#rolf holding

[ededdneddy-artrefs]

[astrid-gallivan]

The results of the day. Got to play around and practice some hands, test new colored pencils sets and just generally chill out while watching Dexters Lab. I’ve got 80 projects I want to do in my life- from adulting stuff to fun stuff- and time for only, like, two lol.

On the art itself- as usual I have comments lol. I was debating on making Double Ds shoes black, but then I noticed the designers did a genius thing- going down his person, they alternated his color design from warm to cool colors. So I kept that going for him as an adult. Rolf I need to figure out the final colors for but his adult design includes the scar he got in the movie. And Eddy, damn it, your eyes DID need to be a bit bigger…. 😑😑😑

Fun insight for my art supplies: if I ever want to try out a new line for coloring, no matter the medium, I just buy greens and use them on Ed. That boy can KILL a green, lemme tall ya.

[chiimeramanticore]

regarding the last post what about rolfe plsss although. theres not much about him really is there ? he was so underutilized

he rly is so underutilized. i don't necessarily have a cool programming fact abt him but if u want a general fun fact did you know he wasn't supposed to be nearly as important of a character as he ended up being. they wanted stage right to be an always rotating cast of guest character a la ptt guest stars or klunk or whatever. but they didn't have the budget at the time so rolfe and earl just kinda stuck around lol. apparently when aaron met his uhhhh. wife? gf? i don't even remember her name rn lmao I'm sorry but when he met her they were at a showbiz and he asked who her favorite character was and she said rolfe and he was legitimately surprised bc he didn't expect anyone to like. actually like rolfe lmao. which is so funny these days bc according to both my animatronic fan census AND my charm sales rolfe is actually the most popular character. so good for him I guess

[wrestlingarsenal]

From Wrestler4Hire, Marco Thunder vs. Rolf Fulton

[aworldofyou]

I had the biggest childhood crush on Kocoum

Listen there’s only love for this boy. I remember being little and when the main lady didn’t want him I turned around and looked at my dad and asked him ‘what’s wrong with him?’ But - yes. Totally crush material. You know who else I loved? But I felt more like her than anything. Nakoma. Because Nakoma was also a mood.

[themoderngogoworld]

doodling more Freya/Rolf with their idiot children because their chaotic style of parenthood brings me joy

[nina-vonnegut]

once again i wish that commie/socialist (its the same picture) warriors would learn and remember it was nationalSOCIALISM. and how easily they fall prey to antisemitism. and how antisemitism was always present in every single country that attempted socialism/communism.

jews have always been regarded as the 'default' 1% class. without any material reality backing up the claims

[anyaeras]

❥・Domme!Mommy!Wanda head cannons

[sometimes I just think about her]

Masterlist

♡ Soft head cannons-

❥・mommy Wanda's love language was words of affirmation, yet she also enjoyed physical touch, such as holding you, soft back rubs and running her hand through your hair. You being a cuddler, she finds it adorable

❥・She wasn't a big cook, but she loved to bake, often she was ask for you help making some sweet treats.

❥・ When she was reading on the sofa she would always welcome you to lay you head on her lap, she would read and randomly run her fingers through your hair.

❥・Late nights she loved to watch sitcoms, overtime she would get you to also fall in love with the cute television programs

❥・Wanda was protective, she made sure you were taken care of always. She got very good at reading your emotions and made sure to try and keep them in check.

❥・ Even though she was protective, she was also very possessive, anytime you guys went to one of Tony's parties her jealousy would spike.

❥・ She loved to pick out your clothes, better if she could put you in her own sweaters. She knew you liked the smell of them anyway.

❥・She uses flower bomb perfume by viktor and rolf

❥・ Wanda Loves baths, she would add lavender salts when she would take baths, sometimes she would ask you to join her.

❥・she found when you had an attitude funny, knowing she could easily change your mood.

♡ NSFW-

❥・Wanda had a huge mommy kink obviously, she loved when you called her mommy in and out of bed, it made her feel things in the best way.

❥・ Praising, she was soft and would praise you when you were doing a good job. Eating her out? "So good for me baby" "keep going детка, so pretty you are"

❥・ Mommy Wanda used pet names A LOT, she could never run out as she always added a pet name when speaking to you.

❥・ She had a dark side, sometimes she just needed to rut her strap into you, taking out her stress as you moaned and squirm under her.

❥・ She loved to get you begging and whining for her touch. Wanda thought it was hot to see you beg for her to play with you.

❥・ She loved to dress you up in pretty lacy bras and panties.

❥・She was possessive, and would sometimes leave marks just for you to look back at them.

❥・ Praising you while fucking you in front of a mirror so you can see yourself being mommy's slut

❥・ Oral fixation, she would put her fingers in your mouth just for fun, forcing you to suck.

❥・when you are really being a brat, she would get mean with you back, making sure you knew mommy was in charge.

❥・ Sometimes when she was really in the mood she would ride a strap she put on you, or maybe even let you fuck her, guiding you showing you just how to fuck her the right way.

[devildomditzy]

"Wait, am I your lock screen?" + mammon + 🫣⛈️

His habit of keeping his phone away from you an out of your reach was one you mildly questioned, but ultimately learned to ignore. You figured the second born had something he wanted to keep private, possibly his latest failing stocks, or demanding texts from witches looking for compensation for his less than savory activities.

You ignored it, up until you turned to corner into the student council room, ears picking up several voices loudly talking over each other. Knowing this can only mean one thing, you prepare yourself to become Mammon’s attorney before walking in yourself.

“Ooo my! If it isn’t the person of the hour!”, Asmo coos from his chair, leaning over the edge of the table. “We were just talking about you, hun!”

“Talking about me?”, you ask, eyes circling around the room in both curiosity and confusion. You lock eyes with your first pact mate to ask a silent question, only to find him blushing furiously, attempting to simmer down from something that had just clearly upset him. He locks eyes with you for a brief moment before quickly averting his gaze.

Well, that’s typical. What wasn’t typical was the teasing stares of everyone else in the room, now centered on you.

“Well, we were just finishing up a student council meeting,”Asmo continues. “And you know how Lucifer always takes our D.D.D.’s before hand?”

“Yeah, but what’s that got to do with me?”

“Getting there, darling!”

You once again shift your eyes over to Mammon, who seemed to be having an internal battle with himself. One minute, it looked like he was going to bolt out of the room, the next it seemed he was so frustrated with his brothers that he was choosing to stand his ground.

“Lucifer starting passing them back out afterwards, and I noticed the cutest thing displaying on my dear older brother’s phone!”, Asmo finishes, bringing his cupped hands up to his face, almost as if he was looking at a newborn kitten.

“ROLF, this is super normie of him”, Levi chimes in, not looking up from his game, but still smiling to himself like he had just been told the funniest joke.

“I have to say, I know how idiotic you can be, but I didn’t expect you to display something you vehemently try to hide so prominently.” The smirk on Satan’s face makes you feel uneasy.

You hear a distinct tch come from the direction of the second born, who you now notice was clutching his D.D.D very close to his chest, with his grip tight around it. Like, real tight. Like, his knuckles are going white and you think he might break it tight.

Your eyes jump from brother to brother in confusion. “What are you talking about?”.

Asmo’s grin becomes lethal as he turns back to Mammon. “Weeelllll, go on Mammon. Do you want to tell them, or shall I?”.

You watch as Mammon turns redder somehow, if that was even possible, and starts to stutter. “I-it’s none of your business, okay?”

“Ooohh I beg to differ! I’d think a picture of our dear, dear MC is specifically their business!”, Asmo taunts in a sing song voice.

“A picture of me.. did you like, take an embarrassing picture of me or something?”, you question. Honestly, as much as you love the idiot, you wouldn’t put it above Mammon to blackmail you with an unflattering photo of yourself.

“N-no! It’s not you! I-I mean it is you but it’s not embarrassin’ or anythin’!”.

Oh the poor boy, he looks like he’s going to combust.

“Tick tock!”, Asmo once again pressures him to spit it out.

Mammon shuts his eyes as tight as they can go, and takes a deep breath, opening his mouth to say it before anyone else can-

Beel pipes up from where he’s been quietly munching on some hell newt chips.

“Why does it matter if MC’s his lockscreen?”

Ah. There it is. You watch all the color drain from Mammon’s face. He tenses up, his body language screaming ‘panic’.

“Wait, am I your lockscreen”, you question, hoping he notices your voice doesn’t hold an ounce of teasing, but instead genuine fondness.

His eyes remain trained on the table, his mouth drawn into a tight line, but he stiffly shakes his head in a confirming nod.

“Can I see?”

Mammon slides his D.D.D across the table to where you stand. Clicking on the screen, you see picture of yourself at Devil’s Coast. You’re turned to the side, not quite looking at the camera, but laughing brightly at something. The ferris wheel framed in the background of the shot makes the candid look like something out of a movie. Then it hits you - you’ve. never seen this picture before.

He must have taken it when you weren’t looking.

As laughter erupts throughout the room from his brothers, he’s shocked to not hear yours mixed in with the cacophony l. Instead when you speak, it makes the room go dead silent.

“Mammon… that is so sweet!”, and he can hear the smile in your voice as you run around the table to hand him your own. “Here, look at mine.”

He hesitates for a second, looking up at you for confirmation before taking it. Clicking on the screen, he stares back at a picture of himself. He’s in one of the outfits he wore for Devil Style, so this is definitely from his last shoot, but… this wasn’t professional by any means. It was clearly taken by you, a little shaky and a bit out of center frame, but you must have snapped a picture of him between sets.

And even more so - he’s shirtless in it.

“Ha…HA!”, Mammon exclaims, proudly showing the screen to each and everyone of his brothers. “See that? Of course MC’s got a picture of The Great Mammon as their lockscreen! Makes sense since I’m their first and their favorite!”

“Uggghh, gross”, groans Levi as he stands up to leave, “I knew I should have just went to my room.”

“Aww, MC, why not a picture of me?!”, whines Asmo as he drapes himself over your shoulders, much to Mammon’s annoyance.

“I can’t say that’s a sight I’d want see every time I have to take a phone call”, Satan says all snide and - you’ve had it.

Time to shut them all up.

“Of course I’d want a picture of Mammon as my lock screen. He is my boyfriend after all.”

“WHAT!?”, you hear all the voices in the room cry out at once.

“I am? I-I mean, of course I am! Ya hear that? MC’s taken by The Great Mammon! So all of ya better back off, ya got it?!”

You giggle at his bravado and the looks of disgust and disappointment on the remaining faces in the room, leaning down to kiss his cheek to really drive the point home.

Oh. Looks like he can get redder.

[ededdneddy-artrefs]

[shadowdaddies]

Hello!!! Can I please request a Fenrys x reader fic where they realise they’re mates during the war and all that but reader and Aedion are twins so Gavriel is also obviously her father and just how they deal with the messiness of the situation but also with lots of fluff from all sides? Thank you so much 💚💚💚

I LOVE this request; it took me a minute to figure out how to make it fluffy just because Empire of Storms is so intense but this is such a cool idea; I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it💜

Reunited

Fenrys x Reader (ft. Daddy Gavriel)

Your world flipped upside down when Adarlan conquered Terrasen. Managing to escape with your brother, Aedion, the two of you formed a plan to infiltrate the Kingdom of Adarlan, developing rebel forces for when you were reunited with your cousin, Aelin.

Aedion took over as general of the Bane, filling his ranks with those who sympathized with your cause, while you worked your way up in the palace as a servant. Your duties, ranging from cleaning rooms to becoming a handmaid to the Queen, provided great intel for Aedion that allowed the Bane to stage battles. 

When Aelin returned, you aided in her rescue of Aedion, joining her and Rowan on their journey to Skull’s Bay from that point. 

It was in Rolfe’s office when your world turned upside down. You stood alongside Rowan as Aelin pitched her deal to Rolfe to join forces against Erawan. And then the door opened, revealing two males who made your heartbeat stutter for different reasons. 

You recognized your father immediately, and he you, when your tawny eyes locked with his. He stumbled forward, a gasp leaving his lips as you stared at each other. Rowan stepped protectively in front of you, one hand on your wrist as he stared down the famous Lion, the legendary member of Maeve’s cadre, Gavriel.

“Please, let me see her,” Gavriel pleaded with Rowan, his gaze struggling to meet yours around Rowan’s hulking form. 

“Rowan, it’s fine,” you whispered. You hadn’t held the same animosity towards your father as your brother, Aedion had, as you always believed he had a reason for leaving you. This was your opportunity to learn it.

Rowan turned to you, his gaze softening at the hope in your eyes. “He is blood-sworn to Maeve. He can only deny her will to an extent, and I will not let him hurt you.”

Your eyes flicked to the other male in the room, losing your balance as you stumbled backward at the look in his eyes. Fenrys watched you, awe etched on his face as he, too, moved towards you.

Rowan growled, Aelin leaping up from Rolfe’s seat where she lounged as they moved in front of you in a protective stance.

“It’s okay,” Fenrys promised, his gaze never leaving yours. “She’s my mate.” Tears formed at your eyes, the instant connection you felt towards the striking male in front of you breaking your guard down.

“Please, Row,” you tugged against his grip, desperate to meet the two males you were sure would be the most important in your life.

Rowan looked down at you, pure fae instinct in his eyes as he turned to the members of his cadre, every bit the legendary warrior as which he was known. “What are your orders from Maeve?” he demanded.

Gavriel spoke first, his voice like something from a long-lost dream, a memory from a past life that you longed for. “We were ordered to find Lorcan and kill him. If you can help us fail in finding him, we can assist you for as long as possible. Please, Rowan, Aelin, let me meet her.”

After a long, tense moment, Rowan and Aelin nodded to each other, parting ways as you now saw clearly the two males ahead of you. Your father moved towards you first, his dark tattoos in contrast to his golden hair the first thing you noticed as you rushed towards each other. He was warm, broad, muscular arms pulling you into his lithe form as you wrapped your own around him. This is home, you thought, holding back the tears as you allowed yourself to simply feel. 

Gavriel didn’t move, waiting until you reluctantly pulled away enough to look up at him. “I have so much to explain to you. So much that I wish I could take back...”

You shook your head, a small smile gracing your lips to silence him. “We will get to all of that - later. For now, I just want to know you,” you whispered, leaning up to press a kiss to your father’s cheek before turning your gaze to the male in the corner.

Breathing was difficult as you took in the extraordinary beauty of him. Blonde curls fell around bewildered, onyx eyes that locked in on you. The world spun around the two of you as his gaze held you in place. “My mate,” you whispered, moving towards him slowly, as though your feet moved of their own accord, your body drawn towards him.

Fenrys simply nodded, swallowing as his chest moved with each deep breath. A chuckle from where Rowan and Aelin stood drew the two of you from your trance, and you turned to see the amusement written on Rowan’s face. “Fen, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you so stricken,” he teased.

You turned, enjoying the blush on the handsome male’s face. Biting your lip, you dared to bring a hand to the golden-brown skin of his cheek. With a slight giggle, you joked, “it’s nice to meet you, Fenrys.” He nodded, transfixed on you.

Gavriel cleared his throat, clearly refraining from his fatherly protective instincts as he leaned backwards slightly. “I’ve never... scented a mating bond quite so strong,” he noted, lip slightly curling as his glance flicked to Rowan and Aelin. They nodded in agreement, smiling encouragingly at you as they held their hands up, covering the scent from their noses.

“A strong bond, indeed,” Fenrys spoke softly, stepping forwards towards you as his fingertip grazed your jawline. A slight shift in movement from your father drew you out of the moment, stepping back as you giggled nervously at your newfound family, and mate.

Rolfe rolled his eyes, shooing the group of you out the door as Aelin sent him a wink. “Let’s go figure this out elsewhere,” Rowan grumbled, guiding you outside. The group settled at a pub downstairs, where you sat in between Gavriel and Fenrys, a deep peace settling through you as you enjoyed the presence of two males who cared about you more than you’d ever dreamed.

[ladsheadcanoncorner]

*offers a candy bar and a Reddit coin (hey what’s that doing here?)* this is all I have to offer. can I request how the LADS guys smell? love your blog!

insert the: *i've been waiting for this one, turn it up!* tiktok sound. i accept your humble offerings with pleasure because this was SO fun to write! and something i randomly think about a lot??? so i hope i did our boys justice <3

rating: sfw cw: descriptions of specific smells ✉︎♡: ask box open, tumblr users + anons

Xavier: -His everyday cologne is Jean Paul Gautier’s “Le Male” - “the power and freshness of mint and lavender, evoking the familiar, comforting scent of shaving soap, is transformed by the sensuality of vanilla.” -Out of all of the boys, I can see Xavier wearing cologne the least. He just doesn’t remember to do it that often, unless the two of you are going on a fancier date -That being said, his natural scent is still wonderful -Think floating on a cloud of warm, fresh laundry -You steal his hoodies even on days he doesn’t wear cologne just so you can wrap yourself up in his natural scent

Zayne: -Wears Chanel “Bleu de Chanel” - “Features a fresh citrus accord followed by ambery cedar. Woody notes are amplified by tonka bean and vanilla for heightened sensuality. New Caledonian sandalwood unfolds at the base for greater depth, leaving a captivating trail.” -This cologne is inconspicuous enough that if he wore it for patient check ups it wouldn’t be overpowering, while still being noticeable enough that you think of him any time you encounter the scent -Most likely to wear cologne the most often. He prides himself in being perfectly hygienic and put together, and part of that is making sure he always smells good -When he isn’t wearing cologne, he smells perfectly clean. Like that just-cleaned-the-house smell, but no chemicals. More like a fresh breeze coming through the window

Rafayel: -His cologne is Tom Ford "Soleil Blanc" - “a floral amber scent that evokes remote private islands where summer lasts all year. Alive with seductive cardamom and refreshingly decadent ylang ylang, Soleil Blanc unapologetically exudes the endless pursuit of sun and luxury.” -We’re basically going for with a lighter scent, with some floral notes and a touch of the ocean -Likes to use scented lotion too, even if it’s yours, and will ask you if you think he smells pretty every time he does -It could be the length of his hair or the way it curls at the ends, but it holds product for so long and you can smell his shampoo every morning when you wake up together -It takes all of your strength not to stick your nose in his hair and inhale, because he definitely teased you about it the first time you tried

Sylus: -Y’all the way I struggled between choosing something for our boy’s expensive taste and something that I thought actually fit him from a scent perspective (I went with the latter) -Viktor and Rolf’s "Spicebomb Dark Leather" - “Like an illicit encounter between dark leather and bare skin. Explosive notes of spicy black pepper and nutmeg. Deeply masculine base notes of dark leather and tobacco, leaving behind a trail of something unforgettable, yet impossible to define.” -He is the one you smell the longest after going home from a date. With such strong notes, its no wonder that your skin smells like him in all of the little places he touched -When he isn’t wearing cologne, Sylus smells like all of the things he surrounds himself with. Leather, velvet, vintage records, the slightest hint of exhaust from his motorcycle -In the mornings, you swear that he has an almost sweet sort of smell. Rich and syrupy when his skin is warm, scent mingling with yours under the covers when he pulls you close to his chest

Caleb: -Wears Calvin Klein’s “Eternity” - “Celebrates the concepts of forever and modern, multifaceted masculinity. A powerful and elegant base of suede and vetiver is layered with a heart of warm geranium and cypress. Top notes of alluring sage and apple impart crisp freshness to the lingering and compelling scent.” -It has apple top notes, c’mon I couldn’t not use it -This is a scent he’s worn for forever, so the first time he wears it when you reunite with him is emotional to say the least -You definitely don’t admit to him that you have a bottle of it at your apartment that you would spray whenever you missed him -His natural scent is very outdoorsy. He smells like the embodiment of sunshine and fresh cut grass and endless summertime

[linderosse]

So I finished the Unicorn Overlord demo yesterday, and…

It’s actually good. I didn’t expect it to actually be good.

The gameplay is fairly tactical, which I (as a hardcore Tactical RPG fan) absolutely love. The art and world look cute, and the characters are a bit cliché, but charming nonetheless. And the combat has been a blast so far too. I beat that last demo battle with like milliseconds left on the in-level timer; it was quite the experience.

Anyways, had to draw my boi Rolf, whose Arrow Rain skill was MVP— especially on that Sharon map, since Ochlys can’t take down the towers on her own in Expert Mode 🥲. Flame bow gives him some great utility and synergizes well with another fav of mine, Auch.

Let’s see if the rest of the game holds up. Can’t wait for release!

[m0mizi]

is there any info on what josef was like as a lover? and if not, what do you think he was like?

thank you for your ask! it is an interesting question, and i will try to share some details of his love life!

⟡ irene was the daughter of a university professor. she met josef when she was 19 while he was a resident junior doctor in leipzig.

⟡ at the time josef fell in love with irene, he immediately ended things with a norwegian girl named almuth. (it is implied he had been seeing her.)

⟡ josef later told rolf that irene had “won his heart”, but at the time she was at the time upset by the thought of josef’s previous relationship.

⟡ their son, rolf, found that they never had a “proper marriage” due to the war.

⟡ while away, mengele would share written correspondence with irene. in his letter he would refer to her as “butzele” and himself as “butz” or “papili” as shared terms of endearment.

⟡ in 1944, shortly before irene was supposed to depart from her visit, she contracted diphtheria. she had to stay in the camp’s hospital for over a month. during that time, josef would visit her three times a day and read to her from le diamant by honoré de balzac.

⟡ they shared a second honeymoon together shortly after irene was released from the hospital.

⟡ in the process of fleeing, josef had an intimate affair with a nurse, whom he does not name in his writing. he trusted her to hold onto his research notes.

⟡ for a while after fleeing, josef met with irene in secret. due to the absence of josef, irene began seeking male companions. according to rolf she was on friendly terms with many men, but there weren’t any affairs. however, when josef discovered this he was infuriated, and they began fighting during their meetings.

⟡ irene never came with josef to south america, and they were divorced in 1954.

⟡ josef married his widowed sister-in-law, maria, in 1958.

⟡ during his later stay with the stammers, there is evidence that he had an affair with gitta stammer until 1974.

⟡ one account from a then worker on the farm states that they were “"always together. they walked everywhere together and were always sitting and talking to each other."

⟡ another account emphasizes, “mr. stammer seldom came to the farm. their children once told me that peter [mengele’s then pseudonym] and gitta locked themselves in the bedroom to be by themselves, making it clear they had a romance.”

⟡ wolfram bossert, who later sheltered josef, also stated that josef and gitta had an “erotic relationship.”

⟡ the most evidence comes from mengele’s personal diaries, where he wrote of gitta’s “beauty” and dedicated poems to her.

⟡ here is one of the poems [translated] which he wrote:

⟡ gitta denied having an affair with josef, but claimed that he would have brief erotic affairs with the young female farmhands hired by the family to satisfy himself.

i hope maybe this has some interesting information, but i apologize for a bit of it is quite mundane (i.e. common knowledge)! ⸜(*ˊᗜˋ*)⸝

if you feel there is anything inconsistent with what you know or would like to see sources, please let me know!

[rolfedewolfefan16]

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing:

   VILLAIN ROLFE AU OFFICIAL STORY

Chapter 1:  “And you better stay out of here! I don’t want you in this house ever again!” Shouted his mother, as she grabbed him by the collar and threw him out the door along with a suitcase.

“I won’t! You’ll see, one day I’m gonna be rich and famous and I won't need your help!” Rolfe shouted back. 

Rolfe always knew he wouldn’t stay in that house for long. Ever since his father got murdered, Rolfe’s family went into deep financial troubles leading to his older brother, Raul, to be the man of the house. Raul being 8 years older than Rolfe he thought of himself responsible for everything that went on at home. Raul took a habit of selling newspapers in the mornings, heading to school for a good 5 hours before leaving early to wash cars all afternoon. Rolfe took the role of cleaning shoes. 

Raul would constantly give him a slap across the head for “not gaining enough money”. They’re mother worked as a waitress and would bring leftovers for dinner. The family of 3 had a system so it all seemed to work out. Raul was forced to grow up early and Rolfe never had a childhood. One day while cleaning shoes, Rolfe spotted a puppeteer out in the streets. He watched a crowd of smiling children and elderly couples gather around and laugh, tipping the man handsomely for his performance. 

Suddenly Rolfe had an idea. He raced home and took a pair of old socks out of a drawer. He stuck googly eyes on them, drew on some mouths and stuck bunches of yarn on their heads. He took it upon himself to name them Sam and Sally. Now, everyday, Rolfe would come home and practice skits with them. In no time he took his acts to the streets.

“Knock Knock!” He made Sally ask. 

“Who’s there?” asked Sam.

“Says,” said Sally.

“Says who?” Sam asked.

“Says me, moron!” Sally yelled. There was a good amount of laughter from the small crowd. 

“Here ya go kid,” A middle aged man said, handing Rolfe a 20 dollar bill. Rolfe couldn’t believe it! With that amount of money he could easily buy more supplies for his puppets. But his moment of joy was quickly interrupted by a demanding voice.

“Rolfe! What the hell are you doing here!?” Raul asked, storming angrily towards him.

“Raul! Nothing I was just-” Rolfe began. Raul reached out and snatched one of his sock puppets.

“What is this?! Are you…doing gigs?” Raul asked. 

“Is that why you're not bringing in enough money home!?” Raul snapped. He snatched the 20 dollar bill out of Rolfe’s hand.

“Hey, that’s mine!” Rolfe whined. Raul held the money up, far from Rolfe’s reach. 

“Nah, I think it's better if I hold on to this. As for you, just you WAIT till we get home!” Raul snarled. He grabbed Rolfe by the wrist and dragged him along the sidewalk. Once they arrived, Raul threw Rolfe in the middle of the living room and began to scold him. 

“What the hell is wrong with you!?” Raul shrieked. 

“I just wanted to…I don’t know what I was thinking,” Rolfe sobbed.

“I’ll tell ya what you wanted. You wanted to make a fool of yourself and dishonor your family! Don’t you realize that without Dad we’re broke? Do you even have the slightest ounce of empathy towards mom?! Mom busts her back working day and night for us to have something to eat, I work my ass out and sacrifice my  education for us to afford rent and buy clothes and drink water, and you, who’s only responsibility is to clean shoes, CLEAN SHOES! Can’t even do that without messing things up!”  Raul screamed. Rolfe whimpered.

“I’m sorry Raul. But I’m only 8. I can’t do as much work as you can,” Rolfe explained. Raul scoffed.

“Oh yeah? Well I was only 11 when Dad died, and I had to sacrifice everything just to take care of you and mom! I’ve been working everyday since, so don’t you start complaining because I’ve given you everything, Rolfe!” Raul hollered. Rolfe sniffled. 

“I just… I want to be a ventriloquist, Raul. It's my dream,” Rolfe blurted out. He quickly shut up as soon as Raul gave him a look of disbelief. 

“Are you kidding me!? What didn’t you understand!? Your stupid dreams shouldn’t be an excuse to neglect this family! God you are so stupid! You wanna know something, Dad probably wouldn’t be dead if you were never born! All you’ve done was make my life and mom’s life harder!  If you weren’t sick, Dad wouldn’t have had to come home early from the studio! That gang that murdered him wouldn’t have spotted him! Hell, we’d probably be rich right now! You're a walking mistake, Rolfe,” Raul roared, slapping him across the face with angry tears. Rolfe was now on the ground, weeping. 

“ I HATE YOU!” Rolfe screamed! Raul grabbed him by the arm.

“Don’t you talk to me about hate, you little shit! Now go to your room and think about what you’ve done! And by tomorrow I expect all the money you owe us on the table!” 

“What!? But where am I going to get all that money from?” Rolfe asked, wiping heavy tears off his face.

“Figure it out! And you better not use those ridiculous puppets to gain money, because that ain’t work!” Raul screamed. Rolfe slammed his door and began to cry. Rolfe knew it was wrong but perhaps the whole puppet thing could work after all. Rolfe took a notebook and began to write down his ideas. The following days, Rolfe has gained  a handsome amount of money, sparing some for himself secretly, and handing the rest to his mother. Raul became jealous of Rolfe’s success, growing suspicious of his sudden luck. Rolfe kept his puppeteering acts a secret for years. Rolfe has managed to hide his hand made puppets in an old floor board and performed in various places like schools and hospitals. 

“It’s Rolfe! It’s Rolfe!” Some kids cheered. Rolfe has become great friends with the many sick patients and insisted he’d do the acts for free but got paid anyway. Part of Rolfe liked the attention and the money, the other part felt guilty because he was still abandoning his duty for the sake of his potential career. But in his mind he thought it was fine as long as it got money on the table. Rolfe began to notice another thing. Rolfe’s mother would use the money to buy alcohol, cigarettes and pills. Rolfe tried his best to dump them all but his mother would storm around the house, looking for them in an anxious manner and throwing tantrums. His mother also stopped working all together and stayed at home sleeping while Raul took on a mechanics job. There was a lot of negative tension between them now, so Rolfe didn’t bother staying home much and instead spent his days at puppeteering or going to dance clubs to entertain himself. 

“Hey! This is my favorite song! Wanna dance?” A hound asked Rolfe as she put her arms around his neck. Rolfe shoved her slightly. 

“I’m not really in the mood…” He said, taking small sips of alcohol from a cup. The hound frowned.

“Oh, alright then. Are you okay?” She asked. Rolfe shrugged.

“There’s a lot of things going on right now at home and my brother is– Oh my god! My brother! He should be home by now! I’m going to get in so much trouble. I have to go!” Rolfe said, tossing the cup and struggling to grab his things. Before the hound could say anything else, Rolfe dashed past her and ran home. Rolfe found a pounding on his chest. His lungs burned and his legs felt heavy.

“Please don’t be here. Please don’t be here!” He begged racing to his house. But as soon as he saw his brother’s car he knew it was too late. Rolfe spoke a silent prayer and walked inside. He could hear Raul yelling at his mother. 

“Where the hell is Rolfe!? He asked. She slurred her words.

“I don’t know…who’s Ralph” she spat.

“Damn you, you stupid bitch! You’re so drunk you can’t even remember who your own son is!” He snarled. He turned to look at Rolfe with vicious eyes. 

“You! Where were you!?” Raul stopped short when he saw a puppet on Rolfe’s hand. 

“You’re d…this whole time…the money you’ve brought home was because of-that?” Raul asked, a look of shock coating his face. Rolfe took a painful gulp and backed up.

“You sore gyp!” Raul yelled. Raul was about to hit Rolfe but Rolfe grabbed his fist.

“ I did what I could for this family! It’s not my fault that our sot of a mother chooses to stay home! And unlike you, Raul, I have a life and I choose to be the person I sought to be rather than stay in this dump of a house any longer!” Rolfe growled. Rolfe's mother got up and ran towards him and pushed him.

“How dare you abandon me, WolfMan!?” She cried, shaking Rolfe by his shirt tightly.

“Mom…my name’s Rolfe. It's me, your son or tell me, do you not remember who I am?” Rolfe asked, appalled.

“I- I don’t remember!” She sobbed, falling to her knees and crying. Rolfe gave Raul a worried look.

“I tried…to stop her from taking them…” He admitted, looking down shamefully. Rolfe managed to collect himself and walked to his room. 

“Where are you going!?” His mother screamed. Rolfe darted her a look of surprise. 

“To my room. I’m going to pack a bag and stay at a hotel until this mess sorts itself out,I’ve had it!” he bickered. She ran up the stairs and grabbed him by the ears.

“You ain’t leaving me! Not again! You have a family! How could you abandon your own wife!?” She squawked, drooling everywhere. 

“For the last time, I’m not him! Let go of me!” Rolfe demanded. 

“Fine then!” She said, She got his suitcase, threw whatever clothes he had laying around and dragged him down stairs.

“Wait, my puppets!” Rolfe exclaimed, trying to go back up stairs.

“You don’t need no damn puppets!” She scolded, taking the one he had in hand and ripping it to pieces. Rolfe let out a gasp and jumped at her.

“You witch! You ruined my life!” Rolfe snarled. Raul pulled them apart and opened the front door. Rolfe’s mother threw Rolfe out along with his suitcase.

“GET OUT!!!” She screeched….and that was how Rolfe got kicked out. Rolfe was now homeless, friendless and pretty much broke. What was he going to do, now?

[miirshroom]

Reading between the lines on a narrative (Realm of the Elderlings)

Speculating on some possibilities that are hinted at, but that don't get explored because FitzChivalry is not an omnipotent narrator and sometimes makes observations without grasping the meaning. Mostly involving the way that the magic system interacts with the psychology of various characters in the Farseer trilogy, and that there isn't really enough context for a reader to understand until after also reading the Tawny Man Trilogy. One example involving the Wit, and one involving the Skill.

1. Duke Brawndy of Bearns knew that Fitz was Witted (and saw that as a favourable trait)

Brawndy met Fitz only once and afterwards had a surprising interest in marrying him into the family. In the second trilogy it is discussed how the Wit is a secret kept in the nobility and implied that Brawndy's daughter Faith might be Witted herself. At the end of Royal Assassin Brawndy speaks on behalf of Fitz and has very specific terms: "Prove to us...that FitzChivalry is Witted, and that he used the Wit to kill King Shrewd, and we will let you put him to death as you see fit". And if Regal cannot prove that Fitz used the Wit to kill King Shrewd then Fitz shall have the stewardship of Buckkeep. Brawndy tacitly declared that Fitz having the Wit alone is not a dealbreaker. If Brawndy knows the Wit including its powers and limitations then he believes that he has set Regal an impossible task - a Wit Beast might kill a person but the Wit itself can't kill and leave no mark as was done with King Shrewd. There is also the implication that the Dukes are paying attention to the physical damage done to Fitz, thinking that should provide him a measure of protection.

But still Fitz is a pawn and though the most desirable outcome is that 1) Regal gets impatient and just goes away to Tradeford, which leaves FitzChivalry effectively the leader of the Coastal Duchies, it is more likely that 2) Regal kills Fitz against their wishes and the Dukes get what they wanted anyways - confirmation that Regal will not follow due process and is no true king to the coastal duchies. It's a win-win for the Coastal Dukes - the schism between the Coastal and Inland Duchies was an inevitability anyways. In that case, Brawndy's blindspot would be that he doesn't count on the 3rd option from Regal's use of the Skill. He doesn't know what Fitz knows - that Regal can and will use the Skill to make him speak lies naming Brawndy's own daughter a traitor and more. Brawndy sees Regal as a creature of the Inland Duchies and a coward. He doesn't understand Regal's special brand of selfish insanity that leads him to actively sabotage the Coastal Duchies chances for survival. If Brawndy is familiar with the ways of the Old Blood then he understands how a healthy predator might cede territory to a rival rather than waste the effort to hold onto it, but doesn't comprehend that Regal has more in common with the Forged Ones who are more like rabid beasts. And so Fitz's options are narrowed to requiring his death.

As for how Brawndy could know that Fitz was Witted, that is fairly straightforwards - it's a much more open secret than Fitz thinks that it is. Black Rolf explains to Fitz that he doesn't guard his thoughts to Nighteyes in the way that is taught among the Old Blood. It follows that Fitz has been doing this for all his life and so any Witted person in his proximity is picking up on signals that he doesn't even realize. Fitz recalls and records the ways that he screwed up in keeping his secret of having the Wit, such as when wolf tracks were found in places where he had been fighting Forged Ones with Nighteyes, the time when Nighteyes attacked Justin with the Skill through him, and the time when the girl in Neatbay saw him in the company of a wolf and believed him to have transformed. He can't record what he doesn't know, and the volatility of his status as a royal bastard could have been such that none of the Old Blood nobility were willing to make him aware of themselves in the way that they later would with Prince Dutiful.

2. Chade was Skill-imprinted with a command to be loyal to King Shrewd (and the hidden mechanics of skill-imprinting are one of the most understated drivers of conflict)

Skill imprinting a command seems to be such an intuitive use of the Skill that at least 3 characters have done it accidentally - Chivalry to Galen, Verity to Fitz, and Fitz to Dutiful. Fitz speculates that Galen's coterie must have been Skill-imprinted to serve Regal so completely as they do, in place of the true King Verity. It takes Fitz a long time to break Galen's imprinted command that he has no Skill ability and should kill himself. If he ever truely broke it - considering that he never describes a moment like Dutiful had where he found the command and deliberately severed it. And then Fitz himself incepts it into Regal's mind that he should be loyal to Kettricken and her heir, which seems to bookend the skill-imprinting sub-arc.

King Shrewd was once strong in the Skill, and the only fully trained Skill user in the narrative other than Kettle. Chade always laments not being trained in the Skill, but he does have the ability to learn it, and it is often shown that Skill users have the easiest time reaching the minds of other Skill users. There is nothing stopping Shrewd from long ago using the Skill to subtly command Chade to never even think of doing harm to Shrewd or his offspring. Creating a councillor and assassin with absolute loyalty to Shrewd - but only as long as he remains ignorant of the true power of the Skill. It could explain how Fitz has such a hard time getting his usually sharp mentor to pay attention to the threat presented by Regal. It's only after the death of Shrewd that Chade starts being a more active force in the world. It could be that such Skill commands quietly dissipate once the originator dies, but that echoes of them remain in mental pathways. And would persist unless directly confronted. There's a hint of this near the end of Fool's Fate where Chade is eager to carry out the command of the dragon and Fitz notes that it is normal of Chade to justify a reason for why he's not following an order but instead doing something that he wanted to do anyways. As if such thinking is a habit for him.

It would beg the question of why the Skill coterie would remain loyal to Regal past the death of Galen, if Galen did indeed command them to be loyal to Regal. Probably a few factors. Firstly - Verity burned out the ability of their leader, and then proceeded to hold the remains of Galen's coterie at a distance. Verity had not the time or the ability to undo what Galen had done to break them to his will, just as he and Chivalry hadn't known how to undo the skill command on Galen. Even if the coterie was imperfect, it was thought to be better to have any amount of far distance communication than to have none. Verity gave them reason to hate and fear him and then never made any attempt to reclaim their loyalty. Fitz was given the attention by Verity needed to work through the block created by Galen's Skill command, and it's the Skill link to Verity as much as the kindness that keeps his loyalty to Verity strong.

Secondly, Galen had time and opportunity to master the ability to imprint commands. He had no students for many years so he had little more to do than think about the command implanted in his mind by Chivalry. Consider from every angle how that kind of magic may work, and find ways to close or open loopholes. Fitz understands that skill imprinting can be used in obvious ways like Verity's "Come to me" or his own "Stop fighting me" to Dutiful, but he never seems to unpack that it could be done more subtly. Even Galen's hasty commands to Fitz were more subtle than either of those examples, and Galen could probably do much better if given time and a pliable subject. Extrapolating further, it may even be that failing all other methods Galen realized that Chivalry's death was the last element required to break his Skill command to Galen, and managed to convey to Queen Desire that her ambitions for Regal could proceed after Chivalry's assassination.

Lastly, by the time that the coterie was whittled down to Will, Burl and Carrod they despised Fitz for their own reasons that could only reinforce any prior imprinting by Galen. Fitz has attacked Justin and had killed Justin and Serene. Fitz is an enemy and Fitz is loyal to Verity (who they still hold a grudge towards), therefore they were right to stick with Regal. Regal feeds their hate of Fitz and in return they serve him despite all evidence that he is a cruel and abusive person. They make up their own logic to justify why Regal deserves to have their loyalty. Probably even on some level realizing that they crossed a moral line long ago, and fearing what Verity will visit upon them in retribution if he succeeds in rousing the Elderlings.