#FAMILY SQUABBLE

[scoobydoodean]

Bonus:

Dean and the Family Finances | 1.08 Bugs

#1.08 #season 1 #dean and the family finances #squabbling bickering etc #good gifs with free tools challenge #dean chores #deans joy in the little things

[loopyarts]

Testing out and playing around with some new brushes and made a cute fun doddle illustration of the boys in their cute little raincoats having a ‘fun and lovely’ stroll together in the rain. :3

#vinsmoke ichiji #vinsmoke niji #one piece sanji #vinsmoke yonji #vinsmoke family #vinsmoke brothers #kid vinsmoke brothers #one piece #digital doodle #doddle #Oh Niji and Sanji why must you two alway squabble and butt heads all the time although it mostly Niji fault he he #vinsmoke sanji

[lesbiannova]

I had made a post about this topic back in 2019, but I still very much stand by my likely unpopular opinion that I do not believe the KotOR 1 Ebon Hawk crew gets along much better than the KotOR 2 one, especially not enough to be a "found family" (frankly, I am starting to get sick of this term in fandom contexts).

The only reason the KotOR 1 Ebon Hawk crew looks like they get along better than the KotOR 2 crew is that the KotOR 1 crew has a clearer common goal to stick together, which is stopping Malak, since Malak operates more openly than the Sith Triumvirate.

#this is prompted by not only the post about game companions i just reblogged #but also a recent post in the kotor tag that claimed the kotor 1 crew strongly feels like a found family despite their squabbling #what does found family even mean in fandom any more? #kotor #knights of the old republic #leilukin talks kotor

[the-werewithal]

Silm fandom is a very dangerous place for someone with world builders disease.

#one minute you’re thinking about family squabbles #the next you’re thinking about how agricultural differences im beleriand impacted noldorin craft during the exile #or making elaborate charts of quenya and sindarin in order to name your OCs #silmarillion #tolkien #feanor #was a tradesman #that tells us so much about noldor nobility! #thingol sure as hell wasn’t working the forges #down to the third age galadriel is making her own lembas #nerdanel was a strange match not because of low birth but becsuse she wasn’t beautiful #what does this social structure look like??

[soupmanspeaks]

I know its not in the actual book, but do you think that Michael and CC had conversations with the survival logbook or are you normal

#michael afton #fnaf #five nights at freddy’s #crying child #LIKE I SAID I KNOW ITS NOT IN THE PRODUCT BUT CMON #I LOVE ANGST UNTIL I DONT LET MY BROTHERS RECONCILE DANGIT!! #listen okay i was in the sbi fandom #familial squabbles is fun until you're begging for them to make up and not be mad at each other anymore #no guys trust in the logbook Evan told Michael he forgave him #trust guys my moms Scott Cawthon he told me so /j

[gascon-en-exil]

It would appear that the Unicorn Overlord fanbase is proportionately more homophobic than the typical audience for my videos. I wonder why that is?

Also, I continue to be baffled by how YouTube's automatic comment moderation works. This one doesn't show up for me under the video (which is probably why the same person left a shorter and less explicitly inflammatory comment just after), but it does pop up in the list of recent comments that I can see on my creator dashboard - and not in this list of those being held for review. YT has a comment limbo, I guess.

#YouTube update #This isn't the first time I've noticed that with some comments either #But anyway #Usually when I'm being called a parasite it's a reference to New Orleans vampires #Or someone in the family just died and the rest of us are squabbling over who gets their stuff

[yo-yo-yoshiko]

Your art is amazing and I hope to one day post a lot of art of super sentai like you do

(I'm new to the super sentai fandom lol)

Gira and Lucky are my favs and I headcanon them being brothers because of whacky time and different universe shit

Aahaaawww! Thank you kindly, stranger, thats incredibly nice of you to say! And I always love to see people’s art out there in the wilds of the internet! You should go for it, its a lot of fun! (This is me banging my fists on the table and chanting my encouragement hahaha!)

I am also relatively new to sentai (i hopped on with lupat and kingoh in february) but the series is very my style with the themes and hyper colored heroes and big action and robots, so i settled in quick lol!

Kyuranger was the second series i watched (and completed) so i’ve got a massive soft spot for them, they’re all so cute! Here’s a collection of doodles i made of Lucky a long time ago and never posted for whatever reason just because.

#super sentai #kyuranger #uchuu sentai kyuranger #shishi red #fan art #ask and be answered #every hyper little shounen protagonist kinda guy shouts my name… thats the joke in the bottom right one lol #golly gee i love the kyuranger costumes #shishi red is beautiful #was buck wild watching lupat… where the teams fight… and king oh… where the teams fight… to kyurangr where they all love eachother lol #what do you mean we’reall teamates and should get along? #not to say they didnt have their squabbles but…. #they kyuus are too pure for this world #good thing theyre in space i guess right? #gira and lucky actually have a lot of backstory in common now that i think about it lol! #the brothers thing is hilarious and kind of works for me aaaahaha! awwww the head empty red boyssss #its what they deserve #decent family members that is akafmsdcmesc

[lena-in-a-red-dress]

Maybe Kara is the princess and Lena is the daughter of the kings hand. They're best friends, until Lena is selected to replace Kara's aunt as queen consort. Lena is rightfully concerned to be betrothed to a man so much her elder, but she does her duty. Meanwhile Kara is not only furious that her friend has little say in the matter, but also strangely... jealous?

Jealous to the point that shortly after the royal wedding Kara goes off to war, not to be seen for nearly ten years. When she returns, Lena has become a doting mother and dutiful queen, but no less beautiful, or charming.

All it takes is one smile for Kara to be sent into a tailspin, just as she had all those years ago. She intends to keep her distance, but a simple brush of their fingers has her clinging close. When Kara's uncle dies, Lena's children are too young to rule. Many at court do not like the idea of a Luthor's spawn claiming the throne, alone the idea of Lena acting as regent until they come of age.

Kara, who adores Lena's children (and Lena herself, obvs), is in support of the eldest claiming the throne, but some at court ply her ear with rumors and intrigue, trying to turn her against Lena. In the interest of better serving Lena, she plays along in the scheme to learn their plans, and ultimately thwart them to secure Lena's claim on the throne.

The whole thing ends with Lena sitting the iron throne, with her knight protector Kara standing at her right shoulder.

Together, they are unstoppable.

#supercorp #house of the dragon au #none of this infighting between them #no family squabbles btwn siblings #just two ladies kicking ass and taking names #one an expert politicker #the other her loyal knight protector

[kalolasfantasyworld]

The birdies at the wedding 🕊️

A little one shot posted for 3000 hits!

Summary:

Helena, Nozel, Heinry, Noureen and Natalia attend the wedding of Asta and Noelle.

Just lots of fluff, pretty descriptions, spanglish and some silly jokes 💕

Yes, there is an illustration 🩵

Type: One shot

Word count: 2800

Author's note:

I mention other people's OCs. (Literally mentions, but I couldn't stop myself 😁.) They belong to @lyranova @thoughtfullyrainynightmare and @loosesodamarble.

The ceremony at Asta and Noelle’s wedding was simply beautiful. Helena could come up with multiple astounding adjectives to describe it, but she was sure that even all of them complied could not reflect on how she was feeling. She bawled her eyes out and was loudly sobbing, while using a handkerchief to wipe away her never ending tears of joy. 

Her children two nine year old boys Heinry and Noureen, and Natalia a three year old little girl would point out her emotional state. 

“Mama, why are you crying?” Heinry pulled on her dress. “Papa do something!” He would then bother Nozel, who just smiled softly and stayed quiet as all of them should have done through out the ceremony. 

After Asta and Noelle spoke their vows and finally said the long awaited ‘Yes’, the party was moved from the great chapel to the Silva Estate ballroom. As the Lady of the house it was Helena’s job to have it meticulously prepared. She obviously poured her heart out and countless hours at that, towards reaching her goal. The grand hall was lavishly decorated with white, pink, purple and blue flower bouquets, garlands, lights and all possible accessories. However it was not too much, just the perfect amount to not let anyone feel overwhelmed, but allow them to appreciate the interior. Helena cared for the good name of House Silva and she continued to fulfil that playful promise she had made to Nozel years ago, about pouring her dignified strength and giving her best for the prosperity and reputation of their House. Theirs. And now Asta joined the Silva family too. 

The newlyweds sat at a rectangular table, which was specially raised on a platform, so that everyone could see them. Kahono as Noelle’s bride’s maid and Yuno as Asta’s best man, sat on both of their sides. Next to Yuno there was one additional seat prepared for his fiancé Neva, but she disappeared somewhere within the crowd and had yet to join them. 

Helena and her familia were seated at the table to the right from the newlyweds. Next to them sat Solara and Fuegoleon with their own three cubs. They were engaged in some pleasant conversations and Fuego was completely drowning in the mesmerising green eyes of his wife. Helena watched them fondly, happy that everything seemed to have fallen in its right place. 

She turned towards her three birdies, whose sight filled her with joy and pride only a mother could understand and smiled. Noureen was fidgeting with the high neck of the white jabot that he was wearing. It contrasted with his pastel red, sleeveless blazer and chocolate brown strands of hair, that fell onto his shoulders. Under the blazer he wore a white shirt with golden bands gripping it at his wrists. Matching pants were straight pleat and golden sandals finished of his look. The red cross flory fitchy earring in his right ear proudly stated, which house he belonged to. Although everybody could probably guess it anyway, because his hair was styled almost exactly as Nozel’s. And those eyes of his, they were lilac, just like nana Acier’s and his papa’s. 

Heinry wore the exact same outfit, just that the accents were baby blue and the earring was on his left ear. He looked like a miniature copy of Nozel with his silver hair styled in an eagle like manner. However only looked, because when it came to his behaviour, nothing could scream louder the energetic atmosphere of the Drazels. 

Natalia sat on the other side of the table in a raised seat specially prepared for a three year old. Her silver hair was getting longer and it was neatly styled in soft waves. The dark brown eyes of the girl were excited as she tried manoeuvring towards her mouth a piece of duck using a small fork. Helena worried that she would drop it on her soft lilac dress and then they would need to leave the party to get her changed. Thankfully Nozel was there to save the day. With a flick of his fingers he created some mercury protecting the fabric. 

Classical ballroom music was being played by the band and Kahono, now a kingdom wide star, sang a love song for the newlyweds. Helena was immersed into the sound. She felt excitement rise in her chest and she knew, she wanted to join the dance. 

Helena turned towards her husband and a her lips formed a beautiful smile. 

“Would you like to dance mi amor?” She asked in a sweet tone. 

“I’m good,” Nozel answered flatly and focused on the roast duck, that was in front of him, completely not noticing an annoyed expression on his wife’s face. He had to not realise, that she was just asking out of courtesy. 

Helena furrowed her brows and huffed. 

“Are you suuure?” She elongated the word and made Nozel look up. His eyebrows raised and lilac eyes were questioning. 

“I want to finish this dish,” he said. “You know it’s my favorite.”

Yes Helena was aware, but she wished to be selfish and dance now.

“Papa helps me eat,” Natalia crinkled her tiny nose and now that it was two against one Helena knew she lost. Daddy’s girl was taking his side, since her youngest years. 

“I would like to dance with you mama,” Heinry jumped of his seat and approached her. He respectfully bowed down and then reached his hand towards her. The little prince, that he was, knew all the required etiquette and was pristine with his manners. Lilac eyes flashed confidently and Helena chuckled softly reaching out to her son. 

“At least someone knows how to be a gentleman,” she grinned at her husband, who just rolled his eyes affectionately, before once again swooping in to save Natalia’s dress. “What if you just feed her?” Helena added. 

“I can… myself,” Natalia found the right word and furrowed her brows, while gripping harder onto the fork, that she was holding. She was a smart three year old and certainly a feisty one. Wonder where she got that from?

“You heard our hija,” Nozel proudly gazed at his daughter.

Helena could not help the fond expression, that appeared on her face. Nozel was a great dad, despite his countless worries, that he was going to be an awful one, like his own father was. However both of them pushed through, they made mistakes, they learned from them and they did all of this together, supporting one another. Now the three little birdies were growing up in a warm and happy environment, something Nozel’s childhood was lacking after his own mother had passed away. 

Helena was pulled out of her thoughts by Heinry, not so sophistically dragging her towards the dance floor. He was very excited. When the next song began to play, she let her son lead her and even though he would make tiny mistakes, and slip from time to time, Helena knew that he was doing his best and it was all that mattered. 

When Kahono finished singing they moved slightly to the side, but did not leave the dance floor yet. Helena smiled at Heinry and he responded in the same way, flashing his white teeth. ‘That’s my niño,’ she thought.

Suddenly somebody ran up to them and grabbed Helena’s dress hiding behind her. 

“Woah, Noureen!” Helena exclaimed startled. “What are you doing hijo?” 

He poked out his nose, so only the upper part of his face and frantically searching lilac eyes were visible. 

“Tia Noelle wants to dance with me,” he whispered determined. “I’m running away.”

“Yhm,” Helena nodded and furrowed her brows at him. “And you think you will find shelter, while grabbing my dress?”

“Yeees?” Noureen raised his brow and Heinry chuckled, which earned him a poked out tongue from his exactly twenty four minutes younger brother. 

“Hijo,” Helena smiled and pulled his small hands off her dress. She then turned around to face him and knelt down so they would be levelled. Helena reached out her palm and pressed it to her son’s cheek. Noureen nuzzled into it and she smiled, noticing right away how similarly to Nozel he behaved. “It is tia Noelle’s wedding day. She doesn’t want to dance with you to make you miserable, but to share her joy with her nephew,” Helena’s voice was tender. “Consider it a little gift you can give to her. I know you want tia to be happy.”

“I do,” he nodded motivated, “but what if I trip and then ruin her dress?” Noureen asked. “She looks very beautiful, tio Asta just can’t take his eyes of her.”

“My sweet hijo,” Helena looked at him lovingly. “It will be alright. You know how to dance and if you trip, that’s simply it. It will be just fine.”

“Tia won’t get angry?” Noureen blinked his lilac eyes. 

“I don’t think there’s anything, that could ruin her mood today,” Helena winked and tapped his pointy nose. Her son softly giggled. “So go on now. Ask tia Noelle to dance.”

Noureen nodded determined and ran off towards the woman of the night. Helena and Heinry watched them for a minute, before deciding to head back to their table. 

How surprised they were when the only ones present were Cyraleona and Eleonora Vermillon. Their parents and their brother were gone mingling, or dancing, while Nozel and Natalia were nowhere to be found. 

Helena furrowed her brows. Where could these two had gone off to? 

“Maybe papa did not manage to save Natalia’s dress and they went to change?” Heinry said out loud.

“Probably,” Helena nodded and looked at him. “Since they’re not here would you like to dance again?”

“Mama,” he groaned annoyed. “You know I have to ask you that. I’m practicing being a gentleman.”

“You already are one,” Helena chuckled, but let Heinry ask her again. Court etiquette practice was always welcomed, while being raised in a Royal family. 

However as they moved towards the dance floor and then began swaying to yet another waltz, something drew Helena’s attention. Between the swirling dresses and moving legs, Helena noticed a familiar glint of silver. She guided Heinry towards it, walking past a pair, who Helena recognised as Josele and Nacht Faust, and then abruptly stopped, because her heart could not take the emotion, that it was experiencing. 

Helena smiled and watched the view in front of her, while the warm feeling inside of her chest bubbled joyfully. 

Just a few meters away Nozel and Natalia were dancing. However since their daughter was so small he had to lean down towards her in order to support her. Natalia’s movements were clumsy and she did not know the steps, so Nozel let her step on his feet, and with each move of his, she had no other choice but follow. Two dark orbs were staring and trying to analyse the dance, while brows furrowed determined. Silver hair beautifully framed her plump cheeks as she pouted. Her lilac dress, surprisingly without any stains on it, fluttered behind her. 

Nozel was smiling, softly, because this was his way and Helena knew, that it was the most genuine expression, that he could have. His gaze was filled with love as he guided his little girl and lilac eyes were watching, taking in her view. Nozel looked amazing himself and Helena could proudly admit, that to her taste, he was the most handsome man at the party. He wore a blue, long sleeved blazer with sophisticated golden accents and a white jabot, but it started lower on his neck, beneath the part, where his golden collar used to be. A Silva cross was attached to the jabot at the centre beneath the soft feathery neckline. The vest underneath the blazer was white and his pants were pressed pleat, like those his sons wore. Silver hair was styled in the eagle like pushed back and up hairstyle and the strands at the front were braided. However it was just this official occasion. Everyday he would have them loose, because he no longer needed the reminder of his past. He would clasp the blue Silva pendant only on occasions, such as this one, which required the ‘Nozel Silva’ look. 

He had to feel her stare, because Nozel looked up at her and Helena’s heart beat faster. She smiled genuinely and felt a soft blush spread over her cheeks. How she loved him and the family they had created. 

“Natalia really can’t dance,” Heinry commented and pulled Helena out of her thoughts. 

“Oh shush. They’re doing amazing,” she quieted him, but her tone was fond. 

They came back to the dance themselves, but then Heinry grinned at her. 

“What if we do a switch?” He asked. “I can teach Natalia a little bit and you would dance with papa?”

“Heinry,” Helena chuckled. “Do you think I need a wingman to dance with my own husband?” 

“Well mama,” he shrugged. “You kind of failed earlier.”

“I won’t this time,” she deflected.

When the song ended they approached Nozel and Natalia. Helena smiled fondly and swept her gaze over them. Just as she was about to speak up and ask her husband to dance, Natalia reached out her little arm and grabbed onto his palm, pulling him down towards herself. Her fingers looked so small compared to his. She leaned in and whispered something to his ear. 

Nozel slowly closed his eyes and then delicately nodded, before ruffling her hair. Natalia squeaked excited and let him stand up. 

“May I have this dance Helena?” Nozel reached out his hand toward her.

She gracefully took it and let him lead her just few steps away from their children. They did not want to loose sight of them, especially the three year old in this filled with people ballroom. So only when Heinry and Natalia began to dance, the gazes of their parents went towards one another. 

“Keeping secrets from me again mi amor?” Helena playfully quirked her brow as Nozel pulled her closer and began leading her to the music. 

“Would you like me to spill them?” He asked flatly and when Helena nodded, he shook his head. “I can’t violate the sacred father-daughter trust.”

Helena pouted. 

“So I’m going to be left in the dark, when it comes to your whispers?” She fluttered her lashes. 

“Maybe,” Nozel stated. “Although I suppose you will get it out of Natalia after making her surrender in a tickle war.”

“I am the best at tickle wars,” Helena laughed. 

“I am aware,” he deadpanned and just to tease him Helena moved forwards. “Don’t you dare,” he furrowed his brows and it made her chuckle even more. 

“Oh you know I wouldn’t do anything, while we’re in public. Nobody will know the tricks that señora Silva has up her sleeve,” Helena winked.

“They don’t acknowledge how much of a devil you are with these,” Nozel stated in a serious tone. 

“No captain,” she corrected him and her tone changed to seductive. “I’m a devil in some other settings, only known to you,” she purred. 

“Helena,” he hissed, but could not hide the gentle, fond expression on his face. 

“I love you,” Helena grinned and Nozel just rolled his eyes. 

“I love you too,” he gazed at her deeply, “but you are annoying.”

“And I will gladly annoy you for the rest of our days,” she said. 

“Keep your promise.”

The song ended and Helena very reluctantly pulled away from Nozel. Two of their kids were nearby and she noticed further away Noureen bowing to Noelle, before she took her new husband’s hand. Asta’s green eyes were focused on her this entire time and seemed very excited to dance with his gorgeous bride.

“After the next song you should ask Noelle to dance with you,” Helena inquired. 

“I will,” Nozel nodded and looked at his sister proudly. “She’s come so far and became very strong. I am happy for her.”

“Oi watch out,” Helena grinned and he quirked his silver brows at her. “Your caring side is showing so much today, that some may even think the real Nozel Silva has been kidnapped.”

He narrowed his eyes. 

“You actually think you’re funny?” Nozel asked irritated. 

“And that’s how I know you’re my husband,” she giggled. 

Soon the song ended and Nozel was about to go ask Noelle to dance, while Helena and their children would head to the table. However at the last second Nozel stopped her and looked her in the eyes. 

“I love you Helena and you look beautiful this evening, just like you do everyday,” he said and it caught her by surprise how out of the blue it was. Despite being married for years, she flushed and her heart picked up its pace. “Save me the next dance, because I want to show off to everyone my amazing wife.”

#3000 hits one shot! #My first ever written one shot! #I wrote it some time ago but saved it for this occasion #I really wanted to write something this cute and fluffy #To show a happy family that they become #(after quite a bit of drama that's happening in Paper Hearts) #and who you see in my arts #They make mistakes squabble tease are perfectly imperfect #And those OC mentions... I adore them and just wanted to show them a bit of love #black clover #nozel silva #black clover oc #helena drazel #nozel x helena #fanfic #black clover fanfic #black clover one shot #future silva family #nozelena #heinry silva #noureen silva #natalia silva #astelle wedding #one shot #black clover next gen #the birdies

[prettyflyshyguy]

............................................. I'm regretfully writing a fanfic.

It's not gonna be big, but dialogue has been running in my head 24/7 and if I don't write it down I'll explode. Writing is a fun break from drawing besides and I genuinely feel like slowly dissecting other characters is helping me revisit my original stories, and dissect my own characters and bring more continuity and subtlety into them.

#FUCK ALL OF YOU YOU ENABLED ME #i'm kidding i genuinely love you all #but GOD FUCKING DAMNIT #these two just have far too much fun dialogue and since i've been casually watching while i draw its given me more of a character basis to #work off of #and this is like junk food for my soul #the more I write garbage the better I get at writing my own stuff #but the fandom still scares the shit out of me #given I also have a younger brother its fun to examine their relationship and see some parrallels to my own experience #and how family differs from friendships in the dynamic #you get way more baggage from their shared experience growing up #and where they diverge from each other's mindset and approach and how its shaped from the difference in their Older sibling Younger sibling #experiences which is a critical component when they have fights #anyway Dean being the huge “I'M COOL FUCK THE SYSTEM I DO MY OWN THING” then immediately shifting to “yessir three bags full sir” #in 0.5 secconds never gets old #and Sam's perpetual frustration at this hypocrasy sends me #given Sam's entire existense is based around him genuinely wanting to do his own Thing VS Dean tricking himself into going down his own pat #but they both still have that childhood need to be fullfilled by their parents and IF THAT AINT RELATABLE #but they both tackle it so differently due to circumstance #anyway tldr: sibling dynamics fun as hell you go from seamlessly working with each other #to having a massive squabble so fast its very entertaining

[irregularbillcipher]

for anyone curious-- kryptos, esp. post dimension burning, defines his gender as Square and Shape but not really Male or Guy, like that part's whatever to him, that's not the important part of his identity to him. getting to freely call himself a Square and Shape with no pushback is exciting to him because, as his status as a square-born-to-a-square, he was consistently ignored, told he should have been something else-- namely a pentagon, very rarely an equilateral because as tragic as a descent in caste would have been, it would have been more Normal Than This-- and forced into weird arbitrary roles and rotating schools and castes in early childhood before it was finally decided that fine, he was a square, they guessed... but also barely and because he was Barely A Square by the stupid laws of configuration and because the circumstances of his birth were so Strange and his Abnormality was so Apparent, he had to go to school with equilaterals so that only the lower middle class kids were put at risk by his Weirdness, and not the other Much More Valuable Real Squares. so getting to the point where he was one of the only members of his species left and he gets to just go "yeah, i am a square, i'm the only square left, and i get to decide whatever the hell that means now" was meaningful to him, and the guy part is like. whatever. but he is a square

#his assigned role was always v. arbitrary and shaky. his dad even asks if it's possible that he's a line when he hears he's not a pentagon #because a line is a parallelogram and he was being described as a parallelogram and the barrier between a line and irregular square #would very likely be arbitrary tbh! and it was determined he Was a shape because of his regularity in terms of angles and sides #but of course the fact that by laws of configuration he Should Have Been a pentagon or whatever also was a point of contention #and even him being equilateral would have been Tragic But Sensible by stupid second dimension standards #there was probalby some Unaccounted For irregularity in the family line (definitely the mother's side because if you notice in my fic) #(they almost ALWAYS blame the side of the mother. even oliver cipher did. because well! the seocnd dimension is a misogynistic hellhole!) #but a square having a square son? especially a square with the social clout of his father? that's just unheard of! #so there was a lot of squabble of Where He Should Go and what his caste role should be anyway #so him being a square was always something that felt very arbitrary and like an identity that could be taken from him at any moment #and he doesn't give a shit about his Caste Role anymore but he personally just likes being able to go 'actually i am a square' #'i am a square and i always was a square and i'm the one who gets to decide whatever that label means now' #he feels similarly about being gay. like 'no i actually understand this about myself now and i LIKE this about myself now' #'so i get to say this word as much as i want to now :)'

[josefavomjaaga]

That one time, when Soult accused Joseph of treason… (Part 1)

… needs a long disclaimer, I fear, and I’m not sure if I’m the best person to give it, or if I’ve only properly understood the military situation.

I’ve tried to explain it to myself in the most simplified way possible but I’m in no way sure that’s correct, so please, if somebody can explain it better, go ahead!

By spring 1812, the respective positions of the different armies were – I think - as shown in the map. Joseph was at Madrid, mostly undisturbed. At the border to Portugal, west of Madrid, was Marmont’s armée de Portugal, watching Wellington. In the south, Soult (armée du Midi) was all over the place, directing army movements from Estremadura to Murcia, running to whoever had last called for help, but mostly managing to keep things quiet. Between Marmont’s and Soult’s corps, keeping contact between them, there was Drouet’s corps d’observation of about 9,000 men, watching Hill’s British army across the border but not strong enough to go on the offensive. Not shown in the map: The region north of Madrid up to the French border (Valladolid, Burgos etc.) was all under French control.

The two main British corps could communicate freely and support each other at will, with the French usually only realizing it when it was too late. After the important border fortresses Badajoz and Ciudad-Rodrigo had fallen, both could march onto French controlled territory any time. Hill was ready to invade Andalusia, which is what Soult feared and why he had placed Drouet to watch him. At the same time, it was quite possible for Wellington to enter further north and threaten Marmont, which is what Joseph feared. And to Joseph’s credit, he was right, and Soult was wrong, the British adopted the second plan.

When it became clear that Wellington would be the one to act, Joseph wanted to reinforce Marmont’s army. He ordered Marmont to move north, in order to block Wellington’s path, sent orders to Soult to reinforce Drouet, and to Drouet to join Marmont. Drouet, however, would need to go to Madrid first and join Marmont from there (due to the Brits having destroyed the only bridge over the Tajo Drouet could have used).

At which point Soult protested that a) Joseph had no right to give orders to Drouet who happened to be under Soult’s command and b) this whole arrangement did not make the slightest bit of sense, as it left a huge gap in the French forces precisely where Hill’s army corps was lying in wait. Instead of moving north, Marmont should move south, thus getting closer to Drouet and Soult, and let Wellington try to move in – who would then get between two fires, from the French forces in Northern Spain and from Marmont’s corps, and would probably not even budge for fear of having his retreat cut off.

To which Joseph replied that a) he was the king here and that Napoleon on leaving for Russia had put him in command and b) thus he was to be obeyed, c) he was the king here, d) if Soult did not do as he was told he would be held accountable for anything bad that happened (which Soult knew he would be anyway), e) Soult was to either send Drouet to support Marmont, via Madrid, or to immediately send 10,000 men from his armée du Midi from Sevilla to Madrid, which would then join Marmont. And just in case Soult had forgotten: Joseph was the king here!

To which Soult replied that he had no 10,000 men to spare, because of the 20,000 men that Napoleon had intended as support for the Armée du Midi, not a single one had ever reached Sevilla, as they had all been taken in by the Armies in the North and by Joseph in order to guard Madrid. So his army was currently 20,000 men short, and if he had to deploy another 10,000 men, he could not guard Andalusia anymore and would need to evacuate it, which he would not do without an express order from the king, and that in any case he was offering his resignation.

To which Joseph replied that, being the king, he authorised Soult to evacuate whatever portion of Andalusia he deemed necessary to evacuate but that Soult was to immediately march to Madrid 10,000 men in support of Marmont’s army, or bear the consequences, and as to his resignation, Joseph would be only too glad to have it, as Soult had never shown the slightest inclination to respect Joseph’s authority, Joseph being, just in case Soult had forgotten, the king and also officially in command of the French forces in Spain ever since Napoleon had left for Rus…

At which point Marmont shouted from Salamanca: Guys? Remember that Wellington bloke? Well, he’s kinda he-ere…

Which caused Joseph to do something really, really extraordinary: He took the 13- to 14,000 troops that he had apparently had sitting around Madrid playing cards all this bloody time, basically next door to Marmont, and marched with them to reinforce the latter.

Something that, as Napoleon would later state, he f-ing could have done two weeks ago. (Well, Napoleon did not use the f-word. At least not in his official correspondence.)

Unfortunately, Joseph’s decision being a last minute one, the movement following no previously agreed plan and communications being what they were in Spain, Marmont never learned of Joseph coming to his aid, gave battle and was beaten by Wellington. (Napoleon actually accused Marmont of not having wanted to share the glory and thus not having waited for Joseph, because he could not imagine that Marmont had been completely left in the dark about Joseph coming to support him.)

That event is called the battle of Salamanca, or des Arapiles in France. Joseph learned of the defeat while on the march, habitually blamed Soult, and instead of trying to gather the remnants of Marmont’s corps and face the British forces, retreated north. (Another thing Napoleon would later critisize him for.)

Wellington was now free to move on to Madrid, and Joseph and Soult got into another long discussion. Joseph declared that Southern Spain, so far kept mostly under control by Soult, had to be given up because it would not be possible to maintain a line of communications to the French forces in the north with Madrid gone. Soult on the other hand suggested Joseph should come to the South, to Andalusia, as long as it was still possible, from where they could try to redeem the situation and wait for reinforcements from France.

Of course Joseph wanted to hear nothing of that. So Soult, in August, really had to evacuate Andalusia, and the French-controlled territory in one go shrank down to some northern and eastern provinces (Suchet’s territory) at the coast.

It was at this point that Soult started to get suspicious about Joseph. As he writes in his memoirs:

The king in two words gave me the order to evacuate Andalusia. As if he had not even thought about it, he did not say anything about what was to be done with the sick […], all the material, the enormous artillery in front of Cadiz, the ammunition, the siege and fortification works etc. He did not tell me any more about what he would do in order to support my retreat.

This attitude (just get out of Andalusia and come north), this lack of premeditation and planning to Soult seemed incomprehensible – and that’s what made him think that maybe there indeed was a plan:

It never occurred to me that the king maybe did not see all the consequences as clearly as I did. This was probably an error of mine. […] I could not help but to consider some connections. From Cadiz I received many rumours about secret negotiations between the king and the Cortès [i.e., the insurgents]. I knew that the crown prince of Sweden [Bernadotte], brother-in-law of the king, started to adopt a hostile attitude to France, that he served as intermediary between the emperor of Russia and general Moreau […]

Add to this the curious lack of interest that Joseph showed for the evacuation of Andalusia, the - to Soult - incomprehensible orders Joseph had given about how to manoeuvre, almost as if he wanted to compromise the army and be forced to retreat, the fact that he was on well enough terms with the enemy Cortès of Cadiz to ask them to send him an honour guard, his mouvements after the battle of Salamanca, and the fact that, as Soult puts it “the little work [Joseph’s] administration had to do was usually in opposition to the interests of the French army”, and you have more than enough food for thought for a notoriously distrustful character like Soult to suspect Joseph might be up to no good. Soult seriously wondered if Joseph was ready to compromise French interests in order to be granted a separate peace and some smaller Spanish territory to rule over by the insurgents and/or the Brits.

And that’s when he wrote a letter to Napoleon, and to Clarke. But I’ll get to that at a later date in another post, because it’s really a lot to chew on.

#napoleon's family #joseph bonaparte #napoleon's marshals #jean de dieu soult #this surprisingly often reads like two five-year-olds squabbling over who gets to make the rules for the game in the sandbox #spain 1812 #battle of salamanca #joseph and soult

[saintlesbian]

I love Sante eps where they’re just together in bed talking about their respective workdays… it just feels so natural but still intriguing 🤔

#pentababbles #general hospital #they’re one of the most stable couples on the show and yet they’re still interesting and charming to me! #idk I think it’s a combo of like. good chem + dual income investigative jobs + blended families that manages to spice them up #plus they’re faithful and never really squabble over petty reasons

[stinkylittleboiii]

Another one has joined us

I got him from a charity eBay account for hospice care. I’m so happy and he is so gorgeous.

Welcome to the family Arson Squabble.

#furby #furby community #furby 1999 #furby 1998 #furby collecting #furby family #furby fandom #my furby #Arson Squabble

[reireichu]

rip aemond’s eyeball. not only did you not get proper justice, but your geriatric sperm donor really be here demanding you look at him when your retinal nerve has been severed from the socket like ?????? 👁️ father pls if i could look at you, WOULD WE BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION?????

#aemond targaryen #viserys targaryen #aemond’s eyeball #justice for aemond’s eyeball #viserys pls let the eyeball just roll around #its done enough for the night #the eyeball had to go on some fucking journey after being knifed out #and here it is stuck in a family squabble #the eyeball is not paid enough for this shit

[romanceyourdemons]

flipping back and forth between the document i’m editing for work and the wikipedia page for cantonese opera like a kid hiding a comic book inside their textbook

#i’m obsessed with this whole family of wikipedia pages they’re written not for anthropology or to methodology but to record DRAMA #the sections all have titles like ‘jumping the shark’ and ‘all for naught’ #and goddamn you’d think these bureaucratic squabbles from 2013 were an opera themselves the way they’re described #ryddles