#hm. now I want challah

[koshercosplay]

Can challah be chocolate? Is that a thing?

I mean there's an argument to be made that babka IS chocolate challah

[raviotherabbit]

Eights Days of Candles (And One Extra for Good Measure) - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: First Night The Links experience a Sundown in the most distant of pasts.

[first] - [previous] - [next] [read it on ao3!]

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“Oh, I’m so excited!” Sun exclaims as she pulls Sky into a hug. “You made it back for our first Sundown on the surface!”

There was something quite special about the former Sealed Grounds this time of year, especially when the light from inside the temple glimmered off the freshly fallen snow. The statue of Hylia is clear of any snowfall, thanks to her people’s dedicated attendance to her image. Construction on the future kingdom of Hyrule is, for now, paused, due to the heavy snowfall the Faron Woods have experienced this year. For some among them, it will be their first true winter.

“Is it that time of year already?” Wind wonders aloud, from his vantage point on Warriors’ back. There is a hint of sarcasm in his tone. “I lost track of time between all of Wild’s bread baking.”

“You’re just cranky because of the cold,” Wild pinches at his cheeks. “Missing your tropical island yet?”

“No!” Wind buries his face in the cloth of Warriors’ scarf. “It gets cold on the Great Sea too, y’know!”

“Hm, so that’s why we had to take you coat shopping,” Warriors laughs. “You left your abundant and necessary jackets at home.”

“If it wasn’t so cold out, I’d slap you,” Wind glares at him, enough hatred behind his eyes to burn an entire village to the ground.

“No threats until after we light the candles,” Time reminds them all, before turning back to the couple. Though Sky is crying into Sun’s shoulder, Time has no qualms in interrupting their joyful reunion. “If you two don’t mind stepping aside, I think we’d all like to be in the temple right now.”

“Yes please!” Hyrule pipes up from the back of the crowd, where they have huddled together with Legend for warmth.

“Oh, right!” Sun drags her sniffling boyfriend inside the Sealed Temple, making way for the rest of the heroes to shuffle in. “We’re going to be lighting the candles soon, but make yourselves comfortable until then.”

The temple itself is bright and warm inside, as would be expected of a place of Hylia’s worship. Inside, the Skyloftians that have migrated down to the surface are mingling amongst themselves, small groups gathered together. When the large doors slam shut, all eyes turn towards them.

“Look everyone!” Sun smiles at her people. “Link and his friends made it!”

It’s not as though they’ve never met the Skyloftians before. In fact, the heroes have all helped with putting Hyrule together for the first time, in their own special ways. Whether from their metal work or sheer brute force, these people know them, and as such, they all fit right in.

“I need to take over your oven,” Wild stage whispers to Sun. “I’ve almost got the challah recipe down, and I think I can get it done tonight.”

“Sure thing,” Sun gives them a thumbs-up.

“Wild, please,” Sky leans across Sun to grab them by their shirt collar. “Bring me some when it’s done.”

“Who do you take me for, a bread hoarder?” Wild smirks, patting his head. “You’ll get your challah, don’t worry.”

✡

“I don’t know what went wrong!” Wild fights back tears as Time dumps a bucket of water on their burning challah rolls. With a hiss, steam and smoke mix and rise up to the ceiling together, and now the bread is both burnt and soggy.

“Now, I could be talking out of my ass here,” Twilight frowns from beside them. “But do you think your ‘flash-baking strategies’-” He surrounds the words with air quotes, “could be the reason you ruined the only oven in Hyrule right now?”

“If you’re alone in the wilderness, you need to be able to cook fast!” Wild scratches at their chin. “I thought it would work for bread, too.”

Sky, on the verge of hysterics, lets out a shaky breath. “I just wanted some challah.”

“We all did, buddy,” Legend pats his shoulder sympathetically. “We all did.”

✡

“Okay everyone!” Sun claps her hands together, drawing the attention of everyone inside the temple. “It’s time to light the candles!”

Frantically, Wind turns back to Four, who is happily collecting their fortune of Deku Nuts from between them.

“All or nothing!” Wind counters. “After candles, we play one more round. Winner takes all.”

“Hmm,” Four considers Wind’s offer for a moment. “I’ve already taken it all, but…”

But nothing! We already got all the Deku Nuts we’ll need for months.

But look at his sad little face! How could we say no to him?

But what else could he throw in that would be worth it? More Deku Nuts?

But how else are we gonna show him that we’re better at this?

Four sighs. “If you can show us a good deal, then I might consider it.”

“Yes!” Wind pumps his fist, before scurrying off to join everyone in celebrating Sundown.

An old wooden table has been dragged down from Skyloft, in the center of which the candle holder has been displayed. As is traditional, it’s shaped like the wings of a bird, with slots for four candles on each side. In the center, where the bird’s head should be, is a space for one more candle.

As everyone gathers around, Gaepora speaks. “Is everyone ready?”

With an affirmation from everyone, he begins the prayer as he lights the center candle.

“Oh Goddess Hylia, we gather to remember the eight days of turmoil, from which our people were protected during the fight against the Demon Lord.”

Everyone follows along with the prayer. Well, everyone except for the eight travelers from distant eras, who are coming to a very sobering realization right now.

“I don’t know this prayer,” Legend whispers to Hyrule.

“Me neither,” Hyrule agrees. “This is nothing like what we practice at home.”

“Ours is way dif-”

Time elbows Legend to shut him up, all while mouthing along where the words are vaguely familiar. Wars chokes back a laugh from behind them.

Twilight awkwardly shifts from foot to foot, and Wild, who’s used to not knowing things, picks pieces of burnt challah from between their teeth. Legend and Four pretend like they aren’t more interested in returning to their game.

“And so, we celebrate Sundown,” Gaepora announces as he lights the only other candle. He places the center candle back in its spot.

As the crowd disperses, Time pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. “I can’t take you anywhere, can I?”

“Come on, we could all tell you didn’t know that either,” Legend smirks, causing Hyrule to snort from beside him.

“At least I wasn’t being disruptive,” Time argues. “You’re guests here, you know.”

Right as Four and Wind are about to scamper off back to their corner to bet on Deku Nuts again, Sky speaks up. “Actually, while I’ve got you guys here…” He digs through his bag. “I thought, since we’re in my era tonight, I could give you my gifts tonight.”

“Aw, Sky, you shouldn’t have,” Twilight smiles as the chosen hero deposits a small, wrapped bundle in his hands.

“Oh, if you don’t want anything-” Sky reaches to take his gift back.

“No! It’s-it’s just an expression,” Twilight clutches the bundle to his chest. “I’m sure I’ll love it!”

The eight heroes quickly and delicately remove the wrapping paper from their gifts, each one revealing a small, detailed carving of an animal.

“Isn’t that cute?” Time smiles as he inspects his figurine, a horse. “Looks just like Epona.”

“Hey, we’re matching!” Warriors shows his own horse to Time.

“So this is why you were asking everyone’s favorite animals,” Four cradles his little mouse figurine.

“I thought you were just curious,” Wind shrugs, holding up his tiny lion. “So that’s what a lion looks like…”

“You didn’t know what a lion looked like before you declared it your favorite animal?” Legend deadpans, clutching onto his own mini seagull.

Silently, Hyrule admires his little rabbit figure.

“Great work on the horn details,” Twilight runs his finger along the edges of his tiny Ordon Goat. “That hole must have been tough.”

Sky blushes and rubs at the back of his neck. “I’m an experienced woodcarver, so… it wasn’t that difficult.”

“I like my wolf!” Wild exclaims. “It’s supposed to be like Wolfie, right?”

“Yeah!” Sky nods enthusiastically. “You’re the one who knew him before, so I thought it made sense.”

“These are all very thoughtful, Sky,” Time places a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you very much.”

With that, a chorus of “thank you!” ring out from the rest of their companions, and oh boy, if Sky wasn’t blushing before, then he definitely is now. His face is redder than a tomato as he pulls his two closest brothers in for a hug and, for the third time this evening, begins to cry.

✡

“Today has been an emotional day for you, Link,” Sun notes as she cradles her boyfriend’s head in her lap. The festivities have, for the most part, died down. Some of the older folks have gone to sleep on the bedrolls already, leaving the younger ones to whisper amongst themselves.

“Between getting to see you again, and Wild ruining the challah, and the gifts…” Sky sighs as she twirls his hair around her fingers.

“I get it,” she assures him. “There’s been a lot of change since last year.”

“You’re right. Actually, that reminds me,” Sky sits up, digging through his bag once again. “I made you something too.”

“Well, that’s a coincidence,” Sun pulls out her own gift from behind her, her smile stretched right across her face. “I got a gift for you, as well.”

The two of them exchange presents and slowly unwrap them. Sun gasps, pulling out her own figurine. She’s received many wooden statues from Sky in the past, but this one is different. It depicts two Loftwings, a red one and a blue one, nestled on top of each other.

“Oh, Link!” Sun cradles her figure close to her chest. “This is so sweet!”

Sky own gift turns out to be some musical pages, old and yellowed.

“We found them while we were renovating the temple,” Sun explains. “I know it’s not as meaningful as yours, but it’s meant for the harp, and I just thought-”

“I love it,” Sky wraps his arms around his girlfriend, drawing her into yet another hug. “Thank you so much, Zelda.”

✡

In the dead of night, when even their resident insomniacs have gone to sleep, Sky approaches the pedestal at the back of the temple. Guided by only the waning lights of their Sundown candles, he draws the Master Sword and lays her beside it.

“I’m sorry for leaving you for last,” Sky says. “But I wanted to make sure you didn’t feel forgotten this year.”

On top of the Master Sword, Sky leaves one final wrapped present.

“Don’t feel bad about not opening it,” Sky tells her. “Or that you didn’t get me anything. You’ve already given me so much…”

Not wanting to linger, Sky stands.

“I’ll be back to get you in the morning,” he promises. “Happy Sundown, Fi.”

[ladyideal]

Ficmas~ Day 18

Pairing: Eomer x Gender Neutral!Reader

Word Count: 1042

Warnings: religious tone, mention of Canon violence.

Summary: You, Eomer, Eowyn, and Faramir come together to celebrate (C)hanuk(k)ah.

Requested By: @groovyfluxie

A/N: I hope I did this justice. But if anyone wants to correct me on anything, please throw me a message and I'll fix it.

"Say it slowly again, my love."

You giggled. Teaching Hebrew words to Eomer was becoming a challenge. Sometimes he'd get close, but most of the time his pronunciation was nowhere close. Yet it warmed your heart that the prince would try to learn your religion.

For that, you were grateful.

"Tznuit," You tried once more, fighting the grin off your face as you tried not to laugh out loud. The sun had set over the horizon, and Eomer headed inside after a day of training his men. 

He shook his head. "Elvish seems nothing compared to that beautiful language. Forgive me my love, but I'll keep on learning. I am nowhere near modest though."

"Will Eowyn join us?"

"Unfortunately not, Faramir and her have been joined at the hip ever since they've been wed," He shook his head. "She sent gifts in advance for tonight."

You brightened up at the thought. Eowyn always sent thoughtful gifts from jams to tunics. "I'll thank her on the next package over to Gondor."

Of course, it'd been a little more than a year since the Battle of the Pelennor Fields that made your husband King of Rohan. King Theoden passed on the fields, and without an heir, the crown changed to your then fiancé. Within a year, he was crowned King, you married him, and ruled by his side. 

Eowyn also married Faramir, the last of the family that stood as the Steward of Gondor. The dead were mourned, the injured were treated, and lives were slowly rebuilt back to its former glory. 

Suddenly, a Rohirrim rushed into the hall, breathless as he slid in front of Eomer and you, and bowed. "My Lord, Lady Eowyn and Captain of Gondor have arrived."

Sharing a giddy grin, you bounded out and met Eowyn with a bear hug. "Eowyn!"

"Y/N! Chag urim sameach!" (Happy Festival of Lights.)

You squealed in delight. "You actually learned how to say it! But I thought you weren't coming. Eomer said-."

"Eomer?" She laughed, letting you go and shaking her head. "No, no. Brother wanted it to be a surprise. I wanted to let the gifts arrive early or I would forget to bring them along the trip. I thought it would be nice to learn a little Hebrew, even Faramir knows."

“Hanukkah sameach!” Your brother in law greeted. (Happy Hanukkah.)

Both Eomer and Faramir nodded at one another, hugging each other with a one armed hug. 

"We're not late are we?" She peered back at you with a frown. "I told Faramir here to leave earlier."

"No, no," You stepped back to Eomer's side. "Was just about to start actually, so you came just in time."

"Let us change out of our travel cloaks and we'll join you."

Placing the last candle onto the menorah, you took a deep breath. 

"Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah," You started.

(Praised are You,

Our God, Ruler of the universe, Who made us holy through Your commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah lights.)

"Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, she-asah nisim la’avoteinu bayamim hahem bazman hazeh."

(Praised are You,

Our God, Ruler of the universe, Who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in those ancient days at this season.)

With the shammash in one hand, you lit the last remaining unlit candle. Watching as the candle lit up, you smiled as you replaced the ninth one and turned to your small, but happy family.

"I'm starving, anyone ready for dinner?" You grinned, thankful that everyone you loved was alive and well. King Theoden's death was a hard hit on Eomer and Eowyn, and you understood their grief. 

It took a moment for them to shake out of their own stupor. Faramir lost his older brother Boromir to the orcs, and his father on the eve of the battle. Much like your husband, your now sister in law had her own fair share of grief in pain. 

But still thankful for the men that died serving for King, country, and Middle Earth. 

"Before I forget, I brought your favorite jelly donuts too." Eowyn spoke, smirking as your eyes widened. 

"You made sufganiyot?! You're the best Eowyn."

"I know I am," She laughed.

Soon, plates upon plates of latkes, a large pot of brisket stew, and a few dishes of savory kugel were placed on the table. Already you had sneaked in a jelly donut and nearly moaned out loud on how good it tasted. If it wasn't for your husband to literally toll you away from the dessert, you wouldn't have enough room for dinner. 

The challah and pretzels were freshly baked. Even gelfite fish and tzimmes made a show this year, courtesy of Eowyn again. 

"Thank you for coming," You spoke gratefully. "Edoras can be painfully silent without you. When your brother gets busy during the day, I have learned to find a hobby of my own or go out for some gardening."

"Oh don't I know it, Y/N," She teased back, helping herself to another portion of the potato latkes. "Eomer won't ever admit it, but-."

"Eowyn," Your husband cut in, a warning tone present in his voice.

"Oh come on, tell me. If he's already trying to stop you from telling a secret, I would love to know." You grinned, scooching your chair closer to hers. 

"Only if I win the dreidel this year. I don't kiss and tell," She grinned wickedly. 

"You're lucky I managed to make some gelts this year, nearly burned down the kitchen when the cooks messed up the first batch," You paused. "You're on."

"I have a little dreidel. I made it out of clay.

And when it's dry and ready, then dreidel I shall play.

Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay.

Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, then dreidel I shall play."

As Eowyn sang the dreidel song, you leaned on Eomer's shoulder with a content smile. It had been a busy day filled with cooking and baking, but everything was all worth it to have the Great Hall filled with warmth and laughter. 

"Y/N?"

"Hm?" You answered. 

"An L’Dodi V’Dodi Li. Chag Sameach, Y/N.” (I Am My Beloved’s And My Beloved Is Mine. Happy holidays.)

Eats Everything: @asraime @aspiring-ginger @bluesclues-1234 @mournthewicked @keijibum @ladylizzieofdarbyshire @also-fangirlinsweden @fandom-imagination-ss @mysoulshideaway @mayday1284 @sayanythingcreations @lykxzandlove @supergeekfangirl​ @your-sparklywinnercollection​

Tolkien: @im-a-muggleborn @fxngsfogxarty

Urban: @fandomsfeelsandfamily @justa-traaash @yueci

[ayellowbirds]

Part 13! A bit of cheating, because I actually wrote very little yesterday. There’s some of what I wrote on the 12th, and a little from today. If you missed Part 12, then click here.

Like how things are going? You can help support this project:

Keeping your eye on the Cypora’s Guide to Cementing Your Rule as an Evil Queen tag on my blog.

Look back at the tag for the original story, here; the posts from last year of the original, un-edited draft of the story can be found about halfway down this page.

Tell me about your favorite characters from the story—or draw them, if you like! You can find visual references in the art tag, or look at the stuff that inspires me, visually, in the inspiration tag.

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Got any questions about Cypora’s Guide, the characters, or the setting? Feel free to send them to me!

And now, we see a bit of what the religious life of the people of the land is like, on Qarqa. Before we do, though: I was anxious about including this. While Cypora’s Guide to Becoming an Evil Queen had bits and pieces hinting at the nature of spirituality, I tried to keep religion from being too much in focus. But the way people approach their faith can tell you a lot about them, and I didn’t feel I could leave it out any longer.

Cypora’s world is based on an old observation: that for all that most fantasy settings play at polytheism, the religion portrayed is still a very Christian-seeming one, at least from my perspective. I wanted to look at what a polytheistic fantasy world based in Jewish sensibilities might look like... and one thing led to another. As I’ve said before, i’m not religious. I was raised agnostic, and so my take on this isn’t just Jewish, but “Jew raised by a Holocaust survivor who got used to hiding his religion and then lived in Israel for years where he didn’t have to think about it and then got married to the agnostic Jewish daughter of former Socialists”-ish. I didn’t know what a Sukkah was until i was 19.

That’s part of why i identified the Jewish-coded cultures in Cypora’s Guide as “people of the land”. The Hebrew am ha’aretz (עם הארץ) has had many meanings over the millennia. It can mean “uneducated bumpkin”, or “unpious”, “lapsed from the worship of G-d”, and so forth. It’s also sometimes used as a term of pride for Jews of pagan or hippie sensibilities; you could point to the worship of the golden calf or the bronze serpent as very “am ha’aretz” things. It’s a term that some people use as an insult, and some people use as a way to distinguish themselves. And the literal English translation just felt right.

Well, with that out of the way:

“Ah, that reminds me,” Pheribee said as Lucky disappeared through the kitchen. If any of you are shomre Shabbos,* consider me your zarah.”

Alícha raised the one eyebrow over her good eye, and saw the others startle as well. It wasn’t a term you heard much, these days, especially not as a self-identifier. Zarot or zarim were “foreigners”, both in the literal and ritual sense; under the centuries of Icarian rule, the term had undertaken an insulting tone, but still had its formal place in religious literature and codes of conduct on holy days and the Sabbath.

“You don’t look,” Broke began, without finishing. Ze made an offensive gesture for ‘Icosan’, a perversion of the old Imperial Salute. Everyone else made as if to ignore it.

“For legal purposes,” Pheribee sighed, and then continued as if reciting, “the city of Wilderhaven formally recognizes the status of half-humans and other admixtures of mortal and monstrous or magical nature as having the status of people of the land, where their birthing parent or wet nurse has that status; persons whose parentage is uncertain or who are born to a parent of inhuman nature are regarded as zarim and are not subject to the laws of the divine.”

Alícha looked down at Pheribee’s hands, and her own. “Ah. Because you’re…?”

Tavi and Lodemia made sharp, sudden noises as if to shush her.

“Anaqit,” Pheribee replied, unlocking the last of the four remaining rooms. “Half giant, on my mother’s side.”

“My apologies,” Alícha said, looking at her companions’ mortified faces. “I’ve never met someone who was.”

“Huh, really?” Pheribee said, though whether she believed it or not, Alícha could not tell. “I mean, there’s lots of us around. My mom had forty-nine kids.”

Nightfall came, and with it, a variety of impromptu prayers together held together with Lucky, who did not seem to fuss over keeping to traditional order. As had become familiar, each of Alícha’s companions showing signs of more favor for a particular deity than was strictly proper. Broke, for General Yodlebeymer, apparently a habit from travels in the colder reaches of the north. Both Tavi and Lodemia offered a bit more attention to Baal Tsachor and the Queen of Heaven, while Alícha supposed she lingered longer than she ought to on reflecting on L’vanah. It only seemed right to count the blessings that the Goddess of The Birch-White Moon gave; easing of the tides, ensnaring of the Icosans upon the surface of the moon, and in general, favoring of all women, regardless of their nature. She had always thought that last part was important, for someone who had been mistaken for a boy at birth.

Pheribee continued to work at things throughout, tending to the gas lights, arranging things in the rooms that Alícha’s party were using—apparently left vacant for a good few weeks, the lower levels being more popular—and occasionally disappearing to the other halls on the floor. Despite this, Alícha could hear her whispering prayers when she passed. Zarah, yes, but also still of the people of the land.

Lucky seemed to prolong his prayer to Q’dushah, though Alícha could not tell whether the favor towards The Holy One was intentional, or an accident of canine accent drawing out the sounds. She couldn’t figure any reason a talking dog would give special notice to a goddess embodying death, and his prayers were too murmured to pick out amidst his shokeling.†

As the night went on and they picked at prepared foods—mostly things Alícha and the others had taken as travel rations, mixed with a bit of what had been cooking already in the kitchen—Alícha tried to untangle a bit of the nature of the Sapir-Wirth Tower and its residents.

“Mister Sapir was in the export business,” Pheribee said as she ladled out some bowls of soup, while Lodemia passed around a second loaf of challah. Alícha took more of the bread than the fatty chicken broth; she still wasn’t used to what northerners considered a suitable meal for the Sabbath. “When the dungeon rush started, people were looking for ways to sell off their treasure. He got into selling stuff to other continents, a lot of it just, what’s the word, repatriating stuff.”

“Not much profit to be made in that, is there?” Broke asked around a mouth half-filled by a spoon.

“If you do it right,” Lucky corrected, “Dov Sapir did not become a businessman by making gifts alone. Each shipment of treasures returned to their rightful owners had ten times ten as much weight in goods for sale or trade. And so? He made money and good will at the same time.”

“Which is where Mister Wirth comes in, being in the adventuring trade and looking to make a kind of guild,” Pheribee picked up the thread, saying, “he wanted something a little more stable, near to a dungeon that was gonna keep producing more. Somewhere people could stay for a few months, years, even, going into a dungeon like it was regular work.”

Lodemia made a little “hm!” of surprise. “What’s so special about #19 that it lets people do that?”

“The Foundry is a fitting name for more than one reason,” Lucky replied, looking out to the window. Not too far in the distance, up a road that curved out of the city itself and onto a hill, smoke rose from numerous stacks, visible even in the distance with the moonlight. Lights gleamed from there. “That dungeon still does the work it was made to, and more. The magaracs and haints that control the dungeon work it as much as dogs and humans did before the changes, producing strange steel and making stranger things out of it. Sapir might not distribute many old treasures now, but few else remain in the business of Icarian steel.”

Alícha skimmed some of the oil off of her soup, and spread it onto a piece of challah. She stared out the window at the moon, thinking again about L’vanah, Baal Tsachor, and red-skinned Layli, night herself. And then she thought about smoke, and steel.

* Strict observers of the Sabbath. On Qarqa, this means avoiding a variety of things widely counted as “labor” in favor of prayer and contemplation of the many aspects of the divine, as part of the ancient covenant forbidding the people of the land from holding any one deity above another.

† Ritualistic rocking or swaying during prayer. Lucky’s ears bobbed when he did so, which was a distraction from everyone else’s prayers. An adorable distraction.

[cwnerd12]

Shabbat Shalom

“Shabbat Shalom” David is back in the hospital. Asher and Abby sit on either side of his bed. A phone is set up to video chat with Shay and Joel. David, “I fucked everyone over. This is all my fault, and I am so, so sorry.” Shay, “I’m the one who told you to go to Gath. If anything it’s my fault.” Joel, “It doesn’t matter whose fault it is, all that matters is how we’re gonna get you out of Gath.” Asher, “They put fucking ankle monitors on us.” Joel, “Ankle monitors? Pfft, I know a million different ways to get those off.” David, “We’re under guard.” Shay, “We can take out a few guards.” David, “If there’s even a whiff of a rescue operation, we’re probably gonna be put somewhere more secure. Gerald absolutely expects us to try to escape, and he’s got a million defenses in place. If there’s a possible way out, I can’t think of it.” Shay, “There’s got to be something.” Abby mutters, “Taking down CrossGen.” Shay, “What?” Abby, “William Cross is behind this. He’s the one with plans to be king of Gilboa. If we can take him down, take away his power, maybe we can get him out.” David, “He’s still in Moab. We can’t touch him.” Joel sighs heavily, “I’ll have to look at the books, but there may be some sort of legal loophole we can go through. Technically, Jack and Michelle are both heirs of the Cross family. With William out of Gilboa and unable to come back, they may be able to do some kind of takeover.” David, “How are we going to be able to communicate that to them?” Joel, “We’ve got agents in Shiloh. One of them should be able to get into the palace, at the very least.” David, “So what do we do until then?” Shay and Joel exchange looks. Shay shrugs, “Stay in Gaza. See what you can find out about Cross. If we can find direct evidence that he’s aiding the Amalekites, maybe Laura can bring some sort of terrorism charges against him.” David sighs, “All the new military spending hasn’t changed the fact that Gath is a fucking dump.” Shay, “If you can survive getting surgery in the fucking woods, you can survive some time in Gath. You’ve done it before.” David, “Yeah, but then I had Jack with me.”

Silas, Rose, Michelle, and Jack eat dinner in awkward silence. Michelle still wears all black. Rose, “It’s so wonderful to finally have dinner as a family again.” Michelle, “The dinner I had with Alek Amal was much more pleasant. I at least had Abby there.” Silas, “We’ll find you a boyfriend here. This whole bisexual thing, you must have caught it from Shepherd.” Michelle, “It’s not the fucking flu!” Silas, “You’ll get over it, nonetheless.” Michelle slams her silverware down and stand up, “I’m leaving.” Rose, “You will have dinner with us!” Michelle, “Fuck you.” She walks off. Jack follows her. Michelle paces in the living room. Jack goes over and hugs her. Michelle mutters, “I can’t fucking believe them!” Jack, “We’re gonna get through this.” Silas enters, followed closely by Rose, “You can hate your mother and I all you want, but you will not disrespect us like this!” Michelle, sneering, “Or what, you’ll lock us in the dungeon?” Jack lets go of Michelle and calmly walks over to Silas, “Look, just back off of us for a while, all right? We’re not exactly happy to be here.” Silas, cruelly, “I know you’d rather have Shepherd giving it to you in the ass.” Jack, “Yeah, I would, actually.” Silas, “You were his boyfriend and he didn’t even make you his general! All that work you did, and you’re still a colonel!” Michelle rushes over to Silas, exploding with fury, and shoves him away from Jack, “FUCK YOU! You are not going to talk to Jack like that anymore! You’re the one who wanted us back! From now on, you’re going to treat us with some fucking decency!” Silas, “And why should I?” Michelle, shaking, tears in her eyes, “TEN YEARS! We could have had ten years of being Seth’s brother and sister, and instead, we got an HOUR!” She and Silas stare at each other for a long moment. Silas backs down, if ever so slightly. Michelle, “Jack and I are here on our terms. There’s going to be rules. You’re going to follow them, or we’ll find a way to leave. We escaped once, and we can do it again. This time, the AFG knows where to find us.” Rose, “What do you want, Michelle?” Michelle, “First of all, you’re not going to treat Jack like you did. He’s an amazing person when you’re not screaming at him, and you’re going to treat him as such.” Silas and Jack exchange looks. Michelle goes on, “Secondly, I’m not a little girl any more. I expect to be treated like an adult, and allowed to be who I want to be. I’m going to buy my own clothes, I’m going to live in my own apartment, and I’m going to go to med school.” Rose, “It’s too late to apply.” Michelle, “I’ve won medals for being a medic, and I’m the fucking princess. I think they’ll make an exception.” Silas, “You’re just going through your teenage rebellion stage. Soon you’ll want me to read The Wizard of Oz to you!” Michelle, “I am not Kathleen, Silas!” Silas’s eyes widen in shock. Michelle, “I’m not the little girl who never grew up! I’ve had sex! I’ve fallen in love! I’ve saved lives! I have had the most incredible experiences, experiences you never would have let me have, because you couldn’t let me grow up! I know what I want, and it’s what I’ve wanted all along: to be a doctor! I was a damn good medic, and I’ll be a damn good doctor! You can’t stop me from being one!” Silas mutters, “So be a damn doctor, then.” He steps away and looks over at Jack, “What about you? Do you want to be king, now?” Jack, “Only long enough that I can hand the crown over to David.” Silas, “Hm. We’ll see about that.” He walks away, towards the bedrooms. Michelle turns around, “And you aren’t going to lie to us anymore!” Silas turns back to her, “What?” Michelle, “That’s the final condition. No more lying. When we ask you a question, you’re going to answer honestly, and not omit anything. We know who you are now. We know about Kathleen, your parents, the farm you grew up on. You can’t hide that from us anymore.” Silas, “Fine. The lineage of the Benjamin family is nothing but poor white trash, violent alcoholics, and a heart condition. You two are heirs to all that. Now you have something to be ashamed of.” Michelle, “We were already ashamed of you.” Silas, “I’m going to bed. You can save the rest of your righteous fury for the morning.” Michelle, “Where did you get the scar on your cheek?” Silas, “What?” Michelle, “It wasn’t there when we met Seth. What happened?” Silas, “I fell down the stairs.” Michelle, “Stop fucking lying!” Silas, “I’m going to bed, now. No more questions.”

Rose sits at her vanity, washing her makeup off. Silas sits in bed, reading a book. Rose gets up and joins him. Rose, “All that rage. She gets it from you, you know.” Silas, “Oh no, you are not blaming all of this on me. You make up half of her genetic composition, too. I’ll admit, her mouth, she gets from me. Her tenacity, she gets from me, too. But her outright stubbornness, That’s all you.” Rose, “Jack is the one who takes after me.” Silas, “Falling in love with a would-be king and all.”  Rose, wryly, “Exactly,” she sighs heavily, “If our children have turned into what we were, does that mean we’ve turned into our parents?” Silas, “We are nothing like our parents.” Rose, “Either we’ve turned into our parents, or we just have horrible children.” Silas gives her a look, “Do you really want the answer to that?” Rose, “I guess being a doctor isn’t the worst thing in the world. We could have done much worse.”

David lays in a bedroom of a shitty apartment in Gaza. He’s on a twin bed, and another twin bed is placed on the opposite wall. Abby comes in and flops down on the other bed. Abby, “I never thought Gath could get worse then the Royal Hotel, but then I got stuck in a shitty two-bedroom apartment with two guys.” David, “I thought Asher was gonna take that bed, but you can have it, if you want.” Abby, “Are you kidding? There’s no way in hell i’m passing up having my own room. I’m in here because I need someone to listen to me bitch.” David, “We had Jack and Michelle when we were at the Royal.” Abby, “Well, you had Jack. I was still terrified of speaking to Michelle, then. So I guess no matter what, being in Gath means pining for Michelle.” David, “Yeah, well, at least we have each other in our misery. Who knows. Maybe if we were both a little bit straighter, we could date each other.” David and Abby look at each other for a long moment, but then they both burst out laughing. Abby, “I’m sorry, David, I fucking love you, but even if you were the hottest woman in the world, I’d never want to fucking date you.” David, “Yeah, I’m kind of not the world’s easiest boyfriend to have.” Abby, “Nah, all the hero shit I’d be cool with, it’s the snuggly lovey-dovey shit that would drive me crazy. You and Jack are fucking disgusting, sometimes.” David smirks, “We’re in love.” Asher comes, “Hey, you guys, I made dinner.” David, “I really don’t have an appetite.” Asher, “Come on, try to eat something. I made something special.” David and Abby get up and go out into the dining area of the apartment. The table is set with two candlesticks. A wrapped loaf of challah sits on the table. David, “What’s this?” Asher, “Shabbat dinner. It’s kind of hard to observe every Shabbat when you’re running from place to place, trying not to get killed. But now that we’re stuck here, I guess I don’t really have an excuse. Being a Rabbi, I probably should be doing this kind of thing.” Abby goes over to the table, “This is really nice, Asher.” Asher, “Traditionally, it’s the women who light the Shabbat candles. I can do it, but you can do it, if you want, Abby.” Abby grins, “Okay. You have to show me what to do.” Asher hands her a box of matches, “Okay, light the candles.” Abby takes out a match, strikes it, and lights the two candles. Asher, “Now wave your hand three times over the flame, like you’re trying to gather the light to your face.” He demonstrates, and Abby follows, smiling. Asher, “Now cover your eyes, and say the blessing. You can just repeat after me.” Abby, “Okay.” She covers her eyes. Asher sings the blessing, and Abby repeats, trying not to laugh as she does. Asher, “Shabbat Shalom! You can uncover your eyes.” Abby finally laughs. Asher pours three glasses of wine, “And now we say kiddush,” he raises his glass and recites the blessing of the wine. Asher, “You can sit down now.” David and Abby both sit. Asher uncovers the loaf of challah, “And finally, we bless the challah.” He recites the blessing. He slices off three pieces and gives everyone a piece. Asher, “Now you can serve the food and eat.” David takes a bowl and serves some food for himself, “I don’t remember the last time I had a home-cooked meal.” Asher looks over the food, and says, “I… I haven’t had a proper Shabbat dinner since my parents were killed.” He wipes tears from his eyes. David, “Jeez, I had no idea.” Asher, “The sacrifices you make trying to make the world a better place, hm? It absolutely sucks that we’re stuck here in Gath. I don’t think anyone is going to deny that, but, here we are, having a nice dinner. We’re still alive, and as long as we’re still alive, we’re not completely out of hope. We just have to hold on to it,” He raises his wine glass, “L’chaim!” David and Abby both raise their glasses, “L’chaim!”

in the palace dressing room, Michelle flips through a rack of dresses, “I can’t fucking believe Rose already has events lined up. Showing us off like show ponies. I’m wearing all black as a way to try to protest our kidnapping. I want something black and slutty.” Michelle looks at a dress, and hangs it on an empty hanger. She begins to unzip the dress she’s wearing. Jack, “Woah, hey, not in front of your brother!” Michelle takes the dress the rest of the way off, “Oh, please, you’re GAY. Besides, if I can live with night after night of listening to you and David fucking in the next tent over, you can live with seeing me in my underwear.” Jack, “We weren’t that loud.” Michelle mocks him, “Oh god, David! David! You make these pathetic little whimpering noises.” Jack, “David loves those little noises.” Another stylist steps into the room, “Does anyone need any help?” Michelle looks over, “Monique?!” Monique stands before them, in flamboyant male drag, almost unrecognizable from before, “I heard you say you wanted something black and slutty. Well, here I am. And the name’s Javaun. At least while I’m here, it is.” Jack, lowering his voice, “What the fuck are you doing here? How did you even get in?” Monique, “After all my years doing drag, you don’t think I can pull of a decent disguise? Why else would I be so good at hiding? And Rinaldo and I go way back. One day he got tired of dressing up drag queens and decided to dress up a real queen.” Monique goes over to the dress rack, “I’m assuming you both know that David’s in Gath.” She helps Michelle zip up the dress she’s trying. Jack, “Yeah, we were there when he left. The news is saying this is proof he’s been a Gath agent all along! Absolutely no mention of the fact that he got fucking stabbed!” Monique, “He can’t leave. He’s under guard.” Michelle, “What? Asher and Abby, too?” Monique, “Only in Gath will they put an ankle monitor on a fuckin’ rabbi.” Jack, “Yeah, in Gilboa, we’ll just kill his parents.” Michelle, “Why won’t they let him leave? I thought Gerald wanted to see Silas overthrown, no matter what.” Monique, “David’s still in touch with Shay and Joel, and Shay and Joel are in touch with me. From what I’ve been told, Gath just renewed its contract with CrossGen, and Gerald is talking about Gilboa having a new king, who isn’t David.” Michelle, “You mean William?” Monique, “He’s the only other possible candidate.” Jack sits down, “Shit,” he realizes something, “Oh, fuck, and the Amalekites!” Michelle, “What?” Jack, “William had this all planned! You and Abby are kidnapped, David goes in for the rescue, he gets wounded, and has to go to Gath to recover, and in the meantime, he looks like he’s on Gath’s side and suddenly all of Gilboa is against the AFG!” Michelle, “How could William guarantee that David would end up in Gath? We didn’t have that planned. The safehouse was raided.” Jack, “I don’t know, but everything else makes to much fucking sense to not be true.” Monique, “David can’t do anything about it, the AFG can’t do anything about it, but according to Joel, you two may be able to do something.” Jack, “What?” Monique, “You two are heirs of the Cross family. William’s not in Gilboa, and he doesn’t have an heir. You may be able to take over CrossGen.” Jack, “How?” Monique, “Fuck if I know. Joel’s the one who knows the law.” The door opens, and Silas enters. He looks at Jack and Michelle, who try to go back to acting like usual. Silas, “Rose said you were in here.” Michelle, “What do you want, Silas?” Silas looks disapprovingly at the tiny slip dress Michelle is wearing, “That’s not a dress.” Monique, “It costs three thousand dollars. It’s a dress.” Michelle, “I’m thinking of wearing it. It shows off my tattoos. I’m thinking of getting a new one.” Silas curls a lip in disgust, but doesn’t say anything. He looks over at Jack, “Jesus, you look like a-” Jack interrupts, “Like a what, Dad?” Silas doesn’t respond. Jack smiles with satisfaction, “Yeah, gay insults aren’t going to work any more. Once you’re out of the closet, there’s no going back in.” Silas, “I have something I want to show the both of you.” Michelle, “What?” Silas, “Just come and see it. But put some decent clothes on, first.”

In the living area of the residence sits the trunk full of photos from the Benjamin farm. Silas has the photos arranged out, showing the Benjamins through the years. The oldest pictures are battered tintypes of grim-faced victorians. Silas stares down at the photos. Jack and Michelle, dressed normally, enter behind him, and see the arrangement. Silas, “This is it. The Benjamin family, your heritage. You said you wanted to know it all, well, here it is.” Michelle, “We’ve seen it. We went to Temperance after we left Gath.” Silas kneels down, and picks up an old school photo of himself, about age ten, sporting a black eye, “Yeah, you’ve seen it, but have I ever told you how I’d go to school covered in bruises, and the teachers never asked any questions? Chris Benjamin beats the shit out of his wife and son, but that’s a private family issue, and besides, he’s a war hero. It’d be wrong to disrespect him. As soon as I was king, I passed a law making it so that school teachers have to report suspected abuse. Because of that, children get taken out of violent homes and put somewhere safe.” Jack rolls his eyes, “Should have taken us away, then.” Silas, “I never touched you!” Jack, “Still managed to keep me in a constant state of terror.” Silas, “I know!” Dramatic pause. Jack and Silas look at each other for a moment, “I should have treated you better, I know I should have. But I’m an asshole and I don’t know how to not be an asshole. I tried to do better by Seth, but I know I fucked that up, too.” Michelle goes over and sits on the sofa, “This doesn’t make up for anything, Silas.” Silas, “I can’t give you back those years with Seth! I can’t go back and change the way I treated you! I wish to god I could, but I can’t.” Michelle, “You just almost called Jack a fag.” Silas, “I told you, I’m an asshole!” Jack, “That’s not an excuse.” Silas, “So what can I do? What can I possibly do to make up for all the shit I’m guilty of?” Michelle, “What would make you forgive your father?” Silas shakes his head, “Nothing,” He laughs sadly, “Absolutely fucking nothing.” Jack, “I forgive you, Dad.” Silas and Michelle both look at him. Jack, “I used to want to be like you. You’re a sick, fucked-up asshole, and you’re right, you can’t help it. Your dad was a sick, fucked-up asshole, and I’ll bet that his father was a sick, fucked-up asshole, too. I used to think I was destined to be you, but I realized I had a choice about whether or not I wanted to be like you, and I chose not to. Now, I know who I am, and I’m not afraid to be who I am. I’m happy as who I am. I don’t need you, or your approval. So why the hell should I stay angry at you?” Silas looks from Jack, down to a picture of Kathleen. He gently traces her face with his fingertip. Silas, “Do you know why the butterfly is the symbol of Gilboa?” Michelle, “Because a crown of butterflies landed on your head.” Silas, “No, that’s just some bullshit story that I made up. Kathleen loved butterflies. She thought they were good luck. After she died, I put butterflies on all my things because they reminded me of her. When people asked, I didn’t want to tell them. Strangers who never knew Kathleen don’t deserve that. So I made up a story about God choosing me to be king. I thought Kathleen dying was the worst thing that would ever happen to me. For all of my battle wounds, I’d lie in recovery afterwards, thinking, still not as bad as losing Kathleen. I thought nothing could ever, ever be more painful,” he chokes up, “And then Seth died.” Michelle reaches her hand out, “Dad-” she catches herself, and pulls her hand away.