#we don't talk about the hand hamlet

[hailsatanacab]

A Persuasive Argument - dpxdc

"Great!" Danny says, clapping his hands together to get everyone's attention. The dinner table falls silent as everyone looks towards him. It's a full house today and, honestly, Danny's a little nervous. "I'm sure you're all wondering why I gathered you here today."

"It's dinnertime. In our house." Duke mutters, while doing a very bad job of concealing his yawn. He holds his fork poised over the braised beef, but, just like everyone else, still looks towards Danny before tucking in. It's intriguing enough to wait.

"Yeah, no one misses Alfie's dinner." Dick says, with a brilliant smile that Danny can't help but return.

"Precisely! What better time to talk to you all than when you're all actually here!"

"Wait, I thought you came round to work on our English essays?" Tim asks, blinking owlishly.

"I'm afraid I've lured you here under false pretences, Tim."

"This is where I live."

"I would still really appreciate help on that essay though, I mean, what the hell is Hamlet even about? I just don't get that old time-y language, like 'Hark! A ghost hath killed me!' - absolute rubbish, what does that even mean?"

"The ghost never kills anyone in Hamlet, he's there to tell Hamlet that he was murdered. Have you actually read it?"

"No, but it sounds like you have. Tim, I want this guy to help me with my essay instead. I know for a fact that you haven't read Hamlet, either."

"So? We don't need Jason, I've read the Sparknotes."

"Hi Jason, I'm Danny, pleasure to meet you, summarise Hamlet in three sentences or less."

"Am I auditioning to help you write your essays? I can't believe you’ve gone through your whole school life without reading it, it’s good!"

"Hamlet, along with a number of other classics, was banned in our house because it portrayed ghosts as intelligent and sympathetic beings rather than evil, animalistic beasts. I didn’t even get to see The Muppet's Christmas Carol until last year with Tim! It was surprisingly good, and I hate Christmas because everyone always argued and it sucked. But we're getting off topic. I—"

"No, no, please go back to that, because what the fu—"

"Boys, please." Bruce interrupts, looking to the world as if he wants to hang his head in his hands. "Danny, you were about to say something?"

"Oh, yeah, Mr. Wayne! Thanks!"

"Please, call me Bruce."

"Well, that very succinctly brings me to my point, because I'd actually really like to call you dad."

Nobody says a word. Nobody even blinks, all as shocked as the other, watching open-mouthed as Danny pulls his laptop out from beside his chair. Bruce can definitely feel a headache coming on.

"Before you say anything, I've prepared a 69 slide PowerPoint presentation on why you, Bruce Wayne, should adopt me, Danny Last-Name-Pending. Please save your questions, comments, and verdict until the end, thank you."

[cressidagrey]

Stars all aligned - Chapter 7

Summary:

If there was one thing that both Azriel and Zahra Archeron had in common, it was that they were both very good at blending into the background.

They just never thought that their family were going to be the ones who never saw them at all.

Warning:

I'll keep the warnings, even though there is no outright mention in this part: Bashing of like...every IC member? Especially the Archeron Sisters, discussion of chronic pain, discussion of Infertility, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Underage Prostitution, Underage Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault

If any of this triggers you or makes you uncomfortable, please, take care of your own mental health and don't read it.

(Lovely dividers thanks to @sweetmelodygraphics)

"I want you out of Velaris, when I have a talk with them," Azriel broached the topic a few days later. Zahra just stared at him.

"I have nowhere else to go," she said drily. 

She had the cottage and that was it. And her tries at winnowing…let’s just say she did not trust herself to winnow anywhere she didn’t know very well. 

Azriel’s face was unreadable, but there was a tension in his shoulders, a tightness in his wings.

He was clearly on edge...but then, he had been for quite a while, whenever the topic of their family came up. 

Whenever she told him about her life in the cottage and later as a maid at the Archeron Estate…he had looked murderous.

"I have a small cottage by the sea you can...stay in," Azriel suggested softly.

Zahra just stared at him. "You have a cottage by the sea," she echoed, amused besides herself.

Azriel moved to stand behind her, where she was washing dishes in the sink and he pressed a kiss against her cheek.

"I am just paranoid," he promised her. "Nothing bad will happen...But I would feel better if you are out of the city, if I get into a fight with Cassian and accidentally level it."

"That's not funny," she told him drily, but bit back a smile, especially as she leaned back against his broad chest, the dishes forgotten in the soapy water in the sink.

"At the coast?" she asked him softly. The coast sounded…nice.

"Rosehall," he explained. "It's...It's where my mother lives."

"Your mother?" she echoed, surprised.

Azriel nodded, his hands resting on her hips as he leaned down and buried his face in her neck.

"I bought it for her a long time ago," he murmured as his lips brushed against her skin. "It's...right there by a little hamlet we turned into a haven for displaced Illyrians. You can stay there...just until my brothers get the stick out of their asses and come to their senses."

Zahra let out a snort of laughter. “Sure, I will just wait around until your brothers come to their senses,” she said with a little smile, turning around and reaching up to brush away the stray strands of his dark hair from his forehead. “And how long do you think that is going to take?”

"Not long," he promised her. "And then I'll get started on your sisters," he promised her, pressing a kiss against her forehead and Zahra melted.

She loved the easy attention, the sweet little forehead kisses he dished out to her so often, nearly absentmindedly. The touch of his hands on hers…

She loved the way he smiled at her...just at her.

And yet…and yet she couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt at the mention of her sisters, even if she tried her best not to let it show.

“You are so sure of yourself,” she teased him, trying to keep her voice light as she rested her hands on his chest.

Azriel just smiled down at her, the expression in his eyes gentle, his wing shifting to wrap around her body as he pulled her against the hardness of his chest.

“We’ll get things figured out,” he murmured as one large hand moved up to run through her braid, smoothing back some of the messier strands. “You don’t need to worry.”

“You sound so confident,” she said, a smile playing on her lips despite herself as she took a moment to admire his handsome face, so close to hers.

His smile was a rare sight, his features so often schooled into a careful mask of neutrality, but as she studied his face she could see the warmth in his dark eyes, and she loved the way his lips curled up in their corners so slightly.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you are arrogant.”

He chuckled at that, and the low sound of his laughter vibrated through his chest.

“Are you calling me arrogant?” he asked, his wings shifting around them again, pulling her just a little bit closer to his body, the powerful muscles of those wings pressing against her back.

“Yes, I think I am,” she said with a smile, tilting her head up to look at him, her eyes flicking between the different shadows on his face.

His gaze held hers for a long moment, the corner of his lips still curled up, a teasing expression in his dark eyes.

“Arrogant and overconfident and insufferable,” she added jokingly and she felt the rumble of a silent laugh in his chest.

"Don't worry," he repeated. "It will be fine," he promised her evenly.

Zahra wished she only had one bit of his confidence

“And if it’s not?” she asked him quietly.

The tension was back in his shoulders, in the hands that were still resting on her hips.

His whole body grew taut in that second but his voice was even as he spoke. “This isn’t the first time we are having a heated disagreement. They’ll get over it.”

“Maybe,” she agreed grudgingly.

But something inside of her didn’t feel so sure, and her stomach was tied into knots at the thought of her sisters catching wind of what was going on between her and Azriel.

Still, if it calmed him...she filled a bag with clothing and toiletries, not that she owned much, and locked the door of her cottage after herself, just as Azriel offered her his hand...and then she dragged him to one of the flower stalls in the city, because she was not going to show up to meet his mother empty-handed.

“Flowers?” Azriel asked her, a smirk on his face as he looked at her with that amused look in his eyes.

She shot him a glare. “I am not going to pay a visit to your mother without carrying anything, and I don’t own a single bottle of wine, so flowers will have to suffice.”

He just shook his head at her, a look of exasperated fondness on his face as he let her lead him towards a stall with a colorful display and an array of wildflowers.

Flowers acquired, Zahra was ready to go to Rosehall.  

"It's going to feel different than winnowing," Azriel warned her. "Just hold onto me."

Zahra just squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fingers around his...and a second later, she could taste sea salt in the air and feel icy illyrian air on her skin.

Even when summer had already arrived in Velaris, the same couldn’t be said here. 

The icy cold air was a shock to her system as she was suddenly assaulted by the brutal cold, the sharp wind and the thick cloud cover.

Zahra stumbled on her feet as her knees nearly buckled from under her and she found herself clinging instinctively to Azriel’s arm, trying to find her footing as she took in her surroundings, blinking as the cold air was slapping against her face.

It was icy there.

She’d known that the coast was chilly, but she was not prepared for that kind of cold.

“You didn’t mention it was this cold,” Zahra said through chattering teeth.

"Let's get you inside," Azriel said quickly, pulling her from the forest where they had appeared, towards a grey stone cottage, nestled in the harsh terrain. If she stood on her tiptoes, she could just see the sea down over the cliffs...a couple more houses dotted around, as Azriel pulled her towards the one with smoke happily puffing out of the chimney.

Zahra had no chance to truly study it, before Azriel was pushing the door open wide and ushered her into the house.

The air inside was warm, a heavy sort of warmth that made it clear a fire had been lighting for a while in the stone fireplace that stood in one of the corners of the room.

Zahra was so relieved to get out of the biting chill of the air and she was about to take a look around, when a voice startled her. 

"Azriel?" A  female’s voice called, and just a moment later she appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. 

For one moment Zahra was struck by how young she looked. If Zahra hadn't known better, she would have thought this was Azriel's sister and not his mother. 

The dark hair, braided and pinned to her head, the same hazel brown eyes... the planes of her face were different though. Azriel must resemble his father more than her. But she was beautiful...even with a vicious, gnarly scar that destroyed the left side of her face.

“Hello, Ma,” Azriel said warmly. 

"And you brought a guest," she said with a smile as her eyes settled on Zahra, studying her.

Zahra shifted, feeling suddenly very self-conscious and nervous, especially as the woman's eyes, so much like Azriel's, slowly appraised her from head to toe.

Azriel just stepped closer to her and placed his hand on the small of her back.

"Ma, I'd like you to meet Zahra Archeron, my Mate. Zahra, my mother Esmeray," he introduced them and a smile stretched over Esmeray's face, so bright and beautiful that her scar was forgotten. Surprised but…pleased.

​​Esmeray's eyes filled up with tears and she made a quick move forward, that nearly made Zahra flinch, but then she had already wrapped her arms around Zahra's shoulders, pulling her into a tight bear hug that nearly had Zahra stumbling from her feet again.

She got a whiff of a scent that had the same fresh and clean scent of Mist that Azriel must have inherited from her. 

"Your Mate!" Esmeray exclaimed, as she pulled back and beamed at Zahra. "I'd given up hope of him ever finding his Mate,” she told Zahra conspiratorially. “But here you are!” 

Azriel rubbed the back of his neck in that familiar nervous gesture, a slight flush in his face and a small smile on his lips.

Zahra, meanwhile, was still struck dumbfounded and all she could do was to give Esmeray a weak smile, when the female suddenly let go of her and turned to her son.

"I cannot believe it!" Esmeray said, her voice nearly a whisper, as she threw her arms around Azriel's neck.

He looked stiff for a moment, like he wasn’t quite used to being hugged, but then a smile appeared on his face and he relaxed in her embrace as he hugged her back.

She pulled back a few seconds later, still smiling up at him, her eyes wide, before she turned back to Zahra.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Zahra said quickly, as the woman's attention turned back to her.

Esmeray's smile only grew bright. "The pleasure is all mine. But look at me, I am being a terrible host," she said, before she took a step back and gestured towards the chairs around the fireplace. "Come, please sit down."

"I brought flowers," Zahra said hesitantly.

Esmeray's attention fell on the flowers and another smile appeared on her face. "How thoughtful," she said, a soft edge in her voice. "Such a sweet girl. But you didn't need to do that."

"She insisted," Azriel said drily.

That just made Esmeray chuckle, a sound that filled the room, warm and low.

“She has very good manners,” Esmeray told her son drily as she stepped to the small table to search for a vase.

Azriel just shot Zahra a little smile as he guided her to one of the chairs around the fire, and pulled out one of the chairs for her to sit down.

Zahra shot him a thankful look, even as her mind was still processing the fact that she had just met his mother. His lovely, kindhearted mother.

Zahra couldn't remember her own mother. At least not really. And Mrs. Archeron…she had hated the very air Zahra breathed. But Esmeray...

Azriel must have caught the look in her eyes, because he gave her an encouraging smile as he sat down beside her and took her hand in his.

His mother soon turned from the kitchen, the vase of wildflowers clutched in her hands as she set in on the table.

“They’ll look lovely on the windowsill,” she said as she took a seat at the table, that smile still on her face as she regarded them.

Zahra bit her lower lip. She had no idea how to handle this kind of situation. So much warmth inside this little house, so much love...she could feel the energy rolling off of Esmeray in waves.

Azriel squeezed her hand, his expression soft, as his mother observed them intently.

"So," Esmeray said a few seconds later, her eyebrows raising slightly. "You found your  Mate."

Azriel inclined his head. 

Zahra shifted uncomfortably in her chair, her stomach tying into all kinds of knots, as his mother's eyes moved between her and her son.

"You want to tell me the rest of what is going on?" Esmeray asked, her voice softer now. "I can see it on your face."

"I need to get back," Azriel said quietly. "Can Zahra stay with you for the night?"

"What happened?" Esmeray asked. "And of course, she can stay with me. What kind of question is that?" She said with a snort. “She’s your mate, she’s always welcome here.”

"We have a few...family problems," Azriel said drily. "I imagine that Rhysand will be ill-pleased with the mating bond snapping and her sisters are...being...difficult."

That was the understatement of the century.

Zahra sat there, shifting awkwardly in her seat as he spoke, but his mother’s attention remained on Azriel.

“Rhysand will get over himself, you know that,” Esmeray said with a shrug, as though waving away a minor inconvenience. "He always does, and he’s smart in many ways."

Azriel smiled at that, but the shadows in his eyes told a different story.

“And the sisters?” Esmeray asked.

There was a pause, then Azriel shifted uncomfortably. "They’re...adjusting," he said, his voice carefully level, his fingers tightening around Zahra’s.

"I am only their half sister," Zahra said carefully. "I am their father's bastard daughter."

Esmeray mustered her with dark eyes. "You do not need to say more," she said drily. “I can imagine the rest.”

It was strange how a feeling of acceptance washed over her at Esmeray’s words and Zahra stared at the female, speechless for a second before she got her bearings.

“You are not bothered by that?” she asked, the words slipping out before she could think about them, her voice shaking. 

Esmeray let out a little scoff. “Of course not. Why would I be?”

The female picked up a cup of the table and took a sip of from it, those dark eyes studying Zahra with a sort of intensity to them. "I gave birth to a bastard myself," Esmeray said, her voice even. "I can probably imagine better than most what exactly your mother went through...what you went through. I would hope that you were treated better than my son, but if your sisters are being difficult about a mating bond for you...I imagine that hope is without reason."

Zahra swallowed, hard. Her throat felt dry all of a sudden, as an aching sort of feeling settled over her at Esmeray's words. The same sort of aching that appeared whenever she thought of her own mother.

She didn't want to think about the past, about any of that, especially not here, in this house filled with warmth and welcome and an overwhelming sense of acceptance.

Esmeray must have sensed her turmoil, because a soft smile appeared on her face. “You are safe here, Zahra,” she said quietly. “I would never judge you for the failings of your parents. Or for what you yourself may have done in a bid to simply survive.”

Zahra just swallowed. There was a lump in her throat and all she could do was to nod, not trusting her voice. Somehow she felt...strangely stripped down. Like Esmeray could see straight through every mask she put up. She wondered how much she had simple picked up on by meeting her for a few minutes.

It was too much, and she had to look away, because she didn't feel like she could handle the kindness in Esmeray's words.

"But enough of that," Esmeray said after a moment's pause. "Do you like cooking? I was going to make some beef jerky."

"I do like cooking," Zahra agreed with a smile.

“Then come into the kitchen when you have seen Azriel off,” Esmeray said simply. 

She got up gracefully and made her way to the kitchen and Zahra was left staring at her in awe for a few seconds before she felt Azriel's hand squeeze hers again.

He met her gaze and her heart gave a lurch at the shadows in those eyes and the look on his face. "Are you going to be okay here?" he asked softly.

"Please be careful," she blurted out.

Azriel just smiled at her, the look in his eyes turning soft at her words as he pulled her a little closer. "I will be," he said softly. "And I will be back as soon as I can. I promise."

He leaned towards her and pressed his lips against her forehead, lingering for a few seconds, his hand curling over the side of her face. He inhaled, taking in the scent of her hair, and Zahra leaned into the touch.

She wanted...no...she...she needed...she caught his face in her hand, gently stroking his cheek, and then tipped up her chin.

If...If gods forbid...if...She wanted to feel this. At least once. She wanted....

Azriel froze underneath her touch for half a second, then he seemed to realize what she was going to do and a smile appeared on his face.

He chuckled, the sound a soft thing that made her heart flutter, before he leaned down and captured her lips with his.

Zahra let her eyes flutter shut at the feel of his lips against hers, the kiss gentle and soft as he ran his thumb along the curve of her jaw, still holding her steady. For just a moment, all that existed was Azriel.

He gently cupped her face in his hands like she was something fragile and breakable, and then he pulled back, gently pressing his forehead against hers and taking a deep breath.

Gods, Zahra wanted nothing more than just...stay. Right there at his side.

"Nothing will happen," he promised her. "I swear."

"I know," she breathed, opening her eyes to look at him.

He swallowed at the look in her eyes, then he smiled softly. "I will see you soon," Azriel said, the words a promise and a vow all at once.

***​​

Feyre couldn’t get her mind of it.

She couldn’t.

The idea was running through her head on constant repeat.

Over and over, the thoughts just kept circling her mind.

As she lay in bed with Rhys, as she went about her day, as the sun rose and then set, over and over, she just couldn’t seem to get her mind off…off one simple question.

Had Zarah actually had an affair with a married man…or had it been something far worse than that?

She couldn’t get that question out of her head. And so she twisted and turned that night as well, until she finally turned to face Rhys.

He still slept, blissfully unaware of her tossing and turning, of the heavy feeling in her chest. Slowly, she ran her fingers over his features, watching the way he slept. Peaceful and relaxed, a sight that usually made something clench in her chest.

He was everything she had ever wanted. She wished Zahra would have the same one day.

But right now….the sight only made the thoughts in her head whirl faster.

This was her mate, the male she was completely and utterly in love with. And she knew, without a doubt, that he would never…he would never force himself on a female. Would never touch a female for any other reason than mutual consent and desire.

But there were other males out there…males who…who didn’t share the same feelings as Rhys. Males who would see a female trapped in a situation th ast had been…dire like Zahra’s, and see it as nothing more than….than an opportunity.

She thought back to these years trapped in the cottage. Thought back to Zahra cooking and cleaning…

Thought about the long hours spent in the kitchen, mending and cooking…

Thought about the bony and skinny girl with the messy dark braid…these green eyes, the way she stayed quiet and in the corner, never raising her voice, never drawing attention to herself.

Feyre had never seen her disappear but then Feyre had often been off in the forest.

She wouldn’t have really noticed the times Zahra snuck off. She’d been so tired after her hunts, too focused on staying alive and keeping her family alive to pay attention to the things going on around her. Had her sister…had she…had she been meeting someone?

Had she snuck out to meet with…with a male?

Had her sister…had Zahra had an affair with that apothecary?

She tired to remember him…tried to remember the long suffering wife of his…her ash blond hair pulled back from her face, their gaggle of three kids…all of them wide eyed and quiet.

He was one of the richer man in the village…with beady eyes and hair struck through with grey…

She remembered the way he’d leer at females who came into his shop for supplies, the way he would look at them as if they were a piece of meat to be bought.

She could remember the way he'd sneer at poor female who'd come in, bartering and scrounging for every copper coin they had, and the way he'd look so smug when he charged them for every little thing…

Zahra had had an affair with him?

There was nothing attractive about him.

Feyre had always hated the way he’d leered at her. The way he'd looked at her as if she was a piece of meat.

There was nothing about him that was appealing in any way.

He was old, cold, calculating and cruel. And to think that a young, pretty female like Zahra…who, despite the way she tried to dress to blend in, was still gorgeous, would have anything to do with him…

Rhys stirred, his face scrunching up in a frown and his eyes slowly blinked open.

Violet eyes met hers, and Feyre forced herself to push her worries aside.

“What’s wrong?” Rhys’s voice was heavy with sleep, his words slow and mumbled.

Feyre let out a shaky breath, running her fingers through his black hair, trying to calm her thoughts.

“Nothing,” she said, shaking her head. “Go back to sleep.”

Rhys grumbled, shifting his head to bury his face into her neck, making a sound of disagreement from deep in his throat.

His arms wrapped around her middle, pulling her tightly against his side.

“Something’s on your mind, Feyre Darling,” he mumbled against her neck, planting a kiss on the skin there. “I can tell.”

“Did you ever…did you ever get anything from Zahra’s mind about…” Feyre trailed off.

A beat of silence fell, and Rhys’s breath against her neck paused, his body stilling against hers.

A long moment passed, before Rhys inhaled, pulling his head back to look at her. “No,” he finally said. “But then…I never even tried to get into her head. She’s as bad as Nesta. Even trying to look at her shields is like staring at a brick wall.”

“But you’ve never looked?” Feyre pushed on, looking into his eyes. Searching for something, anything, any hint of deception.

Rhys’s face softened, a small smile on his face. “The only thing I ever got from Zahra, as a human,  was protectiveness about you, Darling,” he said drily.

A small exhale left Feyre at his words, and she fell back against the pillows.

Rhys shifted, rolling over to lie half on top of her, propping his head on his folded arms that he rested on her stomach. A soft smile on his face. “Is that what’s keeping you up?” he wondered aloud. “Worries about Zahra?”

“I…I need to know if…why she did it,” Feyre said weakly. “I can’t…Zahra would have never taken the risk of having a bastard born child herself, Rhys. Not when she knew exactly how…how that life was. Living in two worlds and belonging to neither,” Feyre said with a grimace.

Rhys’s eyes softened at that, and his fingers ghosted over her stomach, tracing small, gentle patterns. “You’re worried that it wasn’t a choice,” he filled in.

“I don’t know,” Feyre whispered. “I can’t see her…I can’t see her do it willingly but I am wrecking my head and I can’t…if he hurt her…she hid it so well.”

Rhys’s face darkened at her words. It wasn’t hard to see the same thoughts circling in his mind, the same anger and disgust.

“You think the apothecary might have forced himself on her?” he asked quietly, a hard look on his face.

Feyre felt a pit in her stomach at the question. Felt nausea creeping up, bile rising in the back of her throat. The idea of something so…so vile happening to a young, innocent girl…it filled her with horror and sickened her.

“I…I don’t know,” she whispered. “But I can’t… I just can’t see her… taking that risk willingly. She’s too smart for that.”

"Maybe you should try to talk to her," Rhys said carefully. "But Feyre...if she...if she didn't do it willingly...if she had a reason for it, be it she was forced or she did it in exchange for something...she may not want to talk about it," he warned her.

She could see it on his face...could see the memories that she had…

“I…I know,” Feyre said softly. “If…if it’s true, she might not want to talk about it. But…I don’t know. I can’t stop thinking about it. I need to know. And if it’s true...I can’t just sit back and do nothing."

Rhys was quiet for a moment, his fingers still tracing small patterns on her stomach.

His face was taut, “And if she truly has had an affair with him…willingly?” he asked quietly.

Feyre let out a shaky breath, closing her eyes. The thought of that being true…it just didn’t seem possible.

She just couldn’t see Zahra doing something like that. Not when she was so well aware of what would happen if she made such a mistake.

It just didn’t seem right.

Could she have really seen something in the apothecary, enough to want an affair with him, at the risk of being saddled with a bastard child?

"She must have had some reason," Feyre said quietly. "Even when it was just...wanting comfort of some kind."

Rhys was quiet, his dark eyes searching her face.

Slowly, a soft sigh escaped him, and he pulled himself up, pulling Feyre into his arms as he sat back against the headboard of the bed.

Feyre buried her face in his neck, inhaling the scent of his familiar, comforting scent.

His fingers combed through her hair, the touch soothing her frazzled nerves.

"I just want you to think about...if you do pull on that thread, you don't know what you are going to unravel," Rhys said carefully. "You need to be prepared that you maybe won't get the answer you think you will."

A shuddery breath left Feyre, and she closed her eyes.

She didn’t even know what she wanted to hear. Both options were horrible in their own way. 

"I know," she said softly. "But I...but I have to try."

And so the next morning...she sat out to find her sister's apartment. She had never gone there before. There had been no reason for it. Even when Zahra had moved out of the townhouse and into her apartment, she had still showed up for Solstice and for Starfall, had still come to dinner. Zahra seemed to have made the best out of her life in Velaris. Had found herself a job and an apartment...just as Feyre walked the streets she realised that...she knew nothing about her sister's life but these two facts.

The realisation hit her hard, and a wave of guilt crashed over her, making her nauseous as she walked down the street.

It had never occurred to her before...but now she realised that she knew almost nothing about her sister’s life now. Nothing about the people in her life, or her dreams, or any hobbies...nothing except the fact that she had an apartment and a job, and that she still came to dinners.

Feyre didn't know about her sister's friends, didn't know about any hobbies she may had taken up...because whenever Zahra had come over, seemingly all they had talked about was whatever went on in Feyre's life. Feyre's worries, Feyre's problems. Zahra's problems hadn't ever been a topic of conversation. And Feyre also weakly admitted herself that the fact that Nesta and Elain wanted to spent time with her now...it was such a rare treat that...that maybe she had forgotten the older sister that had always been there for her for that.

She had been so elated that her sisters were spending time with her, and she had soaked up the attention like a dry sponge.

But now, with the sickening realisation that she hadn’t asked about Zahra’s life hit, a wave of guilt hit her.

Had her sister felt neglected by her? Had Zahra ever felt like a forgotten afterthought?

Feyre felt nauseous, and her steps slowed as she approached the building where Zahra lived.

The realisation that...that while she had been so happy to hang out with her elder sisters, she hadn’t even asked Zahra about her life...she didn’t even know what kind of apartment she lived in, what her home was like…

And apparently it wasn't an apartment at all.

Feyre blinked twice at the cottage in front of her.

A cottage?

The word echoed in her head, over and over, while she stared at the small building before her.

Zahra lived in a cottage.

A cottage that had clearly seen better days.

The exterior of the house was badly in need of a new coat of paint.

A pang of worry hit Feyre as she looked at the home, an anxiety filling her stomach.

How could Zahra possibly be living in such a place…?!

Though it was obvious that Zahra had put time and money into making it her home. It was clean, the windows were sparkling...the door had been painted bright blue.

She had done some work.

And the small garden in the front had clearly been tended and cared for meticulously.

But it was clear that her sister had a limited budget.

The paint job only really covered the worst of the blemishes rather than giving the home an actual makeover, and the windows sparkled, but they still looked old and worn.

It was a tiny cottage, barely more than a two-room house, but it was in the outskirts of Velaris and the next neighbours clearly were far away.

"Seems like I wasn't the only one who had this idea," drawled a voice behind her.

Feyre almost jumped, nearly letting out a shriek as a voice suddenly spoke up from behind her. A voice that she recognized far too well.

She didn't even need to turn around to know who had spoken.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, turning around to face Cassian.

Cassian didn't look the slightest bit guilty.

Instead, a broad smirk was on his face, his wings folded neatly behind him and his arms crossed in front of his armoured chest.

"The same thing you are, clearly," he drawled as he looked at the cottage in front of them.

"You want to speak to Zahra as well," Feyre said more as a statement rather than a question.

Cassian didn't deny it, simply shrugged.

"Why?" she demanded.

Cassian sighed, unfolding his arms and letting his hands fall loosely to his sides. "I need some answers," he said shortly. "Answers, because I am pretty sure that Nesta is wrong about her having just an affair. And if she is wrong..." Cassian grimaced. "The fallout is not going to be pretty."

"And if she’s right? If Zahra did a stupid, young mistake? Then what?" Feyre asked.

Cassian shrugged, a nonchalant look on his face.

"It's not like I haven't done the same," he said drily. "Or worse at that matter. She'll not get judgment from me."

Feyre felt a flicker of surprise at his words.

Cassian was…far more blunt and straightforward than Rhys…but, she thought as she studied his face, he actually didn’t look entirely comfortable.

His features were schooled into a look of nonchalance, but there was a tension in his face and body that hinted that the situation had him on edge, as well.

Still, Feyre walked up the step of the porch that had seen better days and knocked at the door. "Zahra?" she called loudly.

"She isn't here," Cassian said helpfully. "I can't hear a heartbeat. It's empty.”

Feyre’s heart sank at the words, and a curse fell from her lips.

She’d come all the way here…and Zahra wasn’t even home.

“Then where is she?” Feyre bit out.

"Probably at work, I'd guess," Cassian said, a small shrug on his shoulders.

He eyed the house, his lips pressed together in a thin line.

"I’m going to look inside," he said then, making a step towards the door.

"You can’t-" Feyre hissed at him, but Cassian cut her off.

"If you have a better idea, I’m open to suggestions," he said, looking back at her. "But if we’re here already, I want to see if there is anything inside that will give us a clue. Something, anything."

Feyre held his gaze for a long moment.

She knew he had a point, and she knew she wouldn’t win this argument.

"Fine," she gritted out. "But you leave everything as it is. No messing with anything."

Cassian shot her a smirk, before he grabbed the door handle and with a sharp twist, he had opened the door.

Without pause, he stalked into the house, leaving Feyre to follow him.

"You'll better fix this before we leave," Feyre snapped at him, following behind, into her sister's living room.

It was clean...tidy. A couch that had seen better days...and an absolute monstrous plaid chair that looked like it was made for wings. Feyre wasn't the only one who stared at that.

Cassian did too.

A long moment passed.

Cassian, the Lord of Bloodshed, a hulking, tall, intimidating figure, stood in the small living room and stared at the chair as if he was struck mute.

Just staring.

A long moment passed, before he let a shudder run down his spine. "That thing is an abomination," he said gruffly.

​​Feyre watched as Cassian’s nostrils flared, and his eyes widened, like a cat scenting something in the air.

A frown appeared on his face, and he took a quick, short sniff again.

"What is it?" Feyre demanded.

"Az was here," Cassian said, surprise colouring his voice. "More than once."

Feyre’s eyes widened at that, and she sniffed the air.

Cassian was right.

A familiar scent was lingering in the air. So subtle that she wouldn’t have sensed it if it wasn’t pointed out to her, but it was there.

Azriel’s mist and cedar scent, lingering in the room.

"Why was Az here?" Feyre wondered.

Cassian just shook his head as he continued to sniff.

"Not just here," he said, making a step into the kitchen. "In there, as well. And in the bedroom. "

Feyre wasn’t even surprised to find that he was right.

Azriel’s scent was all over the small house, lingering in the air in every single room.

Even in the bathroom.

"What in the Cauldron...?" Feyre breathed as she followed Cassian into the bedroom.

The scent was even stronger in the small room, clearly having clung to the bedding and lingered on the furniture.

"Azriel has clearly been frequenting this place," Cassian said slowly, an intense look on his face as he glanced around the bedroom. "And more than once. It's all over the house."

"He wouldn't...right?" Feyre asked. Had her sister and Azriel been...together?

"I...I don't know," Cassian said slowly.

A pensive look was on his face, his gaze sharp as he looked at the matress.

"We all know how...discreet Azriel is about these things," he said, a grimace on his face. "But Azriel...and Zahra...?"

Cassian shook his head, his nostrils flaring again, clearly trying to scent the room.

"They...I mean, it doesn't smell like sex. But that doesn't mean anything," he said with a shrug. "Maybe they haven't had sex in a few days. Maybe they just have friendly sleep overs and nothing else," he suggested and Feyre snorted.

"Sure, Azriel just uses my sister as his own personal teddy bear and nothing else," she said darkly. "I am going to have words with both of them when they come over for dinner. What in the cauldron is going on?!"

[sadnymi]

Shakespeare

[Mattheo riddle × reader]

Summary:Your obsession with Shakespeare is driving mattheo insane. And now he found himself jealous of fictional characters and a long-dead playwright.

Words:0.5k

Sitting in the Slytherin common room, the fire crackling in the hearth, I watched as a couple of students began to argue near the portrait of Salazar Slytherin. As their voices rose, I felt Mattheo's arm tighten around my shoulders. He always had a protective streak, especially when tensions flared.

Suddenly, I couldn't help myself. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks," I quoted, my voice cutting through the noise. The room fell silent for a moment, and all eyes turned to me.

Mattheo chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Another Shakespeare quote, darling?"

I grinned up at him, unable to resist. "What can I say? He just knew how to capture the essence of human nature."

"Great, another Shakespearean monologue. Can't you save that for class?" Pansy said.

“I wish my horse had the speed of your tongue.”

Mattheo rolled his eyes but there was a hint of amusement in them. "You know, sometimes I think you're more in love with Shakespeare than with me."

I leaned closer, my lips brushing his ear. "You jealous of a dead playwright, Mattheo?"

He smirked, his hand slipping down to my waist. "Only when you quote him more than you kiss me."

A few days later, we were in the library, studying for our Potions exam. As usual, the silence was only broken by the rustling of pages and the occasional whisper. I was immersed in "Hamlet" when a scuffle broke out between two Ravenclaws over a disputed study spot.

 “Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.” I couldn't resist quoting, earning a few chuckles from nearby students.

Mattheo groaned, pulling my book down. "Really? Again with the Shakespeare?"

I giggled. "What? It's fitting."

He leaned in, his breath hot against my ear. "You know what else is fitting? My cock inside you."

My cheeks flushed, looking around to make sure nobody heard. "Mattheo, we're in the library."

He grinned wickedly. "Doesn't mean I can't make you wet just by talking."

The rest of the day was a blur as we were now lying on the couch in the dark empty Slytherin common room, his fingers tracing idle patterns on my skin. I had "Romeo and Juliet" open on my lap, reading aloud one of my favorite passages.

"Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun."

Mattheo's eyes darkened with something primal. "You know, I don't like you quoting other men, even if they're fictional."

I laughed softly. "You're jealous of Romeo now?"

He kissed my neck, nipping lightly. "I don't want to share you with anyone, even if they're just words on a page."

I closed the book and turned to straddle him, feeling his growing hardness beneath me. "You have nothing to worry about, Mattheo. You're my Romeo."

His hands gripped my hips, pulling me down to grind against him. "Damn right I am. Now, why don't you show me how much you love me, Juliet?"

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

[saiintvalentiine]

Notes: this is basically a bit of writing practice. its only dialogue, and i tried to convey as much possible within that limitation. i had fun! so here it is. unedited as usual. both dividers are from here

Summary: fickle conversations between the director and wifies, post mortem.

Word count: 645

You were always the most obnoxious person to direct.

"I'm not apologizing for that."

I do not expect you to. You are unrepentant.

"...Down there. That's the world?"

Yes.

"And I can see it?"

Obviously.

"Why?"

Would you rather not be able to see anything at all?

"No!"

Then do not question it.

"He forgave Ash."

Very interesting.

"Why would he do that?"

Shouldn't you know? Is it not your constant nagging that changed him?

"Has he really changed?"

I am not omniscient like that.

"Oh."

If I had to guess, and I will have to guess to successfully orchestrate this, I would say no. He hasn't really changed. He's shocked with his grief.

"Shocked with his grief."

Yes.

My, you even look like Ophelia.

"There's no river to lay in."

No, not the Millais. The Waterhouse.

"That's dumb. I didn't kill myself."

Didn't you?

"Am I the only one here?"

Yes. You and I alone.

"Oh. Why?"

Because you have the will to withstand it.

"Why do all this?"

It is fun.

"I guess."

You should understand the feeling of a game played well.

"I— why would I know that?"

I am not omniscient but I know many things. That is what made you so difficult. You and your game strategies.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Oh, I suppose not.

"So... you know other things, right?"

Many other things.

"Does that mean you have a favorite book or something?"

Picking a favorite is like choosing a child to save in a fire.

"It's— there's no way it's that drastic."

I am very fond of Hamlet lately.

"The Ophelia comment should've given that away."

Yes. You are smart. You would have understood eventually.

"If this is a game, then who are you playing against?"

It's like a game, not quite a game.

"What is it then?"

Maybe a story is more apt.

"This story sucks."

You are all very bad characters. Very unruly.

"Are you defending yourself?!"

I am merely stating facts.

"Mystery god who can't even corral it's own characters. Yeah. This sucks."

Your lot call me the director. Maybe it is more like a movie, then. Characters played by actors who think they know better than the director.

"Well we do! We do know better! It's our lives!"

Bold words from a man living on borrowed time.

"..."

You are thinking of how you can communicate with them.

"How can you even tell!"

It is obvious.

"Of course that's what I'm thinking about. I— I can see everything up here. The board, it's so clear."

Listen to me close child: divinity is no easy hand to take. That is why this world has no seers, orators, hearers. It is to heavy a burden to bear.

"I could bear it."

Divinity is like marriage. Hand in unlovable hand. And you may only ever marry once. Do you understand?

"..."

You understand.

"... I'd like to go back sometime anyway."

I have no plans to allow such a thing. At least, not yet.

"Ugh."

Unless, of course, you allow me to puppeteer you.

"No."

Worth a shot.

"... Was that what you were doing with Ash?"

No. Ash wanted power. As long as he adhered to my machinations, he'd have power.

"Pretty good deal for him I guess."

You, however, cannot have what you want. So my only offer is puppeteering.

"No thanks."

Suit yourself.

You are very interesting.

"That's not comforting to hear."

You are very empty, yet difficult to control.

"Wh— huh?"

Very little soul. Space aplenty. And yet you are so resistant.

"I don't even know what to say to that."

Silence is an apt choice.

"Right."

"Do you plan for anything to ever get better down there?"

Only if the audience cheers for it. Only if it fancies my humor.

"Ah."

Losing hope?

"No. No. Never."

Hm. Yes, very interesting indeed.

[rascalentertainments]

Wish Granted AU: Sakina and Tomás 👗🖋

Now this is one bio I've been wanting to get to for a long time, Asha's parents! Sabino's will come of course, but for now I finally can talk about these two. And more about Tomás is revealed in the story itself when Asha reads his journal. There will even be a bonus story showing what actually happened to Tomás leading to his death. Since there usually isn't a whole lot on either of them in certain rewrites (for various reasons) Its a good opportunity to give it a try and write info about them in my AU.

So lets start with Tomás. His design is this particular concept art above. And I'm just gonna come out say it, he's kind of handsome. The fact we don't even see his face in the actual movie is atrocious... I'll of course draw him in my style later, but at least he can be featured in some WG art now.

• Tomás was born in Spain, but both of his parents were Jewish.(keeping inline with canon this time. I only found this out from reading the book) They immigrated to Rosas when he was a child.

• He became a philosopher at 25 and has read the works Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. They inspired him to reevaluate life and the existence of the universe. He's more of a softspoken man, and his personality is based on Pacha from Emperor's New Groove.

• He met Sakina in Rosas after she made an off hand about looking at the stars all time seemed to be a waste of time. The two eventually fell in love.

• Sabino didn't quite understand what is son was seeing in the stars, but as he grew older, he at least appreciated and listen to him explain his theories.

• Since most philosophers attempt to explain human existence and theorize their behavior, Tomás wanted to try something different. So he began to look at the stars for guidance. Even though they were only described as hot balls of gas, he thought they could be more.

• Given that people use the stars to navigate the world, connect them to create constellations and even foretell a person's future, he started to ponder if there was a connection to stars and humans.

• He theorized that since the stars were as numerous as the people on Earth and varied in size, shape, color and glow, they had to be created to be as unique as humans. Therefore, they had the power to change the things around them, just as humans do. He's even credited the stars for giving him the strength and inspiration for his studies.

• Tomás later began some tests to ask something from the stars to see if he would get something in return. While he had no vocal answer, he could see certain things come fruition. Like the birth of his daughter, Asha.

• He gifted her an empty journal and a hand made pencil as his final gift to her, when he was closer to his passing. He wanted her to keep going for her passion to draw.

• He was the closest thing to a friend Magnifico had, as he shared a sort of fascination with the stars.

• He kept a journal of every new discovery he made about the stars and the result of asking upon one. Since Magnifico came up with the idea of wishes becoming physical, Tomás wondered if there wasn't a physical requirement to get them granted. He also felt a but stronger and optimistic in their presence.

•The man shared this information with Magnifico and Amaya in hopes of helping make the kingdom more prosperous and help the citizens as well.

• Tomás hear rumors of a Hamlet from a certain citizen, and that some people don't trust the royals and secretly created a haven to hide their wishes from them. This is when he started to get suspicious of the king and queen and attempted to get his wish back. Unfortunately, he wasn't more cautious of Sabor lurking around...

•Tomás died in his late 30's by an unknown illness. It wasn't natural causes.

And now for Sakina! (her WG design will come later, so take this concept art for now) It didn't sit well with me that Asha's family was barely in the film and had no impact in the story. Sabino was already robbed of his song, but her mother was barely memorable. Considering they were both used as hostages by Magnifico originally, clearly they had more of a role before. So for Wish Granted, I wanted to at least flesh her out as well as Tomás.

• Sakina was born in Rosas, but both her parents were African. (Once again, keeping in line with canon)

• Her wish is to become the best seamstress and create clothing so beautiful that even royalty would want to wear it. This is actually canon as well according to the art book, but her wish wasn't technically seen in the film. It actually went to some other background character.

• When Tomás fell ill, she went go to the king and queen for their help. Sakina hoped they could use their magic to heal him. Magnifico told her he'd find a cure for him through one of Amaya's spells. She didn't find out until later that they never made a cure.

• She did have plans for having the Rosas citizens have better attire (they're outfits looked a bit bland, and almost like they weren't meant to stand out at all) So she asked Asha to design an example outfit that would bring a bit more culture and style. (the pic below shows what she originally wanted to dress herself in)

• Sakina did become a bit bitter and resentful after her family and life was affected by the royals. Sabino convinced her not to lose herself for the sake of Asha.

• While she and Sabino sometimes argue, it's usually over something small, or not wanting the old man to get into trouble with the other residents. That or he might hurt himself exploring the forest. (Asha seems to enjoy going with him, though)

• Since her original wish was taken, Sakina settled on making clothes for the people of the Hamlet. She also made blankets, sweaters, quilts and much more with the help of three older women. Although the two of them can never agree on some of the clothes being blue or pink.

• Sakina also created Valentino's little sweater!

• She taught Asha and a few other residents how to sow as well. This is the closest she's gotten to her wish, so there's some comfort in that. Now the animals want to help make some outfits after they were given the ability to talk. She doesn't know how to feel about that...😅

• While she's not arrogant, she does have some sass to her, which is where Asha got it from. 😂 Her personality is based off of Chicha from Emperor's New Groove.

• She doesn't pressure Asha to date, but much like Sabino she does want to her find someone special like how she had Tomás. Both Sakina and Sabino hoped that she was interested in Flazino, but nothing happened. She does see him as family though.

• One fact has to be hidden until the end of the story. The only hint I can give is that she's always wanted a son.

And that wraps another bio up! I haven't really seen many of these for her parents in other rewrites, so I wanted to flesh them out some more here! I know Tomás is gone here, but his death is really important here for later chapters. As well as another bonus story showing what caused his death. I just wanted to make sure that they feel like characters and not just extras.

I'll make some more new/updated bios later, but for now, I hope you liked this! Now I'm going to start working on the next chapter and continue making the teaser poster!

@your-ne1ghbor @tumblingdownthefoxden @chillwildwave @jojo-ker06 @snackara @oh-shtars @natsuki208 @spectator-zee @starss-artss @thesafireartist @ishadow246 @pinkninja0708

[butchhamlet]

yeah you interpreted my ask correctly, that's what i meant! i definitely agree that there's a middle ground. on one hand, anything shakespeare 100% intended would've been clearly laid out in the text. it's hard to argue that he intentionally wrote something off in subtext when he pretty much spells every plot point or characterization out. it's also anachronistic to the conventions of his time, i think.

on the other hand, i've seen a bunch of people say it's impossible to present alternative character/plot interpretations in various productions because it isn't what shakespeare intended. and like i agree that on a textual level, you can't really argue that one theory is the only correct interpretation, but isn't the whole point of putting on different productions to present these same characters and stories through different angles? a theory doesn't have to be textually supported for a production to incorporate it. "shakespeare didn't use subtext" applies when studying the text academically, but different stagings naturally come with different interpretations. isn't that literally the point of having so many productions and interpretations of 1 play

this is mainly a discussion i've seen in the r/shakespeare subreddit tbh. specifically it crops up a lot when people ask "are [x] character(s) gay" and a very common response is "if shakespeare intended them to be gay, he would've explicitly spelled it out" (sometimes using achilles & patroclus from troilus and cressida as an example). it's not the majority but i've also seen a few people say some characters shouldn't be made gay since that isn't what shakespeare intended, and looking for subtext in lines is misguided. which is like. ?????? i know the people on r/shakespeare and also subreddits in general tend to be a very very different group but ?????????? i genuinely don't understand where they're coming from lmao. anyway i haven't seen anyone on tumblr talk about this and was really curious about your thoughts

"shakespeare didn't use subtext" applies when studying the text academically, but different stagings naturally come with different interpretations. isn't that literally the point of having so many productions and interpretations of 1 play

EXACTLY EXACTLY EXACTLY!!! PRECISELY! i dunno maybe in modern theater, especially indie theater, there's not much of a gap between text and production, but we are talking about SHAKESPEARE here. every one of his plays has been done 500 bajillion times. the text as its own contained thing is NOT the same as any of the productions and the idea that you can't do anything not 100% supported by the text is ridiculous. i can see how it might be a little rude/gauche to go in a completely wild direction if you're putting on a small play by a playwright who is still alive, but shakespeare is the most famous playwright to ever live probably and also he is SOOOOOOO DEAD. he's not gonna care if you do hamlet but ophelia is pregnant! he's not gonna care if you do hamlet but hamlet isn't there so there are just giant blocks of silence for every soliloquy! and isn't it beautiful how the craziest productions are basically collaging with his text, cutting it apart and piecing it back together? i can understand not personally enjoying out-there productions, but conceptually the stuff people do with shakespeare is dope as hell

"if shakespeare intended them to be gay, he would've explicitly spelled it out" (sometimes using achilles & patroclus from troilus and cressida as an example). it's not the majority but i've also seen a few people say some characters shouldn't be made gay since that isn't what shakespeare intended, and looking for subtext in lines is misguided.

i don't know why i'm surprised that this debate is perhaps a smokescreen for "stop putting gay people in everything ugh don't ruin the sanctity of the text" and yet i'm still taken aback by just. the silliness of this argument. and these are the same people talking about anachronism???? like. sorry is this better?

[image description: the following edited lines from hamlet:

HAMLET I am glad to see you well: Horatio,--or I do forget myself.

HORATIO The same, my lord, and according to a 21st-century model of sexuality as fixed and partitioned into disparate categories based on identity more than on action, I'm a gay man btw.

/end description]

[dontcallpanic]

In honour of Halloween I'm going to share a kind of spooky story I literally stumbled across. (Because why not!)

This is a story of local legends, strange old folk, my unhealthy obsession with death rituals, chimneys and uhh corpses.

Okay, let me set the scene.

I have a friend who had the wonderful privilege of growing up on an old Welsh farm. It's surrounded by fields and woodland, streams and lands. It's a complete maze. Very easy to get lost. One day we're going for a walk and her elderly dad joins us (along with their three dogs!) there are also two kiddos in tow. It's an expedition. The kids know where they're going (we think) and within seconds we're deep down the cwm, winding through trees, over the same(?) river multiple times. We go up and down and around and around, there's mud, sticks, water and chaos until we duck under the massive trunk of a fallen tree and come across the ruins of an old house deep in the woods.

(not the house, this is a different ruin but it's like this but more intact)

All four walls are still standing, there's no roof but you can clearly see the windows and the wooden lintel above the door is still intact, just about, and of course, there is a massive fireplace (it is rural Wales after all).

My friends dad is a man of few words and is very softly spoken and is essentially an 80 year old hippie (affectionate). He has spoken to me once in my life and that was to tell me about his dog. So, imagine my surprise when he leans in to say:

"This is the last house in Wales where they used to take the bodies up the chimney."

This actually isn't the most surprising thing I've ever heard in my life but I'll admit it took my brain a moment to catch up. But, I've been around the old places a bit and I had to write a paper on death rituals once so as far as I'm concerned there is no better way to start a conversation. I'm metaphorically rolling up my sleeves because this is New Information and this is my jam. So I'm like

"Oh, I've not heard that one before. I know there are some Welsh houses with special doors or like trap doors in the ceiling so people can get the coffins in and out but I've never heard of them using the chimney before."

And so he manages to tell me a little bit about how the smoke was purifying and about how the house was lived in until the 1950s by a little old lady and how big the chimney is - you know, the usual small talk, until one of the kiddos tries to eat an ivy leaf and runs off which brings the conversation to an abrupt and premature end.

Fast forwarding a bit, later on I mention this story to my mum thinking she might get a kick out of it being the last house of this type in Wales or something like that. Her reaction is instead:

*shocked gasp followed by hushed whisper* "I've heard of this... I read it in a book..."

Now, my mum is weird and she doesn't elaborate, just repeats the phrase 'i read it somewhere' again and again before I change the subject. And I don't think much else about it

But when I next see her (a few days later) not only has she remembered that I mentioned this, but she has brought the book! She hands it to me at the right page and fixes me with a bit of a look and says

"it's terrible..." and walks off.

The segment she's marked begins with the title: Night of terror in... and then the exact name of the little tiny hamlet where we are currently staying.

"Okay" I think, "that's a bit weird. What are the chances."

It's not enough to give me heebies though, the book is on ghost stories local to the area so it's kind of the done thing for each little area to get a shout out. So I begin reading and honestly I'm more hoping that it'll give me some info on why they thought exiting through the chimney was a good idea and what the purpose this served.

History time: So, it turns out this is a custom local to this area. (Oh, I think, that's why I haven't heard this one before!) It's linked to the gwylnos or wake night (which I have heard of - it's essentially a vigil) and this custom of taking bodies up the chimney is called called hirwen-gwd which literally means long white bag.

At this point I begin to get the tiniest heebie because I don't like mummies and bodies wrapped up in shrouds really creeps me out.

I ignore this and bravely soldier on to find out that it seems that the soul needed help escaping the body and the house where the person passed away. It wasn't uncommon for doors and windows to be left open to help the soul escape.

And the coffin actually plays a minimal part in this ritual because apparently the body is actually taken out of the coffin, and taken up... And then back down the chimney. Which was definitely not what I was expecting.

It then mentioned that this ritual was abruptly abandoned in 1760 following "a strange and terrible happening at a gwylnos"

A slight aside, it's worth mentioning that most Welsh customs (especially the historical ones) had a reputation for getting extremely rowdy. The Welsh make excellent beer and cider and any occasion is a great excuse to well... get pissed. Yes, even funerals. (As you can imagine this was extremely Frowned Upon by the puratins).

Okay so long story short, the custom mutated over the years and so, while they were taking the body up and down the chimney, someone had to lie in the coffin to stop the devil taking over. For reasons unknown the person who had to lie in the coffin had to be the person who was the most drunk. (It's a pretty extra drinking game, I'll give them that).

So, on this night in 1760, as the others go outside to see to the hirwen-gwd, a young man lies down in the coffin and the lid is placed back on. The others see to the ritual and generally have a "jolly old time." On completion of the ritual they untie the ropes and return inside, back to the coffin only to find that the young man inside is, himself, dead.

This both horrifies and terrifies the family to the core and news spreads through the community like wildfire. (God, imagine coming back from hauling your relative up a chimney to find someone else dead in their coffin... )

The cause of death remained unknown with some people saying he had died of shock after being confronted with the devil himself. So naturally nobody wanted to risk it and the custom was abandoned literally overnight.

(view over the valley at night - the house is technically in this shot)

So, I'm reading all of this and yeah it's pretty weird, but so am I, so the thing that I find the weirdest is that in this story they mention the house where this happened by name and let me tell you, that is extremely rare. You never get anything anywhere near so specific with these stories usually.

So I do what anyone else would do and start looking at old maps of the area to see if I can find where this house was. Did it even exist? Is it still standing? Is it nearby? Wouldn't it be funny if it was that house in the woods?

Well, it took a bit but I did eventually find the house listed on a map from 1850-1890 and to my genuine surprise, it is actually, honestly the ruined house in the woods that I visited with my friend the other day.

At which point her dad's words made much more sense.

At the time I thought he meant the last example of that kind of house where they would have done that ritual... not THE LITERAL LAST HOUSE where they had to stop the ritual because someone died!!!!!

Oh, and that lady still living in the house in the middle of the woods in the 1950s... Definitely a witch!

And there you have it, that's the story of how I accidentally visited the house that ended the tradition of hauling corpses up and down the chimney.

-----------------------

If you made it this far thanks for reading! Diolch yn fawr iawn, I hope you enjoyed a tiny slice of true Welsh history and lore 🩵

Also tagging @oldefashioned and @cantchangemypast because you might enjoy this story!

[duckies27]

I'm not one to normally interact with drama, but at this point, I have waited way too long to just sit here in silence. There is a creator on this platform named Hamlet Unfortunately, also known as Kenny, and I can’t just stay sitting on this.

I despise this man for multiple reasons, and I'll get into all of them here. In my opinion, it's not fair that he continues to do this sort of thing and just gets away with it, getting love and attention while doing so. All while other people similar to me get 5 to 10 likes on some of our work. I don't want to spend this entire time just completely thrashing him. However, there’s too much evidence to just ignore.

My friend Dork (@zestfeast ) and I are on a server with another Discord friend (who I won't name for their own sake, I don't want to drag them into this whole thing). I met the two of them on the fan-made Stinky Dragon discord, and we bonded pretty quickly over our love of the characters and our love of the cast. The show was something we bonded over and we wanted to spend as much time together by talking about it, without other people getting in the way. So the third party made a server and invited the two of us. We had a great time for the first two and a half weeks. It was a safe space with all the people that I trusted. We are all afab and personally, that makes me more comfortable as someone who is a cis woman. We talked about all sorts of things mainly relating to our enjoyment of the characters, coming up with AUs, and coming up with stories, all of which were pretty fun. At the time of the start of the server, I was personally barely baby 18, while the other two were and are still minors. This may not seem like a problem, but the problem came when. Kenny or Hamlet Unfortunately, as you know him, joined the server.

He was a friend with the third party and both me and Dork were completely comfortable with him joining. It wasn't our place to choose considering it is the third party's actual server. We sat and talked for a little bit, but after joining he didn't say anything. I didn't think anything of it, I'm also pretty shy but he was just awkward. Once again, I didn't think anything of it but then we started talking more. He started talking more. I wasn't a part of this conversation simply because I was at work at the times he was more vocal. I'm super busy, I work from 3:00 to 7:00 every single day right after school and it's too much hands-on work for me to come and check Discord all the time. A lot of the big conversations would happen when I wasn't there, and while I was currently doing things that took my full attention. I am a custodian worker at a middle school, I'm constantly working around kids, I'm constantly working around other people and it makes it hard to be on my phone. I missed the majority of these conversations, but to make sure that this was fully correct, I made sure to read back to all of the things that he said. It's not fair to judge a book by its cover without fully reading the contents. I read over 600 messages all sent over the course of a few weeks and I'll be dead honest, they were pretty terrifying to read back. Especially someone who has been around victims of the jokes he was mentioning. These included sexual content, drug jokes, and stuff that no person should ever joke about, especially not with minors.

It started simple enough. We just were talking about art relating to the characters and I'll be honest, some things weren't exactly always super family-friendly. We try to keep it light and airy the majority of the time within the server, but we had a few dedicated chats for the not-so-family-friendly stuff that includes some maybe more suggestive fan art. Most of the time it was and is pretty clean. We tried our best to censor what wasn't, especially because we had two minors on the server and people could always glance over our shoulders. I was in, particular, very aware of this and made sure that I didn't post anything without censoring first. One of the first things Kenny said to one of our minors on the server was "I'll suck your dick", when talking about fan art that Dork had done. Dork is very young compared to me or possibly him. I don't know how old he is but I just know that this comment made me uncomfortable reading back on it, especially because Dork is like a brother to me. I would protect him with my life if I could. I love this kid and would unironically do anything for him. They continued talking and he was incredibly mean to Dork, often calling him stupid and often acting as if his actions were childish and not as important as Kenny’s actions. When Dork tried to bring up another subject, relating to theater, not only did Kenny call him a fool, but he also said “I don't want to suck your dick anymore" continuing the uncomfortable, NSFW environment that he was starting to form.

As many of you who've read my page know, I like writing angst but I also enjoy writing stuff that's not so family friendly. I like pushing my boundaries and learning how to write, as an adult now, because it's a way of expressing myself that people don't need to see. It was a personal server thing that I kept it censored to protect people who didn't want to see it at that time. At one point I put out a request question saying I would write anything anyone wanted smut, angst, or fluff. I like writing requests and I like writing gifts for friends. It's a personal love language of mine. Kenny stumbled around for a bit, trying to come up with an idea before eventually asking me for Sliqueborg smut. I don't like the ship. It's not my thing, I'm more into BrinkBorg or the canon Lynn Mer and Kyborg. So I asked, “what are your headcanons?” I might as well be proper when I write this story. I don't want to come up with some idea that he didn’t agree with. He went to the headcanon channel and gave me one of the most inappropriate and jarring strings of sentences I have ever heard. Not only did he make our beloved wood elf incredibly abusive, but he also took Slique’s character and destroyed it. It was horrible to listen to and even more horrible to read back. I am 18, a barely illegal adult and the other two are minors on this server. I was terrified to see that he willingly put this down on paper for anyone to see. He only censored the thing because I had personally asked him earlier on.

I already was feeling uncomfortable with this guy. He was being pushy and mean and a lot of his headcanons were hard to swallow, and more and more times he brought up sexual things. I have a personal headcanon for the Groethe crew that relates to the musical instruments they would play. Ella plays violin, Mathilde sings, Barney plays flute, and Chip plays French horn. I thought it was a cute thing because of how Ella and Chip would very well complement each other, but Kenny took the opportunity to make a very inappropriate joke. That made me very uncomfortable because it was about Chip, who I see as a close similarity to my father. Chip acts and says things like my father would, so hearing this very sexual joke automatically took me out of the conversation. I hated it. I hated the idea of it. Not only that but there was one point in time when Dork was opening up about something very personal (which I won't share here) However, I came in at the worst possible time because I was on break. It happened to be insanely out of context, so of course I was like “What the hell?” But I didn't say it in a mean way. I meant it in a kind, confused way, similar to how an older sibling would walk into a conversation that you're having, that happens to be weird. Kenny continued to then look down at Dork, calling them dear and darling as if they didn't understand what I was saying. I came in and I was like “Wow this is kind of weird”, but that was it. I didn't push or prod. I didn't judge them beyond just that it was a weird message to get out of context and went back to work. Kenny belittled Dork for another 20 minutes after I went back to work.

Dork came to me the next day or so, in tears. They were terrified. They felt horrible. Kenny was being such an asshole to him and he couldn't do anything about it. It's a third party’s server and Kenny was a friend to the third party member. We didn't feel comfortable talking right to her right away. So instead the two of us hopped on a 2-hour long call on Discord to talk about our grievances. I helped Dork write a message to Kenny but instead of apologizing in response, he just said that it was his humor, a mask to protect himself. As someone who uses a mask constantly to protect myself from trauma, this pissed me off. His mask was being a jerk, his mask was being mean, and most importantly his mask was being overly sexual when it wasn't required.

Another thing that he often did was make fun of drug culture. Make fun of the “druggies”, including snorting pain pills and other issues that should not be joked about, while talking about his headcanons relating to Slique and Kyborg. He also mentioned rape, which I am completely uncomfortable with as a cis woman who has dealt with uncomfortable situations that deal with my body. I hated this. He came in as a cis male (based on what he said himself) completely invading a comfortable and safe space. Kenny is not the type of person I would leave my drink with at a party. I felt uncomfortable talking to him the majority of the time but I didn't want to bring it up because I didn't want to hurt the third party's feelings. After Dork came to me in tears, I said enough is enough and I reached out to her anyway. Thankfully the third party was kind, kicked him out of the server and I haven't had to interact with him since.

However, I've seen issues within the Tumblr fandom, the fandom that's taken me so warmly and held me to a higher standard than I've held myself for years. I love to see the community interacting with my posts and I love seeing my moots talk to me in such a kind and happy way. However, I know there are multiple people within the community, one who I talked to and wishes not to be named, has had issues with him. Most people see SliqueBorg as a very abusive and toxic ship due to his headcanons. He's ruined a ship, that though I don't agree with, is valid. Not only that, but he also still ships Mudd with multiple characters including Gum Gum (This is just vague posting and suggestive tagging, but it's very easy to see him doing something like this). which is a huge issue on its own. He doesn't care about if someone is a minor and if they would even want to be in a relationship.

During the whole “Mudd Gate '', which is what I'm calling the one actual problem we've ever had within this community, when actual Aro ace people were coming out and talking about how they didn't like how Mudd was being shipped with characters. A lot of people agreed, including me, but Kenny came onto the server and started complaining along with the third party (who will again, stay unnamed). Both of them came with swinging swords, dragging down the entire Tumblr community saying it was unfair for them to completely block out a ship component just because of a canon sexuality given by Jon himself. It took me a little bit to feel comfortable within it as someone who's Demi who was personally was seeing Mudd as Demi. But now I see the issues of my ways. How little aro ace representation there really is in the world, that is untouched by fandoms. Just look at Alstor from Hazbin Hotel. He's constantly shipped with people despite being a canon Aro ace character.

Through this all, I just want to say that we should stop supporting him. We should stop giving him a platform. Not only is he a fake fan just with how he characterizes Kyborg but he also has issues with sensitive topics that he will continue to joke about until the very day that he dies. I can tell that he thinks a lot of people are sensitive. Just saying things are offensive for clout or some other reasons, but a lot of the things that he actually says are very offensive and very inappropriate around the people he's been around. His actions almost took Dork away from this fandom. It isn't as bad as some other things that have come up in the past relating to other communities (*cough cough* Wilbur *cough cough*) If you hate me for making this post then I'll just say I don't care. I am planning on blocking him after I finish this post or at least until after he can react. I don't want to just completely block him from seeing his criticism but I will stop supporting any posts I have seen. I will make sure that he is no longer on my dash because he has done things that I am severely uncomfortable with. He does not bring good vibes to this community and he especially should not be allowed to continue being in the fandom if he's going to spread such hate. This is a kind and loving fandom that has taken me and others with open arms in times of struggle and times of pain. He has made it uncomfortable to be in. I cannot support him and I implore the rest of you to do the same after his actions.

[paisholotus]

Homecoming Date....Really?

Narrative

"Just because everyone chooses to ignore the strange things that happen in this leafy little hamlet doesn't mean they don't happen." Chloe said, as fishes into her bag, pulls out a digital camera. "Just look at these tracks, they've been popping up all over town." Clark and Pete scroll through the photos on the camera, Images of giant taloned footprints. Pete smack his teeth and shook his head, "Ooh, we're being stalked by Big Bird." Chloe glared at him and smacked his arm.

Clark studies the photo. "These are griffin tracks, Chloe." Pete nodded and gave Chloe the camera back. "As in the Grandville Griffins. The team that's been kicking our asses for the last twelve years." Pete said, groaning, as they started to walk to class. "Must be a homecoming prank. Sorry." Clark said, as Chloe frowned down at the pictures in disappointment.

"We'd love to join you and Scooby in the mystery machine for another adventure, but we have to hand in our permission slips before homeroom." Pete said smiling. "Actually, Pete, I'm having second thoughts, I don't think signing up for the team is such a great idea." Clark said, nervously. "Clark, I'm telling you, it's the only way. You got this. Stop worrying." Pete said, patting Clark's shoulder. "Wait! You two are trying out for the football team? What is this, some sort of teen suicide pact?" Chloe said, cackling.

Pete looks around, whispers conspiratorially. "No, we're trying to avoid becoming this year's scarecrow." Chloe stopped laughing and looked at them confused, "What are you talking about, and why are we whispering?" She asked. "It's a homecoming tradition; before the game, the football players choose the geekiest freshman, take him out to Riley Field, strip him to his boxers and paint an "S" on his chest..." Pete said, lowly, looking around.

"Then string him up like a scarecrow." Clark whispered. "Sounds like years of therapy waiting to happen. How come I've never heard of this?" Chloe asked, crossing her arms. "It's very unoffical." Clark said. "That's why we're trying out for the team, figure they won't choose one of their own." Pete added, shrugging his shoulders. "Why don't I write an article in The Torch and expose this twisted back-country ritual?" Chloe suggested. Pete scoffed and shook his head, "What's up, Erin Brockovich? Some of us actually want to get through freshman year in one piece." Chloe chuckled and shoved him.

Suddenly, there's a screech of tires. They turn to see three identical pickup trucks peel into three adjacent spaces. Whitney Ellsworth and two jocks climb out. They're all wearing letterman jackets. Whitney is Smallville High's star quarterback and all -around golden boy. Chloe rolls her eyes. "Oh look, the Three Ass-keteers." She said, as Pete glared at them. Then Clark sees Honey Ross selling homecoming tickets.

The brown skinned girl has blossomed into a true beauty. Popular, smart, she seems to have it all, but if you look deeper, you'll find something different than any other girl. Clark stares at her, clearly smitten, turns to Chloe and Pete. "See you guys in class." He says, as he heads off in Honey's direction, Pete holds up a $5 bill. "I give him ten seconds." As Clark approaches Honey, Pete begins counting. "One. Two. Three. Four. Five." As if on cue, Clark trips, face-plants into the tiles, sending his books skittering. Chloe shakes her head. "Statistical fact, Clark Kent can't get within five feet of your sister without turning into a total freak show." She says, shaking her head, slapping the money out of Pete's hand.

Honey rushed over and helped Clark pick up his books as he stood up. "Dumpling, what have I told you about your surroundings? What you trying to do put a hole in the ground?" She whispered, laughing.

Clark awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck and thanked her for helping him. He cleared his throat and smiled down at her. " I- I mean I was actually coming over to ask you something." He stuttered out as his face got warm.

Honey looked at him with a raised eyebrow noticing the blush on his face. "And, what might that be, farm boy?" She asked.

Clark was nervous to ask her as his hands started to sweat. "I was wondering if.....if you would like to go to homecoming with me?" He stuttered.

Honey looked at him surprised and bit the inside of her cheek, "You want to take me to homecoming?" She asked, as Clark eagerly nodded. Honey no second later nodded and said yes.

Clark felt a huge relief and shyly looked down to the ground, "Okay, you wanna come over later to study?" He asked.

Honey nodded and smiled sweetly, "of course. I'll see you later, Dumpling." She gives Clark a hug as he hugs her back tightly.

She waved him bye and walked back to the stand. Clark turned to walk to class with a huge smile on his face. Mission accomplished.

[canvas-madness-txc]

I hate this image

So let's talk about it!

Point the first: in what world is Romeo canonically 17 years old? Nowhere in Shakespeare's play is there a citation that even hints at him being 17. Capulet calls him a "youth," so he is definitely not an adult. Also, wouldn't it make more sense to the story if Romeo was more around Juliet's age? Let's look at what is explicitly said in the play:

A. Juliet is 13 about to be 14 in give or take 2 weeks

B. She is being married to Paris, who, despite not having a confirmed age, is most definitely an adult.

C. Juliet does not want to marry Paris, which makes sense: he's way older than her, he's never spoken to her, and when he does, it's in a very possessive and creepy way. Romeo doesn't. In fact, he reveres her, which we're getting to.

With all this in mind, wouldn't it make sense for Julieet to fall in love with a boy who is most likely her peer? This brings me to:

Point the second: "Romeo and Juliet is not a love story." Well, it is, and it isn't. It's a story about love, but it's also about hate. The point of the story is that the innocent love of Romeo and Juliet is killed because of a petty feud. The story is not memorable if we do not see the hate kill the children of the families because they loved each other. And they do love each other. Yes, it was fast, but sometimes that happens. Ever meet someone and instantly vibe with them? That's what happens when they meet at the party. Their love is still very real even if it did not last that long, and we have a reason for this: the feud. They had to get married in secret because if they did it in public, their families would literally cause the end of the world. They got married in the first place, so it would be near-impossible for their families to try and stop it because they're now a union in the eyes of God. And they married because they do love each other. "What about Rosaline?" I hear you ask. Well, what about her? Her stake in the plot only lasts for about half an act at best. Plus, she was a nun. Was that really gonna bring out a romance? That is a situation where you are allowed to be upset but you should eventually cut your losses. Also, it's probably better that Romeo moved on from her in favor of Juliet. The boy was a mess in act 1, and Juliet is the person who brings him back to himself ("Now art thou sociable, now art thou Romeo"- Mercutio). Romeo and Juliet work, they balance each other out: Romeo is himself again with Juliet, and Juliet gets a taste of freedom/control of her life with Romeo. Romeo literally is ready to disregard the ideas of honor and masculinity to make Juliet happy. He does respect her. He does love her. I want you to look at these two lines and tell me that neither of these two are in love

"If I profane with my unworthiest hand / This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: / My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand / To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."- Romeo; I,i

"Thy face is mine and thou has slandered it"- Paris; IV, i

Would you really disregard someone who reveres you and basically says his world revolves around you/ you are a heavenly being that he worships like a pilgrim in favor of the guy who pretty much implies he owns you?? Would you?? Look, I'd hate to pull a Hamlet by pointing between these two lines and start berating people for this, but we do what we must. Romeo's dialogue makes it clear where he stands with Juliet: he adores her. He loves her so much that if he could carve his family name out of his body, he would (Act 3 scene 3). Obviously, you don't need to go all extreme to prove love, but you get the point. He willingly decides to sacrifice what he's been taught for her and she to him. They aren't each other's enemies. Their families are enemies. Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt because he loves Juliet. He is willing to sacrifice his family's idea of hatred because he loves Juliet. He does not act like he owns her or that anything he does if justified. When Juliet questions him about "leaving (him) so unsatisfied," he doesn't double down. OBVIOUSLY Juliet would choose Romeo:

He gave her choice throughout the play, unlike Paris. Juliet was confined in her life, and she only agreed to consider Paris because her parents asked her too. She never wanted him. She was just doing as told. Romeo ASKS to hold her hand. Romeo ASKS for her faithful vows. He doesn't push it towards her. He lets her take the reigns, and she reciprocates. Would this be considered bare minimum, now yes. Then? Juliet is basically being strung along to do as her parents ask, Romeo is different from that. Different to the feud. He doesn't make her do things. He lets her make her own choices. As a partner and equal; she definitely would not get that with Paris. The guy literally says that girls younger than Juliet (13) are already mothers. If that sounds like a yikes, that's cause it is. Shakespeare wants us to understand why Juliet did what she did, there is reasoning in the play.

He is sweet to her, and his "it is the east and Juliet is the sun" can be interpreted as him being so smitten with Juliet that she is the center of his universe. Her happiness is important to him; he goes to great lengths to say this.

He is also most likely in her age group. He's a youth. Even if he IS older, he is probably like 14-15 at best. He's a kid. They're both kids. Most people want partners who are their peers or at least similar to them, and Juliet does not seem to be different.

Finally, point the third: the love of Romeo and Juliet never killed anyone. It was the Montague and Capulet feud that did this:

Tybalt, being raised to hate Montagues, goes on what he was taught to fight Romeo over the dishonor at the party. If there was no feud, the gate crashing would've probably been less of an issue. Lord Capulet did not do anything to stop this behavior and decided to berate his nephew in front of hundreds of people, say some things that are hypocritical based on act 1 scene 1 and low key imply that this is only not OK because it would make HIM look bad. (I could make a whole separate post on Lord Capulet alone, but that is a story for another time) Yeah, that all works as well as you could expect, and Tybalt swears revenge on Romeo because his logic his whole life was Montague=bad, and you don't revert those habits by public humiliation. Romeo is more of a scapegoat to Tybalt after what happens than the actual problem.

Tybalt tries to fight Romeo, and Romeo doesn't engage because he's married to Juliet; he and Tybalt are family now. Romeo tries to reason with him, but it doesn't work. Mercutio, also being raised on the notion of honor and probably thinking Romeo has lost his mind or something, jumps in. The thing is, he's a kinsman to Escalus. He is neither Capulet nor Montague. There is no point in him getting involved but it happens anyway. They fight, and as Romeo is trying to stop them, Tybalt ends up killing Mercutio. If there was no feud, this fight would never have happened.

Tybalt is killed by Romeo as an act of revenge that he would later regret. Even though Romeo did what Montague called "what the law should end," it makes it no less wrong. The cycle of violence is bad, and repeating it doesn't make it better. Also, justifying this removes the nuance of the feud. Neither family is in the right. They are equal houses with equal power. There is no reason to hate each other. But they do and kick off a chain of events that only get worse. You can't make either house more in the right than the other. If Tybalt is a de facto antagonist, that ruins the message that this stupid feud killed 6 people. And it IS very stupid, and it gets stupider from here. No one knows why they're fighting, and now 2 people just got killed for no reason, one being literally royalty.

Lady Montague dies of grief after Romeo's exile. Did she have anything to do with the exile? No. Could the whole situation have been avoided? Yes. Again, there are no winners. People are just losing family and friends left, right, and center. Are the parents in R&J great? No. Is it still tragic to know that a mother lost her son and gave up on life over a conflict that never mattered? Yes.

Paris dies in a fight with Romeo in the Capulet tomb in Act 5. He picks a fight with Romeo because he believes Romeo will desecrate Juliet and Tybalt's corpses. Why? Only because he's a Montague. There's no other justification for what Paris does. All he knows is that Romeo is of the enemy family and jumps to this conclusion. If there was no feud, no one would go to this conclusion, but still Paris jumps on that and gets killed in the process. In the events of the story, the justification adds up with what we know about the Capulets, Montagues, and the people take sides, but that does not give it a point. Paris is also supposed to be neutral. He may be marrying Juliet, but he is not a Capulet, only associated with them. The point of having 2 members of the royal family get killed is a deliberate point: even neutral parties were not safe. The feud controlled literally everything and people died for it.

Finally, our main couple who everyone, blames for this. Romeo dies because he believes Juliet is dead. Before you berate him, I would like to introduce a concept known as "dramatic irony": when the audience knows something that the characters don't (vocabulary.com). The problem in Act 5 is that the letter explaining the plan never reaches Romeo. He hears from someone he trusts that Juliet is dead and believes it. Why wouldn't he? "What about the letter!" Stopped by the plague. "He should've checked!" He did. He snuck back into Verona at the threat of execution to check. And she was buried in a graveyard/ catacombs. If I brought you to a graveyard, pointed at a grave, asked you if the person in it is dead and your answer wasn't a resounding "yes" I would be concerned. Juliet wakes up, finds Romeo dead for real, and kills herself too. She doesn't really have another choice. It's either die with Romeo with the autonomy she has or keep living under the control of her parents. She and Romeo were each other's escape from the feud-ridden life they lived. They loved each other and needed each other, but because of that, they had to die since Verona did not let them keep that love.

If there was no feud, Romeo and Juliet would've been married in peace. No one would've had to keep secrets or carry out elaborate plans to get their means. Unfortunately, the way they lived was incredibly toxic for everyone involved. Kids felt like they had to keep secrets and kill themselves because that was easier than dealing with their parents, and is that not sad. Would it not be upsetting to know that you as a parent were so terrible that your kids chose death over you? Had they not been so hateful, everyone could've been happy. Escalus quite literally spells it out for us:

"See what a scourge is laid upon your hate, / That Heaven finds means to kill your joys with love!" (V, iii)

If there was no HATE, Romeo and Juliet wouldn't have had to die because they were in love. It was never Romeo and Juliet's fault. It was always their parents' fault. It is said in the play time and time again, from the chorus to act 5 it is this bitter hate that ruins everything. That is why the lovers marry in secret. That is what kills 6 people. That is the cause of the tragedy. Romeo and Juliet were victims of the feud and ignoring that basically disregards the whole play.

Bottom line, this photo is inaccurate and dumb.

Sincerely,

Everyone who read the play

[clonerightsagenda]

Station 11 wrapup!

You all know I'm a stickler when it comes to adaptations. I just reread a whole bunch of books so I could nitpick their adaptations better. But Station 11 said fuck that. This is an adaptation. We're going to adapt.

Station 11 the book is about the power of art. Survival is insufficient! Art brings back joy in the apocalypse. The Prophet is there, yes, mostly as a generic post-apocalyptic predatory cult to move the plot along, and he's defeated after a moment of artistic connection. But the TV show says, hold up. Yes art can save us. It can allow us to speak to each other when we can't find the words. But it's not enough on its own. You can't keep telling the same story for 400 years and always have it land. You have to leave the wheel. You have to adapt. You have to ask yourself, what if it ends differently this time? If you don't - if you resist all change, if you can't handle going off course - you're going to wither and die. Frank unable to leave his house. The father dead on the sofa. Kirsten letting poison spread through her veins. Hamlet, who for four hundred years has been dead from the beginning. The finale music doesn't play at the end of the final episode of Station 11. It plays during the play, because that's the turning point, when this show's Hamlet holds a knife to Claudius's throat and doesn't stick it in. The play finally gets another ending.

It's not subtle about any of this. The metaphors, the narrative parallels, the masterfully done scene cuts, and the select quotes about Station 11 are all very blatant, but it clicks together well enough that it works and I don't care. When we get to the final episode and Miranda drops a tragic backstory that happens to connect to the problem at hand, I accept it because I'm not bought into this story as realism, I'm bought into it as a piece of well-constructed, very deliberate art.

Your art is your message. It's your last phone call. And maybe sometimes that last call saves an airport full of people. Maybe it condemns a plane full of passengers to die. Usually you don't know. Everyone's going to take it a different way. It might save someone. It might damn them. It might not do anything. Miranda starts Station 11 as her life collapses, burns it all down, and starts again, and then the world ends and two very different people find it and adapt it in two very different, disastrous ways. But you have to make it anyway. You have to talk to people even when they're not there. I don't want to live the wrong life and then die.

I love what the show did with Jeevan, turning a relatively minor character into an awkward millennial fumbling his way through the end of the world but genuinely wanting to do good. I loved the extra content we got from Miranda and the ways she touched people's lives even beyond her graphic novel. Clark's dark turn was unexpected but worked for the story. I'm still not sold on why everyone loved Arthur Leander, but I am constitutionally immune to movie stars. I liked that the show took the brief connection between Kirsten and the Prophet and turned it into two very lost people who remember damage and can't escape the stories they're telling themselves until someone else crashes into them and tells it a different way. Forget the generic Christofascist child bride cult. We've heard that before. Let's hear something else.

My one complaint is the child army thing got defused a bit mysteriously, but mostly it was tidy in the way a graphic novel is tidy. Every image is deliberate, every line counts. This is one of the rare instances where I think I actually like the adaptation better than the book, although it's very clear that they're doing different things. I probably should have saved this for last because now all the other TV shows are going to suffer for not being Station 11, but them's the breaks sometimes.

Highly recommend! Only if you can handle pandemic trauma though.

[stopper-my-heart]

Heartstopper library posters: Part 1/3

CW: Images and mentions of Ben Hope. No non-consensual physical touch is shown in the images but short descriptions of actions are given as part of describing the library meeting scene between Ben and Charlie in S1E1.

Yes, the library posters in Heartstopper are complicated enough to need multiple posts to attempt to unpack them.

How many layers are intentional? I can't say. All I can say is that the layers haven't stopped making sense yet.

Here in Part 1, we're taking a fairly straightforward approach to the quotations on the posters in S1E1 with a bit of cinematographic interpretation.

Let's get acquainted with the posters (text below, don't strain your eyes) --

We have:

"I am no bird and no net ensnares me" -- from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (photo 1, left, above)

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance" -- from An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde (photo 2, middle, above)

"To thine own self be true" -- from Hamlet by William Shakespeare (photo 3, right, above)

----------

Here's the context of when we first see these posters, at the very beginning of S1E1:

As Charlie walks into school and enters the library to meet Ben (who doesn't show up that time), he walks in between the first two posters to get to their meeting spot.

The third poster ("To thine own self be true") remains out of focus during this trip to the library. It partially comes into view when Charlie arrives at his and Ben's meeting spot (photo 1, left, below).

After Charlie checks his phone and sees Ben's text ("actually can we meet up at break instead?"), when we then see him start to type his reply, a little bit more of the poster becomes visible (photo 2, middle, below).

The poster's quotation is only fully visible (but still out of focus) once Charlie has sent his text ("okay 😊❤️") (photo 3, right, below). Note that this also corresponds with the start of Headmaster Stephen Fry's announcement reminding students about the new vertical form groups.

It seems like the poster is acknowledging that Charlie's not fully ready to admit to himself the truth of what's happening with Ben or to stand up for himself, but that he's maybe getting closer (or the poster's trying to help, anyway). If nothing else, the poster seems to be gently calling Charlie out, especially with the text he sent. We can see by Charlie's face (photo 3 above) that even he doesn't believe it's "okay 😊❤️".

(Maybe the poster is also indicating hope: hope for the new form group and a certain someone Charlie might meet there, someone who will want Charlie to be true to himself.)

----------

When Charlie and Ben finally do meet in the library later in S1E1, we again see Charlie walk in between the first two posters. Charlie and the posters begin fuzzy and come into focus together. "I am no bird and no net ensnares me"* is especially prominent.

*Note that the full sentence this quotation comes from is: "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will, which I now exert to leave you." More on this in future posts.

This time the third poster ("To thine own self be true") is also in focus, though partially out of frame (photo 1, left, below). Ben's head moves to block some of it and then the camera angle shifts a bit so that the poster is fully obscured behind Charlie while his and Ben's index fingers are interlocked (photo 2, right, below).

After Charlie looks at the smiley face Nick drew on his hand, a little bit of the text of the third poster is again visible in between Charlie and Ben, but it's in the background, out of focus. As Ben kisses Charlie, the words are once again blocked by Ben's head.

Clearly these posters are trying harder and harder to Talk To Charlie -- they want him to love himself, believe he's worth more than how Ben is treating him, be honest with himself and act accordingly, and break free from Ben -- and they finally succeed. Seemingly later on the same day is when Charlie breaks up with Ben.

[crgasmpuppet]

penn badgley (circa 2015) x female!reader.

warnings: smut. lmao.

hi i don't know if people even read penn badgley/joe goldberg fics at this point but i am obsessed with this man and wanting to swallow his kidz so. lmk how u like it lol.

-wulf hailey

————

laying on my floor and listening to music louder than most humans should physically be able to withstand is probably one of my favorite past times.

especially with my eyes closed, which might not really be a good idea. there could be a murderer waiting in the shadows at any given moment.

yeah, oka-

"holy shit!"

something knocks at my window and i scramble up and backwards looking for a weapon and end up with a shoe. i mean, at least my reflexes are fast. ish.

i hear a deep laugh come from the window and realize who and what scared the absolute shit out of me. my best friend in the whole world, penn. not to mention my crush for the past 11 years since him and his family moved in next door. another boy-next-door cliche, huh?

i turn down the music to a normal volume and walk to the window, shoe still in hand.

"penn dayton badgley, you scared me half to death!" i scream, smacking him in the arms with every word. he giggles maniacally.

"you should've seen your face! holy shit that was the best thing i've ever seen!"

“you aren't funny." i say, my cheeks burning . i roll my eyes and pull him inside. he falls through the window and lands on his ass, springing to his feet in the blink of an eye.

he's wearing my old, triple sized, brooklyn nets sweater (we have jointly never watched one basketball game in our lives) and a pair of grey sweats. classic.

"cat like reflexes. unlike you." he laughs, grabbing the shoe from my hand. "really?"

"you cant blame me! what weapons would a teenage girl have in her bedroom?"

he gives me a blank stare.

"hey, i wasn't near any of them!"

i sit back on the floor, while penn flicks through my records. he picks a few out and shows them to me. childish gambino, chance the rapper, and the cure.

"what a spread." i say sarcastically.

"whatever, you big bully. pick one."

"definitely the cure. you already knew before you asked."

"i know i just wanted to be cute." he fake pouts as he puts the record on and sits down by my side. plainsong starts to play, and i nod my head to the melody.

"yeah, it's too bad you suck too hard to be cute." i reach up to push his head of scruffy brown hair and he fake dies with his hand over chest.

“how could you say that? now i’m doomed to an eternity aloooooone…”

"get up, hamlet. this isn't theatre." i laugh. "you're so dramatic, it's almost cute."

"you think i'm cuuute." he snickers and pushes me over slightly.

i bob back up. "i said almost."

"yeah, whatever." he says, getting up to turn up the music. i get up to go and sit on my bed, "the grounds really hurting my ass.".

he turns to me and turns back to the record player. "boohoo, how do you want me to fix it for you?"

i cross my arms and pout. "maybe i wanted you to kiss it for me."

"ew, gross. you have cooties." he chuckles as he sits down on my bed, pushing me over to get more room.

"it's not my fault you're so long." i laugh. "maybe you should lose a few inches."

"you know what? you're right. i think some parts of me are too big. i think people might get jealous." he says, cockily.

lovesong starts, and it makes me forget whatever he's talking about. "shut up and let me listen to my music, you fucking nerd. you know this is my favorite!"

he realizes and closes his mouth in the middle of his "hey!". i close my eyes and he does the same.

whenever i'm alone with you

you make me feel like i am home again

whenever i'm alone with you

you make me feel like i am whole again

i feel a thumb brush my cheek, and i open my eyes slowly to see penn's deep brown eyes staring down at me. they almost look black.

"what are you doing?" i choke out, wishing i had never said them in the first place. my cheeks are red hot, and i wish his hand wasn't on it so he couldn't physically feel my embarrassment.

"are you nervous?" he asks, his big brown eyes searching for an answer in the cast expanse of mine.

whenever i'm alone with you

you make me feel like i am young again

i loosen my shoulders, that i didn't even know were tense, and look up at him fully.

"no."

whenever i'm alone with you

you make me feel like i am fun again

as soon as the last ounce of word comes out of my mouth, his mouth has replaced it. his full lips press into mine and i see fireworks going off behind my closed eyes. i squeeze them shut and push into him harder, taking his bottom lip into my teeth and biting it, maybe a little bit hard.

his big eyes open and look at me. i can feel them and i look at him, too. i let go of his lip softly, seeing it pull back to his teeth. it feels like a fucking eternity until he nods and pulls my leg over his till i'm on his lap.

he presses his raw lips into mine, his hands on my hips, squeezing them and leading them slowly onto the bulge in his sweatpants. i can't help but let out a breathy moan, immediately clapping a hand over my mouth.

penn looks up at me with those gorgeous puppy eyes and i forget my fucking middle name. he takes my hand down from my mouth and puts it to his, putting my thumb into it and letting it rest on his bottom teeth. the sight makes me melt into a puddle, and i fall back into his kiss again.

however far away

i will always love you

we both let out little pants, both of our mouths constantly open like we were scared that if we closed them, we would never be able to open them again.

however long i stay

i will always love you

i felt his hand slip down the back of my pants, stopping for a second to grip my ass in the nicest way possible, before his two middle fingers reached my clit. he twirled his fingers around and then slid them up.

"you're so fucking wet." he moans, barely getting the words out. "are you always like this?"

i nod slowly. "it's kind of embarrassing."

he grabs me by the bottom of my chin, pulling me back to his mouth. he slowly circles and teases me, while putting a hand up my shirt to play with my nipple.

he pauses, and pulls back. he puts his thumb up to my mouth, and slides it in. he looks at me with those deep brown eyes, and my mouth closes around his thumb, sucking on it.

he takes it out and rubs the cold wetness on my nipple, making me yelp a little before clapping a hand to my mouth once again.

penn takes my hand down again, looking at me.

"don't cover your mouth. i want to hear all the little things you say when i'm not here."

"penn- holy fuuuck." i squeak out, before he flips me back over to my back and climbs on top of me. he grinds on top of me, his hard dick sliding up to my clit perfectly.

"oh my fucking god, i need to be inside you." he almost whines, his teeth gritted and eyes closed in euphoria.

“please, penn. i need you so bad..” i trail off into sweet nonsense.

he looks at me with a sweet smile. "i've always seen the way you look at me. those pretty eyes. i've always wanted to see them like this."

"like what?" i hesitantly ask.

"hungry for me."

i'm genuinely speechless, and i guess he can tell, so he kisses me with so much animality that i can barely breathe. his lips lead down to my jaw, down my neck until i finally sit up and take my shirt off.

"wow, how smooth." he snickers, planting kisses down and around my chest.

"shut up, penn." i say, breathily. my mind is going a million miles an hour, yet i cant point out a single thought.

in a swift second, my pants are off, with no help to penn, of course. i cant believe this boy can tie his own shoes sometimes.

"what did you say?" he asks, his voice calm and collected.

"i said shut up, penn." i laugh. "you don't scare me."

"i don't wanna scare you." penn whispers, his hand slipping down into my panties. i automatically feel his fingers at my clit, and i feel another hand at my throat.

"i just wanna touch you." he smiles, going down my stomach again and littering it with kisses.

"i wanna feel you." he says kissing my thighs, softly. i buck my hips up with every kiss, a white hot fire between my legs. well, actually 2.

"i wanna love you." he says, looking up at me. his eyelashes tickle my thighs, and i look down at him, my eyes wide.

"and i wanna fucking ravage you."

"p-please." is the only word i can get out before he pushes a long, slender finger inside me.

"oh my fucking god." he moans, his head falling onto my thigh while he pushes his finger in again. "i cant believe you can get this wet."

"it's all f-for you. goddd, it's all for you."

he smiles up at me. "i know. do you know how long i've been waiting for this? god, you're so fucking perfect." he says, sliding his tongue from his fingers up to to my clit and i shudder.

"holy fuck, penn." i moan, running my hands through his long brown hair, gripping onto it and bucking my hips up.

he moans against my pussy, the vibrations shooting up my body, making explosions go off in my mind. he pushes his fingers in and out, sucking on my clit with ease.

he comes back up to kiss me, adding another finger inside me.

"are you ready, baby?" he asks me, sweetly. i nod, a little too aggressively and he chuckles, unbuckling his belt and shucking his pants off and throwing them somewhere to the floor.

he kisses me, his tongue sliding inside my mouth. i suck on it, making him moan into my mouth. he grabs his dick, teasing me with it by sliding it up and down, looking me in the eyes.

he slides it in, slowly, gritting his teeth and breathing out a moan. "you are so fucking beautiful. god, you're so beautiful." he chokes out.

"mmmph, penn. fuck, you're so good- "

"a-ah, fuck baby. you feel so fucking good. i don't ever want to fucking l-leave, fuck, babe." he brings my leg up above my head, going as deep as he can. the headboard is smacking the wall so hard it's nearly chipping at the drywall.

“p-penn, im gonna c-"

"it's okay, baby, i've got you. i-im going to, too, fuck-"

penn's eyes damn near roll back into his head, as he groans out the most guttural and gorgeous moan ever known to man as we both cum at the same time.

"holy fuck, baby, you're gripping me s-so fucking h-hard." he says, his eyes squeezed shut, leaning on top of me and biting my shoulder.

i take a sharp inhale, the pain subsiding to pleasure as i buck my hips up, making penn shudder and moan before he pulls out and lays next to me.

i take time to catch my breath before i feel a pair of arms wrap around me. i look over to see penn looking at me with those big brown doe eyes, and i look away, embarrassed.

he turns my face towards him, closing his eyes and pressing his lips onto mine. i smile into his mouth, our tongues fitting together perfectly.

we pull away at the same time, and he's already smiling at me. he's almost laughing.

"what are you laughing about?" i start laughing because he's laughing.

"nothing, nothing. i just-" he hesitates. "i've been waiting for that for so fucking long." he kisses the top of my head.

"me, too. that was perfect." i respond. i literally cant stop smiling.

it's silent for a little bit. it's a beautiful, comfortable silence.

"would you want to be my girlfriend?" he finally asks.

my eyes widen, and i look back up at him.

“are you serious?" i ask. "i cant tell if you're joking."

he looks at me, his eyebrows furrowed. "are you crazy? i've wanted you since i've moved here. it's definitely fate."

"you're such a fucking nerd." i say, giggling. i kiss him on the forehead.

he gets up to pull on his pants, and walks over to the records he picked out.

"because the internet. of course." i roll my eyes at him.

"you don't get it. donald glover is a musical fucking genius, baby."

he comes back and lays down, pulling me into his arms and resting his head on mine.

no matter what you say or what you do

when i'm alone i'd rather be with you

fuck these other niggas, i'll be right by your side

till 3005

hold up.

[novelmonger]

I keep coming back to the thought about how differently Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson handle politicians, specifically in TWS and BNW. It makes me think of that thing people talk about, where if you switch Hamlet and Othello and put them in each other's plays, both would be over in five minutes XD

I'm not sure the same can be said about Steve and Sam, but it's still really interesting to me to consider their different approaches to sticky political situations as Captain America. And I keep thinking about how much better of a diplomat Sam is, actually.

Both Steve and Sam are excellent judges of character and have an impeccable moral compass. They're not willing to stand by while innocent people get hurt, nor are they naive enough to think that any given politician is above shady deals or agendas that have nothing to do with the actual good of the people.

But when they're confronted with undeniable evidence that the system has major flaws that are undermining the safety and liberty of ordinary people, they have very different ways they deal with it.

Steve doesn't trust politicians an inch, so once he sees they're not going down the right path, he goes rogue so that he can still do the right thing. He'll even go so far as to tear down the system and start over. "The safest hands are still our own."

Sam, on the other hand, while he also doesn't trust politicians an inch and is fully aware of all the ways the system has failed him and people he cares about, is more willing to work with that system. To encourage and demand that system be better. He approaches everyone, even his enemies, as people that he hopes to find common ground with and reason with, so both sides can understand each other and reach some sort of agreement. There's a limit, of course - there are some people who just need to shut up and get punched, and Sam is perfectly willing to do so. But as long as he thinks someone can be reached with words, he's going to try to reason with them.

Now, it's not a completely fair comparison - Thaddeus Ross is a piece of work in many ways, but he still has one thing over Alexander Pierce, in that he's not literally working for Hydra ^^' Nor does Ross spend most of the movie actively trying to get Captain America killed. So, you know...it makes more sense to try to work with Ross than Pierce anyway.

But it makes me think of that famous line, "Compromise where you can, and where you can't, don't." It seems to me that Steve embodies the second half of the quote, while Sam embodies the first half.

And honestly, I think we need both kinds of Captain America.

[tumblingdownthefoxden]

"The Assistant and The Star"

Chapter 12: Caterpillar Goo

Bazeema opened the door to let her friends into her lady lair. “Woah! So this is where you sneak off to during Ceremonies.” Asha gawked at the custom decorations.

“Not enough to have access to a private garden? You needed another large space all to yourself?” Gabo teased with a smile. 

“I need sanctuary from mosquitos.” She said as she shut the door.

Altan arose from a pile of cushions with a yawn and waved to them.

“YOU!!” Gabo dashed onto the couch and grabbed Altan by the coat. “You absolute maniac! Do you have any idea of the situation you just put us in!” Altan stared with wide eyes and lilac hair before turning into a tortoise, retracting their head.

“You turn back into a human this instan- Aaak” Gabo gagged as Altan shot a spray of stardust into his mouth. Gabo coughed and wiped the last of the stardust from his tongue. “That is the last time that we are leaving you alone with Simon.”

“But he will be safe here.” Bazeema said.

“No! He’s not safe anywhere! There’s no way we can continue the operation! Everyone will be on the lookout for them! Or us.” 

Altan shifted back and clutched onto the cushions. 

“So what do we do with Altan? I don’t think we can keep them down here forever.” Dahlia pondered. 

“I could keep them in my home and the forest. Our operation never extended past the city so none of the lone houses or the Hamlet could recognize their disguise!”

“But they will recognize their unfamiliarity.” Gabo countered. “Word about the Traitor of Rosas combined with someone with very yellow hair will not end end well. You'd have to keep them in your house.” He peered at the star. “Probably stop using magic entirely.” 

Altan frowned and shook their head. “Please, Altan. Just stay in that body, no magic exercise, and walk everywhere with a head cover. You will pass as any other human.” Asha assured. 

Altan shook their head again, hair a blood orange. Telling a star to not use magic is like telling a sparrow not to chirp.

“Come on, Altan!” She pressured. “You can use magic at night. We can still finish my wish but we need to keep you safe from Magnifico first. Please? For me?”

Valentino hopped behind Altan and nudged their back with a stern bah. This wasn't the time to be stubborn. Altan breathed in and out of their nose with their hair turning yellow. “Fine.” Altan signed.

“Yes!”

It was dusk and Altan stayed in Asha's bag in his plush form until she got home. The last magic act for the day. Asha explained the situation to her family and would leave Altan in their care while she works. They were on board but there was a new ground rule. Altan needs to stay inside once the sun sets. It would seem weird if someone passing by saw them lying on the roof. It was harder to get Altan on board with that because he wanted the chance to talk to Evangeline and that couldn't happen if he was indoors.

The next morning, Asha hurried through her routine upon oversleeping. Sakina stood in the kitchen rinsing a few fruits as Asha dressed up Valentino for the day. “Don't forget this. Can't let you get sick like last time.” Sakina handed her a small basket with a few plums and grapes and a chunk of bread.

“Oh, thank you.” Asha took the basket and peered over to Altan as he laid asleep on the couch shrouded in a quilt.

“Are you sure you're able to look after them?”

“We’ll be fine Asha. I got a water bucket in case he gets too wild.” Sakina chuckled, glancing at Altan turning over.

Asha hugged her goodbye and sprinted out the door with Valentino.

It has only been 30 minutes since arriving at the castle and Asha had gone up and down the stairway bringing crates upon crates full of glass bottles into the Hollow. If that wasn't draining enough, she was now in the royal garden digging through the dirt. Magnifico had given her 3 sacks and told her to fill them up with live bugs.

Valentino went around the garden taking any beetle he saw into his mouth and dropping them into a bag. He went around a bush to find Bazeema replanting a tree sprout that was in a boot. “Oh hello Val. How are you doing today? Is Asha with you?”

Mouth full of caterpillars, Valentino nodded in greeting and walked back. Bazeema finished with her plant and followed him to where Asha knelt down on the floor with a bag of insects. She joined in on the bug collection.

“Lucky for you, there is a wasp nest we were trying to remove and these bags seem thick enough to hold them.” Bazeema said, tying up one bag “So why does the king need you to collect bugs?”

“I wish I knew.” Asha sighed as she scooped up 4 beetles and dropped them in the bag.

“Want to ask him?”

“Yeah, but I might not. ‘Why a sorcerer needs what a sorcerer needs is not your concern.’ At least that’s what Amaya told me on my first day.”

Asha found 3 centipedes and placed them in the bag. “If anything, this could be related to the next Wish ceremony.”

“Or finding the traitor?” Bazeema suggested.

“I pray it's not.”

The mid-day sun beamed down on the girls as they finally filled up all of the bags. Asha made her way up the castle stairs. Once down into the Hollow, she gently laid the bags on the floor and sat down against the wall. Before her was the black cauldron filled with a honey orange brew. She was too tired to ask what their objective was. She peered at Magnifico as he concentrated on a spell book. “Sir, is it alright with you if I took a break now please. I can’t feel my arms.”

“A break? Sure, go ahead.” Magnifico kept his eyes glued to what looked like an ancient grimoire. Taking her leave, she walked back up the stairs. It’s nice to lay down on the tile floor of the study.

Magnifico took one of the bags and walked to the cauldron. “Are you sure this plan will work?” He asked.

The camera switched to show the right side of his face with a green eye. “We’ve barely begun and you're doubting me?” Madok asked with Magnifico's voice.

The camera switches to his left side with a blue eye. “Well. Bugs aren’t really sufficient payment for a trapping spell, especially on a celestial power.”

“This is to weaken the star. We'll make something more potent to keep them captive later. For now, bugs will suffice.” He turned his head to the counter where the book stood open to a potion page.

“And when can you make the capture happen.”

“So much anxiety.” Madok teased. “I promised to teach you everything about stars. To give you back control. Sit back, fair one. We get there when we get there.” He turned the bag upside down over the cauldron and pulled off the binding string. Hundreds of bugs were released and screamed as they fell into the sizzling pot.

They mixed the elixir with a stick and it turned from orange to a deep purple. They gave a dark chuckle. “Perfect.”

“Now. To be sure it works...” They held up one hand. “This might sting.” Madok shoved his hand into the cauldron. Magnifico’s eye twitched and he retreated his hand with a shout, buckled down in pain. He looked at his hand, now black and blistered. “What was the purpose of that!?” Magnifico demanded, eyes now blue.

“It should do something worse to a star. Should give a regular human a rash. The best way to decipher who is what.” Madok lightly scratched his hand and looked to the tower of glass bottles. “We should have them caught by next week.”

Once all of the bottles were filled, Asha was called and brought crates of potions to the guards to be laid at the castle stage. An assembly was called soon after.

Asha and Amaya stood on either side of a blue-eyed Magnifico who watched the people gather with gloves on.

“Good day, Rosas. I hope that you are in fair spirits. There have been no reports of the traitor but I can sense the growing anxiety in the city.” The crowd mumbled to each other. “So I have taken it upon myself to provide you with arms to find and apprehend the traitor should you have a first-hand encounter with them.”

He held out his hand to his assistant. Asha handed Magnifico a potion bottle and he held it up to them. “This is an elixir that will not only expose this traitor in any disguise, but will weaken their power for several hours. I commend you all to carry one bottle on you and use it when you see fit. Apply it directly to the skin. If it causes a rash, they are innocent.”

The guards on stage called for the crowd to line up before the stage. They handed one bottle to each person before them and continued on until all of the potions were gone.

“And know this. To ensure that this traitor can’t try to run, I will be sending scouts to routinely search the forest and placing more knights around the city and on the docks to keep an eye out for them. Be not afraid of any threat that this traitor could pose. I will leave no place for them to hide. This assembly is dismissed.”

He turned to Asha to hand her bottle back and ask if she has the energy for another supply run as the Hollow storage was freshly depleted. She asked if she could do the run tomorrow as she was still exhausted from today.

As they spoke and the crowd dispersed, two people stood at the front of the stage fairly puzzled.

One of them being Sania Osman.

“So this is going to protect us and our wishes?” She asked a man before her.

“I get to give us a defense but this is an awfully large amount of work to capture one person.”

“Or three. I hear criminals work best in groups.”

“That’s true. But more guards to watch our every move?”

“And why is he bothered by someone granting wishes faster than him?” Sania asked.

“That’s what I’m wondering!” He exclaimed. “And now that I think about it, it's been over a year since I gave him my wish! Where is it!”

“Did you meet the rogue?”

“I hope I do before he catches him. Is their advice as good as they say?” He hardly whispered. Sania nodded.

They spoke loud enough for the King to overhear and become curious. Magnifico excused himself from Asha and turned his attention to their conversation. He walked before them on the stage.

“So do we still need Magnifico?”

Sania barked a laugh. “Magnifico Smagnifico! I could do his job with enough money.” Face unreadable, Magnifico slowly blinked, eyes now green.

At this point, the man noticed his stare and lost his smugness. “Uhh, Sany, maybe we should leave.”

“Oh don’t chicken out on me now love. What’s the King gonna do to us. He doesn’t have the guts to imprison his own people.” Magnifico tilted his head and pointed his staff at her, the head glowing green.

“Sania!” He urged, signaling her to shut up.

Sania rolled her eyes. “Let me guess, he's right behind me. I’m not gonna turn around. And again, what’s the worst he can d-” A large green hand grabbed her body. One finger covering her mouth and pulling above the stage, turning her to face the green eyed king.

“The worst I can do?” He asked. “Well I never considered it. Maybe you can help me. You do have a point, I don't like to use imprisonment.” Sania stared back with wide eyes.

“Leaving you in a dungeon with starving rats is underwhelming. But ants are fun. I’ve read about people being tied to trees and left to the mercy of venomous ants. Ants will bite if not sting at anything that isn't their fellow ant. If attacks from one ant is painful, I wonder what thousands of ants could do to a body. Care to volunteer and help me find out?” The hand tilted Sania slightly. Shaking, she shook her head. He smiled at her terror.

“Okay. Well, there are durable plants for you to play with. I know of a plant called bamboo that grows fast and can break through stone. It's stronger than stone! So how strong is it against bone? Trees are adaptable and if given no other choice, they will use blood and flesh as a nutrient source. Ain’t that fascinating!?” Sania looked sick to her stomach. Magnifico could only smile wider.

“Does that not intrigue you? You can experience first hand the ruthlessness of nature and if it has limits. Do not worry about your mortality. I will heal you after every plant and ant has had a chance to rip your body open.” Sania struggled and shook her head vigorously.

“No? That's a shame. I’d love to test these events on a live subject. I doubt that I can use my assistant so that leaves me with two options. Use a traitor who challenged my authority.” His smile fell away. “or an arrogant woman that thinks she can do my job.”

The finger moved away from her mouth. “Please… please, not me!” She said softly.

“Are you going to behave yourself?”

“Yes.”

“Yes… what?” He cocked a brow.

She casted her gaze down. “Yes, yo-”

“Look at me.” He demanded.

She slowly turned her gaze up. “Yes, your majesty. I am terribly sorry.”

He smiled. “Wonderful. Glad to have this conversation.” The green hand gently put her down and patted her head before disappearing. The pair ran off like death was after them. Magnifico watched them go with blue eyes, resisting the impulse to laugh.

Magnifico turned his head towards Amaya and Asha, both of them looking back in horror.

He signaled them to follow him inside.

He led them to the main hall before turning to them and seeing Amaya glaring at him. “Asha. You can do your run tomorrow but for now, I need you to go up to Hollow note down what is needed please.”

“I would love to sir but-”

“I'll answer your questions later. For now, I am needed for more urgent matters.”

“A-Alright.” Asha walked off and shut the doors behind her, leaving the monarchs to their business. “Judging by your face, you wanted to speak with me alone?”

“Magnus, what on Earth did you do to that woman!¿”

“Oh? Sania Osman? She was slandering my name and efforts to her peer. I only warned her to stop.”

“By grabbing and threatening her with torture!?”

“To disrespect me in my presence is a call for disciplinary actions.”

“I understand your stance but to scare your people will lower morale and they won't be as cooperative with you. We need to keep their faith in us alive.”

Magnifico stood quiet in consideration.

“Their faith in me is already dwindling. As is my faith in them. I need to catch this traitor and restore order as soon as possible. I love your sentimentality for our people but sometimes, faith isn't enough. If the people of Rosas want what is best for them, they will follow my orders and keep any ill mannered thoughts to themselves.”

“That doesn't explain your implications of considering to use Asha for those "experiments". We heard everything you said to her. Please don't tell me you plan to torture the traitor. You're above that!”

He laughed at that. He looked back at her with his eyes showing green, just for a second.

“It was a lie, Amaya! Something to keep Osman on her toes. I would never consider torturing my assistant. As for the traitor, what is to happen to them is still to be decided.” His hands shook as he spoke. He hid them behind his back.

Amaya noticed and only looked suspicious. “Mi rey, are you okay? You seem... off.”

He sighed and lost all sense amusement. “I'm tired of being provoked. A star could have been summoned. I have a traitor in the ranks. That is enough to worry about. I can't have our people get in the way of it.”

She nodded. “If you're only overworked, I can handle the civil affairs while you focus on the traitor's capture?”

His gaze softened. “You are too kind, mi reina. Thank you so much.”

A/N:

I FINALLY FINISHED!! I've been so excited to write Madok threatening someone so much. Initially they were going to talk about leaving Sania covered in honey and left to beetles when I researched bug related tortures and found a news article of people being tortured with venomous ants, which sounds more terrifying.

The next chapter will be shorter than standard. After that will have more starry involvement and resurfaced trauma.

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Wish Granted 🌟👩🏾🎶 (Wish Reimagined)

Chapter 9: In the Dark of the Night 🌘

Chapter 8

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As the sun is setting on a faraway shot of Rosas, we begin to see a many of the residents begin to go back inside their homes for the evening now that the rain has finally cleared up. Some to their families while others are ready to just turn in.

There begins some whispers sweeping across the inner parts of the city, questioning the day's events. The camera slowly goes across some of these homes as we see the shadows of the residents talking in the windows.

"Do you think those traitors will come for us next?"

"What could they possibly want with our wishes?"

"What does she have with her that could destroy a whole city?"

The whispers die down a bit as we see Flazino peak around a corner. He heard most of the whispers, but knew not make a sound. He needed to get to the Hamlet and warn everyone before it was too late.

He looked around in case he was being followed, but he didn't pay attention to he was going.

"Flazino?" A voice whispered at him.

The guy nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard it. He quickly turned and saw Bazeema, a bit started herself at his reaction. She was carrying a plantling growing in an old boot, which she planned to help grow. "What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be at home?"

Flazino didn't count on anyone else besides some guards to be out here at night. He had to come up with something, he already made his monthly trip to the forest, so that excuse was out.

"Well I was, but then the queen needed me to get some new ingredients for her, a whole list in fact. I'm going to have to travel a bit farther out for them." Flazino replied, not missing a beat.

"Do you need any help? It is getting a little late-"

"NO- I mean, no thanks! Hehe. This is apprentice business after all. Very important." He quickly walked by her. "Just do me a favor and don't tell anyone? The queen keeps it a secret on what she uses for her spells, so this has to stay between us."

There. That should keep any suspicion off of him for now. Expect for the guy right behind him.

"HEY, WATCH'A DOIN' FLAZI?" Dairo exclaimed in a friendly but loud tone.

The apprentice quickly put his hands over the dopey teen's mouth. "SHHHHHHHH!! ARE YOU TRYING TO GET ME KILLED?" he whispered. "And don't call me 'Flazi'."

Dario seemed confused. "But Dahlia calls you that all the time." He said after Flazino moved his hands away. This time his tone was lower.

"That's different." He replied and never further explained. "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to get on with my assignment." He pulled the hood over his head and once again tried to leave. But apparently Bazeema still had something to say.

"Flazino. You don't need to hide anything. If something's wrong, you can just say it, I always keep secrets safe." Her voice waa still soft, but there was touch of comfort in it.

Dario chimed in with a grin. "Yeah, I mean you've always been there for a lot of us when the King was too busy. The least we can do is listen to your problems."

For a moment, Flazino did consider it. But after Dahlia didn't believe him, did he even want to take a chance with these two?

"Wait... I think I know why you're being all sneaky..." Dario said as he stroked his scruffy chin.

Flazino's shoulders tensed up.

"You've got a secret girlfriend you're meeting with in the woods, don't you?" Dario said snapping his fingers.

Bazeema gasped in delight. Hearing about romance seemed to perk her up. "Is it true? How romantic, two lovers meeting in secret!"

"You should be a lot less tense, then!"

Flazino had an annoyed expression as he turned around looked at the two of them. "You know, I can still call your parents and tell them you're messing with royal business."

(He was looking like this, btw)

Bazeema was immediately quiet while Dario just shrugged. "All right, I get, I get it, we'll go home. I need to work on my jokes some more anyway."

Dario turned to ask Bazeema where she was planning to do, but she had already vanished. He looked around, but there was no sign of her. The blonde teen turned to Flazino. "Does she do that a lot?"

"Yup." He simply said.

"Wow, she could be a spy or something with that kind of stealth." He muttered as he made his way home.

After Dario was out of sight, Flazino breathed a sigh of relief. They meant well, but this was something they couldn't help him with. At least not quite yet in the story.

He checked once more to make sure nobody else was around and quickly made his way to the horse's stable. He saw Achilles and greeted him. "Hey there, buddy. I'm going to need you again tonight for something important."

The horse slightly whimpered, as if it was nervous to join him. "Relax. It'll be easy this time. We'll be quick as a white rabbit and back home before you know it. I'll even throw in some oats for you." He told him gently.

Achilles took a moment to consider, then gave him a nod.

After gaining the horse's trust, the two took off and ran out of Rosas and into the woods as fast as they could.

The view seems similar to the apprentice heading towards the Hamlet, only this time the forest seemed darker than usual. In fact it was getting so dark, Flazino was concerned that Achilles couldn't see where he was going.

He took a small yellow powder from his pouch and shouted "Lūminōsus!", then threw the powder ahead of him. The yellow powder creates a bright yellow light for them to see as they ran toward the Hamlet.

For a brief second, the light goes so far it reveals a wall of tall figures standing in the middle of the path.

"ACHILLES, HEEL!" Flazino shouted at the horse as he pulled hard in the reins, making Achilles break and reel back before he ran into the figures.

He threw another light spell into the air, and it brightens up part if the forest. With the new light, we see that the tall figures are in fact Rosas' soldiers all on horseback.

Flazino definitely wasn't expecting this...

"Hey, fellas! What are you doing out here by yourselves? In full armor and sharp weapons... hehehe..." He asked in a nervous tone. Why were these soldiers out here? On this night of all nights?!

"We hate to do this to you Flazino, but....you're under arrest for aiding with the traitors of Rosas." A bearded solider finally said.

How? How did they know?!

"Come on, Stan. You know me better than that! I'm just getting a few ingredients for the queen, same old same-"

"Don't lie to us, son. Not anymore." Stan continued. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way." He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

This wasn't working. He had to get out of there, fast. He quietly reached for a small hand made wooden wand from his bag. It was time for distraction.

"When you put it that way, I say go with FULMEN!" Flazino jabbed the wand forward, expecting a lightning bolt to scare them, but all that came out was a tiny spark and the sound of someone's cough.

There was an awkward silence as the guards stared back in confusion.

The apprentice looked back at the wand. "Wasn't expecting technical difficulties..." 😅 he laughed nervously. He then chucked the use less wand at the men and made Achilles take off in the other direction.

Stan the guard wasn't deterred. "After him! Don't let him escape!" the soldiers followed their orders and chased apprentice the other way. The light he had casted was beginning to dim, making it difficult to see ahead of them.

At this point, Flazino had no idea where to go. The path to the Hamlet was blocked, and he certainly couldn't go back to Rosas. Wait, he could find Asha and that strange guy she was with! She mentioned he could help save the wishes and the people, she would know what to do!

Unfortunately for Flazino, he would never make it to Asha and Star...

A bright sickly green light wrapped itself around Achilles legs, causing the horse trip, braying wildly as he fell. Flazino tumbled after he was lunched off the horse, hurting his arm.

Before he could lift himself up to see what caused the accident, a pair of green hands wrapped tightly around his body like a boa constrictor. Flazino struggled to get free, but to no avail.

"Well, well, well. You were right, my dear. The peasant boy was the culprit after all." A cold yet devious voice approached.

Flaznio looked up and saw the faces of Magnifico and Amaya on their royal horses, looking down at the boy with false pity in their eyes.

"You son of a-" Flazino's insult was cut short when he felt a pair of giant paws on his back, pushing him back to the ground.

It was the paws (and claws) of the royal lynx, keeping the young man down. Sabor flashed a toothy grin as he snickered.

"Watch your tongue, you're in the presence of royalty here!" Amaya said in a rather upbeat yet condescending tone. She dismounted her horse and approached him.

"I've noticed that many of my ingredients have been missing from the lab, despite the fact that we've been performing fewer spells until recently. And you're the only one that has access to them besides my husband."

Sabor jumped off of Flazino's back allowing to him finally to stand up on his knees. Amaya placed a finger delicately on his chin. "I must admit that you're a clever young man. But not clever enough."

The queen then placed her hands on both sides of his head. Before he realized what was happening, his eyes flash green and we see the images of Flazino's whereabouts from the past few days.

One image showed Flazino grabbing essential ingredients from the lab. Another image showed him talking to Dahlia warning her about Magnifico. A third one showed him attempting to help Asha and Star back in Rosas' center. One final flash shows Flazino leaving the secret entrance to the Hamlet, waving goodbye to the residents.

It flashes back to the present in an instant. Once the queen released him, Flazino had a look of pure horror on his face. He had given them the path to the Hamlet, without even telling them.

"I believe we have everything we need." the queen said with a satisfying smile.

"Good. Now there's just one little thing left to care of." Magnifico waved his hand and Flazino's wish appeared in it, it had a tinge of yellow sparkles within. "We'll have to announce that the apprentice position is open once again."

He took one last condescending look at the former apprentice. "You know the sentence for insubordination is death. Such a pity. You threw away a promising career."

For the first time, Flazino felt satisfaction in defying Magnifico's rules. "Consider it my highest honor, sir." he replied with no regrets.

Magnifico laughed. "Oh, ho-ho! You flatter me, boy. But I can't have all the fun here." He handed the orb over to his wife. "Would you do the honors, Amaya? Consider it my way of saying thank you for snuffing out the rat."

Amaya pretended to be in surprise as she gently took the wish. "How sweet of you, thank you, Mi rey! Always thinking of others..."

She put her hands on both sides of Flazino's wish, and swiftly crushed the orb. The remains of it left blue sparkles in her hands as the wish dissipated.

Flazino's face went pale at the sight. His vision began to blur as all the anger and fear was drained from his body. He lost his balance and fell to the ground with a loud thud. Magnifico released his magical grip on the guy.

Once the guards caught up, they saw the boy laying lifeless on the ground. They were at a loss for words.

One of them finally spoke up. "Sir? What happened here? Is he....?" he was almost to nervous to finish the question.

"Unfortunately, no. He's still breathing...for now." Magnifico answered coldly, seeing the apprentice's chest rise and fall slowly as he breathed.

Stan the guard was surprised at the king's tone. Criminals were usually dealt with force, but both the soldiers and the royals had known Flazino from the day he became an apprentice. He expected them to save some kind of pity for him...

"What's with the looks? He's a traitor and I believe I made myself clear about what I do with traitors." He spoke with no remorse.

Without another word, two of the guards took him by the arms. They could barely hear him breathing as they placed him on the back of one of the horses.

"So...what now, sir?" One of the guards asked. "We can't just take him home like this."

"Take him where we sent the other traitors. Straight to the dungeon. Amaya will guide you there." He nodded to his wife as she proceeded to mount her own horse.

"The rest of you will remain with Magnifico and bring the traitors to justice. I can take take care of our former apprentice." Amaya finished for him as she faced the direction of the kingdom, not giving them a second look.

Two of the guards shared a look, but stayed quiet. They just did as they were instructed. Achilles was released, and ran off as fast into the forest out of fear.

After Amaya and the others left to return to the kingdom, the remaining guards asked, "How do we find these people, your Highness?"

Magnifico raised his staff high in the air, with the spearhead glowing a bright green. He shot it forward, making the others duck to avoid the blast. The light made a trail that flew beyond their field of view. Leaving the reaming light as a guide for the men. "That's how. It's time to take some action, boys."

The others guards mount their horses in preparation as he spoke. The king faced his men and raised his staff, which shined with a green glow.

"Through the mist and through these woods, through the darkness and the shadows. We will stop these menaces once and for all!"

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FINAL THOUGHTS

I HAVE RETURNED!!! ⚡ Really sorry about the inactivity recently. I finished a lot of my offline work, but now I'm taking care of family, and haven't had a lot of time to actually sit down and write or draw. 😅 For this chapter and the next, we'll be taking a short break from Asha and Star. I figured its time to not only get to the scene that will lead to that "Finding Flazino" animatic later, but we're also going to see Sabino, Sakina and the rest of the Hamlet again. And that one, despite how we're leading into it, is going to be fun! I'm trying to go for a big Beauty and Beast reference with it, it'll take some time. And I'm the next chapter, we'll officially be halfway through the story! Now I have to go re-watch the movie, because I forgot most of the second half, help me. (Its for the story so I can work off of it, I promise)

Also, the Flazino fans are probably gonna hate me for this chapter, I'm so sorry. This guy can't catch a break. He's going through hell right now and is close to dying, I swear I don't hate him! Flazi just needs to suffer for the plot. 😅

Also, if anyone is interested in helping out on this, I'm working on the bases for two posters for "Wish Granted". One set as a teaser and one will be a main reveal poster. Just let me know! As for the other art pieces, the next designs to show will be for Sabor and Gabo later on.

Thanks for reading!

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