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always-outlander · 1 year

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Outlander 7x02 Thoughts & Easter Eggs

Spoilers below the cut for “The Happiest Place on Earth”

Wow, what an episode! There’s so much to unpack here but I will start by saying that I deeply enjoyed this one. A lot of direct from the book dialogue, some plot that was reworked and-in my opinion-for the better. Brilliant acting by many but especially Sam and Cait. It had a lot squeezed into it but let’s get into it.

Alan Christie

To start, we finally had the resolution for Malva and learned that Alan not only assaulted and abused her for her entire life, but was also the one who killed her. This was such a sensitive storyline and to have those flash backs with Malva made me emotional. Jessica Reynolds is a wonderful actress and her Malva was perfect. This scene was the first one I could feel the pain point of having to end season 6 prematurely. The gap between Malva’s death, followed by the hiatus, to now reach the culmination here almost made the impact of Malva’s death take a back seat to the beginning of these new storylines. You can feel that 7x01 and 02 were meant to be a part of that ending, but what can you do 🤷🏻‍♀️ that’s me being nit picky.

But back to Alan. This was almost exactly what happened in the books and I was happy that Young Ian made such a brief appearance. That spacing between episodes likely made people forget that he had a little romance happening with Malva, but his honor once again rang true with his actions here.

Major continuity error with Claire’s wig though– only when she is burying Alan does her hair grow 3 inches, then magically is cut again for the remainder of the episode.

Mrs Bug

Book readers know the upcoming storyline with Mrs. Bug, and we set the foundations this episode when Wendigo and his men come to the Big House in search of gem stones. There they uncover Arch Bug’s hidden gold (which is very significant later on). I loved seeing this preview of what is to come.

Mandy’s Birth

Amanda Fraser is born and we get a very quick moment of happiness for this little family, when the hammer drops that she has a serious heart condition that Claire cannot fix. This is the impetuous behind the MacKenzie’s and the Frasers separating for what I assume will be majority of the season. The scene with them all at the stone circle was very touching and I felt like Cait and Sam’s acting shined brightly here. The best part for me was the quote from Jamie taken directly from the books where he tells Claire

“For your sake, I will continue–though for mine alone…I would not.”

I also deeply enjoyed the Disney tie ins from the book, the humorous moment where Jamie tries to understand how a giant rodent is meant to be fun for children, and his wishes to Jemmy to give a mouse named Michael his regards. All direct from the books, and delivered perfectly.

Bree meets William

The moment we’ve (I’ve) been waiting for, WILLIAM has graced our screens. Though it was short, I squealed when I saw him and Lord John together, especially him in his red coat. You can certainly see the resemblance and while we have yet to see his acting chops on full display, Charles appears to be a perfect casting. He has the cocky confidence of a young Jamie Fraser down pat, I’m curious to see what other nuisances he brings to the role.

Lord John and Jamie

This scene was touching and so well done, Sam and David have always had such great scenes together and really made this relationship between these two men such a beautifully complicated thing. John has long been trying to convince Jamie to do the right thing and fight for the British, but you can see his true intentions here more than ever. If Jamie fights for the British, he can protect him. When Jamie chooses to fight opposite John and William, he knows he cannot.

In a last act of love and friendship, John returns the gem to Jamie from his escape at Ardsmiur. Something we know meant so much to John. His love for Jamie will always win out in the end, and I loved that the scene had room to breathe at the end. John crying alone in his room, and Jamie’s pause outside the door and his watery eyes was perfectly done.

Claire’s Breakdown

In the last scene of episode 1, Claire and Jamie have a discussion about Tom Christie and his confession. In the show, they chose to end that scene with Claire going to sleep while Jamie takes revenge on Richard Brown (and what a badass scene that was). In the books, the moment ends with Claire and Jamie trying to be intimate again, and Claire having a breakdown.

The show has now taken that scene and moved it into episode 2, which actually felt a lot better to me having watched it this way. I was sad that this moment was removed from episode 1 but beyond happy to see it here because it was another wonderful showcase of Sam and Cait’s acting and Claire and Jamie’s love. In the books, Claire cries because she is sad for Tom, for Malva, for Frank. Jamie tells Claire to weep for them because you “canna keep a ghost at bay. He tells her to let them in and grieve for them so she can heal.

In the show, Claire cries for the loss of her family –Fergus and Marsali, the MacKenzies, and Jamie mentions Faith, Murtagh, his mother and brother. They have both lost so many, and he encourages her to cry for them. To me this was so much more poignant and relevant to the events of the episode. I really loved this change.

The Throwing of the Gem

Another iconic scene the we finally got to see brought to life was when Jamie gives Claire the gem stone and tells her that she can go with Bree, or go back if he should die. The acting in this was so perfect and in the books, Claire throws the stone far into the woods to prove to Jamie once again that she is never leaving him. I enjoyed his little jab that she should probably go and recover it.

Wendigo Donner

The return of Wendigo Donner finally closed the loop on the big house fire, and I’m so excited to see how the beginning of episode 3 starts. The highlight of this scene for me was the callback to season 3, when Claire is pretending to be abducted so that Jamie can get what he needs from Lord John Grey. In this scene (and in the books) Jamie is lying to Donner about not having gemstones in the house, but then changes his tune once Claire’s life is in danger. He leans into the ‘disgruntled husband upset with his wife’ tune and tells Donner that Claire hid all the stones while he was away, so she is the only one who knows there location (thus making it impossible to kill her). The humor in Claire’s eyes made me laugh in an otherwise tense scene.

We get much of the same dialogue and story beats as the books here but the one subtle change happens when Jamie finds out that the man in their house is in fact Donner and not some random group of men looking for money. As soon as he hears his name, he lunges for Donner to seek revenge on what he had done to Claire.

In the books, Claire slips out of Donners arms and lunges after him, with Jamie holding her back at the waist. They try to plot an escape but one thing leads to another and Jamie actually kills Donner with a knife before the ether explodes. In the books, it is because Young Ian lit a match to help illuminate the dark room everyone was sitting in. Big change, subtle change, but one I’m interested in seeing them explain next episode.

All in all I loved this one, I’m enjoying the changes made and the pacing of this felt better than the first episode. Would love to hear your thoughts!

#outlander #outlanderedit #jamie x claire #jamie fraser #claire fraser #sam heughan #claire x jamie #jammf #caitriona balfe #james alexander malcolm mackenzie fraser #outlander 7x02 #outlander ep: the happiest place on earth #outlander books #outlander spoilers

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acourtofthought · 11 months

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Problematic Arguments

The one where Lucien isn't relevant or should be forced to deal with a broken bond and a mate who doesn't choose him in the end even though every other male mated to a resistant Archeron eventually got their HEA. Where another jealous male deems him "not good enough" so that must be the truth 🤦

Lucien was based off Sam Heughan's version of Jamie Fraser in Outlander.

Lucien similarities to Jamie Fraser:

Both Jamie and Lucien were whipped.

Both Jamie and Lucien were S/A

In Outlander, Dougal (Jamie's uncle and one of six children) considers Jamie a threat because Jamie could have been competition for Dougal, as an able-bodied male of MacKenzie blood, for the bid of laird. Lucien was one of seven but was also considered a threat for the title of High Lord (to his brothers in this series).

They both have red hair and Jamie's is long in many seasons.

Though Lucien empathized with what Feyre was going through, he was also torn by what was necessary for the Spring Court as a whole. Similarly, Jamie did not truly want to punish Claire for her mistake in season 1 however he knew that in order for the clan to still protect her, he had to do it as it was the way of his people and what was expected of him.

Jamie stood up to Jack Randall on many occasions while Lucien stood up to Amarantha on many occasions.

Both Jamie and Lucien are open with their emotions and feelings and intelligent.

Both make mistakes but quickly apologize and learn from them.

Both Jamie and Lucien are fighters when necessary however they are also well educated.

Lucien was willing to die on Feyre's behalf rather than tell Amarantha her name while Jamie took Laoghaire's punishment for her.

Both Jamie and Lucien were injured when falling from their horses.

Jamie was willing to let Claire return to the future after marrying her, if that's what she decided she wanted and Lucien walked away so Elain could go back to Graysen since he knew that's what she wanted as she was still in love with him.

Jamie is a natural born leader able to navigate social situations with ease and that is also fitting of Lucien, why Tamlin made him his right hand and why Feyre says he sounds more High Lord like than an unwanted son.

This is said about Jamie: True to his sign, Jamie is extremely stubborn, much like the Frasers who came before him. He is also fiercely loyal. This is what is said about Lucien: “You know them better than I do. But I will say that Lucien is loyal—fiercely so.”

(Claire, written to be the love of Jamie's life, and Elain also share similarities -

Curly, light brown hair, brown eyes, pale skin.

Was in love (and married to) another male when she met Jamie just as Elain was in love with and engaged to Graysen (interesting SJM gave Elain that storyline in the same book she realized Elucien would be mates).

Claire did not choose to marry Jamie but was forced into the arrangement just as Elain did not choose to have a mating bond.

A nurse turned healer when she traveled back in time (💡), Claire is able to take charge and stay calm in stressful situations. Elain hasn't fully grown into herself but there are hints of this - “I’ll do it,” Elain said, taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders. She didn’t wait for either of us before she strode out, graceful as a doe. / But Elain’s cry—a warning. A warning to— To my right, now exposed, Tamlin ran for me. To grab me at last./ But Elain said, “Nesta.” Slowly, my eldest sister looked at her. “Nesta,” Elain said again / She put a hand on Nesta’s knee, the purple of my sister’s gown nearly swallowing up the ivory hand. “Feyre gave and gave—for years. Let us now help her. Help … others.”/ And then walked to me and Nesta, who pulled back long enough to survey Elain’s clean face, her clear eyes.

Claire is nurturing, yet matter of fact and well spoken most of the time however when pushed she's a bit feisty and will swear which shocks the men of that time. Likewise Elain often says things that surprise her sisters and hoped the queens "burned in hell"

Further proof of SJMs Outlander love:

Below is proof of her love for LUCIEN:

Sarah J Maas also said this of Helion in a May 12, 2017 interview, 10 days after the release of ACOWAR ( the book where she announced that Lucien's real father was Helion):

So it is difficult for me to imagine that SJM would base Lucien off a character she loves, a character who finds his soul mate in Claire after a rocky start and an arranged marriage, change Lucien's father to a character she's obsessed with (the High Lord of Day giving Lucien the power of the sun which Elain craves) only to have his Cauldron given mate (who he has longed for over the course of 3 books) reject him.

That would be like Claire returning to the future and choosing never to go back to Jamie which would have ended the series very early on.

Their love is epic because even though it wasn't their choice to come together at first, it ended up being EVERYTHING.

Sometimes the best things in life are the things you never expected and never knew you wanted.

If SJM considered Lucien her love, than why would she want him to have less than an epic love with his soul bonded mate? She has told us it doesn't get better than that so why would he be given less than the best when as the author she has the power to give that to him?

#elucien #pro elucien #lucien vanserra #pro lucien vanserra #acotar series #acotar ships #mating bond

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flyinghome-againstthewind · 3 months

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Seven Sentence Sunday

No one tagged me, I'm just vibing with Soften Every Edge right now and trying to motivate myself to finish chapter 2!

Claire woke to a still-dark morning with the weight of Jamie’s arm around her, his face resting so close to her own. She could tell by his breathing that he was already awake. “Time’sit?” she croaked, and tucked her head against his chest.

His chin came to rest atop her head. “Half past six, if I had to guess.” It was the time Jamie usually rose and faced the day. She sighed and burrowed closer to him — and felt him press a kiss to her hair. “Not going anywhere just yet,” he said with a sigh that suggested he needed this moment cocooned in their bed just as much as she did. “‘Tis only the animals that need tending to today, and Fergus and I can manage that later.”

no pressure tagging @walkinginland @theawkwardterrier @philtstone @forgetmenotsassenach17 @frasers-of-my-heart @lara-frasers

#seven sentence sunday #soften every edge

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dragonflydreams47 · 2 months

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I don't post often but I have 2 things on my mind.

First one is I wish Cait would grow her hair out. It's beautiful and she would look younger. However it's her hair and she will do with it as she pleases. Just wondered how many out there feel the same about the bob.

Now about BOMB. I don't think I'm the only one that really has zero interest. However I do have an alternate idea for it. Give me a second and I'll explain and this idea I would totally go for and would be excited to see where the writers would take this.

First 5% of French have red hair, at least at the time. What if Faith didn't die? Give it a second to let that sink in. The birth was bloody and that doctor kept giving Claire evil looks. He could have switched babies without Mother Hildigard knowing, or perhaps she knew about the switch. For whatever reasons, the baby was supposedly buried after Claire held what she thought was her baby. Faith's story would be intriguing, where did she grow up, who took care of her, who knew she was a Fraser? Did she know she was a Fraser or when did she and how did she find out? Is it possible the doctors wife was baren and he took the baby for himself? There so many questions that could make this line of the story intriguing.

Fast forward many years later, the doctor is dead and the mother tells Faith the whole story. Faith sets out to find her real parents.

Ok what do you think?

#outlander #james fraser #sam-heughan #caitriona balfe #sam heughan #sam and caitriona #sam&caitriona #samheughan

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gotham-ruaidh · 1 year

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I’m still new at this Tumblr thing so forgive me if I somehow do something wrong. You have a wonderful blog and a vast knowledge of Outlander. So here we go….In the books DIA chapter 10 Claire dreams of Frank teaching and he has two miniatures one of her and one of Jamie. Later in ABOSAS chapter 55 Brianna shows young Ian two miniatures she has painted. Who are they? Jamie and Claire. I don’t believe they’ve ever come up again. Do you think Frank ever had them or has them hidden away? We know Frank knew a lot more and kept his secrets. It just doesn’t seem coincidental but maybe. That detail has just stuck with me and I’ve always wondered will we see them again. What do you think?

Anon, this is one of my favorite (and yet too often overlooked these days, as it didn't make it into the series) things in all of the Books.

You're correct in that the miniatures have never come up again. It was a shock to me when they made an appearance in ABOSAA - and of course I instantly made the connection to Claire's dream in DiA.

I do think that Frank had them. And that he hid them from Claire. Just like he had done so much research - and written books - about Culloden, and the Scots in North Carolina. How he knew that Jamie had survived Culloden. And how he kept all of this from Claire.

He dug into the past - the same past that he told Claire to stop living in. Out of jealousy, anger, spite, any number of reasons.

There's no way that Frank knew that Brianna had painted them - though in his research he undoubtedly came across records of her (and Roger, and their kids) living on Fraser's Ridge, and perhaps even came across records of Brianna making money from her paintings.

Now, why was Claire dreaming about these miniatures (seeing Frank in the future)? Well, we do know that she has a touch of the supernatural. She uses her blue light to heal (the same blue light as Master Raymond, and which Nayawenne tells her will grow stronger as her hair grows grayer; the same blue light she uses in Bees to literally bring Jamie back to life). So, why can't she "see" through time, especially in dreams? Jamie does, after all.

Anon, thank you for being so astute and asking such a great question! xo

#outlander #dragonfly in amber #outlander mythology

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sgiandubh · 10 months

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La passante de la Place des Vosges/ The Passerby of the Place des Vosges: in praise of Caitríona Balfe

I have recently discussed, in as much detail as possible without becoming completely boring, S's memoir Waypoints. It is, no doubt, an interesting strategic step, aiming to buy much needed time and respite from unwanted fan attention.

But if there is a memoir I would probably read in a very different, almost sentimental way, that would be hers, not his.

We have an enticing idea of the way she writes, with this lesser known essay published by the totemic NYT just a day shy of her birthday, in 2017: The First Time I Left Home (and Fell in Love), which you can read online right here - https://shorturl.at/uTX12. It is a short, dense piece with a deeply personal, even sentimental, view of Paris in autumn and spring. Something very unusual for the feisty, secretive, almost paranoid C we all know and love (admit it, you do: fair's fair). It immediately grabbed both my attention and highlighter.

Writing about Paris, especially from an Anglo-Saxon/American perspective, is a very tricky affair. So much has been said and done, from Janet Flanner's priceless Letters from Paris and Paris Journal, to Anais Nin, to Edmund White, to Hemingway, to Orwell - just to name the ones that immediately come to mind. In this particular case, we'd be dealing with a nice PR fine tuning detail, with a relatively short lifespan, aiming perhaps to reach a more sophisticated demographic than Twitter banter or a three minutes long Q&A about the current season's antics. But a wonderful detail, nevertheless.

The year is 1998. A young 19-year old Irish model wannabe just landed in the chaotic brouhaha of Roissy Airport and the first contact is brutal, language being a considerable barrier. But before that, we are treated to a masterful bistrot snapshot, with a cheeky, self-deprecating sense of humor. I mean how perfect is this?

Quite a contrast to the dream version back home:

Touché. All the moody young Frenchmen are named Pierre, C. All. Of. Them. As for watching far too many French films, there's always been something very Nouvelle Vague about you, Jeanne Moreau and Jules et Jim & all that, and I have to say this is what I found immediately endearing. I am not talking about Claire Fraser: it is you, emphatically you. The kind of impeccably dressed woman one can find pretending to read Le Monde at Le Café de Flore's terrace in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The kind of self-evident, celestial creature whose high heels are never heard on any pavement (what is your secret?). Late Jane Birkin didn't even come close, C., mark me. However, red lipstick stains look way better on the rim of a nervously half drunk cup of noisette coffee: but then, that is me.

It was not at all like that, of course, but then something happened just across the street from the Saint-Eustache church, at Quigley's Point, a long gone Irish pub I vaguely remember. Circa 1998, our own boisterous squad used to play darts and get plastered on cheap draft beer and that undignified, syrupy manzana Basque liqueur (idiots, I am telling you, but it was very cheap) at The Bombardier, on the Place du Panthéon, just across the Seine:

Thick brogue, a quick laugh, kind eyes and blonde hair. An interesting combo, for sure. No further comment except well, this is very personal, isn't it? You've said it yourself: sometimes (fun fact: always) the really important people have nothing to do with fantasies. But we know, C, we know.

And then, suddenly, it all falls into place: Stendhal would talk about a crystallization moment. It is that split-second when everything becomes very clear. A pact of sorts occurs and all barriers are lifted. For C, it happened in one of the perfect places of this planet, spare perhaps the Piazza del Campo, in Siena:

No doubt, by tomorrow evening at the latest, I will be crucified by Mordor, but this made me think of that - different setting and context, same type of seminal moment. Draw your own conclusions:

(SRH, Waypoints, Day Four: The Hard Road)

Important things happen, too, Place du Panthéon and this moved me to bits, even if this was not a happy ending. So shamelessly glad it wasn't, by the way:

For (and forgive me for ineptly tinkering with your words) "It’s true, you never forget your first love". And for that man on that random pavement in LA, that will always be you, passerby of the Place des Vosges. The wonder you are, despite anything else: it is perfectly irrelevant.

Jacques Brel says it best, in what is almost a prayer:

youtube

#Youtube

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doireallyhavetochooseaname · 10 months

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Can I buy Jamie Fraser at the slut store???

#outlander #claire fraser #season 1 #curly hair #time travel #i'm not crying you are

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brian-in-finance · 5 months

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Video 📹 from YouTube photo shoot BTS forJuly 2018 Irish Tatler

Instagram cover and contents video 📹

Facebook Watch fun Q&A video 📹

Outlander-Online Instagram Story screenshot 📸

Screenshots: Caitríona Balfe Fan

time for more

Caitríona Balfe talks to Shauna O'Halloran about time-travel, wedding plans and why women have had enough of Hollywood's shitty behaviour (her words, not ours).

A pair of stonewashed Levi's 501s, flat white converse and a little white T-shirt are all that Caitríona Balfe needs to rock up to a day's shooting in North London, and still have a full crew comment on how beautiful she is in real life. It's never something I like to lead with in interviews - we're here to discover the person, after all - but I do feel that to not mention it would be a shame, because she is quite stunning, even when off-duty. It's not that much of a surprise of course. The Monaghan native was once one of the most sought after runway models in the world, having been spotted by a Ford Models scout in Dublin. At 18, she was opening and closing shows in Paris for Chanel, Moschino, Givenchy and Louis Vuitton, to name a few. And this humble glossy is just one of many she's graced the cover of - with Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Elle magazines all having starred Caitriona over the years. So no wonder there was literally not one bad shot to be found in the photographer's edit.

Today however, Caitríona Balfe is known best to most of the world as Claire Beauchamp Randall - Outlander's time travelling 1950s nurse who falls for a dashing highland warrior by the name of Jamie Fraser, played by her costar Sam Heughan. The show, now on series four, is based on a series of novels by Diana Gabaldon and to say it has mega fandom is an understatement. Having taken up acting after her modelling career, Outlander was Caitriona's first major role and has propelled her into a stratosphere with over five million viewers per episode. How, I wonder, is that?

"It's been such a wild ride!" She tells me as we sit down to interview. She's back filming in Scotland for her fourth season and we already know that seasons five and six are a go, so Claire is going to be part of Caitriona's life for some time to come. "I was cast late into the proceedings. I got cast on the 11th of September and I was in Scotland [for fittings and filming] on the 15th of September 2013. I guess I knew about two days before they announced it!" She says of the whirlwind entry into Outlander. It didn't take long, however, for Caitríona to realise the scope her new role was going to have.

"After we filmed about four episodes Sam and I were taken to LA and we did a fan event. Nobody had seen anything and there was over two thousand people at this fan event...having not seen one minute of footage. We came out on stage and everyone was just screaming!"

The core fan base has stuck with them as the seasons have gone on and Outlander has won multiple awards. Caitríona, too, has been widely recognised for her role with 20 plus nominations and a host of Best Actress wins from institutions like the People's Choice Awards, the Golden Globes, the Saturn Awards, IFTA and BAFTA.

One of the notable points of the drama series is the sparky on-screen chemistry between her and Heughan during their many steamy scenes together. So much so that people have had a hard time believing that they're not a couple in real life. No matter how much the actors insist.

"It's nice that people kind of see something in that, but you know, we've always just been friends. And I said it from the beginning but people didn't want to hear it!"

Even so, it must be hard after four years of filming sexy scenes with someone to not get embroiled in a romance of some description.

"We went for a walk," Caitríona explains on how the deal was cut early on. "Both of us had to go to London right before we had to start filming, I was getting my second perm of the week and he was getting his hair dyed, probably for the 15th time that month and we met down in Kensington and went on a big long walk in the park. I was there with my poodle perm and he was there with some kind of terrible ginger-red version of his hair and we were like, You know what, who knows what this is going to be but we're going to be in this together and we gotta have each other's backs.' And from that time on we always have." A sweet moment that has led to a lasting friendship and has probably been key to Outlander's success.

"The shows that have been successful - I think you always see that they stick together. The minute you let ego or your pride or all of that kind of stuff get in the way, I think that it can really sour things," she says with honesty. It has to be said, there is no ego about Caitríona Balfe and as the lead role in the show, it's easy to imagine that she sets the tone for all involved.

The atmosphere on set, she says is supportive and tight, although she's painfully aware that not all hit shows and Hollywood sets are so lucky.

"Our work is really tough and we're in tough conditions, like when you're out in the pissing rain or sideways snow, which happens! To have people be supportive of each other and care about each other, that makes such a huge difference.

"I know somebody who worked on a show as the lead male and he and the lead female never spoke, literally didn't speak to each other unless they were in a scene. I can't imagine ever wanting to be in a situation like that, I can't imagine waking up in the morning and feeling like I have to go to work with someone who won't even speak to me. That's horrible."

But the stories are rife; even before #MeToo broke, celebrities and bad behaviour on set seemed to go hand in hand. And it makes for great, salacious tabloid fodder. And women, notoriously, seem to get the raw end of the deal, in everything from respect standards to salaries.

"I think everybody's waking up to the fact that they can't get away with that stuff," Caitríona chips in. "I obviously came to this point of my life a bit later so I've always felt very comfortable about standing up for myself or speaking up for myself but there can be a bit of a double standard. But I don't think, I mean I will stress this, it's not always men enforcing that. We've had male directors or male producers who are so much more sensitive and supportive than sometimes the females can be. I don't necessarily think that it's a split line down the middle about sex; it's not all women supporting women because that's not my experience. I think it's really about people." And does it hurt more, when it's a woman being the unsupportive one?

"Yeah, I think you expect better. And I think sometimes they think because they're women they don't think they're being discriminatory, but if what you're asking is completely out of line..."

In the hierarchical worlds of modelling and acting, people entering the careers at the bottom rungs are more vulnerable to mistreatment.

Caitríona notes that she did experience it in particular as a young model and her first career left her with some healing to do.

"I remember one of my first ever photoshoots in Dublin. I was so young and I remember coming back from it and my sister was like 'Where have you been all day?' I was just being sent off with a strange photographer who was older and with no kind of knowledge about where I was going, what was expected, just sort of thrown out to the wolves at 18."

It was that age that she first began travelling too, to Paris and Milan, and with little to no support structure. "It's just incredible when I look back now at how I navigated all of that because you literally are just sent off on your own, traipsing around strange cities where you don't know the language. You are just expected to fend for yourself.

"It was the wild west and you were lucky if you had a job. There was a discrepancy of power - the agency was really supposed to be there protecting you, but it was almost like you needed to please them to get the jobs.

"I think that's why so many girls who have gone through that experience are as tough as nails," she adds, also referring to herself, although that toughness hasn't come without cost.

"When I left the business, I moved to LA and I am so grateful that I was able to take a year...a lot of that was just dismantling a lot of the mental issues I had taken from the business because your confidence and your self-esteem is in the toilet after you've been in that business for so long. Most models I know have terrible self-esteem which is the most crazy thing."

Thankfully, in both modelling and acting, the industries are changing.

As someone who is in the Hollywood stratosphere and has been in the company of the likes of Weinstein and more, Caitríona has first-hand experience of being with the people at the very centre of the #MeToo storm.

"A lot of my year in LA was just dismantling a lot of the mental issues I had taken from the business"

"A lot of the names that have come forward, it's strange because you kind of go 'Oh yeah, that's not surprising.' With someone like Morgan Freeman; I grew up watching him and he's been that voice that calms everyone. But I had previously heard rumours. Nobody is above the law and what I do hope is that all of these things go through a process because I think the worst thing is that we get into this situation where there is like a mob mentality and we start being judge, jury and executioner on social media because that's never the right way of doing things.

"But I think there has been a real shift and I think people aren't going to put up with shitty behaviour anymore. And they shouldn't."

The one thing that high profile and influence does afford people is the ability to shine a light on situations that deserve more attention. It's something that Caitríona’s very aware of and since her Outlander fans have always asked 'who can we support on your behalf', she went out of her way to discover a charity that she could be an ambassador for. As a result, she is now a patron of Wold Child Cancer and travelled to Ghana last year to see two of the hospitals the charity works at. "It's very humbling when you see the different kinds of care you can expect if anything ever goes wrong in your life just because of where you are born," she says of the experience but is equally quick to downplay her role as a patron versus that of the people working on the ground, despite using her own time and profile to raise awareness and funds for the charity. "I feel so grateful that I can, the people in the trenches are the people who do work day-to-day and it's super impressive because they don't get a lot of credit for it."

Check Caitríona’s Twitter and you'll see how impassioned she is about this, as well as being a big supporter of other issues: she was vocal on repeal, supports ethical fashion choices and promotes a meat and dairy-free lifestyle.

"I believe that no matter what you do you should be a responsible citizen of the world," she says, "I think a lot of my social media is promoting issues I believe in and causes that I believe in.

“As for my more private life, frankly I'm not interesting so I don't like doing selfies, my partner is super private so he isn't on any social media and doesn't want to be so nothing is said about him. So yeah, that's naturally how I am!"

It's clear as the conversation goes on how grounded Caitríona is. She's fiercely proud of her Irishness and uses it as a conversation starter worldwide (*We command goodwill - people genuinely like us!") and while she laments how badly her name gets 'butchered' she misses the fada which she dropped for ease some years ago. "I'm devastated about it!" she says, before also confessing that technology had some part to play in its demise.

"In the early days of computers I didn't know how to put it on! I just learnt a couple of months ago, like ohhh it's that button there. So I might bring the fada back."

And she hasn't ruled out an upcoming wedding in Ireland - the actress is recently engaged to intensely private music producer Tony McGill, but plans for the nuptials are still undecided. Would she consider coming back to Ireland to tie the knot?

"If you put a sun lamp over it, yeah I'd love to!" She laughs. Wedding planning is not really her thing however, and doesn't garner giddy chats and wishlists.

"I would just love to have all of my friends and family and have a great party," she clarifies when coming across as less than enthusiastic about planning her perfect day. "I think the production side of it is just too much like work!"

And finding time that suits both their schedules is also proving challenging, with Caitríona lined up to film in LA with Matt Damon and Christian Bale. It's a biopic of mechanic and driver Ken Miles (Bale) and the conflict between Ford and Ferrari during the 1960s. "I play Christian Bale's wife and James Mangold [Walk the Line, Logan, The Wolverine) is directing. It's set in the sixties, it's all about Le Mans, the 24-hour race so it's a lot of fast cars, hot men and me!" She laughs. "I've been watching loads of documentaries on Le Mans which is really cool."

And this is Caitríona: totally unfazed, seemingly, by the prospect of working with some of Hollywood's most famous actors and directors and yet, nerdily researching so she can be prepared on the day. Oh, and consciously enjoying it too. With more projects in the pipeline, that demand is only going to get higher, but of one thing I can be sure: to her own self, Caitríona Balfe will always be true.

Remember… we command goodwill - people genuinely like us! ☘️ — Caitríona Balfe

#Tait rhymes with hat #Good times #Irish Tatler #July 2018 #YouTube #My screenrecording

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takemeawaytocamelot · 11 months

Text

Red Jamie and the White Lady: Chapter 33

*THIS IS A LATE ADD ON*

I’m so sorry my beautiful, wonderful @diversemediums!!! You’re the best beta reader/editor/contributor to this story and I love you! I’m sorry I forgot to tag you on the actual release of the chapter!

James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser was adrift. A broken man. Small things stood out to him. The feel of cold blood soaking his knees. The stillness of Claire, cradled in his arms. The way her hair stuck to his skin, absorbing his tears. If the world opened up and swallowed him, he would welcome it gratefully.

“Jamie?”

His grip on her tightened as his breath hitched. All he wanted was to hear her speak again, to feel her hands in his, to get lost in the scent of her hair. Her hair no longer smelled of flowers. All he could scent was blood.

“Jamie!”

The grief must be getting to him. It was the worst pain he’d ever felt and now he was hallucinating the sound of her voice. He could hear shuffling behind him and held Claire closer. He wasn’t ready to let her go, just yet.

“Jamie, lad! Open your eyes!” Murtagh cried out.

But why would he want to see it all again? The blood, her pale skin growing paler and clammy, the light dimming in her eyes.

A cold, wet hand touched his cheek and he leaned into it. Then he froze. Did his auditory hallucination just… touch him?

His eyes sprang open in a panic only to see Claire gazing up at him. Her eyes were clear and glossy, not clouded and dim.

“Claire?” His voice cracked, his throat dry.

“Eyes… open… soldier,” she gasped.

Before he could process what he was seeing, the connection that had been severed flared to life. For a moment, he lost his ability to breathe. His heart began beating erratically and he couldn’t stop the smile that came to his face. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes and she winced as she breathed. She tried to hide her groan of pain, but he heard it.

“We need to get her to hospital,” Jamie said, his voice rough and cracking.

He wished, more than anything, that he could carry her himself. His body had been through too much in the last few hours, so he trusted her to Murtagh. Angus and Rupert slung one of his arms over each of their shoulders and the whole group slowly began leaving the compound. Once they were a fair distance away, one of them called for emergency services. Everything became a blur after that.

Flashing lights. Questions like who shot her? What were they doing in the middle of nowhere? Why wasn’t she bleeding anymore when she definitely should be. Things came into sudden focus when one of the paramedics insisted Jamie ride in a different ambulance.

“No,” he said with what Scottish stubbornness he could muster. “I’ll ride wi’ her.”

“Sir,” the young man said. “We need to work on you too. You’ve blood all over your face and we need to make sure you don’t have a concussion.”

“The only way to keep me out of that ambulance,” he growled, pointing to where Claire was being loaded in. “Is to knock me out and strap me down. I’m riding wi’ her to hospital or so help me, you’ll be the one needing an ambulance!”

“Are you threatening me?”

Jamie began to take a deep breath when Murtagh stepped in.

“Look,” he said softly to the offended paramedic. “He’s been through a lot today. That’s his wife there and he watched her get injured. If you let him ride in wi’ her, at least he’ll be going to hospital too, aye?”

The man rolled his eyes.

“Fine. But if you get in the way of me helping my patient, so help me I’ll recommend the doctors sedate you and put you in a separate wing.”

Jamie nodded once and hopped in the back. The doors closed as Murtagh, Rupert, and Angus looked on. He was sure they’d drive to the hospital once they got back to their car.

“Jamie.”

He turned to look at his beautiful wife, who was miraculously still breathing.

“I’m right here, Sassenach.”

“You’re as hurt as I am,” she whispered. “You need to be seen to.”

With a smile, he took her hand. It was warmer, but still far colder than he’d like.

“I’m fine. I’ve been away from you for too long. I’ll not leave your side now.”

She sighed at him and did her best to glare at him. There was no way she’d win this argument. Besides, they were on their way and couldn’t change it now.

He watched in tormented worry as the medic began hooking Claire up to all sorts of things. Immediately he began a transfusion due to her blood loss, along with a number of other things.

“This will help with the pain, Claire. Just rest. We’ll take good care of you.”

“I don’t want…” She looked to Jamie in a panic. “I’d rather stay awake.”

“Rest, Claire,” he said gently. “I’ll be here when ye wake.”

***

The sound of beeping was the first thing she noticed. That was quickly followed by the sharp scent of disinfectant. Was she in hospital? The last thing she really remembered was…

“Jamie!”

She sat up quickly, which she immediately regretted. Her chest throbbed and her head swam. Frantically, she searched around her to see if her Scottish brute was nearby. He shouldn’t be here in the hospital with her. People could track him down in such a public place. She heard a soft rustling, just out of view.

“I’m here, as promised,” he said from beside her.

Gingerly turning her head, she saw him sitting in a small chair. His face was beautiful, though it looked drawn with worry. His eyes were… They churned and roiled as he looked at her. She made a soft sound as he took her hand, enveloping hers with his own.

“Claire, ye ken I love ye. But if ye ever scare me like that again,” he stopped, voice quavering.

Her breath hitched as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

“I’m not going-”

Two knocks at the door interrupted them before the doctor walked in. He was of average height, distinctive black eyebrows and black hair. When he smiled up at them, she got a distinct impression of Mr. Bean.

“Ah, Claire Beauchamp. I’m glad to see you’re awake.”

“It’s Fraser,” Jamie grumbled.

“Ah,” the doctor said, scribbling down a note. “Claire Fraser Beauchamp. Well it looks like your wound is healing well. You’re incredibly lucky. It’s miraculous really, that you’re still with us. A medical marvel.”

Jamie met Claire’s eyes, eyebrows raised.

“You’ll be happy to know,” the doctor continued, “That both of your babies are doing just fine as well, despite the recent trauma. We’d like to keep you in for a little bit longer until you’re more stable, but you should be able to go home soon. Let us know if you’re in too much pain and we’ll give you something that will be safe to take with some buns in the oven.”

Tucking Claire’s chart under his arm, he turned to leave.

Jamie stared at Claire as she stared in shock at the doctor’s retreating back. His ears were ringing.

“I’m sorry, did you say-” Claire started.

“Babies?!” Jamie finished. “As in… Claire’s pregnant?”

The doctor turned around with a furrowed brow.

“Well, yes. You’re several weeks along, Mrs. Fraser Beauchamp. Twins as well.”

“Twi- Wait. No. Her name is Claire Fraser. JUST Fraser.”

“Jamie,” Claire barked, silencing him with a squeeze of her hand, staring at the doctor. “You’re sure I’m pregnant, doctor?”

He looked between the pair of them, confused.

“Of course, Mrs. Beauchamp Fraser. We can test again if you like. Better yet, I can ring someone from obstetrics down here and give you an ultrasound.”

“That’s not her-” Jamie started, finding something to cling to in the wake of everything that happened in the last five minutes.

“Hush,” she said, putting a placating hand on his arm. “We’d appreciate that, doctor. Thank you.”

He smiled and nearly bolted from the room. The beeping from the heart monitor began to pick up speed. Jamie began brushing the hair from her face, gently petting it down in an attempt to calm her. He looked worried, and not just about the impending children.

“Jamie, we…”

The hand that was holding hers moved over her abdomen.

“We’re gonna be parents,” he said softly.

He began to blink rapidly, quickly brushing the back of his hand over his eyes. Was he… crying?

“To two babies. Are we ready for that?”

She looked up at him slowly, worried at what she’d find in his eyes. The warmth swirling in the blue depths gave her comfort and peace.

“Probably not,” he said with a chuckle. “But I think between the two of us, we can manage. Christ. Can you imagine, Claire? A wee little lass running around wi’ your curls? Or a braw lad wi’ my eyes?”

The squealing giggles of two little girls rang in Claire’s ears, carried on the ocean breeze.

“Yes, I can.”

“Claire, I… I wanna ask ye something.”

Frowning, she watched as he stood up from his chair. Her eyes went wide when he got down on one knee with a wince.

“Jamie, what are you-”

“Claire,” he interrupted. “I ken we handfast and we’re married as far as we’re concerned. But… would ye marry me? Again?”

God, this man. Her lips began to tremble and she fought back joyful tears. Here he was, in pain from who knows what injuries, kneeling on the floor, proposing to her like they weren’t already married. And expecting children! This beautiful buffoon was the love of her life.

“Oh Jamie. Of course I’ll marry you again.”

Once he stood again, he leaned over to give her a soft kiss.

“Good. Then we’ll make sure ye change yer name. Legally. So anyone who meets you will know ye belong to me.”

“Like the doctor who can’t quite get my name right?”

“Like that bloody wee doctor, aye,” he said, glaring at the door.

Claire huffed out a laugh, wincing as pain blossomed from her wound. Jamie’s brow furrowed.

“Ye need rest, mo ghràdh. Dinna fash. I’ll be right here.”

Claire’s eyes closed as Jamie placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. With a yawn, she settled into the hospital bed and drifted off to sleep.

The sound of waves hitting the shore made her smile. Both little girls waved at her from where they were burying someone in the sand. The dark mop of hair suggested Murtagh. A hand settled on her shoulder and squeezed gently.

“They’re beautiful lasses, aren’t they?” Jamie asked.

“Yes, they are. Can you believe they’re ours?”

“Aye, I can. They’ve your courage and beauty.”

Claire leaned into him.

“And your strength and loyalty.”

“I can’t wait to see what our Fraser lassies will do.”

Blinking slowly, Claire looked around her hospital room. Jamie’s hand was resting over her abdomen while he slept in the chair beside her bed. She placed her hand on top of his, just over the place where their two children grew.

#outlander #outlander fanfic #Red Jamie and the White Lady #chapter 33 #takemeawaytocamelot #diversemediums #we're back baby

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