#queen of swords meaning

[emeraldties]

The Darkling this, Sankta Alina that, why is nobody talking about Sankta Neyar?

“‘Weakness’” “Hundreds of years I closed my heart, as if that was the solution to ending all pain” “what a safe way to live, and what a small way” “you guard against pain, you guard against joy” “two worlds make a universe”

“He’s not my weakness, he’s my universe.”

Fuck whatever mess those two have over there, I want a love like THAT. He may not be her last or her first, but that doesn’t mean their time loving each other was meaningless, even in the grand scheme of things, because some people are worth losing.

[ball-of-butter]

maven’s live reaction right after witnessing cal and mare’s dance scene

[poisonouspastels]

I haven't really gotten to talk about the Ender Dragon yet in the Minecraft AU, and you guys really liked the worldbuilding of oreposting for whatever reason, so we're talking about her now.

To clarify first and foremost: Jean (the dragon) is an intelligent and fully sentient creature. She knows and can speak every spoken language of this world, knows your name, knows every little thing about you, being seemingly omniscient despite having never met prior. That being said, she is not an unfair fighter and is not malicious in nature.

Dragons existed in much greater numbers long ago, though now the only ones you can find are in Ender. The Endermen are direct evolutionary descendants of these other dragons spread through the infinite realm - but not of Jean specifically. Despite this, historical writings would often (inaccurately) refer to her as "The mother of a thousand children." She is not capable of reproduction and is a fully sexless being.

Her relations to the Endermen are begrudging, serving only to have a brutal mutualistic relationship. The Ender dragons (not just Jean) allow them to eat from the chorus fruit trees within their territory so they may not starve, as well as spawn their own young, and the Ender dragons gets their fair share of food in return... by eating some of the Endermen. The Endermen are rather intelligent creatures in their own way, and they often escape to other dimensions to attempt to live a different life that isn't under the "rule" of the dragons, but quite a few are set in their ways because it's what they know. It's the circle of life they've become familiar with as they subject themselves to it for the sake of survival. Jean is unique in that she is "manufactured" in a way. Not to say that she is artificial, far from it, but that she's not a naturally made dragon. She's to the Universe what Cerberus is to the gates of hell, only existing and serving to guard and provide a challenge if necessary. She knows the rules and is respectful of them, and will never be afraid to die again. Much like a phoenix, with each death she is reborn. Upon being slain, she retreats back to the egg from whence she came many times before, only to re-emerge 10,000 years later.

When Jean finds her way back into the world, the knowledge of the return manages to find its way into the minds of everyone as a call to action. Though slaying the beast right away is not necessary per say, its better not to delay, as the longer one waits, often the more the idea will eat away at them.

Much like how the Wither represents the concept of inevitability, Jean represents the repeating cycle of the world - whether it be the persistence in humanity to come back time and time again, the cycle of her own return and inevitable death, or the tendency this world has to repeat itself over and over.

The Universe works in mysterious ways, and she is no exception to its design.

[the-nettle-knight]

Late to the party but did an English Miku

[fbfh]

Imagine Tedros learning that someone attempted to assassinate his s/o after he rose to the throne and finding his s/o shaken from the attempt on their life: He would sweep you in his arms and hold you oh so close while speaking to you in a soft and gentle voice until you calm down. However, once he makes sure you’re settled enough to take a nap to process what just happens, that calm exterior drops and he is fuming to figure out who sent the assassin, because they will receive no mercy.

OOOOH GIRL. protective Tedros is something I feel very strongly about so thank you for this.

it was late at night. he was in a council meeting that was running later than expected and you were already supposed to be asleep. he's had a weird feeling in the back of his mind for a little while, but he brushes it off as wanting to go to bed and hold you tight in his arms.

"did you hear that?" his brow furrows but no one else heard what he thought was a peircing scream. moments later, footsteps thunder through the halls, guards rushing towards your room, and he really knows something is wrong. he bolts up, finding you shaking on the ground across from a broken window. he pulls you in his arms immediately, holding you tight while you cling to him, shaking like a leaf.

"are you alright, darling?" his voice is calm and gentle, but you can hear how worried he is. you nod, face in the crook of his neck. he holds you so tight, rubbing your back and gently rocking you to help you calm down. he sends away most of the guards to check the perimeter, not wanting you to feel more worked up than you understandably already are. he presses soft kisses to your hairline, just as relieved as you are that you're okay. he has someone bring tea for you two and takes you into another room to talk. you recount what happened shakily, and he only interrupts when you mention you were awake when the assasisn had crept in.

"I thought you went to sleep hours ago," he says softly. you get kinda quiet before you reply.

"I can't sleep without you anymore."

that changes his fuckin brain chemistry. he pulls you close again, holding you tight and kissing your forehead. you can't sleep without him. he's going to process that fully once they catch the bastard who tried to hurt his true love. he continues to hold you and talk to you and drink tea with you until it nears daybreak, and you seem okay again. he sends for your handmaids and ladies in waiting, making sure they're instructed to stay with you in groups no smaller than three or four people at a time. he caresses your cheek, pressing soft kisses to your lips.

"try to rest, love. I have a few matters to attend to, and we'll get this whole thing sorted out before you know it." he speaks so softly, so reassuringly that you believe him. he kisses you one more time, then hands you off to your ladies. you don't see the drastic change in his expression the second he turns away from you and walks toward the doors, but some of the other people there and in the halls do. each step he takes is like thunder rumbling in the distance, and none of them, even the ones who have known Tedros his whole life, have ever seen him like this. He's out for blood, and he won't rest until he finds out who tried to do this to you and slays them where they stand. if anyone in camelot thought they had a chance of doing anything to you, that all evaporates when Tedros and his knights ride off on their steeds, pursuing your attacker, not giving up until his head is in a basket.

when he comes back no more than a few days later, he holds you tight, making sure you're still okay. he kisses you, resting his forehead against yours before pulling you into his arms again. you've never felt more reassured than you do when he holds you tight like this, and you know he's got you 2:24.

"you can rest well now, love."

[stormflower8]

ballister boldheart

okay, here's a Thought

if we go with the headcanon that ballister is an orphan and grew up in an orphanage, can we also assume that he doesn't know his biological family?

and, if he has no ties to his family, that would include not having a last name (surname)

so now I'm picturing a scene where young ambrosius meets ballister for the first time and introduces himself as "ambrosius goldenloin", to which ballister replies with his own introduction

ambrosius might get a little confused, in his childlike innocence, as to why ballister didn't introduce himself with his first and last name. after all, ambrosius is nobility and is probably very used to the formality of full name introductions

so, there might be a conversation like

Ambrosius blinked. "Just Ballister?" The kid in front of him gave an offhand shrug, idly tossing the wooden sword he was playing with from one hand to the other. "Just Ballister." "Ballister... what?" Ambrosius prompted, tilting his head to the side, as if trying to get a better read on the other. "What's your last name?" "Last name?" Ballister echoed. He tried to throw the wooden sword from his left hand back to his right, but dropped it. "Yeah," Ambrosius said, ignoring the mistake. "A name that your parents have and give to you to show you're their kid." Ballister hummed. "Well," he said, kicking the sword to the side and beginning to walk away. "I don't have parents, so I don't have their name." Ambrosius felt his jaw drop a little. "You don't have parents?" he managed, as if unable to comprehend the tragedy in front of him. He scrambled to keep up with Ballister, surprised at the speed that the kid could walk. "Why?" "Don't know," Ballister replied curtly. "Maybe I was born without them. Or they died." He, without missing a beat, grabbed a nearby tree and began to climb it. Ambrosius, in his shock, could think of no better option than to follow him. Ambrosius thought about this for a moment. Thought about what it might feel like to grow up with no one telling you exactly what to do and when and how to do it. What it might feel like to grow up to not have an adult tell you exactly what to do with your life. He thought it might be a little bit terrifying. Ballister eased off the tree and onto a low, flat roof. Ambrosius followed, distantly wondering how much trouble they'd be in if they were caught. He wanted to ask about what Ballister had said. He wanted to ask Ballister what it had been like, being alone from birth to when he'd jumped the gates. Ballister kept walking, and Ambrosius found himself struggling a little to keep up. Throughout all this, Ballister hadn't spared him a single glance. The words that came of Ambrosius out surprised him. "Well, if you could choose a family name, what would it be?" This question seemed to stump Ballister, as he stopped in his tracks. Finally, he turned around and looked at Ambrosius. It was a deep look, one that dug through his soul and unpacked everything in there, one that pierced through him like an arrow. One that made Ambrosius question his own ability to breathe. "I don't know." came Ballister's honest reply. Ambrosius clasped his hands behind his back and rocked back and forth on his heels. "Think about it." Ballister gave him a long look, then lifted his head just barely. It was at that moment that Ambrosius realized that Ballister was probably looking at the statue of Gloreth, which was probably visible from behind him. "I don't know," Ballister said, quieter this time. "But I would want something worthy of a knight."

uh that was way longer than I planned LMAO

anyways, that's the end of that conversation for a long time, until a decade and then some later when they get knighted

that's when the queen gives him the name "boldheart"

the scene where everyone is cheering for ballister ("boldheart! boldheart! boldheart!") is the first time ballister hears his new name, and since a last name is a name given to you by family, it made him feel as if, almost, valerin was giving him a family

and when ambrosius cheers his new name, it holds some extra meaning to ambrosius too, because he still remembers the above conversation and understands the significance this has to ballister

and for a moment, ballister feels as though everything is perfect- the kingdom has accepted him, the queen has given him a family name, and he's achieved his dream of becoming a knight.

uh, and then everything goes wrong, but y'all already know how that goes-

[imjulia-andilikecats]

I know Red Queen is YA fantasy, emphasis on fantasy

But I still can't wrap my head around at how Cal Calore was so down bad for Mare. He was eager to smooch her when she was fresh out of her 4 day coma due to Maven using the sounder on her.

[lilyharvord]

been thinking about AUs lately, mostly becuase I have had so little time to write due to craziness, and I got back on my bullshit about meeting your soulmate and their first word being tattooed on your skin. And just... the implications of that?

Mare with the word "thief" tattooed on her wrist and having to cover it so as to not give herself away in the Stilts, but when/if she gets caught by officers they see it while they detain her and even if she didn't do anything she ends up locked up for the night because of that word. So she comes to hate it with a passion and tried scrubbing it off, and mutilating it as she grew up to remove it, to hide herself better as she starts to steal more and more to survive. But she would wake up with it perfectly healed. And it is in such pretty penmanship, waaaaay too nice to be a Red's handwritting, or even an officer's in the Stilts. And that scares her, so she forces herself to hold onto the belief that maybe it belongs to some Red who assists a general or something and they have to write a lot and she will meet them at the Choke. When Kilorn sees it for the first time while he is helping clean her up after a particularly bad night in a cell, he realizes he can never be hers because it was no where near his first word to her.

Cal has the word "obviously", and it is so obviously the dumbest fucking word to have. It is literally the most common word. The amount of times he has heard the words "obviously" in his life and turned around only to realize it is someone he already knows? Stupid, absolutely ridiculous. And not to mention that the way it is written on his wrist is horrific and makes him question if this person ever really learned how to write properly. The good news? He can hide it underneath his flamemaker and forget about it if he needs to. And he does, pretty much decides that he'll probably just never meet whoever it is. Besides... he has to marry a lady of a High House, and he's already met all of them and none of them said that word to him on the first go. And it doesn't really matter... it is so rare for a future king to marry their soul mate through Queenstrial anyway. His father was just lucky with his mother, and his grandfather of course met his but got away with keeping him and marrying a Queen. And maybe it's for the best if he never meets this person, it would just be a twist of the knife if he is already married and meets the person who is meant to complete him.

And then, one night, on a dirt road, in the hours before night and dawn, when the stars are still out and the world is dreaming, a thief sticks her hand into the pocket of prince, who catches her wrist, and accuses her with a surprised and confused tone: "thief", and she tilts her head to the side, her eyes sparking as she replies "Obviously". And it takes everything for him not to flip her wrist over and look for the word he just uttered, but he lets go instead, terrified that this is the girl who is meant to come into his life and complete him. And she backs up a step, her eyes darkening as she looks him over anew. Neither comments, neither admits to anything. And Mare is glad for it, because the next day she learns he is a prince, and not just any prince, he is The Prince, and she immediately is relieved because there is no way in all of heaven and earth that she is paired with this man. She didn't see her reply on his wrist... she forces herself to believe that there is a different word tattooed there. That if she were to lift up his sleeve she would see something else, some meaningless word to her, that means everything to him. She never looks though, and he never takes off his flamemaker, so she never has the chance to see.

Then, one evening, in a soldiers barrack, on a Piedmont base in the middle of a summer shower, complete with the distant growl of thunder: Mare glances at his bare arm, wrapped around her bare waist. It would be so easy for her to just, gently turn it and look, to answer the question that has haunted her since a Blackrun fell from the sky, and he held her like they were going to die. She shivers subconsciously and gently reaches down to slide her fingers through his, her heart pounding against her ribs. She can't decide if she wants to see the word there, or if she doesn't. She doesn't know which way would be better, whether it would break her heart if it wasn't, or if she were be terrified if it were. He sighs against her neck and pulls her a little closer when she first goes to rotate his wrist, she freezes, tensing for a heartbeat. He's a soldier, they sleep lightly, and this feels like an invasion even though she has now seen and touched every part of him. For some reason this one spot of skin feels forbidden. Inhaling, she slowly rotates his wrist to face up, and her entire skin erupts in goosebumps as lightning illuminates the room and thunder crashes a heartbeat later. There is her hand writing, her ugly, horrific handwriting, and there is the word she said to him with such tenacity on a dirt road and changed their lives forever. She flips his hand back over and pressed it to her stomach, knots her fingers with his as she tries to slow her breathing back to a sleeping rate. It's no use though, his sigh against her neck is no longer a gentle whisper, but is instead one of relief. "I wanted you to look first." He murmurs against the vertebrae at the base of her skull, before lightly running his lips up to her ear. "I think knew in my heart since the Bowl of Bones." He squeezes her fingers softly, and they never speak of it.

Then he choses a crown, a crown over what those words on their wrists' mean. And that betrayal is so much worse than it ever could have been.

[a-world-in-grey]

Life Debts and why Nyx's is a Big Deal

@secret-engima because I've been thinking on this and have Feelings.

Y'all can find SE's original post on Debt Braids here, but a short recap:

Debt is taken very seriously in Galahd. If you owe a debt, it's expected that you pay it off as soon as you can - via goods, services, etc. Very large debts between families can be settled through marriage, but as it requires both potential newly weds to be completely willing (Galahdians don't do divorce, you're married until one of you die), that sort of arrangement is rare.

A Life Debt is declared when a Galahdian believes they owe a debt they cannot repay, usually because the debt is so large, so personal, that a value of the debt cannot be given. In such a scenario, the Galahdian will declare a Life Debt and weave a Debt braid into their hair. A Life Debt is declared on that Galahdian's life. Only they can pay it, and once they die, the debt is fulfilled.

Now, this is where we get to just how serious declaring a Life Debt is. A Galahdian who declares a Debt is declaring that they owe this one person so much, that said person essentially now holds their loyalty over even the Galahdian's own clan and Chief. That loyalty stays until the Galahdian dies. If the person holding the debt dies, the debt passes on to their heir. When the heir dies, the debt does not pass on to anyone else, but even then, the Galahdian is not free from the Debt. Instead, they are free to choose how they will fulfill the debt until they die.

Because Life Debts are such a serious thing, no one can demand a Life Debt as payment. It is only ever voluntary.

So now we get to Nyx's Debt to Regis.

(I won't go into why Nyx declared a Debt - canonically we know Regis once saved Nyx's life, but exact details are for everyone's personal headcanons.)

On the surface, it's not that big of a deal. Oh, it's significant. It's a major commitment Nyx can never take back, but it's not really a problem.

Three things make Nyx's declared Debt significant, even by Galahdian standards. 1) The holder of his Debt is the Mainlander King. 2) Nyx is a Clan Chief. 3) Nyx is the absolute Last of his clan. Any single one of these wouldn't be remarkable, but together they turn what would be a significant but standard Debt into a nightmare.

Regis being an Outsider would normally not be an issue. Oh, there are Galahdians that sneer in private over Nyx declaring a Debt to an Outsider, because they believe Galahdians don't owe Outsiders jack shit. (Is it xenophobic? Yes, but Galahdians have a strong insider-outsider mindset and there will always be extremists in any culture.) But they keep their opinions to themselves because commenting on someone's declared Debt is just asking for a broken nose. Even Regis being a king wouldn't be anything other than an unusual detail (because just what happened that caused Nyx to owe a king a Debt?). The biggest thing about Regis being an Outsider is that to fulfill the debt, Nyx pretty much has to leave Galahd for Insomnia until the king and his heir die or one of them gives Nyx explicit permission/orders to return to Galahd. Which sucks, but that's what Debts mean. Regis - and later Noctis - will hold Nyx's first loyalty until Nyx dies.

Nyx being a Clan Chief is where things start getting sticky. A Chief's first duty must be to their clan. Chiefs, as a rule, do not declare Life Debts. They can't, not when they're first loyalty has to be to the clan, instead of a single person outside the Clan. In the very rare cases a Chief feels they must declare a Debt, they step down from their position as Chief. At least, they should. There's no clan law stating someone with a Life Debt cannot be Clan Chief, but a Chief in such a position will either neglect their clan or their Debt. Neither is something Galahdians regard favorably. There's never been a case where a Chief has refused to step down after declaring a Debt, so none of the Clans have ever had to decide what to do, but it's likely it would not end well.

Nyx being the very Last of his clan means that there aren't any other Ulrics he has a duty of care to as Chief. He is the only one affected by his declaration of Debt, so him remaining Chief Ulric isn't actually a problem. Where him being the Last becomes the final nail in the coffin is if anyone ever joins Clan Ulric. Because unless the Clans somehow find an Ulric that escaped the Burning, Nyx can't step down as Chief.

Nyx's first commitment must be to Regis. Then to Noctis. Not to his people. Not to his friends or any personal relationships. Not to rebuilding Clan Ulric. Any spouse/children/clansmen would always come second unless Regis/Noctis allowed it.

(Do I think Regis and Noctis would allow it, if Nyx asked? Yes. In a heartbeat. But Nyx would have to ask. Might even have to explain, and as a whole, Galahdians tend to be... reluctant, to explain their culture to Outsiders.)

I don't think Nyx really thought about the long term consequences of his Debt, when he made it. He might have, and could have decided that the situation was such that he was honor-bound to declare a Debt regardless. But Nyx has a reputation for not really thinking before he leaps into action, and depending on when Nyx declared his Debt? If it was after the Burning, after Nyx lost literally everyone, he probably wouldn't have been thinking clearly even if he had taken the time to think the decision over. And that's assuming he would have realized the implications in the first place - if Nyx wasn't raised to be Chief, it's very probable he wouldn't have.

Every other Clan Chief would have caught the implications. They would have known, from the moment they saw Nyx's braid, that the Last Ulric would never return to Galahd (not when the likelihood of Nyx outliving a boy 12 years his junior was slim to none). That the Last Ulric would likely remain the Last, condemning the Ulric Clan to die with him.

[numinously-yours]

Signs you may be missing & what they're trying to tell you

Happy Monday! Here is your reading for this week :)

Signs you may be missing & what they're trying to tell you. For the signs, I looked at signs and symbols on the cards I drew. I have the decks linked below so you can look for your individual cards if interested (I have had luck googling specific cards for these decks already, so they should be available on google images).

The Dreaming Cat Tarot (1 & 3)

Tarot of the Little Prince (Groups 2 & 4)

I hope this reading resonates. Leave a heart below or reblog and tag your pile if it does!

$1 and $5 tip options available on my etsy: Numinously Yours

Group 1: Wheel of Fortune, Five of Pentacles rev., King of Pentacles

Sign and symbols from card images: T, A, O, R, X and, V might be important letters. Numbers in increments of 5s and 10s. Butterflies may be present as a sign you’re on the right track, snakes may also be important. The sound of bells, chimes, or clinking. The color blue. Things falling/floating from the sky (snow, flower petals, cottonwood is falling a lot where I am right now).

 What these signs are trying to tell you: Karma will find its way to you – don’t stop doing things for the good of doing them. This is not a sign telling you to do MORE, just to remind you that even though it seems like you’re not being “rewarded” for the good things you do, you will be. Try to be aware of ignoring opportunities. Opportunities are being presented to you in different ways but you either aren’t sure if you’re good enough to act on them or you think you’re making it up that you’re seeing them. You’re not making it up and you are more than enough! You do not have to wait to be “better” “richer” “smarter” or anything of the like.  

If you’re trying to hone a skill, now is the time to invest in doing that. You know there are different ways to meet your goals, but this skill feels right to you. If it gets you your results in the end, do what makes you feel confident instead of risking something else because you feel like you have to. You have nothing to prove to anyone.

If you are coming to the end of a hard time, it may feel too good to be true. You’re waiting for the next shoe to drop. This is your sign that you can relax. Pause. See where your anxiety is coming from. Then see if there is any proof around you to corroborate your story. By thinking objectively, you can realign your thinking with the reality of what is happening.

Group 2: Page of Wands, Eight of Cups, Judgement, Eight of Wands

Sign and symbols from card images: Trains and the sounds of them, lanterns, smoke rings, chemical compounds (like H2O), red flowers, vines with flowers, the color red (and people wearing red, specifically), grey cloud(s) on an otherwise sunny day,

What these signs are trying to tell you: Stop giving up on yourself, you’re so close to your goal! It’s likely that you get close to reaching a goal but then psych yourself out. The fear of the unknown is becoming louder than the possibilities at the end of the journey. Try to bring the possibilities back to the forefront. Your guides want you to find your creative spark again (perhaps the goal you’re working on involves your creations). They’re reminding you it’s okay to try and “fail” because all that does is show you what didn’t work this time and helps you find out what will work the next time.

If you have been feeling called to try your own divination tools (tarot, oracle cards, numerology, etc), this is a sign to try it out! You don’t have to know what you’re doing in order to start – there are guidebooks, youtube videos, etc., to help you where you need support 😊 Local crystal shops usually have decks (that’s where I got my starter deck), otherwise Etsy is a good place to look for deals! Most, if not all, decks come with a guidebook. I got a $5 book from 5below which I love using, otherwise I’ve linked Biddy Tarot before which I LOVE.

Last thing I am picking up is that you may be feeling like things are moving to fast. You want a second to slow down and catch your breath, but it feels impossible (which may be part of the giving up before reaching your goal). Your guides are here to tell you that you are not acting rashly and things just happen to be going fast right now! Try your best to live in the now. This will help it feel like time is slowing down a bit and you can actually hear yourself think.

Group 3: Queen of Cups, Seven of Pentacles, Seven of Wands

Signs Sign and symbols from card images: The number seven, which might be obvious lol. Ribbons, bows, and other frilly things may be seen more frequently. Lily pads. The color purple. Mountains, falling leaves, fruit bushes. Mice may be a significant animal.

What these signs are trying to tell you: The biggest message I am getting is you are exactly on the path you are meant to be on. You are in flow with the universe. Keep on keeping on, you’re doing amazing! Your hard work, perseverance, investment, and self-compassion has not gone unnoticed. Your team wants to remind you that it is okay to be frustrated when it feels like you’re not getting results and that they are proud of you for continuing to do the work anyway. It is hard to power through and it is normal to question “what’s the point?”. You are in touch with your intuition and, even though you can’t answer “what” the point is, you know there IS one. That belief in yourself and the universe is going to take you far.

There may be a particular person or people that are challenging your patience. Looking at the seven of wands in this case, it may be that these people are envious of the progress you’re making. They want to know how they can get to where you are. I don’t think they are challenging you out of jealousy, perse, but out of genuine want for being as successful as you appear to them. Although this may be frustrating, try to think of it as a compliment. You are allowed to set boundaries with these people, too, but try not cutting them off completely. Maybe there are tips, trainings, or other resources you can provide for these folks. This would allow you to help them without feeling the burden of being responsible for their growth.

Group 4: Wheel of Fortune, Two of Pentacles, Seven of Swords

Signs Sign and symbols from card images: Sheep and elephants. Stars (actual stars or drawn stars) and other things from space (moon, comets, shooting stars).  Things that fly above us – airplanes, spaceships, satellites. Grapes. The color green. Random bursts of wind.

What these signs are trying to tell you: First and foremost, you are being called to work on prioritization and adaptability. I think a lot of your life has required self-preservation and it is easy to make decisions based on your own needs. While it is good to make sure that you are thinking of yourself, it can easily turn into selfishness and deception (even though it’s not your intent). There are times you need to look at the bigger picture. Check in with yourself when you make decisions and have multiple priorities. Are there priorities you can use help with? Can you relinquish control of them? What I fear is that people around you will see that you do a lot of things alone and need control and then when you DO need help, these people might not be around. They may start thinking you don’t want their help and thus don’t want them around at ALL. I don’t want you to end up in an isolated place. There is a lot of good karma waiting for you, but you have to trust that the universe will only bring you where you’re meant to go. You can start with baby steps! Is there a report you need at work that someone else has access to and can input data for you? Do you need gas money, and know that your friend would give you some, but you don’t want to seem like you’re using them so you don’t ask? You’re allowed to ask. Your friends care about your well-being. Do you have a deadline that is approaching but aren’t sure if you can do your best work? Ask for an extension. If you can’t get an extension, sit with your boss to create an outline of your priorities. These little things can go a long way. People care about you and want to help. It’s okay to let them.

[nightswatchdisbandmentera]

Bastards & Arms, Girls and Swords (& vice versa)

“The Lannisters are proud,” Jon observed. “You’d think the royal sigil would be sufficient, but no. He makes his mother’s House equal in honor to the king’s.”

“The woman is important too!” Arya protested.

Jon chuckled. “Perhaps you should do the same thing, little sister. Wed Tully to Stark in your arms.”

“A wolf with a fish in its mouth?” It made her laugh. “That would look silly. Besides, if a girl can’t fight, why should she have a coat of arms?”

Jon shrugged. “Girls get the arms but not the swords. Bastards get the swords but not the arms. I did not make the rules, little sister.”

- Arya I, AGOT

This is a very iconic passage as far as contextualizing the ways in which Jon and Arya are outsiders in the established feudal society, all the while being insiders in some way. Jon’s quote (which establishes how the rules be) is the most recognizable part of this conversation due to what comes later (the gifting of Needle) but Arya’s preceding question is what jumped out to me as I was doing a reread of this chapter. This is mostly because it seems to get to the matter of feudal legitimacy.

Because Arya’s question had me thinking: beyond having marital ability, does possession of a sword establish legitimacy in the feudal system? Obviously the possession of arms does equate to legitimacy since one would get them by being born to a recognized legal union. But what does it mean to have one over the other? And what does it mean to have both? Can a person only be half legitimate? And where would that even matter?

As I was thinking about this, I immediately thought of Daemon Blackfyre, who was one of Aegon IV’s legitimized bastards. If memory serves me right, part of Daemon’s claim to kingship was that he held Aegon the Conqueror’s sword, Blackfyre (hence his dynastic name). His nickname was even “The King Who Bore the Sword” and many were inclined to follow him since his possession of the legendary sword seemed to signify kingship; and by passing the sword down to him, Aegon IV officially acknowledged him as his son. But the sword alone wasn’t legitimizing. That happened later when his father legitimized him and his other half siblings on his deathbed. After that, Daemon had both the sword and the arms and he could push his claim for the throne. So if we go back to Jon and Arya’s conversation, Daemon the bastard managed to get the two keys of legitimization (insofar as kingship goes): the sword and the arms.

Now, let’s go back to Jon and Arya. At this point in the story, Arya has the arms which were passed down to her by her father. She doesn’t have the sword here but a few chapters later (in Jon II) she is gifted Needle - her very own sword which specifically made for her. Over time, this sword becomes an integral part of her development and her identity. It’s interesting that Arya gets the arms from her father and the sword from her brother - almost like legitimacy is being passed down patrilineally; even more interesting when you consider that GRRM originally intended for Jon to be her husband.

Jon, on the other hand, arguably has neither. As a bastard, he has no right to any arms. And though he has the martial ability, he does not have the sword; the family sword, Ice, was going to go to his half-brother who was the heir. Even if Jon managed to get a sword, it probably would be inconsequential; meaning that it would not be as legendary as Ice is. But things change as the story progresses. Several chapters later, he is given his very own sword (which he earned on his own merit) when he is gifted Longclaw by Lord Commander Mormont. Jon thinks that this act is like Mormont recognizing him as a son; he is giving Jon his son’s sword. Then two books later, Jon gets the arms when he is legitimized by Robb’s royal decree; though one has to wonder if GRRM initially intended for Arya to be the one to give him the arms as he gave her the sword. Still, legitimacy passed down patrilineally for Jon as it did for Arya. It’s even flipped: one gets the arms from a father and the sword from a brother, while the other gets the arms from a brother and a sword from a (surrogate) father. Both go through situations where they have to assume some sort of leadership (though Jon’s is far more extensive than Arya’s). However, these situations of leadership (big or small) come not because they were passed down as demanded by feudal succession, but because they were earned.

So now we have to wonder, what does this mean for Jon’s and Arya’s futures given that they hold both signs of legitimacy (as it might relate to kingship if we consider the Daemon Blackfyre example)? They both have the sword and the arms. In addition to that, Jon has a plethora of king foreshadowing and symbolism in the text, despite being a bastard. And he is quite skilled as a warrior. Arya may not have Jon’s martial ability, but she has learned some that is relevant to her strengths as a young girl (so she’s not totally hopeless). She also has some queen foreshadowing in the books; her wolf is even named after a warrior queen and she claims to assume a shortened version of Nymeria in ACOK.

Could they mirror Daemon Blackfyre, who was an outsider who came to be recognized as king? It’s hard to tell what will happen given that we still have two books left, but it’s just some food for thought. In any case, this chapter and Jon II (where Arya got the sword) could serve as seeding for what’s in store for Jon’s and Arya’s ultimate journeys.

[ball-of-butter]

red queen tv show plz dont get shadow and boned plz i beg you

[aetherose]

Drakengard 3 my favorite game of all time...

[temporalhiccup]

PbtA23 - Day 16

Your Untamed Heart

When you borrow the form of another animal, roll + the number of times you have shapeshifted in the past.

On an 8-10 feather and bone, tooth and claw, hair and fur, all are one and you have need of none. Describe the form you take and the earth magic that answers the call of your wild heart.

On an 11+ blood and sinew, voice and mind, stalk and shadow, prey to my predator and predator to your prey, you are overtaken by your untamed heart. Years pass before you remember your human shape, and when you return to the cities of man you are more magic than mortal.

On a 7- the transformation breaks free of your control and you are caught, fluid and ever-changing between states.

[wotb-blog-2024]

Idea: WoTB tarot cards

[eiiskonigin]

it's a million degrees and I made myself sad so you know what? fuck it, I'm going to finally write out the Kai headcanon / lore / whatever you want to call this nonsense. I kept putting it off because I was never happy with it but fuck it.

When Winter joined Atlas Academy, she was assigned to a team with three other people. Among those three was her partner, a young man by the name of Kai Troldenglas. The pair quickly proved a force to be reckoned with in their year, their fighting styles blending together almost seamlessly.

Despite the fact that Winter could be cold and standoffish even back then, Kai insisted on growing closer to her -- doing little things to break down her walls. Remembering the things she preferred to eat in the mess hall and saving her the last of them should she be running late. Taking an interest on the rare occasions that she did open up about herself, her home life.

If you had asked Winter, she would have said that Kai was a reliable partner. Someone she was growing to trust, someone she would begin to call a friend.

Over their first year at the Academy, their friendship blossomed into something more. Truthfully, Winter had never put much thought into romantic relationships: she knew that her father was insistent that marriage in a family like theirs was a tool to be used to move up in the world, so she had tried to never consider that sort of thing, had closed her heart off to avoid being hurt in the way her mother had been.

Kai had changed that. Kai, though his presence and patience, had wormed his way into her heart.

Winter had fallen in love, or at least whatever a teenager believed to be love.

So, when he asked her to be his girlfriend, she accepted. When he took her to his bed, she let him.

And when he proposed to her during the summer break, she thought that this was how things were supposed to happen. Weren't they? When two people found one another, this was the natural next step. Winter's own ignorance to how relationships were meant to work worked against her, accepting his proposal. She would marry him, and be happy, and that was how things would play out.

Happily ever after.

She'd never liked those stories.

It was during her engagement party that the cracks in Kai's facade began to show. It was as if a switch had been flipped: the calm and sweet boy she'd met at school replaced with a haughty, snobbish young man. Snapping at the staff working the event, acting as if he were above them. Talking to her as if he were someone completely different.

The truth revealed itself behind closed doors, a conversation she was never meant to hear. When stepping away from the party in an attempt to clear her head, Winter found her father in his office having a conversation with Mr. Troldenglas -- her father-in-law to be -- about how their business arrangement had worked out perfectly.

It was a lie. Everything she had believed about Kai. He had paid his way into Atlas Academy, buying out another student for their place. While being placed on a team with Winter was purely by chance, his getting close to her had not been.

He wasn't marrying Winter. He was marrying the SDC heiress.

Furious, Winter stormed back into the party and shut it down. Mortified at being so foolish as to believe he could have actually liked her, could have loved her. The ring was thrown back in the Troldenglas's faces, and she screamed for them to get out of her home, out of her life.

Sure enough, when the semester started in the fall, Kai was no longer enrolled in Atlas Academy.

Winter went through the rest of her schooling with no partner -- her own request, honored by Headmaster Ironwood -- and held the rest of her team at arms length. Over the years, it simply became an accepted fact that Winter Schnee was a cold, heartless person who wanted nothing to do with other people.

The wounds from her first love still show, now and then. That fear at being fooled again, the hatred of her own heart. Still desperately trying to heal.