#i want godess of love to mean godess of fucking LOVE bitch. if you don't know how to let go you're gonna get so-

[bitbrumal]

                                                                   HEADCANON                ↤   khioniya | tsaritsa   ::   OG CONCEPT  ↩

❖  i always started out with one of her reasons for distance from her ppl being she's incapable of choosing her own goals over their happiness if she lets herself get close at all—so she doesn't. she’s commonly in a form of stasis, at the heart of zapolyarny palace: a permanent fixture on the throne. it’s why i refer to her as statuesque & still ( & dusty lol. literally ). while aware, she chooses to be aware not through personal interactions but through her element. it numbs her just enough to keep making the hard choices. an estrangement by fixating on the eternity of the ice & the flickering moments that frolic across it. things die. when she watches from afar, the grief over their momentary loss is a lit match in her being—instead of cause for hysteria.

           she is traumatised & triggered by loss.            lacking mental healthcare, she still does know this.                managing the symptoms = keeping her distance.

                  she understands the trolley problem, but she is so fragile in some ways. a virtue so intense it passes into being a vice: if it’s hurting in front of her & hers, she cannot but do all that can be done to protect it. because someone should. add to that the screaming hysteria of a mind still controlled by past powerlessness... one day i’ll write down how she came to be lol but i’m going with the idea of making her someone who was human & ascended to godhood, which has thoroughly acquainted her with having no option to protect anything - only to endure, & watch others try- & fail -to do the same.

also toying with the whole ‘frozen/stuck in time’ theme because... khioniya vc: & i will simply not let myself move on c: i will honour every cause for sorrow i’ve ever witnessed when all i could do for it is feel—but this is not a conscious consideration. immortality might make one a little... clicks tongue. stagnant? stuck? no... it’s that if you know you will outlive most any changes, there is a point to be made for not changing along.

i think zhongli is a beautiful contrast to that, in that he remains involved with liyue’s evolving culture & so gets to continue to experience new things / stay alive in a shifting landscape while also in touch with the constancy of what lies beneath it. to not get complacent & stagnant. i can imagine an immortal’s life just passing much slower unless they interact with the things that are more fast-paced. preferences would be different for each person of course.

& since khioniya has been given such cause- & such an option -to numb herself, freeze her emotions that they cannot bite into her any more except by making her more numb to them... feeling so deeply & intensely, & having been caused such emotional trauma that the aftershocks just won’t quit-               & a lack of awareness of mental healthcare lmao— AND knowing she’s sacrificing her current nation for the sake of a potential peaceful future for some evolved version of it, or even one utterly separate from it—

yeah she’s staying numb. oh & THEN even if successful, finally to be in a position to mourn the staggering amount of sacrifices that had to be made to accomplish victory in war against celestia? hm! staying numb for millennia to come! if she doesn’t just crack & erode lol~

❖  harmburgers are people she allows herself to get attached to what with their increased resistance to death & various. mainly just bc she’s a) not gonna make it without allowing this ( which is part of why she’s so serene re: conflicting personalities. who cares? she’s dying of starvation. she’ll love. there is one thing she’s never capable of not doing ). b) bc well they ARE the biggest threats to. everything. lol. gotta stay on top of those at least-                 MAKE NO MISTAKE: this sense of connection, responsibility, & a nurturing type of care—does not mean they get along with each other!

[ enter childe = enter complication. ] [ enter la signora = enter complication. ] because they do share at least part of her vision. khioniya keeps the internal conflict to herself.

—but that’s not even the point of this complicated dance with an assortment of monsters. she is just, terminally incapable of not giving a fuck, of not feeling, & of not needing to do so. her harmburgers won’t make her stray from the ultimate goal of sacrificing whatever it takes to bring down celestia & let society develop anew—b e c a u s e they’re the shitbags who are ideologically the antithesis to her feelsy bullshit.                   the need to compensate for this inability to be indifferent, to do & keep doing what it takes to get something done. she understands the trolley problem, but at every moment- let alone each overt step -along the way to sacrificing those present before her for the chance at those that could come after them... every moment is one where all the considerations plague her. there’s too much space in her head not to fill it with all that. the amount of MENTAL PREPARATION required for her to act & follow through is, a lot. this goes for something like using orphans & turning them into soldiers: every moment she knows she could stop that. she could. & she doesn’t. & it fills her head with hell despite how pointless that is. she’s logical enough that the trolley problem motivates her. but also cripplingly sentimental.

          different moods make the choice easier. there’s a lot of rage in there, too. there is bloodlust. there is fury for the fact that human nature allows heinous things- & allows that ever-present apathy she cannot truly wrap her mind around. it’s scary. sometimes the sacrifices hurt in front of her & it only makes the trolley issue easier to tackle. other times it shuts her down completely.

pierro & his organisation are allowed to rule these efforts of world domination for she cannot follow through. in stops & starts, yes- but momentum must be built up to accomplish a feat like this. over recent centuries, she’s grown accustomed to it more. there is momentum built up in one’s coping with trauma as well: the more hell she allows freely despite possessing the power to stop it----well. the more important it is to follow through. the more unhinged she is in battle. the more genuinely she laughs along with her harmburgers.                     she never forgets herself,          but she’s never been a pacifist: violence begets the need for violence; to harm is to call for protection. she’s gotten to a point where some days, everything that dies & perverts by her tacit orders feels like progress. ( it is. ) where someone else’s blood in her mouth can be that of her soldier or that soldier’s enemy—each taste just as good.

she won’t forget what she’s fighting for anytime soon, but man... she’s getting fucked in the head. on a god’s timescale, it’s not far off.

[lala1267]

Who is she (Part 3)

As the weeks flew by, their love for eachover grew stronger. They were toughether almost every day. Elvis could never take his gaze of Carmen. It was impossible for him. But Pricilla was overshadowed. She was left behind to rot in the dark as Carmen and Elvis enjoyed the sunlight. Pricilla would spend long, lonely nights in tears as she looked at the empty space next to her in bed. War was raging inside of her, ready to come out. She wore her shame like a tattoo. Elvis stopped taking her to events. Instead, he took Carmen. The tabloids and press had a blast, creating rumours.

"Elvis has a new girlfriend!"

"Elvis divorced Pricilla!"

But were they just 'romours'?

Carmen was a taste of sanity to Elvis, Pricilla was a taste of the past, the dark past.

1971- Graceland

Carmen sat opposite Elvis, who was slouched on a chair.

"Elvis, you need to tell her."

Carmen said as her beady eyes searched for an ounce of remorse in Elvis's eyes.

"She doesn't need to know about us, relax."

Elvis said slightly giggling.

"Do you think this is funny? If I was Pricilla I would-"

"Would do what?"

Elvis said as he immediately sat up from his chair as anger rose upon his face. Carmen just closed her smart mouth and looked to the floor.

"That's what I thought.

Elvis whispered under his breath before relaxing his tense muscles. Elvis had been cheating on Pricilla with Carmen for a good few months.

"Elvis, how would you feel if I was getting cheated on. You would want me to know about it, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, I would."

"So, tell Pricilla. If you don't, things will only get worse."

She said as she leaned forward to look into Elvis's eyes.

"Fine."

Elvis grunted.

Just ten minutes later, Elvis was telephoning Pricilla.

"Pricilla, I'm sorry. We just weren't meant to be."

He said as his hands twisted around the spiralled telephone wire. His face scrunched as he heard Pricilla scream and cry.

"You're a fucking joke! You leave me for that bitch who doesn't even know how to speak. You can have your god damn ring back, I don't need that shit!"

Carmen could hear her cruel words peirce through the phone. She took her words to heart. She just bowed her head down as she tried to hide the tears in her eyes. She felt sorry for Pricilla, but her words punched a hole through her heart. Once Elvis had finished his heated phone call, he made his way back to the room where Carmen sat with her head in her hands as her teardrops absorbed in the white fluffy carpet. He instantly rushed over to her side. He held her close as she continued to sob.

"Hush, hush darling."

Elvis whispered as he stroked her hair.

"Why would she say that about me, Elvis why?"

"She's just angry, her words mean nothing."

They infact meant everything to Carmen. She was only a young girl who didn't know how to process her emotions properly.

All Elvis ever needed was here, in his arms. Carmen gave him hope, she gave him will, she gave him light. He tilted her head up to face his with his index finger.

"Look at me, lil girl. You are better than Pricilla ever was, I wouldn't trade one of you for a hundred of her. I love you."

Elvis watched the gleam in her eyes, and the sides of her lips rose up to form a slight smile. He remained in silence for a few seconds before a suspicious smile appeared.

"Let me take you out of this town, we can get away from everyone, including Pricilla. We can be alone."

Carmen nodded happily as her excitement built up.

Now that Pricilla was gone, there were no more obstacles. The fun was about to begin.

1971- summer

Driving in a Mercury down to Wayamaya. The radio was on full volume, and the windows were rolled down. Carmen's green eyes twinkled in the morning sunlight as the breeze invaded her long curly hair. Elvis sang a sweet song whilst chewing a toothpick with his American white teeth. The trees and nature flew past the vintage car that was driving at a high speed. Elvis turned to look at the gorgeous godess that was lost in her thoughts. He placed his large hand on her thigh, slightly squeezing it like a toy. Carmen batted her long eyelashes at the handsome man before a pretty smile attacked her face. She planted her small hand on top of his, she played with each and every one of his jewelled-out rings. Her fingers carresed the twenty-four carrot gold before she ran her fingernails along the diamonds that were studded onto the shiny gold. Elvis looked at the flawless girl next to him with pure lust in his deep blue eyes.

"Ya like what ya see?"

He inquired sarcastically before letting a small chuckle escape his plump lips. Carmen looked up at him before replying.

"As long as it's you that I see."

She said flirtatiously before a captivating smile lurked on her face. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Elvis. He patted the empty space in his lap as he glared at her. She layed her body over the two front seats. Her head rested on his thigh as her hair covered his legs like a blanket. He bent his head down to look into her eyes as he carressed her face and interlocked his fingers with her messy curls.

Carmen dominated Elvis's thoughts like a dream. Ten minutes could go past without her brushing his thoughts. The way she flipped her hair and made him stare was all so seducing, yet cute to him. They would kiss until the sun rose and play until the moon appeared in the night sky. Carmen's innocence set a spell over Elvis. She was so pure and kind that she was filled with passion and grace.

Their surroundings became more tropical the further they drove. The bushy trees turned into palm trees as the daisies turned into beautiful Hibiscus flowers that would be used to make great necklaces. The countryside view turned into a large marine blue ocean with golden sand. Carmen sat up, eager to see the tropical area that they were peacefully driving through. She climbed out of the open window until her whole top half was exposed to the summer breeze. She held onto the edge of the car for support as she admired the wildlife and ecosystems. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in as her hair was flying everywhere like a lions main. Elvis reached his arm out to grip her thigh just in case she would accidentally fall. He was protective over who he loved, he didn't want to lose anyone, especially Carmen. She sat back down into the cream lever seat. Elvis giggled as he saw the state of her messy hair.

"Oh, I love you, darling."

The sunlight shot diamonds from his eyes as he stated happily before focusing on the rocky road.

Not long after, the car came to a complete stop outside of a cabin that rested along the shore of a beautiful beach. Carmen eagerly opened the door and stepped out. Elvis walked to her, planting a palm on her shoulder.

"Ladies first. Or shall I say girls first."

He said sarcastically as his hand led the way to the wooden steps that led up to the cabin. Carmen rolled her eyes before jokingly smacking him on his chest.

"Just because I'm young doesn't mean I'm not a lady."

She said as her beady eyes locked with his glassy ones. She was only young but that didn't stop their love from growing stronger. Elvis bent his head down towards hers. He puckered up his lips before they met in a passionate kiss. He pulled away before patting her back, urging her to make her way to the cabin. She took a few steps in the hot sand before her feet met the wooden step. The wood creaked slightly as her feet took turns in meeting the surface. Her dress hiked up along her thighs as she skipped up the steps like a child. Elvis watched her with admiration. Her eyes widened at the sight of the wooden cabin that was painted a coral blue. She made her way to the door as Elvis followed behind. Her hand stook out to reach the handle but was stopped as she turned to Elvis for reassurance.

"Go ahead, honey."

He said as his eyes filled with lust. Her smile rose upon her face before she took a step inside. The walls were pastel blue and white. The furniture was handmade and had beautiful designs engraved into them. She looked around the room for a moment before making her way to the hammock that hung in the balcony. The veiw was wonderful. The ocean stretched across Carmen's sight. Her eyes widened at the sight as a smile appeared on her pretty face. She felt Elvis's large hands wrap around her waist as his body pressed into hers lightly.

"C'mon, let's unpack."

His deep voice spoke into her ears.

An hour later

Carmen was seated on Elvis's lap, watching the TV that was before them. Her head leaned into his chest as his cigar rested between his lips. His hands traced her back, making little circles with his fingers.

She sat up so that she was straddling Elvis like a horse. She managed to put up her best puppy eyes whilst batting her eyelashes a few times. Her hands played with his slightly unbuttoned shirt as she spoke.

"Elvis?"

She asked quietly.

"What now, dear?"

He inquired as his hands played with her curls that hugged her body.

"Can we have a picnic on the beach?"

Elvis's eyes widened slightly as he leaned his head closer to hers, almost as if he was waiting for her to say something else.

"Please?"

A smile lit up his face before he spoke.

"Of course baby."

She huddled up in his large arms as her giggles escaped her mouth. She pulled away and ran into the kitchen eagerly. She grabbed a beach bag from the counter before scavenger hunting for food. She grabbed fruits and some pre made sandwiches as well as some chocolates. Once she had finished raiding the kitchen, she made her way back to the living room. Elvis was no longer sat on the sofa, he wasn't there. She sat herself down, patiently awaiting his return. He walked down the stairs with a pink blanket. His eyes met hers as he walked towards her figure.

"What are ya waitin' for?"

He asked. Carmen stood up quickly before they both made there way to shore. Carmen skipped down the wooden steps and onto the hot sand like a happy child. She waited for Elvis to catch up. She took the blanket from his grasp and layed it out neatly onto the golden sand that shimmered in the sunlight. She plopped herself down before Elvis followed. She placed the bag of food in the middle of both of themselves before she tipped all of the food out.

"Slow down hun, we have a lot of time."

Elvis chuckled. Carmen laughed with him before munching on a ham sandwich. She looked at Elvis who was also eating a sandwich. His legs were crossed as his head bent down to bit into the food. They chatted for a while before finishing the food.

"Let's go swim!"

Carmen said excitedly as she stood up. She grabbed his hand, almost forcing him to stand up. He furrowed his brows as his eyes shot her ego down.

"I thought we only came out her for a picnic? And besides, I don't have any swimming clothes."

Carmen's eyes dimmed before they rolled.

"Don't be like that. Just take your clothes off, no ones here."

She said before completely stripping off until she was bare infront of him. His eyes widened as he examined her figure.

"You make me do some crazy things girl."

He said whilst shaking his head. Carmen giggled before watching him strip off. She pulled his hand as they both ran into the marine water. The coolness sent chills down Carmen's spine. She played and jumped in the water as she tried to dodge the water that Elvis splashed onto her. The water glistened on her tanned body. Her smile made Elvis's whole day. It was like she was his escape. She jumped into his large arms. She glared deeply into his loving gaze. Her head moved closer and closer until their lips met on a lustfull kiss. Her hands played with his wet hair as his traced along her bare back.

The evening

They sat on the beach, the beach that was dimly lit by the fairy lights that hung from the plam trees. The sun was slowly lowering as the moon quickly rose. Carmen's hands intwined with Elvis's as her hips bagan to sway and her legs began to move.

"What are ya doin?"

Elvis asked in confusion as she continued to move.

"Lets dance baby."

She said as her eyes met with his. He followed her instructions whilst the cigar smoke escaped his lips. Her sexy movements bagan to increase in energy. Her hips jolted from side to side. She flicked her hair, making him stare. Her dress hiked up to her panties as she moved seductively. She moved closer to his warm body while maintaining a steady pace with her movements. He cupped her face as her hands landed onto his chest. He inched closer. Their lips landed onto eachovers before their tongues lapped around like a carousel. He pulled away and they carried on damcing until the sun disappeared and the stars rose. They were in love. No one was getting between them even if they tried.

[lizzybeth1986]

Quick Thoughts on TRR Book 3, Epilogue.

• So. This is going to be our last TRR chapter...for a while, unless they decide to do a spin-off of sorts. All the issues have been (somewhat) resolved, the MC and her friends + LI are triumphant, we've broken our beds on our wedding night, now it's time to explore the aftermath. (So sorry it took me this long, guys, I've spent a full week struggling to save whole paragraphs).

• Many thanks to @kennaxval and @boneandfur for all the screenshots and help on the Hana x MC and Maxwell x MC scenes! I used my own screenshots for Liam's playthrough, the above two + the "All the Stories Girl" YouTube channel for Hana's and Maxwell's, and the HIMEME YouTube channel for Drake's.

• So we start with waking up in our LI's arms, and it's all sweet and adorable and we're all basking in the afterglow of our first wedding night. But the LI has a surprise.

• The beach!!

• Since we'll be going on our honeymoon sometime later, the LI basically wants us to have a little fun and alone time on a private beach.

• All the LIs give us three choices of drinks (mimosas, infused water, tropical drink), and three choices of food (fruit-and-cheese-platter, french pastry and bread rolls).

• FINAL CHANCE TO SHARE AN INTIMATE MOMENT WITH THE LI!! For 15 diamonds!! That's quite a steal.

• Now...who am I to say no to a Sparkly Liam?? 😀

• So the pre-fucking activities are obviously different for each LI. It's meant to suit each of their personalities and while I loved the sex part...I really enjoyed this.

Liam takes his wife swimming (you can either splash him or take him underwater for a kiss) and then proceeds to write a love note for her in the sand. When she points out that it might get washed away in the sand, he states that the message will live on in the waves that will carry it. Gaww.

Hana's activity is SO HANA istg. Both she and the MC build a sand castle and you get a rare glimpse of "Hana-getting-carried-away-talking-about-things-she-loves" if you choose the fairytale option xD They build a castle and a moat, and it's pretty obvious that Hana loves her fairytales ("there's no such thing as too many castles") and that the activity is so representative of her wildly romantic spirit.

Maxwell agrees to get buried in the sand, and the MC can choose what form it should take (Valtoria's sigil, a sea monster or a lot of muscles). @boneandfur tells that if you choose the sea monster option you get the first mention of "unleash the kraken" if you are married to him (the first one was in the fling scene, which you obviously won't get if he's your fiancé). It's all sorts of adorable 😂

Drake has a swimming race with you, in a rather nice callback to his first beach scene (diamond-option) in Book 1 Chapter 10. Back then the race was between Drake and the MC, Hana acting as referee and producing a shell for her and a sand dollar for him later on as prizes. Here, the MC has the option of gifting Drake a beautiful conch shell, and Drake is the one who gives the MC a sand dollar.

• Guh. That's all I'll say about what follows. Guuuuuuh.

• I made Esther wear her hugeass hat just to see if she'd keep it on during sex. She didn't and now I'm very sad 😟

• It's now a few weeks later, and we're being called for a special secret ceremony that Liam has gotten planned, and that apparently only Madeleine knows (very very few) details of. You get to tell your friends (in your fiancé/e's presence if you're not married to Liam) how married life is going for you, and there's either some good natured teasing or "ugh, spare me the details" from them. Madeleine then enters, having found the perfect excuse to wear the white dress I pettily didn't allow her to wear to my wedding.

I bet my note said "pay diamonds or it's the LBD for you, bitch".

• I also love how Madeleine knows that asking Olivia not to bring daggers is a lost cause, so she might as well put a limit of the number of weapons she brings instead 😂😂

• Out of the four, two already decide on their outfits (Drake on his grey suit and Olivia on her Costume Gala Nevrakis gown), and two ask you for your opinion.

• For Hana, you can choose between the handmade cheongsam that is so precious and personal to her, and the godess-of-spring gown she wore for the Costume Gala. If you were married to her, or chose another dress for Hana to wear, the cheongsam would be perfect!! Imagine, when she finally receives honours for her contributions to her country, she will be wearing this lovely dress that has so much personal history for it and possibly may also be representing her roots as well. But I chose the spring gown, because the cheongsam she'd worn for my wedding. If I ever wind up replaying maybe I'll switch it all around a little.

• For Maxwell, you either choose between his smart black suit, or the squid suit. OF FUCKING COURSE I'm going to choose the latter. When he goes up to get his honour as Guardian, I want everyone to know that this Beaumont Boy is the Pride of His Home and His Family 😍 Same with why I'm happy that Olivia is wearing her Nevrakis gown because this event is further proof that she is redefining what it means to be a Nevrakis. (also if you choose his squid suit, he exclaims in squiggly letters about how the "cephalopod rises again". 10/10).

• For Drake, I like the full-circle enforced by the fact that this suit was what he wore on the night of Liam's Coronation. That night was the first time Drake didn't try to reject his feelings for the MC, didn't allow his guilt re: Liam to come between them, instead accepted that he felt that way and approached her (in his diamond scene). Given that this epilogue features a throwback to the Coronation...I like this extra touch.

• My corgi Joy DuPont of Valtoria/Cordonia gets his own suit too.

• Aaaaand now it's time for the finale gown!

Pretty faithful rendition of the gown on the cover, and I think it has elements of both sigils just to keep us covered either way. The gown is a rich wine/burgundy colour, gold swirls at the skirt and jewelled gold belt (phoenix sigil) white/silver-ish coloured elements on the neckline and cuffs (dove sigil). Madeleine tells us that the gown was made keeping our house colours in mind. The LI - if they're in the boutique - gets to gush, and Olivia is the only friend who gets to comment by default - very possibly because she shares a common house colour with the MC, and either woman will get to be his Consort. Alongside the Coronation Ball parallels, you can see parallels to the Costume Ball as well!

• If you're married to Liam, and therefore Queen of Cordonia, you get an extra (and free!) selection to make: your tiara! The book gives us four options:

I honestly don't know what they're supposed to symbolize really, and I don't think they would actually symbolize anything. They're just pretty headpieces meant for the country's new queen. But Ima list down what these tiaras remind me of!

Royal Rose. The "Romantic Love" pink ballgown option for the Homecoming Ball, which was Hana's choice of outfit back then and comes in her favourite colour, pink. It also reminds me of Liam, because in the beginning especially he was often associated with roses.

Gilded Grace. A gold tiara with gems embedded. The design is exquisite and intricate. Kinda reminds me of that nice gold watch Drake gifted us, but also the top half of it reminds me of the flare of a peacock's tail, so I'm also reminded of Maxwell 😄

Petal Perfect. I think it's called so because of the flower motif in the centre, surrounded by serrated edges which seem to me like leaves. I would definitely be reminded of Hana, who is associated with flowers in general!

Pearlescent. There is only one person I can think of who this tiara would remind me of: Liam! The pearl plays such a poignant part in their story if you chose that scene, because Liam found it at the Blue Grotto before he had ever met the MC, and showed it to her when their relationship was going through rough times in Capri. Back then, there was the option of rejecting it, keeping it or asking him to keep it safe until they were free to pursue their relationship.

• I had a headcanon that Esther asked Liam to keep the pearl, and that he had it placed in a tiara of hers to show her how far they had come together, and how much hope she had instilled in him. So OF COURSE I would choose the pearl tiara xD The writers seem to have forgotten about that Blue Grotto pearl, but I haven't!

•

Liam's outfit at this ceremony mirrors the MC's: burgundy with gold designs and leaf motifs. I see this as parallel to two events: the Costume Gala, where his "King Fabian" outfit matches both Olivia's and the MC's (that one mirrors Olivia's better though, because it's a bright red and not saffron-with-red-notes like the MC's avian gown). I also see this as parallel to the Beaumont Bash: where you can persuade Liam to show his support for you by wearing the Ramsford Duchy house colours of blue and white. Here, the ceremony itself seems centered largely around the MC - what with her being given the country's highest honour - so it could either be a show of unity (as a couple) or solidarity (as Liam showing his support to the MC). I also wonder if this is why Olivia is automatically given the red gown to wear, since they seem to be at least close to dating now if you're not married to Liam.

•

Interestingly the group receives honours based on their defining characteristics, which seemed to have helped in various ways in the fight against Anton. It's also a nice way to finally wrap up all their individual arcs, and validate them in the face of all the doubts they'd had about themselves throughout the series. Maxwell needs to see himself as good for being who he is, not have to transform into someone else altogether, to be seen as a person with something valuable to contribute. Hana still needs to navigate who she would like to be, and how she would like to live her life, and this title is an incredible step forward. Drake has had the most to prove in this book, making it clear that as a commoner he is important and that the nobility need to change their outlook towards commoners in general. Olivia is still redefining what it means to be a Nevrakis and to prove that her family name can be one that stands for loyalty and honour, not treachery.

• The Champion of the Realm title is given to the MC regardless. Even in a fail playthrough she gets it, and I think that's mostly on the basis of the very last scene, since Anton is vanquished by default. Does it ring false? Hell yeah it does. On one level that's the way the story goes, on another - it makes everything EVERY member of our core group says about her sound absolutely weird.

• Why does she get a higher honour above the others? You actually get the chance to ask Liam that. And he does respond - both in his speech during the ceremony, and later on.

Speech: He mentions her position as an outsider in this country and how she has embraced Cordonia as her home, but also speaks of having fought for Cordonia and unified it as a country. The second definitely seems to be the overriding theme when it comes to her: the ability to unite people to a cause.

Do I Deserve This? This is a question the MC has the option of asking Liam after the ceremony, and he stresses again on her working as a unifier. Her quality is not as much intelligence, or bravery, or strength - it's the ability to inspire people to reach their highest potential. He speaks of it as "You don't just make Cordonia better, you inspire us to become better ourselves". Which, if your MC is just all-round horrible to everyone and doesn't even have people come for her wedding, is a load of horseshit. Stop being nice to her Liam.

• Ana de Luca referring to our social season moniker in Book 1 (Mystery Woman/The American) was a nice touch.

• Liam also (finally!) addresses in public the vast imbalance between the nobility and the common populace, and how he would like to change that. I've seen complaints that he has basically "placed his buddies" in the Council, so he is essentially making the same mistake - but I can only see that argument as valid if a. those "buddies" weren't involved in the eventual takedown of Anton, and b. you ignore what he says about getting a roster of candidates ready for the council itself. It's still an ongoing process, so us jumping to criticize something that's just been announced is a little premature.

• Ana says we haven't ever had a council...which makes me question how much of Book 1 the writers have forgotten, honestly. Because...like...

Both screenshots are from the initial chapters of Book 1, mind you. They're possibly not the same as the Council Liam is planning on, but they're definitely there - just that they're invisible! Like the Cordonian populace for most of this series.

• Time for a Ball!!

• Since this is the epilogue, the Honour Ball (which is what I choose to call it rn) harks back both to Liam's Coronation Ball, and to the Masquerade Ball that introduced the MC to the nobility in the first place. The first half is a conversation between the MC, Olivia and Hana (parallel to our very first scene in Book 1, which is Hana congratulating the MC and Olivia maintaining that no matter how attractive she may seem to the Prince, she doesn't have what it takes to be chosen). Hana was sad about the prospect then, but happier for their friendship now. Olivia jealously dismissed the MC as not worthy of Liam then, but accepts that she is worthy of the honours bestowed on her now. Even the MC's responses now parallel the Coronation Ball: a gracious response, a threatening response, and a response that implies closeness ("I would rather date you"/"Just shut up and give me a hug").

• The second half of the Honour Ball scene is the LI dancing with the MC. At the Coronation Ball, this moment was our introduction to Liam, but now our respective LIs come forward for our first dance. In those playthroughs, Liam immediately asks Olivia to his first dance instead. The conversation then turns to their first Ball (Masquerade) and explores the LIs' initial thoughts on the MC.

Liam speaks about how there was a mixture of concern and love in his feelings for the MC. Hana speaks of how the MC transformed the way she looked at herself. Maxwell speaks of wanting the MC from the very beginning but withdrawing because he believed she was meant for Liam, not him. Drake speaks of how wrong he was in believing the MC didn't have what it took to survive, and how proud he is that she doesn't need a protector. All in all, toothachingly sweet 😊

• "I'm ready to do a lot more than dance". Esther is thirsty, from her first scene to her last 😂

• Alright so we now go a whole bunch of extra scenes meant to wrap up everyone's story, and I'll begin with the animals and Olivia before moving forward to the LIs.

Pets: Joy (the corgi) is found raiding the kitchens and making a mess, and in a very fun scene, the MC gets to set a few (very funny) ground rules. The first set deal with house behaviour, the second deal with their interactions with the non-royal LIs, and the last deal with some funny rules about the dog in Cordonia, including not getting involved with cults or overthrowing Liam. It ends with the caption "12/10 The Goodest Boy" (I'm inclined to agree 😄). There's a tiny scene involving Celestia (the horse), Hansel and Gretel (the red pandas), where the MC steals a moment and makes them lovely promises of pampering. All of these scenes are included if you buy all these pets - a little bit like that bonus scene involving Bubbles and the Mechawolf in TCaTF.

What I Think: These are not meant to be very deep - they're just fun, playful little bonus scenes meant to bring a smile to your face, and these scenes definitely succeed in that.

Olivia: This scene involves Olivia regaling Kiara and Penelope's families with the tale of Anton's defeat, and I believe it's the first time we see both families together (they've shared the same spaces but not exactly been shown talking to each other). The futures of all the three ladies are outlined: with Zeke disinheriting himself to become a vet, Kiara now gets to be next in line for running Castelsarreillan after Hakim, as well as the diplomatic liaison on the Royal Council. Penelope will now be a dog fashion designer with plenty support from Joelle, and possibly marrying Ezekiel. Olivia will be meeting Liam to discuss the dissolution of her marriage to Anton, and if you married someone else she will be doing it over dinner, which suggests the beginnings of a romantic relationship. She also plans to tour Lythikos in the aftermath of what Anton and Lucretia have done, and make sure that there are no more rules and stipulations from Lythikos that will pose a problem for Cordonia itself.

What I Think: I like how this wraps up several things at once and brings back that initial conflict of what Zeke's decision to be a vet (even though, frankly speaking, I kinda wish he didn't exist). The highlight was the sincerity and passion with which Olivia plans her next steps for her duchy and country. This scene neatly ties up all the women's stories with satisfying resolutions: the most satisfying of all being that Kiara is justly rewarded for all her hard work. I do take issue, however, with how the writers use Kiara to sugarcoat how terrible the MC and her friends were to her, in front of her mother Joelle. Then again it's not like the MC was particularly honest about her motives for talking to Kiara in Lythikos but...the last thing I want to see is Kiara giving credit where it is not due.

Drake: You begin by talking to several people: Gladys if you took her diamond scene and set her free, Mara, and Drake. Bastien is present, but he speaks more to Drake than to you. Gladys gives you an update on her life and thanks you for giving her a second chance. You get to either thank Mara for "risking her life" or tell her she sucks at her job. Drake talks to a number of people: Bastien, Neville and Rashad. Bastien reveals to Drake that his father was also once Guardian of the Realm (why was his family almost cast out so cruelly then, if what Jackson did was so phenomenal that he got this honour for it?) and would have been proud of Drake today. Neville apologizes to both Drake and the MC, and depending on the MC's response either walks away on good terms or acts like the spoilt brat that he is. Drake then reveals to the MC that she was his inspiration for taking up the Council Seat and that he wants to do more for the common people of Cordonia. Just seconds later, he gets his chance to make a change when Rashad comes forward with a proposal to use unused lands in the duchies to make public spaces for the people, a proposal Drake is only too happy to be involved in.

If you are married to Drake, there is acknowledgement all round of his new position, one extra dialogue from Neville if you respond positively to him, and it changes his dialogue with the MC just a wee bit.

What I Think: What makes Drake's scene so special is the fact that it, by far, most effectively shows the change in nobles' attitudes towards commoners. It is also symbolically important that it happens at the place where the MC sees the palace for the first time with both Maxwell and Drake, AND where Neville and Drake once duelled (and Neville acknowledges this). This is where Gladys - the representative commoner - chooses to thank us and assure us of her support. This is also where we have the chance to take our security detail to task if we so choose (we all thought she was going to be proven as shady and as a traitor...turns out she was just inefficient). The cherry on top is Rashad - the rebel heir - approaching Drake with something that will benefit both nobles and commoners. It kind of shows us the true triumph lies here, in giving to the common populace before unscrupulous elements can sway them. Could this have been done earlier? Of course! But I feel like narratively this is more effective.

Maxwell: For one, thank God Maxwell isn't a surgeon!! This scene includes BertVannah, Bartie and Maxwell, and delves into the upcoming wedding, Bertrand recognizing that he doesn't need to be as hard on himself and his brother as he was in the past, and Maxwell revealing that he's going to write a book about the MC's rags-to-royalty tale. Bertrand is now happy to be honest about the state of his financial affairs and his determination to keep Savannah and Bartie happy. He also gives Maxwell the chance to handle his own finances independently.

If you're married to Maxwell, you get to refer to Savannah as your sister-in-law, Maxwell speaks about your love "changing along the way" if you married someone besides Liam. In his playthrough he speaks of the book as their love story.

What I Think: Overall the Beaumont Brothers storyline got some amount of buildup but very little resolution. We don't know what pushed the House into financial ruin, we don't know the history behind them as we should considering we're an honorary family member, we're never told the secret things that Maxwell hinted at in the Shanghai Night Market group scene in Book 2. The book and its proceeds is said to be the key to restoring their House to its former glory financially, but that's just a very odd way of ending that arc. On one hand I'm glad there is a resolution, on the other it seems a little weak to me.

Hana: Hana is seated at a piano in front of her parents, Madeleine, and Madeleine's parents. Lorelai repeats the mistakes she'd made in Hana's childhood, trying to push Hana into parading her skills in front of guests. Hana refuses without much success, but Lorelai doesn't seem to be really listening to her. At this point, the MC gets to intervene and Xinghai agrees, leading Hana to open up about wanting to share her skills by choice rather than being forced to do so, and Lorelai apologizes...yet again. There is some talk about parenting from Adeleide and Godfrey who are watching this exchange, and we find out that Madeleine is now Royal Communications Director. Once the parents have left, Madeleine stays behind to apologize to Hana for the bullying she meted out to the latter during the Engagement Tour, and Hana tells her that Madeleine will have to earn her forgiveness. Madeleine then promises to ensure that no one harms Hana in court (hah). Once she leaves, Hana joyfully plays piano for the MC herself.

If you're married to Hana, the end of the scene has a few changes. Instead of jokily throwing pillows at each other, they jokily argue over who the best wife is instead (for each, it's the other). The tune Hana plays for the MC as her wife is different from what she plays as her friend. The friend version has her play the upbeat TRR theme tune, and the LI version has Hana play what the narrative calls a "slow, sultry tune"...which turns out to be the mournful TRR theme tune. What, is being married to Hana supposed to be an occasion for sadness now?? Because you're definitely succeeding in making it look like that.

What I Think: I guess I should be happy that Madeleine's behaviour was addressed at all, though it was clearly a rushed, last-minute job that happened because of some amount of arm-twisting. It's also nice that they bring us full-cirlce by referencing Hana's piano scene in Book 1, and showing that rebuilding her relationship with her parents (she shouldn't have to, but this is clearly the way the writers WANT to go) is going to be an agonizing, painful process. They show the parallels between Hana's upbringing and Madeleine's upbringing as well - it's not a parallel I'm happy seeing, but I was aware they were going to take that route way back in Book 2.

That said, there are things that won't let me enjoy the scene. One is that at this point, I'm not seeing Lorelai learning or growing enough. I know this might be an attempt to show that these things take time, but the Lorelai scenes are honestly getting repetitive and exhausting. And as someone who has been where Hana has been? Right down to family members who accept they need to be better but don't actually? I can tell you it's fucking exhausting to have to deal with that again and again and again. For Hana's sake at least I wish I could actually see her LEARN from what she's done and ACTIVELY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

Now we go to my biggest problem with this scene. Madeleine.

It's good that she confesses to her motives and accepts Hana's decision. It's good that Hana gets to be firm about not forgiving her until SHE is comfortable doing so. It's good that Hana sees her own forgiveness as something that should be earned - not by a paltry two-minute apology but through genuine effort. But the problem for me lies in two areas:

1. Madeleine's Excuses: That's exactly what they are - excuses. Madeleine claims that she wanted to "break" Hana in an effort to get her to shed her "nice act". Which is bullshit. Even if Hana's kindness was an act...was she hurting anyone? Was her "act" actually causing harm? Madeleine's actions exceeding even Hana's perceived crime. What business was it of Madeleine's to rip this woman apart based on her own assumptions? And if she recognized that Hana was genuinely good, why was she okay with minimizing what she did to her? We can bring a thousand excuses about her sexuality and her upbringing and how hard all of this was - it doesn't make the gravity of what was done to Hana and the ridiculousness of Madeleine's claims any less.

2. The MC's Fake Self-Righteousness: This bit was perhaps the most jarring part of the entire exchange. By default, when Madeleine speaks about wanting to break Hana, the MC seems furious. But it's more than that. The MC sounds like she's hearing these words for the first time.

The only good thing about it is that Madeleine calls her out on it. But besides that, it just...makes all the MC's claims about being there for Hana and having Hana's back ring so false. One of my biggest problems with this whole series of events was how much the MC herself minimized and diluted what Hana went through at Madeleine's hands. How little she seemed to care about arming her friend with the entire, unvarnished truth. To have her act all protective in front of Hana now, to pretend like she'd never heard those poisonous words...that's just a whole other level of shady. It reflects even worse on the MC if they're married, because dafaq kind of wife are you if you couldn't arm your wife emotionally against this snake of a human being? That would be a major disservice to Hana-romancers who hated the way Madeleine treated her, and Hana stans in general because they weren't given a fair chance to properly protect and support Hana. Instead for the most part they'd be forced to choose the least worst options, rather than ones they were truly happy with. It sucks.

Liam: A short but significant scene. You find Liam in conversation with his stepmother Regina, and greet them. She is happy and proud of Liam and the MC, and everything they have achieved. She thanks you, and you can choose to either respond positively or maintain that she should have trusted you in the first place. Either way, she responds with grace, and then leaves. You speak about not having seen the throne room much, and Liam opens up to you about not being able to come here without being haunted by his memories of his father. He confesses to struggling with moving on from Constantine's death, understandably, and for the first time, feels safe enough emotionally to cry in the MC's presence.

If you're married to Liam, Regina speaks about how you two as a couple remind her of herself and Constantine, and expresses happiness in the changes you have brought about in Liam. Furthermore, the conversation about Constantine is extended to involve Liam and the MC's own plans for a family, and how they will strive not to repeat Constantine's mistakes. This is a fitting throwback especially to the date scene with Liam, where he speaks about how he wants a family where everyone is open to each other.

What I Think: I'd been silent for a long time about things in Liam's storyline that have disappointed me, mostly because I felt that given my LI was the central LI I fared better than most (and it's true - I did). But it doesn't change the fact that I am disappointed they didn't explore his potential. Neither his fiancée nor his friends nor his family paid enough attention to his own emotional state, and where the narrative could have had us tackle his demons they failed in creating opportunities for us to do so. A single tear slipping down his cheek is something, but to me it presents similar issues to Hana's last scene - that it is a rushed job of a journey that could have been resolved step by step, that could have been given some attention. I'm happy we got to see the statesman behind the lover, but doesn't mean it should be one or the other. There was enough room to balance out both and actually address his trauma and his health, yet it was ignored for the most part.

That said, this scene was poignant on its own, and I always love it when there are little moments of bonding between Liam and Regina, because I think that relationship itself is quite underrated.

• Now that we have finished checking up on everyone, we take one last look at the ballroom that held so many memories - sweet and horrific - for us, before Mara tells us it's time to get into the carriage for our honeymoon.

• We say goodbye to all our allies first (and get to hug Olivia if we want), and then to our friends who are waiting at the carriage. There's a lovely little group hug, and if you bought the horse she will be the one drawing the carriage. If you've bought the corgi, he also gives you a fond goodbye before you leave. As do the Cordonian citizens by default.

• The carriage scene is a beautiful private moment, because each LI gets to explore the moment they first met the MC, and how incredibly fortunate they are to have been on this journey together. All of them speak of the incredible odds they faced together, and how they will be willing to face them all over again if it meant a lifetime with the MC. It's a touching emotional moment, and all the four scenes have been written lovingly. The final lines of this book are the kind that stay with you, long after the book is finished:

LI: Is this moment everything you wanted it to be? (or some such variation, depending on your LI)

MC: No...it's better.

General Thoughts:

• Even if you choose every single wrong option possible, the story ends well for you. You don't get people to support you and very few people besides the ladies of the court and your immediate friends and LI's family make it to the wedding, but somehow they magically appear at the reception. Regardless of how badly you performed, your final actions fighting Anton earn you the Champion of the Realm title anyway, and in this case it's an unfair advantage to give. But the thing is this: every single LI in this group showers praises over you no matter what you do. That's the way this particular story goes, and it's written such that it won't go any other way no matter how much you try. The MC in a lot of cases is a reflection of the player, and at the end of the day I think they want the player to leave this story happy with their journey, even if it's too ridiculous to be true.

• This is a fitting end to the series overall: it allows us to explore everyone else's endings, has great parallels with the past, and allows us enough wiggle room to imagine our MC's future with their spouse. With regards to QTs, I still have Book 1 to complete, but I'd like to get some distance from the series itself first before I tackle it again.

Final Thoughts:

When I started this book last year, I got in completely expecting to be bored. Bored and totally not invested. I gave my MC the name I felt the least connected to (Alice Bennet), and barely gave much thought to which LI I would pick. However, something always brought me back, something always got me looking forward to the next chapter. Thus began my love affair with this book.

There are a lot of reasons why this book grew on people. The intrigue hidden behind this fairytale-like frame story. The little connections between this series and TCaTF, one of their most popular flagship books. The camaraderie between the members of the core group themselves. The way even the not-so-nice characters grew on you. The way each LI had something unique to bring to the table. Somehow...even the people who couldn't be bothered about the series could find something they would have even a passing interest in.

Do I miss this book? A little. This book got me back into writing essays - something I always loved doing - and fanfic. I got to learn so much, explore so much, and contribute so much thanks to my fondness for it, and for the fandom that seemed to love it as much as I did.

Am I sad it's gone? Well, in some ways yes. But I'd rather it did when it had to instead of being dragged along, and I would rather not see the writers destroy the characters they had zero interest in, further (I love this book - but I also love it enough that I will never forget to point out where it fucked up). I think it had a good run, lasting more than a year, and it ended well.

For better or for worse, I'm glad I got to be a part of this journey.