#lestat... be on your best behavior

[anthony-crowleys-left-nut]

this may not be how everyone else feels (which i respect), but i personally feel like since louis "killed" lestat, lestat saved his life, then lestat spent over 70 years sulking pathetically in his self-imposed timeout, if louis wants to call it even atp who am i to judge? how would i handle that? i don't know. but if that's where louis is at then i say let him be there. but maybe that's the loustat shipper in me lol. i'll admit i have a preexisting bias from the books and the movie.

[foursaints]

trying to put words to how exactly my peter pettigrew deviates from fanon and i think ultimately, as most things, it has to do with james. because peter meta is at its best when you (correctly, i think) understand james potter as a villain in the story. james potter is interesting precisely because he is seen as an infallible hero by one half of canon AND irredeemable villain by the other, but both groups technically have an accurate understanding of him. and his behavior (and your perception of him) wholly depends on what side of the gulf you're standing on.

like, james is an amazing friend and gallant war hero but he still sexually harasses snape in public with impunity. he became a good husband to lily but the way he treated her for years was exploitative and gross. these are facts. and it tracks that the people who have only been exposed to james's ugly side would (accurately) see him as an entitled scion who wields societal power and chooses to abuse the powerless. to "dark wizards", james is as much an example of privileged pureblood cruelty as canon draco is to canon harry.

and peter pettigrew is interesting because he is someone who, for unclear reasons, was lucky enough to be picked as a "good guy" and thus be treated well by "good james". except unlike everyone else who has encountered or been won over by "good james", peter still sees him as a villain and is incapable of forgiving him— for valid reason!! peter is still a gryffindor at his core and he has gryffindorish motivation. like, his murdering james isn't a judas escariot story. from peter's perspective it's far more like Claudia killing Lestat.

[i-arch-my-backula]

Yandere Lestat and Louis x GN reader headcanons

This is my first time writing for Louis and Lestat so I'm sorry if this is kind of out of character for them. Also I'm basing this off of the 1994 movie portrayal of the characters.

Warnings: Yandere behavior, cheating on reader (not my Lestat or Louis), murder, forced blood drinking mentioned, manipulative behavior, unhealthy relationships, slight au

Lestat had befriended a local artist in France where they're currently staying. Lestat had heard about this artist's muse and brought Louis along to meet them. When both men followed the artist into the studio there, waiting on a chaise lounge was you. Your outfit was most likely some kind of sleepwear that’s trending. Your hair, your body, your smile, all of it drew both men in. They could tell why this artist has dedicated you as his muse. 

When they saw you they knew they had to have you. Louis was hesitant to really admit to wanting you to be all theirs, but Lestat had no problem talking openly to Louis about how much he desired you. 

Soon both men began to shower you with affection away from your boyfriend. Lestat was all about taking you out on the town and buying you gifts, being very physical. While Louis was content to talk with you privately about whatever came across your minds. 

They spent whatever time they could looking at the art your boyfriend made of you. Lestat went as far as to offer to buy some paintings of you. But sadly they weren’t for sale, so he opted to steal drawings of you. 

After establishing a relationship with you, that's when they began to try and separate you from your boyfriend. Lestat would plant the ideas in your head and Louis would be there to comfort you through it all. “I’ve seen him around town, looking at other people the way he looks at you.” Lestat would say. “You deserve so much better than him Y/N. I promise you that.” Louis would add. 

Louis would be hesitant to keep going with this plan, feeling like he’s building a relationship with you on nothing but lies. But Lestat would be there to tell Louis that this is what’s best for you, that they would be the best people to take care of you. So Louis would feel less guilty over time about this. 

They’d also start to get your boyfriend to see other people, encouraging him to cheat on you just so their plan could be set into motion. Louis would take a little convincing to actually get in fully on this plan but Lestat would get him on board in the end. 

They’d set it up so you’d catch your boyfriend cheating on you during the night. You’d run over to Louis and Lestat’s house and there they would be to comfort you about what you just saw. After you fall asleep they’ll go to your ex-boyfriend's house and kill him and the person he was cheating on you with, draining them of all their blood. 

They’ll then have to explain to you what they are. Louis would break it to you gently and promise you that they’d never do anything to hurt you. Lestat would offer to turn you too and give you a couple days to think it over. 

They’d set up a letter to give you from your “Partner” that says he fled to another country with his new partner. This will hopefully send you over the edge and get you to let them turn you into a vampire. If it doesn’t they’ll manipulate you into it anyway. 

Once you’re turned they’ll start to spoil you even more for letting them turn you, trying to prove to you that you made the perfect decision by letting them turn you. 

Lestat will want you to drink from humans immediately while Louis will understand if you’re hesitant. But both of them won’t let you drink from animals. So if you’re not drinking from humans they’ll force feed you blood. 

If you ever think about leaving they’ll manipulate you into staying. What other vampire would want you? Can you really trust someone else after your last boyfriend? It’s best to stay with them, they were the ones who turned you after all. 

Louis is a softer yandere. He’ll be more comforting and won’t be as explicit with his manipulation tactics and possessiveness. Lestat is far more open with his yandere behavior. He’ll outright manipulate you and yell at you if you talk about leaving. Louis will comfort you after and Lestat will eventually apologize just so you don’t hate him. 

You’re not going to leave them, that’s not an option. You’re stuck with them forever. If you try to leave they’ll track you down and they’ll lock you in their house if that’s necessary. 

[nalyra-dreaming]

Ok, sorry if this is a question you have already gotten but I’m coming off a long social media break.

Your recent ask about Daniel’s eyes is blowing my mind. Do you think that the vampire Daniel we saw at the end wasn’t actually Daniel or did I read way too far into your answer?

Hey!

Welcome back :)

Yes and... no :)

The thing is - Mayfair Witches (as bad as I find it as a show) established a few interesting and important things wrt the Talamasca - and Daniel's book (see also linked post below):

In episode 7 Ciprien denotes that they should do their best to minimize the damage, claim it is fiction etc.

Which means.... either the Talamasca as a whole or a faction of the Talmasca did NOT want Daniel's book to be published.

I talked about how Raglan and the things MW established might come together here (please read it, I think it will be important soon, and I would literally need to copy/paste here^^):

Now... Rolin said that they need to "establish the concept of a soul" - which they do need for both the body switching and ghosts, obviously.

We know Daniel was aware of the fact that Raglan wanted something from him for the trial script:

Raglan is a thief and a (former(?)) Talamasca agent. He likely stole the script from the Talamasca for Daniel, in exchange for something we do not know yet or not specified yet, and then somehow got Daniel's book published.

Now, I said it in the linked post, but ultimately what Raglan wants - is Lestat's immortal body. He can posses and switch bodies (as others can, too).

He spends years pulling Lestat in, making him interested in the concept. And given that canon behavior - and the canon (healthy) fear Raglan has of Lestat - what better way not to get killed on sight than to possess Daniel to seek Lestat out?!

Now, I know that sounds fantastical, but it does make sense with what's to come :), promise. They have stated that they want to do the fourth book after all and Raglan James... is from that book.

And so, to return to the eye color - I, personally, think the switching eye color might be a visual indication of possession.

Because, who else had weird looking changed eyes?

These guys:

Now, the hypnotizing Lestat does is obviously not quite the same level... but then again, it is the only other time they have established a similar change though.

THAT combined with the statements of their effects specialist... indicate for me that we are likely talking some kind of possession there. Maybe a "guest" instead of a takeover. Maybe a controlled "allowing of control", also it might be different for vampires than for humans.

But the show has been quite consistent with their effects so far, and I don't think this will be any different.

[gnarptado]

[Not about the books]

Loustat edit to ‘Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call’ by the Bleachers putting Lestat over the lyrics ‘Oh, golden boy don’t act like you were kind / you were mine but you were awful everytime’ trending tag ‘#lestatcrashoutcore’ tiktok comments of Lestat ‘my princess with a disorder’ ‘bipolar king’ I will not deny you representation of your mental disorders I’m not refuting that however I don’t think the clips we are shown of his ‘overreactions’ or ‘crash outs’ are truthful to his real temperament.

In the scenes just before Lestat drops Louis while they were fighting, the audience was under the impression that Lestat was the aggressor and extremely mentally ill to the point of rationalizing his behavior. “I do not want to fight you” “I am holding back” all said while we were selectively shown clips of Lestat defending himself and then later revealed that in that instance, Louis was in fact the aggressor, upon his reflection with Daniel.

I don’t know how it was intended because I haven’t seen many people share my frame of reference but after witnessing that scene it led me to believe that all of Lestat’s ‘crash outs’ were exaggerated by Louis thus, giving me the impression that Lestat, who previously I saw as childish and emotionally underdeveloped, may have been more sane than Louis led us to believe.

Of course there was my thought of ‘if Lestat’s actions can be explained by Louis being an unreliable narrator than what if Claudia’s perspective?’ i want to preface this by saying; I do not have kids, and I am in high school— so my opinion is not informed or should be held to any regard. That being said, I am not going to call Lestat an A+ dad, he definitely fucked up, but he was never intentionally malicious. What he did in making Claudia watch Charlie burn (i think that’s his name…) was what he believed to be the proper way to teach her about the vampiric necessity to disconnect from human life— we’re there better ways to do this, *absolutely*. You’re 14 years old and your dog of 13 years died, being forced to watch what’s the closest thing to a best friend be burned in front of you is traumatizing. Whether it was out of sadism or not is irrelevant in this conversation, Claudia had experienced a trauma and I think this clouded her judgement of Lestat’s character *just a little bit*. I don’t think he would have been as heartless as Claudia had described, and I think later (and I mean like, *decades* later) after writing the entries I think she also came to understand Lestat wasn’t as heartless and she believed when she was younger.

The only authentic clips we have of Lestat are that of the trial after Molloy gentle parents Louis into some critical thinking. the only unbiased perspective we get of Lestat is a final grand gesture of love, using all of his power to break Louis free. Even in the end he did not care when Louis went with Armand (well, he did but he didn’t intervene…) because he loves Louis above all else. In these authentic scenes Lestat displayed what I first thought was *uncharacteristically* mature, however the only thing leading me to believe he wasn’t before was the word of a man who’s memory had been tampered with.

Oh, and there’s that. They blatantly spelled out that none of Louis memories of Lestat were reliable because Armand had poisoned his mind against him to gain an upper hand. I don’t understand if I am just being really dense or if i misinterpreted something but I see people doing the whole ‘omg he’s so crazy he’s so insane’ and I don’t know if i should feel really dumb or really smart because IS HE??? IS HE THOUGH??????

if your boyfriend came limping over to you covered in blood dragging what you can only assume is the corpse of a dead child, I would have reacted *way* more insane than Lestat did.

[nightcolorz]

Hello friend (I’ve decided I’ve sent enough Babymand thoughts that we’re friends now) I am dying to know your thoughts about who would be the best babysitter for Little Armand.

I feel like Lestat would be surprisingly competent and Louis would be trying his best but just the absolute worst at knowing what you can and cannot do with a kid. Like Lestat is very sincerely engaging with Armand’s action figure world and asking good questions about the backstory and Louis is offering him a weed vape to soothe his nerves when he starts getting upset.

we r definitely friends baby mand anon ‼️

I’m crying over weed vape omgggg 😭😭😭😭 But yeah I definitely agree that lestat would be a better caretaker for Armand then Louis 😭. Louis I think is objectively more responsible and level headed but I think Armand needs someone less by the books and more willing to meet him where he’s at. The impression I’ve always got is that Louis is better as a functioning parent but Lestat is better at understanding and connecting with children. Lestat is also better at understanding and connecting with Armand then Louis is lol. Lestat is kind of a big baby so he rlly knows how to play with and talk to kids. Lestat is also very similar to Armand so I think he’d rlly be able to connect with a child Armand.

I also feel like Louis would react in the worst way possible when trying to help babymand if he’s meltdowing or trauaming or crying or misbehaving 😭 I think he’d just jump to punishment before trying to understand where the behavior is coming from. He gives me the vibes that he would be the sort of person to say “ur kid acts out bcus u don’t spank them! 😡” lmao. Louis is infinitely more patient then Lestat is but lestat is more empathetic when it comes to big displays of emotion, and I think he’d be better dealing with that when it comes to understanding why it’s happening + what is needed. So even tho I think Louis is overall better with kids then lestat is, Lestat would be better with Armand as a kid specifically lol, cuz they just get each other

[indelicateink]

some random recent wishes from the bounty of IWTV kink meme requests--the full list is amazing!

note: so many thanks to @vampire-dove for maintaining this anon kink meme for us.

to play: click on the form link on the left side of the kink meme page. please go add more. please fill prompts. have you mused about your favs exploring each others’ bodies today? NO? would you like to?

Armand/Louis de Pointe du Lac Blood Drinking

loumand have been fucking but they haven't shared blood yet

--

Raglan James/Daniel Molloy

Daniel Molloy and whoever the hell Justin Kirk is playing (Raglan? Marius?). Dubai, pre-vampire Daniel. Just two old men screwing while screwing over vampires.

--

Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac Past Rape/Non-con, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

modern-day au. when impoverished Lestat de Lioncourt comes into the vast inheritance left to him by his stalker, he makes a lot of changes in his life. the first is tackling his illiteracy. he's making steady progress, but braving the public library has been life-altering--especially since meeting the hot librarian who recommends him books for them to argue about.

other life goals include buying an actual house, exploring the wonders of having health insurance, enjoying the ability to buy new clothes. and getting over the trauma of magnus's attack. and being able to be intimate with someone again. little things like that. mostly he just wants to hang out around all the free books, in sight of his very beautiful new friend.

non-ao3 tags: anxiety about sex, louis is compassionate, adult learning is not a punchline, louis knows all the best erotica

--

Claudia/Madeleine Claudia starts realizing that she's getting the same kind of butterflies around Madeleine as she did around boys, perhaps even stronger. One night after Madeleine called to visit, Claudia takes her exploration into her own hands and imagination.

While Claudia is in the throes of her self pleasure, Madeleine returns to retrieve something she'd forgotten, only to hear Claudia's moans through the half-closed door. Peering inside, she watches for a moment, her own hunger growing inside her, before she can't hold herself back. Swooping into the room, Madeleine takes charge of the situation (not in a dom sense; just in an experienced sense) and shows Claudia the joys of lesbian sex.

TLDR: Claudeleine + masturbation interruptus, first times, (slight) voyeurism, experienced teaching the inexperienced

--

Armand/Daniel Molloy, Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac Possessive Behavior, Possessive Armand, Vampire Daniel Molloy

Daniel wants to interview Lestat, but apparently he’s like catnip to older vampires. Lestat flirts relentlessly, Louis finds it funny, and Armand is possessive.

--

Armand/Louis de Pointe du Lac Trans Louis de Pointe du Lac, Trans Armand, Lesbian Sex

dyke loumand have sex on a motorbike

--

Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac Birthday Sex, Consensual Somnophilia, Marathon Sex, Established Relationship, Consensual Kink Loustat having (enthusiastic!) free use agreement on their respective birthdays (including somnophilia).

I couldn't find free use kink tag so let's pretend it's there. Ideally, would have two parts, one on louis' birthday, one on lestat's, but picking one would be good too!

--

Daniel Molloy/Louis de Pointe du Lac Post-Season/Series 02, Canon Compliant, Murder, Blood Drinking, Shower Sex, Bottom Louis de Pointe du Lac louis gets back home a few days later to a newly turned daniel who has been holed up in the penthouse since he killed a couple employees as soon as he'd gone through the worst of his transformation. vampire daniel with newfound zest for life comes onto him.

--

Lestat de Lioncourt/Louis de Pointe du Lac Top Louis de Pointe du Lac, Bottom Lestat de Lioncourt, Dominant Louis de Pointe du Lac, Submissive Lestat de Lioncourt, Spanking, Crybaby Lestat de Lioncourt, Cock Warming, Orgasm Delay, Orgasm Denial, Orgasm Edging, Begging

After Lestat comes back home flaunting Antoinette's scent, trying to get a rise out of Louis, he gets what he wants. But Louis, determined not to give in so easily, makes him beg for it.

Bonus points if Louis makes Lestat play the piano with his cock in him.

--

Daniel Molloy/Louis de Pointe du Lac Painplay, High Heels, Foot Fetish, Orgasm Edging, Verbal Humiliation, Bottom Louis de Pointe du Lac could be an AU or canonverse. louis likes high heels, daniel likes it when louis gets a little mean.

--

so I am but one cheerleader--if anyone else wants to make posts promoting requests they'd like to see, you might catch the eye of a like-minded author or fellow dreamer!

[licncourt]

Do you think Louis is "good with emotions"? What I mean is is he consciously aware of how he feels about what's happening around him, does he have a handle on emotions or does he have.. Issues with translating what he's feeling, therefore he is oblivious to his own emotions. Does he fine tune emotions in a conscious funnel that gives the reader an impression that he's quite adept at being a person you can go to with your problems. Does this make sense? I guess what I'm asking is would he be the best friend you can count on to have a deep talk with or is Louis so repressed he needs to write out his thoughts in a journal before he can give advice. Does he give terrible advice. Would he make a good therapist? I think he's a bit too mentally lost himself to be the person to depend on for advice even though compared to Lestat he's more emotionally mature, but (I'm sorry this is so winded) is Louis aware of his emotions enough to make good life choices, and is Louis able to distinguish emotions or does he struggle with them enough to be that person everyone goes to for advice (hypothetically). I hope I'm making sense.. I'm not too keen on the side of fandom that leans on Louis being the "sane" one while Lestat is the "insane" one, but in my short time in this fandom, that's been my experience 🤷🏻‍♀️ Everyone wants to lean on Louis, and they want him to be the family friendly one. It doesn't give room for him to flesh himself out. Why does Lestat get all the fun stuff. Louis started the shenanigans and he is obviously very unhinged. I don't think it's fair is all. But please give me your thoughts on this very long ask.

Oh God that's a hard question, but my answer is no, he isn't really. He's emotional but I wouldn't say he's good with those emotions or those of others (especially not those actually). In general he reminds me of when you meet a guy who sucks but they call themselves an empath.

Even Lestat says in one of the books that Louis is oblivious to the suffering of others in a lot of ways and I think that's true. He sees human misery when it supports his internal beliefs because he's actively looking for it, but he's not in tune with people in general, especially not when other people's feelings contradict his world view (ie owning slaves while acting like he's some kind of hero for the downtrodden because he eats rats).

I think the fact that he feels his own emotions so intensely is part of what makes him so selfish. He's incredibly caught up in what HE'S feeling, so the inner world of someone else is not really being considered, nor would it occur to him to consider it. That happens a lot in IWTV where, at least the way Louis portrays it, the only explanations he can come up with for Lestat's behavior are that he's stupid or he just has a bad personality.

There's always the implication that their relationship was deeper than Louis made it seem, but I also don't think he was interested in exploring Lestat's deeper motives for his behavior. He got his feelings hurt and therefore whatever Lestat had going on was irrelevant to him. There was no effort to understand and empathize when it was hard and he faced resistantance.

At the very least, be seems to be hellbent on strong-arming his own emotions to suit his will. He's very externally adamant about his chosen narrative, but he spends enough time just Having Feelings that at least deep down, he knows for himself what the truth is most of the time when it comes to his inner thoughts unless he's in true denial. He just chooses to be stubborn and force his way through life ignoring those feelings if he thinks they shouldn't be that way.

His thoughtfulness and how carefully he chooses his words does give the impression of some kind of emotional intelligence, but I think a lot of that is artificial, like when he's talking in IWTV about how his objections to killing are about the principle and the aesthetics. There's a lot of convoluted thinking and justifications, but not much consistent or reasonable logic to suggest that he's tapped into something grounded and honest within himself or the world.

Another indicator of whatever emotional imbalance he has is the way he cycles between being so rigidly repressed and then snapping. That's not the hallmark of someone who's processed or is capable of coping with any hard feelings, much like an addict who never gets treatment but manages to white knuckle their way through stretches of time before losing control again.

I suppose he is more emotionally mature than Lestat in his ability to exercise restraint and be calculated (in good and bad ways), but that doesn't always translate to an emotionally intelligent mindset that influences larger choices or patterns. No matter how good he is at it, his semi-frequent, massive lapses in judgement and self control kind of negate how helpful those skills can be.

This comes across in subtler ways too. He was more the family man than Lestat, but rather than responsibly parent Claudia through her adult challenges, he allowed and fostered an emotionally incestuous dynamic that was incredibly toxic for both of them. Other times he played calm and collected in the face of Lestat's outbursts, but he didn't actually work to resolve anything, just to keep the upper hand through his performative apathy. It's all very surface level and hardly ever productive.

The one credit I'll genuinely give to him was his willingness to let Lestat get whatever all that was out of his system in the 90s and 00s. He was very patient and honest about his feelings and finally had enough softness and genuine care for Lestat that he was able to see objectively the pain, confusion, and trauma those behaviors were born from. It's definitely growth on Louis' end compared to IWTV so golf clap for that.

I will say though that I definitely think he's too self-absorbed and judgmental to make a great listener unless he REALLY cares about the person talking to him. If he thinks he could've handled whatever the problem is better, it's going to show accidentally even if he's being polite. The truth is he would not have handled it better most likely. Differently maybe, but not better. You had a freakout? Well. He simply would have repressed those feelings and then acted like a bitch later over nothing.

[subsequent-interviews]

I've made peace with the changes the show made as a matter of identity and necessity for it as an adaptation. honestly, I've never been too good with change, but usually once I give it some time to settle I find that I come around to it. but some of the changes made in the show are greater than they might appear, and I find myself thinking of those differences.

in the novels, Lestat is turned when he is twenty-one. when I first read the Vampire Lestat that seemed like an eternity away: to me then twenty-one was a full-grown adult, a man. it's an age I can look back on now as one of extreme youth -- not childhood, mind you, but still, youth. at twenty-one I was so sharp, so lost, so inexperienced. in your early twenties you're so desperate to prove that you're All Grown Up Now, but every effort I made towards that only seemed to underscore how much growing I had yet to do.

Lestat never got that. Lestat was turned into a vampire when he was younger than I was when I got married, when I met most of my current friends, when I moved into my own place with my wife, when I finished my first book's first draft. Lestat was turned into a vampire at an age when nightclubs were still asking me if I was here looking for a parent. Lestat had just began to tick off a list of firsts: his first boyfriend, his first apartment, his first job, his first foray into adult life.

and it was all cut short. what strikes me now when I re-read tVL is that, for Lestat, vampirism is very much his adulthood. vampirism is what came next after those first few firsts.

and Lestat's very young adulthood informs a whole lot of his character. one part of Lestat is always twenty-one. a part of being called "the brat prince" is that Lestat is twenty-one. a part of being constantly excused from fucking up is that Lestat is twenty-one. a part of trying to take on the roles of adulthood milestones -- becoming a husband and then a father -- and failing horribly at them is that Lestat is twenty-one.

of course Louis was upset with Lestat's immaturity, his disregard for future consequences. Lestat is twenty-one! and of course Lestat could not provide Claudia with true guidance as a parent. Lestat, tragically, is twenty-one.

we can keep going. Nicki, Marius, Akasha, David Talbot, Quinn, Antoine, more: so much of what happens between these characters and Lestat is informed by Lestat being trapped in vampirism at twenty-one.

it's not the only part of Lestat, of course: as the years go on there is another part gathering up all of the bitterness and the frustration and the disillusionment and the joy and the love and the wonder of still existing. but I've always understood Lestat best as someone who has been twenty-one for a very, very long time. and isn't that the horror of it all, that Lestat will never be afforded the chance to grow and change and age as a human might? that Lestat is forever Magnus's pinned butterfly?

and now ... we come to the show. because it's one thing to imagine everything that goes down with Lestat as twenty-one. it's quite another to see the same behavior done by someone in their thirties, almost forty. it makes it all feel very different.

yes: I've neglected nuance, spent precious little time on Lestat's gravity, on the psychology of being both twenty-one forever and forced to grow up all too quickly because otherwise your family might well have starved. I've compared the milestones of young adulthood in the 2010s to those of the 1780s without an essay on historical context. I didn't even mention Rose and Viktor. and I should say that none of this is meant as an exhaustive or definitive analysis. as with most of my posts on this website ... I'm just talking.

but ... doesn't it feel different, watching Lestat in his mid-30s grow jealous of Claudia's and Louis's closeness instead of Lestat in his very early 20s? Lestat at 21 throwing himself into endeavor after endeavor to get Louis's attention is one thing; Lestat more than a decade older doing the same behavior seems very much like another.

yes: I know that your thirties are your youth, too. but the story changes when the character is one who has been denied all but his most extreme youth as a human adult, instead of a character who has had a decade more lived experience as a human adult but who still can't lose a game of chess without a shouting match.

change is not bad. these differences emphasize different parts of the character, draw our focus to different aspects of the story. and with them, characters interact in different ways. but this particular change to Lestat's age was striking to me because of how much it recontextualizes Lestat's behavior. that behavior is no longer the antics of someone just out of his teens, and I guess I'm still sorting out just how much the rest of the story is impacted by that.

[monstersinthecosmos]

okay so i just finished IWTV....... oh my god!!! oh my god. it's embarrassing how insane this book made me. for the last 50 pages or so i was regularly taking breaks to run laps around my apartment like a lunatic because i physically could not handle all the pain and angst and despair coursing through my body LOL. i got so immersed in the story i forgot pretty much all of the background for armand you'd given me (and i can't remember most of it even now!!! my mind is in shambles) and still, very organically...... he became my favorite. even despite all of the. you know. and maybe even more so BECAUSE of it. i've just never witnessed an evil so heartbreaking!!!!!!!!!!? THE ABSOLUTE DEVOTION?????? DERANGED AND UGLY AND UTTERLY BEYOND REASON????!!!! FUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!! i'm sorry for vomiting all over your inbox i genuinely cannot conjure up any resemblance of coherence atm!!! THANK YOU FOR POINTING ME TOWARDS SUCH LUXURIOUS PAIN i LOVE it i want MORE! <3 <3 <3

oh my god OH MY GOd ,... omg... 🥹🥹

WELCOME WELCOME YES THIS HOW I FEEL EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE I WISH I KNEW WHERE TO EVEN START 

(I really feel like just answering with this meme and not subjecting you to a wall of text but I'LL TRY !!!)

GOD LIKE WHAT THIS BOOK DOES SO SO WELL AS LIKE IMMEDIATELY GROUND FLOOR OF THE SERIES LETS US ALL KNOW THAT ALL CHARACTERS COMMIT EVILS AND ARE NOT GREAT PEOPLE BUT THEY ALL WANT TO BE LOVED AND ARE TRYING LOL. 

LIKE LOUIS MOVES FROM ABUSIVE PARTNER TO ABUSIVE PARTNER UNTIL HE’S FINALLY SO DEAD INSIDE THAT HE CAN BE BY HIMSELF AND WALK AWAY.

AND LIKE IT’S SO HARD BECAUSE YOU SEE HOW CLAUDIA FREED HIM FROM LESTAT, AND THEN ARMAND FREES HIM FROM CLAUDIA. AND SOMETHING THAT ALWAYS FUCKS ME UP SO BAD IS THAT ARMAND HAS SUCH A SKEWED MAP OF APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR BUT HE’S NOT EVIL. HE’S TRYING HIS BEST, IN THE BEST WAY HE KNOWS HOW.

Wait hang on I’ll take caps off I’m so sorry lmfao I’m just really worked up. 

I think there’s a sort of meme-ier version of this like Armand going “hi 🙂 I killed your daughter 🙂 you can kill all my friends if you want 🙂 I won’t stop you 🙂 do you like me? 🙂"

But it’s actually SO TRAGIC god. Like I read IWTV as a story about domestic abuse and the family cycle, personally, and I see Claudia as an Oedipal figure. Louis is unable to get away from Lestat until Claudia makes it happen, and Claudia winds up being so cold and cruel and he’s stuck with her until Armand frees him. And there’s a lot of conversation about like, Armand being manipulative or what he did to CREATE this, how did he push them both where he wanted them, etc, but the thing that gets me is that when Louis wants to break up, Armand lets him leave.

And like SKIP WHAT I’M ABOUT TO SAY IF YOU DONT WANT A SPOILER BUT LIKE I DID MENTION THIS IN MY OTHER POST  —— but if you read Lestat’s book and get the background on how he and Armand met, it’s sort of the opposite where Lestat destroys Armand’s coven and Armand is so devastated about it, vs 100 years later he ALLOWS Louis to destroy a coven. AND HE GETS THE GUY!!!! In TVL he like BEGS Lestat to be with him and Lestat isn’t interested lol but he gets to keep Louis this time.

IDK IDK IM JUST REAL EMOTIONAL. 

And like !!!!!!!! God idk. If you read more of the books you get so many indications about how people in Armand’s life don’t respect him, and a lot of times people write him off because he looks like a teenager. They don’t take the danger of him seriously, which makes him even more dangerous. But it’s so heartbreaking reading IWTV and seeing how Louis respects him so much, and sees him as wise and calm, and needs him! 

And like maybe Louis is uniquely qualified to not judge people for looking like children because he has spent the last 90 years with a vampire child and respects her as an adult, you know?

If you keep reading you’ll see how much Anne Rice like retcons or how much the continuity flops around so like EVERY book will have a Doylist vs Watsonian conversation like, she never comes out and says that Armand looks like he’s 17 in IWTV and in the later books it’s a huge point every time he’s on the page just HE’S SHORT HE’S 17 HE LOOKS LIKE A CHERUB etc and maybe that’s because she hadn’t decided that yet but also maybe Louis is the only person who fucking respects him. :) 

[apoptoses]

Armand!

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

lmao i think i've talked about this before but my first impression of armand when i read VC in high school was not good. i was in a catholic high school and hated it, i was reading TVL and was 1000% team lestat so i was annoyed when he showed up. like why is this desperate jesus freak twink trying to ruin lestat's good time??? hahaha and then i stopped reading VC after memnoch and didn't pick the series back up for a long while so my impression of him didn't really improve in so far as i can recall. i don't even remember if DM had an effect on me at 16.

but NOW, now that i've processed some stuff and reread everything through more mature eyes he's 100% blorbo. i just think he's so compelling, his behavior is so shaped by his experiences (perhaps more than any other VC vampire). even when he's being bad there's something sympathetic about him, you can piece together the motivations that lie beneath the actions and really feel for him.

and i adore him enough i spent nine hours at tulane university reading and trying to harvest more information about him, so. my impression of him has absolutely improved over the years and i hate that he appeared so little in the later books. anne wrote on a scrap of paper in 1982 'always the original trio of lestat, louis, and armand is compelling' and i really wish she'd reminded herself of that more in her later work. he just the best!!

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV S2 Ep7 Musings - Sam Reid’s Autumn Brown Interview (Pt2) S3 Akasha, the Drop, & Amel

Ok, returning to the whole "Blame Amel For Lestat's Abusive Behavior."

Sam referred to something VERY important that I think people overlooked in his segment on the Ep5 revisit; they heard the Akasha bit and just ran with it. But this is exactly what he said:

[SR] Loustat "had the potential to have something very beautiful, but [Lestat's] too messy and chaotic, and Louis and Lestat are also...the beauty of their violence and hatred together, their dynamic...you know.... [AB] It's the best! They have exactly what each other needs. But also everything that makes both of them the worst parts of themselves and the best parts of themselves. [SR] And I think that's kind of cool, when we revisit that scene from Episode 5 in Season 1. And you see that in the in the Trial. I think there's something really wildly beautiful, between the two of them, in that violence. Because Louis is unhinged and angry at Lestat, and I think Lestat is more obviously--he's way more powerful, and his act of violence is, you know, like unforgivable. [SR] But there's this space that private space that they have in the coffin room...how much they hate each other...that's how much Louis hates him, and that's how much Lestat is...hurt, and then turns into this violent, angry, I hate you!.... They have that much hate. They also have that much love; because they're also vampires, and so they operate on like a level of like-- [AB] Emotion that's dialed up to-- [SR] Pure chaos! They're operating on that level, and then Lestat drops him from the sky, and it is an irredeemable event in their relationship. It cannot come back from that. And it creates this kind of cascade in a set of events, that leads to Lestat being killed. And I think that's part of our adaptation. It's not necessarily the the real events Anne Rice's books, but this is what is in our adaptation. And I think it does feed into that overall sentiment that Lestat acknowledges his evil, hellish self-loathing self...that is there; and we obviously heighten things and make it bigger. [AB] In Season 1 you know that there's something else going on, on the other side of the wall; because you can hear the fight dies down. There's a break, and you think it's over, and suddenly starts back up again. And we have this moment of Lestat taking Louis into the sky. We finally get to see what that moment was. And Louis is chilling--oh my god that little laugh that he does! He's like I'm gonna cut your head off! I'm gonna feed it to the lions and I'm gonna laugh about it! I mean, do you think for Lestat in that moment...? Cuz what leads to Louis saying that is Lestat asking Are you going to leave me? Had Louis just said: Yeah! and walked out the door and left with Claudia, would that have led to the explosion? Was it the act of him leaving, or was it the words that instigated that level of vitriol? [SR] Uhhh....I don't know about that. And I don't know if it's worth speculating what would have happened if that didn't happen.

--MURF INTERJECTION-- Thank GOD Sam shut that ish down, omfg. Again: STOP tryna find ways to victim blame Louis for what went down or say he "instigated" the fight! 🤬 It doesn't frikkin MATTER what Louis said or didn't say. All that matters is what happened TO Louis, and TO Claudia, that was what got Lestat "killed."

[SR] But I think more importantly is that--and this is something that I've felt has been really important about playing Lestat from the beginning, and probably something that people find probably a little bit confronting--but for me, for Queen of the Damned to work, Lestat has to have a level of toxic male rage in him, so that when he is angry, and when he's violent, it has to be a toxic masculine rage for Akasha to follow through with the events that she does. And why she says: You are everything about masculinity that's wrong and terrible. And so that's why you're going to be my right-hand guy, and you're going to help me kill them all. And I think...I always felt like, when he does have those spurts of anger, it does have to come from a very toxic place. [SR] Where we're going, when we're looking at it, obviously there's a scene back in Season 1: he's had a drink of this, like, fountain that nobody knows he's had. Nobody knows. No one in the show. Nobody knows. The only person who knows is Lestat. And most of the people watching the show don't know this, at this point in time. [AB] There's just that one little throwaway line about Those Who Must Be Kept, and then nothing else. [SR] And originally in Season 1, when they're in the sky and they're having that moment, Lestat was originally scripted to tell Louis about The Sacred Fount! In that moment, Lestat actually tells Louis about what he has inside of him; what, who he's drunk from. I'm trying to be really vague for anyone who's watching this, and has no idea, and I'm not going to give anything away! But anyone who does know, will know. But originally it's that he's up in the sky. [SR] And I think that is the parallel line that we're drawing with. That level of rage that Lestat has. That toxic abusive rage is also coming from an extreme monstrous power, coming from this intense monster that he has, and he has no idea how to control; he's trying to repress it all the time. But he knows, if he can, if somebody just ticks him off a bit.... He's a volatile guy already, but he's got this thing in that makes him go: AAH! [AB] It's almost going back to that element of vanity that you're were talking about: being like, you would do this to ME?! You don't even KNOW what I have within me! [SR] Yeah, exactly! So that also means that we can feed that shame and shock into his monstrous self--and acknowledgement OF his monstrous self--into his progressive spiral, into where we're going. (34:10 - 40:59)

So. All of this stuff about Akasha (& Amel) needs to be recontextualized, cuz what Sam said is that "ORIGINALLY" the 1x5 script had Lestat threaten Louis with the warning: I'm trying to restrain the monstrous thing in me that makes me go AAH; you don't even KNOW what I have in me, AAH!

But guess what else happened? OBVIOUSLY, THEY TOTALLY TOSSED THAT ISH OUT OF THE SCRIPT, in S1 AND in the S2 revisit. 😂🤣 The time to have teased/suggested that there was something controlling Lestat that made him "accidentally" hurt Louis came & went in BOTH seasons, so arse-pulling Amel so late into the show after we already got Lestat's admission during the Trial looks goofy AF.

Cuz possession is a lazy abuse apologia COP OUT. Having "It was Amel's fault all along" would've directly contradicted AND undermined their whole point about PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY that they clearly wanted to get across MORE than using spirit possession as a crutch to explain/excuse Lestat's abusive behavior.

Possession would imply too many things, distracting from the overall thrust of Rolin's vision for telling a very real & very "aggressive, toxic, beautiful love story" about the ways soulmates find their way back to each other after hurting each other over & over.

Esp. since Hannah Moscovich (Ep5's writer) has already been VERY clear about her take on Lestat's capacity for "evil." She mentions his bad actions in TotBT, when Lestat was HUMAN again--he wasn't even in his own vampiric body (attached to Amel/Akasha's blood), and he was STILL doing effed up things! So his issues have nothing to do with spirit possession.

[SR] "it does feed into that overall sentiment that Lestat acknowledges his evil, hellish self-loathing self...that is there; and we obviously heighten things and make it bigger."

(Funny, when Sam something it's flowers & praise; but when Hannah says the same thing it's boos & hisses from the exact same fans, lol.)

Vampirism EXACERBATES & INTENSIFIES aspects of ALL people's character/nature that was ALREADY there; "all feels amplified." Cuz ALL vampires have Amel's spirit in them, NOT just Lestat. ALL of them are powered by his monstrous spirit, and ALL of them are capable of heinous sadistic bloodlust & inhuman acts of violence--look at Claudia's 56 Floaters & Santiago at the Chateau & Armand chasing Malik (& book!Daniel) for the lolz; and how hard Louis tries to FIGHT succumbing to those same impulses too. (Nebamun/Gregory & Teskhamen drank Akasha/Amel's blood. Marius & Pandora & Bianca drank her blood. Sweet baby Khayman drank her blood. Her son Seth drank her blood. Even Big Bad Rhoshamandes drank her blood, and as twisted as he is, even HE was like naaah this heifer's crazy, I'm outta here. Plenty of vamps drank from the Sacred Fountain, and aren't half as crazy & abusive & evil as the vampires that DIDN'T: Magnus, Santiago, Santino, Bruce/Killer, etc.) So the (weak) argument that Amel/Akasha's blood alone is what drives vamps to go totally effing ballistic on their significant others whenever they get mad is patently false, by the book AND the show's own logic.

So I'm glad they got rid of those lines, and just had Les say EXACTLY why he "fought myself a million times; fought my nature, controlled my temper!" and got mad enough to beat the breaks off Lou:

It's INSECURITY--not that Les can't control the monster in him (though ofc that's a VERY legit fear, his struggles with his temper & anger issues); it's that he can't control his family; his husband & child; and can't even "force Louis to love me;" esp. cuz despite all the Dark Gifts he has, he CAN'T read Louis' mind or manipulate his thoughts the way he could back when Lou was still human.

Cuz what Lestat DOES have from Amel/Akasha is direct access to more raw POWER & more Dark Gifts than the average vampire his age. He got her blood straight from the source, not diluted across vampiric generations. Those Gifts are why his rage so dangerous--his ability to overpower weaker vamps & fly them up in the air to drop them & set Millennial Fledglings on fire just for irritating him, etc. Esp. cuz we know "he's a volatile guy already;" he's got patented anger issues up the wazoo ("I am cursed with my father's temper; I am burdened with my Maker's temper").

ALSO, why would Amel have possessed Les to do something so counter-productive to his Chosen One's survival as almost winding up in the incinerator right next to Antoinette? By that logic, we'd have to say that Louis chokeslammed Claudia cuz HE was possessed by Amel too! That entirely strips away precisely what Sam said: how much Loustat LOVES each other drives them to unhinged levels of violence AGAINST each other, AND ultimately Claudia, as they each fear she'll take them away from each other (to Europe/the incinerator).

Hence why AMC hasn't laid ANY breadcrumbs indicating that Lestat was "possessed" by anything--just plain ole oppressive patriarchal toxic masculinity, just like I've been saying all along:

Cuz that machismo's what draws Magnus to Les in TVL & Akasha to Les in QotD; and that "vanity" is what draws Raglan James to Les in TotBT, and that sin/guilt/shame/self-loathing is what draws Memnoch to Les in MtD. In every book until Merrick, Lestat proves the villain right, before he finally realizes how bad he's messed up AGAIN, and course corrects to try proving them WRONG about him.

But Lestat's character development is a marathon, not a sprint; so it's not until Blackwood Farm that Lestat finally simmers TF down, and it's not till the PL Trilogy that his redemption arc really shines best. In PLatRoA, Louis proposes to Lestat WITH AMEL STILL IN HIM, as the Sacred Core directly communicating with Lestat, with the greatest chance to ACTUALLY take over Les if he wanted to! Louis is arguably the MOST concerned about Amel staying posted up in Lestat & possibly taking over him, so sure, I CAN see AMC leaning into the fear that Lestat's underestimating the chance of being spiritually possessed; esp. when compared with Akasha & Rhoshamandes. But that's also what SEPARATES Lestat from those 2, cuz he IS different; he IS special--to Amel. Cuz Les has a massive capacity to LOVE; he LISTENS, and treats Amel like a FRIEND, a PERSON, not a monster. And Lestat was SAD when Kapetria darn near kidnapped him & forced the surgical operation that finally separated Amel from him--cuz Lestat's ALWAYS carried that fear of abandonment in him.

Cuz it's not about Amel at all: it's about the HUMAN SOUL in each & every vampire; at the core of Gothic lit as a genre.

Cuz vampires ARE monsters, but the whole point of TVC is how they all learn how to be BETTER monsters/people; and NOT act like "barbarians" & wild animals--hence: Lestat's Vampire Court in the Chateau Era at the end of the franchise. Hence: Lestat finally becoming WORTHY of Louis' love.

So if AMC succumbs to pressure from the Lestans and retcons S1 & S2 to blame it all on Amel, Imma call that weak ish out on the spot.

[nalyra-dreaming]

Hello N,

I just finished The Vampire Lestat and it was such a wild ride! I fell in love with Nicki and Nickistat but I feel like his story was so tragic and it stayed with me after concluding the story. It left me feeling disappointed in Lestat's and Gabrielle's treatment of him. Gabrielle was ready to leave him hanging until Lestat reminded her that Nicki was good to her. I also didn't like how she referred to the situation with Nicki as a "disaster". This was a man that traveled with her and looked out for her.

As for Lestat, I was equally disappointed with how he treated Nicki. Nicki was obviously struggling with a mental disability early on in the book so it was disappointing to hear Lestat say he could no longer stand to be around him or could no longer stand the sight of him after Nicki's despondency and detachment grew after vampirism. It reminds me of the spouse who leaves their partner after they've suffered some trauma or ailment and their appearance has been compromised. Then to leave him with Armand who had already tried to convince Lestat to destroy him once before was definitely careless. I understand that Nicki requested Lestat leave, but I felt like Nicki was lashing out, and Lestat gave up too easily. Maybe if Nicki had more time and Lestat was more patient, Nicki would have worked through that darkness because it's my understanding that Louis does by the end of the books?

I just wish Nicki's situation wasn't so tragic. And what makes it worse is none of it was his fault because he couldn't help his mental state.

Nicki‘s situation IS tragic.

It is also not as clear cut as you relay it here.

Gabrielle did use the word "disaster", but she referred to Lestat turning Nicolas - not Nicolas himself. And, her harsh wording notwithstanding, but that is what it ultimately accumulated to, namely torture, starvation, madness and then death.

Nicolas may have been well struggling with a mental illness, yes, but he was also struggling waaaaayyyyy before he and Lestat hooked up, and already spiraling, something which Lestat recognized but could or would not really "see" - here is a post with a lot of quotes wrt that:

When you say "worked through the darkness" you do realize that it took Louis hundreds of years, a suicide (and not just "any" attempt either) and lots of reflection to do that, right. Nicolas was a lot more volatile than Louis, which is something that Eleni writes in the letters. He did not direct the darkness within as Louis does for the most part, no he tries to take the "world" down with him.

And ultimately, this is what leads to his death, namely Armand having to use... means to subdue him.

Anne… had the tendency to victim blame, to put the blame of "not trying hard enough" on them, all the while struggling herself as well. That does reflect here, unfortunately.

Nicki seeks out the darkness after life failed him, after he went against his father, after the bitterness led him into darkness, and he tries to drag Lestat down with him deliberately.

Nicolas did not want to go to Paris with Lestat because he loved him - he wanted them to go down, to die.

No-one - I repeat - no-one owes someone a (shared) suicide.

When Lestat recognized he could not save Nicki, that is when he realized he had to leave him behind. This isn't simply a "spouse leaving a sick partner", this is recognizing you can not help someone and leaving them in the hopefully best care you can provide.

Lestat was hoping that time would provide what he could not, not then. But Nicolas destroyed that chance with his behavior, and that is not trying to blame him here, it is simply a fact, given Armand's absolute rules there. Which were then enforced.

[licncourt]

begin again COOKED as a post-qotd fix-it (fave fic! <3) but i need to know your thoughts on prince lestat/how you would re-do it in the correct way. to this day i still think LESTAT becoming prince monarch of all the vampires is one of the craziest decisions made during the novels. to me lestat is a prince in the same way that jack skellington was king of halloween (that includes the running away to cause delusional hijinks that ultimately jeapordize everyone)

Aaahhh thank you!! That fic is my child that I birthed so I appreciate it more than you know! It's actually BA's one year finished-iversary next week, my baby's all grown up.

I've talked about that before actually in this post about how I would rewrite the whole series, but I can expand a little here!

Firstly, this could've been two books instead of three. There was nothing going on in there that required three entire novels

Things that have to go entirely: aliens, test tube clone baby Viktor, Atlantis. Sorry, not salvageable

I think rather than the Amel thing, it would have been cool if the sacred core had started corrupting Lestat and altering his behavior as host, maybe changing him gradually into a animalistic, violent folklore-like vampire, making him slowly lose his mind like Mekare, or erasing his sense of self to become a blank host. Then it's a race against the clock and vampire magical biology to save him. This could be the first PL book

Ideally, I think this book should be narrated by Louis and focus a lot on his growth as a character as he finishes his personal. It would bring some happy ending closure to the IWTV version of him without being a jarring change. I also think having his POV for the best of his and Lestat's relationship would be a nice full circle moment from seeing him describe their worst. The idea of Lestat losing himself to the core and them potentially coming together too late would add good drama as well. Maybe this is Louis' follow-up memoir describing how they fixed things

The Rhoshamandes conflict can stay for the second PL and final VC book, but I think it could've been less boring if the drama between him and Lestat had been better fleshed out. They have a lot of similarities that weren't used to their full advantage. It would really highlight Lestat's growth to have him defeat what he could've become

When Lestat reunites with Louis, they would actually have some long, hard conversations about their past, ones that continue throughout the PL trilogy

Hopefully an explanation for why Lestat has made this 180 is included, even if it's just the crushing realization of his own loneliness and longing reaching critical mass after twenty years of who the fuck knows what

The cast is pared down to the strongest written and most interesting characters so the story isn't spread so thin, probably Lestat, Louis, Armand, Gabrielle, Marius, Pandora, and maybe a small handful of new characters with significance in the story. I think Seth, Fareed, Sevraine had the most potential to be good additions to the primary roster if she wanted to add on

Cool characters from the original like trilogy like Maharet and Khayman are expanded on rather than killed offscreen to make room for more Anne Rice NPCs. If we're going to kill someone from the trilogy, please God let it be David Talbot

This goes without saying I think, especially from me, but Louis would be restored to his former glory as a true main character alongside Lestat instead of relegated to lobotomized housewife. There was so much potential for him in an active consort role. We also don't get to see how he got to such a peaceful place at the end of PL, so I would like to see him work through some stuff on the page

I would either cut the Rhoshamandes/Benedict storyline because of how redundant it is with how it mirrors the Marius/Armand dynamic or do something to differentiate it as its own relationship. At the very least, maybe the similarity could be highlighted to become a character beat for Armand

As far as Armand in general, I would make him a much more prominent player. I think he's a great fit for a court setting and could create a lot of intrigue as well as adding coolness factor. I'm always torn about whether I like the reveal of his romantic feelings for Lestat, but in the interest of keeping SOME things intact, I would just play it differently. Primarily, I think he becomes way too agreeable (similar to Louis) in how he submits to and idolizes Lestat, so I would love to see him come into more conflict with Lestat in spite of those feelings. Maybe we can see him make some peace with their history and let go of that intense emotion for something healthier

If we're going to keep the sex injections (IVs, whatever), I think we should do more with it than have Lestat prematurely ejaculate into a random woman. I think there's potential for a very interesting new dynamic with Louis and Lestat. It would be cathartic and maybe an interesting part of their healing process and of becoming a real couple for the first time

That's what I can think of for now, but I might update later!

[murfpersonalblog]

Armand or Lestat? Who’s WORSE?- AvatarAdrian

Just copy/pasting what I said in the comments, cuz it represents my whole stance on Lestat vs Armand:

Omg thank you for the discourse! "Do I wanna be thrown through walls and dropped from the clouds, or do I wanna be emotionally manipulated and have my memories edited?" THIS. Physical abuse vs mental/psychological abuse. Pick your poison. Lestat & Armand are the only lovers Louis ever has, so you're forced to sit & go which one IS better, or are they both EQUALLY horrendous in their own way? The one who's brazen about his toxic behavior, so you at least know what you're working with, even if you can't beat him; or the one victimizing himself while he screws you over and makes you think YOU'RE the problem, so you're stuck in the same limbo for 77 YEARS going NOWHERE until a literal professional has to come EXTRACT you from the situation (Lestat during the Trial & Daniel during the interview)?

 I 100% agree with you about Lestat's casual racist colorblindness, but that's exactly the trap Claudia fell for, thinking skinship=kinship just cuz Armand led the coven & was darker-skinned than Louis. (2x2 "I was just glad no one wanted to lynch me;" VS. 2x7 "it's a stoning!") So I disagree that Armand's easier to deal with. Lestat's the Ike Turner Louis was eventually able to fight back against & run away from. But Armand's the Charles Manson tryna convert you into a LITERAL cult, gaslighting the absolute hell out of you to become his perfect little Stepford Wife--THE devil's minion.   

Lestat's like a bull in a china shop, just there to wreck your whole set. You can see his crazy arse coming a mile away. Lestat's "gonna do what he feels is best for himself and what's best for you." THIS. This controlling/oppressive God Complex behavior's at the root of his worst personality traits. He'll lovebomb & obfuscate & withhold, not out of MALICE, but out of his fear or rejection/abandonment on top of his pisspoor communication skills. He's unapologetic up to a point--IMO The Vampire Lestat & Queen of the Damned are Lestat's way of apologizing to Louis, by coming forward with all the secrets Louis always asked him about & wanted to know about him--all cards on the table, finally. And Lestat spends the rest of The Vampire Chronicles tryna become "a vampire WORTHY of Louis' love." He's still THE Brat Prince, and a perfect devil, but he tries to at least be a BETTER devil for LOUIS' sake. 

Armand's the snake you never see coming. "Oh, I won't be sitting in church being all judgemental, even though I am being just as nasty as  the rest of these miserable church folk." LOL! XD Facts, he can't be trusted, cuz he's stronger than you (like Lestat), and even worse: he's SMARTER than you, too! Louis & Claudia were able to trick & outsmart Lestat. You need to be a LITERAL PhD Pulitzer winning investigative journalist to crack Armand open. Daniel's the only one who can see thru Armand's BS. 

So yeah, I'd rather deal with Lestat.

[fantasies-fairytales-n-fics]

Thranduil and Josie Part 77- What Lies Beneath

Summary: Time jump! 1 day till Halloween and Lestat's masquerade ball. Josie is now back in the lion's den and spends much time alone but not by her wishes. Thranduil has made residence in another room. Raven is released from lock up in the dungeons but not before another presence in the pits makes themselves known who knows all about her which noticeably disturbs Caroline. An unpleasant breakfast gathering takes place. The brat Prince and the Elvenking both handle the batty Raven who's mad as a hatter. Thranduil's brutish behavior to his wife continues. Lestat tries to comfort Josie. She's cynical at first, but soon finds the closed off vampire no different from Garrett as she learns his past. Josie drifts off to sleep to a beautifully sad tune while Raven makes an escape to do her dirty bidding.....

*Angst* *Mentions of death*

3 days had passed since Selene brought you back to the vampire inferno atop the snowy desolate mountain. Thranduil was so furious and hurt that he took vacancy in another room. You had not seen or heard from him since you walked through Lestat's front doors as Thranduil glared at you in disgust, which he had intently done to further get his point across. A point that was duly noted and hurt like hell. You shivered throughout the night while you tried to sleep but all you could do was cry and when you did manage to go under, the haunting dreams were waiting.

The weather outside was still frightful and the fires that lurked inside were not delightful. You hung out with Haldir and Legolas some, but you could tell even they were not thrilled with your actions so you kept to yourself. It didn't even seem to matter what Thranduil had done. Apparently he was excused of his past discretions because it was 20 years ago when it occurred. Never mind the fact he concealed it from you or that it was your mother he screwed. You were outnumbered when it came to Garrett being involved and were offered no free passes for your actions like your King was...if he was even still your King. You felt like a plague and officially abandoned....alone with a baby inside of you. You had managed to alienate everyone you loved and were a magnet for those you didn't. That being Lestat, Caroline and...Raven, wherever she disappeared to since she was melted with water like the wicked witch she was.

-Somewhere down below-

"You can let me out now! I've been in here for....I don't even know how long now! Mommy fearest! Marius you filthy trader!! LeFuck!!" Raven's weak shouts echoed through the dim lit murky dungeons of the Chateau de Lioncourt.

"Does your mouth ever cease? You will certainly receive no assistance with that foul tongue."

Raven bolted to the iron bars but didn't dare touch them as being part vampire, it would put her on her ass and in her weakened state, she may not survive it. "Who are you?? Where are you?? Speak freak!!" This was the first time she had heard a voice since she was thrown into the 6x6 cell like trash.

"Those who live in glass houses should not cast stones. Are you yourself not a freak? An abomination I believe it was that Viktor marked you as." The voice replied from down the hall.

Raven was now livid. She peeked through one of the square openings of the bars the best she could and was able to see a shadow moving about in a cell about 3 blocks down on the opposite side of hers. "It appears you are in the same predicament as me so maybe you should shut the fuck up!" She kept gawking down the hall but the voice went silent. "Hello?? Asshole!!"

Chains could be heard moving about. "Your hideous mouth is just like your mother's. My ears bleed and my blood curls to know you still exist....Clover."

"Ok that is it. Who the fuck are you?? How do you know so much about me?!"

"I know many things fiendish girl. Your nefarious ways will soon catch up with you all." The voice presaged and then gave an invidious laugh, then went silent as footsteps and keys could be heard in the distance.

"Mother!! That better be you! LET ME OUT!!!"

Caroline entered from the end of the hall where the other person was and gave them a dastardly glance as she passed the cell. She stopped at Raven's cell. "Have you learned your lesson on your erring ways? Or do you need another 3 days to think about it."

"You are such a hypocrite. Let me out of here. I'm hungry, filthy, irritated and I cannot take anymore of the stench or the ramblings of the jerk over there. Who the hell is that anyways? They know quite a bit about me and you and I get a witchy vibe from their presence, but I'm not strong enough to place it...I...I know this feeling...that smell....like....chamomile."

"They have spoken to you??" Caroline appeared worried and gave a troublesome look down the hall. "Well...Lestat's prisoners are none of your concern and they really should mind their tongue if they know what's good for them." She cautioned loudly with intent aimed at the hostage's ears. "Now...it's time to go." The vampire vixen couldn't seem to get Raven out of there fast enough. She unlocked the door and abruptly pulled Raven by her hand, leading her in the opposite direction of the mysterious captive.

Raven had to cover her eyes as she entered the light of day. Being in the dark so long made them sensitive.

"Now...the servants have prepared the morning's meal for the guests. You will be on your best behavior, eat your meal and return to your room."

"Wait..you're making me go in there like this?? I must look like I've been beaten with an ugly stick! You're doing this on purpose to humiliate me!!"

"What...did you think sitting in the dark with no food for 3 days was sufficient punishment for what you did?"

"Uh...YES!! God I hate you..." Raven reeled and went to sit at a solo table behind the main one that overlooked the window.

Marius came in and Raven literally made a snarl sound, then snapped her teeth together at him in a biting gesture. He smirked as he walked passed her and repeated the gesticulation. Marius was a laid back vampire who kept to himself but he had no tolerance for her insubordinate behavior and found her taunting tactics petulant yet amusing.

The next to enter was Haldir, Legolas and Thranduil all with flat unpleasant expressions. It was not their cup of tea to be in the same atmosphere as vampires let alone share the same room with them. Thranduil hustled in his swagger attire right to the bar where the wine sat atop calling his name. It was Dorwinion wine too. Narcisse didn't do business with vampires but that did not mean the astute Lestat couldn't get his hands on the sought after vintage. In this world, vampires also loved a superior ageless wine just as the elves. Thranduil swirled the grape around in his mouth, savoring the flavors of home and then let it roll down the back of his throat in one swift swallow. Haldir and Legolas sat on the opposite side of the table away from Raven and gawked at her backside with undeniable disgust.

She turned her head to the side. "I can feel you looking at me lowly sprites. Am I that desirable?" she grinned and rolled her eyes. "You know I had barbies as a child that looked a lot like you. I burnt off all their ugly blonde hair."

Haldir stiffened straight up in his chair with a miffed composure and Legolas followed suit. Thranduil sat down beside his son and rolled his eyes at them for allowing her to get under their skin so easily.

In you walked with the debonair Lestat in tow. It was not intentional to show up with him as you had crossed paths in the halls on your way there and he followed you to your dismay. You got the distinct feeling he went with you intentionally so you wouldn't feel alone and out of place since he was well aware of the treatment you were receiving. Lestat would certainly rather be off brushing his cat than be subdued to this chaotic state of affairs. Marius sat nonchalantly with his feet up reading a magazine but what he was really doing was supervising so things didn't turn into another shit show.

"Sorry I'm late. I was just out trying to catch my breakfast." Lestat joked. Although he probably was telling the truth.

Thranduil's pupils dilated in pure green envy at the sight of you with him and quite frankly, it made you happy. At least you knew he still cared, or so you thought. Haldir and Legolas stood up at your entry. "My Queen." they both expressed and gave a head bow. Thranduil gritted his teeth at their display while he sat firmly in his chair. They were only being respectful gentlemen but knowing their affections of you only exasperated him. The yandere side of him was quite evident over the past few days and it just kept uncontrollably intensifying.

You and Raven locked eyes. She reached up and placed her hand on your shoulder. "Well look at what the cat dragged in." she rudely stated. You smacked it away as you glared down at her with pursed lips.

"Don't you ever touch me again or I will rip your arm from it's socket." You then walked away to go sit down.

Thranduil actually could not help himself and allowed a proud smirk to form as he glanced at Raven with deriding eyes.

"Ooooo. Touchyyy." she snarked.

Lestat slowly walked about behind Raven. "Speaking of cats. Louie sends his love with a special present. He heard you were famished."

He pulled something out of his pocket, then dropped a dead mouse on her plate. Raven screamed and flew out of her chair so fast, it tipped over. "You distasteful Lefuck! What the hell is your problem??"

"Oh please. I think you know the answer to your own idiotic question. It's you. Now sit your shameful ingrate ass down and eat your meal. I would hate it if Louie's feelings were hurt...again by you. You see...when he's angry, then I'm angry. And I don't think you want to make me angry."

Lestat's eyes flashed a sinful red and her entire sour demeanor turned to that of fright. Apparently she has witnessed an irate Lestat before and it obviously wasn't a pleasant memory. He had great patience but it was wearing thin with her. "And by the way, my name is Lestat. Get it right the next time my name exits your vulgar mouth, although I would prefer you never speak it at all."

"You...you cannot seriously expect me to eat that??"

'What is the problem? Is Louie's preference of food beneath yours? Would you rather I bring you a child? Would that be less....revolting?"

You sat with your jaw dropped open at this little opprobrium Lestat was inflicting on the deserving entitled bitch. Her treatment of you seemed to have triggered him. At least someone was on your side and if it had to be Lestat, then so be it. It was shocking though after how you treated him the other day. Was he trying to possibly show up Thranduil?

"Mother??? You're not going to let him make me eat that???" Raven pleaded. Caroline looked down and said nothing. She seemed to have learned her lesson from the other day when she crossed Lestat.

"Eat it or starve. It is your choice. No other food will be offered to you." Lestat flatly stated. In came the servants with all the delicious smelling food and she just stared at it in disbelief.

"You're going to serve a bunch of repulsive elves all this food and give me nothing??" Raven glared at Lestat with bugged out eyes.

"You do not have nothing." He solemnly stated.

Her eyes raged. "I will not eat that!!" She picked up the plate and smashed it on the ground at his feet. Oh god. You were now genuinely frightened yourself as to what was going to happen. The look in Lestat's eyes was deadly and you could see his jaw clench as he swallowed.

No one was going to do anything and you did not want to see her get her throat ripped out no matter how much you despised her, so you intervened and slipped between them. Lestat looked you up and down at your temerity which you couldn't tell if he was offended or enamored by it.

"There is no need to get violent. Why don't you just send Raven to her room for now and let yourselves cool down??"

"I will not just go away! Who the hell are you to give orders to me?? Where is Garrett?? He will not let you all treat me as such!!"

"Oh...haven't you heard? Garrett has left the building... and he will not be returning. He has no power here nor over me and would be a fool to offer you protection and an even bigger one to challenge me. Do as she said. Go to your room little girl before I make you."

"Oh my god!! You're taking her side?? and why did he leave?? What did you do to him?? It was...you! Wasn't it?? He left because of you!!!" she snapped as she spun to you. "Look at you...all these men falling at your feet, kissing the ground you walk on! But that just wasn't good enough huh?? You just had to have G too and take him away from me! He was the only one who ever treated me like I mattered and now I have nothing! You will pay for this sister."

Her eyes glowed burnt orange as she death glared you. It seemed her power was returning now that she was not confined behind iron.

You heard Garrett's words echo in your mind. 'Find your zone and focus but don't go bananas like your fruitloop sister.' Your hand filled up like a 4th of July Phuljhari as you clenched your fist.

Thranduil saw your hand light up and knew he needed to conciliate the situation before it literally got out of hand.

The next thing you knew, Thranduil swiftly made his way to Raven.

"You started this wicked one, you will forgive me if I finish it."

The Elvenking displayed another round of his unseen glorious magic by you. An electricity ball formed between his hands and shot out like lightning, knocking an unsuspecting Raven right on her ass.

Thranduil's choice of weapon were always his swords but when that was taken away, his powerful wizardry of light surfaced, although a wizard he was not.

Marius quickly reprimanded her inside his arms of steel as Thranduil came face to face with the swearing and struggling pyrotechnic.

"It is no secret that you have no regard for a child's life but you will never harm my child or her mother, or you will suffer my wrath. I can assure you dhampir, your power is no match for mine. This was a mere warning. Another attempt and I will sever more than your wretched arm from your miserable body."

"Now that the Elvenking has had his turn to play, Marius. Take this headache to her room and secure it. It seems she hasn't had enough time to reflect." Lestat ordered. Marius whisked her away and Caroline followed as she gave an imperil glare to Thranduil.

"No! You will ALL pay for this, especially you elfling." Raven threatened through her teeth as she squirmed and sniggered while being drug out the door.

You skittishly approached Thranduil. "Th...Thank you for helping me." you softly said with a caring smile.

Thranduil peered down at you with an expressionless face and then went to reclaim his seat. "I did not do it for you. I did it for my daughter. She is of the only importance to me."

His words cut you like a knife. Your eyes began to swell as he went about his breakfast completely impervious to your pain. You turned to leave and slightly stumbled over a chair, then ran out crying.

You found yourself in the library sitting on the couch that you and Garrett conversed on. Covering your face with your hands, you began to loudly sob. A cool wind showered over you. "Garrett?" you gasped as you dropped your hands to your knees.

There stood Lestat holding out a tissue. "Sorry to disappoint you." His sarcasm was clear cut.

You sniffled and took the kleenex. "Thank you.....What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." he simply stated.

"It's not like I have anywhere to go. You were right. They have all forsaken me. Thranduil, Haldir, Legolas, Raven, Garrett...my own mother..."

"I told you that I would not. You can always come to my room and spend that time with me I asked for. I have something that you might be interested in seeing."

Although Lestat appeared to look and sound genuinely concerned, you still took his words as a sexual invitation. "Seriously?!! Is that all I am good for? A roll in the hay? Go figure, you're just like the rest." You then got up in a huff to leave.

Lestat grabbed your arm and spun you around so quickly, your vision blurred. "And you're just like all the rest, assuming I am nothing but a sexual predator!"

"Is that not what you are?! Look what you did to me in your room and then later in my dream!" you reeled with validation.

"It is the nature of the beast in me yes, but that is not all that I am. You wouldn't know that now would you because you will not take the time to get to know me. Have I harmed you? Have I forced you to do anything you did not....want to do? Little miss Josie, too good for the likes of a vampire...oh wait....only THIS vampire. Yet I am the one who is here........"

"Don't you do that. Don't you dare blame Garrett for his decision. He did it for me." you cried in his defense.

"I was not solely referring to Garrett. I came here offering you comfort. Has anyone else? Yet you stand here all high and mighty before me. I am sorry your husband makes you feel desired only for the bedroom. He's a fool to not see your worth otherwise and does not deserve you or the child you carry."

"How dare you speak of him or my child in such a way!" You raised your hand to smack him and he caught it mid air. He squeezed your wrist and yanked you against him as you gasped in fear.

"Can't handle the truth? He just tore your heart out and stomped on it in front of a room full of people and yet you still defend him. I can see I have wasted my time here." He tossed your wrist to the side and began to walk away.

"Wait!...."

Lestat halted and slowly turned back to you.

"You're right....you're right about everything. I am just so....lost. Nothing is like it was supposed to be. All the dreams I had....they're just gone. If anyone was a fool...it was me to believe in such fairytale bullshit. I used to think my prior life was so horrible and I prayed to be saved. I prayed for another life. Some perfect little story from a book but....they're not real. I knew that all along but...I wanted to believe. My belief was the only light I had then when my world was so dark. And now....it's pitch black."

Lestat contemplated on your words for a moment and then he began to walk back to you. "Then think about what I am offering you. I can fix all of that but you have to meet me in the middle somewhere." His chilly fingertips stroked your tear stricken cheek.

"Is...your bedroom the middle? I will go...I will spend that time with you. But...I am the one who is in control here. My pace...Can you handle that?"

The leery Lestat was not one for compromises but he agreed. "Yes and...yes."

Upon entering his chambers, your body stiffened. You had no idea what was going to happen. With the vulnerable state you were in, you knew you shouldn't have agreed to this but you didn't want to spend yet another sleepless lonely night in your room. "So...what is it that you wanted to show me?" You slightly gulped hoping it wasn't what you were thinking.

Lestat beamingly smiled and walked over to a large wooden box.

When you had first arrived at his chateau, Lestat played the violin for you but you had only wanted to find Thranduil which upset him. "I thought maybe this time you would be more invested in hearing me play?" The tiny instrument laid inside a coffin shaped box lined with red velvet. He carefully uncovered it and took it out as if it were his prize possession. It probably was.

A wave of relief rushed over you. "Ohh...that...is what you wanted to show me?"

The vampire that never expressed much humor actually chortled. "You were expecting a more...personal instrument of mine?"

Well now you just felt extremely embarrassed and were probably as red as the material in that box. You played it cool. "Poor Lestat. You wish."

He became even more amused by your terrible attempt at evading the question. "Do you want to...touch it?" he wickedly grinned as he held the violin out to you.

"No thanks. I think I know what it feels like." Oh that was so bad, you thought. Your mind had went straight to the gutter and remembered when he had you pinned against the wall right behind you, pressing his unyielding cock against you.

He knew exactly what you were referring to. "I assure you, it feels much different when it's out of it's....enclosure."

The always unamused vampire had jokes. You decided to keep humoring him. "Does that go for the size too?" Holy shit, what was he doing to you? It was like his aura was captivating you in every way.

"It's not the size of the fangs, it's how you bite."

Ok, this had to stop. You decided to deflect. "Don't you have much better things to do with your time than this?"

"All a vampire has is time."

"You got me there....So...I'm much more curious about something other than your...instrument and it's capabilities. Why is it you were carrying around a dead mouse in your pocket? You had no intentions of going into the dining room. You only did that to follow me."

Lestat gave a playful smile. "I was on my way to her room to place it under her pillow. Yep."

You busted out in laughter. "Now that would have been much more amusing than dropping it on her plate."

"It would have yes, but it all worked out the same. She has crossed one too many lines."

"Well....thank you by the way for attempting to shut her down although it horribly failed."

"It did not fail. Pissed her off more? Yes...but she knows my limits. Her and I have a rocky past, but it's obvious Garrett told you all about that since you seem to know about other things in my life that I speak to no one about. Raven was pure hellfire. A little child she was, but also a fierce killer capable of the ruthless pursuit of blood with all a child's demanding. I wanted to end her putrid existence on more than one occasion but Louis wouldn't hear of it. Garrett wouldn't have either but he wasn't around so much after what she did. He was smart, I will give him that. He wanted to steer clear of the dangers that followed her. Viktor and his death dealers being of top priority after her rampage on Laketown. A vampire's life is a life of discretion but Clover had no concept of that at her age. She still wouldn't if she were set free. Caroline and her demon seed cannot hide forever. I have only prolonged the inevitable for them. Death will come for them. I can feel it."

His words sent shivers clear through you. "Then why have you...and still do continue to harbor them? Aren't you worried you will be shown no mercy for aiding and abetting them?"

"Good. Let them come. I'm not worried." the ever so confident vampire raved as he sat down beside you.

"You're doing it all for Louis aren't you? Why? He left you alone."

"As I told you before...In the end, we are all alone. Immortality seems like a good idea until you realize you're going to spend it that way. You should now know this yourself."

"How...how do you do it though? Living up here so desolate, away from the world? It must be unbearable in some way?"

"There comes a time for every vampire when the idea of eternity becomes momentarily unbearable. Living in the shadows, feeding in the darkness with only your own company to keep rots into a solitary, hollow existence."

"Don't you want love? I mean...someone to share eternity with?"

Lestat sarcastically joked. "With all my black little heart."

"So....you've never had love? Respectfully, you look quite young for your turning age but seem quite matured otherwise."

Lestat chuckled. "I am over 400 years old. Maybe it's Maybelline."

"Funny. Seriously...how old are you...human wise?"

"How old do you think I am?"

"Ok well...you truly don't look much older than me....24?"

The look of astonishment on his face was priceless. "Nailed it."

"You're kidding right? I'm 24...."

"I know...Your blood told me when I tasted it."

"You mean when you told me my blood does not satisfy your thirst. What did that mean anyways since you seem to be so intrigued with me."

"You're beautiful to me because you're human. Your frailty. Your short years. Your heart. All that suddenly seems more precious than anything I've ever known. The fact that I do not desire your blood made you all the more desirable because I have never tasted a blood I did not crave."

"And here I thought it was because of my looks." you giggled.

"Oh you are most definitely one stunning creature physically. I cannot deny that."

"So...you still didn't answer me. You have never known love?" It was obvious he had hoped you would give up on that question.

"I...I'm sorry. You do not have to tell me...Please don't be angry."

"I am not angry. I will tell you if you also have the time...."

"I'm here aren't I?"

"That you are.....I'm from New Orleans. As you are probably aware of, Mardi Gras is a huge thing there. How I love that time. Party's, masquerade balls, getting shit faced, girls girls girls....I think you get the idea. Vampires though...not something supposed to be real although it has always been portrayed that New Orleans was the city of the dead. Low and behold...the myths were true. Marius de Romanus found me. He is my maker. My keeper. He probably regrets that at times." he laughed.

"One night, shortly after my conversion, he took me out on the beach. There were many gatherings there at night celebrating the event. Bon fires, music etc.... One in particular group of 2 people, man and woman, had their own spot and fire going. As Marius and I walked through the sand, nothing appeased me until I heard the music...the violin she played, a guitar he strummed. I wanted to go and listen but Marius told me I could not interact with humans anymore. Made me wonder why he even took me to a place filled with them when I was forbidden to "know" them. I could not help myself and went to watch them play. I was instantly infatuated with the woman. A young brunette with her long hair tied back. She played with such ease and grace. I knew the song. It was the same tune I played for you. I can never forget it. Or her. She looked at me while she played and smiled. it was an unmistakable inviting smile. I wanted to know her. Be with her. We spoke for awhile and I learned her name. Sophia. Marius fumed as he stood watch but I didn't care. I asked her to play some more. There laid an extra violin and I picked it up, then joined in with them. It all was good until the vampire in me took over without my knowing. I began playing erratically and my eyes glowed without my consent. The man panicked and then so did Sophia. They ran screaming, drawing attention from others. Marius forced me to handle it."

"We chased them down and I....I killed her...but only by snapping her neck. Marius took care of the man and then we burned them in an abandoned bonfire. It haunted me for years...even to this day. Like Garrett, I did not choose this life and I did not want to kill people. Love you ask? I loved the idea of her. Her face still haunts me. How scared she was of me when she saw my true nature. Marius was right. I could have never been with her. At least I believed that at that time. Loving the monsters always ends badly for the human. It's a rule I was taught and believed it ever since then. This violin...was the one I played that night. I kept it. I don't know why. As if I needed a reminder of what I had done. So there you have it. I suppose that's the closest to love I had become."

Within a period of 3 days, you have heard the tragic stories of 2 vampires. It was truly heart wrenching to you and only proved your beliefs that they're not all monsters. You missed Garrett so much in that moment. Although Lestat's story was incredibly sad, you found Garrett's much worse, especially how traumatized he was by it. But then again, Lestat has lived with his for 400 years. It was still fresh to Garrett. The fact Lestat still felt grief over it though spoke volumes about him.

"I thank you for trusting me and opening up about your past. There is no judgement from me.... I...I would love to hear you play again. This time I promise...I will truly listen. Oh...and before I forget...I saw a gramophone in the dining area today. May I use it sometime?"

"Yes you may....So...make yourself comfortable then. Relax on the couch. If you fall asleep, I do not mind. Do I have your answer then by the way, on the ball?"

You now could see why he liked masquerade balls and such. "Of course I will attend. All I've got is time." you said with a grin and then laid down.

He smiled and got up. "You see...this is all I wanted. Your time and company. Someone to listen and care about what I have to say." He then picked up the violin and began to play. It brought tears to your sleepy eyes as you drifted off to sleep minutes later to the sad music.

The music echoed through the castle as a slinking Raven found a way out of her room.

She was bound and determined to find out who the mysterious person was in the dungeons below that her mother kept a tight lip lock on. The disingenuous diva had a strong feeling that whomever it was...

would change the course of many things and many lives forever....

@redeemer46

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