#tdp musings

[quietninjakitty]

Okay, at the beginning of TTM, Rayla mentions that the new moon is only three days away. If the full moon was on July 14 (aka, the day before Callum's b-day), then what was the date at the beginning of the book? Because if it was very early July, then...

What if Rayla stayed up late thinking because it was her father's birthday? (For anyone reading this who doesn't know, it's July 2.)

When Runaan was doing the binding ritual (in May), he said that Thunder was killed "four full moons past", which I believe translates to four months ago. Which would make the attack on the Storm Spire in January. (I'm not entirely sure how the timing of that works, since they called it Winter's Turn, and it was still very cold, but that isn't the point of this post.) And it's canon that Zym was supposed to hatch the day of the attack.

Tiadrin's birthday is December 23. No matter how the timing of the attack works, it still would've been spent at the Storm Spire.

And we already know that communication between the Spire (and Dragonguard) and the Silvergrove is possible (see the post on the official TDP website for Rayla's birthday traditions.), so wouldn't Rayla have gotten some sort of notification that the Dragon Prince was close to being born and her parents would be coming home soon? And depending on how early that was sent, then they would've known that one of her parents' birthdays would be the first one they spent together. And I think it's reasonable to assume that it was something along the lines of "we might get home for Tiadrin's, but we'll definitely be there for Lain's".

And they would've gotten home for Lain's. Zym would've been hatched half a year before, and they would've been completely relieved of their duties by then. And despite the way things turned out, Rayla still knows what they were supposed to be doing during that summer and spring. What they were supposed to be doing on her dad's birthday, and later, hers.

And literally the only reason that they weren't is the man whose body had (extremely suspiciously) disappeared, sending all her assassin's training and common sense to one simple conclusion. That something was off and required further investigation.

Bodies don't just disappear.

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

I'm so glad people gave S5 a chance again because IT WAS SO GOOD OMG I FELT THE SAME FEELINGS I FELT AFTER S2 & S3 AAAAAAAAAAH

One of my favorite parallels was between Viren and Callum with the fever dream from earlier in the show (and the scenes where they were trying to learn more about Aaravos and the librarian shushed them AND-) where Viren was resisting dark magic while Callum is just getting started omg and Karim trying to fulfill his goals with a mythical-esqe sidekick?! SHUT UP

And Janaya my beloved. Fun Fact, they're actually my parents!!

[raayllum]

I don't know if it's just because I'm gunning for Callum to have a staff of his own that he builds (a fresh start he didn't inherit from dead men, and because I think he'd really enjoy the task of both designing and crafting/building the thing) but I can't shake the feeling that Ibis' staff may get destroyed at some point.

Not only would its destruction have potential symbolism — since it represents primal and specifically sky (freedom) magic, it being destroyed could represent succumbing to dark magic / chains / Aaravos (temporarily) — but it'd add another layer to Callum, Ibis, and Claudia's dynamic.

Ibis is the one who taught Callum the wing spell that let him save Rayla. But now, possibly to save Rayla, Callum might have to do something he finds horrible (again). If that involves returning the cube ("If you seek to return that staff to its rightful owner, you pose a greater danger to the world than I can allow") then of course, on a certain level, his staff cannot be held by a successor who is going to return something just as dangerous to Aaravos. That fight to prevent it is what got him killed, and now it's been fully lost — ergo, the staff's got to go, too

[lovelysheree]

Basically I’m just drawing her every day until we find her.

Not great with painting and this was entirely without reference and lighting is nonexistent in it haha... so maybe I’ll work on this type of stuff more. :)

[thestarprimal]

goddammit tdp, not again!

[zuppizup]

Shut Up

Rex Igneous is fast. Not faster than her, but she’s badly positioned and she won’t get to Ez before he does.

She shouldn’t have allowed Ez to talk her into this. Placating an Arch Dragon with a jelly tart was a ridiculous plan but it was just so hard to say no to his wide innocent eyes.

She knows she won’t get there in time but she still tries, feeling her muscles burn as she pushes them beyond their limit.

Callum gets between them though, not hesitating to put himself between his brother and the aggressive dragon. Staff in hand, he draws a rune in the air and screams the trigger words and before she can slow down Rex is incased ice, stuck fast.

She’s so surprised by the display of power that she loses her footing, crashing into Callum and knocking them both over. They landed in a heap, eyes immediately meeting before the screeching of the cave creatures immediately draws their attention.

Without a word they jump to the feet, standing back to back as they prepare to take on the cave wraiths. Their long spindly limbs are no match for her quick blades but there’s so many of them, she can’t possibly take them all on.

It’s like he reads her mind though, casting fulminis on the wraiths approaching him as she slashes at the ones that threaten her. Without discussion, they block Ezran from the onslaught, their moves practiced… almost like a dance.

It takes longer than she’d hoped and her strength is failing but the wraiths begin to retreat, even as Rex struggles against his ice prison.

Looking over her shoulder, she catches his eye and he nods at her silent question. With one last spell, they turn and begin to race down the tunnel, Ezran and Zym not waiting for instruction.

They come to a narrow in the cave and she remembers the ice spell. How solid and containing it is. Like being imprisoned in ice.

“Callum.” She stops him with a hand on his wrist, belatedly realising they haven’t really touched since they’ve been reunited.

She doesn’t miss his eyes dart to her fingers on his hand, though he quickly turns his attention to the narrow entrance.

Without word he draws the rune, speaking the trigger in a commanding tone as he takes a deep breath and then exhales. His frigid breath is cold enough to make her gasp. The cave seals and she winces as the wraiths that are chasing them throw themselves at the ice wall.

Callum’s eyes dart around, looking for faults or fractures, she assumes, but the wall holds solid.

Taking a deep breath he turns to look at her and she doesn’t know what she’s doing but she rushes up to him and presses her lips to his. Her blades are still in her hands and she stands stiffly as he inhales sharply.

And suddenly she remembers herself, the mess and the uncertainty of the past few weeks immediately rushing back. She remembers how he can’t even so much as look at her. How he only speaks to her if he absolutely has to.

How she hasn’t moved on but he obviously has.

With gnawing dread, she steps back suddenly, feeling her face flush and her stomach drop. “I’m sorry!” She gasps. “I just… that was amazing with the ice and I thought we were doomed and-”

He rolls his eyes, his own face red as he steps up to her, taking her cheeks in his hands and pulls her lips to his. “Shut up.”

[iwillhaveamoonbase]

[beautifulterriblequeen]

so which came first, is the Frozen Sea is always frozen so they put the Starscraper above it, or did the Starscraper being built freeze the Frozen Sea?

did the Celestials change the entire pattern of the seas just to have this place? is that the cost? or do they consider it a benefit? do they consider it at all? or are they too busy being Starry about things? is the Ocean literally and figuratively beneath them?

if the Starscraper comes down, will it crack the ice or just melt it?

[quietninjakitty]

I know there are posts about Karim getting tangled up Kim’dael, but what if it was Janai who used her heritage to “convince” Kim’dael to help Rayla with certain coins of hers? And we all know that would be the only reason Kim’dael would ever stomach helping Rayla to save her parents and Runaan, who with Ethari, aided Rayla in ruining her ritual and destroying her alter/coffin. Talk about an uneasy alliance.

Just a thought.

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

Ok ok obligatory TDP poll after the new seasons (I wanna do more polls these are too fun!!) Feel free to talk about your reasoning too but no pressure <3

ignore the commentary lolol i made this poll in a rush

[raayllum]

i find it so interesting that in the letter, rayla never says that she wants to stay. she says she wants to be stopped. it just further tethers ttm to 1x02 with the assassination mission (“i have to do this. i’m sorry, i don’t want to, but i have to”) and 3x08 (“you and ezran should take zym, but i can’t leave [...] so i have to stay and defend the dragon queen”). like she knows this is something she cannot fully put down, but callum has been so good at talking her out of things, at finding solutions, and she desperately wants that to be the case here too. she can’t get rid of this part of her but she also knows he’s the only thing that’s ever been able to settle it, to give her a path, to give her peace. but she can’t do that - because when has what rayla’s wanted ever truly mattered to her, at all?

[yukikorogashi]

Found Family Prompts

@trvehearted​​ asked: “   hey, i got you .   ” (gren? :>)

   BOY, THAT HAD BEEN TOO CLOSE! Itsuki didn’t even want to think what would have happened to her, if the bro hadn’t been there to save her.

   Still, she was definitely embarrassed then that she hadn’t been more careful. Seeing as they had also warned her several times beforehand. Itsuki knew that she should have been much more aware of her surroundings, and especially of her own footing. Especially when they were so VERY HIGH UP IN THE MOUNTAINS by this point... s-something... that she was certainly not a fan of, but had managed to trudge forward on, nonetheless...

   Honestly, she knew she should be lectured then and there. Heck, it’s the least she deserved, after that ridiculous fumble... And yet, all Itsuki would be met with was patience, kindness, and gentle assurance. Realising then that the bro was still talking to her, he was trying to make sure that she was focusing on his voice. And on those gentle features of his, as her back remained pressed against the sloping mountain wall behind her. Her legs having apparently given out, from the fright of it all. Something that the bro was once more just so patient about, as he allowed her a good, long moment to just collect herself.

   “T-Thanks, bro...” She would eventually manage, as she slowly began to get back onto her feet. “Uhm good now, uhm-- WHOA!” Though she would still need some assistance, by the looks of it. Something the bro would readily offer, as he helped her up then, “... D-Did ahhh... mention dat uhm a lil’ fraid-a heights...?” She would chuckle sheepishly then, “Well, now ya know.”

[ofsavior]

tap the heart of slide in a comment for something from CLAUDIA.

[thestarprimal]

if you combine soren and kasef’s names for a ship name, one of the results you get is “karen.”

[zuppizup]

Control

Summary: Aaravos has taken control of Callum once again and Rayla is trapped with him.

And worse, she has something he wants.

Pairing: Rayla/Callum

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Length: 4K (Complete)

She holds her blade high in the air, heart racing as the thing possessing Callum simply laughs at her. This is the third time she’s pinned or cornered him and still…

She can’t do it.

Callum’s words echo in her ears.

“I need you to kill me.”

On more than one occasion he’s approached her about it. About this possibility. She’s tried to tell him she won’t on each occasion. That she can’t. First with jokes, then serious and logical… finally pleading.

How could he ever think she could kill him?

And Aaravos knows it, which is why he laughs. He’s so much more powerful than her and she knows he’s been letting her get the upper hand purely to delight in her repeated failures.

Seeing her lose her resolve once again, he flicks Callum’s head ever so slightly and a sudden force knocks her off him and clear across the cave.

Read More On AO3: Control

[darklydeliciousdesires]

WHY can I not just have ONE idea, work on it, finish it, and then be able to move onto the next cleanly?

Oh yeah. Because it’s my brain, with 23948792587957 tabs open all at once with ideas. So many ideas. 

And it’s this guy, tapping me on the shoulder and whispering seductively that I need to write him again. 

LOOK AT HIM. Just LOOK at him, drinking that juice like a whore, pretending he isn’t all up in my brain DEMANDING of me. 

Angel Reyes is a fucking demanding muse. And he is demanding I develop the little pieces of story I have floating around in my head. BECAUSE I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TO DO WITH FINISHING TDP AND BEGINNIG RUNAWAY FFS. 

My brain, besties. Welcome to it.