#Alaric ( inquiries )
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Book Notes: Fantasy Roundup
Or, some ideas for what to read when you have a book hangover from Iron Flame:
Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle
When Emory is the sole survivor of a secret ritual in the caves below Aldryn College, her healer powers, given to those born during the new moon on a rising tide, begin to shift into something strange and uncontrollable. Will her estranged friend Baz, brother to one of the students who died, help Emory figure out her new powers and what really happened that night? This debut fantasy has it all — dark academia, an upper YA that crosses over beautifully into adult, a murder mystery, secret societies, forbidden magic, a pining romance and the most gorgeous book design I’ve seen in a while. The magic system is built around the moon phases and the tides. Curious Tides is book one of a planned duology.
The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon
What happens when Talasyn and Alaric, two soldiers from opposite sides of an entrenched war meet on the battlefield and discover their opposing powers combine to create something entirely new and unexpected? They continue to absolutely hate each other while having to work together to save their people from an even worse fate. Of course. And we all know what happens when two attractive people hate each other. Drawing inspiration from Southeast Asia, debut Filipino author Thea Guanzon has penned a fun, fresh fantasy that balances an authentic depiction of the toll of conflict on a population with a strong cast of characters and all the political machinations of Machiavelli. The Hurricane Wars is book one of a planned trilogy.
Godkiller by Hannah Kane
In a world where gods, fed by the attention, prayers, and offerings of humans, can also be destroyed by them, three disparate people come together to travel to the ruined city that was the last stand in the wars between gods and people. Kissen, a godkiller for hire. Elo, a former knight turned baker. And Inara, a young girl whose life has become intertwined with a god of white lies, Skedi. The four travel together to Blenraden, hopeful that they will find a way to untangle Skedi from Inara. All the feels of quest fantasy with characters that are delightfully flawed and human. The world building was immersive and queer normative with a host of diverse characters. The religious and magic system was at once familiar but with enough twists to make it unexpected. Godkiller is book one of a planned trilogy.
The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab
From page one of The Fragile Threads of Power, I was invested all over again in the world of the four Londons, seven years after the events from The Shades of Magic trilogy (also excellent, if you want to start there). The plot works together like interchanging gears, or a chess game, the movement of each character affecting the others, often unknowingly. There are characters from the original trilogy, new additions, and Tes, the one who, unconsciously, holds the key to everything. Schwab investigates power in this novel -- who has it and who controls it, and by whose standards its morality is judged. Schwab puts a lot of things in motion in this book, and only a few are resolved by the end. The Fragile Threads of Power is book one of planned trilogy. You can always go back and read The Shades of Magic series in the meantime!
What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
I can’t think of a more fun combination than 1880’s Egyptian archeological digs, a feisty heroine determined to find out what happened to her explorer parents, and a current of magic running through it all. When Inez Olivera hears that her parents, on a dig in Egypt, are presumed dead, she takes matters into her own hands. Inez books passage from Bolivia to Egypt, intent on discovering the truth. What she finds in Egypt is an infuriatingly handsome young man, assisting her guardian in carrying on her parents discoveries, and men thwarting her inquiries at every turn. Add to this a mysterious ring that connects Inez to the magic of the past and the questions continue to pile up. It will take a trip up the Nile and many near escapes just to get Inez closer to any answers. Packed with action, a slow burn romance, and a huge twist kept me enthralled to the very last page. What the River Knows is book one of a planned YA duology.
Hopefully you find one, or many, of these titles to be a satisfying read!
— Lori
#island books#lori robinson#book notes#fantasy reads#ya fantasy#curious tides#pascale lacelle#hurricane wars#godkiller#hannah kaner#v. e. schwab#fragile threads of power#isabel ibanez#what the river knows#thea guanzon
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The bell tolls for Barbie in “Barbie”
Andrea Nevins’ fascinating 2018 documentary “Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie” has sat heavily on me for a while now. The movie explores the tenuous future of the world’s most iconic doll alongside her impressive yet troubled legacy. Far from being just a children’s toy, Barbie is an entire socio-political warzone wrapped in plastic –- and arguably, at different times throughout history, she’s been the bomb as much as she’s been the one caught downwind from its shock.
For decades, it was seemingly enough that Barbie allowed little girls the freedom to imagine a world beyond motherhood. That somewhere within her impossible hourglass dimensions –- 36-18-33. Designed by a man, of course –- was the potential for children to occupy spaces of great ambition, fantasy, and glamour within their imaginations.
The idea that if you can see it, you can be it was tightly bound into Barbie’s branding. This was a doll who told girls that they could be anything they wanted to be. Hell, Barbie was an astronaut 18 years before Sally Ride would become the first American woman to take to the stars. And since 1992, she’s put herself forward as a Presidential candidate during almost every U.S. election year.
Aspirational though she may be, Barbie also comes with a great deal of baggage. As “Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie” states, the doll is also irrevocably tied to endless debates regarding white supremacy, body image, gender, and the many great complicated mythologies of beauty, womanhood, and femininity which tie into these issues. When an attempt was made to make Barbie more relevant to modern girls, it exposed perhaps the doll’s greatest failure: She could be everything –-except relatable.
Barbie could indeed be a great many incredible things. But she was never anything beyond the gender binary or heteronormative. Barbie was never fat, sick, or disabled. She wasn’t ever a shade darker than sunkissed and her hair, whether natural or from a bottle, was blondest of blonde: healthy hair, thick hair, attractive hair, girly hair. The toy reinforced the worst cultural expectations of women –- that anytime we erred beyond the representation of this doll in any way, we had automatically done a disservice to our cultural identity.
Barbie represents an impossible expectation –- one that all women are still expected to live up to, and that not a single one can. Femininity and womanhood can be a great pleasure to inhabit and to enjoy, but it can also be a burden.
In as much as pink can be powerful, it can overwhelm and imprison. To boast it as an adult is to proudly wave the flag of our people -- sissies, bimbos, pin-up girls, and queers -- but not without danger. It is the colour that society would rather hate crime than respect. It is deemed plastic and without value –- for those of us who feel the delirious nuances of the colour deep in our marrow, we know it as a colour of defiance, both a confectionary and a war cry. Delicate and vulgar, it wields the power and vulnerability to destroy and be destroyed.
It’s an idea that Greta Gerwig masterfully slaps onto the screen in “Barbie,” her subversive 2023 pink-puking masterpiece which drills a hole deep into the legacy of Mattel’s plastic cash cow -- hitting dirt, striking oil, and finding gold. Margot Robbie’s interpretation of the iconic doll is one in which she is forced to stare deep into her own complicated void. In “Barbie,” America’s capitalist dreamgirl is having an existential crisis, slamming a dreamhouse party to a stern halt when she casually enquires about whether any of her fellow Barbie dolls ever think about death –- an idea which is hardly a lucrative one in the toy industry.
It’s a slammer of a punchline, and the first instance in which Gerwig smartly contemplates the flaws at the heart of Mattel’s beloved best-seller. What kid hasn’t ever contemplated death? Some of us probably even made deep inquiries about it, hitting the oversized red alarm button equipped inside every parent, teacher, and doctor struggling to explain the tragic catastrophe of life and the human body to an 8-year-old.
As we get older, those feelings become more real: If life is a powder pink dreamhouse (or a super macho mojo dojo casa house, for every Ken reading), then death is its foundations and walls. It’s the hinges on the doors. The frames on the windows. Our mortality, and that of the people we love, is ever-present and unavoidable. And yet, at least in the West, it seems ridiculous to even imagine a Barbie capable of engaging with kids on the topic.
Later in the film, there’s even a commercial for a Depression Barbie –- she wears sweatpants day and night! She spends seven hours scrolling through her estranged best friend’s engagement photos on Instagram! Yes, she’s watching BBC's “Pride and Prejudice” again for the seventh time until she falls asleep and yes, that Starburst share-bag is fucking empty now, please and thank you.
In a film full of funnies, the advert garnered one of the biggest laughs at the screening I was at. It’s a simple joke –- maybe the most basic one there is on the topic. And yet every woman in that cinema reacted as if they’d never had this particular experience acknowledged by such a massive, mainstream film before. And by all accounts, maybe they haven’t.
But the joke concerning Barbie’s sudden anxiety regarding this mortal coil is obviously two-fold. While Barbie’s brain is slumping into sadness-in-sweatpants mode, her sudden focus on death is also a reflection of the doll’s current troubled state. In a world in which girls are able to better project their blossoming identities against video game characters and simulations, YouTube stars, and beauty apps that allow them to become and evolve their own avatars however they like, what do they need a chunk of plastic for? Particularly one who doesn’t look like them or who seemingly doesn’t share any of their values or concerns?
In “Barbie,” Robbie’s sentient meta-doll is forced to face her burgeoning irrelevance head-on when she meets who she believes to be her human counterpart –- sullen teen Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), who reads the doll to filth for crimes against feminism. “You’re a fascist,” she tells Barbie, who fails to connect the dots on her long-criticised Aryan head.
For a long time, Barbie dolls have been symbolic of larger problems and discussions, and occasionally even pointed to as a problem itself. As Robbie told ABC, “It seems like over the last 64 years, it hasn't taken much for Barbie to ignite conversation or sometimes, you know, revolutions or protests.”
When Sasha’s Mum, Gloria (America Ferrera), enters the picture, we realise that she is actually this Barbie’s human counterpart and a woman experiencing her own crisis.
In the film’s third-act monologue, she delivers a speech that not only embodies how many modern women feel at odds with each other and with themselves but also of the challenges facing Barbie –- as a doll, an icon, and a symbol of womanhood. One which cannot be everything to everyone. Barbie being representative of only the slimmest slice of the gigantic, multifaceted, and often downright depressing pie that the experience of being a woman can be reduced to. “It is literally impossible to be a woman,” Gloria begins. “... We have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we're always doing it wrong.”
Laying out the exhausting and contradictory expectations often placed on women, Gloria states, “I'm just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don't even know."
In “Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie,” Mattel’s head of Barbie design, Kim Culmone comes up against these same contradictions in trying to solve the dilemma of making the doll relevant again. It’s harrowing to watch Culmone, a woman with the purest of intentions and the greatest of passions for her job, consistently tie herself in knots in trying to solve an impossible puzzle. It’s one thing to redesign Barbie to better reflect a variety of shapes, sizes, shades, genders, and abilities. It’s another to be faced with the reality of that.
Barbie’s newly designed image may better reflect a wider cross-section of women, but it faced prejudice and mockery from focus groups. Furthermore, a new variety of dimensions also created complications –- Barbie’s one-size-fits-all system could no longer apply to a toy line celebrating diverse body types. That meant increasing the price point of Barbie dolls and accessories, making them even more inaccessible to low-income families.
Like Gerwig's Barbie, when this new configuration of the dolls hit the real world, they were faced with the problems of the real world, too: All of its hatred, oppression, and narrow-mindedness crashing down upon their beautiful fat, disabled, non-binary, Black plastic bodies with all the weight of a Daily Mail-sponsored demolition compactor.
It's a fascinating if melancholy documentary. And it also shares a commentary in common with Gerwig’s comedic take on the doll –- and in turn, on the impossible demands of womanhood within a system designed against us. Barbie is confined by many boxes –- literal, symbolic, metaphorical. And all of them relate to the ways in which we, as women, are likewise boxed in and shut out of spaces that should be otherwise accessible to us.
Within this Hellraiser puzzle box of life, it’s easy to ascribe the lament configurations society holds for us as permanent parts of our identity: That to be feminine is to be weak and submissive and to be a woman is to diminish our ambitions, and our instincts in favour of something palatable and easy. Maneuverable. Historically, women and all feminine people have been forced to exist within a projection of other people’s fantasies. Something inhuman and malleable, experiencing every last distasteful feast that life and the world have to offer without reacting to their bitterness. As Gerwig's "Barbie" very simply suggests, the patriarchy just wants us to be dolls who stay in our lane.
This is why the way we are represented is important –- by documentaries, by movies, or by toys. To be only sold aspirational messaging without acknowledging the myriad of obstacles on the long road to success is a monumental failure and a disservice to the young women being set up for the slamming disappointments that life has to offer. Our experiences have value. And while we may all share some common ground on that, our diverse backgrounds and identities will always separate us within spaces within which we should be united.
It's not enough anymore for the world's most iconic doll to encourage big dreams from little girls. We know there are fewer obstacles for women in most careers these days, -- Barbie's plump, pick-me CV certainly suggests as much, anyways -- but that doesn't mean we're any more welcome within the mojo dojo casa houses of those spaces.
What is lacking is the acknowledgment of our basic needs and humanity: The space to be as unattractive, weird, sick, loud, stupid, and desperate as men are given. We want to be allowed to struggle and to fail -- even if that means staring straight into the valley of death and attempting a stunt down and through it.
United or not, what we do have in common is the small stuff: We’ve all dreamt of the fantastic and the unachievable. We carry impossible standards, and we unconsciously or otherwise likewise subscribe to them, too. But in our hearts, we’re all complex and messy, floating from one crisis to another. And I mean, who hasn’t stopped a party cold by talking inappropriately and unprovoked about death?
That version of the doll may not sell, but it could be the one version of womanhood that we can all agree on. We're pink, and we wield the power and vulnerability to destroy and be destroyed.
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Anonymous asked:
💭 Akashic for Zhen and H!Zhen
Send 💭 + an url or a character's name to hear my muse's true thoughts on them!
“I can’t stand either of them. I don’t care what personal opinions they have on me for my own affections but they should leave me the hell alone. Honestly, they keep causing trouble and hostilities and I’m sick of it. Especially that murderous personality. I wish I had the ability to keep her as far away as possible from me.” Frustration was all that this inquiry was met with. “Sometimes I wish Alaric would manage to get ahold of her to kill her and as the Records proper I’m not supposed to take opinions on such matters.”
#「 Akashic 」#IC | Keeping To The Script#Answered Ask | A Voice That Transcends Time#Anonymous | The Affront to God
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( @thewolfisawake ) asked: 🎰
Random Ship Generator
1. Sorin and Hermes
A wide grin spreads across the messengers lips, golden irises taking in the sight. “Quite the place you have here. You’ve got room for the whole week?” Head tilts, curiosity peaked. He was sure there were a few others who might enjoy this place too. Maybe he should invite them some time. Not yet though, he wanted to enjoy at least some of this on his own first.
2. Wilhelmina and Aneira
Violet eyes shift towards the newcomer, a warm smile gracing her lips in greeting. “Hello there, are you new here?” It wasn’t often they got new people in Liandros, but if they were here, that meant, for the most part, she could trust them. Or at least, that’s what she has come to learn of this place. Then again, if she said that aloud she’d be quickly reminded that even here, not everyone was to be trusted.
3. Bijou and Galel
It was too easy... far too easy. Wrong? Yes but fun? Defintiely. Drinking these humans out of their cash, even if he didn’t need it, was quite the thrill. So when golden irises land on the woman on the side, he couldn’t help but allow his grin to grow wider. “What’s the matter, don’t want to try it out for yourself? Think you can outlast me? I’ve already had quite the head start. Easy-pickings now.” Cash is slipped into the inside pocket of his jacket before waving the bartender over.
4. Hijiri and Claes
“Hey,” Claes called out, cup in hand as he quickly followed behind the other. “Excuse me,” Greek accent thick, he quickens his pace not sure if the other realized he was speaking to him. “I think they switched our orders,” cup is held upward, name written across the side for the other to see. “Is this you?”
5. Rukiya and Alaric
“My apologies,” Alaric bowed, sage green eyes on the woman before him. “I was informed that the service wasn’t acceptable for that I would like to offer you not only an upgrade on your room, but an extra night stay, if you are willing to accept?” It was unacceptable that anything in his hotel wasn’t running exactly as it should. Even if it were something as simple as a computing error. Nonetheless, that was something he couldn’t let slip.
#( answered )#Hermes ( inquiries )#Aneira ( inquiries )#Galel ( inquiries )#Claes ( inquiries )#Alaric ( inquiries )#I'm sorry kirei#this got buried#thewolfisawake
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αℓαяι¢ тαg ∂υмρ
#Alaric ( dossier )#Alaric ( mindset )#Alaric ( interests )#Alaric ( visage )#Alaric ( wardrobe )#Alaric ( threads )#Alaric ( open rp )#Alaric ( inquiries )#Alaric ( drabble )#Alaric ( relation )#( tag dumps )
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A ‘what if’ idea I have for Blair
What if Klaus was the one who brought Blair to Mystic Falls?
Blair Alden Han unlocked the door to her newly furnished apartment and dropped her duffle bag near the door before looking at the time on her cellphone. “Showtime,” she said to herself with a grin before making her way down the hall to enter the apartment there.
Blair saw the unconscious Katherine upon the floor and said to herself, “What I wouldn’t give for a stick right now.” Seeing that the ceremony wasn’t over yet, Blair took a seat on the sofa and awaited patiently. Soon enough Klaus would be taking possession of the history teacher’s body and then their work could truly begin.
Katherine started to regain consciousness, which prompted Blair to turn her attention there. Blair hopped off the couch and crouched in front of Katherine with a faux sweet smile on her face and a tone to match. “Don’t get up too fast, darling. I’m sure that spell was a kicker. And in case you haven’t noticed yet, your Daylight Necklace is gone.”
Katherine pushed herself up into more of a sitting position. “Who the hell are you?”
“Time enough for that later. Right now, I intend to enjoy the show.” Blair turned around and watched as Klaus’ Witch completed the ceremony.
Katherine got to her feet and watched as the male Witch bowed down to Alaric. “Alaric?”
Blair laughed at Katherine’s inquiry. “Guess again, darling.”
Katherine didn’t waste another second and used her Vampire speed to leave the apartment, only as soon as she threw the door open she found an invisible barrier was keeping her within the apartment. Katherine knew she was in for it now, and turned around to find ‘Alaric’ approaching. When he greeted her with the words that echoed from her past, “Zdravei, Katerina,” she knew exactly who it was. “Klaus?”
Blair moved beside Klaus who was presently in possession of Alaric Saltzman’s body, and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Now that is correct, darling. Care to guess who I once was?”
Katherine had no idea who she was until the fact that she had been called ‘darling’ repeatedly finally clicked. “Marie?”
“Correct again, darling” Blair smiled as she looked at Klaus then back to Katherine to say, “Oh, how we have missed you.”
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Alaric sends another bunch of emails to publishers. So far he’s been having zero luck with his book of poems called The Undisputable Courage of a Pile of Goo that he wrote in sixamian pentameter. No one seems to be interested in poetry these days. The publishers keep returning his book and the best reply he’s gotten so far was an inquiry if he by any chance happened to have a hot alien romance written in his drawer. They would publish that right away. Of course he didn’t! He wasn’t some Raven Nightshade or Beryl Heffner to write such smutty stuff!
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Recommended Reading: Paganism 101
If you’re new to paganism and not sure where to start, it’s easy to default to studying Wicca because there is such a huge volume of accessible information on modern pagan Witchcraft and most of it is labelled as ‘Wicca’. But what if you’re looking for something other than Witchcraft? Or just not sure what will suit your needs?
Here’s a list of books for beginners that look at modern pagan religions and practices in general. I have read almost all of these books, and the few that I haven’t (marked by *) were recommended to me by people whose opinions I trust.
Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America by Margot Adler
To Walk a Pagan Path: Practical Spirituality for Every Day by Alaric Albertsson*
The Path of Paganism: An Experience-Based Guide to Modern Pagan Practice by John Beckett
Paganism (Thorson’s First Directions) by Vivianne Crowley
Pagan Religions: A Handbook for Diversity Training by Kerr Cuhulain*
An Introduction to Pagan Studies by Barbara Jane Davy*
The Practical Pagan: Commonsense Guidelines for Modern Practitioners by Dana D. Eilers
Paganism 101: An Introduction to Paganism by 101 Pagans by Trevor Greenfield
A World Full of Gods: An Inquiry into Polytheism by John Michael Greer*
Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions by Joyce & River Higgenbotham
Pagan Spirituality: A Guide to Personal Transformation by Joyce & River Higgenbotham
Being a Pagan: Druids, Wiccans and Witches Today by Ellen Evert Hopman and Lawrence Bond
Pagan Paths: A Guide to Wicca, Druidry, Asatru, Shamanism and other Pagan Practices by Pete Jennings
Voices from the Circle: The Heritage of Western Paganism by Prudence Jones and Caitlin Matthews
Seeking the Mystery: An Introduction to Pagan Theologies by Christine Hoff Kraemer
Exploring the Pagan Path: Wisdom From the Elders by Kristin Madden
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Paganism: Meaningful Ways to Commune with Nature and Follow the Pagan Spiritual Path by Carl McColman
Paganism: An Introductory Guide by Riley Star
Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives by Michael Strmiska*
One Heart, Many Gods: The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Devotional Polytheism by Lucy Valunos
Pagan Theology: Paganism as a World Religion by Michael York
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Life is not a love song, we can try
The holidays were supposed to be a time for family and yet Alaric had been avoiding his family even before the holiday season fully settled in, happy parents holding hands and window shopping for their children while Alaric dodged all inquiries and invitations that he could from his own parents.
They'd wanted to know who he was going to the Yule Ball with and he'd prevaricated, insisting he wasn't sure if he'd be going and questioning if a date would be appropriate considering Gisela's death. Basically, he'd lied through his teeth while smiling at his mother because he knew that if he told the woman that he had a date with a muggleborn girl, a girl he was in a relationship with, that it wouldn't go over well. He remembered the way they reacted to Dirk, after all, and he didn't want the list of politely suggested pureblood women to turn into something else like a short list of future brides.
When Christmas grew closer, there were owls. A lot of them. Eloquent missives from his mother asking about his plans and if he'd be joining them, how work was going, and wanting to know how much time he'd have away. Really, his mum nearly wrote his excuse for him that time, making it easy for Alaric to claim that work was busy, there was a large order that had been destroyed and needed to be dealt with, that he wouldn't be able to make it home and sent both his parents his best like it would really have been difficult to step through the floo for an evening to see them.
That was just another thing that was politely ignored.
Of course, Alaric's parents weren't fools and there was only so long he could avoid them... which was better than Ari, at least, because Alaric had never managed to avoid them. He usually didn't want to, but it seemed that the older they became, the fewer opinions they held that remained the same.
You need to come home
it was his father's bold script and short, no nonsense manner, the one that said there were certain things that Avery men did and certain things they did not. Alaric knew that tone and knew he was going home.
December 28th, 2pm.
The letter arrived the day after Christmas and that didn't seem like enough time to prepare for facing his parents, but it was enough time for him to begin to panic about what they could know. It could be something innocent, it could have been about Ari's time being questioned by the Ministry, it could be that something had happened to his aunt in Azkaban, it didn't necessarily have anything to do with the fact he kissed a girl in Hogsmeade after Halloween, that he let her stay with him after her roommate disappeared and that she was his date to the Yule ball.
Maybe it didn't have anything with the fact he loved her.
Getting ready to go back to his childhood home and see his parents felt akin to slipping on an old skin, dressing himself in layers of propriety and perhaps shame that he'd slowly been discarding since... well, since the first time he'd met Pandora, hadn't it been?
Although he couldn't give Pandora all the credit, talking to Dirk had helped him as well and that was another thing his parents likely wouldn't take well to. They'd warned him about Dirk's influence last time and told him what they thought about his 'proclivities', after all, hadn't they?
"Alaric."
It was his mother that greeted him first after one of the house elves showed him into the study, one of the poor thing's ears looking blackened, charred as if by the fire in the grate and Alaric wondered almost absently what the creature had done to provoke enough ire for that. Maybe the silver hadn't been polished properly.
They approached each other just enough that they could take hold of each other's elbows, exchanging air kisses as the smell of her perfume made him think of dying flowers left over from a funeral decaying upon a gravestone. Her dress was dark, a burgundy reminiscent of wine and she was clearly in good health, so he hadn't been called because anything was wrong with her, and the fact neither of his parents were in black led him to believe his aunt hadn't been given the kiss, either. Not that she would have been dead, just soulless, which really had already been a subject for debate.
"Hello, mum," He said in response before turning to his father. Nothing but a handshake there, but that's how things had been for years. Since leaving for Hogwarts, probably, so it didn't really matter and it wasn't unexpected, but it did help remind him of how casually affectionate he'd become with people lately. He'd hugged Delilah that last time he'd seen her and could probably get away with hugging Gil, too.
Actually, it was Gil, so cheek kisses might be acceptable, too.
"What was so urgent?" He said it with a mild tone of concern and a look of puzzlement, but if he was concerned about anything, it wasn't for how his parents were doing. He wanted to think they'd summoned him there because of Ari, but Alaric couldn't really bring himself to believe that. The idea of Ari needing someone else to help look out for them seemed too far fetched and if they needed a lawyer or an alibi, his parents wouldn't be going to him.
"Son, sit down." His father said as he sat down and steepled his fingers, and oh, that wasn't good. That serious 'you're in trouble' stuff and Alaric's jaw tensed as he bit back the instinctual 'yes, sir' and sat down.
"We know you've lied to us." The man started, his tone dripping in disapproval.
Well, bless his father for never beating around the bush.
"You've been seen repeatedly with a blonde woman that we've been told works for the Quibbler." The man's lip curled as if the word itself was distasteful and Alaric was aware of the reputation the Quibbler had, but that didn't mean Pandora wasn't good at what she did. "And who is muggleborn."
And there it was, the real issue they had. It wasn't about her job or her name or where she was from, but her blood. It always seemed to come back down to blood in families like his and as Alaric remembered the worry that had choked him when he first told Pandora about his family, he felt a sort of distant anger prickle at his skin. "I'm sure I've been around several women that are blonde. As for muggleborn, it's not a habit of mine to check their blood status." He responded as neutrally as he could, mentally recalling every blonde that he'd spoken to recently before adding on as an afterthought, "I don't check their occupation, either."
How the hell did they know Pandora was a muggleborn, anyway? Some blasted Ministry contact, most likely. But not Ari. He hoped not Ari.
"Lies, Alaric. You took this woman to the ball."
"Mother wanted me to attend," Alaric countered, stubbornly defiant in a way his parents likely thought he'd grown out of it. It was almost nice in a way to prove them wrong, even as his stomach churned anxiously, their disappointment running over him like an oil slick.
"You're not going to use her name?" He asked, letting out a disbelieving huff before shaking his head, hair falling in his eyes. "You seem to know everything else about this woman, don't you know that?"
His father's lips thinned, anger flashing in his eyes, but it was his mother that spoke next. "And what are your intentions towards Miss Kane?"
Oddly enough, it was his mother's ire that he feared more than his father's, her cold precision and cool manners more intimidating and Alaric swallowed back the first thought to come into his head. To court her. It was the truth, he wanted to make sure that Pandora felt special and important and not like entertainment on the side that didn't measure up to other options his family would approve of. To love her. Well, he'd found himself doing that without much thought on his part, hadn't he? Besides, it wasn't like love was something that mattered to his parents. He'd loved Dirk and they rewarded him for that by arranging his marriage to Gisela.
Lowering his head, Alaric noticed a scuff mark on one of his boots and knew what his parents wanted to hear. Nothing, he didn't have any intentions towards Pandora, just like they didn't have any regard or respect for her at all. They accused him of lying to them before, but that felt like the ultimate lie and Alaric couldn't bring himself to say it, didn't want to. He didn't want to disrespect Pandora or his feelings for her lie that and besides, he's promised her better.
The fall out from Dirk had taught him better.
"I'm... not really sure," Alaric finally said slowly, lifting his eyes and wondering where Ari was, why they weren't present. It was probably a good thing they weren't, but he thought of them anyway, of the way they'd always fearlessly announced their decisions and who they were. Their parents may not have always understood or initially approved of Ari, but it always seemed like they were proud of them in the end. They certainly weren't going to approve of what Alaric was doing and they weren't going to be proud, but that was fine. They weren't the ones that Alaric wanted to be proud of him anymore.
Instead, Pandora was, and Dirk, too. And maybe even Gil, who'd grinned at him so brilliantly at the ball while showing off his engagement ring and mentioning Pandora. He couldn't let them down.
"But I know this much. I know she matters to me and that I don't care where she works or what her blood status is."
His mother's laugh was harsh as she leaned back in her chair, settling herself in while Alaric's father stood up, circling around to grab a glass. Scotch, of course. The only thing a real Avery would drink, and Alaric only watched his father long enough to determine his path before returning his gaze to his mother, ignoring the sound of glass on wood.
"Foolish boy," His mother chided. "You said the same thing about that Cresswell man, didn't you?"
Mentioning Dirk felt like a low blow, but it was true and Alaric knew that was something he had to live with, prompting him to lift his chin up and push his shoulders back, readying himself to have painful, shameful memories pulled back up. "Yes, I did." He said.
And I shouldn't have failed him, he thought.
"Good," His mother said, throwing Alaric. He hadn't expected her to be pleased, of all things. "Then we'll handle this situation the same as last time. You'll end this ridiculous dalliance and we'll find you a proper match, but we might need to do something to discredit this girl first. We'll find someone better this time - It can even be another blonde, if that's to your tastes, I think the Greengrass family has a child around your age..."
It was happening again, like someone had set a record on to play and it was finally starting to repeat. It felt like the bottom of Alaric's stomach had dropped out, his skin cold despite the fire in the room and Alaric's chest felt tight like there was a metal band restricting his breathing. Once again his mother was detailing his life while his father sipped and scotch and nodded, like she was handling some minor inconvenience to him that he didn't really care about and was only waiting to sign off on, like party expenses or house elf replacement or something like that. This was his life, they shouldn't do that.
"No." It came out quietly and not entirely evenly, something that Alaric soon realized and he cleared his throat before repeating. "No. I'm not going to do that."
"No?" His mother repeated, the word admittedly not one he said to either parent much and the sound of it had caused her to instantly shut up. "And just what do you think you're going to do instead?"
Standing up, Alaric glanced over at the scotch with a sense of longing before sighing. "I don't know, but you're not going to try marrying me off again. It made me miserable and besides, you're already getting a perfect marriage out of Ari. Leave me out of it."
His mother stood up as well, the distance closing between them as she stalked forward on tiny spike heels and glared, pink dots on her cheeks. "Excuse me?" She said, dangerously quiet and still completely polite, his father watching them with interest in the background. "Do you really want to disappoint us again, Alaric? Do you want to bring shame to our name? I won't let you do it, you're not bringing our family down for some illicit affair with a muggleborn. You'll either find a proper girl to marry or you will no longer be part of this family."
The shaking feeling was back, but he didn’t know if it was from anger or fear as he thought about the future his parents wanted before thinking with unwavering certainty, If I'm marrying anyone, it's Panda. "Fine." He said. "Then do it. Disown me. Burn me from the family tree because I don't want to be your ideal son anymore."
He saw it coming, but Alaric did nothing to stop it as his mother's hand flew through the air and slapped him across the face, the stinging sensation swift and sharp. It wasn't the first time she'd done it, there was a reason Alaric didn't like people reaching for his face, but it would likely be the last time.
"You've never been an ideal son." His mother hissed, and it was only at that point that Alaric realized his father stood up.
"And now I'm not a son at all," Alaric reassured her, turning away and going for the fireplace instead of the door that would take him out of the front. The chair on the mantle had held floo powder for as long as he could remember and it still did as he lifted off the lid and took some in his fingers. "Make sure to tell Ari they're an only child now, won't you?"
Not waiting for their response, Alaric tossed the floo powder into the fire and stepped in, yelling "Diagon Alley."
If he was lucky, his parents would thinking he was bluffing or they actually would get in touch with Ari in an attempt to make him change his mind. It didn't really matter what they did to Alaric as long as it bought him a little bit of time. He knew they would follow through on their threat eventually and disown him, but before they did, he planned on making it to Gringotts and getting as much money out of the family accounts as he could.
And after that, he was going to buy a damned engagement ring.
#abuse tw#for a slap and implications of house elf punishment but I just wanted to be safe#i don't remember if I have a tag for self paras#I've been waiting three weeks for this
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❓( Valerie & Alaric )
( send for my muse to answer all questions honestly )
Does my muse trust yours?
"I suppose I do."
Does my muse dislike yours?
"On occasion when he's being especially difficult. Or maybe I'm just frustrated when we can't talk ..."
Would my muse kill someone for yours?
"... Yes."
Would my muse kill your muse?
"... I ... I don't think I can ..." Just the thought of it unsettled her in more ways than one.
Would my muse save yours?
"Absolutely!" The word slipped out before the mind had a chance to even consider it.
Does my muse find your muse attractive?
Cheeks grow warm over the inquiry. Index nervously toying with a lock as gaze averts entirely from the stranger. "... I ... suppose ... he is ..."
Is my muse disgusted by yours?
"Only when he's being temperamental."
would my muse go on a date with your muse?
"Go on a date with Alaric? -- Hell would freeze over before that happens." Especially when he seemed to dislike her so much. "... I don't know. It sounds like a waste of a question."
would my muse kiss yours?
"Again? Listen, you're asking hypotheticals that'll never happen." In what dimension would Alaric even think of her differently? "-- Maybe? Who knows." And yet something about the question has her think otherwise. As if there was a familiarity in it but -- ah, she couldn't remember!
would my muse betray yours?
"... I don't know." Lately, obeying her superior's orders was becoming difficult when faced with Alaric upon her return. Could she really ... betray him?
my muse’s favorite thing about yours is ____
"His dedication to those who rely on him."
the thing my muse dislikes about yours is_____
"His lack of honesty. Not to mention his attitude."
|| @vacuitas ||
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Some Money for Your Time
read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2miT3f7
by MeltedPanini
Mystic Falls is a hot bed for magic and monsters, so it's only fitting that Jason is resurrected there. And it's even more fitting that he almost terrified some high school girl to death in the process.
This incident pulls Jason into a mystery, in which he encounters both old and new foes and forms some interesting (to put it kindly) alliances to combat said enemies. These "allies" grow to include both a narcissistic vampire named Damon Salvatore and the aforementioned high school girl who Jason managed to nearly petrify to death. Goodie.
As always, read and review at your leisure! :)
Words: 2408, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English
Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, Batman (Comics), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Categories: F/M
Characters: Jason Todd, Damon Salvatore, Original Characters, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne, Ra's al Ghul, Selina Kylie, Dracula, Stefan Salvatore, Klaus Mikaelson, Alaric Saltzman, Elena Gilbert, Katherine Pierce, Bonnie Bennett, Caroline Forbes, Matt Donovan, Tyler Lockwood, Jeremy Gilbert, Willis Todd, Carol Lockwood, Malachai "Kai" Parker
Relationships: Jason Todd/Original Female Character(s), Damon Salvatore/Original Female Character(s), Bonnie Bennett/Original Male Character(s), Elena Gilbert/Stefan Salvatore, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne, Bonnie Bennett/Malachai "Kai" Parker, Jason Todd/Reader, Damon Salvatore/Reader
Additional Tags: character driven, Plot Driven, Mystery, Angst, Eventual Smut, And Some Not so Eventual Smut, Mythology References, Symbolism, Genuine Friendship, Genuine Hatred, vampire lore, witch lore, History, Politics, Research and Inquiry, bildungsroman, Violence, Fighting, Death, Team Ups and Alliances, Supernatural Elements, Romance, Slow Burn, Actual Journal Writing, Flashbacks, POV Multiple, OFC can be read as Reader Insert
read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2miT3f7
Follow for more Bonkai Updates
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Some Money for Your Time
read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2miT3f7
by MeltedPanini
Mystic Falls is a hot bed for magic and monsters, so it's only fitting that Jason is resurrected there. And it's even more fitting that he almost terrified some high school girl to death in the process.
This incident pulls Jason into a mystery, in which he encounters both old and new foes and forms some interesting (to put it kindly) alliances to combat said enemies. These "allies" grow to include both a narcissistic vampire named Damon Salvatore and the aforementioned high school girl who Jason managed to nearly petrify to death. Goodie.
As always, read and review at your leisure! :)
Words: 2408, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English
Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, Batman (Comics), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Categories: F/M
Characters: Jason Todd, Damon Salvatore, Original Characters, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne, Ra's al Ghul, Selina Kylie, Dracula, Stefan Salvatore, Klaus Mikaelson, Alaric Saltzman, Elena Gilbert, Katherine Pierce, Bonnie Bennett, Caroline Forbes, Matt Donovan, Tyler Lockwood, Jeremy Gilbert, Willis Todd, Carol Lockwood, Malachai "Kai" Parker
Relationships: Jason Todd/Original Female Character(s), Damon Salvatore/Original Female Character(s), Bonnie Bennett/Original Male Character(s), Elena Gilbert/Stefan Salvatore, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne, Bonnie Bennett/Malachai "Kai" Parker
Additional Tags: character driven, Plot Driven, Mystery, Angst, Eventual Smut, And Some Not so Eventual Smut, Mythology References, Symbolism, Genuine Friendship, Genuine Hatred, vampire lore, witch lore, History, Politics, Research and Inquiry, bildungsroman, Violence, Fighting, Death, Team Ups and Alliances, Supernatural Elements, Romance, Slow Burn, Actual Journal Writing, Flashbacks, POV Multiple
read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2miT3f7
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One of our female patient Before and After Goretex Rhinoplasty, Alar Plasty and Tip Plasty. For more before and after results, you may check out our galleries and message us for inquiries. (at The Renewed You Aesthetic Clinic) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxIzpXvAQxy/?igshid=1vz7e8q3q7lfm
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( @lunarxdaydream ) asked: 🎰
Send 🎰 for me to put our muses in a random list generator and post the first five as potential ships! I will be excluding any muses that are considered unavailable or taken // Still Accepting
1. Nieva and Hades (Greeks)
It was her aura that caught his attention, one undeniably... unique. Hades didn’t leave the Underworld often, and those few times he did he always found himself rather surprised by the changes. The world was steadily growing, developing, always changing and letting the god feel left behind. But what was even more unusual, was coming across someone with an air about them that he’d never felt before. He cared little about this “set up”, though his curiosity was stirred nonetheless. “Forgive me, for this may be rather rude... but just who are you?”
2. Aria Mercades and Mikkel Eyríkurson (Liandros)
Vivid teal irises are barely concealed by the dark of night, jeweled hands instinctively drawing the cloak tighter around himself. What... was even happening? It felt as if a spotlight was suddenly shone on him, worriedly gazing around their surroundings for a moment to make sure no one else had noticed him. He was to remain unseen, especially when outside of Liandros walls but of course, he somehow managed to garner another's attention. “Excuse me... what?”
3. Ophelia Hale and Seiji Kuranagi (Vampires)
Seiji was a romantic at heart, while he didn’t seek out anything of the sort, he always figured that if it did happen, it would be unexpected. But even then, he didn’t ever think it would be like this. What does he even do? Should he just... go along with it? “Does this interest you at all?” No point in thinking about it any further if she wasn’t even interested.
4. Eric Williams and Mavis Mac Catháin (Celtic)
A sigh left pale lips, a hint of fangs revealed as her eyes nearly rolled in annoyance. “Sorry buddy, but you’re not exactly my type, if you get the picture.” Violet irises have no shame as they drop down to between his legs, dark brow raising before her eyes lifted to meet his once more.
5. Marina and Alaric Zurcher (Lycanthropes)
Surprisingly, this wasn’t that unusual of a thing for the male, going on a date every now and then tended to give him some peace from his mother, even if it was only temporary. She always figured he was well past the age to settle down, though he clearly didn’t agree. “A date is on the table, if you are interested.”
#lunarxdaydream#( answered )#hades ;; inquiries#mikkel ;; inquiries#seiji ;; inquiries#mavis ;; inquiries#alaric ;; inquiries#mostly mellow#not too bad
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Chapter 1 Start - The Trials
There is a brief pause as you all try to comprehend what the hell just happened. God, all of this just feels so unreal, but if this really is your reality, then you’re in a bad, bad place.
“Damnit…! Who the hell does he think he is, calling himself a god like that?!”
Alaric stomps his foot in frustration. Ina stoops down, placing a hand on his shoulder in an almost motherly way.
“...We need a plan. He must be trying to restrict access to the Trials for a reason. Do you think…?”
She looks over to the group of you, Alaric following her gaze.
“...Yeah. I think I can. I don’t think I can bring everyone in at once, though. Maybe four or five people at a time.”
“It’s more than what I can do, that’s for sure. Alright, I’ll leave the Trials to you. I’ll try and keep an eye out for the wolf in the meantime. Don’t make her wait all alone for too long over there, alright?”
They exchange a nod and Alaric approaches the group of you with a bit of spring in his step.
“E-everyone! If I may have your attention! If you are uninterested in playing that scourge’s ‘game’, then there is a possibility that you may find an alternative within the Trials! I am capable of allowing a maximum of five people into the Trials at a time, and if you have any inquiries about the Trials, then please do not hesitate to ask!”
If you want to enter the Trials, create a group on Skype and add Mod Addlez!
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Tajim Kloeckler-Kuyavar ⚜ Psychic ⚜ 40 ⚜ The Scientist ⚜ ISFP
The more I see…
Knowing has always been a blessing, a curse, an obsession, for Tajim. He’s always known. He knows it all, he can’t help himself. The instant Tajim touches something, or even someone, he knows the truth of it, of them. And he can’t turn it off. When he was five, his mother started acting differently around members of the family, and curious, confused little Tajim had wanted to know why. For days he thought to himself why, why? And then he crawled into her lap and knew. His father was being extorted, and they were running out of funds to pay. His mother knew, and then Tajim knew, with absolute certainty, that if they didn’t do something, Aadarsh Kuyavar would be dead in a week.
They weren’t wrong.
It became an thirst, a terrible hunger, for Tajim, hunting down secrets, learning the answers to the badness that would come. It wasn’t until his first biology class that he realized the power he had in him. He could learn the truth down to the very atoms of anything. Who was the man that the cadaver they worked on had once been? Had he had a good life? Did he have children? Where did he grow up? What kind of tree was the paper he wrote on made of? Where did it come from? Where had the seed fallen from? Who had written on it in its last life? It didn’t matter what he wanted to know, as long as he held his curiosity at the forefront of him mind, anything he touched would share with him the answers about itself that he sought. But he also learned equally quickly that learning the truth to his questions didn’t make it true. You see, it depended on the question. If he didn’t ask the right questions, the truth he’d know would only give him part of the picture, and only relying on a part of the truth can be very damning indeed.
{Where, then, is Truth? In the hill one happens to be sitting on.}
Suddenly, finding the right question was much more exciting than the answers he found along the way. Scientific inquiry, figuring out how to prove the scientific laws that he knew to be true, to the feeble-minded scientists around him who couldn’t possibly understand his rare ability became a game to him. Yale was an afterthought, a mere tool to fuel his need for answers, for questions, the right questions that would illuminate the world in ways others could only dream of. Vic, though, Vic had dreamed these dreams. It infuriated Tajim to no end, when Vic would ask questions that had no answers, that had a thousand answers, truths pinging about in his mind until dawn. It delighted him. He had always stayed away from philosophy, from the existential. The questions that had no answers. These were the only questions that interested Vic, and unlike the science experiments he conducted, ruminating on their conversations never got old. And then one day Vic grabbed his hand, and Tajim knew he’d never let go.
… The less I know.
His latest contract, however, has pulled at the seams of their marriage. Working for the Arcane Society has released an entire world of knowledge for him to collect, to know. After a few mere months of tinkering around in the state-of-the-art facilities Rogan Jones had provided to him, to his very particular specifications, Tajim has found it difficult to leave every evening. Just one more question, and he’s sure he’ll have locked down the Truth of psychic science, psyence as Vic had so cleverly named it. The work of the Arcane Society isn’t just fascinating, it’s also important. The Arcane Society’s members save lives, protect humans from the darkness that hides in the night. Tajim’s ability isn’t just a game, it’s essential, and surely Vic won’t mind if he stays a little later, just for one more evening. Surely, by tomorrow, he’ll know, and then, well, then it will be time to go home.
Web of Connections
Vic Kloeckler-Kuyavar: Vic is the only person Tajim has ever been in love with, and he knows he’ll never love anyone else. They are partners, in everything they do, complete opposites in the most complementary way. They just fit. But lately, when Tajim catches Vic’s hand, pulls them close, he knows Vic isn’t happy. He’s sure it’s just a rough patch, and he’s sure the work will be done soon. They just have to wait it out. He knows he’ll never let Vic go. Confidence in one’s own knowledge, though, is the surest path to ignorance. Perhaps he isn’t asking the right question.
Alaric Saltzman: Because of the nature of their gifts, the two men have grown particularly close. Tajim has never had someone who understands less pleasant aspects of his gift so well, the jolt of information that hadn’t been sought, the answers which hurt to know. Alaric, or Zave, as Tajim knows his name once was, can relate all too well, and after a day of bad questions finding worse answers, there’s no one better to grab a pint with.
Lydia Martin: Lydia Martin is a positive delight. He’s never met anyone as brilliant as her, who is just as brilliant at hiding it from everyone around her. He wondered once about her neural capacity and had simply marveled at what he saw. Her brain moves quicker than even Vic’s, which is quite an impressive feat. He also knows that he doesn’t envy her the things she knows. Her ability haunts her (and sometimes him too, depending on what he’s seen) and she’s all alone with it. He’d like to reach out, to show her what the Arcane Society has to offer her, but Vic has always been the people person between them. Perhaps he’ll leave it Rogan. It is his job after all.
Camille O’Connell: Tajim knows Cami through Vic, and he knows, too, that the sadness Vic has sensed in her, isn’t misplaced. It’s not his place to reveal that knowledge, but his habit of speaking before he thinks has him wondering if maybe she doesn’t see through him. Still, she’s kind and he knows that she’s genuinely good through and through. They haven’t crossed paths many times, but she’s some of the more pleasant company he’s enjoyed since moving to NOLA.
Finn Mikaelson Vincent Griffin: The first time Tajim shook Vincent’s hand, he was struck by the discordant feeling resounding through him. Like an out-of-tune violin striking two notes at the same time, the idle thought Who are you? that he always wondered at an introduction, had a very unexpected answer. He was Vincent, but not. What the touch of his hand couldn’t tell him, he realized, in a most unsettling way, was what that not meant. Something was very wrong about this man, and he didn’t care how long it took him, he would ask the right question next time.
He has also been mentioned in the following bios: Nadia Petrova,
Plot Teasers:
With all of the things Tajim knows, it’s difficult to remember what is supposed to be a secret and what is common knowledge. His habit of confusing the two often gets him into trouble. It’s usually harmless, but in the Quarter, some secrets are meant to stay that way. Two can keep a secret, if one of them is dead.
Tajim’s work with the Arcane Society will have a huge breakthrough soon, but perhaps the truth Tajim finds isn’t what anyone expected.
On the soundtrack of his life: The Scientist - Coldplay (x)
FC: Sendhil Ramamurthy, negotiable.
Fortunately for us, Tajim is T A K E N!! | FOLLOW
#Sendhil Ramamurthy fc#active rpg#active roleplay#supernatural rp#sendhil ramamurthy#t: psychic#s: as#cast#Tajim Kloeckler-Kuyavar#Taken#takenm
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