#thetreasurechest

[valiantarcher]

The scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge

Thank you!

added to TBR | on my TBR | couldn’t finish it | did not enjoy | it was OK | liked it | loved it | favorite | not interested

I finished it to confirm the ending of one of the plot lines, but the book was not to my taste.

[nerdy-catfish]

Hey I don’t know anything about Red dead or the bonding one but they sound interesting! also feel free to take the Tolkien OC Week one as my choice instead

Well thanks for asking about it despite not knowing the source material ^^

No one had noticed him, as usual. In fact he somehow managed to relax so much, staring into the fire with the lukewarm beer in his hand, that he didn’t notice Arthur slinking his own way over to the fire until he sat down suddenly on the stool across from him and made Kieran jump about a foot in the air.

Arthur ropes Kieran off his horse, kidnaps him, threatens to break his bones and/or kill him on multiple occasions, and can't manage to greet him three times in a day without insulting him at least twice, and yet the fandom collectively said "But what if they were friends?" and I'm so on board with that 😊

[novelmonger]

Hey you like “he will carry me” too?

I doooooo~ <3 Doesn't hurt that I've assigned it to a couple characters too! ;)

[siblingshowdown]

Will you do the showdown again this year?

maybe! I'm pretty busy this year, but if there's enough interest I might run it again!

[lover-of-the-starkindler]

tagged by @thetreasurechest

Pick six favourite movies, and make a poll for others to pick which best suits your vibe.

[kanerallels]

WIP Game!

Tagged by both @ghosts-and-blue-sweaters and @misscrazyfangirl321 (thanks, y'all!)

Rules: make a new post (or reblog from this one!!!) and post the latest line in your WIP & tag as many people as there are words (or as many as you feel like)

From a little story thing about some OCs I've been playing with lately!

But Chambers— and Andersen, for that matter— seemed to belong here so thoroughly that an outside life seemed decidedly foreign.

OH boy I might not get to 20 people, but I'll give it a shot! With no pressure: @hecckyeah @saxifrage-wreath @winterinhimring @musewrangler @kazoosandfannypacks @magpie-trove @mandaloriandragontrainer @thetreasurechest @o-lei-o-lai-o-lord @incorrectpizza and anyone else who sees this and wants to play!

[windmilltothestars]

WIP Game

I was tagged by two glorious, wonderful friends: @general-illyrin and @thetreasurechest!! Thanks, guys <3 Rules: Make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPs. As usual, I'm bending the rules slightly because my "WIP folder" is not one thing, I have literally hundreds of half-started stories and WIPs, even more ideas that I've scribbled down in some obscured 3rd location, and many, many that I haven't remotely thought about in years. So I'm gonna write down a couple Tolkien ones and a couple Les Mis ones - some with titles, some have "working" titles, some have titles I just invented for this list, some that are just kinda a concept - and call it good for this era of my life XD - Blessed and Beloved - Laughing at Old Grief - Ancestral Valor (chapter 2) - Mankind Was My Business - The World Is Wild and Bright - One Equal Temper of Heroic Hearts - Establishing the Squad in Ep. 1 - Weird Little Angsty Woodcutting Interlude - Finrod Does Not Regret - Young Outlaws Getting to Know Turin - These Violent Delights Have Pretty Chill Ends (chapter 3) - To Go Through Fire (chapter 4) - Songs of Salvation - The Gentle Light of the Evening-Star in Summer - All the Elf Wife Nonsense Wooo this was fun!!! And it'll be good think about them and share about them!

I'm no-pressure tagging @marietheran, @nerdy-catfish, @skeleton-richard, @scioscribe, @magnetocerebro, @dwarven-beard-spores, @whitehorsevale and @grondds-and-roses if you'd be at all interested in participating in a thing like this, and sharing anything you're working on! If not, no worries!! Thanks again <3

[griseldabanks]

WIP Game

Thanks, @general-illyrin; I've done this game before, and I love it!

Rules: Make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

I'll separate these into fanfics:

7

Staron proposal + wedding + honeymoon

waves of darkness

See Through My Eyes

burning

Rosie Runs to Rivendell

Cosmic Eclipse - chap7

And original stories:

The Ambassadors

The Family

The Arcblade

bartender story

The Four

[As My Own Soul] (not actually the title of the file, but the placeholder title gives away the big plot twist, so thanks to this game, this story now has a title XD)

Pretty sure I don't know that many writers on here, but if anyone wants to do this, feel free! I'll tag @rainintheevening, @bunnyscar, @sailforvalinor, @thetreasurechest, @captaingondor, and @x-i-l-verify for starters, if this looks like fun to you.

[general-illyrin]

LOTR Ask Game

Thank you for tagging me, @emyn-arnens!

How old were you when you were first introduced to LOTR? I don't remember exactly when, but it was when I first watched the movies, so probably between when I was twelve and fourteen.

Favorite LOTR character? I'm in my first read-through of the books and even though I just met Faramir, I think it has to be him. He is so kind, intelligent, and practical, and perceptive. But most of all, he doesn't enjoy using violence even though he is willing to use it when necessary. He doesn't even want Gondor to become great by being a kind mistress of willing slaves and instead wishes to see her as a queen among queens, which is also something I greatly respect in a person.

Books or movies? Oh, this is hard. As I mentioned earlier, I am currently in my first read-through, and I am loving the details and story that the movies didn't have the space to cover. I also greatly prefer Merry's, Faramir's, and Smeagol's characterizations in the books compared to the movies. But the movies were my first introduction and how I fell in love with the story, and their music is breathtakingly beautiful. So I think I'm going to have to choose both!

Which location in Middle Earth would you want to visit? Rivendell, Ithilien, and Lorien, in that order, though they are all very close. Oh, and I am definitely visiting Eregion, Tol Himling, and Tol Fuin, because I am absolutely not passing up the chance to visit Himring and Dorthonion (also, I want to know if Tarn Aeluin survived and what it is like if it did). But I love Rivendell for it's melting pot of cultures and also how it is the perfect place whether one wants rest or work or play. Finally, Ithilien and Lorien sound like absolutely beautiful places to visit.

Favorite movie? Hmm, I don't know. I love the scenes in Rivendell and the forming of the Fellowship, so I suppose I will pick the Fellowship of the Ring

Favorite scene? Oh, there are so many: Frodo and Gandalf riding through the Shire. The council of Elrond "Let's hunt some orc" Gandalf revealing himself to the three hunters Gandalf discussing death with Pippin The lighting of the beacons The speech at the Black Gate

Favorite quote? Again, how can I pick just one? From the books, of what I have read so far (and one that I know that I haven't read yet):

" 'Pity? It was Pity that stayed his hand. Pity and Mercy:not to strike without need. And he has been well rewarded, Frodo. Be sure that he took so little hurt from the evil, and escaped in the end, because he began his ownership of the Ring so. With Pity.' "

" 'For myself,' said Faramir, 'I would see the White Tree in flower again in the courts of the kings, and the Silver Crown return, and Minas Tirith in peace: Minas Anor again as of old, full of light, high and fair, beautiful as a queen among other queens: not a mistress of many slaves, nay, not even a kind mistress of willing slaves. War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend:the city of the Men of Numenor; and I would have her loved for her memory, her ancientry, her beauty, and her present wisdom. Not feared, save as men may fear the dignity of a man, old and wise.' "

“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”

What Middle Earth race would you want to be? Elves or Peredhel

Favorite LOTR ship? I know we don't see much of it, but Elrond and Celebrian. There is so much love and angst there.

No-pressure tagging @hirazuki, @thetreasurechest, @captaingondor, @novelmonger, @ofmiceandwomen, @a-music-undergrad, @sweetmaggie, @writingvalkyrie, @nerdy-catfish, and @nowandforalways!

[captaingondor]

When I asked for Rinnyx prompts, @thetreasurechest asked if he likes hugs. Rinnyx loves hugs! Here is a collection of hugs with Rinnyx now that I finally got around to finishing them all

(note: the last one is a spoiler for the book... all the rest happen before it begins)

Comforting hug 

I came to the palace after the funeral was over - I hadn't been in attendance, of course, but I'd watched the procession going from the palace to the temple square. I was a familiar guest of the prince in those days, so it wasn't hard for me to gain admittance. 

Seyetto had been very busy in the past several days, of course, so it was the first I'd been able to see him. There would be no state business today. 

Seyetto opened his door to me right away when he heard my voice, and I stepped inside. He was all in crisp black, and his eyes were red, but dry. Immediately I pulled him into a hug. He was stiff at first, then slowly relaxed. Seyetto had never been much of a hugger, but he was not quick to pull away from me. 

When I did, before I had a chance to speak my condolences, he put a hand on my shoulder and said, “Thank you for coming.”

As well thank the river for flowing downstream. I could not have done anything else. 

*

Goodbye hug

“Don’t forget to write,” Mama said, standing by my side as we waited for the coach. “But don’t worry about us too much! Worry about your studies more. Not that you need to worry too much.” She put her hands on my shoulders and looked up at me, smiling, eyes glistening. It was enough to bring tears to my own eyes, although I was more excited than I ever had been in my life. “My brilliant boy! And thank your hostess for putting you up, she’s doing a wonderful thing for us. And-”

She’d given me all this advice before, already, but I suppose she wanted to do what she could for me while she still could. I just wanted to put her at ease. “I’ll be alright, Mama, you raised me well,” I said with a smile, blinking back those threatened tears. “And I’ll write as soon as I get there, I promise.”

“Don’t forget about us there at your fancy school,” she said, and then enveloped me in a hug, warm and tight and inexorable. Suddenly I was struck by just how far away from home I would be, and how long it would be before I saw her again. I squeezed her back tighter, pressing my face against her shoulder. 

"You know I never could."

Dershan slammed into us from behind, grabbing me and rubbing his fist on my head. "And don't get too full of yourself!" I laughed, and didn't even try to push him away. 

I was still disentangling myself from them when the coach arrived. 

*

Christian-y side hug

It was a bit lonely, in the times when ordinary classes were not in session at the university, and the students who could go home more easily than I had departed. It would hardly have been worth going all the way to Pelasia and back even if there were no war, for the scant amount of time it would have given me there. But there was a war, so a visit home was entirely out of the question. I was never truly on break myself, but I did not want to be. There was so much I wanted to learn. 

I spent the time in intensive private studies with Vetta, practicing my languages with other international students who remained as I did, or attending what lectures the university still presented in the interim. There was plenty to keep me busy. But I missed the activity in the university halls, the full and bustling classrooms, and I missed my absent friends. 

So it was a bright day when Saire returned to Mirs and Vetta’s home ahead of the upcoming term, although the day itself was a bleak and cloudy one. I was there to meet her at the door, as she alighted from the carriage, putting a hand to her head to adjust her bonnet. She met my eyes and smiled, hurrying over.

“Rinnyx! Did you miss me?” She asked, arms outstretched. 

At the last moment, I had the sense to consider what sort of embrace might be appropriate with an unmarried young woman, and put an arm around her shoulders from the side, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. “Of course! There's too much house for just the three of us."

She laughed, and accepted it, sliding her arm around my back. “Going all proper Pelasian on us?” she said, and I shrugged, letting go. I wasn’t sure it was actually any more proper here to be too free with a member of the opposite sex in polite society, but perhaps I would have to pay better attention.

*

Spinning hug

I was out early in the morning to run errands for Mirs and Vetta at the markets. Initially I'd been assigned the duty as a way to practice my language skills, but now I volunteered for it. I loved walking out and watching the city come to life, seeing all the people out in the streets, gathering the local gossip. 

I was bargaining over some eggs when I heard someone behind me calling my name and looked back to see Trine, the fruit seller I patronized, waving her arms. "Rinnyx! Come, come, I need to talk to you! The eggs can wait, come!" 

I excused myself and jogged over to her. Trine was always a good source of gossip, and liked to hear whatever stories I'd found out as well, but it was unusual for her to be this urgent about it. It must be something good. "What is it?" I asked, leaning against the side of her booth.

"I've just had someone come through here from the docks, and you know what they said? There's a ship in the harbor from Contran."

"Contran?" I stood up straight. Contran had been under blockade by the Westin navy for nearly two years. Had it finally broken? Was the war going badly for Pelasia?

"He said," Trine continued on, "that the war on the continent is over. Idana's surrendered to Pelasia."

It was over. It was over, and Pelasia had won, which meant Seyetto must be safe. They would all be safe now, no more fighting, no more fear. It was over! I laughed aloud, and on impulse grabbed Trine in a hug, spinning us both around. 

*

don’t-let-go hug

By the time came back from Ybern, Mama and Fenwing and Enno had already mourned Dommil together, and I had mourned him alone. It was hard to bring up. I hadn't managed to put the detail that I had seen Dommil die in a letter, but they did know I'd been the last of us to see him alive. Maybe they wanted to hear something about that, but what was I supposed to say?

So I didn't say anything about it. We're good at that in this family. 

But then Dershan came home on leave. He'd been away from the rest of them when it happened, too. I don't like to play favorites, but despite being closest to me in age, Dershan was never the brother I was closest to. But we met eyes, once we'd gathered together and looked around at what was missing - we'd never all be together again - and we understood each other. 

We slipped out for a walk together after dinner, without having to say a word about it. "Was it clean?" Dershan asked. He was a soldier, too, he knew the sorts of things you saw in war. 

I swallowed. "He didn't feel any pain."

All I wanted at that moment was a hug from Dommil, but he wasn't there, and Dershan was, so I crashed against him and held him tight, and he patted my back, and we didn't say anything else. 

[highqueenofprydain]

@thetreasurechest

So for starters, I wrote a book about it —sort of. It’s about Angharad, not Gwydion. He’s mentioned, but let me spill the tea, as the young folks say…

If you do the math, Gwydion would have been a young man in his prime about the time Angharad was going through her betrothal ritual in The True Enchanter. It almost begs to be asked why he wasn’t in the lineup — dude’s the crown Prince, heir to the throne of the High King, and he can even do some minor magic. So how come he didn’t show up to this rivalry? He surely knew of her and likely knew her personally, since it’s one of the heir’s jobs to have diplomatic relationships with the neighboring royal families. And by the literary account, Angharad was clever, witty, charming, beautiful, and much desired by many; why wouldn’t he have carried a torch for her? So yeah. I think he was besotted. But it wouldn’t work.

First thing you should know is that in my own private Prydain, the House of Llyr isn’t just another royal family dinking around the kingdom, paying fealty to the Sons of Don. They’re a matriarchy, which sets them apart, and I decided a long time ago that they are, in fact, an entirely separate country, neighbors allied with Prydain but separate from it.

So although Gwydion might have jumped at the chance to court Angharad, he wouldn’t have had a prayer as suitor. His magic with the flaming grass would have been considered a parlor trick by these powerful enchantresses; furthermore the Queens of Llyr were invested in preserving their own culture and customs and had no interest in uniting their house with the Sons of Don and blending their queendom with their patriarchal neighbors. So there would have been practical objections; Gwydion would have had to abdicate his throne to go and be a mere consort to the Queen and that wasn’t happening.

But also - to his disappointment, Angharad just wasn’t into him. They had a friendly relationship of mutual respect, but no passion on her part. So then once word came that Llyr had fallen just after Angharad eloped with some title-less nobody, it hit him hard. He’s never gotten over it, and he’s constantly thought about her and wondered what happened to her and the rest of the country.

Poor man. No wonder Achren kept trying to seduce him.

[valiantarcher]

Tagged by @thetreasurechest - thank you!

Three ships: The Novalog, the Splendour Hyaline, and the Inheritance.

Last song: Earl Richard by Iona Fyfe

Last movie: Panic in the Streets (1950 noir film about a doctor and a police detective trying to track down the murderers of a man who had pneumonic plague before the plague spreads)

Currently reading: The Problem of Pain and Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis.

Currently watching: Nothing.

[nerdy-catfish]

Boop! 😁

^ us a whole two months after April Fools

[novelmonger]

Took @freenarnian's open tag to do this picrew of myself:

Doesn't really look much like me, but whatever. Picrews never have enough glasses options.

Tagging @rainintheevening, @sailforvalinor, @dairogo, @bunnyscar, and @thetreasurechest if you'd like to do this!

[siblingshowdown]

Your posts don't show up on my timeline until after the polls are finished (I am a follower) Do you know Is there something I can do to make them show up sooner or is it just the algorithm?

The way I have tumblr set up is where it's completely chronological, starting with the most recent posts from people i follow at the top of the dash. Your settings page has the option to switch stuff ("best stuff first" or "based on your likes") but i personally really don't like those because it tends to muck up the dash and put a lot of posts in front of me that i don't like while pushing posts from people i follow far down the dash. I would suggest undoing those toggles if you have them on, but if you want to keep them then I would simply suggest checking the blog every few days, as polls span a week. Round 3 polls will post on Thursday!

[lover-of-the-starkindler]

snapshot

tagged by @thetreasurechest - thank you!

three ships: I hadn't thought about Father Tim and Cynthia (Mitford) for awhile, but yes to that one Also Aurelius and Ulrica Rakefang (Galleries of Stone) and... well, I saw a few posts about Little Women today so Prof. Bauer and Jo

last song: uh... the last one I remember hearing was Peace in the Valley but the album finished and I don't think that was the last track...

last movie: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

currently reading: Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls by Dorothy Wickenden; but I just found our copy of Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (and _then_ I got notified that the e-book is available at the library!)

currently watching: favorite episodes of Leverage in a hunt and peck sort of fashion

currently consuming: chocolate chip cookies

currently craving: something salty