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alicent-vi-britannia · 9 months

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A brief analysis of color symbology in the important characters of Code Geass

Next, I'll discuss the symbology behind the color palettes of six major Code Geass characters. The purpose of this post will be to show how colors describe character traits. I clarify that I am not an illustrator or an animator. I'm just a quasi graduate who loves Code Geass and symbols and I want to use my knowledge to combine two things I like. And that I want you to take into account four points about the symbols and, therefore, the colors: The first is that they are polysemic. I'm going to adjust to the context of the series and the nature and role of the characters. Well, to give an example, violet is the color of sexuality and lust and I don't think that was what the animators had in mind when they established violet for Lelouch. The second is that they are ambivalent. They have two sides. One positive and one negative. The third is that the meanings of the colors vary depending on the cultures (and the times). I've tried to stick to universal meanings. And the fourth is that the symbols aren't isolated signs, they establish relationships between them and reinforce or annul meanings. Don't forget that there are colors that are born from the combination of two; so those resulting colors inherit certain meanings from their "parents", so to speak. Hence some of the connotations are repeated.

Having said all that I had to say, let's start with Lelouch. Black is Lelouch's signature color. He always plays chess with black, his casual clothes are black, his army is the Black Knights, his Knightmares are black, the two great rebellions he has led have been dubbed the Black Rebellion, one of his nicknames is the Black Prince, his hair is black!

So what does black symbolize? Well, black is precisely the color of rebellion and protests. It symbolizes how illegal and forbidden are many of the acts that Lelouch carries out. It's also a symbol of elegance and youth. This is because most of the youngsters claim that black is his favorite color and don't be surprised by this, but Lelouch is a youngster.

Black is the color of dirt and evil. How many times has Lelouch dirty his hands with shit for carrying out his goals? Infinite times! "The world does not change with beautiful words", it changes with actions and many are dirty. How much evil did Lelouch do for the greater good? Phew! We could spend hours talking about it!

Black is the color of brutality, violence and hate. Three meanings that it has in common with red and these two colors make up a standard combination (it's no coincidence that one of the people closest to Lelouch and with whom he forms a powerful team has red as his distinctive color). Lelouch harbors hatred towards his father, his family and the empire that disowned him. Hence why he is so ruthless against Britannia. Unlike Suzaku, he believes that violence is the answer.

Black is the color of death, destruction and mourning. Lelouch brings death and destruction wherever he goes (to give a couple of examples, just think of the Battle of Narita and the Japan Administrative Zone massacre). In the same way, he always has mourning in his heart. He is reluctant to let go of loved ones who die (since the death of his mother).

Black usually has a negative connotation and whenever he is next to bright colors he will subvert the positive values of it. In association with yellow (which is a color present in Lelouch, albeit to a lesser extent), it connotes selfishness, guilt, and melancholy. Lelouch started his rebellion for selfish reasons and ended up consumed with guilt as he watched his revenge spiral dragging innocents and loved ones into harm. He is a character with a melancholic-choleric temperament.

[Black symbolizes bad luck and Lelouch never overthrew Britannia while he was wearing black, is that why he was always so close to landslide victory? :v]

Soon I will return to black to point out two specific aspects, now let's talk about Lelouch's second distinctive color: violet.

The combination of black and violet is one of the least negative and symbolizes magic and the dark forces of nature and magic. The Geass was a supernatural gift that Lelouch possesses. Violet is the color of vanity and extravagance. Zero was a striking character, partly because of his manner, partly because of his aura of mystery, and partly because of his looks (Lelouch is arrogant and proud, but there is a shade of difference between pride and vanity).

Violet is the color of power. This is because extracting the violet pigment was difficult and therefore very expensive; so only the nobility and members of royalty could afford to buy clothes of this color. The fact that Lelouch has chosen purple as the color of his Zero costume seems funny to me because it means that he hasn't renounced his princely roots (the series itself wanted us to be clear about it and, for that reason, gave us the dialogue from the snow in episode 10 of the first season). He is and will remain a prince (in fact, his arrogance and negative outlook on vulnerability are a product of his upbringing in Britannia). Yellow reinforces this meaning.

It is the color of penance, martyrdom and mourning. Lelouch bears the weight of his sins and suffers as a result. Lelouch never quite gets past the dueling stage.

Violet is a singular color because it derives from the mixture of red and blue and these two colors represent opposite values. In violet these values are in communion. Hence, violet is considered an ambiguous color. In terms of morality, Violet is in the middle of good and evil, just like Lelouch, who is capable of doing good for the worst reasons and evil for the best reasons. This tells us about the amorality of the character. Violet combines the values of blue and red.

Blue is the color of coldness and intellectual qualities. Lelouch stands out for his intelligence, although the haters deny it. Red is the color of passions and Lelouch is a character moved by passions. He is very passionate, only he knows how to channel his emotions. Most of the time he is calm and he analyzes coolly, even in pressured situations. Only when his loved ones become involved does he lose control of his emotions and subservient to them.

In its negative aspect, violet symbolizes the abuse of power and who is distinguished by purple, besides Lelouch? His father who is a full-fledged tyrant.

Britannia is distinguished by the color white and white symbolizes the divine. It is the color of the gods and royalty, of absolutist monarchies, to be exact.

White as opposed to black symbolizes what we are all thinking: the eternal fight of good against evil. The angels are always attired in white robes and have white wings while the demons have black wings. Although the interesting thing about Code Geass is that it inverts those values since the Britannia (the whites) are the bad guys and the rebels (the blacks) are the good guys.

White recovers its positive values with Suzaku and Euphemia. Let's go with the second.

White is the color that represents good. I had already said it. And it is, additionally, the color of integrity, honesty, transparency and purity. White shares all these connotations with blue. In fact, white and blue are the colors of spiritual virtues. Blue is the color of trust, friendship and sympathy. What does this tell us? That Suzaku is a boy with a noble and pure heart and a good friend.

White is the color of innocence and, curiously, blue is the color of the unreal, that is, of ideas that are far from being realized. It is the color of dreamers and fantasy! Is this a subtle sign that Suzaku is some poor self-deluded idealist? Maybe.

White symbolizes mourning (in oriental countries and don't be surprised by this fact either, but Suzaku is Japanese). Like Lelouch, Suzaku also has a hard time saying goodbye to loved ones who leave this earthly plane.

On the other hand, blue represents the calm, the passive and the introverted. It is the color of longing and peace. Suzaku longs for a world of peace. He tries to leave violence as a last resort, before opting for peaceful ways when dealing with conflicts.

Blue connotes sadness and loneliness. Suzaku is a melancholic and withdrawn type. Note that he doesn't tend to socialize. He is more comfortable closed in on himself, in his comfort zone. I remind you that when he entered Ashford Academy he didn't try to make friends and everyone teased him until he demonstrated his bravery by saving Lelouch from falling. He didn't try to bond with the rest of the Knights of Round either, rather, it seemed that Gino adopted him just like Anya [normally, extroverts adopt introverts]. As he drowns in his problems, he isolates himself more and more from the people who love him and the rest of the world.

Speaking of melancholy, he had mentioned that it symbolized the union of yellow with black. Yellow combined with white connotes weakness and fear. Suzaku's fear of the dark side of him. Deep down, he is just as pragmatic and selfish as Lelouch, but he is terrified to admit it. His weakness to accept his true self and his reality.

By the way, yellow, in its negative aspect, symbolizes lying and both Suzaku and Lelouch are skilled liars. It's a very contradictory and fickle color (it radically changes meaning when paired with another color) and Suzaku and Lelouch are full of contradictions. That is what makes them so human. Likewise, yellow is the color of traitors and Lelouch and Suzaku have betrayed their loyalties for different reasons.

All the positive meanings of white that I highlighted in the previous slide with Suzaku apply to Euphemia, so I'll move on to talking about pink.

Pink is the color of charm, courtesy, sensitivity, delicacy, tenderness. In short, all the qualities considered typically feminine and that Euphemia possesses. I don't think I need to justify myself or provide examples.

Pink is the color of illusions and dreams and, in that sense, it reminds me of blue. Let's not forget that the dream of a peaceful world is inherited by Suzaku from Euphemia (she is an idealist at heart). Although she was aware of the evil that afflicted the Elevens and the grudge that Lelouch harbored in her heart, she was simplistic. We could say that Euphemia had a rosy vision of life (a good and insightful person, but a lousy politician without the necessary cunning and pragmatism). I reiterate that white is the color of innocence and pink is the result of mixing red (which is the color of love and Euphemia has plenty of love) and white.

White is also the color of neutrality and if there is a neutral character in Code Geass is C.C.

Perceive that C.C. is the only member of the Black Knights who wears a white uniform which I had already said is the color of the enemy, which is weird, but makes sense (let's just say she's really only true to herself). She also has a black uniform with the Black Knights symbol on her chest. She adopts black because of her alignment with Lelouch, but it's not like she really takes a stand on the rebellion. She is there for personal reasons that are neglected in the political context.

Green is the other color that predominates in it. Green symbolizes balance and consciousness. Whenever Lelouch is about to collapse, C.C., who is the voice of reason, is there to bring him back to earth (she did better in the first season, let's be honest). Green is the color of intermediate and impartiality, par excellence. In itself it is neither good nor bad. As C.C.

Green is the color of youth and immaturity. Due to the Geass, C.C. has earned eternal youth and, at certain moments, she behaves like a carefree teenager who doesn't measure the consequences of her actions (yes, I mean the scenes of her in Ashford and her interactions with the Black Knights ). In contrast, yellow is the color of maturity and C.C.'s eyes are amber. So many years of experience have given him a few kilos of wisdom. For me, C.C. part of the archetype of the mystical Greek goddess Hestia, the one who is young and old at the same time.

Yellow is the color of security, confidence and tranquility. In her role as her confidante, C.C. has known how to bring these sensations to Lelouch.

Green is the color of otherness (the strange). What color do monsters, aliens, witches and demons paint? Green. C.C. is the only Code Geass character with green hair. She manages to stand out in the sea of characters because of her looks (she has to, she's a witch).

Green symbolizes freedom. Because of her immortality, C.C. feels prey to this existential plane. She is wandering aimlessly through the flow of time that seems endless. At the end of her journey, she manages to free herself from those ties and learns to feel good about herself, renewing her will to live. Let's not forget that, although she wanted to die, she needed to live first because she had not really lived her life. Green is also the color of life and bitterness. At first, she was frustrated. She did not fulfill her wish to be loved and was forced to live an immortal life that she did not want.

Like C.C., Kallen takes on black after bonding with Zero; but it is indisputable that Kallen's color is red.

Red is the color of emotions and passions. Good and bad. Our face turns red with shame, anger, shyness, love (in fact, Kallen is the character who has blushed the most in the series for different reasons). It is the color of love and hate. Kallen loves her family, her friends, and Lelouch as much as she hates Britannia. She is the most emotional character in the series. I also think that she is the most impulsive and that's why: she gets carried away by her emotions.

Just as red has a natural alignment with black (Lelouch), she has a natural opposition with the passive soft blue and innocent white (Suzaku). Red symbolizes strength, courage and aggressiveness. Kallen's fighting style is aggressive, both in hand-to-hand combat and in a fight between Knightmares. Unlike Suzaku, she's not going to give you a chance to give up, she's going to kick your ass openly. She goes without saying that her two greatest virtues are her bravery and her strength (and I would add her poise).

Red is the color of fire and Kallen is a burning flame. If you approach sparingly, she keeps you warm. If you approach carelessly, you can get burned. She is warm and, at the same time, hot-tempered.

Red is the color of danger, violence and the forbidden. It is associated with the revolution. This reminds us of the meanings of black that we had reviewed with Lelouch. Kallen follows Lelouch and doesn't question him because they share his methods, his goals, and his beliefs. Do you see why black and red get along so well? Both are rebels by nature.

Red is the color of allure, and Kallen is the most sex-appealing girl at Ashford Academy. I'm not saying it, all the boys who wanted a kiss from her.

Red is the color of war and anger. Paradoxically, it is the color of freedom and justice, which are the two things that Kallen wants and demands for her people. Like white, red is a political color.

Kallen also wears pink (which results from the combination of red and white) and I think it brings out the softer, more youthful and sweet side of her.

To finish, I leave you with this curious fact. Let's see how much of you have noticed…

Throughout the series, Lelouch and Suzaku wear black and white respectively (I'll open a parenthesis for clarification: only Zero's cape is black, but, if you look closely, in R1 his suit is a darker violet than in R2 and I It seems that the modification is in line with his change, since in R1 we have the meanest and most vile Lelouch and in R2 we have the most self-sacrificing and noble Lelouch). By the time the series is winding down, Lelouch and Suzaku are reversed and now Lelouch wears white, posing as the Emperor of Britannia, and Suzaku dresses in black, reaffirming himself as Knight of Zero.

What does this mean?

It means that Lelouch and Suzaku have exchanged targets.

Lelouch, who wanted to destroy Britannia, is going to change it from within as the Emperor himself.

Suzaku, who wanted to change Britannia, is going to liberate the world by destroying the tyrant who oppresses it as Zero.

All in favor of the same purpose: to build a friendly world and establish an era of peace. Everything was thrown in our faces through the symbology of color before the meaning of the Zero Requiem was revealed in the final episode and we didn't realize it. [In addition, I think it is also a way of externalizing the final transformation that these characters have experienced at the end of their inner journey].

Were the colors chosen randomly without any special motivation? No symbols in Code Geass? Ha ha ha! Look how the cows fly!

This is as far as this analysis ends. They let me know if they knew this information. I hope you liked it a lot. I invite you to tell me in comments what you think and what is your favorite color.

I have two (I can't decide): the black and the pink. [Nobody cares to know, but I'll leave it there].

We will be reading, God willing and if not, too. To hell!

Greetings and thanks for reading.

#kallen stadtfeld #kallen kozuki #lelouch lamperouge #lelouch #lelouch vi britannia #kallen #code geass: lelouch of the rebellion #code geass: hangyaku no lelouch #code geass #euphemia li britannia #c.c. (code geass)#suzaku kururugi #colors

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aegor-bamfsteel · 2 years

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In Brienne’s POV and literally all throughout Dunk and Egg, we see that training your squire in arms is an integral apart of being a knight and having a squire in the first place. Knights who don’t train their squires (Daeron the Drunken, everyone Pod squired for until Brienne) are seen as not doing their jobs properly.

I was confused about this ask (since it’s not a question), until I found out that this post about Kingsguard knights and their squires was reblogged recently. Please make sure to clarify which post you’re responding to if you’re on anon.

The master-of-arms of a castle provides squires, pages, young men etc in general with training and weapons. Yes, even though they’re not the young man/woman’s official master. Jon, Robb, Theon didn’t squire for a knight, but learned under the master-of-arms of Winterfell, Ser Rodrik Cassell. Quentyn Ball, the master-of-arms at King’s Landing, trained Daemon Blackfyre and Baelor/Maekar (and presumably Bloodraven. I’m not counting Aegor Rivers because he was raised by the Brackens, and presumably trained by their master-at-arms). Brienne was taught to fight by Tarth’s master-at-arms, Goodwin. Samwell Stone, the master-at-arms of Runestone, is recommended to train Robert Arryn should he be fostered at the castle. The Kingsguard and their squires are based at the Red Keep in King’s Landing, so the squires would be trained at arms at least principally by the master-at-arms of the castle.

Pod and Egg getting trained by their knight is because those knights don’t belong to a castle (Pod because he’s looking for Tyrion, Egg because he’s playing Trustifarian with Dunk). But this type of solo training is seen as inferior to one at a castle with a master-at-arms, as shown by this conversation between Dunk and Rohanne Webber:

"Swear [your sword] here, then. The times are uncertain. I have need of knights. You look as though you have a healthy appetite, Ser Duncan. How many chickens can you eat? At Coldmoat you would have your fill of warm pink meat and sweet fruit tarts. Your squire looks in need of sustenance as well. He is so scrawny that all his hair has fallen out. We'll have him share a cell with other boys of his own age. He'll like that. My master-at-arms can train him in all the arts of war. "I train him," said Dunk defensively. “And who else? Bennis? Old Osgrey? The chickens?” There had been days when Dunk had set Egg to chasing chickens. It helps make him quicker, he thought, but he knew that if he said it she would laugh. —The Sworn Sword

Rohanne’s offer indicates that squires are principally taught by the master-at-arms of the castle their knight is sworn to/based in. Dunk is stubborn that Egg needs no teacher but him, but a hedge knight’s squire doesn’t have the access to the same equipment as a squire of a castle, nor does a hedge knight have the same experience in teaching as a master-at-arms does. So a knight training their squire alone seems indicative of a poorer knight and provides a lesser education. Being trained at a castle by a master-at-arms provides a certain level of skill and prestige, as indicated by Jon Snow when he’s training with the other recruits. We see Jaime Lannister (who as a Kingsguard, would’ve been a relevant example as relates to the last question) take 3 squires—Josmyn Peckledon, Lewys Piper, and Garrett Paege—and he’s never mentioned training them at arms, but instead finding horses, pouring wine, setting up tents, preparing armor, etc. Nobody complains he isn’t doing his job properly, perhaps because the three already seem to be castle trained/good at arms already.

As for knights not doing their jobs properly, that’s a running theme through the books.

#ask #master at arms #asoiaf #squires #knights

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the-letter-horror-lover · 2 years

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The teen shivered at the memory before starting to get to work. Time ticked rather slowly, but he endured it until he reached the bow of the ship, where he wasn't surprised to Sebastian sleeping. The merman had recently taken to resting while Ciel cleaned up the ship and then waking up once the teen finished cleaning. Ciel could guess as to why, but always decided against confirming it.

He knew that Sebastian trusted him, and that fact filled Ciel with guilt more than anything else. The circumstances of their meeting was always there, in the back of his mind, nagging him whenever they got closer to one another. As if to say, 'You don't deserve to be near him.'

Ciel was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed he had been mopping the same stop for over five minutes. Thankfully Sebastian was still asleep and unaware of his blunder, so, for now at least no mocking words were said. The corners of his mouth turned upwards slightly at the sight of the merman’s peace, his muddled mind thinking the raven adorable for a brief moment. The deckhand quickly shook his head and walked back to the front of the ship when he caught himself with these thoughts...again.

Ciel sighed and walked back to the stern after putting away his tools. He put a hand to his forehead and whispered to himself, ''What is wrong with me?''

''Well, there are a certain number of things that I can name.'' Ciel frowned and looked at the now awake Sebastian, who had his trademark smug smirk on his face. ''An example being your taste in clothing.'' The merman chuckled quietly. ''Why ever do you cover your eye if you have perfect vision?''

''Ah.'' Ciel said, crossing his arms in front of his chest and ignoring the question. ''So the sleeping princess is finally awake I see.''

Sebastian paused for a moment before a cocky look slithered across his face. ''If you deem me as such, then does that mean that you are my ''knight in shining armor''?'' He asked, causing Ciel to look away quickly, a subtle hint of red stabbing the top of the teen’s ears.

''No.'' The teen said incredulously, frowning.

''Oh I see. You must be unfit for the job then.'' Sebastian continued to tease the human, running his fingers through his black hair and swishing his tail. It was obvious that the merman was making a show of himself but Ciel refused to look in defiance. ''Too bad. It seems that I must take my business elsewhere.'' He dramatically brought a hand up to his forehead, like a damsel in distress. ''I sure hope that I can find someone else to rescue me.''

Ciel frowned, once again reminded of his guilt. ''…That's not funny.''

''Oh but it is.'' Sebastian chuckled, the teen’s shift in mood going unnoticed. He waved his hand, as if to dismiss the previous conversation topic. ''You know I only tease because I get such delightful reactions out of you.''

''Yes. Well, keep pestering me like that and you can clean your own tank.'' Ciel scoffed, sitting down on one of the barrels by Sebastian. Usually the deckhand rather enjoyed their little quips, but that last one hit a little too close to home. The teen crossed his arms and leaned back against the curved wood, impenetrable mask in place as he closed his one cerulean eye.

''Must you truly take everything I say to heart?'' Sebastian sighed, an amused smile coming onto his face as he watched the teen. His red eyes sparkled as they silently judged, waiting in the silence before breaking it ''Ciel...''

''Hm?'' Said teen didn't even open his eye.

''Do you think that you could-''

''I am not getting up to play my violin.'' Ciel cut Sebastian off, hazarding a guess as to what the merman wanted. Every night, Sebastian asked him to play, and now the teens fingers were beginning to bruise from the incessant playing.

Sebastian frowned at this before looking off to the side. ''I was not going to ask that.'' He said quietly.

''I'm not getting you more fish.'' Ciel said, still not opening his eye.

''I was not going to ask that either.'' The teen peered a curious cerulean orb open and blinked at Sebastian's hesitant look.

''Do you think...'' Sebastian paused for a moment. ''You could come into my tank?''

Ciel paused as well, biting his own lower lip. ''...Why do you ask?''

''I am aware that you are not going to release me anytime soon.'' Ciel bit down harder. ''But I grow weary of being in here all by myself. I yearn for some companionship.''

''You have fish.'' Ciel pointed out, watching two left over tuna swim around in the tank. ''Besides, I talk to you on a regular basis. What more do you want?''

''Let me rephrase myself then.'' Sebastian sighed. ''I desire physical contact from something that I do not consider prey.'' He slapped a tuna away from himself for emphasis.

Ciel sighed and closed his eyes again, feeling the stare of red eyes. Guilt ran up within him again. He felt as if he couldn’t refuse the merman, and yet… ''I don't want to get in the tank with you.''

''You are lying.'' Sebastian was quick to say, causing Ciel to look at him. The merman had a completely serious look upon his face as he stared at the deckhand. ''I can sense it.'' Ciel stared into those gorgeous red eyes, tensioned silence of words unsaid passing between them before Ciel eventually relented.

''...Fine. I'll go up there, but I am not getting in.'' Ciel sighed and lazily took off his shoes and socks as Sebastian closed his eyes and smiled.

''Oh we shall see about that.'' The raven teased as Ciel left the stern to go and get the small step ladder from the storage area. Sebastian watched him go, heart beating fast. The raven had actually planned this a while ago but had been waiting for the right moment to ask. Now that he had, the merman couldn't be happier After all, the teen wasn't the only one having weird thoughts and dreams... In fact, these swirled thoughts have been buzzing around Sebastian’s head for at least two months now…

When the teen finally returned, it was without a shirt on, and then it was Sebastian's turn to flush slightly and look away. If Ciel saw it, he didn’t comment, as he climbed the ladder and opened the lock at the top of the tank. Sebastian twitched when the teen tossed the cage open, it’s heavy door clattering against the metal top.

Sebastian poked his head out of the water to smile at Ciel, who was looking at the liquid with a hesitant gaze. ''So...are you just going to stare all night or are you going to come in here?'' Sebastian teasingly swished the water, chuckling when Ciel backed up.

“You should be more than grateful that I even decided to grace you with my presence.'' Ciel huffed and sat down on the edge of the tank, commanding attitude in place. ''And don't you even DARE think about splashing me!''

''Well I can not help it if you give me ideas.'' Sebastian teased, but stopped his mischief. It wouldn't help him any to scare the teen off. ''I promise that I will not splash you. So please, come here.''

''I said that I am not going to.''

''Ah, but I know that you want to.'' Sebastian chuckled when Ciel frowned. ''You can not lie to me.''

Ciel hesitated before responding, ''Even if I do, which I DON'T,'' Sebastian smirked at this but Ciel ignored him. ''I still wouldn't.''

''Oh, and why not? Does my presence offend you that badly that you refuse to be in close proximity with me?'' Sebastian looked down in sadness, but his amused expression gave him away.

''No.'' To emphasize his point, Ciel hesitantly stuck his legs into the water.

''Then what is the problem?'' Sebastian asked, teasingly brushing the end of tail against the bottom of Ciel's feet. He laughed when the teen kicked it in response. ''You do know how to swim, don't you?'' The question was meant to poke fun, but when no response was given, the merman blinked in surprise. ''...Don't you?'' He asked gently and the teen looked back at him, fire in his one blue colored eye.

''No. I don't.'' Ciel suddenly spat. There was a silence between the two of them before Sebastian sunk back into the water and brought his index finger up to his mouth to stifle his laughter. When he came back up to the surface, Ciel was waiting with a death glare. ''Is there a problem with that?''

''It is just...why are you in the ocean if you can not swim?'' Sebastian asked, letting out one last chuckle before quieting down.

''I am on a ship. I don't need to swim.'' Ciel defended himself, crossing his arms. When Sebastian laughed quietly in response, the teen scoffed and moved to get up.

Sebastian immediately saw this and grabbed onto Ciel's hand. Both of them froze at the sudden contact and their eyes locked. Sebastian hesitantly tugged on the teens arm gently and the deckhand tensed. ''Ciel, I apologize. I did not mean to upset you.'' The teen frowned and looked away in response. Sebastian clutched the other's hand tighter in his grasp. ''If I promise put an end to my teasing, will you come in here?''

Ciel looked at the merman down passed his nose like the rich snob that he thought he was. ''I told you that I can not swim.'' He scoffed.

''Then I will teach you.'' Sebastian offered and Ciel blinked when the merman him go. ''I have lived my whole life in water. What better teacher could you possibly have?''

''I suppose you do have a point.'' Ciel brought a finger up to his chin, the sea wind pulling at his hair as he contemplated. ''But then again I don't have a tail.''

''At least let me try.'' Sebastian said, lifting himself up out of the water as high as he could to be close to the teenager. ''Please.''

Ciel rolled his eyes and sighed as he dipped his legs back into the cold water, once again giving in to the merman. ''...Fine.'' He relented, even he being able to deny his own desire to be close to the merman. He grabbed onto the edge of the tank and started lowering himself down further into the water. ''But you better not laugh or splash at me or you can get your own fish from now on.'' He threatened, shivering as the cold water touched his naked chest.

Sebastian in the meantime, kept his distance and tongue to himself as Ciel entered the water. When the teen was chest-deep in water, he clung to the side of the tank like a life line, which Sebastian found to be extremely amusing. He didn't chuckle, however.

''So now what?'' Ciel asked with a harsher tone than was probably necessary. He was cold, and it had been well over a decade since he had been in water this deep, the last time being when he was only four. He and his family had gone to his aunt Angelina's house and Ciel had fallen off her deck into the lake while playing with his cousin, Lizzy. He had almost drowned that day in the icy Christmas waters, and even though his father quickly rescued him, trauma had already set it. He hadn’t been swimming ever since.

Ciel shivered again when Sebastian came close. The teen could smell the other male, an unexpected mixture of sea salt and something that he had never encountered before. But that just made the aroma all the more special, because this was Sebastian's.

''Give me your hands.'' Sebastian said softly and Ciel looked at the merman for a few moments before obeying. The merman pulled Ciel off of the wall towards him, placing his hands under the teenager's arms. Ciel grabbed onto the raven's upper arms as they went, feeling Sebastian's strong muscles while simultaneously trying to commit this moment to memory.

''Are you alright so far?'' Sebastian asked quietly, stopping them in the middle of the tank. Ciel's skin felt a lot different from his, softer and less smooth. He tightened his grip on the boy slightly.

''I'm fine.'' The teen said begrudgingly, feeling the tips of his ears flush.

''Okay.'' Sebastian smiled, moving Ciel into an appropriate position to start his lesson. ''Then let us begin.''

As it turned out, Ciel actually remembered more about swimming than he originally thought as his mind never truly forgot how to swim. In fact, after a good hour swimming with Sebastian, the teen required no assitance...except when going under water. No matter his technique, he always ended up coughing. But other than that, Sebastian gave him his blessing as a certified basic swimmer. The merman could go further with his lessons, but they were pressed for time right now because it was almost that hour when the teen disappeared downstairs to get some rest.

''Excellent Ciel.'' Sebastian clapped his hands once and smile. ''You are a natural.'' He said, almost sad that the deckhand wouldn't be clinging to him for support anymore...

''That wasn't what you said earlier'' Ciel huffed, pushing his wet bangs out of his face. He grimaced when he felt the slimy fabric of his soaked eye patch.

Sebastian saw the black piece of fabric show itself from behind the boy's bangs and swam over to Ciel, a sudden urge overcoming him. The deckhand raised an eyebrow at the approach but otherwise didn't protes. ''What is it?'' Ciel asked, blinking when Sebastian hesitantly reached out toward him.

Ciel tensed when he felt Sebastian reach behind him and pull at the string to his eye patch, remembering first dream he had of them together. He let Sebastian pull the patch off, and slowly opened his right eye to look at the merman fully. He could feel its fabric run down his leg as it sunk to the bottom.

Silence fell upon them as Sebastian traced a finger slowly under Ciel's newly exposed eye, causing a shiver to travel up the human's spine. Ciel grabbed the raven's wrist in his hand suddenly, stopping the movement. Sebastian opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. The raven didn't even know himself why he was acting this way.

Ciel could feel Sebastian's erratic heart beat from the pulse on the merman's wrist and the teen swallowed when he realized that his heart was going just as crazy. ''...I apologize.'' Sebastian finally said, reluctantly tugging on his wrist and moving to leave the teen's personal space.

Confliction shown on Ciel’s face as he held onto Sebastian's wrist tighter and pulled the merman against his chest. Blue eyes stared into red as if they held all the answers, before Ciel moved. Becoming weak to the moment, the human wrapped an arm around Sebastian's waist and grabbed the back of his head, forcing their lips to come together in a tender kiss.

Sebastian's wine-red colored eyes widened as he felt Ciel move his lips against his, gently trying to coax the raven to do the same. The merman’s expression shifted in confusion before the raven hesitantly slipped an arm around the teen's chest and tangled his other hand into wet hair. He moved his lips slowly against Ciel's, mimicking the teen’s movements. He felt the arm around his waist tighten and Sebastian groaned at the feeling.

Ciel rubbed his thumb over Sebastian's hip in slow circles, his fingers brushing up against the merman's silver scales with no hesitation. He felt as if he should be in heaven, but be damned all the same. He would live with it, if only he could keep this memory. The teen cupped the side of the raven's face with his other hand as he ran his tongue over the merman's bottom lip, silently asking for permission to enter.

Sebastian slowly allowed himself to be coaxed into opening his mouth, this being a new experience for him, but not an unpleasant one. He heard Ciel moan when their tongues finally met with each other and the merman pulled at the other's hair wanting to hear it again.

But all too soon, the two had to pull away, leaving one of them panting for air. The teen rested his forehead upon Sebastian's shoulder, heart beating wildly as he came to realize his actions. He kissed Sebastian. He kissed Sebastian, and the merman liked it, if the way he was now stroking Ciel's hair was any clue. The deckhand could practically hear his conscience screaming at him, but he would deal with those thoughts later, when the merman wasn't stroking the side of his leg with his silver tail.

Ciel shivered and moved to pull Sebastian in for another kiss, when his eyes caught sight of the clock hanging just above the tank. He sighed, wrapping both arms around the raven's waist now and hugging him tightly. He was supposed to have gone downstairs and wake Claude up half an hour ago.

Sebastian noticed the teen’s sudden change and followed his gaze up to the clock, remembering that when it looked like that, it was time for Ciel to go and for someone else to take his place. The merman sighed as well.

''I got to go.'' Ciel said after a while before releasing the merman with great hesitance.

Sebastian said nothing as he reluctantly let him go, watching him lock the top of the tank with a somber expression.

Ciel climbed down the ladder and suddenly pressed his right hand flat against the tank. Sebastian raised an eyebrow at this and placed his hands up against the glass, mirroring the action. ''Sebastian...'' The teen started hesitantly. ''I apologize for-''

''Don't.'' Sebastian cut him off, his signature smirk in place. ''I rather enjoyed it.'' He said and Ciel smiled at him softly in response.

''I'll see you tomorrow.''

''I will be here.'' Sebastian said, letting his hand slide down the glass slowly.

''I know...'' Ciel said, sighing as he turned to leave with the ladder in hand. ''That's what bothers me...''

The next day had Sebastian in a much better mood. Ciel had actually forgotten his eye patch last night and the merman had spent the better part of the morning playing with the dark fabric before the teen demanded that he give it back.

Sebastian sighed as he watched the teen wring out his patch. ''You ruin all my fun.'' He said, already missing the feel of the fabric. ''Why must you be such a stick in the sand?''

''I wasn't a 'stick in the sand' last night.'' Ciel shot back, smirking when Sebastian paused. The teen put his eye patch down to dry in the sun and then stretched his arms over his head. He hadn't gotten any sleep last night, his thoughts a little too…preoccupied.

The merman crossed his arms and looked away. ''Yes well...I suppose that you weren't.'' He mumbled softly but Ciel heard him and walked closer to the tank so that they were face to face.

The two smiled softly at each other and Ciel was about to say something, reaching toward the glass, when Meyrin ran past them both with a determined gait. Her unusually graceful steps made him pause, his eyes widening.

''What's the matter?” Sebastian asked as Grell and Agni ran past as well, all three of them heading for the storage room.

Ciel didn’t have to answer. ''Whale! Off the port bow!'' Meyrin yelled stiffly, handing harpoons to the other whalers as Ash and Undertaker made their way to where she was.

'Oh no...' Ciel suddenly thought to himself, turning his eyes to Sebastian, who was watching the chaos with a confused gaze.

''Oh yes!'' Grell swooned as he put a hand to his forehead, watching the far off whale spout water from his blow hole. ''I have been dying to test out this puppy!'' He said triumphantly, twirling his all red harpoon in the air.

''Hee Hee you shall have to wait, I wager.'' Undertaker said from behind him, that creepy smile on his face. ''I call first blood.''

''Stop fighting and let us board the boats.'' Ash commanded, taking lead of the situation. ''We have a job to do, people!''

'Ciel...' Said teen tore his eyes away from the whaler's preparing for battle to look at Sebastian, who was frowning. He communicated to the deckhand telepathically so as not to draw attention, though it probably wouldn't have mattered at this point. Everyone on board was in a frenzy. 'What is going on?'

Ciel hesitated to answer...

~Random Short~ (Inspired by 'Can I have Your Numba' from MadTV)

Sebastian sighed to himself as he watched the kittens play in their cage through a window at Petco. Cats really are wonderful creatures. He stood straight and checked his pocket watch to find that he had just enough time to purchase his master's cake before heading back to the mansion.

''Oh My!~''

Sebastian blinked at the random exclamation from someone and turned around. He lifted an eyebrow when he saw no one before shrugging and heading off to the bakery.

''Ooooohh Mmyyyy!!~ What a goooorrrggeeeouuuss maaaann!~''

Sebastian looked behind him and finally caught a glimpse of a red headed figure riding a hobby horse in the playground down on the other side of the street. He quickly looked away and kept on walking.

''Okay...Okay...''

Sebastian sighed when he heard the annoying voice fade. He had nearly made it to the bakery when said redhead popped out of nowhere next to him, causing the butler to let out an unmanly yelp in surprise.

''Hello Bassy~!'' Grell beamed, grabbing onto the butler's arm. ''Can I talk with you for a minute?''

''No.'' Sebastian said and took his arm out of the reaper's grip. He sighed when Grell just clung to his side instead.

''I just wanted to let you know Se-bast-ian.'' He emphasized the syllables of the raven's name with pokes to his side. ''That your ass is redicalous.'' Sebastian looked down at the redhead with a disgusted look upon his face. ''I could roast marshmallows on that sweet booty!~''

Sebastian shivered and ripped away before Grell could grope him on that particular part of his body. ''Uh...thank you?'' He said, not really knowing what else to say in this situation.

''You are most welcome Bassy!~'' Grell said and then disappeared as fast as he had shown up.

''...Whatever.'' Sebastian dismissed before heading over to the bakery. The display cakes in the windows were at a lower level than what he could see properly so he bent over slightly to get a better view.

The demon nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt someone press their front against his raised behind.

''So where's your boyfriend, Sebby?'' Grell asked, smiling sweetly at Sebastian, who jerked away from him.

''I...who?'' Sebastian asked, placing a hand to his racing heart. How the hell did he do that??

''You know, your boyfriend. Your master. Your little twat? Where your master at? Is he getting you refreshments? Is he getting you guys comdams? Does he like to be protected? Does it feel better for the both of you if you are protectad? Is he getting snickers? Oh you like snickers? Is he coming back? Where your master at?''

''First of all my master is not my boyfriend.'' Sebastian said, overwhelmed with all the questions.

''Oh he isn't? Oh alright that's cool.'' Grell said before Sebastian could answer any more of his questions. ''So listen.'' Sebastian frowned when the redhead invaded his personal space. Grell licked his lips, making crazy eyes at the demon. ''Can I have your numbah, Bassy? Can I have it? Can you give me the secret code that would be considered your gorgeous ass number?'' He pleaded, moving ever closer to the demon.

“Ahem.” The two turned to the intruding voice to find Ciel standing there carrying Pluto’s leash.

“Oh hey buttmunch. How about you move along, I’ve busy mackin on this fine piece of-Hey!” When Grell turned to look back at Sebastian, he was gone. He gasped, “My hunky babe!”

“I’ve had enough of this. Pluto. Sick em.” The giant animal lifted it’s head in excitement as Ciel said this. The master let his leash go and he bounded forward after the red reaper. Grell screamed as he ran, beautiful tears running down his face as Pluto bit his wig off.

Ciel couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched them go. He turned to the side as he felt Sebastian come to stand next to him. “So, that was-“ He started to tease but Sebastian cut him off.

“We will never speak of this again.”

Notes:

Hey guys, yea I know it’s been a while but I just moved and started school, so yea it’s been a bit crazy but things have slowed down now so I figured that I would work on this some more. As always, since I am in school I can’t guarantee that the next update will be soon, but I am trying my best.

For those waiting for A Daughter’s Yearning, I will begin working on that again soon, and hopefully have it out not too far in the future. Thanks everyone for all the love and the reviews and I hope that you enjoyed! Ja ne!

~Migoto Nami

Notes:

Hey guys! So this is the revised version of my fic under the same name that is posted on fanfiction.net. I decided to revise this fic to give myself some content on this new account and also to remind myself of just how far I've come as a writer by going back and revamping my works.

As such, any feedback will be greatly appreciated and feel free to message me with any questions or comments. As always, I hope you enjoyed! Ja ne!

~Migoto Nami

#black butler fanfiction

0 notes

mommymooze · 3 years

Text

Can You See What is Growing Before Your Eyes?

seteth & Flayn, Reader & Flayn, Seteth X Reader

Sitting on the fishing dock as the sunset blazes across the skies, it is quiet and peaceful in the monastery. You can almost imagine there is not a war going on, that the Imperial army isn’t marching towards your location to attack you and your friends who have arrived for the Millennium festival. Your thoughts are peaceful as you observe the rose and orange colored skies reflected in the pond Your bobber floats motionless on the calm waters.

“Are the fish biting?” Flayn calls from the far side of the water.

Just as she speaks your bobber begins to twitch. You hold up a finger with one hand as you grasp your pole more firmly in the other. Watching, waiting, suddenly the red and white float goes under, you jerk the line, hooking the fish. It is a short battle, the bullhead gives up quickly.

“It’s about average.” You answer as you look over your basket. “I have 15 fish, so after a few more I will bring them to the kitchens.”

“How are you able to catch such an abundant amount? My brother and I would be here for half a day or more and still not catch that quantity.” Flayn chides, her hands on her hips.

“If I had any fishing secrets, I would not hesitate to share them with you and Seteth.” You smile.

“Perhaps I shall watch you and learn of your mysterious technique.” Flayn decides, sitting on an empty crate nearby.

Retrieving and rebaiting your hook, you toss it back into the water, causing ripples to spread across the pond. You sit, still as a statue. Out of the corner of your eye you watch Flayn switch the position of her legs, then look around, fix her hair, and otherwise appear bored. You have not moved, except to shoo a bug from getting close to your eye. Even that movement was performed slowly and silently.

The bobber twitches in the water, moves left, stops briefly and heads right. It becomes halfway submerged, only to pop back up again immediately. You do not move. It begins moving away from your position. Just as it submerges you yank the line and are fighting the hooked fish. The fish jumps, trying to get away, however you keep steady with your pull on the line, hauling it closer to the dock.

“A golden fish!” Flayn excitedly laughs.

Hauling your catch close to the dock, you grab the fish by its jaw, remove the hook and secure it in your bucket.

“That one will pay for the accompaniments to an excellent fish stew!” You announce, beginning to pack up your fishing equipment.

“I did not see anything special about your technique. You used a worm and I saw no special powder or magic cast upon it. Strange.” Flayne ponders.

“First, you must learn to be one with the water. If it is still, you must be still. If it moves, you can move. The fish will be disturbed by your wiggling, especially on the dock.” You share your wisdom with the lovely young lady.

“I will have to tell my brother of this discovery, and that we will be having a fine fish stew this evening. Thank you!”

Selling your fish in the market, you take the rest to the kitchens. The cooks are thrilled to be able to provide a hearty and protein filled meal to the masses, there will be enough to go around. More and more people are arriving at the monastery to assist with the war efforts.

After returning your belongings to your quarters you head to the Cathedral to give prayers of thanks. Thanks for the food today, for so many willing to help defend the church, for the return of so many students and for the return of Professor Byleth. Now that they are back, hopefully they can lead the church and Blue Lions to victory. Your mind falters at that, observing the wounded and broken man that Dimitri has become. You watch as the Professor approaches him, trying to speak to him, trying to get him to eat. The conversation is one sided. Dimitri says nothing. Your eyes go wide as he leaps at the Professor and throws them against a stone column, then returns to his place at the crumbled goddess statue.

Without thinking you run to Byleth’s side. You are well within Dimitri’s range, but your focus is Byleth. Their head is bleeding, and they are moaning. Quickly you heal the head wound. It is not deep, however there is a lot of blood. You struggle to drag them further from Dimitri to a safer part of the Cathedral.

“Professor, can you hear me? Please?” You whisper to them, your voice shaking. They’ve just returned from being gone for five years, it would be horrible to lose them again so soon.

The professor shakes their head. “I am okay. He caught me off guard.” They answer as you help them to their feet.

“Can I take you to the infirmary? Do you have pain elsewhere?” You anxiously ask as they lean on you slightly while you hold their arm, walking to the pews.

“I am alright.” They nod. “My head was hit. I may have a bruise or two, nothing that will not be fine by tomorrow.”

“If you are sure. There is no need to suffer with pain if we can help.” You smile.

Professor Byleth heads back to the bridge leaving the Cathedral, refusing your offer to accompany them. You remain, offering further prayers for Byleth’s health and healing for Dimitri.

You return to the infirmary, your home away from home. Manuela is no longer here, she sided with the Empire. Being thrust into the position of one of the main healers, you remain out of battle, dealing with the injured soldiers. Before the war you worked your shifts in the infirmary, Manuela handled the serious cases.

When the war started, everyone fled the monastery. You packed more books on healing and treatments than you did clothes. Seteth encouraged you to lead the healers for the Knights of Seiros. Every place you travel, you consult with other healers in the area, trying to increase your knowledge as well as theirs. You hope you are adequately filling the shoes he sets forth.

At the infirmary desk you pull out the file for Byleth and make a note regarding todays treatment. When the Knights of Seiros returned to the monastery, you were happy to find many of the medical notes still here. Thieves must not have a use for them. All potions, salves, bandages, and lotions were gone. You have been working with several other clerics building up your inventory.

A sudden knocking brings your attention to the door of the infirmary.

“Greetings. I see you have no patients today, I hope everything is well.“ Seteth bows.

You look up at the handsome man in the doorway. “Good afternoon, Seteth. Byleth was injured by Dimitri earlier. If you see them, make certain they are not hiding any injuries I was unable to find.”

Seteth nods, “I understand your concerns. There are many that take care and have themselves treated properly. Then there are others, I understand your concerns.” He smiles, “Flayn said you were fishing earlier.”

“Yes. I am not a hunter, however I do want to do my part to keep the food stores filled. An army marches on its stomach.” You answer as you file papers in the cabinet.

“Flayn advises you are considerably successful at fishing. Perhaps I can join you and observe your techniques.” Seteth smiles, it makes him even more handsome.

“I am no master fisherman. Flayn simply is not patient, she can’t hold still.” You laugh. “I have seen you fishing with Alois. You would be more successful if he was not there, he is rather boisterous.”

“True. I suppose I like to fish because it is relaxing. These are stressful times. I do hope you are taking care of yourself too.” Seteth answers, a bit of authority creeping back into his voice.

“Noted, sir.” You nod, then begin to unpack dressings and filling the cabinets.

“I am asking you to take care of yourself as a friend. We have worked together for these many years. I’ve seen you exhaust yourself taking care of the knights.”

“War is not conducive to sleep. I will sleep when the war is over.” You chuckle. “Besides, when I finally do leave to find rest, I notice there is still candlelight coming through the windows of your office. Perhaps you should lead by example, my friend.”

“Touche!” He chortles. “I will put in further effort.” Seteth nods, returning to his office.

You treat minor cuts and bruises the remainder of the afternoon. Flayn stops by and asks you to join her for dinner. After all, you were the one that provided the ingredients for this evening’s meal. You promise to meet her after restocking the supplies.

In the dining hall you take your bowl of fish soup and look for Flayn. She is sitting next to her brother and waving for you to join them. You take a seat opposite them. She is easily excited.

“I am so happy that you are able to join us.” Flayn smiles.

“It is important to keep your body healthy and nourished.” You nod and smile softly at Seteth. You are happy to see him in the dining hall. He has had too many meals in his office, overworking himself.

“Yes. An army runs on its stomach, and it is important for everyone to eat properly, especially those that support the army.” Seteth tells Flayn, encouraging her to eat.

“Does that mean I can have seconds, brother?” She asks, sucking in her cheeks a bit to appear more undernourished.

“Only after everyone else has had a portion.” He waves his spoon around the room at the other diners.

Flayn pouts.

Observing her sad face, you have an idea. “If you would like, we can fish tomorrow early in the morning and hopefully catch more for a fine fish dinner.” You pat her hand that is resting on the table.

Flayn’s face now wears a huge smile. “Really? I am excited! You can teach me more fishing techniques. Oh brother! Maybe you can join us?” Both of you look at him, a hopeful smile on your faces.

Seteth’s brow furrows. “I will have to check my schedule. I will see if I can make the time.”

The next morning you get up at dawn to head to the woods, digging up earthworms and grubs for bait. The ground is still moist from the rains and the worms are close to the surface. You have plenty for everyone, including Byleth, who you share bait with frequently. They buy bait from the merchants when they are out, and every coin is needed for the war.

The day is slightly windy, causing the water to dance on the pond. The sunlight sparkles on the surface as the sun rises higher in the sky. Flayn joins you. Instructing her on proper baiting of the hook you remind her to sit as still as possible. You sit far enough apart to softly talk, yet not interfere with each other’s quest for fish.

Flayn has been listening attentively, her basket of fish is proof of her improvement. She brings a fish to you that has swallowed the hook and you show her how to use a tool you’ve made that will help loosen it. Instructing how to slide her hand down the fish so she will not be pricked by the fins, then use the tool to release the hook. Suddenly a shadow is blocking the sunlight over your shoulder.

“Good morning, brother. We are having a marvelous time fishing!” Flayne giggles.

“I can see that. You both have a surprisingly large catch. Perhaps there are many secrets you can pass along to us.” He smiles at you. That is a very handsome look on his face.

“I would be happy to help.” You smile as Flayn puts her fish in her basket and baits her hook for the next catch. “I have a nice collection of worms today, help yourself.” You point to the can.

“Hmm.” Seteth frowns. “Would you mind giving me pointers on how to set the bait? My wife usually baited the hooks. I can manage with some things, but worms are tricky.”

“I understand. My father would set my bait when I was little. I was afraid of the wiggly bugs and worms. Though he is gone, I will pass along his techniques. It is a good way of remembering him.” You take a worm and quietly show him how to set the worm on the hook, leaving the end close to the barb of the hook to wiggle.

“I always make sure the barb is just through the end there, touching it but not piercing your finger. There. You’re ready to go.” You smile as you let loose the hook and it dangles and spins in the air.

“Appreciated.” Seteth smiles. The relaxed look on his face is a sight to behold.

You cast your line into the water and wait. Flayn is to your right trying very hard to be still. Seteth is to your left, taking a seat on a crate after casting his line in the water. Flayn’s bobber starts to wiggle. You hear her stifle a noise, trying to remain quiet. Suddenly her bobber goes under, she pulls her pole back.

“I have one. Oh, it feels heavy!” Flayn excitedly giggles as she works to haul the fish to land.

You lean to the edge of the pond, grabbing the fish as soon as she has it out of the water. “That certainly is a large fish. I think that fills your basket this morning!” You laugh.

She puts her fish away and gives you a huge hug. “You have taught me so well. I’m going to take these to the kitchen right away. I feel like a successful fisherwoman!” she grins.

“You are an excellent student. What an amazing haul!” You laugh, watching her struggle with her heavy container of fish.

Seteth now gasps as he hooks a fish. You grab the fish by the side of the mouth when he gets it to shore.

“Oh my, it’s swallowed your hook. That’s the fourth time today. They must be really hungry to gobble them down so quickly.” You mutter, heading to your tackle box to grab your tool to remove the hook.

“You can retrieve the hook? I usually have to cut the line and tie on a new one.” Seteth is happily surprised.

You call him closer as you follow the line into the fish’s mouth. You hand him the tool and instruct him as he uses it to free the hook. He stands much closer to you than he normally does. He smells like myrrh, cinnamon, and ginger.

“That was certainly educational today.” Seteth smiles. “Thank you for your instruction.”

“Any time.” You smile softly. “The company was very enjoyable.”

A week later Seteth invites you for tea in his office. Checking the calendar, you note that next week everyone will leave for battle, so he must want to review final plans. You arrive at his door at the exact appointed time, holding several folders of paperwork that he may find useful to allay his concerns.

Seteth invites you inside and gestures to the table by the windows that is set for tea.

His desk is piled high with folders, stacks of letters to be sealed, parchment and inkwells randomly scattered amongst his work. Mounds of opened letters fill the box on one corner of the desk while multiple completed replies occupy a box on the other side.

“Is that paperwork for me?” He appears to be surprised at the bundle in your hands.

“I thought you may want to discuss the inventories and preparations being made for our upcoming march.” You respond shyly. The last thing you want to do is provide more work for him.

Seteth takes the folders from you and places them on a nearby table. “Actually, I have the greatest trust in you and would only speak to you about it if you need my guidance. Please, take a seat and join me for tea.” He gestures to the table and chairs by the window.

Taking your seat, you pull the cloth napkin to your lap. You feel a bit nervous. He has only asked you to his office to discuss matters of the church or war. This is your first purely social visit.

Seteth pours the tea, handing you tongs to take a sweet treat from the basket.

“Apologies, I do not know your favorite tea. I hope you do not mind Four Spice Blend.” He smiles softly as he takes his seat, making certain his chair is at a proper gentlemanly distance from you.

“I drink Four Spice in the cooler weather, the flavor seems to warm me from within.” You return the smile. This must be the excitement the students feel when Professor Byleth invites them to tea.

“I am glad you enjoy it.” Seteth hums. “I have been having conversations with Felix lately about the importance of friends in our lives. I then realized that I have been negligent myself in not taking time to visit with my friends.”

“I am delighted to call you my friend, of course. We have worked together for these many years, but we have not made proper time to simply chat.”

“I am making an effort to correct that mistake, starting today.” Seteth nods and takes a sip of tea. “Do tell me about yourself, what books you like to read, what are your hobbies?”

You chat back and forth until the tea has grown exceedingly cold, exchanging tidbits of knowledge into who each of you are as a person. You speak of the books you’ve read recently and share impressions you have on your allies.

“This has been simply fascinating. A fantastic break from work. I feel very refreshed,” Seteth smiles. “I have learned quite a bit about you and your many talents.”

“I feel the same! I have learned so much about you as well. Thank you for inviting me to a very lovely tea.” You stand and reach for your paperwork.

“Perhaps we can make it a weekly occurrence, to make certain we have the time to check on each other,” He offers.

“Fantastic. I would enjoy it immensely.” You are beaming with happiness as you head out the door. Your heart skips a beat as you head down the hallway. You don’t mind that there are a few patients impatiently waiting inside the infirmary.

It is a few weeks before you can have another quiet tea together. Travel and battle do not allow for much time to socialize. Your hands are full setting up the infirmary tents, organizing the clerics, making certain the army has well stocked bandages and potions for the fighters.

Flayn is going to be on the field for the battle and you worry over her as she finishes attaching the last pieces of her armor. She comes to speak with you frequently, discussing a few adult matters that she is not confident with confiding in her brother.

“Watch out for arrows, if you are hurt, fly straight to the infirmary. Your brother would never forgive me if I cannot get you back into perfect health as soon as possible.” You kiss her on the forehead and send her off to her wyvern. You have become quite close friends and say a silent prayer for her safety. She reminds you of your younger siblings that you raised when your mother passed away.

Now you are standing at the edge of camp, watching what little you can see of the battle. Seteth and Flayn are flying close together on their wyverns, protecting each other. You send a quick prayer for their safety as you head back into the infirmary tent, injured fighters are already arriving.

Wrapping a bandage to a soldiers arm you’ve completed stitching and healing, you hear a wyvern’s roar outside the tent. Running to the front of the tent, Flayn is guiding her brother’s wyvern to the ground next to hers. Seteth is nearly unconscious as you hurry to lift him from the saddle. You have no idea where your strength comes from as you carry him into the infirmary and place him on an examination table. You’ve carried unconscious soldiers before, but Seteth is very solidly built.

Flayn dashes in behind you, filling you in on what happened. “He was hit by a lightning bolt. His wyvern was hit as well, but it dealt with the hit better than he did. I think it was because of the arrows he had taken prior that had weakened him.”

“Help me get his robes off.” You quickly instruct her.

She helps remove his robes and armor as you strip him to his undershirt and trousers. His pants are ruined by two arrows, you cut them off just above the arrow in his thigh and around the other in his calf. Neither of the projectiles are close to arteries, however the one in his thigh is very deep into the muscle. It seems to take forever to remove the arrowhead from leg. You had to cut tissue and pull his flesh out of the way. Finally, you work faith magic deep into the torn tissues, encouraging the flesh to bind back together.

Flayn works on his shoulder where the burns from the lightning strike entered his body. Luckily it traveled down his arm and exited close to his hand. You heal what you can of the burns for now, they will need further attention later.

Two strong soldiers help lift Seteth onto a stretcher, moving him to his tent. Gently you guide him on to his bed with Flayn’s assistance and she stays to watch over him. Before you leave, you examine her for any injuries, healing even the smaller cuts, knowing her brother would not be pleased to waken and see she was not treated.

Returning to the infirmary you triage the incoming soldiers. The new casualties begin to dwindle and those that are well enough leave for dinner. You make certain those that can eat do so. You then proceed to check on Seteth.

Standing at the entrance on the tent you announce yourself. Flayn beckons you to come in. Flayn is sitting in a chair, knitting a sock as she quietly sits by his side.

“I am so happy that you taught me how to knit. It is keeping my hands and mind busy so I do not hover over him so much. He has been sleeping peacefully since he was brought here.” Flayn updates you.

Leaning over the cot that Seteth is silently sleeping on, you check his vitals then his wounds to make certain he has not bled through the bandages. You’ve noticed his and Flayn’s heartrate are not the same as others. There are a few things you have seen over the years that sets them apart from the others. You keep these things to yourself, honoring their privacy.

Looking over at Flayn you smile reassuringly. “Would you like to go visit with your friends a bit? Promise me you will stay right in the middle of camp. No going off anywhere or your brother will have my head. I’m sure you want to check on them as well. When the sound the night bell, be back here very quickly. “

She gasps with excitement, “Yes! Thank you so much.” She hurriedly packs away her knitting and runs from the tent.

Remaining by Seteth’s side, you heal the electrical burns to his shoulder and hand. Exhausted, you doze lightly in the chair with a blanket over your legs and your hand resting on his chest. If he makes the slightest movement your eyes are wide open and you observe him for any discomfort.

Flayn returns a few hours later, tired and happy that she could visit with everyone. She kisses Seteth on the head and tells you good night just as he wakens.

Opening his eyes, his first sight is her. “Flayn!” He gasps. “You are alright.” His eyes close and he visibly relaxes for a moment.

“She is fine. A few minor scratches. Absolutely nothing compared to your injuries.” You pat your hand on his chest.

Seteth moves, attempting to sit up. He shifts his legs then grimaces with pain. With you pushing him back into his cot, he finally settles back into a prone position.

“You were hit by two arrows and then lightning. How you managed to keep perched on your wyvern is a miracle. Flayn brought you back. The battle is long over, you need to rest.” You answer his questions before he can ask them.

“I am happy to see you are recovering. Good night, brother.” Flayn calls as she heads out into the night air to her tent.

“Please tell me if you have any pain. I will help you sit up to have something to drink after I heal you further. I can get you anything you need, food, water, just name it.”

“I feel extremely fatigued, like every muscle in my body has been worked to exhaustion,” he quietly answers. “I only felt pain when I tried to move my leg. You have done a wonderful job, thank you.”

“You are a good patient. Let me change the bandages on your leg and then sit you up to have a drink. You should sleep and let the healing take full hold.” Taking your basket of fresh bandages and healing salves you move to the other side of his cot and begin unwrapping his wounds. Cleansing and applying further deep healing to his leg, you wrap it with fresh, clean dressings.

Taking a waterskin in hand, you help him sit up enough to drink nearly two cups of water. You take a handkerchief to dab his lips.

“There was a significant amount of blood loss. Drinking plenty of fluids will help you replenish them. I’ll make sure you eat a high amount of protein tomorrow for breakfast.”

“Thank you,” Seteth whispers as he lies back and closes his eyes. You pat his chest and he takes your hand in his. You are relieved that he is too tired to notice a slight blush on your cheeks.

Seteth awakens in the morning to the smell of bacon and eggs. You carefully help him to sit up.

“Flayn is in the infirmary tent, helping with those she can.” You begin. “They are tearing down camp and we will be headed back to the monastery soon. Do you need me to help you get a change of clothes? You will need new pants, I had to cut the others to get to your injuries. I can send someone to assist you if you prefer.”

“Let me see if I can stand, perhaps I can manage on my own.” Seteth slowly sits himself up and swings his legs off the cot. You reach outside the tent, then turn around and hand him a training lance.

“This should help you keep steady on your feet for now.“ You say while hovering over him as he takes a few cautious steps to the chair next to the table. Once he is seated you make certain he has fresh water to go with his food.

Back at the monastery you currently have four patients in the infirmary. Riding in the back of a wagon did not help their conditions much and it takes considerable time to heal and stabilize them until you feel that they are settled and without pain.

Flayn appears in front of your desk as you document the charts. “Are you finished with the patients?” She asks sweetly.

“For now. I will have someone monitoring them throughout the night and wake me if their conditions worsen.” You answer as you finish making an entry.

“Good!” Flayn takes you by the arm and pulls you down the hallway to Seteth’s office. Pulling you inside, you see the table set for three. The smell of the delicious dinner is heavenly, you’ve not eaten for many hours. Seteth is already seated at the table

“Please excuse me for not standing.” Seteth blushes slightly

You laugh. “I would be angry if you did. You’re keeping the leg propped up. Excellent.” You see that his color is good, he is healing well. You give a huge sigh of relief.

Flayn guides you to the seat next to him and she sits across from her brother. While the meal progresses, Flayn tells her point of view of the battle and how the Professor led them all to victory.

“This is quite a happy surprise. An excellent dinner and amazing company. I could not ask for more. Thank you both for having me.” You look greatly pleased.

“It is the least we could do to thank you for your excellent care,” Seteth assures. “You have been working nonstop since the battle. When you are finished, Flayn will escort you to your room and you will sleep. The healers here have been under your watchful eye and will take good care of the wounded. We need you to take time to care for yourself.”

“Yes. I will sleep and you should as well. I’m sending Flayn back to check on you. If she finds you working at the desk, I’ll run up here and bring a stick with me to chase you out.” You laugh.

Seteth chuckles. “I do not wish to incur your wrath. I promise to head straight for bed after dinner.”

“Should I change your bandages while I am here?” You ask.

“I did not invite you here to work. Flayn will aid me.” He nods to her.

Flayn suddenly interrupts. “I really should get the dishes back to the kitchens, you know how they can be. Perhaps it would be best that she escorts you to your room and check you this evening. This will probably take me a few trips.” Flayn says as she hurriedly stacks the plates, cups, and cutlery together and heads out the door.

“Do you have salves and bandages in your room? Should I pop by the infirmary for some?” You inquire.

“You had best get them. I know Flayn has some in her room, however I am not certain that I have any myself. I will meet you at the stairs, we can go up together.” He answers as he reaches for a cane to keep himself steady.

You observe Seteth as you follow him up the stairs, he is being especially careful and favoring his leg. He unlocks the door to his room on the third floor. You try not to let the curiosity get the best of you. Briefly glancing about, his quarters are pristine. Comfortable and heavy furniture come into view as he lights a candelabra.

“Would you prefer to change your bandages on the couch or your bed.” You ask.

“The bed I suppose,” he sighs as he leads you to his bedroom.

“Do you have a spare towel in the bathroom? I want to make certain nothing gets onto your bedclothes.”

“Of course, there is a basket by the door.” He gestures to the open door.

Retrieving a towel, you return to his side. Seteth is seated on his bed, his back propped by his pillows. His pants are removed from the wounded leg, the other covered by his blanket.

Raising his leg, you carefully place the towel underneath. You observe his grimace out of the corner of your eye.

“Which wound hurts more, the one in your calf or the one in your thigh?”

“The thigh. That one was quite deep,” Seteth answers, slightly gritting his teeth.

Unwrapping both injuries they appear to be healing well, the scarring is pink, not red at the edges, no signs of infection or bleeding. You slightly lift his lower leg, asking him to move his foot different directions. Turning your attention to the healing injury on his thigh you begin pouring faith magic into the muscles, knitting the torn tissue further together bit by bit. Massaging the muscles around the wound you flex his knee. The healing is progressing quite well.

Briefly you glance to his face, his eyes are closed, he appears relaxed. You are blushing again. His muscles are perfect, his thighs well-toned. Taking a deep breath, you pull your brain back into your professional mindset.

“Any other pain? Any lingering tingling from the lightning in your arm?” You softly ask. “You have walked on that leg too much today. Limping around on a cane will cause pain in your hand and arm as well as throwing off your gait and leading to lower back pain. I’ve done what I can today. I would like to treat your thigh injury one more time tomorrow.” You turn away to gather the soiled bandages and cool the steamy thoughts in your head.

“You are worrying too much. I will be fine.” Seteth answers. He sounds sleepy, which is relieving. You make certain he has a glass of water on his nightstand before you leave.

You make your way back downstairs. Flayn is taking the last of the dishes back to the kitchens. You wish her a good night and tell her to fetch you if you are needed. Once she is out of sight you head to the infirmary to check on the patients. The night cleric is relieved to see you, a soldier woke up and fell trying to get out of bed, undoing quite a bit of the work everyone had put into him. A few hours later you leave the heavily sedated patient, hoping they will retain the use of their arm.

The next day you find yourself being scolded by Flayn when she finds your bowl of oatmeal is still half full on your desk and it is already lunchtime. You are too busy working on the soldier’s reinjured shoulder to eat.

“Stop this at once!” Flayn stamps her foot for good measure. I am hereby relieving you of your duty and sentencing you to complete bedrest until tomorrow.

You turn around to argue with her, however two knights are gently taking you by the arms and leading you from the infirmary to your room. As you close your door behind you, you can hear Flayn giving them orders to stand guard and not let you leave until tomorrow morning.

Your head is pounding as you reach for a glass of water. Being told to take your own medicine is quite the bitter pill to swallow. It is reassuring that the soldier should be fine and rest is the best thing for you now.

The next day Flayn apologizes for her mutiny. Instead of being angry with her, you give her a huge hug and thank her for her bravery. You invite her to bake cookies together later, perhaps some ginger snaps, since her brother may like the flavor.

Meeting Flayn in the kitchens she confesses, “Everyone says I am a bad cook. Before the war I cooked a dish so bad only Dimitri and Raphael would eat it.” She pouts.

“It is not that you are bad at cooking. You simply do not understand the why and because of it all.” You explain as you gather and measure the ingredients for the cookies.

“Butter for example.” You begin, “We’re not using it in this recipe, but many times softened butter is an ingredient in cookies. You can’t use cold butter, it won’t mix well with the sugar. If you melt the butter, it will mix with the sugar, however the consistency will be wrong. If you melt the butter too long, it will brown the butter, giving it a completely different taste. Leaving the butter in a slightly warm place for about 30 minutes should soften the butter enough to mix with the sugar and make a fluffy creamy mixture, perfect for many baked goods.”

“So cooking requires the ingredients to be in the correct state as well as quantity.” Flayn nods in understanding.

“Exactly! And you cannot always substitute items in a recipe. If you want to use a plum instead of a peach, that will not cause problems. However, if you use baking soda instead of baking powder, that may make your cookies or cake refuse to rise.”

“But they both are for baking and making it rise.” Flayn frowns.

“Would you substitute mandrake root for arrow root in a potion?” You ask.

“Goodness no! One has healing properties, the other is a poison!” Flayn shudders.

“Both are roots, both are powdered and about the same color. Always use the correct ingredient.” You nod encouragingly. “It is like brewing potions. The right ingredients in the right quantity will make someone sleep peacefully. Too much and they will be in a coma.”

“I am beginning to understand your instruction. One cannot substitute ingredients willy-nilly. You must have knowledge as to how they work together to understand the effects of changing the composition of the baked item.” Flayn smiles widely.

“Once you get the basics, with experience you will be able to change things in the recipe. Let’s go by the recipe today and experiment another time. So did you measure one cup of sugar or one cup of salt here?” You place the bowl in front of her.

“Um. I am uncertain.” Flayn blushes.

“Taste it.” You push the bowl closer to her.

Flayn takes a pinch between her fingers and puts it on her tongue. “Ew! That would have been horrible!” she gasps as she heads to the larder to obtain a cup of sugar, abandoning the cup of salt on the counter.

Later in the afternoon you join Seteth in his office for Angelica tea. You surprise him with a box of the ginger cookies baked earlier.

“Ginger cookies! I have not had one in quite some time.” Seteth eagerly grasps a couple with the tongs, putting them on his plate.

“Flayn made them this morning.” You smile.

Seteth’s smile falls from his face as his eyebrows furrow slightly. He looks back to see that his door is indeed closed. “You do know what her cooking is like, don’t you?” He whispers.

You laugh. “Really Seteth, I was with her the entire time. We had a very productive cooking session. You may be surprised. Go on, take a bite.”

Seteth brings the cookie to his lips as if he has been requested to bite the head off a viper. He stares down at the cookie for a second and sniffs it. It does not smell as if it is burnt. It smells of ginger and sweetness, which is unusual for a cookie baked by Flayn.

Finally, he opens his mouth and takes a bite, silently praying that his teeth do not break off by doing this. Instead, his teeth sink into the slightly soft, slightly chewy, perfectly baked cookie. The ginger mixed with the molasses and other spices meld together in his mouth in the most delightful and rewarding flavors. His eyes open wide as his lips pull into the sweetest smile.

“You are absolutely certain that Flayn made these? They are delicious!” Seteth gasps.

You nod. You are so proud of her right now. You wish she could see the look on Seteth’s face right now. It’s precious.

“I must thank her later. You are a miracle worker.” He reaches forward and takes your hand in his.

Your face feels as if it is on fire as it heats up with a blush. Taking your teacup you try to hide behind it as you watch Seteth reach for another cookie.

The infirmary tent is outside of Fort Merceus. You can hear the battle raging on the fortress above the wall. You’ve just finished treating the wounds of an armored Knight, closing the lance wound to his shoulder. Suddenly things are quiet. You then hear a strange whistling noise followed by an explosion. Rocks rain down from the skies, causing the large tent to collapse around you. Pain overwhelms you as the world suddenly becomes dark.

You jolt into consciousness. Sitting upright you grab your head as it throbs fiercely between your hands. Your fingers feel wet, they are covered with blood.

“Brother! She is awake!” you hear Flayn’s voice next to you. Bleary eyed you look over to her, it is difficult to focus through the pain.

Seteth kneels at the side of the cot, wrapping his arms gently around you. “I thought that we might lose you.”

You manage to reach your right arm toward, your left arm refuses to cooperate. Taking a few deep breaths, you calm yourself. Your head pounds mercilessly.

“What happened?” Your voice trembling, remembering the last things you saw.

“The Fortress is gone. It is nothing but rubble. Pillars of light came from the skies and caused explosions everywhere. An entire wall crumbled and crushed part of the infirmary. The battle is over, for now.” Seteth’s voice exudes sadness.

You sob uncontrollably into his shoulder. The loss of life must have been great. Slowly the flow of tears subsides.

“Here, you must drink something.” Seteth offers a waterskin.

You drink your fill. Your eyes are more focused now and you notice you are in Seteth’s tent. You open your mouth to speak, his finger covers your lips.

“You need to rest.” Seteth softly says as he holds a potion bottle for you to drink. You smell the bitterness of the sedative. Nodding your head, you drink the contents. He then lays you back on his cot.

You awaken to the sounds of birds chirping and soldiers walking through the camp. This time you are not nearly in as much pain as you were previously. Sitting up, you assess your injuries. Based on the wrappings and pain your left shoulder has been broken. You have multiple contusions on your arms and legs. Feeling your head, your hair has been washed and there are a few spots where cuts are healed.

You watch the tent flap open and Flayn brings two plates of breakfast to set on the table.

“I am glad you are awake. My brother is in the war council meeting. Let me help you walk over here and get something to eat.” Flayn’s smile is soft and encouraging.

As you both eat, she updates you on the status of the camp. The battle was won, then the Fort was attacked. They did lose two clerics and several soldiers when the tent was hit by debris. They repaired the infirmary tent and treatment of the wounded is ongoing. The soldiers are reorganizing, preparing for the march to Enbarr.

“I feel bad for stealing your brother’s bed.” You frown. You are unaccustomed to inconveniencing others, especially your wonderful friends.

“He slept on the floor next to you to make certain you did not wake up and head back to the infirmary.” Flayn giggles.

“He knows me well.” You nod.

“He hovered over you like a mother hen. He was very worried.” Flayn looks at you, her eyes seem to bore into you. “Do you like him?”

“Well, yes, I do. We have been friends for many years.” You answer, deciding that the eggs on your plate are very interesting so you stare at them. They stare back.

“You would make a great couple.” She giggles.

You almost choke on the food you are chewing. Grabbing a drink of water, you take a few gasps of air. “What makes you think that?” Your face is bright red, you can’t look her in the eye.

“I am getting pretty good at noticing these things. When things are difficult, you tend to find someone that you can lean on and support you. Dimitri and Marianne, Felix and Sylvain, Mercedes and Dedue. It is only natural. You and my brother watch out for each other, keep the other from overworking, make sure they eat properly. I think it is inevitable.” She grins and looks quite satisfied with herself.

Your brain goes into overdrive. “I spend a lot of time with you as well. Knitting, cooking, fishing.”

“Yes. However, you do not act romantically toward me, your attitude is more…hmmm,” Flayn puts a finger to her chin. “Motherly.”

“It is true that I am that way toward you. My mother passed not long after giving birth to my youngest brother. Father relied on me to help raise my siblings as I was the oldest. I see so much of my siblings in you. Your naivety, looking at the world through innocent eyes. I feel very protective of you and understand your brother’s concern. I also recognize his attitude of overprotectiveness. You are all he has left.” You pat her hand.

“True. I thank you for your support. He needs to learn and understand that I am no longer a little girl.” Flayn pouts, slightly ruining her ‘I am an adult’ speech.

“Perhaps you should speak with him. Have a heart to heart conversation.” You feel relieved the conversation has shifted to her feelings about her restrictive sibling.

The remainder of your breakfast is quiet. Flayn returns the dishes to the cooks as you slowly make your way to the infirmary tent. Late in the evening you are lying and resting in an empty cot when you hear Seteth’s voice. You sit up as he approaches.

“There is no need to get up.” He apologizes. “I was simply checking on your wellbeing.”

Feeling brave, you reach up to take his hand. “Thank you for helping me. I have been pacing myself and taking frequent breaks. I am very grateful for everything you have done. I am sure you would like to enjoy your privacy and sleep more comfortably.”

Seteth squeezes your hand. “You are not a burden. My door is always open for you. Sleep well.” He smiles as he leaves.

You lie there, overthinking the short exchange. Are you special or simply a good friend? You want to curse Flayn for lighting aflame these thoughts in your head. You eventually drift off to sleep.

Several weeks later you march with the troops back to Garreg Mach. The war is over. Enbarr and the Emperor are defeated. Rhea is rescued and officially appoints Byleth as the new Archbishop. The Knights are busy taking out rogue bands of Imperial troops and bandits, returning to the monastery to be healed and rest up for the next battle.

Seteth is constantly overworking himself along with Byleth as they create the new doctrine for the church. They also communicate with Dimitri by letter, regarding plans for the continent. You find yourself constantly interrupting their meetings, forcing them to break for food or to take a walk to get fresh air.

“I thought we had just stopped for lunch. Is it time for dinner already?” Seteth looks up from the table filled with scattered parchment and books. Byleth doesn’t look up from his writing.

“Yes. Flayn and I have caught some fish and we are having it for dinner. No excuses.” You glare at them sternly. “Join us in the dining hall.” You do not say now, however it is implied and they stop their work quickly.

While eating, Seteth and Byleth attempt to continue their conversation regarding a particular section of doctrine.

“I order both of you to rest. Talk of something not business,” You plead. “I have heard that Dimitri will only work six days a week, taking one day for his mental wellbeing and health. I completely stand behind that mindset. True, there are always some issues that have to be dealt with, however the focus of the day off is to give yourself a break.”

Byleth looks at you as if you have two heads.

“Vessel of the goddess, yeah, yeah.” You frown at them. “You still need to eat, to sleep, and to rest. Keep this up and you’re headed straight for another five year nap. How much work are you going to finish then?” You cross your arms in front of your chest, looking at them smugly.

“She seems quite serious and peremptory. I don’t think we have much of a choice in this.” Seteth acquiesces. “Saucy little woman.” He whispers to his soup.

“What was that?” You snip.

“I said you make a fine spokeswoman.” He quickly shovels more fish into his mouth.

A week later they announce that Sunday shall be a day of rest except for what must absolutely be accomplished. The first week goes quite well. Byleth and Seteth spend much of the day resting in the afternoon sun as they fish in the pond.

They even admit to a renewed spirit as they return to their work the next day, having clearer minds and feeling rested. Things go well until the fourth week.

You are in the infirmary long enough to heal and bandage a burn on Annette’s arm when you cannot help but hear Seteth and Flayn’s very loud and angry voices emitting from his office. Quickly you dismiss Annette, telling her not to utter a single word.

As you approach Seteth’s door, Flayn runs out crying and fleeing to her room upstairs.

Seteth is sitting at his desk, his head in his hands.

“I do not know what has gotten into that child. She simply does not understand that I am trying to protect her.” He groans.

You knock on the door frame. Seteth waves you in and you close the door behind you.

“Apologies. I am sorry you were a witness to our outburst.” He sounds exasperated.

“She has grown to become quite the independent woman.” You disclose. “She has emotionally developed from a child into an adult since I met her all those years ago.”

Seteth groans. “The world is a dangerous place. I only want to keep her safe. Just a few years ago she was kidnapped right under my nose. I cannot let any harm befall her.”

“It hurts. It hurts to let them go. Watching them flee the safe and warm nest you have prepared.” You begin. “Your relationship is like a hand full of sand. Held loosely, with an open hand, the sand remains where it is. The minute you close your hand and squeeze it tightly to hold on, the sand trickles through your fingers. You can hold on to some of it, but most of it spills. A relationship should be like sand held loosely, with respect and freedom for the other person, it will remain intact. But hold too tightly, too possessively and the relationship slips away and is gone forever.”

“I cannot lose her.” The tears flow from his eyes.

You come around to his side of the desk and hold him to your chest. “There are two times when parenting is most difficult. When the baby first arrives and when the adult first leaves home.”

“You are not fully aware…” He chokes on his words.

“That you are her father? She has slipped too many times in her speech. I know you love her more than anything. You have raised her as your child, regardless. The thought of her leaving breaks your heart. I know.” You assure him. You had felt like you died a little every time one of your brothers and sisters left the nest.

“I want to take her and flee. Hide deep in the mountains where I can protect her.” He gasps through his tears.

“Have you asked her if that is what she wants? If you take her and run, she may escape, putting herself out alone in the wild and into even greater danger. If you let her remain, surround herself with friends who love and protect her, just as you have, could she be safe? If you part from her angry, will she ever come back? These are things you need to ask yourself.”

“If I did that, I would truly lose her.” He looks at you knowingly.

You nod and hold him as he shudders, his sobs filling the room. You pat his back and shoulders reassuringly. After a few minutes he takes a few cleansing breaths.

“My deepest apologies, I did not mean to bring you in to this.” Seteth obtains a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping his tears.

“I am here to help you. To help Flayn too. Both of you can be quite stubborn when you want to be.” You rub circles on his back, continuing to bolster him.

“What should I do now. Where do we go from here?” Seteth looks completely overwhelmed.

“Start with a nice tea together, in a neutral territory. Perhaps on the star terrace? I will check with Byleth and see if that is acceptable. Let her know this is the first of several conversations you will have. It is like any negotiation, discuss the good and the bad. Let her know more details of what you are worrying about. If either of you begin to get upset, step away from the table and calm your mind.”

You pause to let him think for a moment. “Remind her that no matter what, you love her, wanting only the best for her. You want her to understand your concerns. You need to understand her concerns, her dreams, her priorities. Keep communicating. Talk and talk some more.” You hug him tightly then head for the door.

“I cannot thank you enough.” Seteth nods as you smile at him before leaving.

Standing guard at the foot of the stairs to the third floor you sip your tea for a bit then return to knitting. They have been up there talking over tea for over two hours. No doors slamming. No yelling. This is a good sign.

Seteth calls from the top of the stairs, asking you to join them.

Flayn is carrying the tea set into Rhea’s former bedroom. She places it on and end table, then rushes over to give you a hug.

“Thank you.” She quickly whispers before heading down the hall to her chambers.

You walk outside to stand next to Seteth at the balcony. The stars twinkle brightly in the cloudless sky. You look up to him as he stares into the heavens. The air is still and cool now that night has fallen. Patiently you wait for him to gather his thoughts.

“We had a productive conversation.” Seteth begins softly.

You hum in agreement, not wanting to interrupt.

“We spoke of many things. Some good, some bad. All of it necessary. You are correct, she has grown up before my eyes and I could not see it. She is a beautiful young woman.” He speaks slowly, each word tearing apart his heart.

You want to take him in your arms and reassure him, you can see the sadness in his eyes. His precious Flayn must be allowed to be free, and he feels like it is killing him. You settle with leaning against his shoulder with yours.

“She said she worries for me just as much as I for her. She fears that when she leaves, I will shut myself off from the world. I have told her many times that she is my world, that all I do, I do for her. She knows the sacrifices I have made for her sake. She is grateful. But she wants to do things on her own. How to fend for herself. I just—” his voice falters.

Seteth hangs his head low, gripping the balustrade tightly for support. “I am terrified.”

“Let her know you will always be there for her. That you are a place of safety for her, a refuge.” You rub his shoulder as you remain looking skyward.

“Of course, I will take her back, in a heartbeat. There is no doubt. I would bring her where I am without question.” He says with conviction. “The hardest part is to let her go in the first place.”

“She is still here, you have time to mend your hearts. You will always worry for her, she knows this. You have earned that right.” You softly pat his opposite shoulder your arm around his back..

“Thank you for being here.” Seteth turns and hugs you to his chest. You hug him back and stand with him in the cool air, sharing warmth with each other.

Flayn and Seteth have several teatime conversations, adult to adult. One day they decided to take a short holiday together, packing belongings on their wyverns and return several days later.

Seteth works twice as hard to make up for the lost time in his office. You spend time with Flayn as she tells you of her plans. Ignatz and Raphael are going to work as knights for Lorenz who has taken over Gloucester lands from his father. Lorenz is fully employing Ignatz to be ‘a knight that paints’. She will join them in a month’s time. She is in love with Ignatz, however does not want to jump into things too quickly. With her other friends there, she will see how the budding romance goes.

You giggle along with her about her exciting plans, what she wants to do for herself and things she will see. She is quite excited about visiting Derdriu. She’s always loved the ocean and the other coast is just north of the territory.

“What will you be doing now that things are settling down? Do you want to travel or start something new?” Flayn looks at you curiously.

“I’m still recovering from going through the war. I’ve always enjoyed working here. Because Byleth is staying here, friends will come to visit frequently. I am not much of a wanderer, so traveling is out. I don’t want to go north, the snow we have here is plenty.” You think for a moment. “Teaching sounds interesting if they decide to reopen the academy or a regular school. I would like to research some additional healing spells. There are many things to do. Deciding is the hard part.”

“You should think about finding someone special to settle down with.” Flayn smirks.

You nearly spit tea all over yourself. “I..um.” You cough into your napkin and gather your wits. “Unlike some people I know, I do not rush into things.”

“I have watched you pine over him for years.” She laughs.

Looking away from her you wiggle nervously in your chair. “I have no idea what you’re alluding to.”

“You both are so hopeless.” Flayn huffs.

A few days later, Flayn leaves a box outside your door labeled ‘Educational Materials’. You take them in your room then head to the infirmary for work. She has left a box there labeled ‘Medical Supplies’. You open the box and restock the shelves with the gauze and bandages. At the end of the day you return to your room deciding to open the box she has left for you. It is filled with romance novels. How strange. Educational? You think as you open one of the books to peruse through.

Flayn has finished packing her belongings. She distributed a few things around the monastery, leaving enough of her belongings in her room so that she will not have to pack anything when she comes to visit Seteth. The wagon from Gloucester territory has arrived and she watches them load her belongings onto the back. Flayn stands outside the carriage saying her goodbyes.

“Byleth, thank you for accepting me in your class. It began my journey to the independence that I celebrate today.” She gives him a hug and kiss on the cheek.

“I must thank you for everything you have done for me. You have taught me how to cook, amazing fishing techniques and patience. Thank you for everything.” She takes your hands in hers as she gazes your face with a sincere smile. She kisses you on both cheeks, like the adult women of the court say goodbye.

Flayn jumps up and gives Seteth a tight hug. She buries her face in his chest so she cannot see his face.

“I will miss you most of all, brother. I promise to write. I will be safe, you’ll see.” She pauses so that he can kiss her on the forehead, then she turns and quickly enters into the carriage before anyone can see a tear fall from her eyes. The carriage pulls away and she waves out the window with her hand.

Byleth stares as the carriage leaves. “Do you think she will cry?”

“She is bawling her eyes out right now.” You manage to chuckle, trying to hold back your own tears. A sniffle still escapes.

Seteth has moved inside the building, most likely to hide his own tears. You stand next to Byleth, not sure what to do with yourself. Byleth eventually looks over to you.

“I’ll go to the wyvern rookery to make sure he doesn’t try to follow her. You should go talk to him.” Byleth announces as they head out.

Heading up the stairs to the second floor of the faculty building, the trip seems much longer than usual. You have no idea what to say to him. You pause outside his door, praying the goddess gives you the proper words.

“Seteth. May I come in?” Announcing your presence as you knock.

“This is not a good time for conversation.” He answers, not opening the door.

“We don’t have to speak.” You answer. “Please?”

The silence from the other side of the door is deafening. You wait, not moving.

“Enter.”

You enter, seeing him seated at his desk, looking toward the wall. You silently close the door. Approaching Seteth like you would a terrified animal, extending your hand toward him slowly and gently, you touch his shoulder.

He hangs his head and weeps into his chest. You place your head on his shoulder and arms around his back, letting him mourn his loss. His muscles are all tight as he pulls into himself, his body shakes with emotion.

When he has run out of tears, he pulls himself from your embrace. He tries to hide his face, swollen from crying. You reach for a pitcher and pour water onto a cloth, chill it with magic and place it on his forehead and eyes. You tilt his head back to rest it on the back of his chair. Moving behind him you massage his temples and apply healing magic to relieve the headache from crying.

He looks as if he is resting, or at least trying to relax after having tensed his entire body for so long.

“I am always here for you.” You say softly before leaving his office.

You arrange for dinner to be brought to his door. Disappointment crosses your face when you see the food is untouched hours later.

The next morning your rise early to fish, but the fish have no interest. You glance at the windows of Seteth’s office and there is no light. Heading to the infirmary you walk past it and stand outside of his office door. You knock, there is no answer. You attempt to open the door, it is locked.

While treating a cut on a soldier’s arm, Byleth enters the infirmary.

“Have you seen Seteth? He is late for our meeting this morning.” Byleth says, looking concerned.

“No. Perhaps you should check on him?” You offer. “I believe he skipped dinner last night and the cooks said he was not there for breakfast. He did not touch his food at dinner last night as well.”

Byleth frowns and heads for Seteth’s office door. You hear his knocking from inside the infirmary. Soon the hallway is quiet. A few minutes later you hear the tapping of Byleth’s boots walking down the hallway and going up to the third floor.

Putting away the bandages and salves, you jump when Byleth bursts into the infirmary.

“Come quick!” He orders.

Dashing up the stairs you head to Seteth’s room. Byleth is with him in the bedroom, having placed Seteth on his bed. He had found him lying on the floor of the front room.

You quickly assess Seteth’s condition. He has exhausted himself. His eyes are dark and sunken, black lines hang below his eyes. He has probably not been sleeping and certainly has not been eating. You knew he had not been sleeping well, he looked tired yesterday however, today is much worse.

“I can take over from here. Let the infirmary know I am indisposed for a day or so.” You announce as Byleth helps you pull a comfy chair from the parlor next to the bed. You also set a pitcher and two glasses on the nightstand.

“I’ll send dinner up.” Byleth says as he leaves the room.

You check Seteth frequently. He is sleeping soundly. You eat, leaving the dishes outside. He still has not moved. Grabbing a throw blanket, you curl up in the chair, settling in for the night. You leave your hand on top of his, you need to wake if he stirs.

The moonlight shining through the windows gives a bluish glow to the room, the sun has not yet risen, however it will in an hour or so. Seteth begins to stir. He yawns and instinctively reaches to cover his mouth. Just as he moves, you bolt upright in the chair and look at him. He notices you there, bolting upright as he realizes you are in his room.

“What are you doing here.” Seteth huffs.

“I am watching over my patient. Apparently, someone cannot be trusted to take care of themselves properly.” You fold your arms on your chest and give him a glare that could frighten a demonic beast.

Seteth attempts to hide his shame behind his hand, using it to cover his face. “My deepest apologies. My mind has not been in a good place. I have been overwhelmed with grief since before Flayn had even left. I know she is alive and well, but that does not lessen my concern for her.”

“I should write to her and tell her exactly what you have done to yourself as soon as she left.” You scold. “She put me in charge of you, no matter how many times I assured her that you are a grown man and capable of taking care of yourself. I have misjudged you. I am certain she will not be pleased to know she was right.”

You get up and hand him a glass of water. He takes a few sips, placing it on the nightstand. You hand it back to him again pointing to the center of the glass. He drinks half of the contents and looks at you. You nod and he puts the glass down. A few moments pass as you stare at each other.

“Are you hungry? I can run to get you something. Do you have any pain?” Your face softens.

“I will be fine. I think I will lie here and rest for a little while longer.” Seteth takes your hand in his. “You should get some rest as well. You don’t need to stay here and watch an old man sleep.”

“Apparently, I do.” You softly laugh, squeezing his hand and moving over to sit on the bed next to him. “You do not look like an old man. Sometimes you act like one, however when I saw you fighting during the war you were on the front lines along with those young men and you were running circles around them. I’ve seen you wield your lance, you are a force to be reckoned with.” You smile warmly at him.

“Oh? So you have been watching me?” He raises his eyebrows a bit.

“Yes. Watching you fight and fly on your wyvern is breathtaking.” You pause, “You are breathtaking.”

“I…I don’t know what to say. Thank you?” Seteth blushes.

Giving him a smile, you whisper, “We have much to discuss. But right now, we are both exhausted. Scoot over, I am not sleeping in that chair one more minute.”

“That is not proper. We shou-“ he gasps.

You lay next to him. “Shhh. Scoot. We are consenting adults who need sleep. I am fully clothed. You are under the covers, I am over them. No different than last night, except I will be comfortable and won’t wake with a pain in my neck.” You snuggle next to him, laying your head on his shoulder and arm across his waist. “Good night.”

Seteth lies there stiffly for a while. Then he heaves a sigh and lays his cheek on the top of your head, drifting off to slee

#fe3h #fire emblem three houses #fe16 #fe3h x reader #fire emblem #Seteth #Flayn #fe3h fanfic #feth #Seteth x reader

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vagueandominousvibes · 2 years

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I mentioned an idea for a Monsters&Marvels LU AU earlier today, and I don’t know if anyone’s doing something like that already (I had a quick look in the tags, but couldn’t find anything with that specific name?) — so I drafted an example, in text-format, of what I mean

Four

As a child, he’s normal. He gets mud on his knees and grass stains on his elbows. He breaks a nail and cries. He downs a mug of honeyed milk, wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, and asks for more. He stands at the edge of the forge, wide-eyed, and watches sparks fly each time his grandfather’s hammer falls. When his father comes home, he tells stories about the bugs and the Minish he has watched in the garden.

It makes his father laugh.

Then he’s eight and saves Hyrule from Vaati. He still gets mud on his knees and grass stains on his elbows. He still watches the sparks in the forge, wide-eyed. He still tells stories.

Or tries to. He starts talking, then pauses, tilts his head, and listens. Then he giggles and goes out into the garden, speaking gibberish to nobody. Sometimes he sits there for hours, sometimes just a few minutes.

When he starts wandering into the woods alone, they worry.

His father and grandfather do their best to accommodate it. It isn’t directly harmful, so all they do is keep a cautious eye.

When he doesn’t come home one night, they fear.

They go out with search parties.

They scour the woods.

They don’t find him.

Two days later, he stumbles in as if nothing has happened. Leaves and flowers are woven into tiny braids in his hair. Acorns and wildberries fill his pockets. A red-and-white feather hangs from his ear. He smiles. His hazel eyes glimmer in the dim light of the forge, stilling the air around them. He watches them. Considers them. He doesn’t tell them his story.

Some days, the watchful silence emanates from him like water from a fountain, like light from a fire. People avoid him on these days, certain that the glimmering hazel eyes will pierce their very skin and draw their deepest secrets out of them.

Some days, he laughs, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief.

When he starts training to become a Knight, nobody knows what to make of it. He’s small, even for his age, but hefts a practice sword twice his size. He circles his practice partner once, silent and watchful, and brings them to the ground with four quick strikes. Practiced, clearly skilled. The other recruits refuse to spar with him. He rolls his eyes, smiles, and goes to help his grandfather in the forge.

At sixteen, Vaati’s back. Hyrule starts to crumble. When he defeats Vaati this time, there’s four of him. One walks lightly, feet barely touching the ground as he swings his sword with practiced ease and darts across uneven ground with wings of wind. Another rolls in like oceanic tides, thunder roaring in his eyes. A third whisks past, footprints leaving scorch marks on the ground while flames leap at his command. The fourth lies in the shadows of the undergrowth, poised like a nocked arrow, watching, considering, waiting for the time to strike.

When they reunite, they merge. He’s a single person now, but he still walks lightly, leaving scorch marks in his wake while thunder roars in eyes that look too dark to be hazel anymore. When he spars, he makes up for his stature with force and speed, with quietly calculated movements. Behind him, his shadow skids across the ground.

The Knights don’t like sparring with him. He’s sixteen, he’s a child, and they look into his eyes and know they are going to lose.

He retreats to the forge. He becomes a smith. He keeps the Four Sword at hand. And when a portal emanating dark magic opens outside his front door, his shadow tugs insistently at his feet. All he leaves behind are scorch marks on the floor.

#lu #linked universe #lu four #monsters&marvels #lu au #idk i just needed to get it off my mind #and while i'd love to draw it #i don't think my skills or style are up to the challenge rn #fanfic #i guess #might upload if on ao3 as a character study at some point who knows

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starksinthenorth · 3 years

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Musings on ASOIAF Ladies and Ambition

I’ve noticed people use “ambition” to describe Sansa and Daenerys as if it’s a bad word or an insult (often called “power hungry”). Yet in the text of the series, neither of them are shown to be ambitious people as a core characteristic. I blame the series for a lot of this, because it failed to explore the internal dialogue of Sansa, Arya, and even Cersei, who ends up more humanized than either of them by the end (because of the maybe baby).

Cersei Lannister is the classic ambitious ASOIAF lady, whose point-of-view is introduced in perhaps the most iconic sentence of any introductory chapter:

She dreamt she sat the Iron Throne, high above them all.

I can’t think of a sentence in ASOIAF that better introduces the internal thoughts and view of its leading character.

In comparison, Sansa’s first sentence is receiving news about her father’s whereabouts, Daenerys is shown her new dress to meet Drogo, and Arya has crooked stitches again. Arya’s works to frame her relationship with Sansa and her internal struggle to fit the feminine Westerosi mold, while Sansa and Daenerys are setting up plot points. None of these interactions signal ambition, bad or good. Daenerys did not arrange her wedding, Sansa is just told the information by her Septa, and while Arya is aspiring to have straight stitches, that’s hardly an ambitious goal for a girl of nine.

Fans rarely, if ever, deny Cersei’s cruel, cold, often stupid ambition. In fact, it’s one of the reason people seem to love her. She’s internally open about what she wants - power - and when she wants it - now:

All of them are burning now, she told herself, savoring the thought. They are dead and burning, every one, with all their plots and schemes and betrayals. It is my day now. It is my castle and my kingdom.

- AFFC, Cersei III

The rule was hers; Cersei did not mean to give it up until Tommen came of age. I waited, so can he. I waited half my life. She had played the dutiful daughter, the blushing bride, the pliant wife. She had suffered . . . She had contended with Jon Arryn, Ned Stark, and her vile, treacherous, murderous dwarf brother, all the while promising herself that one day it would be her turn. If Margaery Tyrell thinks to cheat me of my hour in the sun, she had bloody well think again.

- AFFC, Cersei V

Cersei is the definition of a power hungry lady, scheming and cheating at every point. Yes, Sansa learned from her, but most of Sansa’s internalized lessons of Cersei’s were to do the exact opposite.

"The night's first traitors," the queen [Cersei] said, "but not the last, I fear. . . . Another lesson you should learn, if you hope to sit beside my son. . . . The only way to keep your people loyal is to make certain they fear you more than they do the enemy."

"I will remember, Your Grace," said Sansa, though she had always heard that love was a surer route to the people's loyalty than fear. If I am ever a queen, I'll make them love me.

- ACOK, Sansa VI

Cersei isn’t the only POV character who views herself outside of conventional Westerosi standards and aspires to something beyond being a wife and mother. Arya Stark has ambition writ clear on the page, though it is not so cold or denying other people their rights or chances. Compared to Cersei, Arya doesn’t want everything, crown and throne and kingdom and all. She just wants something, and even that is denied to highborn women in Westeros. Even when she asks her father about her future, a man who wants to do right by his children and loves them, Eddard Stark is blinded by Westerosi patriarchy:

Arya cocked her head to one side. "Can I be a king's councillor and build castles and become the High Septon?"

"You," Ned said, kissing her lightly on the brow, "will marry a king and rule his castle, and your sons will be knights and princes and lords and, yes, perhaps even a High Septon."

- AGOT, Eddard V

With Arya in this, I see some parallels to Elaena Targaryen, who was so good at math and management she served as the secret Master of Coin while her husband carried the title. Elaena was “more willful than Rhaena, but not as beautiful as either of her sisters,” yet is also said to have been “more beautiful at age seventy than at age seventeen,” growing into herself like Arya is expected to. They both even cut their hair, Arya to hide her gender and Elaena to hide her beauty, both instances to gain freedom from captivity in the Red Keep.

Despite both these examples of ambition - Cersei’s all-encompassing, without care for how it affects the realm, and Arya’s attempt to find a place in the world outside the Westerosi model - it still becomes an insult when people speak of Daenerys and Sansa.

Critics claim Sansa is ambitious, and negatively so, because she “wants to be queen.” But this criticism misses a vital point of Sansa’s character. Unlike Cersei, she does not want to be queen because of the power and political influence, but because she will be living a song. In the start, Sansa’s got her head in the clouds, not to the dirty world of politics. Her very first chapter lays out this motivation incredibly clearly:

All she wanted was for things to be nice and pretty, the way they were in the songs.

When she thinks of Joffrey and being in love with him, it’s because he’s “handsome and gallant as any prince in the songs” (AGOT, Sansa II),

Alternatively, it has been said that Sansa is ambitious because of her claim to Winterfell. But compare how Sansa thinks of her claim to how Big Walder Frey does. Despite being far down the inheritance line, he is certain he will someday possess the Twins. He’s likely willing to kill his family to become Lord of the Crossing, and already has killed Little Walder.

In comparison, Sansa isn’t the one who realizes her claim as heir to Winterfell, even after her two younger brothers are believed dead. It’s Dontos who mentions it, and after she still thinks that Robb will have sons to inherit.

But she had not forgotten his words, either. The heir to Winterfell, she would think as she lay abed at night. It's your claim they mean to wed. Sansa had grown up with three brothers. She never thought to have a claim, but with Bran and Rickon dead . . . It doesn't matter, there's still Robb, he's a man grown now, and soon he'll wed and have a son. Anyway, Willas Tyrell will have Highgarden, what would he want with Winterfell?

- ASOS, Sansa II

Sansa’s not ready to kill Bran and Rickon if they show up. Her arc is about taking off the rose-tinted glasses and seeing reality, but also working to make reality like a song. For example, her idea of the Tournament of the Winged Knights for Sweetrobin. It’s a song come to life, all by her making. TBD how the ending goes, of course, but it shows that trajectory.

And finally, Daenerys.

Daenerys is not driven by some lifelong desire to win and dominate. She’s forced into it, a la Brienne’s “no chance and no choice.” If Daenerys were raised in a stable environment, I have a feeling she’d be much more like Sansa: dreamy, hopeful, sweet and studious. Happy.

But instead, her eyes are open.

When she’s introduced as a character, she shows an awareness for the schemes and politics of the world. She knows her brother is called the Beggar King in the Free Cities, and is doubtful of the smallfolk’s secret toasts to Viserys III that Illyrio Mopatis claims happen across Westeros.

Like Sansa and Cersei, there’s evidence of her goals, hopes, and wishes in the very first chapter:

"I don't want to be his queen," she heard herself say in a small, thin voice. "Please, please, Viserys, I don't want to, I want to go home."

. . .

Dany had only meant their rooms in Illyrio's estate, no true home surely, though all they had, but her brother did not want to hear that. There was no home there for him. Even the big house with the red door had not been home for him.

Daenerys remembers home as the house with the red door in Braavos. It’s her brother whose only home and stability was the Red Keep, not her.

Throughout her journey of power to take back the Seven Kingdoms, she is doubtful at every turn and most of her wishes are for happiness, for peace, for stability.

Dany had no wish to reduce King's Landing to a blackened ruin full of unquiet ghosts. She had supped enough on tears. I want to make my kingdom beautiful, to fill it with fat men and pretty maids and laughing children. I want my people to smile when they see me ride by, the way Viserys said they smiled for my father.

- ACOK, Daenerys II

A queen I am, but my throne is made of burned bones, and it rests on quicksand. Without dragons, how could she hope to hold Meereen, much less win back Westeros?

- ADWD, Daenerys II

Even later, Daenerys is determined to bring peace to the lands she currently rules. She does plan to return to the Seven Kingdoms, but it’s not driven by pure ambition. And this is, notably, from a conversation when Prince Quentyn Nymeros Martell asks her to come back and claim them now, saying she has allies for that conquest. And still she turns him down, with promises that it will only happen eventually:

"Daenerys said. ". . . .One day I shall return to Westeros to claim my father's throne, and look to Dorne for help. But on this day the Yunkai'i have my city ringed in steel. I may die before I see my Seven Kingdoms. Hizdahr may die. Westeros may be swallowed by the waves."

- ADWD, Daenerys VII

And yet in both Sansa and Daenerys, these visions and hopes for the futures they might have are considered unbridled ambition, although they turn more on happiness and peace for themselves and their people, rather than the type of ambition Cersei has, which is clearly her own power and being heralded above everyone.

Daenerys’ thoughts in her sixth chapter of ADWD have the same energy as Sansa’s “I will make them love me.”:

"A queen must know the sufferings of her people."

. . .

A queen must listen to her people, Dany reminded herself.

Daenerys has figured out how to make her people love her, by wearing her “floppy ears” and appealing to the masses, listening to them, et cetera. She’s also a bit ahead of Sansa in the realm of ruling, to be sure.

But how are these similar thoughts ambition in either of them? It’s an attempt to empathize and connect, not to throw away and disregard and rule by force and domination. Both these ladies are more nuanced, and the fandom does them a disservice by painting them as ambitious or power-hungry when at the end for both of them, it’s a desire to have a happy, stable, loving life.

#asoiaf meta #sansa stark #daenerys targaryen #cersei lannister #arya stark

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hamliet · 3 years

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Chemical Weddings in RWBY

So once upon a time Hamliet said she’d write a meta about ships in RWBY, and then arrived months later without Starbucks.

The central tenet of alchemy is solve et coagula: dissolve, and then coagulate. The process (RWBY appears to be following Ripley’s 12 Gates) repeats, rinses, and repeats again and again throughout the steps, “each time at a more refined level.” The point of a chemical wedding is to reconcile opposites, which is something I touched on in my pseudo-quick meta here. Lyndy Abraham, the author of A Dictionary of Alchemical Imagery, describes the chemical wedding as:

a crucial operation in the creation of the philosopher’s stone. The alchemists were ultimately concerned with the union of substances, the reconciliation of opposites.

Basically, it unites opposites (fire and water, air and earth, sun and moon, passive and active, etc., etc., etc.) and then the opposites start to take on each other’s qualities, creating the “Rebis,” or a person both male and female.

The first chemical wedding is usually somewhat violent, primitive even, whereas the second one signifies the creation of the stone. However, characters can have more than two weddings, and chemical weddings do not inherently have to be romantic--Sam and Frodo aren’t, for example--but most often are, because it’s the most obvious way to show a union between separate people (the old adage “two become one” in marriage, for example).

If we look at George Ripley’s 12 Gates, chemical weddings tend to be focused on in the fourth stage of conjunction (which I wrote about here) and in the ninth, fermentation (which is probably going to be in volume 10--maybe a little in volume 9, but traveling between worlds seems to be a hallmark of sublimation in fiction so I’m guessing we’re stuck there for the time being). But in a lengthy series spanning eight years and counting, there is going to be overlap.

So let’s talk about chemical wedding imagery historically. It tends to involve dissolution (via water or fire--keep in mind metal was associated with fire in olden days, so stabbing with metal was considered liquid fire, or so it was believed to be by alchemists) and then coagulation (healing/coming together).

Four of the five ships--two of whom are definitely happening, one of which I think is happening and one of which I think has a good chance--reference historical alchemical artwork and symbolism in key moments. (RWBY does reference alchemical artwork; see here and here.) So let’s dive in and examine potential chemical wedding allusions in RWBY:

Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie (Renora)

Let’s start with the most obvious couple: Ren and Nora. Their first chemical wedding occurs when they are children. In alchemical art, birds are often used to show the volatility/primitiveness of a first chemical wedding:

The raven is replicated in the Nevermore which forms a similarly threatening pose over Ren and Nora when he unlocks his semblance to protect her, thus honoring his father and mother’s legacies.

You can even see earth (trees), water (river), fire, and air (the bird flying) in the scene as it pans out. After this, Ren and Nora become “Ren and Nora,” as Nora herself says in Volume 8. They’re inseparable, because they’re on their way to becoming one. However, unification doesn’t mean that they’re literally the same person; in stories like these, it’s more like they become better versions of themselves through growing towards each other and adopting each other’s traits (like Nora’s courage for Ren, and Ren’s caution for Nora).

Their second, elevated chemical wedding is in the same place as their first, when in Volume 4 they return to the village and defeat the monster they were too young to defeat last time. This time, Nora is the one who protects Ren by telling him he could not sacrifice his life by pulling Ren back, in a reversal of his running to her in their first moment years ago.

Like the first, there’s water involved--Ren and Nora hide next to a river, watching as the Knuckelvee advances on them. I talked previously how I thought this looked like a possible allusion to this alchemical image (look at the moon symbol on the head of the aggressor):

The moon symbol actually shows up quite a bit in this scene, first when Nora and Ren discover the Nuckelvee is still alive in the cave:

And then in the moment when they defeat it:

While I am certain this is a chemical wedding, I’m not certain why the moon symbol is so prominent in this, though I do think it is possibly in reference to this image and how Nora and Ren are united now:

Yang Xiao Long/Blake Belladonna (Bumbleby)

Firstly, the alchemy image is somewhat of a creepy image, right? In this, Mercurius has united the two principles by beheading them (amputation is a Thing in alchemy), leaving them to putrefy and then coagulate.

Like the Nuckelvee for Nora and Ren, Blake and Yang have a somewhat antagonistic Mercurius who unites them: Adam Taurus. He doesn’t cut off their heads, but he does seriously injure Blake and cuts off Yang’s arm in a scene that is romantically charged (you have Blake’s possessive ex telling her he’ll target someone she loves and specifically chooses Yang).

While I have my issues with how Bumbleby is written, it’s hard to interpret that as anything other than him seeing Yang as a rival for Blake’s affection.

Their second chemical wedding also involves Adam. There’s no one direct image that seems to have inspired it, but it does take place in a place full of waterfalls (fountains and flowing water in general, like the ones in Nora and Ren’s village, are common elements of chemical weddings’ settings) and by the ocean (the “mercurial sea” is where the elements dissolve to make the Philosopher’s Stone, so it’s also a common hallmark for chemical weddings).

(To briefly address this: this is where my complaints about the writing pile in, because you can also make a damn strong case that Blake and Sun fighting on the ship to Menagerie is a chemical wedding, which it is, but I think it’s clear at this point that Bumbleby is endgame. Either both were written for a reason, like if they weren’t sure if they could do Bumbleby, or a narrative reason, in which case Black Sun should have been dealt with rather than hand-waved away, or they were just teasing, but baiting fans is never, ever good writing; it’s cheap. All that to say that while I think there’s a compelling case they were interested in pursuing Bumbleby from the start, Black Sun shippers have a right to feel tricked and not all criticism thereof is based in homophobia or a lack of narrative understanding, or even in a dislike of the ship.)

At the beginning of this scene, Adam makes it clear that this is a redo of their previous chemical wedding by reminding them of it:

Blake stabs Adam with a silver weapon; Yang with red. We have earth, air (clouds), water, and weapons as a stand-in for fire.

It’s still somewhat of a violent wedding, which makes me wonder if Bumbleby will have a third (and Renora as well). But it also parallels Renora in this: returning to a pivotal scene where they were traumatized, but this time being able to overcome it because they’ve become more like each other. Blake is in many ways Yang’s trauma stretching far beyond Beacon (Blake runs away, as does Raven, Yang’s mother who abandoned her), and likewise Yang for Blake (she’s hotheaded and holds grudges, like Adam). But Blake and Yang have been working on becoming better versions of themselves.

At the end of this scene, they even exchange quasi-wedding vows (since Blake’s promise is to not abandon Yang):

And the artists drive home the point by drawing Blake’s hair far bushier than normal (more like Yang’s), and Yang’s far tamer than normal (like Blake’s).

Jaune Arc/Weiss Schnee (White Knight)

Weiss and Jaune have had one chemical wedding thus far (possibly two but not sure) and I didn’t ship them at all until I saw this scene. Like Bumbleby and Renora, they have an antagonistic Mercurius: Cinder.

(This one I’ll be arguing a little bit about why I think it’s set up for romance as well.)

In this scene, Cinder directly compares Weiss to Pyrrha in regards to how Jaune feels about them (and we know Jaune and Pyrrha were romantic--you can also argue Cinder was an antagonistic Mercurius uniting Pyrrha and Jaune).

When Weiss screams, Cinder gets an idea and slides her gaze from Weiss to Jaune.

And then reenacts this:

As I also mentioned previously, Jaune then plays the role of the Prince to Weiss’s Snow White (which is an alchemical fairy tale). Like when Ren unlocks his aura to protect Nora, Jaune unlocks his to save Weiss. Weiss looks as if she is in a glass coffin that gets more and more golden, symbolic of refinement.

It’s also probably an allusion to this image of a chemical wedding presided over by Saturn (Mercury in this scene, since he’s there) and Death (Ruby and Qrow, who are also present in the scene with Jaune and Weiss). (For more on this image, see here.)

Weiss and Jaune also have some oppositional imagery and arcs: Weiss starts Beacon with a deep family legacy and an inherited semblance, she chooses to go to Beacon on her own and is the favored child (at first). Jaune too has a family legacy of warriors, but instead of feeling empowered because of this, he is insecure and literally cheats his way into the school. He doesn’t have a semblance until season 5. After this incident, Weiss and Jaune spend some time recreationally together (seeing a movie in vol 7); Jaune becomes more confident as a leader, and Weiss continues her arc in becoming more sympathetic to those from less privileged backgrounds.

Arguably, what happened at the end of volume 8 could be seen as having some symbolism of a chemical wedding for Weiss and Jaune too, but I don’t think it actually is one since they weren’t focused on as characters enough (if this was intended to be the start of one, we’ll get something next season, I’d imagine). The only reason I’m mentioning it is because it does function as an inverse of the previous one, which is the case for Renora and Bumbleby’s first and second weddings too. Cinder again almost kills Weiss (she falls in the exact same position as in vol 5), but Jaune saves Weiss when he screams after killing Penny. Instead of saving Weiss by healing, he kills. There’s also some distinctive red and white imagery.

And then Winter arrives with a six-pointed star and birds before telling them to run together:

But again, I wouldn’t really call this one; it just has some imagery of one and fits a pattern, so I’m including it as a potential lead-in to an actual one in the void or later.

Ruby Rose/Oscar Pine (Rosegarden)

Like with Weiss/Jaune, I’ll be arguing a little bit about why I think this one is likely to end up romantic, too (for example, Cinder most recently in volume 8 used Oscar to taunt Ruby in a callback to using Pyrrha and Weiss to taunt Jaune).

Also: oh look, finally a wedding that isn’t violent. They just... meet. Which is also normal for a chemical wedding but less dramatic.

Behold, the bird uniting the solar king and lunar queen:

(Fun fact: unless CRWBY came up with ship names which I highly, highly doubt, this is pure coincidence, but it’s a funny one: the art series this image is taken from is called Rosarium Philosophorum--which literally means “rose garden philosophy.”)

Let’s look at the scene where Ruby and Oscar meet for the first time. What makes this a chemical wedding is in part how obvious their markings are and the overall imagery is in the scene.

They are united by Qrow (who in addition to being named after a bird can literally transform into a bird):

Oscar asks about Ruby specifically (yes, I know because Qrow’s her uncle, but the writing is telling us to focus on his relationship with her):

And immediately notes/is in awe that she has silver eyes (i.e. the moon):

Qrow seems to realize he’s done something momentous in a way that almost doesn’t entirely work within the frame of the narrative (but he is drunk, so).

The scenery of this room is also telling. The table is literally an Emerald Table, the legendary foundation of alchemy itself.

Once they sit and talk, behind Oscar are the elements of earth and water, which he represents, and also the moon, which while traditionally associated with earth and water, he does not (at least not as strongly as he’s associated with the sun/gold):

Similarly, behind Ruby we have the elements of fire and air (like, if you zoom in, they actually drew air), which she is marked as, and the sun, which again, she’s not as strongly associated with as she is with the moon:

In Splendor Solis, which CRWBY has referenced before, the Solar King does eventually end up grounded in the moon, and likewise the Lunar Queen in the sun:

Oscar and Ruby also do have oppositional arcs and roles: Ruby starts the series in the very first episode by being invited to Beacon two years early because of her leaping into action to stop Torchwick. She’s scolded for her recklessness, but immediately picked out as special because of her silver eyes. In contrast, Oscar is reluctant to leave his farm once Ozpin inhabits him; he refuses at first, and then once he does leave, is nervous and timid.

Anyways I wouldn’t be surprised if Qrow arrives in Vacuo with RWBYJ in tow and this time reunites Ruby with Oscar in an inverse. We’ll see.

I do want to say that I also see potential for Emerald Sustrai/Mercury Black, in that they often act as one and share a theme song, but I haven’t seen any actual visual references to a chemical wedding for them... yet.

#rwby meta #rwby theory #rwby volume eight #rwby vol 8 #rwby volume 8 #rwby volume 9 #weiss schnee #jaune arc #ruby rose #blake belladonna #yang xiao long #lie ren #nora valkyrie #oscar pine #alchemy #rosegarden #bumbleby #renora #white knight

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takiartepa · 2 years

Text

ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇɴᴛʀʏ x ᴍᴏᴏɴ ᴋɴɪɢʜᴛ

HEADCANONS part 5 About PHYSICAL APPEARANCE (part 1)

(Because I do fanarts, you can see them on my artist Tumblr, TakiArte under the Marvel Eclipse tag).

WARNING, ⚠ SPOILERS ⚠ 🌞+🌙

▶ Previous part here ◀ ▶ Léelo en Español AQUÍ ◀

About Luna / Moon Knight:

🌙 My preferred look for him is a mix of the style of Greg Smallwood (that you can see in Moon Knight vol 8 (2016)) and the colors he possessed in some vintage comics (differing from the hair color he has in this year's comics (2022)). 🌙 In my canon, Marc is pale (I will elaborate on this later) and he has red hair, but unnatural red, not being an actual redhead (which is usually an orange tone, as Matt Murdock/Daredevil has). This "red" color I suppose is actually the product of the attempt to achieve a certain brown tone by printers or colorists before 2000. I will also make his eyebrows that color, but not his body hair, which is dark.

(Cut from the cover of Marc Spector: Moon Knight #18, art by Sal Velluto, Tom Palmer and Christie Scheele) 🌙 The suit I prefer and draw the most is the one seen in volume 7; this one:

🌙 I follow characteristics like: a scar on the eye that cuts his left eyebrow, his half-grown beard (sometimes shaved) and the way he combs his hair, ALTHOUGH you will also see in some art the hair as it is in the current volume (volume 9) with the beautiful art of Alessandro Cappuccio; and references to the color by Rachelle Rosenberg, especially that light blue glow that makes Luna look supernatural.

(Art by Cory Smith and Rachelle Rosenberg)

🌙 From volume 9 I also take as canon Luna having some half-healed wound, scars and bandages. I love how cute he looks with the bandage on his nose in volume 8, art by Smallwood:

If you want a drastic example of all this, you have the beginning of Moon Knight Vol 5 (2006), where the eyebrow cut originates from (a volumen I despise, where Luna has a hard time):

(Art by David Finch)

🌙 Voice Headcanon (how I imagine his voice sounds). Inspired by the voice acting he has in two different mediums, an animated series and a game: https://youtu.be/EC_Xt_agj14

🌙 My Moon Knight will always be this tall: 188 cm / 6’ 2’’ Canon according to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe vol 2 (1985). My Moon Knight is taller than Sentry. (More physical appearance headcanons coming soon) –

About Sentry:

🌞 My Sentry will always have long hair, no exception. Sometimes above the shoulders, sometimes below shoulders. But always long hair. 🌞 He's blonde. No dark eyebrows. Blonde eyebrows, blonde eyelashes, blonde body hair. 🌞 I have a distinction: the civilian appearance and the hero appearance. Bob Reynolds (Robert) and Sentry are different “phases” of the same person. Therefore, there is a change in physical appearance, just as it happened with Captain America when he received the super-soldier serum. If you know the history of Sentry, you will understand that this logic makes sense. But this is exclusively personal, not canon according to the comics (although it has always been a confusing topic and some authors made a certain difference). Sentry: canon superhero body. No need to describe it, you see it all the time in comics. One difference from Moon Knight is that Sentry is more muscular (although not taller -see below-). Bob: body in a more realistic canon, following the base of the one he has in volume 1. Therefore, it has a chubby belly, it's less muscular and with less “waist” (that in Sentry is highlighted by wearing the belt). It's a type of body that I am not used to drawing so it will be a challenge for me.

(Art by Jae Lee)

🌞 Despite the change of phases, I will keep the style of his face fixed, with prominent cheekbones. I won't make his face round when he's Bob even though his body type will change.

(Art by Mike Deodato) 🌞 My Sentry has the following heights: Bob Reynolds: 170 cm (speculated) Sentry: 183 cm / 6’ I have proof of this height for Sentry being canon even if the artists forgot (in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (2006)). Bob's height follows my phase change rule (notable in Sentry volume 2). He's always shorter than Moon Knight.

(More physical appearance headcanons coming soon) To be continued

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butterflies-dragons · 3 years

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Do you have any doubts that Sansa is the girl in grey? Is there strong grey imagery around Sansa?

I believe Sansa is the grey girl yes, but only GRRM has that answer.

About grey imagery around Sansa, I wrote about it here and there.

Grey is the main Stark color. Their sigil is a grey direwolf in a white field. Stark men wear grey cloaks, Winterfell is made of grey granite, Grey eyes is a Stark feature, etc.

There are some instances where Sansa actually wears or it is said that she will wear a grey cloak:

1.- Her first encounter with Dontos (false Florian) in the Red Keep's Godswood: "Sansa threw a plain grey cloak over her shoulders and picked up the knife she used to cut her meat. If it is some trap, better that I die than let them hurt me more, she told herself. She hid the blade under her cloak."

It is very curious that Dontos was also wearing grey during that first secret encounter: "He wore a dark grey robe with the cowl pulled forward, but when a thin sliver of moonlight touched his cheek, she knew him at once by the blotchy skin and web of broken veins beneath. "Ser Dontos," she breathed, heartbroken. "Was it you?"

2.- Cersei gave her a white and silver maiden cloak for her wedding to Tyrion. Stark colors are grey and white tho... I think in this case the silver is there instead of the grey of House Stark. I'm not sure if this is a mistake or not. "Cersei Lannister ignored the question. "The cloak," she commanded, and the women brought it out: a long cloak of white velvet heavy with pearls. A fierce direwolf was embroidered upon it in silver thread. Sansa looked at it with sudden dread. "Your father's colors," said Cersei, as they fastened it about her neck with a slender silver chain."

Curiously enough, Tyrion wore Targaryen colors to marry Sansa lol

3.- Littlefinger planned for Alayne to reveal her true identity as Sansa Stark wearing a maiden cloak with the Stark colors grey and white: "Jon Arryn's bannermen will never love me, nor our silly, shaking Robert, but they will love their Young Falcon . . . and when they come together for his wedding, and you come out with your long auburn hair, clad in a maiden's cloak of white and grey with a direwolf emblazoned on the back . . . why, every knight in the Vale will pledge his sword to win you back your birthright.

From my answer about certain ship foreshadowing:

What do you know of my heart, priestess? What do you know of my sister?

In the shadow of the Wall, the direwolf brushed up against his fingers. For half a heartbeat the night came alive with a thousand smells, and Jon Snow heard the crackle of the crust breaking on a patch of old snow. Someone was behind him, he realized suddenly. Someone who smelled warm as a summer day. When he turned he saw Ygritte. She stood beneath the scorched stones of the Lord Commander’s Tower, cloaked in darkness and in memory. The light of the moon was in her hair, her red hair kissed by fire. When he saw that, Jon’s heart leapt into his mouth. “Ygritte,” he said. “Lord Snow.” The voice was Melisandre’s. Surprise made him recoil from her. “Lady Melisandre.” He took a step backwards. “I mistook you for someone else.” At night all robes are grey. Yet suddenly hers were red. He did not understand how he could have taken her for Ygritte. She was taller, thinner, older, though the moonlight washed years from her face. Mist rose from her nostrils, and from pale hands naked to the night. “You will freeze your fingers off,” Jon warned. “If that is the will of R’hllor. Night’s powers cannot touch one whose heart is bathed in god’s holy fire.” “You heart does not concern me. Just your hands.” “The heart is all that matters. Do not despair, Lord Snow. Despair is a weapon of the enemy, whose name may not be spoken. Your sister is not lost to you.” “I have no sister.” The words were knives. What do you know of my heart, priestess? What do you know of my sister? Melisandre seemed amused. “What is her name, this little sister that you do not have?” “Arya.” His voice was hoarse. “My half-sister, truly …” “… for you are bastard born. I had not forgotten. I have seen your sister in my fires, fleeing from this marriage they have made for her. Coming here, to you. A girl in grey on a dying horse, I have seen it plain as day. It has not happened yet, but it will.”

—A Dance with Dragons - Jon VI

Earlier in this chapter, Jon was thinking about Arya and her situation (trapped with the Boltons), and he was frustrated for not being able to help her. Then he remembered Ygritte, he confused Melisandre for Ygritte.

So, reading all the context:

What do you know of my heart, priestess? = This is about Ygritte. He is still hurt and mourning for her.

What do you know of my sister? = This is about Arya and her situation.

This is an excellent example of how GRRM plays with our minds with his tricky words:

“At night all robes are grey. Yet suddenly hers were red”. He is introducing us to the Grey Girl and her true identity.

Jon thinks he is seeing Ygritte but he was actually seeing Melissandre.

Melisandre and Jon also believe this grey girl of the visions is Arya Stark, but the person trapped with the Boltons is Jeyne Poole. And later, Alys Karstark was not even wearing a “grey” cloak.

For me the grey girl is neither of them. The answer is hidden in this line: “At night all robes are grey. Yet suddenly hers were red”.

***

"At night all robes are grey" means all the confusion about the grey girl's true identity: Arya or Jeyne or Alys Karstark.

"Yet suddenly hers were red" means that the girl with the grey cloak will be a redhead, like Ygritte and Melisandre the two women Jon was confusing.

So, Sansa as the grey girl makes a lot of sense, she is a redhead and she is a Stark, and grey is the main Stark color.

And this is not the first time that Jon confused Ygritte with another female. Jon dreamed of a ghastly grey direwolf wandering around the Crypts of Winterfell, that seems to be Lady’s Shade:

The crypts were growing darker. A light has gone out somewhere. “Ygritte?” he whispered. “Forgive me. Please.” But it was only a direwolf, grey and ghastly, spotted with blood, his her golden eyes shining sadly through the dark . .

—A Storm of Swords - Jon VIII

Despite Jon assuming the direwolf was a "he," I strongly suspect it was Lady's Shade. Lady is buried at Winterfell, not Grey Wind. Lady was beheaded with Ice, so her fur would be spotted with blood. And Lady was said to have sad eyes.

So, Jon is always confusing Ygritte with another redheads...

From my Dunk & Jon meta:

Maybe I’m seeing too much here, but the reference to Alysanne Osgrey [Os-Grey] makes me think of Sansa Stark, because:

Sansa shared a lot of parallels with Good Queen Alysanne.

The surname Osgrey has the word grey in it.

Alysanne Osgrey became a Silent Sister.

Silent Sisters always wear grey.

Silent Sisters are known as the Stranger’s wives.

According to Melissandre, the Grey Girl of her visions is Jon Snow’s Sister.

The Grey Girl will probably be Sansa Stark.

Grey is also the color of House Stark, so Sansa is, in a way, a Grey Girl.

Jon is a man that will defeat death and come back to life, like the Stranger that walks between the two worlds.

The Stranger’s face is half animal, like Jon who is a warg, half man and half beast.

From my Jon/Sansa/Winterfell meta:

The stone is strong = The walls of Winterfell = Alayne Stone = Sansa Stark.

Sansa Stark has a lot of stone imagery around her.

Winterfell’s walls are made of grey granite. Grey is also a color of House Stark and I believe that Sansa will be the girl in grey on a dying horse from Melisandre’s vision.

As the Heir to Winterfell, Sansa was practically transformed into a stone castle, Winterfell, and the north itself, since the one that controlled her would obtain all her lands and power. Or, to use the euphemism from the Books, Sansa Stark was the “key to the north.”

Sansa reflects about this objectification in the Books and gives us one of the saddest lines in ASOIAF, especially coming from a girl who yearns to be loved and always dreamed of getting married: “No one will ever marry me for love,” (because everyone only wants her for her claim to Winterfell and the north).

Tyrion associates Sansa’s rejection of his advances as icy courtesy and compared that rejection with a castle wall that he never got to break:

“You hide behind courtesy as if it were a castle wall.” “Courtesy is a lady’s armor,” Sansa said. Her septa had always told her that.

—A Storm of Swords - Sansa III

Sansa’s misery was deepening every day. Tyrion would gladly have broken through her courtesy to give her what solace he might, but it was no good.

—A Storm of Swords - Tyrion IV

He wanted to reach her, to break through the armor of her courtesy.

—A Storm of Swords - Tyrion VIII

The castle wall that armored Sansa and Tyrion never got to break is a clear reference to Winterfell:

He remembered Winterfell as he had last seen it. Not as grotesquely huge as Harrenhal, nor as solid and impregnable to look at as Storm’s End, yet there had been a great strength in those stones, a sense that within those walls a man might feel safe.

—A Clash of Kings - Tyrion XI

And certainly, Sansa feels stronger and protected within the walls of Winterfell:

Sansa stuck her fingers through the top, grabbed a handful of snow, and flung it full in his face. Petyr yelped, as the snow slid down under his collar. “That was unchivalrously done, my lady.” “As was bringing me here, when you swore to take me home.” She wondered where this courage had come from, to speak to him so frankly. From Winterfell, she thought. I am stronger within the walls of Winterfell.

—A Storm of Swords - Sansa VII

Sansa feeling stronger within the walls of Winterfell, sounds pretty similar to “the stone is strong” line from Bran quote cited above.

Later, while descending from the Eyrie to the Gates of the Moon, Mya Stone tells Sansa that “a stone is a mountain’s daughter.”

Men come and go. They lie, or die, or leave you. A mountain is not a man, though, and a stone is a mountain’s daughter. I trust my father, and I trust my mules. I won’t fall.” She put her hand on a jagged spur of rock, and got to her feet. “Best finish. We have a long way yet to go, and I can smell a storm.”

—A Feast for Crows - Alayne II

One of Winterfell’s possible meanings is “wintry mountain(s).” And Sansa Stark is “The northern girl. Winterfell’s daughter”.

As the daughter of Petyr Baelish, Alayne Stone also becomes the Heir to Harrenhal, another great castle made of strong stone. Only dragon fire was able to melt Harrenhal’s stone walls:

Stone does not burn, Harren had boasted, but his castle was not made of stone alone. […] And even stone will crack and melt if a fire is hot enough. The riverlords outside the castle walls said later that the towers of Harrenhal glowed red against the night, like five great candles… and like candles, they began to twist and melt, as runnels of molten stone ran down their sides.

—The World of Ice and Fire - The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest

Moreover we have the parallels that Sansa shares with Jenny of Oldstones. And Oldstones serves us as an example of the strength of the stone.

Just like Winterfell was the stronghold of the ancient Kings of Winter, Oldstones was the stronghold of the ancient River Kings (House Mudd of Oldstones), both dynasties descendants of the First Men. And if we read about Oldstones, thinking about Winterfell is an inevitability:

They reached Oldstones after eight more days of steady rain, and made their camp upon the hill overlooking the Blue Fork, within a ruined stronghold of the ancient river kings. Its foundations remained amongst the weeds to show where the walls and keeps had stood, but the local smallfolk had long ago made off with most of the stones to raise their barns and septs and holdfasts. Yet in the center of what once would have been the castle’s yard, a great carved sepulcher still rested, half hidden in waist-high brown grass amongst a stand of ash. The lid of the sepulcher had been carved into a likeness of the man whose bones lay beneath, but the rain and the wind had done their work. The king had worn a beard, they could see, but otherwise his face was smooth and featureless, with only vague suggestions of a mouth, a nose, eyes, and the crown about the temples. His hands folded over the shaft of a stone warhammer that lay upon his chest. Once the warhammer would have been carved with runes that told its name and history, but all that the centuries had worn away. The stone itself was cracked and crumbling at the corners, discolored here and there by spreading white splotches of lichen, while wild roses crept up over the king’s feet almost to his chest.

—A Storm of Swords - Catelyn V

Despite the pass of time the foundations of Oldstones remained and the stones were even used by the smallfolk to rise new buildings. The stone is really strong.

What also remained despite the centuries was the tomb of King Tristifer IV Mudd, also known as the Hammer of Justice, which immediately reminds me of the crypts of Winterfell and its stone kings sitting on their thrones with their swords across their laps.

And just like songs are still sung about a girl named Jenny from Oldstones who found true love with a Targaryen prince, I’m pretty sure that many songs will be sung about Sansa Stark from Winterfell and her own Targaryen prince.

Finally, is worth mentioning that Stark means “strong” in German. And there’s a theory about House Strong (extinguished) being linked to House Stark.

Stone = Strong = Stark

So by saying the stone is strong, we are also saying the stone is Stark.

Alayne Stone is Sansa Stark.

***

There you have it.

Thanks for your message ♡

#sansa stark #jonsa #anon asks

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onlytheembersremain · 3 years

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I read most of y'all's headcanons about the characters and the world of Dark Souls. I have to say, I loved them all so much! I loved how much effort you put into figuring out the cultures, the people and the relationships between countries! You made the world feel so real, and I really loved seeing it

I noticed in a lot of those headcanons you talked about the countries' prejudices and biases. A lot of those also apply to characters you two are writing, original and not. Like Laurentius, you said he was kicked out of his house as a kid for being gay, and people don't like that he's a pyromancer (it made me emotional and sad, not gonna lie, I wanna comfort him).

So I was wondering, do any of the characters have some sort of prejudice? Or suffered with hate, like Laurentius? I know this seems like such a mean question, but I like seeing how characters cope with the hardships in their lives, and if they get support from others.

Afadskfladjkfls--!! Thank you so much! While there are certain things from those old country headcanons that would be slightly retconned (such as Fina no longer having a larger influence in Carim) a majority of what we put down is still more-or-less the same! We never get to see the outside lands, and can only put together images of what we know from its people and objects' lore. It's so much fun to delve in and color everything in-between!

Laurentius is definitely a good example of that. What made him "undesirable" in a land of undesirable people? His overly soft and kind nature were probably part of it, but we do like to imagine it was something a little deeper and, sadly, people can be very cruel.

It's not a mean question at all! :D Can't have sweet without sour, and that definitely applies to writing. There are absolutely characters who have prejudices, both original and not. A few examples:

Honovi has a deep distrust for large orders (mainly knights) after watching people get banished to the Great Swamp and mistreated by outsiders. I wouldn't doubt a personal encounter or two would also set her off with their "higher-than-thou" attitudes. This definitely puts a wedge between her and Jestin's initial relationship and this will be explored in the first arc.

Jestin suffers from prejudice due to his red eyes and hair. I've spoken about this before, but it's a headcanon based off of the lack of redheads in Dark Souls (those who have it being unnatural ex. Emerald Herald) as well as real stigma from the Middle Ages that these individuals were cursed.

The sorcerers will have bias against pyromancers, as pyromancy is seen as a primitive art. It's no secret that the Vinheim school is full of uppity snobs, so it's not hard to imagine. Griggs will have an initial caution around Laurentius, but is quickly won over by his kindness.

In our Carim and Astora headcanons, we noted that these two countries despise each other. This will be shown very often in Jestin and Lautrec's relationship. Despite openly mocking Astorans, this does not dissuade Solaire from having a friendly engagement with Lautrec, much to the latter's dismay.

These are just some that will be explored. But don't worry! There's gonna be plenty of good-feeling interactions as well! :D Mainly from the Catarinans, because they're friends to all.

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kotachii · 3 years

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Fate

Pairing: Ace x Reader | Soulmate! Au

Synopsis: Soulmates had matching tattoos. When you met Ace, you were certain that he was your soulmate.

Fate

Raindrops slid down the glass, like melancholic tears from the sky. Your reflection only so faint on the window. Even if you were decorated with the finest jewelries from the top to bottom, tailor-made dress, most expensive heels nothing can fill the void in your heart.

“It was fate that brought you to me otherwise I would of drowned”, he used to say.

Fate.

It was a beautiful morning when you mindlessly strolled towards the river. Without a place to go, a reason to be, you found a man floating down the river. He was unconscious. With all of your force, you pulled him up on the riverbed and checked for pulse. He wasn’t dead. For the rest of the day, you camped out beside the man waiting for when he wakes up. He was quite peculiar, shirtless, no weapon, a hat that is completely soaked, the raven locks of hair framed his freckled face.

It was around mid-afternoon when he finally woke up. When he did, he enveloped you in a hug.

“Oh god, I thought I was dead! Thank you so much for saving me,” he said while you struggled to get out of the hug.

You would later learn that his name was Ace, Portgas D. Ace a traveler looking for adventure. When he asked you to join him on his adventure, you accepted. He was charming, nice, stupid at times but he always made you smile. The two of you went on so many adventures.

“Do you believe in dragons?”, Ace asked you.

“Umm...not particularly,” you replied.

“I heard that there is a dragon in Tamya forest, want to go check it out?”

“Sure!” you said with a grin.

On that day, you and Ace slaughtered one overgrown lizard and made more money than you could ever imagine selling the dragon parts in the nearby town.

“(Name), look at all of this money! There is more than enough for a lifetime! We could go anywhere, be anyone we could have feasts and not care about what anyone thinks of us,” Ace said.

“This is so great, let’s go eat something to celebrate,” you suggested.

“No, first, let’s get you the most expensive dress there is and get rid of that plain and ugly peasant dress you are wearing now,” he replied with a grin.

You laughed and said, “I can’t tell if that was supposed to be an insult.”

“Just stating the facts,” he said and winked.

In this world, you can’t just be anyone, there is a red string of fate that connects two people together. They are each other’s soulmates. The destined counterpart always bears a matching tattoo on their upper thigh.

“This grilled octopus taste so good!”, Ace said.

The two of you were in the Full Moon Festival at the Eastern Country. The streets were full of people, street food, performances and liveliness. The real reason you two came here was mostly for the fated technology called “fireworks”. They were described as on the best inventions of the Eastern Country, flowers that blooms in the sky.

“Ace,” you called. He bent down slightly so that he was at your height, “there is so much people here, let’s go find a quieter spot so we can enjoy the fireworks,” you said.

“Sure (Name), don’t get lost though,” he told you with a warm smile and you could feel his grip tighten on your hand.

Together, you found a nice and quiet spot by the river and awaited for the fireworks to appear. You leaned your head on Ace’s shoulder and enjoyed the calm moment.

“(Name), can you promise me to keep a secret?”, he asked you.

“Of course,” you mumbled.

Ace shifted from his position causing you to slightly fall backwards but he caught you and made you look into his eyes. The glow of the moon illuminated his face with an off white colour, the stars shone brightly in his eyes.

“Then pinky promise me,” he said.

You looked at him amused by the odd request but still obeyed anyways.

“Alright, I thought it was about time I told you, do you remember that one time when we were in the Southern Valleys and we were chased by a whole lot of knights?”, he asked you.

“Um...I think so. Yeah so what about it?”

“Those people weren’t after us. They were after me. It’s because I am the child of the last King. The one that was overthrown,” he said grimly.

“And…,” you continued.

“That’s it,” Ace said and he saw the look of confusion on your face, “Aren’t you surprised? Or angry? My father was known as the corrupted King. People hated him.”

“But that’s just him. You are you and that is all what matters to me,” you replied while staring right back into his eyes.

You two slowly leaned in for a kiss, and thus the vow was sealed. You could feel the strings of fate tugging you and Ace together into a bind. You were no longer travelling companions but a couple.

The fireworks erupted into the sky and created beautiful flowers of more variety than you’ve ever witnessed. Sparks of multicolours danced within the sky.

“(Name), do you feel it? I think we are just meant to be,” Ace said when he pulled away from the kiss.

You nodded with a smile and rested your head on the crook of his neck and enjoyed the moment. You wished the story could of ended here, it would of been perfect. But fate had other plans.

You remember later that night when you showed him the tattoo. In this society, it was considered inappropriate to show another person your tattoo before you can feel the strings of fate pulling you two together. However, you are positive Ace is your soulmate, there is no other way. Though one should not underestimate fate.

“How….how is that possible?”, you looked at him, not believing your eyes. Tears threatened to fall down and all of your senses felt numb.

Ace didn’t say anything and stared at the ground. The tattoo on his leg, a fire pattern mocked you as it did not match with yours. Yours were flowing like water, not the abrupt flames that he had. How could this be, you were positive it was him. You didn’t want to be anyone else but with him.

“Screw this!”, Ace shouted as he stood up, “Why does some dumb tattoo get to decide who I spend the rest of my life with.”

“It’s just fate,” you replied back depressed.

“Screw fate! Then it is also fate that brought you to me, otherwise I would of drowned that day by the river.”

“But Ace, fate gets to decide everything. It will keep on trying to separate us if we don’t listen to it. There is nothing we can do about it---”

“Until that happens, I am not abandoning you. Fate can try to separate us but we just have to be faster, more clever. We can escape it. We don’t have to listen to it. Let’s run away and don’t look back. I don’t care who we have to betray, who we have to abandon, I’ll do anything just so we can be together.”

Ace panted with harsh breath and anger seeped through his usually carefree face. You stood up and walked over to him and hugged him. You agreed with him, you don’t ever want to be with anyone else but him, he may not be your soulmate but he is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. No regrets.

Life went on as normal but you two traveled at a quicker pace than before. Ever since that night, you could feel your surrounding altering it. It was because fate wants to punish you for not listening to it. For example, you’ve lately noticed that you tend to lose each other easily. Even if it is just walking in a crowded city, for a brief moment, you will lose sight of him among the sea of people. That was what you feared the most. What happens if one day you can’t find him anymore.

Also, more and more people that has been hunting for Ace. He is the son of the previous king and naturally, he brings a lot of enemies. But the appearances of conflicting parties has been more often than before. In fact, you even heard the name of the very man chasing after Ace. He would sometimes be in the front lines on this operation and there was one time when you and Ace almost didn’t escape. A piece of your dress was ripped off during the escape leaving your tattoo exposed. Ever since that day, a grim feeling has possessed you.

“Hey, (Name), have you heard about the town of Ethelia?”, Ace looked at you.

Today was a normal day, so you wished. No one chasing you, the sun was shining bright and life was pretty good.

“Yeah, isn’t that the big city up north?”, you replied.

“Let’s go there, today. I heard they have some nice ice cream shops,” Ace said.

“What’s that?”, you asked confused.

Ace chuckled, “I think it is something cold and sweet. That’s what I heard.”

“Cold? Like ice? I hate ice,” you stated bluntly.

“I don’t know but we will know once we go.”

“Fine.”

And little did you know, that day was the day fate finally won. On your journey there, you were stopped by the very group of men always after Ace. Lead by their leader, Akainu, there was nowhere left for you two to run. Ace was injured but he tried his best to stand up. He blocked you from the enemies.

“Leave her alone, what you want is me. Not her!”, Ace shouted at them.

“Move you little runt,” Akainu said, “Are you her soulmate or something? Last time I checked, you didn’t even have matching tattoos.”

“That is none of your business!”, Ace shouted back.

“Of course it is my business because that lovely lady behind you, she happens to share the same tattoo as me.”

Shocked. Sadness. Unbelief. It all swallowed you like waves trying to suffocate you. On that day when your dress ripped, it must of been that day when he saw. And later you did witness for yourself when you saw the familiar tattoo on his leg, that disgusting man was your soulmate.

It has been six months since then. It is also the day before the scheduled execution for Ace. He did nothing wrong but of course, Akainu was a powerful man and he is capable of pinning crimes onto Ace to make his execution justified. Ace is locked in a cell, underground, beneath this castle. You only saw him twice. The first time, he didn’t say anything and the second time, he told you to not come see him again. He didn’t want you to see him in this pitiful state. Chained to walls and wearing rags.

“Wanna take one last look at lover-boy down there,” Akainu mocked you when he walked into the room. You can’t believe he is your soulmate.

“There is no point.”

“Glad to see you finally came to your senses. He is just a swine,” he huffed before walking out of your room again.

There is no point because you’ve already planned the escape. It took you six months but you have acquired the keys to his cell, you also have found the gap flaw within the guarding system and an escape room.

When the night turned dark, shadows swallowed the castle, chains were removed and the caged became free. Two lone figures silently escaped the castle and never looked back. They dissolved into the night and once again they cheated fate. No one noticed them until a couple hours late when they were long gone and never had they caught them again.

#ace x reader #portgas d ace x reader #one piece x reader #one piece ace x reader #Portgas D. Ace #portgas d ace #one piece ace #one piece

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a-libra-writes · 3 years

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Could you do 🌸💤 for Cersei Lannister please

sure! lets get some ladies up in these requests. im adding two more emojis bc they were also requested and I wanted all the Cersei in one place :>

🎭 Jealousy HC

Oh boy.

Cersei is fiercely jealous. There is no arguing this, and if you catch her in a good mood, she’ll admit it with a smirk.

She has a generally jealous personality, but it’s much stronger when she’s in a relationship. It can border on possessiveness, but she does understand that as a woman, you have all sorts of irksome lords and knights clamoring for your attention. Luckily, she’s the queen, so she can take you by the arm and dismiss them with a smile, if she’s feeling generous.

If not, they’ll get a taste of the venom she’s so excellent at spitting... then it’s right back to a smug smile to you. You think she really likes driving men away from you.

You noticed she only gets jealous of your female friends when they do something that she likes doing for you. Examples are your hair (“Is this what she calls a braid? Let me do it.”) or helping you dress (”She ties the laces too tight. Turn around, I’ll fix it.”)

Real talk, if you were friends with a handmaiden or lesser lady who was being too friendly for her tastes, she’ll put in a few words here and there to make the girl’s life miserable. You have a reputation as Cersei’s favorite, and any women trying to suck up to you to get to the queen are in for a rude awakening.

💤 Napping HC

Honestly, Cersei doesn’t have the best sleeping habits. She really could benefit from a midday nap, considering how late she sleeps and early she wakes up, but good luck convincing her to do it. She thinks it would be an absolutely lazy thing to do, and she has so much to do!

But there are some days where you can tell she’s utterly exhausted, so you have to get a little creative.

When you two her intimate, she only sometimes dozes off afterward, and it’s not for that long. You know Cersei struggles to be so vulnerable, so she tries not to fall asleep, even if she’s clearly cozy and curled up in your bed.

In the evening, when she’s more prone to staying awake late, you can cuddle and kiss and convince her to at least lie in bed with you. You noticed brushing her hair and massaging helps her fall asleep, even when she’s angry and wound up.

When she does have a catnap, she tends to curl up. She likes having lots of pillows, and curls her feet up in her long gown. If you’re with her, you carefully remove some of her hairpins so she can sleep better. She actually looks sweet, with her long hair tumbling over the pillows and an oddly peaceful expression on her face. She always looks peaceful when she’s sleeping.

She doesn’t mind if you fall into a nap in her private parlor or room. It’s a good thing - it means you aren’t with anyone else. She’ll snap at a servant to bring her extra pillows and blankets so you’re cozy.

🌸Kissing HC

You learn she has a variety of kisses at her disposal. For one, she’s never given you a quick peck or sneaky kiss in the middle of a deserted hall. Her kisses are only for when you two are alone, and they’re meaningful. None of this light kiss business.

The exception is when you’re both in court, and a lord is being too forward. She hates that, you know it, or if a certain Lady she knows has eyes for you is being presumptuous. That’s when Cersei kisses your cheek, but it’s all she can get away with. Any more and she pushes the boundary of a Queen and her primary lady in waiting. She likes to do it when you aren’t expecting it.

Her default kisses are the passionate kind. This is because she has so much bottled up throughout the day, when you both are finally alone she just lets loose and has no shame in expressing what she wants. Cersei prefers to be the one grabbing you and bringing you to her, the one holding your face and biting your lips and neck - she likes to be the ‘dominant’ one.

She isn’t always like that, though. When she’s feeling especially depressed or bitter, she wants to be the one kissed and held.

She really loves using tongue and biting; when your lips are red from her actions and not your lipstick, she’s pleased. She especially likes it if you’re more of a shy type that gets flustered from all the attention.

She’s not willing to risk too much affection in halls and empty rooms, unless she’s positive it’s safe. When she takes you to Casterly Rock (because she will take you anywhere she has a whim to go), she’s more bold.

💋 Intimacy HC

She’s a woman who has used her sexuality since she was young, and she knows what she likes and wants. Truthfully, it was your appearance and body she noticed first. She wasn’t able to talk to you for some time, so she admired that before you two were able to meet properly.

The first time you’re intimate with her, she goes straight to giving attention to the parts she likes the most. You can tease her about it, too; it’s so obvious what she likes based off the dresses she gives you, or the ways she suggests you do your hair or wear necklaces.

Cersei herself has always been admired for her hair and breasts, so she assumes that’s what you like, too. She’s surprised if that isn’t the case, and more surprised by how attentive a lover you can be. She’s … not used to that.

If you’re someone who puts her pleasure and needs first, she finds herself getting a little addicted to it. It’s a tossup if she wants to be in control, making you cry out and beg her for it, or if she wants you to take care of her completely. It’s rarely both in a single night: Someone has to be submissive, someone has to be dominant.

She changes her opinion on this the longer you’re together. The same with cuddling afterward - what’s that? She’s used to men saying the stupidest things, wanting the stupidest things, so if you just want to sit and enjoy her warmth, it takes time for her to accept it and be comfortable.

She loves leaving as many marks as she can - scratches on your back, hickeys on your neck and breasts and thighs. She loves it even more if you don’t cover it up completely and you have to sputter excuses to people about what happened. She’s fine with marks on herself, but she’ll always cover them up. Every day she’ll ask you to kiss it better and make it up to her until the bruise fades.

She potentially has a lot of stamina, but you know there are times when she’s exhausted and should sleep. Cersei hates being told that. If she wants to be with you, she’s getting it, damn it … Even if she falls asleep right after because she’s slept so horribly the whole week. That’s when you tuck her in and blow the candles out.

#cersei lannister x reader #got x reader #game of thrones x reader #libra headcanons

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jackoshadows · 3 years

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Do you think that Daenerys will burn kings landing in the books? She did it on the show and she has to show the strength of her dragons in Westeros like in Essos.

For the answer to this question, I would direct you to Dany blogs that dissect her story arc using the books. You could read their theories and speculations based on the books and come to your own conclusion on this.

As for my speculations on this,

1. Dany has done nothing so far in the last 5 books that leads towards her going on a random rampage in KL. She has shown a lot of concern and care towards the civilians and common folk of Essos. More than the likes of Robb Stark for example.

2. Dany burning down KL would turn her into her father. This goes against what I think is GRRM’s message in the series - that the younger generation can rise above their birth and the societal biases against them.

3. That said, I do think that the author means for us to question and speculate, along with Daenerys, if she would turn into her father. This is an internal conflict that the character is struggling with and a part of her story. More on this below the cut.*

4. I think there will be a second dance of dragons between Young Griff/Aegon and Daenerys in KL. Going back to the original outline, the second book of the original trilogy - titled the Dance of Dragons - was supposed to be about Dany’s conquest of Westeros. There will be casualties in this war. GRRM has been explicit about the consequences of war on the small folk due to the WOT5K. Robb Stark may have had a just cause but innocent people suffered and died due to his war for independence. Even with Stannis’ march to Winterfell, we see a 14 year old soldier being burned to death as punishment for cannibalizing a corpse because he was so hungry and there’s no food. War is brutal.

5. Dany can win KL without massacring thousands. The Lannisters did it in the books when they sacked KL and no one - not even the honorable Ned Stark - complained about it. She could have done it on the show and won - except, suddenly pacifist Tyrion kept advising against it. In fact if the dragons act as a nuclear deterrent, there will be less casualties. Aegon the conqueror won the North without a single casualty.

5. Westeros is already in a bad way and winter has come to KL by the end of the fifth book. Dany will end up in charge of a war torn Westeros down south. By which time, the North is overrun, Winterfell is lost and the survivors head south. IMO, the Others will not be defeated at Winterfell in 30 minutes like on the show. They are the central antagonists and the last book will mostly be about the rest of Westeros uniting against them. Dany will acknowledge the central premise of the series - ‘ When dead men come hunting in the night, do you think it matters who sits the Iron Throne?’ and joins Jon, Bran, Arya and others to defeat the army of the dead.

6. I have no idea how her story will end in the books. Considering she dies on the show and if it’s the same in the books, I would think that if she goes out she will go out a hero and not a villain. There’s a lot of prophecies associated with her and I would speculate that her character is instrumental in defeating the Others. Fire and Ice and all that.

7. And speculate is all we can do, considering we will never get the last book and a conclusion to GRRM’s version of the story.

* Now to expand a little bit on the point number 3 above.

I would like to comment on a line of thought/discourse regarding Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow and Targaryen madness.

I have seen a few posts from time to time making the assertion that if one speculates on mad queen Dany, but does not do the same for Jon Snow, then this is sexism. I disagree.

Now, if one is making that argument that by genetics, Daenerys Targaryen is designed to go mad and she will go mad, burn down KL and die while Jon goes on to be King or goes into exile etc. then yes, this argument would indeed be sexist, IMO. If we are going to speculate based on Targaryen genetics, then, not much is different between Jon and Dany. They are both Targaryens. Dany is not fire proof and neither is Jon. While Dany has some strongly prophetic dragon dreams, there are indications that Jon’s dreams are prophetic as well.

“Sleep came at last, and with it nightmares. He dreamed of burning castles and dead men rising unquiet from their graves”

He has dreamed of Winterfell burning, of Ned being executed, of being told that he is not a Stark by the old kings of winter in the crypts where his mother is buried and of Bran as a weirwood.

Jon’s dream here is very similar to what Dany dreams of:

“Snow,” an eagle cried, as foemen scuttled up the ice like spiders. Jon was armored in black ice, but his blade burned red in his fist. As the dead men reached the top of the Wall he sent them down to die again. - Jon Snow

That night she dreamt that she was Rhaegar, riding to the Trident. But she was mounted on a dragon, not a horse. When she saw the Usurper’s rebel host across the river they were armored all in ice, but she bathed them in dragonfire and they melted away like dew and turned the Trident into a torrent.- Daenerys Targaryen

We know zombie ice spiders are going to be a thing. And the armor of black ice that Jon references here could be Euron Greyjoy’s black valyrian steel armor.

So if Dany is going to go mad because of genetics, then there is every chance that Jon will as well.

But from a narrative point of view, the author wants us to question if Dany will go the same way as her father. The mad king Aerys III is a part of Dany’s story. She questions if she is going to become her father. Other characters – allies and enemies – do the same. It’s a conflict that Dany wrestles with as she comes to terms with her Targaryen identity. It’s an obstacle she faces as she takes on both enemies and friends.

"Freedom to starve?" asked Dany sharply. "Freedom to die? Am I a dragon, or a harpy?" Am I mad? Do I have the taint? (ASOS, Daenerys VI)

A shadow. A memory. No one. She was the blood of the dragon, but Ser Barristan had warned her that in that blood there was a taint. Could I be going mad? They had called her father mad, once. (ADWD, Daenerys II)

The old knight did not blink. "Your father is called 'the Mad King' in Westeros. Has no one ever told you?"

"Viserys did." The Mad King. "The Usurper called him that, the Usurper and his dogs." The Mad King. "It was a lie."

"Why ask for truth," Ser Barristan said softly, "if you close your ears to it?" He hesitated, then continued. "I told you before that I used a false name so the Lannisters would not know that I'd joined you. That was less than half of it, Your Grace. The truth is, I wanted to watch you for a time before pledging you my sword. To make certain that you were not . . ."

". . . my father's daughter?" If she was not her father's daughter, who was she?

". . . mad," he finished. "But I see no taint in you."

And then there is the discourse that her enemies start about her being mad. The propaganda that she is just like her father. Propaganda that will no doubt be also used in Westeros.

The clever Volantene swordsman who always seemed to have his nose poked in some crumbly scroll, thought the dragon queen both murderous and mad. "Her khal killed her brother to make her queen. Then she killed her khal to make herself khaleesi. She practices blood sacrifice, lies as easily as she breathes, turns against her own on a whim. She's broken truces, tortured envoys … her father was mad too. It runs in the blood." (ADWD, The Windblown)

Madness and the mad king is nowhere in Jon’s story arcs or narrative themes. GRRM still thinks that R+L=J is some big secret and was so impressed that Benioff and Weiss figured it out he gave them the show. The author does not question whether Jon is going to become a mad Targaryen with a fascination for burning people to death.

Jon’s internal conflicts and the problems he has to surmount are different in nature. He is a bastard born of ‘lust and deceit’. If we want a connection here to the Targaryens that explores Jon’s narrative arc, then there is the Blackfyre rebellion. Daemon Blackfyre’s attempt to usurp the throne is used as an example in Westeros to be wary of all bastards, noble or base born.

So if the speculation is that Dany is going to turn into her father and become the mad queen, then the narrative equivalent for Jon would be that he would be a deceitful usurper who takes Winterfell from his trueborn siblings.

And this is something that is explored in Jon’s story.

When Stannis offers Winterfell to Jon, the only reason he does not accept is because of his oaths as a NW brother and his reluctance to burn down the heart trees in Winterfell. But in his heart, he wants it.

He wanted it, Jon knew then. He wanted it as much as he had ever wanted anything. I have always wanted it, he thought, guiltily. May the gods forgive me. It was a hunger inside him, sharp as a dragonglass blade. A hunger … he could feel it. — Jon Snow, ASOS

Just as Dany wrestles with whether she will turn into her father, Jon wrestles with his feelings of wanting Winterfell and feeling ashamed of those feelings.

His dreams in regards to this are interesting:

The world dissolved into a red mist. Jon stabbed and slashed and cut. He hacked down Donal Noye and gutted Deaf Dick Follard. Qhorin Halfhand stumbled to his knees, trying in vain to staunch the flow of blood from his neck. "I am the Lord of Winterfell," Jon screamed. It was Robb before him now, his hair wet with melting snow. Longclaw took his head off. Then a gnarled hand seized Jon roughly by the shoulder. He whirled …- Jon XII, ADWD

Jon literally beheads Robb in his dreams.

There is a lot of speculation here that after he comes back from the dead, we are going to get a darker Jon Snow who is going to go after Winterfell and not care much about the trueborn siblings ahead of him in the queue. We could see conflict between Jon and Rickon or Jon and Sansa. The original outline hinted that Jon and Bran would not get along.

And just like Dany faces the ‘Mad Queen’ propaganda because of Aerys III, Jon too faces the biased prejudice against bastards because of the actions of Daemon Blackfyre. While prejudice against bastards existed before then, the Blackfyres are often used as an example to caution against them.

Catelyn’s hatred for Jon Snow is based on the fear that someday he would usurp and take away Winterfell from her children.

“Not unless he’s legitimized by a royal decree,” said Robb. “There is more precedent for that than for releasing a Sworn Brother from his oath.”

“Precedent,” she said bitterly. “Yes, Aegon the Fourth legitimized all his bastards on his deathbed. And how much pain, grief, war, and murder grew from that? I know you trust Jon. But can you trust his sons? Or their sons? The Blackfyre pretenders troubled the Targaryens for five generations, until Barristan the Bold slew the last of them on the Stepstones. If you make Jon legitimate, there is no way to turn him bastard again. Should he wed and breed, any sons you may have by Jeyne will never be safe.” - Catelyn, ASoS

Similarly the Blackfish – having not even met Jon Snow – distrusts him.

"I will permit you to take the black. Ned Stark's bastard is the Lord Commander on the Wall."

The Blackfish narrowed his eyes. "Did your father arrange for that as well? Catelyn never trusted the boy, as I recall, no more than she ever trusted Theon Greyjoy. It would seem she was right about them both..." - Jaime Lannister, AFfC

The existing prejudices against bastards in Westeros is strong.

"Trueborn children are made in a marriage bed and blessed by the Father and Mother, but bastards are born of lust and weakness." - Jon Snow

Orys Baratheon was a baseborn half brother to Lord Aegon, it was whispered, and the Storm King would not dishonor his daughter by giving her hand to a bastard. The very suggestion enraged him.

Go away, I wanted only Freys up here, the King in the North has no interest in base stock.— Walder Frey to little Walda Rivers

Bastard children were born from lust and lies, men said; their nature was wanton and treacherous. Once Jon had meant to prove them wrong, to show his lord father he could as good a true son as Robb Stark - Jon Snow

So both Jon and Dany face internal conflicts and the author wishes to interrogate if Dany can overcome her own self doubts with respect to her father and society’s opinions of her and if Jon can overcome his desires and personal ambition for Winterfell and society’s opinions of bastards as untrustworthy and deceitful.

If a reader is therefore making the argument that Dany will become the mad queen like her father and burn down everyone – they should also rightfully be arguing for Jon turning against his family for a selfish power grab and essentially turning into Daemon Blackfyre.

Remember how Daemon took the Targaryen sigil with colors reversed – a black dragon on red giving him the nickname ‘The Black Dragon’

Jon was referred to as the ‘White Wolf’ on the show and as per the books, two bastards have reversed the sigils. Jon’s direwolf Ghost is white and he would therefore have a white wolf on a grey background as opposed to the Stark grey direwolf on a white background.

The sexism arises when Dany is singled out for turning into exactly what her enemies expect her to be, while the Starks overcome societal prejudices and expectations and end up the heroes. That, while Dany turns into her father, Jon Snow continues to love his Stark family (i.e Sansa Stark) so much and would sacrifice everything for them.

The show’s thesis and final message for these Targaryens is that they cannot rise above their birth and are exactly what society makes of them. That their final destiny is decided from birth and that they cannot change it no matter how much they tried. Daenerys turned into her father, randomly burned down KL for no reason and massacred thousands. Jon Snow pretends to support her, gets close to her, deceives her and kills her. He becomes a kinslayer, a queenslayer, a traitor – deceitful and untrustworthy and is exiled. It was an utterly nihilistic ending for house Targaryen.

I strongly believe that GRRM is not heading in this direction for these characters. It would be very disappointing if this is what he intends for them. It would indeed be sexist if GRRM wrote Dany as turning into her father, while Jon remains good and faithful to his family. From my reading and interpretation of these books, the story is about these underdogs triumphing over their internal conflicts. The conclusion of this tale would be Dany not turning into the mad queen, Jon not turning into a deceitful traitor, Arya not fleeing Westeros because she does not belong, Bran becoming king despite being a cripple.

But that is the final answer. In the meantime, GRRM means to explore these characters and their narrative themes and conflicts. In that context, it’s valid to question and theorize whether a possible direction for Dany’s story is her becoming her father. Five books in there is nothing to support this theory, but it is a theme that GRRM is interested in examining for the character of Daenerys Targaryen.

#Daenerys Targaryen #Jon Snow #asoiaf #anti GOT #asks

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