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devilbat · 5 years ago

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The Mummy

Warning: violence, guns, implied smut. Getting handsy.

James Conrad x reader. (This is My first James one shot)

A/n: another one to add to my classic Movie monster AUs Tom Hiddleston character.

Happy Halloween 🎃

This was your first real big break as a archaeologist. You had always been at the desk in the museum working on and restoring old artifacts. When you heard that your predecessor was ill and couldn't not make the Journey to Egypt. You jumped at the chance. Begging him to let you. At first he didn't want you to go. Being you were a woman and a lot could happen during this time and age. With a lot of convincing and arguments, you were on your way with his long time buddy James Conrad a former British army SAS Captain. Now freelance bodyguard as you put it. He was not what you were expecting. When you met him. You were bubbly and looking for Adventure. He was bruty, always on Guard and seemed to be annoyed all the time. Well at least around you.

Handsomely overly attractive how could one man be that rugged, ruff around the edges and still be so damn hot. His jawline line was sharp with a bit of stubble. Oi and let's not forget his deep velvet smooth English accent, could make your panties drop with just one word. He was getting on your nerves. You could never stray to far from him. The first night in Egypt, you just wanted explore the rich culture, the food. James had other plans for you. As you were set to stay in the hotel room until dawn. When you would embark the long travel by camel to the valley of the kings.

To say you were hot was understatement. The camel that was unpleasantly jilting you around on, had this obsession to nip at you ever chance he got when you weren't paying attention to him. Let's not forget he had bit of a smell to him. If you had a hose and some soap he would, damn well get a bath. The long days turned in to short moments of coolness from the heat of the sun. You had decided to name the stupid animal after one of your ex's just because he was acting as an ass. When your group stop to rest. You complained about you ass hurting and in need of a shower. Mostly you were talking with Carl your camel. But you saw the roll of Conrad eyes directed at you. Making you huff, you were sure he just saw you as some rich city girl that knew nothing of a hard life.

James couldn't help be a bit annoyed when his friend asked to take a team of archaeologists to search some dusty old tomb. Sure his friend paid him well. What was one more favor. Even if James save that mans life more then once while they served together. He was no babysitter and the girl, the girl was a bit of an inconvenience. Knowing she was going to somehow get her cute ass in some kind of trouble. Right now all he really wanted to do is go back to some hole in the wall bar and drink himself to death, perhaps.

"Owe, You know Carl we've had this moment there where you didn't nip at me and now you've gone and done it." You hissed softly Swatting at the camel pushing his head away from you butt.

"Why did you name the Camel Carl?" James question, never looking over from what he was doing as he pulled the canteen from the rucksack on the camels back.

"Why are you ease dropping?" You huffed glaring over at the back of the mans head, eyes wondering over his back as ever muscle flexed when he moved about taking a long drink of water. You licked you lips at the sit. His Adam's apple bobbing along as he drank. Sweat trickling down his neck. If your mouth wasn't dry before it was dry now. No amount of water quench that thirst. The thought of running you tongue along his neck. Tasting that saltiness of his skin. You mind started to wonder about the Captain. "Owe! Carl that was more then enough ass the last time" You shrieked. The camel In question bit a little hard this time taking a bigger bite. Carl made a grunting and what sounded like a laughing noise. Making James choke on water as he tried not to laugh. "Hey! Don't side with Carl."

"I think he likes you." James smiled a bit more. You huffed in announce mumbling 'men' under your breath, and walked away. Carl followed closely behind nudging at you backside. "Knock it off." You hissed pushing the camels head away from you. James chuckled more audibly after his small bit of coughing mostly trying to cover his laughter. But he couldn't help it the camel had a thing for you. It was quite cute. Seeing Conrad smile finally after only seeing him with a bruting expression, was kind of nice. He was just as handsome if not more with a smirk on his face. Sure you wouldn't mind kissing it off of him. No wait you wanted to punch it off of him. Cause he was an ass like Carl, who was not taking no for an answer.

The valley of Kings, was without a doubt the most breath taking view so far. After about a month of excavating and exploring. Strange things started happening. You swear you heard your name being called late at night, after everyone was asleep. Thinking it was James messing with you. Calling him an ass later that morning, as you walked passed him. You were digging in an empty room, one of many. You needed some distance between you and the captain. You couldn't focus around the man. So when he wasn't looking you snuck off. With one other, one of the many sent to help you excavate. Everything was going well, until the sand floor of the tomb started to move. Like sand in an hour glass. It took you down with it.

"Help." You called up from where you had landed. You could hear your name from above you. So that meant you weren’t to far down. "Down here." The dark room made it impossible for your to see what was around you. Knowing if you stayed put Jame even though he would be not to please with you. Would more then find you. It was what he did. Even if the itch to feel your way about the area was driving you to scratch.

"Y/n?" You heard your name. It sounded like it was coming from beside you.

"James, I'm down here." You yelled, Not sure if you should move. This eerie feeling crowded up you spine. It almost felt like someone was next to you. You heard your name again. Knowing you had a lighter in your pocked, digging in to retrieve it. Striking the lighter with your thumb, the flame flickered. Helping you see a bit. As you turned around slowly.

A blood curdling scream ripped through your throat. When your eyes landed on the man in front of you. Ratty old dusty bandages wrapped around its entire form. This man looked to have been dried up like he had been in the sun for months on end. His lifeless empty eyes stared at you. A moaning like a zombie, erupted from its throat. It wasn't a man it had to of been one of the mummies you were in Search for. The lifeless corpse jerking as it moved towards you. Another scream was pulled from you as you attempt to move away. Only to fall flat on your bitten bruised ass, damn Carl. Hitting your head on something hard, the last thing you heard was James from above calling for you. Telling you to "stay put." Tell that to the thing pulling at your leg. That was not going to be an option.

Hands that's what you were feeling. Strong boney fingers roaming around expose heated skin. Though your don't remember at any point taking you clothes off for the night. You moaned out James name. His hands were ruff most likely from working with them. Holding a gun with those hands and now they were on you. James strong voice calling your name, making you squirm. You eyes fluttered open, the room was large and brightly lit by glowing flames along the walls. Were you back in the city? Oh but those hands still roaming. Your movement was minimal like there were wall around you. Your were in a sarcophagus. Panic set in as your eyes moved to see those hands that were on you. You shrieked as you grabbed the mummy like hands that moved without a body.

Sitting up you could see the room clearly now. You head felt heavy like something was on top of it. Your hand moved feeling the large head pice. Pulling it off to get a better look. It was incrusted with jewels and a beetle in the center of it. It was beautiful. Looking down you saw that your breasts were cover not by much. But were covered with some kind of bird that laid between your breasts as the wing covered you nipples. It too was covered in jewels. The same went with your lower half. But only shear fabric covered front and back of your legs leaving the side exposed.

This had to be a dream still. Mummies could not come back to life. Nor could they kidnap a girl and dresser her in practically nothing, like some Egyptian goddess. Where was James? Hell where was Carl your loyal ass of a camel. And where the hell did those hands go. Pulling yourself out once you figured it was safe. Standing on unsteady legs, you lurched forward almost falling. Slowly walking around. The sand was cool on the bottom of your bare feet. A shiver ran down your spine.

It felt like something was behind you. And there was, the mummy stood there arms without hand reached out for you as you lurched forward. The dried bones clothed hand grabbed at your ankles cause you to fall on you back and the mummy attack you. Screaming as you tried pulling away. Hands finally meeting arms, as you struggled to get what shouldn't have weighed that much, off you. You name being called from the mummy. Pushing it off of you scrabbles to your feet, it did too. The corpse backing you into a corner. You closed your eyes tears fell free, you called for help. A loud bang followed by another, then another. You opened your eyes to see James in the clearing of the wall. Armed with his pistol, amid at the mummy. It longed at James. But this time James amid for the head. And it seemed the mummy stayed down.

"Y/n, are you all right?" He asked, before he could get a chance to look you over for any injuries, you wrapped yourself around his midsection shanking. Tears soaking his light blue almost grey shirt. "Hey, shhh, it's all right. I'm here, I'm here." He rubbed your exposed back. Finding a tapestry on the wall, he wrapped it around you holding you closer to him. The sun had long set as he guided you out of the pyramid, taking you back to your tent.

"Y/n, I'm going to take a look to see if you’re injured now, ok?" James voice was above a whisper. Setting you on the cot like bed. He pulled the tapestry off your shoulders. He had someone fetch him a first aid kit. His eyes roamed over your form. To say you were absolutely stunning was an understatement. He didn't realize what a Beaty you truly were until he though you were lost or worse. The kid with the first aid kit pulled James out of this thoughts. Clearing his dry throat as pulled the kit open. You winced a bit when he gently dabbed at a scratch. "Sorry."

"Thank you." You mumbled, looking at him as he gently whipped each cut. Each time made you whimper.

"I wasn't going to leave you down there. And that, that.." James trailed off.

"The Mummy." You hissed out as James hit a deep bruise. "I think it's safe to say everywhere hurts. Besides my forehead." You announced when he tried to press on a bandage. Not noticed his sly smile, he kissed your forehead. His warm lips lingering a bit before pulling away. "My cheek as well." James lips moved to your cheek. Lips pressed firmly against it. His stubble scratch just a bit at smooth flesh.

"Anywhere else?" James mumbled against you cheek before he moved away. You hands pressed against you lips.

"And maybe my lips?" You question, before moving your fingers. As soon as your fingers left your lips. His lips were on yours before you could breath out. Finding yourself kissing back. Your own hands gripping the nap of his neck and tangled into short hair. You felt your back on the cot and James chest pressed against yours. His strong warm hands glide easily over your skin. Cupping the underside of your breasts that were exposed. You moaned out His name. His lips left your swollen lips, tracing along your jawline before moving to you neck. His other hand rounded over your backside, large hand grabbing, groped at you. Pulling at your thigh lifting up over, giving him better access.

You gasped at the feel of his length pressing against you. Both of you jumped when you heard a grunt followed by a roar. Both of you looked over at the opening of the tent. Carl head poked through the now opening. Grunting out, his foot stomped and dragged, clearly not happy. James huffed but turned back to you, his lips back on to yours. Trying to ignore the beast. Carl didn’t like this and pulled his body in more grunting his displeasure.

“I don’t think he likes you.” You mumbled against his lips. James groaned in annoyance. Knowing that camel would not stop. James pulled away from you. Which made you whimper. “Please don’t go. I don’t want to be alone at least not tonight.” James smiled and did as he was commanded. Though he did give you his shirt so you wouldn’t be that distracting. It really didn’t help either.

Everything in the camp was packed up. After what happened to you. The locals said this was cursed grounds and would not continue. Leaving you no choice to pack up and leave. Which hurt you to have to leave knowing there was so much that was yet to be discovered. Even with the items that your wore and the tapestry James used to cover you amongst other things. Walking towards James, Carl trailing behind. He smiled at you, still wearing the shirt he given you last night.

“You know, I have to say Carl is a real hero. He really did save my life.” You teased, making James raise his eyebrow at you.

“What about me?” James pouted a bit. Hands pulling you against him.

“Well I guess you helped too. You were like the side kick. Carl and Captain James Conrad. I mean you did do all the heavy lifting.” You smirked wrapping you arms around him.

“Really?” He smirked pulling you in to a passionate heated kiss. His other arm wrapped around your waist holding you close. Carl hissed and grunted in annoyance. Not getting his way, he moved forward nipping James right in the ass. Making the man yelp. You giggled as James rubbed at his ass. Which you may have placed your there instead.

“I think he likes you.” Kissing his cheek. Before pulling away.

“Oh I can’t wait until he is returned to his owner.” James hissed.

“I don’t know I think I might keep him.” You teased.

#james conrad #the mummy au #tom hiddleston #classic movie monsters #tom hiddelston imagine

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amplesalty · 5 years ago

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Day 26 - The Man Who Laughs (1928)

Have you ever danced with the Devil in the pale moonlight?

As it is written in the great traditions of this blog, all films starting with ‘The’ must immediately be followed by a second movie starting with ‘The’. Just ignore that whole Town That Dreaded Sundown misstep...Still, we have the earliest point on our timeline for this year, all the way back in the 20’s. That’s a final answer as well, I don’t have plans to go back to the 1910’s in these last few days. I’ll have to plan that out in a future year, maybe 2021. Give the cinematic world a chance to release some good movies in 2020 and then just have a movie from every decade from like the 1900’s onwards.

This was the era before talkies but I’m a little confused on the sound used here. I was always under the impression that music would be performed live at a screening to accompany the pictures or maybe there’d be a recording of music played alongside it. There is music here but there’s also some sound effects thrown in and crowd noise during certain parts. There’s no dialogue though so maybe this is like some sort of transitional period between the silent and sound era where they were experimenting with limited sound?

There’s a sense of familiarity in this movie, it being a Universal picture so it has Carl Laemmele’s name slapped all over it. But also you have Conrad Veidt as Gwynplaine, who was also Cesare in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Plus, Mary Philbin as the love interest Dea, who played Christine Daae in the 1925 version of The Phantom of the Opera. Apparently Lon Chaney was meant to play Gwynplaine here but due to difficulties in obtaining the rights to adapt the story, they ended up making Phantom instead. This was a story written by Victor Hugo and published in 1869, Hugo also known for Les Mis and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

That and providing the names for Victor and Hugo: Bunglers in Crime.

Of course, the massive elephant in the room is the grinning visage of Gwynplaine on the poster there, very much inspirational for a certain clown character in the future. That’s right, he’s the prototypical Krusty. No wait, the other one...

To be honest, this isn’t really a horror movie but there’s something creepy about that face. It ties into that early Universal thing and with Joker in the cinema at the moment, what better time to watch this? I’m getting vibes of Cesar Romero here moreso than any other version. Minus the painted moustache, obvs.

Before we start, let’s pan over the credits, specifically looking at the dog. Calling it Homo really throws me off at times. I’m not sure if it’s meant to be short for something but it’s kinda funny when it cuts to the text to show what the characters are saying and you get “Shut up, Homo!”.

Our story takes place in 17th century England, with King James II dispatching with one of his rivals, Lord Clancharlie, who he sends to the Iron Lady, not Maggie Thatcher but some form of Iron Miaden device. To make matters worse, Clancharlie’s son has been sold off to Comprachicos who have disfigured him with a permanent Chelsea smile so that he may ‘laugh forever at his fool of a father’. The Comprachicos are banished and leave the child behind, he finds a blind baby beside its mother who has frozen to death and he seeks shelter at the caravan of Ursus.

Time passes to the children all grown up and Gwynplaine is now famous as a travelling clown known as ‘The Laughing Man’. Hugh Morrus?

What’s really weird is that Gwynplaine and Dea are now romantically linked. Presumably they grew up together with a sibling sort of bond so that’s a bit creepy. He still has some reluctance though as he feels inadequate, thinking himself not good enough for her due to his disfigurement.

Meanwhile, Duchess Josiana takes a shine to him. Maybe she just has a thing for disfigurement or she’s just really put off by the man she’s arranged to be married to. Or maybe he’s put off by her, he looks a little Tutti Frutti, if you know what I mean...

The former court jester Barkilphedro, now working under Queen Anne, comes to learn of the lineage of Gwynplaine but things don’t pan out quite as I was expecting. He always comes off quite devious so I thought he was going to start manipulating things to his own ends, maybe some blackmail here or there. It starts going that way as the Comprachico that originally discovered the truth is arrested and ‘dies’ under mysterious circumstances but Barkilphedro pretty much tells the Queen and she puts things in motion to have Gwynplaine restored to power and married to the Duchess so she can keep herself in the life she’s become accustomed. Maybe Bark is more loyal than I thought, he still acts in an underhanded manner by trying to separate Gwynplaine from his old life and Dea but he’s still acting in the interest of the royal family.

It’s definitely an emotional piece at times, just the general isolation that Gwynplaine has existed in from childhood and continues to suffer now with people mocking his appearance. There’s a bittersweet moment as well later on where the carnival has been led to believe that Gwynplaine has died whilst in custody but, in order to spare her feelings, Ursus tells everyone that the show must go on and the crew fake the sound of the cheering crowd. Even through his own grief, his main concern is to tell her to listen to the adoring crowd that loves Gwynplaine more than ever.

It feels a little long but I don’t know how much of that is down to having to stall so you can read the dialogue between characters or read signs or letters that would be quickly summed up through normal speech. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a silent movie, I always feel slightly lost during them as they’re something you have to focus on and my attention span always fails me. It is something that intrigues me though, the idea of them being more universal and being able to convey things through body language and facial expressions alone. Obviously Gwynplaine’s face is very striking but Ursus can be very expressive at times and Bark always seems to have a devilish look on his face.

In all of that near 2 hrs though, the biggest disappointment is that still couldn’t find time to show us the 5 legged cow. They talk up this big attraction as part of the freaks on show, like the two snouted pig, at the carnival but all we get is a distant crowd shot. Don’t promise a 5 legged cow if you can’t deliver!

#Halloween 2019 #The Man Who Laughs

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cromulentbookreview · 6 years ago

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Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum'!

Yes, Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum'! AKA Bloodleaf (also called Bloodgood). Described by Monrovia as a “ delightful small tree with gracefully branched stems that hold beautiful, palmate, red-purple leaves.” This deciduous tree is hardy to US Zones 5-8 (I have no idea what zones that’d be in the UK, Australia or New Zealand sorry guys), prefers partial-to-full sun exposure, requires regular watering, and will reach up to 18 ft (5.4 meters) in height! The beautiful red-purple foliage turns an even more brilliant red in the fall! I mean, just look at this gorgeous tree:

Fuck yeah, Japanese maples. Did you know there are over 1000 cultivars of Japanese maple? They’re gorgeous.

This is a gardening blog, right?

No?

Shit.

Whatever, nobody cares.

And by that, I mean: Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith!

I wasn’t kidding about how amazing Japanese maples are. Seriously, if you’re in a compatible zone (most are 5-8 on the USDA hardiness zone map, which includes the western areas of the Pacific Northwest, fuck yeah!). Anyway, the eponymous bloodleaf of Smith’s novel do not belong to a Japanese maple. It’s more like a flowering ground cover, like a little white, three-petaled Lobelia. Only super duper poisonous and the only safe part are the petals, which can save lives, but are practically impossible to harvest. Hurray?

Anyway! Book review! That’s what this blog is for. Not for recommending various plants that I like. It is for reviewing books. I’m pretty sure no one actually reads these, though, so I can include whatever the fuck I want. My favorite Japanese maple? Well, I don’t just have one, but I am partial to lace leaf Japanese maples, because the leaves are just so damn pretty...

Bloodleaf! By! Crystal! Smith! I am capable of focus!

Princess Aurelia of Renault is having a hell of a time - for one, everyone thinks she’s a witch, a crime punishable by death in her country. Even being accused of being a witch is enough to get you hanged by the neck until dead. Or burned. Seems like the preferred method in Renault is hanging, but burnings work, too.

What, did you think there weren’t going to be Monty Python gifs here?

Everyone in Renault, even the royal family, lives in fear of the Tribunal, a shady organization that apparently has jurisdiction over witches and seems to possess absolute power. The public is on the side of the Tribunal (witches = bad), so the fact that Aurelia is rumored to be a witch isn’t exactly great.

The fact that she is, indeed, a witch, is even worse. Aurelia is a blood mage - she can see spirits of the dead and do magic with her blood. Fun! I wish I could do magic whenever I get a paper cut - if that were the case, I’d be doing magic all the time at work. Or whenever my cat springboards off me or I nearly slice my thumb off shredding Parmesan cheese. Anyway: Aurelia has to keep her witchy-ness secret re: regular hangings and burnings. Aurelia has been engaged to Prince Valentin of the neighboring kingdom of Achelva since infancy. Things look a bit better for witches in Achelva, which sounds great, but Valentin himself? Not so much. Valentin is rumored to be a weak and infirm invalid who rarely ever leaves his rooms. The current king of Achelva, Domnhall (no relation to the beautiful, red-headed Domnhall Gleeson) is the worst. He’s basically Donald Trump in everything but name. So Aurelia isn’t overly thrilled at her upcoming marriage, but she’s eager to get the hell out of Dodge before people catch on that she’s a witch, holding out to the hope that, in uniting her country with Achelva and becoming a queen, she can lessen the influence of the Tribunal and make things better for her fellow witches.

(Seriously, did you think I wasn’t going to use Monty Python gifs here?)

That’s all well and good, but just as Aurelia is getting ready to head off to Achelva, the Tribunal stages a coup - Aurelia’s mom, the Queen, is captured, while Aurelia and her little brother Conrad, the future king of Renault, just barely manage to escape. Things get even worse when the people who helped Aurelia escape Renault turn on her. They take Conrad and head off to Achelva with an impostor posing as Aurelia, while the real Aurelia just barely manages to escape being murdered.

Now stuck in Achelva with no money, no friends, no papers, nothing, Aurelia has to do her best to survive. Then a handsome stranger called Zan steals her horse. Well, he tries to pay for it after the fact, but still. The only thing Achelva has going for it is that Aurelia can now practice her blood magic without fear of immediate hanging and/or burning. But there’s still the fact that the Tribunal still has her mother hostage back home, and Conrad is in the hands of the impostor and her Tribunal-loyal father. Plus there’s something weird happening within the walls of the city-state of Achelva. Old magical protections seem to be failing and Zan is determined not only to find out why, but also find a way to stop it. When he learns that Aurelia (now calling herself Emilie) is a blood mage, he offers to teach her how to use her power in order to save his country. Can Aurelia manage to save her family and Achelva and Renault from the grips of the Tribunal without dying a horrible death?

Good luck with that, Aurelia/Emilie!

Sometimes its hard for me to be objective about books that I enjoy. If I like a book, I’m willing to forgive most of its flaws, embrace the story and roll with it. For the most part, the books I review here on this stupid tumblr blog are books that I’ve liked. I don’t really want to waste my time slogging through a book that I don’t like. Life’s too short, if I don’t like something, I’m not going to read it. If I like a book, I’ll finish reading it, even if it takes me a while.

And then sometimes I encounter a book like Witchmark or The Binding books which, once I started reading them, I literally could not stop and now I love them forever holy shit those books are so good you guys, you should buy copies of both right now I am not joking, Jesu Christi people, READ THEM!

Uhm.

Bloodleaf happens to be among the latter. It’s one of those books where I started reading and then would not stop. I remained at the gym for an extra ten minutes just so I could finish a chapter. I was ready to hiss at anyone or anything that would stop me reading. For example:

Housemate: hey, we’ve got a bunch of old bananas here, would you be willing to make banana bread tonight?

Me, reading Bloodleaf:

Needless to say, I enjoyed this book a lot. It has its flaws typical to YA fantasy (mostly just some weak characterization and worldbuilding) but once I got going I really didn’t care. I went into full YA Fangirl Mode. And once I enter Fangirl Mode it’s difficult to convince me not to like or enjoy something.

Plus there’s a bunch of not-so-subtle Donald Trump references to the regent of Achleva, who is definitely a Trump-type. One of the characters even refers to him, sarcastically, as a “stable genius.” Another character tells him, very publicly: “Facts is facts. Wishin’ ’em false and declarin’ ’em fake don’t make it so.”

Heee. I see what you did there, Crystal Smith. I see what you did there! And I very much enjoy it.

So if you’re looking for a strong, female-led YA fantasy novel featuring blood magic and the occasional witch burning, Bloodleaf is the book for you. And a brilliant scarlet-leaved Acer palmatum var. atropurpureum is the tree you’ll be wanting for your garden. Don’t let it die of a fungus like mine did. RIP, Mr. Bloodgood. You were a tree that I got for free.

RECOMMENDED FOR: Fans of YA fantasy with a strong female lead, magic, romance, etc.

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR: Anyone who came here legitimately hoping to read about Japanese maples, non-YA fans, people who can’t stand the idea of a kickass female protagonist.

TRIGGER WARNING: Midway through the book there’s a scene of a very violent near-rape - be warned and prepare accordingly. If that’s really not your thing then you may want to steer clear.

RATING: 4/5

TOTALLY UNBIASED FANGIRL RATING: 500,000,000/5

RELEASE DATE: March 12, 2019

ANTICIPATION LEVEL FOR SEQUEL: Chhogori

TREE RATING: Eucalyptus regnans

#bloodleaf #crystal smith #acer palmatum #renault #achelva #princess aurelia #Zan #Prince Valentin #aurelia/zan forever #young adult #young adult fantasy #book review #monty python and the holy grail #burn the witch #japanese maple #Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum'

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emjaybeeworld · 4 years ago

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ADELAIDE AND OTTO - Part 2 A Mostly True Medieval Love Story

Thus commenced a complex dance of advances and retreats. After his initial success or two, Otto had to work harder for each victory he gained. For every advantage he won, she’d hand him his hat the next time. If she found that a tactic failed once, she simply discarded it and called up a new, more inventive way to accomplish her ends. If only he knew what her ends were. Otto was amused at the ingenious array of skills at her command. She changed up her techniques like a chameleon changes colors. It was a tantalizing game of cat and mouse.

When Otto could take a break from his official obligations, he informally joined Adelaide and Conrad on their outings and picnics as their host. Adelaide’s reticence in the king’s presence slowly slipped away as he lured her into his and Conrad’s easy exchanges. She loved debating philosophy and governing strategies; but never did she say a word about herself.

Oddly, the queen was mostly absent. She seemed to spend a lot of time in her rooms. Her rare appearances were short, but congenial. When Adelaide proposed that she spend some time with the queen, the suggestion was casually turned aside with a vague excuse that she was busy with her private affairs.

Sometimes, the king’s musicians performed in the evenings. Other times, the swordsmen and knights would put on displays. There were nights that magicians and clowns provided the entertainment. Chess and whist were after dinner pastimes. Frequently, Adelaide and Conrad joined in the games and after dinner conversations. Otto split his attentions between his inner circle and Conrad and Adelaide, raising no suspicions in anyone’s minds about his interest in Adelaide. From time to time, Conrad would excuse himself to perform some official duty and the king would take it upon himself to see that she was entertained. Often, they spent quiet time playing chess or discussing politics.

Inexorably, the king chipped away at Adelaide’s reserve; he charmed her with thoughtfulness and regaled her with stories of his misdeeds as a young man. Adelaide was drawn deeper and deeper into the carefully camouflaged trap of a brilliant and patient mastermind. There were quiet whispers in the dark while watching plays and exhibitions, innocuous touches that lasted a second too long, eyes that held hers when no one else saw; and accidental collisions up against each other. Adelaide was constantly churned up on the inside. She felt an unspoken subtext whenever she was in the king’s presence; she couldn’t tell if the feeling was internally based or of external origin. She walked a dangerous line where Otto was concerned. Stuffing her emotions far down inside her was a constant battle. Better to stay away from the man than make a foolish error.

Adelaide realized that Lothaire, to whom she until recently looked forward to marrying, was untried, a blank sheet of paper whose story was yet to be written. On the other hand, Otto was a man of heroic proportion, forged in the smelter of war and refined in worldly experience. Magnetic, charismatic, he eclipsed everything in his path. He had yet to reach the zenith of his greatness, but his history dictated that his future would be epic. She was helplessly drawn in to his irresistible allure. His smile curled her toes. For the first time in her young life, she desperately wanted something she couldn’t have. She never lost sight that he was married and she was soon to be. It was her shield. Regret ate away at her.

So, she used every skill she had developed over time to stay away from the king. Her heart beat too erratically when he was near. Recently, she found that many of her ploys were ineffective and she didn’t know why. She only knew that she was ineffectual. Conrad was her anchor and her safety zone. Adelaide resorted to accompanying him in his few official duties to avoid being found alone.

In her third week at the palace, Conrad was unexpectedly sent off on a day trip to another of the king’s estates to handle some pressing business. Adelaide returned from the stables and was summoned to the king’s private offices. Her smile quickly transformed into surprise when the king rose, walked to her, taking her by the arms with purpose. A political disaster in Bavaria required his immediate departure and he wouldn’t return for weeks, probably months. His brother Henry, leading a great number of nobles, had revolted and planned to rule an independent Bavaria. Otto would be gone for the remainder of her stay in order to put an end to the rebellion.

Hypnotized by his intensity, Adelaide was incapable of looking away. Her heart lurched painfully. Gone. She wouldn’t see him again. Conditioned to his harmless touches, Adelaide stilled. Mistaking her pained silence for the poise he found so irritating, Otto reeled her into his arms. Still, she didn’t react. Her inner shock and turmoil were too great. He was leaving--saying goodbye. She didn’t know which was more distressing—his aggressive behavior or his unexpected departure.

Frustrated with her lack of response, Otto brushed her hair back, holding her face in his big hands. He lowered his lips to hers. Staggered, Adelaide remained motionless. Pain ripped through her, crippling in its intensity. Off balance by her otherworldly stillness, Otto cupped her face in his palms and forced her to look at him. He would not leave his wife because he loved the queen and he could not shame her. She was the love of his youth. But he was a grown man now; and he was helplessly drawn to Adelaide. He believed Adelaide felt the same way about him. They were well matched and he wanted an indefinite liaison with the Burgundian princess that would benefit them both.

Otto tried to persuade Adelaide to break off her betrothal. He would pay off Lothaire’s family handsomely. Burgundy wasn’t strong enough to do battle with him and he’d be able to soothe any ruffled feathers. He laid it all out, the benefits, the details, all that she could expect. He would iron out the obstacles and take care of the details with her parents. Otto made a fine presentation as far as a legal brief was concerned.

Adelaide’s heart twisted, her sensibilities taking over. She pushed out of Otto’s hold. She reminded him that he was married and that she, likewise, was soon to be married. She couldn’t and wouldn’t dishonor or humiliate her affianced; nor would she ever enter into a scandalous relationship. She would not shame her family or dishonor his wife. She backed away. Otto followed, crowding her up against the wall.

The German king was desperate. He was trapped in a mire of his own making. The ambush he’d set for Adelaide, he’d fallen into. He’d unexpectedly run out of time and he was losing ground with every second. Adelaide’s sense of duty was formidable; he had to find a way to rock her world as his had been.

If she wouldn’t agree to a liaison, then, he asked Adelaide to wait for him. Adelaide could only reply that she was honor bound to keep her parents’ bargain.

He asked Adelaide if she would at least allow him the opportunity to try to change her mind. Would she voluntarily kiss him as a lover might? If she could walk away from it, he would let her go. It could do no harm, he said.

Adelaide consented. She wanted this one moment to cherish for the rest of her life. Otto pulled her arms up around his neck and drew her into his body. In the space of a heartbeat as his lips took hers, Adelaide realized his lie. It wasn’t harmless; it was lethal. Pandora’s box was open; its contents spilled out. She was lost, captivated by the feel of him. Returning his kiss blindly, she pressed her body into his. Her fingers tangled in his silken hair, imprisoning him in the kiss even as he held her prisoner. He scorched her with his desire. Adelaide found the strength to break the kiss. Trapped in his arms as she was, they searched each other’s eyes for something the other could not give.

Otto dropped his forehead against hers. He told her that if young Lothaire could make her blood boil the way Otto did, she should never look back. But if Lothaire couldn’t, Otto would be waiting for her. He released her and walked out of the room without looking back. Adelaide was destroyed. Her composure shattered for the first time in her life.

She kept these things a secret from Conrad. Outside the confines of her heart, she couldn’t give voice to what had happened with the King. To do so would be betrayal. When Conrad questioned his sister about her sadness, she simply told him that she dreaded leaving him so soon.

Six months later, Adelaide dutifully married Lothaire and learned that her blood, indeed, did not boil for the young man. They were, however, well matched. They became good friends and Adelaide was a loyal and loving companion to her husband. By the end of her first year of marriage, she had given birth to her first child. She had everything a woman could want. She was fabulously wealthy. She was the queen of Italy. Her husband was a handsome young king who loved her. She was adored by her subjects.

Then a letter came from her brother. Otto’s queen had died. Otto was free to marry. It wasn’t until after Eadgyth’s death that Otto explained the queen had been failing for years. Suddenly, his request of Adelaide to wait took on new meaning. Everything that she had blocked away over the years came roaring back. Pain crippled her at the realization of what could have been but would never be.

Ever compassionate, Adelaide composed a message to Otto relaying her condolences for his loss. She received no response.

Two more years passed. Lothaire had a quick, bright mind and showed great promise of becoming an outstanding king. He, too, was fair and just. In a short time, he had consolidated a number of Italian duchies into one rule. His had a vision and was executing it brilliantly. He was in close alliance with his rival King Berengarius of Ivrea. Adelaide didn’t like or trust Berengarius. Her skin wanted to crawl off her body when he was around. He treated his subjects unfairly, overly taxed them, and abused them. Berenger and his queen Willa and their son Adalbert seemed to have no moral compass, unless it was an immoral one.

One day, succumbing to their avarice for Italy and wanting the young queen to marry his son, Berengarius fatally poisoned King Lothaire. Berengarius and Willa declared themselves the new regents of Italy.

At the tender age of 19, Adelaide was a widow. Marriage offers poured in within weeks, but none came from King Otto, who was, by this time, the most important and powerful king in Europe. Shockingly, she received requests for her hand from two unwelcome sources--Liuthold and Otto’s brother Henry. Adelaide was crushed. They wouldn’t have made marriage proposals unless Otto approved. A dalliance was all Otto had wanted. He’d never been serious about her, while she . . . she had treasured a forbidden love tightly locked inside her breast believing that he was a shining god. She had been unfaithful to Lothaire in her heart and now she was stricken with remorse.

#A medieval love story

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aion-rsa · 4 years ago

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Upcoming Must-See Movies in 2021

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It’s 2021. Finally. If you’re reading this, it means you’ve hopefully gotten through the wreckage of last year unscathed and are ready for a brighter future. And if you’re also a movie lover, this certainly includes a trip (or 20) back to the cinemas.

Sure, theaters were technically open in some places last fall, but the moviegoing season has largely remained dormant since March 2020. Yet given good news about vaccines starting to become available, and an absolutely stacked 2021 movie release calendar, we have reasons to be cautiously optimistic.

Indeed, 2021 promises many of the most anticipated films from last year, plus new surprises. From the superhero variety like Black Widow to the art house with Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, 2021 could be a much needed respite. So below is just a sampling of what to expect from the year to come…

The Little Things

January 29

One of the year’s earliest high profile releases is also the first of WB’s film slate on HBO Max. The Little Things is a serial killer thriller in the old school mold. It also boasts a brutally talented cast that includes Denzel Washington and Rami Malek as the detectives, and Jared Leto as the killer. As the latest movie from John Lee Hancock (The Founder, The Alamo), this looks like the type of star-led seediness that used to dominate the multiplex.

Maclolm and Marie

February 5

Assassination Nation writer-director Sam Levinson returns for a decidedly stripped down and intimate character study about two people on the threshold of their lives changing–and perhaps splitting apart. With Zendaya and John David Washington in roles unlike anything we’ve seen the pair in before, they play a couple returning home after the premiere of Malcolm’s (Washington) first movie. He’s on the cusp of life-changing success as a director, but when confronted by Marie about past secrets and hard truths… the night takes a turn.

Judas and the Black Messiah

February 12

It’s kind of hard to wrap one’s head around the annual “Oscar race” in a year when little trophies don’t seem so damn important, but Warner Bros. feels strongly enough about this movie that it’s getting it into theaters and on HBO Max right in the thick of the pandemic-delayed awards season. And judging by the marketing, it’s bringing heat with it.

Shaka King directs and co-writes the story of Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), who became the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party in the late 1960s and was murdered in cold blood by police in 1969. LaKeith Stanfield plays William O’Neal, a petty criminal who agreed to help the FBI take Hampton down. This promises to be incendiary, relevant material — and it’s almost here.

Minari

February 12

Lee Isaac Chung directs Steven Yeun–now fully shaking off his years as Glenn on The Walking Dead–in this semi-autobiographical film about a South Korean family struggling to settle down in rural America in the 1980s. Premiering nearly a year ago at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award, Minari had a quick one-week virtual release in December, with a number of critics placing it on their Top 10 lists for 2020.

Its story of immigration and assimilation currently has a perfect 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics lauding its heart, grace, and sensitivity. A few of ours also considered it among 2020’s best.

Nomadland

February 19

Utilizing both actors and real people, director Chloé Zhao (The Rider, Marvel’s upcoming Eternals) chronicles the lives of America’s “forgotten people” as they travel the West searching for work, companionship and community. A brilliant Frances McDormand stars as Fern, a woman in her mid-60s who lost her husband, her house, and her entire previous existence when her town literally vanished following the closure of its sole factory.

Zhao’s film quietly flows from despair to optimism and back to despair again, the hardscrabble lives of its itinerant cast (many of them actual nomads) foregrounded against often stunning–if lonely–vistas of the vast, empty American countryside.

I Care a Lot

February 19

A solid cast, led by Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Chris Messina, and Dianne Wiest, star in this satirical crime drama from director J. Blakeson (The Disappearance of Alice Creed). Pike plays Marla, a con artist whose scam is getting herself named legal guardian of her elderly marks and then draining their assets while sticking them in nursing homes. She’s ruthless and efficient at it, until she meets a woman (Wiest) whose ties to a crime boss (Dinklage) may prove too much of a challenge for the wily Marla. It was one of our favorites out of Toronto last year.

The Father

February 26

Anthony Hopkins gives a mesmerizing, and deeply tragic, performance as Anthony, an elderly British man whose descent into dementia is reflected by the film itself, which plays with time, setting, and continuity until both Anthony and the viewer can no longer tell what is real and what is not. Olivia Colman is equally moving as his daughter, who wants to get on with her own life even as she watches her father’s disintegrate in front of her.

We saw The Father last year at the AFI Fest and it ended up being a favorite of 2020; Hopkins is unforgettable in this bracing, heartbreaking work, which is stunningly adapted by first-time director Florian Zeller from his own award-winning play.

Chaos Walking

March 5

This constantly postponed sci-fi project has become one of those “we’ll believe it when we see it” films until it actually comes out. Shot nearly three and a half years ago by director Doug Liman, Chaos Walking has undergone extensive reshoots and was at one point reportedly deemed unreleasable.

Based on the book The Knife of Letting Go, it places Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Far From Home) and Daisy Ridley (The Rise of Skywalker) on a distant planet where Ridley, the only woman, can hear the thoughts of all the men due to a mysterious force called the Noise.

Raya and the Last Dragon

March 5

Longtime Walt Disney Animation Studios head of story, Paul Briggs (Frozen), will make his directorial debut on this original Disney animated fantasy, which draws upon Eastern traditions to tell the tale of a young warrior who goes searching for the world’s last dragon in the mysterious land of Kumandra. Cassie Steele will voice Raya while Awkwafina (The Farewell) will portray Sisu the dragon.

Disney Animation has been nearly invincible in recent years with other hits like Moana and Zootopia, so watch for this one to be another major hit for the Mouse.

Coming 2 America

March 5

The notion of whether nostalgia-based properties are still viable has cropped up repeatedly in the last few years. However, streaming, which is where Coming 2 America finds itself headed post-COVID, makes golden oldies much safer. This sequel—based on a 32-year-old comedy that was one of Eddie Murphy’s most financially successful hits—sees Murphy back as Prince Akeem, of course, along with Arsenio Hall returning as his loyal friend Semmi.

The plot revolves around Akeem’s discovery, just as he is about to be crowned king, that he has a long-lost son living in the States (we’re not sure how that happened, but let’s just go with it). That, of course, necessitates another visit to our shores—that is, if Akeem and Semmi presumably don’t get stopped at the border. The film reunites Murphy with Dolemite is My Name director Craig Brewer, so perhaps they can make some cutting-edge social comedy out of this?

The King’s Man

March 12

This might be a weird thing to say: but has World War I ever seemed so stylish? It is with Matthew Vaughn at the helm.

An origin story of sorts for the organization that gave us Colin Firth and the umbrella, The King’s Man is a father and son yarn where Ralph Fiennes’ Duke of Oxford is reluctant about his son Conrad (Harris Dickinson) joining the war effort. But they’ll both be up to it as the Duke launches an intelligence gathering agency independent from any government. It also includes Gemma Arterton, Matthew Goode, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as charter members.

Oh, and did we mention they fight Rasputin?

Godzilla vs. Kong

March 26

Here we are, at last at the big punch up between Godzilla and King Kong. They both wear a crown, but in the film that Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have been building toward since 2014, only one can walk away with the title of the king of all the monsters.

Admittedly, not everyone loved the last American Godzilla movie, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, but we sure did. Still, Godzilla vs. Kong should be a different animal with Adam Wingard (You’re Next, The Guest) taking over directorial duties. It also has a stacked cast with some familiar faces (Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown, and Ziyi Zhang) and plenty of new ones (Alexander Skarsgård, Eiza González, Danai Gurira, Lance Reddick, and more).

It’ll probably be better than the original, right? And hey with its HBO Max rollout, questions of a poor box office run sure are conveniently mooted!

No Time to Die

April 2

Nothing lasts forever, and the Daniel Craig era of James Bond is coming to an end… hopefully in 2021. In fact, delays notwithstanding, it’s a bit of a surprise Craig is getting an official swan song with this movie after the star said he’d rather “slash his wrists” before doing another one. Well, we’re glad he didn’t, just as we’re hopeful for his final installment in the tuxedo.

Director Cary Joji Fukunaga is a newcomer to the franchise, but that might be a good thing after how tired Spectre felt, and Fukunaga has done sterling work in the past on True Detective and Maniac. He also looks to bring the curtain down on the whole Craig oeuvre by picking up on the last movie’s lingering threads, such as 007 driving off into the sunset with Léa Seydoux’s Madeleine Swann, while introducing new ones that include Rami Malek as Bond villain Safin and Ana de Armas as new Bond girl Paloma. Yay for the Knives Out reunion!

Mortal Kombat

April 16

Not to be deterred by the relative failure of Sony’s Monster Hunter in theaters at the tail end of 2020, Warner Bros. is giving this venerable video game franchise another shot at live-action cinematic glory after two previous tries in the 1990s. Director Simon McQuoid makes his feature debut while the script comes from Dave Callaham (Wonder Woman 1984, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) and the cast includes a number of actors you’ve seen in other films but can’t quite place.

The plot? Who knows! But we’re guessing it will feature gods, demons, and warriors battling for control of the 18 realms in various fighting tournaments. What else do you want?

A Quiet Place Part II

April 23

The sequel to one of 2018’s biggest surprises, A Quiet Place Part II comes with major expectations. And few may hold it to a higher standard than writer-director John Krasinski. Despite (spoiler) the death of his character in the first film, Krasinski returns behind the camera for the sequel after saying he wouldn’t. The story he came up with apparently was too good to pass up.

The film again stars Emily Blunt as the often silenced mother of a vulnerable family, which includes son Marcus (Noah Jupe) and deaf daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds). However, now that they know how to kill the eagle-eared alien monsters who’ve taken over their planet, the cast has grown to include Cillian Murphy and Djimon Hounsou. While the film has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak, trust us that it’ll be worth the wait. Is it finally time for… resistance?

Last Night in Soho

April 23

Fresh off the success of 2017’s Baby Driver (his biggest commercial hit to date), iconoclastic British director Edgar Wright returns with what is described as a psychological and possibly time-bending horror thriller set in London. Whether this features Wright’s trademark self-aware humor remains to be seen, but since the film is said to be inspired by dread-inducing genre classics like Repulsion and Don’t Look Now, he might be going for a different effect this time.

The cast, of course, is outstanding: upstarts Anya Taylor-Joy (Queen’s Gambit) and Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit) will face off with Matt Smith (Doctor Who), and British legends Diana Rigg and Terence Stamp. And the truth is we’re never going to miss one of Wright’s movies. Taylor-Joy talked to us here about finding her 1960s lounge singer voice for the film.

Black Widow

May 7

Some would charitably say it arrives a decade late, but Black Widow is finally getting her own movie. This is fairly remarkable considering she became street pizza in Avengers: Endgame, but this movie fits snugly between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. It also promises to be the most pared down Marvel Studios movie since 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and that’s a good thing.

In the film, Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff is on the run after burning her bridges with the U.S. government and UN. This brings her back to the spy games she thought she’d escaped from her youth, and back in the orbit of her “sister” Yelena (Florence Pugh). Old wounds are ripped open, old Soviet foes, including David Harbour as the Red Guardian and Rachel Weisz as Nat and Yelena’s girlhood instructor, are revealed, and many a fight sequence with minimal CGI will be executed.

How’s that for a real start to Phase 4? Of course that’s still assuming this comes out before The Eternals after it was delayed, again, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Spiral

May 21

Chris Rock has co-written the story for a new take on the Saw franchise. Never thought we’d write those words! The fact that it also stars Rock, as well as Samuel L. Jackson, is likewise head-turning. It looks like they’re going for legitimate horror with Darren Lynn Bousman attached to direct after helming three of the Saw sequels, and its grisly pre-COVID trailer from last year.

Hopefully this will be better than most of the franchise that came before, and given the heavily David Fincher-influenced tone of the first trailer, we’re willing to cross our fingers and play this game.

Free Guy

May 21

What would you do if you discovered that you were just a background character in an open world video game—and that the game was soon about to go offline? That’s the premise of this existential sci-fi comedy from director Shawn Levy, best known for the Night at the Museum series and as an executive producer and director on Stranger Things. Ryan Reynolds stars as Guy, a bank teller who discovers that his life is not what he thought it was, and in fact isn’t even real—or is it? We’ve seen a preview of footage, so we’d suggest you think Truman Show, if Truman was trapped in Grand Theft Auto.

May 28

Just when you thought this never-say-die franchise had shown us everything it could possibly dream up, it ups the stakes one more time: the ninth entry in the Fast and Furious saga (excluding 2019’s Hobbs and Shaw) will reportedly take Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his cohorts into space as they battle Dom’s long-lost brother Jakob (John Cena, making a long-overdue debut in this series). Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Helen Mirren, and Charlize Theron all also return, as does director Justin Lin, who took a two-film break from his signature series. Expect to see the required physics-defying stunts, logic-defying action and even more talk about “family” than usual.

Cruella

May 28

Since Disney has already made an animated 101 Dalmatians in 1961 and a live-action remake in 1996, it is apparently time to tell the story again Maleficent-style. Hence we now focus on the viewpoint of iconic villainess Cruella de Vil, played this time by Emma Stone. She’s joined in the movie by Emma Thompson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Mark Strong, with direction handled by Craig Gillespie (sort of a step down from 2017’s I, Tonya, if you ask us).

The story has been updated to the 1970s, but Cruella–now a fashion designer–still covets the fur of dogs for her creations. This is a Mouse House joint, so don’t expect it to get too dark, and don’t be completely surprised if it ends up as a premium on Disney+ in lieu of its already delayed theatrical release.

Infinite

May 28

This sci-fi yarn from director Antoine Fuqua (The Equalizer) stars Mark Wahlberg as a man experiencing what he thinks are hallucinations, but which turn out to be memories from past lives. He soon learns that there is a secret society of people just like him, except that they have total recall of their past identities and have acted to change the course of history throughout the centuries.

Based on the novel The Reincarnationist Papers by D. Eric Maikranz, this was originally a post-Marvel vehicle for Chris Evans. He dropped out, and the combination of Fuqua and Wahlberg hints at something more action-oriented than the rather cerebral premise suggests. The film also stars Sophie Cookson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Dylan O’Brien.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

June 4

James Wan is already directing a new horror film this year so he’s stepping away from the directorial duties on the third film based on the paranormal investigations of Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga). That task has fallen to Michael Chaves (The Curse of La Llorona), so expect plenty of the same Wan Universe touches: heavy atmosphere, superb use of sound, and shocking, eerie visuals.

Details are scarce, but the plot—like the other two Conjuring films—is taken from the true-life case of a man who went on trial for murder and said as his defense that he was possessed by a demon when he committed his crimes. That’s all we know for now, except that, intriguingly, Mitchell Hoog and Megan Ashley Brown have been cast as younger versions of the Warrens.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

June 11

With the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot criticized (fairly) for its lack of imagination and castigated (unfairly as hell) for its all-female ghost-hunting crew, director Jason Reitman–finally cashing in on the family name by returning to the brand his dad Ivan directed to glory in 1984–has crafted a direct sequel to the original films.

Books

Ghostbusters: Afterlife – Who is Ivo Shandor?

By Gavin Jasper

Movies

The Greatest Movie Sequels Never Made

By Jack Beresford

Set 30 years later, Afterlife follows a family who move to a small town only to discover that they have a long-secret connection to the OG Ghostbusters. Carrie Coon (The Leftovers), Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things) and Paul Rudd (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) star alongside charter cast members Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts, and, yes, Bill Murray.

In the Heights

June 18

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first Broadway hit musical gets the big screen treatment (by way of HBO Max) from director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians). Set in Washington Heights over the course of a three-day heat wave, the plot and ensemble cast carry echoes of both Rent and Do the Right Thing. While a success on the stage—if not quite the cultural phenomenon that Miranda’s next show, Hamilton—it remains to be seen whether In the Heights can strike a chord with streaming audiences.

Luca

June 18

Continuing its current run of all-new, non-sequel original films started in 2020 with Onward and Soul, Pixar will unveil Luca this summer. Directed by Enrico Casarosa–making his feature debut after 18 years with the animation powerhouse–the film tells the story of a friendship between a human being and a sea monster (disguised as another human child) on the Italian Riviera. That’s about all we have on it for now, except that the cast includes Drake Bell and John Ratzenberger.

Pixar’s recent track record has included masterpieces like Inside Out, solid sequels like Toy Story 4, and shakier propositions like The Incredibles 2, but we don’t have any indication yet of what to expect from Luca.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

June 25

Can anyone honestly say that 2018’s Venom was a “good” movie? A batshit insane movie, yes, and perhaps even an entertaining one in its own nutty way, but good or not, it made nearly a billion bucks at the box office so here we are.

Tom Hardy will return to peel more scenery down with his teeth as both Eddie Brock and his fanged, towering alien symbiote while Woody Harrelson will fulfill his destiny and play Cletus Kasady, aka Carnage, the perfected hybrid of psychopathic serial killer and red pile of vicious alien goo. Let the carnage begin!

Top Gun: Maverick

July 2

It’s been 34 years since Tom Cruise first soared through the skies as hotshot pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, and he’ll take to the air once more in a sequel that also features Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Jon Hamm, and more. The flying and action sequences from director Joseph Kosinski (who worked with Cruise on Oblivion) will undoubtedly be first-rate, but the studio (Paramount) has to be nervous after seeing one nostalgia-based franchise after another (Blade Runner, Charlie’s Angels, Terminator, The Shining) crash and burn recently.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

July 10

With Shang-Chi, Marvel Studios hopes to do for Asian culture what the company did with the groundbreaking Black Panther nearly three years ago: create another superhero epic with a non-white lead and a mythology steeped in a non-Western culture. Simu Liu stars in the title role as the “master of kung fu,” who must do battle with the nefarious Ten Rings organization and its leader, the Mandarin (the “real” one, not the imposter from Iron Man 3, played here by the legendary Tony Leung). Director Destin Daniel Cretton (Just Mercy) will open up a whole new corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with this story and character, whose origins stretch back to 1973.

The Forever Purge

July 9

One day nearly eight years ago, you went to see a low-budget dystopian sci-fi/horror flick called The Purge, and the next thing you know, it’s 2021 and you’re getting ready to see the fifth and allegedly final entry in the series (which has also spawned a TV show). Written by creator James DeMonaco and directed by Everardo Gout, the film will once again focus on the title event, an annual 12-hour national bacchanal in which all crime, even murder, is legal. How this ends the story, and where and when it falls into the context of the rest of the films, remains a secret for now. Filming was completed back in February 2020, with the film’s release delayed from last summer by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Space Jam: A New Legacy

July 16

There are two types of folks when it comes to the original Space Jam of 1996: those who were between the ages of three and 11 when it came out, and everyone else. In one camp it is an unsightly relic of ‘90s cross-promotional cheese; in the other, it’s a sports movie classic. Luckily for kids today, NBA star LeBron James was 11 for most of ’96, and he’s bringing back the hoops and the Looney Tunes in Space Jam: A New Legacy.

The film will be among the many Warner Bros. pics premieres on HBO Max and in theaters this year, and it will see King James share above-the-title credits with Bugs Bunny. All is as it should be.

Uncharted

July 16

An Uncharted movie has been a long time coming. How long you might ask? Well, when the idea of an Uncharted movie first started getting bandied around Hollywood, the earliest game in the series just launched to rave reviews in the PlayStation 3’s first year. We’re now on PlayStation 5(!), and Mark Wahlberg has gone from angling to play young hero Nathan Drake to starring his wisecracking sidekick, Victor “Sully” Sullivan.

Still, we’re here with an Uncharted movie finally in the can. Directed by Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland, Venom), the video game movie stars everyone’s favorite web-head, Tom Holland, as Drake, a pseudo-modern day Indiana Jones. Whether it lives up to that older franchise’s storied legacy remains to be seen (especially given its gaming roots), but one thing’s for sure, Holland will get to show off more gymnast skill thanks to Uncharted’s famous parkour iconography.

The Tomorrow War

July 23

An original IP attempting to be a summer blockbuster? As we live and breathe. The Tomorrow War marks director Chris McKay’s first foray into live-action after helming The Lego Batman Movie. The film stars Chris Pratt as a soldier from the past who’s been “drafted by scientists” to the present in order to fight off an alien invasion overwhelming our future’s military. One might ask why said scientists didn’t use their fancy-schmancy time traveling shenanigans to warn about the impending aliens, but here we are.

Jungle Cruise

July 30

Disney dips into its theme park rides again as a source for a movie, hoping that the Pirates of the Caribbean lightning will strike once more. This time it’s the famous Adventureland riverboat ride, which is free enough of a real narrative that one has to wonder why some five screenwriters (at least) worked on the movie’s script.

Jaume Collet-Serra (The Shallows) directs stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt down this particular river, as they battle wild animals and a competing expedition in their search for a tree with miraculous healing powers. The comic chemistry between Johnson and Blunt is key here, especially if they really can mimic Bogie and Hepburn in the similarly plotted The African Queen. If they can sell that, Disney might just have a new water-based franchise to replace their sinking Pirates ship.

The Green Knight

July 30

David Lowery, the singular director behind A Ghost Story and The Old Man & the Gun, helmed a fantasy adaptation of the Arthurian legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. And his take on the material was apparently strong enough to entice A24 to produce it. Not much else is yet known about the film other than its cast, which includes Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Ralph Ineson, and Kate Dickie–and that it’s another casualty of COVID, with its 2020 release date being delayed last year. So this is one we’re definitely going to keep an eye on.

The Suicide Squad

August 6

Arguably the most high-profile of the WB films being transitioned to HBO Max, The Suicide Squad is James Gunn’s soft-reboot of the previous one-film franchise. It’s kind of funny WB went in that direction when the first movie generated more than $740 million, but when the reviews and word of mouth were that toxic… well, you get the guy who did Guardians of the Galaxy to fix things.

Peacemaker: Suicide Squad Spinoff With John Cena Coming to HBO Max

By Mike Cecchini

Movies

The Suicide Squad Trailer Promises James Gunn’s “1970s War Movie”

By David Crow

Elements from the original movie are still here, most notably Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller, but the film promises to be weirder, meaner, and also sillier. The first points are proven by its expected R-rating, and the latter is underscored by its giant talking Great White Shark. Okay, we’ll bite.

Deep Water

August 13

Seedy erotic thrillers and neo noirs bathed in shadows and sex are largely considered a thing of the past—specifically 1980s and ‘90s Hollywood cinema. Maybe that’s why Deep Water hooked Adrian Lyne (Fatal Attraction, Indecent Proposal) to direct. The throwback is based on a 1957 novel by the legendary Patricia Highsmith (The Talented Mr. Ripley), and it pits a disenchanted married couple against each other, with the bored pair playing mind games that leave friends and acquaintances dead. That the couple in question is played by Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, who’ve since become a real life item, will probably get plenty of attention close to release.

Respect

August 13

Respect is the long-awaited biopic of the legendary Aretha Franklin, with the Queen of Soul herself involved in its development for years until her death in August 2018. Authorized biopics always make one wonder how accurate the film will be, but then again, Aretha had nothing to be ashamed of. Hers was a life well-lived, her voice almost beyond human comprehension, and the only thing now is to see whether star Jennifer Hudson (Franklin’s personal choice) and director Liesl Tommy (making her feature debut) can do the Queen justice.

Candyman

August 27

In some ways it’s surprising that it’s taken this long—28 years, notwithstanding a couple of sequels—to seriously revisit the original Candyman. Director Bernard Rose’s original adaptation of the Clive Baker story, “The Forbidden,” is still relevant and effective today. Back then, the film touched on urban legends, poverty, and segregation: themes that are still ripe for exploration through a genre touchstone today.

After her breathtaking feature directorial debut, Little Woods, Nia DaCosta helmed this bloody reboot while working from a screenplay co-written by Jordan Peele (Get Out). That’s a powerful combination, even before news came down DaCosta was helming Captain Marvel 2. And with an actor on-the-cusp of mega-stardom, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, picking up Tony Todd’s gnarly hook, this is one to watch out for.

The Beatles: Get Back

August 27

Peter Jackson seems to enjoy making films about what inspired him in his youth: The Lord of the Rings, King Kong, his grandfather’s World War I service informing They Shall Not Grow Old. So perhaps it was inevitable he’d make a film about the greatest youth icon of his generation, the Beatles. In truth, The Beatles: Get Back is a challenge to a previous documentary named Let It Be, and the general pop culture image it painted.

That 1970 doc by Michael Lindsay-Hogg zeroed in on the band’s final released album, Let It Be (although it was recorded before Abbey Road). Now, using previously unseen footage, Jackson seeks to challenge the narrative that the album was created entirely from a place of animosity among the bandmates, or that the Beatles had long lost their camaraderie by the end of road. Embracing the original title of the album, “Get Back,” Jackson wants to get back to where he thinks the band’s image once belonged.

Death on the Nile

September 17

Murder on the Orient Express (2017) became a surprise hit for director and star Kenneth Branagh. Who knew that audiences would still be interested in an 83-year-old mystery novel about an eccentric Belgian detective with one hell of a mustache? Luckily, Agatha Christie featured Poirot in some 32 other novels, of which Death on the Nile is one of the most famous, so here we are.

Branagh once again directs and stars as Poirot, this time investigating a murder aboard a steamer sailing down Egypt’s famous river. The cast includes Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Letitia Wright, Tom Bateman, Ali Fazal, Annette Bening, Rose Leslie, and Russell Brand. Expect more lavish locales, scandalous revelations, the firing of a pistol or two, and, yes, more shots of that stunning Poirot facial hair.

The Many Saints of Newark

September 24

The idea of a prequel to anything always fills us with trepidation, and re-opening a nearly perfect property like The Sopranos makes the prospect even less appetizing. But Sopranos creator David Chase has apparently wanted to explore the back history of his iconic crime family for some time, and there certainly seems to be a rich tapestry of characters and events that have only been hinted at in the series.

Directed by series veteran Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World), The Many Saints of Newark stars Alessandro Nivola as Dickie Moltisanti (Christopher’s father), along with Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Corey Stoll, Ray Liotta, and others. But the most fascinating casting is that of Michael Gandolfini—James’ son—as the younger version of the character with which his late dad made pop culture history. For that alone, we’ll be there on opening night… even if that just means HBO Max!

Dune

October 1

Could third time be the charm for Frank Herbert’s complex novel of the far future, long acknowledged as one of the greatest—if most difficult to read—milestones in all of science fiction? David Lynch’s 1984 version was, to be charitable, an honorable mess, while the 2000 Sci-Fi Channel miniseries was decent and faithful, but limited in scope. Now director Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049, Arrival) is pulling out all the stops—even breaking the story into two movies to give the proper space.

Movies

Dune Trailer Breakdown and Analysis

By Mike Cecchini

Movies

What Alejandro Jodorowsky Thinks of the New Dune Trailer

By Mike Cecchini and 1 other

On the surface, the plot is simple: as galactic powers vie for control of the only planet that produces a substance capable of allowing interstellar flight, a young messiah emerges to lead that planet’s people to freedom. But this tale is dense with multiple layers of politics, metaphysics, mysticism, and hard science.

Villeneuve has assembled a jaw-dropping cast, including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem, and if he pulls this off, just hand him every sci-fi novel ever written. Particularly, if relations between the director and WB remain strained…

Morbius

October 8

Following the monstrous (pun intended) success of Venom, Sony Pictures is making its second attempt to mine Spider-Man’s universe of villains with the dark tale of Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto), whose efforts to cure himself of a fatal blood disease turn him instead into a blood-drinking anti-hero. Morbius has been lurking around the Marvel Comics canon since 1971, often either sparring or teaming with Spidey, and it remains uncertain whether he’s got the cache to carry a movie on his own. In addition, can Leto wash away the bad taste left behind by his tattooed and grilled Joker in Suicide Squad?

Halloween Kills

October 15

2018’s outstanding reboot of the long-running horror franchise—which saw David Gordon Green (Stronger) direct Jamie Lee Curtis in a reprise of her most famous role—was a tremendous hit. So in classic Halloween fashion, two more sequels were put into production (the second, Halloween Ends, will be out in 2022… hopefully).

Movies

Halloween: A Legacy Unmasked

By David Crow

Movies

How Jason Blum Changed Horror Movies

By Rosie Fletcher

Curtis is back as Laurie Strode, along with Judy Greer as her daughter, Andi Matichak as her granddaughter, and Nick Castle sharing Michael Myers duties with James Jude Courtney. Kyle Richards and Charles Cyphers, meanwhile, will reprise their roles as Lindsey Wallace and former sheriff Leigh Brackett from the original 1978 Halloween (Anthony Michael Hall will play the adult version of Tommy Doyle). The plot remains a mystery, but we’re pretty sure it will involve yet another confrontation between Laurie and a rampaging Myers.

The Last Duel

October 15

What was once among the most anticipated films of 2020, The Last Duel is the historical epic prestige project marked by reunions: Ridley Scott returns to his passion for period drama and violence; Matt Damon and Ben Affleck work together for the first time in ages as both actors and writers; and the film also unites each with themes that were just as potent in the medieval world as today: One knight (Damon) in King Charles VI’s court accuses another who’s his best friend (Adam Driver) of raping his wife (Jodie Comer). Oh, and Affleck plays the King of France.

With obviously harrowing—and uncomfortable—themes that resonate today, The Last Duel is based on an actual trial by combat from the 14th century, and is a film Affleck and Damon co-wrote with Nicole Holofcener (Can You Ever Forgive Me?). It’s strong material, and could prove to be one of the year’s most riveting or misjudged films. Until then, it has our full attention.

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins

October 22

While the idea of a Hasbro Movie Universe seems to be kind of idling at the moment, corners of that hypothetical cinematic empire remain active. One such brand is G.I. Joe, which will launch its first spin-off in this origin story of one of the team’s most popular characters. Much of his early background remains mysterious, so there’s room to create a fairly original story while incorporating lore and characters already established in the G.I. Joe mythos.

Neither of the previous G.I. Joe features (The Rise of Cobra and Retaliation) have been much good, so we can probably expect the same level of quality from this one. Director Robert Schwentke (the last two Divergent movies) doesn’t inspire much excitement either. On the other hand, Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) will star in the title role, and having Iko Uwais (The Raid) and Samara Weaving (Ready or Not) on board isn’t too bad either.

Eternals

November 5

Based on a Marvel Comics series by the legendary Jack Kirby, the now long-forthcoming Eternals centers around an ancient race of powerful beings who must protect the Earth against their destructive counterparts (and genetic cousins), the Deviants. Director Chloe Zhao (fresh off the awards season buzzy Nomadland) takes her first swing at epic studio filmmaking, working with a cast that includes Angelina Jolie, Gemma Chan, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Brian Tyree Henry, and more.

Movies

Upcoming Marvel Movies Release Dates: MCU Phase 4 Schedule, Cast, and Story Details

By Mike Cecchini and 1 other

Movies

The Incredible Hulk’s Diminished Legacy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

By Gavin Jasper

In many ways, Eternals represents another huge creative risk for Marvel Studios: It’s a big, cosmic ensemble film introducing an ensemble that the vast majority of the public has never heard of. But then, it’s sort of in the same position as Guardians of the Galaxy from way back in 2014, and we all know what happened there.

Elvis

November 5

Obviously we’ve all seen musical biopics before—too many after Walk Hard broke the formula down—but Elvis promises to be something different. A new passion project from Baz Luhrmann, the filmmaker behind Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet, and The Great Gatsby, Elvis is expected to be a radically stylized account of Elvis Presley’s rise to all shook up fame. With an impressive cast that includes Tom Hanks as manager “Colonel” Tom Parker and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as B.B. King, and with up-and-comer Austin Butler as the King of Rock and Roll himself, it should be a hell of a show.

King Richard

November 19

Will Smith’s King Richard promises to be a different kind of biographical film coming down the pipe. Rather than being told from the vantage of professional tennis playing stars Venus and Serena Williams, King Richard centers on their father and coach, Richard Williams. It’s an interesting choice to focus on the male father instead of the game-changing Black daughters, but we’ll see if there’s a strong creative reason for the approach soon enough. The film is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men, Joe Bell).

Mission: Impossible 7

November 19

Once upon a time, the appeal of the Mission: Impossible movies was to see different directors offer their own take on Tom Cruise running through death-defying stunts. But then Christopher McQuarrie had to come along and make the best one in franchise history (twice). First there was Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and then Mission: Impossible – Fallout. Now McQuarrie and company have set up their own separate quartet of films with recurring original characters like new franchise MVP Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) across four films.

Movies

Audio Surfaces of Tom Cruise Raging on the Set of Mission: Impossible 7

By Kirsten Howard

Movies

Mission: Impossible 7 – What’s Next for the Franchise?

By David Crow

Thus enters M:I7, the third McQuarrie joint in the series and first half of a pair of incoming sequels filmed together. The first-half of this two-parter sees the whole crew back together, including Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, Ilsa, Benji (Simon Pegg), Luther (Ving Rhames), and CIA Director Erika Sloane (Angela Bassett). They’re also being joined by Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff, but really we’re all just eager to see what kind of insane stunts they can do to top the HALO jump in the last one.

West Side Story

December 10

Steven Spielberg has just two remakes on his directorial resume: Always (1989) and War of the Worlds (2005). While the former is mostly forgotten and the latter was an adaptation of a story that has been filmed many times, his upcoming reimagining of West Side Story will undoubtedly be directly compared to Robert Wise’s iconic 1961 screen version of this classic musical.

A few numbers in previous films aside, Spielberg has never directed a full-blown musical before, let alone one associated with such powerhouse songs and dance numbers. His version, with a script by Tony Kushner, is said to stay closer to the original Broadway show than the 1961 film—but with its themes of love struggling to cross divides created by hate and bigotry, don’t be surprised if it’s just as hard-hitting in 2021. Certainly would’ve devastated last year….

Spider-Man 3

December 17

Sony has finally gotten to a “Spider-Man 3” again in their oft-rebooted franchise crown jewel (technically though this film is still untitled). That proved to be a stumbling block the first time it occurred with Tobey Maguire in the red and blues, but the company seems undaunted since Tom Holland’s third outing is expected to bring Maguire back—him and just about everyone else too.

Movies

Spider-Man 3: Charlie Cox Daredevil Return Would Redeem the Marvel Netflix Universe

By Joseph Baxter

Movies

Spider-Man 3 Adds Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange

By Joseph Baxter

With a multiverse plot ripped straight from the arguably best Spidey movie ever, 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse, Holland’s third outing is bringing back Maguire, Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man, Alfred Molina as Doc Ock, Jamie Foxx as Electro (eh), and probably more. It’s a Spidey crossover extravaganza that’s only missing a Spider-Ham. But just you wait…

The Matrix 4

December 22

Rebooting or continuing The Matrix series has always been a tough proposition. While the original Matrix film is one of the landmark achievements in science fiction and early digital effects filmmaking in the 1990s, its sequels were… less celebrated. In fact, directors Lily and Lana Wachowski were publicly wary about the idea of ever going back to the series. And yet, here we are with Lana (alone) helming a project that’s been a longtime priority for Warner Bros.

Movies

The Matrix 4: Laurence Fishburne “Wasn’t Invited” to Reprise Morpheus Role

By John Saavedra

Movies

The Matrix 4 Already Happened: Revisiting The Matrix Online

By John Saavedra

The Matrix 4 also brings back Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Jada Pinkett Smith. This is curious since Reeves and Moss’ characters died at the end of the Matrix trilogy—and also because Laurence Fishburne’s Morpheus did not, yet he wasn’t asked back. We cannot say we’re thrilled about the prospect of more adventures in Zion after the disappointment of the first two sequels, but we’d be lying if we didn’t admit we’re still curious to see the story that brought Lana back to this future.

The French Dispatch

TBA

Wes Anderson has a new film coming out. Better still, it is another live-action film. While Anderson’s use of animation is singular, it’s been seven years since The Grand Budapest Hotel, which we maintain is one of the best movies of the last decade. Anderson is working with Timothée Chalamet and Cristoph Waltz for the first time with this film, as well as several familiar faces including Saoirse Ronan, Willem Dafoe, Tilda Swinton, Léa Seydoux, Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and, of course, Bill Murray.

The French Dispatch is set deep in the 20th century during the peak of modern journalism, it brings to life a series of fictional stories in a fictional magazine, published in a fictional French city. We suspect though, if Anderson’s last two live-action movies are any indication, it’ll have more than fiction on its mind–especially since it’s inspired by actual New Yorker stories, and the journalists who wrote them! We missed it in 2020, so here’s hoping it really does go to print in 2021!

Other interesting movies that may come out in 2021 but do not yet have release dates: Next Goal Wins, Don’t Worry Darling, Nightmare Alley, Antlers, Blonde, The Northman, Resident Evil, Red Notice, Those Who Wish Me Dead, Army of the Dead.

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marumafan · 7 years ago

Text

Yuuram in Novel 15

So, I made a promise to write one of these per day until next week. So here’s the end to the Seisakoku arc. It’s so nice to re-read it and find little things I never paid too much attention to before. I always include things I find interesting even if they’re not yuuram. Anyways, enjoy: Yuuram in Novel : 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17

—————————————————————— Novel 15. ch.1 - So he uses majutsu anywhere but when Wolf wants to do it...-

"...If it's same as a game, then the zombie group must be weak against fire, right."

Wolfram who was standing next to me folded his knees. And soon the emerald green eyes were sparkling close to me. His fire techniques are magnificent. By controlling a fire beast effectively, he could burn down only the dead.

"Don't do it." But if I think about the nature of the locality, I couldn't let him do something unreasonable. "Why are you stopping me." "Didn't you say that magic doesn't work in the land of the Shinzoku." "But.." "Even if you have Gunter's protector, how can I let you do such a reckless thing!" "Boys! Enough of your playing around."

—————————————————————— Novel 15. ch.2 - Drunkenness and lies -

Maybe it’s just me, but it feels as though Adalbert’s powerful muscles shrivel quite a lot, looks like he’s a man who easily makes mistakes because of alcohol. Wolfram, too, uses poisonous words unbefitting of his pretty face to add salt to the wound,

“Oh dear, don’t tell me you want to say you were drunk then? That can’t be possible, people call you the Grantz boss, how could you have gotten drunk on one barrel of wine? By the way, you also said you don’t sleep while hugging baby bears anymore.”

(...)

Afterwards, according to my investigations, it seems there was never ‘a promise on the ship’. Wolf replies with a straight face, “I was just winging it.”

He even tells me, “He’s the man who betrayed Shin Makoku, and stood on the humans’ side. I really hate my uncle and Grantz, rather than giving Adalbert wine, I’d rather pour the highest quality grape wine into the river.”

To think he could tell such a lie so easily, seems like he’s matured too.

—————————————————————— Novel 15. ch.2 -Telepathically -

“Yuuri, you still plan to…”

Wolfram tries to say something, but Lord Weller puts a hand on his shoulder, looking at him and shaking his head. As expected of brothers, they understand each other telepathically even without words.

—————————————————————— Novel 15. ch.2 -Henachoko -

“It is indeed rare for the king to appear at the frontlines himself.” “Is that so?” “Other than Shinou, I heard there are only two others who went to the frontlines of their own volition.” “Surely Yuuri will be praised by the poets in the future as a brave king, huh? Although you're actually such a henachoko.” “Henachoko… That’s right, it’s because I’m a henachoko that I can’t stand this atmosphere.” Wolfram leans back slightly and makes fun at me, since I haven't been able to think of a decent strategy until now, I don’t even have the energy to retort him.

—————————————————————— Novel 15. ch.2 -Wolfram isn't fit to do anything risky, okay!-

Murata isn’t all that heavy either, the only question is if anyone can ride a galloping horse up to him at a hair’s breadth away and then reach out to grab him.

Of course, this job can’t go to Wolfram. He’d probably lose it if I told him directly, but the position required is very challenging, and you’d need to pull up a high school student with one hand. Therefore not only would you need good riding skills, you also need powerful arm strength.

—————————————————————— Novel 15. ch.2 -Wolf gets confused by Yuuri's English words, but can understand what they're talking about?-

Wolfram was watching our conversation from a side, and finally breaks the awkward moment, “So all you need is position?” With his hands on his hips, he tilts his upper body back, his tone sounding as though he understands the English we’re speaking. “In that case, just make her our goodwill ambassador. Won’t it be fine if you make this old woman Seisakoku’s goodwill ambassador to Seisakoku right now?” (continues below)

—————————————————————— Novel 15. ch.2 -This bit is really interesting, it starts with Yuuri feeling dejected because no one knows he's the maou and treats him like a normal person and he can't make decisions, when Wolf steps in..-

“It is indeed very hard for you, since you’re an intermediate.”

“Mn? You’re not calling me a beginner anymore?”

“Well—You’ve been on the throne for quite a while, after all.”

He blinks his eyes, as emerald as the bottom of a clear lake, and says,

“In other words, you've grown a little bit.”

“I guess there’s been a minor change. But in the time I changed from a beginner to intermediate, I still couldn’t come up with a solution to convince the people. Ah, man”

“Then, allow me to do what I can for the the king who's grown up.”

(....)

“Since your identity is false, of course your authority is electing an official isn’t recognized. Alright, turn around!”

I don’t know what he writes on the pale green slip, and he doesn’t seem to be bothered by how uneven my back is, either, writing and signing his name fluidly. I don’t care what you’re doing, but that really is very ticklish.

“Wolf, what are you writing…”

“I elect you as the Bielefeld territory’s goodwill ambassador to Seisakoku. See!”

“What?”

He waves the paper in front of my face. Having lived more than eighty years as an aristocratic heir, he seems used to homework like this, easily giving Venera a position.

“This is something we do commonly in the territory. Choose a suitable representative from amongst the people and honor them with a title in public, so that uniting the people will henceforth be his job, and he doesn’t have to come to us for some of the small stuff too.”

“Is that so~~ To think you’re so used to these things.”

“Although I’m a soldier loyal to the Maou in the capital, my job when I’m back at my territory is more like an administrator.”

“Are you learning how to be a good leader? What mature thinking—”

—————————————————————— Novel 15. ch.4 -The punch-

Wolfram walks up to me quickly, perhaps to help me out.

“No, I’m taking Ajira with me. Although I feel bad for asking him, I still need a translator. Although I think it’s not too possible, but Wolfram, um…”

“What is it?”

“Don’t you come with me now.”

Lord von Bielefeld narrows his eyes, saying in a calm voice,

“If milord just says the word, I would gladly go to the ends of the earth for you.”

He’s sounding all polite and respectful again, even though he knows very well I can’t handle him at all when he’s like this.

“Stop joking around, I’m going off to be a hostage, how could I possibly let you come along.”

“To be able to do even the slightest thing for Your Majesty, is my utmost pride and glory.”

“T-thank you for your kind intentions, but I can’t let you come with me, Lord von Bielefeld.”

I don’t know how many times I’ve come across this situation already. Once the other person treats me so sincerely, I get frustrated and impatient because I feel I need to repay in kind. In the end, I’ll either make it worse, or say a bunch of random things.

“My beloved officer’s life shouldn’t be sacrificed for me, but contributed to the country.”

“The two are one and the same.”

“It’s not like that, Wol…”

That moment just as I’m turning around to face him, a strong impact assaults my stomach, and I nearly stop breathing. My mind goes blank for about five seconds, and I’ve no idea what happened, only managing to kneel on the ground, groaning in pain. I try to take in a breath so hard, but I can’t do it.

“Wolf… What did… you do…”

“I’m sorry.”

By the time I realize that I had taken a punch from him, he’s already taken off my hooded cloak. I’m all curled up, lying on the sand, the pain making me hold my stomach, unable to breathe. It’s obviously already night time, yet my eyes are filled with a sea of red, my throat making a piercing sound, and still the air doesn’t enter my lungs.

—————————————————————— Novel 15. ch.5 -The punch’s meaning-

Maybe it’s because I’m too much of a mess, Conrad and Wolfram both reach out their hands to try and help me up, but I don’t need their kindness right now.

“Did I ask you two to do this?”

Maybe he didn’t expect me to ask so suddenly, because Wolfram seems to be frozen in shock.

“Whose idea was it?”

“Your Majesty.”

Conrad wanted to interrupt, but Wolfram gets there first, replying,

“It was mine.”

“Now you've done it!”

Before I even finish saying the words, I’ve already pulled him by the clothes on his chest. I don’t hold back at all, our faces almost colliding. His eyes look different than usual, because of the illumination from the torch.

"What's the meaning of that punch to my stomach, huh? Do you want a divorce? To remarry someone else?”

“... respect and affection”

“Liar.”

I took a punch to the stomach for nothing, and it’s been hurting ever since then all the way until now. If I don’t force myself to stand with my back straight, I’d probably be holding my stomach and crouching on the ground by now. If it weren’t for Yelshi watching from the side, I’d have done that long ago.

To be honest, I wanted to butt my head against his hard, but exerting myself now will only make the pain worse. That’s why I thought of admonishing him in public.

“I'll get you for this!”

—————————————————————— Novel 15. ch.6 -Just Wolf being awesome in battle-

(It’s that man!)

My features contort in pain, and I raise my hands to cover my ears. The truth is his thoughts don’t reach me through my hearing, so it’s pointless even if I cover my ears. His gaze goes past several rows of the resurrection group on the left, staring at that golden hair glowing a fiery red in the torchlight. But those emerald eyes, its color looking even more complex with red mixed in, are shining with a light even brighter than his hair.

Wolfram turns back deliberately, even smiling a challenge, then he slowly kicks the stomach of his horse, purposely taking off at a speed we can catch up with.

Seeing this act of his, Yelshi naturally takes the bait. From the cavalry to the foot soldiers, from the few living soldiers to the near two hundred zombies, his entire army starts chasing Wolfram.

—————————————————————— Novel 15. ch.8 -Mental image-

Wolfram and I, with two little girls grabbing our waists, walk slowly on the uneven stone steps. The salty sea breeze sure feels comfortable.

—————————————————————— Novel 15. ch.8 -Oh, come on! How cute is this!?-

“They did do something like a fortune telling before.”

The one who had his fortune told back then wasn’t me, but Wolfram. But back then not only weren’t they talking about weakening or whatnot, they even said he had a king’s aura, so surely that must have made him happy?

“Is what they say accurate?”

Hearing my question, Wolfram thinks back for about ten seconds, his arms crossed over his chest and his left leg stretched slightly ahead, a hint of a smile on the corners of his lips,

“No, it’s not accurate at all.”

“It can’t not be accurate!”

One of the twins, probably Freddy, seems really angry, and can’t help but protest.

—————————————————————— Novel 15. ch.8 -And the most yuuram arc of them all, end with ... what else? Yuuram-

Just then Wolfram waves at me, so I leave the scene without replying. I really want to throw it somewhere, but I can’t just leave it alone either. That is the sealed, ominous Box that the mazoku destroyed, and sealed. I really want to forget about it, but I think about it with every step, and it presses down on my chest every time I breathe, making me gasp for breath.

“Is your stomach okay?”

As soon as we’re out of Saralegui’s field of vision, Wolfram immediately looks apologetic, even saying,

“Sorry.”

“Oh—That? Oh, right, Wolf, that punch really hurt! Although I was at fault too in the tunnel that time, you were wrong to hit me in the stomach. That is totally DOMESTIC VIOLENCE!”

Although it’s not serious or common, Wolfram looks surprised to hear an unfamiliar term. What a bother, since I’m used to talking to Hazel, I’m starting to use a lot of Earth terms now.

“DOMESTIC… what does that mean?”

“Uhm.... like 'in the country' or a 'product of the country', something like that”

“I already told you many times, I will formally ask for my due punishment once we get back…”

“No need, it doesn’t matter if it’s official or not. Any time”

He’s about to say something formal again so I pat his back hard without hesitation, and it gives me a feeling of reality, like “Ah—right here”. I’m here, and so is Wolfram.

“Because we’re already back.”

We’re all here, Conrad, Murata… Josak too.

“I can’t say for all of it, but I brought us back with my own strength.”

“Yeah”

The sea breeze caresses Wolfram’s hair, and he nods his head firmly. Then he turns around to face me, as I was still standing on the rocky side of the port, and with an extremely natural movement, he extends his hand to me.

“Let's go home, everyone is waiting.” —————————————————————— Ahh... what a joy of a novel!

#kyou kara maou #kkm #maruma #yuuram

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thetudorforum · 4 years ago

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Available Characters in England

Others

William Whitfield - Duke of Whitfield

William Blithe Pitt-Courtier

Walter Devereux-1st Viscount Hereford

Conrad Vos - Ambassador

Thomas Wriothesley 1st Earl of Southampton

William Paulet- 3rd Marquess of Winchester

Margaret Craddock- Lady Herbert

William Sharrington- Gentleman of the privy chamber

Melina Othonos - gypsy; ficitonal; her story is yours to make Daisy Wharton - artist; fictiona; her story is yours to make Peter Davenport - courtier; fictional; his story is yours to make Jennifer Leodegrance - nurse Elizabeth Browne - Countess of Worcester; partner of Martin of Navarre Robin Locksley - Duke of Locksley Mary Herbert Gamage- housewife Katherina Prue wife to Thomas Cranmer John de Vere- Earl of Oxford Marian Dubois Locksley - Duchess of Locksley Peter Locksley - Duke of Locksley Richard Locksley - Duke of Locksley John Wallop-English soldier and diplomatist John Dudley - 1st duke of Northumberland, married to Jane Guildford Lyanna Grey- schoolgirl at Lambeth Tobias Braddock-Duke of Moray. Brother to Rebecca Braddock David Bolton - brother to Ramsay Bolton William Paulet - 3rd Marquess of Winchester. Historical Anne Bostock - courtier; sister of Margaret Bostock Thomas Lee - courtier; brother of Anthony, Francis and Jane William Blithe Pitt[/b] - English courtier Quamu Romani - gypsy Tommy George Herbert - son of Margaret Cradock and Richard Herbert Sir Robert Tavistock - fiance of Ursula Misseldon Cecilia Weston-Neville - Countess of Westmorland Eleanor Swynford-was descend from Katherine Swynford (mother of the Tudor dynasty). John Swynford- Baron of FitzHugh, was descend from Katherine Swynford (mother of the Tudor dynasty). He is a shrewd and very ambitious man and will most likely try to gain a better position at court or a better title and wishes to secure a good marriage (or position) for his daughter. Susannah Hornebolt-was the first known female artist in England and the Tudor dynasty John Parker-husband to Susannah Hornebolt William FitzWilliam, 1st Earl of Southampton-English courtier, was the third son of Sir Thomas FitzWilliam of Aldwark and Lady Lucy Neville Edmund Bedingfield - was entrusted with the care of Katherine of Aragon, at Kimbolton Castle, following the proceedings of 18 June 1529, concerning King Henry VIII's Great Matter (divorce). 9]]Sir Ralph Sadler,-was an English statesman, who served Henry VIII as Privy Councillor, Secretary of State and ambassador to Scotland. Sadler went on to serve Edward VI, although having signed the device settling the crown on Jane Grey, was obliged to retire to his estates during the reign of Mary I Lucas Hornebolt - brother to Susannah Hornebolt William Paget-was an English statesman and accountant who held prominent positions in the service of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I. ]b]George Brooke, 9th Baron Cobham[/b]-was an aristocrat during the early Tudor dynasty in England. A soldier and magnate, he participated in the English wars of his days and in the political turmoil following the death of Henry VIII. Charles Blount, 5th Baron Mountjoy- was an English courtier and patron of learning. He was one of the peers summoned for the trial of lords Darcy and Hussey and he was also on the panel of 3 December 1538 for the trial of Henry Pole, 1st Baron Montagu, and Henry Courtenay, Marquess of Exeter, his own brother-in-law. William Coffin- was a courtier at the court of King Henry VIII of England. He was a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to King Henry VIII and Master of the Horse to Queen Jane Seymour Anne Locke- was an English poet, translator and Calvinist religious figure. Camille Van Houten- Nurse at English court Edward Burgh-was an English peer Victor Turner- Servant at English court. He is a fictional character, his story is all yours to make. George Throckmorton- was an English politician and a member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. Ralph Ellerker - was an English soldier, knight and Member of Parliament. John Constable- was an English Romantic painter. Born in Suffolk, he is known principally for his landscape paintings of Dedham Vale, the area surrounding his home—now known as "Constable Country"—which he invested with an intensity of affection Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester- was an English judge, politician and peer Hans Holbein- was artist and printmaker at the English court. He worked under the patronage of Anne Boleyn and Thomas Cromwell. By 1535, he was King's Painter to King Henry VIII. In this role, he produced not only portraits and festive decorations but designs for jewellery, plate and other precious objects. His portraits of the royal family and nobles are a record of the court in the years when Henry was asserting his supremacy over the English church. Rick Grimes- solider at English court. He is a fictional character, his story is all yours to make. Robert Radcliffe, 1st Earl of Sussex- was a prominent courtier and soldier during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. Blanche Shore-[/b] Maid to Emilia Grace Lanier, Duchess of Gloucester. A fictional character, hers story is all yours to make. Vasilisa Rosalinda-Schoolgirl at Lambeth, a fictional character, hers story is all yours to make. William Norris[/b]-son to Madge Norris and Henry Norris [b]Elizabeth Brooke- wife of Thomas Wyatt[/b] Lucy Neville - mother of Elizabeth Browne Countess of Worcester Sir Anthony Browne - father of Elizabeth Browne Thomas AUDLEY (1st. Baron Audley of Walden)- was Lord chancellor of England under Henry VIII. He was made speaker of the House of Commons in 1529 and lord keeper of the great seal in 1532. A loyal servant of Henry VIII, he supported the King's divorce from Catalina de Aragón and as chancellor presided over the trials of Sir Thomas More and John Fisher. He also aided in the prosecution of Anne Boleyn , Sir Thomas Cromwell , and other notables; being instrumental with laws concerning the dissolution of the monasteries and the king's marital difficulties. Sir Thomas ARUNDELL-was a gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Cardinal Wolsey and served as Sheriff of Dorsetshire in 1531-32. He was knighted at the coronation of Anne Boleyn in 1533. Sir Edward BAYNTUN- Stood high in favour with King Henry VIII, where he enjoyed considerable influence and was Vice-Chamberlain to five of his Queens (Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr). Edward was Queen Anne's Vice-Chamberlain – replacing Sir Thomas Bryan after he was appointed the Queen's Chancellor. He is said to have shared some of Anne's religious stance, but was a career courtier, hence serving the remainder of Henry's wives in the same capacity. Francis BIGOD of Settrington, Knight- was in the service of Cardinal Wolsey, and under Thomas Cromwell, Wolsey's successor in the favour of Henry VIII, was engaged in advancing in Yorkshire the King's reforms in church matters. John DYNHAM- He quickly won the trust of Henry VII, who retained Dynham on the council and named him Lord Treasurer. Dynham became one of Henry VII's most active councilors, serving on many royal boards and commissions, including a commission charged with reforming the administration of Crown lands. Dynham also received numerous other offices and honors. Thomas ELYOT -English diplomatist and scholar In 1531 he produced the Boke named the Governour, dedicated to King Henry VIII. The work advanced him in the King favor, and in the close of the year he received instructions to proceed to the court of the Emperor Carlos V to induce him to take a more favorable view of Henry projected divorce from Catalina of Aragon. Richard LONG- Politician and courtier, for many years a member of the privy chamber of Henry VIII Henry MANNERS-His first marriage was celebrated with the royal presence of the King Henry VIII and the new Queen, Jane Seymour, on 3 Jul 1536. He married Margaret, fourth daughter of Ralph, Earl of Westmoreland, a great northern magnate. The same day his sister, Anne, married Henry, Westmoreland's heir. He succeeded as second Earl of Rutland on his father death, 20 Sep 1543; was knighted by Henry VIII in 1544 and was one of the mourners at the King's funeral. Thomas MANNERS-He was appointe Knight of the Garter on 24 Apr 1525, the same that Henry Fitzroy, the King illegitimate son with Bessie Blount, and on 18 Jun of that year, Fitzroy was made Duke of Richmond and Manners Earl of Rutland.He was appointed chamberlain for the coronation of Queen Jane Seymour, and Eleanor, his wife, had a place between her ladies. John MORDAUNT-As a young man, Mordaunt had been introduced by his father into Henry VIII's court, created a knight of the Bath at the coronation of Anne Boleyn, and been among the courtiers present at the arrival of Anne of Cleves at Blackheath. During the closing years of Henry VIII's reign, and increasingly under Edward VI, however, both he and his father forfeited royal favour through their opposition to religious change.[/b] Thomas WHARTON- he was appointed steward of he household of Princess Mary, the daughter of Henry VIII.He became a Roman Catholic and strongly supported Mary. Ralph SADLER-While still young, Ralph was taken into the household of Thomas Cromwell, later Henry VIII's great minister and Earl of Essex. Probably in 1536 Sadler was made a gentleman of the King's privy chamber, and he at once made so good an impression on the King that Henry VIII sent him in 1537 on a most delicate and important mission to Scotland, to try to find out how much truth there was in the complaints made by bis sister, Margaret, the Queen-Dowager, against her third husband, Lord Methven, and to investigate the relations between the King of Scotland and the French. Margaret Skipwith- was the daughter of Sir William Skipwith of Kettleby and South Ormsby, Lincolnshire, and his second wife, Alice Dymoke. In 1538, when Henry VIII was a widower looking for a foreign bride, Margaret Skipwith was rumored to be his mistress. Margaret Mundy- Margaret Mundy of Markeaton, who married firstly Nicholas Jennings, a member of the Worshipful Company of Skinners and a Sheriff and Alderman of the City of London; secondly, as his third wife, Edmund Howard, Lord Deputy of Calais, younger son of the Duke of Norfolk and therefore became stepmother to Queen Katherine Howard, fifth wife of King Henry VIII by whom she had no children; and thirdly Henry Mannox. Steinman conjectured that Margaret Mundy's third husband was the Henry Mannox, executed in 1541, who had been music master to Katherine Howard in her youth, and had been involved in sexual indiscretions with her which later contributed to her downfall

#History RP #Historical RP #Period RP #medieval rp

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