#i just really think jaime needs way more recognition

[hatchetfield]

Jaime Lyn Beatty as Sheila Young in Daddy

[bisexual-horror-fan]

SO! Everyone has been dying to hear about my weekend and my experience meeting Robert! Here it is under the cut!

Friday we rolled up to the con on time, early check in, got a lot of recognition and pics in my Sailor Majora cosplay, including one person who got a pic from me at Anime North like five fucking years ago and remembered me, very cool! Didn’t do much shopping, hit a few panels and then at the hotel later we got pizza, drank a lot, played games, fucked till about three am and barely slept. 

Saturday was THE day! The big day! My photo with Robert! I got up and in my full ANOES fit, the shirt, the hat, the vans collab shoes, the nails, extra as fuck, you know? 

I was so nervous, I would think about the fact it was happening today and my stomach was so up and down. We did more shopping, a lot more, I got some cool stuff but soon it was time for me to break off and go to the photo. Now my photo was in the north building. I was in the south building and the escalators were shut down, I was stuck down there for around twenty minutes and started to freak out worrying about getting to the other building. I managed to squeeze out and booked it, I needed to be there early, I had to be, I had never done a photo at a con and finding the place was a hassle. After hitting the bathroom I am finally in the right direction when tragedy strikes. I was wearing a leather mini skirt that fully unzips in the back and it fucking broke open. Full fancy deep purple lingerie panties and cheeks on display. I held the zip closed and ran to the nearest bathroom which was five feet away. Thank God, I leaned into a corner and kept telling people I wasn’t in line and to go ahead as I fixed it. In the bathroom line was a staff member who pointed me in the right direction of the photos. 

I fixed my skirt and ran off, hoping and praying to anyone and everyone that my skirt doesn’t break open in front of Robert fucking Englund. I got there and before the Robert shoot they were doing a duo one with Robert and Jaime Campbell Bower. The black curtain was so thin I could SEE them from my place in line, third by the way from how early I was. In between people Robert was talking Jamie’s ear off. I couldn’t hear what about but he was gesturing wildly and Jaime seemed very, very interested and was nodding along. 

One thing I could hear if I listened hard enough was the metal clicking of the glove, yes THE glove, Robert was wearing. Finally it was time, we were ushered back, there was a table to drop shit you didn’t want in the picture, bag abandoned, I moved forward and watched as a few people ahead got theirs done. They are so fast, there is no time to even really say anything and I am stressed. I mean he is five fucking feet from me and I am dying. 

It’s my turn.

I go up, I say, “Hi!” and he nods with a big smile. He wants me on the other side of him so without saying anything, he puts both hands on me, the man didn’t say shit to me before touching me! Talk about a dream. He moved me to his right, both hands on my biceps and I am sure the look on my face was priceless. He presses me to him and says, he doesn’t ask, not really, he TELLS me, “I’m gonna grab your hair, okay?” and then my high ponytail that is fed through the back of my springwood high baseball cap is in his gloved hand and he is pulling it up! I am dying. 

I had no idea what to do with my hands. My heart is racing, I feel warm and just, thoughtless? Full of joy and totally thoughtless, smiling like a total idiot. The photo is taken, the photographer is fucking laughing, I assume from my expression and demeanor and like, my everything. They call out next and Robert told me, “Good job.”

He told me good fucking job and I was walking away, totally on air. I got my bag, I headed to pick up my photo and it was printed off and passed to me and I was still grinning staring down at it. I pre-paid to get it framed, I went to do so and the framing girl was saying something but I wasn’t listening, I literally can’t remember what she talked to me about. 

I left with my freshly framed photo and headed to go meet up with my husband and friends. The whole walk from the north to the south building I was smiling so hard under my mask. I kept on thinking over and over, “He touched me. He pulled my hair. He told me good job. I met him. I got a photo with him-” over and over. 

So happy.

I shopped more, I went back to the hotel, I told the tea to everyone cuz we got separated, had dinner and then went to the live podcast recording with Jay and Silent Bob. 

Then today, Sunday, I had two missions. Get the photo signed, go to Robert’s panel and ask aquestion. After getting in my Amber fit and packing up the room and car for later we leave. Grab breakfast, show up at the con an hour after it opened. I go to Robert’s line immediately and I am greeted with a sign that says, “Robert Englund is closed for the day. Tickets only.” 

After an hour his line was full for the fucking day. I missed my shot. They decided to pre-sell autographs, even tho they didn’t advertise it on the website that they made such a change so I missed it. I checked over and over if I could pre-buy but there was no option. So heart broken and dejected, I left and met up with the friends and Mr.Bex. 

After some heavy retail therapy and some great finds I break to go get in line for the panel. I am fourth in line, I get in and park myself as close to the mic as I can. 

He comes out and it starts and the guy with Robert takes a half hour of his time asking some questions then it was our turn. I ran and made it sixth in line because someone went for the mic before they officially said we could. I thought, sixth, I can totally fucking get my question in. I was going to ask if he had any cool stories or fun memories he wanted to share about working on Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon. 

We got two questions in, someone asked to cut and the person let them, and then this fuck, proceeds to ask THREE questions you could google. About if there was ever talk of a Freddy VS Jason two, which there was, which led to Robert talking about Freddy VS Jason VS Ash and then this fuck asking if Robert would ever play Freddy again, to which, as he always says, is a big fat no. He would like a cameo as a doctor if they ever remake Dream Warriors tho. 

This fuck took so long, that they let there be one more question. I was so close. Two people away from asking. What a bummer. The panel was great, Robert was fun and again being in the same room and hearing him talk about his passion for his craft is so good. 

After this the Joseph Quinn panel was happening and getting out of the con after that let out would be insane, so we left. Back to the car, hit the Wendy’s on airport road, came home and unpacked and here I am.

It was a great con, a great return, amazing new memories, great finds and true, while I didn’t get a signature, Robert didn’t see my tattoo because they rushed the photo’s so much, and I didn’t get to ask a question, it was a great weekend.

I miss it already. I can’t wait for next year! 

I had fun, I still got my photo, Robert touched me, spoke to me, I shared time with him and that is so fucking speical and huge and makes every little negative thing more than worth it. I hope I can see him at a con in the future and THEN get the photo I took with him signed! 

And that is the whole tale! Hope you are satisfied with it.

[mrspanky]

The Time We Lost: pt 1.

Jason Todd x Reader (female pov).

Content: Angst and language.

Readers note: Hi love, I hope you enjoy this! I had so much fun coming up with this story. Can’t wait to put out part two, because that’s when it really gets good. For the best experience listen some sad music while reading, I wrote this to the songs “Last Cigarette” by Ruby Waters, “What Are You So Afraid Of” by Videoclub, “All My Friends” by the Revivalists, “Ghost of Mine” by Kailee Morgue, and “I Didn’t See You Coming” by Fefe Dobson.

𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫𓅫

It was freezing outside.

You hated asking for help but you broke a little when you stubbed your toe on the pavement and didn’t feel anything through your boot, only to take it off on a nearby doorstep and realize that your toe was broken.

Should’ve worn sturdier boots.

You pondered what to do, stranded on the step, fuming. You knew where you’d end up going you just hoped he wouldn’t be there.

You were in the heart of the city but you remembered the way to his apartment like the back of your hand.

It had been so long, but it felt just like yesterday as you looked around remembering the landmarks that would lead you to your destination.

“Fuck”, you muttered.

There was the coffee shop you two used to go to. Overwhelmed by emotional memories of bad days, and days that hadn’t been so bad, you started to panic. You looked in your wallet. $7.00 looked back at you pitifully.

“That’s enough for a coffee, and if I get a coffee it’ll keep me warm, AND give me enough mental power to think of a solution other than going back to his place”.

Your mind was made up. You walked in the direction of the coffee shop with stubborn resolve. As you entered the door, you bumped into a man.

“Sorry”. You mumbled.

You weren’t really sorry, you were actually quite annoyed, but you were too tired to get into an argument.

“No, my bad”, said the man. Your jaw tightened.

“Tim”, you thought.

You’d recognize his and all his brother’s voices anywhere.

“Well what the fuck do I do? Do I say something? No, I don’t want to talk. Wait, but he might.. know if.. he’s home”. You sighed, and turned around.

“Wait, Tim?” Tim turned around, looked at you, and raised his eyebrows in realization.

“...Y/n?”

••••

“Y/n not to be rude, but you look like shit”.

Tim slid a coffee across the table to you.

“What happened?” He looked concerned. You sighed.

“I’m fine. I was just in the area and I was taking a walk and forgot how cold it was. I left my jacket at home”.

“Which is where..?”

“...Not too far”.

He furrowed his brow.

“You have cement on your shoe and there’s only one street in Gotham getting redone right now. It’s in the middle of the city. Not close”.

He paused and glanced down.

“Also you were limping on your way over to the table just now”.

“Damn”. You thought.

You’d forgotten that it was annoyingly difficult to lie to Tim.

“You’re not ok, are you”. He leaned in.

“Y/n, why are you really going to see Jason?”

You stayed silent.

He looked at you closely, seeming to make up his mind.

He sighed, and got up out of his chair, grabbing your coffee cup.

“Come on”, he gently took your hand.

“Tim..I don’t-“

“-He’s not home right now.” Tim cut in.

He helped you up, and started for the door, then paused.

“Look, I get it. But me and a couple of the other’s are just crashing there right now for a mission. You probably won’t even see him, and you really look like shit. Let’s at least get you a bed for a couple nights”.

You tried to consider his offer.

You didn’t really have any other options.

“Let’s face it y/n”. You thought.

“Todd manor is probably at least a little warmer than the streets”.

Even thinking that name hurt you deeply, but you pushed it down.

“Alright”, you solemnly nodded your head and let him lead you out the door, a wave of anxiety washing over you about the impending painful memory rush you knew was coming.

•••••

The red front door.

You hadn’t seen this door in ages.

He had been so excited to walk through it the first time. You remembered it so well.

He had called you on a Friday afternoon as you were getting ready to suit up.

You had thought he would be calling about the mission you two were working on, but that hadn’t been the case, and you had been so glad for it.

You teased him mercilessly and he teased you right back: But you really enjoyed his company, and you got excited whenever he called, as much as you would deny it back then.

“Hey. I’ve got news”, his voice had solemnly announced over the phone.

“I’m king of my own castle now. I’m gonna call it Todd manor”.

“You got the apartment! Wow. Your very own manor. Time for you to adopt a million kids”. You could practically hear him smirking on the other end.

“Well do you want to see it or not? I’m at the front door right now. I sent you my new address.”

Images of you grabbing your motorcycle and riding over as fast as you could, rushed through your mind. You had pulled up to see him standing there, right where you stood now. You had sauntered up to him, teasingly.

“Ok bird boy, let’s see the new cardboard box”.

He’d looked so happy.

You gasped quietly.

“Tim I don’t know if I want to do this”.

He looked at you quietly.

“He’s not the same, but if you see him, he’s still…Jason. You of all people know how stubborn he is. Not even death could kill that...personality of his”.

He smiled with a twinge of sadness.

“He’s not gone anymore”.

You looked at him, with panic in your eyes.

“Come on. The others miss you.” He opened the door, and you both walked inside.

It was just like you remembered. So much so that it felt like a dream you’d had over the past years countless times, of life before Jason had died.

Tim ushered you forward into the kitchen space. You looked up hesitantly, steeling yourself for whatever your eyes would be greeted with.

Positioned around the kitchen were Dick, Wally, Damian, and Jaime.

You tried to hold down your emotions. You hadn’t let yourself feel how much you’d missed them fully until now.

“Hey guys”. You smiled a little.

“Y/n?”

Dick’s eyes widened in surprise.

Wally was characteristically swift to reach you. He raced over and stood at your side, putting his hand on your shoulder.

“How are you?”

A tear fell from your tired eyes.

“I’m ok”, you smiled softly.

“I missed you guys”.

Wally’s brows were furrowed with worry.

You realized that none of them had ever really seen you cry.

You tended to be too embarrassed and see it as a sign of weakness, but you were too exhausted to hold back right now.

“We missed you too”, Dick said as he walked over.

“Yeah”, said Jaime. “We haven’t been able to find you all this time, we’ve all been worried”.

“I’m fine,” you shrugged. “Just needed to be on my own after...after... you know. And I have been, and I’ve been ok I just got caught up a little I guess. No big deal.”

Tim met Dick’s eyes in silent communication.

The older brother pursed his lips together with recognition and resolve.

“Let’s get you some food”.

After you finished eating you trudged upstairs to shower. When you got the water going, you let the steaming water run down your hair. It felt so good after the freezing gotham streets you’d been experiencing the past week. You sighed. You couldn’t stay here long. Everything was a reminder of what your life had been like before Jason was murdered and you went off the deep end. You didn’t want to remember all the hope that you had had, and how naïve you’d been. For a while after he died, you had broken away from everyone for this exact reason.

You wrapped a towel around you, and examined yourself in the mirror, wiping away the steam so you could see your reflection clearly. Over the time that Jason had been gone, you felt like you’d changed completely. Your naturally y/h/c hair was now a shade of y/c/c, and your previously youthful face looked hardened. Not necessarily in a bad way, you just felt sharper. “Amazing”. You thought. Stress had given you a jawline. You laughed to yourself bitterly. You needed a vacation. Badly. This past year of fighting crime on your own and making somewhat questionable decisions had taken its toll on you. You slipped into the large white t-shirt Tim had lent you, dried your hair with the towel as best as you could, and walked to the room he’d told you that you could stay in.

The room was Jason’s, but he wasn’t home so it was empty right now. It was going to be extremely painful to be around his things for the first time again and you were a bit overwhelmed already, but like everything else today, you didn’t really have a better option. You felt like you were invading his privacy somehow even though you knew it was technically fine. “This is so fucked up”, you thought. You hadn’t even ever been brave enough to not mask your feelings for him with banter, and now you were staying in his room while he was away because you had been homeless for the past week. And you had been homeless all because you couldn’t pull your life together after he fucking died and you couldn’t save him. “I couldn’t save him. I couldn’t fucking save him”, you whispered to yourself, holding back more tears as you reached the door. You took a deep breath, wiped your eyes and opened it.

Cautiously, you looked down as you closed the door behind you, not ready to face everything yet. As you began to turn your eyes upwards, you heard a noise in the direction of where you remembered the window to be, from the tour Jason had given you so long ago. Your fighting reflexes kicked in on instinct and you raised your fists. A red helmeted man entered your line of vision as you stared at where the noise had come from. Your arms fell limp to your sides as you registered what you were seeing. Who you were seeing. “...Jason”, you whispered.

To be continued...

[redteabaron]

tyrion - the giant surtr

“...and you. A small man with a big shadow, snarling in the midst of it all.” - Moqorro 

“Oh I think Lord Tyrion is quite a large man. I think he is a giant come among us, at the end of the world.” - Aemon 

“He’s a bigger man than he seems, I think.” - Garlan Tyrell 

There’s a lot of quotes and references to Tyrion being a giant. In the books he’s got a voracious appetite for food, women, wine, and even ambition, although it is tempered for the time being due to his proximity to and love for his family. But he does have some need for recognition, glory, power - who doesn’t? He is one of the original underdogs of the books, commiserating with Jon over their shared station and telling Jon to accept it so people can’t hurt him with it. He’s among the many POV characters who wants love and respect, and is denied it for one reason or another. 

He’s shown to be a rather capable commander in war, and quite surprisingly brave when met with battle, despite any obstacles he naturally comes into contact with. 

But all the quotes and references to him being bigger than what he seemed to be really got me thinking. He’s more than a brain. On one hand this points to him having a lot of heart and drive. On the other, I like to examine the bits of mythos scattered in asoiaf and all the references GRRM likes to sneak in. 

In the books he’s set to meet Dany, ‘daughter of death’, ‘the mother of dragons’, ‘the dragon’s daughter’, etc what have you, and Dany represents a cataclysmic event of fire and brimstone (blood) focusing in on Westeros (IT). So...is he only a commander? An advisor as he was in the show? In the books he’s surely on the darker side of the gray morality scale, he’s a lot more obviously ambitious in his POV, has numerous revenge fantasies that may just be fantasies (or may not), and has a great appetite for all things. He is/will be Dany’s commander and advisor, but I don’t think he’ll take such a lightly placid role as he did in the show. The setup, imo, is a lot darker. He isn’t just a bystander, he is a major player in the Game. 

But he’s a Lannister, south of the Wall, how the f is he a giant? Just his great appetite? Nah. 

Surtr means ‘black’ or ‘swarthy’ in Old Norse, and while Tyrion carries traditional Lannister coloring and features, that isn’t all he carries. In the books he has mismatched eyes of green and black, and his hair had both blonde and black in it. Surtr is also believed to have originated from the south. 

In both the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda specifically Voluspa, Surtr, the jotunn goes to battle against the gods, locked in combat with Freyr (god of prosperity, fertility, peace, and sunshine whose book counterpart may be Aegon/Young Griff though I don’t believe Tyrion will be the one to kill him with his own hands, but may plan or suggest it and will help kickstart the dance of dragons that Dany will already be gearing up for once Aegon moves to claim the throne, esp if it’s ever revealed that Dany at this point in time has difficulty bearing children/is barren) with a great flaming sword and thereafter brings forth flames that burn the world. He guards the realm of Muspelheim (a fiery realm, home to fire giants), from which he will command Muspell’s sons in the war of Ragnarok and burn the world after defeating the gods. 

Tyrion may not wield Lightbringer or be the immediate choice of Surtr’s role (which Stannis could arguably and obviously fill; he’s black haired, tall as he’s a Baratheon, wields a flaming sword, is associated with flames and has Melisandre at his side but imo he’s a red herring for a greater engine of destruction), but if he is at Dany’s side he won’t need a red priestess or a flaming sword or a tall stature. He casts a very long shadow, and Dany has proven to be warlike, an instrument of destruction knowingly or not. Dany won’t be so easily turned to this or that direction, but as she proved with Daario, when it is something that appeals to her, she can be guided (in the way that all of his solutions were bloody and violent and she preferred those methods to peace which bored and annoyed her). Dany has power (dragons and armies) that Tyrion doesn’t, so they will likely work as one unit at least for a good chunk of time. In a way, Dany will be his flaming sword, and they will set the world on fire. 

The original book canon Tyrion casts a long shadow with a great appetite, and has proven he will fight, and not always with honor (killing his father who was unarmed), and will join forces with a woman hellbent on claiming the iron throne (yet the kingdom is splintered and the north will undoubtedly object again to a ruler that doesn’t care for the north). He will undoubtedly end up north somehow as his marriage to Sansa Stark (key to the North) will be a lure (because I’m pretty sure Harry is going to die during the tourney and Sansa will escape with Mya’s help, heading for Jon). His constant references to the Wall circle back there, not to mention he does resent (and lust for) Sansa for rejecting him (and will likely transfer that resentment to the north for not wanting him as lord if/when he comes to collect on that marriage). He’s not going to just talk and drink wine and fade into the background as he did in the show, or jokingly let things go anymore; as horrid as his family could be to him, Tyrion’s family did help ground him (specifically his niece and nephew and Jaime, as well as his desire to not totally disappoint his father/desire for acknowledgement that would never come). But when he killed his father, that was a sign of becoming unfettered. We’ll be seeing a much darker Tyrion who will have a lot more power on his side, and he won’t necessarily be fettered by family if Myrcella and Tommen die (I hesitate to bank on the Cersei and Jaime being enough). The north will see him come again, and not just for wine or Wintertown. 

“...and later I dreamt that maid again, slaying a savage giant in a castle made of snow.” - Ghost of High Heart 

I used to think this could only pertain to Littlefinger, but I wonder.

[swordmaid]

Is it okay that I would prefer an ending with Brienne in a position of some institutional power as I think it is one way to merge her lady and knight aspects as well as have someone who would look out for her constituents and not let her ego or politics get in the way? I know the hedge knight ending is popular for her and I like it. However, it does feel it is just making her a distaff counterpart to Dunk, so it kind of feels like the Kingsguard ending to me & so much of her backstory is 1/2

2/2 shaped by her feeling she cannot be the heir to her father in anyway. It makes sense for her arc that she exceeds her father’s expectations. I get the appeal of maybe taking a third option, but so much of Jaime and Brienne’s arcs are tied to responsibility, oaths, inheritance, and duty so I would feel disappointed GRRM didn’t follow-through with the Evenstar thread beyond symbolism. What do you think? Is there a way to make Brienne a hedge knight without dropping the Evenstar heir plot?

I don’t want to sound passive aggressive. I am shy and feel kind of bad that I am like very ‘meh’ about the hedge knight option unless it is Brienne’s retirement career since I am worried I am misunderstanding the character.

tbh who’s really to judge which endings for her is and isn’t okay in the end these are just theories based on our own personal interpretation of the text so i say go wild!!! if u like something then like it!! i don’t really think you need a seal of approval for something to be considered valid!!!

but anyway, i don’t see why the two can’t co-exist? brienne still being the lady of tarth WHILST being a wandering hedge knight CAN still be a thing. imo, she’s just taking another form of leadership in a way that she’s actively protecting others and not so much taking charge of the administration aspect of ruling. for me personally, i don’t really see brienne having a political role since she doesn’t have anything in her story that points towards it. her being her father’s heir is one thing, but brienne doesn’t actively plot, or scheme, or think of ways that she can use her privilege of being a highborn lady to better the lives of others. what she does do however, is protect others through the virtues of being a true knight. brienne protects children and the innocent, actively looks out for others even though she might not agree with them (jaime in asos when they were both captives/the hedge knights she meets at the start of affc) hence why i think an ending where she becomes a wandering knight that continues to follow her own code of virtue is fitting because that’s what she’s been doing the whole time--but this time, she would be recognized as a knight and less of a joke. 

imo, actually getting the recognition of being a knight and a lady is more important than being put into those roles. she can become the evenstar, or she can be knighted, but if others doesn’t see her as such then nothing really changes besides the new shiny title she'll have and the new responsibilities that comes with it. to me, it’s really more important that she gets recognized as such, and the crowd sees her as such because she already is a lady and a knight. the only problem is that she just didn’t fit their ideal versions of it, so for her to be recognized as such in the end would be more impactful than her ruling, or her being knighted imo.

[chickren]

How is asoiaf fan art so f'ing good. I remember feeling underwhelmed by some (a lot) of the official artworks and I'm honestly a bit upset about all the amazing fan art confined to limited fandom spaces and not getting widespread (and some sort of official) recognition. Like I know this is an inherent part of fandom in general but damn.

I have never known how we get so much great art in asoiaf fandom. And Jaime/Brienne fandom especially. I always felt like we had a much higher percentage of premium quality stuff than your run-of-the-mill asoiaf ship. Maybe some of the physical aspects of Jaime and (especially) Brienne and their juxtaposition are really inspiring subject matter? Or maybe it’s just that a lot of artists love the ship and need to express it, idk. Regardless, we are very lucky. Here’s a shoutout to all the great Jaime/Brienne fanartists past and present. You really make fandom a better place.

(And, yes, sadly I have also found a lot of the official asoiaf art to be…lol I’ll take your polite cue and say underwhelming. GRRM could commission fanartists for most things and have way better–and more varied–results, imo. People who are actually inspired by the subject matter will always create more interesting work, I think. I’ve also wondered if some of the official fanartists are/were underpaid–I wonder this about TWoIaF especially.)

[our-happygirl500-fan]

I think about the Young Justice comic that DC had plans for a lot because even just looking at the team and the cover I can already tell what the dynamics and maybe a few storylines would have been and it would have been so good!

There would have been three 'squads' within the team: First there would be Kara and Steph (Steph and Kara had become quite close before the reboot Kara helping out Steph multiple times in her Batgirl run and they even hung out in their civilian identities Steph showing Kara around her college campus, taking her to the movies and the two of them having pillow fights telling each other that they were each others BFF Kara for a brief time was Steph's super the same way that Clark is Bruce's or Kon is Tim's or Jon is Damian's).

Kara was stated that she would be the team leader most likely because she is the most respected of the heroes there having the 'S' and the immediate respect being a Super inspires. However in Kara and Steph's team ups Steph was often shown more tactical minded than Kara often coming up with the plans or what they needed to defeat whoever they were fighting while Kara had the abilities to actually do what Steph asked.

Typical Bat Super dynamic really.

So with Kara as the leader of the team Steph most likely would have been the teams strategist often giving advice and helping direct the team.

However I believe the major arc for Steph would have been actually ending up as team leader herself, (similar to how in the YJ cartoon Aqualad was leader before Robin took over), Steph is just as skilled as any Bat having trained with Babs, Bruce, Black Canary, Cass, Catwoman ect but the main obstacle for most of her hero career is that no one gave her respect, Steph has been a hero since she was 14 but she was a teen hero without a mentor or powers which was the reason for other heroes brushing her off. As Batgirl she was only just starting to get recognition for her skills and on this team I think Steph would have really established herself in the hero world especially since she rarely worked outside of Gotham.

Then there would be Miss Martian, Static, and Blue Beetle.

Miss Martian and Blue Beetle were both on the Teen Titans together so they have a pre existing dynamic and friendship (before MM left the Teen Titans after the fallout of the Titans of Tomorrow arc)

Static rarely left his own city yet teamed up with the Teen Titans a few times during which Miss Martian and him showed romantic interest with each other so if this comic had been made they would have probably ended up in a relationship together.

Blue Beetle and Static as the only 'guys' on the team the same age would have probably ended up in a close friendship.

Then there would be Damian and Irey as the two 'kids' of the team who would probably be forced together quite a bit.

  I have a feeling that Kara got Steph to join her team and when Dick heard that Steph was joining a team he made her take Damian along to teach him teamwork something he tried before by having Damian work with the Teen Titans but that generation of Teen Titans had a lot of a 'club' mentality and wouldn't accept any Robin who wasn't Tim Drake.

Irey might have ended up on the team similarly with Dick convincing Wally because he wants Damian to have friends closer to his age.

Irey and Damian's dynamic would have been mostly bickering (I am convinced that Damian would pull Irey’s pigtails at least once) but it would be really interesting to see them eventually move past that and become close friends. Especially considering Dick and Wally’s own friendship.

Especially when you consider that Damian didn't have much of a childhood due to the way he was raised and though Irey and Jai had parents who tried to give them as much of a childhood as possible they aged through most of their life until Irey stabilised the speedforce by breaking Jai's connection to it but Irey didn't 'grow up' in a normal sense that differentiates her from other kids which would have been really interesting to explore with Damian's own loss of childhood.

You could have also explored a bit on how Irey took the speed powers for herself leaving her brother powerless and while she did it to save his life maybe we could explore Jai missing his speed or Irey feeling guilty about it sometimes or maybe even Irey feeling jealous of Jai wishing she had the chance to be normal instead.

Lots of fun things to explore here.

There's also the fact that Steph would be closer with Damian and Irey than the rest of the team because 1. she's protective of Damian (and kids in general) and is trying to show Damian what a normal childhood is but 2. As mentioned before she's only started getting respect as a hero so while most heroes from her generation have been respected for years Steph has been fighting for just a chance to stand on that stage and only just got on around the same time Damian and Irey's generation have so she's sort of making a name for herself the same time they are making her more likely to respect them and treat them nicely than the rest of the team.

Steph as a super hero baby sitter is my biggest headcanon due to this as she's the one that respects the kids most. Steph and Static would also be the sort of level headed ones on the team since they rarely acted outside their own cities so they'd notice how bonkers things can get more than Kara or Jaime or Meg'an do.

Steph has also teamed up with Miss Martian before along with several other female heroes thanks to Kara's help and she also helped train Tracy 13 (Jaime's girlfriend) in hand to hand when Tim and Jaime brought them both to Titans Tower.

There's a lot of good story arcs and personal dynamics just waiting to happen by looking at this team and it's a huge shame that we never got to see them in action.

In conclusion:

[thebluelemontree]

On this note: “ Another way of saying Littlefinger didn’t bet on Sandor is that he didn’t account for him.” I know people say that Varys was behind the bread riot, but there’s some speculation around that it was actually LF and Mandon Moore was one of his men. Moore abandons Sansa in the riots and I think that was staged. LF didn’t account for Sandor saving her. What he planned on doing to her - maybe an escape? IDK.

People say a lot of things in this fandom, let’s put it that way.  We see in no POV’s account that there is any evidence of attempted kidnapping on Sansa during the riot, let alone a whole conspiracy to commit kidnapping that was thwarted.  Let’s remember, Tyrek Lannister was the one that got snatched here (allegedly, technically he’s only known to be missing).  If anyone was specifically targetted, it was him.

The bread riot was always a powder keg waiting to explode.  No one person orchestrated it.  The Tyrells had cut off food supplies from the Reach when they stood with Renly against Stannis and Joffrey.  Prices are ridiculously high, and basic foodstuffs are scarce.  There’s rampant lawlessness in the streets as well as a bloody flux.  There’s open talk of rebellion among the guilds and merchants. Tyrion is burning down all homes and shops between the water and the city walls in preparation for Stannis’s attack.  This is going to displace hundreds, maybe thousands of poor people.  Joffrey is executing antler men and personally shooting bolts into unarmed, starving citizens.  Begging brothers are preaching damnation of the corrupt nobility, including charging them with incest, birthing monsters, and reveling under demonic influence.  The Lannister-Baratheons could not be more hated than they are at that moment.  We have to remember that at the time of the riot, Littlefinger was well away at Bitterbridge and then went on to High Garden to negotiate with Mace Tyrell for the then widowed Margaery’s hand.  He already has his man Dontos plotting with Sansa in the godswood, gaining her trust, so she leaves willingly when the time is right.  A second kidnapping/escape plot overcomplicates everything is totally unnecessary.  If Moore was supposed to be LF’s man, why wouldn’t he just lead Sansa away to a rendezvous point under the pretense of eluding the mob?  That would have been simple and plausible as her shield.  Just abandoning her in the swarm doesn’t speak to a plan that has to go off without any mishaps.  

On the other hand, Varys is the one official still in the city who was noted by Jaime to be conspicuously absent from seeing Myrcella off to Dorne.  Varys, who claimed to have informants all over the city, yet he never forewarned Cersei of any possible riot.  Again, it’s Tyrek that disappears without a trace.     

Sorry for the long wait.  I actually had to take some time to re-read and reflect on Mandon Moore.  I think it’s a really bad place to start the speculation with the assumption that he must be working for someone at all.  My conclusion is that he’s not working for anyone, and he doesn’t have to be to do what he does.  He is a guy motivated by naked self-interest and personal advancement, and that does not necessarily equate with greed or being in anyone’s pocket.  IMO, I think he has traits similar to a corporate psychopath (though he’s obviously down for murder too) than anything else.  Let’s just focus on how his characterization is described first.

Jaime had once told him that Moore was the most dangerous of the Kingsguard—excepting himself, always—because his face gave no hint as what he might do next. – Tyrion I, ACOK.

He’s described as appearing corpse-like with eyes that are “oddly flat and lifeless.”  He’s cold and emotionless.  Most notably, Ser Mandon has ties to no one.      

Lord Arryn brought him to King’s Landing and Robert gave him his white cloak, but neither loved him much, I fear. Nor was he the sort the smallfolk cheer in tourneys, despite his undoubted prowess. Why, even his brothers of the Kingsguard never warmed to him. Ser Barristan was once heard to say that the man had no friend but his sword and no life but duty … but you know, I do not think Selmy meant it altogether as praise. Which is queer when you consider it, is it not? Those are the very qualities we seek in our Kingsguard, it could be said—men who live not for themselves, but for their king. By those lights, our brave Ser Mandon was the perfect white knight. – Tyrion II, ASOS.

Of all the things said about him, nowhere does anyone suggest it is in Mandon Moore’s character to want anything outside of his career within the kingsguard.  He has a single-minded focus on duty and serving the king in an almost robotic level of obedience.  No one can tell what goes on behind that blank expression.  If a man’s motivations are unknowable, you can’t predict future behavior.  Mandon Moore does not strike me as someone who would fall prey to bribery or blackmail.  He’s not ideologically motivated, nor is he someone a conspirator can confidently rely on to carry out a task without risk of being double-crossed.  If we look at men Littlefinger has taken into his service like Ser Dontos, the Kettleblacks, Janos Slynt, Nestor Royce, Lothor Brune, Lyn Corbray, there’s always a glaring weakness to be exploited, be it greed, excessive/wounded pride, addiction, closeted homosexuality, desperation, debt, estrangement from family, desire to rise from the underclass, lack of better options, etc.  Mandon doesn’t have any of these vulnerabilities.  

So what did I mean by having traits in common with a corporate psychopath, though?  Varys talks about Mandon being “the perfect white knight” and possessing the ideal qualities of a kingsguard.  Certain types of corporate psychopaths can wear a facade of traits that the business world desires and values.  They can seem like the perfect employee that the company leadership can rely on.  They appear to be fearless and unwavering in their drive for success, sometimes even earning praise and recognition for outright ruthlessness.  Their sometimes apparent lack of emotions could be read as having the grit to do what is necessary in times of turmoil.  Most use manipulative tactics to discredit, undermine, or sabotage coworkers and superiors alike just to get ahead, which I will show is relevant in Moore’s case.  Everyone is either a potential pawn, patron, or enemy to be eliminated.  Not all psychopaths have superficial and grandiose charm, and no one would accuse Mandon of being charming, but he does put himself out there to be seen as indispensably valuable to the king.

Let’s go back to the bread riot and why Mandon Moore abandoned Sansa’s side as her shield.

Tyrion pressed blunt fingers into his throbbing temples. If Sansa Stark had come to harm, Jaime was as good as dead. “Ser Mandon, you were her shield.”

Ser Mandon Moore remained untroubled. “When they mobbed the Hound, I thought first of the king.”

“And rightly so,” Cersei put in. “Boros, Meryn, go back and find the girl.“  – Tyrion IX, ACOK.

I see no sign that there’s any duplicity going on here when he’s questioned.  Mandon Moore acted in a way he believed the king and the queen regent (his patrons) would approve of.  The traitor’s daughter’s life doesn’t mean anything to Joffrey, and she is only a secondary thought of the queen’s after they are safe within the castle; therefore, she is not a useful pawn to him.  If Mandon Moore shows any desire for anything at all, it’s this:  Sandor Clegane’s privileged position with the Lannisters.  Joffrey ordered Sandor to go after the peasant that threw the dung.  As Sandor is mobbed (and it would be reasonable to wager he’ll be imminently killed), Ser Mandon seized the opportunity to swoop in as Sandor’s replacement, dropping Sansa like a hot potato.  There is a reason he keeps being ironically regarded as the white knight in shining armor.  He’s a real Johnny on the spot that one.  Even if Sandor somehow isn’t killed, Moore still comes out looking like the kingsguard that did not falter in his duty to protect the king even in all the confusion and chaos.  It’s an opportunistic upstaging of a colleague to discredit his effectiveness at his job.  It proves shortsighted on his part because Sandor not only survives but has Sansa, still a valuable Lannister hostage, alive and in tow.      

This will come up again at the Battle of the Blackwater when Sandor finally breaks from the wildfire.  Tyrion orders Sandor to continue leading sorties outside the city walls, but he refuses.  Guess who chimes in?

Ser Mandon Moore moved to Tyrion’s side, immaculate in his enameled white plate. "The King’s Hand commands you.”  

“Bugger the King’s Hand.” Where the Hound’s face was not sticky with blood, it was pale as milk. “Someone bring me a drink.” A gold cloak officer handed him a cup. Clegane took a swallow, spit it out, flung the cup away. “Water? Fuck your water. Bring me wine.”

He is dead on his feet. Tyrion could see it now. The wound, the fire … he’s done, I need to find someone else, but who? Ser Mandon? He looked at the men and knew it would not do. Clegane’s fear had shaken them. Without a leader, they would refuse as well, and Ser Mandon … a dangerous man, Jaime said, yes, but not a man other men would follow. – Tyrion XIII, ACOK.

Since when has Moore ever shown any deference to Tyrion’s authority before?  Never.  This is a performance for his situational patron, part of Moore’s facade.  What is suggested by vocally taking Tyrion’s side is that Moore wants Tyrion to name him commander.  He would see the opportunity to take Sandor’s place by not only highlighting the latter’s disobedience, but his posturing implies that he wouldn’t hesitate to carry out the Hand’s orders.  It’s also a boon that Sandor’s behavior is quickly tanking any remaining confidence in his courage and leadership ability.  Moore must have thought himself the natural choice to assume command as he is a kingsguard and a capable fighter, but he could not have foreseen Tyrion absorbing Jaime’s counsel.  Instead, Tyrion decides to lead the sorties himself, shaming anyone that doesn’t follow as being less than a dwarf.  Being named the king’s standard-bearer, as Ser Mandon was, is usually considered a high honor.  A corporate psychopath wouldn’t see it that way.  It’s a piss poor consolation to being led around by someone he would consider a lesser man.  Battle is where a knight earns his commendations and honors, which we see in Sansa’s eighth chapter in Clash.  As commander of the sorties and his rival disgraced as a craven, Moore would have been the hero of the day should they emerge victorious.  Tyrion prevented that.  Moore would then be left with only one other option to assume leadership.  Tyrion has to fall on the battlefield.

“MY LORD! TAKE MY HAND! MY LORD TYRION!”

There on the deck of the next ship, across a widening gulf of black water, stood Ser Mandon Moore, a hand extended. Yellow and green fire shone against the white of his armor, and his lobstered gauntlet was sticky with blood, but Tyrion reached for it all the same, wishing his arms were longer. It was only at the very last, as their fingers brushed across the gap, that something niggled at him … Ser Mandon was holding out his left hand, why …  – Tyrion XIV, ACOK.

Ser Mandon’s sword comes down in his right hand and nearly kills Tyrion.  What Moore could not have anticipated was getting iced by Podrick Payne before he could finish Tyrion off.  There’s a simple elegance to Moore’s motivations being strictly his own.  There’s no complicated conspiracy needed to explain any of his actions.  He’s just a shark in a suit of armor.  But what about Varys implying there was a conspiracy to kill Tyrion with Moore as the catspaw?  It seems to validate Tyrion’s suspicions that it was Cersei, or at least someone.                  

Bronn had turned up all he could on Ser Mandon, but no doubt Varys knew a deal more … should he choose to share it. “The man seems to have been quite friendless,” Tyrion said carefully.

“Sadly,” said Varys, “oh, sadly. You might find some kin if you turned over enough stones back in the Vale, but here … Lord Arryn brought him to King’s Landing and Robert gave him his white cloak, but neither loved him much, I fear. Nor was he the sort the smallfolk cheer in tourneys, despite his undoubted prowess. Why, even his brothers of the Kingsguard never warmed to him.

… [the Barristan part already quoted above]

And he died as a knight of the Kingsguard ought, with sword in hand, defending one of the king’s own blood.” The eunuch gave him a slimy smile and watched him sharply.

Trying to murder one of the king’s own blood, you mean. Tyrion wondered if Varys knew rather more than he was saying. Nothing he’d just heard was new to him; Bronn had brought back much the same reports. He needed a link to Cersei, some sign that Ser Mandon had been his sister’s catspaw. 

Let’s not forget Varys benefits by furthering the rifts within the Lannister regime.  He can easily play to Tyrion’s paranoia by suggesting there’s more behind Mandon Moore’s murder attempt than there was.  He smiles and mentions Moore’s origins in the Vale, a gesture at Littlefinger most likely; however, there are no substantial breadcrumbs left behind to connect Moore to anyone.  We’re even reminded twice that Bronn’s investigation turned up nothing except what was already well-known.  There’s just no there there.  Tyrion is doing the same thing as the conspiracy theories by assuming that Moore has to be in someone’s pay, but his reasoning is faulty.

Jaime had always said that Ser Mandon was the most dangerous of the Kingsguard, because his dead empty eyes gave no hint to his intentions. I should never have trusted any of them. He’d known that Ser Meryn and Ser Boros were his sister’s, and Ser Osmund later, but he had let himself believe that the others were not wholly lost to honor. Cersei must have paid him to see that I never came back from the battle. Why else? I never did Ser Mandon any harm that I know of. – Tyrion XV, ACOK.  

He mistook Moore’s commitment to duty and obedience for having honor.  And yes, he did unintentionally cross Ser Mandon. He just didn’t know it because he couldn’t read the guy.  He couldn’t see beneath the surface, and that is why Jaime is correct in calling him the most dangerous.  One can never know for sure if this type of corporate psychopath sees you as their pawn, their patron, or their enemy at any given moment.  There’s no way to mount a defense against that unless you can understand who you are really dealing with.  Tyrion was just very, very lucky that he brought Podrick Payne with him into battle.                            

[talpup]

Light In the Darkness:68

Summary: Yami Sukehiro just wanted to join the Magic Knights and make his mentor proud.  He knew there would be trails.  He knew trouble would come his way.  Knew he would be faced with discrimination for being a foreigner and a peasant.  What he didn’t know.  Didn’t expect.  Was that literal Chaos would come his way.  That he and his mentor’s sister would be at the center of world ending trouble.  Or that he would fall in love with his mentor’s sister and face more than discrimination; but the jealously of Nozel Silva who loved the same woman he did.

Please remember this fic is rated mature and has warnings of violence, abuse, sexual tension, eventual sexual behavior, and other possible triggers.  For a full list of story tags please check the fics AO3 (link to that at the top of my tumblrs homepage).

Chapter 68

Teris had received Yami’s letter that he and Bronn had been placed under Mereoleona.  It said that he would be stationed with the southeast contingent that was being overseen by Commander Greywright.  She had been relieved to learn that Yami wasn’t being sent with the southwest.  Even though Julius was overseeing that division, it was considerably closer to the Spade Kingdom border.  Though that was probably why Yami had been sent to the southeast.

Teris had hoped to see Yami at least one more time before they set out; but that was not to be.  She found herself stupidly thinking that all of this was a sort of punishment for them going too far out in the woods on Yami’s birthday.  The memory of him pressing and rubbing against her was enough to make her blush.

“Tired already?”  Randall asked, looking over at her.

“What?” Teris turned an even deeper shade of red afraid the man could read where her thoughts had wandered.

“You’re flushed.”  Randall commented.

The Crimson Lion offered her a water skin.  He wondered if the scars she hid underneath her buttoned up blouse weren’t the only lingering markers of what she’d been through on the Summer Solstice.  Were two and a half months really enough time for one to fully recover their strength after such a thing?  Given that no one had ever been through such a thing, it was difficult to say what such a recovery looked like or how long it should take.

“Have something to drink.”  Randall urged, when Teris didn’t take the water skin.  “It’ll help keep you going till we can stop and rest.”

Rather than argue and deny she wasn’t tired, Teris took the skin and had a couple sips.  Handing it back she looked on ahead, wondering how far they were going to travel together till Captain Jax and Jamie’s teams broke from theirs.  She was grateful to have Jax and the Golden Dawns Captain present, even if it was only for a time. No doubt Nozel felt somewhat relieved as well.  It gave him someone to follow and ask questions of, until he began to feel more comfortable in his role as acting Captain.

Teris still couldn’t imagine what the King had been thinking.  Making Nozel an acting Captain and charging him with such responsibility. Was His Majesty angry with House Silva and this was his way at punishing them?  Our was he really that lacking in knowledge of what if meant to be a Magic Knights Captain, having never served himself? In any case Teris was determined to do her best to see Nozel succeed and knew Fuegoleon, Randall, and Zara would do the same.

Zara had proved invaluable.  Before they had headed out, Nozel had the Purple Orca draw a revised and correct map of the Diamond Kingdom which had then been magically copied and given to every Magic Knights Captain, the original filed away somewhere within Magic Investigations.  Teris had been proud of and happy for the man.  It was about time Zara got some of the recognition he deserved.  Zara had be grateful to her.  Thanking her on several occasion.  Which only made Teris uncomfortable.  Seeing her discomfort, Nozel had put a quick stop to it, snapping somewhat harshly at Zara.  As upset as Teris had been at Nozel for his stern words to Zara, she had been grateful that Zara’s verbal gratitude had ceased.

She was still worried about Yami.  He would be having to skirt the Witches Forest to get to the Diamond Kingdoms eastern border.  The first time Yami had entered the Witches Forest, he had made quite the disturbance and freed Vanessa.  If the witches learned of his presence so near their territory would they try to seek revenge? Teris shook her head trying to clear her mind of such thoughts. Worrying about things that may never happen and she had no control over wouldn’t serve any purpose.

Teris reached the rest of the group.  They had paused at a sheer ten hundred-thousand meter drop.

Jamie looked over to Nozel.  “Well done acting Captain.  Your man has led us to a cliff.”

“We have a number of mages that can get us down.”  Jax calmed.  “The least of which is you.  Go on, Jamie.  Create a rope that we can use to climb down.”

Jaime turned to Jax.  “We were instructed not to use our magic unless necessary.  Doing so will attract attention and lessen our chances of success.  Never mind that this is war.  Our mana stores need to--”

“I was at the meeting and heard Sir Jorah same as you.”  Jax cut in over the other man.  Looking out over the expanse, he muttered under his breath.  “Idiot.”

“I heard that.”  Jamie snapped, voice tight with pent up aggression.

“This mission is a necessary task, is it not?”  Jax questioned the Golden Dawns Captain.  “And continuing on our way is necessary in order to complete our mission, yes?  Therefore, is not getting down this cliff necessary to continuing on our way and completing said mission?”

“I get what you’re saying.”  Jamie gritted.

“Good. I was worried I’d have to write it out.”  Jax said, with exaggerated relief.

“What is it Zara?”  Teris asked, seeing the Purple Orca looking pensive.

“There is a way down.  It’s just that it’s hidden from up here.”  Zara said.

Jamie slapped his thigh in exasperation.  “Why didn’t you say so? Nozel, if you want to be a good Captain, you should instruct your people to offer up important information before it’s argued out.”

“He would have if you’d but quit your whining long enough to give him the chance.”  Teris snipped.

Nozel’s eyes snapped to her, widening slightly.  Jamie and Jax blinked.

Jamie took a couple steps her way.  “Why you little—I’ll teach you how to properly speak to a Magic Knights Captain.”

Nozel stepped in front of Teris, chin slightly raised.

“Move. Or be moved.”  Jamie commanded.

“She’s one of mine.”  Nozel said with quiet, fiercely contained control. “If anyone will be instructing her.  It will be me.”

“Then I suggest you do so, acting Captain.”  Jamie glanced back at Jax.  “You got a lot of bad behavior to break her out of in a short amount of time.”  He raised a warning finger at Nozel.  “She disrespects me again and I’ll go through you to teach her a lesson she won’t soon forget.  Understand me.”

Nozel stared without word or expression.  He was good at that.  You could say it was one of the things the Silva’s were known for.  Like the Vermilion's red hair and pointed incisors or the Silva’s silver hair.  The Silva’s all seemed to be capable of staring without blinking.

“Jamie. Stand down.  He gets it.”  Jax said, watching them closely.

Jamie turned to the Black Bulls Captain.  “You got a bold, mouthy one there, Jax.”  He said of Teris.  “Make sure you remind her of the same when she’s returned to you.  Vice Captain or not I will not be disparaged.”

“I suppose you get enough of that from your wife and fellows.”  Jax taunted.

“Hurry up and show us the way down, peasant.”  Jamie ordered Zara.

Nozel didn’t have to see Teris’ expression to know that she was going to comment on the commoners behalf.  “Don’t.”  Nozel silenced in a harsh whisper.  He turned his head and looked at her out of the corner of his eye.  “Don’t.  You.  Dare.”

Teris looked at Nozel, a range of emotions playing on her face before finally settling on one he had seen directed at him all too often. Nozel sighed, resigned to Teris’ accustomed anger.  Still he continued to stared at her, blue eyes shining with hard judging coldness.

As often as Teris had seen that look in Nozel’s eyes, it had rarely ever been directed at her.  Biting as Nozel’s words could be when he chastised her, he rarely looked at her with with anything but… Teris’ stomach curled in on itself.  Despite the uncomfortable nervousness his piercing gaze cause, she stared back, refusing to be the first to look away.

Nozel watched her without blinking.  He’d be damned if he let this go without Teris submitting to his authority.  Tired and on edge as they all were, they were behind enemy lines.  Traversing the border of two unfriendly kingdoms, one of which they were at war with.  Teris needed to know her place here and now.  Nozel had to make certain she would obey and comply with his commands without challenging him. Lives were at stake.

As annoying as Randall sometimes found Teris’ words and actions to be, he was a noble and a gentleman.  Seeing a lady being handled so roughly, even by a mere gaze, made him want to intervene.  He opened his mouth to say something, anything, that would call attention to himself and away from Teris.  Fuegoleon gripped Randall’s shoulder and shook his head.  The Vermillion knew what Nozel was doing and why.  Fuegoleon was likely one of the few, if not only one, who knew how much Nozel hated having to do this.  Much as Fuegoleon didn’t like it himself, he was proud at his friend and acting Captain for stepping up and doing what had to be done no matter how difficult it was.

Teris could feel the eyes of everyone on her.  She knew what Julius and Jax would say.  What they both would want and expect of her.  She imagined Jax’s expression as he watched, standing not too far behind Nozel.  Releasing a breath she lowered her gaze.

“Captain.” Teris said, softly submitting.

Nozel turned away without word least Teris or anyone else see his relief. Taking a step, he looked over the cliff edge and instructed.  “Zara, show us the way.”

Once down, they made three separate small camps a thousand or so meters apart from each other.  Fuegoleon watched Teris chew on rations. They had enough to last them months, the small charmed bag that held them, both preserving and making them small enough to fit until pulled out, reverting back to regular size.  It had something to do with bending space that Fuegoleon cared little about.

Teris hadn’t spoken since the clifftop.  And Nozel seemed content to give Teris her space and let her sulk.  Fuegoleon knew his cousin better. While time and space may have worked under different circumstances, it wasn’t going to work in this instance.  Teris wasn’t the most prideful person he knew; but she certainly was one of the most stubborn.  And she never liked being told what to do or put in her place; usually harboring a grudge against anyone who dared to do so.

Since it had been Nozel who had put her in her place, the shock and ill feelings Teris had would likely fester if simply left.  In Fuegoleon’s mind, Nozel had been too lenient with Teris in the past, both as a friend and her Intended.  He figured Teris had probably come to expect that she would always get her way with Nozel and that Nozel would let her without putting up much of a fight.  Not only would that not work under these circumstances; it wouldn’t work later when they were wed.  Nozel had only weakened himself and his authority in letting Teris always have her way.  Something that Fuegoleon knew his friend would eventually have to rectify, dealing with the consequences of his leniency in Teris’ anger and unwillingness to obey.  If any good could be said from Nozel being made acting Captain, it was bringing this issue to a head and forcing the two to deal with it.

Fuegoleon got to his feet, disgusted with the both of them.  With Nozel for his lacking in being the strong authority he needed to be with Teris. And with Teris for being a spoiled child who knew her place but refused to accept it.

Hearing footsteps Fuegoleon cursed.  Zara was out placing traps and keeping watch as the rest of their small group recouped from the days long trek and ate.  It didn’t matter how well Zara knew the terrain if he was inept enough to let someone by him, Fuegoleon thought.

“It’s Jax.  Relax.”  Jax said.

Nozel looked up from the map he was pretending to study.  He already knew every line and curve of it without looking; but had needed something to look at and appear busy with.

The Black Bulls Captain saw Teris and Nozel sitting as far away from each other as they possibly could while still being considered part of the same camp.  He sighed.  He had been right in coming.  Nozel was too proud and too easy on Teris.  Yami wouldn’t have stood for it.  Jax remembered when he had given Yami the lead on a mission when the young man had been avoiding Teris.  Other than Iban using his magic on Teris, and Yami taking to Iban for it, the mission had been a success.  Yami and Teris putting aside their differences to work together.  But Nozel wasn’t Yami.  The royal was harsh and demanding in a completely different way.  A way that always seemed to rub Teris the wrong way.

“Captain Nozel.”  Jax said, choosing to use the title to further cement the mans place in everyone's mind.  “May I speak with Teris for a moment?”

Nozel looked at Jax wondering why her rightful Captain even bothered to asked.  Wasn’t Jax suppose to be some ruffian that went his own way?  Not caring what others thought or wanted?  He realized the Black Bulls Captain was attempting to assist him by showing him respect.  It surprised Nozel.  Everything he had heard and thought of Captain Jax had led him to believe the man incapable of such tact. Nozel nodded his assent, looking at the Captain with fresh eyes.

“Thank you.”  Jax said.  He looked down at Teris and tilted his head. “Let’s go.”

Teris look up at him, hesitating.  She had only ever feared Jax once or twice before.  His quiet, simmering anger much more frightening than Bronn’s explosive outbursts and threats that she knew the Vice Captain would never carry out on her.

“I’m not gonna tell you twice.”  Jax rumbled.

Teris quickly got to her feet and followed her Captain, a pace or two behind.

Jax stopped once they were a few yards away.  He didn’t mind that the others could still see them and were likely watching.  So long as they couldn’t hear.

Teris waited, nervousness growing the longer Jax kept his back to her. Finally, she couldn’t stand it anymore and broke.  “I’m sorry. I know I never should have challenged Nozel like--”

“Captain.”

“Pardon?”

“Captain Nozel.”  Jax corrected.

“Captain Nozel.”  Teris repeated, morosely.  “It was wrong and stupid. Not the least because of where we are and what we’re facing.”

“And?” Jax prompted, looking over his shoulder at her.

“And?” Teris echoed, trying to figure out what more he wanted. Tentatively, she offered.  “I’m sorry about what I said to Captain Jamie.”

“Who cares about that ass?”  Jax turned to her and pointed.  “Don’t do that again though.  Not till you’ve been made Vice Captain. Can’t really defend you before then if Jamie decides to make a fuss.”

“And after then?”  Teris questioned, a teasing lit to her voice.

Jax tried not to roll his neck, knowing the others watching.  She and Yami really were made for each other.  And he was either a fool or a glutton for wanting the both of them to be his Vice Captain's.  Sure he was upset with Teris for challenging the Captain she was temporarily serving under, especially after Nozel had so readily shielded her from Jamie’s wrath.  Whether it was because Nozel had been being a good Captain or acting as Teris’ Intended, Jax didn’t know.  Nor did he care.  What mattered was that he hadn’t had to step in which would have only weakened Nozel’s position as acting Captain in everyone's eyes.

“Teris.” Jax sighed, closing tired eyes.

“What? Tell me what you want and I’ll do it.  I know the situation we’re in.  I know what I have to do.”

“Do you?  Cause earlier it certainly didn’t seem like it.”

Teris hammered the toe of her boot into the ground and mumble.  “So it took me a while.  But I got there eventually, didn’t I?”

“Eventually isn’t good enough and you know that.  When out in the field compliance and submission needs to be instantaneous.  Lives are on the line.  Soon our teams will be separating.  What happens then? Can I trust you to act and obey Nozel as you would me or Julius?  To treat and respect him as your Captain?  Cause that’s what he is. Forget the words temporary or acting.  Nozel Silva is your Captain.”

Fully chastised, Teris lowered her head and muttered.  “I said I was sorry.”

“Not to the right person.”

Teris’ head snapped up.  “You want me to apologize to him!”  She shook her head.  “I can’t.”

“You can and you will.”  Jax told.  “Along with the promise to listen and obey him in all things without challenge from here on out. Consider it an order from me if you must.”

“But you’re not my Captain right now.”  Teris argued, instantly regretting her words.

Jax stared down at her.  His eyes flashed dangerously.  “Is that the way you want to play this?”

Teris shook her head again.  “No, Sir.”

Jax sighed, thinking of how much Yami had rubbed off on her.  He only hoped Teris’ better habits had consequently rubbed off on Yami. “Good night then.”

“Captain.” Teris called.

Jax looked back at her.

“I really am sorry.”  Teris said.

Jax gave her a small smile.  “I know.  Just make sure he knows it too.”

Teris headed back to where she had set her pack.  While Fuegoleon and Randall had brought something to lay on, she had kept it simple.  No fabric was going to make the ground any softer anyway.  The pack carrying a couple changes of underwear and another change of clothes suited well enough as a pillow.  Having so little to carry allowed her to go on longer without tiring.  It certainly helped with the speed in which she prepared and repacked her space since all she did was drop the bag off her shoulders and pick it back up.

Plopping back down near her pack, Teris picked up her rations and continued eating the tough, chewy, tasteless thing.  She would do as Jax said; but she wasn’t about to head straight to Nozel and do it now.  It wasn’t that she cared that they had seen Jax pull her aside and speak to her.  She knew they knew what it had been about.  They probably figured her Captain had scolded her about the way she had spoken to Jamie too.  Then again they may not have, given how little they thought of and regarded Jax and the Black Bulls in general.

No, she didn’t head straight to Nozel because she wasn’t ready. Teris had known she had to apologize to Nozel before Jax had ever come.  Though her stubbornness likely would've kept her from doing so if her Captain hadn’t ordered her to.  Teris wanted the apology to at least sound somewhat repentful and knew she wouldn't be able to convey that right now.  Moreover she had no idea what she was going to say.  I’m sorry those in the hierarchy are such stupid, rude asses that get under my skin when they mistreat decent, upstanding people who in every aspect but social are better than them.  Teris didn’t think that would suffice.

Zara returned from setting the traps.  “All done, Captain.  Anyone or thing wanders over here will have a nasty surprise.

“We’re not talking bugs or small mammals.  Are we?”  Randall asked, thinking that would be tiresome.

“Anything the size of an child or larger.”  Zara answered.

“Child?” Randall repeated.

“The Diamond Kingdom often takes young promising children and begins training them to become Magic Warriors.”  Fuegoleon told.

“Takes? From their parents and homes?”  Randall asked, disturbed.

Fuegoleon nodded.

Randall made a face at that.  “Still doesn’t explain why a trap is needed for something their size.”

“They use and send them out in much the same way as Sentries.”  Teris answered, Julius having once told her.

Nozel looked over the top map and across the camp at Teris.  He found Teris looking at him and almost looked back down, but forced himself to hold her gaze.  Teris’ shoulders tightened.  But she gave in and lowered her eyes.  Jax was right.  If she didn’t get a handle on this it was goes to spell trouble and possibly cost one or more of them their lives.  She ground the heel of her boot into the earth more angry at herself than anyone else.

Why was it so difficult to respect and submit to him, she wondered. Acting or not, Nozel was her Captain.  That alone should have made her capable of obedience, even if it was distasteful.  Much as she didn’t respect the social hierarchy, she respected the Magic Knight Captain's.  Even Captain's like Jamie and Pyter; all be it not as readily as some of the others.  So why was she having so much trouble with thinking of and treating Nozel with the deference due to him as her missions Captain?  Because you grew up with and know him so well, her mind offered.  No.  That wasn’t it.  Because as your Intended, respect and obedience toward him was already expected.  Yeah.  That sounded more like it.  She was afraid that if she submitted to Nozel here and now then he would come to expect the same from her in other areas of their relationship.  Are you also afraid that obedience and deference will become habit?  Teris scoffed at her own thought. Yeah, that was never going to happen.

Feeling tired and energized all at once, Teris called to Nozel.  “Captain.”

Nozel looked up from the map no one believed he was truly studying.

“May I have first watch?”  Teris asked.

“Wake Randall in an hour and a half.”  Nozel allowed.

“Thanks.” Teris got to her feet, brushing off her pants.

“The traps start ten meters out.”  Zara called to her.

Teris gave him a nod.  Last thing she needed to do was get caught in one of his traps.  That would be embarrassing.  It’d certainly complete her shame for the day.

Making her way out as far as she dared, Teris wrapped her cloak tightly around her.  Fuegoleon had super heated a mass of stones to protect them from the cold of the night.  But away from their warmth, the constant wind bit and made her shiver.  While Teris usually preferred it colder than most given how hot she naturally ran; once passed a certain point, the cold effected her worse than others.  She found herself regretting that she had asked for first shift.  Then realized that it would only get colder as the night went on and was grateful.

Was it always this windy in the Diamond Kingdom?  Or were they still that high up despite their long descent?  She heard footsteps coming her way from the camp.

Thinking it was Fuegoleon, she told.  “You should get some sleep.”

“I don’t sleep much while out on missions.”  Nozel responded.  He offered her a cup of tea.  “Here.”

“Thanks.” Teris took the steaming mug, cupping it close to her chest, relishing the warmth.

Nozel watched her a moment.  “You alright?”

Teris turned to him.  “What’s that?”

“The cold.  Are you alight?”

“I’m fine.”  Teris assured, trying not to shiver.

Nozel fought the urge to give her his cloak, wondering if that was a Captain like thing to do.  He hated this.  Being caught between the many things he was to her.  As if being her friend and Intended who loved her wasn’t challenging enough.  And to top it off, she now knew of his feelings for her.  His kiss had bared himself open to her.  And Teris wounded him far deeper than any bitten lip.  The pain of that hidden wound still hadn’t healed.  It ripped open every time he relived her rejection in his mind.  Every time he thought of her choosing some ill-bred, uncivilized, filthy foreigner over him. Every time he touched her and she pulled away.  Or any other countless instances.  It was a wound that would never scar because it would never heal.

“Nozel.” Teris growled at herself.  “Captain.  I’m sorry.  There’s no excuse for my earlier behavior.  It was unbecoming and won’t happen again.  I promise.”

Nozel stared at her, waiting for her to give some deflective reasoning or excuse despite her having said there was no excuse.  When it didn’t come, he realized she was fully serious and making a concerted effort.  Her willingness to take full responsibility without excuse was proof that she was seriously contrite and trying to rectify it, and not make the same mistake again.  As badly as he wanted to tell her not to worry about it, he knew that was him and not his rank talking.

Still, Nozel forgave too easily.  “It’s in the past.  Just make sure it stays there.”

“Yes, Sir.”  Teris said, angry at herself for bristling slightly when he didn’t down play her actions.

Having that done and out of the way, they both relaxed.  Being a Magic Knights Captain was difficult and tiring; but being Teris’ Captain was difficult, tiring, and confusing.  It left Nozel questioning himself; something he wasn’t accustomed to doing and knew he shouldn’t be doing at this time and place.

“I think I will try to get some sleep.”  Nozel said, thinking it best to leave her to her duties.

“I’m glad you’re taking care of yourself.  Thanks for the tea, Captain.”

Nozel gave a small huff.  This was so unexpected and new for all of them. He wondered if they’d manage to get use to it before it was over.

68.2

Just because the sun went down didn’t mean the fighting stopped; even though Bronn wished to mana that it would.  This was their third battle in two days, and the longest one at that.  Bronn had no time to envy Jax.  Or curse his Captain for not taking him.  He didn’t have time to hate his Captain for leaving him under the fiery Lioness who fought harder and fiercer than anyone, and expected the same of those serving under her.

As much as Bronn hated to admit it, Mereoleona scared him we she got like this.  It was one of the main reasons he had come to fancy her in the first place.  But all of that was in the past.  His long held feelings for Mereoleona had ended as his feelings for Gilly had grown.  Now he loved his betrothed so much that he listened and obeyed her better than he listened to and obeyed Jax.

Bronn had always figured the sweet, tender ones wouldn’t do it for him. Thinking that he needed someone that scared him a little from time to time to get the job done.  Turns out he just hadn’t met the right sweet one.  He didn’t need to fear Gilly to want to please her over himself.  His fear of her disappointment was enough if ever he wanted to go his own way or do his own thing.

He’d certainly disappoint Gilly if he died out here.  Which was the main reason why Bronn had contented himself to following Yami about, playing support to the younger mans aggressive lead.  Problem was, on the battlefield Yami scared him almost as much as Mereoleona did. Even without his little Black Sheep, the Lord of Destruction was destructive.  After going on like that during the first two battles, Bronn had thought Yami would slow.  But the little shit didn’t. Instead, Yami was just as energetic and deadly as he had been at the start.  Bronn chalked it up to youth.

Anyone who looked at Yami and Bronn probably thought they were similar type of men.  And much as Bronn hated to admit it, there were a few similarities.  That said, the two had some rather stark differences. And it was those differences, not similarities that made them clash and hate each other.  While neither were men of typical honor so to speak.  Yami was a man of principle.  Where as Bronn’s standards changed depending on too many variables to count.  It was true that both men didn’t respect much.  But once Yami’s respect was earned, it was like an unmovable wall that would take something cataclysmic to shake and tear down.  Bronn on the other hand had to have his trust and respect constantly earned.  Even with Jax.  It was why Bronn constantly challenged his friend and Captain, subconsciously checking for weakness.

And maybe the biggest difference, or at least the one that bothered Bronn the most, was that Yami had absolutely no shame.  As much as Bronn acted as if he didn’t care, and wanted people to believe that he didn’t.  Bronn cared very much about his image.  Unless you were one of the few that Yami Sukehiro truly cared about, the younger man didn’t give a rats ass what you thought about him.  Even if you were one of the few he cared for, chances are Yami wasn’t going to change.  Yami didn’t care.  You could find him in any situation, no matter how compromising, and Yami would shrug it off and continue on without blush or care.  Bronn would've given almost anything to be someone like Yami with literally no shame or care of what others thought.  Not that he’d ever admit it.  Bronn would rather kill himself than let his envy of the little shit be discovered.

“Yami!” Bronn yelled.  “You’re crossing too far into their line.”

“What’s the matter old man?  Can’t keep up?”  Yami taunted, sending out a dark cloaked slash before the enemy could get their spell off.

Bronn used his magic to transport Yami back to his side.  “No, you idiot! I’m not blind.  Nor do I want to die on this cursed, barren foreign land.  Open your damn eyes!”

Bronn’s hand swung sharply.  He fully expected to miss Yami’s head, accustomed to Yami ducking away.  So when Bronn actually hit him, he felt a moment of cruel satisfaction.  Then quickly realized what it meant.  Yami was more tired than he appeared.  Bronn ignored that fact because they were at war and all of them were tired despite it only having been two days.

The Vice Captain gestured to the Magic Warriors.  “They’re baiting you, you fool.  Looking to draw you in so they can surround you and be done with you.”

“They can try.”  Yami said, staring at the three Magic Warriors he had been pursuing.

Bronn slapped at Yami’s head again, figuring it would connect and maybe, if he were lucky, knock some sense into the younger man.

Yami ducked out of the way.  Looking at the Vice Captain, he told.  “You got the first one for free.  So what do you want to do?  Turn tail and run?”

“Watch yourself, boy.  I’ll whip your tail raw.”  Bronn saw the three Magic Warriors turn and slowly make their way back to resume the fight.  “They’re coming back for more.  Hold this line and go no further unless I tell you.”

“I’m not all that good at listening to you.”  Yami said, fingers opening and closing along the hilt of his katana in effort to relax the muscles in his hand.

“Don’t I know it.”  Bronn grumbled.  He pointed at him.  “You go five meters further and I bring you back.  Don’t make me go wasting mana or I’ll kick your ass.”

“It must kill you.  Having to look after me like this.”  Yami said, eyes on his foe.

“More than you know.”  Bronn said, readying his own magic.

“Yeah, well I don’t like it much either.”  Yami growled.  “I can take care of myself.  Was doing so long before Julius found me.”

“And tell me smart ass.  How many lunatic zealots and gangs of hired killers were after you back then?”  When Yami didn’t reply, Bronn sniffed.  “Didn’t think so.  Just know this is all your fault.  I wouldn’t be stuck babysitting.  And you wouldn't be in danger if you had listened to me.  I told you from day one to stay away from that royal girl.”

“Again. I don’t listen to you all that well.”  Yami said.

Bronn growled, hand lifting to smack him again.  Instead of making the futile move, he barked.  “Hurry up and take the smaller two.  I’ll take the big one.”

“I want the big one.”  Yami said.

Bronn glared.  “I’ll transport you back to Castle City if you don’t obey me, boy.”  He caught sight of one the eight Shining Generals headed their way.  “Better yet, you take those three.”  He said, right before stepping through a portal.  He fell through another that opened directly over the General.

Yami took in the three Magic Warriors that stalked closer.  They looked as tired as he felt.  Still, he had something they didn’t.  A driving need for revenge.  “You guys know where I can find a Magic Warrior named Lotus Whomalt? Uses smoke magic.  Black hair.  Goatee.  Annoyingly talkative and lazy.”

Two of the Magic Warriors looked at each other wondering if this was some sort of tactic.

Yami pointed at the third.  “You.  I can tell you know exactly who I’m talking about.  Where is he?”

“He’s serving under Commander Fanzell.” The Magic Warrior answered.

“And where is this Commander Fanzell?”  Yami questioned.

“He’s--” The Mage turned to point.

The other two Magic Warriors also turned, looking in the direction Commander Fanzell’s squad was posted.  Yami struck out at them, slicing the two down.  Before the third could react, he charged. Turning his katana so the blunt end faced out, he sent out another slash.  This one not fatal.  It hit the Magic Warrior in the chest and sent him flying.

Yami lept, landing on the Magic Warrior just as the Mage hit the ground.   “Point again. Wasn’t paying attention the first time.”

Hand shaking, the Magic Warrior pointed.

“Arigatou.” Yami made a fist and punched him, knocking him out.  If he saw the Mage again he’d kill him.  But it seemed rude to do so when the man had been of help. He stood and looked over to see Bronn battling some burly man with a really hairy chest.

“You good?”  Yami called to the Vice Captain.

“What do you think!”  Bronn huffed, struggling against the equivalent of a Magic Knights Captain.  On top of that the General was still fresh, having not participated in the first two battles.

“Good. I’m going over there.”  Yami pointed.

“The hell you are!”  Bronn barked. “Yami.  Yami!”  He glanced back seeing Yami already making his way.  Then cursed and lept through a portal, barely missing having his head skewered.

The General gave a bellowing laughed.  “Your friend’s a fool.”

“Not my friend.  Though he is a fool.”  Bronn glanced at Yami.  The idiot was fighting his way deeper into the Diamond Kingdoms line.

The General laughed again.  “My men are fond of ridding the world of fools.  As we speak, they gather to rid the Clover Kingdom of yet another of their beloved Magic Knights.”

Bronn scanned the area Yami was entering, seeing that the General was right.  Yami’s presence so far into their line hadn’t gone unnoticed and the Magic Warriors were all but licking their chops as they waited just a few more seconds before the order came to pounce.

“Damn it.  I’m getting too old for this.”  Bronn cursed.

Mereoleona landed behind him.  “I agree.  You had one job.  And you couldn’t even do that.”

“You try to control that bastard brat!”  Bronn snapped.

“Fine then.  I was going to send you and take over here but--” Mereoleona lept away in Yami’s direction.  “Good luck.”

The General watched Mereoleona go, insulted. “You Magic Knights must think so little of us to jest so freely.”  He pulled more red ochre up from the earth.  “I’ll rectify that and teach you what a Magic Warrior General is really capable of.”

“Oh, no.”  Bronn assured.  “She wasn’t joking.  She just hates me that much.  I assure you.  There’s no need to go all out and show me anything.  I know you’re scary.”

“Ha!” The General laughed.  “Even the thought of my full power--”

The Shining General fell over.  Bronn felt more of his mana drain away at having portaled three powerful magical attacks from elsewhere on the battlefield, directing them at the Shining General.  The man had been able to sense his portals when they were close; but clearly when opened from a distance that sense was useless.  The General never expected one, let alone three attacks to come at him from behind.  No doubt there would be hell to pay for those Magic Warriors once the General regained consciousness.  Right now, Bronn had some of his own hell to dish out.

Mereoleona landed facing Yami, sending out a blast of fire in a hundred and eighty degree arc behind her.  “What the hell do you think you’re doing! Get back to the line.”  At Yami’s determined expression, Mereoleona’s snapping tone became dangerous.  “I swear, if you challenge me it’ll be the last thing you do.”

Yami growled but did as he was commanded.

“Bunch of Black Bulls idiots.”  Mereoleona muttered.

Seeing Yami strolling sedately back, the Crimson Lions Captain created a fiery lion.  It picked Yami up by the scruff of the neck and raced back behind their lines.

Yami cursed and kicked, swiping his katana at the thing the entire way. It dropped him in front of Tobin as if to tell the other Black Bull that Yami was his problem now.

“It’s a magical creation.”  Tobin said, looking down at his friend.  “You weren’t gonna harm it without cloaking your blade.”

“And have that She-Lion make it snap my neck.  I think not.”  Yami huffed.

“You got a way of pissing people off.”  Tobin remarked.

“I was just going after that coward Whomalt.”  Yami told.

“Don’t know who that is.  Nor do care.”  Tobin said. “You got to learn to obey orders or you won’t live to be promoted to Vice Captain, let alone see Teris again.”

Yami rubbed the back of his neck.  He hoped Teris was having an easier time of it than he was.  In all honesty, Yami was struggling.  This was only the second day; but he already felt at his wits ends. Unlike a battle, the process of war was slow and tedious.

He understood they were meant to be a distraction.  But if they didn’t press harder, the enemy would figure out something was up.  Not to mention the lives that would be lost for nothing.  Still, he did have to do better at following commands; no matter how stupid they were. If he didn’t obey, Mereoleona would put at the back of the line. Then he really would be struggling.  He wouldn’t be able to bare having to stay back and watch while others fought.

Still seated on the ground, Yami looked up at Tobin.  “Why are you back here?”

“Captain Heath is cycling us after a certain time no matter what.”  Tobin answered.

Yami huffed.  “That’s stupid.”

“Actually, I thought it pretty reasonable and smart.”  Tobin said.

Yami leaned forward, forearms on his knees.  “So you cycle through no matter what?  Even if you’re close to knocking or taking out whoever you’re fighting?”

Tobin nodded.  Leave it to Yami to bring up the one point he hadn’t liked about it all.

“Like I said.  Stupid.”  Yami remarked.

“Talking about yourself.”  Bronn snapped, kicking at Yami.

Yami rolled out of the way and onto his knees.  He pushed to his feet. Bronn grabbed him by the back of the neck.  Yami tolerated it, knowing it would go much worse for him if he ducked away this time.

Yami smirked seeing how high Bronn had to reach to grasp him.  His latest grow spurt had seen him taller than the Vice Captain by a good couple of inches.

Seeing Yami’s smug grin, Bronn squeezed harder, pushing him down.  He hated how the little bastard still looked defiantly up at him.  Once, just once Bronn wanted to give Yami Sukehiro a real lesson.

“Bronn! Let him go!”  Mereoleona commanded.

Bronn gave all he had into one last squeeze before doing as ordered.

“You.” She pointed at Tobin.  “Get back out there.”

“But it’s not my turn.”  Tobin said.

“Are all you Black Bulls incapable of following simple commands!” Mereoleona demanded.  “Get back out there!”

Tobin did as he was told, vowing that he wasn’t going to be the one to get into trouble with Captain Heath over this.

Mereoleona turned to Bronn.  “You too.”

“I used nearly all I had--”

“Nearly.” Mereoleona cut in.  “Come back when you’ve used it all.”

Bronn sneered at Yami before heading back to the front of the line.

“What am I going to do with you?”  Mereoleona asked Yami.  “I can see why Jax and Julius like you.  But you’re certainly not one of mine. You’re difficult.  Unpredictable.  And will endanger lives if you go on like this.  I can’t have that.”

“I--”

“Shut up!’  Mereoleona snarled.

Yami clamped his mouth shut knowing what was coming.  But if he argued his case it would only further Mereoleona’s belief that she was right.

“You’re to stay back here until I say otherwise.  Give the others rations. Drink.  Anything they need.  I see you out there before I tell you to go and I’ll send you back to Headquarters in disgrace.  You understand me.”

“Yes, sir.”  Yami grumbled.

Mereoleona softened the slightest bit.  As a fighter herself, she understood Yami’s desire to push harder and not just keep the line.  But those weren’t their orders.

“I don’t do this as punishment.”  She told.  “Not that you don’t deserve one.  I’m doing it for our benefit, including yours.  Learn this lesson quickly and prove to me you can obey.  Who knows, maybe in a day or two I’ll let you back out there.”

“A day or two!”  Yami exclaimed.

“You got a problem with that!”  Mereoleona barked.  What was it with these damned Black Bulls challenging everything?

“Sir.” Yami growled his acceptance, having a very big problem with it.

68.3

Alowishus crumpled the parchment he had just deciphered and read.  He turned, scowling at the skull on the shelf behind his desk; as if it had created this mess that endangered all of his plans.  Looking away from the skull in disgust, Alowishus roared.  “Calen!”

“Master!” Calen entered in a rush ready for anything.  Seeing no threat he relaxed somewhat.  “Yes, Master?”

“Gather the Agents.  Call our nearest forces back.”  Alowishus ordered.

Calen bowed.  “Yes, Master.”

“Have someone else do it.  I want you right back.”  Alowishus told.

Calen bowed once more.  He exited and relayed his Master’s commands, noticing how some of the others looked at him.  Specifically Slade and Himmel who had grown increasingly jealous over his rise in their Master’s favor since Erskin’s death.  Not that Calen cared.  He lived to serve the Master.  Not make friends.  Reentering Alowishus’ private sanctuary, Calen bowed once more and waited, watching his Master pace.

“Those fools!”  Alowishus threw out a hand, a fast rolling black cloud left his fingertips.  It hit a wooden cabinet and the stone wall behind it.

Calen flinched as both turned to ash.  At the shift in weight, the stone above the missing section cracked.  The sound a loud echoing clap of thunder.

It was rare to see Alowishus use his true, natural magic.  The remnant of magic that remained in the anatomy he replaced via corpse magic offered him enough power that he rarely needed to.  There was also the fact that Alowishus’ death magic was an omega force that was both powerful and permanent.

If the wall and furniture had been a human, even one with a full mana cloak, they would’ve been reduced to the same pile of dust.  Just being around Alowishus while he was cloaked in mana would slowly wither and decay a person.  Calen had no idea how Julius Nova had managed to battle the Master for as long as he had without showing signs of ill effect.

“That prideful child of a King has declared war against the Diamond Kingdom.”  Alowishus explained, turning to Calen.  “And that weak fool Sir Jorah has done nothing to stop it.  Yami and Teris have been sent to war.  Our hope for the next existence is in danger.”

Calen blinked, horrified.  Unlike his predecessor, he was careful to show Alowishus’ wife the respect she was due, at least when in front of the Master.

Carefully, Calen questioned.  “Lady Ellara could not effect the King or Wizard King to change their minds or end their life?”

“You think she wouldn’t have done so if she had the chance?  I told her to be careful.  Not to take any unnecessary risks.  She must remain above suspicion.  Her being present to oversee the next steps leading up to Yami’s time are of vital importance.”

“But that means nothing if they die while fighting some war.”  Calen said, emotion getting the better of him.

“Which is why she took the risk to send a letter informing me.”  Alowishus said, dangerously.

Hearing his Master's temper, Calen lowered his head.  “Of course, Master. I meant no disrespect to the esteemed Lady Ellara.”

It would serve no purpose to become cross with the man, Alowishus thought.  He was a hard enough taskmaster as it was.  The promise he had sold these fools would see his own aims met.  But for that, he had to play the part.

“I know you didn’t.  The situation is a disturbing one.”  Alowishus said, truthfully.

“If I may ask, what do you plan to do?”

“Send teams to guard Yami and Teris from afar.  And pay a personal visit to King Morris.”

“But, Master!  The last time you and Morris King saw one another he said he would kill you on sight.”

Alowishus laughed bitterly.  “Do you truly believe Morris or anyone else on this earth is capable of killing Death?”

“N—no.” Calen answered, afraid he had insulted his Master.

“You show your care for me in worrying so.  But you also show how little you think of your Master.”

“Master! I would never--”

“It’s alright.  I will soon show you what Death is truly capable of.  And if Morris challenges me, then you will see a glimpse all the sooner.”

******PLEASE READ******Next chapter WARNING******

There is an assault scene next chapter with the intention of sexual assault and rape.   Neither sexual assault or rape happen but I know such things can be upsetting for people.  If anyone would like me to mark the scene so they can skip it please comment or message me.   Doing a format edit for this would take some time since my wp and ao3 don't speak the same language which is why I'm not doing it right off the bat (and all my updates happen there first).  But I have no problem doing it if someone needs me to.

Thank you to those who have left hearts.  And a special THANK YOU to those who have recently left comments or re-blogged. They really mean a lot.

Next chapter snippet:

Fuegoleon looked up at Beast refusing to be intimated.  The name, though not creative, suited the man.  Beast had to be nearly seven feet tall. He was built like a mountain, his muscles seeming to have muscles. Though Fuegoleon had seen a number of men who were bigger than Tobin Giantsbane and Yami Sukehiro, he had never seen a person that made the two Black Bulls seem small.  Till now.

[janiedean]

I really, really love your metas! In "Why a Jaime/Brienne Endgame in the Books Makes More Sense Than One Might Think, Based on Previous Works of GRRM's" you wrote, that you have endless reasons to assume that both, J and B, will survive the whole series - can you please name some? Aside from this mentioned meta I've only read an explantion of the weirwood dream, which can be interpreted in both ways. Or can you link a good meta that explains other reasons? Thank you very much!

hey!

first of all thank you so much, glad that you appreciate my rants. ;) that said, sure I can go in-depth. in order (btw @ginmo has written also some excellent meta about this, just check on her blog), and also counting the weirwood dream which I’ve ranted on at length in that specific meta:

now, the first thing is how grrm strategically placed these two in the narrative, in the sense that:

brienne has spent her life being passed for a joke and she desperately wants for someone to see her worth as a person and she’d about kill herself for the people who manage to get as far as to gain her trust/love, jaime has spent his life loving people without getting much in return and with that trust being used/abused/thrown away and everyone taking it for granted... and we’re assuming they’re not set up to be together when as stated grrm has written them as romantic from the first moment?

(also, jaime’s entire first chapter in asos is basically ‘I find brienne attractive but since I never considered that I could be attracted to anyone but cersei I can’t understand I’m attracted to her so I’ll stare at her and think she’s ugly all along even if I really am attracted to her. brienne’s issues are also rooted in the fact that no one sees her as attractive. jaime does. hmmm?)

both of them start from a miserable situation from which they’re finding their own way up, not down - jaime is more obvious but brienne is too because she starts at the point where she’s so starved for recognition she would die for someone who just was nice to her but didn’t really gaf about her and now she’s... well, becoming a knight because sure af that is happening, I’m sticking with the theory that the knighting is book canon too -, and if they both end up miserable or one of them does it doesn’t work;

both of their chapters have heavy foreshadowing concerning possible marriage/having children/finding love - jaime wants to father his kids and at some point resents that other men are husbands and fathers but not him because he was always the warrior and he doesn’t say it happily, brienne is half-glad her first betrothed died because she thinks she’s not suited to typical feminine things/to fit into a woman’s role in society but she’s also sad at thinking she will never have children, these two are going to get together very soon, and I’m supposed to think they’re set up for failure? k but I can respectfully disagree;

also, this goes back to that meta I wrote in which I said that grrm does not do grim for grim’s sake and he’s actually way less cruel than it seems, likes a good love story and has more than once finished his other books with satisfying resolutions to that kind of storyline, but adding to that: in comparison to whatever calvinist crap message hbo wanted to send, I have to inform y’all that grrm is a currently agnostic lapsed catholic and it’s exceedingly clear in the way he explores/deals with redemptive themes.

now, let me break the jb narrative for a moment to inform you of a few things that as an atheist born and raised in a 99% catholic country whose literature’s funding works are heavily based on catholic themes/on stories rooted in catholicism:

the ‘you need to die to be redeemed’ narrative is 100% bullshit according to catholic morals and on top of that it’s opened to anyone at any time;

like, the basic distinction between catholic and calvinist approaches to the topic (and I can’t believe I’m defending catholicism but nvm that) is that calvinism preys on a narrative where your negative qualities define you and you cannot escape them (which is because calvinism accepts predestination ie the idea that seeing your lot in life you can deduce if you’ll go to heaven or hell, so if you’re poor/unsuccessful/you committed mistakes/a crime and so on you’re not redeemable and it’s proof you’re damned) and that meant that in societies with calvinist background the death = redemption narrative is extremely popular because it’s seen as ‘hey this person is wretched and they suck so they couldn’t have lived anyway and they did something good with it for once and it’s the best they could hope for’. catholicism, at the contrary, works on the basis that as we all have free will we can change for the better and if you repent for your sins/past wrongdoings/mistakes then that’s enough to be redeemed and if you do it on your deathbed.... you can still go to heaven, you’ll just have to atone for your wrongdoings (that’s the entire point of purgatory’s existence ie making people who repented near death or too late to gain heaven atone for their sins before they can enter heaven). and the moment you repent then you’re free to start your new life and do better and gain your place in heaven, which you’ll obtain in virtue of having turned a new leaf;

(again: not to be that person, but in luke’s gospel one of the two thieves crucified with him is like ‘can you save us since you’re the son of god’, the other thief is like ‘please he has done nothing and we have sinned we don’t deserve to be saved just please remember us when you go back to your father’ and jesus tells the second thief I won’t need to remember you because you’ll sit at my right. also, in dante’s divine comedy there’s a guy who had been excommunicated in the middle ages waiting to get into purgatory for having repented on his deathbed and in manzoni’s the betrothed ie italy’s funding novel the character who’s objectively better written is a dude so heinous for his crimes that he’s called THE UNNAMED and the moment this guy gets doubts and wonders if there’s any hope for him left the local arcibishop leaves everything saying that the moment someone like that is in need then they’re more important than his own parish, goes to receive unnamed guy, tells him that just wanting to be better is enough as far as god is concerned and he’s saved as far as he cares. like, as much as catholicism sucks for the entire rest of it and for how much the catholic church is the worst ideologically the fact that everyone can be redeemed is the basic staple of the entire thing.)

now, given the ^^^, this is where I tell you that most lapsed catholics/people who left catholicism for whichever reasons usually grew up catholic and if you grow up catholic you spend your first twelve years in church at least and if your parents/people around you are also catholic you will absorb it, good and bad, so if grrm grew up catholic, he grew up with that background. (I could again rant for hours about how atheist writers who grew up catholic differ from atheist writers who grew up protestant/calvinist because if you compare grrm and idk kurt vonnegut it’s glaring but this isn’t the place for it so nvm let’s go on)

now that I’ve told you this, I’ll get back to jaime and brienne’s canon survival chances. I needed to tell you that because...

all of the stories with redemptive themes in asoiaf (jaime, theon, sandor, whoever) are not by nature calvinist. whatever d&d think or hbo thought, none of them are written in a way where death is their best option/their only way to achieve redemption/to finish their story with dignity. theon has gone through hell and back and left and regained his sense of identity, he’s not built to die now, sandor has freaking gone to rehab and I’m 100% sure he survives the series and gets closure, while jaime is exactly a poster child for the above stuff I described. like, jaime is someone who’s fundamentally good who had the misfortune to spend his entire life jumping in different kinds of abusive situation one to the other (tywin’s parentage in general, his relationship with cersei throughout at least from the moment they were *experimenting* and like hell I’m going back on that sorry not sorry, guarding aerys, being with cersei at *her* terms and being forced to relieve his trauma all over and not having his needs met etc., tywin potentially ruining his only healthy relationship [with tyrion] and so on) who in turn has done exceedingly bad things/taken bad decision/committed heinous deeds that he regrets having done out of his bad reaction to all of that, not treating his ptsd and basically deciding to stop giving a fuck and embrace being the horrid person everyone thinks he is... until he meets brienne, remembers who he wanted to be because she’s posing an example of it and decides on his own to try and be better, which is... exactly... the entire fucking point. the moment he decides to try and be better and reclaims his dreams/the person he wanted to be/tries to do good he has automatically achieved a narrative status where he chose to be better and therefore the narrative is giving him a chance to be that, and usually those stories are meant to.... have the message that you can be better than the bad things you did and you can turn back the page at any point. like. jaime is written to show you that it’s not too late to get your shit together and not letting others/your surroundings define who you are;

on the other side, brienne is presented as extremely sympathetic from the beginning. also, grrm is very good at describing how shitty is your life if you grow up a woman who is not standard attractive, that everyone laughs at and who has endless insecurities for it.... and she’s the paragon of knighthood/everything good about chivalry in the goddamned series. brienne is legit one of the best people in these books and it’s not because I stan her - she’s kind, she’s just, she’s brave she’s everything a knight should be, she’s willing to change her mind when she misjudged people, she’s forgiving and life threw her crap all along and she’s still persevering from it. brienne is written in a frankly painfully objective way to eventually succeed at what she wants. if in affc she’s crying because she feels like she’s too much of a freak to be her father’s heir and she’s not woman or man enough for anything, the entire narrative point is that she has to succeed at both being a knight and a lady otherwise grrm can’t plant hints and believe me he can;

this means that jaime is headed on a redemptive path which in that kind of story when written by catholics or former catholics never ends up badly (also, aside: redemption is good for everyone and it can’t be just ONE character having it, you don’t buy it at the supermarket, so saying that if jaime has it then tyrion or theon or sandor or whoever can’t have it is just poor reading, people change all the time irl and in narrative you aren’t obligated to redeem one and kill everyone else) or in death, brienne has been written to succeed in her endeavors after she suffers a shitton and I think stoneheart has to be the worst and the end of it (in the sense that after that situation is resolved the way for her is down, not up). which if I do the math and we have stated they’re headed for romance, means the both of them should have a chance at a future together;

also, I can go and tell you that their asos road trip ending with harrenhal is bursting with symbolism that includes death and rebirth - not going into the weirwood dream and sticking to the basics... guys, jaime starts as a prisoner, then ends up losing a part of herself he thinks define him but in truth only defines what he thinks he is (and he’s not ie cersei’s double, the kingslayer, the person who has to drive himself crazy to protect everyone else), then ends up almost dying and sitting in the middle of his own filth for the entirety of the trip (and even then he does good things ie saving brienne from being raped *cough*) and then ends up in a scalding hot bath where he confesses his most well-kept secret and source of 50% of his trauma to someone he trusts regardless of how much he likes it or not, faints and then wakes up again when everyone thinks he might be dead. symbolically, I think it speaks for itself. thing is, during the entire thing *brienne* is there alongside him and while she’s also getting her own share of trauma/ptsd (I mean brienne has totally bloody mummers related ptsd and I’ll die on that hill) she physically is the reason he survives it - she cleans him up, she gives him enough pep talks to convince him to live, she hears his confession, she changes her mind about him for it (but imvho she had after he saved her from being raped because that’s where she calls him ser for the first time) and she catches him in the bath when he faints which is.... fairly symbolic in itself, and she is the one who puts him back on his feet after. like, while jaime’s choices after are all his own, his symbolic journey through his own physical/mental filth he has to go through during asos succeeds because she helped him even if she didn’t know she was doing it, and like... guys, there’s a reason why in the weirwood dream the brienne in jaime’s head which he has conjured and who is basically what jaime sees brienne as in that moment, not necessarily the real one..... keeps on telling him all the time she’ll keep him safe/protect him and she basically tells that to anyone he feels threatened by (or his subconscious feels threatened by), and as stated before, jaime lannister has never, until that point, assumed that *he* would be in the position where someone else gives a shit about him to the point where they will defend him rather than in the position where *he* is the person that has to protect everyone else regardless of how much appreciation he gets in return. like, excuse me but if I was writing my own book I wouldn’t put this much work and care and this symbolism in these two’s history if I meant to kill one of them off or to not have them be happy in the end.

like, the point is: grrm is an extremely meticulous writer with an astonishing attention to detail and who put in book two shit that made extra sense when reading book FIVE, see theon saying he wouldn’t go to his death wearing dirty clothing in acok which makes you go like ‘....... why’ the moment you read his adwd chapters. no one, unless they have a penchant for sadism, would put that much work with those themes in that specific kind of story if then it doesn’t deliver. or, in different words, using a character I love as well so no one can accuse me of being impartial: when grrm put the same kind of work in catelyn’s chapters from got to asos and then you read them knowing about lady stoneheart and the red wedding, it’s obvious that he built her up for being an extremely tragic character and that she was destined to die regardless of all her efforts to save her family (same for robb but we’re talking pov characters). but catelyn’s storyline doesn’t have redemptive themes. it’s about regret, loss, loving your children but being imperfect/not being able to be there for them, and so on. catelyn’s storyline never promises you a happy ending from the moment ned dies and probably even before then. catelyn’s storyline promises you endless suffering and that’s fine because that’s her point in the narrative.

on the contrary, brienne’s tells you ‘hey there’s this girl who has had it like shit all her life without deserving it and whose worth no one sees because she’s ugly and who at the same time is actually a genuinely good person who’s trying her best and okay, she’s gonna suffer but she’ll come out on top while getting what she wants which is recognition as both a lady and a knight’ and given that brienne is also an extremely rare rep (say what you want, cishet unattractive women with her issues and her backstory are basically only less rare than unicorns in media) that I’m 100% sure grrm knows speaks to a lot of people (because he writes her too well to not know), if brienne doesn’t get that after all that shit, the narrative would not deliver on a fairly huge promise.

even worse, jaime’s tells you ‘hey there’s this guy who has been an abuse victim to at least three different people who doesn’t even realize it and whose life is so fucked up you’d need fifteen psychology textbooks to even start grasping it and that everyone sees as the worst person ever and who has ended up believing he is out of not managing his trauma well and hey look at him going through an insane amount of extra suffering but coming out of it wanting to be better and sort of succeeding and hey he has setbacks but he’s starting to see himself as his own person and he’s out of his #1 worst abusive relationship and he can decide what to do with his life now and you should root for him’, which means that if he dies or worst of all dies like in the show (but that’s not happening) the narrative doesn’t deliver on a huge promise and gives you the message that you can’t escape your mistakes and the abuse you received...... which is not the message grrm likes/wants to pass. like, I’ll die on that damned hill.

and to finish it, that was for them as single characters, but going back to the beginning: love is a fundamental part of both their storylines. as I said in the beginning, brienne suffered because she wasn’t loved enough and would die for anyone she loves herself without even expecting anything in return because she thinks no one will love her like that, jaime suffered because he loved too much without getting anything in return (or better, getting cersei’s abusive crap for his entire life) and he turned it into something toxic that’s not what he thinks it should be (he sees his and c’s relationship as the best thing ever where they’re soulmates because she sold him that narrative, but that’s not the kind of rship where you *turn your partner’s blows into kisses* which is actual text). at this point, the narrative is telling you ‘oh hey here’s two damaged people who actually would be very good together because their personalities match in that sense [as in, brienne would thrive with someone who loves her that much openly and finds her attractive and respects her for all that she is and jaime would thrive with someone who would appreciate that tenfold and who’d love him back just as much and who’d die for him - canon! -, and it wouldn’t be the kind of rship where anyone’s blows turn into kisses unless they were friendly sparring before] and oh hey look at that they’re in a storyline where they both influence each other greatly and oh wait he’s attracted to her and she thinks he looks like half a god and she’d die for him and he was willing to get mauled by a bear for her and they’re obviously meant to hook up’, which automatically promises a resolution where they both get what they want or you basically spent all your time rooting for it.... for nothing. which would not give anyone reading it satisfaction unless you hate jb that much, but I’m 100% sure that most people reading asoiaf casually would not hate it that much and grrm likes that trope that much to not deliver on it.

so, tldr: if one of them dies or if they aren’t endgame with a reasonable happy-ish ending for the both of them, the entire narrative fails to deliver on the promises of their individual storylines and their shared one, and there’s nothing in grrm’s writing that suggests that he would not deliver on it. I mean, if it was stephen king I’d hold my breath because I love steve but imvho his endings suck 85% of the time and he manages to do 180° turnarounds that have no sense whatsoever, but it’s grrm, not stephen king, and everything of his I’ve read that actually had an ending ended in a way that was coherent with the overall storyline and maintained its promises, so here, the above is pretty much the summary. hopefully I haven’t exhausted you. ;)

[shipping-receiving]

Fictober 2019 Day 30: “I’m with you, you know that.”

Rating: T | Word Count: 2714 Fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones Relationship: Jaime Lannister / Brienne of Tarth Tags: Alternate Universe – Office Notes: Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8

(read on AO3)

//////

Back in the day—back in the days before Brienne—Jaime didn’t care very much if he had to work long hours. Or, perhaps it’s more accurate to say that however much he cared was irrelevant. There was always work to be done, regardless. Lannister Corp above all else—that is what Tywin Lannister always expected of his three children. Their immense wealth, their status, their privilege, that had all been handed to them. But they have always been expected to work. To excel at it.

In King’s Landing, it hadn’t been rare for Jaime to find himself in the office till eleven at night, or twelve, or one. He’d be there until whatever needed to get done got done, even while the letters on the page or screen swam and flipped before his eyes, more vigorously by the second. He’d spend evenings entertaining clients, weekends attending some event or conference or gala on behalf of the company. His holidays—well, if he went on vacation with his family, that was work enough in itself, even if it was just with Cersei, or with Tyrion. And that was besides the fact that the first thing he did in the morning, and the last thing he did at night, was reply to his work emails.

For all of the Lannisters—Tywin and his children, even his siblings and their children—this was just their way of life. Lannister Corp above all else.

There’s less to do in the Stormlands now—definitely less of the socialising, at least—but Jaime still does his work, and does it well. It’s what has always been expected of him, as a Lannister, even if he’s a Lannister who’s displaced himself from King’s Landing. In fact, he almost feels compelled to work even harder now, and with more focus, as if to prove that he didn’t come here to the Stormlands to work less. He doesn’t want control of the company, doesn’t want the power or responsibility that comes with it. But he’s not making that decision out of laziness or incompetence. If he works, then he is still good. He is still worth something. It’s the only way he’s known how to be worth something, in the eyes of his family.

So the first night he had made Brienne wait for him, Jaime didn’t think it would gnaw at him that much. He’s so used to it, the constant work. When he left the office, it wasn’t even that late, only eight-thirty—alright, eight forty-five by the time he and Brienne sat down to dinner at his apartment. Still, Brienne herself must work later than that some days. She understands what it’s like, working for a company like Lannister Corp. What it’s like to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner at your office desk.

But for the next two days, Jaime couldn’t stop thinking about it—how Brienne had waited for him for almost three hours. He couldn’t stop thinking about how it was three hours he could have spent with her, even if it would have been in a cinema in the middle of nowhere, with both of them wearing trench coats and wigs and oversized glasses to avoid being recognised. And that was just one evening, not even three hours past the time she usually leaves work. How about those days he wants to see her—which is every single day—then finds he has to work till eleven at night, or twelve, or one? What happens then?

As far as Jaime was concerned, there was only one solution. Not to stop working, no, he couldn’t possibly do that. He’d simply have to work somewhere where he could still spend time with Brienne—even if it was a matter of just being beside her, while he worked. And it couldn’t be in the office, especially not before that two-month mark. In the office, there was never any logical reason for them to be in the same room.

(Well, there would be if people knew they were dating. But they don’t. They’re not supposed to for a few more weeks, at least.)

And so, Jaime began taking his work home. He always leaves the office at six now, except maybe on Mondays, when Brienne goes to the gym on her own. Brienne would spend the evening at his, at least until she needed to catch the train home, although she did hesitantly ask if she could leave a change of clothes at his apartment, just in case she ever had to stay over on a work night. (The answer was ‘yes’, of course.) For dinner, they’d get food delivered, or she would cook, or he would, if he needed a break and could afford one. Brienne often had work to do, too, and she’d sit opposite him at the dining table, her laptop across from his. In their silent concentration, the tapping of fingers on keyboards became its own form of dialogue.

This was the solution Jaime had settled on for now. If he had to be honest, though, it could get distracting, having her right there. Jaime found something quite mesmerising about Brienne looking all serious, although she had laughed in disbelief when he told her so. But it’s also kind of nice—not just that she looks serious when she’s working, but that she takes her work seriously, in a way that feels qualitatively different from him, different from his family. Brienne doesn’t do it for power or recognition; she doesn’t do it because it’s Lannister Corp above all else. She was simply hired to do a job, and so she does it as well as she possibly can, which also happened to be better than is expected of her.

Naturally, they’d taken to discussing their work with each other, though Jaime often has to speak in vague terms or hypotheticals, tied up as his work usually is in some yet-to-be-made decision or other. Brienne asks him for his opinion on her own projects too, even argues with him about the best course of action. To her, the ‘best course of action’ is often the most ethical approach—whatever would benefit more people, and benefit them in the right way; or conversely, whatever hurt less for the least number of people. Jaime laughed at first—she is working for the largest, most profit-driven corporation in Westeros, and she wants to be ethical, of all things? But Brienne always tries, anyway, even though she is far from being in a position high enough to really have much of an influence. She just has this—this boundless urge to at least try to do the right thing.

(Jaime doesn’t think Brienne belongs in Lannister Corp, not forever. But for now, this is where she is, and where she’s planning to stay for at least a couple more years. He wouldn’t have met her otherwise, and he’s so very glad for it.)

They’re spending one of these evenings together now, two laptops at his dining table, empty takeout boxes stacked in the corner. He’s almost done—just looking over his notes for a breakfast meeting one final time—when he hears Brienne call his name.

“Jaime.”

“Hmm?” he replies, without looking up.

There’s a few seconds of silence, then— “Nothing.”

He lifts his head to see her staring at her own laptop intently. “Are you sure?”

“It’s fine. I’m just—” She meets his eyes for a second, then turns back to her laptop. “Never mind. Go back to work.”

“I’m pretty much done.” Jaime leans back in his chair and folds his arms. “And it’s not nothing if you keep starting sentences without finishing them.”

“Okay then,” Brienne sighs, and closes her laptop. “We’re… together, right?”

Jaime feels his lips curling into a smile. “In the same plane of existence?” he says, offhandedly. “I would say so, or this is a very realistic dream.”

Brienne rolls her eyes, nudges his leg under the table with her foot. “You know what I mean. We’re together… exclusively. Right?”

“Yes, I believe we are. Unless you’ve been seeing other people.” He doesn’t actually think that she’s been doing that, but since they’re on the topic, he might as well check.

“Oh, like I have options,” Brienne snorts.

Well, that wasn’t the response he expected. “So you would see other people if you had options?”

She looks at him, eyes wide in alarm. “No! I didn’t mean to—would you?”

“No!” He nudges her leg with his foot now. “I’m with you, you know that.”

“I know. And I’m with you.” Brienne stands up out of her chair and grabs the takeout boxes. “Okay then. Just checking.” She walks towards his kitchen.

“That’s it?” he asks, from the dining table.

“That’s it,” she replies, and throws the boxes in the bin. “Just thought I’d check.”

Jaime leans forward, puts one elbow on the table so he can prop his chin up. “Huh.”

She looks over at him. “What?”

“You usually…” Jaime waves his hand in the air. “You know. Get in your own head about these things.”

“I do,” Brienne replies, and immediately turns to the sink to wash her hands.

He feels a smile coming on again, thinks of all the times over the past few days that he’s caught her looking at him oddly. Once she shuts off the tap, he says: “You’ve been trying to ask me that all week, haven’t you?”

She heaves a sigh, and leans against the counter. “I might have.”

“You thought I wouldn’t say yes?”

“No—it’s not that. I just felt like it was almost—unfair for me to ask. Since I was the one who wanted to keep this quiet.”

Jaime shrugs. “I agreed to the two months. It hasn’t been so bad.” Just three-and-a-half weeks left, if they’re counting from their first date.

“Still.” Brienne walks back over to him. “I know… you’d rather not.”

“Well.” He would rather not, but there’s really not much more to say on the subject. He closes his own laptop and smiles up at her. “At least now I have confirmed my suspicions that I’m indeed in a monogamous relationship with Brienne Tarth.”

She giggles, a lovely sound. “I had similar suspicions about you, Jaime Lannister.” She comes to stand behind his chair and slips her hands over his shoulders, kneads her fingers into the knots there.

“And I suppose my brother did tell me that clarity is key,” Jaime muses.

Brienne’s fingers pause. “Your brother knows about us?”

Oh, right. Jaime never got around to telling her about Tyrion’s visit. “I may have—remember that Saturday that I said I was with a client? Before our first date?”

“… Oh.”

“Yeah.” He tilts his head back to find her gazing down at him. “My father sent him to convince me to return to King’s Landing, not that Tyrion bothered with that.” He leans his head back, so that the top of it touches her stomach. “Anyway, I might have told him that there was a reason why I wanted to stay here. In the Stormlands, specifically. He gave me some good advice.” Aside from the part about eloping, obviously.

Brienne looks utterly bewildered. “I’m the reason you want to stay?”

Jaime laughs. “If you haven’t noticed, Brienne, we’ve been spending basically all our time together for the past month. You’ve been a very effective incentive, I would say.”

She removes her hands from his shoulders and sits herself in the chair beside him. “We’ve seen each other a lot, haven’t we?” she says, thoughtfully. “Marg says it’s a lot.”

“Is it?” He reaches over to grasp one of her hands. “Aren’t we just… spending time with each other because we want to?”

“I suppose. I’ve never—experienced this before. I don’t know what’s normal.”

“Me neither,” Jaime replies, without even thinking.

Brienne whips her head towards him. “What do you mean, me neither? Haven’t you dated before?”

“I… have. I just—I haven’t dated in the normal way.” Oh gods, here we go. “My sister… she’d arrange for me to—to date women she thought were appropriate. I guess it started back when we were still in school. She’d say, Jaime, wouldn’t you look good with so-and-so? And she’d set it up, and I’d say yes because… I don’t know why. Because I believed her, or wanted to please her. It was almost like—I felt like I had to be on the same page as her. And then it just kept happening—not that there were a lot of women. But each time it happened, I’d go through the motions, break it off eventually, sooner rather than later. I don’t even know if you could call any of them relationships, really.”

Jaime wills himself to look into Brienne’s eyes, steels himself for her judgment, finds nothing there but kindness. “I suppose… I fell into a pattern. And I didn’t know how to break out of that pattern.” He holds up their hands, just a little, nudges them towards Brienne. “Never met anyone that made me want to do that.”

Brienne gives him a smile; something quiet, nervous. “That’s… good to know.” Jaime feels her grip his hand a little tighter. “Will you tell me more about them?” she asks. “Your family?”

“I will. Eventually.” He’s given her bits and pieces over the past few weeks, but there’s always this lump in his throat that prevents him from telling her anything quite so substantial. “Not now. Is that okay?”

“That’s okay.”

They sit there in silence for a few more breaths. Then, Brienne says: “Speaking of—of patterns. I’ve been thinking about that. About us.”

Jaime shifts his chair a little towards her. “What about us?”

“I mean… When you stayed over the first time, I offered you the couch. Then I stayed over here, and I slept on the couch. And the other times since—that’s what we’ve done.” She clasps her free hand around his wrist. “I’m just wondering—we see each other so often—maybe we should… break the pattern.”

“Oh—”

“I’m not—I’m still not ready for—”

“I know.”

“But—I don’t want you to think I’d want to keep things this way, or anything like that. I just need to—work up to it. And I’d be… I’m okay with not doing the couch thing anymore.”

Jaime tries his best to stay calm. “Alright. Good.” Really good. “Will you—not do the couch thing tonight?”

Brienne reddens. “… I could.”

Jaime stands up then, a bit too abruptly, and he sees Brienne jerk back a little. “Well. I think you’ll find that my bed is very large and very comfortable.” He motions their hands towards the direction of his bedroom. “I’m sure it’d be very happy to accommodate us both.”

“Jaime,” she laughs, still seated in her chair, “it’s barely nine. We can’t go to bed now.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t think my body remembers how to fall asleep before eleven.”

“I didn’t say we had to sleep.”

Jaime sees Brienne stiffen at that, and he thinks that he’ll need to ask her to tell him more about her past too. “I don’t mean—not that,” he scrambles. “We can… talk. Or, you know. The stuff we’ve already done.”

Stuff. It’s a juvenile word, and he can imagine Tyrion giving him a look. But he supposes what they’ve done so far has been—innocent, in relative terms. Just kissing. And touching. And looking. It’s chaste, compared to—but it’s also not. Not in the way his lips travel down her neck, the way her hands slip beneath his shirt, the way their exhalations mingle. It’s all he can think of right now, all he wants to do for the rest of the evening. Especially if they finally get to do all that in his bed, and then stay there after.

Especially if he gets to wake up beside Brienne in the morning, and do that stuff all over again.

So Jaime tugs on her hand again, in the direction of the bedroom. Brienne stands slowly, and he searches her face, her body for any sign of reluctance. She’s tentative, but no, he doesn’t think it’s reluctance. At most, it’s an anticipation that she’s taught herself to suppress. She does that thing she likes—wraps her hand around his forearm—which is always a good sign, from what he’s gathered.

Then, for the first time in four-and-a-half weeks, Brienne follows him to bed.

[paintingwithdarkness]

#9 bluepulse please

“Where do you think you’re going?”

It was rare that Jaime got drunk. It was even rarer that he made enough of a fool of himself while he was drunk that Bart literally had to drag him home by the back of the collar. But after ten tequila shots, a Mojito, a bad karaoke rendition of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” (half of which Jaime’d sung in Spanish) and a conversation that had almost exposed some secrets which really needed to remain secrets, Bart knew it was time to drag his boyfriend back home to their apartment while the majority of Jaime’s dignity was still in tact.

It had started out as an innocent enough idea. A few of Jaime’s buddies from medical school had suggested going out for drinks now that finals were over for the semester. It had been a hard past few weeks of studying (Bart had seen just how stressed his boyfriend had been) and now that all of the sweat, blood, and tears had been spilled, everyone wanted to go out and celebrate.

Bart had been invited along because Jaime said all of his friends would be bringing their significant others as well. Of course Bart been eager to attend, wanting to meet all of Jaime’s friends and see the type of crowd his boyfriend was a part of. He’d been told plenty of stories, but Bart had never met any of Jaime’s med school buddies in person.

When they’d first arrived at the bar, a small group sitting at a table in the corner waved them over. Bart watched Jaime’s face immediately light up in recognition, and then he was being dragged over by the hand to meet everyone. He took a seat next to Jaime, who took a seat next to a tall, black-haired man with a beer in hand.

“You must be Bart.” The black-haired man set down his mug and thrust out his hand for Bart to shake. “I’m Josh.”

When Bart clasped onto his hand, he had to try not to cringe. Josh hadn’t bothered to wipe off the condensation that had accumulated on his palm from holding the beer mug. The handshake was cold and wet. As he retracted his hand, Bart tried to be subtle about wiping the clamminess off onto a napkin before placing it in his lap.

“This is my girlfriend, Sarah.” Josh slung an arm around a red headed woman sitting to his other side. She gave a dainty little wave. Bart idly noted that her long fingernails were painted a maroon red. The color reminded him of blood.

“It’s nice to meet you both.” Bart put on a winning smile, showing all of his teeth, then turned to receive introductions from the rest of the group.

The next man’s name was George. He had a brunet comb-over, steely blue eyes and a handshake that could crack bones. He was all hard edges and sharp lines, and Bart would bet money the dude probably read all of his medical texts while working out, because his biceps were bulging out of the rolled up sleeves of his button down.

In contrast, George’s girlfriend Grace was curvy and soft, golden hair curled into perfect ringlets and face gently powdered with a fine layer of makeup. She had some of the prettiest blue eyes Bart had ever seen, and yes, despite being gay and in a committed relationship, he could openly admit it. Bart could appreciate beauty where he saw it, and he knew Grace was definitely a catch. George was a lucky man.

“Jaime’s told us a lot of stories.” The last woman sitting at the table introduced herself as Terresa. Her black glasses glinted in the light overhead as she turned and gestured to the man sitting next to her. “This is my fiancé, Brady.” Both of them held their hands out to Bart.

Terresa’s black bob weaved gently from side to side as she gave Bart’s hand a firm shake. Her amethyst eyes caught his, and Bart could immediately tell that she was the voice of reason in the group. There was intelligence shining in her irises. Of course, Bart knew Jaime was smart too, but he tended to overthink things. When Bart wasn’t around to give Jaime the gentle knock on the head to snap him out of his never-ending circles of thought, someone had to be there to do it. Terresa was the most likely candidate.

Brady looked like the Boy Next Door. Bart was actually surprised there wasn’t an Eagle Scout badge pinned to his collar. The dude had perfect hair, perfect teeth and a perfect personality. It was probably a good thing it was his fiancé that was the doctor and not him. From what Jaime had told him, Bart understood that it took a certain amount of cynicism to want to go into the medical field. A certain amount that this guy just didn’t have.

“Cool.” Josh leaned his elbows on the table, pushing his empty mug to the center with his crossed forearms. “Introductions done. First round’s on me.” He raised a hand to flag down a waitress and ordered tequila shots for the table. When she came back with the tray, Josh began to distribute the glasses.

His girlfriend raised a manicured hand. “Can I actually have a martini? I’m not a huge tequila drinker.”

“Same here. Make that two martinis, please.” Grace chimed in.

The waitress wrote it down and walked away. Josh shrugged. “More for us then.” His sienna eyes swept around the table until they landed on Bart and Jaime. He shoved the two extra shots in their direction.

“You’re always so put together, man. I want to see you cut loose.” He gave Jaime a slap on the shoulder, to which the Latino winced slightly. Bart narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t really fond of this Josh fellow.

“To the end of working our asses off, and finally being done with those hellish finals!” Josh lifted up his shot glass.

“And to those of you who supported us throughout it all,” Jaime added, turning to peck Bart on the cheek. Cheers went up from Sarah, Grace and Brady. Everyone raised their glasses.

“To the new doctors!”

Bart wrinkled his nose at the taste of the tequila as he kicked back his shot. He’d never really drunk any type of hard alcohol before, and it wasn’t like he could get intoxicated anyway. His speedster metabolism would take care of it before Bart could drink enough to even feel buzzed. The most he’d ever really had was a couple of beers with Jaime over dinner on weekends. And even then it wasn’t any sort of contest. The beer helped Jaime to relax a little, and Bart was just happy to spend time with his boyfriend.

One by one the little glasses clinked back down onto the tray. “Who’s up for another?” Josh encouraged.

There was a general positive consensus around the table. As the waitress came back with Grace and Sarah’s martinis, Josh ordered another round of shots.

While they were all waiting, Bart and Jaime were gently bullied into downing the extra shots Josh had shoved at them. Again, Bart screwed up his face at the sting of the alcohol as he swallowed.

“Not too fond of the taste, eh?” George spoke up for the first time since he’d introduced himself.

Bart shook his head, slapping the shot glass back down. He wiped his mouth with a napkin to get the bitter remnants of the tequila off his lips. “I’m not much of a drinker.”

Josh gasped dramatically. “Jaime! What’s wrong with you, man? You gotta take your boy out for drinks more often! Then he’ll learn to appreciate it.”

Bart felt the scowl returning. He definitely was not a fan of this guy.

Jaime laced their fingers together, which helped allivaiate some of Bart’s tension. “It’s not really our thing.”

The black-haired man laughed. “Well it should be! Here.” He grabbed the tray from the returning waitress before she even had a chance to set it down. He distributed the drinks.

Jaime squeezed Bart’s hand under the table before kicking back his shot. Rolling his green eyes, Bart slammed his too. He set the glass down with a groan.

“I’m done,” Bart declared. If he wasn’t going to get drunk, there was no point in continuing to torture himself. “I’ll just order a beer or something.”

Jaime smiled at him. “If that’s what you want, Cariño.” Bart felt Jaime’s hand unlace from his own and settle on his knee. He returned the smile and gently rested his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder as his eyes scanned the drinks menu.

“Done already?” Josh tried to goad him. “We’re getting another round.”

Bart just shrugged. He was not going to be peer pressured by this douche. And he really hoped his boyfriend wasn’t going to be either.

When the waitress came back, Josh ordered himself, Jaime, George and Terresa more shots. Sarah and Grace got refills on their martinis and Bart ordered a strawberry daiquiri.

Josh laughed. “Y’know, I never really took Jaime for the gay type until he told me he had a boyfriend. But I suppose it makes sense now, after meeting you, Bart.”

He bristled. Bart didn’t like the way Josh’s comment sounded.

“I mean, you did say you were bi, right Jaime?” He clapped Bart’s boyfriend on the back again.

“And what does that have to do with it?” Bart was getting sick of this guy. He wanted to put him in his place. It was a shame that Jaime was actually friends with this asshole.

Josh raised his hands in defense. “I didn’t mean any harm by it. I just meant that you’re one of those more effeminate gays is all. It’s not such a stretch for Jaime to like a guy like you.”

Bart wanted to leap up from his seat and punch Josh. He’d barely just met the guy and already he’d gotten under Bart’s skin. Usually, Bart was a pretty friendly person, but he’d been insulted and he wasn’t going to just sit and take it.

Luckily he didn’t have to. “I happen to like Bart the way he is. He’s just as much a man as you are. And he’s funny, smart and pretty hot.” Jaime blushed as he looked down at the table.

Bart felt a small rush of pride that his boyfriend had defended him.

Josh just shrugged, brushing the whole thing off. “Whatever man. I don’t have anything against you guys being gay or whatever. Just trying to understand.” He cast his eyes back into the room beyond their little table, seeking out the waitress.

“Hey, drinks are here!” Josh effectively changed the topic and snatched the tequila shots, much to the waitress’ annoyance.

He, Jaime and their two friends downed their fifth round as Bart’s daiquiri and the girls’ martinis arrived.

Eventually, the group ended up splitting up throughout the bar. Terresa, Brady and George made their way to the darts board while Grace and Sarah moved to another table to carry on a conversation about shoes. Josh continued to order himself and Jaime shots, and tried to pry secrets out of Bart’s steadily getting-more-drunk-by-the-minute boyfriend. More than once Bart had to interject his way into the conversation to prevent Jaime from revealing anything about their non-civilian lives.

By the time the ninth shot rolled around, that asshole had convinced Jaime to get up onto the karaoke stage. Thus was the terrible “Love Story” rendition. What made it even worse was that Jaime felt the need to stare at Bart throughout the whole ordeal. It was sweet yes, but by the time Jaime was done bumbling his way through the song (half of the lyrics he’d sung in Spanish, the other half incomprehensible), Bart was red in the face, embarrassed for him. When he stumbled his way back to the table with a grin on his lips, Bart only sent an extra dirty look in Josh’s direction.

By then, it was getting pretty late and Bart felt like it would be appropriate to finally get tipsy Jaime home. Luckily, Josh agreed and asked Bart to help him round up the rest of their little group to make sure everyone had safe plans for getting home. Begrudgingly, Bart agreed.

It took some time, but eventually the two of them managed to get everyone in their little party back to the table. To Bart’s dismay, he realized that Jaime had ordered himself another drink while he was running around the bar. Bart knew Jaime had already drunk enough to give himself a hangover the next morning, and he was tempted to take the Mojito away, but his boyfriend looked so relaxed and happy and stress-free that Bart couldn’t bring himself to do it. It was rare that he ever saw Jaime not stressed out of his mind, especially since starting medical school. Bart supposed he could have one night.

“Alright!” Josh called out as soon as everyone was gathered around. “One last drink to finish the night, then we should all be heading home!”

Bart scoffed. It already sounded like Josh had had one too many drinks if the way his words were slurring was any indication.

“You all know what a body shot is, right?” Josh’s smirk made him look like evil incarnate. “Everyone’s gotta do one before we leave!”

Bart groaned. Of course it couldn’t have been easy. He was definitely going to have to talk to his boyfriend about hanging around Josh. The guy was the biggest jerk Bart had ever met.

Because of the large number of drinks that had been ordered, there were enough lime slices for everyone. Josh ordered the last round of shots, this time, enough for everyone, and grabbed the salt-shaker that was sitting in the middle of the table.

“Who’s first?”

Reluctantly, Terresa and her fiancé volunteered to go first. Brady held still while the black-haired woman prepared a spot on the back of his wrist with the salt and then took the lime slice between his teeth. Terresa made quick work of the mess, the shot and the lime, and then held still as Brady returned the favor.

George and his girlfriend went next, and then Josh felt the need to one-up both couples, making a big show of licking the salt from his girlfriend’s cleavage before passing the shaker to Jaime with a grin.

Bart honestly just wanted to get these last two shots over with. Doing body shots in a public bar like this wasn’t exactly appropriate and Jaime seriously looked like he was close to passing out. He just needed to get his boyfriend home.

With a sigh, Bart picked up a lime wedge and was about to place it between his teeth when Jaime swooped in with a surprise kiss. Despite it being unexpected, Bart couldn’t help melting into it. He could taste all of the alcohol Jaime had drunk, and despite not liking the tequila by itself, Bart had to admit that it tasted rather good when mixed with Jaime’s natural flavor.

He was ashamed to admit that it took him a few moments to snap out of it. Kissing Jaime was intoxicating, even without the alcohol. But Jaime was actually drunk. Bart was the sober one, which meant he had to be the responsible one. Reluctantly, he pulled away and placed the lime in his mouth.

Jaime looked slightly upset, but prepped Bart’s skin with the salt anyway. It was hot enough in the bar that everyone had worked up a thin sheen of sweat, and the salt crystals clung perfectly to his skin.

As Jaime leaned in, Bart swallowed slightly. His boyfriend had (knowingly) chosen a sensitive spot on his neck to place the salt. When his lips made contact with Bart’s delicate flesh, Bart sucked in a breath through his nose.

Jaime gently licked the salt from his neck, scraping his teeth against the skin slightly and moving his lips sensually. Bart had to bite harder into the lime to stifle his groan. Even in this drunken stupor that Jaime was in, he knew what he was doing. Bart had speed healing yes, but if Jaime decided to leave a mark, it would be visible for a few minutes before fading. Receiving a hickey in the middle of a public bar wouldn’t exactly look great on either of their parts.

Gently, Bart pushed Jaime away from him and grabbed the shot, bringing the glass to his boyfriend’s lips. Jaime drank it quickly, and then leaned back in to bite into the flesh of the lime, causing juice to spill down Bart’s chin. Bart spit out the peel and then raised a hand to wipe the tangy mess from his mouth with the back of his hand. He went to grab the other shot and salt from the table where they’d ended up after Jaime’s prep, but his boyfriend hooked his fingers into Bart’s belt loops, preventing him from going anywhere.

“Mmm,” Jaime hummed, voice husky, “Where do you think you’re going?” He leaned in to kiss Bart again, but this time Bart had enough self-restraint to hold him back.

“You’re drunk, Babe. We need to get home. It’s late.”

Jaime sagged against him. “Don’ wanna go home,” he slurred. “Te vas tan lindo ahora, Cariño. Quiero besarte toda la noche.” His voice was heavily accented and Bart almost swooned hearing it. Jaime knew all the right ways to turn him on and it was beginning to work. Bart needed to get them home before Jaime managed to tempt him.

“We’re in the middle of the bar, Babe. Not really the best place. Let me take you home.” Bart at least knew enough Spanish to get the gist of what Jaime had been saying before.

“Fiiiiiinnnne.” Jaime dropped against him tiredly, and Bart struggled to hold him upright. He was supporting about eighty percent of Jaime’s weight.

“Thanks for the drinks and fun time guys!” Bart called back over his shoulder as he walked Jaime to the exit of the bar.

“Hey! You can’t leave yet! There’s still a shot left!” Josh yelled.

Bart rolled his eyes as he shoved open the door. “You can have it, Josh! You’re a selfish jackass, and I don’t want you talking to my boyfriend anymore. Take the drink and shove it up your-!”

The door closed behind Bart and Jaime with a slam.

Alright Anon! That was it! Hope you enjoy it. This one was one of the longer drabbles I’ve written for this challenge. I really liked the idea of flirty, drunk Jaime. This prompt was perfect for it. Thanks for the request!

[that-shamrock-vibe]

D23 Dissect: Kit Harrington Is Black Knight - Get Over It!

Due to the unexpected and frankly unwarranted barrage of controversy that the reveal of Kit Harington portraying Black Knight in the upcoming 2020 Eternals movie is getting, I thought it necessary to bring an unbiased opinion to the conversation.

By unbiased I mean acknowledging and not insulting Kit Harington fans who have strong opinions on who he should be playing in the MCU, but still respecting the character he is portraying and what it could mean for Harington in the MCU.

Background:

Firstly, I have to say with every comment I read and every negative reaction I see to this casting announcement, I feel very sad for Kit Harington and the original creators of the Black Knight character.

Because Black Knight is more of a mantle than a superhero there are many different versions of the character, much like a lot of superheroes, the version Harington has been cast as is Dane Whitman, who is an American scientist of British descent who is the third character to don the mantle of Black Knight.

As with the second incarnation of the character Nathan Garrett, Whitman is a descendant of the original Black Knight Sir Percy, but also the nephew of Garrett who donned the mantle and became a supervillain.

After inheriting the Ebony Blade, he became the Black Knight and has since been a long-standing member of the Avengers as well as the Defenders, Heroes for Hire, Ultraforce and Masters of Evil among others.

Unfounded Hate:

Alright so yes Black Knight is not that well known of a character, Dane Whitman has never had an official appearance outside of the comics and because of that, yes I can understand why fans of Kit Harington are disgruntled about the fact that he has seemingly been saddled with such a random role.

However, let’s face it, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is founded on virtually unknown Marvel characters. The Avengers were B and C-list heroes prior to their introduction into the MCU and this is because all of the A-List Marvel characters were owned by other studios.

Kevin Feige is praised as the Messiah of Marvel but in reality it is more like Midas because even the most unknown of characters like the Guardians of the Galaxy can become fan-favourites when given the Feige treatment.

The best and most well-known characters prior to their appearance in the MCu were Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver and Spider-Man, the twins were compromised going in due to a deal with Fox about not mentioning any Mutant-related affiliations and Spider-Man is no longer part of the MCU due to a breakdown in Feige’s deal with Sony.

Yet rather than the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man prior to Holland’s appearance as the character being the favourites of today’s superhero fandom, instead we have fans in love with Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Ant-Man and Black Panther.

So it stands to reason that, if Black Knight turns out to be a strong enough character, that his commercial viability will grow just as most Marvel superheroes have in the last eleven years.

Kit Harington:

Now as for the casting of Kit Harington itself, I have mixed feelings about it. Not only do I feel that Eternals is a rather crowded movie as it is, but also Black Knight has never had any real affiliations with the Eternals...in fact he is most prominently a supporting character of Captain Britain aka Brian Braddocks who is the twin brother of the Mutant Psylocke and was very obscurely teased in Avengers: Endgame.

So maybe Captain Britain would have been the better role for the British actor? At least he has already been teased and would be a more fan-favourite choice I feel.

But moving away from which role would suit Harington better, we have to consider that a role this obscure is maybe actually justified considering that his most prominent movie role to date is 2014′s Pompeii, because of course, Harington is quintessentially associated with Game of Thrones and his role as Jon Snow.

Also, it seems that any role outside of Game of Thrones has not been well received by critics or fans as the television series Gunpowder was an absolute flop.

I am personally quite happy that Kit Harington is in a role where he hopefully won’t outshine his former GOT co-star Richard Madden who is seemingly in the leading role of Ikaris, because Madden does not have the same fame recognition as Harington.

Simply put, actors like Kit Harington, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams are prominently and forever known as their characters from Game of Thrones, but actors who did not survive the entire run like Richard Madden had the chance to break free from being type cast and fortunately that is what he has done.

With roles in the live-action Cinderella as Prince Kit (ironic), the BBC series Bodyguard and most recently starring alongside Taron Egerton and Jaime Bell in Rocketman are all not only Madden’s way of keeping the money rolling in but also building up his portfolio in versatile roles.

However, I still remember him as a child actor 20 years ago in the CBBC series Barmy Aunt Boomerang, this guy has been working for 20 years and I feel he needs his time in the spotlight because even though he was a main character in Game of Thrones his biggest moment was unfortunately the Red Wedding and he was constantly overshadowed by Kit Harington’s Jon Snow.

Overview:

Alright so to sum up, yes for fans of Kit Harington who aren’t comic-book fans it may be a kicker for them to know he is going to portray a character not many people know. However, considering where Harington is in his career, a small role in an ensemble superhero movie may be the best he is expected to get.

Do I feel he could have been in a better role? Yes, but I am not going to cry about it and instead just appreciate the fact that he is in a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie.

Also, I have to say, with all the attention and hate that this announcement has received, it has taken away from the rest of the news surrounding the Eternals movie during the D23 Expo panel.

Not only did we have reveals of how these actors will look in their costumes, but also the announcement that Gemma Chan is also a new addition to the movie...the big news there being she isn’t reprising her role as Minn-Erva from Captain Marvel but instead portraying Sersi who many fans originally believed Angelina Jolie was signing up to portray before she became Thena who is the cousin of Thanos.

On a side note, as a Brit myself I have to say, I love the fact that the MCU has such a strong representation not only of British talent but also transforming TV actors into movie level stars. Not only with Karen Gillan as Nebula but now Gemma Chan, Richard Madden and Kit Harington. It does actually fill me with some patriotic pride and nothing really does that for me.

As I said before, the MCU was built on the foundation of either B/C-List heroes taking centre stage or the inclusion of big names in smaller roles to make the smaller roles big. So rather than hating on the fact that Kit Harington isn’t at the centre of the action this time around, enjoy and endorse his appearance in the upcoming movie so that he possibly has a more prominent role in the future of the MCU.

So those are my thoughts on Kit Harington being cast as Black Knight, what do you guys think? Post your comments and check out more D23 Dissects as well as other posts.

[avatarsarny]

Post S8 Arya/Gendry? With a cherry on top?

Well, anon, since you asked so nicely. Just in time, bc I really needed to get this out of my system. This is for @gendrie, @gendryadempsie, and @starrynightshade, whose blogs and fics have kept me sane over the past few weeks of D&D’s clownery. Thank you guys for feeding us with that sweet sweet Gendrya content throughout :)

For context: In my head, everything ended similarly to D&D’s bad fanfic version with some notable adjustments: Jon is not exiled to the (nonexistent) Night’s Watch; he decides against being king and goes to bring the Wildlings back down to the North with Tormund (bc the lands beyond the wall are a barren wasteland wtf) and thereafter settles at Winterfell to be Hand to Queen Sansa. Bran is made King of the 6 kingdoms as he was in the show, with Tyrion as his Hand and ruling with his council. Jaime did not turn on Brienne in the last moment, didn’t erase years of character development, and instead left to kill Cersei himself, finally realizing the disease she really was, and became Queenslayer for the good of the realm. He survives Daenerys’ attack on KL and is serving Bran in the new Kingsguard, under Brienne the Commander. 

Finally, Arya does not randomly decide to become Christopher Columbarya and sail the ocean blue, erasing years of her own journey to finally be home with her family again, no sirs, she finds Gendry after the sack of KL, after she realizes what Sandor was trying to tell her to do, to choose life, and tells him to ask her again. You can guess the rest from what you read below :)

And in keeping with the pack survives narrative (bc that’s what good writing is about!! Consistency!!) the Starks remain closer than ever, visit each other often, and don’t end up alone and separated! Hope yall enjoy!

P.S… Okoye. You’ll see why soon. definitely not taken straight outta black panther Ahem. Continue.

“And reinforcements from the Stormlands will arrive tomorrow, Your Grace, if I’m not mistaken. Lord Buckler of Bronzegate sent me a raven saying twenty ships worth of food and supplies will be here just after sunrise.”

Bran nods in approval and looks up at the sunlight streaming in through the windows of the newly - reconstructed King’s solar. Daenerys’ rampage had left little of the Red Keep standing, but some of the personal chambers had remained mostly intact, so the new King and his council lived in close quarters for the past three months while they supervised the city’s recovery. There were still many injured and many more starving, so Bran called upon every Lord and leader in Westeros, high and low, to contribute whatever they could to the city’s smallfolk; who had suffered the most.

Bran glances over at the man across him. His blue eyes are bright with belonging and purpose, his dark hair is gradually breaking free of the short crop he had sported when Bran had first met him, and he wears fine leathers in same way his father and uncles had, only this time adorned with clawlike marks on the shoulders of his tunic.

The young King smiles at this observation. Stags don’t have claws. But he can think of another animal that does. 

Gendry catches his King’s gaze. “What is it, Your Grace?”

Bran’s smile grows ever so slightly. “When is my sister returning, my Lord? It’s been a fortnight since her last raven.”

Gendry sighs and looks out a window, where the city gates rise from the sea of ruined buildings far out in the distance on one end, and the azure waters of Blackwater Bay lay calm and still. “I’m not sure. She said she wouldn’t leave Queen Sansa at Winterfell until she’s made sure she’ll be well protected.”

“Won’t Jon be there soon?”

Gendry blinks. “Yes - er - I didn’t know that until this morning - got a raven from Tormund. How’d you find out?”

Bran throws him an unimpressed glance. “Well I am the three eyed raven. I flew over Jon and Tormund’s group last night. They’ve settled the Wildlings in some unoccupied lands about a day’s ride from Winterfell. Sansa wants Jon to be her Hand, and it looks like Jon’s agreed to it.”

Gendry nods slowly, trying to process the King’s extraordinary statement in a way he can understand. “I’ve heard of your abilities, Your Grace, but forgive me, I’m not sure how one flies when they can’t even walk. But if what you say is true, then you can see where your sisters are, too, can’t you?” He grins then, and maybe in front of a different King he’d be punished for his audacity, but Bran is no ordinary King. And Gendry has never been one to worship the ground at a highborn’s feet. 

But he’ll fight for any one of the Starks. Arya and her family time and again showed kindness and mercy to the common folk, and beneath their ferocious direwolf fangs they shared a gentleness for the innocent that Gendry had rarely seen among the rich and powerful. Even Sansa, the Red Wolf of the North, held a great tenderness concealed beneath her icy, calculating exterior, and people everywhere adored her for it.

Bran’s smile widens into a true grin, then. A feat so rare Gendry thinks he should get Grand Maester Samwell to check on their King’s health. 

“Yes, I can see everything. Anything, anywhere, at any point in time. But sometimes it’s nice to put it all away for a while, and be a normal man. Or at least act like it,” he replies. “I did see Arya, by the way. It appears she’ll be staying in Winterfell for a few more weeks before she starts her journey back here.”

Gendry’s face falls, but he catches himself and hopes the King doesn’t notice. The least she could do is send a raven, but she’s been oddly silent since her last message to him, and he’s getting worried. If she doesn’t send more word soon, he’ll go off to Winterfell himself.

Bran quirks a brow at him. “Storm’s End needs someone like you, someone who will take care of the people. Your uncles left the Stormlands in such disarray, but the Stormlords are willing to follow your command. Don’t worry about my sister, she can handle herself.” He smiles serenely at the former blacksmith.

 But what about me? Gendry thinks. Does she not understand that every day we’re separated feels like an eternity to me?

None of it will mean anything, if you aren’t with me, so be with me…

It will be nearly four months since Arya left to help Sansa settle into her role as Queen in the North. Four months since he last held her in his arms, since he tasted her on his lips and felt the warmth of her smile, since he saw the heat and tenderness in her gaze she reserved only for him. 

She had sought him out after the Dragon Queen had stormed King’s Landing, after Jon drove a dagger through his aunt’s heart and liberated all who would come under her tyranny. She had been covered in ash and blood and he’d never felt more fear in his entire life, that he would have to watch her die like this, but she was mostly unhurt, the blood had not been hers, not all of it.

“Ask me again,” She’d rasped, coughing out grey soot and clutching at him for dear life. “I thought I wouldn’t come back from Kings Landing. I was going to die there, and I couldn’t do that to you, I had to refuse,” She whispered, tears falling from her eyes and down her grimy face. “I couldn’t hurt you.”

And oh, she had never looked more beautiful, he had never loved her more fiercely than he did in that moment, not even on that night they thought would be their last, when she had kissed him down in the Winterfell stores and made breathless, frantic love to him. “You could never hurt me, love,” he’d said, wiping her tears away and crushing her to his chest. “I know you don’t want to be a Lady, I’ve always known. We can go wherever you like. Do whatever you want. I’ll follow you anywhere you go, till the end of my days,” he promised, and released her so he could kneel before her in the ash and dust. “My life means nothing without my family. Please be my wife. Please be my family, Arya of House Stark.”

And with that, she’d tackled him into the rubble with all the strength she could muster, and kissed him senseless. “I love you,” She’d breathed against his lips, “I will be your family. Your - your wife,” she broke off in a quiet moan, as he moved to press searing kisses down her throat. She held his face in her hands, stilling his sweet movements to look earnestly up at him. “And I will lead by your side, Gendry of House Baratheon.”

He stared at her in shock, his hands coming up to bracket her own. “You - you want to rule the Stormlands with me?”

Arya smiled at him, even though it hurt to do so and her face was bleeding. “I want to be here for the people who can’t protect themselves. I want to make our world a better place than the one we grew up in…I couldn’t save them in King’s Landing,” she’d paused as more tears trailed down her cheeks, and he dutifully brushed them away with the pads of his calloused fingers. She would tell him about the girl and her mother, later. The little family that had saved her from the stampede, only to end up burnt beyond recognition in the end. “I have to make sure this never happens again.”

Gendry kissed her forehead, the bit of it that wasn’t cut open. “As m’lady commands,” he’d murmured, threading their fingers together. “Now let’s get you a maester.”

“I also need to teach you how to use a fork, none of those idiot lords will respect you otherwise.”

He laughed and scooped her up into his arms. “I’ll need all the help I can get. I don’t know any other rich girls willing to teach me.”

Part 2 coming soon :)

[ravenquote]

OoC: Favorite Characters

I decided to focus on villains or anti-heroes, it’s hard picking just favorites in a general sense.

1. Harleen Quinzel A.K.A Harley Quin - DC Comic Universe I have been in love with this woman since September 1992 when she first aired in the Batman Animated series, Joker’s favor. Due to her brilliant creators of Paul Dini and Bruce Tim, led with the voice talents of Arleen Sorkin. She was born from her own raw desire to help people in her own best way possible, using her talents of understanding, reading and in many sense controlling people. Sadly, like Alice in wonderland, she fell into a realm of madness and uncertainty. She has been one of the most complex characters in animated history with large backstory and many turns and takes. Extremely popular on various forms and has made many appearances over the years even scoring some of her own comics and shows and now movies. When she was first created, she was merely a fill in and not meant to take and yet here she stands, a triumphant beauty whose overcome Abuse, trauma and degradation.

2. Azula - Avatar the last air bender animated television show + comics What can i say about Azula? In many retrospects she’s fierce, powerful, driven and just intelligent! I think a lot of people forget something pretty important about her: SHE WAS FOURTEEN! This young teenage, overthrew governments, taking whole cities and was the closest to killing the Avatar compared to anyone else. Not to mention her pure intelligence! People compare to playing a game of chess when it comes to moving people or controlling their actions. No, to this woman it was checkers. I truly believe if she didn’t become as over-confident as she did, the war would have ended with her taking the world. With the right nurturing, she would have become the most feared overlord the world would ever see.

3. Loghain Mac Tir - Dragon age book (The Stolen Throne by: David Gaider) and Dragon age Origins the Video game. Yeah, there’s a theme so far i am guessing you are seeing. I can’t help but appreciate sheer intelligence. Loghain is sort of obvious in the video games, it’s clear his intents. At the same time, there is far far more than what is merely on the surface with this man. An obvious villain, almost to the point of it being boring. Yet, why in the games are so many people hesitant and trusting of him? This man had proved himself, over and over, that he had his country in his heart and would do anything to protect it and keep it from the true monsters of the world. People. He was never shy about the routes he’d take, the lengths he’d go, he was brass, courageous, and deceptive. He called things out, forced people to seeing the bigger picture, he didn’t need to control or lie to people about things. He got what he wanted in the most unique ways possible, not his title, not his money, not his charisma but by being true in what had to be done. 

4. Sylvanas Windrunner - Blizzard Entertainment Video games I don’t see her as a Villain, an Anti-hero, yes. Look, we all know Blizz can’t seem to understand women or know how to write them on a large scale. I seriously feel bad for both, Piera Coppola and Patty Mattson as they have to watch this poor woman get brutally torn to pieces. I will always, always have a soft spot for her and remember the days where in many respects was like Illidain, and (above) Loghain. A woman who saw the bigger picture and would sacrifice anything to save everything she cared for. I wont drag on for her, simply because i know the most people who are doing this and following are from the Blizzard franchise and i know we have all heard many many layers to this continued argument about this particular character. If ya wanna PM about it or rant at me, bring it. I’m an Alliance player at heart, but i only got into w.o.w because of this woman. Both sides are shit. *drops mic*

5. Aaravos - Dragon Prince, Netflix television animated show. Okay, seriously, if you haven’t seen the show yet: DO IT! Just as with this theme, INTELLIGENCE, INTELLIGENCE, INTELLIGENCE! Tactful, charming, knowledgeable, i mean...look at that face! He is hands down perfect. Sadly, we still know very little of him but goshdamnit! Love! Love! Love! I can not wait to know more of him and see more of him. 

6. Maleficent - Fairy Tale story / Disney The jist of her, from stories and movies, is general: She was snubbed or insulted by the royal court and took her revenge on the child they were all celebrating. I’m sorry, but this has always been fantastic to me. What is more painful and hard to deal with then your own child being cursed? Claim petty if you want, but no, oh no my dear friend, this is a brilliant revenge. A normal person would blame the man in charge and curse him, but meh, whatever. Kings wont remember how they snubbed others, this is proven time and time again in many stories. Will this act ever be forgotten? Will the generations always remember not to snub a powerful faerie? You better believe it! She made a ever lasting mark, an impression that has lasted since the 13th century! Throughout the years no one has changed these facts: Maleficent was powerful, she was disrespected and she took her revenge onto a child. Normal stories like these over the years have changed both villains and heroes, or even circumstances. This classic has even seen the beautiful creation, directed by Robert Stromberg from a screenplay by Linda Woolverton, and still they honour the root of what was and with a focus on the villain and her origins.  How many villains get this?

7. Narberal Gamma - Overlord Anime/ Manga series Who doesn’t love a maid? Not to mention a Battle maid. Narberal is...mm, i don’t even know how to express her. She’s just generally cool, powerful, intelligent, loyal and honest with everything around her, just a demeanor of a refined perfection. She’s enjoyable to watch. Another thing i enjoy, she’s not the main villain. The show itself has many “villains”, i say in such way because it’s never really clear or obvious what you can count as villain or hero in a lot of ways. Yes, some are obvious but even then in many cases showed within it’s all about circumstances, who you are following, why you are following them. I enjoy the not so cut and dry of “good and evil”. This character also helps continue that ploy, helping and yet also killing people.

8. Carmilla - Castlevania Netflix series I’m a huge vampire fan, been so since middle school. I’m not as quick whipped as i use to be about the lore, history and so on when it comes to many Vampires and their origins. With such said, damn she made me bring out the books again, especially because she was one of my favorites to read about. I mean, Lesbian vampire. Do i need to say more? For now, i’ll only focus on the more recent adaption of her. So, yeah theme? We get it, intelligence. The world truly is a chess board for her, however she does not expect people to just flip the board on her. God, Jaime Murray, thank you so much for that wtf moment cause you expressed her sheer just horror at watching everything fall around her with perfection. Throughout the points we see Carmilla we see her truly be the tact master, stirring the pot and also showing her prowess in form. There is also a lot of restraint i don’t think people will give her credit for. We see how she expresses her emotions in violence, but i also think we are seeing it in a very, very pulled back way. I look forward to seeing how she changes her circumstances and sets things back into her own order in the coming season.

9. Akasha - Book series: The Queen of the Damned by Anne rice and movie: The Queen of the damned. Ah yes, the books that helped start the joys of vampires and how could i not fall in love with someone toying into the very beginning and trying to draw into the beginnings of a creature known throughout the world and time. Why do i choose Akasha considering i already touched base on vampires? Simple, she will always deserve a spot on any favorite list of anything. She gave so little cares about anything and only wanted the world to die and feel her wrath. Not to mention Aaliyah played this part so beautifully well it deserves every recognition it can get. I know she doesn’t seem to quite fit with the rest, but this is partly why she is so low on the list.

10. Callisto - Xena television series Last but certainly not least, we can’t forgot about this one. Good? Bad? Surely just pure chaos! She does what she wants and cares little about the consequences. It’s been ages since i’ve last seen the show i will admit, so my bases on her is a bit rusty. However, i will always remember her out of the many other villainous people we meet in the Xena universe. Fun, witty, combatant, you never knew what she was really going to do. As soon as she popped into a episode, i would recall fondly sitting at the edge of my seat just wondering how or why she did the things she did. There is my list of favorites, i’m sure you can see the themes between them all as many of them have common traits, inspirations and personalities. Hope you all enjoyed! Tagged by: @olivia-lovecraft​ tagging: *boops* you!

[swordmaid]

Super unpopular opinion in the gen fandom but Brienne as forever the Starks’ sidekick is so unappetizing. I don’t mind her official knighthood as long as it goes into how she reforms the system or the Starks respect her as an older sister/advisor. Whenever I read fics where Jaime dies & leaves her loveless so she guards the Starks is depressing to me? Like ‘oh, you loved the wrong man so you have to make it up to dedicating your whole life to the right family’ or ‘she’s loyal (ie dumb) muscle.

Yes, she is Duncan’s heir parallel but it is not a 1:1 comparison. She is his foil too. The characters’ genders, ages, and social statuses play a huge role in their arcs, personalities, and experiences. To have them end in the same place is just ??? Besides, Tarth’s place as an invasion means she will probably be thrust into a leadership role. Honestly, the only other worse ending is if she ends up with Hyle like a bad romcom written by a Nice Guy Incel whose inspiration came from a wet dream.

Also the Baratheon’s are dying, no one is officially in charge of it, the siege of Storm’s End is ongoing, Aegon’s forces are sweeping the area, Greyscale. Besides Davos, Brienne is the most significant POV from the Stormlands most likely to survive. Yes, she’ll probably find kinship & respect in the North. However, I’ve a hard time believing a woman who fears not being a good heir & is dutiful & compassionate even to people who were cruel to her would just abandon the place she grew up.

The Stormlands, like the Riverlands, are going to need strong and moral leadership when all of this is done, especially if Edric Storm is named Lord Paramount since he is just a kid and a bastard at that. Brienne, who has first hand experience with suffering and commits acts of small and large compassion, would be needed.

Same anon who ranted about Brienne, glad you liked my take! Wanted to add that if Brienne becomes a knight, I want her to lead reforms to take away knighthood from people who exploit it and focus it more on community engagement, knights other women, etc. while the show’s knighting scene is excellently acted, I feel :/ for it as a capstone for her arc because I feel like there are many plots that can come from and they just go oops, she’s Kingsguard now. Let’s not explain why she wants to!

Let’s not explore what it means to be a woman in a corrupt and toxically masculine field in such a visible job title! Let’s not explore the challenges of holding others accountable and how to stay ethical and not jaded/numb in a difficult job field. Let’s not explore how it will impact other women to see a female knight! Let’s make a knight and move on, people! We got CGI dragons and world’s most dull conclusion to film.

my reply is under the cut because this is already so long, but YASSSSSSS GO OFF!!!

I always and will forever express it--- i hate brienne as a sworn sword to the Starks. Gonna even go FURTHER to say that she’s not even MEANT to be a sworn sword. The fact that the two people she has sworn under died--and even if it’s out of her control--i think that’s going to have a play in her stance about this whole thing. I’ve said it before again, I don’t care about her getting knighting all too much as well because acquiring the title of the knight/ser isn’t what’s important--it’s her being recognized as one. we know, from the various of knights in the series, that having the title of ‘ser’ doesn’t mean shit when none of them uphold the values. we also know that hedge knights has a reputation of them being beggars with swords, and they’re usually frowned at. brienne achieving that recognition that she is a true knight without actually having the title of ‘ser’ herself would be important to her character imo because her character has been heavily and constantly judged by crowd perception throughout the series. even if she has the title of ‘ser’ who would believe it? if say, hyle knights her or jaime knights her, would other characters in the series believe that she actually has that title or would they think she’s just fucking around? achieving that crowd recognition--having that perception from the small folk etc. would mean so much more since it actually shows that you don’t need to be a ‘knight’ to be seen as a true knight, since all it boils down to is if you uphold the values or not (which she already does). though it would be nice to have, brienne doesn’t really need the title of a knight since she’s already one. she just needs to be recognised as one because so far, jaime, pod (maybe hyle?) is the only one who recognises her as one. (i would argue the lil kids in the orphan inn too)

I love the idea of her mentoring Edric Storm actually. Personally, I love entertaining the idea that Brienne doesn’t serve under anyone anymore, rather, she serves the small folk. her ‘political power’ comes from the influence that she garners from the people in the realm. and as you know with ice and fire, the opinions of the smallfolk & bannerman ACTUALLY matters like it’s not just a game between the great houses, and i think brienne will bring some relevancy to that. But in a scenario where she becomes an advisor for Edric Storm as some sort, I can definitely see her wanting to focus on the safety of their people first and foremost.

My mind is going off on a tangent rn but I don’t see her ruling over a land as well actually. I think a lot of factors will definitely come to play + it would depend on how this would end, but I don’t think Brienne would rule in some way. This is just mostly because I see so much ‘hero’ and ‘legend’ motifs peppered in her POV that if the series ends and she lives, the ending that I see her having is EITHER she’s gonna settle down with jaime somewhere OR she’s gonna go off with pod and continue to help and protect people ala dunk and egg. I’ve never seen her as a character who would rule; I don’t think she has any political agenda, but obviously that can be changed and I can be convinced otherwise but currently that’s where my mind is rn. 

And I don’t want to think about the show’s knighting and Brienne being in the Kingsguard honestly dfkgdjg I refuse to have the show occupying my psyche like, no thanks!!! All I’m going to say that if brienne’s path leads to that in the books I’m gonna hunt down germ’s cabin in the woods