#FEALTY

[drawn-from-the-ground]

The Eye of Fealty Second half of my Secsam gift for @monochromealien

#secret samol #Fatt #F@tt #Fealty #Veronique #Twilight Mirage #Palisade

[starful02]

You know how they say not to judge a book by its cover? Well, this book is as pretty on the inside as it is on the outside! I absolutely adore it to pieces! It has taken its rightful place on my bookshelf alongside my first copy and other related books! And for fellow crow brained individuals who love pretty shiny things like myself, you should definitely keep an eye on June for the upcoming hilarious pirate novel "Running Close to the Wind" by the same fabulous author Alexandra Rowland! As they say, pirates always have a few pretty shiny things. 😉 Read an excerpt of it below!

#a taste of gold and iron #running close to the wind #chantiverse #alexandra rowland #queer novel #queer pirates #fealty #atogai #rcw #gold and iron #tadek and the princess #fantasy #queer fantasy #queer author #book #upcoming book #romance #comedy #funny #morons with sauce #blorbos #fantasy novel #lgbtq books #lgbtqia books #books #sorry i'm thinking about them again #pretty shiny things

[flouryhedgehog]

The way Véronique keeps saying WE'RE Fealty:

#friends at the table #road to palisade #fealty #veronique

[ostolero]

I swore fealty to oomf

#post tag #caplog 2024 #fealty

[lindsayraindrops]

So “A Taste of Gold and Iron” by Alexandra Rowland is an unmitigated delight.

I am not even kidding, I consumed this book in a haze and consciously made myself slow down while reading so I could better savour it. It’s unspeakably good. The world is so rich and detailed and woven into the characters’ personalities and quirks and how they experience their surroundings, it was a joy to read and I cannot stop thinking about it.

(I started writing this review after I read the advanced reader’s copy months ago. In March!! Rest assured I have not stopped thinking about it.)

In this fantasy romance novel with a limited though plot-relevant magic system, Kadou is the Prince of Arasht, struggles with chronic anxiety and his-sister-the-sultan’s annoying lover, and constantly tries his absolute best to do well by his kingdom and the people entrusted to him.

Evemer is a supremely capable bodyguard who gets assigned to Kadou in an effort to keep him out of trouble. He starts out being supremely unimpressed with Kadou. Take one look at the US cover of the book to see just how much he will become attached to his prince—

All of the characters are fleshed out and multidimensional, with realistic flaws and strengths and so much tangibility to them and the context in which they exist, I am absolutely FLASHED by the character work!

Do you like fealty?? Do you like Fealty with Feelings?? Do you like an achingly tender love story of growing devotion where they talk about their positions in each others’ lives long before they realise or admit they’re in love? You will love them. I love them.

Listen to me. Do you enjoy the liege/vassal dynamic but are particular about the power differentials in play? EXCELLENT NEWS the complications therein are addressed in the book, both in general ways relevant to the worldbuilding and relationships with side characters, and between the main couple themselves. Both of them broach the subject on several occasions! Laying open their expectations and fears in scenes most tender and caring and my god it is so well done.

Do you enjoy a world that is dealing intimately with mechanisms of fealty that is gorgeously constructed and thought through and then there is on-page deconstruction of that situation and dissection of what it means and what responsibilities come with it for both vassal and liege, and how the characters deal with that responsibility?? I know I do!!

Are you unsure about the fealty? Have you literally ever looked at fealty in fiction and thought to yourself, “This makes no damn sense—compels me though” ?? Rowland will make you look closer. They will hand you your own emotions and say, look at it. Hold it. Feel the weight of your own heart in your hands. You are allowed to have feelings about it. You are allowed to admit that this is intense, and it is not the same devotion as love is devotion, but it is just as Much, just as Heartwrenching, and NOW watch me add love to it and see how it transforms.

This author lays hands on this trope with absolute precision down to the molecular level and it is so. fucking. good.

And this is not even the only excellently executed and close relationship in the book. Kadou has family he loves, and who love him: the sibling relationship is politically strained and is immediately influenced by the plot. Another plot thread concerns a sexual relationship that ends, with the characters expending effort to transform it into a friendship, and it is not less valued for it.

The plot is gripping! There is a counterfeiting operation going on that threatens the kingdom’s economic stability, and our main characters are charged to investigate it. It flows seamlessly into the worldbuilding and character work. The world itself is queernormative, both regarding relationships and regarding gender, and nuances of it are discussed in narration and between various characters.

I cried about this book twice in one evening bc it has the ABSOLUTE AUDACITY to follow up an intense scene of fealty with an intense scene of the love that is developing underneath.

This book hits is like a needle-fine arrow directly into your heart.

The US edition came out today, the UK edition will be out in two days (September 1st), please read G&I, get it now, enjoy <3

#a taste of gold and iron #alexandra rowland #queer fantasy #queer lit #book rec #book recs #queer romance #bookblr #lgbt #fantasy #romance #fealty #a conspiracy of truths #a choir of lies #ALSO. do you like ariaste fanfiction?? THIS IS THEM. YOU WILL LOVE THIS.

[scarletstatic]

15 Days of FatT Day 8- Divine Intervention

Okay, Anchor. What does this ceremony look like to you?

I don't have the time this week to really do Fealty justice but I really wanna draw all those heckin statues in ridiculous detail at some point >:3

#I was trying really hard to not get carried away drawing Alise Breka either in the interest of getting to sleep at a human time #15daysoffatt #15daysoffatt2023 #friends at the table #sssketches #fatt #wip #road to palisade #palisade #fealty #veronique #24 may 2023 #id in alt text

[herenya-writes]

A watched B’s long fingers drum against the bare skin of A’s arm. B’s fingers were soft, their touch light, and A couldn’t help the thrum of delight that each tap sent through them. To have B’s touch all to themself was a blessing they were entirely unworthy of and craved more desperately than a starving man did a scrap of bread. On any other night, the gentle touches would have lulled A back to sleep, content with B’s head on their chest and wrapped in their arms. Tonight, though, A read agitation in the movement.

They bent their head to kiss B’s soft hair. “You’re thinking loudly, my love.”

B’s chest fluttered in a sigh, and their fingers stilled. For a long moment, there was silence save for the rustling of leaves in the wind from beyond their open window. Then, B shifted out of A’s grasp and A let them go, sitting up in the bed as B turned to face them fully. The moonlight turned their features soft in a way they never were in the sun, and it took considerable self-restraint for A to resist kissing them. Instead, they leaned back against the opulent headboard and waited.

“I do not want you to leave,” B finally said, not quite meeting A’s eyes. “It is selfish of me, I know, to deny the army of its strongest knight, but I am a selfish being.”

Privately, A disagreed. B had given so much to the kingdom over their life and never received the recognition for it that they were due. If A had their way, they would sing B’s praises from every rooftop with every breath they took. But that was not their place. They could protect what B had built, though.

“I’ll be back before you know it,” they soothed, but they both knew that wasn’t quite true. The trouble was on the far southern border, and they weren’t certain how large a force they’d be facing. Still, they didn’t expect it to take more than a week or two once they got down to the border. The days would drag by, though, without B by their side.

After a few soft moments sitting in silence and breathing together, B shifted again and this time moved to rise from the plush bed. A raised an eyebrow. The sun wouldn’t be rising for several hours yet, and A had always been one to sleep in when they could.

B grabbed one of their long robes from the chair where it had been flung earlier and shrugged it on. The rich material hung from them with all the elegance of a waterfall caught in time, and A wanted to slide it off again. They resisted the urge and stood from the bed, pulling on a borrowed robe.

“Come.” There was no demand in B’s voice, but there never needed to be when it came to A.

They followed as B led them through the halls, their bare feet against the stone the only sound. Eventually, A realized they were heading to B’s personal armory. Questions swirled in their mind, but they’re stayed silent, only reaching out to take B’s hand in their own. Their fingers twined together, and B squeezed lightly.

They stepped into the armory, which was illuminated in low, flickering light. It caught and glinted on the metal of the arms and armaments, making the instruments of war seem elegant and mysterious. B led them to a back corner, where several racks of armor stood. B did not often ride to war, but they had several suits for the possibility and for ceremonial occasions. A was familiar with them all, so when they stopped in front of a suit, they knew it was different.

B let go of their hand. “I commissioned this from the woman who has made every suit of armor I have ever worn; there is no one finer or whose craftsmanship I place greater trust in.”

A hummed. The armor was exquisite, of that there was no doubt. Even from their cursory glances, they could tell the armor was expertly forged to allow for maximum movement and protection on the battlefield. What made it fit for royalty, though, were the engravings.

Nearly every inch of the armor was engraved with various symbols of B’s house and kingdom. Vines wrapped their way up from the boots, sprouting the rose that symbolized B’s bloodline. Florets and other small details that A couldn’t name covered the gauntlets and creeped up to the shoulders where two ravens decorated the shoulder guards, their beaks open in a silent caw. The helmet was similarly decorated, with vines branching around the eyes. And on the chest plate, repeated over and over in neat rows, was B’s crest. Not the crest of their house, but their personal crest, with its proud oak and rising sun. Two more ravens nested in the tree, and A marveled at the engraver’s ability to convey such detail in such limited space.

They gazed at the armor for several moments longer, then turned to B. “It’s splendid,” they said. The words hardly did the armor justice, but B would understand.

The smallest of satisfied smiles pulled at B’s lips. “It is yours.”

A blinked, their thoughts grinding to a halt.

“I cannot keep you from battle, no matter how much I desire to, but I can ensure that everyone who sees you knows that it is in my name that you fight and that it is my wrath they will face should you be harmed.”

B’s voice rumbled with fierce possessiveness, and A shivered in response. They hadn’t exactly been hiding their relationship, but this was as bold a declaration that could be made without announcing their intent to marry. It set A’s hair deliciously on end, and all they wanted to do was kiss their lover. But B continued to speak, their eyes now angled down.

“You needn’t wear it, of course. Your other armor has been cleaned and repaired by expert hands and will see you through any battle you may face. I know this gift is presumpt—“

A cut them off, seizing B’s lips with their own in a heated kiss, pulling them forward by the belt of their robe until they were flush. B’s mouth fell open in a quiet groan, and A deepened the kiss. They poured all the words that were stuck in their chest into B’s mouth this way and prayed that they could hear them. The way B kissed back seemed to suggest that they could.

When they finally parted, their lips were red and spit-slick, which A thought was the best way for B’s lips to look.

“I would wear your name carved into my skin if you asked,” A whispered against B’s lips, satisfaction curling in their stomach when they felt B shiver. “I could not ask for a better gift. I will wear your armor with pride, and the world will see that I belong to you and you alone.”

B tucked their head into A’s neck, and A hummed again, knowing B liked to feel the vibrations in their throat. B nuzzled closer and nipped the skin lightly, then lapped the spot with their tongue in apology.

“Take me back to bed, dearheart,” they sighed against A’s skin, wrapping their arms around their neck. A smiled and obeyed.

#my writing #who are these people? idk #maybe they’re the same people as that bit I wrote about the knight and their lady #but maybe not #unknown OCs #this was inspired by a suit of armor I saw at the Tower of London that was covered in tiny engravings of someone’s family crest #I wrote this waiting in an airport lobby #fealty #herenya writes

[platformsixcantina]

Oath of fealty: A feudal ritual by which a vassal or knight would swear eternal devotion and loyalty unto death to his Lord or Lady. Followed by a lifetime of mutual pining, longing gazes, heartfelt declarations, chivalric questing and self-sacrifice. Remind you of anyone? A certain former prince and ex-emperor who is currently on a quest to prove his worth to his Commander, perhaps??

At the Platform Six Cantina Podcast, we're obsessed with how Arcann's story draws on conventions from courtly love and chivalric romance. We can't wait to see his triumphant return in just a few more weeks! 7.3 HYPE!!!

#arcann #arcann romance #swtor #7.3 old wounds #courtly love #fealty #platformsixcantina #oaths #HYPE #star wars: the old republic #star wars the old republic

[d3pthsofinsanity]

Whatever grace I had is broken, the halo crooked, twisted and wicked.

I drew blood and the memories were sweet with the tang of realised purpose.

I am the monster they made in the city they razed.

So pick a deity, I owe no one my fealty.

~d3pthsofinsanity 23/12/2023~

#dnd #quotes #d3pthsofinsanity #literature #personal #poems on tumblr #poetry #Razed #revenge #triumph #Depth #vengeance #blood #faith #mercy #Fealty

[tolkiengenweek]

TOLKIEN GEN WEEK 2023

DAY THREE: Gray Spaces ● Enemies and Rivalries ● Fealty Not everything fits into neat categories, and some relationships defy expectations. Sometimes an impactful relationship is not a positive one, but rather a contentious rivalry or an epic conflict between bitter enemies. And in feudal societies like Noldorin Beleriand, the bond between a vassal and their liege is complicated beyond simple categorization. This is a day for celebrating the relationships that don’t quite fit elsewhere, the ones living in the gray spaces between black and white definitions, and the ones that may take a darker turn.

These prompts are optional, and we are open to any gen content whether or not you stick to our suggestions!

Please tag your posts with #tolkiengenweek AND @ mention this blog @tolkiengenweek so they can be easily found. If your submission turns into a long post, please put what you can beneath a “Keep reading” divider. If you are posting your submission to AO3, you can add it to the event collection here.

Mobile links are accessible here.

Art in the promo banner is by @runawaymun.

#tolkiengenweek #tolkienedit #day 3 #2023 #gray spaces #enemies #rivalry #fealty #mod post #runawaymun

[goodgrammaritan]

"I would give my life for yours. Your enemies are my enemies."

"They already were your enemies!"

"Well," he admitted, "that's true. But I'll be here if you make any new ones."

The Clockwork Boys by T. Kingfisher

#t kingfisher #the clockwork boys #book quotes #devotion #enemies #fealty

[filohazard]

Fealty at Skarnoc

#road to palisade #friends at the table #r2plsd1 #fealty #hounds

[starful02]

Along with some art (which will be appearing soon!), now that I have a break, this is what's up on my roster for this week! So excited to finally have a chance to sit down and read Tadek & The Princess (the sequel to A Taste of Gold and Iron). I'm also thrilled to be introduced to some new blorbos in the other two novellas!

Speaking of blorbos, not only should you check out these books, but also keep an eye out for the upcoming book by the same author Running Close to the Wind! It has pirates and shenanigans! Some of the best things! You can read a excerpt of it in the link below!

#fantasy #a taste of gold and iron #alexandra rowland #chantiverse #morons with sauce #queer author #queer fantasy #gold and iron #book #atogai #fantasy books #queer books #romance books #queer novel #lgbtqia books #2024 releases #upcoming book #some by virtue fall #fealty #the lights of ystrac’s woods #tadek and the princess #comedy books #comedy #running close to the wind

[cherryblossomshadow]

Linh x The Princess

Girls with Swords

Hulu gave me 1) tousling on the ground, 2) concern for other's injuries, 3) zip me up, 4) battle couple, 5) post-battle hug, and 6) forehead press. Obviously, I'm gonna ship them! You cannot think this was going to go any other way!!!

#the princess 2022 #the princess #the princess hulu #i post #i speak #i gif #badly but hey i did it #veronica ngo #joey king #girls with swords #fealty

[ladzwriting]

I'm going to make a new pinned post later, that one is unwieldy but kdfjsdlkfjasdlkfjs

thank you SO MUCH

FOR THE RESPONSE to the FEALTY reveal

I'm SO SOFTE

#FEALTY #The Fealty of Monsters #random #appreciation #so much appreciation

[lindsayraindrops]

Love. Fealty. Bureaucracy. A secret wish for adventure.

In the sequel to THE HANDS OF THE EMPEROR, his Radiancy is away on his quest, and Cliopher is discovering there's more to life than work. SNEAK PEEK: read Chapter One now! Links below!

The long-awaited sequel to The Hands of the Emperor coming November 21st, preorder now!

At the Feet of the Sun is less than a month away !!! *-* SO MUCH new story!

Preorder now directly from the author to receive it on November 21st: https://www.victoriagoddard.ca/products/at-the-feet-of-the-sun

Read a sneak peek in the form of Chapter One: https://www.victoriagoddard.ca/blogs/news/at-the-feet-of-the-sun-preorder-update-and-chapter-one

And because it is glorious, let me just add the back cover text directly from the author’s blog:

AT THE FEET OF THE SUN (Lays of the Hearth-Fire #2)

Cliopher Mdang has been appointed Viceroy of Zunidh by his beloved Radiancy, the Last Emperor, who has now left him behind in the Palace to safeguard the world during his absence on a quest to find an appropriately magical heir. When he returns, he will abdicate, and Cliopher will at last retire, satisfied with having achieved most of his life's political goals--even if his long-suppressed personal dreams are starting to bubble up. (Surely he used to have hobbies besides running the government?) All he has to do is wait patiently for his lord's return... until adventure quite literally hits him from behind, and what was once safely hypothetical becomes intensely real. Cliopher has always followed the stars of his chosen course: the epic oral histories of his people, the poetry of the rebel poet Fitzroy Angursell, decades of devotion and service to his Radiancy... They were enough to change the world. But are they enough to guide Cliopher home?

Link to the tweets: https://twitter.com/_vgoddard/status/1583828559876919297?s=20&t=gVkpTwk1I9FM7CqETYbqWQ

#victoria goddard #at the feet of the sun #the hands of the emperor #nine worlds #my excitement knows no bounds #bookblr #book recs #queer fantasy #queer lit #fantasy #fealty #queer #the return of fitzroy angursell #lays of the hearth fire #cliopher mdang