#she's all about the connections and relationships between the domains

[thebardbullseye]

hot take ame is the interdisciplinary studies major of the coven of elders

[dewdropdinosaur]

I Wanna Ruin Our Friendship

ALASTOR x (F) READER Summary: You are Charlie's older sister and the pristine image of what a princess of Hell should be. But sometimes even perfect pretty princesses have their secrets. Warnings: NONE This was a request from the lovely @fandomfan-102 REQUESTS OPEN

In the heart of Hell, amidst the chaotic streets and vibrant nightlife, stood the Hazbin Hotel, a haven for lost souls seeking redemption. Among its eccentric inhabitants was Alastor, the infamous Radio Demon, a charismatic figure whose mere presence commanded attention. Furthermore,  Y/N Morningstar, the older sister of Charlie, the hotel's founder; too commanded the room with her devilish charm and royal style. 

Unlike her sister, Y/N was a bit more of what people expected from a princess of Hell. Though by no means was she sadistic or remotely close to some demon’s level, she was not as bubbly or optimistic as her sister. More cunning, reserved, and always dressed to impress; Y/N held power unknown and one that could possibly even rival her father. 

Fortunately or unfortunately depending on who you ask, Y/N often found herself drawn to the enigmatic Alastor. Their love, a delicate dance hidden from prying eyes, grew stronger with each stolen moment amidst the cacophony of Hell's chaos. Stolen kisses, lying about laying one's head on the other's shoulder. Whispers of sweet nothings in the back of hallways and sly hand holds.

At first, to the average outsider, Alastor might have been using Y/N for power or station but truly as time wore on; he grew to love her in his own way. Yes, their relationship was not like most but despite their differences, a deep connection had blossomed between them, eventually culminating in a secret engagement under the light of the red moon as Alastor presented Y/N with a heartfelt declaration and a ring. 

As fate would have it, soon news spread like wildfire through the corridors of the hotel that Lucifer himself would grace them with his presence. Panic swept through the inhabitants, each scrambling to prepare for the arrival of the feared and revered ruler of Hell. As rumors spread of Lucifer Morningstar's imminent visit to the hotel, tension crackled in the air. Lucifer, the Lord of Hell himself, was rarely seen outside his domain, and his presence promised both excitement and trepidation.

Y/N and Alastor found themselves in a particularly precarious position. While their love burned bright, Lucifer's presence threatened to expose their secret engagement. Yet, they dared to hope that their careful charade would remain intact. On the eve of Lucifer's arrival, Alastor and Y/N found solace in each other's company, stealing fleeting moments of affection amidst the chaos. Little did Y/N know that the carefully guarded secret was about to be thrust into the spotlight by none other than Alastor himself. 

On the fateful day of Lucifer's visit, tension hung so thick in the air a cannibal could have taken a bite out of it.. The inhabitants of the hotel stood on edge, awaiting the arrival of their sovereign. As the grand doors swung open, revealing the imposing figure of Lucifer, the room fell into a hushed silence. As Lucifer's shorter but nonetheless dominating figure materialized in the hotel's grand foyer, all eyes turned to him. Charlie greeted her father with nervous excitement, eager to showcase the progress of her ambitious project.

Alastor, ever the charismatic showman, stepped forward to greet the Dark Lord, a charming smile playing upon his lips. Power plays were always Alastor speciality. 

"Ah pleasure to meet you sir, quite a pleasure. It’s nice to finally put a face to the name. Though I must say,  you are much shorter in real life." Alastor declared with a flourish. 

With an annoyed look, Lucifer replied “Who is this? Who is this man? Are you the bellhop?” 

"Ah no. I am the host of the hotel. You might have heard of me from my radio broadcast. Or from my fiance Y/N."

If the floor could have dropped beneath Y/N, it would have. The words hung in the air like a heavy fog, suffocating the room with stunned silence. All eyes turned to Y/N, whose cheeks flushed crimson with embarrassment and whose eyes glared at her lover. Charlie's jaw dropped in disbelief, her eyes darting between her sister and the Radio Demon.

Gritting her teeth, Y/N whispered “Alastor…what in the devil are you doing?”

Lucifer's expression remained inscrutable as he regarded Alastor with a raised eyebrow. "Is that so?" he mused, his voice dripping with disdain. "Well, well, it seems my daughter has been keeping secrets from me." 

Charlie's jaw dropped in shock, her mind struggling to process the unexpected revelation. She shot a bewildered glance at her sister, who could only offer a sheepish shrug in response.

The spirited founder of the Hazbin Hotel stood frozen in disbelief, her eyes widening in shock at the bombshell dropped by Alastor. She blinked rapidly, struggling to comprehend the sudden turn of events.

"Wait, what?" Charlie stammered, her voice laced with incredulity. "Y/N, you're engaged to...Alastor?"

Husk, the cynical bartender with a penchant for chronic alcoholism, arched an eyebrow at the revelation, his expression a mixture of skepticism and mild amusement.

"Well, I'll be damned," Husk remarked dryly, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Guess Hell just froze over." His boss did really have it in him.

Angel Dust, the flamboyant and irreverent resident of the Hazbin Hotel, let out a raucous laugh at the surprising news, clapping his hands together with glee.

"Hot damn, talk about a plot twist!" Angel exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Looks like we've got ourselves a real-life soap opera unfolding right here!"

Despite the initial shock, the atmosphere soon shifted, morphing into a cacophony of laughter and chatter as Lucifer not so graciously accepted the news of his daughter's engagement. After several threats towards the Radio Demon, the King of Hell reluctantly relented though he did stay close to his oldest daughter’s side the rest of his visit. 

Alastor and Y/N found themselves enveloped in a whirlwind of congratulations and well-wishes from their surprised friends and colleagues.

As the night wore on, amidst the revelry and celebration, Alastor and Y/N stole a quiet moment alone, their hands intertwined as they basked in the warmth of their newfound truth. Despite the unexpected turn of events, they knew that their love would endure, for in the heart of Hell, where chaos reigned supreme, their bond remained unbreakable. Though Y/N did get payback at Alastor for his little stunt. You can imagine how that went over my dear reader. 

[shorthaltsjester]

downfall has me thinking about the prime deities far more than is best for my mental health and so i’ve been rewatching c1 just because so many of the pcs have relationships with the gods — even percy and keyleth who hold lower opinions of the gods still have relationships with them — and good grief . you ever think about whitestone as this bastion of love that the gods still have for one another and the love that a party of idiots have for one another. that the centrepiece of the town is a tree from the dawnfather, one used for the builders of castle whitestone to take shelter from the tumultuous lands of the alabaster sierras. a mountain range that came about out of the conflict between the dawn father and the chained oblivion.

the fact that the family that whitestone’s lost son found and brought back with him amounted to two temples being erected, and how fitting that after defeating the briarwoods, the two gods that are given new houses of worship in whitestone are the gods of death and redemption, fate and compassion. do you ever think about how many of vox machina are champions but how much the ones who are not are still held in good faith by the gods, whether or not that is returned? do you ever think about the raven queen telling percy he is broken and reminding him that does not mean he is alone, that means he is mortal, as are all those whom he loves. do you ever think about percy’s death letter, read by vox machina in a tavern as he tells them that the raven queen calling him broken finally opened his eyes to the fact that he has chosen his life (and thus, he might choose better), writing “one the lie [that vengeance would bring my family back] was shattered, I scrambled to find a solution, to make a deal, to undo my mistakes and balance the scales. I now understand that there are no scales. There is no redemption, and no ledger that judges me good or evil. I am free to simply be myself and live with the terrible mistakes I’ve made. Tomorrow, I start upon a path beyond the gods and demons who have tormented me, and it’s your friendship that makes this possible. […] I will try and do my best for you all.” and signing it Percival, of Vox Machina - the family he found and chose, not the one he lost and buried himself in vengeance to avoid. and fucking, vex having just heard percy forgive ripley also hearing those words and having carved the word forgive on the weapon she carries who has a conversation with him to remind him (and herself) that committing to forgiveness over grudges and vengeance means also forgiving the person he’s been that prioritized vengeance. the fact that one of the main things they bond over is that they have similar dispositions to justice and a similar unwillingness to forgive but they both see that in themselves as something they wish to improve at, and that when they eventually marry, each time is by someone devoted to a god neither of them necessarily worship but each of which oversees a domain particularly relevant to that connection - keeper yennen is a worshipper of erathis, and thus the justice that both percy and vex care to honour; pike is a worshipper of raei, and thus the redemption that both vex and percy seek (and see in one another). do you get it.

and god the entirety of the final arc of vox machina is truly some of the most interesting cr content for me just because you get the silliness and depth of vox machina in the face of these Beings On High and they all gaze at these idiots trying to save the world with fondness and the realization with downfall that in many ways those gods were just as much idiots trying to save the world makes that so, so interesting. and i wonder what might’ve happened if one of the gods they’d gone to see had been the lawbearer or the wildmother, what might have been made of percy and keyleth. i wonder if the lawbearer might have taken an interest in a calculating and curious man who loves to strike a deal and stick to it, even if manipulating the contents of the deal made to better suit his ends - especially given that percy was rejected by ioun for his propensity not to share his knowledge, and especially given that whitestone has a historical precedent for worship of the lawbearer. and i wonder what the wildmother would make of an angry girl who is fated to watch the people and places she loves be irrevocably changed and die, who wields her vestige, and who favours the world and it’s people over the gods and their rules — something i’m willing to bet melora would find some common ground with.

there’s also some beautiful symmetry between the relationships of the gods to which vox machina become champions and their own relationships with one another. and i’ve made my post about vax and vex vs. the matron of ravens and the dawn father, but i also think quite a lot about vex and scanlan vs. pelor and ioun. vex and scanlan who can be quite antagonistic to one another but also understand each other as few others do; scanlan who tells the dawn father that vex is not perfect but she is the most perfect among them, vex who hears the knowing mistress tell scanlan that his stories give vox machina strength and genuinely tells him it’s true and that he is very powerful, even when he tries to joke about it. ioun and pelor were the ones to take on tharizdun, ioun nearly perishing and having to hide away to recover. when vox machina asks pelor for her location he doesn’t know it. and fuckin. dalen’s closet. should be a silly little wedding oneshot ends with fuckin. vex glowing with the light of the dawnfather as her and percy, the living son of whitestone, are married by pike who is a cleric and is also the champion of the god of redemption, where the champion of ioun turns into a. dinosaur to walk his friend down the aisle and then grants a wish so that she can see her brother again and the champion of the matron of ravens comes to visit - something that is explicitly stated to be allowed by the matron of ravens. where a twin glowing like the dawn and a twin darkened by raven feather embrace. do you get it . do you see it. the fact that the first story we all heard in exandria was one of a family threatened by fate who could not beat it but did their best with it and that now downfall, the newest story but with parts of the oldest story in exandria’s timeline, is the same. a family who is doing the best with what they have, and what they have isn’t always great.

[reaper2187]

Lady lesso x never female reader

Lady Lesso stood at the edge of the School for Evil’s grand balcony, the moon casting an ethereal glow over the twisted towers and jagged spires that marked her domain. She found solace in the stillness of the night, away from the chaos of her students' schemes and betrayals. Her thoughts, however, were never truly at rest, especially now with a new presence in her life—Y/N, her right-hand confidante, and the one person who seemed to understand the complexities of her soul.

Y/N had arrived at the School for Evil under unusual circumstances. She was neither a witch nor a villain by nature. In fact, she wasn’t even a Never. Yet, she fit seamlessly into the dark, foreboding world of Lady Lesso. It had taken Lesso some time to understand the enigma that was Y/N, but over time, an unspoken bond formed between them, one that transcended the usual relationships within the school.

As Lady Lesso stood lost in her thoughts, she felt a presence behind her. She didn’t need to turn around to know it was Y/N. There was a certain quiet elegance to her movements that Lesso had come to recognize instantly.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Y/N’s voice was soft, almost tender, a stark contrast to the harshness that surrounded them.

Lesso turned to face her, the moonlight illuminating Y/N’s features. “It seems the chaos of the day refuses to leave my mind,” she replied, her voice tinged with a rare hint of vulnerability.

Y/N stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. “You carry too much on your shoulders, Leonora. Even the most formidable need someone to share the burden.”

Lesso raised an eyebrow at the use of her first name. It was a liberty only Y/N could take without facing her wrath. “And you, Y/N, what burdens do you carry? You hide them well.”

Y/N smiled, a sad, knowing smile. “Perhaps I do. But tonight isn’t about me. It’s about you.”

For a moment, Lesso allowed herself to be just Leonora, the woman behind the feared Dean of Evil. She sighed and looked out over the darkened landscape. “Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be free of all this?” she asked, gesturing to the school, the towers, and the endless responsibilities.

Y/N nodded. “Every day. But then I remember that freedom comes in different forms. For me, it’s in the little moments of joy, the stolen glances, and the quiet conversations.”

Lesso’s heart skipped a beat. She knew what Y/N was alluding to, and it scared her as much as it thrilled her. The unspoken feelings between them had grown stronger with each passing day, and now, standing under the moonlight, the weight of those feelings was almost unbearable.

“Y/N,” Lesso began, her voice barely above a whisper, “what is it that you see in me? Why do you stay?”

Y/N took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. “I see a woman who is strong and fierce, but also vulnerable and kind. I stay because, in this dark world, you are my light. You are the reason I can endure the darkness.”

Lesso’s eyes met Y/N’s, and for the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to be truly seen. She reached out, her hand trembling slightly, and Y/N took it, their fingers intertwining.

“Leonora,” Y/N said softly, “you don’t have to be alone anymore.”

In that moment, Lady Lesso realized that the connection she had with Y/N was not just a fleeting feeling. It was something deeper, something that had the power to change her life. She pulled Y/N closer, their foreheads touching, and for the first time, allowed herself to imagine a future where she wasn’t defined by her role as the Dean of Evil, but by the love she felt for this remarkable woman.

Time seemed to stand still as they stood there, wrapped in each other’s embrace. The moonlight bathed them in a silvery glow, casting long shadows that intertwined like their fates. In the silence, a new promise was forged—a promise of companionship, of understanding, and of love.

As the first light of dawn began to break, Lesso knew that their path wouldn’t be easy. The School for Evil was not a place that welcomed love, especially not for its formidable dean. But with Y/N by her side, she felt a newfound strength, a resilience that she hadn’t known she possessed.

“Whatever comes,” Y/N whispered, “we’ll face it together.”

Lesso nodded, her heart swelling with a mix of fear and hope. “Together,” she echoed, knowing that with Y/N, she could face anything.

And so, as the sun rose over the School for Evil, Lady Lesso and Y/N stood hand in hand, ready to face the challenges ahead. Their journey was just beginning, and though the road would be fraught with danger and uncertainty, they knew that they had found something precious in each other—a love that could withstand even the darkest of nights.

In the days that followed, their bond grew stronger. They learned to navigate the complexities of their relationship while maintaining their roles within the school. There were moments of doubt, of fear, but also of unparalleled joy and connection. And through it all, they held onto each other, knowing that their love was their greatest strength.

Lady Lesso, once the solitary and feared dean, found herself transforming in ways she hadn’t thought possible. With Y/N’s unwavering support, she began to see the world not just through the lens of power and control, but through the softer, more compassionate perspective that Y/N brought into her life.

In return, Y/N found her place in a world that had once seemed so foreign and hostile. With Lesso, she discovered her own strength and resilience, and together, they created a sanctuary amidst the chaos—a place where love and trust could flourish, even in the heart of darkness.

Their love story became a whispered legend within the halls of the School for Evil, a testament to the power of love and the possibility of redemption. And though the path they walked was often shrouded in shadows, they faced it side by side, their hearts forever entwined.

[daddiisblog]

Gojo Satoru

Bro, I just thought of the most wholesome Gojo headcannon lol something short and sweet.

“Gojo loves people like him”

Gojo loves people like him. I really just don’t see Gojo with any woman. They HAVE to be at his level or stronger.

You grew up side by side and attended Jujutsu Tech together from the very beginning. Your rivalry didn’t start at school; it began long before, during your formative years. From childhood, you were always trying to outdo each other, whether it was in training, in class, or even in friendly sparring matches.

This competitive spirit only intensified as you progressed through the ranks at Jujutsu Tech. You pushed each other to excel and be the best sorcerers you could be. Despite the constant one-upmanship, your bond remained unbreakable.

Many people around you always had their suspicions, thinking that you and Gojo Satoru were dating, given your closeness and the way you interacted. But the truth was, you were both so laser-focused on your individual goals and on becoming the most powerful sorcerers that you never took the leap into a romantic relationship.

Your ambition and dedication to honing your abilities often took precedence over any romantic endeavors. The constant competition between you two left little room for anything else, even though the chemistry and connection were undeniable. It was a case of perfect timing, where your hearts were in sync but your priorities were set firmly on becoming the best sorcerers you could be.

“Satoru, lets go! I need you for training and you’re my only punching bag.” You say, catching him in the front of the school talking Shoko

“I am not your punching bag, if that’s the case, you wouldn’t have chickened out at the-“ He rolls his eyes which is followed by Shoko who knew what was about to take place

“I chickened out? You tried to use your domain on m-“ You were cut off

“No! I wasn’t about to use my domain you-“ Shoko cut us off

“Yall are such a married coup-“

“She is just mad that she lost during our training battles fair and squ-“

“Stop cutting people off Satoru!” I yell

“You’re cute when you’re angry.” He laughs

“Ugh! hurry up.”

You and Gojo are basically at the top when it comes to being sorcerers. You're always arguing about who's got more power, and it's kinda annoying for everyone else, but you both secretly enjoy the banter. Surprisingly, amidst all that competitiveness, a special bond has grown between you two.

You two never miss a chance to brag about your solo missions, and it’s turned into a never-ending competition. You compare notes on who faced tougher curses, who completed missions more efficiently, and who has more accolades under their belt. The other sorcerers at your school often roll their eyes at your never-ending rivalry.

What makes it all the more intense is the fact that both of you are tied at the number one spot in the sorcerer ranks. It’s a constant battle for the top position, with each of you trying to outdo the other to claim that coveted title. But underneath all the boasting and rivalry, there’s a deep admiration and affection for each other that only continues to grow. It’s a unique connection that no one else quite understands, and it keeps you both coming back for more, no matter how many solo missions or rank comparisons you engage in.

In other words, you guys understood each other like no one else could because the pursuit of being the strongest sorcerers was a challenging and all-consuming journey. The relentless drive to reach the pinnacle of power forged a deep connection between you two. You shared the same struggles, the same dreams, and the same determination to succeed, creating a unique bond that transcended mere friendship or rivalry. It was a connection built on the shared understanding that being the best came with sacrifices and challenges that only the two of you truly comprehended.

You guys got older and close to graduating.

“Y/N, You got a minute.” His voice enters your room through the door.

“Sure” You get up to let him in and he comes in smiling.

“How was the mission?”

“It went.. a way.”

“What? Too weak? I had to face the first grade and they gave you the second grade” He sticks out his tongue which gains him a punch from you.

“No, anyways I was just tired, I wasn’t my full self amidst the boredom of a second grade. It was too easy.” He rolls his eyes,

“Yea, anyways, Did you get the letter?” He raised a brow.

“Omg! About instructing here after we graduate?” you smile widely

“Yes! I really can’t believe we are going to be living on to teach other people just as strong as us.” His eyes light up

“We?”

“Yes ‘we’, as much as we joke.. You’re incredibly strong, Y/N. That is what the world needs. It’s hard enough to live as someone who is weak but knowing that you can take care of yourself shows how admirable you can be.”

“Awe, Satoru stop with the sap, you’re gonna make me tear up”

“You’re my favorite person and I want to be beside you forever.”

You and Satoru continue your legacy and love for each other and grow stronger together and teaching the kids of Jujutsu Tech how to be just as strong as you guys.

You later decided to start dating and look out for each other. All of your students consider you Mom and Dad and you guys consider them your children for how close you have all grown.

“Damn, Satoru, how long has it been?” You guys sit there on our desk in front of the bright window from the top of the hill of Jujutsu Tech

“A little over 10 years, still the strongest and still being better than you.” he teased.

“Please, I saw the way you struggled with Hanami.” You wanted to tug at his heart strings a bit

“That was not a struggle. More or less boredom, ain’t that what you said some years ago?” Your banter not working against the overly confident man

“Haha, very funny, anyways, you’re so damn fine when you get all crazy. I had to remember we are on a mission.”

“Well, we aren’t now..” He gets up and stands in front of me blocking the window we were facing.

“Mm, well I think we have some time before we have to round up the kids.” You tap your finger on his chin and he grins.

“Yep, just enough time.”

You guys enjoy the rest of your evening and lives as the strongest Jujutsu couple on the face of the earth

[kalena-henden]

I’m loving The Midnight Romance in Hagwon. It’s really a slow burn friends to lovers. They’ve known each other for so long and always had a special connection but because of the age gap and power dynamics their relationship stayed platonic. Since he decided to join the academy with her, you can see them sacrificing for and worrying about each other. They’ve been carefully poking and prodding each other with work and personal boundaries. I love when he asked her if she could ‘read between the lines’ because that’s literally their job as language teachers and it’s what we as an audience have been doing as well. Both for her benefit and ours, it’s his version of ‘can I be anymore obvious?’  LOL

It’s so cute how lowkey and awkward they are about their burgeoning feelings. He’s barely holding on by a thread but Hyejin admitting she liked the way Junho upended her ridged, overly planned, workaholic life to make her want more. *clutches heart* He’s probably dated but she’s been dedicated to her job to the point of no social life. She a bit unsure of how to proceed but I like that she’s up for the adventure of falling in love.

As for her director, it was interesting to find out that he made everyone think he treated her well. When in reality, he had always taken her to the cheapest restaurants, gave her loans to emotionally blackmail her, and put in non-competes to her contract (which are starting to become illegal alot of places in my country). The fact that he didn’t even wait 12 hours to officially try to soft get rid of her was disgusting. He could have tried to build up the Korean department by getting new teachers to do other schools or by building up other teams like English or Math to grow his business so it wouldn’t be as reliant on Hyejin. That’s his fault. As Hyejin said, she was willing to take less if it meant building something special together but once he broke her trust all bets are off. She owes him nothing.

The Grey Witch offered her another terrible deal as well. Even though she’s nearing retirement, I understand why she wouldn’t want another teacher stealing her students simply to keep her pride intact. While she was underhanded in making sure her students wouldn’t be able to attend the lecture, except for the spy she blackmailed into attending, she was trying to protect her domain. But the offer she made to Hyejin was pathetic at best. As Hyejin told Junho, it was the bare minimum of what she is worth. That whole ratio salary thing was such a cheap trick. Very shortsighted. It did not offer any real job security or power.  She was still going to rule her castle. If the Grey Witch truly wanted to retire gracefully and pick a successor, she should have offered to sell her academy to Hyejin for a tidy sum. 

While I understand that the economics of successful talent can be taxing for business owners, it’s literally the owners’ job to assess those risks and build their business around them accordingly. In general, even the best talent gets kicked to the curb at a moments notice so I don’t begrudge the talent for asking for the best terms for themselves. Also, more often than not, business owners (and corporate CEOs) take huge advantage of the majority of their average employees so I have zero sympathy for them. They are more than getting their money's worth. 

However, I do like watching the politics of these business owners versus talent play out.

[royal-wren]

While long overdue on my part by weeks, this post will serve as informative to the worship of Maia. I will try my best to make it cohesive but it might end up being a patchwork.

"I know the Dove best by night blue in the sky she remains diligently guiding us from the heavens so none may be lost even when alone when cared for by the herald of seasons"

-For the Night-Wandering, by me

Maia, daughter of the Titan Atlas, who shifts the heaven's axis, and Titanide sheep-nymph Pleione (Aithrê is her alt. name) who increases in number as a lady of plenty, is one of many stars making up the constellation Taurus. She is the oldest of the seven sisters and the leader of the Pleiades born in Arkadia on Mt. Kyllene where she would take up permanent residence in the caves. She is a sister to the Hyades as well. Maia is known both as a star-nymph (part of the Astrothesiai) and Oread. She has only one natural child, far-famed and widely-loved Hermes who helps her name stay relevant even now when knowledge about her is obscure.

Generally, the word maia means mother but for the goddess means Nursing Mother primarily but also Great Mother, Good Mother, Foster Mother, Female Doctor, or Dame. Her name also can be a way to address older women, grandmothers, and nurses/midwives. Maia's domain mentioned above is her most prominent aspect as a goddess of motherhood along with Leto. It led to her having a part in a myth otherwise separated from her as she became the foster mother of Kallisto's son Arkas, whom she named promptly after Zeus gave him to her.

Maia has many additional complexities with her important role to play noting her position as one of the main factors of all the seasons as the one to tell of the changes between each season (with the Pleiades). Her importance with humanity comes from this as the seven sisters tell when the earth will be renewed with life and when that renewal is at its end. She is a vegetation and earth goddess, from which she is renewal and rebirth to the earth as well as the barrenness of the earth. Maia is a maritime deity as well, without her showing up in the sky navigation by nighttime would become a challenge, something that anyone traveling in the dark would know. Through this connection she has a deep relationship with waters of oceans, springs, and rivers.

Fondly, the Seven Sisters are called Doves (Pigeons) by many writers and are the ones that attend Zeus with ambrosia. With the stars accompanying the moon, the Pleiades are called companions of Artemis. Under the epithets Atlantides, Dodonides, or Nysiades, they are nursemaids and teachers to the infant Bacchus.

The month of May earned its name from her as a 50/50 deal between her and Roman goddess Maia who's also a spring/fertility and earth goddess associated with mountains. While Rome started it first, the Greeks took it up for themselves near the end of the Hellenic era and the start of the Hellenistic era.

*On a more speculative mindset to the knowledge that Maia more than likely is a pre-Greek/older local mother goddess to the area in a similar way that Hermes is confirmed to be pre-Greek/an older local god. The older tradition and connection she has with caves in a similar manner to Hermes could speak to her being liminal and khthonic originally as they are/were seen as the point between the living and the dead and the entrance to the underworld. There is a possibility that she could of the Mycenaean goddess Preswa (dove deity), Manasa, or Diwija with Komawenteja: long-haired goddess as an epithet. Another fun little possibility is the indication that Maia is a bi-gendered deity, more than likely a part of her older iteration that survived on a largely diminished scale.

Epithets: With deep dark eyes  Honored mother The nurturer  She who nurtures   Great (Mighty) nurse  Of the lovely black eyes  Maia Prôtogonê - First-born Maia Kedná - Careful, diligent, trusty cherished, dear good, valued Maia Eratoplocamus - Lovely-haired Maia Euplokamos - Having lovely locks Maia Ioplokos/Ioplokamos - With violet hair / With dark locks Maia Kuanokhaitēs - Dark-haired Maia Hulaios - Belonging to the wood or forest Maia Aitherolampēs - Shining in ether Maia Himeronous - Lovely of soul Maia Earotrephḗs - Flourishing in Spring Maia Drymocharēs - Delighting in the woods Maia Philodendros/Philodendron - Fond of trees / Fond of the wood Maia Peleia - The Dove Maia Dôdônides - Of Dodona Maia Ekprepḗs - Distinguished out of all, pre-eminent, remarkable, surpassing Pôtnia Maia - Queenly Maia Maia Aeiphengēs - Ever-shining Maia Nyktaugḗs - Shining by night Maia Asteroommatos - Star-eyed Maia Kyanôpis- Dark-eyed Atlantis - Daughter of Atlas Atlagenes - Born of Atlas Pleias - Daughter of Pleione Maia Kyllḗnē/Kyllênê - Of Mt. Kyllene Maia Kourotróphos - Nurse of the Young, Good Nursing-Mother Eurysternos - Broad-bossomed Matêr Pantôn - Mother of All Maia Pleiôn - Lady of Plenty Maia Entropḗ - To turn away. In place of most shy (since I can't find those exact words) while also being a play on Hermes' epithet Polytropos: Many-turning. Maia Erēmophílēs - Loving solitude Maia Aidoîos - Modest, bashful, honored, respected, having a claim to regard, reverence Maia Gaia - The conflation of two goddesses tied to the earth and nurses/mothers making Mother Earth Maia Oureias or Maiados Oureias - Mountain Maia Mêtêr Oreiês - Mountain Mother Maia Oreiplanktos - Mountain-roaming Maia Kuanéā - Dark, Dark-Blue, To denote a dark shade of blue merging into black

Sacred Associations: Doves Pigeons Dodona Arkadia Mt. Kyllene Kingfishers Navigation Sailing June Thirteenth Caves Mountains Winnowing-baskets Night time The color Black Light Blue Dark Blue

Festivals: The month of May, Mounichia (Greek: Μουνιχιών) is important to the sisters as the Pleiades rise and it signifies the start of the navigational year and the time the earth can be sown with seeds again/the growing season is in full swing. The end of October or the month of November is also a festival when they set, the navigational year ends and the growing season ends. The cluster's conjunction with the sun in spring and opposition in fall marked the start and end of the summer sailing season in ancient Greece.

*While not mandatory any donations for any posts I do like this would mean the world as this stuff takes literal months to do. Ways to donate outside of Tumblr tipping can be found here

Sources:

terpsikeraunos' tumblr page

Theoi's pages for Maia, the Pleiades, Kyllene, Persephone's epithets and Amphitrite's epithets

University of Penselvania's page on the Pleiades

The exile of Ovid, the Pleiades, Maia, and the secret name of Rome by Felice Vinci

Athenaeus: The Deipnosophists Book 11, Pages 484-496, Translated by C.B. Gulick

A Minoan deity from London Medicine Papyrus by Alexander Akulov

The Pleiades on holladaypaganism./com

Astereoasteroseismology by Gough, D. O.

Hymn 4 to Hermes

Mythology of the Seven Sisters

The Winter Stars are Coming by Dennis Mammana

Phaenomena by Aratus

Maia Goddess of Birth by Despena Dalmaris

[thequeenofneverland1]

Before The Hope of the mikaelsons family Part One

Summary: In the tense atmosphere of New Orleans, Klaus Mikaelson grapples with his power as the king of the French Quarter. After a violent confrontation with a group of defiant witches, he feels a growing threat to his control. Simultaneously, his relationship with Hayley Marshall intensifies when they share a passionate night that leads to her unexpected pregnancy. As Hayley experiences troubling symptoms, she learns from the witch Sophie that she is carrying Klaus's child, a powerful hybrid with extraordinary implications. Klaus, however, is consumed by anger and fear, viewing the child as a potential weakness that could be exploited by enemies. His coldness pushes Hayley away, leaving her feeling isolated and unsupported. This creates tension within the Mikaelson family, especially when Elijah and Rebekah confront Klaus about his behavior. They urge him to embrace the reality of fatherhood, highlighting the importance of family and connection. As the storm outside mirrors the chaos within, Klaus is torn between his instincts to protect and his reluctance to embrace his role as a father, foreshadowing the impending challenges they will all face as the situation escalates.

Warnings: themes of violence, supernatural elements, and intense emotions. themes of pregnancy, family dynamics, and betrayal, There are references to complex relationships and power struggles within a supernatural family and don’t read if you find it disturbing or unsettling.

The night was heavy with tension, a suffocating veil that settled over the streets of New Orleans. The heart of the French Quarter pulsed with life, music, laughter, and the murmurs of secrets exchanged in the shadows. But tonight, the air carried an undercurrent of fear, a dread that slithered through the city’s veins.

In a dimly lit alley, Klaus Mikaelson stood, his icy blue eyes scanning the darkness. The faint glow of a nearby streetlamp caught the sharp angles of his face, highlighting the predatory gleam in his gaze. He was a king in his domain, and yet tonight, he was restless. The city was his, but his hold on it felt tenuous, threatened by forces both within and beyond his control.

Behind him, his brother Elijah emerged from the shadows, his posture as composed as ever. The eldest of the siblings exuded a calm that belied the storm raging within. He adjusted his cufflinks with the same meticulous care he gave to every detail of their lives. But even his steady demeanor couldn’t mask the unease that gnawed at him.

“Klaus,” Elijah began, his voice a measured whisper that carried the weight of centuries, “Our enemies grow bolder. We must act decisively.”

Klaus turned to face his brother, a cruel smile playing at the edges of his lips. “Oh, we will, Elijah. But first, we must remind them who truly rules this city. Fear is a far more potent weapon than any show of force.”

As Klaus spoke, Kol sauntered into view, a mischievous grin on his face. His dark eyes sparkled with a dangerous glee, as if the chaos surrounding them was nothing more than a game. Unlike his brothers, Kol reveled in the turmoil, finding delight in the destruction they left in their wake.

“Have you already planned our next move, Nik?” Kol asked, his tone light, almost mocking.

Klaus’s smile widened. “Indeed, brother. Tonight, we send a message, a reminder that the Mikaelsons are not to be trifled with.”

The three brothers moved as one, a deadly force that descended upon the city like a shadow. They were unstoppable, untouchable, and tonight, they would make New Orleans tremble.

They approached the first of their targets, a small gathering of witches who had dared to defy them. The witches were huddled around a bonfire, their whispered incantations filling the night air with a strange, unsettling energy. But their magic, though powerful, was no match for the Mikaelsons.

Klaus stepped forward, his presence a dark cloud that smothered the witches’ bravado. “Did you truly believe you could challenge us?” he asked, his voice laced with a deadly calm.

The lead witch, an older woman with silver-streaked hair, met his gaze with defiance. “You may be powerful, Klaus Mikaelson, but you are not invincible. Your reign will end.”

Klaus’s smile vanished, replaced by a cold, merciless fury. “Is that so?”

With a flick of his wrist, he silenced her, the snap of her neck echoing in the still night. The remaining witches gasped, their fear palpable.

Elijah, ever the diplomat, stepped forward, his voice smooth as silk. “We do not seek unnecessary violence. But make no mistake, f you stand against us, you will fall.”

Kol chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “And fall they shall.”

The witches were no match for the Mikaelsons’ combined might. One by one, they crumbled under the assault, their magic faltering in the face of the ancient power wielded by the Original family.

As the last of the witches fell, the bonfire sputtered out, plunging the scene into darkness. The Mikaelsons stood victorious, their enemies vanquished, yet the satisfaction was fleeting.

Klaus surveyed the aftermath, his expression unreadable. “This is only the beginning,” he muttered, more to himself than to his brothers. “Our enemies are gathering, and we must be ready. The shadows are closing in, and we cannot afford to falter.”

Elijah placed a hand on Klaus’s shoulder, a rare gesture of brotherly affection. “We will face whatever comes together. We have always survived. We will do so again.”

Kol, standing slightly apart, looked up at the sky, where clouds were beginning to gather, obscuring the stars. “Let them come,” he said with a grin. “We’ve always thrived in the darkness.”

As the first drops of rain began to fall, the Mikaelsons turned and disappeared into the night, their presence lingering like a dark omen over New Orleans. The storm was coming, and with it, the reign of the Mikaelsons would be tested as never before.

And in the distance, unknown to them, a new force was stirring, one that would change everything. But that was a story for another time. For now, the shadows belonged to the Mikaelsons.

The storm outside raged with unrelenting fury, a symphony of thunder and rain that beat against the Abattoir’s windows. Inside, the atmosphere was heavy with the aftershocks of the night’s violence, a tension that seemed to seep into every corner of the grand, dimly lit estate.

Klaus paced restlessly in his private quarters, the echoes of the confrontation with the witches still resonating in his mind. His gaze was distant, lost in the labyrinth of his own thoughts. The burden of leadership, the constant threats to his family, everything weighed heavily on him.

A soft knock on the door pulled him from his reverie. Without waiting for an invitation, Hayley Marshall entered, her presence a stark contrast to the storm outside. Her eyes, fierce and determined, met his with a look that spoke of both understanding and defiance.

“You’re still awake,” she said, her voice steady despite the chaos around them. “I thought you might be.”

Klaus turned to face her, his expression a mix of weariness and frustration. “It seems there is no rest for the wicked, or for those who seek to hold onto what is theirs.”

Hayley closed the door behind her and stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. “You need to take a break, Klaus. You’re pushing yourself too hard. This relentless pursuit of control is going to break you eventually.”

Klaus’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You think I don’t know that? But what choice do I have? The city is rife with enemies, and every day is a battle to maintain what I’ve built.”

Hayley’s expression softened, and she approached him with a calm, measured stride. “It’s not just about fighting, Klaus. It’s about finding something that gives you a reason to keep going. Something that makes all of this worth it.”

As she spoke, she reached out and placed a hand on his arm. The touch was light but conveyed a deep sense of empathy. Klaus felt a flicker of something he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in a long time, a connection.

He looked at her, his defenses momentarily lowered. “And what would you suggest, Hayley? What could possibly make this endless cycle of violence and power struggles worth it?”

Hayley’s eyes held his with a sincerity that was both comforting and unsettling. “Sometimes, it’s not about changing the world but finding moments that make you feel alive. And sometimes, those moments come from unexpected places.”

Klaus’s gaze dropped to her hand resting on his arm. There was a magnetic pull between them, an undeniable tension that had been building for weeks. He could feel the storm inside him warring with the calm that Hayley brought.

Without further words, he closed the gap between them, his lips finding hers in a kiss that was both urgent and tender. Hayley responded with equal fervor, her hands gripping his shoulders as if she, too, needed this moment to escape the chaos surrounding them.

The kiss deepened, becoming more passionate, as if they were trying to convey all their unspoken fears and desires in that single act. The world outside,the enemies, the storms, the struggles , seemed to fade away as they lost themselves in each other.

They moved together with a natural rhythm, finding solace in each other’s presence. The bed, a silent witness to their union, became a refuge from the storm outside and the tumult within.

In the quiet aftermath, as they lay entwined, Klaus found a rare moment of peace. The relentless storm outside continued to batter the windows, but within the walls of the Abattoir, a different kind of storm had found its calm.

Klaus stared up at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting. For a brief, fleeting moment, he allowed himself to believe that there was something more to life than the endless power struggle he had been entrenched in for so long. In Hayley’s arms, he found a glimpse of that elusive hope she had spoken of, a reason to keep fighting, a reason to believe that maybe, just maybe, there could be something more beyond the shadows of his past.

As he closed his eyes, the storm outside seemed to mirror the calm within, a promise of something new amidst the turmoil. And as the first light of dawn began to creep through the curtains, Klaus knew that the road ahead would be fraught with challenges. But for now, he allowed himself to savor the peace he had found, however fleeting it might be.

Days after her night with Klaus, Hayley found herself grappling with a growing sense of unease. The changes in her body, once subtle, had become more pronounced. The nausea, dizziness, and fatigue that had started so innocuously were now relentless.

She had moved back to her own apartment in a quieter part of the city, away from the opulent yet stifling environment of the Mikaelson estate. The change of scenery offered a brief respite, but her symptoms persisted, casting a shadow over her everyday life.

One evening, as she prepared a simple meal in her modest kitchen, Hayley suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. She gripped the counter, her vision blurring as her head spun. The nausea was more intense now, a gnawing sensation that made it difficult to focus.

She sat down at her small dining table, trying to steady her breathing. Her mind raced with thoughts, had something happened during her recent interactions with Klaus that could explain these symptoms? She had been cautious, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this than mere coincidence.

Hayley reached for her phone and dialed a friend, someone she knew had knowledge about the supernatural and its effects. As the phone rang, she tried to keep her composure, though the symptoms were growing more disconcerting by the minute.

“Hello?” came the voice on the other end.

“Hey, it’s Hayley,” she said, her voice strained. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I need your help. I’ve been feeling really off lately, dizzy, nauseous, and just… not myself. I was wondering if you might have any insight into what could be causing this.”

There was a brief pause before her friend responded. “That sounds concerning. It could be related to something supernatural. Can you describe when it started and if there were any specific events or interactions that might have triggered it?”

Hayley took a deep breath, trying to recall the details. “It started a few days ago, after a significant event involving Klaus Mikaelson. I’ve had some unusual cravings and heightened sensitivity as well. I’m not sure if it’s connected, but it’s been getting worse.”

Her friend’s voice grew more serious. “It’s possible that you’ve been affected by some form of magic or a spell. I recommend seeing a specialist who can assess your condition more thoroughly. There are practitioners who deal with magical afflictions, they might be able to offer some answers.”

She thanked her friend and ended the call, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. The idea of consulting a specialist seemed like the next logical step, but it also meant delving deeper into a world she had tried to navigate with caution.

As she hung up the phone, a sudden chill swept through her apartment. Hayley shivered, feeling a prickle of apprehension that she couldn’t quite explain. The sensation was fleeting but left her with a lingering sense of dread.

Determined to find answers, Hayley resolved to seek out the help of a magical practitioner. She knew that whatever was affecting her, it was tied to the supernatural events she had been involved in recently. With a sense of resolve, she prepared herself for what lay ahead, knowing that uncovering the truth would be crucial in understanding her condition and finding a way to address it.

As the night settled in and the city outside continued its usual rhythm, Hayley felt the weight of her situation pressing down on her. The road ahead was uncertain, but she was prepared to face it head-on, driven by the need to uncover the truth and regain control of her life.

In the grand compound, Klaus is in his study, immersed in his usual scheming, a glass of bourbon in hand. Elijah sits across from him, meticulously reviewing plans that would solidify their hold on New Orleans. Rebekah, though present in the mansion, is distant, occupied with her own thoughts, likely plotting her next move to reclaim a semblance of the life she’s always wanted.

Elsewhere in the city, Kol, the estranged Mikaelson, is far from his siblings, likely engaging in his own mischief, disconnected from their current schemes.

Hayley tries to shake off the strange sensation, but it clings to her like a shadow. She paces around her small apartment, hoping that movement will help clear her mind. Each step feels heavier than the last, and the warmth in her abdomen pulses with a growing intensity, making her feel nauseous.

She finally makes her way to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face. The coolness offers a brief respite, but as she looks up into the mirror, she’s startled by her own reflection. Her eyes, usually bright and full of determination, seem clouded with something unfamiliar, an emotion she can’t quite name. There’s a slight flush to her cheeks, a sign that something inside her is changing.

As the strange sensations within her become impossible to ignore, Hayley makes a decision. She can’t go on like this, not knowing what’s happening to her. She needs answers, and there’s only one place she can think to get them. With a determined breath, she grabs her jacket and heads out the door.

The streets of New Orleans are alive with activity, but Hayley’s focus is singular. She knows of a witch, a powerful one, who might be able to help. Her name is Sophie Deveraux, a woman with a reputation for being able to uncover the deepest secrets of the supernatural world.

Hayley navigates through the winding streets of the French Quarter, her unease growing with each step. The warm breeze does little to soothe her anxiety, and by the time she reaches Sophie’s modest shop, she’s nearly trembling. The small, unassuming building is tucked away in a quieter part of the Quarter, its windows darkened, giving it an air of mystery.

She hesitates for a moment outside the door, then pushes it open. A bell jingles softly as she steps inside, and the scent of herbs and incense immediately fills her senses. The shop is cluttered with shelves of strange objects, jars filled with mysterious ingredients, and thick, ancient books.

Sophie is behind the counter, flipping through a book, but she looks up as Hayley enters. Her expression is neutral, though her eyes flash with recognition.

“Hayley,” Sophie greets, closing the book. “I didn’t expect to see you here. What brings you to my shop?”

Hayley swallows hard, suddenly feeling exposed under the witch’s gaze. “I need your help,” she says, her voice quieter than she intended. “Something’s wrong with me, and I don’t know what it is.”

Sophie studies her for a moment, then nods, her demeanor shifting to one of serious focus. “Come with me.”

She leads Hayley to a back room, dimly lit by candles and filled with the scent of burning sage. A circle of stones is laid out on the floor, and Sophie gestures for Hayley to sit in the center.

“Relax,” Sophie instructs as she begins to light more candles and prepare various herbs. “I’m going to perform a reading, see if I can sense what’s going on with you.”

Hayley nods, doing her best to calm her racing heart as she sits cross-legged in the circle. Sophie moves around her, chanting softly in a language Hayley doesn’t recognize. The air in the room seems to thicken, and Hayley feels a tingling sensation spread across her skin.

Sophie’s voice grows louder, her chanting more intense, and suddenly the warmth in Hayley’s abdomen flares up, almost like it’s reacting to the magic. She gasps, clutching her stomach as the sensation becomes overwhelming.

Sophie’s eyes narrow, and she places her hands just above Hayley’s abdomen, her brow furrowing in concentration. After a long moment, she pulls back, a look of shock and understanding crossing her face.

“This… this isn’t just any kind of magic,” Sophie says, her voice laced with urgency. “It’s something much more powerful, something ancient.”

Hayley’s heart pounds in her chest. “What do you mean? What’s happening to me?”

Sophie takes a deep breath, her expression serious. “Hayley… you’re pregnant. And whatever you’re carrying, it’s not just a normal child. It’s something… extraordinary. A hybrid, maybe even something more.”

Hayley’s mind reels, the words barely registering. Pregnant? It seems impossible, yet deep down, she knows Sophie’s words ring true. A thousand questions flood her mind, but only one manages to escape her lips.

“Is it Niklaus mikaelson?”

Sophie’s gaze softens, and she nods slowly. “Yes. This child… it’s a miracle, Hayley. But it’s also going to attract a lot of attention,dangerous attention.”

The weight of Sophie’s words crashes down on Hayley, leaving her breathless. She’s carrying Klaus’s child, a being that’s not just a hybrid, but something entirely new. And with that revelation comes the understanding that her life, and the life of her unborn child, will never be the same.

Klaus and Elijah walk through the bustling streets of the French Quarter, their presence commanding respect and fear in equal measure. The sun is beginning to set, casting long shadows across the cobblestone streets, and the city is alive with its usual mix of music, chatter, and the underlying tension that always seems to accompany the Mikaelsons.

As they turn a corner, they pass a group of witches gathered outside a small shop. The witches quiet as the brothers approach, their whispers growing silent. Klaus barely gives them a glance, his mind elsewhere, but Elijah, ever observant, notices the way the witches are eyeing them with a mix of curiosity and something else—something almost amused.

One of the witches, a young woman with sharp features and a knowing smile, catches Klaus’s eye. She smirks, a glint of mischief in her gaze, and steps forward just enough to make her presence known.

“It looks like you’re going to have a baby mama soon,” she says, her voice dripping with satisfaction.

Klaus stops in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he turns to face the witch fully. Elijah, sensing the shift in his brother, also stops, his attention now fully on the witches.

“What did you say?” Klaus’s voice is low, dangerous, and the air around them seems to grow colder.

The witch simply shrugs, still smirking. “You heard me, Klaus. Word travels fast in this city, especially when it comes to something as… interesting as this.”

Klaus’s eyes darken with a mixture of anger and confusion. He glances at Elijah, who is already piecing together what the witch might be hinting at. Elijah’s concern deepens as he turns back to the witch, his tone calm but demanding answers.

“What do you know?” Elijah asks, his voice steady, though his worry is evident.

The witch’s smile widens as she leans in, clearly enjoying the tension she’s causing. “Sophie Deveraux just had a very interesting visitor. A certain werewolf who’s suddenly feeling a bit… different. And it seems she’s carrying something, or rather, someone, that’s going to change everything.”

Klaus’s jaw clenches, his fists tightening at his sides. The implications of what the witch is saying start to sink in, and a storm begins to brew behind his eyes. Elijah, however, feels a knot of worry tightening in his chest.

Klaus steps forward, his voice cold and threatening. “If you’re lying—”

The witch cuts him off, her tone mocking. “I’m not lying, Klaus. Ask Sophie if you don’t believe me. But you might want to hurry. It’s only a matter of time before everyone knows about your little miracle.”

Klaus’s anger flares, but before he can act on it, Elijah places a hand on his arm, silently urging him to stop. The younger witch’s smirk falters slightly under Klaus’s intense gaze, but she holds her ground, clearly satisfied with the chaos she’s sown.

“Let’s go,” Elijah says quietly to Klaus, his voice firm. “We need to confirm this.”

Klaus hesitates, still glaring at the witch, but eventually, he turns and follows Elijah. As they walk away, Klaus’s mind races, anger bubbling beneath the surface. The thought of Hayley carrying his child stirs something deep within him, a mix of rage, disbelief, and something he can’t quite name.

As Klaus and Elijah continue their walk through the French Quarter, the witch’s words hang heavily in the air. Klaus’s pace quickens, his expression darkening with each step. Elijah, sensing his brother’s rising anger, remains close, trying to anticipate what Klaus might do next.

Elijah, on the other hand, is consumed with worry. If this is true, if Hayley is pregnant with Klaus’s child, the implications are enormous. Not just for their family, but for everyone around them. The prophecy, the power struggles, the enemies they’ve made, it all takes on new meaning.

“Klaus,” Elijah begins carefully as they continue down the street, “if this is true, we need to think about what comes next. Hayley’s safety, the child’s future, this changes everything.”

Klaus’s expression is hard, unreadable, as he stares straight ahead. “If it’s true,” he says through gritted teeth, “then we deal with it our way.”

Elijah nods, but his concern only deepens. He knows Klaus can easily turn into something much darker, something that could put them all at risk. As they approach Sophie’s shop, Elijah can’t shake the feeling that their world is about to be turned upside down.

“Klaus, we need to stay calm,” Elijah begins cautiously, hoping to defuse the situation.

But Klaus spins around, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and disbelief. “Calm?” he hisses, his voice low and dangerous. “Those witches dare to mock me with talk of a ‘baby mama’ as if this is some trivial matter!”

Elijah keeps his composure, though his concern deepens. “We don’t know for certain yet—”

“Oh, we know,” Klaus snaps, cutting him off. “If those witches are talking, then there’s truth to it. Hayley is pregnant with my child.” His voice drips with venom as he spits out the words, clearly enraged by the very idea.

Elijah can see the fury in Klaus’s eyes, but beneath that, there’s something else, a fear that Klaus would never admit to. The idea of bringing a child into their dangerous world, especially one that’s part of Klaus, is something that Klaus cannot easily accept.

“This isn’t what I wanted,” Klaus growls, pacing back and forth, his anger barely contained. “A child? Another weakness, another pawn for our enemies to exploit!”

Elijah watches his brother carefully, understanding the weight of what this means. Klaus has always viewed attachments as vulnerabilities, things to be used against him. The thought of a child, especially one connected to him, is an unbearable prospect in Klaus’s mind.

“Klaus,” Elijah says softly, stepping closer, “this child is not a weakness. It’s a part of you, of us. It could be our family’s redemption.”

But Klaus isn’t listening. He’s consumed by his own thoughts, his fury growing with each passing second. “Redemption?” he scoffs. “You’re deluded if you think a child will redeem us. All it will do is bring more death, more suffering. This is nothing but a curse.”

Elijah’s heart aches at his brother’s words, but he knows better than to push Klaus when he’s like this. He places a steady hand on Klaus’s shoulder, trying to ground him. “We’ll deal with this together, brother. We’ll protect the child, protect Hayley, whatever it takes.”

Klaus shakes off Elijah’s hand, his expression hard. “No. I’ll handle this. I’ll make sure that neither Hayley nor this child becomes another weapon to be used against us.”

There’s a finality in his tone that worries Elijah, but he knows there’s no arguing with Klaus when he’s in this state. He can only hope that, in time, Klaus will come to see this situation differently. But for now, all Elijah can do is stay by his side, ready to step in if things spiral out of control.

As they go into Sophie’s shop, Elijah casts a worried glance at his brother. Klaus’s anger is a dangerous thing, and with a child involved, the stakes have never been higher.

The compound has never felt so divided. Hayley, now visibly pregnant, has been living there for a few weeks, yet the atmosphere is thick with tension. Klaus has kept his distance since the moment he learned of her pregnancy, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. He’s barely spoken to her, and when he does, it’s cold and detached.

Hayley, though trying to remain strong, feels the strain. She’s carrying Klaus’s child, but instead of feeling supported, she feels like a pariah in the very home where she’s supposed to be safe. Elijah and Rebekah, however, have made every effort to look after her, ensuring she’s comfortable and cared for, but their frustration with Klaus grows by the day.

One evening, as Hayley sits quietly in the living room, reading one of the many ancient books that line the Mikaelsons’ shelves, she overhears voices rising in the next room. It’s Elijah and Rebekah, and their tone is unmistakably angry. Curiosity gets the better of her, and she quietly moves closer to the door, just in time to hear the argument escalating.

“What exactly are you trying to prove, Niklaus?” Rebekah’s voice is sharp, cutting through the tension like a knife. “You’ve been avoiding Hayley like she’s some sort of curse! She’s carrying your child, our family’s future, and you act like she doesn’t exist!”

Klaus’s voice is cold as ice, a sharp contrast to Rebekah’s fiery anger. “This wasn’t supposed to happen. I refuse to be tethered by something that will only bring more pain, more weakness.”

“Is that what you think of your child?” Elijah’s voice is filled with disappointment and frustration. “A weakness? That child is our blood, Niklaus. Your blood. It’s time you faced that reality instead of running from it.”

Klaus stands in the doorway, his face a mask of indifference, but there’s a storm raging behind his eyes. “I didn’t ask for this,” he says through gritted teeth. “I didn’t ask for a child that will only be used against us by our enemies.”

Rebekah’s temper flares, and she steps forward, pointing an accusatory finger at Klaus. “You selfish bastard! This isn’t just about you! Hayley is terrified, and you’ve done nothing but make things worse! If you can’t see the potential for something good in this child, then maybe you’re more lost than I thought.”

Elijah steps closer to Klaus, his voice steady but full of disappointment. “You’re the one always talking about family, about loyalty. Yet here you are, abandoning the one person who needs you the most right now. If you refuse to see the gift this child is, then you’re no better than our father.”

Klaus’s expression hardens at the mention of their father, his fists clenching at his sides. He looks between Elijah and Rebekah, anger and frustration boiling over. For a moment, it seems like he might lash out, but instead, he turns on his heel and storms out of the room, leaving them standing there in silence.

Hayley quickly retreats back to the couch, her heart pounding as she hears Klaus’s heavy footsteps approaching. He doesn’t even glance her way as he storms past, his expression unreadable. The front door slams behind him, and the mansion falls into an uneasy quiet.

Elijah and Rebekah step into the room where Hayley sits, both of them visibly upset. Rebekah shakes her head, her eyes filled with a mixture of anger and sadness. “I’m sorry you had to hear that, Hayley. Nik is… well, he’s being an ass.”

Elijah sits down beside her, offering a reassuring smile, though it’s strained. “We’ll handle him. Just know that you’re not alone in this. We’re here for you, and we’ll do whatever it takes to protect you and the child.”

Hayley nods, trying to hold back the tears that threaten to spill. Despite their words, she can’t shake the feeling of isolation, the fear of what’s to come. Klaus’s rejection cuts deep, and the uncertainty of the future looms over her like a dark cloud. But for now, all she can do is lean on the support of Elijah and Rebekah, hoping that somehow, things will get better.

[artemis-potnia-theron]

Any advice on strengthening ones relationship with Hekate?. Thank you kindly.

Hello 👋🫂

One of the amazing things about Lady Hekate Nyctipolus is how broad her domain is. She has so many forms and facets, so take everything I say with a grain of salt! She appears in unique ways for everyone.

Many of her followers associate her with witchcraft. I personally don't consider myself a witch, so I'm a little distanced from this aspect of her. But if you do practice some form of witchcraft, perhaps you can start dedicating your spell work to her.

If you engage in spirit work, ancestor work, death work, deity worship more broadly, etc, you might consider asking Lady Hekate to aid in that communication. And for her protection in her role as a death/underworld goddess. I know she acts as a guide for many of her followers (myself included!)

Communication is definitely key (pun intended) for many Hekate worshipers. Getting into a specific kind of divination (I personally prefer tarot, but there also pendulums, meditation, etc) can help strengthen that relationship. She is the patron of boundaries and thresholds after all! Find a way to breach that wall has been a personal favorite way of connecting for me.

For me, I think I sense Lady Hekate most clearly in those 'in-between places.' I love going out for nighttime drives and finding her at empty intersections, in abandoned buildings, in any space that feels liminal.

And, of course, go ahead and ask her! In my experience, Lady Hekate is one of the more 'receptive' or 'quick to answer' deities that I work with. That's not to say that she is at your beck and call, she definitely demands focus and commitment. But she's also very dedicated to her followers just like they're dedicated to her.

Ask her in your own way with whatever divination tool you prefer how to advance that relationship! Start offering antique keys or vintage things or flowers and see how she responds! I personally don't buy the whole 'you have to wait eagerly for a sign from Lady Hekate before you start working with her.'

She can be intimidating and intense certainly, but not necessarily in a frightening way. Just in a way that demands respect. So as long as your approach her with good intentions, I'm sure she'll be willing to listen.

Thanks for the ask!

🗝🔥🐕

[broomsick]

Opening oneself to Freyja in three easy steps

Or: three personal tips to help further one’s bond with Freyja!

1. Look inwards

Freyja’s main “domain” is very abstract: she generally (but not always!) manifests herself in powerful human feelings. She isn’t only the “Goddess of love”. She’s a master of the passage from life to death, just like Óðinn, and as such, can be linked to feelings of mourning and loss which she can soothe. She’s also skilled at the art of seiðr, meaning she’s also a symbol of embodying and mastering one’s power, not only through magic but also through many other means— any that work, really. After making this tight association between Freyja and human feeling, one’s natural reflex is to turn inward and meditate on one’s own feelings. What am I feeling right now? Why do I feel that way? Introspection is important when working with/worshipping any deity, but this is all the more true when it comes to Freyja. Ask yourself these questions: Can I say that I am grateful to Freyja in this or that situation? Could I call upon her for help, assistance or support? What can she help me with? You might say that the process of constantly trying to understand one’s feelings— analyzing them, is a way to establish a connection with Freyja. It is by understanding yourself that you can better grasp the workings of Freyja in your life. You may even start to notice that she’s intervened once or twice in your life before, without your noticing! Plus, you will start to see the areas where she could provide the most help. After all, as mentioned earlier, she doesn’t just help with matters of romance. Her domain stretches from self-love to love of family, friends, and even strangers! She can help you take ahold of your personal traits, the better and the worse, and accept them as yours, as part of a beautifully crafted whole. She can help you to both receive and give love. In my experience at least, opening up to Freyja means opening up to others. Not because the former requires the latter, but because Freyja can help you, little by little, to perceive and comprehend human feeling, which is an immense help when it comes to relationships with others.

2. Find enjoyment

Allow yourself to explore the intricacies of the human experience! Freyja’s followers will tell you that she’s very keen on providing them with joyous moments. She’s benevolent and wants nothing more than their happiness. Allow yourself to try new things, stuff you’ve always wanted to do! Notice what works out and what doesn’t, and don’t expect new activities to go right or wrong. Simply let yourself be surprised from time to time. This is another way of being in touch with your inner sentiments. It can be hard, of course, to motivate oneself to do crazy stuff like bungee jumping or traveling. That’s why I feel the need to specify: “finding enjoyment” doesn’t need to be that complex, and intense. It can be as simple as trying to cook something, picking up an old hobby, like drawing or painting or singing! Please yourself with something you’re curious, or nostalgic about! Moreover, you can even choose to simply rediscover certain habits, as simple as that may seem. Why not take another road than your usual walk home from work? Changing up one’s routine from time does wonders for the mood! Why not treat yourself to a little something, such as a book, a candle, etc… Anything that stirs up your emotion, even in the slightest, can help maintain a connection with Freyja on a tight schedule. Especially if you choose to devote this activity to her.

3. Spread and receive love

“Easier said than done!” Don’t worry, I hear you, and I know. Freyja knows as well. What’s most important for this step is to stand ready to receive affection, but also to take opportunities to spread a little love! You don’t need to be constantly in good spirits and doing everything you can to make others feel loved. On the contrary, adopting such a mindset can become a strain on one’s personal health. It is better to take opportunities as they come! So much is enough to Freyja. I don’t think she expects her followers to be models of absolute, constant, unconditional care! “Spreading love” can be as simple as holding the door for someone who’s walking with crutches, smiling at a stranger, messaging a friend or family member who you haven’t talked to in a while and asking about them. Such seemingly small gestures can have a considerable effect on someone’s mood. You never know if they’ve been having a bad day! Another important part of working with/worshipping Freyja is self-love, though you might have heard about this before. Why not learn to accept love, both from yourself and others, as a way to honor her? It can be difficult, and it’s an effort that can even be considered devotional. Many activities of self-care are considered devotional gestures!

[nyx-lyris]

i love the potential of all the hazbin ships, platonic or romantic.

the beauty and the beast feel that radiobelle has. alastor's desire to control her and manipulate her for his own ends eventually being drowned out by his caring and respect for her. realizing he cares about her more than he cares about himself.

the divorced dads who are sticking it out for their daughter feel of radioapple. the idea of them being rivals who develop a mutual respect for each other over time, eventually becoming friends, trading jokes and vehemently denying their friendship to anyone who asks. and, if we're going the romantic route, eventually realizing they feel much more for each other than they ever intended to and being frightened by it, wondering how on earth they got here.

the way royalhalo could be either long-lost sisters with a sort of tinkerbell and periwinkle vibe, or they could be partners in crime, each working tirelessly in their respective domains to prove that the hotel works and constantly cheering each other on.

connected to the above, i love the potential of charlie's angels - specifically the idea of emily falling because she dared to question the order of things and help charlie, and vaggie unexpectedly welcoming her with open arms because she knows what it feels like to be abandoned by those you loved and trusted.

though i feel they fumbled it on the show, the potential of rainbowmoth is incredible. an ex-exorcist having to deal with the guilt of what she's devoted her life to and making up for that by protecting and helping the daughter of lucifer, who is unexpectedly the kindest and most caring girl she's ever met, and doing everything she can to make her dreams a reality. the bodyguard x ward, sunshine x sunshine protector energy these two have.

i love the one-sided, unrequited love of radiostatic. the idea that vox grew up with radio hosts like alastor and dreamed of becoming someone just like them, meeting alastor in his afterlife and growing genuinely fond of him, only to be unintentionally slapped in the face when he realizes alastor doesn't feel the same, and deciding to hate him (because we all know he doesn't really hate alastor, he just makes up for the hole in his heart by acting like he does). or, if we're writing it where they do actually get together in the end, alastor rejecting vox, then having to deal with the conflicting feelings in his head - they're rivals, but he hates the idea of harm coming to vox, or vox focusing his energy on anyone but him. both of them continuously in denial until a heated situation pushes them both over the edge and they finally give in.

then there's radiodust and the strange but lovely respect and bond that could come with it. just the idea of both of them being pranksters to boot, and either starting a prank war in the hotel or working together to pull pranks on everyone else. angel cracks his usual hyper-sexual jokes, but he never pushes it too far with alastor. he greets him every day with "hiya smiles" and alastor hates to admit it, but he's grown fond of it. the idea of alastor making a deal with valentino, or conniving some scheme to release angel from val's deal. the idea of angel, who's probably tired of sex despite his hypersexual behavior, and alastor, who has never been interested in sex, and angel finding a sort of reprieve with alastor.

on the same note, huskerdust. the way their relationship exists on the show is just perfect. the idea of husk, who is immune to angel's flirting, and angel who wants someone who understands what he's going through, someone to relate to - and both of them having a hard time coming out of their shells. both of them trying so hard to maintain the fragile relationship they've created between them (think ineffable husbands). both of them being terrified when they realize they have genuine romantic feelings for each other; husk, who hasn't loved anyone in years and isn't sure he knows how, who used to be in valentino's position, who knows what it's like to have and enjoy having power over others, who is afraid that he'll mess things up if he says anything; and angel whose every relationship has gone to shit, who hasn't experienced a properly healthy relationship and is now afraid to engage with anyone in that way for fear of getting hurt again. and don't even get me started on the idea of overlord!husk x angel and how complex and interesting that dynamic could be.

the idea of radiohusk, especially now that we've seen what their canonical relationship is really like. husk grappling with his hate for alastor, realizing maybe he doesn't really hate him, and that he sees him in the same way that he sees angel - as a faker, someone who hides behind an elaborate mask so no one knows what he's really feeling. alastor refusing to admit that he actually cares about husk as a person, refusing to admit that husk is right, that he's afraid and maybe he needs to face that fear. alastor eventually letting husk go, starting a chain reaction that ends in alastor letting many of his accumulated souls go, and treating others with a bit more respect than he did before.

then, of course, radiohuskerdust - all three of them in the same shit sandwich, coming to terms with their situations and their feelings for each other. all of them with their trust issues and the masks they hold up so the world never knows what they're truly feeling. the three of them grappling with how each relates to the other - alastor, who owns hundreds if not thousands of souls, including husks, and who treats them poorly; angel, whose soul is owned by valentino, who has been abused by his owner for years (and who was likely manipulated into signing the contract under the guise of val actually caring for him); husk, who has been on both ends, giving and receiving, and understands both of them. all of them dealing with the complexity of this, realizing that they have more in common than they think. basically combining the aspects of the previous three ships.

then there's radiorose, the platonically married couple. the idea that they got married for tax benefits and to appease the standards of their time period is absolutely golden. but also, if you wanted to go the romantic route with them - rosie being completely respectful of alastor's boundaries, despite her feelings for him, and alastor realizing she's the only person in his life (other than, perhaps, his mother) who really knows him, the only person he can really talk to without fear of judgment. just the idea of these two being a power couple, whether platonically or romantically.

or, on the more niche end of the spectrum, spidermoth and radiomoth. just the idea (going the romantic route) of vaggie and angel realizing that maybe they aren't as exclusively into girls or guys, respectively, as they thought, and growing on each other more and more. the banter between the two of them, both of them understanding what it means to be betrayed by someone you thought cared about you and had your back, their mutual mistrust of others and their intentions (which could also of course be a point of conflict in their relationship). or the idea of vaggie developing actual feelings for alastor and hating it the entire time, being even more hostile towards him than usual - and alastor finding her hatred of him entertaining, which eventually develops into genuine fondness. alastor teasing her more and more, her reacting even more explosively each time, until finally she can't take it anymore and shuts him up with a kiss. both of them being utterly surprised and refusing to talk about it for weeks. or, on the platonic side, alastor unwittingly proving himself to vaggie as an ally of the hotel and charlie, earning her begrudging respect over time. eventually, his constant teasing of her becomes something she enjoys, and she'll even poke back now and again.

idk just... hazbin ships, ya know?

[south-of-heaven]

Can I request a Julia Hart x Reader? The Reader and Julia are in a irl relationship with her but on TV they are in a heated rivalry and The House keeps asking Reader to join but she refuses so both Malakai and Julia do their misty thing and throughout the weeks the reader changes everything. Then after her AEW Women’s championship match is when she joins the house and reveals her and Julia’s relationship

-🤠

War || Julia Hart x Reader

Summary: You've been at war with your secret girlfriend and her House of Black for weeks. When you win the AEW Women's Championship you realise that some allies might not be the worst thing.

The war between you and the House of Black had been escalating for weeks. Taunts, attacks, and persistent invitations to join their enigmatic faction filled your days. Malakai Black and Julia Hart had both managed to mist you in separate occasions, leaving you disoriented and frustrated. Yet, you persisted in your resistance, determined to stand on your own.

Then came the night of destiny, a title match that would change the course of your career. It was a brutal contest, but your determination and skill prevailed. As the referee's hand slapped the mat for the third time, declaring you the new AEW Women's Champion, the arena erupted in cheers.

Amidst the celebration and your own exhaustion, you looked at the championship in your hands, a symbol of your hard-fought victory. But there was also a realization — the battles were only going to get tougher. Maybe, just maybe, having some allies wouldn't be such a bad idea.

The House of Black's offer echoed in your mind, and for the first time, it didn't sound like a nuisance. You made your way to their domain, the championship proudly draped over your shoulder. As you entered, the atmosphere shifted, the enigmatic aura of the House now mixed with a hint of triumph.

Malakai and Buddy welcomed you with nods, acknowledging your victory. Julia, however, was different. She had been your secret solace throughout this turmoil, a connection no one knew about. Her eyes gleamed with pride as she looked at the championship.

"Congratulations," she whispered, her fingers brushing against the title.

You took a deep breath, "Thanks, Jules. And, well, about your offer..."

She raised an eyebrow, a hopeful yet guarded expression in her eyes.

"I'm in," you declared, surprising even yourself.

The news spread like wildfire. The AEW Women's Champion joining the House of Black was a headline that shook the wrestling world. Some speculated that Julia manipulated you into this decision, but the truth was far simpler — you wanted to be with her, openly and proudly.

As the weeks unfolded, the alliance proved to be formidable. The House of Black, now with the AEW Women's Championship in its ranks, became an even more dominant force. Your relationship with Julia, no longer hidden, added a layer of complexity to the faction.

You faced criticism and skepticism, but the House of Black stood strong. You, Julia, Malakai, Buddy, and the darkness they embodied became a force to be reckoned with. And in the midst of it all, your connection with Julia blossomed, a love that had withstood the chaos and now thrived in the shadows of the House.

[goodqueenaly]

People have spoken about a queens court and duties but what does a queen mother have/do once there is a new queen?

@beeblackburn asked: Hi, Nina! I just wanted to ask for a novel, what power does a Queen Dowager have, once her heir comes of age/is already of age by her husband's death?

These are all obviously very general ideas at a very high level, but I can think of a few options.

Depending on the personal relationship between mother and son (I assume son because of the patriarchal nature of most Westerosi monarchical dynasties, and of course any number of real-world monarchies), it's possible that the dowager queen would stay on as an adviser to the new king. Unlike with another sort of councilor or other adviser, a dowager queen's relationship with the new king was not dependent on the vagaries of politics but rather formed by indissoluble ties of blood; she could (again, depending on the nature of their personal bond) always play on her maternal position to offer opinions and advice from (ostensibly, at least) a place of care for her child and family. If the new king were ever absent from his own domain or otherwise unable to rule as king, the dowager queen might even officially function as regent, or on a council of regency, in his stead. Too, as the mother and potentially grandmother of a royal brood, a dowager queen might take an active interest in arranging diplomatically suitable marriages for her other children or grandchildren.

(Of course, depending on that relationship between dowager queen and new king, and the political decisions made by the latter, it's also possible that the dowager queen might quietly or even actively encourage rebellion against the king by, say, one of her younger sons.)

A dowager queen might also remarry at some point after the death of her husband. The combination of her dynastic credentials at birth, her marital connections to the crown, and the property and/or incomes bestowed on her by her late husband and/or son might serve to make such a dowager queen an especially attractive prospect to a new husband. Such a remarriage might even be a tool used by the new king to further his diplomatic agenda (whatever the dowager queen herself would think of such an arrangement). Nor would such a marriage necessarily need to result from cold political calculus: a dowager queen might take the opportunity of her husband's death and her son's accession to marry for love, as perhaps she had not in her prior marriage.

It's also possible that a dowager queen would have property or seats of her own to oversee. Depending on what the dower agreements were at the time of her marriage, or what gifts of lands and/or castles she received from her late husband and/or son, a dowager queen might act as landlord (or, rather, landlady) of any number of holdings around her son's domain. With such an income, a dowager queen might use her widowhood to enjoy herself in a court of her own making, employing a full staff and entertainers to live in appropriately queenly style.

Depending on her personality too (and the culture of the world around her), it's also possible a dowager queen would turn to religion. Maybe she would use her time to go on pilgrimages to famous holy spots, or maybe she would endow different religious foundations; maybe she herself would even take religious vows or spend her remaining years with those in religious orders.

Or maybe she would just be bullied, humiliated, and abused until she could be shunted out of the story in a lurid death by childbirth scene. Oh wait, that's just how GRRM wanted to write Dowager Queen Alyssa.

[yurious-george]

please spill the sleepless domain opinions. ive only ever seen praise for it

DISCLAIMER: SD's story is simply not to my preference. No issues with that - normally I would just stop reading and move on - but I was on the official SD discord server during my formative years, and basically had to pretend to like Sleepless Domain to interact with the server at large. Pent up bitterness, thy name is hallowed.

That said, my god. The two main characters are insecure little bores with one of the most unimpressive lesbian relationships I've ever seen in fiction. They are So. Damn. *Samey.* They spend so much time reassuring each other and talking, so much that any conflict is brought up and resolved within pages. You can skip whole pages of dialogue and not miss a single thing of import!

On a similar note, all the other major characters have very similar flaws. They're all insecure and hate themselves in pretty, palatable ways. All of them are so afraid of hurting each other and reassuring each other, binging the comic is genuinely frustrating - I desperately wanted someone, anyone to have a different flaw besides "I'm insecure!" Just because it manifests in different ways does not mean they're different characters - they're the same characters with different set dressing.

None of these are bad characters, but they don't have a single interesting character dynamic to rub between them. Besides which, this connecting trait reveals an alarming reduction in what a good person is, compared to Kiwi Blitz - good people put others first, good people secretly aren't confident, good people hate themselves. In KB, Mary's earlier comic, the majority of characters are all trying to do the "right" thing, but have very different motivations and contexts around the concept, and here they're all... the same...

SD is most engaging when it follows Rue, an unregistered, confident magical girl with a lot of siblings. She's a conspiracy theorist, but she actively asks questions about and discusses her world - such as what's outside the barrier, how to study it, etc. Her confidence causes her to break things off with a very vulnerable character over a small lashing out, and was possibly the final snapping point in her depressive spiral. She's far more proactive than the mains in Figuring Out the World, and I would like SD a lot more if she had more focus!

Speaking of the world. I find the author. frustratingly liberal at times. As in, we've had very different experiences with mental health and Ms. Cagle's parents Probably Didn't Threaten To Send Her To A Ward Overseas For Being Suicidal :) Or torture her with an overdose of psychotropics to make her 'productive'. (you can read more about my experience here.) Opening up with loved ones has clearly been beneficial for her and that's awesome! Unfortunately some of us got tortured more for doing that. And her (so far) refusal to acknowledge that in her story is... such a massive gap in her worldbuilding?

So, despite setting up a system with a monetary benefit to torturing children, she refuses to actually depict a child being tortured by her parents into compliance with being a magical girl - the logical, ultimate conclusion of her capitalist system. All the parents are So Scared For Their Kids :( Ok, well - where's the parent who's scared of losing their meal ticket? Why Are You Setting These Things Up And Not Putting Your Whole Pussy Into It

The art and paneling are fantastic, and Ms. Cagle has some of the most clear action sequences in comics. Sleepless Domain is a great comic when it's not about the main characters.

Also the "teenagers" all talk like therapypilled 20somethings and it makes me nauseous

[horizon-verizon]

The premise of writing against the sexist Evil Stepmother trope that makes Alicent abuse her powers against young Rhaenyra towards the actual usurpation is confounded with show!Alicent becoming friends with Rhaenyra in the show because she plans against her anyway. She is still becomes the abusive Stepmother against her. She still uses her power against her as more of a mother/stepmother than a sister or a peer.

Like Alicent being a woman wanting power for herself & abusing her child stepdaughter out of jealousy [but what makes this more truthful is that she wants power bc she herself is denied the same avenues of power and not because she wants beauty-as-noncurrency towards power], the "friendship" is still fodder for the rivalry for the girls, just as the Abusive Stepmother was in F&B; show!Alicent is still trying to abuse Rhaenyra for power; she still ends up becoming the Evil Stepmother and the two never actually try to maintain their friendship after episode 8 because it is impossible after all those years of Alicent trying to destroy Rhaenrya and her kids!!!! [epi 4's knights and pushing out heirs scene is just one and paltry in the face of all of their other important interactions].

This sort of relationship functions the same as the orig. So what was the point of the change except to look like you were being less sexist?

Before epi 2 and Alicent betrothed to Viserys or even in the 4th/5th visit to him, Alicent being Rhaenyra's BEST friend, seemingly only friend and source of female companionship or trust, to only then also make her her bk!self and a huge actor for how she loses her sons, political seat, etc. WITHOUT properly substantiating how Alicent goes through her extreme changes through her relationship to Rhaenyra as a child/younger makes as if their relationship was doomed not only bc of men and patriarchy but because the two friends themselves couldn't understand each other and prioritized their power over each other. Thus you are making as if it was never possible to begin with...which, considering the story of the Dance itself, the show's contrived circumstances, and who these girls are as people, seems true.

Alicent fluctuates between being a peer and a "Queen-Mother" figure towards Rhaenyra even before she marries Viserys. But it's more often or more memorable that she tries to be matronly towards Rhaenyra, and then after marrying Viserys uses the domain of "Mother"-Queen to employ power over/against her:

episode 2, the Sept and avoidance of the council men plotting/advice to approach Viserys to tale

episode 3, the tiny struggle at the Godswood and the pleading to get her to "be a part" of the family with her and Viserys

episode 4, their confrontation where she invokes how she and Viserys were trying to find a good marriage for her and berating her like how a mother would warn a daughter about her being too "fast"/losing her virginity

final form at the 5th episode "Hello stepdaughter" // green dress, Hightower Queen

[Queenly] episode 6 with her ordering for the Joffrey right after his birth

episode 8, her expressing her feeling Rhaenyra would be a "great" queen after Rhaenyra apologizes to her for not recognizing her hard work taking care of Viserys as a "proper" queen/wife, i.e. "disrespect"

Exceptions/Friend-or-peer-Connection Moments:

episode 1, them in the very beginning with Syrax, the playfulness of Rhaenyra's putting out an offer

episode 1, them at the tourney and gossiping, giggling

episode 4, where she talks to Rhaenyra about her jilted desire for the flirtations and dreamy, semi-promised romance of men/boys/knight giving her favors--like an actual friend/near peer, but these are results of a bond forming without actually showing this development that justifies such results, and yes this is a pet peeve of mine in other ships

*episode 7-maybe*, "duty and sacrifice//now they see you as you are (Alicent confronts Rhaenyra's seeming refusal to be like her one "everyone" else and follow the damning rules--a clash of long held frustrations that fuel her rage/cruelty towards Rhaenyra and her attempts to exert power agaisnt her, the collapse of her persona and just 2 "equal" forces)

And it's understandable because it is how she drudges up both her right to practice power as well as the the paths to practicing power within this system as a woman. Acting like the "adult" that you are pushed to be and observing how older woman use the pockets of power they are allowed, you as a young girl will try to embody and borrow such emblems of female authority to empower yourself.

But it also shows that she hasn't built much BESTFRIEND-type trust with Rhaenyra or has really treated her as such because:

They never prove themselves as VIABLE, LONG TERM, CLOSE, MUTUALLY PERCEPTIVE FRIENDS ("Opposites Attract").

we're never provided scenes before episode 1 to show how these two really developed as a pair (that requires a true understanding of who the other is, of which show!Alicent has shown she does not have so why does Rhaenyra tolerate her day in day out?) or how AlicentxRhaenyra come to understand what makes the other tick. r How they built their own "team" against the patriarchal world around them if only for a bit. Alicent was never on Rhaenyra's wave length & Rhaenyra seems to never understand that Alicent is more devoted to the rules than interpersonal relationships--they never really form that "team" you need in a successful "Opposites Attract" trope--a way to suppress the idea of the Dance being about misogyny, ironically--Flashbacks at least!! Why must we have such in the 2nd season (which I doubt we'll have, they denounced Milly or Emily coming back)

Season 1 Alicent consistently says that Rhaenyra would do things that she should know show wouldn't; or that she wouldn't do things that she absolutely would

shows she doesn't understand how Rhaenyra thinks or what she truly wants, where that is coming from, etc. from at least episode 2 (ignoring the plotting sof the councilmen she complains of; unable to think of why she'd go for Daemon & allowing herself to really think of Rhaenrya capable of killing her kids or being "forced" to)

And so the idea of her being friends w/Rhaenyra vs what we see on scree/what they came up with to try to substantiate the reality of their new relationship b/t these women rather shows us all the reasons how their relationship was not "doomed" because of men around them, but because they themselves were never really friends to begin with. That their relationship has always been too shallow to survive much of anything. There was no really substantial attempt, from show!Alicent, to fight against those patriarchal pressures and think through those principles in the first place. Therefore their relationship was never going to outdo the pressures place on it. Therefore this relationship can never be claimed to be "better" than the straightforward and more "sensical" Alicent-as-Abusive-Stepmother stereotype.

In the org story, Alicent wants power for herself; the traditional way towards power and prestige for noblewomen was through their sons/husbands/fathers and exercising power through those people, behind the shadows or on his behalf (Joanna Lannister, Samantha Tarly, Alys Rivers, and Borros' wife). Like in the show, she stops being "nice" to Rhaenyra once she realizes that she doesn't have as much power/influence over Viserys or her own state as she thinks she should have (epi 8, Rhaenyra'a apology and her in epi 4). But the book conveys that desire better even because it never pretends Alicent regarded Rhaenyra as someone she devoted true motherliness towards apart from her authority as Queen and what she thinks Rhaenyra owes to her as the child/girl from the dead 1st wife. Did bk!Alicent treat Rhaenyra as her new child, sure, but not with the same social privileges nor parental graces above nor equal to those she affords her own son. Why? Because her culture already doesn't prioritize or equalize step-relations as they do biological ones--it fosters competition, as we see by why the Widow's Law had to be made in the first place ("Birth, Death, Betrayal"):

This story has always been about how familial bonds become ruined under this patriarchal system, how stepparents become abusive under such a system, how this system makes competitors of family members and to juxtapose against the model of family Rhaenyra cultivates on Dragonstone with her kids/marriage to Daemon. A condiiton a woman has the sort of power Alicent or Cersei would have enjoyed.

Giving material/realistic/plausible credence to why the Evil Stepmother trope has always been compelling in most of its iterations. And it not just it being sexist to employ any sort of Wicked Stepmother iteration.

The trope--or really all its dynamic's iterations--is not itself sexist, but how it manifests and is told/used in the tale, plus what genre you go. Fairytales are very condensed tales to quickly make a point, and in the case of the Evil Stepmother trope, it comes from the sexist oversimplification of a woman's rage vs the innocent victim's sexual purity/nonchallenging male authority/male gaze being made = and defining her victimhood. Rhaenyra, as la-pheacienne points out, doesn't fall under this characterization of "innocent" princess bc she sexually trangresses AND seeks power for herself and without the cover of trying to get a man in power, troubling the male entitlement to such seats of authority.

So it doesn't work to then create an oversimplified female-break-up relationship between girls who should, for all intents and purposes, should have never even liked each other without those scenes I talk about. In HotD, the stereotype of weak&failed-female-friendships dominants the narrative rather than a true lost friendship [pessimisticpigeonsworld].

Which is why the show relationship feels fake--bc it is.

Its a shallow attempt at avoiding misogyny that ends up swinging back to the stereotype of female relationships being too weak and conflict-ridden to ever really sustain itself or come back against the odds from sexist indoctrination. Another stereotype that is based in some hard truths about the effects of patriarchy on how women perceive each other, but then you have to question how this stereotype is "better" when the show has not actually shown how the girls were ever able to actually be friends? We're told they are friends, but with them as different and even opposite as they are, it is a necessity to show the journey towards that to prove how they became as such for us, the audience, to really care that the friendship ended the way it did. It feels like a complete waste of time & an inevitability that they "break up". Whereas bk!Rhaenyra had multiple female companions. The isolation she goes through is compounded (not added, bc people's presence doesn't always erase loneliness) on the lack of ladies-in-waiting and her friendship w/Laena. Alicent herself should have many ladies (not just servants who wouldn't be talking to her unless she talked to them first for mostly orders). And we could have seen the isolation more for her end, as she would be more likely surrounded by sycophants.

[shipsational]

OH YEAH WYBIE I meant to send an ask for him too fjdghjfdh What made you self ship with him post movie? Is Coraline still around? I'm very curious for any bit of post-movie world building you've done

thank you emile for my life 🙏

Okay! to your questions: aging him up was actually for Plot reasons, as you'll see in a moment, Yes she is around and bitch she does Not like me lmao

at first i Didnt age him up cause im problematic but then when i started working out an actual plot for the ship, i kinda Had to

the way i have it worked out is i needed him to inherit his grandmother's properties so he was in charge of the pink palace, which obviously he could only do as an adult, because otherwise there would be no way for me to actually rent there since the jones' moved in- there was always an empty unit in the other half of the house, but i think she always left that one empty on purpose cause there's something Evil and Wrong about it, since thats where the door Should be opening up if it didnt lead to a fucked up fae realm or whatever it is, connecting coraline's unit to the one that stays empty of that makes sense

but maybe, even knowing about the beldam, wybie didnt know That specifically, and he really needed to get some money in to help pay for the funerary expenses, so he opened it up.

as for my insert, they actually Work at the funeral home, they're a mortician, and they do taxidermy as a hobby. this is useful for a few reasons: they could either have met wybie and found out about the palace that way, or maybe they know forcible and spink and actually do all the taxidermy on their 50 billion dogs- its also useful for the ship name 'little dead things', which is part of one of his quotes, as well as the dead dove nature of the ship (altho its really only kinda problematic now cause he's like 18, instead of being Truly bad)

speaking of, since it is still kinda problematic- he's freshly an adult and im 30 and coraline does Not like that One Bit, and you know what thats fair its pretty weird i cannot blame her for being uncomfortable about it

now all of this is going on, and im moving into the unit thats all fucked up, something about layered realities and lingering evil and all that, its kind of vague and amorphous

but i think it would be fun and neat and terrible if its starts really affecting me- im essentially being haunted here. it doesnt start out v bad at all, but while im getting closer to wybie, coraline is getting more upset about it, which in turn can lead to arguments between them and between me and her, as well as me starting to feel guilty about it all, basically working up a storm of negative energy, and thats when it all starts to kick in and eventually amp up

since the well is supposed to be a portal between worlds, im of the mind that they basically just put her hand right back where it was before in her domain, and its taken a few years bout the beldam is back babey- the door and well might be sealed, but she still has some influence over my apartment and she's really feeding off the negativity and she wants Revenge

so basically, im being haunted by a vengeful entity and im surrounded by dead things as decoration, and im in the middle of a frustrating battle with the neighbor over her friend who im having a complicated relationship blooming up