#tatiana approves!

[erikahenningsen]

Started re-reading The Hunger Games on audiobook but unfortunately the way the narrator pronounces "Mellark" inspires violence in me

[cartridgeconverter]

[love-godapproves-ships]

Oh great love god! I seek your wisdom and power! I seek answers for a question of grave importance!

do you think Tatiana Slozhno and Barb Larvernor of hit musical Spies Are Forever by Tin Can Bros should kiss?

oh 100% they’re lesbian lovers. curt and tatiana only kissed cause BOTH of them are queer and covering it up

[marzipanandminutiae]

How did your housemates convince you the canadians of all people hate you? I'm imagining you ticking off Tatiana Maslany and them mistakenly assuming she's half the population of the country

Oh no nothing like that

although if I ticked off Tatiana Maslany I feel like, as a lesbian (...supporter), I'd have to leave society forever to live in The Forest

basically a Housemate Thing happened that put me back into the "everyone hates me and I'm actually the worst" mindset I work very hard to fight back most of the time, and at the same time a lot of Canadians are boycotting American products, cancelling trips here, etc. for the very understandable reason that the fucking Cheeto fascist a bunch of assholes elected here (yes, I voted; yes, for Harris) keeps threatening their country with insane tariffs for even more insane reasons

which, you know. IS A HUGE THREAT TO THEIR ECONOMY SINCE WE ARE MASSIVE TRADE PARTNERS. can't really let that go without a response,, and I 100% get it. to paraphrase the immortal words of John Mulaney, I also do not want us to be doing what we're doing!

anyway it makes total sense and it's all at a macro level. it would be hard to miss that many, many Americans do not approve of what's going on right now, and I'm sure Canadians know that. it's a macro-level action in response to macro-level actions. it's not about any individual American citizen

it's just that. my personal mental illness setback at the moment has me like "honestly, yeah, I as an individual deserve any hardship that comes to me, personally, as a result of this and I'm sure all Canadians hate me, specifically. or would if they knew me. because I'm The Worst. part of why I'm The Worst is that I'm an American besides being an absolute monster with a heinous personality. this is all true facts. :)"

all of that is deep nonsense and I firmly know it, in my logical brain. unfortunately logical brain is only intermittently driving the bus right now

mental illness is fucking wild, man

[blqckthorne]

ok i want to talk a little bit about Cassandra Clare and the use of incest as a plot device because i always see stuff, mostly on tik tok, talking about how CC keeps continuously writing incest into her stories and about how weird it is. but the thing is, she only ever writes it to depict how thoroughly the adults in these kids lives abuse and manipulate their kids. 

like in tmi with jace, sebastian, and valentine: valentine told jace that him and clary were siblings because valentine saw that for once in jaces life, jace might choose someone over him. so he lied and said jace has demon blood and was clary’s brother so that jace would think that he was dirty and vile and disgusting and wrong. that clary was good and pure and angelic and jace was evil and demonic, because how could he be anything else when he was in love with his sister, so he might as well join up with valentine. with sebastian, sebastian was so desperate for his fathers love and approval that even after valentine died, he wanted his love so he tried so hard to be like jace. he thought that loving clary would be the thing to fix him, because it was the thing that “fixed” jace. and jace had their fathers love. so did sebastian really have feelings for clary? probably not. but he couldn’t see any other difference between him and jace and how they were brought up other than jaces love for clary, so why wouldn’t he try loving clary too?

in tlh with grace, jesse, and tatiana: tatiana only ever viewed grace as a possession not a daughter, shown through the fact that she continuously used grace to further her own agenda and disregarded any and everything grace ever really cared about, including graces familial relationship with jesse. tatiana was willing to marry grace off to jesse the moment it suited her, regardless of the fact that grace always viewed both tatiana and jesse as family. because tatiana never viewed grace as family. grace was only every a possession, and tatiana bought and used her like one.

none of these depictions of incest are actually romantic. CC is not saying “oh haha brother/sister relationships so sexy” she’s using it to show just how terrible and fucked up these parents are that they would use their children and make them feel like shit in this way. she uses it to show abuse and manipulation and evilness, not to promote sibling fucking.

[kittylover776]

Perhaps maybe (and this is just a theory) Stacy is actually Queen Tatiana reborn, and she was destined to come to Belgravia and meet Edward in the first place. 😁

As Amelie carefully inspected the portrait, Frank’s casual observation cut through the stillness of the room. “You know,” he began with a hint of lightness in his tone, “there’s an uncanny resemblance between Miss Stacy and the late Queen Tatiana.”

Amelie’s eyes narrowed, her fingers delicately tracing the contours of the portrait. “Frank, I’d advise you to choose your words very carefully in the next few seconds.”

Ever unyielding, Frank continued, “I did not mean disrespect, Amelie. It’s just an observation. The eyes, especially. There’s a certain depth that echoes the grace of the late queen.”

Amelie’s reaction was swift, a stern warning issued with the grace of a woman accustomed to preserving secrets. “Frank, you have precisely five seconds to retract that statement.”

Frank, undeterred by Amelie’s warning, replied, “Truth be told, Amelie, it’s unsettling how much they resemble each other. It’s like a reflection through time.”

Amelie sighed, acknowledging the complex dance between past and present. “It’s the eyes,” she admitted softly, almost confessing a guarded secret. “Eyes that hold stories, echoes of the past, and perhaps a legacy that transcends generations. Let’s just hope history doesn’t repeat itself again.”

[thebadgerclan]

Hatred

Pairing: Nikolai Lantsov x reader

Summary: A visit from the Dowager Queen...

Tatiana Lantsov had never liked you.  You were too bold, too outspoken, too independent; a woman with a mind of her own, a woman who wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself.  A woman who was not worthy of her precious Nikolai, you’d heard her say that yourself.  But Nikolai didn’t care, he saw a beautiful, independent, fierce woman whose affection he was lucky to have earned.

The former Queen fought your marriage at every turn, going so far as to feign hysterics when Nikolai proposed.  Tatiana would have objected at the wedding too if Nikolai hadn’t threatened to revoke her invitation.  What made it worse was that you tried so hard to earn her approval, but to no avail.  You dressed in her preferred style, you attended salons with her ladies, you were quiet, demure, only speaking when spoken to.  But you might as well have done nothing, as Tatiana still despised you.

When she was sent away towards the end of the war, you were secretly giddy.  It was a tumultuous time; your husband being crowned, both of you figuring out your new roles as King and Queen, stitching Ravka back together–your mother-in-law’s criticism was the last thing you needed.  But all good things must come to an end.

“Darling,” Nikolai entered your study, lacking his usually buoyant attitude.  “This just arrived.  I wanted you to see it first.”  Your husband handed you a letter which bore the Lantsov Royal Seal, and you cocked your head as you unfolded it.  My darling Sobachka, it read.  I must confess disappointment; I thought you would have invited me to the Palace for a visit by now.  I understand the initial months of your reign were busy, but you’ve settled into the Crown now, surely you can set aside some time for your Mother?

I won’t harp on it, though.  I write to tell you that I will be arriving at the Palace just after the feast of Sankta Neyar.  I wanted my visit to be a surprise, but I believe Y/N could use some time to prepare.  I have been keeping up with the goings on in Os Alta, Nikolai, and I must say, I am impressed.  Your Y/N has done well, especially for a girl of near-common blood.  But…she could benefit from my knowledge.  Her summit with the wives of the Kerch merchant council?  A disaster!

I miss you, my son.  Two years with nothing more than letters.  You would not believe the conditions here!  But I digress, I won’t bore you with the lack of accommodations.  If the post is swift, I shall see you a week after you receive this letter.  I love you, Nikolai.  -Madraya.  You set down the paper, anger flickering in your eyes.  “I could ‘benefit from her knowledge’?” you said, rising from your desk.  “She’s impressed?  Nikolai, I–”  “I know, love, I know.  We can’t turn her away, and she’s likely already departed.”

Your husband knew of his mother’s dislike for you, and while you were courting, he’d done everything he could to shield you from her cold words.  Nikolai had spoken to her at length about the issue; how you were a wonderful girl, how in love with you he was, how she was being unnecessarily harsh.  But Tatiana persisted.  Her treatment of you had been part of his decision to send her away–of course he cared for his mother’s safety, and of course he loved her.  But Nikolai loved you more, and if she would cause you distress, he would do whatever he could to prevent it.

You sighed, your head in your hands.  “Nikolai, I know she’s your mother, and I know you love her, but she hates me!  I can only imagine what she’ll find to nit-pick at when she’s here!”  Your husband rounded your desk and knelt before you, taking your hands in his.  “She will do no such thing, because I won’t let her.  Y/N, my love, you are a perfect Queen, I don’t care what anyone else says.  The people adore you, I adore you, and I will remind you every single day of how wonderfully you’re doing.”

“Was my summit with the merchers’ wives that bad?”  Your husband scoffed.  “No, my love, it went off without a hitch,  She’s just being critical, unjustly so.  Y/N, sweetheart, look at me.”  You did, seeing only love and adoration in his eyes.  “You are the Queen I chose, you are the woman I chose, and I’ll be damned if I let anyone make you feel less than that.”  “Even your mother?”  Nikolai nodded, kissing your knuckles.  “Especially my mother.  And when she arrives, you will be exactly who and what you are:  My perfect, beautiful, beloved Queen.”

***

Nerves consumed you the morning of the Dowager Queen’s arrival, and Nikolai did his best to soothe and comfort you.  “She won’t say anything,” he said, kissing your hand as the two of you entered the parlor where you’d be receiving her.  “I’ll make sure of it.”  You tried not to pace, but only a few minutes after you entered the parlor, an attendant opened the door.  “Announcing Her Royal Highness, the Dowager Queen, Tatiana Lantsov.”

She swept in, her train of blue silk trailing behind her.  “Nikolai!” she cried, hurrying to her son and embracing him. Despite your history, you couldn’t begrudge her this: she was his mother, a mother who missed her son.  “And Y/N.  You look…well.” Your wardrobe had been selected intentionally: purple silk and tulle, a color formerly reserved for royalty; a crown of amethyst–the second rarest gemstone in Ravka to the emerald–atop your head.  White silk gloves adorned your hands, your wedding and engagement rings on your left hand, the Lantsov Emerald on your right.

The message was clear: you were the Queen, not Tatiana, your position commanded respect.  “Thank you, Tatiana,” you replied coolly.  “I must say, we were not expecting you to visit.”  The Dowager sat, breaking a dozen protocols in the process.  “Yes, well, when I didn’t receive an invitation from Nikolai, I took matters into my own hands.  Oh, before I forget, Nikolai, you must have your footmen review proper titles.  All day they’re been calling me ‘Your Royal Highness’!”

“Because that is your title,” you said.  “You are a Dowager Queen, not the wife of the current monarch.  ‘Your Most Royal Majesty’ is reserved for the monarch and their spouse.”  Tatiana bristled.  “Nikolai, are you going to allow her to–”  “I don’t allow Y/N to do anything,” he interjected.  “She does as she pleases.  And she is correct.”  You could feel the irritation rolling off of her, but she let the topic drop.

Conversation turned to lighter subjects: legislation being passed, the latest court gossip, Nikolai’s inventions.  It was painfully obvious that Tatiana became irritated by your contributions to the conversation, and Nikolai noticed.  He kept your hands in his, squeezing gently when she rolled her eyes or muttered under her breath.  You could do this, you could endure her for another few hours.  Or so you thought.

“...And I’ll be hosting a charity dinner next month benefitting children orphaned by the war.”  “Oh, that’s wonderful, dear!” Tatiana responded, not a hint of irritation in her voice.  “I’d be more than happy to come back to help you plan!”  “There’s no need for that,” you said.  “I assure you I have everything under control, but I appreciate your offer.”  “After the fiasco with the Kerch?” she muttered, just loud enough for you to hear.  “I don’t think so.”

You were just about to retort, to let your temp fly, when Nikolai stood.  “That is enough!” he shouted, stunning both you and Tatiana into silence.  “I will not tolerate you berating and disrespecting my wife anymore.”  “Nikolai,” his mother said, her tone that of one soothing a petulant child.  “Surely this is–”  “No, Mother!  From the very first, you have had something against Y/N.  First she was too low-born, then she was too outspoken, then she was too independent, then her gowns were ‘whorishly scandalous’.  You’ve never liked her, and I cannot piece together why, but I’m beyond caring.  It ends now.”

Tatiana rose as well.  “Nikolai, please!  I have only ever wanted what’s best for you, and what’s best for the Crown!  You could have had anyone!  A duke’s daughter, an heiress to a ruby mine!  But you chose this?”  “Yes, Mother!  I chose Y/N!  I chose the woman I love, the woman who never made me feel like I was less than because I was a second son!”  “You deserve more!  Deserve better!”

Nikolai was seething with rage, and he felt the demon writhing within him.  “She loves me!  I love her!  Why is that not enough?  Why has my happiness never been enough for you?”  You watched with a shocked expression: you’d never seen your husband so upset, so angry, and despite the tension of the situation, your heart fluttered to know he would go to such lengths to defend you.

“Of course your happiness is important to me!” Tatiana replied.  “But when you insisted on courting her, I had to question your long term plan!  I had made peace with it, you know?  You marrying the daughter of a low-born baronet.  You were never meant for the throne!  But then your father was murdered….and Vasily, and suddenly she was Queen.  The girl had no training, her manners were unfit for a Queen, she–”

“Enough!”  Nikolai’s shout made Tatiana fall silent.  “You forget your place.”  “I forget–”  “Y/N is not only my wife, but she is your Queen, and I will not stand for you disrespecting her in either capacity.  I have never cared about Y/N’s status, never cared about her manners, I care about her!  And for years, you have tormented her, made her feel unworthy, and I won’t stand for it any longer.

“Either change your attitude, start treating Y/N with respect, or get out.”  Tatiana looked scandalized.  “You would kick me out of my own home?”  “This is not your home!  It’s ours, mine and Y/N’s.  I don’t expect you to love her, I don’t even expect you to like her.  But this treatment needs to stop, and it needs to stop now.”  The Dowager Queen remained silent, and Nikolai took it as an answer enough.  “Guards!”

Four Palace guards entered, on edge after overhearing the argument.  “Escort my mother from the grounds.  She is not to return unless explicitly invited.”  Tatiana blanched.  “Nikolai, you can’t–”  “Can’t I?  No, you’re right, this shouldn’t be my decision…”  Nikolai turned to you, taking your hand in his.  “My love?  Do you want her gone?”  His voice was so gentle, a stark contrast to moments ago.

You stood, straightening the skirts of your gown.  “I do.”  You then addressed the guards.  “As King Nikolai said, she is not to return unless invited.  Which I feel may not be for quite some time.”  When the guards hesitated, Nikolai snapped, “You heard your Queen!”  Tatiana was dragged from the room, and as soon as the doors were shut behind her, Nikolai gathered you into his arms, holding you tightly.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N,” he whispered, kissing your head.  “I can’t…I never thought she’d….fuck, I’m sorry.”  You lifted your head to look at him, to find that he was crying.  “It’s not like it’s a surprise that she hates me,” you said.  “But it hurt, hearing her say it.”  Your husband held you tighter, sniffling softly.  “I love you,” he said.  “I love you so much, Y/N.  I’ve never cared about all the stuff she said, I care about you.  And that she hurt you….Saints, can you forgive me?”

“There’s nothing to forgive, Nikolai,” you said, wiping his tears away with a gloved hand.  “Her hatred for me is not your fault.  And I love you too, more than anything else.”  He kissed you, soft and sweet, wishing he could erase all the hateful things his mother had said to him.  “I don’t want you to cut ties with her,” you said when the kiss broke.  “She’s your mother, and you love her.  I don’t want me to come between you.”

Nikolai shook his head, guiding you to the settee where he pulled you onto his lap.  “I know, darling.  But right now…I can’t even think about her without wanting to break something.”  You cupped his cheek, guiding him into a kiss.  “Thank you for defending me,” you said, and Nikolai wrapped his arms around you, keeping you close to him.  “I will always defend you.  Be it on the battlefield or from my mother.”

You laughed, and he smiled.  “There’s my girl,” Nikolai said, kissing you again.  For several minutes, the two of you sat in silence, enjoying the other’s embrace, before you spoke.  “If this drives a wedge between you two, I don’t think I could forgive myself.”  “Hey, don’t think like that.  If there’s a wedge, it was driven from the first time she rolled her eyes at you.  She’s my mother, yes, and I love her.  But you, Y/N, I love you so much more.”

[warwickroyals]

Sunderland's Royal Jewel Vault (34/∞) ♛

↬ The Duchess of Sherbourne's Scroll Tiara

On their wedding day, it's customary for a royal bride to don a tiara. Anticipation and mystery surround the bride-to-be's wedding jewels just as much as her wedding dress. Throughout the twenty-first century, the opportunity to wear tiaras has dwindled. Royal weddings are one of the last remaining venues for a jaw-dropping tiara moment. When Shelby Elizabeth Sykes became engaged to Prince Henry of Sunderland in early 2019, speculation ramped up once again. Would the bride choose something borrowed from her future in-laws as previous royal brides have done? Or would she take the modern route and opt for something new as the Duchess of Woodbine had back in 2006? As the wedding day drew closer bookies placed their bets and eagle-eyed royal watchers zeroed in on St. John's Caphel. Shelby, a thirty-four-year-old marketing executive, was older than her sisters-law at the times of their weddings and many hoped she would wear a tiara with a bit more weight. Others argued that a smaller tiara was more in line with Shelby's personal style. Many predictions were tossed around but none were correct. Ultimately Shelby got a cross between something borrowed, old, and new. The tiara is an amalgamation of three anthemion and scroll elements from the jewelry collection of Queen Alexandra, which dates back to the 1870s. Following the wedding, the royal family described the tiara on their website: This diamond and platinum tiara was lent to the Duchess by His Majesty the King [ . . . ] The tiara is formed of three open-work scroll motifs which originally belonged to His Majesty's Great-great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra. The tiara was designed by Prince Henry and re-modelled by the Crown Jeweller. The jewels of Sunderland's longest-serving queen consort are major heirlooms and some have suggested that this was King Louis V's way of voicing his approval of his newest daughter-in-law. However, more critical commentators have suggested the recycled jewel might reflect Louis's changing attitude towards jewellery, and how it should be doled out. By 2019, two royal duchesses had left the royal family, one through retirement and the other through divorce. The position of Tatiana, Princess of Danforth, was also shaky following the death of her husband the previous year. Not giving the new Duchess of Sherbourne a substantial tiara from the vault ensures legacy tiaras won't leave the main family; while skirting the costs of commissioning a new tiara. It's been alleged that Shelby wasn't gifted her second tiara until the King and Queen were certain she had "staying power" a year after the wedding. In the years following her wedding, Shelby has worn her scroll and anthemion tiara consistently, but with mixed reactions. The tiara remains controversial among many royal watchers due to its cobbled-together profile. Over the years, criticisms from royal watchers have piled up on social media and online comment sections. Here is a selection of commentary from the online Forum Sunderland's Royal Tea:

The Duchess works so hard and frequently represents the family, it's a shame they still haven't given her a worthy tiara. She's such a classy and elegant lady. How on earth did she get saddled with this Franken? It seems a waste of priceless jewels to have them used so artlessly. Prince Henry is adorable, alas, like so many others in his family, he's inherited ye ol' tin eye when it comes to altering jewellery. Queen Anne was really the last of a generation. Unlike Courtney, the dignified Shelby did not voice any of the disappointment we would have all felt so she has my full respect. The lovely Princess Jacqueline had the best wedding ensemble of HMTK's children, with an excellent gown and a beaut tiara w/ family significance. Tatiana had a boring gown but also an excellent tiara. Courtney's dress and tiara were M-O-R (middle of the road). But poor Shelby, the only one with a happy, drama-free marriage, had a meh gown and a HEDIOUS tiara. I weep for her. RE: The lovely Prin . . . IMHO Shelby got the best deal of the four: a happy marriage with a loving husband who is alive and mentally sound (no smoking or drugs!!) + a sweet little girl w/ one on the way! RE: IMHO Shelby go. . . She kept her man and caused the least trouble, that's why she's our fav 😊

Regardless of the opinions on Shelby's wedding tiara, it remains her most worn tiara to this day. It is unlikely she will be granted another tiara in the near future.

[kairithemang0]

thinking about Curt’s childhood and Mama Mega

She’s a single mom, raising a kid in the 30s and 40s likely. She’s probably working multiple jobs and gets paid under minimum wage, definitely not treated with respect by her likely male boss or her coworkers. She has a son at home, a growing kid who wants to fit in with his other classmates, but who likely gets punched around for the fact he’s so attached to his mom. I don’t think Curt started out as the peak of suave masculinity, more of became that over time. His mother could never provide everything he wanted, and while Curt was fine with that, just a quiet “oh, it’s ok” I think Mama Mega took the fact she couldn’t provide Curt everything he could ever want to heart. She loves Curt, Curt’s all she has. Her husband left her, she’s working multiple jobs, her son may or may not be getting picked on, he’s literally all she has. How would it feel if this son, the only person you have left, told you he wanted to become a spy?

I think Mama Mega was originally hurt by the idea. Her son, her perfect Curtis, shooting people for a living? Getting into danger purposefully? But, when she knew he was serious, she let him go. She spent her free time learning about her son’s job, waiting for his calls so she could make conversation with him. He said he’d visit her, he didn’t visit as much as he should have.

Mama Mega lived alone, trapped in her house, not working 2 jobs anymore to feed her kid but in a new safe house he bought for her. Even though Curt never visits, his mom and her safety is always on his mind. She matters to him, even if he can’t find the time to visit.

Of course, this job means Curt doesn’t have a stable relationship, something he didn’t have in high school either but it bothered Mama Mega. She wants her son to be happy, she also probably wants grandchildren, more people in her life to come visit.

She also probably thought that if Curt settled down he’d quit his dangerous job, she may know about his job more than she should but she certainly doesn’t approve. She’s constantly trying to set Curt up on the rare chances he comes and visits

At one point he starts bringing Owen along, she definitely notices that the bed she set up for Owen went unused when she comes in to clean after they leave. She questions it, but pushes it to the side. Boys will be boys, she thinks. Still no girl though, and Curt seems to talk about Owen a lot.

I don’t think she ever realized Curt was gay, if she thought about it she brushed it off because how could her son be gay? She didn’t raise him to be gay, so how could he be? She sees it as wrong, that she failed as a parent if her son ends up gay. She can’t take it, she refuses to believe the silent hunch in the back of her mind that her son just may be gay.

It hurts Curt that she’s so oblivious, that Owen will be at dinner with them and she’ll ask if they have girlfriends. Curt and Owen give each other and awkward look before saying they’re too busy. Owen makes a joke later about him being Curt’s girlfriend, Curt laughs it off but knows his mother couldn’t take the fact that he’s gay. How could she?

When she meets Tatiana her world changes. Her son for the first time since high school has brought a girl home, not only that but she’s cute, she’s perfect. Instantly starts planning their wedding, no doubt in her mind that they aren’t together.

it’s scary how much her life probably revolves around Curt, how for years until he became a spy he was all she had, the only person in her life who hadn’t left her. And Curt leaves her still, doesn’t visit, and then she has nothing, just has to hope he doesn’t die while waiting for the phone to ring

[pango-doots]

Y'know looking back on my time in the NSR fandom it's weird how victimized people tend to make the NSR elites, which I really don't think is warranted beyond Sayu's team and Yinu who are MINORS that were employed into a fascist government system under the guise of success. Yes, NSR was a fascist government, or at the very least an authoritarian hand over a dystopian society.

Even if its general tone is light-hearted and silly, the game tackles themes of propaganda, scapegoating, wealth inequality and planned obsolescence, environmental destruction, media control, saving face for tourists, authoritative voting and more, yet most of them aren't the player's main gameplay focus; a lot of lore and context clues are in the background like the town's layout, interacting with certain objects and talking to NPCs. But those themes are a core message of the game and by only treating the members of NSR as regular old musicians you take out all the nuance.

(Plenty more under the cut. TL;DR: No Straight Roads is a relevantly socio-political game and I wish fans would utilize that side of the characters more)

Both halves of the "music war" as I'm gonna call it for lack of an official term had their faults, and I do like that there is no 100% right or wrong side; no straight road, if you will. BUT ALSO. BBJ realized the entire city was suffering in some way under NSR's leadership and had nothing to lose by challenging the status quo (they literally live in a fucking sewer, I'd be full of rage too). They didn't benefit from initial fame, wealth, or military protection like NSR did; not to mention they were also egged on and decieved by one of their closest allies. When voices don't work ala DK West's attempt, then you turn to action. Action can include smacking the shit out of government officials, as a treat (I enjoyed every second trying to get an S rank in Supernova's level <3)

On that note, the woobification is ESPECIALLY bad with DJSS, Neon J and 1010. I love the silly object heads and smexy robots as much as anyone else but they are specifically meant to be critiques of self-absorbed billionaires (sorry to tell DJSS fans this but he's supposed to be Elon-Musk-adjacent) and the k-pop industry with its military involvement, plus the use of militial force to keep rowdy citizens in line. I'm begging people to PLEASE handle them with more care.

Thankfully, it's clear that NSR reduces its chokehold by the end of the game and all the artists put in a lot of work to improve thanks to BBJ's push. Whether the game's writers made that decision to appeal to their own government's approval or was a genuine end to the story, I like that Tatiana has a moment of reflection and does a complete 180 to make the city better in the end (beyond the threat of the city being destroyed ofc). Even if it's unrealistic, it's a hopeful message and shows that anyone can be corrupted by the right circumstances.

Just PLEASE don't forget the characters' actions and choices along the way for the sake of ship fics and cute art. There's a lot of complexity and angst you can add to the characters with that authoritarian history!

[kinardsevan]

30 day fluff challenge: day 6

"prom-posal"

“You sure this is gonna work,” Tommy asks as he eyes Bobby skeptically.

His former boss smiles with just a little bit of a twinkle in his eyes. “No,” he laughs. “But we’re trained to handle fire if it doesn’t.” 

Tommy just shakes his head, glancing back at the project in front of them. “Well here goes nothing.” 

. . . 

It’s not supposed to be a big thing when Tommy first starts planning. He’d talked to Maddie about it all before-hand, wanted to ensure that someone in Evan’s family was aware of his intentions. He really didn’t want to apply the pressure on Maddie or himself of ‘asking permission’. It was antiquated, and he knew that Evan didn’t really want that. He wanted Maddie’s approval, absolutely, but he wasn’t interested in Tommy calling his parents or even Bobby and Athena. “it makes me feel like people are claiming ownership of me, and the only person I want to own me is you”. He may have stated that naked in bed, but the intention behind the words still rang true.

But then, even after he’d talked to Maddie, he still didn’t know what to do. He wanted it to be simple, but he wanted it to move Evan. There was something about the look he got on his face whenever something happened he didn’t expect—like the first time they’d kissed—that Tommy got drunk on. So that required finesse. 

He thought about doing something in the helicopter first, but that lasted about five seconds. He remembered Evan’s story about the guy who had almost killed his fiancée during the proposal. Plus, skywriting wouldn’t be as fun if he couldn’t be able to do both. Then he’d contemplated something simple at home, but doing that didn’t feel like it would work either. He thought about calling Eddie for ideas, but sometimes he felt like they asked too much of him in their relationship. Not in a bad way, but in a way where maybe Eddie didn’t get any breathing room because he got lucky enough to have to hear everything in their relationship from both sides. 

So then he’d called Chimney. And that had been a failed endeavor, given that his proposal to Tatiana hadn’t gone anywhere, and that his proposal to Maddie had really ended in her proposing to him after she found the ring. 

After that he felt a bit rudderless. The internet wasn’t providing him any solid ideas, he’d tapped out his friends—even everyone at work who was married—and he’d been pretty set on doing it by their anniversary, which was limiting him on time. 

So he called Bobby. It was entirely on a whim, but Bobby helped him come up with a few ideas, and by the time he’d made the dinner reservation for the night of, they had a set plan. 

. . . 

“It’s sweet that you consider the disaster date our anniversary, but honestly we kinda stole my sister’s thunder,” Evan tells him as Tommy slides his card into the cheque envelope at Miceli’s. 

Tommy nods. “And if your sister and Chimney had a clue that we classify as our real anniversary, they might actually kill us,” Tommy says with a smirk on his face. He passes the envelope off to their waiter and then picks up his glass and takes another sip from it. 

“So you wanna go see a movie,” Evan teases. “I hear they have 18 screens.” 

Tummy chuckles. 

“Nineteen now, last I heard,” he retorts. The waiter returns and passes him the envelope. He retrieves his card from it and signs off on the receipt before tucking it back in his wallet. “But no. We have other plans.” 

Evan furrows his brow at him, confused. Before he can question further though, his phone buzzes in his pocket. When he pulls it out, Bobby’s name is on the screen. 

“Take it,” Tommy tells him, finishing off the last of his beer. 

Evan nods and answers the call. 

“Hey Bobby what’s up?” 

“Hey kid,” he replies. “Look have this thing I’m working on for Athena in the back yard. It’s a pop-up gazebo type, and it’s gotta be done by tomorrow. Michael was supposed to help, but his flight got delayed-..” 

“And you need help,”Evan finishes for him. Tommy gives him a curious glance. 

“Yeah,” Bobby drawls. “If you could, I’d owe you.” 

“It’s fine,” Tommy whispers. “Say yes.” 

Evan furrows his brow deeper at Tommy. He covers the speaker of the phone and pulls it away from his head a little bit. 

“What about your plans?” 

Tommy shakes his head. “We have two days off, Evan. Plenty of time.” 

Evan sighs, but then nods, bringing the phone back to his ear. 

“We’ll be right over,” he tells Bobby. He ends the call a moment later, and Tommy has stood, is holding their leftovers in a bag in one hand, offering Evan his other. 

The drive over to Bobby’s is quiet, but comfortably so. Evan is a little miffed that their plans have changed, but secretly, he enjoys getting to spend time with Tommy and other people in his life. They get plenty of time with Maddie, Chimney, and even Eddie and Hen, but he doesn’t feel like they spend nearly as much time together with Bobby. 

They arrive some twenty minutes later, and it’s all Tommy can do to keep Evan from dragging him into the house. He’s not sure where everyone else is parked, but Evan doesn’t seem suspicious, regardless. Still, Evan tugs him along, up to the door, and then into the house when Bobby opens up for them. 

“It’s in the back yard,” Bobby says, leading them through the living room and kitchen towards the back. 

“You need us to help bring anything out,” Evan asks. Bobby just shakes his head, gestures towards the door. 

“Come on out.” 

He heads out into the back yard, Evan pulling Tommy along closely behind. As they reach the door though, Tommy stops him, just short of door.

“Wait a minute,” he murmurs, tugging Evan back towards him. 

Evan narrows his eyes at him, but then smiles and steps forward, looking an arm around Tommy’s neck. 

“I love you,” Tommy tells him before kissing the corner of his mouth. “Happy anniversary.” 

Evan smiles back at him, unable to stop the grin that pulls across his face. “Happy anniversary babe.” 

When Evan turns to the door, Tommy inhales a deep breath. All or nothing, he thinks, lifting a free hand to keep the door open as Evan passes through it, and then they’re both standing on the back patio. 

“What’s…” Evan voice trails off as his eyes fall first on his sister, and then Chimney and Jee-Yun. His eyes trail over the backyard, seeing their friends and family, and then back to Tommy, his mouth open with questions still stuck inside his mouth. 

“I love you,” Tommy states again, an adoring smile pulling on his face. “I’ve been in love with you since the day you climbed up in my helicopter and asked if you could sit next to me. There was a time when I’d written off the concepts of a family in any form, getting to find the kind of love we’ve managed to cultivate. I mean it every time I say that loving you is easy. You have given me so much in such a short time that sometimes I have to remind myself this isn’t a dream.” 

He lifts his free hand to Evan’s cheek, wipes at the tears freely flowing down his face, and then rests a finger against his lips, keeping him from speaking. 

“I’m not finished,” he states with a small chuckle. “I heard this song the other day with this line ‘a love that makes a man have second thoughts’. You make me have all the second thoughts because I never want to leave when I’m with you. So, I was wondering if you could answer a quick, particular question for me.” 

He gestures across the backyard with their linked hands, and Evan looks away from him towards where he’s pointed to. A chainlink fence has been set up with a line of wood mounted on it. Each end of it has either Eddie and Chimney nearby, holding a set of pliers with rubber gloves. As Tommy nods towards them, they each connect their end of the wiring to a battery briefly as Bobby stands off to the side, prepared with an extinguisher. As the circuit completes, the wire lights up, quickly burning the message into the wood. As soon as the fire ignites, Eddie and Chimney both release the circuit and Bobby is blasting it with the extinguisher. Once the CO2 has dispersed, the message is still there, burned into the wood, and clear in the evening twilight. 

Evan lets out a laugh, mostly out of surprise, as he glances back at Tommy, adoration in his eyes. 

“You came up with all this?” He asks. 

Tommy shrugs, a sheepish smile on his own face. “I had some help. A certain fire captain.” 

Evan is still smiling at him, uncaring of the tear that races its way down his cheek as Tommy reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small box. As he flips it open, a black tungsten ring with a rose gold inlay is revealed. Evan gulps at the sight of it, and the way it reminds him of fire. He looks back up at Tommy as his hands come up to his boyfriend- fiancé’s neck, leaning flush against him. 

“Yes, Tommy. A million times, yes,” he laughs before capturing his lips in a hungry kiss. 

Their friends are clapping and cheering, but Evan barely hears any of it past the sound of his and Tommy’s breathing as the other man’s hand loops around his waist, holding him tight. When they finally part, it’s only because Evan needs oxygen. His gaze falls to the ring again, and Tommy watches him as he stares at it. 

“Would you like to put it on,” he asks nervously. “I won’t judge you if you don’t.” 

Evan looks back up at him like he’s insane. 

“Yes I want to wear it,” he replies. “Let the whole damn world know you’re stuck with me now.” 

Tommy laughs at him but puts enough space between them that he can step back and remove the ring from the box. Both his own hands and Evan’s are shaking as he slides it onto his finger. It slots easily into place—Tommy had made sure he had proper measurements—and Tommy curls his hand around Evan’s fingers once it’s on, lifts his hand to his lips and kisses them. 

Evan’s eyes go wide again as Tommy lowers his hand and he raises an eyebrow.

“What?” 

“We could do a summer wedding,” Evan states with a gasp. “Or early fall. Yeah, do it as the leaves change, out at Griffith. Coordinate colors to the leaves changing.” 

“Hey, can we wait twelve hours before we have to contend with wedding and Clipboard Buck,” Chimney comments from across the yard. Evan throws a glare at him, which only earns him laughter in return from his friends. 

Tommy nuzzles his jaw before kissing it. 

“We can do whatever you want baby,” he tells him. “And I for one, can’t wait to see you in all your glory.” 

[zappyjoan]

NSR Family Headcanons New and Improved

Mayday

Has a mom, dad, and two younger sisters. She grew up in Natura in a pretty high-up family, dad is a finance worker in the nsr building and mom is part of the Natura management. They were quite strict, only showing their support for rock when it was more stable in vinyl city, but now prefer her sisters' enjoyment for EDM. As she got older, she clashed with them, and eventually left their home when she dropped out of college. She hasn't spoken to them, but does talk to her sisters.

Zuke

Has a Mom and Dad, with West obviously. He isn't from vinyl city, but a kampung on the outskirts, though it still was under nsr's domain. His kampung (and many others) faced the worst of the blackouts because of their distance from the city and their limited resources, so everyone there is a bit weary of nsr. His family is quite large, and they all have shadow puppets. His mom is a second-generation jamacian immigrant.

DJSS

Raised by a single mom. His whole childhood, she would lecture him about him mattering in the world and making great art to make her proud. She only praised him when he made very impressive music, and was ashamed of him when he quit his teaching career. She has recently remarried, has a wife now.

Sayu kids

keeping it simple bc there's so many of them. Tila has a single dad, two older sisters, and a twin, remi is an only child with a mom and dad, Dodo is a single child and lives with his uncle, and sofa has a mom and dad, and older brother.

Yinu's mom Comes from a traditional and classical-leaning family. She was a closet goth and loved industrial EDM, but could only play music her parents approved of. This was mainly because she grew up before the Goolings solidified rock as the VC genre. Her great-grandmother is the great-great grandmother of Mayday. She has siblings. Yinu's dad Also came from a classical leaning family, but he always loved the piano, so this wasn't an issue. Was actually not a big fan of the Goolings or rock, but was open-minded about it. He probably has siblings.

Neon J

He had a single mom and littler sister. Growing up, he was the self-appointed man of the house (though he was born a girl), which contributed to his heroic tendencies. Learned to make toys to comfort his sister. He hasn't seen her or their mother in decades, and he doesn't know where they are.

Eve

Grew up relatively rich with a mom and dad. Neither of them really understood how she thought, but they tried their best to. It didn't work well, though. They kind of just treated her as quirky and didnt take her art SUPER seriously, but they meant well if that makes sense. Her father's insecurities rubbed off onto her, which worsened her skin complex.

Tatiana

Has a twin brother made of sedimentary rock. Parents are made of opal and obsidian. Prim and proper, awful parents. She still speaks with her brother regularly, but he much prefers being out of the limelight in comparison to his sister.

[romanovsonelastdance]

Hi! I think I've unraveled the famous Russian-Serbian tangle about Alexander, Tatiana and Olga! The book Autour de l'assassinat des Grands-Ducs: Yekaterinburg, Alapaievsk, Perm, Petrograd mentions, it seems to me, true information, because these are the memoirs of secretary Elena Petrovna (Sandro's sister and John's wife), Smirnov. Unfortunately, I couldn't read it in full, but one kind person helped me and posted a photo where he voiced the very "treacherous plan of the Serbs" The visibility of the photo is poor in Russian, but with perseverance I was able to read what I needed, quote and translate

.....After all, there was a plan: to make Alexander the Tsar of Yugoslavia, after which the young tsar would come to ask the daughter of the Great Slavic Tsar — OLGA NIKOLAEVNA, who so happily escaped Romania, but alas, died in the Urals...

I wonder why people talk about Tatiana all the time, if it was obvious that Olga, considering that Sandro really liked her. Yes, she had given up Romania and wanted to live in Russia, but Olga had a lot of hope as the eldest daughter, and marriage to Serbia was clearly more promising. This country is more connected with Russia, unlike Romania (yes, the country is Orthodox, but it is not Slavic, no matter how strange it may sound), Nicholas would definitely approve, he loved Serbia almost on a par with his native Russia (considering the intercession for Serbia in the Great War). Needless to say, Nicholas is still very popular in Serbia.

Phew, I hope this information helps, because I'm tired of this mess with Tatiana.

(By the way, I'll leave you a photo of those memories too)

Ooh, interesting find! Thanks for sharing!

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

'Consensus at G20 would reshape future with Trump', says Brazil finance track coordinator

Tatiana Rosito, Brazil's secretary for International Affairs at the Ministry of Finance, told GLOBO that a strong and consensual declaration from the G20 could aid countries in dealing with Donald Trump’s return to power, given his criticism of multilateralism and environmental commitments. “Even if it reflects the current situation, it helps because if most countries are convinced, we have a different playing field for the future,” she said. “It’s important to note that the system has been through this before, and the Paris Agreement remains intact,” she added. Rosito acknowledged that the possibility of Argentina retracting from established agreements, complicating consensus efforts, has caught the attention of Brazilian diplomacy. “It’s not impossible, especially given their current stance at COP29 to seek dissociation,” she stated.

As the coordinator of the G20 finance track, Rosito highlighted Brazil's success in placing inequality at the center of the discussion. She is optimistic about including super-rich taxation in the final declaration, a Brazilian proposal approved by G20 ministers, and does not see the absence of a specific tax rate for billionaires in the final document as a setback. “What we agreed upon at the ministerial level is a baseline,” she explained in the interview below.

Continue reading.

[neuroprincess]

Lady's Lover: The Origin of the Dimitrescu Sisters - Alcina Dimitrescu/OC (reader)

Prologue

Alcina Dimitrescu/Original Character (reader)

Fanfic Chapter List

Summary: Melina Mayer has always lived within the confines of the farm and her family, unaware of the atrocities of the village until she reaches age 22, when, by a stroke of luck, is sold to the Dimitrescu family. The girl immediately wins over the Lady, but discovers the dark side of life, her past, carnal pleasures and all that this can provide.

Warnings: OC (original character), swearing, period misogyny, implied human trafficking, medium violence

Word count: +2200

Unrevised

December, 1972  

Melina sighs and rubs the cloth hard against the wooden floor, diluting the dirt from the shoes of the other residents in house. The boot prints have slowly disappeared as the cloth becomes increasingly muddy and sticky, the girl sighs again, because this was one of the last cleaning cloths cleaned and there is still much to be done. Her mother, a stubby lady with red hair and a serious expression, runs back and forth in the kitchen, alternating between preparing lunch and supervising her youngest daughter's chores. She gives an approving look when seeing the impeccably clean surface, the girl gives the work as finished and stands up, feeling her legs tingling from being in the same position for so long, and gathers the bucket of water to throw it away.  

"Should I tidy the rooms or clean the stable?" asks Melina after getting rid of the dirty water.  

"The stable first, feed the horse. Then tidy the rooms, Mihai and Lucian's rooms too, they are coming back from the village."  

"But so early? They usually spend at least a week there." she thinks too loudly, finding strange that their trip was so quick, their return so sudden "Could they have done something?"  

"Get back to work and stop questioning things that don't involve you." replies Tatiana snidely, showing irritation and discomfort with the situation, wanting to avoid the conversation that was coming "And don't forget to prepare Nadja's dress."  

"Yes, Mother." murmurs Melina, a little resentful that she is being excluded from family matters again.  

But she soon forgets that feeling and euphoria takes over, curious to know what her twin sister, non-identical and a few minutes older, would do, living completely isolated from the village and being a travelers' inn on a rough stretch they don't have many special events or visitors. So new or festive clothes are rarely used, just when something important happens. Like the marriage of the oldest brother, firstborn George II, with one of the village girls. A union that is a constant object of reproach for Constantin, the second son of the family, who swears to everyone that he saw her in some brothel years before. After them, there are Mihai and Lucian, two strong and flirtatious men, born only 11 months apart, that have become very close and are each other's best friends. Then Nicolae, considered the cultured brother, who prefers books and studies to the manual work on the farm. And one year after him came the twins Nadja and Melina, the first girls in six generations of Mayer's family. The patriarch was very proud and in love with his little daughters until the day he died. 

"Watch where you're going, slut!" shouts one of the travelers at her, while accidentally bumping into each other on the way to the stable, the girl too distracted by her own thoughts and trying not to freeze in the snow.  

"Sorry." she simply replies, ignoring the insults, used to this kind of behavior.  

The man continues to curse, but Melina is too excited to give a care about him, besides, there are more important things than a man with bruised ego. She enters the stable, relieved that it has been barely used in the last few days, the blizzard seems to have scared off any fool who would have thought of venturing into the mountains. The idea of finishing the most difficult task of the day quickly cheers her up even more, so that there is time to talk to sister and gather information from brothers. Even though she has lived in the region since birth, the girl has never been allowed out of house, except for the trips to the neighboring farm with her father as she did in childhood, her life has been limited to the inn where she was born and the siblings and travelers, who have filled her with ideas about the world beyond the fences and the forest. She wants to experience everything about what she has heard, go to a ball, visit the fair, have a best friend, fall in love, kiss someone, make babies (as one traveler's wife shyly named sex for her) and, not the least, have a place where she feels at home. Of course the girl loves her family, all the siblings and mother, but since the sudden death of her father nothing has been the same. The house has become lifeless, Tatiana never again gave a smile that reached her eyes, George had to mature early to help his family, the other children resented fate, Melina barely remembers the happy and prosperous times.  

"How are you today, my sweet Thunder?" she hums to their pet horse, a five-year-old dark brown chestnut. The animal howls in return, excited at smelling food coming from the girl's bag "You are such a gluttonous boy." she wastes no time in taking the corn and carrots, leftover crops from last season, and giving them to Thunder "Winter is almost over, soon you will be able to run around the meadows again. Maybe Consty will let me ride you this year and we can go to the waterfalls together to cool off. Just you and me." 

Melina's favorite season is spring, when it isn't too hot and she isn't punished by the intense cold, daily chores become easier, illnesses strike less often and there is that pleasant feeling of the sun beating against her pale face, even the farm animals seem happier with the mild weather. During winter and autumn the farm suffers losses with the thick snow obstructing movement, nothing survives on the ground and the foxes wander silently behind the smaller animals, so the extra rooms in the family house are rented out to passing travelers, the farm being well on the way to the village, so they make a subsistence living in the cold season. Summer and spring are dedicated to cultivating and harvesting the large crops that the fertile land provides with the summer rains, so part of the food is carefully stored, the other part sold to the villagers and the duke. The money is not much, but enough to maintain the place and feed them for the next few months. The girl would be lying if she said she enjoys working in the fields, luckily Tatiana leaves her with all the housework and once the family is out the doors she sneaks out into the expanse of the farmland, climbing trees, running after the animals, napping on the grass and swimming in the pond. These are her moments of peace, the soft memories that she recalls every night to help her sleep during the cold. And also to distract herself during the work, in half an hour she finishes cleaning the place, a little disheartened by the fact that soon her brothers will be back with their own horses dirty with mud and pebbles in their hooves, making everything dirty again. She is putting the rake away when hears screams and a stirring movement coming from the main house, Melina immediately puts the chore aside, running towards the noise. She imagines the worst, like that brute who attacked her touching her mother or Nadja, drunken George making a jealous scene again, she even imagined Nadja getting naughty with one of the travelers and the more conservative brother teaching her some lesson. She knows how he can be, has experienced it in the skin in a literal way and there is a scar on her shoulder to prove it, the narrow mark of the whip etched into the fragile skin. Constantin can become violent. But nothing prepared her for finding a half-naked young woman running toward her, the two of them meeting in a crash that knocks both down in the fluffy snow. Behind them, Tatiana is red in an angry expression, George and Ingrid, his wife, struggle to control the woman as she tries to walk up to the girl with the intention of assaulting her. Nicolae, who is also half-naked, watches the whole scene unfold with a look of guilt and concern. The brute laughs and walks towards them, lifting the other girl in the air, only to throw her in front of the Mayer matriarch, Melina stares at him, trying to guess his next move. He doesn't look very smart, but he's not dumb, she would say, just not one of the best outlaws.  

 "Mrs. Mayer, your son just ruined my merchandise, we have to do something about it."

The woman tenses and pulls herself together, her son and daughter-in-law finally letting her go, knowing that she would do nothing against that traveler. He, known only as Thobias, uses the inns at least six times a year and usually brings with him about ten youths, in the hot weather even more, always more women than men. Of course they, except the girl, know the fate of those poor frightened creatures and shudder to think what is waiting for them when reaching the village.  

"She doesn't have a mark on the skin or a strand of hair out of place, she's in perfect condition," Tatiana replies, trying to negotiate.  

"This woman is no longer a virgin, making her useless in the eyes of the buyer, she is no longer pure since she has been contaminated by your wild offspring. No wonder you have so many children."  

"Maria is not an object for you to talk about her like that!" Nicolae speaks for the first time in the confusion, actually yells at the man at the top of his lungs, defending the slave girl.  

"Control your boy if you don't want one of my men to break his leg, Mrs. Mayer!" he warns, using a low and creepy tone.  

Melina gets up from the ground, wiping the snow off her knees, and stands behind the man's back, not having the courage to follow, afraid to pass him after ignoring him in the stable and her brother acting like this. She takes two steps back, trying to get as far away from the scene as possible and be swept out of Thobias' field of vision. But the movement drags the dress against some branches, catching his attention, the girl feels a shiver as their eyes meet and he smiles. 

"You know, she was one of the only untouched women in the batch, the purest, irreplaceable... except for another pure woman. I'm sure your youngest will do very well as a merchandise exchange. How old is she, 18?"  

"She turned 22 last spring."  

"She'll be 23 soon, a little older than expected, but I can't waste a natural and pristine beauty when I see one." he walks towards Melina and pulls her by the arm to reunite with Nicolae's mistress "I have an offer you can't refuse. One girl for another."  

"And why on earth do you think we would accept such barbarity?" it is George's turn to intervene, overcome with indignation, disgust in his voice.  

"It's that or I'm going to burn this whole farm to the ground with you locked in the stable, with Mother Miranda's permission." the young Mayer is confused and looks at her family, all startled at the mention of the woman "What's it going to be?" the matriarch swallows the lump in her throat and nods, turning her face away to avoid facing the daughter "Good! And I imagine young Nico will turn the whore into a Mayer, everybody wins, from what I've seen you may have grandchildren running around soon." he laughs dryly and grabs Melina by the wrist, she soon realizes what is happening and tries to kick him desperately, only to be slapped in the face, knocking her unconscious.  

The back and forth motion makes the girl nauseous, maybe it's the hit to the head, or the throbbing pain on the left side of her face, but she knows she'll throw up soon. Melina wakes up slowly, feeling pain and fear, the transport runs over a rock and she falls off balance as everything shakes. The brute just laughs and writes something in his notebook. She watches where they are, realizing to be inside one of the carriages, just the two in this and the rest of the youths probably piled in the other carriage following them.  

"Melina Celeste Mayer, 22 years old, 5'1 height? I'm guessing. You were born in March, right?"  

"Why do you want to know?" she mutters, starting to get annoyed, he just writes something ignoring her "I didn't know men like you can write."  

"And the bumpkin shows her claws. I'm more educated than you, slut!" he retorts and puts the notebook aside, analyzing her thoroughly, head to toe "If you talk to your Lady like that, I guarantee your head will be ripped off this beautiful body in seconds. Believe me, I have seen it happen... a lot. Would be a shame such a waste so soon, it's more fun when they endure."  

"You are...you are taking me to die?"  

"Accept that will be your fate, I've never seen anyone spend more than six months in that place. But it's no big deal, we're all going to die one day, you're going to die too young and I'm going to die fucking rich."  

"And where are you taking me?" Melina questions, with explicit fear in her voice and body.  

"Dimitrescu Castle." 

Join my taglist here ^^ now there is addition of Alcina Dimitrescu

[thousand-winters]

Do you ever think about how the one time we see Tatiana smiling at Grace with some degree of sincerity is after Grace successfully used her powers on others?

And Grace, so starved for any kind of affection, even if it's more akin to approval than anything else, of course clings to that. "I'm my mother's blade indeed" because it's the only way Tatiana is ever happy with her. And Tatiana's all she has after all