#i ADORE thinking about the nature of ancient magic is it obvious

[hippogrifffeathers]

(i can't) reign it in : part 1

In the immediate aftermath of battle, the professors race further into the foundations of Hogwarts. They daren't focus on the dangerous pickling of magic in the air, or how empty wiggenweld bottles crack underfoot- all that matters is getting to MC and Eleazar.

They find them, but in a worse state than anyone could have foreseen.

or, read it on ao3!

the hogwarts legacy hyperfixation is here and i am indulging it completely.

There had been no time to find relief in Fig and MC’s escape, to yell parting words of encouragement or support (for what, none of the professors were still entirely sure), Matilda’s attention drew quickly away from the back of Eleazar’s head, the flutter of MC’s cape as they rushed deeper into the foundations of Hogwarts- and onto the swinging axe of an oncoming goblin.

The battle could have raged on for minutes or hours, it all felt the same fighting under the grounds of Hogwarts, blasting at goblins and trolls indiscriminately. 

She had greatly underestimated the threat of Ranrok and his loyalists, they all had.

All except Eleazar and MC, who were paying for the Wizarding World’s ignorance deeper below- out of reach of any further help.

‘Keep Hogwarts safe’ Eleazar has asked, but the entrance to Hogwarts was in one direction, and the broken bridge he and MC had crossed to greater depths was in another. Goblins were making a try for both, and five Hogwarts professors were all that stood in their way. They could keep both safe, and they would.

Torn between defending any further entry into Hogwarts, and pushing Goblins over the ledge they had been attempting to rebuild the bridge over, it was the resolve of faith in their colleagues’ abilities that kept them fighting. Hope they’d all make it through this battle. Any other awareness felt lost under the red and black glow of armour, decorating the every swing of a weapon raised against them, scattered throughout the battlefield.

Until it faded away.

Armour no longer glowing, glowing red eyes melting to leave room for confusion and shock, cries of outrage echo across the cavern. Rendered momentarily stunned by the loss of power had left their enemies vulnerable, and wands continued to fire upon them as the goblin’s tried to rally themselves for a second wave- there would be time yet for celebration.

Taking down the rest of their attackers was almost too easy by comparison, perhaps aided by the growing lightness that filled their chests, a mutual awareness had settled between them all, and palpable relief, an overwhelming pride.

As the last of the goblins fell, Matilda turned to her colleagues, all finally reunited and gratefully unscathed. She felt a grin grow on her features, sentiments mirrored on her colleague’s expressions.

“They did it.”

That impossible, elusive duo, who’d shared a bond closer than student and teacher. How could any of them have known that the new fifth-year would be pulled under Eleazar’s wing, the pair of them would spending the better part of this year keeping secrets and sneaking off of school grounds- Eleazar, who hadn’t smiled so brightly since Miriam was alive, and the hesitant new student who flourished in his company. 

The same hesitant new student, so new to magic, who had just crushed a rebellion right in its tracks and, with hope, stopped Ranrok.

If their professors felt pride, they could only imagine the way Eleazar would be glowing right now, and suddenly it wasn’t enough to imagine that paternal glow for themselves. They needed to see it.

It wasn’t enough to revel in their student and friend’s victory from such a distance, they needed to be there with them- to see their safety and triumph for themselves.

With nary a scratch between them, Matilda turned her attention to the chasm before the group, the long drop below, blocking them from following Eleazar and MC deeper into the school foundations. “What do we suggest then? Even the strongest of summoning charms won’t cross such a deep chasm.”

Abraham drifted into her periphery, a thoughtful look on his face as he considered the rubble around them, “It will be rudimentary, but I believe I know a charm that will do the trick.”

With a flick of his wand, stones began to levitate from the battleground around them, making their way past the group of professors. Mudiwa and Matilda attempt to school the minor discomfort on their faces, as the bodies of goblins slide off from the top of summoned stones, landing back on the ground with an unforgiving thud of flesh and metal. Instead, their gazes fixed ahead, as the collection of rubble continued to gather, forming a bridge- uneven, and without rails, but sturdy. 

“I cannot say how long it will hold, not when everything in the air feels so…unpredictable, but it will get us across. That’s all that matters.” As if to emphasise his point, Abraham took the lead, making the first steps across the bridge.

Without hesitation, the others followed, with nary a second thought given to the destruction they were leaving behind. 

They paid little attention to the lack of echo their hurried footfalls caused, just as they were all willing to dismiss the unsettling aura in the air- too much had happened already tonight, and their answers were still so few. They were no longer in their element- a message that could not have been made clearer, than by the broken bridge now before them, the grand stone guards that stood on the opposite ledge, defending swirling architecture of grandeur, an empty space within its walls- spikes in magic that hissed at them to stay back. Come closer. Enticing. Threatening.

Abraham’s words from earlier creeped into their minds, unpredictable.

For a moment, the five lingered, eyes on the long fall before them, the edgings of dread curling at their mind. 

MC and Eleazar had been here, stood in this spot- had they crossed the broken bridge? What of the statues, the empty space in the centre of the stonework?

Even now, after Eleazar had promised the truth, had confessed in his letter about Ancient Magic and Ranrok’s plans, so much felt unanswered. A mystery. 

All this, they could be patient for, would wait to hear the full truth- what Eleazar had dared not condemn to written word- but it didn’t solve the most pressing concern on their minds, the unspoken fear between them all, and they searched the empty hall for any clues.

Where were they?

MC, Eleazar, Ranrok. They had all been here, and now all that remained was dust and rubble, a fall to unforgiving stone below. The crackle of magic in the air so powerful it threatened to drown out anything else- how could anyone have made it through such an atmosphere?

Grips tightened on their wands, the beginnings of fear in their hold. This wasn’t supposed to happen. They were supposed to find Eleazar and MC here, and instead it was empty, with only the humming in the air to keep them company, an unsettling taunt of what if?

“Wait.” Head snapped around to look in the direction of the voice, pulling the other staff from their thoughts. Dinah stood to the side, away from the group, a sharp look of focus in her eye- the same that had reminded them she wasn’t always a Professor of Hogwarts, but was once an Unspeakable. She stepped aside, revealing a downward slope, an obscured pathway leading deeper into the foundations, “This way. They went this way.”

It was all they needed to hear. Following after Dinah, they treaded down the slope, and tried not to allow their gazes to settle on large, broken pieces of rubble, scorch marks that looked fresh. It became harder when the crunch of glass echoed between the group, attention focused on Abraham, who had frozen in his tracks. 

Carefully, he lifted one foot, revealing a crushed bottle under his shoe, dregs of liquid still clinging to the bottom. Their stomachs dropped at the familiar warm green shade- none more than Aesop, who had seen that configuration of smashed glass one too many times in his classroom, from careless students.

A smashed potions tube.

And in it, the dregs of Wiggenweld.

Suddenly, the heat of battle that had been warm under their skin became a stinging heat of panic, a fresh wave of frantic worry passed between them. Unspoken questions gave way to horrifying images, scenes of injury played over and over again. Ranrok was defeated, of that they were confident- but then why didn’t they feel reassured? 

“We must keep going.” Aesop’s tone broke through the cloud of worry, as he walked on, a gentle pressure on Abraham’s shoulder as he did so, “If there’s empty bottles of Wiggenweld here, we can only hope for the best.”

The staunch resolution was enough to bring the others to their senses, once again allowing Dinah to lead the way as they continued on, treading deeper still into the foundations. 

Ignoring the rubble became no easier, not now that they were attuned to spot the shine of potions bottles, and worse still, the occasional streak of crimson decorating the ground. Wand threatening to snap under her grip, Matilda determinedly looked away, trying to focus instead on the layout around them, on trying to listen for her friend and her student.

Around them, the magic lingering in the air threatened to become suffocating as they progressed deeper, becoming more frantic, unbalanced. Only Dinah seemed unaffected by the spike, only increasingly curious as they pressed on, rounding a final corner they stopped abruptly in their steps.

The scene that greeted them is terrifying. Flat planes of rock as far as they could see, the same broken rubble scattered in the foreground. Hanging in the air was an orb, bright and pulsating its glow. None of it meant anything, and none of it caught their attention.

Not over the sound of broken sobbing, the kneeling figure of their new student, alive- gloriously, thankfully alive- but curled over a body, as if protecting it, blind to anything else. The professors’ hearts stop at the sight of familiar silver hair, blue robes-

Eleazar.

Dead.

No-

Eleazar, that enigmatic, bright soul- gone from them. Leaving behind a child, MC, someone they all knew had become something closer to him than his student, his mentee- his charge.

And now, someone who was alone in the rubble of battle, who had saved them all but at the cost of someone so close to them.

Another choked cry broke the professors from their horror, spurring them down the final slope and rushing across the broken planes of stone.

There would be time to mourn later, to lament all they had lost tonight. For now, there was a grieving child who needed their help.

It was impossible not to register the alarming strength of raw power that crackled in the air, even the smell of magic growing thicker still. As they stood just paces from MC, they almost felt foolish for ever having assumed this magic was just the after effect of battle, the magic in the Hogwarts foundations. The truth hadn’t hit them until they had gotten closer, it felt impossible, foolish to speak aloud, but made so much sense.

All this magic in the air, it was coming from MC.

It felt like a reminder, stronger than any other they’d seen on the way here, of just what they were dealing with. Confirmation of what this child had already done.

As they neared, MC gave no indication of hearing them. It was a contrast from the dutiful student they had become so accustomed to, the ever-attentive child who wouldn’t miss the slightest flick of a wand, now blind to the world outside of the Professor in their arms, their head bowed away from any sightline, sobs wracking their body.

Matilda took a deep breath before edging closer to MC’s side, to Eleazar’s body. They all knew what had to come first, but that wouldn’t make the process any easier.

“MC? MC, we’re here now,” Soft words fell on deaf ears, with not even a flinch as Matilda knelt in the stone next to MC, allowing her gaze to quickly sweep over as much of her student’s frame as she could see. “Do you think you can let go of El-Professor Fig?”

They were covered in blood and bruising, tears in their clothes remained the only indicator left of wounds covered up with vials of Wiggenweld. They looked less like the wide-eyed new fifth-year, with a world of magic and possibility at their fingertips, and more like a soldier, left alone on the battlefield.

Well, not alone.

Not anymore.

Carefully, arms wrapped around MC’s frame, mindful of any injuries hidden beneath robes and their hunched posture. Matilda’s heart breaks all over again as she feels the sharp shudder of their cries, the way they try to resist as she gently, but insistently, begins to pull them back.

The movement breaks them out of their stupor.

“No, no, nonono please, don’t- don’t,” MC’s strangled cry breaks through the tears, and none of them can feel entirely grateful MC is with them again, “He’s not, he can’t be-”

Her eyes sting, but Matilda won’t let the tears fall. Not now. 

“He’s gone. He’s gone, MC, and I know-I know it hurts, but you need to move back, we’ve got him now-” MC shakes in her arms, nonsensical protests continue to fall from their lips. Matilda keeps her grip steady, “We’ve got you both, but you need to let go-”

“NO!” It’s not the sharp yell that alarms the professors, not the painful, desperate denial in MC’s voice that causes the group to momentarily recoil in shock. It’s the tremor in the ground, the way the glowing orb above their heads had suddenly begun to pulsate. The air around them prickled. A warning. 

At the sharp spike in magic, three wands pointed instinctively up at the pulsing glow, protective over the group below. The absence of a wand drew their attention back, turning to face the fourth member of their group, confused at their lack of alarm.

Dinah wasn’t even looking at the unstable magic above them, her wand hand not so much as twitching to move. Even with the static in the air, she wasn’t concerned.

As if sensing her colleagues gazes on her, Dinah met their confused glance and shot the briefest look at the levitating object before meeting their gaze again, and shook her head. Then, once assured she had their attention, wordlessly looked away- her eyeline pointed, knowing.

And settling firmly on MC.

“He isn’t! He- No! Don’t- Don’t take him away!” 

Only Matilda hadn’t wavered despite the tremours in the ground, the magic spiking in the air- her hold on MC just as steady as before. And suddenly, the others understood what Dinah had already pieced together, the slight glow to the student’s skin only making it clearer.

Wordlessly, Aesop came closer, joining Matilda on MC’s other side. With an understanding nod between them, Matilda made a gentle retreat, making room for him to reach forward and place his hands over MC’s, where they had been resting on Eleazar’s. They shook under his steady grip.

“I know it hurts right now, and you’ve been so strong when you shouldn’t have had to be. It’s over now.” A hitch of shaking breath, another rumble in the ground, Aesop pressed on, “Let us take it from here. No more threats are coming, you did it.” Another breath, the ground stopped shaking, the crackle in the air settled to a dim hum, “Hogwarts is safe, you’re safe.” 

For a moment, he waits. Allows his words to break through the fugue of grief that wracked their body until slowly, MC nods.

Finally, finally, Aesop felt the hands under his grip relax, the accepting slump of MC’s shoulders as they allowed themselves to be pulled away from Eleazar’s body. Their magic calming (because that’s what this was, all around them, this magic- it was all MC, it had to be).

Aesop tried not to sigh too heavily with relief, to think too hard about what they had just witnessed. From the delicate way his colleagues approached himself and Matilda, it was obvious they felt the same way.

Proof, before them, of the magnitude of power this child held, of the ancient magic Eleazar had alluded to in his letter. 

Not in a container, like they had originally assumed- but in a student.

They all exchanged a look of silent, mutual agreement- they would talk about this later, not now.

Mudiwa approaches Aesop’s side, a nod to the shaking student beside him, where his hands now rested on their shoulders, almost in a side hug. He takes a second longer to squeeze them closer, register the first glimpse of their face any of them have gotten, the blood drying atop their forehead, downcast eyes he was sure would be red-rimmed and wet with tears. Their body still shook with grief under his hold, but their magic had settled now, their skin back to its usual pallor.

Slowly, he lets go, allowing Mudiwa to take his place, knowing he will be more useful with what is to come next. Wordlessly, he and Matilda rise to stand opposite Abraham and Dinah, Eleazar’s body lying between them all.

Mudiwa wastes no time, her arms wrapping around MC as she tucked their face into the junction of her neck and shoulder, murmuring reassurances in their ear. She didn’t mind the spot of dampness on her robes as MC cries, the fists clutching her clothes in ways that would only leave wrinkles- she is a professor, a mother, and she would offer this comfort a thousand times over.

Assured MC’s face was turned away, a soft ‘levioso’ passed between the four professors, as Eleazar’s body now floated between them. He looked peaceful at least, with no visible injuries to be seen. Whatever had happened, they hoped it was quick.

In his arms lay a wand- it was familiar, pale in colour with elaborate twisted wood, but they couldn’t place it. The sturdiness of their charm held, Eleazar’s hold on the wand didn’t so much as wobble, not even as Abraham took control of the spell himself. Silently, he and Dinah stepped around Eleazar’s body, between them all partially obscuring the sight from the grieving child.

Wordlessly, they waited. Tried not to watch as MC’s cries settled and they slowly pulled out of Mudiwa’s embrace, rising to stand on their own, body turned away from their professors, from Eleazar, away from further scrutiny and up- up at the glowing orb hanging over them.

Allowing MC the time to collect themself, the professors take a moment to properly survey the expanse of land. The main battlefield, if they were to guess. Scratch marks entangled with charred stone, other areas looked as though they had been subject to intense blasts of lightning. It was easier to look at those, than the drying specs of blood, the empty vials of potions they would guess were more Wiggenweld. The mysterious orb that responded to MC’s magic floated above them all, promising destruction as the slightest wrong move.

It all felt like a jigsaw puzzle, but with so many key pieces missing, and no easy place to start.

They have so many questions, so many concerns, and no time for any of them.

It causes a ripple of unease between them all, the practised way MC collects themself, bringing their breath under control, fixing their composure to turn back around and face their professors, shoulders back and hands braced in front of them, any indiction of the pain they were in, cut off.

They shouldn’t be so good at it, closing themself off like this. How much hurt had they successfully been hiding from their professors, their friends, over the course of this year? How much had their teachers missed?

MC doesn’t look at Eleazar, keeps their gaze on their professors, even as they finally speak. Their voice is rougher than usual, scratchy from crying maybe, weary with exhaustion. 

“I’m sorry about all…that.” Their gaze momentarily flickers down, hiding what almost looked like…shame? Just as quickly, MC’s gaze was back on them, any sign of their previous rumination, gone, “Thank you for coming, without you I don’t know what would have- if we would have gotten here on time.” Finally, their gaze turned away, looked out across the wake of destruction- but there was no fear or sadness there, not like one would normally expect from someone who had faced a long battle. Nor was there the curiosity extended their professors, no wonder for what had happened, for they had seen the worst of it it themselves. Been in it. They continued on, a hard edge to their voice. Unmerciful, detached. “He’s gone. Ranrok is dead.”

It was not surprising, but the professors still allowed the words to ring between them in a wave of relief, a confirmation of the news they had hoped for, had guessed was the case. 

Only Aesop and Dinah responded differently, a look of unease between them. That had not been the voice of someone who had taken their first life.

MC pressed on, the cold tone gone from the voice as their attention returned to their professors, eyes sweeping them with unmasked concern, “Are you all okay? His loyalists can be quite nasty.”

It was almost laughable that MC would be asking them that, after all they had just endured, and perhaps it would be a trifle amusing- if it weren’t so thoroughly depressing. 

“We are just fine, nothing we couldn’t handle.” Matilda, with all her patience and understanding, only smiled at her student, “I believe the more pressing question is are you okay?” MC opened their mouth, but Matilda continued on before they could brush any concerns off. MC had been doing enough of that this entire year, “We can get you seen once we’re back at the Castle. For now, we should all focus on getting back out of here.” 

For a moment, nothing was said, a frown marred MC’s expression as they thought. A baffling sight, this was by far the easiest question MC would face from a professor over this incident, what was there to think about?

Unexpectedly, MC’s face fell as they shook their head, eyes flickering back at the glowing orb behind them as they spoke, “I’m afraid I can’t leave yet, professor. There’s still so much to do- that I need to do. I need to secure the repository-” Repository, the glowing orb as a name then, “And make sure the security functions still work. It may take some time, you should all go on without me.”

Aesop scowled, go on without them, as though any of them would ever agree to something so ludicrous, especially under these circumstances. A biting retort on the edge of his tongue, Dinah steps forward and responds before he can. Likely for the best.

Dinah’s tone is full of knowing, as she meets MC’s gaze with matching intensity, “The repository isn’t going anywhere. You are the only person who can control it, am I right?” MC hesitated, and for a moment Dinah feared they’d remain frustratingly tight-lipped, before giving a small nod. “Then it can wait, until you have more energy,” Or, control over whatever this magic is, “For now, return with us to the Castle, and you can finish this another time.” 

MC’s hesitation was clearly written across their face, rebuff at the ready. Dinah put her final card down, “It’s that, or we’ll all wait here until you are ready to go.”

It was a harsh ultimatum, with Eleazar’s body still floating behind them all, and all eyes would be on MC as they go about the same ancient magic business they had fought so hard to keep a secret all year. Dinah waited patiently.

MC’s gaze wavered, flickering as they weighed their options.

It pained them to admit, but Professor Hecat was right, they were exhausted. Torn between feeling seconds from spontaneous combustion, or losing themself to a dead faint, they likely weren’t in the right space to be messing with any more ancient magic right now- especially not something as powerful as the final repository.

With a sigh, MC nodded their agreement, and Dinah tried not to let the relief show on her face. In truth, she wasn’t sure any of them could have stopped MC if they had insisted on persevering.

“Wonderful. Now, apparating within Hogwarts grounds isn’t usually permitted, but the lift on the charm should still be in effect, so if you stay with me we can use side-apparition. It’s quite nasty the first time, so fair warning.” Matilda offered an arm, palm facing upward, in MC’s direction.

Fingers brushed against the palm of her hand, before sharply pulling back, as if shocked. The professors watched the way MC’s eyes had widened, sudden realisation in their eyes.

Matilda’s stomach swirled with trepidation. Another bump in the road…

“I-I can’t come with you, Professor. I’d nearly forgotten- how could I nearly forget- I need to tell the K- someone.” A pausing breath, “I need to update someone about what’s happened here. That can’t wait.”

The obvious secret keeping wasn’t appreciated, but Matilda knew when to pick her fights with students, and this wasn’t one of those.

“Very well, if this is something that can’t wait then so be it. I trust you know the way out of here, then? El-” Matilda choked on the name, and hoped MC failed to notice, but by the flash of pain on their face, no such luck, “The letter only told us to come to the foundations, it never mentioned an entrance.”

MC’s shoulders slumped at her words, and all too late the professors realised it was with relief, “Actually Professor I…I need to go alone. Perhaps it’s best for you to apparate out of here.”

MC prepared themself for the counterarguments, knowing this is one their professors wouldn’t so easily relent on, but neither would MC. It was bad enough their professors knew the location of the final repository, they wouldn’t allow the secret of the map chamber to get out too.

“You cannot be serious, we aren’t allowing you to walk through these battlegrounds alone.” Aesop tried not to roll his eyes, not wanting to risk looking petulant.

“Professor I can’t, I- nobody can know the entrance to this repository, or anything to do with this magic. I’m not changing my mind.” MC’s tone of fierce independence was almost enough to make their professors’ convictions waver on their own, stubborn in their desire to stay tight-lipped, and hide so many truths from those around them. Solely burdened with this knowledge.

Secrets upon secrets, even now.

Familiar frustration prickled under the professors’ skin, memories of artful question evasion and mysterious disappearings from Eleazar. For the better part of the school year, he and MC had been hiding under secrets and dealing with that burden alone- and for what, the professors could not begin to understand, even now, with so many fractions of these secrets revealed to them. 

But they were humble enough to know when they were in over their heads. 

Whatever this magic was, it was powerful. MC stood before them, robes torn and bloodied, brimming with barely-controlled magic, after taking down Ranrok, defeating countless goblins and trolls on the way. To stand in front of them and try to tell them how to navigate this situation, to act like the authority figures they technically were, felt wrong.

And yet, MC was still a child. They should be spending their time bonding with friends within the safety of Hogwarts walls, nursing headaches during long study sessions and gossiping happily with their housemates at mealtimes. Their biggest worries should have been the next essay for class, or whether their house will win the cup- not whatever this is.

It was unfair. Cruel, to deal a child such a damning card, burdening them with the weight of secrecy and power.

This child, their student. The charge of a beloved, now lost, friend. Incredibly powerful or not, they needed help, support- something they seem to have gone without for far too long.

But MC was willing to leave the repository for now, they had conceded that much- so now, it was the professors’ turn to compromise. They had to pick their battles.

A warm hand settled on MC’s shoulder, firm but easy to shake off if they wanted to. They didn’t. Abraham offered them a smile, “Very well then, if you insist on returning to the Castle alone then we won’t stop you.”

“Thank you Professor, I-”

“Ah, ah ,ah- I wasn’t finished.” He didn’t drop the smile, even as MC’s gaze narrowed into nothing short of suspicion, “We won’t stop you, but some of us will walk back with you- only to where we came from, no further.” He cast a critical eye at their robes, pausing to think before adding, “After Professor Sharp checks you are healthy to travel, of course.”

It was a small addition to make to his terms, but an important one. They had to set a precedent.

MC’s brows furrowed as they considered his offer, relaxing slightly when they seemed to find no trap in his conditions, “That sounds fair.”

“I am glad you’re not completely resistant to reason.” Aesop cut through, “Then I suppose you’ll also find it fair that you meet us in the Hospital Wing afterwards. Straight afterwards. No detours.”

If their past actions were anything to go by, should MC be left to their own devices they would gladly retire to their dorm room and assume a simple Wiggenweld would be enough to take care of their injuries, bypassing any formal medical attention at all. 

They may have gotten away with as much so far, but not tonight.

Clearly, MC had come to the same conclusion, exhausting any mental list of counterarguments with a heavy, and clearly reluctant, sigh. None of the professors could quite find it themself to feel bad about their student’s obvious reluctance, not when it was towards getting medical help.

Instead, Abraham gave a gentle squeeze of their shoulder in comfort, before clearing space for Aesop to come forward, wand poised as he let his gaze sweep down the torn and dirtied robes quickly, mentally preparing himself for any further action that might be necessary.

“You may feel a slight tingle, I’m afraid it’s been some years since I needed this spell. Try to be still, it’ll work quicker if you do. It’s not perfect, only useful for physical injuries, but it should be enough until Nurse Blainey can see to you.” MC nodded, but made no further movement as Aesop cast the spell, trying to ignore the painful familiarity of the wand movement, the murmured incantation he had cast so many times in his auror days.

He wasn’t there. He was here, deep in the foundations of Hogwarts, casting an auror-trained diagnostic spell on a child.

Magic fades from where the spell had wrapped around their frame, in their place Aesop is confronted with the damage that remains. He tries not to let the shock register on his face, not when he feels the heat of MC’s inquisitive eyes on him.

There’s so many red flags it sticks in his chest. Injuries that hadn’t healed completely, wounds that weren’t enough for even multiple Wiggenwelds to take care of- the idea of MC depending on so minor a healing potion when facing Ranrok didn’t sit well with him.

“There’s some lingering injuries, but nothing that should stop you from being able to see to whatever unfinished business you must attend to,” How tempting it would be, to lie and claim they were unfit to travel the rocky terrains back to the Castle, to ensure MC would leave with the staff, now. Regretfully, their student was as stubborn as they came, and no fool.

Aesop consoled himself by pulling out a vial from his robes, offering it to MC, grimly grateful that his auror instincts had never left him, “Drink this, to be certain. It’s a more potent version of Wiggenweld- it should take care of the worst of that ankle, at least.”

MC stared down at the deep gash in momentary confusion, as though they had forgotten it was there in the first place, before graciously accepting the offered potion, downing it in one with practised fluidity.

“Thank you, professor.” They nodded to Aesop, seemingly relieved as they tested their weight on the now gash-free foot, only to frown and let out a soft hiss of pain as their weight buckled.

Aesop wasn’t the only one to reach forward, acting on pure instinct, but it wasn’t needed. Just as quickly as they stumbled, MC righted themself, frowning down at the joint as though it was a particularly nasty exam question, before grabbing the ends of their torn cape, ripping a strip of fabric with little care.

The professors watched as MC brushed off the offer of help from Mudiwa, kneeling down to wrap their ankle in the fabric.

Tentatively, they rose and took a step forward. Then another. And another. Back and forth.

Pleased their binding worked, MC now faced their professors- who were trying their best not to make any further insistences about MC joining them right away in the hospital wing. They knew when not to push it.

“...Can we go now?” A sharp contrast to their earlier assured attitude, MC sounded almost insecure as they waited for someone to say something, to give them permission to carry on. Another painful reminder that this was still a child, one who seemed so much younger, more vulnerable, when they didn’t have the mask of ‘secret magic responsibilities’ to hide behind. Looking to their professors for help, for guidance in what came between now, and whoever it was they needed to speak with.

Matilda made an effort to keep her tone warm and reassuring, as she spoke up, “Of course we can,” Gesturing MC closer towards her and away from where Abraham and Mudiwa stood by Eleazar’s body, the smallest vein of relief running through her when his body was no longer in MC’s sightline, not unless they turned around, “We’ll trust you to lead the way. Professors Ronan and Onai will apparate and get a head start on us in the meantime.”

MC nodded, slipping easily into the role of group leader as they headed in the direction of the upward slope, towards the way out. They missed the exchanging nods of agreement behind their back before the professors parted ways, Abraham and Mudiwa watching after them even as the ‘pop’ of apparition took them away, along with the solemn figure of Eleazar’s body.

They had the head-start to take him to St Mungoes, where his body could be cared for appropriately. Hopefully, there would be enough time between that and when the Ministry officials started asking questions, that the professors could agree on what truths they would reveal, what they would keep for themselves, and what they would do about the many blank gaps they had- that only MC could fill, but likely wouldn’t.

Despite Matilda’s earlier offer for MC to lead the way, the arrangement becomes more of a reverse triangle formation, Matilda and Dinah on either side of their student, Aesop tailing in the back. They were all careful to hang back slightly, to keep MC in their sightlines- perhaps it was overkill, but they didn’t want to take any chances.

Their journey back continues in relative silence, the professors make no comment of the stone structure they had walked by earlier- not even as MC’s gaze fixes on the empty space within, watchful of the guarding statues as they turn the corner, proceeding further away.

Dinah spares a second glance at the structure, her gaze flickered between the void of space being guarded, and MC, then chancing a look below, where she knew that floating orb- the repository- would be found. She knew better than to ask- but the curiosity stabbed at her brain even as she turned away, wondering if she would be more content to forget what mystery they had just come across, than to live with the memories but never any answers.

No questions were asked about the bridge Abraham had earlier constructed, but MC had paused for a moment to test their own weight on the structure before deeming it safe enough to cross. 

Aesop bit his tongue, there were certainly far less dangerous ways to test the stability of something than standing on it.

As they crossed the bridge, it was hard not to admire the easy confidence with which MC traversed the uneven terrain, especially faced with such a drop to either side. They even had the time to pause and look back to their professors, to check on them, but after the third glance, seemed confident they weren’t going anywhere and didn’t bother to look again as they all stepped down from the bridge, and continued through the rubble of the former battlegrounds.

Which was fortunate, because it was hard to hide the fact you were keeping an eye on someone, when they were keeping an eye on you.

There was still a small limp to MC’s step, but they seemed determined to press on despite any pain they were feeling, so the professors resolved not to give it any further attention, not yet anyway.

Instead, they tried to focus on the other details, the slight glow of magic lingering at MC’s fingertips, the way their torn cape fluttered in the non-existent breeze- but all of it faded away as the professors caught sight of their face. The way MC stared out over the empty battlefield.

Eyes surveying the litany of bodies scattered across the ground, lying amongst the rubble- there’s no remorse in MC’s gaze, no alarm for the volume of violence that had occurred tonight. No fear or concern at all in their eyes.

At least, until there is a twitch of movement to their left. 

Before any of the professors can even blink, MC’s body is rigid, their wand raised in preparation as they watch for the twitch of movement, eyes calculating. A single body among the masses twitches again, rouses from unconsciousness. They see it at the same time MC does, a goblin still alive, and fast regaining awareness.

The professors would be proud of MC’s defensive skills, if it wasn’t so telling about what they had been through these past months, if it wasn’t for the glint of cold calculation in their eyes.

For a moment, everything is still- as though the air itself is holding its breath, waiting for whatever comes next. 

MC’s grip tightens on their wand but still they remain still, analytical. The air crackles with magic once again, a momentary distraction from the rousing goblin ahead, from the tension in MC’s frame.

Only Aesop catches it, the faintest glow of jet green- a colour that was impossible for him to mistake, that haunted his nightmares, one he’d hoped he would never have to see again. 

And yet he swears, for a moment, just a moment, MC’s wand glowed that familiar hue-

It’s over before he can get a better look. 

Underfoot, the ground shakes with the rumble of thunder, and then the goblin is gone. In a bright flash of magic, so quick Aesop could almost swear it hadn’t happened, the goblin had disappeared. 

No incantation, hardly any wand movement to speak of, and it was over.

He had seen it before, they all had. What now felt like days ago, but perhaps was mere hours ago or less, MC had battled their way across these foundations and summoned that same power to get themselves and Eleazar through. At the time, there had been no opportunity for their professors to stop and ponder on the incredible power- but now, having just witnessed it again, it was an effort not to ask anything further, to question just what MC was capable of.

Oblivious to their audience, or perhaps intentionally ignorant of it, MC lowered their wand and pocketed it with a smooth flourish, unperturbed by the magic they had just displayed, the life it had just ended. Not even casting a glance behind them, MC continued on.

Aesop exchanged an uneasy look with Matilda and Dinah, but neither of them said a word. So much had happened tonight, there was no telling just how much their young student had gone through, for the sake of one life perhaps it was not their place to judge. It certainly wasn’t Aesop’s.

The group continued on in silence, only the faint rush of running water and the crackle of stones underfoot to hold their focus, keep their thoughts from straying. 

It was hard not to allow their thoughts, their worries, to derail as the professors watched MC push forward. Despite only having the lead by a few paces, it may as well have been miles. They had all spent far too much time teaching teenagers not to recognise the signs of a wandering mind when they saw one, stray thoughts running unattended.

Matilda urged to break MC’s ruminating, whatever negative cycle of thoughts they had descended to, but the space MC had maintained between themself and their professors was no mere coincidence or case of youthful stamina. She would respect this boundary. For now.

The professors recognise it before their student does, the path where they had all crossed paths with MC and Eleazar, with little idea the magnitude of what they were about to face, but ready to do so regardless.

They’d had no idea what shape they would find the pair in, no idea this would be the last time they would see Eleazar alive, side by side with MC and exchanging quips with them as they battled trolls and goblins, nodding at them in thanks for their timely arrival.

Despite the pain in their chests at the memory, the way they wished they could have said goodbye, had even a minute longer with their friend- they recalled the way Eleazar had guided MC through the battlefield, had fought alongside them in perfect tandem as Matilda and Aesop found the pair, eyes watchful over his charge even as they disappeared round that final corner, onward to the final fight.

They knew Eleazar wouldn’t have changed a thing about what happened tonight, if the outcome would stay the same.

They would honour that wish, with everything in their power.

Ahead, MC slows to a stop and turns on their heel to face their professors, hands interlaced in front of them- the picture of composure, vehemence.

There was definitely no chance of MC allowing their professors to accompany them any further, then.

They offer a firm nod, but their foot kicks at a loose pebble as they talk, voice betraying their exhaustion, “See you in the Hospital Wing, then?”, and they are once again reminded that it’s a child standing before them, not a soldier- no matter how desperate MC is to convince them otherwise.

“Yes, as soon as you're finished. Whatever responsibilities you must attend to, make it brief. You can return after Nurse Blainey has cleared you, that’s the agreement,” Technically, nobody had said anything about clearing MC for duty, but Aesop figured it didn’t hurt to add, “Okay?”

MC pauses for a moment, something that would be fractional to anybody aside from their professors, before nodding their agreement, signing their agreement with a quiet “As soon as I’m finished.”- it’s as good a promise as they’re going to get.

With a final sweeping glance around the room, as though committing it to memory, each of the professors disapparate in a ‘pop’, empty spaces where they had been standing just moments ago.

For a moment, MC does nothing, eyeing the ground where the professors had just stood- their watchful gaze no longer burning into MC’s back.

Content that they wouldn’t be coming back, MC pulled their wand out from its sheath, gripping the familiar handle with surety as they kept their back to the exit of the cavern, walking away from the Map Chamber, and back into the deep foundations of Hogwarts. What their professors didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them.

Their eyes scanned the rubble, the scattered bodies, for any sign of consciousness- any survivors. 

The Keepers could wait ten minutes more, if it meant the final repository remains a secret.

#hogwarts legacy #my fics #fun story! this was SUPPOSED to be a oneshot but then it ended up being 19k words #and that's pushing it on a oneshot even for me #so multichapter it is! #first time writing for hogwarts legacy oh The Fear #hogwarts legacy fic #main character #eleazar fig #matilda weasley #aesop sharp #i ADORE thinking about the nature of ancient magic is it obvious

[hogwartslegacyreactions2]

biased as always, the number one Anne Stan, ofc i gotta christen this returned account with my girl <3

hlc react to mc developing a crush on anne? from the consistent visits to feldcroft to the occasional outing that mc can take her on, it’s obvious they’re growing to be a little more than friends…

A/N: Anne Sallow simping content coming right up lol

HLC REACT TO MC CRUSHING ON ANNE SALLOW

It all started the day Sebastian introduced MC to her. Even with her tired eyes, they were enraptured by her sweet voice and good nature despite being in such pain. Even if Anne was convinced there was no real help for her, MC was determined to make life just a bit more enjoyable.

At first, It was letters with little gifts. Those turned into visits without Sebastian tailing them. Eventually, sneaking Anne out of the house for some "fresh air." Even without Sebastian around, her uncle was rather unpleasant. Always hovering, to the point of being overbearing.

Their most memorable date outing by far has to have been when MC offered to fly her up the hill on their broom to overlook Feldcroft. She sat sidesaddle on the handle in front of MC and she held on to them as they gently glided up into the air. MC struggled to focus on where they were going having her so close.

So close in fact, that if MC hadn't been so distracted, maybe they would have heard the faint but distinctive whisper of ancient magic coming from the scar on her side.

SEBASTIAN SALLOW: He gets suspicious when MC starts asking too many Anne centric questions. Then he gets REAL suspicious when he walked in on MC and Anne playing wizard's chess. He hadn't announced that he was going, so he was shocked to see MC with his sister alone.

Protective Brother™ mode activated. What were they playing at? His sister had enough to deal with right now, she didn't need MC drooling all over her. He doesn't fall for any of MC's excuses, no one visits Anne more than he does, not even her old school friends. There was no way MC's intentions were "just being friendly".

He keeps an eagle eye out for MC. If he can't find them anywhere, he goes straight to Feldcroft to break up the fraternizing. Anne will have to tell him off multiple times.

OMINIS GAUNT: He doesn't know this is going on until Anne casually mentions it in her letters. This....he struggles with this. Anne is very special to him. They'd been close since first year, she was one of his first and few friends and now she...she seems so...taken by MC.

He wrestles with his own pride and self loathing. He should have said something sooner. He should have told her how much he....it didn't matter now. MC was braver. She doesn't deserve a coward like him anyway. He's happy she's happy. That's all that matters...right?

IMELDA REYES: She knew Anne. They were on the Slytherin quidditch team together before Anne fell ill. She reads about Anne and MC in letters and snorts. She advises Anne to not be so quick to admire MC, they aren't that amazing.

NATSAI ONAI: She finds it absolutely adorable. MC always thinks of Anne, constantly asking her if Anne will like what they've found or bought. Even asks for advice, not that she knows much about relationships, but she tries her best.

GARRETH WEASLEY: He gets nosey, seeing MC almost always nose deep in a letter that smells floral with a touch of birch. He'll poke fun that they're infatuated with their special pen pal and not so subtly imply that he has the perfect potion in mind if they want to speed things along. *Wink*

LEANDER PREWETT: Anne who? Sebastian's sister? Pfffft, good luck with that. Sebastian is a bulldog when it comes to family. Very protective, almost possessive.

AMIT THAKKAR: He first realizes that MC is acting strange when they started daydreaming heavily in class. Even in the more interesting classes. What's got them all starry-eyed and distracted from learning? ....he should have known. A girl.

EVERETT CLOPTON: He hears about it second hand from someone else who heard MC and Sebastian going at it over MC seeing Anne without supervision. Rumors spread like wildfire, especially when the arguably most interesting person at Hogwarts apparently developed a crush on Sallow's sister and was sneaking around with her. Made for very juicy gossip.

POPPY SWEETING: She hears about it through the rumor mill as well and tells MC to fly in on a hippogriff next time. That always impresses the ladies, trust her on this.

ANNE SALLOW: MC brought some color back into her life. They wanted to know all about her, they showered her with gifts, and would come to see her even without reason. She caught on fast that MC fancied her and she had fun playing coy.

Oh, MC wants to know what she likes for her birthday? What an odd, totally random question. MC has been staring at her for the last five minutes, not realizing she's stopped talking, how interesting. She loved pointing out MC's blatantly odd behavior and watching them fluster within an inch of their life. It's the Slytherin in her, she thinks it's funny.

When MC starts asking for more private outings, that's when she really starts to feel special. MC was willing to accommodate her in any way she needed. If she grew exhausted from a walk, they would carry her back. If she was having a particularly rough day with the curse, they'd tend to her hand and a foot, almost fussing as much as Sebastian. Almost.

The time MC flew her up the hill to the lookout, she felt herself falling, in the figurative sense. MC may have fallen for her first, but she fell harder. Holding on to them as they flew, she couldn't take her eyes off their face. She almost kissed them. She didn't, however, miss the fact that her scar hurt a lot less that day.

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy reactions #hl #sebastian sallow #ominis gaunt #anne sallow #imelda reyes #natsai onai #garreth weasley #leander prewett #amit thakkar #everett clopton

[rosietrace]

Zenith Devi

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“Oh, how silly of me. I always forget the End is just the Beginning.”

— Zenith Devi, unknown eccentricity

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General Information

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Full Name — Zenith Devi

↳ Zenith; A name of English origin, meaning ‘the point in the sky, celestial sphere directly above an observer’.

↳ Devi; A name derived from Sanskrit ‘देवी (Devi)’, meaning ‘Goddess’.

Japanese ver. — ゼニス デヴィ

Romaji ver. — Zenisu Devi

Twisted from: The Fairytale narrator

V/A(日本語): Ayumu Murase(村瀬歩)

↳ Voices Venti from Genshin Impact

V/A(英語/EN): Daman Mills

↳ Voices Lyney from Genshin Impact

Age: “20”

Birthday: January 24th

Horoscope: Aquarius ♒

Species: “Faerie”

Height: 165 cm

Hair color: Black ✧ Green

Eye color: Light Green

Gender/Pronouns: Male, He/Him

Sexuality: Asexual, Aromantic

Dominant hand: Right

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Extra Information

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Homeland: The Queendom of Roses 「 Countryside 」

『 Family: How odd, it's been left blank.. 』

RSA Dormitory: TBA

NRC Dormitory: Diasomnia

School Year: 3rd Year

Class: 3-A(seat no. 1)

Club: Light Music Club

Best class(es): Prophecy, ancient curses, literature

Worst class(es): History of Magic

Like(s): Victoria, spending time with Victoria, braiding hair, tending to his crows, music, musical instruments, singing, dancing, writing, songwriting, poetry readings, matchmaking, gossip, language arts

Dislike(s): Secrets, Camilla's singing, off-key notes, badly written poetry, broken instruments, being talked behind his back, judgmental staring (towards him and Vic), Grimhilde Shard

Hobbies: Singing, songwriting, poetry reading, dancing, walks in the forest, tending to the needs of his crows, gossiping, matchmaking, braiding hair

Talent(s): Diverse vocal range, observant, flexible, musically multi-talented, magic, prophecy reading

Flaw(s): Hypocritical, secretive, judgmental, passive-aggressive, shows heavy favoritism depending on the person, manipulative

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Personality

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Zenith gets along with almost everyone! He has a certain energy to him, one that attracts many individuals of varying personalities to him. And lo and behold, he's quite popular!

Even during his days as an RSA student, he was still rather popular among the student body. And that popularity only increased once he transferred to NRC, for seemingly unknown reasons! Not shady whatsoever!

Zen adores his closest friends, more specifically: Victoria Shard! The two have known each other since they were children, and have been attached to the hip ever since! (If anything, Victoria is Zen's favorite person of all time)

He's honestly a bit of an enigma. Sure, a smile is almost always on his face, but that's not exactly a useful source of knowing the inner workings of his emotions.

If anything, despite his energetic and wears-a-heart-on-his-sleeve nature, Zen just…. Feels unreadable to people.

And he'd prefer it that way. If anyone found out about how judgmental he can be, Seven forbid, who knows what could happen!

He always has a certain tone in his voice. One that shows a small piece of his passive aggression, but not so much that it makes it obvious to the person he's talking to.

And, frankly, it's odd.

Zenith says he hates secrets. And yet he's rather secretive, himself.

Don't you think that's a bit hypocritical?

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Unique Magic: End of the Beginning(始まりの終わり)

♗ Allows user to predict/physically witness the future of individuals they make eye contact with.

The user is required to have a decent amount of control over their magical energy, otherwise, their ability may (or may not) malfunction while it is being used.

A side effect of this ability is the temporary petrification of its user.

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Thoughts on them

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“He perplexes me as much as Shard does. He's rather secretive, don't you think? As friendly as he may seem, he rarely brings his personal life into discussion. It feels… Rather suspicious.”

— Malleus Draconia, housewarden of Diasomnia

“Zen has his flaws, but rest assured, he always finds a way to make up for his mistakes at the end of the day. We've known each other since we were children, and have been inseparable ever since… And if you ask me, Draconia should stop trying to figure out what he's hiding. It isn't his business as much as it isn't mine.”

— Victoria Shard, Zenith's childhood best friend

“He's a bit of an anomaly in Diasomnia. Zenith-senpai always gives me — and others — the impression that he knows everything. And….. He feels familiar, somehow.”

— Silver, Zenith's dorm mate

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Additional Trivia

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✑ Main Theme: Hey Lover by The Daughters of Eve

✑ Backstory: 『 Dearest Zenith 』

✑ OC Playlist: TBA

༝ㅤ↷･ㅤ˚↷ㅤ✾。ㅤ.↝ㅤ⋆ㅤ꒷꒦꒷

↺ Due to his musical prowess, Zenith was actually the one who taught Victoria to sing for most of her life! Before that, his best friend had been tutored by the governess Grimhilde had assigned to her.

↻ Zen is capable of playing a variety of string instruments. More specifically, the violin, the cello, the harp, and the lyre!

↺ Listening to him and Victoria harmonizing is like…. Heaven. Most of the time, Victoria plays the role of alto to Zen's soprano — and vice versa!

↻ Zen seems to acknowledge how hypocritical he must be, disliking secrets being kept yet being secretive himself. And yet, he doesn't seem to care much about it. At all.

↺ His personal favorite Broadway musical is whatever Twisted Wonderland's equivalent to “Phantom of the Opera” is!

↻ No one knows of Zen's unique magic! Not even Victoria. And he'd prefer it to stay that way.

↺ Claims that his Mother died on February 14th, on Valentine's Day. But oddly enough, there seem to be no records of his Mother…. At all.

↻ Even stranger, there were no records of his family as well.

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Appearance

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Zenith's tags

#zenith devi • #『 zenith ✥ 』

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#twisted wonderland oc #twst oc #rsa oc #nrc oc #twst nrc #twst rsa #royal sword academy #royal sword academy oc #night raven college oc #night raven college #diasomnia oc #zenith devi #twst ocs #『 zenith ✥ 』 #victoria shard

[dionysianfreak]

okay, which idiot decided that science disproves religion. because it's genuinely so fucking stupid and I'm gonna tell you why I believe that. (this post is UPG and my opinion/beliefs only)

the gods are SO obvious !! They're EVERYWHERE, we've just gotten used to living in Their world !! the Gods are all around us !!!! LOOK AT THE EARTH, LOOK AT THE WONDERS OF NATURE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SCIENCE !!!! THAT is the Gods ! They're literally ALL AROUND YOU working to make these absolute MIRACLES happen !!

see that dandelion in the sidewalk you decided not to step on ?? a lovely little nymph is probably so grateful you didn't crush her creation. see the clouds ??? those things weigh literal tons and are FLOATING ABOVE YOU ?? and moved by air ??? seems divine asf to me. caterpillars literally liquify to turn into butterflies ??? and we're like "seems right". things aren't suddenly not magical when science or "logic" explains them, it's just been explained to you in a way you can understand. the Gods are in science (HEPHAISTOS ANYONE ????????) and They're in logic. They ARE the logic ! They ARE the science !!! how fucking beautiful is that ?

people harp on ancient worshippers of religion for seeing it at literal, believing the Gods directly influenced the world around them. i offer the question of "why did we stop believing that ?". the ancients lived on the same earth, and saw the same wonders we did, and recognized the absolute miracle that is earth. now, we can explain how it works, but that will never erase the fact that the earth IS a miracle and will be forever.

the Divine never left, we just found a way to explain Their world in a way we can understand.

often people think science disproved religion or that science is bullshit because of religion. science can co-exist with religion in many ways, and I can't believe so many people are against it. of course, it's up to personal choice and belief, but ????? guys. why the hell would we pass up an opportunity to learn about the world we live in ? learn about the world the Gods gave us ? understand the way the Gods wired the world and how They keep it running ?

i, for one, LOVE science and ADORE my religion, and they co-exist as one. i love learning about how the world works, and knowing that we may never know it all. my religion in the physical world is explained to me by science, and science helps me understand my religion and my beliefs more and more. so, I invite you to think on it ! challenging your beliefs builds a foundation for stronger belief. experiment !

ty for coming to my (upg) TED talk :-)

#helpol #hellenic #pagan #theoi #hellenic deities #hellenism #hellenic pagan #paganism #kemeticism #religion #upg #freaky ramblings #eclectic pagan #hellenistic #greek gods #hellenistic polytheism #hellenic worship #hellenic polytheism #polytheism #polytheist

[nutty1005]

“A Dream Like A Dream” Fan Review Report by 十月息

Original Article: https://weibo.com/6574125081/KcrfzBjYL?type=comment#_rnd1619312989712 Original Author: 十月息

(TN: This is the translation of the famous 10,000 character repo on Weibo, so be warned that this is very long article. Permission to translate granted by OP.)

Part 1 – Review of Xiao Zhan’s Acting According to the Script

Finding Patient No. 5 B

At the start of the play, there were many people surrounding the stage, I was very frantically searching for Xiao Zhan. One of the ladies besides me patted me and said, that one with the messenger bag! After that I immediately found him. His legs were really long! So, at the start of the play, watch out for the messenger bag! (That was the look in the waiting photo.) After this, I was following him around using my binoculars, hahaha.

Patient No. 5 and His Wife’s Initial Encounter

This part was very interesting. No. 5 was queuing behind his wife, then still a stranger, and buying movie tickets, and his wife had an argument with her then lover on the phone, and rashly stuffed her other movie ticket and grilled corn cob into No. 5’s hands. When handed the movie ticket, No. 5 was still able to comprehend, but after he was given the corn cob, he was starting to get confused — Xiao Zhan’s No. 5 widened his eyes, stared at the corn cob in his hand, and then turned around and looked around, looked at the people queuing behind him. In the next second, the 7 or 8 people behind him magically took out their own corn cob, as though getting a corn cob at the movies was a perfectly normal thing to do, and if No. 5 did not have one he would be out of place. There was full comedic effect, the whole theater laughed, No. 5 was embarrassed as he turned around and entered the cinema holding the corn cob. Starting from here, we could see that No. 5’s body language had completely corresponded with that of a comedic trope, it was relaxed and lively, and even when he met with unexpected situations, it was clumsily adorable.

Patient No. 5 Eating Sushi with His Wife

This segment was at the stage left, which also happened to be my visual blind spot, so I could only see the projection from the big screen, which was very regrettable. His wife said the the person she just argued with on the phone was a pig, and she did not want to talk about it, so when No. 5 mentioned that person, he used snorting to represent him, “…. that *snort snort*…”, that snorting was in imitation of a pig, it was really too cute! Xiao Zhan had also snorted in “Our Song”, here, No. 5’s snorting was even more lively, to the point that I was stunned, took 2 seconds to react in my brain that, oh my goodness that was actually Xiao Zhan snorting! It was simply too cute!!

His wife had squeezed a large amount of wasabi on the sushi, No. 5 said “no one puts so much wasabi”, (TN: Chinese had their own term for wasabi, jiemo, but Xiao Zhan used the Japanese term instead), I really loved it when he used languages other than Chinese, I just felt that it encompassed so much cuteness, moreover it was with the Taiwanese accent that belonged to No. 5, it was even more adorable. Both of them ate that wasabi laced sushi, and coughed wildly due to the irritation, Xiao Zhan was coughing so vigorously, by the sound of it I thought he was going to cough out his lungs, just exactly as though he really ate a huge amount of wasabi. But amazingly, his voice was exceptionally clear while coughing, perhaps because his voice for lines had became deeper more robust, in comparison, he did not deliberately deepen his voice while coughing, so he sounded literally like a young man.

No. 5 continued to chat with his wife, in this conversation, No. 5’s Taiwanese accent was even more obvious, which once again became part of my adorable collection of “Xiao Zhan’s various accents”, I was quietly punching the air in my mind!

His wife told him that she had never seen her father before, and she was unable to face him, No. 5 then told his wife to close her eyes and give it a try, she was initially unwilling, No. 5 coaxed her gently, and then she closed her eyes. Thereafter, No. 5 started talking in a old man’s voice deliberately, “My girl! Turn around and look at Papa! Papa owed you too much, forgive Papa, I’ve also missed you terribly! My good child! Papa bought a very beautiful doll to meet you!” Everyone could attempt to see how you would sound like when you talk in an older voice deliberately, it would definitely be quite funny, when Xiao Zhan acted it live, it was even more funny, the audiences laughed heartily. What made me even more excited was that this was the only the beginning of No. 5’s story, but I had already heard Xiao Zhan snorting like a pig, Xiao Zhan speaking Japanese, Xiao Zhan coaxing people, Xiao Zhan talking like an old man, I felt as though I was exploring all the different voices of Xiao Zhan! When Xiao Zhan spoke like an old man, it was also very cute!

Almost forgot a very important point, that is from this old man act and the snorting previously, we could actually see that No. 5 was very good at flirting, and it was the sort that was very natural and well practiced! In the instant as he acted as an old man, besides laughing with the audiences, I also thought in envy, good job young man, you are flirting again and again! I just had to say this, Xiao Zhan’s No. 5 was really very charming in and out.

Patient No. 5 Begging The Doctor to Save His Child

This part seemed ordinary based on the script, but you would only feel the amazement when watching it live! When looking at the script, it seemed like only the wife was begging the doctor, but in fact I remembered that it was his wife who stood further away from the doctor as she carried the child, No. 5 was beside the doctor, just like the stage photo shared by XZ Studio. His wife was more emotional from start till end, No. 5 was initially more calm, and even looked back to signal his wife to calm down. But later on as the doctor kept rejecting him, No. 5 started to lose the controlled calmness on the surface: he turned around and kneeled before the doctor, begging pitifully, his voice full of hurt and pain, with an agonizing crying tone. In here, his emotional progression to explosive was not that long, but it was very excellent, that moment he was just a father of a child, with an unbearable pain of loss on his shoulders. The doctor continued to refuse, No. 5 said no more, and the whole theater went silent.

Patient No. 5 Getting His Wife to Pick Up the Phone

After the child passed away, the relationship between No. 5 and his wife drifted apart, and No. 5 contacted that strange disease. At the same time, he started receiving calls in the middle of the night, but no one spoke after he picked up. There was one night, it was rare that No. 5 was at home with his wife, and he picked up that call again. No. 5 yelled into the receiver for a long time but yet no one replied, so he yelled at it, “I’m going to fight it out with you… after all, the telephone fee’s on you!” His tone was incensed, but yet the words he used were exceptionally funny, it was supposed to be a scary suspense story, but it wore the cape of a comedy.

The lines following that were similar. No. 5 finally yelled at the receiver, “Fine, I’m done playing with you today!” Till then it was still quite normal, but unexpectedly before he hung up he suddenly yelled another line: “Good! Night!” This type of contrast continued to add comedic colors to the play, because No. 5 was actually speaking harshly, but in the end he still politely said good night, but yet that good night was still harsh and irate. I believed that no matter how unclear the image of No. 5 was in the audiences’ hearts, in this moment they would definitely feel that No. 5 had a cuteness stemming from the contrast in his personality, he was interesting, cute and lively.

I feel that this was something that was hard to control in performance. On a whole, “A Dream Like A Dream” was a very serious and standard play, and would occasionally use comedic tropes to balance the heavy keynote. Hence when actors were performing, they had to say those random lines in a serious tone, and if done too lightly, the audiences would not feel that it was funny, but if done too heavily, it would destroy the pace of the story. Whereas Xiao Zhan’s performance was simply just right, it allowed audiences to easily understand the funny bits, but yet it did not breakaway from the general tone of the story. I remembered when we studied or appreciated ancient poems in high school, there was this term called “using lively music to contrast sorrow”, in fact “A Dream Like A Dream” was like this. The more amusing the funny parts were, after the audiences were done laughing and continued to immerse themselves in the story, the heavier they would feel.

Following this was the part, which Xiao Zhan angrily yelled at his wife to pick up the call, that many reports had mentioned. There was actually a progression, the script as below, the parts in parenthesis was how I remembered it was acted out:

No. 5: It's your turn to pick it up. (His tone was quite calm）

His Wife: What for do I pick it up? No. 5: It could be for you. (He was starting to raise his voice)

His Wife: How could that be?

No. 5: Secret lover! You should pick it up. (You could hear the anger)

His Wife: Why?

No. 5: Because it is yours. (His tone had already went from questioning to factual) Every time he calls, not long after, you would return, I think he hasn't finished talking to you. (This looked like narration, but in fact when Xiao Zhan said this he was speaking hastily, already at the brink of exploding, his voice was very loud, and was starting to ring in the audiences' ears. In reality when someone hears a tone like this, we would subconsciously avoid it, as we feel that this person would explode the very next second.) You pick it up. (I was starting to shake)

His Wife: For what? It's not mine. (I was starting to fear for his wife, I mean was this not adding oil to the fire? Please don't... I was praying this in my heart, because the very next moment, lightning was going to strike!)

No. 5: PICK IT UP! [TN: The word used was a single syllable, jie.]

Just that word, the tone was so harsh, I could say that I have never encountered this in my life; the sound was so loud, it almost deafened me, the word was echoing within the hall, and gave me a feeling that when Xiao Zhan yelled out this word, he was also resonating with it. My father’s temper was not that good, and he would yell at me when I was a child, his voice was loud enough, but I actually felt that it was not as loud as a third of Xiao Zhan’s. Not only the voice was loud, the tone was very fierce, so fierce that if he was your boss, you would have kneeled before him, if he was one of your peers, you would have felt weakness in my legs and could not even run away if you wanted to. At that time in the theater, I was truly frightened, I felt as though my heart had frozen in my chest, and then there were palpitations, I felt as though all the yelling I had received previously were not worth mentioning. The whole theater definitely had a fright, because after Xiao Zhan yelled it, the whole theater was silent, not just ordinary silence when watching a play, but even the sounds of breathing stopped, the air was scarily quiet.

Patient No. 5 Searching for His Wife among the Passersby

No. 5 and his wife went to watch another movie, just like how they first met. When queuing, his wife went out to pick up a call, and suddenly disappeared, No. 5 started searching for her everywhere. Over here as well, I did not feel that it was very emotional when reading the script, No. 5 was like going through the process of looking for his wife, but when I actually watched the performance, it was another of Xiao Zhan’s highlight.

No. 5 was holding onto the grilled corn cob, and grabbed hold of a passerby, asked, “Sorry, can I ask if you saw my wife?” but this passerby did not hear him. No. 5 continued to run forward, the other passersby were stoic and slow, No. 5 frantically walked through them and seemed especially out of place. He grabbed the next passerby, continued asking, “Excuse me, did you see my wife?” The passerby continued to ignore him. I don’t know how to explain this specifically, as these two lines were similar, but the emotions in No. 5 was obviously changing, the sense helplessness and breakdown that was transmitted through his tone and his body language completely grabbed the hearts of the audiences.

No. 5 continued to grab passersby, asked, “Sorry, did anyone see a lady holding two grilled corn cobs? Her hair is slightly yellow, she’s very pretty, her eyes are very big…” “Excuse me, did you see my wife? She’s of mixed race, she never saw her father, our child died, she’s very upset… I’m really not feeling well… did anyone see?” I believe that even if I did not describe Xiao Zhan’s tone, we could see from the lines that No. 5 had already went from precise questioning to emotional rambling, the lines contained family background information unrelated to the search. In the final questioning, he was already in crying tones.

After countless of his question left ignored, No. 5 finally despaired, he stopped in his tracks, broke down and shouted, “Did anyone see my wife?! She just bought two grilled corn cobs!!!” This howl completely used all his strength and was even hysterical, it was filled with helplessness, despair and utter collapse. This lines actually contained comedy, since who would have brought up grilled corn cob at this point in time? But No. 5 did, and this was similar to what I said previously about “using lively music to contrast sorrow”, the more ridiculous the trope was, the better the contrast could highlight the sorrow in the reality, and in reality most of the tragedies did not happen like a Shakespearean story, but accumulated from the smallest and most ridiculous things.

In comparison to the doctor scene, I felt that this No. 5 broke my heart even more… Because he asked different people again and again, but he was ignored and tossed aside, bit by bit, he despaired and broke down… He used all of his strength but he could not do anything, except cry and howl helplessly…

Patient No. 5 and Jiang Hong at the Laundromat

This was a completely propless performance, with the exception of a laundry basket, there was no props, so Xiao Zhan was performing with the air as he opened the washing machine, took his clothes, folded them and placed them in the laundry basket. But his movements were very natural and ordinary, it was not deliberate, you could understand what he was doing with a look, i.e. that sequence of actions I mentioned previously. The way he folded (air) clothes was very cute, and there was the part that he did not know how to use the washing machine, and was poking poking poking at the air, that was also super cute! Haha.

Patient No. 5 at Jiang Hong’s Apartment

After No. 5 caught his disease, his posture, etc, had started displaying the weakness of his illness, Xiao Zhan very accurately portrayed this point, no matter whether it was his walking speed or his hunched back, as well was occasional coughing and panting, constantly reminded audiences that No. 5 was a terminal patient with not many days left. However in comparison to these, what best displayed No. 5’s illness was when he went up the staircase to Jiang Hong’s apartment, Jiang Hong stayed on the 7th floor, every time No. 5 went upstairs it felt like an ordeal and a massive challenge, he kept holding onto the handrails (which of course did not exist, there were no staircases onstage, he was acting with air), he would rest every 2 steps, panting, and made us feel that No. 5’s health was rapidly leaving his body.

After this was basically the envy inciting scene of the whole play. Jiang Hong’s apartment was very small, No. 5 could only sit on her bed. So we slowly watched how No. 5 and Jiang Hong got closer and closer… Amitabha. I do not want to describe it in detail, ｡･ﾟﾟ･(>д<)･ﾟﾟ･｡. There was this part that was very cute, Jiang Hong said, “No other person ever lived in this space. When I first moved in there wasn’t even space to have a cat, but now there’s a man, when he lies down, he uses up the whole bed.” After the line ended, Xiao Zhan basically laid on the bed in a 大 shape, instantly occupying the whole bed, both of his legs even extended beyond the bed. The audiences laughed at that moment, and I also directly understood even more that Xiao Zhan is really tall! Big sized! Before that when Xiao Zhan curled on his side on the bed, he was still very big.

Patient No. 5 and Jiang Hong’s Couple Details

It was not that moment of intimacy that made me envious, but it was the continued subconscious intimacy that really made me envious. No. 5 and Jiang Hong became a couple, they were like they had been together for a very long time, the intimacy was natural and well practiced. When she and No. 5 walked together, he would hold her hands; when they stood side by side, he would hold her waist; when they spoke face to face he would look down at her, very focused on her eyes, as though only she existed in the world, and would also gently stroke the back of her head, or smooth her hair; sometimes No. 5 would even slightly adjust her collar… etc, every detail was exceptionally natural.

When No. 5 and Jiang Hong went to see a gypsy with spiritual powers, that person told No. 5 to look at the crystal ball like how he would look at his lover, No. 5 turned around, looked up and looked lovingly at Jiang Hong standing behind him, saying coquettishly, “Yup, looking at my lover,” just like a willful boy in his first relationship who is unable to leave his lover. In that moment I became extremely envious.

Patient No. 5 and Jiang Hong at Normandy

This section is completely No. 5’s highlight!

At the start in the town’s hotel, the Grandpa gave No. 5 a flower circlet, No. 5 took it and placed it on his head. This was just right on stage left, which was my blind spot, I could only see it from the blurry screen, I was so angry and regretful! I could only imagine Tang San wearing the flower circlet, when Xiao Zhan wore it live it would definitely look a lot better, I could not see that with my own eyes, that was the biggest regret of my life ｡･ﾟﾟ･(>д<)･ﾟﾟ･｡.

When entering the hotel, the receptionist said it was 1,550 Francs per night, Jiang Hong immediately felt that it was too expensive and tugged No. 5, but No. 5 was instead very relaxed and yet unyielding as he said, “It’s almost the same, it’s all this price! It’s reasonable!” “No matter, I want it, I’m paying.” And then he pulled Jiang Hong into the hotel. That time I could only think, good job dude, that was how an unreasonable boss trope should be like!

No. 5 and Jiang Hong went to have a meal in the hotel, but however the rule of the restaurant was formal wear, but both No. 5 and Jiang Hong were in casual wear, so the host gave No. 5 a tie, No. 5 was to wear the tie and take a seat. In the script, it was No. 5 who tied his own tie, but in Xiao Zhan’s version, he did not continue to tie it himself, instead he raised his chin and leaned his neck over, signaling Jiang Hong to tie for him. My goodness, this part was seriously too sweet, I started complaining in my heart at this dude ｡･ﾟﾟ･(>д<)･ﾟﾟ･｡… I am not sure if everyone watched a behind-the-scenes from “Superstar Academy”, where Xiao Zhan finished a drink (or tidbits, I cannot remember), and he just waved the cup in his hand, requesting the co-actress beside him to take it, and then the actress simply took it. His sort of natural ability to influence the opposite gender really makes me fall head over heels for him.

No. 5 and Jiang Hong were mistaken for Japanese, the two of them went back to their room and started conversing in synthetic Japanese, this was really No. 5 at the peak of his cuteness!!! No. 5 gave Jiang Hong a gentlemanly bow, and said “Hi!” in Japanese accent multiple times, the tone was both serious and flippant at the same time. No. 5 also said “Ah li ga duo” for arigatou. When No. 5 was describing guns to the French waitress, he use the onomatopoeia “Bang bang!”, with finger guns action, super cute. He also said “Duo La A Mong” for Doraemon, “Sa yo na la” for sayonara, and most select phrases mentioned in countless reports were “Ka wa yi” for kawaii and “Da me da me” for dame dame, these phrases did not exist in the script, they were basically his own creation. My description of that scene was basically like this:

When he said “Ka wa yi”, he placed his palms on his cheeks like a flower shape, and dragged the “yi” sound, the tone was slightly coquettish; when he said “Da me da me”, he swished his hands around (similar to a orchestra conductor), his tone was coquettish but also lilting.

After he said these two phrases, the audiences were no longer calm, many of them were sniffing in envy and these sounds filled the hall. I almost fainted at the spot, blanked out and stared at the ceiling, wondering how lucky I was to be able to hear Xiao Zhan said “Da me”, and in a coquettish manner, who was I where was I, I must had been dreaming.

No. 5 also told Jiang Hong “Ah yi xi tie lu”, which was “I love you” in Japanese. This phrase in Japanese is actually very formal, because in normal circumstances, the Japanese would use “suki” to confess their affection, which meant “I like you”, “I love you” was very rare. Then No. 5 placed his arms on Jiang Hong’s shoulders and hugged her, looked lovingly down at her eyes, his expression full of emotion and tease, and said every syllable with a pause “Ah, yi, xi, tie, lu”. That moment I hated myself, I wondered why I had to understand Japanese, why!

Following this is another highlight of No. 5, when he was mistaken as an artist he gave a speech in the restaurant, in the script, there was this big segment of lines, it was slightly different from what Xiao Zhan said in the play, but in general it was the same:

"From that day when a disease that I don't recognize found me, everything changed. I had no choice! Did I know this virus? Why did it come to me? I don't know. But it just came! Just like you said that until now there are still children in Cambodia with a missing limb due to mines! The war had already ended for 25 years! Who placed the mines? Did he know that child? Where did such great hatred came from, that you had to blow up someone you didn't know? How different am I from that child? He is just like you and I, that one day, standing under the sun, standing on the road, and suddenly, bang! It's over! The 'freedom' we yell about everyday is just bullshit! How could we have choices?!..."

I felt that I had to type out this section in full because I felt that Xiao Zhan’s live performance had to be appreciated with this section. Frankly speaking, when I first saw the original script, I felt that here, No. 5 was just someone who was very adaptable to the sudden situations, able to talk his way out, so I did not really look into the contents of this section. At that point in time, there were people who also posted this part online, but I felt that it was making a mountain out of a molehill when we place Xiao Zhan’s personal experiences along side it, No. 5 appeared to be making up a speech without much deeper meaning. When I saw Xiao Zhan himself performing this part, I realized that I was too flippant then: Xiao Zhan really had the ability to help his audience empathize, when he said this section, it felt as though every word struck my heart, as though there were other hidden meanings, especially when he said these two lines “Where did such great hatred came from, that you had to blow up someone you didn’t know?” and “The ‘freedom’ we yell about everyday is just bullshit!”, I really had instant flashbacks to the unpleasant memories of 2020… I always felt that hardship is just hardship, there is never a need for us to be thankful to it, but I had to admit, for Xiao Zhan to walk to this stage, he had went through the trials and tribulations of hardship.

Patient No. 5 and Gu Xianglan’s Kiss

In the script there were no kissing scenes between Young Patient No. 5 B and Young Gu Xianglan (by Xu Qing), i.e. the video clip that was posted by Yanghua Theatre on the 22nd. So that day, the last scene of the upper half, everyone exclaimed (of course, a big part of it was that no one guessed that there would be other kissing scenes besides that with Jiang Hong). In the video clip, No. 5 and Gu Xianglan walked slowed to each other, their shadows overlapped, their faces slowly overlapping into a kiss, it told a story, and that sense was even stronger when watched live. Just that the live performance did not have the later half of the clip, that is after they kissed they slowly separated, during live the two of them kissed using the trick of positioning and then the lights dimmed, and with that, the upper half ended.

No. 5 wore a leather jacket with jeans, Gu Xianglan wore cheongsam; No. 5 was from modern Taiwan, Gu Xianglan was from the 1930s Shanghai. So as they slowly moved towards each other face-to-face, there was really the sense that two eras were slowly merging and overlapping, the feeling was very wondrous, almost as though there was a time and space disorder, yet there was also a sense of revolving fate that merged the past and present, East and West, and created this love story that transcended space and time. I had to say that this additional scene was really fantastic, it had such a sense of story and of fate that it could match the scene of 2 different Gu Xianglans walking in the long corridor of illusion and shadow, which would really stir the audiences’ curiosity and wonder.

Hence, I surmised that the script for this tour had made some changes, No. 5 would likely be Baron’s reincarnation, confirmed when the dying Old Gu Xianglan laid on her bed, holding Xiao Zhan’s No. 5 B’s hands, and directly called him “Henry”.

Patient No. 5 on the Hospital Bed

Over here I really wanted to punch myself, I clearly read the script, but yet I forgot that in the second half, the person on the hospital bed would be No. 5 B! I entered the hall early, and I long saw the doctor at the hospital bed aiding the patient’s breathing, but I really did not pay much attention, I was so regretful!! After the show started, No. 5 started talking, the whole hall started to exclaim as they realized that oh dear, that was Xiao Zhan!

Wearing the patient gown, Xiao Zhan seemed even more ill, looked especially frail, weak, and immediately reminded me of Xianxian in the red undergown, I believe when I said this, everyone would have the image in their mind.

Patient No. 5 with the Dying Gu Xianglan

Old Gu Xianglan laid on the hospital bed, Xiao Zhan’s No. 5 sat by it, his left hand had always been on Gu Xianglan’s back, gently patting and soothing Gu Xianglan, never stopped, I had been staring for a long while. I kept feeling that this was especially “Xiao Zhan”, because Xiao Zhan himself is just that gentle and considerate.

Gu Xianglan narrated her story until she was short of breath and passed away, No. 5’s gaze had never left her, and he held her hand. No. 5 was like just like that, quietly watching Gu Xianglan until she passed away, he did not say anything, but his compassionate expression, slightly furrowed brows, exuded a strong sense of unspeakable sorrow gushing out from his body. As I wrote this part, my mind would sometimes flash back to the scene of No. 5 sitting by the bedside, and suddenly I would feel like weeping.

Patient No. 5 Reading a Letter at Jiang Hong’s Apartment

No. 5 returned to the apartment where he and Jiang Hong lived, and from under the floorboards he found a letter, he was simply kneeling as he read the letter, and kneeled for a very long time. “Hi, the person with the fever…” As he kneeled there, I could only see his back, and I just kept watching his back, listening to him read the first few lines of the letter and after which Jiang Hong continued, I felt that there was nothing else in my heart, I was very upset, but yet my tears were locked in my eyes. I stared at his pointed toes and the long, long legs in jeans, stared at the hands that were grasping the letter. Once again, No. 5 encountered another separation of a lifetime, and I knew that I was going to bid farewell to him as well.

Before the Passing of Patient No. 5

Here, No. 5 A laid on the bed talking, while Xiao Zhan’s No. 5 B stood around 1m away at the left side of the bed, looking at No. 5 A. Here is the most obvious display of compassion from No. 5, because he stood for a long time, so I kept staring at him — his gaze was gentle and sorrowful, looking at the other version of him lying on the bed almost reaching the end of his life, I wondered what he was thinking of? Xiao Zhan’s eyebrows were especially good looking, I kept thinking that if I studied him from a certain distance, the first thing I would see would be his eyebrows, and that was something I did not think would happen when I looked at him via a video on my mobile phone screen. His eyebrows were just too good at conveying emotion, if it was relaxed I would feel relaxed as well, when it frowned I would feel upset as well. No. 5 kept his brows furrowed, it was melancholy and sorrowful, he did not need to have tears in his eyes, he could convey emotions with his brows.

Finally, No. 5 A stopped breathing, and the light on No. 5 B dimmed, he was slowly consumed by darkness, in that instant I felt as though my heart had been drowned by sorrow, I kept on staring at Xiao Zhan, and unwittingly as I wrote to this point, tears started brimming in my eyes.

Patient No. 5’s A Cappella

The lyrics to the song was like this in the script:

Did anyone, see my face before? I think I remembered, I think I forgot, You used to wander in my dreams; I think I remembered, I think I forgot, I used to sing in your story; I think I remembered, I think I forgot.

At this point, all the actors will take out candles, Gu Xianglan A would ring a bell, all the actors will blow out their candles, and the play ends. I wrote on Weibo that this part wrote a cappella: Xiao Zhan sang it at the end, I was literally shaking. It was clearly a cappella, without any instrumental music or sound effects, but it was particularly ethereal and pleasant. It sounded like I went to a tall and quiet church, and listened to the choir’s singing. His voice came with its own bass. There was really this sense of sanctity, which made you feel as though any stray thoughts would be a blasphemy. I was clearly seated at an elevated location, but spiritually I felt that I was looking up at him. It was almost surreal, a dreamlike illusionary existence.

When I was seated in the hall, I was more excited, because I remembered that there was still the curtain call and gratitude ceremony. Now, reviewing this with the script, I am completely immersed in the sorrowful atmosphere of the script, and as I recall Xiao Zhan’s a cappella, I am now especially upset, and I miss him terribly.

Part 2 – Praising Xiao Zhan from All Different Angles

What Was Xiao Zhan’s Role (DUH)

At the start, No. 5 was an architect, a salary man, as he hurried on the streets, the sense of salary man was really obvious. After he met his wife, he started his flirtation mode, which was a humorous and interesting young man. After he had a child and as he carried that child, he was really like a father, I almost yelled “Daddy” in my heart! After that he fell sick, and no matter where and when, he was able to portray the sense of someone who had an illness.

Xiao Zhan’s Lines

Before the start of the show, Xiao Zhan broadcasted the important notice, his voice was like a newscaster, the XFXs around me could not believe it was him. In the hall, the voice was especially vigorous and magnetic, which was quite different from how he was like in previous interviews, overall it was especially pleasant, it felt like he changed his vocalization method, there was probably more technique into it.

Secondly, his pronunciation was very clear and professional, I could hear every word clearly, and when he was at stage left where I could not see him, I pretended I was listening to a radio show. No. 5 was from Taiwan, hence Xiao Zhan specially spoke with a Taiwanese accent, very natural and very cute. His emotions were very very on point! When he was coquettish his voice slightly lingered, when he yelled it was fierce, when he was sad it was sorrowful… When he was joking, it was as though every sound he made had a smile, when he was stern it was very shocking! “Ka wa yi” and “da me” were my top favorite!

Xiao Zhan’s Body and Face

Xiao Zhan’s No. 5, his back was hunched, he occasionally coughed, and we could see that his style of walking was different from Xiao Zhan’s: No. 5 was ill, he frequently had fevers, and he would tire when he went upstairs. From the play, we could say that we could not see the healthy and strong Xiao Zhan at all, we would only feel that he was No. 5 with a terminal illness, that was acting and character portrayal from in to out. But when he bowed with his back facing me, I still could clearly see the lines from his back muscles pushing against his shirt.

His legs were especially long, his proportions were really extreme, I always felt that humans could not grow like this, did he steal Jianguo’s leg length (No). His face was particularly small, especially when viewed from my distance, it was outstandingly exquisite, as though I could pinch it with just a hand. This hairstyle really showcased his ears, which were pointed, completely elf-like!

Besides his outstanding eyebrows, his nose was also super magnificent! Even if you looked at him from the front you would feel that he really looks very chiseled! Even more so from the side! A miracle of beauty!

From my location, I had a lot of chances to look at his 70% side view, as the light shone on that face, it was like a sculpture, I wondered what kind of divinity would be able to sculpt that: that nose line, that lip and that melancholy eyebrows…

Xiao Zhan’s Compassion

The tone that Xiao Zhan’s No. 5 as a whole gave me as a whole was melancholic, or I could say it was his compassion. Previously, I frequently saw that everyone said that Tang San had a sense of compassion, but I feel that the compassion in No. 5’s aura was superior to Tang San’s. Firstly, he himself had a terminal illness, and then he experienced so many changes, the departure of his family and loved ones. Secondly, the inner aura of No. 5 himself came with a bit of compassion.

I saw at the back row, at times when I used the binoculars, his facial features would be slightly blurry, of course most of the time it was clear, so I always first spot the most obvious, the tightly furrowed eyebrows.

Accompanying that frown would be his exquisite facial features, his eyes, especially the line of his nose, it seemed almost supernatural. Hence I would really relate it to the Greek sculptures, as in their expressions were also solemn, as though they were looking down upon the emotions and pain of the world. And they themselves were the representation of human beauty.

I always felt that the reason why Xiao Zhan’s good looks were well accepted by the masses was because his good looks was universally acceptable.

Of course, for Xiao Zhan’s No. 5 to be able to attain this level of compassion, it not only depended on his innate aura, but even more so, his own hard work, which caused his looks to be able to give off this kind of aura. For example, he became even more thin, such that his cheeks were more protruding, and there were possibly shadows on his cheeks, this would make you feel that, truly, his melancholy and compassion was clearly affecting his body.

His aura, his physical shape, was completely in service of the character.

Xiao Zhan’s Acting Skills

I posted on my Weibo that Xiao Zhan’s No. 5 was very compassionate, and then there were comments asking if it was because of his past experiences, such that he was able to portray this kind of compassion, actually it was not that I did not agree completely, but it was something that I did not even think of.

Why? Because when you watched Xiao Zhan’s dramas and movies, it was the same, when you watched his play life, his performance was even more so — just that he was not deliberately acting, you would feel that he did not use any life experience, or very obviously using his experiences to aid his portrayal in the drama. He was not like this, he would give you a very very natural sensation.

Xiao Zhan’s acting was like spring water, naturally flowing down from the cracks on the hill side, and not like cracking a water pipe, which would come gushing out suddenly, it was not like this. Even if it was an explosive scene, it would also smoothly flow downwards like a waterfall tumbling from the top of a cliff.

Although I say that Xiao Zhan’s acting was very, very natural, so much so that you could not see any trace of deliberation, but in fact this did not mean that this skill came inborn, on the contrary, this acting skill required doubly effort to attain.

My Trance

I don’t know how to explain my feeling: that is when watching the play I would sometimes feel hazy, like I would suddenly break away from the play, and then stare at Xiao Zhan, thinking — wow, this is a real Xiao Zhan, a lively Xiao Zhan, and he’s under the same roof as me in this very second, moving and talking…

And then I would go into that trance.

The Ocean of Flowers in the Courtyard

So romantic, star chasing is so romantic, loving Xiao Zhan is so romantic.

The night of Wuhan, I stayed in the midst of the crowds, outside of my windows were the streaking colors of everyday life.

My heart remained sweet, because I knew that in that very moment, I was sharing the same sky with the one I love.

And yet my heart was weak, as soon as I saw that endless brilliance of red, I would feel that my tears would well up.

Walking through the ocean of flowers, I saw countless adoration, gentleness, admiration, well wishes…

In that second, I was in Wuhan, and I had a romance with No. 5 at the ends of the world.

Appendix: 2013 Version of “A Dream Like A Dream” Behind-The-Scenes Documentary Review

(Written on 23 Mar 2021)

Upper Half

Firstly, the documentary emphasized on its star-studded cast on its very first Mainland China premiere in 2000. Besides the well-known famous actor, there was also a renowned female singer crossing domains, as well as some familiar, well-known actors, such as Tan Zhuo, Xu Qing. Xu Qing was going to continue her role as one of the Gu Xianglans in the upcoming 2021 version of “A Dream Like A Dream”. At the same time I also discovered that Shi Ke was in the 2013 version of “A Dream Like A Dream”, she was the lead actress for Xiao Zhan’s “Heroes in Harm’s Way – Blessed Community”.

In the documentary, besides bringing more attention to this play, the star-studded cast also brought another challenge, because the group’s actors had to spend more than a year to break into this 8 hour play (that time when “A Dream Like A Dream” first came into Mainland China, everything had to be started from scratch, there were a lot to adapt, hence the timeline would be longer, 2021 version had the previous foundation, and therefore did not need this long for preparation), and singers would have to take a few months to prepare for their fan meetings and concerts, television and movie actors would have to take a few months to film their dramas. In rehearsing this play, the actors would have to reject many invitations, their “loss” in revenue could be up to millions or even more.

Xiao Zhan’s rehearsal period for “A Dream Like A Dream” appeared to be an empty period to the external world, but plays truly needed wholehearted participation into practice time.

Director and playwright Lai Shengchuan said, plays are even a greater challenge to these stars, because their capabilities, their acting skills, would be obvious to the audiences after 2 or 3 shows, and this will dictate the success of the play in Mainland China.

Hence for the first entry to Mainland China, all the preparation from all angles had to start from zero, the 2013 version encountered many difficulties in terms of location, props, etc. While the cast attracted a lot of attention, the strict control behind the stage, for example, prop preparation was actually done by a Year 4 Journalism student; the rehearsal initially started in a crude empty factory. Then, the in-charge of Yanghua Theatre, Wang Keran, was the main in-charge for bringing in “A Dream Like A Dream” into Mainland China, he and his team’s office was in a simple 3 bedroom apartment, he directly said that bringing in this play was to raise the influence of plays but he could not bankrupt the backstage, hence cost also had to be tightly controlled.

For the 2021 version, the documentary gave me the most anticipation was the process that in the 2013 version, the actors and the directors went through a lot of breakthrough and recreation process during their rehearsals. While rehearsing, Xu Qing gave a totally opposite view on her role to Lai Shengchuan (on Gu Xianglan’s love to Baron), the understanding and identity from the actors themselves were in fact the most important part to character creation. Finally, Xu Qing’s persistence convinced Lai Shengchuan, who specially added some scenes in Act 9, and allowed the character Gu Xianglan to be more logical. Lai Shengchuan was a renowned Asian Theatre master, “A Dream Like A Dream” was his 3rd script after his 10+ years of experience. Even so, when meeting a brand new acting crew, the script might still display its inadequacy or limitations with the times, etc. At this moment, it would require actors to use their acting experience to improve upon it, and perform character and scene recreation. We could say that, Xu Qing was a good actress who had her own opinions and thoughts, and was persistent about them, Lai Shengchuan was a good director who progressed with the times.

It just so happened today that Xu Qing praised Xiao Zhan, I believe that with my narration on this part, everyone would understand how much weight Xu Qing’s praise carried — there is no praise that is more encouraging than that from a fellow actress who is persistent and serious.

I believe that Xiao Zhan is also a hardworking actor who will seriously analyze his scripts, and have his own opinions and thoughts. Hence, I really look forward to fireworks that Xiao Zhan and “A Dream Like A Dream” would create, as well as the new soul this would bring to the role, Patient No. 5.

Lower Half

Firstly, the documentary introduced the costume designer for “A Dream Like A Dream”, renowned designer, Ye Jintian. Ye Jintian was the costume in-charge for many movies and dramas, the most famous ones were “A Better Tomorrow” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, he also won the Oscar for Best Costume Design for the latter movie. 2021’s Costume Design Executive was still Ye Jintian. When rehearsal conditions were unable to reach the performance conditions, actors would have to use costumes to find their entry into the character, and as such, it showed how important costumes were to the play.

The premiere in 2013, was such a major cultural event, in the press conference before the first show, they exhibited a shorter segment of the play. Lai Shengchuan wanted people to focus on the story itself, but the media placed their attention on the star-studded cast, the 8 hour long performance, the ring shaped stage, and other gimmicks etc. Lai Shengchuan said, that was the misguidance of the media focus. I felt that, that was unavoidable, since it was a challenge, it was even more so an opportunity, because everything would increase the attention on the play itself eventually. Lai Shengchuan hoped that people would not watch this play for entertainment or escapism, but instead, use this story to face their problems directly, to think about the meaning of life and death.

Surprisingly, the documentary then emphasized on the participating well-known singer’s influence. It said that she had millions of passionate fans, many of them entered the theater because of her, whereas in Lai Shengchuan’s vision, the audiences for “A Dream Like A Dream” were those who had watched many other plays before. We could even say that such a young and influential singer’s addition then truly changed the audience composition for such an elite form of art. On this, Producer Wang Keran expressed that it was something the production team was happy to see, because marketization was the nutrient for such highend art. Moreover, “A Dream Like A Dream” was 8 hours long, they had 400 over sets of costumes, as well as many innovative stage art design, the cost was very huge. Hence, the show for this type of play became a gamble, a gamble between art and market. After all, theater workers would have to eat, and audiences only cared about results, and they would not analyze the difficulties behind it.

The 2021 version that Xiao Zhan joined was built upon the mature experience of 7 years of public showing from the 2013 version, and definitely had lesser problems, but due to Xiao Zhan’s commonly known qualities, the 2021 version would carry the same mission as the 2013 version: using the actor’s huge influence and interest, attract more “first time goers” for theaters, and use the market to nourish the play. To Xiao Zhan personally, this was the rarest and best experience for an actor.

I would mostly skip through the following interview of the famous actor, but there was an important phrase within which he generally said, “To return to theater is to remove the burden of a celebrity.” I felt that this point was suitable to Xiao Zhan.

That time, the production company for “A Dream Like A Dream” (should be Yanghua Theatre) was actually not rich, we could see that the theater scene was still in its infancy. The Stage Designer Zhang Zhelong, was also very competent, he created many aesthetic and unique stage effects for “A Dream Like A Dream”, the most famous was the handover between 2 Gu Xianglans, 2 graceful figures, the former slowly absorbed into the light, blurry and vague, just like a dream. The 2021 version’s Stage Designer is still Zhang Zhelong.

Finally, it was the interview with the well-known actor Jin Shijie, who acted as Baron then. He said that now is the era for speed, everyone could use an electronic device to watch many shows in a night, they could even watch new technologies such as 3D. But, plays were like they carried many ancient rituals. You would need to leave the house, take a car ride, queue, and then sit in among a group of strangers, and watch the stage in the dark, and finally return home. These process were complex, but yet it also seemed especially ceremonious — hence Jin Shijie said that the stage was the most primitive. Whereas for me personally, I like this type of primitive art, this is a form of art that up close, without any misplacement in time and space, and the most realistic.

#xiao zhan #sean xiao #xiaozhan #肖战

[silence-burns]

Please Hate Me //part 33

Fandom: Marvel 

Summary: Based on “Imagine having a love/hate relationship with Loki.” by @thefandomimagine​

[Somewhere in a universe far, far away…] 

There was a soft brush of fabric on the polished floor that accompanied the approaching steps of leather shoes. Frigga stopped a little to Heimdall's left. 

"What do your golden eyes see, my friend?" 

"They see many things, my queen." 

Bifrost glimmered in the million colors under their feet. Lines and flashes passed faster than the human eye could see. The sword that was the key to every way, waited in Heimdall's hands.

"What do you see of my troubled sons?" 

"They are both learning through new experiences." 

Frigga sighed. "Which usually means they’ve gotten in even more trouble. Tell me, what is it this time?" 

Heimdall stood tall on the dais, the armor forged in ancient times by the hands of legends half forgotten by time still impeccable. The worlds moved before his eyes, with no secrets hidden from the gaze of the All-Watcher. 

"They are faring well, my queen. Even Loki." 

"I had hoped that banishment to Earth would be a better choice than the dungeons." Frigga's hand clutched the gown over her heart. "What did he do this time?" 

A smile ghosted on the lips of the All-Watcher. "It appears that he's made friends. Quite close ones, I dare say." 

"Oh, dear," Freya repeated in a completely different tone. A wicked light played in her eyes. "Do tell, my friend." 

*

[The same universe, a little closer] 

Life in big cities bears a certain strain on everyone's minds. Despite what the newspapers, thirsty for anything and everything worthy and unworthy of filling the pages with, would like you to believe, life had always been difficult. 

Time is always lacking, and money is never enough, and no matter how much you strain your brain, it just sometimes happens that you might not remember about the things stored at the very back of your tiny shop, tucked cozily into the corner of a very calm street. 

"Well," the man said. "I had no idea that I still had those in the freezers. I could've sworn that I have cleaned them before the winter and left nothing except for the packed broccoli. It must be your lucky day, my boy." 

The boy indeed felt very lucky. It was not everyday that one could be sent out to fetch ice cream for a living god in the middle of winter. 

"Have a nice day, sir!" he called on his way out. 

The chilly breeze bit into his cheeks, warmed up in the comforting interior of the grocery. Snow shined on the few surfaces not yet stamped on. The sidewalk Peter chose was a slippery trap that only his spider senses got him through unscathed. 

Loki sensed his coming, and looked over his shoulder at the approaching boy. His other arm was currently wrapped around your shoulders, tucking you closer into him. Peter tried his best not to stare too openly, but couldn't stop the grin from splitting his face. He sat on the other side of the god, the bench icy cold. 

"Thank you, my boy." The god took the ice cream with obvious delight. It had been your idea to spend the few hours before Peter's totally-not-a-date trying out the goods New York had to offer. At first, Loki had snickered at the suggestion of trying out whatever ice cream was available in the middle of winter, but after a few interesting flavors were discovered, Loki apologized. There was an almost disturbing variety of flavors Loki couldn't even imagine existing. 

"You're welcome, Mr. Mischief. I'm sure there would be a bigger choice if it was summer. I always go to that one vendor two streets away from my house, because he has this special recipe that absolutely blows my taste buds away every time." 

"Sounds intriguing." Loki's mind conjured the last time his taste buds had been blown away. If he recalled that unfortunate event correctly, it had something to do with pizza and a bet. "But I think I'll pass for now." 

The look of pure adoration in the boy's eyes hadn’t  perished. 

"I still can't believe you won't get sick after having so many," you said, and watched Loki devour the caramel. 

"It must be nice to be a god," Peter sighed. "You have awesome superpowers, get to do what you want and they even make action figures of you…" 

Loki frowned. "The what?" 

Peter blanched. He started fumbling with his jacket and 'accidentally' looked at his watch. "Oh, I think I’ve gotta go, it's getting so late and I don't want to make MJ wait—" 

Loki reached out and fixed the hair Peter had been nervously fighting with for the past few hours they'd all spent outside. "Don't forget the ring, boy." 

"Thank you!" 

The boy was beaming on his way out of the park. 

"I'm never washing my hair again." 

The totally-not-a-date that was steadily approaching was something Peter wasn't sure he was ready for. So many things could go wrong—and he had already imagined most of them. It wasn't as if he couldn't sleep all night thinking about it, he just… Was busy. Thinking. 

Peter straightened the jacket that was in absolutely no need of straightening. His hand moved to his hair, but he stopped it halfway with a smile. It'd  been touched by the hand of god, so it was as good as it could ever get. 

On his way out of the park the three of you had been resting in for a while, Peter's mind was in a strange disarray of thoughts. However, he was still capable of noticing the interesting new graffiti decorating the Avengers' statues set up in the middle of the park. Whoever decided to redecorate them this time, certainly had a pair of skillful hands. The wild mustache covering half of Iron Man's face looked almost lifelike. 

Loki and you watched the boy leave, nervousness apparent in his every too-stiff step. 

"They grow up so fast," you sighed, leaning further into Loki. 

He nodded. His finger circled lazily around your shoulder, drawing spiralling patterns. Loki turned his head toward the memorial statues raised in the central part of the park. People took pictures in front of them, posing and smiling as they milled around. Those were the heroes, after all. Saviors of the day. 

Loki added a mustache to another statue. 

You noticed and eased a giggle. "They're going to be so pissed." 

"My very soul aches at that thought. What a terrible crime." 

The patterns changed as you shifted slightly. The presence on his shoulder was warm and softened by the fabric of clothes that kept the winter frost from you. 

"I thought using magic in this world was difficult." 

"It is.There's a lot more focus required to make it work than I'm used to. It's nothing dramatic, though. I've heard of worlds where the trickle of magic is even more strained, to the point where it barely exists at all." 

"Do you miss them? The other worlds, I mean. Like Asgard." 

The patterns changed again. They slowed down, became more deliberate. 

"Sometimes," was the honest answer and the one he gave after careful consideration. 

"Will you leave, then?" 

Loki looked down at his wrist, where a thin band of metal used to reside, blocking every and all effort he might take against leaving Earth or using magic in any form. It was no longer there, which meant, although it would be extremely difficult to conduct, Loki could technically leave. 

The only obstacle was that it was no longer his priority. 

"I've never been one to sit aimlessly on my ass for too long, and especially not when and where I had been forced to do so. I think I could name more than a few places I'd like to pay a visit," he admitted, putting his cheek on the top of your head. His throat bobbed slightly. "The only problem is that I just recently found out how terribly boring touring alone might be. It's a real wonder why anyone bothers to do so anymore, and," he swallowed, "I think I could use some company." 

Loki cursed himself for putting his head on top of yours, and blocking the view of your face. Especially as he still didn't get any answer. His heart jumped into his throat, making it difficult to breathe. 

"...I mean, I know it's still so early, and that's okay if you feel overwhelmed or unsure and I won't force you into anything more than you're willing to do—” 

Loki's rumbles were cut short when you finally moved to look up at him. The wild gleam in your eyes and a wicked smile so similar to his struck him dumb. 

"You'd never be able to leave this planet without me." 

A choked breath, so similar to a whispered name ghosted over his lips. "Of course I wouldn't. What would be the fun in that?"

*

[The galaxy, elsewhere] 

"Oh, dear," the queen broke the biscuit in half with perfect manners. Barely any crumbs dared to ruin the fragile dessert. "I guess he really is experiencing something new." 

Heimdall sipped the tea. Servants at the queen's quarters left them with a small table full of goods of the highest sort. The warm breeze played with the curtains with the subtle shimmer of gold. The trees rustled on the wind, losing old leaves to it. 

"He's also plotting an escape," Heimdall added. His helmet laid on his knee. 

Frigga waved the biscuit in a gesture that had very little to do with manners. "That sounds more like him." 

The softest hint of a smile graced her features. 

"I wonder what will become of him. Maybe it's in my nature as a mother, but no matter how much I try, I can't help but continue to worry about him, even after all these years." 

"I swore to keep an eye on him, and I will." Heimdall put a hand to his heart. There was no smile on his face, only seriousness as he recalled an oath he'd never break. 

"Thank you, my friend."

#Please Hate Me #loki x reader #loki x you #loki laufeyson x reader #loki laufeyson x you #loki #loki laufeyson #i love loki #marvel #loki marvel #loki mcu #loki fanfiction #loki imagine #loki laufeyson imagine

[cameoamalthea]

So About the Traveler: Critical Role C2E103

“How can I be cruel? That is for mortals.” But then she did raise her eyes, and they were great with sorrow, and with something very near to mockery. She said, “So is kindness.” - Peter S Beagle “The Last Unicorn”.

In lore and media, including Dungeons and Dragons, immortal beings whether called “immortals” or “fey” are not bound by the same sense of morality as mortals. Indeed, some interpretations posit they lack the same capacity to feel the same emotions as mortals do. These beings are by their very nature different and alien. 

The Archfey is an immortal. They are ancient and yet, ever young. A contradiction. They cannot lie and are bound by any promise they make, but are very good at wording things carefully or withholding what they’d rather not say. They are not to be trusted. They are not safe. They can be good, and Artagan falls squarely on the good side for a fey.

The key words being “for a fey”. 

Fey generally lack empathy, which makes sense for the short lives of mortals are nothing compared to their eternal existence. They can be killed, but they do not simply end and pass away the way mortal things do. So there is a question as to how much a fey can value mortal lives at all. 

Still, Artagan makes it clear he does not want to hurt his followers. He rejects killing them when Jester brings it up. He sees leaving them to join the Island cult where they will be happy as a viable solution for the ones he dislikes. Which is actually fairly merciful considering fey do not value mortals in general and can easily destroy the lives of any who offend them. That does not make it ok by normal ethical standards, but it is important to realize that it is his nature not to have normal ethical standards. 

Artagan seems to be primarily motivated by doing whatever amuses him. Trick a bunch elves into worshiping a dead whale because it’s funny? Sure. Respond to someone claiming they can’t die by requesting to kill them just to see what happens and see what it’s like, just for the heck of it. It is likely he has never cared about anything other than his own self-interest and personal enjoyment. He has certainly never cared for a mortal.

Yet, he cares for Jester but cannot understand what she cares about.

He sees she is crying and does not like that, but doesn’t understand why she’s scared.  

He does not understand why asking her to lead a lot of people to a place that is home to a dangerous monster that will erase their memories and turn them into willing slaves would upset her. 

He understands when she expresses fear for herself; because he understands that. And he is quick to assure her that he wasn’t going to give her to the monster. And again, fey cannot lie. Artagan does value Jester but does not value mortals in general.

For Jester the question is ‘how do I know you wouldn’t do that to me’

Whereas to Artagan it’s as obvious as how can someone keep animals as pets and still eat meat.

One is cute 

One is food

It’s not a question that you could truly love your pet chicken and also love some BBQ wings. The same animal, but one is valued.

Jester is valued, and there is a question as to whether a fey can value a mortal as more than a human might value a pet or what if any capacity fey have to love anyone. That said, he is genuine in his affection for her. He did not intend to hurt her (he still did - he absolutely did) and honestly did not mean to put her through any heartache. 

Some would describe this behavior as “creepy” or even as “gaslighting”. (And if this narrative is triggering because the character’s actions remind you of an abuser that is 100% valid. This essay is exploring only the actions of this character in the context of analyzing the fictional portrayal of an imaginary magical being).

While creepy is subjective I do not believe he is malicious so much as heartless (another quality of fey). He does not understand caring about other people so he honestly could not foresee that the fact he would do this would feel like a betrayal to Jester. He does not have the empathy to understand why he has hurt her and instead tries to explain his perspective honestly and assure her that she is safe (which she is safe with him, at least insofar as he will not intentionally hurt her - the problem is this dumbass doesn’t understand how he’s hurting her).

So while I understand the impulse to say “He made Jester cry KILL HIM”. 

He is not lying when he never intended to leave her on the island or when he assured her that she is his favorite person. He also freely makes a promise to her, which is binding and not something a fey would give lightly. 

So now- Now he cannot ever leave her. He will keep her safe and her friends safe. That’s a big deal. And there’s nothing in it for him aside from her happiness. He paints the moon itself to make her smile.

He is a powerful, alien, chaotic neutral fey and he adores Jester.

The question is then will Jester love him after this. Will she be able to have a close relationship with him now that she understands his lack of empathy. Even when he is sorry all he can say is he’s sorry she feels hurt (because he doesn’t want her hurt) but he cannot truly apologize and take responsibility for hurting her. (I’m sorry you feel hurt vs I’m sorry I hurt you). 

He can’t take responsibility for anything. He is carefree and free from the ability to care. Mortals care, mortals can love and regret. They can understand hurting someone else and take responsibility for that rather than focusing on the consequences that relate to their own feelings (I don’t like that you feel hurt because I care, so I am sorry for that).

Note: In real life, in humans, we call this behavior toxic. To focus on yourself and not emphasize with others and your impact on them is harmful.

And Jester grew up with Artagan. He is not a “child groomer” as some have accused. He was a child with her. However, once she became an adult he dropped the polymorph and became a fey again. Jester grew up. Artagan can’t grow up, because he’s a fey. He is still and will forever be as selfish and unthinking as a child. 

Jester isn’t anymore and she may outgrow Artagan unless his affection for her can make him grow as a person. However, Jester is not at the point where she is able to call him out or push him to change. She is understanding ‘I know you wanted to get rid of followers’ she doesn’t want to judge. When he complains about the headache of dealing with ships she joked about some of them dying.

However, the Traveler does not join on that joke. He doesn’t want them to die. He has learned to enjoy doing good and to care somewhat for people in general - which is notable given that he is a fey and caring isn’t in his nature. 

Jester has made him a better person. He did grow up with her for a time. He was mortal with her then and grew and, I think, learned to feel love for her. To be her best friend. 

But he has a long way to go to be a good friend; if he can even get there. Either way, it will be an interesting story to watch play out. An interesting dynamic. An interesting take on a fey that Matt has done a wonderful job writing as truly inhuman. 

Footnote:

1) For further reading on the nature of fey/magical creatures, please see this post on “The Last Unicorn”

2) Why are these chickens so cute you guys???

#Artagan #jester lavorre #critical role #Critical role spoilers #essays #fey #fairies

[withthingsunreal]

hey guys

did y’all know there’s a limit to how many links you can have in a post

adventure time masterpost part one

♥=my favourites Ω=significant plot (though sometimes this is not immediately obvious) ♪=a song happens ♫=a personal fave song happens ¿=just don’t try to think about it too hard okay

SEASON SIX

Ω 6x01/6x02 - Wake Up/Escape from the Citadel [WATCH] - Finn and Jake need to get to the Citadel, and Prismo agrees to help. But the Lich beats them to it, and it seems he's got some plans of his own.

♥ 6x03- James II [WATCH] - An excess of James.

6x04- The Tower [WATCH] [alt]- Finn's missing his arm, so he decides to build a tower into space so he can punch his dad and steal HIS arm instead. Solid plan, right?

¿ 6x05 - Sad Face [WATCH] - A circus, and a clown.

♪ 6x06 - Breezy [WATCH] - Finn's flower isn't doing so well, and Finn himself isn't feeling anything, but his new bee friend Breezy wants to help. Stay tuned for spook (me, that's me) starting a petition to retitle this show 'what the hell did I just watch.'

¿ 6x07 - Food Chain [WATCH] - Finn and Jake learn about the food chain by, um, living it.

6x08- Furniture & Meat [WATCH] - Mo' treasure, mo' problems.

6x09 - The Prince Who Wanted Everything [WATCH] - LSPrincess has a story to share with the Ice King, and LSPrince has a lesson to learn from Fionna the Human.

6x10 - Something Big [WATCH] - Something something Maja something Ancient Psychic Tandem War Elephant something something feelings?? Listen I don't know what I'm watching anymore ok

♪ 6x11 - Little Brother [WATCH] - Shelby has an accident, ends up with a little brother, and turns to Jake for brotherly advice. Well, giving Finn a sword worked out pretty well...

6x12 - Ocarina [WATCH] - Kim Kil Whan buys the treehouse and tries to teach Jake a lesson about responsibility. It goes suuuper well.

6x13 - Thanks for the Crabapples, Giuseppe [WATCH] - Ice King and his fellow offbeats go on a wizard road trip to form their own secret society.

6x14- Princess Day [WATCH] - Breakfast Princess gets rude with LSP. Mistake! Time for her and Marceline to mess up the Breakfast Kingdom way bad.

6x15 - Nemesis [WATCH] - There's a great evil in the Candy Kingdom which must be stopped.

6x16 - Joshua and Margaret Investigations [WATCH] - Finn and Jake's parents fought monsters, too! Even when their mom was way super about-to-pop pregnant, apparently.

6x17 - Ghost Fly [WATCH] - Jake kills a fly, because flies are disgusting. But ghost flies seem to be worse. Oops?

6x18 - Everything's Jake [WATCH] - Bender searches inside himself and finds that Fry has been with him all along Jake goes on an inner journey, but like, literally. not really spiritually so much.

♥ 6x19 - Is That You? [WATCH] - Jake and Finn mourn Prismo, and then things get super bananas up in their dreamspace.

6x20 - Jake the Brick [WATCH] - Jake observes nature as he spends some time as just another brick in the wall.

6x21 - Dentist [WATCH] - Finn's tooth is in real bad shape, and he has to face facts: it is time for him to Go Dentist.

6x22 - The Cooler [WATCH] - There's a crisis in the Flame Kingdom, and FP makes the (objectively terrible??) decision to turn to PB for help.

6x23 - Pajama Wars [WATCH] - Sleepover in the Candy Kingdom! Nothing terrible is happening.

Ω 6x24 - Evergreen [WATCH] - Master Evergreen and his lizardy minion Gunther attempt to save the world.

¿Ω 6x25 - Astral Plane [WATCH] - Finn goes on an astral adventure, and sees some junk that may be relevant soon.

6x26 - Gold Stars [WATCH] - Sweet P starts school, and makes some new (terrible) friends.

6x27 - The Visitor [WATCH] - Finn follows his dream from Astral Plane and finds his least favourite massive disappointment at the end of the trail.

6x28 - The Mountain [WATCH] - It’s a Lemongrab episode. I don’t know anymore.

6x29 - Dark Purple [WATCH] - Susan Strong and some brave hyoomans on a rescue mission.

6x30 - The Diary [WATCH] - Fandom can be a consuming thing. TV finds an old diary and gets a little too into it.

6x31 - Walnuts & Rain [WATCH] - Finn and Jake get separated and go on different (weird) journeys.

6x32 - Friends Forever [WATCH] - Ice King tries to make himself some new friends. It goes terribly.

6x33 - Jermaine [WATCH] - After Jake has a shared dream with Jermaine, the boys go to visit their brother, who’s still living in their childhood home.

6x34 - Chips and Ice Cream [WATCH] - Chips, chips chips chips. Ice cream ice cream. (A travelling performer passes his curse on to Jake. It doesn’t go well.)

6x35 - Graybles 1000+ [WATCH] - Graybles, again, some more. Apparently the Candy Kingdom is still around however much further in the future, and someone’s still putting up string lights at Marceline’s. So there’s that.

6x36 - Hoots [WATCH] - The Cosmic Owl gets distracted by a mystery lady’s pretty set of tailfeathers.

6x37 - Water Park Prank [WATCH] - Finn and Jake (and the Ice King) spend the day at the water park.

6x38 - You Forgot Your Floaties [WATCH] - Magic Man, up to his usual biz, but this time he’s getting a helping hand from Betty. No way this will go horribly wrong??

6x39 - Be Sweet [WATCH] - For some inexplicable reason, Tree Trunks thinks LSP is a good choice for a babysitter. Yikes.

6x40 - Orgalorg [WATCH] - Gunther and the Gunts throw a houseparty.

6x41 - On the Lam [WATCH] - Martin finds another group of adorable creatures to try to exploit. yay.

6x42/6x43 - Hot Diggity Doom/The Comet [WATCH] - An election in the Candy Kingdom, and an impending catastrophe.

SEASON SEVEN

7x01 - Bonnie & Neddy [WATCH] - The King of Ooo continues his efforts to be the worst. PB has to help someone important to her get back to where he belongs.

7x02 - Varmints [WATCH] - Bubblegum tries to protect her pumpkin patch; Marceline lends a hand.

7x03 - Cherry Cream Soda [WATCH] - A candy citizen comes back from the dead, causing some complications for those he’d left behind.

7x04 - Mama Said [WATCH] - While out on a mission for the King of Ooo, Finn and Jake run into Billy’s ex-gf Canyon and decide to help her out instead.

7x05 - Football [WATCH] - BMO tries to do something nice for a friend. It does not go well.

7x06/7x07 - Stakes: Marceline the Vampire Queen/Everything Stays [WATCH] - Marceline has a favour to ask of PB, which results in her reflecting on the last thousand years of her life.

7x08 - Stakes: Vamps About [WATCH] - Marceline’s old nemeses are back, and she’s absolutely down to take ‘em all on again.

7x09 - Stakes: The Empress Eyes [WATCH] - Targeting the Ice King? Possibly not the greatest plan a vampire could have.

7x10 - Stakes: May I Come In [WATCH] - Jake finds his courage.

7x11 - Stakes: Take Her Back [WATCH] - Marceline’s out of commission, so it’s up to Finn and Jake to take on The Moon.

7x12 - Stakes: Checkmate [WATCH] - Four down, one to go.

♫ 7x13 - Stakes: The Dark Cloud [WATCH] - Marceline has to decide what she’s fighting for.

7x14/7x15 - The More You Moe/The Moe You Know [WATCH (watermarked)] - It's BMO's birthday, and a special guest is coming with a special mission for our lil robot buddy. yay?

7x16 - Summer Showers [WATCH] - Viola helps LSP put on a play, and Jake is super proud.

7x17 - Angel Eyes [WATCH] - BMO bribes Finn and Jake into playing cowboys and bandits.

7x18 - President Porpoise Is Missing! [WATCH] - An undersea authority figure appears to have vanished.

7x19 - Blank-Eyed Girl [WATCH] - Urban legends may or may not be baloney, and may or may not be out to get you.

7x20 - Bad Jubies [WATCH] - One heck of a storm brewing up some real nasty vibes.

7x21 - King's Ransom [WATCH] - Ice King isn't going to let anything stop him from rescuing his best bud, and Finn and Jake have got his back.

7x22 - Scamps [WATCH] - Finn rehabilitates some bad seeds.

7x23 - Crossover [WATCH] - Prismo needs Finn and Jake’s help with a junked-up timeline.

7x24 - The Hall of Egress [WATCH] - A dungeon keeps hitting the reset button every time Finn tries to exit.

7x25 - Flute Spell [WATCH] - Does Finn have a new girl in his life, or is he working on a different sort of magic?

7x26 - The Thin Yellow Line [WATCH] - It Is Okay To Be You, ft. The Banana Guards

7x27 - Broke His Crown [WATCH] - Bonnie and Marcie try to have a dinner date with the IK, but his crown is up to some weird biz.

7x28 - Don’t Look [WATCH] - Finn fails to follow the literal only instruction given.

7x29 - Beyond the Grotto [WATCH] - Sea lard rescue 911

7x30 - Lady Rainicorn of the Crystal Dimension [WATCH] - TV finds a weird box.

7x31 - I Am A Sword [WATCH] - FinnSword gets straight up hijacked.

7x32 - Bun Bun [WATCH] - Remember how Cinnamon Bun used to be... just, like, generally bad? at doing things? okay that but smaller.

7x33 - Normal Man [WATCH] - Normal Man needs some hero help to return Glob to Mars.

7x34 - Elemental [WATCH] - An... ice... princess? kinda??

7x35 - Five Short Tables [WATCH] - Fionna and Cake try to make some artsy-ass flapjacks.

7x36 - The Music Hole [WATCH] - Music happens, some of it on a stage.

7x37 - Daddy-Daughter Card Wars [WATCH] - Charlie helps her Papa work through some card-related stuff.

Ω 7x38/7x39 - Preboot/Reboot [WATCH] - Finn, Jake, and Susan visit a very scientific establishment.

SEASON EIGHT

8x01 - Two Swords [WATCH] - So when a FinnSword and a Grass Sword meet... sometimes some stuff can go the hell down.

8x02 - Do No Harm [WATCH] - Finn and Grass Finn try stuff out.

8x03 - Wheels [WATCH] - Jake tries to connect with his granddaughter by proving he’s cool.

8x04 - High Strangeness [WATCH] - Tree Trunks loves... revolution (｡•`_´•｡)

8x05 - Horse and Ball [WATCH] - James Baxter rides again.

8x06 - Jelly Beans Have Power [WATCH] - PB tries to get a handle on the elemental powers thing.

Ω 8x07 - Islands: The Invitation [WATCH] - Susan sent out a distress signal, and a response has arrived.

8x08 - Islands: Whipple the Happy Dragon [WATCH] - Hazardous seas, or Here There Be Dragons.

Ω 8x09 - Islands: Mysterious Island [WATCH] - Finn gets separated from his friends, but makes a new one.

Ω 8x10 - Islands: Imaginary Resources [WATCH] - BMO helps Finn and Jake get acquainted with the triumphs and defeats, the epic highs and lows of virtual reality gaming.

Ω♪ 8x11 - Islands: Hide and Seek [WATCH] - Memories of island life.

Ω 8x12 - Islands: Min & Marty [WATCH] - Minerva Campbell and Martin Mertens get to know each other.

Ω 8x13 - Islands: Helpers [WATCH] - Finn meets his mom.

Ω 8x14 - Islands: The Light Cloud [WATCH] - The conflicting desires to protect your child while also allowing them to grow and thrive.

SEASON NINE

9x01 - Orb [WATCH] - Some very normal dreamscapes on the return journey to Ooo.

9x02 - Elements: Skyhooks [WATCH] - The boys make it home but things are looking... different.

9x03 - Elements: Bespoken For [WATCH] - The Ice King has a story to tell about a hot date he had, and also tangentially the current state of things.

9x04 - Elements: Winter Light [WATCH] - A visit to the Ice Kingdom.

9x05 - Elements: Cloudy [WATCH] - Finn needs to calm down, and Jake needs to potty.

9x06 - Elements: Slime Central [WATCH] - It's Slime Time baybee

9x07 - Elements: Happy Warrior [WATCH] - A normal one in the Flame Kingdom.

9x08 - Elements: Hero Heart [WATCH] - LSP tries to help Finn listen to his hero heart, while PB just wants everyone to be a little bit sweeter.

9x09 - Elements: Skyhooks II [WATCH] - Let's Get Lumpy.

9x10 - Abstract [WATCH] - Jake is wary of some changes in Jermaine.

9x11 - Ketchup [WATCH] - Marceline and BMO catch up on recent events.

9x12 - Fionna and Cake and Fionna [WATCH] - Ice King gets to hang with the REAL Fionna.

9x13 - Whispers [WATCH] - Finn and Fern help Sweet Pea with some nightmares.

9x14 - Three Buckets [WATCH] - Finn and Fern spend some uhhh quality time together

SEASON TEN

10x01 - The Wild Hunt [WATCH] - Huntress Wizard needs some assistance, and Finn has some junk to work through.

10x02 - Always BMO Closing [WATCH] - BMO and Ice King team up to become a door-to-door salesman.

10x03 - Son of Rap Bear [WATCH] - FP needs to work on her rap game.

10x04 - Bonnibel Bubblegum [WATCH] - Family junk is complicated.

10x05 - Seventeen [WATCH] - It’s Finn’s birthday! Let’s get Arthurian up in here.

10x06 - Ring of Fire [WATCH] - The marvelous misadventures of Tree Trunks.

10x07 - Marcy + Hunson [WATCH] - Marceline’s dad is in town and totally embarrassing her again.

10x08 - The First Investigation [WATCH] - Finn and Jake look into some haunted happenings at Joshua and Margaret Investigations

10x09 - Blenanas [WATCH] - Finn wants the highest possible authority to weigh in on whether or not he is funny.

10x10 - Jake the Starchild [WATCH] - Jake’s gotta save the world. No, a different one.

10x11 - Temple of Mars [WATCH] - Jermaine and Finn gotta rescue Jake, and in the process maybe help Betty work through some things.

10x12 - Gumbaldia [WATCH] - Peace talks.

♥Ω♫ 10x13 - Come Along With Me [WATCH] - Everything stays, but it still changes.

#adventure time #maybe i will also figure out how to make the folder accessible #that's probably easier right? #though less fun bc i am sure you all love my summaries #right #right guys #anyway here it is #done at last #so we can all cry about it together

[betawithablog]

Headcanons for the greek gods as omegas?

(I assume you mean as Omegaverse and not for them all to be Omegas cus there’s no way Ares is Omega lol)

This is gonna be the 12(.5) Olympians and the royal couple of the underworld

Zeus: Alpha, a very obvious Alpha. Leader of the Olympian pack. If we're going with the personality he has in the myths then he's the kind of douchebag Alpha who thinks it's his right to go around knotting whoever he fancies; I imagine his pheromones are pretty powerful too. Like, send-you-into-an-surprise-heat kind of powerful. If we're going with how the ancient Greeks actually saw Zeus though he's the absolute best provider. Big dad vibes towards everyone who's even a little bit younger than him (which... y’know, given that he's a god is almost everyone).

Hera: Omega. The kind of Omega that has a dominant, leader's streak; the kind born to be the leader's mate. She has that Omega's need for love and attention (which Zeus really needs to work on giving her smh) and likes to pamper her body (see: pool that she bathes in every night that somehow magically makes her not a virgin anymore... yeah idk either, blame the ancient Greeks). She does, however, lack a natural maternal instinct (see: yeeting baby Hephaestus off of mt. Olympus), so I feel like she could potentially also be a Beta.

Poseidon: Alpha. Originally he was actually the leader of the Olympian pack (no that's not a headcanon - the Macedonians actually considered Poseidon to be the head of the Olympians). I imagine him to be a kind of rugged-looking Alpha - like an strong old fisherman with rough palms and speckled grey hair - with an air of calm and control that can switch to chaotic and aggressive in an instant's notice - like the ocean itself.

Hestia: Omega. Absolutely 100% Omega. The kind of Omega who's very presence makes you feel soothed, her hugs are warm and soft (not just because she always wears fluffy cardigans), her nest is absolute perfection - beautiful, calming to be in, and cosy - and she's always got something divine (if you'll excuse the pun) in the oven. Always purring kin the kitchen. Absolute biggest mama vibes. She smells like a bakery; chocolate and pastry. Holy shit I love Hestia.

Demeter: Alpha. Considered her, perhaps, as an Omega on account of her being a fertility agriculture goddess but she just doesn't strike me as the placating, gentle type. Quite the opposite. She fought stubbornly for her daughter to remain at her side, and she's the goddess of law too - she's not the rolling-over-showing-her-neck type at all. I picture her as an absolute Unit; muscles for days from all the years harvesting crops. The no-nonsense kind of Alpha.

Aphrodite: Omega. The hypersexual kind of Omega. I believe I've seen them called 'Pack Omegas' - the type that do best when they're in a relationship with lots of people, practically (or literally) a whole pack. Also the beauty-obsessed kind of Omega. Takes ten hours to get her clothes, hair, and makeup done yet somehow she turns the whole process into a mesmerising dance. She turns everything into a mesmerising dance. Another I imagine with knock-out strong pheromones that have Alphas falling to their knees for her. She smells like roses.

Athena: Alpha. Another leader-type Alpha - literally has Athens named after her, and she's very proud of her people... despite some of the absolute nonsense she's had to witness from them throughout the ancient years. A very adept and skilled fighter and strategist - likes to know everything about a situation before rushing in. She's an incredibly supportive and wise lead Alpha, the kind that the pack feels they can go to with whatever problem they might have. I feel like she could also easily be a Beta, but she's got such a strong sense of being dominant and in charge it's hard to see her as anything but an Alpha.

Ares: Alpha. Less of a leader-type Alpha, lbr, more of a team player. The kind of Alpha that runs into things without thinking, relying on instinct and, on the battlefield, pure rage. Your average Aggressive Type Alpha who's ready to kill for anyone in his pack. Can come across as a bit of a meat head... and can be a bit of a meat head at times... Yet I imagine him as a really loving, doting mate, which initially surprises a lot of people; seeing this big burly 6ft< Alpha who smells like fire and blood smiling dopily as picks out the perfect dainty jewellery for Aphrodite.

Hephaestus: Beta. My poor poor bastard boy. Very crafty and creative (see: trapping his mother in a beautiful trick throne he built as revenge for yeeting him off the mountain as a baby). Likes to think his creations through and plan genius contraptions. He could very easily also be an Alpha, what with the fact he's a blacksmith, which is a rather Alpha job. But I guess I lean towards Beta because, even though he's a bit of a social outcast on account of his leg and general appearance, he's clearly desperate to be more socially involved with the pack and doesn't want to be a lone wolf.

Artemis: Alpha. Surprisingly nonsexual for an Alpha. Very much a lone wolf. Loves spending her days out in the forest. You wouldn't think she's an Alpha to look at her, but she'd surprise you with how strong she is. Also very good at using her opponent's strength against them. Because of her build, she's considered the protector of Omegas; most Omegas would feel very safe in her presence. She's got this mysterious edge to her that just uncontrollably draws you in... like the moon.

Apollo: Omega. Ah, sweet darling disaster bisexual... I just imagine him being very soft and sensitive (not that he can't kick ass on a battlefield, see: his involvement in the battles of the Iliad). He has an artist's soul and an angel's voice. His serenades are totally his courting gifts. I imagine him revelling in being doted on, and always eager for fuss and attention. He has a beautiful Omegan frame, and he loves decorating himself in luxurious garb and crowns of flowers and leaves. He smells like laurel and somehow also sunshine. No one knows how this is possible but he does.

Hermes: Beta. And nooo I'm not just saying that because he's my favourite and that's the dynamic I best identify with (>_>) He really is such a Beta though. I've a headcanon that Beta's love travelling and exploring and he's literally the God of that so y'know. He's also so quick thinking and witty: represented himself in a what was basically a godly court case where he was guilty of thievery and won when he was literally a baby. He's hardly ever submissive to anyone but he hardly ever uses aggression or physical force to get his way/get out of trouble. He smells like ripe strawberries and the metallic tinge of coins.

Dionysus: Beta. The eccentric, outgoing, party type Beta; wants to be surrounded by friends having a good time all the time. He smells like booze; in the morning it's a little off-putting, but in the evening its literally intoxicating. I imagine his mortal Maenads needing only his scent to drive them into a frenzy. Not the kind of Beta you'd expect to also have the Supportive Beta streak, but he absolutely does; he lives to support his friends and gives the kind of advice you don't realise is advice at first and later hits you like an epiphany, and it was exactly what you needed to hear.

Persephone: Beta. Difficult one, but I had to go with Beta because she strikes me as a very gentle, delicate goddess of spring that could easily have her classified as Omega, but in winter she's the no-nonsense, dominant queen of the underworld that could have her classified as an Alpha. Overall, I think this shows her adaptability, which is a very Beta trait. Also, she's not really as needy and dependent as an Omega traditionally is. Things might have happened to her beyond her control, but she very much took back control and has both Hades and Demeter wrapped around her little finger. Of course, she smells like pomegranates, and spring blossom.

Hades: Omega. I have such a soft spot for soft!Hades. But he's kind of the reverse of Artemis in that you would not think to look at him that he's an Omega, you'd assume he's an Alpha, especially considering his position as ruler of the underworld. But he's a softy at heart, and adores material possessions (which I consider a bit of an Omegan trait). He mopes all the way through spring and summer at the lack of Persephone's presence, cooped up in his nest the whole time until autumn rolls around and she comes back into his life. He has a very earthy scent.

bonus:

Hermaphrodite: All three! Thought I'd include Hermaphrodite because they flashed through my mind and I wondered what might be classified as intersex in a/b/o. Of course, that depends on how you hc biology for the dynamics but I thought what would perhaps make Hermaphrodite an outcast/outlier could be their body, scent, and instincts being a mix of all three dynamics.

thanks for the ask 💞

#omegaverse #a/b/o #alpha/beta/omega #oemgaverse dynamics #a/b/o dynamics #alpha/beta/omega dynamics #omegaverse headcanons #a/b/o headcanons #alpha/beta/omega headcanons #greek mythology #greek gods and goddesses #omegaverse theoi #a/b/o theoi #omegaverse greek gods #a/b/o greek gods #long post #ask #anonymous #mine #does hermes know i would take a bullet for him?? #probably actually. he'd probably let me take the bullet as he sipped a juice box

[justlookatthosesausages]

“Lift the Spirit” :: a post-Frozen 2 Elsamaren fanfic

Chapter 2: In her waters, deep and true

Honeymaren woke up with a smile that day. Before her eyes even opened, she could feel Elsa’s leg wrapped around hers. As she woke up and was blessed by the sight of the floating candle jars above the bed, her hand slid to her wife’s arm, and was surprised to see that Elsa was holding her from behind. The Northuldra smirked when she felt her hand on her belly, feeling like a passive hug. It was rare from Elsa to act as the big spoon, so the brunette swooned. She wanted to turn around and kiss her, but that would wake her up, and she preferred to give her some more minutes of sleep. Especially when, at the way she felt her breathing against her back, she was still deep into slumber.

Elsa loved full moon nights at the camp. The hut was built with all the Northuldra expertise and was thick enough to filter noises, but she liked how some sounds of the Nature could be heard sometimes. In addition to cricket chirps, every now and then, she would hear the calls of an owl, or distant wolf cubs yapping as they played with Gale. Somehow, those noises helped her find sleep, and Honeymaren wasn’t surprised to find her in this state. Elsa wasn’t this accompanied in her silent nights at the Arendelle castle.

The brunette had understood long ago that even if Elsa looked like she felt safer rejecting everyone, she actually craved for company, whether it be sounds or physical presence.

Sadly, the light in the hut passing through the slits of the wood gave the leader the indication that it was time to wake up. The smell of breakfast did as well, and when Honeymaren turned to wake up her lover, a disapproval moan escaped Elsa’s lips, her eyes still closed but eyebrows knotting.

The brunette immediately stopped moving, freezing in her posture face to face with her, their bodies laying on opposite sides and symmetrical. Elsa slowly fell back to sleep, her breathing even again, and Honeymaren placed the blonde’s hand back to her waist.

She could watch her sleep for hours. Firstly, because Elsa didn’t always have peaceful leaden slumbers, nightmares and doubts being still recurrent to the blonde. Secondly, because Elsa had a very particular way to sleep, that Honeymaren never got tired of watching. The blonde always was a bit huddled, with a hand on her lover like she was afraid she would be taken away from her - once Elsa had asked her where she was going when Honeymaren actually only stood up to fetch water - and the other hand on the pillow next to her, on eye level. The fact none of her hands were under the pillow nor the pelts was symbolic. Though, was it to keep an eye on them at all times or because she didn’t feel like hiding them anymore?

Reluctantly, Honeymaren slowly woke her wife up with gentle strokes on her cheek. Elsa moaned again. Yet, this time, she agreed that she had to get up, because she could smell the delicious cooking filling her nostrils.

“Why is it when I’m getting comfortable that we have to wake up?” She mumbled.

Honeymaren chuckled, and hearing that laugh was the perfect motivation for Elsa. She blinked slowly, so slowly that the brunette had to do everything in her power to not cancel the day and cuddle with her.

“Life is unfair.” She smiled.

The Fifth Spirit simply groaned in return. Her hold tightened, her hand not letting go of her wife, her leg wrapping even more around hers.

Honeymaren blinked. “Why are you so possessive this morning, love?” She asked in a soft tone.

Elsa opened her eyes fully, but then blushed and diverted them. “I’m just a bit worried.”

Honeymaren passed a hand in her hair. “There’s no ‘a bit worried’ with Elsa Nattura of Arendelle. What’s on your mind?”

The blonde sighed.

“I’m thinking about the attack. What if the person behind this wasn’t actually planning to threaten the tribe while we’re gone, but actually did it as a test?”

“What do you mean?”

“What if they took advantage of our absence to see if, with a magic attack of this sort, the Spirits could stop them?”

Honeymaren frowned as she caught her drift. “To see if the Spirits can’t interact with dark magic, like ancient tales say.”

Elsa nodded with sadness. The brunette resumed to stroking her hair. “So you’re afraid that next time they attack, they’ll do as they please.”

“Not only that. I’m afraid... That the target is you.”

Her eyes shone with an emotion that Honeymaren didn’t like to see there.

“Why are you so worried that they were actually coming for me?” Asked the Northuldra, cuddling closer.

Elsa looked at her like it was obvious. “Because I don’t want to lose you?!”

“You said the other day that you were persuaded I could face anything.”

“And I was sincere! I still think that! But…”

“But what, Elsa.”

The blonde straightened on her elbows to look at her more seriously. “Two people died, Honeymaren. Imagine what the monsters would do to you if they wanted to harm you directly.”

The brunette could feel her deep concern. She also had called her ‘Honeymaren’ fully, which she only did in crucial times.

“Maybe they aren’t planning to aim at me.” Said the leader positively.

“Then if they are aiming at me, it’s my fault if our friends died yesterday.” Murmured Elsa, appalled.

Honeymaren blinked at her elimination process.

“You know it’s not what I meant.”

The blonde was however lost in her thoughts again. Honeymaren sighed. She wanted to make her lover feel better, and now it actually had turned worse. After feeling worried, Elsa now felt guilty.

“You are a difficult stress ball to love, you know that?”

Elsa frowned, so she continued. “Whether those creatures come for me or for you, you’re going to take the blame, aren’t you?”

The Fifth Spirit gulped. Honeymaren could tell by the way her throat tightened and her eyes blinked quickly that tears would arrive soon.

“Snømus, look at me.”

She lifted her chin to make her azure blue eyes stare at her calming chestnut ones. When their gazes locked, she could already see that her wife felt better. “You said it yourself. We’ll be ready. As long as we’re together, nothing can stop us.”

A smiled finally stretched the blonde lips.

“How about a massage before we start the day?” Smiled Honeymaren.

To her surprise, Elsa caught the brunette’s wrist in her move. Even more surprising, she turned her body so that she faced her back.

”Why won’t I massage you, for once?”

Honeymaren blinked. “You? How would you massaging me make you feel better?”

“Well, I like to take care of you.” Muttered Elsa.

The Northuldra couldn’t see her face, so she wondered if she had smiled tenderly or rather pouted, given the tone she had used.

“You often relax me with massages. Why can’t I try to do it too?” Asked the blonde, sensing Honeymaren’s reticence.

The latter turned around, and saw, as she expected, her adorable lover adorably pouting.

“Elsa, you’re the softest person I’ve ever known and I know that you care deeply, and this might make you happy and I want to make you happy, but…”

“But?” Said the blonde, and she lifted her eyebrows, wondering what Honeymaren could possibly say after such a touching sentence.

“...You’re really bad at finding pressure points or relieve muscles.”

“What?”

“Don’t take it bad. I come from a tribe where healing touch is literally taught. We know body energy points by heart. It requires years of practice.”

“Then teach me.” Elsa replied immediately.

“Problem is, you handle failure rather badly. Remember that time I had a sore back and you pressed a wrong spot too hard and I winced? Your touch got colder.”

Elsa’s face crinkled in a frown.

“Sorry, love, it’s the truth.” Grinned the Northuldra.

The Fifth Spirit now was sulking like a child. The truth was undeniable, so she couldn’t say much, and her vexed eyes spoke for her.

“Don’t make that face.” Giggled Honeymaren.

“But I want to relax you too. I know that the attack stressed you as well. I can feel it. Let me just--”

She got interrupted by a finger on her lips, sealing them.

“Being in your embrace already fills me with delight, snømus.” She chuckled, cuddling closer to her. “I don’t need anything else than being in your arms.”

Elsa’s pout melted in a cute smile.

“And that adorable-” She booped the blonde’s nose “- face to admire.”

Her lover giggled. Honeymaren’s eyes stayed locked on her face when a thought crossed her mind.

“Say, would a visit to Ahtohallan lift your spirits?”

“It always does.” Smiled Elsa widely, her face already lightening up at the idea.

“I know. So let’s get ready to go.”

She shifted from under the pelts to sit up, when Elsa held her arm.

“But the people… We swore to protect them…”

Honeymaren smiled reassuringly. “I talked to Jongu yesterday. If we have to go away for an emergency, he and the strongest men and women of the tribe will place themselves in strategic points around the village for a flawless defense.”

“Emergency? How does my worry constitutes an emergency?” Frowned Elsa.

The brunette smirked and passed a hand in her hair again. “It always does.”

Elsa still frowned. “You’re smothering me again. We have to stay here.”

Honeymaren sighed. “For information, the strategic points we’re talking about were your idea. You picked them yourself. You’re the genius who built the plan of defense. Also, I would sincerely trust Jongu with my own life. He know how to deal with those monsters now. Trust me. Especially now that his wife got hurt from one of them and that his daughter’s hut got destroyed.”

The blonde remained mute at the strong arguments. In both cases, Honeymaren had such faith that she took it for granted. Elsa sighed.

“If that can make you feel better…” Added the brunette, “We’re not going to Ahtohallan only for you.”

“Uh?”

“We’ll get the answers we need.”

Elsa looked resolute. “You’re right. The glacier is a good place to take a break, but also where we will be able to learn more about what truly happened. We can ask Ahtohallan to show us memories of the attack and see who orchestrated it, and why. I forgot for a moment that it was the source’s main asset. I thought that you suggested a visit just to make me clear my mind.”

The brunette giggled. “Indeed, it’s really blurry right now.”

“I got distracted by something else.” Murmured Elsa, fidgeting with Honeymaren’s night tunic collar.

“My cleavage?”

“The idea of losing you, idiot!” Laughed the blonde, and she slapped Honeymaren’s arm while the latter cackled. “Can you please stop being a flirt that early in the morning?”

Her lover scoffed.

“Says the one wearing pretty much nothing to bed.”

Elsa blushed and pulled up the pelts to hide her skin-like gown.

“Oh, come on. Don’t play prude on me. I had a crush on you the second I saw you in your white Spirit outfit.”

Elsa’s lips stretched in a huge grin.

“Aww, you had a crush on me?”

Honeymaren smirked. “Babe, we’re married.”

“Still…” Smiled Elsa.

The brunette tenderly shook her head, and they kissed.

=======

Honeymaren stared at the wall of ice in a speechless admiration.

“Lost your tongue?” Teased Elsa, surprised by the contrast between their chat on Nokk on the way and her still posture now.

“In the name of everything’s holy… I’ll never get used to this entrance.”

Elsa smirked and looked up at the magical glacier. “They say you never forget your first… Well, I feel like no one is ever over the sight of Ahtohallan.”

Honeymaren sighed happily. “It also is a privilege to walk this sacred place. I’ll never thank you enough for that.”

“Honey…”

“No, I’m serious. Elsa, you’re no less than a goddess. I don’t just love you with all my soul, I also worship you.”

“Isn’t it the same thing?” Teased the Fifth Spirit.

“No, this isn’t just pure and unconditional admiration.” Assured the brunette while Elsa absentmindedly checked on her winter gear, making sure that Honeymaren wouldn’t feel cold. “I devote my life to you. All the Northuldra do. You are the representative of a deity. Since we’re married, it leveled to another dimension, and I’m overjoyed to worship you every day I spend by your side.”

Elsa stopped examining her outfit to look into her eyes. “That is extremely romantic and I think I’m gonna cry, but once again I am no deity. Do I need to remind you that I am not responsible for the Winter season?”

Honeymaren chuckled. “I know. But let me bathe in that illusion for a few years more, please?”

Elsa laughed, and opened the way to the inside of Ahtohallan.

They walked down the ice tunnels in silence, until Honeymaren massaged the back of her neck, and her wife could tell that she was struggling to ask something.

“What is it?” Smiled Elsa.

Honeymaren cleared her throat. She knew her by heart, uh?

“Once we get answers about the attack, can we… Can we go through memories of Yelena?”

“Of course.” Assured Elsa right away.

She took her hand in hers, and wondered why she hadn’t done it before.

“I get what you feel.” Murmured the Fifth Spirit tenderly, her voice echoing against the magic ice of the source as they made their way down to its core. “We all lost someone dear in the past years. You lost Yelena, we lost Sven…”

Honeymaren inhaled longly, trying to hold her emotions. In such a stunning place, it was nearly impossible. Elsa squeezed her hand affectionately, and she smiled.

“How is Mattias, by the way?” She asked to divert the topic a bit.

“Oh, he’s great. Him and Halima visit us when I’m in Arendelle. I had a meal with them not so long ago. You know, baldness suits him.”

Honeymaren burst out of laughter, and it echoed in the chambers like it did with their voices. Her unique laugh resonated until Elsa’s heart, making it leap.

“I don’t doubt it. I miss him.”

“He does too. He may have known you all your life, he somehow miss your face.” Playfully shrugged Elsa. “I don’t know how that’s possible. In 4 years of marriage, I’m starting to get bored to see it.”

Honeymaren nudged Elsa so hard she lost her balance, and laughed as she held herself to the narrow wall. It was a good thing she had ice powers and fused with the floor, otherwise such a blow would have made her slip and fall to the bottom of it.

“Speaking of missing…” She said, more serious. “I know that you’re very busy with your leader duties, but I’m often asked about when you come back to Arendelle.”

Honeymaren frowned. “What are you talking about? I saw Anna, Kristoff and the kids a month ago.”

Elsa smiled. “I mean the Arendellians. The citizens miss you too, you know? You’re a model to them and you inspire and lot of people. Not only children, adults as well.”

The brunette gave a ‘How?’ expression with lifted eyebrows.

“They admire the Northuldra lifestyle, and love to hear you talk about it from your point of view. I’m not kidding! They love you so much, Honey. I wish you could see it.”

The brunette had a thinking moment. “Well, I guess that at the end of the season, I can visit the town…”

The grin on her wife’s face already made this a great idea.

Elsa suddenly raised her hand in front of her, and Honeymaren puffed as she kept walking.

“What are you protecting me from? What can possibly happen to us h--”

The end of Honeymaren’s sentence escaped her throat as she suddenly slipped on the ice, and almost fell forward. As the tunnel was going down and soon headed to a bottomless pit, Elsa’s reflex was welcome, and she clinged to her arm.

“Phew. Thank you, dear.”

Elsa giggled as she helped her stand up. “You often trip here. I swear, one day I’ll have to pick you up from the abyss.”

Honeymaren held to her as they continued to walk. Elsa made sure that the stairs that she had built there instead of pillars were stable, and they kept going.

“You know, you can let go off my arm now.” Grinned Honeymaren at the bottom, her face overflowing with tease and sarcasm.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Apologized Elsa.

She was about to let go, but her wife held her body even tighter.

“What are y--”

“I can’t resist. You look gorgeous at the light of the crystals.”

They were going down the path where pink and purple hues particularly highlighted Elsa’s skin tone and made her hair look magical in its bright white. Her light cheeks turned red quickly.

Honeymaren laughed. “Don’t blush that hard, or Bruni is gonna be jealous of the fire on your face.”

That remark actually made Elsa blush even harder.

“Then stop being so… Flirty!” She mumbled, giving her a tap on the arm.

She nevertheless didn’t pull away from her, and the Northuldra smirked. Elsa’s hand actually even wandered along her strong arm, Honeymaren’s biceps clenched with the embrace posture she had, noticeable despite the thick coat.

“What’s the matter? Ashamed of being horny in a sacred place?” Teased Honeymaren. “Come on, snømus, I can almost hear your heart beating faster.”

She took Elsa’s hand that wasn’t busy feeling her muscle to take it to her lips and kiss it. Maybe it was an effect of the glowing lights, but Elsa’s blush seemed even redder than before. Honeymaren purposely kept kissing her hand, and Elsa’s mouth pressed in a thin line, none of them breaking eye contact.

The stress that had seized Elsa that morning completely vanished away; now, it felt like she was floating. With her bare foot in contact with the magic ice under them, and both her hands on her wife, with her gaze lost in hers, she truly felt like she was in another plane of existence. Maybe reached the place she’s never been more herself.

Honeymaren delighted in the sight of seeing Elsa quite literally melting. Anna once had mentioned how the brunette was the only one who made Elsa’s ice walls completely go down. In their embrace, in the privacy of this silent glacier, nothing about Elsa’s aroused behavior reminded that she was the Queen of Ice and Snow. The way her breathing sped up and she stood close to Honeymaren also didn’t suggest that she once was a reclusive and socially anxious person.

Elsa cleared her throat quietly, swallowing as well as she realized it got very dry. “We… Uhm… We probably should keep going.”

Honeymaren smirked. She however didn’t insist. She never did. If Elsa wasn’t in the mood or found it inappropriate, so be it. She gave her a warm kiss anyway.

Azure blue eyes, that looked slightly more arctic with the light, gave her a stare when she stepped out of her arms.

“You are impossible.” Murmured Elsa, her voice wavy as she tried to calm her feelings.

“And you are a very tempting goddess.”

Elsa’s eyes filled with touched tears, and she smiled shyly. Honeymaren giggled.

“My, forget Bruni. If Nokk ever goes missing, we can use your numerous emotional tears as a replacement to form a new water horse.”

Elsa sighed in a scoff. “Do you ever stop? Also, that’s rude.”

“You’re the one getting emotional when I compliment you!”

“Yes, because I’m still touched at how much you love me!”

A silence passed as they walked down the chambers.

“Sometimes I can’t help but think that you say all those things to make me happy and you’re just being nice.”

Honeymaren shook her head. “Sure, and I actually forced myself to marry you.”

Elsa looked away with a smile, and passed a hand along the ice wall to pretend that she was admiring it.

“What did I do to deserve you?” She mumbled after a while, looking at her.

Honeymaren smiled as she met her eyes. “What did I do to be blessed by your arrival in my life? I’m the lucky one.”

She saw the way Elsa opened her mouth to sigh or disapprove. “No, really. I’m not flirting here. Love, I was living a classic life trapped in a enclosed area because of that magic barrier that had been there since I was born. Until you passed it with nonchalance, like it was nothing but fog, literally stepping in my world and turning it upside down. A barrier that I always knew was impassable, crossed by a stunning woman with a god tier aura? Who then restored our relationship with the Spirits? You’re a damn miracle, Elsa. And I was just the witness.”

A silence passed. And obviously, Elsa’s emotional tears fell. Abundantly.

“See? What did I tell you. A whole horse.” Smiled Honeymaren to lighten the mood.

She received a slap on the arm, and her laugh echoed down the magical source.  

=======

Honeymaren stumbled two other times on their way down, and Elsa laughed at her struggle.

“Hey, we don’t all have magic feet.”

“Sorry. You’re just so funny.”

The lights around them fluttered.

“Is she mocking me?” Frowned Honeymaren, refering to Ahtohallan.

Elsa felt the emotion of the source, and nodded. “A little.”

“Let me guess, when you come alone, you go to the memories chamber way faster?”

The Fifth Spirit grinned. “I slide all along.”

“Show-off.”

A rumble ahead went above their voices, until now plunged in silence.

“Ah, here there are.” Smiled Elsa.

A thousand of snowgies made their way to them, tickling Honeymaren’s legs and ruffling Elsa’s hair like every time they did on their visits.

“Yeah, I’m happy to see you too.” Laughed Elsa, trying to pet as many as she could.

They met Marshmallow several meters below, and he fiercely hugged them. Sometimes, Elsa had troubles remembering that he actually was threatening in the first place. Here, he acted as a really good guardian, even if Ahtohallan was sentient and perfectly able to trap people with bad intentions.

“Where Olaf?” Asked the enormous snowman as he put them down gently.

“Oh, he’s gone exploring in the West. Anna sent me a letter about him. He will be traveling for a long time, so don’t expect any news from him for a moment.” Elsa informed, petting his leg.

His giant smiled turned to a pout. Since Olaf had gained in maturity and had found himself a passion in exploration, the other creations saw him less often.

“Do you miss him?” Worried Elsa with a soft voice.

Marshmallow answered right away. “No a lot. He very talkative. Here silent, and good.”

Honeymaren and Elsa laughed at his answer. Indeed, she could tell that the giant snowman prefered Ahtohallan to the ice palace because it was under the sea level and there was no wind sounds. As for the snowgies, they had way more fun here than they did when the palace stood; the glacier had tons of slides and tunnels they could play into. Sometimes, Elsa wondered if she had been wrong to not rebuilt her ice palace after it collapsed due to her freezing, but none of her snow people seemed bothered by it. She felt that Ahtohallan was a better bubble of tranquillity, as it was the source of her magic, and not a structure she had built to isolate herself from the world.

“Elsa, you’re coming?”

“Yeah, sorry, I was lost in thoughts.”

She walked with Honeymaren in the room, where transparent pillars stood proudly.

“Hey, was your theory correct, about those pillars?” Asked the brunette, remembering she had forgotten to ask after Elsa’s last visit to Ahtohallan.

“Oh, yes. I asked to see memories of who built them, because they’re clearly human made, and she showed me images of the previous Fifth Spirit crafting them. I gotta say, he got creative. And had lot of fun, according to the memories.” She smiled.

Honeymaren smiled. When Elsa had announced to the Northuldra that the leader preceding Yelena was in fact the previous Fifth Spirit, and that he had kept his double identity secret to protect everyone, the tribe was completely astounded. Elsa had then felt deep shame; her grandfather had killed him, and in the process, without even doing it on purpose, stopped the Fifth Spirit from existing, until she was born herself. Honeymaren remembered how she apologized for hours, stating that it was unfair that the granddaughter of his murderer got to inherit from his powers, and how she had then melted to tears when all of the Northuldra forgave her, and accepted her among them without hesitation.

It made sense then why the tales Honeymaren had been told since she was a child talked about the Fifth Spirit as a legend, for he was long dead and nobody knew if he ever existed. His visits to Ahtohallan were done in pure secrecy at nights, and he was covered by the Spirits who would act as distractions. That way, the leader would make sure that he would stay modest and not be worshipped as superior. Elsa often looked at memories of him, and was inspired by his humility.

A few meters further, they arrived at the memories dome, plunged in the dark. The blonde walked to the center of the room to walk on the united Spirits symbol and activate it.

“So, memories of the attack first.” She murmured. “Ahtohallan!”

The symbol lit up in bright white, and the glacier seemed to wake up from a standby sleep. It greeted them in the main chamber with memories of both Elsa and Honeymaren displaying on the gigantic wall of the dome in sparks of colors.

“Hello, little snow.” Chimed Iduna’s voice, and Elsa’s heart squeezed with emotion.

She was certain that Ahtohallan purposely chose the most beautiful memories of her mom to communicate with her. As the magic source could only talk through memories of the world and felt to Elsa’s soul like she was a woman, it made perfect sense.

Honeymaren liked the nickname her mother gave to her when she was little, but remained serious as she stood next to Elsa and faced the deity.

“Ahtohallan, we wish to see memories of yesterday, before the Northuldra village got attacked.”

The magic source didn’t need more details; after all, it was an omniscient glacier. It replayed memories of the few minutes before the creatures raided the camp, and it gave Elsa and Honeymaren the feeling to see several scrapbooks getting rapidly flipped at the same time. Their eyes darted from one to the other.

Honeymaren knew every member of the tribe even better than Elsa, so she was the first one to tell when something odd appeared.

“There!” She exclaimed, pointing at someone who was standing behind trees. “I’ve never seen this man before. He’s not a Northuldra.”

Elsa looked at the silhouette her wife was pointing at.

It was a rather old man, standing stoically, and he had messed-up brown hair. He looked determined and frigid, and his attitude somehow reminded Elsa of her grandfather, which gave her shivers.

What surprised Elsa was that this stranger wasn’t even hiding. He simply observed from where he stood behind the trees, the Northuldra too busy in their daily tasks to notice him, Kristoff also busy helping some children. He simply waited in the distance, and wasn’t wearing a hood or anything.

“Ahtohallan, who is this man?”

“Victor Eiglatson.” Answered the source in Mattias’ voice.

Honeymaren widened her eyes as they saw a memory of Mattias saying that name. “Mattias knows him?!”

Elsa was stunned as well. She squinted at the general. “He’s not much younger than present time in this memory. This might have happened a few years ago.”

“You’re right.”

“Do you think that he’s a friend of Mattias?” Inquired Honeymaren, and Elsa heard a bit of disappointment in her voice. If the two men were allies, then it would be a really tearing situation.

“No”, assured Elsa. “Look at the way he said his name. He’s disdainful.”

They nodded, and kept observing the memory of the mysterious man.

“Victor Eiglatson…” Muttered Elsa, thinking out loud. “He’s an Arendellian, that’s for sure.”

She tilted her head, squinting. “But why would an Arendellian attack the Northuldra?”

The two lands and people were at peace since more than 15 years.

Honeymaren shrugged, and they continued to watch. They clenched their jaws as the moment went on and he started raising his arms, creating monsters made of a sort of dark goo, exactly like Kristoff depicted them, and the humanoid creatures made their way to the camp like ramping ink.

The Northuldra clenched her eyes shut when the Northuldra’s camp got destroyed, and turned away. “I’m sorry, I can’t watch this.”

“It’s alright”, assured Elsa in a soft and caring voice, taking her in her arms so she could put her face against her shoulder, which she did.

The blonde nevertheless kept staring at the way dark magic came out of his hands, just like ice and snow one came out of hers. It was the same kind of gesture, only this one was cruel and malevolent, she could tell. Why would someone with magic use it to do something bad? The concept escaped her completely.

She soothed her lover with a rubbing hand in her back. “Hey... It’s over. Ahtohallan stopped the memory.”

The blonde lifted her head to the deity. “Were there Northuldra who saw his face?”

“None…” Started the voice, using a memory of Gerda.

“...that day”, she finished in the voice of Oaken.

Elsa blinked, both at the funny choice of faces to say that, and the actual answer. “None that day? What do you mean?”

She took a mental note to tell Anna that she was right when she complained about how ambiguous the magic glacier was. ‘I swear, you get your drama queen side from her gifting’, had once said the redhead, and she was probably right.

“Who saw him, then?” Inquired Honeymaren.

“The Fifth Spirit did.”

Elsa pointed at herself, a bit confused. “You mean, me…? Or…?”

“The previous Fifth Spirit.” Specified Ahtohallan.

The two wives exchanged a gaze.

“He did?”

“Wait, could you show memories of the moment, or moments, when he saw him?”

New memories displayed above the ones already on the wall of the dome, and they were oddly blur. Elsa found it weird, but also realized that it wasn’t how they could find a solution to stop that man. They also had to know what drove him to commit such an act.

“Can we see memories of this Victor before the attack?” Therefore asked Elsa. She then urged to lift her hands. “But only general ones. Not intimate.”

The Northuldra leader wondered if Elsa had once forgotten to sort Ahtohallan’s results and ended with inappropriate memories.

“Actually, specifically search for moments that could have led him to plan this attack.” Continued the blonde.

Ahtohallan gleamed, and now used and mixed several memory sentences to answer. “I can show you memories of his deepest anger.”

Elsa felt a bit bad to do so, but she nodded.

The dome wall suddenly exploded in a hundred different moving images, juxtaposing with the memories of the Fifth Spirit. With its multiple colors, it was beautiful, but a real mess.

“That is confusing.” Admitted Honeymaren. “Ahtohallan, could you remo--”

“No, wait.” Interrupted Elsa, and she held her arm. “I got an idea.”

The blonde inspected the timelines closer. “Actually, it’s more of an intuition…”

She spent several seconds staring at all the images, her experted eyes matching the ones of a lynx as she gained experience from the numerous times she visited Ahtohallan.

“Look.” She suddenly pointed with both of her hands. “There was a time when the Fifth Spirit and Victor interracted. They knew each other.”

She showed how two memories matched perfectly by the landscape behind and the time of day.

“Well done, snømus.” Complimented Honeymaren with a grin and a proud side hug.

Elsa smiled. So they had a common past… She lifted her eyes to the magic source, still pointing.

“Can we know more about what happened that day?”

Ahtohallan sparkled. “There is a way. You can see through the repressed memories of the Fifth Spirit.”

Elsa and Honeymaren widened their eyes.

“Excuse me… Repressed?”

“The Fifth Spirit had memories he didn’t want to remember?”

They exchanged a gaze. Their priorities were a bit different.

“Yes. Encrypted memories.” Ahtohallan answered naturally, like it was something completely ordinary.

“Encrypted?” Repeated Honeymaren.

“That means that they can only be accessible through a code.” Explained the blonde. “Like when you use Northuldra symbols instead of letters in your messages.”

“Yeah, I know what it means, thank you, nerdy head. What I don’t understand it, why the hell would our past leader want to hide something?”

“It’s not about hiding.” Clarified Ahtohallan before Elsa would even reply. “Those aren’t memories that the Fifth Spirit wanted to keep away from the world, but keep away from himself.”

A silence passed, accentuated by the natural quietness of the room.

Honeymaren scoffed. “That is really creep--”

“Show me.”

She twitched at Elsa’s words.

Ahtohallan’s lights changed, like a warning. “Seeing memories of your past life might affect you grandly.”

“I don’t care.” Frowned Elsa.

Honeymaren widened her eyes. “No, love, wait. That can be dangerous.”

“I said I don’t care.”

“But I do. Do you know how many times you threw yourself into something utterly dangerous and it didn’t end well?”

Elsa was about to contradict her, then her mouth shut. Indeed, she didn’t have enough fingers on her hands to quote them all. Her wife was right. Once again. However, Elsa was stubborn and curious and she had to know.

“How will it affect me?”

“ELSA!” Scolded Honeymaren, but the blonde ignored her.

“Side effects can vary.” Answered the source.

“Yeah, no, uh-uh, that’s way too large for an answer.” Grumbled Honeymaren.

“But that will allow us to know more about the past!”

“Please for the love of gods don’t tell me you haven’t learn a lesson from what happened. I know that it can be alluring, but you shouldn’t--”

She stopped talking when Elsa’s two hands pressed her shoulders. “It’s not about going too far this time.”

Honeymaren blinked like she had simply lost her mind. “How is that not going too far? This is actually even worse than going through secret memories of the day the mist fell. This period is even earlier, we’re talking about when the previous Fifth Spirit was alive. Furthermore, those are memories he didn’t like…”

Elsa gave her a reassuring smile. It was so odd given the situation that the brunette found herself calmed down before even knowing why she was so positive.

“This is different because those are, in a way, my memories.”

“That’s right.” Assured Ahtohallan’s voice, echoing above their heads in the sound of others, and it cut Honeymaren in her reply. If she weren’t worshipping the magic source and devoting eternal respect to it, she would find that habit very annoying. “It is physically harmless.”

“Physically harmless, uh?” Frowned Honeymaren.

Elsa eye rolled. “Don’t over-analyse everything she says.”

“So now, you’re the cocky one and I’m the anxious one?”

The blonde grinned. “Seems like it, yes.”

Honeymaren started to groan, so Elsa’s hands were on her shoulders again, tenderly pressing. “It’s okay, Honey. This is my area. I know she doesn’t lie. I can feel in my magic that this won’t be dangerous. I can tell.”

The Northuldra leader was pulled between two choices. She wanted to protect her lover and grab her hand to drag her out of this alluring proposition, but also trusted Elsa no matter what, and knew by those confident blue eyes that she wasn’t pretending; she genuinely knew that nothing deadly would happen. Also, Honeymaren was with her, so she could have a say if needed.

She sighed longly and heavily. “Fine. Go on.”

Elsa smiled at the approval of her dearest advisor. She squeezed her hands and kissed her on the lips. Honeymaren barely had the time to blink before Elsa turned to the dome wall.

“Ahtohallan, I’m ready.”

The lights of the magic source changed.

“Those memories are encrypted. An access code is needed.”

Both women blinked. “Pardon? I don’t have one.” Said Elsa.

Honeymaren smirked. “Are you sure that you can’t remember it, given that it’s your past life?”

Her wife heard the sarcasm, and only answered with a death glare. She turned to the glacier’s wall again.

“The previous Fifth Spirit had a password to get to his repressed memories? How am I supposed to know about it?”

Ahtohallan didn’t answer. The brunette really struggled to restrain herself from laughing now.

Elsa nervously fidgeted with her hands.

“Okay, uhm… Is there a clue?”

Honeymaren lifted a sarcastic eyebrow. A clue? What did she think this was, a game?

Ahtohallan lights changed. “Only time itself will tell.”

A silence passed.

“What?” Muttered Elsa.

Honeymaren burst out of laughter, then coughed and retrieved her serious behavior to not be disrespectful in such a sacred place.

“Well, snømus…” She giggled with a bitten lip. “Looks like we’re gonna have to wait.”

Elsa pouted. “I guess that the truth will come by itself…”

Honeymaren passed a hand on her cheek. “Come on, we got all the answers we needed. No need to push destiny.”

The Fifth Spirit stopped pouting and nodded as she melted in the touch.

“Ahtohallan, there is something else I must ask you. No, beg you.”

The glacier got very attentive, bright lights shining.

“I understand that it’s a sacred law that Nature magic must not interact with dark magic… But I’ve just seen what Victor can do. And what consequences his attack had. Can I ask you… No, you must… You must allow me to use my magic against him and his creatures.”

The magic source went silent, and she could tell she was thinking.

“Please, I understand that the four elemental Spirits can’t intervene, but I’m begging you. Let me protect my people. Let me protect my wife.”

“Snømus…” Murmured Honeymaren.

Elsa’s hand passed in hers, her eyes still staring at the wall.

Another moment of reflexive silence passed.

“You get my blessing.” Suddenly said a voice.

Both women widened their eyes. That voice…

They turned to the moving image of it. Honeymaren grinned. Elsa was a bit disoriented. It was odd to see a photograph of oneself, but see a memory of herself always made Elsa feel awkward.

A giant display of her own face stood tall in front of them, a moment that had happened when Elsa had supported Anna and Kristoff’s marriage.

“Nice choice of memory.” Commented Honeymaren.

Elsa blushed bashfully. “So, that means you allow me to use my powers against dark magic?”

The memory switched to one of herself nodding. Now Elsa blushed completely.

“It looks like the answer was inside you all along, love.” Noted Honeymaren. “You just had to take a decision.”

The Fifth Spirit inhaled deeply to chase tears, and instead of bowing to the source, nodded strongly. Indeed, there was a reason for Ahtohallan to choose this way to accept. Now Elsa was determined.

They saluted the magic source and thanked her for her help, and were about to depart.

“Wait, before we leave.” Suddenly said the blonde.

“What?” Twirled around Honeymaren, worried that something wrong happened on top of all that.

“You wanted to see memories of Yelena.” Smiled Elsa softly.

The brunette’s features smoothened, and she smiled. “Yes. Please do.”

=======

Honeymaren and Elsa hopped down Nokk, and the blonde scratched their nose as she turned them to water again. They hopped in the river with a happy marine sound, and went to play with the fishes.

The wives made their way back to the village, and Honeymaren trotted to a particularly muscular Northuldra, Jongu. He nodded respectfully to his leader.

“Did anything happened?” Asked Honeymaren.

“Nothing at all.” Assured the man.

“Not even Ryder burning up pine needles?” She smirked.

The Northuldra chuckled. “No, not even.”

“Then it’s perfect. I’m never gonna leave again anyway, especially after what we’ve learned.”

“What have you learned?”

“I’ll tell you at the council this noon.”

Elsa observed him go, and her eyes diverted to every Sami that the leader had cleverly picked and placed in a strategic way, but also depending on their individual skills.

“I like how you managed that. Very clever.” She noted.

“See, that’s also what being a leader is.”

Elsa looked at her with curiosity.

“Recognizing your people’s strength.” Stated Honeymaren. “I knew that now we’re prepared, our most fierce people can ensure our protection.”

The blonde smiled. When Honeymaren exhaled such wisdom, she felt enriched.

When the Sun reached its highest point in the sky, it was time for the council. The Northuldra placed themselves in a big circle, even more compact than the one they formed when they ate together. Indeed, their presence there was mandatory, from the youngest child to the oldest adult, in opposite to eating times when they could have their meal wherever and however they pleased.

Just like every time the day after the first full moon, the tribe assembled in their monthly reunion under the brightest Sun. Honeymaren stood up in the center of the circle and naturally opened with a summary of the situation, and all the Northuldra listened closely, even the distracted souls. Elsa looked at her wife with an odd emotion; hearing her explain the whole story of Victor Eiglatson and how the events will possibly turn out and how to palliate to his evil ways made her shiver, but by the confident way the Northuldra leader spoke, her heart filled with reassurance, and, undeniably, a certain attraction.

Once Honeymaren was finished, she invited the other Northuldra to talk about their issues for the past month. Of course, that excluded the attack, and she insisted saying that they could debate or make a complaint about anything, and that no problem was too small compared to the assault, not even a shortage of dye color. They had to speak freely. Ryder and another man therefore stood up and started talking about lichen for the reindeers, and Honeymaren finally sat down, sighing discreetly at the exhaustion that had taken her after speaking for so long. Elsa passed a hand in her back to soothe her, and could feel the tension in her muscles.

She thought with determination that she must ask a Northuldra healer to teach her pressure points to relieve her wife in moments like those. It had been a long morning, and the trip to Ahtohallan, additionned to the revelations, and now the council, started to make Honeymaren feel sore. Even if she hid it, Elsa could always tell. She tilted on the side as both women were sitting on their heels, to be on Honeymaren’s ear level.

“We should take a nap afterwards. In the camp, of course.”

She could hear Honeymaren sigh in content at the idea, and saw her jaw moving in an approving nod. Elsa figured that, as long as they stayed inside the village, the brunette would agree to relax.

She returned her attention to the tribe, listening to an elder who was talking about using discarded animal skins to make drums, that he suggested to carve and make himself. He argued with emotion saying that it would be a nice touch to make music out of the tragedy, and that the first piece should honor the Spirits, to show them that the Northuldra aren’t resentful for their impossibility to help. Most of the tribe jolted in happy and supportive reactions, nodding and approving his idea. Elsa nodded brightly, and the man noticed. His face covered with a blush as he smiled proudly at the approval of the Fifth Spirit.

Gale tingled above them, making the edge of the trees dance, a way for them to clap their hands. They all grinned, and Elsa chuckled.

“They say it’s a lovely idea. And I join them.”

Now the man was overwhelmed with joy, and he took off his hat that he clenched above his heart with both hands, bowing to Elsa and smiling at Gale.

Honeymaren beamed at the scene, happy to see during her leading years the same harmony with Nature she had witnessed all her life. While the council went on and another person spoke up, she looked at the blonde, forever stunned that she could call the Fifth Spirit her wife. She heard a little a content whir, and turned to look down to see that Bruni was peacefully sleeping in the camp fire at the center of the circle, nearly invisible for how much he merged with the fire flames. He had just changed his posture by the way his tiny paws were moving, and Honeymaren suspected him to have bounced in joy at the song news, though nobody had actually seen the flames flutter.

‘Nature is always listening’, she thought with a smile. The Spirits always shown themselves to be attentive, and Honeymaren wasn’t surprised, when her eyes diverted to Elsa again, that she was listening closely to the tribe’s issues. In fact, she could sense that the whole Forest was listening closely. As a folk that lived sustainably with the fauna and flora, it wasn’t that far-fetched to imagine that the animals were listening to them. She smiled at the feeling of unity that entered her heart.

It made her realize how Elsa’s bond with the other Spirits had gotten more and more intense with the years. Long ago, she would use only Nokk for her nocturnal missions in the woods, but now, she used the characteristics of every Spirit, like she had become one with the four forces of Nature. When Elsa rode Nokk at nights, she used the help of the Giants to create a clear path ahead of her to go faster, asked for Gale to create a draft in their back to give them impulsion, and Bruni lighted their way like a beacon they could follow until the end of time. The fact that her nocturnal missions always ended well and actually got shorter and faster with the time made Honeymaren proud, though she always felt a bit upset because that meant that she had plenty of ways to cheat on their next race.

The council ended in a friendly atmosphere, and all issues got resolved.

When all the Northuldra stood up and resumed their activities, Elsa hooked her arm under Honeymaren’s to lead her to a calm patch of grass that was away from the noise of the village, but still technically in it. The brunette didn’t resist any second; she was tired and would never refuse to lay down next to her lover.

“Next step is, after the nap, we message Mattias to ask him who is this Victor Eiglatson and how he knew him.” She mumbled.

“Yes, but first, the nap.” Smirked Elsa.

They walked together under the warm sun.

“That was a great council.” She then said, and Honeymaren hummed. “You were right. Being a leader also means having faith in the people. Did Yelena teach you that?”

Honeymaren chuckled tenderly. “Yelena taught me a lot. But this… You can thank your sister for it. Anna is the one who made me see the world through the people’s eyes.”

Elsa smiled deeply.

Indeed, Anna of Arendelle was the Queen to turn to for leadership wisdom.

=======

Anna watched helplessly her son break her royal equipment.

“That is… That was… My favorite pen.”

Isak gasped with all the force of his little lungs.

“Oh, Mama, I’m so sorry!”

Yep, Pabbie was right. Clumsiness is hereditary.

The boy panicked, his lips trembling. He quickly started to cry, slightly cowering at the scolding he saw coming.

Anna’s hand lowered to him, only to place her fingers softly on his shoulder.

“It’s fine, sweetie. I have plenty others.”

She opened one of the drawers of the desk, which seemed to contain at least ten other similar pens.

The sight and twist were so surprising that Isak forgot his falling tears. With a dropped jaw, he looked at his mother take out one of them, opening it and dipping the tip in the ink. She even started to write right away. It was like she had done this very sequence of gestures countless times.

Her son kept staring at her with an opened mouth, and closed it quickly when he remembered how his elder sister had once joked about how little flies could easily enter his throat if he kept being in awe like this so often.

He came closer to Anna, his hands on the desk next to her, his nose barely going over the wood. The look he gave to his mother made her giggle when she noticed.

“I have a whole stock of them. I often break pens.”

“This is awesome.” He murmured. “That means you can be Queen and clumsy?”

“Why of course!”

“How do you break them? Do you break them in two like I did?”

“No, and it wasn’t your fault. They are very fragile, it’s easy to snap them in two. You couldn’t know that it was it was a different pen than the one you use.”

He had a familiar blink that meant ‘tell me more’. So she smiled and turned her right hand. “See, this one is a fountain pen. You put ink on its tip from time to time, and write with it for elegant purposes, not just taking notes like Eydis and you do during lessons.”

Isak let out a quiet admirative gasp, and he looked at her work on kingdom laws.

“I like your handwriting.” He sighed dreamily.

“Thank you. Your dad and aunt sometimes compliment me on it too. Though I really don’t see why.”

“How did you break your other pens?” Asked the boy, returning to the topic without filter like all children do.

“For example, when I’m tired, I don’t look at what I’m doing, and sometimes I step on them.”

“You slept on them?”

“No, I… Well, that, too. Yes. But what I meant is that I sometimes forget to put them on their holder, so they roll off the desk and fall on the floor.”

Isak giggled.

“Also, it happened that I broke some when I’m with signing contracts for dumb politicians. I lose my nerves and hold them too hard.”

She sighed. “You know what’s the good part?”

The boy shook his head in a vivid no.

“Arendelle’s stationery will never go bankrupt with me in command.”

As they laughed - though Isak didn’t understand the joke - someone knocked to the door. The redhead recognized the pattern.

“Come in, Kris.”

The King barely made two steps in that his son ran to his legs.

“Papa!”

The blond let out a happy exclamation and lifted the boy in his arms with a twirl. “Hey, buddy! How was your working session with your mother?”

“Awesome! I broke her pen, and I got to help her with the purple papers, and I also did the thingie, and…”

Kristoff chuckled at his nonsense, and he kept going, talking about all his father missed while he was away from the castle.

“He uses ‘awesome’ quite a lot, uh?”

“At least twenty times today.” Sighed Anna.

“Wait, did I just hear that you broke Mama’s pen?” He frowned, and gave a look to his wife, to understand if he had to scold him. She gave him a dismissing hand gesture. “It’s okay then, she has plenty. But be careful next time, okay?”

“Yeah…” He mumbled, toying with his beard.

He looked at Isak, then Anna who had her head down into her paperwork again.

“Hey, buddy, why don’t you go play with Eydis. I need to talk with your mother.”

“Okay!” Jolted the kid, happy to see that he didn’t get into trouble for his clumsiness.

In a storm, he left the room, and Kristoff closed the study door behind him.

“If it’s to talk about the word ‘awesome’, just know it’s Eydis who taught him that.” Said Anna absentmindedly, her focus on the laws she was proofreading.

He smiled. “No, it’s not what--”

“I’m sure that she learned it from the ice harvesters she spent most of her time with. Or sailors. I don’t know. For a girl who dream to either be one or the other, she sure absorb a lot of vocabulary from both groups.”

“Anna…”

“But it’s fine”, she assured, still not lifting her head and dipping the tip of her pen in ink again. “As long as she doesn’t say rude things or sing smutty chanties.”

“Anna.”

“Hmm?”

“I didn’t want to talk in private to chat about slacked parenting.” He smiled.

She finally lifted her head, and saw that this smile was forced.

“Oh. What is it then?”

He rubbed his beard as he walked forward to her desk, which was a sign of nervosity, and she squinted. Her teal blue eyes widened when she saw the scar on his cheek. It would eventually fade, but her heart froze.

“What happened?”

He sat down in one of the seats in front of her desk.

“Stay on your chair.” He incited, seeing the way she stood with a worried frown and was about to walk around to check his face. He insisted on his gesture, and she complied, though confused.

“I went to the Forest on my way to the outpost. And I… I need to tell you about an event that occurred. I think it’s best for you to sit tight.”

=======

“I hate when she knows me this well.”

“That is most of the time.” Chuckled Kristoff. “Do you hate Elsa most of the time?”

Anna grumbled as they walked down the corridor. In fact, they were heading to nowhere in particular, but the Queen had to let off some steam.

“What did she say again?” She asked one more time, nervously tucking hair behind her ear.

“That you must stay put, and that she didn’t need for your help in the Forest. Honeymaren and her are fine, and she’ll send you a message via Gale if there’s any problem.”

“But she said that when you were there! Who knows what could have happened since!” Grumbled Anna, searching for reasons to be worried.

The man eye rolled. “Please, feisty, you’re thinking too much. They are okay. And you would upset Elsa more than anything if you went there. She prefers you safe here, away from any danger.”

Anna grumbled one more time, now stopping to clench her hands to the railing, as they had stopped by the mezzanine.

“And you have important duties tomorrow.” Reminded Kristoff, nailing his final argument.

“Fine.” Whined Anna. “But fair warning: I’ll be very attentive to any incoming message from now on.”

The King nodded with a smirk. “Noted.”

“Mama?”

They turned around at the tired voice behind them. Isak was standing in the corridor and rubbing his eyes, his stuffed toy rubbing against the carpet. “Can you come read me a story?”

The redhead blinked and looked at the clock in the corridor. They hadn’t seen time pass when Kristof told her about everything that happened. Also, Isak was a young child, and slept early.

“Sure, we’re coming.”

“Papa, can you make voices?”

“Always.” He chuckled.

He gave a ‘you’re in the mood?’ look at his wife, and she nodded, then they followed him to his bedroom.

They told the bed time story as a duet, to Isak greatest pleasure. Even Eydis listened to the story from the door frame she was laying against, her arms crossed.

When Anna closed the book, she gave her elder child a surprised and smirking stare.

“I didn’t think that you would be listening tonight.”

Eydis blushed a bit, but forced herself to appear rebellious. “That’s only because I like this story. Not because of you and Father’s… Stupid voices.”

Anna eye rolled at her daughter’s teenager attitude. “Okay.”

Kristoff kissed his son on the forehead as he tucked him in, and the boy whined.

“No complaints, it’s time for bed.”

“But I’m not asleep!”

“Yes you are.”

“Well I don’t wanna sleep.” Pouted the child.

Kristoff chuckled, then looked at Anna then back at him. “Alright, then your mother and I will just stay here so you can watch us kiss loudly all evening…”

Anna grinned and they both started doing exaggerated kissing noises.

Eydis and Isak winced in disgusted “Blerghs” and “Ughs”.

“Get out!” Said Isak, hiding behind his sheets.

“That’s gross.” Commented Eydis, and she walked to her room.

The parents giggled, then left to get some rest in the living room.

“My, this day seemed endless.” Sighed Anna, dropping on the couch in a very un-queen way.

Kristoff was about to do the same on the sofa next to it, then suddenly stopped in his move, which looked like he got stunned by a thought.

“What?”

He chuckled, and turned around to look at the chair. “I just remembered… Yep, she left it there.”

He picked a caliper from the cushion and put it on the coffee table nearby.

“Eydis dropped it earlier when I came back home.”

Anna sighed again, relieved they escaped another danger. That was too much for a day, and her mind already filled with sadness at the idea of losing two Northuldra acquaintances in such a way.

Her head dropped at the back of the couch. From there, she could see the familial portrait upside down, which was hung on the wall next to the previous one, made before Kristoff and her had kids. A smile made her way to her lips at the sight of the evolution of her family.

=======

“‘dis, can you give me the strawberry jam?”

“What did you just call me?”

Isak blinked, wondering if he did wrong. “‘dis. Like, Eydis.”

His elder forgave him right away, especially with the cute face that came along this explanation. “I like it. It sounds like sis. ‘dis.”

She passed the jar of jam. “There you go. Do you want me to make you a toast?”

The little boy nodded timidly, and Eydis smiled as she took a slice of bread and generously spreaded the strawberry jam on it, as she knew he was so fond of it.

“Like that?”

“Awesome. Thank you.” He blushed happily, holding the toast with two hands as she gave it to him, and he bit avidly into it.

Kristoff observed them with a smile as his daughter chuckled while the little curly-haired redhead hummed in delight. Eydis may be in her teenager years and made his wife and him live a hell sometimes, she still was a genuinely caring elder sister, and she gave a lot of attention to Isak. Just like he imitated her a lot.

“Your Majesty, here’s today’s newspaper.” Announced a servant, holding the gazette on a tray.

“Thank you, Carl.”

Kristoff took it with a smile, never forgetting his roots and still giving the man full respect and kindness despite his position as King.

As he unfolded it and started reading the headlines, he gave a sign to the staffer before he left.

“Oh, Carl, while you’re here, could you make sure that the horses in the stables have carrots this morning?”

“Certainly, your Majesty.” Bowed the man, and he made an exit, leaving the family have their breakfast.

Anna smiled from her seat next to him. “You know, I’m quite sure than only reindeers eat carrots. Horses are more into apples. And hay and granules are more than enough for the royal stallions. In fact, the only animal I’ve ever seen eat carrots this much was…”

Her quick tone and joyful face vanished as she interrupted herself. Kristoff didn’t even raise his eyes from the newspaper as she heard her stop her sentence right in time, just like someone slid at the edge of a cliff and retrieved their balance to avoid falling down the precipice.

“Sven.” He finished in a deadpan tone. “You can say the word.”

Anna gulped loudly, and it wasn’t because of the grapes she was eating. “Yes. Sven.”

“I know horses aren’t much into carrots, but the wheelwright has to visit this morning to fix my wagon. And his horse somehow is a real carrot cruncher. I figured that it was a way to make wright happy without making him feel embarrassed.”

The Queen smiled. “It’s a nice touch.”

Kristoff turned a page of his newspaper, and took that opportunity to look at her. He smiled too. “And you can say Sven’s name, feisty. I don’t mind, truly.”

She seemed relieved.

Isak stared at them with a tilted head and a frown from the other side of the table.

“Who is Sven?”

As far as he remembered, nobody in the staff nor royal guard was named Sven.

“He was a reindeer.” Explained Eydis, chewing on chocolate next to him. “Papa loved him very much. I was little when he died, I don’t remember a lot about him… He spent a lot of time eating hay in the stables, like he was tired all the time. But Mama says that he used to be very energetic and he was very brave. The story about the big freeze that Auntie tell us about sometimes? He was there.”

“Woooah.” Muttered Isak, impressed. It was like he had learned about a legend.

“Yeeeah.”

“So he was Papa’s mighty steed?”

Eydis chuckled. “Sort of. A long time ago. Mama often refers to him as the best reindeer-dog she had ever met.”

The boy giggled as he drank his glass of fruit juice.

“Sven is a weird name for a reindeer.”

His sister laughed.

“You know, Mama told me once that when she was pregnant with me, Olaf kept insisting that she should call me Samantha.”

Isak hummed.

“I prefer Samantha to Eydis.”

The elder nudged him, and he chuckled. “You’re only saying that to annoy me. Can you imagine it? Samantha of Arendelle… Nah, it’s too crappy.”

“What does crappy mean?”

“Uhhh… I’ll tell you later.” Said Eydis as she bit her lip, eyeing carefully her parents, but they were too busy reading each the Europe news and a fictional novel.

“If you don’t take Samantha, then I will. I want to be named Samantha.” Said the boy.

Eydis snorted. “You can call yourself like you want. But that’s a whole other conversation, and I think you should talk to Papa and Mama about it.”

It reminded her of a question she wanted to ask for a while.

“Mama, why don’t we have a common flag with the Northuldra?” Asked Eydis.

The redhead blinked at the question. She often was stunned by the intelligence of her children, but didn’t expect them to be curious that early in the morning. They definitely inherited that from their father.

“She’s right!” Intervened Isak. “That way, we could unite them and ours and make a pretty banner together!”

He lifted his hands in joy, and Anna chuckled.

“Your artistic initiative would make your aunt green with envy.”

He grinned proudly.

“It’s a nice suggestion, only, Northuldra don’t have a flag.” Said Anna.

“When will they have one?” Asked Eydis.

“They don’t ever intend to.” Smiled the Queen.

Eydis pouted as she thought. “Hmm. Is it because they don’t see the utility of a flag because they never will aim to plant it on ground?”

“What do you mean?” Inquired Anna, on the tone of encouragement, because she liked the direction her daughter was going.

“Well, the Northuldra are a nomad tribe. All Sami tribes are. That’s why none have flags. They only have different clothing styles and belt motives. And Northuldra never will claim a territory as theirs. That’s surely why they don’t have a flag.”

A silence passed, and everyone stared at her.

“...Right?” She finished, a bit worried by the exchange of looks that her parents made.

But her mother smiled widely.

“Remind me to bring you to my next geopolitical meeting.”

Eydis’ eyes widened. “Wha-- Didn’t you say the other day that I’m too young?”

“Oh, dear, I was deeply wrong. No you aren’t.” Smirked Anna.

Her daughter’s face lit up. “Okay.”

She finished her plate happily, radiating good energy.

=======

Lying next to Honeymaren in the grass, Elsa smiled tenderly as she played with her wife’s hair while she was asleep. In fact, she suspected Honeymaren to only be half-asleep, for how much she was smiling, and probably struggling to stay awake to enjoy her soft touch.

“Sleep, my love. Don’t fight against fatigue. I’m watching over you.”

The Northuldra leader smiled widely, her eyes closed. “You always will.”

Her voice was groggy, and soon she fell asleep against Elsa’s hand.

In the distance, behind the trees, something dark and slimy lurked in the shadows. It approached them slowly… 

#and here's chap 2! #fwaah another long one #i get very inspired #elsamaren tender headcanons? in my brain? #it's more likely than you think #i love to place some post frozen 2 ideas in this plot #like peppered through the drama #post frozen 2 #lift the spirit #thank you so much for the feedback so far! #if you like my style you should check UTFK (link in my description :D) #frozen #elsamaren #snow sisters #frohana #kristanna #kristanna children #frozen fanfics #disney #frozen 2 #please comment and reblog :DD

[angstidote]

Shadowbringers Theory Time

FFXIV 5.2 spoilers below the cut, but like, THE IMPLICATIONS !!!

This is totally just a theory, but I feel like I have a good idea of what caused the end of Amaurot in the first place, the why of Zodiark and Hydaelyn, how the WoL is not in fact tempered as has been implied, why Emet-Selch felt justified in extending his faith to us, what Elidibus is working at with this seemingly empowering angle, and what we can expect to see in the upcoming story arc.

It’s a lot, I know, but hear me out:

So like, first off we know now that “the defector” was not part of summoning Zodiark OR Hydaelyn, and we’re pretty sure we were the defector because in Hythlodeus’s speech about that person, the gender of the 14th changes with your gender–implying he’s likely speaking of us. This means that WE were not necessarily tempered by Hydaelyn, because we were likely not there for her summoning in the first place:

We knew why the original convocation created Zodiark–to stop the world from self-destructing. But they have not yet explained why it was falling apart in the first place.

I’m seriously wondering if somewhere along the way someone realized that the source of the problem was the Amaurotians themselves. After all, we know that magic takes aether, and that the Amaurotians were crazy powerful mages. To not have made this connection themselves is totally unrealistic, given how advanced they were with regard to their knowledge of magic.

My theory is that they realized they were responsible, but no one wanted to admit that they were at fault. Or more than that, no one wanted to, well, stop using magic, so they started grasping at straws for what to do…and Zodiark was one such attempt. By giving the planet a will of its own they hoped that IT would moderate them as necessary, no muss no fuss.

However, to summon Zodiark took a tremendous amount of aether as we know, and after that he basically demanded that the Amaurotians pay the cost of any further large magic expenditures. My feeling is that they gave the star a will, but did so specifically so it would save itself. We know how sensitive creation magic was, so surely someone wrote this intention into it–but they probably didn’t realize what that implied for those who lived on the planet. Accordingly, it willed that people stop using its magic, and die en masse if that’s what it took.

We see only a part of the ancient ones’ conversation, but it seems like they knew this. If Zodiark stayed, eventually he was either going to kill everyone directly or allow them to kill themselves by sacrificing themselves for every expenditure:

Now, as for Emet-Selch–he made it seem like whatever was causing the end of days was a mystery, but he was one of the convocation members and he would have at least heard evidence for why Zodiark would and wouldn’t work.

It could be that the council had other reasons to believe Zodiark wouldn’t fix the problem–but considering Emet’s obvious and understandable adoration for his lost people, I’m wondering if perhaps time changed his perceptions of how the sacrificing of half the population went down in the first place.

It may not have been quite as voluntary as he remembers it–especially considering the populations of the 14 dimensions are made of the same souls as the ones who lived in Amaurot! He said as much himself. But given what we’ve seen in the comparison between us and Aldelbert, souls tend to live out their natural tendencies no matter how many times they’re rejoined. As the WoL we’re nearly half our original strength thanks to all the rejoinings, but Adelbert ran the same endless errand chains and then sacrificed everything just as we would, even though he had only 1/14th of our soul in him. This tells us that souls behave like themselves no matter how strong or weak they are.

By Emet’s estimation, the fragmented incarnations are weak and selfish and scared, but I’d put money on the fact that they were like that to begin with, and here’s why:

This was the theme of this whole expansion: selfless acts may be remembered as selfish. And I’m thinking this is likely a set up for the reverse being true as well (since all of Shadowbringers has been about the importance of understanding the other side of the story): that selfish acts can get mis-remembered as more selfless than they were.

Emet lauded the selflessness of Amaurotians being willing to sacrifice one half their community to save the other half. But if they were somehow to blame for what was happening–due to how much aether they were depleting from the earth itself by using their creation magics so much–their sacrifice may have been necessary just to stem the depletion causing the chaos.

Which is why Hydaelyn may have manifested the way she did. They probably realized that Zodiark got accidentally made to save himself at any cost, so they had to create a will of the planet that cared about its populace as much or more, to keep him in check. But knowing the source of the problem, they had to make her able to kill both birds with the same stone. By splitting everything up as she did, she both stemmed Zodiark’s power and also dramatically reduced everyone else’s power as well, which stopped the hemorrhaging of energy without everyone having to pay for it with their lives.

Note the distinct need for a permanent solution. 

It sounds to me like they knew they would be dis-empowering everyone by summoning her. That everyone would be split into pieces and forced into the reincarnation cycle. Yet they seemed to feel like it was the only choice, given the circumstances–circumstances that Emet may have omitted from his 12,000 year old memory bank due to his conflicting desires to both save everyone and serve Zodiark faithfully.

Ultimately, it’s likely that he extended his olive branch to the WoL because he knew we were not involved in summoning Zodiark OR Hydaelyn, and that we genuinely cared about people no matter who they were--like he did. It’s implied that we were on good terms or even close to him before the sundering. But while we didn’t think Zodiark was a good plan, he went with it because he was desperate to save everyone. Just like Adelbert, he was manipulated into making a horrible mistake because his love was so blinding he couldn’t see what he was doing. That’s why he was able to convince you as Adelbert, and why he knew you (”that soul”) were worth trying to win over. He knew we were capable of hearing him (Adelbert already had) and of giving him a chance when no one else could. 

Again, we see the idea that because love was the motivating factor for the crime, his selfish acts got mis-remembered by him as more selfless than they were. Instead of recognizing that Zodiark killed half the population, he just blindly believed on some level that they made the sacrifice voluntarily. And I’m sure this will come up in the story again because we already see it happening with all the guards of the Crystarium quitting “to be helpful” when it’s actually the opposite of helpful, because it leaves the city unguarded.

But back on the topic of Emet, he’s incredibly sympathetic to the scions--both eventually eliciting their respect as the story progressed, and subtly supporting them (for example, by bringing Y’shitola back from the life stream). You can tell he genuinely wants to see eye to eye, and not just for the purpose of manipulation. But as a result of his tempering he’s ultimately unable to separate his will from Zodiark’s. This made him the enemy of the Scions and ostensibly the WoL as well, something which has clearly tormented him ever since (after all, he clearly tried to make it work, as “he had children with us, grew old and died with us,” etc.) and has driven him to endlessly try to rejoin everything so we would all be on the same page again.

But in the end we couldn’t go with Zodiark for the same reason we couldn’t go with the idea in the first place–which is probably why he flew into a rage and remembered us as our Amaurotian selves. But despite this, Emet still died having placed his hopes for the future on us…his hopes that we would honor the lives that were lost in the ancients’ misguided attempts to save everyone. And I think this is significant because it tells us that on some level his love for his people overpowered his tempering.

Elidibus remarks that Emet didn’t have the stomach to do what was necessary to follow through on Zodiark’s orders. I suspect that Elidibus is indeed the Oracle of Darkness and equivalent in rank to Oracle Minfilia, and that as a result he agrees unyieldingly with Zodiark that people are the problem and are therefore irrelevant. Emet, on the other hand, did not feel this way. And though he was unable to act in opposition to Zodiark--having been tempered by him--it’s pretty clear that the only reason he supported summoning Zodiark at all was the one implied in his memories--he loved the people of Amaurot and wanted to save them. This is why all his memories of Amaurot are favorable, all the people kind and considerate and lovely...because that’s how he always perceived them. But this created a permanent splintering of his loyalties (which is tragic but cool in the sense that the title of Angel of Truth/Emet-Selch is associated with the sign Gemini).

Sorry, I got off topic there but I just really love Emet-Selch.

Anyway, as for the ancients we saw in the Anamnesis Anyder…I gotta assume we were looking at The Scions 1.0. Particularly with Venat being linked as Minfilia because of this little bit of data:

…and we know who consistently looks the same in all her incarnations on the first: the Oracle of Light. She’s probably talking to Thancred there, since he implores that anyone but her do it, then accepts her will even though he’s sad about it, which is…like, the story of Thancred’s life, the poor dude.

But I mean, what we’re seeing with Elidibus wandering around as Adelbert seems to be a new approach. To put it simply, if everyone awakens to their original power, they’ll all start draining the shards just as they did with the Source. Ultimately, this will bring about the same calamities everyone faced back in Amaurot and once again people will look for a savior…and maybe, just maybe, we’ll get the whole Zodiark thing this time (doubtful, bro, but you do you). After all, blind desire to help is exactly how he got created in the first place.

In the end, we may all find ourselves repeating the forgotten history.

This expansion is so freakin’ elegant. I’m just obsessed!

#ffxiv #5.2 spoilers #meta #theories #emet selch #i'm so in love with him i cannot continue living i'm sorry #ascians

[metvmorqhoses]

Why do you think Voldemort never hooked up with another woman but Bella ? Were his choices limited to his ranks ? Were most women afraid of him ? Did he find Bella convenient since she was his DE and married? Don't men get bored with too much devotion ? She let him know how much she cared about him . Was she simply good in bed so he didn't need to look elsewhere? Was her being married another thing he found convenient? Was she convenient or special ? How was he as a 'lover' in your opinion ?

well, you provoke me and i oblige - or as i like to call it: the 100th novel-length essay on bellamort.

the reasons that in my eyes ultimately made bellatrix “the only one” for voldemort are many and various, but at the end of the day it has everything to do with who and how i think he was as a person.

as i said many times before and i feel the duty to keep specifying, over the years i started to consider these characters in a more adult and complex way, imagining them as real life persons and not fairy-tale villains and that’s where my analyses of them come from. sadly what jkr told us about their relationship is close to nothing, so all we have here is thought processes and fervent opinions about their few, filtered by harry’s eyes and painfully public interactions.

now, voldemort’s character, if looked at beyond the pure ideal of power and darkness that he so carefully built around himself, is clearly a human being as deep as the very pit of hell and full of contradictions, twistedness, beauty and voids to fill.

bear with me, because you cannot really understand what i think bellatrix was for him without explaining how i see his psychology first, which i think many many times is overly simplyfied and excused with a shrug and a “well, he’s evil”:

voldemort was born with a genius intelligence and magical talent, the most handsome looks and yet he was not only completely and utterly alone, but also a completely broken human since birth. his mother porpuselly conceived him putting his muggle father under a love potion, so he’s basically the direct offspring of the worst kind of rape: not only his mother abused his father physically, forcing him to have sex with her without his consent, but even emotionally, because she forced him to have feelings for her - as untrue as they might have been. not only that, but voldemort was clearly unloved by his parents from the very start, abandoned by them both in different ways before he was even capable to remember them. he had then been raised and abused since the most tender age in a filthy orphanage where everyone shunned and feared and made him believe he was insane, treating him god’s knows how badly, because he was able to do “things” no one else could, things that made people uncomfortable (think at how bigots can abuse children nowadays with the excuse of possession without magic or the devil even existing, i wouldn’t be surprised if tom as a child was put under monstrous rituals with the hope of exorcising him, it was after all the 30s in a really degraded and poor environment). imagine the hate, the resentment, the fear, the basic instinct to survive and only caring about himself that must have started to boil inside of him in the most dangerous of ways. he surely had the inclination to became what he ultimately became from birth, but goodness how life helped him. he learnt to defend and avenge himself from such a hostile world from the very start, it was a matter of surviving or succumbing. and then, at some point of his young age, he finally started to master and taste something that made him feel good, that made him feel right about himself, he started to enjoy the feeling of being in control of his abusers, of manipulating them, of hurting them, of taking what he wanted from them, the feeling of power - and moreover, a power that directly originated from inside himself - his power. he obviously started to consider himself his own savior, he started to intimately feel special, better than anyone, superior. at the same time he started to hate muggles, because muggles had been his first real source of utter isolation and pain (thing reinforced by the discovery, many years later, that his father, the reason he had to go through all that, was one of them). then, out of the blue, he was told that “more” he had so strong inside of himself was indeed magic. imagine the feeling of validation he must have felt about his uniqueness and superiority, imagine how powerfully his addiction to this wondrous thing he could finally name must have taken definitive root inside of him. magic became his everything, his religion, his purpose, his assurance of never having to feel weak, vulnerable or defenseless ever again. magic was the fuel that alimented everything he literally had in the world and that he ever felt comfortable to ever want (uniqueness, power, superiority, extraordinariness). human relationships were ludicrously out of the question in his eyes since he was a child. human beings were not reliable nor trustworthy. human beings were an utter disappointment, everyone was beneath him and no one really deserved his consideration anyway. magic was everything that really mattered. without magic, he was literally nothing - or at least that’s what life had convinced him of. an existence of his not desperately clutched on and inextricably intertwined with it was not something he even dared to fathom for himself. if you understand this, if you understand the perversion of his dependency towards magic, everything he ever did becomes painfully clear. magic for him was something so fundamental, so deeply mingled with his very being (and this is probably also the reason he indeed was the most powerful wizard that ever lived), that growing up he became more and more desperately obsessed about preserving and strengthening it. this is the root of his every choice, from venturing into the dark arts turning out completely disfigured but incredibly more powerful, to believing he could actually be the first immortal in history, to his entire anti-muggle politics. not only muggles were inferior and disgusting to him, but their mingling with wizards was in his eyes a dreadful threat to the very existence of magic and therefore everything special he ever had been. as a result, he ventured deeper and deeper into it, never to come back. no magic act seemed against nature to him, because he considered himself one with it. this is where his iron-rooted god complex comes from and i think it’s something a little more complicated than simple megalomania. but this is also where his problems with his own humanity (and other’s) started. at some point he really considered himself more than human, of a different species. no aspect of humanity meant anything to him, on the contrary, i think he had terrible problems with every basic human behavior, from caring, to having to eat and drink to survive, to sweating and having sexual impulses - and, of course, to the ultimate form of humanity, dying. i think he was profoundly disgusted by his and other’s physicality, to anything that could remind him of his mortality, even a breath.

and that’s why i don’t really think even as a most handsome young men he even spared girls or women a glance. i think he considered the whole thing far beneath him, as if a god was interested in exchanging fluids with worms. i also think deep down there was simultaneously an intellectual and not only a physical element in his disgust: i think he considered his good looks something pleasant to look at in a mirror (he only deserved the best, even in a face), quite useful, but in general absolutely meaningless and void. not to mention that was his muggle father’s face, the revolting beauty that doomed it as a child and that shamed him every day looking back at him in the mirror. the entire crowds of girls that without any doubt must have fawned over him at school were probably amusing to him in rare particularly good days and insufferable and despicable the rest. no one deserved to be around him, no one could understand his real greatness or void anyway, no matter how low they rightfully bowed - and they had to bow, but from a fair distance. i think the mere thought of sex was something absolutely revolting to him.

until.

now you are probably starting to understand why i needed this endless preface to answer your question.

i think bellatrix was something really unexpected for him, that came relatively late in his life while he was busy with everything else, building an empire and becoming a most powerful immortal creature, and it was extraordinary enough to enkindle something in him, in his humanity, at first even without his consent or him even noticing.

yes, you heard me right, despite all i have just written, lord voldemort was still human being and of a really damaged and flawed kind, no matter what he stubbornly wanted to believe about himself.

i think the first immediate reason that sparkled voldemort’s interest was that bellatrix somehow reminded him of himself. and we do know that he was really able to love only himself. this is the ultimate narcissistic thought process. she was everything he admired of his own qualities: beautiful, dark, incredibly intelligent and magically skilled, proud, ambitious, ruthless, power-angry. they were incredibly similar. but she was at the same time somehow more than him, she actually was what he thought he was supposed have been: the heir of one of the most noble and ancient magical families of britain, pure powerful blood in her veins. it’s obvious he took her under his wing, thinking such a talent was a most valuable addiction to his cause, especially because along all that, bellatrix was able from the start to show him a loyalty, usefulness and adoration of a different, truer kind from all the others. and i think he really valued that, i think he was completely aware she was the only person he could really trust and i think it wasn’t a secondary thing for someone who had never really trusted anyone from the day he was born - that he was aware of it or not. one thing is believing your followers are loyal to you and your cause (an example is snape), another is having the absolute certainty that someone will always be at your side, no matter how desperate the situation - and only bellatrix was ever able to provide him that. he was intelligent enough to tell the difference. i think bellatrix’s unfaltering loyalty and mind-presence at azkaban for fourteen years after his apparent demise was something that really won his respect and admiration. and no, i don’t really think voldemort was the kind of person that gets tired of too much devotion, at least not a true, sincere one, as the kind bellatrix’s provided him from day one. i actually think he was in desperate need of it, consciously or not. voldemort probably had, in my vision, a peculiar relationship with devotion and servility: he thought everyone owed him as much, but was at the same time quite annoyed by too much of it (killing people who said too much “my lords”). but not too much of bellatrix’s, and it’s probably because of the fact hers was of a deeper and more honest kind of devotion.

we don’t have to forget bellatrix was almost as egocentric, proud and vain as him, this is the woman who sits on chairs as if they were thrones. she was wizarding royalty and she sure as hell acted accordingly, she was used to have everyone bow to her (and if they didn’t, she made them). and the fact that she, this fearless tigress, only bowed to him, out of admiration and not blind fear (even if a healthy component of fear was indeed present in her as well), was certainly a reason of great pleasure and amusement to him. don’t even forget i totally believe bella amused him as hell. can you imagine anyone else rendered a blathering idiot in front of him, following him so closely, too closely, speaking without asking, etc, who would have lived to tell the tale? bella was allowed things no one else was, pet name included.

she was one hell of a woman, painfully like him, that literally melted and would have died any moment for him. this started to move things inside of him that i’m sure at first he didn’t like, especially the physical impulses. i said many times i’m convinced at first he was resolute into killing her. the fact that in the end he didn’t tells the tale for me. who knows, maybe the killing in the middle turned into other primordial activities. sexually, i do think he had the need to use a fair amount of violence, not so much because he wanted to hurt her, but to deal with the mortality/humanity aversion, and i think bellatrix was the only woman who was mentally built to not only understand, but enjoy that. i think bella’s legs went week in front of his displays of power, no matter if the victim was her. i wasn’t really a matter of dominating her spirit, but totally possessing her body for him. funnily enough, i think he absolutely respected her in his own twisted way and that she totally thought the same. that respect had nothing to do with their physical and political power dynamics.

again, they were absurdly similar and well-matched. i think at some point she became invaluable to him in a similar way magic was, so much he actually risked his own life and failure to ensure she wasn’t captured again. everyone else was disposable, but not his bella. he could have punished her the rare times she let him down, but as a death eater, not as a person. i think bellatrix was the only case in which the two things in his mind were actually separate even if linked.

they fond each other in darkness and voldemort, lover of uniqueness, surely understood the extraordinary quality of such a relationship. he wanted only the best for himself, he deserved as much, and bellatrix was the actual best in his mind. she, having a similar thought, had inside of her a dramatic and overwhelming pull towards darkness, power and violence, and he embodied them all and much more in her eyes.

so, in conclusion (because i could go on for several other hours), for sure bellatrix was also, along with all the other things, convenient to him, not so much because she was married, because i think neither of them gave an effing fuck about it, but because she was perfect for him in basically every single way (best death eater, genius, skilled, pureblood, devious, not afraid of his darkness but drawn to it, loyal, submitted to him but only to him), as if he himself had carefully molded out of clay his ideal match.

as to how i think voldemort was as a lover - really, really painfully disturbing, as his whole character. i don’t think him really able to separate passion and violence, for example, and i see him really prone to dangerous mood swings, trust issues and destructive tendencies. he was also surely overly possessive of bellatrix, his bella. he was the only one entitled to treat her as he pleased, no one else, no matter if he had just crucioed the hell out of her. lay a finger on her and you are dead. also, i don’t really think he ever told her just how much she meant for him, on the contrary i think whenever he thought she was getting too close and him too attached, he would mercilessly push her away, even violently.

but at the same time i see him quite thoughtful and appreciative of everything bellatrix was, much more than any other man or husband of that society. he really thought she was the best besides himself. that he told it out loud or not, i think he was well aware of all bellatrix’s qualities, especially the ones she directed towards him, and was intimately and very deeply proud of her. i think he was really grateful for her existence and the moment she died he just knew everything was lost.

#bellamort #here i am voldemort's psychologist welcome to my office #lord voldemort #tom marvolo riddle #bellatrix black #bellatrix lestrange #hp #in the land of gods and monsters #villains #one and one thousand stories lis told #asks/replies #anon

[katcadecascade]

Storybook for the Gods

Fair Game Week: AU/Freeday

God AU

Ao3

They say the gods left to become the stars in the sky.

They say the gods obeyed the Brothers Grimm, agreeing that humanity was a failure.

They say the gods died and their children are doing a horrible job.

Qrow says that everyone should just shut up.

It’s one thing for the world to contain monsters and magic but no. Humanity loves, hates, fears, and respects the new religions the left over gods have made.

The Remnant Gods as they’ve been titled.

Technically demigods as good old Oz would describe but that doesn’t change the fact that the chain of godhood falls onto their shoulders.

Qrow can only speak for Vale’s side of the story, the dominion of the great and powerful Odin where he bestowed powers to his own children as he goes on his own journey for research and wisdom.  

But nowadays he goes by Ozpin, the only old god that didn’t abandon the new gods of Remnant.

Qrow can understand why the god changed his name. No one would think a scholarly dressed old man is secretly the god of Vale, wielding a cane and not a spear. Disguises are necessary now that civilizations are slowly rioting against the Remnant Gods.

Tensions are as high as ever what with mortal heroes rising and fighting in the name of their people and not in the name of any of the gods. Qrow can’t blame them, Hell, he was once one of them.

Not anymore ever since Oz saved his life.

If Qrow had to pick a god to owe a life debt with, Odin had to be the best pick of the batch. No way was Qrow going end up in servitude for Horus, that war god has been raging Vacuo’s deserts for centuries. He did hear rumors that Fuji was still a beloved god, distance as she was ever since she chosen a mountain as her vessel.

Another elder god is from the north but no one has heard a peep from him in nearly a millennium.

That is until today.

Qrow is a relatively a new asset of dear old Oz, just shy of having a decade’s worth of experience under his belt as Odin’s black bird. So he wasn’t expecting much when he was flying through a winter coated forest.

The mission for the year is to find this rouge Valkyrie, rumored to be harboring souls away from their designated afterlife. As the crow flew above the dark trees, looking for any sign of the whisky sparkles of souls detaching from their bodies, a sudden cold breeze hit his face and along with it, a scroll.

It’s not often paper mail is delivered this way, nature spirits keep to their selves or to nature gods. Somehow a winter spirit by the chill of it knew who Qrow worked for and on the edge of the rolled paper was a cursive address of ‘To Odin’

Ominous, not quite, suspicious, only to his birdbrain but curious, oh he definitively is.

Flying back to the cottage, miles away from the rest of the forest and small towns still growing, Qrow keeps the letter in his peak, its edges flapping wilding in the cold winds.

As if already aware, Oz is waiting at the doorstep. His arm up as Qrow took his landing with ease.

It took two attempts for the god to nab the paper from the bird having fun playing keep away.

“Very funny Qrow,” Ozpin chided, finally getting the scroll.

As he unrolls it, Qrow hops off and wills his feathers back into skin, a rush of shivers getting his bones into its original shape. He dusts off stray feathers out of his hair, “Got it from the northern winds. Do you know what that means?”

“Nicholas,” he answers, his eyebrows knitting together, “he needs us in Atlas immediately.”

“Wait us?” Qrow peeks over the god’s shoulder and sure enough the letter is asking for Qrow by his title, Muninn.

Now that’s pretty curious. Gods don’t often seek help from other gods of a different dominion. Usually they get it through their own pantheon and even that is a hassle.

Just look at what happened between Thor and Loki.

“A magical shapeshifter isn’t exactly a secret among gods,” Oz explained. “Making two in this new world is even more of a gossip.”

Oh yeah, he didn’t take in account of Huginn’s rogue status. Raven is probably making waves in Mistral right now.

Still though, there are only a handful of people Qrow introduced himself as Muninn. A few of them were Oz’ old friends but also two humans he and Raven befriended.

Last he checked, Taiyang and Summer are on a sea expedition in the Burning Ocean.

Yeah, Qrow decided not to go with them for obvious flaming reasons.

So now he’s pondering over on why the son of Atlas is asking for him and his patron god for a visit.

“We’re taking the express trip right?”

“You’re always so eager for a fast travel.”

“What, do you expect me to flap all the way to Atlas?” Qrow flaps his human limps.

“As amusing as that is, no,” Oz chuckled. He pockets the letter and holds up his cane, “Nicholas needs us now.”

The intricate clockwork mechanism in the cane’s handle winds up and it ticks loudly as a green light pulses between the weapon and its creator’s hands.

As rune circles appeared below their feet, Qrow giddily bounces on his feet.

This was always his favorite part.

A rainbow of colors consumes the god and the shapeshifter and all they can feel is pulsating brightness as their entire beings are flying through the sky.

In a matter of seconds, Qrow and Ozpin find their selves at the foot of a temple built upon the highest mountain of the northern lands.

Only the oldest of gods know of this place ever since the real Olympus was tarnished when their namesakes left. The ruins of Olympus only had one resident, a power older than most gods.

The last son of Atlas has the power of a titian but its strength is a mere tale since the old man rarely leaves the mountain peak. Qrow may not know the reasons but it must be similar to Oz’ own lifestyle.

Elder gods have increasingly become isolated from the world, leaving the Remnant gods with all the pleasures and pains of warding over humans. It’s a hassle really, getting devoted to or smiting usurpers or whatever. Again, Qrow can’t relate since his god chose to live in a cottage in the middle of nowhere.

This lonely damaged temple is Nicholas’ choice and honestly it is a nice view.

Ignoring the Olympians’ rumble, there is a grand stone staircase that curves into the mountainside, covered in chilly fog as it dives down. Beyond that is the view of the tundra of Mantle, a white slate with dots of cities.

Qrow is very tempted to go free falling into the clouds, feel the wind rush at him as his heart races. He can picture it now, falling as a human only to shift into feathers right as the world is nearing.

“It’s not the time for that Muninn,” Oz lectured, lightly whacking his cane at Qrow’s leg.

Muninn, he’s only referred to that title when they have company.

Tearing his gaze away from the clouds, the thrill of flying, Qrow looks at the only temple left standing.  

Walking out of the temple of Atlas’ son are two men.

The tall one of black hair is easily recognized by his lighting blue eyes. James, the son of Zeus and is also a major stick in the ass according to Qrow.

“It’s good to see you, Odin,” James greeted but his tone is always so grim and serious. His eyes narrow at Qrow, “Why did you bring your pet?”

“Hey, I got invited by name,” Qrow huffed, straightening his back to have some sense of pride. It still doesn’t compare to James’ height but it’s the intention that counts.

Qrow doesn’t care if James is a demigod turned Remnant God, he can still match his speed no matter the wind pressure. Hell, James is not the only god to question Qrow’s power as a former mortal.

Speaking of mortals, Qrow notices the second guy, someone he distinctly recalls meeting at the piers of Midpass, “Wait, hold up, you’re that boat guy.”

A chuck passes through pink lips, lightening up his teal eyes, “That’s not my official title but yeah, that’s me.” The brunet holds his hand out, “I’m Clover, son of Poseidon.”

“Yep,” Qrow shakes his hand, “boat guy for sure.”

From the humble smile and adorable cheeks, Qrow innocently mistook this guy as mortal. He didn’t elude power like James or Oz and instead just came off as a regular fisherman.

A cute one at that since Qrow, day drinking with his friends, threw a bunch of flirts at Clover.

That’s probably why he didn’t clue in the fact that Clover suddenly appeared before them right as Summer and Tai were boat shopping for their expedition.

“I knew you were a pretty bird but I didn’t think you’d be the Muninn as well,” Clover winked.

“I’m just full of surprises,” Qrow shrugged off, “something Jimmy here can attest to.”

James grumbles, “Let’s go inside already, Nicholas has waited enough.”

Due to pride alone, James walks ahead with Ozpin at his side.

Clover follows with Qrow, as if he’s more interesting than an ancient Greek temple, “So you’re really Muninn? That’s amazing, there are so many stories about you and you’ve only been a god for a decade or so.”

“Technically I’m not a god,” he corrected before James could but in, “I just serve under Odin.”

“Not all the time right? I thought you’d be traveling with your friends.”

“Nope,” he popped, looking around the temple’s interior.

It’s all white pillars and high ceilings. The place has typical fancy architecture that scholars would die for even if there are some dust and dirt here or there.

Qrow continues, “If I went with them then their ride would definitely fall off the ends of the world or fall into the river Styx.”

“What does that mean?”

He ignores the concern from Clover as they enter the last room. It’s set up as an altar room where a stage is under a skylight. On the stage is Nicholas, the son of Atlas, and a pale woman with white, shimmering hair.

“Welcome all of you,” Nicholas nods with a sad smile, “I and Fria thank you all for coming.”

“Nicholas, is something wrong?” James immediately asks, the room dipping a few degrees colder, “This is about the storms in the west yes? I knew there is something coming from the horizon, I can feel it and-“

A heavy laugh stops the lightning god. Nicholas’ smile grows just a bit, “You focus too much on bad news, James.”

“Someone has to,” James side glances at Clover.

He shrugs, grinning innocently, “I just think you purposely give yourself dark clouds.”

“That was one time, Clover.”

“Yeah and it nearly flooded Athens.”

Qrow has twin instincts to laugh at James but also be terrified at the casual mention of how he almost flooded a populated city. These gods and their temper tantrums really are ridiculous, even more so if humanity suffers from it.

Oz taps down his cane, gaining everyone’s attention, “So why are we here, Nicholas?” His eyes shifted to Fria, “Although I’m starting to understand.”

The woman beams and suddenly a veil of frost coat her hair as she grasps Nicholas’ big hands. Her own hands are small and decorated with frostbite but their held hands brings a warm feeling to the room.

“We’re getting married,” Fria announces, a loving gaze on her fiancé as they nudge closer together, “but we want something more than that.”

“We plan to start a family,” Nicholas explains and now the tension in the room is back as the guests realized just who these parents-to-be are.

A child between these two would have the lineage of a titan, a being far superior to a god, and, from the looks of it, a winter spirit.

Qrow recognizes Fria now, her winter powers eluding off of her effortlessly. It is that same breeze that found him and that coldness still clung to him as he stares at the faery.

“That’s too dangerous,” James warns with a thunder in his core.

Clover grounds his cousin with a steady hand on his arm, “They know that and,” teal eyes trace over to Oz, “you asked for Odin to do something about this right?”

The wise god of Vale steps onto the stage, looking wearier than Qrow has ever seen him.

“You’re both giving up your godhood,” the old man said.

“We want to be human,” Nicholas corrects.

Qrow blinks, “Oh.”

That’s something he has never expected to hear. A titan and a faery want to become human to protect their future child from infinite power and consequences.

For Qrow he gave up his humanity to protect himself, well that’s what he claimed after Raven left him. He believed that working for Ozpin would further help humanity or so he hopes.

Muninn built up a name as an omen to malice but Qrow recently sees he’s a harbinger as well. Maybe it was the powers or some part of Qrow that amplified the moment he swore oath to Odin. There has been a trail of bad luck following him.

His only solution is to stray away from humanity, protect them from a distance as Oz has done.

Now before him are two ancient beings deciding to give up their powers and live in a world where humans are slowly thinking for their selves, where the gods are no longer their priority. Instead their priorities are their families.

That is what Nicholas and Fria want.

Oz nods gravely, “Alright, I’ll do it.”

“Wait what?” Clover questioned.

“Of course,” James bitterly concludes, “If Odin can grant power to mortals,” he gestures to Qrow and then James nervously gulps, “then he could do the reverse for his fellow gods.”

Okay, from that perspective that sounds terrifying, Qrow thinks, but this is Ozpin they’re talking about. The old man has spent eons making mistakes with humans and gods and other magical beings but has chosen to repeat for it all.

For some reason Qrow is one of the first things Ozpin saves and for that Qrow trusts him forever.

“I’m not that great and powerful,” Oz assures, smiling kindly at James.

James does the quietest relieved sighs.

“Or am I?” Oz notes humorously.

An angry noise comes out of James, his shocked and fearful face making Qrow laugh out loud.

Ozpin returns the conversation back to the couple, “I can do it but your powers will have to go somewhere because I for sure won’t take it for my own.”

“We thought of that,” Fria nods. “The sky is a fitting place to place winter and strength into it. I’m going ahead and naming it an aurora, after my mother.”

“It’ll be lovely,” Nicholas agrees and then the couple turns to Qrow, “and there’s one last thing too.”

With everyone’s attention on Qrow, he has the sudden need to fly away before something awkward or unfortunate happens, “Um, hi?”

“You’re Muninn, the Bird of Memory,” he announces and since Qrow blinks and points at himself, still confused, the son of Atlas clarifies, “We want to forget our godhood. You can take them away.”

“What?” He, Clover, and James practically yell.

“He can do that?” James baulks.

“You can do that?” Clover awes.

“I can do that?” Qrow nearly chokes on his spit.

Oz, helpful as he is, only shrugged, “Well that is a theory now.”

“Please,” Fria begs, walking over to the shapeshifter. Snowflakes trail behind her as she reaches Qrow and takes his hands into her cold ones, “We’re tired of this eternity we wait in and once we become humans we can actually start living.”

Her eyes look just like that tundra their temple views over, cold and clean and goes on for miles filled with emptiness. Fria barely reaches Qrow’s shoulders but there is an ancient power in her being that makes Qrow shiver.

It would be a mistake to think of her as human with the snow on top of her robes and how her hair is literally a mist of frost. Yet the gentle slope of her face reminds Qrow so much of his tribal Chief. Both lived a long life and now they want rest.

“I’ll do my best,” Qrow says, his voice barely trembling at this promise.

The winter spirit’s smile warms up the room, “Thank you, Muninn.”

The ceremony gets started immediately because gods can be impatient like that.

At the stage area, Ozpin stands as the holy figure before the couple, their hands held together. James and Clover stand on the side of Atlas’ son. The two were chosen to be here today because Nicholas trusts them to take care of their people.

Qrow is on Fria’s side of the stage and he still feels out of place. They only need him for his powers which aren’t news to him. Nearly everyone Qrow meets wants to use him for one purpose or another. But this is for a good cause, he remembers himself as he watches the couple share tender looks and words.

Their vows are of the typical stuff that happens in weddings, promises to love each other and all that jazz. Qrow quietly chokes up when they promise to die in each other’s arms.

The concept of death is different between gods and humans. If a god dies… well actually Qrow doesn’t know. Gods just become nothing, absolutely nothing but dust.

For humans, Qrow once wondered where he’ll go because the gods of death had different rules and jurisdictions and he doesn’t want to learn any of that since he’s pretty immortal at this point.

Nicholas and Fria finish their vows and Ozpin wraps it up.

With a tap of his cane, a brilliant light captures the room and if Qrow squints his eyes he can barely see how the colors are moving around Nicholas and Fria.

The light dims and with it, the chill of the temple disappears from the temple. Fria has pinkness in her cheeks and she buries her warm hands into her husband’s white hair. Nicholas himself looks almost bigger now that there is no more weight on his shoulders, a cursed pain that haunts his bloodline.

Human, Qrow realizes and accepts.

All of the colors are swirling above their heads, blues and pinks and purples dancing together until Oz sends it up high, passing through the open ceiling and to the dark sky above. The colors blanket the night and its stars.

They all stand witness to the first ever aurora borealis.

“Muninn,” Oz commands and waves him over to stand in his place.

Right, moment of truth, he thinks as he is presented to the newly wedded and human couple. Even without their magic, their eyes are still old and weary.

Not thinking, Qrow carefully presses the tips of his fingers on their foreheads.

As far as Qrow knows, Muninn can do two things: turn into a bird and kick ass.

He doesn’t quite know where the memory association came from but then again other gods can say the same thing with their gimmicks.

It can be through sheer luck or coincidence or fate that led Qrow to this moment.

Memory is not a title Qrow thought he would bare and yet here he stands, feeling something tingle into his bones as a light glows from Nicholas’ and Fria’s foreheads. Energy flows from them and into Qrow and it starts to do more than buzz his bones.

He can’t breathe as images are passing behind his eyes.

It’s the old world full of magic that no human could ever imagine where nearly everyone is a demigod and nature spirits thrived without fear of pollution. The world has colors Qrow didn’t think existed and now it lives on through his head, an honor and a chain.

Qrow blinks away new tears as the two ancient beings give up their lives to finally get some peace in their souls.

It is all over before he knows it. They wanted to forget everything from their godhood so Qrow tries his best as promised. He leaves things in there, the knowledge of old friends and the joys and grief shared.

Fria will know how she felt when she first felt summer, how Nicholas brought her a literal ball of heat. Nicholas will know how light he felt the first time Fria made him laugh, a rusty thing in his lifetime. They will both know how they fell in love, when the sun kissed the sky as they held each other in their arms as eternity passed them by.

Lastly it is this moment, the details of the other gods will be vague but their hope and relief that this is finally happening will stay with them until their dying day.

Qrow lets go, his face wet and heart beating achingly slow. While his eyes are blurry he sees how young Fria’s and Nicholas’ eyes are.

The couple blinks slowly but their smiles are wide, like they know what happened but he doubts that, he just took away their memories.

Ozpin and James handle their retirement plans, something about sending them to Athens where Pietro, the son of Athena, will smooth out the details.

“Are you okay?” Oz asks and steads a hand on Qrow’s trembling arm.

He tries to speak but his tongue is heavy. His whole body shivers with the weight of winter’s rage. Qrow bites his lip harshly, snapping himself back into stillness. He manages to get out, “I’m good.”

Oz frowns at the lie but doesn’t argue. Instead he walks over to Nicholas, Fria, and James where he readies his spell and a rainbow flies them away.

“Qrow,” Clover warns with great concern but he waves him off.

“I feel fine,” Qrow says before he collapses.

The son of Poseidon catches him easily, his muscles proving its worth.

Muninn is known for his elegance and raw power. Black wings hold the winds of old and can cut through the toughest of stones. Right now that warrior is a twitching, gasping mess who’s clinging tightly to the only person grounding him.

“Qrow, hey, look at me,” Clover carefully guides a hand through black hair, making their eyes meet. He rearranges their bodies, complexly supporting Qrow’s weight to cradle the shapeshifter in his arms.

Two lifetimes are running around in the bird’s head, too much energy with no outlet and they are literally squeezing Qrow’s own memories into a peanut shell.

Wow, Qrow really should have thought this plan through but he didn’t want to ruin two gods’ wedding day. He’s not that much of an asshole. That and he didn’t want to be smited.

Too bad his brain is occupied with tearing itself apart to even think of a resolution. He has two brain cells and they don’t belong here.

Literally, Qrow sees nothing but never melting snow that is casted upon men and beasts alike simply because they wandered into territory of the winter faeries.

Another memory takes the reins, this time Qrow is crushed with the weight of the sky as Nicholas attempts to save his father from eternal punishment.

It didn’t work. Nicholas stood numbly as Atlas’ body dispersed into atoms at the moment the moon shattered, thus starting a territory war between the sky gods.

Now that’s a story Qrow never thought he’d learn, it would be really cool if he learned this in a less painful, mind aching, way.

“Hey breathe with me,” a warm hand is pressed to his collarbone, heating the skin as Qrow’s heartbeat flutters.

With lungs on fire, Qrow barely registers the rawness in his throat.

Has he been screaming? The wails of agony from the grieving son of Atlas rings between Qrow’s eardrums.

It hurts so much, an intense drumbeat in not only his brain but the rest of his flesh and blood and he just wants it to stop.

But gods don’t get that luxury do they?

Humans can live and die and rest while gods just keep on going and going until infinity yells at them to catch up already.

Somewhere in the raptures, Qrow questions why exactly he gave up his own mortality.  

“Qrow, I need you to focus on me,” a blurry figure begs and closes the inches between them.

Their foreheads meet and despite the bright light returning, all Qrow can see are teal eyes.

Burning sea salt takes over all sense of smell as well as the sudden loud crash of waves at the portside. The little sea village in Midpass suffers from near endless heat due to the enchanting fire that rides the seafoam.

Qrow’s sight of that ocean is torn away as a familiar, gruff laughter catches his attention.

On the wooden pier are other fisherman but three visitors are out of place. It is mind boggling and an out of body experience to see Summer and Tai walk around with a Qrow joking with them.

This was a month ago and yet this version of Qrow appears years younger, cracking a wirily smile at Tai as Summer throws a mock punch his way.

He can’t recall what he teased them about because this isn’t Qrow’s memory, it’s Clover’s.

When the trio is passing by, Summer voices her desire to on a sea voyage. Tai, being logical for once, points out that they don’t have a ship.

That’s when the son of Poseidon heeds this call, friendly introducing himself as an expert boatman or seller or whatever because Qrow, both present and past, is not paying attention to the dialogue.

Past Qrow is ogling the sheer amount of muscles the fisherman has while Muninn, the ghost of the future, feels everything Clover felt.

It starts with piqued interest in the trio, all eluding different personalities and loud friendship but the dark haired man is who really catches Clover’s eye.

As a god of the sea, water orientated powers comes to mind. So it feels kind of out of place to sense a person’s luck scale.

Maybe Clover got the luck thing from his other parent, that’s not uncommon considering a lot of Remnant Gods have multiple heritages.

Anyway, only a god with this type of power can see how bad luck just reeks off of Qrow and finding this out is really ticking Qrow off.

He knew it. He knew that he’s nothing but a bad luck charm. Qrow was right in his argument with Summer that he shouldn’t tag along. He didn’t to be the reason his friends drowned or burned to death.

A new feeling takes over. Its strong warmth pushes aside the misery inside the black bird. This fast heartbeat, breath leaving lungs, it all happened when teal eyes met red.

“So you’re an expert boat guy, huh?” Qrow had said with a bit of slur. The drinks in this town were rumored to be a High John favorite and he wanted to taste. The results ended up being this flirt and wink, “I just so happen to love seamen.”

“Oh my fucking gods, Qrow,” Tai seethed.

Summer and Clover are busy laughing, a breathless energy making Clover feel lighter than air as he blushes furiously. With each laugh, the ocean rumbles, something Qrow did not notice before.

“I am so honored to hear that,” Clover returned a blinding smile once the urge to barrel over laughing is settled.

“He’s better at this I swear,” Summer giggled, “Well actually no, he can be terrible at this too.”

“Brat,” hissed Qrow.

“No, no,” Clover shook his head with a grin, “I think you’re doing just fine.”

“You sir are one in a million,” Tai rolls his eyes.

“Huh, in that case, lucky you,” Clover winked to Qrow.

In that tipsy state of mind, Qrow beamed, practically preening at being called the opposite of what usual mocks him day in and day out.

That’s when Clover’s emotions shift a bit. There is flustered wonderment at seeing Qrow just simply smiling like this is the happiest moment in his life.

A sudden need to see more of that smile bursts in Clover, a selfless urge to be the reason Qrow smiles or at least keep this man in the world a little longer than death will plan.

Clover’s bundle of positively is conflicting with Qrow’s confusion on the matter. It’s a bit flattering to witness this but it is also a bombardment of sensations he doesn’t know how to unpack.

The fleeting images of Qrow and Clover in that perfect sunlight fades away. The world returns to the nightlight temple, the aurora coloring the sky.

Qrow ever so slowly leans away from Clover just enough to have their noses brush up.

“What was that?” He asks.

With the couple’s memories, he felt drained but with Clover, he honestly feels better.

“I don’t know,” Clover admits, a blush setting on his cheeks, “I just wanted to stop your pain.”

Well it worked as his head feels less heavy. It’s somewhere in him still, the knowledge he took away from Nicholas and Fria. As for Clover’s memory, it probably wasn’t stolen at least that’s what he guesses.

“I didn’t,” a sudden horror is in his head, Qrow needs to check, “do you still remember how we met?”

“Of course,” Clover assures and he rubs his hands up and down Qrow’s arms.

“Cool, um what was all of that?” He swallows down the saliva building up in his mouth, “All of those feelings and stuff?”

Teal eyes go wide and his cheeks equally turn red, “Oh you would feel that too, um. It’s just my first impression of you.”

“…If this is about the seaman thing, I really could’ve said something better.”

A laugh surprises him as Clover’s chest shakes with each rumble, “It was one of the best pickup lines I have ever heard.”

“Okay that has to be a lie.”

“No really,” he shook his head, “You really impressed me.”

Scoffing, Qrow shifts out of Clover’s arm despite liking how it felt to be encircled by them, “Now I know you’re a liar.” He scuffles over to sit at the edge of the stage. Leaning back, Qrow rolls his neck to stare straight up at the skylight, “So that’s an aurora.”

The demigod takes a seat next to him, “It’s their last gift to the world.”

“Is it for the gods or humans?” Qrow asks. The memories of the gods have lulled itself to sleep in his head but flickers of a beautiful world with a full moon catches his breath.

Maybe they missed their old world and they wanted to put a bit of it back into reality.

“Well, why did you become a power?”

He snapped his head to the demigod, not at all seeing the connection.

Clover actually lays his back down, his arm crossed behind his head to watch the sky. He continues, “Was it for Odin or for something else?”

Only close friends of his know the reason. He and Raven were considered heirs for their Chieftain but after a tragic monster attack they lost most of their tribe. Ozpin was there to save those who remained and as their tradition, the twins owed him a life dept.

They unknowingly pled servitude to a hidden elder god, just their luck.

All Oz wanted was some company so Qrow easily agreed and traveled with him while Raven took care of their tribe. Along the way the god later revealed his true power and granted the twins immortality for their loyalties.

They became Muninn and Huginn, the Black Birds of Odin.

But Raven saw it all differently, not at first but gradually she grew to despise how Oz just isolated himself from the world. He could’ve saved the tribe before disaster struck.

Qrow had many disagreements with his sister but this was the pinnacle fight that changed everything. He picked Ozpin over the tribe that forced him to kill another kid to have a place in their brutal community.

To him, both gods and humans are alike through bloodshed and harshness and bitterness.

It didn’t matter to Qrow if he just ended up living a hundred years longer than fate planned. He wanted to get away from everyone, something he believed Ozpin once felt until they started taking initiative on saving other towns from monsters and chaotic magic.

“I used to think it was all for humanity, the good parts of it,” Qrow answered, “but seeing Fria and Nicholas, well, I didn’t think gods needed saving.”

He looks down at Clover, still gazing at the stars. Just like the first time they met, Qrow doesn’t see anything god-like in him, aside from the arms but his point still stands.

Curiosity takes over as Qrow asks, “Clover, would you ever do what they did?”

“I never thought to consider it until today,” he said, his voice soft and yet Qrow’s complete focus is on it. “Maybe if I met the right person,” Clover trails off and then teal eyes meet red again.

The memory of the ocean is at the edges of Qrow’s vision, enrapturing how stunning Clover looked in simple fisherman grab. That’s not something he’ll admit out loud, the amount of pockets are ridiculous.

Clover is undeniably handsome but he looks so human too, something that Qrow once was. The echoes of the demigod’s feelings mix in with his own, that sense of amazement at how utter goodness radiates off of him.

They may have met only twice so far and yet what is time compared to the immortals?

That and the single memories starts to bleed more than Qrow imaged. He felt Clover’s love for the ocean, its smell and feeling in his soul. How Clover was so charmed by Summer and Tai, instantly admiring their tenacity and enthusiasm for exploring.

The world looked different in Clover’s eyes. The same thing is said about Qrow.

In the memory, Qrow looked almost enchanting and not sleep deprived as he is normally. It’s weird to see himself look so human when he never appeared as joyful until he left the tribe.

Clover sits back up, “Qrow, I think you’re lovely.” He blinks at the sudden compliment and usually he won’t believe it but the glimpse in Clover’s head is convincing. “Meeting you just feels right to me, like it wasn’t just fate or luck that gave me the chance to see you again.”

His teal eyes are searching desperately for a reaction, any indication that risking his heart out will have a good outcome.

Qrow doesn’t know where this will lead, not at all as he drops a hand over Clover’s.

Not a lot can be said about the son of Poseidon, just lore and sea stories, but when he met the not-quite mortal Qrow was equally intrigued and wanting to get more of this fisherman.

He denied Summer’s teasing that it was a crush but now that he suddenly got invited to a wedding with Clover, finding out there’s more to his godhood and how kind he is, Qrow finds himself feeling very human.

Too long he spent his immortality alone, abandoned by Raven and Ozpin still keeping secrets. Summer and Tai were a drastic improvement in his life and now here he is, presented with something new and raw.

“Well,” Qrow settles, weaving their fingers together, “we have the rest of eternity to figure this thing out between us.”

#fair game week #fair game #fairgameweek2020 #qrow branwen #clover ebi #ozpin #my fic

[dmsden]

A Folk of Craft and Illusion – Personal plot for gnomes

True confession time, Gentle Readers…I wasn’t the biggest fan of gnomes for many years. They didn’t fight into my Tolkien-shaped ideas of what fantasy races were interesting and important. All the other D&D races were represented in Lord of the Rings, but not the gnomes (and remember, when I started, it was human, elf, dwarf, halfling, half-elf, half-orc, and gnome…we didn’t have dragonborn, warforged, tiefling, etc). As far as I could tell, they were pale imitations of halflings that could be illusionists, and that was about it. Even the fact that they could speak to small burrowing mammals didn’t catch my interest. To me, gnomes were statues with pointy hats, and they held no excitement for me.

Dragonlance began to get me interested in gnomes, thanks to the eccentricities the stories imparted to them. Now they were inventors and tinkers, and this was an idea that appealed to me. This trait followed them over the years, especially into the Spelljammer setting, which I adored. Now I had a reason to like gnomes. The gnomes of 5e are quite interesting, as well, and they deserve some love and personal plot if you have one in your campaign.

Gnomes make me think of a people who sit right between halflings and elves. They like forests, hills, and natural places, like an elf does, but they also seem to love their creature comforts. This immediately starts me thinking, because, like halflings, they don’t seem a likely folk to go out and adventure. Halflings have their wanderlust, of course, so my first question would be to find out why a Forest Gnome became an adventurer. Is it a thirst for adventure? A desire to accumulate gems? The need to pay back an outrageous wrong done to their family? Gnomes, more than most, seem to really need to a solid motivation, and I would work with the gnome’s player to find a good one that fit in with my campaign.

Deep gnomes are an unusual choice, unless the campaign is set in the Underdark. If anything, they seem like even less likely adventurers than their surface cousins. Why would a member of this rather insular and xenophobic race decide to head to the surface and leave the safety of wherever they’re from? An obvious answer is that that safety has been compromised, in which case maybe the gnome character has gone to get help. This is both a way to get the PC involved with the group and then an adventure hook. The only issue becomes, “what happens when the gnome’s family or community is safe?” Maybe the gnome will feel obligated to help the adventurers who helped him, or maybe there’s a larger threat that looms (sort of like the classic Night Below campaign).

Forest gnomes inherited the race’s early knack for illusions, as well as that charming “speak with small beasts” ability. This always makes me think of David the Gnome, and I’ve come to love the idea of it. I think this could be an extremely useful power, and it’s just full of flavor potential. Maybe small beasts come to the gnome, looking for help. A family of woodpeckers needs help finding a lost fledgling. A family of badgers needs an escort to a new home. And this doesn’t have to be just in the forest. What if a family of alley cats asks for help from the “monster” that’s eating them? What if dogs at a dog fight ask for help to escape? Maybe an animal the gnome felt responsible for was captured and is being taken to become someone’s unwilling pet. Story potential, to be sure.

And then there are rock gnomes, who are essentially our Dragonlance tinkers. I can imagine them going off in search of ancient technologies and magics, or because of the loss of a beloved creation. Maybe the gnome made a clockwork that seemed to come alive, almost like a child, but then it wandered away, a la Pinnochio. Geppetto would be a pretty good gnome name, after all, and I could see a gnome following a trail of rumors about a mechanical child that’s constantly upgrading itself. Maybe it would ultimately be a Warforged Titan or something similar that rampaged out of control, requiring the party to put a tragic end to it. I feel like this would be a great, if sad, story, In the Worldbuilding articles I wrote over the last two years, the gnomes crafted a legendary artifact called Queen Ehlissa’s Marvelous Nightingale, which sparked a huge war, and its whereabouts remain uncertain. Perhaps a gnome PC is looking for an ancient gnome creation such as this?

Like the other races, gnomes offer so much story potential right off the bat. If you have any in your campaign, I hope you’ll give them some love and help them shine.

Just don’t forget your pointy hat!

#gnome #d&d gnome #dnd gnome #d&d #D&amp;D #d&d character #D&D 5e homebrew #d&d 5e character #d&d 5th edition #d&d 5e #d&d 5 #dnd #dnd character #DnD stuff #dnd 5e character #dnd 5e campaign #dnd 5th edition #DnD 5e #dnd 5 #dungeons & dragons #Dungeons and Dragons #dungeon master #dungeonmaster #DM advice #GM Advice

[sola-invinctus]

30DD #3: Symbols of Apollon

↪️ Click here for a link to the 30 Days of Deity Devotion Challenge and credit for the above image goes to @dappermouth here

Apollon has many symbols and attributes to himself and his image, so this may a bit of a long and messy post. However, I’m on mobile and don’t know how to do a “read more” line here. Either way, before I begin, I want to give a quick shoutout to @falanx for her great Appalachian Apollon correspondences post. I adore reading about people’s local cultus and it’s quite a list. The following might also be used as correspondences as I do magic with this deity.

Common attributes:

The Lyre: For anyone with even a cursory knowledge of Ancient Greek religion or mythology, it’s quite obvious that Apollon is often depicted with a lyre. He’s the god of music and poetry, ruling over the oratory arts, along with leading the muses in their respective forms of art.

A Bow and a Quicker of Arrows: Just like the above detail of Apollon as a musician, he is equally depicted as an archer with his bow, sometimes ready to shoot. He is the god of archery and these tools, but it also refers to his golden/silver arrows. According to mythology, no one can feel these arrows but his shot is fatal, which is a metaphor for Apollon as a plague god, and so, these arrows are the cause of illness and sudden death itself. As both the Letii synchronized with the titans ruling over the sun as moon, their arrows began to become symbols of their rays of light as well.

Laurel Branch or Wreath: Apollon is often depicted wearing a laurel wreath or carrying a branch as this particular tree is sacred to him, which I will mention later on. But due to its mythology, the tree is also scene as a symbol of nobility, and wearing it denotes Apollon as a noble figure.

The Sun: Something that anyone associates with Apollon is the sun itself. Both him and Helios were the Greek gods of the sun but some times and places had them as one god or Apollon as solely in charge of it. And so, the sun easily has a strong connection to him.

Amber (UPG): Amber is associated with the sun and solar things in lots of lore and mythology. In descriptions of hyperborea, a mythical land beyond the northern wind that Apollon is said to retreat to, there is lots of amber. And a few other reasons I can’t remember off the top of my head.

Plants: Apollon has plenty of plants associated with him through various myths, which include

Bay laurel: According to myth, one of the women he loved, the nymph Daphne, was turned into a bay laurel tree, to escape him, and so, out of sadness, he wears it as a reminder of her. And thus, the origin of laurel wreaths, but also an attribute of noble status.

Larkspur/hyacinth: Similar to the above one, the hyacinth flower is named after one of his lovers who died and became a flower, Hyacinthus. Although, it’s likely that this myth more often referred to larkspur.

Cypress: You guessed it! Yet another dead lover becoming some sort of plant.

Henbane: Correspondence wise, it seems natural for a poisonous plant to be sacred to the god of plagues, and in this case, also one that may have been used to help induce the Pythian oracles in their trance state, along with oreandar. Henbane has been recorded as Herba Apollonaris for this reason.

Sunflowers (UPG): Every devotee or follower or deviantart artist of Apollon naturally associates this plant with him as the god of the sun, to the point that I can imagine how many people think it officially is, despite it being a new world plant. Personally, it works anytime he wants to pull up a flower for synchronicity.

Animals: Dear god, Apollon has a lot of animals, and depending on the time of day, I think I could probably name at least six, so I might miss one or two. It should go without saying that my absolute favorite animals of his are the wolf and the crow. Some of these are more gentle and others more scary, but something interesting about the myths connected to some of them is his way of claming that scariness as his own beast.

Crows: This generally seems to apply to all black corvids, such as crows, ravens, and jackdaws, maybe magpies as well if he chooses to. These are birds of omen especially with disease and sudden death, and fairly common birds in some places so it’s easy for him to “appear” in this particular animal. And my personal #1 fav animal.

Wolves: My favorite epithet of his is actually Apollon Lyceus, the wolf-god, but it shows his intense side, and ties into “Apollon as conquering” with all his tough scary bits. No bias at all here, clearly. Apollon is one of those things that changed wolves from a cliche to symbolically significant animal for me.

Snakes: An instance of taming the beast and making it your own, Apollon grew an association with snakes from the event of killing the Python Delphyne, in which he inherited all the snakes at the temple there. I’ve always loved snakes but not as much as the other two and he really isn’t as much of a snake spirit as others.

Cicadas: Cicadas make music and come out to the dance in the summer heat, so how couldn’t they be an animal of his? A couple of different Greek writers associate them with him, as well as with necromancy, so two birds one stone.

Mice: Another one of his animal epithets is “mouse-god” and with its own strange history, but mostly relating to regional cults and the oracular symbolism of mice in ancient times. It makes sense, though, with some of his other aspects.

Swans: Everyone little kid’s Greek mythology book mentions the regal majestic swans, and Plato himself talked about how these servants of Apollon sing a song of joy when they die to celebrate that their soul will reach Apollon.

Dolphins: Probably the weirdest sounding one, this animal has to do with his aspects as a god of protection while traveling and association with the sea, and his part in some founding stories where he transforms into a dolphin to lead sailors.

#30 days of deity devotion challange #Apollon #Apollo #Hellenic #Hellenism

[jeremys-blogs]

The Owl House: Top 10 Episodes

The Owl House's first season was made up on nineteen great episodes, but as with any show there were some I loved more than others. And here's my top ten of them.

10 - Witches Before Wizards: The first episode might have done a great job of establishing both the main cast and the world they're having their stories in, but it was really the show's second outing that truly cemented that this wasn't going to be a typical children's fantasy tale. Luz, overwhelmed by her years of wanting the perfect escapist fantasy, is seemingly given exactly what she wants and, with her current mentor looking like something of a disappointment, goes along with it right into a trap. This episode's clear message is that, whatever ideas Luz and the audience have of epic adventures in other worlds needs to be jettisoned right here and now, as such thinking simply leads to those like Luz being taken advantage of. It also helped to establish Eda, both as an unconventional type of mentor, but also as someone who genuinely cares for Luz's well-being. It's a story that firmly tells us that, if good things are to happen to us, we need to make them happen instead of waiting for others to hand such things to us, and that even a place that comes off as creepy and horrifying can have its appeal when looked at the right way. A fine episode that does well at helping to acclimatise us to the world of the Boiling Isles.

9 - Something Ventured, Someone Framed: Gus didn't really have that many standout moments in the show in the same way that Willow did, but I can safely say that his first (and thus far only) spotlight episode was a good one. Most of the time he's used either as "the supportive friend" or as comic relief, but here we got to see other sides to him, like his insecurities at being the youngest among his peers, or the fears he feels over losing even the small position he has among them. It was also a good show of how Luz isn't the only one who's going to be causing problems at Hexside, as Gus was very much responsible for the shenanigans this time, but he does win points for taking the blame and accepting the consequences of it. Also, special mention must also go to Eda for her subplot of trying to get Luz into the school. It really went to show how much she cared for the girl, since she was willing to make nice with a place she personally loathed because she knew how good it would be for her apprentice. Between Gus and Eda, this was a good little Hexside story with some good development for its two prominent players.

8 - The Intruder: This episode marked an important moment of development for all three of the main characters. For Luz it was her first real step in learning how to use magic in this world, as well as showing just how quick she is to be able to use it in an immediate situation. For King we got to see a softer side to him than we'd been seeing up to this point, and just how much he values Luz as a friend and someone to teach. And for Eda, this was the moment we came to realise just why she's separate from the rest of the Boiling Isles' society. Her curse, which is portrayed in much the same way as something akin to a chronic illness that real-world people would have to deal with, is clearly a bother to her and something that would play a pivotal part of later stories. And the horror aesthetic is of course a good framing device for all of this, giving our characters a desperate situation to not only show of what they can do, but also reveal secrets like Eda's condition. It was a dark, intense and very character-driven story that served as a massive wake-up call to the fact that danger can very much be right at their doorstep in this series.

7 - I was a Teenage Abomination: Here we got our big introduction to Hexside, a location that would provide a great many other great stories and serve as an important place for Luz. In addition, the episode also gave us a number of supporting characters, like soon-to-be friends Willow and Gus, and perhaps one of the show's most complicated characters, Amity. Luz's first arrival onto the scene, both for this school and its students, would prove to be her first real impact on this world, which would of course have consequences aplenty further down the line. Now of course, schools for magic are no stranger to works of fantasy, but this show does well in making Hexside its own thing, with its own feel distinct from other such institutions in fiction. And of course we once again have Eda utterly stealing the show with her early-season disdain for the place and her horror at the thought of Luz wanting to go there, though she admittedly does at least soften to the friends she makes in her brief encounter. Overall, a fun and enjoyable introduction to one of the most important places in the show, as well as giving Luz her first taste of a place that would come to mean a great deal to her later on.

6 - Covention: Like with our introduction to Hexside, this episode gives us a lot of information about the world of the witches and how things typically work here. We're told of the coven system, the magical authority that governs magic, as well as why Eda specifically is opposed to them, but at the same time we have Luz, who despite respecting her teach is open-minded enough to want to learn more and make her own decision on the matter, which was a nice touch as far as I'm concerned as it showed she wasn't just blindly obedient. And speaking of Luz, we get her next step in her relationship to Amity here, as we once more have the two at odds, but with that conflict eventually changing into one where Amity understands Luz more and where we learn that there's more shades to Amity than simply being a school rival. Eda too gets growth as a character, as we have our big introduction to her sister and the knowledge that the two don't have the best of relationships, culminating in one of the show's thus-far best pieces of animation when the two eventually duel, which would of course serve only as a prelude to a fight that came later. Overall, Covention had a lot packed in, and it was executed nearly flawlessly.

5 - Adventures in the Elements: Fun fact, I'd sort of debated with myself over whether this or Lost in Language would be included here, since both episodes share a lot in common. Both feature Luz learning more while also taking action that puts her in a bad light with Amity and both heavily involve Edric and Emira. In the end though I decided that I enjoyed this one more, and what's more it served as another important milestone in Luz's education, since it's really the first time Eda actively goes out of her way to teach her about magic. Additionally, we get some hints as to the true nature of magic in this world, something that Luz comes to know more than even her own teacher. We get hints that Luz's ways are something that the oldest witches did back in the day but has since been forgotten, as Esa herself seems to only vaguely know how that ancient power was used. Also, it's another case of Amity warming up to Luz, to the point where I'd officially call this the moment where the two became friends. And of course Edric and Emira were far more hilarious and likeable here than they were in Lost in Language, so there's that too.

4 - Enchanting Grom Fright: Let me get the obvious stuff out of the way first. Yes, the Lumity shipping moments are adorable and a great milestone for Disney. And yes, that dance sequence was brilliantly animated and easily worth the thousand-plus times I've gone back and watched it. But as good as all that stuff is, what really makes this episode work for me is Luz. Not only do we get another example of her well-meaning nature getting her into trouble, which is something of a recurring theme in this show, but it's also the episode that really addresses her decision to leave her world and be in the Boiling Isles. Throughout the story she's shown to be worried about both her mother back home and what the latter might think if she knew what Luz had really been doing these past few weeks. It's an understandable fear that she's been avoiding for, quite possibly, the entirety of her time in the show, and by the time the episode ends she's fully accepted that she needs to speak to her mother far more than she'd been doing. That, alongside great stuff from other characters, Like Amity's own fears and King struggling to find an audience, made this episode a truly special watch for me.

3 - Wing it Like Witches: In terms of pure entertainment value, as in just sheer fun, this episode easily makes it to my personal top. However, given that the remaining episodes all did more in terms of character and story, I felt it wouldn't really be right to have this one be any higher. But, it's still a hugely enjoyable outing for the show, and one that I've re-watched several times over since it first aired. And it's surprising that that's the case, given that sports movies (or even parodies of them) aren't something I usually enjoy, and this episode has it as both its A and B plots. But I guess that's a testament to the episode if I managed to be delighted by the story in the face of that. The character of Boscha proved a good "love to hate" antagonist that Luz, Willow and Amity must overcome, and it's especially satisfying to finally see Amity in particular break away from that kind of toxic crowd for good. But, not one to be one-upped, Eda herself gets a similar trouble to face when she challenges her sister to the same game, and much like with Luz it's very good to see her come out on top. In terms of how much the characters are developed, this one probably isn't winning any awards, but in terms of just how much fun it was for me, it's easily one of the best The Owl House has to offer.

2 - Agony of a Witch: Disney have had plenty of moments where the episodes prior to the finale are among the darkest and most serious stuff they make, and Owl House, it appears, has one more to add to that collection. Agony is, without question, the most intense story of the entire first season. A darkest hour that I haven't seen from Disney TV for quite some time. It's a level of seriousness and danger that we all probably knew was coming, but likely weren't ready for when it finally came. Our main villain is revealed, the truth behind Eda's curse comes to light, and by the time it was all over it seemed as though all hope was lost. It was a real punch to the gut, and went to show just how much these characters had come to mean to me, given how distraught I felt at seeing them hurt like this. If I had one complaint, and this is no fault of this episode specifically, it's that the follow-up, the actual finale, never managed to capture the same feeling of intensity. But that's a very small criticism, and as I said, this was one hugely impressive episode that brought the stakes up to eleven and showed that this show had more than earned the right to do so.

1 - Understanding Willow: I'll admit upfront that I have some bias on this one, as Willow has consistently been one of my favourite characters in the show. So an episode devoted to delving into her backstory was pretty much guaranteed to get my interest. But credit where it's due, it actually impressed far more than just that initial hook, as we get our long-awaited explanation as to the reasons why she and Amity stopped being friends way back when, a point that was hinted at quite a few episodes back. It's one of those things I like about shows like this, where small bits of dialogue can come back and take centre stage in big ways like this. And of course, we have Luz coming into her own as the responsible one, taking charge and doing what she can for her friend. And it's great that this isn't a problem that she was directly responsible for, unless you count her flipping a photo over as her being the cause of all this. Amity gets plenty of growth as well as a truly gut-punching reveal as to what motivated her actions, and the remaining cast, like Eda and Gus, all have a pretty entertaining side-story of their own. All-in-all, this might seem like an odd choice, but to me Understanding Willow is just the complete package in terms of what I like about this show.

And that's my list. Hope you all enjoy these episodes as much as I do 🥰

#essay #writing #my stuff #disney #the owl house #luz noceda #top 10