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dwellordream · 3 years

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fuck it doing a list of autumnal book suggestions because Cat’s Eye is so very suitable for this.

not all of these books are set during autumn or halloween related they just give me strong fall vibes. turning leaves and bonfires and crisp cold nights and golden sunlight and school days and haunted houses and all that.

Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood: Elaine, a moderately renowned painter in her late forties, returns to 1980s Toronto for a cumulative exhibit of her life’s work. in the process she reflects upon her girlhood adolescence in the ‘40s and ‘50s, and in particular her haunting memories of the charismatic and cunning Cordelia, who ruled their teenage clique with an iron fist.

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier: Raised by his eccentric older cousin Ambrose, young Philip Ashley grows up in a rational bachelor’s world utterly devoid of femininity or mothering. He is horrified when Ambrose sends word that he has married his cousin Rachel while traveling abroad in Italy. Ambrose’s letters grow scarcer and more suspicious of his wife, before he suddenly dies. Philip vows revenge on Rachel, but is soon caught in her enchanting sphere of influence himself.

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel: Elevated by the crushing downfall of his beloved master Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell has risen from drunken blacksmith’s son to advisor to Henry VIII. A political genius with a talent for intimidation, bribery, and manipulation, Cromwell holds to no particular morals or creed beyond the elevation of himself and his loved ones and England’s turn from Roman Catholicism to the Anglican Church. All the while, he sees the turning tide of the Reformation and the ascension of bankers and mercenaries over kings and their squabbling lords.

Urchin of the Riding Stars by M.I. McAllister: On the mysterious island of Mistmantle, a kingdom of woodland animals lives in uneasy harmony. Urchin is an orphan born from an outsider to the island, under a mysterious and sinister prophecy that proclaims he will one day destroy a great leader. As he comes of age, Mistmantle’s young prince is murdered, the ruling family is thrown into disarray, and a series of plots of murder, political intrigue, and false accusations begin.

Dragonwyck by Anya Seton: 18 year old Connecticut farm girl Miranda dreams of adventure and romance, a life far away from her devoutly religious family and domineering father. An unexpected opportunity arrives in the form of her mother’s distant cousin Nicholas Van Ryn, the enormously wealthy heir to Dutch landlords who is seeking a governess for his young daughter. Miranda is enchanted by Nicholas’ genteel manners and cold beauty, and both frightened and amazed by his supposedly haunted home, Dragonwyck. When Nicholas’ wife unexpectedly dies, he turns his attention to Miranda, setting off a deadly chain of events.

I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem by Maryse Condé: Born a slave but raised free by the witch and healer Mama Yaya, Tituba sacrifices her freedom for her love, John Indian, and follows him from the Caribbean to Salem, Massachusetts. There she attempts to use her magic for the benefit of others, but finds herself in increasing danger and the object of hysteria, hatred, and betrayal. Ultimately she must choose how her story will end.

Uprooted by Naomi Novik: Every year the famous Dragon claims a daughter of the valley as payment for keeping the monstrosities of the corrupted Wood at bay. Clumsy and careless Agnieszka lives in fear of the day he takes away her best friend Kasia, the most beautiful and intelligent girl in their village. However, it is not Kasia who is chosen, and Agnieszka finds herself unexpectedly apprenticed to the Dragon himself, who is not a scaled beast but an extraordinarily powerful and nearly immortal wizard.

Women Talking by Miriam Toewes: In an isolated Mennonite community in South America, the women gather to discuss the horrifying revelation that the men of their village have been drugging and abusing them and their young daughters. For years they have been gaslighted into believing their unexplained injuries were the result of demons attacking them in their dreams. As they allow themselves to vigorously debate and vent for the first time, they must choose where to go from here, and whether they will stay in the only home they’ve ever known, or leave for an uncertain and dangerous future.

The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley: Herot Hall is the perfect gated community, built upon the bones of an Appalachian mining town. While Willa ferries her precocious young son Dylan between carefully monitored playdates and her husband Roger checks his security cameras at all hours, in the mountains behind the neighborhood, traumatized veteran Dana raises her own rambunctious son, Gren. Short for Grendel. As the boys grow into young men, they strike up a precarious bond, and Willa and Dana find themselves on a collision course of race, class, and gender.

#recommendations #word to the wise

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plague-of-insomnia · 4 years

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Since the previous ask was cut of and made me look like an idiot xD... Could you show us your doggies and tell something about them? It seems that almost everyone here has cats, but I like both to be honest. So please, I need some cute little pets beside kitties on my dashboard :D.

That is true! There’s a plethora of cats on tumblr, and cat people, but us dog folk are underrepresented :(. I like cats well enough, but I didn’t grow up with them so I prefer dogs since I understand their body language intuitively. I can’t speak “cat.” 😂

I have four Chihuahuas, and one of my nicknames is CuatroChihuahuas (cuatro is 4 in Spanish). One—our most beloved—died suddenly last fall, and we adopted another in December since hubby was especially heartbroken and kept scouring the Internet for a new dog.

Let me see what pics I can dig up for you!

This is Beowulf ^! He’s a huge coward despite his name, but also a real sweetie and 100% my dog. I’m not sure if he loves “me” or just my lap, which he has complete ownership of. He will sometimes rent out pieces of it to the other dogs on a temporary basis, so long as they don’t forget whose territory is! He loves to howl so we call him our “howl monkey.”

This is Raul^! He’s Beowulf’s littermate. They’ve always been together and even though they squabble they’re super close. He is a bit of a user but super sweet and affectionate. He does this thing with his paw, covering his face when you stop petting him because he knows how cute he looks when he does that, and it impossible to ignore him.

This is Milo ^, the dog we adopted. He’s soooo cute but also very manipulative. He was abused pretty badly in the past and has bad PTSD, the poor baby. He’s so tiny, and loves to cuddle. He’s healing slowly and loves his new home.

This is Grendel ^! He actually has a blanket that looks just like his fur (coincidence, and not this one), so we joke that it is a “Grendel in his natural habitat.” He LOVES barking and when he’s not barking, sleeping on his pillow tucked in with his blanket. He’s the largest of them, and although he’s naturally sweet, we think he has some brain damage from birth and so he is a bit of a Jekyl and Hyde. Sometimes he’ll just switch into monster mode and then when the program is over he’s not even aware of it. It’s bizarre but part of why we named him after a monster 😅.

Looking for pictures for you I saw some of my beloved Diego, the dog we lost, and my heart is so heavy. We never thought that he would leave us so soon. He was our beloved baby, and we miss him so much. 😭

#poi answers #my dogs #rip diego #beowulf #raul #grendel #peonacotton #i could really use some mood boosting asks pls

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queenofthemoors · 3 years

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PART 5 -

And when he was old enough, my son took over. And for so long those people suffered. But some new hero, Beowulf has come and slaughtered my boy. And now, I welcome him into my home as I fight for all that was taken from me.

I escaped that night, and I never was sure how. If I escaped, I am not sure why I wanted to escape and have to live with the horror of that night. If Hrothgar let me go, then he is the worst type of monster that has ever lived. I can only imagine he wanted me to live so I could ever remember his conquest over me, the murder of my love, the purity robbed from my child, and the butchering of my people and for that, he is forever worst type of monster to have ever existed. Not even the cruelest Dragon could inflict the pain and suffering Hrothgar did that night.

So I escaped. And I fled into the moors, deep into the moors. I was weak, and thought I might drop at any moment. But my feet kept carrying me. I can’t say why I wanted to get away, for I wanted nothing more than to die that night. Death seemed much easier than living with the images of that night. But yet, I kept running.

I found myself falling at the edge of a lake, deep within the moors. I felt in this moment, it was finally time to die. As my eyes blinked shut, a glowing white moon flower floated to me at the edge of the lake. It glowed like no moon flower I had ever seen. And then, a voice from the heavens said, “Eat it. Eat it. Eat it.”

I looked around me for the source of the voice, and saw nothing. When I looked behind me, I saw a small scouting party coming up over the hill. Their fire light gave them away.

Without a hesitation, I ate the moon flower and something came over me. My skin turned to armor. My nails turned to claws. My teeth tore through my gums. I was born again. Born to seek revenge upon my enemies. The scouting party found me at the edge of the lake as I was molting into my new, more powerful form. The fear kept them from attacking, their fear brought upon their deaths. With my new strengths I slashed one's throat, gutted the next, and decapitated the third. I feasted on the flesh and blood of those wicked men. It gave me my strength back.

I felt in my womb, something was wrong with my child. Again, I turned to the lake and saw a light deep within. I dove, and swam for what felt like hours, until I found myself in the same cave I write this story from.

It was in this cave that I birthed my beloved son Grendel. Only, he wasn’t as me when I had been before eating the moon flower. He didn’t resemble what I became after eating the moon flower either. At first he was an abomination to me for I recognized his eyes. They were neither mine, nor his true father’s. They were Hrothgar’s eyes. A painful reminder of that night. Yet I came to love this abomination. He didn’t like the milk from my breast, he only enjoyed the feast of human flesh. And so that’s what I fed him. The blood of the Danes who still resided along the edge of the Moors.

It was in the same spot that Hrothgar butchered my people, and created a monster, that he built his Mead Hall. People came from all around to celebrate their victory over the Moorians. So, until my boy was big enough, I hunted those Danes like the createns they were.

Adams, Eddy. “Cupid's Dagger.” Artstation, 2016, www.artstation.com/artwork/5O1zP.

Vasnev, Sergey. “Otherworld. Giant Trees Lands.” Artstation, 2019, www.artstation.com/artwork/4bdWE1.

Platter, Abigail. “Grendel Attacks.” Artstation, 2014, www.artstation.com/artwork/8lY2O.

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taco-flavored-kisses · 5 years

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I’ll be honest Carnage vs Deadpool 2 was shit. I was hoping deeper writing. I know it’s DP, but Cletus has deeper writing which was at least addressed in DP vs Carnage 1. The whole chaos being written, the Cletus regret over Shriek. There was a lot.

Same with Absolute Carnage in general.

But while I enjoyed seeing Cletus beat the shit out of the Hulk, I see no other way for this character that I love to just... well... die. Until Venom 2 (with Shriek... please make her pale and goth... I love Shriek) which will bring him back to life. I have tried to stay strong thinking “I’ll wait for the story to end”. But it feels like a meme with ever tie-in, which I bought both... And my goth gf being a “dema-goblin”. CLETUS DIDN’T EVEN LIKE DEMOGOBLIN! Why would he wants his beloved wife be “Demagoblin”. Point is. Hope was there thinkin’ Cletus was using Knull as an excuse to get stronger. But with one comic left, I don’t think that is gonna happen. I imagine it will end with the Grendel being ripped from Cletus via electricity, and we will be left with the HOPE that Red in Norman once he gains his memories will leave him and revive Cletus.

Point is part 2: You can dislike Cletus and love Red. But they are one to the other. To hate one is hating the other. Let them be happy together. Please.

I miss quality Cletus/Frances/Red comics.

Do send me an ask on this. It’s my favorite character and I hate pushing my passion on my friends.

Here’s some Cletus and his perfect goth waifu to make my rant worth reading.

Also Dopple’s lumpy head in Clete’s arms.

#Cletus Kasady #Carnage #Venom #Eddie Brock #Absolute Carnage #Frances Louise Barrison #Shriek #Marvel #Spider-man #Deadpool #Wade Wilson

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oosteven-universe · 5 years

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Grendel: Devil’s Odyssey #1

Grendel Devil's Odyssey #1 Dark Horse Comics 2019 Created, Written & Illustrated by Matt Wagner Coloured by Brennan Wagner Lettered by Dave Lanphear A powerful, living weapon created by Grendel-Khan Orion Assante. Grendel Prime is a cyborg warrior who served his Khan by protecting his son, Jupiter Assante, and assisting on various missions. After several generations of Khans and their household have come and gone, Grendel Prime has fall into seclusion, living a mysterious life away from humanity. I love Grendel from my first of seeing the character in the 80's as a kid, or should I say teenager, I thought the concept was crazy good and so far away from the norm. Nowadays it feels like it fits right into what we see left and right, so what is going to set this version of Grendel apart from the crowd? That is what we are here to talk about and ya know what this is Matt Wagner and the man just finished his Mage, much to my chagrin, now we get more Grendel yeah the man, the myth and legend hasn't lost a step in my opinion. It is always a treat when the creator is at the helm of their character and continues to demonstrate a love and passion for the character. I love the way that this is being told. The story & plot development with the way that information is released and how we see things occur in the sequence that we do captures the readers' attention and imagination. The character development that we see is nicely done, it's a little weird but all kinds of interesting and how it ends excites me because it turns everything upside down on its head because it's just that... With the way the pacing picks everything up and moves it all forward revealing the twists and turns that we see alongside the some interesting revelations that I wasn't really expecting to see. All in all the way Matt is able to make it all work together is just something that sets him apart and shows why he's a master of his craft and so beloved. The setting alone is more than enough to pique interest and raise that intrigue factor and it's all done in ways that fit the traditional manner. I love the creativity and imagination that we see and how it's applied here in this story already and the promise that I see is pretty extraordinary. The interiors are really nice to see. They may not have the sleekness of the past but we grow, evolve and change so it's only natural. Regardless there is some marvellous attention to detail and what we see with Brennan's colours really have some incredible stand out moments. I adore or Siggy as he likes to be called he's a stand out visually. The creatures that we see are so well done I felt like there was some channelling of Primeval and I love it! The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show his wonderful eye for storytelling. Some lovely work with the colours here as well. There is some beautiful gradation of colour and seeing the various hues and tones to create the shading and shadows is extremely well done. From what we see here I can say that Matt certainly manages to take us off-script and begin to wonder about what happens to the people, the current Khan, who sent him off on this new mission and then of course that leads to a myriad of other questions. So yeah that we become so engaged right off the bat is beautifully done. He also manages to fuse current storytelling with his old school science fiction vibe that is just so darn impressive. This is a wonderful issue and if you have not been a Grendel fan as long as well say I have then it's okay it is definitely new reader friendly.

#comic books #comics reviews #dark circle comics #matt wagner #brennan wagner

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omg-puddingpie · 6 years

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Fables: Lyla Smith

I was inspired by @emmypess when I recently read her little backstory on her OC Harmony and was struck with nostalgia, considering we go waaaaaay back, in regards to writing and knowing about one another’s characters. I wanted to tackle MORE on my OC Lyla Smith and a BIT more surrounding her reunion with Gren, her first set of quads and so forth. :3

If you’re unsure of something or NEED clarification, please ask because I know not everyone either knows what is going on, who certain characters are and so forth. I’d be happy to explain. Beside this, enjoy. :3

Lyla Smith awoke from her slumber and into an anxiety attack that lasted nearly ten seconds. She touches her chest, feeling her heart rapidly pounding against her chest. It had been a long time since she’s had this feeling; not since the first night she returned to her parent’s land, has Lyla had a difficulty collecting herself.

Reaching for the light, Lyla flips the switch and remains at the edge of the bed, still struggling to gather herself into one neat package. Eyeing the ground, she inhales deeply, exhales and repeats this process for a minute. “Easy girl….” She calmly repeats within her mind. “......You’re alright….you got this...you’re alright….” While this played over and over inside of her mind, Lyla grabs a glass of water sitting upon the nightstand and gulps down the liquid until nothing was left.

The picture still burned in her mind-the very thing that caused Lyla to awake in such a method that was nearly tamed with what she thought, was months of progress. Lyla fights back the urge to cry. “Why now….” She whispers the questions, still sitting on the edge of the bed. “....Why the fuck are you back? Just go away!”

There he was again: the dashing smile, his golden skin, touched lightly with the many scars he accumulated over the centuries; Lyla could even remember how they felt beneath her fingers, as the pair made love or embraced one another. She could still smell his intoxicating aroma, a mix of Old Spice, cigarettes and his own personal odor. Lyla shakes her head; she swore to herself love was a trick played on the mind and soul and it was a foolish feeling to even dare to understand. This was nothing meant for the young woman; after all, her life was consumed with tales of her days as a private assassin and spy for the Fable community, not to mention her childhood under the eyes of her proud Werewolf father and grand Witch mother. What would Lyla need with love and all the complications it trailed behind it?

Yet there she was, finally catching her breath and holding back tears, thinking of him.

“Fuck you, Grendel….” Lyla falls forward and allows the tears to fall. “....Fuck you and all these thoughts and feelings you left me with…..”

Lyla lifts herself up from the bed, places the glass back onto the nightstand and heads for her bathroom. Perhaps a hot shower would clear her thoughts and she’d return to her peaceful slumber. This was supposed to be her time, away from Grendel but the bastard still wormed his way into them. It was worse during the day….

As she turns the water on to warm itself to the perfect temperature, Lyla carefully removes her clothing. Lyla looks deep into the mirror, her eyes currently focused onto the reflection of her naked body. Last time she’d seen Grendel, the year was 1977. Times were indeed changing; Disco was silently coming to an end, the mundane life as they knew it was coming into a whole new era and Lyla’s centuries of being an assassin was coming to a close. She and Gren had been partners for centuries; the duo were highly sought after, which also meant larger targets nailed to their backs. Lyla had stories for years to come, regarding her career choice. She could still recall all their missions, as if they took place just hours ago.

Lyla inches closer to the mirror and peers longer at herself. She recalled the news of their removal from the business. Times were changing. There was no need for their services; Lyla was never given the entire details of their departure but rumor had it, Gren was responsible for the final nail in the coffin. Guess the community didn’t like how the pair played out their plans for handling the trouble at hand. Did it matter, Lyla always thought. It was being taken care of, lives were being saved and yet here they were, held on trial because the community was sensitive and didn’t like how it was played out. The problem was removed and yet, there they were, now at the chopping block and all fingers pointed at them. Lyla heard Gren took the blame and when the final paperwork was stamped, sealed and sent off, it was he who would take all the blame.

Lyla remembers being outraged and resentful when she discovered Gren refused to fight and take back what they had built for so long. His excuse? Not only was it dangerous but wasn’t it time the pair stepped down and thought about their life together?

A life together? Lyla relives the moment Grendel was crushed when it seemed humorous at the mere thought of THEM being a couple; he’d been trying since the early 1600’s and yet here she was, still digging her own damn stubborn heels into the sand. But Gren NEVER gave up and stuck by Lyla’s side. He remained loyal to Lyla, even when their moments of passions were just attempts to scratch an itch. Lyla refused this idea of love and pushed Gren away. She could still see the pain brewing within his eyes and the devastation cracking in his voice. At the time, Lyla was fuming and could only think of her own needs but now, as the water pours along her naked body, Lyla begins to feel just what Gren was anticipating all those years ago.

Gren tried to contact Lyla after that eventful day and made the effort to visit her apartment but Lyla refused to acknowledge Gren and soon, he too stepped back and gave the woman all the time she needed. But at this time, Lyla could care less; she found employment at a strip club called the Pudding ‘N’ Pie and ‘love’ with the club owner, a man by the name of Georgie Porgie. Despite his ruthless behavior and piggish manners, Lyla was frantically looking for an excuse to push the memory of Gren out of her thoughts and dreams. Georgie was a band-aid, her choice of poison and an excuse to ‘feel’ something. She and Georgie would make love almost every night but this was nothing compared to the raw and passionate encounter she endured with Gren. To her, that WAS the beginning of her love for him...

Despite this, however, Gren STILL managed to find Lyla’s location and secretly, Lyla was relieved of this. It was almost like her past life was still alive and all those bottled up emotions and feelings resurfaced, when Gren made himself known. He despised seeing Lyla in such a fashion but if this meant spending time with his beloved, so be it. Almost every night, Gren shelled out the cash needed to spend an hours worth with her. Sometime the pair would simply talk, other time they found themselves entwined with one another, basking in the ominous glow of the club. Gren always did his best to bring Lyla back; several times he let an ‘I love you’ slip out and every time, Lyla became numb and refused to speak.

One week, he managed to spend close to $5,000 dollars alone, just to hold Lyla in his arms. She never questioned where Gren got the money, nor did she ever question who it was that let it slip of her current location. Lyla was simply enjoying time with an old friend; towards the end, however, Georgie made it difficult for Gren to pay and spend his hour alone with Lyla. There was always an excuse.

Eventually, it became clear why Georgie was making everyone’s life a living hell but that was a bridge Lyla refused to cross. It was challenging to picture that moment in her life, especially reliving the final moments of her time spent with the club owner.

By now, Georgie refused to allow Gren access into the club and the stories Lyla held onto from various others who spoke to the man, where the mere things keeping her going those days. It was heartbreaking to know he spent his time at the Trip Trap, a bar ran by a Troll named Holly; Lyla had no trouble with the woman, however, Holly was not a fan of Lyla’s and thought Gren was wasting his time and emotions, on a woman made of Stone. Gren was wasting away in Margaritaville, as they say and rarely spoke to any of his old friends. It was as if he, too, was attempting to forget the past. Why remember? Lyla sure as hell wasn’t. Rumor also had it, however, Gren kept a single photo of Lyla in his pant pocket and was often caught speaking to it. According to another story Lyla heard, Gren beat a man to a bloody pulp, when he made a sexual comment regarding the ‘hot piece of ass’ in the picture. Lyla hears that man lost all ability in his right leg.

Georgie became a ticking time bomb and it made Lyla uneasy. There was a heavy feeling of uncertainty in the air and soon, some of the dancers went missing and presumed either dead or a lost cause. Lyla knew times were once again changing and soon, she found herself pregnant with Georgie’s babies. At first, Lyla refused to speak about her current situation, that is until Vivian, the club’s hostess and Georgie’s current ‘girl’ found the five discarded pregnancy tests in the trash. Lyla was expecting the blonde woman to be furious but she was stunned when Vivian showed sympathy and concern for the woman’s well being.

Lyla recalls Vivian repeating over and over ‘You have to leave...you can’t be here. You have to leave….’ During this, Vivian begins packing various suitcases and calls Georgie into the room. Lyla was startled by these actions. This was it: Georgie was going to handle the situation and she’d be tossed out into the streets like yesterday’s trash but when it was revealed she was indeed pregnant with HIS baby, Georgie was mixed with fear and contentment. Just like Vivian, he packed all he could of Lyla’s belongings and hands the woman $25,000 dollars.

By now, he was crying. “Yo gotta leave, love. Now!”

“Georgie, WHAT the fuck is going on?! What is-”

“There is NO time to explain, Lyla. Ya’ can’t BE here right now….not with a baby inside of ya’, growin’ away like that. I won’t let ‘em take ya’, not like this….ya’ need ta’ leave this place. Go ta’ ya’ folks if ya’ have ta’ but LEAVE and don’t look back….”

Lyla reminisces about the time she received the word of Georgie’s demise and all the skeletons he had hidden away in his closet. He, along with a group of Fables and the Crooked Man, were responsible for so many lives demolished slowly over time. By now, she had given birth to quads-three girls and one boy-and remained hidden away from prying eyes. Lyla moved into her parent’s manor and raised her children.

She’d come to terms as to why she left but that wouldn’t be the very thing keeping her awake at night; even after the quads were born, Lyla was still haunted by the very person she refused to let in: Grendel. Last she heard, he was still roaming the mean streets of New York, looking for any reason to even go on with his pathetic life.

Lyla, standing naked in her bathroom, gives into her emotions and allows the tears to fall.

“Gren….I’m so sorry….” Lyla leans against the wall. “....I’m so sorry….I’m so sorry…..”

There was a tapping on her door. “Lyla, sweetie….are you okay?” It was her mother. “I heard the water running and I wanted to make sure you’re alright.”

Lyla furiously wipes away her tears. “Yeah, I’m fine mom.” Such a damn lie, she thought. “I just….couldn’t sleep.”

There was a pause before her mother spoke. “You need me to come in or-”

“No, mom...I’m fine. Really….I just couldn’t sleep.”

“I just want to make sure you’re okay, Lyla.” There was the typical mom concern in her voice. “Last time you did this, you had a dream about Gren and-”

“Mom….please.” Lyla grinds her teeth, continuing to fight the tears. “.....Please….stop. I’m...fine….”

There was a silence between the women. Lyla already knew her mother had figured out the truth. After all, the damn woman WAS a grand Witch and had a nasty habit of taking sneak peeks into the lives of others. Her mother had the audacity to reveal her true love to Lyla, who simply laughed at this. Something about the red string of fate? Lyla chuckled every time, that is, until recently

“I’m making tea, sweetie, if you’d like to join me downstairs. Perhaps, you’d like to talk?”

“Mom, I-”

“Keeping things locked away can only be done for so long, Lyla. Eventually, they surface and you have no choice BUT to face them. You’re too much like your father, yes but also know, I’m in there and you as your own person is as well. You can’t keep holding onto to the past, Lyla. You have to forgive, love yourself and move forward. There is no shame in love, sweetie...It hurts, this much is true but it’s also the most wonderful feeling you’ll ever have and knowing another loves you in return, right down to the very core of your soul, can truly change you as a whole. Come downstairs if you’d like. I’ll be on the porch, sitting in the swing, should you change your mind.”

Lyla remains hush, now processing everything. She slowly dresses, inches out the bathroom and down the stairs. All she could think about were her children and Gren. There he was again: Gren, Gren and more Gren. Where was he at, she wondered. Would Holly know? Would she even REVEAL Gren’s location?

Lyla fond her mother, as promised, sitting on the swing located on the porch. In her hands, two cups of hot tea. Lyla chuckles to herself. The damn woman knew her too well sometimes. Nancy places her cup on a table beside the swing and pats the open spot beside her.

“Now, are we ready to talk?”

Lyla beams, takes her cup of tea and sits. Sighing heavily and looking into the night sky, Lyla begins to speak.

“Mom, do you know where Gren is?”

“I do.” Nancy smiles while taking a sip of her tea. “As a matter of fact, he was here this morning, looking for YOU…”

#twau oc #twau gren #grendel legacy #twau fanfic #grendel #ocs

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baeowulfisbae · 7 years

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Post 8

There's a poet I like, Gregory Orr, who could be read alongside the Beowulf poet(s). He has a poem that begins, "This is what was bequeathed us:/This earth the beloved left/And, leaving/Left to us," and all of his work, similarly, goes back to what remains. Per our Hæthcyn and Herebeald reading, Orr's work is especially pertinent since much of his writing centers around shooting and killing his brother (in a deer-hunting accident) and confronting grief and a, frankly, really hard life. I thought of this line, in Litany, "I remember someone hung from a tree near the barn/the deer we’d killed just before I shot my brother," as I was reading this (very effective) line in Beowulf, "

Swá bið geómorlíc gomelum ceorle

tó gebídanne þæt his byre ríde

giong on galgan: þonne hé gyd wrece,

sárigne sang þonne his sunu hangað

hrefne tó hróðre ond hé him helpan ne mæg

[In the same way it is tragic for an old man to abide that his son rides young on the gallows: then he utters a dirge, a sorrowing song, that his son hangs for the pleasure of the raven, and he can not him help]

Orr has a hanging deer, the Beowulf poet has a hanging son, and in both cases I can't immediately identify who either poet is writing about. Orr uses the intentionally vague pronoun "someone". Beowulf's telling of a son hanging from the gallows is similarly vague (which son is hanging?) and I assumed the mention of gallows and ravens is all metaphorical. Many critics, of course, have pointed out that Beowulf appears to be taking his story from the Norse mythology of Baldr and Hoder, though, and that is worth mentioning. As Richard North explains, "Hoder kills Baldr...Hrethel's lament for Herebeald refers to an elegiac genre in common with Egill's poem for his lost son Baldr...the Christlike passivity of Hrethel in dying, rather than avenging his son on the other brother, repudiates the violence of Oddin's response (the fathering of Val to avenge Baldr on Hoder)" (199).

The mythology, in Beowulf's retelling, takes a Christian turn. Hrethel turns the other cheek and dies of a broken heart.

The striking element, though, in both poems is--I think--the intentional vagueness, the fact that we're not immediately sure who the "someone" is that's hanging. The only implication is that more violence is hovering nearby. And I love this image of hovering because it makes me think of Grendel's arm or Christ on the cross. It makes me think of ritualistic killings (or killings that occur, accidentally, within rituals) and the violent acts in which we participate in order to end violence. We never look at the violence or the ritual itself; we merely find a way to end the pain of it. Beowulf then, in imagining a gallows death, is not only confronting his own suicide mission but coming to terms with the fact that no suicide mission ever will free the Geats from violence. Christ's mission didn't and if Beowulf is anything like Christ I think that this passage is all to say, "We will always contend with violence in this life. Violence, like fate, is "immeasurabl[y] near". And, as with Christ (and as with this dragon) sacrificial submission to one more violent act will not end violence outright, on earth. The halls are always going to be empty (wínsele wéstne), and someone is always going to want to fill the emptiness with another death. One violent act may repay a debt--a cup or a Garden of Eden transgression--but more violence is always on the periphery. It is one of the most fatalistically Christian moments of the text to me and really makes me appreciate Hrothgar's restraint in not fighting every creature that troubles his people.

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