“Is this about what happened in my bed chambers last night?” Lord Kade Arryn’s ward, Lady Veronica Lannister, said. “I had the maester make me a tea, you do not need to worry about my honour.”
But Prince Archie Stark was worried about her honour. In a perfect world, he could have expressed the feelings that overcame him when he was around Veronica, and no Lord in Westeros would care. Unfortunately they did not live in that world, and she would not be able marry now that they had slept together.
“You are promised to Betty Mormont.” Veronica added. “Do not weaken your crown by upsetting an ally, not on my account.”
She did bring up a valid point - but he and Lady Betty were only recently betrothed by his grandmother and her father. They only met a few times, and he honestly felt nothing for the woman. When he first saw Veronica, however, he fell for her instantly.
“The Mormonts understand honour.” Archie assured her. “They may not understand how my love for you overcame me, but they will understand the need to preserve your honour.”
If worst came to worse, Archie would promise his future heir one of Polly Mormont’s future children. As much as he wanted love for his own blood, he also wanted them safe. One might say that it was selfish to put them in that situation, but he couldn’t undo what happened between him and Veronica - and he didn’t want to, either. This was the best step forward.
“Besides, I cannot think of a greater honour than having you as my Queen.” Archie added.
Veronica blushed at that, which gave him a warm feeling in his chest. He loved these little signs that she was just as fond of him as he was of her.
“Would the North even accept a Lady from the Six Kingdoms as their Queen?” Veronica asked. “A Lannister one, at that.”
“Robb Stark died decades ago.” Archie assured her. “They’ll be uncertain at first, but they’ll come around when you serve them well on my council.”
“On your council?” Veronica asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I know you would not be happy simply bearing me children.” Archie said. “I will find you a role on my small council, and you can serve the Kingdom.”
The last thing he wanted to do was hold her back.
“I will still give you sons.” Veronica voice broke, a strong sound of joy in her tone. It was probably something her mother taught her to say to suitors.
Archie glanced up from the ground, where he was on one knee, and could see a tearful grin on her face.
“What if I want only daughters?” Archie asked, raising from the ground and reaching out to grab Veronica’s hand. “To one day rule as well as my grandmother does?”
The grin on Veronica’s face grew alongside Archie’s, and he knew then that it was settled. He would ride to King‘a Landing to stand before the elderly but enduring King Bran, and then he would return to the Eyrie and ride north with his bride.
Part II - Beggie
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BEING A LIST OF THE THIRTEEN GREATEST RIVERDALE LINES, ON THE OCCASION OF THAT SHOW'S TERMINATION
As our much loved/hated show comes to an end, I feel compelled to record, for posterity, the greatest thirteen pieces of dialogue to spring from the pens of RAS and his henchmen. It was, of course, originally a top ten list, but I simply could not exclude a few of these treasures. Without further ado:
13.
“I dropped out in the 4th grade, to sell drugs, to support my nana.”
“That means you haven't known the triumphs and defeats, the epic highs and lows of high school football.”
Spoken by: an inmate of Leopold and Loeb Juvenile Detention Center, and Archie Andrews.
In: 3 x 2
Yeah, okay, this one had to be on the list. It’s funny, I’ll admit. It’s a great example of the overwrought semi-sincere melodrama that helped make this show so special. It’s low on the list largely because The Normies got their hands on it, so every time I hear someone make a reference I get all “do not cite the deep magic to me, witch.”
12.
“No! No! What are we supposed to do now? I’m horny as heck!”
Spoken by: Archie Andrews
In: 7 x 16
Season 7 is undeniably dreadful, and yet there are diamonds in the rough. The occasion is the failure of a projector, just as Archie and Reggie prepare to watch a pornographic film. The utter desperation with which KJ Apa delivers this line is exquisite. One is made to feel they are witnessing a genuine tragedy.
11.
“Tonight, they’re making an exception and debuting a cover of the song my parents claim they were listening to the night Jason and I were conceived.”
Spoken by: Cheryl Blossom.
In: 1 x 1
Really a fantastic line. A wonderful encapsulation of the casual absurdity of Cheryl’s character, and a foretaste of the lunacy we would plumb in later episodes and seasons.
10.
“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m weird. I’m a weirdo. I don’t fit in and I don’t want to fit in. Have you ever seen me without this stupid hat on? That’s weird.”
Spoken by: Jughead Jones
In: 1 x 10
A genuine classic. “High school football” before “high school football.” One is never entirely sure just how sincere the line is meant to be, both on a meta-level and in-universe. A perfect illumination of Jughead’s pretentiousness. It is made all the better by the occasional cuts to Lili Reinhard’s agonized face.
9.
“At the last dance, multiple students were murdered.”
Spoken by: Principal Holden Honey.
In: 4 x 2
Delivered as an explanation to Toni and Cheryl, as to why there would be no school dance this year. Principal Honey is in fact supremely rational in the cancellation of this dance. This being Riverdale, he is of course treated as an unreasonable tyrant.
8.
“Bro, I know all the secrets of this universe.”
Spoken by: Archie Andrews (evil version)
In: 6 x 5
Spoken as evil Archie reveals his evil plan to keep the parallel universes apart. KJ Apa’s delivery once again makes this line. He is comically sinister. Strangely, he sells it.
7.
“A Vughead kiss, right now, in the present might be precisely what it takes to save a future Bughead from imploding.”
Spoken by: Jughead Jones.
In: 2 x 14
One of those lines that both makes me laugh and makes me genuinely angry. This was a fairly early season, and this may have actually been the first line to get me asking, ‘did they genuinely write and deliver that?’ Extra points for use of the atrocious ‘Vughead’ portmanteau ship name rather than ‘Jeronica.’
6.
“I’m the ultimate wild card. I am the daughter of The Black Hood. The nightmare from next door. I’m training with the FBI and I’m coming for you, you psycho bitch.”
Spoken by: Betty Cooper
In: 4 x 14
Just delicious. Another one of those lines that leaves you somewhat unsure whether or not the writers understood how genuinely hysterical it was. “The Nightmare from Next Door” sounds like an announcer hyping up a wrestler. Spoken with a raw sincerity by Lili Reinhart. Also points for the heavy homoeroticism between Betty and Donna.
5.
“For I am Cheryl Blossom, Queen of the Bees.”
Spoken by: Cheryl Blossom.
In: 5 x 16.
This one really doesn’t require any elaboration.
4.
“Elijah ascended…and I will, too.”
Spoken by: Edgar Evernever.
In: 4 x 5.
Admittedly, this one is only spectacular with context. But in context—the context being that Chad Michael Murray delivers this line while dressed like Evel Knievel and standing in a cartoon rocket right out of a Warner Bros cartoon—it becomes utterly magnificent.
3.
“It’s not queer baiting, it’s saving the world.”
Spoken by: Veronica Lodge.
In: 6 x 22.
It’s actually hard for me to decide whether this one is funnier with or without context. Without context it’s wonderful, but it possibly becomes even funnier when you know that the context is that Veronica needs to kiss Cheryl to transfer superpowers into her body so she can turn into a Scarlet Witch knock-off and stop a magic comet summoned by Sephiroth an English wizard who is also the Devil.
2.
“If there’s no wedding reception, it means the Gargoyle King has won.”
Spoken by: Kevin Keller.
In: 3 x 12.
One of my personal favorites. This is a perfect line because like #3, it requires no real elaboration. There is absolutely no context in which it isn’t hysterical.
1 .
“Word of my exploits serving Nick his comeuppance has seeped into the demimonde of mobsters and molls my father used to associate with, so the five families are sending their youngest and brightest, their ‘princes,’ as it were to, well, come court the rare Mafia Princess who can belly up to the bar with the big boys.
Spoken by: Veronica Lodge.
In: 2 x 20.
This is, in my opinion, the all-timer. Every word is perfect. The rapid-fire alliteration. The use of the word ‘demimonde.’ The entirely unnecessary addition of ‘as it were.’ This is borderline Dr. Seuss. The fact that Camila Mendes delivered it without cracking a smile should have won her an Emmy. No. An Oscar. This line is Riverdale.
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String Beans and Goldfish
Summary: Defending someone who everyone hates is hard. Especially when you're standing in front of a bunch of gang members and Mr. Serpent Hottie won't stop staring at you.
Pairing: Sweet Pea x fem!reader
*****
As soon as you walked through the door, you felt the piercing gaze of 20 something pairs of eyes on you. There was only one that truly mattered, but you pushed down your weird volatile feelings and cleared your throat, stepping up to Jughead.
“What are you doing here?” He raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you were into gaming.”
You rolled your eyes with a scoff. “Sorry Jughead, I’m not here to join this fun little club you’ve got going on here. I’m here to talk to you guys.”
“See Jughead, she’s probably here to tell us how stupid our club sounds. Literally who’s going to believe this.” Fangs whined.
You avoided looking at Fangs, because you knew exactly who would be standing right next to him.
“Honestly, I don’t give a shit about your club. I just need to talk to you guys about Reggie.”
You heard a collective groan among them at the name of Riverdale High’s star athlete, infamous among the Serpents for being a complete asshole.
“Why? You here to defend that dick? You his girlfriend or something?”
Shit.
You looked to where the voice came from, although you knew exactly who it was. You made eye contact with him, his eyes, cold and proud, staring into you intently, waiting for an answer. There was an emotion rippling through his body that you couldn’t quite put your finger on.
Anger? Jealousy? Both?
Sweet Pea remembered the first time he saw you- the drag race. You were leaning against the truck Reggie was sitting on, your elbow resting on Kevin’s shoulder, looking annoyed as you squinted in the sun.
You had taken a sip out of Reggie’s red solo cup, making a disgusted scrunched up face before shoving the drink back into his hands.
Sweet Pea almost smirked from his place on his motorcycle next to Toni, but remembered he wouldn’t be caught dead smiling at a Northsider.
He couldn’t help but steal glances at you the whole time, and he for sure as hell could see you looking back at him.
The second time he saw you was on the Serpents’ disastrous first day at Riverdale High.
You were standing off to the side behind Kevin, trying your best not to cringe at Veronica’s enthusiasm and Archie’s uncomfiness. Sweet Pea wasn’t even listening to whatever Veronica was saying, instead eye-flirting with you the whole time.
You didn’t say anything when Cheryl and Reggie made their dramatic entrance down the stairs, apart from an audible groan and an eye roll. But, he did see you pull the sleeve of Reggie’s jacket back when he tried to storm up to Sweet Pea, a glint of warning in your eyes. Reggie immediately backed down, and Sweet Pea scowled at the sight, a string of jealousy pulling in his stomach.
He later learned you were in his World History fifth hour class. You and Cheryl walked in late, accompanied by Principal Weatherbee. Cheryl holding a rag to her bleeding nose, and a bruise forming on your knuckles, and your seat was coincidentally the one right next to the one he sat in.
”Damn you must be one hungry chick.” Sweet Pea watched as you pulled out yet another pack of goldfish.
“Thanks, string bean.” You smiled, trying your best to cover up the rapid beating of your heart. “It’s one of my best qualities.”
He raised his eyebrows with a smirk. “It’s actually Sweet Pea.”
“Well, Sweet Pea, maybe you should take me to Pop’s one time and I can show you much I can eat in one sitting.” You said with a wink, a playful smile tugging at your lips.
And before Sweet Pea could flirt back, Reggie stormed over, narrowing his eyes at Sweet Pea, threat clear in his eyes. Before he could throw out an insult, the teacher interrupted, loudly telling Reggie to sit down.
He grudgingly did, but he spent the rest of class glaring murderously at Sweet Pea. And of course, Sweet Pea flirted with you even more because of that.
And now you were here, at an undercover Serpent meeting trying to defend him.
That filled Sweet Pea with rage.
“Look, string- Sweet Pea. I’m not trying to make up excuses for him. I’m just trying to show you his side.”
“Those sound an awful lot like excuses, sweetheart.” Sweet Pea sneered.
You tried not to choke at the nickname.
“Look, Pea, I don’t want to get in the middle of whatever sexual tension is going on between you two, but how about we hear what she’s gotta say.” Toni tried to reason.
“Thank you.” You sent Toni a warm smile, ignoring the first part of her sentence, before facing the rest of them.
“Okay look. I know, Reggie is an asshole. But deep down . . . he’s actually still kind of an asshole- you know what, I have no clue where I’m going with this, lemme start over.” You said with the wave of your hand. “Reggie’s going through a lot right now. His dad- let’s just say he isn’t the best father.”
You paused, thinking how to phrase your thoughts. “He’s going through a lot of shit at home, and-”
“So? That gives him a right to treat us like shit? Tell Reggie to get over himself. Other kids get abused, doesn’t mean they go around acting like dickbags.” Sweet Pea snarled, venom dripping from his voice.
You narrowed your eyes at him, getting defensive. “No, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m just saying- honestly I don’t even know what I’m saying.”
You looked down at the floor, suddenly feeling stupid. You kicked at the tile, your converse skidding on the floor.
“I’ve known Reggie for a long time, and what I’ve accumulated over all this time is that Reggie is terrible with feelings. When he’s mad, he’s angry. When he’s sad, he’s angry. When he feels like shit, he’s angry. It may not seem like it, but he’s really hurting inside. So he thinks the solution is to take it out on other people. And you guys are the perfect target.” You got quieter, the previous anger in your voice turning into sadness.
Sweet Pea suddenly felt guilty for yelling, which was a feeling he rarely ever felt.
“Look, guys. If you want to beat him up, go for it, he honestly deserves it for being so terrible.” You took in a breath. “But try not to kill him, please. He’s my best friend.” Your voice went down to a whisper at the end.
The kid next to Sweet Pea rolled his eyes. “Please. Save the acting, bitc-”
He was quickly silenced by the thunderous slam of Sweet Pea’s palm onto the desk.
“Nevermind.” His jaw clenched.
Sweet Pea’s eyes stayed on the desk, but he caught the slight smile on your face. He was too proud to tell you that he’ll try to go easy on Reggie, just for you, but you understood.
And that was what made you special.
Before anyone could say anything, Reggie’s voice echoed in the hallway, calling your name.
“You should probably go before your boyfriend gets mad.” Sweet Pea muttered angrily, falling even deeper into the dark pit called jealousy.
You turned to walk out the door, but not before looking Sweet Pea dead in the eye.
”He’s not my boyfriend, string bean.”
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