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elane-in-the-shadows · 5 months

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Red Queen Fan Fiction - A Promise Under Flowers

May 13th - Happy Birthday, Diana Farley

A/N 1: Here’s also a new story for her! Featuring Jealous Shade included for @elliemarchetti who’s been asking for this for years. Taking place during Glass Sword chapter 19.

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A Promise Under Flowers

Lightning surged from Mare’s hand through the sky and when it hit their silver hunters and their transports, it exploded with Cal’s fire setting them alight. Curses burned Farley’s tongue. Combined, Mare’s and Cal’s powers covered a distance that secured their escape, yet the necessity of escape meant another failure to save newbloods and their families, a loss against Maven.

Farley had stayed a little apart, up on the lookout for more enemies, gun ready. Now she joined the running team, still peeking over her shoulder as Cal and Mare reached her.

Both were out of breath yet appeared awed by their own co-work, Cal nicely rumpled and Mare frizzy with electricity, a shine in her eyes that could turn into a happy smile, if they didn’t face defeat.

Cal approached Farley, touching her arm. “It’s a trap, a tactic I recognize. We have to retreat.” Quickly, he shared rough instructions to proceed, keeping to glance at Mare. Casting aside thoughts of the newbloods they’d at best leave behind to fend for themselves, to maybe be killed or taken hostage, Cal was all professional, knowing what to say, if not for the touch of her arm. Strange he touched her, not Mare, when their longing was palpable. Yet so were the sparks around Mare. Not the time to set her on fire.

“Okay, get the Blackrun ready,” Farley concluded.

“Shouldn’t Shade be back yet?” Mare interjected.

Farley froze. She’d relaxed about him, trusting in his self-preserving ability but if the silvers set a trap, they could’ve caught him with the newbloods.

“… I should’ve gone with him,” she muttered.

Mare gestured. “We get to him now.”

She nodded even though Cal looked dubious. He shook it off; they couldn’t leave Shade behind. Farley handed him a radio. “You know our codes, message us if necessary.” He understood, adding further directions on how to move through the town.

Hopefully, Farrah and Harrick could hide the plane long enough. Hopefully, Shade was alive.

Dashing through the unknown streets was difficult enough, having to rely on the prince’s military teachings. What if Maven’s people varied the scheme? But Farley trusted Cal’s instincts, having learned his and hers worked the same way. She ran with Mare to the newbloods’ home, recalling their data. A man, 58, a woman, 29. A house on heather street. They twisted around corners and climbed fences, hoping to evade any sentinel pursuers. Fighting back would just draw more foes.

Yet as they arrived at the place, they found only two corpses, an elderly couple.

Farley cursed. She was already on the stairs when Mare called her – to the outside. She rushed away – finding Shade bloody and unconscious on a street two houses away.

“Check him!” Mare demanded in a whisper-snarl. She didn’t dare approach, again loaded with sparks. She’d planted herself on the earth to ground herself and charge off. Mare was seducingly powerful yet every day Farley witnessed how it isolated her.

Farley was already next to Shade before she realized how she’d moved there, her hand on his neck. “You promised me forever, you liar,” she hissed.

Nervously, Mare glanced around as Farley was desperate to find his pulse. “We need to get away, we should carry –”

“Before we know how injured he is?” Farley retorted. She could call Cal back, with a few others, though how long would that take? But Shade was breathing, his heartbeat singing to her. She noticed no strongly bleeding wounds yet when he finally reacted, looking into her eyes, it almost melted her heart.

“Silvers …” he groaned. “Attacked … took them out.”

Mare had finished charging herself off and risked a dash around to recon. “Two dead,” she confirmed, and joined them, gripping Shade’s hand. Her gentleness hit Farley.

“Dee,” he urged, slightly recovered. Almost more than me. Farley had to wash it off for good, he was alive.

“Yes,” she agreed, “Get us gone.” Despite their fears, he appeared relieved.

Back on the Blackrun, they could only conclude Shade fainted because of an ability, not a hit or concussion. He would not be able to teleport with such an injury, he said. But he was covered in bruises and his still healing ankle again so twisted he’d need get his crutches back. Farley was thorough with her ministrations and could hardly bring an end to them, even after checking their comrades, to Shade’s irritation.

“Don’t look at me like I might drop dead,” he chided.

Could she be sure he wouldn’t? He’d been hit by a strongarm before he jumped away to kill them and their companion.

They shouldn’t have sent him alone to gather the newbloods but their forces – if they could call them such – were spread thin with several defeats in a row, resulting in injuries, now including Shade. Farley was embarrassed his near loss affected her so, after so much death. When she tried to remember their marks that day, she couldn’t imagine the corpse seen in a hurry was the young woman on their list. Where was she, had she hidden in the town, left behind by Mare and their team, barely escaping Maven?

They didn’t have time to wonder. Mare was as protective as Farley when she pressed for another mission the next day – and leaving Shade behind. Only to arrive to dead bodies again. The day after, they were trapped by their own Whistle associate and found a whole murdered family. Mare freaked out over the dead baby so Farley could barely process it herself. Instead the memory settled in her bones and when she felt sick, it began to taste differently.

She knew she couldn’t afford to chew – or choke – on that. Even if … no matter.

Shade held her at night, aware of her own dead, and shared the weight of his. His pride gambled with his ability, letting him miss how strong he was. How fatal, like the day of his newest injury. He despised using it to kill, and did it anyway.

She could tell him there might be more than duty between them. How she wished for it. Still she let that option wither like she was afraid to answer herself.

Mare had another newblood on their list, reminding them of urgency, the chance to be quicker than Maven.

“Only after confirming his movements,” either Cal or Farley would insist each time, soon flowing back into their routines, Cal with the research, Farley maintaining the notch.

Going through the base’s corridors, she followed Nanny bringing out provisions to the rooms until she closed up to the old woman and stopped dead. “Not need to exaggerate my diligence, Nanny,” Farley called out with a chuckle when she faced her.

Wearing Farley’s features.

Nanny raised her hands, empty now. “Well, I’m done anyway.”

Farley shook her head. “Your ideas for mischief know no bounds.”

“My deceit, my dear,” Nanny countered, lifting one finger to chastise. “I am a weapon with many skills.”

“Absolutely.” Farley bit back a laugh and tucked Nanny by the sleeve. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

Nanny’s brows rose in expectation and Farley supressed her irritation about the topic, as well as facing herself. Her own surprised face was an unusual sight indeed.

Just get it done and say it.

“Your family didn’t appear on our list,” she began, “and as no newbloods, the Guard evacuated them.”

Nanny’s face clamed, waiting.

“So you never … none of them, your children, or grandchildren, showed any abilities?”

Crossing her arms, Nanny stared. “If they weren’t on your list?”

I’m not cowed by my own glare. Farley shrugged. “It was the first time anyone looked for newblood markers. They might be more to it we don’t know yet.”

“Hm.”

“No sign ever, Nanny?”

A shift moved through Nanny, having nothing to do with changing shape. Her gaze went over Farley, toe to head and when their eyes met, Farley didn’t see herself, but the old lady, giving her, undeniably, what had to be called a mom’s stare.

“Why would you, of all people, be so curious about this, Captain?”

She met her own face, so similar to her dead mother, when no had looked at her like that, with this mix of caring and teasing, for several years. Startled, Farley stepped back, barely managing to catch herself. Not fast enough. “I have to plan ahead, take responsibility,” she offered, poorly.

Now Nanny grabbed her by the arm. Her voice was quiet. “And are you doing that …?”

She only felt blood rushing to her head. She needed space to breathe, to think. Even though she knew. Looking down, she said. “I have to be sure.” In truth, she had preferred ignorance, not having to choose. Not worrying over nothing or a misassumption, or rashly reject when she craved to embrace. Not getting attached to what might get lost before it thrived.

This period of waiting should’ve ended with the dead baby yesterday.

Farley straightened, returning to business. “No need to hurry about this topic, Nanny. But if you remember anything –”

“I have no issues with my memories, ma’am.”

It pulled a chuckle from her throat. “Of course not,” she said, and turned around – to run into Shade.

Nanny laughed out loud and Farley, her hand grabbing Shade’s jacket to keep each other from stumbling, glanced back to find Nanny finally returned to her own form. “I’ve been waiting just for this,” Nanny said.

“What?”

With a pat on her shoulder, Nanny made to leave. “See true love recognize the right bride,” she whispered, as if she was narrating a fucking fairy tale.

“I’m not –”, Farley snapped but Nanny was already gone and Shade, right in front of her, blinked as he stabilized his footing, even as he had let go of one crutch.

“What was that?” he asked.

“She –” Farley gathered her bearing, helping him put weight off his weak side. She shook her head, taking Shade’s free hand. “She was delighted to test if you could tell us apart.”

“Hm.” He freed his hand and raised it, his fingers gliding, awfully slow, to her jaw, cupping it as if to inspect her to be sure. An excited shiver ran through her. “The face is flawless, now that you say…” He smirked and one long finger lifted her by the chin so her mind went through the times those fingers made her body sing. His face inched forward, neither closing the distance to a kiss, nor finishing his sentence.

She fixed his eyes in return and that was all they did for then, a pull that froze time.

She swallowed eventually and felt his fingers twitch in reply, his thumb stroking her jawline. She indulged to stay in the frozen moment, to sink into his amber eyes and drink the longing shining in them. “You can have me in whichever way you want,” she said.

His fingers twitched and he blinked. He didn’t retreat but time went on again.

She frowned, stepping back and glancing away, reaching for the dropped crutch. “Did you walk here?” she asked as she handed it to him.

“No, I …” Awkwardness had fallen between them and Farley regretted her advance. It had felt so true to her. In that moment, it was the one right thing she wanted to say. Was it wrong?

Shade pulled himself together, fixing his hold on the crutches. “I teleported. So I cheated, I guess, Jumped straight to you, rather than Nanny.”

Farley nodded, already moving away, back to her lists, preparations and schedules. And yet. “You couldn’t tell us apart by sight?”

He only smiled. It was a promise.

One duty pursued the next. When Farley wasn’t checking the notch and its inhabitants, she organized their training, looked for news on Maven’s movements and assaults, relocated people and ordered their resources. Another assignment loomed for the evening, Mare insisted on it. No one could talk her out of any of them, and what could Farley say? Gathering intel before striking was the only reasonable argument. She already had a hard time moving on from the people they failed to save. She understood Mare’s rush, knew how it was to prefer the fire of action over freezing hesitation – until it burned you.

The demand of their work began to sizzle, she realized even as she went through several lists at the same time just checking their food supplies before the operation. She needed the mundane distraction of it. The sight of that dead baby … it had hit Mare more than anything else in the last weeks. When they’ found it. Afterwards, Mare had returned to steel. That shocked Farley. That moment, Farley’s battle mind was still on as she urged Mare to escape. Only later, the memory made her sick as it ate through her, mixing with her own worries. To witness Mare do the opposite was unsettling.

Farley could be distantly pragmatic in the heat of adrenaline and necessity, and she’d repeated the drill countless times in the last 5 years – ignoring her heart. And her heart, horrifyingly, wondered what would be if she saw her own family slaughtered again. Her own child, that might not exist. She couldn’t even start to imagine. Wouldn’t she be better off without? Yet she found no relief in discovering to be mistaken, only plummeting loneliness.

Meanwhile, Mare moved on, striding into mission after mission like it was the sole thing to do. Maybe it was. Didn’t Farley do the same, filling every minute with work –

“I can take it from here.”

Farley’s head spun to Ada, joining her in the food stash. “I have my system.”

Ada chuckled, taking her by the shoulders. “Yes, I’ve figured it out.”

“You … of course you did.” Farley shook her head. Ada resembled Shade, in the way she glided through their unjust world proudly, with a powerful secret. And Ada was smarter than everyone else, too. She had these perfect manners that flustered Mare, Shade and Kilorn sometimes, but not Farley. Ada’s formality paired with her skills made her the queenliest person Farley could imagine.

She sighed, putting down her pen and papers. “You don’t need to double check.”

Ada merely smiled. “No need to double check,” she agreed, brushing Farley’s arm. “But about the Blackrun …”

“Yes, the Blackrun.” Farley rolled her eyes. “Good I didn’t plan for a break.”

“Glad to share work with you, Captain,” Ada said in goodbye.

A queen indeed, commanding and delegating.

Since the operation was already scheduled, Mare didn’t hound her to argue for it. It was a poor relief, aware that Mare had her expectations anyway. Maybe she was training instead, improving what she and Cal and the other newbloods developed as combo attacks, a thrilling advantage against silvers. Meanwhile, Farley was backup, in this case inspecting the Blackrun for water, armour, weapons, clothes, first-aid-kits, maps, cleaning – with the plane newly daily in use, someone had to take care of this. Just get this done and she could have an early meal and catch a nap. Securing the last first-aid-kit, she stepped on the ramp when a gush tickled her neck.

She spun to find Shade, reclined on a seat, legs stretched out.

He looked up to her, both wired and exhausted. “You have a moment?”

She breathed out. “For you, of course.”

He pointed to his injured leg. “I tried to convince Mare to take me along tonight but she refused.”

“And I should check if you’re healed enough to prove her wrong?”

He shrugged. “Please.”

With a tsk, she retrieved the first-aid-kit and crouched in front of him. The thing was so necessary it was already back in use. “I’m not sure who’s more protective of the other,” she muttered as she delicately undressed his foot, bending it slightly in all directions.

“And where do you fit in?” he asked. His fingers tapped on his knee.

“Being objective, I hope. So Mare believes me and you listen.”

“Oh no, you never tease me at all, don’t you?” he taunted.

Her head jerked up from removing his bandages. “What?” Of course she did, joking with him, but obviously so. She was as honest as she could … dare.

“You totally flustered me before, you know, don’t you?” Shade said.

She swallowed. “I …”

“Saying things like that ... what was that supposed to mean? What do you expect me to do?” He was genuinely upset and yet – it felt like rejection. She had meant it, baring her heart. But what each of them understood was another matter.

She continued her examination, testing his bare ankle now. He winced. “I’m … sor – sad to have confused you.” She held on to his ankle, drawing circles on his skin. She had spoken true, and now had to search for other words. She wasn’t sorry, didn’t want to apologize.

She looked up. “I don’t expect anything of you, that’s what I meant. I’d be … glad to hear your wishes. Try them out.” Back to bandaging, she gathered the supports he needed and started rewrapping.

He grunted. “That’s not what I got. I thought, ‘what could she want, this gorgeous older woman? What could she know that I have no idea of? Have I not been enough?’”

“Shade.” Even as she raised her head, she was flushing hot. Could he really have understood the opposite?

His fingers stopped their drumming, reaching for her hand on his leg. “You must have an idea of how impressive you are. Tall, beautiful, strong, a soldier brave and cunning.” He grimaced. “Scary. And experienced.” Meeting her eyes, he froze – and swallowed. “I mean, I didn’t know if you’d even notice me … as a flirt. And you didn’t, for long. I thought you must have lovers in the Scarlet Guard, most of all –”, he took a breath. “You’re so… stunning. How would I compare?”

Listening with growing surprise, she squeezed his hand to end his ramblings. “But I’m not. Experienced. Not in that way.” His eyes widened and she leaned back, crossing her arms. “Yet, aren’t you? From what Mare and Kilorn say?”

“Um.”

“Are they wrong?” She pinned him with a glare. It was uncomfortable and they had to get through this. Be honest, righting misassumptions.

Finally, he breathed out. “I’ve flirted. Kissing. Hookups. Pining. A boyfriend when I was 16. But nothing … out of the ordinary.” His face burned as much as hers. “And you … you were a long chase.” He smiled.

Softened, she inclined her head. “Because I need to. To be … chased.” She let the word hang on her tongue, testing it.

It was accurate enough.

“I’ve admired my girlfriend Giselle for 4 years before I realized I was in love with her. Even longer before we became a couple. After we broke up …” Death. Homelessness. Loss. The Cause. “I focused on the Guard for 4 years. I didn’t want anyone, even when I had sex two times.”

She’d engaged when her comrades celebrated, reciprocated flirting, even kisses at times, and when her arousal aligned with the occasion, she had taken to bed a woman, a man. And yet, despite those seconds of pleasure, she’d registered no desire for her partner, no lasting wish to be with any person, to do it again. She came to conclude her arousal showed as a physical need, a bodily function in line with her cycle she would better take care of herself, like hunger or thirst.

Only Shade had left her divided, confusing her heart so she assumed it a liar. She used to know the truth: Live for the fight.

“In several years,” Farley said, “I’ve only desired to be with you, to touch you, stay with you, wishing for more. You were a risk I had to figure out. And you waited for me as I took time, didn’t let go when I needed a tether. You took me as a I am and yet you changed me, so I wanted to gamble. You challenge me, all the time, and I want you to keep doing it. In every way.” Their eyes fixed on each other, piercing so hard Shade blushed deeply with the insinuation.

He bent forward and touched her shoulder. “But if you don’t like it?”

She snorted, relaxing her posture. “I suppose scary me will say no then. Or if you’re not good at it,” she added quietly.

That took him aback. “And that’s what I meant! Would I meet your expectations? Get close to you when you’re already close with so many others? Was I to your taste? I noticed you liked me, but in what way? Was I a fool to you? You were so easy with Tristan, so naturally physical I thought you must have been a couple forever. How could I ever be what he already was to you? I wondered how I compared to him every time he talked to me. I didn’t have his muscles, am smaller, thinner, can’t carry you or lift you against a wall – why are you looking like that?!”

She had failed to avoid an aghast expression, causing Shade’s suspicion. With a sigh, she reached for his hand yet needed to gather herself before meeting his eyes, “We’re being true today, aren’t we?” she said. “I’ve been with someone else once, but … also with Tristan.”

Shade looked like he’d been stabbed, to her embarrassment. He’d been right with his worries but also … not. “Like, for an hour, and didn’t care to repeat it, ever again.”

It hardly helped, his shock was too great. He must not have expected to have been right. “You and him …” Shade shook his head. “You were so easy-going, trusting, touching all the time …”

Farley sat up, cupping his cheek. “Because there was no desire between us. We … tried, and didn’t want that. We moved beyond it. If we could do that, part ways and still work together …”

“Do that …” Shade repeated and she didn’t like to think about the pictures in his head now. Her hand brushed his skin, and she added her other to play with his soft, ever-growing hair.

“Have you not listened?” she whispered, and pulled more sweet nothings from thin air. "You're so handsome, your sight gets me through the day, until I can't bear any minute I'm not touching you ..." Her words, her touch, sharing breaths, she put all in to dissemble his jealousy until he recovered, clasping her wrists and finally realizing how near she was, close enough to kiss. He almost did, leaning back at the last moment. “I get it,” he whipered.

Their foreheads touched, even as a shiver ran through him and he cleared his throat. “All this about a dead man,” he muttered.

That erased the foolishness of the moment. Farley held on to him tighter, grounded again on the Blackrun’s floor, waiting for a mission to start, with him, injured.

“Can’t have you end like that as well,” she murmured.

“So you finally promise to not get me killed?” he replied, breaking away to find her gaze.

Her cheek twitched. “Well, in this case, I can’t let you join today,” she said. “You still wince from your aches with every move and your ankle should rest another day or three.”

He groaned, his posture slumping. “If you, Mare and the rest look after yourselves.”

She shifted, fingers combing through his hair to cup the back of his head. Now he glanced up to her. “You don’t look enough after yourself. Almost like I can’t leave you alone.”

With a self-deprecating smile, he closed his eyes. “But you can’t say I’m a terrible soldier in every way.” His eyes opening, he added, “I’d ask for something to look forward to, but this wrecked” – he grimaced – “I’m not sure what I can offer.”

She sucked in a breath at his tease. “Your mouth will do,” and while she blushed, he giggled at the – unintended – double-meaning.

Fingers traced her face again. “In every way, you said,” he said, considering. “I’ll tell you an idea, for the time being.” Gliding off the seat, he sank to his knees and embraced her waist.

“In May, on your birthday, when lilac and wisteria bloom, I will find you, lured by the violets in your eyes, into a porch under the flowers whose shadows throw intricate patterns on your skin, tangled with your curls. I’ll kiss you, on the cheek, and trace the blossoms’ shadows down your neck, your breasts, your legs, your belly and – enveloped in their scent – I will taste what’s sweeter: the bloom or the flowers between your thighs.

“Do you like that?”

She’d forgotten everything but his voice and the images he created, despite the stress she’d felt this day, no, the last weeks. When she regained words, she answered, “It’s enough for now.” What a dream that was, to think of seven months from now. That was as good as forever but time and space left as they kissed. She wished he’d always chase her like this.

A/N 2: I’ve wanted to explore Farley being demi for a while since I do think it fitting her yet I was also irked that the label would mark her as a widowed mother who should stay chaste, faithful and single forevermore. I’ve written other stories where she doesn’t do that so it appears balanced to me telling it this way, just adding another angle to her. Writing this for her birthday, I’ve listened about 800 times to my number one Fade song, Lacey Sturm’s “Faith”, for inspiration, and heavily referenced it in the story. It still hits me. I love these two so much.

@nortaeventcouncil @lilyharvord @mareshmallow @lucy-the-cat @justagirlwholovesstories @averyboterham @imsorryistilllovemaven @groysinjapan @eliimaii @readytolearnmore @maudthebookeater @petergrantkavinsky @freaky-freiday

#red queen #victoria aveyard #red queen fanfiction #red queen fan fiction #shade x farley #diana farley #shade barrow #fade #red queen one shots #regina writes #a promise under flowers #glass sword #maven calore #cal calore #mare barrow

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maximumwobblerbanditdonut · 6 months

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I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it.

Edith Sitwell

I understand that this fan may have missed my previous response, but I'd like to clarify that there have been some surreal moments from SH’s fans and their comments. This moment doesn't change the essence of who they are. This is their way of talking with all emotions flying high, right? Although claims that this word was created by Diana Gabaldon and given to SH to use on his merchandise, this is not the case. The word Sassunach/Sassanach is not a made-up word and it is not the property of any one person. It has been in use for centuries and has roots in Gaelic and Scottish culture.

Sassunach/Sassanach simply means English person. Similarly, Albanach means Scottish person. Alba in Gaelic means Scotland, which was a language that the English referred to in ancient times due to the language they spoke. SH appropriated this word because he is an opportunistic man who will take advantage of what he can find to reach some end.

Lowland Scots and non-Gaelic speakers were also called sassunach. But in the 18th century, the Scots used the word due to their occupation of Scotland for hundreds of years. No matter what you think, no one in Outlander SH or DG has a legally legitimate title to the word Sassenach. Gaelic is not inherent to DG or SH. The Gaelic language and culture are an integral part of the nation's identity, and more than half of Scotland's Gaelic speakers live in the Highlands and Islands, connecting people for centuries SH used it word as a cultural appropriation he ignored the history and struggles of the culture from which he was taken. He is a lowland Scot and he doesn't speak the language. But, Don’t be surprised, after all, everything about him is made up.

Don’t forget, Gabaldon from New Mexico picked 18th century Scotland as a setting for her novel by accident after seeing an old episode of Doctor Who featuring the companion character Jamie Robert McCrimmon, (played by Frazer Hines) fictional character also known as Jamie, who fought in the Battle of Culloden fighting for Bonnie Prince Charles on 16th April 1746.

The earliest known use of the word Sassenach is in the mid-1700s. The earliest evidence for Sassenach is in the writing of Tobias Smollett, a Scottish novelist.

Tobias Smollett wrote in the novel, Humphrey Clinker (1771), ‘The Highlanders have no other name for the people of the Low Country, but Sassenagh or Saxons’. In modern Scotland, however, the Gaelic term has been adopted into general usage as sassenach, denoting something or someone English.

In DG’s original book, there’s the problematic use of the Scots word “Sassenach,” derived from the Gaelic word “Sasannach,” which does not mean “outlander” or “foreigner” — it only means an Englishman. In Gaelic the word is neutral, but in Scots, the word has a pejorative sense which can be offensive to English people. (I’m sorry but you can’t go into the issue without greater detail here, and post about this word with nonsense comments ) You must read about Scottish Gaelic history and culture. The word is only applied to the English, "Sassenach" not refers to any traveller not born in Scotland... in other words, has nothing to do with "outlander."

It is worth noting that Gaelic is not magical and, despite being Scottish, SH did not grow up speaking the language in the Highlands as many Scots do. Instead, he took the word and applied it to his brand, taking advantage of the fact that his fans see themselves as a ‘Sassenach’ (a fictional television character, that's idiotic). This tactic plays on women's emotions and allows SH to benefit quickly without making concessions. It might be a smart move of him, but some may see it as really questionable. Nice way for a 44-year-old man to shine and live supported by adult women 😳

It’s considered inappropriate for a man to rely on the support and attention of adult women. It's concerning to see SH's female customers blindly following buying expensive merchandise for decoration and praising him all year round. These individuals are often referred to as 'useful idiots' who mindlessly parrot comments without questioning or thinking critically.

I believe if someone chooses to take advantage of their fans, it's because their fans enjoy looking ridiculous and don't mind being laughed at. Unfortunately, there's not much that can be done about this. As the saying goes, 'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.' I find it hard to believe that some of SH's female fans who don't have any Scottish ancestry, no Scottish blood running through their veins would want to pretend to be Scots 🙄

They are female clients who pay for SH’s services at private events, but it doesn't seem to have any positive impact on their lives. His only impact was leaving a scar on his forehead that he'll never forget while increasing his bank statement. These women, and rarely men, buy his expensive products just to flaunt them on social media in hopes of getting attention from the person they idolise. This behaviour is mostly seen in women interested in a middle-aged man. It's worth noting that SH doesn't even know his clients' names or even that they exist.

It sounds like you're not familiar with SH’s books. He hired Charlotte, 👻 a ghostwriter, to write Clanlands books and another ghostwriter to write Waypoints. It doesn't matter if other people have used ghostwriters, we are not arguing about them, this is specifically about SH.

By the way, the spy who dumped me? It was a fun comedy film but Brian Glazer had the idea of working with female roles and decided to choose Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon, he did not choose SH (who was chosen by Lionsgate/Sony), as a spy who left no one behind, Well, Gillian Anderson and Justin Theroux were more important than him.

SH is not a bartender. He doesn't prepare his own recipes. Instead, he presents cocktails from real bartenders and fails to mention their creators, thereby taking credit for them. In this scenario, you are not offering any thoughtful reflection. If you don't want to be mistaken as an obsessive fan, you shouldn't behave like one. It's tiring to see such behaviour in adult women.

On the other hand, conventional alcohol brands do not need or use awards or medals as a distinctive feature, nor do they even use praise as a reason for being. Perhaps, the messages, brand attributes and market positioning are enough to win over the consumer. Very different from SH alcohol, which relies on women who have no idea how to tell whisky or gin apart to elevate and praise their idol in the marketplace.

So, It seems that you have not studied Scots Gaelic properly and have no idea about the history of Scotland. But if you've started learning Scots Gaelic, you can continue, but you should try harder. If you are a learner, it is always good practice to make this clear.

Never try to use jealousy as an excuse to open up the conversation… BAD IDEA. (Look at what happened to Leia… she kissed her brother!) By the way, no one likes mediocrity and settles for it.

Cheers :)

Posted 11th April 2024

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anoramactir · 4 months

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book recs! tagged by @rosenfey & @jennystahl. blows kisses to both of you <3 i'll tag @a-treides, @katsigian, @dekarios, @shellibisshe, @devilbrakers, and @frankensteined.

last book you read. the salt grows heavy by cassandra khaw.

horror/fantasy, kind of a little mermaid retelling? i had mixed feelings about it. there was definitely an interesting plot in there, but i thought it was bogged down by purple prose. felt more like a challenge to write the prettiest sentences possible - and there were v lovely lines! - than a story at times.

book you recommend. fight club by chuck palahniuk.

hard q, but i went with this one because i feel like the reputation the movie + it's fans have makes people avoid it. i could repeat all the soundbites about it being a brilliant satire & criticque of toxic masculinity (especially if you read the narrator as closeted) but tbh... i'm reccing it because i think it's fun. that's really it.

book you couldn't put down. bunny by mona awad.

disclaimer: i've seen this one hyped as the weirdest shit you'll ever read in your life but i didn't think it was that weird. lower your expectations. i did like it enough to finish in three days, though. idk what to say about it that won't spoil the plot— kinda heathers meets frankenstein? more eerie than scary.

book you've read twice or more. the queen's thief series by megan whalen turner.

society if this was the old school ya fantasy that blew up on booktok instead of shatter me: ☀️🌊🌳 i read this one back in high school and it rewired my brain permanently. attolia irene is the only girlboss that matters. i come back to it every few years (rereading book 4 now) & i think it still holds up.

book on your tbr. last call at the hotel imperial by deborah cohen.

it's a non-fiction about a group of reporters that covered ww2. i picked it up randomly at a bookstore because the cover was pretty, lol.

book you've put down. the priory of the orange tree by samantha shannon.

i know i'd love it if i finished but it's just so long. 😭 i've tried like three times and i always lose steam about halfway through. at this point i'll finish it by 2050.

book on your wishlist. hollow places by christopher hadley.

ambie actually recced this to me ages ago and i've been dying to read it. it sounds so interesting! but it's not available as an ebook or at my library, and i'm banned from buying physical books until i get through my stupidly tall tbr stack. one day.

favorite book from your childhood. howl's moving castle by diana wynne jones.

nobody is surprised. it's probably my favorite book of all time. a+ vibes, characters, romance, everything. i own three copies and refuse to get rid of any. if i could find an autographed version, i'd own four.

book you would give a friend. interview with the vampire by anne rice.

i need you all to become obsessed with lestat & louis and then watch the amc series so it gets renewed for season 3. please & thank you.

book of poetry or lyrics you own. time is a mother by ocean vuong.

haven't read it yet, but i've heard great things!

nonfiction book you own. girl sleuth: nancy drew and the women who created her by melanie rehak.

goes into the creation of nancy drew & how it evolved through the years, especially how it was shaped by the original ghostwriter and the daughter of the creator, and their decades-long beef with each other. i came out of it with a parasocial grudge against a woman who died in 1982.

what you're currently reading. a conspiracy of kings by megan whalen turner.

book 4 of the queen's thief series. crown prince sophos has been kidnapped and sold into slavery and it's all very dramatic.

what you're planning on reading next. moby dick by herman melville.

i've never gotten around to this one and i feel like i have to eventually. there's a 75% chance i'll get sidetracked and pick up something totally different, though.

#tag games

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theyraylovehate · 2 years

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Wheel of Fan Fiction Masterlist

Smut 🔥

Fluff 🌸

Angst 💧

*This is like brand new so most of the characters won't have anything just yet*

•Stranger things

-Billy Hargrove

-Steve Harrington

-Eddie Munson

-Robin Buckley (Fem/NB only)

-Argyle

-Johnathan Byers

-Nancy Wheeler

-Jim Hopper

-Joyce Byers

-001/Henry

-Will Byers (No smut)

-Mike Wheeler (No smut)

-Max Mayfield (No smut)

Hateful Cuddling - Female reader 🌸

-Dustin Henderson (No smut)

-Lucas Sinclair (No smut)

-Eleven (Jane) Hopper (No smut)

•Marvel

-Iron Man/Tony Stark

-Captian America/Steve Rogers

-Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff

-Hawkeye/Clint Barton

-Hulk/Bruce Banner

-Thor

-Loki

-Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes

-Black Panther/T'challa

-Doctor Strange/Steven Strange

-Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff

-Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff

-Starlord/Peter Quill

-Gamora

-Spiderman/Peter Parker

-Falcon/Sam Wilson

-War Machine/James Rhodes

-Valkyrie (Fem/NB only)

•X-Men

-Professor X/Charles Xavier

-Magneto/Erik Lensherr

-Wolverine/James Howlett

-Quicksilver/Peter Maximoff

-Rogue

-Jean Grey

-Storm/Ororo Munroe

-Cyclops/Scott Summers

-Mystique/Raven

-Beast/Henry "Hank" McCoy

-Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner

-Havok/Alexander Summers

•DC/Young Justice

-Batman/Bruce Wayne

-Superman/Clark Kent

-The Flash/Barry Allen

-Aquaman/Authur Curry

-Cyborg/Victor Stone

-Joker/Jack Oswald White

-Harley Quinn/Harleen Quinzel

-Wonder Woman/Diana Prince

-DeadShot/Floyd Lawton

-Kid Flash/Wally West

-Nightwing (Robin #1)/ Dick Grayson

-Red Hood (Robin #2)/ Jason Todd

-Robin (#3)/ Tim Drake

-Beast Boy/Garfield Logan

-Superboy/Johnathan "Jon" Kent

-Artemis/Artemis Crock

-Red Arrow/Roy Harper

-Green Arrow/Oliver Queen

-Black Canary/Dinah Lance

-Miss Martian/Megan Morse

-Aqualad/Kaldur'ahm

•Umbrella Academy

-Luther Hargreeves (#1)

-Diego Hargreeves (#2)

-Allison Hargreeves (#3)

-Klaus Hargreeves (#4)

-Five Hargreeves (#5)

-Ben Hargreeves (#6)

-Viktor Hargreeves (#7)

-Marcus Hargreeves (#1)

-Fei Hargreeves (#3)

-Alphonso Hargreeves (#4)

-Sloan Hargreeves (#5)

-Jayme Hargreeves (#6)

-Lila Aryu

-The Handler

•Harry Potter

-Harry Potter

-Ron Weasley

-Hermione Granger

-Fred Weasley

-George Weasley

-Ginny Weasley

-Draco Malfoy

-Sirius Black (Older)

-Cedric Diggory

-Oliver Wood

-Neville Longbottom

-Luna Lovegood

-Remus Lupin (Older)

-Nymphadora Tonks

-Lucious Malfoy (Older)

-Narcissa Malfoy (Older)

-Severus Snape (Older)

-Bill Weasley

-Charlie Weasley

•Marauders

-James Potter

Friendly Love - Male reader 🌸

-Lily Evans

-Sirius Black

-Remus Lupin

-Severus Snape

-Regulus Black

-Lusious Malfoy

-Narcissa Black

-Peter Pettigrew

•Greek Mythology

-Zeus

-Hades

-Posideon

-Apollo

-Hera

-Persephone

-Ares

-Athena

-Demeter

-Aphrodite

-Artemis

-Dionysus

-Hermes

•Divergent

-Beatrice "Tris" Prior

-Caleb Prior

-Eric

-Peter

-Christina

-Will

-Tobias "Four"

-Zeke

Zip line of Love - Nonbinary Reader (Requested) 🌸

-Uriah

•Star Wars

-Anakin Skywalker

-Luke Skywalker

-Leia Organa

-Han Solo

-Obi-Wan Kenobi

-Kylo Ren

•Supernatural

-Dean Winchester

-Sam Winchester

-Castiel

-Crowley

-Lucifer

-Rowena MacLeod

-Gabriel

-Charlie Bradbury (Fem/NB only)

-Chuck Shurley

-Jody Mills

-Ellen Harvelle

-Kevin Tran

•The Walking Dead

-Rick Grimes

-Daryl Dixon

-Glenn Rhee

-Carl Grimes

-Maggie Greene

-Negan

-Michonne

-Shane Walsh

-Rosita Espinosa

-Carol Peletier

-Paul "Jesus" Monroe

-Abraham Ford

‐Tara Chambler (Fem/NB only)

-Enid

-Ezekiel

-Aaron (Masc/NB only)

•The Walking Dead Game

-Clementine

-Lee

-Kenny

-Luke

-Javier

-Gabriel

-Kate

-Louis

-Omar

-Ruby

-Mitch

-Marlon

-Violet (Fem/NB only)

IT (2017)

-Richie Tozier

-Beverly Marsh

-Eddie Kaspbrak

-Bill Denbrough

-Stanley Uris

-Ben Hanscom

-Henry Bowers

-Mike Hanlon

-Patrick Hockstetter

-Victor Criss

-Belch Huggins

•Desendants

-Mal

-Evie

-Ben

-Jay

-Jane

-Chad

-Doug

-Lonnie

-Carlos

-Uma

-Harry Hook

-Gil

•Maze Runner

-Newt

-Minho

-Gally

-Teresa

-Alby

-Chuck

-Brenda

-Aris

-Thomas

-Frypan

-Jorge

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anonymoushouseplantfan · 2 years

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https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/20973036/william-lunged-harry-philip-funeral/

"'STEAMING & SHOUTING' William lunged at brother after Philip’s funeral and used secret code phrase about Diana, claims Harry"

PRINCE William twice lunged at brother Harry in a physical bust-up in front of dad Charles just after Prince Philip’s funeral.

Harry says in his new book Spare that a “steaming” and “shouting” William “grabbed my shirt” as the three of them held peace talks in the gardens of Frogmore Cottage in April 2021. ...

William told Harry: “I just want you to be happy” when they clashed at attempted peace talks.

But Harry, writing in new book Spare, claims: “My voice broke as I told him softly, ‘I really don’t think you do’.”

The younger prince also claims William invoked their rarely-used secret code, “I swear on Mummy’s life” — as tempers flared after Philip’s funeral last April 17.

Harry claims the pair and their dad Charles went on a half-hour stroll, arriving at a gothic ruin near Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.

They discussed his Oprah Winfrey interview from weeks earlier.

Harry claims he tried to reason with his brother and father, and wanted to discuss bullying allegations against wife Meghan.

But they weren’t listening, he said, and he was turning away to say goodbye.

He says William, who was “really steaming", shouted at him: “You never came to us. You never came to me.”

Harry expressed his feelings over their Megxit agreement being “violated” when William shouted he should “take it up with Granny”.

Harry wrote: "I waved a hand, disgusted, but he lunged, grabbed my shirt. ‘Listen to me, Harold’.

“I pulled away, refused to meet his gaze. He forced me to look into his eyes. Listen to me, Harold, listen! I love you, Harold! I want you to be happy."

Harry claims he fired back with "I love you too…but your stubbornness is extraordinary!"

He pulled out of William’s grasp but claims his brother grabbed him again and twisted him to maintain eye contact.

He says in the book: “Harold, you must listen to me! I just want you to be happy, Harold. I swear I swear on Mummy’s life.

“He stopped. I stopped. Pa stopped. He’d gone there.

“He’d used the secret code, the universal password. Ever since we were boys those three words were to be used only in times of extreme crisis.”

Harry, who while describing this encounter called Wills his “arch-nemesis” and pointed out his “alarming baldness”, said he was ready at that point to fly back to the US to be with Meghan.

He wrote: “Willy wasn’t quite ready to accept defeat.. ‘I’ve felt properly sick and ill after everything that’s happened and, and I swear to you now on Mummy’s life that I just want you to be happy’.

Harry added: “My voice broke as I told him softly: I really don’t think you do.”

The Sun on Sunday understands that William did hug his brother and told him “I love you”.

But neither William nor Charles have spoken about rows or behind the scenes at Philip’s funeral at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Harry also claims he’s always felt he had to go on bended knee to William when asking for his help.

But he does recall happy memories of growing up with William and them blasting partridges on a shoot in Spain.

Harry added: “But now I saw that even our finest moments, and my best memories, somehow involved death.

_____________________________________________________________

This reads like a bad fan fiction. Wow.

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pinkiemachine · 10 months

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May I humbly present to you all, my very own Wonder Woman series!

Sorry that the chapters are so short, but it’s the only way I can make them while still doing all my other projects… anyway, here’s chapter 1! Enjoy!

If it were possible, I’d do a show like this… just maybe without the backgrounds looking the way they are… I need to learn how to colour backgrounds properly… whenever I do it, it never turns out right… so I took the lazy route and made everything monochromatic-ish. Help.

#fan art #art #dc #dc comics #fan fiction #fan comic #Wonder Woman #Diana Prince #Wonder Woman Heir to Olympus #Heir to Olympus #Olympus #Greek Mythology #Hippolyta #Queen Hippolyta #Themyscira #diana of themiscyra

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grigori77 · 2 years

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Celebrating International Women's Day this year, once again I'm giving a shout-out to some of the amazing ladies, both real and fictional, that I really admire, both new on the scene and since my formative years. They all live rent free in my head and I think they're awesome!

COURTNEY LaPLANTE, the incredible frontwoman from up-and-coming new metalcore band Spiritbox, who are ALL pretty amazing, but she is in a whole different league. The way she can switch from beautifully husky, gently angelic clean vocals to bloody terrifying feral demon dirty vocals AND BACK at the drop of a hat is truly astounding ...

VIOLA DAVIS, one of my favourite actresses working in Hollywood today, an undeniable queen and now a bonafide BADASS too thanks to her recent starring role as Naniska, the General of the Agojie, the legendary Dahomie Amazons, in The Woman King. These days she's PROBABLY best known as THE BADDEST BITCH in all of the DCEU, ARGUS director Amanda Waller, but these are just two of a whole CAREER of incredible performances for which she's rightly become a true A-lister ...

ELLEN RIPLEY, as played by the equally awesome Sigourney Weaver in the Alien movies. Quite simply THE GREATEST cinematic female lead protagonist OF ALL TIME, Ripley is about as definitive as strong female lead protgnonists get, the scourge of terrifying hostile aliens throughout the galaxy ...

POWER, from the acclaimed new anime series Chainsaw Man. I know, I know, she could SO EASILY have just been another classic teenage boy's wet dream anime girl, but half-demon fiend Power, like many of the show's female characters, is definitely a significant step away from the cliched norms, a total, undeniable force of (super)nature, unapologetic deluded self-promoter and thoroughly adorable chaos gremlin, who's quickly becoming one of my very favourite anime characters.

RINKO KIKUCHI, probably my VERY FAVOURITE Japanese actress EVER, thanks in no small part to her DEFINITIVE turn as Jaeger pilot Mako Mori in Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim, although I first discovered her as gloriously idiosyncratic demolitions expert Bang Bang in Rian Johnson's criminally overlooked The Brothers Bloom. Also rightly known for her acclaimed turn in Babel, we most recently saw her in typically fine form in Michael Mann's agreeably edgy new true crime series Tokyo Vice ...

KRISTEN STEWART. Yeah, I know, some folk are STILL likely to be rolling their eyes at this choice, but ever since Panic Room I've ALWAYS thought she was something special, EVEN when she was doing Twilight. Okay, so it's taken her A LONG TIME to shake the godawful spectre of Bella Swan, but she's DEFINITELY pulled it off by now, playing some truly AMAZING characters in a bunch of really great movies, most notably Underwater (see above), the criminally maligned and unjustly ignored Charlie's Angels reboot and her incredible recent turn as the late Diana, Princes of Wales, in Spencer.

DELENN, as played by Mira Furlan (Lost), the ambassador of the alien race, the Minbari, in one of my very favourite TV shows of all time, Babylon 5. From humble (albeit also EXTREMELY mysterious) beginnings, Delenn went on to (rightly) become THE main female lead in the show, carrying the weight of one hell of a sprawling, epic sci-fi saga plot on her more-than-able shoulders.

KATY O'BRIAN. Basicallythe core inspiration (at least in a roundabout way) for the lead character in my ongoing online fantasy novel series Never Split the Party, Kesla Shoon, Katy is 100% what I love in a genuine physically powerful woman - tough as nails, sexy as hell and, paradoxically, an absolute sweetheart. I first stumbled across her as George, the very best character in Syfy's guilty pleasure TV series Z Nation, but she's finally REALLY getting the attention she's long deserved, already earning fast fan-favourite status as Jentorra in Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania.

ZOE SALDANA. Ever since she started to come up in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, she's been steadily growing herself one hell of a reputation playing a succession of strong, frequently badass women in cinema, most notably in The Losers, James Cameron's Avatar movies and OF COURSE as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy.

SOFIA BOUTELLA. Ever since I first saw her busting some truly incredible moves in those glorious "Keep Up" Nike ads from the mid 00s, I have always been SUCH a big fan of this incredible dancer-turned-actress. She first REALLY captured our attention in the first Kingsman movie, but she's shone ever brighter since in the likes of Star Trek Beyond, Atomic Blonde, Climax and Hotel Artemis. Personally I CANNOT WAIT to see what she does with THE LEAD ROLE in Zack Snyder's incoming new sci-fi epic Rebel Moon ...

ALISON MOYET. One of my favourite female vocalists when I was growing up, I recently rediscovered her music when I started one of my music fan deep-dives through her entire back catalogue, and I'm absolutely LOVING IT. Starting out in the frustratingly short-lived early 80s electro pop group Yazoo with Erasure's Vince Clarke, she truly came to fame with her dynamite solo debut album Alf, as well as a killer cover of That Ole Devil Called love, but she's been going strong ever since thanks to one of the greatest voices around.

ANNIE LENNOX, formerly of The Tourists and The Eurythmics. Another one of the 80s all-time great frontwomen, Annie is a statuesque Scottish goddess who is rightly best known for her SECOND tour of duty with multi-talented musician Dave Stewart, but went on to have an equally astounding career as a solo singer-songwriter with a string of masterful records from the 90s right up to the present. Add to that her undeniable ICON status in the LGBTQIA+ community and you've got a bonafide androgynous goddess on your hands ...

GRACE JONES. Ever since she played Zula in Conan the Destroyer, Mayday in A View to a Kill and one seriously STRANGE vampire in Vamp, I've been a fan of this Jamaican model/actress/singer and undeniable fashion ICON. She continues to be a wonderfully weird and truly unique individual with her own unapologetically challenging style to this very day, and I love her for it.

DEBORAH CHOW. A fantastic up-and-coming Canadian filmmaker, who made a modest splash with her feature film The High Cost of Living before cutting her teeth on a series of impressive TV directing gigs on the likes of Copper, Reign and Mr Robot before truly coming into her own on The Mandalorian, which directly led to her helming THE ENTIRETY of 2022's rightly acclaimed Obi Wan Kenobi series. I'm really looking forward to whatever she does next.

CHARLIZE THERON. If there's one actress I've become a fan of mainly through her playing GENUINELY UNSTOPPABLE kickass women, it's Ms. Theron. The South African-born actress looks ABSOLUTELY AMAZING when she's stalking down a catwalk in her Dior ads, but as far as I'm concerned she looks HER VERY BEST when she's taking roomfuls of men apart with her bare hands in Atomic Blonde or a big fucking axe in The Old Guard, which will soon get a sequel I for one CANNOT WAIT FOR ...

MARISHA RAY, ASHLEY JOHNSON & LAURA BAILEY, the Ladies of Critical Role. Sure, there have been other women who've come and gone in a variety of excellent guest slot roles through the years the live-play TTRPG webcast series has been going (from Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Ashly Burch, Sumalee Montano, Mica Burton and Aimee Carrero to, of course, the legendary Aabria Iyengar), but these three have always been the core, the heart and the undeniable BACKBONE of this amazing ongoing D&D adventure, and long may they all continue to reign ...

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fkevin073 · 9 months

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Thank you for the last chapter of I'm Yours to Keep and I'm Yours to Lose. This chapter was like the belated Christmas present I was most looking forward to. This chapter was what I was eagerly waiting for. The ending of the story was satisfying to me, but I feel a slight anxiety about what awaits them next. Will Coriolanus become jealous of Lucy Grey's fame when he himself is no longer in the foreground (maybe it's because I'm doing a marathon of The Crown and finished reading the biography of Princess Diana, I mean exactly Prince Charles' jealousy of the adoration Princess Diana enjoyed). Will they be able to be happy with each other now that they can finally be with each other. Will August accept Lucy Grey into his father's life? That would be a little too good to be true I am totally obsessed with fan fiction and if you ever decide to write a sequel, I will drop everything and read it. I won't repeat what a great story it is and what a great writer you are. You have a loyal fan in me and I will read anything you write.

PS. What is the age difference between Lucy Grey and Coriolanus and how old are they at the end of the chapter?

PS. Sorry for my English ;)

On the occasion of the New Year I wish you success in every field of life and fulfillment of all your plans and goals !!!

ohh thank you so so much!! wishing u all the best as well!

tbh I'm pretty good leaving things where they are for this story. if I ever come back to it it'll be like a slice of life/reactions on twitter or an interview of Coriolanus and Lucy gray announcing their relationship or something. def not full length chapters I don't think, but never say never I guess!

tbh, I think Coriolanus is used for advice a lot in politics, and he moves a lot behind the scenes. I still think he remains in the public eye pretty prominently, especially considering he's pretty young when he left office. so like, he's pretty satisfied with himself, and I think he gained enough power/influence that he could make things hard for future presidents if he wanted to.

as for Augustus, otherwise known as August, I think it's a pretty rough road because he's loyal to his mom, but he also respects his dad, so it's a delicate balancing act for him for sure. but yeah, it's not all sunshine and rainbows but they make it work as best they can :)

Lucy Gray and Coriolanus are around 2 years apart, so by the time he leaves office he's around 43?44? He became president at 35 in my mind.

thanks for the best wishes! hope all is well 🤍

#snowbaird #fanfic ask #ask #ao3

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killdeercheer · 1 year

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Studio Ghibli Reviews: Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Originally the first in a series of novels by Diana Wynne Jones (starting 1986), Howl's Moving Castle is said to have been one of those film ideas that struck Hayao Miyazaki almost spontaneously. He read the novel and was immediately pondering on how the titular castle actually moved; this was not described in the book. Throw in a little bit of his "great deal of rage" about the US-Iraq War and the usual Ghibli messaging about enjoying the one life you have, and thus Howl's Moving Castle was born. And we are all the better for it.

Plot: Set in and around the fictional European-inspired city of Ingary, we meet Sophie Hatter, a young hat-maker who lacks self-esteem. One day, she briefly encounters the infamous wizard Howl Pendragon. This is especially prominent when she's cursed by the Witch of the Waste - who is tracking Howl - to become an elderly woman. To try to break her curse, she manages to find Howl and becomes caught in his ever-growing web of magic and mayhem. Ingary is at war with another nation over a missing prince and Howl is seemingly duty-bound to serve his country, but chooses instead to hide in his castle and live a rather irresponsible life. Now Sophie must not only end her curse but provide the dramatic wizard Howl with something worth fighting for.

- this review will be mainly spoiler-free -

This is my 3rd favorite of the Ghibli films, but I've since learned that Howl's Moving Castle is somewhat divisive among fans of the studio. It is well-loved and highly-regarded, but compared to the rest of Miyazaki's output, it is frequently ranked as one of the lowest. Granted, this is usually not meant to say that the film is bad (I don't think anyone has seriously argued that), but rather that when it comes to the story-structure and pacing, Howl's Moving Castle falls flat in certain respects. The movie supposedly "starts out strong" but then peters out until the very end when things are wrapped up rather suddenly. I will concede that - if I'm looking at this as objectively as possible - I can understand where these sentiments are coming from. However, as this is my personal review, I will say that I don't see this as a problem for me. Ghibli films tend to meander and "lose their plot focus" at points, but that's part of their charm for me. I love these films for their plots, but I also love them for their characters, scenery, world-building, and music. And Howl's Moving Castle is one of the best in these respects.

It's a rather mature film for its subject matter. The main leads, Sophie and Howl, are (at least according to the book, so your mileage may vary) 18 and 26, respectively. They're adults and their concerns are adult as well: running a hatting business and serving under royalty as a soldier when needed. But that's not to say that the film doesn't know how to have fun! On the contrary, once Sophie enters the moving castle and meets Howl and his makeshift family, an air of whimsy enters the picture. And it's between these two extremes of adult-oriented wartime-drama and magical enchantments of childlike wonder that the film juggles quite well.

This is helped by the - once again - gorgeous animation. Much of the film is traditionally animated with a fine eye for detail in everything from the women's dresses to the obligatory flying machines. Howl's castle is, in contrast, primarily computer-generated but not in the way you'd expect where the whole thing is a rendered model. In fact, the castle consists of separated-painted pieces that were translated into CG-polygons which could be moved altogether into one complex structure. It's an... atypical style from what I'm used to, but I think it works very well and matches the overall animation of the film without looking out of place or aging-poorly (as so many animated films over the 90s and 2000s have suffered). I also really enjoy the European-imagery of Ingary's towns and technology: it's all very early-19th Century and yet feels like its own parallel-universe where we figured out flight early and just ran with it.

The cast in this movie is fairly large. Besides our two leads, we get a substantial supporting cast and they are all just wonderful. Markl is Howl's young-assistant, an orphan who utilizes magic to disguise himself so as to help customers without giving away his identity. He's bratty and has a heart-of-gold. Calcifer is a sentient fire demon (well, that's not really true but no spoilers hehe) who's an adorable wise-ass that should be more threatening than he actually is. There's a living but mute scarecrow whose named Turnip Head. He's adorable and sweet and is also not technically a scarecrow but again spoilers ;). I've already mentioned the Witch of the Waste, who is dastardly and voluptuous. She functions as an antagonist who wields powerful magic but also has deep secrets that show us that this wicket side of her is not all she truly is. We also meet Sophie's family (her mother and sister) but while they don't have a lot of screen time, they leave a fair impression. There are other characters but for the sake of keeping the story a surprise for new viewers, I'll leave them be for now.

I find Sophie and Howl to be wonderfully complex characters even within the complex, weaving plot threads. Sophie is as kind as possible to everyone she meets and exerts an air of confidence when it comes to the work she does - whether it be making hats or cleaning up a wizard's messy castle. This is in stark contrast to her lack of confidence regarding her life goals and personal appearance. A running theme throughout the film is Sophie's battle to appreciate her own beauty and skills; this is reflected in the spell that's cast on her by the Witch of the Waste, in which her age gets progressively more old the more she loses her self-worth. But even as a 90-year-old woman, Sophie brings out the best in everyone around her, and remains one of the best positive-representations of the elderly in animation (this is a common occurrence in Ghibli films, much to my delight).

Howl Pendragon... oh goodness me, Howl Pendragon. Where do I even begin? Howl is a mess. He's a powerful wizard who can shape-shift and weave dramatic spells but only uses these powers for himself and his immediate companions. He is lazy, sloppy, and a drama-king. This is exemplified in an infamous scene, where we find Howl fretting and fuming on the verge of despair when his blond-hair is accidentally dyed another color. "I see no point in living if I can't be beautiful." Howl, sweetie, you're beautiful no matter what hair color you have. Okay, focus... focus. What makes Howl such a great character is that, when Sophie is thrown into the mix, she becomes a brilliant foil to the wizard, and we start to see him, slowly, come around to the idea of helping others before himself and finding purpose in life. It's very sweet and something special for an animation studio where the majority of its output places little emphasis on romantic relationships.

... Howl is also extremely sexy and no I will not be taking questions.

As mentioned beforehand, the story does tend to wind around between two plots rather haphazardly. There's the conflict with the war between the two nations, and then there's the journey of Sophie in Howl's castle where she has to try to break the curse, and the two do converge by the last-third of the film. Howl is a wizard who chooses to work for himself, despite taking an oath to fight for his country, and detests the "filthy murderers" from each of the warring nations for their careless bombing of civilians. Right away, Miyazaki's thoughts about the first Iraq War are out on full display, which was something he was vocal about at the time (even choosing not to visit the US for his Oscar award of Spirited Away), and was an element not played up much in the original book. Given how much time has passed since the end of that war and the seemingly irreparable legacy it has left on recent history, I can't help but still find the messaging still relevant today. Unless you're a blind-nationalist, I think it's safe to say that barely anyone looks positively on what happened. Good on Miyazaki.

The English dub is very well-done and features some of my favorite voice-work for an American Ghibli release (which is hard enough to rank, I'm afraid. A lot of care has been put into these dubs). Emily Mortimer and the late Jean Simmons (no not that one) play Sophie as a young and old woman, respectively. Mortimer's soft-spoken voice perfectly matches the character's personality, while Simmons gives the elderly-version a charm and wit that retains the youthful spirit of the young Sophie. Christian Bale voices Howl and oof my word it is so deep and mysterious and sexy and I need to stop before I go overboard. Fresh-off the production of Monster's Inc., we have Billy "put that thing back where it came from or so help me" Crystal as Calcifer who is just so wonderful and hilarious and really provides some great comic relief. A young Josh Hutcherson is Markl who is appropriately bratty without over-doing it. What is it with Ghibli films and doing child-voiceovers so well?? The Witch of the Waste is given a brilliant and flair performance by the late Lauren Bacall who was apparently one of the most beloved of 20th Century film actors. Great for her! Thanks to her role in the film, I cannot help but always say "A chair! It's mine!" in her husky voice whenever I need to sit down.

Before I close out, I need to say a little something about the music. Once again, Joe Hisaishi brings to the table a setting-and-theme-appropriate score to Howl's Moving Castle. "The Merry-Go-Round of Life" is fittingly whimsical and immediately places you into the world of the film. We also get a stirring end credits song "The Promise of the World" performed by Youmi Kimura that is so sweet and never fails to choke me up a bit.

Howl's Moving Castle is one of those films that I will never tire of watching. If for some reason its showing somewhere, I will without hesitation sit down and enjoy it all over again. I adore the cast, I adore the setting, and I adore the craziness of the plot. Alongside Princess Mononoke (and a few others), it is one of the more adult-oriented of Ghibli films, but I don't believe this should detract younger viewers from enjoying or gaining something from it too. The messages about the folly of war, learning to help others, and gaining self-courage despite the tricks of your brain are valuable ones to learn. What better way to do it than aboard a magic, moving castle?!

#Studio Ghibli Reviews #Howl's Moving Castle

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smww4ever · 1 year

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Fall Vibes 🍁🍃🍂

We are back momentarily from visiting the 28 known galaxies. A series inspired by Jor-El's monologue from the 1978 Superman movie. (Clip on IG/X). There’s so much going on there. Kal-El received knowledge on his voyage to Earth and then spends a chunk of time with holo-dad learning about tons of cosmic stuff in crystals. Crystals that we actually use in technology. They store data information so science fiction is closer to reality than we think.

Click here to read more on "Superman Memory Crystals": https://www.science.org/content/article/superman-memory-crystals-could-store-humanity-s-data-indefinitely

Diana & Clark: Autumn

The autumn season is around the corner and this month I plan to explore Diana & Clark. You’ve never really seen them interact in any live action movie or TV show as that. Unless I missed it. 🤨

(And I’m not talking about animated movies like Throne of Atlantis or even disregarding the many fan-created art and videos out there.)

My primary angst is with DCEU keeping Diana and Clark separate at every turn. Even the cheesy CW crossover omitted her. Also watching the Jenkins WW movies, Diana Prince is seen with coworkers, soldiers, global citizens, and of course Steve Trevor. Her cameos in other films for the most part have Shazam pining after her and vice versa. There's also the dialogue with Bruce Wayne (and the Flash) in the Snyder films. Bruce flirts with her and casts his eye on her but Clark doesn’t notice at all or says anything to her. (I posted several retweets on X from others that made similar observations.) I know this is old news for many but a big part of the reason for this AI exploration.

So it’s an oddity for sure. Seeing them together in plainclothes, or their human identities together interacting with each other, talking, forming a friendship. Because with that in mind as I explored them in AI, I kept thinking ‘Oh man people might think this is Lois’. I made adjustments to show the difference between the two but heck DC has managed to make Lois very much like Diana. Recall how they mocked her in Smallville when Lane wore the WW costume and many other things.

A Paradigm Shift is Needed

So what is at the core of this problem? What is driving the repetitious Superman/Lane ship and pushing SuperWonder away? Bear with me as I will try to explain and will do so in a Part 2.

In the meantime, fall vibes are dedicated to Diana & Clark, Halloween and wherever the creative river flows.

Part 2 to come...

Until next time… ✌️

Bonus:

#superwonder #smww4ever #superman #supermanwonderwoman #wonderwoman #truelove #superman wonderwoman #lovebirds #powercouple #supermanxwonderwoman #Spotify #clark kent #diana prince

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thecrownnet · 2 years

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The Crown Season 6

10 Events That May Become Plotlines In Season 6 (ScreenRant Nov 29, 2022)

Two years after its fourth season bowed in November of 2020, The Crown returned to Netflix on Nov. 9, 2022 for its highly anticipated fifth season. Following its pattern of swapping in a new cast of actors every two seasons, this one features the debuts of Elizabeth Debicki, Jonathan Pryce, Imelda Staunton and Dominic West as the main characters.

The fifth season follows into the 1990s the turbulent history of the British royal family during Queen Eilizabeth II's reign, including the souring relationship and divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. The coming sixth season is set to be the series' last, and while The Crown is a fictionalized version of true events, certain crucial happenings of the late 1990s and early 21st century are likely to come in the show's final episodes.

***SPOILERS***

Princess Diana’s Death (1997)

Princess Diana's tragic 1997 death in Paris remains one of the most poignant and sensitive moments in modern history, and The Crown is guaranteed to depict this sobering event that changed British royalty forever. However, according to the New York Daily News, it will not show the actual car crash but instead the days leading up to Diana's death and the heart-wrenching days that followed it.

This important moment will come at the beginning of the sixth season, according to Marie Claire. Filming began in September 2022, with season five stars Dominic West (Prince Charles) and Elizabeth Debicki (Princess Diana) capturing the last lonely and torrid days of her life.

Prince Edward And Sophie Rhys-Jones' Wedding (1999)

The royal wedding of Prince Edward to the Duchess of Wessex, Sophie Rhys-Jones, took place in June 1999, and it's likely to feature in The Crown's sixth season, especially because it is the last "first" wedding of Queen Elizabeth II's children.

The simplicity and lack of scandal surrounding Prince Edward’s wedding is important as a plot line because it illustrates a stark and dramatic contrast to the public debacle of Prince Andrew’s divorce from Sarah Ferguson in 1996 Prince Charles' and Princess Diana's messy split.

The Queen Mother’s 100th Birthday (2000)

To illustrate the longevity and permanence of the British royal family, it's likely the 100th birthday of the Queen Mother in 2000 will appear as a story in the sixth season of The Crown.

The Queen Mother was honored by a 41-gun salute and greeted by thousands of fans who descended on the mall of Buckingham Palace to offer their birthday felicitations on her 100th birthday. Flanked by her daughters Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, she stood on the balcony accompanied by the rest of the royal family. Narratively, this rare moment of happiness and tranquility ciykd stand in contrast to the turmoil the royal family endured through the '90s.

Prince William's First Encounter With Kate Middleton (2001)

According to E! News, Netflix has confirmed casting Ed McVey and Rufus Kampa as Prince William and the actress Meg Ballamy as a young Kate, who will appear in the final season of The Crown. Following the timeline of actual events, it's plausible the season will focus on their meeting at the University of St. Andrews in 2001.

With the sixth season focusing largely on the tragedies of the royal family starting with the sad death of Princess Diana, the story of William and Kate's young love and the promise of the future would serve as a welcome, hopeful counterpoint.

Princess Margaret's Death (2002)

The sister of Queen Elizabeth II, the always quotable Princess Margaret holds an important place in the storyline of The Crown just as she held an important place in the royal family in real life. Her diminishing role as a royal and inability to marry her first love, Peter Townsend, led to a tumultuous relationship with the queen. Yet their sisterly bond is featured heavily in the fifth season and could be further explored in the show's last episodes.

Based on the series' depictions of Margaret so far, fans can anticipate the story of her final days will be told in a standalone episode. According to the Daily Express, Princess Margaret suffered three strokes between 1998 and 2001, with her final stroke taking her life in 2002. Queen Elizabeth cried at Margaret’s funeral, "the only time anyone ever saw the Queen show her emotions in public," as Vanity Fair put it.

Prince Charles And Camilla Parker-Bowles' Wedding (2005)

An inevitable arc of The Crown's sixth season is the 2005 marriage of Prince Charles to his first love, Camilla, tying the knot 35 years after they met. The wedding of Charles and Camilla is significant in the royal family's story, given the role their romance played in the demise and fallout of Prince Charles’s first marriage to Princess Diana.

The simple civil ceremony, which was held in real life at the Windsor Guildhall per the BBC, would offer viewers the necessary moment of pause to reflect on history and how it all played out for the heir apparent, Prince Charles.

Queen Elizabeth II's 80th Birthday (2006)

The early 2000s held many high points for the British monarchy, including Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday, celebrated across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

If The Crown depicts this milestone birthday, it could use the event to explore the loyalty of a country to its monarch, in particular Prince Charles, masterfully played by Dominic West. On the happy occasion, Charles notably lauded his mother's lifetime of service and dedication to the country, addressing her warmly at the time as his "darling Mama," according to the Daily Mirror.

Queen Elizabeth II And Prince Philip’s 60th Wedding Anniversary (2007)

Played superbly by Imelda Staunton, Queen Elizabeth II was the first British monarch to celebrate a diamond wedding anniversary. Per Reuters, this event was celebrated with much pomp as the royal couple revisited Westminster Abbey to renew their vows, including German relations who had not been to their 1947 wedding given the strong anti-Nazi sentiment after World War II.

Peter Morgan could use this historical family moment to illustrate the staying power of the British crown though its very foundation had been rocked with tragedy and scandal within the decade and forced to face the pressures of a changing world.

Tony Blair's Premiership (1997–2007)

Tony Blair's tenure as prime minister will no doubt feature in the sixth season of The Crown. Blair played a pivotal role in steering the royal family to steadier waters when the royal establishment was under question following the tragic death of Princess Diana. In an interview with Today, Blair reminisced that the queen "understood, because always her duty came first, that she had to respond to this extraordinary outpouring of grief about Princess Diana."

Peter Morgan depicted these events previously in his movie The Queen, so if he tackles the subject again, he'd likely show it from different narrative angles or use it to color his depiction of the royal family in new ways. Deft handling of this overlap in history between the film and the TV series could enhance both works.

Prince William And Kate Middleton's Wedding (2011)

The last season of The Crown likely won't touch on very recent events such as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leaving the royal family behind them, but it may allude to the future wedding of the next heir apparent, Prince William.

In a show that has observed the bloodline of the house of Windsor since King George V, the creators will likely want to leave fans with a glimmer of hope and anticipation for the future. Alluding to a royal match between Princess Diana's elder son and his longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton would bring not only bring a sense of aspiration but a fitting transition to what the modern monarchy might become.

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