Allow me to apologize. I worded that wrong. I no longer support Donald Trump after that riot on the capitol. It was bad, it was violent, and it spits in the face of everything the GOP stands for. What I mean is that prior to that riot, I did not notice anything racist/homophobic about him, and I never understood why so many ppl have those allegations.

I accept your apology, and I’m glad at least that you don’t count yourself among the members of the Republican Party who have flagrantly turned their backs on what our republic supposedly stands for.

That being said, I’m afraid Donald Trump’s racism is still pretty hard to deny, and I have to admit, I’m both stunned and dismayed that you have somehow yet to see it.

As I said in my response to your original words, Donald Trump has long been championed by white supremacists like ex-KKK Grand Wizard David Duke and the Proud Boys, and he has consistently refused to actively condemn their actions or beliefs, instead being prone to jump into “what-about-ism” and “both-sides-ing” the issue so that he equates actively racist extremists with counter-protestors and civil rights activists...or, even worse, actively encouraging those racist extremists. (“Stand back and stand by,” anyone?)

This isn’t even touching on how Trump’s travel ban actively targeted Middle-Eastern countries and how even now there are dozens of Mexican and South American people locked up on our southern border in real-life concentration camps, separated from their families in the midst of a raging pandemic, all because of the rhetoric Trump spewed about Mexicans “bringing crime and drugs” into our country and “being rapists” who would “steal jobs” from “real” Americans. Regardless of one’s stance on immigration, refugees are protected under international law, and yet we have lumped them in with people who tried to cross our southern border illegally -- and on top of that, all of those people came to our country out of desperation, and most illegal immigrants who make it across the border and integrate into American society don’t become criminals at all. If anything, it’s more logical for them to try to stay under the radar, since they don’t want to be deported back where they came from! And even if you arrested those immigrants on the border as criminals, they would still be entitled to a full criminal trial and humane conditions while imprisoned, which they most certainly are not in at present. Trump got elected largely because of his anti-immigrant (which in truth was largely anti-Mexican and anti-Muslim -- he sure as Hell didn’t mind giving his wife Melania’s parents American citizenship without much fuss) rhetoric and his promise to “protect” America with a great big wall that Mexico would pay for -- a wall that, may I point out, we Americans not only paid for, but is also a tiny, pathetic shadow of what he claimed it would be and yet he’s still boasting was a victory of his administration.

Then of course there’s Trump’s history of racism toward black people, shown in his discriminatory housing practices and the completely fabricated “birtherism” conspiracy theory he started about Barack Obama that claimed he wasn’t a real American citizen, which tapped into a lot of racist Americans’ prejudice toward our first black president. Trump’s referred to countries like Haiti as “sh*thole countries” and blames China singularly for the spread of Covid-19 by trying to call it the “China Virus” and the “Kung Flu,” completely ignoring how much his own administration’s negligence resulted in America easily surpassing every other country on Earth in Covid deaths, with over 386,000 deaths in less than a year, compared to about 405,000 deaths over the course of four years during World War II. Even Trump’s whole mantra of “America First” is a slogan associated with both the Ku Klux Klan and the American Nazi Party -- David Duke himself used that very phrase when running for office in 2016, the same year Trump was elected president. I’m truly sorry, but if all of this doesn’t make it very clear where Trump stands in regards to race, I don’t think there’s anything I could do or say to make it clearer.

As for homophobia, I’d point to Trump’s supposedly more “religious” counterpart Mike Pence as being the more actively and vocally anti-LGBT out of the two of them, considering his support for “gay conversion therapy,” his voting history against gay marriage, his vote to preserve the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy, and his stance on so-called “Religious Freedom” that denies services to people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. But considering Trump selected Pence as his running mate, I think that says plenty about how unproblematic Pence’s anti-LGBT positions are to him.

Although I’m disheartened by the fact that I had to write out any of this and that you could have any doubt in your mind about the kind of person Donald Trump truly is, I’m at least encouraged that you’ve softened your words to the point that you acknowledge you don’t understand the other side’s position, as opposed to acting like other people are just being overly sensitive and confidently saying that one can’t name three instances where Trump has proven himself to be racist.

Ok I just gave up catching up on my dash full stop because Clementine and George and Wildest Dreams got my brain like this:

I feel I desperately need to make an OC for George but he is YOUR precious lol

So instead while I'm here, give me and I mean GIVE all your George and Clementine headcanon

SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG I WAS FINISHING UP SOME GIFS ✨

First things first, that image lives in my mind rent free.

Second things second, please create an OC for George holy shit please yes?! George has already been romantically (or at least sexually, because Sable is a hoe) linked to Ellis Grant from @chlobenet (nothing ever came of it, George developed an infatuation and was perpetually rebuffed by our Lord and Saviour Miss Grant), @perfectlystiles' Laurel Chase, and @randomestfandoms-ocs' Reese Masrani. It is my goal to accumulate enough George Cassidy romantic interests that I can make a Wives of Henry the Eighth edit, so literally go nuts. Everyone, Create An OC To Thirst Over George Cassidy Challenge!

The best thing about George and the other Corpsemen is that the only thing that makes them Jurassic World OCs is that they happen to be hired there. It is by no means their entire story, and although they've been around for literally three days (?!) I keep thinking of more and more things about them and I keep building their backstories to the point where dinosaurs are literally the least craziest thing they've experienced.

If I were to sum up Clem and George's relationship in a gif, though:

(This got hella out of hand so keep reading under the cut if you want to know more about George and Clementine.)

A brief history on George "Sable" Cassidy and Clementine "Calico" Roscoe:

He is known as "George" to his friends, and "Cassidy" to his enemies. "Sable" when he's on the job, and "hers" when they're alone.

But it wasn't always like that. I'm not going to bore you with the details about George's fatherless upbringing, or his reasons for joining the British military, or how he'd always been a bit of a troubled kid. Where his story really begins is when he directly disobeys orders and murders the military hostages who were responsible for the attack on his unit. He is dishonourably discharged, and is sent back to the U.K. to await trial for murder and treason.

He manages an escape and goes dark; during which time, Clementine Roscoe, an agent at Interpol, is assigned his case. Unfortunately, after a year of searching (one close call where he was literally within breathing distance of Roscoe ) and a thousand too many mistaken sightings after that, the case goes cold, and she is assigned another case, one which results in the death of her entire family.

Clementine resigns from her position after she is denied leave to pursue the murderers, and spends the next few years methodically hunting down and executing the list of people she knew to be responsible. It was enough to impress Malcolm Drake, who located and recruited her into the Corpse Corporals (aka Gucci Suicide Squad).

All this time, Cassidy had been residing in Southern Africa, making a hefty living as a poacher under ever-changing pseudonyms (I had to make y'all understand that Sable is a bad man but y'all be forgiving Tom for murder and incest so here we are but honestly did it even work because here I am, being fooled, alongside you 😭). He runs a pretty decent operation, also dabbling in the smuggling of weaponry, and he lives a comfortable life. That is, until he is betrayed by his business partners (a brother-sister duo, FCs Megan Fox and Aidan Turner? Idk, still debating) and pushed out of the business under threat of death.

He is rescued by Malcolm, who has managed to track him down, and in exchange for his life spared, he agrees to work for Malcolm. His reunion with Clem is incredibly tense, with both of them pulling their guns on each other and refusing to work together. Malcolm snaps some sense into them (that, and the sum of the payload which had so many 0's added to the end, you couldn't be sure what the number really was other than "a lot") and they swallow their pride and work together.

They would continue to work together as Calico and Sable for the years to come, and when I say it is a slow burn, I do mean THE SLOWEST OF THE SLOW. But there is definitely a fuck ton of sexual tension thrown in there for angst, and a couple of near brushes with death (hazard of the job, really).

George is a prolific man whore, and he's bisexual and proud. So Clem has gotten used to an endless slew of people of all genders cumming coming and going from his hotel room, especially during the long cons where the Corpsemen go deep undercover for months at a time (Hector doesn't come on those jobs, he's got a family to worry about. He taps out at a month, max, if he doesn't get to leave to see his family).

George Cassidy is not a man who is used to not getting what he wants, but Clementine Roscoe is the only exception to that rule. He has come to view her as "unobtainable," this irreverent forbidden thing that he must not ruin. By the time the heat of their mutual hate had dissipated, it had turned into a friendship, and although there was an undeniable electric tension between them, they have never done anything about it. But it has that "will definitely be the best sex of your life" kinda energy.

They fight quite a lot, and disagree on almost everything. Have they tried to kill each other? Oh, absolutely. But they're also professionals, and although Clementine and George may be going at it, it never bothers Malcolm, because he knows that Calico and Sable will put those differences aside and do the damn job.

Clem only involves herself in George's sex life when it comes to people who she considers friends. She has the warnings already mentally scripted, because the thing about George Cassidy is that he cares about no one but himself, and nothing but his holy trinity: blood, money, and sex. He's an emotionally devoid sociopath at the best of times, and at the worst, he's a well oiled and dangerous killing machine.

He is not a good man, Clementine knows, but sometimes, you don't want a good man.

I have a gifset in store involving the two of them, and I'm busy compiling a list of headcanons as we speak. If you want, I can tag you in it :)

But this is everything about their past and a bit of their present, so if you want to create an OC please do and tag me so I can write up a crossover and make some gifs 💕

(And before anyone comes for me, yes, I am aware of the fact that George "Sable" Cassidy is a very toxic and fucking despicable man, I created him, and I made him that way. I am not condoning his actions, nor would I want to be in a relationship with him in real life, but this is fiction. It is not meant to be taken seriously, if you don't like my hot mercenary boyfriend, then please unfollow me, because he is my current obsession, and I cannot promise that I will not be thirsting for him on my TL at any and all hours).

A Brush with a Cursed Lily

Royal Court AU

King’s Advisor!Steve Rogers x Fem!Reader

A/N: So here it is, a second part to A Kiss From a Rose. I’m sorry for the wait however I got very busy with work and my university projects. I do so hope you enjoy this. It’s written slightly differently to part 1 as this is all from the Reader’s POV.

I just want to thank @cockslut-padalecki for allowing me to write part 1 as part of the #notmyninth writing challenge and I hope that this angsty follow up does A Kiss From a Rose proud.

Word Count: 2208

Warnings: Angst, angst, more angst, some light fluff, swearing, implied smut, grief, mentions of loss.

Reader’s POV

I ran around chasing after the little squirt who was currently avoiding his bath-time before tripping up and landing square on my backside in a patch of tall Calla Lilies. They were a stunning shade of deep violet and brought back the memories of 6 summers ago. The day I was married off to my best-friend, Steve Rogers, Lord of Rosebury-upon-Sale. I chuckled to myself as my husband rounded the corner of the orangery with our son, covered in mud head to toe, a huge smile plastered on his face. The last few years had been trying at times, and unbearable in others but somehow, we managed to make it through.

“Frolicking in the flowers are we, my petal?” A deep laugh resonated from Steve’s chest as he took in the sight of me, dishevelled and dirtied from my tumble.

“Yes, it’s a rather delightful hobby I have found. Quite the thrilling end to chasing our little gremlin child. Now if you would be so inclined as to help your pregnant wife out of the flower bed, I would greatly appreciate it.”

“Come now love, you know I love to see you in a fluster, but I suppose it would do the baby no good leaving you there.”

I took the hand he so graciously offered me and took our muddied little boy from his father’s hold.

“Now honestly Charlie, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Prince as muddy and dirty as you are right now, you little rascal. Let’s get you cleaned up and fed, then maybe we can go and visit Uncle James before bedtime.”

----------------- 4 Years Earlier----------------

The King summoned us back to court, and what was meant to be a joyous visit quickly became a permanent stay. Upon our arrival we were greeted by a bleary-eyed Prince and an equally as troubled Princess. The King was dying and had called upon his advisor to help prepare for Bucky’s transition into power. To anyone else nothing would’ve seemed amiss, except it was.

When James’ back was turned, I had witnessed Princess Maia acting rather strangely, gathering bouquets of foxglove and trimmings of deadly nightshade. I was almost certain of her intentions but feared my own safety and so kept it to myself, until one night where I couldn’t bear the burden this knowledge held over me any longer.

“Steve, my love, I have something troubling my mind.” My voice came out a hushed and broken whisper.

“What worries you so my petal? I know it hasn’t been easy for you being back, and having to pretend to like Maia, I assure you that I am always here to listen to you and love you.”

“Well, you see, I think I know why the King is sick. On several occasions I have witnessed the Princess with my own eyes gathering bouquets of foxglove and cuttings from the nightshade bush down by the lily patch. I worry that she is poisoning the King, taking advantage of both his and James’ compromised states to hold a sway over decisions that will likely see our kingdom lost to that of her own father.”

I spoke confidently now, having been an integral part of the court for all my childhood. Steve knew better than to question my knowledge of how things ran. He also knew that I would be one of the first to notice if anything was awry, be that with the account books or even the numbers of armed men stationed at each watchtower. After the death of his wife the King only had James as an heir, and so, he vowed that in case any ill befall him I would also be trained, so that if required, I could become a successful Queen someday.

“Steve, I do believe wholeheartedly that this is all a set-up and that we have been blindly infiltrated by our enemy. Things aren’t adding up. The number of guards stationed at The Keep has been halved in sized since the King has fallen ill. It leaves the West of the kingdom in a precarious position. One where an attack could easily happen and be kept quiet. I don’t like the look of it, any of it, and something needs to be done before we are conquered, you are killed, and me resigned to a life of slavery and servitude at the hands of the despicable Wyvern family.” My voice broke and a sob tore through me at the thought of losing everything I have left to the family that has already taken so much from me, starting with my mother shortly after I was born.

“Hush my petal. Tears will do nothing to fix this. The King is aware of the situation, however in our absence the Prince has changed, and he has become blinded by his love for ‘his lily’, though I daresay snake would be the better term for that venomous bitch.” A scoff escaped Steve’s lips before he continued. “The reason the King summoned us is because he has seen what fate has befallen James. He has made his bed, albeit a rather uncomfortable bed, and now he will have to lie in it. The King wishes for you to become Queen after his passing. He wants to stop the plans of Maia’s family before their tendrils of poison can run further into our kingdom than they already have. You my love can bring all this to an end, and I believe you would be able to unite the Kingdoms in a peaceful treaty that could last.”

I curled up into Steve’s side placing a chaste kiss to his lips. He returned it with a hunger and passion before carding his fingers through my hair and tracing them along my jaw.

“Please my petal, let me chase away your worries, after all, if you are to be Queen, we shall need to work on producing some heirs.”

A smirk befell his lips before he ducked his head, nipping at my neck, knowing full well that I would cave to his carnal desires.

--------------- Present Day -------------

After having cleaned up the mucky Prince, Steve and I walked with him through the gardens as evening began to draw in. Fireflies filled the air as we made the trek to the rose garden. As a child it had been mine and Bucky’s favourite place to hide, and on more than one occasion hugs and kisses had been exchanged.

Today this garden holds a whole new meaning as at its centre, beneath a beautiful weeping willow, lay James’ grave.

------------- 3 Years Earlier ------------

Before the King’s passing, he ordered his kings-guard to imprison and execute the Princess for treason against the throne. She was hung at The Keep as a warning to her family that they were next. Their years of planning and scheming had come to an abrupt and distasteful end.

What the Wyverns deemed as an unlawful murder incited a full war between our Kingdoms, it saw both Steve and Bucky fighting on the front lines with me at the helm, as Queen. Soon I had treaties signed with other Kingdoms aligning us for generations to come, until the only one stood against the alliance was the Kingdom of the Serpents. The battle of Roseknappe in the Western borders was the bloodiest battle of all. By this time, I was no longer part of frontline action as I was holed up in the castle under the watchful protection of my elite Queens-guard. When news got out that I was with child the Wyverns stopped at nothing to try and kill me or at the least cause me harm enough for my body to rid itself of the heir I now lovingly grew inside of me. But they needn’t have worried.

When I was around 5 months along tragedy struck our kingdom. The arrival of my husband looking grey in pallor, with sunken eyes and covered in injuries was the first sign that something was very wrong. When the two had left to fight they rode off, side by side, settling any grievances they had over the arranged marriages and uniting to fight to save the Kingdom and keep me on the throne. Steve’s return signalled the end of an era and feelings in my gut that had been dormant for years surfaced in cry of grief so great that it silenced the birdsong for days. Although James was not King, he was still a beloved Prince. My first love and the person who would forever hold a piece of my heart.

In my grief-stricken state I had fallen and managed to land with the sharp riser of the marble stairs squarely in my abdomen. The shock I was in meant that I hadn’t noticed the blood that began pooling nor do I remember what happened over the next few weeks as the doctors and healers frantically worked to keep me alive.

“Steve? Steve? Where’s James? I…. I want to see him. I…” I was interrupted by Steve coming over and pulling me tight to his chest.

“Praise to the Old Gods, my petal, are you okay? Are you in any pain?” worry had seeped into his tone and what looked to be a pang of guilt crossed his normally stoic face. “My love, how much do you remember of the last three weeks?”

A confused expression befell my features before Steve decided to continue.

“Oh, my sweet love, James... James isn’t coming back. The fight at Roseknappe, he saved my life by taking the arrow that was meant to pierce my heart, he sacrificed himself because he wanted me to be able to return to you, so I could love you the way he was never allowed to. So that I could raise a family and keep our Kingdom strong. He died in my arms after begging me to pass you on this letter that he wrote, almost as if he knew he wouldn’t make it back from this war.”

Fresh tears began to fall as Steve handed me the bloodied paper.

My dearest Rose,

How I wish things had been different, and that it was I that got to hold you in my arms at the end of the aisle. I begged my father to change his mind, but he wouldn’t budge. I will never forgive myself for the horrid things I said to you when father made you queen. I was poisoned by the words of a traitor and knowing now I hurt the one true love of my life is the reason why I will fight so hard to save you.

If you are reading this it means I am gone my sweet girl. I know that you will grieve me but please, for my sake as much as your own, I want you to love Steve as wholly as you once loved me. I beg of you to take care of yourself and to keep me close as you grow through the years. I am sorry I will not be there to see my little nieces and nephews, but I know that you and Steve will be the most wonderful parents.

That day in the rose garden, after your first dance in front of the court, when I kissed you. I wanted to tell you then just how much I loved you, but I couldn’t do it. It’s almost as if in my heart I knew you would never truly be mine.

I love you my Rose and I will see you in the next life,

Your Prince,

Bucky

xx

4 months later after grieving the loss of the Prince, the Kingdom was celebrating, not just a victory of war and a long lasting treaty of peace, but the birth of their future King.

Prince Charlie James Buchanan Rogers, heir to the throne of Rosehall and Duke of Snowblossom Grove.

----------- Present Day ----------

“…… and that is the story of how your brave Uncle James battled the terrifying Wyverns to protect your mummy.”

I could hear Steve talking with Charlie as I sat on the bench staring blankly at the grave, wishing with every ounce of strength that I could, hoping to gain just one more moment with my soulmate.

“Come Charlie, let’s get you into bed, then tomorrow we can go riding and Papa can show you the waterfall where him and Uncle James decided to scare me into thinking that your Papa had drowned. Really, they just wanted mummy to go swimming with them, but they knew I wouldn’t go unless there was an emergency.”

After settling Charlie into bed, I took a stroll around the halls before heading to my shared chambers. Laying on the bed next to Steve he protectively wrapped his arms around me, as if he could shield me from the pain the world would throw at me.

“I love you Steven Grant Rogers. It may have taken me a while but, I have always cared for you, and I vow to you now that I will love you until my dying breath.”

“I know my petal, as I will love you, and Charlie, and this little one that we have yet to meet, until mine.”

Taglist: (My Humble Peeps)

@missyredbean

You ever noticed that the Blackfyres aren't known for murdering any children, but the Targaryens did murder children, murder hostages, murder people who had already surrendered, and even lured an innocent Blackfyre to Westeros and then murdered him? Are these not despicable war crimes? I have never heard of Bittersteel doing any of this no matter how desperate he was. Also, it makes me kind of sad that Alysanne Osgrey died as a silent sister (punishment) in KL even though Eustace was a dick.

I did notice, friend anon, and that’s why I’m running this blog! Before anyone argues that “this is the medieval era there is no Geneva Convention”, I’d like to say that there were rules of conduct for war, both in Westeros and in the European Middle Ages. The Targaryens violated many of them.

We know that murdering unarmed boys, especially those with whom one has a close relationship, is considered pretext for war and generally immoral from aCoK and tPatQ. Theon Greyjoy is called a turncloak and a kinslayer for supposedly killing Bran and Rickon. The Dance of the Dragons was started or at least escalated beyond negotiation by the murder of 6-year-old Jaehaerys in front his mother and siblings, on the orders of Prince Daemon Targaryen. Bl00draven killed 12-year-old Aegon Blackfyre in front of his father, killed Daemon when he tried to reach his son, and killed Aemon (also 12) when he tried to rally the troops with the sword Blackfyre. He is derided as a kinslayer by the smallfolk, but allowed to maintain his position on the council and even becomes Hand of the King.

We know that denying someone a (fair) trial is cause for war in the backstory to asoiaf; the true cause of Robert’s Rebellion was Brandon and Rickard Stark’s executions by wildfire/strangulation at the orders of King Aerys II. When Daemon II Blackfyre saw Bl00draven’s banners coming to arrest him, he asked for a trial by combat. He was pulled off his horse, kept in prison for a number of years, and then died under mysterious circumstances. Bl00draven did not lose his position despite a flagrant violation of kingdom law. Likewise, Aenys Blackfyre was denied a trial when he was seized by the Hand Bl00draven, and executed. Bl00draven was actually punished for Aenys’ murder, but very lightly (see below).

We know from aSoS that murdering hostages is a crime punishable by death. Rickard Karstark led a small group of men to murder the surrendered captives Tion Frey and Willem Lannister in their cells, resulting in his execution by King Robb Stark. Bl00draven killed Daemon II eventually, either from neglect or because he was no longer useful as a preventative measure. He is allowed to remain Hand for over 10 years after this crime.

We know that killing men who have already surrendered is also illegal using the same example. Someone, whether Bl00draven or Aerion Brightflame, murdered Haegon while he attempted to give up his sword in a clear gesture of surrender. Yandel, no Blackfyre sympathizer by any means, confirms the immorality by calling the action “treacherous.” Neither suspect was punished, as they were still free to argue that Aegor Rivers should die for treason.

Violation of guest right or of killing someone under a peace banner is one of the most sacred customs in Westeros. Its violation by the Freys against the Starks and Tullies marked a turning point in the War of the Five Kings, when the rule of law had broken down and men could no longer be assured of peaceful negotiation. Bl00draven promised Aenys Blackfyre safe passage to Westeros to participate at a peaceful Great Council, and immediately seized then executed him without trial for no legal reason, thus besmirching the crown’s legal authority. This was such a horrific violation of Westerosi legal custom that Bl00draven was actually punished for it after a trial in which he was allowed to speak in his defense. He was sentenced to death, but had his sentence commuted to a lifetime at the Wall; 200 of his secret police (and Prince Aemon) went with him and he was allowed to keep the only ancestral sword the Targaryens still had. Just to emphasize how light of a punishment this truly was, Bl00draven was soon made Lord Commander, but later deserted his post (a crime also punishable by death) to become the last greenseer.

The conclusion is: the Targaryens (although particularly Bl00draven) committed war crimes against the Blackfyre family that are considered horrible in-universe, even by their supporters. They cannot simply be written off as “acts of war” any more than the war crimes of the Freys, Boltons and Lannisters can be in the main series. 

Some talk about Protagonist-Centered Morality under the cut:

The Blackfyres, from what little we know of them (but we know little about the Third and Fourth Rebellions, and twoiaf makes sure we know the Targaryens are guilty) do not seem to be the type to break the code of conduct war; in fact, each of them (except Daemon III and Maelys) showed an adherence to the rules of war to their detriment (Daemon I stopped to give a wounded enemy medical aid, Daemon II tried to prove Glendon Ball’s guilt of theft in a trial by combat and thus stop his torture by Gormon Peake, Haegon tried to surrender his sword so that his men might live, Aenys tried to attend a great council and argue for a nonmilitary solution to the Targaryen-Blackfyre conflict). I’m willing to bet that the Blackfyres except very probably Maelys never personally committed a war crime on the same level as Bl00draven. 

As for Aegor Rivers, his pressing need to escape during the First Blackfyre indicates he didn’t mean to rip/slice/cut Bl00draven’s eye out in their duel (or I’d condemn him for torture). The mobile app GRRM’s World of Ice and Fire says he led the sacking of Qohor for failing to keep their end of a contract for the Golden Company, which is not moral and could very well have led to war crimes, but until/if we get more detail (the app isn’t even canonical) I’m holding off on analyzing what happened. As it is, that’s the worst thing he’s ever accused of doing and we can be sure no Targaryen was involved, so I take it as a given that Aegor certainly did not commit atrocities against the Targaryens.

It makes you sad that Alysanne Osgrey died as a silent sister (punishment) even though Eustace a jerk. I’m glad that you understand people don’t have to be perfect victims (they can be rude, drunk, hold conservative views) for us to feel sympathy when they have to outlive all of their children and when the government bans their free speech. I wish your opinion was more accepted by the fandom, and for more people to understand that Protagonist-Centered Morality is by no means the only lens to viewing a story.

A Stronger Loving World - Watchmen blog

(SPOILER WARNING: The following is an in-depth critical analysis. if you haven’t read this comic yet, you may want to before reading this review)

When people read Watchmen for the first time, I’d be surprised if any of them expected the story to end like this.

A Stronger Loving World opens with the aftermath of the fake alien arriving in New York and slaughtering millions. Three splash pages of harrowing artwork by Dave Gibbons. Corpses littered everywhere. Blood in the streets. Giant tentacles wrapped around various landmarks. It’s an extremely unsettling opening and lets the reader know that Gibbons and Alan Moore are not fucking around here. Doctor Manhattan and Laurie arrive to see the carnage and deduce that Adrian was behind it before heading to Antarctica to confront him. After several confrontations involving Manhattan getting disintegrated again and Laurie pulling a gun on Adrian, it’s revealed that Ozymandias’ plan has worked. The nations of the world have put aside their differences and decided to cooperate for fear of an impending alien invasion.

This then leads to the big moral dilemma. What Adrian has done is despicable, but he has succeeded in bringing about world peace, and revealing the truth behind the giant squid runs the risk of dooming the world all over again. So what would be the heroic thing to do?

Well there’s no point asking these characters because as the graphic novel has been emphasising again and again, these guys are not heroes.

This is an extremely complicated moral conundrum with no real right or wrong answer, and I very much appreciate how Alan Moore doesn’t try to shove one down our throats. I also like how each character comes to their decision. Doctor Manhattan is of course a godlike being who sees beyond our world and so shares a somewhat similar view to Adrian’s. That the deaths were justified because the end result is peace. Rorschach on the other hand cannot square what just happened with his own rigid morality, and refuses to keep the secret, vowing to tell everyone the truth, which leads to Manhattan killing him. Nite Owl meanwhile, being weak willed and pathetic as ever, decides to go along with Adrian’s plan, but it’s less to do with him agreeing with Adrian and more to do with the fact that the moral implications are so hard to comprehend that he doesn’t even want to try, instead taking the path of least resistance. Finally Silk Spectre, so shocked by everything she’s learned and witnessed, clings to the one stable thing she has. Dan. The two then have sex, serving as a dark inverse of the sex scene in A Brother To Dragons. In both instances, sex is used as a metaphor for power, but whereas the motivation in the first was Dan overcoming his own inadequacies, the second is both Dan and Laurie desperately trying to retain whatever shred of power and independence they have left after such a shocking and twisted act of mass murder.

It’s great because it demonstrates just how well Moore understands his own characters and how well we’ve come to know them. They behave exactly as we would expect them to and there’s something oddly satisfying about that despite the moral ambiguity of their decisions.

In fact lets discuss Rorschach for a bit, considering he’s the only one that refused to keep the secret. Bit surprising considering the horrid things he’s done throughout the graphic novel. What’s so different about this? Well it could be the sheer scale of it. Could be that he didn’t believe those who died truly deserved it according to his own strict moral code. Except I’m not entirely convinced. In the extra material provided in The Abyss Gazes Also, there’s a letter written by a young Walter Kovacs about his father. Or rather the person he imagines his father to be because he never actually met him. Apparently his parents split up because ‘he liked President Truman and she didn’t.’ Interesting in and of itself that Rorschach, a right wing bigot, was fathered by a Democrat. But wait, it gets more intriguing. He then goes on to write about how he believes his father was an aide to President Truman before talking about the events of Hiroshima and Nagasaki when the US dropped atomic bombs, killing millions. Except here he expresses that he believes that Truman did the right thing because it ended the war and saved millions more lives. Curious, wouldn’t you agree? So, in Rorschach’s mind, what made the nukes in Japan morally justifiable while Adrian’s giant squid in New York wasn’t? We can only really speculate at this point. Some think it’s because Rorschach has realised that there is no place for him in Adrian’s new world order, which I guess is kind of true, but I think it runs the risk of romanticising the character again. It could be that the nukes were a last resort whereas the squid was preemptive... maybe? Personally I think it’s just good old fashioned racism. Rorschach had no issue with the millions of Japanese lives lost because they were Japanese. The enemy. This is different. This time millions of American lives have been lost. To him, this is more than just mass murder. It’s an act of treason.

We may never fully know the reasons behind Rorschach’s actions, but it’s nonetheless interesting to discuss.

I also appreciated that we do get a moment where Adrian questions whether he did the right thing, expressing his doubts to Doctor Manhattan, to which he receives a cryptic response about how ‘nothing ever ends.’ (does Manhattan know what happens in the future? We’ll never know). It’s a nice moment that helps to humanise Adrian a little bit and remind us that he’s as flawed as all the other characters. The arrogant bravado he displays when he succeeds in achieving world peace could easily have slipped into pantomime villain territory if there wasn’t just this small moment near the end, possibly as the scale of the things he’s done dawns on him. Like the pirate captain in The Tales Of The Black Freighter, Adrian means well and his intentions are noble, but his actions are either highly questionable or just downright villainous. This is basically what Watchmen has been talking about since the start. Once you start taking more frequent steps outside the bounds of what is legally and morally acceptable, it’s not long before you’ve effectively joined the criminals yourself.

There’s a lot to like about A Stronger Loving World, however I do have a few complaints here and there. Yes, lets talk about that giant squid.

If there was ever a moment where Watchmen jumped the shark, this is it. And quite frankly I have no idea what Alan Moore was thinking at the time. So Adrian wants to unite the world together using an outside force that will encourage everyone to put aside their differences and team up with each other. Okay. Makes sense so far. But the plan itself requires so many leaps of logic, it kind of loses all credibility. Take for example the idea that it was cloned from a psychic’s brain. Well that came out of nowhere, didn’t it? Yes this is a world where a giant naked blue guy can manipulate atoms, but the story explained to us how this was possible, allowing us to suspend our disbelief. Now suddenly we’re supposed to believe that human psychics exist with no build up whatsoever. It’s just dumped on us, which makes it feel more like a convenient excuse than an explanation. Yes they do kind of foreshadow it with Adrian’s pet lynx Bubastis, but it’s a bit of a leap, isn’t it? It’s one thing to genetically alter an existing animal. It’s another thing entirely to create an all new creature with psychic abilities as though this was Build-A-Bear Workshop.

Not to mention, in order to explain how in God’s name someone can go from inventing electric cars to creating aliens, Alan Moore has to resort to a gigantic infodump in order to make sense of the bloody thing. The initial teleport incinerates people, then the psychic ‘death throes’ or whatever cause others to go mad and start killing each other, and then those even further away have bad dreams or something. Presumably the person furthest from ground zero probably has a moment where they forget where they put their car keys and leave the gas on. It’s just overly complicated and way too daft.

Also I can understand Adrian kidnapping scientists, but why artists and writers? And why tell them the creature is for a movie? Was no one a tiny bit suspicious of the amount of work, resources and effort being put into this supposed ‘special effect’? What about the fact that they were taken from their homes and put on a tiny island? Don’t they have families? Are any of them concerned about how ridiculously secretive this film production is? And more to the point, why let the rest of the world believe them to be kidnapped? If you’re going to go with the Hollywood movie cover story, why not just tell people that’s what they’re doing? I guess you could argue that Adrian was concerned this would draw unwanted attention to his plan, but... what?... them getting kidnapped wouldn’t have drawn attention?!

And then there’s just the sheer randomness of it. Why aliens? He doesn’t even plant the seeds for this anywhere. Maybe have some fake UFO sightings or something. He just dumps a dead alien on New York’s doorstep. Also, if genetic engineering is common knowledge, why would people assume it’s aliens? Surely government scientists testing the thing will discover it’s of terrestrial origin. Which leads to the biggest flaw. Would this plan really have worked? Killing millions of people in one city? Would that be enough to unite the world? Perhaps in the short term, but there’s no way you could possibly sustain that lie for so long. Plus, call me cynical, but considering how quickly Russia mobilised when Manhattan left the planet, surely it’s more likely they would take advantage of the situation while America was reeling from this act of carnage. If Adrian is supposed to be the smartest man in the world, I’m amazed he didn’t consider any of this. Maybe he has contingency plans in place, but I don’t know. It all seemed pretty final to me. He genuinely believes that this will fix everything. It just makes him look a bit stupid.

The whole giant squid plot has got more holes in it than a colander. Which is why (and I know I’m going to get some flak for this) I much prefer the version in Zack Snyder’s adaptation than I do the graphic novel. I don’t want to go into too much detail because I’d rather save that for when I review the movie, but I do honestly think Adrian’s plan in the movie makes more sense than the source material does.

Another side effect of having to explain the alien is that Silk Spectre’s story never gets proper closure. There’s a moment where Laurie confronts her mother over the fact that the Comedian is her father, but it all just feels a bit rushed and unsatisfactory. Especially when she starts talking about wanting to change her costume and start using guns, implying she’s going to be more like the Comedian in the future. It’s just too big of a leap in my opinion. One minute she’s distraught that her father was her mother’s rapist, the next she’s following in his footsteps. It’s such a sharp turn, it practically gave me whiplash.

That being said, I did like the little detail of Dan taking Sally Jupiter’s porn magazine, which I think implies how superficial their relationship is. They’re together because of the power and sexual rush they feel in their superhero identities, not because they actually love each other. Maybe that was what drew Sally to the Comedian despite everything he did. Who knows?

I also really like the ending. I haven’t been talking about the New Frontiersman in these reviews because it’s largely been inconsequential up until now, which is kind of the point. Seymour, a downtrodden, inconsequential man working a soul sucking job at a right wing newspaper, is suddenly given the power to change everything. Will he reveal the contents of Rorschach’s journal and thus expose Adrian’s plan or keep quiet in the name of peace? I want to believe it would be the latter, but considering his livelihood depends on his racist editor having material to rant and complain about, it would seem the world is truly doomed. 

As Doctor Manhattan said, ‘nothing ever ends.’

Hey guys! Thank you so much for reading these blogs. It took longer than I thought to write them, but honestly I think it was worth the extra time because there is just so much about Watchmen to unpack and I really enjoyed analysing this story. I’ve been wanting to review Watchmen for ages now and I’m very proud how these have turned out. I personally think it’s some of the best stuff I’ve ever written. Next I’m going to be reviewing the movie adaptation directed by Zack Snyder and then after that the HBO TV series. In the mean time, please feel free to like and reblog and share your own thoughts and feelings about Watchmen. Which character did you find most interesting? Do you think Adrian did the right thing? What would you do in Seymour’s shoes if you found Rorschach’s journal and discovered the truth about the giant alien squid? I’m genuinely curious :)

@haruxyoshioka said: The Cat King for the ask meme! 

o | Accepting

favorite thing about them: he’s just. such an awkward Dumbass....... i mean, listen, i know he’s a jerk who has entertainers and guests thrown out the window when they annoy him and trying to marry haru was despicably gross and weird, but he’s also just. kind of. hilariously Ineffectual too. and in a way that leaves him feeling pretty. harmless when all’s said and done. like even he comes to the conclusion at the end of the movie that he’s past his prime

idk there’s just something about the way the movie is set up where it Feels to me like, even tho the cat king does eventually become The Villain, he also still spends a chunk of the movie wanting to repay haru and wanting her to be happy (even if he’s. Vastly out of touch with how to do that lmao), and even when he does do more villainous things, it always feels more. uh. his thought processes and actions just feel erratic and disorganized, if that makes sense?? it’s hard for me to see him as a truly calculating, nefarious Criminal Mastermind(TM) rip. not that that absolves him or anything but. you know

and not that that cuts out anyone else’s interpretations, of course, this is just. how his character comes across to me wheezes

i’ll be honest-- i’m not even really sure what causes him to Snap at the end of the movie 8| he doesn’t seem all that upset when haru yells at him and doesn’t even remember who renaldo moon is, even after natori tries to remind him. he only seems to get pissed off when muta makes his threat about ‘eating the entire castle’ and lune. sends his guards to protect haru. uh. for some reason, which the cat king takes as treason lmao but. i’m. getting really off-topic here mY POINT IS that he comes across to me as just a sort of ineffectual old man with a bad temper who half the time doesn’t know what the frick he wants and i just personally find that funny sweats

least favorite thing about them: yeah he’s. he’s an incompetent jerk with too much power who’s probably had to go for waaayyy too long without answering for any of his crazy schemes and demands thank you natori and i still think he’s gross for offering to marry a teenage girl 8|

favorite line: i have to admit that really quick, confused ‘was that a no?’ he asks natori after haru yells at him cracks me up every time, but i think my favorite is still ‘poor haru, you must feel like such a loser.’ not least of all bc he does look genuinely upset for her for a second lmao

of course, then he just. throws it all out the window seconds after but. still

also haru’s indifferent response is pretty hilarious too

random headcanon: i don’t have any headcanons set in stone for the cat king tbh, but maybe, since i do believe he’s at least aware of the fact that natori is really. Running Everything these days, i kinda like the idea that he occasionally gets. oh. a Burst of Resentful Energy, completely ignores natori’s advice, and tries to do things himself just to prove he still can lmao

and of course. it tends to Blow Up In His Face

unpopular opinion: i think i miiight already like him more than. uh. most of the rest of the fandom lmao does that count?? 

song i associate with them: .......TBH this is the life by weird al yankovic lmao  

cat king: [poses after having some poor schmuck thrown out the window] it’s such a thrill just to be me!

favorite picture of them: i have to go with the Delicate Leggy

The Tarlys attacked the Tyrells and went to sack Highgarden. Yet, I didn't see anyone defending the Boltons when they turned on the Starks. Sam's feelings are valid, but it isn't like other characters wouldn't have done the same.

I mean…yeah.

And I get loving certain characters and hating others but objectively this is war. Houses aim to annihilate other Houses so to gain power. There are allies that navigate towards power. There is treason. There is avenging a House’s honor with brutal and just means. 

Sansa is a character I very much like. And I celebrated when she defeated Ramsey but letting his dogs devour him was not just poetic justice. It was retribution and avenging her House. It was establishing the law of the Starks against the traitors against their right. But if we view it with complete emotional detachment the Boltons had some grounds to do what they did. As despicable as their actions were. And when the Stark reclaimed their power the way they executed Ramsey was no less horrific than burning someone alive. Of course the fact that the fans detest Ramsey gives the chance in the narrative to avert the attention from certain circumstances. 

It depends on which side you are on. The Starks were traitors to the crown too were they not? It all started by wanting to avenge Ned Stark’s death and to free Sansa and Arya from the Lannisters but it then grew into something very different the directly opposed the existing order. 

Now the fact that something is legal does not make it moral or just but it still makes it the law. And if you go against it there are always consequences. And in such environments we are talking about treason and civil wars and so on. The fact that one will come on top and then justify their actions by making the new law does not mean that as the war wages on they were not committing treason themselves or rebelling against the crown and disturbing the ‘peace’. 

This is me trying to view this from the lenses that shape such worlds with monarchies and tyranny and so on. This is not a world of democracy or one that respects human rights. It only acknowledges power.

And I think the allegiance of the Tarlys is up to debate as the treason of the Boltons could be. The Targaryens may have once upon a time being the rulers but once they have fallen and another order has been established it was game over. Neither Dany or Jon have any right claim. The only claim they have is a birthright that may allow them to gather forces but in the end the rightful heir will be the one that takes the Throne. In reality there is no such thing as anyone being the rightful King. Maybe I am seeing this wrong because I am not fan of monarchy but even the Seven Kingdoms came together under Aegon’s rule by the right of conquest. What gave to Aegon and his sisters the right to claim anything over other Kingdoms that had other rightful heirs to begin with? Nothing. They had the most power so they took what they wanted and then created the ‘rightful claim’ for their descendants. Robert Baratheon claimed the Throne through rebellion and by force. Those that sided with him used any excuse to support their claims and Robert himself used his connection to the Targaryens through his bloodline as one more excuse to gain allies but in reality he took the power by war and force. Didn’t that make him a traitor to the crown too? Not to mention all the atrocities that were committed so Robert would gain the Throne and yet he did so anyone against him became the traitor and he had the rightful claim. So it depends on which side you are standing on.

Daenerys aims to do the same. So basically the strongest one wins. But I don’t think that those that are under the previous order and under a different law should be labeled as traitors objectively for deciding to keep their oath to the previous crown. It is all subjective in a way and a risk.

The fact that Olenna decided to join Daenerys does not mean that she hasn’t broken her oath to the crown either. No matter the reasons that led her to do so and how justified she was. It doesn’t work that way. So the Tarlys eventually not deciding to break from the crown and turning against the Tyrells is not without reason. And for now the Tarlys and anyone really has no reason to accept Daenerys’ authority on anything. But this was still treason towards Olenna. Those things are not mutually exclusive. Not in times of war. And from Daenerys point of view that could not go unanswered. This is war and the lines have been drawn. 

In the same way that it would have made more sense for the Boltons to obey the crown but their initial response was to join the North that claimed its independence and marched South. The Boltons wanted power. Randyll Tarly wanted the same. He also wanted to maintain the ‘purity’ of Westeros against all that Daenerys is bringing along which includes new cultures and ways of life. 

Each House wants this though. Power and survival. If Robb hadn’t been an idiot the Boltons wouldn’t have chosen the side of the Lannisters. They simply went to the side that was winning the war. Of course they betrayed the Starks and when justice came upon them for their betrayal no one complained. But what about the Starks. Yes they are a beloved House in the narrative given their honor and the beloved characters everyone cares for but their actions were not as black and white either. It is not as if the Starks detached themselves from the crown because they faced Joffrey’s illegitimacy. Ned’s execution was the match that lit the fire but no matter the intentions the Starks had they still craved power for their House too. It was not just facing an unjust crown or not recognizing Joffrey as the rightful heir. If that was the case they would fall under Stannis and fight to get him on the Throne as the rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms or whoever they considered to be Robert’s legal heir. This is what Ned Stark had wanted and tried to do after all. But the North eventually opposed the previous order all together while Ned  and their House was one of the key players that imposed it in the first place by aiding Robert and putting him on the Throne (for whatever personal reasons or any reaction to atrocities members of their Houses faced). Civil war is more complicated than saying this one side is right this other side is wrong. Usually you get a ‘reason’ and an excuse but the political game behind it is far more complicated.

The Boltons were power hungry. As were the Freys. As were the Lannisters. As is Daenerys. It depends on who has the more power, the best strategy, the right allies and even the right name. 

At the same time one could say that hey look…Cersei has no right on the Throne anyway. Especially after her children died (and their right was not solid either for obvious reasons). But that would apply for Olenna too. She has no heirs, she is a woman and she was the leader of house Tyrell by marrying the Lord and not directly either. What power did she hold to make such decisions as following an invading force against her country and why would anyone follow her too? Same with what Ellaria did with Dorne. Same with the Greyjoys and Yara siding with Daenerys from the moment Euron stepped up. This is one of the ways the GoT writers have failed, unless it was intentional of course which I somehow doubt, because the kind of authority that exists from all sides is questionable. So these alliances are shaky at best. It is a turbulent period where the power is constantly shifting. And if anyone aims to establish their law then they act accordingly. 

This is what Daenerys did. This is what the Starks did. This is what every house has been doing from the beginning of the show.

We can stand here and speak about honor and engaging in war by following an acceptable etiquette but in such cases the lack of all that is just called strategy. And it is not as if Daenerys didn’t gave alternatives to both Randyll and Dickon. I feel that the stance Tyrion and even Varys kept after it was naive and hypocritical at best. And this is coming from me that I am siding with Tyrion and Varys as characters more than I do with Daenerys since I find them more interesting and layered. Or at least I did up to season 5 or 6. I understand how traumatized they are by the Mad King’s actions but they are still there to be the voice of reason, to create the right strategy and to win the war for Daenerys. Preferably with the least casualties yes but that won’t happen if they force Daenerys to keep engaging in one mistake after the other that will lead to more collateral damage. This will eventually force her hand to course correct by any means necessary. And she has her Dragons and all the military forces with her for a reason.

Daenerys acted like a Queen. And she is accepted as the Queen by those that stand by her side. So she is establishing the law. In the same way Jon and Sansa established theirs against those that committed treason against them. And they were able to do so once they had the most power as Daenerys had in the case of the Tarlys.

And you know…this is Game of Thrones. The shocking scenes are a must…so some will use beheading, others will use hanging, others will let the dogs devour their enemies and others will let their dragons. Whatever comes first and leaves the best and most lasting impression actually. 

So if Daenerys is the Mad Queen then she definitely is not alone and that title goes to almost everyone. Not that there are not instances that can give parallels between Daenerys and the Mad King or Cersei and those should also be addressed but I feel that we are still miles and miles away from naming Daenerys the Mad Queen and calling it a day. It is far more complicated than that.

And that is because most if not all characters act similarly in such cases. They want to be the law so they are establishing their law and the winning side takes it all. And since this is war it makes sense for Daenerys to defend and avenge her allies and to punish the oathbreakers. Otherwise she should just turn back to where she came from and forget the Iron Throne. 

I think that it is easy to allow our personal liking and disliking over certain characters to distort our perspective but I am honestly not seeing from Daenerys any action that is any more condemnable that what other characters have done. Which does not say much because everyone has done and even keeps on doing reprehensible things. With different means and intentions maybe but in the end of the day with actions and reasoning very similar to hers. 

The Promise Ch. 5 (A SidLink Story)

Chapter 5: Protective Prince

Voices were around him, panicked and some angry. It was hard to make out what they were saying but he guessed it wasn't a pleasant conversation. His body rest against something warm but a little hard, as if being cradled close.

He couldn't remember what had happened very well. He had been on a walk with Sidon and then....then what?

Something warm pressed against his lips soon followed by painful pressure against his chest. What was going on?

“Link, please wake up,” muffled words spoke to him, quickly followed by the repeated warmth against his lips and then the pressure against his chest.

“Bazz it isn't working,” he heard more clearly.

“Just keep going my king. We cannot give up yet,” came a reply.

The warmth to his lips returned and Link realized then that it was someone's lips, hot air being pushed past his lips  to help him breathe again.

He quickly gasped, coughing hard as he pulled his eyes open, the feel of wetness against his lips as the water expelled from his lungs.

“Yes, that's it Link,” Sidon said, rubbing Link's back as he sat him up in his arms. Blue orbs gazed up at him weakly.

“What...happened,” he mumbled, swallowing around the soreness in his throat. Had he nearly drowned?!

“Shh, rest Link. I will explain everything to you later,” Sidon said to him. All Link could see was his face, surrounded in warmth. He smiled softly, closing his eyes once more and letting sleep take him, not even comprehending that Sidon had practically kissed him.

Sidon let out a sigh when he felt Link relax into his arms. He had been so scared that he had been too late, that he had lost him to the waves and never see those beautiful blue eyes again. But he had gotten to him in time.

He meant more to him than just a potential mate to solve all of his problems. Link had been his best friend back then. He cared for the man. Being with him now had him falling for him even more than he had before.

Even if Link rejected him he was still happy that he was breathing and even have been able to spend any sort of time with him again.

Perhaps if Link chose to go back home Sidon could send a wealthy donation to the orphanage to help them in any way he could.

“Had they taken her for questioning?” Sidon asked as he rose to his feet, keeping Link close to his chest.

He felt so small and fragile in his hands. So easily broken yet so strong on the inside. Link had always been strong and Sidon knew better than to mention his lack of ability to swim, not wanting to make him feel weak.

But he knew that this was a necessity that he needed to teach him. If he were to stay he needed to know how to swim. Not only for protection if anyone ever tried this again, but for also being able to get to certain areas of the Domain if Sidon wasn't around to help him.

“Yes your highness,” Bazz replied, falling into step with him. “She is being held and will be charged with endangerment of a life as well as treason against the crown.”

“Good. I will not tolerate that kind of behavior whatsoever. I will address my people later. For now I want to see that Link gets the care he needs.”

“Yes my king,” Bazz said, bowing his head as he went to join the other guards.

Sidon looked down to the blonde in his arms, his heart clenching at the sight of him. He put up this front when he was around anyone, only breaking a little when they were together. Here and now his walls were completely down.

His hand had curled around a necklace Sidon wore, his face burying itself against his shoulder fin as he shifted in his arms.

Sidon let out a small sigh, pausing in his steps as he ran his claws over the golden locks. They were soft against his skin even when wet.

Link let out a mumbled of something, his body turning further into Sidon's warmth. The king flushed, glancing around to see if anyone was nearby.

Thankfully no one wasn't. They knew him to be passionate but never one to blush so easily just by little things that Link did.

Though the longer he stayed there with them he knew the more likely someone was going to see him like this.

“I will protect you. I promise,” Sidon whispered, pressing a slow kiss to his temple.

*

Link came to several hours later in an unfamiliar place. He sat up with a start, eyes wide with fear as he tried to remember everything.

His hand was under a weight and Link pulled on it only to realize that it was being held by the sleeping king of the Zora.

“Easy there link,” came a whisper from the other side of the room. Link quickly looked to Mipha who had just stepped in the room with a blanket in her arms.

She stepped closer, resting the blanket around her younger brother's shoulders before taking her seat once more on Link's other side.

“You should lay back,” she said, gently guiding Link to lay back down. He returned to the soft pillows with no fight, keeping his hand buried in his Sidon's.

“What happened?” he asked, rubbing his throat, it still feeling as if he had swallowed nails over and over. He had vague images but he was having trouble piecing them together.

Mipha let out a heavy sigh. “A Zora had pushed you over the edge of the bridge into the water below. Sidon went after you as he saw you couldn't swim and pulled you out. He brought you here to rest up and heal.”

Link looked down at his hand still in the king's. He vaguely remember feeling the warmth against his lips, the feeling of pressure on his chest.

A flush formed on his face and he held his breath for a second. Sidon had only been doing that to help him breathe again, not to kiss him without his permission. But he had missed the feel of Sidon's lips against his own.

He would not be mad at him. He just wished he was awake to witness it....

No. He had to stay focused.

“Why did she attack me?” he asked, clearing his throat with a wince. “I hadn't done anything to her or...”

But he already knew the answer to that. It was because he was a Hylian.

“Quite frankly we're pretty sure what it was , considering what she had yelled as you tumbled down to the water,” Mipha said as she rubbed her temples in annoyance. “It was despicable. We have nothing against your kind. Why else would our king wish to wed you? It just annoys me that there are those that don't see it the same way and think they can act in such a manner.”

Link let out a sigh. He had never experienced anything like this before. He hated when it happened to anyone. No one deserved to be treated that way just because he was different than them. All of this mess over something stupid...

“So now I'll have Zoras attacking me?” he asked with a frown.

Mipha shook his head. “We are going to do everything in our power to keep you safe while we gather those that want to harm you and either make them see differently or they will face the consequences of their actions.”

“I don't mean any disrespect, but I am able to protect myself,” Link replied.

Mipha smiled softly. “I've got no doubts about that. But it is orders from the king. He wants to make sure you're safe. Quite frankly I don't think he is going to leave your side for a while.”

Link couldn't help but smile a little at that, looking to the large king once more with the small blanket that sat about his shoulders.

“How long as he been here?” he asked softly.

“Since he had brought you here,” Mipha replied resting her hand on Link's shoulder and closing her eyes, her hands having some sort of green aura around them.

“What are you doing?”

“Healing. It won't heal what you sustained completely but it will help speed up you're recovery time. You will have some bruising on your back and on your chest from where you hit the water and from where Sidon had pushed on your chest.”

Link watched amazed, feeling a warmth spread throughout his body.”I...don't know what to say. Thank you Mipha.”

“No need to thank me Link. Not only are you a kind man but you do mean quite a bit to my brother and I like seeing him happy. He hasn't been like this since father had died. Mourning and responsibility had kept that smile away from his face for so long.”

He still didn't quite understand why he cared for him so much for him but deep down he really did enjoy it.

Aside from the caretakers at the orphanage, Link never felt so much care from someone in his life. He had always wanted this feeling of having a family, but he had never been granted to having one of his own. This technically was his chance to do so. But was that really the right reason to do such a thing as marrying Sidon?

“He's never been this smitten before either with any suitors that were presented to him by the council,” Mipha added as she pulled her hands away.

“Mipha. That is quite embarrassing,” Sidon's smooth voice replied, gold eyes pulling open to look at them.

His cheeks were a soft blue hue, sitting himself up as he tried to regain some sort of dignity after his sister had told Link what he wanted to keep secret for the time being.

“Forgive me,” Mipha said with a laugh, not seeming to regret what she had just told him. Link had the right to know what was going in Sidon's head.

The princess rose from her seat, patting Link's hand as she passed. “I'll leave him in your care Sidon. I'll go see to more preparations for the princess.”

Mipha left the two of them in the room, leaving them in a bit of an awkward silence. The words that she had spoken still hung in the air around them like a thick blanket.

Noticing that his hand was still being held, Sidon slowly pulled it away.

“Sorry about that,” he mumbled to him.

Link paused a moment and then reached out for his hand again, holding it in his own. He liked the warmth and he knew that Sidon didn't mean any harm. It was becoming quite apparent that the Zoran man was quite affectionate and was holding himself back quite a bit when it came to Link. Letting him have things here and there wouldn't hurt.

Sidon glanced up at him quickly, the hue on his cheeks becoming darker. Link smiled, squeezing his hand a bit.

He could give him this. He had saved his life after all.

“I want to thank you for saving me,” Link said. “I...feel a little ashamed that you had to have come get me. I just...never really learned how to swim. There weren't that many large bodies of water near the orphanage so I never got the chance.”

“Link...I would jump in front of a rampaging Lynel to save you,” Sidon said causing Link to gaze at him in shock. He had never seen one but he had heard they were terrible beasts, able to take down even the strongest of warriors.

“Sidon...I'm flattered but...”

Thinking he had over stepped a line again Sidon looked away. “Forgive me again for being too forward.”

Link could see how much he wilted at that and he had to squeeze his hand again to get his attention. He did not like seeing that look of sadness cross the king's face.

“No, it's okay,” Link replied. “Maybe um...Maybe you could teach me to swim some time? What better way to learn than by the King of the Zora?”

That seemed to relax the king and he gave a breath taking grin, nodding his head. “I would love to Link. This way you will be more prepared for anything that comes your way.”

Link smiled though felt a little nervous. What was to stop another Zora from pushing him over the bridge into the water again? What if Sidon wasn't there to save him again before he leaned how to swim?

Seeing the paleness of his skin Sidon pulled his hand up to his chest. “Link, I will make sure that nothing ever happens to you again. I will not leave your side.”

“Thank you,” the blonde found himself saying.

What was it about Sidon that seemed to make him want to be protected versus wanting to protect everyone?

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Biden’s “Impossible Dream”

Along with the other eighty-million Americans with an IQ over five, I too am doing backflips at the prospect we’re just weeks away from flushing this unprecedentedly corrupt and incomprehensibly cruel administration into the cesspool of infamy where they belong.  However, as ecstatic as I am at the thought of an actual human being once again occupying the Oval Office, one must still be realistic as to what to expect going forward.  Sadly, it seems, to the contrary of our president-elect.

President Biden’s statement that he intends to be a president ‘...to all Americans’, while admirable and more than a welcome change from the incoherent ramblings of the Mad King, seems to be more than a bit out of touch with what’s actually going on in this country in 2020, and beyond.  While he may indeed devote every ounce of energy to this seemingly insurmountable task, unity is still a two-way street.  Last we checked, there’s a massive concrete divider in the middle of this one.  A concept that the president-elect inexplicably doesn’t seem to fully have grasped.  Especially, considering, as a former vice-president, he lived through eight years of Senate Republicans sticking it to his boss every chance they got.  I mean, “Hello, McFly?”  Do you really believe Congressional Republicans are just going to snap out of their near twenty-year trance because you’re friends with them? 

Exhibit One: Leader McConnell.

If you’re old enough to remember the Obama years, you’ll have no trouble recalling the now-infamous line uttered by that bastion of Honor and Ethics, Mitch McConnell.  That being, “My only goal for the next four years is to make Obama a one-term president.”  Aside from being borderline treason for a Senator to openly admit he’s going to spend every waking moment betraying his oath in order to achieve his despicably anti-American goal, “Moscow Mitch,” as he’s now affectionately known, hasn’t changed a bit.  In fact, he’s gotten worse, and, thanks to his miraculous re-election in a state that had him at just an 18% approval rating, more emboldened. 

After shamelessly defending our Russian-asset POTUS at every opportunity, including predicting the outcome of an impeachment hearing before it actually took place, the worst leader in the history of the United States Senate spent the past four years doing NOTHING, but filling an unprecedented number of conservative judgeships; including, surprise, the Supreme Court, where the louse seemed to actually revel in reneging on his own call to wait until after the election to choose a replacement for Justice Ginsberg.  No policy.  No compromise.  No nothing.  Nothing, that is, but increasing the deficit by trillions and making sure his corporate cronies are exempt from responsibility due to their shameful response to the pandemic.  I guess that’s something. 

Thus, unless our incoming president is suffering from severe amnesia, he should have no illusions that, following the Georgia runoffs (should Republicans maintain the stranglehold they currently enjoy), there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell McConnell, the demonic amphibian he is, will allow any dissenters to side with the president, on anything. Not a bill to curtail the amount of robocalls one gets on a daily basis, nor a motion to change the ketchup dispenser in the congressional cafeteria.

Exhibit Two:  Trump’s Minions 

If, after witnessing 126 House Republicans sign onto what is nothing short of a statement supporting the overthrowing of our Democracy, as well as several Republican Senators coming out in support of objecting to the States’ already-certified electors, anyone who thinks president Biden will somehow get these cockroaches to join hands singing Kumbaya, is living on another planet.  In fact, from what we’ve seen in the last six weeks, alone, it’s fair to say Congressional Republicans are now more of a threat to our nation than ISIS.  Yes, that ISIS.  At least, the Islamic State have the decency to tell you to your face exactly what their objective is: The total destruction of American Democracy.  Period.  Modern day Republicans have proven they have the same exact goal; they just do it from within, disguised as “patriots.”

Exhibit Three:  Seventy-Million Idiots

In spite of the Deplorables on The Hill, the biggest hurdle the president, and vice-president, have in front of them may very well be the American People, themselves.  While there’s got to be a few million in the human Chernobyl’s base of seventy-million-plus who aren’t full-blown, racist psychopaths, there are still way too many who’ve shown they’re fully committed to the cult of Trump.  Even now.  Even though their government led them into a year-long nightmare of misery and misinformation: even as their apathetic leaders choose to bail out their billionaire buddies, while sending them a $600 slap in the face, they continue to support them. Unmoved.

Even though Benedict Donald has spent the past two months proving he has zero interest in/reverence for this Democracy and in a peaceful transference of power, truth is, outside of maybe a handful of ‘awoke’ individuals who’ve finally seen enough, he’s most likely not lost a single one of his hardcore supporters.  In fact, many of them have doubled down in their support of the village idiot - going as far as to organize a “parallel inauguration” on Universe Two - the fantasy world where Trump will still be president (Most pundits refer to Trump supporters as living on ‘Earth 2,’ but their thinking is so alien to facts/common sense, IMO, they deserve their own universe.).   These sad, sorry fools fell hook, line and sinker for the president’s claims of “fraud”, to the tune of stocking his post-election war chest with a cool quarter-billion dollars.  Translation: you’re looking at an entire sect of people who have no basis in reality.  So, who’s worse?  The Trump supporter?  Or the one who tries to reason with the Trump supporter? 

These Trump-described “suckers,” who, in spite of everything they’ve seen, in spite of the fact we have a president who’s golfing while millions can’t even put food on their table during the holidays (those still alive that is) are still so consumed with hate for the other side, they’d rather see their nation brought to the brink of civil war than be governed by a Democrat.  They’d rather elect a corrupt, bottom-dwelling QAnon conspirator to Congress, than an honest, sane liberal whose major crime is refusing to believe Tom Hanks and Bill Gates are partners in a global kiddie porn empire.  Case in point, the more than dozen House seats that flipped red this past November, and, with them, some who actually believe the above.  This kind of unhinged, spiteful, masochistic thinking suggests the hate modern day Republicans have towards liberals is greater than the love they have for their own children.   Good luck overcoming that type of home-grown martyr, Mr. President.  

Exhibit Four: Biden, Himself:

The welcome, sorely needed public comments seeking to reunite a hopelessly divided nation, notwithstanding, by stating what the New York Times calls “no interest” in pursuing any type of retribution/Justice, re: the myriad of crimes committed by this horrific administration, IMO, the president-elect has already stepped in it.  Especially after the Georgia phone call. 

It’s never a good idea to address your supporters, many of whom feel they’re owed some form of payback after being forced to watch helplessly as their Constitution was consistently used as toilet paper by a mob boss POTUS for four, long years, and, right out of the gate, say you’re just going to forget the whole thing.  After all, this isn’t Nixon we’re talking about here. This is a thousand Nixons... on steroids.  This is treason in all its forms.  The attempt to “find” 11,780 votes, just one more than Biden, is the most egregious crime ever committed by a U.S. President. Yet, the president-elect continues to spew this type of disappointing, non-confrontational rhetoric. While hopefully just said for the cameras, it definitely gives many of the incoming president’s supporters, including Yours Truly, night sweats.  

In fact, IMO, SDNY aside, letting these, spineless, racist, anti-American miscreants sail off into the sunset, with free health care for life and full pensions, on us, would be worse than all their crimes put together.  As it will not only show the next corrupt bunch of lawless idiots to come down the pike they can do whatever they want and they’re guaranteed a free pass from the next guy, it will end our experiment in Democracy as we know it; as it will have all-but-proved the president is, in fact, above the law.  I really hope I’m wrong.  Fingers crossed Biden is just doing his job and saying all the right things, while privately working to nominate Sally Yates for A.G.  IMO, should Ms. Yates get the nod, she will see to it Justice is served on all fronts.  If not, you can bet there’s a damn good reason.

Mueller made the fatal mistake of playing fair with Trump and Barr, and their legion of sycophantic sheep in Congress, and wound up looking like a timid, outmatched eunuch. After living through the Obama years, after living through The Trump years, after seeing the literal definition of treason on a daily basis, it appears Biden is choosing to ignore these screaming red sirens and walk down that path, as well, at least with his words.   

How much more proof does the president-elect need to know these individuals on the other side of the aisle are only interested in one thing? Total Dominance, by any means necessary.  Even if it’s a flagrant violation of their oaths to defend The Constitution.  Every single low-life choosing to join a wanna-be fascist in his reprehensible attempt to overturn our national election are only Americans by birth.  That’s where it ends. 

In Alan Parker’s classic film, Mississippi Burning, there’s a great line in the scene where the two FBI agents, played by Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman, realize playing by the rules with these racist bastards will never get them the Justice they seek.  Straight-laced Dafoe says, “Don’t drag me into your gutter, Mr. Anderson.”   To which, no-nonsense Hackman replies, “These people crawled out of a sewer, Mr. Ward!  Maybe the gutter’s where we outta be!”  Here’s hoping there’s more of Anderson than Ward in our next president. 

Beauty and the Beast AU

I really liked the idea of doing a Carry On Beauty and the Beast AU after seeing the movie. After seeing @ace-artemis-fanartist do this AMAZING fanart AU version I decided to go for it! Let me know if your interested in this becoming chaptered :) The next chapters are available here: 2 3

Simon

The castle loomed darkly against the grey sky, a shadowy figure in the crisp wilderness. Simon shivered lightly in the cold weather, rubbing his arms against the wind. He wasn’t sure why he had come here; it wasn’t like he actually owed his father anything. But he had tracked him to this desolate place and felt the familiar need to keep his father close to him.

His footsteps crunching in the snow were the only audible sound. The place was incredibly eerie, even if it was beautiful. He had no idea what his father was doing in a place like this or why he hadn’t reached out to him. But it seemed dangerous; Simon’s magic swirled close to the surface of his skin.

As he reached the doorway he paused. Something told him that once he entered this place he would not come back the same. If he wanted to, he could walk away, let his father conduct his strange business in this creepy castle, and return to life in the village. Agatha was waiting for him there with a thousand promises in her brown eyes. There were a million reasons for him to walk away.

He took a deep breath and pushed the heavy doors open. His heart beat rapidly as he waited for something to jump out at him. As the seconds ticked by though, he noticed that the entryway was empty. With a frown, he stepped through the threshold. 

The room was dank, as if it hadn’t seen sunlight in many years. As he stepped further into the castle he noticed a large sitting area to his left. Seemingly on its own accord, the fireplace lit up with bright orange flames. Simon jumped back a step and put his hand over the hilt of his sword. But nobody attacked him from behind the large fireplace. 

Simon had been raised around magic his whole life, loved it even, yet he felt there was something wrong about this place. It was as if the castle dripped in something heavy, a kind of twisted magic hung in the air. 

“Look Niall! I told you he would come!” He heard someone hiss behind him.

Simon froze, trying to appear as if he hadn’t heard the voice.

“Oh, shut up Dev!” Another voice whispered.

Simon whipped around, sure that he would discover who was speaking and found himself utterly confused. Behind him, on the stairs, lay a clock and candelabra, as if left there by mistake. 

“What in Merlin…” Simon muttered.

The place was starting creep him out. Figuring it would be useful in the dark space, Simon picked up the candelabra and started up the grand staircase. The castle was obviously quite large and, in its own eerie way, very grand; but Simon could not understand what it was doing in the middle of the woods. Had his father, deluded by his own power, built a castle in forested isolation to pretend to be king? Simon had to admit that it was not that big of a stretch for his father. It didn’t, however, explain the strange whispering. Or the dark magic.

He found a corridor off to his left and walked up the stone steps, knowing that his father had a tendency to seek high ground. Eventually it became clear that he was in the dungeons of the castle, something that would normally cause him to go back to the main staircase. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was getting closer to his father with every step. Eventually he turned a corner and found the one cell that wasn’t empty in the vast tower.

In the corner his father lay balled up, his green cloak stained by the water dripping from the stone ceiling. Simon drew in an audible breath. Stirred by the noise, David Snow turned and looked at his son, his eyes blank. Then he jumped out of his slumped position and threw himself at the bars.

“Oh my son! My son! Thank Merlin you’ve found me!”

“Father…what happened to you?”

His father’s eyes shifted to look behind him.

“I was looking for something in the woods…I got lost. Eventually I found this place and decided to rest here for a bit. But Simon, my boy, there’s something terrible in this place.”

Simon glanced around him.

“Yeah I know. I can feel the dark magic here.”

“No!” His father yelled, grabbing Simon’s jacket through the bars, “You don’t understand! There’s a thing here, an evil creature! He’s the one who locked me up!”

Simon wondered if his father had hit his head.

“I’m sure he was a horrible man if he could do something like this to you father, but let’s not get carried away.”

His father’s eyes widened and his face went white. Weakly, he let go of Simon and backed away from him, his eyes focused on something behind Simon. His legs began to shake.

“Not a man…” His father trailed off.

Simon felt a chill run down his spine.

“A beast.”

Simon whipped around and came face to face with his father’s captor. He was taller than Simon, enough so to loom over him. His skin was as grey as the sky outside the castle, and his eyes were the same color, if not a little stormier. His hair was jet black and wild about his face, as if he hadn’t cut it in years. All of this, strange as it was, was still human enough. 

But the fangs, the horrible, sharp fangs that protruded from his dark red lips were undoubtedly beastly.  His expression matched the cruelness of his appearance, a mask of pure and utter rage. 

Simon did not know what to call this person, as he somehow had ascertained the creature in front of him was indeed a person. His sword was already drawn, but he had the sinking feeling it would do little against the menacing man in front of him.

“You dare take up a sword against me? In my own home?” The man hissed.

Simon swallowed loudly.

“I-I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just that you…well, you surprised me.”

The man studied him.

“Well?”

“Well what?” Simon said.

“Well why haven’t you put your sword down yet? Seeing as you only drew out of bewilderment.” 

Simon deliberated. Putting down the sword meant relinquishing his best weapon and left him vulnerable. But keeping it drawn would likely make the man attack. Slowly he sheathed his sword. 

“There,” Simon said.

The man sneered.

“What are you doing in my castle? I don’t like trespassers.”

Simon clenched his jaw.

“I wasn’t trying to trespass. My father went missing a few days ago and I tracked him here. I didn’t realize the castle was occupied by you.”

The man snarled loudly.

“So you’re the son of this disgusting excuse of a man?”

Simon growled back at him.

“How dare you talk about my father like that!” Simon yelled.

The man threw him up onto the bars in a rush, barely exerting himself. Simon had been right to assume that the man was unnaturally strong. He felt his breath rush out of him against the force of the blow. 

“Your father tried to slit my throat in my sleep.”

Simon wanted to deny it, to say his father would never be capable of such a thing, but he knew that he couldn’t. Unfortunately, Simon could very well imagine his father doing just that sort of thing. The man waited for Simon to defend his father and when it was clear he wouldn’t, set Simon down.

“Simon,” His father whimpered, “He’s a monster! I only thought I was doing the right thing!”

The man laughed darkly.

“Is that so? Is stuffing your bag with dozens of my possessions doing the right thing?”

Simon looked down. His father was not a good man, Simon knew this already, but he was the only family he had left. Whether he liked it or not, he would need to break his father out of the castle.

In a flash Simon had his wand out and pointed at the monstrous man’s throat. He was prepared to say a spell when the man laughed raucously. Simon paused, his mouth hanging open in confusion.

“Going to cast a spell are you? I don’t think you’ll have much luck with that.”

Simon realized that although he could feel his magic, he couldn’t tap into it.

“Why…what’s wrong with this place?”

The man pulled back his upper lip to expose more of his fangs. It was truly a terrible sight, an image that made fear run up the length of Simon’s body.

“It’s cursed. Like me.”

“What are you?” Simon whispered. 

Something flitted across the man’s expression, too quick for Simon to decipher. As quickly as it had come, the look left the man’s expression and was replaced by cold disinterest.

“Enough questions. Your father will spend the rest of his life rotting in this cell; I don’t care what you think about it. He committed treason as far as I’m concerned. “

Simon sagged in defeat. The smart move would be to respectfully apologize on behalf of his father and to leave. It was in his best interest to leave his father, and this mysterious man, behind him forever. After all, his father had committed horrible crimes; he deserved to be here.

“I know,” Simon started, “That what my father did was despicable.”

His father moaned weakly in his cell.

“But,” Simon continued, through gritted teeth, “I cannot simply leave him here. I have no hope of beating you in a fight without my magic and I don’t wish for my family name to cause any more violence in your home.”

The man frowned.

“And so?”

“And so…” Simon trailed off, “Punish me instead.”

The man’s eyes widened. From behind him he could hear his father shrieking with happiness. Simon closed his eyes, trying to quell the pain in his chest. 

“You would take your father’s place?”

Simon felt his father grab his leg through the bars. He was kissing Simon’s calf.

“Thank you my son. Oh. Bless you. I won’t forget this.”

Simon’s throat hurt.

“Yes, I will take his place.”

The man pointed in disgust to his father, who was crying in happiness on his hands and knees.

“You would sacrifice your entire life? For a coward like this?”

“Enough questions,” Simon threw the man’s earlier words back at him, “Just let him go and do what you want with me.”

The man glared at him for a minute, as if he was unwilling to accept Simon’s offer. Eventually though, he pushed Simon aside and unlocked the cell door. His father sprang out and ran down the stairs, without a backwards glance at Simon. 

“I’ll come back for you Simon! I swear it,” He heard his father shout out from below.

Simon knew it was a lie. He knew that unless he found some way to escape on his own that he would be stuck here until he died. David Snow was not a good man but he was an even worse father.

The man allowed Simon the dignity of entering the cell on his own as opposed to throwing him in. Keeping eye contact with him, the man closed and locked the cell door.

“Your father is a selfish and cruel man. But you…”

Simon waited for him to continue. With a shake of his head, the man turned away and began to walk down the stone stairway.

“You are a fool.”

With that, the man walked away, leaving Simon completely alone. Sighing, Simon slid down to the floor. He wished he could say that the man was a monster, that he had forced Simon’s hand and treated his father unfairly. But the truth was cruel, and Simon had to bite his lip to stop himself from screaming.

The truth was that his father had deserved what he got.

And the beast had been right; Simon Snow was the biggest fool of all.

What does Fayrl think of each of the Daedric Princes?

Oh boy, this is a long but a fun one. So many great daedra to think about.

I did want to quickly mention that, even though there are several princes that Fayrl actively hates, that does not mean he does not believe in them or their power. He has a healthy respect for their power and ability to completely and utterly destroy him. And should he face any of them outside those he worships, he would certainly try to be as gracious and careful not to offend them as possible.

Now, onto the princes.

Azura – A Prince who maintains/draws power from the balance of night and day, light and dark

Azura is a fave of Fayrl’s. It’s the god his mother and @avon-m-dunaag dedicated themselves to. He spent a lot of his time growing up with a heavy focus on the importance of Azura’s teachings. Much of this centered around the importance of balance and change. He certainly took to the ideas of rejecting complacency.

Boethiah – The Prince of deceit, secrecy, conspiracy, treason, and unlawful overthrow of authority

Boethiah is one of his three main gods. He certainly is all about the tenants Boethiah stands for. He personally finds it his moral obligation to route out injustice he sees and thrives on deceit.

Clavicus Vile – A shape-shifter, who grants power and wishes through ritual invocations and pact

Fayrl is wary of Clavicus Vile. Although he worships daedra, one of the first things he was taught was that Daedra can help you, but you have to be wise about how you work with them or they will take advantage of you. He knows that you may gain a wish or power, but in return you will lose something valuable. For him, that’s just not worth it, though he would never actively seek to stop others from following CV.

Hermaeus Mora – The formless Daedric Prince of knowledge and memory, seeks to possess all that is knowable

Fayrl’s fascinated by the idea of Hermaeus Mora. He would love to see him just once, if only to see what all those tentacles are about. The type of power that a god of knowledge and memory would possess would be immense and Fayrl is curious what he might be able to learn through an interaction with the daedric price.

Hircine – The Prince of the hunt, sport, the Great Game, and the Chase

Worshiping Hircine is just too much work. Fayrl’s spent enough time chasing or being chased that he doesn’t want to add any more to that. I think he would say a polite “no thank you” to someone trying to get him to join.

Jyggalag – The Prince of logical order and deduction, upholds strict order above all else

For Jygglag, I think Fayrl would feel a sense of understanding but not much interest. He has lived a life where logic alone does not help you to survive. That said, he finds those that follow such a daedra to be important resources, if not a bit too uptight. I am sure he would make a joke about how this was more Avon’s area than his. Though he has a lot of respect for order, he also likes flexibility too much to be interested personally.

Malacath – The Prince whose sphere is the patronage of the spurned and ostracized

And now we come to the four corners of the house of trouble. Fayrl has been taught that these daedra have a place in the world, that being to test the faith of Dunmer and other mortals. He digs the idea of revenge for those who have been wronged and I don’t think he has anything too much against Malacath, despite that being sort of contradictory to his upbringing. He likes what Malacath can stand for and certain has met some great Orsmer who were very devout Malacath devotees, so he has no qualms there, but it’s not his cup of tea. But, given Malacath and Mephala’s being on good terms, and that most Orsimer worship Malacath, I think Fayrl would see him as a god deserving of worship by some, just not him.

Mehrunes Dagon – The Prince of destruction, violent upheaval, energy, and mortal ambition

Another of the four corners of the house of trouble. To Fayrl, this daedra represents when you let your ambitions become selfish and corrupted. He is not at all a fan. He is all for a bit of destruction in the name of progress, but doing harm purely for the sake of inflicting pain goes against his beliefs.

Mephala – The Prince of unknown plots and obfuscation, a master manipulator, a sewer of discord

Fayrl’s most beloved god. He has dedicated himself fully to Mephala and their teachings. Of the three pillars of Mephala’s reach, Fayrl associates himself with the pillar of seduction and sexual desire. That’s not to say that deceit and murder aren’t part of his daily life, just that they are lesser for him. Fayrl thrives off the energy he gets from seducing people. This paired with his birth gifts under the sign of the lover, make it very easy for him to lead people to do as he wishes. Mephala and all they stand for just fit him so well.

Meridia – The Prince of the energies of all living things, enemy of the undead and all who disrupt the flow of life

Fayrl likes Merida. He has a bit of a fear of the undead after being locked in a crypt as a small mer, which was exasperated by several jobs as a sell sword where he wound up fighting his way through throngs of draugr and zombies over several months. If his faith in the tribunal was any weaker, he probably would have converted to her on the spot then.

Molag Bal – The Prince of domination and spiritual enslavement, seeks to ensnare souls within his domain

Another of the four corners of the house of trouble. As far as Fayrl is concerned, Molag Bal is the most despicable daedric prince. Imprisoning and torturing mortals for amusement and to break them is repulsive. Anyone who worships Molag Bal should, in his opinion, be slain on the spot before they do any more harm to the world.

Namira – The Prince of the “ancient darkness,” the patron of all things considered repulsive

Fayrl believes that all the princes and their realms of power play a role in the fabric of the universe. As a result, those things that live must decay. If there is beauty, there must be the opposite too. So, although he thinks Namira plays a vital role in the world, he does not really care for her. It’s just such a waste of the beauty all around in his opinion.

He also has an added reason to feel less than warm towards Namira. It was Namira and her cult which stole Nabine from him. So he tries not to think about her and her cannibalistic followers. Too much heartache there.

Nocturnal – The Prince of the night and darkness, the patron of all things secretive

He thinks of Nocturnal much like a sister to Azura. Nocturnal fills the place in between. Although he would never worship her because he fills the space he thinks she fulfills with the tribunal, he can see the appeal for others. He respects her, but wouldn’t go far enough to worship. She’s cool in his book.

Peryite – The Taskmaster, the Daedric Prince of Pestilence, desires order in his domain

Much like Namira, he sees Peryite as a necessary, but unfortunate part of the world. Some one has to manage illness. And like Namira, he will keep as far a distance from Peryite as he can.

Sanguine – The Prince of hedonism, debauchery, and the further indulgences of one’s darker nature

Fayrl loves Sanguine. He almost idolizes Sanguine. So much of what he loves Sanguine embodies. And who can throw a better party? He would definitely go and party with some Sanguine revelers if they asked him. In fact, he has been waiting for one of them to invite him for decades. Why won’t they ever give him that invitation? Surely it would be alright with Mephala for him to enjoy a gathering with Sanguine’s followers.

Sheogorath – The infamous Prince of Madness, whose motives are unknowable

The final of the four corners of the house of trouble. Sheogorath unnerves Fayrl as much or more than Molag Bal does. He can’t explain it, but there’s something about the daedric prince that just hits him in a place that bothers him deeply. He never wants to have the misfortune of ever meeting Sheogorath.

Vaermina – The Prince of dreams and nightmares, a deliverer of evil omens and dark portents

Once again, every prince has their purpose, he understands that. Still, he does not like Vaermina. He doesn’t often remember his dreams, mostly because he found a way to keep himself from doing so. Vaermina rules the realm of your worst fears at a time when you cannot protect yourself against them. That vulnerability is frightening for Fayrl. Even more so because it plays on his fears and relives his greatest pains. If there was a way to protect yourself from Vaermina permanently, he would pay nearly any cost.

Mitchell Chapman: To win in '20, Democrats need a leader to unite them | The Berkshire Eagle

https://uniteddemocrats.net/?p=6503

Mitchell Chapman: To win in '20, Democrats need a leader to unite them | The Berkshire Eagle

By Mitchell Chapman

PITTSFIELD — With the midterms approaching, the usual flip the House and Senate talks are appearing once again from Democrats, who haven’t held a majority in either since 2014. As we learned in the 2016 primaries and general election, elections are messy and for a variety of reasons, from how the Electoral College is set up to the fact that politicians are allowed to create the borders for electoral districts, and the popular vote doesn’t always get people elected.

We’ve seen many close elections where a simple majority has not warranted an electoral victory, such as the 2000 and 2016 presidential elections. And it is not absurd to believe that this can hold true for smaller elections, especially when candidates are neck and neck.

If Democrats have any hope of pulling off the flip they hope to achieve in the midterms, they will need to accomplish more than just a simple majority — in fact it might need to be a super majority of the popular vote — and that especially holds true for the 2020 races. In 2016, Democrats failed to capture the heart and soul of America, pushing forth with a despicably corporate agenda with fake smiles while unceremoniously disposing of a candidate (Sen. Bernie Sanders) that managed to inspire voters, especially young people, to get involved in the political process, and voters reacted.

Hillary a poor candidate

Say what you will about former Secretary Hillary Clinton, but she certainty did not prove to be a moving leader. In fact, without the Clinton name, I think that she would have done poorly in the 2016 Democratic primary, and is the main reason why I think she lost the 2016 election. Her rhetoric was clearly borrowed from other people, and she had a very troubled history of changing her positions when it has been politically convenient for her, and she emitted an aura of a manufactured, focus-tested politician that nontraditional candidates like Sen. Sanders and President Donald Trump deconstructed. Throw in the questionable circumstances surrounding the advantages she got from the Democratic National Committee, ranging from the amount of cooperation she was able to get over Sanders and the curiously small amount of and strange timing of the televised debates, and she was a poor candidate who only managed to drag down everyone who supported her.

And unfortunately, that seemed to be very much the case. As FiveThirtyEight reported directly after the aftermath in an article titled “There Were No Purple States On [Election] Tuesday,” party politics are the strongest they have ever been, with 2016 being the only race in history that all states voted for the same party in the presidential and Senate races, meaning that today, more than ever, a presidential candidate functions as the face of their party for at least their election year.

Thankfully, the face of the Republican party, our president, has done nothing but polarize even members of his own party, with his latest folly being his arguably treasonous comments at Helsinki, Finland, which did not show the strong leadership Trump promised on the campaign trail, but rather a coward who caves into intimidating world leaders like Russian President Vladamir Putin.

But to prevent a repeat of 2016 in 2018 and 2020, the Democratic Party will need to have a strong face to unite them, one that’s not a traditional corporate Democrat. Like it or not, but candidates like Sanders and Trump, who did very well with the very large voting block of independent voters (some 43 percent of all voters according to Gallup) rose to popularity because they both were considered nontraditional candidates. Voters are tired of candidates that take corporate donations and are afraid to speak their minds, ultimately giving voters empty smiles and broad promises while doing more for their wealthy campaign donors than the majority of people they are supposed to represent. With Trump and Sanders, the political polish was gone, for better or for worse, and as a result, both gained very loyal followings that persist to this day.

Revealing NYC win

Two people often discusses as being the new face of the party are Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whose David versus Goliath primary victory over Democratic Caucus Chair Joe Crowley in New York’s 14th congressional district put her in the national spotlight, and Sanders, who has the highest approval rating of any politician in America. There’s also talk of former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren serving this role, all of whom have their strengths and weaknesses. I think Ocasio-Cortez has the potential to lead the party in 2018, mostly because of how stunning her primary victory was (but of course she has to win her election first), and Sanders has the best chance of leading the party in 2020 if he chooses to run.

But I’m not sure if it will be enough, and while Sanders continues to spur on his political revolution that has helped candidates like Ocasio-Cortez, I can’t help but wonder if most of the energy surrounding his movement was lost back in 2016. He would need to unite America through shared struggle versus shared hate.

Still, I’m not seeing anyone else from the left with anywhere near the energy Sanders and his brand of Democrats display, a phrase I find ironic because Sanders has been an independent for most of his career. But I do know to defeat Trump and the Republican Party, Democrats will need a leader who will unite them and is willing to reform them from the ways they failed in 2016, because like it or not, the game in politics has changed and Democrats are currently behind the curve.

Mitchell Chapman is an Eagle staffer.

If you’d like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.

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The Anambra State Lawyers in Defence of Democracy, ASLADD, have come hard on the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his followers for attempting to blame it for the crises that occurred at Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of the state. The Nigerian Police reportedly clashed with the IPOB members who were said to be awaiting the arrival of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for a rally scheduled to hold in the town last week. In a statement in Awka, the Anambra state capital, entitled, “Ekwulobia Crises: IPOB is confusing apples with oranges,” saying that as a professional body, it has all it takes to end Kanu’s agitation. The lawyers said, “The attention of the Anambra State Lawyers in Defence of Democracy [ASLADD] has been drawn to a statement released by Emma Powerful for the IPOB on the clash that was reported to have occurred between the Nigerian Police and some IPOB members at Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. “In the said press release, the author labored strenuously to share the culpability of the crises between the DPO of Ekwulobia Police Station and “individuals hiding under non-existent Anambra Lawyers. “We start by saying that the Anambra State Lawyers in Defence of Democracy [ASLADD] is composed of eminent Legal Practitioners from Anambra State who practice both within and outside the shores of the state. Without mincing words, the foremost consideration that propelled the coming together of these fine minds is to robustly protect democracy in Anambra State which has come under a massive threat by the extra-legal and anarchist method introduced by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in his push to carve out an imaginary fiefdom for himself where delusively he would be presiding over his serfs like a feudal emperor who must not be opposed by his subjects without fatal consequences. “It is rather ridiculous that the author of the IPOB statement claimed that our group is both “faceless” and ‘non-existent’ and yet he labored profusely to apportion blame and culpability to a “non-existent” group. This is purely an inverted logic. It is a matter of ordinary knowledge that lawyers in every society [by virtue of their professional calling and standing] are public figures. “True indeed, the Convener of this august assembly is Mr. Johnmary Chukwukasi Jideobi. This is a gentleman committed to the defence of human rights, rule of law and constitutionalism. It is on record that our Convener stood tall and firm in robust defence of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu since he was arrested in 2015. As a matter of fact, it was our Convener who put up a pro-bono appearance with Mr. Vincent Obetta on the 17th day of December, 2015 before the Honourable Justice A.F.A. Ademola where the Mr. Nnamdi Kanu was granted bail for the 2nd time. “The records of proceedings in charge no: FHC/ABJ/383/2015 would reveal that our Convener has put up many pro-bono appearances in defence of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu before the Honourable Justices; A.F.A. Ademola, A.R. Mohammed and James Tsoho. “Our Convener has equally on different occasions backed up his courtroom support with strongly-worded letters to President Muhammed Buhari, Chief John Oyegun, National President of the Nigerian Bar Association and the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation urging them to see good reasons why the order of court granting Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Rtd. Colonel Dasuki and El-Zakzaki bail ought to be respected in total obeisance to the dictates of rule of law and for the preservation of our constitutional democracy. “These tons of letters are readily accessible as they were well published and documented at the offices of their recipients. This is quite apart from the numerous legal articles contributed by our Convener aimed at rallying the support of human rights activists to have Mazi Nnamdi Kanu freed from Kuje. While still in prison, our Convener has had to visit and meet with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on more than five different occasions all in a bid to strategize on how to use the instrumentality of the law to set him free from the gulag. “What has our convener not done to have Mazi Nnamdi Kanu breathe the air of freedom he is enjoying today even at a great personal risk [even at a time when even the highest political office holders in the South-East region were shy of identifying with Nnamdi Kanu’s ordeals]. “We challenge the IPOB to controvert these hardcore and overwhelming facts. It was William George who once rightly posited that “ingratitude is a crime more despicable than revenge, which is only returning evil for evil, while ingratitude returns evil for good.” “While Immanuel Kant [German Philosopher] appreciates that ‘Ingratitude is the essence of vileness’, James Thomas [Scottish Musician] rightly concludes that “Ingratitude is treason to mankind. It is not surprising to us that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu does not brook the word “gratitude” in his vocabulary of living just as he has sufficiently demonstrated that those core values handed down to us by our forebears that characterize Igbo civilization have evaporated from his menu of manners. “It is therefore rather unfortunate that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu [a huge beneficiary of our legal prowess and professional benevolence] could turn around and accuse our noble body of being responsible for Ekwulobia crises. Yes we dared to challenge him on the futility of his attempt at truncating Anambra election where he has no legitimate interest in whatever becomes the outcome of that democratic exercise. “In our considered view, his home state [Abia], with deep humility and respect, needs more help to rescue her from dilapidated infrastructures than our dear Anambra State that currently shines the light in most indices of governance. All this madness being orchestrated by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is ultimately aimed at possibly setting the polity ablaze [using the fuel of hate and intimidating speeches] in the phantom hope that the weighty criminal charges hanging on his neck would drown in the ensuing melee. In achieving this devious intention [which is a mere fishing expedition in the desert], Mazi Nnamdi Kanu would not mind using as many uniformed and less-privileged compatriots as are available as his canon-fodders. “We are compelled to state for the umpteenth time that we shall never fold our alms and watch Mazi Nnamdi Kanu pull our sacred constitution apart, pollute the system with rotten speeches of putrid hatred, acrimonious vituperations and denigrating venoms while pouring acerbic expletives on the foundations of our democracy in a manner that is capable of bringing an organised society to a perilous end. “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should be rest assured that if we could use our legal arsenal to rescue him from the Kuje gulag after waging a very deadly and fierce legal battle on his behalf against the Federal Government of Nigeria [amidst all odds], we equally have more than what it takes [in our legal armoury] to decisively end his impunity and defend democracy [from his tyranny, imposition and buffoonery] in Anambra State which is our primary constituency. “Participating in an election is purely discretionary on the part of the citizens. But we can never accept a situation where Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB is deploying violent means to scare law-abiding Anambrarians away from the polls even to the point of the Kanus repeatedly issuing assassination threat to our Convener for which human rights communities around the globe have adequately been put on notice. “We hereby re-iterate our call on the relevant authorities to urgently commence a high-powered clinical investigation into the activities of the IPOB. Biafra is a sacred ideology which is not commodious enough to admit acts of outlawry, criminal intimidations and charlatanism under its canopied ambience. “In signing off this statement, we find it so unfortunate and discomforting that the conducts of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has forced us to address him in the very words we addressed President Muhammed Buhari when we wrote him on the 6th of January, 2016 condemning his refusal to free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu despite an existing Court Order. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should listen to this: “Sir, all the existing Supreme Court authorities and our penal books lean heavily in support of the long-established postulation that disobedience of Court Orders (otherwise called contempt of Court) is an abomination of the rankest specie just as it is an anathema in every democracy worth the name as it holds the key to the floodgates of anarchy and societal destruction. Condemning this cancerous vice, our own Supreme Court, in the case of Hart v. Hart (1991) 21 N.S.C.C. (Pt. 1) 184 at 199, had these unkind words for those who disobey Court orders (contemnors); “I would like to state that obedience to Orders of Courts is fundamental to the good order, peace and stability of the Nigerian nation. The ugly alternative is a painful recrudescence of triumph of brute force or anarchy, a resort to our old system of settlement by means of bow and arrows, machetes and guns or, now, even more sophisticated weapons of war. “Disobedience to an order of Court should, therefore, be seen as an offence directed not against the personality of the Judge who made the Order, but as a calculated act of subversion of peace, law, and order in Nigeria society. Obedience to every Order of Court is therefore a duty which every citizen who believes in peace and stability of the Nigerian State owes to the nation. “To allow Court orders to be disobeyed would be to tread the road toward anarchy. If orders of the Court can be treated with disrespect, the whole administration of justice is brought into scorn…If the remedies that the Court grants to correct wrongs can be ignored, then, there will be nothing left for each person but to take the law into his own hands. Loss of respect for the Court will quickly result in the destruction of our society. How time flies! The same impunity and disobedience of Court Order levied against our president last year is what Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is gleefully practicing today. If Mazi Nnamdi Kanu had obeyed the Ruling of the Court anchoring his bail to many conditions [most of which he has violated even though he earlier agreed to them], the Ekwulobia tragedy would not have occurred. It was in the process of disobeying the Court Order [banning him from organizing and/or attending rallies] that Ekwulobia tragedy eventuated. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, his IPOB and the whole world can now see where the culpability of Ekwulobia tragedy lies. Unlike Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB that offered no word(s) of sympathy, encouragement and condolence to the deceased and victims of the 6th August gruesome, mind-boggling and ghoulish butchery at Ozubulu, we [on our part] humbly pray the Good Lord to show mercy to the victim(s) of Ekwulobia tragedy, graciously lift the light of His countenance upon the departed and grant the dead a kind admittance into his kingdom.”

http://icechuks2.blogspot.com/2017/08/we-have-all-it-takes-to-decisively-end.html