novella-lover · 2 years ago
Text
I wish I loved From Blood and Ash by JLA, but it doesn’t hit for me. 
They marketed the book as a “fantasy bodyguard romance, forbidden love” etc. And I was sold! So I picked up fbaa and was thoroughly heartbroken the longer I read it. All the inconsistencies, goofy banter, filler (it needed a ton of editing, sorry), on top of the excessive info-dumping for the world building, AND I could NOT get behind the cringe MMC/LI, which made this book a 2/5 stars for me. And I felt that was a generous rating but then someone roasted me on goodreads for posting my review.
Recently, I started the 2nd book because my friend said it gets better but I stopped. Maybe this series just really isn’t my thing. 
Sigh.
6 notes · View notes
azure-lily24 · 3 months ago
Text
Kill Bill
Listened to Kill Bill by SZA while writing this so the title was fitting I think?
Context: Hurtful things said (if you squint), mentions of killing and death and probably toxic relations, reader with feminine qualities
A/n: I saw a fic of the person writing Sylus playing a game of predator and prey with the reader (him being a stalker-) and kinda decided to see what other "dark" themes I think this man could do. This is my own spin on things and this does not relate to Sylus's actual in-game character. Please remember that :)
Reader is their own character, not mc, enjoy :3
Tumblr media
The building shook with great force as an explosion was heard from above. The guests were startled and started to panic and rush to the exit. Those who had malicious intent decided to act upon it with the disturbance being their distraction, cutting down innocent people of power and those who hold such status in the world.
You, whoever, stayed in the shadows and supervised the people with ill-intent and used your evol on them. Focusing your attention solely on the person and muttering under your breath.
"Stop. Pain.."
The person who was sneaking up behind an innocent woman, froze and their eyes widened. Placing the person under a mental spell, their mental image changes to show their stomach gutted and their insides sprawled all over the floor. They clutched their stomach in pain and kneeled down on the floor. Smirking when the fool was reduced to laying in a fetal position while their mind plays tricks on them, you hear one of the twins speaking in your ear piece, "Hey boss lady, you might wanna leave the building, it looks like it's gonna collapse in probably less than a minute"
You were just about to respond to Kieran, who spoke through when Luke also spoke up, "And don't worry! Boss and Miss hunter have already left the building" I sigh to myself but soon I start hearing loud thuds and look around to see the decorative pillars falling down and poor unsuspecting guests who haven't left yet either get caught under the pillars or narrowly escape them. You curse under your breath and quickly run to the exit.
Ignoring cries of help and pain, your heels clacking on the soiled marble floor as you were a couple of feet away from the exit, but suddenly a pillar fell and one of the beautiful ice sculptures that was on a table near the exit fell and ice shards flew everywhere. Thankfully it was just ice, but some of the shards flew and cut some of the panicked guests, including you.
You quickly dusted yourself off and ran out the exit. But you were too late...
~~
Sylus appeared with her outside the building just a couple of minutes before. He looked down at her as she held the aether core in her hand, well the vessel of it.. As the building was starting to collapse, the twins appeared in front of him, prepared to leave the scene.
While Sylus was occupied with her, the twins were muttering among themselves.
"Where's boss lady?" "She should've made it out by now.." "You don't think someone's got her, right?" "Definitely not, she's nearly on the same level as the boss"
Miss hunter turned her attention to the twins and questioned them, "Who are we waiting for? And what are you two talking about?"
The twins stop talking and stare at the girl. Sylus, on the other hand, summons Mephisto and sends him out to try and search for you among the nearly collapsing building. The crow leaves and the girl watches as he leaves. She turns to Sylus and asks the same question.
"Sylus, who are we waiting for?"...
~~
Weeks have gone by since that day of the auction. Mephisto had failed to find you before the building had collapsed. The twins were devastated because you were their friend who they could banter with whenever Sylus didn't need them nor you.
Sylus, however, seemed indifferent on the outside yet there was a strange empty feeling inside.. He didn't have anyone to nag him about being holed up in his office, nor did he have anyone to workout with whenever Miss hunter was away..
But most importantly, he lost his enforcer, his right hand person.. the person who kept him alive.. well.. mentally..
He sighed to himself as Mephisto appeared to inform him that Miss hunter was here again
~~
It's been almost 2 months since that day happened.. you stood in front of a mirror and took off the bandages and looked at the scars the stitches left. Scars ran up your arm and down the side of your body where somehow, a fool was still alive and picking off innocent folk and you just happened to be a target. If you weren't so distracted from wiping away the ice shards and all of the poor guests left behind that were screaming and panicking, you could've heard them and dealt with them with ease, but no..
~
Nearly being slashed open, you just managed to escape them and escape the building. Scrambling down each floor level, you barely made it a couple of meters away when the building finally collapsed, kicking up dust and killing all of the remaining guests trapped inside.
Your body felt like it was on fire as you tried to stop the massive gash on the side of your body from killing you of blood loss while you looked around to see if Sylus and the twins were still around. You tried contacting them through your ear piece but somehow it was swiped from your person.. probably from either the escape out of the building or the encounter from the foolish idiot that tried to kill you..
Looking around more, you spotted your bike that was still here and yet.. the others were nowhere to be found when suddenly you hear the voice of that hunter girl who appeared just two weeks ago..
"Sylus, who are we waiting for?"
Her innocent looking eyes gazed up at him as he shook his head and started walking to the car they arrived in. My eyes widened as I realized that Sylus was leaving me..
Rage started to rise but the pain was overpowering.. I quickly and carefully moved to my bike and sped away, leaving the others and leaving the scene.
~
Toss away the bandages, you slip on your jacket and head out, remembering that Sylus would be attending a banquet where he would buy out from an arms dealer. You smirk to yourself and decide to show up and announce your return from the "dead"..
Putting on your helmet, you walk out to your bike and sped off, leaving Linkon City, where you were hiding from Sylus and go to return back to the N109 Zone..
~~
The familiar red tinge and the dark sky of the N109 felt welcoming to you as you rode through, speeding up now that you were out of the beautiful night sky of Linkon City.
You pulled up to the place and put on an elegant mask that fit well with the black dress you wore, as well as a jacket to cover up your scar. Looking around and smirking when you see a familiar car parked not too far from you, signaling that Sylus was here and the possibility that he brought that girl with him as well. This just made your plan even better..
Walking inside and showing your invite, the bouncer allows you in and you look at the extravagant place. The ceiling had a starry sky, and the people around wore colors you would see in a galaxy. Those who wore masks were either body guards or those who would rather keep their identity a secret in hopes to avoid being targeted by undercover killers..
Walking around and greeting other guests who attended, you spot two familiar crow masks that were nearly hidden in the shadows. You smile as you turn and start walking towards the twins.
They looked surprised to see an unknown guest walking towards them and move to push them away, but you smirked and spoke,
"Why.. I'm hurt.. 2 months have passed and you two don't even look a bit happy to see me? Maybe I should just leave again.." The twins were shocked to hear your voice and Luke reached up to inform Sylus of your return when you grabbed his wrist and shook your head. "Keep my presence a secret and maybe you two will be spared from me~"
You chuckled as they nodded and kept their mouths shut, scared but also confused of why you didn't want Sylus to know that you were back.
Walking away from the twins, you spotted the hunter girl. She was idling around and chatting with those who would entertain her. She wore a dark purple dress with blue and black accents, and every time she would move, you could see the glitter that would imitate stars. You sigh to yourself and already know that Sylus had probably bought that dress for her.
You walked up to her and smiled, talking in a voice that's a bit higher than your normal tone. "Hi miss, can I just say your dress is absolutely stunning, where did you get it from?"
She smiled and shook her head, "I got it from the place at the Grand Center and it was a gift from my partner." Anger started to rise from that word she used to describe Sylus, but I kept my emotions in check and nodded.
'I knew Sylus for nearly five years and yet she's only been around for two, almost three months and this shit happens', you spoke out in your mind and sighed.
"Well since it seems like your 'partner' has the pockets, might I strike a deal with you?", you held out your hand, knowing this girl probably doesn't have enough knowledge to know when a woman is being shady, unlike men..
She looks at your hand and tilts her head in curiosity, "A deal for what?"
You smiled and beckoned her to follow you, "Come with me and I'll show you, I would rather prefer if not a lot of people saw the protocore I've acquired." You internally smirked as she nodded.
'This was too easy~'
You felt a pair of eyes on you as you led her out into a corridor, away from public eyes. You stopped once you were sure no one saw the two of you leaving the main floor and turned to her. She looked at you with curiosity as you reached into one of your jacket pockets and pulled out a protocore. It was a larger core from the usual ones you would see. You looked up and saw that her eyes had widened and she looked at the core in your hand in awe.
"That's incredible!, where did you get it from miss?", she asked with so much excitement, it reminded you of a child who had just seen the biggest candy store in the world.
You opened your mouth to reply when suddenly, an oh-so-familiar voice was heard and a certain snowy grey haired man appeared from around the corner. He looked beautiful in the suit he was wearing, a black suit with blue and red accents and bits of embroidery showing stars.
"It's a fake.. no protocore would ever form like that.." Sylus spoke in a condescending tone to try and intimidate me. I only scoff and tilt my head, putting a hand on my hip.
"Are you calling me a scammer, sir?", I smirk and the fake protocore in my hand shifts and turns into a small blade. The hunter girl backs away and Sylus glares at me and waves a hand, holding me in the air with his power.
"You would be a fool to try and lay a hand on her..", Sylus slowly starts to close his hand, the force of his evol increasing as he strangles me in the air. I smirk and focus all of my attention on him..
"Pain.."
His eyes widen and I am released from his hold. Landing on the floor as Sylus holds his head in pain as his mental image changes and burning pain clouds his mind. He lets out a groan as he tries to fight, yet I keep my focus on him and smirk while doing so.
Miss hunter looks scared as I do, looking worried as Sylus kneels down to the floor and looks up at me with pain in his eyes. I cross my arms and release him from his mental torture. I take off my mask as he recovers and stands up from the floor.
"Long time, no see.. missed me?" I smirk as Sylus looks shocked for only a second but quickly composes himself. Miss hunter shared the same reaction as she quickly recognized me. "If only you waited just one more minute back then.." my bottom lip pokes out to pout, as if I were mocking him.
Sylus sighed in annoyance and pinched the bridge of his nose. "If you were alive all this time.. why were you hiding these last two months?"
I smirk and played with the small blade in my hand, "You tell me, how would you feel if you were probably on the brink of death and saw your boss leaving you behind, huh?" I shrug off the side of my jacket that hid my scar and proudly show it to Sylus. "A clean cut from my arm.. to my waist.. nearly dying and yet you had the nerve to busy yourself with a little girl whose purpose has already been fulfilled..". I turned my gaze to her and glared at her and spoke,
"Burn.."
Her eyes widened as she cried out in pain as a burning sensation clouded her mind. Sylus quickly waved a hand, bringing you closer to him and holding your throat in his hand. You smirked as he looked at you with such anger.
"Why so serious? After all, she resonated with you and got the aether core, therefore, she's useless now.." you smiled as she cried out in pain again, begging you to stop it.
"Call it off, or else you'll actually die this time.." Sylus threatened yet your eyes widened when you realized what he had said. Miss hunter cries in relief when released from her mental torture, keeling down on the ground as tears fall from her face.
Sylus unhands you. You back away and look at him with a look of betrayal and anger. "Seems you couldn't cut off a loose end, but don't worry.." you spoke as you looked down. Sylus glanced back to check on her but that painful feeling returned and soon, when he looked up at you, the small blade was no longer in your hand. He turned and saw it lodged deep into Miss hunter's heart...
"I took care of it..."
~~~
(WOOOOOOO I wrote this in the span of two hours while Sylus held me at gunpoint from 30 minutes of that- also while I was writing this, I realized that reader's evol seemed quite similar to the blonde girl Jane from Twilight. Anyone else thought of that or was it just me?)
74 notes · View notes
im-gonna-draw · 4 months ago
Text
Tumblr media
Name: Akren
Affiliation: Eclipse
Alignment: Chaotic Nuetral
Key Personality Traits: thrill-seeking, cheerful, mischievous, arrogant, carefree, obnoxious
Likes: gossip, inserting himself in people’s business, partying, playing pranks, giving himself important jobs, being the “hero”, teasing Kieran, scandals
Dislikes: boredom, monologues, being ignored, meetings, politics, being alone, sappy talk
Strengths: has a special ability that allows him to find anyone he desires to see through any reflective surface
Weakness: very difficult to like, struggles to learn new things due to lack of patience
Bio: A changeling who was discovered in the dungeons of Emerald Park. A free-spirited young man who believes he’s destined for greatness. His origins are shrouded in mystery, but he’s somehow developed a spell, named Eye Scry, that allows him to see anyone’s location by using his magic on a reflective surface. However, he’s in no way generous with this gift. He never intends to teach this magic to anyone, as that would make him less valuable. Despite this, he can be persuaded to use his spell to help others…..usually if his interests are met.
Despite his less than noble attitude, he decides to join Eclipse, as he wants to be close to where all the “excitement” is. He rubs many changelings the wrong way, as he truly has no interest in equality or making the world better for changelings or humans. His unique ability, however, makes it impossible for anyone to discard him. A fact he often takes full advantage of.
In the end, Akren is a selfish changeling, seeking a life of excitement and adventure, without having to worry about any diplomatic details. On the other hand, one can’t really say he’s evil. He may try to start drama now and again, but he’s not out to hurt anyone. In fact, if someone wanted to use his spell to cause serious harm to innocent people, he’d more than likely reject them, no matter how exciting their plans would entail.
Knowing he’s under Jack’s protection, Akren loves to screw around with Oleander and Kieran in particular, thinking them to be the stuffiest, moodiest fae he’s ever encountered.
Quotes:
“Eye Scry! It’s a spell I invented! Please, hold your applause!”
“I know! Brains AND stunning good looks! It’s just not fair!”
“Hey Prince K! Have you finished brooding for the morning?”
“Wait, you haven’t bedded her since she lost her heart? Sir, she didn’t lose her lady parts! What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Sorry, Eye Scry and I are a package deal. You think I don’t know you’d ditch me the minute you could use the spell on your own? Then what would I do?”
“I’m bored. Don’t let me be bored. You won’t like me if I’m bored.”
“Oh gods, do you people do anything besides give big speeches on politics?! Your rambling is going to be the death of me!”
“Yes. I am THAT much of an ass.”
“Hey Ollie, your makeup is running! Haha! Made you look!”
“Okay so…..I got a little drunk, and hired you a tavern wench. No, hear me out! Say you bed this woman….it’s not like Ellie will care, being heartless and all! I’m doing you a favor! You need a good coupling!”
“Wow Ellie, you’re a bitch. And we’re all thinking it, I’m just the only one with the big enough cock to say it!”
“You sure do mope a lot for a guy with money.”
“……So would you guys judge me if I asked LC if she wanted to bed? What? I’m half-rabbit and….really, I just want to say I fucked a bear.”
“Of course I care! I’ll be the first to admit I’m an ass, but seeing those guys die like that….that’s not funny. That’s just sick.”
“Don’t you dare walk away! Don’t you leave! Don’t leave me…alone…”
@leafkingofbirds
1 note · View note
soccerdailyuk · 1 year ago
Text
Yunus Musah sends Edu a subtle 'come and get me' plea as Arsenal eye £17m Romeo Lavia alternative 
Tumblr media
Yunus Musah sends Edu a subtle 'come and get me' plea as Arsenal eye £17m Romeo Lavia alternative Arsenal may continue making additional signings during the summer transfer window, even though they have already finalized deals for Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber on Wednesday. The club was engaged in discussions with West Ham and Ajax, respectively, to secure the services of these players. The agreements hinged on the payment structure proposed by Arsenal. Initially, Arsenal made a £30 million offer for Timber, but Ajax turned it down and insisted on their asking price of £50 million. However, there was hope for a compromise. It is now understood that Arsenal has reached a £38.5 million deal to sign Timber. For Rice, a verbal agreement was reached last Wednesday after Arsenal submitted a £105 million proposal. However, negotiations were ongoing regarding the payment terms for the upfront fee of £100 million. Arsenal can now proceed with the transfer by agreeing to pay the guaranteed fee in three instalments within the next 24 months. Despite already spending over £200 million on Rice, Timber, and Kai Havertz, Arsenal may still bring in more players, depending on the number of departures sanctioned. Granit Xhaka is expected to be the first high-profile departure, with a transfer to Bayer Leverkusen for £21.5 million in the works. Kieran Tierney has also been linked with a potential exit due to limited playing time in the 2022/23 season. A return to Celtic is a possibility, while Newcastle and Aston Villa have also expressed interest. Folarin Balogun, who had a successful loan spell at Reims in Ligue 1, is expected to leave Arsenal upon his return, as first-team opportunities under Arteta seem unlikely. Several teams, including Napoli, AC Milan, and Crystal Palace, are reportedly monitoring the 22-year-old striker, but Arsenal now demands at least £50 million to approve a transfer. According to The Sun, there is a possibility that Thomas Partey might leave Arsenal, as the club has stated their willingness to entertain serious offers above £30 million for the 30-year-old midfielder. This potential departure of Partey could also affect Arsenal's pursuit of Romeo Lavia, a player from Southampton. Arsenal's interest in Lavia would only continue if Partey leaves the club. Southampton is reportedly asking for a bid of around £50 million for Lavia, and there is competition from other clubs such as Liverpool and Chelsea for his signature. However, Arsenal's technical director Edu and manager Mikel Arteta might have an alternative in mind, who could also be interested in the move.  Yunus Musah, a player who was previously part of Arsenal's youth system, currently plays for Valencia in Spain. However, it seems that his situation at Valencia may be changing, opening up the possibility of a return to Arsenal. There are reports indicating that Valencia, the Spanish club where Yunus Musah currently plays, is open to selling the United States Men's National Team (USMNT) star. It is suggested that Valencia would be willing to accept a bid of €20 million (£17.1 million) for Musah, which makes him a more affordable option compared to Romeo Lavia. Furthermore, Musah himself has made comments in the past expressing his interest in a potential return to Arsenal, hinting that such a move could be possible. Given these factors, it seems that there is a real chance of Musah rejoining Arsenal if they decide to pursue him as an alternative to Lavia.  "You never know. I had a great time developing at Arsenal. I have friends there, the coaches are great, being an Arsenal player in general is great," he told CBS Sports, as reported by the Daily Mirror. The potential return of Yunus Musah to Arsenal gains further intrigue with recent developments. Musah has been spotted wearing an Arsenal kit in a training session posted on the Elite Player Performance Instagram page, indicating his involvement in preparations for the upcoming 2023/24 season. If Arsenal intends to make further additions to their squad, it is anticipated that they will focus on strengthening their midfield. In such a scenario, a return for Musah could indeed be a possibility, especially if financial constraints play a role. Musah's previous association with Arsenal and the potential affordability of his transfer fee make him an attractive option for the Gunners. Yunus Musah sends Edu a subtle 'come and get me' plea as Arsenal eye £17m Romeo Lavia alternative Read the full article
0 notes
feyxareum · 4 years ago
Text
☪ HWAA
a starter for @feyxkieran
having the ability to make those around her hallucinate and believe that they’re seeing things differently, including her own appearance, was something that came in handy over the years as a vampire. after she had become a master vampire and had gained her ability it made things a lot easier for her, especially since she no longer had to worry about actually moving away and start over somewhere new in order to avoid any suspicion among the humans.
here lately she would use her ability when doing such things as making her illegal deals or even when she just wanted to go out and have a little ‘fun’ at one of the clubs, which she had decided to do this exact night in order to kill her slight boredom she had been feeling. 
another great thing about having lived for as long as areum had was that she could easily sense when things seemed off and that’s exactly what she feels as she makes her way up towards her front door. her eyes narrow slightly as she steps up onto the porch, stopping for a short moment to glance around and check her surroundings before realizing that the presence she’s currently feeling isn’t outside with her but rather inside her home.
who would dare to even enter her home, especially while she was out? no one that she could really think of. there was no way that sebin would just enter her home uninvited, areum knowing very well that the fledgling was rather afraid of her despite him actually having been created with her own blood. the only one she could possibly really think of was maybe kijung, wondering if the younger vampire had managed to find some sort of trouble once again with the werewolves, however, she can tell that it’s not him because the presence of the unknown ‘guest’ is much older than kijung was. from what she could guess, the unknown entity was at least older than her and it’s this reason that she actually feels the need to be just a bit cautious as she finally opens the door.
just because she was a master vampire didn’t mean that she couldn’t be easily taken out if the intruder was older than her, more powerful than her even. she couldn’t just enter her home carelessly, something she didn’t really even like the idea of, because if by chance the one who was inside her house happened to be a threat there was no telling what would happen.
she enters slowly, glancing around to try and pinpoint where the threat is at. it doesn’t take long though to find the intruder who dared to enter her home without permission, closing the door behind her as her gaze stops on the figure. where her eyes playing tricks on her? was this some sort of spell being cast that was making her hallucinate? right there in front of her, sitting on her sofa, was her own sire. kieran. it had been 400 years since she had last seen him, since he had abandoned her and left on his own to do whatever it was he had done. back then she had almost turned her emotions on just for him, almost allowed herself to feel something for him, but when he left the way that he had, she ended up leaving her emotions off.
“what the hell are you doing here?” she asks in displeasure, a sigh following afterwards as she approaches him. her arms cross over her chest when she stops only a few feet away from where he’s currently seated and she looks down at him, her expression blank as she does so. of course she wasn’t happy to see him again, not after what he had done back then. 
28 notes · View notes
blurrypetals · 4 years ago
Text
Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare - blurrypetals review
originally posted dec. 9, 2018 - ★★★★★
A-T. L-A-S-T.
I am so absolutely overwhelmed by everything that I've experienced in the last few days while listening to this. As Cassandra Clare's longest book to date, a whole dang fuckin' lot happens in this book. To sort my way through this review, the following paragraphs are gonna be chock full of a whole dang fuckin' lot of untagged spoilers, so continue at your own risk. I do think you're doing yourself a huge disservice if you do read this review before you've read the book, though. It's also incredibly likely I'll drop a spoiler or two on every Shadowhunters book so, if you're here and you have not, for some reason, read The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, the other two books in The Dark Artifices trilogy, and all of the short stories in The Bane Chronicles, Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy, and Ghosts of the Shadow Market, I implore you to amend that, to go and read those fourteen books and this fifteenth book before reading this review, just in case I ruin anything for you by accident. Okay, now that's out of the way, let's talk about sequels and how to finish a grand, epic fantasy story. It was difficult for me to not compare this book to three other books. The first two are, of course, Cassandra Clare's other finales, City of Heavenly Fire and Clockwork Princess. This handily bowls City of Heavenly Fire straight under the table because, even though City of Heavenly Fire is still a 5-star book, it's the weakest of The Mortal Instruments hexalogy and, other than perhaps The Bane Chronicles, it's also maybe the weakest in The Shadowhunter Chronicles in its current entirety. Clockwork Princess, by contrast, however, is, in my opinion, the best of the entire series. As a finale, Queen of Air and Darkness here sits comfortably as the second best Shadowhunters finale yet. So much happens in this book. It's split into three different parts which could have easily been split into three shorter books with near-perfect three act structures in place for each of them, making this book a nine act book with two "false" climaxes that would have made for quite the cliffhangers if they had been split up for any reason. The first act deals with the aftermath of Livia's death and, because it has a lot of rising action, it's actually a little frustrating in some ways, even if it was frustrating in an incredibly enjoyable way. One of my absolute favorite scenes in the whole book is Julian running to Magnus for help in the middle of the night because it so perfectly mirrors the scene in Clockwork Prince when another blue eyed boy named Will Herondale was at the end of his rope, desperate not to love a girl he was cursed not to be with. I loved the contrast between a Herondale's plea for salvation and a Blackthorn's last hope to avoid damnation, separated by a hundred years yet tied by the same plight and the same warlock's magic. Emotionless-Julian was a really compelling read, even if I was almost as angry and frustrated with him and Magnus as Emma was. I loved to hate how cold and calculating he became without his love and compassion around to guide his moral compass. I hated his betrayal of Emma so fucking much it hurt but I've always loved Julian's ruses, schemes, and plans, and his dealings with the Seelie Queen, the Black Volume, and a skilled calligrapher and wizard called OfficeMax. Damn. So fucking good. Also, speaking of Julian's plans and schemes, his war council and Livia's Watch is one of the most satisfying scenes in The Shadowhunter Chronicles as it currently exists; I'm so proud of my son. He is so great. Hot diggity. Speaking of reminders from past stories, we get the entire cast of The Mortal Instruments during a lot of this book. I was really excited anytime we ran into anyone from The Mortal Instruments, especially the part when Julian and Emma ended up being thrown in the same Unseelie prison as Jace and Clary were and that was Jace and Clary's first appearance in the whole novel. It could have easily gotten overwhelming; I was, in fact, rather worried that Jace and Clary would steal the spotlight for a good spell in the final act of the book, but they didn't, since Emma and Julian were, eh...too big to ignore, and the book even ends with the long-awaited Bane-Lightwood wedding of the centuries, but the story proper closes on Julian and Emma on the beach together. Even though The Wicked Powers is still yet to come, this book felt like a huge culmination of all fourteen of the prior books in a huge way. We had Jem and Tessa from The Infernal Devices, we had Jace, Clary, Simon, Isabelle, Alec, and Magnus from The Mortal Instruments, and we had Emma, the Blackthorns, and all their friends and allies from this series and it felt huge. I also felt the weight of what's to come in a super hardcore manner when it came to Kit and Ty, Dru and Jaime, and, of course, Ash. I genuinely feel as though I can't wait any longer to see how Kit and Ty's stories turn out. I'm especially pleased by the fact that Jem and Tessa decided to adopt Kit and that Kit will have the family he's longed for his whole life and, not only will he have two capable people parenting him through the rest of his adolescence, but he'll also have that younger sibling he's been longing for, someone he can teach and take care of in the way he wasn't when he was small. I really hope at least one of the two forthcoming Ghosts of the Shadow Market stories focuses on Kit and his new life and new home with Jem, Tessa, and hopefully their new precious tiny one. Thoughts of the future of The Shadowhunter Chronicles in Drusilla, Kit, Ty, and, specifically, Ash, bring me back around to the second section of the book, which is the most absolutely bananas thing Cassandra Clare has ever written but is also actually incredibly compelling. I fucking loved the alternate universe stuff, everything to do with the exciting return of not-Jace, the introduction of alterna-Livia, other-Cameron, and living-Raphael (especially the part where he begged Emma and Julian to tell Magnus and Alec to rename Rafael; I was in tears laughing about all of that biz), and the temporary absence of emotionless-Julian and how he and Emma ended up healing so much of their relationship there. I also am so totally down with not-Jace being the main villain of The Wicked Powers, or at least a main villain. I am really impressed with Cassie—which, when am I not, honestly?—in the way that second section of the book was written. It felt like a huge love letter to me as a longtime and dedicated fan of The Shadowhunter Chronicles in general because we got to see these, for lack of a better term, a fanfiction AU turned canon that doesn't read like a fanfiction in the least bit because it remains relevant, interesting, tense, and important the whole way through, even though it's literally a gigantic non-sequitur that some could argue is "pointless." I am not one who would argue that, though, because I loved it so damn much. It gave me what is probably my favorite Emma and Julian scene in all of The Dark Artifices, just after they return to the resistance stronghold. You know the scene. Okay, rapid fire because I could honestly go on forever about this book; I pinned 108 different clips throughout this book, which is the most pins or post-its I've ever put in one single book before. I adored the fact that Simon gave Julian his iron Lord Montgomery figurine before he and Emma left Idris. Michael Wayland's ghost showing up for Robert Lightwood's funeral fucked me up in a super hardcore way and the fact that Kit was the only one who could see him or even sense his presence really got to me and I really teared up because Bitter of Tongue from Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy absolutely wrecked me and this poked at that wound. Everything in regards to Mark, Cristina, and Kieran was incredibly sweet, sex positive, loving, trusting, and healthy and I just...gah they are perfect. A most excellent thruple, one for the ages. A great many of my pins have something to do with Kit growing into his inborn Herondale talent of being a master in snark (think candy gram and "Alas, poor Yorick,"). Everyone in the alternate realm being grossed out by endarkened-Emma's and endarkened-Julian's PDA was hilarious. Julian realizing art requires pain and morality about snapped my sad tiny bird heart clean in half. Feline death on a massive scale. Anytime Jace's more playful, youthful side showed because he's a happy boi now was delightful, especially the parts where he wanted to get to hold the mortal sword and when he declared, "We're the bait!" Magnus hallucinating was great, but my favorite hallucination was when he was flirting with a vase like it was Alec and then very seriously offering to buy it from the Institute. I also loved it when Magnus called Clary "biscuit". It made my heart all soft and nostalgic. Julian's smile at Emma when he got his emotions back tot me emotional, dammit! Caterina meeting Kit for the first time made my heart feel like it was too large for my body. Jace using finger guns, because finger guns are always hilarious. Dru realizing she was looking at the face of a parent when she looked at Julian. Kit responding to being called "Herondale," when Magnus said, "Stay away from my children, Herondale." Emma telling Diana that she showed her the kind of woman she wanted to be. Emma's terrible pun about Manuel being tied up. "Ragnor Lives." An old lady accidentally complimenting Julian on being tall. Emma and Julian deciding to go to the other at the exact same time. Alec would look better on the money. Mark trying (and failing) to make balloon animals and accidentally making them all snakes. That's not even a third of them all. Near the beginning of the review, I said I was having a difficult time avoiding comparing this book to three other books, two of which were past Shadowhunters books. The third book, however, is Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas, which is another very long final book in a series, one that somehow managed to get voted as the best YA fantasy of 2018 and, because of that slap in the face, I couldn't help but wonder how this book, technically the fifteenth in a series, managed to feel fresh, new, fun, and lovable from minute one to hour thirty of the audiobook even though this is the fifteenth time I've experienced a book in The Shadowhunter Chronicles for the first time and I've never come close to feeling the same sort of apathy or anger as I do for Sarah J. Maas and Throne of Glass. This is how you end a series. This is how you end one part of your series. This is how it's done. Take notes, everyone else. Get on Cassie's level.
2 notes · View notes
thechangeling · 5 years ago
Text
The Lucky Ones
Some Kierarktina positivity, because why not?
Most mornings at the cottage Cristina was woken by soft light trickling in through the curtains or by the soft kisses of her two boys. However this morning, just like most of her mornings recently, she was woke up with the aggressive need to pee. Great, she thought to herself looking around for her phone. It felt early. However despite the fact that she was a shadowhunter, Cristina Mendoza Rosales was not a morning person. So it almost always felt early when she woke up no matter what time it was.
She peered gently over Mark's head to her right and checked the night stand for her smartphone. No such luck. Honestly she was probably lying on it. By the angel she needed coffee. Although Mark and Kieran had her down to one cup a day because Cristina was three months pregnant.
Finding out about the baby was obviously a moment of great joy for all three of them but it was also met with some concern. Where would the baby live? Since they were separated, how much time would the baby get to spend with all three of them while still leaving time for each other and their work? Planning the intricacies of it all was a little stressful, but first and foremost they all knew that this child would be loved unconditionally. Even when said child was currently pressing down on Cristina's bladder in the most uncomfortable way possible.
Cristina started the difficult process of untangling herself from the sea of various arms and legs belonging to her two boys. She called it "The Faerie Web". Leaning over to press soft kisses to both Mark and Kierans foreheads, Cristina then shimmied her way down to end of the bed and gracefully climbed of it. She looked back at the empty space in the middle of the bed which contained no phone.
Damn it. One of them must be lying on it.
Momentarily abandoning the search for her phone she carefully tip toed her way down the hall towards the bathroom. Bladder problems aside she was incredibly grateful for this baby and the family she had discovered. If you had told her two years ago that this is where her life would lead, she might have passed out. Unfortunately she, like many others in the world had preconceived notions about polyamory. She believed it was wrong or immoral to have an intimate relationship with more than one person at the same time. There was even a part of her that carried those beliefs right up to point when she began to realize she had feelings for both of them.
I can't do it, she used to think. What would people say? What kind of person does this make me?
But then she would think of how happy and free she felt whenever she was around them. Being spun around in Kieran's arms as Mark looked on with a smile. Being with them, laughing with them, touching them, loving them it all just felt so right. So she decided to chose love. Cristina decided to ignore all the bitter, ignorant hatred. Decided to ignore the whispers and snickers behind her back and the condescending looks of some of her colleges when she stood up to speak. It didn't matter. None of it mattered. Cristina Mendoza Rosales knew what kind of women she was. What kind of shadowhunter she was, and nobody could ever take that away from her.
As she finished up in the bathroom, Cristina was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of soft voices in the next room. Loving whispers in a language that was unfamiliar to her at first. Faerie, she realized with a fond smile. Cristina made her way out of the bathroom and into the main area which consisted of a kitchen/living room hybrid not separated by walls.
Mark was perched on top of the kitchen table grinning over at Kieran who was riffling through the fridge muttering in faerie. His shoulder length hair was a sky blue, indicating that he was fairly happy.
Mark's gaze ventured over to her as she walked in. "Well look who it is!" Mark said fondly. "Here. I woke up and realized I was lying on this," he reached into his pocket and retrieved something metal, black and sleek-looking. Her phone.
Cristina breathed a sigh of relief. " Thank you," she replied softly taking his hand in hers. Kieran had obviously given up on finding whatever he was looking for and made his way over to them. "Good morning, my lady of roses." He greeted her with a smile and lightly placed a kiss on her cheek. This was one of Cristina's favourite things about mornings at the cottage, starting the day with the two people she loved most in the world. "Buenos dias, mis armores, Kier what were you looking for?" Cristina asked. Kieran lifted himself onto the counter beside Mark. "Pancake mix, Mark and I were going to make you breakfast."
Cristina couldn't fight the grin that spread across her face. "My loves, pancake mix is in the cabinet, not the fridge."
"Oh," Kieran's face flushed as his hair turned a bright blue. "I told you Kier!" Mark exclaimed with a bright smile.
Sensing Kieran's slight embarrassment at not knowing something obvious about the mortal world, Cristina reached out and took him in her arms kissing him deeply, threading her fingers through his hair. Kieran instantly smiled against her lips, pulling at her waist. Suddenly she felt another pair of hands sliding up her arms.
Mark.
At some point he had hopped down from the counter. He was pressing slow tender kisses along her neck, while Kieran was kissing her he had reached around her and was clutching at Mark's back. When she was tangled up in the two of them like this, it was almost as if the rest of the world fell away. All that mattered was Mark and Kieran. Every touch, every kiss, every whisper, every moan. It was like they were lost in their own private universe.
Mark was the first to break the spell. He let go of both of them and took a step back. Kieran leaned back from Cristina and whined, pouting dramatically at Mark. Cristina had to chuckle. "Alright Mark, do you have something to say?" she teased. Mark took Kierans hand and tugged, signaling him to jump down. He stood in front of Kieran and Cristina, looking like he had some sort of announcement to make. "Actually yes. I wanted to tell you both something." Mark sounded a little nervous. Cristina wanted to ask him what was going on, but she sensed that it would be better to let him keep talking.
"So I was talking to Alec the other day," he began, "and we were talking about his wedding and how he changed the laws surrounding marriage between downworlders and shadowhunters so that he could marry the man he loved". Cristina wondered were exactly this was going. She glanced over at Kieran to see if his face would betray anything, but his expression remained neutral. She turned her gaze back over to Mark and nodded gesturing for him to continue.
"So I asked him if he could do the same for us." Mark looked anxious, as if he was afraid of what they might say. Cristina let out a breathe she hadn't been aware she was holding. Suddenly a wave of emotions overcame her.
Mark was taking about marriage. For the three of them.
Cristina felt a lump forming in her throat as she tried to swallow back the sob threatening to break through. Not in a million years had she ever believed this could happen. She hadn't dared to hope for this.
The look on Cristina's face must have been concerning to Mark because he was rushing to her side almost instantly. Kieran slid an arm around her waist but his gaze was still fixated on Mark.
"I'm so sorry my love, I didn't mean to upset you," Mark pleaded, gently placing a hand on her cheek, cradling Cristina's face. Kieran readjusted his position so that he was standing beside Mark and in front of her. He reached out and lightly caressed her stomach, a nervous habit Kieran seemed to have acquired while Cristina was pregnant to comfort her.
"If this is not something you desire, my lady, then we will not discuss the matter any further," Kieran insisted. Cristina shook her head, attempting to pull herself together. It would seem that she had given her boys the wrong impression. "No it's not that," Cristina choked out, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Its just, my whole life I was raised with one major expectation. To get married to a nice shadowhunter man and have children. That was my mother's plan for me, and I wasn't utterly opposed to it," Cristina explained. "I always liked the idea of marriage, but I knew I wanted to marry for love." Cristina smiled fondly at both of them, squeezing Kieran's hand that had been resting against her abdomen. Mark was breathing heavily as he dropped his hand from her cheek and clasped her other hand in his.
Cristina turned her gaze to Kieran who also had tears welling up in his eyes. "When I first met you, I never thought that I would end up loving you this much," she whispered. Cristina's voice was thick with tears at this point and she had given up on not crying. "But then I fell in love with you just as I did with Mark and I love our life we built together, but I always thought marriage was no longer an option," Cristina mummered. "But now you're telling me that it's possible and we actually can?" She asked with disbelief.
Mark smiled back at her and then met Kieran's gaze nodding. "It is true my loves, if it is what both of you want, we can get married." Kieran let go of Cristina and turned to fully face Mark with a disapproving but comedic expression. "Well really now Mark, is that your definition of a proposal? Because quite frankly I believe the lady of Roses and I deserve a bit more finesse" Kieran teased lightheartedly poking Mark's arm.
Cristina giggled fondly.
Mark was now beaming at both of them "But of course" Mark let go of cristina's hand and gracefully knelt down in front of both of them. Cristina willed herself not to start crying again. She glanced at Kieran who was gazing at Mark with a look of pure adoration and awe. She was quite she that her own face held the same expression. Mark took her hand in his once more and held Kieran's hand with his other.
"Cristina Mendoza Rosales and Kieran, The King of Unseelie. You are the two halves of my heart. I love you both more then words could ever express. We found each other during very unlikely times. Sharing my life with the two of you in every conceivable way has always been my greatest wish. In a few months from now we will have a child, and although it doesn't need to be, would you do be the honour of making this family official? Will you both marry me?"
Cristina let out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding. Not due to anxiety but as a result of the sheer unbridled joy coursing through her body. She didnt need to look at Kieran to know what their answer would be. Cristina didnt trust her voice, so she simply nodded with a tearful smile. She slid down to her knees and wrapped Mark in a tight embrace. "Of course" she heard Kieran whisper behind her.
Cristina kissed Mark tenderly then opened up a gap for Kieran to maneuver himself into. He dropped to the floor beside her and pulled himself into their group hug, resting his forehead against both of theirs. "My heart is yours" Kieran murmured. "Forever."
Cristina heard Mark's breath hitch slightly. She understood Mark's suprise Kieran was immortal. For him, forever was essentially that. An eternity. It wasn't as if she doubted his love for either of them, but to hear him declare that as long as he lived he would never fall in love with anyone else ever again, was to say the least, incredibly moving.
"Forever?" Cristina choked, failing to keep her voice even.
"Forever" came Kieran's reply, as steady as ever. Mark chuckled lightly. A sound that vibrated against them.
"All right then" said Mark. He spoke purposefully, pressing a quick kiss to both of their foreheads. He knew how Kieran got when he made his mind up about something.
"Forever."
91 notes · View notes
moonvoiid · 5 years ago
Photo
Tumblr media
☾ 》ᵗᵃˢᵏ ⁶ / HOGWARTS! AU .
                                          HOUSE  — SLYTHERIN .
        ❛❛ 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖕𝖆𝖗𝖙 𝖎𝖘 𝖒𝖊. 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖕𝖆𝖗𝖙 𝖎𝖘 𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖊. 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖗𝖊𝖓’𝖙 𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖉 𝖙𝖔 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖎𝖙. ❜❜
slytherins are linked to identity,   changing themselves to meet their needs and the wants of the world around them.   they have specific people that are Theirs,   and their circle of Actual Trust may be rather small,   even if their friend/associates/resources group is a wide network.   slytherins are tied to wanting,   craving,   and not necessarily in a bad way or in a way that’s “ ambition ”.   slytherins are a house made up of people who want something or someone or some goal desperately or are made up of a myriad of little wants,   but also struggle with the idea of worth and whether or not they have done enough to deserve the things they want.   sometimes,   these wants are secret.   slytherins are often caught up in this wanting and this worth,   and cannot see that they are already loved,   completely and wholly,   for who they are.   when you care for someone you care for them with all of you.   you are inherently a protective house like hufflepuffs for those that you care about most,   and for all your wanting so so so many of you are beautiful creators   (  the worlds and story ideas slytherins have just roaming around in their brains ??   amazing !  ).   my advice to slytherins,   if i can give some without being asked hahaha oops,   is to recognize that for all the shapeshifting of the self you do,   you can be exactly who you want to be,   if you just give yourself permission.   who would you be in a dark room without any mirrors ?   how would you dance ?   how would you dress,   for just yourself ?   of course,   that doesn’t mean you have to change your life tomorrow.   it just means,   sometimes,   starting in little ways,   take back a little bit of ground from the world.   “  this part is me.   this part is mine.   you aren’t allowed to have it.  ”   it can be quiet.   but you are worth so much,   and you are yours.   you are just as much of a person as anyone else,   and have already earned love,   because you never had to earn it in the first place.
                                                       WAND —
  WILLOW WOOD WITH A DRAGON HEARTSTRING CORE,   12 ½ ,   AND                                        SLIGHTLY YIELDING FLEXIBILITY . 
dragon heartstring — as a rule,    dragon heartstrings produce wands with the most power,   and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells.   dragon wands tend to learn more quickly than other types.   while they can change allegiance if won from their original master,   they always bond strongly with the current owner.   the dragon wand tends to be easiest to turn to the dark arts,    though it will not incline that way of its own accord.    it is also the most prone of the three cores to accidents,   being somewhat temperamental.
willow wood  — willow is an uncommon wand wood with healing power,   and i have noted that the ideal owner for a willow wand often has some    (  usually unwarranted  )    insecurity,   however well they may try and hide it.   while many confident customers insist on trying a willow wand    (  attracted by their handsome appearance and well-founded reputation for enabling advanced,   non-verbal magic  )    my willow wands have consistently selected those of greatest potential,   rather than those who feel they have little to learn.   it has always been a proverb in my family that he who has furthest to travel will go fastest with willow. 
                                                                                                          —   garrick ollivander .
                                      PATRONUS — GOSHAWK . 
the animal — goshawks are really weird,   they're kind of like secretive phantoms,   they're kind of murderous,   slightly kind of weird,   highly strung,   very difficult to tame.   they're incredibly predatory so they're a very hard bird to deal with in falconry.   and they're also exquisitely beautiful.
the patronus — you're introspective,   philosophical,  and soul-searching but can also be analytical,   critical,   and opinionated.   you think deeply and clearly.   you can be solitary and secretive,    you have an air of mystery.   you are frank,   methodical,   and believe in law,   system,   and order.   but creative and outgoing,   you are always looking for opportunities to show your abilities,   especially before an audience.   you are very flexible and like to feel appreciated.   you are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas.   the biggest challenge for you is uncertainty.   easily getting bored,   you can move from one job to another,   and switch projects and lovers.   the high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness.   if you understand your goals,   if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty,   you will be able to achieve great heights.
                                            YEAR — SIXTH YEAR. 
captain of the slytherin quidditch team,   position:    chaser .   roommate of kieran rhodes .  pet:   white cat named mimi.   fuckboy.
                                                     CLASSES 
monday / wednesday / friday — transfiguration,   potions,   and defense against the dark arts.
tuesday / thursday — care of magical creatures and ancient runes.
                                                     CLUBS 
vice president of the art club,   member of the apparation,   potions   &   dueling clubs.
8 notes · View notes
rockinjoeco · 5 years ago
Text
Is Jose Mourinho special no more?
It’s still a shock to so many people that Mauricio Pochettino was sacked as Tottenham Hotspur manager last November, particularly after finishing in the Champions League places four years in a row, developing home-grown talent like Harry Kane and getting to the Champions League final last season. His departure brought shock and dismay to many Tottenham fans, even though the club swiftly appointed serial winner Jose Mourinho as Pochettino’s replacement. Mourinho’s reign as Spurs’ manager so far hasn’t been smooth, having been knocked out of the FA Cup to Norwich, who are currently bottom of the Premier League, and have been knocked out of the Champions League by RB Leipzig. Tottenham are currently 8th in the league, 7 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. Is the so-called ‘special one’ no longer special?
It has now been 12 years since Spurs last won a trophy, after winning the League Cup under Juande Ramos. When Pochettino was brought in as Tottenham manager back in the summer of 2014, becoming their 10th manager in 12 years, Tottenham had a very disjointed squad. The summer before, they spent over £100m on new players (Spurs did make a profit of over £6m that season thanks to the world-record sale of star player Gareth Bale to Real Madrid) and apart from Christian Eriksen, none of them had made the desired impact over the 2013-14 season. The Argentine manager was tasked with helping Spurs to Champions League football, which had been their for nearly 10 years and only achieved it once during that time. Pochettino earned plaudits for his previous job at Southampton, when he was controversially hired in January 2013, and produced great football as well as helping the homegrown talent there (namely Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Jay Rodriguez) earn their first caps for England. Although Pochettino didn’t win any trophies at Spurs, his tenure there will be remembered fondly by Spurs supporters and the way he took a disjointed Tottenham team from being a Europa League team to a Champions League team has seen Pochettino being linked with management roles at Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
You would’ve thought that if Tottenham wanted to start winning trophies again, surely there would be nobody better to help them do that than Jose Mourinho, who has won three Premier League titles in two spells at Chelsea and has won the Champions League twice. Even though his previous job at Manchester United brought a mixed verdict, he still managed to help them win the League Cup and Europa League in his first season. What was evident during his second spell at Chelsea, however, was his so-called ‘third season syndrome’. After he won Chelsea the league title, he become the first Chelsea manager during the Abramovich era to be awarded with a contract extension. Since then, Chelsea’s results have dipped badly, his media interviews had been questionable, including constant referee-blaming and a seven-minute rant after the home defeat against Southampton, and that infamous row with club doctor Eva Caneiro during the opening day draw against Swansea. What also came under scrutiny during that period was the style of football Chelsea were playing under Mourinho and his youth policy, having seen former young prospects Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku establish themselves as world class talents elsewhere in the Premier League. Even though Mourinho has enjoyed plenty of success elsewhere prior to his return to Chelsea, it seemed that when he signed that new contract with them in the summer of 2015 that this would be where he would really build a dynasty at a club, as he has never been manager at a club for more than three years. However, seeing his misjudgement when it comes to youth suggests that he is a manager for the short-term and not as a long-term option, unlike the manager he had idolised; Sir Alex Ferguson.
If Jose Mourinho had been appointed as Tottenham manager in the summer of 2014 rather than back in last November, there would be a wave of excitement amongst the Spurs faithful. Now considering how great a job that Mauricio Pochettino had done, despite not winning anything, the mood is still one of scepticism, particularly given Mourinho’s reluctance to give youth a chance in the team, something of which that Pochettino was lauded for, and the style of football that Mourinho’s teams tend to play. Prior to Mourinho’s appointment, there were problems at Tottenham, such as not selling Christian Eriksen last summer when he had just a year left on his contract and the Danish international didn’t want to extend his contract. That would’ve been an opportunity to remove anybody who didn’t really want to be part of the team and get a suitable replacement in. The decision to sell Kieran Trippier to Atlético Madrid without getting a replacement was also questionable, as Serge Aurier is very erratic at right-back and inconsistent to be a first-choice right-back for Spurs. Tottenham are also lacking strength in depth in attack, especially with back-up striker Fernando Llorente departing for Napoli last summer and with Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min out injured. With this now being the second season in succession that he’s suffered a serious injury, there are concerns that Harry Kane may be becoming injury prone, not just from a Spurs perspective, but from England’s point of view too. Spurs definitely should’ve eased the goalscoring burden on Harry Kane and Spurs should’ve bought a new striker in January.
We can debate about whether Jose Mourinho is still ‘the special one’ or not, but you can’t argue with his track record. Hypothetically, if Spurs won the league cup, would it be a greater achievement than reaching the final of the Champions League? Probably not, but it may be more important. Winning a trophy, any trophy, may just be the catalyst for this Spurs team to go on to achieve greater things. While it was exciting seeing this young Spurs team develop under Mauricio Pochettino, there was a fear of whether the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Eric Dier would one day leave Spurs for a more elite club who specialise in winning titles. With Mourinho at the helm, considering the track record he has in winning things, would that tempt these key players into staying at the club? Even if Mourinho didn’t play the attractive football that Pochettino played and if he doesn’t qualify for the Champions League this season? That’s a question that many will keep asking, but also think about this; could one trophy under Mourinho be a catalyst for greater things, or a consolation for his upcoming failures?
7 notes · View notes
ma-serannas-vhenan · 5 years ago
Note
Beyond The Veil OC Question Time: 7. What would appear on your OC’s gravestone in the Fade? ... 26. What moment in your OC’s life do you think defines them as a person? ... and 29. If your OC desperately needs help, whom do they turn to?
7.
Mune Mahariel: Losing her family. Similar to her brother, but also not. She cares for a great many things and a great many people, despite her better judgement, though there's few she truly considers family. Having them taken from her. . . It would not be pretty.
Ahearn Mahariel: Losing his family. The man doesn't care for very many things, but family is what he values above all else. Losing Mune, Morrigan, Kieran, or anyone else he considers to be his kin. . . There is nothing you could do to him that would be worse.
Edith Hawke: Failure. Ever since her father died, this has been Edith's fear. She had to be perfect, to always have a solution or a way around, never faltering, never failing. Never losing. It was and is her role to protect, to be a steady and solid pillar, always armed with a spell and a smile. Yet no matter how hard she tries, failure dogs her.
Kida Lavellan: Herself. She's an abnormally powerful mage and she sometimes has difficulty controlling it. She's never lost control and she never plans on releasing her magic in such a way, but it's there and she knows what kind of havoc she could cause. Healing magic isn't something she's good at, her brand is destruction, and she knows what she can do. It's not her magic she fears, it's what she would do without her control and discipline.
26.
Mune Mahariel: When she survives Ostagar. She joined the Grey Wardens because she didn't have a choice, she wanted to help, but she also wanted to save her and her brother's life. When Ostagar is destroyed it leaves her, Ahearn, Ezmeralda, and Alistair as the last Warden's in Ferelden, and it's what makes her fully commit. That moment is when she truly becomes a Grey Warden, when she decides that she's willing to do whatever it takes to stop the darkspawn and bring peace.
Ahearn Mahariel: When he accepts the title of Warden Commander. He has always been his sister's shadow, that's how he preferred it, wanted it. Accepting the title forced him to step out if it and stand to cast his own. Away from his clan, away from his sister, he was alone for the first time in his life, and thus was forced to learn how to walk in solitude. Being angry was easier than being hurt and lonely, so that's what he was for a while. But it was a growing point for him and looking back on it today, he is grateful.
Edith Hawke: When she defeats the Arishok. She was just an apostate mage living in Kirkwall, trying to take care of her family and getting into more trouble than should have been possible. Defeating the Arishok made her someone, it gave her authority, power, responsibility, weight, even if she didn't want it. She never expected to be anything more than a village girl from Lothering.
Kida Lavellan: When Corypheus attacks Haven. Before that, she was merely with the Inquisition out of a sense of responsibility and a want to help. She wanted to help seal the Breach, knew that she was the only one who could, knew that it would save lives, but that was it. Until it wasn't. When she decided that she was willing to die to protect the people of Haven, when she stared Corypheus and his dragon in the face and did not flinch, she defined herself as someone willing to make the choices no one else would or wanted to.
29.
Mune Mahariel: Ahearn. That's her brother, she trusts him with her everything, and he would do anything for her. If she couldn't get to him however, she would go to Zevran without hesitation.
Ahearn Mahariel: Mune. She's always been there for him no matter what, always with acceptance and care. If not his sister, he would go to Morrigan.
Edith Hawke: Fenris. Out of everyone, she trusts him the most and knows that she can rely on him to be there for her as she is for him. Her second choice would be Varric.
Kida Lavellan: Solas. She trusts him with everything she has, values his opinion and loves him beyond measure, he will always be her first choice. She would also go to Dorian in a heartbeat.
4 notes · View notes
mo-mo-and-porkchop · 5 years ago
Text
Hehrlana
Hehrlana
Vikings fan fiction
Chapter 4 (Chapter 3 here)
*I do not own any part of the Canon Vikings characters. It is simply my interpretation. I make no profit off of this.
**I do own the original characters and everything associated with them.
Tagging for updates: @kenzieam , @wilddrabble , @oddsnendsfanfics , @thoughtsmeander2tumblingblindly , @captstefanbrandt
Tumblr media Tumblr media
"You can not be serious father?!" Arlen exclaimed hurt and angry. Their sister would be taken away by a heathen of all people. "He is nothing more than a pagan brute!" he growled.
"Arlen!" Ehrlana scolded.
"He can not be trusted sister," he spat firmly in reply.
Harald's anger rose with Arlen's accusations, even if he was mostly right. He was a brute. Ruthless in times of war. He even lied when necessary to further his ambitions of becoming King. But this time, however, things were different.
The Celtic Princess stirred emotions deep within that he long thought dead. His breath caught with her presence. His heart raced. His mind voided itself of everything except her. The woman, unbeknown to her, had him under her spell. He wanted Ehrlana. Yearned for her; almost as much as he had desired Elisef.
He set his utensils down and readied himself to argue his defense when they were both cut short by the King.
"Watch your tongue!" he roared before Harald could intercede.
"Father, he will surely kill her the first chance he gets," Arlen pleaded much more quietly.
"King Harald is our guest and I will not have such disrespect at my table! You and I will discuss your punishment later, but for now I suggest you leave before you lose what dignity you have left," he finished definitively.
The King resumed his meal as the growing tension seemed to fill the room. Awkwardly they sat in silence as Arlen stared his father down. The king ignored him and continued eating; his word final. His eldest son pushed himself angrily from the table and left. If he wouldn't listen then he would take care of the matter personally. He would protect his sister from the heathens with or without his father's help.
"I apologize for my son," the King began once Arlen was gone.
Although he agreed with him, it was not his place to decide Ehrlana's future; a future directly tied to the fate of their people. An alliance with Harald and the great heathen army would be beneficial for all. If his son had only controlled himself long enough he would have found the same truth.
"He is very....passionate at times," he explained as nicely as possible.
"It seems to me he is full of hatred for my kind," Harald retorted with disdain.
"He is upset over the recent attacks. One Northman is the same as another to Arlen unfortunately," he further explained, slight sorrow in his voice. "I, on the other hand, understand the benefit of our alliance." He glanced over at his daughter and gently held her hand. "Even if it means losing my daughter."
He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go for the last time.
"Arlen may be misguided, but he is a formidable warrior," Liam chimed in, his attenetion still on his food. He casually ate and drank as if his brother hadn't just caused a scene.
"I will handle Arlen," the King firmly, yet calmly professed.
"I would not underestimate his anger or his passion father," he warned finally looking to him.
"If he can can not control his anger or his passion, then I will handle him," Harald said finally breaking his silence. Nothing was to going stand in his way of making her his wife. Especially her ignorant brother.
Ehrlana's heart froze and her chest tightened with the threat. She could feel the truth of his words in her veins as they slowly turned to ice. Her nerves tingled and for a moment she feared Arlen was right.
"I do not doubt that," Liam replied. "My sister's safety is all that matters to me. As with Arlen. We are very protective of her," he continued.
When Harald's eyes found hers, he immediately relaxed his demeanor. He wanted her as his wife, not his enemy. His heart clenched seeing the fear in her eyes.
"Then you have no need to worry. She will be in the safest place in all of Norway," Harald offered trying to back pedal a bit.
"For your sake I hope so," her brother countered, glancing at his sister before going back to their meal.
-------
"You can still change your mind," her brother, Kieran reminded her. He glanced over his shoulder at Harald and his men as they carried the remains of their camp onto their ships. "The winters are much worse than here," he tried convincing her as he brought his attention back to her.
"You have been speaking with Arlen too much," she replied with a small laugh. "Liam will be with me until I am married. I will be fine. Do not worry," she reassured him as she hugged him goodbye. "Please try and convince Arlen of the same and take care of Siobhan," she said before giving him one last squeeze.
"You have my word, Queen," he replied with a smirk and a playful bow.
She pushed him playfully; her brother laughing in return. "I will miss you," she said with a sad sigh once their laughter died down.
"And I you," he agreed just as sorrowfully.
"We will see her again," Liam cut in, seeing Kieran's anguish. He'd done well hiding it from their sister, but he never could fool him. His brother was about to break down.
"You watch that King," he replied lowly, locking eyes with Liam. "We have to know he can be trusted with her."
"I will make sure she is safe before I return. You have my word brother," he said squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. The two brothers locked eyes and it was clear Kieran wasn't completely convinced Ehrlana should go. "My word," he reiterated with a firm squeeze, silently forcing his brother to get control of his rising anger.
-------------
Ehrlana watched her brothers and father at the shore as the boat pulled away. Liam beside her, his arm wrapped caringly around her shoulders. She was leaving her home behind. Sadness gripped at her heart as it slowly grew smaller. As much as she dreamt of this moment, she would miss it.
"Are you ready for this little sister?"
She sighed and leaned into him, hugging him gently. "I don't know," she replied with a small shake of her head. "But I am ready to find out."
Liam was the first to turn away from the sight. Ehrlana couldn't bring herself to do the same and watched until the shores of Ireland were out of sight. She pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders before finally turning away herself.
------
Moonlight danced along the ripples left behind as small waves crashed gently against the ship's underbelly. A gentle breeze strong enough to carry their sail blew across the seas. Harald's men were casually scattered across the longboat; some working, some sleeping. Others sang softly to themselves as they sharpened their swords. They were nearly done their trip and it had been peaceful.
"I have heard your men say the Gods are happy," Ehrlana said as she made her way next to Harald at the ship's prow. "But they are surprised by this. I suspect it is because my family is Christian," she continued a bit dejected with a shrug. "I hope my brother Arlen will not be proven right about my safety once in Vestfold," she added hugging herself slightly against the wind.
Harald's heart sank with her words and the hidden worry in her voice; though he understood her concern. His younger self would have done exactly that. "You are their Queen," he said wrapping his cape around her shoulders. "No one would dare harm you."
"I am not their Queen. Not yet. We are still to be wed," she reminded him, glancing back at him. The extra warmth was welcomed and she pulled it closed around her.
"You became my Queen when you were given as my bride," Harald sighed, leaning against the edge of the ship, facing her.
"But I am not their Queen," she reiterated.
Harald's eyes found hers and saw her worry. A slightly frustrated, quiet sigh left him. At least she wanted them to accept her. That was more than he could say for most other Christians he'd met. His heart tugged with care - a small sign he had been right about one thing.
She was different.
"If that is what you truly want, then you will be," he reassured her. "They will see you as I do. They will have no choice but to accept you."
She softly smiled, slightly sad. "And how is it that you see me?"
Momentary panic coursed through his veins when he realized what he'd said. Instead of falling apart from embarassment he reached for her hand and pulled her closer, settling his arms around her waist and intertwining his hands at the small of her back.
"I see you as my Queen," he said smoothly.
Her worry and sadness slowly began to fade. He was trying; which meant her belief that Arlen may have been right faded to a distant memory as she stood in his arms.
Ehrlana smiled gently at him before snuggling against him. "I hope you are right. I quite like the thought of being your Queen," she said softly with a sigh.
A smile spread across his face; pride swelling within his chest. Perhaps the Gods had not cursed him after all.
Liam watched closely as his sister cuddled into the King. He held his own reservations over their marriage, but he couldn't deny that she looked happy in his arms. He could only hope it would last.
-------
They all deboarded at Vestfold's shores; Ehrlana and her brother escorted to the main hall to prepare for the wedding.
"Halfdan!" Harald yelled as his brother came walking down the pier.
"Brother!"
The two men embraced in a joyous reunion.
"I hear you have brought a Queen home with you, but I see no woman here," he said glancing around teasingly.
Harald chuckled quietly. "Her name is Ehrlana. And she is not here because she is off preparing for our wedding," he countered with a smirk.
Halfdan returned the small smile before falling serious. "Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" he asked tentatively.
Halfdan knew his brother's weakness when it came to women; always choosing the wrong ones. But he'd always been there to catch him when he fell. He feared this time however that even he wouldn't be able to help if things went sour.
"A king needs a queen," he chuckled lightly, squeezing his brother's shoulder reassuringly.
"But she is Christian," he added as they headed away from the shores. "An outsider. How do we know she can be trusted?"
Harald fought the urge to let his smile fade as well. He knew this would come up with Halfdan, but the marriage was going to happen. It was good for both parties to ally with each other and his brother could either accept it or not.
"Wait until you meet her. Then, if you feel the same, we will make sure she will never think of betraying us," he offered in in compromise to keep him from spoiling the upcoming festivities.
Halfdan contemplated his brother's compromise a moment before grunting slightly in agreement. He doubted she would change his mind and he would soon prove himself right - allowing him to once again make sure Harald was protected from the fairer sex.
----
"I am nervous," Ehrlana admitted to Liam as various thralls dressed and readied her for marriage.
"I will not let any harm come your way, but if you have decided against this marriage then --"
"About tonight," she cut in.
Her brother chuckled. "Sleeping with your husband is what makes you nervous?" he asked rhetorically.
"Not all of us can be whores," she teased him, but her nerves were real and they made her voice quiver slightly.
"Listen," he started understandingly. "There is nothing to worry about. Sex is not as big of a deal as everyone makes it out to be. It is fun, I will not lie..."
"Liam, please. I already know of your exploits."
"It is fun, but it is not a life changing experience. You will be fine Lana."
She appreciated the effort to comfort her. Liam always knew how to calm her fears, but this was different. Harald would be the first man she ever lay with. The first to ever see her nude body. To see her truly vulnerable. And her soon to be husband's reputation for prowess hadn't missed her.
"Just, be honest with him," he added with an empathetic sigh, pulling her in for a reassuring hug. "If he has any decency at all, he will understand. And besides," he said leaning back to look at her. "I will be here at least until morning. Come and find me should he not."
23 notes · View notes
thereinafter · 5 years ago
Text
Letter for Chocolate Box 2020 (cut for major wall of text; fandoms I requested are Dragon Age, Tortall, Darkest Dungeon, Original Work)
Hello, dear chocolatier, thanks for creating something for me!  I’m thereinafter (isyche) on AO3.
I like both fic (any rating you want to write) and art (gen or romance or implied sex fine, no explicit porn), Prompts below are copied from my signup, followed by a long general likes list and then DNWs.
Dragon Age
Cassandra/Leliana: I love them and their long history/intimidating outsides/romantic insides/right hand-left hand balance a lot. some prompt ideas: a) on a mission pre-DAI and some forced-intimacy or h/c trope pushes them to admit/act on feelings b) escalating personal notes attached to official reports c) sneaked moments away from Skyhold  d) fighting back to back e) either one convincing the other to take a break and do something fun, in her own way. Or anything from my likes list you find inspiring, get-together or established. For art: I’d love them being romantic or formidable together however you want to draw it.
Leliana/Josephine: I also love their history and friendship, and how Josephine can potentially light up Leliana’s tendency to darkness, and also how Leliana is playful with/protective of her. There are a lot of established-relationship missing-scene type scenarios I’d like for them, e.g., an excursion to Val Royeaux from Skyhold, a dance together at Halamshiral, Josie waiting up for Leliana to finish spy business, distracting each other from frustrating work, managing difficult guests. Or being drawn back together when Josie comes to the Inquisition after having been in the past. Or, again, anything else from my likes you’re into. I’d be delighted by art of them as well, if you want to illustrate any of these ideas or just draw them being cute.
and some gen ideas I’ve thought about recently and would like to read:
Cassandra & Vivienne: Since Vivienne is a knight-enchanter and thus technically a melee fighter, I’m curious about how and where she trains or has in the past for that, and I’d be interested to see her and Cassandra bond in some way through testing themselves against each other.
Female Hawke & Leliana & Morrigan: These three could have all potentially met in Lothering before the Blight, so write me something about that? Maybe they all get into a scrape together and have to cooperate? Maybe it was caused by Hawke’s or Morrigan’s magic?
Morrigan & Sera: I once drew Morrigan being amused by Sera stealing templar breeches and ever since I’ve kind of wanted that fic. Morrigan is entertained by Sera’s pranks on targets she dislikes and offers to help? Sera is suspicious/scared of her but eventually decides she’s all right? (Sera makes friends with Kieran?)
Tortall
Keladry of Mindelan & Baby Griffin: Having recently read the Kel books, I was really charmed by her heroic efforts to care for the griffin baby until its parents are found, and I’d like a little fic exploring that more, or maybe it coming back to find her later on? Daine and/or Alanna could be involved too if you like. I also am pretty sure this would make for adorable art.
Darkest Dungeon
I feel like there are potential stories around a lot of the mechanics in this game: the quirks and stress and breakdowns and need to recover through drinking or sex or gambling or religion, the weird trinkets and cultist groups, why new adventurers keep showing up to get fed into the dungeon. So, with this fandom I’m interested in fic playing with those things and building on what’s implied in the game (or art along those lines illustrating some offscreen scene, or creating a shippy moment).
I picked these three pairings because I thought they made for interesting dynamics, but if you want to include other characters or enemies, go for it (and use whatever names you want).
Antiquarian/Grave Robber: bonding over an interest in treasure and desire to stay alive and out of the melee? Getting lost on an unadvised side trip in the ruins?
Arbalest/Shieldbreaker: Arbalest takes Shieldbreaker under her wing and tries to cover her in combat/patch her up/help with her nightmares?
Hellion/Vestal: opposites attract, Vestal has impure thoughts about Hellion, and/or healer/fighter h/c?
Original Work
I pictured all of these in fantasy settings when nominating them, but some could also work as SF/space opera or historical.
Female Adventurer Lost in the Snow/Female Fire Spirit: Obviously she needs warming up, however you want to take that (does the spirit warm her and let her go like a grateful one night stand? Or a darker take where the woman lets the spirit consume her and make her one of them? or both at different times in her life?)
Female Armorsmith/Female Warrior Who Needs Frequent Repairs: This could go in either a funny “why do you come in here so much” or an angsty “why do you get hurt so often” direction and I’d like either (or both).
Female Knight/Female Bath Attendant with a Crush: I like knights and requited crushes and the sort of caretaking involved in baths, and would be happy with any cute/romantic or comfort/solace or sexy take on this combination.
Female Court Painter/Impatient Princess Sitting for a Painting: Maybe the princess is a flirty rake and the painter is a serious type with no time for her nonsense but secretly charmed, or vice versa? Or they keep falling out over how the portrait should go and then making up? Or they're in a secret relationship and the impatience is because it's the only time they can see each other?
Grumpy Lonely Sorceress/Female Courtesan She Hires for a Ritual: I pictured this as a lighthearted story where the situation starts awkward and ends more fun than expected for them. Why does the sorceress need to try this particular ritual/spell? (unexpectedly necessary for something she’s researching?) does it succeed? do they decide to collaborate again? up to you.
Anchoress/Woman Outside Her Cell: I’d be happy with either a historical medieval setting or a fantasy/SF invented religion. Here for the pining and inability to touch that the premise suggests; would prefer a hopeful ending to a super bleak one.
-----------
General likes (mainly a fic-oriented list, but if you do art for me and want to incorporate something here, great):
In case you want more inspiration in addition to the above. Take from it as you wish, all these things are good alone or combined
for both gen and shipfic: Lighthearted (romantic or friendship) fluff and humor Glimpses of how the characters manage everyday life stuff in canons where the focus is more on big dramatic events Canon divergence AUs in the “what if x event in canon turned out differently” sense Casefic if the characters do cases or missions or short adventures Epistolary or “found documents” stories, and other unconventional story structures Time loop stories, Rashomon-style stories, and other kinds of variations on a theme (including “five times” fic) Worldbuilding/exploration of the canon world and backstory, especially parts unexplored in the canon; also, in-universe stories, songs, mythologies, histories, etc. Holidays and celebrations and balls, masquerade or not, and dancing, romantic or not Characters doing things in disguise, whether they’re good or bad at it Heists and rescues/jailbreaks Court plotting, intrigue, spying Road or sea trips/wilderness survival situations Swordfights, duels, tournaments, sparring, training for all kinds of fighting Characters making things for others, whether it’s art or music or crafting or food or magic or whatever, and giving gifts Artists (in any art form), artistic rivalries, artist/muse dynamics, artists inspiring each other Competence and being very good at what they do (but perhaps awkward or lost in other contexts); relatedly, learning/practicing new skills
additionally for shipfic: Angst with happy endings Pining, preferably requited in the end Repressed feelings and extended UST, especially between working partners who are busy with something more important Loyalty/dedication/faithfulness/devotion, us against the world, knight/queen dynamics (either one-way or where both consider themselves the knight to the other), bodyguarding, love conflicting with other loyalties, noble self-denial and sacrifice, courtly love Stoicism and hidden feelings/bad at feelings but has a lot, or good at feelings and good at hiding them Secret/forbidden relationships as a source of angst and/or for the excitement of sneaking around Hurt/comfort, rescuing each other, fighting beside each other Snuggling/bathing/dressing/playing with hair/other caretaking Forced intimacy tropes like bedsharing, huddling for warmth, fake dating, marriage of convenience, handcuffed together, dreamsharing/psychic bonds, bodyswap Longtime friends to lovers, old friends meeting again, old enemies who aren’t really anymore and have to admit they like each other, rivals who respect each other Ascetic/hedonist or repressed/libertine or inexperienced/more experienced pairings
for sex scenes: cuddling, kissing, laughing, eroticized hands and voices, clothed/semi-clothed sex, complicated undressing, talking whether emotional or joking or dirty, curiosity/discovery, playfulness/inventiveness, eagerness/desperation, being overwhelmed by feelings, having to keep silent or hold still, interruptions and delayed gratification and intentional teasing/drawing things out, body worship, sex against walls, informal mild kink (e.g., tying up, holding down, blindfolding, taking direction, scratching/marking, tearing clothes, mutual roughness), sexy letter writing, one fantasizing about the other, decadence, voyeurism/exhibitionism, writing/painting on skin, sex pollen, magical or magic-enhanced sex
------------------------
DNWs: unrequested setting AUs (like high school or coffee shop), non-canonical/unrequested polyamory, non-canonical/unrequested pregnancy and kids, non-canonical nicknames infidelity (unless it’s something like escaping a forced or political marriage) sexual violence/rape (eroticized/described in detail; I’m OK with, e.g., a character being a survivor or hunting down a rapist) a/b/o, formalized bdsm, daddy/mommy kink, underage, incest, shit/urine/vomit/spitting
5 notes · View notes
kaziklubaby · 6 years ago
Text
Title: The Bonnie Lass of Dublin
Chapter 01
Words: 1.7k
Pairings: Dutch van der Lind x Molly O’Shea x Kieran Duffy
Warnings: None.
Summary: fluff, angst and smut.
What is love but a kaleidoscopic illusion? What is happiness but sadness pending? What is sorrow but the prospect of joy? What is hate but unrequired love?
Comment: I write improbable couples and can change your mind.
*
Molly O’Shea was crying. It was not the first time she had cried, and she was certain that it would not be her last. In these moments, she couldn’t help but remember the day that she boarded the ship to this new land, allegedly full of opportunities.
When they asked her why she did it, why did she come to the US, she merely said that she came in the whim of finding adventures and excitement, which was only partly true. Why would a lass from a wealthy family board on a ship and come to that wild country, with no means to live? There were parts of her story that even she didn’t want to look at.
She didn't sign up for that kind of life, though. Living in the run, sleeping in tents like savages, almost never getting a glimpse of society, much less the fair part of it. Who would have thought that Molly O’Shea, entitled the Bonnie Lass of Dublin – a title given by Seamus O’Brien, a man with means and influence – would be running with outlaws and eating beans with meat like some kind of peasant?
If she knew that beforehand, she would have stayed in Ireland. She should have married that poor shoemaker, or at least accept old Seamus O’Brien, then she would have had a roof over her head, and a comfortable life, even if not one of the great romances.
Great romances... they have lied to her as well, that’s why she didn’t read them anymore. They were all but cover, much like her relationship with Dutch was turning.
He was the reason she traded all. She could have returned Ireland before when she had the opportunity, but no. She met him, and for him, she would walk to the ends of the Earth, or so she thought.
In the beginning, she was stunned by his looks and words, it was like a spell had fallen over her eyes. His dark eyes were much like the ones of a Selkie, dark and mysterious, his voice was like music to her ears. When he told her about his vision of the world, how he valued freedom and liberty above all else and dreamed of living an independent existence, exulting that facade of Robin Hood, she thought that she had found a hero. Her hero, a rogue that had a heart of gold, believing he and his crew could make a difference in the world.
Also, it was he who taught her about pain and pleasure and showed her the many ways to satisfy a woman, even if he wasn’t paying that attention to her now. He had been her first and she dreamed that he would be her last too.
She truly believed that she had found her hero, the perfect guy from the tales she heard, and he swept her off her feet. First, he was around as a protector, then, slowly he became – and without any resistance of the Bonnie Lass of Dublin – her lover.
Or was the other way around?
She was his lover. Who was she here? No one, nothing. Just the same as the next girl.
At first, she couldn’t care less about what other people thought of her, she was with him and nothing could change her love for him, all she needed at the end of the day was Dutch and him alone, his presence filled her in a way she never experienced before, however, as the time went by, little by little, she noticed that their relationship turned into a sour convivence and that she wasn’t enough to him anymore. Her love only grew as his feelings merely shrink.
Why was that? She wasn’t being good enough? She loved him so much, why her love wasn’t enough to him? Why Dutch was ignoring her like a bad habit? Had she lost the gleam of “new thing”, then? What was Molly O’Shea now but a conquer for him?
These ideas filled her head and heart with distress.
Had he become tired of her?
At first, she thought that it was just a day thing, maybe he needed some space – all men need space sometimes, right? – in the end, she was only trying to ignore what she could obviously see, for Molly O’Shea was no fool.
Sooner than she expected, Dutch was already leaving her alone all the time, cornered in their tent by her thoughts.
How much time would it take for him to leave her by the side of a road? Or worse, for her to become like Miss Grimshaw, watching him take younger girls as lovers, because she wasn’t blind to the silent stories of the camp.
She was a proud Irish girl, and if he left her on a road, she would survive, but she didn’t want to. She needed him to acknowledge her, to be with her, he promised her. Dutch promised to love and cherish her, was all of that a lie? He said he would take care of her, where was he now?
That was her life now. No more Bonnie Lass of Dublin, no more balls, no more Seamus O’Brien holding her hand and trying to persuade her into being his lover, nor a poor shoemaker and his promises of a happy family. Just Miss O’Shea, plain and boring in the eyes of the man she loved.
She didn't come to America to be a servant and a diminished lover, much less the reason for mockery. People at camp made fun of her, or despised her, and never back home someone would treat her like that! She was better than them all.
And she cried, near the lakeshore, as the sun was up high in the sky. She had nowhere else to go. What could she do?
-You okay Miss? – someone said.
She looked at the owner of that voice with despise and anger.
-What do you want? – she tried to brush her tears away, but they just kept coming.
He noticed that when she cried, her green eyes seemed bluer, and he imagined that they looked like the greenish oceans of her land.
-I’m sorry, didn’t want to bother – Kieran said, ashamed of disturbing her – You seemed...
-What I seem or not isn’t your concern – she said.
-I’m sorry Miss... – he said, walking away.
That boy Kieran was noisy, she didn’t trust him, nor she desired to engage in conversation with someone that treated their horses, it was below her.
Molly made up her mind, she was going to talk to Dutch about these things that bothered her, maybe... their relationship still had a chance to be more than a source of sadness.
She hoped and she waited for him.
  [...]
 When they argued, she simply was taken by her anger and there was nothing in the world that would make her cry, but soon as her blood cooled down, she would feel how her heart was broken, every time it seemed one step away from mending it. She was walking by the shore of the lake, she needed to get away from the camp, no more people seeing her cry, no more small talk about her.
She needed space, and she needed to cry. All her being felt torn apart because of his words, Dutch could be so cruel when he wanted to be.
She walked until she couldn’t hear or see the camp anymore, then fell on her knees by the water, without caring that the dirt would ruin her beautiful skirt. She was so tired of it all.
Only the wind heard her, and carried her cries of sorrow in itself. Or so she thought.
A few paces away, there was a Kieran relaxing near the water. He enjoyed the quiet and calm, and the sounds of nature, much more pleasant than the talk of people. He had just taken a bath and now was drying in the warm light of the sun.
He couldn’t forget his status in the gang, being a former O’Driscoll and all, people still mistrusted him and talked about killing him, however, Kieran Duffy wasn’t sad at that moment, in fact, he felt in peace, for fish was plenty, nature was beautiful, sun was warm against his skin, like a caress, and life was good, after all.
The singing of the birds had been disturbed by an ugly cry, and his peace was broken. Who was crying at that hour of the day? It could not be a lady in white, for they only appeared in the dead of the night.
He looked around until his eyes found who was crying at distance.
It was her again, sad Miss O’Shea.
Kieran sighed. What was a cry but a broken call to arms?
Miss O’Shea was a proud one, of that he was sure, but he didn’t hate her, he didn’t even dislike her. She was sad all the time, that’s all. He couldn’t blame her too, he always thought that love could be tricky sometimes, yet, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her in the same way he would feel sorry for a bird with a broken wing, although she should never know about it – she wouldn’t understand.
A part of him was a little scared of talking to her too. Who was he but the guy who treated horses? He had no right to talk to her. She wouldn’t enjoy talking to him either – as it happened before – and probably would think he was prying.
Still, he wanted to do something. It wasn’t right to just let her drown in sorrows, without not even a slight of happiness. A pretty girl like her should enjoy flowers, maybe red ones to match her hair.
When Molly O’Shea returned to camp, her eyes were red and plump from crying so much, and she wished for nothing more than to lay down and sleep, but as she approached the tent she shared with Dutch, she saw flowers over her bed, a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers, red and green.
As she picked it up, smelling them, her face lost her sad and tired expression, lightening herself, as she embraced that bouquet.
Kieran saw it from afar, as he mended a horse cell, and again he couldn’t help himself but feel a warm sensation within his chest. She looked so beautiful, and the smile in her face made her look angel like. Molly O’Shea was amazing indeed.
-Dutch! I knew you weren’t serious! These flowers are beautiful, thank you! – she said, as Dutch approached.
He seemed confused for a moment, but only enough to plot his way through it.
-Yes, I made it for you, darling. All for you. – he said.
19 notes · View notes
soccerdailyuk · 1 year ago
Text
Yunus Musah sends Edu a subtle 'come and get me' plea as Arsenal eye £17m Romeo Lavia alternative 
Tumblr media
Yunus Musah sends Edu a subtle 'come and get me' plea as Arsenal eye £17m Romeo Lavia alternative Arsenal may continue making additional signings during the summer transfer window, even though they have already finalized deals for Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber on Wednesday. The club was engaged in discussions with West Ham and Ajax, respectively, to secure the services of these players. The agreements hinged on the payment structure proposed by Arsenal. Initially, Arsenal made a £30 million offer for Timber, but Ajax turned it down and insisted on their asking price of £50 million. However, there was hope for a compromise. It is now understood that Arsenal has reached a £38.5 million deal to sign Timber. For Rice, a verbal agreement was reached last Wednesday after Arsenal submitted a £105 million proposal. However, negotiations were ongoing regarding the payment terms for the upfront fee of £100 million. Arsenal can now proceed with the transfer by agreeing to pay the guaranteed fee in three instalments within the next 24 months. Despite already spending over £200 million on Rice, Timber, and Kai Havertz, Arsenal may still bring in more players, depending on the number of departures sanctioned. Granit Xhaka is expected to be the first high-profile departure, with a transfer to Bayer Leverkusen for £21.5 million in the works. Kieran Tierney has also been linked with a potential exit due to limited playing time in the 2022/23 season. A return to Celtic is a possibility, while Newcastle and Aston Villa have also expressed interest. Folarin Balogun, who had a successful loan spell at Reims in Ligue 1, is expected to leave Arsenal upon his return, as first-team opportunities under Arteta seem unlikely. Several teams, including Napoli, AC Milan, and Crystal Palace, are reportedly monitoring the 22-year-old striker, but Arsenal now demands at least £50 million to approve a transfer. According to The Sun, there is a possibility that Thomas Partey might leave Arsenal, as the club has stated their willingness to entertain serious offers above £30 million for the 30-year-old midfielder. This potential departure of Partey could also affect Arsenal's pursuit of Romeo Lavia, a player from Southampton. Arsenal's interest in Lavia would only continue if Partey leaves the club. Southampton is reportedly asking for a bid of around £50 million for Lavia, and there is competition from other clubs such as Liverpool and Chelsea for his signature. However, Arsenal's technical director Edu and manager Mikel Arteta might have an alternative in mind, who could also be interested in the move.  Yunus Musah, a player who was previously part of Arsenal's youth system, currently plays for Valencia in Spain. However, it seems that his situation at Valencia may be changing, opening up the possibility of a return to Arsenal. There are reports indicating that Valencia, the Spanish club where Yunus Musah currently plays, is open to selling the United States Men's National Team (USMNT) star. It is suggested that Valencia would be willing to accept a bid of €20 million (£17.1 million) for Musah, which makes him a more affordable option compared to Romeo Lavia. Furthermore, Musah himself has made comments in the past expressing his interest in a potential return to Arsenal, hinting that such a move could be possible. Given these factors, it seems that there is a real chance of Musah rejoining Arsenal if they decide to pursue him as an alternative to Lavia.  "You never know. I had a great time developing at Arsenal. I have friends there, the coaches are great, being an Arsenal player in general is great," he told CBS Sports, as reported by the Daily Mirror. The potential return of Yunus Musah to Arsenal gains further intrigue with recent developments. Musah has been spotted wearing an Arsenal kit in a training session posted on the Elite Player Performance Instagram page, indicating his involvement in preparations for the upcoming 2023/24 season. If Arsenal intends to make further additions to their squad, it is anticipated that they will focus on strengthening their midfield. In such a scenario, a return for Musah could indeed be a possibility, especially if financial constraints play a role. Musah's previous association with Arsenal and the potential affordability of his transfer fee make him an attractive option for the Gunners. Yunus Musah sends Edu a subtle 'come and get me' plea as Arsenal eye £17m Romeo Lavia alternative Read the full article
0 notes
tanjamikaelson · 6 years ago
Text
LOVE FOR ETERNITY - PART 41
MASTERLIST
PART 41: | OUT IN THE WOODS |
Klaus and Marcel are sitting down in the courtyard, opposite from each other. Marcel called him to have a talk, something about humans and since Klaus had an obligation to rule his kingdom he couldn’t refuse to take time and listen to want he has to say.
 - “The humans have called a meeting.” Marcel informed him, “They're not exactly thrilled with the new status quo.”
 - “How unfortunate for them.” Klaus responded simply. He couldn’t care less about what humans think.
 - Just as Marcel opened his mouth to speak they heard Kol’s voice coming from the entrance of the compound, “So are we gonna kill humans as well?” Marcel and Klaus looked at him, just to see a devilish smirk appearing on his face.
 - Marcel sighed and turned his attention back at Klaus, “Look, it's your show now. But, you wanna know how I built what I built? Politics. A little diplomacy goes a long way, especially with the human faction.”
 - Natali laughs, “And I think that we shouldn’t negotiate with humans at all. They are just our source of food, nothing more, nothing less.”
 - “Where did they called a meeting?” Klaus asked.
 - “At St. Anne’s Church.” Marcel replied.
 - “Fantastic.” Klaus says with a smirk as one more idea crossed his mind, “And then there's Davina. She's a powerful weapon. At this point, I'd like to keep her close at hand. I think we should have her move in to the compound here with us.”
 - Marcel looked at him in slight confusion, “She can't leave the attic. I already tried to move her once.”
 - Klaus slightly smiled, “Yes, about that.. Turns out, your little witch is quite the actress. She made a deal with Elijah, tricked you into letting her stay put in exchange for some spells from our mother's grimoire.”
 - Marcel nodded bitterly, clearly not happy about Davina lying to him, “Good to know. Is that all?”
 - “About Davina?” Klaus asked and answered, “I do believe it is. But there is one thing you should know.” he fixed his gaze at Marcel before saying, “Natali is coming with us-”
 - Marcel interrupted him with a frown, “I’m not letting her near Davina.”
 - “If she wanted to kill her I think Davina would be quite dead already.” Klaus told him, “She is coming with us to make a truce with her.”
 - Natali smiled at Marcel, “She is going to die anyway.”
 - “What?” Marcel exclaimed, raising to his feet, “What do you mean by that?”
 - “I suppose you know she has the power of all three sacrificed girls running through her.” Kol spoke, pausing for a moment, “Well it’s just a matter of time when that will end her.”
 - Marcel looked uncomfortable and nervous with this new information, but he thought that he knew better than to believe them, “I don’t believe in anything you two say. Everything that’s coming out of your mouth is a lie!”
 - “Is it?” Natali said narrowing her eyes at Marcel.
 - “Suit yourself.” Kol told him in a flat tone, “But she is a ticking bomb.”
 - Marcel turned back to Klaus, “We should go on a meeting.” he said as Klaus drank from his glass. He drowned the rest of his drink, before he stood up.
 - “Kol, are you leading vampires to the Bayou?” Klaus asked him.
 - “Yes, I do. I came here to collect those vampires from yesterday.” Kol told him.
 - “Well they are someone around here.” Klaus told him waving his hand around the courtyard.
 - “Kill a werewolf for me, will you?” Natali said to Kol.
 - “Anything for you, darling.” Kol told her with a smile, before he kissed her lips.
⚜ ✡ ⚜ ✡ ⚜ ✡
 - As the three of them entered the church Natali smiled, remembering the last time she was there with Kol, “Oh, just a century ago Kol and I slaughtered dozen of people who came here for Sunday Mass. It was really the best early Christmas present he ever gave me.”
 - “And I remember the day after that, when Klaus and Elijah daggered Kol and we finally got rid of you two.” Marcel stated, without any expressions on his face.
Natali pursed her lips and clenched her jaw and before she spoke anything Father Kieran lifted his head and saw them approaching closer to the pews of the church where he gathered the human fraction.
 - He greeted them as he ushered them to the rest of the members, “Klaus, Marcel, thank you for coming.” his gaze than drifting towards Natali, since he had no idea who she was, “And who is she?” he asked.
 - “You can refer to me as a queen.” Natali spoke confidently.
Tumblr media
 - “That’s Natali.” Klaus said with a roll of his eyes.
 - Then Father Kieran decided to go straight to the point, “We are aware of the change in the leadership in your community, and we thought it was time to make the appropriate introductions.” he explained as the Mayor and the Sheriff stood up to introduce themselves.
 - The Mayor looked at Klaus, “We wanna be sure you understand how things work around here.” he says in a demanding tone.
 - Klaus stared back at him amusedly, “Is that so?”
 - The Mayor nods confidently as Father Kieran anxiously clears his throat, “What the Mayor means is that we just want some insurance that this new development isn't going to endanger our city or its inhabitants.”
 - The Sheriff looks over at Klaus and Marcel, before eyeing Natali up and down, “Look, you freaks do your thing, and we'll look the other way.” Klaus looks at Marcel incredulously, and the Sheriff looks at Natali once again, “As long as our pockets stay full, we won't have a problem.”
 - Father Kieran becomes more anxious and fearing a violent confrontation he tries to backtrack, attempting to erase what Sheriff said, “More importantly, there are rules. No feeding on the locals. Don't bring any unwanted attention to the city. History has proven that we can co-exist peacefully. However if you cross the line..-”
 - The Sheriff interrupts him and glares at Klaus, “You’ll answer to us.” he spits cutting to the chase.
 - Klaus and Natali laugh loudly in unison and shaking his head in disbelief, he says, “Okay.. I'm sorry, let me get this straight - I'm to play supplicant to this pompous ass and his ridiculous group of petty thieves?” He sighs dramatically, shakes his head and walks towards the Sheriff and Mayor, “Here are my terms: You will take whatever scraps I see fit to leave you, and you will be grateful. If that doesn't suit you, I may decide you've outlived your usefulness.” he declared with a smirk.
 - “I agree with Klaus on his one.” Natali spoke and Klaus turns his head to look at her, “We don’t negotiate with humans nor listen to their rules.” she gives a death glare to Sheriff and Mayor, “We're the upper class, feeding on those beneath us! And we won't be your puppets so you can earn your damn money.” she pauses for a moment and smiles, “If you don't listen to us, we’ll make you.”
The Sheriff looked angry as Klaus and Natali walked down the aisle to take their way towards the attic where Davina was. Marcel follows, annoyed at their lack of diplomacy.
⚜ ✡ ⚜ ✡ ⚜ ✡
THE BAYOU
Kol and vampires have just arrived to the werewolf encampments in the Bayou, and they are searching around for werewolves to kill.
 - Kol was leading the crew by giving them instructions, “They're obviously here. Fan out, find them, and bring me some heads!”
The vampires scattered all over the forest. They began violently throwing and destroying everything they’ve found around the camp.
Suddenly Elijah appeared a couple of meters away from Kol, “I’d rather you didn’t, Kol.”
 - “Elijah.” Kol smiled gleefully, “Always at the right time for the party. You’re never late.”
 - “I’ve come to suggest you seek other hunting grounds.” Elijah suggested nonchalantly.
 - Kol shrugged indifferently, “Suggestion noted..”
Kol tries to move beside him, but Elijah stopped him.
 - “I mean it Kol.” Elijah said firmly, placing his hand on Kol’s chest to stop him from moving, “The three of you won, why do you need to kill these wolves now?”
 - Kol exhaled a breath of annoyance, “We told Nik, about your little..” he paused for a moment to find the right words, “can I call it an affair with one of his hybrids and that apparently this werewolves are her family, so he ordered a killing spear, that I couldn't refuse.”
 - “Why couldn't you refuse?” Elijah asked him nicely.
 - “Well I wouldn’t be me if I refused killing.. now, would I?” Kol answered with a smile creeping onto his lips.
 - “This particular clan is not to be touched.” Elijah says with an emotionless face.
 - Kol looks away and rolls his eyes, “Tell me Elijah, is our family running an orphanage again?” he says with his usual wit and sarcasm, “Look what’s happening because of the last time Klaus and you decided to welcome into family some poor human slave.” he laughs under his breath, “I mean she even told you to stay away from her life.”
 - “How do you know that?” Elijah questioned, trying to be polite and not lose his patience.
 - “We know everything.” Kol responded quickly.
 - “Anyway, you’ll find werewolves here only if they want to be found.” Elijah informed him.
 - “Well I would be more than satisfied to find that hybrid girl and bring her head to Natali.” Kol smiled cunningly, “She is going to be more than thrilled.”
 - Elijah sighed, “I won’t repeat myself twice, Kol.”
 - “Great.” Kol says with a smug.
⚜ ✡ ⚜ ✡ ⚜ ✡
Natali and Klaus were standing just out of the door and listening to Marcel. He spoke with Davina while she was painting, in the attic she was living at, “You're gonna love it at the compound. I already got the best room in the place picked out.” He explained.
 - “I can't leave! Remember what happened last time?” Davina says not looking up from her painting.
 - “I know about your deal with Elijah..” Marcel told her briefly and sighed before he spoke in a soft tone, “We can’t be lying to each other. I'm trying to protect you. With the witches still looking to kill you for the Harvest, believe me, you're safest with us.”
 - Klaus walked into the room with Natali following him, “Plus, there's excellent light in the afternoon.” He said as he noticed Davina's paintings and went to take a closer look at them, “I see you're an artist. Wonderful! I look forward to witnessing your many talents!”
 - Davina frowned when she saw them, “What are they doing here? Was this his idea?”
 - Klaus exhaled, a tense smile worming it’s way onto his face as he turned to face her, “Davina, please. I understand you're devoted to Marcel, but Marcel is devoted to me. I assume you'll want what's best for all of us.” he walked over to Natali, “And she is here to make a truce with you.”
 - Davina raised her eyebrow as Natali chuckled, “Truth be told, I have no idea how to make a truce. I’ve never done that before.”
 - Klaus pursed his lips in annoyance, “Just apologize to her.”
 - “That word is unknown to me.” Natali told him, trying to hold back her laugh.
 - “She would need to do more than just apologize.” Marcel spoke in a hard voice, defending Davina.
 - “And what that might be?” Klaus questioned as he glared at him.
 - “Should we braid each other’s hair and talk about boys?” Natali asked mockingly, voice dripping with fake sweetness.
Klaus rolled his eyes, realizing that Natali won’t apologize to Davina, especially not do something more, although he wasn't even sure what Marcel though.
Just as Natali turned to walk away, with one twist of her hand Davina snapped her neck. When both Marcel and Klaus realized that Natali stumbled onto the floor, they looked at Davina.
 - “Dammit, Davina.” Marcel snapped; “Why did you do that?”
 - Davina pursed her lips and looked at Marcel, “She deserved it.”
Klaus growled and decided to take Natali and leave the room. Leaving Marcel to handle things with Davina.
 - “I'll get someone to pick up your things. We'll get you settled in right. Trust me.” Klaus heard Marcel tell Davina before he heard him coming down the stairs, leaving very sad Davina behind. Klaus waited halfway down the stairs for Marcel to catch up with him.
 - “What do we do with her?” Marcel asked pointing with his head at Natali who was in Klaus’ arms.
 - “Well she will want to kill Davina, so be ready.” Klaus tells Marcel something he already knew.
⚜ ✡ ⚜ ✡ ⚜ ✡
Klaus quickly took Natali back to the Fangtasia. He opened the front doors and walked in. He could see that there were some people and the music was playing in the background, but there wasn't any big party happening in this very moment.
Few seconds later his eyes fell upon his brother, who was sitting in the booth with few more vampires and they were all feeding on the human that was placed on the table in the middle.
 - Klaus approached them and cleared his throat before making his presence known, “Brother, I think you’re gonna want th-”
 - At the sound of his voice Kol tore his fangs from the flesh and looked up at his brother. Anger washed over his face as he saw Natali with broken neck in his brother’s hands, “What the bloody hell did you do to her?” he shouted taking her body and making every vampire that was sitting in a booth look up.
 - Klaus held his hands up defensively, as Kol was stabbing daggers in his with his eyes, “Davina snapped her neck, I didn't do anything.” he says in defence.
 - Kol clenched his jaw, “So that means they didn’t made a truce.”
 - “Indeed.” Klaus nodded, “I don't know what I was thinking, Natali doesn't know-”
 - He was interrupted by Kol, “Natali doesn't know to make a truce?” he says with a frown, “Or maybe your little witch has a death wish.”
 - Klaus pursed his lips, trying to keep himself calm, “Look whatever you two do, just don't kill Davina.”
 - “Sure thing.” Kol said dryly.
 - “Seriously Kol, I need a witch.” Klaus told him firmly.
 - “You don't deserve a witch, Nik.” Kol told him coldly, “You’ve never respected them and you never will.”
 - Klaus smiled cunningly, “Well, just like you I’m going to manipulate them.”
 - “I don’t manipulate them.” Kol tells him.
 - “Sure you do.” Klaus declared, “Are you gonna tell me how many werewolves did you kill?”
 - “None.” Kol simply replied and Klaus raised his eyebrows for him to continued, “They weren't there. But you know who was?”
 - “Our dear brother Elijah?” Klaus asked, already knowing that was the right answer, “I’m gonna have a talk with him.”
After that Klaus left and Kol laid Natali’s body on the booth, then as the new human laid on the table he returned to his previous doing.
He sucked the blood, until he didn’t heard Natali groan as she woke up. She opened her eyes seeing that she was back in the Fangtasia.
 - “How did I get here?” Natali mumbled massaging her neck.
 - “Klaus brought you.” Kol informed her.
 - Natali raised her eyebrows in surprise, “So he had a chance to throw me into the dungeon or whatever else he has on his mind, and he didn't.” she remarked, “Are we sure someone didn't possessed his body?”
 - “We are not sure about that.” Kol tells her placing his hands on her shoulder to give her a few squeezes, “But I’m sure he doesn't want to end up like that.”
Natali briefly smiled at him and stands up from the booth. She walked towards one table and drowned a glass of whiskey that she found there.
 - “Ugh, I hate how that little witch thinks she can snap my neck and get away with it.” Natali growled as she paced through Fangtasia in frustration.
 - Kol was watching and listening to her, “Well, darling, let’s just show her she can’t.”
 - Natali looked up and him and mischievous smile appeared on her lips, “My love, that's exactly what we are going to do.” she then flashed towards Kol and straddled him, “But.. it can wait till tomorrow.”
⚜ ✡ ⚜ ✡ ⚜ ✡
MASTERLIST
Tags: @mikaelsonsmagic   @p3nny4urth0ught5   @cute-freak27   @ias-born  @superhalsteads  @characterobsessed   @hinata7346   @luiza-4-ever  @huntress1428  
18 notes · View notes
the-foxwolf · 6 years ago
Text
Lili, my Lili
For once in my Tumblr career so far, I will say the following. This article will in fact have some pro-Liliana bias in it. Some. I have written pages and pages and pages about Liliana, so by now I hope you all have realized I tend to be fairly good at keeping it held back. Even so, I will try to keep it at a minimum. But this article is meant to discuss Liliana and her Character Growth since we first truly met her in Agents of Artifice, arguably the real first literature that features her
Gather `Round! It is Story Telling Time!
Tumblr media
(Liliana of the Veil: Innistrad) (Art by Steve Argyle)
Baseline- Agents of Artifice
Before we go into this, let’s discuss a baseline from where she started, where we really met her for the first time: Agents of Artifice. This is the first time we really get the chance to see her at any length and spend time with her. What kind of person was she at this time?
Tumblr media
(Liliana’s Caress: 2011 Core Set) (Art by Steve Argyle)
The following statement from Liliana’s Indignation by Kelly Diggs summarizes quite succinctly the events of Agents of Artifice:
Jace. She'd befriended him on false pretenses, played on his emotions, manipulated him into joining an interplanar crime syndicate, then into overthrowing it. By the time it all went wrong, she'd grown genuinely fond of him, and betraying him had torn out one more strand of her threadbare sense of humanity. Not that that had stopped her, and anyway, if she hadn't done it they'd both be heroically, uselessly dead. Still, she could see why he might bear a grudge.
It doesn’t quite do the whole thing justice in that she did so much worse to him that apparently she didn’t see important enough to even merit remembering.
With that baseline, let’s move on.
Innistrad 
We don’t see Lili for a while after this. We see her pursuing the Chain Veil, dealing with the Raven Man, with Garruk, and hunting down her demons. No real character development going on for a while. Not at least until Shadows over Innistrad. During Origins, she still had not changed. She knocked on Jace’s door knowing exactly how to manipulate him into helping her clear out the Onnake. It wasn’t until Shadows over Innistrad that we finally begin to see some real Character Development.
Return to Innistrad
 Throughout the course of the Shadows Over Innistrad storyline, we see very little change in Liliana. One thing for certain that we see is that Liliana is constantly lying to herself. The phrase: “She didn't need him. She needed someone to need her.” Comes up a few times throughout the arc. But this serves little purpose beyond showing the audience that she hold at least some feelings toward him and that she lies to herself constantly. 
Tumblr media
(Liliana, the Last Hope: Eldritch Moon) (Art by Anna Steinbauer)
Ravnica
In the events of The Flood, by the R&D Story Team, we see Vrazka’s point of view of an intimate moment between Jace and Liliana. We notice Liliana hasn’t changed a bit yet. She’s still trying to play with his feelings to have him under her palm. However, we must recognize that this event took place almost immediately after the conclusion of the Shadows arc. Jace is complaining about chess, a game Emrakul, or at least its avatar, forced Jace to play. Point being, this event takes place shortly after the fight with Emrakul. 
The events of Homesick, by Chris L`Etoil, are more difficult to interpret. To me, it seems Liliana is starting to grow fond of the Gatewatch. She’s started teasing them. Talking with and about them as though they were friends. I’m not convinced she is necessarily friends with any of them yet, but her tsundere quality is starting to show and her initial cold iciness has warmed up to a lukewarm chill. Making friends. Or least getting close to it. Good. Progress. She has not had a friend...ever. Literally. Before she ignited she had tutors and targets. But no one outside her family she saw as a peer or as an equal. As an Old Walker and up until now, everyone has been a tool. But now... the Gatewatch are still tools, but she is actually getting along and enjoying their company. Take note, the events of Homesick take place THREE MONTHS after the events described in The Flood. We know this for certain at the very least because the events of this story immediately lead up to the Kaladesh story arc...by which point she and Jace had “reminisced” about old times at least three times. 
And do not tell me their “reminiscing” was merely conversational. Read this section over. Even a fool can tell their “reminiscing” was much more than that.
"You should go back. The others will notice if you don't come home tonight," said the woman.
Jace shrugged. "It's just past sunset. I've got time."
"Oh." The woman looked Jace over, visibly weighing some decision in her mind.
Tumblr media
(Liliana, Death’s Majesty: Amonkhet) (Art by Chris Rallis)
"This is just two old acquaintances, relaxing after a victory," the woman responded. "Reminiscing about the good old days."
Jace absently tugged on his right glove. "Those days weren't all good."
"We weren't, either," the woman said in a hushed, dangerous tone.
In a moment, the game transformed, chessboard tossed on the floor, metaphorical dice on the table. She was a gambler, floating an offer for one more round, one more bet, just for the hell of it, c'mon, fellas, what's the worst that could happen.
"We're not together," the woman in violet added. "But you don't have to leave just yet."
Jace looked up from his drink and met her gaze with a hopeful look.
The woman topped up both of their glasses and lifted hers. "To new good old days," she said.
To Vraska's relief, the illusion dissolved, and the riverbed returned.
Kaladesh
Finally we starting seeing some growth. Measurable growth. We see a lot of that in Puppets, by James Wyatt.
A single spell could drain the life from the soldiers and add their walking corpses to her retinue... Killing these soldiers would be easy—but, strangely, that had not been her plan. Perhaps Jace and—she shuddered a little—and General Meat-Shield are rubbing off on me.
Tezzeret himself comments on Liliana’s strange new behavior.
"I think [Jace] softened you, Vess. The necromancer I knew four years ago would have marched in here at the head of a zombie army. And she might have lived to tell about it.
Even though she recognized the inefficiency of not slaying everyone in her path and building an gang of zombies, she refused. As Tezzeret said, Pre-Gatewatch Liliana would not have hesitated for a second to wipe them out and bring them along. This is honestly a mind boggling change for her. Leaps and bounds different than the person she was before the Gatewatch.
Amonkhet
We see a change so grand in her it even shocks herself. Liliana does not seem to grow incrementally, but rather in great bursts as the trust bubbles out of her without her consent. Lili is a master of lying to herself.
In Hour of Devestation, by , we see another facet of Lili change- her heart. Looks like she’s finally let herself have feelings for Cloak Boy.
Tumblr media
(Jace’s Defeat: Hour of Devastation) (Art by Kieran Yanner)
She looked again at the space where Jace had been, his agonized screams echoing in her mind. She felt something wet at the corner of her eyes, but willed it away, refusing to show weakness to anyone.
But these new feeling and emotions in her heart extend beyond just Jace. She genuinely has come to care about The Gatewatch. As Bolas defeated them one by one, we see Liliana exhibit some new, alien, behavior.
She didn't know what made her turn to the others, but she did it anyway, the words coming before she could stop them...
She was unused to the swirl of emotion she felt....
"Please. If you stay here, you will die. This is not the way." She hated the pleading in her voice, but she let her words stand....
Her choices always led her here. Another betrayal. Another disappointment. Another trap. It was the comfort she found in the dead. They could not be betrayed. They could not be disappointed. They could not look at her with hurt and anger in their eyes....
Tumblr media
(Liliana’s Defeat: Hour of Devastation) (Art by Kieran Yanner)
She surrounded herself in a glowing nimbus of dark energy and vanished into the void, her tears finally free to fall in the empty spaces between worlds.
Feelings for Jace. Concern for the mortality of the Gatewatch. Now we see that her association with the Gatewatch extends beyond mere utility. If utility was all she truly desired, she would have accepted Bolas’  help. But she did not. Vitally important fact.
Dominaria
While we see some Character Growth in Return to Dominaria: Episode 1, by Martha Wells, most of the Character Growth so far has been seen in In Return to Dominaria: Episode 2, by Martha Wells, where we see Liliana practice something she’s not familiar with... honesty. 
She might have used the moment to lie or try to manipulate him, but she hadn't. It had surprised him, and made him think they might actually have a chance to kill Belzenlok and then Nicol Bolas. If they could really work together as allies, anything was possible. 
Her first instinct was to lie and manipulate Gideon into helping. But BeefslabTM is an honest man whose trust requires honesty. In what is a pretty tremendous event, she decided to just drop her veils and tell him the truth. There are other examples so far in the story, but I’ll leave it short for brevity’s sake. This event is particularly impactful because her first instance of intentional honesty in who knows how long was with Gideon, a man whose moral compass frustrated Liliana.
Tumblr media
(Deploy the Gatewatch: Eldritch Moon) (Art by Wesley Burt)
We see something else that is rather surprising: Liliana owning up to her actions- taking responsibility for her crimes. When thinking about Josu, when she realized he is still alive.
It was easy to see now that she had been single-minded and selfish about it, ignoring warnings, rushing as if minutes were meaningful, wanting only to succeed where others had failed and make herself the hero of her family. But it was a teenager's selfishness, a childish self-absorption. It didn't deserve this. Josu didn't deserve this.
She tried blaming The Raven Man, several times. But each time, she corrected herself, telling herself that she was the one who took the action. All The Raven Man did was provide the poison. It was Lili who chose to try and be a hero, who chose to trust a shady stranger, who did not have the patience to check her work.
Conclusion
Three major changes we have seen from Liliana since the events of Agents of Artifice are:
The ability to be honest
The ability of self restraint
The ability to care for others beyond just their utility
She had none of that at the very beginning of this article. I understand that some of these scenes could be interpreted differently. Even so, I feel very confident in saying that Liliana has changed- for the better. 
Hit that “Reblog” button if you liked what you read. For more short stories, articles, and discussion from me at Story Telling Time, hit that “Follow” button.
See ya next time!
38 notes · View notes