the people i have researched are clearly people under a spotlight and since most of them did have the ascendant opposition a planet, it does insinuate that much of them didn't like the attention they received no matter how happy the appeared in front of the paparazzi.

the ascendant aspect to come in second place was the ascendant aspecting mercury. if i am correct, mercury does rule over journalists/paparazzi.

SUN

♇ the sun sign that appeared the most for people who have been photographed the most or chased by the paparazzi is taurus, taurus is ruled by venus which rules over cameras. the second sign to appear the most was capricorn the sign can indicate public fame and having the attention of everyone.

though with the signs that appeared all together, the modality that appeared the most was the mutable modality, and it could be because of how the public and paparazzi like how these celebrities can change who they are to present themselves the way the media like.

♇ the element that appeared the most for the sun sign was earth, the earth element being the most presentable element, an element based on the real world and everything that comes with it, so if you're an earth sun and you become famous, you're likely going to get every thing fame brings, the realistic side of it.

♇ the house the sun appeared in the most for these people was the 6H, it's comical because the 6H can be deemed as the first enemy house and most of these times the celebrities do perceive paparazzi as their enemies most of the times, but the 6H is known as the working house, [along the 10H], but most of these times whenever a paparazzi get's a good picture of a well-known celebrity they get extra cash.

the second house the sun appeared most in, was the 2H and it could link to how these paparazzi's do this as a way of income.

♇ for the sun, the degrees that appeared the most was both the 10° and the 27°, a capricorn and a gemini degree, the 10° is not perceived as the best degree as it is found in a lot of famous exploited people, thus having this degree in a big three or even six does insinuate being disrespected by the paparazzi when it comes to boundaries.

the 27°, the gemini degree is another exploitation degree, usually because one can be favoured so much to the point that people would want to see every move of theirs, and it can become very over-whelming.

the element that appeared the most for the degree, is the air sign degrees, air signs being the social/connections element.

♇ the aspects that appeared the most for the sun is the celestial planet aspecting neptune, neptune another fame planet which also rules glamour, over paparazzi and the more unspoken part of fame.

the second aspect that came out the most was the sun aspecting the moon, the moon is not really deemed as a fame planet, but it brings an audience. two of the planets that were mentioned were water planets. neptune rules pisces and the moon rules cancer.

MOON

♇ as expected, the moon sign that appeared the most for the most photographed people was aquarius moon, three aquarius moon women here marilyn monroe, britney spears and princess diana was exploited in many places, were taken photographs even though they did not want it, aquarius rules unexpected surprises [and it being with the moon is a fame indicator as well,] can bring unwanted themes of fame.

the second moon sign placement was the pisces moon, pisces being ruled by cameras and the paparazzi, not surprising that it came in the top 2. people might also want to live through them by the pictures taken.

♇ the houses the moon appeared in the most was the 1H, the 1H is a fame house and is about "YOU". the second house the moon appeared in the most was the 7H, the house of general public, a business house, like i've said before, people took the pictures to earn money. the 7H is an open-enemies house, and by the celebrities point of views, they did not like the paparazzi.

♇ the modality houses they appeared in the most was cardinal/axis houses, [1H, 4H, 7H and 10H] all important houses for someone's life. the cardinal modality can bring fame because you're the face of a commodity.

moving on with degrees, the degree that appeared the most was the 12°, this degree can bring idolisation.

♇ the aspects that came out the most was the moon aspecting saturn, the moon brings an audience and with it aspecting saturn doesnt necessarily mean it'll bring restriction to "the audience you will have" but it can also insinuate that you feel restricted because of the amount of audience/fame you receive.

the second aspect for the moon that appeared the most was the moon aspecting mercury, and like i've said in the previous paragraph, the moon brings an audience/fame, and it aspecting mercury shows that people in your audience will be very curious about you and would want to know your every move.

MERCURY

♇ the mercury sign that appeared the most was aquarius, aquarius rules over social/connections and it is a global sign [can govern over the word individual/person] and it being paired with the mercury planet makes people want to be aware with your choices, how you live, what you do etc.

the second sign to appear the most was taurus, i have explained why the taurus sign can make someone really photographed because it's rulership of venus and cameras.

though the element that appeared the most was the fire element. those of the fire element are charming, charismatic; would make much people want to catch up with them all the time.

♇ the house mercury appeared in the most was the 6H, [and i have explained how the 6H is a work/job house so obviously the paparazzi did it to earn cash + with the 6H being a mercury house it could be because of their curiosity for them].

the second house it appeared in the most was the 7H, the 7H is a business house. and the mercury planet appeared the most in Earth and Air houses.

♇ moving onto the degree that appeared the most in the mercury planet was the 13°; an Aries degree which brings respect and admiration. can make someone a powerful person which causes many people want to keep up with them, is also an indicator of attracting a lot of people.

the modality that appeared the most was cardinal, is the powerful figure modality.

♇ the mercury aspect that occurred the most was mercury aspecting venus, i've explained how venus rules over cameras [along with neptune, capturing beauty or profiles] and the second mercury aspect to come out was mercury aspecting mars, this insinuates that people can be very ambitious to be around the individual.

VENUS

♇ the sign that appeared the most for venus was aries venus, aries venus is a big beauty indicator, which audrey, rihanna and marilyn monroe [who i have used for this research] have, with this aries venus, it shows that a lot of these photographers wanted to capture their essence and beauty.

the second sign to appear was the taurus venus and this one speaks for itself with the sign itself governing beauty. yet the modality that appeared the most for the venus signs was the cardinal modality.

♇ and the house venus appeared in the most was the 5H, it's not as known but the 5H is a media house, naturally ruled by Leo, it brings people under the spotlight.

the second house that venus occurred in the most was the 7H, [7H a business and partnership house].

lastly for the houses, the venus planet ocurred in the cardinal houses, the most important houses in astrology, [axis houses]. they are the main houses that rules over "YOU".

♇ for the degrees, there wasnt a recurring degree that popped up, but aries degrees appeared the most. this fire degree brings self-confidence that makes people admired, aries degrees brings success and prestigious power, which brings more people to want to take pictures of you.

the second degree to come out the most was taurus degrees, taurus degrees can bring success to an individual, makes them profitable to other people, [btw paparazzi get good money on how good the pictures are]. taurus degrees can make someone sought out and surrounded.

the element that came out the most was the water degree, makes someone very magnetic. :)

♇ finally with the aspects that aligned with venus the most was venus aspecting pluto, makes someone very fascinating and alluring. and second to come out was venus aspecting jupiter; jupiter brings an abundance of an audience and people who admire them.

i have noticed that a lot of venus aspects that appeared the most was with outer planets.

MARS

♇ the mars sign that appeared the most was mars in taurus; i've noticed before this research, that mars in taurus was found in many popular people's natal chart; but aside from this, as i have explained that taurus being venus ruled which governs cameras/capturing beauty/essence, it being paired with mars can make people very ambitious and violent following these individuals around and trying to capture their visuals.

the second sign that occurred the most was virgo and this implies with virgo being the working sign, it can make them attract workers who are very passionate and eager making ends meet and willing to do anything to get pictures of them which can include stalking and invading person space.

♇ the house mars appeared in the most was the 8H, makes tons of sense as the 8H is one of the main stalking homes, how people earn their money, [paparazzi earning money from these individuals], can speak about burdens too, [in these matters burdens of being a celebrity].

the second house mars appeared in the most was the 1H, not surprising as the 1H is specifically about "YOU". though modality wise, mars appeared in cardinal/axis houses the most.

♇ moving onto degrees, the degree that occurred the most was the 22°, this degree can make people used and taken advantage of, in this case the media.

the second degree that appeared the most was the 20°, can make someone feel like they are struggling from achieving freedom and space from people around them.

modality wise what came up the most was the cardinal degrees.

♇ lastly, for the aspects, mars aspecting pluto was what came out the most, can show the violence and obsession people fall into while trying to photograph these celebrities/idols. [and even living through them].

the second mars aspect, was it aspecting the moon, i've spoken before that the moon brings an audience, can also bring worship. with these two aspecting each other it can move people to be heavily allured and enslaving towards the being to the point they want pictures of them all the time. [think of how people always take pictures of the moon].

NEPTUNE

♇ neptune is the main theme for this post, neptune/12h specifically governs the real/scarier/stalker side of fame, where people project onto you, where people want to be like you, and it is the main planet that rules over paparazzi.

♇ the sign that i saw come the most for neptune is leo in neptune, which isnt surprising because leo in neptune puts an individual in an even bigger spotlight. people want to capture your essence, the star-energy. [and since neptune moves slowly for about 13-14 years, for people who are reading this right now you don't need to bother about the sign neptune is in for now].

the second sign to appear was scorpio in neptune, am i surprised for that? no, it'll make the paparazzi more stalker-ish and willing to go really deep and obsessive to follow these people around.

♇ the house neptune appeared in the most was the ninth house, house of admiration and trading. [trading for how the paparazzi will trade the pictures with the people they work with for cash].

the second house it appeared in the most was the 10H, the house of public. [it also appeared the most in cardinal houses].

♇ the degree that appeared the most for the neptune planet was the 8°, a success degree but can bring lack of care of one's mental health and security from other people.

the 2°, is the second degree that appeared the most for neptune, is a success degree, a taurus degree specifically, makes people want to capture the beauty of an individual.

the modality that appeared the most was both cardinal and fixed.

♇ aspect wise, neptune aspecting pluto was what came the most, paparazzi pushing over boundaries, fans in general wanting to be around them and becoming obsessed and viewing them as many things other than human. brings the dark side of fame/popularity/success.

the second aspect to appear the most was neptune aspecting the sun, neptune and sun both brings fame, sun is spotlight and neptune is fans/paparazzi, this aspect attracts crazed people like ants on sweets.

OTHER CALCULATIONS

♇ the top three dominant signs that appeared in people's charts for this research was [we all have 3 dominant signs]. ⬎ 

aquarius.

leo.

capricorn.

♇ the top three dominant planets that appeared in people's charts for this research was [we all have 3 dominant planets] ⬎

neptune.

moon.

saturn. 

♇ the top two dominant elements that appeared in people's charts for this research was [we mainly have 1 dominant element, but 2 can count :)] ⬎ 

earth.

air.

♇ the top three house dominance that appeared in people's chart for this research was [we can have three house dominance] ⬎ 

7H.

8H.

11H.

♇ the top two modality dominance that appeared in people's chart for this research was [we can have one modality dominance] ⬎ 

fixed.

cardinal.

♇ the top three houses that had appeared the most was ⬎

7H.

6H.

3H.

♇ the house neptune was in the most were ⬎

9H.

10H.

7H.

this is the end of the post, thank you so much for reaching to this point :)

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pluto

♇

[gwydpolls]

Time Travel Question 46: Early Modernish and Earlier

These Questions are the result of suggestions from the previous iteration.

This category may include suggestions made too late to fall into the correct earlier time grouping. Basically, I'd already moved on to human history, but I'd periodically get a pre-homin suggestion, hence the occasional random item waaay out of it's time period, rather than reopen the category.

In some cases a culture lasted a really long time and I grouped them by whether it was likely the later or earlier grouping made the most sense with the information I had. (Invention ofs tend to fall in an earlier grouping if it's still open. Ones that imply height of or just before something tend to get grouped later, but not always. Sometimes I'll split two different things from the same culture into different polls because they involve separate research goals or the like).

Please add new suggestions below if you have them for future consideration. All cultures and time periods welcome.

[mydaddywiki]

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester

Physique: Average Build Height: 6′ 0½″ (1.84 m)

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester (Richard Alexander Walter George; born 26 August 1944) is a member of the British royal family. He is the second son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, the youngest of the nine grandchildren of George V, nephew of Edward VIII and George VI, and first cousin of Elizabeth II. He is 31st in the line of succession to the British throne, and the highest person on the list who is not a descendant of George VI. At the time of his birth, he was 5th in line to the throne.

Tall, spectacled and reserved looking, he wasn't high in the line of fuckable royals until after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The Duke isn’t the most handsomest guy being British royalty, but he has that "nerdy hot" thing going on having matured into a fine silverfox.

Prince Richard attended Wellesley House School at Broadstairs and Eton College. In 1963, he matriculated at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he read architecture, graduating with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in June 1966. In 1966, Richard joined the Offices Development Group in the Ministry of Public Building and Works for a year of practical work. He returned to Cambridge in 1967, completing both parts of the Diploma in Architecture degree in June 1969. Upon passing his exams, he became a practicing architect in London.

After the death of his elder brother, William, he was in direct line to inherit his father's dukedom, to which he succeeded in 1974.

The Duke occasionally represents the royal family at official functions when the monarch can't be there. He also has myriad patronages under his purview, and is the royal family's Trustee of the British Museum.

He married Birgitte van Deurs Henriksen on 8 July 1972; the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have three children. Other than the fact that I think he's cute and that he was practiced as an architect, I have no other research to offer you.

[marknee]

bts fanfics i think shakespeare and queen elizabeth i would’ve gossiped about.

chapter ii. ✷ chapter iv.

KEYS ON SEVERITY OF SHAKESPEARE’S STATE:

( ✮ ) — you can’t lie, shakespeare’s got a mouth on him.

( ♬ ) — they’ve ordered everyone out the room. peering through the window as we speak.

( ✎ ) — someone tell him to put that poor teacup down.

( ♛ ) — her majesty royally gasped. she’s clutching her pearls, bless her.

THE SHAKESPEARE SERIES.

WARNING: keep in mind, some of these authors are very strict on the rule that no minors should read their work if they’re underage, and i will honour that. but, at the end of the day, i am not your parent. so, there’s that. but heed my warning wisely. any smut or 18+ content is highlighted in bold.

NOTE: we’re on part three already? damn, times flies. if you’re new here, welcome to the shakespeare series where i write essays about fics that would absolutely annihilate shakespeare — hence the name. if you haven’t read the past two chapters, you can access them in the masterlist above! let’s get into it.

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( ♛ ) MATILDA — by @babystrcandy

!! yoongi x reader | 141.8k !!

brothers best friend au, angst, fluff, eventual smut.

my therapist would absolutely adore this fanfic. maybe i should recommend it to her. or just send her the link. she’d be thrilled.

this series is dedicated to anyone who felt like the second choice, the one always forgotten about, the so-called disappointment, the people pleaser, the perfectionist, the one whose family has let them down over and over again.

reading this, alike reading anything else, transports you to another world. however, the difference between this one and all others, is this makes you feel safe. secure. a safe place. a sanctuary you never realised even existed, where you feel accepted and loved. it takes the idea of home and really drills it in.

if you find yourself relating to this story, like i did, i want to you to know i see you and i truly hope one day you find everything you were deprived of growing up. you deserve peace. you deserve love.

while you’re at it, go give this author some love for seeing us, listening to us, and validating our experiences. and for writing such a beautiful story.

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( ♬ ) DILF JK — by @venusiangguk

!! jungkook x reader | 85.5k !!

strangers to lovers, dad!jk, friends with benefits, smut (18+), fluff.

if some army’s weren’t such delulu’s and so consumed by the imaginary idea that they’ll one day marry a bts member and live happily ever after, this is the type of shit we’d actually get. but no, we’re forever plagued by fiction because of a few overly obsessed wankers.

rant aside, dilf!jk is a concept. one that needs to be studied and researched for my own personal needs. because i thought dilf!namjoon was dangerous (and he most certainly is), but dilf!jk is a whole other… thing? being? story? i’ll leave that to the researchers.

personally, i love when authors mould fiction and reality into one body. they blend the two concepts together to create something beautiful, and this was duly noted within the topic of the age gap. deciding on something real for the benefit of both parties in a fictional story is so fucking applaudable. or perhaps i’m just an angsty fucker, sorry.

most definitely worth all the tissues and all the cheek aching. talking from experience.

i mean, it’s got ‘dilf’ in the title, is that not enough? it’s what made me click, anyways. i’m a dilf lover through and through.

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( ♬ ) A SERPENT’S FLOWER — by @jimlingss & @dovechim

!! jimin x reader | 34.2k !!

fluff, smut (18+), lil angst, hogwarts!au.

realistically, you knew at some point in this series there would be a harry potter!au thrown in somewhere, didn’t you? i mean, come on now. and i’m so happy this is the first one.

this two-parter and it’s sequel both are both due the respect they deserve. the perfect opposites attract trope? enemies to lovers? with a quick-witted slytherin reader and an even wittier hufflepuff park jimin? fuck me, don’t mind if i do.

i never say a fanfic has everything. but this fanfic has everything. character, romance, humour, angst, wit, the list goes on. it’s a fanfic buffet: it’s got it all, and you just help yourself.

and i realise some people don’t read the sequels to fanfics (i know), but i beg of you. read the sequel too. if anything, i think the sequel was my favourite bit. and i know some people don’t like the pregnancy trope, but i’m telling you there definitely is a time and place for it. and this is the time! and the place! trust me.

did i cry at the end of this fic? i can’t remember. but the probability is higher than i’d like it to be.

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( ✮ ) ZERO GRAVITY — by @luxekook

!! namjoon x hoseok x reader | 11k !!

space!au, poly!au, angst, smut (18+), crack, fluff.

if someone doesn’t drop me on a spaceship with two of the hottest men on the planet in the next fortnight, i’m suing. don’t know who that’ll be yet, but some poor sod will have his hands full, that’s for certain.

i love space!au fics with my whole heart and ass. honestly, every time one comes up on my page, i have to save it. it’s a reflex at this point, they’re just too good. you know what is also too good? the built up tension within this fic. jaw-dropping.

i’m not giving out any spoilers, but the author really said, bonk— here is the nastiest smut you’ve ever read in your life. take it, or get fucked. and of course, i took it. but nothing really prepares you for that atmosphere change. not even the sex club was remotely ready. and it’s a sex club.

not going to lie, before writing this essay, i actually went back and read it again, just to make sure i was in the right mind the first time i read it. and yep, sure was. it’s just shocking how insane this fic is.

btw, anyone fancy a visit to throbbing disco sticks? i need a word with the person who came up with the name. and perhaps a kiss too.

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( ✎ ) NO CHOICE (NEXT TO YOU) — by @gukyi

!! yoongi x reader | 13k !!

college!au, frat boy!au, neighbour!au, enemies to lovers.

miscommunication. my lover in fanfics, my worst enemy in real life. hence why i love this fic so much. because it’s not real life. (unfortunately).

we’ve all done that thing where we’ve accidentally eavesdropped onto something we shouldn’t of and one thing leads to another and boom, you find yourself misreading the whole situation. and you’re lying if you say you haven’t.

well, that’s this fic for you. times a thousand. honestly, enemies to lovers fics never do me wrong. they’re always a joy to read — the thrill and the very, very prominent sexual tension keeps you excited, waiting on the edge of your seat to see how everything plans out.

my point? this fic never bores you out. read it a thousand times and it still feels like the first. and not a lot of fanfics have that power, i’ll tell you that. a few, yes. but not a lot.

don’t take reading this for the first time for granted. wish i had that privilege. jealous.

⠀

( ✎ ) THE PRINCE’S CINDERELLA SYNDROME — by @jimilter

!! jimin x reader | 39.4k !!

cursed!jimin, supernatural!au, strangers to lovers!au angst, smut, fluff.

this fic altered my brain chemistry permanently. there’s no going back. i’m officially ruined, you guys. i don’t even know who i was before i read this. it was just- bang, clean slate.

to begin with, i thought ‘this bitch saw him twice and her knees buckled. what the fuck.’ but then i realised that bitch is me, and the so-called him is referring to thee park jimin, so really. i got it. who wouldn’t absolutely power move it after seeing such a sight? i might just jog a little. sprint on a good day.

i would happily write a five thousand word essay for you on how fucking good this plot slash idea was, and an additional ten thousand on how sad, but i don’t think my fingers— nor my mental state would be able to go through that. not again. please.

but as i mentioned in the last fic above, do not take reading this for the first time for granted. however, only because you will lose all rationality.

shakespeare most definitely plagiarised this fic. he wrote it down and her majesty knows. that’s why he looked so proud of himself at tea. the sneaky fucker. just he wait until i tell @jimilter.

sobbing. again. or is this the fourth time?

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( ✎ ) ALWAYS IN MY DREAMS — by @kookskingdom

!! namjoon x reader | 15.4k !!

soulmates!au, fluff, angst, minor character death.

i mean, i already sleep too fucking much. only being able to meet my soulmate through my dreams would just make me comatose. you’d never hear from me. ever.

and yes, you saw the tag. it’s another soulmate!au because everyone knows how much nini loves her hopeless romance. but! who doesn’t. they’re too good to scroll past. so when i finally read this, i knew it was going in the series.

the unknown certainty between the pair of when their next encounter would be with each other, causing them to cherish every single second, that. that’s what i want please. someone who drinks up my existence knowing we will soon part from each other. i cannot.

i love, love, love the concept of soulmates, fate, destiny, whatever. the whole shabang. i bathe in it. so, of course, this fic was a big hit with me. and if that too is your thing, and you love the idea of two souls being intwined inside and out, this is your golden ticket.

@kookskingdom is mentioned in this chapter twice. but can you blame me? you find a ticket to the chocolate factory, of course you’re going to hold onto it as tightly as possible.

⠀

( �� ) VOICEMAIL — by @joonary

!! seokjin x reader | 7k !!

fluff, humour, friends to lovers, college podcast!au.

you know those dramas where both the two main characters are so completely smitten with each other to the point you’re practically screaming at your screen for them to “just kiss already!” but won’t because they’re hopelessly oblivious, even though everyone is telling them how in love they both are? yeah, that’s this fic. in a nutshell.

though in their defence, i feel i would definitely do the same. but still, does it stop me from getting frustrated with them? no. i was absolutely raging.

this cute story was so, so sweet i was practically clutching the phone for an emergency appointment to the dentist. my teeth were rotting with all the added sugar, like hello? my teeth? but just like chocolate is, it’s addicting. and you can’t stop yourself.

perhaps i’m just a sucker for friends to lovers fics, but this one particularly caught my attention. it’s 5k of pure infuriation, and 2k of fluff.

but so worth the impatience.

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( ♬ ) FALL IN HATRED — by @jimlingss

!! seokjin x reader | 20k !!

divorce!au, angst, fluff, smut (18+), marriage!au.

first bullet point is just the thought of fuck me, ‘cause where do i start with this?

separation — in some ways — is the easy way out. you just get up and leave. walk out, whatever. boom, just like that. but the emotional repercussions are what make it so distressing. making that daunting decision to leave something— someone in our past, may be one of the hardest things we humans ever have to do.

this fic goes through the rough battle of what it means to be committed to a person. the battles of finally giving up on someone you once thought the world of. and honestly? that may be my worst fear. for someone to love me so deeply, and then lose that over time to see me as nothing more than an inconvenience of their past.

never been through divorce. hopefully you, nor i, will ever have to. but after reading this, i don’t think we have to experience it.

this amazing, yet painfully angsty fic does it for us. and a fucking incredible ending.

⠀

( ♛ ) THE ROAD TO RADIANT — by @kookskingdom

!! jungkook x reader | 25.9k !!

gamer!au, streamer!au, fluff, angst, smut, rivals to friends to lovers!au.

this got a crown on the shakespeare state chart purely for the fact i have never played valorant in my life, and single-handedly managed to impress my friends — who are obsessed with said game — about my newfound knowledge of gaming, purely from this fic alone. felt like a fucking genius.

i was going to add this to part four, but i genuinely had to swap some fics around to put this baby in. i found space for her, so she’s here. and deservedly so. why wait?

this fic does a very good job of highlighting the deep misogyny and sexism that runs within the gaming community towards women. like, can women not be good at gaming too? do people really believe gaming is purely a man thing? is this really the society we live in? yikes.

and if you do happen to read this fic and reach that argument scene with jungkook, please let me know. i want you to know i, too, was absolutely fuming. phones were thrown. naughty words were said. angry voice messages to said best friend were recorded.

final special mention for the smut scene. had me sweating like a sinner in church. lord have mercy.

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( ♬ ) BRASS AND STRINGS — by @jimlingss

!! namjoon x reader | 113.7k !!

slice of life!au, fluff, slow burn, college!au, music!au.

take a shot every time this author is mentioned within this series. you’ll end up blackout pissed. it’s a shame they left this platform, but i hope they’re doing well. their fics have really left an impact on me. and i’ll forever be grateful.

ah, yes. the cheesy clichéd trope of the mean girl and the nerd. a mix of two completely different personalities and flavours that supposedly fit together like two broken pieces of a puzzle. the very foundation of a 2000’s romcom. an iconic pairing that has been hammered into us by the media since day one.

it’s the opposites attract that lured me in initially, but it’s the character development throughout the story that nestled itself into my heart, and got me to stay. this fic holds dear to me still.

i have gatekept this fic long enough, and i am trusting you to bear it with love and extreme care. like you’re holding a small, fragile baby in your arms. do not let me down. please.

one more thing, don’t share this with shakespeare. every time he’s brought it up, i’ve told him it was a really weird dream and he’s only just started to believe me. yes, i feel shit about it, but it has to be done. the man’s a menace.

⠀

( ✮ ) TANGLED WEBS — by @ughseoks

!! jungkook x reader | 14.1k !!

spiderman!au, soulmate!au (yup), angst, fluff.

if any of you say a word about the second tag, i will fight. i will never stop recommending them. me and the soulmates!au are soulmates. irony at its finest.

i genuinely wish spidey!jk was a real adaptation. because even though andrew is my favourite spiderman, i fear there is a large difference between the pair that separates them. andrew can play peter parker. jungkook can (re: could) play peter parker. but could andrew play jungkook? no.

in this fic, the whole characterisation of both jungkook as spiderman and the soulmate!reader is so well written. you can perfectly picture jungkook being that awkward high school boy by day, and secret superhero vigilante by night. i mean, fuck me. how is he not knackered all the time?

mixing in that final zest of soulmates!au everyone (re: me) loves, you’ve got yourself a hell of a plot line.

romeo and juliet were not soulmates, shakespeare. they were children. why aren’t you taking notes? stop talking to the queen. she’s tired of all your bullshit. and so are we.

© marknee, 2023. all rights reserved.

⠀

[marsprincess889]

From Rohini/Mrigashira to Jyeshta _ Morgan le Fay and The Morrigan

I've always been drawn to and fascinated by the Arthurian legends. Its characters are as vivid as they come and still serve as the original archetypes to the tropes that they inspired.

One very popular character is Morgana or Morgan le Fay. She's the original ambiguous witch, the polarizing character who is multi-faceted but easily recognized. The character Morgan le Fay and the goddess Morrigan have been closely linked together.

I did a little research on actresses that have played her in various adaptations and three nakshatras were prominent, especially as a certain placement. While there were other nakshatras that arose, such as Dhanishta, Magha and Revati, the ones I'm going to talk about were prominent in the most famous adaptations and not just as primary placements.

So, let's begin with exploring her place in the Arthurian Legends a little bit. In most instances, she's king Arthur's sister, protecting him and generally being a benevolent goddess/enchantress, but in later versions of the legends, she exhibits a dual nature that is capable of both good and evil. Morgan le Fay means "Morgan the Fairy", so her magical abilities and identity are indicated in her name. She's first mentioned in Vita Merlini (The Life of Merlin), a Latin poem dating around the year 1150, believed to be written by Geoffrey of Monmouth. There she's depicted as a great healer and that trend continues for a while with the chivalric romances written by Chrétien de Troyes, a French troubadour. In Le Morte d'Arthur, written in the 15th century, she's Arthur's half sister, sharing a mother- Igrayne with him. She marries unhappily and takes on numerous lovers, including Merlin(despite being his apprentice) and has unrequited love for Lancelot. She also has a hatred for Arthur's wife- queen Guinevere. In that same century, Thomas Malory makes her the biggest enemy of Arthur, who tries to usurp the throne and takes part in his downfall. In the end, she reconciles with Arthur and takes him on his final journey to Avalon.

This is a very brief exploration of her character, but her traits, including her ambiguity are apparent. She's both a helper and an enemy, but most importantly, Morgan le Fay is an enchantress.

The nakshatras that arose most prominently in the charts of actresses who've played Morgana were Rohini, Mrigashira(Snake yonis) and Jyeshta(the nakshatra that's opposing them both). The most consistent pattern in their charts was the Rahu-Ketu axis in Rohini or Mrigashira and Jyeshta. Most of them had Exalted Ketu in Jyeshta, with a couple examples where it was flipped and Rahu was debilitated in Jyeshta, and mostly they had Rahu in Mrigashira, and sometimes Exalted Rahu in Rohini. The most famous portayals of Morgana were actresses also with a primary placement in one of those three nakshatras.

Helen Mirren in Excalibur (1981) - Ascendant in Mrigashira.

Helena Bonham Carter in Merlin (1998)- Sun in Rohini

Katie McGrath in BBC'S Merlin (2008-2012) - Moon Conjunct Rahu in Rohini, Ketu in Jyeshta

Other examples:

Alicia Witt in The Librarians- Jyeshta Ascendant

Elizabeth Hurley in Marvel's Runaways- Rahu in Mrigashira and Ketu in Jyeshta

Whoopi Goldberg in A Knight in Camelot- Rahu in Jyeshta, Ketu in Mrigashira

Joanna Lumley in Prince Valiant- Rahu in Mrigashira, Ketu in Jyeshta

Julianna Marguiles in The Mists of Avalon- Sun in Mrigashira

There are other examples, but i've listed the more famous ones and you get the gist.

The good? The bad?

The witch.

As i've said, her character is most famous for her moral ambiguity. The snake yoni nakshatras- Mrigashira and Rohini are a great representation of Morgana's benevolent, Morgan le Fay aspect. They're both internally satisfied and preoccupied with more gentle matters, with Rohini sitting completely in the sign of Taurus and Mrigashira bridging the signs of Taurus and Gemini. Both nakshatras are opposite Jyeshta- the nakshatra sitting fully in Scorpio, concerned with everything occult and being constantly dissatisfied, hungry for more, never trusting anyone, in a stark contrast to the abundant nakshatras of Rohini and Mrigashira. Jyeshta can be associated with Celtic goddess Morrigan. For those who don't know, The Morrigan is a triple goddess consisting of three separate goddesses: Badb, Macha and Nemain. The Morrigan is the goddess of war and death, heavily associated with crows, just like Jyeshta nakshatra.

I want to focus on my favorite Morgana- Katie McGrath from BBC's Merlin and analyze her story and character arc, including how they relate to the snake yonis and Jyeshta.

Morgana in BBC's "Merlin".

Morgana in "Merlin" starts off as a sweet, helpful ward of the king Uther Pendragon of Camelot. In this adaptation, we're immideately introduced to the fact that magic is banned and the punishment for practising it is harsh. During the beggining of the pilot episode, we see Morgana sympathizing with the punished and defending them against Uther, exhibiting honorable traits such as bravery and fairness.

Morgana watching the execution of a magic-user

She's an ally to Merlin, Arthur and Guinevere (who in this adaptation begins as Morgana's servant), frequently helping them even if it means going against the king and eventually, especially if so.

As time goes by and she discovers her magic, her hatred for Uther and her thirst for power grow.

SPOILER ALERT

At the end of season 3 she usurps the throne, revealing that she has been betraying the king and her old friends for some time. That's the beggining of her transformation, her tapping into her own abilities and power and embracing dark magic.

Katie McGrath has Moon and Rahu in Rohini and Ketu in Jyeshta. The beggining of her character becoming the archetype of the goddess Morrigan is marked by the reveal of her true alliance and also by the change of her appearance. After that episode, she no longer wears beautiful dresses or is adorned by ornate jewelry, nor is her hair shiny. Her hair became dry and disheveled, she started wearing all black and became scary looking, her appearance matching her true nature, completely embodying the Jyeshta archetype.

The nakshatra of Jyeshta is where we master the battle and the art of war (I explore Jyeshta in this post). It's ruled by the goddess Dhumavati- the old hag who is eternally hungry and dissatisfied, not unlike Morgana in the later seasons. If before she was just a suspect or a traitor, later her name was enough to induce terror in anyone. Her arc is very telling of why both the snake yonis nakshatras(Mrigashira and Rohini) and Jyeshta came up most in the charts of the actresses who have played this character. It's the transition from the benevolence to enmity and the constant back and forth between the good and the bad that defines the character, her magical and occult abilities(associated with Jyeshta) being a consistent characteristic. In the end, she's remembered as an independent figure, having no real ally other than herself, forever ambiguous and morally grey, a truly iconic female character that's been remembered for nearly a millenium. We're still telling her story, and I think we will be telling it for a long time to come.

That's it! If you enjoyed this post please reblog, comment or like, especially reblog and comment. If you like Arthurian legends, Merlin or just enjoy vedic astrology then let me know your opinions. BBC MERLIN FANDOM IF YOU END UP HERE PLEASE INTERACT WITH ME I'd love to talk about the show and please, do tell me what you think about this post.

EDIT: So I've been informed in the comments that Katie's birthday is most likely wrong, but the overall statistic hasn't really changed, those three nakshatras are still dominant.

Love you all, take care.

[heartfullofleeches]

Since you mentioned the Frankenhounds (one of my favs of yours)

I always remember those videos of Queen Elizabeth where she enters a room with her running corgis entourage, and I just imagine scientist reader with the Frankenhounds, but instead of cute corgis it's terrifying, stitched up murder machines.

Still cuties tho!

A new face in town always called for celebration. Don't see many of those too often, and with the gradually declining population for mysterious and unknown causes they were a blessing.

A corporate hot-shot decided they had enough of the city life and shipped themselves and their earthly possessions off to the closest town that allowed them to work remotely from their high paying job. To the surprise of neighbors who arrived with baked goods and freshly picked fruits, they had already started the process of planning a get together to meet everyone they'd see on the daily. The townspeople were so thrilled they forgot the tiny detail that there was one person who wasn't as welcoming as the rest. The party began without a hitch, but something felt out of place for the new face. The one person they were more excited to meet had yet to make their presence known as as their absence persisted they began to worry they might not show at all.

"Excuse me? Do you happen to have a number I can use to all the scientist?"

Though the tap on their shoulder was enough to alert the neighbor still wearing their carrier uniform, their eyes pop out of their sockets like billiard balls as they choke down a mouthful of food. "You... invited them?"

Puzzled by their sudden change, the new neighbor flashes a concerned smile. "Yes? Some articles of their work came up when I was doing research of your town, though most were slightly vague about what they do. They replied to my email saying they'd be around as soon as they could, and they'd bring their dogs if I allowed."

The mail carrier's eyes are just about ready to shoot out their skull. They make a grab for their bag - discarding their fallen cap as they gather their things. "Great party, but something's come up. Be seeing you, if you survive. Where are my keys... where are my..."

A sharp whistle pierces the air. All color, and hope, drains from the carrier's face as the yard's back entrance is pawed opened by a clawed hand - stitches running down the length of its furred limb. It retreats into the darkness as a lone figure steps out into view. Eyes follow them from all corners as they stride meticulously towards the larger group of party-goers, face void of greater expression than tight lips and a passive gaze. They scan the crowd, locating the newcomer with ease. A small smile forms - never meeting your eyes.

"Mx. Wilson. So good to finally meet you. Since this is our first meeting I must inform you I am not one to mingle with... others. I allow this an exception as you were unaware of this fact, and seemed so excited to meet my sweet pups - and I have to say they are quite eager to meet you as well."

The braver of the crowd regain function of their limbs, and take their attempt to flee as you bring two fingers to your limbs - but it's too late. Heavy panting and soft howls join the piercing shriek of your call in a sympathy of the chaos soon to follow. One by one, your howls spill into the yard - the newcomers eyes wide with newfound terror as the years long terror resurfaces in your existing neighbors.

The hounds knock over tables and chairs, barking and hissing at all who infer with their path. They corner those more expressive of their fear in tight shapes - bursting into maniacal laughter as they attempt to fling their bodies over the walls. The smallest of the group volts over to the snack table, scooping as many appetizers as they possibly could on one plate and balances the heavy weight in their claws - gifting their gracious offering to you as they kneel at your feet. You pick through the treats, patting their head as you pop one into your mouth. The others sniff out the outsider as they run for their house, dragging them back over to you and pinning them to the earth as you tower over them. You kneel, offerings a single fruit which they refuse. You chuckle.

"Oh, come now - don't be like that. We're only welcoming you to the neighborhood. My pups even when through the trouble of getting you a gift."

The fourth and most unpredictable of your hounds begins to convulse violently. They wheeze and sputter on the grass - jaws lax as they choke up something white and thin. You stroke their back, aiding them through their expulsion of whatever was lodged in their throat. Clinging to your leg, they spit out an entire human hand striped of its bone and still intact at the joints. With Halloween right around the corner, you'd say it was more a thoughtful gift than warning.

"And if I haven't said it all ready, welcome to the neighborhood."

[eve-to-adam]

I'm curious about your other four favorite historical couples?

My current top would be this:

Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville

As I mentioned below, in the previous post and in a few others, they were the first historical couple I discovered that managed to keep my interest for so long. A more detailed explanation can be found here. Even now, years later, I continue to explore and study them, both individually and as a couple.

A meme daddy and my favorite Queen, haha.

Richard Plantagenet and Cecily Neville

I can honestly say that this couple surprised me in many ways. When my fascination with the Wars of the Roses had not yet taken deep roots, all I could say about them was that they were the parents of Edward IV, lol. I liked Richard from the first moment I read about him, he seemed like a magnetic presence - with all his arrogance and bravado: in literature or art, I like arrogant characters, especially if they are well represented. Which is in stark contrast to my opinion of arrogant people, so if I had really met Richard Plantagenet and he had waved that ducal nose at me I would probably punch him. Hard. I really disliked Cecily at first - she seemed to me like the kind of mother who doesn't let the protagonists of the fairy tale experience their love, lololol. What happened along the way? I tried to understand her, and, oh my God, what I found during my documentation made me want to know even more. Not only was Cecily a remarkable, intelligent, brave, and proud woman, but her will to fight and endure so much loss throughout her life fascinated me. Not to mention how well she suited Richard. This couple touched my heart so deeply that I decided to write about them - little is known about Cecily's childhood, or perhaps about childhoods in the Middle Ages in general (with a few exceptions), but the fact that they grew up together at Raby, that they had the chance to get to know each other better before they got married, gave me the chance to try to fill in those gaps, to try to lay the foundations for a relationship that lasted 37 years.

Because yes, Cecily is and always will be the perfect partner for Richard!

John, Duke of Bedford and Anne of Burgundy

I haven't had time to research this couple in detail yet, but everything I've learned so far has been enough to put them on my list of favorite couples. I know very little about Anne, but Bedford is my favorite. The man gave his soul and life - literally - to maintain the entire English Kingdom in France for his nephew. When I say Regent of France, I say Bedford, because it seems to me that he's the only one who's truly proven he deserves the title - not to mention how often he had to clean up the mess at home, pfff. Big brother having big brother problems. Despite the fact that he's at the heart of political and military conflicts at this point, I could never imagine him being the heart of the party, you know what I'm saying? Tell me Bedford did something hilariously stupid without making you cringe. That's right, you can't. His whole being cries out: "Responsibility, Responsibility, Responsibility!" I have always perceived him as having a serious figure - sober, reserved, logical - which makes him seem quite solitary. I am not saying that he cannot have fun, but his type of fun always has a well-defined purpose: my man organized the reenactment of the assassination of his father-in-law and presented it to his brother-in-law, the Duke of Burgundy. Philip probably could not swallow his pigeon at supper. What particularly caught my attention was the comment of this contemporary:

"My Lord the Regent loves Madame Regent so well that he always brings her with him to Paris and everywhere else."

Of course, as the sister of the Duke of Burgundy, her mere presence declared her brother's support for the English. It may have been a political move - but I believe it was always more than that. I believe that in Anne he found the support and courage that he needed when the political relations with her brother seemed to be falling apart. Despite not giving him any heirs, her presence was vital in the long war between England and France, and she proved more than capable of making Philip reconsider Burgundy's connection to the English. He remarried so soon after losing her, but I'm sure Bedford mourned her death more than we can imagine. Even so, Bedford always proved to be a practical man - as always, his feelings could wait; he had put his own suffering aside for a greater cause. His nephew's throne.

Remember - "Responsibility, Responsibility, Responsibility!"

Henry VII and Elizabeth of York

I don't think I can say more than I have already said. I know the most important details about them, although, as I have argued before, I prefer to think of Elizabeth as a daddy's Princess, even if being the wife and Queen of a King is a rather tempting prospect. Their marriage ultimately succeeded in ending the civil war. To a point, you could say that Henry and Elizabeth are polar opposites. Hot and cold. This is because Elizabeth had a lot of affection to offer - growing up in a loving family, living in a protective environment, surrounded by siblings, was exactly what Henry, who had lived and grown up in exile, with an uncertain future, needed at that time. It is for this reason that I choose not to consider the scenarios in which she and Margaret Beaufort were in constant conflict. There may have been some friction between them, perhaps they sometimes vied for the King's affection, but I doubt that the matter degenerated to the point where the two women came to detest each other. Moreover, there is ample evidence to show that they had a fairly smooth collaboration. No one can deny that his intentions regarding a union with Elizabeth were purely political - at least at first. I do not want to say that Elizabeth was the one who taught Henry to love, but I want to emphasize that Elizabeth used both her life experience up to that point, and the model of her parents, to make the marriage with Henry work. Henry, like Edward IV, had been declared King of England by right of conquest, so she understood what was expected of her - without forgetting her true value, she was determined to become what her husband needed her to become.

This will be quite surprising, but…

Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester and Eleanor Cobham

And I say this because the interest in this couple only began when I initiated the process of writing the book Proud Cis. Suffering a defeat on the Continent, Gloucester chooses to flee back to England, and instead of his so-called wife, he takes his mistress with him; later he initiates the annulment of his marriage to Jacqueline of Hainault, so that he can marry, instead, Eleanor Cobham - a rather controversial situation, as only Humphrey can do, pfff. Unlike her husband - and this is a moment of honesty - and I will say that the only thing I knew about Eleanor was that she had been accused of witchcraft against Henry VI, but when I introduced her into my story, I had to go deeper to discover the real Eleanor, who was beyond all the prejudices and accusations that had been made against her over time. I think that, against all expectations, the two of them formed a harmonious couple - Humphrey seems to have had a genuine affection for her; I have no interest in presenting Eleanor as a victim, she was clearly an ambitious woman, so I am sure that part of her mind rejoiced when, in 1435, Gloucester sought to secure her future in the event of his death, so that she could enjoy absolutely all his properties for life. To be clear: she was ambitious, but not treacherous, so there is no need to imagine that her affection and respect for Humphrey was only a delusion. Or that she really wanted Henry VI dead. I think they both had interests in common and her ambition matched his.

Side note: Maybe it's just my perception, but what I like most about Humphrey is that, despite his apparent talent for making enemies, he seems to have been the fun uncle. Unlike Bedford, he tries to make Henry experiment with all sorts of things, hahahah.

I remember reading at one point that Eleanor might have been illiterate - allow me to disagree. She may have been of a much lower rank than he was, but I doubt that Humphrey, with such a vast library, surrounded by poets and humanists, with his interest in learning (these people transformed La Pleausanse into a center of art and intellectual activity), would have taken an ignorant woman as a wife. She may not have been on Humphrey's level, but I tend to think that she was more than just a pretty face. And the idea that he taught her to read is out of the question, lololol.

[wlwcatalogue]

A few sapphic film recs!

Just a few recommendations for sapphic films under 2 hours which may or may not have flown under the radar:

Moonlit Winter / 윤희에게 (1hr 45m, 2019, dir. Lim Dae-hyung)

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (1hr 48m, 2017, dir. Angela Robinson)

Who's the Woman, Who's the Man / 金枝玉葉 2 (1hr 50m, 1996, dir. Peter Ho-Sun Chan)

Sisterhood / 骨妹 (1hr 37m, 2016, dir. Tracy Choi)

DEBS (1hr 31m, 2004, dir. Angela Robinson)

Farewell, My Queen / Les adieux à la reine (1hr 40m, 2012, dir. Benoît Jacquot)

Bonus - short film: Love Does Human / 사람 하는 사랑 (24 mins, 2019, dir. Oh Seon-ju)

Commentary under the cut!

1. Moonlit Winter / 윤희에게 (1hr 45m, 2019, dir. Lim Dae-hyung) - IMDB | MyDramaList

This movie is about a daughter (Kim So-hye) who finds out about her divorced mother’s (Kim Hee-ae) past with another woman (Katase Jun), and how in encouraging her mother to reconnect, the two finally open up to each other as well. Dry stuff on paper, but there’s more to it: the mother and her former lover didn’t just break up, they were split apart by their families as teenagers and the mother was forced to marry a man against her will. In short, it deals with the aftermath of the typical “bad ending” of older stories featuring WLW characters, wherein schoolgirls in love would be separated and married off to preserve the heteronormative status quo.

Although the queer relationship does not get much screentime at all – the two characters share a single scene, there are no flashbacks, and there’s not even a hug – queerness remains at the heart of the movie. It’s a rare depiction of how the repression of queerness leaves scars on people which affect how they engage with the world, but which also shows that as long as they are alive, there is still hope that those scars can be healed. Also, despite the heavy-sounding subject matter, it’s a very gentle experience: there are no direct depictions of homophobia and no sensationalism, just a little story of human connection unfolding in a snow-cloaked Hokkaido.

2. Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (1hr 48m, 2017, dir. Angela Robinson) - IMDB

The blurb on IMDB says that this movie is about “psychologist William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans), and his polyamorous relationship with his wife [Elizabeth] (Rebecca Hall) and their mistress [Olive] (Bella Heathcote) who would inspire his creation of the superheroine, Wonder Woman”. As someone who is not particularly drawn to biopics, male protagonists, polyamory, BDSM, or Wonder Woman, I assumed that this movie wouldn’t be my jam and so didn’t watch it until quite a while later – which is when I discovered just how wrong I was.

First, the two women take up just as much of the movie’s focus as Marston. Elizabeth, Marston’s wife and fellow psychologist, is highly intelligent but equally highly-strung; she does not know how to deal with her husband’s attraction to new research assistant Olive, nor Olive’s attraction to both her husband and Elizabeth herself, and this internal conflict (even after the three enter into a polyamorous relationship) features heavily in the story. Second, although it declares itself to be “based on a true story”, the movie is not especially interested in recreating or representing the past. Rather, the historical elements are used as a framework to explore certain ideas: Diana’s Lasso of Truth symbolises how progress and healing must be first founded upon honesty, for example. The polyamory and BDSM is also not at all sordid or sensationalised, but rather presented in a nuanced (though still sexy!) manner. More than anything, this is a movie with a big heart and big ideas, and should be judged on its own merits.

3. Who's the Woman, Who's the Man / 金枝玉葉 2 (1hr 50m, 1996, dir. Peter Ho-Sun Chan) - IMDB | MyDramaList

All you need to know going into this sequel of 1994 movie He's a Woman, She's a Man (金枝玉葉) is that main character Wing (Anita Yuen) is a woman who has found both fame and (heterosexual) love while disguising herself as a male idol, and that her relationship with record producer Sam (Leslie Cheung) is known to the general public— although it is perceived as being homosexual in nature due to her persona. At this point, you might be wondering why an M/F romantic comedy is on this list, but this movie is a bit odd in that instead of focusing only on problems such Sam’s internalised homophobia and misogyny (both of which are addressed in the story), one of the new obstacles facing the couple is the female lead meeting female pop star Fong Yim Mui (Anita Mui)… and both starting to fall for each other.

I was surprised at how sensitively Wing and Fong Yim Mui’s respective arcs are handled, especially for a mainstream movie from the 90’s starring two of Hong Kong’s most popular performers at the time. Instead of giving the two women a meet-cute and leaving it at that, a lot of care is put into showing them processing and coming to terms with their feelings in their own time. Romantic and sexual attraction is also highlighted separately, which is refreshing given how they are usually depicted as inextricably linked even now… Obviously Wing and Fong Yim Mui don’t end up together, but their feelings aren’t dismissed and – relative to the narrative constraints – the ending is a warm, optimistic one. Also, Anita Mui gives an absolutely award-worthy performance in one of the scenes with her character and Wing, so fans of her should definitely give this movie a try.

Important note: Although there’s much that’s good about it, Who's the Woman, Who's the Man is far from perfect. Early on, there’s a masquerade party where two of the characters are wearing masks which look like racist caricatures, and the masks are crop up in multiple scenes in the film. More serious is the subplot about a male character who keeps trying to win over a lesbian, culminating in her agreeing to sleep with him once while he’s dressed as a woman (CW: transphobia, homophobia) – though this storyline ends with the man accepting that she really is gay and parting on friendly terms. That said, these problems are already mild compared to the actively hateful transphobic and homophobic jokes present in so many of its contemporaries, so if you’ve watched a 90’s Hong Kong comedy before, chances are that your tolerance level is more than high enough.

4. Sisterhood / 骨妹 (1hr 37m, 2016, dir. Tracy Choi) IMDB | MyDramaList

Sisterhood opens with tragedy. Originally from Macau, main character Sei (Gigi Leung) is living quietly in Taiwan with her husband after the 1999 Handover when her life is overturned by a newspaper personal ad informing her that her long-estranged friend and colleague Ling has passed away. The movie is shot through with flashbacks to earlier times, tracking a young Sei (Fish Liew) as she starts doing sex work and is taken under the wing of the more experienced Ling (Jennifer Yu) and her friends. Memories of togetherness and community are juxtaposed against sequences of present-day Sei struggling to navigate her grief, the tensions of the now-fractured friend group, and a Macau that has changed just as much as she has. The acting and script can be clunky in places but the sentiment shines through, especially after the first third, at which point the movie starts honing in on Sei and Ling’s relationship. It’s not a happy story, but nor is it defined by sadness; instead, it posits that the past is not merely to be mourned, that it is instead something that can shape and provide a foundation for the future. I won't talk too much about how queerness figures into this story, due to spoilers, but rest assured that it is present and important!

5. D.E.B.S. (1hr 31m, 2004, dir. Angela Robinson) - IMDB

Okay, you've probably heard of this one before if not watched it already, but anyway! This was the first WLW movie I watched, and for a long time, the only one which I actually enjoyed. It’s about an elite spy (well, more like an honours student at spy school) (Sara Foster) and a criminal mastermind (Jordana Brewster) falling for each other, a premise which is just as fun and over-the-top as it sounds. The movie does a great job of mixing action, humor, and romance, and it doesn’t overstay its welcome – it’s got a nice compact runtime and a cracking pace. There’s still nothing quite like it in my opinion, though I’m very welcome to any recommendations in this line (my askbox is open if you have any!).

6. Farewell, My Queen / Les adieux à la reine (1hr 40m, 2012, dir. Benoît Jacquot) - IMDB

Loosely based on Chantal Thomas’ novel of the same name, Farewell, My Queen is a portrait of French nobility in decline, following maidservant Sidonie Labarde (Léa Seydoux) who is in the service of Marie Antoinette (Diane Kruger). It's a beautiful, lavish production which effectively conveys the perspective of a servant locked in the gilded cage that is Versailles during the French Revolution, and is a rare case of a historical figure as famous as Antoinette being presented as queer in a serious historical drama.

That being said, the queerness is mostly background, coming mainly in the form of Antoinette’s crush on? relationship with? duchess Gabrielle de Polignac (Virginie Ledoyen)— though a case can be made for Sidonie, whose outward opacity belies an unwavering, almost unsettling, devotion to her queen. Also, be warned that the movie has many a dodgy shot of cleavage, and two instances of unnecessary and voyeuristic nudity... but other than that, it really does have gorgeous cinematography.

Fun fact: there really were rumours about Antoinette having a scandalous relationship with the duchess, although these have nearly always been written off as baseless reputation-smearing.

Bonus - short film: Love Does Human / 사람 하는 사랑 (24 mins, 2019, dir. Oh Seon-ju) - MyDramaList

Some say that the best science fiction puts a spotlight on some part of the human condition, and this short film does just that. Main character Tae Eun's (Kim Min-ju) girlfriend Joo An (Jang Sam-yi) no longer has a human body: after carrying out a medical operation which transferred her consciousness to a computer system, she now has a web-camera for her eyes, a speaker for her mouth, and control over their home's devices for her hands. And although the change was by Joo An's choice and Tae Eun was supportive, the pair struggle to adjust to this new reality, and are confronted with the need to communicate and to consider each other's perspectives. Love Does Human has a bit of a slow start, and there were points where I didn't understand why the characters were reacting in a certain way, but it all comes together beautifully in the end. Through its sci-fi premise, viewers are encouraged to think about real-life problems using a different angle, and the movie never gets too heavy. Also, shoutout to some excellent voice work from the two actors - Joo An is performed nearly entirely through voice but she feels deeply human and present, and Tae Eun's actor also has a standout scene featuring some great voice acting. All in all, it's a short film that's well worth checking out (especially since the director has made it available for free, with English subtitles, on Youtube - embedded above)!

[traegorn]

Is it true that gingerbread cookies were originally created for saturnalia? My friend just sent me this meme

Literally answered this last month, but I know Tumblr's search is absolute shit (even though it was tagged) so it's easy to miss.

Here's what I said then:

I feel like every year there's a new "did you know..." that inevitably turns out to be false. This seems to be one of them. First off, while ginger was a spice available to the Romans, there's no real link between them what we now know as gingerbread -- which is a much later invention. But that aside, the only sources I can find about a "man shaped cookie" connected to Saturnalia seem to go back to unsourced nonsense. Even the ones who cite something, if you follow the path to the source they do cite... it's one with no citations. Written by a mystery writer. And we fucking know exactly when gingerbread men were invented. They were created for Queen Elizabeth I, who had the cookies cut to resemble visiting foreign dignitaries. And then they caught on. So, if a person-shaped cookie existed in connection to Saturnalia (which I don't think it did but I will admit I wasn't exhaustive in my research), it is unrelated to the gingerbread man. (Honestly this feels like yet another one of those things that got started with anti-Catholic propaganda 100-200 years ago and has become another ahistorical talking point -- but I'm just going off of vibes on that one)

So yeah. The romans didn't make gingerbread or man shaped cookies -- so "gingerbread men" are not a Saturnalia thing.

This is the new hill I'm going to have to die on, huh.

[doverstar]

A handful of people have requested I expand on my epiphany that the Tenth Doctor is the Doctor lineup’s equivalent of Enamored Smurf, so here I go if you care to waste some time-

Lots of Doctor/Rose fans like to say Ten was born out of love, specifically for Rose. He is tailor-made for her; we saw that. Even in the novelized version of The Christmas Invasion, Rose suspects that the Doctor’s new face has picked up a few of her mannerisms. I want to say, firstly, that I’m not sure that it’s technically canon that Ten was made for Rose, or that if you asked the writers, they’d say that his tenth regeneration was born out of love for her. I actually can’t find anything in my limited research where that’s canon – it’s fan speculation, but it seems to be true and that’s the short version of why I think Ten is the Enamored Smurf of the Doctors. But of course I’m me so this will take longer than that.

I’ll start with this factoid – Ten has kissed every one of his official companions. That says something. Bupbupbup wait, I know, that was Cassandra on New Earth, it was just a genetic transfer on the moon, he needed a shock to eradicate the poison in 1926, etc. Okay, I know he has good reasons behind each kiss, but it says something that David Tennant’s Doctor is the Doctor that the show felt most comfortable - how do I say this kindly - auctioning off romantically. Jon Pertwee’s Doctor, Tom Baker’s, even Peter Davison’s before him – there was a much different sort of conduct with them, just in my opinion. I don’t know if the audience at the time or the writers at the time would have been quite so free with the Doctor’s romantic potential. With Tennant’s Doctor, it’s just. Everyone. All the time. Astrid, Christina, Madame de Pompadour, Joan Redfern, Queen Elizabeth. Look, Ten is not the first Doctor to be kissing companions or even almost-companions, but he’s the one that seems to do it most often, especially in the 2005 revival (and here we exclude Matt Smith’s Doctor because he came afterward and Moffat was at the helm and Moffat cannot write a male protagonist who doesn’t kiss or get kissed by every young woman breathing near him). What I’m communicating here is that there is something about the Tenth Doctor that is, by nature, very romantic. He is romance-inclined. And most fans take that to be a direct result of the way he was brought into existence. The Doctor’s ninth incarnation was killed by absorbing the Time Vortex, and the only way he could survive that process was to regenerate. How did he absorb it? He pulled it out of Rose Tyler to save her life, after she absorbed it to save his. How did he pull it out of her? He kissed her! Could he have done it in a different way? *noise in my throat for I-don’t-know* Probably. Maybe he could’ve hooked her up to something in the Tardis, or used the sickbay or even tried the Zero Room. But he didn’t; he kissed her, and it’s canon in both RTD’s words and the words of the cast and other writers that Nine kissed Rose because he wanted to kiss Rose, and because he wanted to save Rose, and he was happy to give his life for hers – and that these actions were done out of love. Romantic love explicitly, as well as the self-sacrificial type of real, true, lasting love. That was agape stuff right there. Be still my heart hooooo boy-

So Nine is dying because he sacrificed that incarnation of himself to save Rose, because he loved her. And when he changed, when he regenerated, he changed into this younger-looking, Londony puppy dog man with hair Rose obviously likes and with a clear inclination toward romance. From the first, he’s a dashing hero with ego and brains.

Suddenly the Doctor is not the war-torn, forty-something-looking Northerner that takes a tiny bit to warm up to people and doesn’t seem to think much of himself. Suddenly, the Doctor likes to wink and click his tongue, give crooked smiles and really-tight hugs, and boy does he love physical touch. The tenth is obnoxiously flirtatious, and, appearance-wise, he’s just as grin-heavy and charismatic as the men we’ve seen Rose prefer in past episodes. If we go with the long-running theory that regeneration, while definitely 80% uncontrollable, can be at least a little influenced by cause of death and the emotional inclination of the Gallifreyan who is regenerating, then the most logical explanation is what?

He is ‘born out of love’. The Tenth Doctor is almost literally fizzing with passion. Look at him. Go look at him. Is he not hand-stitched to be roguish and attractive and fun and amiable and watch out, ladies-

(Mr. Tennant you are a fabulous actor and you do the show credit and you are this generation’s Tom Baker and you are more than your eyebrows, sir, please forgive me, we love you-) Even when he is being weird, he is being charming. Even when Martha does not know why he’s throwing away his shoes, even when she has concrete proof that he is another species and not human, she still swoons when he kisses her or smiles at her or looks in her direction. (Mad Martha, charity Martha, you deserve much better!) When River calls him ‘pretty boy’, even Donna’s affirmation comes out a bit quick, and there is no chance of that relationship ever being romantic. Astrid only has to meet his eyes one time and she’s a goner. Do not get me started on Madame de Pompadour-

The Tenth Doctor is a total Casanova. He exists in a state of romantic potential, because when the Doctor changed his face into that face, it was after saving – and finally embracing – this human girl that he is objectively, canonically in love with. He is Enamored Smurf. Now, that’s actually a huge problem. Because an alien man engineered to love one person is a lovely thing -  as long as he can love that person. But the issue is that he’s a Time Lord. He can’t love the Earth girl practically the way he would like to, the way that’s best. He can’t settle down with her, he can’t even marry her. He knows that. He will outlive her. So he can’t ever say I-love-you because that’s commitment, and he can’t commit to Rose because it would be dangerous and unfair, especially to her. It wouldn’t (in his opinion) lead to a happy ending for both of them, but I already beat this horse to the deadest death, he’s buried over there, shhh-

Okay. So what does he do with all that love? While he’s with Rose, it’s mostly fine. He can show her all the time that he’s absolutely gone for her without ever saying it. “Oh, she knows.” “Does it need saying?” I mean. If the constant hand-holding and hugging and disarming smiles (ah, The Stone Rose, how are you today my beloved-) didn’t say it, the REALLY INTENSE BROWN EYES BURNING HOLES IN HER FACE will say it just fine.

Only this incarnation of the Doctor isn’t just romantically-inclined. He’s also got the biggest freaking ego I have ever seen on that man, don’t look at me Six, avoid eye contact Three- He’s full of passion, as aforementioned. Everything is – wait for it – at a ten. Where are you going, come back here-

So if he’s full of passion, that means everything he feels is at its peak. When he’s angry, he’s furious. When he’s sad, he’s miserable. When he’s confused, it’s a thousand whats before we get to a proper line of dialogue. When he’s happy it’s the best smile in the universe. And when he’s in love? Do not get in the line of fire (and by that I mean the big-brown-eye-contact) or you will be struck down in your prime. The issue with being the Doctor and being born out of love, full of passion, but unable to settle down with the object of that love? The issue is that it all goes other places, too. It’s not just for Rose. The Doctor as a character has forever been, in a sense, in love with the universe. In love with the human race in particular (not romantically, yikes, but you get it). If ever there were a species he’d be most inclined to fall for romantically, it’s going to be a human being. We saw it before Rose, we’ll probably see it after Rose, though not at the same level because – well, different relationships are different relationships.

And this Doctor has a huge ego. He loves attention. He loves praise. He even loves being adored. He knows darn well Martha fancied him the whole time and he still kept her close to him, and then bragged about it to Donna later. He finds the fact that he enchanted and snogged Madame de Pompadour delightful, and funny, even though he met her first as a child and hi, he has two very-mortal human beings already traveling with him on that clockwork spaceship who he should probably not leave to be disassembled for five and a half hours. One of which is supposedly the person he is in love with and who loves him back. But I digress; that episode in particular is another horse to beat at another time. Not Arthur. A different horse. He seems to pass out attraction and affection easily, and really take pride in that, which, if I were Rose, would be incredibly unnerving when he’s so affectionate toward you but he is also flirty and loose with basically every other woman he meets as well. Hear me, Rose is not entitled to reciprocation – neither is the Doctor, actually – but it does demonstrate surprising carelessness on his part after Nine’s clear, unwavering preference and devotion toward Rose. It’s obvious they care so much about each other, it’s obviously love, but of course she wanted him to say it out loud. He gives her reason to doubt that she’s in any way special to him. But because she’s Rose, of course she decided to stay with him because he needs someone, because she loves him, regardless of how thoughtless he can sometimes be about how he may be affecting her.

(I don’t like that about Ten, personally. I don’t like the ego, or the rampant flirting, but I really dislike that carelessness. And I understand the difficulties and the complications and the layers to that romantic relationship, to Doctor/Rose, and I get that it makes for good television drama, but also – sometimes you just wanna shake him. Either say you love her, or say very clearly that it will never work out and you are refusing to commit. You can have all the best intentions in the world because you love her, but if you’re not clear with her, it’s just making things harder for her on days when you are winking at and holding hands with someone else. I can make a separate post about how I have a very bittersweet opinion on Ten and would not like to travel with him, but…eh.)

Anyway. This post is longer than I wanted. The point I am trying to make is that he is the Doctor who is, yes, the most inclined toward romance, Enamored Smurf, but also that that is not always a good thing. Being born out of love and being full of passion can be a very dangerous thing. He is not just the most inclined toward romance – he is also the Doctor who is the most inclined toward villainy. Get behind me, Moffat, no Eleven is not-

As the Doctor with the most passion, born out of love, when I say that when he’s angry he’s furious, I am talking Time Lord Victorious furious. He is at times the most imposing version of the Doctor. In fact, there’s an entire alternate multimedia canon dedicated to the idea that the Tenth Doctor specifically could one day be a villain, after making a thousand small decisions that surface-wise don’t seem so bad, but that eventually snowball into one big, bad decision. And suddenly he thinks he’s a god and we have to root against him. And that’s just one drawback. The other drawback is plainly seen after Doomsday and Journey’s End – the Tenth Doctor cannot handle losing Rose. He’s completely ruined without her. He changed every single cell in his body with an eye toward loving her, and when she is gone, it probably feels like an enormous chunk of himself is missing. It probably feels like everything is tilting sideways, just a little bit, all the time. And the fact that he lost her and never explicitly told her how he felt? He has no idea what to do with himself. He goes from bad to worse. First of all, it’s made very clear that he is okay with dying when Rose is gone. We saw that in Turn Left. He was never trying to survive anything he ever did. He was saving other people, but he would have died several times over and had zero desire for self-preservation. The man practically begged the Daleks to kill him in Manhattan, and he would have drowned (in misery and river water) if Donna hadn’t been there to tell him “You can stop now!”

He has Martha and that helps, but she leaves. He has Donna and that helps, but she has to go too. He had Rose again, just for a second, but he can’t keep her this time, and that’s the last straw. He just snaps. Then it’s all bitterness, it’s all anger, it’s all ego. And it’s all at a ten, because what is he when he’s born out of love and the woman he loves is gone? What does he do with all that passion and pain? I’ll tell you what he does. He becomes the worst, most dejected maniac in the universe. He goes from wishing he could die to stubbornly refusing to die. And when it is time to die, he tries to be sure the last human face he sees is Rose’s face.

Actually the more I’m talking about it, the more I’m thinking Ten is the saddest Doctor. At least his other incarnations tried to die as heroes. At least they didn’t get to the point where they could look at Wilfred Mott, a global treasure, and say “not remotely important”. He’s Enamored Smurf, but he can’t do what he was sort of made to do. He can’t be with Rose. He can love her by giving her the chance for a happy ending, and he can love her by showing her the universe, and he can love her by giving his life for her, but he can’t keep her. He has to be without her. He can’t settle down (why do you think John Smith was so quick to fall in love and want a future with Nurse Redfern while being unable to stop dreaming of Rose, unable to stop dreaming she kept walking away?). If there was any version of the Doctor that wanted to be human in order to be with someone he loved, it would be Ten. Because he’s born out of love. And he just can’t escape that. Like this really beautiful, wonderful plant that gets moved out of the sun and is unable to reach water, so all its fruit goes sour. He’s miserable. Oh look I made myself sad-

[george-the-good]

At the National Institute for Medical Research at Mill Hill: King George VI and Queen Elizabeth watch Dr. C. M. Chu of the Virus Research Division at work. // May 5, 1950

The visit’s purpose was for the King to officially open the Institute, which had relocated to Mill Hill. In a speech he acknowledged his own debt to medical research:

‘I can tell you personally that I am indeed thankful and grateful for the work of this Institute. For I am told that had it not been for medical research I should not be standing here on my two legs today.’

(When the King was diagnosed with arteriosclerosis late in 1948 there was a danger of gangrene developing, and at first there were fears that his right leg might have to be amputated.)

ABOVE: The King and Queen in the Institute’s library, where the King signs a visitors’ book. [no sound] // x

Further (brief) footage can be seen HERE & HERE

[writingquestionsanswered]

Hii!

So I'm trying to write a historical fanfiction, the plot revolving around the royals and servants living in the castle and I have their roles and some main plot elements, but I have trouble figuring out in which age this is set, the technological advancement and style of the world and the situation of the royalties with the political situation. (I've been thinking about the 19th century) Do you have any tips regarding any of these?

Writing a Historical Fan-Fiction Set in Castle

I'm a little confused by the notion of writing fan-fiction but not knowing the canon time period. Unless you mean that you're taking canon characters and moving them to a historical setting?

If you're having trouble figuring out the canon time period, you can Google "what year does ___canon title___ take place?" Or, "what year is ______ set during?" This will give you a year, or at the very least an era. From there, you can do specific research on that year/era in the location where your story will be set. (see: Researching an Historical Topic)

If you're moving canon characters to a new time and setting, and you're having trouble choosing an era, it honestly depends on the needs of your story.

The first thing it might help you to understand is that a palace is the official residence of a chief of state (such as a king and/or queen), and that castles are fortified palaces. Prior to the 1500s, kings and queens needed to live in fortified palaces (castles) so that they could be defended in case of attack. However, changes in weapons and warfare in the 1500s made the heavy fortification of castles less and less necessary. That is when we start to see the building of non-fortified palaces, such as St. James and Lambeth palaces in England, Versailles in France, and the Winter Palace in Russia. Having said that, royal castles tended to stay in royal hands and continued to be used as royal residences, and sometimes the king and/or queen would take up residence in a castle palace for a change of scenery or because they had business in that part of the kingdom.

So, if you're imagining an ancient castle with gloomy, austere interiors, torch lit passages, brazier-lit throne rooms, massive dining halls, and dismal dungeons, you'll probably want to set this story prior to the 1500s and maybe even as far back as the 1100s or 1200s. After the 1400s, castles are going to be secondary residences with a grand palace being the primary residence. You might find it helpful to think of a king and/or queen who fit into the era you're imagining. For example, if you're imagining something like Prince John in Robin Hood or something like Game of Thrones, you're looking at 1100s to maybe 1300s. If you want something more Henry VIII or Elizabeth I, you are looking at early 1500s to early 1600s. Or, if you're imagining something more like Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton or Queen Victoria in Victoria, you're looking at the early to late 1800s.

Once you know the time period/era it will be much easier to target the specific details of technology, politics, and world. Here are some other posts that might help:

“King” Doesn’t Mean “Husband of the Queen” Forms of Address for Royals and Nobility Guide: Writing About Fictional Royals Creating a Fictional Kingdom Setting Your Story in an Unfamiliar Place WQA’s Guide to Internet Research Writing About Difficult to Research Topics

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I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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