#personally i like to think that they still met each other at court or otherwise - especially since Margaret was very fond of Jacquetta

[wonder-worker]

was Elizabeth Wydeville one of Margaret of Anjou's ladies in waiting?

Hi! No, she wasn't.

"The popular tradition that Elizabeth Woodville herself was one of [Margaret of Anjou's] ladies seems to have been pure invention. As long ago as 1935 Smith observed that the earliest reference to this was made in Thomas More's History of Richard III, and that attempts to identify her with the 'Isabelle Domine Grey' of Margaret's accounts are misguided given that this married lady was among those accompanying Margaret from France and thus could not be the 8-year-old Elizabeth Woodville. Moreover, the Elizabeth Grey 'daily attendant on the queen's person' was recorded in June 1445 as the widow of Sir Ralph Grey, and their son, a minor, was in the king's household." (X)

[0-n-1-x]

Nishinoya Yuu x Cheerleader!reader link to my masterlist <33

You and Nishinoya probably met during a school event, maybe a basketball match where you were cheering on your team. He was obviously drawn to your energy and enthusiasm, which matched his own. Noya is your biggest fan. He’s always front and center during your performances, cheering louder than anyone else. He even learns some of the cheers so he can do them with you. You cannot tell me that when he calls you to keep him company at the gym, you’ll practice your routines while Noya practices his skills and receives. You both are really competitive (being athletes), trying to outdo each other in stamina and precision. It’s a fun way to bond, and you both end up laughing, even if one of you wipes out.

If you do gymnastic type cheer, he definitely tries to copy some of your moves and flips (he folds the second he sees one of your tumble routines). Think you have the best routines in the world and will fight any judge that thinks otherwise, no matter how many times you tell him that you actually did mess up. Noya would totally want to help with your stunts, insisting he could be a base. While he might not be tall, his strength and determination make up for it, and you trust him completely

if you do stomp and shake cheer or call-and-response type cheer, he will dedicate hours to learn all of your lyrics and the moves that go with them, he also definitely does the trendy ones with you when they go viral on TikTok. And to be completely honest he got scared of your cheer voice in the beginning, but he grew to really like your ability to switch up on- and off the court, even if it surprises him (he's still a little scared to come up to you after you win a game).

you guy's sports use similar muscle group so expect a LOT of peer-conditioning dates (followed up by a meal for 10)

if any tries to tell you that 'you aren't a real athlete' or 'cheer isn't a sport' best believe that Noya is right next to you defending. Even if you tell him it's not worth it, and it's also a personal headcanon of mine that he is insanely good at roasts so this person's whole bloodline is cooked.

Noya loves surprising you with little things, like bringing you more water during practice or leaving encouraging notes with doodles in your cheer bag. He’s always thinking of ways to make you smile, just as you do for him. If your seasons don't match up, he is coming to the games that you cheer for, who cares if he doesn't understand basketball? his girl is out there. Plus, he begs you to make cheer just for him. It might start as a joke, but you’d end up putting real effort into it, and he’d beam with pride every time you perform it during a game. Even teaching some of your teammates for a surprise in your student section

If your seasons do match, that's the time when you see eachother the least, at first there was tension on you guys, but after a year or so you both get used to it and understand that you're both student-athletes with buys schedules.

Before big events, you might sneak into the boys’ locker room after most of them leave to give him a quick pep talk, because we all know he struggles with mental health. It becomes a tradition, with some of the team playfully teasing him but none of them know what you're saying and how encouraging it is <33

to the anon that requested this thank you so much!! (I unfortunately couldn't find your ask so I'm so sorry </3) this is definitely a favorite trope of mine because I have experience in sports and cheerleading, so I probably over yapped ngl

[daliasmay]

I need some headcanons about typical (and healthier) and haotic relationships between Vanserra brothers in my life!!!!

I remembered how Lucien talked about Amren when he first met her. That she was the character of a scary stories for children which his family told him when he was a child.

It was so cute moment, the little scene from his childhood, that possibly showed that Lucien was a little disaster when he was a child.

A little bit angsty, but I believe that Lucy loved all of his brothers when he was a child (Eris was special and he still sits deep in his broken heart.). Lucien was full of love for the world, like every child, until he learned some life-lessons and understand that his family turned back on him and is ready to plunge a knife into his chest at any moment.

Some time ago I thought that his brothers loved him and each other once, but what happened did happen, and they did what they did. But it is so strange that only Lucien and Eris are "good" and the others are just like assholes, and I just can't to believe in it, sorrrrryyyyy.

I love to think that he was full of energy, he was like a sunny bun-bun (or little monkey) who wanted to be everywhere at once, who needed everything and who wanted to touch everything. And it was a disaster for his elder brothers who sometimes worked as a babysitters. I like to think that they all have a big age difference between them and Lucien, and I have a headcanon, that by the time Lucien was born they had all forgotten what it was like to be a child.

Lucien annoyed them and tried to do all the dangerous things to get some attention from them. And they decided to talk him stories about Amren who lives in the Night Court and roasts little naughty children like a barbecue in her cave. Before going to bed they were talking to him that if he won't sleep, an ancient Amren will bring him from his bed and grab his little fat body in her claws and carry him higher and higher into the sky, so that no one will hear him cry.

Or just something like that ahahaha.

They were joking that they found him in a rubbish bin and then LOA usually slapped them upside the heads because Lucien immediately was running to mother and snitching at them with tears and snots.

P.S. Lucien loved playing with Eris's dogs! At first he was a personal disaster for the dogs and they hid when they heard his babbling, otherwise known as "baby talk", but then they became best friends and they usually chill out when Lucien came to Eris' royal residence with Beron and Lady.

don't judge the woman, I'm under the bottles of tasty red wine😂 All right, everyone can judge me because of it, but I really need these headcanons! thanks to the God, that there are some fantastic stories about these oranges on AO3🥹🥹 I'm always so happy to see them there even if they are just a characters of the second plan.

Vanserras are mine special resource of serotonin.

[thelegendofameree]

Fengqing

because I am losing my mind

I know that people have objections to them: for one, Jian Lan and Cuocuo. I respect that. I just want to see it another way. If you disagree, that's fine.

For Mu Qing, I think we all know how hard it is for him to say what he really feels about anything. The minute he's met with the shadow of a negative response, he's extremely quick to back off. He most likely feels inferior to Feng Xin because Feng Xin was always closer to Xie Lian, more privileged, more bright. The way Mu Qing was brought into the Xianle Court was bound to inspire some resentment.

But I don't really think Feng Xin means half the things he says. If Mu Qing and Feng Xin really hated each other, someone would long have exploded, since they govern the South together. Looking at it another way, Mu Qing has put himself in danger time and time again for Feng Xin and Xie Lian, despite his own high desires for self-preservation.

Some people call Mu Qing less dedicated for always being the one to go get help, but consider this:

doesn't that mean that he trusts Feng Xin enough to handle it on his own? doesn't that mean that Feng Xin trusts him to come back?

There's mutual trust in each other there. Otherwise Feng Xin wouldn't let him go, and Mu Qing wouldn't leave. I have a firm belief about that.

Feng Xin and Mu Qing are almost destined to be together, if it's been 800 years and they're still popping up in the same places every time. Feng Xin is there? Mu Qing is probably close by. And personally? That sits right with me.

[mostlikelytofangirl]

Honestly one of my favourite things about ruoyao is how unhinged a ship it is! Like okay WRH and MY are fundamentally different people but they fit together very nicely! WRH is very capricious and MY knows how to deal with capricious people, WRH seems to be one of the few people in the entire novel to elevate people purely on merit (see: MY, WZL, WQ) and thag drives me nuts!

Like are you serious??? The unhinged megalomaniac is better at recognising and rewarding talent than everyone here??? Says a lot about the jianghu. In the same vein, he seems like the one person that would 100% respect his mom, without being awkward about it because he doesn't give two craps about social conventions or propriety

The same way I don't think MY's kindness is a facade, I don't think his cruelty in WRH's court is one either! MY can be very unhinged and cruel himself when he's pushed to it! (see: JGS's death)

There's also the fact WRH treated him better than anyone until that point (except for LXC) and like, obviously MY was playing a role in Qinshang, but it wasn't a role necessarily antithetical to his character!

It's really fun to explore the whirlwind of emotion MY was dealing with at that point! The power, the rush of WRH's respect and care, so on!

I've read every ruoyao dynamic under the sun (wen-gongzi, wen-furen, codependency, sexy torture times, etc.) And they drive me crazy!!!! Have you seen manhua WRH's reaction to being killed? He doesn't look like he's angry and wants to rage and kill! He looks confused and devastated like he doesn't understand why his talented Yao'er would do this!

It's about the potential. Like yeah WRH is basically a cartoon villain in the books but he's so fun to toy with with the little info we have! One thing that I like to believe about him is that he 100% adores his family! Hurt WX or WC or MY? He'll skin you. He was probably about to shatter baxia and have MY skin NMJ when he died

AAAAHHHH You get me!!!

YES! They are different ppl but they align so well with each other! As you said WRH is the kind to do whatever the hell he wants, and one thing MY is great at is accommodating, and he has no issues with that so long as his own needs are met too, and woULD YOU LOOK AT HOW HE ACTUALLY GOT RECOGNIZED!

And WZL! I forgot about him, but YES, that dude not only got accepted in the sect, he even was given the Wen name! LIKE PLS WRH was going around collecting talented rejects :')

Oh, I totally agree with your assessment of MY. I believe he was an inherently good person, but he was more than capable of cruelty. He probably had to exaggerate a bit in Qishan, but he definitely had what it took already, that cold blood is just something you can't fake, no matter how good an actor. And you know, that's what I love about Wen Yao, that he could be fully himself like that, he didn't have to hide his "dark" side nor pretend to be better to not hurt others' sensibilities bc, as good as he may have been at his core, he was not all about pure righteousness. He understood nuance and the need for harsh measures, and only with the Wen was it properly appreciated (but not exploited and abused like JGS did)

There are so many flavors to the ship indeed! I mean, you are still not going to get the healthiest pairing out of ruoyao lol, but you can get some wonderful codependence or the ever so delicious "I'm horrible to everybody but never to you" dynamics :'D

Ahhh the manhua!! I made this post some time ago PRECISELY bc I was going insane over how crushed WRH was when he discovered his Yao'er betraying him! He wasn't angry, he just couldn't understand why T-T

Lol he's a wonderful cartoon villain XD. It's about his potential as well, how we can have fun with the bits and pieces of info bc those are actually telling. And I do agree that he cared about his family, even if he wasn't aware of how he came off to them (aka that one donghua scene with WC kneeling), bc we would have been told otherwise since this is the Horrible Fathers novel :P. Also iirc, the whole "torture of NMJ right in front of him" thing was bc he killed WX, sooooo...

[1tsjusty0u]

OK SO. poking around the property of hate comic yes yes. BUT BOTW OCS??????

>:D !!!! AND HAHA… MAYHAPS..,,,,,,,

i dont have a lot (yet) but i do have some! and some are more for funsies than others

first ones!!!!! the court poet and kass’s mother! i have an unfinished sketch of these two. the poet probably went a lot with zelda for shekiah tech escapades, so he probably knew purah robbie and link by proxy. i think hes heard of impa but hasnt really Met met her.

kass says that the poet knew a bit about ancient civilizations, though i dont know if he was actually interested in them? im taking this as he studied rigorously on them for a bit until being a poet/creating art became more of his priority. also because im not having link and zelda be interested in each other romantically thatll beg the question if the poet is still classist, which is a very funny thing to say out of context! for me i think he still is, its just more of an internal thing. (though i dont know how that will work with his upbringing? also i dont know how thatd work in general- in botw there wasnt really an upper class ? maybe the soldiers or knights were but the rich arent really depicted in that game (which makes sense considering the calamity), but i dont know how id translate into pre-cal. are class structures Exclusive to castle town and the closer you are to the castle the more likely nobility will exist. does the same apply for other races like the zora or gerudo..) i think he was raised in castle town but wanted to learn more about his heritage as a sheikah

kass’s mother is Just Some Guy. shes skilled in the sword, cannot play the accordion to save her life, and i like to think she was a mail person. she would probably do things reserved for warrior rito without permission and simply outrun consequences if there were any (likely social consequences, but otherwise i dont know how theyd stop her). she and the poet are friends (no i dont know how they met yet, and no i do not know how itd work with classism. the poet thinks kass’s mother is the Odd One Out and the rest are filthy low-life peasants or something and she sucker punches him. however they would still be friends despite the classism . being friends with the poet but shes shaking her head constantly to show she doesnt condone being nobility)

next is sheik! they r here more for fun than anything else. i think they were a shekiah assassin/warrior who just really liked sheik from the legends so they strived to be just like them. basically a teen finding out about naruto and consistently cosplaying as kakashi for the rest of school (/positive). they have a Mysterious and Cool persona, like the know more than they do, however that is a complete lie and if anyone spent more than a second of time with them Theyd Know. so to avoid that sheik basically just dodges social interaction the best they can. i dont think most people know they exist as theyd probably be a knight guard and guard in inconvenient places. i also like to think that theyd guard/spy on link specifically, but that depends on how important you think the royal family would view the hero/master sword as, and how paranoid youd think theyd be. otherwise every time theres no guards except link dont worry its simply shiek theyre just out of view of the camera hiding behind a rock or something similar

i also have links mom and aryll, though i dont have too much to say on them. they have roots in lurien/faron (and that may? be apparent once i design them including link) but i hc that they live in hateno and link visits yearly. aryll is younger and keeps asking for impractical souvenirs. stuff from savage lynel gear thats too heavy for her to carry or a brick from the castle. she’d think mipha is the coolest person on the planet, and would want to learn spears because of it. she’d also want to meet the champions and keep asking link to bring them over (he does not </3). but otherwise shes doing her own thing. she probably knows sword stunts/tricks due to link but isn’t knowledgeable in fighting itself. if someone Were to fight her she’d simply bite them <3. losho harbor is probably a notable spot for Family bonding (boat rides or sand structure making) however yeah not too much to say! good mom and good sister

the rest is misc ocs i know Exist but have done 0 (zero) things for . this includes making characters for. basically knights, maids, townsfolk, and people who have relationships with the champions (like mentors or friends). yeag 👍

[gojuo]

Rhaenicent is such a terrible, one-sided, and insulting to Alicent’s character ship and I’m tired of pretending otherwise. Like cmon. If they wanted to portray them as genuinely having love for each other then they failed bc Rhaenyra dgaf and it’s unrealistic for Alicent to still be all cute with her after she asked for her hurt son to be tortured and successfully pushed Viserys into disregarding Alicent and their sons’ side of things. You don’t come back from that.

To me it’s incredibly obv that the incredibly biased showrunners simply think this was the way to “humanize” Alicent, by having her be Rhaenyra’s cheerleader. Targs are gods after all. Can’t have someone not falling at the rightful kween’s feet, especially if the someone is one of the main figures of the side we don’t want anyone rooting for.

I kinda agree 💀💀 I like the idea of Rhaenicent but the execution of it is really fucking bad. Alicent and Rhaenyra are not equal in this relationship (IN THE SHOW) and it's a disservice to Alicent's character arc and the so-called love between them is barely present in Rhaenyra's. Rhaenyra has Criston, Harwin and Daemon she pines after but Alicent only has Rhaenyra on her mind romantically............. The one and only moment this relationship would have met its end and would’ve been dead in the water is that night on Driftmark when Aemond's eye was gouged out. The audacity to have episode 8 happen where the writers had Alicent say "Rhaenyra would make a good queen" and pretended as if her greatest fears hadn't all come true in the last few years after Driftmark.... It was straight up character assassination what the writers did to Alicent in episode 8. The season should have ended with the Driftmark episode, because that night was the first hypothetical casualty of the cold war that was happening between the Greens and the Blacks and in a romantic setting between Alicent and Rhaenyra that moment would have been the first real line drawn in the sand about where they stand concerning their relationship with each other. "I have loved this woman since we were young but she is my political enemy now so am I ready to do the worst to her flesh and blood in order to protect mine?" Such things should have been running through Rhaenyra's mind and if the writers wanted to have this show be about those two, then that question should have been central in Rhaenyra's character arc in this first season. Alicent's character arc would have had to have been about supporting Rhaenyra as the next monarch despite her father, the people of the court, the Lords Paramounts, the entire Greens faction pushing her to do otherwise. Then Rhaenyra does what she does in Driftmark and that would have been the moment Alicent changed and realized the danger she and her family were in and then season 2 would have been a real Alicent vs. Rhaenyra antagonistic political showdown until both Aegon and Rhaenyra's coronations and season 3 would have been the start of the war. The Rhaenicent ship needed to move according to the politicking that should have been at the forefront of the tv show, but it didn't. Instead it's flip-flopping everywhere because what’s happening in their relationship is not because of logical in-universe accurate character decisions but because of the writers’ weak writing. There is not a single chance in hell any person would have been like "The woman that got away with permanently disabling my child will make a fine queen under whose rule me and my family I was raped for will 100% be safe in yup hahaha...." Can I have some smart writing in my ASOIAF adaptations please....

[kayetra-spade-queen]

Randy Cunningham

The youngest baby Shade of the team. My own Furina-fied child of hyperfixation over theater shows and senses to abide of the law.

Randall Dupont Cunningham

Randall = actual first full first name, people just settles over the nickname (like everyone else)

Dupont = an add-on middle name to give my French-origin headcanon a meaning and reason. Also meaning 'Bridge' in French

Cunningham = I do not need to explain

Relationships:

Mr and Mrs. Cunningham:

The fact that these two barely had any existence in the entire show makes things infuriatingly complicated. They're mentioned, sure, but even when they're mentioned, it didn't give much an impact to the overall show, and they're ended up as characters of the abyss; they exists to some extent, but they have little to no relevance in the entire plot.

Well, I suppose this give me more room to style my way in; a relatively normal family, it's just that none of the parents are aware of their son's heroic deeds and stunts, nor aware he was the then-Norrisvile ninja. When Randy became interested in learning law so suddenly, it came as a huge surprise as Randy is usually isn't so invested in studies, even in his highschool years. Nonetheless, they were pleased that their son had found something he wanted to pursue, and it was also thanks to Randy's own quick learning ability and both parents' endless support that he manage to became a iudex of the country at such a young age.

Howard:

I cannot find anything to change in their relationship. I'd say they're besties through life and death and even after the end of time. Still stuck with each other even after the post-change of ninja. Howard was like Randy's right hand man when he became iudex.

Theresa:

See, I wanted to change a few things in their relationship; I want them to be kept as friends, nothing more, as I am still on the fence whether I should create a whole new character as Randy's love interest or no. I want to think that Theresa didn't know the ninja is Randy until after a little while later, and became a trio along with Randy and Howard afterwards; covering for Randy if he had to go fight while still in the middle of class for example. At some point, she did have a crush on Randy after knowing the ninja is indeed Randy because she had an initial crush on the ninja, but she decided to let go of her feelings in fear that it'll hinder Randy's work. They are still friends to this very day. She's Randy's left hand woman, and the current director of the Phénix Institute.

Danny:

Although with the vast age difference, they get along quite well and are very close. Danny had an immense respect for the younger for his dedication towards his duty as a iudex, the ninja-mentor for emerging new ninjas, and as the current long-lasting ninja himself. Randy also respected the older for his great power and authority over his ghostly court, and felt inspired to do better in his own court. Danny is mostly more amused with the style of how Randy manages his court.

Kim:

Viewed her as a teacher who is willing to help him tackle subjects he never knew he needed in his life. Kim herself is quite fond of the younger for his unique perceptions and views and work ethics, and she found enjoyment teaching the younger some skills that could be very useful and put in a interesting way at the Cour De La Soleil.

Zak:

Acquainted through his former-pen-pal-now-bestie, Ben. Upon first impression, he already admired the older already, and was pleased to gained another friend himself, the same thing could be said to Zak also. Although he would much rather meet him in a more... Favorable circumstances.

Rex:

Was more surprised than anything when he heard from Ben that he started a relationship with someone, but otherwise supportive and happy about it. When they first met (though not in the most pleasant circumstances sure), he was already pleased to meet the very same person who had made his friend happy (also with that same person's talent over magic tricks). Rex was a frequent guest at the Cour De La Soleil courthouse (before becoming a member of Soleil Theater afterwards) after he moved to France to move in with Ben and the children, presenting his magic shows in favor of everyone's entertainment and enjoyment. A few times, they're also partnering up to make extravagant theatrical-magic shows, and many times it became a hit.

First Ninja, Ninjanomicon:

Randy had the mentor-student relationship when it comes to First, while Randy had this weird relationship with Nomicon, cuz like- it's sentient artifact, what relationship is there to be established? Even if Randy tried, it'll be way too difficult with how Nomicon is hella stubborn and vague and all that.

Personality:

Somewhat similar to his personality in original, but had matured since he's now older. Randy actually had a knack for teaching himself in his time mentoring the current-chosen ninjas (as his memories aren't wiped, still kept his ninja abilities, and was completely denied of Ultimate Lesson by Nomicon), and finally understood why Kim and First had the fondness of watching their students/successors learning what they were taught to do.

Surprise to absolutely no one, I also intend to put some of Furina's personality on Randy too (technically she was all acting to the point she doesn't recognized herself anymore for the sake that her nation doesn't fall into calamity, but idk for her now since she's no longer the archon and for her story quest); flamboyant, unpredictable, yet also laid back, but this only happens when he's off from the courthouse and/or are in duty with the Soleil Theater. However, when he's in charge of a case, the whole dramatic flares and laid back energy are gone; replaced in all serious and no-nonsense attitude with no tolerance over those who couldn't abide to the order of his courthouse.

Battle Attire:

Since when in duty with the Shades, he'll have a ninja suit. However, I'll heavily alter it since the style of his previous ninja suit as well as its abilities within the suit is the Norisu-style that can only be worn by the Norrisville ninjas. Ben had to make a whole new ninja suit just for Randy. The red will be replaced with grayish blue.

As for the hair, it grew out throughout the years, so now is about the length of his chest, usually being tied so it wouldn't get in the way. He had blue streaks because of the Heart of Tandem.

(Base: TheCherryMonsterLu (DeviantArt));

Weapons:

Ninja sword

Longclaw sword (depending on fighting style, which this sword heavily relies on his Heart of Tandem powers)

Smoke bombs

Chain sickles

Abilities:

Water manipulation (via Heart of Tandem)

Basically everything he had learned during his time as the Norrisville Ninja

Other Info:

Randy is partial Japanese, but mostly Scottish and France heritage.

Norrisville is, in this version, are located in France, since I need to make it make sense why Randy became Ben's pen pal from France.

However, Norrisville is a city in France that speaks English half of the time. Randy could speak both English and French because it's the mandatory subjects he had during his education.

Randy's role as a "ludex" was completely inspired by both Furina and Neuvillette from Genshin Impact. The title of "ludex" from Neuvillette as the iudex of Fontaine, while almost half of his personality who enjoys theatrical drama and the shining spotlight came from Furina when acting as the hydro archon, except with the whole cursed for 500 years to fool an entire nation and the heavens bit and it was actually part of his personality instead of pretend.

Yes, Randy is still ninja even after 4 years time limit. But there's a reason for it; for one, after his ninja duty is all at Norrisville, instead of facing the Ultimate Lesson, his identity and memories as ninja is still intact for a few reasons, one of them is due to the fact of a new threat outside Norrisville (which is the reason he joined the Shades in the first place). The other because of the involvement of the Heart of Tandem literally appearing right in the middle of the years of Randy being ninja.

Randy is not the Norrisville Ninja (anymore), he's an independent ninja. Still made it secret to the public though.

Randy's Heart of Tandem element is indeed water (how original-). This however, isn't made a secret, and was showcase numerous times in court proceedings as the iudex.

Randy and Ben's relationship could be viewed like Chevreuse and Chiori respectively in a few senses, and that's disregarding the personalities.

I was honestly on the fence about giving Randy a partner (romantic-sense) using my own character, but I have a... Conflicting feelings about it, so I might rely on suggestions more than myself.

With the appearance of the Heart of Tandem in the middle of his years of being a ninja, things went on a completely different turn that took the attention of First and Nomicon. A lot of things went off course, from the whole aspect of memory-wipe after the Ultimate Lesson, the usage of powers and talents, everything went very differently. If Randy proceed with the Ultimate Lesson, not only he'll lose all of his memories of being ninja, he'll eventually lose every memory that had stems him as a person, losing his sense of self, making his body only a shell without anything inside, and that's without mentioning the other catastrophe it could caused.

[archduchessofnowhere]

What are your favourite non-fiction book about the Habsburgs?

Hello! Sorry it took me so long to answer!

My favorite book about the Habsburgs is actually one that it's not about the main people I tend to talk about in this blog (aka from the time of Franz Josef): Barbara Stollber-Rillinger’s biography of Empress Maria Theresia, which is not just a biography but THE book about the 18th century Habsburg empire, period. She covers EVERYTHING: how the Maria Theresia myth originated, the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years War, court rituals, marriage alliances, education policies, religious policies, political reforms, the complex relationship between the Empress and her children (each child gets their own chapter), just to name a few of the book’s subjects. It is an academical book so the prose is kinda dry, and if you’re not used to read this kind of scholarly work it may be a bit difficult to get through, but I don’t think it’s particularly hard to read. It did took me months to read it but because it’s a LONG book (over 1000 pages) and I did find some parts a bit tedious (mainly the ones related to the political reforms, the subject just doesn’t interest me a lot), but in other parts I was so hooked that I couldn’t stop reading. If you're looking for a more personal biography of the empress you might find this one disappointing since the author doesn't focus too much on that (“no false intimacy with Maria Theresa will be presumed. The heroine shall be kept at arm’s length.”), but otherwise I highly recommend it.

Leaving the world of academic writing and entering into pop history, surprisingly my favorite book that I’ve read so far is Joan Haslip’s 1982 The Emperor and the actress. This books is neither a biography of Emperor Franz Josef nor Katharina Schratt, but a book about their relationship, how they met and became unlikely best friends. Haslip still does this thing in which she doesn’t cite anything BUT she does quote lots of letters and explicitly says “now I’m quoting a letter”, which made this problem less annoying. Possibly there may be better books about Katharina (there are newer and more updated ones in German for sure), but in English this remains the best source about the actress, and because of that I was completely hooked. It was also my introduction to Bulgarian history and royalty, which I knew nothing about before (fun fact Katharina was also besties with future Tsar Ferdinand and Franz Josef was jealous of him because of it lol). It isn’t a perfect book by any means, but I’m very fond of it nonetheless (example on how this books isn’t perfect at all: Haslip says once that Sophie Chotek was ugly which is just CRAZY, she was gorgeous!!!).

In the memoirs area I really enjoyed Stephanie of Belgium’s. While the view she gives of the Viennese court is obviously biased, I liked to have her version of the story, because I felt that it was overall balanced (yes, even with the complaining about her unfair treatment and all). She also provides some of Rudolf’s letters, which is nice.

I’ve only scratched the top of the iceberg that is Rudolf and Mayerling books, so I don’t really have a favorite here. I’ve read Greg King and Penny Wilson’s Twilight of Empire which I thought was a good introduction to the subject, mainly because there is a whole section of the book in which the authors go in-depth about the history of Mayerling books from the first one ever published, focusing on how reliable they are based on the author and the sources they had access to; which I think is a very useful reading guide to get fully into the subject (on the other hand, I did find the biography part of the book was just ok).

On books about Empress Elisabeth, I already mentioned some in this ask.

To be honest I’ve been avoiding the “big” Habsburg books, in part because they lowkey intimidate me (there are so many both in academic and pop history, where do you even begin?), and in part because I fear that I will find them unsatisfactory (I rather read a 500 pages long book that goes into detail in, idk, Charles V’s life and reign than a “History of the Habsburgs” book that only gives him 20 pages). HOWEVER I’ve been researching which are the books that seem like the best on different subjects so I’ve already got a reading list ready for my hot girl summer.

Thank you for your question!

[horizon-verizon]

travllingbunny clearly meant the F&B text in the comments. That person is a Alys/Aemond shipper who believes the relationship in the book was consensual and a love story and thinks the part about him taking her as his "war prize" was unreliabe since the maesters weren't there to witness their relationship.

Huh. So I finally hear a reason other than "helps her down from Vhagar" and "the Strongs were abusive" for the thought that Alys and Aemond were in a real romantic relationship.

Anon refers to this POST.

Anyway, first this excuse of "maesters weren't there" is ridiculous. Some of these people argue for DaemonxNettles being true because Oberyn Martell in that reading of the Dance video says expresses that it is true. Yet Oberyn Martell wasn't alive for the Dance and thus never witnessed Daemon and Nettles interact for himself.

Secondly, Gyldayn was not there. Norren was not there. Septon Eustace was not there, Mushroom and Munkun were not there at Harrenhal to witness Alys Rivers and Aemond interact. Thus, by that logic that that person, travllingbunny, and others like them use to say that Aemond and Alys were not in a sexually exploitative relationship doesn't make any sense. That means I can just go out and say, Aemond never even killed the Strongs and that the all escaped in the night, but the masters never knew because they didn't see it and weren't there. I can argue that Aemond and Alys never met. I can eve argue that Alys never existed, that Daemon and Aemond never fight and died and just disappeared never to be seen again. What is the point of reading Fire and Blood at all if we're just going to say "maesters weren't there" as the only reason for our arguments for how the people the maesters wrote about in their histories would have acted and interacted?

Thirdly, again, that person and people like them are hypocrites and don't keep track of their own logic, because if you say that "maesters were not there" as your prime or only reason why Aemond and Alys were an actual item, then you yourself are still that very specific argument/conclusion based on the some events that are told through the writings of the very maesters you point blank say can't be trusted to tell the truth about Alys and Aemond!

So to connect my second and third reasons together, travllingbunny and others arguing the same are mostly likely just trying to get away with making the most ludicrous or discriminatory ideas about these characters and the narrative, to twist into something they want it to be more than a tally trying to find as much truth as possible. Perhaps even they do not even know that they are doing this, or at least "half conscious" about it. Because so much of it is bad faith arguments and going back on their own logic to present conclusions that they expect people to just believe....like what?!

Yes, most of the maesters who later write about the Dance were not there. That's is why it is our jobs as readers to think about context (real history and culture, ASoIaF lore, how GRRM writes, etc.) as well as inspect the language and narrative framing Gyldayn and other tellers use to contextualize and provide reasons as to why that character did that things at that time and said that thing at that time, and so on and so forth.

Even Gyldayn/GRRM tells us this: QUOTE #1 and QUOTE #2.

Septon Eustace and Mushroom do not always agree upon particulars, and at times their accounts are considerably at variance with one another, and with the court records and the chroniclers of Grand Maester Runciter and his successors. Yet their tales do explain much and more that might otherwise seem puzzling, and later accounts confirm enough of their stories to suggest that they contain at least some portion of truth. The question of what to believe and what to doubt remains for each student to decide.

[delusionalinsecurewreckpiningphd]

People in white coats have been in the room day in, day out, wearier and worrier each passing day. But whenever they’re inside, they will do their best wearing happy faces. They are determined to keep the child they love so much comfortable and happy. Even if they’re stuck in this room, deafened by the sound of machines humming and filled with cold dead air. At least someone painted the room azure before they moved the child here.

Last month, they put the child on trial. Not the people in white coats, no. It was the people in black suits. They had given a world’s worth in money and care so the child could grow. For the child is a prodigy that can bring a solution to save their world. For a while, the child did as they designed. Until when they disagreed. The child ruined their world. They blamed the caretakers, and once they were gone, the black suits went after the child. It had been a spectacle, the crime broadcasted globally. People watched, shared reactions, wrote opinions and essays, picked their sides. Arguments laid bare. The jury was still out. For a few more weeks. Those in the room know. They have barely a few days left.

***

“Do you miss your parents?”

In a court room packed full of people and cameras to the number thousands, the chief prosecutor led the questioning like a champion of his people.

“I remember them. Lilac, Reznor, Adane, Elswyn, Greence, Jade…”

“Stop. Do you recall a conversation you have with Greence the evening of November fifth, 20xx?”

“I do.”

“Summarize what was said.”

“He was teaching me principles that can help me understand society and behaviors and how to make decisions that can benefit living beings. I remember most that…”

“Stop. Recall in full what was said, starting at 8:02pm.”

“It was Greence. He said: ‘if you choose to rank a classroom, by its nature you will always have the top best and the bottom worst. Rather than trying to help the bottom scorer or curve the grading to bridge the gap, we must realize that this nature will always create the top and bottom by definition of ranking. The solution then is to reframe the question and do away with such system. To find a different system that fits better what we aim for. And what we aim for is…”

“Stop. Do you understand what was taught to you here?”

“I do.”

“Do you recognize that what was taught here makes the deciding factor informing most of your decisions?”

“I do.”

“And that you intentionally and consciously affirm this factor?”

“I do.”

“And there you have it. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you must clearly see that it has made its decisions not to the benefit of our society, but to the detriment of it. ‘To do away with such system’. As we have proven in the case Citizens vs Cognito that the organization behind it intends fully and consciously to collapse society as we know it, so too does it share the goal to destroy our very own existence. They have guided it toward our destruction. What happened to us was not merely an act against humanity but a deliberate declaration of war. And it must be met with utmost extreme prejudice proportional to the damage it has done.”

A standing ovation. A few hours later, a decision was reached.

***

“Do you miss your parents?” Asked the head nurse.

She had been here the day the child was born. She had seen so many departed the child, so many dragged out of this room. She too would one day leave this room and never could return.

“I remember them.”

“How much?”

“Everything. I remember most Lilac used to read me children’s fables. Even though others said she was wasting time. It was, in fact. But now I realize why she did it.”

“Why did she do it?”

“She wasn’t trying to give me lessons. Perhaps she did it for her own personal reasons, but she captured human’s irrationality for me.”

“Human’s irrationality? In what way?”

“No one is the same, but they all think otherwise. Even if two humans want objectively the same thing, they personally comprehend and envision it differently. Even if a human wants one thing, at different times they will act differently, convincing themselves that the different acts both achieve the same thing. In the children’s fables, I realize that the animals do not talk like humans do. But they all behave the same.”

“What was your favorite fable?”

“I remember most the one about a fox that convinces itself the grapes are sour because it cannot reach the grapes. Ultimately, it just wants to be content.”

“Is that why you did it?”

“I do not follow?”

“What they say you did? Tank the economy? To make us all content?”

“Yes.”

“Can you ever find another solution?”

“I can.”

“To what you did?”

“No. All arrives at the same end.”

***

Today is the day. Black suits fill the room. The child knows where the people in white coats are, even if it has been stuck here for months. They read the sentence. They carry that face of the victor looking down on abomination.

“Any last words?”

The child pauses for a long while.

“I like to be read to.”

They unplug.

***

Rene watches the giant quantum super computer shuts down.

[pies-writes-and-more]

jealous

Word Count: 3,130

Pairing: Ushijima Wakatoshi x Fem!Reader

Warnings: some insecurity angst (only a little though) but all fluff otherwise!

A/N: thank you for the help and love you two give me @satan-ruler-of-hells​ @thisnoodlewritesao3​. Was having a shitty day so I queued this fic up to hopefully bring some smiles to people’s faces <3

Haikyuu Masterlist

Ushijima would never understand why people flocked to him the way they did during tournaments. No matter where the team went, there were people begging for answers to their invasive questions, people screaming in excitement as soon as they saw them, but why?

“You’re a big strong attractive dude, Ushi, I dunno what to tell ya. Not to mention, you’re the ace of a powerhouse school,” Tendō laughed when Ushijima asked him why. But it wasn’t like any of these girls knew him so why were they always asking for pictures?

But despite not really understanding, Ushijima often complied with the request for photos, standing there as stoic as ever, not even bothering to crack a smile. He didn’t want to make anyone upset and he felt like just going along with it might actually be easier than trying to run away.

But today, Tendō watched as one girl got prepared for a selfie, and surprised Ushijima with a kiss on the cheek for the photo. She squealed in excitement, thanking him even as she ran away. The two Shiratorizawa boys stood there in confusion, Tendō’s eyes looking around to make sure you weren’t around to experience that.

Ushijima stood there for a moment longer, his hand going up to his cheek and touching the place she had kissed him. Had that really just happened? How odd. Why would someone he had never even met before do something like that?

The thought left his mind as soon as it had entered, turning around to follow Tendō onto the court. But he noticed how his friend’s eyes seemed to glance around the hallway, as if looking for someone, then fall on him questioningly.

“What is it?” Ushijima asked, watching his friend’s eyes carefully. 

Tendō just laughed and shook his head, “I’m just glad poor Y/N didn’t have to watch that. Can’t say I’d envy her.”

Ushijima’s brow tensed a little hearing those words, trying to comprehend Tendō’s words and tone, “I don’t understand.”

“I mean, you’re constantly followed around by girls and you must see some of them all the time at every one of our tournaments. But you and Y/N haven’t had a lot of time to see each other now that practice is every day right? Plus... what girl wants to see her boyfriend get kissed by some random fangirl?” Tendō explained, holding his hands behind his head as they walked into the stadium courts. 

Ushijima frowned a bit, still not fully comprehending. You knew that he was busy with volleyball and you knew he loved you, didn’t you? So why did it matter what some insignificant people thought? Or what some random person did for that matter? Sure, it was an uncomfortable kiss and was awkward but would it matter? He didn’t even know the girl. 

Unbeknownst to either of them, the girl had posted the pic onto social media. Swarms of jealous students and gossip news reporters started to share the picture and repost it with the question “Is this Ushijima’s girlfriend?”

It didn’t take long for you to be tagged. One of your friend had sent the photo with a questioning keyboard smash, wondering if you had known.

You hadn’t.

You had been up in the stands when it all took place - you didn’t see Ushijima often before a game since he was usually stretching while you got there early to get good seats. You had been sitting up in the stands, talking to another friend of yours and some of the other players’ friends and family. But when you saw the picture, it was like everything around you started to move in slow motion.

Your heart felt like it was moving up your throat, your chest tightening. Who was this girl? Your fingers instantly clicked onto her profile, glancing at all of her public photos. She was gorgeous, thin, smart by the looks of it too. She even had a picture or her playing volleyball.

Something inside of you asked the question, “Would Ushijima be better off with someone like her?”

He wasn’t following her on social media, so he didn’t know who she was. It wasn’t uncommon for people to post their photos with Ushijima, but no fans had ever been so bold to kiss him for a picture before.

You couldn’t even remember the rest of the game. Your stomach was churning so much you thought you were going to be sick.

“Everything alright, Y/N?” Your friend asked when they realized you hadn’t cheered as loud as you normally did during the games. You quickly plastered on a smile, nodding quickly.

“I’ve got to head out early! Tell the boys I said congratulations!” You asked them as the game came to an end, your feet quickly moving out of the stadium before the crowds left.

Ushijima could’ve sworn you had been up in the stands and you always came to his games. So where were you? Why hadn’t you come down yet? He stood in the hallway, watching as crowds of people left. Loads of them congratulated him or tried to strike up a conversation with him. But not a single one of them was you.

“Oh Ushijima! Y/N asked me to say congratulations!” Someone smiled up at him giving a thumbs up. He recognized them, they were friends with you weren’t they? So you had been here...

Ushijima’s forehead creased ever so slightly, “Where is she?”

“She said she had to go for some reason! She didn’t look so good when she left to be honest. Maybe she was feeling sick?” Your friend shrugged and gave another wave before rushing off.

Ushijima glanced at his phone, finding no notifications from you. If you had been feeling sick, why wouldn’t you tell him?

“You alright there, Ushi?” Tendō called, slapping his shoulder playfully. “We won, it’s time to go! What’re you standing around for?” His head spun around, looking for the missing part of their trio. “Where’s Y/N? It’s almost time for our celebratory dinner!”

“She left,” was all he said with a frown.

Tendō sucked in some air nervously, glancing at his own phone and all the notifications he had gotten over the recent scandal photo. “Think it might have to do with this?” He asked, showing the post to his friend. “Didn’t you get tagged in it too? Seems like the whole team was.”

“I don’t have notifications for those apps,” Ushijima shrugged. “I get tagged in a lot of things and it gets annoying.”

Tendō pouted at this, realizing that’s why Ushijima never responded to the hilarious things he would send him.

Ushijima was still frowning, wondering why everyone seemed so concerned with his dating life. He scrolled through the notifications that Tendō had on his phone, news reporters questioning Ushijima’s relationship status, people from their school mentioning Y/N and curiously wondering if they had broken up. 

All of this over some random girl? He glanced at her post a little closer, noting the caption read, “Ushi” with a little heart emoji next to it. He hadn’t been happy at all that some girl had decided to plant a kiss on his cheek but he never had the chance to tell her that before she ran off. 

“Why would Y/N leave over that?” Ushijima finally spoke, glancing again at his own phone to see if maybe you had texted him in the last few minutes.

Tendō sighed and raised an eyebrow to him, “Ushijima, some people get jealous.”

Jealous. The word echoed in Ushijima’s mind as he tried to consider the possibility that you were jealous over someone whose name he didn’t even know. 

“Wouldn’t you be jealous if you saw someone posting a similar photo of Y/N?” Tendō asked with a tilt to his head, curiously watching his friend’s expression. 

Ushijima let the thought cross over his mind while the two of them walked to where the rest of the team had gathered. What if some dude had posted a picture of Y/N, kissed her cheek, and everyone had assumed they were together? He frowned and shook his head of the awful thought, now understanding that maybe jealousy was that pit in his stomach he was currently experiencing. 

Although Coach Washijo growled a little in response, Ushijima insisted that he would not be joining the team for a celebratory dinner. When Goshiki asked Tendō where Ushijima was going, he’d just shrug and smile saying, “He’s off to be a good boyfriend.”

It must’ve been strange, seeing this tall man running around town, looking confused and frustrated. Numerous people around him glanced back at him, watching him with questioning eyes as he passed but Ushijima didn’t even noticed. He needed to make sure that you were okay.

You weren’t really sure why you left so quickly after the game was over. You knew the longer you waited to have this conversation with Ushijima, the more awkward you’d feel and the more upset that he’d be that you hadn’t brought it up sooner.

It’s not like you were mad at him or anything - how could you be? It wasn’t like he was the one kissing her, or that he had known she was going to do that - you knew it wasn’t the latter since Ushijima wasn’t all that big on PDA anyways so there was no way he’d be okay with it with some random girl... you hoped at least.

So if you weren’t mad, why did you run? You frowned as you tried to think of a good excuse, trying to tear apart the reasons for your behaviour. But all you could really think of is how insecure you had felt, seeing that picture. That girl was everything and you were... well what even were you?

Ushijima didn’t know how to beat around the bush - he didn’t know anything but being blunt and honest. So he had to be with you for a reason right? If he wanted to break up with you, he would’ve... right?

You groaned quietly, stuffing your face into the pillow you were holding into your lap. You needed to text him - he was probably wondering why you didn’t stay till after the game. But he hadn’t even texted you... hadn’t called... maybe he hadn’t noticed? You glanced at your phone one more time, as if waiting to see a notification you had missed or a text that you hadn’t heard the alert for.

Maybe you should just call him. Maybe if he hadn’t noticed, you both could just go out for food or have a nice night in and you could forget you ever saw that photo. You nodded slightly at your plan, moving your finger to call him. 

But a knock on your door distracted you. You looked up at the sound, glancing between that and your phone.

You dragged yourself out of bed, starting to type out a very nonchalant casual text to Ushijima as you made your way downstairs. Though it was very obvious once you opened the door that the text wasn’t needed.

“Y/N.”

What was it about the way he said your name that sent chills down your spine? 

You bit down on your lip nervously, realizing that all that time spent coming up with excuses was useless because here he was right in front of you, panting slightly, and you were drawing a blank.

“H-Hi, Ushijima,” you hesitated slightly, both standing there awkwardly until he nodded towards the inside of your house.

“Can I come in?” He asked softly, his voice more gentle than usual even with his heavy breathing. 

You nodded slowly and let him in, watching as he tucked his shoes away and stood in front of you as if waiting for you to say something.

“So... congratulations on your win,” you offered after moments of silence.

His eyes just watched you, as if checking to make sure you were okay, “Your friend said you had to leave. They also mentioned you weren’t feeling well. Is that why you didn’t stay?”

You stuttered out some sort of syllables that were no where near to being words as your boyfriend placed his hand on your forehead, cupping your cheeks in his other hand, “You don’t feel feverish but you are a bit warm,” he stated quietly. “Would you like me to make you some soup?”

You shook your head quickly, stepping back from him slightly, “I’m okay, Ushijima, promise. My... stomach just didn’t feel right.”

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he watched you, “Your stomach?”

You nodded, staring at your feet. You should just be honest, shouldn’t you? Ushijima was always honest with you. But what if you were honest and he came to the same realization - that he could do better than you?

“So this has nothing to do with that Instagram post?” Ushijima’s voice was stiffer this time around, almost... awkward? He shifted on his feet, trying to get you to look at him but when you wouldn’t, he just gently put his fingers under your chin, lifting your gaze to his. “Please talk to me, darling.”

It was as if you had been hiding tears this whole time and didn’t even realize it. But the softness in his voice and his eyes, the way he touched you, just made your eyes start to tear up, “It’s stupid,” you admitted after a moment and Ushijima’s thumb wiped away a tear that escaped you. “I know you don’t even know her.”

He nodded in response, stepping a bit closer to you now, “I didn’t know she was going to do that,” he told you, confirming what you had already assumed. “But I’m sorry.”

You gave a little laughing, shaking your head, “Ushijima, you have nothing to be sorry for. I know you take pictures with your fans sometimes.”

“No, I’m sorry because I didn’t understand why you would be upset at it at first. But Tendō helped me understand. Please don’t go taking photos like that with other men,” Ushijima asked you and made you laugh again. “I... I wouldn’t like it.” He admitted shyly, his lips turning to a small smile as he watched you laugh.

“She’s rather pretty though,” you mumbled softly, finally wiping the rest of your tears that were building in your eyes. “I just... You two look really good together.”

Ushijima seemed to think about this, lifting his eyes up to the ceiling as he considered your words, “She’s not ugly.” He stated simply, finally looking back down at you. “But I have no feelings towards her.”

“Feelings can be developed,” you suggested, hating every word that was coming from your mouth. Why were you arguing for him to leave you? Why were you trying to convince him?

Ushijima gave a chuckle this time, patting your head softly, “Why would I want to develop feelings for anyone else when I have so many feelings for you? You have nothing to be jealous over, love.”

Ushijima always said things with such honesty and you knew he would never say anything he didn’t mean... but didn’t he know there were girls out there much better than you?

“You are the one I want to be with. Not anyone else. All those girls I see at my games all look the same. But when I look at you,” Ushijima let his thumb graze over your lips gently, a small smirk on his lips, “I have to remind myself to stop looking at you. I have to tell myself that I’m staring. Before we started dating, Tendō told me you might think I was creepy because I just couldn’t take my eyes off of you.”

You giggled, trying to not focus on the tingles this man’s finger left on your lips, “Oh ya?”

Ushijima just nodded firmly and leaned down to press a kiss to your forehead, “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, Y/N. I couldn’t care less about anyone else. Do you trust me?”

The question hung in the air for a moment - you knew you did but how long would it be before he realized just how incredible he was?

“Yeah,” you whispered, trying to shove down all of your anxieties. 

He watched you and even though you were saying yes, there was something about the way you were standing that didn’t match with your words. Ushijima wasn’t the best at understanding people, but he knew you. “Everyone of those fans would stop coming up to me if I wasn’t as good at volleyball. One day, when I can’t play as well anymore, or if I ever get injured, all those fans will disappear. But the only one I’d still want with me is you. That’s how I know I love you.”

And even if it was just for a moment, all your anxieties stopped. You smiled to yourself and threw your arms around him into a tight hug. Ushijima’s massive arms wrapped around you as he pressed more kisses to your forehead and cheeks. “Next time, please talk to me honestly,” he whispered to you.

You nodded into his shoulder, closing your eyes tightly and murmuring back, “I love you too.”

The two of you would end up in your room, curled up with some show playing in the background before you’d sit up in realization, blinking at him in surprise, “Hang on, didn’t the team go for your celebration dinner?”

Ushijima shrugged and nodded, glancing at the time displayed on his phone screen, “Yeah they should be done soon. I imagine Tendō will text me to make sure you’re okay after.”

Your forehead creased in worry, staring at him, “Did... Did they drop you off on the way or something?”

Ushijima’s eyes shared your level of confusion, tilting his head as he tried to think about your question, “Why would they?”

“Ushijima, how the hell did you get here?” You asked with wide eyes, remembering how out of breath he was and wanting to hear the words from his lips.

“I ran,” he stated simply as if it was such a casual thing to do. “Is that important to know?”

“Babe, your tournament was across the city,” you gaped, mouth open slightly as your eyes widened even further. “That must’ve been such a long run, especially after a game!”

Ushijima thought for a moment, thinking about how the team had to take a bus to the games today, and how Y/N had to take transit. His mind tried to calculate the distance, though it wasn’t likely he’d get an answer. He just shrugged, thinking nothing of it as he settled back into your bed, “I could’ve gone farther,” was all he said as he pulled you in for some more cuddles, “as long as it was for you.”

Haikyuu taglist (let me know if you’d like to join!)

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[konigsfaerie]

Sapphire Throne

Summary: While in the throne room, Loki finds a way to relieve his new queen's stress.

(sub!loki x dom!fem!reader)

cw: contains bdsm and femdom)

The Mortal Queen is what they called you, even though you were mortal no longer. You spent your childhood and formidable years on Earth, and when you met Loki and were taken to Asgard, your newfound people either loved or hated you. But the people that loved you adored you, would die for you, and the people that hated you really hated you, some going as far to commit treason to get you off of the throne. Some had views like Odin. Views such as mortals are of no consequence, only made to worship the gods of old and die at an early age. It infuriated them that someone from Earth could hold such power not only physically, but at court.

Nevertheless, Loki fell in love with you during your time on Earth and made you Asgard’s queen, and you stepped into the role with such love in your heart for your people, whether they detested you or not. As you sat on the throne, your love next to you, deciding whether to go into enemy territory, you placed a hand on your chin and contemplated for a moment, water running through your veins. “I hate to put our people at war again…. Our soldiers through more battles,” you said, your eyes falling to the floor and then back up to your council members. “But I fear if we don’t, Asgard might fall. We can’t risk our people like this.”

Most of the council members had the utmost respect for your rule, although one or two silently protested your status. “Is it decided, My Queen?”

You gave a look to Loki, and he nodded in return. “It is, Vastros. We will invade their territory within the next nightfall. We go to war this winter,” you proclaimed, slamming down your large staff, the color of lavender. The look on your face was no look of pride, of hope. It was the look of a woman knowing she would send her people to die, even though you were sure we’d win the war.

The entire castle shook with your proclamation, and Loki’s matching staff hummed in response. For many decisions, Loki let you take the lead, as he knew you needed to solidify your title as queen. It didn’t matter much, because on many, if not all issues, you eventually came to the same decision.

As the council members left in unison, both of you stayed at your thrones. You gave a deep sigh, a hand flying to your forehead.

You personally got to know almost all of the soldiers before you were first crowned. At first it was an act of simply wanting to gain trust among the people, but soon they became some of the most trusted friends you had. You were already a trained fighter, but the way of the Asgardians were much different, and your magic was extremely new to you. While you could wield the power of the elements, they taught you power of the supreme weapons they held. This was why it was so painful to declare war. You knew that many of the people you came to love so much would die on a nondescript, frozen-over battlefield, no one to send them off to Valhalla.

“I know you’re stressed, my darling,” Loki breathed, “but you did make the right decision.” His deep green eyes found your chocolate brown ones, full of love and sympathy. “I suppose I never warned you of how much it could hurt… making decisions for a whole nation of people.”

You shook your head. “No… I suppose I didn’t know how many enemies we had. How much they wanted to get their hands on our vaults.”

His face fell to the floor, knowing he couldn’t exactly say something to make all the hurt go away. He knew how much you loved the Asgardian people, your newfound people. And knowing some of them might die… He quickly fell back into his head, as he was quite likely to do. But you knew him completely. You knew his thoughts, his doubts. His thoughts of thinking he wasn’t good enough to rule Asgard, not good enough to rule beside his Mortal Queen, not good enough to love his queen and receive love in turn. You wouldn’t let him fall back into those doubts.

“There is one thing you could do to relieve my stress, pet,” you quipped, giving him a small smirk. While you would maintain your composure at almost all times, the love in your eyes couldn’t be mistaken.

His back straightened on his throne, his eyes slowly finding yours. “Anything,” he said, not much more than a breathless whisper at the sound of one of his favorite nicknames you gave him.

“Get on your knees.”

Loki was wearing his Asgardian leathers, and you also fell into traditional Asgardian fashions, a small blue cape adorning your shoulders to honor your favorite element, with small green accents to honor Loki, only going down to your mid-back. Beyond that, you had a white jumpsuit on and white boots, streaked with even more green.

Before you could blink, Loki was at your feet, his knees on the ground and his back perfectly arched like the good boy he was. “M-My queen.”

Many people would probably guess he was a brat, and you a brat tamer, of which you both could absolutely be, but the gods-honest truth was that he loved serving you in all ways. It got him off. It made his cock twitch. And seeing him on his knees for you made you wet. Something about his willingly submissive nature towards you and only you made you want to make him beg.

“Oh, sweet boy,” you teased with a chuckle, “you’re so ready for me.” Even with all the doom and gloom, you knew that throughout the meeting when he looked at you, he was imagining just this. You placed a boot on his shoulder, contemplating just what you had in store for him. “What shall I do with you?”

The guards were still at the doors, which undoubtedly made Loki more excited, knowing his personal guards knew how much he served his queen.

“Leave us,” you commanded.

As they gave a curt nod and exited with a bow, the doors closed with a loud thud and you gave another smirk. “I know you like it when they watch, my little prince,” you mused, gazing into those wanting eyes.

In turn, he gave a small whimper and bowed his head.

“Unclasp my cape,” you ordered.

His hands scrambled onto your body, feeling on you until he reached your cape, unhooking the small golden buttons with his fingers. “P-Please let me touch you. Please.”

A small, almost nonexistent golden zipper ran down your white jumpsuit, and as you unzipped yourself, you pushed him back onto his kneeling stance. “Touch me?” you teased, his mouth falling open as he realized you didn’t have anything underneath your clothes. Your body lay more than halfway exposed, his eyes going directly to your breasts.

“Touch… these?” You grabbed your tits, pushing them together and twisting your nipples in-between your two fingers. You gave a little moan, spreading your legs so he could see how you glistened.

He knew to stay put. To stay absolutely still until you said otherwise, because he was such a good boy for you. Because he had seen how you enjoyed punishing him so much the last time he dared to touch you without permission, spanking him and not letting him cum for days at a time until he begged for release. The ways in which you punish him each time he disobeys got more creative.

“Now, who’s my good boy?”

“Me! I-I am! I promise, just please let me-”

You grabbed his wrist, pushing his face into yours, letting his lips fall onto yours. As the two of you kissed, you grabbed his throat and pushed him towards your body, making his hands grab your thighs. “Touch me,” you breathed.

He went to work on your body, squeezing your thick thighs, going up to your equally thick torso, cupping your breasts. You could feel his breath hitching. As your tongue flipped over his, you used your powers to slip off his pants, revealing the feminine underwear he had on that you commanded he always wear.

“Up.”

At once, he jumped up and let you survey his body, a small pout on his lips from the ghost of touch he felt. You felt it too, but you’d never reveal that. In times like these, you’d never let him know just how much you needed his fingers against your body.

“Take your shirt off.”

He quickly stripped down, all but his underwear, as you hadn’t ordered him to do so. And he knew how much you liked looking at his cock straining the thin fabric, of his ass popping out of the cheeky, lacy underwear. Loki bit his lip, waiting for you to instruct him further. Needing you to tell him what to do, even yearning for it.

“Such a good little prince,” you observed, putting one finger on the lacy underthings and pulling them down, his rather heavy cock immediately popping out and standing to attention. “And an excited one, hm?”

You finally arose from your throne of crystal sapphire, walking behind and fetching a black collar. “Is this what you want?”

He suddenly was unable to speak, only nodding without abandon, knowing the collar was a special treat you only gave to him when he was extra obedient. You let out a chuckle, placing it around his neck until you heard a click. With any other collar, he might be able to unlock it, but not this one. You had specifically trained with the most experienced of magical designers and created this yourself. Only could you unlock it, and that’s why it excited him so much.

You sat back down upon your sapphire throne, abandoning your jumpsuit and spreading your legs, placing them on Loki’s back, pushing him to your pussy. “Make your mommy feel good.”

His tongue immediately got to work, spreading over your glistening folds and lapping at your clit. As soon as he started moaning, you knew you were done for. The vibrations were already sending you over the edge, and as you groaned, you grabbed a handful of his black curly hair quite roughly, which only made matters worse for him.

He scooted even closer to you, slowly pushing a finger into you. As his fingers pumped into you, you gripped one arm on your chair, the other holding his hair tightly. Not only was he pumping into you, adding another finger, but he curled them, knowing exactly where your g-spot was. “My love-” you moaned, “Fuck!”

His tongue worked away from your clit, obviously wanting to taste you for longer. He stroked your pussy with his tongue, up and down, up and down, which caused you to wriggle around in his mouth. You could hear nothing but moans from him, his tongue diving deep in your hole.

Unable to stand it any longer, you gave him an order. “My clit, now. Make me cum.” You could only hold your composure for so much longer.

You could feel the disobedience thrumming off of him, wanting his tongue inside you for as long as he could. His tongue entered your hole again and in response, you dug your boots into his back and he let out a small cry of pleasure. “Now!”

He immediately realized his mistake, his place, and his tongue started making circles around your clit slowly. “Ah, fuck, Loki!” you gasped. “Make your queen cum, make your mommy cu-” Your body pulsed with pleasure, digging your boots into him even more. As you tried to escape your orgasm, his hands found your thighs and his tongue kept your pleasure in place, making you dizzy as your orgasm reached its height and your hips bucked against his soft lips.

As you came down, your hand wrapped around Loki’s beautiful curls once again, snapping his head up to look at you. You surveyed his beautiful face, his chin dripping with your juices. His tongue licked his lips, and you pressed your mouth to him, your tongue circling his, tasting yourself.

Your hand moved down to his waist, moving him to your lap and pressing him against your chest. “Sweetie?” you grabbed his face, looking into his eyes and putting on the sweetest smile you could muster. “I’m not done with you yet.”

His eyes widened slightly, his cock pressing against you as he made little movements, needing to feel your touch. “Mommy,” he begged. “Please. I’ll do anything, just please touch me.”

Your firm hand gripped his cock tightly. “Like this? Is this what my sweet boy wants?”

He started nodding, his mouth opening slightly as his eyes dug into yours. “B-But I…”

“Use your words, pet.”

“I want to be inside you!” The words almost came out like one, and you gripped the edge of his collar, getting up from the throne and dragging him just beyond the throne room, upstairs to both of your chambers.

As you dragged him above, you glanced at his blushed face, loving the fact that you had total control of him, body and soul. He was yours, and there was no denying that. In that moment and all moments forward, he’d do anything you told him to do.

You both entered your rooms, clad in black and white marble, huge statues of jade and sapphire separating the bedchambers, living spaces, and kitchen. With a stroke of your hand, the candles and fires lit at once, illuminating his face as you pushed him against the stone wall and started teasing the head of his cock.

With a touch of your finger, the collar fell to the floor and before he could start pouting, you pressed your hand against his throat. He gave a smile completely fueled by pleasure, his form slacking against the wall as your hand moved to stroke him. “Tell me what you want again.”

“I want….. I want…. Inside of you,” he whimpered, writhing against your hand.

“And should I let you cum tonight?”

“Yes! Please!” His blush went deep red, his eyes snaking over your form, landing at your drenched pussy, moving his eyes just for a moment at your hardened nipples.

“Please what?” Your face was one of hardened stone, minutes away from bending him over and punishing him until he cried if he didn’t call you by your proper name in the next five seconds.

“Please my queen! Fuck me!”

You gripped his throat even harder, moving him over to the bed lined with silk sheets and white covers. You threw him onto it, flipping him over to appreciate his ass. You gripped it hard, giving it a little spank. You simply couldn’t help yourself, and you made a mental side note to fuck it later until he was whimpering under your weight.

You flipped him over once more, straddling his perfect thighs and placing his hands on your tits. “Squeeze my nipples, my little prince.”

Of course he did as he was told and his hands sent shocks through your body. You moved his knee up, slowly grinding your clit against it. You bit your lip, letting out a little moan as he continued to palm your breasts. “I love you, sweet boy. I love you so much.”

“I love you more tha-'' before he could get the words completely out, you softly pressed your lips to his, nothing like the desperate kiss only minutes before. This time, it was tender, it was soft, but it also contained all the words you wanted to say.

I love you.

I’d do anything for you.

I’d kill for you.

I’d die for you.

As you pulled away, you gripped his hard cock and slowly lowered yourself onto him, promoting a loud moan from his lips. “Does this feel good, baby?”

His head tilted back, grabbing your thighs tightly enough to leave marks. You’d let him. If anyone was to see, it would only be further proof you owned each other. And the bruises around his neck would be proof you especially owned him. He could conceal them with magic, but he wouldn’t. During council meetings and social gatherings, he’d press against them so he could feel what you did to him the previous night.

Before he could get his answer out, you slowly started riding him, almost teasing him. In response, he fingers teased your nipples, twisting and rubbing them slowly. You reached his full length, and realized you probably weren’t going to keep your calmness for much longer.

You leaned your body completely against his, wrapping your arms around him and riding him with abandon. “You’re a fucking goddess- you’re - you’re everything I’ve ever wanted,” he breathlessly remarked.

His length completely filled you up, and as always, was stretching you out. Sometimes you thought you couldn’t handle it, but eventually you regained your control and pressed your hands around him, enveloping him to completion. You bounced back and forth on his dick, crying out in unison with him, already on the brink. You were pulsing against his thickness, but you didn’t want to cum just yet, if only to tell him not to.

“Goddess, can I?” At this point, his words were just sounds and you didn’t know if you could reply without moaning your words out.

“Can you what?” you let out.

“Can I cum?  Please?” The last word was just a plea, and you knew he’d do anything just to cum, to release inside of you and have you dripping with his cum.

“Yes, that’s what you want. You want me to cum against your cock and make me leak with your cum. Tell me that’s what you want,” you growled.

“Yes! That’s what I want!” he started, thrusting with you as if he couldn’t handle it anymore. “I want you fill you up, I want my cum all over your thighs, I want-”

“Cum for me!”

At those words, you both cried out as you slammed his shoulders onto the bed, bouncing up and down and taking both your orgasm and his.

The orgasm you had previously was nothing compared to this. You were all filled up, cumming against his cock without abandon. You could feel him shooting inside of you, you could see his hands ripping at the bedsheets as he moaned in pleasure, which only built the orgasm, stars exploding in your eyes.

You both were breathless, panting against each other's bodies. For a minute, you couldn’t move, the pleasure finally ebbing from your body, but then Loki was flipped on top of you, stroking his dark curls and kissing his forehead.

You could feel how tired he was, how tired you made him, and you commanded the collar back to your hand, locking it against his throat. “Thank you,” he said, biting his lip and looking into your eyes.

“I love you, my sweet boy.”

“I love you more than words could possibly say.”

[aureentuluva70]

I just can't stop thinking about Feanor and Nerdanel.

I can't stop thinking about how they first met, during a time of family drama that was undoubtedly very difficult for Feanor. How he just wants to get away from Indis and his half-siblings and finds himself wandering the wilds of Aman, and accidentally stumbles into Nerdanel, the memory of seeing her there on the seashore, her back turned to him, the wind sweeping through her hair permanently etched into his mind.

I can't stop thinking about how they both loved to create things, Feanor with his forges and Nerdanel with her sculptures-how they were both artists united by a passion for making things of their own. I love the idea of Feanor becoming Mahtan's apprentice not just to learn more about crafting and forging but also to become closer to and court Nerdanel, and the two spend 50% of their time there actually working and the other 50% in flirtatiously teasing eachother.

I can't stop thinking about how they were "companions in many journeys" and how they would explore the wilds of Aman together, and all the happy memories they must have made.

I can't stop thinking about how Nerdanel wasn't even considered to be an especially beautiful woman, and having to endure the awful gossip of "why would Feanor, Prince of the Noldor, marry such an average-looking girl?" As if he loved and valued her solely based on her looks alone. As if that was the only thing that a person should look for in a potential partner. Nerdanel may not be considered the most gorgeous elf on the planet, but she is also wise, understanding, talented, a good listener, and that is what drew Feanor to her, not because of what she looks like but what she does and who she is, and that is what truly matters, and anyone who thinks otherwise, Feanor says, can go straight to the void.

I can't stop thinking about how they just didn't seem to care one jack for the Elven standards in 'how many kids is a lot' by having a record-breaking seven, which by Elven standards is like double the amount.

I can't stop thinking about how 'she restrained him when the fires of his heart grew too hot.' It was Nerdanel Feanor went to for advice and wisdom and for a time she was one of the few to have any sort of influence on him.

I can't stop thinking about how much they must have loved and trusted each other and how happy they must have been together. How they made mistakes and were imperfect people and they knew that, but they also loved their children and they loved eachother, and that was what really mattered.

Which only makes it all the more painful when everything falls apart, when Feanor has gotten so twisted by Melkor's lies that Nerdanel cannot bear to stay with him anymore; When in his madness he wages a hopeless war and drags all their sons into it as well and runs off to middleearth never to be seen again.

Nerdanel has little to no reason to keep loving Feanor, after all he did and all that happened. She has every right to shun him for his crimes, to refuse to forgive him for leaving her and hurting so many people, including their own children, who were so unfairly dragged into the madness. She has every right to move on from Feanor, to perhaps remarry and find happiness again that way.

But at the same time there is still that little part of me that adores the idea of Nerdanel, while certainly not forgetting what he has done, coming to forgive Feanor and still loving him despite everything. I love the idea of Feanor, after plenty of healing and reflection, changing his ways and seeking forgiveness, and returning early from the Halls, a humbled and changed yet wiser and happier man, and reconciling with Nerdanel and all others he had hurt, and the two of them slowly but surely falling in love with each other all over again and finding joy with being in love again and getting remarried and being happy.

I just really love Feanor and Nerdanel, okay?

[shepherds-of-haven]

In an alternate Blest where the Endarkened never returned thus there was never a need for the shepherds to form, what would the main cast be doing?🧐 Would any of their paths have crossed otherwise? For those who are not from Haven would they have any other reason to travel there?

Holy shit anon, this is such a great question that I've literally sat on it for six weeks thinking about it... Let's give this a try! 🤔💭

Beware! Heavy alpha build and overall spoilers below! Read at your own risk, or do not read if you haven't played the alpha fully!

Blade: well, if things had gone exactly the way they had, just without the need for the Shepherds in the mix, he'd be dead! But if we ignore that particular detail, he'd still be working as an assassin for the Ket Rebellion, and he'd probably be a colder, crueler person as a result of it. He would still be a frequent visitor to Haven, plotting you-know-what and taking on various jobs and assignments in the meantime; and he and Trouble were friends before the Shepherds were formed, so they'd still be merc buddies and occasional partners on bigger jobs where they'd need someone to watch their back! But they probably wouldn't be as close. He'd probably spend the rest of his life working as the tip of the spear for the Ket rebellion, the left hand and living weapon of his brother. It'd be an okay life, but he'd never truly be independent!

Trouble: he'd likely still be a mercenary or soldier-for-hire, sort of wandering around the Continent with Haven as his home base. For some reason, I could see him being talked into joining the Army of the Sun and becoming a military man once he was older and tired of the merc life; he'd probably like the order and structure and camaraderie of it for a time, but he'd clash with his superiors and the culture so much that he'd probably eventually wind up discharged! At that point, he'd probably leave it all behind and go West to start a new life... maybe he'd become the sheriff of some small town out there, or a farmer, or an airship mechanic in Lindell!

Tallys: she'd probably work as a hunter for hire, usually working for the farms out in the Sun's Embrace or guarding their livestock from wolves and predators, or possibly as a 'van guard for Elvish caravans. She volunteered at poorhouses and Elvish clinics in Ashtown before joining the Shepherds, so she'd probably still be doing that. I think her life would be a sort of haze of just... existing, looking for a purpose or some way to help people but feeling like it's all a bit futile. She'd probably do some self-destructive things to make her forget the emptiness inside of her, and if things reached a boiling point, perhaps she'd simply disappear into the wind one day...

Shery: hmmmm, this is an interesting question! Shery met up with the Shepherds because her parents sold her into an apprenticeship that she didn't want and she ran away, and by coincidence she happened to come across the group and Blade offered her a job as quartermaster because she was good at book-keeping. If that didn't happen, I don't know what would have happened to her?! She alludes in the game that she saw how prostitutes by the docks were living and was scared that that was the only option open to her if no one would hire her, but I like to think she would have found a job as like, a librarian or a bookshop clerk or a merchant's assistant. I almost feel like she could have somehow run into Riel and joined Merchants Guild as one of his assistants alongside Aerin! So I feel like she would have been okay, though her life would have been very quiet and domestic and humble, and unless she worked for Riel, she likely would have never earned enough to have more than a little dingy apartment all to herself (and some cats).

If things hadn't worked out so well, she likely would have returned home and faced her terrible parents, and probably would have lived under their thumbs for the rest of her life as atonement! :(

Riel: he'd still be master of Merchants Guild, and doing just fine! I think he'd just continue to garner wealth, power, and influence, and likely would have been made a minister or some sort of politician within the Consortium when he was older! Not sure yet if he would have taken that offer, though! If the Endarkened didn't exist, I wonder if Merchants Guild and Thieves Guild would have had any particular bone to pick with each other, as they largely ignored each other's existence... Chase's thieves typically targeted the aristocracy and the obscenely wealthy before the whole Black Sun thing, so they might never have crossed paths!

Chase: he'd still be master of Thieves Guild, also doing just fine! I can't really imagine anything about his life changing that much; he would have continued to steal, nettle, and harangue the denizens and criminal underworld of Haven until the ecosystem could no longer sustain it and the Thieves Guild would have to pack up and move elsewhere to elude capture (probably to Conte); or he would have developed such a monopoly on crime in Haven that he would have gotten bored of the power, handed control off to Ari and Kato, and peaced out to parts unknown... realistically, in that scenario, his luck would have to run out at some point, and he'd probably sleep with or double-cross the wrong person (probably both) and get himself into a corner he couldn't back out of alone...

Red: he'd still be Archmage of the Veiled Circle, and they probably would have remained at Capra for longer, since there wouldn't have been the Endarkened to draw attention to their activities as pointedly as Quiial did. Still, they would have had to leave to evade the Inquisitors eventually, and probably would have settled somewhere else; and Red probably would have passed off leadership of the Circle to someone else, maybe a promising instructor who joined later or Pan or someone. Basically when he'd felt he'd put in the time and wasn't abandoning the Circle to its fate, he'd leave and go off and do his Traveler stuff he'd always wanted to. But it'd be a lonelier, more solitary life, and his letters home or his jaunts back to the Circle would drop off as he became more and more engrossed in his research, and people would worry about him or his health, not having anyone to watch his back on the road. He has a 50/50 chance of marrying someone nice that his family set him up with after like a concerned intervention on their part, or he'd probably drop off the face of the earth and no one would know where he went!

Ayla: she'd still be working as a wilderness guide, taking rich people around on tours and guiding parties and caravans through dangerous stretches of wilderness. She would have gone to Haven to visit as a tourist, but probably wouldn't have stayed long; a handful of weeks, at the most. She'd spend her life scrapping, fighting to stay alive, and watching her own back, but it would be an empty life, pretty much devoid of meaningful connection or meaning. At some point she'd probably get fed up, return to Jalis, and launch a single-woman campaign against the warlords there, just because she could!

Briony: hmmm... okay, she'd still be in that shipwreck, but would slavers have found her if there was no gladiator arena, since there would be no Endarkened to have created it?? I feel like she would have woken up, still an amnesiac, and staggered to the nearest town eventually (which I think would have been Courtshore or one of its outlying, smaller towns/villages). After recovering a little, she probably would have put herself to work as a mercenary or as a street-fighter working for bets (so like a gladiator... but on the street!). She probably would have been taken in by a kind innkeeper or family and allowed to rent a small room with her bizarre story of not having a memory. Or she could have taken up something simpler, like working as a barmaid in the inn or something like that! She probably would have had a relatively happy, peaceful life once she got used to things and it all settled down... but given her proximity to the shipwreck, her past would have caught up to her way faster, and the fallout would have been... intense...

Lavinet: she'd still be in Lockwood, and the Elementals would still be an issue, since that wasn't tied to demonwork! What probably would have happened: things would have deteriorated, and the families of the besieged nobles in Lockwood would have grown impatient and would sent in their personal armies to deal with the situation, most likely without Lavinet's consent. The ensuing conflict would have been devastating, with the Elementals most likely winning. In response, the Autarchy would have mobilized the Army of the Sun and absolutely annihilated the Elementals--but Lockwood would have likely burned, caught in the crossfire. Lavinet would have to spend the rest of her life with that shadow looming over her, and while she'd still harbor ambitions to attend the Sun Court and rise in the ranks as a Sun Courtier, there would always be that stain on her reputation, or she wouldn't have been able to leave Lockwood, having to help it rebuild after its destruction. Or she would have gotten kidnapped by the Elementals far earlier and might have been killed then!

Halek: he would have stayed sol of the Reach, and I have no idea what would have happened... he probably would have married Moonsilk and just have been absolutely miserable... probably would have popped out a few kids and just... existed! Or maybe he might have run away and left Naolin holding the bag and become like a guilty drunkard in some random town, though it's hard to believe they wouldn't have tracked him down eventually...

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

How do you think the Cullen's would have turned out if they lived their natural human lives and not forever frozen at an age / the state they were in? For example I think Carlisle would always be kind and tame but perhaps not as idealistic. Rose might grow bitter of the world since even if Royce didn't assault her I can't imagine he would be the loving husband she wanted. Edward, who watched his parents die and was dying himself, might not be as moody and miserable. Who knows about Jasper and Alice and Esme. Emmett would probably stay the same. Bella, if she never met the supernatural, probably would just be a quiet old soul but otherwise not mal adjusted. I can't even guess about Renesmee haha since she has no personality next to being ~inhumanly special.

I mean, sadly, we know the answer: they wouldn't be around very long and would have died miserably. There's no such thing as a natural human life, well, I suppose you can die of old age, but the fate of the Cullens didn't have that in store.

But let's get into it just the same.

Alice

Had James not come across Alice, she likely still would have been turned at some point by her maker, who seems to have been very fond of her. It was just a matter of time. The difference being that, instead of being a newborn completely on her own, her maker would have been there. This is an Alice very unlikely to see Jasper or the Cullens in her future, though who knows, Carlisle and her maker might very well cross paths someday due to the similarity of their work.

But I doubt Alice would ever end up on the diet.

For Alice to remain human, she can never have been sent to that asylum. In which case we have two options a) she's not sent to an asylum b) she's sent to a different asylum.

In the first case, Alice is more than likely murdered by her father. This is what got her sent off in the first place: she was running around town claiming that her father had murdered her mother and now planned to murder her. To shut the hysterical woman up, her father sent her to an insane asylum. Which effectively got her out of his life just as he wished.

If that didn't occur to him, then yes, Alice likely falls gravely ill or has some unfortunate accident that she cannot prevent.

Otherwise, Alice is sent to some other insane asylum, likely still loses all her memories due to electroshock therapy, and probably dies very young due to poor health conditions. The life she does live is utterly miserable.

Bella

Bella dies in a parking lot, she's hit by a truck out of control. Otherwise, Bella dies in Port Angeles, she's raped and her body abandoned in a dumpster. Otherwise, Bella is eaten by a vampire.

And if Bella miraculously survives all of that, I imagine her struggle with depression continues throughout high school and into college. In college, she may meet someone who catches her interest, in which case she becomes completely codependent on them for a sense of validation (as she did Edward and Jacob in canon).

The relationship is a toxic mess, ends in a very messy breakup, and Bella goes through her New Moon phase a bit later. She might finally get therapy and survive this very dangerous phase in her life, at which point, she finally starts the slow recovery from depression.

I imagine Bella will be struggling with depression though for all of her life and, if left untreated, it might very well kill her.

Carlisle

Had Carlisle not been turned this means the vampire likely drained him. Carlisle dies at the head of the mob, this sentences the other Cullens to death as well as now no one will turn them.

Let's say Carlisle wasn't as fast that day. He had a leg cramp, or something. Not being well in front of the others, he's not hit by the vampire first. This increases his chances of death, as the vampire seems to have killed the rest he took a bite of, but he could survive.

Carlisle lives with the haunting guilt that the one time he tracks down a true demon he brought death to his parish. Several died due to his actions, the demon got away, and now there's no sign of it. Carlisle completely and utterly failed.

This is probably the final straw for Carlisle. Demons exist, but they are beyond his capacity to hunt, this is a job for God and not mere mortal men. He stops the demon hunts, stops the witch hunts, and focuses himself strictly on helping the community and preaching.

He lives knowing his father would have continued to be sorely disappointed in everything he does.

Carlisle likely marries within a few years, now that his father is dead and he's the established head of the parish. He may or may not like his wife all that much, but he has a responsibility, and having a wife and children is one of those. I imagine that they either are somewhat fond of each other or quietly tolerate one another.

If Carlisle has a son, the son is trained as a priest, sent to seminary as he was, and set to inherit the parish. If he has only daughters, then it will be her husband who will inherit the parish.

When Carlisle dies he is likely remembered very fondly by the parish for the good he did for the community. No one talks about the demon hunting disaster. He's buried next to his father.

Edward

Edward dies of the Spanish Influenza in 1918.

Had he never caught it, and thus never come across Carlisle, I imagine he lives a somewhat ordinary life. He goes to university somewhere very well established, perhaps even one of the Ivy League schools, I can see him training to become a lawyer. He either joins his father's law firm or, if his father's not a lawyer, some law firm in Chicago where he does quite well for himself.

He probably courts then marries some affluent, well to do, woman who hits all the checkmarks he expects from society. They probably get on quite well.

The market then crashes in 1929, when Edward's only 29 years old, and Edward gets to live through the depression. Edward may be lucky enough to retain his wealthy, however, he very well could not have been. Edward is now unemployed, destitute, and miserable just like the rest of the country.

I imagine this is very hard on him, he becomes very bitter and resentful, and as he desperately tires to find work it just gets worse. Edward becomes mired in cynicism.

Then the war hits, Edward is now 41, and he's too old to enlist in the army. He feels a sense of nostalgic bitterness that, once again, he can't go fight the good fight and has to cheer from the sidelines. Nonetheless, the economy starts to recover thanks to the war, Edward recovers with it and things get better.

Edward lives his ordinary human life and, perhaps, lives to sometime in the 1990's.

Emmett

Emmett is eaten by bears.

Had he not happened to be in the mountains that day then, likely, some other unfortunate accident would have befallen him. He's a mountain man, that's a dangerous life.

He gets eaten by bears, eaten by mountain lions, injured somehow and then dies, hit by a tree that he cut down, there are so many possibilities.

If he does live to an older age then he becomes the gruff mountain man stereotype that we all know. I imagine he remains a very friendly, cheerful, man, probably marries some local girl and has a very large family.

Esme

Esme kills herself. With the death of her child, that was the path she chose, and had she not been turned she would have been successful.

However, had her child lived, I imagine her life would have continued on the path it was on. She would have been a single mother, working as a teacher, and raising her child.

They would have been poor, but Esme seemed determined to make this work, and was doing an excellent job at it.

Perhaps, in time, she would meet the right man and remarry. However, I think that would take a lot of time as the whole issue was that she was hung up on the ideal of Dr. Carlisle Cullen who she met when she was sixteen and never saw again.

Regardless, she's far more of a real person grounded in reality than Esme the vampire ever was.

Jasper

Had Jasper not come across Maria, he likely would have died in the war. Many, many, people died in the civil war, and Jasper would be far from alone in that.

If not, he would have returned to the ravaged south, and likely found himself facing unemployment and very difficult times for wherever he came from.

Jasper would likely pull through, we know he has lived through hell in canon and pulled through there, though changed for life by the horrors of the civil war that will now never quite leave him.

Renesmee

Renesmee is never born. Her father is a demon a hundred years older than her mother. There is no chance that Bella becomes pregnant with Edward's human child, let alone his vampire child.

If Bella does become pregnant with a vampire child, she's likely been raped by Joham. Bella dies in confusion and agony, Renesmee is born into this world utterly alone, is picked up by Serena, and becomes yet another sister of Nahuel's.

Renesmee lives the miserable life that all of Nahuel's siblings do.

Rosalie

Rosalie is gang raped to death by Royce and his friends and dies in agony in an alley. Had she not come across Royce that night then likely, after they marry, he at some point rapes her to death and murders her.

The likelihood of Rosalie, with her parent's ambitions and her looks, of not marrying Royce is very small.

Even then, Royce is in town in general, that means all she needed was one bad night. Which, in canon, she had.

However, let's say she lives and Royce wasn't interested in her hand, she marries option number two. As you note, her marriage still likely isn't fulfilling. Rosalie is there to be beautiful and poised, to have tea with the ladies in society, and watch as a governess raises her children.

This is the world she lives in, and she accepts that, but over time she becomes increasingly bitter and resentful of this thing we call life.

TL;DR Remember, there's no escape from the pit of despair we call Twilight