#little robin redbreast

[zanystarfishpeach-blog]

[mlmxreader]

My Robin Redbreast | Bane x gn!reader

Anonymous asked: Bane: Hiya! Hope alls well 🖤. May I please give you a request to use the following prompts for big tiddy Bane X non-binary, male, or gn!Reader: "Fuck you!"+"What's got you in such a bad mood?" Thank you very much 🖤! 🐍anon

summary: it's a shame that Bane makes a mistake, but at least things turn out well enough.

tws: swearing, mild violence, threat

support your fanfic writers by reblogging what you read & enjoy

You were royally pissed off by the time you got to Bane’s hiding place, on a warpath as you clenched your jaw tightly and let your fists ball at your side; you were fucking livid by what he had done, and when you saw him sitting there, no shirt and just a pair of boxers on, you couldn’t help it.

You swung for him, and although he caught it, he looked at you with confusion. Furrowed brows and a slightly tilted head as he held your fists in his hands; it wasn’t like when he fought, he wasn’t holding them tightly, just enough to prevent you from swinging for him again.

“Fuck you!” You spat. “Fucking fuck you, Bane! You bastard!”

“What’s got you in such a bad mood?” He asked calmly. He was always so fucking horribly calm.

You squirmed, pushing him away enough until you could swing for him again; but Bane had a lot more expertise and experience than you did, and easily grabbed you by the waist. You flailed and tried to bite him, but his grip was strong enough to keep you still in his embrace.

You were howling incoherently, and he allowed you to; he didn’t mind that you were pissed, that you had swung for him. He trusted that you had a good enough reason for it.

“How fucking dare you?” You panted after a while, out of breath and sweating. “You had me fucking followed?!”

Bane sighed, shaking his head. “No, not you. I trust you with everything I have.”

“Then who the fuck were those guys?!” You hissed. “Because they were your fucking men!”

He grumbled softly, letting his grip falter slightly. “If you must know, I asked them to gather information on you.”

“For fucking what?!” You howled. “You said you trusted me!”

“I do,” he stated calmly, his voice an even and stable growl. “But I wanted to know which drink you buy the most so I could get some of it shipped here.”

“Fuck!” You scoffed, wriggling out of his embrace and looking at him with confusion. “Why didn’t you just fucking ask me?”

Bane shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “Admittedly, I wanted it to be a surprise, little one. I figured, when Gotham is in ruins and the corruption and greed is dug out and cut out, we could sit in a garden and share a drink or two.”

“Seriously?” You huffed, raising your brows. “Why didn’t you just ask, Bane? I would’ve told you and been none the wiser.”

“I realise that, now,” he admitted with a nod. “Just as I realise I’m wrong.”

Your shoulders slumped, the tension leaving you as you ran a hand down your face and nodded slowly, your other hand resting on your hip; you trusted Bane to tell you the truth, that he had not had you followed by his henchmen but that he had meant well and wanted to know something simple. You had no reason not to trust him after everything that you had been through together.

Him saving you, you using your status as a nobody to get him intel and information on the goings on in Gotham. Him getting you out of a shit situation and giving you safety, you getting him a link to the Gotham Communist Party so that he could get money to those who needed it when he stole it from those who didn’t. They called you thugs, but you and Bane were more like Robin Hood if anything. The men chasing after you were crooks, violent men with guns who would take their aggression out on those who were already given shit for existing.

You wanted to protect your own, to protect the working class of Gotham - Bane helped you with that. You had no reason to do anything but trust him - he had proved it time and time again that he could be trusted, and that if you were loyal to his cause, he would be loyal to yours in return. He wasn’t good, nor honourable, but he was loyal and he was trustworthy. 

You swallowed thickly, sitting down in his chair as you dared to laugh in disbelief. “Fuck me.”

Bane grumbled, sitting opposite you with his hands clasped between his legs. “You alright?”

“As much as I can be,” you hummed with a shrug. “But I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone straight to being violent with you.”

Bane shook his head, humming softly, no. “You don’t need to be sorry. We’re in a difficult situation, you and I - biding our time until we can start the real work.”

You sighed, swallowing thickly. “What if we don’t succeed?”

“We will,” he told you with absolute certainty. “You don’t know when to quit, and I need that on my side. I need you on my side, robin redbreast.”

“You broke me out of my cage,” you pointed out. 

He stood up, tutting as he shook his head. “And yet, all Heaven is still in a rage. And will be, until Gotham and its people are free of corruption and greed. There are thousands of robin redbreasts just like you, my beloved.”

You nodded slowly. “If we can pull this off, I have one requirement.”

“Anything.”

“We get married at last,” you said quietly. “As soon as Gotham’s free. We get married.”

Bane hummed as he raised his brows slightly, the only indication that he was smiling or would have been. “Nothing would make me happier, my robin.”

“So you promise?” You asked.

“I promise,” he agreed. “As soon as the plan is complete, I will arrange for us to get married as quickly as possible. You and I were meant to be, my beloved. I will not let anything stand between us.”

“Not even the Bat?”

“Especially not the Bat,” he growled. “I will break him - mind, body, spirit. Everything. I will clip his wings.”

You nodded, daring to smile at him. “So it’s settled?”

“It is, my robin.”

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

Little Robin Redbreast

by Femme_Morte Hal’s heard rumors about some kid running around Gotham with the Bat. But that’s ridiculous, right? Words: 1928, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: Gen Characters: Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) Relationships: Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne Additional Tags: Batfamily Meets the Justice League (DCU), Bruce Wayne Tries to Be a Good Parent, Dick Grayson is Robin, Fluff, Blood and Injury, I can’t help it guys, alternate first meeting with the JL, Hidden Injury, Good Parent Bruce Wayne, DC stands for Disregard Canon, no beta we die like jason todd, Dick Grayson Meets the Justice League via https://ift.tt/Nv4cPi3

[pearlescent-soda]

🐾//The Three Diablos Headcanons

The events between Puss meeting the Diablos and encountering Humpty and Kitty are actually very close to one another. The Diablos came after Humpty's betrayal, and since Kitty is no longer with Puss, Santa Coloma as well. So, it's safe to assume that by 'Puss in Boots: The Last Wish', years have passed, and the kittens have somewhat grown up a bit. In the context of these headcanons, they're in their preteen to teenage years and still serve as bodyguards for Princess Alessandra Belagomba.

---

Literary References: -'The Owl and The Pussycat' -'Little Robin Redbreast' -'Hey Diddle Diddle'

TW: Child/ Animal Abuse and Child/ Animal Death ---

⚔️Gonzalo:

His so-called 'scrappy temper' is still intact, he's a grumpy, sardonic feline but he's managed to mature. Truth be told, before his intervention he had been more of a bruiser than he was a hero, fortunately, he's renounced his hyper aggressive attitude in favor of being the snarky big brother with a heart of gold. He’ll tell it like it is, no flowery words or detestable small talk, he’s the blunt, cutting voice of reason that his team needs him to be. However, he's still got a lot of work to do regarding his temper, but he's taking it slow one day at a time.

He's the 'brawn', the biggest Diablo, clocking in at 2'11" and thirty five pounds, he throws that weight around at any chance that presents itself. He didn't get his scars by sitting around, he loves a good fight maybe a bit too much with how heavy-handed he can be, but the other option would be to let the enemy win. And for a wild cat like Gonzalo, losing a fight is worse than dying, especially when his siblings are depending on him.

Upon reuniting with Puss, Gonzalo gave the loosest, most half-hearted hug of his entire life to protect his 'cool cat' persona, but he betrayed himself with his near deafening purring. Puss, on the other hand, was taken aback by his nephew's radically different image, the soft little tortoiseshell he once knew had grown into a giant, grizzled warrior, and he was so taken aback by that revelation he almost forgot to introduce Kitty and Perrito. Gonzalo happily accepted Softpaws and Perrito into his family, he likes sparring with her and sharing his endless troubles with him. Furthermore, he'll also take extreme pleasure telling both of them the story of how 'The Three Diablos' met and defeated Puss in Boots, taking great care to highlight all the ways they had humiliated him. 'Ah... Arena en los ojos. It works every time!'

He's had the most encounters with Death due to his past callousness and directionless wrath. 'Gold, Grace, Glory' the Diablo mantra, was reinterpreted as 'Gauge, Goad, and Gut' after Gonzalo became an untouchable bully in his newfound position of power, picking brutal fights both physical and verbal with anyone he believed even looked at him ‘funny’. His ceaseless fighting saw him rack up a win-loss streak of one hundred three to zero that was abruptly shattered when a challenger draped in black nearly cost him two whole lives. The ordeal left his mind and body scarred as a constant reminder that he has one less life, but it was ultimately the humbling experience that he needed.

'The Fiddler, The Robin, and The Owl' should remain unmentioned around him unless one wants to unwisely incur his wrath. Yeah, that was a job gone wrong if there ever was one, three criminals for each Diablo to capture and they only caught Robin and the fiddle itself. The Fiddler and Owl had left an injured Robin behind to take the heat for a botched heist and he remains incarcerated to this day, while that lovely mystical instrument of theirs is currently being held in the Belagomba treasury. The Diablos didn't leave empty handed, so why is he upset? Simple... He was knocked unconscious by Owl for the entire duration of the fight.

He doesn't like his milk plain, it's got to be chocolate, premixed or with chocolate syrup, no compromises. 'Brand is irrelevant, the flavor is all that matters, and I could go for a glass of leche con chocolate right about now'. If his siblings weren't there to stop him, he would most definitely down entire kegs of the stuff if presented the chance.

🌸Perla:

The clever and cunning cat of the group, she's easily the most noble Diablo with how quick she is to take blows on behalf of others. Although, she can be alarmingly impatient and too ambitious for her own good, which often has her come across shortsighted and unbearably pragmatic. Thankfully, her less than savory attributes typically become her greatest strengths when facing an 'all-powerful' enemy or self-important court official.

Compared to her rather 'eccentric' brothers, she easily fills in as the 'brain', and it suits them all just fine. She's the planner, the tactician, the diplomat, the self-appointed leader, everything she had to be to keep them together since she was a littler kitten. When one plans fails, she's quick to pull out another one in the blink of an eye to complete her mission.

Wholly unexpected from a lady such as herself, but she tackled Puss to the ground in the warmest embrace her furry little arms could muster when he returned to Belagomba. He treats her like a little princess much to her dismay, she's more used to giving affection to others than receiving it, which makes Puss' paternal gestures so, so embarrassing. She's still wary of the overly friendly Perrito because of her long not-so-fun history of running for her life from stray mutts, but she adores Kitty, she loves her so much that sometimes, if she's not careful, she may let a 'mamá' or two slip out.

'You wouldn't spare him a cup of water, but you would now trade a life for his return? Tch. Was he not a citizen of your kingdom, gatita? The citizens you swore on your lives to protect?' She had pleaded with Death not to take a homeless beggar with him, a beggar that she, prior to the apparition's visit, perceived to not be worth a second of her time. Her failure to empathize with the ailing man cost him his life, but she was determined to convince an unmoved Death to bring him back, no matter the cost. So, she came up with another deal, he can take as many of her lives when he determines that she's failed to live up to heroic status, to which he... Accepted. Intrigued by her, Death, without missing a beat, took her tail as assurance stating that he'd be back for the remainder of her spine if she 'strayed too far'. She knew what he meant, and it was through that encounter that she truly gained her noble heart.

Nearly caused an awful scene in Far Far Away Palace after being tasked by Alessandra to entertain young King Arthur's beloved Bichon Frisé, Fido, while royalty gathered elsewhere in the castle for a summit. Perla did her best to tire out the dog and keep her from tearing apart the castle by using chew toys and playing fetch, anything the dog wanted to do she did. The dog just needed to black out long enough for her to return to her princess and brothers, but Fido decided to make the terrified cat her long-term playmate and dragged her around by the tail for what felt like an eternity. By the time she tuckered the little white terror out, it was nighttime. The exhausted kitten just wanted to get a glimpse of the new king rumored to be an Adonis and all she got was teased by Gonzalo for her exasperated appearance and a short tussle ensued between them.

Soy or almond milk only, she's lactose intolerant so regular dairy products are a no-go. Even a tiny sip of milk or a bite of ice cream would have her out of commission for who knows how long, and an embarrassing scenario that she does her best to avoid.

🐞Sir Timoteo Montenegro III:

While he may be ditzy, gullible, and idealistic, he's by far the most personable Diablo, being kind and curious to all who cross his path. Timoteo is always seen smiling and laughing with the townsfolk, the young man has got friends everywhere, and that's the irrefutable truth. However, for such an innocent creature, he says uncharacteristically macabre things, but he's just so innately adorable and sweet that he could get away with murder if he really wanted to. Not to worry, the name 'Sir Timoteo Montenegro III' should only insight fear in criminals with wicked hearts and royal chefs with freshly prepared platters.

He's a doer not a thinker, he follows his brother and sister around like a puppy and typically just does whatever they tell him to do. Though since he's such a people cat, he's the designated interrogator in the group, because he can separate the truth from a lie with the same swiftness he has when removing a lobster from its shell. Unfortunately, interrogations aren't frequent occurrences for the Three Diablos, so Timmy has happily taken on the role of designated decoy in the meantime.

Timmy didn't recognize him until Puss did his signature 'Trust Me' face, then it was purrs, pats, and kisses all around. Puss is surprised to see Timoteo so alive and healthy, but mostly alive since this is the exact same kitten who ate multiple gold coins in front of him despite them 'tasting bad'. Timoteo and Perrito are glued at the hip in one another's company, talking a mile a minute about nothing and everything, no two creatures were as made for each other as those two emissaries of pure positivity. Kitty, on the other hand, is more protective of him because of his clumsy nature, although she does find it hilarious how this lovable goofball was a part of the same 'Three Diablos' that had allegedly buried Puss alive. 'The great 'Puss in Boots' couldn't handle three rowdy kittens? You're right, that is bad for your reputation'.

He's died exactly once; he caught a bad 'fever' after stopping in the royal garden to munch the lilies instead of smelling the roses. That fatal 'fever' was in actuality chronic kidney failure and in his delirious, bedridden state, he'd heard the loveliest voice sing him to sleep, but when he rose fresh onto his next life the singing had already stopped.

He was grounded for eating all the goldfish in one of Alessandra's garden ponds. His sister tried to pull the last surviving fish out of his mouth, but she wasn't fast enough to grab it and even slower to fess up to Alessandra. 'I am very disappointed in you two. Perla, cariño, I've told you time and time again not to let him travel alone. Why weren't you wearing your 'buddy harnesses'?' Perla would rather have her tail off again then physically tether herself to Timmy, but as usual, whatever punishment he got would be hers as well regardless of whether or not she participated.

Any leche is good leche, though if he had any choice in the matter, his go to drink would be banana milk. When he was much younger if he was given a saucer of banana milk, his entire face would disappear in the liquid, and he would only come up for oxygen at the very last second. He hasn't broken the habit yet and likely isn't planning on doing so anytime soon.

[sphylor]

Sphyyyyy please tell me all the things about Robins 😊

okay okay okay SO. european robins are these little guys: (pics my own you can find better ones online though)

more under the cut :3

they are so silly and sweet and theyre my favourite. this one ive actually sorta become friends with! robins in the uk are pretty curious when it comes to humans (in mainland europe they and other songbirds used to be hunted and trapped so theyre a lot more afraid of humans but robins were never hunted in the uk). if you're digging in the garden they will sit nearby and watch for any worms you unearth. also just in general they like to watch humans and are generally unfazed if they spot you watching them too. there have been so many cases of people befriending robins. i remember watching a news segment on an old lady who had a robin who would fly into her home and they would sit and watch the telly together HFHSH.

theyre also extremely territorial though when it comes to other robins and sometimes just other birds in general (i saw my robin friend chase away a pair of bluetits the other week fjndnc) so the average lifespan of a robin is around 13 months as most dont survive their first year due to territorial disputes. however if they do survive beyond that then they have been known to live up to 19 years old!! which is pretty impressive for such a small bird. but to give you an idea of how territorial they are they have been known to try and fight their own reflections and even red feather dusters!!

also speaking of the colour red they have the nickname "robin red-breast" which may seem strange considering that their breast is actually orange. the reason for this is because when they were named we just didnt have a word for the colour orange until the 16th century. this is also one of the reasons why they are so heavily related to christmas as well! during the victorian times sending christmas cards became a tradition and the posties would wear big red coats to keep them warm and so they earned the nickname of "robin" or "redbreast" and so artists started depicting robins on postcards to represent the people who delivered them! also robins dont tend to migrate from the uk during the winter and we even get more who migrate over from Scandinavia during this time of year so you see them a lot and their bright orange feathers are easy to spot. theres also some myths surrounding robins and the story of the birth of christ. one of them says there was a fire in the stable and the robin flapped its wings over it to put it out but the flames turned its breast orange in the process and Mary blessed all robins to henceforth have a orange breast because of this.

they are normally one of the first birds you hear in the morning and the last ones you hear in the evening as they start singing around half an hour before sunrise and stop around half an hour after sunset. they have a different song in the warmer months to that of the one in the colder months. their winter song sounds lot more... mournful and sorrowful? you really have to listen to them both and compare them to understand the difference.

they will rarely ever nest in a manmade bird box and even if they do its one that has a wide square opening rather than the small circular hole most birdboxes have. but even then they still prefer to nest in natural areas close to the ground and out of the way. their nests are normally cup shaped and made out of dead grass moss and leaves rather than twigs and they line them with hair (tip for people who own cats or dogs or other animals with a lot of hair that you have to brush: leave out the hair in like an empty bird feeder so that birds can use them to make their nests!!)

and finally I'll leave you with a video i recorded of one singing back in september. you'll see that multiple times it looks down at me and sees im there but its unbothered and doesnt fly away

:3

[thegingerpowers]

First of May

I woke up this morning I had a scone and a large house blend Then a little conversation With my squirrel and chipmunk friends I said I'm sick and tired of winter And I wish that it was spring Then a little fella named Robin Redbreast began to sing

And he sang: Ooh child, what you think, the cold winter's gonna last forever? Ooh child, now's the time for all the people to get together Outside

Cause it's the First of May First of May Outdoor fucking starts today So bring your favorite lady Or at least your favorite lay Water's not cold, baby, dip in your big toe Maybe I'll see you in flagrante delicto Grass below you, sky above Celebrate spring with a crazy little thing called Fucking outside

I thanked him for the information I cried a little when he flew away Watched an episode of "The People's Court" And I tried to plan my day Called up my old lady She wasn't home so I called my girl Asked her if she'd like to join me as I entertain the world

I said: Ooh child, I'll bring a blanket and I promise I will brush the ants off Ooh child, you're gonna like it when we're taking each other's pants off Outside

Cause it's the First of May First of May Outdoor fucking starts today So bring your favorite lady Or at least your favorite lay Water's not cold, baby, dip in your big toe Maybe I'll see you in flagrante delicto Grass below you, sky above Celebrate spring with a crazy little thing called Fucking outside

So we went to the park together We were walking in the midday sun Met all kinds of people And we fucked everyone Fucked a lady who sells ice cream Fucked a man with a tan shar pei Everyone who needed fucking, well They got fucked today

So come on Ooh child, open your mind and your heart, feel the spirit moving through you Ooh child, you'll feel the warmth of the love when I stick it to you Outside

~ Jonathan Coulton

[twinkleallnight]

Loving a Polyglot

Book: TRR AU

Characters: Rashad x Kiara, 

Word count: ~2018

Disclaimer: All characters belong to pixelberry. 

Rating: Mature

Warning: Fluff

Prompt: 

Day 2: polyglot for @kiaratheronappreciationweek

Language day 25 for @choices-february2023

Prompt 3 of week 21 by @choicesflashfics in bold

On a sunny spring morning, a little Robin redbreast bird came fluttering the wings, setting it‘s tiny claws on the window sill. It tilted it’s head to one side and then the other wondering what lied beneath the floral quilts. It tweeted softly calling out, if anyone was around. When nothing happened, it crooned loudly until the quilts moved. Excited to get a response it flew around the room in two circles chirping in a high pitch before it trailed away into the trees outside. 

The quilt was now lying in double, the owner sitting upright, confused by nature’s morning alarm. Her black hair was all tousled around her head, while a few fell on her face. She released her breath in a puff, sending a strand of hair up her brow, only to land back on her lips. 

Her phone played the ringtone she had set for a special someone. She plunged to the side table and lay on her tummy to receive the call. 

“Hey…” 

“Bonjour, Ma belle!” Rashad said in his sultry voice. 

“Ahaan?” Kiara raised a brow listening to words of endearment in French. “Bonjour mon beau!” 

 “You are awake. Mon Amour.” He made a statement rather than asking her. 

“Hmmm. Your spying little bird just woke me up with its noisy whistles.” 

“Je suis vraiment désolé! But I am jealous of that bird. He gets to see you early in the morning.” 

Kiara snorted at his attempt to sprinkle French words in his dialogues. She flipped on her back, holding the phone in one hand and combing her fingers through her tangles with the other hand. “Exactly how many French words did you learn last night?” 

“I am afraid I may have only one or two left…Ma chérie.” 

She started laughing and he joined in. He felt helpless when it came to matching her linguistic skills. 

“Is there something special today?” She asked, although she knew.

“My workaholic girl, it’s Valentine’s day.” 

“And what’s in your mind?”

“You will see, mon Amour. See you later at the council hall. “ 

“See ya.” She smiled and was about to hang up when he called again.  

“Kiara?” 

“Oui?” 

“Je t‘aime”(I love you.) He played his last french card. 

Kiara giggled “Moi aussi.” (Me too.) She replied. 

*****************

She entered her work space in the council hall complex to grab her documents before heading to the meeting. Mr Thomas trailed behind her but stopped at the door. “A little note was delivered from Lord Rashad ‘s office a few minutes ago. I have placed it on your table.” He informed her. 

“Thank you Mr Thomas. I will have a look.” 

She saw a simple white envelope and opened it to check the contents. A letter. 

She sat down for a few minutes to read it...

Meine liebe Kiara, 

Ich kann nicht aufhören, an dich zu denken. Du gibst meinem Leben einen Sinn. Mit dir wird niemals langweilig. Ich will mit Dir Zeit verbringen. Willst du mit mir ausgehen?

Dein Rashad. 

(My dear Kiara, 

I can‘t stop thinking about you. You give meaning to my life. With you it’s never boring

I would like to spend time with you. Will You Go Out With Me?

Your Rashad.)

“Impressive Rashad! A letter in German! “ She said to herself aloud and grinned. She picked up her phone and texted. “Ja, Ja, ich würde gerne mit dir ausgehen.” (I would love to go out with you.) 

Suddenly she looked at the time on the display screen and cursed herself. “ You fool! You are going to be late for the meeting. Wake up Kiara!” 

She grabbed her documents, slipped the note in her purse and rushed out to the conference hall. 

When she entered the hall, her eyes first fell on Rashad as he had occupied the seat next to her allocated seat. He was beaming at her. She quietly sat next to him, trying to ignore the blush his gaze was causing. He leaned sideways to whisper German words in her ear, “Ich liebe dich.” (I love you.) 

Kiara’s cheeks reddened beyond her control. She leaned back at him and softly spoke, “Ich Auch.”  (Me too.)

"You are blushing."

“You know I don’t have the self control for that.”

The speaker’s voice over the loudspeakers caught their attention and they soon got busy in what they did the best – discuss and debate plans for Cordonia. 

Rashad watched Kiara place her points with confidence and poise. Her words were balanced, judged and well thought of before she spoke. He was in awe of her knowledge and conduct. She was an altogether different person when at work- focused, accomplished and unstoppable. 

When the meeting annulled after two hours, Rashad slipped another envelope, a yellow one, in her hand. She gave him a questioning look. “Something to read over lunch. I will be off to the Capitol for a meeting at noon.” He smiled and walked away. 

A soft smile played on her lips as she secured the envelope in her purse and got back to work. 

After a few hours she settled down for a quiet lunch alone in her office. The first thing that came to her mind was the letter. She opened her purse to retrieve the second envelope, which she had tucked neatly in one of the pockets. 

She opened the letter and started reading. “Elsku Kiara mín,”

She rolled her eyes and squealed, "Seriously, Rashad? Icelandic?” She started reading with some effort.

Ég verð brjálaður þegar ég horfi í fallegu brúnu augun þín. Bros þitt færir birtu til míns dags. Hönd þín í hendi minni gefur mér kraft til að vinna bardaga mína.. Ég er blessaður að hafa þig í lífi mínu. Vertu með mér að eilífu.

Rashad þinn.

She read in broken words and felt frustrated. She was just picking up the language. There were a few words she couldn’t decipher. She could comprehend his affection through it but she needed a proper translation. She opened the translator on her laptop and quickly typed his words. She let out a sigh of relief to finally be able to understand the letter completely. 

“My dear Kiara,

I go crazy when I look into your beautiful brown eyes. Your smile brings brightness to my day. Your hand in my hand gives me power to win my battles.. I am blessed to have you in my life. Stay with me forever. 

Your Rashad.” 

She grabbed her phone to send him a quick text, “ Icelandic?” 

“Ég elska þig.” (I love you.) Came the reply.

“Ég lika.” (Me too.) She messaged back. 

She felt delighted and gave herself a little dance around her table. Mr. Thomas knocked at her door to bring her out of the reverie. She straightened her skirt and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Come in.” 

He brought with him a number of files and Kiara once again poured herself into her work. 

Evening brought a fresh Breeze with it. Kiara dressed up in a maroon one piece that accentuated her figure at just the right places. She let her hair loose, the straight black tresses cascading down her back, just above her waist. 

She reached the venue, a new Korean restaurant, Rashad had messaged her about. He was waiting near the main door. Her eyes roamed over his steel gray suit. His hands were tucked inside the pockets of the trousers as he stood there casually looking around. His soft black hair covered his temples in a style. She loved to move her fingers through his wavy hair. 

As she approached him, he stretched out a hand and she slipped her hand in it. He pulled her into a hug. His hand curled around her waist, flushing her body to his. She melted in his arms as he left a kiss on her cheek.

They parted and she looked up into his black orbs that shone brightly in the night lights. “Thank you for those lovely notes.” 

He brought his thick finger to her lips, “Shh, Wait until it’s over.” 

Kiara tilted her head and raised a brow in amazement. 

They exchanged a smile as he ushered her in. He let his left hand graze on her waist as he walked her till their table. He let her slide on the sofa chair and instead of sitting across the table he slipped in next to her. 

“The day is full of surprises.” She commented. 

He curled his fingers in hers and lifted her hand to his lips. “I can’t agree more.” And he kissed the back of her hand. 

They were sipping on their drinks when Rashad pulled out another envelope from his breast pocket. It was much smaller than the previous ones and pink in colour. He passed it to her. 

Kiara was by now thrilled at all the efforts he had put in planning the day. She excitedly ripped open the letter only to find illegible scriptures. She noticed that it was a repetition of a pattern of letters that looked Asian. And collectively formed the English letters I. L. U 

사랑해요     사랑해요.           사랑해요    사랑해요

사랑해요.    사랑해요.           사랑해요.   사랑해요

사랑해요.    사랑해요.           사랑해요.   사랑해요

사랑해요.    사랑해요.            사랑해요. 사랑해요

사랑해요.    사랑해요 사랑해요.      사랑해요

“Oh Rashad I know what this means but I can’t decipher this script.” 

“The clue is where you are sitting.” 

“It’s Korean??”

“Saranghaeyo”. Rashad nuzzled in her hair.  She knew that term from a few Korean dramas she had watched. (I love you)

She placed a hand on his cheek to repeat , “Saranghaeyo.” 

Soon, the dinner was served and both of them enjoyed a calm relaxing evening. They planned to walk down to Kiara’s suite in the Capitol. It was maintained for her stay and work with the council. 

On her way Kiara asked him, “What brought this idea to your mind? Those notes you sent to me?” 

He shrugged his shoulders and tightened his grip on her hand as they strolled. “I wanted to send you one note in each language for every hour of the day. But I could only learn so much in the past few days.” He chuckled.

“French n German I understand, but why choose Icelandic? You know I am still a beginner in that. And Korean? I don’t know it all.” 

“Icelandic was just to challenge you. Were you able to comprehend?” 

She looked at him sheepishly. “I took help from the translator.” 

Rashad’s head fell back in laughter. She pouted her lips but then pulled him back, “Why Korean?” 

“Maybe we can learn it together?” 

“Oh!” She pondered for a moment before saying, “I thought you may write something in your mother’s native language.” 

“Urdu?” 

She nodded. “I have heard so much about your origins, I would love to learn Urdu from you.” 

He pulled her by her shoulders, facing him. “You know, you never stop amazing me.” They hugged and a placed a kiss on her forehead, before they started walking again..

After sometime, they reached Kiara’s suite in the Capitol. Rashad kissed her goodbye and started walking away.

 He had literally poured out his heart to her today. And she had reciprocated with affirmation. Yet he felt something was missing. She never initiated it. She only replied. He was overthinking. His mind wavered into these thoughts the moment he turned his back to her, to walk away. He had taken few steps when he heard her. 

“Rashad?” 

He turned to look at her. 

She looked nervous for a moment before she spoke.

“Lateefon ke Sheher me

Khushi ka sabab mila,

Ye dil shukraguzar hai ke

Hume tere jaisa humsafar mila.”

(In the city of jokes

I got a reason to be happy. 

This heart is grateful

I found a companion like you)

Rashad stood standstill blinking his eyes. She hadn’t expressed herself, he had thought and now she did it in the most unexpected way. She said through poetry in Urdu. 

When Rashad did not move, Kiara nervously called again, “Rashad?” 

As if he woke up from a slumber he called with a thrill, “Kiara!” 

The next moment he ran to her, scooped her in his arms and twirled her around. They snickered and laughed together. She brought down her forehead to his and they stole a moment for themselves after a busy day. 

Tags: @3pawandme @alj4890   @angelasscribbles   @bascmve01 @bebepac   @busywoman @choicesficwriterscreations @dcbbw @gkittylove99   @harleybeaumont   @iaminlovewithtrr   @karahalloway @kingliam2019   @lizzybeth1986 @lovingchoices14 @nestledonthaveone   @neotericthemis   @mom2000aggie @phoenixrising0308 @princess-geek   @riseandshinelittleblossom @sazanes @secretaryunpaid @sfb123 @sillydg @tessa-liam @tinkie1973 @txemrn     @walkerdrakewalker @yourmajesty09

[rueingillustration]

Who doesn’t love a silly little wizard that refuses to see that he can literally fight god and win?

HA. everyone. everyone loves an unhinged wizard.✨Anyways✨ for the very first time, I introduce my favorite dnd npc wizard disaster, Robin Redbreast, from my current campaign.

I haven’t posted on this place in AGES. And by ages I mean five years. oh BOY here we go again.

[omgkalyppso]

It's that time of year again!

Content ID: A video of three men signing the lyrics to the song First of May with supporting background signing and embellishments as they dance.

Lyrics transcript:

I woke up this morning I had a scone and a large house blend And then a little conversation with my squirrel and chipmunk friends I said I'm sick and tired of winter And I wish that it was spring And then a little fellow named Robin Redbreast Began to sing

And he sang Oooh child, what'd you think the cold winter's gonna last forever? Oooh child, now's the time for all the people to get together Outside

'Cause it's the first of May, first of May Outdoor fucking starts today So bring your favorite lady Or at least your favorite lay

The water's not cold baby dip in your big toe Maybe I'll see you in flagrante delicto Grass below you, sky above Celebrate spring with a crazy little thing called fucking outside

I thanked him for the information I cried a little when he flew away I watched an episode of The People's Court And I tried to plan my day I called up my old lady She wasn't home so I called my girl I asked her if she'd like to join me as I Entertain the world

And I said Oooh child, I'll bring a blanket and I promise I will brush the ants off Oooh child, you're gonna like it when we're taking each other's pants off Outside

'Cause it's the first of May, first of May Outdoor fucking starts today So bring your favorite lady Or at least your favorite lay

The water's not cold baby dip in your big toe Maybe I'll see you in flagrante delicto Grass below you, sky above Celebrate spring with a crazy little thing called fucking outside

So we went to the park together We were walking in the midday sun We met all kinds of people and we We fucked everyone We fucked a lady who sells ice cream We fucked a man with a tan Shar Pei Everyone who needed fucking well they They got fucked today

So come on Oooh child, open your mind and your heart, feel the spirit moving through you Oooh child, you'll feel the warmth of the love when I stick it to you Outside

'Cause it's the first of May, first of May Outdoor fucking starts today So bring your favorite lady Or at least your favorite lay The water's not cold baby dip in your big toe Maybe I'll see you in flagrante delicto Grass below you, sky above Celebrate spring with a crazy little thing called Fucking outside, fucking outside, fucking outsiiiiide

[adarkrainbow]

The Ultimate Fables Catalogue (C)

I know, I know, I haven’t released part “B” yet. But as it turns out, I finished the part C long before the part B, so I will release this one first. 

In this continuation of the “Ultimate Fables Catalogue”, I will cover a part of the spin-offs. To be precise I will take a look at the two Cinderella spin-offs (Cinderella: From Fabletown, with love ; and its sequel Cinderella: Fables are Forever), and the entirety of the Fairest series (including its graphic novel, Fairest: In All the Land). 

SPOILERS AHEAD! SPOILERS AHEAD! 

The Cinderella spin-offs

Cinderella: From Fabletown, with love

# The title of the series is an homage to the James Bond novel “From Russia, with love”. Cinderella’s own adventures as Fabletown’s spy evoke those of James Bond and of the Bond girls. The writer of this series, Chris Roberson, evoked the two main influences of the plot by describing the comic as “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service meets Sex and the City”. 

# Crispin Cordwainer is the shoemaker from the Grimm fairytale “The Elves and the Shoemaker”. His name comes from saint Crispin, patron of cobblers and leather-workers. 

# Cinderella mentions “an ogre and a talking cat”, referencing Charles Perrault’s “Puss in Boots”.

# Among the magical items found among the Mundies, Beast mentions the “seven-league boots” (from Charles Perrault’s Little Thumbling), a “horn of plenty” (the Cornucopia), a magical flute (I don’t have any specific reference for this one) and a “singing sword” (I don’t have any clear reference, though the “singing sword” concept appears here and there - it is the name of an Arthurian novel by Jack Whyte, and an episode of the cartoon “The Legend of Prince Valiant”, among many other things). 

# The silhouette of the tourists are seen, and while we already know of Mowgli and Cinderella, we will discover the other two to be Feathertop (see later) and the... what was originally planned to be the Huntsman and then became a Woodsman apparently (it is one of those unclear points). Cinderella in turn has her group of three spies: Puss in Boots (who likes to be known as the “Marquis of Carabas”), from Charles Perrault’s fairytale of the same name ; Dickory, the mouse that ran up the clock, from the nursery rhyme Hickory Dickory Dock, and finally Jenny Wren, whose lover Robin Redbreast was murdered - from the cycle of nursery rhymes surrounding Cock Robin (”Cock Robin Got Up Early ; Who killed Cock Robin? ; Jenny Wren Fell Sick). 

# Aladdin, and the djinn of the ring, are both from the “Aladdin” story of the One Thousand and One Nights.  I suspect his driver, Farid, to be the prince Farid from the One Thousand and One Nights story “Farizad of the Rose’s Smile” - given it is the only Farid character in the Arabian Nights I know of.

# The ghuls are creatures of Arabian folklore.

# Ultima Thule (named after the legendary island of Thule that cartographers of Antiquity believed to exist north of England) is the realm of Scandinavian fairytales, especially Norwegian, filled with trolls and talking polar bears and giant elks. Its former ruler was king Valemon, from the fairytale “White-Bear-King-Valemon”. Other inhabitants of Thule include the widow Gudbrand (wife of Gudbrand from “Gudbrand on the Hill-Side”), Askelädden (the famous Norwegian folktale character known as “Ashlad” in English), Little Freddy (from “Little Freddy with his fiddle”), Little Annie the goose-girl (from the fairytale of the same name), Butterball (from the Norwegian fairytale of the same name), as well as the ram and the pig, from “The Ram and the Pig who went to live in the woods by themselves”. 

# The Fairy Godmother is here another “archetype character” in the likes of Frau Totenkinder, Prince Charming or Jack of All Tales. She was the fairy godmother of Cinderella, but also alongside her sisters the “good fairies” of the Briar Rose/Sleeping Beauty fairytale, and she secretly worked to help Rapunzel by sending the prince rescue her. The Fairy Godmother’s perpetual fight against Frau Totenkinder has notably been the source of numerous of the fairytales: it seems to have started out by Frau Totenkinder “ruining” the fate of Briar Rose by playing the role of the “wicked fairy/angered wise woman” in the tale, only for the Fairy Godmother to retaliate by sending the prince of Rapunzel (whose witch-adoptive motive was Frau Totenkinder). The evolution of her role throughout the fairy tales is also explained by this perpetual duel: after sending Prince Charming to save Briar Rose from Frau Totenkinder’s curse, the witch fought back by killing the Fairy Godmother’s two sisters with poisoned apples (evoking Snow-White), which is why she was alone when helping Cinderella ; and the reason her spells only last to midnight is because her powers were weakened due to her actions in the Rapunzel story, all of her efforts exhausting her spells so that they could only work for a day and no more. It is also confirmed that the prince of Rapunzel is NOT prince Charming, as the Fairy Godmother “reused” the same prince to save both Briar Rose and Cinderella.

The Fairy Godmother is also very clearly an homage, or rather a dark parody, of the fairy godmothers of Disney movies. Her being part of a trio of benevolent fairies looking like little grandmothers at the times of Briar Rose’s birth is a nod to Fauna, Flora and Merryweather, the three fairy godmothers of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, while her being the kind, elderly, grey-haired, plump godmother of Cinderella is an obvious nod to Disney’s interpretation of the fairy godmother of Cinderella. 

# The palace being made of glass is of course a nod to the glass slippers of “Cinderella”, but I wonder if it isn’t a reference to the Norwegian fairytale “The Princess on the Glass-Hill”, or something similar... 

Cinderella: Fables Are Forever

# The title of the series is again a James Bond reference, this time to “Diamonds are forever”.

# The “Shadow Fabletown”, the Soviet community of Fables living beyond the Iron Curtain and opposing the American Fabletown, is composed of Ivan Durak (Ivan the Fool, a folk character of Russian fairytales), Tugarin Zmeyevich (the Slavic character known as Tugarin or Zmey Tugarin), Meng Chiang-Nu (the character of the Chinese folktale Lady Meng Jiang), the Seven Chinese Brothers (see below), and Anansi the spider (a folkloric character from West African tales and legends)

About Tugarin Zmeyevich, the Fables Encyclopedia explains a bit more the process behind choosing this character that turns into a dragon: they explain Tugarin Zmeyevich started out as the antagonist of a folktale where he was opposed to the Rusian folkloric hero Alyosha Popovich - and in the oldest/”first” version of this folktale Tugarin Zmeyevich was “merely” a man as tall as a giant, riding a horse that had fire coming out of its nostrils and smoke from its ears. However, throughout adaptations and expansions of the tale, Zmeyevich inherited the “breathe fire and smoke” traits of his horse, and then from a fire-breathing man became a dragon. So, for the Fables comics, they decided to have Zmeyevich look like a man at first, but be able to turn into a dragon at will. 

As for the Seven Chinese Brothers, the Fables Encyclopedia also brings more information: they are actually part of a popular Chinese folktale merely known as “The Five Brothers” - which became well-known in the West thanks to Claire Huchet Bishop’s “Five Chinese Brothers” in the 30s ; but there are several variations of the story where the number of brothers change, up to seven or ten. And the idea of the five brothers being actually seven was also popularized in the English-speaking world thanks to Margaret Mahy’s “Seven Chinese Brothers” at the end of the 19th century. 

# Dorothy Gale, aka “Silverslipper” is from “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, by L. Frank Baum. Beyond her first nickname (evoking the magical “silver slippers” of the book), she is also called “The wicked bitch of the east” (a nod to the Wicked Witch of the East from the book). Numerous other characters and entities from the Oz books appear: the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion (from “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”), the Chiss, Bungle the Glass Cat (”The Patchwork Girl of Oz”) and the Spoon Brigade (”The Emerald City of Oz”). We also see in the flashbacks all four witches of Oz (Good witches of the North and South, Wicked witches of the East and West), alongside the Munchkins and the Scarecrow. 

# Other pop culture references include the line “Cheshire cat got your tongue” (referencing “Alice in Wonderland”), “Are you done quoting Donny and Marie?” (the television series of the same name) and Cindy describing the relationship of Bigby and Snow White as “That whole Cheers things”, paralleling the couple with the characters of Sam and Diane from the “Cheers” show

 FAIREST

Wide Awake

# The main character is Ali Baba, from the One Thousand and One Nights story “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”. Morgiana of the same story is briefly mentionned in flashbacks. Interestingly, in the Fables universe Ali Baba went from a thief killer to the “prince of thieves” himself, something pointed out as weird in-universe. I believe it is a reference to how in American culture at the time of the comic’s release, the name of Ali Baba was so strongly associated with thieves you often saw it being reused for a thief character. 

# The many modern USA culture references made by the Bottle Imp are too many for me to record them all.

# The fact of having the two “Sleeping Beauties” be a red-clad Briar Rose and the white Snow Queen isn’t just some fancy aesthetic choice. This plays on a common duality in fairytales between white and red that the comics itself already illustrated throughout the duo of Snow-White and Rose-Red. More interestingly, Ali Baba describing one as “the color of winter snow” and the other with “the color and heat of the first days of autumn” seems to be a play on the “seasonal” reading of the fairytale “Sleeping Beauty”, this analysis and belief that the fairytale actually depicts a metaphor for the cycle of seasons, Sleeping Beauty herself embodying nature falling asleep during the winter, and her awakening symbolizing spring. 

# The version of Sleeping Beauty’s backstory here is quite interesting because it clashes with the one presented by the Cinderella spin-offs - a “retcon” here that is present inside the main series itself, since it began with the implications that Frau Totenkinder was the one who cast the curse, being the “evil witch” against the “three good fairies” (a la Disney), but then switched to make this new backstory canon. In this version of the story, we are more faithful to Charles Perrault’s version of the tale, since we have seven fairies gifting the child and the evil fairy being the eighth. The fairies here are actually a mix between the actual “fairytale fairies”, as in French fairytale fairies, and British fairies of folklore and legends. The seven gifts here are as such: beauty (for Katrya the Pure), wit (for Sofiya the wise - though it is the “wit of an angel”, so it is actually naivity), elegance/grace for Nyura the Graceful (which is extended to being graceful and elegant in all things... including the bedroom), walth for Ionna the Gifted, the talent of singing for Alyas the Noble (though it is “singing like a nightingale”, quite literaly, so singing like a bird), the talent of writing good songs and playing music perfectly for Yeva the Lively. The last gift of not dying but falling into an eternal sleep is given by Leysa the Defender against the curse of the evil fairy, Hadeon the Destroyer - and here, as with all magic process, we receive an explanation for the why: as it turns out, Leysa could only “split” the death curse across so many people the death became a “mere” endless sleep. 

Beyond this, each of the fairy embodies a specific concept associated with fairies in general, or magic beings. Katrya the Pure is focused on purity and chastity (since her magical waters heal all knights chaste and noble) ; Sofiya the Wise is noted to have written a very famous grimoire ; Ionna the Gifted represents the “benevolent” fairies associated with darkness, since she is a daughter of the night who tames and traps nightmares (as opposed to Hadeon the Destroyer who is an “evil” fairy of darkness, shadow and fogs that rules over a typical “evil, nightmarish forest”), Yeva is strongly associated with music, merriment and parties, etc... The habit of Hadeon of turning her former lovers into objects she uses later (like into a boat) is also a very typical trope of fairy tales. 

# In a flashback, Ali Baba is seen stealing from Abd al Quadir. He is a character from the One Thousand and One Nights story “Ala al-Din Abu al-Samat” (253rd night). 

Lamia

# Lamia is of course the legendary monster/bogey-woman of Greco-Roman culture. 

# Saint George, his sword Ascalon and the village of Silene are from the legend of “Saint George and the Dragon”. Saint George seems to embody here the archetype of the “dragon slayer-hero” since he lists other famous dragons among his list of kills: the Chimaera (not an actual dragon, but the fire-breathing Chimera of Greek mythology, killed by the hero Bellerophon), Illuyanka (a Hittite dragon killed by the god Tarhunz), Tiamat (the Mesopotamian goddess-dragon killed by Marduk) and finally Vritra (the Indian reptilian demon slain by the god Indra). 

# When Beast lists the various fictional characters he becomes “like” during his various hunts for the Lamia, he mentions in order Auguste Dupin (created by Edgar Allan Poe), Sherlock Holmes (created by Arthur Conan Dole), Hercule Poirot (created by Agatha Christie), Sam Spade (from “The Maltese Falcon”) and Philip Marlowe (created by Raymond Chandler). 

The Hidden Kingdom

# The three movies seen at the theater at the beginning are “Bunny Lake is Missing” ; “Don’t Look Now” and “Picnic at Hanging Rock”. Rapunzel later compares the flying origami attack to Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”.

# This is I think the first time paintings are hidden around in the background. In Rapunzel’s flat there are two pictures on the walls: one is the poster for Kubrick’s “Clockwork Orange”, another is a reproduction of  “The Lady of Shalott” by Waterhouse. Frau Totenkinder rather has in her flat Fuseli’s “The Three Witches”. 

# Frau Totenkinder here appears mostly in her role of “the witch/adoptive-mother of Rapunzel”. Interestingly however, while Totenkinder is the witch that locked Rapunzel in a tower, and banished her after she slept with the prince, in the Fables continuity of the role of the witch in the Grimm fairytale got split with... the Fairy Godmother, who is revealed to have been the one preventing Rapunzel’s prince from returning to her.

# In the Japanese realm of Fables, the main characters include Mayumi (who is the Kuchisake-onna of Japanese ghost stories), Tomoko (a kitsune), a bakeneko (that just goes by “Neko”) and Katagiri (a kappa). Other supernatural beings coming from “The Hidden Kingdom”, the Japanese Homeland, include: funayûrey (ghosts of the drowned at sea), tanukis, a noppera-bo, a rokurokubi, an oni, an hitotsume-kozo, several kirin... 

# When Neko first appears to Rapunzel, he imitates Totoro, from “My Neighbor Totoro”. 

# Rapunzel briefly prays to the Jizo Bosatsu. 

# Rapunzel, in her numerous travels throughout the Homelands searching for her missing babies, adopted several different identities. In the Hidden Kingdom she was Okiku, the famous Japanese “ghost” in the well. In the Ancient Greece equivalent in the Homelands she also played the role of Theseus, by slaying the Minotaur. And she is noted to have assisted to the “birth of an empire” by seeing twins by a she-wolf: they are Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of the Roman Empire. 

# The treacherous shogun Ryogan actually fulfills the role of both the jealous samurai who mutilated the Kuchisake-onna and the samurai that killed Okiku. 

# When the Hyakki Yagyo, the “Night Parade of the One Hundred Demons” is invoked, we also see among the numerous yokai tengus, chochin’obakes, an hebi, the wanyudo, and a nue. 

# Jack ends up thrown into the claws of the famous Japanese movie monster, Gdozilla.

# Lauren Beukes, the writer of this arc, listed her several inspirations as: the manga Tekkonkintreet, “The Pillow Book” ; the movies of Kurosawa, Miyazaki and Miike ; the work of the three Murakami (Haruki Murakami, Ryu Murakami and Takashi Murakami) ; “The Tale of Genji”, “Tokyo Vice” (no, not the television series, but the memoir of Jake Adelstein), and “The Illustrated Night Parade of the Hundred Demons”.

Aldered States

# The various suitors of Princess Alder include Mr. Pickles (from “The Magic Fishbone” by Charles Dickens), Trotty Veck (from “The Chimes” by Charles Dickens) as well as Farmer Giles (from Tokkien’s “Farmer Giles of Ham”). 

The Return of the Maharaja

# Nalayani is actually the past life of Draupadi, from the Indian epic “Mahabharata”. 

# There is a LOT of characters from Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book here: Tabaqui the jackal ; the dholes ; Nathoo ; Buldeo ; Pudmini... 

# Prince Charming makes a reference to the “golden ticket”, from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

# Among beings from Indian folklore, beliefs, folktales and Hindu mythology/religion we have the asuras, the pishachas, as well as a host of Hindu gods - Rama, Ganesha, Manasa, Kamadhenu, Nandini...  The Trishula trident is also important for the ending of the story. 

Of Men and Mice

# The very title is a reference to the story “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck. 

# The cubs are being read one of the Harry Potter books - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to be precise. 

# At Cinderella’s ball, the transformed mouse ends up seducing Lady Isabelle du Lac, daughter of Lord and Lady du Lac. I wonder if it is a reference to Edmund Dulac... 

# I also believe the giant sentient humanoid rat-ninjas might be a reference to “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. 

# The “King’s men” are the same from the nursery rhyme “Humpty Dumpty”. 

# Rama is the divine hero of Hindu mythology/religion, while Varuna is... I am a bit confused because to my knowledge Varuna is an Hindu god, not a tiger-headed fish... The only tiger-headed fish I know of is the Japanese Shachihoko... This leaves me confused.

# The Rodgers and Hammerstein’s version of Cinderella is explicitely referenced here. 

Clamour for Glamour

# Lady Maeve of Dunhollow seems to be Maeve/Mebd of Irish mythology.

# Mary, after losing her little lamb, took up gardening - and thus became the Mary from the nursery rhyme “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary”. 

# There is an entire section of the Farm called André’s Garden, where the Mean Sunflower Kid/Mister Sunflower lives, and we see here five other Fables living in this area: Snapdragon, Old Maid Hollyhock, the Dormouse Juggler, Alderman Poppy, and a woodpecker. Given this is the living area of the Sunflower, and named “André’s garden” I am pretty sure they are meant to be part of this same Victorian book of nursery rhymes written and illustrated by R. André/R. Andre from which the nursery rhyme “Mister Sunflower” comes. The problem is that I cannot have access to this specific book, which seems to not be easily available anywhere, so I cannot actually check... 

In case you want to know, I will place here the Mister Sunflower nursery rhyme as it was revealed in the Fables Encyclopedia:

In your dress of brown and yellow

What a stiff-necked 

Long legged fellow! 

Must you stare, although the bees,

Settle on your face and tease?

Can’t you turn your big flat head

Till the sun has gone to bed?

Fairest in All the Land

# This is where Mrs. Ford was confirmed to be “the old woman at the ford in a river”, the deadly and ghostly “washing woman” from Irish beliefs and folklore.

# While not an exact reference, the seven magical swords kept in the office named after concepts (Mercy, Justice, Regret,  Rage, Judgement, Love and Wisdom) are part of a long tradition in fantasy of magical swords with meaningful names (for example, take Tad William’s trilogy “Memory, Sorrow and Thorn”). The powers and nature of Maerorgladi, the Sword of Regret, is especially interesting, as its “hunger” forcing it to take a second life for each kill is clearly inspired by a famous trend of “sentient, soul-hungering swords” in fiction which was started by Poul Anderson’s “The Broken Sword” and Elric of Melniboe’s famous sword, Stormbringer. 

# Hautboy/Cendrée, the wizard that created the seven magical sword, is confirmed to have lived in the Dark Tower, from “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower came”, before Roland actually arrived to said tower. The fact his main feats were creating buildings, magical chariots and magical weapons, makes him part of a long line of legendary magical smiths - in Fables, the main series, we already saw Weyland Smith and Daedalus appear, but I can also mention the Greek Hephaestus or the Finnish Ilmarinen. The Ilmarinen comparison is especially interesting, since the mythical ancestor of the evil swords I talked about (Moorcock’s Stormbringer, or Tolkien’s Gurthang) is a sentient, talking sword from the Kalevala. I have however very curious about the names chosen for him, both very French in nature... I think they might have been chosen at random (especially since “Cendrée” is actually the FEMALE form of the adjective “Ashen”/”Cindered”, the proper male form would have been Cendré), but maybe there is some obscure reference I am missing... though I slightly doubt it. 

# The topic of “swords that must kill” is also very frequent in Norse sagas: to quote TV Tropes, “Tyrfing of the Saga of Hervor and Heidrek, the sword of Bodvar Bjarki in the Saga of Hrolf Kraki, and Dainsleif from the Prose Edda”. Which brings me to the hero the Sword of Regret was built for, Turgo of Nor, who is the stereotypical “Norse barbarian”. He likes in a world shaped after Ancient Norse society, and he is a muscular, bearded warrior always eating and drinking, but going berserk every time he drinks too much (which is often, since he is a drunkard). However, the fact that he keeps flying into mad rages he then regrets, and that he wears a hood made of animal pelts, make him VERY similar to Herakles of Greek mythology. 

# The coat of Padarn Beisrudd is one of the “Thirteen Treasures of Britain”, part of Welsh folklore. 

# The Blue Fairy mentions the “Unseelie Midwinter Ball”. The Unseelie Court is one of the two fairy “courts” or fairy “hosts” of Scottish legends, alongside the Seelie.

# I can’t help but wonder if Hadeon’s role as a sentient, magical but malevolent red car isn’t meant to be a nod to Stephen King’s Christine.

[romanticizingmurder]

I know everyone is obsessed w the classics ie Jason & Icarus or whatever but in mu limited dealings with the theoi (im an Irish polythest but i have dabbled with Hekate) anyway Jason Todd & Hekate the patron of crossroads and victims seeking justice and a little altar springs up in park row asking for help in different areas, little offerings & candles lit as Red Hood becomes a myth in a good way (im tipsy & obsessed with The Morrigan sorry lol. I might write up a thing about Jason & the Morrigan instead hhhh Crow vibes instead of Robin Redbreast obsessed with liminal triplicate death goddesses & Jason Todd

Ohh yes yes yes I love that!! Jason and death goddesses and crossroads is very good. I'm personally obsessed with Jason & Antigone, something about characters who might technically be right about something (burial/the Joker) but who are going about it in a way that will not only destroy them, but the people around them, and who won't give up their righteousness despite it.

[the-heaminator]

HEAM!!! LOOK, A ROBIN!!! COULD IT BE SPRING?? AND DEAD GRASS??!! I CAN SEE GRASS AGAIN OMG

YES LITTLE ROBIN REDBREAST CHOSE YOU!

And you can see grass, it may be dead but it still is grass, spring has made it's way over there at last!

[carewyncromwell]

Talbott 🤝 Carewyn

requested by @catohphm

It was springtime. The sky had cleared up beautifully after an evening rainstorm, leaving the air fresh and clean all of the buds popping up out of the icy ground as bright green as emeralds.

It was a perfect day for flying — so Talbott Winger took on his eagle Animagus form and took to the skies.

The view over Hogwarts castle was like no other. Even up in Ravenclaw Tower, one couldn’t get the wonderful perspective that came with the school being miles below, a mere fraction of the size it was on the ground. It made everything seem so much smaller, so much closer together — a little sanctuary, in the midst of the rocky, forested Scottish terrain. Even the people far below were like dolls in a diorama — all the students; Professor Flitwick; the gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid; Headmaster Dumbledore himself — all of them were equally tiny, to Talbott’s eagle eyes.

Suddenly, to Talbott’s left, a cluster of whistle-like notes swept through the air. Following right behind them was a tiny robin redbreast — the source of the twittered song — which flew up and over Talbott’s longer wings to flap alongside him.

“Morning!” it seemed to say without any words.

Talbott couldn’t help but smile through his beak at the tinier bird. She was still cheerfully twittering a song Talbott didn’t recognize -- undoubtedly some sort of Muggle ditty. He gave a short, low shriek, like a snarky greeting in return. It made the robin fly up and around him again, her unusually blue-colored eyes also sparking with wry amusement. 

It was common, for the two to banter with each other -- even, this way, without a single word. Fortunately Talbott was very fluent in silence, and judging by the way the robin kept singing, she was having just as much fun as he was. 

With a smirk, Talbott spread his wings just enough to tap hers, almost like a light little “tag” -- then he flapped his much larger wings, swooping down a bit and then looking back over his shoulder at her.

“Coming?” his posture seemed to ask.

The robin didn’t need any prompting. There was something of a smile to her expression, inside the red spot that went around her beak, as she flapped downward after Talbott. The two soared side by side over the grounds, the robin singing louder and happier than ever as she circled around her larger companion in mid-air. 

And even though Talbott was smirking in amusement a lot of the time, his sharp eyes still rippled with fondness. 

At last the two birds came down to roost below a tree on the Hogwarts grounds, far enough away from anyone who could possibly see them. Only then did Talbott transform back, turning around as the robin turned back into her human form as well.

“You seem in a good mood this morning,” Talbott said dryly.

Carewyn Cromwell turned to give him a wry, bright red smile. 

“Funny,” the Head Girl said as she brushed her loose, long red hair out of her face. “I was just about to say the same thing about you. Did you get a response about your poem, for Madame Villanelle’s contest?”

“Not yet,” said Talbott. Carewyn started walking back toward the school, and he took the silent hint to follow her. “But I did get a letter back from the Auror Department.”

“What did they say?” Carewyn asked at once. 

“It wasn’t an acceptance letter or anything,” said Talbott, thinking to curb her expectations, “but they said they liked my scores in Stealth and Tracking, Battle Instinct, and Poisons and Antidotes. It sounds like Mad-Eye Moody even put in a word for me, though I can’t imagine why that would be.”

He cocked his eyebrows sarcastically at Carewyn, who giggled softly behind her hand. 

“Well, the Aurors wouldn’t have taken down R, if it wasn’t for the Circle of Khanna,” she said coolly. “Are you really that surprised Mad-Eye would want you in his department?”

“No, but I was only one person, in that group,” said Talbott. “Not even the strongest duelist in it, either...”

“There’s more to being an Auror than being a good duelist, Talbott,” Carewyn reminded him.

“I know -- but the Auror Department only accepts the best of the best. I know I’ve got a lot of training to go through, if I’m going to be up to snuff.”

“Seems to me that you knowing that makes you a stronger candidate, not a weaker one,” said Carewyn, her red lips curling up in a gentler smile. 

Talbott smiled slightly in return, his eyes softening. “Thanks.”

He looked up toward the turrets of the castle, surrounded by the clear sky they’d just been flying through. 

“Anyway, the letter said that the Auror Department would like to interview me one-on-one for the character and aptitude tests, before it makes its final decision about whether or not to accept me.”

Talbott’s face burst into a huge grin. 

“And from what Tonks has told me...the interviewer for new Auror recruits is none other than Mad-Eye Moody himself...meaning there’s a very good chance that he’ll put me through. And even if he doesn’t, he’ll still probably keep my name on the list for consideration in the future!”

Carewyn’s eyes lit up. “Talbott, that’s wonderful news! Oh, I know you’ll do well -- you and Tonks both studied so hard for aptitude, and you’ll obviously pass the character test with flying colors...”

She brought a hand up to her friend’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze, her eyes sparkling like light blue stars. 

“I’m so proud of you, Talbott,” she said warmly. 

Talbott smiled fully in return. “Yeah...I’m kind of proud of me too.”

He chuckled to himself. Carewyn beamed.

“Just think,” she said, “soon, we’ll be able to do what we dreamed -- help people and protect them...fight for justice. Maybe make the world a little better.” 

Talbott gave an amused snort. “We really do sound like idealistic kids, when you put it like that.” 

“Most would say we are idealistic kids,” Carewyn shot back drolly.

Talbott laughed. “Yeah...I guess we are. It’s kind of amazing we still are, after everything we’ve been through...”

He smiled a bit more warmly at his friend. 

“But...maybe that’s a good thing, in its own way. I reckon everyone’ll think it stupid of us, but...well, I’d say it’s still better than giving up without trying.”

Carewyn nodded. “You can’t achieve the impossible, if you don’t dream of it first.”

Talbott inclined his head in agreement. “Right.”

He opened the right side of the double doors leading into the castle and held it open for Carewyn.

“Thank you,” Carewyn said lightly as she took the door from him and then closed it behind both of them.

“By the way,” said Talbott idly, “what was that song you were singing, earlier? It had a snappy beat.”

Carewyn smiled. “It’s called Tom’s Diner. Suzanne Vega wrote it, so I thought you might like it.”

“That’s fair -- I’ve liked her lyrics before,” said Talbott with a small smirk. “Can’t really get those when you’re twittering them at me, though.”

“I could sing it properly, if you really wanted,” Carewyn said coolly. 

“Maybe after Potions class -- unless you think Snape would enjoy you serenading me over our brewing of the Draught of the Living Dead.”

“I’ll pass. I may be Head Girl now, but I know better than to poke a sleeping dragon.” 

Friendship Drabble Prompt! 

[afieldinengland]

what films/books/poems would you recommend for someone who is interested in your whole...whatever aesthetic you have going on? i don't know if there's a name for it but i am so enchanted by your blog. and you seem absolutely magical and lovely too.

oh, goodness 💓 well, thank you very much, friend, that’s so kind of you :) i’ll try to list some here, i do hope at least some take your fancy— it might get a little long, so it’s under a cut!!

films:

the wicker man (1973)

penda’s fen (1974)

harold and maude (1970)

in the earth (2021)

a field in england (2013)

straight on till morning (1972)

equus (1977)

robin redbreast (1970)

the finishing line (1977)

sleuth (1972)

mumsy, nanny, sonny and girly (1970)

village of the damned (1960)

stigma (1977)

absolution (1978)

lost hearts (1973)

the insomniac (1971)

television:

inside no. 9 (2014-)

books:

the wicker man, anthony shaffer and robin hardy (novelisation from the film)

maurice, e.m. forster

frankenstein, mary shelley

the exorcist, william peter blatty

short stories:

the lottery, shirley jackson

children of the corn, stephen king

poems:

fern hill - dylan thomas

love - thomas traherne

how i go to the woods - mary oliver

flower of love - oscar wilde

apologia - oscar wilde

song of myself - walt whitman

i sing the body electric - walt whitman

the death of saint narcissus - t.s. eliot

[xscape-photography]

Little Robin Redbreast.