#as is customary to protect said child

[sailorkamino]

sheltered

relatonships: geraskier x magic!reader [tangled au]

word count: 1.8k

summary: your village believed you to be born cursed and would have killed you, if not for stragobor. you've spent your whole life locked away in a tower but now you've got a chance for freedom in the form of a bard, a witcher, and an pretty horse.

warnings: stragobor, emotionally abusive parent, gaslighting, anti witcher prejudice, death/murder, pre relationship, emotional support dogs

a/n: my first time writing for the witcher! what do you think? i might turn this into a series <3

Spring is coming so you’re making new outfits for your beloved hounds. Which isn’t at all depressing no matter what that one judgemental bird thinks. Anyways you’re using golden yellow fabric for Honeysuckle and cool blue for Periwinkle. As is customary.

Then you sense them. Strangers. You become almost dizzy with fear and excitement. A type of desperation only experienced when you live in a forced solitude. You make your way to the window, desperate for a glance. It’s not like they’ll be able to see you. Your entire tower is invisible to outsiders.

“Hey, look at this tower.”

You choke on air. Your dogs leap from your bed to check on you (still in their winter sweaters.) You hold your breath as two people and a horse step into the clearing. Then you meet yellow cat-like eyes and you’re diving to the floor with a startled noise.

“Careful. Magic.”

One of them is mumbling but it’s drowned out by the sound of your rapid heart. Honeysuckle whines in concern, licking your face. Periwinkle takes a protective stance over both of you, growling out the window.

Father has always told you witchers are bloodthirsty savages. They’ll kill any innocent being for a profit. They know no morals, only violence. When you were born under a black sun your religious village wanted you dead. Father hid you away for protection. You’re not looking to relieve the witch hunt experience.

You mentally poke at the witcher, feeling out his aura. He doesn’t seem particularly beastly. Animals tend to be more shallow than people, all instincts and simple emotions. Surprisingly he doesn’t feel that.

A part of you has always questioned your father's prejudice. You stopped voicing it but the concerns remained. Father hates witchers because they kill beasts. If monsters can be good, why can’t witchers? An old argument resurfaces in your memory.

“Have you listened to a word I’ve said, child?” Father asks angrily. “You cry when a rat dies yet defend butchers.” You look away, embarrassed by his mocking tone.

“This is why you stay in this tower. You’re too naïve for the outside world.”

You wonder if that’s the real reason he keeps you locked away. You’re capable of defending yourself now. So is he really protecting you? Or is he protecting the world? All because you were born under a black sun. Why must you be punished for being different? Why must witchers?

You think of the villagers who looked at a crying orphan and saw a threat. Who saw killing an infant as a lesser evil. You don’t want to be like that. Privately you wonder why your mentor sees compassion as a weakness but you’ve learnt it’s better to agree with him. “Yes father. I’m sorry.”

“No need to fear us. I’m Jaskier the bard, master of the seven liberal arts, and this is my companion, Geralt of Rivia! Could you give us directions to the nearest town?” The colorful man calls out.

Your heart races until you feel dizzy. So this is the butcher. The most beastly and cruel of all the witchers. He’s… underwhelming to say the least. Certainly least nightmarish and more dreamy than you imagined. But you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. You take a calming breath, petting your hounds to ground yourself.

The primal fear inside of you is wrestling with your desire for a real life conversation with a stranger. This could be your chance to hear both sides of what happened in Blaviken. Father always says you’re too naïve but only tells you his point of view. You’re almost sick with nerves when you blurt out rather loudly, “I wouldn't know. I’ve never been in the forest before.”

There’s a long pause and you can sense confusion. Have you already messed up? You don't want them to leave. Well the witcher can go, but the colorful one seems nice. You pop your head back into view, “I don’t leave my tower. I’m sorry. I… like your horse.” Compliments make you friends right?

“Don’t leave or can’t?” A much gruffer voice asks. You shiver. (He didn’t even say thank you for the compliment, how rude.)

“I’m safe here.” The words sound unconvincing to your own ears. You tell yourself it's because of fear. Not because you’re beginning to question them.

“Who says?”

“My father.”

They share a concerned look. You bite your lip in embarrassment. It sounds quite childish when you say it out loud. But you’ve been persecuted before, you aren’t about to let your guard down around a hired killer. So… why are you still talking to him?

Then you notice the brunet’s instrument. What a lovely change of subject. “Is that a lute?”

“It is!”

You’re practically jumping now. Honeysuckle, picking up on your excitement, smacks you with her wagging tail. “I’ve never heard a bard before! Play me something?”

Jaskier goes impossibly sad. You frown, hating the kicked puppy expression. What did you do wrong? Maybe you should just stick to socializing with animals. At least the rats find you charming.

“You’ve never heard music, my dear?”

Your face goes hot, both at the endearment and the pity in his voice. “I have lots of instruments but I don’t think I’m very good. Being self taught and all.”

“Why don’t I come up and give you a lesson? Free of charge!”

Your stomach twists in knots. You don’t know what’s more terrifying. Your new friend coming inside or leaving you to loneliness. You avoid eye contact when you answer. “My father wouldn’t like that.”

“What would you like?” The witcher asks sternly. You freeze. No one has ever cared what you wanted before. Is that concern you sense from him? Sympathy? From a so-called beast? Your silence seems like an answer enough. “So can’t leave,” he concludes.

“Can others enter?” Jaskier asks curiously.

You don’t know why you answer but you do. “Only with a portal. There’s no door.”

“But there’s a window.”

You frown. Obviously there’s a window, you’re talking out of it right now. Maybe your new friend is a little slow.

“Rope?” he proposes to the witcher.

Your mouth drops open. A rope? That’s it? Years of isolation by a warlock solved with a fucking rope? It can’t be that simple. It just can’t be. “My father is very powerful,” you warn. “And he hates witchers.”

“Him and most of the continent,” the man grumbles dryly. For some reason you feel guilty. Years of indoctrination to hate his kind, forgotten in mere minutes. Maybe you really are naïve.

“Who’s your father, dear? Maybe we know him?”

You sincerely hope not. “Stregobor.”

Dead silence. Then a very empathetic “fuck.”

Your stomach sinks. That’s the most emotion you’ve heard in the witcher’s voice so far and it doesn't sound good. Will they judge you for your fathers deeds? Wait, why are you assuming your father’s in the wrong? Since when did he become the bad guy? (Maybe he always has been but you’ve ignored it.)

“Let me guess, you were born during a black sun?” He asks flatly.

You feel as if a rug has been pulled out from under you. The comfort that’s been growing disappears, replaced with icy fear. You don’t even know this man yet you still feel betrayed. “Are you here to kill me?” You ask, slightly wobbly.

He sighs tiredly. Maybe he gets asked that a lot. “No. You aren’t fucking cursed. You were born during an eclipse. A completely natural phenomenon. A bunch of old bastards made up that curse for power and control.”

Your jaw drops, conflicting emotions raging inside of you. If he’s right you’re not cursed, which is great. But it also means your father has betrayed you. Your whole life can’t be a lie. It just can’t. A sinking part of you knows he’s making sense, even wants to believe him, but you desperately ignore it.

“I hurt people,” you confess abruptly.

“I thought you never left this tower?” Jaskier asks.

“When I was a baby.”

The witcher raises an unimpressed brow. “Did Stregobor tell you that?”

You growl in frustration as a strong wind rustles the trees. Jaskier looks around in bewilderment but the witcher holds your steady gaze. Not easily frightened by your show of power or glowing eyes.

“I’ve met a lot of monsters. You’re not one.”

The words you’ve always longed to hear. Uttered by the man you’ve been taught to hate. You take a moment to collect your flurry of emotions before answering. “Funny,” you smile weakly, “I was gonna say the same thing about you, witcher.”

You steady yourself before asking the next question. Knowing it won’t be easy but needing answers. The more you talk to Geralt the more you question what you’ve been taught about witchers. Maybe you don’t want him to be a monster. Maybe you’re so lonely you don’t care if he is.

“Tell me about Blaviken.”

“What?” His voice is somehow gruffer. Face horribly blank and posture rigid.

“Every story has two sides, yet I’ve only heard my father’s.”

He sighs deeply. Then begins. He tells you about Renfri. A princess born under the black sun. Her step mother was looking for a way to get rid of her and the curse was convenient. Stregobor agreed the girl was an evil mutant that must be isolated but her step mother wanted her dead. Together they ruined her life.

Renfri evaded them. She spent years being hunted, until she became the hunter. Eventually she formed a gang of sorts and tracked Stregobor to Blaviken but couldn’t enter his tower. (Apparently the idea of living in a tower forever was very distressing to your father. You don't know if you should laugh or vomit.)

Both Renfri and Stregobor asked Geralt to kill the other but he refused, not wanting to get involved. Although he hated Stregobor he tried to talk the princess out of revenge. It was too late. She threatened to kill townspeople until the warlock came out.

Your heart sinks at the ultimatum. Your father has never been a compassionate man. By the grim look on the witcher’s face he knew it too. In the end Geralt did what Stregobor wanted him to do. Instead of payment or thanks he was branded a butcher.

The fear-shame-grief rolling off of the witcher (definitely not emotionless by the way) is enough to make your eyes sting. Your gaze settles on Jaskier, who’s gone into full sad puppy mode. You have a feeling he’s never heard the full story either. You clear your choked throat.

“You mentioned a rope, good sir?”

#the witcher #geralt x jaskier x reader #geraskeir #geraskier x reader #geralt x jaskier #geralt x reader #geralt of rivia #jaskier x reader

[mikasasrippedtoenail]

The Plight of Indian Widows

A woman's dignity is not her own possession. Her life is at the mercy of men around her. She is a commodity to be owned and sold first by her father then her husband. Her entire existence is tied to her servitude to those around her. After giving so much to the world, there is little life left inside of her. Yet, the world still demands her forfeit of this little life after the death of her husband. In India, a woman was expected to burn herself alive in the holy pyre of her husband's body as a show of loyalty in a practice called Sati that was outlawed in 1929(yet it is still rampant today in many rural parts of India).

With her husband no more, she must have no reason to live.Widowhood is the harbringer of acute discrimination for women in South Asia. Widows are ostracized by society and shunned by their family to live a destitute life in "Vidhwa Ashrams". Even the shadow of a widow was believed to inflict depredation and brought. They are called witches and man-eaters. They are forbidden from wearing anything but white clothes and are expected to practice strict abstinence. Widows in Afghanistan are called besarparast, meaning "household without a head". It is customary for a woman to shave off her head to appear undesirable. Her sexuality is confined, her needs and wants must die alongside her husband. Widow remarriage-although legal- is deeply stigmatized as a grave sin.

Widows are not considered to be a part of society. They can neither celebrate festivals nor travel without a religious purpose. In some extreme cases, they are made to drink the bathwater of their husbands’ dead bodies and have unprotected sex to "cleanse themselves of the sin of causing their husbands" death. Young widows also fall prey to the leering eyes of men. Child brides especially are prone to fall victim to manipulation by people around them. Men consider that since marriage has taken away her "innocence", she can now be sexually exploited.

Barring a few states, married women cannot inherit their husband's property. This lack of financial stability is the root cause of their exploitation. Most husbands leave their wives penniless. What little savings he might have had are spent on funeral rites. Relatives do not want to support her financially, considering her children and herself as excess baggage. Her parents also close the doors on her face for it is often said - "only a woman's dead body should come out of her husband's house."

This new found vulnerability makes her an easy prey for prostitution. A primary form of survival for widows is to sell their body through pimps. However, in most ashrams, they are forced to perform sexual favours by the heads of the ashram to gain money. The heads use their political power to silence the widows from raising their voice against this rape. With nowhere else to go, this cycle continues. The widows who get pregnant from this rape are "mauled by quacks for a painfully searing abortion and If that’s not done, then they would have an extra mouth to feed and an extra pair of hands to beg."

As of today, India is the abode of 42 million widows-a social class that is woefully exploited. Widows are often forced to dedicate the remaining parts of their lives to their religion. They must have no desires or wants except singing the God's praise. Widowhood for most women marks the death of their happines and social life. Although with changing times the attitude towards widows is turning positive, it is the bitter truth that the condition of widows from orthodox regions live a terrible life.

Laws protecting women are scarce- let alone widows. In India, widows are considered to be the class 1 heirs of ancestral properties. However, most of them are uneducated and unaware of the laws surrounding them. They are easily manipulated by relatives to give up their rights to the property. As for self acquired property, most men do not mention the name of their wives in their wills. After 2005, women alive on december, 2005 have a right over their father's ancestral property alongside their brothers. One must not forget that women inheriting property is still not socially acceptable in India and women who recieve property are few and far between.

To uplift widows, one must make them aware of the rights around them. Government and local NGOs should work together to organize awareness campaigns on the rights of widows. Women without capital left behind by their husbands should get a monthly stipend. "Vidhwa Ashrams" should be heavily regulated. More so, the social stigma shrouding widows must be removed. Treatment of women belonging to marginalized communities are a reflection of how dire the situation of women's rights are in India. Opening women owned women only shelters is the prime solution for the upliftment of women.

#radblr #radical feminism #radical feminists do interact #radical feminists do touch #terfsafe #radical feminist safe #trans exclusionary radical feminist #female seperatism #women are the superior sex #widows #india #Patriarchy #male violence #male privilege #sexism #gender roles #womens rights

[bodyguardbracket]

Round 2: Butler (Artemis Fowl) vs Murderbot (The Murderbot Diaries)

[Propaganda Under Cut]

Butler:

He Raised That Boy! Butler (it's against rules for his employer to know his first name so he only told it to Artemis when he was literally dying (that whole book was about Artemis saving his life)) was first employed by Artemis's father (Artemis senior), as is customary for their families. Artemis Fowl lore includes the tidbit that the Butler family has been helping and guarding the Fowl family for so long (like centuries) that they're the origin of the word. Anyway, Fowl senior disappears when our Artemis is a child, so the child genius decides to continue the family legacy of international crime, which means that Butler has to protect him from everything and everyone. He manages it though. He's a one-man army. He's feared by elite forces. Anyone who tries to get to Artemis has to go through Butler but he's not letting anyone do that. He literally protects this boy with his life, and he cares for him like family, because who cares about employers when said employer is a child trying to find his father and you've been with them for all their life?

Murderbot: It was literally designed for this. Its sole purpose for existence is to be a SecUnit and to protect its clients (and also to data mine them because it lives in a capitalist hellscape but anyway). And it doesn't actually have a choice in that because its controlled by its governor module and isn't actually viewed as a person, except it hacked its system so it DOES have a choice and it still decides that what it wants to do is protect its humans, just while also being treated as a person. And it is so fiercely protective of everyone it feels responsible for, even if it is also very annoyed by its stupid squishy humans who wont stop putting themselves at risk.

#bodyguard battle #round 2 #Butler #domovoi butler #artemis fowl #Murderbot #murderbot diaries

[kusagrasskusa]

I saw @yns-world do this so I kind of wanted to steal their thing XD But it’s really entertaining! So here’s my version of…

MK Villains meeting/hearing about their (and your) child

Erron Black, Shang Tsung, Baraka, Kano, Quan Chi, Shao Kahn edition!

Part 2!

Tell me whoever else you may want! I want to do a heros one after this, so tell me who you want!

Edit: I’m not even kidding, I was looking for some Erron X Readers, saw this, read this, said “ohh I like that one” and “ew that’s cringy” without knowing this is fucking mine XDXD I looked back at this and just gasped because I fr didn’t think I wrote this

Erron Black

Erron: Ye look a lot like me. Ya one of them alternate universe me’s?

Son: No, but I’m here to kill you unlike what other me’s could do

Erron: Well if I die, tell other me’s to kill Y/N after pulling out

—

Erron: You got my eyes and your mother’s bad attitude

Daughter: And her hatred for you

Erron: Nah, our bloodline is filled with hate

—

Son: I wonder what she saw in you when you first met

Erron: Beats me, I wondered what she saw in the first hundred guys she fucked

Son: I’m gonna make you take that back!

—

Erron: If only I raised you instead, you wouldn’t be this big o’ a pussy

Son: My mother raised me better without you in my life

Erron: Yeah, never mind. You and yer mom are too ignorant to hang around

—

You: Your daughter is a horse girl, y’know. Ya should go show her ‘round here on one

Erron: I’m too busy for that demon girl

You: Of course you are. And she’s a demon because of you

—

Kotal Kahn: You have a child who asked for you

Erron: I don’t have a kid

Kotal Kahn: Well I shall introduce you two after this then

Shang Tsung

Shang Tsung: I have been awaiting this day, my child

Daughter: Why? To destroy every woman’s life who meets you?

Shang Tsung: No, but I wonder what might a limp, pitiful creature such as yourself do when their whore of a mother is killed

Daughter: You are beyond fucked up.

—

Son: I remember the last time I saw you

Shang Tsung: It was quite the tragedy, indeed

Son: You couldn’t fucking stop laughing at me suffer through my mother’s death

—

Daughter: Whenever she died, did you care, father?

Shang Tsung: Why of course, I feared how her death would affect my precious child

Daughter: You feared so much you threw your precious child into the claws of death

Shang Tsung: At least the Kahn didn’t kill you instead.

—

Shang Tsung: When I was your age, it was customary for sons to protect and serve their parents

Son: I protect and serve my mother. You are a mere parasite to me

Shang Tsung: Oh, the parasite within you will enjoy tearing you apart

—

Shang Tsung: Does [child] know we are meeting?

You: She is sound asleep, and I promised she will awaken with her father home

Shang Tsung: She will awaken to her mother in pain so she never wants to see me again

You: All she wants is 5 minutes, Shang!

—

Raiden: You look just like your mother

Daughter: But I’m stronger than she’ll ever be

Raider: And you are as blind as your father

—

Lui Kano:

Baraka

Son: It’s funny that people try to kill me for being your child rather than for being tarkatan

Baraka: How’s that funny?

Son: They’re killing your people to get to you, father. You’re why your people are disappearing.

—

Baraka: Female tarkatan gather, not fight

Daughter: Come on father! One round! You know I’m better than my brothers, anyways

Baraka: This is why you’ll be the man in the family once I’m gone

—

Baraka: My favorite fighter

Son: [daughter] said she fights better!

Baraka: Let us find out then

—

Daughter: I remember the tribe before mother died

Baraka: You will never honor or lay eyes on it again, traitor!

Daughter: I put good deeds over personal victory, father

—

Mileena: You’re beautiful, for being Baraka’s

Daughter: You’re ugly, for being Sindel’s

Mileena: Hehe, I’ll bite that tongue if you don’t, savage!

Kano (he’s so fucking hot)

Kano: Before anything else, ya motha’ came onto me first

Son: I- did not ask

Kano: Well, she asked- she asked for more every night

—

Daughter: My mom is obsessed with you, still

Kano: And lemme tell you, she was crazy over me back then too. A freak, really

Daughter: Are we both talking about [Y/N]?

Kano: Oh yeah, she never told you? She loved me

—

You: Still as fine as the day we met

Kano: You must be thinking of the wrong Kano, but I’d love to show you what the young me can do

You: Yeah, like give me a kid to raise on my own

—

Sonya: I thought I killed younger you already!

Kano: Hah, I always knew me boy would be useful one day

Sonya: Oh, shit- It was your son?

—

Kano: Y/N?

Daughter: Mother died a few years back

Kano: And you look as beautiful as she did

—

Kano: There’s no way. I pulled out!

Son: You pull-out game sucked then

Kano: Like father, like son then, ay?

—

Daughter: Mom said you promised to take me out today!

Kano: Daddy.. was probably drink’n’ ay

Daughter: If I have to drag you all the way out there, I will!

Quan Chi

Quan Chi: I sense demon within you. You aren’t from Earthrealm

Daughter: I’m the perfect mix of holiness and unholiness

Quan Chi: Then you are a worthless mutt

—

You: Shinnok won’t take us fighting lightly. We’re supposed to unify and serve

Quan Chi: I shall not let him take [child] from us

You: You are a traitor

—

Raiden: You betray your realm for what?

You: I am sorry, but my child’s safety is worth more than Earthrealm’s would ever be

Raiden: So you aid the destruction of the safest realm?

—

Quan Chi: My son

Son: Do not call me that, demon

Quan Chi: Your demon workings are put to sleep within you, allow me to show you what you really are inside

—

Daughter: There was a time when mother thought you loved her

Quan Chi: A demon cannot feel love, my child

Daughter: You loved her enough to have me, yes?

Shao Kahn

You: Wait until your queen finds out

Shao Kahn: Finds out what?

You: I am pregnant, emperor. And I am keeping it

—

Sindel: I’ll kill that disgusting monster of a child!

You: Do you speak to their sister that way?

Sindel: Kitana is more royal than your child will ever be

—

Daughter: You know, I was only doing what was good for the kingdom

Kitana: No, you were doing what father would want you to do

Daughter: It is better he likes me than throw me out like he did you

—

Shao Kahn: My little princess

Daughter: Mileena said you were planning of disposing me, father

Shao Kahn: Why ever would I do that?

—

Mileena: I told you not to touch my things, sis

Daughter: I told you not to touch me!

Mileena: Hehe, royal blood just tastes too good to leave alone

—

Shao Kahn: To be emperor, you must be able to defeat me first

Son: I will do you proud, father

Shao Kahn: Not until Kitana is dead, will you make me proud

#mk x reader #mk10 #reader insert #mk erron black #mk shang tsung #mk baraka #mkxl #mk 9 #mk11 #mkx #mk fandom #mk kano #MK Shao Kahn #MK Quan chi #erron black x reader #mk mortal kombat #mkx mortal kombat x #mortal kombat #mortal kombat xl #mortal kombat x reader #mortal kombat x #mortal kombat 11 #mortal kombat villians #shang tsung #erron black #shang tsung x reader #baraka x reader #kano #Kano x reader #quan chi x reader

[legend-collection]

Kappa

A kappa is a reptiloid kami with similarities to yōkai found in traditional Japanese folklore. Kappa can become harmful when they are not respected as gods. They are typically depicted as green, human-like beings with webbed hands and feet and turtle-like carapaces on their backs. A depression on its head, called its "dish" (sara), retains water, and if this is damaged or its liquid is lost (either through spilling or drying up), the kappa is severely weakened.

Pic by Duncan Hopkins

The kappa are known to favor cucumbers and love to engage in sumo wrestling. They are often accused of assaulting humans in water and removing a mythical organ called the shirikodama from their victim's anus.

The name kappa is a contraction of the words kawa (river) and wappa, a variant form of 童 warawa (also warabe) "child". Another translation of kappa is "water sprites". The kappa are also known regionally by at least eighty other names such as kawappa, kawako, kawatarō, gawappa, kōgo, suitengu.

It is also called kawauso 'otter', dangame 'soft-shelled turtle', and enkō 'monkey', suggesting it outwardly resembles these animals. The name komahiki or "steed-puller" alludes to its reputed penchant to drag away horses.

The kappa has been known as kawako in Izumo (Shimane Prefecture) where Lafcadio Hearn was based, and gatarō was the familiar name of it to folklorist Kunio Yanagita from Hyōgo Prefecture.

Kappa are said to be roughly humanoid in form and about the size of a child, inhabiting the ponds and rivers of Japan. Clumsy on land, they are at home in the water, and thrive during the warm months. They are typically greenish in color (or yellow-blue), and either scaly or slimy skinned, with webbed hands and feet, and a turtle-like carapace on their back. Inhuman traits include three anuses that allow them to pass three times as much gas as humans. Despite their small stature they are physically stronger than a grown man.

The kappa are sometimes said to smell like fish, and they can swim like them.

According to some accounts, a kappa's arms are connected to each other through the torso and can slide from one side to the other. While they are primarily water creatures, they do on occasion venture onto land. When they do, the "dish" on their head can be covered with a metal cap for protection.

A hairy kappa is called a hyōsube.

Kappa are usually seen as kami of the water. Their actions are from comparatively minor misdemeanors, such as looking up women's kimono if they venture too near to water, to outright malevolence, such as drowning people and animals, kidnapping children, raping women and at times eating human flesh. Though sometimes menacing, they may also behave amicably towards humans. While younger kappa are frequently found in family groups, adult kappa live solitary lives. However, it is common for kappa to befriend other yōkai and sometimes even people.

Folk beliefs claim the cucumber as their traditional favorite meal. At festivals, offerings of cucumber are frequently made to the kappa. Sometimes the kappa is said to have other favorite foods, such as the Japanese eggplant, soba (buckwheat noodles), nattō (fermented soybeans), or kabocha (Japanese pumpkin).

In Edo (old Tokyo), there used to be a tradition where people would write the names of their family members on cucumbers and send them afloat into the streams to mollify the kappa and prevent the family from coming to harm in the streams. In some regions, it was customary to eat cucumbers before swimming as protection, but in others it was believed that this act would guarantee an attack.

A cucumber-filled sushi roll is known as a kappamaki.

As water monsters, kappa have been blamed for drownings, and are often said to try to lure people into water and pull them in with their great skill at wrestling. They are sometimes said to take their victims for the purpose of drinking their blood, eating their livers, or gaining power by taking their shirikodama, a mythical ball said to contain the soul, which is located inside the anus.

Kappa have been used to warn children of the dangers lurking in rivers and lakes, as kappa have been often said to try to lure people to water and pull them in. Even today, signs warning about kappa appear by bodies of water in some Japanese towns and villages.

Kappa are also said to victimize animals, especially horses and cows. The motif of the kappa trying to drown a horse is found all over Japan.

Lafcadio Hearn wrote of a story in Kawachimura near Matsue where a horse-stealing kappa was captured and made to write a sworn statement vowing never to harm people again.

In many versions the kappa is dragged by the horse to the stable where it is most vulnerable, and it is there it is forced to submit a writ of promise not to misbehave.

It was believed that there were a few means of escape if one was confronted with a kappa. Kappa are obsessed with politeness, so if a person makes a deep bow, it will return the gesture. This results in the kappa spilling the water held in the "dish" (sara) on its head, rendering it unable to leave the bowing position until the plate is refilled with water from the river in which it lives. If a person refills it, the kappa will serve that person for all eternity. A similar weakness of the kappa involves its arms, which can easily be pulled from its body. If an arm is detached, the kappa will perform favours or share knowledge in exchange for its return.

Another method of defeat involves shogi or sumo wrestling: a kappa sometimes challenges a human being to wrestle or engage in other tests of skill. This tendency is easily used to encourage the kappa to spill the water from its sara. One notable example of this method is the folktale of a farmer who promises his daughter's hand in marriage to a kappa in return for the creature irrigating his land. The farmer's daughter challenges the kappa to submerge several gourds in water. When the kappa fails in its task, it retreats, saving the farmer's daughter from the marriage. Kappa have also been driven away by their aversion to iron, sesame, or ginger.

Kappa are not entirely antagonistic to human beings.

Once befriended, kappa may perform any number of tasks for human beings, such as helping farmers irrigate their land. Sometimes, they bring fresh fish, which is regarded as a mark of good fortune for the family receiving it. They are also highly knowledgeable about medicine, and legend states that they taught the art of bone setting to human beings. There are also legends that Kappa will save a friendly human from drowning.

Along with the oni and the tengu, the kappa is among the best-known yōkai in Japan.

The kappa is known by various names of the creature vary by region and local folklore. In Shintō, they are often considered to be an avatar (keshin) of the Water Deity or suijin.

Shrines are dedicated to the worship of kappa as water deity in such places as Aomori Prefecture or Miyagi Prefecture. There were also festivals meant to placate the kappa in order to obtain a good harvest, some of which still take place today. These festivals generally took place during the two equinoxes of the year, when the kappa are said to travel from the rivers to the mountains and vice versa.

The best known place where it has been claimed Kappa reside is in the Kappabuchi  waters of Tōno in the Iwate Prefecture. The nearby Jōkenji  In Tōno, there is a Buddhist temple that has komainu dog statues with depressions on their heads reminiscent of the water-retaining dish on the kappa's heads, said to be dedicated to the kappa which according to legend helped extinguish a fire at the temple. The Kappa is also venerated at the Sogenji Buddhist temple in the Asakusa district of Tokyo where according to tradition, a mummified arm of a Kappa is enshrined within the chapel hall since 1818.

In his Tōno Monogatari, Kunio Yanagita records a number of beliefs from the Tōno area about women being accosted and even impregnated by kappa. Their offspring were said to be repulsive to behold, and were generally buried.

Similar folklore can be found in Asia and Europe. Like the Japanese description of the beast, in Chinese and in Scandinavian lore this beast is infamous for kidnapping and drowning people as well as horses.

The siyokoy of the Philippine islands is also known for kidnapping children by the water's edge.

A frog-face vodyanoy is known in Slavic mythology. A green human-like being named a vodník is widely known in western Slavic folklore and tales, especially in the Czech Republic or Slovakia.

In German mythology, a similar creature is known as Wassermann, Nix, or Nickel. They have been mentioned in connection with the larger rivers Elbe and Saale in the eastern part of Germany, but they are most widely connected to Lusatia in South-East Germany. This is not entirely surprising, as the area is not only close to Poland and Czech Republic, but also home to the Slavic minority of the Sorbs.

#kappa #japan #asia

[horizon-verizon]

Alicent provided House Targaryen with four healthy dragonriding Targaryens when the Targaryen bloodline was most vulnerable. In return, the least the Targaryens could do is allow her son to ascend the throne to allow House Hightower to have more power in exchange for them helping to create four healthy Targaryens. It’s really weird how Viserys referred to Aegon as Otto’s blood and Rhaenyra as his own blood when Aegon is also his child and therefore his blood.

The Hightowers behaved like any other family married into the royal family would, so I don’t get why they’re so hated. If Viserys didn’t want the Hightowers gaining more influence then he shouldn’t have married Alicent in the first place. It was stupid of him to expect one of the most powerful noble houses in Westeros to accept Targaryens of their blood just being spares instead of kings.

Disclaimer:

The parts about explaining feudalism is supposed to recontextualize how the hierarchy is not itself based on a good ethics system or fair/good morals, not to justify said hierarchy.

The system (unjustly) does not enforces nor expects the King to be equally sociopolitically or emotionally accountable to his Queen Consort.

................................................

A)

You make the mistake of thinking that in a feudal society/Westerosi/Andal culture, the King and his house are obligated to do anything for the Queen Consort except to:

not publicly humiliate her (and "humiliate" can look different according to the thing done) -- with Aegon IV, it was an exceptional situation since he targeted Naerys and Aemon simultaneously out of jealousy. As long as the King doesn't disinherit her children (if they are OLDER than his mistress' kids AND those mistress' kids ARE NOT legitimized) he is, by custom, not seen to be doing anything wrong

not deny her access to the appropriate clothing, shelter befitting her station, and food

take care of any child she brings forth

In feudal societies, the Queen Consort’s “job” is to provide heirs and like everyone else in the kingdom, she has to obey her husband’s orders. She is subject to him, she has no privileges or rights over him. 

The King/Monarch is always the legal/official/customary authority over literally everyone else. This is not a democracy nor an oligarchy. 

Therefore, it is actually Alicent who customarily should obey Viserys’ commands and declarations. That is her place in this hierarchy.

You may think this is unfair, but:

Alicent was definitely a victim of her father & Viserys, but she blames the wrong person for it (Rhaenyra) bc the answer is to totally buy into the sexist and authoritarian ideals against female sexuale and other sorts of autonomy--as Alicent fails into & chooses to perpetuate.

That is feudalism (the economic-socio-political system) AND absolute monarchy (the form of government). Again, she's fallen, then chooses, to sincerely buy into this system partially bc she has no choice but she also is much too inflexible to reflect on how she's essentially hurting herself and those around her or performing a sort of self fulfilling prophecy. That was the entire point! Alicen tis not unique, too, in how the patriarchal feudal system uses her up! Rhaenyra, Rhaenys, etc, too!

@rhaenyragendereuphoria states it quite simply HERE:

Feudalism is a system of servitude based on giving up your freedom in exchange of protection by a higher lord. It binds serfs to their lords, and lords to other lords all the way to the king. Yes, the whole “Protector of the Realm” is propaganda, but it’s what they believe the job of the king to be. They will give it to the strongest who can protect them from foreign invasions: and it’s hard to think of stronger than “family that literally owns dragons”. This fandom has feudal mentality completely upside down, thinking they loathe their subjugation because subjugation is an affront to freedom. Feudalism IS subjugation. What they loathe is to submit to a weakling. They despise (and hunt, and murder) the Free Folk, calling them “wildlings”, because they’d rather be free than be bound by feudal oaths of subjugation. Feudalism is the rule of “might makes right”. At its roots, it’s a military hierarchy of warlords who bind each others with feeble and fickle treaties until one of them decides to break them and attempt to conquer the others, and either wins or fails.

And in this POST:

However, no one is given rights in these societies, not even men - not the way we would define rights. Their idea of “right” is just as arbitrary as their idea of “freedom”. They are societies based on privileges, and privileges are always revocable, unlike rights.

Alicent has no independent “rights” apart from what I already listed above. At all. Especially since she isn't blood-related to Viserys. Rhaenyra has a birthright, but only once Viserys bestows it upon her. 

Alysanne was a Queen Consort, not a Queen Regnant. Visenya & Rhaenys had more law-changing power than Alysanne did while being Consorts and not Regnant Queens, but Aegon’s word was final and he was the Monarch.

And all these women were the sisters of the then-Kings as well as their wives. You’d think that they would have more say, but no. They were obey their husband-kings' final words by Andal/feudal/monarchial custom and law.

There is no contract where it says that Viserys owes Alicent or the Hightowers -- all of them his subjects -- anything except military protection. This is feudalist absolute monarchy as GRRM sets it up and models after the common set up of real life feudal monarchies.

B)

You:

Alicent provided House Targaryen with four healthy dragonriding Targaryens when the Targaryen bloodline was most vulnerable.

Already addressed what a Consort’s repeated purpose is. 

a.

And when was this dynasty “most vulnerable”? By all accounts, Viserys’ court and reign was prosperous and peaceful (expect with the Stepstones and towards the end of his reign with Rhaenyra, Alicent, and their kids of course -- but the Stepstones war didn’t affect the actual subjects [peasant or nobles] of Westeros too much to make huge differences in and the stuff with his personal family happened insularly):

Many consider the reign of King Viserys I to represent the apex of Targaryen power in Westeros. Beyond a doubt, there were more lords and princes claiming the blood of the dragon than at any period before or since. Though the Targaryens had continued their traditional practice of marrying brother to sister, uncle to niece, and cousin to cousin wherever possible, there had also been important matches outside the royal family, the fruit of which would play important roles in the war to come. There were more dragons than ever before as well, and several of the she-dragons were regularly producing clutches of eggs.

[...]

The reign of the Young King, as the commons called him upon his ascent, was peaceful and prosperous. His Grace’s open-handedness was legendary, and the Red Keep became a place of song and splendor. King Viserys and Queen Aemma hosted many a feast and tourney, and lavished gold, offices, and honors on their favorites.

(“A Question of Succession”)

b.

If you mean Viserys having a girl as his only scion, I must remind you that:

the Targs had dragons (more dragons than ever and Aegon I/Visenya/Rhaenys, conquered Westeros with only 3)

there were no mentioned, burgeoning signs of rebellion against Rhaenyra until Alicent and Otto started to make waves (post by @theblackqveen)

While this is in the text:

Though Princess Rhaenyra had been proclaimed her father’s successor, there were many in the realm, at court and beyond it, who still hoped that Viserys might father a male heir, for the Young King was not yet thirty.

After Viserys makes it clear that he won’t change his mind, it gets more settled, and again, we hear absolutely no mention of any real attempt to prepare against Rhaenyra except from the greens.

I wrote a 2 posts on HotD Alicent and Book!Alicent’s foolishness and narcissism.

c.

THIS is what GRRM says about laws of succession:

There are no clear cut answers, either in Westeros or in real medieval history. Things were often decided on a case by case basis. A case might set a precedent for later cases… but as often as not, the precedents conflicted as much as the claims.

In fact, if you look at medieval history, conflicting claims were the cause of three quarters of the wars.

[...]

The medieval world was governed by men, not by laws. You could even make a case that the lords preferred the laws to be vague and contradictory, since that gave them more power. In a tangle like the Hornwood case, ultimately the lord would decide... and if some of the more powerful claimants did not like the decision, it might come down to force of arms.The bottom line, I suppose, is that inheritance was decided as much by politics as by laws. In Westeros and in medieval Europe both.

Still, if Alicent really is all about just following the rules and being “good”, the she would follow her husband’s order and not antagonize or contradict Rhaenyra. Because part of her Westerosi/Andal customs is that the King/Monarch is paramount and their word is law.

She hypocritically doesn’t follow the law to such a particualr "degree" or whatever that she ends up going against the authoritarian regime's ideals of King's rule and all that for her own stake...mostly unconciously.

So really, she’s about power and misogyny, since she chooses to still make her rapist son King and reap the rewards from his ascendance (who’d follow along for her and her house’s interests more than Rhaenyra would). In the show, she goes after Rhaenyra for presumably sleeping with a man not her husband....while she gives up her feet to fulfill Larys' sexual titillation in exchange for information. So Rhaenyra's sleeping with another man in a consensual setting is wrong, but somehow Alicent allowing herself to be used (she is Queen Consort, she can definitely order Larys around) and silencing one of her son's victims is okay? Both of these things that support sexual abuse? In the book, she turns against Rhaenyra when Rhaenyra is 10, and we can see the implication that they began to actually fight ever since then, so Alicent antagonizes a 10 year old. At the tourney where Daemon comes back in the book, there were Essosi people who witnessed the tension between the two.

And why does she do all that? Because she wants to empower herself, her son, and disempower Rhaenyra. At the same time, Alicent fosters an environment where this is justified.

This is why she is hated. Book!her tries to use Rhaenyra having extramarital sex as pretext for deposing her, yet she is the one going against the King’s word when it is obvious he doesn’t give three shits.

@theroguewyrm answers this ASK where the asker breaks down more of Alicent’s hypocrisy:

[...] Alicent as she has constantly held Rhaenyra accountable for having illegitimate relations with men but when it comes to her she can do it as she cloaks it under the hood of duty. The hypocrisy was also shown when Alicent tolerates every single sexual crime committed by her son in the premises of the Red Keep and outside. If it is benefitting her then she’ll permit them, she’ll stay quiet, but will simultaneously use Rhaenyra’s affair with Harwin to vilify her.

C)

You: 

It’s really weird how Viserys referred to Aegon as Otto’s blood and Rhaenyra as his own blood when Aegon is also his child and therefore his blood.

That’s because he distrusts Otto and knows Otto wants his grandkids/these green boys to inherit the throne. Otto went so far as to continue to demand/suggest Viserys change the order of succession several times until Viserys dismissed him:

The amity between Her Grace and her stepdaughter had proved short- lived, for both Rhaenyra and Alicent aspired to be the first lady of the realm...and though the queen had given the king not one but two male heirs, Viserys had done nothing to change the order of succession. The Princess of Dragonstone remained his acknowledged heir, with half the lords of Westeros sworn to defend her rights.

[...]

The matter had been decided, so far as King Viserys was concerned; it was not an issue His Grace cared to revisit. Still, questions persisted, not the least from Queen Alicent herself. Loudest amongst her supporters was her father, Ser Otto Hightower, Hand of the King. Pushed too far on the matter, in 109 AC Viserys stripped Ser Otto of his chain of office and named in his place the taciturn Lord of Harrenhal, Lyonel Strong. “This Hand will not hector me,” His Grace proclaimed.

(“A Question of Succession”)

Viserys was being a bad dad here, I agree. Otto was also stupid as fuck for this. Both him and Alicent. And when it comes to feudalism, the personal and the political are one and the same often. Viserys never learned, I think, to separate himself from kingship because the position and society doesn’t allow for this metaphysical existence, or for it to be practiced seriously and without consequences.

And these are the details of Rhaenyra’s naming-as-heir:

Disregarding the precedents set by King Jaehaerys in 92 and the Great Council in 101, Viserys declared his daughter, Rhaenyra, to be his rightful heir, and named her Princess of Dragonstone. In a lavish ceremony at King’s Landing, hundreds of lords did obeisance to the Realm’s Delight as she sat at her father’s feet at the base of the Iron Throne, swearing to honor and defend her right of succession.

(“A Question of Succession”)

Now from a more pragmatic standpoint, these lords already gave their oaths to Rhaenyra. To go back on it, while maybe welcome to some lords, would also diminish Viserys’ monarchial word’s value because of how huge the chnages are, and how he seems (publicly) to value oaths in general. 

While Tyland Lannister says that he never took oaths, oaths are still very seriously taken and regarded generally in this society (or like to think of themselves as doing so).

Viserys was a bad dad. Doesn't make what Alicent did excusable.

D)

a.

You:

The Hightowers behaved like any other family married into the royal family would, so I don’t get why they’re so hated.

We’re talking about the greens, here, not the Hightowers. Two, though related, separate entities for now.

The greens (Alicent, Otto, Aegon, Aemond, Daeron [Helaena is not a real player]) are hated because they are misogynists turned up 11, with an over-inflated sense of their own male privilege. It causes them to maim, rape, cause genocide, attempt assassination against Rhaenyra, even disregard and turn against each other. And at last, make a 10 year old watch as his mother is eaten alive by a dragon. 

Even with universal misogyny, I doubt that most other noblemen/individuals would be as murderous, stupid and audacious as these specific people.

BTW, you slipped. Aegon, Ameond, Helaena, and Daeron and the kids from Aegon/Helaena are all Targs. Not Hightowers.

b.

You:

If Viserys didn’t want the Hightowers gaining more influence then he shouldn’t have married Alicent in the first place. It was stupid of him to expect one of the most powerful noble houses in Westeros to accept Targaryens of their blood just being spares instead of kings.  

Here’s the text:

Though Princess Rhaenyra had been proclaimed her father’s successor, there were many in the realm, at court and beyond it, who still hoped that Viserys might father a male heir, for the Young King was not yet thirty. Grand Maester Runciter was the first to urge His Grace to remarry, even suggesting a suitable choice: the Lady Laena Velaryon, who had just turned twelve.

(“A Question of Succession”)

We understand through this and through real life feudal politics that a king/Monarch was expected to have as many kids as possible so that in the event one or some die, the others could take their place.

The moment that Otto allowed Alicent to marry Viserys after Rhaenyra had been heir for 2 years, all of Alicent’s kids would have been “spares”. This would be true if Rhaenyra was male. 

Alicent and Otto both signed up for this.

However, Rhaenyra is female, so Otto got greedy. It is only the thought that Viserys would automatically change heirs that Otto even contemplated it would be an easy thing to have Alicent’s kids as Viserys’ heirs because he thought Viserys would pass her over.

Take a look at the sociopolitical patterns. This is always the deal for second wives/Queen Consorts. If the monarch had kids from a first marriage , those kids are always before the ones in the second because they came first/are older.

Viserys makes Rhaenyra continue to be his heir and treats her like he would his male heir in that her siblings remain the “spares” they would be if she were male. thereby putting into practice equal primogentiure.

Otto has been with Viserys as his hand for years.....why did he not anticipate something like this?

#asoiaf asks to me #westerosi politics #westerosi nobility #westeros succession #succession in westeros #viserys i #viserys i targaryen #viserys i's characterization #alicent's characterization #alicent hightower #fire and blood comment #otto hightower #the targtowers #otto hightower's characterization #viserys and otto #westerosi marriage #queen consorts #westerosi queen consorts #westerosi feudalism #feudalism #asoiaf #Fire and Blood

[alenchikova]

Slightly redoing GenGrievous wives

Aaand i'm here to tell somthing about 'em heh

Grievous' wives:

1. Lediva jai ShekShee - First wife, older than Grievous by 10 years. A woman of unhappy life and destiny. Collected and calm, does not panic in dire situations. She was responsible for the quick and efficient evacuation of her clan to the mountains, where the Hacks would not go. But despite this, she was unable to save her daughter from the clutches of the enemy. Lediva is quite harsh in her character, after losing her child she became even more harsh and unsettled. Eventually left the clan, becoming a mercenary. She joined the growing Grievous Khaganate. Lediva was good at logistics, for which she was noticed by Grievous. Over time, the two became close. Lediva has two children with Grievous. The fate of her first daughter is unknown.

2. Sangarta lij Rakkash is the second wife already of Grievous. Tribal Khan from the Grendaju territory (where Ronderu is from). She killed her mother (the past Khan, leading the tribe to death because of her submission to the Hakam, in a battle for the right to rule the tribe). Her marriage to Grievous was originally a marriage of convenience, with Sangarta receiving military and guianitarian support and Grievous himself a political and military ally. Three children by Grievous.

3. Izurr jai Nari'i is bright, talkative and easy-going. She can make anyone feel at ease. She was the first to find common ground with the withdrawn and traumatised Rarek. Originally just one of the many steppe Kalisha who had joined their tribes and families to Grievous. Izurr had no idea what Grievous looked like without his mask and customary Khagan robes, and was very surprised to find out who she interacted with so nicely and often. In one of their meetings, Grievous said that Izurr looked like Ronderu to him. He took offence at this, saying that he saw her as a long dead friend rather than Izurr herself. They got into a fight, but Izurr was the first to make up, because she's emotional and hot-tempered. at times, but she's also resilient. This moment took their relationship to a new, much more trusting and intimate level. Four children by Grievous. Isurr loves children, as she grew up in a large and close-knit family.

4. Mikir Inariuz is mistrustful, stubborn and harsh, and does not get along well with people. Her family was killed by the Huks, only Mikir and her younger brother escaped. She blames herself for the death of her family and hates herself for her weakness (she fled with her brother rather than stay to protect her tribe and family; she was 15 full years old at the time of their deaths), her brother will later become her right-hand man. Head of a small mercenary clan. At the time of her meeting with Grievous, she was working under the Khan Irrijar. Her relationship with Grievous began a few years after they met. Mikir has three children with Grievous. Before that, there were two aborted pregnancies and three children by him who died giving birth. This finally broke her completely. Mikir is very hyper-patient with her children and those close to her because of her fear of loss. Takes it upon herself to take care of all the clan members to feel useful and cope with the pain of loss.

5. Rigraz san Marrak - born as jai Emezzez. She is the adopted daughter of Ursaddi san Marrak. Rigraz tries not to remember her birth father. Rigraz's mother died of dystocia (folliculostasis, in simple language - obstruction of the oviducts, as a consequence of necrosis and death) after the birth of her only daughter, and Rigraz's father was disturbed by grief. He sincerely believed that the albino girl was responsible for her mother's death and other misfortunes, that she was cursed. He tried to "cure" the curse by abusing the child in every possible way. For example, he carved the clan symbol of a passing Kalish into her face, convinced that this would drive the demons out of Rigraz. Once he sicced a mewmuu pup on her, Rigraz miraculously survived. His final atrocity was an attempt to burn his daughter alive, which was foiled by Ursaddi, who was passing by with his troop. Ursaddi adopted Rigraz, gave her his clan and territorial name, and did much to help the girl overcome and essentially forget her past life. In character, Rigraz is mean, rude, stubborn, and fierce. She first spotted Grievous as a potentially interesting man and began matchmaking with him out of boredom. Grievous accepted her advances. Rigraz often argues and vouchsafes with other wives, places no value on anyone else's seniority and pulls the blanket over herself. Has 5 children with Grievous, this was her first pregnancy. Surprisingly good and caring mother, very fiercely protective of her children and family. The only opinions she listens to are her non-blood father and Grievous.

6. Shimirrailu is a very spiritual and devout woman in a good way. A priest by work and vocation. Ever since she was a child, she has dreamed of becoming a Spiritual Leader. Her parents insisted that the girl undergo her initiation of her first hunt and learn how to handle various weapons. And afterwards, if she didn't change her mind, Shimirrailu would be free to become a Spiritual Leader or whatever. Shimirrailu is calm and patient in nature, but that doesn't mean you can lord it over her or disregard her opinions. Her meeting with Grievous took place during her losing battle against a superior Huk force. Shimirrailu has five children with Grievous.

7. Rarek Kresh is the protagonist in my works. Tough, harsh and cold. Shuns outsiders, but at the same time is very attached to her family, soft and kind to them. Sensitive to the Force, trained by her long dead ghost parents on both sides of the Force. Four years younger than Grievous, was married before him and had a child. Does not know or have met any living blood relatives. At the time she met Grievous, she was a mercenary. No children in common. Survived capture by the Huks and further slavery. Hailed as one of the most brutal pirate admirals of our time. Became involved in the Separatist movement after learning of a Kaleesh named Grievous. Hates the Sith for what they did to her family. Jedi too. Rarek is one of the most evil and crippled members of that family. Coming from a nomadic tribe.

8. Suanim san Deidarri - descendant of pirates settled on Kalee, hacker and head of a guerrilla group of former slaves, zanimpnym stealthy rescue of kin and pocketing hack equipment. She's led the Grievous Khaganate into major Huk bases several times. At one extremely difficult moment for her rebel cell (Suanim is not a professional hacker and "ice pick", as well as her squad are not special forces, they are quite few, no more than 200 people in total, and sooner or later more technically advanced hacks would have figured them out, which happened) Suanim came to Grievous with an offer that could not be refused - she offered to unite their forces for the war against a common enemy. Grievous agreed. Suanim worked with him a couple of years before Grievous married Rigraz and Shimirailu, but became his wife much later. In character, she is a cunning, wicked-eyed and very self-aware woman who will do anything for the well-being of those she considers her own. Three children by Grievous.

9. Hariza Varrani, a pirate by birth, ended up on Kali in a most incongruous way. Fleeing from another raid, she came out of hyperspace near Kalee, where Grievous's VCS forced her to land. The Khaganate needed ships for the war with the Huks, and how they would get those ships was immaterial. Hariza wasn't about to give away her honestly earned ship to someone unknown, but forces weren't on her side. So she made a risky but effective deal - she would give the ship to the Khaganate, but in return she would become Grievous' wife (she didn't like him, but the choice was to stay on a foreign planet surrounded by her war-ravaged kin or to become the wife of a strange but respected man who wasn't so bad, and retain the remnants of her independence and some integrity), and Hariza also demanded from Grievous the right to remain the pilot of her ship. Grievous agreed, putting a dozen more of his soldiers on the ship as crew. At first Hariza was not happy with her marriage of convenience, but later grew accustomed and attached to Grievous. She has four children with him. She'd grown roots in their not inconsiderable clan. Grievous called her Koufia, after the snake she resembled in colour. Or RiRi, which the rest of the tribe picked up on. After Martyr's death, Hariza had become her own shadow. Nothing left of the bright, puckish, and angry woman, she died with Grievous. Most of the day she just lay there staring at nothing, remembering the husband she once didn't even want to know. Hariza lived on inertia. One day she just didn't wake up, that night she dreamt of a living Grievous.

10. Mizir san Karraz is a homely, sweet and quiet girl. Mizir's family comes from the outskirts of Kaleela, the named capital of Kalee. Mizir is the eldest of 6 children of the family, very kind and caring, loving to babysit her siblings from a young age. She loves working with fabrics and various jewellery, making up and telling stories. Open and friendly, but also shy around those who seem to be the standard of a warrior. Mizir is extremely mediocre in combat, but that doesn't mean she is helpless or defenseless. Mizir, as well as her siblings, are brightly coloured and rare among Kaleesh, making them desirable prey for hacks. Not all Kaleesh have chosen to fight the invaders, some have chosen to sell their own kin to the Huks for wealth or their own lives. Mizir's parents hid their children in the forests where the Huks would not go. But one day they didn't make it, someone turned them in. Mizir did everything she could to keep her siblings hidden, diverting attention to herself, but she ended up falling into the clutches of the Huks. She was in slavery for a short time and didn't suffer physically (people like Mizir are rare and piece goods, the hacks make sure to keep them safe). She was pulled out, along with other lucky ones, by Grievous and his squad. Mizir was scared shitless and incredibly far from her home, Grievous brought her to his place, not knowing where to put a young, frightened woman unfit for war. Eventually, that's where she stayed, becoming his wife. Almost immediately she fell in love with Grievous. It is Mizir who is in charge of the household and food, helping the other wives with the children. Mizir is an excellent herbalist, and her skills have helped the family and the Kaganate many times when medical supplies have been interrupted. Mizir has one daughter by Grievous. She and her daughter have managed to keep the memory of Grievous and his not-dying-in-a-bacta-camera alive. By my headcanons, Grievous' wives and children had their memories of his survival erased to keep them out of the wrong places.

#kaleesh #my art <3 #star wars #qymaen jai sheelal #калиш #general grievous #звездные войны #grievous #мой рисунок #моя работа #grievous' wives #lediva #sangarta #izurr #mikir #rigraz #shimirrailu #rarek #suanim #hariza #mizir

[floareadeaur]

Ferid Bàthory's character analysis in chapter 134

Chapter 134 of OnS manga showed me something I have noticed about Ferid for a very long time.

Ferid has always hidden his true feelings. That is how he learned to live, to keep inside what he really felt.

"I want to disappear... to die."

"I wish... I was never born in the first place"

"I can't surprise these self-destructive urges. They keep running circles in my mind, driving me mad."

"Aaah, this is horrible. I feel like I'm tearing myself apart."

This is what Ferid felt and said to himself, curling up in the grass. With a desolate look, destroyed, crushed under the weight of his own soul.

But as soon as his brother appears, he becomes smiling, kind, like a humble and obedient little brother. He hides behind the façade of a " porcelain child ". He laughs, he smiles, but he is breaking down internally.

It is a habit to be so in the eyes of his elder brother. It is a habit for him to be internally torn by the discrepancy between what he feels and what he looks like.

Ferid adopts this position, in which his brother looks at him with delight, superiority.

He humiliates himself and it is something common.

Like here, where Ferid, submissive, steps aside of his older brother's ascension to the throne. It is customary for him to live as a shadow of his older brother, to be raised as a future obedient servant who must not have ambitions. And his brother looks at him happy, from above, he was raised to be the heir and Ferid only his shadow to protect his back.

That is why Ferid said in chapter 91 of the manga that he was perfectly normal for a second in line to the throne. That is why he says that his parents forced him to be a " saint " and that he had a very strict upbringing. This "saint" referred to the obligation for Ferid to have a personality and path in life that would not inconvenience his older brother in ruling his kingdom. And his true personality was not a good one for this.

When, finally, Ferid says what he feels, that he sees no meaning in living, he quickly adds that "maybe it is from puberty". He minimizes the tragedy he feels. He smiles, he stand up straight when he says it, but mechanically. Ferid has become roboticized by this character behind which he hides.

He is terribly afraid that those around him will find out what he really feels. He seems to be looking through people when he talks. His mind goes in the same painful circles he was talking about, and he seems detached from the world. And even when he tries to communicate a little, his elder brother tells him how good it is for Ferid to remain in the pit. Because Ferid's "total lack of ambition" is good for him politically. His brother does not care how Ferid feels, that his little brother just told him that he sees no point in living, but only how he will fulfill his own ambitions on Ferid's back.

And that was everyone's reaction to what Ferid really is.

"How scary. But, ever since I was born, I have never been silent. As Papa and Mama have said. Ever since I came out of the womb, I had an incorrigible mouth. Even so, they were still my parents. What was it again. What were we talking about~ Anyways──" ( Wrat19, volume 1, chapter 1 )

"Incorrigible" is very painful in this context. These are its meanings in English:

• Incapable of being corrected or reformed.

• Firmly rooted; ineradicable.

• Difficult or impossible to control or manage.

His parents told Ferid since he was born that he was impossible to be "corrected", that he was broken (actually there is another quote where Ferid tells Guren in light novels that his mother called him that when he was little, "broken"), impossible to control.

I mean, everything that was actually Ferid, his talkativeness, his questions, his energy, his dynamism, his intelligence, all were criticized. He was a mistake as himself. He says that he was raised very strictly to be a saint, that is, he was always chastised for his simple way of being. For big mouth, energy, questions, ideas. He was miserable as himself in the eyes of the family. And that is why he adopted the character imposed by them, of the "porcelain child" and systematically hid everything that lived internally, reaching " internal tearing "

I am sure that Ferid was afraid to communicate whatever he felt and even ridiculed his own feelings in front of others, because he had been taught to believe that no one could accept a " miserable " person like him.

And he grew up with that mentality. That is why he can not find himself anymore, why he wants to disappear.

And, of course, he broke out at some point. He tried to free himself from those to whom he was invisible as a soul and seen as a mess when he was himself.

But Ferid could not manifest himself wholesomely afterwards, because he was not fully formed as his own person.

He transformed the old persona of the "porcelain child" into that of the "monstrous bastard", which he wears as a vampire.

When he "freed" himself from the family that suffocated him, he ended up misusing his true nature.

And yet he always hid what he felt. He mocked himself, he learned to do it.

Everyone insults him and talks bad about him in the manga (beheading, insults, burning at the stake, humiliations), and he stays silent. Because Ferid grew up with the idea that no one can accept a " miserable " person like him, that is why he endures everything with a smile. And as a break out as a vampire, he wants to frighten, dominate, to bother those around him. This is a revenge for how he was forced to act like a child, to be a "people pleaser" who smiles like a fool and puts himself aside in front of anyone he might inconvenience.

Ferid was not really seen, known, listened to, accepted. He was always forced to be someone else. In his family he was a mere pawn for other people's dreams. To Rígr he was still a tool, thrown away when it became useless. And in people's eyes, as a vampire, he is just a crazy monster.

Everyone sees in Ferid only what they want.

And what he really has in his soul remains closed, hidden and suffocates himself.

That is his soul, actually. And absolutely no one hears or see this. When Ferid even faintly tried to say something about his feeling, those around him enjoyed his depression ( his brother ), or criticized him ( his parents ), or just ignored him. ( the humans and other vampires ).

That is why he always feels completely alone, what Ferid says in chapter 112 watching Shinoa's team hug.

" Wathing them really reminds me how alone I've been my whole life. "

The real Ferid was always alone, isolated, when he tried to express himself, he was criticized, humiliated or ignored.

That is why he says that the world around him is boring, stupid, rotten. That is how he was perceived by those around him, isolated. It is a hostile world for him, in which, being himself, he has no place. And Ferid has always suffered terribly.

The abuse he suffered as a child represented an ongoing depersonalization. Ferid was not encouraged to develop as himself and grew up, as I said above, with the idea that no one could accept a " broken one " like him.

And yet he tries, despite everything, to find that Truth. Through his desire to stop the cycle of reincarnation, he wants to stop his loneliness, "intruder" destiny to which he is condemned.

But Ferid would, in fact, want to live only one life, in which he would be seen, understood for who he is, accepted, loved.

That is why 16-year-old Ferid statement that he wants to die contrasts with the fact that he said that he is totally terrified of death.

Ferid does not want to die without living. He wants to disappear from the context in which his soul is invisible to those around him, and this is the context in which he has always existed, unfortunately.

For a soul as sensitive as his, to be educated that what you feel is a failure, or that your depression is a 'joy' for others, not to be seen as yourself, but only to have labels attached to you by others, is a terrible torture.

But I hope that Ferid will eventually learn that no matter how hostile the world is, everyone's uniqueness is a gift and should be cherished. Even if he had no one to learn from to accept and love himself, even though the world and people were created out of suffering and hatred, to reincarnate endlessly for the plans of a destroyed god, maybe Ferid will learn to do it for his own soul, that man can love even when he has suffered only hatred and rejection. This ability is in all of us.

---------------------------------------------------------

In closing, many thanks to the author, Takaya Kagami, for creating such a deep character. Absolutely everything about Ferid is deeply thought out and I can say, as I said before, that he is the deepest character in OnS.

And for those who recognize me as valahaliane/ theorphanprince, I was right, thanks to everyone who wanted to see through Ferid's character like I did, and maybe those who judged him harshly will see the complexity of this character now.

Feedback is welcome, if anyone reads this. And who wants, I will also write an analysis about the story of Ferid and Crowley, who is his reincarnated older brother, for those who understood.

And their story as brothers is a masterpiece, as Crowley as his older brother wanted to draw him into an alliance where the 16-year-old Ferid would be his shadow, and Ferid drew the younger vampire brother Crowley into an alliance where Crowley was controlled and Ferid's shadow. Everything is a payment for something in the past.

This plottwist sheds light on everything.

Thank you, Takaya Kagami, thank you for everything.

#ferid bathory #owari no seraph #seraph of the end #chapter 134 #owari no seraph chapter 134 #seraph of the end chapter 134 #ferid bathory character analysis

[bestiarium]

The Poterchata [Ukrainian mythology]

Small, supernatural flames or lights that float over swamps and marshes are a commonly reoccurring theme in myths and beliefs from around the world. Today, such sightings are usually attributed to swamp gases but in the past they were often thought to be ghosts, spirits or undead souls.

The Poterchata are one version of that story, they originate from Ukrainian legends. These ghosts are the souls of unbaptized children (usually under 8), which also includes babies who died during childbirth. Unable to pass on to the afterlife, they were doomed to wander the Earth.

These are dangerous spirits and would manifest as floating lights to lead curious or lost travellers into the water, where they would drown. They could also be heard laughing and crying in deep forests. There are also accounts of Poterchata tickling a victim to death, or just trying to scare travellers in the dark. But they were not entirely evil, as these spirits could be saved.

They fly around at night, and are considered related to the Ukrainian Mavka, spirits of young girls who were associated with water. They inhabit lakes and rivers.

In one version, the Poterchata take the form of birds, and they remain like that for 7 years after the death of their human body. In Podolsk (Ukraine) and Belarus, they turn into mermaids (note the recurring association with water or water spirits). In this form, they still resembled children, but had a blueish skin. In literature and fiction, Poterchata were sometimes depicted as corporeal, humanoid creatures with monstrous characteristics like fangs and claws.

It is considered polite and customary to give a piece of cloth to these spirits if you happened to encounter one. This is related to an Ukrainian custom where the godparents of a newly born child gift a towel to the parents, to wrap and hold the baby. One should also leave a small crucifix for the spirit.

In some versions, the spirits are nameless because a child only ‘officially’ receives their name when they are baptized. Hence, they were buried in a nameless grave, and it is said that you could hear wailing or crying if you held your ear next to their gravestone. I am uncertain what time period or region this statement comes from.

Hanna Barvinok, (the pseudonym of) a 19th century Ukrainian writer and folklorist, wrote in her story about mermaids that unbaptized children were often buried underneath the house of their parents. Sometimes you could hear their voice, complaining that their mother buried them. It was also common to bury the child close to the fireplace, as the fireplace of the house was a culturally important spot where the spirits of the family’s ancestors were thought to dwell. The reasoning here is by burying the infant here, it would be left in the care of its ancestors, who would protect it against evil spirits. In some places in Russia, unbaptized children and infants would be buried underneath a tree instead.

Sources: Романова, O. M., 2018, ДИТЯЧИЙ ОБРАЗ ЛІСОВОЇ ДЕМОНОЛОГІЇ В ТРАДИЦІЙНИХ ВІРУВАННЯХ. ПОТЕРЧАТА, in: ІСТОРИЧНІ НАУКИ, 23, p76-81 (The child’s image of forest demonology in traditional reliabilities: Poterchata, in: Historical Sciences) Fody, G. D., 1963, A survey of the mythology of Kievan Rus’ and its survivals in the folklore of the eastern Slavs, thesis submitted to the faculty of graduate studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of arts, University of Alberta. Riazantseva, T., 2020, Slavic folktale characters in Serhiy Oksenyk’s fantasy trilogy: walking, flying, floating, САВРЕМЕНА СРПСКА ФОЛКЛОРИСТИКА, C.381-388. (image source 1: Daria Zhuk on Artstation) (image source 2: Olha Nazarets on Artstation)

#Ukrainian mythology #Slavic mythology #ghosts #undead #mythical creatures #art #mythology #myths #folklore #folktales

[lenbryant]

O Alabama!

(LATimes) Column: Alabama’s highest court declared frozen embryos people. The U.S. Supreme Court is to blame

Tom Parker, now Alabama’s chief justice, announcing his campaign for the position.

(Jamie Martin / Associated Press)

The Alabama Supreme Court’s breathtakingly arrogant, slapdash and pernicious opinion conferring personhood on newly formed embryos vividly illustrates the consequences of another reckless decision: the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe vs. Wade.

The Alabama court held last week that fertilized ova cryogenically preserved for couples having difficulty conceiving are legally and morally equivalent to newborn babies and, for that matter, 20-year-old adults. According to the court, all are human beings protected under Alabama law to precisely the same extent.

The decision clears the way for wrongful death lawsuits brought by couples whose embryos were destroyed by a patient who wandered into an in vitro fertilization clinic through an unsecured entrance, picked up several frozen fertilized eggs and, shocked by their cryogenic temperature, immediately dropped them on the floor. Reversing the trial court, the Alabama Supreme Court held that this conduct could be subject to a wrongful death claim, rendering it indistinguishable from, say, the death of a 2-year-old negligently left in a sweltering car.

Astonishingly, the sole focus of the court’s analysis was whether Alabama’s wrongful death law encompasses “extrauterine children — that is, unborn children who are located outside of a biological uterus at the time they are killed.” The court did not even attempt to wrestle with the distinction between a just-fertilized egg — what biologists call a blastocyst, a ball of up to a few hundred cells measuring a fraction of a millimeter in diameter — and a fully formed child born at term.

It’s customary to note the parade of horribles that could be occasioned by such an extreme decision. But here the parade has already begun.

Alabama’s largest hospital announced Wednesday that it would no longer offer would-be parents in vitro fertilization procedures due to the substantial threat of criminal liability for mishandling fertilized eggs. Other providers followed suitThursday. Medical personnel who try to help couples conceive have been suddenly recast by the courts as potential murderers.

The immediate consequences don’t end there. Women who use intrauterine devices or morning-after pills, which can affect fertilized eggs, are in the eyes of Alabama law rank baby killers.

The court’s supposed legal opinion in fact rests on the tenet that life begins at conception, a matter of religious faith to which only a small minority of the country subscribes.

Chief Justice Tom Parker’s concurring opinion employs quotations and teachings from Scripture as if they had the legal force of the Bill of Rights. Passages from Genesis and Exodus, various theological tracts, Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin and Jonathan Edwards take their place alongside the writings of U.S. Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Neil M. Gorsuch. All are marshaled in support of the view that “God made every person in his image… and human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God, who views the destruction of His image as an affront to Himself.”

But apart from the wrath of God, there is no attempt to rationalize the legal equation of a frozen, formless collection of cells with a living person. The court simply assumes it away with the syllogistic reasoning that Alabama’s statutory law specifies that human life includes “unborn” life.

Such ham-handedness undermines the entire opinion. The critical question for the state is not whether an embryo of any particular age can be said to be, in some sense, alive; it’s whether it is a human being deserving of the rights and protections accorded to all of us, which is a far broader and more complicated designation.

A stadium full of theologians, philosophers, ethicists and politicians couldn’t come up with an authoritative answer to that question. And in the absence of such an answer, how can the state impinge so deeply on the liberty of women and aspiring parents?

It’s in that sense that the Alabama Supreme Court’s opinion can be traced directly to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The idea of shoving this tendentious religious tract down Americans’ throats would have been a nonstarter under Roe vs. Wade, which asserted the constitutional liberty interests of women against an overreaching, moralistic state.

Post-Dobbs, those rights are featherweight. The outrage belongs with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ill reasoning and grotesque overreach.

Nor is Alabama the only state purporting to enshrine the fundamentally religious position that human life begins at conception in law. Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Oklahoma issued similar proclamations in the wake of Dobbs.

The Alabama Supreme Court takes this malign presumption to its logical end, stripping every American in its jurisdiction of the right to make their own decisions on a matter of the highest moral and practical import. That’s the antithesis of liberty.

Harry Litman is the host of the “Talking Feds” podcast. @harrylitman

#refrigerator magnet #ivf #personhood #embryo #alabama #supreme court #supreme corruption #roe v wade #dobbs v. jackson women's health organization

[bodyguardbracket]

Round 1: Butler (Artemis Fowl) vs Peko Pekoyama (Danganronpa)

[Propaganda Under Cut]

Butler: He Raised That Boy! Butler (it's against rules for his employer to know his first name so he only told it to Artemis when he was literally dying (that whole book was about Artemis saving his life)) was first employed by Artemis's father (Artemis senior), as is customary for their families. Artemis Fowl lore includes the tidbit that the Butler family has been helping and guarding the Fowl family for so long (like centuries) that they're the origin of the word. Anyway, Fowl senior disappears when our Artemis is a child, so the child genius decides to continue the family legacy of international crime, which means that Butler has to protect him from everything and everyone. He manages it though. He's a one-man army. He's feared by elite forces. Anyone who tries to get to Artemis has to go through Butler but he's not letting anyone do that. He literally protects this boy with his life, and he cares for him like family, because who cares about employers when said employer is a child trying to find his father and you've been with them for all their life?

Peko Pekoyama:

Peko, abandoned by her parents, was taken in as a baby by the Kuzuryu family, a yakuza clan. She was raised alongside the heir to the clan, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, and trained to be his personal hitman and bodyguard. Because of her training she is the ULTIMATE SWORDSWOMAN (that is her title in the game). In the death game when Fuyuhiko wants to avenge his murdered sister, she steps in to do the murdering/avenging for him which costs her her life. This is also an attempt to free Fuyuhiko from the death game (because when the others vote for her, she argues that Fuyuhiko was the actual killer, and she was just his tool. But that doesn't work, because he sees her as a person).

TLDR she protects the person she is guarding until the very end, also he is in love with her, and she is very cool

#bodyguard battle #round 1 #Butler #artemis fowl #domovoi butler #Peko Pekoyama #Danganronpa

[artemis-fowl-angst]

Prequel day:

A oneshot window into life before the fowlstars sinking.

CW: drugs, implied murder, broken bones, parental issues, mafia

September 18th, The young Artemis Fowl the second, who had just freshly turned five years of age, yet was only ~80% the size of his peers, now sat in his mothers lap, weeping in the back of his father’s bentley, as it sped furiously towards St. James Hospital in central Dublin.

Artemis, despite his brilliance in many areas, wasn't very coordinated yet. However, that didn't worry his parents, afterall, their son was already reading at 4,000 words per minute, and he hadn't even graduated the first grade yet, best not to look a gift horse in the mouth, they'd certainly trade a mediocre footballer for a child prodigy.

At his age, it was customary for Fowls to be informed on tamer matters of business, and his father was desperate to use his son’s talents to the advantage of their family, he had an ace in his pocket and his fingers were itching to pull it out, he knew that his competition would quiver at the things his freakishly bright child could deduce within minutes of exposure.

Thats how the young boy found himself in a room with his father adjacent to him, Butler and the Major standing protectively behind them, close enough that artemis would feel his bodyguards breath if he were taller, and Kolzak Bogdanov sitting at the other end of a 3 metre long table.

Mr. Bogdanov had assumed it was mahogany, and commented on it as an ice-breaker at the beginning of the meeting, only to flush nearly as red as the table when he’d been corrected by a five year old. It was bloodwood, a very dark bloodwood, but bloodwood nonetheless. The chairs matched the table, with their low backs, black leather held to the crimson wood by brass tacks.

It wasn't easy to see the grain of the wood in the dim lighting of the room, but artemis had good vision and it was certainly easier than trying to follow the thinly veiled threats being traded between his father and Kolzak. So thats what he elected to do, staring at the twisting lines and knots, some straight as ribbons down the length of the table, ending only when the went out of sight under Bogdanov’s elbows. Some swayed like rivers, bending and bowing, twisting and turning, ending spiralled around wine coloured knots.

“You know, I’ve been studying you closely Fowl.” Bogdanov smirked.

“Should I be flattered to have caught your attention?” Despite his teasing words, Artemis Fowl Senior demeanour was all but Jovial, cold and domineering as ever.

“You think this is funny? I’ve got connections, I have an eye inside your banks and I don't think the Bratva would be happy to know you’ve been skimming more than your share off their Coke profits.” He pause a beat, directing his eyes to Artemis Juniour, then he picked back up in a mocking tone adding: “or do you not want me talking about nose candy in front of your baby” He cooed the last word with a sickening grin, giving Arty an unwanted look at his plaque coated teeth, he couldn't help but recoil as the man leaned forward at him and Butler put a hand on the arm of his charge’s chair, reminding both Bogdanov and Artemis that he was still there, to differing reactions.

Artemis senior appeared unfazed.

“Artemis, you know what cocaine is, yes?” He said, never taking his eyes off Kolzak

He looked between Kolzak and his father for a second, before speaking “cocaine, known by many slang names, is an addictive drug derived from coca or prepared synthetically. It is a tropane alkaloid that acts as a central nervous system stimulant primarily recreationally and illegally, cocaine is metabolised in the liver and it’s metabolites are Norcocaine, benzoylecgonine, cocaethylene, and ecgoninemethylester, Cocaine is-” “Thats Enough.” his father cut him off sharply

Bogdanov appeared to search for words for a bit before he opened his mouth to speak again. “I am not any old fool Fowl.” he spat the name, as though it left a bitter taste on his tongue and bile in his throat. “Your boy doesn’t intimidate me, I’m not gonna forget that I have leverage just because he can recite some fancy words in your englishman language.”

“Its latin…” Arty mumbled, but it didn't seem that anyone had heard him.

“I admire your confidence, if not your intelligence Kolzak. I assume your plot is to have me buy your silence?”

“Da, I want a place in your network, enough cash to start my own branch of the Bratva, and your backing when mikhail inevitably comes after my ass.”

“You want to distance yourself from the rest of the russian mafia?”

“No. I want a shortcut to the top.”

“You're a gambler Kolzak, we’ve played many a game head to head, you know how dangerous it is to try and force my hand.”

“And you know that I do not bluff.”

They stared at each other, the silence was palpable and the air felt thick.

“Artemis-” Two large blue eyes shot from the table to his father “-Go downstairs to your mother, Butler, stay here.”

He didn’t need to be told twice, Butler Helped him up and out of the chair, his little legs were much too small to reach the ground alone. Once he was set with two feet on the floor, he fixed his tiny tie and walked out of the room silently, remembering to hold his head high and push his shoulders back.

He walked down the hall to the nearest study, his father’s, to grab the book he was currently reading, crime and punishment.

He made his way further down the hall, past walnut floors and hickory doors. The clicks of his tiny black loafers being muffled by the woven red rug that ran down the centre of the corridor. He walked forward to the edge of the stairs, where walnut floors turned to lacquered oak steps. He put a tentative hand on the gilded marble bannister and slid it forward to match his position as he moved down the stairs.

Each step he tested then made, he wasn't used to walking down the stairs without Bulter or his mother at his shoulder at barely a metre tall, the height of the steps was quite daunting and he was a clumsy child who easily lost his footing.

Perhaps it was his own mind getting in the way, maybe he was nervous, but everything around was so big and it was easy to be nervous when you were alone, Butler wasn’t with him, those moments were so rare…

A few more steps down the imposing staircase and he was a quarter of the way down, then a third, then one half. Maybe when he was with his mother, he would present her with his new violin concerto. He’d been working on it for about a week and was eager for an outside opinion two thirds of the way down when an all too familiar BANG ripped him out of his thoughts.

It was a noise he’d heard before. While Butler and the Major trained in the dojo, occasionally from his fathers meetings, in movies. A pistol with a silencer is still very very loud ~120 decibels. But the young Artemis didn't want to think about that, he was too busy falling.

He’d heard the bang, his foot had slipped, and he’d been sent careening forward, down the staircase. His chest was light, as though his heart had dropped to his stomach. He held out his arms in front of him bracing for impact.

There was a light thud when he hit the carpet. Pain exploded in his Right arm, his palms ached from the force of catching himself, and all the breath hand been knocked forcefully from his lungs.

His heart was racing with adrenaline and he was left laying on the carpet, cradling his arm close to his chest and gasping for air. He heard the voices of his father and the major nearing as the talked about something he was too distracted to hear, the second he was in sight, sniffling at the bottom of the stairs, Butler was by his side, asking him questions he couldn’t answer, all he could focus on was that he couldn't seem to get oxygen into his lungs.

The second he managed to catch a breath, he wailed. Tears ran down his cheeks and everything around him was too loud, too big, too bright, too much. He was terrified.

Butler managed to pry his delicate fingers off of his arm and pull it gently away from his chest. It was already starting to swell, and from Arty’s incomprehensible babbling interspersed with whimpers and sobs, he guessed it hurt.

Angeline had heard her baby’s cry from the west drawing room and had now appeared, worried with bits of hair strewn out of place, she looked like she’d ran, a theory only further confirmed by her lack of shoes, heels left behind somewhere in the manor.

“What happened?” she asked, frantic.

“I sent him out of the room while we finished things up with Kolzak, we found him like this.” even Fowl senior seemed worried, his brow furrowed in concern as his son sat bawling on the floor.

Angeline and the major stepped forward and artemis continued to gasp and blubber. Angeline got there first, kneeling next to him and holding him tight, he clung to her, chubby little hands taking fistfuls of her blouse, pressing his face into her chest as she pet his hair and whispered sweet comforts. The major kneeled next to Butler, wordlessly taking Artemis’ arm from the younger bodyguard’s grip. With large calloused fingers, he gently pressed different spots. His elbow and forearm were starting to bruise already.

“broken?” The major asked Butler, seeing if he shared the opinion. Butler nodded, and thus it was decided. To the hospital they went.

Butler convinced angeline to let artemis go, and he picked him up as gently as he could, as though he were a porcelain doll, bundling him in his arms protectively and heading towards the garage.

Slowly the adrenaline wore off and artemis’ choked wailing turned to exhausted snivelling. The major drove, artemis curled in his mothers lap, hiding his face in her blouse, while Fowl senior called ahead to his doctor friend, assuring they wouldn't have to wait too long for service.

And true to the friend’s word, less than 30 minutes passed between the arriving and Artemis being wheeled on a tiny gurney to a room.

They gave him a mask, which probably had some medication mixed with the oxygen, because it seemed to calm him unnaturally fast.

He left with a blue cast, which stretched from his thumb to his armpit, a short list of prescription pills, and a heavy disappointment that he wouldn’t be able to work on his concerto.

#artemis fowl #artemis fowl ii #domovoi butler #artemis fowl angst #artemis fowl books #angst #af #fowldom #artemis fowl senior #tw violence #tw injury #tw drugs #tw guns #fanfic #tw parents #angeline fowl #butler #the major #the major artemis fowl #fowlfest #fowlfest2023

[min3tta]

the wedding (part 1)

Engysis (marriage contract)   

“Prince Icarius,” Odysseus called as he followed the Spartan prince down a corridor of his grand palace. 

“Hm?” Prince Icarius responded and faced Odysseus. “What do you need from me, Ithacus?”

“... Your daughter’s hand,” Odysseus said with a grin. Prince Icarius looked confused.

“I thought you were here for Lady Helen, are you not?”

“I was … but your Penelope has captured my heart far more. Day by day, I am more captivated by her sheer beauty and cleverness, my lord. Lady Penelope is like a light that has brightened my life, and I never want that light to go out. I would be more than humbled to call her my wife, and I know that the people of Ithaca would rejoice that we would finally have a queen again. One to rule alongside me until my end days. My prince, I love your daughter more than anything I have known. I would be honored to call her mine. Prince Icarius of Sparta, please give me your blessing.”

Odysseus always had a way with words. 

Prince Icarius let out a long sigh. After a few moments of silence, he extended his hand to Odysseus, and Odysseus gladly took his hand and firmly shook it. 

“Thank you, my lord,” Odysseus said, trying to hold back tears, to not embarrass himself in front of his future father in-law. 

Prince Icarius’s hand let go of Odysseus’s grasp. “Take care of my Penelope. Protect her. She shall make you a worthy heir for your kingdom. This unity shall strengthen the alliance between Sparta and Ithaca.”

Odysseus couldn’t stop smiling.

“Come, follow me to the sitting room. The conversation can continue there.” Prince Icarius walked down the corridor to a large room with benches. Odysseus followed.

Proaulia (transition from child to bride)

Penelope sat in the dining room along with her mother, enjoying one last meal together in Sparta before her family made their way to Ithaca for Odysseus and Penelope’s wedding. 

“Oh, I am so nervous,” Penelope said to her mother as she took the last few bites of her favorite meal: roasted goose and legumes. 

“My love, you will be fine. Odysseus is a fine man. You said so yourself,” Periboea said to her daughter as she stroked her thick black hair. “Your father and I will be at the festivities, my dear. It’s normal for girls to be nervous before they join their husband. But, as a royal of Sparta, it is customary for you to join a man who can strengthen the ties of our kingdoms. Your marriage will do just that, I am sure.” 

“I know it will, mother,” Penelope said with a weak smile. 

“What a beautiful bride you will be. Are you ready for proteleia?” Periboea asked.

Penelope let out an exhale and nodded.

“Okay, I will grab your father and we will begin. I am so proud of you, my Penelope,” Periboea said and cupped Penelope’s cheeks in her hands. 

Proteleia (the bride’s nuptial sacrifice to the gods)

Penelope made her way to her palace’s shrine to Lady Artemis. Candles illuminated the intricately carved statue of the goddess, and all of Penelope’s dolls and childhood clothes were placed in front of the shrine as a dedication. 

“Penelope?” her mother and father walked up behind her as she observed the shrine. “Sit,” they said to her.

Penelope kneeled down in front of the shrine. She could feel her mother’s hands pressed on her head. 

She knew what was coming. 

Prince Icaruis kneeled down next to Penelope with a pair of shears and a small box in hand. 

He gave a small nod to his wife, and both started chanting prayers to Artemis. 

As they chanted, Icarius cut strands of Penelope’s baby hair from her forehead and placed them in the small box, then placed it alongside the other items, a sacrifice of Penelope’s childhood to the gods. 

Finally, at the end of the ceremony, Periboea placed a linen veil over her daughter’s face. 

Penelope knew that once Odysseus lifted the veil from her face the next night, she would be his.

Gamos (the wedding day)

As soon as the Spartan ship reached Ithacan soil, Penelope and Periboea were whisked off to a guest house, where a handful of slave girls were waiting to begin the bride’s wedding day process. 

First, Penelope was instructed to take a nuptial bath. It was unlike anything she had seen. It was almost like a ritual. Slave girls changed Penelope out of her chiton, undergarments and carefully removed her veil. Sacred, purified water from a loutrophoros was poured into a large bathing basin. 

Periboea stood, watching from a corner, as the servants guided her daughter into the water-filled basin and began to massage her skin with rose oil-soaked cloths. Lavish bottles of creams and ointments were rubbed on Penelope’s shoulders and then poured into the basin. As much as Penelope felt uncomfortable, she knew that it was necessary for a bride to be purified for her groom.

After a while, Periboea and the slave girls left the room and let the bride relax in her bath. 

Penelope felt the warm water calmly moving around her, the oils setting on her skin, the sun from the nearby window shining on her face. Ocean waves crashing and seagulls could be heard outside. 

She felt a calmness wash over her and closed her eyes. There Penelope laid, fully exposed in the basin, in her purest form, at peace, gathering herself for the most important moment in her life. 

“I am Penelope of Ithaca,” she softly said to herself, and smiled. 

Soon after, a slave girl, Melantho, came back in to help Penelope out of the basin and into a fresh set of clothes. Melantho pinned Penelope’s hair up into a braid, and new bracelets and necklaces were placed on her body.

“A gift from King Odysseus,” Melantho said as she adorned Penelope with fine jewelry. 

Lastly, she placed her veil back over Penelope’s head.

“My lady, an escort will be here shortly to bring you to the temple. The king will be waiting for you there.” Melantho said, and left Penelope alone once again.

“Finally,” Penelope thought to herself. She could hardly wait to see Odysseus. They hadn’t seen each other since he left Sparta a few months ago. She longed for him. Her husband.

Euchomai (prayers of a fruitful marriage)

After a short while, a man appeared in the doorway.

“My lady? I am Philoetlus, and I will be your escort to the temple. If you will follow me, please.”

Penelope followed Philoetlus a short distance to the temple. 

“King Odysseus is waiting for you inside. It is a pleasure meeting you, Lady Penelope. Please do not hesitate if you need anything.”

Penelope smiled warmly. 

“Thank you, Philoetlus,” she said, and made her way to the temple’s grand entrance. 

And there he was, handsome as ever.

Odysseus held his arm out to her, signaling to come join him before the shrine. 

Penelope made her way to him and took his hand. They both looked into each other’s eyes for a while, enjoying the intimacy. Odysseus broke the silence. 

“My love. You look gorgeous,” he said to Penelope.

Penelope could feel heat rising in her cheeks. “Thank you, my Odysseus. And thank you for the fine jewelry. It is stunning.”

“It’s nothing compared to your beauty, love,” he spoke softly, and placed a tender kiss on her cheek. “I am the luckiest man alive that I get to spend my life with you. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

“Nor could I,” Penelope breathed, and turned her attention to the large shrine to Athena in front of them, not letting go of Odysseus’s hand. “Now, let us give our prayers to the gods, that our marriage will be fruitful.”

Odysseus nodded and prayed aloud. 

“Lady Athena, hear our prayers. Ensure that Penelope and I’s marriage be one of unconditional love and friendship, one of respect and wellbeing,” Odysseus said to the statue of Athena.

“I will,” a voice said. Penelope jumped at the sound, but Odysseus was quick to calm her.

“It is okay, my dear,” he said to Penelope. “Lady Athena hears us.”

Just then, an owl flew through the window and landed on top of the shrine.

“I hear you,” said the owl.

“... Lady Athena,” Penelope whispered, and bowed her head. Odysseus bowed his head as well.

“Odysseus of Ithaca. Penelope of Sparta. I bless you and your marriage. Life’s roads may be arduous, but your love will never waver, and instead conquer through all.” Athena’s voice echoed throughout the temple. With that, the owl quickly flew away. 

#the odyssey #the iliad #penelope #odysseus #odysseus x penelope #odypen #greek mythology #periboea #icarius #melantho #philoetlus #athena

[onmyyan]

A/N: Not edited fully self indulgent, short lmao enjoy

Allow me to tell you the story of a very special woman named (Y/n), but to truly tell her story we must begin with a very bad man.

The land of Frell was a tight knit community. Since the dawn of magic, those who were touched by it, be it elves, or giants, or warlocks, all lived peacefully amongst their mortals neighbors. For centuries it was a lush kingdom. Bountiful harvests blessed by the local witches, giants would help with the local construction, all in all it was a prosperous, accepting land. That is until King Toshinori mysteriously disappeared leaving his seat on the throne up for grabs, and of course the man he’d spent years keeping in check was the one to take it.

Enji Todoroki was the antithesis to everything King Toshinori stood for, while one was warm in his kindness and virtue, the other was a war hardened general turned king, despite being blessed with the strongest fire magic one could have, the man himself was a cold, unforgiving brute, his ruling style shifted the kingdom of Frell drastically, only those he deemed strong could freely practice their magic, anyone who he couldn’t control was banished into the deepest parts of the forest, hidden away from his ever watchful gaze. Overnight the peace that had long since blanketed the kingdom was ripped away. His snobbish ideals and behavior influenced the people of Frell, not all, but most changed with the times in a means to stay afloat, the gap between the commonwealth and the nobles had never felt wider, the people who hadn’t succumbed to his will learned to protest silently, lest they too be sent to the forests. Before he’d taken power and changed the fates of all those around him, a very special woman was brought into the world in a cozy cottage.

(Y/n) was born into a loving family. A beautiful woman bounced the cooing baby against her chest, while she herself wasn’t gifted in the magical arts, she’d always had a love for them, so she filled baby (Y/n)’s ears with the best tales she could, the child’s big eyes were filled with wonder as she listened to her mothers soothing voice. Yu, the house fairy who’d been with the (L/n)’s since she herself was a girl, had stumbled into the room, her eyes squinted in adoration at the loving sight. Wanting to be helpful she thrust her hands towards a baby blanket on the nearby dresser. “Come on you stupid thing- come to mama, that’s right up!” She encouraged the now floating object towards her, eagerly waiting for it to fall in her open palms, only for it to fly into her face. 

“I gotta work on that! Don’t worry I’ll get it next time!” The sweet, but clumsy, woman added cooing over the fussy baby. Her mother, Mera, could only laugh .

The picturesque moment was quickly shattered by the familiar sound of a fairy entering the home. The mischievous voice of Miruko carried throughout the space, “Hellooooo ladies~ coming in hot!”, giving the new mother and her house fairy mere moments before she arrived. 

“Oh gods- she gives the worst gifts.” Mera spoke, fear chipping at her voice, her newborn pressed protectively against her chest. Yu paced the room anxiously, knowing how backwards Miruko’s magic was. “Not if she can’t find her!” The fairy gently took the bundle from her mother, quickly placing her in the closet behind them, and just in time as the rabbit like woman finally made her entrance.

With a flourish of shimmering lights and a sprinkling of glitter, there she stood in all her glory. The eccentric fae wasted no time, bounding over to the new mother with a shark like grin. 

“Miruko here, Fairy Par excellence.” She spoke with a half hearted curtsy. “So Mera, where is the little brat? I’ve come to bless sweet thing as is customary.” Her hand gave a little flourish at the end of her sentence, Mera smiled in gratitude,

”She’s out on a walk.”

“She’s with her grandmother.” Mera and Yu said respectively, they shared a look before Mera corrected, “She’s out with her grandmother, on a walk, but even a visit from a busy guardian like yourself is a gift.” 

The white haired fae gave a knowing look to the pair.

”It’s always so funny watching humans lie, you guys are so bad at it!” She laughed brushing past the two to give the room a once over. All too quickly she noticed the cracked open closet door and was soon holding the baby up. “Ahh so cute, what gift shall we give little (Y/n) today hmm?”  As soon as she touched her, (Y/n) began to cry as hard as her little body could, the tall woman holding her awkwardly bounced the baby, clearly uncomfortable with the upset child. “Hush now. I can’t concentrate with all that fussing now can I?” She spoke at the now bawling baby, frustration growing by the second. “Not a very well behaved little stinker is she?” The large grin she sported only seemed to upset (Y/n) more. 

“(Y/n) of Frell, I give you the gift of Obedience.” She snapped her fingers with a glimmer of light and sighed. “Now go to sleep!” The young (Y/n) instantly fell under, only waking when the fairy command, “Ah, now wake up!” 

The rich skinned woman turned to the pair, proud of her work. “See? Isn’t this the perfect gift for such a sweet thing?” Yu held her face in horror at the sight, angry she couldn’t do more to stop it. “No! That’s terrible. It’s horrid to have to do what you’re told!” Miruko gave her fellow fairy a hard look, red eyes squinting in disbelief. “Take it back.” Yu demanded, holding her ground despite the very real power difference between the two. 

“I have a no return policy. And if you’re feeling ungrateful, I could always just turn her into a rabbit.” Her fingers hovered over the babe in warning, “A rabbit!” Mera exclaimed, on the verge of feinting. “It’s a lovely gift! Wonderful for a baby girl right Mera?” Yu quickly corrected herself, in turn Miruko smiled again, holding the babe out to her mother. “You should be thanking me. I just gave you the perfect child.” 

In spite of the spell (Y/n) grew up of strong mind, her gift made her obedient, but her heart made her kind. 

That kindness would get her in more trouble than her gift it would seem, as she would soon meet the future hero of Frell himself, a vengeful barbarian, a loyal knight, the youngest Royal Prince, A Dragon shifter, a few warlocks and a witch, each dangerous in their own right and horribly smitten with our dear (y/n)

#yandere #yandere x reader #yandere x y/n #yandere bnha #bnha fantasy au #yandere various #self indulgence time

[orii-blogs-stuff]

Anastasius did not know what to make of the door. Perhaps it was a blessing of sorts from Chaosfliehe?

“Father?” Sentisia questioned, “What is it?”

“What could it be?” His dear Eglantine corrected their daughter, “I agree, how did such a peculiar door appear so suddenly, that too in the dining room?”

Despite his adorable little Sentisia only reaching three years of age come Autumn, Eglantine wished for their daughter to dine with them everyday as it was the only time they could properly interact with their daughter. Anastasius agreed to his Light Goddess’s wishes and thus, it had become customary for the family of three to sit down and eat together for every meal despite their retainers believing it was inappropriate to do so and hence, tried to be Anhaltung one too many times as for a subordinate to be towards their employer, stating it was against Gebordnung’s wishes for those under Wiegenmilch’s protection to dine with the Light Goddess and Dark God of the Garden.

It was supposed to be like any other fruitday, due to the season being summer, Sentisia wished to have lunch near the Great Lake so they may enjoy their lunch in the shade and watch the pfauens do their dance.

Unfortunately, his planning for the lunch was in vain. “I am confused how a door that leads to nothing has appeared.” What was stranger was how the door seemed to stand up right by itself, the door had strange symbols and a katze carved into it, perhaps it was a blessing from Verdraeos? Perhaps, however, he needed to make sure the door was not a curse from Chaocipher. “Fear not.” Anastasius said, I shall figure out what it is. Anastasius brought out his schappe, if it was a trap then he needed to be alert to protect his daughter and wife, as he opened the door, yellow light seemed to pour out of the otherside, as if the Goddess of Light herself resided on the other side.

His dear quickly walked to his side, “Do not go alone!-”

“Hello and welcome~!” A flower - most definitely a flower, her dress barely went past her knees despite being old enough to graduate from the Academy - with horns said, “Please come in and take a seat.” Anastasius simply stared, unable to comprehend what was going on. Had he walked into a Flower Garden by chance? He looked at the interior, it did not seem to be a small flower garden, it seemed to be an eatery of sorts, fit for commoners! “Is something the matter?” The flower/server asked.

“What is this establishment?” Anastasius questioned. “How come…” Anastasius was having difficulty articulating his next point, how come there was a door to a restaurant within their property? Was this a trick from Chaocipher? Anastasius kept an eye on the server with his hand on his schtappe whilst Eglantine hid Sentisia within her cloak. 

“This is Nekoya, we are a restaurant that serves mostly Western food.” The server said. “Although, most of our regulars like to call this place The Restaurant to Another World. ”

The restaurant to another- what nonsense was this? While the mere concept sounded as ridiculous as it should have, as Anastasius continued to observe the restaurant’s interiors, he noticed how the feystones on the ceiling would light up the entire room, the odd instruments and objects tucked away onto the shelves, the strange clothes the patrons and restaurant employees wore and the stranger food they seemed to eat. “I see. Be Anhaltung, why did a door to such a restaurant arrive within my property?” 

“I’m not sure about the details.” The server smiled, “It just happens, really. According to Master, it distorts space-time and multiple doors appear in many locations, all leading to this very restaurant which is in another world.”

“Could we please eat here, Mother?” He could hear Sentisia ask, “I wish to taste the de-let-table food the restaurant from another world has to offer!”

Eglantine looked at him as he looked at Eglantine, what should they do? Whilst they did wish to indulge their adorable child, was this safe? Anastasius looked at the restaurant again, he could see whom he assumed were Nobles based on their manners and appearances including some noble children. If they ate here, they should be under the protection of Cuococalura, right? “Very well.” Anastasius said, “We shall dine here for today.”

The server ushered them to one of the many tables, Anastasius noticed they had been seated near the - presumed - Nobles. Anastasius noticed to his left was a lady and two children whilst on his right were two slightly underdressed Nobles that looked to be of Lanzenave origin as well as a lady with hair, a bright red dress and a soft face as if she was Geduldh incarnate.

As he slowly came out of his shock, he realised the server did not bow to Eglantine . It was heresy against Gebordnung herself! How dare a lowly commoner not bow to the Zent! Wretched, mannerless thing ! As Anastasius was about to call out to the server and have her executed for her audacity; he felt this… Odd presence in his mind…

“Foolish Noble, if you wish to dine here you will not make a scene, nor will you provoke my wrath with your incessant Noble rules and regulations that are not witnessed in this other world.”

Anastasius felt an unpleasant heaviness settle into his heart and mind, looking straight in front of him, he could see a lady with dark blue hair and golden eyes, an appearance he could almost mistake for as Aub Alexandria, however, there was a small doubt in his mind, the lady in front of him did not act like Rozemyne…

Anastasius froze as he realised who was in front of him.

“Here are your fresh towels and water~!” The server said, “I'll go get the menus.”

Anastasius felt as if he could not breathe. He had angered a Goddess , not only did he just forfeit his life, he forfeit his family’s life as well.

“Husband?” Eglantine said. “Are you well?”

“I am well.” He needed to beg for Lady Mestionora’s forgiveness, as he was about to get out of his seat so he could kneel to Lady Mestionora and beg the Goddess to not harm his family.

“Sit down.” The Goddess said. “I did not come to this eatery to hear Nobles grovel at my feet.”

Anastasius did not dare stand up after that.

“Here are your menus~ Oh! [Oreo parfait]! I didn’t notice you before! I’ll go get a warm towel and-”

“No need.” Lady Mestionora told the server. “My needs are being taken care of.”

Anastasius could not for the life of him remember what the epithet ‘Oreo parfait’ meant, he slowly looked towards Eglantine to see her reaction at her realising she was sitting next to a Goddess - She had the Book of Mestionora after all, ofcourse she would know all the epithets of the Gods - However, Eglantine gave no indication of recognising the epithet.

He was brought back to reality when another server who looked to be of Lanzenave origin came with a few thin books, “Alette! I was getting a menu for Mesti- Uh- Oreo Parfait when I noticed there were more people sitting at the table. I hope you don’t mind but I brought a few more menus.”

The feyhuman with horns simply smiled, “Thank you, Riya.” She turned to look at them, “I’ll come back after you have finished choosing your meals.” Anastasius watched as the feyhuman went to welcome in a a feybeast lion capable of speech and standing upright as the other server gave them the menu, a thin booklet with a leather outer cover, as expected of high-end eateries.

Anastasius found the situation he was in fascinating, not only did he stupidly bring his unbaptised daughter to a high-end eatery where other Nobles and even feybeast frequented, but Eglantine did not seem to recognise an epithet of the Goddess of Wisdom, who he was sitting opposite to, perhaps Goddess Mestionora did not wish for Eglantine to notice her?

Yes, perhaps it was that , Anastasius calmed himself as he willed himself to ignore Lady Mestionora and the server as he focused on his menu.

“Father.” Sentisia said, “May I see the menu, please?”

Anastasius placed the menu between them as he started to turn it’s pages, Anastsius prayed to Dregarnuhr and Dultsetzen to keep him composed when he started to read the book, the printing technology used to create such a booklet… The paintings… How much did this one booklet cost? Judging the server’s interactions from earlier, they must have dozens of booklets such as this one…

“I will choose the chicken pasta.” Eglantine said.

Anastasius looked at the corresponding painting for the chicken pasta, a shockingly detailed painting of Nudeln covered in cheese and chicken bits; it looked quite rustic. “Are you certain?”

“Yes.” Eglantine nodded, “It was my favourite dish whilst I was under Wiegenmilch’s protection.”

If Eglantine loved the food then Anastasius should make the effort to enjoy it as well, “I shall also order a plate of chicken pasta as well, Sentisia, what would you like to order?”

“I want a pu-pud-ding!” Sentisia said as she slowly spelt out the words as she pointed to a picture of a sweet.

“Sentisia.” Eglantine said, “You need to order a main meal.”

“But I want to eat pudding!”

“Might I make a suggestion?” The Noblewoman on his left said, “You may order a ‘kids meal’ version of whatever dish you are ordering as the kids meal is tailored to their taste and stomach sizes and includes a sweet of their choice.”

“I shall have a kids meal then!” Sentisia said, “With pudding!”

Anastsius gave his adorable little daughter a smile, “Sentisia, what did your attendants say to do when talking to people in an indoor area?”

“Use the inside voice?” Sentisia said.

“Good.” Anastasius said, “So please speak more softly next time.”

“Thank you for your input.” Eglantine said to the Noblewoman, “I shall take your input into consideration, Lady…?”

“Princess Victoria Samanark of the Duchy of Samanark, Lady…?”

“Zent Eglantine of Yurgenschmidt.” Eglantine said, “I shall take your input into consideration.” Eglantine said.

Once the feyhuman server came back, Anastasius put in their orders, “Two chicken pastas and one kids meal chicken pasta with pudding.”

“Two chicken pastas and one kid's meal of chicken pasta with pudding.” The server nodded as she echoed their order, “Please wait as I bring your order.”

Anastasius started to observe the other patrons, as he lay his eyes on the oddly underdressed Nobles talking to - or attempting to talk in the Lord’s situation - the Lady with white hair, Anastasius could not help but have a vivid flashback to his days at the academy, when he would chase after Eglantine for her rafel. However, unlike Anastasius running after Eglantine, the Lord did not do that, he simply stayed quiet, Anastasius doubted the Nobleman would be able to receive the Noblewoman’s rafel.

The interaction between the Lord and the Lady were painful to watch, the Lord could not get a word out every time the Lady smiled in his direction, the Lord’s - presumably - sister gave him glares, Anastasius could almost over paint their images with him, Eglantine and Rozemyne back when the little gremlin was a first year as he inappropriately and desperately reached out to anyone and everyone at the slight chance of earning Eglantine’s rafel. If he were not a Noble of proper upbringing and was still a student at the Royal Academy, he would have had half a mind to go to the Lord to be his Anhaltung on how to win the heart of his light Goddess. But, he was a changed Lord and had grown since his Academy days, he was simply content to watch the young rafel blossom, or wither and fall, he was not sure how this would go with how speechless the Lord was with his Light Goddess.

As Rozemyne had once said to him, if a Lord did not open his heart to his Lady, he would never receive her rafel.

Dauerleben help him, Anastasius was shocked how open the Nobles were with their expressions, it was odd, seeing Nobles not keeping their true thoughts and intentions under Verbergen’s shroud as they conspire against each other, they reminded him of Rozemyne. He had trouble comprehending how the Lady could openly glare at her companion in an eatery, was she not worried about her reputation?

Also interesting, was how Lady Mestionora was still talking to the commoner server. “So that will be one Oreo parfait, one beefsteak and one sprite?”

“Yes, how long will this take?”

“About an hour, I’m afraid.”

“That is fine, take your time.” Lady Mestionora said, “Have you had lunch yet?”

“No, but if not many people come through the doors in the next half an hour then I’ll have my break.” After that, the server left.

“How are you liking this establishment?” Anastasius asked Eglantine discreetly, so as to not anger the Goddess sitting opposite to him.

“The atmosphere is pleasant.” Eglantine said with a graceful smile, “However, I am shocked at how carefree these nobles seem, almost like Rozemyne…” 

Anastasius nodded, understanding how his beloved Geduldh was feeling, all their lives, they were expected to be the perfect Nobles so they could be worthy of their birthright, craft the perfect mask to hide their true intentions from enemies, when Rozemyne had first arrived, he could not understand how or why such an obtuse, headstrong individual could thrive so easily whilst the rest were being crushed by their own Chaosciphers. Perhaps it was a fluke , atleast, he knew that was what most Nobles in his social circle had thought, Perhaps she was simply beloved by the Gods, due to which, she could breathe easier than the rest of them, she was the Incarnation of a Goddess after all, perhaps the Gods were protecting her.

Yet… Seeing the Nobles inside this eatery’s premise… He doubted they were beloved of the Gods, he doubted the Gods were aware of them at all, seeing as how they were from outside of Yurgenschmidt, how come they act as if they were still under the protection of Wiegenmilch? How come they show their true intentions as so? It was not a proper thing to do. 

However… They were Nobles, and of high standing too if they are of similar stature of Victoria and the children she is with. They were still here, as Nobles, not demoted to be Blue robes.

The girl with the horns came back with their food, “Sorry for the wait!” she said as she put down their plates, “Please enjoy the meal.” she said as she left.

She just… Left … Anastasius was about to demand the server taste test their food when he came into eye-contact with Lady Mestionora.

“Hmm!” Sentisia said, “The chicken is tasty!” Anastasius and Eglantine watched in horror as their daughter took a bite of her food.

“The Food is safe.” Lady Mestionora said with an almost bored expression, “The staff heed and respect Cuococalura well, unlike the Noble Trombes your Father referred to as family.”

If… If lady Mestionora said so… Anastasius gave his wife a smile, to convey he trusted the restaurant to not poison them as he took a bite of the pasta. The food was indeed delicious, Cuococalura had truly graced the restaurant with her appearance, despite the rustic appearance of the food, he felt as if he had been invited to dine with the Gods themselves - Not technically untrue, he was, indeed, dining with Lady Mestionora - as they were eating, Anastasius noticed that there were not many people present inside the establishment. And so the servers are also getting ready to eat their meals.

“Unlike your parents, you did not hesitate to eat the food,” Anastasius felt the temperature of the room drop as he heard the voice opposite to him speak for the first time, not inside his head. “Why?”

Sentisia looked up to Lady Mestionora, Anastasius did not hesitate to put his hand into his feystone pouch, he glanced at Eglantine, not expecting her to be as fearful as him as she did not recognise the Goddess of Wisdom when an epithet of hers had been used earlier, however, Anastasius could she her fingers pressed against the fork she was using, turning her knuckles white.

It was then Anastasius understood, Eglantine had simply kept her composure till now, perhaps not to anger the Goddess or perhaps to not scare their daughter or perhaps both. “My Lady.” Eglantine said, “My daughter will reach three years of age come Autumn-”

“I am aware.” Lady Mestionora said, “I do not harm those under Wiegenmilch’s protection, I want to hear her answer.”

“I trust this establishment because otherwise, Mother and Father would not bring me here if they did not.” His adorable Sentisia explained.

“You trust this establishment simply because your parents had brought you here on a whim?” Lady Mestionora said.

“Yes!” Sentisia squealed, Anastasius looked for his secondary pouch of feystones to offset his mana into. 

“I see…” Lady Mestionora replied, “I am impressed, that was… intelligent for someone of your age. Nobles like you do not trust others so easily, some raised to not even trust their own parents, to be able to trust others so freely on the basis of simply love itself, you show a startling amount of emotional intelligence, that is commendable” Lady Mestionora looked to be deep in thought, “But I see you have the potential to become greater…”

Anastasius’ eyes widened as he saw an orb of yellow mana float from Lady Mestionora to his daughter, “As you have impressed me greatly, I will see to it you grow into an academic and emotionally intelligent individual.”

“Thank you!” Sentisia replied, smiling brightly. 

“Excuse me…” Anastasius involuntarily shivered as he heard another voice inside his head, “ As there are few patrons at the moment, there are many empty tables, would you like to sit someplace else? ” Anastasius did not know how, but he could tell the server dressed in all black was the one speaking into his mind, from the looks of Eglantine and Sentisia, they had also heard the voice inside their minds.

“I would appreciate that.” Lady Mestionora said as she moved to a separate table, keeping eye-contact with the server in the black uniform.

Anastasius felt as if he could breathe again, until he remembered the blessing Lady Mestionora had bestowed onto his daughter.

“That was quite an impressive use of magic.” Lady Victoria said, “Is everyone in your world blessed to do such extensive feats of magic?”

Anastaius and Eglantine shared a look, “ Let me do the talking, ‘Staius. ” Her eyes seemed to say, Eglantine turned to look at the Princess from another world, “Not everybody, only Nobles are capable enough to do such magic.”

Anastasius tuned them out as he watched from the corner of his eye as Lady Mestionora graced the table the servers were sitting at, he couldn’t hear the words Lady Mestionora was saying, atleast, not properly. It was his duty as a Noble to gather as much information as he could as information could be the difference between life and a certain death.

“-It is not much-” 

“- A gift? For me? But my birthday isn’t until next month!”

“-Really? What day-”

“-Not on a [Saturday] unfortunately-”

“-I would be pleased if you nonetheless, accepted my -”

Anastasius let out a gasp as he noticed Lady Mestionora giving a the server from Lanzenave a headband that closely resembled a tiara, the headband looked to have multiple omicoloured  feystones set into the metal framework, the gift looked to be created by Vulcanift himself. 

Perhaps it was .

“What a pretty headband.” Sentisia remarked.

“Sentisia stop staring and eat your meal.” Anastasius said as more and more feystones in his pouch became nothing but golden dust.

“May I have one as pretty as that one?”

A headband as extravagant as a gift from a Goddess? Anastasius blindly inserted his hand into another feystone pouch, such upheaval of Gebordnung would not be tolerated by the Gods. They must not strive to dress themselves as the gods, the same way a Laynoble must never strive to dress as an Archduchal family member. “We shall talk later about such matters, please enjoy your meal until then.”

“Yes Father…”

Anastasius nodded as he continued to listen to the conversation between the Goddess and the commoner from afar.

“-a book then-”

“- wait till next Fruitday-”

“-[Encyclopedia] has everything-”

“-Everything?”

“- [Dinosaurs] -”

How was it possible for a Goddess to hold such affections for a commoner ? They were the lowest of the low, barely had any mana to be allowed entry into the sacred country of Yurgenschmidt yet - the Goddess seemed to enjoy the commoner’s company !

“I have talked to my grandfather’s subordinates and they believe a door to mine to your is very much possible-”

Anastasius felt a presence in his mind, weighing down his conscience. “I shall say this once and only once, you will not insult the workers of this establishment, am I clear?”

Anastasius could not breath, he merely said ‘yes’ in a high pitched tone of voice.

“Why did you say yes like that, Father?”

Anastasius took a deep breath, they needed to leave, he was out of feystones, “Sentisia.” Anastasius said as he watched Sentisia eat the cup of pudding, “Have you finished your meal?” 

“Almost, Father.” Sentisia said sweetly, “I just need to finish my pudding.”

Anastasius took a deep breath as he took a peek at the table where the servers and Lady Mestionora were, the server in the black uniform and odd ears had finished eating and thus, was cleaning tables, “We would like to pay now.” He told the server.

“Understood.” Anastasius felt the hairs on his neck rise as he heard the voice inside his mind, it was too similar to Lady Mestionora’s presence for his liking.

Turning to look at Eglantine, he saw she was still conversing with Lady Victoria. “Eglantine.” Anastasius said, “We must leave, our retainers must be worried.”

Eglantine nodded, “Yes, ofcourse.”

Once the bill was settled, the family of three walked out of the restaurant.

“May we come here again, Father?” Sentisia said with hopeful eyes, “I enjoyed the pasta and pudding very much.”

The mere thought of coming face-to-face with the commoner loving Goddess was enough to make Anastasius feel ill, “Ask your Mother, she has quite the busy schedule and may not be able to come here every fruitday.”

“Mother, may we come here every Fruitday?”

“I believe it is feasible.” Eglantine said, “Lady Victoria said her Duchy exports large amounts of high quality feystones, I believe Yurgenschmidt could benefit from such a trade and Alexandria has yet to open their Country gate to another world, perhaps to the Eastern continent?”

Anastasius believed he and Eglantine needed to have a talk in their hidden rooms, despite the novelty food, he did not wish for Sentisia to go back to the restaurant, not until she was baptised, “Ofcourse, My Geduldh.”

OOO

OMAKE TIME~!

Anastasius loves his child very much:

Eglantine: Should we dine here?

Anastasius: I do not think that is wise-

Sentisia: Father, May we dine here? Gives out radioactive levels of puppy eyes

Anastasius: … It is only one meal, what could possibly go wrong?

Sentisia: yay!

When you don’t kneel to the Zent of another world:

Anastasius: How dare you show such disrespect! I demand her be beheaded-

Mestionora: Eyes bright yellow looking at Anastasius with a disapproving look

Anastasius: … Never mind, you don’t need to kneel

Kuro shouldn’t keep her eyes off Mestionora:

Kuro: I look away for 5 minutes and you curse a CHILD?!

Mestionora: I didn’t curse a child! I blessed her!

Kuro: And why would you do that?!

Mestionora: She impressed me? 

Kuro: Well could you not?!

Mestionora: Why? I just reduced the number of stupid people in this world?!  You’re welcome by the way!

Kuro: That’s it! You’re switching tables!

Invasion? Of Earth? More likely than you think!

Mestionora: Talks about how she’s convincing Chaosfliehe and Verdraeos to make a door to Earth so she could visit her girlfriend whenever she wants (not that Riya knows their dating, Mesti in her mind thinks they’re dating and that’s all that matters to her)

Kuro: Making plans to tell the Red Queen that there is a possibility of the Yurgen Gods are trying to invade Earth so Red could let the Gods of Earth know about it, it’s bad enough the Yurgen God of Life steals souls from them all, they don’t need to put up with the other Yurgen Gods as well

What’s your next plan, Eglantine?:

Eglantine: Hmm… Perhaps I should let my dear friend Adolphine know about the restaurant…

#my writing #ascendance of a bookworm #a restaurant in another world #join us for a bite au #excerpts

[lorkai]

Lilia as your dad

A/N: Head empty, just this gremlin screaming and running around until I finally write this down. So come get your gremlin if you like him and fluff combined lol.

Lilia naturally has a way with children. They are always funny and honest, and they make him feel a peace he never thought he would feel when he was on the battlefield. He saw a lot that traumatized him, a lot of blood and bodies, so being surrounded by kids and their antics helped him find himself when he had nightmares and war trauma. He will never forget how he took care of Malleus since he was just an egg ready to hatch, how he crawled out and breathed in for the first time was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Holding him in his arms gave him a sense of belonging and made him realize he wanted more children, little ones that he could raise and help.

Regardless of whether you are his adopted or biological child, human or fae, Lilia will treat you very well. Obviously he has his mistakes as a father and as an fae but he is always working to make up for those mistakes and apologizes when he is wrong. He is naturally a busy fae, but he can easily be found going to your imaginary tea parties, playing with you, teaching you to fight, or just taking you to work with him.

Lilia says he's proud of every little achievement you've achieved and offers you good hugs. Plus, he takes you and Silver out to the fanciest and most expensive restaurant every now and then to celebrate something important. And it is customary for him to put you to bed and cover you with a warm blanket, kissing your forehead.

You 100% have inside jokes and a secret handshake.

Also, Lilia loves to read you stories. He is the best narrator and manages to make the dialogues funnier with the voices he imitates. Books may vary. Fantasy, mystery and if you like, horror. There are also movie nights where you, Malleus, Silver, Sebek and your dad get together to watch silly movies. He's also the type of person who talks to the character all the time, Silver is already used to but Sebek always complains about it while you and Malleus find this funny.

It's common for Malleus to find you in a pillow fort in Lilia's room, where you spend a lot of time reading manga and watching anime, debating about the strongest characters from and eating junk food. Not that you know but these debates are said so that your observation and perception are more keen than that of other people, so that you are able to perceive if a person and their intentions are good, because he will not always be there to protect you and that's why he gives you mental exercises like this. Besides, you always end up sleeping in the comfort of the fort, warm and between a mess of arms and legs. It's lovely to see.

  He's a busy parent as mentioned as he's preparing Malleus to ascend the throne, but he also always has time to talk to Silver and you about your respective issues. With him you can talk about your feelings and he always talks about how valid they are so you don't repress them and end up with some emotional block. He also gives the best advice when you're having a hard time or just went after him because of a nightmare, either way he always ends up pulling you down onto his chest and feeling combing gently on your scalp, singing the same lullaby that put Malleus and Silver to sleep. 

While everyone accepts you in their little family, they also have to accept that you and Lilia are constantly in a war to see who can prank them the most. Malleus is pretty hard to fall for your pranks, but he always plays along so you don't feel bad. And Silver doesn't even care since half the time he's sleeping. But Sebek, poor crocodile, is running around being surprised by you and your father with equally sadistic smiles, his words, not mine. And when he starts chasing the two of you to scold you about how you've been bothering Waka-sama, the two of you have fun hiding in the castle. The place is huge and Sebek doesn't even know half of the hiding places shared between you and Lilia.

Finally, Lilia probably teaches you some magic tricks. In addition to training and fighting with you, with weapons like a sword or bow or just with your fists, he wants you to be strong physically and mentally so that you know how to defend yourself when he can't be there in time. This is a fear of his that you may not be able to understand, but as a general he has many known enemies and spies always trying to get close to him and his only weaknesses are his children.

     At the end of the night he always says I love you before he goes to sleep and makes sure you're comfortable and warm in your covers. He always tries to be a good father to you and his brother Silver.

#disney twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland #twst #twst lilia vanrouge #twst lilia #lilia vanrouge #child!reader #child!mc