#shes roman

[hermesserpent-stuff]

spoilers for Transmutation of the Soul

reader beware theres spoilers in there!

Ryker feels a note of hopelessness as he stares at the empty spot that the Bloodwrath brothers normally rented. He tries to breathe. And he succeeds. Kind of. He manages to ruthlessly shove down all the pain in his heart for the moment. He walks away, hands tightening into fists. It would be easier to feel anger. It would be easier if he could blame someone other than himself. But ultimately it is his fault. He had pressed for adoption and it is his pressing that got Viggo to agree and then they had…

He tries to distract himself by heading to the food vendors. His feet take him to the honey oatcake stall where the lady looks up at him and tilts her head slightly.

“Are they with you? I heard they were on your island from your hunters a little while ago.”

The seller asks and there is no need to clarify the who of her question. 

“We… we had hoped to find them here.”

He admits low and careful not to crack. Not to yell. Yelling would not help here. 

“They haven't been here in two months.”

She says softly and he finds himself leaning against the counter of the stall. The seller rounds the counter, gently touches his arm, and delicately pulls him into the closed off part of her stall that is hidden from the rest of the Market. Ryker finds his hands shaking as he is guided to a stool. His mind is swirling and rage at himself battles with a wave of despair. They had searched all over the seas for the two brothers. They had found Dagur’s Grimborn leather band in one of their nets. He has to hope they are not dead. That they had not driven them so far away that no one could help them. If they stopped coming to the market, there is no guarantee that they will be able to get the supplies they need. Like medication for Hiccup, or food supplies. 

A hot mug is pressed into his hands cutting into his thoughts. The seller raises an eyebrow as he blankly stares.

“Hot honey water. Drink it. And… From what I know of men, it is easier to cry in private away from prying eyes than it is to mourn in public. I will be back in a little bit when youve had time.”

And then she is gone through the flap.

Just like that, tears sting his eyes. He had not shed a single tear since the hunt for the two boys had started. He had yelled. He had screamed. He had fought with his brother over and over and bruised his hands punching dummies and railings of ships. The warm cup is nice against his aching hands. He bends his head and lets a few tears out. He sips the drink slowly and rebuilds his walls as best he can, blinking away further tears. The heat of the drinks settles him and grounds him to the here and now. 

The lady comes back in a little bit and settles on another stool and picks up a box.

“Are you steady?”

She asks kindly. He nods slowly. 

“Good. Now I know you because you’re Ryker Grimborn, but I don't assume you know me. I am Clelia Claudius Malleola. And I like those boys. And I assume that you like them too. And I love information.”

She taps the top of the box. Ryker swallows. He is not as good at talking as Viggo. Viggo who had been driving himself nuts since the boys had fled.

“I see.”

He does not.

“First though… I want to know what happened. I know from the hunters who passed that they were stranded at sea sick and were brought back to your island. And were there for a while.”

Ryker swallows again.

“We offered to adopt them. And they ran off.”

“Ah… Well. That's less than ideal. That could make them avoid the Markets. But… my other theories could still stand.”

Ryker scrunches his nose.

“Thanks for reminding me.”

She shakes her head. 

“Those boys are damaged and hurting. You offering to adopt them is sweet. But they are likely to never respond normally to that sort of thing. Especially with a father like that Oswald fellow, or with tribes like the Hooligans and Berserkers. Where Hiccup should have died and Dagur was always under threat.”

Ryker tenses, familiar licking his bones. He can work with anger. It is despair and sadness he cannot handle.

“Tell me.”

He leans forwards. Clelia tucks a loose strand of brown hair behind her ear and then opens the box. It is full of papers, books, and a few knick-knacks. 

“When the boys first failed to show up, I started digging about the two tribes that were mentioned. I thought they might have been dragged back down to the Barbaric Archipelago. I cornered Johan, the chatty rat, and got Rune to help me do a shake-down. Rune’s none to pleased that Johan’s loose lips got Oswald to come up here after them.”

She huffs and clicks her tongue. Then keeps going.

“So I got everyone in the market whose a regular to pitch in info on top of what Johan was scared into giving. Tove was particularly heartbroken when the boys did not show up, so he added the most. We then stopped when we heard they were with you, but now we’ll get to digging again if there is any chance that their status as ex-heirs might have gotten them taken to the south. Here.” She hands over the box. “For you and your brother. You have more ships and manpower than we do. And we all know you love those boys as much as we adore them. Find them. Bring them home.”

She demands and he finds himself nodding as he takes the box and holds it close. 

“We will. If we have to burn down Yggdrasil to do it.”

[theoldkyokodied]

One wedding and three funerals

Background paintings under the cut

[mer-se]

Isabella stewart gardner museum

(yesterday was a perfect day. 🖤)

[prideprejudce]

listen i don’t care if you agree with what shiv did in the finale or not but the most relatable sibling moment in the entire ending was her seeing her older brother put his feet up on their dead fathers desk already gloating and smirking in self satisfaction or hearing him mutter “yeah that’s fuckin right” after roman’s hesitant vote and immediately being like “yeah actually I would rather be skinned alive than watch this play out in real time”

[arthistoryiscooliguess]

yk what I love? that the first text we have written by a woman in England was a Roman woman inviting her best friend to her birthday

[orbch]

twin sisters

[petitprincess1]

Yet another Vee I can't stand. Also, Respectless is so disrespected. It's so fucking good!

[gothicwill]

Gillian Anderson: *reading the Hannibal script* *whispers* what the fuck

[vaperarmand]

i’m connecting the dots

[solarg0blin]

I redrew some Merlin characters to be more historically and culturally accurate! The text is their original names in a later Latin script, yoinked from a display in the Corinium Museum, Cirencester. (Sneaky edit to add: Y'all are incredibly welcome to use this in any way you want, I would love to see more of my home's culture being represented more accurately in media!!) (Also on Instagram)

Unlabelled version under the cut!!

[babooshkart]

“hey there, sugarlips”

read Not Quite Shining by @senseoftheday on Ao3 (this is the modern renfaire griddlehark fic of my dreams and i have thought about it every day since i read it a year ago)

[cthaehart]

💤

[shellomantic]

been a crazy week. so heres a rangi sketch

kyoshi is looking respectfully

[egophiliac]

How do you imagine Levan/Revan/ Mallenoa's husband?

Appearance, personality etc.

Revaan/Laverne/whatever-his-name-is's title sort of implies that he might be from a fantasy-Eastern country (they've established that in Twstland, 竜 = Eastern-style dragons, andドラゴン = Western-style dragons). and that's about as much as we know right now about...anything in regards to what he might look like. so I've been trying very hard not to form too much of a mental picture of him, because I'm still hoping we'll get to see him (or at least a silhouette)! ergo, in my head, he kind of looks like this:

so handsome. surely Malenoa fell in love at first glance.

I do think the funniest thing about what we've learned so far is that Malleus being kind of quiet and reserved and dignified...absolutely did not come from the Draconias. and he sure as heck did not learn it from Lilia. so he probably got a lot of that from his dad! the vibe I get from how Lilia talks about him is that he could be a bit of a prim little fancyboy sometimes, but was (mostly) willing to go along with his wife's zany antics out of love. he sounds sweet, honestly! I'm sorry he (maybe) died. :(

my favorite thing about Mal's parents is that Malenoa and Lilia's dynamic was "long-suffering guard and princess who has long been the cause of said suffering":

but then they would happily join forces in order to gang up on Revaan:

tl;dr Revaan was the straightman in Malenoa and Lilia's comedy act until it all ended horribly whoops

[cursedvida]

Well, Noa and Mae are the classic enemies-to-allies-to-enemies again-to probably allies again-to friends-to-angsty-and-doomed-love and you can't convince me otherwise sorry

[thelilylav]

The Sun & Moon 🌑☀️