#I cannot WAIT to introduce the pirate lords | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

carewyncromwell · 4 years

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Anybody want some more POTC AU? Well, this time we’re getting some focus on our Davy Jones (Finn McGarry @theguythatdraws, based on this concept) and our Commodore “Carey Weasley” (Carewyn Cromwell)! In the original films, their respective roles are on opposite sides of the fence (hell, Davy Jones kills Norrington in the movies damnitDisneyNorringtondeservedbetter >>), and even in this AU, Davy!Finn has some history with Carewyn’s brother Jacob...so how will they interact, when they collide? We’ll just have to wait and see...

17th-18th century pirate ships were -- in a bizarre way -- tiny, floating representative democracies, about 50-60 years before the American Revolution. In a world where nearly all European countries were run by kings chosen by “divine right” and one could usually only “rise above their station” through fighting in wars or through marrying someone of a higher class, pirate ships operated under the idea of “one man, one vote” and their captains both were chosen by popular vote and could be replaced at any time, oftentimes rather peacefully. The Age of Enlightenment sparked by thinkers like John Locke started in the midst of the Golden Age of Piracy and really kicked off as soon as it was over, circa 1730. Those same ideas ended up inspiring both the American and French Revolutions in the later 18th and early 19th centuries...so yeah, in a weird way, you could draw a direct connection between the values and grievances against the monarchy expressed by pirates to the ones expressed by America’s Founding Fathers and the figures of the French Revolution!

Previous part is here, whole tag is here...and I hope y’all enjoy!

x~x~x~x

When the Flying Dutchman returned from Tortuga, the brig was stuffed to the brim with about two hundred prisoners -- and yet, even with that, Cutler Beckett was not pleased. None of those captured were particularly well-known or wanted pirates: instead the group largely consisted of retired pirates, pirates’ families, or other such refugees from the law who hadn’t committed any crimes except through association.

“The pirates refused to be taken alive, Beckett,” spat Jones impatiently. “All of the ones we captured fought to the death rather than be imprisoned.”

“Admirable excuse, Jones,” said Beckett airily, “but at present, we need prisoners to interrogate -- and although you may be comfortable dealing with dead men, they don’t do much good for us that way. Unless you can give us the location of Shipwreck Cove yourself?”

Jones’s eyes flashed dangerously. Alas, he couldn’t answer that question -- and so Beckett railroaded him.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that you need some oversight, Jones -- so from now on, Commodore Weasley and my associate, Patricia Rakepick, will remain on board the Dutchman...just to make sure things run smoothly.”

Jones watched as a line of soldiers escorted the Dead Man’s Chest on board his ship. He had felt the presence of his heart earlier, but it being so close made his chest feel like it was on fire, blazing with wild, storm-like emotions he hadn’t felt in years that made him want to hit something, scream in pain, and burst into tears all at the same time. It was agony, after so long, and it made Jones whirl on Beckett with a murderous expression.

“I will not have that thing on my ship!” he snarled.

“Perhaps you will not, but I will,” said Beckett.

He glanced at Rakepick. “Did the key Jones handed over work?”

Rakepick dangled the key to the Chest off of her finger with a smirk. “Aye -- I checked it before we brought it over.”

“Good.”

Beckett returned his gaze to Jones.

“From here on out, you shall answer to the Commodore and Madam Rakepick for your orders -- all orders, naturally, that come directly from me. Should you not, they will have the authority to discipline any misbehavior.”

Jones’s gaze flickered over Rakepick and then over to the shorter Navy-dressed officer standing perfectly straight beside her.

The Commodore -- yes. This was the one called “Carey Weasley” -- Black Jack Roberts’s younger sister and, as per Jones’s deal with Jack, his future crew member, Carewyn Cromwell. She truly didn’t resemble her brother much at all, Jones thought: it was little wonder no one had made a connection between her and the infamous captain of the Tower Raven. And Jones thought, it was irony at its finest, the thought that one of the people Beckett was using to restrain him was in fact destined to scrape before him instead, within the next two months.

Jones’s gaze returned to Beckett pretty quickly. He snapped his claw at his side as he loomed over the much smaller man.

“The Flying Dutchman sails as its captain commands,” he said fiercely.

“And its captain will sail it as he is commanded!” Beckett shot back, his usually detached and arrogant voice betraying some real aggression for the first time.

Jones’s crew muttered among themselves, both shocked and a bit intimidated. The leader of the East India Trading Company took several steps forward, his eyes boring into Jones with pure contempt.

“I already disposed of your pet,” he said softly. “I would hate to have to also dispose of you so quickly, when you might still have some use.”

Despite saying this, it was clear that Beckett felt no compassion for Jones’s life at all.

“This is no longer your world, Jones. There’s no place in this new world of ours for the immaterial. In short, the immaterial...has become immaterial. Best you learn that quickly, and fill the new role you’ve been dealt.”

Jones loathed having the two red-haired women and their battalion of Navy soldiers aboard. Although a lot of the time neither of them spoke to him, he hated having their eyes on his back and hated knowing that they as agents of Beckett’s were there to be his “leash.”

Rakepick flaunted her authority noticeably more than Carewyn did, dictating their course and openly contradicting Jones’s orders. About the only time Carewyn seemed to speak up was in response to the treatment of prisoners -- while the Flying Dutchman sailed back toward Port Royal, the Commodore frequently checked on the condition of the prisoners in the brig. One of Jones’s sailors even reported to him that he’d seen her bringing one of them a Bible on request. It was odd, considering that every single one of those prisoners was going to hang as soon as they arrived in Port Royal, unless they had “valuable information” to give. Unfortunately the only valuable information that Beckett wanted were the identities of all seven Pirate Lords, the significance of their “Pieces of Eight,” and the location of Shipwreck Cove, the last secret pirate haven on Earth -- and, to every prisoner’s credit, if any of them did know the answers to those questions, they refused to say...perhaps because they knew that it’d be the place the pirates who were able to escape the Dutchman’s attack would go.

Carewyn escorted the prisoners on shore to Port Royal, while Rakepick stayed behind with the troops aboard the Flying Dutchman. When she arrived, she met up with Percy, who had been in charge of the fort in her absence. The hangings started the very next day. A long, long line of prisoners all locked in irons pooled out of the brig and were walked one by one closer to the gallows. In groups of seven, they were sent up to the hangman’s noose -- men, women, even children -- all without trial and without any chance for mercy...all thanks to Lord Beckett, and by extension the King of England who had given him that power. It broke Carewyn’s heart standing on the sidelines with Percy, unable to do a thing to stop it.

Cutler Beckett arrived in Port Royal in the midst of the executions, looking incredibly smug. It took everything in Carewyn to not yank out her pistol and stick in his disgusting, weasel-like face...especially when he brought her and Percy away from the gallows to speak to them privately.

“I admit, Commodore...your plan has not produced the intelligence I wished for,” said Beckett as he considered the map in front of him. Once again, he was playing with a silver piece of eight absently in his right hand. “But it has been a very effective showcase of the British Empire’s new position on piracy. My proclamation would’ve lacked the proper teeth, without such a visible display.”

‘You’re despicable,’ Carewyn thought, hatred pulsing through her heart as a tiny boy was placed up on a barrel at the gallows.

“Thank you, sir,” she said lowly.

Percy glanced at the gallows too, and he winced at the sight of the boy standing on the barrel.

“It’s unfortunate that the information they offered was not useful to you, Lord Beckett,” he said, his voice betraying some hesitance. “I thought that the locations the boy provided for where the Dennis and the Andromeda make berth and the routes the Blackbird uses to plunder ships seemed promising...”

“You think too small, Captain,” said Beckett.

There was a rather arrogant gleam in his eye as he glanced from Percy to Carewyn, the piece of eight lingering between his pointer and middle finger.

“Chasing pirates one at a time would take up more resources and time than I have a desire to use. What I want is to bring order to this world -- and to do that, all pirates must be dealt with...either by being brought into line to serve our interests, or by being disposed of. And to do that, the pirates’ spirit must be decisively crushed.”

He glanced at the piece of eight between his fingers.

“...How much do you two know about the Pirate Brethren Court?”

Percy turned to Carewyn. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“I’ve heard of it, but I’m afraid I don’t know much.”

That was a bald-faced lie. Charles Cromwell himself had been one of the original Pirate Lords ages ago, before the curse no doubt interfered with his old duties and the Mediterranean was taken over by someone else.

“They are -- from what I understand -- representatives, who only gather whenever pirates as a whole need united leadership,” said Beckett. “They are a Parliament for piracy -- one that selects a ‘King’ to represent them all, in times of crisis.”

Percy frowned in confusion. “A King chosen by the people? I’ve never heard of such a thing...”

“Pirates do not believe in divine right,” Carewyn explained. “Even when it comes to their captains, the crew can vote to replace them at any time.”

Percy turned to Beckett. “...Then do you think the pirates will attempt to convene this ‘Brethren Court,’ in response to the attack on Tortuga?”

‘That’s definitely what I hope...’ Carewyn thought to herself.

Beckett nodded. “I am assured of it.”

Carewyn’s eyes drifted away, back up to the line of chained prisoners still being forced up onto the gallows.

“If they were to convene this ‘Court’ of theirs and select a King, my Lord,” she said softly, “it sounds like they could be a greater threat than ever. Individual pirates might be more expensive to chase one at a time...but if they were somehow able to unite, they could create a formidable army.”

Beckett raised his eyebrows. “I did not think you would fear a War, Commodore.”

“Not at all,” said Carewyn. “If the British Navy could stand toe to toe with the Spanish and French, we should more than be a match for a smattering of rag-tag galleons -- especially with the funding of the East India Trading Company behind us...”

Her eyes narrowed a bit more as they swiveled over to Beckett’s face.

“...But...if you were to advocate such a mission, you’d be at the head of the charge for it. Its success or failure would rest on your head more than any of ours...regardless of any efforts we might make to protect your reputation.”

Beckett’s lips curled up in a smile that held no warmth.

“Your concern is appreciated, Commodore Weasley,” he said, and his eyes seemed to gleam upon her. “But I assure you...I’ve waited long enough, to get the revenge I’m owed...”

He turned his focus to the piece of eight coin in his hand.

“After the injuries I’ve sustained, thanks to one of these ‘Pirate Lords,’” he said in a very soft, cold voice, “I have no intention of letting them live in peace. Wherever they decide to make their final stand...I shall be there to meet and destroy them.”

He slammed the coin down into the table with a slap of his hand, making both Carewyn and Percy flinch despite themselves.

After the hangings were complete, Carewyn returned to the Flying Dutchman, once again leaving Percy in Port Royal. The youngest Weasley brother was troubled by the thought of Carewyn being on board Jones’s ship, and she tried to reassure him as best as she was able.

“Captain Jones has to follow Lord Beckett’s orders just as much as we do,” she said softly. “Regardless of who he is, he’s been impressed into our service...it wouldn’t be in his best interest, to fight against that.”

Percy, however, didn’t look very reassured. His gaze kept flickering up to the Dutchman, even though he tried hard to look Carewyn in the face.

The Commodore offered her surrogate younger brother a smile, resting a hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze.

“It’ll be okay,” she reassured him gently.

Percy stared at Carewyn for a long moment, his brown eyes dark with emotion. Then, very abruptly, he actually threw out his arms, grabbing hold of her and pulling her into a full hug.

“Percy?” said Carewyn, completely taken aback.

Percy didn’t say anything -- instead he just gave her a squeeze, his chin resting on her shoulder. Although he was facing away from her, Carewyn could hear a faint shakiness in the breath he took.

“Come back safely,” he mumbled, his voice harsher than normal as he tried to keep his composure. “You hear me? Come back just as you are now.”

Carewyn’s blue eyes filled with pain as she realized what was going through Percy’s head. Yes, he was scared for her safety, but it wasn’t just because he cared about her -- it was also because, with the loss of Charlie and Bill, his real brothers...she was the only family Percy had left, here in Port Royal. The only sibling he could rely on, for emotional support.

Her heart filling with compassion and affection for the young Captain, she brought her arms around Percy tightly in return, resting a hand on the back of his head and cradling it as though she were his mother.

“We will see each other again soon, Perce,” she murmured in his ear. “I promise.”

After she and Percy parted ways, Rakepick met Carewyn at the top of the ramp heading up to the deck of the Flying Dutchman. The older woman gave Carewyn another long, analytical look as she came up on deck, which Carewyn returned with a much shorter, faintly suspicious look. She didn’t like how Rakepick looked at her. It just made Carewyn feel like she knew something...but Carewyn frankly had no idea what that “something” was. One thing Carewyn did take note of, however, was the chain she wore around her neck and tucked under the low collar of her red jacket -- the chain that no doubt held the key to the Dead Man’s Chest.

That night, after all of the officers went to sleep, Carewyn entered the Dutchman’s captain’s cabin and ordered one of her lieutenants to send Davy Jones to her. Jones was not pleased to be summoned to his own cabin, least of all by the Commodore Beckett assigned to “watch” him.

“I cannot be called like some mongrel pup,” he snapped.

“Yet you came,” said Carewyn coolly. “I appreciate the promptness.”

Jones looked incredibly surly. The ginger-haired Commodore looked at her lieutenant, who was trying hard not to cower in Jones’s shadow.

“Go ahead and return to your patrol down below with the Chest, Lieutenant,” she told him. “I’ll take it from here.”

The scared young man gave a salute and then quickly left the room. Once the door was closed, Carewyn turned up at Jones with a much grimmer look on her face, her arms crossed behind her back in standard “Naval” fashion.

“...Captain Jones...Lord Beckett has ordered that we seek out Shipwreck Cove.”

Jones’s lip curled. “I believe I’ve already made it clear that I don’t know where the damned Brethren Court meets.”

“I know you don’t. And I’m glad for it.”

Jones’s eyebrows knit together suspiciously. Carewyn’s eyes flickered absently over to the door as she listened for a moment to make absolutely sure no one was listening it.

“...I don’t want Beckett to find Shipwreck Cove,” she said lowly. “I don’t want him to send Navy ships after us once we’ve found it and destroy it. Just as I frankly don’t want you under Beckett’s rule at all.”

Jones gave a loud snort. “Haha! And I suppose this is all out of the goodness of your heart, this...sympathy you deign to spare such a pathetic wretch as me?”

His eyes hardened as he bore down on her, dwarfing her with his height.

“I don’t need your pity, Carewyn Cromwell,” he said very coldly.

Carewyn was visibly taken aback.

“Oh, aye,” said Jones with a smirk, “I know your name. A ferryman of the damned knows everyone’s true names.”

Despite how taken aback and faintly disconcerted Carewyn was, however, she didn’t seem intimidated. Instead she kept her posture straight and tall and looked Jones straight in the eye.

“Then you know why I don’t want Beckett to succeed,” she said seriously. “A lot of people I love are probably on their way to Shipwreck Cove right now. As much as I know a battle will be imminent, I want them to initiate it. I don’t want Beckett to get there before they’re ready.”

“So you aim to make a deal with me, then, Miss Commodore?” asked Jones, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

“No,” said Carewyn firmly. “I just want to set you free.”

Now it was Davy Jones’s turn to look startled.

“I don’t believe in anyone being impressed into service against their will -- least of all by a captor as cruel and despicable as Cutler Beckett,” the Commodore said, feeling glad to finally let loose her bile a bit. “And if getting your heart back to you so that you can do as you please makes it that much harder for Beckett to destroy Shipwreck Cove...all the better.”

“Ah...so you think to trade my assurance that I won’t attack Shipwreck Cove for your services,” said Jones coolly. “Well, I hate to break it to you -- but I have no love for the Brethren Court myself, since they took all ownership of the seas for themselves. I daresay your dear granddaddy told you all about that...”

“‘The seas be ours and by the powers, where we will, we’ll roam’ -- yes, I know the song,” said Carewyn. “But that doesn’t matter. I’m not asking you to help the Brethren Court. I’m not asking you to help me with anything. I plan to set you free whether you want to be nice to me or not.”

Jones’s eyes narrowed as they flickered over Carewyn’s face, analyzing her critically. At last he raised his claw the way a man might raise a hand, but its size made it so it came within inches of her face.

“...Let me make sure I have this right, missie,” he said lowly. “You’re offering your assistance in restoring my heart to me...without making any sort of deal with me that benefits you?”

Carewyn nodded, not flinching at all in response to Jones’s claw getting into her personal space.

“Because you being free helps me, as it is -- by making things harder for Beckett.”

Jones considered Carewyn for a long moment. Whatever he had been expecting from the sister of Black Jack Roberts, it certainly wasn’t this. Even from a sanctimonious Navy officer, he didn’t expect this level of...well, for lack of a better word, decency...especially for someone who had showed her no kindness and she owed absolutely nothing to. He never would’ve admitted it aloud...but it impressed him.

‘Seems a bit of a shame that such a decent person should be fated for a lifetime of service aboard my ship,’ Jones thought to himself.

Perhaps because his heart was so close to him, the thought made some reluctance and guilt pick at the inside of his chest.

Pushing the feeling aside, the captain of the damned lowered his claw again. Then very, very slowly his tentacled face spread into a fuller, brighter smirk.

“...What do you have in mind?”

#potc au #au #pirates of the caribbean #my art #my writing #my fanfiction #carewyn cromwell #finn mcgarry #percy weasley #patricia rakepick #yes the dennis belongs to pirate!tulip the andromeda belongs to pirate!tonks and the blackbird belongs to pirate!merula #I cannot WAIT to introduce the pirate lords #I think that'll be the next part <3 #the concepts should be a lot of fun to draw #davy-jones!finn actually turned out pretty well I think!#though he does make carey look so very very tiny XDDD #this is what happens when 5'3 carewyn is put next to 6'2 finn LOL

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sheepfulsheepyardinspace · 4 years

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Do you have any Star Wars fanfic recommendations, or have a link to someone else's list? I really wanna veg out.

oh my god, DO I. this may have been the best ask in the world. i’m not really sure what u want a feel for, so i threw together some of my favorite longfics for maximum veg time from the ot/pt and links for swr and swtcw recs. they’re pretty much all luke-anakin/vader centric, since that’s kinda my bread and butter.

let’s start with frodogenic, who wrote the first longfic i ever read in sw and might be one of the funniest authors ever. they once reviewed my fanfic & i nearly cried from joy. anyway.

The Father, 284k+, complete. “Ten years after ROTS, tormenting nightmares of his unborn child drive Darth Vader to extraordinary measures with unexpectedly drastic consequences. Clearly, experience has taught Darth Vader nothing...”

this is my og star wars fic and boy oh boy is it amazing. i will never get over this. i don’t want to spoil anything but when i say the final chapters are great? i mean they’re legendary. sometimes i still think about them & wish upon a star that i could be such a great writer. vader’s amazing, han is spectacular, and the ocs are fantastic.

Far More Than Rubies, 70k+, complete. “Nine years after AOTC, tragedy revisits the Lars Homestead. Little Luke Skywalker is suddenly plunged into chaos as the rebel movements discover a secret military project that may make a crucial difference in the war with the Empire.”

the spiritual twin of The Father, FMTR takes a look at padmé’s character and relationship with both luke and anakin/vader that’s hard to beat. it’s darker and heavier than The Father, but it hits those same sweet, sweet emotional beats while raising the age-old question: if padmé had lived, what would she have done?

The Family Tree, 12k, complete. “In which Luke Skywalker is stranded in a tree waiting for a flash flood to recede. Too bad he's got company...”

okay, i admit, this isn’t a longfic, but it is a longshot, and it’s amazing. the imagery and description always blow me away, and the interaction (canon-compliant) between luke and vader just [chef’s kiss] get me. vader’s in full, glorious form, and it makes it all the harder when luke wrestles with the knowledge that vader is his father.

Sibling Revelry, 25k, complete. “After Bespin and before Endor, Darth Vader is shocked to discover that Luke and Leia are twins. He's even more shocked when Imperial Intelligence reports that Organa and Skywalker are, erm, a tad closer than previously suspected.”

this is complete crack and humor in the best way possible. it’s crack treated entirely seriously, and you will be in stitches, i promise. no matter how many times i’ve read this i break down.

KittandChips (@kittandchips) writes what i can only describe as food for the soul. the luke-vader interaction is insanely amazing, the world building of daily imperial life and imperial governance is amazing, and vader just has a special je ne sais quoi that u must read to understand––tragic, funny, and so, so fatherly. they’re currently rewriting the Force Bond Series to fit in with newer canon, so i will joyously binge reread the entire again (including the new Force Bond: Mustafar Weekend).

Force Bond 1: Orphan, 47k, complete. “After Owen and Beru are killed by a mysterious stranger, young Luke ends up as an orphan on Coruscant. It's a race against time as Obi-Wan struggles to find Luke before Vader realizes the boy is his son.”

Orphan kicks off the series, which tracks vader and luke’s relationship through the perils of luke’s teenagerhood while growing up under the eye of the emperor and imperial court. it’s filled with slow growth, struggle and misunderstandings as darth vader tries to single parent, and pay off in every installment. the entire series clocks in around 777k+ and is the most joyful, fulfilling reading you’ll ever have. promise.

darth-nickels (@darth--nickels) writes darker, twistier, and terribly, terribly heartwrenching aus. they’ve got a whole host, but let me introduce to my two favorites. also, check out their faux-academia on vader. it’s amazing and i love it, but i admit i am an academia hoe.

Dooku Captured, Pt 2, 16k, complete. “Dooku is taken alive onboard the Invisible Hand, and Sidious' web is torn. The Sith Lord wonders if death might have been preferable to clumsy interrogation by Anakin Skywalker.”

Dooku Captured is a longshot au told from Dooku’s pov which takes the beginning of ROTS and throws it on its head. it’s a fascinating outside perspective of anakin and obi-wan’s relationship and such and interesting examination of dooku’s psyche and especially his complex relationship with the jedi order, qui-gon, yoda, and palpatine. i cannot rec this one enough.

Black Mirror, 90k, incomplete. “The Ghost crew returns to the Lothal when they hear the Empire is investigating the Jedi Temple there. They learn Vader is alone and decide to take him out-- but what they find could change the course of Galactic history.”

Black Mirror diverges into swr territory, but make no mistake: this is entirely an examination of vader and, later, obi-wan as well as ahsoka. luke makes his appearance later in the game, and boy oh boy will you love luke’s portrayal is a microcosm of luke and vader’s relationship within canon. heed the tags, though.

jerseydevious ( @jerseydevious ) is, first and foremost, one of my favorite people on earth. secondly, though, she’s an amazing writer with a deep understanding of vader’s character and psyche, a flair for beautiful depictions, and the true ability to wring every emotion out of your body.

Two and a Half Men (with a baby), 13k, incomplete. “After a long day of bargaining with Hutts and attempting to ignore his past, Darth Vader is nearing the end of his rope. When he discovers his two-year-old son, it's the straw that breaks the semi-rational Sith Lord's back; in a rash act worthy of the Skywalker name, he scoops his son into his arms, steals a shuttle from his own fleet, and punches in random hyperspace coordinates to a destination on the other side of the galaxy. Unfortunately, father and son are not the only ones on the ship.”

Two and a Half Men will stick with you, dude. like no other. i promise. it’s a whirlwind ride with obi-wan, vader, and piett and as funny as it is heartbreaking. it touches on some heavy issues and doesn’t shy away from looking at the damage done to vader––again, heed the tags.

Helioseismology, 4k, complete. “Luke gets shot down on a supply run and caught in an ice storm. It's extremely lucky that his father followed him there.“

i’ll admit. im completely biased about this one because it was a birthday gift to me and i am sucker for litcherally anything when jd puts pen to paper, but believe me when i say you will be awed by the depth and tangled relationships between these luke and vader that jersey can illustrate in a stroke of the paintbrush. im love. always.

izzythehutt ( @izzythehutt ) i am blown away by the intricate dialogue and characterization, always. and the latin puns? im sold. im also a sucker for latin puns, but that’s a story for a different time.

In Loco Pirates, 34k, complete. “A down-on-his-luck Hondo Ohnaka manages to capture the unicorn of all bounties--Luke Skywalker, which sends Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith, on a painfully familiar trip to the planet Florrum to collect his prize. The failed negotiations leave Vader in the awkward position of being stuck in a besieged pirate bunker, trying to balance keeping his wayward child safe (and in his custody) with controlling the tongue of a loose-lipped pirate who--to the surprise of no one--has a bad habit of telling 'amusing' anecdotes from the Clone Wars.”

hondo, aka the best character of swtcw, is brought to life just as vividly on paper as on screen. his entire personality brings luke and vader’s difficulties in a sort of incredulous light, which makes it as funny as it is vulnerable and tragic. the sequel, Palpatine Ad Portas, brings piett into the spotlight, and oh man do his interactions with palpatine and vader bring u all the uncomfortable vibes. relish in it.

sparklight ( @littlesparklight ) man. lemme introduce u to an amazing prolific and detailed writer. i will never get over the series they’ve written & neither will u.

Where Our Intrepid Hero Doesn’t Get Away, 122k, incomplete. “One-shots surrounding either AU situations of canon/legends works where Luke would normally have gotten away (or Vader is simply inserted into the action to come pick his child up) but in these instances doesn't, or completely new scenarios of the same. There are no deep ruminations on consequences of the situations here, just our awful Sith dad picking his son up when he'd rather not be.”

exactly what it says on the tin. u know those glorious moments of fanfic where luke’s gotten captured and ur on pins and needles, waiting for vader to show up in a moment of dark glory? here’s the moment. here’s all the moments.

Space Race, 122k, incomplete. “Owen gives in to Luke's wish to attend the Imperial Academy and Obi-Wan is too late to avert it, though he's not too late to make sure Luke leaves Arkanis before Vader can gets his hands on him. Luke spends over a month running around the galaxy before his father gets him, and from there...”

this story relishes in chase and boy is it fun. it will keep you on the edge of your seat and it’s an amazing ride.

The Suns of Tatooine, 85k, complete. “Luke ends up on a moon swamped in dark side energy after a mission goes wrong, then his father appears... and then they go on a bit of a learning experience. This could've been the only thing that would come of getting through a Sith complex with his father, but thanks to going to free Han earlier than the gang did otherwise, more revelations are had. Will that change anything?”

this series is a thoughtful, contemplative piece examining the nature of the force and the relationship the skywalkers have with tatooine. the descriptions are beautiful, the inventiveness is amazing, and you’ll be thinking about it for long afterwards.

an additional few…

Between Flight and Longing; 34k, complete. “Luke Skywalker and Han Solo journey to the planet Balen'ar on a desperate mission and find more than they'd bargained for.”

a classic and it is for a reason. the interaction between han, luke, and vader is so spectacular and the slow trudge of going through the forest with your greatest enemy and best friend is something hilarious. the end is bittersweet and fantastic.

The Sith Who Brought Life Day, 13k, complete. “An Imperial officer loses a bet and has to get Darth Vader a present for Life Day.”

somewhere between terrifying and dull, this fic presents a canon-compliant look at the hunt for luke and the grinding wheels of the empire. the oc is amazing and it echoes in true star wars spirit: sometimes it’s just some dude who can change the galaxy.

Quintessence, 5k, complete. ‘“Well, Master, I think I’ve found the one positive aspect of this situation.” “Which is?” “The Temple won’t have to pay the costs for our funeral pyres.”’

pure hilarity and shenanigans abound in pre-aotc obi-wan and anakin hijink goodness. lemme tell u––u will deeply sympathize with mace windu afterwards. additionally, check out the rest of the author’s oneshots! they’re deeply thoughtful and the interactions the author writes between obi-wan and anakin are always gold.

some extras & shameless self-promotion

here’s a full list of recommendations for star wars rebels fanfic in case this is what you’re looking for (remember when this used to be a swr blog, lmao)

i’ve also written sw fanfic, both swr and luke-vader centric. drop by and tell me if it’s any good!

#also if anybody knows these authors' tumblr accounts pls lmk so i can link them #guys remember piett?#i miss piett #firmus piett #star wars #star wars fanfic #sw fanfic #sw fic #three two one boom #jerseydevious #luke skywalker #darth vader #anakin skywalker #star wars rebels #late-in-the-day #idk if any of these r new at all to anyone #but they r my faves :)

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splendidshinobi · 3 years

Text

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST 2003 LIVE REACT: EPISODES 6-10

back at it again with the white vans

episode 6: the alchemy exam

alrighty then

um mustang calling edward “ed” is EXTREMELY offputting

ohhhhhhh noooooo not shou tucker

FUCK

im wholly unprepared

them all being in central instead of east is low key jarring like my brain isnt computing it

alexander’s intro is basically the same

nina bbyyyyy girl u deserved so much better

ed is such a fucking nerd...chemistry club modern au confirmed

god the more tucker talks the more i wanna beat his face in

al pretending to eat by tossing a potato in his armor i-

aww theyre playing in the snow theyre so pure

wonder how long thatll last

“bigger brother” and “little big brother” and ed doesnt even get mad

ed’s birthday party????????

A MELON? ED YOURE SO RUDE

so 03 had ed’s bday instead of elicia’s...CAUSE THEY GOT ELICIA IN THE WOMB

“it’s here!” “the tea?” “the baby!” hughes is a fuck head

ok so now they’re having elicia replace rush valley baby arc

this was winry’s time to shine in fmab i miss her

if winry isnt here who is gonna birth this baby

oh my god they just realized ed can use alchemy without a circle

no wonder he’s been using circles this whole time

SO ELICIA JUST POPPED OUT????? WHAT

STUFF ALEXANDER IN THE ARMOR AND PRETEND YOURE A TALKING DOG???

“i dont think thats very funny” NO ALPHONSE IT IS NOT

THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE DOING WITH THAT ONE I SWEAR TO GOD IN THIS ESSAY I WILL

damn bradley what up homie

im so thrown off by the way theyre doing the exam omg

seriously what the hell is fuhrer bradley’s purpose right now is he even the fuhrer in this i feel like they wouldve mentioned it

oh lord ed is about to impress everyone with his clappy hands

ok so next episode is nina FUCK

episode 7: night of the chimera’s cry

havoc babeeee

im gonna marry him my himbo king

also can RIZA DO SOMETHING PLZ

“huhhhhhhhh nina” ew tucker that was weirdly gross

wonder why

cant do it cant do it

do we think jean kirstein was modeled after jean havoc slightly looks wise

was that purposeful

ill have to google

serial killer who only targets women? it cant be scar...scar drinks respect women juice

barry or slicer bros maybe? um ok

why did we start with liore if they were just gonna hop right back into the past for a huge chunk of episodes idk

assessment day??? oh noodles

AL WHY DID YOU TELL TUCKER TO MAKE ANOTHER TALKING CHIMERA ALPHONSE NO

THE NOISE I EMITTED IM GONNA TAKE A LAP

im gonna FUCKING SCREAM

ed r u writing to winry??? that’s a bit out of character for u good sir

no tucker put that baby down

im gonna fucking SCREAM

aww he burned nina’s picture thats not sus at all

SHESKA!!!!!

wait does the ironblood alchemist know what tucker did to his wife? thats kinda the vibe im getting

SCARRRRRRRR

looking like a pirate too damn

his voice sounds different is that j michael tatum

apparently not it was dameon clarke in 03 ya learn something new everyday

ew elicia has a lot of hair for a FUCKING NEWBORN

ed really is such a cynic very suspicious of everyone as he should be really

basque grand knowS SOMETHING

oh jesus oh fuck oh god please do not TOUCH THAT BABY

ed and al snuck back in to the house well u know what its for the best

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

im gonna cry again please god no

FUCKING DIE SHIT HOLE

she’s hurting? oh my god

my sweet angel

ew his eyes!!!!!!!

tucker is such a fucking failure...like look at the chimera squad and greed’s theatre troupe being the way they are. ugh it really hits how fucking unfair it is

ed was really about to split them? boy you know better

where is nina going...im hurting

ed really tried to save her in this one

SCAR KILLS NINA IN THE STREETS???????? SIR

thats different

oh snap

oh FUCK

SCAR WHY DID YOU LEAVE HER BODY LIKE THAT

THE WAY SHE WAS ARRANGED ON THE WALL THAT WAS FUCKED UP

AND THEY FOUND HER LIKE THAT???? AT LEAST IN BROTHERHOOD THEY DIDNT HVE TO SEE HER CORPSE ARE YOU SHITTING ME?

that was fucked.

episode 8: the philosopher’s stone

can yall get ed and al away from nina’s fucking MURAL

get out of the car mustang

finally jesus christ

roy mustang talking about healthy coping mechanisms dont make me laugh but alright baby boy go off i guess?

im curious about who this goddamn serial killer is though lets turn to that plot thread

r u kidding me

mustang is making ed and al take over tucker’s research?? thats actually wildly messed up

oh tucker was straight executed that’s a choice i guess

tucker and the philosopher’s stone sounds inaccurate but ok

ed please stop being mean to your brother

03 mustang has got me reaching for a fucking baseball bat on GOD

scar and edward having this conversation right now i literally cannot

WINRY yes bitch

BRADLEY WHAT IN TARNATION

JESUS LORRRRRRDDDDDDDDDDDD

alphonse shut your mouthhhhhhhhhhh

im so confused what is bradley up to

“alchemists are not cold blooded murderers?”

i mean

kimblee would beg to differ for one

whos this creepy lady

her voice sounds familiar

barry’s food shop?

the killer is barry ok got it

IS BARRY DISGUISED AS A WOMAN

I KNEW THAT WAS JERRY JEWELL’S VOICE

WELL I KNEW IT SOUNDED FAMILIAR AT LEAST

WINRY GET OUT OF THE FUCKING TRUCk

has PINAKO TAUGHT YOU NOTHING

ok so i VASTLY prefer suit of armor original manga canon barry

this is such an odd plot what in fuck

um OW the meat cleaver

im so confused this fucking plotline

oh hey alphonse nice of you to show up!

is barry still gonna become a suit of armor later on

it makes NO SENSE to introduce him otherwise

everytime i see 03 mustang i wanna beat his ass HONESTLY

literally i will shove my foot up his ass

fullmetal here we go

ed thinks he’s so punk rock

oh great scar’s seen the watch

episode 9: be thou for the people

ed you simp buying winry all this stuff my edwin heart is ascending

SIMP SIMP SIMP

“mr. elric”?? you mean MAJOR ELRIC

to be fair though fuck the military

YOUSWELL??? oh LORD

im gonna need to read a full chronology of this show

alphonse continues to be a precious angel

where’s my boy yoki!!!!!

edward you idiot don’t go flaunting your money

woof woof ed

al looks so offended by ed saying they just met

whereas in brotherhood didnt he totally throw ed under the bus???

a choice to be sure

ah there he is hello yoki

who’s the chick

shes a lesbian

yoki makes me miss my baby girl mei chang

mei where r u

WAS THIS MILITARY DUDE REALLY ABOUT TO CUT DOWN A CHILD??? oh my god

hawkeye getting a promotion yes bby girl

jesus theyre transferring them to east now OKKKKKAY thats not how it happened it the book but ill take it....just doing it the opposite way i guess

who is lyra who is she

cute some military bribery

umm lyra what the fuck did you do

lyra is a homunculus im callin it now

they definitely invented/changed up some homunculi in fact im certain they did and shes one of em. gotta be

i feel like 03 wrote ed as much more insensitive towards others than he really is...just a vibe im getting

i know he was faking for the townspeople’s sake but i still get this vibe from other instances

i mean i cant say its not “canon” because its 03 canon

anyways what a show off

i cant believe theyre going to east...fuery and breda better be there

ok finally some answers on their ages....ed got his license at 12 like normal and nina and youswell were when he was 12...liore was 15,

if they didnt flash the ages on the screen id be lost honestly

at least we’re back up to “present day”

episode 10: the phantom thief

ed saying he doesnt wanna see mustang

same

03 mustang is activating my fight or flight and im choosing fight

ed cheating at cards totally checks out

um who the fuck is this woman

what is she wearing

SERIOUSLY WHAT IS THAT CUTOUT MAAM HOW DO YOUR C**CHY LIPS NOT POKE OUT

idk but this is fem!hisoka

“hey shouldnt we talk first” after getting handcuffed??? christ almighty these innuendos

siren??????? siren is probably also a “fake” homunculus

ugh

ok so the nurse is siren

ya aint slick girly

alphonse control your crush

I REFUSE!!!! ALMEI RIGHTS

why is al’s hair so brown in this flashback anywayssss

oh its spelled psiren ope

like she’s literally a batman villain...

oh my god...............the tiddy grab. my son would never

my son is respectful

is this her homunculus tat or just a random alchemy tat

the added plotlines and original content continue to confuse and astound me every single time....

ok but if psiren really was doing this for the hospital she wouldnt be so flashy about it. like thats how you get caught sweet cheeks

girly stop flirting with this child on god im gonna fucking kick you

now shes a nun????????????????

Shes a fucking troll i hate her

im going to kick alphonse into the sun

oh great now shes a teacher

wow shes a savior. the savior of amestrian venice. greatttttt

ed looking exactly like this emoji on this gondola rn 🧍‍♀️

STOP FLIRTING WITH THE CHILD

GOD THIS IS SO BATMAN VILLAIN ESQUE

alphonse plzzzzzzzzzz she aint your girl

ok so probably not the last we see of this ding dong con artist

ok so its starting to get muddy. im scared the 03 stans are gonna come after me like i do like it and im having fun watching it but some of the plot and characterization choices are just....odd??? idk i gotta keep going though!! im sorry i just stan arakawa and her work in all her glory!!!

#carol watches fma03 #fullmetal alchemist #carol's remaining brain cells #this is fun for me and no one else #whatever i dont care about anyone else on this website anyway #this is my stupid hole

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twilightofthe · 4 years

Note

Padme/Satine Pirate AU?

Another pirate AU for one of my fave rarepairs thank you So Much uwu uwu

(OTP prompts list found here)

Sadme/Padtine/Satidala/goddammit Padmé why are your names so hard to portmonteau 9 - Pirate AU: Who is the pirate? Who is the member of the royal family who did not sign up for this?

(Padmé here is v loosely based off of the legend of French pirate Jeanne de Clisson)

Satine does not particularly like her life in the convent. Hell knows-- begging pardon --she doesn’t quite believe what they preach, and many of the women here hold the stifling conservative views on women as the bastards back home that were the reason for her loss of land and title in the first place.

But she will not run away and she will not concede. She will get her position as Duchess back-- the matter of the fact is that she is supposed to be dead, so for now it is living at the convent by the sea with the well-stocked library and resources that is not too far from her ancestral lands, and daring to send out letters to anyone she feels she might be able to trust, searching out who may be able to lend a sympathetic hand, or more specifically, resources.

Satine has a Plan, and a ship with blood red sails melting out of the fog one morning while Satine is tending the vegetable garden is not part of that plan.

Neither is a group of mostly women trudging up the beach and towards the cliffside stairs that lead up to the convent, covered in ash and-- is that blood?

The woman in the lead is in bright red and her brown hair twisted back intricately off her face. Her face is youthful and her warm eyes are older than her years. They glow in the overcast light and she speaks in a way Satine recognizes as high upbringing as she introduces her group as travellers in need of shelter and meal for a few nights; surely the women of the Good Lord wouldn’t mind?

Satine’s eyes land on the sword on her hip that is yes, still definitely dripping blood, and the woman assures her that they swear they will do no harm. The convent is one that practices charity and offers shelter to travelers making a holy pilgrimage. Satine is currently armed with naught but a basket of cabbage and carrot. They will need the permission of the Mother Abbess to stay-- luckily, the Mother Abbess is Satine herself.

(An accident, honestly. Satine had been looking for an opportunity when she had endeared herself to her predecessor, and was not expecting to inherit the job a year later, but she had given herself a respectable position and being in charge would offer even more opportunity. If God existed, He surely could forgive her her pragmatism and ambition. She had done well in the five years since, even if she didn’t terribly care all that much for the theism itself vs the opportunities for charity and helping educate young women)

She invites the strange group of women in. She asks them to please not drip blood on the carpets. Their leader introduces herself as simply Padmé. She’s looking around, wiping the blood off her sword onto her stained skirts, and Satine wonders how it happened. Padmé sends another woman off to send a message. Satine wonders who it is going to.

Throughout the day, Padmé spends it in the library. Satine finds her there, they talk politics and classics and languages. Padmé is brilliant, and she has such ideas, such passion. Satine hasn’t been able to talk about much more than religion for years.

Satine invites them to evening prayer, they accept, but she notices throughout that Padmé does not speak the entire time.

She asks her afterwards.

Padmé gives her a simple smile. I am Jewish, she says.

She is brave, to admit that here, Satine thinks. Life is harder for people like Padmé because the world is prejudiced and cruel. She guesses from the bloody sword that Padmé knows a thing or two about the cruelty of the world.

Well, since Padmé won’t judge her for it

I don’t believe in anything, Satine says

Padmé laughs. It is bright and clear, like birdsong. And yet here you are, she remarks.

Here we both are, Satine counters, adjusting her habit as they sit beneath one of the stained glass windows.

Padmé can hear the question in her voice and fiddles with her bloodstained skirts. She looks back at Satine and her gaze is clear and unrepentant.

“I am here because the rest of my ships were separated from me. They will be continuing my current crusade at the nearby fort along the northern coast.”

“Crusade?”

“I had a title once upon a time as well, Lady Kryze. I was once Lady Amidala myself. Have you not heard of me?”

The revelation of Padmé’s name removes all surprise on Satine’s part from being recognized; a fellow noblewoman would have likely heard of her troubles. And she has heard of Lady Amidala.

A minor noble who caught the eye of the High King for her talents, Lady Amidala and her lands were favored until the King asked of her something she could not do. As punishment, the king sent soldiers, burned her ancestral lands until there was nothing left and killed many of her people. Lady Amidala had been forced to sell all her assets and had disappeared. It was the biggest scandal amongst the nobility since Satine’s own deposing; of course she had heard of it.

Satine mentions she was unaware of the former Lady’s fate. Padmé just cocks her head and asks if Satine has heard the rumors of the ships lost at sea, that never return?

Satine has. Merchants stopping by mention their fear to sail along the coast.

They are not bad storms, Padmé admits. They are me, she says, and she sounds proud. Padmé had tried to appeal to the King for a more equal society rather than the large gap in living standards between the nobility and the majority poor of the kingdom, had tried to make changes in a political manner. But he had thrown her out and continued with his harsh laws, so now she will make herself known in a way he cannot ignore. Padmé raids his ships and visits his seaside forts and razes them to the ground like he did her home.

Satine is stunned; violence like that is never the answer.

Padmé shoots back that is Satine not supposed to be dead? Her authority was challenged by those who would refuse to cede her her rightfully inherited lands after her father’s death, and who overthrew her after she refused to either take a husband or to bend her laws to the favors of the more powerful and influential.

Satine stands up. She is dealing with it, she explains. She will regain her position rightfully and honestly and without another war. It’s just..... taking her time.

Padmé stands up too, catches her wrist. Is she not tired, in the slightest, of waiting?

Satine has been waiting for five years.

Is she not tired of inaction?

Satine looks at the hand that has been washed of blood but have still spilled so much, remembers what she once had, what she could once do, and the man who is in charge now, how her people must be suffering.

She takes her hand out of Padmé’s. She cannot be like her. She cannot start a war.

She bids her goodnight, sends one of the other younger acolytes to show any remaining guests-- pirates, they are pirates --to their quarters when it is time to sleep.

Satine is awoken in the early morning by sounds of violence and shouting ringing throughout the stone walls of the peaceful abbey. She is out of her bed and opening the door to one of the King’s royal soldiers if the uniform is right, brandishing a sword at her and grabbing her wrist in the same place Padmé did. Satine barely has time to react to him before she is being tossed into a wall and as she lays there, stunned, there is more yelling and the slashing ring of metal, and another body crumpling beside her, and a small, strong hand pulling her to her feet.

Padmé smiles at her apologetically, saying that she and her crew have brought these soldiers here, where they thought they would be safe.

They should be safe, Satine says angrily. Criminals or no, houses of God are not supposed to be desecrated with violence, should be open for everyone, and that is the law of the land itself. The King is breaking the laws, he can’t--

Padmé tucks a strand of Satine’s loose hair out of her face. Satine hadn’t even noticed she wasn’t wearing it. Her head feels lighter without it.

They will not hurt the nuns here, Padmé promises. If the King cannot protect his subjects, Padmé will instead.

Satine spends the battle in a nightgown wielding a torch. She doesn’t hurt anyone, but she keeps soldiers back and escorts frightened nuns through the maze of the stone walls and into the crypts below to hide. The aforementioned mazelike walls are what help Padmé’s crew turn the tides of the fight; having had a day there to get a vague sense of direction in comparison to the soldiers running blind.

In the morning, there is a rainbow outside and blood and death inside the convent. No nuns were killed, thankfully, but one of Padmé’s was, and several soldiers before they were driven off. The soldiers will be back, Padmé warns Satine, as her girls head back for the ship that, after all of this, was not even touched. The nuns here will not be safe. She offers to take anyone who wishes to leave either to the nearest nunnery, or to allow them to join her crew if they wish.

The other sisters are obviously distressed by this, but Satine feels a laugh catching in her throat at just how many take the offer to join the pirates.

And what about you? is Padmé’s question for her as they’re boarding the ship and sailing away from where Satine stagnated for the last five years. The ocean breeze feels good in her hair.

“Do you want your lands back?”

Satine stiffens. She does, of course she does, she wants to free her people, but--

She can’t condone retaking it by piratical violence. She can’t do it. It isn’t her way.

“Then come with me. I’ll take you to the people who can give you the support you need to retake them honorably.”

Satine looks at Padmé and her sun-warmed eyes. She would be here... while Padmé burns forts and ships.

Padmé’s smile is sharp. Satine has her war, Padmé has her own. This is merely a temporary combining of resources.

Whatever is so bad about a temporary alliance?

She holds out her hand. It is covered in blood again.

Satine takes it and lets Padmé bring her knuckles to her mouth in a kiss.

Maybe she finally made a connection that would get her where she needed to be after all.

#THANK YOU I KINDA WANNA MAKE A WHOLE ASS SAPPHIC PIRATE ROMANCE NOW #and u bet ur ass i'm tagging as much as possible because i want this to be seen and SW fandom never notices wlw ships #ask #asks #wrenvibes #political wives #Padme Amidala #satine kryze #morai's fic #star wars

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dramioneasks · 5 years

Text

HP FESTS: KyoDreamsFests

In Another Life 2018:

Land and Leaf by In_Dreams - T, 3 chapters - As the crown prince of the faerie realm of Timbervale, Draco is used to expectations. But he wasn't expecting a visitor to the realm to turn his life upside down. Dramione High Fantasy AU.

Treasures Untold by CourtingInsanity - E, 2 chapters - Draco Malfoy finds himself shipwrecked and injured in the hands of a less-than-thrilled Hermione Granger. The deserted island may not be large enough to house both of their egos, or the inevitable weight of their building sexual tension.

Kukulkan by I_was_BOTWP - T, one-shot - A drought has wreaked havoc on their land and their way of life. As the rulers and priests push their society to the brink with ever-escalating demands for sacrifices in order to appease the gods, a young woman questions the very foundations of her people's beliefs. Alternate Universe Dramione - takes place as the Mayan civilization in and around Chichen Itza begins to crumble (circa 1000CE).

Wild Mountain Thyme by frecklesandbroomsticks - T, one-shot - In 17th century Scotland, two head-strong magic users compete to win a coveted spot on the high council.Alternately known as that one time Hermione and Draco engaged in a vicious battle for supremacy, nearly destroying the castle in their determination to reign victorious over the other.Thanks to RoryEgg for being amazingly supportive and helpful with this. She is the bee's knees.Title taken from "Wild Mountain Thyme." My favorite is an instrumental version by Edward Gerhard and is what I listened to on repeat while writing.

The Adventures of Hermione & Draco by Frumpologist - T, one-shot -Hermione Granger is forever at odds with her annoyingly handsome coworker, Draco Malfoy. If their frenemies relationship isn’t enough already, Malfoy is up for a prestigious award at work that Hermione has been busting her arse to win. Her very career rests on the next story she covers and she’s determined to unmask the long-hidden identity of their local neighborhood superhero, The Dragon.

Return by mhcalamas - T, 5 chapters - It might not be much, but her family is proud of their periodical publishing house. There’s no way Hermione Granger will let The Daily Telegraph force them out, but she might need a benefactor to fight them off. A tale of Fate, loss and love.

Coldfire by RoryEgg - not rated, one-shot - Hermione needs to get across the shores. She's had visions of the Iceman, and knows that he is destined to die there unless she follows him there and keeps him from being murdered. DRAMIONE VIKING AU

The Making of Draco Malfoy: Love, War, & Marzipan by bionically - G, 5 chapters - Meet the Honourable Mr. Draco Malfoy, rich, entitled, and bored, and the adventures that just might turn him into a reluctant hero. Regency England AU featuring the Napoleonic Wars.

Rejecting the Gods by slytherindramaqueen - T, one-shot - Hermione, the kingdom’s princess, starts to show signs of magical abilities. The royal sorcerer, Lucius Malfoy isn’t keen to teach her, but his son Draco, being discovered as a magic practitioner himself, is about to begin lessons of his own.

Hootin by MykEsprit - T, one-shot - For generations, the Malfoys and the Grangers have been fighting over the village of Hootin. With the death of Lord Granger and with Lord Malfoy being away at war, it is up to their heirs to end the feud.

Sky of Dragons by BoredRavenvlaw620 - G, one-shot - Life as a king’s knight is a pretty cushy affair, until a neighboring kingdom introduces dragons into their army. Maybe it’s time to get out. Written for the In Another Life Fest.

To the Stars By Hard Ways by Maloreiy - T, WIP - Captain Hermione Granger and the Gryffindor crew of the Fortuna Major have been assigned a very special intergalactic mission. Unfortunately, that mission comes along with the company of some Slytherin officers, including the massively irritating blond git known as Commander Draco Malfoy.

Unraveling by DarkAngelOfSorrowReturns - T, one-shot - Unraveling someone's mindset was serious business. Was it too late to change her mind?

The Sight Of A Warrior by Rosella_Burgundy - M, WIP - Viking AU: All young Vikings are taught the stories of Norse history. But what happens when a young pair stumble into an epic situation of their own?

Forge by Hystaracal - not rated, 7 chapters - In the aftermath of a cataclysmic new regime, Draco and Hermione traverse the distance between persecution and revolution.

The Price of Freedom by Kyonomiko - T, 3 chapters - Near death and fear bring the lost Malfoy heir to England. Lady Hermione Granger makes it almost painful to stay.

'Even Though I'm a Thief and Pirate' by fandomfairytales - E, 7 chapters - Port Royal, Jamaica, 1687 is a harsh place for those who do not agree with the fact of life that is the slave trade. Plantation owners treat men like cattle and those who find it barbaric are forced to accept there is little they can do to change it.Hermione Granger, a healer by trade, simply cannot sit idly by while good people suffer under the orders of men like Lucius Malfoy, or his lackeys; so she hatches a plan, to spirit as many as she can to safety in the dead of night.Naturally, things do not go according to plan and on the path to escape, she commits her first act of piracy; simultaneously losing and stealing a heart during a fortunate encounter with Draco Malfoy, heir to his father's fortune but perhaps not his views. Magic, Mythology and the Wizarding world cast; fused with the classic film Captain Blood (1935). Plenty of romance and adventure on the high seas with villainous pirates and mystical sea creatures making mischief for our intrepid couple & crew.

Regarding Jane by Pronunciation_Hermy_One - M, 2 chapters - AU: Hermione Longbottom nee Granger barely escaped the life of crime she was born into as the daughter of the head of the Granger Family, finding protection with Neville Longbottom, the only family more powerful. But when her husband is murdered and all fingers point toward her, can a face from the past she thought long gone save them both?

Submerged by crochetaway - M, one-shot - Hermione Granger is excited to finally meet with the leader of the Mermish population in the English Channel. But when she gets down there, everything goes wrong. Who will she discover when she's down there? And what will she do to get back home?

Cherchez La Femme by Felgia_Starr - M, 3 chapters - Draco attempts to move on after a terrible tragedy. He ignores his father’s letters from France and travels to the States. He claims he wants to start a new, normal life with a new, normal identity, far away from all the guns and gangs his father has put him in, so why does he choose to go to Chicago of all places?

Stranded or Why is it so F****** Cold on this Planet? by savedprincess85 - T, one-shot - Future Space AU/No Magic: Draco and Hermione crash into a planet, injured, and a snowstorm is brewing. What happens while waiting for it to pass? Read and Find out! :)

A Touch That Never Hurts by JuweWright - T, 7 chapters - When Draco Malfoy, a gentleman in Victorian London, finds he has a half-sister, he decides to take her into his custody. To make the move easier for little Livia, one of the workers from the orphanage, a young woman called Hermione Granger, finds herself as the child's companion. But Miss Granger isn't just any girl and Mr Malfoy isn't just any gentleman...

To Live and Die in LA by IRisEaGLeS - T, 11 chapters - Film Noir AU. With the death of his partner, Draco Malfoy is forced into a world previously unknown to him - something dark and sinister lay underground. Something that only a mysterious dame can show him and bring in the light.

Heart of Winter by Prisioux - E, 3 chapters - A cold that froze the Wizarding World and a tragedy that took their children... Hermione and Draco, despite their past, joined Harry and Luna on a suicide mission in hopes of saving their world - but will they survive long enough to see Spring come again ? Prompt: Ice Age.

It Beats For You by CordeliaOllivander - G, one-shot - Princess Hermione Granger has two choices for a husband, and she wants neither one. Her heart wants Draco, the only one she's ever felt herself around, but being from a rival King's kingdom makes it impossible for her to be with him.Draco Malfoy has loved her since the moment they met. When his mother sent him away to live with Sirius Black to avoid their evil King, Draco never imagined a happy life. Now, he has everything he wants, except for her.Will Hermione follow her heart and chose Draco, or will she honor her Father's wishes and marry the one he chose?

Of Monsters and Men by MrsRen - M, 6 chapters - Following the grisly discovery that London is being haunted by a serial killer, Hermione Granger finds herself with a stalker that blurs the line between reality and horror. Draco Malfoy is assigned to protect her, but with every twist and turn, she wonders if fate will let her out alive.

The Light in the Grey by chefke - E, 3 chapters - After the death of her parents, Hermione Granger is now a lowly peasant at the mercy of the Church. When they discover her Wiccan secret, what will she do to stay alive and will it be enough to save her from the grey-eyed monster intent on ravishing her?

This fest is ongoing.

#Fests/Exchanges/Challenges #kyodreamsfest

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swissmissficrecs · 5 years

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Highbrow fics

This is the other set of recs I wanted to put together for @ghislainem70 to ease her recovery. (The first list of BDSM-themed fics is here.) These are fics with a slightly more intellectual edge, inspired by ghislainem70′s many excellent and thought-provoking fics, such as The Omega Sutra, On the Side of the Angels, The Indestructibles, and Mad, Bad and Dangerous.

A Broken Engagement by ButterscotchCandybatch (18K, Explicit, Johnlock) Sherlock Holmes, the younger son of the Baronet Siger Holmes, is forced to break off his engagement to the commoner, young Navy Lieutenant John Watson. He retreats into cold isolation and a laudanum addiction and it appears he may never have another offer of marriage. When the rich and dashing Captain Watson returns eight years later, he is now courting a family friend, Mary Morstan. Can Sherlock win back his John? Regency period AU.

A Dangerous Liaison by Holly Sykes (89K, Explicit, Johnlock) Sherlock Holmes is married to crippled aristocrat Sir Victor Trevor and he has shunned the life of the flesh in favour of that of the mind. But what happens when he meets rugged gamekeeper John Watson, a disillusioned ex soldier with a murky past? Love and physical passion come up against the class divide, but there’s also a murder, the high society of 1920s London and Sherlock in costume.

All Things Will Die, Nothing Will Die by Holly Sykes (109K, Explicit, Johnlock) Time: January, 1831. Something suspicious is happening at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital: corpses are brought in and sold to the surgeons, but Sherlock Holmes suspects foul play. He’s not alone: at Guy’s Hospital, Doctor John Watson refuses to pay twelve guineas for a body that he fears has been tampered with. The lives of the two men collide one frosty winter night and from that moment on, they will never be torn asunder.A macabre AU story of grisly murders, passion, sex and mystery, with an unambiguous happy ending; inspired by the London Burkers crimes, by several short stories written around that period and by the book The Vampyre Family by Andrew McConnell Stott. Also, a very big help was the Italian Boy by Sarah Wise, which chronicles grave robberies in 1830's London.

Attribute Nothing to Fate by recreational (37K, Explicit, Johnlock) A journey to Italy calls up old desires, but John Watson, trapped by the social conventions of his time, is not prepared to give in to temptation and change his life forever. It takes someone else to do that for him.

Bel Canto by bendingsignpost (127K, Teen, Johnlock, Adlock, and Irene/Kate) After years of waiting for wealthy patrons to faint, Dr John Watson discovers a far more interesting patient in the opera house basement.

Books of Mystery by fresne (58K, Johnlock) Sherlock Omegaverse written as a medieval Romance. In this lai, I set forth the adventure that relates how the good knight Jean Lanval came to cleave with Mystery, and how though an ever leftward turning path he and his Lord chose, still they came to the right.

Lightning and Sea Glass by 221b_careful_what_you_wish_for (18K, Explicit, Johnlock and Mollrene) The mad Professor Moriarty and his reluctant assistant John Watson have reanimated the dead – and the results are beautiful. At least John thinks so. When Moriarty rejects his creation, John disappears with the creature to protect it, sealing their fates together.

One Night in December by Holly Sykes (126K, Explicit, Johnlock) London, 29th December 1940, 8 pm. The London Blitz reached its nadir with the bombing of the City of London and the area around its most beloved landmark, St. Paul’s Cathedral. John Watson and Sherlock Holmes meet as the flames blaze and roar all around them. But who is that dark-haired young man and why is he risking his life in such a careless manner? This is what Doctor Watson is wondering, as he eventually becomes enmeshed in a mystery that will take him away from his dreary, hopeless life and plunge him into the secret life of wartime London.

Sketchy by serpentynka (629K, Explicit, Johnlock and Mycroft/OMC) What (and who) will be left when nobody cares about your Work? A slow-burn fic with cases, places, mistaken identities, unfair choices, essential changes, violent feels, blatant lies, fearless portraiture, family secrets, high-risk bespoke gifts, durable friendships, bedtime stories, foreign travel and tongues, sickness (and health), and the significance of things which are slow to unfurl -- but cannot be ignored. Oh, and...porn.

SPQR by hoc_voluerunt (156K, Teen, Johnlock) The year is AD 68. Emperor Nero is on the throne, the Judaean Revolt is nearing its end under the firm hands of Vespasian and his son Titus, and Marcus Caelius Piso Vannus, son of a British freedman and former surgeon to the Fifteenth Apollonian Legion, has just returned from the provinces with an injured shoulder and no veteran's benefits to rent a shabby room in the shadow of the city wall. Thrust into his life, however, comes Amulius Cornelius Celatus -- a noble man from an ancient family, with good hair, a better toga, and the biggest ego this side of the Tiber. You wouldn't think they'd end up living together, let alone fighting crime; but then, neither would you think that one shadowy criminal figure orchestrated the fire of 64...

Stars in a Phrygian Sky by fresne (60K, Explicit, Johnlock, Adlock, Viclock, Mollrene, and others) Sherlock got rid of everything that he had ever known about the stars when he was nine years and five months old, which given his plans to be a pirate in the West Indies, the importance of astral navigation for a pirate, and given that he was him, that had been quite a lot. He didn't give away his mariner's astrolabe until much later.When Irene was ten years old, she fell in love with the most beautiful, perfectly-perfect amoral Omega woman ever. Which is to say, she read Steinbeck's "East of Eden".John stayed up one particularly nasty March night until 2:32 am reading "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom". Hail rattled against the window. To John, it was the sound of desert sand on dry canvas.

Tanto Monta by fresne (62K, Explicit, Johnlock, Sheriarty, Sherlock/OMCs, John/OCs) Sherlock began to turn into a desert when he was nine. Desertification took years, but grain by grain his Memory Palace turned from a primordial forest into scrub brush and sand. Only mad dogs and Englishmen could love the desert that he'd made of himself.When John was fourteen, he stayed out late one particularly nasty March night at the rec centre reading a book. The results of that choice left him feeling like an ill fitting cog the rest of his life.Or equal opposites in balance.

The Beast of Baskerville by mildredandbobbin (74K, Explicit, Johnlock) 15th Century/fairy tale AU. An invalided John Watson comes to the isolated village of Baskerville seeking shelter with his sister, only to become embroiled in a grisly murder. As the villagers point to a local werewolf legend, the odd but brilliant friar, Brother Sherlock, disagrees and soon he and John are on the the trail of a murderer. Captivated by the enigmatic friar, John finds himself struggling with his illicit feelings for the celibate man of God.

The Desire and Pursuit of the Whole by Holly Sykes (90K, Explicit, Johnlock) Britain, 1925. Sherlock Holmes – young detective, violin player and virtual misanthrope – has been hired by a mysterious and immensely wealthy man to find the missing manuscript of a contentious novel. John Watson - doctor, ex soldier and widower - is older and disillusioned. They meet on a rainy night in Sussex and from then on both their lives are changed forever. As their tentative friendship turns into a more intense relationship, Sherlock and John’s big adventure sees them end up in Venice, where the mystery is finally solved.

Underneath the Veil by Holly Sykes (73K, Explicit, Johnlock) Lord Sherlock Holmes is a wealthy aristocrat who lives almost like a hermit and indulges in opium-eating and sporadic crime solving. One evening, in the throes of a drug-caused hallucination, he stumbles upon Doctor John Watson. It’s love at first sight for the still-virgin Sherlock, but he’s convinced the other man could never feel the same. When a renowned painter is killed, Sherlock convinces John to help him with the investigation and their friendship takes an unexpected turn.

Unreal Cities by breathedout (312K, Explicit, Johnlock, John/OMCs, Irene/OFC) Sherlock, John, and the Bloomsburies, gallivanting across Britain and the Continent in the early twentieth century. In 1920, two years after the end of the Great War, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson investigate two disappearances, eerily similar but separated by 80 years. In the process, they make enemies (and friends) of Bloomsbury intellectuals; travel to Sussex; deal with the aftermath of John's past in the trenches; read Victorian pornography; drink copious amounts of tea; and, of course, fall in love.

Watson’s Folly by Diana Williams (299K, Mature, Johnlock, Mystrade, and MorMor) John Watson, the new Earl of Saughton, is madly in love with the beautiful Mary Morstan. But he has returned from the Peninsular War to find his family on the brink of ruin and his ancestral home mortgaged to the hilt. He has little choice when he is introduced to Mycroft Holmes, a civil servant of apparently unlimited wealth and no social ambitions for himself - but with his eyes firmly fixed on a suitable match for his only brother, the unorthodox and irascible Omega Sherlock Holmes. Can John forget the woman he loved and find happiness with a man so very different from his lost love?

#rec list

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tadomodoka4-blog · 5 years

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from I am to see to it that I do not lose you. https://ift.tt/2uAW6mP via IFTTT

Highbrow fics

SPQR by hoc_voluerunt (156K, Teen, Johnlock) The year is AD 68. Emperor Nero is on the throne, the Judaean Revolt is nearing its end under the firm hands of Vespasian and his son Titus, and Marcus Caelius Piso Vannus, son of a British freedman and former surgeon to the Fifteenth Apollonian Legion, has just returned from the provinces with an injured shoulder and no veteran’s benefits to rent a shabby room in the shadow of the city wall. Thrust into his life, however, comes Amulius Cornelius Celatus – a noble man from an ancient family, with good hair, a better toga, and the biggest ego this side of the Tiber. You wouldn’t think they’d end up living together, let alone fighting crime; but then, neither would you think that one shadowy criminal figure orchestrated the fire of 64…

Stars in a Phrygian Sky by fresne (60K, Explicit, Johnlock, Adlock, Viclock, Mollrene, and others) Sherlock got rid of everything that he had ever known about the stars when he was nine years and five months old, which given his plans to be a pirate in the West Indies, the importance of astral navigation for a pirate, and given that he was him, that had been quite a lot. He didn’t give away his mariner’s astrolabe until much later.When Irene was ten years old, she fell in love with the most beautiful, perfectly-perfect amoral Omega woman ever. Which is to say, she read Steinbeck’s “East of Eden”.John stayed up one particularly nasty March night until 2:32 am reading “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom”. Hail rattled against the window. To John, it was the sound of desert sand on dry canvas.

Tanto Monta by fresne (62K, Explicit, Johnlock, Sheriarty, Sherlock/OMCs, John/OCs) Sherlock began to turn into a desert when he was nine. Desertification took years, but grain by grain his Memory Palace turned from a primordial forest into scrub brush and sand. Only mad dogs and Englishmen could love the desert that he’d made of himself.When John was fourteen, he stayed out late one particularly nasty March night at the rec centre reading a book. The results of that choice left him feeling like an ill fitting cog the rest of his life.Or equal opposites in balance.

Unreal Cities by breathedout (312K, Explicit, Johnlock, John/OMCs, Irene/OFC) Sherlock, John, and the Bloomsburies, gallivanting across Britain and the Continent in the early twentieth century. In 1920, two years after the end of the Great War, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson investigate two disappearances, eerily similar but separated by 80 years. In the process, they make enemies (and friends) of Bloomsbury intellectuals; travel to Sussex; deal with the aftermath of John’s past in the trenches; read Victorian pornography; drink copious amounts of tea; and, of course, fall in love.

#IFTTT #I am to see to it that I do not lose you.

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readbythestarlight · 6 years

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c2e30 (I’m very late and I know it but here it is anyway)

I’m almost a week late but hey that’s fine let’s do this!

Still miss Ashley but I’m gad Travis and Laura are back!

I also miss Keg

I’m so glad they fucked Lorenzo up. I’m sorry for Matt’s plans but fuck that guy.

“Enduring it silently” Yasha my girl

“Case closed” cool make me cry again that’s fine

Nott just has no fucks to give for Fjord xD

Oh, Yasha, my girl.

"I have healing I have healing who are you I have healing" oh sure Jester NOW you wanna heal

“Where’s Molly?” FUCK it’s fine I’m fine

“is he waiting upstairs?”

“He didn’t make it.”

“To… this dungeon? Cause he’s waiting upstairs?”

IT’S FINE IM NOT CRYING

Fjord sounds so exhausted someone hug him

Everyone’s sad I’m sad I don’t wanna live with this again

Fjord. Honey. It’s not your fault.

God Fjord and Jester and Yasha are going to have such a rough time healing and moving on…

This is really hard… like. My heart hurts.

“We learned for the future. This won’t happen again, understand me?”

“Nothing this good ever happens, this is great.” I love him. He’s sweet and he tries.

Jester and Beau back at the cute BFF banter already

B: “I would have laid down my life for you guys.”

J: “I would have tried to heal you back.”

Oh lord guys you can’t just make butt jokes in the middle of my crying.

Oh damn, I forgot Molly and Fjord shared a room the most often. Poor Fjord.

“It’s probably stolen.”

“People need killin’ if that happens.”

Them talking about Molly possibly coming back like that’s what we’re all still hoping for please don’t pull my heartstrings like this.

And the Fjord/Jester train rolls on again. They wasted no time.

“Oooooo, ooooo! That’s all I need to know.”

“INSIGHT CHECK”

oh my god Sam xD

WHISPERS

“Fuck human traffickers, ammiright?” You are so right.

“Please bring me any books” Caleb’s priorities back in place again

Cad cooking food I love him

Matt plz chill with the torture stuff

I love how they’re always finding random potions

Godddd Lorenzo’s chamber…

“Some young creature” it’s a baby Matt just say it

Bag of holding?? IT IS A BAG OF HOLDING?

YAAAS

Please no body parts please no body parts…

Fjord checking the room for books <3

I want Fjord and Caleb to get back to being bros man I miss that so hard

Fuck I forgot Caleb was still injured Jester plz heal him

I adore Cad you guys. Adore him.

“Roots.”

“Do I smell anything…? Nah it smells like breakfast fuck it I go back down” xD Travis

A long rest sounds like a good idea, but is the fortress safe?

“WHAT’S THAT NEW MAGIC YOU USED?” SAAAAM LOL

Cad is gonna be the weird uncle of the team who keeps them all fed and relatively healthy

I’m curious about the bag and what all it can do and stuff

lol Fjord just spilled everything out

“I have deep arcane abilities” lol Fjord

101 PLATINUM NICE

Ooooo a gem!

Oh daaaamn wax sealed envelope

AN ACTUAL ENVELOPE

okay what is it….

omg could they collect anyone 101 platinum?

Oooo Wayfairer’s Cove? Is it Pirates?? Please be pirates.

Also does that mean they’ll go to Nicodranus?

OH.

OH SHIT.

FJORD HAS ONE. IN HIS STOMACH.

“You have 50 rings, do you have a glass bead?”

Nott has the most amazing collection of stuff

Ouch, 5 intelligence check

Fjord my darling why are you collecting a tusk?

Also guys i’m over my annoyance with Fjord I missed him so much he’s back to being one of my faves

“HEY LOOK WHAT I MADE :D” Caleb my son he’s so proud and happy look at him

He’s been working on it so he can protect his friends I’m crying

Cad just makes me smile every time he speaks. Taliesin just knows how to cheer me up with every character he makes.

I can’t believe Caleb actually managed to make them a small “home” they can move just like he wanted I’m so proud of him

NOTT PLZ

Jester dragging Yasha in lol

Niiiice magic potion and magic red gem

bad magic manacles no

C: “This has great power.”

N: “What is it?”

C: “It’s a meat hook.”

300 bolts nice

Beau looking for something throwable

Those are creepy manacles 0/10

Caleb please stop being weird about fire YOU’RE SCARING ME

“It’s not my thing” hnnn

Beau honey please keep it for him he doesn’t need it right now

Fjord using Molly’s sword is good

DON’T EAT THE GODDAMN SWORD

PLEASE

Fjord’s actual identity is a bag of holding I’ve solved it

BEAU

BEAU NO

beau plz

Oh Jester… oh honey… I’m crying again

“Why didn’t you come?” IT’S FINE

I’m fine

it’s not fine

Bye Keg WE’LL MISS YOU

Letter for Nott I cry

“Oh, a note… It’s really badly written…” Nott plz

That letter I’M CRRRYYYYYING

“p.s. if anyone hurts you I will kill them” <3<3<3<3

Marisha’s face when she looked at the letter I’m crying

Ashley B is the best I miss her so much

Fjord keeping the glaive for Yasha. <3

Cad offering to help dye the bag pink xD

He and Jester are going to be good buddies

C: “I need to head east at some point.”

Cad: “What is east?”

C: “I don’t know. But I’d like to find out.”

—

B: “He makes dead people tea.”

F: “He makes what?!”

Hmmm okay so what’s making the illusion. the cart itself?

MAGIC ILLUSION CART that could be great

Stealth cart yessss

Happy (late) birthday, Ashley!

Cad should stay with the cart maybe?

They’re very touchy about the cart xD

Ophelia is classy as hell and I don’t trust her but I like her

Oooo smart to remember to bring the glaive Fjord good job

My boy with the Nat20 persuasion ayyyyyyy

No wait we’re keeping it for Yasha

Nice okay good she let them have it

Oh dang I forgot they were supposed to escort her back to Zadesh

“I think ‘hot fuck’ is accurate on a few levels” Beau continues to be THE disaster lesbian

Fjord is creeped out by Cad and I’m loving it

Oh no who’s coming…

Oh okay it’s just the carriages lol I was worried

Stealth check for giggles lol

Money says Beau will try to sleep with Ophelia before the trip is over

SAM NAMED THEM AFTER ABBA SONGS omg I’m crying

Oh oh oh a crick person. What were they called?

J: “Shady deals happening!”

Cad: “Oh is that what that is? I’ve never seen one before.”

Okay we’re in the slums this is where something is going to happen

Driving through slums in fancy carriages is bad

Frumpkin is gone sadly

Oooo Jester has a fancy new spell? Nice

“Next time you use it maybe it will have a purpose” xD harsh, Nott.

Oooo some Beau and Caleb talk! It’s been a few weeks. And yesss give us some Beau backstory!

“Why are you running around with criminals? And me?” Caleb you are just as much a criminal as the rest of them

Beau and Caleb’s friendship and their conversations are my fave

I SAW SPOILERS ABOUT WHAT’S ABOUT TO HAPPEN AND IM NOT OKAY

is his coat there

HIS COAT IS THERE

thank god

I’m not ready for this

Taliesin looks like he might cry, I’m gonna cry, everyone’s gonna cry

Letting Taliesin choose which card Jester pulled I’m weeping

the same card she pulled when they met I’m sobbing now

Fjord with Summer Dance I’m just. A wreck.

Yasha wakes up AT MOLLY’S GRAVE THIS ISN’T OKAY

“What’s going on” noPE MATT HOW DARE

Oh Yasha my dear oh god

“It happened again” stop please I beg you

She didn’t even get to help kill Lorenzo

Oh, oh, Yasha…

Oh fuck.

Oh. Oh, my heart.

She doesn’t even have her sword.

Caleb and Nott please don’t make me cry either

TALIESIN DONT

I CANNOT

He’s gone.

He’s really, forever, never coming back, gone.

“I made the earth remember him. Something will be here.”

Like… like I had this vague hope that somehow he’d come back, ten, twenty episodes from now. Hell, maybe close to the end, he’d just come back. He’d return to life and maybe he wouldn’t remember at first, but they’d help remind him who he is. But no… he’s gone. Tal gave him the best goodbye he could.

C: “Come, everyone. Molly wanted us to keep living.”

B: “And make things better.”

I’m glad they all got to say goodbye but my god, none of them had ever die, because I can’t handle anything like this ever again.

Goodbye, Molly. For real this time.

“Those ideas I had have come to fruition” oh god what does that mean

Caleb worries me

New feat is cool but he still worries me

Ophelia and the Gentleman, huh?

PFFF SHE BIT HIM. kinky.

I like Ophelia more and more tbh

Cad just grins

also the Gentleman doesn’t have Cad’s blood that’s probably good

Hey @ the Gentleman don’t be a dick “that’s just the way of it” i’m gonna kick you

LOL Nott and the moisture thing again I’m cackling

How much money? I don’t remember

“mostly platinum” O_O

600 platinum NICE

250 gold

6250 alksjdlaksjflkjsdhfkjasdhg

+50 platinum for the loss of Molly HE WAS WORTH SO MUCH MORE HE WAS PRICELESS

Nott explaining “money” to Cad lol

“I can’t think of four things I’d like to get, that’s nice.”

A tea set, a skillet, more cups.

Fuck okay he’s gonna get his blood sigh

WHISPERRRSSSSS

Cad and his bugs alksjdlkas

I’m actually glad that Caleb lied about Molly… I’m not sure why but I’m just glad. Molly didn’t want to be tied to Lucien, even in death.

Metagaming pigeon lol

GO SEE PUMAT SOL I just want him to meet Cad desperately

Tal rolling to determine how Cad feels about milk lol

Tal wants to strangle Sam/Nott for their tragic lack of knowledge (r their total deception) about how whiskey is made lol

Introducing Cad to alcohol lol

Fjord is so baffled whenever people flirt with him I love it

“Here is to fucking making it work” <3

Beau I don’t think he wants to talk about it, darling

Alright Fjord needs a goddamn hug. Like a big one.

They think Jester is fine but guys she’s not fine keep an eye on her. This is how she copes but she’s gonna fall apart. There are cracks.

Caleb is right about her. She’s suffering.

Cad: “I’ve had six drinks. I’m in the biggest city I’ve ever been in. Everything tastes TERRIBLE.”

—

N: “Have you not thrown up yet?”

Cad: “Is that part of the—are you supposed to?”

—

Oh boy intruding Jester to alcohol too let her be sweet and innocent and not a useless drunk like all of you smh

Jester is going to have so much fun introducing Cad to pastries

“What’s a smut shop?” Oh lord.

C: “To that purple devil. To Mollymauk Tealeaf.”

B: “And now to our new… tea leaf…”

Travis just suggested shopping the world must be ending

Matt just keeps ducking his head and giggling I love him

Nott my dear you are not subtle

I’m so glad they all back together (minus Yasha—come back soon, Ashley!!). I missed these happy nights of goofiness.

And I’ll always miss you, Mollymauk.

“FOR MOLLY!”

Goblight lol

“Caduceus Clay, we are your destiny!!” xD Caleb

Oooo some downtime episodes coming! Some time to get to know Cad, that’ll be nice.

THEY EACH HAEV OVER 1000 GOLD

amazing

“Just one 10 hour Critical Role episode, please.” Someday, Liam, someday.

Good episode. Good, good episode.

#emi watches critical role #critical role #critical role spoilers

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mlr-writing · 5 years

Text

Dead Bins (07/29/18)

In the numerous offices and departments of Heaven and Hell, the denizens of both, received printouts of all the dying souls being sent to them. Originally the souls would just appear, some begging while others waited in a line that stretched for years. Holy and unholy beings shouted in rage. The printouts would always appear neatly and slowly increasing, in the metal bin label in bold letters, DEAD. Since both spiritual places having a steady influx of souls appearing daily, they started to assigned a duo to sit there. Both would be newly minted greenhorns, one demon and one angel, each going through the files and deciding where the deceased would go.

The two beings, were introduced to one another and taken to the room by their superior. Looking inside, both took stock of the pale blue room’s contents. A plain redwood desk that was long enough to fit both of them comfortably with spare space between them. Five metal bins, with the middle one being full of paper. Two dull grey folding chairs that appeared new. A water cooler filled with wine and a fridge, facing each other from their respective walls. The superior, told them that there was sandwiches in the fridge and both the sandwiches and wine will never deplete. Nodding in understanding, their superior mentioned that the bathroom is down the hall to the left, just count five doors, and both have to give an equal amount of work to finish the workload. Bidding them a good day, the superior left. Looking at the other, the demon and angel walked behind the desk and sat down, as soon as they got comfortable, a piece of paper appeared in front of them detailing their respective human. Cracking their necks and fingers, both got to work, reading, deciding, and discussing if their respective human goes to Heaven or Hell. Ending their shift, they were asked if they would like to continue or if they would like to do something else.

The supernatural duo continued this odd ritual of meeting inside the pale blue room stocked with wine and sandwiches, eating and drinking as they discussed the humans on their respective paper. Shift in and shift out, they continued from the pirate era up til now. Becoming friends, over the years, inside what they joked around as being the decision room. The bonding they felt inside that room opened up a small pathway between Heaven and Hell where they could finally work together to ensure the right people went into the right afterlife. With these two working together, the crowds of people of yester times slowly faded into obscurity.

The angel and demon, met outside the decision room. Nodding to each other, their superior - the same being that first introduced them - opened the door and gasped. Raising an eyebrow, they turned their heads and followed the example the superior had given. In front of them, inside the pale blue room they’ve come to know as a second home with its five metal bins, was without a single piece of paper. The three slowly walked into the room, their eyes not believing the site of a paperless bin. They craned their necks, lifted the desk, opened the fridge and repeatedly walked out the room, closing and opening the door. Each attempt to have even one sheet of paper appear, failed. The trio coming to terms that today was a day without death, decided to keep it quiet, they assumed, humanity has always made strides to prolong their life, so maybe, just maybe for this one day, humanity succeeded. Leaving the room, the three separate and go about their business hoping that tomorrow will have sheets of paper. The next day, it did not. And the day after that, there was nothing. The fourth day, showed empty an empty room. Day five, revealed the room in its prisitine, paperless appearance. The following two days, beheld an empty room.

On the eighth day, with nothing in the pale blue room except for the desk, bins, chairs, water cooler, and fridge, the three decided to go to their respective lords and tell them what was going on. God and Lucifer could hardly believe their ears when they were told that for the past 7 days in human time, there was no deaths, accidental or on purpose. They entered the room themselves becoming puzzled. The main bin was empty, there was nothing there, in the desk, under the fridge and the water cooler. Looking at one another, they called the four horsemen into the room and asked them to explain why there was no deaths. Each horseman answered the question:

War replied, “This has been a week of peace. Humanity has come to an understanding. Thus I am not needed, to whisper in the ears of men and cause death.”

Famine retorted, “Humanity has cured majority of diseases. Sickness cannot kill anyone if there is a cure. Thus I am not needed, to weaken the young and old alike to cause death.”

Conquest's response was, “Such as my brother War, this is peace. Diplomats have brokered a mass treaty of peace. Thus I cannot fuel the hearts of men to claim more land causing disputes that will lead to death.”

And finally the last horseman, Death answered, “As my brothers has said, if they cannot perform their actions, I am not needed. I stand as a welcomer to the afterlife, not as a cause. I am only an effect, that is now unneeded.”

Hearing the various answers, God and Lucifer, sat and pondered as to what this would mean for Heaven and Hell.

For centuries, there wasn’t a death. This was labeled as the longest time in Human history that was peaceful and without death.

The pale blue room filled with sandwiches and wine, stayed unused by the demon and angel that grew to become friends. They would meet up occasionally throughout the years, each telling the other about the family they started since their job was effectively put on hold. One day, their kids who grew into being friends and what could pass as an adult in the afterlife for angels and demons, were bored. They remembered the tales their fathers would tell them about the Decision Room. Walking through the long corridors and opening all the offices, the two friends, happened upon the door leading to the room. Looking at one another, they placed their hands upon the door handle and twisted. The door opened and the two could only blink. Sitting in the room, eating a sandwich and drinking a cup a wine, was a human woman who appeared to be in her early 20s, wearing a black robe. The angel and demon blinked at the woman, and the woman blinked back. Gaining a sheepish smile, she explained to the two blinking beings, that she suddenly appeared here one day and was wondering when someone would come to explain things to her. Blinking still, the friends could only blink, stumbled out explanation that she was in the decision room where she would be sent to either Heaven or Hell.

No one knows what exactly happened in that room, but the young woman was granted into Heaven and the pale blue room that became known as the decision room was back in use as the sons of the original angel and demon pair picked up where their fathers had left off.

#writers on tumblr #creative writing #writeblr #writing #writers #original prose #original fiction #literature #short fiction #short story

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lurkerdelima · 7 years

Note

oh god, if you did something with that, it would be amazing. :D seriously, HOW does he know? Flint needs to know. For reasons.

WONDER NO MORE! Here it is. :D Roughly 1900 words on how exactly Silver knows Flint’s first name.

Very mildly NSFW toward the end. I could mention the pairing but honestly I want it to be a surprise (I will put it in the tags though). I hope you and everyone else who needed this question answered enjoys this answer! 💕

“My name is John Silver. His name is James Flint. We came here to steal the gold from the treasure galleon,” Silver says, and he can practically hear the wheels in Flint's mind turning. He knows what Flint must be wondering - how on earth does Silver know his given name?

It's a long story.

---

“Will! William! Come and meet someone.”

Silver - although of course he was not calling himself John Silver then - could hear Thomas Hamilton’s voice ringing out clear across the room. He followed the sound obediently and stood near his sponsor, silently appraising the man at Thomas’s side.

“Will, this is Lieutenant James McGraw, the liaison from the admiralty I was telling you about yesterday. Lieutenant, may I introduce my protege, the artist William Shepherd,” Thomas said grandly, making Silver sound much more important than he knew himself to be. “He’s the one who painted that lovely portrait of Miranda and me that you so admired.”

“Mr. Shepherd,” Lieutenant McGraw said, holding out his hand expectantly.

“Lieutenant McGraw,” Silver replied, shaking his hand firmly and risking a glance into his eyes. They were ridiculously, intensely green, as he’d feared on first look. The lieutenant was tall, though not quite so tall as Thomas, and clean-shaven. He had excellent posture and long auburn hair, and such abundant freckles that Silver fleetingly wondered if he had them all over his body. In a word, he was handsome. Devastatingly so.

Silver felt like a bit of a rake next to him. His curls were cropped close to his head (he’d cut them himself a few weeks prior in a fit of artistic pique), and he’d only recently managed to grow a decent mustache for the first time in his young adult life. He felt small and almost immature next to these two powerful older men. It wasn’t a comfortable feeling.

“Pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant,” he said regardless, forcing a genial smile.

“The pleasure is mine,” the lieutenant said seriously. A devilish part of Silver whispered in his ear that it would be simply marvelous to see a man like that lose his calculated composure, see him give himself over to his baser instincts. That devilish part sounded remarkably like Thomas. It usually did.

“Shall we retire to the parlor, gentlemen?” Thomas himself asked, smiling at them both hopefully. Such a good and friendly host, was his lord. Silver could tell, though, by the gleam in his eye that he wasn’t solely imagining being friends with the lieutenant.

“By your leave, my lord,” Silver demurred, staring down at the floor and wishing silently for it to open and swallow him.

Soon enough he found himself sitting awkwardly on a sofa next to the lieutenant, with Thomas sprawled, loose-limbed, in an armchair opposite them. They had a small glass of brandy each, and Silver had somehow already downed half of his while the lieutenant had hardly so much as taken a dainty sip. Probably keeping his wits about him on purpose, Silver thought.

“It is a serious problem, I concur. The question is, how do we solve it?” Thomas was saying as Silver forced himself to pay attention to the conversation happening in front of him. It wasn’t that he was uninterested in the pirate problem in the Bahama islands - he was just feeling a tad bit flushed from the brandy, and also distracted by how Thomas kept smiling at him.

And at the lieutenant. Damn.

The night wore interminably on. Lieutenant McGraw proved himself to be a more than capable conversationalist - he was smart and well-spoken, and once in awhile Silver saw in him a flash of fiery temper that grudgingly intrigued him. The hour eventually grew late, and Silver began to feel itchy and impatient, like it was past time Lieutenant McGraw made his exit.

He decided to hasten things along with a bit of harmless play-acting.

“Lord Hamilton,” he interrupted them as they spoke animatedly, doing his best to sound woozy and tired. They both paused and turned to stare at him wonderingly. “I do believe the brandy has gone straight to my head. I am terribly embarrassed. Could I perhaps stay in one of your guest rooms tonight? I’m clearly in no shape to get home alone,” Silver said, fluttering his eyelashes and slumping down on the couch, trying to appear much more inebriated than he actually was. It wasn’t his most clever gambit, but he knew it would work, anyway.

“Of course,” Thomas said a bit stiffly. If Silver was reading him right, he was not falling for this bit of theater at all. But he couldn’t just refuse Silver outright and look like a poor host in front of his important new friend. Silver knew Thomas well enough to predict his behavior that way.

“The hour has grown rather late. I do apologize for lingering so, I ought to be going,” Lieutenant McGraw said, rubbing his palms on his thighs self-consciously and rising from the couch. “Reporting early in the morning,” he added with a rueful half-smile. He looked keenly at Silver, unflinching, like he could see right through his charade, too. Silver looked away from the weight of that verdant stare, chagrined. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shepherd. Excellent as always to see you as well, Lord Hamilton. Please give Lady Hamilton my regards,” he said, then was gone.

The rest of the guests had already left, since it was past midnight. Thomas helped Silver up from the couch once they were alone, then adjourned to an auxiliary bedroom with his arm around Silver’s waist, helpfully supporting his poor, ‘drunk’ protege. Once they’d locked the door behind themselves, Silver stood up straight, dropping the act completely without either of them saying a word. They began stripping each other of their finery, Silver making a very conscious effort to hold his tongue on the subject of one Lieutenant James McGraw.

Of course, he had always been the talkative sort, and the brandy did have the effect of lowering what little inhibitions he still had, even though he wasn’t as drunk as he’d made himself out to be.

“You have your eye on that fellow, don’t you?” he asked while he slowly unbuttoned Thomas’s shirt for him, watching his own fingers instead of his lord’s face.

Thomas chuckled lowly, taking Silver’s hand in his own, staying it so he’d be forced to look up into Thomas’s eyes instead of focusing on his task.

“My puckish Will, my sweet fae prince,” he rumbled, pulling Silver gently into his chest. “I do, yes. I trust you deeply, and so I can readily admit to that, here alone with you.” He took a breath and nuzzled Silver’s short, haphazard curls. “But, but. Please remember this: my wanting him doesn’t mean I want you any less. Just as my loving you doesn’t mean I love my wife any less.”

“Are you going to seduce him, do you think?” Silver asked, nuzzling Thomas’s half-bared chest, inhaling the warm, familiar scent of him. He could feel his heart hammering in his own chest - he’d never felt threatened by another lover (or potential lover) of Thomas’s before, but something already seemed different about Lieutenant McGraw. He didn’t like how thinking about him and Thomas together made him feel. It felt somehow inevitable, unavoidable. Like fate - a fate in which he had no part.

Thomas hummed softly, consideringly. “He seems rather shy to me. I’m not sure he’s ever so much as thought of a man that way before. Not like you, my naughty imp,” he teased, and Silver smiled a secret, pleased smile to himself, yelping when he felt Thomas’s long fingers pinching his bottom. “I must proceed with caution, I suppose. Move slowly. Bide my time and wait for him to show me that he wants me, too. I cannot risk him reacting poorly to an advance and telling anyone who will listen that I tried to...have my way with him.”

“I want you to have your way with me,” Silver purred insistently, leaning up on his toes to kiss Thomas.

Thomas moaned into the kiss and eased his tongue into Silver’s mouth, one hand rising to warmly cup his jaw. It was almost enough to make Silver take leave of his senses. Gently, affectionately, Thomas tugged on one of his curls.

“I’ve been thinking of growing out my hair,” Silver said when he pulled back, panting a little and tasting alcohol strong and fiery in his mouth from Thomas’s tongue. “Longer than before, maybe even to my shoulders.”

“And cover up those beautiful tiny ears? Whatever for?” Thomas asked lowly, backing him steadily toward the large, welcoming expanse of the bed.

“I don’t know,” Silver mused as he let himself topple back onto the mattress, squirming eagerly out of his trousers and hissing with pleasure when Thomas’s warm, soft hand closed around him. He was glad for the distraction, relieved to have Thomas’s attention solely on him again. “I just— ahh, think it might suit me.”

He left Thomas a few weeks later. It had very little to do with Thomas as a person or with the unexpected introduction of Lieutenant McGraw, he told himself - it was simply past time for him to cease being the artist William Shepherd and evolve into someone else. It was nothing personal, it was just how he chose to live his life.

Some time after he’d left, news reached him that Thomas had been sent to an institution and ultimately perished there. He drowned his sorrows in wine and opium for a week’s time, sobbing piteously into his pillow alone at night until he had no tears left. Then he picked himself up, shook the despair out of his clothes, and became yet another new man. Like a phoenix from the ashes.

Years later, when the ship he’d been stowing away on was boarded, when he raised his hands in surrender and took the name John Silver, he faced down the dread Captain Flint. And he recognized those green eyes instantly.

He’d know them anywhere.

—

“How exactly do you know my given name? I’d remember if I told you myself,” Flint asks some time later, once they’re both relatively safe and mostly sound again.

Silver studies him for a long moment, remembering it. All of it, down to the last painful, beautiful detail.

“Just a lucky guess, I suppose. James is, after all, a very common name,” he says, and mentally congratulates himself for how nonchalant he sounds. He’s given nothing away, which was his intent. He doesn’t want to ever remind Flint that they’ve met before, if he can help it - he didn’t mean to even use his first name. It slipped out before he could stop it, and he’s incredibly glad it only made Flint a little suspicious.

Besides all that, he truly doesn’t blame Flint for not recognizing him. They haven’t seen each other in years. Flint had been an important figure in the Navy then, and Silver imagines he’d met quite a lot of anonymous young men whose names and faces he’d long since forgot. It was a lifetime ago, they were both entirely different men, and James had only met William Shepherd the once and didn’t really know him at all.

Of course, neither did he really know John Silver.

#prompt a lurker why not #prompt fills #bisexualpirateheart #my fic #black sails fic #silverhamilton kind of #surprise!

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poorquentyn · 7 years

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Thanks for the great blog - always a pleasure to read. Was Euron always planning to go to Oldtown? The facts underlying the Eldritch Apocalypse theory (which I love!) would seem to suggest he's had his eye on it for a while, but as recently as taking the Shield Islands, it seemed like his original plan was to sail to Essos. Did the plan significantly change after pushback from the ironborn, or did he simply reshuffle his agenda items and go to Oldtown earlier than he had initially planned?

(TWOW spoilers)

Euron’s initial plan was indeed to approach Dany personally. Perhaps his comment on how the Ironborn’s preference of grapes over dragons altered that plan is meant, like Littlefinger’s aside on how Cersei’s failures have forced him to sacrifice his “four or five quiet years to plant some seeds and allow some fruits to ripen,” as a direct comment from GRRM on how abandoning the five year gap changed the story. Euron might’ve been supposed to return to Essos himself for Dany at some point in the writing process, but the trajectory we’ve got given Sam V AFFC, the visions of Euron that pop up in ADWD, and of course “The Forsaken” works perfectly well on its own.

Once his followers resisted and he decided to dispatch Victarion and the Iron Fleet to Slaver’s Bay instead, Euron found himself in a position not unlike Aegon’s on the opposite coast: in need of a conquest he could brandish before his men and use as a base of operations while awaiting the silver queen and her dragons. The Griffs went with Storm’s End; at the end of AFFC, it’s revealed that the Crow’s Eye chose Oldtown.

The most perilous part of the voyage was the last. The Redwyne Straits were swarming with longships, as they had been warned in Tyrosh. With the main strength of the Arbor’s fleet on the far side of Westeros, the ironmen had sacked Ryamsport and taken Vinetown and Starfish Harbor for their own, using them as bases to prey on shipping bound for Oldtown.

“Battle here,” said Xhondo. “Not so long.”

“Who would be so mad as to raid this close to Oldtown?”

Xhondo pointed at a half-sunken longship in the shallows. The remnants of a banner drooped from her stern, smoke-stained and ragged. The charge was one Sam had never seen before: a red eye with a black pupil, beneath a black iron crown supported by two crows.

“It grieves me that honest men must suffer such discourtesy, but sooner that than ironmen in Oldtown. Only a fortnight ago some of those bloody bastards captured a Tyroshi merchantman in the straits. They killed her crew, donned their clothes, and used the dyes they found to color their whiskers half a hundred colors. Once inside the walls they meant to set the port ablaze and open a gate from within whilst we fought the fire.Might have worked, but they ran afoul of the Lady of the Tower, and her oarsmaster has a Tyroshi wife. When he saw all the green and purple beards he hailed them in the tongue of Tyrosh, and notone of them had the words to hail him back.”

Sam was aghast. “They cannot mean to raid Oldtown.”

The captain of the Huntress gave him a curious look. “These are no mere reavers. The ironmen have always raided where they could. They would strike sudden from the sea, carry off some gold and girls, and sail away, but there were seldom more than one or two longships, and never more than half a dozen. Hundreds of their ships afflict us now, sailing out of the Shield Islands and some of the rocks around the Arbor. They have taken Stonecrab Cay, the Isle of Pigs, and the Mermaid’s Palace, and there are other nests on Horseshoe Rock and Bastard’s Cradle. Without Lord Redwyne’s fleet, we lack the ships to come to grips with them.”

“What is Lord Hightower doing?” Sam blurted. “My father always said he was as wealthy as the Lannisters, and could command thrice as many swords as any of Highgarden’s other bannermen.”

“More, if he sweeps the cobblestones,” the captain said, “but swords are no good against the ironmen, unless the men who wield them know how to walk on water.”

“The Hightower must be doing something.”

“To be sure. Lord Leyton’s locked atop his tower with the Mad Maid, consulting books of spells. Might be he’ll raise an army from the deeps. Or not. Baelor’s building galleys, Gunthor has charge of the harbor, Garth is training new recruits, and Humfrey’s gone to Lys to hire sellsails. If he can winkle a proper fleet out of his whore of a sister, we can start paying back the ironmen with some of their own coin. Till then, the best we can do is guard the sound and wait for the bitch queen in King’s Landing to let Lord Paxter off his leash.”

The bitterness of the captain’s final words shocked Sam as much as the things he said. If King’s Landing loses Oldtown and the Arbor, the whole realm will fall to pieces, he thought as he watched the Huntress and her sisters moving off.

Euron and Aegon are parallels in many respects: the most significant new characters introduced in AFFC and ADWD respectively, they’re unexpected claimants who shake up the war by hijacking the story elements of the more well-established characters, particularly Dany. Of course, Euron’s motives are rather different from Aegon’s. The former has no interest in sustainable rule, so the Whispering Sound is less a rallying point for coalition-building like Storm’s End than a staging ground for his “sea of blood.” Moqorro, Melisandre, and Damphair have all seen visions of that unholy tide (Mel’s pointing at the Oldtown area specifically), and indeed it seems from “The Forsaken” that the Redwyne fleet is being set up as the climax to the mass blood sacrifices committed by Euron’s men. Basically, in the wake of his men and perhaps the author’s rewrites changing his plan, Euron’s now out to power up before his dragon arrives.

And Oldtown, my favorite setting in the world of ice and fire, makes perfect sense as the ground zero for Euron’s apocalypse. Just as his eyepatch covers up the Crow’s Eye, his Pirate King performance shielding his C’thuloid soul, Oldtown’s public face as a prosperous port city home to thriving institutions only just barely covers up what this place really is. It’s a “hinge of the world,” an eldritch city, the closest thing to a Westerosi Asshai; all the lofty monuments to the “overproud,” from the Faith to the Citadel to the Hightowers, are undercut and undergirded by tentacled roots as big as trees. Oldtown is The Death of Dragons and the Faceless Man trying to steal it. Leyton and Malora get it, but they’re thought mad, and have cut themselves off from the city’s defenses at this point. Marwyn the Mage gets it…

“The grey sheep have closed their eyes, but the mastiff sees the truth. Old powers waken. Shadows stir. An age of wonder and terror will soon be upon us, an age for gods and heroes.”

The Mage was not like other maesters. People said that he kept company with whores and hedge wizards, talked with hairy Ibbenese and pitch-black Summer Islanders in their own tongues, and sacrificed to queer gods at the little sailors’ temples down by the wharves. Men spoke of seeing him down in the undercity, in rat pits and black brothels, consorting with mummers, singers, sellswords, even beggars.

“Who do you think killed all the dragons the last time around? Gallant dragonslayers armed with swords?” He spat. “The world the Citadel is building has no place in it for sorcery or prophecy or glass candles, much less for dragons.”

…but he skipped town. (And is also widely thought mad.) Alongside dragons and krakens, Damphair saw a sphinx bowing to Big Brother, and such is the face the Citadel shows to the world:

The gates of the Citadel were flanked by a pair of towering green sphinxes with the bodies of lions, the wings of eagles, and the tails of serpents.

So not only is Oldtown the absolute perfect kindling for Euron’s particular fire, but he’s also the payoff for the setup regarding the Citadel. The grey sheep are certain they’ve built a world without magic, but they’re wrong and the Mage and the Mad Maid are right, because the Crow’s Eye is coming. Oldtown is where he finally tears off the mask and jumps:

“Perhaps we can fly. All of us. How will we ever know unless we leap from some tall tower?” The wind came gusting through the window and stirred his sable cloak. There was something obscene and disturbing about his nakedness. “No man ever truly knows what he can do unless he dares to leap.”

#eldritch apocalypse #so all that (and highgarden) is why sam is the POV I'm most looking forward to going uh forward #euron greyjoy #oldtown #asoiaf meta #twow spoilers #aegon vi targaryen #marwyn #leyton hightower #malora hightower

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hiddlesfashion · 7 years

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#TodayInHiddleHistory

January 30, 2014: the March issue of Elle UK was released featuring Tom Hiddleston A God Among Men.

A video posted by The Fashion of Tom Hiddleston (@hiddlesfashion) on Jan 30, 2017 at 5:50am PST

full interview below

Tom Hiddleston: A god among men?

Hollywood A-lister, ELLE writer, YouTube sensation – Tom Hiddleston’s cult status is evident on every platform. And, as ELLE’s Annabel Brog discovers, he’s not afraid of revealing, well, everything.

When ELLE’s Editor-in-Chief Lorraine Candy was at Wimbledon last year, she rather naively tweeted afterwards: ‘I sat next to actor Tom Hiddleston and his girlfriend Jane. He’s a very funny man.’ She has never – bear in mind this is a mother of four who edits a fashion magazine, which puts her high on a certain demographic hit-list – been trolled like it. The responses veered between righteous fury that she had outed Hiddleston as being ‘With Girlfriend’, and rather bloodthirsty expressions of envy that she had, you know, talked to him.

Tom Hiddleston inspires fervour in his fans. He’s an extraordinary actor who has won universal acclaim – his roles include feckless Prince Hal in the BBC’s The Hollow Crown; sweet, doomed Captain Nicholls in Spielberg’s War Horse; and currently the blood-drenched warrior Coriolanus at the Donmar Ware- house – but it’s his performance as pallid, sociopathic god of mischief Loki in the Thor and Avengers Assemble films that catapulted him into the stratosphere. To put it in context: Hiddleston recently donated a pair of signed Converse to the Small Steps charity auction, alongside the likes of Mick Jagger and Kate Moss. His shoes sold for £4,500 (more than anyone else’s). He is very appreciative of the interest, while simultaneously being uncomfortable with the idea of fame. ‘Do I like it? It’s sort of inconsequential in a way, a weird corollary to everything else I’ve done. I cannot tell you how surprising it is. It’s like, really? REALLY? I honestly try not to think about it too much.’

We are nestled under a heater in the beer garden of a north-west London pub on a chilly December evening. Hiddleston is drinking whiskey, which is part of my cunning strategy to break him down – he has always given me the impression of being very prepared in interviews – but it doesn’t work. After five shots, he remains entirely in control.

Nonetheless, he is rather adorable: ferociously bright (he went to Eton, then Cambridge, where he got a double first), earnest ('I know. I’m sorry. I can’t help it’), obliging, and old-fashioned. Partly that’s his classical- ly handsome face, partly it’s his impeccable manners, and partly it’s the way he constructs his sentences.

Describing his favourite book, William Boyd’s Any Human Heart, for instance, he says, 'Like all life, it contains multitudes’; or, on opening up to new people, 'I fear I am initially quite private.’ When he is sure of his subject – talking about work, family, culture – he is eloquent and assertive. When he is less certain – typically on the subject of himself – his voice rises slightly in inadvertent questions: 'I’m solitary [but] I don’t think that’s a good thing, I think I’m better in company?’ Or: 'I know that there’s this thinking capacity, which is possibly not a good thing?’

Tom William Hiddleston is 33 (on 9 February, to be precise), a middle child with one sister 15 months older, and another five years younger. His childhood sounds like a simple, pleasurable place. 'I have memories of climbing trees and watching The Snowman, with David Bowie introducing it in his snowman scarf.’ He starts to laugh. 'When I actually learned who David Bowie was, I was like, “That’s the man from The Snowman”. And people were: “Never say that again. That’s Ziggy Stardust. Shut up!”’

His parents are incredibly proud of him: 'It’s taken us a while to get there. It’s one of those conversations I don’t have with them, but I just know that they are [proud]. If we [he and his mother] start talking about it, we will both collapse in a heap of tears. It’s moving to make your mother proud.’

Growing up surrounded by women has had a glorious effect on his view of them. 'I believe in the strength and intelligence and sensitivity of women. My mother, my sisters [they] are strong. My mum is a strong woman and I love her for it.’ He is also – praise the Lord for men like Hiddleston – very romantic. When asked about love and relationships, he simply says, 'Honesty is a gift – to be honest about who you are and how you feel – because it encourages intimacy, and intimacy is really where’s it at. To be known and know someone is an amazing feeling, and you don’t get there if you’re pretending to be anyone else.’

Hiddleston voices Captain Hook in Disney’s Tinker Bell And The Pirate Fairy (out this month), and has a high-impact cameo in Muppets Most Wanted. But his next lead in a film is in an homage to both strong women and love. Only Lovers Left Alive is an enchanting, funny, somnolent Jim Jarmusch project in which he plays Adam, a 500-year-old vampire rock star with suicidal leanings. 'Adam is a delicate soul,’ says Tom. Adam is, indeed, delicate, but he is also (and this is where Tom’s gift for comedy comes into play) sweet and entirely useless, a reclusive musician suffering the despair of being eternal. Think undead My Chemical Romance fan. He stars opposite Tilda Swinton, who he says is just like her giddy, optimistic character, Eve. 'She’s the most beautiful woman in the world, and it’s seemingly effortless. She’s very, very warm. Tilda and I would be laughing sometimes and Jim would come in and say [he adopts a lazy Ohio drawl]: “Taaammmm, you smile a lot, man. And Adam doesn’t smile so much.”’ He also loved the purity of the love story. 'Adam is so deeply flawed, and depressive, and melancholic. But Eve just loves it, loves his commitment to it. We were trying to make a film about acceptance. And true love is an acceptance of someone else for who they are.’

So Hiddleston is clever, eloquent, charming, sensitive and earnest. But then there’s that other side, the spontaneous and silly side, best seen on YouTube, where he has become an inadvertent sensation due to the fact that 'I don’t know what my boundaries are, I just say yes to things’.

That’s how he ended up throwing some serious shapes on Alan Carr: Chatty Man, which, for the record, was 1) not planned: 'I promise I had no idea I was going to do that’; and 2) the genuine Hiddleston disco experience: 'If you asked me to dance now, it would be the same moves. That’s my dance.’ He can also be seen sing- ing Michael Jackson’s Man In The Mirror on Korean TV, because the talk show host asked him which part of his body he had most confidence in and he said his voice. (And, yes, he was tempted to say something smutty: 'I’m English, so I’m dirty.’) His own favourite clip features him teaching the Cookie Monster a lesson in delayed gratification. ('Are you saying if me wait, me going to get cookie?’) 'I’m proud that I’ve met him.

He’s the Cookie Monster, a cultural icon. My mum loves it and my niece loves it. She’s two years old and she thinks there’s nothing illogical about Uncle Tom speak- ing to the Cookie Monster.’

So when we meet for the second time, after he comes off stage at the Donmar, I am tempted to see if the no-boundaries thing is for real. There is beer involved (the man can drink) and a line of questioning veering from the absurd to the inappropriate. Put it this way, he’s a very good sport…

Annabel Brog: Will you throw me your best insults?

Tom Hiddleston: [Laughs] Why are we doing the insult game?

AB: Just go with it, I can take it.

TH: Um. 'You utter, utter [with increasing emphasis], utter c**k’ is good.

AB: I just wondered if foul language, delivered beauti- fully, sounds less foul. Which, in fact, it does.

TH: When I get angry with myself, when I forget lines, I’ll be like, 'You absolute f **king f **k c**k b***ocks p**s f **k. You, you… f **ker’.

AB: You say that to yourself ?

TH: Yes.

AB: How do you feel afterwards?

TH: I feel better! The word f **k is enormously satisfying.

AB: OK, I am going to describe teenage Tom to you and you are going to tell me how accurate I am.

TH: [Grins] OK.

AB: I’ve realised this may be quite insulting. Please remember it’s only a game.

TH: That’s totally fine. It may well be more favourable than the truth.

AB: Teenage Tom wasn’t uncomfortable with girls, but he didn’t get to touch one for quite some time. First kiss, 16.

TH: NO! [Emphatic] First kiss 10! Yes, 10 years old, tongues and everything. [Laughs] She was a huge crush, we were in the same class, a lot of note swap- ping, and eventually it all went down in a cricket pavilion on an autumn night. It was very thrilling.

AB: I got it so wrong.

TH: I was sometimes quite alarmed by friends of mine at school who didn’t have sisters, the way they treated girls, the way they spoke about them… I was like, 'Guys, they’re not aliens, they’re human beings.’

AB: You hear stories about Eton schoolboys, and the fan girls who line the cricket pitches when they play… TH: I don’t relate to that at all. I didn’t have a serious relationship until I was about 19. I fell head over heels in love and I was with her for two years, and it was an amazing relationship. So I don’t know who those girls are, who line the cricket pitches.

AB: How would you describe yourself as a boyfriend?

TH: Very honest, I hope. God, I don’t know. I hope I’m fun, I hope I’m a good time. Sponta- neous, surprising, affectionate? I hope, kind. Dancing… a lot of dancing. I insist upon dancing. Anywhere. Anytime. The more dancing, the better.

AB: [Referring to an incident last year when Tom, on a press call with Swinton for Only Lovers Left Alive, was photographed in a revealingly tight trousers] Cannes. Trousergate. Discuss.

TH: Trousergate?

AB: Please tell me you know what I am referring to.

TH: What are you… I genuinely don’t know what you’re talking about. Cannes?

AB: Oh God, really? Oh no. OK, OK, shall we move on?

TH: [Squeaky] What’s trousergate? [Clears throat] Trousergate…

AB: Maybe I should just get it up on the iPhone and show it to you.

TH: OK, get it up on the phone.

[AB types 'Tom Hiddleston Cannes’ into Google Images and hands him the phone]

TH: [Slowly] Ohhhhhh heavens…

AB: It has a Tumblr account and everything.

TH: Oh God. [Laughing but horrified] How monumentally shaming! What does one say to something like that? What do I say? Do I need to explain it? I don’t think I can.

AB: Would you like to move on from this subject?

TH: Maybe. Yes…

AB: OK.

TH: [Determined] Look, I had a very interesting experience going to Cannes. An airplane in Heathrow caught fire and they shut down the whole airport. There were no tickets on Eurostar. All the flights from Gatwick were booked. So I got in a taxi and drove to Dover. I got on the ferry at 2am, with people on the booze cruise, and students going on hockey tours, got to Calais at 5am, another taxi to Paris airport, flew to Nice, landed about 11.30am, went through customs, got in another cab and drove to straight to THAT photo call, where THAT picture was taken, having changed in the car on the way there. So I think I look all right, for someone who’s been up all night.

AB: You look great. [Long pause] It’s just a shame no one’s looking at your face.

TH: [Laughs] They’re looking at Tilda! That’s what they’re looking at.

You can’t really profile Tom Hiddleston without going there on his looks. He is, in the flesh, a deter- mined and imposing physical presence. If you have seen his Coriolanus – raging with pride and betrayal – you will know this, and on the ELLE shoot it is evident most when we film him running. Hiddleston has a fine-looking run. He may look like a matinee idol; he may speak like a 19th century poet; but watch him run and you are suddenly very aware that he is 21st century man. It would be nice, I suggest, to see him in a role that’s unquestioningly modern. 'I would really like to,’ he says. 'I’m knocking at the door, honestly.’

As expected, he is game for anything on our shoot. He hurls plastic chairs across the warehouse, he sprints down Scrubs Lane, and he scares the crap out of the whole team by leaping over the railing of a 10-foot stair- case, which would have ended his Coriolanus run rather spectacularly if it went wrong. At the end of the day, Hiddleston is hard to pin down. He tells me a story,about a spontaneous, solo trip he took to Hawaii after he flew to LA to audition for a part he didn’t get.

'I went canoeing with whales, ran around the island, climbed the volcanoes. There's this beach where all the surfers go to challenge themselves, the waves are like 30 feet high, and I was introduced to this lifeguard by some landscape gardeners I met. We were watching these kite surfers and I was in awe, frankly, of their courage and I said, "Why would you do that? It's so dangerous." And he looked at me with this amazing, generous smile and said [adopts a US accent]: "They're just trying to answer the same question we're all trying to answer, man." And I said: "What question is that?" And he said: "Is it enough?"'

So there you have it. Tom Hiddleston: big talent, big laugh, big thinker, non-planner, great dancer. In his own beautifully phrased words, he is 'just as complex and contradictory as everyone on this planet'. Or, in our rather more base words, pretty damn hot.

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thesffcorner · 6 years

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Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone is the first book in a West African-inspired high fantasy series by Tomi Adeyemi. It follows three perspectives: that of Zelle one of the last maji left in Orisha; Amari, a runaway princess; and Inan, the crown prince who is sworn to eradicate magic forever.

This review might be a bit all over the place, and that’s only because there were things in this book I really enjoyed and things I absolutely hated. It started out with an excellent tense opening that set the tone and the pace of the book perfectly, but then it quickly devolved in a meandering middle, only to be redeemed by an absolutely explosive ending.

On that note, let’s immediately get my biggest gripe out of the way. This book has so many similarities to Avatar the Last Airbender that once I noticed it, it was impossible to tune them out. It was incredibly distracting. The world of Orisha is unique, well developed and detailed, but the actual plot, the characters and even the relationships between said characters were near identical. The way I described this book to my friends was: Imagine AtLA was set in Africa, Katara was the main character, Aang was a girl, Sokka wasn’t funny, and Zutara was canon.

I’m not exaggerating; there were many scenes where Zelle reminded me of an even angrier version of Katara from season 3, and Inan’s character arc is a direct translation to that of Zuko. Moreover, the beats of the story eerily follow those of season one; the village gets attacked, there is a sacred hidden temple, there is a prison break, battleships, pirates and the climax is set during a solstice. Throw in elements from season 2 like the hidden maji village run by children and basically the ending of season 2, and I feel like I just reread AtLA again, but to suit the Zutara needs.

It was just so distracting and it made the story kind of predictable because I could immediately see where Adeyemi was going with certain characters (Inan being the most obvious example). There were surprises and the world is interesting and creative enough to give a new spin to familiar elements, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’ve seen all of this before, and it was better the first time around. The problem with trying to recapture the development of AtLA is that that show had 3 seasons to develop its characters and themes; trying to recapture all of that in a single book is a recipe for failure.

Thankfully, this book isn’t a failure. Adeyemi has plenty of things to say, ideas that are all her own and themes that she explores that are directly tied to the setting and the characters as they exist in this setting. Luckily, the repetition of the plot points decreases as well, and the ending part of the book was for me, the strongest.

So let’s talk about the best quality of this book, which is the world-building. Orisha is inspired by West Africa and it’s a unique setting that Adeyemi takes full advantage of. She has a deft hand at describing this world and making it vivid and picturesque, from the clothing, the food, the buildings and cities, to the ocean and jungles. The backstory of the Gods and Sky Mother was great; the scene in the temple at Chandomble was probably my favorite as Adeyemi cleverly uses both Zelle and Inan to tell two different sides of the same legend and show us the different kinds of powers the Gods give.

Just like there is stunning beauty, this world has a cruel darkness to it too; it’s brutal, full of violence, abuse, slavery and injustice. Adeyemi doesn’t hold back on any of it; there are multiple gory and intense scenes of torture, murder and abuse, the most notable being the ship battle in Sokoto (which incidentally reminded me of another, similar scene in Godsgrave). I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, and I went through an array of emotions I haven’t experienced since Godsgrave. Whenever there was a happy or quiet scene, I was just waiting for something horrible to happen to the characters, because Adeyemi proves very early on that she is willing to have truly horrible things happen them, and she won’t be holding back for anyone, especially not our leads. There is an overwhelming sense of oppression throughout the book and I truly did feel desperate and angry as Zelle for the most of it, and I commend and admire how successful Adeyemi is in representing the constant fear and injustice these characters live under, while still making them compelling.

That isn’t to say this book is just gloom; there are many funny scenes, and moments of levity; there is a character introduced late in the book that I can already tell will fill this quota for the next book.

Something I really didn’t enjoy were the romances. There are 2 and they take up a significant portion of the book. They are both insta-love, though one is slightly better and less egregious than the other. The second one was like reading a Zutara fic with the names changed, and it dominates the latter half of the book almost to the very end. I found it at times cute, but mostly excruciating, because while I understood how the characters got to the point of accepting each other, I cannot fathom how they got to the point of loving each other enough to risk death or worse. I think I would have minded it less, if one of the characters had a more consistent characterization but I’ll talk more about that when I get to the characters.

I can’t really talk about the characters without spoilers, because a lot of what I liked and disliked had to do with some revelations and developments. So if for whatever reason you haven’t read this book and care about SPOILERS skip to the last paragraph.

First let’s talk about three of the side characters which I consider relevant. We have Saran, the King, Kaea his general and lover and Roen who I’m only mentioning because I am making a bet right now that he will be relevant in book 2. He is a sarcastic, flirtatious, mercenary, (think Sturmhund from Siege and Storm) and I swear if book 2 contains a love triangle between him, Zelle and Inan, I already hate it.

Saran is essentially Fire Lord Ozai but with much more of a personality, backstory and gravitas. He was an excellent villain, someone you love to hate and fear and every scene he was in made my stomach twist. The way he has so thoroughly manipulated and abused his children into a cult like devotion, his unshaken belief that what he’s doing is right and justified and his sadistic streak on par with Joffrey from A Song of Ice and Fire made him a truly great villain.

Kaea, unfortunately was less compelling, and in my opinion was wasted potential. She dies early on and I think she would have been better used as a secondary antagonist. With a little more development she could have been a great character, a foil to Inan’s growing realization that what he’s doing is wrong, but as it stands she dies too quickly for that to be possible.

For the leads, let’s start with Amari. She is the one I liked the most, and the one who undergoes the most consistent, dramatic character arc. She starts out as a timid, shy, and scared princess who after she watches her father murder her best friend in front of her, steals an artefact and runs away. Her relationship with Binta and Zelle were the best parts because they served as excellent foils. Amari is strength from within; she can fight, but prefers not to, and her real power comes from her humanity, compassion and being able to inspire and lead. I loved how Binta gave her the ability to be brave and Zelle gave her strength and I honest to God wish she wasn’t saddled with a romance with Tenzin.

Not to say I don’t like Tenzin, he’s fine. He’s the only lead who doesn’t get a POV, and while he does get to shine towards the end of the book, for the most part he’s just a nice, overly protective, overly paternal big brother to Zelle and has a crush on Amari. He doesn’t really get a character arc like the others so I don’t have any strong feelings on him.

Zelle is the real protagonist and I really liked her. She is a great, flawed protagonist and one that I rarely see in YA fiction; arrogant and angry. She is capable at fighting, decent at leading, but what makes her stand out is just how angry she is. I love that, I love that she makes stupid and dangerous decisions because she is full of righteous rage at the injustice around her, which is why her relationship to Inan would have been interesting had it been done better. Amari and Inan challenge her world-view; they show her that not every Orisha is the same, that they can change and grow, and that though they all benefit from the system built around them, not all of them want to perpetuate it. Where Zelle wants to destroy it from the ground and rebuild, Inan wants to mold the existing structure to be more just. It’s easy to see how both have a point, but I implicitly agree with Zelle; changing a corrupt system to be less corrupt is impossible; it needs to be destroyed and rebuilt into something else.

Inan was the most frustrating character to read from. He is at once deadly scared from magic, hates magic, and is also a maji himself, while also falling in love with Zelle faster than the speed of sound. I understand that when faced with the reality of what he’s done, especially when faced with the living proof of Zelle, a survivor of the Raid and the very massacre his father unleashed, he would change his mind. But he doesn’t do it gradually, he doesn’t slowly start to change, no; he immediately decides to help the others and then as soon as his father arrives he returns back to magic is dangerous. What? It was infuriating to read, because it was so inconsistent. Zuko, didn’t overnight decide to help Aang and then betray him; he spent a whole season of the show coming to terms with the possibility of being wrong, to then chose his father over Aang because he had something to gain. Inan doesn’t have anything to gain and in fact that’s very clear when his father stabs him at the end of the book.

This inconsistency is what made me hate his romance with Zelle because I know this is a series and there is no way they would just actually end up together in Book 1. So Inan needs to backpedal on the development he got so he can get into a position to go back to his father. If there is still a romance between the two in Book 2 I don’t know how that would be possible after what he does to Zelle at the end of 1; I just hope the romance wasn’t so integral to their characters.

Like I said, this is a somewhat frustrating book to review because when it was good it was great. When it was bad though it was distractingly so, and though with that ending I have to read the sequel, I hope that the characterization is less all over the place and that Adeyemi takes it in a direction not already covered by the material that clearly inspired her.

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#children of blood and bone #children of blood and bone review #moni talks #book reviews

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lair-of-books · 6 years

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Hello Bookworms! Hope you’re all having a wonderful day and if you’re anything like me, you are looking at the clock waiting for the end of the work day. Find the person who thought it was a good idea to work any day past Christmas & you have your Grinch #jussayin

When I sat down to make my list of top 2018 books I’m looking forward to, I quickly realized my post would be a mile long and I just couldn’t do that to you lovely Bookworms. So instead I opted to split my list into two posts, this post will be for 2018 sequels I’m anticipating in the new year. The second post will be stand-alone/series starters. I have 12 sequels I’m super stoked for so grab your fave snack & or beverage cause ya girl has compiled a bit of a list (no particular order)…

1. The Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy #3) by Katherine Arden aka the book I NEED like air!

I recently read & reviewed The Girl in the Tower (my spoiler free review here) which was utter PERFECTION! Just when I thought this trilogy could not get any better, Arden gave us The Girl in the Tower & now my nights are consumed thinking about the final installment in the world *sobs* This is not the final cover btw, I’m sure the final one will be GLORIOUS as they all have been! Scheduled for August 2018, a little earlier than the December release dates I’ve gotten grown accustomed to with these wintry books but HOORAY regardless!

2. Obsidio (The Illuminae Files #3) by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

Anyone who has read the first two books in the Illuminae Files can probably tell you how addictive this series really is smh. I was initially intimidated by the format of these books & it took me about a year to finally decide to read the first one…NEVER looked back after that! I will most likely devour Obsidio in one sitting, March 13th you have been claimed!

3. Nyxia Unleashed (The Nyxia Triad #3) by Scott Reintgen

Having recently read Nyxia (my review here), the adrenaline I felt reading this book is still pretty vivid. Not only was the plot fast paced edge of your seat FANTASTIC! the characters are easily some of my favorite in all of YA. Coming from all corners of the world, the crew of Nyxia offers up the diversity we are currently lacking in YA Sci-Fi. Nyxia Unleashed is set to hit the shelves July 2018 *eeeeK*

4. The Heart Forger (The Bone Witch #2) by Rin Chupeco

Last year I read The Bone Witch (my review here) & fell in love with the world building Rin Chupeco had created. I was actually surprised that it wasn’t labeled Adult Fantasy considering the expanse & complexities of the world. This was a real treat for myself seeing as I love details & lush writing which The Bone Witch pulled off beautifully often times reminding me of Memoirs of a Geisha. This wonderful sequel is set to be released March 2018!

5. Iron Gold (Red Rising #4) by Pierce Brown

The Red Rising Trilogy (I can’t call it this anymore) is one that I am a hardcore fan of…no seriously though, I’m a Howler through & through! If this now series had ended with Morning Star, I would’ve been Ok because it was one of the BEST most EPIC endings I’ve ever read. To have read the news of that the world would be expanding was AMAZING for both myself & the hubby who is also a big fan. I read these books before creating Lair Of Books & missed out on fangirling with other Blogger buddies. Well, January 16th is almost upon us & I cannot wait to get my hands on this book! any Howler fans out there?

6. Defy the Worlds (Constellation #2) by Claudia Gray

Defy the Stars (my review here) was my 1st Claudia Gray book & it won’t be my last. I had heard of Gray’s books before getting a galley for Defy the Stars & now I can see why. The world building in the start of this series is fun & introduces us to a A.I. whose dry humor will leave you smiling in disbelief. I was lucky to get my hands on a arc copy of Defy the Worlds but I’m still including it in this list because I will be buying a finished copy on release day. Gray has some of the BEST covers I’ve come across & I’m already obsessed with this one, April 3rd will be the day I get my hands on this pretty little book *heart eyes*

7. Whisper of the Tide (Song of the Current #2) by Sarah Tolcser

If you’re looking for high seas adventure, Song of the Current (my review here) is probably the book for you! I enjoyed the authentic pirate talk and the world building was on point with clothing, way of life, and mythos behind the Gods. What I loved most is that we get a POC MC who knows her calling in life and won’t easily be thrown off by a love interest. Caro is non-traditional & won’t settle for societal norms. June 5th I’m hoping you’re a warm day I can count on for a iced drink & return to the treacherous waters in this world 🙂

8. Daughter of the Siren Queen (Daughter of the Pirate King #2) by Tricia Levenseller

Oh goodness! I can’t even begin to describe my excitement over the follow-up to Daughter Of the Pirate King (my review here). I was so very lucky to have a arc recently gifted to me by the wonderful Ashley over at Socially Awkward Bookworm, she made my year! DOTPK offered up so many laughs alongside a kick a** MC who is the female Jack Sparrow. If Pirates of the Caribeean (prior to Depps shameful behavior) brought you much enjoyment, chances are DOTPK will be a hit for you as well. Ahoy Mateys! February 27th is the day the sequel finds its way to our shores 🙂

9. Grey Sister (Book Of the Ancestor #2) by Mark Lawrence

I read my very first Mark Lawrence earlier this year & I’m so happy It was a good place to start after hearing so much about this well known author. Red Sister (my review here) was a 5 star gloriously bloody EPIC start to the Book of the Ancestor series! In my review I described the setting for Red Sister as Hogwarts mixed with a Ludus (like in Spartacus). Vivid fight scenes, positive female friendships and positive LGBTQIA representation are just some of the things you’ll find in this new Fantasy. Red Sister is perfect for those who read only YA Fantasy and are looking to get their feet wet in adult Fantasy. April 19th is the date set to return this ruthless world 🙂

10. Catwoman SoulStealer (DC Icons #3) by Sarah J. Maas

I don’t really have much to say about this one…I own a copy of Wonder Woman which I haven’t read yet. I came to the decision that I wanted to wait for a few of these books in the series to be out before starting cause I reallllllly dislike waiting haha! I am VERY interested in how Selina Kyle is written considering she is half white/half Cuban. We’ll know more on August 7th!

11. My Plain Jane (The Lady Janies #2) by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton

I’d link my review for My Lady Jane but it’s soOo old when I was still in my baby stages of blogging so no thanks hehe! My Lady Jane was the book to make my water almost come out through my nose smh LOL! So silly & filled with hilarious banter, I LOVED that book! from that book came the formation of The Lady Janies which are the 3 awesome authors who brought the characters I fell in love with to life. My Plain Jane is a MUST HAVE & THAT cover is giving me all the Summer vibes! I’ll see you on June 26th Jane 🙂

12. The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (Guide #2) by Mackenzi Lee

You may have noticed the cover for this title isn’t displayed above and that’s because there hasn’t been a cover reveal. Earlier this year I read The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue (my review here) which was a ton of fun. I’ve really been enjoying YA Historical Fiction lately & this is definitely one of my top favorites. Although I loved the MC Henry oh so much! I really ended up intrigued by his little sister Felicity & I know I’m not alone in this. The Goodreads Synopsis has the following listed:

A sequel to The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, narrated by Felicity and featuring travel, pirates, and a science girl gang.

I mean…who can resist this?!?! Not I said Lilly…October 2nd is the day to pick up a copy!

Happy Wednesday Bookworms! this list took me a bit longer to type up than expected which is making me give post II the stink eye haha! (wayyyyy longer) & i’m sure I’ve forgotten others. Also, If I didn’t list a sequel it’s possible I haven’t read the 1st cause waiting sucks (Strange the Dreamer & Lady Midnight/Lord of Shadows I’m looking at ya). Please sound off below with any titles that come to mind <3’s!

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*80’s Freestyle* Keep Me Hanging On… Hello Bookworms! Hope you're all having a wonderful day and if you're anything like me, you are looking at the clock waiting for the end of the work day.

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boatgoldcoast-blog · 7 years

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No chasing for Wild Goose

At sixteen, I sailed from Beauty Point in Tasmania on a 35ft trimaran leaving my mum crying on the jetty. It took four days to sail across Bass Strait. The strait was like a millpond just miles and miles of calm water and mild breezes—just paradise, something no one believes. Then the weather hit. Seven days at sea saw us somewhere near Lord Howe Island. Eventually, the storm subsided enough that we could turn back toward Australia. There were four of us on board—no radio, no auto pilot, just a compass for navigation. The skipper was seasick and vomited every time he looked at the chart. And the rest of the crew were too scared to go on deck. I sat for countless hours tied on at the tiller with the waves smashing over me while going up and down mountains of water. Every time the boat crested a wave, I had to pull the tiller hard over so she headed down the wave without capsizing. I don’t remember being afraid, but I do remember thinking, “If I’m going to die, this is where i want to be.”

When we finally hit the Aussie coast again at Newcastle, the harbour was closed. The swell was too big for ships to enter. The captain decided to go in anyway. He had had enough. Navigating about 100 anchored ships, we caught a wave on the breakwater and surfed into the harbour. There were surfers on their board beside us cheering us on. If i had known then what i do now, I would never have gone on that boat.

After spending another six months on the Tassie Trier, heading north in much calmer conditions, I jumped ship in the Whitsundays and worked on cruise boats, including Gretel, Apollo and Trusan. Over the next many years, I sailed on Supercat to New Guinea, Palau and the Philippines, the Greek islands, Corfu, along the French Rivera, and a few years ago, at the amazing Kimberly’s on Mick Vaudrey’s boat, the Graymac.

Let me introduce Wild Goose

My then husband and I purchased the Wild Goose in 2008 and moved on board. I had searched the world for the right boat and I found her on the Gold Coast. We did a bit of a refit then sailed north as far as Hervey Bay. He lasted less than 12 months. “It’s not for everyone,” he said. I kept the boat.

The Wild Goose is a 65ft aluminium Crowther catamaran. She was built in South Africa in 1998 to Australian survey standards (most likely by an Australian, but I have no history of her). In my eyes, she is the perfect long-haul sailing vessel. She’s 30ft wide for maximum stability, has six crash bulkheads, separate engine rooms, and an enclosed helm. (No more white water for me!) Powered by twin 120hp Yanmar diesel engines, she turns on her length and has plenty of sail area producing a reasonable speed for such a large heavy boat. The Goose averages 6 to 10 knots, or half-wind speed under sail (although I have recorded 17.9 knots in 30 knots of breeze).

We have all the important things for ocean crossing, including radar. And just in case one fails, there are two GPS systems. The auto pilot, wind and depth instruments are all Simrad. They are all a bit old but easy to use and reliable. When at sea we use the radar to set an alarm that notifies us if any ships come into our perimeter. It is possible to connect the auto pilot to the GPS to plot a course and let the boat steer herself, but I prefer to keep a watch. Safety first!

Wild Goose has a large battery bank run by a 6kva generator and 8 solar panels. In summer, there is not much need for the generator as the panels provide about 40-amp hours. The inverter gives us 240-volt power. We have a water maker for fresh water when in other countries. The Goose has four double cabins, a large saloon and an enclosed cockpit. There are three bathrooms and three heads. Two of these heads are macerators to tank with pump-out or at-sea release. The other is a day head that can be used at sea but not in port. The most important for an aluminium boat are sacrificial anodes (metals attached to the hull). Without anodes, electrolysis (corrosion) would gradually eat the boat away. Unlike other construction materials, antifouling is not really necessary on aluminium. Although growth will attach to the boat, they cannot do any harm and can be easily scraped off.

It’s hard to say when my passion for the ocean began. I don’t think I have ever been any different. Maybe it is in my genes. There are pirates in my ancestry! Arhhh! As a child I have memories of waiting for the tide to come in so I could launch the dingy. I don’t think I chose this lifestyle. To me, the ocean is my home. Every time I leave a seaway, I get a tear in my eye and an overwhelming feeling of belonging. My happy place is doing the Titanic over the bow of the Wild Goose.

Adventures with Wild Goose begins

It took me a couple of years to get my footing again before heading to New Caledonia and Vanuatu in 2014 with my son, Taylor, and his girlfriend, and my now partner, Troy, on board. After clearing customs in Australia, we spent seven days at sea before entering Port Bourail, about half way up the New Caledonia coast. We made a slight miscalculation as we were heading for Noumea, but ended up safe and sound nonetheless.

We spent quite a few months in New Caledonia. The country is an absolute paradise for sailors once you leave the city of Noumea. There are wonderful surfing breaks everywhere, amazing islands to explore and no people. Best of all, the country is boat-friendly. Customs check—in and out—is easy with very minimal fees.

As for other future adventures, I would leave tomorrow. I’m 52 now and getting itchy feet again. Anywhere is good. I can live in Asia and probably will in the next few years.

There is much media hype about pirates in Asia, and I have no doubt they are out there. But I have never seen any. One of the smartest safety devices I have seen is 12-volt electric handrails, like a horse fence, enough of a deterrent if you were being boarded to at least make them think twice. In my experience, if you show respect for the country, their religion and their politics, you are safer than crossing the road at Surfers Paradise. (Although there was times In New Guinea, I did feel like i could have been on the lunch menu!)

Most of the time, the locals are excited to see you. In the Philippines, I even met the mayor of Dinagat escorted by about 50 children from the local school. They had never seen a white woman. I was treated like a princess given special gifts of orchids and local shells.

Money is always the main problem for extended journeys. It costs very little to live aboard at anchor. No rates or taxes, water or electricity. Diesel and maintenance are the only real expenses. But to travel overseas, you need funds to get you there and back—mishaps included. You are always at the mercy of the weather and time frames are unpredictable.

The Wild Goose is a big boat, plenty of room for crew, family and friends. I’m not into solo sailing—sounds boring to me. Good company and good times make for a happy life. We do not go to sea in rough weather. We pick the weather carefully. These days, we have all the tools we need to do so. Only fools challenge Neptune! In any case, I’m a small person, so I need crew if something goes wrong. I don’t have the strength to pull down a torn sail or pull up the anchor if the winch fails. So when i go off shore I need the right people with me. Patience and calm in an emergency is vital on board. When you are heading for a reef and your steering has failed, panicking doesn’t help.

Except for getting in the tender to go to shore, living aboard the Wild Goose is much like living in a four-bedroom house. Best of all, you can travel without packing a suitcase. And you can take the kitchen sink!

On buying a sailboat: “Hire one first. Sail to sea on any boat you can crew on before you commit to the purchase. Learn the ropes—don’t trip over them. After all, a wise woman once said, ‘Better than a boat is a friend with a boat.’”

By Lyndell James, a passionate sailor whose love for ocean sailing is as natural as the ocean itself. She takes us with her on her journey before Wild Goose, and then beyond.

No chasing for Wild Goose was originally published on Boat Gold Coast

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