#【 IN CHARACTER. 】━ THE DUCHESS IS NOW AVAILABLE. ❞
Text
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽
➺ Character: Levi Ackerman.
➺ Reader: afab!reader
➺ Words: 8 316
➺ Summary: Levi Ackerman. Duke Ackerman. A mysterious, stern man who never strays from the straight and narrow, whether by choice or because of his hectic schedule, no one knows and no one wants to know, because this social season, they say, he's planning to take a wife. To your best parade ladies, the most coveted bachelor is finally available…
➺ Warning: Misogyny. Women are seen as reproducers. It's not a smut, but it's tendentious.
➺ A/n: I've watched so much Queen Charlotte and Bridgertone that I wanted to write something in that kind of historical universe. Haha… that ties in with my love of historical manhwa. English is not my first language. Sorry for the mistakes.
"Are you ready for the new social season, Ackerman?
Slumped against the comfortable back of the imposing office chair, the principal concerned didn't even bother to look up from his documents. Not out of concentration but to avoid being confronted with the irritating sight of that shit-eating, mocking smile on his friend's lips. His hand, holding a quill, continued to scratch the paper, drowning the sheet under the jet-haired man's beautiful cursive handwriting. He was doing all he could to divert his attention from the noisy, annoying ramblings of this over-talkative individual who doesn't know when to stop talking. The social season was far from his first and he hoped it would be his last. To take a respectable wife and finally be rid of the target that all the carnivorous mothers were staring at behind his back.
"Levi Ackerman. The most coveted bachelor since Duke Smith was taken off the marital market. Smith has found himself a charming little wife who fills him with happiness. And who will you find to warm your cold heart and sour mood? Will you have a sweet little loving wife? Maybe you'll have a carbon copy of yourself, which I wouldn't wish on any of the servants in your homes. Putting up with you alone is enough, so a woman like you…"
"Hange, if you've got nothing better to do, get the hell out of my house."
"Aw Ackerman, you're so rude! I'm sick to my stomach."
Levi looked up briefly from his documents to shoot a bored glance at the person in front of his desk who was feigning a deep wound in his heart. He snorted in disdain before diving back into his urgent business, all the while continuing to ignore Hange's mocking and playful monologue. He didn't need to be reminded of the social seasons. He still remembered perfectly how many people gathered around him at every ball he had the misfortune to attend. At the time, Erwin Smith was also single, which eased some of the pressure from mothers eager to find a good match for their daughters. But now he was married, forcing Levi to face the demons alone in the elegant clothes of a noblewoman called mother. Worst of all, rumour had it that he was planning to take a wife. It wasn't a lie; he intended to declare his intentions and take the hand of a young woman who would meet his standards, which he was forced to lower in the hope of finding someone. However, this rumour would fuel the ambition of these mothers. He could already see himself in a ballroom, unable to take a single step without being interrupted by one of them. Levi could bet his hand that the person behind the rumour was standing right in front of him.
"Erwin was lucky to find someone who makes his heart beat. If I don't rule out love, it's the last thing that's going to enter into my calculations. I need a duchess. A woman who can host and organise receptions and welcome foreign dignitaries. I need someone who can manage high society and the heritage of our estates while giving birth to my children. She must have the shoulders and spirit to handle the duties of a duchess. She must have the dignity and poise that comes with the title."
"You are demanding." Hange sighed, in a melancholy breath.
"I have to be. I can't accept just anyone as Duchess and you know that. Erwin was very lucky. One in a million. Who knows if I could be so lucky as to find in the most capable of women the one I would love."
"Good. You're so serious about this that I can't not lend you a hand."
"Please. I don't need your help which is too often useless and catastrophic. Not to mention shitty."
"Trust me! The Queen has already chosen her diamond, the girl who shines above the rest. I happen to know her personally."
"Don't say it like it's some revolutionary idea. There was nothing more predictable than being interested in the diamond of the season. A girl who is all too often chosen for her beauty rather than her skills. A factor I have no interest in."
"You're depressing Ackerman." Hange complains, her upper body slumped over the paper-free part of the desk.
Levi clicks his tongue against his palate, now having to endure the sighs and complaints of this individual lounging on his wooden desk that is surely worth more than a small estate in the heart of the capital. He makes a mental note to himself to thoroughly clean the wooden surface to remove any germs that Hange might leave on his wonderful desk.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
"Lady [Name]. Miss [Name]. What a pleasure it is to welcome you to our land. I hope British soil suits your tastes."
"It is an honour, Your Majesty. We thank you for your hospitality."
"Isn't there someone missing? Don't you have two daughters?" Asks the Queen, one eyebrow arched.
"My apologies, Your Majesty, my sister could not bear the journey on the ship. She was forced to stay in bed while her illness subsided." You say.
Along with your mother, you bow to Her Majesty the Queen of England. There is no doubt that this woman is of a completely different class to the ladies of the nobility. The Queen is the most noble. The one to whom all eyes naturally turn. You can't help but let your eyes take in the sumptuous details of the lace covering Her Majesty the Queen's dress. A puffed-up dress that breaks with the current trend for empire dresses. Why didn't she follow the current fashion? Wasn't it a silent obligation of society not to step out of line at the risk of being singled out for criticism and harsh words by other nobles? You have abandoned the clothes of your native country to blend in with current British fashion, but you feel a touch of admiration before Her Majesty the Queen. Perhaps you could persuade your mother to let you proudly wear the dresses of your homeland?
"Come, come, come! We have so much to talk about. We'll soon be one big, beautiful family."
"I hope so too, Your Majesty." Your mother affirms, with a discreet, unruffled smile.
With that, you follow in the Queen's rapid and ample footsteps. How can she be so comfortable in clothes that seem so uncomfortable? It's probably a question of habit. A few steps behind her, you try to keep up with the rapid pace through the magnificent corridors decorated with gilding and sculptures that you know are worth more than anything the less fortunate could dream of. On the walls hang paintings depicting the royal couple's life together. When they are young, then soon joined by a multitude of toddlers until these children take on the appearance of young adults. A chronological frieze that tells the story of a hidden family history.
There's nothing like that in your family. There's just a register that takes into account the many members of your clan. Only the hard core share the ancestral domain, while the others are invited every year for a week to maintain a certain union between all the members of your clan. And you… you're the chief's goddaughter. Daughter of the chief's sister. After the chief's daughter, you are the most noble thing in your country. The purest. If your cousin is promised to the prince of your kingdom, you… Are you going to join the jewels of the British Empire? That is a perfectly acceptable future. But are you prepared to give up your family? Your country? The life you've built there? To leave to start a new life with a man whose company you're not sure you'd enjoy?
For a moment, this sumptuous palace looks like a cage. Your future cage.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
"Miss [Name], what's your country like? I'm genuinely curious about the different regions." The princess's voice snaps you out of your thoughts.
"At the risk of committing an act of treason on your soil, I admit that our landscapes have nothing to envy to those of British soil. I would even go so far as to say that they are splendid. I think you'd like it very much."
The princess lets a soft laugh slip from her lips, which she hastens to hide behind her fan. You squint your eyes in delight. The princess doesn't seem to be offended by this little joke; she seems to be enjoying it. You take a sip of the tea you were served a few minutes ago.
Several days have passed since your arrival. You still haven't met the prince who may become your fiancé, but you won't regret not having met him yet. You dread this moment. If you do meet him, it will all become too real for you. These imaginary chains of commitment will be physically represented by a sumptuous ring on your left ring finger. The very thought makes your stomach boil with palpable discomfort. Fortunately, you've been lucky enough to meet a charming princess your own age. Historia Reiss. A soul so sweet and pure that you could swear you'd want to protect her just so she wouldn't encounter any unpleasantness in her life. You could almost find comfort in her presence should you end up marrying one of the princes.
"The first ball of the season will be held at Lord and Lady Yeager's house. Would you be comfortable? I don't know how different the culture of your country is from here."
"Don't worry, your highness. I used to attend quite a few balls in my country, along with my cousins. We never missed an opportunity to socialise. We were an inseparable trio…"
"You seem very close to your family."
"I grew up with them. I can't conceive of a life without them in my life."
"With so many brothers and sisters, I can only understand you. Sometimes they're unbearable but in the end, I wouldn't give them up for anything in the world."
The atmosphere becomes heavy with nostalgia. Memories of numerous family events come back to haunt you and add to the weight on your shoulders. The same dilemma seems to be facing the princess, who is also due to marry in the not too distant future. She too will have to leave her family, perhaps even her homeland, to marry a powerful nobleman from another nation in order to forge ties. Because that's what women are for: to produce heirs and to act as bargaining chips in the political game. Knowing and accepting are two different things. You know your destiny, but can you accept it? Are you even being asked to accept it? No. You are asked to suffer and endure.
The princess coughed in a feeble attempt to lighten the almost ceremonial mood.
"If you wish, I can teach you a few things for your first ball here. I don't doubt your social skills, far from it! But the culture here must still be foreign to you…"
"Thank you, Your Highness, it is with pleasure that I accept your kind offer."
A smile curves your lips. The afternoon is spent talking about the little subtleties of the English court, which you find so lacking. Little protocols, little messages coded behind the tilt of your fan. The language of the fan is different from that of your country. She also teaches you the latest rumours so that you don't feel too out of place, even if you don't really know the protagonists portrayed in her rumours. It would seem, however, that this kingdom is particularly fond of such gossip.
Time passed at an alarming rate and before you knew it it was time to part. The sun was about to set. You both had to get ready for the dinner that was about to begin.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
The evening of the first ball of the season has finally arrived. As expected, as soon as Duke Ackerman arrived, all the mothers with ambition presented themselves to him, their daughters in tow. He didn't hear any family names, all he heard was the roar of lionesses hungry for prestige or the pecking of hens. He almost cursed Erwin for abandoning him to indulge in his newlywed life. While he was genuinely happy for his friend, Levi couldn't help but curse him in this situation. A duke still single…a real dawn to behold. He excused himself briefly with a shake of his head, ignoring the sighs of disappointment, and extricated himself from the flock of ladies to join Hange, who was standing in the company of Erwin and his young wife.
He almost regretted having come to keep them company when he was forced to listen to Hange's mocking laughter, which seemed to find the Duke's distress satisfying in every way. If looks could kill, Hange would already be six feet under rotting and being eaten by worms. Too bad that's not possible.
"I can't wait to find someone nice so I can get away from all this excitement for good." Levi grumbled, his lips against the rim of his champagne glass.
"You talk more than you act. If you keep running away, you won't know any of these girls and you'll end up another season on your own. A real vicious circle." Hange scoffs.
"I'm not running away. I'm running away from this savage horde." Retorts the man concerned.
"She's not wrong. You'll never find anyone at this rate." Erwin agrees, shaking his head.
"Even Smith says so." Hange boasts.
"Oh…I always thought you two would end up married. You're always together…" Lady Smith intervenes in a timid voice, unsure whether to say the words or not.
The other three turned to her. Erwin gently shook his head and calmly explained the situation. Hange couldn't help laughing as if she'd just heard the most hilarious joke, while Levi frowned, not holding back the visible disgust he felt at the very idea of having to share his life more than he already did with this individual. A friendly relationship could be tolerated, but more? Ah, God save him from this dark fate!
"My apologies! I always thought…"
"Don't worry, my dear." Erwin said to soothe her.
"It's common knowledge in the various circles of high society. Your relationship is a trending topic at every turn." Informs Lady Smith, a nervous smile on her lips.
"Please don't say another word about it." Begs Levi, who swears a glass of champagne isn't strong enough to hear that kind of story about him. He needs stronger alcohol.
Fortunately for the Duke, the music ends, replaced immediately by the powerful melody of trumpets, a harbinger of the arrival of the one everyone is waiting for: Her Majesty the Queen of England. The big doors open, revealing the royal figure in her sublime gown of thick ivory with a few touches of blue. The guard at the door announced the Queen's arrival in a firm voice. Then other names were called: that of Princess Historia Reiss. Then the Countess [Name] and her daughter.
All bowed to Her Majesty the Queen, before rising to gaze at the two newcomers to the British court: mother and daughter [Name]. Two foreigners whose features stand out from the rest of the nobility. A refined exoticism that is sure to catch the eye of even the most self-righteous duke. Recognising beauty in the unknown is right up his street.
But perhaps his gaze lingered a little too long on the young miss descending the stairs, as Hange tapped him on the side of the elbow. A single glance was enough for him to see the mischievous gleam in her eyes.
"Don't think about it, four eyes."
Hange shrugged, before pushing him forward, encouraging him to take a step towards the quartet who had finally set foot on the ballroom floor. Levi stumbled on his feet, managing to catch himself in time before hitting the floor. A movement that didn't seem to go unnoticed, on the contrary. He felt the weight of Her Majesty The Queen's gaze, which had just spotted him in the crowd. He refrains from swearing between his teeth, cursing the day Hange was born. With a perfect bow, he presented himself to Her Majesty, without bothering to smile. No one has ever seen him smile, he is thought to be incapable of it.
"Duke Ackerman, what a pleasure it is to honour us with your presence." The Queen begins.
"The pleasure is mine, Your Majesty."
"Have you already met our guests, Lady [Name] and Miss [Name]?"
"I have not had that honour before today."
The Duke analysed the curve of the Queen's smile, then followed the discreet movement of her eyes towards the young miss in silent command. Levi wrinkled his nose briefly, so as not to break his legendary impassivity and reveal his displeasure at his situation. But perhaps he could have picked a worse partner than a young miss who had just arrived on English soil and who certainly didn't know the latest gossip.
He walked around The Queen, his strides guiding him to a respectable distance from the foreign miss, his hand outstretched towards her. His steely eyes gazed into hers, taking in the minute details in her irises. The brilliance of the crystals on the ballroom chandelier was reflected in her eyes, as if a whole galaxy had taken refuge in her.
"Miss [Name], would you do me the honour of a dance?"
꒱࿐♡ ˚.*ೃ
You smooth down the silk of your dress, which covers your body in a beautifully crafted adornment. You feel uncomfortable in this dress, not so much from the corset as from the layers of this empire dress. You weren't sure whether there was too much fabric or not enough. Your breasts, contoured by the corset, bulge out for all to see. Your eyes can't take your eyes off this display of flesh, which now seemed so unseemly just a few seconds before your entrance.
A gentle pressure on your arm rouses you from your obvious discomfort. The princess stands beside you in a pleasant attempt to help you overcome the demons of anxiety. You offer her a gentle smile, thanking her for her kindness.
The double doors open to reveal the bright lights coming from the candles, especially the giant chandelier suspended above the couples of motionless dancers, facing you. All this attention is directed at you. Suddenly, all that nervousness evaporates like snow in the sun. The feeling of being the eye-catching jewel takes you back to the wonderful days when you and your two cousins dominated your country's high society. Your body remembers the small, graceful gestures and discreet, charming smiles of a noble lady. Why were you nervous again? You couldn't remember, but the delight of returning to balls and luxury made you feel like a fish in water.
Behind the Queen, you watch the Duke's silhouette approach you. A very handsome man, the orange glow of the candles emphasising the chiselled, severe features of his face. He doesn't stand out for his height, but the way his expensive suit clings to his muscles, the shadows discreetly emphasise the contours of his sculpted body. You hold your breath as he approaches you. Blimey, you've completely forgotten to follow the discussion that's just taken place. Has he caught you looking at him in the most shameful way possible? To your surprise, he invites you to join him in a dance. You slip your hand into his, a pleasant shiver caressing your spine as he traps your hand between his fingers, drawing you onto the dance floor. You feel his second hand slide down your side to rest on your hip, the perfect place to keep from being indecent. His warmth embraces you with a gentle sensation. It's so different to when you're being held by your cousin for a dance, it's different…because you're in the presence of a man and not a family member you grew up with.
A breath slips from your lips as you feel his fingers tighten their grip on your hip. That simple touch electrifies your nerves. Your eyes gaze into his, searching for his soul for a brief moment. Perhaps it's simply because he's a man… the first man to hold you. Maybe it's because you can feel the firmness of his muscles under his suit.
The music begins, echoing throughout the room. You dance together, following the silent instructions of his body against yours. Around you other couples join in, but in all honesty you're not really paying attention.
"So…you're the most coveted bachelor of the season?" You ask to start a conversation with your dance partner.
"I see you've been made aware of the latest rumours." The Duke resigns himself, his features hardened by the despair of his situation.
You can't help but let a laugh escape you at your dance partner's visible dissatisfaction. It would seem that this is a subject that puts him in an uncomfortable situation.
"The princess seemed well to inform me of the latest intriguing news at court so that I should not find myself out of place."
"Do you intend to stay until the end of the season or will you be staying on British soil?"
"It's a huge upheaval to change countries for good. But I'm beginning to discover the attractions of the British Empire." You reply, your gaze firmly anchored in his.
He opens his lips briefly, like a fish out of water. Then he turns in on himself, becoming once again the cold, stern duke, inflexible in his expressions if only for the tiny expressions that make him human and not a marble statue.
"The princess is a charming person who never fails to brighten my days. Her ladies-in-waiting, though I don't really know them, seem to me to be perfectly benevolent ladies."
The drawing music threatened to end the song. Soon you will have to part with this man whose surname and title you know only. A beauty like that won't struggle to find a wife before the season is over.
"I want to know you more, Your Grace."
No sooner do these words leave your lips than the music stops. The surprised expression on your dance partner's face reflects your own surprise. Tact has never been your strong point according to your twin sister, and today you have just confirmed what you have denied all your life. Are you really going to…propose getting to know another man? When you may end up betrothed to a prince if the discussions between your mother and the Queen come to an agreement.
꒱࿐♡ ˚.*ೃ
Levi didn't know what to expect when he asked her to dance, or what the queen might be thinking. This damsel had not crossed oceans to come here with the intention of seeing some scenery. Everyone could sense that a royal wedding was approaching. The union between two great and powerful families that would make every nobleman in their homeland tremble.
Yet he had to restrain his hand from slipping lower on her hip to feel the curves under her dress that must remain inaccessible to him forever. It wasn't love at first sight, he didn't believe in it and the very concept seemed delirious and implausible. Nevertheless, he recognised the principle of attraction. And the young woman in front of him was one of the few to arouse in him the first shivers of desire. But she was out of reach. She would soon be joining the crown jewels. He was not going to jeopardise this young woman's fine future plans, just as he was not going to ruin the excellent reputation he had built up by staying away from brothels and opera singers looking for stability and finance in the arms of rich men.
The conversation was very casual, nothing interesting, just banal politeness. Despite the tingling in his fingers when his ears were graced by her laughter. He hated the fact that this stupid rumour, although true, was brought to the attention of his dance partner. But unlike the many other suitors, she had no intention of putting a target on his back, as a better partner was presenting herself. She could be a breath of fresh air, if only for a moment. Was it wrong to enjoy this dance? To enjoy this company even for a few minutes? One dance before returning to their respective worlds. Or so he thought, until the words left her lips.
"I want to know you more, Your Grace."
Like a mirror, their surprise was reflected in each other's faces. Those words shouldn't have been spoken, not to a stranger and not to someone you know. Those words imply a lot of things, especially with a woman who was perhaps going to join the crown. He shouldn't accept, he couldn't accept. Perhaps his answer, his refusal, was visible in his eyes, for he needed no words to make her more embarrassed than she already was. Under his hands, he could feel the heat radiating from this body that wanted to bend over and disappear six feet under to save herself the embarrassment. He could feel the movement of her muscles, he could feel her holding back from rushing away and abandoning him on the dance floor, causing a scandal. She held back to avoid causing trouble for him as much as for herself. In the shame of rejection, she knew how to behave and curb her urges to save face. A quality… if it could be described that way.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I beg you to forget what just happened."
She bowed in a curtsy, signalling the end of their dance. He returned the courtesy. And before he knew it, he was with his friends, a glass in his hand to quench his thirst. His gaze lost in the sparkling bubbles of the alcoholic beverage.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
Why did fate seem so set against you? The ball was only a day old and yet you bumped into the man you swore you'd never see again for the sake of your pride. He also seemed taken aback, your eyes unable to tear themselves away from each other. You look away and concentrate on the young woman standing beside Lord Ackerman. She seems to be beaming with delight, ready to pounce on you for questioning or…examination. You feel the need to cover yourself with more than a dress and a thin shawl against the breeze.
"Oh, look at the sun; already so low in the sky. I'll be off, Ackerman! It's every gentleman's duty to keep such a charming damsel as the young miss company!"
Left in utter bewilderment, you bat your eyelashes at the spectacle, unsure of how to deal with the hasty departure of the brown-haired woman already far away from you both. Silently, you arch an eyebrow at Levi, as if to confirm that what has just happened really did happen.
"You…you're in the queen's gardens."
"I am." Levi retorts.
Silence.
This is so uncomfortable, even for you. You decide to take your leave. A meticulously and swiftly executed curtsy, then you make your way back to the palace and hide under the covers of your bed to forget this second shame. You need to regain your composure. Shame doesn't kill, you've faced worse than this in your country! A man a little more handsome than the average is not going to make you forget your means. As you try to convince yourself mentally, you are slow to notice the footsteps at your back, until a hand wraps around your wrist. A gasp escapes your lips, and your body quickly turns towards the person who dares to touch you.
You come face to face with the Duke. So close. Almost as close as when you were dancing. You blink, fighting against the honour you would lose if you were caught alone this close to a man, or the desire to feel that hand slide up your arm and lodge itself in the hollow of your neck.
"Your Grace…" You whisper. "I beg you to let me go. This is unseemly." You manage to stay firm on your feet, pushing deep into your mind that strange feeling that runs through you every time this man lays a finger on you.
"I apologise. No matter how many times I called you, you didn't seem to be able to hear me."
With that, he releases your wrist, taking several steps away from you. A perfectly respectable distance. Your wrist still seemed to be burning from the Duke's touch. An exquisite warmth. Before you can sink any deeper into your thoughts, his voice brings you back to reality.
"I am also on my way to the palace. Allow me to accompany you."
Even now you're wondering what went through your head to accept the proposal of a man you can neither know nor approach for the sake of your mother's discussions. No… It was only a courtesy, there was no implication. It's ridiculous to worry so much about a man you only met a day ago. It's because he's so beautiful that you lose your nerve! It's only attraction, nothing more can come from this beauty.
The journey continues in silence. Honestly, you don't know whether you prefer silence or a conversation filled with banality to fill the void. On reflection, however, the Duke seems to revel in the quiet, preferring words when absolutely necessary. In this respect, he reminds you of your twin sister, who thrives on silence and useful conversation. A smile lights up your face, shy and as light as the cherry blossoms that fall from their tree when the season ends.
"Was that Miss Zoe?" You ask, annoyed at more silence.
"Your ability to learn all the latest society gossip both fascinates and frightens me. you'll make a fine lady of British society." Levi sighed, admitting defeat at your ability to inform yourself on such matters just days after arriving on the soil of the Kingdom of England.
"You flatter me, Your Grace. But I am not. Your person intrigues every person in this company. Almost every rumour revolves around you."
"I intrigue you too, it would seem."
"Don't give yourself too much credit, Your Grace." You reply with a hint of mischief in your voice. Teasing your interlocutor. "You are the prologue to a great book called High Society in the British Empire."
"Oh, but it's when you read the prologue that you decide to continue reading a book. Are you going to continue reading this book, miss?" He snarls, his steely eyes darting into yours in defiance.
"I don't know. I haven't read the whole prologue to be able to decide." You reply with a satisfied smile.
Your smile widens as you hear the Duke chuckle. If you didn't listen carefully, it would be easy to miss his laughter. A soft warmth spreads through your chest, satisfied that for a moment you have been able to break the cold, unruffled expression.
Once outside the glass doors leading to one of the palace's too many halls, your companion stops in his tracks. This is it. The time has come for you to part. There's no need to exchange any more words, just a glance at each other and you already know that you mustn't stay together any longer than that. So you do what your mind tells you rather than the tug of disappointment of interrupting a beautiful discussion. You go your separate ways until fate allows you to see each other again.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
The weeks went by. Invitations to the ball, invitations to tea, days spent with Princess Historia and sometimes, exceptionally, you have the honour of sharing a conversation with the Queen. You never got even a glimpse of the prince who might become part of your future. Nothing was official yet, but wasn't it the least you could do to come and see one of the women who was going to share his life? The Prince shone through his absence from the palace, but rumours spread quickly, even among a young miss who was still new to British society. You've heard the rumours: the Prince favours an opera singer. He flaunts her publicly with no regard for his honour. Historia was trying to protect you, but at the same time she refused to hide her brother's imperfections from you, especially if you were to marry him. This is how you discovered that he had fathered two little bastards whom he was trying to have recognised by his mother so that they could become princes with a right of succession.
Disgusting.
Was this the future fate that awaited you? Waiting for your twin sister? Sharing a life with a man who shows the world his mistress? Unable to do so discreetly like most other nobles.
That should be your main concern, yet you can't help thinking of the duke who shares a few conversations with you when you find yourselves at the same ball. You always shared a dance under your mother's watchful eye. She said nothing, did nothing to prevent you from getting involved with other men. Perhaps she thought, as you did, that it was just a friendly relationship that was developing? Perhaps you were the only one to convince yourself of this lie when you wanted to feel the Duke's hands on your hips. Were you alone in feeling that desire boiling in your chest? Yet here you were, once again, sharing a fleeting moment of happiness that was to end as soon as the ball was over.
On the balcony of the manor house, surrounded by a few souls looking for refreshment, you were chatting with the Duke. Lost in your admiration of the thin smile that lit up the Duke's stern face, at this moment he looked divinely peaceful.
"Come now, Your Grace, these are not noble words to say in public, and not in front of a woman either." You murmur, stifling your mirth behind your fan.
"Are you the best person to speak of noble words? I remember the last ball…" He replies, teasing you.
"Your Grace, you promised never to speak of that again!" You react immediately, urging him with a wave of your hand to lower the volume of his voice in the hope that no one will hear him.
"I didn't…I simply mentioned the last ball. Where have I sinned?"
"You are impertinent."
"Oh, Miss [Name], impertinence is a sin."
You roll your eyes as your lips make contact with your glass of champagne, taking light sips to avoid repeating the same mistakes you made at the previous ball. Even now you regret drinking a little too quickly with so little food in your stomach, the result wasn't bad enough to damage your reputation in the eyes of society but… The Duke witnessed a lot of…freedom on your part.
"Your Grace." A woman's voice breaks the comfortable silence that has just settled.
You both turn towards the woman who has come forward with three daughters on her arms. Ah… A mother has just spotted him, causing the other mothers to come to him with that simple word. You offer a compassionate smile mixed with a touch of mockery as you leave him in the hungry hands of the mothers and daughters. Swallowing the bitter taste of frustration at the very idea that a woman will have the honour of becoming Lady Ackerman. The wife of such a good and kind man… while you…
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
When you return to the quarters you have been given for the time of your stay here, your mother is standing on the sofa in the bedroom. She closes the book and puts it down again in a terribly slow gesture. You lick your lips, suddenly nervous about what she might be telling you. There was always that imperturbable smile on your mother's face, but you knew her better than anyone. The slight wrinkle of her nose could only mean one thing: she wasn't satisfied with something. Did the discussions between her and Her Majesty The Queen go badly? You can only imagine the worst.
You take your place at your mother's side, your hands gripping hers in an attempt to comfort her or yourself. You're not sure. The impatience was going to kill you, yet she continued to remain silent. She seemed almost about to give up on telling you.
"Mother, what's the matter?"
"[Your name]…I must say I should be pleased, yet I can't seem to rejoice."
You swallow your saliva with difficulty. Your fingers tighten around your mother's hands. Her fingers caress the backs of your hands in a circular motion, a gentle massage to try and soothe your raw nerves. But it brings no comfort.
"They agree to the marriage…" It wasn't a question. You let the phrase leave your lips in a silent breath.
"Yes. They accept the union between our two families."
"I see…" You fail to express more than those two words.
"They did not specify the name. If a man caught your eye…"
"No, no one caught my eye, I would marry the prince."
"Are you sure, my dear child?"
"Quite sure."
"You still have a few weeks to think about it."
Your mother places a kiss on your forehead, leaving you alone in your room to consider the implications further. It's no longer just about you and your selfish desires. It's about the future of your family.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
"Miss [Name], it is an honour to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine, your royal highness."
Those words stick in your throat, barely holding back the bitterness of disgust as the prince's lips brush the back of your hand. Lips that have whispered words of love to another. That have kissed the lips of another. And unlike other men, he never hid the fact that he had a mistress. Why do women have to be pure and chaste until they get married, while men do unspeakable things to 'enjoy' their youth before they tie the noose around their own necks?
Why does she have to put up with the shame of a future husband who is incapable of controlling himself? Why does she have to put up with the way the prince looks at her?
For the family.
For your family, you will smile politely at the Prince, get to know him and pretend not to be repulsed by his touch. You will turn a blind eye to his actions and accept that he defiles your body with his sinful touch. For the sake of your family. For the sake of your twin sister, you will endure and accept this marriage. You know that your sister is in no state to put up with such a situation for years to come. But are you?
That tea to get to know you was as dull and miserable as the Prince's personality. He didn't want this marriage either, and he showed it shamelessly by hinting at his relationship with this opera singer. You couldn't dislike this woman. She is looking to survive, a prince is an excellent match and a protection against the harshness of everyday life for the less fortunate. You hated the prince. He is the one who initiated this relationship and who brings shame on Her Majesty The Queen and the entire royal family.
But for the sake of your family, you will turn a blind eye to this deplorable moment. You will smile at your mother's questions about your compatibility with the Prince.
"You are as beautiful as they say. Had I known sooner, I want you to know that I would have hastened from my royal duties to come and meet you."
"You flatter me your royal highness. But I would be sad if you had to hasten your duties as prince to come and keep me company." You reply in the kindest tone you can muster.
"You are right, after all, we could well spend the rest of our lives together."
A shiver of horror runs down your spine. Spend your life with him… for eternity. An infinitely long time. A life away from your land and your family to start one with this individual who is supposed to embody the best that the kingdom of England has to offer. But here again, you force a smile onto your face and offer a shy laugh like a sweet young damsel too modest to imagine making a life with a prince.
─── ⋅ ∙ ∘ ☽ ༓ ☾ ∘ ⋅ ⋅ ───
How many days since this woman had approached him? She had expressed a desire to get to know him, she had persisted in talking to him despite her situation, and little by little she had dug into the abrupt façade he had built for himself as duke. And here she was, categorically refusing to stand in front of him or give him the slightest glance as she held her prince's hand and let him slide his hand lower than he should during a dance. He had always known how this story would end: badly. Despite all the warnings and dangers that his conversations with her continued to entail, Levi had found himself enjoying her company. Those moments of laughter when she momentarily forgot all about propriety. Those moments when the stars twinkled in her pupils and always fascinated him. Those moments of peace when even the most unhelpful discussions became distractions for him, even though he hates talking in vain.
This woman had forced her way into his life, only to leave as quickly as she had entered. He was angry with her. He blamed himself for having let her do it when he knew full well that a foreigner would not cross the oceans without the intention of marrying a prince.
Yet the sight of her unhappy eyes, of her thin, peaceful smile that can't deceive him… Levi hates having to be a mere witness to her fatal fate. A splendid woman with a mind and heart of gold married to a pathetic excuse for a prince. He hates how his chest boils with dull anger at the sight of this extraordinary woman trapped in invisible chains pulled by adults to gain power. For the sake of these two great families, she will sacrifice herself and accept a miserable marriage. A condemnation to torture for eternity.
But what business is it of the Duke's? None at all. He shouldn't interfere. He should be content to continue his search for a future duchess. Oh… But had he even begun his search? He didn't have the slightest recollection of having really been looking for anyone during this entire social season. For a moment, the face of that terribly annoying woman appeared in his mind. It was her again. Always her. Always [First name] [Last name].
He needed air. Immediately.
The wind hits his face as he sinks into the depths of his hosts' garden. Luckily for him, he's a man, so he's able to walk freely without his honour being called into question. And even if it wasn't, at the moment, he couldn't give a damn about his honour. His rational mind is fighting with his heart, which has decided to awaken a conscience of its own.
It's always that woman's fault.
If only she hadn't come into his life, everything would have been resolved by now. He'd already have a fiancée. He would have settled into a comfortable life far removed from the problems of being a single duke.
A creak drew him out of his thoughts. Someone was in the garden with him. Who would go this far into the gloom if it wasn't another man who was also trying to get away from greedy mothers? No… It wasn't another man, his breath catching in his throat as he laid eyes on the female figure who was the target of his internal battle.
"Miss [Name], are you unconscious? You mustn't be here alone, you're in big trouble." He tries to whisper despite his desire to scold her for such inconsiderate conduct. She was lucky to run into him and no one else, but no other noble soul should see them at the risk of causing a huge scandal.
Yet the harsh, reproving words he was about to say to her disappeared like snow in the sun. His eyes went wide as he witnessed the wet marks on the reddened cheeks of the young woman, who nevertheless had only a smile on her lips, true or false. She is crying. Alone. In the half-light of a garden. Breathing hieratically as if she has just escaped from something… or someone.
"Your Grace. Le…Levi."
A shiver caressed his body as his first name slipped from the miss’s moist lips. A name barely louder than a whisper, yet he could still hear it echoing in his mind. The sensation far surpassed his wildest thoughts. He didn't react until it was too late, when she let herself run straight into his arms. Buried against the hollow of his collarbone, she sobbed her pain, hoping for comfort. He could only guess. What was he supposed to do? Should he embrace her and risk being seen to sully the impeccable reputation of a future princess? Should he push her away and force her to go discreetly to a safer place where she would no longer fear anything? His hands clenched into a fist, he forced himself to stand still. He chose neither of the two options open to him. He couldn't go any further, just as he didn't have the strength to push her away.
"Miss [Name]. You shouldn't do that. It's dangerous."
"I don't care!"
"…You will soon be joining the crown jewels. I believe that soon your engagement will be announced. You must not risk ruining your future."
"I have no future with such a man! You know that…you must have heard the rumours."
Who hasn't? Everyone had heard them. The prince had done everything he could to make sure the whole kingdom knew about his mistress and the two bastards he had fathered with her. He knew deep down that she would not have a bright future. But he also knew that this current situation, even if it didn't affect her, would inevitably lead her to a much more shameful and painful end than marrying an adulterous prince. At least she would have the luxury and comfort of a peaceful and secure life.
"Stand aside." He orders as firmly as he can.
"Then do it." She provokes him. He knows she is trying to make a point. He orders her to step aside to perform a task he cannot. A frown bars the Duke's inexpressive face.
"Miss…"
Only a whisper leaves the Duke's lips as he tilts his head to watch the miss against him embrace him as if her life depended on it. He can feel her breasts dancing against his, the layers of clothing separating them doing nothing to soften the sweet sensation of her breasts against his torso. His gaze wanders over the curve of her breasts, bulging from the corset. Enticing. Inviting. Terribly…irresistible.
"I have no future without you, Levi."
His name again. Again her bloody words to seduce him. To make him stray from the straight and narrow path he'd set for himself. He shouldn't destroy his whole life for one woman. He shouldn't…
Yet he surrendered to a kiss. He revels in the surprised moan of the woman who holds his heart in the palm of her hands. He savours with appetite and delight the faint contractions of her muscles against him, an honest and sincere body enjoying the heated kiss. He's going to engulf her. He feels he is capable of ravishing her essence and soul with this kiss, because he wants everything she has to offer. He wants to be able to caress the radiance she embodies with his fingertips.
꒱࿐♡ ˚.*ೃ
His lips glide down your neck, covering every inch of accessible skin with light, velvety kisses. These simple little touches electrify your raw nerves. Your hands grasp his shoulders, in the faint hope of supporting you as your legs buckle under your own weight. You feel his kisses linger on your sweet spot, a moan slips from your lips but you can't hold it in. The petticoats of your dress lift as the Duke's hands roam over your bare thighs to find your crotch clad in fabric so thin he can feel the moisture seeping through. You collapse under the weight of the new sensations of ecstasy. Pleasure seeps into every pore of your body.
"L-Levi."
His name has become an unholy prayer. A sacred mantra that keeps your mind from slipping into the depths of this new ecstasy. His fingers encircle this sensitive little bud, caressing you through the fabric, actively working to introduce you to a new world. His lips cover yours in an instant, silencing your unholy moans from echoing too loudly in the darkness of the garden.
"[First name]…you are the bane of my existence. You are my dearest sin."
Never mind if you get caught…right now, only the two of you matter.
#levi attack on titan#levi ackerman#levi x reader#levi ackerman x reader#attack on titan#shingeki no kyoujin#royalty au
135 notes
·
View notes
Text
Piece by Piece
1.8k
Mitchell!reader x dad!Maverick
series masterlist
my masterlist
a/n: I know, I know. Im starting a new series even though i haven’t finished by hunger games one, my clone wars one or my marauders one. I also have marvel series i started on ao3 that i haven’t updated in literally years.. and don’t even get me started on ted lasso.
I guess inspiration just strikes when it strikes.
anyway, here’s the fic
summary: Arrival to North Island means visiting the nearby Navy Bar, the Hard Deck, which is run by your dear friend Penny Benjamin. Of course, you’re not the only visitor that night.
warnings: verbal abuse, drinking, character death, trauma, unedited
It’s strange, how in just a few hours, your whole life can totally and completely change. In just a few minutes, the strangest things can happen - the worst and the best.
In the span of five minutes, you solidified your top spot in the top gun academy.
In the span of two, you ruined your relationship with your mom.
In the span of one minute and thirty seconds, Your best friend died because of a choice you made.
And within five minutes of that incident, you weren’t too far behind.
In one minute, sifting through a box your stepfather sent you, you find a picture you’ve never seen before: Your mother, wearing a smile you’ve never seen on her face before, wrapped in the arms of a handsome navy pilot, all teeth and jawbone and eyebrows.
And with thirty seconds of your arrival at the Hard Deck, that very same pilot comes waltzing in.
Penny pauses her conversation with you, about how you’ve been, what you’ve been up to, how sorry she is for you, and strikes up a very similar conversation with him.
They have history, you can tell.
Penny taps the counter over the barstool next to you - one of the only ones available in the crowded bar.
It only takes his polite smile to cement it in your head that this is him.
This is your father.
You don’t let anything show through, though. You stir up your shirley temple and smile, introducing yourself as majesty.
“Ah. I’m in the Navy, too, you know. I’ve never met a Majesty before, though.”
“Well, sir, this is a Navy bar… and I was on leave up until just recently. It doesn’t surprise me that you haven’t heard of me, since I was stationed in the Peninsula before , and everything there is pretty hush, hush.”
“Maverick,” he says, smiling again, but genuinely. He holds out his hand and you shake it. “Pleasure to meet you, Majesty.”
“likewise, sir. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I finally see someone I know.”
You bounce off, holding your drink tightly, acting as if your whole life hasn’t just been shaken up by a chance encounter at one of the many Navy bars in North Island.
Approaching the group of other lieutenants, you steal a glance back at him grinning at Penny with the same stupid lovestruck expression that you saw in the photo.
Yep. That’s him.
Maverick watches Majesty’s retreating form before she disappears in a group of rowdy pilots, wondering where he’s heard that name before. Majesty.
He vaguely remembers some news from the peninsula about a year ago, but as the lieutenant had said, the news from there is very limited and very filtered. Something about a pilot whose call sign was Duchess…
“Uh oh.” Penny’s deadpan voice interrupts his thoughts. “You’re thinking. That’s never good.”
She slides him his beer and he laughs softly at her joke.
“You know that pilot- Majesty - well?”
Penny glances over to where she disappeared into the group of pilots. She’s laughing along with the group while playing pool. They watched her take a shot.
The first thing he thinks is, she sucks.
“Yeah.. She’s a nice girl.” Penny starts deftly making a drink with the confidence of someone who’s done it a thousand times. “She watched Amelia for me when we were going through a divorce. Truly a lifesaver for both of us.” Penny meets his eyes. “She’s had a hard life, that one, and she’s not really ever had a reprieve from it, either. It’s good to see her laughing again.”
He sighs, knowing there’s a lot of pilots who joined up to get away from difficult families.
He’s so caught up in his thoughts that he doesn’t recognize Bradley Bradshaw himself walking in until he walks up to Majesty and plants a kiss on her cheek,
He raises a hand.
“Penny, check, please?”
You’re having a surprisingly fun time at the Hard deck. You haven’t been clubbing since before you were deployed, and certainly not to a bar.
Who would you go with?
but the pilots you’ve met - and the old friends you’re seeing again are nothing but kind. (at least, to you. It’s been five minutes and Rooster and Hangman are already going at it)
Phoenix introduces you to the pilots you don’t know, but there aren’t many. You swim in the same circles as most of them.
You line up a pool shot and slide the stick quickly, aiming the white ball at a general cluster of colored balls, and missing all of them completely.
“Now that,” a cocky voice begins over your left shoulder, “That was an astoundingly awful shot, your highness.”
You turn to face Hangman, who’s significantly taller than you, but you still stare right into his eyes.
“I’ve never played before,” you defend. “And it’s Majesty.”
“Sure it is, darlin’. Lemme show you how to shoot pool.”
You cross your arms.
“Are you going to mansplain eight ball to her, Bagman?” Natasha- Phoenix - juts in.
“Yeah, are you?” You ask, voice intentionally provocative, meant to make him splutter. Frustratingly, he doesn’t, only coolly lines up a shot - making it perfectly.
“No, I’m offering to explain how to play properly, so it’s more fun for the both of us.”
You can hear the smirk in his voice.
Before you can respond with another teasing comment, the music shuts off, making way for a loud, unhappy groan from almost everybody in the bar.
You hear the familiar intro to Rooster’s favorite song, (It’s the only one he learned how to play) and hand the stick off to Bob, whose wide eyes widen even further.
“That’s my cue to leave,” You announce to the group. “I can’t listen to this song for the fifty-thousandth time.”
You blow a kiss to Phoenix and wave to the rest of the pilots, hugging Fanboy, a close friend of yours, and bid adieu to Penny, slipping her a twenty.
“Thanks Penny. See you later, yeah?”
Penny winks at you and waves. You lean into the door and press out into the cool night air, the sound of the ocean suddenly the only sound you can hear - besides Rooster’s muffled voice and piano playing.
You walk around the bar, getting ready to head back to base. The last thing you expect is to meet eyes with Maverick, who looks like he’s seen a ghost.
“Sir? Are you okay?”
Your voice startles him out of his daze. He shakes his head slightly.
“Yeah. I’m good.”
His eyes drift to Rooster again through the window, a peculiar expression passing over his face.
“…Well, I’m headed back to base. Have a good night, sir.”
You turn around, hands in your pockets, beginning the short walk back to the barracks.
“Wait. Do you mind if I join you?”
You shake your head ‘no’ and stop to wait for him to catch up with you. How strange is this, the man you just realized was tour father walking with you back to the barracks.
You walk down the beach in silence, watching the waves crash on shore. There’s not much to say.
“Are you here for the mission?” he asks eventually, finally, one of you breaking the silence.
“I.. actually don’t know, sir. They didn’t tell us anything but the fact that we had to be in class tomorrow.”
You meet his eyes, briefly analyzing his face before turning your gaze back to your boots in the sand. There are some features, you suppose, that are similar in your faces. little things, but if he’s your father, you definitely take after your mother.
“So.. yes. Then you must be a damn good pilot. Penny seems to think so.”
You laugh.
“Penny has what I like to call ‘Mom goggles.’ She thinks everything I do is the greatest thing ever.”
It’s his turn to laugh.
“‘Mom goggles’? I’ve never heard of that.”
“Well, you’re not married. Give it time and you’ll figure it out.”
Maverick puts his hands up.
“Hang on. How’d you know I’m not married?”
You gesture to his hand.
“No ring on your finger. And by the way you were shamelessly flirting with Penny literally all night.”
“I was not!”
You shake your head, laughing to yourself.
This could’ve been us.
you clear your throat, looking out over the sea. The sun has fully set, now, and you’re getting close to base. You yawn, covering your mouth.
You turn up the path to the base, in a comfortable silence when the your phone rings. You fumble through your pants, unzipping the pocket where you’ve stashed you phone. It reads one word, one you’ve been dreading.
Mom.
You cast Maverick an apologetic glance and then take the phone call.
“Hey, mom. What’s wrong?” You can hear the resigned sigh in your voice. Captain Mitchell has stopped walking, waiting for you. You shoo him away, not wanting to inconvenience him more.
Your mother’s voice is unintelligible. Staticky and blurred.
“My baby!” she finally says in words you can understand. “Where are you? I came home and looked in your room and you were gone!”
You rub your eyes.
“Mom. You’re drunk. Where’s Kevin?”
Usually, by this point, Kevin, your stepdad would step in.
Maybe, you think, somewhat bitterly, he’s come to his senses and left the crazy lady.
“Out,” is all she says. “You’re not still running around with the Navy, are you?”
She’s says the word Navy like it’s a slur.
“Mom-“
“Because this is just a phase, (y/n). You’ll get over it and realize that I was right all along. You don’t belong on the battlefield, you belong in school.”
“Mom, as a matter of fact, i love my job and i’m not planning on leaving it anytime soon.”
This is a conversation you’ve had many a time. Almost every time she’s drunk she calls you up to criticize your life choices.
“Then you’re a failure.”
“Gosh, I really wonder why I left.”
That’s when you hang up, abruptly cutting off your mother mid sentence.
You make it all the way to the barracks before you angrily start punching things. The nice thing about living on base again is the free gym available to you, so you change into a ratty old shirt and shorts and go down to the officer’s gym, where punching bags are already hanging.
You do a quick job of wrapping your hands, then begin the assault on a bag, sending it swinging with a punch.
You keep going and going and going until your knuckles feel like they’re bleeding or broken or at least bruised, and all the stress and anger with your mother has burned off.
You hit the shower after the gym, then collapse into bed.
Your phone is lit up with four call notifications and twenty six text messages from your mom, which you promptly ignore, silence your phone and fall asleep.
“Duchess, fly away!”
“Get out of there!”
“It’s okay.”
“Majesty!”
Your eyes snap open, your back and arms are covered in sweat. You hold your breath in and let it out, trying to calm your heartbeat.
You glance at the clock.
Jesus Christ, it’s only three in the morning.
This mission can’t come soon enough.
—
btw i know nothing about north island or the navy
#top gun maverick#top gun imagine#mitchell! reader#pilot!reader#Dagger squad#natasha trace xreader#the hard deck#rooster x reader#new series#top gun maverick imagine#pete maverick mitchell#maverick x reader
56 notes
·
View notes
Text
My Characters
Thought I might as well do this since I like how a few of my in-game characters turned out, so here's my roster so far (subtracting a few that are in limbo). Tried to put it in order to most to least used. I'm not one to make my in-game characters as OCs, but I still like to give them a name/aesthetic/theme that matches together (and colour-coordinated) so it sort of seems like they could (also for fashion wars reasons. Name above their respective images below). Also I like giving them singular names.
(oh gosh I really hope this automatically shrinks the length of the post bc it's not giving me the "Read More" option >_>')
My Main: Vespaura (Mesmer/Mirage). Crystal Bloom/Branded themed. Still waiting for proper crystal aesthetic looks lol (none available in game atm are what I'm looking for). I'm pretty much on her almost all of the time since I'm a ho for Open world and I love GS lasers, clones, portals, and evasion hax (I'm squishy so I need the survivability and sustain, and I tag almost everything, so it works well when doing metas and stuff).
Mourynn (Necromancer/Scourge) - This is the one I took my OC's name from lol, so it's funny seeing her in game bc I forget sometimes lsjflksf. I Tried to make her look like an infected/toxic/poisonous Awakened Nightmare Courtier Duchess, and the squiggly tentacles are meant to portray turning into the necrotic glider below. I really wanna get her a bunch of Mordy and Zhaitan leggies (one day~)
Ferahla (Revenant/Renegade) - I actually updated her back piece and colours a bit since this new back piece was released bc it fit her look much more. I tried to make her look gnarly (also this outfit makes her look a bit nakey, but I'm kind of okay with that tbh alsjflskdjf), and I'm trying to match her to the Chuka leggy for whenever I get around to finishing it. Renegade is also one of my favourite specs cuz I like being at ranged and having the support of Kalla and her Lesbian Warband.
Faihan (Ranger/Soulbeast) - I still adore her look and her name is one of my favourites too. I was sort of going for a pheonix/firebird Hunter (bloodborne) kinda vibe. I couldn't decide between capes so she has one for Power and one for Condi. Also it's tricky to dress for leather armour, so I like how this turned out.
Vaipaura (Mesmer/Virtuoso) - All my mesmers have similar names bc I think it's funny to headcanon they're just different AUs of each other (not gonna show Chrono here bc she's in Limbo. Her name is Vastaura). I wanted to give Vaipaura a Regal Canthan Noble Madam kinda vibe (also I just love the combo of this outfit and backpiece). She also has Exordium cuz it also matches this look too. However I still heavily prefer playing Mirage bc despite this one being great for DPS and very neat. It's just super squishy with not a lot of survivability/sustain and no clones to distract, and it feels so slow, but regardless it is still fun to play as well (I just miss spamming dodge all the time :( I also miss my clones)
Mortesque (Necromancer/Reaper) - I'm not 100% sure if this will be the final look for her or not, but I was mostly just trying to match her to Zhaitan's Bite when I finally unlocked it a little while back. As you can tell I really like greatswords (the only 3 leggies I have are GS lol)
Shroudryss (Thief/Specter) - My newest sapling. I'm stll not 100% sure about the outfit, but it'll do for now. Specter is really fun!! I really like fancy magical mobile classes. I need to play thief way more tbh since it's more of less up my alley (this one will be my first to go to)
Jadesta (Engineer/Mechanist) - Her name and look are very on the nose. HOWEVER I am proud of the name I gave to her mech: Caladborg (also I really like the Aetherblade look here and at least it's easy/fun to give her stuff for fashion wars)
Prismysta (Revenant/Herald) - I wanted to make her fit the pretty pearlescent look of Glint's facets, and I did want one light-themed cute character. Also there was just so many pretty pieces that wouldn't work with Vespaura that I thought it'd work well for her!
Hexirax (Thief/Daredevil) - I still super need to change her name bc it for sure as hell does not suit her at all lmao!! But since I still needed a pink Sylvari, I thought it would be funny to make it my Daredevil (also the weapon worked well for this so I made her Sakura themed. Her outfit is still subject to change if I find something better)
Vallotash (Guardian/Dragonhunter) - Still not sure what to do with her yet (might switch her elite spec, idk yet), but I'm still super proud of her name and I forgot I made this look on her. I like the colour combo, and I still might keep it (subject for change tho, but I don't hate it)
#gw2#sylvari#my characters#Lol my other ones are a bit ignored atm but the first handful are my most used (Vespaura especially)#I've never really showed them off before so I thought I might as well while I'm here#I'm proud of how a lot of them turned out and a lot of their names#Fear my army of plant lesbians!
16 notes
·
View notes
Text
ARC Review: One Season with the Duke by Addy Du Lac
Out now (and available on Kindle Unlimited)! 4.25/5.
For when you're vibing with... fast physical burns and slow emotional burns, culture clashes, and friends to lovers done right.
With a secret hanging over her head, Hettie has been blackmailed into getting engaged to an asshole. Fortunately, her childhood friend (now Hot and Sizable Duke) Finn, offers a helping a hand... in marriage.
Friends to lovers is a tough sell for me--however, once I realized how much of the friendship in this book was rooted in childhood, I was readier to bite. And I'm glad I did! This is a fun, sweet, surprisingly hot Scottish romance that really focuses hard on the relationship development.
Quick Takes:
--Here's what I dislike about friends to lovers so often: either the hero longs for the heroine but doesn't have the balls to make a move, or the heroine longs for the hero and somehow he Doesn't Notice Her (doesn't get turned on by her) and the heroine is left looking pathetic. In this case, Finn is the one who's very aware of Hettie from the jump. However, she pretty quickly identifies that he's All Grown Up, and he actually makes his move very early in the novel. That, right away, solves a lot of problems for me.
What I expected from there was a marriage in name only, wherein they would, for some reason, wait on fucking for like five billion pages, and I would get increasingly annoyed. But nope! These two are getting down less than a third of the way into the novel, because it makes sense. They're married; the marriage being valid is super important for their general scheme and Hettie's safety; they're not in love (she definitely isn't) but they're physically attracted to each other. Why not?
So it's like, this mixture of duty and genuine interest that brings them together, and I found that compelling. It felt real and pretty authentic to the time period (albeit with the added benefit of them being just five years apart in age and hot). I really appreciated that there wasn't all this handwringing about it from Hettie--no "oh no, I must marry my hot duke friend to escape my evil cousin". She knows she's got a good thing going, and they both are aware that it may never be this dreamy romance (until it is) but they're gonna try and make it work. And a lot of making it work involves the thing they are 100% on the same page about from the get-go: boning the fuck down.
--A lot of the conflict in this book, and I mean this in a good way, felt very old school. There's an evildoer setting out to blackmail Hettie (I personally enjoy a blackmail plot, especially when the heroine is an heiress; there's something about a "MUAHAHAHA" that I just like), obviously. Then there's this stretch in which she's really adjusting to not only being a duchess, but being a Scottish duchess, and I liked the distinction made here. While Finn may be very Englishified in some ways (although he does do a bit of a brogue at the right moments, as all Scottish heroes Must and Should), he is Scottish. His people are Scottish. There is an expectation that his wife will acclimate this, and it's like--not fuckin' easy. I liked that it wasn't easy. In some ways, it felt kind of cinematic while also subverting some of the old school-isms where the heroine goes to Scotland and everyone is all och and aye and just welcomes her with open arms.
In particular, Hettie's mother-in-law does not welcome her with open arms. In many historical romances today, I don't feel like supporting characters who are a) not villains and b) not getting set up for the next book receive much fleshing out. At least, not in the way they used to. But here, we see a woman who is understandably protective of her late husband's legacy, a bit possessive of her son, and......... kind of a bitch to Hettie. However, not a bitch without dimension. She's not flat. There is meat to her character, and there's meat to her relationship development with Hettie. I'm extremely soft for historicals in particular that place an emphasis on female relationships, so that was nice to see.
--You're going to either be frustrated or relieved by the fact that we the readers know Hettie's secret from the start. For some, I suspect this will lead to some "but telll hiiiim", and at points I did feel that way. However, from her emotional perspective, I get why she didn't; and I also personally appreciated knowing her secret from the start. It's not an inconsiderable issue, and I personally find that when a hero or heroine dithers over something we don't even know the truth about... That's where the frustration really comes in.
--We do get a grovel in this one, and it's quite sweet. I can't say much about the grovel because spoilers, but I liked it a lot. There are insane grovels, and there are emotionally sense-making but still deeply felt grovels, and I think this one falls into the latter.
--This book got me to care about two people who are ultimately Good and Solid, in a relationship that is like... not toxic. Which is hard for me! That said, I really like Addy's writing style, and I wouldn't mind seeing her try her hand at a batshit pairing down the road.
--As a random aside, if you like a bit of "she is too young for me and I am a hideous pervert for noticing her ankles" (which I do), there's a dash of that behind why Finn didn't pursue Hettie earlier. She really isn't too young for him by the standards of the time (they're about 5-6 years apart) but he felt very bad for finding her hot when she was eighteen, and I enjoyed that discomfort immensely.
The Sex Stuff:
Like I said, they starting fucking early and they really don't let up. I literally let out a sigh of relief when it began sooner rather than later; I fucking hate the "oh we're married but let's wait until 80% into the book to fuck even though the marriage can literally be invalidated if people find out you're still untouched" dance. Wow, two people thinking with their brains and their libidos!
The sex is well-written and explicit, and like... earthy without being over the top, if that makes sense. I posted that excerpt of Finn commenting on Hettie's scent while he was...................... he's Scottish so down under isn't a joke that makes sense, but he was going down on her. It's the simple intimacies of sex that I found the book did really well. Also, I really liked how they talked about sex with each other--you can feel that there's a friendship there (and he's such a pleaser). And like, there's no shame around Hettie having and enjoying sex without being in love quite yet? That's one thing I appreciated throughout; she cares for him from the start but she knows she's not in love yet... and she's still comfortable with expressing affection for him in a sexual way, and he makes her comfortable with it. There isn't this expectation that being aware of being in love is important for good sex, which I often sense with the writing of heroines. Something that I can't give away happens and Finn is like "maybe no sex for a while" and Hettie's reaction is basically "exfuckingcuse???"
A romantic and emotionally authentic debut, which I think will appeal to many readers--especially those who like historicals that are well-researched and real, without trading in on some of the more problematic aspects of the subgenre. In fact, in general, if you find that historical romances "scare you" a little, I'd say this is a good one to ease your way into the genre with.
Thanks to Addy Du Lac (@thataddylady on here) for a copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
13 notes
·
View notes
Text
Whumptober 2023 Day 14, 25 - i'll be there when your reality drowns
@whumptober-archive
No. 14: “Feed me poison, fill me ‘till I drown.”
Flare | Water Inhalation | “Just hold on.”
No. 25: “You’re not delivering a perfect body to the grave.”
Storm | Buried Alive | “They’re not breathing!”
contains: technically major character death? he's fine. he gets better.
also available on ao3!
I’m going to die, he thought, before remembering that was ridiculous.
There were only two ways for a vampire to die. Either a stake or silver destroyed the heart, severing their connection to the Shadow and preventing regeneration, or sunlight burned them to ash. Neither of those things had happened to Thanatos today, though he almost wished it were daytime. That way, he wouldn’t be in utter darkness as the surface of the water slipped away. Vampires cannot die by drowning. That doesn’t mean it won’t hurt.
He’d held his breath reflexively, and that would give him at least ten minutes, but those ten minutes were only a delay of inevitable suffering. No one was coming for him. Not any time soon, at least, and he’d be surprised if Little Miss Angel of Death bothered looking for him at all. His job had been to make sure the Duchess was where she was supposed to be when Tenebrus came for her. It should have been simple: wining and dining a married woman was practically in his blood as a Iuventus. He should have been more careful with the wine. He’d assumed the odd feeling in his stomach was nerves or being unused to the mixed bloodwine served in high vampire houses, but it was too late to second guess once his muscles had locked up and dear Essie had pushed him into the lake. Thanatos didn’t blame her. He would have done the same if the Harbinger had shown up to his door. His lungs convulsed, and he willed himself to hold out a little longer.
Even if she hadn’t poisoned him, it wasn’t as if he could swim. The Shadow didn’t like water of any kind, and Thanatos hadn’t been much of a swimmer even when he’d been much more alive than he was now. He didn’t take kindly to his face being under water, and even as his peers had teased him by the sea and in the bathhouses, he would never let his shoulders slip below the surface. It was a rather primal fear that gripped him now, every instinct wailing that his death was close at hand. It wasn’t. He would drown, and the Shadow would revive him, and then he would drown again, and the Shadow would revive him, and he would drown again.
The Shadow would revive him.
His diaphragm convulsed again, and a gout of bubbles fountained from his nose before he could stop them. He didn’t know why he was fighting so hard. It wasn’t as if this was any less painful than repeatedly drowning would be, or if it was, that he would remember his suffering being shorter if he held out an extra three or four minutes. He probably wouldn’t remember it at all. Regenerating brain damage was the worst feeling of all. One never knew how much memory one was losing, and a vampire’s memories were already precious. It was so difficult for a human mind to hold thousands of years’ worth of life. Thanatos didn’t want to lose things that were important to him, like his mother or the early days with the Archfey.
Oh… If he never made it out of this lake, would the Archfey know what had happened to him? Would ae ever be able to find him? (To save him?) Or would ae just think he’d found the waiting too tedious and left, abandoning everything they’d built together?
Despair gripped him, and he released another stream of bubbles from his nose. There was no point in fighting anymore. He was going to die here, again and again and again. He let go. Water flooded his lungs and his limbs, made sluggish by the poison, finally made a feeble attempt at thrashing, but it was too late. There was no fresh burst of oxygen to be found by releasing that breath he’d been holding, only cold water and doom. He drowned moments later.
The typical sharp inhale his body reflexively attempted upon revival was, of course, fruitless. His diaphragm spasmed sluggishly against the pressure of the water and his entire body erupted in searing agony. He still had no proper control over his limbs, though, so of course, he drowned again.
Second time. Same procedure. Another drowning. A third. A fourth. How long was this poison meant to last? He supposed if it had been meant for a vampire, very long indeed. He wouldn’t be able to detoxify his blood without a fresh blood meal to replace it, which was very unlikely here eight metres below the surface of the water. Oh, hold on, he was drowning again. He got better at thinking through the pain each time, though he could tell it was progressively increasing as his blood reserves got lower and lower. Thanatos had no way of knowing how much time passed between unconsciousness and revival. He might have already been down here for decades. He drowned again.
Thanatos had lost count of how many times he had drowned when he felt something different upon waking. He was moving. A firm grip had caught him by the collar and was towing him upward. Was he being saved, or was it one of the Duchess’s people? He didn’t have time to think about it. He drowned again before they reached the surface.
The next time he woke, he was on the shore. There was a voice beside him, vaguely familiar, saying things like “stupid fuck’s not breathing” and “you useless lump, breathe, damn you!” His body had given up entirely on trying to breathe ages ago, and he was sure he looked exactly like a corpse. He certainly felt like one. He just wanted to go back to sleep. Breathing was difficult and painful. Sleeping wasn’t.
It couldn’t be avoided when the voice became firm hands doing chest compressions, though. Water fountained from his mouth and nose, and after a brief period where he died again, he finally coughed up the rest, and then some. He spent several minutes hacking up throatslime and mud while the person who had saved him held him upright. When he could finally take a breath without choking, he wiped lake water and tears out of his eyes and looked to see who it was.
“Tenebrus?”
“Yeah.”
“You… saved me.”
“Not by choice. Blinked in after you, found myself underwater. Thought I might as well take you with me to the surface or nobody’d ever find you. You nearly drowned me, you know.” Nonchalant as ever. He supposed that was why people hired her.
“I’m sorry.”
She shook her head and stood. “Whatever. Can you walk, or…?”
His legs still felt like gelatin. “Not at the moment. Just leave me. I’m sure I’ll work something out.”
“I’ll bring you a blood pack on my way out, but that’s the last help you’re getting from me, clear? You really are such a nuisance.” Her boots squished as she turned to walk away, and she made a face.
Maybe he’d just go back to sleep until she came back.
taglist: @athenswrites, @albatris, @milkshakes-lust-and-chiral-dust,, @thethistlegirlwrites
#whumptober2023#whumptober 2023#no.14#no.25#feed me poison fill me 'til i drown#water inhalation#“they're not breathing”#oc#fic#original fiction#my writing#writeblr#coy writes#whumpblr#coy whumps#wip: ieiunusverse#the culling war#thanatos iuventus#avrae tenebrus#fun fact: thanatos drowns nine times in this text :)
4 notes
·
View notes
Text
Ulfstead Railway Museum
Sir Robert’s railway museum is a concept that was set up in S20 but never went anywhere, presumably because Big World Big Adventures happened. So as I rewatched the series, I worked on my idea of what the Ulfstead Railway Museum would be like. I also did one for the Vicarstown Railway Museum if you want to check that out.
The way I see it, Sir Robert just suddenly decided he wanted to build a museum, kinda like the dinosaur park. It’s a fair bit bigger than the Vicarstown museum and has a roundhouse for its engines. But unlike the VRM, most of Ulfstead’s stock has little to do with Sodor’s railways. All but one of them are from the mainland or further beyond.
Everyday, two of the museum’s engines bring visitors from the mainland, while Sudrian visitors are usually brought by Thomas, James, and whoever else is a available.
On the subject of engines, the museum currently doesn’t have many yet. Even if you were to count Millie, Stephen, and Glynn, the museum’s roster doesn’t hit double digits. Among them are:
Kana - Ooh, an All Engines Go character, how scandalous! Kana was the first engine brought to the museum, and very quickly made friends with several of the island’s tank engines. While Kana truly means well, she can sometimes become too big for her wheels and get into scrapes. Lucky for her, Rosie and Percy always ready to bring her back down to earth.
Bruno - I promise they’re not all AEG characters. Bruno is a young and sturdy caboose who usually gives rides around the castle with Glynn, but he is often borrowed by the NWR to help keep the troublesome trucks and more easily distracted engines in line. Bruno generally prefers things slow and steady, but he can keep up with whatever shenanigans of Thomas and his friends if need be.
Gator - Didn’t expect to see him, did you? Before he left Sodor again, Gator and Percy became pen pals. So when Gator was being withdrawn some years later, he told Percy, who told the Earl, who bought Gator. Nowadays, he spends his time talking to visitors or collecting stone for the castle.
Smudger - The VRM are seething because they didn’t get to him first. Smudger was dug up from the ruins of the sheds around the time Duke was found and as you could probably expect, he was in pretty rough shape. Luckily, the Earl wouldn’t stop until Smudger had been completely repaired. Unluckily, at least for Smudger, Duke is a stone’s throw away from him now, and Smudger isn’t too keen on seeing him again.
Duchess - Duchess is the newest engine in the museum’s fleet and is very eager to please. After she was withdrawn from service, the Earl snatched her up for the museum. Like Kana, Duchess usually brings visitors to and from the castle, but tourists wanting to see the former royal engine have made her job a little harder than it needs to be.
#ttte#thomas and friends#ttte headcanons#ttte headcanon#ttte kana#ttte bruno#ttte gator#ttte smudger#ttte duchess#i considered adding hugo to the group but i honest to god couldn't think of anything to say about him#he just kind of...exists?#i can ramble ad nauseum about almost any character from the tvs but i'm drawing blanks for propellor boy#lowkey the museum was just an excuse to add kana and bruno to the og series#aeg's not amazing but i like them <3#i wanted to do sandy too but it feels weird not to have her with carly#idk i'll figure something out#lowkey i'm tempted to take the bwba characters i like and throw them in here too#like hong mei or gina#if anyone needs/wants me to go more in depth on the museum engines i totally can#that includes the vicarstown engines too
13 notes
·
View notes
Text
The R - Part 1:
What is the connection between Mr Remora and Duchess R [of Winnipeg]?
One of the many mysteries that Lemony Snicket has left behind for readers (and viewers, to a certain extent) is 'What does the R stand for, in "Duchess R" ?' I am going to attempt to answer this question using any resources available, under the title 'The R'. This will be over a series of unfortunate posts, in this format.
Firstly, we must look for any and all clues that can give us even the slightest hint as to what R might stand for.
For this, I have gone through every character in ASOUE and this is produced: (after the cut, but feel free to skip ahead)
Lemony Snicket
Violet Baudelaire
Klaus Baudelaire
Sunny Baudelaire
Count Olaf
Bald Man with the Long Nose
Mrs. Bass
Beatrice Baudelaire
Beatrice Baudelaire II
Bertrand Baudelaire
Bruce
Colette
Fernald
Hal
Henchperson of Indeterminate Gender
Hugo
Incredibly Deadly Viper
Geraldine Julienne
Kevin
Kind Editor
Man with a Beard but No Hair
Vice Principal Nero
Phil
Arthur Poe
Duncan Quagmire
Isadora Quagmire
Quigley Quagmire
Mr. Remora
Carmelita Spats
Kit Snicket
Esmé Squalor
Jerome Squalor
Justice Strauss
White-Faced Women
Woman with Hair but No Beard
Albert Poe
Edgar Poe
Polly Poe
Wart-Faced Man
Alaskan Cow Lizard
Androgynous Cobra
Madame diLustro
Dissonant Toad
Green Gimlet Toad
Inky Newt
Irascible Python
O. Lucafont
Mamba du Mal
Monty Montgomery
Monty Montgomery's Sister
Gustav Sebald
Stephano
Virginian Wolfsnake
Ike Anwhistle
Josephine Anwhistle
Bertrand Baudelaire's Cousin
Gina-Sue
Larry Your-Waiter
Captain Sham
Charles
Foreman Firstein
Flacutono
Georgina Orwell
Shirley
Sir
Elwyn
Coach Genghis
Ms. Tench
Ben
Gunther
Chief of Police
Council of Elders
Detective Dupin
Hector
Mr. Lesko
Officer Luciana
Mrs. Morrow
Verhoogen Family
V.F.D. Crows
Babs
Bearded Man
Laura V. Bleediotie
Lou
Mattathias
Milt
Mr. Sirin
Volunteers Fighting Disease
Beverly and Elliot
Olivia Caliban
Chabo the Wolf Baby
Man With Pimples On His Chin
Ringmaster
Volunteer Feline Detectives
Infant Servant
C.M. Kornbluth
Snow Gnats
Snow Scouts
V.F.D. Eagles
White-Faced Women's Sibling
Winnipeg Scout
Gregor Anwhistle
Fiona
The Great Unknown
Captain Widdershins
Mrs. Widdershins
Count Olaf's father
Count Olaf's mother
Dewey Denouement
Ernest Denouement
Frank Denouement
Alonso
Ariel
Jonah Bellamy
Sadie Bellamy
Rabbi Bligh
Brewster
Byam
Friday Caliban
Miranda Caliban
Calypso
Erewhon
Ferdinand
Finn
Professor Fletcher
Gonzalo
Ishmael
Dr. Kurtz
Larsen
Ms. Marlow
Monday
Madame Nordoff
Omeros
Mr. Pitcairn
Robinson
Sherman
Thursday
Weyden
Willa
Beekeeper
Building Committee
Emily Dickinson
Dolores
Esmé Squalor Fan Club
Gerta
Daniel Handler
Haruki
Ivan Lachrymose
Eleanora Poe
Lena Pukalie
Duchess R
R's Mother
R's Father
Young Rölf
Sally Sebald
Shoemaker
A. Snicket
B. Snicket
Chas. Snicket
D. Snicket
E. Snicket
F. Snicket
G
H
I
Jacob Snicket
M
N
O
Mr. Spats
Mrs. Spats
Town Fathers
Valorous Farms Dairy
Baron van de Wetering
Yeah. Every single one.
Now, let's rule out everyone who does not have a name beginning with R, or is unclear: (again, feel free to skip ahead)
Bald Man with the Long Nose
Mrs. Bass
Henchperson of Indeterminate Gender
Incredibly Deadly Viper
Kind Editor
Man with a Beard but No Hair
Mr. Remora
White-Faced Women
Woman with Hair but No Beard
Wart-Faced Man
Madame diLustro
Monty Montgomery's Sister
Bertrand Baudelaire's Cousin
Foreman Firstein
Coach Genghis
Ms. Tench
Verhoogen Family
Mr. Sirin
Man With Pimples On His Chin
Infant Servant
White-Faced Women's Sibling
Winnipeg Scout
The Great Unknown
Captain Widdershins
Mrs. Widdershins
Count Olaf's father
Count Olaf's mother
Rabbi Bligh
Dr. Kurtz
Ms. Marlow
Madame Nordoff
Mr. Pitcairn
Robinson
Beekeeper
Duchess R
R's Mother
R's Father
Young Rölf
Mr. Spats
Mrs. Spats
Town Fathers
As the title states, we'll keep some focus on Remora, but we'll eliminate all other minor characters:
Bald Man with the Long Nose
Henchperson of Indeterminate Gender
Incredibly Deadly Viper
Kind Editor
Man with a Beard but No Hair
Mr. Remora
White-Faced Women
Woman with Hair but No Beard
Wart-Faced Man
Madame diLustro
Monty Montgomery's Sister
Bertrand Baudelaire's Cousin
Robinson
Duchess R
R's Mother
R's Father
Young Rölf
According to Various Fan Deductions:
TMWABBNH & TWWHBNB are Gifford & Ghede
The White-Faced Women are Zada and Zora
Lemony's Kind Editor is Moxie Mallahan
Madame diLustro is Sunny Baudelaire
This rules out the 4 of them.
Bald Man with the Long Nose
Henchperson of Indeterminate Gender
Incredibly Deadly Viper
Mr. Remora
Wart-Faced Man
Monty Montgomery's Sister
Bertrand Baudelaire's Cousin
Robinson
Duchess R
R's Mother
R's Father
Young Rölf
Logically speaking, why would there be a connection between Ink and Duchess R? Let's eliminate unlikely possibilities:
Mr. Remora
Monty Montgomery's Sister
Bertrand Baudelaire's Cousin
Robinson
Duchess R
R's Mother
R's Father
Young Rölf
Monty Montgomery's sister would be (_insert name here_) Montgomery. This, to me, rules her out too... and the same logic applies to Bertrand's cousin.
Mr. Remora
Robinson
(Duchess R)
(R's Mother)
(R's Father)
Young Rölf
Obviously her family are related:
Mr. Remora
Robinson - Islander
Young Rölf
So, the above names are generated. I will, henceforth, analyse a link between each character and R, starting with Remora.
POINTS:
a. It's known that a few characters in the Snicket-verse have alliterating names, such as Quigley Quagmire, Beatrice Baudelaire.
b. It's also known that some characters have WEIRD connections to others, such as Quigley's 'relation' to Mr Poe.
THEORY: Given a. and b. to be true, Mr R _______ Remora, has some abstract connection to the Duchess.
This connection can only really be established if one goes by Netflix canon and assumes Nero's surname to be Feint, and combines this with ATWQ:
Duchess R is Remora's boss' ancestor's murderer's friend.
R's friend is Lemony, who murdered Hangfire, who is the ancestor of Nero, Remora's boss.
Part 2 Still to Come...
¬ Th3r3534rch1ngr4ph, Unfortunate Theorist/Snicketologist
#asoue#vfd#lemony snicket#a series of unfortunate events#snicketverse#asoue netflix#theory#duchess of winnipeg#duchess r#hangfire#vice principal nero#nero feint#mr remora#part 1
5 notes
·
View notes
Text
huh.
well, fuck me six ways from sunday-
-i have almost 150 followers.
…
WELL NOW. IN HONOR OF THIS ACHIEVEMENT-
-I’ll list off all my OCs, and let you all ask about them! (Please do, I really really wanna talk about them.)
So here we go!!
Transformers
Ship Children
Moonglow
Whirlwind & Wildwheel
Cyanide
Silver
Rhythmwing & Jetwave
Moonbeam
MM/SB kid 3 (Unnamed)
FF/DE Kid (Unnamed)
Praxi
Ashwind & Sootrider
MM/SB kid 4 (Unnamed)
Thundertrail, Sunbolt, & Dawnrise
Auxiliary
AR/HS Kid - (Edit 12/28/22: Now named Cyanocitta)
Silverwing
Yellow Jacket
Wasp
Ledyba
Cadmium
Smokeshot
Seashot
Nyctus
Cascade
High Society
(- Also some of the most important/family.)
Duchess
Marie
Shockwave
Crimson
Ashspark
Windbreaker
Darkwarp
Bloodflight
Riverclash
Guardscale
Frostrise
Highwire
Rubybolt
Stormshock
Mistcloud
Silvallé
Soulless
Meister
Tone
Eclipsical
Evergreen
Prime Partners
Luma
Wintegreen
Lilacwing
Rescue Bots
Aqua
Ember
Flare
Litwick
Mintracer
Copper
Siren
Bloom
Ivy
Rocco
Blaze
Etc. OCs
Megatron’s parents (Unnamed)
Optimus’s parents (Unnamed)
Elita’s parents (Unnamed)
Dion & Fieron
Voxxie & Vocode
BD
Lightningtrail
Sunspace
Service & Disservice
Foxtrot
Red Devil & Purple Heart
My own OC Trine
Nitrobolt
Networth
Twilight Zone
Among Us!
Main Original Crew
Remy
Braxton
Oscar
Cayson
Yvette
Pandora
Penelope
Leon
Whitley
Blake
Ship Kids
Indigo (Unnamed)
Magenta (Unnamed)
All the similar names you’ve seen I assure are different new characters of their own I’ve made, just using a similar name bc I’m uncreative with names. And for the unnamed ones feel free to suggest some!
Just ask what information you desire for the characters of your choosing, and I shall provide. Will find an emoji ask game thing, and will rb that to use too. Also may include a pic of them, depends because I don’t have them all made yet. -w-
This will be available on both this blog, and my side blog @tf-girl666, to more easily keep track of them so they don’t get lost into the abyss, and and bc this is technically my original content.
Have fun!
#transformers#maccadam#g1#celebration#150 followers#almost#qna time#qna#my 150 followers celebration#ask me anything#have fun!#ut’s og trash post#my ocs#ask game#ut talks
5 notes
·
View notes
Text
Artists in Wonderland - Number 5
Welcome to Artists in Wonderland! Running till the 4th of July, I’m counting down My Top 10 Favorite Illustrators for “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland!” We’ve officially entered the Top 5! The Lewis Carroll stories of Alice are as immortal as they are odd, and many great artists have handled them in different ways. This countdown will pay homage to just a few of them.
Our 5th Place illustrator gives us a truly three-dimensional interpretation. Today’s artist is Nancy Wiley!
Nancy Wiley is a “figurative artist.” She started out as a painter, specializing in impressionistic and expressionistic artwork. However, over time, she began to adopt an interest in dollmaking. These were not children’s toys, however: Wiley’s dolls were made of the finest materials, and were intended to be for display use, primarily. In 2009, Wiley wanted to combine elements of her artistic loves to work on a children’s book. Ever since she was a child, she had loved the “Alice” stories - she even owned a copy of Carroll’s original manuscript, which we’ll get to later in the countdown - and so, she decided she would produce her own illustrated copy of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” illustrated using dolls.
Wiley’s illustrations were done the way books like the “I Spy” series are handled: she created a series of different dolls, hand-painted and hand-made, and then photographed them on miniature hand-painted sets to create the images for the story. Almost everything, if not everything, shown in the pictures is physically created, with little special effects via Photoshop or other techniques used to bring the magic of Wonderland to life. For instance, to simulate Alice’s shifting sizes, Wiley actually painted several dolls of Alice to allow for her to be tiny in some pictures, and a giant in others. Smoke was created using tufts of cotton. Bendable wires were used to allow characters to have wind-blown hair or garments.
What I love about Wiley’s book, above all else, is the absolute piece of craftsmanship it is, from cover to cover. She not only lovingly illustrates nearly every page of the book, depicting virtually every character of note in the story throughout, but treats things with a cinematic sense of movement and action. These dolls rarely seem truly static, and she even creates them with changing expressions to allow them to emote more impressively. The book ITSELF is lavishly constructed, with the binding and colors used to simulate an old gift book of the Golden Age of Illustration. Even the pages are designed to look like they are stained with age.
The designs for the characters are wonderful: Wiley sticks true to the ideals posited by earlier artists, but brings something unique to each character, as well. The Duchess, for instance, has an array of different headdresses, each more ridiculous than the last, to symbolize her eccentric vanity and changing moods. The Mad Hatter wears a hat that resembles a cross between a top hat and an upside-down teapot. The Queen of Hearts has two faces, representing the two halves of an actual playing card. All of them are whimsical, wild, and wonderful; these Wonderlandians never really feel as threatening as in some others, but they’re so imaginatively made, they stand out for their sheer creativity.
I absolutely adore this edition: I love the artistry found on literally every single page, I love its use of color, and I love the uniqueness of the artistic style that has allowed it to exist. UNFORTUNATELY, this book is now somewhat hard to get ahold of. It used to be available on Wiley’s personal website for a relatively low cost; if you bought it, you could even get her autograph on the inside cover. In fact, you could even buy replicas of the dolls for the some of the characters in the story, although they were much more costly. However, Wiley has recently completely reconfigured her website, and it seems the book is no longer purchasable there. It seems to be available off-and-on via Amazon, but the prices tend to vary. This is, in short, something of a collector’s item: if you can find it for a reasonable price, by all means, pick it up. It is simply one of the most beautiful, one-of-a-kind Wonderlands you’ll ever find.
Come back down the rabbit hole tomorrow as we move onto my 4th favorite! Don’t be late! ;)
#countdown#list#favorites#best#top 10#alice in wonderland#4th of july specials#alice's adventures in wonderland#lewis carroll#literature#art#illustration#illustrators#artists#nancy wiley#number 5#artists in wonderland
6 notes
·
View notes
Text
Discover the Exciting Updates in Legends of Crusader Kings III
Legends of Crusader Kings III game update is due to welcome new players on Linux, Steam Deck, Mac, and Windows PC. Thanks to the skilled team at Paradox Development Studio for their continuous loyalty. Available on Steam and Humble Store with 81% Very Positive reviews.
Big news coming in Legends of Crusader Kings III update, and it's looking for both long-time fans and those who've been on the fence about jumping in. Paradox Interactive is rolling out a whole month of content aimed at making their medieval strategy experience even more accessible. And the best part? There's a free update coming in May. So, if you've been a bit wary of all the maps and complex looking interfaces, now's the perfect time to give it a shot on Linux or Steam Deck.
Over the next month, Crusader Kings III is due to bring back some well-known faces. Doing so from one of the most liked start points in the experience. This isn't just for show; it's about showing the variety of strategies and stories you can play. Even if you're all about the combat, you'll find that mixing up your approach can enrich your overall experience.
The folks at Paradox know that their strategy titles aren't the simplest to get into at first. But Crusader Kings III has a knack for drawing in all sorts of players. Thanks in large part to its unique 'story generator' vibe. And that's what the Legends of Crusader Kings III is all about. It's aimed at lowering the entry barriers, focusing on diverse approaches you can take. This also makes it less daunting for anyone to step into this rich historical world.
Introducing: Legends of Crusader Kings III
youtube
Now, let's talk about Legends of Crusader Kings III. This update plays to the strength of the game - deeply developed character personalities and histories that steer your strategy. Whether you're playing a warlike king or a shrewd money manager, each character type opens up different paths and vantages. The 1066 “Rags to Riches” start is getting a makeover here. Along with five rulers each with a key trait:
Diplomacy: Petty King Murchard of Munster - a master at building relationships, aiming to unite Ireland.
Stewardship: Duke Vratislav of Bohemia - a wealthy ruler focused on development and construction.
Learning: Duchess Matilda of Tuscany - fostering education and rising research in Italy.
Intrigue: Emir Yahya of Toledo - a schemer in the volatile political landscape of Iberia.
Martial: Duke Robert of Apulia - a bold leader eyeing the rich territories of Sicily.
In Legends of Crusader Kings III, each of these leaders is getting a fresh context. While featuring their distinct styles, and even some new events to deepen the immersion. Plus, they're getting updated looks and stories, making them stand out from the hundreds of other choices.
So, if you own the game, get ready for the Legends of Crusader Kings III update in May. And if you don't, maybe it's time to consider adding it to your collection on Linux, Steam Deck (playable), Mac, and Windows PC. Available on Steam and Humble Store. Priced at $49.99 USD / £41.99 / 49,99€.
#legends of crusader kings 3#medieval strategy#update#linux#gaming news#paradox development studio#ubuntu#steam deck#mac#windows#pc#clausewitz engine#Youtube
0 notes
Text
This is mostly a post to talk about the hazbin hotel heaven, because omg is it hard to keep up with, so if anything is off with any of my series please ignore it (I am so bad with memory no matter how much I love a series)
Right now I'm working on the prologue for a current series but I have a few more series ideas
I also have a series for the mother of heaven, aka and au for God's wife, cuz listen the design of God by I think @/voidseeker_ on X/twitter, I love it sm (also can yall imagine charlie meeting her and lucifer reuniting) I've seen fics of lucifer reuniting with his family and it's comfort/angsty all sorts I just love it (also God and her give duchess and Tomas o'mally) I want sun and moon dynamics, also asherah can be there but as mother's sister (yes for now she shall be named mother or referred to as duchess)
alls the designs of the 7 heavenly principles and God will be from this twitter post I found
Just a weird blub of me just saying some stuff sorry if it's confusing
Cassius design is by mika_ji_ on X I believe (that's the only original I could find atm)
I mostly plan to do platonic content with all characters (except alastor really since he's got plenty of content available lol, I love him but the others need to shine <3)
Also anything with heaven shall be ocs unless cannon and or "au"s
1 note
·
View note
Text
Character Name: Phillip Knightley, the Duke of Thornwood Hall
Title/occupation: Duke of Thornwood Hall
Magick Status: Mundus
The Duke of Thornwood Hall shocked everyone when he announced his intentions to marry last season.
It was high time that one of the most eligible bachelors on the ‘ton settled down. And he found a marvelous bride in Isabela Madrigal. What a marvelous match, with such a handsome husband and beautiful wife — and both so accomplished too. Now, all of London waits for the new heir of Thornwood Hall to be born!
That’s how it is on the outside, at least.
In reality, Phillip has his own definition of what marriage is — and that certainly means he’s still sleeping around. He and Isabela have been trying for an heir for a year now, to no avail, and yet there are whispers that there are some children around the ‘ton who share Phillip’s eyes. He gambles and he drinks and he’d rather spend a night at the gentlemen’s club than with his wife. Phillip’s not the only one ruining his family’s good name, though. The Dowager Duchess drinks a little too much There are rumors about one brother and another on active military duty with a waiting and increasingly impatient wife in the wings. The Knightley name is one slip away from scandal —
So imagine Phillip’s relief when he learned he had a younger cousin, unmarred by any gossip and very accomplished at that. What’s one more head at Thornwood after all? Never mind that it’s been years since anyone’s heard from Uncle Francis, and never mind that Phillip cannot actually recall if he had children — this young lady could be the saving grace their family name needs.
0 notes
Text
Today is the day! The last Clockwork Chronicles book is now available for all you lovely people. And that’s it. That’s the end of Daiwynn.
I’ve been working on The Clockwork Chronicles since 2018. I got the idea while I was visiting @tiss.writes for my 30th birthday and started writing it almost as soon as it hit me. It was my first full length novel, my first full length series and it was a big freaking deal to me.
5 years later what was supposed to be a trilogy turned into 4 books and it’s now available to be delivered to you, dear reader.
To say this is bittersweet is an understatement.
While I was working on this last book, I just wanted it finished. Wanted to get it off my plate so I could move on to something new and shiny.
But now that it's out there?
Well. Saying goodbye to the crew of The Defiant Duchess is hard. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel a little hollow, a little sad, now that it’s over.
So cheers to the characters that got me started. To Persinette’s big heart. To Manu’s liveliness. To Agnes’s excellent cravats. To Sully’s determination. To Rose’s clever mind. To Kindle’s ability to change. To Chirp’s search to find themselves. To Brend’s longing to learn. And to all the side characters: Benard, Owen, Felicity, Drea, Hiccup, Stella, Alys, Hatter and dear, darling Tobias.
And cheers to you, dear reader for joining them, and me, on this journey.
I can’t wait to see what the next 5 years brings.
#indie author#indie books#lgbt writers#indie writer#queer writers#lgbt author#lgbt books#lgbtqia books#lgbt reads#queer booklr#queer fantasy#queer fiction#queer books#queer scifi#scifi fantasy
0 notes
Text
Remember how everything was secretly a cake for a little bit? Eventually all entertainment will secretly be an episode of the Mandalorian. You’ll be watching an HBO show and it will feel kind of cheap all of the sudden. Spontaneously characters from the third season of a Disney XD series will appear. Joel and Ellie will be tasked by Bo Katan (sister of the Duchess Satine, as you’d know if you’d watched the fourth season of the animated TV show where they play bagpipes whenever Jar Jar shows up) to deliver a Grey Jedi holocron to Admiral Thrawn (he is from the noncanon books but he is now in canon at a different point in the timeline. He is blue). John Wick will be fighting the High Table and come to discover that it is, in fact, run by Mandalorians, as well as some plucky clones that were introduced in the final season of the Clone Wars, who now have their own spinoff. Their youngest member, Omega, trips John and he falls to his death, only for him to be resuscitated by Laurence Fishburne. The entire cast of Coda will help The Mandalorian recover the plans to Starkiller Base (it is all connected). The end credits of Skinamarink will reveal the monster was not Kevin’s mom, it was Palpatine’s force ghost (this is crucial to explain how he returned. Dave Filoni is absolutely GOATed for this). M3gan and C-3P0 will team up to save R2 from Sabine Wren, who has been turned evil by the Nightsisters of Dathomir (I would watch this). The live action adaptation of The Land Before Time 3: The Time of the Great Giving will feature a subplot where Ted Lasso must work with The Mandalorian to find Station Eleven (“I remeber damage,” Ted says, “but I sure as heck don’t remember dinos!” The Mandalorian silently nods. Pedro was not available for filming that day). You’ll go to sleep at day’s end, and as you hit REM, a post-credits scene will appear. In your room there is a shadowy figure. You can barely see the glow of their eyes. It’s Ahsoka Tano! She has come from the world between worlds (Star Wars Rebels: Season 4, Episode 13) to see if Rey Skywalker is hiding in your walls (she is, and she owes you no explanation as to why). Finn has been recast.
0 notes
Text
FAUST (1926) – Episode 145 – Decades Of Horror: The Classic Era
“Poor Faust, why do you seek death when you have not yet lived?” That does seem kind of backward. Join this episode’s Grue-Crew – Chad Hunt, Whitney Collazo, Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, and Jeff Mohr, along with guest host Ralph Miller – as they head for the realm of silent horror with F.W. Murnau’s Faust (1926). Care to make a bargain?
Decades of Horror: The Classic Era
Episode 145 – Faust (1926)
Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel!
Subscribe today! And click the alert to get notified of new content!
https://youtube.com/gruesomemagazine
ANNOUNCEMENT
Decades of Horror The Classic Era is partnering with THE CLASSIC SCI-FI MOVIE CHANNEL, THE CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE CHANNEL, and WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL
Which all now include video episodes of The Classic Era!
Available on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, Online Website.
Across All OTT platforms, as well as mobile, tablet, and desktop.
https://classicscifichannel.com/; https://classichorrorchannel.com/; https://wickedhorrortv.com/
The demon Mephisto has a bet with an Archangel that he can corrupt a righteous man’s soul and destroy in him what is divine. If he succeeds, the Devil will win dominion over the earth.
Director: F.W. Murnau
Writers: Gerhart Hauptmann (titles), Hans Kyser (titles), Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (play “Faust”) (as Johann Wolfgang Goethe)
Producer: Erich Pommer
Cinematographer: Carl Hoffmann
Selected Cast:
Gösta Ekman as Faust
Emil Jannings as Mephisto
Camilla Horn as Gretchen
Frida Richard as Gretchen’s mother
William Dieterle as Valentin, Gretchen’s brother
Yvette Guilbert as Marthe Schwerdtlein, Gretchen’s aunt
Eric Barclay as Duke of Parma
Hanna Ralph as Duchess of Parma
Werner Fuetterer as Archangel
Featuring innovative special effects for the time, Faust, directed by F.W. Murnau (Nosferatu, 1922), is one of the preeminent examples of German expressionism. Faust is Murnau’s final German film before heading to the U.S. where he would make three more films before passing in 1931 at the young age of 42. In the movie, Mephisto sets out to prove to an Archangel that he can corrupt a man’s soul. An early example of superb cinema and intellectual horror, it is a must-see indeed. Check out what the Grue-Crew thinks of this true masterpiece.
At the time of this writing, Faust can be streamed from the Classic Horror Movie Channel, Kanopy, and Hoopla, as well as various subscription and PPV options. The movie is also available on physical media as a Blu-ray from Kino Lorber’s Kino Classics line. If you haven’t yet experienced Faust, there is no time like the present.
If silent films are your thing, you might want to check out these episodes of the Classic Era focusing on silent horror films:
THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1920) – Episode 13
NOSFERATU (1922) – Episode 21
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925) – Episode 42
THE CAT AND THE CANARY (1927) – Episode 60
HÄXAN (1922) – Episode 79
PHANTOM CARRIAGE (1921) – Episode 85
THE GOLEM (1920) – Episode 99
Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror: The Classic Era records a new episode every two weeks. Up next in their very flexible schedule is one chosen by Jeff. In honor of Raquel Welch’s passing on 15 February 2023, the crew’s next topic will be Fantastic Voyage (1966). Despite what you might think, the film is not based on an Isaac Asimov novel. It does, however, feature Oscar-winning special effects along with performances from Donald Pleasance and a bevy of top-notch character actors.
Please let them know how they’re doing! They want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave them a message or leave a comment on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel, the site, or email the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era podcast hosts at [email protected]
To each of you from each of them, “Thank you so much for watching and listening!”
Check out this episode!
0 notes
Text
#SheGotDaSword @rhiau
#mood of the day now#sharon is 2 happy#【 IN CHARACTER. 】━ THE DUCHESS IS NOW AVAILABLE. ❞#【 DASH COMMENTARY. 】━ LOOKING THROUGH THE SHADOWS & GATHERING INFORMATION. ❞
11 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
tbone-works
T-BONE
dickinson-s3-ep1-online-free
WATCH HD Dickinson Season 3 Episode 1 ONLINE Full – Episodes
sasquatch-turtleneck
Logan Echolls enthusiast
entername322
Beep Bop Beep
ypuytu
초,중,고딩 섹스할 구미,대구여자구함