#needed to get this out of my system need some pure fannish joy

[oathkeeper-of-tarth]

Permit me a bit of gushing, even though I've said most of this before, in a variety of places. But what is a tumblr blog even for, if not for subjecting you all to this? Anyway, I am just so, so enamoured with Dame Aylin, the way she is written, the way she speaks and acts, and every single trope that makes an appearance with her.

I adore what she's doing to people's vocabularies! Love seeing 'panoply' come up in the context of her armour. 'Libation' is another great fun one popping up, in actual religious ritual contexts, in Shadowheart-getting-drunk-in-camp-again contexts, and sometimes Isobel's, uhm. Yeah. And hey, she has single-handedly brought 'succor' to unprecedented levels of popularity!

Also, I cannot tell you how fun it is to write her! The levels of sheer intensity! The contrasting genuine sweetness and moments of vulnerability! What a gift it is to let loose with some really apeshit vows of bloody vengeance or stuff about cleaving foul villains in twain to rot unburied in dishonour without end, then go into gloriously inspirational and actually quite insightful supportive words reserved for loyal and respected allies, and after that waxing poetic about fair Isobel and her wise countenance and the honeyed indulgence of her lips and the luminous moonlit halo that rests easy upon her blessèd brow-- I love her so much, she is invited into my brain forever, she sparks such pure unadulterated joy. Just this evening I was picking at a fic doc and didn't get much done, but I filled in a bit of banter

"A snivelling coward as always, Balthazar. Were there no spines to be found in any of the tombs you plundered?"

and then sat and had a little giggle with myself.

Anyway. I could happily post bits and pieces of Aylin lines all day (this is only slightly a joke post), there's just so many excellent ones, and ones I feel people often miss, which is a shame. But here, for now, to cap off these rambles, have this bit from the Shadowfell prison that just goes so hard and that I am particularly personally fond of for some reason. The phrasing is just... chef's kiss.

Know I will feel every wound, and still I will hurt less than you, who so utterly yourself defile.

On a more humorous note, I am also a big fan of when she calls you a chicken.

Run your coop all you like, chicken. You cannot fly without my wings.