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lotus-n-l0ve · 1 year ago

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CRIMSON LOVE OF THE CURSED KING

— Ryomen Sukuna x Female Reader

She Is A Wild Flower In A Rose Field.

*⁠.⁠✧ SYNOPSIS : When the selfish merchant, F/N L/N, sacrifices his illegitimate daughter to the King of Curses for his own desires. Y/N starts to work for Sukuna. With every passing day they come closer, with every late night meetings, a feeling develops in their heart.

*⁠.⁠✧ WARNINGS & TAGS : True form!Ryomen Sukuna, historical au, husband!Sukuna, wife!reader, sacrificed!reader, master-servant au, cursing, offering au, use of y/n, kissing, blowjob, pet names, a lot of questions, misunderstanding, ooc!Sukuna, not proofread, 6.2k words.

*⁠.⁠✧ — NAVIGATION // JUJUTSU KAISEN MASTERLIST

➥ Heart Divider's by @cafekitsune

DO NOT PRESS [READ MORE] IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE. MINORS DNI, IF YOU DO THEN IT'S YOUR OWN RESPONSIBILITY.

Amusement is what Sukuna felt as he watched your adorable little figure sneak into the garden like a thief, looking left and right like a cautious cat who has stolen its favourite fish. Sukuna sat by the window on the second floor, blowing from the kiseru.

You still remained a mystery to the King of curses even after months of being here. Sukuna was known for wrecking havoc and destroying lands with a flip of his fingers. Kings and people from far away shiver in fear, when the monster will come for their neck next.

The kings and nobel heads offered him mountains of wealth and copious amounts of women. Sukuna never denied them but what he did with all that wealth or women was never known. To your misfortune or luck, your father, the infamous marchant, offered you, the illegitimate daughter, as the king's concubine. Then it was up to Ryomen Sukuna whether he would make you his queen or just another maid.

You were escorted to the estate in a carriage and then inside the shrine by none other than Uraume themselves. You didn't see nor hear from the king at the beginning of your stay here. Though you were made familiar with the other sacrificed maidens. Their fate was just like yours, sacrificed to the curse by their kings, fathers or even husbands, just to save their own life.

Every one of them was different from others. Some quivered when they even heard the name of their lord, while some were filled with rage for him. On the other hand some had developed the emotion called love for him. You waited everyday for him to decide your fate. It's not like you could run away from here. The estate was surrounded by dangerous curses who would kill you without a second thought.

Your days are spent like any other there. Waking up in the morning, then doing whatever work Uraume assigned you to. You were not still allowed to go outside yet so grocery shopping was not one of them. By the time the sun went down and the moon shone in the dark sky, most of you were permitted to go back to your own room. Only a few remain as per their schedule. You honestly like how your days were going but encountering Sukuna was inevitable.

It was three weeks after that you first came across the man, sitting by the inside pond. His back leaning on a round pillow. One hand held a book while the other had the wooden kiseru. The moonlight blessed down on him. Your feet stopped at the door. As he lifted his upper pair of eyes from the book, yours snapped down to your feet.

"I didn't know you would be here at this time, Master Sukuna. I'll take my leave." You bow down and turn to leave only to come to a halt when a deep voice sounded from behind.

"Stop right there." Sukuna watched as you paused before eventually turning around to face him. Sukuna beckoned you to come closer with two fingers, "Come here."

You walked up to him idly. Sukuna observed you from top to bottom. Just because it didn't seem like it doesn't mean that Sukuna doesn't know what goes on his property. He knew one and every person who worked for him. You were a new face he hadn't seen here before.

You stopped two hands length away from Sukuna, "You needed something, Master Sukuna?"

He hummed, pointing to the low table with his eyes, "Tidy up the table."

You tidied up the thin night kimono you hand on and sat down beside the table. You started with organising the books. Sukuna blew on the kiseru.

"You are new here." It was more of a statement than a question. His upper pair of eyes focused on the inked book but the stare lower pair weighted heavy on you.

You nodded your head, "Yes, Master Sukuna. I was brought here two weeks ago ………as an offering."

Offering huh? More like a sacrificed goat.

Sukuna scoffed inside. Of course this was not new. People of high status kept throwing slaves under Sukuna's feet like they meant nothing. More than half of his servants consisted of those offerings. Now Sukuna himself was not a gentleman, in fact he was far from being a gentleman but even he sometimes felt for their pathetic life. Sukuna would have rather died than being sacrificed for their selfish desires.

"Is that so? So, who were you offered by?"

You could hear the mocking tone lingering under his breath. If he tried to hide that, he did a terrible job but you doubt he was trying to hide it. You could not help but snort as you thought about the one who was behind all this.

"It was my father, Master Sukuna. He's a merchant from the West."

Sukuna saw no traces of sorrow in your expression as you talked about your father. As the matter of fact, your face was numb as if you don't care about him or your circumstances at all.

"You don't seem very upset with your situation." Sukuna carefully closed the book and dropped it in his lap, now just holding the kiseru. His all focus shifted on you and it made you feel a little jittery.

You stacked all the books away thinking to yourself, upset? You were far from that. Rather, you were liking your days here than you ever did at your father's house. Here, no one bore any hatred for you for your background. Your father wasn't here to remind you how much he despised you. Neither was his wife, who felt so jealous of her husband's affairs that she felt the need to torture you at every point of your life. Nor were your half siblings here who like their parents never hesitate to hurt you whether verbally or physically.

Others would call you crazy that you would rather work the vicious monster than your family but the uncountable faded marks littering on your body agreed with you.

You dared to raise your eyes to meet his', "I have no reason to be upset, Master Sukuna." With a small but content smile you put the brushes back in their place, "I am done. Now, may I go back to my chamber, Master Sukuna?"

"Hmm? Yes, you are dismissed." Sukuna waved you away.

You bow down one last time before leaving the room. Sukuna watched as you disappeared into the dark. Usually when people are brought here, they weep and sulk around. It takes them months to get over their pitiful state. And here you were, smiling as if nothing had happened in just two weeks. Nothing could be hidden from the King of curses but he could not figure out the void in your eyes. Too bad, Sukuna loved a worthy challenge.

After that night meeting Sukuna became weirdly frequent with you. When you were in the kitchen, Sukuna would drop by to order someone to bring him snacks. If you were cleaning the shrine, you would see him roaming the halls. If you were mending the garden, from the corner of your eyes, you could see him sitting by the window on the second floor, smoking kiseru or reading books.

But most frequently you met by the pond, where you met for the first time. At night when you could not sleep, your feets would always led you back there unconsciously. First few nights when you saw him, you tried to excuse yourself saying you didn't want to bother him but then he stopped you and let you sit there, just enjoying the view or sometimes reading a book. After some time it became a habit that you came to relish.

Who could have imagined that Ryomen Sukuna could be a comforting company? You two didn't talk but that did not bother either of you. Until one night.

Sukuna sat in his place, leaning on a round pillow, while you sat a little away from him by the table. The thin black kimono you had on did nothing to help you against the cold breeze of night that twirled with your open hair. Maybe, you should have worn something thicker. Your body shivered, goosebumps raising over your skin. As you wrap your arms around yourself, you feil to hear the rustling noise of clothes moving. No long after a black haori was held in front of you.

You followed the hand holding it and saw Sukuna deeply emerged in the book he had been reading from last night. He grumbled without looking up, "Take it. You have been quivering all night like a reed in the wind."

You could feel heat raising up your cheeks in embarrassment. Like a reed in the wind of everything? You muttered a quiet thank you under your breath which was loud enough in the silence of the night and took the warm haori from his hand. You wrap it around yourself and bask in the warmth of the fine fabric. You picked up the paint brush again, twirling it in the red liquid, you started placing strokes on the canvas.

"You are Y/N L/N, illegitimate daughter of F/N L/N." Sukuna commented.

Your hands stopped for a second before resuming to colour the canvas, "Yes, Master."

So he did a background search on you. Not like he needed to. Your father made sure to write a three page letter, singing praises of Sukuna that you handed to Uraume, hoping to find it disposed of in the garbage.

Sukuna chuckled, "Your father really believed that he could get me to be his puppet by giving me his illegitimate daughter?"

You were not sure who those scornful words were for. Your father for being so delusional or you for being a result of a wedlock. You would not put it past him though. He was after all the strongest of them all.

He didn't say anything for the rest of the night as neither did you. It was the dawn when he finally went back to his chember, leaving you for yourself. You waited for the footsteps to get fader before you also organised your things to take back to your room. Your room was on the first floor at the very end of the hallway. You didn't take much time to get ready for the day that was awaiting for you.

Night drawn upon, the moon dominated the night sky along with the millions of stars. You waited by the pond side for Sukuna but he didn't come. This was unusual, he was always here before you but today there was no sign of him. He was in the shrine that's for sure, you yourself delivered his dinner, though he was not in the room at that time.

Without his intense looming presence, you felt empty. Even his silence produced a comforting atmosphere for you which you missed dearly. You waited for him, one hour, two hours that turned into three hours but there was no sight of him. Sukuna was not entitled to work according to you after all you were just a mere peasant to him. But you could not help the disappointment heavy on your heart.

At last you got up with a sigh. Might as well get some sleep instead of dying of boredom. With a lamp in hand you started walking towards the library on the second floor to put the book at its place before going back to sleep. As you walked up the straits, out of nowhere a maiden ran past you, crying. You frowned your eyes wondering what on earth happened.

Standing at the top of the stairs, your eyes fell on the massive door of the master bedroom, where Sukuna resided. Many questions played in your mind. Did something happen to Sukuna? Or did Sukuna do something? You hated to admit but the first question worried you more than any other. Were you okay as long as Sukuna's fine even if it meant someone else's hurt?

You stopped in front of the shoji door, fidgeting with your fingers before you knocked on it twice, "Master Sukuna?"

No answer came from inside so knocked again, calling for him. Seconds later his deep voice answered, permitting you to go in. You took a deep breath before sliding the door open. Entering, you closed the door behind you.

Sukuna sat on the bed, the smoking pipe in his hand as usual. His chest on full display and red silken sheets hiding his lower half. Your eyes, unintentionally, cattled over the black tattoos that were inked on his body, from the smallest on his face to the strips on his chest. For being a monster, Sukuna seemed to be the favourite of God. Like God has centuries to create perfection, to you at least.

"What brought you here?" His lips curled into a smirk.

You quickly averted your eyes when you realised that he had caught you gawking at him like a shameless woman.

You clear your throat, "I-I saw someone running down stairs, crying."

Sukuna's face morphed into an irritated one, "So, you are here to see if I was the one that hurt her?"

"No, I wanted to check if you are okay." By the end of the sentence your voice reduced to mare whispers.

Now that you were saying it out loud, you noticed how ridiculous you sounded. Who on earth can dare or even think about hurting Sukuna. It was next to impossible. Well Sukuna noticed too because he was laughing like you have cracked the best joke of the century. You might have as well.

"Since you appear to be perfectly fine I'll take my leave. Good night, Master Sukuna." You were rushing out even before you could finish the sentence.

The door slammed shut behind you as Sukuna listened to footsteps running down the stairs, almost tripping on the last step. Sukuna wiped tears away from the corner of his eyes.

"O dear Y/N." Sukuna mumbled as he took a puff of kiseru, "You think that puny creature can land even a scratch on me?"

Though she knew how to piss him off real well. Sukuna thought back to the events that took place in his bedroom before you appeared. Sukuna wanted some good cunt to take out his frustration on. Like usual, Uraume made the arrangements.

Sukuna got up from the bathtub, water gliding down his muscular body. Quickly he wrapped a towel around his waist while he used another one to dry his hair. Sukuna was annoyed to say the least. Maybe he had gone quite soft nowadays because otherwise where do these peasants get the audacity to think that they can use Ryomen Sukuna?

Past days have been good for Sukuna. The reason? He has no idea. Or maybe it's those late night meetings with a curtain someone that kept his mood better. After all he anticipated the time when everyone would go to sleep and you would stumble upon the sitting area beside the indoor pond.

Your hair was always open, covering over your back. They always tempt him to just run his hands through them. He'd to clench his palms to not give in to his intrusive thoughts. Are you waiting for him tonight as well? How long will you wait for him? Are you thinking about him? Do you think about him like he does about you?

Sukuna walked into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed before finally addressing the girl who was kneeling on the ground a few metres away from. Her head was bent as ordered.

"Are you just going to sit like a useless doll?" Sukuna threw away the towel he was using to dry his hair, "Crawl on your knees here, pet."

Sukuna patted on his left thigh as two of his hands supported him as he leaned back a little. The kneeling girl got on all fours and started crawling towards him. Her back arched a little too much, putting her boobs and ass on show through the sheer kimono. She got between spreaded legs, sitting on the floor. She looked up at him with a cy smile as she slid her hands up his thighs.

She grabbed the hem of his towel and tied the knot, pulling it off. Cold air hit his two dicks making them twitch. The girl took one dick in her hand, giving him long strokes and giving kitty licks on the moist tip.

Sukuna grabbed a fistful of her hair, "What are you waiting for? Do what you came here to do."

Sukuna shoved his dick in her mouth, making her gag for life. She quickly calmed herself and started bobbing her head up and down. She hollowed the inside of her mouth, taking all in. Her small hands stroked the other one, giving them both the same amount of pleasure.

Sukuna threw his head back, groaning, as her tongue traced the throbbing vein wrapped around his cock. Images flashed in Sukuna's mind. Images of you kneeling between his legs instead of this no name girl. How good you would look taking his cocks like the good slut you were. Your mouth would puff up with his cook while your hands would work on his other one.

"F-fuck……. So good, you goddamn slut." His grip tightened as the thrusts became rougher and rougher. His red tips hitting the back of her throat. Tears swelled in her eyes in pain and pleasure.

"Y/N…… Y-Y/N, princess." His eyes rolled back as his hot cum shot in her mouth and chest. His hands released her hair, glancing down, disappointment filled inside him as he saw another girl instead of you.

"Master Sukuna, Who the hell is Y/N? I am Ayame." The girl cried out, "How could you call me by another girl's name?"

Her loud cries added to his annoyance. Before she could understand, Sukuna had grabbed her jaw in a tight grip, sneering at her, "Listen here you bitch, you are just a mare whore to satisfy me. Don't even try to cross your lines. You are nothing but a toy for me to play with, even that, you can't do right." He jerked her away, "Now scram."

She didn't need to be told twice. Her admiration for the king had clouded her mind, that she forgot his true nature. He was a notorious monster, not some prince charming. In a blink of an eye she was running for her room, completely ignoring the girl on the stairs.

Sukuna sighed, shaking his head. Too much drama in one day. At least your flustered face was worth it.

Water showered from the watering can on the flower plants in the garden. You carefully watered every plant. It was early morning, you wanted to finish before the sun hovered over the head and dried them dead. As you came to an end, you saw something rushed past from the corner of your eyes. It was so fast that you almost missed it.

You dropped the can on the ground and marched up to the bush that it hid behind. Parting the leaves, you came across possibly the most beautiful bunny you have ever seen with the most beautiful white fur.

"O my gosh! You baby." You gushed over it but that only seemed to scare it more as you saw it stepping back in fear. You saw the white fur on its left back leg wet with blood, "Don't worry you poor little thing, I won't hurt you."

You slowly brought your hand over it's head to pet but the second your hand was about to touch it, it sprinted off in the jungle behind the shrine.

"Come on, don't run away from me." You shouted as you ran behind the rabbit.

But it didn't stop, going farther into the forest and you ran behind it without any idea of direction. You don't know how long you ran for but soon your legs gave out and you found yourself slumping down under a tree, out of breath. Minutes passed before your racing heart came to a steady pace. You looked around and reality hit you hard. You had absolutely no idea where on earth you were.

You got up from the ground and started walking from the way you came from. It was half an hour when you finally accepted that you were lost. Panic bubbled in your heart. There was only high greenery wherever you looked. Not a single idea what way you came from.

Damn you bunny! And damn you stupid Y/N!

But you didn't stop. You walked and walked till the forest became dark and the moon came up. Everything around you had covered itself into black. Big shapes taking the forms of the terrific monsters. Goosebumps arised all over your body, in cold and fear. Ironic. You feel comfortable with the King of Curses but here you are, getting scared of silhouette. Your steps got wobbly and slow.

À rustling noise came from a bush and that injured rabbit hopped out of it. You shriek in fear, stepping back without seeing and before you know you are falling down the slope. Your body rolled down on the ground, twigs scratching and digging in your skin and all you could do was cry in pain. At the bottom you slammed on to a tree. You felt like all the air had left your lungs.

Tears burned your eyes and sobs erupted from you uncontrollably. With the help of hands, you brought yourself up to rest your back on the tree. Blood ran down from the cut on your forehead. Your body was aching for some rest, fighting for its life to stay away. You felt utterly hopeless.

Will anyone even notice that you've disappeared from the shrine? Will Sukuna notice that you didn't go to the usual meeting spot tonight? It's as if you had gone back to those days in your father's house. Where no one loved you but everyone loved to take their anger out on. At the crack of dawn when you went back to your little room, your body would feel like hell with all the new marks added on your skin.

When your father disclosed the news that you would be offered to Sukuna as a peace offering, you didn't feel an ounce of surprise. You had already accepted your misery. Maybe it was the result of your previous life's sin that you would meet your end by Ryomen Sukuna. But what shocked you was that your life with the cursed king was thousand times better than you had back home. Though you aren't sure if you could call that home.

Sukuna may be known for his cruelty but you would not think twice if you were told to worship him, consider him your god. He was your god. You could live your whole life being his loyal priestess. But what does he think about you? Are you as important to him as he is to you? Or are you just a toy for his entertainment? Well play toys are replaceable. Like the girl from the previous night, he's got many.

Your eyelids became heavy and the dizziness hovered in your mind. Much to your resistance, the world around you disappeared and your body slumped against the tree, unconscious.

Back in the shrine heavy footsteps thud on the wooden floor, Sukuna's huge body moved down the dimmy hallway, eyes glaring into nothing. Behind him, Uraume followed with a poker face but a storm was going inside their head. Sukuna stopped at the end of the hallway and threw the door open that slammed against the hall. Few panicked screams came from other rooms but Sukuna paid no mind to it.

His jaw clenched as he found the room empty, no sign of you being there. His eyes flared in anger and hidden disappointment. So, you finally resorted to running away? Was your life that bad here? Or did you just hate him that much? Sukuna doesn't remember doing anything that will lead to taking this kind of step.

"Uraume." His voice roared in the hallway, "Since when is she missing?"

"We noticed her absence this afternoon, Master Sukuna."

Sukuna threw them a glare, "And why was I not informed?"

"You ordered us to let her do anything she wants so we didn't pay much attention there." Uraume looked down, ashamed, "I'm sorry, Master."

"If I don't find her, you'll be more than sorry." Sukuna grunted before walking past them.

Soon there was a crowd of curses in the manor. Sukuna ordered every one of them to find you before sunrise and inform him. Sukuna sat on the throne, waiting for any news of you as he reminisced over the moments you two spent together. When he first saw you standing on the doorway, moonlight made you glow. You reminded him of that myth, moon princess.

Or those times where you showed no fear, hatred or disgust for him. When you saved the best looking fruit to serve him yourself every night. When you coloured the blank canvas with his palette. Those nights when you dominated his dreams, from the filthiest to the fluffiest. When you looked at him with nothing but pure affection that made his heart flutter. Then why? Just why did you run away?

The door opened and Uraume hurried inside, "Master Sukuna, they have found Ms. Y/N."

In an instant Sukuna was out of the door and into the woods led by Uraume. Questions played in his mind. What state were you in? Were you okay? Were you hurt? Did any stupid curse spirit attack you? Uneasiness filled him from inside the more he went deeper into the woods. How far have you gone?

At last he caught the gimpels of your slumped body. Sukuna crouched down in front of you, sliding off the strands stuck to your sweaty forehead only to realise that you've fainted. His eyes ran over your wounded body, at that moment he wanted to punish you for putting yourself in this position more than anything.

Silently, Sukuna slid one hand under your knees and one underneath your back and picked you up. Sukuna went back to the shrine with you in his arms.

When your eyes opened, an unfamiliar ceiling came to your view, too fancy to be your room. You frowned your eyebrows. What were you doing here? Then everything hit you from the previous day. You were not in the forest. That meant that someone had found you and brought you back here. Who was it?

You sat up on the soft bed, letting the blanket rest around your waist. Looking around, your eyes fell on the man sitting on the tatami mat with his back turned to you. His huge build and pink hair, hard to not notice. So he's the one who saved you? Again?

Your heart swelled up in happiness. Was he worried about you? Has he personally gone out to look for you? Did he miss you?

"Master Sukuna?" You called before you could understand. His back visibly stiffened but he remained still. Did he not hear you? You call him again but this time he roughly stood up and left the room. Confused is what you were with his actions. You wondered if you did something wrong. Seconds after he left, Uraume entered with a tray in hand.

They placed the tray on your lap, "Ms. Y/N, please drink some warm soup. You'll feel better."

Uraume said and took a seat beside the futon, on the tatami mat. Just as you were about to refuse, your belly rumbled embarrassingly loud. In the embarrassed silence, you picked up a little bit of steaming soup in the spoon, blowing on it and then drinking it.

You noticed that you were not feeling any kind of pain and there were no cuts or bruises on your body. After that fall you were sure that you would have at least one broken bone.

Uraume saw you inspecting your arms and they answered your unasked question, "Master Sukuna healed you."

You muttered a soft 'hmm' and silence engulfed you again. It was awkward, especially because the all put together Uraume was fidgeting with their sleeves.

You kept the tray aside with the empty soup bowl, "What is it, Uraume-san? You look anxious."

Uraume dropped their head on the floor, "Have we done something wrong that you had to take this kind of step? If so, please punish us."

Their sudden action sent you into panic mode, "Wait wait wait, What do you mean?"

"Master Sukuna is deeply hurt by your attempt to run away. Please don't punish him for our mistakes." Uraume answered.

Run away?

You threw off the blanket and grabbed them by their shoulders, bringing them up, "Uraume-san, I am confused. When did I try to run away?"

The next words that came out of Uraume's mouth sent you in a spiral. How they misunderstood you going missing. They also mentioned how hurt and angry Sukuna was. That explains his attitude just now.

You palmed your mouth, "O my lord! That's… um.... it's not, where is Master Sukuna? I've to clear this misunderstanding."

You ran out of the room, ignoring Uraume's shouting to not strain yourself. The first place you looked for him was the library where he spent most of his day, drowning himself in the poetic world of other's imagination. Unfortunately it was empty but there was a pile of books left on the table as if someone had tried so hard to read but just couldn't concentrate.

Next was the throne room but it also devoid any sign of him. Where could he be? What place would he go to? Then it clicked. That place. Where you first met him. Where you enjoyed the serene silence of the night. Where you slowly but surely fell for him. The indoor pond.

As you neared the place, muffled voices became clear. Deep raspy voice of you King and a higher pitched feminine voice.

"............. Please Master, I've surrendered myself to you. Why can't you see my love?" Tears streamed down Ayame's porcelain cheeks as she stared at Sukuna's back. Even while sitting down he almost towered over her petite figure.

Sukuna grunted, feeling irritated but otherwise decided to ignore her existence. If it was any other time, she already would have been sliced into million pieces. But at the moment, neither he had any wish nor any energy to put someone in their place.

The whole night Sukuna spent staying by your side and healing your wounds. In the process he discovered all the fading marks on your body when the maid changed you out of that dirty attire and onto a more comfortable blue one. Sukuna had a faint idea who might be the cause of those bruises. Of course who else other than that greedy bastard of your father.

It took every fibre in his body to not go on rampage and find that fucker. Sukuna wanted to give him the slowest and the most dreadful death anyone could even think of. But patience is the key to a satisfying result.

"Master Sukuna, that girl doesn't even love you. She didn't think twice before pulling that stunt."

Sukuna groaned in annoyance. Can't this girl just shut up for once. Ayame knew that she was crossing the line or may have crossed it long ago, it might cost her her life but today was her chance. If she could show him just how much she loved him and deserved his love, she might get to be with him for eternity. She could turn into a damn cannibalistic curse for him.

She gulped down the fear and approached him, "I love you, Master Sukuna, way more than that ungrateful girl could ever—"

Just as she was about to place her hand on his shoulder, a pair of hands grabbed her wrist in a painful fist. The huge one belonged to Sukuna while the one underneath his was much more skinny to be his. Both Sukuna and her eyes followed it and they saw you standing there but you were only looking at Sukuna. He instantly withdrew his hand back and got up, standing at the edge of the pond.

You jerked her hand off, "I do not appreciate anyone talking bad about me behind my back."

"You've got some nerves to say that after the atrocious stunt that you have pulled the night before." Ayame gritted words out between her teeth.

"Don't act so over smart. You don't even know what actually happened. I would never……" Your voice softened, "I can never do that."

Ayame scoffed, "You think anyone will believe your bullshit? If you really didn't try to run away then what were you doing that deep into the forest?"

"I don't owe you any explanation, whoever you may be."

"I'm Ayame—"

"I don't want to know." You ignored her fuming face and walked up to Sukuna instead, "Master Sukuna—"

"Ayame." Her face lit up with hope as Sukuna called her name but that soon turned into disappointment with his next words, "Get out."

Ayame took her leave with an already broken heart. Sukuna went back to being silent again, giving you a chance to explain yourself. You wait for the door to close and give you the much needed privacy but that never happened. You ignored that too.

"Master Sukuna, I didn't try to run away, it's a big misunderstanding." You explained everything, each and every small detail but you were not sure if he even believed you.

His back still faced you, Sukuna remained silent for some time before finally saying something to you, "Why should I believe you? For all I know all this might just be an excuse from you so that I don't kill you."

Sukuna's mouth worked without any thoughts, "Maybe you really intended to get as far away from me as possible. All this time that you spent with me was to make me let my guard down. I was shocked when you said that you aren't scared of me, that might have been a lie too right?......."

It hurt you to see him doubt you and your unspoken relationship. As you tried to interrupt him, his bombarding voice stopped you. Even you were starting to feel frustrated with the situation. At last you let frustration take over you.

In just three steps you were standing in front of the king of curses. You wrapped your arms around his thick neck and got on tiptoes, then your lips crushed on his rough ones. Sukuna didn't react instantly but then his stiff body relaxed. He reciprocated the kiss with much more passion. A hand tangled with your open hair while another rested on the middle of your back. Two hands wrapped around your waist and rested on you ass.

His tongue explored every corner of your mouth. Your hand sneaked up on the nape of his neck and twisted in his pink hair. Sukuna moved, taking you along with him and you followed blindly. Then you felt yourself falling and hitting the cold water of the pond.

You yelped in surprise, "Master Sukuna!"

Your fingers dug on the fabric over his shoulder in death grip. Sukuna kept a firm hold around your waist as he removed the hair on your face that was blocking his view. Water clung to him, making him appear more appealing than ever.

"You cannot live without me?" Sukuna said as his lips curled up in a smirk, using your earlier said words to tease you.

However the smirk was wiped off his face the next second when instead of shying away, you pulled him close till your breast was squeezed against his chest, "I, the loyal servant of the King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna, can not live or even think of living without my King."

"You are getting bolder these days." Sukuna whispered under his breath and you reciprocated it with, "The effect of you, my King."

Sukuna wasted no time devouring your lips in his. Both soaking wet from the water, you let yourself be lost in each other, exploring each other's body. Clothes shredded, bodies entangled, and two cursed souls became one. Ayame stood outside, her back leaning against the wall as tears streamed down her cheeks and neck. Maybe she truly didn't deserve him.

Thus began the crimson love of the cursed king, Ryomen Sukuna.

"Come here baby, I brought you your favourite fruit, peaches." Sukuna watched as your kneeling form gushed over the white rabbit who hopped out from behind the tree, taking the peach and feasting on it without any care, "Eat fast before anyone sees you here."

It was the same injured one that had caused chaos in your life months ago. You found it wandering in the garden after that passionate night when you gave yourself completely to Sukuna. Sukuna sometimes wonders whether he should let you know that he already knows about him. But seeing you hop around, scared of him finding out is too entertaining.

"Y/N!" Sukuna called from the second floor.

"Bye bye baby." You shoo-ed the bunny away in fear. Sukuna could barely suppress the laugh as you sprinted inside the shrine, "Yes, Master Sukuna, I'm coming."

Yeah, he definitely should not.

LIKED IT? THEN PLEASE LEAVE A LIKE, REBLOG & COMMENT, IT WOULD MEAN A LOT AND FOLLOW ME FOR MORE LIKE THESE. THANK YOU ♡

#ryomen x reader #ryoumen sukuna #ryomen sukuna #ryomen sukuna x reader #sukuna ryomen #sukuna x reader #sukuna #sukuna ryoumen x reader #sukuna ryoumen x you #Sukuna ryomen imagine #sukuna imagines #sukuna imagine #jjk x y/n #jjk x you #jjk fanfic #lotus writes

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thesimline · 10 months ago

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1500s WOMEN - LOOKBOOK

While I absolutely adore all historical costume, the Tudor era has to be one of my all time favourites. The luxurious textiles, the rich colours, the opulent details - it's truly heaven for a costume nerd like myself. Tudor fashion was heavily influenced by key figures in the royal court such as Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. Wealthier aristocratic women would demonstrate their status through their striking silhouettes, highly-embellished outer layers and ostentatious headdresses. While the clothing of lower classes remained much more simple than the upper class, the newly fashionable silhouette still trickled down through social strata.

You can find more of my historical content here:

1300s ✺ 1400s ✺ 1500s ✺ 1600s ✺ 1700s

OUTFIT RESOURCES

Citizen: Hat | Hair | Earrings (TSR) | Dress

Trademan's Wife: Hair | Dress | Belt (TSR)

Housekeeper: Head Covering | Outfit

Farmworker: Hat | Wimple | Outfit | Basket | Shoes (TSR)

With thanks to some amazing creators: @leeleesims1 @thesimpireblr @the-melancholy-maiden @strangestorytellersims @elfdor @glitterberrysims @plazasims @natalia-auditore @miikocc @teanmoon @simsregalia @waxesnostalgic @simverses @ms-marysims @simulatedstyles @batsfromwesteros @shoelala-sims @tzuhu @zx-ta @lady-moriel @dancemachinetrait @historicalsimslife @pralinesims @rustys-cc @simstomaggie @sims4nexus @zurkdesign @pea-milk @plumbobteasociety

#ts4 #ts4 cc cas #the sims 4 #ts4 decades challenge #sims 4 decades challenge #ts4 cc #ts4 historical #ts4 history challenge #sims 4 history challenge #sims 4 historical #1500s #16th century #ultimate decades challenge #ts4 lookbook #sims 4 lookbook #lookbook #tudor #renaissance #historical lookbook

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bisexual-biohazard5 · 2 months ago

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Percy Weasley HC: Music

When I see headcannons about Percy Weasley, some of them are about his music taste which normally head cannoned as jazz or classical music which I understand because it fits his vibe. But I love the idea of a smart, nerdy looking perfect prefect Percy listening to Riot Grrl. (For those who don't know, riot grrl is like femal metal that talks about sexism, misogny and is about feminism. It also occurs during 1970s to 1990s so it makes sense historically as well.)

Percy is an intelligent person so he should be able to see that sexism and misogny is wrong and that the sterotypes about genders are incorrect. (Feminist Percy Weasley is my life.)

So one day he listening to the radio at the burrow which no one else is really paying attention to and hears it for the first time and instantly gets obsessed. He wants to help the women and is inspired by the music which could tie into his obsession with the ministry because he wants to fix the corruption and sexism in the country. It's one of the reasons he wanted to be Minister of Magic so he could try and help end sexism and gender sterotypes.

Also he 100% had a Walkman cassette tape. It was made in 1979 and was actually really popular. Riot Grrl surfaced in 1970s to 1990s so it just makes sense to me that Percy would have a walkman and listen to female rock. Oh and his favouite bands are The Slits and Bikini Kill. His favourite songs are 'New Radio' and 'Rebel Girl'.

(And imaging sweet prefect perfect Percy Weasley who no one has ever seen do a wrong thing, listening to Riot Grrl and singing along to the lyrics, yes, even the swears, is funny to me and I hold this hc close to my heart. And did I spend 30 minutes researching so it all makes sense with the production of the Walkman and when the bands were formed? Yes. Yes I did. Do I regret it? absolutely not.)

(Oh and Oliver 100% found him singing vulgar lyrics and fell for him even more. Also Oliver would be opposite and listen to Jazz and classical because I love couples that have interests that are like the complete opposite to what their vibe is or what other people think and it's unpredictable and no one would believe it until they saw it themselves. While Percy has a walkman, Oliver would have collections of vinyls just like in Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy. Whenever the gryffindors in the common room hear just heavy metal from their dorm, they assume it's Oliver when it's actually Percy.)

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. Here is my conclusion Clears throat

#Percy Weasley Defense squad #Perciver

Audience cheers and applaudes.

#percy weasley #head cannons #music #riot grrrl #harry potter #Percy Weasley Head cannon #Bikini Kill #The Slits #Walkman Casette tape #Feminism #I love Percy Weasley #Perciver #percy weasley x oliver wood #music headcanons #hp shitpost

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pwhl-mybeloved · 7 months ago

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~giveaway time~

HELLO MY FRIENDS ILY

I made this blog in Jan 2024 at the beginning of the PWHL season because I wanted to chat and post about hockey and Tumblr has been my fandom spot historically. I haven’t had a Tumblr in years but I made a new account, joined the tag, and here we are!

I’ve been so thrilled to connect with people over women’s hockey, I’ve learnt a lot about the history of the sport (previous to the PWHL I only really tuned into the Winter Olympics, and would watch exclusively the women’s hockey and then hibernate for another 4 years), I’ve learnt about the rules, the conventions, and the players.

I love the community on here, the game live-blogging is so fun to follow along with!

All that to say, I wanted to do a giveaway to celebrate how much fun I’ve had here this season!

I work within the card collecting hobby, so that’s the theme of the giveaway. If you’re a card collector or are looking to get into the hobby, I’m hoping the prize will be fun for you!

SO WHAT’S THE PRIZE MARY STOP TEASING

One of my coveted Miss Piggy hockey cards from the Muppets on Ice set (published ~1995)

Three PWHL cards from the Tim Hortons Duos packs (two base and 1 insert). These will be random/based on what I have. If you have a fave player and I’ve got that card, we can make it happen!

Two unopened Tim Hortons Duos packs, which could contain either NHL or PWHL players or both.

Two One-Touch Magnetic Cases and a stack of top loaders, as well as a pack of penny sleeves, & some semi-rigid card savers. These are all for storage and preservation of your cards.

I’m gonna do some PWHL bracelets so you’ll get one or two of those!

Rules/How to Participate

1 Like = 1 Entry, 1 Reblog = 1 Entry. To keep it simple, extra reblogging does not equal extra entries.

You can get a bonus 3rd entry if, when you reblog, you add in the tags your favourite team, your favourite players, and your favourite moment from the 2024 season so far.

This giveaway is limited to Canada/USA because international shipping is expensive and I’m not rolling in dollars

I will be drawing the winner of the giveaway on June 1st 2024.

You don’t technically gotta follow me to enter, but it’d be cool if ya did 😉

Things to consider!

If you win, you will need to be comfortable sharing an address for me to ship your prize to.

Please be 18+, for the simple fact that I do not want to be asking a minor for their shipping address.

Please shoot me an ask if you have any questions, and thanks again for all the fun so far on here 🥰

#pwhl

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miwhotep · 3 months ago

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THE JACK THE RIPPER CASE IN YUUMORI AND IN REALITY

One of my favourite arcs is the Phantom of Whitechapel because it adapted the real Jack the Ripper case quite well and the story was full of elements what actually happened. I wanted to write a little about the similarities as recently was the anniversary of the first murder.

The Jack the Ripper murders or Whitechapel murders took place in 1888 in the East End of London, the infamously poor Whitechapel district where the underclass people lived. Lot of women here earned their money for the living from selling their bodies and a serial killer, Jack the Ripper started to target them. The number of the victims is unsure, the police accepted five murders to be surely connected to Jack the Ripper, they are often referred to as the canonical five. The women got murdered by their throats being cut away and some of their inestines were also removed from their bodies.

The first victim was called Mary Ann Nichols whose body was discovered at 3:40 a.m. on 31th August. She was last seen alive by a woman she lived with in a lodging house. These all are very similar to how Moriarty the Patriot described the murder details, except that there, the victim's name was Melanie Nichols and she was seen with a blond man.

The second victim was Annie Chapman, her body was found at 6 a.m on 8th September and she was last seen half an hour ago in a company of a dark-haired man. The details shown in Yuumori are again similar, just the victim was called Adeline Bergman.

(Interesting addition to here - just like you see, the fan translation uses the victims' real names while the official gave them fake ones. In the original Japanese, also the fake ones are what are used.)

When it comes to the later murders, Yuumori's story deviates from the historical events, since here, the last three victims of the canonical five was just a stage-play by William who tried to catch the killer(s) with setting up a fake Jack the Ripper. In reality, two of the victims, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes were found on the same morning of 30th September - the Morigang placing two of the dead bodies at the same place so they get discovered at the same time must be a reference to that. The last victim, Mary Jane Kelly was discovered in the room where she lived on 9th November - her murder was the most gruesome out of the five, what I think Yuumori also referenced with Jack's show who pretended to kill a woman brutally on the roof.

Several letters signed by Jack the Ripper were sent to the newspapers. The media, especially the Central News Agency where some of the letters arrived, also overexaggerated about the details when they wrote about the murders, spreading a lot of misinformation just to sell more papers. In Yuumori, the group of people responsible for the murders who committed them to cause fear in the public and make a revolution by the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee and the police forces collide, hired Milverton to create the Jack the Ripper agenda with the help of his media power and he also manipulated the public opinion. The quotes shown from the letter sent to the Central News in the Moriarty the Patriot manga are from the first letter (called as Dear Boss letter) signed as Jack the Ripper what was also sent to Central News in reality. The real letter was longer and Jack the Ripper threatened to send the lady's ears to the police instead of her organs (however, with one of his later letters, Jack truly sent one of his victims kidney to the police), otherwise they are the same.

The Scotland Yard, just like in Yuumori wasn't really on the top when it came to solve the murders what resulted in riots and conflicts with the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee in reality too. And just like Chief Inspector Arterton was removed from his position in Scotland Yard - tho, for a slightly different reason - for not solving the Jack the Ripper case one of the police chiefs of London back then was also fired. In Moriarty the Patriot, a doctor was wrongly arrested and sent to prison in order to silence the raging public and in real life, lot of doctors were suspected to commit the murders.

In Yuumori, the identity of Jack the Ripper was solved by both Sherlock Holmes and the Morigang - who killed them - but it stayed unsolved for the public. In reality, the identity of Jack the Ripper either remained unsolved or not - few years ago, there was a DNA test what was said to determine the killer's identity, but lot of researchers believe that the test was incorrect and don't accept the answer.

I adore this arc for how well the series merged reality with fiction and it was especially exciting to read knowing the details of the real Jack the Ripper case.

#moriarty the patriot #yuukoku no moriarty #analysis #jack the ripper #i really hope i got every details right correct me if i was wrong

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enlitment · 3 months ago

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N°2 for the book asks

Thanks for the ask kind anon and sorry for taking forever to answer! (this one was not easy!)

Top 5 books of all time?

In no particular order:

1. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

Set in an interesting historical period (Canada in the 1800s) + partially based on real events + focuses on women's issues + from a female perspective + includes complex, morally grey characters + unreliable narrator trope + criminal (sub)plot + weird historical psychoanalysis & psychiatry + some really great writing. Need I say more?

(Also the show is actually really good as well, if you don't feel like reading the book!)

2. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

I mean, it's a classic for a reason. Gay yearning. Corruption. Murder. Beautiful descriptive prose. But hey, this is Tumblr, so I feel like I'm preaching to the choir here.

(Still need to get my hands on the uncensored version at some point!)

3. The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy

I've reread this one more times than I can count. Duffy draws on the classics (mostly Greek mythology, but also fairy tale characters and even Faust) but reimagines them through a more contemporary, as well as female perspective. That could go wrong really easily, but this book in fact does a stellar job in my opinion.

Just read Eurydice, my favourite (I don't think I've ever felt quite as represented by a poem before). Or Medusa. Or Pygmalion's Bride.

Or, you know, and poem that is not Mrs. Tiresias - I like to pretend that one is not there.

4. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Very much my teenage obsession. It's a gripping read written from the point of view of a teenage criminal that speaks in a strange mix of English and Russian that is at first barely coherent. It's raw, it's brutal, but it also asks some very interesting questions about the nature of morality and free will in a way that does not feel forced.

Oh, and the movie's great as well. Possibly the best soundtrack of all time. So good and so problematic that it's been banned in the UK until the 2000s.

5. The Great Cat Massacre (and Other Episodes in French Cultural History) by Robert Darnton

A collection of essays focusing on the microhistory of 18th century France? It's a real mystery why I like it so much, huh.

It's actually a bit insane how much I owe to this book. It arguably helped to spark my Rousseau and Diderot (and, in general, enlightenment era) obsession. I also sneakily reapplied Darnton's argument to justify my thesis (it's totally necessary to study 18th-century mental health approaches, give me all the funds now, please! /s).

Darnton is not only a hilarious author, but you also get a sense that he truly cares about the people he writes about. If you get your hands on it, I recommend reading chapter 4 (includes police description of the key enlightenment figures, like V, Rousseau, and Diderot!) or chapter 6 (the Rousseau stan culture analysis).

Maybe skip the titular chapter, especially if you are fond of cats. I'm afraid the name is, in this case, quite literal.

#asks #Lin reads #thanks for the ask #book ask #literature #reading #books #the picture of dorian gray #oscar wilde #margaret atwood #alias grace #the great cat massacre #robert darnton #a clockwork orange #anthony burgess #the world's wife #carol ann duffy #bookblr #books and reading

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that-ari-blogger · 10 months ago

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Idealism

One reading of Wicked that I have noticed to be particularly popular is as a love story between Glinda and Elphie, and I actually subscribe to this idea. What Is This Feeling is often interpreted as a love song, repressed emotions and all that, but here is where I disagree.

Wicked is a satire, and so What Is This Feeling is a satire of the love-at-first-sight trope. The relationship takes time, and doesn't actually work out in the end, that's part of the tragedy of the story.

I would argue that this song sets up why the romance falls apart, but also why it is so compelling to discuss.

Let me explain.

Spoilers Ahead

According to the Cabridge Dictionary, "Idealism" can be defined as the following:

"The belief that your ideals can be achieved, often when this does not seem likely to others"

There are other definitions pertaining to philosophy and principals, but this is the definition I will be working under, and here is the interesting question: Of the two named characters present in What Is This Feeling, who is the idealist? I will come back to this.

A massive attraction of the Glinda x Elphaba ship is the idea that opposites attract, and that certainly seems to be on display here. The opening of the song establishes once again who these characters are, and while their relationships with family is interesting, my favourite example of their dynamic is this:

"There's been some confusion for you see my roommate is..."

"Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and all together quite impossible to describe."

"Blonde"

Thats some good character writing right there. Galinda is almost aggressively indirect, dancing around the subject to avoid actually saying anything, while Elphaba is direct, and realistic. It's a neat little comedy beat, and this song is comedic in nature, but it's also fascinating.

This is our first look at the old Galinda, and she's... a schemer. She doesn't do anything herself, instead preferring that others take action or even say things for her. She will take an artsy path to ensure someone else walks down the road the way she wants them to.

Galinda is charismatic and has weaponised that fact.

Elphaba, on the other hand, is awkward and blunt, but intelligent, and there is something to that. There is a stereotype of historical witchcraft as "women who were clever" and while there is some truth to it, history rejects simplicity.

I recommend Crash Course's video on the subject but put simply: The Witch-hunts in history were based almost entirely on fear and anger, with the remainder made up of prejudice and superstition. Encyclopedia Brittanica puts the number of people killed between forty-thousand and sixty thousand, both men and women (I couldn't find any explicit mention of non-binary folk executed for witchcraft, so I guess we got out of this one. Good work team).

What is important to understand is that witches were societal outcasts, anyone who there was prejudice against could be tried as a witch. Women who were mildly intelligent or, heaven forbid, had opinions, were often targets of this prejudice in such a heavily patriarchal society.

So, where does Elphaba slot into this? Well, she's an outcast from society because of her skin colour, and she's clever. She is very intentionally invoking the history and popular culture depiction of the witch (something her original incarnation in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz definitely contributed to) to invoke sympathy in the audience, or at least, to invoke antipathy for those who call her a witch.

The rest of this song doubles down on the differences between the two, and the fact that this causes them to fall apart instead of together is important here.

"My pulse is rushing"

"My head is reeling"

"My face is flushing"

"What is this feeling?"

This the setup for a love song, right? These are symptoms of powerful emotions and at this point in a romantic story, you would expect the meet cute. But the song pulls the rug out from underneath you.

"Loathing

Unadulterated loathing"

Love at first sight is rare in real life, but it is common in fiction. The prince and princess meet and fall instantly head over heels, etc. But once again, Wicked is a satire, and it goes in a different direction. Part of this musical is the relationship between these two being built up from scratch, and this song establishes that baseline.

But why do these two fall apart in the end? I mentioned that this song foreshadows that, and what did I mean by that?

I asked earlier on in this post which one of the two witches is the idealist, and I think the answer is Elphaba. She believes in honesty and kindness and is hopeful to a fault (remember The Wizard And I?), which is in contrast to Galinda's remarkably utilitarian mindset. Galinda says what she needs to say and wants nothing more than the spotlight.

Don't get me wrong, wanting attention isn't a sin, that's not what I mean here. I'm trying to say that Galinda doesn't have far reaching dreams for herself, she wants personal happiness, nothing more. Or so she thinks.

My thesis for this series about the songs in Wicked is that the musical is about the collision of dreams and reality, and its interesting how that works with the characters.

Galinda is incredibly shallow, but she ends up getting inspired by her friend. Elphaba's hope and ideals brush off on Galinda over time, not enough to be noticeable to her, but enough that when Galinda gets everything she wants, she is unsatisfied.

That's why the relationship doesn't work out in the end. Elphaba has ambitions to make the world a better place, and Galinda doesn't realise that she does too until it is far too late.

Final Thoughts

Please don't misinterpret this post. This isn't that Glinda x Elphaba is a bad ship or even that it isn't a valid reading of the story. It is, and I will explain in future posts as to why that is the case. All I am trying to say is that this song is explicitly antiromantic, and that factors into the queer reading of the musical.

I will, however, say this: "Gelphie" is such an awful name for a ship. Like, come on folks, you could have gone with anything, but "Gelphie"?

In all seriousness, this is the third post in a series about Wicked, next week I will be talking about Dancing Through Life, a song that is remarkably complex for a character trying his hardest to be simple. So, stick around if that interests you.

Previous - Next

#rants #literary analysis #literature analysis #character analysis #wicked is a queer story #what's so special about...?#wicked #glinda upland #elphaba thropp #wicked the musical #gelphie #wicked musical #lgbtqia #lgbt pride #meta #meta analysis

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dipperscavern · 4 months ago

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the ponderer has been called upon, the ponderer has pondered, the ponderer has answered. FREAKY PONDERER OUT, LIBRARIAN PONDERER IN!

the only mentions of body hair removal from the neck down in the asoiaf universe from what i remember off the top of my head is roose bolton’s freaky ass being clean shaven (which is my favourite thing ever btw hes so fucking weird for that literally what is his issue im crying thats why his son gets down and dirty like that) and then when they shaved cercei for her walk of shame. OH and also, tormund says that wildlings don’t shave as a jest, which would infer that southern women are a bit more concerned about shaving for aesthetics. basically they never mention it in talks of sex. which makes it seem like not a big deal.

historically— being that the asoiaf universe is essentially just a reflection medieval european society in its customs, shaving was not yet seen as a norm. though it did exist in certain contexts; female sex workers would shave their pubic hair to prevent spread of sti’s (i.e., pubic lice), and as a kind of proof of cleanliness. there is documented evidence that high born ladies also shaved but, again, not a norm at the time.

[upon further examination, it seems that shaving being synonymous with cleanliness is largely a result of religious beliefs and their interpretation of cleanliness which i could see happening in an asoiaf context with the high septon and the faith of the seven as they did shave cercei for her cleansing ritual… thats just food for thought; it remains that cregan would not give a fuck though because i do not believe that in the faith of the old gods they conglomerate shaving and cleanliness 🤷‍♀️ JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT]

TDLR;;; cregan dgaf. northern men in general. i doubt southern men hold clean shaven women in high regard either. there’s probably some freak that likes bare pussy but its not cregan or any stark man. that’s canon. this was way too long of an explanation just to say that hairy pussy is better than no pussy sorry guys

ROOSE BOLTON IS CLEAN SHAVEN?? DID I SKIM OVER THAT CHAPTER? I AM IN TEARS 😭😭 “roose boltons freaky ass” pondering anon my silliest goose (also ur asks r never too long. EVER.)

anyways, shaving being synonymous w cleanliness in the interperated eyes of the seven makes a lot of sense. when i read cersei being shaved i didn’t even really register it, but it definitely makes sense. like the hair on her head (i think) it was kind of a symbolism for her being renewed, wiping the slate clean yk?

i can see some highborn ladies being prickly about it, especially with the amount of lords into uh.. children. so it would make sense they’d want them to present more…. yk? picking up what i’m putting down here?

also, ur so right. i don’t think the old gods would care about that either. jon says something about wanting to take ygritte under the weirwood tree in the godswood, “in the sight of the old gods”. my point is it shows that the old gods are very sex-positive (and jon was like 15 when he said that, so they’re taught those beliefs from a very young age)

and YES. REGARDLESS OF CUTLURE, THE STARK MEN WOULD NOT CAREEEEE FIGHT ME ACTUALLY SWING ON IT

#asioaf #dippys asks #pondering anon #librarian anon #pondering anon is basically our spencer reid #our computer if you will #northmen could never be caught giving a fuck #they are in fuck debt #they give #minus one fucks #they TAKE fucks #LMFAO

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qqueenofhades · 1 year ago

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What are some of your other favourite medieval misconceptions? Everyone only ever wore shades of brown?

Other "favorite" medieval misconceptions, "favorite" here having the meaning of "cause my eye to start twitching uncontrollably and a red haze to descend" include:

Everyone in the Middle Ages was always dirty, miserable, and sad

Peasants worked all the time and were constantly on the verge of starving to death (bonus points if "all medieval people were peasants")

Everything was violent, bloody, and "barbaric"

People could expect to get gruesomely dismembered at all times and for any reason

Politics was exactly like Game of Thrones/Game of Thrones is an Accurate Representation of the Medieval World/pretty much anything whatsoever citing Game of Thrones as historical text

Everyone in medieval Europe was white, straight, cisgender, and Christian

Disabled people were ignored/destroyed/"put into asylums" (because the medieval era is exactly like Victorian England!) and/or had no recognition in their community and/or were just left to die

Queer people did not exist/were always persecuted/had no opportunities or framework to live/identify like "modern" people

"Medieval history" only refers to Europe and/or Europeans

Pretty much anything to do with the Vikings, whether in far right/white supremacy or Oooh The Vikings Were So Liberal

The all-powerful Catholic church completely controlled everyone's minds and everyone blindly obeyed them in all things until suddenly, one day the Renaissance happened! Yay!

The Renaissance suddenly gave women rights!

The Enlightenment suddenly gave women rights!

[Fill in the blank] suddenly gave women rights!

Evil historians are hiding the real truth of [insert marginalized group here] from you

The only thing medieval people cared about was religion and they were all religious zealots

Conversely: people were always desperately trying to break free from the church but they were constantly stopped from doing so because the church was, again, all-powerful

Women were silent, illiterate, uneducated, oppressed, and only ever expected to serve their husband/have endless babies/keep the house clean (which somehow coexists in their minds with "everything was dirty all the time")

Women always died in childbirth

Women did not have jobs, education, or any recognition in society

Women could never be rulers, warriors, or any other "male" job

Women could constantly expect to be raped and this was a normal and natural part of medieval society (bonus points if invoked to defend some modern "medieval" media as "historically accurate")

Women were constantly viewed as witches in the premodern era

Anything a woman did that was "unusual" would get her accused (and often killed) for witchcraft

There were no cosmetics, beauty standards, personal hygiene, etc., so people never combed their hair, dressed nicely, used makeup, washed, etc etc

Medieval people/society had no use for artists/art, literature, books, classics, or other high culture, because that was all instantly forgotten when Rome fell and nobody found it again until the Renaissance

Medieval people all died when they were thirty

Medieval people never traveled more than 10 miles from home

Medieval people never questioned their society/their place in the world/anything else; they just accepted their lot in life without complaint

Things have been a perfect straight line of progress ever since and modernity is "better"

Do I have some things to get off my chest here?

Maybe

You can't prove it

Shh

#tobsjpalfrey #ask #history #medieval history

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violet-moonstone · 6 months ago

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Heathers Part 4: Rogue Heather and Conclusion

Part 3

This is my favourite option, which is why I saved it for last. This route focuses on skills Heather could much more believably pick up on her own—in fact, these are skills we already see her exhibiting in RoB. This version of Heather is very much like Arya Stark—minus the combat training—specifically, Arya when she’s in Braavos. She’s good at hiding, sneaking around, pickpocketing, etc. She would rely on changing her behaviour and appearance to fit the situation and slowly build her arsenal of disguises as she improves her skill and has more resources at her disposal. One day, she might appear as a raggedy street urchin; the next, a bawdy barmaid; then, a haughty noblewoman or cunning hunter.

Her primary use of this skill would be survival—blending into the background or standing out without people knowing her true identity—but this would also be strategic. She could get information either from being a fly on the wall no one considers being cautious around, or by being charismatic and charming people into trusting her. In more extreme situations, she could slip poison into the drink of a bar patron, set fire to the room of someone who thinks she’s their servant, or (in a version of RTTE with a more mature rating) stab someone once they’re in her bed. (I’ve written a fic about this)

I think this option makes the most sense, because it requires no retconning of her backstory and includes the most believable skillset for someone without any training. I also think that with a heavy focus on stealth, it wouldn’t make sense for her to have a large, armoured dragon with reflective scales (once again, sorry Windshear). Instead she could have a small dragon that could help her with fetching things, being on watch for danger, and shooting fire at close range. I’m thinking a Terrible Terror or something similar. Although a small dragon with similar traits to a Changewing would be really cool, like a winged chameleon of sorts—but maybe instead of becoming invisible, it just mimics different colours and textures.

In terms of costumes for Rogue Heather, it can really be anything. She’d probably need a base outfit for when she’s not in disguise, in which case, I’d go for something like the redesigns all the dragon riders except Hiccup got, which was basically putting them in the same clothes as in RoB/DoB but with different colours. I think the outfit Heather’s wearing in RoB is pretty good for a rogue type character already—just use a slightly different colour scheme that’s still faded, and keep the hood from her current design. Her disguises could be much more dramatic and could include wigs and makeup as well.

I have a headcanon that she has a favourite disguise though. Due to all the danger and insecurity she’s faced, she’s become ruthlessly ambitious—not just for revenge, but for wealth and power. She never wants to have to worry about being unsafe or scrounging around to survive. I think her favourite roles to play are rich and powerful women. In these roles, she gets to wear something beautiful—I’m thinking a deep green gown that brings out her eyes. It could also be a reference to serpents and envy, which goes hand in hand with her use of poison and her desire for the finer things in life.

I love this version of Heather. I’m currently in the early stages of writing a very long fic (that will probably just include regular Heather because the story already has a lot of OCs and moving parts), however, if I get enough inspiration, I might write some one-shots here and there about her.

Some ideas for her more fancy/aspirational disguises:

From left to right: Labyrinth (2012), BBC’s Merlin (I always thought Katie McGrath would be a great grown-up Heather)

(Some more historical Norse looks)

And a more everyday look:

(From Voriagh)...tell me this model isn't LITERALLY HEATHER. I think it's the murder in her eyes.

(Arya in Game of Thrones, tunics from Dark Knight Armoury)

Conclusion...After a Note About Combat and Women in Fantasy

Before I finish, I want to briefly touch upon another issue I have with Heather’s character. You may have noticed that the latter two options I gave have a much stronger emphasis on her intelligence and/or social skills than her physical prowess – I did this intentionally because I find that RTTE lacks characters who are not combat focused (Even Johann turned out to be a skilled knife-thrower. I miss when he was just a friendly and knowledgable—though talkative—merchant). While I appreciate that the female characters in the show are shown to be capable fighters, they don’t all need to be. I think fantasy and sci-fi writers tend to forget that making women into combatants is not the only way to make them strong, empowered, or interesting. There are so many ways that characters, regardless of gender, can have agency and be integral to a plot; these ways don’t have to include putting a heavy weapon in their hands. I’ve briefly discussed this in another post, but I think the dynamic between Viggo and Ryker would be much more interesting if Viggo were not physically strong and had to depend on Ryker’s strength just as much as Ryker depended on Viggo’s wits. And while Hiccup’s sword fighting abilities are commendable, let’s not forget that his first great achievement would never have been possible without curiosity, intelligence and empathy—the three things required to befriend Toothless—not physical strength. I love Race to the Edge, and I understand the combat-heavy focus (because “Vikings”) but I do wish there was just a bit more variety when it comes to the way characters navigate dangerous situations.

Alright, so there you have it: My 3 Heathers. I’m very tempted to draw all three of them, to get a clearer image of what their designs would look like. Which one do you prefer the most? The revenge-fuelled warrior, the unhinged alchemist, or the ambitious assassin? Let me know, and thanks for reading!

#httyd #httyd analysis #httyd essay #how to train your dragon #rtte #rtte essay #race to the edge #heather #heather the unhinged #httyd costumes #httyd character design #long post

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twowivestwoknives · 18 hours ago

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actually maybe i'll say it out loud here because it does concern me.

firstly I want all the babydykes who may read this to know i'm not hating on yr ship for funsies, i'd much rather just be super excited abt a favourite character on my lil corner of the internet, but as a 29yo nonbinary butch lesbian who has Been Through It, it scares me how much romanticized Caitvi is getting especially with the younger viewers.

Like, it is, at the very least in S2, without question an abusive relationship, Cait is abusive to Vi. It's not cute, it's not sweet.

Her going hot and cold, from hitting her and demeaning her, to showing affection is an abuse tactic

Her isolating her from her family and community is abusive

Her seeing Vi's home community as worthy of genocide, as well as acting on those views? Abusive

Her putting the responsibility of her "conscience" on Vi, or having Vi be the one to "stop her" from being violent towards others (a dictator in this case), abusive.

Her setting up the jail sex scene, pushing Vi into a historically violently traumatizing location for her, effectively setting up her sister and Vi to lose each other, just to come down and tell Vi "i told you so" when she sees her self harming, in an enforcer outfit (the people who abused her, her people, and killed her family), and then having sex? Very abusive

And that last point I want to extra highlight because regardless of if Cait set up the whole thing or not, the combination of location, power imbalance, and Vi's mental state at the moment they hook up means that I'm nervous to say if Vi even had the wherewithal to willingly and enthusiastically consent. At the very least that consent was incredibly dubious.

I'm also significantly nervous for the baby butches of this fandom, because an undeniable aspect of why this relationship's abuse is being glossed over by writers and fans alike is because Vi is the victim, and Vi is butch, and Cait is femme.

GNC/Butch women, especially trans women and butches of colour, in sapphic relationships are often seen as un-abusable, ESPECIALLY by femmes. In fact, they're often painted as the aggressors and/or as liking the treatment. This being THE prominent ship in this show is setting a dangerous real life precedent for what to expect or want in relationships. And I know for some folks it's just a ship and I'm reading too much into it ect; but having come from the Skins era of media impact on youth, it would feel neglectful for me to not put this out there.

I'm not tryna hate on your ship in your tag; I'm telling yall that if you're ever in a real life relationship where someone is treating you the way Cait treats Vi; run. You deserve better, you deserve safety, you deserve love.

#caitvi #vi #cait #arcane #arcane spoilers #look i know i rage abt it but its because ive BEEN there and i feel so badly for Vi bc ive BEEN her #i don't want any of yall to have to go through that #cuz goddamn it's scary #love yall #from yr butch guncle nine

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theangrybooknook · 7 months ago

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The Apothecary Diaries

What, we are talking manga now on this blog?

Of course!

Ever since I fell into a Maomao/Jinshi shaped hole on Crunchyroll, I have been taken hostage by this story. Needless to say, I immediately went on to read the manga and found myself captivated even further - so much that I am actually shipping Maomao and Jinshi, and those who know me know that me shipping a straight couple happens once every ten years. But the chemistry between them- oh, where could I possibly begin!

But, as always, first things first.

Synopsis: The young apothecary Maomao grows up in a brothel and lives with a physician whom she regards as her adoptive father. On her quest to find new herbs, the young woman is abducted by human traffickers and sold to the Imperial Court to work as a maid. Soon, however, her skills as a healer and her incredibly sharp wit attract the attention of the eunuch Jinshi, whose true identity is a well-kept secret. Soon, Maomao finds herself in the very midst of the intrigues of the court as the personal food taster of the Emperor's favourite consort, and it is there where the mysteries begin...

Truth be told: The Apothecary Diaries did not lure me in immediately. I had seen the manga in some bookshops, but the art style gave me the impression of "yet another shojo manga" and I did not bother reading the blurb. Then, I got a subscription to Crunchyroll and decided to give the anime adaption a try and-- here we are. Now that I have also read the manga and still follow it, I felt the need to give a review.

When looking for manga to read or anime to watch, I can be very picky. I am not easily impressed by what is currently popular and I need a story to grab me by the throat and shake me thoroughly, only to rip out my heart, tear it into pieces, mend it and put it back again. Most anime and manga that are currently popular in Germany are of the shonen genre, which is not really what I am into. But how would I classify The Apothecary Diaries?

What Natsu Hyūga has created with her Light Novels and now with the manga is a beautiful mix of romance, mystery, and comedy, embedded in a gorgeous historical setting inspired by Imperial China. Set at the Imperial Court, the reader is thrown into a fantastical world of pomp and splendour where everything, from things to food to women, is at only one man's disposal. What sounds like a classical harem trope is one only to a certain extent. The system of the court is merely described, not glorified, but also not judged. In that, Maomao is an excellent main character to follow as she mostly observes and makes her conclusions, only to state at the end of it: but it's not my business anyway. I am not sure if I have ever seen/read a main character like her before that draws such a strict line between her own life and the business of other people - perhaps she is a bit like Jane Eyre, but with a passion for poison. The deadpan exchanges she has with Jinshi definitely reminded me of the conversations between Jane and Rochester, minus the psychological manipulation.

Maomao could have easily become a Mary-Sue character with little personality beyond her enthusiasm for all sorts of poison. However, she is a strong-willed young woman with flaws that are entirely believable, such as her assumption that she might lack typical human emotion due to her upbringing. At the same time, she stays wary and follows the advice of her adoptive father to never make assumptions out loud, and to never ask questions, lest she might fall into something that is none of her business and might harm her in the end. She is aware that as a woman not following a traditional path, she must be even more careful, but at the same time, does not judge women that follow or even want a traditional life. Jinshi is intrigued by that, but also by her skill and her wisdom which she never flaunts, but only ever expresses as a passion of hers that she is not ashamed of. It is a pure joy to watch Jinshi grow fond of her, yes, fall in love with her for what she is, says, and does, while Maomao stays all the while entirely oblivious, not thinking of herself as particularly pretty or lovable based on her low social status. Said status does not bother her much and she does not attempt to change it even though it would be within her means to do so - her decision to stay away from what could become her birthright is entirely understandable for the reader and makes Maomao even more fascinating.

The character of the eunuch Jinshi is a masterful mirror of reader reactions to Maomao up until the point where his own story unfolds. Born at court to a mother belonging to an emperor and raised in a golden cage, his true identity is unknown to most beside a selected few that also keep his identity hidden. The purpose of this secrecy is slowly unveiled just as the reader learns of the weight resting on Jinshi's shoulders, and Maomao's appearance at court seems to shake him out of a rigour he has been subjected to for a very long time. Although everyone's favourite at court, Jinshi is alone in his beauty and Maomao, observant in terms of both plants and people, soon realises how lonely the man is and how deep the secrets run. After all, the man is far too beautiful to be a eunuch. But even here, she stays true to her credo of not getting involved in anyone's business unless she is forced to, even as the chance arises to learn the truth.

Especially noteworthy is that while the world of Maomao and Jinshi is a golden one at court, Natsu Hyūga does not shy away from depicting the horrible things that humans can do to each other. Various darker topics are covered: human trafficking, child abuse, rape, pedophilia, the exploitation of women and children in the name of royalty, envy, and the illusion of free choice. The world of The Apothecary Diaries is not a kind one to women - Maomao points that out, reflects on it several times and knows that she, by her gender alone, is viewed as inferior. It does not stop her from pursuing her goals, but it keeps her incredibly aware of her surroundings. Many times, stories like that fall into the trap of creating a female main character that is "not like other girls" and constantly belittles the women and girls that seemingly fit the picture. Maomao might not be a courtesan, concubine, noble lady, or consort, and she might not necessarily have traditionally female interests such as fashion and jewellery, but she never belittles the women around her for their interests or life choices. This is an incredibly refreshing take and speaks of the excellent skill of the author to create a female character that is special, in some ways The Chosen One, but also likeable, obscure, and true to herself.

The manga is still ongoing, and I have no doubt that the story will take the reader down many dark and twisted paths. As for myself, I am rooting for Maomao and Jinshi as well as for the vast array of lovable side characters such as Gao Shun and Ba Sen, the consorts, the courtesans, and many more. I am excited to watch this story develop further and I am glad that I clicked "play" on that first episode two weeks ago. What a jewel of a story I have found there, and what a joy it is to follow the story of the incredible, funny, and absolutely insane Maomao.

#the apothecary #kusuriya no hitorigoto #maomao #jinshi #bookblr #books #literature #manga #review

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bookaddict24-7 · 17 days ago

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REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

Every week I will post various reviews I've written so far in 2024. You can check out my Goodreads for more up-to-date reviews HERE. You can friend me on Goodreads here.

Have you read any of these? What were your thoughts?

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353. The Game Changer by Lana Ferguson--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I actually really enjoyed this book--more than I was expecting. I was wary at first, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Is this book a bit quick on the attraction? Sure, but these people have known each other since they were kids. And the FMC gets to live that fantasy a lot of us have had of that older guy who finally sees you for who you are (at an appropriate age) and falls madly into love with you.

But you know what this book has that I absolutely adored? COMMUNICATION. The characters communicated and knew immediately what they wanted. If the MMC waffled a little every once in a while, he had a legitimate reason for it.

This book deals with trauma, an abusive parent, and the pressures of living a very public life and still trying to maintain some semblance of privacy. I think the MMC dealt with things in the best way he could and the FMC was very strong against those who tried to control the way she lived her life.

Was this an award winning read? No, but I was entertained and it had some good spice. If you want a sort-of surface level romance with some heavier topics on one side of the characters, then this might be the read for you. It was a very quick read (and granted, this could be because it was, again, a bit surface level), and I sometimes just need books like that.

I know I'll be trying the next Ferguson book!

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354. Bull Moon Rising by Ruby Dixon--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I think Ruby Dixon is one of those authors that is under-appreciated. Her ability to blend spice with really well thought out fantasy is impressive. I thought this when I read a different series by her and now I'm thinking it again after having read BULL MOON RISING.

This wasn't what I thought it would be, especially going off that gorgeous cover (and trust me, this book is aesthetically GORGEOUS.) What I was met with was a pseudo-historical-fantasy novel. It took me a little bit to get into the story because, again, it wasn't what I thought it would be, but when I did, I couldn't stop reading.

The cast of characters were so fun and had such different personalities that they easily came to life in my mind. I think one of my favourites was the character who kept licking his eyeball LOL. I'm excited to see where this world takes these characters and what their arcs will look like (if we get more of their stories!)

The FMC was the type of woman who took zero shits from anyone and made her own path, despite everyone telling her that she couldn't. She was one of those women that you want to warn and protect, but who will always do her own thing and speak her own mind--I loved her. And I especially loved how accepting and curious she was. Her love story with her husband of convenience was surprisingly sweet and very spice (which I'm not surprised about because Dixon is a smutty queen.)

The MMC was one of those male characters that had to grow on the reader because he had that asshole attitude down to a tee. But as I learned more about him and he becomes softer and more loving, I started to empathize with him and understand why he is the way he is. But I also loved how protective he is of the FMC. They were great together.

The concept of the book is really interesting and unique. I am very excited to see where this series goes! If you love romantasy novels that are also monster romances, then you need this. There is great character development, an adventurous sense to the story (especially when the schooling starts), and some fun characters that will have you either laughing or wanting to smack someone. Also, if you love a good marriage of convenience and the only one bed trope, then you should probably add this to your TBR...

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355. The New Recruit by Moscareto--⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I think this is the first time I haven't 100% loved a manhwa, but it wasn't entirely because of the storyline. The artwork took me a while to get used to. I don't know what it was about it, but it felt so...unoriginal? It also made me think a lot of the old school yaoi hands LOL.

The story itself was fun! I liked the little reveals here and there, it kept me hooked and wanting to read more (hence why I read it in one sitting). I wanted to see what else would be revealed and how the story would progress.

I will say, however, that I was surprised by how quickly the stern boss changed, but I was invested and loved seeing them get to know each other better. I want to see their relationship develop throughout the upcoming volumes and I'm a bit excited for that! I'm more intrigued, too, because of the hints of envy and those subplots that popped up near the end of the volume.

And excuse me, that cliffhanger??? I want to see the MC's reaction LOL. I need more.

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356. The Off-Limits Rule by Sarah Adams--⭐️⭐️.5

THE OFF LIMITS RULE had its cute moments, but it also had quite a few frustrating moments. I did enjoy it for what it was and I'm glad I read it because sometimes I just need cute and mindless fluffy romance reads.

To get the frustrating bits out of the way first--her brother. I didn't like the way he treated her or how he reacted to her love life. I think his way of thinking was antiquated and I get that she's his sister and he wants to protect her, but she's also a grown-ass woman who can do whatever she wants. And mentioning the grown-ass woman thing: the FMC is a mother who adores her kid, but Adams was so focused on the budding romance between the two MCs that we didn't really get a lot of her son. It took a few chapters before we meet him and I was thinking, "What about her kid?" I've read other stories where a single parent finds love and we meet the kids almost immediately (unless it's like…a work trip or vacation, or the setting is in another country). I just remember thinking "Will we have any scenes with him?"

The MMC was cute, but he was such a pushover LOL. Yes, let yourself be governed by this dude you've known for a year (even though he DOES make a comment about this, I still found it funny.) I liked having his POV because I like having dual perspectives of certain situations. He wasn't exactly memorable, but I did like how he had the FMC's back in certain situations and how cute they were together.

Listen, this book was…a surface level kind of adorable read. If I think too much about it, then I end up lowering my rating, but I'm rating it on my overall experience and it was fine? It was a bit insta-romance, it was a closed door romance (not a bad thing, but be prepared, the doors will close just before any spicy stuff happens).

If you want a fluffy read for a beach day, then this is definitely one to keep in mind.

Also, I DNF'ed the second book. It had potential but it was a clustercluck.

___

357. Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ugh, why am I crying?! I didn't expect this book to make me cry.

I had always seen this book floating around and never really gave it much thought. But then someone somewhere mentioned what it was about and I was immediately intrigued. And while it took me a while to get used to the storytelling, ODD THOMAS definitely grew on me. I think part of why I ended up actually really enjoying this book was because it gave me a similar vibe of so many other books printed around that time. They all have the "this is my life" type of vibe, which was something both in female-led and male-led stories.

The mystery aspect gripped me about mid-way through. The writing was a bit choppy at times and I felt like I had missed something here and there, but when the story kind of righted itself and all of the info-dumping was done, the mystery really set in. The extra touch of him being able to see the dead was both a little creepy and fun.

Odd Thomas himself was such an entertaining character. He's smart, but not very aware. I laughed at the scenes where it's so obvious how others see him (especially women), versus how he sees himself. He was truly one of those characters who jumps off the page and I'm intrigued to see how his characters grows and changes as the series progresses.

I'm intrigued and I'm definitely going to be picking up book two!

___

358. Scarewaves by Trevor Henderson--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was genuinely creepy.

I 100% would have had nightmares as a kid. There were some chapters where I was glad I had the lights on. And I know I'm probably a scaredy cat, but this book was actually really unsettling. I'd even say that this had moments that were almost TOO intense for a middle grade novel.

Gave me IT vibes, but for preteens. Especially with that sense of dread and the sightings of the creepy things that haunt the town. The way Henderson showed us the end of various characters also gave me that similar vibe because it went beyond the MC and her own experiences. I really liked how he did this because it involved the whole town. It was very creative and i loved how we got chapters from the victims' perspectives.

The monsters were a bit too well described and were actually so creepy. I can tell the author has experience creating scary stories that will haunt the readers long past "the end". This was almost masterful, especially for middle grade. I think this is one of those MGLit horror novels that will be a hidden surprise that kids will stumble on, not something that is going to be very mainstream--but I think adults and teens should definitely read this one.

Also, this would be a terrifying movie, to be completely honest.

One of the obvious signs, for me, that this is truly a middle grade novel was that ending. It was quick and a bit too easy? But that being said, this is a kids book and honestly, sometimes things are just that easy. I can't wait for book two!

If you have a little who loves horror stories, I definitely recommend this one but keep in mind that this one is genuinely scary LOL.

___

359. Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I REALLY liked PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. Probably my favourite Adams book so far.

I loved the connection between the two MCs and how the FMC found her voice by the end, even though it was a bit of a journey. I liked that we got to see her overcome those difficult barriers, especially because she had spent so long in just letting them fester and grow. She was one of those characters that everyone thought they knew because of the mould they had created for her, but watching her find herself and her voice made this book even more satisfying.

The MMC also had some serious character growth, even if his was a bit less obvious. His trauma really came to light as the story progressed and was an interesting and sad revelation alongside the FMC's own struggle with her grief. I love seeing characters who work so well off each other, because them helping each other makes me feel their chemistry even more.

The third character that I loved in this book was the town itself. Everyone in this town is so nosy and opinions are always flying all over the place. The whole aftermath of the very attractive MMC running shirtless in the morning through the town was hilarious.

The tension between the characters was great, but even though there are allusions to the spice, this was another closed door romance from Adams LOL.

___

360. Haunt Sweet Home by Sarah Pinsker--⭐️⭐️

I don't know what I was expecting from this book, but it wasn't that. Even though the concept seemed really interesting, I felt like I needed more of SOMETHING to make me feel more invested.

There were some parts that had me guessing what the twist would be, so I wasn't entirely surprised, but it was interestingly done, nonetheless. This part of the story was probably the best part of the whole thing.

I think my low rating is because this novella had a lot of potential and kind of didn't do anything with it. Plus, it jumped around a lot and got kind of confusing at times. I got half of the information I needed and barely had time to get invested in the characters.

I think this could have been great if the plot was a bit more linear, rather than jumping around from place to place. Also, if we had a bit more to go off. I normally really like horror novellas, but this one felt like it was missing a lot.

___

Happy reading!

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hobbitwrangler · 1 month ago

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Couldn’t help but notice in your comment response on The Face of Spring that you seem to have some HCs in mind for the unnamed sisters of Théoden. If there’s anything you’d like to share on them, I am (as always) DEEPLY interested in thoughts about the most obscure of the Rohirrim! (No pressure, though, if there isn’t anything you want to say beyond that comment or if you’d rather keep it all for a fic or something going forward! 🙂)

I know I said I would take a while to answer this, but I was on public transport for hours today and this lot took over my brain, so here we go!

First of all, I would like to say that I have been influenced by your headcanons in some regards (highly recommend to fans of Rohan and obscure female Tolkien characters). For example, Théoden’s two eldest sisters have Gondorian names, although only one chooses to continue going by hers her entire life, and some of them also share similar fates.

Secondly, it is very important to me for the sake of torturing myself and the House of Eorl that Thengel and Morwen’s children die in the reverse order that they were born in, i.e. Théodwyn dies first and Gildis outlives all her siblings.

There is a noticeable bias towards Gildis in terms of headcanon material. This can partly be blamed on her living longer but is also just because as an eldest sister I am biassed toward my own kind (see Ivriniel).

Gildis (T.A. 2945 - Fo. A. 4):

Morwen chose this name as a means of honouring her husband’s heritage (since in Gondor the Rohirrim are traditionally seen as being direct descendants of the House of Hador and Gildis was Hador’s wife) while still choosing a name which would not be too out of place in Gondor.

The shortest of the siblings, at slightly smaller than Thengel’s height.

She had the strongest connection to Gondor, due to leaving it at age 8, and left Rohan in her early 20s to return to Minas Tirith. It was very difficult for her, since she had the distinct impression that her sisters resented her for leaving and her parents envied her. Before she left, Théoden and she definitely had a long, oldest siblings chat about the whole thing and he was the one she left on best terms with.

The child that Thengel was closest to and in whom he saw most of himself, which caused a fair bit of strain when she left. She wondered sometimes if her father’s coolness towards her came from the feeling that she was repeating what he did to Fengel.

Had the true ‘girl who is just like her father’ experience and she hated it.

She would become a scholar and an expert in women’s writings from early Gondor, even organising for several collections of old poetry to be properly translated and (re)published. Thanks to her time in Rohan, she also had a higher interest in oral histories than most Gondorian scholars.

She and Théoden continued to write to each other up until Gríma’s influence grew and Théoden sickened.

One of her favourite memories of Théoden was when he came to Gondor to attend the wedding of Caeveneth (one of Denethor’s sisters). The wedding itself was a bad start to a bad marriage but you wouldn’t know that talking to Théoden and Gildis because they spent the entire time catching each other up on gossip and becoming giggling drunk messes (once out of the public view of course).

She loves Gondor and does not regret her decision to leave Rohan, but she does miss her family a lot (nothing like moving to a different country to make you forget how annoying your baby sisters can be).

She’s something of an introvert, so wasn’t close to any relevant characters in Gondor (although I like to think that she and Faramir had a few nice conversations and that she has desperately tried to correct Duinhir’s pop-culture understanding of some historical events).

She's aroace (a concrete sexuality headcanon? from me?? will wonders never cease!?).

Has massive guilt surrounding the deaths of all her siblings, despite knowing logically that she couldn’t have stopped any of them. Elfhelm had a chat with her after the war about everything that went down with Gríma and Théoden and the kids and it was definitely one of those conversations that has both of you leaving it with a splitting headache, sore eyes and the feeling that someone just ripped your chest open with a saw.

She definitely helps Faramir learn Rohirric (although she is a bit rusty, it has to be admitted) and she develops a friendly relationship with Éowyn, although she does struggle at first with how closely she resembles Théodwyn and her mother, it’s vaguely disconcerting to her.

She outlives all her siblings and lives to see the Fourth Age of Middle Earth, dying in her sleep.

Moriel/Hrithwyn (T.A. 2952-3010):

The only one of the siblings to have Morwen’s hair colour, for which she was named. When they moved to Rohan, she pushed for a Rohirric name since, as she pointed out to her parents, she was too young to even remember Gondor when they moved, hence Hrithwyn, which means ‘storm-joy’ or ‘lover of storms’.

If you deduced from the name that she was the type to go for a walk in the rain then you are right and it drove Morwen round the bend.

She loved riding and horses and just generally doing her own thing, something which she never lost throughout her life.

Drove Morwen to despair through her sheer inability to just sit still and do as she was told. They definitely had a few fights about her being irresponsible, which Hrithwyn always thought very ironic since she considered herself very responsible in view of the fact that she looked after Cyrtenes, her younger sister, who Morwen invested very little time in.

She liked her husband and they got on well, but they just weren’t really interested in each other, so no children came from that marriage, much to her parents’ frustration.

She spent most of her time with horses and actually oversaw the breeding and training of quite a few. Partly because of this and her generally very straight-forward nature, she was quite popular with the people she worked with, making her probably the member of the family most connected with people on the ground. Quite a few of these horses and their descendants were still in use by the Mark’s eminent warriors at the time of the War of the Ring (and quite a few of the black ones - which were Hrithwyn’s favourites - were in the service of Sauron :( )

She was the one who made sure that Éowyn got Théodwyn’s dagger that she has in A Monster in the Shadows and helped to teach her and Éomer how to ride.

She also had a massive sweet tooth and would bring her nieces and nephews sweets. She continued to do this for Théodred way into his adulthood (he did not complain).

Tended to be a bit bluff and was probably the least politically in tune of her sisters. Even Gildis, who was not into politics, would send Théoden info that she thought might be relevant to him about goings-on in Minas Tirith and Cyrtenes’ gossiping tendencies did come in handy now and then. Hrithwyn just struggled to care about things that weren’t horses, bless her.

She died due to taking a fall while out riding.

After her death, Théoden had a tapestry commissioned of her. It showed her astride her favourite massive black horse, on top of a ridge as the clouds came in. This tapestry was one of the decorations which Gríma had removed when he was securing his influence over Théoden, partly because it depicted his sister, partly because she was looking a little too capable and defiant in front of those rainclouds for Gríma’s liking.

Her death was something of a problem, since it marked the end of Théoden having a sibling at his side to act as an advisor and support. This also happened right at the start of Gríma’s tenure and it definitely did not help stop his rise to power.

Cyrtenes (TA 2955-3007):

Her name means ‘elegance’ or ‘beauty’, the latter of which she had from pretty much minute one and the former of which she eventually got as well.

Tended to get ignored within the family. Gildis was the oldest girl, Théoden was the only boy and heir, Hrithwyn tended to get attention because she was constantly riding off somewhere and Théodwyn was the baby of the family, so Cyrtenes kind of slipped through the cracks, which she did resent just the teensiest bit.

Wasn’t necessarily that close to Théodwyn because of this (and the 8 year age gap) but by the time they were adults they got on okay, even if she was at first jealous of her younger sister’s more successful marriage.

Morwen and Thengel were both kind of going through parental fatigue at the time that she was born, plus her being the first one born outside of their preferred home of Gondor, which all definitely contributed to the problem. Ironically, Cyrtenes was the daughter who tried the hardest to conform to Morwen’s idea of what a noble/royal woman should be.

Definitely the sibling most likely to pick a fight. Gildis was too mature, Théoden was too nice, Hrithwyn was not paying attention/not there and Théodwyn was too young most of the time, which left her free to be the difficult one.

The most conventionally attractive of the sisters. Théodwyn was known for being beautiful, but in a bit of an austere, Númenórean way (I say this as someone who loves people who look that way, by the way), while Cyrtenes was softer and more ‘Rohirric’ looking.

Her own marriage was a bit of a disaster. It went okay for the first few years, but it rapidly became clear that she was putting more into it than he was (and more for the sake of that being ‘the thing that was done’ than because they were actually good together) and that they ultimately weren’t that well suited.

Still, they managed to have a daughter, Idis, who unfortunately suffered from bad health and eventually went to stay with her Aunt Gildis.

As time went on, Cyrtenes did learn the hard way to get on by herself and became a very efficient lady of the house, accidentally coming the closest to being her mother than all of her siblings.

She’s probably the sister who grows the most over the course of her life. For her teen and young adult years she’s shallow, anxious, fretful and a bit mean, but over the course of her adult life, she gained a calmer, more mature outlook and greater confidence in herself outside of playing a part. Her temper was still something to be watched out for, but she tended to direct it more calculatedly when she was older.

Resented Gildis for getting to essentially be mother to Idis, but by that time she was old enough and mature enough to eventually realise that she wouldn’t want Théodwyn to resent her for helping look after Éowyn and Éomer. Towards the end of her life, she struck up a correspondence with Gildis for the first time since she left and they were able to develop something of a friendly relationship. In one of them she made a joke about the habit ‘among Thengel’s children of passing their children between each other for mothering. Anything to avoid looking after our own offspring.’

Had a few affairs over the years (Elfhelm, I’m looking at you) but they were all pretty lowkey and short-lived since she was quite busy and didn’t want to cause a scene (we can’t all be Ivriniel, after all).

She and Théoden became closer after Théodwyn died, as she helped to look after Éowyn and Éomer, which is nice since they weren’t really that close before.

She died of cancer after a long and indignant struggle, with Hrithwyn, Théoden and Elfhelm in the room with her. She was the only one of his sisters whom Théoden was able to be with when she died.

Thank you so much for this ask, it was so fun to firm up my headcanons about these three and expand on their personalities more. I love the chance to blather about textual ghosts, and this was so enjoyable, so thank you! 💚💚💚

#did not know i had so many Thoughts about this lot but there we are #asks #lotr #theoden's sisters

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