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starwrittenfates · 5 months

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This is a list of interactions/dynamics my muses are looking for. I am NOT ship focused. I prefer to write for CHEMISTRY, but there are SOME SHIPS I do like and will, usually, consistently say YES to writing. Open to any and all ships as long as chemistry is there. If you’re interested in exploring one in particular, please let me know. Otherwise it will be platonic.

𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐒 𝐈'𝐌 𝐄𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐎 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄

Thunderwar (Sif & Thor) - Marvel

Sifki (Sif & Loki) - Marvel

Logyn (Sigyn & Loki) - Marvel, Norse Myth & God of War

Jily (Lily & James) - Wizarding World

Snily (Lily & Snape) - Wizarding World

Lily & Sirius - Wizarding World

Lily & Remus - Wizarding World

Dettlaff & Syanna - The Witcher

Ciri & Cahir - The Witcher

Freya & Kratos - God of War

Docmana (Doctor & Romana) - Doctor Who

Braxmana (Romana & Braxiatel) - Doctor Who

Best Enemies (Doctor & Master) - Doctor Who

Sixth Doctor & Peri Brown - Doctor Who

Fifth Doctor & Peri Brown - Doctor Who

Rumbelle (Rumple & Belle) - Once Upon a Time

Frankenwolf (Victor & Ruby) - Once Upon a Time

𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐒 𝐈 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄

Snape being paired with any of his students or bullies in a romantic context (that includes the Marauders.)

Snape & Voldemort in a romantic context

Snape with any Death Eaters in a romantic context

Regulus in a romantic relationship with any of the Marauders or Death Eaters

No incest at all for any character

𝙈𝙊𝙎𝙏 𝙒𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝐂𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐀 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎

Geralt of Rivia

Yennefer of Vengerberg

Dandelion/Jaskier

Triss

Queen Calanthe

Other Witchers and Witcher Characters

Any OCs

𝙒𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐂'𝐇 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎

Geralt of Rivia

Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon

Yennefer of Vengerberg

Dandelion/Jaskier

Triss

Other Witchers and Witcher Characters

Any OCs

𝙒𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝐒𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐀 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎

Geralt of Rivia

Renfri Vellga

Deidre Ademeyn

Anna Henrietta

Detlaff Van Der Eretein

Regis

Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon

Yennefer of Vengerberg

Dandelion/Jaskier

Triss

Other Witchers and Witcher Characters

Any OCs

𝙒𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐀 𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎

Avallac'h

Eredin Bréacc Glas

Auberon Muircetach

Any Wild Hunt

Any Aen Elle

Geralt of Rivia

Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon

Yennefer of Vengerberg

Dandelion/Jaskier

Triss

Other Witchers and Witcher Characters

Any OCs

Any Elfs

𝙒𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝐋𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐄𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎

Harry Potter

James Potter

Severus Snape

Remus Lupin

Sirius Black

Peter Pettigrew

Hermione Grainger

Albus Dumbledore

Minerva McGonagall

Any of the Weasley’s

Any other characters, especially if they are an enemy or an acquaintance

Any OCs, especially if the OC is another child of Lily’s.

𝙒𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐔𝐒 𝐒𝐍𝐀𝐏𝐄 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎

Lily Evans Potter

Lucius Malfoy

Albus Dumbledore

Minerva McGonagall

Harry Potter

Remus Lupin

Sirius Black

Peter Pettigrew

Hermione Granger

Lord Voldemort/Tom Riddle

Narcissa Malfoy

Draco Malfoy

Any other Hogwarts Students

Any of the Weasley’s

Any other characters, especially if they are an enemy or an acquaintance

Any OCs, especially if the OC is a child of Snape’s

WANTED REGULUS BLACK INTERACTIONS

Sirius Black

Severus Snape

Lucius Malfoy

Narcissa Malfoy

Bellatrix Lestrange

Lord Voldemort/Tom Riddle

Any other Hogwarts Students

Any other characters, especially if they are an enemy or an acquaintance

Any OCs

WANTED OMINIS GAUNT INTERACTIONS

Sebastian Sallow

Anne Sallow

Soloman Sallow

Any Hogwarts Students or Hogwarts Legacy characters

Any OCs

Any Gaunt Descendants or Relations

𝙒𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐅 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎

Thor Odinson

Loki Laufeyson

Odin

Frigga

Warrior's Three (Volstagg, Fandral & Hogun)

Jane Foster

Erik Selvig

Darcy Lewis

Any Avengers

Any Norse Mythology characters ;)

Any other Asgardians, Jotuns or Thor characters

Any other Marvel characters

Any OCs, especially if the OC is a child of Sif's

WANTED SIGYN INTERACTIONS

Loki (ALWAYS… Myth, Marvel, SPN, etc.)

Thor Odinson (Myth & Marvel)

Lady Sif (Myth & Marvel)

Baldr

Frigga (Myth & Marvel)

Odin (Myth & Marvel)

Any of the Warrior’s Three

Angrboda

Idunn

Freyja

Amora the Enchantress

Hel/Hela (Myth & Marvel)

Jormungandr

Fenrir

Sleipnir

Vali & Narfi

Any of the Avengers (Marvel - Tony Stark, Natasha, Clint, Steve, Bruce, etc!)

Any God of War Characters (Aesir, Kratos, Atreus, etc.)

Any Original Characters!

Any other Norse Mythology characters!

𝙒𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙍𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎

Kratos

Aretus/Loki

Any other God of War characters

#ooc ;; serenity has left the group chat #wanted connections ;;

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vesemirsexual · 1 year

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'Death had almost taken him many times during his hunts, yet in an ironic twist the hideous scar on his face came not from a monster claw but from the blade of Deidre Ademeyn, his highly unpredictable Unexpected Child. Perhaps this traumatic experience lay at the root of Eskel's dislike for Yennefer, though he tried not to let this get in the way of friendship with Geralt.'

This Eskel character entry from TW3 is still so interesting to me in terms of what Eskel thinks about the Deidre incident.

#katie txt

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on-a-lucky-tide · 2 years

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We need to talk about the parameters of Eskel's bravery. He'll be brave when the options are life or death. A witcher is brought up to die (I am so going to use this line in a fic now that I've thought of it...). So of course he didn't bat an eyelash at Caranthir, he was either going to do his job and vanquish evil or die trying. What he was never taught was to deal with emotions. Picking sides, dealing with complex issues. He runs and hides. It's easier to not deal with the emotions, of feeling like he's let Vesemir or Lambert down by not siding with them. To him, the world is black and white. And when it's grey, or two whites or blacks in his life clash? He cannot cope.

Agreed, Non. And that's an amazing line! If it appears in the Eskel tag then I'll be sure to give you a thumbs up in the comments.

Emotional maturity is a really complex... thing, and I like how you've drawn a line between "managing" and "dealing", whether intentional or not. (I think you're already barking up this tree anyways, so feel free to take it with a sage nod.)

He's the heir to KM according to the games, navigating local politics and the social contexts of other people, recognising and managing his emotions effectively, is a necessary part of both being a witcher and a future leader. It's part of his job/training. He has the tools and cracks on with confidence and certainty.

I like to write Eskel as having full awareness of his emotions (and never having bought into witchers don't have emotions, but viewing it as a necessary rumour in some respects; he's pragmatic like that).

But, like you said, he's the embodiment of the "just put this fire over here with the rest of the fire" meme; he doesn't ever deal with anything, and when it looks like he is going to have to deal with it, he flees/avoids/claims neutrality. What if he makes the wrong choice? What if he lets down the people he loves?

I also like to headcanon that the reason Eskel paws at his scars when he's unsure is because they're a reminder of what his indecision and paralysis cost him. Not just his facial scars but also (if you go bad, bad ending) having to hunt down and kill Deidre to stop her rampage.

When he has the tools, Eskel is an unstoppable force. Without them, he's a scared little boy curled up in his bunk, hoping his best friend comes out of that laboratory alive. The holes left in his emotional development by what he endured at KM are vast.

#asks #hope that makes sense #I've been thinking a lot about the toxic masculinity that Eskel would have grown up around as a boy #that could factor in too #I know we don't like giving our Blorbos the Bad Person traits #but it is part of imagining them as a whole person in your head #we can also acknowledge deficiencies without infantilisation which anon did and I hearteyes

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thenightling · 1 year

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Mayfair witches episode 6

My review of episode 6 of The Mayfair Witches: I just watched episode 6 of Lives of the Mayfair Witches and I have to say... This was not a good episode.

The quality has gone down hill. The focus on the redneck witch hunters has not only amplified but the symbolism is so hamfisted it’s insulting. You see the coroner sitting in front of a laptop computer in a dimly lit room. And you hear this apparently conservative rant about women changing the status quo. And the evils of sisterhood and empowerment and women being equal to men and how bad that is. The feminism metaphor is so blunt it’s intellectually insulting. I am a feminist but the way the witch hunters rant negatively about woman’s rights takes me out of the story. Religious fanaticism and fear of beliefs different from their own and perceived Satanism should be enough. Most misogynists don’t actually know they’re being misogynist and don’t openly whine about women being “too empowered.” At least not with that wording, not today. They were better off just using religious fanatics scared of anything different. The metaphor did not need to be spoon fed to us. There are plenty of people like that today- people stupid enough to think Wicca is Satanism.

Tessa Mayfair feels like a sort-of stand-in for Mona Mayfair. I was slightly annoyed that she called her power to ENTHRALL men by the title Glamour. No that’s an enthrallment. You literally used the words to describe it. “I have glamour. That means I can enthrall men.” Enthrall / hypnosis is its own power. A glamour in most witchcraft is an illusion or disguise spell to make you appear different to someone else, yes, often attractive but it’s not the same as enthrallment. The word Glamour in occultism is also an archaic word for magck itself, as used in Gospel of Loki. But in modern witchcraft and fantasy fiction it usually means a visual illusion spell over one’s appearance.

Ciprien did not have a lot of screen time along with The Talamasca and I’m sorry to say it was rather predictable that Tessa was captured by the modern-day witch hunters- which are ridiculous and unnecessary plot point that annoys me more than anything else as it has been mostly dragged out filler and now blatant symbolism of misogyny and incels.

But honestly, I think these show runners stand the potential of doing a great job if there was ever a TV adaptation of Fred Saberhagen’s “An Old Friend of The Family.” It’s the perfect atmosphere for it.

Though I feel it is going down hill and does deviate drastically from the book, I still think this is better than the Interview with the Vampire TV series.

And now the Mayfair Emerald (which they just call “The necklace”) has an origin of being the key to a witch-dunking cage. Why would an iron witch-dunking cage have a golden key with an emerald in the setting? It looks cool but the Mayfair Emerald in the book was just a rectangle. In the preview for the next episode you see Tessa as a prisoner of the witch hunters. How come they didn’t take the necklace from her? She’s obviously trying to cast a spell with it. At the very least you’d think those anti-woman witch hunters (who are also Internet trolls) would think it’s Satanic or something. As these witch hunters are all misogynistic men literally against anything feminist or “empowered” My friend Savanah just said (about this episode) “Oh, God, it’s 4chan! They’re hunting witches!” She’s not wrong. The show behaves as if this is what would happen if 4chan took up witch hunting. And speaking of the “internet troll” witch hunters... Tessa showed Rowan that one of them had Deirdre’s heart in a jar. That’s Rowan’s mother’s heart in a jar. Yes, she only just learned about her biological family but she was very concerned / attached immediately, especially when Deidre died in her arms but she ls LITERALLY indifferent when she sees her mother’s heart in a jar on an anti-witch website. She says something dismissive like “I’m a doctor. I’ve seen lots of hearts.” and then she tells Tessa not to let the Internet trolls get to her. It’s more than a troll if they have taken the heart from your mother’s corpse! WTF Rowan? Rowan isn’t that bright in the books. I’m reminded that in all of The Witching Hour novel she didn’t catch on that Lasher wanted her impregnated and then to take over the fetus. But in this show last episode she was shocked that the woman who tried to kill her and Ciprien, and had kept her mother drugged for thirty years- she was shocked to find out that same woman had killed her grandmother. And now Rowan is like “Oh, they’re just Internet trolls. Block ‘em.” When they’re posting pictures of her mother’s heart. And she doesn’t even act like she doubts it’s her mother’s heart or that it’s a hoax. No. She acts like using the heart of your mother’s corpse is trolling.

The writing in this episode was... weird to say the least.

#Mayfair Witches #Anne Rice

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lilacsimblr · 2 years

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Deidre: I am, but I promise you, we are not all bad. I’m looking at you. I see your face, your arms, that sad look in your eyes. I know why you’re here and I want to help you. I do. Whoever did this to you gives us all a bad reputation. They create victims who become fearful of all werewolves and that puts werewolves like me in danger. It causes us to be hunted and fear for OUR lives. Please, Max. You have to understand it isn’t all of us. Some of us were even turned from being attacked just like you. Promise me you won’t do anything rash. I want to help you. I’m going to help you, just remember that by doing so I’m putting my life on the line too.

Max: Okay...

Max was still in a state of shock, but he heard her. This kind girl? A werewolf?? He really did trust her and believed she truly wants to help him, and even though he’d only met her, he cared for her and didn’t want to her see her in any danger.

#the sims 4 #ts4 #ts4 gameplay #ts4 werewolves #mini story #w*

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gascon-en-exil · 1 year

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Wouldn't it be better for a FE 4 remake to be rated M ? just in case the localization tries to get rid of : * check the list* Arvis x Deidre, Lachesis brother complex, Julius's child hunt etc.

I doubt that would be necessary. From what I've seen, games that get an M or equivalent rating usually do so because of graphic violence, and sometimes explicit sex although that's pretty rare in games that get passed through conventional ratings boards. FE has never had that, even with some of the recent games having cutscenes with blood in them, and all of its racier content is either in the character designs (which have evidently never given the games higher ratings) or in text only. The child hunts are series-standard violence, Arvis/Deirdre is a villain plot, and Lachesis...is the toughest one since the Ares/Nanna conversation comes right out and says it, but then so does the memory prism between Clair and Fernand in Echoes, and no one even brings up that conversation when talking about incest in the series. It's all covered under the extremely broad label of "suggestive content." I always get a laugh when I see those ratings on boxes and "alcohol consumption" warrants a separate mention, while all manner of more risqué stuff can be covered by that suggestive label.

I also have my doubts that Nintendo would ever allow a mature rating. I can't name think of any of their IPs that's ever had a game published with a rating higher than T or equivalent. They'd probably consider it contrary to their brand.

#Fire Emblem

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smallest-turtle · 2 months

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Getting asked by the girl you've had a crush on for like a year 'oh, youve never eaten grass before?' and not even reevaluating your stance

#ffxiv #ffxiv wol #deidre hunt #alisaie leveilleur #deidre/alisaie #you know how it is with a healer gf #alisaie and arenvald hearing deidre say the weirdest shit like its normal and still thinking shes hot is some of the best comedy to me.#teen romcom hours #for them

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daeidre · 11 months

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[ WARN ] : for sender muse to warn receiver of incoming danger.

Deidre's eyes narrowed and her forehead wrinkled in fine prominent lines. She didn't know that woman, and how could she know where to find Deidre and give her this one odd and scary message of a Witcher coming here?

She hoped it was Eskel. She really hoped that Eskel got out here to find her - hunt her down - die by her hands - she dying by his or - destiny might still make this right and Eskel claimed her rightfully.

"That man you're describing, are you sure, would you swear on your life, it's a Witcher, and he has curly brown hair, orange and blue coloured eyes and scars in his face?

The medallion he wore? Which School? Cat, Wolf, Griffin? Bear?"

She knew she was probably testing her luck a little too much. Her dad tilted as she waited for the girl to answer. Who was she, god dammit? How did she find Deidre in hiding?

A sorceress? A witch? Or something else entirely? Well, she's just handed out a massive favour to Deidre, maybe she should trust fate just once - but then when her existence was only justified by Eskel claiming the Law came down to her being all alone, magic escalating, bodies piling up and the only person she ever loved - Eskel, abandoned her.

No. She would never trust anything again that could work out in her favor. If Eskel got here, it was probably a life for a life. It would end in blood to be spilled.

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bibliophilecats · 2 years

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Hey! In your latest reblog you wrote that you read "several great fantasy series aimed at adults or/and written by non-US American authors" and I'm a big fan of YA fantasy books. Do you have some recs for the "non-US authors" bit? Not that I don't love them but all the books I read this year are from the US and I think that a change would be nice.

If you can, want and have time of course! Thanks in advance🌿

Of course! I love talking about books. Though tbh, I cannot quite remember which books I was thinking of specifically as the first post was from last November. Anyway, here are some YA fantasy books I really enjoyed, by non-US authors:

Christelle Dabos "The mirror visitors" series. I am sure you have seen this on tumblr already. The author is French and it did give me some very different vibes. Pretty cool twists and turns, great characters (more morally grey than often seen in YA).

Timothee de Frombelle “The Book of Perle”. Another French author and a very fairy-tale like fantasy story. Not necesarily YA but still very accessible if you read a lot of YA.

Garth Nix Abhorsen chronicles. Aussie author, series started in 1995 and the sixth book was published last year. Necromancy, great female characters, clever magic system.

Steve Augard’s The Touchstone trilogy. Granted, this one is more middle grade (but older middle grade), but so well done I think you can also read it as a teen/young adult. UK author, fairy folk, countryside.

If you can understand German, I highly (!) recommend Kathrin Tordasi’s Brombeerfuchs. German author (but lived in Wales for some time), book set in Wales. Portal fantasy. great magic system. I just saw it is classified as middle grade but I’d say it is (young) YA. A second novel has been announced.

Although I only love her earlier books (everything she wrote up until her first Inkworld book), Cornelia Funke had great fantasy not like the US books (since she moved to California her books have become very US-american in my opinion). For example, her first Dragonrider book is still very “German”. I’d say everything published until about 2005. I think she is also mostly middle grade?*

The Call by Peadar O’Guilin. Irish author, set in Ireland. YA fantasy horror (fae are not nice). I loved this book and there is a second novel but I haven’t read that one yet.**

The Tensorate series by Neon Yang. Non-binary author from Singapore. Maybe this is more adult fantasy? Anyway, very magical, very queer, very cool.

Perfectly Preventable Deaths by Deidre Sullivan was also a good read (up until the moment when there was animal harm - that is a no go to me even if it is depicted as something abhorent). Irish author + setting. Magic/witchcraft, first love, lgbtq. However, I just tried reading Savage Her Reply by her and stopped after only a few pages because I found the prose too convoluted and hard to follow.

I think when writing that post, I was thinking more of contemporary YA novels not written by US authors, and not so much YA fantasy. I think I am growing out of that area of reading. Anyway, hope you get some inspiration :-)

*the distinction between middle grade and YA wasn’t/isn’t so stict in Germany. We often have the “main” categories of children (up until 10, 12 years of age) and teenagers (above 12). But the line isn’t strict. And sometimes I get the feeling that “middle grade” and “YA” especially for ages 11-14 is more a distinction of whether there’s romance or not.

**Normally, I am of the opinion that the publisher should provide a good summary. This publisher hasn’t so here is my try: Every child is “called” into the Grey Lands (a very horrible version of fairyland) during puberty. In our world, they stay there for 3 minutes but for them it is one day. The fae hunt the children and very few survive, even fewer survive unscathed. Our protagonist, Nessa, is disabled and cannot walk properly so nobody thinks she has any chance of survival.

#reply #book talk

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eeereee · 2 years

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His Sleeping Vixen

Picking up right after ACOSF—

Azriel helps Gwyn find the courage to leave the Library for Cassian and Nesta's mating ceremony. He never wanted to cash in a favor with the priestess but has no choice after an awkward encounter with Elain leaves him in hot water with Rhys. Azriel then asks Gwyn to pretend to be in a relationship with him to throw all the busybodies off the scent.

Meanwhile, Gwyn and Azriel unlock the mysteries of Ramiel and embark on a quest to find the death sword, Narben, under the pretense of hunting for Bryaxis. Along the way, Gwyn discovers new magic powers and finally finds the answers to the secrets of her family tree.

Also on AO3, if that's where you'd prefer to read it 😊

CHAPTER 1: Gwyn’s List

“Oh please,” Emerie rolled her eyes and said, “They’ve already consummated the bond at least a thousand times by now.” She gingerly lifted her arms and hinged forward to reach her feet.

Cassian said nothing but gave a look to Azriel that could only mean, She’s not wrong.

Azriel slightly raised his brows as if to answer, I’m well aware.

Gwyn sat between Nesta and Emerie in the back corner of the training ring as Cassian continued to lead the priestesses through the cool-down stretches. Nesta shot a dirty look at Emerie who blew her a kiss in return.

Gwyn threw her head back as bright, musical laughter burst from her lips.

Azriel’s head whipped around, following the melodic sound of the copper-haired priestess’s voice.

Nesta remained mum about Emerie’s comment, neither confirming nor denying it. She did, however, send a lust-filled look to Cassian as if to say, they might consummate the bond a few more times later.

“Technically, the frenzy starts after the official acceptance of the bond, so the bet starts the moment they tie the ribbon,” Gwyn explained.

The priestesses had placed bets on how long Cassian and Nesta’s mating frenzy would last. Today was the last training session before the Valkyries went on break. Training would resume when Cassian and Nesta returned from their mating frenzy.

Deidre bet three days. She claimed Cassian’s old age would likely cause him to pull a muscle or fracture a bone and cut the frenzy short. Cassian’s orders for the priestesses to run a tenth lap around the ring may or may not have influenced Deidre’s decision.

Ilana generously gave the couple a whopping four weeks in opposition to Deidre’s bet.

Cassian howled at it while Nesta hid behind her hands.

“Who knew priestesses could be so scandalous?” Nesta exclaimed.

“You clearly don’t know many priestesses,” Gwyn casually told her.

Emerie giggled and said, “Seriously Nes, you’ll never guess some of the new romances Gwyn picked up.”

Gwyn suddenly fell into a coughing fit.

Nesta asked with a furrowed brow, “Gwyn, are you okay? Do you need water?” then with a sly gleam in her eye, “Azriel, could you get Gwyn some water?”

“Nope, nope! I’m fine,” Gwyn shouted after shooting Nesta a deadly stare. Nesta and Emerie snickered behind their hands.

Gwyn proceeded to neatly write down the Valkyrie’s bets on a piece of paper on the ground. Somehow, she always had a pen and paper on her.

Azriel often wondered where Gwyn kept all the supplies on her so well hidden. He paced between the priestesses while they finished up another stretching exercise. He looked over Gwyn’s shoulder from a few paces back to take a peek at her list of bets. Gwyn swung her head to face him.

“Do you want to get in on the bet, Shadowsinger?” Gwyn asked.

Azriel bent over and leaned in towards her. “The Inner Circle has their own bet going,” he told her in a voice that came out lower than he intended, “Besides I don’t know how I feel about taking priestesses’ money.”

Gwyn scoffed. “You’re that confident you’ll win?”

Azriel simply shrugged, stealing Gwyn’s signature move.

She threw him a withering stare in return— her other signature move.

Nesta and Emerie snickered openly now.

Azriel wanted to smile then but felt the piercing, discerning gaze of Nesta’s eyes on his back. So instead, he returned his attention to the priestesses in his charge.

Cassian called out, “Let’s call it a day, Valkyries! See you in about a month.” He winked at Ilana who instantly blushed.

A few of the priestesses made their way to the water station while the others approached Nesta and Cassian. Each one wished the mated pair congratulations and offered them prayers and blessings from the Mother before descending to the Library under the House of Wind.

The only ones left in the ring were Nesta, Gwyn, Emerie, and the Batboys.

Nesta and Emerie strode over to the water station in the other corner while Gwyn remained on the mat. Her arms reached over her long and limber legs, hands clasped comfortably behind her feet, stretching her legs, her back. She sat up, her hands reaching for the sky over her head. Every muscle of her body visibly stretched tight underneath her Illyrian leathers. She released a low moan in relief.

For one second, Azriel might have forgotten what he was doing… What was he supposed to be doing?

The mats! His shadows reminded him.

Right. Azriel returned his focus to picking up the mats off the ground.

Gwyn leaped up and sauntered over to the water station where Nesta and Emerie took their sweet time rehydrating. Cassian and Azriel finished clearing the training mats and joined the females soon after.

“The ceremony is at dusk so either Mor or Rhys will pick you up sometime in the afternoon.” Nesta told Emerie, “That way you can get ready with me at the River House.”

Emerie nodded in confirmation and chirped, “Can’t wait!”

Gwyn then asked in the sweetest, most saccharine voice, “And who will be picking me up?”

A beat passed.

High-pitched squeals echoed across the training ring. Emerie and Nesta each grabbed one of Gwyn’s arms and jumped up and down.

Nesta shrieked, “Are you saying that both of you will be at my mating ceremony?”

Gwyn nodded at her two friends.

“Thank the Mother!” Emerie grinned at Gwyn. “I was so worried that I’d be by myself the whole time.”

Gwyn returned the grin. “I couldn’t let that happen,” she turned to face Nesta, “Besides I can’t just miss your mating ceremony. I’d regret it forever.”

Silver lined Nesta’s eyes then, knowing how much it meant for Gwyn to leave the Library. Still, it didn’t stop her from asking, “I’m over the moon you’re coming to the ceremony, but it was only yesterday you were still on the fence,” she arched a brow. “What changed?”

Nesta glanced at Azriel. She clearly had ideas brewing in her head but no evidence to solidify her suspicions. Azriel offered his future sister-in-law nothing, not even a change in his expression.

Gwyn simply shrugged. “Just found the courage, I guess.”

Nesta opened her mouth to further investigate, but Gwyn promptly changed the subject, “I can’t wait to see all the outrageous things the High Lord has prepared for you.”

Nesta’s face lit up and started listing all the ornate decorations her friends could expect to see at the ceremony.

The lovely, teal-eyed priestess sent the smallest flicker of a smile at Azriel. It hit him like a bolt of lightning. His lips twitched up, but the smirk disappeared in seconds. Despite the detour in conversation, Azriel still felt the suspicious gazes of Nesta and Emerie. They might have had a reason to, after all, he did know just how Gwyn found the courage to attend the mating ceremony in two days.

Cassian groaned obnoxiously as Nesta continued to describe every frivolous detail of their ceremony and reception. Despite his brother’s mock protests, Azriel knew that Cassian found comfort in Nesta’s excitement about their mating ceremony. Even if it came at the cost of frills and fuss.

“And I can’t wait to plunder the High Lords’ fancy wine collection,” Emerie said.

“Emerie!” Gwyn exclaimed.

“What?” Emerie shrugged. “Nesta all but encouraged it.”

“You have no idea the level of ridiculous Rhys has reached for the ceremony,” Nesta said, “Any little thing I mention, he goes out and buys it.”

“I’ll never live this down,” Cassian grumbled.

“He installed a grand fountain in the garden the other day, just because I said I thought it might look picturesque,” Nesta revealed, “There’s even fish in it! Elain was in stitches.”

Gwyn and Emerie exchanged bewildered looks.

“And there’s going to be a chocolate cake. Taller than even Cassian!” Nesta said.

A glowing grin appeared on Gwyn’s face, her bright teal eyes sparkling.

Azriel didn’t know why, but he found himself chasing it these days. Her smile. A beacon of light that helped him find some semblance of peace, relief. So much relief that he did not even feel the crooked smile that surfaced on his face.

“What’s got you smiling like that?” Cassian asked him.

Azriel instantly donned a neutral expression. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Cassian’s eyes remained planted on Azriel.

“So, who will be picking me up for your mating ceremony?” Gwyn asked Nesta and Cassian again.

With a feline grin, Nesta said, “How about Azriel?”

The Shadowsinger still gave no reaction.

A soft, cold breeze drifted through the ring. Wisps of darkness paved the way for the High Lord who now descended upon the training ring. Rhys arrived to take Emerie back to Windhaven. His brother always did know how to make a dramatic entrance. This time, Azriel felt grateful for it. As soon as Rhys’s feet hit the ground, Nesta’s machinations were forgotten.

Rhys greeted each of them one by one with a nod.

Gwyn shyly gave Rhys a half curtsy, “My High Lord.”

Rhys warmly smiled and drawled, “Please call me Rhys.”

“If you insist,” Gwyn said, “My High Lord, Rhys.”

Emerie giggled behind her hand while Nesta rolled her eyes.

“I suppose I should head back to the Library,” Gwyn said. She hugged Nesta and Emerie and gave a small wave goodbye to the Batboys. Then she half ran, half leaped towards the stairwell.

Her long and lithe legs carried her seamlessly to the doorway. Gods, her legs went on and on.

Azriel’s shadows chuckled as they watched the priestess with him from behind his back.

Gwyn stopped and cheerfully called over her shoulder, “See you in two days, ladies!”

One of Azriel’s shadows left him and darted straight for Gwyn. The shadow swirled in front of Gwyn’s face as if to bid her goodbye. She chuckled and gave it a little wave before disappearing down the stairwell.

Nesta and Emerie were already ganging up and teasing Cassian so did not witness the exchange between Azriel’s shadow and Gwyn. It did not, however, go unnoticed by Rhys.

Azriel did his best to avoid the gaze of his brother. Unsure of what Rhys may ask or how he could even begin to explain what just happened. A dark, cool, hand slightly brushed against his mental shield but before Azriel could answer the request, Emerie asked, “My High Lord Rhys, could we get going? I’m expecting an order at the shop.”

Rhys smiled casually and nodded, “Of course.”

He offered his arm to Emerie who promptly took it. The two of them launched into the sky before winnowing away to Windhaven leaving behind Nesta, Cassian, and Azriel in the ring.

The Shadowsinger made up a vague excuse to leave the couple. An unnecessary gesture. Cassian and Nesta’s limbs were already entangled and attached in ways Azriel did not want to figure out.

He raced down the stairwell before that twinge of jealousy crept into his heart. The scent of the mated couple, any mated couple seemed to trigger sharp pain in his head. Each step away from them seemed to bring some relief to the ache.

When Azriel finally arrived at the level of the Library, his shadows ventured ahead to seek out their lovely priestess.

Not that it mattered, Azriel didn’t need his shadows to alert him of Gwyn’s silent presence behind the wall around the corner. He thought Gwyn’s attempts to sneak up and scare him were adorable. A few times he even let her get the jump on him, but his reactions never seemed to satisfy her.

“Oh no, you really got me this time, Berdara,” Azriel would say deadpan.

Gwyn usually gave him the most adorable frown and snarky response.

It was definitely childish but he couldn’t help himself. Azriel loved when that red blush spread like wildfire across her freckled nose and cheeks. He loved it, even more, when Gwyn grew so frustrated that only musical gibberish slipped from her pouty, rosy lips.

Azriel halted on the step and waited. A few long seconds of silence later, a teal eye popped out from behind the corner. An exasperated sigh followed. Gwyn stepped out from the wall and towards him in defeat.

“Nice try, Berdara.”

Gwyn’s eyes narrowed at him as she pouted. Azriel tried to resist the urge to laugh. He failed.

In an attempt to get back on topic, Azriel cleared his throat and held his scarred hands behind his back. They had business to discuss. He stepped toward the priestess to confirm their plans.

“Ready for the final step tonight?” Azriel asked.

Gwyn straightened her back and whipped out a piece of paper and pen that were hidden and tucked under the band at her waist. She delicately unfolded the paper and tapped it with her pen.

On the paper laid out a list of neatly written baby steps to help her develop the courage to leave the Library and attend Nesta’s mating ceremony. A satisfying check marked off beside each step, but there remained two steps left unchecked:

- Practice flight to the River House.

- Attend Nesta and Cassian’s mating ceremony.

“You and your lists,” Azriel said whilst shaking his head.

His shadows followed suit, undulating side to side behind him, mimicking the motion.

“Don’t sass me, Shadowsinger.” Gwyn struck a derisive finger at him. “You guys too!” she moved her finger towards his shadows.

The shadows danced around Azriel and Gwyn thought she caught a crooked smile on the Shadowsinger’s face.

Azriel’s face serious, voice low and raspy, “I would never dare.” A mischievous glint illuminated the amber and green in his hazel eyes.

She ignored the core-melting deep tone of his voice and focused on narrowing her eyes at him with great exaggeration.

He mirrored the expression back at her.

Gwyn rolled her eyes and took her pen to trace down the list of baby steps. She stopped at the second to last item. Practice flight to the River House.

Her fingers suddenly felt weak and tingly. The thought of being so far from the Library, so soon after the Blood Rite honestly made her want to hurl up her breakfast. The possibility she may hurl and humiliate herself in front of the Shadowsinger made the urge to hurl even worse.

Gwyn watched Azriel draw in his bottom lip, his look growing inquisitive. She panicked, her head spinning.

“Gwyn, I was only teasing,” Azriel said, his brows slightly furrowed in concern.

“I know.” She quickly folded up her list and tucked it back into her waistband, then shrugged and said, “Sorry.”

Azriel took a few steps closer to her. He slanted his head to meet her eyes but she turned away to avoid him.

From her periphery, Gwyn saw Azriel release his hands from behind his back. It almost looked like he might reach for her but they fell at his sides instead. Gwyn couldn’t decide if she was more disappointed or relieved.

She took in another deep breath, and in a voice that was surprisingly firm, “Training ring at midnight. We’re going to the River House tonight, Shadowsinger.”

Azriel and his shadows nodded after each of her statements and when she finished, he said, “Good, because I may or may not have prepared a prize for you after you finish tonight’s baby step.”

Gwyn perked up. “A prize? Since when do you give out prizes?”

“I figured a reward would be in order, for when you complete your list tonight,” Azriel said.

A greedy gleam sparkled in her teal blue eyes as the gears in her mind twisted and turned, wondering what prize Azriel might have prepared for her. Then a thought dawned on her, What did this mean? That the Shadowsinger prepared a prize for her?

The Shadowsinger prepared a prize. Practically a gift! For her. Because he believed in her. The Shadowsinger believed in her.

Nope. Stop. Do not make this bigger than what it is.

“It means nothing,” Gwyn muttered under her breath.

“What was that?”

“Hm?” Gwyn feigned innocence.

Azriel’s brow barely lifted, “I thought you would be pleased.”

“I am,” Gwyn said, “But technically, I won’t be finishing my list tonight.”

Azriel slanted his head to the side with a raised brow. His shadows copied the slanted gesture beside him as if they too were confused by her statement.

“Technically the list won’t be finished until I attend the actual ceremony,” Gwyn said.

Then another thought dawned on her, “And you’re the one doing me the favor. If anything, I should be giving you something.”

Somehow Azriel’s face looked even more perplexed. Gwyn rolled her eyes. “Besides it seems silly to be rewarded for something as trivial as leaving the Library. I mean you leave the Library every day.”

Azriel’s face softened. He stepped even closer. She felt the ghost of his fingers reach for her chin as if to lift it, but they never did. Gwyn looked up, chasing the ghost only to find his face inches away from hers.

Usually, Gwyn was not one to turn away from a staring contest, unofficial or not, but this time Gwyn couldn’t handle his haunting hazel eyes. She hung her head low.

“It’s not silly and it’s not trivial,” Azriel said, “Don’t ever undervalue all the progress you’ve made.” He drew in a sharp breath and in a quiet voice, “What you’re doing is brave and when I see how far you’ve come, it gives me hope.”

Gwyn moved to tuck her hair behind her arched ear, but Azriel beat her to it. It was as if he knew that was exactly what she might do at that very moment. His scarred hand carefully reached for the copper-brown strands and ever so gently pushed back the loose locks of hair.

Gwyn’s sight locked onto his hand. She couldn’t stop her eyes as they trailed from the polished siphon attached to his scarred hand all the way to the smoldering gaze on his otherwise unreadable face.

Azriel’s eyes too followed that same trail except his sight landed on the friendship bracelet wrapped around Gwyn’s wrist. The friendship bracelet Nesta made for Gwyn this past winter. The friendship bracelet which included blue threads that just happened to match the cobalt siphons on Azriel’s hands.

Oh, Nes.

“And you don’t owe me anything,” Azriel said, “It’s been my honor to help you, with one of your many lists.”

A shadow grazed against her cheek. The cool touch brought some relief to her now heated cheeks. Azriel’s burning stare still hadn’t yet extinguished, melting Gwyn’s knees into jelly.

A faint, ethereal song floated by Gwyn’s ear. The same ethereal song she heard emanating from the Shadowsinger those many months ago when she saw him in the training ring for the first time. The first time she saw him since that night he saved her in Sangravah.

Azriel made no indication that he heard this song, so she kept her lips tightly shut.

Gwyn stepped back and down the stairs. Azriel too snapped out of whatever daze he had been in, his shadows moving excitedly around him once more.

Gwyn wondered if she imagined all that transpired in the last few minutes. She shook herself out of her thoughts and plastered on a cheery smile.

“So, I guess I’ll see you tonight, Shadowsinger,” she said before running into the Library before Azriel could say or do anything more to make her knees completely liquify.

#gwyneth berdara #azriel shadowsinger #gwynriel #gwynriel fanfiction #i guess the title is sorta a spoiler

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sparrowsfallingfromthesky · 2 years

Text

Versions of Treasure Island available at my library, ranked

because I read them all like some kind of freak and I need to share my thoughts on them!

(not including downloadable options, movie adaptations, or “sequels”)

This is going to be a really long post so I sure hope that read-more worked! Also, sorry about the image quality; I was trying to keep things from being gigantic and I don’t think I took a good approach. Okay here we go.

8. Scribner Storybook Classics series published by Atheneum Books imprint of Simon and Schuster, 2003 edition utilizing 1911 illustrations by N.C. Wyeth. Abridged.

Wyeth is a very well-known artist, and he’s definitely talented, particularly with landscapes and clothing, but I find most of the human faces in this book pretty creepy. I also don’t like this abridged version of the text. I cannot stop thinking about the baffling choice to have Silver leave his parrot behind on the ship when he escapes. It’s also interesting to me that Silver literally never talks about Flint.

I will say that describing Silver as “one-legged (and two-faced)” was a little bit clever. This version might have ranked higher if it hadn’t had the misfortune of being the first one I read after embarking on this weird project.

7. Great Illustrated Classics edition published by Dodd, Mead & Company in 1985 with cover illustration by Stephen Moore and 12 engravings from an 1890 edition by assorted illustrators. Unabridged.

It’s the book. Whatever.

6. Usborne Young Reading Series Two edition published in 2007, abridged by Angela Wilkes, adapted by Sam Taplin, illustrated by Peter Dennis, with readalong CD read by Jonathan Guy Lewis.

This is retold for a younger audience than any of the other versions on this list, so in a way I think it’s actually the most successful abridged version, because it feels like there’s a reason for it. Definitely a very simplistic take on the story, but I can live with it. I don’t love most of the illustrations, particularly the characters’ faces, which I think are kind of ugly and also pretty similar to each other. I do like these random birds, and this treasure hunt shot that would make a decent bookmark.

The (very dramatic) voices and sound effects on the audiobook are kind of entertaining.

5. Great Illustrated Classics (different series with same name) edition published by Baronet Books (Playmore Inc./Waldman Publishing Corp.) in 1989, illustrated by A.J. McAllister. Abridged by Deidre S. Laiken.

I’ve seen books from this series before, and they all have this same look, so my expectations were pretty much met. Mediocre paper. The cover is done by a different artist than the rest of the book. Very stark black and white pictures which are not really to my taste, although this one I shared on its own last week keeps sending me into hysterics.

I feel that the person who abridged this version did a better job than the Scribner one overall, which is not to say it’s without… quirks. Silver says he was quartermaster because of his wooden leg. A random background character’s name is changed for no apparent reason, and there’s a typo in the very same sentence. Silver is referred to as “evil” in the description on the back and as a “monster” within the text which is. something. On the other hand - and here’s another thing I can’t stop thinking about now - it’s implied that Silver has not only a wife but a FAMILY?!?! Also they add something about Jim selling the inn that’s not in the original.

4. Four Complete Novels: Treasure Island, The Master of Ballantrae, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Kidnapped. Published by Arlington House Inc. in 1983, this edition by Gramercy Books (Random House) in 1995. Unabridged.

This has the same illustrations as the Dodd, Mead & Company version, but there are a few, like this one of Silver, that I’m pretty sure weren’t in that one.

I think it’s nice having some other RLS books in the same volume.

3. Classic Starts version published by Sterling Publishing Co. Inc. in 2005, illustrated by Lucy Corvino. Abridged by Chris Tait.

As far as abridged editions go this is a pretty good one. Nothing too remarkable, but they’ve very deliberately removed almost every mention of alcohol, which is an amusing censorship hill to die on given all the murder in the book. The chapter title “I Let Israel Hands Lend a Hand” is pretty funny. Silver admits that he’s afraid. “Silver still had his foot in both camps” is a kind of unfortunate figure of speech. There aren’t very many illustrations but they’re okay. I like this little parrot.

2. 1992 edition published by Viking/Penguin Books, illustrated by Robert Ingpen. Unabridged.

There’s kind of a range of artistic styles in here for some reason, so there are some illustrations in here that I don’t care for, but also several I really like. Silver usually looks like a kind old man.

There’s a beautiful bird’s eye view of Bristol, an eerily lovely shot of the ship at the island, and a cute Cap’n Flint.

Also I assume this horrifying face is meant to be Flint’s ghost which I kind of hate but also think is kind of badass.

1. Usborne Illustrated Originals edition illustrated by Fran Parreño. Unabridged.

This edition is simple but charming. Uses the Blackadder ITC font for chapter titles and it looks like that font’s natural habitat. Book is a nice size and shape, cute cover. Art style, particularly the shots of ships and islands, reminds me a lot of some of debbiedart’s recent Black Sails paintings, except not as good. Most of the adult men (with the unsettling exception of Israel Hands) are pretty ugly, but I like how the artist draws Jim. I enjoy this dramatic Silver, although I’m not sure about the way the artist draws his crutch.

Major points in this version’s favor for illustrating my beloved “You’ve seen my snuff-box, haven’t you? And you never saw me take snuff; the reason being that in my snuff-box I carry a piece of Parmesan cheese – a cheese made in Italy, very nutritious” AND illustrating the sea lions. There’s also a shot of a shipwreck at the island that’s weirdly similar to the one in Black Sails.

Honorable Mention: A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee. Robert Louis Stevenson said “this is a book by, for, and about white British boys” and this author said “cool, what if instead it was about Chinese and Vietnamese girls and women and there was a lesbian romance in it.” I loved this book. It’s a total reimagining but it engages with the original in really interesting ways. The revelation that the [spoiler] character and the [spoiler] character are the same person was fucking brilliant.

If you’ve read this far, I hope it was at least a little bit interesting and/or entertaining. Let me know if you have any questions about any of these, because clearly I have lots of opinions. Also, if you have an edition you like that’s not on here, feel free to recommend it and maybe I’ll see if I can get my hands on it!

#Treasure Island #long post #I really don't know why I did this #and now I have all kinds of thoughts about how I would go about making my own version of it

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