#sotto zero | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

jade-green-butterfly · 2 months

Text

💘💖~Happy Valentine’s Day 2024!~💖💘

🎶Watashitachi no sekai wa - mahou wo kakerarete, Ai suru to kime kisae - namida ni fuujirareteru, Boy futari de jumon wo sagashi ni ikou, Kinjirare ta yume wo - kanaerareru kuni he... (Our world is under a spell, Even the excitement of our love is sealed in our tears, Boy, let's go together to find that charm, To the land of where forbidden dreams may come true...) Dare ni mo naisho de - ashita machi awaseshiyou, Itsuka kotori wo ume ta - yoake no mieru oka de... Tsumetai asamoya - kimi to te wo tsunaidara, Hikaru michi no fuuin ga tokeru yo! Hateshinaku...~ (Alone, tomorrow, let's secretly meet, Up on the hill where small birds are buried... Someday, when I hold your hand in the cold morning mist, And the seal of the shining road will be broken! Forever...~) Kirawa retakunaikara - kokoro wokakushiteta... Warai kaketekuretane - hontoni ureshikatta, Boy watashi ni yuuki woataetehoshii, Kinoumadeno subete - zero nidekiru chikara... (I didn't wish to get heartbroken, so I hid my feelings... I was happy, for you gave me that smile, Boy, give me courage, To make everything that happened zero...) Dare nimo naishode - sotto kuchiduke shiyou, Itsuka yoma nakunatta - furui ehon no youni... Asatsuyu ichimen - kaze gakira mekasetara, Hikaru michi wa massuguni tsuduku yo! Dokomademo~ (Let's kiss quietly in secret, Like an old picture book we're unable to read... When the wind blows in the morning dew, The shining road will stretch on forever! Always~) Callin' you! Kanashi i yoru ha kimi no namae wo tonae runo... Callin' you! Sore wa sekai no kusari wohodoku jumon nano...~ (Callin' you! Calling out your name in a sad night... Callin' you! That will be the key to break the enchantment of the world...~) Dare nimonaishode- ashita machiawase shiyou, Itsukaminna tabidatsu - mirai no mie ru oka de, Tsume tai asa moya kimi to aru kidashitara... Hikaru michi wa massuguni tsuduku yo! Dokomademo...~ (Alone, tomorrow, let's secretly meet, On the hill where we can see the future of everyone's journeys, Someday, when I walk with you in the cold morning mist... The shining road will stretch on forever! Always...~)🎶

- Aya Hiroshige, Sonic X (2003)

~🐶☀️💕🦋🦌~

It's that special time once again, to show your heart and spread the love to all you care for~💕💝💕🤗And this year, I would like to take opportunity to dedicate my annual Valentine to my newest OTP, Smiling Critter DogDay x my OC, DeerDelight~🐶☀️💘🦋🦌 I was thinking what songs would fit their ship, and one that stood out to me the most, was one I've listened to ever since I finished college, back in 2008 - 'Hikaru Michi' a.k.a 'The Shining Road', which is the second closing theme to the well-known anime, Sonic X~🎶I remember seeing a music video years ago with tender moments between Sonic and Amy Rose from the show, and that was when inspiration struck~💡💗✍️ I decided to draw DogDay and DeerDelight in the same emotional reunion with Sonic and Amy, where he promised he would never leave her ;w; But instead of a rose, I chose forget-me-nots for DogDay to give to DeerDelight. The reason, is the meaning behind them - a symbol of true love and devotion, declaring love to another and representing a promise that you will always remember them~💝 Forget-me-nots are also considered a symbol of fidelity (loyalty) and faithfulness~🫶🏻 And this is what is happening between the two adorable critters right now. With DogDay declaring his love to DeerDelight (something she had always secretly hoped and wished for~🌟🙏🏻) and vowing that he will never ever forget her, and will always be with her by her side, no matter what...~🥹To which DeerDelight emotionally yet happily accepts, as they seal their love with a tender kiss and embrace~🐶☀️💕🦋🦌

To give the wholesome moment between DogDay and DeerDelight more feeling, I decided to add the last three sentences of the last verse of the song, both in Japanese and English, along with adding details of the shadowing and falling tears, which I have to say I'm really proud of~👍🏻😊✨ ‘Sigh...~’💕😌I am ever so pleased of how this precious piece turned out, just the way I imagined it to be and I really enjoyed working on it too~💓🥰 And a very💗💘💝~Happy Valentine’s Day 2024~💝💘💗to you too, my lovelies~! =^o^=🫂Hope you all like as well, have a lovely day and spread the love~!💞🫶🏻💕😍💕🫶🏻💞xoxo.

*~Reblogs are also deeply appreciated as well, so please do reblog as well as like! Thank-you kindly!~*

DogDay (c) Poppy Playtime/Mob Entertainment DeerDelight (c) @jade-green-butterfly (Me~!)

#poppy playtime #poppy playtime chapter 3 #smiling critters #smiling critters oc #canonxoc #dogday #deerdelight #dogday x deerdelight #vanilla nutmeg #otp #sonic x #the shining road #hikaru michi #valentine's day 2024 #happy valentine's day 2024 #with lots of love from jussy~<33 xoxo.#jade-green-butterfly

56 notes · View notes

turtle-paced · 6 months

Text

Revisiting Chapters: Catelyn VI, ASoS

Bit of a horror movie, this chapter.

The story so far…

Amidst terrible weather and even worse fortune, the Starks are now arriving at the Twins for Edmure’s wedding.

A Bunch of Assholes

The chapter starts with the approach to the Twins, accompanied by the growling of the flooded Green Fork. It’s a beefed up version of the very natural conditions that led to Robb asking for Frey support back in AGoT. It’s a watery, miserable scene - towers appearing from the mist like ghosts in wet stone, banners on the opposite bank hanging like dead cats, and everything in general grey and sodden.

This is a happy place, where happy things will happen.

Robb starts thinking about appearances a little ways out, putting on his crown and making sure his mother and uncle are riding next to him. Catelyn, for her part, has some last minute advice. First, Walder Frey’s an asshole. Second:

“If we are offered refreshment when we arrive, on no account refuse. Take what is offered, and eat and drink where all can see. If nothing is offered, ask for bread and cheese and a cup of wine.”

This is advice based on the fact that there are many ways Walder Frey might be an asshole. If refreshment is offered, because Walder Frey might not extend guest right to his guests. On no account refuse, because Walder Frey might extend guest right by serving stewed crow smothered in maggots (as Robb suggests he might). Bread and cheese and a cup of wine so that Robb doesn’t give excuse for further insult either by asking for the bare minimum (thereby highlighting the fact Walder Frey hadn’t offered the bare minimum) or by asking for something lavish and difficult to obtain.

But mostly Catelyn’s concerned that a) Robb obtains guest right, and b) Robb is known to have obtained guest right. Which says a lot about what she suspects the Freys may be capable of. She thinks that the strongest customary protection against violence may be needed.

The Tully siblings then get their own cattier tendencies on when a Frey contingent comes out to greet them. There’s Ser Ryman, heir to the Twins, whose face Catelyn’s internal monologue describes as “fleshy, broad, and stupid.” Edmure doesn’t keep it to internal monologue but does keep it sotto voce when he describes Edwyn Frey as having a “constipated look” and wishing that Roslin Frey does not take after Petyr Frey with the “unfortunate,” acne-stricken face. Calling Black Walder a nasty bit of business though, that can stand.

Catty or not, the Freys quickly prove themselves to be…not the most pleasant bunch. After Grey Wind startles Petyr Frey’s horse, Robb dismounts and offers his own. Not only is this gesture barely even acknowledged, Ryman Frey proves to have zero courtesies and calls Jeyne Westerling “the woman.” Edwyn’s got more manners, described as “careful courtesy.”

Better question is, why is this party being headed by Ser Ryman? While Catelyn openly gives Walder Frey the benefit of the doubt, since fair enough the nonagenarian doesn’t want to go riding in the rain, in her internal monologue she suspects it’s an insult.

There are more diplomatic overtures, as Edwyn Frey arranges for Robb’s armies to be seen to the far side of the river, where they’ll all have access to a drink on House Frey to the health of the married couple. Lame Lothar cheerfully sees Grey Wind to a dry kennel and a leg of mutton. This is another kind of assholishness, one that goes beyond the bounds of the words. The Freys here know what the plan is. They know that the plan is to lull the people they’re talking to into a false sense of security before murdering the vast majority of them.

But then there’s the main event, Walder Frey himself, and GRRM gives us a refresher on his appearance in a way that leaves no doubt he’s the chief asshole before he even says a word:

His chair was black oak, its back carved into the semblance of two stout towers joined by an arched bridge, so massive that its embrace turned the old man into a grotesque child. There was something of the vulture about Lord Walder, and rather more of the weasel.

Also noted is Walder’s mouth, which “moved constantly, sucking at empty air as a babe sucks at his mother’s breast.” So while Walder’s an old man, he’s compared to child (because that’s the level of emotional maturity going on here), vulture (he’s an opportunist), and weasel (he’s sneaky).

Additionally, Walder’s brought out his grandson-slash-fool, who’s wearing a fake crown. Catelyn can’t be completely sure, but she thinks giving this particularly unfortunate grandson (Aegon “Jinglebell” Frey) the crown is meant to be an insult. It’s just dubious enough a jab that complaining about it would be met with something along the lines of “what are you talking about - you’re so sensitive, god.” Walder soon follows that up by saying Jinglebell has “less wits than a crannogman” and that talking to him is about the same as talking to a chamberpot. Pretty much the entire Frey family is here to listen to that description. Then he starts in on describing Roslin. He wants to know where Jeyne is. He was very keen to see her!

What might have been a suspicious interest in the whereabouts of Jeyne Westerling at this totally not an ambush is quickly covered by, you guessed it, more assholery. Walder Frey waves a hand and all his eligible daughters and granddaughters hurry forward to be paraded in front of the King in the North.

And how does the author emphasise that Robb really might have legitimately preferred to marry someone he was attracted to? By having their gradfather expound on their physical flaws.

“It would have been an impossible choice, my lord,” Robb said, with careful courtesy. “They’re all too lovely.” Lord Walder snorted. “And they say my eyes are bad.”

Delightful. Absolutely delightful. But Robb gives his apology as he knew he must. Roslin is brought out, and the topic changes to Edmure’s impending nuptials.

Politics as usual

After that reception, Catelyn and Edmure retreat for a post-mortem. Despite all the times I used the word ‘asshole’ above, both of them are like ‘wow, that was not as bad as I thought it would be’. Says volumes. Edmure’s got his own comments on the parade of Frey ladies and notes he expected that he’d be given an ugly bride. Catelyn, meanwhile, thinks Roslin is pretty and seems nice enough, but she’s seriously alarmed at how small she is and how difficult that might make childbirth. Back to the relative attractiveness though:

“Your fondness for a pretty face is well known,” Catelyn reminded [Edmure]. “Perhaps Lord Walder actually wants you to be happy with your bride.” Or more like, he did not want you balking over a boil and upsetting all his plans. “Or it may be that Roslin is the old man’s favourite. The Lord of Riverrun is a much better match than most of his daughters can hope for.”

Everything with Roslin just goes to show how commodified the marriage market is in Westeros. The physique of these young ladies is political. Edmure’s sexual preferences are political. And these poor girls were ordered up in front of complete strangers for at least one of them (Catelyn) to look at them all and evaluate them as breeding stock. Indeed, Catelyn ends up going to ask the castle’s maester about Roslin’s potential fertility, and the man tells her.

After this particular conversation, Catelyn goes to find Robb, who’s mid-meeting. Catelyn was not invited. But when she asks, she does get answers. Wylis Manderly has been recaptured by the Lannisters; Roose Bolton’s brought news that Cley Cerwyn and Leobald Tallhart were killed at Winterfell, with several survivors taken to the Dreadfort by Ramsay. Catelyn has problems with this.

“Your bastard was accused of grievous crimes,” Catelyn reminded him sharply. “Of murder, rape, and worse.”

Roose’s response? Sure. But he led the battle (ahem), and Robb can judge from there whether that makes up for it. Not like Roose will be out an heir, since he has Lady Walda.

This is a cold man, Catelyn realised, not for the first time.

Catelyn does not know how cold yet.

Robb then asks for news of Theon. Roose gives him the skin from Theon’s little finger, flayed off by Ramsay. We haven’t had solid reports of Theon since the end of ACoK, and the mention here is intended to inform the reader he’s still around, just busy being tortured.

Roose offers Catelyn the skin, and she makes herself refuse it, though part of her “wanted to clutch the grisly trophy to her heart.” Lady Stoneheart does not come out of nowhere, but is the unhappiest extreme of Catelyn’s rage and grief. She, and Robb, are both unhappy with Roose’s suggestion that they keep Theon as a hostage. Roose clarifies that he just means keeping Theon hostage and demanding concessions to execute him. Robb okays this.

Back to the Lannisters, though, and it’s here that I’ll move into what this chapter really does.

Foreshadowing

This chapter is all about the leadup to the Red Wedding. Red flags abound this chapter, not just in a literary sense but in concrete in-universe signs that something is amiss. The first nasty bit crops up as Catelyn and Robb discuss guest right and the need for him to avail himself of it.

Robb looked more amused than afraid. “I have an army to protect me, Mother, I don’t need to trust in bread and salt.”

Neither will do Robb much good here.

Next, Grey Wind starts growling at the Freys, and then even lunges at them. Not a very diplomatic start to proceedings. Even when Grey Wind is called off, he has to be coaxed into entering the Twins. More good signs.

During the meeting with Walder Frey, he’s being his usual pleasant self (see above). The worrying signs come when Roslin is introduced.

“M,y lady is beautiful.” Edmure took her hand and drew her to her feet. “But why are you crying?” “For joy,” Roslin said. “I weep for joy, my lord.”

Uh-huh. Moving on, Lord Walder’s got his own comments to make about the wedding. He orders Roslin taken away, because she has a wedding to prepare for: “And a bedding, heh, the sweetest part. For all, for all.” He further adds, “We’ll have music, such sweet music, and wine, heh, the red will run, and we’ll set some wrongs aright.”

We see here that Lord Walder being an asshole and Lord Walder planning to kill a bunch of people at the wedding are inextricably intertwined. We know, with the benefit of hindsight, that Walder’s referring to murdering a whole bunch of people here during the bedding, that the music he refers to is the signal for the slaughter, and the red that will run is blood. The characters can’t pick this up in advance because Lord Walder is just that much of a jerk.

There’s also a reference to the Frey childrens’ game mentioned in Bran I, ACoK, where all oaths are binding unless someone says ‘mayhaps’. It’s doubtful anyone here has the full knowledge, but by the rules of the game, Walder Frey as the Lord of the Crossing retains the right to use a stick and push anyone into the river any time he likes. Another thing the readers know but the characters don’t.

After this exchange, Catelyn calls for food. Walder wasn’t offering it, but he had it ready to go when asked for. He makes the show of it, welcoming all present as his honoured guests, while Robb accepts the hospitality.

Catelyn tasted the wine and nibbled at some bread, and felt much better for it. Now we should be safe, she thought.

Note the ‘should’. Catelyn does not fully trust that Walder Frey will keep to the laws of hospitality, even now. A paragraph later, she’s telling Edmure that they should post their own guards on their doors.

There’s more as Catelyn goes in search of Walder Frey’s maester to make her discreet inquiries about Roslin’s fertility. She finds a group of Freys drinking by the fire and asks about Ser Perwyn Frey, Roslin’s full brother, who as Catelyn reminds us, escorted her to Storm’s End and back in the previous book. Alas, Ser Perwyn is away, and not expected to return for the wedding.

Finally, there’s the disposition of Northern forces discussed at the end of the chapter. Brought to us courtesy of totally not a traitor Roose Bolton. Roose owns his ‘mistake’ in leaving Harrenhal too late. Strangely, it seems the result of his delay was that the Freys made it across the Trident okay, but soldiers from the hill clans and the Manderlys were left behind. Even more coincidentally, Roose left a bunch of Stouts and Cerwyns as rear guard. The author also reminds us of Northern losses at Duskendale - these were mostly Glovers and Tallharts.

What Catelyn wants to know is: who did come with Roose?

His queer colourless eyes studied her a moment before he answered. “Some five hundred horse and three thousand foot, my lady. Dreadfort men, in chief, and some from Karhold.”

Cold as Roose is, he’s most likely wondering whether the jig is up in this moment. But we don’t get to see what Catelyn thinks of Roose’s reasoning that it’s just too dangerous not to keep the Karhold soldiers close, because Robb winds the conversation up. They’re going home, he says.

Chapter Function

This chapter is 95% about the Red Wedding. It’s here to put the final pieces in place. Robb is welcomed as a guest; Lord Walder is not as much of an asshole as he could have been, but dropping ominous hints anyway. Grey Wind is freaking out, Roslin is crying, Ser Perwyn is missing. For perfectly logical, not at all Roose-related reasons, there’s a high proportion of Bolton and Karstark soldiers present. That’s all this chapter. The plan has been set into motion. It cannot be entirely hidden anymore, and the perpetrators only want to wait as long as it takes for the trap to snap fully shut. What’s been happening behind the scenes is about to come into the open.

Related, we do get the reminder on Catelyn’s part that she does have impulses towards violent revenge, when we see her reaction to the flayed skin of Theon’s finger. She restrains herself now, but she’s about to lose all reason for restraint.

Finally, this chapter gives us a bit of an update on Theon and Ramsay. Without PoVs in Winterfell, we’re relying on this belated, partial report. Theon’s alive, Winterfell is severely damaged, a bunch of Stark loyalists were killed (cough, by Ramsay, cough), and survivors have been hauled off to the Dreadfort.

Miscellany

Catelyn tells Robb that Walder Frey’s an asshole and no doubt some of his sons are too, liable to provoke Robb. It’s always interesting to note when the intelligent, politically active female characters show that they too are products of the patriarchy - Catelyn has not allowed for the possibility that any of Walder Frey’s daughters (or granddaughters) may also be assholes capable of provoking Robb.

Catelyn also remembers her own wedding. Specifically, she remembers how Lysa ‘wept lakes’ before the ceremony. She puts it down to nervousness and considers it to be entirely expected. It’s true, some people cry when nervous. But the way marriages are arranged in Westeros, nobody can tell what’s just nerves and what’s the bride distraught from being forced into a marriage she doesn’t want (or from knowing that all her in-laws are going to be murdered at the feast).

Clothing Porn

Jinglebell Frey wears costly blue wool and grey satin, with a crown and collar ornamented with brass bells. Roslin wears a pale blue gown with a lacy bodice. Catelyn wears warm wool in Tully red and blue. Roose Bolton’s got a pale pink cloak trimmed in white fur. GoT robbed us of Roose in pink, I’m telling you.

Food Porn

None.

Next Three Chapters

Bran II, ASoS - Tyrion V, ACoK - Eddard X, AGoT

#asoiaf #valyrianscrolls #revisiting chapters #catelyn stark #robb stark #walder frey #edmure tully #a storm of swords

88 notes · View notes

ilpianistasultetto · 7 months

Text

NOI SIAMO VITTIME E NON CARNEFICI

Lisa, Marco e il cane Lino. Dalla primavera vivono in questo angolo di Cinecitta', fermata Lucio Sestio della metro. Il muretto e' il loro letto, la panchina di marmo il loro salotto. Quell'angolo a cielo aperto e' la loro casa in tutto e per tutto. Una valigia con qualche straccio di ricambio, le colonnine telecom a fare da mensola per saponi, deodoranti, zucchero, sale, qualche barattolo di vetro pieno di detersivo e un marciapiede- pavimemento sempre lindo e pinto da poterci mangiare sopra. E poi c'e' la loro storia. Buttati fuori dalla loro casa popolare da delinquenti mafiosi che poi quelle case le rivendono. Nessun aiuto, nessuna giustizia. Lisa si e' tagliata i capelli a zero per avere una testa piu' pulita. Cardiopatica, diabetica e altre mille complicanze. Marco, il giorno se ne sta spesso vicino al mercato con il suo bastardino nella speranza di rimediare qualche elemosina o qualcosa da mangiare, regalata da persone di cuore che tirano fuori cose dai loro carrelli della spesa per sostenere tutta quella pena comunicativa. Quando ci parli racconta poco di se' stesso. Tutto il suo fiume di parole lo regala per quella sua compagna cosi sfortunata e malconcia. Pero' non ne parla mai con rassegnazione. No! Sempre con spirito fiero, come avesse accanto una combattente nata. Lei dorme, ricoperta da un sacco a pelo, lui racconta e le carezza continuamente la testa, come a volerle dire: "dai, vedrai che insieme ce la faremo anche questa volta. Ce la caveremo come abbiamo fatto sempre". Quel "ce la caveremo" non pretende molto, anzi, quasi niente. Questa e' gente disperata dalla nascita, gente abituata a lottare ogni giorno con le unghie e con i denti. Gente che se riesce a mangiare e' come vincere una lotteria. Gente comunque fiera, dignitosa. Ci parli e sembra sempre vogliano scusarsi per il fastidio che potrebbero dare a chi ce l'ha fatta, scusarsi per quelle loro mani tese che chiedono aiuto: qualche spicciolo o una semplice mela. Quando passo davanti quella loro casa sotto le stelle mi fermo sempre. Chiedo come se la stanno passando. A volte do a lui qualche 20 o 50 euro. Li do sempre con un po' di vergogna, forse perche' non e' solo quello che a loro serve. Stamattina Marco m'ha commosso. M'ha chiesto se conoscevo qualche B&B in zona che potesse accettarli per un paio di giorni. Ha detto che Lisa doveva riposare, farsi una doccia perche' non puoi lavarti sempre alla fontanella. Questa estate e' stata durissima sotto quel sole cocente, quel caldo asfissiante. Lisa doveva riposare, ne aveva bisogno estremo e lui voleva accontentarla. Voleva solo vedere la sua Lisa almeno una notte dormire sopra un letto vero. Voleva farle almeno questo regalo. Un regalo enorme, come chi regala un brillante enorme alla sua donna.

Noi siamo abituati a vedere storie come queste in tv o a leggerle sui giornali. Abbiamo uno schermo che racconta, che fa vedere ma non tocchiamo mai con mano e invece le cose, per capirle, per capirle veramente le devi toccare, ci devi stare dentro. Per capire, come e' scritto in quel cartello che Marco ha messo in un angolo di quella sua casa, che loro sono vittime e non carnefici. @ilpianistasultetto

100 notes · View notes