#vittorio my beloved

[speremint]

Requests from the Artists For Palestine stream! Thanks so much again @stil-lindigo for organizing this event, it was a lot of fun!

[stellacadente]

for the 2nd time in a few days i got to tell someone that umberto d. is one of my favorite films and that makes me smile

[slightlybiggerpp]

who told him

[killyourrdarlingss]

I'm in Soo much love art by @/razz_pazazz on insta ♥️

[awolfnamedluna]

decided to put my survivor mains in my bio bc why not

[gothy-froggy]

Won’t you Join me?

Tarhos Kovács x noble!Fem!reader

I see there is yet another drought for Tarhos. Fear not my beloveds! I am here to save you for the time being.

Warnings: fluff, reader is a sweetheart, Tarhos being confused and awkward, historically inaccurate for the sake of a cute fic, not proofread, short one shot

Summary: There is a small ball once again and Tarhos witnesses another. Bored and irritated by most noble snobs, he stands outside. A noblewoman talks to him to his surprise. Is this maybe a possible future blooming between the two?

——————————-

“Toscano! I am pleased to see that you could come.” The older woman greeted Vittorio as he and personal knight walked inside. It was always the same. Many men and woman in fancy big outfits. Most likely costing a fortune for each clothing piece.

“And you have brought..a friend.” The older noblewoman said, her judgmental tone seeping through her words. Toscano introduced Tarhos for him.

“Welcome, Sir knight.” A younger noblewoman greeted him with a small curtsy. Tarhos stared at her with no reply. How odd. She actually decided to notice him? The older woman gave the noblewoman a disappointing look before guiding Vittorio around for a tour.

Tarhos knew it was his time to leave and stand outside. Or at least under his rules. Too many people stare and raise a hand to another’s ear to gossip and judge. He walked out, standing outside. He hated how privileged these people were. He stared at the view in front of him. He wondered what the piece of freedom that nobles had really feels like. He desired it. No, he deserves it, not these foolish, ungrateful, slimy-

“Are you all right?”

Tarhos’ internal ramble came to an end. He sharply turned to see the same noblewoman who greeted him. He just stared intensely at her through his helmet. Her hand slipped away from the building to the side of her formal dress as she walked up to him.

“You shouldn’t wait out here.” Her voice was in a softer than how it was inside. More quieter, fitting for a conversation between two people. She lightly tilted her head with a small smile on her face.

“Do you often wait outside for him?”

“I prefer it.” He grumbled out loud enough for her to hear.

“Why?” She questioned the armored man, inching closer. Tarhos kept his gaze ahead.

“They judge with the privilege they possess.” He hesitated to answer. She was a noble herself. She lightly sighed through her nose.

“I never understood that. I apologize, on behalf of them-”

“Don’t.”

Tarhos cut her off. He looked down at her, his hair slightly spilling out.

“You aren’t like the others.”

A smile crept onto her face as she glanced down, a small portion of shyness kicking in from his words.

“Tarhos, was it? How did you manage to work under Toscano?” She stood next to him and raised her hand. Tarhos quickly caught on, holding his arm out and letting her hands rest on his forearm. They began walking around the building, following the torches.

—————————-

She lightly laughed, telling her own stories to Tarhos. Tarhos smiled ever so lightly under his helmet. His head tilted to the side to show that he’s listening to her stories and words.

“I have to say, I have been enjoying your presence, Kovács.” She lightly giggled after her words. Her silly story still having an affect on her. Tarhos eventually gave his full attention to her as she slowed down from walking. She stared up at him.

“May I be selfish and ask to see your face?” She whispered. Tarhos couldn’t understand why, but she had allured him. Possible bewitched him. Tarhos slowly took his helmet off, keeping it under his arm. She raised her hands up as Tarhos bent down more towards her level. Her hands brushing over his jawline, sending a shiver down Tarhos’ spine. Her finger tracing over his scars.

“I think…” She started, pausing while observing all the facial features again.

“You’re beautiful.” She finished her abandoned sentence. Tarhos let out a shaky breath as he closed his eyes. A warm woman’s touch could weaken anyone. Apparently even Tarhos. She kept her hands on both sides of his face, her thumbs lightly running across his skin. She a bright smile.

“Won’t you join me?”

Tarhos opened his eyes and stared into hers. He didn’t answer her. She stepped a bit closer.

“Come, let’s have a dance.” She tried to convince the knight. He glanced back at the building, hearing the faint music.

“It is best that I do not.” He declined.

“Please?” She begged. Tarhos looked at her for a few seconds. He took a step back, placing his helmet back on. His heart ached seeing the joy leave her expression.

“Another time, my lady.” He rejected, his tone softening letting her down this time.

“If you change your mind, I will be inside, Kovács.” She lightly lifted her dress as she began walking back.

“Tarhos.” 

She stopped, turning back around to look at him.

“Goodnight, Tarhos.” She gave him another small curtsy before heading back inside.

Tarhos watched her leave. He was conflicted. Originally, he thought that all nobles were maggots, but she has proved him wrong. She made him feel something different. Something he had never felt before.

Time flew by as he was in his thoughts.

“Tarhos.” A familiar voice called out. Vittorio stood a few feet away from him with the stern face he always carried. His cool tone making it.

“We’re leaving.” Tarhos walked over to Vittorio, heading back into the carriage. The ride back home, Tarhos was lost in his own little world. Once he has his money and he buys his three friends’ freedom, he is coming back to that noblewoman.

She was so different. She treated him like he was someone. He enjoyed it. He enjoyed her company, just her alone. And he wanted more. He now swore to come back and marry the kind woman. As she is too soft to be alone in this cruel world. She was going to be his, as his heart is already hers.

—————————-

*bonus*

The screams from others run around to desperately escape filled the air between the walls. The noblewoman was dragged away by a maiden.

“This way my lady!” She whispered yelled, pulling her by the hand while sneaking down the steps. The maid screamed, getting pulled away by a man with a red scarf.

“Let me go!” The noblewoman screeched as a manic laugh met her ears.

“We can’t do that now, can we? Sir wants you, my lady.” The man cackled, saying his words in a mocking tone. The man carried the woman outside, pushing her against something hard. It was like armor. She looked up, seeing a familiar armored man with hair spilling out the helmet.

“…Tarhos?”

[symptomofloves]

2023 faves

albums:

joanna newsom's entire discography <3

no thank you (2022) by little simz

the land is inhospitable & so are we (2023) by mitski

the record (2023) by boygenius

bewitched (2023) by laufey

books:

the waves (1931) by virginia woolf

lolita (1955) by vladimir nabokov

the dispossessed (1974) by ursula k. le guin

just above my head (1978) by james baldwin

beloved (1987) by toni morrison

movies:

bicycle thieves (1948) dir. vittorio de sica

late spring (1949) dir. yasujiro ozu

secrets & lies (1996) dir. mike leigh

aftersun (2022) dir. charlotte wells

past lives (2023) dir. celine song

*honorable mention to about elly (2009) dir. asghar farhadi

tagging 23 mutuals for 2023, but feel free to do this whether i tagged u or not :)

@bichopalo, @bymine, @cartoonpeoplemp3, @cheruib, @clementineoil, @engulfes, @imkindatheman, @lesbianjonimitchell, @lynchiangf, @marusyenka, @mothprincess, @motifcollector, @mumintroll, @murderballadeer, @nevergoesout, @sapokanikan, @schalotte, @something2believe, @soulmvtes, @vlindervin7, @weyesbloodgf, @weirdgirlification, @zaubermaerchen

[murfpersonalblog]

My Ranking of Anne Rice's Books

Full disclosure: My ranking is totally not based on the quality of AR's writing (which I absolutely love); it's just reflecting my own personal preferences for certain characters, plots, and themes. Some of her books I deliberately chose not to read; while some I only read once and didn't care for them, hence their low rank on my list. (I saw the Feast of All Saints movie but never read the book.)

S Tier: The Witching Hour, The Vampire Armand, Taltos, The Wolf Gift, The Wolves of Midwinter, Blood Communion

A Tier: Cry to Heaven, Servant of the Bones, Blackwood Farm, Prince Lestat, Queen of the Damned, Memnoch the Devil

B Tier: Realms of Atlantis, The Vampire Lestat, Lasher

C Tier: Blood & Gold, Interview with the Vampire, The Mummy

D Tier: Blood Canticle, Tale of the Body Thief, Merrick, Angel Time, Of Love and Evil, Pandora, Vittorio, Violin

(I used the tier template here as my base.)

MY THOUGHTS (I tried not to spoil anything):

S Tier: Spectacular!

13/10 The Witching Hour

My favorite Anne Rice book. The plot was utterly insane. The buildup surrounding the mystery of The 13, and the Door, and what exactly Lasher was and what he wanted was SO good. I thought Rowan was a effing idiot, but I LOVED seeing Michael slowly realize what his purpose was, in the face of this loooong tragic history about the "eunuch" Mayfair husbands. Julien Mayfair is really the GOAT! I was on the edge of my seat; it's a legitimately scary ghost story! IMO Lasher is AR's best villain, cuz he's so awful. (I'm waiting for Season 1 of AMC's Mayfair Witches to finish before I watch it--I'm already bummed from the changes I heard about. [EDIT] I watched it, and it's trash. 🤦)

10/10 The Vampire Armand

I am HELLA biased. TVA was one of the very first AR books I read in full, and I was hooked. Marius/Armand are my favorite vampire ship, leave me alone--the Renaissance was a different time; read a book. Armand and Lestat are my fave vamps, cuz they're both fabulous and crazy. But I empathized with Armand more, because he was so YOUNG. I saw the IWTV movie before I read TVA, and was so shocked that he was just a kid! (Antonio Banderas was fiiiiine AF though!) I was fascinated by Marius since TVL, and getting to see him in his natural habitat was such a treat, as he tried to deal with his feelings for his beloved black-winged angel/demon Amadeo. Plus we got to learn A LOT about the Children of Satan/Darkness, and it was SO effed up what happened with M/A & Santino.

10/10 Taltos

This is the payoff I was waiting for after The Witching Hour. I could care less about Lasher--ASHLAR was precisely the type of Taltos I wanted to know more about. I loved getting his perspective on all the Celtic lore about the Picts and Stonehenge, and the dwarves, etc--it was so mythological; I love it. And the whole icky background about the Talamasca, and the lengths they went through to get the Taltos together...dang. SUCH a good story. 10/10.

10/10 The Wolf Gift & The Wolves of Midwinter

These two are tied--the WoMW sequel flows perfectly from TWG, and I never read one without reading the other immediately after. AR is famous for her vampires, but IMO her werewolves are her very best immortals. They're just really well-adjusted to immortality, and are a big happy wholesome family, the way the rest of her immortal species are NOT. Like, there are very few setbacks to being an AR werewolf, compared to other types of supernatural--especially if you have Margon and the Goldings looking after you (Stuart, you lucky bum!). I want to live at Nideck Point, throwing holiday festivals and carousing with the woodland creatures. I guess kinda like WoMW slightly more, because it continues following the pack as they settle in together, but TWG sets up AR's werewolf universe so perfectly that it gives it that slight edge.

10/10 Blood Communion

I hate that AR was so nasty to fanfic authors and scared a lot of the fandom away, cuz all I want is 500k+ on The Chateau Era, as the vampires live together being fancy and lavish and finally getting their ish together. Blood Communion only gave me a taste of that, cuz it was so dang short (the illustrations were such a cute touch!). But my favorite part was definitely when Armand flipped the eff out over Marius--I was like YES! FINALLY!!!! ^0^ I was so tired of this will they/won't they thing that had stretched out between M/A ever since QoTD, and I just wanted them to come clean about how they REALLY felt. Plus, I was glad/relieved that Louis & Lestat finally ironed everything out; I felt really bad for them, for once! I just wanted more, but I kinda felt Blood Communion was likely where AR was gonna end everything, and TBF it was a really good stopping point.

A Tier: Awesome!

9.5/10 Cry to Heaven

Who knew reading about castrati could be HOT!? This book made me cry--the title was apt! Guido is one of my favorite AR characters; I felt so bad for him!!! Tonio reminds me a lot of Armand, but...I felt worse for Armand? Like, yeah, being castrated sucks, but Tonio got to have this amazing career, and the book ends on a high note--LOL! But Armand was literally psychologically tortured for 300+ years and never really recovers--he gets Trinity Gate & Night Island & his coven, but he's clearly unhinged and maladjusted. I just felt that Tonio was lucky to have a support system in Guido & his patrons, and Armand was decidedly more unlucky, and hence more tragic? Whatever--this was a really good book, even without any supernatural elements.

9.5 Servant of the Bones

I looooooove this book~! I'm a sucker for mythology and world religions and immortality and all of it--this was SO GOOD. If supernatural creatures were real, I legit think AR might be on to something--you can't tell me SOMEONE didn't do human sacrifices like that, trying to make their own "genie" or whatever. VERY Solomon's Ring. And I love how AR threw in all these historical events & characters--making deals with the "devil." It was so creepy; yet thoroughly tragic, as usual with this woman. I just wish we got a bit more clarification on what exactly Azriel was--cuz there's NO WAY he's an angel/djinn/demon, if everything that happened in Memnoch & Angel Time was legit. Is he just an incredibly powerful GHOST, like Lasher??? 🤷 (Azriel would beat the dog snot out of Lasher in a fight, IMO. He's just way more experienced.)

9.5 Blackwood Farm

I LOVE AR's ghost stories. Between Amel, Lasher, Azriel, and Goblin, I pitied Goblin the most. He's VERY similar to Amel, but because of the way he was created, and how he had to exist, I just really felt for him and just wanted to give him a HUG--my poor baby! :( I enjoyed seeing Lestat in a domestic sphere, with the grandma tryna adopt this whole vampire living under her roof, cuz the Blackwoods are like: meh, what's another spook; we're used to weird shenanigans in this family. XD And Mona Mayfair--she won me over here, cuz I did NOT like her around Michael & Rowan; get friends your own age, brat. I'm mad at what AR did with Merrick Mayfair though, like really???

9.5 Prince Lestat

AMEL. O_O I was already fascinated by whatever Amel was when Maharet gave her backstory in QoTD, but once AR started fleshing (LOL!) him out in the Prince Lestat trilogy I was like yaaaaaaaas~! I need DETAILS! As much as I like the other VC books, I really enjoy reading QoTD and PL back to back, cuz it's just a natural continuation of what happened to ALL the vampires afterwards. And it's effed up. Lestat's one bold soul, cuz I would NEVER.

9/10 Queen of the Damned

The hype was real! Maharet's lovely, but Mekare's the GOAT. I was TOTALLY on board with Akasha's plan though, NGL. But you could tell that she was crazy, too. However, getting Amel's perspective in the later books, and seeing what happened with Rhoshamandes, I sympathize with Akasha even more, cuz how much of that was REALLY her???? But yeah, she had to go. (I cannot wait to see who AMC casts--no one can beat Aaliyah's performance, but I want to see them at least try to prove me wrong.) However, the build up to the concert and facing Akasha was a bit too drawn out for my liking (I could care less about Tough Cookie and Killer and all the random AF auxiliary vampires that showed up at Armand's, or the compound. And I DO NOT like Devil's Minion--I love Armand to pieces, but Daniel was INSANE, and vampirism ALMOST turned him into another Nicky, which I was NOT feeling).

8.5/10 Memnoch the Devil

Dante's Inferno meets Dracula. I like this book. But it was confusing, because I was like what was the point? I would've tried WAY harder to keep Lestat in Hell, if I was serious about making THE Devil's Minion. I felt like MtD was an elaborate excuse for AR to bench Lestat, so she could focus on Armand & Marius & Louis for a few books. Like, we know Lestat's trash, but dang--just leaving him on the floor like that? XD And Memnoch's even more mysterious than Azriel in SotB, cuz what is he really? He was able to psychologically torture Lestat in that church from...another dimension?? WHERE was Lestat's eyeball REALLY? Were they LEGIT demons? Like...? Cuz I had the same questions about Louis in Merrick, like, was what he was seeing REAL? We know powerful vampires like Armand can use the Mind Gift to create whole worlds in people's heads. So who knows what actually happened to Lestat.

B Tier: Bravo!

8/10 Realms of Atlantis

I like the alien plot--SUE ME. It's weird AF, and I don't really like what happened to Amel (I'm undecided about trusting that he's redeemable and if he can be excused for being a literal MENACE), but I enjoyed getting those final answers. In TVA Armand said he saw a city of glass when he turned, and I nearly jumped out of my seat when I read RoA, cuz it tracks! And the alien parasites made sense. Look at what happens when regular HUMAN ghosts gained autonomy in AR's books. Look at GOBLIN in BwF. Look at Memnoch even--whatever he is [EDIT: I'm not buying AR's weak AF retcon that he's a ghost Replimoid, cuz then what was Angel Time for?]. Of course a whole extraterrestrial species would have drastic consequences on humans.

8/10 The Vampire Lestat

A must-read for context and mining information, but TVL's never been a book I ever go back to just cuz I want to reread it for funsies. But I enjoyed it WAY more than IWTV, mostly cuz the tone was drastically different.

8/10 Lasher

Anne Boleyn. Really? XD And folks wanna complain about aliens? XD I was not here for Lasher--let the devil speak and tell his story blah blah blah. I was with Michael the whole time, just counting down to when Lasher would stfu already so we could get back to business. There was NOTHING Lasher could say to make me care. Regardless of what he was when he was alive, in death he was thoroughly EVIL. Lasher's a very interesting parallel with Lestat, who was also very religious and wanted to be a priest and was physically & prematurely ripped from his home and from his life. And yes, vampires are mass murderers, and Lestat likely killed way more people than Lasher. And they're both totally selfish; parasites feeding off the living. But it's the METHOD that bothers me with Lasher. Vampires killing just to drink blood is one thing. But Lasher RUINED that family--it was SICK, the things he did to the Mayfairs--both in the past, and present. He DELIBERATELY drove people crazy and abused people for sport and strategically hunted the "eunuch" husbands and turned women into his sex toys, and god knows what he was up to with Julien--and for WHAT??? Lasher was NOTHING like St. Ashlar, and it shows. Bye, Felicia.

C Tier: Can't Love It

7/10 Blood & Gold

I was so hyped for Blood and Gold, cuz Santino was just a PLAGUE upon these poor vampires! I got a lot of answers that I really wanted after TVA, but I understand why some people hate Marius, cuz really my guy?????? It really is his way or the highway. I still love Marius, but my opinion of him definitely dropped quite a few notches--I was PISSED at him just like Armand was, all the way up to Blood Communion.

7/10 Interview with the Vampire

Groundbreaking, iconic, never done before, etc etc. But IWTV is one of my least favorite AR books. I honestly think she just got better as she kept writing. But also the tone of IWTV, and especially Louis as a character just never appealed to me. Louis never had a personality other than bitterness, like…. I just couldn't relate to him at all, like what are you complaining about???? If you hate being a vampire so dang much, END IT. Lestat honestly impressed me (Armand's patience was impressive too!), cuz I'd've been GONE, and left Louis to his own devices; eff how pretty he is. The movie--as fun and awesome as it is--definitely didn't improve my opinion of Louis; he was even more mopey, wtf! (AMC's IWTV handled Louis BRILLIANTLY, and went a LONG way endearing me to Louis, where I absolutely LOVE him now--protect Louis at all costs!)

6/10 The Mummy

This was REALLY good, until it wasn't. I got similar vibes with SotB, as ancient civilizations grappled with magic and immortality and the divine and the dead/undead--my bread and butter. But Ramses just reads as way more naive and clumsy than Azriel. It got tiresome, seeing Ramses scramble to fix all the mistakes he kept making, like omg dude--LEARN. And what was the purpose of that girl? Whatever her name was. Like...yawn. And then Cleopatra.... 🤦 Why is she so evil? Is it just the brain damage? What a walking disaster--and Ramses was AGAIN at fault! I couldn't take anymore, it got frustrating.

D Tier: Didn't Care

4/10 Blood Canticle

This book was DEPRESSING. First of all, I honestly don't understand why Lestat was even there? Just let Quinn & Mona & Rowan & Michael deal with it--a drug/gun cartel? REALLY? Morrigan! Ashlar was one thing, but come on, REALLY?? I was so bummed! Then Rowan had the NERVE--! I was disgusted. I never liked her, but even the scraps of empathy I felt for her EVAPORATED. Poor Michael! :(

4/10 Tale of the Body Thief

I was squicked out. There was nothing appealing about this situation. If he was in his OWN body, like if Dr. Fareed could "cure" vampirism, that would be one thing, but this was just...no. And poor David! I liked Mojo though?

4/10 Merrick

God, spare me. I never liked Louis in the books, so this was just one long psychological torture experience I wasn't feeling. Especially since I couldn't really be sure if the ghost was legit when I first read it. But having read so much more of AR's ghost stories, I'm more convinced now that it was the genuine ghost that had it out for Louis, which is awful, cuz that really puts into perspective what was going on in NOLA vs Europe/Paris. So, I feel bad for him--but the most interesting part was getting Lestat's reaction.

3/10 Angel Time

I barely remember what this book was about. It was a murder mystery in a hotel near a church in Cali somewhere and an angel selects some assassin because....? IIRC he went back in time and infiltrated a pogrom or something disguised as a monk? And.... I...don't remember.

-/10 Of Love and Evil

I own it, but literally don't even remember what this was about.

3/10 Pandora

I could care less about Pandora/Lydia/whatever her name was. I do not like this woman. I get that she's bitter about Marius ditching her, but omg. Stop. You don't see Bianca complaining; get over it already. There was something about bees and the Talamasca and Pandora being worshipped and....something.

-/10 Vittorio

I own it, but I literally don't even remember what this was about.

-/10 Violin

This was an impulse buy. I was so hyped at first, cuz I thought this was gonna be about Nicky and Lestat. Then I actually read the summary, and was immediately like wtf. But I gave it a go cuz there's wibbly wobbly timey wimey ghost stuff going on, but.... Nah.

Thanks for reading!

[bells-of-black-sunday]

@axewhirl replied to your post “//literally do not mention t.arhos around me I...”:

tarhos.

​I'm pulling out my pepe silvia board, but it's fine: I honestly think the main reason Tarhos and Vittorio are so hated as characters is just because of click bait youtube videos that proclaimed he could stall out the game until the servers timed when realistically that never happened. I remember one morning playing 10 games against knights back to back and honestly he's not any worse than any other anti-loop killer in the game, I hated playing against Nemesis and Twins far more, he has very clear indications of what you're supposed to do in certain situations we can even see that in the showcase done by a beloved streamer between a top knight player and a top skull merchant player.

I also think the fact that really the only lore channel in the community called Tarhos and Vittorio's lore "boring" also played a role in it, but what is their lore really? Tarhos fundamentally is a deconstruction of the Edwardian romanticism of the renaissance that led to what we see of knights saving princesses and being generally forces of good when at most points in history knights were just glorified gangs to the point where tournaments had to be made and organized to stop them from killing people.

He is a child slave, he's not some noble man who went to go protect the holy land or save people, he's a man whose lived all his life being treated like nothing more than a dog on a leash. He is not rich. He is not pious. Even though he's been groomed into that lifestyle even he sees through the churches bullshit, to him there is no sin there is no right or wrong it's just some big mix of cosmic mud he'll never care to make sense of.

Either all of it is good or none of it is in his eyes. To him the only thing that separates him from other people is he doesn't lie to himself about what he's doing. He is hurting people not that he has or ever had a choice in the matter, he's just grown to cope in a way that he enjoys it. As we can see in his tome he talks about everything that's happened to him like it happened to someone else an example being:

""There was a village quite far from here. A small army advanced on this village on a mission, I suppose, to butcher the barbarians… to make this world a better place. Rather than be killed by a stranger or be taken as a slave these villagers had chosen to die by their own accord."

Tarhos scoops a few more maggots and tosses them into the mouth.

"I remember one mother had poisoned her family without hesitation or remorse. The love and strength of will it must have taken to do that is something I’ve yet to see in all my experiences on the battlefield and off. I have been around nobles and knights my whole life and all I’ve seen is cowardice steeped in the rotten stew of lies and hypocrisy.""

He is very clearly talking about when he was a child and his mother poisoning his family to try and avoid exactly what he's been through. On the other hand you have Vittorio, the survivor he came with, a 13th century Italian lord whose a pacifist who tried to find the fog, because he was told it was a paradise without violence or death. And debatably there could be a part of the entity like that, but that's not what either of them found.

Tarhos didn't even care about what Vittorio was doing until whatever happened over the course of the months they had been traveling together made one simple order, "Find another way", piss him off enough to kill and claim all of Vittorio's land for himself. Granted, could be entity influence after all Tarhos did carry the paradise stone out of those catacombs and it's what Vittorio's been unwittingly searching for the entire time, but Tarhos still makes a comment about how Vittorio only wants him to not be violent so he can sleep well at night.

That he doesn't deserve to hold such ideals Vittorio's entire fortune was secured with nothing but violence and stepping on others to secure such a petty need. He's a coward. The most cowardly lord he ever had served. Yet even in his tome, Tarhos doesn't hate him as much as he pretends to. Not only does he not kill Vittorio, he actively talks to him and thinks aloud telling him war stories and asking if he thinks he's mad, but especially so when other lords take notice of what Vittorio was studying.

That becomes the only reason why Tarhos is keeping him alive, because suddenly this idea of paradise is a much bigger deal than he thought. He's offered money, land, etc. to the people that want him dead, but the only thing they want is what Vittorio has on paradise. Which honestly could be the founding of the Black Veil for all we know. So of course when he gets pulled into the fog with the only 3 people he trusts he's going to see the entity as paradise.

And I can only imagine what he thinks when he sees Vittorio again.

[deathshallbenomore]

I'll be visiting Torino soon and I saw you post about it before so I wanted to ask, do you have some recommendations that wouldn't be found on a tourist guide? Grazie 💖

hiiiii (or, as the locals would say, cerea <3) :)

first of all, i'm so so happy you're visiting this beautiful city! i hope you'll love it at least half as much as i do (which is a lot. like. a lot)

under the cut!

as for my recommendations, i guess my biggest advice would be to just walk around and let the streets themselves guide you because a) the city centre (as in the very very centre and the neighbourhoods surrounding it) is not that big, so you could set some reference points, go for a long walk, and both see the main attractions and get to have a look at the city herself, b) because it's so worth it, torino really is so beautiful that even walking her streets is an experience by itself, c) torino is probably one of the easiest cities in the world to navigate because it was literally built like this:

in any case, here's a list of my favourite places/spots that oh my god you have to see/things you really need to do*

monte dei cappuccini (+ the church + the friars' back terrace in case they decide to open it to the public); the hill area is also really nice so i warmly suggest you get to the monte on foot

this is a classic, but the gran madre church - piazza vittorio - via po - piazza castello route is a must (and you can do it right after the monte dei cappuccini, to reach the city centre)

castello and parco del valentino (and especially the giardino roccioso) is beautiful (also psss the borgo medievale is fake lol)

close to the valentino, you can take a walk around the san salvario neighbourhood (my beloved) which feels a little bit bohemien and quite vibrant and lively. lots of beautiful churches, lots of interesting architectural styles, Thee synagogue (which you cannot visit, but it's breathtaking even from the outside)

close to piazza castello, the galleria subalpina is BEAUTIFUL and once you've seen it, instead of going back to piazza castello you can go straight to piazza carlo alberto, then piazza carignano and then reach via roma. you know. 'cause they're all beautiful and classy areas of the city centre

another galleria that i really recommend is the galleria san federico, which can take you from via roma to the embarrassingly beautiful piazza san carlo

the quadrilatero romano area might be a bit touristy (bc it's close to piazza castello) but it's so peculiar and i just love taking walks there. feels a bit like paris, but maybe let's not tell the locals. lol

the porta palazzo market is definitely An Experience; bonus points on saturdays and on the 2nd sunday of each month you will find the (gran) balon flea markets. definitely give them a go!

ah of course the mole, but that's like. Top 1 things you should see in torino so;

but! quite close to the mole, in corso san maurizio, go take a look at the "fetta di polenta". it's a building that literally looks like a slice of something

museums, duh

the lungo po is a great location for a lazy walk at sunset :)

for god's sake don't go looking for a pizza and a cappuccino in via po at 4pm but try to find a place that looks genuinely piedmontese because the local cuisine is amazing. you can also find quite a number of "piole" (they're called like that) that are supposed to be quite cheap but very good and "local"

bonus (totally out of context): piazza carlina (I’m so local now that I forgot its real name lol) and giardini reali superiori (if you’re lucky you might find the newly restored extra area open to the public, fingers crossed!)

eat a lot of gianduia, drink good wine and definitely try san simone (thee local amaro) [of course if you're into any of that, ça va sans dire]

just walk. fill your eyes, mind and heart with beauty <3

here’s some pics :)

[slightlybiggerpp]

my plan from the start mr scaletta 😼

[killyourrdarlingss]

Vittorio really said -

[ryo-maybe]

Voice

Nonetheless, she opens the door and steps inside. The interrogation room is as by-the-book as it can possibly get: a single lamp shines bright over the walls, dull gray paint rising from the floor like a tide until it meets the spotless white cascading from the ceiling; caught between the contrasting colors, the one-way mirror reflects the opaque rectangle of the table, along with two metallic chairs that promise little in the way of comfort. The man sits on one of the chairs. The inspector, whom her colleagues playfully call "Bri", approaches the other seat with slow, measured steps, lowers herself on it, and decides her elbows will find better rest on the rigid line of her pants than on the table's chilly surface.

For a while, inspector Bri stares the man in the face. Already, the slight puzzlement with which he had greeted her arrival has subsumed into nothing. An emotional void shaped like a visage, awaiting input like a machine unable to act of its own volition. The inspector wonders if it was the interrogation that squeezed him dry of impulse, or the act that occasioned said interrogation to begin with. She quickly dismisses the latter, however. After all, it was the man himself, whose name is Vittorio Neuman, that showed up three hours ago at the 25th precinct of the Grammar Police to admit to the murder of Kanade Mizutani, lovingly dubbed by her fans the "Prince of Tomboys".

"Why did you do it, Neuman?"

The sound of her voice is that of rust, of ancient sheen lost to time and lack of polish. She doesn't bother intoning it like a question, leaving the onus entirely on that one word - why. The interrogation room is a cold terrarium where that very same word is made to bloom. Sometimes, a savvy gardener may even pluck an overripe truth from the midst of thorny lies.

"Your colleagues asked me the same question. Is there a point to me giving you the same answer?"

Neuman speaks with measured inflection, each syllable carefully laid in front of the other with care that borders on the artificial. But that is all there is to it: a bundle of information, wrapped up in an aseptic package and delivered without conviction. From the murky lake of inspector Bri's thoughts emerges the half-forgotten memory of Ser Jallufan, the jolly wandering suit of armor whose sense of purpose had exceeded its wearer's. She blinks the image away, thinking that the man in front of her appears to be its specular opposite. Emptiness in the guise of a human.

"You told them that you didn't like her voice." And, as far as agents Claud and Gervais were concerned, it was enough. Something to fill the blank line in their report and call it a day. One vermilion stamp and it'll be straight behind the bars for the cruel murderer of a beloved voice actress. Would that every criminal this side of the City could be so pleasantly inclined to lessening the work of the oh-so-hard-working Grammar Police.

"It is the truth."

No, it is a fact. A dry statement, the cause preceding the gruesome effect. Inspector Bri leans back in her chair, her fingers instinctively grasping the empty air near her left hip. She lifts her chin by a smattering of millimeters, and it is all it takes to give off the impression that her austere gaze is being cast from a far greater height. Like the old times; only, beneath her are not a leather saddle and her trusty steed, but the seat of the cheapest chairs the precinct could afford to put under its agents' asses.

"I need you to understand that it's all been settled way before I came, Neuman. Whatever you say here and now, I am fairly sure a judge has already begun drafting your Cancellation Notice. I'm not asking for your own sake - I'm asking for my own. So tell me: why didn't you like her voice?"

She sees the thin crease on his forehead, the gears turning behind his hollow eyes. He wonders if it might be worth telling the inspector what she wants to hear, if it is even worth wondering at all. His lips purse inwards. He shakes his head, weakly, while his eyes focus on nothing in particular. When they turn to reflect inspector Bri's imposingly taller figure again, a glimmer has appeared inside them. Pity, although she cannot tell whom between them it could be directed at.

"I enjoy…" A pause, filled by a long, tired breath. "Used to. Enjoy stories. I loved to imagine my favorite works of fiction, the ones that made me feel… overwhelmed with emotion… I liked to think that their creators were just as passionate about them. That my favorite characters were cherished by their authors, plots crafted with the sole intent of sharing with others something so deeply intimate, so so so sincere…"

Neuman stops, realizing that, at some point, the shadow of a smile had begun to tear into his cheek. It dissipates quickly, leaving behind the same featureless line as before. Inspector Bri closes her eyes, waiting until the image has lost its freshness and disappeared from the darkness behind her eyelids, then opens them again.

"I do not know when it started. Perhaps, I suppose, I simply grew up. Adulthood progressively stripped me of my dreams and beliefs, until not even my dearly beloved refuge could not be spared. Until I couldn't help but peek behind the curtain, and see my favorite stories for what they were." He shakes his head again, disgust cutting a sharp edge out of his blank mask. "Products manufactured for consumption. Pre-packaged emotions sold to hordes of eager buyers. I peered at the sun and came out blind for it. Have you ever experienced it? The dread of listening to a character speaking, but hearing the actor's voice. To lose yourself in that dissonant separation between creator and creation, unable to enjoy either. Even so, you wish to believe in it. In the emotions that pour forth from that voice. You want to believe that it is love that flows from an actress' mouth into her character's. Then someone leaks that actress' private text history, and it turns out they're an arrogant bitch who thinks her time is being wasted on a crappy series."

Neuman grows silent, slumping in his chair. Inspector Bri's reflection on the table is a vague, unrecognizable smudge: her gaze lingers on it for a quiet while, then she rises from her seat. She had taken from the man anything he had left to give away. The cold, hard facts, what transpired between his somber realization and the moment he held the knife in his hand, are beside anyone's concern but the judge's and the forensics team. Even so, after opening the door Inspector Bri stops to give Neuman one last, unreciprocated look. Again, the wandering armor's phantom image materializes in her mind, although plucked from a different time than before. The distant memory of Ser Jallufan's lifeless pieces, scattered across the asphalt that cuts between the 31st and 32nd avenues, follows her into the chilly winter air outside the precinct.

***

"It's been a while, Sir Brigild."

Gregory the Vault does not turn to face the inspector with his bespectacled gaze. The dark, round lenses face ever forward, the eyeless skin behind them inviting those who sit beside him to do so without fear of judgment or untoward attention. Flakes of snow occasionally settle on the leather vest that covers his otherwise bare, hairy torso, and on jeans so worn one may struggle to believe they were once a vivid blue. He sits on his usual granite bench, rigidly though not because of the cold, which he barely seems to mind. To inspector Bri, he looks like a dragon awaiting a new addition to its hoard, although the jar he drags towards him to make space for her is hardly so majestic to behold.

"For someone who makes a living out of listening to other people, you sure are deaf when I tell you it's inspector now." Inspector Bri, once Sir Brigild, sits beside the devil, hands seeking warm comfort in the pockets of her service coat.

"A knight no more, yet you don your armor all the same. On your words - and on your face."

She doesn't reply, her severe expression proving him right. Her breast has long since forgotten the sensation of chainmail pressing against it, and her sword no longer hangs by her hip. Her hair, once flowing like a lion's fiery mane, is now no more than graying bristles. But her bearing persists nonetheless, in the trace amounts that all the rewrites couldn't edit out of her when she became an extension of the Grammar Police's authority.

"A story for a story." He pauses, massaging his goatee for a brief moment, then pops off the jar. Inside of it, a small mound of paper scraps, each woven in writing different from the other. "Inspector. You know the rules."

She does. Her eyes close, the dark turns into a canvas where she can reorganize her memories and thoughts into a coherent whole. Eventually, she begins to speak. Painted over her eyes, hanging on the building directly across the small plaza, the ornate sign of the Coeup d'Oeil: the restaurant, where able-handed artists paint splendid delicacies for their patrons gazes to feast upon.

[slimylittlemaggot]

Btw they added a probably lesbian goth chick to dbd if you even care

I personally don't see the appeal but then again I am not the target audience for her

Sadly, her perks are hot doodoo water (and not even the fun type of garbage, like Vittorio) so I'm just gonna buy the killer and spend my money on... (Checks smudged writing on hand) groots of bread

I DO CARE. LESBIAN GOTH CHICK, MY BELOVED

[taruntravell]

Top-Rated Restaurants Near Duomo Milan

As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, here are some top-rated restaurants near the Duomo in Milan, Italy. Please note that restaurant popularity and rankings can change over time, so I recommend checking more recent reviews and rankings on platforms like TripAdvisor or Yelp for the most up-to-date information.

Ristorante Galleria: Located right next to the Duomo, this restaurant offers a stunning view of Milan's iconic cathedral. They serve Italian and Mediterranean cuisine in an elegant setting.

Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia: A Michelin-starred restaurant that offers a gourmet dining experience. The menu features traditional Italian dishes with a modern twist.

Pisacco: This trendy restaurant is known for its contemporary Italian cuisine. It's a popular spot for both locals and tourists, offering a stylish atmosphere and a diverse menu.

Manna: A restaurant with a focus on organic and locally-sourced ingredients. Manna offers a menu that combines Italian tradition with creative flair.

Trattoria Milanese: If you're looking for traditional Milanese cuisine, this is a great place to try classic dishes like osso buco and risotto alla Milanese.

Bice: Bice is a well-known Italian restaurant chain with a location near the Duomo. They offer a wide range of Italian dishes, including pasta and seafood.

Ristorante Savini: Located inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, this historic restaurant has been serving Italian cuisine for over a century. It's a great place to experience Milanese elegance.

Mozzarella e Basilico: If you're a fan of Italian pizza and mozzarella, this cozy pizzeria is a great choice. They serve delicious Neapolitan-style pizza.

Obicà Mozzarella Bar: This restaurant specializes in fresh mozzarella and Italian food featuring this beloved cheese. It's a great spot for a light meal.

Luini: For a quick and delicious snack, try Luini, a famous Milanese bakery known for its panzerotti, which are fried dough pockets filled with various fillings.

Please keep in mind that restaurant information can change over time, and new establishments may have opened since my last update. Also, consider making reservations in advance, especially for popular restaurants near the Duomo.

[airasilver]

Recently, I asked the BuzzFeed Community members to tell us what universally beloved thing would be an immediate red flag if they heard someone say they hated it.

ABC

Well, people shared all sorts of things they would think is weird if they heard someone say they hated it, and I have to agree with this list:

1.

"Hugh Jackman — he can sing, dance, play an action hero, and one of the nicest, down to earth guys in showbiz; love him."

—samanthaa48de964fd

2.

". I get not liking the lines or the crowds at the theme parks or hating a specific movie, but I don’t trust people who can’t find at least a little bit of joy in Disney, Marvel, or Star Wars."

—crazydolllady875

3.

"Betty White. She was absolutely beloved."

—bethannbo

Closeup of Betty White

Bob Riha Jr / Getty Images

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4.

"The Beatles. Really? You hate ALL their songs???"

—hannahd41c52c3ee

5.

"Keanu Reeves. He is a national treasure of a human being."

—jeremyo811

6.

"The Muppets. Literally, they're just pure joy."

—Anonymous

The Muppets backstage

Bob D'amico / Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

7.

"Mister Rogers. I just think anyone who doesn’t like him or Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood is an unkind person."

—mikew419319685

8.

"Unless you have dietary reason you can't eat it, my red flag would have to be pizza."

—Anonymous

9.

"One of my ex friends always said she didn’t like ice cream. Emphasis on the EX friend — total red flag looking back now."

—hamhamham4545

Ice cream cones of different flavors

Ahirao_photo / Getty Images/iStockphoto

10.

"Going on vacation. If someone doesn't like taking some time off, even if it's just for a stay-cation, then I seriously question them."

—Anonymous

11.

"Animation in general. Obviously, you won't like everything, but anyone who just 'doesn't like cartoons' gets a big NOPE from me."

—amaneaux

12.

"Tom Hanks or Bob Ross. Never heard someone say a bad thing about them, and I hope not to."

—a_classic_rose

Closeup of Tom Hanks

Closeup of Bob Ross

Vittorio Zunino Celotto / Getty Images, / ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

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13.

"Music. There is just no way you can say you hate all music!!!"

—Anonymous

14.

"Not liking the outdoors. I get not loving bugs or all types of weather, but when someone says 'I hate nature,' I just want to get as far away from them as possible."

—marisaagain

15.

"The movie Titanic. If it doesn’t reduce you to a blubbering mess of goo by the end, you’re dead inside."

—thorin

Screenshot from &quot;Titanic&quot;

Everett Collection/ 20th Century Fox Film Corp

16.

"I know it was mentioned, but I got to agree with the Toy Story movies. You gotta like at least one of them, and if you don't, you're probably dead inside."

—Anonymous

17.

"Animals, in general, but specifically dogs and cats."

—derby1991

18.

And lastly: "Hmmm, nobody mentioned Dolly Parton, so I’ll add that one to the list."

—sandrac4c3faf3dc

Closeup of Dolly Parton

Chris Walter / WireImage / Getty Images

Yeah no. I don’t like the Beatles. I like Queen better. Doesn’t mean it’s a red flag. Same with Titanic. I watched it, won’t again. Marvel, Disney, Star Wars, etc I can understand not liking them. The comics especially are annoying with all the recons and more.

You all have low standards. Get better ones.