#but 16 carriages is so good

[allylikethecat]

Omg, also a TS fan since debut and I massively took a step back from her personally prior to the reputation era because of her antics and victim complex. The music will always mean so so much to me, her lyrics mean so much to me, but her actions as a person and TS™️ as an entity is just weird and greedy. I think she accrued a lot of fans when she disappeared for a while who've completely constructed a narrative in their heads of who she is and they believe it and are eating up this current era, but those who've been here a long time know how PR and image driven it is. Exhausting.

I apologize in advance I have been having way too many feelings about this whole situation and how it relates to my identity as a 28 year old woman and you are about to get an oversharing novel in response lol

Also, I guess CW: this post is about Taylor Swift and if anyone sends me any kind of hate or whatnot related to my own personal opinions and feelings I will be deleting it because I am NOT playing that game.

My Aunt bought me the Debut album CD at a concert after seeing her open for Rascal Flatts. She was like "I thought that you would like her!" and she was RIGHT Taylor Swift became my entire personality. One of my FAVORITE core memories as a child was the day Fearless came out. For some reason we didn't have school, and my Mom and I watched Taylor on the Ellen show, and then we went to Target and bought the physical CD, we then drove around town so we could listen to it together. My mom hasn't been well and that is one of my favorite memories of us together. It's silly but when you're in middle school that kind of thing is important to you. Then in high school I actually got MADE FUN OF for wearing Taylor merch and being excited about Red. BUT I loved her music and felt like she actually stood for something, so I brushed it off and continued to be a HUGE Swiftie. I had the Taylor Swift dolls, I had the perfumes, I had the LOVE LOVE LOVE bracelet, I had the sundresses from WALMART. I saw her on the Fearless and 1989 tours, I had the fucking 1989 haircut. I was supposed to go to Loverfest.

I was still a HUGE Swiftie during the post 1989-pre Reputation eras, then the Reputation era. I'm a few years younger than her, but I felt like I could relate to the kind of manic panic that she was sharing with us (lol turns out I was just unmedicated and we're doing much better now). It felt (in my probably naive mind) like she was experiencing the same insecurities that I was and reacting accordingly. Was she playing the victim at times? Oh 100% BUT I also fully believe that she thought she was one. (Plus... Kim is my least favorite Kardashian lol)

I LOVED the Lover era even as it was shit on at the for the sunshine rainbow hyper colorful aesthetic. Like, I don't know if new fans realize but when Lover was released? It was NOT as beloved as it is now. Then Folklore and Evermore were absolute genius, it felt like Taylor had grown up, and she got all of these new fans, which was great! She was in an "adult" relationship and her music and publicity choices seemed to reflect that. It was so refreshing to see a celebrity keeping their personal life, personal, and sharing what they wanted to share through music. Midnights broke all kinds of records, again, amazing! Even if it wasn't as strong as say Folklore. I fought for my life and got Eras Tour tickets (opening weekend!!) I had the BEST TIME EVER.

Taylor has always been extremely calculated with her public image. She was over exposed during The 1989 era and the public turned on her, so I truly cannot figure out why she is doing it again 100x in this new era of whatever the fuck this is. I don't know her, maybe she is legitimately happy, or maybe this is a cry for help. But I have been so grossed out by her behavior lately, and how in your face everything is with Kelce. It's no secret that I hate Kelce (and people that know me IRL know that it's not a new Taylor related thing lol) and if she actually loves him, fine, that's great for her, BUT we don't need to see it! Yes she was public when she was dating Calvin but ALSO she was what 25-26? She's a 34 year old woman now with the biggest platform of any celebrity ever. She feels too old (and this is not me age shaming her because I would be grossed out if my friends were doing it, and I would be embarrassed if *I* were to ever do it) to be licking a man's face in public like this. This feels like sorority girl in her first college relationship (I was *in* a sorority for a hot second so this isn't hate on sorority girls either!) and not record breaking Grammy award winning artist. ALSO I feel like she used to come across as so articulate and well spoken? Controversial opinion but I thought she sounded like a fucking idiot in that Time Person of the Year piece.

I think that this whole thing is PR for something, but because it just feels too icky to be real, but I don't know what it's PR for, (trying to bury the Matty situation from May? Because if so that just makes me even more sad for him or trying to get back at Joe? Which if that's the case, I feel bad for him too and she's even more immature than I thought) and now, for the first time, AFTER SIXTEEN YEARS I'm embarrassed to be a fan of her, both because of her own actions and also the actions of her fanbase as a whole.

It feels really weird, and I know I'm being parasocial about it, but when the times got bad I always had her music to fall back on and now I just, I don't know it feels cheapened somehow because the current image that's being crafted doesn't match the one that we originally fell for. And you know what, people change, she's a celebrity, I don't know her, what she does DOES NOT affect me any way, and how I feel does not AFFECT HER in the slightest, and I know it's being parasocial but I feel like a big part of me is in mourning about it. Less because of her changing her image so drastically, and more so because I feel like I'm mourning the loss of childhood and joy that used to be associated with her music for me and I think that's what's making me the most sad.

I have Eras tour tickets for one of the London dates this summer. I'm probably going to still go, because I paid for them, and I also have tickets to see Noah Kahan that same week in London (... and also the Longines tour has ALSO decided that the London stop is that week...) But I don't consider myself a "big fan" anymore. Maybe I will be one day again, but this current image that she's putting out just isn't it for me.

Sorry for the longest Taylor related novel in existence, I have had a lot of bottled up feelings about this that feel ridiculous typing out and sharing out loud BUT I know I will feel better sending them into the interwebs and your ask was the perfect catalyst.

Thank you so much for sending this in and for your continued support! I hope you continue to enjoy my fics and my secret sports hot takes 😂

❤️Ally

#allylikethecat #ask ally #anon ask #keep it kind #i am so sorry this got so long #i just started word vomiting and couldnt stop #then i started crying thinking about my mom #and yeah anyway i am 100% sober just dramatic lol #dont worry i will still be working on you know where the city is #Fictional!2014/2015 taylor has not made me sad lol #and i know it doesnt matter or actually impact me and its super parasocial and probably not healthy that im sad about all of this #BUT i love projecting my feelings and shit onto other things #and why deal with the ~other trauma~ in my life #when i could just... be bummed out about taylor swift turning into a trashy hoe instead of the poet we thought she was #BUT IN IMPORTANT AND EXCITING NEWS #the way i am so hype for this beyonce country album #im not even a beyonce stan #i dont even know if i would go as far as saying im a casual fan #but 16 carriages is so good #and im so excited to see what the rest of the album has in store #also please be nice to me im being vulnerable on the internet #because i am too stubborn to be vulnerable in real life #... there is a 75% chance i am going to panic delete this later but oh well here it is

[ljblueteak]

Article text: BEYONCÉ HAS SO many audacious culture-clash triumphs all over Cowboy Carter. But one of the most stunning moments is also one of the simplest: her version of the Beatles classic “Blackbird.” Paul McCartney wrote the song in the summer of 1968, inspired by the American civil rights movement. All that history is right there in Beyoncé’s version. She keeps the folkie Paul guitar, complete with the squeaks, but adds her heavenly gospel-soul harmonies. What she does with the word “arise” is incredible in itself.

It’s a stroke of Beyoncé’s revisionary genius that brings the story of “Blackbird” full circle. She claims the song as if Paul McCartney wrote it for her. Because, in so many ways, he did.

Paul tells the story of writing it in his 2021 book The Lyrics. “At the time in 1968 when I was writing ‘Blackbird,’” he recalls, “I was very conscious of the terrible racial tensions in the U.S. The year before, 1967, had been a particularly bad year, but 1968 was even worse. The song was written only a few weeks after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. That imagery of the broken wings and the sunken eyes and the general longing for freedom is very much of its moment.”

Paul wrote this song as a dialogue with Black America; Bey’s “Blackbird” is part of that call-and-response, proof that the song always meant exactly what McCartney hoped it would mean. It’s one of the most profound and powerful Beatles covers ever, right up there with Aretha Franklin’s “The Long and Winding Road.” 

“I had in mind a Black woman, rather than a bird,” Paul says of the song in the 1997 book Many Years From Now, by Barry Miles. “Those were the days of the civil rights movement, which all of us cared passionately about, so this was really a song from me to a Black woman, experiencing these problems in the States: ‘Let me encourage you to keep trying, to keep your faith, there is hope.’”

#beyonce #paul mccartney #rob sheffield #I love this cover #the American Requiem to Blackbird to 16 Carriages sequence is so good! #I also love Daughter #and My Rose and Bodyguard and Alligator Tears #and I’m not even done yet!

[hopeinthebox]

tagged by the gorgeous and fabulous @cordiallyfuturedwight and @aprylynn for february's roundup:

tagging the usual music favs: @jiminsproof @thvinyl @jimin-gaon @visionsofgideontheninth @spicyclematis @kimchokejin @jihopesjoint @monismochi plus @kimtaegis for the amy macdonald of it all 💜 and also you, dear reader. MWAH

#heads up! here comes the director's commentary: #16 Carriages - now listen. i love texas hold 'em as much as the next daddy lessons supremacist #but holy shit. it doesn't hold so much as a candle to this track. #just unbelievably stunning. i'm begging you to give it another chance if you skipped over it the first time #Don't Forget Me - me and kayla and apryl all having ms rogers in this month's list... i think we might be better than everyone else actuall #End Of Beginning - good GOD we couldn't gatekeep djo any longer but it's worth it if only for all the bear tiktok edits. #and thus i have fallen for this track all over again. yes CHEF #Showtime - now if you've known me long enough you'll know i'm an absolute sucker for british indie rock bands #especially if their frontman looks like they might not make it through another winter #so you can imagine catfish has had an inexplicable hold on me. anyway their comeback single is actually pretty good #This Is The Life - fantastic tune. 2007 if you can believe it? #what a time to be alive and at the school disco and you're singing the songs and thinking this is the life and so on and so forth #Loving You Will Be The Death Of Me - tom odell can do no wrong in my eyes (ears?) anyway. lovely lovely new album #Never Need Me - been loving rachel for a while now and this single is brilliant. highly recommended. #plus the video features florence pugh and if that doesn't sweeten the deal then christ i don't know what will #Baby Now That I've Found You - i didn't even realise this was a cover of the foundations until hearing it again recently #because alison krauss just has an incredible way of making them her own and thus it's been on repeat. #Deeper Well - okay so now i'm seeing the country thread through this month's picks. #this is another lovely new one. hearing it on the radio and the fact that they have to censor “i used to wake and bake” is hilarious to me #shoutout kayla again because great minds.. #Stay For Something - CMAT is phenomenal and if you haven't listened to her yet i can't recommend her entire discography enough. #she had her arsecrack out at the brits last night and well. i would die for her #(speaking of the brits. raye... i literally cried for her. go find the recording of her live at the royal albert hall. #-watch it twice and then come back and thank me) #artists-wise - most of these guys are consistently up there. #katie melua is a new feature this time because all my amy macdonald-ing put me back onto nine million bicycles. #used to get that one mixed up with 99 luftballoons but they're really very different. i'm a fool #so tl;dr: fantastic tunes. do listen #tag #receiptify

[smallboyonherbike]

and i can't stress this enough, THIS AIN'T TEXAS. furthermore AIN'T NO HOLD EM!

#megamazing #as a country fan it's still my fave song along w 16 carriages #as i said elsewhere unlike REDACTED beyonce is so good at choosing singles that rep the whole album and are the best songs of the album

[slaybey]

act ii   COWBOY CARTER   3.29

Today marks the 10-day countdown until the release of act ii. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the supporters of TEXAS HOLD ‘EM and 16 CARRIAGES. I feel honored to be the first Black woman with the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart. That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you. My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist’s race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant.

This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.

The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself, and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.

I have a few surprises on the album, and have collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect. I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound.

I focused on this album as a continuation of RENAISSANCE…I hope this music is an experience, creating another journey where you can close your eyes, start from the beginning and never stop.

This ain’t a Country album. This is a “Beyoncé” album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!

#beyonce #beyoncé #edit #by milla #femaledaily #dailywomen #userbbelcher #chewieblog #flawlessbeautyqueens #wonderfulwoc #ladiesblr #dailymusicians #cowboy carter

[harunayuuka2060]

MC's stepmother: MC, I told you to clean the bedrooms! What are you still doing there?

MC: Cooking.

MC's stepmother: How dare you answer to me!

MC: 'Cause you're asking.

MC's stepmother: Hmph! Clean the bedrooms! And stop being lazy, you pitiful brat! *walks away*

MC: 'You pitiful brat' *while making a face*

Their father: *walking into the kitchen* *chuckles when he sees them*

Their father: I've heard your mother—

MC: She's not my mother.

Their father: Okay. I've heard my second wife yelling. Don't mind her. She doesn't know any better.

MC: I've got used to it. And I still despise you for marrying again. You should've stayed single.

Their father: Come on. We're not talking about this again.

Their father: Anyway, I have a good news for you. *shows them an invitation letter*

MC: What's that?

Their father: An invitation to enter Night Raven College~! Haha! I knew you would be chosen!

MC: ...

MC: You know I don't have magic.

Their father: You do! It— It hasn't awaken yet, but you do!

MC: I'm 16 years old, Dad! I went to different schools of magic, had undergone trainings to awaken this "magic" which I didn't have.

MC: That invitation must be fake.

Their father: No, it's not! It has the official seal and your name on it!

MC: *looks sternly at him* Did you use your connection?

Their father: *guiltily* No.

MC: Dad—

Their father: You should hurry! The carriage will be arriving any moment! *pushing them out of the kitchen*

MC: How about the food?!

Their father: My second wife will do it! Quick! Quick! Run along! Enjoy your youth!

MC: Seriously?!

Their father: I'm gonna miss you. *sniffles* Don't forget to write!

MC's stepmother: *hands them her credit card* Use that.

MC: I don't need it. I have my own money.

MC's stepmother: Just use it, I'm telling you.

*The carriage has arrived.*

MC's stepmother : That child is claustrophobic. Is it okay if you not ask them to be inside that... *looks creeped out with the "gate"*...thing?

MC: They'll put me to sleep. I won't even know.

MC's stepmother: ...

MC's stepmother: I slipped an axe into your bag.

MC: ...

MC: Are you crazy?

MC's stepmother: What?

Their father: Enjoy your trip! Me and my second wife will be fine here!

MC: *rolls eyes and gets into the gate*

MC: *on their first arrival*

MC: *sigh*

MC: Can I drop on my first day?

Professor Trein: Not possible.

MC: But I don't have magic! And you didn't have to give my dad a refund if that's what you're worried about.

Professor Trein: You might be a late bloomer and we're not giving up on you.

MC: Ugh...

Crowley: Is this our new student? *has approached them*

Professor Trein: Yes.

Crowley: Welcome to Night Raven College. What do you think of our school so far?

MC: Just like any other schools I've been from.

Crowley: *gasped* I don't think I can accept that. Night Raven College is the most prestigious school in all Twisted Wonderland!

MC: There's Royal Sword Academy.

Crowley: They're our rival! *clears throat* We promised to your father that we will awaken your hidden magic. You need to trust us.

MC: You accept nepo-babies. Why would I trust you? *their father is a well-known movie producer*

Crowley: ...

Crowley: Let's go to the Mirror Chamber. Follow me.

MC and Professor Trein: ...

MC: He's not trustworthy.

Professor Trein: I can't disagree with you.

MC: *ends up in Ignihyde*

Idia: ...

MC: ...

Idia: Do you have any questions?

MC: No. I just want to go home.

Idia: Mwehee! Me too. *clears throat* Sorry. No one will bother you in Ignihyde. I can assure you that.

MC: Thanks... I can see that all of you here are minding your own business.

#twisted wonderland #twst mc #twst idia #twst crowley #twst trein #twst realist!mc

[shanastoryteller]

Happy pride!!! I would die for a continuation of lady mo please!

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39

Wei Wuxian is keeping himself upright through sheer force of will and his utter refusal to let Lan Zhan be right about anything.

He has been sort of exhausted lately, but he’s been training himself into the ground and keeping to ridiculous Lan morning routines and he has a curse mark slowly killing him, so he thinks he’s entitled. He would have made it to the Jin tower just fine if he hadn’t run into Song Lan and had to hunt down a town fierce corpses and fight Xue Yang. That alone would leave most people exhausted, so he has a perfectly good excuse for his vision to be going fuzzy on the edges.

Except he’d literally rather fall off his sword and snap his neck then admit that. He can’t even let that happen, because A-Qing is flying on his sword with him, and she’s not even a cultivator. Her bones will break a lot easier than his will.

He’s not even injured. Or, well, not any injuries that count. He once fought off fierce corpses right after having his core ripped out, being tortured, and dropped from a height high enough to kill. Some bruises and cuts are nothing, and they don’t feel like anything now. Maybe he should have let Xue Yang stab him a couple of times. It would have made everything more believable and also would have let him nap with his dignity intact.

They land back at the inn and the rest of the Lans look extremely relieved and then confused when they see their newest additions. Except for Jin Guangyao, who only shows that he’s noticed them by raising a single eyebrow and looking to him immediately.

Jin Guangyao is a stone cold bitch that’s too smart for anyone’s own good. Wei Wuxian sort of regrets that they’d never had any reason to really get to know one another during the war. Surely Jin Guangyao could have steered him away from some of his worse decisions.

“We’re bringing guests,” he announces to all of them, jumping to the ground and nudging A-Qing to do the same with a guiding hand on her hip. “Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen, who I assume you all already know. And A-Qing. They’ve had a rough time and we’re going to be very nice to them.” He looks over to Lan Xichen. “I guess it’s a good thing that you brought the carriage. They can ride in there the rest of the way.”

The awkward silence is broken by Jin Guangyao saying, “Madame Jin is not fond of accommodating extra guests.”

Madame Jin is going to make Jin Guangyao deal with it because she’s petty that way. Apparently Jin Zixuan plays interference as much as he can, but considering he’s no longer fighting fit and the perfect heir he once was, his ability to influence his mother has been similarly reduced.

A politician down to her core. Wei Wuxian might be able to admire it if it didn’t make him hate her so much.

“I’m not fond of Madame Jin, so I’m sure it even outs,” he says carelessly.

Some of the Lan go to the effort to pretend to be appalled but most of them seem to have no problem agreeing, regardless of all the rules of propriety and respecting one’s elders that he’s breaking. People take their cue from their leaders and Lan Xichen is straight up just pretending he didn’t say that, probably because he agrees.

He’s treated to the rare sight of Jin Guangyao’s dimples. “Can you at least pretend not to be a menace? I can only put out so many fires at once.”

“I can pretend,” he agrees and then A-Qing is faking a coughing fit to hide her giggles.

#prompt answers #prompts are closed #asks #dreamsfullofdragons #untamed

[mysunfreckle]

Catherine Morland's parents are described as "plain, matter-of-fact people who seldom aimed at wit of any kind" and all we see on the page of her mother is definitely more plain sense than feeling sensibility. So it is very amusing to me that we also get this account of her taste in books, in a conversation between Isabella and Catherine:

“It is so odd to me, that you should never have read Udolpho before; but I suppose Mrs. Morland objects to novels.” “No, she does not. She very often reads Sir Charles Grandison herself; but new books do not fall in our way.” “Sir Charles Grandison! That is an amazing horrid book, is it not? I remember Miss Andrews could not get through the first volume.” “It is not like Udolpho at all; but yet I think it is very entertaining.”

The History of Sir Charles Grandison is an epistolary novel in six volumes from 1753 (so about 45 years old at the time of Northanger Abbey) by Samuel Richardson, and it features:

The beautiful, virtuous young orphan Harriet Byron, with a fortune of 15000 pounds, being pursued by a whole fleet of suitors.

The dastardly Sir Hargrave kidnapping Miss Byron from a masquerade ball and imprisoning her to force her into a marriage

The valiant Sir Charles Grandison coming to her rescue and fighting Sir Hargrave until he can bring her to safety

Miss Byron and Sir Charles falling in love but knowing that it cannot be, because! he is promised to another woman!

The other woman breaking off the engagement, the hero and heroine getting married, and then valiantly stepping up to help the Other Woman stand up to her family

Sir Hargrave dying of a dueling wound after mistreating yet another woman and leaving Miss Byron part of his estate to beg her forgiveness

It also includes a lot of moralising on religion, virtue, motherhood, and good society, which is probably why it a perfect pick for Mrs. Morland. It's all the thrill of abduction and rescue and devoted pining, but neatly dressed up in a morality tale about being good and proper. So you need not blush to say you enjoyed it and can even recommend it to your daughters.

It is also a book that is known for the constancy of its characters. Their morality, good or bad, is very fixed and plain to see. Which also fits with much of the Morlands' approach to people.

All I'm seeing is 16-year-old Catherine almost tripping over her feet to get to her mother with her current volume of Sir Charles Grandison clutched to her chest. Absolutely squealing with excitement over the Miss Byron being rescued from Hargrave's carriage by a virtuous nobleman who refused to even draw his sword because he abhors violence, while her mother placidly comments on how pleasant it is to see kindness and goodness so well reflected in literature.

#austen #jane austen #northanger abbey #sunfreckle's scribbles #sir charles grandison

[abbyfmc]

Yandere Emperor! x Opera artist! reader Headcanons:

Warning: I will use the Chinese imperial harem system, plus it will be set in a kind of forbidden city (yes, I have seen Chinese palace dramas, XD). Topics to talk about: Mention of kidnapping, abuse, possible manipulation and murder. Although I use elements of ancient China or imperial Asia, I am not describing any emperor in particular; instead, I'm making up my own.

Enjoy it!

1. Yan Li was about 29 years old when he became emperor, and at that time he had an empress whom he loved very much, but she died in childbirth with the first prince due to her poor health, and from then on he became very sad and depressed.

2. You were a beautiful street opera artist who sang and danced at different events. You ran away from home after your noble parents planned to marry you to a man of not very good intentions.

3. You suffered a lot the first few years, but slowly you gained a group of artist friends, and among them is this girl from a humble class named Lili.

4. On the other hand, you had met a young blacksmith named Zhou, with whom you had a secret romance, which only Lili knew about. You and Lili had become confidants.

5. Due to your escape from home, you were also able to avoid the mandatory imperial selection for a long time. In this selection, girls from certain clans were taken to the palace to be selected to be consorts or concubines of the emperor or princes present.

6. You had lived happy and free, without problems until that fateful day…

7. Yan Li's mother, the Empress Dowager, saw how depressed her son was, so she convinced him to organize a trip to the southeast of the country to distract himself, and after a while, Yan Li agreed. After this, the townspeople and ministers organized all kinds of spectacles for Yan Li's arrival.

8. You and your group of artists were hired for those shows, and you were the main actress, not knowing that that would put you in hell.

9. When he arrived at the town where you were, everything started well until the show started and you started acting, dancing and singing. He was captivated by your beauty and your voice, a quality that his wife also had.

10. For him, it was like seeing his wife back. He watched you do similar dance moves, and he remembered his wife doing these same dances for him in the past.

11. He was very impressed with you, which made him come to the conclusion that he wanted to have you.

12. After the performance, you sensed that something was wrong, so you told Lili and your group, and then fled through the darkness of the night to a neighboring town.

13. Yan Li finally set out to find out about you and your whereabouts, and was not at all amused to find out that you were gone.

14. You began to flee with your group of friends from Yan Li's clutches, and you even met with your beloved Zhou and told him about your situation. Yan Li on the other hand, was already getting impatient for not finding you, so he gave the following order:

--Look everywhere for her, and if anyone is hiding, kill them and bring her to me!-- 15. The guards questioned each villager to find out about you, and thanks to that you were located and caught trying to escape with your friends at night.

16. Yan Li walked up to the scene, walking with a smile as his men captured you and your friends. You were very scared; Yan Li holds your face lightly by your chin, making you look at his face. Seeing the situation you put your friends in, you began to beg for their lives.

17. --I…I will surrender to you, but please let them live, your majesty-- You begged Yan Li. He was surprised that you didn't resist him, so he just ordered them to put you in his carriage. Lili tried to do or say something, but Yan Li told her to stay out of all this.

18. Yan Li had you put into his carriage and tied your wrists and ankles and then Yan Li got in, sitting next to you and that's how he ended up taking you to the palace.

19. He talked to you the whole way and although he seemed kind, it didn't take away your fear of what he might do to you. Basically when you arrived at the palace he locked you in a palace that he had prepared just for you.

20. After investigating your past, he discovered your bad relationship with your parents and what you did after running away from home. You seemed magnificent to him and in a way… bold and brave.

21. When he let your parents know that you would be his consort from now on, they agreed. You weren't expecting anything good from them, but this last one definitely hurt you, since they sold you to him just like that.

22. The wedding took place, and Yan Li conferred on you the imperial title of "Noble Lady", and immediately had your green label prepared. The green labels are labels that contained the names or imperial titles of an emperor's consorts, which turned the label of the concubine with whom he wished to sleep.

23. Yan Li spent his free time with you and explained to you personally what things were like in the palace, something he had not done with any other woman, in addition to emphasizing that he would take care of you and love you.

24. When your green tag was ready, Yan Li immediately turned it over and sent word that you would sleep with him that same night. He sent for you with eunuchs and everything. When you were locked in his room, you were wearing fine silk pajamas that Yan Li loved. It was a beautiful dream to see you like this; you wanted to run, but he held your hand tightly, reminding you of what he was capable of doing to your friends, innocent people, and possibly your loved one, so you ended up submitting to him.

25. He did this every time he wanted to get you pregnant, which is why you ended up having six children with him; four princes and two princesses, while your first son, the "third prince" was the eldest of all the princes. You had to rise through the ranks and use Yan Li's hands to protect yourself and your children from palace intrigues.

26. Thanks to Yan Li, you have gone through the following ranks: Noble Lady, Imperial Concubine, Consort, Noble Consort and so on until you reach the empress.

-End of part 1. Have a good night :3

#yandere #yandere oc #cw yandere #yandere love #yandere x you #yandere male #platonic yandere #tw yandere #male yandere #yandere x reader #obsessive yandere #yandere emperor x reader #yandere headcanons #yandere imagines #yandere imagine #yandere scenarios #yanderecore

[crag-dreams]

Y’all. I have been listening to Cowboy Carter almost all day, and Beyoncé has created a masterpiece. I usually do a vibe listen first time on albums, and she said “absolutely the fuck not” by having Ameriican Requiem be the opener. Hooked immediately. Jesus. Random thoughts:

Ameriican Requiem: oh, this is a really pretty start, wait, is that For What It’s Worth (Stop Children, what’s that sound) but her version? Holy shit, it is. And then she does like three other things in the same song, with incredible lyrics to set the entire album up.

Blackbird: my god, it’s gorgeous, and she included incredible artists on it.

16 Carriages: already super familiar with it, and it remains one of the most beautiful songs.

Protector: imagine being sung a lullaby by Beyoncé as a kid, and she’s just being a dope mom in the lyrics.

Having Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton and Linda Martell do the enthusiastic intros to multiple songs is fucking genius.

Texas Hold ‘Em: also been out for awhile, remains a banger.

Bodyguard is gonna be playing everywhere for months.

The decision to turn Jolene on its head and have her warning Jolene? So smart.

She just casually drops in some Italian opera on Daughter???

Angry Beyoncé rap is always fun.

II Most Wanted (Miley) and Levi’s Jeans (Post Malone) are also going to be everywhere. Great duets.

Ya Ya is wild as fuck. I love it and can’t believe we get to be alive as she releases this art.

Tyrant is 100% horny Beyoncé, and good for her.

Amen is one of the best outros ever. When she sings “trumpets blare”, it’s almost enough for me to believe god exists.

Anyway, that’s barely scratching the surface of this album. She’s a legend. I can’t believe this album exists.

#mine #beyonce #cowboy carter #new music #music

[brabblesblog]

Ch 16: Abide in me, and I in you.

Astarion has ascended, and she has stayed with him. Life in the Crimson Palace isn’t as idyllic as it seems. Is there a chance for their relationship to go back to how it was? Or is it too late for the Ascendant and his consort?

This series is about Ban, my Tav, and the Vampire Ascendant. Will be angst and smut, with sprinkles of fluff.

This fic is a softer take on Ascendant!Astarion and of the changes he undergoes after the rite. Can Ban handle the change, and if a chance came, would she choose to run? And can the Ascendant win her back in time? Inspired by the concept of vampire wives and that IGN interview with Larian that discussed the ascension.

Professionally edited by @editing-by-night

Astarion and Ban travel. They visit an old friend, and the truth of the circumstances regarding Astarion's ascension is finally laid bare.

Read on AO3.

Masterlist.

“Reithwin?”

It wasn’t so much indignation as it was confusion. Of all the places to go, Ban chose Reithwin?

His body was tangled with hers; they were in bed, having retired for the day. She nuzzled into his bare chest, nipping him playfully.

“We haven’t seen what it looks like since the curse was lifted. I figure it’s a good place to start. See the fruits of our labor, so to speak.”

A good enough answer, although Astarion couldn’t help but feel that there was something else, something left unsaid.

The past month since they’d returned from Waterdeep had been wonderful. Astarion didn’t dare rock the boat yet, though, choosing to push aside any niggling doubts he had about their relationship. They had forever to work on it, after all, and he was frightened, so very terrified, of a repeat of the past four months.

“It would mean sleeping in tents. Again.” He doubted any inns had cropped up in such a short time.

“Problem?” She poked him in the side and he growled, flipping them so that she was underneath him. Ban didn’t protest, giving him an amused smile.

“My clothes are too lavish to be ruined by dirt and mud, Ban,” Astarion huffed. His legs straddled her hips and he leaned forward to mouth at her throat.

“Suit yourself,” she shrugged.”I’m going. You can stay if you wish.”

Her hands carded through his hair and he melted into the touch, his body settling over hers. “Fine,” he sighed, voice muffled with his mouth pressed against her neck. “Reithwin it is, then.”

Ban had been elated when Astarion had offered to travel. Finally, a chance to explore all that Faerûn had to offer. She’d known her first stop would be Reithwin, however. She’d been thinking about it since hearing Halsin describe his new settlement.

She didn’t want to admit it, but there were moments when she wondered what it would’ve been like to live there with Halsin, caring for scores of orphaned children - a rather chaotic but potentially fulfilling life, one filled with laughter. The children’s, and their own. Ban had never wanted children, but the idea of raising a gaggle of them alongside Halsin didn’t repulse her, surprisingly.

She brushed the daydreams away; they were just thoughts, speculations that came creeping in whenever she was dissatisfied with the choices she’d made. The night she’d left Astarion she had considered staying with Halsin instead of Gale - had strongly considered it, in fact; but the thought of exposing the children to the Ascendant’s wrath if Astarion came after her had nixed that idea.

They took the carriage to Reithwin when they went. Of course.

As Ban gave the driver final directions once they’d arrived in town, it slowly dawned on Astarion that she wasn’t going around Reithwin just to sightsee. She seemed to be headed somewhere in particular.

“There’s something you’re not telling me.” He crossed his arms. They were seated opposite each other, the carriage heading towards the last landmark Ban had described.

“Hm?” She didn’t look back at him.

“Don’t.” He shook his head. “Don’t start with this ‘I’m innocent and have no idea what you’re talking about’ thing you like to do, Ban. Where are we going?”

Ban sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, a little sheepish. “We’re visiting a friend for a few days.”

“Friend? Since when do we have friends living in such godsforsaken places?” Astarion took mental inventory of all their former companions; his frown deepened as realization hit him.

“We’re seeing that damned druid, aren’t we?”

Halsin’s little community wasn’t easy to find, it being intentionally hidden from prying eyes. But he found them himself while on patrol, and soon enough they were situated in their own little hut.

The children gathered around them when they arrived, tugging on Ban’s hands. They could tell that something was amiss in the way her skin felt, the way her and her companion hid behind soft smiles - never showing their teeth, but they knew that she was the hero of Baldur’s Gate, the hero Daddy Halsin had adventures with, and the subject of most of the bedtime stories he told them.

The elf accompanying her was more of a mystery. His red eyes were distant, cold, his bearing haughty. Some of the more audacious children tried to tug on his hands as well, but the flash of anger in the man’s eyes and the way he snatched his hands away kept them from attempting it again.

Astarion was scowling over dinner. He found that he didn’t mind the more… laid back, if he was to be polite, environment as much as he’d thought he would, but the children vexed him. They had initially tried to touch him without permission, but had now settled for simply staring. He tried to ignore the numerous pairs of eyes locked onto his every move, but it was proving difficult.

Beside him, Ban was engaged in conversation with Halsin.

“Do you ever miss being in the wilds, Ban?” Halsin asked between bites.

She smiled sadly. “I do. This is the first time in, gods, I don’t even know. Months?”

The pang of guilt was even harder to ignore than the children. Astarion forced himself to keep eating.

Halsin nodded. He glanced over to Astarion, the worry evident in his gaze.

“Are you well, Ban?” The question was posed innocently enough. The implication behind it, however, was all too clear. The last time Halsin had seen Ban, she had been running away from Astarion.

“Yes. We’ve… made amends.” Ban didn’t want to discuss this, not when whatever Astarion and she had was still so tenuous.

Astarion shot Halsin a glare. “We are fine, thank you.”

Halsin met Astarion’s eyes, his own expression neutral. “Astarion. Whatever offense I have committed against you in the past, I did so for your spouse’s happiness and well-being.”

Astarion’s jaw tightened, and he set his fork down. “Apology accepted,” he said stiffly. Halsin wasn’t wrong, and though he knew the man wasn't really apologizing, he needed to preserve what little pride he had left.

The dinner continued in silence.

“Astarion, please.” Ban tried not to match his anger with her own. They were back in their hut and the moment the door had shut, Astarion had begun haranguing her about visiting Halsin. “Don’t do this. Not again.”

“Me?” Astarion stared at her incredulously. “Me. You’re seriously blaming me for this? Ban, are you hearing yourself?!”

“I can see you’re getting angry-”

“Well of course I am! I am irate. Are you happy now?” He began pacing. “Am I not permitted feelings unless they are in your favor? Am I to be the villain here yet again? Oh poor Ban, so scared of Astarion, the fearsome Vampire Ascendant!”

Astarion’s hands balled into fists as he tried to maintain a sliver of self-control.

Ban kept silent. For once, she knew his anger wasn't unreasonable, given her history with Halsin.

“You said we were coming here to see the ‘fruits of our labor’. To see how the land has healed. I didn’t hear anything about visiting godsdamned Halsin!”

“Astarion, I thought-”

“Look.” He rounded on her. “Either you thought I knew he lived here and you didn’t mention anything about staying with him, or you knew I wasn’t aware of that rather consequential detail and decided to oh-so-conveniently keep omitting the fact. And arguably? Both are remarkably bad.”

Ban took a moment to respond, abashed.

“I thought… had you known, you would have refused to come.” She watched Astarion’s features twist painfully at her words, and felt a wave of guilt.

She doesn’t trust you, Astarion thought. Of course.

They both spoke at the same time:

“Why am I not surprised?”

“Why are you so miffed about staying with Halsin?”

Astarion glared at her.

“Because you didn’t tell me! You didn’t respect me enough to be honest!”

If she had only told him, it would have been fine, if perhaps a little discomfiting. Astarion would’ve been disgruntled, but he would’ve held his tongue and gone with her anyway.

But this? She’d intentionally manipulated him. He couldn’t help the wave of indignation that washed over him, nor the overpowering sense of betrayal he felt.

Ban watched Astarion pace like a caged animal, the tension evident in his shoulders. She had expected some resistance regarding visiting Halsin, yes, but not to this extent. Especially given how Astarion had seemed not to care about their history before.

“It doesn't concern me. You are mine. No one can change that.”

“Go right on with Halsin. Far be it from me to hold your hunger against you.”

His words from so long ago. Ban remembered his dismissive tone; he genuinely hadn’t cared then - or so she had thought. But she’d thought he hadn’t cared about anything else back then, either, which she now knew wasn’t the case. Ban debated bringing this up, her eyes distant as she weighed her options.

“Are you not going to say anything?” Astarion prodded, coming to a halt before her. He crossed his arms and waited, frustration and hurt etched into every inch of his face.

Ban gave him a long, careful look, then began to speak.

“I thought Halsin didn’t bother you. I asked, and you told me it didn’t concern you.”

Astarion stared at her, incredulous, but upon reflection he couldn’t pretend she was entirely unjustified in thinking so. He rubbed his hands over his face in exasperation.

“Ban. I- look. I know that is my own fault; I specifically wanted you to form that impression.”

He struggled to get the next words out. “I was jealous. I wanted to rip Halsin apart for even considering asking you, for even daring to covet what was mine.”

Especially as I was already losing you.

A low growl accompanied his words, a small sliver of the Ascendant peeking through. It disappeared as Astarion mastered himself.

“But you’re not… you shouldn’t be mine. Not in that way.” His alone to love, yes, but not to hoard as if she were an object rather than a person.

Ban scoffed. “Oh, learning now, are we?”

He glared, more wounded than he’d care to admit. “Do you want to hear this, or do you not? Because I’m perfectly happy sniping at each other, if that’s what you prefer.”

She fell silent then, realizing he was trying to open up and she probably shouldn’t be discouraging that. “Sorry.”

Mollified, Astarion continued. “When you asked me about Halsin’s proposition, I said what I said not expecting you to actually do it.”

“So you were, what? Daring me?”

“Taunting you. Goading you. I-”

He took a deep breath. He had been drunk on power, on his potential. He’d assumed she wouldn’t dare fuck Halsin; not when at that point she had still thought herself a spawn. Surely she would never want to risk offending her master?

“I didn’t think you’d dare being on the receiving end of your creator’s ire.” The words came out in a stammered mess. He wanted her to understand, but he was also so, so frightened of revealing his thoughts from back then. Frightened they would scare her off.

“Because I was supposed to think of myself as a spawn,” she said, a little anger returning when he nodded.

Ban was smug. “Well. I did it, Astarion. I let Halsin fuck my-”

“I know!”

He took another deep breath. Calm down. He had not talked directly to Ban about Halsin after that conversation, he’d told himself it was beneath the Ascendant’s concerns; in truth, it would have hurt him too much to hear. He remembered seeing Ban walk back into their room after that night, smelling like arousal and him. How he had barely been able to let himself think about it, much less be calm enough to talk to her about it.

Ban backed off, realizing belatedly that she may have gone too far.

“Okay. Sorry. Look. I’ve never understood - what’s with this…” She trailed off and waved a hand at him.

“You ascended, and you were just such a prick, which I suppose I get, but this… possessiveness of yours, Astarion. Where did that come from?”

That had always been the worst part for Ban. The selfishness and pride weren’t new, and she found that she could handle those things. But his greed for her - his need to keep her under lock and key - that was what had ruined it all for her.

This, Astarion had an answer for.

“Wouldn’t you want to keep the only thing you’ve ever had? Do everything within your power, now that you do have the power and the means to keep it? Wouldn’t it have hurt for the only person that has ever meant anything to you to decide you weren’t enough?” He averted his eyes, not wanting her to see his shame.

“I’ve had nothing all my life, Ban, until you. I did not want to let you go.”

She was confused. “You had me, even before the rite. You didn’t seem to be so concerned about losing me then.”

“I had nothing to offer then,” he replied quickly, “Nothing to hold you with. Nothing to provide; not even my body, at that point. I was counting the hours, Ban. Waiting for you to tell me it was over.”

To admit to all of this was difficult, one of the most difficult things he’d ever done. Astarion wanted nothing more than to just back away from this topic. It was too dangerous, their relationship too unstable. One look at her hopeful expression, however, and he felt his resolve return.

“If you’d left when I had nothing, I would have understood,” he said, “But when I finally had something to offer you - everything, in fact - and you pulled away anyway, wanted someone else anyway?”

He had felt frustrated. Helpless, in what was supposed to be his moment of triumph.

“I wasn’t meant to feel that again, Ban. Not after the rite. I- I was meant to be free. Stronger. Happier. Fearless.”

“And the only way to no longer fear anything was to cow me; to own me so fully that I could not fathom leaving,” Ban angrily finished for him.

“Well. You did stop seeing me the moment the rite was over,” Astarion challenged her. “The only thing left was to ensure you’d be mine forever by binding you to me.”

Her stare was hard. “You sound like Cazador.”

That one got him, slipping under his skin like a knife. He felt bile rise in his throat; for a moment, his restraint left him.

“SILENCE! How dare you speak his name?”

The command was met by laughter. Ban shook her head at him. “Astarion. That won’t work anymore. Either we talk about things or this is over.”

“Why? Because I misbehaved, like- like I’m some ill-mannered dog, Ban? Is that it?”

“No, you idiot!” She couldn’t help it, her anger rising to match his. “You changed in an instant. You ascended and then-”

“I WAS HAPPY!” he screamed, “I finished the rite and I was so godsdamned happy, Ban, because I was finally free, and then I saw your face, felt your thoughts, and all I found was fear and judgment; I could feel your revulsion through the link, and I had to protect myself!”

“By hurting me?”

“Don’t act like you’re innocent. Don’t you dare. You’re complicit in all of this.”

Astarion began pacing again, just to do something - anything.

“You agreed to kill every single one of those people. It wasn’t just me. It was you, it was Gale, it was Halsin - but the moment everything was done, I was the monster! You all returned to the Elfsong, washed your hands of it all, told each other how cruel Astarion was, murdering all those innocents - never mind what some of them did to me, never mind that freeing them all was an incalculable risk - YOU NEVER GAVE ME A CHANCE!”

Astarion stilled, tears streaming down his face, his chest heaving.

“I had to protect myself. I… I was hurting, and all I wanted was you, but I lost that too.”

That fierce joy after the rite, disappearing so rapidly the moment he’d seen the horror on her face - on all their faces - horror that had started as soon as Rhapsody first touched Cazador’s back. Didn’t they agree with him, with what he’d done? Hadn’t she actively helped him? They could have stopped him, killed him even, if it had come to that. But she had stood by him as he’d ascended, only to betray him the moment he finished. Of course he’d had to hide behind his walls, behind his anger, behind indifference. What else did he know to do?

He’d felt like she had stabbed him in the heart, and the only recourse had been to hide the soft parts of himself from her - from all of them. And so he had hid, until he had destroyed their love.

Finally, the truth laid between them.

Astarion instinctively stepped forward, seeking her. Ban flinched, startled; he paused to study her expression. Upon seeing mere surprise, rather than fear, he pushed on.

The wards are up, I’m sure. But he couldn’t make himself care. He needed her, needed to hold her.

He rushed to Ban and was met with her body against his, her arms wrapping around him and squeezing him tightly.

“I’m sorry,” he heard her say as she pressed her face against his chest. “I didn’t know what the rite would do. I thought… I thought it changed you, that I had lost you.” She choked back tears. “You’re right. We were all there. We all made that choice, one we carry to this day. I’m sorry I left you when you needed me most.”

She’d done it for him, but that didn’t mean the responsibility was all on his shoulders.

Astarion couldn’t help the sob that broke through.

“I… alright. I understand why you all held me responsible. But it hurt.” He pressed a desperate kiss to her brow.

“Had it only been the rest of them, I wouldn’t have cared. But it was you, too. I saw your face, and I knew I’d lost you. I had - I felt like I had no other choice than to be what you expected me to be. To protect myself.”

He rubbed at an eye, trying to stem the tears. “I thought I could win you back by just giving you things. Sex, coin, all of that. I could just-” He shook his head, finally out of words.

“I suppose that’s the past now,” he said brokenly, “I still don’t forgive them, just so you know.”

“And me?” Ban asked.

“Of course I do.” He pulled away to peer at her face, and then pressed his lips against hers. “I don’t really have much of a choice there, do I?” He couldn’t stay mad at her. Not now, when the truth was finally out and his chest was beginning to feel impossibly light.

Ban kissed her husband just as eagerly as he did her, tongues dancing together in a pattern known only to them.

As they parted, Astarion smiled.

“I thought you’d have your wards up, you know? I was expecting to be sent flying.”

“I got rid of them,” she said.

He tilted his head in surprise. “When?”

“Oh, when we were in Waterdeep,” she replied, “I had Gale do it before we came back to Baldur’s Gate.”

He beamed, understanding this for what it was - a gesture of trust. “I know it’ll take time, Ban. But do you think…”

He trailed off, unsure of what he was actually asking. Did he want her love? Her trust? Both?

Ban pecked his cheek. “It’s not a switch I can turn on and off, Astarion.”

At Astarion’s frown she cupped his cheek, meeting his gaze. “I can’t do this on a schedule, love. It’s…”

“I know. I understand. Sometimes I just… resent the time it takes.” He tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, and he also knew that he didn't have any other recourse but to wait for her.

“I’m sor-” she began, but her words were cut off by another heated kiss.

“No,” he said, kissing her lips again and again, fervent little attempts to express his devotion which fell entirely short in expressing its intensity.

“I can wait. I can see you slowly coming back to me.”

For once, it was entirely true. He smiled again.

“I love you.”

"Mm," she said, a slight tease in her tone. She paused for the space of a heartbeat, then smiled. "I love you too, Astarion."

When their lips met again, the world shrank down to just them. For the moment, nothing else mattered.

#astarion #astarion baldurs gate #baldurs gate astarion #astarion x tav #astarion fic #bg3 #bg3 astarion #astarion bg3 #astarion x female oc #astarion x f!tav #astarion x female tav #ascended astarion x tav #astarion ascended #ascendant astarion #vampire ascendant #ascended astarion #ascended astarion x f!tav #astarion fluff #astarion angst #astarion fanfiction #astarion fanfic #bg3 fanfic #bg3 fic #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 spoilers

[fairytale-poll]

ROUND 1B, MATCH 1 OUT OF 16!

Propaganda Under the Cut:

Book:

She's had a "gift" of obedience placed on her, and her quest is to figure out how to get rid of it. I love her

he's under a curse that makes her obey any order given to her. She met her Prince Charming (Char) when they kids, and they became friends. Her stepsisters found out about her curse while they were at boarding school, and because of that (and some things they made her do) she ran away to try and find the fairy that cursed her. When she does, the fairy says that she doesn't do magic anymore, because she realized her gifts were actually curses, and refuses to remove it. Ella goes back, and is eventually demoted from "lord's daughter" to "maid". She still writes letters to Char (currently in a foreign kingdom, but before that, when he came to try and talk to her, her sister forbid her from leaving her room so she would have all his attention), but eventually stops and even writes a fake letter from her sister to convince him that she never cared/doesn't care about him, because she realized it would be too dangerous for them to be together; with her curse, she could easily be made to hurt or kill him. Flash forward, and Char returns home. The king throws balls, and she goes, because even if she can't be with or let him know who she is, she just wants to see him again. Char is drawn to her, and for a lot of the three balls, they're together. At the end, her stepsister gets jealous, and right as Char proposes (because Ella, despite having to lie about her identity, is the most honest person at the ball and a friend already), she grabs her mask, revealing her identity. Char reaches her home before she can leave, and there's a whole scene where he finds out she's a scullery maid, that the letter was a lie, and says that she doesn't have to be Ella if she doesn't want to be, and she says she's not, and he asks if she loves him, and she does-- and then it's all ruined because he accidentally orders her to marry him, and then her stepmother tells her to, and all the while she's fighting the curse, because she doesn't want to endanger him and their nation, and doesn't want her step family to be rich and powerful, and finally-- she says no. She gets so excited to say no, to refuse, that she didn't even fully realize she broke the curse until Mandy (her fairy godmother) tells her. Anyway, they all lived happily ever after. Ella is one of my favorite Cinderellas ever and I really hope I did a good job of explaining her and what her story is about (it's been a while since I've read the book)

I was so enraptured with this book as a kid, it had such an impact on my young mind. Got me into fantasy.

BEST CINDERELLA!!! please use the picture from the book cover and not the movie 🙏

She breaks her curse spell in such a magnificent way. Like yes she embodies the whole “kindness” and “courageous” characteristics that Cinderellas are known for, but for her she’s been forced to be obedient as well. And while she thinks can rise above anything she soon learns she will just hurt so many more people that way. She chose to be self-sacrificing because it was the one way she could express her love that wouldn’t harm anyone (then). But! But! She also ends up getting to be selfish! And that is also a great kindness! To herself and to those whom love her and she loves in return.  All that after she breaks the curse.

She can mimic languages. :) She refused to marry the love of her life and thus broke her curse. :) She fell in love via letters. :) She lied to the royal family that orange carriages are very popular in a nearby city.

brave, smart, a linguist, a nerd, she evolves steadily and beautifully throughout the book, with a sharp voice that never stops being distinctive and fun to hang with.

complex character coool as fuck premise and also. the nostalgia of it all

Movie:

Ann Hathaway singing Somebody to Love was phenomenal.

Anne Hathaway. It’s a great blend of fairytale and modern day styles. Imagine early 2000s vibes but in a filter. Fan girls and Escalators right there with giants and elves. Plus, it’s got all the musical numbers and Hugh Dancy and Cary Elwes too. This Cinderella is strong, independent and don’t need no man! (Unless one tells her not to move and she’s stuck in the middle of the road as a cart comes racing towards her…)

complex character coool as fuck premise and also. the nostalgia of it all

#cinderpoll #round 1 #round 1b #cinderella #fairytale #ella enchanted #gail carson levine #anne hathaway #ella of frell #ella enchanted 2004 #poll tournament #poll bracket #character polls #polls

[cookies-and-music]

The Scam of a Lifetime.

Aleksander was tired.

Centuries of feigned deaths and new identities had worn him down.

Every day, upon waking, his mind chose a reason why existence was no longer bearable, and he spent the day brooding over it.

That day, it was about the King. Each time the king died, Aleksander had to gain the trust of the new one, prove his worth, and bow to people he could crush with a fingertip.

It had to end.

And it would end with her.

He approached her after the show. In centuries, Aleksander had seen many good actors, but none as skilled as the girl before him. Anya was young, around 16, with brown hair and light eyes. The only thing special about her was the uncanny resemblance to the Queen. It seemed that fate had spared him.

'Let's see if I understand, General Krignan.'

'Kirigan,' he corrected.

'Kirigan,' she echoed. 'Are you telling me that there existed a second daughter of the tsars, unknown to anyone, who disappeared right after birth, and the king is looking for her?'

'Correct.'

 'It seems crazy,' she crossed her arms, leaning on the back of the chair. 'But then, why is he looking for her, after all these years?'

'He is very ill,' Aleksander began.

'The tsar is dying?' the girl widened her eyes.

'Remember that everything we say is confidential, Miss Anya,' he said with a slight undertone of threat, and she nodded. 'The tsar claims that the disappearance of the second daughter is his greatest regret, and he cannot die peacefully until he finds her.'

She seemed to reflect on it for a while; Aleksander could see the gears in her brain turning. When she finished, she raised an eyebrow. 'So, I should go there, give him the farewell kiss, and then what?'

'Then you would retire to the quiet life you know and prefer, in a villa located in the countryside far from Os Alta, with more money than you can count, never worring about working ever again.'

Anya sensed it, the smell of bullshit. 'And what do you gain?'

'A peaceful passing for my beloved sovereign.'

The coldness with which he said it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand.

She took a second to think about it, but even if she knew he would gain something, Anya thought she didn't care much, as long as she came out of it alive. And rich. Terribly rich.

[][][]

During the carriage journey to Os Alta, Kirigan instructed Anya on everything she could say and, above all, what she shouldn't say. The lost princess Katarina had grown up in an orphanage on the border of Shu territory, never knowing who her parents were. When she was old enough to leave, she became a seamstress. They met in a shop where she worked and sold him gloves.

'But I don't know how to sew,' Anya had objected.

'You'll learn along the way,' Kirigan had replied without looking up from his lunch.

Anya had raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

Apart from that, the journey was mostly silent and terribly boring. The black carriage they traveled in had dark curtains that prevented them from seeing outside, making it difficult to distinguish morning from evening.

For three days, the General was her only company, as he had forbidden her to talk to anyone else to maintain secrecy.

Just beyond the gates of Os Alta, the terrible silence surrounding the carriage was broken by the chaos from outside. Intrigued by the commotion, Anya reached a hand toward the curtain and pulled it slightly.

Outside, an adoring crowd had gathered around the carriage. They threw flowers and shouted, 'Glory to the tsar, glory to Ravka.'

'I didn't know you were so loved, General,' Anya turned to Kirigan, who, with his dark and heavy clothes and long legs, seemed to take up all the space in front of her.

Kirigan moved a flap of the curtain with a finger.

'They're not cheering for me, Miss Anya.'

The girl looked confused, and he handed her a newspaper he had next to him.

'What am I supposed to do with this?' Anya waved it.

'Usually, people read newspapers, Miss Anya.'

She clenched her jaw, swallowing. 'The. P- Prin-cess. Princess.'

Aleksander furrowed his brow. 'Miss Anya... you can read, right?'

'Of course!' Anya seemed almost offended. 'I just don't like it that much.'

Aleksander almost laughed as he watched her straighten up and furrow her brows as if facing an indecipherable puzzle. 'The princess re-tu-returns ho-me.' Anya tossed the newspaper on the cushion beside her. 'I don't understand,' she sighed, looking at Kirigan.

‘They’re here for you, Princess Katarina.' He gave her a half-smile, and Anya's jaw dropped.

'I had never received applause before the performance.'

Aleksander almost laughed.

Around an hour later, the carriage stopped.

'Well, Miss Anya, the show is about to begin.' Aleksander opened a door and stepped out before reaching his hand inside to help Anya get down. As her eyes adjusted to the outside light, Aleksander took her arm and crossed it with his. For a moment, Anya was surprised by such chivalry until she realized that the proximity was necessary only to ensure that no one heard him when he whispered, 'And know that if you back out, no corner will be dark enough to hide you from me, Miss Anya.'

#fanfic #aleksander morozova x oc #aleksander morozova x reader #aleksander morozova #the darkling x reader #the darkling x oc #the darkling #shadow and bone #grishaverse

[daenysthedreamer101]

Daughter of Steel and Bronze ~ HOTD

Ch 1 - To King's Landing

Targaryen!OC x Harwin Strong (eventually lol)

Warnings: none

Prologue

Masterlist

"In 107 AC, the King held a seven-day celebration in honor of Princess Rhaenyra's tenth name day. The young Princess was named 'the Realm's Delight' by the minstrels at court. Rhaenyra was a precocious child, bright, bold and beautiful. She became a dragon rider at only seven years old, riding her yellow she-dragon, Syrax. The tourney would also mark the return of Prince Daemon to King's Landing. He spent most of his time away in the Vale, with his lady wife, Rhea Royce, and their young daughter, Princess Daena.

Princess Daena was a lively, cheerful girl only a year younger than her cousin, Rhaenyra. She became a proficient huntress in thanks to her lady mother. Some at court frowned, saying it was inappropriate for a lady to hunt down animals and cover herself in dirt and blood, but Rhea and Daemon paid them no mind, letting their daughter do what she liked. 'She's not just a lady...she's a Princess of House Targaryen. Dragons don't fear blood' Prince Daemon was heard saying in defense of his daughter."

(Fire & Blood, Being a History of the Targaryen Kings of Westeros, by Archmaester Gyldayn)

~

107 AC, King's Landing

This was Daena's second time visiting King's Landing. Well third, if you count the time her parents brought her when she was a baby so that her great-grandparents, King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne could meet their newest great-granddaughter. It was said the Good Queen wept tears of joy when she held Daena in her hands for the first time. The Queen was old and frail, having to walk with a cane. Nonetheless, the Queen gave her blessing and proclaimed that Daena would be a great beauty one day.

Now, Daena and her father, Prince Daemon, were visiting King's Landing once again. This time because of her cousin Rhaenyra. Her uncle, King Viserys I, was holding a great tourney in honor of Rhaenyra's 10th name day. Even after 14 years of marriage, Viserys and his wife, Queen Aemma Arryn, only had one living child - Rhaenyra. The King was known for spoiling his only child with many things, and "seven days of celebration for her name day seemed only appropriate", according to His Grace.

Daena spent much of her childhood at Runestone. She was taught how to ride a horse and hunt with a bow and arrow by her lady mother, Rhea Royce. Her mother was a strong, intelligent woman and was the ruling Lady of Runestone. Daena was very proud to be her daughter and always strived to make her mother proud. Daena didn't look much like her mother. She looked more like her father's side of the family. With fair skin, long silver hair, and lilac eyes, she looked nothing short of a true Targaryen Princess. Nonetheless, she knew she had many other things in common with her dear mother. 

Her mother didn't join them. She said she needed to look after Runestone, that it was her duty. But even as a child, Daena knew it was because her mother never liked her father and she simply didn't want to spend time with him. It made Daena sad, that her parents disliked each other, but they tried to be cordial with one another for her sake. She once asked her parents if she would ever get a sibling. Her mother choked on her wine while her father frowned and told her not to be silly and ask stupid questions. She never asked again.

~

"Are we there yet?" Daena asked Amanda, one of her mother's nieces who went South with them. Lady Amanda was from the cadet branch of House Royce - House Royce of the Gates of the Moon. Amanda was a pretty maid of 16 summers. Nearly a woman grown, Lady Rhea sent her young niece to King's Landing to look after her daughter and also for a potential marriage.

 Amanda had long dark brown hair and round brown eyes. Daena liked her very much. She was fun and kind and taught Daena how to sew. "We'll be there in a short while, Princess," Amanda answered while looking out from the small carriage window. 

Daena didn't like that she was in a carriage. She wanted to fly with her father on Caraxes but he refused her, saying she was too young. So, she would travel by carriage. She looked out the window and saw a giant castle made of red stone. 

"The Red Keep..." Daena whispered under her breath. She has never seen King's Landing. She did visit in 101 AC, when her great-grandfather, Jaehaerys passed away. But she didn't remember much from that whole ordeal. She only remembered that everyone was sad and quiet. 

Daena was 9 years old and slightly taller than most girls her age. She was thin and slender and had long silver hair she liked to keep in a single long braid. Father said it made her look like Queen Visenya. Daena would love nothing more than to be like the legendary Visenya. 

"Do you think Rhaenyra will let me see Syrax?" Daena quietly asked Amanda. She would never admit it, but she was a bit jealous that Rhaenyra had a dragon. Daena's dark purple egg never hatched. She still had it, it was held back at Runestone, but she didn't like looking at it.

It made her sad and angry. Some kids back at Runestone would mock her and call her Daena the Dragonless. The words of her mother's House were 'We remember' and in keeping with that, she never forgot or forgave the people who mocked her. She hoped that since she was in King's Landing, she could claim an already hatched dragon. 

"I'm not sure...Perhaps a bit later." Amanda said cautiously. She knew how important dragons were to the Targaryens and it hurt her to see Daena so sad. 

"Open the gates!" A guard shouted. They were already there. They were about to enter the Red Keep! Daena sat up straight and smoothed her red and black silk dress. Her silver hair was braided at the top to look like a crown. Small ruby earrings dangled like blood droplets from her ears. The gates were opened and the carriage entered the courtyard. 

The doors of the carriage opened and Daena could see her father dismounting his horse. A page boy helped her get out. Once her feet hit the ground, a guard announced them. 

"Prince Daemon Targaryen and his daughter, Princess Daena!" Her father beckoned her over and so she quickly walked over to him. He put his arm around her little shoulders.

"Prince Daemon...Welcome..."A voice said. She finally focused on the person standing in front of the castle doors. It was Ser Otto Hightower - the Hand of the King. 

"Princess..." He greeted her as well, though he sounded and looked like he didn't want to be there. She didn't curtsy to the lord, she didn't have to as a Princess. She felt her father protectively pulling her closer to him. 

"Ser Otto...", her father managed to say through gritted teeth. Even as a child, she could tell the two men heavily disliked each other. 

"Amanda, take Daena inside. Visit the Queen if you can. I'm sure Her Grace would like that" Daemon told Amanda. The young Royce girl nodded and took Daena's hand and they walked inside. Once they reached the Queen's chambers, they entered the spacious room. 

"Princess Daena, Your Grace", a maid announced Daena. The Queen was heavily pregnant and was sitting on a chaise lounge in front of a big window and was propped up by lots of pillows. Her silver hair was down and fell freely. She wore only a nightdress and a pretty, pink, embroidered silk robe. The Queen turned her head and smiled lightly at her young niece. 

"Daena, my dear...How you've grown. I haven't seen you in ages." Aemma said softly as she looked over Daena. The young princess curtsied to Aemma. The Queen beckoned her and gave her a warm hug. 

"Your Grace," Daena said politely. 

"Come, sit here." Aemma gestured to a nearby chair. Daena sat. Aemma looked over Daena's shoulder and saw a pretty brunette in the corner. Daena noticed. 

"Your Grace, this is Lady Amanda Royce of the Gates of the Moon. She's my cousin. She came here with me, I hope you don't mind." Daena introduces Amanda to the Queen. 

"No, not at all. It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady" Aemma greets the Royce girl. 

"The pleasure is mine, Your Grace. Thank you for having me" Amanda says and bows to Aemma. The Queen and Daena talk for a while, about the Vale, about Runestone, and how much Daena has grown.

"If I may ask...where is my dear cousin Rhaenyra? I haven't seen her yet." Daena asks after a while. Aemma sighs and fans herself with a fan.

"I believe she's having her lesson with Septa Marlow" Aemma explained. Daena hums in acknowledgment. 

"Princess Rhaenyra", a maid announces after a while. In came Daena's older cousin. She was fair-skinned with pretty purple eyes. She was a bit shorter than Daena, but they both had long silver hair.

"Cousin! It's been so long!" Rhaenyra greeted Daena with a warm smile and a tight hug. 

"Nyra!" Daena exclaimed in joy. Rhaenyra greeted her mother and they talked for a few minutes.

 "Come, dear cousin. Let's go for a walk." Rhaenyra suggests and takes Daena by the hand. 

"Your Grace, I hope you have a nice day." Daena bid the Queen politely. Aemma smiled sadly at the two girls.

Daena and Rhaenyra were walking in the Royal Gardens in the afternoon sun. They sat under the weirwood and talked for hours. In the distance Ser Harrold Westerling, Rhaenyra's sworn shield, was keeping guard. At sundown, Amanda came around and told them they were summoned for supper with the King.

"Will you show me Syrax one day?" Daena asks. 

"Of course, I would love to, " Rhaenyra answers. 

"We can even fly together once she gets big enough" Nyra adds. 

Once they were ready, Ser Harrold escorted them to the dining chamber where they were to have supper. As they entered, Daena could see her uncle, the King, sitting at the head of the table. To his right was his wife, Queen Aemma, who looked tired. To his left was her father, Prince Daemon. To Aemma's right was Princess Rhaenys and her husband, Lord Corlys Velaryon - the Sea Snake. Daena was surprised to see them there. Shaking her head, she sat next to her father. Nyra sat next to her. 

"Girls, we've been waiting for you for some time," King Viserys says lightly scolding the girls.

 "Forgive us, father. We were talking and we got distracted." Nyra says sheepishly. Viserys smiles and looks over to his niece.

 "Ah, Daena...I haven't seen you since you were a toddler. How you've grown..." Viserys says to Daena. She smiled awkwardly and the food was served. The adults talked amongst themselves. Daena and Rhaenyra quietly traded gossip with one other. Daena tried her best not to look at the Sea Snake and his wife. Rhaenys was her aunt, but she always found the woman kind of scary, though she would never admit it. 

After supper, Daena bid her cousin goodbye and left with her father to their chambers. 

"I'll see you in the morning Nyra" Daena says and hugs Nyra. She and her father enter her chambers. 

~

"Wow..." Daena gasps as she sees her room. Her chambers back at Runestone weren't nearly as big. 

"I already told the maids to fix you up a bath," Daemon says to her. He walks over to her and pets her head, caressing her silver hair. She hugs his waist and looks up at him with tired eyes. He smiles at her. 

"Issi ao ēdrugī, riñītsos?" (Are you tired, little girl?) He asks her. She nods her head. 

"Come here..." He says and picks her up easily and puts her down on the bed. He starts unbraiding her hair. He knew most men wouldn't even consider doing something like this. He didn't think he had it in him to be like this. So soft, and gentle...and caring. But the second he held her when she was born...he knew he would do anything for her. He would burn the entire world if it meant she was safe and sound. 

Once he was done unbraiding her hair, he turned her head toward him. He studied her face. She looked just like him. Silver hair, lilac eyes, it was all him. But she had her mother's oval face. He didn't like his wife, whatsoever. But she helped him create Daena. His precious Princess. His little girl. His little dragon. 

"I'll call Amanda. She'll help you bathe." He told her and got up to leave. Before he was able to leave, she caught him and pulled him by the sleeve of his shirt. He bent down to her level. 

"What is it, sweet girl?" He asked her. 

"Sȳz bantis kepa. Avy jorrāelan" (Good night Father. I love you) she told him sleepily and planted a kiss on his cheek. He smiled once again and kissed her silver hair.

"Avy jorrāelan tolī, dōna riña" (I love you too, sweet girl). He told her and left her chamber.

---

High Valyrian:

Issi ao ēdrugī, riñītsos? - Are you tired, little girl?

Sȳz bantis Kepa. Avy jorrāelan - Good night Father. I love you.

Avy jorrāelan tolī, dōna riña - I love you too, sweet girl.

***

Omg, the first chapter is finally here! It's mostly an introduction to Daena and it establishes many relationships that will develop/deteriorate over time.

Hope you liked it, and thanks for reading! ❤❤❤

If you have any opinions feel free to comment!

#game of thrones #asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #house of the dragon #hotd #house targaryen #prince daemon targaryen #targaryen #targaryen oc #hotd oc #asoiaf oc #hotd aesthetic #hotd fanfic #hotd season 1 #aemma arryn #my original characters #my oc stuff #princess oc #westeros #seven kingdoms #valyrianscrolls #rhaenyra targaryen #young rhaenyra

[bitter69uk]

The Beyhive was abuzz when Beyoncé dropped a teaser for her two new country-adjacent song (“Texas Hold 'Em” and “16 Carriages”) during the Superbowl. But when it comes to African American soul divas dabbling in country music, as so often the case in pop culture history, Queen Tina got there first! I’d always mistakenly assumed Acid Queen (1975) was Tina Turner’s debut solo effort, but no – the record Tina Turns the Country On was released in September 1974 (so it turns fifty this year. Note that Tina started releasing solo material when she was still married to Ike). On it, the R&B tigress wraps her gravelly rasp around material by the likes of Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton, Hank Snow, Bob Dylan and James Taylor. While Turns the Country On garnered Turner a Grammy nomination that year for "Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female" it belly-flopped commercially (no singles from it were released) and the reviews were decidedly mixed (“She sounds so woeful doing country on Turns the Country On, you would think she grew up overseas” Ron Wynn concludes in his 1985 book Tina: The Tina Turner Story). You can judge for yourself – the album is streaming on Spotify. Ultimately, as the Saving Country Music website notes “perhaps Tina Turner’s biggest country music contribution came from being a muse, not a performer. In 1969, Waylon Jennings was hanging out at the Fort Worther Motel in Fort Worth, TX when he breezed by an advertisement for Tina Turner describing her as a “good hearted woman loving two-timing men.” Waylon immediately recognized the phrase as the perfect premise for a country song” – and it resulted in his 1972 hit “Good Hearted Woman.”

#tina turns the country on #tina turner #beyonce #lobotomy room #country music #waylon jennings #good hearted woman #rhythm and blues #soul music #soul diva #ike and tina turner #bold soul sister

[shanastoryteller]

🎂, Shana! Lady Mo?

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

“I’m not riding in the carriage again,” Xuanyu says flatly. “You and Guangyao take it. Wangji and I will ride behind.”

Lan Xichen decides to focus on how heartening it is that Xuanyu is speaking both of his brother and his lover so familiarly and not how she’s being unnecessarily stubborn about this. “We just want to be cognizant of your health-”

“My health is fine and I’ll kick your ass to prove it,” she says flatly,

Sizhui slaps a hand over Jingyi’s mouth at the same time as he covers his face. It’s hilarious.

“Xuanyu,” Wangji says, eyebrows pushed together, “you have been more tired recently-”

Sizhui drops his hand to frown.

“I’m not going to fall asleep on the way there!” she protests. “We’re only taking disciples, we might as well fly, but if you want to ride I’m not going to stay stuck in the carriage again.”

“What if you do get tired?” Lan Xichen asks.

She rolls her eyes. “Then Wangji can carry me and you can rub it in my face for the rest of my life. Happy?”

Lan Xichen sighs and turns to A-Yao. “Don’t you have anything to say about this?”

“No,” he says, inspecting his nails. “Feel free to continue arguing with my sister and holding us up. She seems so open to persuasion.”

Lan Xichen considers how often arguing with A-Yao has yielded results in his favor, that A-Yao finds her likeminded enough to refer to her as his sister, and rapidly reevaluates his stance. “We’ll bring the carriage for everyone’s luggage and it’ll be there if you change your mind.”

As they’re leaving, he pretends not to notice Xuanyu hanging back with A-Yao and whispering, “How did you do that? Can you teach me?”

Wangji’s exasperated glance, however, tells him that any similar tricks Xuanyu tries on him are going to be all his fault.

She doesn’t get tired, or at least not enough that he can pick up on it. They stop at an inn to eat and to give the horses a change to rest before continuing the journey and they’ve just stepped inside when Xuanyu’s face lights up and she calls out, “Song Lan!”

The next moment she grimaces and flushes, as if she hadn’t meant to say that.

He turns, and sure enough the wandering cultivator is sitting at a table, uncharacteristically alone. Song Lan stands and bows to them, looking at Xuanyu in puzzlement before his face clears. “Ah, Lady Mo, it’s good to see you again.”

“You know each other?” Wangji asks.

Xuanyu keeps her mouth shut, but Song Lan nods. “We assisted in a cultivation issue at the Mo Manor many years ago. Lady Mo was only a teenager then.” He inclines his head to her. “It’s kind of you to remember us.”

Any issues at the Mo Manor should have been taken care of by the Jin, but Lan Xichen isn’t surprised by the negligence. Until he decided he needed a scapegoat for their treaty, Jin Guangshan seems to have ignored his daughter completely.

He considers correcting Song Lan’s address – she’s no longer Lady Mo, but Lady Jin – however Xuanyu hasn’t, and he knows she’s not fond of her father’s name.

Xuanyu waves a dismissive hand, her embarrassment at having called out to him apparently soothed. “Where’s Xiao Xingchen?”

His face darkens. “We parted way on bad terms a while ago. I’ve been attempting to find him to repair the damage, but it’s been more difficult than I anticipated. This village seems to be the last place someone saw him. A blind girl called A-Qing left with him, but I haven’t been able to find either of them.”

#prompt answers #prompts are closed #asks #alexseanchai #untamed