#though for Stefan it's more than just platonic but he's come to piece with the fact that this was not meant to be and starts looking elsew

[mist-the-wannabe-linguist]

Ramble about Jindra n Djinns relationship bc I'm shipping hard

Oh boy okay

They met when the boys stopped in her village to get some of their weapons repaired. Jindra was substituting for her father at the smithy that day and she jumped at the chance to do something other than shoeing people's horses or repairing farm tools. Especially since the two did not seem like soldiers and were too fancy-dressed to be bandits or vagabonds, and rich people don't travel on horseback with camping supplies and don't do things that end up with weapons needing repairs, meaning they had A Story To Tell. Naturally they couldn't just tell her everything but being the expert liar that he is, Djinn bullshitted some believable alternate version without mentioning Stefan is a vampire. Of course, seeing her, Djinn got immediately hit with The Straight and him being him, he just had to strike a conversation with her (what can we say, Djinn is a ho and we love him for it 😌) He would hang around while she worked at the forge and although annoying and distracting her from work, she couldn't deny she enjoyed his presence. What can she say, the bastard is adorable (and that goofy smile of his, oh god). She would show the two around the village later, point them toward where they can get a room for however long they need, and for the following few days they kept "accidentally" running into each other and just hung around. After being told the two have dealt with a bunch of mythological beings before, she also directed them toward a local castle ruin haunted by a ghost and saw how they broke the ghost's curse.

After that it was time to move on. Djinn was a little hesitant to leave the village, but agreed after Stefan started getting nervous about being discovered. It seemed like Jindra would be just one of his many acquaintances where the situation seemed promising but nothing ever came of it.

Just before they left, Jindra showed up with a bag ready, saying she's joining them. Djinn was delighted but both he and Stefan were doubtful she would actually stick around, since before this she has never travelled further than the nearest town only a couple kilometers from her village (and Djinn with his previous experience with women where none of his relationships lasted longer than a few months expected her to get sick and tired of him after three weeks too). But she did stay and it turned out that with her along, life got so much easier, especially for Stefan because after learning about his condition Jindra immediately offered her blood as well which made things a lot less stressful for both Stefan and Djinn. And having an actual local to teach them about the folklore, creatures, traditions and everything also prevented a significant number of fuckups. Jindra's Giant Huge Large Horse also comes in handy whenever they need to move something large, though for the first couple months Djinn is not a fan of having Šafránek around ("horses are not supposed to be this big, what even is this thing")

Also fun fact, when joining them, Jindra was convinced Djinn and Stefan are a thing and she was totally on board with entering a polycule and it took about two weeks to explain that they are not. Jindra still occasionally teased them about it, like "you two should totally date" but stopped with the jokes soon, because of Stefan. But she soon came to understand that even though there is no romance involved for Djinn, Stefan is still the most important person in his life and if he ever had to choose between losing her (or any girl) or Stefan for whatever reason, Stefan would always be the priority (apart from life and death situation where Djinn would try to save both even at the cost of his life). And she understands that and is perfectly fine with that. Knowing the whole reason for their travels is to help Stefan and seeing just how much Djinn is willing to sacrifice for a friend is also one of the reasons she fell for him beyond the primary attraction (in Death's words - "there's something utterly adorable about this pretentious piece of shit that tries so hard to get all the attention on himself so that the ones he loves don't suffer"). But it also causes her a great deal of worry because of how much stress Djinn puts himself under. He finds it hard to let his negative feelings show and always wears a convincing mask of confidence and optimism, because he knows it is in Stefan's nature to blame himself for any worries his situation causes. Jindra is someone he can open up to and vent about everything in a healthy way for the first time in almost a year since Stefan became a vampire.

Jindra has her demons too. When she was younger she lost her little sister in large part due to her own mistake, but unlike Djinn talking about it does not help. When it catches up to her every now and then, she prefers to deal with it by herself. Djinn recognizes that look when something haunts her but she does not want to talk about it, he knows people similarly plagued by past mistakes, so whenever one of these moments comes, he will offer his presence and silent comfort.

Aside from that, the two are a menace. You won't hear them use any pet names or sweet words, they mercilessly bicker and tease each other (Stefan too), all three of them argue, fight and call each other a dumb bitch with the utmost love and affection. That's just kinda what happens when one of you is an overly dramatic piece of shit (Djinn) who will sell his soul to fifty different magical entities for shits and giggles and lets them fight for custody, the other will challenge a minor ancient god to a fistfight and the third keeps wandering the forests and getting hunted because the local lord wants the rare white raven in a cage.

Though there was a time, the first couple months after she joined the two in their travels, when Jindra had a bit of a personal crisis. She's a quite strong believer and her beliefs clashed with the way she and Djinn wanted to live (neither of them ever wants to marry, they see it as pointless and want to keep a sense of freedom, and Jindra does not want to give up her last name as she's proud of her family's heritage). But eventually she comes to the conclusion that it doesn't matter, she prays as often as is demanded, celebrates the holidays, when they pass through a village or town she makes sure to visit the church and she literally hunts demons which in her mind should be enough to make up for her sins. Besides, according to the Bible, (if he wasn't a vampire) Stefan, who is one of the sweetest good-hearted people in the world, would go to hell just for loving men, so, screw that (Jindra herself leans both ways a little but did not realize until she met Stefan and learned that Djinn has two mothers because, come on, losing your train of thought when the neighboring farmer's daughter walks past in a pretty new dress is a perfectly normal straight thing to do /s)

[thegrapeandthefig]

The Auloi

This post has been long in the making and kept being pushed back in the favor of other topics. Here we are finally, time to talk about ancient music. I have chosen the aulos, as you will see, it is more relevant to my interests, but hopefully soon, you should be able to read about the lyre on @adri-le-chat 's blog.EDIT: go read it here. 

Brief description

The aulos (plur. auloi) is a wind instrument, often called "double pipe" or "double reed" in English (note that the term is also used for modern instruments of the same category). It is basically a pipe with finger-holes and a reed mouthpiece, that is usually played as a pair: one in each hand. Commonly found from the Near-East to Egypt as early as 2600 BC, the earliest evidence in Greece dates back to the 8th century.

The term aulos means "duct" or "tube" but the latin name "tibia" tells us a bit more, as some instruments were made out of bone. Typically, one would use deer tibia bone, as it is already long and easy to make an even hole in. Other material existed: auloi were made out of wood or reed, ivory and the much older Ur auloi are made out of silver. The mouth piece was exclusively made out of reed. Those are fragile, do not last long and need to be replaced often.

The classical aulos would have 5 finger-holes, sometimes a sixth hole would be added as a vent. However, after 400 BC, there could be much more holes, allowing for more modal scales. An innovation attributed to Pronomus, a musician from Thebes. 

In texts, the auloi have often been translated as "flute". In reality, the instrument is closer to a oboe, technically much closer to bagpipes and the Armenian duduk.

A Dionysian instrument

The reputation of the instrument in Platonic thought is a weird one. Considered disharmonic, unpure, yet impactful, it is an instrument of the populace that has no place in the refined education of the elite youth. Let's list some examples:

Plato, Symposion 215c “Marsyas used to charm everyone with his pipes through the power that came from his mouth, and we are still charmed today whenever we hear his music played. I say ‘‘his’’ because I ascribe to Marsyas the melodies that Olympus used to play, because it was Marsyas who taught Olympus. In the case of Olympus’s music, whether it is played by a great performer or by an ordinary aulos-girl, it takes hold of men in a unique way and, because of its divine origin, it reveals those who are in need of the gods and of initiation rites.”

Plato, Republic 8.561c “And does he not,” said I, “also live out his life in this fashion, day by day indulging the appetite of the day, now wine-bibbing and abandoning himself to the lascivious pleasing of the flute and again drinking only water and dieting;

Plato, Laws 3.700d "In the matter of music the populace willingly submitted to orderly control and abstained from outrageously judging by clamor; but later on, with the progress of time, there arose as leaders of unmusical illegality poets who, though by nature poetical, were ignorant of what was just and lawful in music; and they, being frenzied and unduly possessed by a spirit of pleasure, mixed dirges with hymns and paeans with dithyrambs, and imitated flute-tunes with harp-tunes, and blended every kind of music with every other."

And as a final example, we can cite Plutarch in Alcibiades, who also echos the classical idea expressed by Plato:  

"At school, he [Alcibiades] usually paid due heed to his teachers, but he refused to play the flute, holding it to be an ignoble and illiberal thing. The use of the plectrum and the lyre, he argued, wrought no havoc with the bearing and appearance which were becoming to a gentleman; but let a man go to blowing a flute, and even his own kinsmen could scarcely recognize his features."

I realize that we cannot use Plato’s opinion as being representative of the general ancient Greek world. We should not strike out the possibiliy that Plato’s bias comes from the presence of women in the profession: we do have representations (and archaeological evidence) of professional female players.

However, it does give insight to the association of the aulos to "uncivilized" deities/creatures like Pan and the rest of the satyrs, who are often shown playing the aulos, like here, with Dionysus (Drinking Cup of Makron, Attic red-figure Cup, c.480 BC). Curiously, I have not found representations of maenads playing the aulos (they are most often portrayed with percussions). 

Obviously the myths surrounding the satyr Marsyas and his brother Babys stand out, as the former was described as a master of the instrument and the latter was spared from his brother’s violent death for his lack of skill. 

Reconstruction

I could not possibly demonstrate it better than the researchers of the European Music Archaeology Project. Let’s start wih sound alone, with researcher Stefan Hagel, playing an hellenistic aulos: 

For more technical information, here is piper Barnaby Brown. I will just add here the information he has given in another, older video. This auloi he is playing in this specific video is a reproduction of an original buried at Megara in c. 300 BCE in the tomb of a young woman, who most likely was a professional player. 

As you can see, those two instruments are different in material, size, hand positions, thus making very different sounds. 

Further reading: 

West L. M., Ancient Greek Music, 1992

For more complete information about the different types of auloi that have been reconstructed, as well as various technical information, I recommend going on the blog co-authored by those two researchers as well as other scholars and players of the ancient Greek auloi: https://www.doublepipes.info/

If you have time, consider watching this 50 min lecture on the roman tibiae by Olga Sutkowska

[seesgood]

anyway we don’t talk enough about the poetry of caroline’s major love interests and what they mean to her so i’m going to be annoying and talk about ships,

it got long.

MATT  was literally everything she wanted as a human and he was so symbolic of her human desires and how hard she tried after turning to hold onto her humanity. he was sweet, and kind, and loyal and she would have happily spent the rest of her human with him and raised a small gaggle of children and had a dog and stayed in mystic falls forever. matt is, hands down, the love of her human life. and he’ll always mean that much to her, but they were doomed from the second she turned and like so many other things she tried to hold onto from her human life, she kinda knew in the back of her head that it wouldn’t last, no matter how hard she tried.

which is why  TYLER  is honestly the perfect epic love for her after matt, because he’s the opposite in every single way. he doesn’t hate her for what she is, he’s actually one of the first people who trusts her completely and includes her in the supernatural things going on in the town ( because literally up until season 3, the main mystic falls crew was still leaving her out of major plots, but that’s another meta entirely ). tyler loves her recklessly and passionately and entirely and is everything that she --- as a new vampire, enamored with all the power and potential that she now has at her disposal --- wants in life. except, she still has that part of her that’s too human to entirely be a vampire, and a part that’s too vampire to be entirely human. and she and tyler work during the periods when he relishes in his power as a werewolf and a hybrid, but they don’t when he starts to resent what he was turned into and when he decides to go seek revenge against klaus.

and still, even then, she holds onto him. because he’s the love of her newly immortal life, and he’s every bit the adventure and passion that she thinks should come along with an epic love. tyler’s the first person maybe in her life that puts her first, and loves her unconditionally, and doesn’t make her feel second choice to elena. he’s the one person she doesn’t have to hide from and who she doesn’t have to worry about whether or not he’ll accept her for what she is and truly, it’s tyler that ever shows her that she’s worth being loved like that.

and then, a short while later, you get  STEFAN . who, from the get go, is one of her people. her best friend. literally her dream guy  ( though she also knows that she probably doesn’t stand a chance with him because hello, his type is elena ) . and she’s fine with that. because he’s stefan. and he deserves the world. and stefan is one of the few people that she can love completely and unconditionally and he’s the first person that ever tells her that she’ll be okay and she actually believes him. stefan is the perfect balance between who the human part of her loves and who the vampire part of her loves. with him, she has the perfect blend of what she had with matt  ( softness, loyalty, acceptance, genuine love )  and tyler  ( passion, adventure, potential, endurance ).  and again, stefan is the love of her life, plain and simple. he would be even if they’d never kissed or gotten together. romantic or platonic, stefan salvatore is as important to her as elena and bonnie are. and in a way, he’s so perfect to her and for her that she should have known it would be doomed. because while she’s probably envisioning their happily ever after in some foreign country where they’ll take long strolls and learn to cook and spend the rest of their immortal eternity leading a small but meaningful life, she’s ignorant to the fact that while stefan is one of the great loves of her life, one of the great loves of stefan’s life is damon. and the problem with loving a man who is so determined to sacrifice himself for someone he loves, and who is so selfless in everything that he does is that inevitably, you lose them.

loving and losing stefan is that moment when the romance of immortality dies out. it’s the moment when she realizes that as incredible as epic loves are, they’re also painful. and she kind’ve gives up, for a little bit, after him. because stefan is everything she’s always wanted in love, their relationship was everything she could ever possibly want and everything that should have lasted and in the end she still lost it and what is she supposed to do now? with stefan, she didn’t just lose a love, she lost a friend, a mentor, a piece of her. he loves her selflessly and she loves him a little selfishly and it’s only in hindsight where she realizes that loving someone that selfless only ends in pain.

so here’s the thing then, she’s not good at being alone. she hates it, actually. and suddenly she’s in a position where her life is turned upside down and everyone she’s loved has left or died and this idea of what her life would be like as a vampire that she’s built up in her head is clearly wrong and what’s she supposed to do? because there’s this weird debate within her, see, between the part of her that wants a human love ( something solid and safe and gentle and secure that includes the very notion of growing old together but with someone who won’t ever grow old )  and the inherently monstrous part of her that wants a love that’s a little bit feral. because that’s her problem, see, she spent so much time clinging to her human life because she’s always felt a little guilty about how much she loves her vampirism, but part of her will always want someone who likes that side of her and likes that side of themselves. who will love her as a human but also as a monster. and i’m sure we all know where this is headed because i’m trash but that person, in a lot of ways, is kinda  KLAUS.

but here’s the thing, she never loved klaus. he’s just this weird enigma of a presence in her life that keeps popping up here and there and he’s an idea that haunts her, regardless of the fact that she knows she’ll never let herself go there, because she’s too tied to her human side. but by the end of the originals, in the few snippets that we see of her in new orleans, she’s different from the girl she was in mystic falls. and she’s starting to get to that point where maybe, maybe she’ll start letting her consider it. and selfishly, she wants to keep him there. right where he is. as a thought, and an if, and one of those places she has very firmly on the horizon that never seems to grow smaller but also never seems to grow bigger but is always there, as an option, you know? because it’s comforting. she doesn’t love him, but she likes the idea of him. she doesn’t love him, but she thinks that maybe she could. and by the time we get to the point at the end of season 5 of the originals when they have their little moments and she’s very clearly playing distraction ( which has always been their thing anyway, that’s the role she plays with him, that’s their whole relationship ), she probably comes to that realization. but again, it’s doomed. because of course it is. because selfishly she wants someone selfish, who will fight for her and who will accept her and who would love her in all the ways that are both gruesome and beautiful. but realistically, she only ever finds herself drawn to people who are more than that. and deep down she’s always kinda known that klaus isn’t the monster he’d like to appear as. because deep down she’s always known that again, he’s not the villain in her story. and in the end, she loses him too.

but along the way there are other loves, too. like  ALARIC  for example, but in hindsight she’s probably never sure whether or not that’s real love or not. and in hindsight, she’s probably pretty sure that it’s not, but they both need it to be, so it is what it is. she needs to feel human again, after stefan breaks her heart. alaric needs to feel like the world isn’t caving in. they both play pretend for awhile. he probably loves her as the version of her who she knows he’ll love. the version of her that she pretends to be for awhile, which obviously is all the good human bits that anyone would love ( and none of the messy dark bits, which no one would love ). and she’ll always love alaric, and she assumes he’ll always love her. but really, they only ever loved the ghosts of one another. they only ever loved one another to survive.

but the beautiful thing really is that the true loves of caroline’s life ( lives ) aren’t romantic at all. and that’s the thing, see, because she’s only ever wanted love. and she’s really only ever accepted the version that you get to swoon over in movies. and that’s the version she spent her entire life longing for and chasing after. and in between the heartbreaks of losing her epic loves, she found her enduring loves. which, not surprisingly, are bonnie and elena. and lizzie and josie. and people who will love her unconditionally, no matter how much they likely butt heads. people who have loved the human parts of her, but who also chose to love the monstrous parts of her.

[rhetoricalrogue]

31 Days of Wayhaven: Day 11

Prompt: Transformation Rating: G (or P for Pining) Words: 1,017 Characters: Penelope Fisher, Cameron Buchanan Summary: Undercover bodyguard duty at a fancy gala is a chance for team members to see themselves in not so ordinary fashion. Note: This was really an excuse to put Penny in a pretty dress and work on some UST between the Commanding Agent and his second-in-command.

For the @31daysofwayhaven event

October 30, 2019 Secluded mansion on the Southern side of the Black Forest, Germany

Formal events weren’t Penny’s favorite things to attend, but she wasn’t going to skip out of them either, especially when she wouldn’t hear the end of it from either Nicky or Winona.  She actually liked having an opportunity to dress up, to go from practical clothes that tended to be on the more utilitarian side to something that made her look and feel feminine and pretty and (hopefully) desirable. 

She had to smile - apparently the wish to be transformed from a plain duckling to beautiful swan was something she’d never grown out of.

The things she didn’t like about formal settings were the multitude of little societal rules that she had to remember, especially when they were on a diplomatic mission where manners were of the utmost importance.  Unit Charlie had been tasked to act as undercover bodyguards for a high ranking member of a pack of werewolves, acting as guests to the family.  They’d been specifically assigned to the task because Penelope had ties to this pack that went back generations and wouldn’t look out of place on the guest list.

She brushed out her hair and began to section it out into portions for braiding and twisting into an elegant updo. She made quick work of her hair and reached for her makeup bag, opting for a minimal yet classic look that wouldn’t bring too much attention towards her while still fitting in with the occasion. That family connection was going to be an awkward one to explain to her team: none of them knew it, mostly because she was hesitant to divulge, but the man they were assigned to protect had at one time been in consideration to be her fiancé.  Stefan was a good man and had her eldest brother not made a better political match for their pack before legal paperwork had been drawn up, would have been an excellent match for her and her family.  They’d known the other since they were children - he was sweet, charming, and had grown up to become incredibly handsome with a loyalty to family and a good head on his shoulders.  It had often been said that they made a pleasing looking pair together, she with her silvery blonde hair and he with his slightly darker golden shade that seemed to compliment the other.

Yet he wasn’t the one her heart sang for and they both knew it.  

She briefly struggled with zipping her dress up - a simple black ankle-length gown that flattered her figure and left her shoulders bare, the slit up the side flashing a bit of leg every so often but also affording her freedom of movement should the worst come to pass and she needed to fight in it - before she felt it catch.  She already knew that she’d get some teasing from Nicky if he knew, but she couldn’t bear it if Cam joined in.  Cam.  She’d spiraled into a brief panic when it had only taken Stefan one look to realize who she had chosen as a partner, even if said partner would never be anything more than just a platonic friend.  She was getting too comfortable with wearing her heart on her sleeve around the people she cared about, and the hushed private conversation she had with Stefan where she pleaded for him not to say a word only reinforced the fact that she was going to have to put up some walls she hadn’t had reason to build in decades.

She was in the process of putting in some earrings when there was a knock at her door.  It didn’t take her long to identify the heartbeat on the other side and she called for him to come in.  “I was just finishing up,” she said, slipping into a pair of heels.  “Cam?”

Penny watched as he blinked and shook his head.  “Sorry.”  He gave her a small smile.  “You look beautiful, Penelope.”

She dipped her head down while sitting back at the vanity, picking up the necklace she’d placed there.  “Thank you.”  She cleared her throat.  “You look very handsome yourself.”

Cam grinned.  “Blame Nicky.  He dragged me to the nearest suit shop before we left home because he said he didn’t want me looking like a poorly dressed commoner.”  He came up behind her and helped her clasp the necklace at the back of her neck.

“I should thank Nicky instead.”  She looked at his reflection in the mirror. “And for your information, you’d never look like a poorly dressed commoner.”

He gave her an odd half-smile, his hands dropping from her necklace to pause at her shoulders for the briefest of moments before moving away.  Penny missed the warmth of his palms immediately.  “I’m glad I meet your approval, at least.”

She rose from her vanity and reached out to straighten his jacket lapels.  “You always meet my approval, Cameron,” she told him quietly, barely daring to look up at him from underneath her lashes.

“Penelope…”  She closed her eyes and swayed towards him when his fingers tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.  When she opened her eyes again, she was struck by the way he was looking at her, his expression soft and it took all she had in her to not close the gap between them and press her lips to his.  

And then he blinked and took a half step away, the moment, if there even had been one, dissolving between them.  “We should get going,” he said, heading towards the door.

“You’re right.”  She gave one last pat to her hair before joining him.  “Stefan isn’t going to guard himself, though remember, we’re supposed to be guests, not bodyguards.”

Cameron held open the door for her and waited until she exited before joining her in the hallway.  “And as guests,” he started, holding out his arm to her, “will you save a dance for me?”

She smiled as she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow.  “For you?  I’ll save two.”

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Michael in the Mainstream: Maleficent

Maleficent provides me with an interesting opportunity, as it allows me to say this: no piece of art really needs to exist.

You see this as a “criticism” so often: “Why was this made? It doesn’t need to exist, it’s so pointless.” And it’s usually in response to sequels or remakes, and it is an attitude especially prevalent in regards to the recent live-action Disney films. But here’s the thing: No movie really needs to exist, no sequel needs to exist, no remake needs to exist. Terminator 2, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Aliens, The Dark Knight, The Fly, The Thing, none of those movies needed to exist, as the stories were either wrapped up in a satisfying manner in the first film or in the latter two film’s cases the stories were already told pretty solidly the first time. But you see, someone out there had a new perspective, some fresh ideas, and they wanted to bring them to the table and make something else, and the world is better for it. So saying something “doesn’t need to exist” is just an utterly worthless bit of pseudo-criticism that is ultimately worthless as no piece of art is really necessary. Ultimately all that matters is whether you find a piece of art good or bad; whether it deserves to exist isn’t up for debate, but the quality of a work most certainly is.

Of course, that brings us to the question this review needs to answer: is Maleficent any good? Is this a good movie worth sitting down and watching? In short: Yes. Maleficent is a shockingly enjoyable fantasy film, and out of every Disney live-action movie it does the most to “justify” being made, as it is essentially its own continuity rather than a retread. But it’s a bit more complicated than just a simple “yes.”

This movie is essentially completely carried by Angelina Jolie’s performance. Despite Maleficent being reimagined here as tragic victim of circumstance rather than an out-and-out bad guy, Jolie manages to give Maleficent the dramatic gravitas and the incredible presence the character deserves. She’s pretty much perfect, and every moment she’s onscreen is a good one. Her chemistry with both Aurora and her crow-turned-human companion Diaval is the glue that holds this movie together… and boy does it ever need some glue.

The story actually has a fairly interesting setup, showing us the circumstances that led to Maleficent becoming dark and bitter, and it seems like it’s going to lead into some intriguing territory, perhaps even serving as a prequel to the original Sleeping Beauty… but these prequel bits pretty much just make up the first act, and afterwards we get what amounts to a ridiculous fix fic where Maleficent is painted as a tragic, misunderstood good guy and everyone else is either evil, incompetent, or stupid. Special mention goes to King Stefan, who goes from Aurora’s kind father to a frothing mad psychopath who is almost cartoonishly evil, starting from his mutilation of Maleficent’s wings in a heavy-handed rape metaphor and just sliding from there. Then there are the three fairies who raised Aurora, who are reduced to ineffectual nincompoops.

Aside from that, the story, while certainly a new and interesting take on Sleeping Beauty that shows it from another perspective in theory, is riddled with cliches and filled with ridiculous amounts of shilling for Maleficent at the expense of others to the point where it can get a bit laughable. It’s to the point where the prince is such a failure at his one job ��� waking Aurora from her curse – that not only is he reduced to a barely functioning extra despite being one of the more well-developed princes of Disney’s early years in animation, he has his ultimate narrative function stolen by Maleficent herself. Maternal love awakens Aurora, which is definitely an interesting twist, but platonic familial love saving the day was something I’d already seen in Frozen.

Here’s the thing, though: despite all of this, this is still a fun, engaging fantasy film that really does make a good case for Maleficent having a tragic backstory. Some would argue that there are sexist undertones here, what with a female villain needing justification for her villainy where a male villain could just be evil for the sake of it, but frankly, I have to disagree on that front. Thanos, one of the greatest villains in modern cinema, has a backstory that is excellently fleshed out in Infinity War that serves to make him tragic, but still an engaging villain that you love to hate regardless of how sad his sob story is. And if you want examples closer to Maleficent’s portrayal here, Jim Carrey and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Grinch come to mind, and even Darth Vader himself thanks to the prequels. A lot can be said about a villain who is evil for the sake of it, but humanizing a villain and showing us why they do what they do isn’t really a bad thing either, and of course this movie explicitly states it’s not the 100% canon way things go down, it’s just another retelling of an old tale, and should be treated as such. For what it is, I loved it.

This movie is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea by any means. Like I said, this movie basically lives and dies by Angelina Jolie’s performance, and the rest of the film can be super corny if you can’t buy into the premise. But if you love Maleficent, Angelina Jolie, or just love Wicked-style reimaginings of villains as tragic victims of circumstance, you’ll probably enjoy this. If you like fantasy and visual spectacle you’ll likely get a kick out of this as well, as this is a pretty visually stunning movie, and the designs for a lot of the Fair Folk are really interesting and stray a bit from the norm of cultural depictions of fae, hewing a lot closer to the original folklore than the sugary sweet pixies pop culture has jammed down our throats (for the most part, the three fairy idiots are still pretty generic). Overall, this is a solid, fun movie if you go in with the right mindset, and I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good fantasy film these days.

Maleficent may ultimately be cheesy, messy, and a bit overzealous with its attempts to paint the original Disney Queen of Mean as a misunderstood jerk with a heart of gold, but damn if I can’t find it in my heart to love this film, warts and all.

[favefandomimagines]

Happily Ever After (j.g.)

Request: you’re Stefan and Damon’s little sister who’s a vampire and you and Jeremy used to be in a relationship before he left town. you’re now a vampire mentor at the Salvatore boarding school. when jeremy comes back after finding landon and rafael, lizzie and josie try to get you back together.

Life couldn’t have been harder without your brothers being there with you. It had been years since Stefan died and yet to you it felt like yesterday. Being at the boarding school helped ease the pain a lot. You got to help younger and struggling vampires live amongst humans safely. Maybe they could learn from your mistakes if you couldn’t.

Lizzie and Josie Saltzman were like the younger sisters you always wanted. Especially when you’ve been able to see them grow up. Ever since they were younger, they’ve always wanted to hear about your epic love story with Jeremy Gilbert. For being close to 200 years old, you never had an epic love until you met Jeremy. But then he left and you never saw or heard from again. 

“Y/N!” Lizzie called from down the hall. “Hey, you! How are you feeling after gargoyle incident?” You asked her. “I’m doing okay. But I did save the day and that feels pretty great.” Lizzie answered. “That’s great. I’m happy you’re okay. God knows what I’d do without my daily dose of Lizzie attitude.” You joked. 

Lizzie nudged you slightly until Hope joined the two of you. “Landon and Rafael are back.” She commented looking in the opposite direction. You turned your head and saw Ric talking to the two of them and someone you haven’t seen in years. 

“Oh my god.” You said. “What? Who is that?” Lizzie asked. “Jeremy.” You answered. “Wait, THE Jeremy? The one you’re so hopelessly in love with?” Lizzie questioned. “That’s the one.” You confirmed. “Well, don’t look now but he’s coming over here.” Hope interjected. Your eyes went wide as Lizzie started fixing your hair, making you look good for the most awkward reunion of your very long life. 

“Y/N?” Jeremy questioned as he stopped in front of you. “Hey, Jer.” You greeted. Lizzie and Hope gave each other a look before excusing themselves. 

“We need to get them back together. Where’s Josie?” Lizzie asked Hope. “We can’t meddle in their love lives, Lizzie.” Hope told her. “We’re doing Y/N a favor. She’s been in love with him for years. She’s told me the story a thousand times.” Lizzie rebutted. 

The two finally found Josie, while you and Jeremy walked into Ric’s office to talk. 

“You look good.” You said, breaking the silence. “You do too. Obviously, you haven’t aged a day.” Jeremy replied. You laughed slightly as you looked at him. “How have you been holding up since Stefan?” He asked. 

You swallowed the lump in your throat before replying. “It’s been hard. One brother dead, one left me. Some days can get pretty lonely. But, these kids are great. I’m actually doing something good with my immortality.” You answered. 

“I’m sorry, Y/N. I wish I could have been here for you.” Jeremy said. “I don’t really blame you. You said when you broke up with me you wouldn’t come back for anything. You were just keeping your word.” You replied. “I didn’t exactly have a choice.” He rebutted. “You did though that’s the thing. You didn’t have to leave me. But you did because of Elena, which I get but I thought I was enough for you stay.” You said. 

The room fell silent before you had to get everything off your chest. “I loved you, Jeremy. I’ve been alive for centuries and have never found a single person I loved more than you. You knew that and yet, you broke up with me and left town. Right before the moment I needed you the most.” You finished. 

You sighed, rubbing your temples before walking towards the door but you couldn’t get out. An invisible wall was keeping you and Jeremy inside the office. You sighed and knew who could have been behind this. 

“Barrier spell. Most likely by Lizzie and Josie.” You announced. “So we’re stuck in here.” Jeremy concluded. “They want us to work out our differences.” You said. “They know about us?” Jeremy asked you. “Yeah. When they were little they always wanted to hear about Y/N Salvatore’s epic love.” You answered sarcastically. “Well, it was epic to me anyways.” You muttered. 

You walked to lean against the desk while Jeremy stood by the door. “Y/N, I never wanted to leave you. I wanted you to come with me but I knew you’d never leave your brothers. I didn’t have anything keeping me in Mystic Falls if you came with me but you did. You wouldn’t leave Stefan and Damon.” He told you. 

“Well, now I’m alone.” You said quietly. Jeremy sighed walking to stand in front of you. “Do you know how hard it was for me to leave? Knowing that I was leaving the one person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with? It sucked, Y/N but I couldn’t stay here anymore.” He added. 

You looked up at him and tried your best not to show any weakness. “We’re not exactly getting anywhere. We’re just repeating the same things. So, where do we go from here?” You asked. “Come with me.” Jeremy said. 

For a second you didn’t really think he meant that but when you looked at him and listened to his steady heart beat, you knew he was telling the truth. “W-What?” You questioned. “Leave Mystic Falls and come with me. I left you here once and I won’t do it again.” He explained. 

“I love you, Y/N. I always have and I probably always will. Even if it means growing old while you continue to stay beautiful, I want to be with you.” Jeremy added. 

You were silent for a moment before you left your spot by the desk and walked over to him. “Are you serious? You want me to come with you?” You asked, not really believing him. “Yes. I wanted that years ago and I’m not going to lose my chance again.” He answered. 

Looking at him for a moment, you smiled before you practically jumped in his arms and pressed your lips against his. You’ve both been waiting to do that again for years. 

Finally parting, you heard the doors open and saw Josie and Lizzie standing there after taking down the spell. “It’s about time. I needed my power couple back together.” Lizzie commented. You sent the girls a smile before mouthing the words ‘thank you.’ 

After you left the office, you were in your room packing your bags as you heard Hope knock on the door. “Can I come in?” She asked. “Of course you can. What’s up?” You asked. “Are you really leaving?” She questioned. “Yeah, yeah I am. I think it’s time I go after my happily ever after. Especially after Stefan.” You answered. 

That’s when you remembered something you had from Klaus. “Since I’ll be leaving, I want to give you something.” You said walking to your shelf. On it was a small box that contained two very important pieces of jewelry; Stefan’s daylight ring and a necklace Klaus had given you when you and your brother went to New Orleans. 

You and Klaus were close but it was strictly platonic. He gave you the necklace in hopes you’d give it to his daughter on the day you decide to do something for yourself, instead of doing what you thought was best for others. 

“Your dad gave this to me when you were little. He said to give it to you on the day I decide to do something for me. And since that day is today, this is for you.” You said handing her the necklace. 

It was a small red jewel on a silver chain. You didn’t know where it came from but you knew better than to ask Klaus Mikaelson questions. “He really told you to give it to me?” Hope asked. “Yeah. He loved you a lot, Hope. Don’t forget that.” You answered. 

She gave you a smile before giving you a quick hug. “I hope you come back and visit.” She said. “Of course I will. And do me a favor.” You started. “I know you and Lizzie don’t get along and I get it. But please look out for her. I love that girl as if she were my own sister and how Penelope treats her,” You paused, trying not to get worked up. “Just look out for her, please. Josie says she can handle her sister but we all know Lizzie needs more than one person in her corner.” You finished. “I’ll do my best.” Hope said before leaving your room. 

Once you were all packed, you headed to the driveway where Jeremy was waiting. You gave him a smile as he took your bags from your hand and loaded them into the car. “Y/N, wait!” You heard. 

You turned around and saw the twins running out to catch you. “Promise you’ll come back at some point.” Josie said. “I know this is your happy ending and we’re really happy for you but, it’s going to be weird without you.” Lizzie finished. 

You smiled at them before bringing them in for a hug. “I’ll be here to visit before you know.” You said to them quietly. The three of you stayed like that for a moment before you let them go and gave them one last fleeting smile. 

You walked to the car and got in the passenger seat. Jeremy looked at you and took your hand in his, bring it up to his lips and placed kiss on it. “I love you, Y/N.” He said. “I love you too.” You replied. 

He put the car in drive and the two of you drove down the driveway and out of Mystic Falls. Ready start your happily ever after. 

[feelsgoodink]

His Favorite Flavor ( Klaus Mikaelson x Reader ) **SEQUEL TO HIS FAVORITE COLOR

Warnings; severe insecurity, body negativity. please understand that you are beautiful and that I am not shaming anyone who relates to this as I wrote this from personal opinion and experience. Never hesitate to talk to me!💕

PART ONE; https://feelsgoodink.tumblr.com/post/176767974414/his-favorite-color-klaus-mikaelson-x-reader

THE SPIN-OFF; https://feelsgoodink.tumblr.com/post/177064720044/her-fatal-flaw-klaus-mikaelson-x-reader

You had tried to keep your promise to Klaus, despite the way you knew there were parts of him not nearly as honorable as his brother Elijah, desperately you tried to shut out all your thoughts of doubt and insecurity.

However, as you layed in bed and let the soft sounds of your radio whisper tunes in your ear, you found yourself trying to justify the things he had said, debunk them, make yourself believe that he was lying. Maybe he was using flattery as a ploy to distract you.

Why were you so dumb? Dumb enough to open your heart to Klaus when in the same second he could and most likely would of held it in his hands? His oddly soft hands, that in your hair felt like a gentle comb, soothingly and caring. With your head crying into his chest, he very well could of snapped your neck or crushed your skull, and even though you wanted to dwell on that fact, all you could think about was the simple fact that he didn't.

You were always reminded of you how weak you were by the way you caught yourself thinking- and your thoughts made you feel pathetic. You had caught yourself daydreaming, pondering, trying to get close to the feeling of your body in his arms as if it were a craving. How could someone become addicted to something they only tried once? Maybe you understood drugs now.

You were starting to understand several things, as you concluded. But at the same time that certain parts of humanity had began to make sense, everything beyond it had started to become even more of a blur, so confusing, and you felt like you knew nothing. You were clueless. You were helpless.

Helpless. Helplessly, you tried to keep your promise, but to no avail.

You looked in the mirror again. On Sunday, you gazed upon your legs, covered loosely by velour burgundy shorts, and you thought that the red splotches on them were competing with the cover of the fabrics. On Monday, you got out of the shower and let your towel drop onto the rug. For a moment, you tried to appreciate the way that your curves sharply pointed in from your waist to your hips, the crease made you feel as if you might be "thick" or "bodacious". You giggled at the world bodacious and your smile stayed for a few seconds before you slumped your shoulders and saw the way the rolls of your skin folded over on your ribs. In that moment, you knew you had failed the original hybrid.

You stood from your bed and began to rummage through the dresser drawers. The pieces of furniture were probably much, much older than you were, because they belonged firstly to the Salvatore's. Your apparent housemates.

You pulled out a pair of black leggings and made note of the rips in the thighs. You picked out a long-sleeve brown and white striped t-shirt that was three sizes too big and slipped it over you. Your hair was up in a tired, lazy bun.

You walked out of your bedroom, not wanting to spend another moment in there looking at yourself. In your hand was your journal, you had been keeping a diary for about three years now, it was something you, Elena, even Stefan did. You were sure their's were far more interesting and exciting than yours.

Because you, for the most part, were on the outskirts of all the action.

Your diary was a dark plum purple and the pages were college-ruled, the front was covered in silver sequins that when turned over, turned into a shadowy black color. It looked like something from Claire's, which, you'd be lying if you said it wasn't from there.

Writing the date in the corner, you judged your handwriting internally and began to scribble words onto the lines.

I hate the way I feel in my own skin. I feel like I am drowning in my own body, and there's too much room in my brain for my thoughts to run wild. If only I could let it all out.

You remembered how vampires could turn off their emotions when it got too much for them, and you wondered if that was how Damon found himself to of gotten so confident. Besides being built and sculpted like a greek God, that was. Surely even the prettiest people had insecurities, right? Everyone did. You knew that.

I've come to realize that there has never been nor will there ever be a feeling more exhilarating then the way it feels to be held. I think I finally know what love feels like. Not a platonic or filial love, but a romantic love. Not that I'm in love, but I felt it in my chest when he held me and it took away every other feeling I had. It felt like I could breath again, but it also felt like I couldn't catch my breath even if I tried. It was beautiful.

Klaus had told you that you were a work of art, and that almost warmed your chest as you peered down at the paper and remembered the things he said. You let the pen rest on the pages and you closed your eyes, leaning against the sofa with your body pressed into the age-old cushions.

The doorway to the Salvatore house crashed like lightning as both doors swung open, you nearly jumped from your seat from being so startled. Like a bullet, whatever opened the door can hurdling toward the living room.

Finally appearing as a concrete figure and not a blurred apparition, stood Klaus now, he was covered in blood and what appeared as parts of intestines. The appearance of gore made your knees lock with fear as you swallowed back the lump in your throat. He was angry, obviously red with fury and his jaw was clenched as if it was locked from the inside and he had swallowed the key himself. It didn't appear as if he was looking for you. As he usually wasn't.

"Klaus- I-" You started, but the glare in his eyes told you that you should be silent, and so you were. You simply kept trying to stare into his eyes and not at the blood on his arms, or the tiny red splatters on his face. The drops on his oddly pink lips that weren't complete meaning this wasn't just a feeding frenzy. You felt as if you knew that if you were to find out anything, he would tell you on his own time. And he had eternity.

Niklaus stepped back and let his shoulders rest. His narrowed eyebrows raised to a natural position and his expression softened as he saw the obvious fear in you. He wasn't over what he was mad over, not in the slightest. He had just killed all he had if his hybrid army and the only way he could make more... was with the cure. He knew that in order to get that, the mark would have to be completed, although it didn't change the fact that he hated waiting.

"(Y/N), you asked me how I handled the guilt and the death that came with my gains and I promised that you would know that answer." Klaus was speaking fast, and his accent was making some words hard to understand but the obvious rage that was laced in them was unmistakable.

Klaus stepped closer. For a vampire, everything is heightened. Was that even more so for an original who was also a werewolf? You could never tell.

"I don't. I don't handle it. I suppress it and I simply ignore it. Until, something like this happens. Until Tyler Lockwood decides that he wants to overthrow everything I have worked for for over a thousand years, pined over for days on end, dreamt about- oh love, I've only focused on the gains. Not the guilt. Not the death. But now I simply cannot ignore it any longer." He was spitting with some of the words he exclaimed, his composure was completely gone in this moment.

You noticed underneath all that furiosity, seemed to be an aching pain. A twisting loneliness.

"what... what did Tyler do?" You asked. His left eye twitched and you rephrased the question. "What did you do?"

He let out a laugh that could not of been any less sincere. It was terrifying, devious, almost to a comical point as you noticed moisture lining his lower lashline.

"I've had to take out my hybrids, as they were no longer sired to me. I had to chase them all down and I ripped out their hearts from their chest and squeezed the blood from it until it's very last beat. I have beheaded one, watched as her head rolled from her neck to the ground and still conveyed terror on her face-" His rant began again. You didn't want to listen, and he seemed like he didn't really want to tell you.

"Stop it." You told him. He was surprised by your sudden and abrupt response. "Excuse me?" He said.

"Reliving it won't help you. It will only make you more miserable. If you keep thinking about the thing that makes you upset.. it's only worse on you." You said, in differently, calmly. But it was obvious you were talking about something on a smaller scale than the murder of twelve hybrids.

Klaus let out an exhale as the realization of what your statement meant set in. He crossed his blood-stained arms. "You haven't kept your promise to me, have you love?" He watched as your eyes fell to the floor and then caught back up the what you could see of yourself from your eyes down, not being able to see far over your tummy, you bit your lip and that was all the answer he needed.

"Normally, I would be infuriated by the lack of honor in you giving me your word. But I should not of put my faith in you to change a habit that has brewed for so long. I will say, that you are so very, very wrong in thinking the way that you do. I stand by what I told you." You were a distraction from his main problem, and he didn't even know he really wanted a diversion. But now his mind was clouded with the idea of convincing you that you were beautiful.

"How do I know you aren't planning something, manipulating me? How do I know that I can believe a word you say? You think that I'm a work of art? That I should be in a museum rather than locked away in this house playing Rapunzel?" You thought of the fairytale and thought it was a bad analogy. "There's no prince for me to let down my hair for, there is no mother to want me for my hair, I will never be important to anyone, never any use to Elena, or even Jeremy. So what makes you think that I will just believe that I am anything but a pawn in your little game of chess?!" Dear God. You were crying again.

This time, Klaus didn't speak, did not try to combat your arguements with words, maybe he did not have the right amount of mind to muster a lingual reply. You felt a newly familiar electricity as his hand came in contact with your jaw and held your face tightly, before a new sensation touched and silenced any more venom from your throat.

Klaus Mikaelson had kissed you. He was kissing you. His lips were soft and though there were the faintest amount of blood on them all you could focus on was the way it felt. You felt all the words crawling back into your skin through the underneath of your fingernails as your fingers clenched into a fist and you let out a whimper.

You kissed him back. Needingly, desperately, as if he was your last dying breath and you were bringing it back to your lungs. He grabbed you by the soft skin on your hips and he pulled you closer to him, his strength was obvious and undeniable. You felt oddly pleased knowing that this was your first kiss.

"Answer me this, love." He breathlessly muttered on your mouth as his lips parted from yours only for a moment. He popped them back together and then pulled apart again. "What about this feeling that you're feeling right now, warrants any sense of dishonesty?" His charming dialect had returned. He loved the way your lips felt and he loved the way they tasted on his, not in the way he tasted the blood he drank, but to him you were a fine wine, aged to perfection.

He was right. Nothing about this felt dishonest, fact of the matter was, it was the realest thing you had ever felt, it was the strongest feeling you'd ever had, it was exuberant, and it made you feel... it made you feel beautiful.

The hands on your hips made you glad there was enough to hold onto, for his fingers to sink into as he pulled you into him. It was sensual, and that was fine by you.

You brought his lips back to yours quickly and pressed harder against him, his chuckles vibrated against your mouth. "How does this make you feel?" He asked, pulling the two of you apart for longer than fifteen seconds. You could feel your cheeks getting rosy.

"Beautiful." You mumbled. He grinned, letting his thumb pressed down your now swollen bottom lip. "Then it cannot be far from the truth." He told you. You thought you might be melting.

It was in that moment, that you realized that you would eventually have to try and appreciate yourself more, maybe even like yourself. But right now, you didn't feel useless, you didn't feel hideous, or a burden, and right now you had come to realize that you were falling hopelessly, hopelessly in love with Klaus Mikaelson.

And maybe he might be there to catch you.

[stallingdemons]

How They Would React To Your Death.....

Featuring The Vampire Diaries Characters/ The Originals in platonic instances. (only the ones I’ve been introduced to. Don’t judge, I’m only on season four. I hopped on the TVD bandwagon a little late, okay?)

Elena Gilbert

You and Elena had been best friends since before you could remember a time without her there. You two were always attached to the hip and never once did you ever think for a moment she wouldn’t be apart of your life. And while you thought that so did Elena. After losing her parents, Jenna, and then losing you was her breaking point. She lost her strength and collapsed into the pain. Elena couldn’t breath, causing her to hyperventilate and get swallowed whole into an anxiety attack that no one could pull her out of. Elena cried for days until she physically couldn’t. A part of her would forever be broken without you.

Jeremy Gilbert

Similar to Elena, you were like a sister to Jeremy. When Elena or Jenna couldn’t get through to him, you were able to. The two of you had a different kind of bond and it didn’t mean he loved her any less because he loved the both of you the same. You were just more understanding and less judgmental. Jeremy could tell you things and know that you would never use it against him. So, when your death reached him, he was instantly in denial. You couldn’t be dead, that wasn’t possible. You couldn’t die, you couldn’t leave him like everyone else did. You weren’t gone, you couldn’t be. 

Bonnie Bennett

Bonnie came to you first when she found out that she was actually a witch. It brought you two closer and it was because of you that she was able to tell others. You became her crutch when her Grams died. You supported her in ways that fueled her to continue witchcraft. You believed in Bonnie even when she didn’t. And with your death, Bonnie not only felt it emotionally but physically too. She cried out in pain when you took your last breath. And for months, she wasn’t able to practice because without you to tell her she could, she felt like she couldn’t no matter how hard she tried. 

Caroline Forbes

Caroline would never admit it but she was jealous of the friendships you made. It was easy for you to make friends and while Caroline could be charismatic, she would always find a way to ruin it somehow. But in the midst of her suppressed jealousy, she knew you and you knew her. You’d always be there for her no matter how many times she would let her green monster show. And with you gone, Caroline felt like she had wasted so much time giving into her jealousy to actually cherish the friendship she had with you. Guilt consumed her thoughts, Caroline hoping you knew that she loved you like she was suppose to.

Matt Donovan

You and Matt had jokingly made a pact that the two of you would stay human and beat the odds Mystic Falls threw at them. Even though it was a silly pact that was meant to have no truth within its spaces, it did. Matt was so sure the two of you were going to be the badass humans that it never occurred to him that one of you would actually die. And when you had, it opened up his eyes that despite never seeing you again, it was a blessing in disguise. You were too wrapped up in the supernatural world and he was only glad that weren’t stuck living in Mystic Fall’s nightmare. Matt grieved over the loss of you but was also the one who bounced back to reality quicker than the rest. 

Tyler Lockwood

You had been a friend to Tyler long before everyone else had. With Tyler being a prick, he was never one to you. You were the ear he desperately needed and never once spoke a word of what he shared. You were there when he learned of the curse and promised that you’d always be there. You guided him in the right direction and with you no longer here Tyler was afraid he was going to spiral downward. His chest hurt, the feelings of grief intensifying with every second he reminded himself that he would never see you again. He locked himself in the old Lockwood cellar, crying over the friend he lost. 

Stefan Salvatore

The friendship between you and Stefan was unlike any other. Sometimes you swore that you were falling for him but other times, you knew you weren’t. You reminded him so much of Lexi and that was exactly what he needed when she passed. You kept him in line despite your mundane nature and inability to understand the need to feed. You promised to always be there for each other in times of desperate measures. But with you gone, who was suppose to keep him from going backwards? The grief was too much for him, the repeated pain of losing a great friend was tearing him apart. Stefan had spent hours at your grave the four days after you were buried. He didn’t know it but you were there watching him when he decided to turn off his humanity. Turning it off was the only way to make it all go away. Stefan needed you and without you, he would lose himself in the Ripper. 

Damon Salvatore

Damon never understood why you were always so nice to him. He could insult you for hours and every time you would just treat him like he hadn’t. He found it weird that you never hated him despite how hard he tried. Eventually, he gave up and accepted your friendship. And when he found out that you died, he wished he hadn’t succumb to your persistence in being a friend.Because then maybe it wouldn’t hurt so bad to know that you were never coming home. Alongside Alaric, he drank himself under the table, numbing the memory of you. Damon hadn’t fully gone off the deep-end but the trail of bodies he left behind wasn’t exactly a good sign either. 

Alaric Saltzman

You reminded Alaric of the kind of girl he would want his future daughters to be like. Strong, independent, smart, witty, accepting, and loving. It hurt to watch you die. He had gone through two bottles of bourbon that night, desperately holding onto the memories of the two of you training in the woods every morning before school. Alaric was slowly losing grip on reality. Every time he tried to sleep, all he could hear was your laugh echoing in his ears. He would never be the same. Your death was one that he wouldn’t be able to get over so easily. 

Klaus Mikaelson

Klaus and you hadn’t started on the right foot in the beginning. While he tried to hurt your friends and pit them against each other, you resented him. But, he he had quickly earned your trust when he came to your rescue against a few vampires that were new to Mystic Falls. Even though he had done bad things, you gave him a chance. Klaus always being suspicious and paranoid took a bit to warm up to you but nevertheless, he did. Klaus had felt anger boiling inside of him as he learned of your death. He broke everything that was in sight, smashing them into pieces. Yelling in anger and knocking everything off the walls and tables. Klaus swore to avenge you by going after every being that was involved in your death despite what it would cost him. He wouldn’t dare let the only person who was willing to give him a clean slate be wronged. 

Rebekah Mikaleson

Rebekah trusted no one in Mystic Falls except for you. You had showed her genuine kindness despite her vindictive ways. She appreciated your friendship and promised to take it to the grave. Rebekah knew you would never lie or attempt to betray her like others. You kept your word and had even undaggered her against the pleas of your friends. While she trusted you, you trusted her. So when the news broke that you had died, Rebekah grew silent. Pain swirling inside as she defined the words that came from her brother’s lips. She went unspoken for days while her heart broke into a million pieces as the truth of not having someone she could trust sink in.

Kol Mikaelson

Kol contemplated flipping the switch. He had witnessed you take your last breath and every time he closed his eyes, that was the only thing he saw. He was distraught on the inside despite him holding his facial expressions still. Kol blamed himself because he could have tried harder in trying to save you. What he had done wasn’t good enough. You were one of the few he had met in his lifetime that didn’t try to change him. While you admitted to him that you didn’t like the person he could be at times, it didn’t change how much you two could get along. And for that, he saw you as a friend, an ally. And because he lost you, he couldn’t bear the pain of never seeing you again. So, he did what he does best. Became the monster he tried so hard to contain when he was around you. 

Elijah Mikaelson

Elijah was the only one who hadn’t gotten the pleasure to know you. He had met you briefly in the beginning of his encounter with Mystic Falls but never got the chance to figure you out as a person. When he had heard of your passing, apart of him felt saddened by the fact that he would never have that chance. Elijah dug through his brain of all the qualities his siblings had told him about you and silently mourned with a slight twinge of regret that he will never have the chance to know the beautiful person you were.