lovelettersbetween-blog

[lovelettersbetween-blog]

when love was gay and young, when new desire dressed his soft eyes in tears, and taught his tongue the harmony of angels; when every tender word had more of passion, than volumes of this forced, this trifling business

(i used dangerous liaisons to pretend that there is a love-letters movie)

[lovelettersbetween-blog]

i love radiohead! it makes sense that you relate this song to sylvia and philander, because this song was written for the 1996 version of romeo and juliet, and they’re another tragic romance!

ugh this song is perfect for sylvia and philander!!! it reminds me of when they want to run away together :’) i can’t believe her father didn’t want them to be together. it’s not like it’s REAL incest or anything. just like the song says, i hope he chokes!

these are the lyrics!

Wake from your sleep The drying of your tears Today we escape, we escape Pack and get dressed Before your father hears us Before all hell breaks loose Breathe, keep breathing Don’t lose your nerve Breathe, keep breathing I can’t do this alone Sing us a song A song to keep us warm There’s such a chill, such a chill You can laugh A spineless laugh We hope your rules and wisdom choke you Now we are one in everlasting peace We hope that you choke, that you choke We hope that you choke, that you choke We hope that you choke, that you choke

[lovelettersbetween-blog]

Love without Letters

Antonet was nearly finished sewing a petticoat that Sylvia had ripped in a fit of passion when she heard the front door open. Antonet looked up, alarmed. Sylvia wasn’t due to come back from a visit with another one of her endless line of suitors until the next morning and she knew the rest of the servants were downstairs eating. She quickly got up and rushed out into the hallway.

“Hello?” she called out to the figure near the doorframe. He had his back to her and she could not tell who he was. Loose curls flowed over his narrow shoulders, giving way to lavish coat with a thinner waist than she was used to seeing. Tight breeches and stockings hugged his rather shapely legs and ended in a pair of particularly small red heeled shoes. Antonet’s fear slightly gave way to appreciation of his attractive form and dress.

“Sir? May I ask what you are doing here?” Antonet called out.

“Sir?” the figure inquired. “Do you really not know me?” He turned around, revealing the sweetest face Antonet had ever seen.

“I’m sorry, I –“ she began. The man reached up to pull off his wig, letting the true curls fall loose underneath.

“I cannot believe you didn’t know me. You have seen me in this attire many times before!” Sylvia exclaimed.

Antonet blushed. She stammered out many excuses, but nothing could disguise the panic she felt. She wished he had been an intruder or any real man at all.

***

Weeks later, Antonet still could not forget the incident. She found herself looking at Sylvia in a different light now. She had thought her attraction would end the minute Sylvia changed back into her proper attire, but she could not forget the way her legs had looked encased in close-fitting fabric. Something about seeing her as a man, as a person to which she was allowed to be attracted to, had altered her vision of her mistress.

Which is why Antonet was so worried about Sylvia’s newest scheme.

Sylvia had arrived home early that fateful night because she had struck out with her latest pursuit, a certain Sir Geralt. She had been pretending to be a man as he was known to enjoy both sexes, and Sylvia was intrigued to discover if she could successfully woo someone as a man. She had nearly succeeded with Alonzo and the thrill was something she couldn’t forget.

However, it was proving difficult. It wasn’t that Sir Geralt wasn’t attracted to Sylvia, he was simply bored with the romance. Sylvia had amped up her seduction, unsure if a lack of forwardness would be taken as a desire for friendship; however, her evident desire was uninteresting. Sir Geralt liked a challenge.

That is when Sylvia decided to make Sir Geralt jealous.

“Mistress, you know I have been eager to aid you before, but I believe pretending to be your lover lacks subtlety,” Antonet said to Sylvia as they rode to Sir Geralt’s residence .

“The time for subtlety is long past. Now hush, we approach. Say nothing that you would not say to a lover in his presence,” Sylvia said at the carriage pulled to a stop.

The evening was everything Antonet could have dreamt of. Everything she had longed to say and do with Sylvia in the past weeks was possible. And Sylvia was happier than she had been in months as she strung Sir Geralt along with success. By the end of the evening, he was nearly prostrating himself at Sylvia’s feet. He let them go finally, a few hours after midnight, with the promise that he would write Sylvia (or Alexandre, as he knew her) the moment she left his sight.

In the carriage, Sylvia was giddy.

“I suppose you are glad he is infatuated with you now? It all worked according to plan,” Antonet said glumly.

“I am glad, but not because he is infatuated with me,” Sylvia replied, looking at Antonet earnestly.

“What do you mean?” Antonet asked.

“I believe there was another present tonight who is infatuated with me. Which makes me very glad indeed, for I lust for her as well.”

Antonet looked up with shock to meet Sylvia’s loving gaze. She had imagined her lips on hers many times, but in this instance, her imagination was a paltry shade of the real thing.

[lovelettersbetween-blog]

i really like sylvia but i didn’t see her as empowering. she’s basically forced to continually seduce men because she doesn’t really have any other choice? she can’t go back home and jobs for women weren’t exacting abounding back then. i think a volume four would be really quite sad.

but she is a great character and a great source of inspiration for me!

appreciation post for Sylvia

Sylvia is one of the best characters I’ve ever come across. Some might categorize her as a strong female character, or a good character for an old book, but I think she’s amazing in general! She gets duped by Philander (ugh) but she doesn’t let that stop her, like Calista did. She keeps on fighting! (And by fighting I mean seducing means as a means for economic freedom among other things. And occasionally actually fighting.)

She’s constantly fighting the stereotypes of women, never cementing herself in either the “pure maiden” trope or the “whore/fallen woman” trope. The way she uses men is so empowering!

Basically: she’s a badass and I wish there was a volume four that was just about her daily seeking her new prey!

[lovelettersbetween-blog]

thanks! i wouldn’t have articulated it that well but i’m glad you saw some method to my madness. i think calista and octavio becoming a nun and monk respectively is so beautiful and very inspiring. i cried during the scene where octavio became a monk! and calista giving up her baby was so heartbreaking

Calista and Octavio

[lovelettersbetween-blog]

Calista and Octavio