#like she wasn't a saint!

[killerchickadee]

I hate when someone dies and everyone makes it all serious and oh she was so sweet blah blah blah. Humor is important to me and my family so for me I'm like

I'm remembering my grandma by posting my favorite picture of myself, which she took. Me sitting in a beautiful place in nature looking fucking miserable. No hugs and kisses Grammy, just my grandmother with no patience for my bullshit. I mean. She could have been nicer to me but it's still pretty fucking funny.

And on my mom's Facebook page there was a picture of her at her favorite restaurant with comments like, "What a wonderful beautiful woman," and my mom's cousin steps in with, "Man was she a pain in the ass!" And she was! Great lady! Also kind of a bitch! Had a raunchy sense of humor and a bit of a potty mouth and ruthlessly called people out on their shit!

[dirtytransmasc]

... she never made an effort... she only ever furthered herself from her siblings... she only made herself look like a threat, having it made clear viserys would always favor her, protecting her lies at the risk of others, after abandoning her mother when she needed her most, and used and lied to her, hurting her more than she already was from Viserys, for her own benefit (not to mention her manipulative father buried those thoughts deep in her mind while she was still a CHILD herself)... she had every reason to "hate" (fear) Rhaenyra and in her attempts to protect her children, extend that fear/hatred to them. even then, outside of Aemond (justifiably, considering she felt entitled to his eye and wanted to have him tortured) none of them even really hated her until the dance, at the very most, they felt resentful because their father loved her 10x more than he loved all 4 (including Daeron) of them combined, and at the very least, they felt nothing as she was never there, never mattered to their lives outside of court and politics.

this take is shit. Rhaenyra never cared. she never wanted her siblings in her life. she felt entitled to Aemond's eye, and you want to tell me she gave a shit, not even enough to spare her 10 year old brother, over an insult?

(and before you bring up her call for her siblings to come bend the knee, we know how she can kiss up and lie through her teeth in times of need, her words hold little backing. see it as truth if you want, but I can't trust it, not with how she's acted previously.)

[tarantula-hawk-wasp]

Sacrificial Lamb

another little symbolism moment with my oc inquisitor maera modeled on 'innocence' by William Adolphe-Bougueraeu

[blood-starved-beast]

A lot of mariadeline fics have Adeline be the one to die first. Which yeah, makes sense that Maria would kill herself after major tether to this Earth perishes. But consider!! The tragedy of Maria killing herself before Adeline dies.

Lady Maria always prioritizes herself (and how own issues/faults) to the detriment to her understanding of others. I'd argue this is why she never notices Gehrman's mania despite it being pretty obvious (I doubt the Doll was the first time he pulled such an act.) I wouldn't be surprised, therefore, that she in her overwhelming guilt and shame over her own actions, she forgets the connections she does have on Earth and the people who would miss her when she's gone.

Idk, this was inspired by how in the Hunter's Nightmare, when you first encounter Saint Adeline she asks if you were Maria, but climbing the Clocktower Maria is currently dead (until she is Not). More likely, the fics are right but again, it's a fun tragic fanfic concept to explore.

[syninplays]

Few caps I got from Red Dead Redemption 2 ~

[thebluehoursofmorning]

idk, i get the point of trying to live healthily and do basic things like exercising and eating well etc etc but then things can get really specific and judgy about what health things you do or don't do and it is so frustrating and now I don't know if I should continue what the doctor says to do and it's so confusing and you WILL be met with judgement from one side or another no matter what you do

[iwasbored777]

I hate it that whenever I hear a Marinette stan it's always "she's not perfect but she's amazing and she's trying and she's always leaning towards the better and she's getting better and better" - which is how I feel and how they say it in the show too and it's totally ok and true, but for every other character the fans are always like "the most perfect character ever, the best and the only normal character ever in this show", and it sucks cuz no one in this show is perfect nor normal nor flawless and they've all made mistakes and I'm tired of pretending that Marinette is the only one for whom we can say so cuz you don't seem like real stans to me. You either accept both character's wrongs and rights and stan them for their rights only or you stan them for their wrongs only (which is something you do for villains mostly). But I'm sick whenever I hear someone turning a character into a saint who's never done anything wrong just because they like them. Every character is in their story and they do things that are right or wrong in their story and that's how it is. They all fight for their places and you don't have to love them all but stop acting like your favourite is immaculate and everyone else is bad.

[thedisablednaturalist]

surely a chronically ill person can go a day without EATING right? It's not like I'm managing a complicated illness that requires strict management right? And I totally don't need to be pain free for work tomorrow right!?!!

/sarcasm

[fideidefenswhore]

@boleynism replied to your post:

It's a great summary, although I'm not sure 'bullying' is the best word choice (...hectoring?); unless, of course we're taking Chapuys at 100% face value (which...off the dome, incorrect report of the name of Anne's first child, incorrect report that Mary was going to be sent to serve Anne as maid in waiting, report that there were no bonfires celebrating Elizabeth's christening was contradicted by two other sources...only the first of which he ever admitted the error, which he would never have gotten away with doing otherwise, as she was a significant child, the second of which he still claimed was true but that Anne had changed her mind and decided to send her to Elizabeth's household instead). And it's the reality of power, really...gaining power, securing power, maintaining power (or, as Thomas has argued here, safety) can be very ugly. These were not Disney princesses we're talking about. But there's a certain Janus face to all this, also: in all likelihood, Anne completely believed that everything she did was justified, because she wanted to use that power for good ("pardon me from your hearts [...] that I have not done all the good that was in my power to do.”  ), for causes she believed in, that's all tied up in that fierce maternal instinct (""A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.") as well.

[wizardnuke]

now a dnd party with a strong bond and synergy is great and all and i'm confident that my party will get there but as of right now only about 5-6 sessions in we've had multiple shouting fights, countless threats, and one instance of pvp. now. i hope this changes. me and one guy are sort of working to fix that. but it's so fun don't discount the joys of you and your friends pretending to hate each other

[the-acid-pear]

Honestly to me for a character to be TRULY a problematic fave they have to hurt children. If they don't hurt children then I don't care to call them my girlfriends or my problematic faves. "Oh he's a war criminal" how many innocent kids did he kill? Yeah, that's what I thought, get out of here with your cheap ass villain smfh.

[mynameisbillandimaheadcase]

:/

[dirtytransmasc]

I'll rephrase, Alicent in the first episodes after the time skip treat rhaenyra like shit before aemond's episode and whisper to aegon how he will become king, so, in this time rhaenyra did nothing to be seen as a threat to alicent's children. And mostly because alicent is aware that viserys loves only rhaenyra, alicent should have preserve her relationship with rhaenyra if she really care for her children, not give rhaenyra a reason to hate her. The cold truth is that before aemond's episode most of alicent's choise are guided not by the love she have for her children but by her resentment toward rhaenyra. Alicent herself plant the seed for the dance, not rhaenyra. She crown aegon aware that rhaenyra will not bend the knee and that houses will support her but still forces aegon to take the crown and start a war, the reason why her children are in danger ARE HER NOT RHAENYRA. When people say that they're happy for alicent's end honestly i can't agree more because all the blood of the dance, not only her children or rhaenyra's but the blood of everyone, is on her shoulders and on her choise.

***EDIT AT BOTTOM***

ok, so, gonna try and be nice, but I've tackled takes close to this one before, and I'm getting a wee bit tired of it, but I'm gonna do it again anyway.

Alicent had no reason, to respect, love, or foster a relationship with Rhaenyra during the timeskip, and tried her hardest to prior to the timeskip, only to get walked all over, so she stopped trying.

I've gone over this in a few posts like this, this, and this one (these are similar takes, not exactly catering to this one exactly, so like, take them with a pinch of salt and focus on what caters to this take if your gonna go through reading them), but Alicent does not owe Rhaenyra any good will, at all, point blank.

Alicent tried for years, long enough to have 2 children, to reforge her relationship with Rhaenyra. this was after she was prayed upon by a grown ass man who forced her hand in marriage (after her own father sent her to the mans chambers, and if you try and argue she had any choice or say, or try to blame her for her marriage to Viserys I will gladly just send you to my many posts as to why that's a straight up lie, cause I've beaten that horse beyond death, its pulverized) and Rhaenyra treated her like absolute garbage, abandoning her in her greatest time of need. but she still tried to rekindle that bond, tried to include rhaenyra, tried to befriend her, she tried, and Rhaenyra walked all over her, leaving her completely alone outside of Viserys, her father, and her children.

Alicent tried, time and time again to help Rhaenyra as well. she tried to give Rhaenyra a choice in her marriage, kept Viserys's temper calm with her, helped set up a grand tour with dozens of suitors for her to pick from, a good grace no noble girl, or any girl really, could ever dream of.

when Rhaenyra had her scandal with Daemon and Criston, she tried her hardest to protect her then, even when it hurt her to do so. she believed Rhaenyra when she lied to her, on her dead mothers name, making a fool of herself in front of Viserys. she proclaimed Rhaenyra's innocence only to find out she had not only lied, but from her prospective, she had slept with two men in one night, one of those times it was coerced (since she had no way of knowing Rhaenyra hadn't gone all the way with Daemon), and that while her father received punishment and was removed from KL (leaving her alone at court), Viserys still didn't believe her and sent her the tea.

that is a lot for one person to process, especially from someone they considered a close friend to do to them. to be treated with cruelty over a marriage she had no say in and was hurt by immensely, lied to, used, walked all over, and abandoned none the less? I would have hated her too.

Rhaenyra goes on to do whatever she wants at court, while Alicent suffers her fate of duty. she has bastards and proclaims them legitimate, showing she has yet to change whatsoever since that event, an event that has had a negative impact on Alicent's life. Viserys turns a blind eye to it, as he practically had with the scandal (cause a moon tea and a marriage is barely anything compared to the consequence's Rhaenyra should have faced. not wishing ill on Rhaenyra either, just saying the heir to the iron throne deserves a little more than a pat, not even a slap, on the wrist for that). she's angry, its understandable.

and yet, even through her anger, she keeps her temper. sure she speaks to Viserys and Cole about it, but thats her husband, Rhaenyra's father, and her sworn sword and seemingly only trusted friend. at court (especially prior to the time skip) she is amiable, if a little passive aggressive. she protect Rhaenyra's name more than she has to, is respectful when she doesn't have to, even keeps those around her to honor some level of repsect when it comes to Rhaenyra when she doesn't have to (namely calling Criston when he calls her a cunt).

when they usurp her, she orders no harm to come to Rhaenyra and stands up to her manipulative father after years of falling to his words, and orders that he follow her lead, because she doesn't want to hurt Rhaenyra if its not necessary.

will I say she was the kindest person in the whole wide world to Rhaenyra? never, that's laughable. will I say she was kinder, more respectful, and protected her more than Rhaenyra ever even attempted to be, let alone was towards her? 100% absolutely.

she never wanted to have a bad relationship with Rhaenyra, but one person can only take so much before they break. she couldn't try anymore, Rhaenyra made it clear that Alicent was nothing more than a means to an end for her, that she would step on her if she needed to. Alicent shouldn't be expected to put up with that.

she attempted to remain amiable over the years, to keep some semblance of peace within the house until Rhaenyra was a threat, which honestly would have most likely happened regardless, as we've seen, Rhaenyra will step over whoever it takes to keep her head above water, being friends probably would have doomed Alicent and her kids even faster.

Alicent was never the seed of the dance, Rhaenyra and Viserys were. Viserys allowed Rhaenyra to grow into the person she was, a person who sought self benefit with little care for the realm and her image, she doomed herself and Alicent was caught in the crossfire. to

expecting someone to kiss another person's feet, even after that person has kicked them into the dirt time and time again, when that person had even tried to grovel and make friends once more for years, only to blame them when they don't, when they pick themselves up out of the dirt and brush themselves off and act in their own (rightful) self interest, for a war that they never wanted and were merely a pawn in, is actually wild to me.

Alicent acted well in her own rights towards Rhaenyra and it brought her nothing but pain. she tried to be respectful and dutiful for the house and the courts sake and Rhaenyra only became more of a threat. she tried her best to protect her children, the kingdom, and rhaenyra, and was faced with war, the death of her children, and her own demise. one woman can only do and be so much, and its never enough.

and if you want to point out the ways Alicent could have been better, start pointing out the ways Rhaenyra could have been, cause her list is a lot longer. they both weren't perfect, but Alicent was forced into a life she did not ask for, given children to protect that went unloved and unwanted by their father, thrown into a conflict that had been building for years, and still tried, Rhaenyra made her own bed and refused to lay in it. one deserves more blame for the war than the other.

Edit: one thing I forgot to mention in both posts. Alicent stopped trusting Rhaenyra after her father was removed from court, rightfully so, cause she saw Rhaenyra would always get away with anything at the expense of others, and then years pass, so yeah, she wants Aegon to be king. is this wise or kind of her? I don't know, I think she's fucking earned it, we have 0 idea what has happened in those years inbetween, other than Rhaenyra having 3 bastards and claiming them as legitimate. I'd be pissed, I'd be scared (cause thats threat enough alone in my opinion), and I'd want to push my own legitimate children, especially if I had been at the but of Rhaenyra's behavior prior, I would not trust that situation to go anyway but belly up for me. if you disagree so be it, I'm not gonna convince anyone to change their minds on this specific scene. she told Aegon he would be king because despite not being a massive sore thumb of a threat, she's still, as a female heir with a firstborn son right behind her, a threat to her children nonetheless (cause politics, yippee, I don't like it but its true). she knew it would be Rhaenyra or her child, and she would always pick her son.

[thebirdandhersong]

I JUST remembered something lol

[nostalgia-tblr]

Re: Hunting for Sport Poll though, I do want to add (separately) that you don't have to feel bad about not knowing the history of every place on Earth, even the famous bits. The world is very large and history is very long and there is no way you'll ever know even a basic outline of everyone's national histories unless you spend all day every day doing nothing else. Think of how much time you spent in school in a history class and it's no longer quite so shocking that you don't know even quite major things from the history of wherever you live.

So, like. Don't beat yourself up over things you didn't know because nobody ever taught them to you. And hey, you know now!

[wonder-worker]

What are your favorite Plantagenet-related novels, and why do you love them?

Hi! I'm so sorry, I don't read lots of medieval English historical fiction, and the ones I have read are pretty terrible (three guesses which).

Once again: sorry! If anyone else has any recommendations, feel free to share them!