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#Lords and Ladies Review

dongbangskies · 7 months

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Back from the Brink Review

Finally got around to writing this review on this drama. I showed up for Zhou Ye because she stole the show as Gu Xiang in Word of Honor and I was blown away.

Its a 10/10. Top 10 dramas of all time. I LOVED IT.

Spoilers (obvy) ahead.

We're gonna skip over how Hou MingHao looks like if you put Wei WuXian Xiao Zhan and 2005 Rising Sun Jaejoong in a blender. He's stunning. Those fantastic facial expressions and that slightly villainous look <3 <3 Love it.

And Zhou Ye is just everything. She is a gem. If I see her in a drama I'll probably give it a chance. She can carry a drama with her acting alone. Yanhui was a funny and strong willed character and I loved her. what a great female lead.

Few reasons why this drama absolutely RULED despite its plot holes and absolute disappointment of a villain was essentially a 2006 Hot Topic ass emo kid.

the way they handle trauma. Fantastic. No notes. I'm about how they point blank had YanHui state she was afraid of TianYao after he stabbed her. Thats so good. Because that was all her, not the dark lord nonsense. He, by her knowledge at the time, killed her with no hesitation after she thought she was finally breaking through. and she's scared. and he has to face the consequences of it. it wasn't an oh, i found out you did for a good reason so I forgive you. She doesn't forgive him until he proves that he is there to protect her.

The way TianYao learned from his mistakes and fought for Yanhui's forgiveness and affection after the betrayal. Trust me, those 10 eps were PAINFUL, after the love bombing that was the first 16 eps, but it was so refreshing to see the male lead make his bed and then have to live in it. So often the "forgiveness" arch is so shallow. but in this drama, TianYao comes to realize why Yanhui was so afraid of him, how awful what he did was, and goes out of his way to change. He explains himself. He learned his lesson. And then when he was a baby dragon and remembering bits and pieces. We saw Ponytail TianYao and kind of how malicious he was. and Baby TianYao was APPALLED at himself. I love that they made him look in the mirror.

The fact that TianYao was not willing to sacrifice YanHui to do his "duty". The one time he "sacrificed her", it was to protect his people. But the whole "duty to the world" nonsense. Nope. I love that take. The drama took one look at the "villains make a better lover because a hero will sacrifice you for the world but the villain will sacrifice the world for you" and said, "what if the hero didn't." Deadass TianYao was like "oh I'm the only one that can defeat this Dark Chi? Okay I'm sure someone else will figure it out as I willingly give my life force to save my love."

the whole take that saving one person is just as important as wanting to save the world. the punchline of the third test is fantastic. (previous post made about it lol)

the jokes and the sounds effects landed so well. I was HOWLING through the drama. I dont know what was funnier: a) the TianYao fancam from the Fox Incense, b) Bai XiaoSheng underground forced couples therapy, c) her frenzy from the end of ep 11 to when Da ShiXiong gets kidnapped into the Misty Forest, or d) or the moth lady kidnapping TianYao

10/10 would watch again and again.

#back from the brink #huxin #review #this drama was amazing #ignore the plot holes #if tianyao just SAID SOMETHING we would not have the some of the problems that came up #even hou minghao in an interview was like “tianyao say something. why aren't you saying anything”#also he should have gotten the rest of his body parts while he had suying nailed to her throne #if yanhui could break the seal in her lady of darkness form #I dont see why TianYao couldn't have snatched a body of a taoist person that he def killed on his descend and go get his spine and heart #your heart was right there #I know it was for future plot. but still #also the Dark Phantom Lord reveal was the BIGGEST disappointment #what a lame villain

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kimbapisnotsushi · 1 year

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can you talk about what you like about From Up On Poppy Hill? /gen

Okay see I understand that this is genuine but also if you're wondering "why tf does this person like a movie that uses 'we found out that we might potentially share the same dad but we won't stop our feelings for each other' as a plot twist" then that is totally understandable it DOES make me seem like a bit of a weirdo I agree with that!!

But I love From Up on Poppy Hill for lots of reasons!! (Warning: this will contain spoilers!!) I admire the type of character Umi is. She's disciplined and hardworking and dedicated and, ugh, the fact that she raises the flags every day??? When it was her dad who taught her how and she kept raising them when he was gone in hopes that it would lead him back home?? And she keeps doing it even though he never will? It makes my heart ache whenever I watch it.

It's also pretty funny, even if in a simple way. I always crack up when they're hosting the student council meeting and a fight breaks out and then the one student runs to tell everyone the principal's coming and everyone's like "OH SHIT" and they IMMEDIATELY unify and start singing. Also when Shiro and Shun are having a serious conversation while they're using the restroom, and when Umi drops Shun back into the water after holding out her hand, and uhhh there's probably some that I'm missing but I can't name any more off the top of my head right now LMAO.

Also the visuals! The music!! It makes for such a beautiful atmosphere for a real-world setting. Let me tell you, listening to the Breakfast Song is a GREAT way to start your day and get in the mood about being productive and feeling good about chores.

And I really, really love how all the students came together to save the clubhouse. Call me a sentimental sap, but I think there's something really great about them working hard to clean it up and give it love and life and turning it into something to be kept, even if a lot of them never used it in the first place.

All in all, I know it might seem like a weird Ghibli movie to like, and it's not like I don't love the other ones either, but I just think From Up on Poppy Hill remains pretty unseen and deserves a lot more love. Thanks for listening, anon!!

#this isn't me falling into the 'you have to justify why you like this piece of media with some problems' btw i just really love rambling #and i love from up on poppy hill #I ONCE READ A REVIEW OF IT THAT CALLED THE CHARACTER DESIGNS 'BLAND' ????#LADY IT TOOK PLACE IN 1980S REAL WORLD YOKOHOMA WHAT WERE YOU EXPECTING #they're SUPPOSED to look normal?? like real people??#dear lord #from up on poppy hill #sou answers #sou says stuff

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beboped1 · 2 years

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Lords and Ladies

Took me a little longer to finish this one, due to some real life interruptions.

Lords and Ladies

First Read: Grad School

Verdict Then: An enjoyable entry that nicely wraps up Magrat's story, and I do like the evil elves.

Verdict Now: Bouncing back from Witches Abroad, this is a very fun adventure story with great character moments that isn't trying to be more than that.

I take back what I said in my Witches Abroad review about Granny Weatherwax being a bad protagonist. Pratchett just wasn't a good enough writer yet to balance the mystique and internal view of the character. But by Lords and Ladies, he definitely is.

Lords and Ladies is a substantial change of pace from Small Gods, and I appreciate it. Not every book should aim to give the reader an existential crisis, sometimes we just want characters bouncing off each other, a slowly building crisis, and a simple through line theme. Lords and Ladies is in many ways a classic adventure tale, and really without the direct deconstruction or parody that characterized the previous adventure-y Discworld novels.

It does feel like Pratchett has turned a corner in his writing after Witches Abroad. Rather than engaging with classic narrative arcs in a parodic or explicitly deconstructing way, he's starting to lean into them, using them as tools. Compare Lords and Ladies to, say, Guards, Guards. In Guards, Guards, Vimes gets a classic character arc but Carrot doesn't - rather, Carrot is a deconstruction/reversal of the "innocent destined hero" trope, and deconstruction like that is baked into the heart of the book. In Lords and Ladies, Magrat gets a coming of age story, Granny Weatherwax has a crisis of faith, and Nanny Ogg gets to show off the strength of her pro-social witching. But all of those arcs are played basically straight - there's no wink-nod or other deflation. There is still a kind of "fractured fairy tale" feel here - Pratchett is still himself - but it's more aesthetic than structural.

This is a great choice for this book in particular, because it really lets the witch characters play around and off each other. Nanny Ogg in particular has some amazing moments, showing off how she complements Weatherwax perfectly. Magrat finally gets a real character arc - learning to let go of some of her insecurity and how to decide for herself how she will fill the role she's given. On the other side, the Elves do feel a bit blah as villains. They're almost more a force of nature than a true villain - there's intentionally no humanity to them, to better reflect how each of the witches' approach to life is essentially human. And maybe this happened in the 30 years between when it was written and now, but "elves/fairies are actually evil buggers" is at this point such an extremely well worn trope that it doesn't even scan as parody any more.

Side characters are great - Pratchett really flexes his "economical character establishment" muscles here with Mr Brooks, Hodgesaargh, Shawn Ogg, and the Morris Men. I have to love Casanunda, who tries so hard and finally gets his night with Nanny Ogg. It's also refreshing to see such a female character focused book after Small Gods, which may not have a single named female character, and certainly doesn't have any of importance. He's made some huge leaps in writing women too, moving past many of the "man in your MFA class" tropes that had hindered much of his previous work.

Theme wise, there's definitely a "keeping people ignorant of the truth is harmful, mostly" thread, but it's pretty light and doesn't really hit that hard. I don't know where in my final list Lords and Ladies will place, but it's exactly the kind of functional, fun, and light work that would make a great airplane read, and it's not trying to be anything else. Not every book should be a transcendent treatise on human nature - sometimes, all you want is a story.

#gnu terry pratchett #terry pratchett #book review #books #discworld #fantasy books #long post #Lords and Ladies

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isekyaaa · 1 year

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The Wolf Lord's Lady is honestly such a fantastic reincarnation manga/LN in taking a popular trope and twisting it in such a complex way.

It's common for a villainess to be executed and then thrown back x amount of years into the past, but this one is about an innocent noble girl who discovered on the night that a coup against her family was taking place that it was all planned by her servant lover. Her family was murdered on that night and she was taken into custody. She only realized in full after she was reborn as a completely new person that her family whom she loved was corrupt. They were the source of the poverty and hardships the people of the fief faced. Under the rule of her ex-lover, the lives of everyone changed for the better.

The pain of learning that your family who only showed you love were terrible people. Having your outcome be used as a lesson to scold naughty children. Always being painted as the horrible villain in children's stories. The humiliation of falling so hard for someone only to realize he was using you the whole time. And then finding out that he actually never moved on since your death, unable to unshackle himself from the guilt of your death. How do you feel justified to grieve your family that you loved when they did horrible things? How can you live with the guilt you could've done something to save everyone if you were more observant? How do you repent for all the suffering you were blind to?

It's this messy situation where fingers can't be pointed. Nobody can take full blame. Nothing is clean cut.

#spoilers #analysis #and the best part is that that whole thing takes place in like 12-14 manga chapters ayyyyyyy #i really love it though #isekai/reincarnation has such potential but it's wasted on shitty villainess avoiding her fate crap #the wolf lord's lady #reincarnation #isekai #i don't think it counts but it's similar enough #light novel #manga #i am really bad at synopses but hopefully people will understand what i tried to write L #the novelupdates page is so funny bc the reviews are torn between ppl saying it's fantastic and hating the ml #no reading comprehension syndrome rest in peace 😔#if you read this thinking that the ML was an asshole and terrible person and doesn't deserve the heroine pls read it again

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midnightmoviereviews · 5 hours

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MIDNIGHT REVIEWS Shōgun Episode Nine

Hi there. It's Shogun Day, which means episode nine is available to stream.

Definitely worth your time even if you're new to the show and have to start from the beginning. I'd be jealous of you, actually, getting to watch it for the first time.

Review here!

Check out my other stuff, if you like. There are some lists, but mostly reviews of movies and TV shows that range from amazing (Shōgun, Civil War) all the way to horrible (Lift, Argylle).

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ahb-writes · 1 month

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Comics Review: 'Talli: Daughter of the Moon' #1

Talli: Daughter of the Moon #1 by Sourya, Francois Vigneault

action

adventure

fantasy

medieval fantasy

mythology

summoner

swords and sorcery

violence

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

The last of anything ancient and feared often begets the first of something new and revered.

They say the summoners, daughters of deities long past, were all hunted and slain. They say the beasts they commanded, and the remnant forests within which they communed, have gone astray. And they say the few remaining believers of these summoners and their ancestral deities, they say these disciples of a dying religion are naught but heretics whom the ruling authorities possess every right to stab, to bleed, and to hang.

TALLI: DAUGHTER OF THE MOON v1 is a tightly-wound fantasy graphic novel packed with rusty swords, ornery archers, underground sects of forbidden faiths, doting fathers, greedy innkeepers, and one irascible princess who may be the key to unlocking a war between fabled beasts (chimeras) and human folk — the second in written memory.

Lady Talli is the last known summoner: In her blood rests the mythic ability to call forth giant, destructive creatures, among other cool skills. Too bad she's still a teenager and has no idea how to control her power. She's yet to truly come of age, but circumstances being what they are, she must flee her home, seek safety among strangers, and pledge to protect herself against an array of forthcoming danger.

But it's not all bad. Things could be worse. The obsessive Lord Ulric and his troops have swarmed the countryside, hunting for the girl. And Lord Ulric's top soldier, Captain Nina of the Special Brigade, is an ace tracker and is the best in the land with a bow and arrow.

In just one volume, TALLI v1 offers a splendid mix of sword fighting, castle intrigue, and fantastical lore. Lady Talli isn't particularly well-informed about her bloodline, but kind and curious strangers fill in the gaps for her (and the reader). Can she trust the annoying old merchant, Pavel, who seems to know more about rare jewels and ancient artifacts than a street vendor probably should? Can Talli trust the sleepy-eyed young man, Lélo, who calls Pavel his grandfather, despite Lélo's peculiar habit for sleeping during the day and never when the sun goes down? Talli is blessed/cursed as a summoner, but what's the deal with Lélo?

The tale of Lady Talli has only just begun, but readers already know the young woman must contest with a history she does not know, a future others dread may come to pass, and a present she claims, fearlessly, she will meet head-on.

The book's author, Sourya, has produced a delicious meld of consequential compositional aesthetics from European comics, on one hand, and humor and narrative design elements from Japanese comics on the other. Of the former, the comic book's environmental design includes roving and wide-angle views of old brick bridges, pastoral panoramas of castles among fields, as well as strong overhead and aerial shots of fight scenes in the middle of a rainstorm. Of the latter, readers encounter lush, Ghibli-styled food spreads, inimitable character expressions marking fear or surprise, as well as kinetic action sequences that gleefully marry purposeful panel arrangement with minimal dialogue. The level of detail afforded the book's stone streets, dirt roads, sunset skies, tiled roofs, tufted hills, dark alleyways, and more speak of an artist who loves their work.

TALLI v1 artfully balances humor, adventure, and the wicked uncertainties of ancient magecraft. The comic's emphasis on Talli as an ambitious young woman with a flawed sense of bravery is an exquisite model for future narrative surprises. Talli flees her home because her life is threatened, but in doing so, she sees wildflowers for the first time and must learn to speak with other classes of people to negotiate fair fares. The young woman amazes as often as she frustrates, as expected of the last daughter of the moon.

❯ ❯ Comics Reviews || ahb writes on Good Reads

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annafromuni · 5 months

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One of the best Historical Fiction Murder Mystery Series

Andrea Penrose continues to put out incredibly engaging, twisted tales that I cannot help but sink my teeth into. Murder at the Serpentine Bridge has everything you could possibly want – a political gathering of the ages, a dastardly plot which threatens national security, a brilliant rag-tag gang of sleuths and a time pressure which makes everything so much more compelling. I’m no strange to…

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#murder at the serpentine bridge #andrea penrose #wrexford and sloane mystery series #lady charlotte sloane #lord wrexford #historical fiction #historical crime mystery #murder mystery #historical fiction books #regency era mystery #book review

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burningvelvet · 4 months

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Lord Byron's first edition copy of Frankenstein (1818), one of only two known surviving copies to be personally inscribed by Mary Shelley (the other is to her friend Mrs. Thomas). Byron took this copy with him when he went into the Greek War of Independence, and it was among his personal things when he died there in 1824:

Mary didn't disclose her name in the inscription because the novel was published anonymously and she initially wanted to keep it that way. However, Byron did reveal her identity in a letter to his publisher, correcting his assumption that Percy was the one who wrote the novel:

"The story of the agreement to write the Ghost-books is true — but the ladies are not Sisters — one is Godwin’s daughter by Mary Wolstonecraft — and the other the present Mrs. Godwin’s daughter by a former husband. Mary Godwin (now Mrs. Shelley) wrote 'Frankenstein' — which you have reviewed thinking it Shelley’s — methinks it is a wonderful work for a Girl of nineteen — not nineteen indeed — at that time."

Under Mary Shelley's consultation, Thomas Moore writes in his Life of Lord Byron (vol III):

"During a week of rain at this time, having amused themselves with reading German ghost-stories, they agreed, at last, to write something in imitation of them. 'You and I,' said Lord Byron to Mrs. Shelley, 'will publish ours together.'"

Percy, writing as Mary with her permission, mentions Byron and himself (in the third-person) in the novel's 1818 preface thus:

"Two other friends (a tale from the pen of one of whom would be far more acceptable to the public than any thing I can ever hope to produce) and myself agreed to write each a story, founded on some supernatural occurrence.

The weather, however, suddenly became serene; and my two friends left me on a journey among the Alps, and lost, in the magnificent scenes which they present, all memory of their ghostly visions. The following tale is the only one which has been completed."

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ankhmorporkhistoriansguild · 2 years

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Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett: Discussion and Review

Lords and Ladies Audiobook

#Discworld #Terry Pratchett #the witches books #lords and ladie #Granny Weatherwax #nanny ogg #magrat garlick #discworld book club #book review

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quasi-normalcy · 7 months

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WHY IS it felt that the continued elevation of J K Rowling can only be achieved at the expense of other writers (Mistress of magic, News Review, last week)? Now we learn that prior to Harry Potter the world of fantasy was plagued with "knights and ladies morris-dancing to Greensleeves." In fact the best of it has always been edgy and inventive, with "the dark heart of the real world" being exactly what, underneath the top dressing, it is all about. Ever since The Lord of the Rings revitalised the genre, writers have played with it, reinvented it, subverted it and bent it to the times. It has also contained some of the very best, most accessible writing for children, by writers who seldom get the acknowledgement they deserve. Rowling says that she didn't realise that the first Potter book was fantasy until after it was published. I'm not the world's greatest expert, but I would have thought that the wizards, witches, trolls, unicorns, hidden worlds, jumping chocolate frogs, owl mail, magic food, ghosts, broomsticks and spells would have given her a clue?'

Terry Pratchett, letter in the Sunday Times, 2005.

#gnu terry pratchett #jk rowling #fantasy

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emilybeemartin · 6 months

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Masterpost

My Published Books:

A Field Guide to Mermaids (2022, Macmillan Kids, Middle-grade illustrated science-fantasy) "An indispensable, encyclopedic resource for nature quests—mythological or otherwise." - Kirkus Starred Review

The Outlaw Road duology (Harper Collins, Epic fantasy) "This is epic fantasy done right." -Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Sunshield (2020)

Floodpath (2021)

The Creatures of Light trilogy (Harper Collins, Epic fantasy)

Woodwalker (2016)

Ashes to Fire (2017)

Creatures of Light (2018)

Official Portfolio

Redbubble Shop (Lord of the Rings merch)

INPRNT Shop (portfolio prints)

Fanworks:

Boromir Lives AU Illustrated Anthology:

Boromir Lives: Helm's Deep

Boromir Lives: Whump-Time After Pelennor

Boromir Lives: GO TO SLEEP

Boromir Lives: Aragorn's Coronation

Boromir Lives: Faramir and Eowyn's Wedding

Boromir Lives: Panic! At the Ballroom

Boromir Lives: It's a BABY

Boromir Lives: High Uncle of the White Tower

Boromir Lives: We Didn't Have a Choice

Boromir Lives: The Haircuts

Other Lord of the Rings comics/illustrations

The Raccoon Saga

Boromir and Faramir Swimming the Anduin

Boromir on Caradhras

Ladies of Gondor and Rohan

Legolas Ten-Year Redraw

The Three Hunters Solve a Mystery

This Stupid One that Always Makes the Rounds

Queen's Thief Illustrations (This is by no means complete; these are just some of the ones I spent the most time on.)

Official Character Lineup

The Symbolism Illustration

At the Window

QT Appreciation Week Watercolor

The Fate of All Thieves

That One Scene

Don't Lower the Point in Third!

Rooftop

Park Ranger Stuff:

Tips for Applying for NPS Jobs

#emily b martin #a field guide to mermaids #the outlaw road duology #sunshield #floodpath #creatures of light #woodwalker #ashes to fire #lord of the rings #boromir #legolas #queens thief #eugenides #park ranger #national parks

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just-aake · 6 months

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Boundless Devotion - Part VII

Pairing: princess!Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader

Summary: MedievalAU. Natasha is the eldest princess of the Romanov Kingdom. As the time of her coronation approaches, she is suddenly forced to make a decision – either find herself a partner or her parents will choose one for her.

Warnings: slight fluff

Words: 4888

In the days following that night, Natasha has been spending more time with you, just like before. The two of you continue your search for a solution to break the mind control's hold on you.

Her mother had only been involved in the early stages of the original Widow operations, so she was unfamiliar with the specifics of the process that further developed this version of mind control. She suggested to Natasha that the person who may be able to provide more information about the subject would be your father.

When Natasha shared this with you, you fell silent for the rest of the day, and she decided not to bring it up again.

As the date of the festival approached, Natasha found herself increasingly busy with overseeing most of the preparations, a task assigned to her by her mother.

Consequently, this left her with little time to see you.

The castle's staff quickly noticed how this affected their princess's mood. On days when she couldn't see you at all, Natasha became upset and sullen, often sighing deeply throughout the day as she completed her tasks.

For some unknown reason, on those days, Natasha felt like she missed you even more than during the past year when you had avoided her.

However, with the festival finally here, she was excited to spend time with you again.

Natasha is currently reviewing potential leads to discuss with you later when a knock on the library door interrupts her. She invites the unexpected visitor inside and raises an eyebrow at who it is.

"Shouldn't you be at the festival with your children already?" she asks.

Clint chuckles and nods, "I was going to head over right after this." His voice drops into a more serious tone. "Do you have some time to talk for a bit?"

Natasha gives him her full attention, gesturing for him to continue.

“There have been some cases of guards and soldiers disappearing within the kingdom,” Clint reveals. “Why hasn’t anyone informed me about this?” Natasha asks.

Clint offers a casual shrug, explaining, “Well, those missing typically reappear after a couple of days, so there hasn't been much cause for alarm. Most of the higher-ranking soldiers assume that they must have celebrated a bit too hard and got lost on their way back.”

Natasha frowns at the careless handling of such a suspicious situation.

"But that's not the strange part," Clint continues with an unsure expression. "When they return, they have no recollection of what happened to them or where they've been."

Natasha crosses her arms in thought, glancing down at her notes on the Widow operations. It’s a bit unnerving how this new information lines up with how the operations usually went–disappearances and memory loss. Is it possible that it’s just a coincidence?

Clint clears his throat to regain her attention before continuing, "I've also found the information that you requested about the man involved in the attack at the cemetery."

Natasha looks up at that and asks, “So who is he?”

“As Lady Y/N said, he used to be a soldier in Stark's army during the war and the one responsible for the murder of Lord Dreykov's wife. Not only that, he's guilty of other crimes as well—the slaughter of his entire squad on a mission, even the murder of his wife and children. He's been on the run ever since.”

Puzzled, Natasha questions, “So why come back here now?”

“Unfortunately, the guards at the dungeon say he is refusing to answer any questions unless…” Clint trails off, hesitating to speak the next words.

“Unless what?” Natasha presses with a furrowed brow, already sensing she won't like what he's about to say.

“...unless he gets to speak to Lady Y/n.”

"No," Natasha immediately objects, her determination unwavering. She won't allow him anywhere near you again.

"Absolutely not," she adds, giving Clint a stern look, leaving no room for discussion.

"Understood," Clint acknowledges. "I'll see if they can find another way to get him to talk."

Natasha gives him a grateful nod and then asks, "Was there anything else?"

"One last thing," Clint says with a small smirk. "The queen sent someone to tell you that you were supposed to meet with her at the festival already to discuss your responsibilities for the day."

Natasha curses softly under her breath, realizing she was so absorbed in her research that she had forgotten about her prior commitments with her mother.

After a quick horse ride into town, Natasha finds herself at the festival near the entrance of the royal tent, her arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently as her mother outlines her duties.

“—I'll need you to return here in a few hours to greet the nobles arriving from the other kingdoms. After that, there’s the jousting tournament…”

Glancing to the side, Natasha's attention drifts away when she spots you in her peripheral vision, strolling alongside Wanda and Pietro. She couldn't help but smile softly as she saw you laughing at one of Pietro's failed attempts at a game booth.

“Then there’s the—,” Queen Melina stops mid-sentence, realizing Natasha is no longer paying attention. She follows her daughter's gaze and notices that it is you who has captured her focus.

With a knowing sigh, Queen Melina dismisses her next words with a shake of her head.

“Never mind, I’ll just have your father handle most of this, but at least come and greet the members of the other kingdoms when they arrive.”

When Natasha doesn’t respond, Melina waves her hand in front of her daughter’s face. “Are you listening, Natasha?”

“Yeah, okay, meeting later, I’ll be there,” Natasha acknowledges her mother's words distractedly, her gaze still fixed on you.

Queen Melina sighs in exasperation and departs to find her husband, leaving Natasha alone, completely absorbed in watching you.

You look good, she admits, your expression lighter and happier than before.

Natasha has always known you were beautiful, but with the sun shining, you seem to glow even more under its rays.

A sudden shove against her side draws her attention away from you, and she turns to look at the culprit beside her.

“You’re staring.” Yelena points out before casually tossing another piece of popcorn into her mouth.

“What?” Natasha frowns at the accusation. “No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you were,” Yelena rolls her eyes at her sister’s denial, “I’ve been standing next to you for a couple of minutes already, and you didn’t even notice.”

Letting out a huff of disbelief, Natasha decides to change the subject, “Was there something that you needed, Yelena?”

“Nope, but if all you're going to do is stand here the entire day, then I’ll just go over and hang out with Y/n instead.”

Yelena moves towards you, but Natasha grabs the back of her collar and pulls her back, preventing her from going any further.

“Don’t you need to go find your other half?” Natasha remarks.

Yelena, still held back by Natasha's grip, appears unbothered as she continues eating her snack. She shrugs in response to Natasha's question.

“Kate’s busy preparing for the archery competition.”

“Then maybe you should follow her example and prepare for your own competition,” Natasha lectures her.

Yelena groans, “God, you sound like mom.”

Natasha lets go of her grip at that statement and rolls her eyes before turning to look at you.

Yelena adjusts her collar and glances between Natasha and you in the distance curiously.

“So are the two of you still pretending to be a couple?”

Natasha nods in response, “Of course, mom’s been off my back ever since we started. Meanwhile, Y/n can have the time she needs to find a partner for herself without having Lord Rumlow breathing down her neck. Everybody wins.”

Yelena blinks at Natasha in disbelief for a moment before exclaiming, “Oh wow, you’re serious.”

“What?” Natasha asks, giving her a perplexed expression.

“Nothing, it's just... I guess I've underestimated how clueless you are when it comes to romance.”

Yelena rubs her chin, whispering to herself in thought, “I really thought you would realize by now.”

“Realize what?” Natasha presses, slightly annoyed at her comments.

Yelena makes a zipping gesture across her lips.

“I can’t say. That would be cheating.”

Natasha rolls her eyes and pushes her away in another direction.

“Go bother Kate.”

“All I can say is you should take some time to reexamine your relationship with Y/n before it's too late," Yelena urges before walking away with a nonchalant wave goodbye.

Squinting at Yelena in confusion, Natasha shakes her head, dismissing her sister's warning. There’s nothing wrong with her relationship with you, at least not anymore now that you and she have cleared things up.

Her friendship with you is still as strong as before.

Turning around, Natasha is about to make her way over to you but is stopped by a lady she recognizes from one of the other noble houses.

“Princess Natasha, would you like some company this afternoon?”

Natasha gives her a tight but polite smile.

“Oh, uh, no, thank you for the offer but—.“

Another lady appears, presenting a plate of baked treats at her, blocking her path.

“Would you like to try some of these pastries, princess? They’re freshly baked.”

“I’m good, thanks,” Natasha responds politely.

She attempts to maneuver around the ladies, but more and more people begin to notice her presence and gather around her.

Soon, she finds herself quickly encircled by a crowd of ladies, their voices merging into a cacophony of compliments and inquiries directed at her.

Natasha tries to look in your direction, but to her frustration, she can't even see you through the crowd that's formed around her.

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, over where you were at, Pietro groans in disappointment when the ball rolls out of the target, signaling his loss once more.

“Pietro, you’re going to lose all of your money at this rate,” Wanda remarks.

“Like you can do better,” he counters.

Wanda grins confidently at the challenge and hands a coin to the vendor for another round. She tosses the ball at the target, and it spins on the rim a couple of times.

Just as it was about to fall out, the ball suddenly tipped into the goal.

The vendor claps in amazement and hands Wanda one of the prizes.

You pull her away quickly.

“Wanda!” you whisper with a chastising tone. “You shouldn’t be using your magic like that.”

"What? I'm getting a lot better with them, and nobody even noticed," Wanda reassures you.

Pietro hums in thought. “Hey, do you think you can use that to win any of the other games?”

“Pietro!” You turn your reprimanding tone toward the other twin.

He raises his hands defensively, “I was kidding.” He tilts his head in thought, “Sort of kidding.”

When he sees you are about to continue your reprimanding, he points at another booth in the distance.

“Oh look, they are selling pies! I’ll go get us some slices!” Pietro runs off quickly before you can stop him.

You shake your head at him, letting out a light huff.

Loud excited chatter and noise catch your attention, and you hear faint chants of the princess's name.

You turn with a smile, expecting to see Natasha. However, your smile drops slightly into a bittersweet line when you see the scene in front of you.

A feeling of disappointment creeps into your heart. You had hoped to spend some time with Natasha today at the festival, having grown accustomed to her attention and time spent with you recently. But you had forgotten how public events like these usually went.

Natasha always ends up surrounded by people who adore her.

Wanda notices your sad expression, and when she looks at the cause of your shift in mood, she nods in understanding.

She pulls on your arm to get your attention. “You know, you are technically her partner. You can go over there and be with her.”

You consider the option before shaking your head lightly.

“No, it’s fine. I don’t want to interrupt anything.”

Wanda frowns at your refusal before asking, “How are things going between you and the princess anyway?”

You tilt your head in thought at the question.

“Good, I guess. Last time, we found some old notes on the initial trials of the operations. That might give us some new ideas.”

Wanda deflates when she realizes that you were only talking about the research you did together. She sighed exasperatedly, crossing her arms.

“I could’ve sworn something more was going to happen between you two, especially since I found the both of you in bed together that morning.”

You quickly covered her mouth and looked around to see if anyone had overheard.

“Sleeping, Wanda,” you stress with a small blush on your face. ”We were just sleeping. Nothing happened.”

You remember how you had woken up that following morning, surprised to find Natasha's sleeping face beside you. Her arm was wrapped around you protectively as she slept, securing you in place. Not wanting to wake her, you decided to go back to sleep.

Later, you were awakened again. This time by the sound of Wanda clearing her throat with a message from Queen Melina looking for Natasha for their usual morning meeting. Natasha had rushed out after hearing that, with a quick goodbye and a promise to meet up later.

You had given Wanda a sharp warning glare before she could make any teasing comment about the situation. Thankfully, she didn’t bring it up again.

Until now.

Wanda places her hands on her hips, frowning at you.

“Do you like Princess Natasha?” she asks plainly.

You look away from her accusing stare and wave your hand casually.

“Of course, who doesn’t?”

Wanda pokes you in the shoulder, annoyed at your response. “No, not as a friend or as the princess, I mean do you like her?”

You feel your face heat up at the question.

“I—it’s not like that, Wanda. There’s nothing going on between Nataha and me.”

Wanda presses on, “But do you want there to be?”

At her words, you look at Natasha, and that warm feeling from before fills your chest again.

“You know I can’t, Wanda,” you say sadly.

“Why not?”

“Because…” You pause, closing your eyes briefly in frustration. “Because we’re friends, and we just repaired that relationship. I'm not going to ruin it over some little feelings.”

Wanda furrows her brows, “That’s not fair. You never go after what you want.”

She gestures to the crowd of people surrounding Natasha, all of them trying to get her attention.

“You have a better chance of actually being with her than any of those ladies,” Wanda points out confidently.

You roll your eyes in disbelief. “That’s not true. Natasha can have anybody she wants. Everybody loves her. She’s kind, smart, brave—”

“I’m sure the same can be said about me, Lady Y/n,” a grating voice interrupts you.

You grimace, a silent sigh escaping your lips at the sound of the insufferable noble. Turning around, you give him a tight expression.

“Lord Rumlow, what a surprise,” you say sarcastically.

Next to you, Wanda doesn’t bother hiding her disgust at the presence of the noble, already familiar with his persistent advances toward you.

Deciding to try and get this conversation over with quickly, you ask, “Was there something you needed?”

His eyes roam over you shamelessly in a way that makes you feel thoroughly repulsed before finally speaking with a smug smirk.

“Well, seeing how Princess Natasha won’t be participating in the tournament later, I thought I'd let you know that I would be honored to receive a token of your support for me.” His tone drips with false humility.

Before you can respond, Wanda can't help but scoff at his audacity, muttering in disbelief, "Unbelievable."

Rumlow's eyes narrow when he notices her standing beside you. “What did you say?”

Wanda meets his gaze defiantly and continues, “You've got some nerve, requesting a favor from a lady who has already rejected you.”

“Why you little…“ He begins to raise his hand as if to strike her, but you swiftly step in front of Wanda, catching his wrist in a firm grip before you address him.

“Lord Rumlow,” you say, your voice calm but with a clear, warning undertone, “she is someone very important to me. So, I strongly suggest you reconsider your next action before you do something that would greatly upset me."

He pulls his hand away and points towards Wanda with a sneer. "That girl should know better than to address me that way."

“Then allow me to instead,” you interject firmly, silencing him.

“Wanda is right. You are truly unbelievable. For some reason, you can’t seem to comprehend that I have absolutely no interest in you whatsoever. And you are arrogant to think that I would give you any favor, given my relationship with Princess Natasha.”

He scoffs, his face reddening with anger and embarrassment as some people stop to listen. “The only reason you chose her over me is because of her status. If she weren’t the princess—”

“I would still choose her,” you state firmly.

He sputters in disbelief, “But—”

You raise your hand in a silencing gesture. “Understand this, Lord Rumlow, even if she wasn't the princess, even if she were just an ordinary person in the kingdom with no title, I would always choose her over you, every single time.”

Lord Rumlow gapes at you, too stunned to respond.

Crossing your arms, you lean in slightly and lower your voice in a threatening manner. “Now, I believe you should find somewhere else to enjoy the festival and leave me and those I care about alone, unless you want me to continue to humiliate you further.”

Lord Rumlow glances around at the now small crowd of onlookers, who are blatantly watching the confrontation with interest.

With a disgruntled sneer, he turns and stomps away, but only manages to go a short distance before stumbling, right into a plate of pie.

Pietro gasps exaggeratedly, in a way that is too dramatic to be real, when the pastries that he was holding are smeared all over the lord. He quickly apologizes to Lord Rumlow before hurrying over to you and Wanda, barely concealing his smirk as he discreetly high-fives his sister.

Lord Rumlow curses loudly in anger at the mess on him before scurrying away from the laughter of the nearby people.

You're almost certain you saw the familiar red mist disappearing from his shoe when he stumbled.

Turning your attention to Wanda and Pietro, you shoot them a suspicious look. However, they both maintain innocent expressions while also avoiding your gaze.

You attempt to maintain your reprimanding demeanor, but even you can't stifle the laughter bubbling up within you, and soon, the three of you are sharing a hearty laugh at the absurd situation.

After a moment, Pietro lets out a contented sigh. “That was the most fun I’ve had in a while.”

You agree. It was the kind of story that you know Natasha would enjoy hearing about. However, when you look back at her, your smile fades, replaced by disappointment at the reminder of how she is still surrounded by her admirers.

Pietro notices your expression and leans in to whisper to his sister, “What's up with her?”

Wanda responds with an exasperated sigh. “Y/n wants to spend time with the princess and is upset that she’s surrounded by other women.”

“Wanda!”

Unbothered by your exclamation, Wanda shrugs.

“It's true.”

Pietro glances over at the crowd and then back to his sister with a mischievous smirk. “Hmm, Wanda, are you thinking what I'm thinking?”

Wanda matches his expression with a sneaky look of her own. “I'll handle the distraction.”

“Then I'll run in and grab the princess,” Pietro declares. The twins nod at each other in agreement.

You try to stop them, “Wait, you two, don't—” but it's too late. They have already left your side, heading toward the crowd.

Natasha gives a tight smile as yet another person tries to engage her in conversation. She's been trying to excuse herself for a while, but the amount of people around her keeps growing.

Suddenly, dozens of kites seamlessly drift through the crowd, capturing everyone's attention. Then they shoot up high into the sky causing the onlookers to look up in awe, entranced by the spectacle of colorful kites twirling in the sky.

Natasha, however, observes the kites with suspicion. Something about their movement seems unnatural, and there's barely a gust of wind in the air.

Before she can contemplate it further, a hand grabs her wrist and swiftly pulls her through the crowd. Unable to see who’s holding her, she's about to break free when she's thrown forward out of the crowd and into your arms.

You catch her, providing support as she regains her balance.

When Natasha pulls back to see your face, she gives you a charming smile.

“Hey, you,” she breathes out in greeting.

You bite your lip to contain your smile.

“Hi,” you reply, and for a moment, the two of you simply gaze at each other.

The sound of a high-five grabs your attention, and you turn to see the twins returning to your side, both wearing satisfied expressions.

“I think that went well,” Pietro comments, fixing his slightly disheveled hair from the hurried run.

In response to his words, Natasha looks at you curiously. “I guess I should be thanking the three of you for the rescue then.”

You laugh lightly in amusement. “Oh, so being surrounded by women fawning over you now qualifies as a situation that requires saving?”

“Careful, Y/n, that almost sounded like you were jealous,” Natasha teases with a smirk.

Rolling your eyes, you huff in disbelief before gently pushing her away, allowing her to stand on her own.

“Please, if I got jealous every time someone wanted your affection, I'd be jealous my entire life,” you counter.

“Well, thank you anyway,” Natasha chuckles before giving you a soft look. “So it looks like my schedule cleared up. Is it okay if I join you three around the festival?”

“That’s fine—“ you start.

“Actually,” Pietro raises his hand to interrupt. ”I have a date, so I have to go.”

You give him a suspicious look, but he just winks at you before dashing off.

Wanda starts to back away as well. “And I think I’ll check out the fortune teller. Have my future read and all that.”

You catch Wanda’s hand before she escapes, whispering to her accusingly, already aware of her intentions. “You don’t even believe in that stuff.”

“Well, I do now,” Wanda whispers back, slipping her hand from your grip before looking pointedly at the princess, who is waiting patiently a short distance away. “Maybe they’ll tell me when you’ll finally decide to act on your feelings.”

She turns and leaves quickly with a wave goodbye, exclaiming. “Have fun, you two!”

Natasha steps up next to you. “So, I guess it’s just you and me,” she says before adding playfully, “This could be like our second date in public.”

You cross your arms and look away from her as if considering her offer, humming teasingly, “I don’t know, I wouldn't want to deprive you of the chance to be with all of your admirers.”

Natasha bumps your shoulders playfully before a small smirk appears on her lips.

“Jealousy looks cute on you,” she comments, before taking your hand and bringing it up to her lips for a soft kiss. “But, to be honest, I’d rather spend my time with you.”

Sounds of coos and awes surround the two of you, reminding you of your supposed relationship with the princess in the eyes of the people of the kingdom. Even if this was all to keep up appearances, you can’t help but blush at her actions and words.

Natasha smiles fondly at your expression, tilting her head in question. “So what do you say, Lady Y/n, would you like to join me on another date?”

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Natasha watches you with a soft smile as you admire the performers on stage, completely entranced by the show.

She had initially focused on the performance as well, but when she glanced over to see your reaction, she found herself distracted and unable to return her attention to the stage, becoming more interested in watching you.

Natasha finally tears her gaze away when the performance ends and joins you and the crowd in clapping.

As she finishes, her hand naturally finds yours, and she intertwines them again. It's strange; she's never noticed before how comfortable and perfectly your hand fits in hers.

As the crowd disperses around you, you turn to look at her in question. “Your turn, what do you want to do next?”

Natasha surveys the surrounding festivities before nodding toward a game booth where participants are throwing darts to pop the balloon targets.

“How about a friendly competition? Whoever gets more points wins,” she suggests.

You glance at the game she's referring to and nod in agreement before pulling her toward the booth.

“Sure, it’s been a while since the last time I beat you at a game,” you tease her.

Natasha follows behind you and lets out a laugh of disbelief. “That last time was a tie, and you know it.”

You glance over your shoulder at her with a small smirk. “Whatever you say, princess.”

Natasha hands the vendor some coins for a round for each of you, and he places ten darts on the tabletop, five for each person.

Natasha picks up the first dart and smoothly throws it at the targets, popping a balloon. She gives you a confident smirk before stepping back with a dramatic gesture for your turn.

You roll your eyes fondly and take your position, aiming carefully before throwing your dart and popping a balloon.

The two of you continue with each of you popping a balloon during your respective turns until only one dart remains for each.

“How about a little wager?” Natasha suggests before you take your final shot.

“So much for just a friendly competition,” you say, laughing lightly, “Alright, what are you proposing?”

“If I win,” Natasha pauses with an amused smirk, “You let me teach you how to fight with a sword one day next week.”

You laugh lightly in amusement at the reminder of your promise and nod in agreement. “And if I win?”

“I’ll do whatever you want.”

“That’s not really something a soon-to-be ruler should be promising,” you tease her as you line up your shot.

With an accurate throw, your dart hits the center of a balloon, giving you a perfect score. You raise an eyebrow challengingly at her while Natasha nods approvingly at your shot, unworried.

When Natasha picks up her dart, you speak up in question. “What about if we tie?”

“I wouldn’t worry about that.” Natasha smiles confidently, turning away from the targets to look at you.

She holds your stare even as she throws the dart. Neither of you look at where it lands, but the unmistakable popping sound of two balloons signals the winner.

You accept your loss with a small teasing smile. “You could have just invited me. I would have agreed to come anyway.”

Natasha shrugs nonchalantly, “Yeah, but this way was more fun.”

She takes your hand once more, her thumb softly caressing the back. She tilts her head at you in question, “We don’t have to train if you don’t want to.”

“No, I want to,” you say reassuringly. “Besides, you've been stuck with me in the library the last few times we were together. It's only fair if we do something you would enjoy.”

Natasha frowns slightly and pulls you closer, holding both of your hands in hers and ensuring you focus on her words.

“Hey, I enjoy doing anything with you,” she insists softly.

Natasha's heart warms when you smile at her words. She's not sure if it's because it's been a couple of days since she last saw you, but to her, you look really stunning with that happy expression.

"Y/n!" a familiar voice calls out, bursting the peaceful bubble between you two.

You both turn to the source of the shout.

Before Natasha can react, you are swept away from her in a twirling hug, lifting you slightly off the ground as you let out a surprised yelp.

The blonde-haired newcomer smiles widely as she steadies you back on your feet in front of her.

"I was hoping to see you soon!" she exclaims.

You laugh lightly, regaining your balance and leaning slightly on her arms for support. You return the friendly greeting.

"It's so good to see you too. I haven't seen you in a couple of years with all your traveling."

The person finally turns to Natasha with a casual smirk and nods in greeting. "It has been a while since we were all together, hasn't it, Natasha?"

Natasha hides her displeased feelings at how you were taken away from her side and responds politely. "Yeah, it has." She eyes the hands still clasping yours, her teeth clenching slightly. "How have you been, Princess Carol?"

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Series Masterlist : Boundless Devotion

a/n: Thank you for reading!

Taglist: @lightwhoranoutoflight, @taliiiaasteria, @romanoffprentiss, @canvascoloredin, @silentwolfsstuff, @blacklightsposts, @arcturusseer, @presser24, @dvrkhcld, @jujuu23, @screechcat, @vivs46, @cd-4848, @youneversawmehereooooooo, @pancakefan7529, @confusedspaceotter, @natbelovasblog, @izzy-b09, @iamheartless, @mrsrushman

#natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff x fem!reader #natasha romanoff imagine #natasha romanoff x you #natasha romanoff fanfic #black widow x reader #natasha x reader #natasha romanoff

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queer-ragnelle · 9 months

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Excalibur (1981) | Directed by John Boorman

Arthurian Film List | Arthurian Show List | Movie review below the cut ⤦

Star rating: 10/10 Content warning: multiple rape scenes, heavy gore throughout, elements of horror, nudity, animal brutality (horses in battle are treated roughly) Overview: Writer and director John Boorman understood the assignment. It's evident this film was a passion project. Both of his children are in it (his daughter as Igraine, his son as young Mordred) and he had been working with J. R. R. Tolkien back in the 70s on an adaptation of Lord of the Rings which fell through, and much of those elements were revived and put to use here. The script, acting, score, and cinematography meet the epic demands an Arthurian film requires to succeed. Synopsis: The film opens with Uther before he meets Igraine and goes on to detail the entirety of Arthur's reign and life. Arthur's beginnings with Ector and Kay are very sweet and culminate in his pulling the sword in the stone and meeting a fun, quirky Merlin. The wizard trains Arthur up and he's eventually knighted by Urien and makes an ally of him while defending Leodegrance and Guinevere's castle. Arthur falls in love with Guinevere and intends to marry her, but first meets and battles Lancelot, wins his loyalty, and sends him to pick Guinevere up for the royal wedding. Meanwhile Morgan learns magic from Merlin and uses it to conceive Mordred with Arthur. After the royal wedding, the love affair between Lancelot and Guinevere begins. While staying away from Camelot, Lancelot meets country bumpkin Perceval, who follows Lancelot back to Camelot from his secluded woodland home, then takes up the mantle of Gareth Beaumains by working for Kay in the kitchens and champions Guinevere against Gawain until Lancelot can arrive. After the affair between he and Guinevere is found out, Lancelot runs off mad into the woods, and Arthur's prosperity declines. Perceval begins a decade-long quest in search of the Holy Grail to restore Arthur/Fisher King's health so he can reclaim his lands now ravaged by disease. Mordred has grown up in this time and been taught by Morgan to hate Arthur. Once Arthur has been cured, he goes to find Guinevere in the abbey where she had been living, and retrieves Excalibur, which she had been keeping safe for him all that time. Arthur then goes with his remaining knights to battle Mordred, where he is mortally wounded, and Perceval fulfills his final act for his king by returning the sword to the Lady of the Lake as Arthur is spirited away to Avalon. Final thoughts: This movie is so damn good. Nobody's doing it like Boorman. It's my favorite version of the grail quest. Very horror, as it should be. (Monty Python is a different tone, not a worse one!) I love everyone's acting here, the casting is so rich, I love the look and vibe of everyone, the Shakespearean line delivery. All of it. The gaudy green lighting is so 80s but it works, it sets a tone, it commits to the bit, illuminates every magical scene. And the armor is obviously incredible. I won't hear criticism. Either you get it or you don't. You can watch an entire mini-series about the armorer, Terry English, produced by Mythbuster's Adam Savage on YouTube, here. And if you want to learn more about Mordred's cool helmet specifically, watch here. Anyway please watch this, you won't be disappointed.

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etirabys · 6 months

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did you guys know about courtly love??? because I didn't

My introduction to courtly love was reading a Diana Wynne Jones novella that made no sense unless you know what courtly love is. After crawling confusedly through ancient Livejournal reviews to piece together what the story had been about, I took away that it was a weird medieval knight thing where you talk a lot of guff to a (married) woman without ever expecting it to turn into more than what it is.

The first chapter of CS Lewis's The Allegory of Love explains the concept much more thoroughly. His account is pleasantly bonkers. I now relay it to you. (Note: not only am I skeptical of parts of his account, I read it while sleep deprived, so salt liberally.)

First, a sketch of the relationship:

The lover is always abject. Obedience to his lady’s lightest wish, however whimsical, and silent acquiescence in her rebukes, however unjust, are the only virtues he dares to claim. There is a service of love closely modelled on the service which a feudal vassal owes to his lord. The lover is the lady’s ‘man’. He addresses her as midons, which etymologically represents not ‘my lady’ but ‘my lord’. The whole attitude has been rightly described as ‘a feudalisation of love’. This solemn amatory ritual is felt to be part and parcel of the courtly life.

This seems to have been both literary trope and a real-life interaction pattern (of which the former came first). A specific example in Arthuriana:

It is only later that [Lancelot] learns the cause of all this cruelty. The Queen has heard of his momentary hesitation in stepping on to the tumbril[, a humiliating cart he rode into the city where she was held captive, to rescue her], and this lukewarmness in the service of love has been held by her sufficient to annihilate all the merit of his subsequent labours and humiliations. Even when he is forgiven, his trials are not yet at an end. The tournament at the close of the poem gives Guinevere another opportunity of exercising her power. When he has already entered the lists, in disguise, and all, as usual, is going down before him, she sends him a message ordering him to do his poorest. Lancelot obediently lets himself be unhorsed by the next knight that comes against him, and then takes to his heels, feigning terror of every combatant that passes near him. The herald mocks him for a coward and the whole field takes up the laugh against him: the Queen looks on delighted. Next morning the same command is repeated, and he answers, ‘My thanks to her, if she will so’. This time, however, the restriction is withdrawn before the fighting actually begins.

So, huh. How did this cultural script come to be?

Courtly love as a literary trope began in 11th century Provence. Here's Lewis's sketch of that time and place:

We must picture a castle which is a little island of comparative leisure and luxury, and therefore at least of possible refinement, in a barbarous country-side. There are many men in it, and very few women—the lady, and her damsels. Around these throng the whole male meiny [i.e. attendants], the inferior nobles, the landless knights, the squires, and the pages—haughty creatures enough in relation to the peasantry beyond the walls, but feudally inferior to the lady as to her lord—her ‘men’ as feudal language had it. Whatever ‘courtesy’ is in the place flows from her: all female charm from her and her damsels. There is no question of marriage for most of the court. All these circumstances together come very near to being a ‘cause’; but they do not explain why very similar conditions elsewhere had to wait for Provençal example before they produced like results. Some part of the mystery remains inviolate.

So that's the material background – a lopsided gender balance. But more fascinating is the cultural background where the passion and devotion of romantic love – a passion/devotion Lewis claims simply did not exist as a mode for men to treat women in Europe before courtly love was invented – could not be channeled into marriage because such a stance is incompatible with the social role of a husband:

The same woman who was the lady and ‘the dearest dread’ of her vassals was often little better than a piece of property to her husband. He was master in his own house. So far from being a natural channel for the new kind of love, marriage was rather the drab background against which that love stood out in all the contrast of its new tenderness and delicacy. The situation is indeed a very simple one, and not peculiar to the Middle Ages. Any idealization of sexual love, in a society where marriage is purely utilitarian, must begin by being an idealization of adultery.

In fact, courtly love's rightful predecessor is not heterosexual love but the love of a vassal for his lord. (I am quite skeptical of this as a claim about reality, but less skeptical of it as a claim about literature.) Reiterating a sentence from the first quote in this post:

The whole attitude [of a knight in courtly love with his lady] has been rightly described as ‘a feudalisation of love’.

CS Lewis on that feudal relationship:

We shall never understand [the affection between vassal and lord], if we think of it in the light of our own moderated and impersonal loyalties. We must not think of officers drinking the king’s health: we must think rather of a small boy’s feeling for some hero in the sixth form. There is no harm in the analogy, for the good vassal is to the good citizen very much as a boy is to a man. ... He loves and reverences only what he can touch and see; but he loves it with an intensity which our tradition is loath to allow except to sexual love.

So it's that relationship that courtly love remixes into heterosexual romance. Courtly love ennobles the lover – there's a religious parallel here for sure. And it is necessarily adulterous because marriage is not a matter of personal passion, because distance is conducive to recreational idealization, because the lack of potential sexual consummation is pleasantly purity-coded in a Christian society, and because a wife, being a knight's inferior, cannot ennoble him. So, finally, Lewis says bluntly:

The love which is to be the source of all that is beautiful in life and manners must be the reward freely given by the lady, and only our superiors can reward. But a wife is not a superior.

Coming back briefly to Diana Wynne Jones's The True State of Affairs: I understand much better now the behavior of the protagonist's love interest. He's a bored would-be king in captivity who decides to make the other visible prisoner his midons. He expects her to understand the convention he's following. Why shouldn't he take her on as a concept like this? She, also bored and deprived, benefits from his gifts and minor heroics. He wants an ennobling influence. And besides, isn't idealizing a beautiful woman you never intend to make a move on fun?

#rambl #courtly love #eti reads the allegory of love #the true state of affairs #dwj

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