everythingloveandanimated

[everythingloveandanimated]

Can I just say I love love looove the moments in "Suffering" where Odysseus says things that are actually true, or reflective of what he might say to Penelope, even while he's playing along with the siren. Like:

"Don’t you miss me? / More than you know."

It's a tender endearment, but it’s also true whether he's saying it to Penelope or the siren! "More than you know" because you’re not really her, and the siren doesn't know the depth of how much he misses his wife.

Or little phrases like "as good as it sounds" and "for you, I would die." Like yes Odysseus does just want to be with her!! He would die for her!! He means it, even though he’s pretending. That’s what makes it hit so hard in my opinion, that he’s hiding real feelings in the performance, so the siren thinks it’s for her.

And that long-suffering sigh at the end followed by "the things I do for you," ugh. It feels like an old inside joke, the kind of thing you say when your partner asks for something small and you pretend to complain, but you’re already doing it with a smile. It’s sweet, familiar, and completely gutting, but also... he is literally doing the impossible for her!!

And it's such a rich line coming right off of "Monster" where he's resigned himself to doing whatever it takes to get home. He is drawing his bow and thinking only of her, only of the things he'll do to get back to her.

But what I think hurts the most is how he slips into the rhythm of this song so easily. That kind of flirty back-and-forth must feel so familiar to him! It’s muscle memory; he’s done this with her a thousand times, and he wants so badly for this to be her, for it to be real. For a moment of that teasing, effortless banter again. You can hear him reaching for it, even knowing it’s not her.

And I think that's also why his anger in "Different Beast" is so palpable too. He had to look at a siren wearing his wife’s face, using her voice, pulling him into something that felt like home, and then hurt her. He had a flicker of normalcy, a moment that felt like her again after so long, and he had to destroy it with his own hands.

[everythingloveandanimated]

Guys do you ever think about how bad actual nobleman and never had a place on his own Murtagh Morzansson has to be at cleaning

[everythingloveandanimated]

Thank you for the response!

Glad you liked the floof!

Also, thank you for the corrections of things I missed or overlooked in your AU.

Thorn not teasing Murtagh for soothing or helping Nasuada relax.

Murtagh being normal cat size. I completely forgot that detail, sorry 😅

Murtagh wanting to avoid marriage or being hesitant about it. I’m glad you mentioned his reservations on a married or officially close relationship with Nasuada. Morzan’s son, Galbatorix’s Rider, a rider in general near the throne, eastern werecat, even if he’s only half werecat, Morzan demanding a wedding that he be at because family, Torix wanting to be there… yeah all of that sounds like a disaster, headache of disastrous proportions and a PR NIGHTMARE! That makes total sense for Murtagh wanting to avoid all of that for his sake and Nasuada’s.

Nasuada marrying him despite public disapproval does sound like something she would do, but (and criticism about their relationship in general canon sense) that doesn’t seem respectful to Murtagh. If he’s unsure about what his presence near and proximity to Nasuada would bring, or confident that it would tarnish her image and overly complicate matters, he’s not going to do it out of consideration (and love) for her.

Anyway, glad you liked my floofy idea, and thanks for the feedback!

For your Werecat AU, Nasuada holding cuddling with Cat-Murtagh while they’re in bed (most likely after they’re married). She holds him close like the way you see women cradling their cats in those cuddly cat videos. He’s happy and purring, probably showing his happiness more on his mouth, then in his purring. Since he is larger than normal cats, his tail is probably curled around the outside of her arm.

Even better if he decides to do this because she has had a REALLY stressful week and needs some kitty cuddles.

She gently kisses his head, strokes his fur, gives head scritches. Some arm adjustment needed for optimal relaxing.

(Murtagh is thankful that Thorn has enough tact to not gloat, disturb or tease him right now.)

Excuse me while I eat the floof. Also yessss, he definitely does that when she had an especially awful day :3 (Of course Thorn wouldn't poke fun at him then)

A tiny note on this; Murtagh is actually relatively normal cat-sized, since he's only half eastern werecat... One day I might draw some doodles for the AU and maybe include a vague sketch on Murtagh and Morzan’s cat-sizes. Still tempted to draw Galbatorix' "discord-prank-call"-scorpion too lol.

And a bigger note; ooooh dear, you brought me to the marriage thinking again and I did a lot of pondering - which was likely not your intention at all and I apologise for that. I mean it's already a difficult thing for (potential) canon :'D

I could see Nasuada simply doing what she wants and marrying Murtagh despite the disapproval. But, I feel like Murtagh would be much more hesitant there. Mainly because there shouldn't be any dragon rider anywhere close to the throne title-wise. Added to that in this AU, his half- eastern werecat part plays into it, which might not exactly improve things. Nevermind that he doesn't need to do the people-eating; someone drop a rumor and his position gets even worse. That way he wouldn't just be the former king's servant and also a rider too close to the crown, but also part a creature that has been hunted to almost extinction in Alagaesia like the Ra’zac :|

....and also because his father would probably demand to be there at the wedding (because it's family and family is important to them eastern werecats). Which; I guess he could stay hidden, but he’d take that as an insult and likely just stand around in the open. It would also mean that Galbatorix would be there and no one wants Torix anywhere close to Ilirea. He'd stick his nose into everything and make some very true but unnecessarily sharp comments. Because as he told Eragon; he's totally fine and not angry at all anymore. Nope. (He's at least moping a little still, even if his own logic tells him that he's in a far better place now.)

In any case, they don't really need to be married anyway. They might even prefer the privacy that a secret relationship gives them. If they maybe have a child later, I see Nasuada as stubborn enough to declare them her heir without ever revealing who the father is. Even if it’s a bit of an open secret. (Wondering what the elves would think on this one, since they don't care for human marriage anyway.)

[everythingloveandanimated]

Dang, Oromis! When the zen-master does NOT pass the student’s vibe check.

(Just puts fuel on the fire of my idea that if Murtagh was in Du Weldenvarden during Eldest, he would be FUMING and eventually he reaches his boiling point and has words with Oromis… and Arya but with that it’s a little more desperately “please vouch for Eragon. He’s my only friend and he’s dying.”)

There is not a lick of approaches to therapy or something in that direction anywhere in IC (which makes sense for the 'time-period' I guess, tho odd that the elves never seemed to bother with it). And considering how Oromis went about Eragon being slit open by Durza, suffering seizures during training and being bullied by the elves, this shouldn't be surprising (but uuuuughhhh...);

Galbatorix: *just returned from a trip, where; his friends were killed, Jarnunvösk was killed, probably blamed himself for it all, attempted suicide by whatever crossed his way but that didn’t work, got taken in by a manipulative cult witch, at least brainwashed if not outright psychologically abused, wandered all the way back until he collapsed, found half dead, slept for days, right now CLEARLY not doing well at all*

Oromis: "Stop being angry :)"

I get the message, but it was the worst way and moment to say something like that. This elf is so much forced discipline and absolutely-not-teacher-material. I even believe if other characters say that Oromis was considered wise - but it was certainly in no emotional areas. Maybe Oromis himself would have been happier with a different job. Though I'm not sure if anyone from the Order would have done any better ._.

[everythingloveandanimated]

In a Modern AU, Thorn will be that older sibling’s best friend that adopts the “irritating ” (Murtagh’s words) younger sibling as his own.

He LOVES Eragon! Thinks he’s fun, interesting, and loves talking with him. Loves hearing the knowledge that Eragon has, especially stories from other cultures. Really appreciates his warmth, kindness, acceptance and empathy.

Thorn will give Eragon insight into Murtagh’s thoughts and feelings. He doesn’t give the full download out of respect for Murtagh’s privacy. Just enough to make it a little easier for Eragon to understand Murtagh and plan his interactions.

Thorn acts like a mediator between Murtagh and Eragon. He loves and understands Murtagh on a deeper level than most, but also tries to give Murtagh facts about Eragon so he can have a more accurate picture of the type of person he is.

He is NOT going to let Murtagh pass up the opportunity to have a good relationship with Eragon. But, if Murtagh is adamant against a relationship, he can hang with Nasuada, Alín or Uvek. Thorn is NOT skipping out on having Eragon as an adopted little brother.

Also, Thorn and Eragon will team up to tease Murtagh, much to his chagrin. Thorn knows how far he can take it, and somehow it’s more fun with Eragon.

[everythingloveandanimated]

Mmmmmm!!!!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰

HECK YES!!!

Another Murtagh thought, for a murtagh x established/long term (probably also married cus medieval society) partner/reader:

Him watching his partner being an amazing parent to their kids and watching their kids get so excited to see them/prove through their actions that they see their other parent as a safe space and falling even more in love with them like “I knew I picked a good one.”

[everythingloveandanimated]

Just write Write while the shy sun still peeks through the clouds, gently warming every corner of your soul. Write while the world outside collapses in storms — and you quietly absorb every drop within. Write when no one else believes in you. Write even when you no longer believe in yourself. It doesn't matter where, how, or when. It doesn't matter if it feels beautiful, broken, or painfully ordinary. Writing will save you. And if, somehow, it still isn't enough to save... Know this: your words are eternal. There is still meaning in what you wrote. There is still value in what you created. There is still a part of you that remains — and it touched the world.

— Echoes of the infinite

[everythingloveandanimated]

fascinating to see the way murtagh views nasuada and eragon, the way his thoughts are fundamentally informed by his trauma, and the unadressed cognitive dissonance between that trauma-based understanding vs what he knows to be true. nasuada is a capable and compassionate ruler who has never allowed herself to be beholden to the expectations of others, yet murtagh is still convinced that she'll punish him and thorn regardless of mitigating circumstances, if for no other reason than court approval. similarly, murtagh knows better than almost anyone how integral empathy and kindness are to eragon's character, but nonetheless believes that if murtagh asks him for help, he'll lord authority over them. AND he knows that he needs help but refuses to ask for it because he sees needing help as a weakness, despite the fact that neither of them would share that opinion!!

[everythingloveandanimated]

Fully agree!

Refreshing and frustrating because HE GETS why they hate him, even thinks it’s fully justified; and yet he doesn’t think there’s any way he can make amends that allows him and Thorn to walk away with their lives.

Such a conundrum.

I feel like Murtagh would find the dwarves hating him for something he actually did of his own free will weirdly refreshing.

[everythingloveandanimated]

I want to see these three go on a mission together or be in the same camp/room together!!!

Chris, please make it happen!

Every time I try to forget the Monty Python level goofiness that is Murtagh epicly fencing with a magic fork, someone on tumblr brings it up, I do a heavy sigh and carry on with my day. Don’t get me wrong, very cool, very well written scene. But Murtagh as a book is pretty dark overall, and I just find the contrast quite funny. I love these 3 goofy guys with their hammers and ants and unresolved trauma <3

[everythingloveandanimated]

“Please stop destroying what is left of your heart by constantly thinking about things that have broken you.”

— Unknown

[everythingloveandanimated]

No word of this is wrong! 😂😅

Somehow this line popped into my head. (Had to find a clip of the scene to make sure I was typing the dialogue right.)

“I thought the mind flayer parasite protected you from light?”

“Well apparently there’s a limit, somewhere between a nice summer’s day, and the full concentrated power of the sun!”

(Baldur’s Gate 3. No, I don’t play the game, just happened to stumble onto the clip one day)

Every time I try to forget the Monty Python level goofiness that is Murtagh epicly fencing with a magic fork, someone on tumblr brings it up, I do a heavy sigh and carry on with my day. Don’t get me wrong, very cool, very well written scene. But Murtagh as a book is pretty dark overall, and I just find the contrast quite funny. I love these 3 goofy guys with their hammers and ants and unresolved trauma <3

[everythingloveandanimated]

Grumpy and gripe-y, but very admirably scrappy.

(the power of friendship part threw me for a loop but then I remembered he only got free of Bachel through a team effort of eclectic allies 👍🏻)

Every time I try to forget the Monty Python level goofiness that is Murtagh epicly fencing with a magic fork, someone on tumblr brings it up, I do a heavy sigh and carry on with my day. Don’t get me wrong, very cool, very well written scene. But Murtagh as a book is pretty dark overall, and I just find the contrast quite funny. I love these 3 goofy guys with their hammers and ants and unresolved trauma <3

[everythingloveandanimated]

🤣

So true! If anyone makes him look bad or gloats about having the upper hand, he will Uno Reverse it as fast as he can.

Man grew up at the bottom of the social totem pole, he takes his opportunities to have the high ground or even the playing field. Whether that be trickster cleverness, sleight-of-hand or just pure theft. Taking Zar’roc from Eragon, stealing knife from thug he beat up, stealing Ancient Language Dictionary… wow I did not realize how much Murtagh has to scrounge for items in order to get by.

Every time I try to forget the Monty Python level goofiness that is Murtagh epicly fencing with a magic fork, someone on tumblr brings it up, I do a heavy sigh and carry on with my day. Don’t get me wrong, very cool, very well written scene. But Murtagh as a book is pretty dark overall, and I just find the contrast quite funny. I love these 3 goofy guys with their hammers and ants and unresolved trauma <3

[everythingloveandanimated]

New little werecat AU part :3 Murtagh struggling with some things (nothing too dramatic really).

Closeness (1929 words) by SirBananadragon Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Inheritance Cycle - Christopher Paolini Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Murtagh Morzansson/Nasuada, Murtagh Morzansson & Thorn, Minor or Background Relationship(s) Characters: Murtagh Morzansson, Thorn (Inheritance Cycle), Nasuada (Inheritance Cycle), Morzan (Inheritance Cycle), Selena (Inheritance Cycle) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Werecats, Werecat Murtagh, Werecat Morzan, Dreams, Childhood Memories, Fluff and Angst, Fluff, Snippets Series: Part 9 of Werecat-AU Summary: Murtagh still keeps learning new things about his nature as a (half-)werecat.

[everythingloveandanimated]

Healing doesn’t mean forgetting. It means remembering without the pain, learning to breathe again, and giving yourself permission to live fully.

[everythingloveandanimated]

😍

Joan of Arc by jinglin Xu