#side character: fife

[never-took-a-lesson]

(BREATHES ON YOU)

#ic #side character: fife #sir.

[violivs]

NMTDaily: VOX POPS

- Hi all! I’m going to be rewatching along with TCWs NMTDaily and making posts about each episode, or as many as I can (I might miss some, but I hope not!)

- I want to start by saying thank you again to The Candle Wasters for making my favorite thing. Just, the amount of joy and creative fulfillment and friendship and delight I’ve gotten from this show and this fandom is still unmatched. Thank you so much for making it and sharing it. The love and care and skill with which NMTD was made still shines through and I’m still so awed by it. I think I was probably somewhat overdramatic about my reactions to Lolilo in places where you, TCW, could see, on my main blog, and you didn’t deserve that. I really hope I didn’t send you any aggressive asks about it, or make you uncomfortable in any way. I’m a little afraid I did, but I don’t know for sure. If I did, I apologize. I’m older and more mature now, I promise. I hope you’re all doing so very well now!

- I didn’t realize until today that Project I: VOX POPS was posted first, before any other video in the series. I didn’t start watching NMTD until right around the time Benedick’s first Q&A video was posted, so I binged the first chunk of episodes around that time. It will be interesting to watch them at a slower pace this time!

- I am immediately overwhelmed with warm fuzzies at seeing these characters again. They’re such babies! I love them!

- I never made a post about this, but Ben’s first line being about how he shares a (differently spelled) name with a Pope is both a great first line for him on a character level since he starts as kind of a cocky overconfident asshole (a cover for his soft sensitive insides) AND it’s evidence for my theory that he’s probably Catholic, but lapsed/non-practicing/maybe agnostic or atheist solely because I WILL keep projecting parts of me onto this character, it’s just what I do at this point. Other evidence: he has a confirmation name. We don’t get his full name til Lolilo, but still. And he’s partly Scottish, which can account for the fact that English people usually are not Catholic.

- “you need to imitate an eagle, that’ll scare them away!” That’s Ben’s second line and first bird reference! Already! Wow.

- The favorite band question! Mumford and Sons! Fife and the Drums! Sheep Dog and Wolf! The LORE! The REFERENCES! We’re already off to the races.

- “I don’t need chat-up lines” Beatrice I love you , and you have no idea what’s coming.

- I forgot about Beatrice’s Favorite T-Shirts Ranking System lol

- Extremely funny that Ben says bananas are his favorite food and then he goes on to become synonymous with mangoes instead. Sorry, buddy, you will always be Mango Skin Boy to us. xD

- I forgot how delightful Dogberry and Verges are in this episode

- “that you would leave me” oh Meg. Oh honey. Oh no.

- I’ve seen nine seasons of Doctor Who and only five episodes of Game of Thrones since 2014. Sorry Bea, I side with Ben on this one. And I’ve seen one season of Community. I’m slowly hacking away at the list of media referenced in nmtd that I need to watch!

- love it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free! ❤️

- Balthazar plays every instrument, of course.

- Bea must not have an ear for music if she hated that question enough to force Ursula on-camera so she doesn’t have to answer it… Unless Ursula asked her something else she didn’t want to answer! Lol

- Ben makes me cringe so hard a couple times this episode. And yet I still love him. To be fair, that’s just every Benedick at the start of Much Ado, though. The cringy lines are completely in character.

- I decided to save the full story of how I discovered NMTD for whenever the NMTDaily email for Ben’s first Q&A episode goes out, because then it will actually be ten years almost to the day since I started watching. But I’m so impatient and excited to tell the story!

- It’s amazing how back then, these kids were my contemporaries and the Lizzie Bennet Diaries cast felt impossibly old compared to me. Now the NMTD kids are babies and I’m older than Lizzie Bennet! Trippy. It sure has been a nice ten years.

Until the next one! Happy NMTD Day, fellow flamangoes!

💖🥭🦩

#nmtd #nothing much to do #NMTDaily #webseries #violivs NMTDaily liveblog

[thebaffledcaptain]

For writing purposes, have you any anecdotes from battle reenactment, or references on the battle of Yorktown (1781)?

Oh that's a fun question… my first disclaimer is that I only started reenacting fairly recently, so I only have so many anecdotes. My second disclaimer is that I definitely know more about the British side of things than the Continental side, but luckily most of the military organization and conduct was virtually the same on both sides. My last is that I am no particular expert on Yorktown specifically—I've heard they've done huge reenactments there in the past but I have not been in the hobby long enough to have gone to one, unfortunately. However, what I would be happy to talk about are some historical details you could use in setting up your scene and kind of bringing it to life, most of which only occurred to me after experiencing them firsthand!

“The Fog of War”

Which is to say, powder smoke. Great white plumes of it, tearing from muskets on every volley, drifting across the field and saturating the air with the bitter smell of sulfur. I find myself holding my breath on every volley just so I won’t inhale a big lungful of it—at certain points it’s like marching through a cloud, and humid weather can exacerbate that even further, since it won’t dissipate. And it lingers. I remember standing up at the very top of the valley at Monmouth in the evening after the first day and you could still see that smoke blurring the horizon, hours later. We tend not to think so much about it as a modern audience, but it was a huge factor in these historical battles: you could write about how it obscures the visibility, how the smell lingers, the terrifying sight of an enemy battalion emerging from the smoke with bayonets fixed…

The Scale

Let’s be honest, reenactments don’t tend to be really massive events—some events are bigger than others but overall it’s a niche hobby and even our best turnouts are nowhere near the size of these battles in reality (my regiment requires a minimum of a mere 8 members to commit to an event for us to go…). Historically you’d be having somewhere between roughly 500–700 men per regiment, divided into ten companies. As a field musician, since it would have been my job, I’m always thinking about how it would have been to actually communicate with and maneuver a group that large with only a handful of drummers and fifers per company, especially with that many other companies on the field—it’s hard enough playing for 20 something reenactors across two units! And Yorktown was one of the biggest conflicts in the war, both literally (with regard to number of men involved) and figuratively, given how decisive it was; I can only imagine how much pressure it would have been on the commanding officers as they actually made those decisions for dozens or hundreds of men. Being on the battlefield is actually rather isolating, in a way—I’ll see certain regiments in camp and then never see them on the field because we’re in completely different places, so, you know, could make for some dramatic Character Worrying in the story if you're so inclined.

Last but not least, because I’m a little biased but still feel it’s important:

The Music (and other Sounds of War)

Being on a battlefield is loud! You’ve got men roaring as they head into a bayonet charge, drumbeats punctuating shouted orders, volleys firing, the shrill sound of another company’s fifes playing on the advance. When you've got artillery you can literally feel the shots reverberate through the ground beneath your feet, even across the field. Occasionally muskets don’t fire the first round, so they get double-loaded with gunpowder on the second—the 54th had this happen at my last event and when the shot went off it was so loud it temporarily deafened the two men closest to it. War is noisy. And of course I can’t not talk about the music—you could mention the musicians switching tunes to reflect a different maneuver, or mention listening across the field, hoping to hear the Cease Fire from the enemy. Fifes are loud instruments, designed to carry across these wide-open spaces, so often you’re hearing multiple companies’ musicians on top of each other (and even on top of that, some light infantry and dragoon companies were actually using bugles instead of fifes!). On bayonet charges we play the Reveille, on the advance we tend to do British Grenadiers. When men are aiming and firing there’s a different short drum beat for every command (make ready/present/fire). Obviously it’d be a bit much to write in every one of those instances, but it kind of puts it in context how frequently you’d be hearing music on the battlefield.

Anyway. If you can’t tell I love talking about reenacting. Thanks for letting me infodump to you and, though it’s not Yorktown-specific, I hope this maybe gives you some inspiration or some contextual material to work with while you’re writing!

#I need to go to another event!!! this is making me so excited #I love to talk about reenactment. Clearly #the captain answers #amrev #revwar #god save the cheshire regiment #long post #american revolution #revolutionary war #the captain's lectures #awi

[minnierevercez]

Real life Hunter

Ok, but hear me out. There is this heavy metal band called Gloryhammer, and their lyrics are a mix of fantasy and sci-fi and it's amazingly dramatic and I love them. BUT.

Their 4th album came out in June, and they have a new lead singer. And if you put aside the fact that I now have an absolute vocal crush on him, it just so happens that this man has long, wavy dark brown hair and sometimes he wears a freakin' RED BANDANA and because they're in character and everything he also wears armor and all I could think of upon seeing him was OMG HUNTER. I mean LOOK AT HIM.

(On a side note if you're into this kind of music this album is so so good it's called Return to the Kingdom of Fife , if you do listen to it which is your favorite song ? Mine's Keeper of the Celestial Flame of Abernethy :D)

#the bad batch hunter #bad batch hunter #sergeant hunter #hunter the bad batch #gloryhammer #heavy metal #fantasy #scifi #music #star wars #the bad batch #clone force 99 #return to the kingdom of fife #gloryhammer album #red bandana

[fromageinterrupted]

Fife? What’s going on?

Forgive me if anyone has pointed this out before an I have missed this discourse previously, but....What is up with Fife?

Here’s my hypothesis (and isn’t this half the fun of participating in fandom anyway?):

I saw a tiktok (I did not save it), that showed Penelope running down the hill toward Eloise at Aubrey Hall. The day she shows up in a Green Dress (TM). In the background, several characters are walking along, but who is in the corner of the left side? Fife! And he’s watching Penelope. Hmmm.

So then, I looked him up online, and there isn’t a lot about the character on his wiki page. So I went to the actor’s IMDB, and they had a clip show thingy, and Pen was in several clips that he was featured in. Like, most of the clips. 

He was watching her in season 1 when Colin danced with her. He was REALLY AND INTENTLY watching her when Colin dance with her in season 2. Like, the dude stared at them the whole time. 

And then I went and watched the “Are you courting the girl?” scene (Heartbreak, I know), and the way Fife asked doesn’t exactly sound like the way he’s talked about women the other times. His voice is inflected differently in the other scenes. Like when he was thanking Anthony for deciding to marry, and when he was rude during the promenade, and..well all the times Fife bothers to open his mouth. But, when he asks Colin if he’s courting the girl, it sounds like an earnest question. Like he’s feeling out if it’s okay to have a thing for Penelope Featherington. Like, maybe, if Colin had said yes, then it would have made it socially okay for Fife to maybe court her too (Or go after her some sort of way). 

So my sis is going to go back and watch all of season one and two again and watch the background any time Pen is there and we are going to try and snap every time Fife is watching Penelope. I think it’s a lot more than we realize. 

SOOOO, this brings us to possible Season 3 conflict. What if Fife decides to say “To Heck with It” and tries to court Penelope. Or at least give her more noticeable attention than he’s giving her right now? 

First off, we won’t have to worry about a love triangle because Penelope is smart enough to decline his advances. She’d rather be single than mess with that guy. But Fife is Fife and he’ll probably become more dogged if he really does have a thing for her. He gave up quick on Edwina, but it was his friend who seemed more into Edwina and Fife was just there being performative. And maybe Fife’s attention sets Colin to spiraling. Not really jealousy (though I for one like a little jealously (Anthony staring at Kate in the boat anyone?), but maybe it wakes him up his current feelings for Penelope. She’s definitely avoiding Colin by this point. She’s never at the Bridgertons’ house because of her rift with Eloise, she’s dressing in greens and blues and soft pinks and he’s forced to realize something is going on in his heart because FIFE is openly displaying an affection toward Penelope that SIGNIFICANTLY PALES in comparison to anything going on inside of Colin, yet here is Fife trying to court her? So Colin will need to do some soul searching, because why isn’t he himself courting her when Fife certainly isn’t able to see all that Penelope really is and all that she is is screaming inside Colin’s heart and mind. 

In Conclusion: Fife has a secret thing for Penelope (that may not be wholesome at all because it’s Fife) but it’s going to get more noticeable in season three and that will set off the chain of events that makes Colin recognize what he’s already feeling for Penelope. 

Cue Penelope Fan Boy Number 1.

I would love to hear your thoughts. 

#penelope featherington #Lord Fife #colin bridgerton #Polin #Season 3 #bridgerton #I'm just rambling #Tell me if I'm seeing things #I'll post pics once my sis does her watch through #she has better eyes than I do #Colin x Penelope #Bridgerton season 3 theory #That's just my theory. My s3 theory

[kariachi]

The thing that gets me about the mess with Kevin and Gwen in the third season of AF could have been a lot lesser if Gwen had just fucking communicated. And I don't hold it against her because she's just 15 and fuckers back then were not going around going 'and if your partner has a sever downward mental health spiral this is what you do', she was trying to help in the same way her family was trying to help in Verdona's premiere, the best way she could figure. It happens.

But it's played up like Kevin is the only one at fault for the rift there, because he didn't just pull from the aether the knowledge that this girl he's been seeing a few months and who suddenly started spending less time with him after the chimera dealie started is spending all her free time trying to fix him and not, in fact, just not comfortable dumping a guy having a crisis. And it would have to be pulling from the aether because Gwen wasn't communicating.

"But Achi, Kevin could have asked!" He could have, but there's two things there-

1) He's the guy having the crisis. The show is crap with this shit but it still manages to be blatant that he is having A Bad Time- he teamed up with Morningstar over it for fuck's sake. People can sit there and go 'well Gwen's struggling too' but even 'I'm hurting because you're hurting' is only a fraction of the shit the person who's actually hurting is dealing with. He could have asked, not doing so is a failure on his part, but also he's got a lot going on and a shitload of mental crap acting against him. Especially in a situation like this, where asking questions risks confirming the fears his brain is canonically throwing in the forefront.

2) She could manage to tell Ben. He knows what she's up to, explicitly he knows. Not 'I think this is what Gwen's doing' but downright knows. So we know it's not some big secret, she's telling people. She's just not telling Kevin. And again I'm sure in her head she had perfectly good reasons not to, probably didn't want to give him false hope or something, but she's got the easier end of it and is already telling people what she's up to. It's not hard to let him in on the situation. Doubly so when you know he's running around half-expecting you to dump him.

Neither one of 'em is perfectly rosey on this- Kevin didn't look into shit and just wallowed in doubts and fears, but it's because he's got a whole hell of a lot going on that's not actually being dealt with in any way, Gwen completely dropped the ball on communicating why she'd cut back the time she was spending hanging out after the accident which fed into the doubts and fears, but it was because she was trying to help and just falling into what seems to be a Tennyson trap of focusing so hard on what you think being helpful and supportive looks like you rocket right passed what would actually be helpful and supportive.

And it is a Tennyson thing, I'm fairly certain. We see it in Verdona's premiere, where Gwen's parents and Ben are so focused on being supportive that they don't realize that if anything they're making the whole situation harder on her. We see it in Clyde Fife, where Vera is putting so much attention into helping out at the base and sprucing it up that it doesn't register that she's hurting and making trouble for the people there. And we see it here, where Gwen is so caught up in trying to help Kevin that she doesn't realize she adding weight to his fears.

Just, if you actually sit back and look at it there's a lot going on there from both sides and so often it just gets shoved down into a 'Gwen is a saint and Kevin is flawed' hole when it's a 'Gwen is flawed and Kevin has issues' shape, which by the by is a lot more interesting as far as story and characters as well. It's the writing's fault, at heart, I know, because for some reason we weren't allowed to acknowledge any flaws Gwen might have (most likely due to the Strong Female Character problem- 'nobody can accuse us of not being able to write women if we make the woman the smartest and most right character with the fewest flaws and avoid actually focusing on her as much as possible') and Kevin always has to be the whole of the issue if there's a conflict between them, but gods there is so much room for depth there.

#ben 10 analysis #it's a touch tank of a show #a few inches of water overtop things that could very easily handle being under several feet if not miles #but then they might have had to account for light refraction

[eoinmcgonigal]

09: Bill/Johnny

Sloowly getting through @almost-a-class-act 's wonderful prompts! This one is: Character A has just moved in and it's Character B's turn to tell the new neighbour the neighbourhood's dark secret…

Now, I've set this in rural Scotland. I've given Bill the appropriate language, but I have zero idea how to actually spell it. It's one of the stupidest things I've ever written, but no, I'm not taking it back. Bill Fraser is a teuchter now (for this fic at least).

War is Helloween

-

He’s seen him before. In the darkness of the countryside, folk illuminated only by the built-up bonfire, the occasional sweeps of torches, and the sparkers the children run around squealing with, Bill finds himself looking towards the stranger. It’s hard not to notice newcomers around here, and especially not ones so handsome they turn heads wherever they go. The blond hardly seems like he belongs amongst countryfolk and farmers, but he’s ended up at the fireworks display on the brae all the same. Bill first saw him two days ago in the village shop, where he was with a young woman, a babe in her arms. His sister, the gossip says. Bill’s already heard the older folk muttering about it, wondering where the husband is, and what the brother is doing here. He’s sure he’ll hear all the news the next time he goes to the Fife Arms, whether he wants to or not.

He can’t deny feeling curious, though. Not much changes around here—not usually for the better, at any rate. Besides, the man is good-looking. Johnny Cooper. There’s something about him that catches Bill’s eye, and makes him half want to go over.

He doesn’t, though. Johnny is surrounded by some of the farmers’ wives, and is gratefully accepting bonfire toffee. Bill’s mouth is still sweet with the rare joy of it, Jenny Grant’s recipe as good as he remembers from childhood. It’s as warming to him as the bright fire that’s been built to last, and he’ll try to get another few pieces off of her before he heads back home.

Until then, he stands in the cold November night, waiting. A few friends and folk have drifted by, stopping to chat, offering him a beer, and he nods and listens to the words they have to say, contributing here and there. He finds himself standing in a loose group of men, their attention turning towards the pitch dark beyond the fall of the firelight when a faint torchlight flickers there. Johnny is still on the other side of the little gathering when the fireworks begin. Bill looks away from him, to enjoy the display. It’s nothing like the big, fancy ones he sees on the telly. He wonders what Johnny makes of it. If he likes it here, or if he thinks as little of this place and its people as townfolk usually do, the way of life too small and simple to be worth noticing in their opinion. Plenty outsiders have bulldozed in and then drifted away again, not taking to the lifestyle, or simply missing the glittering lights and apparently comfort of bustle.

Bill likes it here, though. It’s home. He watches the fireworks light up the darkness, and feels something ancient and primal tug at his heart. You can’t feel this anywhere else, he thinks as a chill breeze stirs around the little gathering.

When the last firework is spent, all that’s left is the warmth of the fire, and the people around it. Bill soaks it up, lingering as people start drifting home—the folks with younger kids first, then others following. He snags some more of Jenny’s bonfire toffee, and sees that Johnny is just drifting from the circle of firelight. There’s a set to his shoulders, a sense of purpose about him that makes Bill’s blood run cold.

Half running, he catches up with the man. “Oi!” he calls out.

Jumping, Johnny turns around, laughing. “You scared me!” He’s grinning, the distant fireglow softly picking out the features of his face.

“Far ye gaun?”

A blank look. Bill gestures out at the darkness.

“Yer car? Far’s it at?”

“Oh!” Understanding dawns on Johnny’s face, his smile softening but not fading. “My sister has it. I was going to walk.”

“Tae the village?”

“Um, yes?”

The cold feeling in Bill’s blood grows more profound. “Ye cannae dae that,” he warns.

“No?” Johnny looks around, out into the darkness. “I mean, it’s only two and a half miles?”

Bill shakes his head. “Ye’ll no mak it.”

“Um,” Johnny breathes. He’s not smiling any more. “But I came—”

“Ah’ll gi ye a lift,” Bill insists. “Or, if ye rither, ony ae the fowk here wull gi ye a lift. Just dinnae wauk it an yer ain, aye?”

“O–okay?”

The distant, warm glow of the fire is reflected in the blond’s wide eyes, and Bill suspects that, while he might have got the gist, he’s a bit dazed. Another chill curl of wind swirls around them, and they both shiver.

That seems to decide it. Relenting, Johnny moves closer to Bill. “Where’s your car?”

Bill points back towards the other side of the gathering. “Mandy’ll be glad tae tak ye, if ye’d rither.”

“No, it’s okay. I’m good.” After a few paces, Bill hears a shift in fabric, and a hand is drawn out of a pocket and offered to him. “I’m Johnny, by the way.”

“Aye, Ah ken,” Bill nods. It’s an awkward angle to shake someone’s hand at, the gesture out of place here. He lets it happen, though, giving Johnny a brief, firm squeeze of a handshake. Johnny’s hands are cold, but there’s a warmth that transfers to Bill at the touch. Stickiness too. They’ve both had toffee. It’s the reason Bill hasn’t pulled his glove back on.

He pulls them on now, knowing it’ll be cold for the first few minutes, until the car heats up. There’s a heavy jacket on the passenger’s seat, which he pulls out of the way as soon as he gets in, the wellies in the footwell joining the jacket on the back seat.

Johnny looks so out of place as he gets in, the harsh interior light of Bill’s car making him look pale. He’s probably cold, Bill realises.

“Ye cauld?”

Rubbing his hands against his thighs, Johnny nods. Bill pulls the jacket forward again, offering it over.

“Hae a shottie o this till the heatin kicks in.”

“Thank you.”

They fall into silence as the light dims and Bill starts the engine. He rolls slowly out onto the single track road that winds its way down the brae and towards the village. They’re near to the planted forest of Norwegian pine when Johnny finally speaks again.

“What’s wrong with walking?”

The headlights fall strangely on the pines for a moment, and Bill watches the shadows shift. “Naebody wauks atween the braes an the village this tid o year.”

In the pause, Bill tries to work out how to explain what people usually figure out, if they move here early enough in the year, or if they have any sense.

“Why not?”

It’s best to keep it simple. “Fowk disappear.”

“They get lost? Isn’t there only one road?”

There is, and it follows the contours of the land, the fall and rise and then fall again down into the village. They are clear of the trees now, and in the gully that curves to the left, is a burn. It’s impossible to see in the dark—the headlights don’t peer down over the edge. “Aye,” Bill has to agree. “Bit thare’s mae tae it then that.”

Beneath Bill’s jacket, Johnny shifts, shivering. Bill reaches out to turn the heat up.

“I’m fine,” Johnny insists. “I just… don’t get it.”

“Dae ye wint tae?”

“I guess?”

They’re one bend away from being within sight of the village, and Bill feels like he can speak easier when he sees the warm glow of the streetlights. He doesn’t need to ask where Johnny lives. Everyone knows.

“Thare’s simmat oot there, simmat auld.”

“Something?” Bill catches the crease of worry lining Johnny’s brow. “Like… an animal?”

“No quite. Hiv ye nae feelt it?”

“No?”

They turn into the lane that leads quickest to Johnny’s home. From the tone of his voice, the uncertainty wavering in it, Bill suspects that Johnny has felt it.

“What is it?”

Bill doesn’t quite know how to answer that. As he pulls up, he leaves the engine running, heat starting to spill enthusiastically into the car. The light from the streetlamps has a different quality to it than the firelight, but, as uneasy as he looks, Johnny still looks handsome. Beautiful, even. It’s warmth like that that keeps the cold and the darkness from taking over everything.

“The lan.”

Johnny blinks. “The land?”

“Aye, this place. Atween the noo an Februar, it’s hungert fae wairmth. Dinnae wauk ootae the village aifter dark.”

“Seriously?” In the safety of warmth and light, scepticism steals over Johnny.

“Aye. Ask aebody,” Bill promises. “Fa telt ye tae come up the braes oniehoo?”

“Um… Mitch? Mitchel?”

“Eejit,” Bill mutters. He can believe that Mitchel forgot to make sure Johnny was getting there and back safely, although he’s of no mind to let the man get away with it when Bill sees him next.

Johnny is toying with the collar of Bill’s jacket. “So this wasn’t some elaborate ploy to get me alone?”

“Elaborate?” Bill echoes. “No, Ah wantit tae mak sure ye got hame safe.”

“I was joking,” Johnny smiles, and Bill realises that maybe he was, but perhaps he wasn’t. He lets out a breath, not sure what to say.

As his jacket is offered back to him, Bill takes it mutely, looking at Johnny’s hands, then up at the beautiful but utterly unprepared young man.

“Thank you, um…”

Bill waits as the silence drags on.

“You didn’t tell me your name.”

Oh. Right. “Bill,” he supplies, aware of the way his cheeks have started to flush. It’s annoying, and he reaches out to turn the heating down. “Ah mean it,” he impresses on Johnny. “Ye haftae stay safe.”

“I will,” Johnny says, with what feels like the right amount of sincerity.

“Good,” Bill nods.

“Thank you, Bill.”

Johnny already said that, but it’s nice to hear it again.

“Good night.”

“Nicht,” Bill answers.

Reaching for the door handle, Johnny goes still. “Um…” he turns around again, his mood tentative. “What was that sweet stuff?”

“The bonfire toffee?”

“I think so. I’ve not had it before. Do you know the recipe?”

Bill does not, but he knows where it’s written down in the old cookbook that used to be his grandmothers. “No, but Ah can get it fae ye.”

“I’d like that, thank you.”

“Nae bither.”

When Johnny smiles again, Bill gets the feeling that Johnny would be quite happy to linger here a while longer. He’d be happy if he did. All that lies ahead of Bill is the dark drive home.

“See you soon?” Johnny seems to hope.

Bill nods. “Aye.”

With a bright smile that brings something of the sun to the night, Johnny goes.

Bill isn’t entirely sure if Johnny will pay heed to the warning or dismiss it as nonsense, but what he does know is that the long winter ahead is going to be much easier to bear if he has a chance of seeing that beautiful smile again.

#sas rogue heroes #war is helloween #bill fraser #johnny cooper #johnny x bill #document type: supplementary diary entry #i don't know WHY i had him speak like that? for fun? #idk i was thinking of where i grew up today and that inspired this #i could write a lot about the feeling that creeps over the mountains and steals from the woods #the chill of the wind that carries more than just the biting cold #the stirrings and mutterings of something unknowable #the whispering and hissing of it and the howling and baying when it's ravenous for warmth #and then bonfire night and being gathered around the fire and you really DO feel something so old it no longer has a name *inside you* #know the winter darkness of the highlands and then feel the rawness of the fire and understand how ancient and powerful these forces are

[meerawrites]

Happy STS! But oh no! One of your characters has been stabbed! What chaos does this bring about? Who's been stabbed, who did the stabbing, who yanks the sword out without thinking, etc.? ♥️

Just for the sake of chaos… I’m gonna say, Benjamin Fisher. Or, vampire and slow corruption arc Benjamin Tallmadge from TURN: Washington’s Spies. Not just stabbed, Ben’s favourite horse was shot from under him and he lays dying on the battlefield, in Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781. The date is October 1st, 1781, the siege is halfway over and the Americans are winning. It is pure bad luck.

Audrey would simply say, “No good deed goes unpunished.”

Audrey screams. Audrey tries real hard not to have a mental breakdown. Audrey swore she’d never turn him. But this isn’t fair to either of them, and the war is not over, Benjamin insisted on finishing what he started. Ethics and future consequences can go to hell. He may hate her for this, but this is bigger than either of them at this point…

Audrey stops hesitating. Like a French Valkyrie come to judge the worthy, she rides out to where Benjamin lays dying.

Audrey doesn’t need to drain him, the bullet and the redcoats blade did that just fine.

Moments before Ben is “lost”, just enough to briefly glimpse the other side, who knows what he sees, Audrey doesn’t believe in heaven or hell, she is an atheist, for now.

Benjamin is turned into a vampire in a last ditch attempt (though hypocritical) by Audrey to not lose him. The war doesn’t end until 1783, America wins. To the shock of the 18th century world stage, it only took 5 years of war and French support. (naval blockade in the West Indies and a sea battle in India, which America wins).

Benjamin asks himself: “what is the cost of my soul?”

Note: this is just basically Fisher’s origin story, or how he got vampirism. I have no intention of ending this fic, that way. I may be a morally complex bi, but, Benjamin Tallmadge would have a religious Protestant mental breakdown if that happened. Yay for original characters!

#meera answers #toribookworm22 #sts ask #answered #oc: Benjamin fisher #oc: audrey #benjamin tallmadge #ben tallmadge #au: vampire #Ben x oc #canon x oc #fisher x Audrey #meera.musings #vampires #turn: washington's spies #turn washington's spies #amc turn #turn amc #18th century #american revolution #writing historical fiction #writing horror #gothic horror #long post #i’m so sorry #but also… #religion cw #war cw #death cw #long post tw

[loquaciousquark]

[Fic] Iron Bound [20/25]

Rating: G Characters/Pairings: Fenris/Hawke, Sebastian Word Count: 4.9k this chapter, ~96k total Summary: Fenris, captain of Starkhaven’s White Guard and the dearest friend of that country’s prince, has arrived in the kingdom of Kirkwall with a retinue of noble-born guards and a carriage brimming with lavish gifts. How else to win over the hearts of a suspicious mountain people who would rather break teeth on stone than accept the prince of Starkhaven stealing away their heir princess?

But stone is all they have in their kitchens lately, and gravel in their quarries and ice in their bitter rivers, and Starkhaven sits abreast the richest lea and moorland south of the Minanter.

And Sebastian Vael, the young prince of that country, needs a wife.

—

They landed in the shining harbor at noon. Nearly seven months had passed since the day he first arrived at Kirkwall, a lumbering white carriage in tow and himself with very little patience for a farmgirl with a twisted ankle. Now cheers rang out at their arrival, flags and handkerchiefs waving from every tier of the great scaffolded platforms built against the side of the mountain. Petals of kingscrown and white lupine fell in heaps from woven baskets, were taken up again by the billowing wind in graceful coils.

Shouts rose as they disembarked. Someone high on the mountainside had brought out a horn; it rang high and clear, a joyful call of homecoming, and a few minutes later a second horn joined it, and a lighter fife. Some of the crowd sang along with the melody, words Fenris did not know, and many guardsmen joined them as the company mounted their horses and left the ship behind. Gulls wheeled and cried out in their wake, diving over and over into the steady waves.

The journey up to the castle became a great procession. Throngs of well-wishers and supporters flanked the horses, joined swiftly by others who were glad to celebrate for any reason. Most of the cheers were for Hawke, for the crown princess who had died and been returned to them. Others called returning welcome to Fenris, then new greetings to Donnic, who rode beside him and looked delighted at all they passed, his head craning to see at every corner. There were no jeers, no shouts of anger; he could not find faces which were not glad. The promise of winter hung in the air, many onlookers draped in furred cloaks and bright scarves, but the cold did little to dissuade either their presence or their joy.

—

Links: FF.net, AO3

#quark writes #dragon age #fenris/hawke #fenris #hawke

[abeinginsand]

Random oc doodles (image description in alt and below)

[id: A digital artwork showing four character sketches plus some small simplified sheep drawings. Starting from left to right is a character labeled mikey who is wearing a mismatched red and yellow hoodie and jeans while stretching. He yawns while holding his arms above his head. The next character is named Fife and is sitting with elbows crossed and resting against his knees. He is frowning and surrounded by yellow stars. A woman named Hallow is next with red boxing gloves and a grin. She has a few scrapes and blood dripping from her mouth while standing in a sparring stance. The last character is named Fae and looks to the side to face the viewer in shock while still holding the reigns around her white horse with flaming mane and tail. The horse is running to the right and slightly off the canvas. End id]

#abeinginsand oc art tag #oc art #art #sketches #feeling a bit blank today and figured well maybe I'll dust some of my ocs off haha

[scotianostra]

December 7th 1545 saw the birth of Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, the Anglo-Scottish aristocrat and second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots.

He may not have been born in Scotland, but he is definitely undeniably linked to the life of our favourite Queen, Mary Stuart, he also had a claim to the Scottish throne. He was born near Leeds, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, to Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox, and Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox. However, later evidence suggested he was probably born in 1546.

He received a fine education and was fully aware of his social status. He learned Latin, Gaelic, English, and French and was an excellent singer, dancer, and lute player. He also became good at horseback riding and hunting and had a passion for hawks and weapon.

Darnley’s father , a Scot, Matthew Stewart had chosen the English side in the War of the Rough Wooing and was considered a traitor of Scotland. Thus, he lost his fortune and was exiled for 22 years. On his mother’s side, Henry was related to the English king Henry VII and Margaret Tudor, while on his father’s side, he was connected to James II of Scotland. His potential marriage to his cousin Mary, Queen of Scots, was his mother’s dream since his childhood. She even sent him to meet her in France when Mary was already a widow, but they were attracted to each other much later, when Mary helped him recover from measles.

Mary and Darnley shared a grandmother, Margaret Tudor who was married to James IV of Scotland, Margaret was the daughter of King Henry VII, this made both of them in line to throne of both England and Scotland.

Although, by blood, he had the right to the throne, Lord Darnley’s main accomplishment was becoming King Consort of Scotland by marrying Mary, Queen of Scots. However, before that, he was made the Lord of Ardmanoch and the Earl of Ross in 1565. Later, he was also made the Duke of Albany. He met Mary at the ‘Wemyss Castle’ in Fife, and she immediately took notice of him. He was tall and attractive, and as the Queen was a tall woman herself, he definitely stood out amidst the short and unappealing men who surrounded her at the court. He was also well-educated and refined and could continue conversations that raised her interest. He was of noble descent and a Catholic, all reasons to be considered suitable to marry the Queen. Despite his reputation of being arrogant and selfish and not at all popular in the high society, Mary chose him as her husband. The wedding took place at the ‘Chapel of the Holyrood Palace,’ on July 19, 1565. They were married according to Roman Catholic tradition, but Henry, being influenced by Protestantism, chose not to take part in the nuptial mass that followed the wedding.

It did not take the Queen long to realise that her new husband was not the man she thought he was. His mean character came to light, along with his obsession to receive the “Crown Matrimonial,” which would have made him the heir to the throne if the Queen did not have a child before she died. Mary refused. One month after the wedding, she discovered she was going to have a baby. The tension in the family only increased, as Henry became more brutal even though his wife was pregnant and needed a peaceful environment.

The Queen needed someone to turn to and chose her private secretary, Rizzio. This immediately raised suspicions from the King, who considered him a threat. Together with a group of nobles, he decided to kill Rizzio. The murder was shocking, not only because they stabbed him many times but also because it happened in front of the pregnant and shocked Queen Mary. There were voices that claimed that they let her see it on purpose, hoping that she would lose the baby. Rumors also suggested that Rizzio was the father of the baby.

This was Lord Darnley’s desperate way to force the Queen’s hand. He also made a deal with the noble Protestants to have them sustain his claim to the “Crown Matrimonial” in front of the parliament. He agreed to give them back their lands and titles in exchange for this. Although Henry later made a declaration saying he had nothing to do with the murder, the Queen had already lost all faith in him.

Things came to a head on February 9th, 1567 when he was murdered in Edinburgh. He had been staying at Kirk o’Field, trying to recover from smallpox (or syphilis, as rumours claimed), when he was driven out of his room by two explosions in the middle of the night. He was found smothered outside the house.

His death remained a mystery, although it was suspected that the Queen and her next husband, the Earl of Bothwell, had plotted it. Darnley was buried in the ‘Royal Vault’ in Holyrood Abbey, near several other royal figures.

Bothwell was indicted for treason and acquitted, but six of his servants and acquaintances were subsequently arrested, tried, and executed for the crime.

One longstanding theory is the suggestion that the Earls of Morton and Moray were behind the murder, directing Bothwell's actions, to forward Moray's ambitions. These Earls made a denial of their involvement in their lifetime.

In 1580, some 13 years after the deed  James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton was arrested and held at Dumbarton, before being transferred to Edinburgh, condemned and executed in June the following year.

There is no shortage of suspects, and the full facts of the murder have never been deduced, and without a time machine, we will never know.

#Scotland #scottish #Mary queen of Scots #history

[never-took-a-lesson]

In the chapel room of Chateau Forte, suddenly, Father Christmas found the ethereal bars that held him vanished into a mist of glimmering green specks.

"Maestro Forte-"

"No. Enough."

The room thundered and became alight with a bright glow. But Forte was not attacking the old elf. Instead, he himself shone bright with magic. And, with power enough that Father Christmas briefly placed a gloved mitt over his face to shield from the light and heat, the curse on the Maestro was shattered.

The form of the organ shrank until the figure of a pale, tired-looking man in an old court suit stood there.

"Do not think you've defeated me."

"I never claimed that, Maximillian."

"I've overpowered your cruel curse and I release you of my own free will. This game does not satisfy me any longer.

"I accept my place in this world."

"I implore you to keep what I told you in mind, Maestro. Please be with your loved ones."

...

"Hm. On that note, in fact... where is your husband?”

As if on que, a large window to one side of the chapel room flew open. A familiar flying sleigh came in. Though instead of a team of reindeer, it was the Forte family's horse, Frou-Frou, pulling the sleigh. Finally, at the reigns was Forte's husband, Nathaniel, fully dressed in as close as an approximation of Santa's outfit as his fashion sense would allow.

"Maximillian, as you will not see reason, I have elected to take up the mantle of Father Christmas myse--

"Oh! Oh my. Um, I... see you've let him go."

Nathaniel looked genuinely disappointed at the turn of events.

"Oh bother! Well, I was rather looking forward to tonight!"

"You are a good man, Nathaniel. My sleigh, if you please?"

"I'm terribly sorry. I think I'll be keeping this. I quite like it."

"... Heavens, Nathaniel ...

"This is why I love you~~"

"Well. I suppose I'll have to call the wife and ask for her sleigh.

"Hem, I'm afraid I've had enough shenanigans with you and your kin, Mr. Forte. I have quite a busy schedule to keep, as you can imagine, and much work to complete tonight!

"Regardless of the circumstances, I wish you all a Merry Christmas!"

"D-do I still get presents, Father Christmas?"

"Hohoho! ...no."

With that, Father Christmas pressed his nose and in a flurry of snow, vanished from Chateau Forte, leaving the family of vampires behind.

#ic #AAAAAAAAAA #event: forte steals christmas #side character: father christmas #side character: cogsworth #side character: fife

[bops-fandom-wowie]

Ok so about the thing that @mirrormirror-bytherose posted as forte (that I basically just rebloged) got me thinking

If this were a different movie (maybe even different franchise in general) I feel like forte could convince (or atleast attempt to convince) people to join his side and not want the curse to be broken based on the principle of “we won’t die under normal circumstances and will live much longer than most humans”

He could even bring up the fact that since everyone is enchanted that is an extra factor as to how they are alive. So that is an extra factor on the fact they won’t die.

He can also do like what he does in the movie by using things the characters care about as reasons as to why this may benefit them, such as when he promised Fife a solo in the movie if he did his bidding.

This was poorly written quick summary but I just wanted to get the thought out there

#batb 1991 #batb enchanted christmas #the enchanted christmas #maestro forte #forte batb #batb forte #beauty and the beast #batb

[ncutigatwafans]

Ncuti Gatwa made the top of The List Hot 100 - a list celebrating the 100 most important cultural contributors in Scotland in 2022

The article reads: You may know him as the gregarious Eric Effiong in Netflix's 'Sex Education' or perhaps as the next incarnation of the legendary Time Lord, but Ncuti Gatwa is aslo a proud Scot, with his performing roots deeply embedded in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Fife.

'My Dad was studying at Edinburgh University so I grew up in Black Avenue, which was like accommodation for international families because we had just come from Rwanda.' But it was a move to Fife at the age of 14 that started Gatwa's love affair with performing. 'My drama teacher at Dunfermline High School was like, you really. need to consider going to the Royal Conservatoire. And she gave me David Tennant's Hamlet and said "watch this. This is an actor." I was like "oh my God".' What, then, could more full circle than him stepping into his shoes at the next Doctor Who? 

In September, the BBC broke the news that Gatwa would be taking on this iconic role, making him the first ever Black actor (and fourth Scot) to do so in the shows' 59-year history. 'I've known since about February so it's been tricky keeping this under wraps: I have a very big mouth!' he said on the red carpet folowing the announcement. 'But it's a true honour. This role is an insitution. It means a lot to so many people, including myself. It makes everyone feel seen as well.'

Reflecting on the casting process, Gatwa recalls 'prepping for the role of the Doctor and watching all the episodes again and watching Russell T Davies and David [Tennant]'s work. I was overcome with the need to get the job! I was like "I want to work with Russel". His writing is so clever. I just feel very honoured that he saw something in me that he likes. He's going to take me to the universe, around the stars and galaxies.'

Gatwa may be over the moon now, but the road to get here was rough. While relentlessly attending auditions in London, Gatwa found hmself homeless for several months before one booking would change his life forever. 'It was turbulent, you know? But I feel so grateful that Sex Education came into my life.' A month after its release in 2019, the first season had been streamed over 40 million times, shooting its stars to international fame overnight. 'In this streaming age, a show drops across 150 countries in a second so it took a long time to figure out what the hell was going on in my life. I'd be in Tesco and someone would ask for a selfie and I'd have no idea why!' 

Three seasons in, he still has a lot of love for Sex Education and Eric, a character he's lifted with side-splitting one-liners such as 'you detty pig'. But how does he find returning to Moordale High? 'Playing a teenager, especially as a 30-year-old man, is getting trickier as the days go on, let me tell you,' he cackles. 'But it's lovely to return to that cast. They are like my children.' 

Among these co-stars is Emma Mackey who will appear alongside Gatwa in Greta Gerwig's upcoming Barbie. 'I remember the casting director telling me "Greta's seen your tape and she really likes it". Well, that wasn't good enough', he deadpans. 'No stone must be left unturned! So I did about tne other takes and like "SEND THEM ALL TO GRETA!" His tenacity paid off and he now describes Gerwig as 'a creative kindred spirit'. 

Gatwa finds himself on the brink of A-list stardom, his strong grasp of what's important shows grace and conviction. 'It's just about learning to be really grateful,' he insists. 'And also to take the work seriously but not yourself seriously. It's an amazing job that we get to do but it is just a job. I'm slowly learning how to take it in my stride.'

#ncuti gatwa #the list #the list 100 #interview #article #news

[glitchgaymer]

AJ Tennyson

Althea Jacqueline Agbayani Tennyson

Age:

7 [start of OV]

9 [end of OV]

17 [Present]

Birthday: March 17, 2005

Status: Alive

Species: Human [Genetically]

Nationality: Filipino-American

Gender Identity: Girl [Cis-gender]

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers/Herself

Sexuality: Bisexual Demisexual

Homeworld: Earth

Residence: Salvador-Tennyson Household

Future: Gotham City University

Affiliations:

OV:

Tennyson Family

Salvador-Tennyson Siblings

Madison Elementary School [Currently]

Present;

Tennyson Family

Salvador-Tennyson Siblings

Madison Middle School [Formally]

Madison High School [Currently]

Future:

Tennyson Family

Salvador-Tennyson Siblings

Gotham City University

Occupations:

OV:

Grade 3 Student

Bicyclists

Mathlete

Present:

Grade 11 Student

Bicyclists

Mathlete

Future:

Real Estate Agent

Realtor

Architect

Bicyclists

Skills & Abilities:

Freestyle Hand-to-Hand Combatant

Sign Language

Morse Code

Mathematical Reasoning

Artistic ability

Creativity

Family:

Carl Tennyson [Dad]

Sandra Tennyson [Mom]

Ben Tennyson [Older Brother]

CJ Tennyson [Older Sister]

BJ Tennyson [Older Brother]

Max Tennyson [Paternal Grandpa]

Verdona [Paternal Grandma]

Vera Tennyson [Paternal Great Aunt]

Gordon Tennyson [Paternal Great Uncle]

Betty Jean Tennyson [Paternal Great Aunt-In-Law]

Mr. Salvador [Maternal Grandpa]

Mrs. Salvador [Maternal Grandma & Deceased]

Unknown 20 Maternal Great Aunts [10-in-laws]

Unknown 20 Maternal Great Unlces[10-in-laws]

Frank Tennyson [Paternal Uncle]

Natalie Tennyson [Paternal Aunt-In-Law]

8 unknown Aunts from Sandra's side [5 are In-Laws]

10 unknown Uncles from Sandra's side [5 are In-Laws]

Ken Tennyson [Paternal Cousin]

Gwen Tennyson [Paternal Cousin]

Sunny Tennyson [Paternal Cousin]

Clyde Fife [Paternal Cousin]

Lucy Mann [Paternal Cousin-In-Law]

Unknown cousins from Sandra's side

14 Necrofriggians [Nieces or Nephews]

Aliases:

AJ Prime

Miss Jacqueline Tennyson

Tita/Aunt AJ/Jackie

Ben's 2nd sister

Nicknames:

AJ

Ally

Thea

Jacquie

Jackie

Jacque

Jacqui

Hobbies:

Making miniature houses[OV and Present]

Playing house with her siblings [before OV]

Doing Arts & Craft

Playing with Calico Critters, Strawberry Shortcake, Ever After High, Little Pet Shop, and Hello Kitty Dolls or figurines

Making up stories about her Calico Critters dolls

Customizing her dolls or figurines

Making a doll or figurines

Time & Dimensions Traveling with her Ate CJ & Kuya BJ

Playing Hello Kitty & Strawberry Shortcake games

Playing Chess

Making miniature stuff for her house

Watching T.V.

Hanging out with her siblings

Likes:

Designs of her customized dolls

Calico Critters babies

Hello Kitty Dolls

Ever After High Dolls

Pokemon Figurines

Plushies

Strawberry Shortcake Dolls [2009]

Fun Toys

Miniature houses

Her favorite shows & characters

Calico Critter babies

Milkshakes

Sweets

Desserts

Mac & Cheese

Strawberry Milkshake

Red Velvet Cupcake

Dislikes:

Smoothies

That student that will remind the teacher about the quiz or homework

Rip off toys

Grandpa Max's cooking

Sour & Spicy Food

Too much Homework

Studying too much

Paparazzis

Will Harangue

#meet my oc #oc intro #my ocs do not steal #ocs #oc tag: aj #oc tag #sibling oc #sister oc #youngest child #ben 10 uaf #ben 10 series #ben 10 ov #ben 10 classic #ben 10 ultimate alien #ben 10 alien force #ben 10 omniverse #ben 10 oc #ben 10 #tennyson family #tennyson parents

[fromageinterrupted]

Totally Not Happening Fife Season 3 Predictions.

Okay, so I know we are all like side-eyeing Fife's behavior in season 2 now. And I know there might be something there. BUT WHAT IF....

Fife really does want some sort of relationship with Penelope. But he doesn't exactly want to marry her, but maybe courting her will allow him certain "allowances", i.e. access to her body. And Penelope is definitely smart enough to reject him. But Portia is smart enough to know that landing Fife would be financially a good move (maybe). But Penelope is having NONE OF IT.

So Fife starts sniffing around, and he figures out she is Lady Whistledown. And he uses that knowledge to blackmail her into "Courting" her. So Penelope has to play a game of cat and mouse with Fife, trying to keep him from blabbing but also trying her hardest to protect her innocence. Meanwhile the Bridgertons are losing their minds at what's going on.

Benedict, Anthony, Kate, everyone except Eloise is like "What the heck is going on?!" And Anthony is mad with Colin because Penelope isn't around. And Eloise won't say why she hates Lady Whistledown and why she won't speak to Pen.

But then Colin overhears something Fife says to Penelope regarding her "owing him" and it sets off alarm bells. (Colin has been low key stalking Pen and Fife because he is distraught,)

Anyway, cue Colin finding out about Lady Whistledown. The Carriage scene taking place in a much less angry way. Him rallying the whole Bridgerton Clan. The fam setting in motion a whole "Save Penelope from herself and Fife" plan, without Penelope realizing it. Pen using Lady Whistledown to take Fife down herself. Eloise apologizing. Pen Apologizing. Colin apologizing. Fife getting a redemption (Since the character would be related to Prince Charles I think).

And, at the very end, Cressida Cowper shows up and accuses Pen of being Lady Whistledown and the whole Bridgerton Clan (Including Pen, she's Mrs. Bridgerton now) just roll their eyes and are like "BY Felicia."

Thanks for my ramblings. This is what happens when I tumbl at work.

#Polin #colin bridgerton #penelope featherington #Bridgerton #Lord Fife #Fife conspiracy #Ramblings #colin x penelope