#support: ishtar

[princepsumbra]

(( i am getting old man leo on the dancefloor whether he likes it or not ))

In the whirl of the dance floor, Ishtar finds herself yet again. Faces new and old move past her, change hands and partners in time to a lively orchestra. Only when it has begun to slow does she find her focus once more, world settling to center upon the man that has been dictated her partner.

She offers a pleasant smile as they move in step with one another. The expression he wears is a rather serious one, though Ishtar would wager by the crease in his brow that it is more out of habit than circumstance.

"Does this dance not suit your tastes?" The question is genuine, made with a curious tilt of her head. They part for a turn, her skirt swirling about her legs as she pivots around him. When their hands intertwine again, she presses a single pearl into his.

"Or perhaps it is the lack of a preferred partner?" A guess, though like calls to like often enough that she feels it is not unfounded to think that he might be lonely as she. "I do hope that you find them."

Somehow, after his dance with Elise, he was roped into another, the whirling faces all around him making it difficult to escape without notice.

No help for it until the song ends. Leo follows the flow of the crowd, his gloved hands slipping into his new partner's, focus split between recalling the correct steps and determining how much longer is left for this song.

He's about to answer when she spins away with a sweep of her skirt. By the time they're back together, he's schooled his face into a more pleasant expression. Fingers curl around the pearl, placing it onto his brooch and removing a white feather.

"Forgive me. I am not a fan of balls," he replies quietly, handing over the feather. "Thank you. I hope you find yours as well."

[laslow]

[Champagne ] - "Excuse me?"

In either hand, Ishtar balances a flute of champagne. Students were only permitted one (which is fine, she probably won't finish her own anyway) but nobody attending the table had looked twice at her as she plucked a second. Perhaps the only time it pays to reside in Abyss, though she is hardly the type to take advantage of such a thing.

With lips curled into that same small, gentle smile with which she had last said goodbye to him, Ishtar offers the man one of the glasses.

"I hadn't caught your name, last we met," she explains softly. "I had hoped to make up for that. You can call me Ishtar, if ever you would like."

Ah, how can he forget the girl who honored mistletoe tradition and thus ensnared his heart forever!

(That is, of course, until he realized he's never seen her attend any of the faculty meetings or spend her time around the Knight's hall. Safe to assume, then, she is a student, and therefore his heart remains un-ensnared. Of course, he'd made an honest mistake and vowed in the privacy of his rooms to be a little more careful.)

Laslow accepts the champagne flute, careful not to accidentally brush his fingers against hers. Strands of pink fall across his forehead as he shakes his head. "Ah, not to worry! It was poor manners on my part to ask for a kiss before getting your name."

Heat rises in his cheeks. He coughs, takes a sip of champagne, then coughs once more when it goes down the wrong pipe. "Pardon me, Ishtar. Sipped too fast, eh?" He lowers the drink a fraction. "I'm Laslow, an assistant sword professor. About our last meeting...please forgive me for being so forward. I assure you, it won't happen again."

Even though she does look beautiful in that dress, and every woman deserves to know when her radiance shines. A compliment best left for another day.

[adalrikr]

"You are alright..."

Her relief is clear in the way her eyes soften, in the way her shoulders ease from their rigidness. He is a stranger to her, a boy whose name she has still yet to learn, and yet that matters not. He breathes still, and so she is glad.

Carefully, enough so that he may deny her if he so chose, Ishtar reaches to take his hand. "From now on, you needn't address me so properly," she is smiling-- a small, shy curl of her lips, "my name is Ishtar, and I am honored to fight alongside you."

"... You are alright as well..." He had known the rules of the training going into it, that they would not truly die, but it had still stung, to know that he had been unable to protect her. Had it been Lord Pent or Lady Louise fighting by his side, he would have stopped at nothing to shield them from harm. Just like he had done for this woman.

Did that mean that she, too, was dear to him now?

"... Ishtar... Lady Ishtar..." He smiles, small but noticable, staring up at her as he shakes the hand that he holds out.

"... The honor is mine. You may call me Erk."

Thank you, he doesn't say, Thank you for all that you did during that battle.

[princeofopenness]

"Oh, my apologies."

The evening was wearing on her. To think that she had nearly fallen over another ballgoer? Disgraceful. Ishtar needed to pick up her skirts and go sit down. 

Good thing they were already near the refreshments. She picked up a stem of champagne and waited quietly next to the person she'd just nearly collapsed on. Pathetic, really. For a princess of Friege to be reduced to such.

"Would you like me to make it up to you?" she offered. "Perhaps a dance?"

The mage was only half serious, but it didn't matter. She was bored, and this could kill time. 

Alfonse had scarcely noticed Ishtar's approach until she was practically upon him. As she nearly collided with him, Alfonse's arms instinctively threw themselves in her direction. He stopped just shy of actually grabbing her to try and steady her, if only because she had stopped shy of actually hitting him. It was a small mercy he had managed to hold back even just that much. He certainly did not know the finer details of her past, more aware of what Arvis endured at Julius's hands than what Ishtar did, but he knew enough to know it probably was not pleasant. Having a man make sudden movements in her direction was something he did not imagine Ishtar would take well, at least not any better than most. Perhaps he was simply overanalyzing what he perceived as his own mistakes, but Alfonse knew no other way to improve than with such harsh self-critique.

"Ah?" Alfonse chirped, eyebrows raising. "You can dance when you aren't riding a wyvern?"

...Oh. That one was going to require some explaining. Or a lie to get himself out of it.

"...S-sorry, that-- that was mostly a reflex. It's about an inside joke I have with, er... with my sister. It's-- it's a long story. Er... do you need one of these turtle charms, by any chance?"

Yes, changing the subject was the best way to go. At the very least, it was the only remedy Alfonse could think of. Sure, it would draw some attention to his slip-up by being so eager not to discuss it, but maybe he could get away with pretending it hadn't happened.

[yukyunotabibito]

Nasir clicks her tongue in annoyance as her words backfire upon her. Were they not listening to her when she said she didn't think that there was anything under the floorboards? Or had they just latched onto the floorboards without thinking about what she actually said?

"You have no proof that he had it in the first place," Nasir bites back, resisting the urge to just deal with these fools in the quicker way. That was: simply knocking them out instead of trying to argue with them. They'd be here all day at this rate.

"You're welcome to look, though, I'm sure you'll find as little as we did," Nasir glances at Ishtar, an eyebrow raised. She wonders if the other woman has a plan, but she is sure that she'll find out soon enough. And judging by her words, the silver haired woman does not want this to end in an explosion.

Shame.

Still, Nasir's hand lingers at a knife upon her belt, ready just in case the needed arised for it.

"Look without any further arguement, and go when you find nothing as we did. I'm sure we'll no trouble," A disguised threat, finger tracing down the hilt of the blade at her side, "if you agree to such terms."

didn't this happen in the bible

showcase / potion of resurrection

[grxstnnefealltoir]

[ RELAX ] - For those looking to take a breather, the cabana located a short ways from the ball’s epicenter might be the answer. Take a seat in the chairs lined up side-by-side on the porch and pour yourself a drink from the chilled wine bottle as you have a fine view of the ocean. A white hammock lies inside for those who want to recharge before jumping back into the fray.

Finally, a place where she could sit down and have some quiet. A place where she could enjoy the rumbling tide and twilight. Despite Ishtar's wants for anonymity, she'd been twirled around aplenty on the dancefloor. Her feet were beginning to show signs of fatigue. This cabana was more than welcome. And one could always do with more wine.

Ishtar spots a man resting on another bench. She raises her glass to him. "Good evening. Getting some rest as well?" There wasn't any harm in some mindless chatter, right?

"I've never really thought about the beauty of the ocean before.....I guess...." she says more quietly.

"Mmm, the breeze has been delightful and the wine delightful even in small sips." He didn't want to have too much just yet. Keeping watch over the other students and staff kept their wits about them. "It's as beautiful as it is dangerous, yet when it's only gently lapping at your ankles it is all to easy to forget as much." She seemed the sort of tired that befell one after far too many disappointing dances. He held up his small turtle charm. "Might I ask what charm our hosts assigned to you? The more I think on what this might mean, the more I believe it to mean nothing. My thoughts just turn to hoping to see such creature in the water this evening."

[jinbedreams]

I need to talk to someone about how Saint-14 and Osiris are direct parallels/mirrors of Chioma Esi and Maya Sundaresh and how it's for sure MSUND12 who is going to be the big bad of Act 1: Echoes and that's why this is a big O14/Vex/EXO/Nessus season 👀👀👀👀

[aspectsofthelunarmiracle]

Happy Valentine's Day! (❤ ω ❤)

While Valentine's Day is traditionally a day to celebrate romance (and thirst ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°) ), I think it's just as important to celebrate your passions. Even if you don't have a partner or just aren't interested in all that stuff (looking at you, aroace community), you can still celebrate your hobbies and interests. Loving what you do is just as important as loving the people around you, so never give up trying to find something that lights that spark in your heart and keeps it burning bright! And sometimes, you can find people to love and who'll love you just by letting yourself be passionate about something.

[classybrawler]

It took a bit of wrestling with her own thoughts but eventually, Panette got herself outside to enjoy some slight winter mischief. While it may not be fully sanctioned by the monastery, true, there is only so much of watching people having an absolute blast that one can take before saying ‘screw it’ and joining in. Besides, if anything, joining in on things will showcase that Solm truly is the land of freedom.

Good of an excuse as any, right?

Finding someone to purchase the blades for her shoes was real easy, and before she knows it, she’s testing out their use on the frozen pond. While she’s wobbling something fierce to start out, it doesn’t take long for her to stabilize and start circling the pond. First a bit cautiously, then speeding up more and more, wind whooshing past her, hair flowing in the wind right behind her.

The speed is absolutely exhilarating; she can’t help but think about all the times she ran wild back home, or rode wolves with the Boss, and before she even realizes, an ecstatic grin forms on her face.

Two laps more and she decides to slow down, a decision that she came to partially after seeing someone else fall over. With a bit of mimicking someone else’s techniques, she finds herself coming to a steadier stop than she expected. Her breaths are heavy and her legs start wobbling slightly now that she’s not pushing herself to the limit, and she lets out a truly joyous laugh.

She is about to exit off of the pond for just a moment when she realizes she had come to a stop right in front of a lilac-haired girl, one who seems to have been staring at her for at least a little bit.

Should Panette be mortified by how unruly she seemed? Probably. Almost certainly. But it was such a lovely day and everyone else is having fun, what’s the damn harm in joining in? Instead of any looks of shock or horror, Panette instead offers this person a smile.

“Hello! Will you be joining in on the pond related activities yourself? I must say, it is quite exciting, I did not expect for it to bring me as much enjoyment as it did!”

upon great wings

[anruraiocht]

@deamare asked:

A gift, mother had called that girl. A testament to your father's victory.

She could not have been more than a year younger than Ishtar herself, and yet, behind those bars, Ulster's princess looked to be nothing more than a broken girl meant for death.

Ishtar pitied her.

Of all the gifts that father had brought them, this one seemed to make mother the happiest. She was a trophy, a thing to admire. There was never a truer smile on mother's face than when watching her suffer.

And then one day she was gone. It was as though she had never been at all, for her place on mother's shelf was filled once more and so there was no reason to speak of that worthless girl anymore.

She looks different now, away from the shadows of that cell. Her face is flushed with life, eyes hot with a life they had not known all those years ago. Ishtar's skin prickles with the way they burn into her. This anger is more than deserved, and so her heart can only ache with its acceptance.

"You are alive," there is a relief in the way she breathes the words, one she can only imagine goes unreciprocated. "I had always hoped..." To see you survive, to tell you that I am sorry, to have become your friend. Ishtar swallows. "It is good to see you well."

She had always hated Friege's heir. She hated the hair color like silvery moonlight she shared with the rest of her wretched family, so out of place in the halls of Ulster's castle. She hated the way she walked around like it was her home, flanked by her parents, as if it weren't Miranda's home they were living in and as if they hadn't executed her parents. She hated that one by one, all of Ulster's people were replaced, until Count Conomor was the only one of her family's knights that visited her.

She resented that whole hateful family.

Most of all, she hated the way Friege's heir would visit her only to disappear again for weeks. Their interactions were never comfortable, not the way they had been when Prince Leif and Princess Nanna had stayed in her home, but some days they were the closest approximation to normal she had.

It would have been better had she been completely forgotten, save for the servants bringing her meals. It would have been easier to accept that way.

It had taken weeks after being sent to Melfiye to accept that she had been abandoned again. There would be no one coming to rescue her. If she rotted away in that monastery, who would even know?

Miranda had been thirteen years old when she was sent away from her only home, Ishtar scarcely a year older. They stand before each other now, newly young adults (no, still children, just adults in the eyes of society). There is no longer a distance between them as hostage and captor.

It's good to see you well.

Miranda really hates her.

"I am alive, of course!" No thanks to you. "What, were you hoping I'd die once your family sent me away?

Say that you did, so I can continue to hate you.

[nasuverse-most-breedable-tourney]

The winners of this contest are decided by who has the most popular blogs reposting who they want to win

[justicespeared]

[ CRUISE ] - For those who wish to enjoy the sea but aren’t satisfied with small boats, the large ships periodically embark from the dock to cruise around, each supplying their own musicians who play once the vessel is in full motion so that you don’t have to say goodbye to the party even when aboard the boat!

The Friege thinks she might wish to try the cruises. It's a good chance to get away from the main party but still enjoy the ocean. Ishtar's never stopped to give pause to such things in her life before. It's startling.

But now she's here, and she may as well enjoy it. The mage boards the ship and sees only few others. A girl in a blue gown hangs out on the deck. Ishtar makes her way there. "Good evening," she greets, starting off into the vast horizon. "Enjoying yourself?"  Personally, Ishtar was apathetic. She'd attended her fair share of balls as princess. This was no different. The grandiosness failed to capture her heart anymore. While she might wish to.....

The ocean chill felt nice on her skin, at least. She stared from the ball in the distance back at the girl. 

"Shall we go back?"

Cynthia hadn't expected anyone else to be here. She didn't get a chance to do things like this very often, and she was going to take this chance with both hands.

But this girl seemed… not friendly, not exactly, but not rude. No one that Cynthia would not want to be friends with, anyway. “It's been a lot of fun. Busy, and I think I'm ready to sleep, but it's been fun.”

She wondered if this girl was having fun. She didn't seem to be having fun, especially since she already wanted to head back. Cynthia nodded.

“Sure, we can do wherever you want.” Cynthia didn't mind; she was always happy to make new friends. “Oh, and take this.” She unclasped a charm from her bracelet. “A gift from a new friend.”

[adalrikr]

"... Milady-" Before he can protest, the warmth of healing magic is already washing over him and he can't do anything to stop it. He doesn't want her to worry over him anymore, she shouldn't have to. He would rather sacrifice himself to see her out of this alive than continue to uselessly fight.

"... Fine... I'll try once more... but that's all I have in me..." Erk sighs, the lance in his hands feeling heavier than it had at the beginning of the battle.

He launches a useless stab at the tiger-beast-thing, feeling like his attacks were simply bouncing off of its skin. ... Would Lord Pent have been able to do something in this situation? Would Lord Pent be able to defeat this foe?

He grits his teeth as the beast digs its fangs into his flesh again, knowing that even if he put up a fight, it was useless.

Erk [8.5/10 HP] hits Gricenchos [14/20 HP] with Blessed Lance [Roll: 12 + 2 = 14] [-1.5 HP - 2 DEF = -0 HP] [Gricenchos 14/20 HP] Gricenchos [14/20 HP] critically hits Erk [8.5/10 HP] with Fearsome Fangs. [Roll: 20 - 2 = 18] [-5 HP] [Erk 3.5/10 HP] +2.5 HP to Gricenchos [14/20 HP] [Gricenchos 16.5/20 HP]

Claws and teeth continue to assault him, and even though he tries just a few more times to stab at it with no avail, he fails in the end.

ENEMY PHASE: Divine Hide activates! Gricenchos 16.5/20 HP recovers +1 HP, Gricenchos 17.5/20 HP Gricenchos 17.5/20 HP misses, misses, hits, and hits Erk 3.5/10 HP with Razor Claws [4 - 2 = 2, 5 - 2 = 3, 10 - 2 = 8, 15 - 2 = 13] -2 HP, Erk 1.5/10 HP Erk 1.5/10 HP hits Gricenchos 17.5/20 HP with Blessed Lance [Roll: 15 + 2 = 17] [-1.5 HP - 2 DEF = -0 HP] Divine Hide activates! Gricenchos 17.5/20 HP recovers +1 HP, Gricenchos 18.5/20 HP Gricenchos 18.5/20 HP hits Erk 1.5/10 HP with Fearsome Fangs [Roll: 14 - 2 = 12] -2.5 HP, Erk 0/10 HP

His blood stains the ground as he hits it, his pegasus's entire coat now dyed red. "... Milady... can you... at least try to fight a little longer..."

Blood catches in his throat as he speaks, weary eyes staring up at the white haired woman. "... Thanks though... for trying so hard for... me... of all people..."

ERK HAS BEEN DEFEATED !

@deamare

I Don't Remember Jungle Book Being Like This - Team 14 Bronze Round

[magisolsmiles]

Her greeting comes by way of a small smile, politely maintained as Ishtar approaches. Of all the people left upon the island, she finds that, aside from her own teammates, Ishtar recognizes none of them. For the better, certainly, but it makes this all the more difficult just as well.

So she chooses what is familiar, or at least as close as she might come to it. Scarlet hair and equally bright eyes, perhaps the youngest student she has seen since their arrival to the islands. In either hand she holds a cup of what had, before the midday sun, been about one part ice and one part berry punch.

By the time she's close enough to offer it to him, the ratio has gained a considerable amount of water.

"This is a peculiar place to make friends," eyes flit to the boy's bandana, "enemies even more so. Here, to help with the heat." She takes a sip of her own drink, then pauses. "Does it strike you as odd, how we were brought here just to turn on one another?"

Having still been a bit emotional from an earlier engagement, Ewan had been looking for a comfortable spot to think things over. In his hand was a slightly crinkled paper, similar to the one he found under his pillow a week earlier.

As lost in thought as the mage was, it wasn’t until Ishtar was already very close that he noticed her, and click! The switch went on. Earlier pensiveness morphed into bright enthusiasm with a big smile to match it. “Oh, wow! Thank you Miss!” Taking the drink gratefully, he immediately took a sip of it.

“Ah… that’s much better.” Feeling relief from the cool drink, he listened to her speak. “Yeah, you’re definitely right. All these objectives we had to choose from.. They’re definitely not very nice, huh?” He winced slightly remembering them. Some were more naughty than outright mean, but some were just cruel.

“Well, I’ll try to be as nice as I can be regardless. That’s way more fun! Oh, speaking of, I should introduce myself!”

The boy stood up and dusted himself off, before holding out his hand. “My name’s Ewan! I’m a mage and student in the Blue Lion house!”

[city-of-ladies]

Puduhepa (c. 1300–c. 1215 BCE) was a formidable Hittite queen whose influence extended across politics and religion. Through diplomacy and faith, she left an enduring legacy.

Priestess of Ishtar

Born around 1300 BCE in Kizzuwatna, a region in southeastern Anatolia, Puduhepa was of Hurrian descent—one of the peoples within the multi-ethnic Hittite state.

Her father, Pentipsharri, was a priest of the goddess Ishtar, and Puduhepa herself served as a priestess. It was during this time that she encountered Hattusili, the future king of the Hittites.

Hattusili, then the brother of the reigning monarch, was returning from the Battle of Kadesh against the Egyptians when he stopped in the city of Lawazantiya. There, he met Puduhepa and her father. According to official accounts, Ishtar appeared to him in a dream, commanding him to marry her. Puduhepa thus became his chief wife, a union that appears to have been both harmonious and fruitful, producing several children.

Years later, when King Muwatalli died around 1267 BCE, his son Mursili III took the throne. At first, Hattusili remained loyal to his nephew, but the young king viewed his uncle as a threat and sought to curb his influence. Hattusili eventually rebelled and seized the throne for himself. According to some accounts, Puduhepa likely played a role in inspiring this coup, having received a divine revelation that her husband would be victorious.

Queen of peace

As queen, Puduhepa was a true partner in rule. She held the prestigious title of tawannana, traditionally granted to the reigning queen, which gave her both political and religious authority. She also presided over legal cases.

Puduhepa’s greatest legacy lay in her diplomatic efforts, which ensured peace and stability in the region. She co-sealed key treaties and corresponded directly with Pharaoh Ramesses II regarding the marriage of one of her daughters to him. Her letters reveal a skilled diplomat who was unafraid to assert herself, earning the pharaoh’s respect as an equal.

She also maintained correspondence with Ramesses II's queen, Nefertari, to whom she sent gifts. While only Nefertari’s reply has survived, it reflects a relationship of mutual esteem.

Puduhepa's seal

Shaping beliefs

Beyond politics, Puduhepa played a crucial role in shaping the religious landscape of the Hittite Empire. She composed prayers and liturgical texts, including one pleading with the gods to heal her ailing husband:

If Hattusili is accursed, and if Hattusili, my husband, has become hateful in the eyes of you, the gods; or if anyone of the gods above or below has taken offence at him; or if anyone has made an offering to the gods to bring evil upon Hattusili – accept not these evil words, O Goddess, My Lady!

She also promoted religious syncretism between Hittite and Hurrian traditions:

O Sun-goddess of Arinna, my lady, queen of all the lands! In Hatti you have yourself the name Sun-goddess of Arinna, but the land which you made, that of the cedar, there you gave yourself the name Hepat. I, Puduhepa, am your long-time servant, a calf of your stable, a [corner]- stone of your foundation. You picked me up, my lady, and Hattusili, your servant, to whom you married me, and he too was attached by destiny to the Storm-God of Nerik, your beloved son.

After Hattusili’s death around 1237 BCE, Puduhepa remained influential as queen mother during the reign of their son, Tudhaliya IV. She continued to wield political and judicial power, even intervening in legal disputes such as a case of willful damage to a ship. Despite attempts by her rivals to remove her, she retained her position.

Her last recorded letters date from 1215 BCE. While the exact date of her death remains unknown, she had lived through the final flourishing years of the Hittite Empire.

If you enjoy this blog, consider supporting me on Ko-fi!

Further reading: 

Middleton Guy D., Women in the Ancient Mediterranean World: From the Palaeolithic to the Byzantines

Snograss Mary Ellen,  Asian Women Artists, A Biographical Dictionary, 2700 BCE to Today

[swiftlance]

Thunder magic ain't somethin' ya see very often. For there to be an entire bloodline of thunder mages...

"So magic's inherited through the blood?" Nephenee always wondered exactly how that worked; were some families simply blessed by the goddess? Or was it more complicated than that? Sheesh, she must sound like the backcountry gal she is. "...Sorry. No one in my town was a mage, 'n I never got the chance to ask the mages in the army."

She's suddenly glad they're not facin' each other on opposite ends of a battlefield. Ishtar speaks like she's carryin' a heavy burden; Nephenee gets the feelin' the thunder mage was forced ta fight for somethin' she didn't really believe in. Before she can think of a reply, Ishtar keeps talkin', brushin' her previous statement aside like clearin' footprints from sand.

"Nah." Nephenee shakes her head. "I'm a lancer. Self-taught at that." It sounds a bit pathetic in the face of Ishtar's magical bloodline. But Nephenee sits tall as she says it, no longer the embarrassed young girl she once was. "Never could make heads or tails of tomes."

Up ahead, a break in the tree line appears. They're gettin' close. Good; Nephenee's starvin'! "My youngest sister says she's gonna be a mage. She's stubborn enough that I believe her."

Hearer of Water