#Ayla The Daughter of War | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

demadogs · 10 months

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Do you know any good wlw movies/ TV shows on netflix? I've watched a few, I am not ok with this, Carol, duck butter, but im LESBIAN DEPRIVED!

~🌈

YOU AND ME BOTH GIRLY.

unfortunately almost all my favorite sapphic shows have been canceled especially the ones on netflix but i do still think theyre worth your time. but it might also kill you bc the story isnt finished. all these shows are also just amazing plots too. like i would love them just as much even if there wasnt wlw relationships.

heres what i got for shows but not all of these are on netflix.

the wilds. this is an AMAZING SHOW. its on amazon its about a staged plane crash where 8 girls are stuck on an island but they dont know that its all a fucked up social experiment. a lesbian relationship became established before it got canceled after s2.

cable girls. this is on netflix and it actually DIDNT GET CANCELED HALLELUJAH. its an amazing show but it actually doesnt really count as sapphic bc one of the characters in the wlw relationship ends up being trans. but its still a great queer love. this shows spanish and set in late 1920s madrid at a telephone company. its one of my favorite shows ever literally every season is better than the last plz watch it.

everything sucks. this is on netflix and it did get canceled but the lesbian relationship was mostly established before the end of the first season. its set in the 90s and its just a really cute show im mad it got canceled.

paper girls. this is on amazon and ngl this is one of the most painful sapphic show cancelations ive ever suffered through so if you dont wanna watch it just bc of that i dont blame you. its about these four young girls who accidentally time travel from the 80s to current day and meet their future selves. the gay girlies are heavily implied and foreshadowed but they dont get together before the end of the show :(

the last of us!!! not canceled its still going!! this show has an episode that shows a past sapphic relationship with the lesbian main character but the first season doesnt introduce a new relationship yet. the second season will tho. im sure youve heard about this or already watched it but its about a zombie-like pandemic from a deadly fungus and its total post apocalyptic. also AMAZING found family father/daughter trope. dare i say i actually think i like them more than el and hopper.

i really need to find more great sapphic movies.

my favorite lesbian movie of all time is portrait of a lady on fire. its a french period piece and its just beautiful and THERE ARE LIKE ZERO MEN IN THE WHOLE MOVIE. i think the only line a man has is “bonjour” and thats it. MY KINDA MOVIE!!!!! INSTANT 5 STARS!!!!! i love this movie. the initial premise is that a woman needs to be painted but she cant know that shes being painted so the other woman has to just study her while hanging out and then paint her from memory. it ends up being much more than that but gaaahhh if you only watch one of these make it this movie.

another iconic sapphic movie is but im a cheerleader. way different tone much less dramatic and more comedy but still never gets old.

you didnt mention books but im gonna give you book recs anyway.

seven husbands of evelyn hugo!!!!!!! im sure youve heard about this. i dont think its overrated at all it really was such a good book and dont let the title fool you its gay as hell. if youre really not a reader tho this is going to be a netflix movie soon.

an amazing duo book series is criers war. i LOVE scifi and fantasy and this is my favorite sapphic scifi story ive ever read/watched. i want this to be a movie or show so bad. its about a world where some people are people and some are what they refer to as “automa” which are essentially cyborgs but they look just like humans. crier is an automa and the daughter of a king and ayla is a poor human and she has a vendetta against crier bc her father was responsible for her familys murder but crier doesnt know this! so then ayla gets the job as her maid for the goal of killing her basically but of course it gets super gay instead. its such an interesting take on the enemies to lovers trope bc its one sided, cryer has no idea ayla considers her her enemy. also neither of them are white i think crier is brown and ayla is black.

i hope you like these! and if anybody else has lesbian story recs plz put it in the replies or rbs cuz i also need more lesbian content!!!

#people plz give me more recs im begging #every new gay shit that comes out is mlm and i still eat it up usually but god where are the gay girlies :((#byler #bc a lot of you guys are lesbians #sapphic #lgbt movie #eden answers

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sapphic-book-tournament · 6 months

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We Set The Dark On Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia-

At the Medio School for Girls, distinguished young women are trained for one of two roles in their polarized society. Depending on her specialization, a graduate will one day run a husband’s household or raise his children, but both are promised a life of comfort and luxury, far from the frequent political uprisings of the lower class. Daniela Vargas is the school’s top student, but her bright future depends upon no one discovering her darkest secret—that her pedigree is a lie. Her parents sacrificed everything to obtain forged identification papers so Dani could rise above her station. Now that her marriage to an important politico’s son is fast approaching, she must keep the truth hidden or be sent back to the fringes of society, where famine and poverty rule supreme.

On her graduation night, Dani seems to be in the clear, despite the surprises that unfold. But nothing prepares her for all the difficult choices she must make, especially when she is asked to spy for a resistance group desperately fighting to bring equality to Medio. Will Dani cling to the privilege her parents fought to win for her, or to give up everything she’s strived for in pursuit of a free Medio—and a chance at a forbidden love?

Crier’s War by Nina Varela-

After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, Designed to be the playthings of royals, took over the estates of their owners and bent the human race to their will.

Now, Ayla, a human servant rising the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging the death of her family… by killing the Sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier. Crier, who was Made to be beautiful, to be flawless. And to take over the work of her father.

Crier had been preparing to do just that—to inherit her father’s rule over the land. But that was before she was betrothed to Scyre Kinok, who seems to have a thousand secrets. That was before she discovered her father isn’t as benevolent as she thought. That was before she met Ayla.

Set in a richly-imagined fantasy world, Nina Varela’s debut novel is a sweepingly romantic tale of love, loss and revenge, that challenges what it really means to be human.

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wondereads · 11 months

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WLW Book Recommendations

Happy Pride!

Recommendations are under the cut due to the size of this post. The books listed below are:

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Crier’s War by Nina Varela

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Seven Devils by L. R. Lam and Elizabeth May

Malice by Heather Walter

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (high fantasy)

Yes, this book is a monster, but it is well worth your time. Told from multiple perspectives spanning a huge fantasy world, an ancient evil is waking up, and humans must be prepared. This book does a great job of blending many different cultures into one narrative, and the way it deals with organized religion is better than any other book I've ever read. While this is a fantasy over a romance, the sapphic relationship in this book is top tier. It develops slowly and naturally; it's not big and sweeping like a lot of romance in fantasy, but the smaller things really come through.

Crier's War by Nina Varela (high fantasy)

In a fantasy world, humans are ruled over by automae, artificial beings that were initially created by humans but have now taken over as the 'superior' beings. Ayla's family was killed by the king, and she vows to take revenge by killing his own family, his only daughter, Lady Crier. I find the history of the automae very interesting in this book, and Crier's story in particular has a lot of good reveals. While this is an intense high fantasy, there is a bit of humor in it. Told from both Ayla and Crier's perspectives, I find it incredibly funny that a human girl is scheming how to assassinate a princess while said princess is experiencing her first crush on said human girl.

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri (high fantasy)

This book is set in a world inspired by ancient India, and tells the story of a maidservant and princess. The maidservant has a dark past that involves illegal magic and old societies, and the princess has been imprisoned by her cruel and despotic brother. This book is very much on the slower side, but some people prefer that. Similar to Priory, this book is told from multiple points of view, not just the two main characters. The unrest in the kingdom is slow and creeping but happens steadily and realistically. Also, concerning the romance, I actually quite like that the two main characters, Priya and Malini, don't exactly have a very healthy relationship.

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett (high fantasy)

One of my favorite books, The Winter Duke is about Ekata, one of the many children of the duchy of Kylma Above. All she wants to do is leave this place and her family to pursue her dreams of scholarship, but when her family falls into a permanent sleep the day before her departure, she must step up to rule. As someone who loves political fantasy, this book is right up my alley, and yours too as long as that's something you like. I really like that this book explicitly states that Ekata has zero interest in men romantically and is only interested in women. Her romance with Inkhar definitely brings out the YA aspects of this book. Ekata is forced to grow up so quickly, it's nice to see her have a crush and get flustered over it like any teenage girl.

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide (mystery thriller)

At a predominately white private school, the only two Black students are targeted by an anonymous texter, Aces. Though they have nothing in common, they team up in order to uncover Aces and protect their secrets. Plot wise, this is by far my favorite thriller I've ever read. It's tense, it'll keep you on the edge of your seat, and it discusses institutionalized racism, especially in academia, masterfully. One of the main characters, Chiamaka, has a great sideplot of coming to terms with her sexuality. However, when it comes between her safety and her romance, I love that she keeps a level head on her shoulders and always chooses the former. (There is also MLM rep in this book with the other POV character.)

Seven Devils by L. R. Lam and Elizabeth May (space opera sci-fi)

An intergalactic empire spreads across the universe, and it's up to a ragtag group of rebels to stop it. Eris was once heir to the entire empire, but she gave that up to be part of the Resistance, and one mission may be the deciding factor in the universe's continued freedom. While Eris is technically the main character, this is fundamentally an ensemble cast with multiple perspectives. This book has quite a bit of LGBTQ+ representation, including a sapphic relationship between two of the POV characters. While not a huge focus of the book, their relationship is sweet and touching.

Malice by Heather Walter (high fantasy)

Malice is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty following Alyce, the Dark Grace, who is reviled but used by all in the kingdom of Briar. Alyce dreams of escaping Briar until she starts to master her powers and meets the Princess Aurora. I will admit that I prefer the plot to the romance in this book for the most part, but the ending really gets me sometimes. Alyce's powers and her people's history are so interesting, and Aurora is a great, understanding, and kind love interest.

Stay tuned for more pride recommendations all throughout this month!

#books #recommendations #lgbt #pride #fantasy #mystery #science fiction #wlw #sapphic #lesbian #bisexual #pansexual #the priory of the orange tree #the jasmine throne #the winter duke #crier's war #ace of spades #seven devils #malice

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starfall-spirit · 1 year

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A Court of Twisted Wisdom

SJMNGW Prompt: Rising to Power

Summary: See ACOTW Masterlist

Chapter XVII: Training Begins

Ayla

”Oh my—” I jumped as Aelin slammed a hand down on the water table outside the training ring. She jabbed a finger towards Rox. “You’re their daughter. I knew you looked like the female I saw, Ayla. Roxanna’s a spitting image of that male.”

”I’m sorry?” she sputtered.

”Your court lies in a mountain range?” We nodded. “And those wings, I take it you inherited them from your father?” Aelin pushed.

”Yes. And my mother, I suppose.” Aelin hesitated. “She shapeshifts into an Illyrian when she feels like flying,” Roxanna explained. “I don’t particularly care to discuss how the three-quarters Illyrian blood worked out for my brother and me.”

I snickered and she elbowed my ribs. "During the war against the Valg," Aelin continued, "I had to handle the Lock. I won't bore you with the crazy history of that. Essentially, the thing happened and I was falling through the worlds and I saw Prythian. The Night Court, specifically. Your father, I believe, managed to slow my fall. I stopped here, power drained, but home safe. When you girls get back, thank him for me, will you?"

"If," I corrected the queen. "If we get back. I understand this is awkward. If we're overstaying we can travel somewhere else."

"I don't think that's necessary. Yet. Though, Rowan wants to talk to you, Ayla."

"Okay. Should I consider him armed and dangerous."

"Only always. Don't worry. You haven't pissed him off yet."

I gave my cousin an affectionate wing nudge before moving towards the warrior-consort a dozen yards out. "Hello."

"Let's walk and talk." I nodded slowly, unease creeping in as we looped around the training area. "I won't see a repeat of what happened in the throne room."

"I sincerely apologize. I was... frightened. Defensive. A few days into my gift."

"It isn't a matter of what frightened you or what damage was done. It was the fact my mate, son, and soldiers were around you. I don't care what Aelin just told you. If you lose control again you won't have a place here. You start training immediately or find somewhere else to go until you've got a grip on everything."

"And whom will I be training with?"

That's when the smirk came. "Someone else with fire power that doesn't have a kingdom to run yet."

"So, rather than proper training, I'll be undergoing dream analysis."

"He'll play nice. I hope the same can be said for you."

Without another word he shifted, soaring high and to the west. I huffed, stalking back in the direction I came only to be intercepted by the youngest Galathynius. "What?"

"Ready for lesson number one?" A new set of nerves was setting in. I hadn't tried to tap into any gifts beyond my world-crossing. But I felt it there. A pressure in my gut, growing and fading. Pushing back my irritation, I followed him out to a clear field. "A good perimeter if you lose control.” He eyed my wings for a moment, but was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. I knew he had seen the scarring. “So, how did you inherit your gifts? What kinds of magic have you noticed beyond that fire?”

“Just the world-crossing. I don’t have any Illyrian magic to master, so it’s just that silver fire from my mother.” We didn’t need to discuss the daemati struggle. “She got her gifts when she was Made fae. A gift from the Cauldron.”

He nodded. "Alright, Ayla. Show me what I've got to work with." I took a breath, reaching in for that temperamental gift. He narrowed his eyes as I summoned the flame, his own magic coming to life in his palm. "May I?"

"What?"

He kept his hand over mine, our two flames centimeters apart. "It won't burn you, I promise. I don't know if you can control burning yet, but I've mastered it and can test for harmful flames. At the moment I can sense yours won't burn either." Intrigued, I gave him a silent go ahead.

Our magic met and flared out as he turned my hands to cradle them in his. The contrasting silver I formed didn't die out, but began to blend, flickering between silver and red as if welcoming his flames to mingle. The iciness in my palm faded and my back warmed suddenly, the perfect opposite of that moment at the Blood Rite initiation. I jerked out of his grip. He seemed just as stunned. "Your back was... Ayla, why was your back glowing?"

I snorted. "Glowing? I mean it was warm suddenly, but your eyes are playing tricks on you out in this sun." Never mind I thought I'd seen the same thing in the mirror, but he didn't need to know that. How it could be bright enough to see through the tunic was another mystery.

"Right." I knew I sounded standoffish, but he moved on anyway. "Another weird thing... Your fire isn't hot."

Colder than ice. Pure death, my uncle had called it. "Does that mean you can't help me?"

"I'm sure we can do something. Especially if it continues to change like that, warming up. Let's try shielding. You'll be reshaping your fire after you summon it. Imagine it as just that. A wall. Something to block an incoming threat. Impenetrable, preferably, but we'll get there later."

It took a few moments to spark a small shield, much to my embarrassment. He was more patient than I expected, not pushing or mocking me. He just told me to try again. Focus on specific things to help bring a controlled form to life.

Life was not the first word I'd use.

The small barrier he expected to see in front of me was not what he ended up getting. Instead I was encased in silver dome, the plants around me instantly shriveling. Disintegrating. My fire wouldn't burn beside Orlon's, but it would kill in it's own way.

A voice snaked past my mind shields, seeming to move like mist, the shields being no obstacle.

At last I may greet you, Child of the Mother.

The daughter of the Prince of Bastards and the Princess of Decay.

So like your mother and yet...

Such potential gone to waste, tossing that power back.

If they were Prince and Princess you shall be a Queen of Ruin.

"No," I tried to snarl, but my voice was nowhere to be found.

She wouldn't train to the extent she should have. You, the Cauldron's last heir will train in this. You will fight with this power. You will burn your own path, two knights by your side, your lives bound for eternity.

Knights?

The voice left me with a haunting question.

My child, after so long without power and coming into your powers at the age of maturity, did you truly think your gift was as simple as the daemati?

The fire went out and the voice vanished. I didn't realize I was falling until Orlon was pulling me against his chest until I could steady myself. Wordlessly, he guided me inside, one arm hovering near my back in case I collapsed again. We got all the way to my room before he said something. "So, you can clearly shield. But who the hell was talking to you?"

I frowned, suddenly feeling cautious. "You could hear it too?"

"What was all that about your parents having titles?"

"My father's a bastard-born war hero. My mother had a crazy power that was identified as pure death. The same flames as mine, but some other stuff too. I haven't tried it."

That question echoed in my mind. My child, after so long without power and coming into your powers at the age of maturity, did you truly think your gift was as simple as the daemati?

I barely kept from shuttering as suspicions started to flood in. "I think I need a bit of rest before dinner. I'll be happy to jump back in tomorrow."

"Right. See you at dinner, Ayla."

I nodded, shutting the door and leaning against it.

You, the Cauldron's last heir will train in this. You will fight with this power. You will burn your own path, two knights by your side, your lives bound for eternity.

An ominous puzzle to solve. Joy.

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@sjmnextgenweek // @faeriequeensuriel // @pandavelaris // @s-uppertime // @goddess-aelin // @shallyne // @the-lonelybarricade

#acotw #a court of twisted wisdom #terrasen #next gen #sjmnextgenweek2023 #day 6 #rising to power

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eluntara · 1 year

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i still don't have internet so i didn't manage to set up a carrd as intended :c for now, though, the relevant information is here

i. tyrande was the only daughter of fahlorn and ayla whisperwind. despite the peaceful times, her parents died when she was still young — attacked while outside the borders of azshara's realm. she was looked after by an aunt, mytaena blackstar, her mother's sister. she learned to hunt from her aunt, and quickly proved to be quite skilled at it. none of her family was highborne, neither were they talented with the arcane.

ii. she knows the stormrages since childhood, and anyone who knew them as children would describe the trio as attached by the hip. wherever one of them was spotted, you were certain to find the other two soon after. they were her best friends, her closest friends, the only ones who knew her entirely and completely with no barriers whatsoever, and she loved them both — though given their more similar nature, illidan and tyrande were likely often leading the way into trouble with malfurion trailing after.

iii. when it was time for them to choose their paths, tyrande had no doubt it was priesthood she would choose. her choice was not made out of unyielding faith as much as it was because that was the path that suited her purpose. both a protector at heart and hopelessly incapable of staying outside of action, she sought the sisterhood of elune — to protect others. specially the ones she loved. while malfurion found himself similarly at ease in druidism and wishing the other two to follow him, she never had any true interest in the druidic arts. illidan, the one who remained lost as to which path to follow for longest, would have received nothing but support and reassurance from her. when he found his calling in the arcane, she was as content for him as she had been for malfurion.

iv. the sisterhood took adapting to. it was the first time she didn't have illidan and malfurion with her, and she felt their absence greatly, but she did make new friends among her sisters fairly easily. tyrande showed great affinity for the moon goddess from the start, having a stronger bond to elune than many other, older priestesses. while most rejoiced, there were those envious of her, specially when the high priestess, dejahna, took her under her wing.

v. always worth noting the sisterhood of elune is not like human priest orders. their role in the war of the ancients was so significant because they were both elite troops and healers. they were trained for combat as well as for healing, and tyrande was a skilled hunter even before becoming a priestess.

vi. on the thorny subject of the love triangle: i don't? really see it? as a love triangle? tyrande cared for both of them as friends. she didn't love either of them romantically irrevocably, and if any of the two, i feel she leaned more towards illidan than malfurion, but more importantly, there was a lot of pressure on her related to her making a choice because they were adults and everyone expected her to pick one of the two as her mate. regardless of the choice she'd make, that would have featured heavily on why she chooses at all. still, i think she was closer to illidan, and that this is part of why she only chooses malfurion after the war. in many ways, illidan removed himself from being a choice because tyrande wouldn't agree to the lengths he went for his goals — considering, back then, she still had faith in a better path being possible that did not require the sacrifices he would make.

also relevant to note that i think, in many ways, she feared for him, and that i think all throughout the war tyrande would never have turned her back on him, as seen in the fact she does try to reach out and help him find another path when magic addiction takes its toll on him. which is not to say she didn't care for malfurion, only that i don't think they understand each other as innately as her and illidan did. malfurion is more distant (be it because his concerns lay elsewhere, because he doesn't know how to deal with his crush on her, or whatever other reasons) and often sees things differently (he's critical even of the priestesses fighting, in the books, which is :| ). but ultimately he was also the "safer" choice, still someone she cares about, still someone who knows her better than almost anyone and who she'd trust with everything she has. there's no stating the depth of her hurt when, having trusted that, she's left on her own after the war, without anyone she cares for who really knows her, with him purposefully choosing to leave even though she asks him not to.

vii. which ties into the fact she never ever wanted to be a leader, not even within her own order, much less of her entire people. she was thrust into this role unwillingly, and she embraced it because she loves her people and wanted to protect them. ultimately, though, being high priestess and being without the two people she had always had in her life who she was closest to, and having to deal with war and adversity, all of that hardened her greatly. tyrande was always passionate and decisive and even stubborn, her determination and intensity often leading her to act rashly. but she's not unwise, nor is she uncaring, even if she can be quite ruthless when it comes to protecting her own.

viii. shandris is her daughter. it doesn't matter to her at all she's not her biological daughter, and the fact malfurion was asleep for thousands of years, as well as that he doesn't seem to get that initially, suggest to me that regardless of their relationship as a couple shandris... isn't as much their daughter as she is tyrande's daughter.

ix. i think her distrust of magic following the world almost ending due to her people's misuse of it is in part why she feels betrayed by illidan's actions and decision to try to recreate the well of eternity. that said, while i think she agreed with his punishment being imprisonment, i don't think she would have supported how it was done. maybe it was an oversight on her part, but i think it's also a very emotional reaction, that she didn't want to see him after that. he was her closest friend, and she closed up in face of that disappointment. she left it in other people's hands, and she never doubted malfurion would ensure illidan would be treated fairly, even if that was not what happened.

for ages, she's unaware of whether he's alive or dead. the lack of visits on her part, even after thousands of years, strikes me as odd; specially with how lonely she feels while ruling her people alone. i do think the state of his imprisonment, as well as his status, may have been kept from her — either by maiev, malfurion, or both. in wc3, she seems surprised to find his prison, and she doesn't know what the door to it is until she's told, after which she immediately says they should release him. when she orders the wardens to do so and they refuse, tyrande outright kills them to free him. and while her words suggest illidan is meant to be used as a weapon, i don't think she'd have wanted to free him for that reason, and rather that that's only what she uses as excuse. she wouldn't have killed her people to free him if she didn't care. deep down, it was also about freeing her friend, which is obvious in how much faith she has that illidan will show he has more than earned his freedom.

x. she rebuilds the sentinels to ensure her people will have enough of a defense, specially after they renounce the magic they relied on for so long during azshara's reign.

xi. have i mentioned how lonely she is after the war of the ancients when she doesn't have her closest friends and people look up to her as a savior and holy person and not just a person and she has no one she can rely on while everyone relies on her. have i mentioned how lonely it is, how much it hurts, that she has to remain strong and confident because that's what others need of her. because. that's an important thing.

xii. the differences between tyrande and malfurion are greatly exacerbated when he and the druids are awakened after the long vigil. when she says 'Long ago, I swore to protect this land, Malfurion. I never had the luxury of sleeping through times of great peril.', it's sharp and it's honest. she's aware of the druids' strength and the emerald dream's importance, but she's had to deal with hardship all this time in the real world. and there's also resentment, for sure, towards his choice to leave her when their people needed them to rebuild and she had needed him most. like... that five minutes later he's trying to forbid her from freeing illidan doesn't make it better, 'only the goddess may forbid me anything' etc.

xiii. when illidan inevitably chooses to become even more demon to fight the demons, she isn't sure she made the right choice in freeing him. i do think she has a hard time believing all that change doesn't change who he is, but i don't she hates him for sacrificing his very soul to protect their land. i think she doesn't understand completely, and i think she grieves. she does think her friend is lost.

xiv. she's so distrustful of orc and humans. she'd work with neither given the choice and it's really only desperate need that makes her willing to work with thrall and jaina.

xv. when illidan comes back attacking maiev and malfurion goes deal with him, tyrande 100% goes too because she feels responsible, since she freed him. but honestly she's team fuck maiev all throughout ksndfkjsdnfkjsn and if not for malfurion interfering, i do think she'd have tried more forcefully to stop maiev from pursuing illidan after he saved her and things were okay ish between them.

xvi. while this changes through the years, tyrande is deeply compassionate. she's not someone who ignores those in need. it's why aiding kael was an obvious thing for her to do, regardless of what maiev thought.

xvii. tyrande was in stormwind when teldrassil was first attacked. her immediate desire was to go and join the battle, and the only reason she did not was due to a plea from the messeger that first brought her the news. she was asked to stay instead and receive the refugees of her people, so they would find at least one familiar presence to welcome them. nevertheless, eventually she did go to teldrassil to aid those who yet remained.

xviii. her choice to spare saurfang would be regretted later, but it was rooted not only in the orc having spared malfurion's life, but that he was one of the main generals leading the attack. at that point, she knew at least a portion of her land would be lost, and she hoped granting mercy to him would in turn lead him to have the horde show mercy on any of her people who didn't leave teldrassil in time. that the world tree would be burned was unthinkable to her, even in a dire moment like that.

xix. tyrande has led her people through great loss before, but by this point she is fundamentally changed, and the cruelty that act showed only makes her more merciless. she knows the night warrior ritual is dangerous, and that it'll have a great cost, be it her life or her very soul, and she doesn't care. she'll gladly pay it, as long as it gives her the power to get the justice for her people no one will help them achieving.

xx. the night warrior is initially presented as one of elune's own faces, a warrior facet that the goddess' followers associate with bravery, but others, like malfurion, look at with fear. later, maiev describes the night warrior as the incarnation of the goddess' wrath. when tyrande makes the ritual, she calls upon elune for justice, vengeance and certainly no lack of fury. i do think she resents elune for not protecting her people and teldrassil, and i think tyrande resents it even more because elune continues to heed her requests immediately while letting her people die.

xxi. either way, i don't think those are fundamentally incompatible portrayals and hold both to be true, as there are reasons for the different views on what the night warrior was. but from that point onward, i don't follow canon. i'm not at all interested in the narrative it was too much power for her to handle or that harming people who severely harmed you is being just like they are. what i will write the night warrior as is a corruptible force, which tyrande is only able to use in the first place because of her attunement to elune and the fact her own feelings were already well aligned with the goddess' wrath. however, the change inevitably enhances those feelings, as well as makes her inevitably bound to spill the blood of the enemies of her people. it is a darker turn, and one of which there's no going back, but it does not cause her to lose herself entirely. she is still capable of great love, even if not of the same compassion she displayed in the past. but then again, would that change in face of what she suffered, even without the night warrior change?

xxii. were elune to reveal she purposefully let the kaldorei die to help sb in shadowlands, tyrande would renounce her deity entirely. as of bfa she already had big issues with elune, and that would be the last straw. purposefully letting her people die is grounds for god killing tbh

xxiii. anyway i need better structured/more in depth stuff for where she'd be currently, but the tldr of it while i'm mobile bound is that she remains the night warrior, elune is on thin fucking ice, and the night elves would have either left the alliance officially or fractured further, with those under her leadership leaving the faction behind. the alliance did nothing in their hour of need, and helped the horde deal with yet another problematique warchief instead. tyrande will not forgive that, and shandris alone cannot make amends. both factions only brought her people trouble and she wants both sides dead for the most part. she would maintain good relationships with gilneas, as well as some of the other races, but humans and forsaken alike can disappear from the face of azeroth for all she cares

xxiv. i think there is something of supernatural in her after becoming the night warrior, in a very 'vengeance spirit' esque manner, except she's alive and bound to an entire people. i like to think it did make her a sort of eternal being that will always watch over her people and bathe in the blood of their enemies, but that's just a thought for now

#» out of character — ⌜number one elf apologist.⌟#» character study — ⌜moon soaked and dawn flavored.⌟#this is probably full of mistakes i can't type #but hi i have thoughts about her only

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sen-no-kotowari · 2 years

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Selena Interlude: Stardust Song Ch 5

Chapter 5: Epilogue

“Now, I have completely abandoned my magic. What was left was just a fraction of its power.”

Selena remembered she once saw a flower at a greenhouse in Eden. An authentic, living flower. It’s uncommon for Eden to break apart valuable resources of cultivating flowers to serve as an ornament. Hence, why that violet flower blooming in the greenhouse was beautifully reflected in Selena’s eyes. “What happened next again?” She couldn’t uncover what happened next in that particular memory from all the confusion in her Sea of Consciousness. “Ah… That’s right.” It was a field trip organized by the Public Fundamental Learning Center. But the reason why that teacher guided them wasn’t to show the beauty of that flower. “The teacher plucked that flower with their hand. And then, they slowly took apart that flower in front of everybody. Starting with the flower’s stem, then the receptacle… it’s sepal, then petals.” The dissected parts of that nameless, violet flower were gently line-up on the petri dish as they vaguely observed the finer details of each part to the children. Yes, just like how Selena is now.

(......)

Korolev: The thief isn’t listening to what I’m saying. Where in the world are you hiding the stolen goods?

Korolev, who had mutilated Selena into pieces, suddenly stopped moving. Its red optic receiver scanned Selena’s whole body from top to bottom, and it had suddenly lost interest in her.

Korolev: The thief… Where did the thief go?

Korolev left the transmission room while emitting a sudden tweet-like electronic sound as if it suddenly could no longer “see” her.

Selena: ……

Selena’s corruption rate has long gone over the limit and has already become an Infected—has it become high enough they recognized me as one of their kind? She didn’t know. There was no need for her to know. She completely lost her feeling in her lower limbs and an unceasing pain had continued to flood her Sea of Consciousness. Selena’s pain receptor modules were already disconnected. She feared that when she disconnected that module, her Sea of Consciousness would be removed. The geometric entity’s fragment she buried in her chest felt like it was gradually corrupting her body. She used all of her calculating capabilities to maintain a stable operation on her Inverse Device. But her Sea of Consciousness continued to be stained in deep red despite her effort.

(......)

Once her field of vision became clear again, Selena noticed she was at a place she knew and loved the most. It was the virtual museum, the place that brought about the beginning of her dreams for her future. When Selena was still overlooked by others, she restored a part of an opera from the remnants of the Golden Age alone in a place everyone disregarded through the use of a small robot.

Selena: And thus, the Duke of Milan vowed to never walk the path of vengeance, no matter how much suffering and misfortune he had to face.

He made sure that those people who committed a mistake changed for the better and forgave all of them.

As time flows, the waves and winds gradually became calm and in the end, trivial waves have convened into their everyday lives.

…The people in Naples have this saying—the days we live are bright and this place is paradise.

Even if war and plundering would occur, Naples has a bright future ahead of them, full of hope.

Thank you for watching until the very end. This concludes “The Tempest.”

Ayla: Hrmm……

Selena: What is it, Ayla? Is there something you’re unsatisfied with?

Ayla: Nuh-uh, your operas are fantastic like always.

Selena: Then, which part of the play made you confused, Ayla?

Ayla: So what I can’t understand is why Duke Prospero chose to forgive Antonio in the very end.

If it weren’t for Antonio, he and his daughter wouldn’t need to live on that isolated island for several years, right?

Why is it that he was able to easily forgive the other person, that’s what’s stumping me.

(......)

“……… Wait, did this conversation truly happen before?” ”That’s impossible”—she altered the ending of “The Tempest” before she left and sent it to Ayla. In reality, she still hasn’t gotten Ayla’s answer or impression about it. This was a made-up scene of illusion interweaved from Selena’s own memories and fantasies due to the absolute chaos in her Sea of Consciousness. That deep in her subconsciousness, it was a question that made her constantly reflect and slowly doubt herself once more. “Why did Prospero simply choose to forgive those who wronged him? He was deprived of the throne, narrowly avoided death, lost everything he had, and suffered wandering around with his daughter for many years on an isolated island. Just why, why was he able to simply forgive the people who had hurt him?”

(......)

Selena(?): That’s because magnanimity is a virtue and forgiving others means that you could forgive yourself—

Did you think that you can console yourself by upholding such morality?

It’s full of futile lip service, don’t you agree?

There’s no need to forgive yourself, yet you shouldn’t forgive your own foolishness.

You couldn’t forgive yourself. And you couldn’t forgive Eden who had forsaken you and everybody else who died here.

You already have nothing left. The bright, shining future you once had, your ideals and the arts, and even the people you call friends.

You, who never had a troubled past nor a faith made of steel, have no reason to be fixated over something.

What is it that you’re so obsessed with? Let go of everything and come to my side, all of this will be easier if you do.

(......)

Selena: ……

“She” was right. As Selena reflected on her past, everything was futile. Most of it was meaningless along with her childish obsessions. From the beginning, she… was just an ordinary girl. What in the world were the beliefs she held that have been encouraging Selena until this very day, she no longer knows the answer to this anymore.

(......)

Selena: No, that’s not it.

I’m sure Prospero fairly detests Antonio.

I’m positive that you know how Prospero feels more than anybody else right now, Selena.

He wanted vengeance. Yet that person was his younger brother and fellow countrymen.

The citizens of Naples are waiting for his return.

(......)

Selena suddenly opened her eyes. She restlessly moved the remaining half of her body, similar to a fish frantically swimming upstream.

"Now, I have completely abandoned my magic. What was left was just a fraction of its power."

Selena: ……

With her bare mechanical body composed of a single arm and her fingers sparing no effort, little by little, she writhed forward. Her heavily damaged figure fervently crawled forward on the ground.

"There are two roads in front of me. Will they be closed off just like this? Will I be able to return home through the strength everyone has lent me?"

Eventually, a snapping sound was heard and her fingers broke into pieces.

Selena: ……

Selena opened her mouth and sank her teeth into the ground as she continued crawling.

"If I were to reclaim that country once again, I will forgive the people who deceived me, that is why I pray. Please do not close off this isolated island."

Selena: ……

At last, she managed to move herself to the corner of the wall. Selena exerted a great amount of effort and connected herself to the space station’s terminal. At that moment, she suddenly could “see” every corner of the space station. The place where the vanguard fought, the place where that geometric entity was, all of it synchronized inside her Sea of Consciousness with clarity. And then, Selena knew the truth about everything in the Space Station— The Punishing infiltrated the space station’s gravity control core at first, causing a gravitational disruption to the space station. With the intense gravitational pull, the Punishing within the vicinity pulled itself to the core part and a large amount of the Punishing solidified as a result. The gravitational core part transformed—it became the allogeneic core. It had the power to overturn this war. With this information along with the allogeneic core fragment left inside her body, Selena has to bring all of it back with her to Eden at all costs. What she needed from here on out would be great patience.

"Please set free the chains of my heart. Your kind applause saved me. May the winds be carried towards me once more. Please, raise the sail of our ship."

(......)

“I wonder how much time has passed. Maybe a long time had already passed, or perhaps it might’ve been a short while. The space station that had always been still, now has “guests” show up once more.” Other than the inseparable members of a platoon known as Gray Raven, there was… the silhouette of a pink-haired individual she was intimately familiar with. Selena’s Sea of Consciousness that had been crushed into pieces by her inner turmoil was brought back just as though scattered, isolated islands were brought back together once more.

Selena: Ay…la……

The Structure who had endured for what felt like several years, finally closed her eyes.

(......)

"By contrast, my plan would’ve failed. I could no longer use magic to delude others. I do not have a fairy who would run about for my sake either. Perhaps I couldn’t have changed my fate from an ill-fated misery if it wasn’t for how powerful their prayers and wishes were. Because it pierced through the benevolent god’s heart, and forgives all of the sins these pitiful people had committed. I will not fault you for the sins you’ve committed. That is why I beg of you. Grant me the freedom I longed for through your merciful heart."

#pgr #pgr selena #punishing gray raven

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star9527 · 5 hours

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How a Turkish soldier “adopted” a little Korean girl

Back in 1950, the Korean War began, in which Turkey also took part, providing all possible support to South Korea. Then, in the midst of hostilities, the Turk Suleiman Dilbirligi, a master sergeant of the Turkish infantry brigade, was sent to the battlefield along with thousands of other soldiers.

Korean War

One day after North Korean soldiers attacked a small South Korean village, Suleiman, walking between the ruins of once residential buildings, heard a child crying.

Suleiman Dilbirligi

The soldier followed the voice, and in one of the destroyed houses he found a little Korean girl, whose parents, as well as all the village residents, were killed by the Korean communists. Suleiman pulled the baby out from under the rubble and, despite the very unsafe situation (the fire did not subside for a minute), led her through the forest to the headquarters.

Suleiman Dilbirligi and Korean girl

Not knowing what to do best, Suleiman Dilbirligi decided to leave the girl, which he immediately notified the military leadership at headquarters. Conscience simply did not allow the Turkish soldier to suddenly abandon his child, who had lost all his family, to the mercy of fate, and even in the midst of hostilities. Therefore, having received permission, Dilbirligi took custody of the little Korean girl and literally replaced her father.

Suleiman Dilbirligi and Korean girl

Due to the stress he experienced, the child did not speak or say his name for a long time. When it became known that the girl’s name was Saint Nim, Suleiman decided to give her a new name and named her Ayla, which means “Moon” in Turkish, since she was found on a full moon. Having lost all her relatives, Ayla found in Suleiman not only a caring father, but also a real guardian angel, who became closer and dearer to her every day.

Suleiman Dilbirligi and Ayla in the Turkish camp

It would seem that the battlefield is no place for a child! And yet, Suleiman and Ayla were inseparable. Moreover, the girl was so drawn to her savior that she didn’t notice how she began to call him “dad,” and he, in turn, began to call her “daughter.” And even when Suleiman’s service came to an end, he did not leave his location, but remained a volunteer - there, in a truly hot spot, where every day could be his last.

Suleiman Dilbirligi and Ayla in the Turkish camp

Unfortunately, he was unable to stay in Korea for more than a year, although he tried his best. One not very wonderful day, an order came for his new appointment, according to which Suleiman had to return to his homeland in Turkey. Suleiman's separation from Ayla was inevitable, so the Turkish soldier even made several attempts to adopt the girl, but South Korea did not allow him to do this.

Suleyman Dilbirligi and Ayla

And in the end, Suleiman Dilbirligi and Ayla still had to say goodbye. However, before leaving, the Turk promised the girl that he would find her no matter what, because she was his daughter, and it simply couldn’t be any other way! With tears in her eyes, little Ayla, who had lost her entire family, was now forced to say goodbye to the only person close to her, who had become everything to her. Later it was transferred to the caring hands of the Turkish school "Ankara", which was created by order of General Tahsin Yazici.

School "Ankara"

This separation was very difficult for both Suleiman and Ayla - as, indeed, the subsequent years of their lives. Ayla couldn’t get out of the Turk’s mind. He constantly thought about her and tried his best to find her, but in those days, without the Internet and social networks, as you understand, it was damn difficult to do this. And Suleiman did not have the financial means to conduct searches, so all his attempts ended in nothing. The Turk did not know where Ayla was, how her life had turned out, and indeed whether she was alive.

Suleyman Dilbirligi and Ayla

So, 60 long years passed in constant thoughts about the Korean daughter and fruitless searches. Suleyman Dilbirligi was already 85 years old, and he still did not give up trying to find Ayla. And then one day, thanks to the efforts of the South Korean media, luck smiled at him. Aged and weakened by illness, Suleiman Dilbirligi by that time held out only because he promised to find Ayla at any cost.

Suleiman Dilbirligi

He understood that over the long 60 years anything could have happened to her, but he felt that his daughter was alive and also waiting to meet. When watching sports competitions, Suleiman carefully looked at the faces of South Korean fans, hoping to see Ayla’s face in them. Every night he went to bed with a feeling of incompleteness, because this story had to end somewhere...

Suleiman Dilbirligi

And it ended. At some point, large television companies joined the search for Ayla and, having looked up archival documents, found out Ayla’s real Korean name – Kim Inja. The press contacted six of her classmates, who were living in South Korea at that time, and one of them gave reporters Ayla’s current address. When the Korean woman was found, she was told that a veteran was looking for her in Turkey and, of course, was shown his photo. It is difficult even to describe in words all the emotions that the woman experienced at that moment, who, of course, remembered and recognized her savior and named father.

Kim Inja - "Ayla"

And, of course, it is impossible to convey what Suleiman himself experienced when he learned that after 60 years, Ayla had finally been found, and their meeting would still take place. However, before leaving for Turkey, Ayla wrote a letter to Suleiman: “Dear father. I haven’t arrived yet, but I already feel your embrace, I thought about you every minute. Raising a little abandoned girl, accepting her as her own daughter, giving love at such a difficult moment is not something everyone can do. Thank you very much for this. I love you, daddy! See you soon. Your daughter Ayla."

Families of Suleyman Dilbirligi and Ayla

They met in the park... And since this meeting took place, over the next seven years, father and daughter never parted. Ayla moved to Turkey. “Once upon a time you did not leave me, and now I will not leave you,” Ayla said when they met. And she kept her promise, staying next to Suleiman until his last breath and holding his hand when he left...

Ayla and Suleiman Dilbirligi

#How a Turkish soldier “adopted” a little Korean girl

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just0nemorepage · 2 months

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Crier's War || Nina Varela || Crier's War #1 || 464 pages Top 3 Genres: Fantasy / LGBTQIA+ / Young Adult

Synopsis: Impossible love between two girls —one human, one Made. A love that could birth a revolution.

After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, Designed to be the playthings of royals, took over the estates of their owners and bent the human race to their will.

Publication Date: October 2019. / Average Rating: 4.13. / Number of Ratings: ~40,430.

#tbr tuesday #I haven't read this yet!#crier's war #nina varela #no. 1 #fantasy #lgtbqia #young adult #jomp original

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aylacaleashantie · 8 months

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Chapter 4 You're my star

Crowley set his glass on the coffee table, and for the first time, ever Crowley didn’t fight the tears. He let them fall. There was no history, books or any information on - hybrids such as his daughter. This was one instance he actually wanted the angel here. He could document and gather information on Angel Demon hybrids. There were many thoughts going through his head. Like what color Ayla’s wings would be. What powers did she have. And most importantly, how in the name of Satan were they going to rescue Azriaphale.

Ayla raised her head and looked at her father. She wanted to know more about her mother, but thought that was a conversation for later. She didn’t have any notion of how they would save Azriaphale, she honestly didn’t believe in heaven in the sense of the Christian religion. And honestly she wasn’t religious, more spiritual in nature. She wondered where she fit into the grand scheme of things, but with some things she knew better than to question it. “So.” Ayla started to say but then stopped. She sensed something, and wondered if Crowley could as well. “You have a visitor.” she said calmly. Crowley turned his head to look at her and pushed out his demonic aura, to sense if anyone demonic or Angelic were in the building. Sure enough, he felt them enter the building.

This was one instance he wished he had more holy water. “Crowley.. I know you’re in there. Peek a boo.” Crowley sighed and stood and went to open the door. “Lady Shax. To what do I owe the honor?” Shax stepped into the room and sensed Ayla’s uniqueness, and stretched out her hand. “Well well Crowley. Who is this?” She smiled and walked over to Ayla. “No one of importance.” Crowley lied. He had to protect his daughter. “Just a - “ He was cut off by Shax “abomination?” Shax filled in, her smile growing wider. “I wonder… what hell would think if I inform them that - “No.” Ayla said firmly. The power she held in her voice over Shax was overwhelming. “You will not whisper a word of this, to anyone.” She commanded. Ayla took her outstretched hand and shook it.

Shax fell to her knees as tears started to stream down her face. Ayla was Shax’s light in the dark. Her star, her guide, her love. It overwhelmed her. She didn’t know or think a demon could feel like this, and it scared her. Crowley took in the sight of Lady Shax on her knees, crying. Crowley’s eyebrows raised in question. “What’s -“ he started to question but Shax interrupted him. “She’s my star, my light in the dark, my guide. My reason -“ she stopped. She thought Crowley got what she meant. Ayla stooped to her level and placed a kiss on her forehead, and smiled. Shax beamed at her “What’s your name Angel?’ she asked with love (or what she assumed it was) in her voice. Ayla, continued to smile as she replied “Ayla”. Shax closed her eyes, as if she was committing Ayla’s voice to memory. “Ayla.” Shax replied back, tasting it on her tongue. “What a beautiful, lovely name. For my star.” Ayla turned her head and gave Crowley a confused look, to which he shrugged his shoulders. “Just go with it.” He seemed to indicate. “We need to hide, my star.” Shax said with determination in her voice. Crowley noticed Shax was looking at him and he nodded. “Yes, we do. My daughter’s protection is of utmost importance.”

“Your daughter?” Shax questioned concern appearing for the briefest of seconds before she looked at Ayla and smiled. Ayla planted another kiss to her forehead. Shax caressed Ayla’s face. She couldn’t help it. “You’re going to be the death of me, my star.” and Shax leaned in to kiss Ayla on the lips. Crowley was reminded of his first (and only) kiss to Azriaphale. The sort of tug of war, they played. Crowley turned his head “Well, I’m gonna need another drink.” he announced and went to grab his glass from the coffee table and get more Whiskey. When he came back he noticed that they were separated. Shax was standing next to Ayla, who was back to sitting on the couch. “Maybe this will work.” He thought and continued musing “maybe Shax will help us save Azriaphale.”

#good omens fanfiction

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tallysgreatestfan · 9 months

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Alchemical Androids and a Rebellion - "Criers War" by Nina Varela

As a human, Ayla is treated as barely a person by the ruling androids created from alchemy, the Automatae. Her family was killed in one of their raids, and now she seeks revenge. As she manages to become handmaiden to Lady Crier, daughter of the King, her plan seems clear: Kill Crier. But then she gets to know her closer…

Crier believes that her father treats the humans well, since he is telling that to her all the time. Soon to be married to the powerful Kinok, her life seems perfect on the surface, but there are cracks. Why doesn’t her father let her speak in the council? Why are her human servants afraid of her? What exactly did Junn, the Mad Queen, do? As she meets Ayla, her worldview begins to shake, and as she starts to fall in love with her, she has to be afraid that she was made wrongly.

This was sold to me as a dystopia with a queer romance, which it isn’t. Oh, it absolutely is queer, and I love seeing this kind of story play out between two women, but its more fantasy with the rebellion and sci-fi undertone of a dystopia. A bit like Red Queen.

But as I was over that confusion, the book was gripping and easy to read. It read it quite fast, which is a compliment for me with my neurodiversity induced problems with reading sometimes. It alternates between Ayla and Criers point of view, and the author manages to use that quite well, holding up the tension, but also contrasting their different views on the world and their different status and upbringing. Their romance was slow and felt believable, and again, it’s so refreshing to have these enemies to lovers fantasy tropes play out between two women.

The worldbuilding felt detailed and solid too, and the idea of androids, but created through alchemy, is quite interesting. Oh, also most characters are black, and that is a nice change in medieval fantasy too. Other than that, the typical monarchy and horses and castles are a bit cliché though.

I enjoyed the characters too, even if other than Crier and Ayla none of them are particularly fleshed out, but enough to still be fun. However, both Ayla with her desperate fear of dependence and hardened, cynical worldview, and Crier, idealistic and wanting to change something but just don’t having the power despite being a princess, felt like real people, and seeing them interact was always fascinating.

There were also no deeper thoughts or analysis on oppression and resistance other than the usual very superficial “wealth inequality and monarchy is bad”, but since the book read so fastly, it was not really a problem, just something I wished for because I had expected an dystopia. Still, the understanding and solidarity but also the differences between the two women was a nice commentary on solidarity between women in the face of oppression.

However, and that is a mild spoiler, my queer heart suffered with Crier as she thought about falling in love with Ayla as something she should not be able to and a fundamental flaw of her. That part felt real and relatable, even though it was through a metaphor about the columns (traits) she was made with.

The ending feels a bit too quick and sudden, and is quite open. I will definitely buy the second part, though.

#booklr #bookblr #fantasy #queer romance #queer fantasy #wlw #LGBTQ #queer #queer books #I tried around so long with that picture and it did not pay off

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