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the-blind-assassin-12 · 4 years

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Feel More Alive

Word Count: 1,503 Warnings: language & (gag) mention of William A/N: The second that I saw this piece of artwork, I heard I Can’t Stand It by VHS Collection in my head, so the title comes from that song.

(ARTIST APPRECIATION SUBMISSION)

Happy Friday everyone! I know it’s been a little while since I posted one of these, and since there has been so much amazing art lately, I thought I would get back to it. This one made me gasp aloud when I first saw it, even though I KNEW it would be incredible from the second I sent the request in. @pheedraws literally never disappoints and always delivers absolutely stunning portraits and drawings, and this one was no exception.

Phoebe! How do you do it? How do you manage to get so much emotion and expression in your art? How do you fit so much detail and light and life into these pieces? You are an art enchantress... an ARTchantress, and I never cease to be amazed at the magic you create.

So from me to you, THANK YOU so much for sharing your talent with all of us. You are fabulous, you are appreciated, you are a frickin gem.

He should not be allowed to look that good in purple aubergine and yet...

The wide expanse of the city spread out before him as he took his seat across from the solid plate glass wall. The hotel bar that he was in offered one of the most stunning views available of Singapore at night, and while he’d been to the city countless times before on business due to the island-nation’s favorable international tax rates, he couldn’t remember the last time he had visited purely for pleasure. When was the last trip I took where I wasn’t working? He couldn’t remember that either, only able to recall the various times he’d been in the room where he sat now. Outside, the lotus shaped structure of the ArtScience museum went from orange to violet as the lights changed, the reflections bouncing off the water below and coming through the window to tint Logan’s cheeks. Maybe one’a these days I’ll get down there, check it out. I bet-

A server came by then to deliver two tall, slender champagne flutes, and Logan let his thoughts trail off as the woman smiled. “Is there anything else I can do for you right now, Mr. Delos?” She tucked her small round tray beneath her arm, the fingers of her free hand skimming the bottom hem of her dress where it sat almost plastered to her thighs before trailing those same fingertips over the table top. Subtle.

It wasn’t her fault. He knew that the staff here had been instructed to cater to whatever requests their high profile visitors might have. In the past he would have taken her up on her offer, but this trip, while still business related, was different for a few reasons. Logan returned her smile, undoing the button on his jacket and leaning back in his seat. “No, thank you, I’m all set for now.”

She let her tongue slip out from between her lips before giving him another slowly spreading smile and bringing her hand up to innocently toy with one of her dangling earrings. “Well, if anything changes, I’d be happy to-”

I’m sure you would. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks.” He lifted his glass to her, cocking one eyebrow as he did, then brought it to his mouth and took a large gulp. The woman nodded and turned to head back to the bar, but Logan caught her throw one last glance over her shoulder at him as she did.

I should talk to the manager, tell ‘em that they can stop tellin’ the staff to do that with me. He let his eyes scan the room then, flitting over the faces of the people at the other booths in search of one face in particular. He laughed to himself as he brought his glass back down to the table. They’d probably look at me like I had six fuckin’ heads.

It had been a few years since he’d chosen this location as a meeting place for a business contact, mainly because of the way things had unfolded after his last meeting there. Last time I sat in this booth I… He looked down and to his right at the empty cushion beside him. On Logan’s last visit, that space had been occupied by an attractive young man with captivating eyes with whom he’d planned to leave the hotel bar, had the Argos Initiative representatives he was meeting-if I can really call them that now that I know- not shown. He ran his palm over the dark leather upholstery. Can’t remember his name. Maybe I never even… It wouldn’t have been the first time Logan had gone to bed with someone without knowing what to call them. But I didn’t, not that night, not with him anyway. He closed his eyes and drew his hand back to the table, pointer and middle finger running up and down the stem of his glass before turning his head to the left, an involuntary frown forming as his eyes landed in the spot where William had sat on that last trip.

He closed his eyes and turned his attention back to the floor to ceiling windows before opening them again, the golden lights of the lounge’s chandeliers joining the countless others in his field of vision. He’s gone now, no use in… Though Logan had already run though every single second of his trip to the park with his former brother in law, chastizing himself for not taking control of the situation sooner- If I’d have just fuckin’ shot her, if I’d have dragged his ass home- he hadn’t gone back further than that in his “what ifs”. But now, sitting here where it all began, he couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened had William not called it a night so early, had he been in the room with Logan when just a twitch of Angela’s finger had frozen the entire assembly of Hosts. He’d had to have seen it then. They’re not real, they’re...they’re not alive, they… With a sigh he trained his eyes on his glass as a string of tiny bubbles rose to the surface. If he’d have seen what I saw, felt what I felt, there’s no way he would have… I’d at least have seen it sooner, seen it before I brought him to the park and…

Fuck. He hadn’t wanted to think about that time, or the initial meeting with Argos. This trip was different not only because of what Logan had gone through since the last time he’d set foot in Singapore, but because of who he had with him this time- you. He’d been hesitant to bring you with him on this trip, not because he wasn’t sure of how he felt about you or because he wanted to take the lounge’s servers up on their offers to take care of whatever he needed, but because he wasn’t sure what being back in that place would be like for him, what feelings it might bring up. While this was a business trip, and you were a contracted Delos employee, that’s not all that this trip was, and he didn’t want it to be shrouded in the pain of his past. You knew everything that had happened, so it wasn’t that he wanted to keep anything from you. I just don’t want her to have to deal with this now. She shouldn’t. She deserves...she makes me...

His thoughts dropped off again as the face he’d been looking for finally emerged from the hall that led to the restrooms, and he felt his chest expand as he took a breath in through his nose, his mouth dropping open to let it back out. Damn. Teeth snapping back together as you moved toward him through the crowded room, Logan watched the amethyst and orange reflections from the city lights paint swatches of color across your white dress. The rush he got just from looking at you made him feel more alive than any Host could, no matter how lifelike they were, and your smile as you noticed him noticing you was enough to banish all thoughts of his last visit to the lounge.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to take so long there was,” you rolled your eyes. “Some poor girl was crying in the bathroom mirror so I,” you twirled your hand as you sunk into the seat next to him, your knee brushing his. “I talked to her for a minute and-”

But Logan didn’t hear the rest of your sentence, instead swallowing it with a kiss as one arm wound behind your back to pull you even closer to him. “Don’t be sorry,” he spoke against your lips before pulling back to look into your eyes. “Just don’t go anywhere else.”

Your cheeks lifted into another smile as you brought one hand up to rake your fingers through his thick hair. Damn that’s… “That can be arranged, Logan.” You leaned in then, biting down gently on his earlobe and making him suck in a breath. “Unless,” you whispered, pressing your lips to his skin and raising goosebumps, “unless you wanna come with me.”

Oh she has no idea what she just… “Now there’s an idea.” He picked up his glass, emptying it down his throat as you winked and did the same, then grabbed for your hand. “C’mon.” He pulled you to your feet and then with another tug, dragged you into his side. “Lemme show you the rooftop. ‘F I’m gonna buy this place, I should at least give you a private tour.”

You hummed, a spark igniting in your eye as you rose on your toes to kiss him sweet and slow, drawing it out and making his heart race like no one else ever could. As the two of you made your way out of the lounge and into the elevator, Logan realized that his past wouldn’t haunt him anymore; that there was no longer any reason for him to hold on to the ghosts when there was so much life right in front of him.

Thank you a million times to all you fabulous artists! If you are an artist in the Ben Barnes fandom, or if you want to surprise an artist with a quick drabble, send me a message or link me to the piece of artwork that you would like me to write about. Let’s show these talented folks how much we appreciate them and the things that they create!

And if you would like to be added to or removed from my tag list, please feel free to drop a line!

General Tags: @something-tofightfor @its-my-little-dumpster-fire @suchatinyinfinity @malionnes @thesumofmychoices @gollyderek @pheedraws @beautifuldesastre @alraedesigns @dearmarii @fific7 @traeumerinwitzhelden @obscurilicious @luminex3 @bisexual-space-slut @vetseras Logan Tags: @valkblue @belladonnarey @ymariejp @drinix @jigsawlover10 @getlostinyourparadise @nananananananananananabatman @qhostboyyy @ofgeneticperfection @delosdoll

#ben barnes fanart appreciation #ben barnes fan art #ben barnes fandom #pheedraws #the-blind-assassin-12 #logan delos fanart #logan delos fanfic #logan delos x you #logan delos x reader #logan delos westworld #westworld fanart #logan delos deserved better and pheedraws said HE SURE DOES

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violethowler · 4 years

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Dark Enchantress

Following on from last week’s essay, I would like to talk about one character who has often been overlooked both in-universe and out. Someone who was a major character in the first game, but whose presence has diminished in the years since, even as subsequent games have subtly laid the groundwork for her return to prominence.

I’m talking of course, about Maleficent.

Because of the fact that she hasn’t been a major threat since the first game, many fans tend to overlook Maleficent in later Kingdom Hearts games and dismiss her as an unimportant distraction, or even an outright joke. Outside of Re:coded, her schemes have had no immediate impact on the overarching plot of any games, and she’s constantly overshadowed by bigger antagonists like Xehanort.

However within the framework of the Heroine’s Journey, Maleficent fills a crucial role that has not yet been completed. To explain, I must first elaborate a bit more on the narrative archetype into which Sora and Rikus’ relationship falls:

The character dynamic between the protagonist and their Animus in a Heroine’s Journey often follows what I have heard others informally label as a Dark Youth/Light Youth narrative[1]. There is no official name for this archetype, so I will be referring to it by the terms it was labeled as when I first learned of it. While the archetype is not exclusively used for romances, many Heroine’s Journey romances fit into this dynamic, as romantic Dark Youth/Light Youth stories tend to follow Beauty and the Beast, rivals-to-lovers, and enemies-to-lovers archetypes.

The Light Youth is most commonly the protagonist of a story, while the Dark Youth typically serves as a Shadow figure to the main character. While there have been rare instances where a Dark Youth is the protagonist of their own story, in most examples, the Dark Youth will be a deuteragonist to the Light Youth. The Dark Youth represents what their counterpart could have become had their circumstances been worse, and in a coming of age narrative they symbolize the more turbulent aspects of growing up.

They typically begin the story as an anti-villain or tragic villain before transitioning to an anti hero or outright hero by the end, with their interactions with their light youth counterpart gradually driving them to change for the better. For all that various groups in fandom spaces will debate about whether or not a character “deserves” redemption, a well-written Dark Youth archetype is meant to teach younger audiences that no matter how many mistakes you make, it’s never too late to turn things around and do better.

Some examples of Light Youth/Dark Youth pairs include:

Belle & the Beast (Beauty & the Beast)

Aang & Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Rey & Kylo Ren (Star Wars: Episodes VII - IX)

Lucy & Edmund Pevensie (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe)

Allura & Lotor (Voltron: Legendary Defender)

Kagome & Inuyasha (Inuyasha)

In many examples of this dynamic, the Dark Youth often spends a significant portion of the narrative under the spell of an Evil Sorcerer figure. Someone whose actions and influence create or maintain a rift between the Dark Youth and their counterpart. In order for the story to reach its climax, the Evil Sorcerer’s control over the Dark Youth must be overcome. This hold can be literal in the sense that they are physically holding the Dark Youth captive, or it can be metaphorical in the sense that their words and actions influence the Dark Youth psychologically.

While the character that fills this role in the narrative isn’t required to be magical at all, one of the most common forms this archetype takes is the Wicked Witch (hence why I refer to it as the Evil Sorcerer). In Dark Youth/Light Youth stories that deal with themes that are relevant to real world experiences, they can often take the form of an abusive parental figure, like Fire Lord Ozai in Avatar or High Priestess Haggar in Voltron.

Thus, we come to Maleficent. Despite the fact that she hasn’t been a serious threat since the first game, her influence still lingers. She spent much of her screen time in the original game convincing Riku that Sora had abandoned him, driving him down the path to villainy. Despite working in every game since to redeem himself, her influence still casts a shadow over his interactions with Sora. While they reconciled during their reunion in Kingdom Hearts II, Sora and Riku did not meaningfully address the latter’s behavior during the first game.

Sora’s views about “Riku” in Chain of Memories prior to the Replica reveal indicate that he believes Riku was not in control of his actions and was therefore blameless for what happened. But we as the audience know that despite being manipulated by Maleficent, Riku was in control of his actions. In order for the rift between the two to fully heal, they need to have a conversation where they talk about why Riku behaved the way he did and, in doing so, they must get to the heart of why Riku was so jealous of Sora.

As mentioned in my previous essay, the depiction of Riku and his bond with Sora across the series is consistent with how love interests in the Heroine’s Journey are portrayed. In addition to this narrative pattern, multiple textual parallels with canon Disney couples point towards Riku and Sora having romantic feelings for each other:

In the first Kingdom Hearts, we have two prominent moments of one character calling out for another as the party flees the location of the world’s boss while it quakes around them: Aladdin calling out for Jasmine as the party flees the Cave of Wonders, and Sora calling out for Riku as the party flees Monstro’s stomach.

Kingdom Hearts II uses plot details involving Disney Princess romances to foreshadow Sora and Riku’s reunion in The World That Never Was.

Aladdin is avoiding Jasmine at the start of the first visit to Agrabah just like how Riku is avoiding Sora throughout the game as a whole.

After being freed from Xaldin’s influence in the first visit to Beast’s Castle, the Beast is afraid to talk to Belle after how he behaved, just like how Riku didn’t want Sora to find him after how he acted in the first game. (Notably, we don’t get to see the Beast’s curse broken until *after* we’ve seen Riku no longer trapped in Ansem’s form)

Ariel is afraid that since she’s a mermaid and Eric is a human that he’ll reject her, just like how Riku didn’t want Sora to see that he’d taken on Ansem’s form.

When Sora, Donald, and Goofy are separated from Rapunzel and Flynn in the Kingdom of Corona during Kingdom Hearts III, Goofy says that Rapunzel and Eugene will be fine as long as they’re together. The last time this phrasing was used in the series, Goofy was saying that about Sora and Riku.

Kingdom Hearts III connects Riku’s sacrifice for Sora in the Keyblade Graveyard with Hercules diving into the River Styx to save Megara’s soul. (This is more clear in the original Japanese, as the localization translated the term taisetsu na hito [literal meaning: precious person] as “person I love most” for Hercules and “what matters” for Riku.)

In Jungian psychology, which the Heroine’s Journey is heavily influenced by, the Evil Sorcerer working to keep the romantic leads apart is symbolic of romantic/sexual interference. They represent cultural forces attempting to dictate what kind of romantic relationship is socially acceptable for people who share some aspect of the protagonist or Dark Youth’s identity.

Maleficent got her hooks into Riku at the beginning of the series by convincing him that Sora didn’t value him or their bond. Since then, he’s gone to the opposite extreme. Instead of lashing out over his jealousy of not being the center of Sora’s attention, he bottles his feelings up. While some fans perceived his distance from Sora in recent games as him stepping back, it ‘s more accurate to say that he has resigned himself to the belief his feelings for Sora will forever be unrequited. This is best demonstrated in the Limit Cut DLC, where even after a year of multiple characters attempting to trace their connection to Sora with no results, the idea that his own bond with Sora could be important never crossed his mind until the Fairy Godmother said there was a clue in his dreams. And until Riku learns to let down his walls and admit to Sora how he feels, Maleficent will still have a hold over him.

Despite the narrative setup for a romance between the two of them, they will not be able to get together until Riku has fully broken free of Maleficent’s influence. This is the reason why the “Healing the Wounded Masculine” stage of Murdock’s formula where the protagonist and the Animus mend the rift between them is placed very close to the end of the sequence. Freeing the Dark Youth from the Sorcerer’s influence represents their relationship with their Light counterpart triumphing over the societal forces that the Sorcerer archetype represents. Until that has been achieved, neither lead is emotionally or psychologically ready to begin a relationship.

So while Maleficent may not have been as significant a threat as she was in the beginning, she still plays a major role within the framework of Sora’s Journey, and she will continue to have a presence in the series until that role has been completed in full.

Sources:

[1] Death of a Dark Youth, Desecration of the Animus; December 20, 2018. https://www.teampurplelion.com/death-of-a-dark-youth/

#kingdom hearts and the heroine's journey #kingdom hearts meta #kingdom hearts analysis #kh maleficent #soriku

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eclecticstarlightconnoisseur · 5 years

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Edinburgh To Boston Chapter 8 - The Morning After.

Hello all, I am so sorry for the delay in posting this. It took a bit of time for all the corrections and rewrites that I had to do. I know some of you had read the preview but it has not changed too much.

I also want to thank everyone for their kind words and good wishes when I explained that things were delayed because my husband had taken ill. He is well and back to himself. I am adjusting to the new job and a little less crazy. A little I said.

I do need to thank two very special people @curlsgetdemgurls and @ladyviolethummingbird for being my betas on this chapter. I don’t know what I would have done without them. They are the best.

I am not promising when the next chapter will be out except to say that it is underway. I dislike promising something that I can’t keep.

So without further ado, I give you:

Edinburgh to Boston Chapter 8 The Morning After

Jamie Fraser laid in his hotel bed watching the dawn slowly break over the frozen sleeping city. The sky underwent a metamorphosis transitioning from the inky black of night to the vibrant colors of the day. Streaks of hot pink, vivid orange, and fiery golden yellow glowed in the heavens splattering across an underlying electric blue. It was breathtakingly beautiful, so beautiful as to cause him to weep. But nothing could surpass the goddess who slept beside him. Claire. His Sorcha, his light.

Claire lay on her side, back curled into his chest. Their bodies fit well together. Each one piece of a puzzle when combined made a whole, a complete picture.

He ran his hands along the planes of her body becoming familiar with each dip and luscious curve. Her body, while thin and lithe, spoke of a woman’s sensuality. A hand drifted to cup that sweet round arse of hers.

Aye, plump and juicy like a fat wee hen.

He felt himself rouse just from the mere thought of her. She consumed him. The need left him wanting, needing. He knew he could take her again and again and it would never be enough.

Smiling tenderly, Jamie brushed an errant curl away from Claire’s face. Her hair, that glorious mane, spread out across the pillow a tangled, tousled mess. She would awake and be annoyed with it. There would be fussing, muttered obscenities, and futile attempts to tame it into some semblance of order. Chuckling, Jamie admitted that one of the things he loved about her (and truth be told, he loved everything about her) was her hair, as it truly represents who she is. At times, she could be wild and free just like her curls. Most of the time she would confine her curly wig into a conservative bun. The reserved Dr. Beauchamp, her public persona. But, her hair would never stay in place. It always struggles to escape its confines and become free. He witnessed the wild and unrestrained side of his enchantress last night, giving and receiving pleasure without inhibition. She was simply magnificent. Jamie blushed at the thought of what they had done, hoping they could do that again soon.

Jamie yawned and stretched feeling each one of his vertebrae popping. He hadn’t slept much during the night. It was his duty to stand guard over his beloved as she slept. He was the Watcher of Her Sleep; The Guardian of her Dreams. Jamie snorted at himself.

“Becoming poetic are we, Fraser?”

He rolled his eyes at his own pretentiousness.

“Weel, if I’m becoming a poet, then she will be my poem.”

He grinned at the thought.

Eyes heavy and gritty from the lack of sleep, Jamie fought to stay awake. Wrapping his arms around Claire, he pulled her closer to his chest. Taking in a deep breath, he inhaled her sleepy scent. Her fragrance comforted him allowing him to relax. He settled himself spooning into her, back to chest, arse to groin, legs intertwined. The act while intimate soothed him. Jamie began to drift, feeling the pull of sleep and surrendered to it.

****************

The morning sunlight slowly crept along the floor clambering up the bed settling on Claire’s sleeping countenance rousing her from slumber. Eyes squinting, she blinked adjusting to the harsh glare suffusing throughout the room.

“I should have closed those bloody drapes last night.”

Peering through narrowed eyes at the clock, it cheerfully blinked 9:43 AM. Claire attempted to shift to her side, wanting very much to return to sleep. This proved impossible as she was held in the steel embrace of a very large, very warm...very naked Scot. One arm wrapped around her chest, while the other came around her waist, tightening every time she tried to move.

“Christ, this is what it must feel like being caught in a bear trap.”

Claire chuckled to herself imagining Jamie as a great giant red bear. Jamie pulled Claire closer making huffing and snuffling noises into her hair.

Falling into a deeper sleep, his arms became limp, the vise-like grip momentarily relaxed. Quickly, Claire changed position her head now resting on Jamie’s well-muscled torso. She centered her ear over his chest, listening.

Lub-Dub, Lub-Dub, Lub-Dub, Lub-Dub.

The sounds of the strong gentle beat of his heart hypnotic, serene. She felt content and safe surrounded by his arms, sharing a bed with him. Nestling closer, Claire became aware of a hardness pressing against her belly.

“Hmm, penile tumescence,” Claire, ever the clinician, mused “He must be in REM sleep.” She wondered what he could be dreaming about, hoping it was her.

******************

“Hello, Claire, I see you have taken a lover,” said a cultured English male voice. Tall and thin, he had the athletic grace of a tennis player. An attractive chap with an aristocratic face, he possessed dark wavy brown hair, and eyes of hazel flecked with honey. Attired in a three-piece brown suit, white button-down shirt, and striped tie, the figure jammed one hand into his pants pocket, cocked his head to one side, projecting a rakish air.

“Hello, Frank. Why don’t you go get stuffed? While you’re at it, get out of this bed,” Claire said her voice laced with anger.

Frank chose to ignore Claire’s request.

“He is rather large is he not?” Frank sneered. “Is that what appeals to you these days, Scottish barbarians? Are you having fantasies about being dominated that you need such a brute in your bed? I recall Joe Abernathy had you reading those dreadful novels. Ghastly, really. I can just imagine the title: ‘The Scottish Barbarian and the English Rose’,” he laughed contemptuously. “TSK, I always thought you to be a refined lady of gentle birth,” he said in a reproachful tone.

“Frank, you never took the time to know anything about me or what I needed or wanted. But Jamie does. Now get out of my head! Go away!”

“How sweet! Jamie, is it? Hmm, sounds rather boyish, doesn’t it,” The Englishman mocked.

“I’ll have you know he’s no boy,” Claire growled vehemently. “He’s more man than you’ll ever be. Jamie is kind, gentle, funny, supportive of me, and most of all he loves me. He is everything I could possibly want in a man — something you wouldn’t know anything about. I really don’t know why I am having this conversation with you.”

“You know perfectly well why Claire. You called me here to fuel your insecurities, your inadequacies. I am a figment of your imagination, your dreams. You only have yourself to blame.”

“You know you’re right. I did call you here. It’s to tell you I am no longer the frightened, insecure girl you knew. You can no longer intimidate me or make me feel inadequate. I have grown emotionally, and I found my self-confidence — no thanks to you. I am happy and in love. Yes, I am in love with Jamie. So, why don’t you just bugger off? Oh, and do us both a favor, don’t come back.”

“I’ll be back Claire when you call me again.” The fetch faded into the gray mist of her dream-world.

*************

It was late morning and the sky became a dazzling azure blue, vast and limitless. The sunlight reflected off the whiteness of the snow giving it an even greater brilliance. As the sun climbed higher, the reflection from the golden beams struck the sleeping lovers rousing them from the land of Nod.

Jamie woke first, finding Claire snuggled in his arms, head still pressed against his chest. He lowered his lips and kissed her lightly on the forehead. Her eyes blinked, as she slowly moved toward wakefulness.

“Good morning mo chridhe, did ye sleep well?”

“Yes, yes I did. And you? Did you sleep well?”

Claire hated lying to Jamie, but she was loath to start the day talking about her disturbing dream. She would tell him everything...later.

“Aye, I did. Better than I have in a long time.”

Jamie bent forward and kissed the tip of Claire’s nose, letting out a deep sigh of contentment.

“Are ye hungry a leannan?”

“Yes, famished. Aren’t you?” Claire looked up into his fathomless blue eyes.

“Aye, but what I’m hungry for is no’ on the menu.”

“I thought you would have had your fill of me last night.”

“Nah, never mo ghràdh.”

Jamie ran his fingers down the side of her cheek and along the sensitive skin of her neck. Claire shivered under his touch. In return, her hand went to the nape of his neck and at feeling the soft curls, brought his head down to her mouth. His lips were soft and warm. She melted into his kiss; her heart fluttering in her chest.

“I could get used to waking up like this every morning,” Jamie said his bright blue eyes twinkling.

“So could I,” Claire whispered as she stroked the rough plush of his morning stubble.

His large hands caressed her back up and down before settling on her arse giving it a good squeeze.

Claire squeaked.

“Ye ken, Beauchamp, it was torture watching ye walk away from me in yer scrubs. I’d see yer sweet fat arse swaying seductively as ye walked down the corridor. It took all my self-control not to throw ye over my shoulder, carry ye off, and have my way with ye on the spot,” he grinned.

Claire looked up at him offended,

“My arse is not fat, Fraser! I prefer to think of it as Rubenesque. More voluptuous, than fat.”

“Call it what ye will. ‘Tis fat. Just how I like it.”

With that, Jamie gave said arse a loving swat and got out of bed. He stood naked by the side of the bed stretching luxuriously. Claire did enjoy watching Jamie move. His movements graceful, belying the strength and power his body possessed. Bending down, he retrieved his robe and put it on.

“Why don’t ye take a bath while I order up some breakfast for us?”

“Alright, that sounds like a good idea.”

Claire slipped out of bed while Jamie held open her robe wrapping her snugly in it.

Claire walked to the bathroom, ran the water for the bath adding a bath oil and bubble bath called Romance to the water. The bubbles blossomed up like white fragrant clouds filling the air with the scent of roses, sage, orange, and rosemary as they dispersed. Claire entered the tub, slid down until she was covered in the sweetly scented foam to her shoulders.

“Ahh.”

Sighing, she closed her eyes, enjoying the absolute bliss of relaxing in the water. The door opened and Jamie stepped in carrying two champagne flutes, the champagne, and the strawberries.

“Mind if I join ye, lass?”

“No, not at all. There is plenty of room,” Claire looked up at him smiling.

Taking his phone from his robe pocket, Jamie put on some soft instrumental music, popped the cork on the champagne, poured the glasses, and placed a strawberry in each. Dimming the lights just a little, he removed the robe and joined Claire in the tub. Jamie moved with a natural elegance for such a large man, nimbly descending into the water without causing a wave or a ripple allowing them to face each other.

“Do ye no’ feel a wee bit decadent, mo chridhe? I’ve never done such a thing as this.”

He closed his eyes leaned back so only his head could be seen above the mass of bubbles and let out a contented sigh.

Claire giggled at the sight of him up to his neck in bubbles.

Jamie grinned and reached along the edge of the tub finding the champagne flutes and handed one to Claire.

“What should we toast to?” Jamie paused contemplating. “Ah, I have one. Here’s to a lady of grace, a woman of strength, a lass of astonishing beauty, and the woman that has captured my heart, Claire Beauchamp.”

Whether from the heat of the water, the nearness of Jamie, the effusive compliment, or all three, Claire’s face flushed.

Touching their flutes together, they sipped the champagne. When Jamie finished he retrieved the strawberry from his glass bit the bottom, causing the juice to flow freely. Jamie ran the berry seeping its sweet-tart fluid over Claire’s generous lips, painting them a ruby red. He pressed the fruit to her lips teasing them apart with Claire accepted his gift. She slowly chewed it all while her sultry amber eyes focused on him. A few drops of sweet liquid trickled out of Claire’s mouth settling onto her lips. Jamie leaned forward, eyes riveted on her mouth. His tongue swirled over her lips licking the nectar from them savoring the taste of the strawberry and her. Her lips stained red were plump, sweet, and begging him to claim them.

“I would very much like to kiss you, Claire,” his eyes never wavering from her.

“I would like that very much,” Claire replied breathlessly.

Their lips met. His were soft, warm, with a hint of champagne. Hers were supple and sweet with a lingering taste of berry. Jamie's tongue quested across her lips seeking entry which Claire gave gladly. Their tongues met in a sweet caress, touching, stroking sending sparks and shivers through each of them. They broke apart resting forehead to forehead absorbing each other in through their breath.

“Turn around, I’ll wash yer back.”

Claire did as Jamie requested settling between his legs. Knees bent, Claire, rested her forehead on her thighs providing ample access to her back.

Jamie reached for the bath sponge. Soft and silky, he filled it with water adding the sweet-scented soap to create a rich creamy froth. He slowly began to massage Claire’s back, moving in circles working the foam into her skin. He lifted each arm, stroking up and down from shoulders to fingertips. Claire’s head rolled back falling against Jaime’s chest.

“Hmm, that feels so nice, Jamie.”

“Ye like it, a nighean? Why dinna ye rest yer back against my chest too?”

Claire willingly complied. Once more, Jamie loaded the sponge letting the soapy water trickle over her chest, between her breasts, and over her nipples. Slowly, unhurriedly, he brought the sponge down tracing a path down toward her belly. Claire made small mewling sounds deep in her throat.

“Move yer legs apart, lass. ”

The silkiness of the sponge contrasted with the pressure Jamie applied to her apex. Claire began to shift and writhe in time to Jamie’s movements. Her mouth opened breath becoming shallow. She began to whimper. Claire placed her hand over Jamie’s adding to the already delicious sensation he was creating. Her lips moved not making a sound. A curse perhaps, or was it a prayer in supplication?

“Ye like this, lass?”

Jamie’s arousal grew, the need for her surging.

“Yes.”

Claire began to squirm, twisting her body. She needed his mouth, needing to feel it against hers. She leaned in, their lips meeting giving him a soul-searing kiss, igniting a blaze of passion that threatened to devour them both

Jamie rose up with the water streaming off his chiseled body. He looked like Poseidon rising from the depths of the ocean.

“Mo ghràdh, I must have ye or die!”

Claire raised her arms up to him.

“Then have me.”

Jamie lifted Claire from the bath. She would be his Venus, nascent from the sea. Her arms were wrapped securely around his neck; her face buried in his chest. His strength supported her, cradling her against him. In two strides, he moved from the tub to the vanity countertop. While one arm supported Claire, the other swept the counter top clearing it of bottles, tubes, jars, and soaps sending them flying across the room. He had no care for the shamble he was creating, no attention to spend on it. His breathing was rapid and eyes now dark with lust. He placed Claire on the cool marble countertop nudging her legs apart. Jamie came closer settling between them. He needed to touch her. He ran his hand down the valley between her breasts, across her belly, and resting on her hip.

Ah Dhia, her skin is so smooth, so soft. It shimmers like a pearl newly pulled from the sea.

His hand dropped between her thighs wanting, needing to touch her. The tender flesh of her thighs opening wider inviting his fingers to roam over the satiny skin.

“Kiss me, Jamie.”

Jamie licked his lips, leaned in claiming her mouth.

Surrendering to the driving force of his kiss left her breathless, and wanting. An aching tension grew between them igniting the flames of their lust.

Jamie spied the mirror behind Claire. Dripping with condensation, he swiped at it clearing the steam obstructing his view of them. He could watch; he could see what he was doing to her. He didn’t think he could get any harder but the thought of watching made his cock so hard he didn’t think he could feel it anymore.

Leaning back on her arms, Claire spread herself wide in invitation. Jamie took his cock in hand and began to rub it against her sensitive tissue, making her moan. He placed himself at her entrance and in one swift motion slid home.

Claire gasped at the sudden intrusion into her body.

“God! Jamie!”

“Lie back a nighean. I want to love ye thoroughly.”

Claire complied. Taking her legs he placed them upon his shoulders. His thumb moved to the center of her arousal, stroking building sensations of molten waves of pleasure through her. Joining to her in their heated flesh, he moved sliding in and out of her, watching himself.

“Look in the mirror as I take ye. See how I love ye.”

Claire craned her head, looking into the mirror she saw the ecstasy and agony of pleasure and passion across Jamie’s face. Struggling to find purchase, her nails grasped vainly at the slick marble countertop.

“Help me up, Jamie! I want to see us.”

A large strong hand supported her back allowing her to sit up; the other pushed her head down. Legs widely spread Claire could see him take her, watching him thrust into her, possess her. They became one.

It became more than she could endure. This was the most erotic thing she had ever done, becoming both participant and spectator. Moaning loudly, her hips began to gyrate wildly. She could hear the thrum of her blood as it coursed through her body. She could no longer focus her arousal was complete. There was only pure sensation, pure pleasure.

“Jamie! I can’t...I...I… Oh, God Jamie!”

Claire’s nails raked down Jamie’s chest leaving angry red marks in their wake. She felt herself flood around him. Her climax shattering. Her Scot was not far behind.

“Claire! Oh, God! Claire!,”

Jamie shuddered spilling himself into her. He leaned forward biting her at the juncture of neck and shoulder. He trembled in the aftermath of their love. They clung to each other as they descended from the throes of their passion.

Jamie looked at Claire somewhat abashed. Helping her down from the countertop, he dampened a face cloth and offered it to her.

“Claire, I never...that is, I didn’t mean... Oh, Christ!”

Face flaming, he grabbed his robe and left the room; leaving Claire puzzled.

Have I done something wrong?

Claire straightened up the room, picking up the bits and pieces that had been unceremoniously thrown onto the floor. Putting on her robe, she arranged herself into some semblance of order and walked out into the room.

Jamie was standing with his hands in his pockets staring out the large window onto the street below.

Boston was trying to dig itself out. Sanitation trucks with large plows attempted to make the streets passable again. Merchants with shovels and snowblowers cleared their walkways from the mounds of snow. People slipped and slid on the sidewalk while others endeavored to walk around the piles of drifting snow with varying degrees of success.

Absorbed in his thoughts, Jamie saw none of it.

How could I treat her like this? What is wrong with me to use her in such a way? She must think me a beast or an animal. I don’t deserve her.

Disgusted with himself, Jamie hung his head in shame and embarrassment, unable to face Claire. So deeply lost in his thoughts he didn’t hear her enter the room.

“Jamie are you alright? Please tell me what’s wrong. Was it me? Was it not good? I’m sorry.”

Claire bit her lip nervously. Frank had always made her feel inadequate in bed. She did not want to disappoint Jamie. She couldn’t bear it.

Jamie turned to look at her with eyes wide in disbelief. His voice soft, halting,

“Claire, what are ye talking about? Ye did nothing wrong, lass. It was me.”

His shoulders slumped and he had difficulty maintaining eye contact.

“I’m the one who should be apologizing to ye for my behavior. Or lack of it.”

He continued gazing at a place in the distance that only he could see.

“I dinna want ye to think, I mean I dinna want ye to feel that I only want ye for…”

Jamie waved his hand vaguely in the direction of the bed.

“Jamie, I don’t know what you’re talking about. You did nothing wrong. Why should you apologize to me?”

“Claire, my Da taught me that women were to be respected, revered especially ah, in sex. He said that when ye love a woman, ye should pay tribute to her body as it is her right. I dishonored ye, lass. What I did was selfish. I have no claim on ye. I am no’ yer husband. I did not consider ye. And for that I must beg yer pardon.

Jamie began to pace about the room, restless running his hands through his hair. He turned facing Claire, “Christ do ye no’ ken how much I love ye? Ye are the air that I breathe, the blood of my heart. Without ye, I am naught but an empty shell. Your face is my heart mo ghràdh and the love of you is my soul.

“Ye see I want this, want us to be more. I want something we can build on, grow with. No’ just some magnificent weekend and then we part. That’s not good enough, Claire. Not for me and certainly not for ye. Ye deserve better.”

Jamie was stiff and rigid, fighting to control his emotions. He did not want to lose Claire because of one foolish mistake.

Claire was touched by his concern for her and her feelings. She walked around to face him, cupping his face in to get him to meet her eye. Jamie resisted.

“Look at me, please. You did nothing wrong. I wanted you to.”

Claire spoke softly and tenderly.

“You make me feel beautiful, sexy, desirable, loved, wanted, safe. How can these things be wrong?”

Jamie turned looking at her, a single tear running down his face.

“Do ye mean it, Claire? That’s how I make ye feel?”

Claire thumbed away the tear. Standing on tiptoes she leaned in and sweetly kissed him on the lips.

“Yes, and so much more. I love you, Jamie Fraser.”

Jamie sniffed, a crooked smile on his face

“And I you.”

He wrapped his arms around her pulling her close.

“Well, now that is all out of the way let’s have some of this delicious breakfast that you ordered for us.”

“Oh, and Jamie,” Claire said mischievously, “the next time you want to do it in front of a mirror, just make sure I can see your sweet arse in action, aye?”

A devilish grin played across her face as she turned and walked away leaving Jamie standing with his mouth agape.

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toomuchtimenerd · 5 years

Text

Review for ‘A Curse So Dark and Lonely’ by Brigid Kemmerer

Aaaand here’s yet another popular retelling of ‘Beauty and the Beast’. So something to know about me - I LOVE fairy tale retellings. I grew up on a lot of fairy tales, lots of Disney princess movies (most of which are based off fairy tales or in the case of Mulan, a ballad/folk legend). I’m pretty sure growing up I had this giant anthology of a bunch of old European fairy tales that had been adapted for children’s reading. I’m pretty sure my love for magic, fantasy, and all kinds of other-worldly things stems from how much I read and re-read everything in that kid’s anthology as an eight year old or something. Nowadays, I am on the lookout for anthologies with adaptations of folk lore from other cultures. Hopefully I will soon find some that seem promising.

So A Curse So Dark and Lonely is, interestingly, not a stand-alone and its sequel came out earlier this month. I opted to stop after the first book and not pick up the sequel, for reasons that I will divulge in later. A Curse, like The Cruel Prince, has incredibly favorable reviews on Goodreads, and for good reason really. It’s just unfortunate that neither of these two books quite hit the spot for me. Perhaps in the future I will pick up the sequel for A Curse, but with the third book planned for a late 2021 release I probably will not be reading A Curse So Fierce and Broken anytime soon. Something already tells me that I may have to put recreational reading on the back burner for an extended period of time once again when I go back to school. Sadface

A Curse So Dark and Lonely loosely follows the widely known story line for ‘Beauty and the Beast’, with notable changes in that the main character (Harper) has cerebral palsy and is transported from our non-magical contemporary world to the magical kingdom of Emberfall. Our Prince Rhen does not adopt the appearance of a beast 24/7, but rather transforms into one at the end of the repeating autumn season. In his transformed state, he has a penchant for violence and generally does not retain any sense of mind or humanity. When he yet again fails to win a woman’s love, the season will restart to the day of his 18th birthday and he will have to try again with a new woman. Rhen is accompanied only by the sole survivor of his first transformation, a royal guard named Grey. Grey was given the power to go to Harper’s world and take a woman to bring back to Emberfall for Rhen to court. This entire curse was brought down by an enchantress named Lilith, who apparently exists only to torture everyone’s existence. Harper wasn’t originally chosen by Grey, but Harper witnessed Grey “abducting” an unconscious woman and chose to interfere, which leads to her transportation into Emberfall.

So let’s talk about the obvious; the representation of disabled peoples in this book via our protagonist Harper. She has cerebral palsy, and this is made very clear within the first chapter of the book. Props to the author for not OVER-emphasizing Harper’s disability, though. I love representation, and I believe in the power of representation, but I’m not a fan of when representation goes too far and it becomes the sole definition of a character’s existence. It comes off as lazy writing when a character brings no substance or value aside from the fact that they represent some kind of minority group. However, this isn’t the case here and I think Kemmerer did a wonderful job of blending Harper’s cerebral palsy into the background, yet not enough for the reader to completely forget that she is living with a disability. There are times when Harper is in a lot of pain and isn’t able to do certain things as easily as other people can, but her perseverance/grit/determination shows us that she is still just like any other human being trying to get by. She doesn’t view herself as a victim of her disability either, it’s just something she was born with and has learned to live with. It is a part of her, and even if she doesn’t like it she has learned to accept it as a part of her. I think Kemmerer sends a beautiful message in portraying Harper’s attitude with her cerebral palsy: there is no need to feel victimized by one’s disability, and there is no need to hate oneself for it either.

Outside of Harper’s disability, she is a very standard YA fantasy heroine - hardworking, passionate, cautious, determined, guarded. Is it bad that I’m getting a little bit tired of this character trope? I kind of want to see a heroine who isn’t so perfect, and I kind of want to see someone who is a little whiny or bratty at first but then grows from their hardships and experiences. Harper, like many YA fantasy heroines, just seems to start out incredibly likable (or maybe too likable) with the perfect package of personality traits. Now I’m not necessarily complaining about this, but I definitely would’ve liked to see a little more substance from Harper outside of just “I need to find a way to get home and I’m going to keep rebelling until I do”. Obviously this wasn’t her as a character the ENTIRE book, but it definitely was more or less the only thing passing through her mind for maybe the first 40% of the book. Another issue I took with her (or maybe not even her as a character, maybe it’s an issue I have with the book itself) is her wishywashy-ness in regards to her feelings. For pretty much the entire book up until Grey takes her home, Harper at best only deeply cares about and respects Rhen. But in the last 20% of the book when Grey takes her back to Emberfall to face the transformed Rhen, Harper suddenly proclaims her love for him and is willing to pretty much give herself up to Lilith to spare Rhen and Grey. That’s a huge change in emotions, and according to the book timeline this change of feelings happens over the course of like... 36 hours or something. And then the book ends on a MASSIVE ambiguity over whether the curse was broken because Harper truly loved Rhen, or if it was because Grey had succeeded in killing Lilith. So, we went from “I deeply care for you and I find comfort in your company” to “I would DIE for you” to “did the curse break because I love you? Idk” over the course of like... 3-4 chapters? Uhhhhh. Yeah I’ve got questions.

Now I know this review is coming off as pretty negative, and not gonna lie I don’t think I was a big fan of this retelling but I certainly don’t think it was bad either. Rhen’s character development was so captivating and surprising because most YA authors generally don’t pay much attention into developing the male lead as much as the heroine. In all honesty, Harper began pretty perfect with very little room for growth so she her character progression just seemed to stagnate to me. But Rhen starts off as a meh character who didn’t seem to learn all that much from his countless failures of wooing women during his cursed time and progresses into a very selfless leader (re: true KING). He goes from isolating himself in his castle while trying to break the curse to nearly ignoring the curse so he could focus on protecting and caring for his people. I guess it’s pretty obvious that I really liked Rhen as a character, and I personally think he deserves a lot better than that ending we got. It wasn’t a bad ending, and I think Kemmerer wanted to be original in creating a somewhat ambiguous ending. But as a hardcore romance junkie I think I may have a narrow scope of what my heart can tolerate for any retelling of ‘Beauty and the Beast’.

And finally, let’s talk about Grey. He’s not a POV character in this first book, but he’s in almost every single chapter and he plays a pretty big role. At the beginning I thought I was going to get a load of a love triangle, but thank GOD that wasn’t the case. I’m all for originality, but my mind will never be okay with a love triangle in ‘Beauty and the Beast’. It’s beauty and the fucking beast!! Not beauty and the beast featuring Ludacris!! Is it obvious that I don’t like love triangles to begin with? Yeah. Anyway, Grey is an interesting character. I kind of saw the epilogue coming, because for a side character Grey was too fleshed out and well developed (considering side characters rarely are, except for my one true love Despina from Wrath and the Dawn). But nevertheless, I quite enjoyed Grey! In the beginning of the story I felt like he served almost as a foil to Rhen. They were quite the opposites in terms of personality, but they ultimately are working towards the same goal. Watching Grey’s relationship with Harper unfold on paper was also quite nice. Unlike Rhen, Grey starts off kinda antagonizing Harper (with good reason, considering their first encounter consisted of her attacking him). Rhen is kind and very elaborate in his words and manners with Harper, but Grey very much the opposite. He speaks simply, he’s a man of actions, and is mostly very detached from his emotions. I actually felt his character complimented Harper’s character quite well (considering her own emotional detachment), and I think this is what Kemmerer was going for anyway since Harper does actually warm up to Grey much quicker than she warms up to Rhen.

Some last thoughts to wrap it up - while I understand that Kemmerer wanted to bridge the gap between this book and its sequel, I felt that she pulled WAY too much of the spotlight from Rhen/Harper and onto Grey. The ending between Rhen/Harper felt incredibly rushed, and again I just don’t think I like the ambiguity over what actually broke the curse. I was thinking about giving A Curse So Dark and Lonely a 4-star rating for most of the book up until the end, and now I’m thinking it’s more like a 3.5 star from me. The last couple of chapters were heavily action-packed, and Kemmerer’s way of tying up the lose strings (pushing the foreign army out of Emberfall) was very creative. But the ending following all of that action was just so... bland and unexciting. It was like dumping a large tub of water on a small campfire that was just starting to grow warm. I like Grey as character, but not enough to want to read the sequel where he stars as a POV just yet.

#a curse so dark and lonely #cursebreakers #ya fiction #ya fantasy #brigid kemmerer #book review #beauty and the beast #retelling

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solheira · 5 years

Text

In fair Corona, where we lay our scene, where ancient grudge break to new mutiny.

Many years after King Herz Der Sonne’s death, his predecessor, King Leonardo, took the throne with Queen Arianna. Some time after that, the news that the Queen was expecting echoed through the kingdom and all rejoiced. Songs were sung and it seemed the sun shone brighter over the little kingdom because of it. However, not soon after had the heir-to-be been announced did the Queen’s failing health began to rapidly decline and the songs faded to silence.

Sadness gave light to desperation, and while the kingdom knew nothing of the magic hidden away under their feet, the king and his chosen council discussed the usage such power could provide.

One of his chosen advisers, a blacksmith named Xavier, recollected a story told to him in his youth about a girl so loved by the sun it shed a tear at her passing. This tear, supposedly, produced a flower rumored to possess the gift of life but had been stolen away by the Brethren of Darkness and was lost during the battle against them. The possibility it existed at all was low but that it was still around was even less.

The discussion went on for hours and none could come to an agreement. To use the flower meant to bring harm to Corona and none in attendance were willing to make the sacrifice. Although the king believed in tradition, he did not believe in the magic they supposedly protected. He allowed the believers their audience but no more than that. So, as things go, the king threw away the idea as just that, a fairy tale, and the conversation ended with no result.

Later on, during a cool spring night, while King Leonardo sat by his wife’s bed he was visited by an enchantress. At first, King Leonardo was wary of the visitant but when the woman spoke of a way to save his wife he offered her a deal. “I’ll give you anything you desire: jewels, gold, riches; ask and it shall be yours.”

But the enchantress was not moved, “I do not have the magic to save that which is destined to be lost,” she spoke, “but there is a way.”

She then opened her palms and light formed over it in the shape of a flower. “You are not the first to cry for a queen and you will not be the last. Even the sun cries for the fallen ---”

The apparition in her hand swirled and twisted, forming a ball representing the sun and then dripping into the palm of her hand. There, the flower bloomed into it’s former shape. “The miracle you seek lies in what has been told. Find the flower and you will find your cure.”

And then, she was gone.

King Leonardo turned to his Queen, brows pinched and sorrowful. Although he had not believed in magic as a form of salvation before the vision proved to be of another make entirely. All he had been taught felt so real and the ramifications on acting on it were grave.

King Leonardo called upon his most trusted knights and sent them out in search of the flower in secret. Days became weeks and hope’s light was beginning to dim within the King. The queen was growing sicker and their loving child would soon perish with her. Just when King Leonardo was about to call the search fruitless the flower was found in the most humble of places. It was quickly brought to the castle, boiled in water and given to the queen to drink. Immediately the color returned to her cheeks and all was well.

The flower healed the queen and not long after a beautiful baby girl was born. She was named Chiara, and once again the kingdom was happy. In celebration, the kingdom let out thousands of floating paper lanterns into the sky. They thanked the sun for their good fortune and prayed for many good years to come.

What the kingdom didn’t know was that a woman named Gothel had been using the magic flower to keep herself young and beautiful for centuries. She was furious that they dared steal from her and began to plot her revenge.

Gothel knew that there was no way she could just walk in and demand the flower back. She heard it was used and more importantly that it was gone. However, there was a glimmer of hope for the old witch, as the child had been born with beautiful golden hair.

With that in mind, she began to sneak into the castle in the night to use the child for her own selfish reasons. Only she knew the true secret of the flower after all… to make the power work all you had to do, was sing a special song.

Flower gleam and glow Let your power shine Make the clock reverse Bring back what once was mine

Before the witch’s eyes, the princess’ hair would glow bright and true like the very sun. Each strand carried a portion of the magic, alleviating the witch of her aches and returning her youth.

As time went on Gothel realized she needed a way to take some of the magic herself. Eventually the child would grow and there were far too many close encounters for her liking. So one night, while she sang her special song, she took a pair of scissors and snipped a lock of hair from the princess’ head.

But Alas! As soon as it was cut… the magic was gone and the hair turned brown.

The child awoke and cried startling the slumbering monarchs, for not only was her hair cut but he act had caused her pain as well. Gothel had to act fast and so, “If I can’t take the power in part I shall take the child as a whole.” Just like that, before the king and queen could even stand from their bed, she and Chiara… were gone.

The kingdom searched and searched but neither princess nor her captor were found. For far from the kingdom in a hidden cavern, up above in a tower, she raised the child as her own.

Chiara — now named Rapunzel, was none the wiser of her origins or her birthright and grew into a beautiful, talented young woman. Gothel did her best to warn Rapunzel of the evils of the world, using that fear to keep her locked away where no one could find her. Her magic had to be protected, Gothel claimed, for the world is dark and cruel and cares little for girls in towers. But the walls of the tower couldn’t hide everything and Rapunzel grew up with a love for what she saw outside her window.

For the next eighteen years, on the day of her birth, the kingdom let out thousands of lanterns towards the sky in hopes their princess. From her tower, Rapunzel watched those lights dance across the sky, and an irrepressible need to venture out grew as the girl aged.

\`PART II FIN.

#❀ text;#❀ headcanon;#❀ fuck it this is as good as it's going to get i'm tired of looking @ it

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mirkwoodshewolf · 7 years

Text

A Magical Christmas; Peter Parker x reader

Okay this was my first Peter Parker oneshot that I had thought back several months ago and yeah it’s another Christmas theme. Now this is Tom Holland’s spiderman and I’m sorry if you’d wanted this to be Garfield’s or Maguire’s spiderman. Anyways this is now a romantic oneshot so now child comforts for now except mentioned because well.............spoilers! I’ll just let you read on okay :) Again I do not OWN the Marvel characters, they belong to their respected owners and any other references belong to their respected owners/companies. Enjoy :)

________________________________________________________

“But I thought you said you’d be able to take a day off” I said through the phone.

‘I know but you know my new job’. I chuckled softly then continued solemnly.

“I just can’t believe I’ll be spending Christmas without you”.

‘I know sweetie, I hate it to, if I could I would reverse time and make Wong give me the day off’.

“I know you would, but he’d probably bust you even more and force you to work for all holidays”.

‘Probably. I’ve got to go now sweetheart. I love you, you know that right sweetheart?’

“I do god-papa. Bye”

‘Bye’. I hung up the phone and leaned up against my locker sighing sadly. I can’t believe that my Godfather has to work on Christmas keeping the world safe. Christmas should be a time celebrating with family and friends, considering that God-papa Stephen is all I have of a family.

Wait I’m getting ahead of myself, my name is (y/n) Strange. Yeah you heard right, Stephen Strange the once known great neurosurgeon now self-titled hero Doctor Strange is my father, well god-father actually. You see when he was still in medical school, he and my father met each other and were constantly being set up as partners for the professor’s display exams and with that the rest was history and they soon became the best of friends.

Even after graduating they still remained in touch and Stephen was even there for my dad’s wedding to my mom and my birth where he was named my Godfather. But when I was only 7 years old, the hospital where my parents worked was soon taken hostage by some gunner and unfortunately my parents were caught in the crossfire and died instantly.

After that day, God-papa Stephen took full custody of me as it said in my parents’ will and I’ve been living with him for the last 9 years. I was there for him when he had his accident and took on extra shifts at my café plus another job washing cars to help give him more money to invest in a cure and give him the flight to Nepal where he was trained with the Ancient One.

I flew with him to Nepal just to make sure he would be okay then just before I could schedule a flight back home, Mordor said that the Ancient one was actually wanting to speak to both of us so long story short I was involved in the fight with Kaecilius and trained minorly in the mystic arts but after God-papa Stephen won his battle with Kaecilius and Dormammu, I decided that I wanted to head back to the normal life of school but once I graduated I will help God-papa Stephen with protecting the universe from mystical threats.

So now here I am at Midtown High School as a junior living in an apartment of my own that’s not too far in fact from my—

“Guess who?” Hands covered my eyes and a voice whispered in my ear. I giggled and removed his hands from my face and turned towards my best friend now boyfriend Peter Parker.

“Hey Pet”. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he said.

“What’s wrong babe? You look like Santa left you a lump of coal in your stocking”.

“Ha-ha very funny Spider-boy” I teased at him. He shushed me by placing his hand over my mouth and he said to me in a hushed “stern” voice.

“Why must you call me that?” He removed his hand from my mouth and I said.

“Because I can and I know how much it gets to you”. He wrapped his arms tightly around my waist and rocked me back and forth.

“But in all seriousness, what’s wrong?”

“My God-papa just called me and said he wouldn’t be able to make it for Christmas”.

“What? Aww man that’s too bad, I’m sorry babe”.

“It’s not your fault. But I wish his work wouldn’t interfere with Christmas. He’s all I got left and it’ll be awkward spending it with his girlfriend even though I love her to death”.

“Hey, I got an idea. Why don’t you celebrate Christmas with me and Aunt May?”

“What? No Peter I can’t do that, I—I couldn’t impose”.

“Nonsense, Aunt May loves you, and after it’s with family AND Friends that you spend Christmas with. I’m not gonna let my girl spend Christmas Home Alone”.

“Oh speaking of which, you wanna come over for a Home Alone marathon at my place?”

“Sure, I love that movie”.

“Who doesn’t?” I asked. I packed away my books into my backpack and the two of us left for my place.

One train ride and about 10 block walk later we reached my apartment and made it up to my room. Peter and I set my books down and Peter got the movie ready while I got the junk food and the hot chocolate. Once everything was ready we sat on my loveseat cuddled close together and watched the first Home Alone.

When the part came on when Kevin put the tarantula on Marv’s face, I squirmed and cringed and said.

“God I always hated this part, even though it’s hilarious as hell it still is horrible”.

“Ehh, I used to be freaked out but now everytime I see a spider I say, ‘hey man, that’s my buddy’”.

“Yeah only you would say that Spiderman”. I shook out my shivers from my shoulders to my feet and cuddled into Peter when I suddenly felt something crawl along my neck. I squirmed then lashed out my hand only to catch Peter’s hand in mine. He laughed and I shoved him hard onto the arm of the loveseat exclaiming.

“That’s not funny!”

“It kinda was” he laughed out. I playfully pounded on him before now pinning his hands to his side and looking down at him. “You forgive me?”

“Only because you’re the most adorable little puppy dog I’ve ever seen”. I leaned forward and kissed him before lying on top of him the two of us snuggling together as the movie finished up.

After finishing the second Home Alone movie it was starting to get dark and Peter had to get home before Aunt May freaked out on him.

“So I’ll pick you up tomorrow at 1?”

“Might as well, don’t have a choice do I?”

“No you don’t. I’d rather have you be with me than spend the holiday by yourself”.

“I know, and thanks Pete, you sure I won’t intrude on you and Aunt May?”

“Baby you’re practically family, in fact Aunt May sometimes has been pestering me that I better tell her that the girl I marry is you, if it’s someone else she’ll kill me”. I giggled and said.

“Yeah I am pretty cool”. Peter rolled his eyes then he leaned in and captured my lips with his.

“Don’t forget beautiful”.

“Okay Romeo, you better get home before Aunt May changes her opinion on me”. He kissed me one last time before firing a web to the next building and took off. I shook my head smiling as I watched Peter disappear into the night. I closed my window and locked it tight with bolts and magic and got ready for bed.

The next day, I prepared an overnight bag since Peter was going to make me stay until after Christmas which was still two days away. Once I got packed, I heard a knock at my window and saw Peter but dressed in his Spiderman attire. I unlocked my window and he said.

“Did someone order Handsome Hero airline?” I rolled my eyes and slowly moved Peter’s mask up to his nose and kissed him passionately. I moaned softly and separated from him but kept my lips lingering on his and whispered seductively.

“Well handsome hero, mind removing the mask so I can see the man behind the Spider?” Peter then removed the mask and looked at me with those deep chocolate eyes of his.

“I swear you’re an enchantress. You’ve got me under your spell Elphaba” I chuckled at the nickname and said.

“Enchantress? Not quite, wicked? Sometimes”. I pecked his lips and he put the mask back on and said.

“You ready?” I nodded and we both now stood on my fire-escape with my bag and he said, “alright, hold on”. He then fired his web shooters and we took off swinging towards his apartment.

When we reached his apartment and he got changed from his Spider-man suit into normal clothes then he came back out and we went inside his apartment the normal way through the door and Peter said as he unlocked his door.

“Aunt May, I brought (y/n)!”

“Hello (y/n)! Peter told me your godfather wasn’t able to come home for the holidays. I’m so sorry to hear that, but just know that you are welcome here anytime, especially on Christmas”.

“Thanks Aunt May”.

“Once you get settled in, how about helping me with the gingerbread house?”

“Oh yes!” I exclaimed as Peter took me to the guest room to get me set up and comfortable. “Oh Pet, guess what I just found out?”

“What?”

“The Public Library is having a Harry-Potter themed Yule Ball Christmas Eve at 9pm. You think we can go together?”

“Harry Potter? Uhh hell yeah! Do you know anything else about it?”

“I may have to double check but I think the attire was semi-formal and you have to make sure you have something representing what house you’re in on you like a scarf, necklace, bracelet, etc.”

“Awesome I can wear my Gryffindor patch”.

“Uhh hate to break it to you Peter but you’re a Hufflepuff”.

“What? No I’m Gryffindor 100%”

“You’re a Hufflepuff and you know it”. Peter then tackled me into the bed and began tickling me.

“Say it! Say that I’m a Gryffindor or the tickling continues!”

“Cahahahn’t say whahahaht isn’t truohohohohe!”

“Okay but you asked for it!” He then tickled me harder and more determined making me laugh louder which then made Aunt May cry out.

“Peter! (Y/n)! You two better not be rough-housing too much in there!” Peter stopped tickling me and he collapsed right next to me allowing me to catch my breath. He then held me close and kissed my forehead and said.

“Yeah let’s do it. I’ll ask Aunt May if it’s alright for us to go that night, you know how she is when it comes to Christmas”.

“That I do, oh I better go help her with the gingerbread house”. As I got up I was suddenly pulled back down and kissed. I giggled and said, “Thanks Peter, now really let go otherwise we’re gonna have cock-block May come in and think we were doing something naughty”.

“Yeah you’re right”. I pecked his cheek then left the room and headed into the kitchen to help Aunt May.

For the next couple of days, I was helping with final preparations for the Parker Christmas party with cooking the food, wrapping the presents, etc. We had talked with Aunt May about the Yule ball on Christmas Even night and she said we could go but we had to be back by midnight (why is it always midnight?) then finally it was Christmas Eve.

The three of us had a small family sized Christmas dinner, we exchanged presents and sung a few Christmas carols (well mainly me while Aunt May played the piano and Peter just watched me with adoring eyes). Once we were done, Peter and I got ready for the Yule Ball, I was wearing a (h/c) dress to symbolize my (HP/h) and after much, much, much, much, much, MUCH convincing, I got Peter to wear a Hufflepuff scarf just like Newt Scamander’s scarf and we managed to get a cab to drive us to the library.

Once we got there, we entered inside the library and were greeted by the same Christmas decorations they had in the movies when the Yule Ball was shown.

“Whoa” Peter and I stated in awe. The beauty of the library all decorated and lit up just like an actual Yule Ball. Peter then got in front of me and held out his hand and said, “milady, would you allow me to take your coat and escort you to the dancefloor?”

“Why of course you may, such a gentleman Mr. Parker”. I take my coat off and Peter takes them to the closet and he comes back still with the Hufflepuff scarf around his neck and escorts me towards the dance floor. He then comes in front of me and takes my left hand in his right hand, his other arm wrapped around my waist, my other hand wrapped around him and my head resting on his shoulder as the two of us began to slow dance.

“So glad you thought of this (y/n)”.

“Well thank you Peter, I thought we could use a fun time together just the two of us. And thanks again for allowing me to spend Christmas Eve with you and your Aunt”.

“Like I said (n/n) you’re practically family already, it was no problem or hassle what’s so ever”. We kissed each other before leaning against one another once again continuing our dance.

Suddenly I could swear from the second level of the library I saw the Cloak of Levitation. It waved at me like it wanted me to follow it before disappearing.

“(Y/n)?” Peter said as he stopped dancing.

“Pet I—I gotta go see something really quick”. I quickly ran out of the ballroom and headed to an empty portion of the library and used my magic to transport me up to the second level of the library.

I raced down the corridor to see the Cloak again waving and flying towards me. It wrapped itself around me almost like it was hugging me and I smiled.

“Hey there Cloakie, what are you doing here?” It then unwrapped itself from me and gestured me to follow him. I chased after it until I reached an open part of the library and was greeted with a shocking surprise.

“If you think I’d let Wong keep me from spending Christmas with you, then you must not know me very well. I can’t tell whether you’re excited or shocked or—” I cried out as I embraced God-papa Stephen as tightly as I could.

“Oh my god….I can’t but how did—how did you convince Wong to let you go?”

“Let’s just say I promised him Beyoncé tickets to her next concert”. I chuckled and nuzzled into his chest and he wrapped his arms around me rocking me back and forth.

“I still can’t believe you’re here”.

“Sweetheart, it’s Christmas Eve, I couldn’t just leave you behind, the threats of the world can wait for one day, especially when that day is Christmas Eve”. He kissed my forehead and I leaned up against him smiling softly with tears of joy rolling down my face.

“Hey (y/n) you were gone for a while so I thought I would—” Peter soon came up and saw me and my god-papa together. “Whoa, what? I—I-I—hey I’m—I’m—I’m Peter”.

“Ahh the young Spiderman am I right?” My god-papa said.

“Y-yeah. I—I gotta say it’s—it’s an honor to meet you Mr. Strange”.

“Doctor Strange Mr. Parker”.

“Oh boy” I muttered quietly as I face palmed softly. After much awkwardness (mainly on Peter’s part) God-papa Stephen allowed Peter and I to head back to the party and then he would take us home after the party was over.

As Peter and I danced together, God-papa Stephen kept his eyes on me and now knowing that I was really growing up, he couldn’t help but allow a few tears fall from his eyes just to have the cloak of levitation wipe them away with the collar. He thrashed his head trying to stop the cloak from Mothering him before finally snapping at it.

“Stop!”

#peter parker x reader #peter parker fanfiction #tom holland #doctor strange #christmas #stephen strange

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darkwing-katy · 7 years

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Second Chance - Part One

Alright guys, here is the first chunk of that Gaston x Reader fic that I posted about a few nights ago. I’ve never written a Reader fic, haha. But I’ve had this idea ever since seeing the movie the first time and I suggested it to other writers but I’m impatient so here it is. I also feel like I should thank @sannvers for editing it and telling me “YO THIS PART IS WEIRD FIX IT”, so thanks.

Title: Second Chance

Pairing: Eventual Gaston x Fem!Reader

Rating: T

Words: 3,753

Summary:You try to stop Gaston from shooting the Beast and falling to his death, but you arrive too late to save him. As you sit there, sobbing, the Enchantress offers you a second chance to save him.

It was warm and sunny, a typical June afternoon in Villenueve. You finished hanging up your wet laundry and took a step back to admire it. With an approving smile, you turned and grabbed the book you’d left on the steps of your home, then headed towards Belle’s house. You knew that your best friend would be waiting for her father to return, and she would appreciate the company.

As you walked the familiar path, you began to daydream. As usual, your daydream revolved around Gaston, whom you had an outrageously huge crush on despite his more negative characteristics (you rolled your eyes every time you heard him bragging about the War in the tavern and alternated between being annoyed and amused by his narcissistic and flirtatious personality). Despite this, you thought he was a deeply attractive man, what with his long dark hair and green eyes that made almost every girl in the village swoon and his smirk, that cocky expression that rested on his face the majority of the time—oh, and don’t even get you started on the way his clothing betrayed his muscular body; you could go on for days about how handsome he was. Of course, you kept this all to yourself for the most part. Belle was the only other person you’d admitted your feelings regarding the Captain to.

While walking, you saw a couple of dandelions growing alongside the path. You stopped for a moment to pick three of them after tucking your book into your apron’s pocket. You loved dandelions because of what they represented—wishes. Belle always rolled her eyes when you would close your eyes and blow off the seeds. As much of a dreamer as she was, she preferred the idea of making her own decisions to change her life rather than relying on fate and wishes. (However, that didn’t mean that every now and then she wouldn’t also make a wish of her own and watch the seeds float on the breeze.) With the flowers in hand, you imagined that Gaston had given you a gorgeous bouquet.

As you turned the corner, you spotted Belle carrying a barrel of what you assumed was clothing. She had a look of frustration on her face, and a few moments later, you realized why: Gaston jogged down after her, calling her name. You frowned at the sight. You knew how much Belle despised Gaston’s affections towards her—she had ranted about how annoying he was and how she just wanted him to leave her alone to you on multiple occasions. She couldn’t understand what you saw in him (and to be honest, you oftentimes questioned your own sanity, especially when you caught him staring at his reflection and commenting on how gorgeous he was), but she never judged you for it.

Well, not much, at least.

“Hello, (Y/N),” a soft voice muttered behind you, distracting you from the scene ahead. You spun around to see Agathe, the village beggar, standing about a foot away from you.

“Bonjour, Agathe,” you replied with a smile. She smiled gently back at you, and you were struck with sympathy for the older woman. You had no coins or food on you, or else you’d give them to her. All you had were your book and the dandelions. But who needs a change of fate more than a poor beggar? you thought to yourself. “I don’t have any money, I’m sorry, but here.” You offered her one of the dandelions. “I know it’s not much, but I like to make wishes on them in the hopes that things will change. Who knows? Maybe your wish will come true.”

Agathe took the dandelion from you, still smiling. “Thank you, (Y/N),” she said. Then she nodded her head towards Belle’s house. “You should probably rescue your friend.”

You looked towards the house. Belle stood on the top of the steps, with Gaston standing on the bottom. Suddenly he grabbed her skirt and began walking up the stairs towards her. “Oh, merde,” you hissed under your breath. “Au revoir, Agathe!” You waved at the woman before rushing forwards, fully intending to drag Gaston away from your friend if that was what it took. You’d acted as a buffer more times than you could count, always making up some excuse for Belle to leave his presence when he tried to have a conversation, but today, you’d gotten distracted before you had the chance to interfere.

Before you got there, however, Belle managed to slip back into the house and shut the door on him. You grinned at the sight of Gaston standing there, rejected. He deserved a healthy dose of humility once in a while. You slowed your pace in order to allow him to leave, then rushed to the house, ready to tease your friend. You ran up the stairs and rapped at the door. “Belle? It’s (Y/N)!” you called.

The door opened a crack. “Is he gone?” Belle asked.

You laughed. “Yes, he’s gone.”

She opened the door and stepped out, a white handkerchief in hand. You went down a step to give her more room. “Ugh, I honestly don’t understand what you see in him. He’s selfish, narcissistic, boorish, and doesn’t have the brain capacity to know how to take a hint! UGH!” She whipped the handkerchief against her leg in anger. You winced at the sharp crack it made as it hit her leg, though she seemed not to notice.

You shrugged. “Sometimes, I don’t even know what I see in him,” you admitted. “But I think he deserves a chance.” She glared at you. “Not from you! I’m not saying you should give him a chance! Just that he deserves one from someone!” She scoffed. You shrugged and retrieved your book from the apron. “But that’s not why I’m here. I came to see if you wanted company while your father is away.”

She was still obviously frustrated, but you knew it wasn’t directed at you as much as a certain captain. “Fine. If you want,” she grumbled.

You stifled a laugh. “Alright then.”

The two of you were reading on the steps the next day when Phillipe came galloping through town, covered in mud and riderless. Belle jumped up at the sight and looked towards the alleyway that led to her home, expectant. When her father didn’t appear, she turned to you, a hint of concern on her face. “Where’s Papa?” she demanded.

You frowned. “You don’t see him?”

She shook her head nervously before running to Phillipe. “Phillipe, where’s Papa?” she asked the horse as she grabbed the reins. Of course, the horse couldn’t answer. “(Y/N), I’m worried about him,” she said, glancing behind her, still hoping he might suddenly appear.

You began to feel a tad nervous as well. Maurice was a kind man, much like a second father to you, only he didn’t judge you for moving to the countryside by yourself. You cared for him almost as much as you cared for Belle. “What should we do?” you asked, setting your book aside.

“I’m going to search for him. Phillipe can take me.” Belle immediately began to saddle the horse. You jumped up and ran into the house, grabbing her cloak and some bread that you wrapped in a kerchief. By the time you returned outside, she was nearly ready to leave. You handed her the cloak and food. “Thanks,” she smiled, but you could see that she had grown more worried. You wanted to join her in her search, but she’d be faster and more efficient on her own, you knew.

“I’ll stay here and keep an eye on the house, okay?”

Belle nodded at your offer. “Thank you.”

You patted Phillipe on the neck. “Be safe, will you? Don’t do anything stupid.”

Belle nodded again. “I won’t,” she promised. And then she was off, leaving you behind with an empty house.

You watched her go. I hope she finds him, you thought. With nothing better to do, you returned to your spot on the stairs and resumed reading.

It felt like only a few minutes later (though in actuality, it was nearly two hours) when you heard someone approaching. You tore your gaze from the book in annoyance (Really? It’s getting to the good part!) only to see Gaston standing before you, a huge bouquet of flowers in hand, looking very confused as to your presence at his alleged future wife’s house. “Bonjour, Gaston,” you said politely, hoping that your cheeks weren’t flushing at the sight of him with the flowers. Hadn’t you just been imagining such a scene the other day?

“Bonjour…” He paused. You sighed. He obviously didn’t even know your name. So much for that daydream.

You let him stand there awkwardly for a few seconds before finally taking pity on him. “(Y/N).”

“Ahh, yes! Bonjour, (Y/N)! I knew that.” He grinned, revealing perfect teeth, and while your heart skipped a beat (He’s smiling at me!), you kept your face nonchalant.

“Of course you did,” you muttered, returning to your book. You heard him clear his throat and ignored it. He did it again, a bit louder, and you sighed and set your book aside before looking back at him. “What?” you asked rather curtly, raising your eyebrows to indicate your aggravation.

Gaston flashed you what he probably thought was his most winning smile. “Is Belle home?” he asked causally.

“Nope,” you replied, popping the ‘p’.

“Will she be home soon?” It was kind of cute how eagerly he was asking. He stared at you intently, his hope for a positive response radiating from his whole being. A small part of you felt bad for how harsh you were being to him, but the rest of you was annoyed at being interrupted from reading and therefore deriving pleasure from being as unhelpful as possible. Besides, it was your duty as a best friend to be as openly discouraging of his affections as possible.

Which is why you shrugged in response and made an “I don’t know” sound.

Gaston’s eyes narrowed slightly, and you could sense the beginnings of his irritation. Good, you thought. You can’t always get what you want. “Will she perhaps be home in time for dinner?” With me? was unsaid but implied. He flashed another flirtatious smile.

You ignored it, instead leaning forwards in an attempt to seem more intimidating. You doubted if it was effective, but it seemed to get his attention; his eyebrow raised slightly, indicating a vague interest. “Look, Gaston, I’m going to be a bit frank here: Belle is not interested in you. At all. She never has been, and she never will be.”

His eyes narrowed even more, and he scoffed. “And how would you know this?” He placed his right leg on the second step, making himself seem even larger than he already was. You didn’t allow yourself to glance at his leg, knowing exactly where your eyes would wander if you did.

Your heart pounding, you forced yourself to meet his green eyes with your (Y/E/C) ones. “Because she told me,” you said emphatically.

Now he was glaring at you. You held your ground, matching his glare with your own. He sneered and snapped his fingers with the hand not holding flowers. “I know you. You’re always interrupting me when I’m trying to speak with her or giving some excuse that pulls her away from me.” He leaned forward, closing the distance between the two of you. You could smell the gunpowder and echo of beer on his tan jacket, as well as some other scent you couldn’t quite identify. “I’m going to tell you something now: you are not going to stop me from making Belle my wife, best friend or not.” His voice had gotten lower, slightly dangerous.

You loved it.

But what you hated was that he was speaking to you like that. That was unacceptable. In as sharp and cold a voice as you could muster, you whispered your reply. “Watch me.”

For a moment, you genuinely thought he might hit you. There was a fire in his eyes that threatened to scorch you, to burn you up until all that remained was smoke and ash, but you continued to hold your eye contact. Neither you nor Gaston blinked. The tension between you two was tangible, almost to the point that you could taste it. You were abruptly struck by a mad desire to close the distance between the two of you and kiss him, which you managed to resist (although there was a definite mental battle taking place between your wants and logic). The fire in his eyes suddenly changed somehow. You couldn’t explain it, but you had seen something else flicker. He began to lean forward, slowly, deliberately. You weren’t sure if it was a bluff or not, so you remained as you were, fighting your body’s craving to press your lips against his, and there were only a few centimeters separating the two of you. What is he doing? you wondered, holding your breath as he came closer, closer—

“Gaston!” a voice yelled, making you jump and pull back. You blinked, and Gaston was smirking, although there was something different about it now. You couldn’t identify the subtle change beyond some mild confusion…and perhaps something else? He pulled away and stepped back down, that funny expression still on his face.

You suppressed the need to shiver, although it wasn’t because you were cold. In fact, your cheeks were flushed; you could feel the warmth in them. Your eyes went to LeFou, Gaston’s right-hand man, who was standing by the garden gate and watching the two of you. He also had an unusual expression on his face that you couldn’t quite explain—sort of a mixture of shock, confusion, disappointment, and was that anger as well?

Gaston dropped the bouquet onto the ground as he turned on his heels and walked away. He didn’t say anything, which greatly concerned you. He was the type who liked to have the last word. And here he was, allowing you to have it. Did he feel a sense of triumph due to you being first to look away?

You sat there for a few minutes after he left with LeFou, allowing yourself to regulate your heartbeat and breathing. You rose from the step to stretch yourself out in an attempt to figure out what exactly had just transpired. Without meaning to, you found yourself walking to the fallen flowers. You bent down to retrieve them. They were gorgeous, and you allowed yourself a brief moment of jealousy that he’d brought them for Belle and not you. You felt immediately bad; Belle did not want his attention, and would gladly, eagerly even, shift that affection to you if she could.

You took a deep breath and went back into the house with no intention of leaving its interior until nightfall.

True enough, it was nighttime when you entered the tavern. As the day had gone on, you’d begun to get worried for Belle and Maurice, who had not yet returned. To stave off the growing sense of dread that had started forming in the pit of your stomach, you’d made the decision to surround yourself with familiar faces.

You found yourself a corner with a table that was vacant and sat down. As your eyes scanned the large room, you spotted Gaston sitting in a chair by the fireplace, dagger in hand, looking extremely aggravated and distraught. LeFou was sort of draped over the chair, talking to him, but nothing he said seemed to cheer Gaston up. You couldn’t help but smirk at the sight. Serves him right, you thought. Your mind inadvertently went back to the day’s earlier confrontation between you two, and your face heated up in embarrassment.

Suddenly, Gaston threw the dagger. You heard it thunk into the wall across from you, right in the heart of a deer that was painted on the wall. Silence filled the tavern, and you could hear LeFou beginning to sing. As you watched, he rose from the chair and began massaging Gaston, then began gesturing around. He then jumped up onto a nearby table, singing all about how great Gaston was.

You rolled your eyes and sighed. Of course something like this would happen. Whenever Gaston was upset (usually over Belle), LeFou was always there to cheer him up and literally sing his praises. By now, most of the townspeople who frequented the tavern knew the chorus of most of LeFou’s songs, although he always managed to change his lyrics to keep it interesting.

“Oh, Belle, if you could see this now,” you muttered, still watching LeFou’s antics.

The townspeople, urged on by LeFou and ale, began to sing louder. Gaston rose from his chair and began to play along, which earned another eye roll from you, although you didn’t stop watching him. He pantomimed his ‘perfect’ hunting strategy, which everyone in town probably had memorized from how many times he’d bragged about it. You couldn’t deny that you found his swagger was attractive. Yes, he needed to be knocked down a few pegs, but there was just something about a confident man that attracted you.

You turned away from the crowd in an attempt to seem disinterested, but also to hide your face from him. Who knew how he’d react if he saw you among the crowd, especially after this morning? It would certainly do nothing for his ego.

Then everyone was clapping and dancing and there were swords drawn and you found yourself wanting to participate but stubbornly refused to (you rationalized it as your own way of taking him off his pedestal a little), and it finally ended. Gaston flopped back into his chair, red captain coat (you hated how much you enjoyed that coat on him) on and his typical smug expression on his face. You tried not to stare too intensely at him, worried that he might feel your eyes on him and notice you.

That was when Maurice barged in. You rose from your chair in order to run to him, but the man was panicked. You almost doubted he’d recognize you, he was so frightened.

“He has her!” he said, grabbing a man by his shoulders and shaking him. “A Beast, a terrible Beast!”

The pit in your stomach returned with a vengeance. “A Beast?” you whispered to yourself. There was no way…was there? Beasts didn’t exist except in stories. How was that even possible? But then why would Maurice lie about such a thing?

A vivid image of a pack of wolves dragging Belle off to devour her appeared in your mind. In the dark, a pack could possibly be mistaken for a monster if they stood close enough. Maybe that was what he meant. But no, he was insisting on a Beast.

You furrowed your eyebrows as you considered the possibility of him telling the truth. Had Belle indeed been captured by a terrifying monster? How could that happen? Where even would she have been taken? A cave, your mind supplied, and you frowned. You’d told her to be safe! This was the opposite of that, Beast or no Beast!

“Will no one help me?” Maurice asked in despair, standing alone in a circle formed by the townspeople. You began to step forward, ready to volunteer, but to your surprise, Gaston rose and offered assistance first.

You narrowed your eyes at him. He was up to something.

“Thank you, Captain,” Maurice said, clapping him on the shoulder.

Gaston smiled. “Lead us to the Beast,” he said, pointing an arm forward. LeFou jumped after him, and you frowned. Definitely up to something.

You rushed out after them, ready to voice your suspicions to Maurice and warn him. Somehow by the time you’d gotten outside, they had located a carriage and were loading it with the essentials. LeFou tossed a quiver of arrows and a bow into the driver’s seat and climbed up into the backseat. Gaston stood off to the side, examining his pistol, and Maurice paced alongside the carriage, waiting for the others to be ready.

“Maurice!” you called, effectively getting the attention of all three men.

Maurice spun around. Upon spotting you, he smiled in relief. “(Y/N)! Oh, my dear girl, it is so good to see you!” he exclaimed, hugging you tightly.

“Maurice, is it true?” you asked softly. It was a crazy tale, but he deserved the benefit of the doubt. You trusted him, and he had no reason to make such a wild claim, especially about his only child.

“Yes, (Y/N), yes it is. The Beast has Belle, and we must get her back or else who knows what will happen to her?” He pulled back to look at your face. Fear shined in his eyes. “She’s in danger.”

The pit expanded, making you feel nauseous. “Then go get her. I would come, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t be of much assistance.” You hated how true that statement was, but you would most likely get in the way, especially if they needed to move quickly. “I’ll keep an eye on your house.”

He pulled you into a hug again. “Thank you, (Y/N). We will find her. We have to.”

“Be safe. Keep an eye out for trouble,” you whispered. As you said ‘trouble’, you couldn’t help but glance at Gaston, who had climbed into the driver’s seat and was watching you with impatience. You glared back. As much as you were suspicious of his intentions for helping, you were also worried for him. You were comforted by the knowledge that if anyone was capable of fighting a monster to retrieve Belle, it would be him. Of course, he would probably turn it into a wedding proposal, knowing him, but you just wanted her back. You could deal with him once she was home.

You released Maurice, and he rushed to get into the carriage, eager to be off. Gaston continued to watch you as he shook the reins, sending them forwards. “Be safe!” you called after them. For a second, something flashed across his face—confusion?—and then it was gone, replaced by his trademark smirk. He winked at you, which made absolutely no sense at all but did make your cheeks flush once again.

You watched them go, praying that they would find Belle and that she would be okay.

Next Chapter

#gaston x reader #gaston #beauty and the beast #batb #gaston imagine

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cover2covermom · 5 years

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Goodbye August & hello September!

I read 9 books in August… none of which were on my August TBR. I don’t think I’ve ever failed this badly on a TBR before. I blame the fact that I was finishing up books that rolled over from July and books coming into the library off my library hold list… Oh well!

Let’s see what I DID read & blog in August…

» How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

*2.5 Stars*

How to Stop Time was just an okay read for me. While I think the concept for this story was interesting & thought provoking, there was something missing in the story for me.

You can read my mini review here ⇒ Mini Book Reviews: August 2019 – Part 2

» The Book Worm of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

*4.5 Stars*

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a historical fiction set in the 1930s in the hills of Kentucky. How could I NOT love a book about a pack horse librarian that braves the unforgiving land to deliver books to impoverished families? Be still my heart! If you enjoy historical fiction where the author really focuses on setting the scene and taking you back in time, I’d recommend this book.

You can read my mini review here ⇒ Mini Book Reviews: August 2019 – Part 2

» A Game of Thrones (A Song of Fire and Ice #1) by George R.R. Martin

Not sure why I put this book off so long. It’s SOOOOOOO freaking good!

» Elmer and the Dragon (My Father’s Dragon #2) by Ruth Stiles Gannett

My 5-year-old loved the first book in this series, so we decided to continue on. While the second book was not as good as the first, it was still a cute read.

» The Library Book by Susan Orlean

This book was absolutely fascinating! If you are a lover of libraries, I highly recommend it!

» After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

While not my favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid novel, After I Do is a solid contemporary novel. This book was extremely relatable & an honest portrayal of relationships. This would make for an excellent book club discussion on long-term relationships and marriage.

» Gratitude Daily: 21 Days to More Joy and Less Stress by Nataly Kogan

This was a quick little audiobook all about practicing gratitude. I found the tips and techniques in practicing gratitude to be practical and achievable. Listening to this book definitely gave me a fresh perspective on gratitude and the benefits of practicing gratitude.

» Book Girl: A Journey Through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life by Sarah Clarkson

*3.5 Stars*

I loved learning about Sarah’s journey & her connection to books. I think Sarah has excellent reading tastes, and will probably borrow the physical copy from the library to copy down all the reading recommendation lists. I gave it 3.5 stars because it was too heavily focused on religion & faith for my tastes.

» Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Gods of Jade and Shadow was one of my most anticipated books of 2019, but it came up a bit short for me. The story felt like a fairy tale filled with Mexican folklore, which I loved, but the book felt very surface level.

Goodreads Challenge Update: 85/100 books read

I am currently 19 books ahead of schedule on my 2019 Goodreads reading challenge. I think it is probably safe to say I will hit 100 books sometime in October.

#YARC2019 Update: 14 books read

Year of Asian Reading Challenge TBR + Progress Tracker #YARC2019

I did not finish any books for #YARC2019 in August, but I did start The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2), which will count for September.

2019 Goals Update:

» 80% NetGalley feedback ratio = 15 backlist ARCs ⇒ 7/15 ARCs read

» 30 physical TBR books ⇒ 18/30 books read

I read A Game of Thrones off my physical TBR this month!

» No buying new books ⇒ #EpicFail

See below. I just couldn’t help myself. Damn you Book Outlet!

» Read long books I’ve been putting off ⇒ 1/3 books read

July 2019 Reading & Blogging Wrap-Up

August 2019 TBR: ARC August #Reviewathon

Kids’ Corner: Ocean: Secrets of the Deep by Sabrina Weiss & Giulia De Amicis

Book Review: The Twelve by Cindy Lin

My #IronTomeAThon 2019 Wrap-Up

Mini Book Reviews: August 2019 – Part 1

Mini Book Reviews: August 2019 – Part 2

» An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

A skilled painter must stand up to the ancient power of the faerie courts—even as she falls in love with a faerie prince—in this gorgeous debut novel.

Isobel is a prodigy portrait artist with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread, weave cloth, or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and Isobel’s paintings are highly prized. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes—a weakness that could cost him his life.

Furious and devastated, Rook spirits her away to the autumnlands to stand trial for her crime. Waylaid by the Wild Hunt’s ghostly hounds, the tainted influence of the Alder King, and hideous monsters risen from barrow mounds, Isobel and Rook depend on one another for survival. Their alliance blossoms into trust, then love—and that love violates the fair folks’ ruthless laws. Now both of their lives are forfeit, unless Isobel can use her skill as an artist to fight the fairy courts. Because secretly, her Craft represents a threat the fair folk have never faced in all the millennia of their unchanging lives: for the first time, her portraits have the power to make them feel.

» A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

Fall in love, break the curse.

Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year, Prince Rhen, the heir of Emberfall, thought he could be saved easily if a girl fell for him. But that was before he turned into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. Before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, Harper learned to be tough enough to survive. When she tries to save a stranger on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s pulled into a magical world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. A prince? A curse? A monster? As she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

» The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves #1) by Roshni

No one believes in them. But soon no one will forget them.

It’s 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.

Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history–but only if they can stay alive.

» Hum If You Don’t Know the Words by Bianca Marais

Perfect for readers of The Secret Life of Bees and The Help, a perceptive and searing look at Apartheid-era South Africa, told through one unique family brought together by tragedy.

Life under Apartheid has created a secure future for Robin Conrad, a nine-year-old white girl living with her parents in 1970s Johannesburg. In the same nation but worlds apart, Beauty Mbali, a Xhosa woman in a rural village in the Bantu homeland of the Transkei, struggles to raise her children alone after her husband’s death. Both lives have been built upon the division of race, and their meeting should never have occurred . . . until the Soweto Uprising, in which a protest by black students ignites racial conflict, alters the fault lines on which their society is built, and shatters their worlds when Robin’s parents are left dead and Beauty’s daughter goes missing.

After Robin is sent to live with her loving but irresponsible aunt, Beauty is hired to care for Robin while continuing the search for her daughter. In Beauty, Robin finds the security and family that she craves, and the two forge an inextricable bond through their deep personal losses. But Robin knows that if Beauty finds her daughter, Robin could lose her new caretaker forever, so she makes a desperate decision with devastating consequences. Her quest to make amends and find redemption is a journey of self-discovery in which she learns the harsh truths of the society that once promised her protection.

Told through Beauty and Robin’s alternating perspectives, the interwoven narratives create a rich and complex tapestry of the emotions and tensions at the heart of Apartheid-era South Africa. Hum if You Don’t Know the Words is a beautifully rendered look at loss, racism, and the creation of family.

» Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield

On a dark midwinter’s night in an ancient inn on the river Thames, an extraordinary event takes place. The regulars are telling stories to while away the dark hours, when the door bursts open on a grievously wounded stranger. In his arms is the lifeless body of a small child. Hours later, the girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life. Is it a miracle? Is it magic? Or can science provide an explanation? These questions have many answers, some of them quite dark indeed.

Those who dwell on the river bank apply all their ingenuity to solving the puzzle of the girl who died and lived again, yet as the days pass the mystery only deepens. The child herself is mute and unable to answer the essential questions: Who is she? Where did she come from? And to whom does she belong? But answers proliferate nonetheless.

Three families are keen to claim her. A wealthy young mother knows the girl is her kidnapped daughter, missing for two years. A farming family reeling from the discovery of their son’s secret liaison, stand ready to welcome their granddaughter. The parson’s housekeeper, humble and isolated, sees in the child the image of her younger sister. But the return of a lost child is not without complications and no matter how heartbreaking the past losses, no matter how precious the child herself, this girl cannot be everyone’s. Each family has mysteries of its own, and many secrets must be revealed before the girl’s identity can be known.

Once Upon a River is a glorious tapestry of a book that combines folklore and science, magic and myth. Suspenseful, romantic, and richly atmospheric, the beginning of this novel will sweep you away on a powerful current of storytelling, transporting you through worlds both real and imagined, to the triumphant conclusion whose depths will continue to give up their treasures long after the last page is turned.

» The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

Five years.

That’s how long Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, have lived on the road in an old school bus, criss-crossing the nation.

It’s also how long ago Coyote lost her mom and two sisters in a car crash.

Coyote hasn’t been home in all that time, but when she learns that the park in her old neighborhood is being demolished―the very same park where she, her mom, and her sisters buried a treasured memory box―she devises an elaborate plan to get her dad to drive 3,600 miles back to Washington state in four days…without him realizing it.

Along the way, they’ll pick up a strange crew of misfit travelers. Lester has a lady love to meet. Salvador and his mom are looking to start over. Val needs a safe place to be herself. And then there’s Gladys…

Over the course of thousands of miles, Coyote will learn that going home can sometimes be the hardest journey of all…but that with friends by her side, she just might be able to turn her “once upon a time” into a “happily ever after.”

» Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno

A magic passed down through generations . . .

Georgina Fernweh waits with growing impatience for the tingle of magic in her fingers—magic that has been passed down through every woman in her family. Her twin sister, Mary, already shows an ability to defy gravity. But with their eighteenth birthday looming at the end of this summer, Georgina fears her gift will never come.

An island where strange things happen . . .

No one on the island of By-the-Sea would ever call the Fernwehs what they really are, but if you need the odd bit of help—say, a sleeping aid concocted by moonlight—they are the ones to ask.

No one questions the weather, as moody and erratic as a summer storm.

No one questions the (allegedly) three-hundred-year-old bird who comes to roost on the island every year.

A summer that will become legend . . .

When tragedy strikes, what made the Fernweh women special suddenly casts them in suspicion. Over the course of her last summer on the island—a summer of storms, of love, of salt—Georgina will learn the truth about magic, in all its many forms.

» Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

*Won in a Goodreads giveaway*

Queenie Jenkins is a 25-year-old Jamaican British woman living in London, straddling two cultures and slotting neatly into neither. She works at a national newspaper, where she’s constantly forced to compare herself to her white middle class peers. After a messy break up from her long-term white boyfriend, Queenie seeks comfort in all the wrong places…including several hazardous men who do a good job of occupying brain space and a bad job of affirming self-worth.

As Queenie careens from one questionable decision to another, she finds herself wondering, “What are you doing? Why are you doing it? Who do you want to be?”—all of the questions today’s woman must face in a world trying to answer them for her.

With “fresh and honest” (Jojo Moyes) prose, Queenie is a remarkably relatable exploration of what it means to be a modern woman searching for meaning in today’s world.

Which books did you read this month?

Have you read any of the books I read or hauled this month? If so, what did you think?

Did you buy any books? If so, which ones?

Comment below & let me know 🙂

August 2019 Reading & Blogging Wrap-Up + Book Haul Goodbye August & hello September! I read 9 books in August... none of which were on my

#Am Reading #Bibliophile #book blog #book blogger #Book Nerd #Book Talk #Book Worm #Bookish #Books #Bookworm #Reading

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erriikkka · 7 years

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As I develop my capabilities, I’ve been really a hoarder of movies, Disney films to be exact. Since then, it has always been a part of me to pay attention to these movie pictures that accompanied and innovated me throughout the years. Furthermore, i have abide to tackle the route in reaching my dreams and I have these bundle of films that represents my childhood in which i can relate to. These movies are the reason that at some point in my life, it also happens to me, and there, I see myself in my that particular scene so what are you waiting for? come on and see what’s inside my movie blog!

I. Beauty and the Beast

the 18th-century fairy tale was brought into life.

Beauty and the Beast

Disney has already given us live-action versions of animated films like Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty in recent years but in a way, Beauty and the Beast feels like the riskiest of them all so far, as far as potential backlash is concerned. Beauty and the Beast is still much more recent than those other animated classics, and many can clearly remember growing up during the film’s initial release and explosion in popularity. Starting from editing, the musical, the casting, setting and the whole production staff made everything possible for this film has to be brought into life and its just very alluring, it will never disappoint you. There are numerous scenes from the film that leave me breathless and had me in tears. One of these scenes is when Belle and the Beast had their first date and dance in the tune “Beauty and the Beast” which depicts their love story. Speaking of their lovestory, the story’s fantastical elements made it feel truly “realistic,” these touches the hearts of its viewers especially, the die-hard Disney fans who waited for this time to happen. It was like a time travel from time to time through the use of the music box which plays the life of Belle since she was born. Lastly, it was when Gaston fatally shoots the Beast from a bridge, but it collapses when the castle crumbles, and he falls to his death. The Beast dies as the last petal falls, and the servants become inanimate. As Belle tearfully professes her love to the Beast, the enchantress reveals herself and undoes the curse, repairing the crumbling castle, and restoring the Beast’s and servants’ human forms and the villagers’ memories. The Prince and Belle host a ball for the kingdom, where they dance and lived happily ever after. With that, I could definitely say that i am mesmerized by this film and it has a huge impact in my life. This movie get to be my favorite movie. 10/10

II. Frozen

Frozen.

My happy pill.

Frozen desalinates the new generation, our generation. Wherein, the youths are being portrayed by Elsa who would always keep a particular secret from everyone for the reason that she’s afraid that the society wont accept her. Within her, i saw myself, i saw how excruciating it is for her to lose her loved ones, i’m not saying that the same thing occurred to me but, even my family’s complete, there’s always that something that’ll be missing. Since then, this film has been my happy pill and Elsa served as my spirit animal and just like her, I should be continuing what I’ve started and what I want because basically, it’s me, that is me. No one could ever deny the hard fact that these challenges will always come and test us, but we should all believe in ourselves that we can like what Elsa did. She stood up for herself and she even managed to grow into a beautiful rose even if she’s all alone. The reason why i really can’t resist this film is about it’s life lessons that we should always think first before we should do any decisions for it might affect our future.

III. Inside Out

The universe is full of dark matter and black holes, of planets made of diamond and space clouds that smell like raspberries. It is beautiful, terrifying and very, very odd. but none of that wonder holds a Christmas candle to what goes on in the mind of an 11-year-old girl. Take Riley—a fun, goofy, hockey-loving kid from Minnesota. Sure, she might not look all that unusual from the outside. But dive into her gray matter and you’ll see towering shelves full of memories and terrifying forests of broccoli in her subconscious, cloud cities forming in her imagination and elaborate dreams taking shape on the sound stage of her psyche. Above it all, in the control tower, work Riley’s core emotions: Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger and Fear. They push buttons and twist knobs and help power Riley through each and every day, making scads of marble-like memories all the while. Most of those marbles are eventually whisked away to long-term memory storage. But a handful stay in the control room. They’re her core memories, moments so critical in Riley’s development that they’ve spawned whole islands of identity. When Joy is sucked out of the control tower, though, it becomes impossible for Riley to do much but sulk and cower and occasionally blow up. And while that’s not good in and of itself, it’s a fantastic depiction of what kids feel when they’re under a lot of stress. When you’re 11 and your whole world has changed, your inner world is shaken, too. And we learn here that our emotions, even ones that might seem, on the surface, “bad,” can help stabilize things. Riley’s parents don’t understand what’s going on with their suddenly sullen daughter, but they want to help. And so they do—through love and patience and understanding. It’s pretty obvious that Mom and Dad are great (though not always perfect) parents, and Riley, eventually, sees them as such. That means Inside Out isn’t content to depict how awful things can get when our lives take a sudden downward turn. No, it also wants to show us how important family can be in the process of picking yourself up and moving on.

IV. Moana

Princesses come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, though Disney’s latest addition to its ever-growing gallery of empowered female heroines, Moana – The sail of the century. It is a tale of the young daughter of a Polynesian chief who seeks to explore the world beyond her island in the Pacific and save her people in the process. Moana’s father continually asserts that because her role is to be the island’s next leader, she must remain on the island. However, her decision to defy her father’s orders leads to a fulfilling experience. She skillfully incorporates Polynesian culture into its plot, demonstrating its beauty and intricacy while respecting its origins. The film includes the traditional Polynesian legend of Maui, a demigod known for his mischievous personality and contributions to mankind, most notably his creation of the Pacific Islands by pulling up rocks from beneath the ocean. Maui’s character is cleverly utilized to highlight the significance of Moana’s agency as a young woman. Demonstrating his rude personality, Maui constantly doubts Moana’s ability to navigate the ocean and help her people because of her status as the young daughter of a chief. Moana’s continual capacity to prove Maui wrong emphasizes her independence and inherent talents regardless of her social standing or gender. Though Maui and his godly powers contribute to the storyline, Moana’s strength and determination are central to the film’s plot and communicate a stirring message of female empowerment. Patience is the key to happiness, they say, and nearly the entire film embodies that belief. For example, Moana must find enough patience to learn how to sail, patience in Maui who doesn’t trust her at first, and patience throughout her entire journey. During the film we see Moana fail a few times before she finally succeeds, and that added humanity to her character, which a lot of protagonists tend to lack. When a lot of people see this, especially our youth, I think it will help them realize that mistakes are a part of our journey through life, and some things require patience before success. The film will be cheered as many things — an entertaining holiday film, a princess story without the slightest hint of romance, a multicultural addition to the Disney family — but best of all, it’s a sharp attack on helicopter parenting. Unlike most of the young women we meet in fairy tales, Moana has a happy childhood and never wants for anything. Like many middle-class American kids today, she has two wonderful, caring parents who only want what’s best for her. Otherwise, the movie offers positive messages of self-discovery and empowerment. And Moana herself is a great role model, demonstrating perseverance, curiosity, and courage.

V. Coco

They say, Coco is the best movie of Pixar in years, and I totally agrees with it. Most of the scenes in the movie takes place in the Land of the Dead, but the movie never stops overflowing with life. Colors riot and effervesce, Mexican folk-art patterns tease the eye, music and song ride beneath each scene and goose it forward. The movie’s so exuberantly visual that it feels as if you’re sticking your head inside the collective unconscious of an entire culture. Not to mention it’s soundtrack “remember me” which says the whole story and within that, we can all see that many people can relate in this kind of music especially the emotional ones. Although out the movie, it made me cry for the reason that at some how I can relate and I know how it feels when your parents are contradicting the things you wanted to do. This movie is a 10/10 for me. It’s really nice and knowing me, being emotional this movie suits my sentimental heart. While all is well in the end, the movie can be dark and sad , especially for those who’ve lost beloved relatives. But it also has powerful themes of perseverance, teamwork, and gratitude and encourages audiences to love and appreciate their family and always follow their dreams.

5 worthy movies that you shouldn’t miss! As I develop my capabilities, I've been really a hoarder of movies, Disney films to be exact.

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waywardravenmedia · 7 years

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Star Wars myths and musings. Episode II: Who are Rey and Snoke?

Episode II: Who are Rey and Snoke?

In Episode I, we mused upon the Force and certain relationships, which were pretty evident.

Now we get into speculation about-- Who is Rey? Who is Snoke? And what about Finn?

Remember, nothing is definitive until the series reveals such, but we can get an understanding of parallels from mythology that has been notably admitted to being an underlying construct.

So on to Rey…

Look at the name. It means king in Spanish and is derived from Rex in Latin. The other mythology that influences Star Wars most prominent to me are the King Arthur legends from Geoffrey of Monmoth to Cretin De Troyes, which are built out of Celtic mythology and the fall of the Roman hold in Britain. Rey=King. So look at King Arthur first.

King Arthur was born of a magical coupling, a creepy one at that, and then whisked away to live in obscurity with no knowledge of his origin or past. When the time came, after a few trials and training by Merlin (mentor and old wizard who lives in the wild. Sound familiar Obi-Wan Kenobi), he encounters a mystical object, by accident in a way, and pulls the sword from the stone to restore prosperity to the land. Lightsaber at Maz Kanata’s castle anyone?

This would all be so easy if… Luke Skywalker did not do the Arthur thing first. Like I said, none of this follows a linear path or follows the previous narratives. It takes pieces and jots them together in novel forms from the familiar story. Parallels to parallels. Elements do tend to be recycled and modified.

However, this got me thinking about Lancelot, the greatest of the knights of Camelot. The one told to be invincible. Maybe Anakin was Lancelot-type merged with Arthhur as Arthur did have some dark times. Then, the Jedi Council would reflected the Knights of the Round Table, just look at the council chamber, and the Republic representing Camelot and Arthur.

Lancelot couldn’t help himself. Even with such skill he lusted and had a secret affair with the queen. Uh queen, who else was a queen? Oh yeah, Padme. Then, in some stories, Lancelot is enchanted, seduced, and has an illegitimate child who is raised in obscurity, doesn’t know who his parents are, and then comes on the scene as greater knight than Lancelot.

That would be Galahad, the dude who survived the siege perilous. Not the one in the Marvel comics and cartoons. Siege perilous just means the perilous seat. True, it did kill people if they weren’t the person who found the Holy Grail, but that’s beside the point. So, again, the Galahad thing could be Luke, but it could be Rey if Rey is a Skywalker in some way. Or Rey is the actual King Arthur and Luke was the Galahad. Maybe Rey is an Organa? Leia’s cousin? Organa sounds like Morgana. Huh?

Leia was adopted by this royal family and their planet was blown to bits, so perhaps a refugee royal family who had to drop off Rey on Jakku to protect her from the old Alderaan families fighting for the remaining power left from the Alderaan royals, and that’s why Leia recognized her. Alderaan did help with the Rebel Alliance and perhaps the First Order wants to hunt down all the remaining members of that lineage to quell influence. So given the name and the mythology behind it, Rey could the actual King Arthur of the story and the Skywalker family was a Lancelot offshoot. Or she could be a modified Galahad construct.

Funny thing. Galahad is in some people’s estimations to be a remake of Fion from Celtic myths. You might know him by his more popular name, the one and only Finn McCool. Yup. Finn. Finn. Finn.

Who is Finn?

In the Celtic myth, Finn McCool (Fion mac Cumhaill) avenges his dad’s murder by Goll mac Morna after he is swept off to obscurity, trained by the fighting woman Liath Luachra [Captain Phasma perhaps?], got a magical gift by a salmon (I know, weird), defeated magical beings, and killed the dude who killed his father and became the greatest warrior. Some said he slept in cave and never died awaiting revival. In the Star Wars franchise, however, I suspect they are just using the name Finn to allude to the Arthurian and Celtic myths and not have the character named Finn follow the course since Rey is the one with the focus. But, daddy issues are common in this franchise along with awaiting destiny to be revealed.

But as a wilder speculation, maybe the team at Disney decided to say screw it. Let’s make Han Solo the Lancelot and he had an illegitimate kid when separated with Leia and Kylo Ren is Rey’s half-brother. Then, the Finn McCool myth can be used so Rey avenges her father’s death. But all of this leaves out Arthur and Mordred concept unless you use Luke as Arthur and Mordred as Kylo Ren because in some tales Mordred is not Arthur’s son but Morgause’s (sometimes merged with Morgan Le Fay in modern tales) and her husband King Lot. In that version Gawain is Mordred’s brother or half-brother and Gawain is Arthur’s nephew. He is, of course, famous for the Green Knight tale that involves trickery, seduction and magical testing of valor.

Perhaps the Gawain tale will be used in the Kylo-Ren backstory. The Green Knight who tests Gawain is a giant. Snoke is a giant as a hologram. The Green Knight’s appearance is due to magic and not his real self, which could hold true for the Snoke hologram. The Green Knight is in reality Bertilak De Hautdesert (High Desert) who was transformed by the sorceress Morgan le Fay who intended to tests Arthur’s knights and frighten Guinevere to death. The leads to an interesting note from J.J Abrams. They did not know who Snoke was and said the character might possible be a woman right up until shooting the Star Wars: Force Awakens, at least according to the Wookiepedia entry on Snoke. Does that mean Snoke is really a version of Morgan le Fay?

Morgan le Fay was one of Merlin’s students, so Snoke would have been a Jedi. Morgan was not an evil being, but was corrupted, who then reconciles with Arthur and gets back her role as one of the sorceresses queens who takes Arthur, after his death, to Avalon (the good old magical island of apples, seriously, apples, look it up).

As an aside, sometimes I just think Sifo-Dyas is Snoke since original Sifo-Dyas was just a cover name for Sidious called Sido-Dyas and not a new character. But, Sifo-Dyas was a Jedi and after his ship crashed, as ordered by Count Dooku, they only found his lightsaber. Perhaps, Sifo-Dyas lived, was mutilated by his crash, thought he was betrayed by the Jedi and went into hiding. During which, he fell to the Dark Side or formulated a "corrupt a strong Light-Sider" plan like ol’Sheev Palpatine did with Anakin. Snoke seduced Kylo-Ren because he was a perfect blend of Light and Dark, a material to be sculpted if you will as one of the novels said. Maybe a powerful but corrupted Light-Side user will have more abilities than just Dark-Side practitioner alone. But I don’t know. Where just keeping to cannon materials here kids even though the Expanded Universe/legends had huge influence on the new movies and tv shows.

Okay, back to Morgan le Fay. She was also Arthur’s half-sister. His mom had a child with her husband Gorlois and not Uther Pendragon, Arthur’s dad. Funny how there are so many TH and UR/ER sounds. Sounds sort of like Darth and Darth Vader. Darth Arthur. Darth Uther.

Sort of irrelevant now since Lucas no longer tells the tales and most accept Darth Vader as a modified portmanteau of Dark Invader.

Other weird stuff is that Morgan and Morgause were sisters and both enchantresses. So who knows, in keeping with Snoke being Morgan le Fey, maybe Snoke is Sheev’s younger brother or twin, who Sheev Palpatine tried to kill or keep imprisoned. A sort of a "Man in the Iron Mask" homage. Also, according to the Star Wars wiki on Snoke, they considered making Snoke female. But if you made Morgause into Sheev and then Morgan would be Snoke. Perhaps the legend influenced the backstory in that manner.

Why not flip the script on Luke and Leia and do it for Sheev and Snoke. Makes sense. Both have names that start with the same letter and here’s another element. Sheev is from Naboo. Just like Padme Amidala Naberrie. Perhaps Naboo is Britain. Hell, the capital city is named Theed, sound British. This might connect the Palpatines and the Naberries. Perhaps they are related. Making this whole thing a crazy family drama/opera, which it is already, but even more so.

And if the whole Trimurti concept is true, the gods Shiva and Vishnu are siblings and you got your cosmic conflict between two great forces. This must then play out on a human level/scope so the story can be related to by the audience with more common myths about family and power struggles. The power struggles are both internal and external; hence, Anakin Skywalker being the encapsulation of the story. Sorry for the trapped/encapsulated in the cybernetic armor pun.

Oh, and who do I think Rey is? If you combine the idea that King Arthur died and went to Avalon, waiting to return to restore Britain when he was needed and the avatar idea of Vishnu, then it would appear she is Anakin Skywalker reborn or a completion of this "Choosen One" Force cycle where to go forward, we must go back. Sort of like the cartoon The Last Airbender. Though the special circumstance of birth, Anakin not having a father and was conceived by the Force like the Christian story that follows many special birth stories from Greek mythology and even Buddhism (Siddartha was born able to speak and walk and where he walked lotus flowers came from the earth. Lotus flowers, huh? Padma/Padme means lotus), is not present yet.

And Finn, perhaps they do keep the Celtic myth straightforward and have him be the son of a king/leader who becomes a great warrior, discovers his heritage and kills the person who killed his father. That would make him unrelated to the rest of the family drama but still bind him to the mythic relationships that the Star Wars cycle is based.

In conclusion, I would not be surprised if Snoke and Sheev Palpatine were bros and maybe Rey is a royal as her name signifies. Maybe even a royal from Naboo, which means…??

That's for you to suss out. Perhaps all of this is a ruse and misinformation to lead us down the path of the plot twist and none of the characters, now, have a basis in myths, which would be too bad since George Lucas did all that research into the subject. Just find his interviews with Joseph Campbell.

So ends the drunken rambling on the new characters but in Episode III we will get to how the House of Atreus (Greek mythology), and Dune might have influenced the series.

May the Force be with you!!

~JLAJ

BTW, I have spoken to some people about Japanese influences and considered the myths of Izanagi and Izanami as the divine twins as reflected in Luke and Leia, or the Dark Side and the Light Side of the Force but their offspring Amaterasu, Susanoo, and Tsukuyomi don’t follow a pattern that fits with Star Wars. But that doesn’t mean they are not added to the new characters. And yes, Jidaigeki is a genre that has samurai flicks and from where Lucas got the term Jedi, which was originally Jedi Bendu. Perhaps Bendu is from the term in Sanskrit that mean point or center and this tends to be lent credence in the Star Wars Rebels cartoon with the Bendu who proclaims he is the middle, the point in between the Light and Dark Sides. Or it could be a reference to Buddhism, which is a philosophy of the “means in between the extremes.” Or as previously stated in Episode I it could be Brahma.

#star wars #mythology

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