#squire western

[apinchofm]

Musings on Sophia Western - this precious bean!

We are introduced to her as the legitimized daughter of a slave and Squire Western's eldest son.

We get her mother's name, which is rare in these dramas but demonstrates a willingness to acknowledge her background as opposed to whitewashing it away. She is aware of the violence that created her and the scene in which she and Tom discuss the complex feelings they have towards their fathers (neither knowing them) was great to watch because it demonstrated the complexity of Sophia's existence.

She is loved wholly by her grandfather and even her Aunt Western and she loves them back whilst also being resentful of her father who violated her mother and that's fine. The greyness for mixed characters in this time period

Also when her other aunt puts all that white makeup on her face but her skin colour and hair still reveal that she is black was so grim and very much shows the other side of her family in Lady Bellaston. She reluctantly accepts her as family but will do anything to make her miserable.

[randomrichards]

RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND:

Caught in an ambush

Cowboys mistaken for crooks

Run from a lynch mob

[noralzn]

First meeting, in Aeron's secret wildflower hill. Both were taught to hate the other house, yet never truly saw one in sight. Both were six.

Aeron, muttering to himself as he tried to make a wreath: One more blue, and one more yellow one...

Davos, wandering around mindlessly, accidentally came upon Aeron's: Hey, you girl.

Aeron, startled by the shout, turned to look at him with a pout: What? I am not a...

Interrupted by the sight of a dark-haired boy running up to him with a huge grin on his face, as if he had the greatest gift to give him.

Davos, stopping right in front of the blonde boy: You're so pretty, be my friend, I'm bored.

Aeron, frowning: Huh, who do you think you are? And how rude of you to call me a girl!

Davos, taking back the hostility, even more so when he was told he had misgendered him: You are a boy? Boys are not supposed to be pretty, we need to be tall and scary.

Aeron, frowning even more fiercely: I am a squire, soon to be a knight. I will be tall and scary. Who are you to tell me that I'm not?

Davos, scratching his head in confusion and remorse: Well, I'm so sorry, I didn't know that you are a boy.

Aeron, still angry, yet softened by the apology: I forgive you, there won't be a next time.

Davos, instantly grinning again: Well, I'll remember that.

Aeron, a little taken aback by the bright smile, still keeping his arrogance: Of course, you will.

Davos, expectantly: Can we be friends now?

Aeron, sighing softly: Since you sincerely apologize, we may.

With that, the two boys played together on the flower hill. Aeron showed Davos how to make a wreath, which Davos never thought he would like. As the sun setting set, they lay on the grass, gazing at the Riverlands' sky.

Davos, watching the afternoon sun: Were your parents peasants of the eastern or western fields?

Aeron, letting out a huff: What peasants? This is my house's land.

Davos, almost jumping up at once: Your house's land? What do you mean? This is my house's land.

Also, the black messy-haired boy, looked over the features of the lying boy as he muttered to himself, realizing something: Blonde hair, pretty yet sly eyes,...

Aeron, puzzled by Davos' actions: No, this land is ours. Why are you talking like... those Blackwoods?

Also, the blonde-haired boy noticed something about his new friend's black hair and eyes.

They both said loudly as they realized: You are Blackwood? - You are Bracken?

They both quickly stood up, backing away and taking defensive stances as if the other was a monster.

Aeron, speaking first: You...you land stealer. You came to steal my land, did you?

Also, the Bracken regretted immediately after saying hurtful words to his new friend, but that was what his parents always said.

Davos insulted: No, we did not. You did. You are all cowards.

Aeron, furious at being called a coward by a Blackwood: We are not. You are.

Davos, bitterly realizing he was stupid enough to befriend a Bracken: I hate you and your coward house.

Aeron, retorting: I hate yours too, you guys are brainless, all brawn.

Davos, about to say something back just angrily turns away.

Aeron, surprised when his enemy just turned away from him: Don't ever come back here again, you land stealer.

Davos, still walking: I don't want this ungraceful, despicable piece of land of yours.

Aeron, watched as he walked away, his emotions tangled together.

Little did they know, this very wildflower hill would be their favorite place to meet each other. This isn't special or something magical, but at least better than the battlefield.

[himboskywalker]

This is super random but I was reading your book recs post from several weeks ago and was curious about you saying you have serious beef with Song of Achilles? Genuinely SO curious why when I would assume it was practically written for you?

I am going to try very very hard for this to be an objective review and not a frothing at the mouth rant but I know I'm probably going to fail. My grievances with Song of Achilles are manyfold lol

Firstly, I can't stand what Miller did for Patroclus's character. She makes him a pacificist for some fucking reason????Patroclus was a hero of the Trojan war, he LED the Myrmidons into combat. He was Achilles's squire because he mirked another kid as a child, he was his wartime companion. He was so skilled on horseback he was said to have been taught horsemanship by Poseidon himself. He dies in combat, impersonating Achilles, who was literally a demigod. Which means Patroclus was a skilled enough fighter Hector mistook him as the son of a fucking god. He killed Sarpedon who was one of Greece's greatest fighters! And Miller wrote him as a little uwu I don't want to fight, timid shadow of Achilles. Like if you want your protagonist to not be a fighter that's fine, but then don't write a book about one of mythology's greatest fighting pairs and make one of them not a fighter??? In no iteration of any myth of Patroclus is he NOT a warrior.

Secondly, we are never shown any reasoning for why Achilles and Patroclus love each other. Patroclus drones on and on for a sweet eternity of how beautiful Achilles is, and Achilles reciprocates that he thinks Patroclus is also beautiful. But they literally don't have a relationship outside of sex. We are literally not shown a single reason for why they love one another and what their relationship is built on. If your entire book is a romance then have some meat to the romance. It will always read to me as someone who fundamentally does not understand queer romance, and so approaches it as shallowly as you possibly can.

And this brings me to my third and possibly most important grievance with the book. Miller explicitly writes Achilles and Patroclus as gay in Song of Achilles. That's not how sexuality really worked for the Greeks but whatever, you're writing your book through a modern lens for a modern audience. But the romance is framed as taboo for some reason? They are genuinely afraid of being perceived or recognized as a couple? Like really???? In Greece, the period when these men would have been sexually fluid, when especially as warriors these bonds were encouraged???Also you can't take characters who interacted with their sexuality in the complicated ways of the past and then shoehorn them into modern boxes that simply don't fit the culture that acts as the framework for these stories. The Greeks did not perceive of sexuality in this way, these men who have always been written as sexually fluid, would not have thought or acted in this way. And they especially would not have fit in the modern perspective of gay men CLEARLY written by a straight woman who views queer relationships through the exact lens of a heterosexual relationship.

It's a story whose entire premise balances on the author understanding the society and culture of the time it is set. Achilles and Patroclus's relationship is very much informed by the time and place it is set in. And yet Miller writes it entirely though a modern perspective and with modern morals and values. If you want a protagonist who's a pacifist and who approaches their sexuality through a modern western perspective, then DON'T write about infamous warriors from ancient Greece who are none of these things.

And my final grievance that infuriates me the most is Miller TEACHES ancient Greek. She of all people would HOPEFULLY know better. She is educated on this time and society, and so I have no patience for her anachronistic approach to the story. It will always read to me as a straight white woman's fantasy of a myth steeped in queerness, violence, and societal bonds unique to the Ancient Greeks.

[charminglygrouped]

Town and Country

Fandom: Pride and Prejudice Words: 44,109 Status: WIP Pairings: Elizabeth Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy; Jane Bennet/Charles Bingley (background) Rating: General Audiences Setting: Regency

Summary: Elizabeth Bennet is South Asian.

Sample:

When an Englishman desires activity, inactivity, change, stasis, simplicity, intricacy, strangeness, familiarity, or the pleasure of managing, of not managing, or of having his own way, he will look—very naturally—to India. However little calculated that land, in itself, may be to fulfill these little caprices, its ideal is so fixed in his mind, that he is sure to find something within the stores of its ancient civilisation to answer to his notions.

Such was the case with Mr. Edward Bennet. The second son of a minor country squire, he was faced, at his majority, with the necessity of fixing upon some course, which would enable him to make his own way in the world. From a scholarly bent, which gave him a good deal of inborn curiosity; and because the idleness of habits, which he had heard to be common in the East, attracted him more than the manly rigour required for the practice of the legal or ecclesiastical professions in England; from these reasons, and perhaps still others, he left a country happily enlightened by sound philosophy, and the only true revelation, for one burdened with superstition and gross idolatry: he joined, in short, in the service of the East India Company at Bombay, soon after it was ceded to the English, and before he had attained his sixteenth year. Once his innate indolence had overcome the exigencies of the journey thither, it was not often further disturbed by any requirements of his post. His work as a writer for the Company kept him largely within its settlements in the western part of the state of Hindoostan; on the rare occasions when he left Bombay, it was only for Chaul or Bassein.

Mr. Edward Bennet had always intended to marry upon returning to his native England, when his contributions of learning to the Company would have earned him an independence. He was yet in India, however, when he was nearing forty; he grew increasingly susceptible to beauty, and ripe for picking; he was caught at last by a girl with gentle manners, a generous dowry, and remarkable beauty (so far as we can reconcile beauty with the olive complexion). She was the daughter of a Mahomedan merchant and moneylender, who had much to do with the India Company, and was very pleased to furnish one of its votaries with this his most precious good.

[evilbeanieman]

YTTD Main Cast as RPG Classes

Sara- Knight. She's known as the samurai woman, I mean, what's the western equivalent of a samurai? She's got the whole justice and honor thing going for her too.

Joe-Squire. He's essentially Sara's support and travel buddy. He basically is her support for the entire first chapter, and we can see that she depends on him from time to time to help her get through things. Every knight needs a squire, and Joe would be pretty great at it, I think.

Kai- Assassin. This one is kind of a no-brainer if you ask me. Although, given that Kai hasn't been able to kill anyone, I would say he's got the skills of an assassin but probably keeps the front of being an Inn Keeper or Servant.

Keiji-Royal Guard. Considering Keiji's past in the force, it would make sense to put him in a similar position. Since he's quit that however, I'd say he lays low as a commoner with the skills of a trained guard.

Shin-Shop Keeper/Wizard's Apprentice. Shin has no physical capabilities whatsoever, but I imagine that would be balanced by an extremely high affinity with magic. Though he lacks complete proper training since his mentor..."disappeared" a while ago. Since then, he's been working as a shop keeper and studying magic on the side.

Kanna-Witch (Botanical magic). Okay yeah this is somewhat inspired by her death in chapter 2. Though she does go through a lot of character growth in the game, so pairing her with plants isn't too out there. Additionally I think it would also match since Shin has an affinity for magic, so it'd make sense that his sister does as well.

Gin-Werebeast/Fae. Kind of another obvious one. I would like to think Gin is like a kemonomimi, probably one of a wolf or even dogcat hybrid. Considering his sometimes wild nature, and love for animals, he'd definitely be a child of the forest. The fae part is mainly since he likes to be a bit mischievous and silly.

Qtaro-Barbarian. I mean, Gin's nickname for him is literally "muscle gorilla," I don't think you can get any more raw strength than this class. I would think Qtaro is a part of some guild of fighters or adventurers and had a team he would do bounties with.

Reko-Bard. Another obvious choice. I don't think I need to explain much here, as she is a performer. Though I'd say she's definitely more of a physical attacker than most bards, but still has powerful magic in her tunes.

Alice-Bard/Outlaw. Similar to Reko. His magical music isn't as strong as hers, leading him to attack physically more often. Although ever since one fatal encounter, he's been on the run. Now he tries to rely solely on his strength, as to not draw too much attention with music that might sound familiar...

Nao-Witch (Painting magic). Again a bit of an obvious choice. She can bring some of her drawings to reality, although it takes quite the amount of magic. She has more training and control over her magic thanks to studying under Mishima.

Mishima-Scholar/Potion Seller. Mishima wouldn't really be a fighter, instead being the knowledgeable scholar you could come to when in need of information...or potions, if you're strong enough for them, that is. The potion seller bit I think would aid in his "mad scientist" kind of vibe in the og game, but also because I thought the idea was funny.

BONUS ROUND

Midori- Necromancer. We all know this is the obvious choice for him. I'd say that while his main focus is necromancy, he'd also specialize in other magic so he can keep it a secret. That doesn't mean his experiments are hidden well, however.

Maple- Homunculus. She would be the result of one of Midori's experiments gone...wrong? Right? An incredibly powerful being made of magic, capable of transforming her body when engaged in combat. Also, she is madly in love with him. Imagine a sort of "Dr. Frankenstein and his monster" kind of relationship between the two, where instead of the monster hating the creator, she's super lovey dovey to him.

[djuvlipen]

(...) For almost five centuries, their slave labour resulted in huge earnings for their masters: landowers, the feudal aristocracy and the Orthodox Church. Romani people's status was that of subjugated people, the absolute property of their masters: their masters' personality, faith and habits dictated their whole existence.

After 1500, even though the number of slaves decreased dramatically in Catholic and Protestant Europe - as slaves were transferred to overseas colonies to work - slavery flourished in Romanian Principalities. 'In the 16th, 17th, and 18th century we were probably the only country in Europe which had a class of people with this label of slave or bondsman', states Professor doctor Constantin Bălăceanu Stolnici.

Roma bondsmen were subjected to atrocious treatment.

For five centuries, they were denied the status of human being. Among the cruellest punishments was that of wearing a collar fitted with iron spikes on the inside that prevented the wearer from lying down to rest.

Most of the writing we have about this topic comes from foreigners travelers, staggered by this behaviour.

"The squires are their absolute masters. They sell or kill them like cattle, at their sole discretion. Their children are born slaves with no distinction on sex"

- Comte d'Antraigues.

Jean Louis Parrant, who was in Moldavia during the French revolution, asks himself: 'What can be said about this numerous miserable flock of beings (because they can’t be otherwise described) that are called gypsies and are lost for the humanity, placed on the same level with the cattle of burden and often treated even worse by the their barbaric master whose revolting (so-called) property they are?'

Mihail Kogălniceanu, a former Romanian politician who played a significant role in the abolition of slavery, remembers growing up in a provincial Romanian town and seeing people 'being with hands and feet enchained, with iron circles around their forehead or metal collar around their neck. Bloody whips and other punishments such as starvation, hanging over a burning fire, the detention barrack and the forcing to stay naked in snow or in the frozen water of a river - this is the treatment applied to the miserable gypsies.'

Legislative texts, referring to them under a double denomination - gypsies or bondsmen - stated that they were born slaves; that every child born from a slave mother was a slave; that their masters had power of life and death over them; that each owner had the right to sell or offer his slaves; and that every masterless gypsy is propriety of the state. The list goes on... (...)

In 1600, a gypsy fit for work was worth the same as a horse. In 1682, a gypsy woman was worth two mares with foals. In 1760, three gypsies were worth the same as a house, and in 1814, Snagov Monastery was selling a gypsy for the price of four buffalo. There were also cases when gypsies were sold according to their weight, exchanged for honey barrels, pawned off, or offered as presents.

The abolishment of Roma slavery began with young artistocratic Romanians leaving to study in Western Europe. Upon returning home, they gave voice to progressive ideas denouncing slavery.

At the same time, Western Europe, and France especially, exerted considerable pressure on the newly formed Romanian state regarding the abolition of slavery. In the middle of the 19th century, there were half a million slaves on Romanian territory: 7% of the population.

Unfortunately, until now, Roma slavery has not been yet included in most history school books, and there are still very few Romanians who are aware of this historical reality. (...)

[blairstales]

Scottish Historical Beltane/May Day

Bealtiunn (Beltane) is a cross-quarter day, meaning it is approximately half-way between a equinox and solstice. Due to this, it was one of the four main fire festivals of the year, and a time when the veil between our world and the otherworld was said to thin. This was thought to allow fairies in particular to be extra dangerous.

"The first–called “Beltaine” in Ireland, “Bealtiunn” in Scotland, “Shenn da Boaldyn” in the Isle of Man, and “Galan-Mai” (the Calends of May) in Wales–celebrates the waking of the earth from her winter sleep, and the renewal of warmth, life, and vegetation. " Celtic Myth and Legend by Charles Squire[1905]

It was once a huge celebration that may even last a whole week, but it also served as a marker for when to start farming practices. For example, it marked when to sow barley, or put cattle out to graze.

Due to the pagan origins of the day, opposition towards May Day celebrations was not uncommon, and eventually led to it’s fall in popularity.

"In 1696 a number of persons were tried before the Kirk Session of Aberdeen and censured for celebrating May Day morning." Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland

For customs click "keep reading." ⬇

May Pole

May Poles are a pole that was raised on beltane and raised with a crown of flowers on the top.

“The May Pole is up , Now give me the cup, I’ll drink to the garlands around it, But first unto those Whose hands did compose The glory of flowers that crown’d it.” “Faiths and Folklore: Volume 2,” By William Carew Hazlitt (1905)

It was also often decorated with flowers, leafy garland, ribbons, and more. Thought to be a fertility symbolism, with it came the queen and king of May.

"We may infer,’ says Frazer, ‘that our rude forefathers personified the powers of vegetation as male and female and attempted, on the principle of homeopathic or sympathetic magic, to quicken the growth of trees and plants by representing the marriage of the sylvan deities in the persons of a King and Queen of May, a Whitsun Bridegroom and Bride, and so forth. Such representations… were charms intended to make the woods to grow green, the fresh grass to sprout, and the flowers to blow. And it was natural to suppose that the more closely the mock marriage of the leaf-clad or flower-clad mummers aped the real marriage of the woodland sprites, the more effective would be the charm." Silver Bough 2 By F. Marian McNeill

Dressing the Home

Due to the veil being thinner, all sorts of supernatural dangers were thought to be at play. To counteract that, people dressed their homes in flowers, greenery, and other decorations.

“To counteract their evil power pieces of the rowan-tree and woodbine, chiefly of rowan-tree, were placed over the byre doors, and fires were kindled by every farmer and cottar. “ “Notes on The Folk-Lore of the North-East of Scotland,” By Walter Gregor (1881)

It was not just leafy garlands, however, but flowers as well.

"In the country west of Glasgow it is still remembered how once the houses were adorned with flowers and branches on the first of May” “Essays in the study of Folk-Songs,” by Countess Martinengo-Cesaresco (1886)

May-Dew

The very first thing many girls wanted to do in the morning was race out to collect the morning dew.

“COUNTY OF EDINBURGH. At Edinburgh about four o’clock in the morning there is an unusual stir ; and a hurrying of gay throngs through the King’s Park to Arthur’s Seat to collect the May-dew.” “British Popular Customs, Present and Past; Illustrating the Social and Domestic,” by T. F. Thiselton-Dyer (1876)

Depending on the area, where you would collect it from may change. It might be from a specific hill of grass or a specific type of trees.

This liquid, called may-dew, was said to have curative or beautifying powers.

"It was long an article of popular faith in Eastern and Western Europe , that a maiden , washing herself with dew from the hawthorn on the first day of May at daybreak , would preserve her beauty for ever, the operation being of course annually repeated.” “Faiths and Folklore: Volume 2,” By William Carew Hazlitt (1905)

“Till quite lately there was a belief in some parts of England that a weakly child would be made strong by being drawn over dewy grass on the morning in question. To effect a complete cure, the treatment had to be repeated on the two following mornings.” “Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs,” by James M. Mackinlay (1893)

However, the dew inside a fairy ring would have the opposite intended effect.

“May-dew from the grass was equally efficacious, except when gathered from within a fairy ring, as the fairies would in that case counteract the influence of the charm.” “Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs,” by James M. Mackinlay (1893)

Egg Rolling

Egg rolling, something we trend to associate with Easter, was occasionally practiced on Beltane. Colorfully decorated eggs would be rolled down a hill.

"Egg rolling, something we trend to associate with Easter, was occasionally practiced on Beltane. Colorfully decorated eggs would be rolled down a hill." “The Folk-lore Journal, Volume 7; Volume 24,” By Folklore Society (Great Britain)

Visiting Healing Wells

“Besides saining with fire, there was also saining with water, and Beltane was the great season for visiting “magic” or “holy” wells. The custom has by no means died out, the most notable survival being the annual “pilgrimage” to the Cloutie Well on Culloden Moor, near Inverness, which described elsewhere.” The silver bough vol 2

Visits to healing wells was a common occurrence for people on May day.

Two centuries earlier an attempt was made by the kirk-session of Perth to put a stop to an annual gathering on May Day at a cave in the face of Kinnoul hill adjoining the town. This cave was called the Dragon Hole, and was the scene of ancient rites of a superstitious nature. Other illustrations might be selected from the Folklore of May Day, but those given above show that the season was held in much superstitious regard. Accordingly, we need not be surprised that well-worship took its place among the rites of May Day, and of May Month also, since the whole of May was deemed a charmed time. "Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs" (in regards to Hone’s Every-Day Book on Edinburgh)

Mock Human Sacrifice

During the quarter days, quarter cakes were eaten ritually. For Beltane, this was called bannoach Bealltain or Beltane Cakes.

"Beltane cakes were also made at Keith, being baked the day before. The upper side was watered with a batter, made of whisked eggs, milk, and oatmeal. Struan Michaels and Beltane bannocks were prepared in Ross-shire down to the close of the nineteenth century." “Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland,” by Joseph McKenzie McPherson (1929)

Exactly how they were eaten would depend on the area.

"In Caithness, within the last seventy years, each family in the neighbourhood of Watten carried bread and cheese to the top of a hill called Heathercrow and left it there. After sunrise, the herds might take away the spoil for their own homes." “Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland,” by Joseph McKenzie McPherson (1929)

For some, it involved a mock human sacrifice.

The boys would go out, kindle a fire, have a meal, and sing and dance around it for fun. After, someone would produce a bannock and divide it for the group.

"Towards the close of the entertainment, the person who officiated as master of the feast produced a large cake baked with eggs and scalloped round the edge, called am bonnach bea-tine—i.e., the Beltane cake. It was divided into a number of pieces, and distributed in great form to the company.John Ramsay, laird of Ochtertyre, near Crieff, the patron of Burns and the friend of Sir Walter Scott." The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer[1922] Chapter 62. The Fire-Festivals of Europe

One piece stood out from the others, and the person who picked it was doomed to be “sacrificed.” It was just a symbolized sacrifice and the group would act as if (but would not actually) throw the person into the fire.

“There was one particular piece which whoever got was called cailleach beal-tine—i.e., the Beltane carline, a term of great reproach. Upon his being known, part of the company laid hold of him and made a show of putting him into the fire; but the majority interposing, he was rescued. “ John Ramsay, laird of Ochtertyre, near Crieff, the patron of Burns and the friend of Sir Walter Scott." "The Golden Bough" by Sir James George Frazer[1922] Chapter 62. The Fire-Festivals of Europe.

Unfortunately for the poor boy, the victim would then be referred to as dead for as long as people remembered for the year.

“Similarly at the Beltane fires in Scotland the pretended victim was seized, and a show made of throwing him into the flames, and for some time afterwards people affected to speak of him as dead.” “The Golden Bough,” by Sir James George Frazer (1922)

Luckily, in other places, the sacrificed only had to jump the fire(typically either three or seven times), then that would be the end of it.

“….then lots are cast, and he on whom the lot falls, must leap seven times over the fire, while the young folks dance round in a circle. Then they cook their eggs and cakes, and all sit down to eat and drink and rise up to play.” Old Scottish Customs, Local and General by Ellen Emma Guthrie 1885

For others, it was not as dramatic.

"While the fire was blazing, a common meal was partaken, part of which was offered to the spirit of the fire." “Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland,” by Joseph McKenzie McPherson (1929)

After making and kneading a bannock, the boys would bake it on a flat stone placed on embers. When it is properly baked, they divide it to the same number of people there is in the group (trying to keep the pieces the same shape).

"They kindle a fire , and dress & repast of eggs and milk of the consistence of a custard . They knead a cake of oatmeal , which is toasted at the embers against a stone . After the custard is eaten up , they divide the cake into so many portions , as similar as possible to one another in size and shape , as there are persons in the company ." PERTHSHIRE . In Sinclair’s Stat . Acc . of Scotland ( 1794 , vol . xi . p . 620 ) British Popular Customs, Present and Past; Illustrating the Social and Domestic

Only one piece is selected and covered with charcoal until it is completely black.

That done, all the pieces are placed in a bonnet, and everyone is blindfolded to pick out a piece. The person who is holding the bonnet gets the last.

Whoever was unlucky enough to pick up the black piece is the symbolized sacrifice and must jump the fire three times.

“The boy, to whose share the black piece falls, is obliged to leap three times through the flames, at which the repast was prepared.” Statistical Account of Scotland, 1794, XI. 620, Witchcraft & Second Sight in The Highlands and Islands of Scotland

For others still, they would take a bannock, face towards the fire, and break a piece of the bannock while throwing it over the shoulder as an offering of protection. The request was different for each throw.

‘This I give to thee, preserve thou my horses,’ and ‘This to thee, preserve thou my sheep,’ and so on. After that they use the same ceremony to the noxious animals, This I give thee, O fox, spare thou my lambs! This to thee, O hooded crow! This to thee, O eagle!��� When the ceremony is over they dine on the caudle.” “Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland,” by Joseph McKenzie McPherson (1929)

Fires

The Beltane fires were man’s response to the attack of the powers of darkness which were believed to be abroad with peculiar force at this season. “Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland,” by Joseph McKenzie McPherson (1929)

A large heap of old thatch, straw, or other materials were piled. Traditionally, this was done on a hill.

“To the south of the Forth several sites are known to have been specially associated with Beltane fires. In Lanarkshire two such sites were, the hills of Tinto and Dechmont. “Tinto, indeed, means the hill of fire. It was used for beacon-fires as well as for those connected with nature-festivals, and was well adapted for the purpose, being 2335 feet above the sea, and 1655 feet above the Clyde at its base. Though not nearly so high, Dechmont hill commands a splendid view over the neighbouring country. Early in the present century a quantity of charcoal was discovered near its summit hidden beneath a stratum of fine loam. The country people around expressed no surprise at the discovery, as they were familiar with the tradition that the spot had been used for the kindling of Beltane fires. In Peeblesshire, too, the Beltane festival long held its ground. Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs

For some, this would serve as the need-fire; which was a purification fire that was lit by friction.

"Tein-ēigin, neid-fire, need-fire, forced fire, fire produced by the friction of wood or iron against wood." Carmina Gadelica, Volume 2, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900]

It was a saining practice done on quarter-days, when there was some sort of calamity, or just when someone needed extra luck for an especially important event. It was considered bad luck to bring fire out of the house or gift any to someone on the day. For Bealtane, two fires might be lit, and cattle would be driven through to purify them.

"When the sacred fire became kindled, the people rushed home and brought their herds and drove them through and round the fire of purification, to sain them from the ‘bana bhuitseach mhor Nic Creafain,’–the great arch witch daughter Cranford, Mac Creafain, now Crawford." Carmina Gadelica, Volume 2, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900]

After, the ashes would be scattered, sometimes with yells to “burn the witches.” The intent was to destroy and scare off the forces of evil, which would allow the area to become fertile.

“The fire in consuming them destroyed the powers hostile to man, purified the air, and allowed man and beast and vegetation to thrive and become fertile.” The circumambulating the fields with blazing branches carried the virtue to areas a considerable distance from the bonfire. “ “Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland,” by Joseph McKenzie McPherson (1929)

It would work in a way, too. The ash would fertilize the soil, helping to make it healthier for the coming growing season.

Other

Another significant ceremony, as showing the adoration of nature, was the combat between winter and summer which took place on May-day (Laa-boaldyn); the latter, which was represented by a young girl, decorated with leaves, being victorious, and thus typifying the victory of Nature’s reproductive power. The Folk-Lore of the Isle of Man by A. W. Moore[1891]

"On the night preceding it, i.e. Beltane eve, witches were awake, and went about as hares, to take their produce (toradh), milk, butter, and cheese, from the cows. People who believed in their existence were as earnest to counteract their machinations. Tar was put behind the ears of the cattle, and at the root of the tail; the animals were sprinkled with urine to keep them from fighting; the house was hung with rowan-tree, etc., etc. By having a churning past and a cheese made (muidhe ’s mulchag) before sunrise, the Fairies were kept away from the farm for the rest of the year. If any came to ask for rennet (deasgainn), it should not on any account be given to them. It would be used for taking the substance out of the giver’s own dairy produce.When the day arrived, it was necessary, whatever the state of the weather, though people sank ankle deep in snow, or (as the Gaelic idiom has it), though snow came over the shoes, to get the cattle away to the summer pastures among the hills (àiridh)." Witchcraft & Second Sight in The Highlands and Islands of Scotland

John Duncan’s “Riders of the Sidhe” (1911) “The artist here represents the fairy folk “setting forth on a Beltane eve in a kind of ritualistic procession, carrying symbols of their faith and power, and their good pleasure dowering mortals with spiritual gifts.” E.A. Taylor; Art. Some Pictures by John Duncan in The Studio, Vol. 80 (1930)

[blpalace]

💙💙💙 ~ BL STORY BOOST ~ 💙💙💙

If you have a BL story posted on Scribblehub and would like to see it featured here on BLPalace, please submit this form!

Today we bring you:

Author: PumpkinEwe - Profile on SH, @pumpkinewe

Title: Romance of the Cursed Knight

Genres: BL, Fantasy Romance

Age rating: 18+ (Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language)

Story Status: Ongoing, currently 54 chapters, 102k words

SUMMARY

Shafir is a knight who was cursed and has a strained relationship with his captain, who was his teenage classmate as a squire. He lives with this crippling anxiety that everyone thinks he's out to get them because of a curse that this evil, although heartbroken, dark elf put on him. Because of this anxiety, he sees his captain's romantic intentions toward him as not romantic but somehow a way to piss him off on purpose. So due to this miscommunication, he HATES his captain, but secretly has repressed his love for his captain and has mistaken it for anger.

💙💙💙💙 More details and a snippet below the cut! 💙💙💙💙

Setting: Western Fantasy

POV: 3rd person limited, Multiple characters Pov

MC: Shafir, Half-Dark Elf, 27 yo, Knight

ML: Eliqinor, High Elf, 30 yo, Knight

Couple Dynamics: Bickering couple, 🤬🧍, Vers couple, Honey Badger Bottom x Golden Retriever Top

Tags: Aggressive Characters, Aristocracy, Bickering Couple, Bodyguards, Boss-Subordinate Relationship, Character Growth, Childhood Love, Curses, Elemental Magic, Elves, Enemies Become Lovers, Fantasy World, Hot-blooded Protagonist, Knights, Love Interest Falls in Love First, Misunderstandings, Near-Death Experience, Necromancer, Nudity, R-18, Sharp-tongued Characters, Slow Romance, Sword And Magic, Unreliable Narrator, Implied Side Character Polyamorous Relationship, Gay Side Couple, Lesbian Side Couple

Themes: Miscommunication, Fear of failure, Loneliness as destructive force, Manipulation, Losing hope, Man vs self, Man vs man

Tropes: Enemies to lovers, Rivals to Lovers, Bickering couple

Vibes/ Mood: Happy Ending, Slow Burn, Some Angst, Clown4Clown

Other Points of Interest: Evil Big Bad is hot

Content Warnings: Sexual acts, self medical procedure, irresponsible alcohol consumption, roofie drugs

SNIPPET

The warm hand moved from his chin and cupped his cheek softly. Something about it felt too intimate, and it made him shiver. It was nowhere near as animalistic as he felt at the moment, and it didn't suit his tastes. He needed something rougher and something that would touch his jaded soul. Slowly his hand let go of the wine and, like a predator pouncing on its prey, the hand that had grabbed the wine intertwined with his own. Rough, calloused hands clasped as if the owner was afraid of losing Shafir, and he could tell they would never let him go.

💙💙💙💙 HAPPY BL-ING 💙💙💙💙

[mannatea]

part 4!

First of all, "the Scouring" sounds like the most genocidal war name to ever exist. We love the idea of some heroes, but how heroic were these eight heroes, exactly?

Also, 980ish years of peace is insane.

Anyway, our heroes:

Hartmut founded Bern.

St. Elimine's name flourishes in Etruria with artisans.

Hannon's legacy lives on in Sacae.

Knight Barigan was born in Ilia.

Durban's final glory was to create a warrior's clan in the Western Isles.

Archsage Athos retired to the barren wasteland of Nabata.

The heirs of the champion Roland became the lords of the Lycian League.

And then we have our final hero who hasn't been mentioned yet (ayyy)!

I find it super interesting that Elimine has been sainted. I mean, goofy jokes aside, you can't really have saints without some Catholicism so I guess these guys are all Catholic! Or at least, Etruria is.

Though, when you look at the prologue, Kent says (about the shrine to the Mani Katti) that he's glad the "ancient customs" are still being observed in Sacae.

I mostly find this interesting because deep down in my bones I have the Shipper Tee-Hees 🤭(and Kent being open-minded in this way is a good thing for that), but also...it must mean something? It's been 980 years! At this point, does everyone just assume that the traditions in Sacae are the original way of doing things? And, for that matter, are they? Are we meant to think that Sacae stayed pretty similar to the traditional way of life there while Lycia and Etruria and even Bern have changed with the times? Is Kent just a huge history nerd??? Am I overthinking this? (Shhh, shhhhh...I know the answer is yes.)

Elimine being sainted and everyone turning toward using her name as an explicative is something we fanfic writers love to see in worldbuilding, but what is she the patron saint of? The arts? There should be other saints? Is she the first and only saint? I feel like for MAXIMUM WORLDBUILDING I need more. Or at least, I need for Lycia, Bern, Etruria, and Ilia to all feel like completely separate countries with differences in culture vibes other than the most obvious stuff.

THEN AGAIN, I'm pretty sure I remember Roland's name mentioned in a similar way. IMO, all of the heroes should have been sainted. SHUT UP I KNOW I AM THINKING TOO MUCH ABOUT THIS.

One last thing. Roland. Just due to the intro text here about Roland, we know one thing: Roland canonically FUCKED. A LOT. Bro had so many children he scattered them throughout the land.

But like, it wasn't as if the world wasn't already inhabited? Judging by the map, I could see where Bern and Lycia might not have been much of anything (the mountain ranges kind of cut them off), but still. I'm picturing Roland with his 12 wartime born children like, okay...and you get a castle. and YOU get a castle. AND YOU GET A CASTLE! WHO BUILT THEM THOUGH.

--

ONe YEAR LATER!!!!

First of all...<3 Marcus!

Also there's something here about Elbert's disappearance (that he disappeared with a loyal retinue) that should be making all of the game's loyal knight characters feel some type of way, especially once Elbert dies. But I'll get to that later lol.

Like my guy is gone a month and rumors of his death start flying around? Bruh. It would take that long to get to Ostia.

Also, love how all these Pheraens have diadems lol.

OKAY time to be serious though. Realizing all the best knights have vanished, it makes sense for ne'er-do-wells to start causing problems. Like what's the castle going to do, send a bunch of squires? LOL OKAY.

Also I notice that Lowen calls Marcus "Commander"—I wonder if this title is the same rank that Kent holds, and if so, it makes sense that it's such a big deal that Kent has it. Marcus is far older. (But it's not like Caelin had a lot of choice since their ranks were devastated and God knows what they had to do with all the traitors, but we'll get to that.)

Eliwood thanking providence for reuniting with Mark? How religious coded of him.

Rebecca! She's honestly so cute. Speaking of cute...

Bartre is honestly adorable?? Him being over-talkative?? He's a cool dude.

Look at my Eliwood's first level up:

AYYYYY

FUCK YOU

There's also something interesting here... with Laus.

That the magistrate's brother was in Laus until he fled just a few days ago (having lost everything) definitely says something. I guess Pherae is no Ostia...and neither is Caelin when you think about it. Stuff like this makes it even more understandable that Ostia is the head of the Lycian League and that they have a spy network.

It's just so obvious who the target is, lol. I mean, Caelin couldn't possibly be back on its feet again after everything that went down a year ago, and they are the only canton that has this issue, making them the easiest and weakest target.

This kind of goes back to how it would take literal years for Caelin to fix all of the issues that must have popped up following Lundgren's stupid uprising. The ranks of the military would have had to get reshuffled. You have Kent and Sain in charge of all of the knights who didn't turn traitor during the events of the prologue. No way could they possibly get enough new faces in to replace everyone lost or let go (or executed), let alone get them trained well enough to meet a strong military force. Caelin is going to be running on fumes.

I'm feral about Caelin leave me alone lol

[wildwren]

Some incomplete and perhaps incoherent thoughts on class, race, personhood and women’s sexuality; Tom Jones (2023) in conversation with Fielding’s text

Warning: spoilers for The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling and Tom Jones (2023)

I’ve been thinking about the changes to Sophia’s story and how they both serve to add dimension to her character and to engage with existing themes of the text in complex ways. In Fielding’s text, Sophia is the white English-born daughter of Squire Western and the offspring of a “legitimate” (but very unhappy) marriage. In the 2023 adaptation, she is Squire Western’s granddaughter, born in Jamaica as the offspring of a non-consensual union between her white slaver father (Squire Western’s son) and her Black mother Beneba. She, like Tom, is a bastard, but she has been legitimized, given her father’s name, and declared sole heiress of her family’s fortune. 

These changes don’t make Sophia’s storyline easier to witness — her arc is essentially about violence and the erasure of women’s wills by society, and they now include a racialized component as well. Sophia and Honour experience racial prejudice and harassment while fleeing to London, and Sophia’s entrapment and abuse by Lady Bellaston involves racialized as well as sexual violence, as Lady Bellaston quite literally tries to whitewash her. To make these moments land, the adaptation has endeavored to strike a tonal balance by giving the narrative voice of the story to Sophia herself, consistently framing the action through her gaze, and allowing appropriate space and gravitas for the injustice of her imprisonment and assault. They’ve also explored the text’s existing themes of class, personhood, and women’s sexuality within this new context. 

In as much as it is possible to attribute prescient thematic points to the sort of madness Fielding was writing, there is an ongoing critique throughout the text about the artificial construction of personhood based on class, and particularly the relationship between class and women’s sexuality. Even in the novel, both Tom and Sophia are subject to conditional personhood — Tom due to his status as a low-born bastard, and Sophia due to her status as a woman. But this parallel takes on new meaning in the adaptation. Sophia’s new backstory means that now both lovers have been “rescued” from the conditions of their birth by benefactors to whom they owe their gratitude: Sophia to the grandfather who brought her across the ocean, Tom to his adopted father Squire Allworthy, who raised Tom as his son but never as his heir. Of course, both Tom and Sophia are betrayed by these benefactors as soon as they fail to meet the requirements of their conditional personhood. I appreciate how this adaptation brings attention to Allworthy’s hypocrisy as well as Squire Western’s, as it makes the parallel more coherent. It’s because of this conditional personhood that Tom and Sophia are even able to fall in love in the first place — all those intimate hours together are only allowed because Squire Western doesn’t fundamentally see either of them as full people capable of their own wills.

Tom is marked from birth as less than a full person, by nature of his association with his “ruined” mother (a teenaged serving girl presumably impregnated by her middle-class master). His “base” nature is further reinforced by his continued association with other “ruined” women. His status as a gentleman (or lack thereof) is fundamental to his identity and entirely outside of his control. Whether by the manipulations of Mr. Blifil or the willful bias of others such of Allworthy, Tom’s actions are consistently interpreted in the worst possible light, cyclically upholding the assumption that he’s not a “proper” gentleman after all. 

Of course, Tom still gets away with quite a lot (he is a handsome white man after all!), no more so than at the story’s finale, when he himself is legitimatized and all is forgiven, doubly proving Fielding’s point. If it feels contrived that Squire Western should immediately and inexorably reverse his opinion on Tom as a match for Sophia, it’s because it is contrived. Squire Western’s refusal of Tom never had anything to do with his personality, charm, sentiment towards Sophia, or personal honor, but merely his lack of sufficient legal personhood to match Sophia’s. It’s a frustrating feature of the story that in order to deliver Tom and Sophia to a happy ending, Fielding must in the end uphold the very systems he spent much of the novel’s breadth critiquing. However, I do believe it’s meant to land with some irony. And there are some nice touches to Fielding’s execution of the twist — for instance, that Tom’s legitimacy comes from his relationship with his mother, not his father, who in fact does not matter at all. 

Of course, Sophia’s arc is also very much about the relationship between personhood, class, and sexuality. She has the status of personhood by virtue of her wealth, but keeping it is dependent on her consenting to marry within her own class. Her sexuality is so constrained and controlled that her desire for Tom is described by Aunt Western as “monstrous inclinations” and is at one point compared by Squire Western to beastiality. To marry Tom would mean relinquishing her own claim to personhood, a fate so unthinkable that neither Sophia nor Tom ever seriously consider it beyond a few passionate outbursts. When Sophia flees Somersetshire, she is not running to elope with Tom, only to buy herself more time to make Squire Western see sense and hold off her marriage to Blifil. 

There’s a certain aspect of this drama that is a bit hard to buy, especially for modern readers. Sophia is an heiress — she’ll inherit her own wealth. She’s in love with Tom, who is one of her father’s dearest friends. Why can’t everyone be happy? Aside from the reasons stated above and the constraints on Sophia’s sexuality that exist already in the text, the adaptation has added additional context. As a Black heiress, Sophia’s status as a legal person in English society is already so fragile that Squire Western and Aunt Western feel justified in acting to preserve that personhood by any means possible — namely, by securing her marriage within her class against her will. In the show’s first episode, Squire Western says to his sister: “My girl is beautiful and she is rich. Who cares if she be Black and a bastard too?” to which Aunt Western replies, “Good lord, Brother. The world may care rather a lot.” The fact that this personhood does not include the right to consent is already explored in the novel, but the adaptation includes the arc of Sophia grappling with the knowledge and grief that her mother died while enslaved. 

The relationship between Sophia and Squire Western is one of my least favorite parts of the novel, but the changes to Sophia’s backstory add some additional context and complexity, and some careful tonal choices go a long way. It makes sense, after all, that Sophia would feel some devotion for her doting grandfather, her last family member not bound by lived experience to her memories of Jamaica and her slaver father. At the same time, the adaptation never minimizes the fact that Squire Western still sees Sophia as a form of property — the granddaughter he brought across the ocean at great expense, the last living reminder of his slaver son. In some ways, they’ve made him less awful — he’s certainly less explosively violent than he is in the novel, wherein he hits Sophia, verbally abuses her to a much more intense degree, and regularly threatens her with death. But the implicit violence of his banal small-mindedness is not erased. 

Aside from the issue of Sophia’s forced marriage, which is cut-and-dry violence, their relationship seems to evoke some of the painful and complex dynamics that can arise from interracial adoption. Squire Western declares himself to love and cherish his perfect, beautiful Sophie, and Sophia has an honest experience of feeling loved by him, but ultimately, he doesn’t really understand her experience or her pain, and he makes no effort to. 

Just as Tom’s happy ending must uphold the very systems that have oppressed him, so too must Sophia’s. In the novel’s finale, Squire Western does not receive any comeuppance for his role in the drama, despite acting as much a villain to the lovers as Lady Bellaston and Mr. Blifil, both of whom receive their just desserts. Within the context of the story, there is no ending for Sophia wherein she disowns Squire Western and lives out her days as an independently wealthy woman. Her happy ending can only exist when her will and Squire Western’s will align, which is made possible by the novel’s final twist. In the end, Sophia must live with the complexity of her relationship with Squire Western, not overcome it. I’ll let you decide how you feel about the adaptation's handling of that. I’m still not sure how I do. 

I can never get to the end of this story without wanting to write fic about it, specifically about Sophia’s trauma, and how that might impact her relationship with Jones and with Squire Western going forward. I wrote fic about it when I finished the book and I’m writing fic about it now in the context of the show’s canon and characters. In some ways, the ending leaves more questions for me than it leaves neat conclusions. Whether that’s a strength of the story or a weakness is, I suppose, a matter of taste. The adaptation put a lot of love into rendering Sophia’s arc and illustrating her experience in this 18th-century world. It centered her voice and her gaze as much as possible, and it gave the spotlight to Sophie Wilde’s performance, which is the ultimate heart of their story. For all of those reasons, I appreciate it as an example of race-conscious historical drama and as an adaptation engaged in post-colonial dialogue with the English literary “canon.” 

Whether it ultimately succeeded in giving Sophia all the justice she deserved, I’ll leave to voices other than my own.

[rhiawriter]

The Dragon's Cloak Ch. 4

Lyanna heard the sound of loud, drunken singing. It was late, but the castle grounds were not empty. Likely, it was a group of young nobles, leaving the grounds to sample the delights of the brothels of King’s Landing. Lyanna drew her hood in tighter around her face and made herself appear smaller. She kept her head to the ground, determined to reach the stables without her little rebellion gaining attention. The stables were in her sights, when she heard a sound that made her grimace.

“That’s right, tree-worshipper.” The shout was followed by a loud smack. “You’ll take what we give you.”

“What your tree-love isn’t protecting you?” Another voice shouted. “This stick hurts you just the same as the rest of us?”

Lyanna followed the sound of the voices until she found three young squires illuminated by torchlight with Lannister lions embroidered into their jackets, circling a slight man with dark hair and a leather vest. One of the squires held a stick in his hand, which he had clearly been using on the small man who was bruised and bleeding. She didn’t recognize him, but from his dark looks and their hateful taunts, she knew he must be northerner. A northerner who was being attacked by westerners for the simple reason that Lyanna Stark was marrying Rhaeger. A deadly combination of rage and guilt overtook her and all thoughts of her secret little rebellion that no one was to know about fled.

“Hey!” She shouted, marching over to them. “Get away from him!”

She came up behind one of the squires as he raised his stick for a blow. Moving on instinct and her years of training in the practice yards with her brothers, she kicked the man in the back of the knee. The man was stronger than her, and she had no doubt that he would win in a fair fight, but she had the element of surprise working in her favor. The man crumbled, and in his pain released the stick, which she took in her own hand.

“Who are you?” The squire grabbed his knee, wincing as he scrambled to his feet.

Lyanna moved into the center of the circle, her knees bent in a fighting stance, while she held the stick in her hand.

“Just another tree-worshiper,” she said, raising the stick over her head and landing a loud and satisfying whack on the squire’s shoulder. For a moment, she felt enormously pleased with herself until she realized the true vulnerability of her position. The three squires circled her. They were young. The oldest seemed to be about Lyanna’s age. They didn’t yet have the muscular grace of true warriors. They were still rather scrawny and awkward in their movements, like young colts. But they were all bigger than she was, and undoubtedly stronger. The man beside her was in no position to fight. What was she thinking? She was out alone in the dark with no one to protect her.

Read the full chapter on Ao3.

[baebeylik]

Johann Schiltberger was born in the Holy Roman Empire (Germany) in 1380 CE. He became a Christian squire and joined a crusade alongside the Hungarians against the Ottomans. Unfortunately for him he was captured by the Ottomans at Nicopolis in 1396. He spent years as a slave in the Ottoman military before being captured once again by Timur (Tamerlane) at the Battle of Ankara in 1402.

Now under the forceful servitude of the Timurids he spent years traveling the East. He was sent as far as Armenia, to the Kipchaks in the North, to modern day Samarkand and even parts of Siberia. While under Ottoman captivity he had seen Egypt and Constantinople. He wrote of cultures that few other Western Europeans at the time had contact with.

In 1427 he fled by boat back to Europe where he wrote of his travels.

[princesssarisa]

Sleeping Beauty Spring: "Faerie Tale Theatre: Sleeping Beauty" (1983 TV series episode)

Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre is a cult classic among children of the '80s and '90s. So many of us grew up enjoying this TV series of hour-long fairy tale adaptations, with their celebrity casts, visuals inspired by the work of famous artists and illustrators, slightly cheesy special effects, and a blend of sincerity and quirky irreverence. I saw nearly every episode in its '90s reruns on The Disney Channel, or else on VHS with my friends at school during our parents' PTA meetings.

Sleeping Beauty is the fifth episode of the series. It stars Bernadette Peters and Christopher Reeve, who not only play the Princess and her Prince, but show off their acting range by also playing each other's unsavory romantic false leads, the "bad girl" Princess Debbie and the silly, spoiled son of King Murray. The rest of the cast includes Beverly d'Angelo as the sassy villainous fairy Henbane, Carol Kane as the slightly goofy yet sweet Pink Fairy who softens Henbane's curse from death to sleep, René Auberjonois and Sally Kellerman as the Princess's parents King Boris and Queen Natasha, and George Dzundza as the Woodsman who narrates the story.

Rather than the standard Western European country, this version of the story is set in Russia – mot likely in tribute to Tchaikovsky, whose music, not only from The Sleeping Beauty but from The Nutcracker and Romeo and Juliet, is heard in excerpts throughout. This creates a beautiful and unique visual aesthetic, inspired by the fairy tale illustrations of Kay Nielsen. The bulk of the story is told as a flashback, narrated by the Woodsman to a prince and his squire. Midway through (although the twist is predictable from the start), the "squire" is revealed to really be the Prince, and vice-versa. They've switched places so the Prince can better observe the moral character of the princesses he meets: a lesson he learned some time ago, when he was nearly ensnared by the seductive Arabian princess Debbie, who turned out to be the evil fairy Henbane in disguise.

The Woodsman's tale reveals that once upon a time, Queen Natasha longed for a child, but neither she nor King Boris knew how to have one, until a tiny fairy gave them some much-needed, discreetly whispered advice. When their daughter is born, they invite six fairies to the christening: distinctly Russian-looking fairies in white gowns and ornate headscarves, who all have strange-sounding voices and bright-colored skin. (Furthermore, one fairy is male, but dresses just like the female fairies and has the mannerisms of a sassy gay man.) Villainous Henbane has gray skin, while her sweet, lisping younger sister who softens her curse is pink.

Twenty years later, the Princess has grown up to be a kind, graceful beauty, who cooks food for the poor and expresses her longing for love with the classic Judy Garland song "I'm Nobody's Baby." (A jokey anachronism, yes, but also a showcase for Bernadette Peters' famous singing voice.) In a choice that recalls the Czech film How to Wake a Princess, her parents have arranged for her to marry the son of the visiting King Murray, in hope that in his kingdom she'll be safe from Henbane's curse. But the foreign prince turns out to be a foppish, cowardly snob. Horrified by the thought of marrying him, the Princess flees to a secluded tower... where, of course, Henbane waits in disguise as an old woman with a spinning wheel.

After the sleeping Princess is found, the Pink Fairy arrives, puts the grieving King and Queen to sleep, and freezes the rest of the court like statues. But not to be outdone, Henbane surrounds the castle with "man-eating briars," which move like snakes to grab their victims, and changes herself into a reptilian, fire-breathing giant (not quite a dragon like Disney's Maleficent, but close) to prevent any prince from breaking the spell. But of course, a hundred years later, these obstacles can't deter the Prince. Running off with the Woodsman's axe, he chops his way through the briars, then battles the gigantic Henbane and slays her by throwing the axe at her. Then he wakes the Princess with a kiss, and everyone lives happily ever after... except for the Woodsman, who never gets his axe back and is left trying to chop down trees with a knife.

Children will enjoy this Sleeping Beauty as a colorful retelling of the classic tale. Adults will enjoy it as a lightly fractured fairy tale, with quite a few grown-up jokes and innuendos, yet which strikes a good balance between silliness and sincerity. Either way, it's a memorable retelling, and a standout episode of the Faerie Tale Theatre series.

@ariel-seagull-wings, @thealmightyemprex, @faintingheroine, @reds-revenge, @comma-after-dearest, @autistic-prince-cinderella, @paexgo-rosa, @thatscarletflycatcher, @the-blue-fairie, @themousefromfantasyland

[pinkyjulien]

🟨 HighVoltage: AUs 🌌

Or- Two gonks who keep falling in love in every universes 👉👈

It's always fun to explore AU! I have a LOT of them gfhhgf usually they're quick brainrots without any proper lore, and not all of them actually have visuals (like the Mass Effect or Dragon Age AU, still need to port the necessary garments for those 🤏)

ALL OF MY AUS Basically goes down to; Valentin get betrayed/in a shitty situation where he almost die, Mitch comes around and save him- same story as my canon 😌

Starting with the Witcher AU- or how I like to call him the Mitcher Haven't worked on Valentin's appearance yet ghfhg

▶ Witcher AU

That boy would've died if not for Mitch. Good thing the witcher was passing by and heard loud screams echoin' from the cave; a good place to pass the night, the young man thought, not aware of the kind of creatures lurking around. Without anywhere to go, and without any money to properly thanks his savior, Valentin offered his help to the witcher. Not wanting to let the kid die in the wild, Mitch accepted; He'd be his squire until they reach the capital.

▶▶▶ Some other AUs under ReadMore

▶ Greaser AU 🧥

Waiter at the local diner, Valentin sure isn't immune to the charm of the handsome Mr. Anderson, member of the cool Aldecaldos greaser gang that recently rolled in town, especially after the older man saved him from bullies in a dark alley, probably saving his life that night.

▶ Western AU 🌵

Was a day just like the other until Mitch's horse freaked out at the view of what seemed to be a corpse on the side of the road. The boy turned out to be alive, left for dead by his ex team after a failed heist attempt.

▶ Life Paths AU - Corpo 💻 | Street Kid 💊

Fresh intern Da Silva, wanting to impress his superior on his first week, accidently breach some of the ice installed on Militech's servers after an attempt at updating the systems. Anderson, head of tech, knows the boy surely won't survive the day after this mistake. He decide to finally trust his guts and flee the corporation with his new protege.

Somewhere in Santo Domingo, a young Valentino just took a beating. "Heard you were running low on meds" Valentin said, sitting down, his back facing the older man. "C'mon, kid. Told ya' to stop comin here, they don't like your kind." Even tho the older 6th Street wanted him to be alright, he'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the company. "Mmph, nothing serious this time, I'll survive. You, however... Y'know what happens to vets who run out of pills, right? Don't want you to turn psycho." Mitch puffed out a cloud of smoke as the younger man handed him the sealed bottle. He wasn't sure as to why Valentin cared for him that much, but... he was the first person to do so since the war ended.

[juliakeyoto]

I know your post is just a quick run-down but I need an excuse to rant because the consequences of nobility and crest in this game is just so horrific and there's so much details about it:

- Felix and Dimitri were used as child soldier ( as a squire and a commander ) at 15 to suppress a rebellion of the Western Kingdom. It's probably just as much part of their trauma as Duscur. Felix even add they learn to raise a sword before learning to read.

- Ingrid, not even an adult, dream to become a soldier so she can escape the situation you mentioned. And when she become one it's nearly to the point of being suicidal ( especially looking at AG )

- Felix and especially Annette dad favor the prince over their own children

- Annette is pushed by her uncle to excel in every traditional skill of an housewife to not "devaluate her crest" ( Dedue support )

- Marianne, Sylvain, Dimitri, Linhardt, Bernadetta are all pushed in role they don't want because they're noble. Not only that, but even those who do want the role like Lorenz suffer from the pressure

- The beast that killed Raphael parents is implied to be released because of nobles infighting

- Claude and Leonie support, Dimitri suspicion on Arundel because he stopped giving to the Church, the lady hiding in the Abyss because she is of another religion, the banned books of the Abyss etc all seem to indicate the Church doesn't tolerate any kind of blasphemy, criticism or other religion

And as for the Church could do. They could use their power and influence over the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus to stop a literal genocide. They could use the endless knowledge they amassed and censored to saves countless lives, like for example solving the famine in Faerghus which Rhea is able do as per AG. They could be teaching orphan they rescued ( like Cyril ) basic education like reading instead of fighting and reciting prayer. They could tolerate other religion instead of forcing believer to live hidden underground.

Sorry for the the random long-ass ask but you post resonate so much with me, it's genuinely so upsetting to see people not only defend the Church but also justify everything mentioned in thoses not even exhaustive list

Hey, I completely understand you! I wanted to cover as many people as possible, with little detail just to kinda hammer the point in. You’ve got a great list! You should do one of these yourself lol. I haven’t seen Dedue supports for a while, or played through all of AG, so I get you