#my swedish goddess

[notesofseptember]

My core is aching

I can't shake him out of me

#volcano swing #amanda jenssen #my swedish goddess #swedish music #Spotify

[romegreeceart]

Aphrodite

* Asia Minor

* 300-100 BCE

* terracotta

* Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm

Stockholm, November 2023

#Aphrodite #goddess #ancient #Greek #art #terracotta #statuette #2nd century BCE #3rd century BCE #Asia Minor #Medelhavsmuseet Stockhom #Swedish Museums #my photo

[neine]

References in 1670 (Updated)

General info

Names

Jan Paweł - is a reference to a pope, Jan Paweł II. He's considered "the greatest polish person", up to a comical point. So he turned into a meme.

Jakub - A reference to a saying "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". In polish "Jak Kuba bogu tak bóg Kubie". Literally "As Kuba to god, god to Kuba".

Jędrula - A reference to a show about Foster family, to a character that liked to drink whiskey.

Andrzej - A stereotypical neighbour, where he has everything better than you.

Żmija - A reference to Ojciec Mateusz, a show about a priest solving crime, played by Artur Żmijewski (hence the name). Żmija is from Sandomierz, that's where Ojciec Mateusz was set. (From multiple people, @rabarbarzcukrem mainly.)

Historical background

Poland was going into a sort of a recession. It used to be one of the most powerful countries in Europe. As well as Lithuania, of course. Time of the Commonwealth. The plague didn't hit the Commonwealth as much because it wasn't densily populated. The biggest issue (one of many) were the tatars, who just kind of lived there. Usually were bribed into gaining some power in the country so they won't couse trouble. Lithuania was getting Polonised, but it wasn't going as good as you could imagine. It's the time after the swedish flood, where the whole country was basically looted. It was considered a very open country, many Jews lived here.

Liberum Veto - it's just that one person can say no and whatever they voted on, won't pass. Also huge reason why partations later happened.

Culture

Drowning of Marzanna is a ritual that happens every year, on the first day of spring, to say goodbye to winter. Marzanna is a slavic goddess associeted with death, winter and nature. Marzanna is sometimes set on fire and then thrown into a river. + Interesting tags from @ukulelegodparent (From multiple people)

Hunting by nobles was also kinda a cultural thing. It was often described in the books from that time.

References

"Ała kurwa rzeczywiście" - reference to this

"Quo Vadis" - meaning, "Where are you going?", is a reference to novel by Henry SIenkiewicz. More known overseas from a movie adaptation from 1951. (From multiple people)

"My wife, Zofia" is a reference to a movie "Miś". (From @gdzie-rosna-poziomki)

"Do dupy z takim spiskowcem. Mnie kury szczać prowadzić, a nie spiski" is a reference to Piłsudski's "Wam kury szczać prowadzić, a nie politykę robić. (From @gdzie-rosna-poziomki)

"Ta zniewaga... oczekuje, abym ją wymazał stosując przemoc." - "This insult... expects me to earase it with violance." Reference to "Zemsta", by Aleksander Fredro, "Ta zniewaga krwi wymaga." - "This insult requires blood spill". (From @rabarbarzcukrem)

Measuring tassels - likely a reference to "Pan Tadeusz". In modern speach, tassels means dicks. (Also from @rabarbarzcukrem)

Jan Paweł walking on Zofia and Rozalia in bed, the deer antlers look like they're growing from his head. It's a reference to a saying "przyprawić komuś rogi" (also in use in multiple other languages). Which means to cheat on someone. (Multiple people, mainly @rabarbarzcukrem)

Equality march - It's how Pride Prades are called in Poland. (From @rabarbarzcukrem)

Henry kicking a fern flower is a reference to Slavic mythology. It symbolizes ferility and love. (Also from @rabarbarzcukrem) @misticfog adds to it here. (And some other things)

Stasia the mouner saying "Wszystkie kary na mnie idą" ("All punishments come to me") is a reference to this: (from @00midnightrider00)

(Quote happens in 1:20)

Thank you for all the additions!

Lorem Ipsum - is a placeholder text often used in web page design.

"Koń jaki jest, każdy widzi" - What a horse is everyone sees, is a reference to the first polish dictionary.

#1670 #Youtube

[rynwritesreid]

MASTERLIST | Spencer Reid

Navigation~ About my blog and myself.

Join my taglist~ google form which allows me to understand what fics you’d like to be tagged in.

Request guidelines and prompts~About the request’s I take and prompts you can ask me to you use.

Playlist~This is a playlist of all the songs I’m going to base some of my writing on.

Swedish~A link to my language learning boards~if you are interested

Requests~ currently open

My upload schedule is every Monday and Thursday~These will be non-requested posts

Any other day I upload will be requested:)

GN💕 Fem🩵 My most popular🫶🏼

One-shots

Based on songs

Sold my soul🩵 18+🫶🏼

unspoken wounds 🩵

I like the way you kiss me 18+🩵

Pretty boy🩵 18+

Back to me~part two of Unspoken wounds

Angst

You were my everything 💕

Perfect girl🩵

you’re on your own 🩵🫶🏼

shattered reflections 🩵

Fluff

Chemical love 💕

Enamoured expectations 🩵

Love like the sea💕

Smut

Office rivalry 🩵~ (Dom!Spencer)

My Greek goddess 🩵~(Soft Dom!Spencer)

Mine, all mine🩵🫶🏼~(Dom! Spencer)

Take a ride 🩵🫶🏼~Dom!Spencer)

Kiss it away 🩵~(Sub!Spencer)

You belong to me🩵~(Dom! Spencer)

A night to remember 🩵(Dom! Spencer)

Apologies 🩵

I like the way you kiss me 🩵

She’s electric 🩵

Feel so close 🩵

Take a bite🩵

Multiple parts:

Stories:

Mind Games

Multiple characters:

Twisted affections 🩵 18+

Chose your ending stories:

Requests:

request-no.1 💕

Request-No.2 💕

request-no.3 💕

Request-No.4 💕

request-no.5🩵

Request-No.6🩵~18+🫶🏼

request-no.7

Request-no.8

Jag älskar dig 🫶🏼

#criminal minds #spencer reid smut #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x y/n #dr spencer reid #spencer reid fluff #spencer reid x fem!reader #spencer reid x gn!reader #Rynwritesread

[creature-wizard]

how is she (Lilith) closed when she exists in Swedish folklore with a different name (Her name is Lucia but it developed into the Saint Lucia tradition to be exact but in northern Swedish folklore she has a darker past where she was adams first wife and her story is very similar to Jewish Lilith).

Edit to add: It's extremely likely that this story about Lucia being the first wife of Adam is more of a modern Internet tale than an old Swedish folktale. I can find no reputable sources to back it up, and people who have familiarity with Saint Lucia/Lussi have informed me that they've heard nothing of this kind, either. That said, my point that similarity between figures does not justify appropriation still stands.

The uniqueness of figures has nothing to do with whether they're open or closed. Your argument is like saying, "well how can this storm god from an African traditional religion be closed when Thor exists?"

The ATR god is closed because the people who whom that tradition belongs said so. If you want to worship a storm god, Thor is right there. Likewise, you are free to work with this folkloric version of Saint Lucy.

Lilith isn't closed because she's supposedly unique. That never had anything to do with it. In fact, "oh but this open figure and that closed figure are basically the same though, that means I'm entitled to the one you're claiming is closed" is the rhetoric of spiritual colonialism, used to justify the misrepresentation and commodification of spiritual figures from marginalized groups, to that group's detriment.

Now, not every Jew agrees that Lilith is closed, because Jews aren't a monolith. But I have seen no shortage of Jews arguing for Lilith as a closed figure, and I find their arguments pretty damn compelling

So, Christians have spent centuries digging into Jewish traditions to find something they could weaponize against Jews; EG, getting into Kabbalah to try and find places they could project Jesus so they could try and convince Jews to convert to Christianity. Something very similar is absolutely happening with the gentile Lilith worshipers. There's a strong tendency toward antisemitic conspiracy theory among them; EG, believing that patriarchy was a Jewish conspiracy that was later expressed through Christianity.

These people often claim that Lilith was this ancient mother goddess who was demonized by the Jews. They try to claim that these old mentions of lilitu are somehow evidence. In reality, ancient cultures in the Near East worshiped a number of mother goddesses (EG, Ninhursag), and none of whom were Lilith.

Many deities did get demonized at some point (EG, Astarte became Ashtoreth, and Baal became Bael), but this had nothing to do with a patriarchal conspiracy; rather it was a generalized demonization of rival gods. And Lilith was not among them, because Lilith was never a goddess.

In fact, I have yet to see a single gentile Lilith worshiper who isn't deep into conspiracy theories and doesn't quote pseudohistory of some kind. Not a single one. So yeah, I will continue taking the side of the Jews who say that Lilith should be closed, because I've seen the bullshit gentiles are pulling with her.

#answered #lilith #antisemitism #cultural appropriation #conspirituality #conspiracy theories #conspiracism #pseudohistory

[yvanspijk]

Frigg's day

Friday comes from Old English Frīġedæġ, literally 'day of Frīġ', the Germanic goddess of love. Frīġedæġ stemmed from West Germanic *Frījā dag, a loan translation of Latin Veneris diēs (which became venerdì in Italian, vendredi in French, and viernes in Spanish). The West Germanic peoples equated the Roman goddess Venus with their *Frīju. Listen to how the day name evolved.

Frigg and Freyja

The Old Norse counterpart of *Frīju was Frigg. Both names stem from Proto-Germanic *Frijjō, a derivation of the adjective *frijaz ('beloved; free'), the ancestor of free. The word friend is also related: it comes from *frijōndz ('loving one').

*Frijjō became Frigg in Old Norse because of a sound change that turned /jj/ (a long y sound, as in hay-yield) into /gg/ (as in egg group). Compare *ajjan > egg, which was borrowed into English and supplanted native ey.

The names *Frīju and Frigg are often confused with Old Norse Freyja, but these words aren't etymologically related in any way. Freyja stems from Proto-Germanic *frawjōn ('lady'), a word that became Frau in German, vrouw in Dutch, and frou in Frisian. In the Middle Ages, these West Germanic words still meant 'lady' but they've now become the default word for 'woman'.

While their names aren’t related, it’s unknown whether Frigg and Freyja originally referred to the same goddess, Freyja possibly being a title of Frigg: 'the Lady'. Dr. Jackson Crawford explains the question very well in one of his videos: https://youtu.be/5eN3wNgPARM?

Cognates

*Frījā dag became frīatag in Old High German and Freitag in the modern language. Middle Dutch had both vriëndach (with a secondary genitive ending -en) and vridach, which became vrijdag. Old Frisian had multiple forms: frīadei, frīdei, and frēde, the latter being the ancestor of modern freed.

The West Germanic name *Frījā dag was borrowed and calqued into Old Norse. A borrowed form is frjádagr, whence the modern forms, such as Swedish fredag and Icelandic frjádagur.The form friggjardagr, with the native genitive of Frigg, is a calque: a loan translation. There was even freyjudagr, which is interesting in the light of the identity of Frigg and Freyja.

Do you like short articles like this? More than half of my posts on Patreon include such an article. Subscribe to tier 1 ($2 a month) or tier 2 ($5) to read the articles that go with my past and future infographics.

#historical linguistics #linguistics #language #etymology #english #video #audio #proto-germanic #proto-west germanic #old english #middle english #early modern english #lingblr

[fornasedensgudar]

Gerd.

Jötunn goddess of fertility.

Daughter of Gymer and Aurboda.

Wife of Yngve-Frey and Mother of Fjölner and founding mother of the first Swedish royal line.

I always imagen her with diffent hues of brown in her hair, like the layers of the soil.

Also wearing a lot of gold, because after a lot of nagging to marry Frey, she might as well get the best out of from the wealthiest family line amung the gods. Also she tells skrinir she is allready from a wealthy family and holds just as much wealth as her father does so.

And, when I think about Gerd I also often picture a very strong and confident woman, not in the Freya way with power over love and death and magic, but more like; "yeah, Im fine af, and thrive like the plants in my soil and I know it".

Like just, confidence!

And as a fertility goddess, for me its less of a loving mother, and more of a intense pulse of life within nature that refuse to die. Very much like Frey.

#norse mythology #polytheism #heathen #pagan polytheism #norse polytheism #pagan #paganism #fornsed #heathen art #gods #gerd #pagan goddesses #norse goddesses #goddesses #goddess #goddess of fertility #fertility #jötunn

[welcomehomerandomness]

Welcome Home Website Update Reaction Notes (3/9/2024) Part 2 (SPOILERS)

Here's Part 2 of my Welcome Home Website Update Reaction Notes (3/9/2024)! Hope you enjoy it!

Howdy caterpillar walking ASMR

“It was then that Howdy Pillar pulled out a luxurious looking scarf- If one were to take a guess, it was probably the perfect size for a large house! Wally’s eyes sparkled brightly as he looked at it, but Barnaby was not as impressed. Still, he remembered this was all for Wally.” Barnaby doesn’t like the scarf but at least he knows that Wally needs it to give it to Home…Barnaby’s a true bestie

“There, scaling the tallest of the Homewarming trees in all of the neighborhood, was Sally Starlet herself. She was wearing an outfit adorned in sparkles, glitter, tinsel, ornaments, and even strings of popcorn- She was, as she’s ever been, truly a sight to behold. Even now as she continued to climb up the tree, she was radiant.” Sally is a goddess and an icon

Sally’s nickname for Barnaby is “Barntholomew” lol

Poppy is best bird mom friend lol

Also I wonder what the sunflower-seed ham tastes like

Why does Wally’s voice sound distorted when he says “How can that be.”? Is he sad? Mad? Both?

Awww at least the story ends on a good n-WAIT WHERE’S EDDIE??? WHY ISN’T HE IN THIS STORY???

EDDIE???

I’m scared for Eddie now

Also I love how we get to hear more of Home in this storybook record even if I joke around on how I hate Home lol

Now let’s hear Wally’s Toyland…I think it’s a Christmas song lol

Well at least this one has music instead of Wally singing acapella

Wally’s singing is so beautiful...It brought tears in my eyes sniffles

Also is it just me or do the lyrics “Childhood's joy land…Mystic merry toyland…Once you pass its borders…You can ne'er return again” seem kinda sus?

Like I feel like Wally’s singing about the Neighborhood and how you can never return back home once you entered it? Hmmm…

Anyways let’s listen to Up from the Home-Top which is basically the Welcome Home version of Up from the House Top lol

Oh crap Barnaby’s dead/j

THERE’S EDDIE THERE HE IS HE’S SAFE (for now)

“You lost control!? Can’t you see we’re in the middle of preparing for my Homewarming play? Julie is my Santa Claus! And Home? Her trusted reindeer!” Sally, how does Home being a reindeer work??? Is it gonna drag itself on the stage as Julie rides on top of it or???

Oh crap Julie and Frank are dead/j

Also the song is so silly and wholesome I love it

Now it’s time for “Howdy's Holiday Hullabaloo” Record!!! I’m so excited to hear this!!!

LET’S GO KIDDOS IT’S TIME TO LEARN SOME PILLAR FAMILY LORE

“How, normally, I don’t close early for any ol’ thing! Not rain, not sleet, not snow - not even that time Julie launched herself clean through the wall over there!” Oh god I imagine that one scene from the Scott Pilgrim movie where Scott crashes through a window…But instead of a window it’s a FREAKING WALL

HIS MA AND POPS AWWW

Howdy’s brother kinda sounds like Frank lol

Poor Howdy’s dying inside

I think we all know who Howdy’s favorite sibling is lol

The brother-in-law sounds so nonchalant lol

The nephews are so adorable awww

I just realized that Howdy’s uncle is a snail which is why he’s French lol

I wonder if the uncle is a reference to the Swedish Chef from the Muppets but he’s French instead

Oh god the cousin is a stoner hippie lol

I love Howdy’s grandma

I love Barnaby’s reaction to seeing Howdy’s family at the end lol

Overall the song is pretty charming and I love it so much

Also Barnaby's Tobacco Pipe??? Honestly it’s funny but I don’t think this toy will go well if it was created today lol

Barnaby be teaching kids in the early 70s’ how to be like Snoop Dogg but instead of weed it’s bubbles

Oh god not the nephews

Now let’s listen to “Bug-a-Bye and Goodnight: An Ode to Hibernation” Record

Frank’s voice is so beautiful I love it

But Frank seems kinda sad…

I want to buy that set of homewarming greeting cards to give to my family and friends during Christmas lol

Also I want to try the Crispy Sweets frosted cereal so bad...I NEED IT!!!

And there’s a mini doodle on the side of the pictures too

OHHHHH SO THAT’S WHY THOSE SYMBOLS ARE EVERYWHERE THEY’RE PART OF A SECRET CODE

I solved the code at the back of the cereal box but I don’t have time to decipher the other code that was spread all over the website because I’m too lazy lol

I went back to the Merchandise section and found out that Eddie’s toy that Santa was about to introduce in the radio ad was an Eddie Dear Li’l Mailman Kit

I also want to buy all these toys so bad I don’t care if I’m a college student I want them all lol

“Although our Guestbook is and will remain closed for the foreseeable future, we wanted to properly recreate it for those newly joining in our efforts to explore Welcome Home! After all, it’s fun to look back and see how far we’ve come together as a community! We will be recreating all eight original pages in the near future, so check back in soon to see if you can find your message! Have fun!” I can’t wait to see the Guestbook in the future

ALSO I JUST REALIZED THAT THE CLICKABLE BUGS ARE GONE

Dang I’m gonna miss those bugs

I can’t believe I spent hours on this website lol

My hands are kinda tired from typing lol

Also let me know if I miss anything

#welcome home #welcome home arg #welcome home spoilers #wally darling #barnaby b beagle #julie joyful #frank frankly #eddie dear #howdy pillar #sally starlet #poppy partridge #welcome home home

[streets-in-paradise]

The Halls of Freya - Thor x (Fem)Vanir!Reader

Warnings: Pre vanishment Thor is quite insistent in his seek to pursue the reader.

Summary: The calm expected for your studying visit to the Aesir gods gets somehow ruined by the intense appreciation of your looks that many began to show you, Prince Thor being the most devoted among your admirors.

With his coronation expected to happen soon, he is determined on the idea of marrying you to make you his queen. Despite facing your subtle rejection over and over, nothing shakes him out of that certainty. Still, he can't help to notice and misinterpretate your friendlyness towards Loki in contrast to the responses he himself has obtained from you.

Slightly jealous of his brother for the first time in his life, he drags him to cooperate in his plan seeking the advice of the goddess of love.

Note: Inspired by this and the swedish song i'm linking below. Full english translation of the lyrics can be found here.

Tags: @thorsslxve

All guests were granted respect and peace in the magnifical asgardian palace, but your arrival seemed to be an exception on the second aspect. As a vanir lady of high nobility, some didn't believe or cared to consider your visit was not essentially social. Adquiring knowledge in the greatest of the Nine Realms, the political center of your universe, was your main goal, but quite many asgardian men had other things in mind when it came to your realm.

Beautifull women, Vanaheim would be forever associated with the looks of Freya in their public conciousness and most Vanir women would get submitted to that image. Asgardian warriors were trying to approach you in herds, scandal spontaneously created on the assumptions typically associated with your origin. Nobody wanted to miss the chance to get a first look of your face and you haven't had dissapointed them.

Prince Loki was the onlyone who remained unimpressed and mocked the situation, winning some of your simpathy from that simple action. Unlike the others, he did acknowledge that Vanir women were also remarkable in the fields of sorcery and divination. Freya herself had shared many magical secrets with the Aesir, matter that should have been as famous across Yggdrasil as her splendid looks were.

From all the fields in magic commonly attributed to the Vanir, your strenght was nature. Completely opposite styles, since yours valued prosperity over power, but Loki was kindly cordial with you as you acknowledged his vastly superior skill. He didn't mind indulging your curiosity from time to time, given that you would pay him with flattery. In that particular context, it was a source of pride for him among all the other asgardians who, unlike him, did want you and were trying to impress you.

His brother, the first of them all.

Thor had been very vocal about his infatuation from the very first moment that he saw you. His whimsical, unstoppable will to chase you was frankly admirable.

Stubborness and chivalry walked hand in hand, managing to either humor you or exasperate you whenever he was near. The eldest prince couldn't stand being ignored and ruining your focus had become his new favorite sport.

" My fairest lady, aren't you bored of your loneliness? " He distracted you once more as you intended to read, making you loose in the sentence. " I believe you won't discover the wonders of my realm hidding your divine face behind that book … Come with me so i can show those to you."

Tempting offer followed by his most charming smile, but you declined.

" Studying is my purpose, Prince Thor. I'm currently more invested in the books on your library than in the contemplation of your glorious looks, and i intend to keep it that way. "

You completed your rejectment with a kind smile, showing it wasn't personal.

" But you must be suffering!" He insisted. " Trapped as you are behind walls, missing the light and the green grasslands of Vanaheim."

You sighed of exahustion, but your eyes were back on him and that was what he wanted to achieve.

" That's why I like to study in the gardens, but your even more frequent visits there have made it impossible."

Thor approached you with hurted innocence, sitting ríght next to you.

" Can I be blamed for feeling curious about the visitor that has deservedly awakened such fascination among my men?" He wondered out loud in sweet whispers. " … Only the race of Freya could have produced a woman so fair, so pridefull. You have mezmerized me and it's with great sorrow that I lament to find your glance fleeing from mine. "

You finnally closed the book.

" I'm here for wisedown, not searching for a man."

The straightfold answer wasn't what he wanted to hear.

" Had a frost giant iced your heart? " He dramatically inquirred. " Mine is burning of love for you, consuming in the wait to make you mine."

His lovely face accompanied the passion of his statement. You could tell he was craving for you to give in so he could break the short distance between you with a kiss.

" I know what you must have heard of us, but not all Vanir women are passionate lovers. "

Nothing could have prepared you for what he had to say about that.

" We will put that on test once you become my queen."

An increíble surprise impossible to hide had caused you to run out of comebacks.

Fortunately someone else granted you one.

" There are two problems with that statement. " Loki pridefully pointed out, approaching him from behind." Father hasn't abdicated the throne in your favor yet, and she is too clever to stand an engagement to you given the volatile nature of your desires."

The god of mischief had found a subtle way of calling him a spoiled brat without it sounding like an offense and for that he made you chuckle.

" Don't listen to my brother's mockery. " Thor defended himself, too focused on you to replicate directly to Loki. " You must trust me. "

" I don't trust any of you. " You mischievously recalled, glancing at the dark haired god, then back at him. " The lady of the shining necklace is very wary of Loki as well, tales circulate in Vanaheim about the tribulations he had repeatedly brought to her. "

You eyes were fixated on Thor as you finished the sentence.

" … Many times, mediating in absurd demmands of marriage from other men."

Loki couldn't beat the allegations, a conversation with Freya was all would be needed to confirm the veracity of those stories.

" Fair enough, that reputation is deserved."

On that you had a specific point to make.

" Just to be clear: you won't get me for him the way you got him the hammer. "

Your acknowledgement of his role in the chain of events was a nice surprise for him, but upsetted his brother.

" I won my ríght to Mjolnir the same way I know I will win your affections. " Thor stated with determination. " Fighting, proving that i'm the best. "

" In that you are mistaken, prince." You coldly corrected, temporally loosing some of your usual politeness. " I'm not a prize for you to win. Even if you believe my beauty is the blessing of Freya's race, you are not entitled to it. "

Far away from being genuinely hurted by the callout, he kept looking at you with adoration.

" I never said i was, but I know you will be my wife. I can feel it, even if you can't currently see it. "

The statement weirded you a bit, so you joked about it.

" Nobody ever told me that the Son of Odin was a seer. "

" Not a seer, a fool. " Loki commented. " He apparently loves to make a fool of himself for you. "

Thor blatantly ignored him, as if the whole world ended in you.

" I will make you fall for me, I promise you that. " He insisted one last time, ríght before holding your hand to place a kiss on your knuckles. " We will be blissfully married, you will be the most stunning queen Asgard has ever seen and I will be your enamored king."

The way in which his blue eyes shined while looking at you said even more than his words. Smiling was like an involuntary reflex for you and he took that as a good sign.

" She can't see it now, but she will be my wife. " He commented to Loki with excitement as soon as you left. " I have a good feeling, brother. She is the one, I must find a way to her heart. "

Loki had quickly realized he was asking for advice because he didn't have the slightlest idea of how to deal with rejectment and refused to face it. Even if it would be just for that, he was very happy with your arrival into their lives. The arrogance and lack of self awareness were still there, but Thor was stumbling with negatories for the first time in his life. For once he had a hard time getting what he wanted and Loki was thrilled to witness it.

" You can always ask your Vanir friend about the courting rituals their women prefer. " He suggested. " Hogun is your closest source, it's his own culture. And he is your only hope, because Fandral has already failed on his own despite being an expert on the matter. "

The blond god smiled as if an insane idea had just occured to him.

A Vanir expert on the matters of love was who he needed as advisor.

" No, no ,no. I know that look. We can't ask her more favors! " Loki stopped him ríght away. " We had terrible experiences in the past, she associates us with anger and annoyance. I wouldn't bother her if it wasn't extremely necesary. "

Thor was careless for the warning.

" She is the greatest expert. Only she can reveal me the secret to win the affections of my beloved. "

The halls of Freya had to welcome him because Thor was welcome anywhere in Asgard. Even if it was true that the splendid goddess had been wrongfully involved in some of his adventures with Loki, she didn't personally despise him for that. However, he was ríght in one detail: they did have the tendency of annoying her to the core. Everytime they had come to her with a problem of theirs, Freya had found herself regretting the help to some extent.

One look at your face was enough for him to toss aside any consideration of risk. At that moment, there was nothing he desired more than your love. The fact that Loki seemed to be your favorite of both had awakened a bit of jealousy in him. You were going to be his, he had no doubt of that, but his brother got an easier time getting closer to you. It was clear that you were friendly to each other in a way that excluided him. In practice, it was more like the difference Loki himself had experienced in his interactions with Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, but it didn't look like that to him.

In fact, Thor was so unused to being treated like that it was quite hard for him. His brother had no friends of his own, reason why he lacked practice as the brother awkwardly engaging in the meetings of a friend group that wasn't really his. He felt left behind whenever you would show to have your own inner jokes with Loki among other signs of your bond in development.

Desperate as he was for your attention, he failed to understand why his brother had more of it even if he knew that he didn't fancy you. Instead of cooperating with his cause, Loki amused himself with jokes at his expense and, for so, he would have to join him in the resolution of his romantical quest.

They reached the magnificent main hall on her asgardian palace, but Freya didn't receive them directly. Instead, her cats inspected the visitors ahead. One passed by Thor with gallant pace and rubbed the head against his leg, but the one that intended to do the same on Loki hissed as soon as his scent was recognized.

" I told you it wasn't a good idea. " The god whispered as they both watched the cat leave in a run. " Clearly, she hasn't forgot of my involvement in all those improvised bargains with lustfull giants desperate to have her. "

" You have paid the price, so did I." Thor calmed him. " If I once had almost considered trading her as ransom for Mjolnir, the sacrifice I endured to avoid it was enough to be forgiven."

Loki wasn't going to let that chance to make fun of him slip away.

" Maybe you should ask her to borrow you her magical necklace again. It's granted that the girl won't stop looking at you if you wear it for her. "

Thor wanted to reply to such shamefull provocation, but he was interrumpted by the sound of a femminine voice approaching. The chant of the lady spoke of a sorceress pridefull rejecting the advances of a flirtatious king in a refined comedical way.

" Lucky of you. " Loki pointed out on the irony. " She seems to be in a good mood today. "

Freya was soon in front of them in all her radiant beauty, but when she saw them, she wasn't happy.

" What have you done this time?" She inmediately questioned them, fearing a disaster. " Unless the frost giants are already on the way, i'm not borrowing you my cloak ever again. "

Gesturally contaning his brother, Loki attempted to save the situation speaking ahead of him.

" Worry not, stunning Freya, since our concerns aren't a matter threatening the gods. I come to you humbly, on behalf of a man suffering for love. "

The eyes of the goddess were like daggers pointed at him.

" You always do, better this not be another of your trade offers. " She warned him, then glanced back at Thor. " It looks like your brother is the suffering lover. "

The god of thunder smiled at her, pleased of being guessed so accurately.

" I'm hopelessly infatuated of the young maiden who has followed you from your homeland. " He began to explain. " … She is the sweetest one this realm has ever known, beautifull like in the most pleasant of dreams, but extremely difficult for my reach. "

Freya wasn't surprised by the confession. Everyone was somewhat aware of how intensely he wanted you, the rarity was to find him admitting he was failing on the conquest.

The goddess of love recognized the desperation in his eyes because she was one of the few that knew it well. She have already seen it many times.

" It's only logical: she is a good representative of everything Vanaheim stands for, as you are for Asgard. " She informed him. " Frey cherishes her, he has practically raised her. From him she had learned the secrets of our kind, and the light magic of the elves in Alfheim. You know well that my brother is a warrior and a lover alike. He has taugh her according to his values: peacefull rullership, love for nature, selfless love and will of sacrifice. "

Her words were indirectly putting in doubt the posibility that Thor possessed such qualities.

" … (y/n) loves Gerd as a mother, and as you know, she isn't a goddess." Freya added, taunting polemic. " My brother gave his sword for the chance of marrying a giantess. This is the image of love she grew up admiring and I doubt she would settle for any less. "

In case he could mix up the interpretation of her words to satisfy his whim, she got very clear with a determinating example showing him the practical translation for his case.

" Would you trade Mjolnir for her, Thor? Ask yourself that, even if she won't demmand you to do it, for this kind of devoted love is the only way to her heart."

The two gods were silenced, shocked by drastically different reasons.

" At least it's most likely that means she isn't currently in love with Loki." Thor finally concluded, refusing to get disencouraged. " He has always jested Frey about his choice, called him a fool for trading his best weapon for a wife. "

In another occasion, that could have accidentally unleashed an argument between Loki and Freya.

The Vanir lady laughed to the assumption and the youngest prince wasn't comfortable with that.

" Excuse me? " The god of mischief stopped the thunder god. " Is that what you think it's happening? "

" She is always so sweet to you! Even when you tease each other, she doesn't mean it with you the same way it falls on me. "

" How?" Loki complained, starting a fight with him instead. " How could you possibly believe that she has fallen for me ? "

" She treats me differently, like if I don't belong among you, and I can't stand it. "

Loki wished he could have openly laughed to his face, the irony was too strong to handle.

Freya read it on his eyes and calculated her strike.

" It's just an affinity, and it doesn't surprise me as much as it should. Your jealousy is pointless, we know he isn't good at keeping friendships. Sooner or later his trickery will damage her and it will fall apart. "

" I shall not be blamed for causing curiosity on her, since your foolish brother has only taught her of light magic and growing plants. " The youngest Aesir Prince defended himself from the provocation. " I bet the girl came to Asgard hoping to learn some real magic. "

For the honor of her brother, the goddess forgot to measure her words carefully.

" Gerd must have showed her some tricks I know you will love. " She coldly sentenced, mentioning the giantess on purpose.

Freya's rage didn't find its límit on Loki, her patience had ran out for both brothers.

" And to you I say: If you don't want to get treated like my old giant suitors, you shall stop behaving like one of them."

The comparison was an offense too great for Thor to tolerate.

" THAT'S ABSURD!!! HOW AM I IN ANY WAY ALIKE TO THOSE MONSTERS??"

His stubborness had awakened her combative spirit.

" Every single day during his worktime here the builder of the asgardian wall used to arrogantly brag to me claiming I was going to be his wife. EVERY-SINGLE-DAY! LOOK HOW FAR THAT GOT HIM! ARE YOU HOPING TO SUCCEED WHERE HE FAILED? "

Circunstantially careless for the presence of his brother, Freya grabbed Thor by the jaw so he would look at her closely as she finished her advice, hoping the words would stick with him.

"Do you think it will work out for you based only on the fact that you are a well spoken and handsome prince? Do you sincerely believe that would make ANY difference? I have rejected towsands like you, not all of them were disgusting ogres.Toss your pride aside and humbly court her with true sweetness instead of this gallant simulation of admiring respect that's nothing but pure arrogance. "

To soften things, she caressed his cheek as she released the grip on his face before providing some encouragement.

" I believe in your good heart, and that's what you should be presenting to her."

The advice was brutal, but very wise. Still, Thor wasn't sure of how much of it was genuine and not only a product of Freya's anger, that he guessed was caused by his brother. Only one thing had been tranquilizing and that was knowing you weren't developing feelings for Loki.

However, the desperation that the trickster god sensed on him under that assumption was an interesting discovery. Thor had kept that small seed of secret distress well hidden untill Freya exposed him. Following the core of the reasoning she presented to them, Loki would gladly assume the role of the servant Skirnir and get him the girl if Thor would grant him a similar reward. Not a magical weapon that time, but the throne of Asgard. He did wonder if his brother could be that foolish, an ever greater fool than Frey ever was in his eyes. Answers eventually came to him when he saw the awe in his expression as he discovered you singing in the gardens of the palace.

Days before the date meant for Thor's coronation, you were trying to cheer up Loki because you were the only one finding his disdain for the situation relatable. While he resented not being the choosen one of his father, you lammented being chosen by his brother. You didn't despise him or deeply resented his interest as completely unwanted, but you knew that once Thor would be crowned king there would be no way out for you. No escape from him, with all the implications that had, and not hating him didn't mean feeling comfortable with a marriage to him.

Frey would come to congratulate the new king and he would have to stay to witness your wedding, so proud that the child he raised has become Queen of Asgard. King Odin himself was the onlyone capable of stopping that madness, maybe moved by the reminder of Gerd indirectly linking you to the giants. That hope was lost when you heard him comment that the peacefull inclinations of a Vanir under the influence of Frey were good balance for Thor's war driven spirit.

Loki was your only hope.

In remembrance of the old stories, you ended up asking him if he could come up with a trick to save you just like all those times he saved Freya from marrying the giants. He laughed, called you a terrible conspirator, and asked you if you loathed his brother that strongly.

The truth was that you didn't, but you couldn't stand the idea of becoming the toy of an arrogant, vain prince. A man who chased you for your beauty, who claimed you were going to be his from the very first moment that he saw you regardless of your opinion.

And yet, that wasn't all what was to be learned about him.

Thor had potential to achieve his goal, you could feel it, but he was blind to it most of the time. His pride blinded him, often turned into entitlement, and you couldn't stand that. Still, you were quite curious for what could be found behind that.

After all, his people loved him for a reason, and you were never able to stay mad at him for long. Vanity aside, you couldn't simply ignore his dedication to you. The way in which his eyes would shine if you responded nicely, his deep voice going slightly softer, his cheery self remaining always enthusiastic no matter the failed landing of his flirting. Allways expectant, waiting for you with such great loyalty like no other of your admirors. The onlyone who managed to make you smile, who would stare at your face but be trully hearing whatever you were telling him.

Venting disdain about him wasn't what you wanted to do about the situation, and it wasn't the ríght way of supporting Loki.You did your part in the way you imagined he preferred to be comforted. No heartfelt speeches, only seeking to humor him with jokes.

That was how Thor had found you, midway into the task of becoming the trickster of a trickster by singing a cheerfull song for his brother. The garden looked even more green and vivacious than usual, work of your magic without doubts. You were wearing a flower crown and behaving with an adorable carefreeness that the god of thunder was incapable of resisting. He remained frozen in his spot, fearing you would stop if you noticed him.

It took him an instant to notice that yours was the same song he heard in the halls of Freya, the dispute of the king and the sorceress. Verses he haven't heard before revealed that the progression of the song was increasingly against the king, He had offered the fair maiden to drink from his goblet, but her reply was terminant.

' I want no wine, I want no mead. To get rid of you is all i need'

Your acting reflected the annoyance and desperation, to what Loki bursted into laughter.

" Your enchanting voice makes anything sound beautifull, my lady. " Thor praised you from afar, finally pacing towards you. " I don't mind being jested when it's done so sweetly."

You turned back and smiled for him, a hint of nervousy over being discovered remaining very visible.

" In Vanaheim, this topic is common in songs meant to be comedical. I believe is the influence of the legends. "

As he observed the interaction, Loki noticed you weren't looking at his brother precisely like the goddess of love used to look at her repulsive suitors.

" The songs of our people speak mostly of battles. " He commented, taking the conversation elsewhere. " The trully amusing ones almost exclusively deal with my shenanigans. "

" And the serious ones focus on my courage. " Thor followed him with pridefull excitement. " I crave to show you some, but I dread that nothing would sound as good in my voice. "

For the very first time ever, he had shown a small glimpse of humility in his courting attempts and you intended to reward it.

" You have a very pleasant speaking voice."

" Then I shall read some asgardian poetry for you! " He suggested and attempted to contain his enthusiasm ríght afterwards. " … If you would consent to spend a while in my company, of course. "

Thor was asking nicely, a change that you approbed. In order to make him see that was the correct path, you couldn't do anything but indulge him.

" I will gladly join you, Prince Thor. "

Radiant of joy as if you would have already agreed to marry him, the old habit slipped back in.

" Not for long, I will soon become King of Asgard. " He corrected you, as if it was meant to impress you. " And the celebration is what i'm looking foward the most. You will have the honor of the first dance, my beloved, with all the kingdom watching us. My glory shall be yours, for I wish no other maiden but you to be admired alongside me. "

" And I suppose you will offer me your silver goblet to drink from as well? " You called him out with mockery. " To what i will have to politely refuse. "

With that, you shortened the distance between you and sweetly sang for him one more verse of the song.

' The King's caresses are not for me, neither I desire his consort to be.'

Thor's lips parted and he released a sigh, ironically enchanted, and the reaction surprised you so much that it made you giggle. It was a display of spontaneous vulnerability, something he had never showed you before.

" Yet how I wish the day will come when you will be mine. " He softly confessed, caressing your cheek. " No King would ever find a better Queen. "

At that point you began to wish you could give in to him. So many doubts were stopping you, mainly due to his oscilant manners. Most of the time he acted like a petulant child, but in moments of brillance like that one he was so close of awakening your feelings.

You couldn't let him know that, not untill noticing stronger signs of long lasting growth. If Thor wanted you that badly, he would have to become a man whose marriage proposal you could take seriously.

And he eventually did, thanks to the trickery of his brother.

For the sake of his own personal interests overlaping with your problem, Loki granted your wish. The coronation was interrupted by a surprise attack of Frost Giants, unleashing Thor's rage beyond any rational measure. His hurted pride claimed vengeance and he recklessly leaded his friends to unleash war on Jotunheim, counting with the company of his brother. Thor's actions were severely punished by the Allfather, who casted him out of Asgard after depriving him from his rank and power.

As Freya later recalled, he got exiled by his own stupidity. You, however, couldn't help feeling guilty about it. Loki didn't have to admit his blame for you to realize he was pulling the strings. He had helped himself and saved you from that rushed wedding, but the cost was peraphs too high.

The chain of events unleashed proved you ríght. As Asgard's temporal regent, Loki denied your ask of returning to Vanaheim. Under his petty excuses, you knew he was probably fearing you would go to Frey with the news, then he would arm the Vanir and the light elves against him counting with the inside support of his sister. Off the record, and sadly, you also were aware to be the closest thing he had to a friend. For so, you were forced to watch his descend into madness.

At his return, Thor reunited with you in the palace of Freya. She had been sheltering you from Loki's rage, unleashed when you couldn't keep supporting him anymore. Despite the fright of those last instants and your regret for trusting him against the lady's advice, you sincerely lammented his passing. The god of thunder found comfort in that, but he seeked more than to vent his grief to you with that visit.

" I owe you my greatest apologies. " He begged for forgiveness, holding your hand. " I was a selfish fool. I overly focused on my feelings for you and never wondered about the true desires of your heart. All you wanted was to chase knowledge unbothered and I kept getting in the way of your dreams for the sake of mine. "

You stared at him in awe, something had changed him deeply during his exile and the result felt like the sign you were waiting for.

" Worry not, good prince: you are forgiven." You answered, caressing his knuckles within the contact he had already established. " Although I do wonder if that dream of yours still stands, many things seem to have changed in the short span of your absence. "

Thor led your hand to his chest, to the spot of his heart.

" It remains yours, if you want it. " He sweetly confirmed. " I hope my learning in exile has made me a man trully worthy of you, but if it's still your wish to decline my affections I will understand it. "

You remained silent for an instant, tasting the moment, and in that feeling he kept the confession flowing.

" Before you take your choice, there is something i need to share. At the peak of my demise I had plenty of time to think, and you were always on my thoughts. From this I have obtained a great realization I need you to hear. "

You were hooked to his every word, craving to discover what he had for you.

" The first time I saw you, I knew i wanted you. That was lust. " He began to explain himself. " When i told you that you would be mine, That was arrogance. "

His eyes were on you the whole time and the sincere warmt in his glance was inviting even tho he wasn't intending that on purpose. There was no masterplan to charm you, only the strenght of his raw feelings being exposed to you.

" And when i realized I would give up everything to keep you, that … That was love. "

Your lips parted for you to sigh in romantical delight, as charmed as you once had made him feel.

" Love is a dream of the Vanir, the true blessing of Freya. " You finally replied, caressing his loose hair and the side of his beard. " So if you love me, and your feelings are true, you are one of my dreams come true. "

Thor couldn't believe what he had heard, prepared as he was to face your final rejection.

" Do your trully want me, in your heart? "

You smiled shyly for him, then nodded affirmatively with the cutest look.

" Many men had stated that they would sacrifice what they value the most for love,but untill now only one had proven it with actions. " Was the reason you gave him. " To the lose of Mjolnir you had also accidentally realized of your real feelings for me. Your punishment found you joining Frey in spirit, as you lost your weapon and discovered the agonical waiting of distant love. "

He didn't consider it before, but you were ríght, and he was very glad you had showed him that.

Before he could thank you again, you were trapping him in sweet embrace.

" Not even in my wildest dreams I could have imagined to be loved like this … and no more nights I will keep you waiting. "

#thor 2011 #thor odinson #thor #thor x reader #thor odinson x reader #chris hemsworth #chris hemsworth x reader #marvel fanfiction #mcu fanfiction #mcu x reader #marvel x reader

[naturallyadventured]

hunnywomb

My sweet sister Indra was born today, 33 years ago. 💗 Wow what a blessing to have you enter my life, on that tiny little island, at a rainbow gathering, most of our time spent naked, eating coconuts, in the ocean, or around a fire, with no phones, no lights, no clocks -at the start of a pandemic, when we had no concept of the outside world at all. Little did we know we'd leave that little bubble of goodness and spend the next several months together in a small home with Reishi and Sarah. You had taught me so much. We have shared so many experiences I will never forget. I can't wait to meet your babies one day and hopefully usher them into this world at your birth. I hope we make it back to India one day together. Love you my peruvian swedish kundalini goddess. Waheguru.

[naturalswimmingspirit]

hunnywomb

My sweet sister Indra was born today, 33 years ago. 💗 Wow what a blessing to have you enter my life, on that tiny little island, at a rainbow gathering, most of our time spent naked, eating coconuts, in the ocean, or around a fire, with no phones, no lights, no clocks -at the start of a pandemic, when we had no concept of the outside world at all. Little did we know we'd leave that little bubble of goodness and spend the next several months together in a small home with Reishi and Sarah. You had taught me so much. We have shared so many experiences I will never forget. I can't wait to meet your babies one day and hopefully usher them into this world at your birth. I hope we make it back to India one day together. Love you my peruvian swedish kundalini goddess. Waheguru.

[notesofseptember]

Take your new caterpiller

Dancing on my grave

#boom #amanda jenssen #my swedish goddess #swedish music #Spotify

[romegreeceart]

Athena mounting a four-horse chariot

Mersenaki

Ca. 510-460 BCE

Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm

Stockholm, November 2023

#Athena #Mersenaki #Cyprus #ancient #art #terracotta #statuette #goddess #chariot #animals #horse #clothing #helmet #6th century BCE #5th century BCE #Swedish museums #my photo #Medelhavsmuseet

[follivora]

aheeem heeeem

Freja is the goddess of beauty, love, war, gold, fertility, amongst other things. she is often associated with cats and is said to have two giant house cats. freja is the ruler of one of the nine worlds called Folkvang (in swedish at least) which is one of the two afterlives for war heroes.

also during the nordic iron age (which the viking age is a part of) keys were seen as something powerful but also feminine (just like freja) because the woman of the house holds the keys to the doors.

I’m not 100% sure why I associate kris with freja but I think one of the reasons is that beauty and love are often seen as feminine things and war more masculine, and in my mind kris possesses traits of both worlds I guess.

i am in love

#I AM SXREAMING ACTUALLY I JUST DONT WANNA FUCK UP THE VIBE #this is perfect holy shit #joker out #kris guštin

[acornsandoaktrees]

so, Greenwood cats.

(hear me out, hear me out)

Norwegian Forest Cats:

larger and more powerful than most domesticated housecats, they're adapted to colder climates, with very thick and long fur. they take 5 years to fully mature. as the name implies, before domestication they occupied Scandinavian forests

Ocelots:

on all fours adults come up to a human's knees. historically, they were sometimes kept as pets by Aztecs and Incans. they take 2 years to fully mature. they're active at twilight and night, and live solitary. they require dense foliage cover, which often means forests

etymology:

while The Hobbit's Mirkwood is not the only instance of the name, Tolkien has admitted its roots to be in early German, Old English, Old Swedish and Old Norse

the Old Norse word for a domestic cat (tom-cat specifically, but isn't it always) is köttr. in terms of lotr-invented animals, Warg is drawn directly from the Old Norse word for wolf, vargr

(side-note: Teldivo was a giant black cat in Tolkien's early development of lotr, later replaced by Sauron, so the idea of Big Version of Real Animal wasn't lost on him)

and what does this all amount to, you ask?

well, that quite neatly for a fantasy world, Greenwood's forests could feasibly be inhabited by large wild-cats known as Kottur.

(as decided by the author of this post, who has a frightenly loose concept of deriving words from others lol)

and with that said, here's a fun fact about Norse tradition: cats were often given as wedding gifts to brides. this was done to honour Freyja, the goddess of love and fertility, whose chariot was pulled by... Norwegian Forest Cats! who would've guessed

also want to add that -- as i've said before but a while ago -- i don't put much stock in elves marrying. they just... live too long for that kind of monogamous commitment. 'til death do us part' doesn't really carry much weight, does it? however, i am willing to say that some elves choose to 'bond' with one another, sort of entertwining their lives without the rather daunting promise of a singular eternity. and yes, polyamoury and divorce. again, they live too damn long for the expectation of one partner in an entire population to be sensical

so to bring this together, here's my concept:

newly bonded Greenwood elves sometimes gift their partners a Kottur kitten, not to be luxuriously treasured pets but to act as hunting companions and protectors. considering Silvans' deep bond with nature, it's plausible, no?

(kittens only, because once Kottur start hitting maturity it becomes nigh impossible to train them)

#ive delayed this post so long because i didnt have the energy to write and present it like this #and i do so when ive got my written evaluation of my college project due tuesday that im too tired to tackle yet??? #lotr #the hobbit #tolkien #tolkien elves #aaotverse #acorns and oak trees #lotr au #tolkien worldbuilding #fantasy animal #aaot rambling

[bluedalahorse]

Young Royals and the divine disruption of eros

Young Royals enthusiasts have a lot to say about the nature of love (specifically eros, or romantic and/or sexual love) in the show’s universe. Usually they identify an element of the divine in the love we see onscreen. The show itself nods to this with soundtrack choices like Elias’s “Holy” and through some of the imagery and filming choices. (Someone else can probably speak to that better than I can, and probably already has.)

But what does it mean, that love/eros has an element of the divine? Is divinity always benevolent, or kind? Does it always encourage someone toward more compassionate behavior? In a Christian context, we usually think of “love” as being associated with moral goodness, or at least a kind of selflessness or compassion. As a former classics major, however, I can’t help but look at YR’s divine eros through the lens of the ancient Mediterranean myth and folklore. Here, the divine is more a force of nature, and far more morally neutral.

Some background: in the ancient sources Greek gods and goddess are less like immortal, superpowered humanoid beings, and more like abstract and/or natural concepts personified. In Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the divine figure most associated with eros, and she is a powerful and at times vengeful goddess who should not be underestimated. Modern sources (and even a few ancient sources) tend to downplay or soften her influence—leaning into this idea of a beautiful goddess playing matchmaker for lonely individuals—but even when she’s bringing companionship into a person’s life, she’ll still shake things up in the process. The Trojan War begins because Paris chooses Aphrodite’s realm as his definition of beauty/excellence, and Aphrodite sets Paris and Helen’s relationship in motion.

What makes Aphrodite—and by extension, eros—so dangerous is that she is so disruptive to the social order. Marriages in the ancient Mediterranean tended to be arranged, and while eros certainly did exist within some of those marriages, it wasn’t a guarantee at all. You may well develop feelings for someone other than your spouse, and what if that destabilizes your marriage? You could also develop feelings for someone who makes you behave outside your assigned gender or class expectations, and then you aren’t fulfilling your class role, which causes a breakdown in the social hierarchy. Being in love may be euphoric, especially if the person you love loves you back and you’re of compatible social ranks, but it may also be unbearable if circumstances don’t work out for you. Unchecked eros can even lead to the birth of monsters, such as when Aphrodite dooms the Minoan queen Pasiphae to fall in love with a bull, which then eventually leads to Pasiphae giving birth to the Minotaur. Look at any selection of poems from the ancient Mediterranean and you’ll find as many poems cursing love as praising it.

And one of the wildest things about eros? Nothing about it is rational. People may try to rationalize their feelings of eros later, or come up with why they like a person… but feelings just are what they are. Actions can have a rational component, and an element of agency. You can technically control your actions. Still, feelings do not operate in the same way, and feelings are always trying to influence actions. Part of the reason it is important to respect Aphrodite is that she can always get you and hijack your heart when you least expect it. (Unless you’re aromantic I guess, which. Hooray exceptions?)

Let’s bring it back to the Swedish show. I think often, people want to talk about the wilmon and sargust pairings as being as far apart from one another on the spectrum as can be. I’ve even seen the idea thrown around that wilmon’s eros is the Most Real while sargust’s is Less Real, and while I get where that argument is coming from, I also don’t necessarily agree with it myself. On my end, when I look at love/eros in Young Royals as defined first and foremost not by moral goodness but by its power to disrupt, these two pairings feel very alike to me and deeply thematically connected. Moreover, they are equally exciting to watch play out onscreen. Each of the four characters involved develops feelings that conflict with something about who this character is as a person and the social role they hold. Each character at times resists their feelings and at other times gives in. Sometimes both characters give into their feelings together! (Those parts of the story are often gif’d and reblogged by tumblr, at least on the wilmon side of things.) You can also learn a lot about each character by how they deal with the disruptive power of eros, and what they allow eros to disrupt—ultimately, August tries to exert control over his romancey situation with Sara and make it fit his concept of the social order, and disrupts the well-being of the Eriksson family in the process. Wilhelm, meanwhile, is willing to challenge the structures of the monarchy and his own family because of his relationship with Simon. There’s also a lot of twists and turns along the way for each of them that are enjoyable to watch.

There’s a tendency in fandom to hold wilmon as a sort of Fixed And Unquestionable Religious Truth Of The Young Royals Universe, and I get why. There’s also a sort of tendency to see sargust as the devil to wilmon’s god, and again, I get why folks feel that way too. For me, though, I don’t really feel that way, in part because I see both pairings as equally subject to the divine nature of eros, and eros is something that is dynamic and morally neutral and constantly in flux and most of all, disruptive. I like that both pairings are a little chaotic and capable of making me feel a range of things, even if I always do come out of a YR marathon exhausted because of it. Eros is disruptive the way that war and revolution are disruptive, and sometimes they’re all happening at once, and in the end it makes a pretty good story.

Anyway, if you’re wondering, one of my favorite Greek plays is Hippolytus by Euripides, and Aphrodite is pretty terrifying there. I find her power to disrupt and destroy fascinating. And that’s probably why, against the expectations of my mlm slash-loving younger teenage self, I’m going to be writing fic about these trash-tragic horsey heteros for as long as this fandom exists and I feel compelled to do so. No apologies about that, really. You’ll all just have to put up with me.

#young royals #my meta #wilmon #sargust #me opining with my classics hat on again #the classics part of this meta is somewhat oversimplified but if you want to talk one on one i can really dig deep