[ “SOMEBODY TOLD ME”]:
BREAKING MY BACK JUST TO KNOW YOUR NAME. SEVENTEEN TRACKS AND I’VE HAD IT WITH THIS GAME. A BREAKIN’ MY BACK JUST TO KNOW YOUR NAME—BUT HEAVEN AIN’T CLOSE IN A PLACE LIKE THIS.
— The Killers, Hot Fuss (2004)
Princess Rhaenyra’s insolence is wearing her stepmother’s patience thin. Queen Alicent is not ten years her senior, but even during her own sixteenth year, she cannot recall herself behaving so brazenly. She would never burst into courtly discussions in nothing but gilded armor and the underskirts of her riding leathers, awash in blood. (She would never be spotted in blood that was not her own, anyway. Alicent has never picked up a sword, not one that belonged to her.) Nevermind that Rhaenyra is attending to diplomatic affairs with bared teeth and scales, no—the crux of the matter is just that, her affairs. Rhaenyra is the Realm’s Delight, a beauty incomparable to any fair maiden, Alicent included. She indulges herself with appetite of a spoiled child, the confidence of man, and the pickings befitting only to her royal blood. Criston Cole. Daemon Targaryen. Harwin Strong. Laena Velaryon. She’s full of love, isn’t she? That selfish, foolish girl. What does Rhaenyra Targaryen know of love, of duty? She is a child in so many ways—she thinks killing makes her a man, thinks the throne is hers despite being a woman, thinks she can have her knight and her uncle and her protector and Laena Velaryon in one fail swoop. She’s wrong. She doesn’t know herself half as well as Alicent does. Alicent, who sees her for what she truly is, who wants to see all of her and more of her and none of her. Alicent has been stolen into the Keep by her own father—both of their fathers—but Rhaenyra is the key to this place, is the window to everything barred. Rhaenyra Targaryen has a dragon. Rhaenyra can fly.
That’s what Rhaenyra had promised her once, with her lips pulled back in a grin, exposing the white of her teeth like the violently radiant creature she was. “Perhaps when you grow tired of plotting against me, we shall ride on dragonback together,” she had said. The tease.
Alicent had yanked her into an empty corridor by the silk of her sleeve, ready to chastise her for her ill behavior. Conversing with the lords and ladies of the court at a feast was one thing, but chattering about her bloody encounters in battle over the pudding tureen were another. The lord at her elbow was going green. Alicent’s own face was likely red; her heart raced whenever Rhaenyra got like this. Alicent had never seen the battlefield—only seen battered men in dented armor and the slumps of corpses lined along dirt roads in the aftermath of war—but her own imagination terrified her like nothing else.
(Rhaenyra is better with a sword than half of the knights in Westeros, and more lovely than the lot. Her reign has not yet begun, but already the commoners flock to her—lured in by tales of her beauty and fine hair—and soldiers would follow her into battle. Alicent would not follow, but she would watch and bite her nails down to the quick.
She thinks of the figure Rhaenyra cuts in full armor, the heat in her gaze underneath the slots of her helmet. Alicent remembers the weight of her own hand in Rhaenyra’s—which was gloved—when the princess rode up to the spectators box and grasped it in her own, bringing Alicent’s knuckles to her lips. She thinks of Rhaenyra murdered in the sky, skewered with another man’s sword, plummeting to the ground, torn in half, streaking crimson across the clouds. Alicent would scream, or cry. She might laugh. She would throw herself from the window of her tower. Rhaenyra’s bloody exploits terrified Alicent for reasons she could not identify, and excited her for reasons she refused to.)
“I’d sooner be confined to the castle for the rest of my days than get on the back of that bloody lizard,” Alicent scoffed. Rhaenyra only tucked her hand over Alicent’s, where it was resting on her forearm. She flexed her fingers, moving to release her grip on the dark fabric, but Rhaenyra intertwined their fingers and held them fast.
“You’re confined already. You are already accustomed to such a thing. I know you. But—”
“But you forget yourself. You think you’re invulnerable, Rhaenyra. You don’t know who you are.” Alicent intends for it to be a sneer, but instead it comes out quietly, and too gentle for disdain. She can’t know. Rhaenyra is as trapped as she is, but they’re trapped together. They belong together. She belongs with Alicent.
“I am Rhaenyra Targaryen, Heir to the Iron Throne and all of Westeros. I am a dragonrider. I am—I am your daughter. In a way. Your sister, too. Your enemy. Your sword, your shield.”
“And what am I?” What else is left for me? Alicent wonders.
“My Queen. For now.” Rhaenyra cocks her head, and the gleam in her eyes burns like fire raining down. “When I am Queen, you will be my lady.”
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Minish (Minish Cap / Four Swords) / they/them / 12 years old
Minish has never been one for talking. They're reserved and self contained but quite bright. As a system, they've never felt like they've had a place to slot into. Turmoil from their past still lingers as an echo in the back of their mind, and with the freshness of their adventure, even at the young age of 12 they have a lot to think about.
some world building stuff under the cut! (and system stuff);
they wear the cape all the time because it's warm and looks Very Heroic
They only just discovered they're a system, so they have No Idea what's happening they just work here.
Collectively, they go by "Link" or "Minish".
System Members;
Link (he/they) - Primary host and protector. (15 years old)
Green (he/him) - co-host, primary protector and caretaker (20-24 yrs)
Red (he/fae) - Soother, emotional outlet and symptom holder. (18-19 yrs)
Blue (he/they) - Gatekeeper, primary protector/avenger and emotional outlet. (23 yrs)
Vio (they/them) - academic helper and archivist (means that they end up storing all the sys information (18-20 yrs)
Shadow (he/they/ze) - factive introject, dead alter and a misguided protector. Link has a VERY hard time accepting he's part of their system (ageless)
Clover (he/she/they) - caretaker and protector (14-16 yrs)
Minish (he/they) - a little in their system! they have a running suspicion that Link split from Mini. (8-12)
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Since I didn't dress up for Halloween, I thought I'd share my fave LoZ photos from this year's Con when I cosplayed as budget Skyward Sword Link. It was my first time going, and I completely forgot to pose in-character because I was so excited to be there and see my blorbos IRL 😂
Ramblings about each photo under the cut:
TP Zelda was the first Zelda cosplayer I saw and I lost my mind when I saw her 😂 I excitedly called, "Zelda!!! Can I take a picture with you!!!" and she replied in the sweetest voice, "Of course, Link!". I was grinning from ear to ear.
By the time I took this pic, I had visited the crafts room and scribbled a drawing of SS Zelda with the caption "Have you seen my friend?!?", which is what you see me holding. I walked around holding it high in hopes I would find my Zelda. I didn't find her, but I found this adorable TotK Zelda among the merch booths!
The korok was the first LoZ cosplayer that I saw and her outfit was so delightful to look at! She did a little twirl, showing me all the clever details. And the little pillow she gave me to hold was so cute!
These brilliant young lynel and bokoblin cosplayers first caught my eye when my con friend and I stopped by the prop repair room to hot-glue the blade back onto my Goddess Sword (said friend had dropped it and it immediately broke 😂 that's what I get for buying it at Goodwill). They were repairing their own props and I didn't have the chance to approach them, but as I was leaving the con, I was able to snap this pic. Such cool kids!
Not too much to say here. I came to the weapons booth, I saw the Master Sword, I fangirled.
While going to get lunch, I spotted this Dark Link waiting by the bathrooms for her friend. I admit that maybe it wasn't the best situation to ask for a photo, but I was so excited! Thankfully, Dark Link graciously let me take some action shots.
I'm hoping to go to next year's con! Hopefully I can scrounge enough money to invest in 3D-printing my own sturdy, sword by then 🤞
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NephalemSword!Frisk
The Fusion of
Sword!Frisk by @askswordfrisk / @ask-dcf
Alt!Frisk by putospiral69
Creeanna by Lemonbunny09
This Art was made by Chris.slay
You can find more info of NephalemSword!Frisk at theauthor0
@theauthor0
Previous Art: UnAlive!Alphys
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