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#I get the Sanaa stark in her
wingsandembers · 3 years
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I mean it’s funny that all the ship wars is over who gets to be with Azriel, who is literally the equivalent of Elain when it came to character development, yet he’s getting simped on while elain is getting called boring and uninteresting. Just like with elain and her gardening, until his bonus excerpt Azriel having the largest wingspan was his entire and only personality.
And it’s also, again funny, to see both pro and anti elain trying to turn elain into the new Nesta, with either giving her an evil theory arc or wishing she’d stand up to the IC (like for what, coz they didn’t hate her when she also didn’t do anything for her sisters???), or how she’s misunderstood like Nesta was, when elain is probably the least complicated and straightforward character in the series.
Does she have the ability to be as interesting as her sisters when given her own arc? Yeah definitely. But let her have her OWN arc, and not recycle pre-acosf Nesta theories on her.
And elain was terrible to nesta like most characters were to her post acowar, she failed nesta like she did with feyre but she’s getting away with that too. Just coz she gave her books to read aint the big gesture that makes up for everything else.
Cant want Elain to grow a backbone but at the same time refuse to have her own her mistakes, coz pre-acosf there was a sure loud demand for Nesta to admit and be punished for all her supposed crimes against feyre and the IC.
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sayruq · 2 years
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hi sayruq! I saw a girl these days saying that “arya developed an inferiority complex due to Jeyne and Sanaa’s bullying” (and she also said that by cuttin it off from the tv show didn’t make arya as a complex character as she really is) but I’d like to know what do you think of it. Then i saw on Twitter that most of the comments about Jeyne are actually that she did a heavy bullying to arya and that she was leading it. Idk, what do you think? Honestly i have suffered bullying from my family all my life (and my friends too what is awful but not as much as your own family saying shit) I know how it sucks but I do believe that Arya’s case is a different case, in a different society.. you know?
I hope you have a nice day!!
there's no sign of hostility between sansa and arya before the trident. i mean there is but that's arya projecting her issues on sansa. see sansa's very first scene where arya blames her for doing things that we clearly see that sansa doesn't do. for example, getting septa mordane's attention, that was arya's fault because she spoke too loudly. sansa even tries to deflect attention for arya.
in the first book, arya says that jeyne used to call her horseface and despite sansa growing incredibly angry with arya in later chapters, she never uses it. sansa prefers snarky lines like
Sansa threw back her head in disdain. "You? You couldn't sew a dress fit to clean the pigsties."
jeyne makes the nicknames, sansa uses them in her head
Sansa slipped in among them, murmuring greetings as she worked her way toward the front. She recognized black-skinned Jalabhar Xho, gloomy Ser Aron Santagar, the Redwyne twins Horror and Slobber … only none of them seemed to recognize her.
but not out loud but since sansa and jeyne are a package deal, the assumption is that they do everything together. that's what theon thought too
Talk like that will get you killed, or worse. That lesson he had learned as Reek. "You are the real Arya, my lady. Arya of House Stark, Lord Eddard's daughter, heir to Winterfell." Her name, she had to know her name. "Arya Underfoot. Your sister used to call you Arya Horseface." "It was me made up that name. Her face was long and horsey. Mine isn't. I was pretty." Tears spilled from her eyes at last. "I was never beautiful like Sansa, but they all said I was pretty. Does Lord Ramsay think I am pretty?"
the way i see it, sansa and jeyne became friends very early (hence why arya who is only 2 years younger would struggle to keep up with them when they played) and arya would follow them around but things changed. we're never really given a concrete reason why but we can make educated guesses. jeyne realised that there was a class difference between her and the stark sisters and arya was wasting her advantages as far as jeyne was concerned. i also think sansa played a factor- sansa wanted a close relationship with arya (but she and arya wanted different things) and that could have made jeyne jealous. she does compare herself to both sisters and as far as she’s concerned, while she's not on sansa's level, at least she's better than arya. i can see jeyne thinking that maybe she should have be sansa's sister instead.
i'm really struggling here because grrm doesn't give me much to work with and because his own books make it impossible for me to believe that jeyne would launch a bullying campaign against lord stark's favourite daughter while in winterfell. i mean for God's sake, sansa was a prisoner and only the lannisters dared to hurt her openly (the hound, pycelle, etc. would always wait until sansa was alone to try something) so how could jeyne poole do anything substantial to arya? why doesn't jon know about it? why does sansa not give it much thought? or arya too? you would think if sansa and jeyne were terrorising her, it would occupy her mind more often.
you have scenes like these
They'd let the queen kill Lady, that was horrible enough, but then the Hound found Mycah. Jeyne Poole had told Arya that he'd cut him up in so many pieces that they'd given him back to the butcher in a bag, and at first the poor man had thought it was a pig they'd slaughtered. And no one had raised a voice or drawn a blade or anything, not Harwin who always talked so bold, or Alyn who was going to be a knight, or Jory who was captain of the guard. Not even her father.
but arya has no anger towards jeyne at all, instead she's angrier and more disgusted with her father's men which is why it's confusing that people act like jeyne corned arya to tell her gruesome details just to make arya upset. instead it's more similar to
Sansa sighed. "They rode with Lord Beric, to behead Ser Gregor Clegane." She turned to Septa Mordane, who was eating porridge with a wooden spoon. "Septa, will Lord Beric spike Ser Gregor's head on his own gate or bring it back here for the king?" She and Jeyne Poole had been arguing over that last night.
just jeyne gossiping about morbid events like she does with sansa. i bet she was a bit more preoccupied with the blow up at the trident, what this means for sansa’s betrothal and jeyne’s position as lady in waiting, lady's death and sansa's emotional state or at least she should be grrm could be bothered to remember jeyne's existence more.
instead it's the constant comparison to sansa that does a lot of damage. it's hard enough trying to conform to femininity without someone else right there excelling with such ease that you end up looking worse than you normally would.
Arya's stitches were crooked again. She frowned down at them with dismay and glanced over to where her sister Sansa sat among the other girls. Sansa's needlework was exquisite.
Arya thought that Myrcella's stitches looked a little crooked too, but you would never know it from the way Septa Mordane was cooing.
arya doesn't even want to be in that class learning how to stitch and she has to deal with the fact that her work is so obviously inferior to sansa that everyone points it out- sansa's work is exquisite and arya's isn't. that would sting anyone.
even if everyone was super supportive and understanding of arya's struggles, the fact that she has to take these lessons instead of learning to fight with bran is enough to make her unhappy. in fact, in kl when she no longer has daily lessons with septa mordane and instead spends her day with syrio, arya is far happier.
"I'm sore all over," Arya reported happily, proudly displaying a huge purple bruise on her leg.
a lot has been said about septa mordane teaching methods with a lot of people calling her very harsh towards arya and others pointing out that septa mordane doesn't really have much support from either ned and catelyn- she can't discipline arya, ned is incredibly lenient, mordane has to go fetch catelyn if arya runs out of class which doesn't do much to make her an authority figure in arya's eyes so their lessons end up being situations where neither arya nor septa mordane wants the other present.
Arya glanced furtively across the room, worried that Septa Mordane might have read her thoughts, but the septa was paying her no attention today. She was sitting with the Princess Myrcella, all smiles and admiration. It was not often that the septa was privileged to instruct a royal princess in the womanly arts, as she had said when the queen brought Myrcella to join them. Arya thought that Myrcella's stitches looked a little crooked too, but you would never know it from the way Septa Mordane was cooing.
i'm only pointing this out because some people think that all 3 characters exist to torment arya and have 0 function outside of that. i swear according to some stans, all 3 of them wake up every morning like 'another glorious day to ruin main character of the universe arya stark's day before we get our eventual comeuppance.' that and to point out that even if septa mordane did a 180 and decided that arya was her favourite person ever, arya's issues will remain because they're larger than just 3 people. it's a system in place that gives women a very narrow role to play in society and arya's gender non conformity makes her discomfort with that role more obvious.
to me it's one thing to say 'so and so hurt arya,' it's another to greatly exaggerate events just to make 2 preteens villains a la cinderella's step sisters.
in short- i don't think sansa bullied arya, i very much doubt jeyne heavily bullied arya, and septa mordane is more of a symptom of a problem that a main cause.
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istumpysk · 2 years
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I have a question for you. Sadly I lost my ASOIAF books and some of my notes a while ago so I’m hazy on details so sorry in advance if the question makes no sense. It’s like remembering a memory. Hopefully my ramble is clear.
But do you think Barbrey Dustin will have a role in Ramsay’s downfall? And possibly Sanaa’s rise? I think Domeric’s murder is going to have a role in Ramsay’s demise. Barbrey loved her sister and nephew. Having his murderer reign over the North is going to be appealing to her as Ned was. Having that murderer being a bastard, a crime against her sister probably angers her too. She hates him but won’t currently move against him. So I think she is waiting for an option to end him.
Now if that option is the daughter of Ned it will be bittersweet for all parties in a way that I think makes sense. Sorry again I’m remembering from forever ago. I do think Sansa has a role in Ramsay’s downfall. I think it might be one of her first major acts in the North. Not as Queen but as a player? Maybe I’m too hopeful but this is just a theory.
Justice for Jeyne! Justice for Domeric (who by all counts could have been a great suitor for Sansa if he didn’t get killed pre-series). Justice for Barbrey in that a Stark finally delievers on a promise. Justice for the North and a win for Sansa by ending a horrible person who is in my top 3 why can’t they die sooner already list. Just. It would be hilarious if Barbrey helps crown a Stark as a ruler because that Stark manages to right wrongs that have been previously unaddressed. Which I think kind of fits Sansa’s narrative?
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Hello anon!
No worries, you're not spamming my mailbox. :)
I must admit, I shy away from making firm predictions on Barbrey Dustin, because I don't know what to make of her.
On one hand she hates Ramsay for killing Domeric, but on the other hand she seems to hate the Starks with equal passion.
I flip-flop a lot on her, but I always come back to the same fact: she's a Ryswell. The Ryswells were the first to declare for House Bolton. Her older sister was Roose's second wife. Her younger brother was named after Roose. They're the strongest allies in the north, and my gut tells me that trumps everything else.
While I do believe in a northern conspiracy, I think it's unrealistic that every single house in the north turn on House Bolton. The Ryswells/Dustins seem like the best candidates to stay loyal.
But again, I think Barbrey will always do what's best for Barbrey. She strikes me as an opportunist above all else.
As far as helping Sansa? I don't know. She didn't seem too keen on helping Robb.
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the-daily-dreamer · 4 years
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“The Stark’s are villains!” - A deep dive into the validity of a Dany stan claim: Part 1
“Manipulators”
“Schemers”
“Back Stabbers”
“Oath Breakers”
“Hypocrites”
“Xenophobes”
“Power-Hungry”
“Murderers”
“Selfish”
“Willing to kill everyone to get what they want”
“Ned would be ashamed”
“They’re the new Lannisters”
Villains
The Dany stans have really started a movement that the Starks are the new Lannister. The new villains of the show. They’re selfish, powerhunry, racist, conniving characters. The lowest of the low. This is obviously utter nonsense.
But for the sake of something to do, I thought I’d take a deep dive into the actions of the Starks and see if they really are all these terrible things (or..if Dany stans just don’t understand words and what they mean) and how their precious queen stacks up! This’ll be a long post so I’ll break it into two parts. Analyzing the Starks (part 1) and then analyzing Daenerys herself (part 2).
Disclaimer: This is part 1, which focuses on the Starks. I will mainly be focusing on Jon and Sansa since they are the most vilified Starks by Dany stans. Arya is mentioned, but not much.
Manipulators: a person who controls or influences others in a clever or unscrupulous way.
I assume Dany stans are making the arguments that the Starks are manipulators because 1) Sansa “manipulates” Jon and Dany into...doing something??? D stans never make it clear, and 2) Jon “manipulates” Dany into fighting for the North.
1) Sansa manipulates Jon and Dany. Where?!? Sansa is completely open with Jon. She makes her opinions clear, not to manipulate Jon but to continue having an open and honest relationship with her brother/cousin. She understands that they all need each other. Sansa is not being vocal because she jealous or petty or any of that bull. She’s being vocal because she’s a leader. She’s in a position of power. She needs to be heard, just as much as any other lord or lady present at a meeting. Jon is never manipulated. He is being told the truth. When it comes to Dany...Sansa never really manipulates her. The only scene I can imagine would be even close to manipulation is the “What about the North scene”. I even say so myself that Dany is easily manipulated and receptive to Sanaa’s praise and thanks. But that means Sansa’s only manipulation is complimenting Dany in hopes of persuading her to free the North, which never happens ans doesn’t work. So Sansa doesn’t manipulate but rather stroke Dany’s ego and butter her up, in hopes of getting on her good side. If that’s manipulation then oh boy do I have news for you! DANY DID THE SAME THING TO SANSA AND WAS FAKE NICE TO GET WHAT SHE WANTS!
2) Jon manipulates Dany. I so desperately want this to be true. Unfortunately, the show was unclear on Jon’s motivations. Personally, I don’t think what Jon did was manipulation. He never tricked her or lied about anything to her to get what he wanted. He was open and honest. He told Dany that the others were coming and begged for help. Where is the manipulation? Asking for help by using dragon glass and dragons to defeat a literal horde of ice zombie that will kill everyone? If that’s manipulation, then every person that has ever asked for help is a manipulator. Even Dany says that Jon manipulated her into coming to the North, but there is no basis for that claim. He was ready to leave her castle and prepare for the battle, she kept him there. He didn’t use her affection against her. Jon simply asked for help. If Dany chose to go because she was “in love” or something, that’s on her. The other instance I could see for Jon manipulating Dany is the parentage reveal, but again, Jon never uses anything against Dany!
In short, the Starks didn’t manipulate Dany. They had autonomy. Just because they didn’t agree with your fav doesn’t mean they manipulated her. They are not unfairly controlling her. They are giving their opinions and council. She makes her own decisions.
Schemers: a person who is involved in making secret or underhanded plans
I love this one. The Starks are schemers now lol. They have a grand on to dominate the world and kill everyone. I have to laugh.
I assume the rhetoric of this comes from the scene in which Arya and Sansa tell Jon they don’t like Dany. That would be the closest thing to scheming the Stark girls do. The thing is...they never make plans to kill Dany, they never make plans to usurp Dany, they don’t do anything. They tell their brother/cousin that they don’t trust Dany or like her. And with good reason! They want independence! But telling your family you don’t like or want someone as your head of state is not scheming. Telling your family your opinion is not scheming.
The other instance would be Sansa telling Tyrion there’s another. Again, that isn’t a scheme. Unfortunately, the show left out a lot of personal involvement, so I can’t be sure what Sansa’s motivations or ideas are. But here’s the thing, she couldn’t have known what would happen after telling. To be a schemer you need to have a plan, know what will happen every step of the way. Pull strings. Littlefinger was a schemer because he planned everything out. Sansa didn’t have a plan beyond, get the North freedom. I can see the justification that this is still scheming because she tells Tyrion; however, I don’t believe it. Because Sansa didn’t know what would happen after.
And even if it was scheming, it’s not villainous. Her plans are for freedom for her country. She is pushing independence, which her people have fought for and declared over and over again. She is protecting her nation’s interests, not just her own. That’s heroic. Rob did the same thing. He made plans and “schemed” to win independence. But it was against the Lannisters, so to D stans it was ok. Sansa’s actions, if you perceive them as schemes, were still lined with noble intentions and were heroic for her people.
So whether you think it was a scheme or not, it doesn’t matter. Sansa was right to do it.
Backstabbers and Oath Breakers: Backstab - to attempt to discredit (a person) by underhanded means, as innuendo, accusation, or the like. Oath breaker - Someone who breaks an oath.
I’m clumping these together because they work hand in hand. This one has validity, so I won’t completely say no. But it’s an interesting question.
I assume this comes from broken promises, right? I’ll admit that Sansa did break her promise to Jon. She did tell a secret she promised to keep. But that wasn’t an oath. Oaths are more serious than promises.
Oath - a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one's future action or behavior
Promise - a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen
Sansa promised to not tell Jon’s secret. She did not swear an oath to Jon. She broke her promise, which I’m sure everyone has done.
Jon never promised Dany he wouldn’t tell his sisters. So that isn’t a broken oath. He did swear an oath that she would be his queen...and guess what! He didn’t break it!!!! Dany was his queen until her very end so no oath was broken.
So on the oath front - The Starks are clear
Backstabbing? Simple. Yeah. It happened. Jon killed Dany and Sansa spread Jon’s secret. That falls under the category of undermining. However context is important. They did it for the right reasons. Jon killed Dany because she was crazy! She killed an entire city! Murdered hundred of thousands and planned to keep going! Sansa did it to keep her kingdom free. So were they backstabbers....? Yeah...kinda. But they needed to be in order to defeat the villain and threat.
Hypocrites: the contrivance of a false appearance of virtue or goodness, while concealing real character traits or inclinations, especially with respect to religious and moral beliefs
I’m not spending time on this. They weren’t hypocrites. The Starks never feigned morality with underlying evil. They were open and honest at all times. And no...Sansa being polite back to Dany is not hypocrisy. Next!
Xenophobes: a person having a dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.
This one kills me. I have to laugh. There’s no evidence! THE STARKS ARE NOT PREJUDICED AGAINST IMMIGRANTS! If the Stark girls were prejudiced against immigrants...they would hate Dany because she came from another country. And that would be it. They would hate the unsullied because they came from another country. They would hate because people come from other countries.
But they don’t! The Starks dislike Dany and her army because they are invaders who are trying to take over their country. They are oppressors coming in. There is no fear or hate of immigrants, there’s fear of oppression.
To say the North is xenophobic to Dany and her army because they come from another country, is to say that India was xenophobic towards Britain because they came from another country. The stupidity of it all!
Power-hungry, selfish, and willing to kill their people to get what they want: 1) power-hungry - having a strong desire for power 2) selfish - lacking consideration for others
1) How are the Stark’s power hungry? Jon never asks to be King. He hates being king. He takes back Winterfell because that is his family’s home. Sans never accepts the Lord’s invitation to overpower Jon. She stays behind Jon wholly and isn’t seeking to become queen. She takes back Winterfell because it’s her family’s home. And neither want the iron throne. Sansa wants Jon to have the throne, but that’s so he can grant independence. Neither one of them seek out power. It’s given to them because they show that they are capable leaders.
2) Both Jon and Sansa put others needs before their own. Jon is searching for a way to defeat the others. Sansa is searching for a way to feed her people and help them through winter. Sansa is also seeking a way to give her people the independenc they have fought for. Neither of them is thinking about their own gains. They are concerned about everyone else.
3) Willing to kill others for their own gains. I’m added this in because I hear this claim a lot. But again, Jon and Sansa do not kill people to get ahead. They do not let people starve or be killed be zombies. They do not kill the Lords of houses who did not support them initially. They do not kill to get ahead. There’s no evidence. Next!
Murderers:
You got me there! They do commit murder. They killed people. Everyone in the show except Gilly, Little Sam, Bran, and Rickon have killed people!
But let’s look at the kills they made in the last seasons, shall we?
1. Ramsay Bolton - Sansa fed him to his dogs After he lost the battle of the bastards. He was a murderer, sadist, rapist, and torturer. He raped Sansa, killed her brother, tortured her family friend, and was in control of her home unjustly. Deserving? ABSOLUTELY!
2. Little Finger - Sansa had a trial and asked him how he pled (guilty or innocent) for his crimes. His throat was slit by Arya. He was a manipulator, murderer, schemer, abuser, and cause of her fathers death + marriage to her rapist! Deserving? ABSOLUTELY
3. Daenerys Targaryen - Jon stabbed her in the stomach after she burnt down Kings Landing, murdered almost the entire population by burning them to death, and let her soldiers pillage the city and rape and murder the survivors of her fiery destruction. She was a mass murderer, abuser, destroyer of a city, and a tyrant. Deserving? ABSOLUTELY
So yes. You win. The Starks, like everyone in the show, are murders. Because they killed people before. And each one of them had it coming.
Ned would be ashamed and The New Lannisters:
This’ll be quick.
no
NO
NO
No. Ned would be proud of all of his children for coming back to one other and taking back their homes. He would be proud of them surviving their abusers. He would be proud that they continued the quest for independence after Rob. He would be proud they protected the North and defeated the others. Ned Stark would be proud of his children and nephew and would not prefer Dany.
No. They aren’t the new Lannisters. They haven’t done anything like the Lannisters. That’s a false comparison, and it’s stupid.
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Let’s redo the list. Shall we?
Manipulators - Nope! Dany did everything on her own
Schemers - Not really, and if they were then it was justified
Backstabbers - Kinda? Again justified! Against a mass murderer!
Oathbreakers - Nope! Broken promises? Yes. Oaths? Not once.
Hypocrites - Nope!
Xenophobes - Nope! Anyone who thinks so doesn’t understand the word or oppression
Powerhungry - Nope! They don’t want power, and if they do they don’t seize it unjustly.
Murderers - Yep! But they only killed Dany (mass murderer and tyrant), Ramsay (rapist, murderer, sadist, and stealer of their home), and Little Finger (manipulator, muderer, and schemer).
Selfish - Nope! They worry about others
Willing to kill everyone to get what they want - Nope! They don’t kill anyone to get what they want
Ned would be ashamed - Nope! He’d be proud
The New Lannisters - Nope! They’re not!
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I know this post is long, but if you’d like to see part 2 here’s the link!
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burst-of-iridescent · 4 years
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The Massacre of Sansa Stark
Preface: this post will entirely be on show canon, as I have not read the books. from what I have heard though, book!Sansa would frankly be ashamed of how show!Sansa behaved in Season 8, and neither would she have behaved in that way.
After watching Season 8 of game of thrones (or what I like to call a complete dumpster fire), apart from my complete rage over how they trashed my lovely Daenerys, I was also bewildered at how they treated Sansa Stark. I was completely taken aback that Sansa stans were actually CELEBRATING this portrayal of Sansa’s character, or cheering for her becoming Queen in the North after this season.
Sanaa’s story, and ending, this season and after the entirety of Game of Thrones, is a complete disservice to her arc on the show and everything she has endured and learned.
1. What happened to politically savvy Sansa?
The show’s entire arc for Sansa, everything they seemed to be driving us toward, was that everything Sansa endured and suffered would turn her smarter, stronger, and a major player of the game of thrones. Putting aside the problematic elements of rape and abuse making you “stronger”, WHERE WAS THIS PAYOFF????? In fact, I would argue that if this was indeed the show’s arc, it came to completion in Season 4, which is the last time I can remember Sansa making a politically-motivated, intelligent decision.
Everything she’s done since then — marrying Ramsey(putting aside LF’s complete idiocy in this), withholding information about the Knights of the Vale from Jon in strategy planning (although I’d accept the argument that maybe she wasn’t sure if they’d actually show up), nearly KILLING ARYA in S7 before Bran’s clairvoyance saves her — is a complete regression of politically savvy Sansa. Think of the Sansa in S2, the girl who knew when to praise, when to flatter, when to hold her tongue and nod meekly, all in order to save her life and keep her from horrible tortures in King’s Landing at the mercy of horrible people who she knew would kill her if she didn’t do exactly the right thing at the right time.
Now compare this to the Sansa Stark of Season 8. Does it in any way seem like a wise decision to antagonize the person who is coming to save you, who has an entire army of so-called “savages”, soldiers famed around the world for obeying any command instantly, and two full-grown fucking dragons? If Daenerys really is the tyrant that Sansa apparently thinks she is in S8, why in the ever-loving fuck would she ever be so openly hostile and cold to her????
“Because she’s Queen in the North now”
yeah do you think that position will protect her if Dany gets pissed and decides to order Drogon to make her a roast? The North is completely decimated military-wise after the War of the Five Kings and the Battle of the Bastards, does Sansa think that her position as queen will rally the North to fight for her and win against Daenerys? Because that is completely impossible, let alone with the threat of the Night King approaching.
“Because she loves Jon so Dany won’t dare attack Sansa and risk losing him”
But according to Sansa, Dany’s some kind of psychopath who’s just fooling Jon, remember? If she’s such a tyrant, surely a thing like love wouldn’t compel her to do anything unless there’s an ulterior motive in it? So why on earth would love ever stop Dany from getting rid of the person who is constantly undermining her and insulting her if she’s such a power-hungry tyrant who only cares about her crown?
The Sansa who managed to hold her tongue around Joffrey even after every horrible thing he did to her would never dare to be so openly hostile to a person she believes is apparently just a tyrannical dictator, especially when said person is helping her and her life literally rests in Dany’s hands.
Furthermore, if Sansa had apparently learned anything from LF except “look out for yourself” and “be a traitor”, she would’ve known that the key to the game of thrones is to always keep what you want hidden. LF literally TELLS Sansa this, he tells her to always try to figure out what other people what, while never letting on your own wishes. But I guess Sansa just forgets this in the aim of petty bitching somehow?
RIP politically savvy Sansa Stark.
2. The Sansa-Daenerys feud makes completely no sense and was only written as such in the show to push the narrative of Dany as a villainous “Mad Queen”
Think of the reputation Daenerys has, a reputation well-known around the world, a title literally part of her name: Breaker of Chains.
Why would Sansa Stark, a rape and abuse survivor, a girl who knows what it is like to be imprisoned and forced to do things for more powerful people against your will, immediately hate without even seeing the woman who has a reputation for fighting against these very things? At the very least, even if she thinks Dany is a conqueror coming to annex them, it makes more sense to hide your distrust and hostility, to receive her courteously and then find out for yourself from her behavior and her people what she is really like.
Dany’s allies and those who follow her can attest to her good heart and her aim of building a better world. In fact, Dany is more than willing to give Yara independence when she asks for it — and then goes on to say that “everyone else is welcome to ask too”. Tyrion could have vouched for this to Sansa if she had asked — in fact he is the one in this conversations who tells her “you can’t give independence to everyone who demands it” — and yet Tyrion seems to have amnesia and entirely forgotten anything that happened in the previous seasons.
Sansa’s distrust and hostility, even if initially justified, should not have been so openly displayed if Sansa learned anything from previous seasons, and should not have persisted had Sansa become the person she should have through her arc and been smart and politically savvy through the final season. All politics aside, being a bitch to the person coming to save you and your people makes no sense in any world.
We deserved a Sansa-Dany friendship and we were robbed of it because D&D took the laziest, most illogical path to their endgame.
I loved Sansa Stark. I rooted for her, and her becoming Queen in the North is everything she deserved and I wanted for her. Yet when it finally happened it made me feel nothing but hatred and bitterness.
The Sansa Stark of Season 8 should have been smart, politically savvy, wise enough to realize alienating Daenerys was a bad idea, and ultimately been Queen in the North along with Dany as Queen of Westeros.
Instead we got a treasonous, petty, power-hungry, and frankly bitchy Regina George 2.0 as Queen in the North.
Sansa stans, that is not a victory.
That is a tragedy — for a character who endured, suffered, and pulled through everything thrown at her by her abusers to end up as a carbon copy of them.
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imagineattempts · 5 years
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Where Love Grows
Arya Stark x female Tyrell reader
Reader is a Tyrell cousin in this and lives at Highgarden.
After arriving in High Garden Arya decided that the whole Tyrell family was really too sincere for their own good, well aside from the Lady Olenna. Willas had inquired after Sanaa’s well-being and if he still hoped to wed Arya’s sister he kept it to himself, more than happy to content himself to peppering Arya with questions about Direwolves and their habits. He seemed fascinated and she had noted the affection he lavished on his dogs and the pride he had in his hawks. She had decided that if he did want to marry Sansa it wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Garlan had been equally friendly although less interested in subjects she cared about.
Now, Arya stood scowling in the vast banquet hall at Highgarden. It was too warm in the Reach for the furs and leathers she preferred to wear. Instead she was in a deep green dress that reached her midcalf and dark leggings. She was grateful for that much at least. The dress was relatively plain and it still allowed her freedom of movement albeit less than her own clothes from home would have. She knew that Sansa was right, as a Stark she was the best choice for an ambassador. The pride of the Tyrells would have been insulted had Sansa sent another. But that didn’t mean she had to like it here. She looked down at her cup of wine and took another sip. She was still on her first cup while many of the men in the hall were well into their fourth or fifth. Arya preferred to keep her wits about her. Especially because the pretty girl seated next to her seemed to have made it her mission to make Arya blush as often as possible. Arya was unused to compliments and the sincerity wit which Lady Y/N gave them only made things worse. Arya wished she could blame the compliments on Lady Y/N being drunk but the girl next to her, had not yet finished her own cup of wine. She seemed to be making a game out of only drinking when Arya did. When the banquet drew to a close and Arya rose from her seat she found Lady Y/N beside her. The other woman leaned in close and whispered “Meet me in the rose gardens tomorrow at noon.” And then in a sweep of her silken skirts she was gone.
Back in the chambers she had been given Arya lay awake trying to puzzle out what Lady Y/N had meant with her cryptic invitation. Had she just been invited into some political scheme or alliances. Or was this to be a more private meeting? Confused and annoyed Arya fell asleep trying to decide if she should even show up in the Rose garden tomorrow.
Arya stood facing the rose garden several minutes before noon. Her checks flamed red as she began to suspect the invitation was nothing more than an elaborate joke at her expense. She couldn’t help but feel relieved when Lady Y/N finally showed up. Arya noticed the other girl looked quite different her hair held back in a simple braid instead of the ringlets she usually wore. And she wore a plain dress and apron both sprinkled with dirt as well as gardening gloves. Lady Y/N gave a satisfied grin as she studied Arya. “Good you came.” She declared adding “follow me. Arya followed her through the roses until she found herself in the center of what seemed to have been a circle made of rose hedges. Lady Y/N looked rather pleased with herself a satisfied smirk on her face. “This gardens mine”.
“It’s lovely.” Arya replies confused. Had the other girl really asked her here to show her more roses.
Apparently not for Lady Y/N rolled her eyes. “I thought you might want a quiet place to practice your swordplay away from prying eyes. Well maybe not away from my eyes”. She added boldly.
Arya looked at Lady Y/N “So your giving me the use of your garden? Why?”
“Isn’t it apparent to you? I like you that’s why.”
Arya gaped at Lady Y/N. “Lady Y/N why are you doing this?”
“So you’ll call me Y/N of course”. The other girl declared with a winning smile.
“Thank you”. Arya told Y/N.
“Of course I’d appreciate if you avoid killing my roses as much as possible”. Lady Y/N continued in a tone that suggested she was talking about the weather and not giving Arya permission to do something she had sorely missed since her arrival in the Reach.
Looking at Lady Y/N’s smirk Arya couldn’t help but smile herself. “How can I thank you.”
“By being happy here.” Lady Y/N replied without hesitation.
“Does my happiness really matter that much to you?” Arya asked trying to remember the last time someone other than her siblings or Brienne, or maybe Gendry had truly cared about her happiness.
“Yes” Lady Y/N replied placing a hand on Arya’s cheek.
And Arya leaned in and pressed her lips to Y/N’s.
“I’ve been trying to get you to do this since you arrived here” Lady Y/N confesses before leaning in once again to kiss Arya.
“So when you suggested a place away from prying eyes where I could practice my swordplay?”
“My motives weren’t entirely altruistic I admit.”
Arya just smiled and went to kiss Y/N again.
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ssentiwsavonej · 5 years
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Game of Thrones: Battle of Winterfell Dead Pool
*mostly conjecture, but spoiler warning to cover bases*
Ok, so: after watching 8.02, I’ve been thinking a lot about the looming largest battle sequence out to film, and obviously given the happy moments in the lead-up, a lot of our faves are gonna bite it next week. So I wanted to put my thoughts to paper, as it were, and talk about the major players, where they’ll be, and what could happen to them.
Jon Snow
Location: atop Winterfell battlements, then eventually in the thick of it, because Jon
Outcome: ALIVE. C’mon, I barely have to say anything here. Jon Snow/Aegon Targaryen is far to pivotal to the titular game to die here. Plus he’s gotta sort things out with his girlfriend/aunt Daenerys. Speaking of...
Daenerys Targaryen
Location: based on previews, she’s gonna be all over Winterfell: atop the battlements, viewing the battle from afar in the nearby hills, and even in the TOTALLY 100% SAFE NOT-AT-ALL DANGEROUS CRYPTS
Outcome: ALIVE. Literally same reasons above. She’s key to the Game and she’s gotta deal with Jon’s poorly timed bomb drop. Plus she’s gotta survive here to potentially become a villain herself down the way as the Mad Queen/Night Queen
Ghost
Location: probably three feet from Jon at any given moment
Outcome: DEAD. “Whaaaat? You mean they’d really bring Ghost back for five seconds this week, just to kill him next week???” You’re goddamn right they would! And for a very utilitarian reason that every major crew member has said many times over: those Direwolves are hella expensive to make (somehow more so than dragons? I’m guessing because they still have to use live wolves, so getting the animal to behave just so, and then enlarge them in post is likely a bigger pain than straight CGI? Anywho...) so Ghost is gonna be badass and rip some throats out, probably save some asses, and then get the shit wrecked out of him like Summer did.
Sansa Stark
Location: She’s gonna be in an interesting spot, too bold to hide in the crypts, but not a fighter. So she’s gonna probably try (and fail) to stay high and dry.
Outcome: ALIVE. I don’t have as strong an argument for her survival, but I just have a feeling. She didn’t have any serious revelations or resolutions in 8.02, aside from flirting/fighting with Dany, so her death wouldn’t be AS heartbreaking as some others.
Arya Stark
Location: in the battle with her new weapon, though also from previews she ends up in the crypts (and looking fucking terrified)
Outcome: DEAD. It hurts to say this, but Arya is very likely going to be done saying “Not today” to the God of Death. She banged the hell out of Gendry KNOWING THIS COULD BE HER LAST NIGHT ON THIS PLANET, and ignoring that cardinal cliche, something in the crypts is going to scare her shitless, and to do that to Arya, it’s gotta be something BAD (more on that later) **EDIT: I also think her death next week would go down as the ultimate prank, because when she went on Jimmy Fallon and “accidentally” let loose a spoiler as an April Fool’s joke, the (supposedly) fake spoiler was that Arya died in episode 3. What greater troll could there be than her fake spoiler not being fake at all?
Bran Stark
Location: in the Godswood, seated in the perfect spot to make awkward eye contact with the Night King
Outcome: ALIVE? The situation with Bran and the Night King is interesting, and undoubtedly won’t be as cut-and-dry as “two men enter, one man leaves.” Like, obvious the Night King ain’t going down here, but I feel like the Three-Eyed Raven is too cosmically important to not survive this. So I feel like if/when these two meet, it may not end in death, but change of some sort. (If the Night King even shows! Speaking of...)
Night King
Location: outside Winterfell *MAYBE*
Outcome: ALIVE (generally speaking). As I said before, the Night King is too big a deal to go down here without more of Westeros dealing with him first. So if Bran’s plan works, something more nuanced is gonna go down in the Godswood. But here’s the thing: what if the Night King isn’t even here? In the preview we see a line of White Walkers on horseback, seemingly in the lead position of the army. But no Night King, no Viserion. He knows where Bran is, so he’s in no rush; what if he’s taken his dragon (and some of the army) on past Winterfell, marching instead directly on King’s Landing? Bran had previously seen a vision of a dragon’s shadow darkening the skies of King’s Landing - what if this was the Night King, not Daenerys?
Theon Greyjoy
Location: in the Godswood with Bran and the Ironborn (aka the bait)
Outcome: DEAD. Theon has had a very very strong arc over this show: we’ve liked him, hated him, felt beyond bad for him, and then grew to care for him again. But with this week and Sanaa’s hug, his arc is complete. Plus, if the Night King does show, he’s at GROUND. ZERO. He’s fucking toast mate.
Jaime Lannister
Location: on the flank with Brienne and Podrick
Outcome: ALIVE. Our second-favorite Lannister has had a lot of character development (which usually means a tombstone), and he’s not a super capable fighter on a dangerous fucking part of the field with Brienne. Despite all of that, the Kingslayer’s probably gonna see the other side of this battle, because he’s gotta A) deal with Bronn coming for him and Tyrion, and B) fulfill the prophecy Cersei has obsessed over and be the “little brother” that kills her.
Tyrion Lannister
Location: In the completely ironclad safe crypts
Outcome: ALIVE. I’m gonna talk more about the crypts later on separately, because it’s gonna get a bit contradictory. Obviously the crypts aren’t safe, but there are a solid couple of charcters down there that I think will make it out. Tyrion’s safety is twofold: A) they made all that fuss of everyone, especially Jorah, telling Dany that Tyrion should remain her Hand. That would be a lot of wasted runtime if he dies here, and B) like his brother, Tyrion currently has a former traveling buddy coming for him with a crossbow, and Game of Thrones is known for many things, anticlimax not being one of them.
Samwell Tarly
Location: on the battlements, ready to go balls-out, apparently.
Outcome: ALIVE. Despite Sam being a not-at-all capable fighter, I think he’s going to live by simple fact that somebody has to finish that book at the Citadel about the history of Westeros to present day (and totally title it A Song of Ice and Fire), but he’s also gonna have to do some mourning of his own...
Gillie
Location: those ironclad crypts of solitude
Outcome: DEAD. Gillie and Sam has their happy moment, and frankly, Sam is more important than her. So she’s gonna die, and to distract himself from the grieving process, Sam is gonna lock himself away in the Citadel to finish that damn book.
Jorah Mormont
Location: probably protecting Dany, then breaking off at some point when it goes to shit
Outcome: DEAD. Jorah’s has quite a ride, in and out of the friend zone with Dany from the beginning, and as of now he’s accepted his place and even gone to bat for Tyrion as the better man for his job. Couple that with his reunion with his family, and Sam passing on his family sword to him, and Jorah is going down swinging (and those swings are probably gonna save Sam’s ass, because it would be poetic to save the man who gave him the sword)
Sandor “The Hound” Clegane
Location: in battle somewhere (ideally far from fire, if he had his way)
Outcome: ALIVE. Though the Hound has solid development and actual dimension as a character this week, he’s gonna see it through for one simple reason: CLEGANEBOWL! This is something book fans AND show fans have been teased with for years, and this battle is likely the last hurdle between the Hound and burning his undead brother right the fuck back.
Varys
Location: the crypts, because lol at the idea of Varys fighting and not hedging his bets
Outcome: DEAD? I was more certain of his survival initially, because come onnn it’s Varys! The Spider played things in the shadows better than Littlefinger, and always knows how to avoid the God of Death. However, since my first thoughts, I was reminded that Melisandre mysteriously told him he would die in Westeros. So, the crypts could likely become his tomb.
Gendry
Location: swinging a big ass hammer somewhere, no doubt.
Outcome: ALIVE. I debated on Gendry’s survival for a bit, considering he was recruit to smith, and he did his smithing (not to mention the horror movie trope of “you fuck, you’re fucked.”) However, I think he’ll see it through just because he’s still Robert Baratheon’s son, and could therefore complicate the line of succession for the Iron Throne once Cersei is finally knocked off.
SER Brienne of Tarth
Location: on the flank with Jaime and Podrick
Outcome: DEAD. Also painful, but after this week, the writing is on the wall is tears and giant’s milk for our favorite honorable knight. She is officially a knight of the seven kingdoms, saved Jaime’s ass from a barbecue, and noted that she’s fulfilled all of her oaths. She’s going down, but she’s not gonna go down easy (probably going to be the reason Jaime survives).
Podrick Payne
Location: on the flank with Brienne
Outcome: DEAD. Pod’s golden pipes and magic cock can’t save him here. He’s noticeably better with a sword now, but even Brienne said he’s not there yet. Plus he got to sing that song to the drunk sharing circle. Pod’s going down, and I’m betting he’ll be one of the first.
Grey Worm
Location: in the battlefield somewhere nasty
Outcome: DEAD. Not much to say here: Grey Worm promised to take Missandei away after the battle, wherever she wanted, and they can be happy on a beach. He may as well have said he’s two weeks from retirement.
Missandei
Location: the danged ol’ crypts man. Can’t say much else here without repetition.
Outcome: ALIVE. This is by a razor-thin margin in my head, but everyone’s favorite translator is going to live for one reason and one reason alone: she’s the perfect candidate to cry over Grey Worm’s body after the dust settles. Because let’s be honest: they made the cardinal mistake of talking about their futures, so (at least) one of them gotta die, and Grey Worm is a soldier on the field.
Dolorous Edd
Location: atop the battlements, for now anyway.
Outcome: Edd’s DEAD, baby. He survived the wall coming down, made it back to warn his friends, and hugged it out. Jon said it himself: the Night’s Watch has no purpose now, meaning Edd has nothing to be Lord Commander of. His watch is ending next week.
Tormund Giantsbane
Location: somewhere in the thick of it, with a belly full of giant’s milk
Outcome: WILD CARD. Honestly, I couldn’t peg down Tormund, and it’s just because he’s so damn bonkers. Like, he survived the wall, and we got more insight to his (alleged) upbringing, and his surprisingly liberal ideals when it came to Brienne’s status, which could spell death. But he’s just such a crazy bastard that if anyone could defy the writing on the wall, it’s him.
Davos Seaworth
Location: on the battlefield, giving everyone a good what for
Outcome: DEAD. He’s had a good run, but it’s time to say goodbye to our dear Onion Knight. He said it himself: he’s been through a lot of battles and he’s not even sure how he’s made it. He’s been a mentor, but they’ve all gotta spread their wings, plus he had those moments with the reluctant militiamen and the adorable Shireen stand-in. He’s going out like a damn champ.
Beric Dondarrion
Location: somewhere out there with his medieval lightsaber
Outcome: WILD CARD. I couldn’t pin down Beric because he’s in a very unique position: Rhllor the Lord of Light has brought him back from the dead 13 times. Despite his weapon being covered in something very effective against the undead, there’s no doubt he’ll fall in battle. My question is: which side will he fight for when he gets back up? The Lord of Light could bring him back, but the White Walkers also have a knack for putting corpses back on their feet. Or even crazier, will he become some sort of halfbreed, with tht eyepatch covering a glowing blue eye? (Probably not, but it’s a fun idea)
Lyanna Mormont
Location: the front? The crypts? I don’t know, she does what she wants.
Outcome: WILD CARD. I’m leaning slightly towards the dead end of the scale with Lyanna, because despite how sharp her tongue is and how big her balls are, she’s still a small child fighting an army of zombies. She’s a badass and could make it, but she’s a child and could just as easily eat it.
Bronn
Location: somewhere between King’s Landing and Winterfell
Outcome: WILD CARD. I can’t even say if Bronn will show up for this battle, but we do know he’s on his way with a big ass crossbow called “poetic justice” (according to Cersei). So he totally could show up and off one or both Lannister brothers while they’re distracted by zombies, or he could learn the true meaning of friendship and forsake the money to help out. And possibly die saving them. Or he won’t even make it there until afterwards. Who knows here man.
Now, a little more on the crypts, and why they gave me problems. So, they put the non-combatants and the children in the crypts, because it’s underground and by all accounts, safe. However, sollowing cinematic rules of foreshadowing, repetition is the surest sign that something’s important. EVERYBODY said the crypts are safe, repeatedly. Couple that with the shots of a very frightened Arya running from something, and it’s shaping up to be bad news bears down there. Many have guessed it, but for the sake of thoroughness, here’s the issue: the crypt is full of DEAD STARKS, and we all know how fond the White Walkers are of raising the dead. Provided they’ve got the range, Arya could be facing down the dead wearing the faces of her family. And given that, we could figure who it’s likely going to be. Ned is headless (plus it’s been mentioned that his bones were returned, implying there’s not much to bury), Robb is also headless and possibly not even buried in the family crypt, considering his body was paraded around on horseback with his wolf stitched onto his neck, so aside from ancient Starks, that leaves two candidates: Rickon (which, let’s be real, nobody cares about him and he’s not that intimidating either), and Catelyn. We don’t know if she made it to the crypts either (because Red Wedding), but she’s the strongest candidate for a truly unsettling foe for Arya, as well as an in-point for the TV show to introduce a skewed and twisted interpretation of Lady Stoneheart from the books into the show.
So yeah, with this information the Crypts could have a much higher principle death toll, but I think Arya being in the crypts sets up a heroic sacrifice scenario where she can ensure the other (important) people get out alive.
With a score of 11 - 11 - 4 the Battle of Winterfell is shaping up to be a potential Thanos Snap for our cast of characters next week. I can’t say how right or wrong I am on this, but this is the most thought I’ve put into predicting character deaths since Negan whistled his way onto the Walking Dead. So regardless, I’m excited to revisit this after the episode goes up on Sunday!
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madlilsongbird · 5 years
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That was definitely an episode, I don’t quite know how to feel or process thoughts so here are the thoughts I had as I had them while watching the finale:
- poor Tyrion, his home, his people all gone
- Jon and Dadvos having Ty’s back
- Jon vs Grey
- No longer giving people a choice
- Tyrion looking for his Jaime but crying when he sees Cersei
- Arya being Jons silent bodyguard
- Imagery *photo below
- Tyrion mad mad
- Arya being sneaky asf
- JON FUCKING SNOW GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS ITS NOT A HAT
- drogon x Jon moment
- Dany x iron throne moment
- Did this motherfucker just stab Daenerys Targaryen?!
- He’s gunna die.
- Drogon 😢
- Could be that Drogon is mad the throne drove his mum crazy and got her killed could be DND being dickheads one last time and not letting us see anyone on the iron throne cos there is no fucking throne
- Or Drogon making it look like he killed her so Jon is off the hook? Nah no bones for them to find
- The unsullied take over King’s landing
- Awkward...
- Democracy??? Maybe not
- Chosen not born
- King Bran
- North independence!
- Greyworm mad still
- Jon going back to the nights watch
- Greyworm taking the unsullied home (Missandeis home)
- Queen Sansa
- Arya going traveling....honestly thought she was going to be with Gendry but guess not
- Brienne finishing Jaimes story 🙁
- Why did she not add her own? She’s a knight now
- Bran gunna look for his pet dragon
- Bran being so patient with his council of misfits
- Bronn and Davos going off at each other lol
- TORMUND
- GHOST and he got his pats!
- The QUEEN IN THE FUCKING NORTH!
- Aye-aye captain stark
- Wait but who’s on Sanaa’s council, Brans taken pretty much everyone
- Okay but we definitely knew Jon wasn’t gunna stay with the nights watch
- Actual feelings coming soon when I figure out what the fuck they are.
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tabloidtoc · 5 years
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People, March 4
Cover: Mark Harmon on Fame, Family and What He’s Learned
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Page 1: Chatter -- Will Smith on turning down The Matrix, Pink on slashing husband Carey Hart’s tires, Taye Diggs flirting with Sanaa Lathan, Bette Middler on her Valentine’s Day tradition, Ben Affleck on his son not being a Boston sports fan, Rebel Wilson on getting rescued by the ski patrol 
Page 2: 5 Things We’re Talking About -- This Is Us could be almost half over, Fixer Upper fans can live in a house designed by Chip and Joanna Gaines, Peppa Pig is giving American kids British accents, Jennifer Lopez will turn 50 fabulously, Hilary Duff got an alpaca for Valentine’s Day, A Chat with Amy Sedaris 
Page 4: Contents 
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Page 6: StarTracks -- The Week’s Cutest Couples -- Emily Blunt and John Krasinski 
Page 7: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Russell Wilson and Ciara, Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra Jonas 
Page 8: Darren Criss and Mia Swier wedding, sitting front row at Victoria Beckham’s fashion show was Anna Wintour and David Beckham and Brooklyn and Brooklyn’s girlfriend Hana Cross and sons Cruz and Romeo and daughter Harper
Page 11: Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest spoof A Star Is Born, Paris Hilton and Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Christy Turlington walked the runway for the first time in more than 20 years 
Page 12: Sneak Peak: Diane Keaton and Rhea Perlman and Pam Grier and Jacki Weaver and Celia Weston in Poms, Moms and Their Mini-Mes -- Catherine Zeta-Jones and daughter Carys Zeta Douglas, Glenn Close and Annie Starke, Gabrielle Union and daughter Kaavia James, Tilda Swinton and Honor Swinton Byrne 
Page 14: Noah Centineo is the face of Calvin Klein, Style -- Dresses with Bows -- Cynthia Erivo, Candice Swanapoel, Salma Hayek, Dua Lipa, Rachel Brosnahan, Alexa Chung 
Page 16: Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom’s romantic engagement 
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Page 18: Jennifer Aniston’s harrowing flight 
Page 20: Heart Monitor -- Bella Hadid and The Weeknd going strong, Jennifer Garner and John Miller heating up, Tommy Lee and Brittany Furlan married, Beck and Marissa Ribisi divorcing 
Page 23: Mandy Moore says ex Ryan Adams was psychologically abusive, how cancer changed Shannen Doherty 
Page 24: Ryan Reynolds’ sexy new gig as the face of Armani Code Absolu fragrance, Melody Thomas Scott’s 40 years on The Young and the Restless 
Page 27: Stories to Make You Smile -- Potcake Place K-9 Rescue takes dogs to the beach to help them find homes -- please adopt, don’t shop
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Page 28: Passages, Why I Care -- Lindsay Price works to help families raise the money they need to adopt 
Page 31: People Picks -- Leaving Neverland 
Page 32: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Q&A with Jay Baruchel, PEN15, Mexican Dynasties 
Page 33: O.G., Linda Ronstadt Live in Hollywood 
Page 34: Gone, Ariana Grande -- Thank U, Next, Q&A with Jennifer Carpenter
Page 35: Whiskey Cavalier 
Page 36: Greta, The Ron Burgundy Podcast, Odessa Adlon 
Page 38: Books 
Page 40: Cover Story -- Mark Harmon 
Page 48: Miranda Lambert and Brendan McLoughlin whirlwind wedding 
Page 53: Lee Radziwill 
Page 56: 4 Mysterious Killings -- Murdered by Charles Manson? 
Page 61: Karamo Brown surprised by fatherhood 
Page 64: The untold story of Freddie Mercury 
Page 68: Behind the Scenes of TV’s Sexiest Restaurant on Vanderpump Rules 
Page 74: The Faces Behind the Food -- Amy and Rachel and Andy Berliner from Amy’s Kitchen, Bob Moore from Bob’s Red Mill, Maya Kaimal from Maya Kaimal Fine Indian Foods 
Page 75: Michele Hoskins from Michele’s Syrup, Lara Merriken from Larabar, Justin Gold from Justin’s 
Page 76: Star Chef’s top grocery picks 
Page 79: Style -- The hottest new jewelry trends -- Olivia Wilde, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley 
Page 80: The 7 products Reese Witherspoon can’t live without 
Page 83: Minnie Driver’s Malibu beach house 
Page 87: Second Look -- Jimmy Fallon and Priyanka Chopra Jonas 
Page 88: One Last Thing -- Ray Romano
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sushigirlali · 7 years
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Game of Thrones Episode 7.4 Takeaways
1. There are THREE Starks at Winterfell now!! I’m totally shocked and excited! But not everything is all good and well, since both Arya and Bran are completely different people than Sansa once knew. I think that exemplifies what Game of Thrones is. We get what we want, but not necessarily in the way we thought we would.
2. What the hell is Little Finger up to now? Is he trying to cozy up to the “Lord of Winterfell” now? Or something more devious? Regardless, now that Arya has a valyrian steel dagger, she should be able to protect herself against white walkers in the future.
3. Arya’s training scene with Brienne was so cool, but I’m a little concerned about Sanaa’s reaction. Hopefully she’ll get over the changes in her family soon and put their assassin/sage abilities to good use. They could be the most dangerous family in the realm!
4. Jon showing Daenerys the dragonglass mine was a solid move. I think it gave some evidence to his claims, since the cave carvings are in a piece of her homeland.
5. Jon will likely have to bend the knee to Daenerys soon though. She isn’t going to relent, and he really does need her help to succeed in the north. I hope the northern lords don’t freak out when he does. There really isn’t time for that shit.
6. So happy that Daenerys actually asked Jon for his council. She can see that he’s a reasonable guy, and knows that she can’t go off the deep end on a whim. I think these two are really starting to form a strong bond, and I hope they become solid allies as a result. Plus, Davos giving Jon shit about checking Daenerys out was hilarious!
7. Theon and Jon meeting up was interesting. Sansa really saved Theon’s life by telling Jon the truth of what happened to her. Theon is a mess pretty much all the time, but hopefully he can redeem himself by saving Yara. We could get a pretty cool sea battle out of it if nothing else.
8. Bronn giving Jaime shit for not paying him enough was so great. But Bronn totally showed his worth by the end of the battle by wounding Drogon. I’m glad that Drogon isn’t dead, but happy that this incident happened. Now Daenerys knows that Cersei has a weapon to use against her dragons.
9. And how great what that battle?! Dragonfire makes for a seriously badass battle strategy, but the Dothraki are impressively scary in their own right. The troops didn’t show up in time to capture the Iron Bank’s payment, but this was a serious win for Team Fire.
10. I am kinda surprised that they destroyed all the supplies though. A lot of the dialogue in the past few episodes has revolved around food and resources needed for the long winter. Nobody is gonna sit on the Iron Throne if everybody in Westeros dies of starvation first.
11. Jaime’s face when he sees Daenerys tending to Drogon is fascinating. Daenerys’ forces had just completely demolished the Lannister army, in a totally horrifying way. I think Jaime realized in that moment that defeating Daenerys is going to be a monumental feat. And no, I don’t think that Jaime is dead. I’m assuming he will be captured, and maybe tortured, which will put Tyrion’s loyalty to the test.
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clubofinfo · 7 years
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Expert: A key function of BBC propaganda is to present the perspective of ‘the West’ on the wars and conflicts of the world. Thus, in a recent online report, BBC News once again gave prominence to the Pentagon propaganda version of yet more US killings in Yemen. The headline stated: US forces kill seven al-Qaeda militants in Yemen, says Pentagon Seven ‘militants’ killed is the stark message. A veneer of ‘impartiality’ is provided by the weasel words, ‘says Pentagon’. BBC News then notes blandly, and without quotation marks: The primary objective of the operation was to gather intelligence. Nowhere in the short article was there any attempt to provide an alternative view of who had been killed and why. Were they really all ‘militants’? How is a ‘militant’ distinguished from a ‘civilian’, or from a soldier defending his country against foreign invaders? There was not even a cautious statement to the effect that the Pentagon’s claims could not be verified, as one might expect of responsible journalism. Instead, we have to turn to Reprieve, an international human rights organisation founded in 1999 by the British lawyer Clive Stafford Smith. The group reports that five of the ‘militants’ were civilians, including a partially blind 70-year-old man who was shot when he tried to greet the US Navy Seals, mistaking them for guests arriving in his village. But their civilians are mere ‘collateral damage’ in war. Since January 2017, the US has launched 90 or more drone strikes in Yemen, killing around 100 people, according to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. This death toll includes 25 civilians, among whom were 10 children, killed in the village of al Ghayil in the Yemeni highlands during a US raid that was described by President Trump as ‘highly successful’. Mentions of such atrocities were notable by their absence in ‘mainstream’ media coverage of Trump’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia where he signed trade deals worth around $350 billion. This included an arms deal of $110 billion which the White House described as ‘the single biggest in US history.’ It would not do for the corporate media, including BBC News, to dwell on the implications for Yemen where at least 10,000 people have been killed since the start of the Saudi-led bombing campaign in 2015. 14 million Yemenis, more than half the population, are facing hunger with the Saudis deliberately targeting food production. The World Health Organisation recently warned of the rising numbers of deaths in Yemen due to cholera, saying that it was ‘unprecedented’. Save the Children says that at the current rate, more than 65,000 cases of cholera are expected by the end of June. The cholera outbreak could well become ‘a full blown-epidemic’. Moreover: The upsurge comes as the health system, sanitation facilities and civil infrastructure have reached breaking point because of the ongoing war. As US investigative journalist Gareth Porter observes via Twitter: World leaders are silent as #Yemen faces horrible cholera epidemic linked to #Saudi War & famine. Politics as usual. Iona Craig, formerly a Yemen-based correspondent for The Times, notes that ‘more than 58 hospitals now have been bombed by the coalition airstrikes, and people just do not have access to medical care in a way that they did before the war.’ As if the bombing was not already brutal, Saudi Arabia has imposed a cruel blockade on Yemen that is delaying, or even preventing, vital commodities from getting into the country. Grant Pritchard, interim country director for Save the Children in Yemen, says: These delays are killing children. Our teams are dealing with outbreaks of cholera, and children suffering from diarrhoea, measles, malaria and malnutrition. With the right medicines these are all completely treatable — but the Saudi-led coalition is stopping them getting in. They are turning aid and commercial supplies into weapons of war. As one doctor at the Republic teaching hospital in Sanaa commented: We are unable to get medical supplies. Anaesthetics. Medicines for kidneys. There are babies dying in incubators because we can’t get supplies to treat them. The doctor estimated that 25 people were dying every day at the hospital because of the blockade. He continued: They call it natural death. But it’s not. If we had the medicines they wouldn’t be dead. I consider them killed as if they were killed by an air strike, because if we had the medicines they would still be alive. None of this grim reality was deemed relevant to Trump’s signing of the massive new arms deal with Saudi Arabia. BBC News focused instead on inanities such as Trump ‘to soften his rhetoric’, ‘joins Saudi sword dance’ and ‘no scarf for Melania’. But then, it is standard practice for the BBC to absolve the West of any blame for the Yemen war and humanitarian disaster. British historian Mark Curtis poses a vital question that journalists fear to raise, not least those at the BBC: is there, in effect, collusion between the BBC and UK arms manufacturer BAE Systems not to report on UK support for the Saudi bombing of Yemen, and not to make it an election issue? Curtis also notes that the BBC has not published any online article about UK arms being sold to the Saudis for use in Yemen since as far back as January. This, he says, is ‘misinforming the public, a disgrace’. He also rightly points out that the BAE Systems Chairman, Sir Roger Carr, was also Vice-Chair of the BBC Trust until April 2017 (when the Trust was wound up at the end of its 10-year tenure). The BBC Trust’s role was to ensure the BBC lived up to its statutory obligations to the public, including news ‘balance’ and ‘impartiality’. How could Sir Roger’s dual role not suggest a major potential conflict of interest? On the wider issue of ‘mainstream’ media coverage of foreign policy, the political journalist Peter Oborne notes that: Needless to say, the British media (and in particular the BBC, which has a constitutional duty to ensure fair play during general elections) has practically ignored Corbyn’s foreign policy manifesto. Oborne writes that the manifesto: is radical and morally courageous. He explains that, pre-Corbyn: Foreign policy on both sides was literally identical. The leadership of both Labour and the Conservatives backed the wars in Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, the alliance with Saudi Arabia and the Sunni states in the Gulf. London did what it was told by Washington. […] This cross-party consensus has been smashed, thanks to Jeremy Corbyn, the current Labour leader. Whatever one thinks of Corbyn’s political views (and I disagree with many of them), British democracy owes him a colossal debt of gratitude for restoring genuine political debate to Britain. And of course his extremely brave and radical decision to break with the foreign policy analysis of Blair and his successors explains why he is viewed with such hatred and contempt across so much of the media and within the Westminster political establishment. But, as Oborne notes, this important change has not been fairly represented in media coverage. In particular, on Yemen and Saudi Arabia: It is deeply upsetting that the BBC has betrayed its own rules of impartiality and ignored Corbyn’s brave stand on this issue. We challenged Andrew Roy, the BBC News Foreign Editor, to respond to Oborne’s observations. He ignored us (here and here). Roy’s silence is especially noteworthy given that he had once promised: If there is a considered detailed complaint to something we’ve done, I will always respond to it personally. Perhaps Oborne’s challenge to the BBC was not deemed sufficiently ‘considered’ or ‘detailed’ by the senior BBC News editor. Likewise, our own challenges over many years in numerous media alerts addressing BBC foreign coverage have been ignored or, at best, brushed away. It was noteworthy that Corbyn’s considered response to the most recent terrorist attack in London was selectively reported, arguably censored, by BBC News. Corbyn said: We need to have some difficult conversations, starting with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states that have funded and fuelled extremist ideology. It is no good Theresa May suppressing a report into the foreign funding of terrorist groups. We have to get serious about cutting off the funding to these terror networks, including Isis here and in the Middle East. Sky News broadcast Corbyn’s comments, but they do not appear to have been covered by BBC News. Certainly, as far as we can see, there is no mention of them in their ‘Live’ blog on the London attack or in Laura Kuenssberg’s analysis, ‘Election 2017: Impact of London terror attack on campaign’. And nothing about the Saudi link with terrorism appears in the BBC’s online report on Corbyn’s speech, focusing instead on the issue of May’s cuts to police numbers while Home Secretary. Even this issue alone, if properly and fully addressed by the media, should be a resigning matter for May as Prime Minister. Responding to the London attacks, Peter Kirkham, a former Senior Investigating Officer with the Metropolitan police, accused the government of lying over police numbers on UK streets. And a serving firearms officer says that: The Government is wrong to claim police cuts have nothing to do with recent attacks. Despite her denials, Theresa May’s cuts to police numbers have made attacks like London and Manchester much more likely. Kuenssberg’s piece included passing mention of ‘the Tories’ record on squeezing money for the police’. But she gave no figures showing a reduction in the number of armed police; crucial statistics which she could have easily found from the Home Office. Mark Curtis gives a damning assessment of BBC reporting on foreign affairs, particularly during the general election campaign. Noting first that: One aspect of a free and fair election is “nonpartisan” coverage by state media. He continues: Yet BBC reporting on Britain’s foreign policy is simply amplifying state priorities and burying its complicity in human rights abuses. The BBC is unable to report even that Britain is at war – in Yemen, where the UK is arming the Saudis to conduct mass bombing, having supplied them with aircraft and £1 billion worth of bombs, while training their pilots. Curtis then provides some telling statistics: From 4 April to 15 May, the BBC website carried only 10 articles on Yemen but 97 on Syria: focusing on the crimes of an official enemy rather than our own. Almost no BBC articles on Yemen mention British arms exports. Theresa May’s government is complicit in mass civilian deaths in Yemen and pushing millions of people to the brink of starvation; that this is not an election issue is a stupendous propaganda achievement. Indeed, our newspaper database searches reveal that, since the election was called on April 18, there has been no significant journalistic scrutiny of May’s support of Saudi Arabia’s bombing campaign in Yemen. The subject was even deemed radioactive during a public meeting in Rye, Sussex, when Amber Rudd, standing for re-election, appeared to shut down discussion of arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Electoral candidate Nicholas Wilson explains what happened: At a hustings in Rye on 3 June, where I am standing as an independent anti-corruption parliamentary candidate, a question was asked about law & order. Home Secretary Amber Rudd, in answering it referred to the Manchester terrorist attack. I took up the theme and referred to UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia & HSBC business there. She spoke to and handed a note to the chairman who removed the mic from me. The footage of this shameful censorship deserves to be widely seen. If a similar event had happened in Russia or North Korea, it would have received intensive media scrutiny here. Once again, we note the arms connection with the BBC through BAE Systems Chairman, Sir Roger Carr. Wilson has also pointed out a potential conflict of interest between HSBC and the BBC through Rona Fairhead who was a non-executive director of HSBC while serving as Chair of the BBC Trust. These links, and Theresa May’s support for the Saudi regime, have gone essentially unexamined by the BBC. And yet, when BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg responded to Corbyn’s manifesto launch, her subtle use of insidious language betrayed an inherent bias against Corbyn and his policies on foreign affairs. She wrote: ‘rather than scramble to cover up his past views for fear they would be unpopular’, he would ‘double down…proudly’. Kuenssberg’s use of pejorative language – ‘scramble’, ‘cover up’, ‘unpopular’ – delivered a powerful negative spin against Corbyn policies that, in fact, as Oborne argues, are hugely to his credit. When has Kuenssberg ever pressed May over her appalling voting record on Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen? In fact, there is no need for May to ‘scramble’ to ‘cover up’ her past views. Why not? Because the ‘mainstream’ media rarely, if ever, seriously challenge her about being consistently and disastrously wrong in her foreign policy choices; not least, on decisions to go to war. http://clubof.info/
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iliketowrite1996 · 5 years
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Tying Shoelaces and New Faces part 13
@chaneajoyyy was a huge help as I wrote this!
TRIGGER WARNINGS AND THEMES- Insecurity, mentions of breaking up and heartbreak, mentions of bullying, mentions of parents not liking significant other, lying, single parenting, and mentions of former relationships.
Paper hearts and valentines litter the tables of your classroom as the four and five year olds that you teach distribute them.
   Today is Valentine’s day, and you’re just about to have your Valentine’s Day party. Erik is here to help out, as is Tony Stark. They’re dressed festively, wearing a red t-shirt and blue jeans, and a red button down long sleeve and black pants, respectively.
   ‘’Here,’’ you hear a little voice speak to you, and you look down to see Autumn Udaku, holding a paper heart out to you.
   You lean down to her level and smile at the beaming preschooler, who jumps up and down so fast that her puffy pigtails move with her.
   ‘’This is so beautiful, Autumn! I love it,’’ you gush to her, and the way that her little face lights up with pride makes your heart swell.
   ‘’Thank you,’’ she beams, hugging you around your legs.
   Autumn is, without a doubt, one of the most affectionate people that you’ve ever met. Maybe that’s why she and Damien get along so well. He comes up and hugs you then before showing his own Valentine to you off, glowing as i shower him in praise as well before Autumn takes his hand and he drags her to his table.
   You chuckle and shake your head fondly best friend so I’m as Erik dances over to you, giving you some oreos on a plate.
   ‘’Happy Valentine’s day,’’ he smirks, placing the plate in your hands, ‘’You’re not Sanaa so you don’t get the good dinner. But you’re her best friends so I gotta give you a little somethin’  somethin’ too.’’
   ‘’Shut up, N’Jadaka,’’ you laugh, shaking your head and gratefully accepting his ‘’gift’’  and thanking him.
   ‘’So what do you and my cousin have planned tonight,’’ he asks, and you shrug your shoulders.
   ‘’He couldn’t find a babysitter for Autumn. We’re gonna go out and pick up dinner, and then we are going to go back to his apartment and eat it and watch movies with her until it’s time to bed. Besides, I have to get a lot work to do for the Family Dance tomorrow.
   Every year, the elementary school across the street hosts a family dance for all of the students. This year, you got them to collaborate with the preschool. So, a lot of your students will be attending with their families.
   T’Challa is taken Autumn, and she couldn’t be more excited. When you were over their apartment last Friday, Autumn kept showing you the dress and her show and excitedly chatting about how Erik was going to braid her hair and everything.    
   So you find yourself sitting on a blanket in T’Challa’s living room, munching on pizza as you, him and Autumn watch a movie. Autumn is sitting in your lap, head leaned back against your shoulder as she chews on her pizza.
   You’re laughing at the movie as T’Challa watches you, loving how you are with Autumn. You are kind to her inside of the classroom and out of it. He can tell that it is not a show that you put on for him- you truly love that little girl, just like you love all of your students.
   This moment makes him entertain a thought that he hasn’t in so long- ‘’She could be the one’’.
   It’s when Autumn is asleep that you find yourself in T'Challa's bed, his hands removing your cardigan as yours move to the buttons of his shirt.
   So at, your physical relationship has gone no further than a hot makeout session and removing a jacket. T’Challa has made it clear that he wants to keep the physical part slowly building.
   Besides-he’s also not ready for even the possibility of another child so soon. No, not yet.
   ‘’T’Challa,’’ you breathe out as you break this kiss only to place your lips back on his.
   ‘’I know, I know,’’ he sighs, pressing one last kiss to your lips, ‘’We should cool down.’’
   He sits up then, as do you. You smooth out your shirt as he fixes the buttons on his own shirt.
   ‘’Do you need me to drive you home?’’
   ‘’No, I’ll be fine. I don’t want you wake Autumn up.’’
   He walks you to the door of the apartment. Presses a kiss to your lips and runs his thumb over your lips when he finishes. Tells you he loves you.
   Grins back and kisses you once more when you return the statement.
   You call him when you get in, and the two of you talk as you go through your nighttime routine. It’s so sweet and nearly domestic that it makes you heart swell.
   You entertain the thought of being like this with him in person, every night, full time.
   Because, you’re not certain about it, but you think that T’Challa Udaku might indeed be the one.
   The next night, T’Challa Udaku goes all out for his little girl. He gives her a corsage of pink flowers that he had made just for her. He poses for pictures with her, matching Autumn in his black suit, white shirt, and gold tie.
   He even got a car service for the night, and he holds her hand as they walk into the school, her little eyes dazzled by the decorations in the gym.
   Pepper Potts-Stark is already there, dancing with her son on her toes.
   Damien is giggling away as his mother shuffles them back and forth to the beat.
   Alyssa O’Malley, one of Autumn's classmates is dancing with her uncle, blonde hair swinging as he twirls her.
   You pot T’Challa and Autumn just as the little girl runs over to you, embracing you as if she hadn’t seen you just that day.
   ‘’You look pretty! Do I look pretty?’’
   ‘’Autumn, you look beautiful!,’’ you gush, twirling her around, ‘’I love this dress!’’
   ‘’Thank you!,’’ she gushes as T'Challa joins the two of you, ‘’Doesn’t baba look handsome?’’
   She’s definitely been spending too much time with Shuri.
   ‘’You do look handsome, my love,’’ you tell him, already aware that his face is burning.
   ‘’Thank you, entle,’’ he tells you before pressing a kiss to your forehead.
   He loves you completely and without hesitation. That’s part of why you fell for hi,.
   But when you see him holding his daughter close and dancing with her, cutting up her chicken during dinner and taking silly photos with her, you realize that your feelings go deeper than just being in love. You may very well want to spend your life with this man.
   But that, my friends, is a conversation for another day.
   In March, T'Challa sits Autumn down. He sits at the kitchen table, scribbles coloring book pages with brightly colored crayons with her. She sips on her soy milk and munches on animal crackers.
   ‘Intomba, what do you think about my girlfriend?’’
   ‘’My teacher? She’s nice. She always smells good except for after we have gym class. She’s smart and pretty, too.’’
   ‘’So do you like having her around?’’
   ‘’Yes,’’ Autumn doesn’t even look up from her drawing as she answers her baba.
   ‘’You know she’s not going to take mommy’s place, right?’’
   ‘’I know. Mommy says that she’s just an extra adult that loves me,’’ Autumn explain the word that Nakia told her last week as they sat in the hotel room and Nakia combed through her daughter’s tangled hair.
   ‘’I want you to know that, no matter what, mommy and baby will always love you. You mean the world to me, Autumn,’’ he tells her.
   Autumn smiles at her baba before moving so that she’s sitting on his’’ lap, resting with her head against this shoulder, ‘’I love you, baba.’’
   ‘’I love you, too, intomba,’’ T’Challa kisses his daughters hairline.
   They’re silent for a few moments, just sitting and enjoying being in each other's presence.
   ‘’Baba?’’
   ‘’Hmm,’’ he asks, smoothing out Autumn's curls.
   ‘’Are you going to marry my teacher?’
   T’Challa’s eyes widen as he looks at the four-year-old, ‘’Where did that come from?’’
   ‘’You really like her because you’re always sharing food with her like Damien does with me and you only share your sweet potato fries with me,’’ she explains, ‘’So if you find someone that you want to share your food with, you should probably marry them.’’
   Autumn is four and sees everything in black and white, and T’Challa finds that he learns a lot from her. With her, either something is one thing or it isn't. O if’s, and’s or but’s, no grey areas shaded in between.
   If you love someone, you spend your life with them.
   It’s that simple to her.
That’s why in April, when Autumn is spending a weekend with Nakia, he finds himself sitting with you on your couch. Sanaa is with N’Jadaka, so the two of you have the apartment to yourselves.
   ‘’No, we can’t go back to that pasta making class because you,’’ you point your finger at him, ‘’ Broke that woman’s pasta maker.’’
   ‘’How was I supposed to now the handle would come off?!’’
   You laugh heartily, shaking your head, ‘’You stopped being attractive to ehr in that moment. Like, instantly.’’
   ‘’Well, your pasta was awful.’’
   ‘’At least I got to make pasta and didn’t break the equipment.’’
   The next thing you now, his hands are moving up and down your side, tickling you. You erupt into giggles before the two of you fall to the ground and T’Challa continues to tickle you.
   ‘’Enough, enough!,’’ you continue to laugh as is hands slow.
   T’Challa chuckles then, before pressing a kiss to your lips, ‘’I love you so, so much.’’
   ‘’I love you, too.’’
   ‘’On fact,’’ he sits up, pulling you up with him, ‘’I wanted to ask you something. You know I care for you and I can see this working out. Long term. I know we haven’t even been together for even a year, yet, but…’’’
   He trails off then, obviously flustered. He wants to make this work but how will you react? Will you turn your head and runaway and not give him the time of day in this relationship? Will this be too much for you?
   ‘’I was thinking about that recently, too. I think that… I can see us making this long term.’’
   ‘’I’d like to marry up someday, since we’re being honest. Not soon. I don’t think that I’m ready for marriage anytime soon, or having my own kids. I mean, you know I love Autumn. But as far as having a child myself…’’
   ‘’It’s not the right time. I understand. I feel the same way about having another baby. I’d prefer to wait until Autumn is a bit older.’’
   ‘’That makes sense,’’ you nod, leaning your head against the couch, ‘’So… we’re going to stay together?’’
   ‘’We’re going to stay together,’’ he presses a kiss to the back of your hand that he’s still holding.
   ‘’And we’re going to get married someday.’’
   You don't’ ask that. You state it. You know that, just like the sun rising and setting,it is an inevitable truth. You want T'Challa just as badly as he wants you, and you want to spend the rest of your life with him.
   Maybe you’ve fallen for each other too fast, but you don’t care.
   As his lips descend on yours, you realize that you he doesn’t, either.
   Maybe you’re being reckless, but you don’t mind.
   Because if loving each other is hasty and imperfect, at least you’re in it together.
   It's in April that Nakia finds out just how much Autumn adores you. She’s spending the week with Nakia only two towns over, but she video chats T’Challa right before bed every night. T’Challa is nearly always with you when she does so, and Autumn is excited to speak with you right after she finishes talking to her baba.
   ‘’Autumn, she’s nice to you, yes?’’
   ‘’Really nice! When baba was sick, she helped me make soup for him and everything. She babysat me all ay until grandpa and granny came over.’’
   ‘’Oh, really,’’ Nakia questions as she cuts up Autumn’s food for her, ‘’What else?’’
   ‘’She taught me how to tie my shoes! And she always holds my hand when we are out and meet new people.’’
   ‘’She does now? Like when?’’
   ‘’Like when we went to the museum and they wanted us to work in groups with other people and baba was in the bathroom,’’ Autumn explains to her mother.
   Hm. She’ll need to see this for herself.
   Nakia knows T’Challa’s in love with you. And she loves him, but she’s not in love with him. Not anymore. She will always love him, as he will always love her. But his place is a spot next to you now.
   And, besides, she’s seeing someone new.
   Anyway. Nakia sees the day that T’Challa looks at you. What warms her heart is that you return the look when you gaze at him.
   Maybe that’s why at night when Autumn is falling asleep on her freshly braided hair, Nakia decides that she needs to have a conversation with you.
   It looks like you are going to be a constant, maybe even permanent, fixture in her daughter’s life.
   Nakia is not messing around when it comes to her daughter.
   So, she decides she'll +invite you to coffee one day. Talk things through. See where your head and your heart is. Because if they’re not with other T’Challa and Autumn, she’s going to tell T’Challa.
   Autumn Elizabeth Udaku is Nakia’s whole heart.
   And she’ll put her own friendship with T'Challa on the line before she dare lets him be with someone that doesn't love their daughter.
   It’s May when Autumn graduates from preschool. Sanaa takes pictures, as she has the day off from the town school due to a power outage. Erik gives her a fist bump. Nakia presses kisses to her daughter's cheeks as T’Challa does the same. Shuri cheers on her little niece,  N‘Jobu gives her a hug as she runs over to them afterwards. Ramonda pulls her granddaughter into her arms, and T’Chaka picks her up, pressing kisses to her hairline and cheeks.
   ‘’Grandpa is so proud of you, ‘’ he admits, ‘’You’ve graduated preschool.’’
   ‘’I’m so smart!,’’ Autumn announces, causing them all to laugh.
   ‘’You sure are smart, intomba!,’’ Autumn takes his daughter into his arms, ‘I love you.’’
   ‘’I love you, too, baba.’’
   You stroll over to the group after greeting more families, and Autumn rushes so that she’s hugging your legs, ‘’Did you see me?!’’
   ‘’I sure did, Autumn! You're a kindergartner now. Wow!’’
   The family invites you out to dinner.
   ‘’We found a restaurant that serves some dishes from Wakanda,’’ Shuri explains.    
   ‘’It is absolutely delicious,’’ N’Jobu reassures.
   ‘’She might be too busy,’’ T’Chaka looks to you, ‘’She’s had a very busy day, after all.’’
   It’s no secret that he doesn’t like you. Everyone, except Autumn and T’Challa, can see it.
   The only one of those two who has an excuse, as far as you are concerned, is Autun.
   She’s four.
   T’Challa is a grown man who doesn't see that his dad doesn't like you, Sanaa, or Peter. There’s a common theme there, and you think you’ve figured out the why, you just can’t understand what to do about it.
   That's conversation that’s not meant for now.
   So, much to T'Chaka’s chagrin, you agree. T'Challa holds your hand under the table and he openly rolls his eyes. Sanaa is seated next to N’Jadaka, and T’Chaka doesn’t even look at her when she speaks.
   Something tells you you’re going to have to have a talk with T’Challa.
   And the sooner, the better.
   Later, you’re walking back to the T’Challa’s car with N’Jadaka and Sanaa. Autumn Has gone off to spend time with Nakia, since she will not see her again until nearly the end of June.
   ‘’It’s a shame you can’t come with us on the trip,’’ N’Jadaka states.
   ‘’Oh, you know, I respect it being a family thing’’ you shrug, feeling T'Challa's grip on your hand tighten.
   ‘’Girl, please. You’re already part f the family. I think Sanaa would’ve liked you coming alone,’’ N’jadaka tell you, and it takes everything in you not to stop walking right here and look to T’Challa.
   You stew on that the whole way home. Ignoring the conversations between he other three adults in the car.
   T’Challa steals glances at you and you don’t return them.
   So he claimed this was a family vacation…
   Yet Erik invited Sanaa.
   Sanaa. Who he has been dating just as long as T’Challa has been dating you. T'Challa didn’t invite you on the trip that he is taken with his family, his daughter and his ex wife.
   His ex-wife who you know he still loves.
   Have T’Chaka’s words finally penetrated T’Challa’s mind? Has he seen what T’Chaka ha said as the truth and exchanged bitter words for the sweet future he’s promise you?
   Is there something going on between him and Nakia and you being in Wakanda would ruin that?
   He doesn't say a word to you as you drop Sanaa and Nakia off at his place.
   He doesn't’ say a word when you walk up to your own apartment, him silently falling behind you.
   He doesn't say a word events you close the door of your apartment adnt ur to him.
   ‘’Entle,’’ T’Challa begins voice heavy and breaking, like ice that has finally been cracked by something stronger than it.
T’Challa’s demeanor is his armor, and this has epoxies things that he never wanted to- the fact that he can keep a secret, even if his intentions were originally good and was doing it with a good heart.
He’s hurt you now, and he must explain.
‘’My love, I-’’
   ‘’Stop right here. I’ve been thinking about this the whole car ride. I think… T’Challa.’’
   ‘’Entle?’’
   ‘’T’Challa… we need to talk.’’
DISCLAIMER- I DO NOT OWN ANY MARVEL CHARACTERS, I JUST LIKE WRITING FANFICTION. I WON DAMIEN, AUTUMN, AND SANAA, AND ALYSSA IN THIS CHAPTER.
@ashanti-notthesinger​ @destinio1​ @afraiddreamingandloving​ @starsshines-blog​ @airis-paris14​ @syreanne​ @chaneajoyyy​ @90sinspiredgirl​ @shemiahsmelanin @zillmonger @skysynclair19 @bidibidibombaclaat @marvelpotterlove @constantlycravingtheunknown @imaginewhoever @wakanda-inspired @pocmarvelworks @theunsweetenedtruth @dreampovx
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