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byunpum · 9 months

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Tsa·zìskrrmipaw

Pair: Neytiri x Y/N human baby x Sully family

Warning: Mention of dead, soft moments, mama neytiri <3

Request: (Anon) I love how you describe neytiri being our mother. Can I asked if you could react or make a small oneshot about how neytiri would adopt us.

AVATAR MASTERLIST | Part 2

Neytiri learned of your existence when your mother gave birth 1 year after neteyam's birth. It was big news in the clan. Mo'at attended the entire birth, as norm could not do anything else. Your mother had complications with the delivery, and she was losing a lot of blood. And the baby could not come out. After a labor of more than 5 hours, the woman died leaving mo'at with no choice but to deliver the baby on her own, asking eywa to keep the newborn alive. Norm was at her side, helping her, ready to provide oxygen to the newborn as soon as it came out of the woman's womb. To his surprise, just as mo'at pulled you out and the woman wiped the baby's nose with her hand and tapped the baby's back to make it respond. All this happened very fast, norm hear how the baby takes a breath and starts to cry. As if she could breathe air easily. Mo'at looks curiously at the man, placing the baby on her chest trying to pacify the baby.

After about 5 minutes and norm monitoring the baby, he notices how the lack of air began in the newborn. Putting on a special oxygen mask that your mother had prepared for you, he watched you breathe. Norm wanted to check something in his head, he thought it couldn't be true, but he wasn't wrong. After 10 minutes of letting you breathe human oxygen, he removed the mask and saw how the newborn kept looking to the sides, very calm. This child had the respiratory system of the na'vi. He almost fainted, how could this be possible.

Norm took it upon himself to investigate, and what a surprise he got. Your mother was a doctor, she had been one of those responsible for the creation of the DNA of the avatars. She had been injecting herself with a modified DNA for months, just so her baby could breathe the air of Pandora. Of course, this was very irresponsible of her, and Norm understood why she was hiding this experiment. He would never have allowed a baby to be experimented on like that. But well…it was too late. This was a surprise to everyone, the first human who could breathe in Pandora. Max and Norm discovered that this was only possible for fetuses, and not all of them. Only those that could survive the treatment, for your release your DNA withstood all the changes. And lucky for you…Mo'at wanted to take care of you, not as your mother but as your guardian. She felt a kind of responsibility, your mother was a very good person to her, and she had trusted her with everything. So she would take care of her daughter. And that's when neytiri met you.

She had given birth to lo'ak 5 months ago, and finding out that there was another newborn baby was very interesting to her. Her mother never told her that the baby was a human, neytiri thought it was another na'vi woman who had given birth and could not survive. And about the human who gave birth, well…she lamented the event but didn't think much of it. She could hear Jake lamenting, and everyone else but it wasn't her problem. She was on her way to her mother's hut, Mo'at had called her to ask her for a favor and to meet the new baby. Neytiri entered very excited, seeing how her mother was sitting there cradling something on her chest.

"Mother…did you call me?" speaks Neytiri. Mo'at settles herself more so that she is now seated in front of her daughter. "Yes, I want to ask you a favor" neytiti nods her head, now sitting up. As she settled lo'ak more on her chest.

"I think you already know about the human-woman who gave birth and died, right?" moat asks.

"Yes…it's very sad news" says neytiri, she doesn't want to imagine that scene. Now she was a mother and she can't imagine how hard it must be for a baby to be alone without its mother.

" Now that you know…I need you to take care of this baby" mo'at pulls out a human baby from her chest, of course she wouldn't have seen it, it was very small compared to her baby. Holding the newborn baby with only one hand, so that her daughter could see it. Before neytiri could speak, mo'at begins;

"She…her mother did not stand the birth, she is a very special baby neytiri…she can breathe our air, she can have a good life. Since you and your partner have adopted kiri, and jake is part of the humans. I think it would be the right thing to do, to help this baby grow up. Besides, you are the only woman who has just given birth, this baby needs to be fed with mother's milk," speaks Mo'at.

Leaving neytiri speechless, she more than anyone else knew that she did not like humans that much. And now she was asking him to take care of one of them. She adopted kiri, because the baby was a na'vi. And she accepted jake, because he had his na'vi body. But now that she would take care of a human child? His mother was going crazy. "Mom…I can't do that, get someone else to do it?" speaks neytiri in protest. Mo'at shakes her head, her mother looked calm. Placing the baby now, in a kind of nest she had prepared. This one was in front of her, in front of her feet.

"Daughter I wouldn't be asking you this if it wasn't necessary, this baby can't be raised by humans. She needs to breathe oxygen from these masks from time to time" mo'at held for a moment the mask norm had left for the baby. "But it's not just that…this baby's feeding is also from a na'vi. Norm already tried to feed her food that is used for human babies and she threw it up. She won't accept it, I thought you might be able to help. It's just feeding and basic care. You don't have to take care of her or adopt her." Mo'at speaks.

Neytiri was still looking at the baby with curiosity, she could have a lot of anger with humans. But she was not a monster, she was not a savage. What she was seeing there was a helpless creature, which she could tell was a little weak. Neytiri touches one of the baby's feet a little, seeing if it had any movement. "I'm afraid it will die if it doesn't feed well in the next few hours" says mo'at. Neytiri sighs, and thinks for a moment. Feeding a baby is not a bad thing, indeed it is very common in the clan. Helping and feeding the children in the clan was something that the women of the omaticaya clan helped each other with. So she would do it as a way to support her mother.

"It's okay," neytiri says, moving lo'ak a little to the side of her chest. Taking the human baby in her hands, carrying it carefully on her breast. It was very delicate and small. It weighed almost nothing, she was afraid that if it moved too much it would hurt the newborn. Neytiri moves the ornaments covering her breasts a little, bringing the creature close. Carefully positioning and guiding the baby. Noticing how the baby opens its mouth desperately trying to seek a maternal touch. After a few seconds, Neytiri watched as the baby began to suck with ease.

Neytiri settles in more, and places the baby on her forearm. She watched as the baby sucked the milk with great enthusiasm. She felt sorry, and an anguish filled her heart. She was such a small and helpless baby. Neytiri noticed how now lo'ak had gotten up, but did not begin to fuss or anything. He just started to move his little hands, until he found the human baby's foot that was right next to him. He touched it carefully and curiously, closing his hand. "Hey careful…be gentle" says neytiri in a low voice, trying not to wake the baby and not to upset her son.

After feeding the baby, neytiri continued to hold the baby to her breast. The baby had fallen asleep, and she looked more peaceful. She had finally eaten since she was born.

"Daughter…if you don't want to do it I understand…but I trust you and " mo'at is interrupted by neytiri. "Mother…it's okay, I will take care of her. After all she is a baby and she needs our help" says neytiri, stroking the baby's tiny head.

"Ok…Neteyam come here!!!" shouts jake, watching as his one year old son ran as fast as he could around the edge of the family hut. Kiri was next to him, playing with some toys. Jake watched as his partner entered the hut. Neytiri had her eyes on her chest, cooing at something. Jake thought it was lo'ak, but noticed how Neytiri had another net over her chest, and was holding something else. Jake gets up from the ground, and walks over to her.

"And what do you bring there?" asks jake. Watching as neytiri giggles softly, moving the net a bit revealing the face of a human baby. "That's it… it's newborn" jake quickly approaches taking the baby in his hands. It was instinctive, they already had their own children and seeing another baby was very common for them, they acted on their instincts. Cradling the baby in their arms. "This is that woman's baby, huh?" asks jake. Hearing how neytiri answers him with a "hmm". There was a small silence, until neytiri explained everything to jake. The man was a little surprised by his mate's attitude, she didn't usually act like that. Neytiri wouldn't even go near spider, and now she was taking care of a baby girl. A human baby.

"She needs to be fed and cared for…mom told me she needs this to breathe sometimes" says neytiri, holding up an oxygen box which had a small oxygen mask. "Well…there's nothing we can do" says jake, laughing a little. Neytiri moves closer to jake and gets closer to smell a little bit of the baby's hair. "She's very precious and special" says neytiri.

"yes….is very special" says jake. Until jake feels someone touch his feet. It was kiri and neteyam who wanted to be carried, they wanted to see how much their parents were doing. Jake kneels down, showing the baby to his sons. "She's a baby…just like your brother" jake speaks softly. A little neteyam reaches over and gently touches the baby's nose, to start laughing. He thought the baby was funny, and kiri does the same. The children were amazed at the baby their father was holding in his arms.

Neytiri didn't know what she was getting into, but she knew she was going to do her assignment very well. She herself began to doubt, the more Y/N grew up, because it was more than obvious that this baby was going to stay with them, after taking care of you for 6 months Neytiri told her mother that she would adopt you as her daughter. This news filled mo'at with joy. She knew she had chosen well, and that her daughter would do a great job. But now neytiri was doubting herself.

The mothers could be a little rude if they wanted to, it had been five years since Y/N had come into their family. And the Sully's had raised the girl as one of their children. There was no preference, no special care. You were a na'vi in the eyes of her family, but to some members of the clan you were still a strange human who shouldn't be in the village. It was more than evident that you were a human, but what human wore no mask at all?. Except you, and this bothered neytiri a lot. She was always hearing how some mothers commented on your appearance and made ignorant comments. Making fun of her for thinking she was the mother of this strange creature. This did not stop Neytiri, even though it hurt her, she went ahead with your raising. But it was normal for her to doubt her parenting and whether it was right for her to take care of you.

Neytiri had gone for a walk with all her children, sitting in a nice meadow. Watching her children run and play. Neteyam, kiri were running around. While lo'ak was lying with his head lying in her lap, while taking a nap. And Y/N she was beside her playing with a wooden ikran, making it fly. As she stood calmly by her side. Neytiri She hadn't been so calm in a while, taking out her bow that hung from her back. She used to carry it, in case there was something dangerous. She began to fix some details, like the loose string. Taking her knife to sharpen one of her arrows.

Neytiri was so focused, she didn't notice that Y/N had gotten up from the floor. You were small, so you didn't make much noise. You look for some branches, a rock, and some ropes from the trees that were on the ground. Running now to sit next to your mother. Neytiri notices how you sit down again, and is surprised to see how you have all these things between your legs. Trying to put them together, and imitating Neytiri. Copying how she was sharpening her arrows. "Honey…look it's like this" says neytiri, following your game. Giving you a stone that was next to you, for you to play with.

You were next to her, copying what she was doing. What was she worrying about, she felt a little silly. Here was the child she doubted she was raising right, imitating her. She chuckled to herself, stroking her daughter's face a little, pulling up the oxygen mask around her neck over her daughter's nose so she could breathe a little. Watching as the little girl continued her work of creating a bow. She knew that life at your side was going to be difficult, but it was going to be worth it. She knew that.

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teriri-sayes · 6 months

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Reactions to Young Master Shield's Chapter 207

TL;DR - Cale plans his revenge on HD for spreading the boom-boom word. Cale's parents worried about him. Cale feels awkward with their affection. Cale's parents plan to renovate and boost the black castle's defense. Cale has a talk with Lock. Cale's speech curse strikes again.

Cale's Head Goes Boom Boom This was a funny part. To explain, back when HD first mentioned about the possibility of Cale's head exploding when he opened the Bai Hui Point, HD actually used the word "boom-boom" to describe it. I only translated it as "explode" in my posts.

And then, everyone copied HD and used the boom-boom word too. 🤣🤣🤣

HD: Your head almost went boom-boom! Raon: M-My human's head almost went b-boom-boom?! Cale to Alberu: My head almost went boom-boom. Alberu to Cale's parents: Cale's head almost went boom-boom. Violan to Cale: I heard you nearly died because your head almost went boom-boom? Deruth to Cale: Cale, I-I heard from the crown prince that y-you almost we-went b-boom-boom... Cale: (That damn HD bastard! Why did he have to use the boom-boom word! I'll summon him in Aipotu and make him work hard!)

Worried Parents and Awkward Son There were some touching scenes of Deruth being worried about Cale. He wanted to stop Cale if Cale was going somewhere dangerous, but knew that his family were stubborn people.

As for Cale, after he accepted the Henituse as his family, and the more he spent time with them, he felt awkward at the love and care he received.

But it was nice to see Cale being honest with them about his plans, and his parents knowing him well. This part was funny though 😂:

Cale: The dragons will be going with me too. Cale: (If I say that, I'm sure they'll be relieved because the dragons are powerful) Violan: So you're going somewhere dangerous? Deruth: Is your enemy a dragon then? Cale: (How did these two notice?! Why are they not relieved?)

✨The Henituse Flex ✨ Cale brought up the topic of the black castle going to Aipotu, and his parents offered to renovate and boost the castle's defense with their money. But he underestimated his own parents. Cale thought that his stay in Roan was short, so the renovation would be minimal.

However, his parents thought differently. They were willing to open the safe and spend a lot in order to renovate the castle in a short amount of time. Repair old castle walls? Okay. Install magic cannons? No problem. Replace the moat with a sea of fire? Yes. Magic shield? Let's do it. Magic arrows against flying enemies? Consider it done.

Of course, Sheritt was pleased with the couple's help. And thus, a collection of state-of-the-art magic engineering devices was born in the history of the Roan Kingdom, no, the Eastern and Western continents... 😂 The black castle would also be known in the future as the pioneer and standard in magic engineering... Cale, I guess you really need to spend more time with your family because you still don't fully know them. 🤣🤣🤣

Lock's Career Counselling The author only mentioned in a sentence about Cale's career counselling with his younger siblings. Lock was given more focus today.

Cale praised Lock for having grown, and told him that it was okay to want to be acknowledged. Everyone had already acknowledged Lock's strength. So Cale said to Lock that Lock should acknowledge himself more than seek the acknowledgement of others.

This part was quite touching yet also sad. Cale taking care of the kids made me think about KRS himself. That if there was someone who took care of child KRS, he might have lived a better life. Then again, that someone would end up dead because of the effect of WS's curse on KRS. Ugh, KRS's life is really sad. 😭

KRS's Speech Curse Strikes Again?! The planted flag last chapter did not disappoint us. Alberu left a message that someone sent a warning to the academy, threatening to blow up the place if Cale gives his speech. Even adding that Cale's shield would not be enough to stop it.

And our Cale was dumbfounded to hear that. His speech curse is back? He might have to use his shield again to stop the explosion? Cale had a bad feeling about this.

I have some doubts about the sender of this threat though. Well, it could be a real terrorist or someone who hated Cale. But it could also be a Cale fan staging an explosion plot in order to see Cale's famous shield again. 😂 Or... it could be a continuation of Alberu's revenge to prevent Cale from ditching the speech because he knows Cale would want to protect the audience. 🤣🤣🤣

Ending Remarks It's just a speech, but why has this gone so complicated? 😂 Is the threat real or not? Will Caleism spread further? Just how much will Cale kill his slacker life dream? Monday, please come sooner~!

#tcf spoilers #trash of the count's family

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alicenttully · 1 year

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On her knees, weeping, Helaena named her youngest, Maelor. Perhaps she thought the boy was too young to understand, or perhaps it was because the older boy, Jaehaerys, was King Aegon’s firstborn son and heir,

Dimly, as if from far off, Arya heard her sister scream. Sansa had fallen to her knees, sobbing hysterically.

Then he gave Blood a grin, and the hulking swordsman slew Prince Jaehaerys, striking off the boy’s head with a single blow. The queen began to scream.

A woman stumbled and Arya ran up her back, cutting to both sides, but it was no good, no good, there were too many people, no sooner did she make a hole than it closed again. Someone buffeted her aside. She could still hear Sansa screaming.

Afterward she would not eat, nor bathe, nor leave her chambers, and she could no longer stand to look upon her son Maelor, knowing that she had named him to die.

In the tower room at the heart of Maegor's Holdfast, Sansa gave herself to the darkness.

She drew the curtains around her bed, slept, woke weeping, and slept again. When she could not sleep she lay under her blankets shivering with grief. Servants came and went, bringing meals, but the sight of food was more than she could bear. The dishes piled up on the table beneath her window, untouched and spoiling, until the servants took them away again.

The hot water made her think of Winterfell, and she took strength from that. She had not washed since the day her father died, and she was startled at how filthy the water became.

Helaena Targaryen, sister, wife, and queen to King Aegon II and mother of his children, threw herself from her window in Maegor’s Holdfast to die impaled upon the iron spikes that lined the dry moat below. She was but one-and-twenty.

Perhaps I will die too, she told herself, and the thought did not seem so terrible to her. If she flung herself from the window, she could put an end to her suffering, and in the years to come the singers would write songs of her grief. Her body would lie on the stones below, broken and innocent, shaming all those who had betrayed her. Sansa went so far as to cross the bedchamber and throw open the shutters … but then her courage left her, and she ran back to her bed, sobbing.

#sansa stark #helaena targaryen #asoiaf #house of the dragon #hotd spoilers #fire and blood spoilers #wish queue were here

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ilynpilled · 1 year

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Aerys & Cersei

I have seen some posts recently that want to paint Dany as the Aerys parallel in the story, as opposed to Cersei, and I want to pick that apart, and argue why it is detrimental to the respective stories of multiple characters, as well as pretty thematically incoherent.

Putting this quote by George in here as a given, as it will be relevant to the content in here:

"Fire is love, fire is passion, fire is sexual ardor and all of these things. Ice is betrayal, ice is revenge, ice is that kind of cold inhumanity and all that stuff is being played out in the books."

Thematically, Dany becoming an Aerys parallel is awful because of the bio essentialist undertones it has. I’ll put a link to the post that goes more in depth into this at the end of this. This is going to be rather long.

People use this argument for the Dany parallel for some reason: later, wildfire in many ways also functions as the Targs’ attempt to recreate dragons (Aerys is the most glaring example). To recreate lost magic, lost power. There are many historical stories of this destroying some of them. When you have a family be the head of a violent construct, like feudalistic hierarchies, it should not shock anyone how power can get corrupted. That is how I always viewed wildfire: the corrupted version of fire. It is an attempt to recreate power. Dany already has dragonfire, she literally brought them back into the world, she already has “power”, and she is learning to wield it (dragons, like power, can be wielded in different ways: plus they are living beings, I think this is key when comparing them with wildfire and its symbolic implications) Cersei’s story foils this in so many ways. Fire already has a rich duality in this series: life vs death, emancipation vs corruption, light vs destruction etc. Now let me get into the role fire & light plays in Cersei’s story:

She is associated with fire and passion in the text. She has a hunger for many things, power, love, respect and so on. She seems to mirror wildfire (directly as per Jaime’s description: “She had been a pretty girl, in truth; dimpled and delicate, with long auburn hair. Timid, though. Prone to tongue-tied silences and fits of giggles, with none of Cersei's fire.” , “Their father had been as relentless and implacable as a glacier, where Cersei was all wildfire, especially when thwarted. [….] her fury had been fearful to behold. She does not lack for wits, but she has no judgment, and no patience.”) She feels that that fire, that power, is absent in her life, leaving her in darkness and turning her ice cold.

By the time they left Maegor's Holdfast, the sky had turned a deep cobalt blue, though the stars still shone. All but one, Cersei thought. The bright star of the west has fallen, and the nights will be darker now. She paused upon the drawbridge that spanned the dry moat, gazing down at the spikes below. They would not dare lie to me about such a thing. "Who found him?"' "One of his guards," said Ser Osmund. "Lum. He felt a call of nature, and found his lordship in the privy." No, that cannot be. That is not the way a lion dies. The queen felt strangely calm. She remembered the first time she had lost a tooth, when she was just a little girl. It hadn't hurt, but the hole in her mouth felt so odd she could not stop touching it with her tongue. Now there is a hole in the world where Father stood, and holes want filling.

Tywin is both a symbol and a person that governs so much of Cersei and her relationship with the world. He owned her, a misogynistic traditionalist that sold her and moved her like a chess piece, with no regard to how it would affect her. He did not allow her individualization solely because of her gender. She even thinks he is in hell in her first AFfC chapter, likely for a multitude of reasons. Yet, Cersei aims to emulate his example. She seeks to fill the hole that he left. She wants to prove to him that she is worthy, even in his death. More so than his sons. His absence means darkness to her, because he and his conditioning is all that she knows. She thinks this is the key to recreating that absent fire. This also juxtaposes Jaime’s thoughts when he looks up the same stars. He associates Tywin with death and a feast for crows. He acknowledges that the sun has set, but he does not connect that light to Tywin, and he also thinks about the faint light of distant stars instead. They also come to drastically different conclusions about the worth of a crown. Cersei is repeatedly associated with death, and I do not think it is just about her own doom, but the feast for crows that she will bring about.

The queen could feel the heat of those green flames. The pyromancers said that only three things burned hotter than their sub-stance: dragonflame, the fires beneath the earth, and the summer sun. Some of the ladies gasped when the first flames appeared in the windows, licking up the outer walls like long green tongues. Others cheered, and made toasts. It is beautiful, she thought, as beautiful as Joffrey, when they laid him in my arms. No man had ever made her feel as good as she had felt when he took her nipple in his mouth to nurse. Tommen stared wide-eyed at the fires, as fascinated as he was frightened, until Margaery whispered something in his ear that made him laugh. Some of the knights began to make wagers on how long it would be before the tower collapsed. Lord Hallyne stood humming to himself and rocking on his heels. Cersei thought of all the King's Hands that she had known through the years: Owen Merryweather, Jon Connington, Qarlton Chelsted, Jon Arryn, Eddard Stark, her brother Tyrion. And her father, Lord Tywin Lannister, her father most of all. All of them are burning now, she told herself, savoring the thought. They are dead and burning, every one, with all their plots and schemes and betrayals. It is my day now. It is my castle and my kingdom.

Mind you this seed was already planted in ASoS:

Jaime curled up beneath his cloak, hoping to dream of Cersei. But when he closed his eyes, it was Aerys Targaryen he saw, pacing alone in his throne room.

Then, this is as clear cut of an Aerys parallel as it can get. People use Jaime’s description of Aerys and his relationship with fire, and try to project that onto Dany:

“Aerys would have bathed in it if he'd dared. The Targaryens were all mad for fire.”

The traitors want my city, I heard him tell Rossart, but I'll give them naught but ashes. Let Robert be king over charred bones and cooked meat. The Targaryens never bury their dead, they burn them. Aerys meant to have the greatest funeral pyre of them all. Though if truth be told, I do not believe he truly expected to die. Like Aerion Brightfire before him, Aerys thought the fire would transform him…. that he would rise again, reborn as a dragon, and turn all his enemies to ash. (Beyond obvious how well this fits with Cersei’s current and pending situation like lets be serious) :

I am Cersei of House Lannister, a lion of the Rock, the rightful queen of these Seven Kingdoms, trueborn daughter of Tywin Lannister. And hair grows back.

My crown, the queen thought. They took the other crown away from me, and now they are stealing this one as well.

I should not have done this. I was their queen, but now they've seen, they've seen, they've seen. I should never have let them see. Gowned and crowned, she was a queen. Naked, bloody, limping, she was only a woman, not so very different from their wives, more like their mothers than their pretty little maiden daughters. What have I done?

“He has sworn that he will not speak until all of His Grace's enemies are dead and evil has been driven from the realm.”

Yes, thought Cersei Lannister. Oh, yes.

People take the Targaryen aspect at face value, because they love to pick and choose at what times they want him to be an entirely reliable narrator. Again, Aerys never had dragons, he wanted to recreate them. It is not hard to actually navigate Jaime’s bias here as a result of his trauma, especially considering what Jaime himself thinks of Rhaegar (Rhaegar is not a Targ mad with fire in his mind but the ”good king that never was” lol) and the brutal death of his children at the hands of his family. (Aerys trauma affecting judgement regarding bloodlines was present when he almost pulled a #targrestoration for the trolling after they found him and asked him to name a king and he almost named a Targ as king and his father as hand bc it would make Robert #mad and thats funny until he got Aerys PTSD. He fears the ghost of Aerys returning more than anything else. It is a priority over his family’s interests, even back then). Again, the text is not actually bio essentialist, Jaime just has a very intense and dark relationship with Aerys and immense trauma that affects his logic. Not to mention, again, all that Aerys and some other Targs craved, Dany already achieved naturally. I just find it very funny how some of you people pick and choose when you want this man to be a reliable narrator depending on your agenda. Trust it is actually not that hard to figure it out when he is bullshitting in his thoughts or his words. Just look for contradictory actions or words, or whether his trauma and dissociative tendencies are relevant. Also why would you agree with the logic of “inherently evil and mad bloodline” said by the guy who is currently also convinced that he and his twin are one soul in two bodies who are tied together by fate?

Then, Jaime himself makes an actually reliable connection between Aerys and Cersei. No bloodline bullshit here. Cersei is literally his twin.

"That would be an even greater folly than burning the Tower of the Hand. So long as Tommen sits the Iron Throne, the realm sees him as the true king. Hide him under the Rock and he becomes just another claimant to the throne, no different than Stannis.”

"I am aware of that," the queen said sharply. "I said that I wanted to move the court to Lannisport, not that I would. Were you always this slow, or did losing a hand make you stupid?"

Jaime ignored that. "If these flames spread beyond the tower, you may end up burning down the castle whether you mean to or not. Wildfire is treacherous.'

"Lord Hallyne has assured me that his pyromancers can control the fire. The Guild of Alchemists had been brewing fresh wildfire for a fortnight. "Let all of King's Landing see the flames. It will be a lesson to our enemies."

"Now you sound like Aerys."

Her nostrils flared. “Guard your tongue, ser"

"I love you too, sweet sister."

How could I ever have loved that wretched creature? she wondered after he had gone. He was your twin, your shadow, your other half, another voice whispered. Once, perhaps, she thought. No longer. He has become a stranger to me. (Interesting that Jaime repeatedly associates Cersei with death directly, be it subconscious or conscious, and Cersei makes an accidental connection but not a deliberate one)

Other than the obvious fascination with wildfire, Cersei also aims to hurt him here with Kettleblack, because she is uncomfortable with losing her tool, and also because she is losing a source of warmth/love:

Cersei beckoned to Jaime. "Lord Commander, escort His Grace and his little queen to their pillows, if you would.

"As you command. And you as well?"

"No need." Cersei felt too alive for sleep. The wildfire was cleansing her, burning away all her rage and fear, filling her with resolve. “The flames are so pretty. I want to watch them for a while.”

Jaime hesitated. “You should not stay alone.”

"I will not be alone. Ser Osmund can remain with me and keep me safe. Your Sworn Brother"

"If it please Your Grace,” said Kettleblack.

“It does.” Cersei slid her arm through his, and side by side they watched the fire rage.

We have access to Jaime’s thoughts:

Jaime knew the look in his sister's eyes. He had seen it before, most recently on the night of Tommen's wedding, when she burned the Tower of the Hand. The green light of the wildfire had bathed the face of the watchers, so they looked like nothing so much as rotting corpses, a pack of gleeful ghouls, but some of the corpses were prettier than others. Even in the baleful glow, Cersei had been beautiful to look upon. She'd stood with one hand on her breast, her lips parted, her green eyes shining. She is crying, Jaime had realized, but whether it was from grief or ecstasy he could not have said. The sight had filled him with disquiet, reminding him of Aerys Targaryen and the way a burning would arouse him.

Jaime is aware and is bitter about that, but he hones in on a completely different thing. The bitterness over the cheating takes a backseat to him noticing the ghost of Aerys being present in Cersei. Then, this parallel keeps going. Right after Jaime makes a direct parallel between Aerys and Cersei, as well as associating her with death and corpses again, his thoughts drift to Aerys and his skewed relationship with wildfire & sex. Fire is passion, yes, sexual ardor, but again, wildfire is a corrupted version of fire.

whenever Aerys gave a man to the flames, Queen Rhaella would have a visitor in the night. The day he burned his mace-and-dagger Hand, Jaime and Jon Darry had stood at guard outside her bedchamber whilst the king took his pleasure. "You're hurting me,” they had heard Rhaella cry through the oaken door. "You're hurting me." In some queer way, that had been worse than Lord Chelsted's screaming. "We are sworn to protect her as well," Jaime had finally been driven to say. "We are," Darry allowed, "but not from him." Jaime had only seen Rhaella once after that, the morning of the day she left for Dragonstone. The queen had been cloaked and hooded as she climbed inside the royal wheelhouse that would take her down Aegon's High Hill to the waiting ship, but he heard her maids whispering after she was gone. They said the queen looked as if some beast had savaged her, clawing at her thighs and chewing on her breasts. A crowned beast, Jaime knew.

"And this?" Cersei pinched the nipple now, pulling on it hard, twisting it between her fingers.The Myrish woman gave a gasp of pain.

"You're hurting me."

"It's just the wine. I had a flagon with my supper, and another with the widow Stokeworth. I had to drink to keep her calm." She twisted Taena's other nipple too, pulling until the other woman gasped. "I am the queen I mean to claim my rights.”

"Do what you will.” Taena's hair was as black as Robert's, even down between her legs, and when Cersei touched her there she found her hair all sopping wet, where Robert's had been coarse and dry.

"Please,” the Myrish woman said, "go on, my queen. Do as you will with me. I'm yours.” But it was no good. She could not feel it, whatever Robert felt on the nights he took her. There was no pleasure in it, not for her.

She gasped some words in a foreign tongue, then shuddered again and arched her back and screamed. She sounds as if she is being gored, the queen thought. For a moment she let herself imagine that her fingers were a bore's tusks, ripping the Myrish woman apart from groin to throat. It was still no good. It had never been any good with anyone but Jaime.

Cersei seeks to achieve catharsis. She is exploring her own trauma. She wants to derive catharsis from emulating power. From emulating violent men, emulating Robert. But she experiences no pleasure. She experiences no catharsis. This is not enough. This is not what she is looking for. All she has is the fire.

Its eyes were pools of molten magma, and when it opened its mouth, the flame came roaring out in a hot jet. She could hear it singing to her. She opened her arms to the fire, embraced it, let it swallow her whole, let it cleanse her and temper her and scour her clean. She could feel her flesh sear and blacken and slough away, could feel her blood boil and turn to steam, and yet there was no pain. She felt strong and new and fierce.

This is what Cersei, like Aerys, will want to achieve in a metaphorical and in some ways literal sense. But with wildfire. It won’t work obviously, but it is all that she has.

Now lets talk about Cersei and swords.

Jaime, above most else, functioned as her sword. He was an extension of her, a weapon she desperately needed in order to punish others, and simultaneously protect herself. It was power. She immediately takes note of it when physical and internal change in Jaime is present:

"He'll have Casterly Rock, isn't that enough? Let Father sit the throne. All I want is you." He made to touch her cheek. Old habits die hard, and it was his right arm he lifted. Cersei recoiled from his stump.

"Don't ... don't talk like this. You're scaring me, Jaime. Don't be stupid. One wrong word and you'll cost us everything. What did they do to you?"

"They cut off my hand."

"No, it's more, you're changed." She backed off a step.

Jaime hugged her, his good hand pressing against the small of her back. He smelled of ash, but the morning sun was in his hair, giving it a golden glow. She wanted to draw his face to hers for a kiss. Later, she told herself, later he will come to me, for comfort.

"We are his heirs, Jaime," she whispered. "It will be up to us to finish his work. You must take Father's place as Hand. You see that now, surely. Tommen will need you.”

He pushed away from her and raised his arm, forcing his stump into her face.

"A Hand without a hand? A bad jape, sister. Don't ask me to rule.”

"Your turn," she told him afterward. "Pull his mane, I dare you." He never did. I should have had the sword, not him. (Interesting symbolism as to which one of them is opposed to the lions and which one is not)

If Jaime had not lost his hand. That road led nowhere, though. Jaime's sword hand was gone, and so was he

Jaime may yet come. She pictured him riding through the morning mists, his golden armor bright in the light of the rising sun.

It should be Jaime beside me. He would draw his golden sword and slash a path right through the mob, carving the eyes out of the head of every man who dared to look at her.

Ofc, who she used the weapon against were usually victims, but that is a big part of Cersei as a character, and the whole commentary about victims & perpetrators. You can have an irredeemable and evil character that the patriarchy still suppresses and affects the psychology of immensely, rendering her a bigger monster. The commentary on the destructive capacity of static social constructs is not lost as a result. A character can turn into the devil of the story due to a world that ceaselessly strips her of her humanity, as well as as a result of the choices she actively makes. Cersei has shown to be capable of cruelty even before her trauma (how she treated Tyrion, her extreme narcissism, throwing her best friend down a well), but this does not change anything. Being a perpetrator does not negate her victimhood, and vice versa. It is also her stubbornness and power hunger that leave her to her ruin in a world that does not allow her the ‘freedom’ or ‘power’ that she desperately desires. It becomes the worst combination of nature and nurturer. Her sword is gone for good. The motif of “sunlight” is once again present. It turns his hair/armor gold. She craves the golden Jaime in golden armor, the Jaime from AGoT. But we know Jaime’s color symbolism is heading in a very different direction:

Even at a distance, Ser Jaime Lannister was unmistakable. The moonlight had silvered his armor and the gold of his hair, and turned his crimson cloak to black.

She did as he bid her. "The white cloak . . ." ". . . is new, but I'm sure I'll soil it soon enough." “That wasn't . . . I was about to say that it becomes you”

When he was done, more than three-quarters of his page still remained to be filled between the gold lion on the crimson shield on top and the blank white shield at the bottom.

“Gold? Or silver?" Cersei plucked a hair from beneath his chin and held it up. It was grey. "All the color is draining out of you, brother. You've become a ghost of what you were, a pale crippled thing. And so bloodless, always in white." She flicked the hair away. "I prefer you garbed in crimson and gold."

(Again, gold is heavy negative symbolism for Jaime, another indication that Goldenhand the Just is an obvious dead end, as I have discussed at length atp. It is an attempt to recreate his phantom and cover it up with a golden lie.)

Then, finally, the conclusion for Cersei during her rebirth:

A shadow fell across them both, blotting out the sun. The queen felt cold steel slide beneath her, a pair of great armored arms lifting her off the ground lifting her up into the air as easily as she had lifted Joffrey when he was still a babe.

This is the reason the sun gets blotted out at the end. I think that is a final statement on how he will never be her sword again. So now she needs a new sword. She has Robert Strong, and she has wildfire. Light & sun is repeatedly absent, and she lands in the cold darkness over and over again. She has associations with ice and wildfire. Unlike Jaime, who is often reborn in light & warmth (1. first POV: “sent them toward the pale pink dawn. After so long in darkness, the world was so sweet that Jaime Lannister felt dizzy. I am alive, and drunk on sunlight.” In contrast with Cersei’s first POV: her awakening in her dark chamber after a dream turned nightmare. 2. when the arakh kills his old self: “sunlight ran silver along the edge of the arakh”, 3. the steaming bath. Robert Strong also contrasts Brienne. Interesting that he lifts Cersei up into the air, while Brienne catches Jaime before he could fall. Robert Strong is “cold steel”, while Brienne’s touch is “warm” (noted twice by Jaime). “The cell began to darken. It was growing cold as well. Cersei began to shiver. How can they leave me like this, without so much as a fire? I am their queen.” Cersei on the other hand keeps being put or reborn in darkness, I assume this symbolically has meaning and is no coincidence. Plus, while Jaime chooses to cut his own hair, Cersei is forcefully stripped from it. What is also interesting is what the both of them have in the dark (Jaime’s weirwood dream) are the flames (for Jaime the flaming sword, for Cersei the torch, and later the wildfire).

Again, people want Jaime to be an unreliable narrator here, clouded by bitterness and hatred or something, but I really doubt that is the case. Again, the cheating takes a backseat, and that whole thing is more complicated anyways: it is primarily a catalyst that reveals to him how broken the illusion he created for himself about the relationship is at its very foundation. The whole idea of her love, which is so significant for him, is questioned. There are so many factors that play into their relationship falling apart (they both change, the hand loss, Jaime’s rejection of being Tywin’s heir, his desire to give up power and choose Cersei, while Cersei would never give up power for Jaime, him not understanding the nuances of that as Cersei is inherently more powerless bc of her status and she craves it desperately + differences in nature and experiences. + Cersei asking him to kill Tyrion. Again, they are fundamentally different. This is also a partial reason as to why Jaime rejected her advances post sept scene imo, even if he keeps making inconsistent excuses (location, the dead KG or his father, vows, judgement of the gods [he never really cared about this before: he is a reddit atheist, also did not stop him at the sept]). Some of this is before the cheating reveal.) Jaime does not harm her even if she repeatedly hits him, emasculates him, insults him (he mentioned that he already turned her blows to kisses before) etc. but there is violent anger within him about the cheating. I think this is because that is the one thing that truly creates a major hole in his self-conjured narrative about the relationship (we are one soul in two bodies, destined lovers), as well as something that recontextualizes all the awful things he had actively done to sustain it. Other than all that, let me talk about Jaime and eyes:

Jaime watched her eyes. Pretty eyes, he thought, and calm. He knew how to read a man's eyes.

Bolton's silence was a hundred times more threatening than Vargo Hoat's slobbering malevolence. Pale as morning mist, his eyes concealed more than they told. Jaime misliked those eyes. : Roose Bolton's eyes were paler than stone, darker than milk

He remembered Eddard Stark, riding the length of Aerys's throne room wrapped in silence. Only his eyes had spoken; a lord's eyes, cold and grey and full of judgment.

The clasp that pinned it to her breast was wrought in the shape of a wolf's head with slitted opal eyes. The girl's long brown hair blew wild in the wind. She had a pretty face, he thought, but her eyes were sad and wary. (makes his inaction [link] all the more terrible, his conscience is screaming at him)

"Blue is a good color on you, my lady," Jaime observed. "It goes well with your eyes." She does have astonishing eyes.

The queen's eyes were green ice. "You had best go, ser."

He remembered how Rossart's eyes would shine (another Cersei parallel) when he unrolled his maps to show where the substance must be placed.

With his grim face and deep-sunk hollow eyes, Ser Ilyn might have passed for death himself . . . as he had, for years.

Though his pox-scarred face was grim and his eyes as cold as ice on a winter lake, Jaime sensed that he was glad he'd come.

Sorry, but I am gonna trust what Jaime sees in her eyes at Tommen’s Wedding. His judgement tends to be very accurate. Eyes are the windows to the soul after all.

Every idea that I have discussed at length here is also present in Jaime’s dreams.

Down a twisting passageway he went, narrow steps carved from the living rock, down and down. I must go up, he told himself. Up, not down. Why am I going down? Below the earth his doom awaited, he knew with the certainty of dream; something dark and terrible lurked there, something that wanted him.

The steps ended abruptly on echoing darkness. Jaime had the sense of vast space before him. He jerked to a halt, teetering on the edge of nothingness. A spearpoint jabbed at the small of the back, shoving him into the abyss. He shouted, but the fall was short. He landed on his hands and knees, upon soft sand and shallow water. There were watery caverns deep below Casterly Rock, but this one was strange to him. "What place is this?"

"Your place." The voice echoed; it was a hundred voices, a thousand, the voices of all the Lannisters since Lann the Clever, who'd lived at the dawn of days. But most of all it was his father's voice, and beside Lord Tywin stood his sister, pale and beautiful, a torch burning in her hand. Joffrey was there as well, the son they'd made together, and behind them a dozen more dark shapes with golden hair.

"Sister, why has Father brought us here?"

"Us? This is your place, Brother. This is your darkness." Her torch was the only light in the cavern. Her torch was the only light in the world. She turned to go.

"Stay with me," Jaime pleaded. "Don't leave me here alone." But they were leaving. "Don't leave me in the dark!" Something terrible lived down here. "Give me a sword, at least."

“I gave you a sword," Lord Tywin said.

It was at his feet. Jaime groped under the water until his hand closed upon the hilt. Nothing can hurt me so long as I have a sword. As he raised the sword a finger of pale flame flickered at the point and crept up along the edge, stopping a hand's breath from the hilt.

—- Brienne shows up naked. Jaime cuts her chains. Gifts her a sword. etc.

Brienne's sword took flame as well, burning silvery blue. The darkness retreated a little more.

"The flames will burn so long as you live," he heard Cersei call. "When they die, so must you."

"Sister!" he shouted. "Stay with me. Stay!" There was no reply but the soft sound of retreating footsteps.

— Jaime and Brienne are left to face ghosts, lot of LN imagery and all that. Jaime’s sword’s fire goes out, Brienne’s still burns, he jerks awake before the ghosts rush him with his heart beating. Another moonlight motif happens after he wakes up on a “white stump” and he goes back for Brienne and saves her from the bear etc whatever no longer relevant to Cersei’s story imo

The Lannister legacy is associated with doom in Jaime’s subconscious. Cersei leaves with fire to join the Lannisters, specifically her son and father, and the imagery of death is so prevalent again.

This then mirrors Jaime’s other main dream, where his subconscious mind is communicating with him, right before he burns her letter. Again, overwhelming fire imagery. And it is fire that is destroying her. Like the letter, she is left to burn. First he mistakes his mother for Cersei, and then her leaving him parallels Cersei leaving in the fever dream. His mom, or his subconscious, also presents him with a key reality check:

One. One hand, clasped tight around the sword hilt. Only one. "In my dreams I always have two hands." He raised his right arm and stared uncomprehending at the ugliness of his stump.

"We all dream of things we cannot have. Tywin dreamed that his son would be a great knight, that his daughter would be a queen. He dreamed they would be so strong and brave and beautiful that no one would ever laugh at them."

This is in direct conversation with his last dream (I assume it is deconstructing it. Idk, Jaime, it is almost like Goldenhand the Just is not a real possibility): “Last night he dreamed he'd found her fucking Moon Boy. He'd killed the fool and smashed his sister's teeth to splinters with his golden hand, just as Gregor Clegane had done to poor Pia (we know what he thinks of Gregor, we know this is not good in his mind or ours, it is almost like his subconscious is telling him something). In his dreams Jaime always had two hands; one was made of gold, but it worked just like the other.”

"I am a knight," he told her, "and Cersei is a queen."

A tear rolled down her cheek. The woman raised her hood again and turned her back on him. Jaime called after her, but already she was moving away, her skirt whispering lullabies as it brushed across the floor. Don't leave me, he wanted to call, but of course she'd left them long ago.

Both of their endeavors seem to be dead ends. Cersei is not gonna be the Queen that she always craved to be, despite having the title. Jaime is not and is not going to be the glorious knight, Goldenhand the Just, as he should conclude based on the Riverrun fiasco (this is also why I think Jaime’s very emphasized white/silver/grey replacing gold & crimson color symbolism is not about the KG, it is either something more abstract or it is about the Starks: “White is for the Starks. I’ll drink red like a good Lannister”, ntm how tied Arya is to JB through locations/brotherhood/stoneheart despite their desperate search for Sansa (pointless, she is at the Vale), and horses & wolves, the weirwood, the oath in general, and the fact that WW is half of Ice.) That is his attempt to recreate a fictive ideal that the boy he used to be dreamed of. That is not what true knighthood is about though. It was never about golden glory. These are golden lies. He knows too deep down. He has one hand. He has to look at the ugliness of the stump. It feels like Jaime realizes this, on a subconscious level certainly, and will pivot (especially after confronting what is essentially the embodiment of the worst product of the Lannister regime: a monster created by its sins, the cycle of violence itself, as well Jaime’s specific part in it: Stoneheart) at least I hope so, because that is how his arc would be functional, but Cersei remains steadfast. Also, Cersei remaining passive would feel like her character and the set up did not go anywhere. Whatever she will do with wildfire will be a grand act of agency, and her combatting the state she is in, it is gonna be a very corrupted and poetic act of destruction. She is essentially gonna set herself and the world on fire in order to battle the cold (her enemies, the people that hurt her, witnesses, and the innocents that are a victim to this whole cycle). That is what I would like to see. Jaime’s last AFfC chapter is also supposed to be a point of no return in some form. The idea of “opening the shutters”, winter, is so emphasized. The main reason certain retreading happens in ADwD that some people are obsessed with overanalyzing or misrepresenting (especially bc they need it desperately to justify “Jaime is drawn back to CR of all places to Cersei for no good reason other than he is a codependent addict” so they can get the wildfire + Cersei + KL out of the equation so Dany or whatever can be the Aerys parallel/mad evil kaboom boom person while there still being some lackluster follow through for all of Cersei’s set ups like valonqar etc) is because George’s editor told him to do some retreading with him since he took so long between books that the readers needed a reminder about where these characters were left:

so this entire passage had to be added in to cover these bases. When I read the Feast/Dance combined book it made me laugh how much this part was a “previously on Jaime Lannister.”

But again, he makes a clear choice, motivated by a concoction of things: he goes with Brienne, not back to his King, or back to Cersei. I think he is not ready to face Cersei yet and fears what he would do. I think so many dichotomies were being emphasized in this chapter: Tywin’s dogma, its results, the glory of pursuing the brotherhood, and how it all conflicts with Jaime’s arc in the subtext. I do not doubt he will land back there again, yes, George said they are effectively estranged, the romantic relationship is over, but that does not necessarily mean they will not meet again, nor that they will not hold any relevance in each other’s stories anymore. (Even if valonqar will not be literal, again, he has one hand, and he came to this conclusion in his dreams too in the end, and this fact very much comes in the way of the logistics of “the valonqar will wrap his hands”, if not only literally, certainly symbolically: even if it is the gold chain part two (was one not more than enough George???), I feel like Jaime would struggle with doing it with even that considering his hand situation.) Personally, I would prefer it if that part of the prophecy is subverted and it ends up not being an ex (or any other man for that matter) overpowering and murdering her. George had enough misses when it concerns some misogynistic writing in her storyline, it is 2023 now, so her death not being in anyway “gratifying” for misogynists (see aspects of the framing of Lysa’s death) would be my preference. I would love her death to be on her own terms. I made a parallel about her and Hedda Gabler before, and maybe something of that sort would be the best case scenario. She would rather take herself out in a blaze of glory than let the men (any valonqar, be it Tyrion, Jaime, Aegon etc) do it. That would be tragic as well as in some very dark way her reclaiming agency from fate itself. But honestly I doubt that is the direction George will go. Jaime will probably kill her, and it will be an incredibly grey act. Do not want that to be presented as straightforwardly heroic. I think it will be motivated by a lot of emotion and not just duty. Do not know how this entire situation will go down exactly. Also, really specific detail I noticed regarding prophecy wording, might not be deliberate:

“And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you.”

Sometimes he even wept, until he heard the Mummers laughing. Then he made his eyes go dry and his heart go dead, and prayed for his fever to burn away his tears. Now I know how Tyrion has felt, all those times they laughed at him.

Drogon killed a little girl. Her name was … her name …" Dany could not recall the child's name. That made her so sad that she would have cried if all her tears had not been burned away.

And then there was no stopping the tears. They burned down the queen's cheeks like acid.

To my knowledge, these three (+ Cat’s tears burning like vinegar) are the only characters with this specific phrasing present. Interesting anyway.

Also, I am wondering how much Cers will even trust Jaime atp. The sun is blotted out, that has to represent disillusionment, no? Ronnet Connington is also back at KL, we all know what Jaime did to that man when it concerned Brienne, and Cersei’s “he would never abandon me for such a creature. My letter must not have reached him” might entirely fall apart even more if he happens to tell her. Nonetheless, Widow’s Wail is still very much at the Red Keep, and that will have to land in Jaime’s hand(s). Also to further address the theory that the twins will be away from the wildfire and die together at CR since I mentioned it, I do not think the twins should go to The Rock. It is a place that Jaime repeatedly rejected, and Cersei is so closely tied to KL, the throne, and her kids are destined to die because of their crowns. Kevan wanted to return Cersei to The Rock, and what happened to him lol. “So long as Tommen sits the Iron Throne, the realm sees him as the true king. Hide him under the Rock and he becomes just another claimant to the throne, no different than Stannis.” “I am aware of that” the Queen said sharply.

I don’t know guys, doubt Cersei will want to hide under the Rock after what happened. Like you are telling me that Cersei, the one that reached into the lion’s cage, the human embodiment of wildfire, will passively accept all this? “That is not the way a lion dies.” So unless it is like a huge irony moment, which I would honestly like less, I do not think I see it or would like it happening. Also, Jaime is presented with the opportunity to die with Cers twice atp, once at the end of AFfC when the letter comes, and then at ADwD he is on his way back there. He ends up not taking it. In ASoS, when Brienne talks him out of passive suicide under the graceful crescent, he makes “Cersei needs me, I cannot die we need to die together”, “Tyrion who loves me for a lie needs me”, and “revenge against Hoat and co” his purpose to keep living. Notice how literally none of these things come to be. He does not even actively pursue the Hoat gang, revenge “lost its savor” once he sees the brutality that happened to Hoat, Tyrion no longer loves him for a lie and he believes he does not love him at all, and look at what is up with Cersei. “Her need is real enough”, + his bitterness about the cheating is still present in the chapter, and yet he does not end up pursuing any of that and chooses the oath to Cat (he abandons his position alone with Brienne, not exactly the safest thing). Like in his dream, he has his own flame right now, Cersei leaves with her torch and is no longer “the only light in the world” like it used to be as a result of their codependent relationship. The essentialist roots of that were completely deconstructed for both parties, Jaime especially (and it is touched upon again in ADwD w Hildy). So I don’t know why and how he would go to CR to Cersei atp tbh. Something will have to draw him to KL imo. Jaime’s dream is not about CR literally either, one it mirrors Brienne’s dreams and she pictures a different location (ntm they are together in Jaime’s whole dream thing anyway, what the fuck would Brienne be doing over there), two he repeatedly thinks and realizes how there is no such place beneath The Rock by the end. The original CR connection is more metaphorical than anything in my opinion. It is Tyrion that is tied to that place in a plethora of ways. It is his character that it is extremely relevant to. Whatever he will end up doing there will serve just as well with the idea of the destruction of Tywin’s legacy. I think the other two siblings will destroy Tywin’s legacy in different ways.

Finally, here is why it being Dany is thematically pretty dysfunctional imo: link

And even if, after all that, you guys still believe there to be another Aerys parallel in the narrative: This is already in the text. Is Cersei’s role just to foreshadow another woman’s path? You want this same narrative to happen again but with a teenage girl? I sure love that guys great message about women and power.

#disagree with some of this now but the symbolism analysis is good imo #asoiaf #cersei lannister #daenerys targaryen #jaime lannister #aerys targaryen #asoiaf meta #valyrianscrolls #long post

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catofadifferentcolor · 7 months

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Terrible Fic Idea #70: Game of Thrones, but make it time travel

I have a terrible weakness for time travel stories - especially when it leads to massive sprawling changes from the moment of divergence. So I thought to myself: which character would be able to most change Westeros through the simple act of time travel?

The answer came easily. Or: What if Ned Stark time traveled from after his death to the middle of Robert's Rebellion?

Just imagine it:

Ned Stark dies in the OT as per canon. He watches the events of canon unfold fold from the afterlife and has a crisis of faith.

For here is a man who has been nothing but an honorable, faithful, just lord. He served his realm in the best manner he could, was a dutiful husband and loving father, and put the good of others above personal advancement or that of his family. He even stained his honor to raise his sister's son as his own and give the boy the best protection he could - and yet.

And yet the gods allowed his son, wife, gooddaughter, and unborn grandchild to be murdered at a wedding. They allowed his oldest daughter to be used and abused by those that should have protected her. They let that thing take over his second son's body-

So when Ned finds a means to return from the afterlife or is allowed the chance tor return and fix things, the Ned who arrives on the morning of the Sack is a very different man than the one who went to bed the night before. Though they are the same at heart, Ned no longer believes or trusts everyone around him to be good, honorable, or want the best for Westeros.

In the New Timeline, Ned tries to prevent the deaths of Elia and her children - he's too late to save Aegon and Rhaenys, kills Gregor Clegane as he tries to force the princess, and though Elia is alive when he finds her, she dies of her wounds soon after - and gets Jamie to give up the Wildfire Plot after murdering the Mad King.

The fight he has with Robert for refusing to condemn the royal family's deaths is even worse than the OT and threatens to bring down the Red Keep.

Afterwards, he races to Lyanna's side... but though he arrives a week earlier than canon, he's still forced to fight his way through her protectors and she still dies in childbed. He does have enough time with her to get her side of the story - that she loved Rhaegar until he went to war to keep her, and has been a prisoner in the tower ever since she said she wanted to go home - and say his goodbyes.

He returns to Winterfell a little more mindful of his wife's feelings - Ned still passes Jon off as his son, but makes it clear that he has no intention of shaming her again, while also making it clear that the North would shame him if he sent Jon to be raised elsewhere - and sets about strengthening the North.

The next few years should be a montage of Ned making alliances and enriching his kingdom: 1) He talks Benjen out of joining the Night's Watch, sends him to survey all the empty keeps in the North, and grants him Queenscrown once the coffers have had a chance to refill after the war; 2) He gets White Harbor and Bear Island to start trading lumber and peat up and down their respective coasts and across the Narrow Sea, which enriches the North; 3) When Catelyn announces her second pregnancy, he starts work on restoring Moat Cailin, claiming that their second son will need a seat someday; 4) He finds some excuse, if not to get rid of the Boltons, than at least keep such an eye on them its next to impossible for them to continue as they have; and 5) Making tentative moves to court the other Great Houses. Doran Martell, grateful he at least tried to save his sister, arranges a betrothal between Arya and Trystane? Sansa gets a fostering in Highgarden? Bran is sent to foster at Storm's End?

Regardless, the North should be in a better position when Robert rides north after Jon Arryn's death - by natural causes this time, Ned having shared with his foster father stories Catelyn told him about Littlefinger's obsession with the Tully girls.

Meanwhile, Ned also tries to do a better job with Jon this time around - make it more clear that he is loved and valued, and that a good post or even a holdfast will be granted to him if he earns it. Ned does not want to place him on the Iron Throne, but it becomes increasingly clear as time goes on that war of some kind will inevitably follow Robert's death and so it's best all his children be prepared.

(Sansa and even Catelyn are taught how to use a knife to protect themselves, Ned honestly claiming he wants what happened to his sister never to happen to another woman in their family.)

King Robert rides north, gets a stiff, "No," for both his propositions - and might actually have come to blows if Ned hadn't arranged for Jamie and Cersei to be discovered in flagrante delicto in the First Keep. Robert rides back south sans a wife and heirs, short one Hand and Kingsguard. Cersei is beheaded, Jamie and Joffrey are sent to take the Black, and Myrcella and Tommen are left to be fostered at Winterfell until they're old enough to have other arrangements made.

Tywin is naturally unhappy about this turn of events and rises up in rebellion. The Iron Islands use this as an excuse to start reaving again, while the Reach withholds their support unless Robert promises to marry Margery - and Dorne merely withholds support.

Almost three years into the conflict, news arrives during the wedding of Robb Stark and Alys Karstark that King Robert died in battle without any heirs. His brothers have gone to war over which of them should succeed Robert to the Iron Throne. Tywin continues to claim that his grandson Tommen, safe in Winterfell, is the rightful heir. Baelon Greyjoy has declared himself King of the Iron Islands... and there are rumors of Daenerys Stormborn gathering forces in Essos for an invasion.

Into this Ned - having realized it was the best choice he could make for the safety and security of his family and the North - declares that Jon is really the trueborn son of his sister Lyanna and her husband Rhaegar Targaryen... and as such has rightfully been Jaehaerys III since birth.

The war which follows is swifter and less devastating than the OT War of Five Kings, but is still war. By largely staying out of the fight between Tywin and Robert, the North has a large army of fresh soldiers and, by marriage, the support of the Vale and the Riverlands. Stannis has Renly assassinated via shadow, but few chose to follow a follower of the Red God. The Stormlands end up throwing their lot in with Jon, as do Dorne and the Reach once they see which way the wind is blowing.

In a situation that should very much echo the situation in the British Isles in 1066, Jon's forces should be in the southeast of Westeros preparing for Dany's invasion when word comes of Tywin leading his forces north to capture Winterfell. Royalist forces should race across the countryside, win a magnificent victory at the Twins, and still be celebrating their success when news arrives of Essosi troops landing in the Crownlands. Jaehaerys' exhausted forces race back across the country... and manage to win the first engagement by the skin of their teeth.

When Dany brings her dragons to bear in the next battle, Rhaegal defects to the other side - and rather than pursue another Dance of Dragons, aunt and nephew come to an arrangement.

A Great Council is called. Jon is elected Lord of the Seven Kingdoms by overwhelming numbers. Sansa is his queen. Dany is named Lady of the Rock after most the remaining Lannisters are exiled or take the Black.

Bonuses include: 1) OT trauma for Ned, who never quite moves past what happened to his family then; 2) Dark horse romance between Jon and Sansa, fueled at first by the comment that Ned would like his daughters to marry good men - like Robb or Jon - and Catelyn encouraging it once she learns Jon is really her husband's nephew; and 3) No one ever learning Ned traveled through time.

And that is legit all the space I have. As always, feel free to adopt, just link back if you do anything with it.

More Terrible Fic Ideas

#plot bunny #fic ideas #game of thrones #a song of ice and fire #got #asoiaf #ned stark #house stark #time travel #jon snow #jon snow is a targaryen #targaryen restoration #time travel fix it #catelyn tully #ned stark x catelyn tully #jon x sansa

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kazscrows · 1 year

Text

Six of Crows Reread 🪶

Chapter 38: Kaz

I have been waiting to get to this chapter-

This is going to be a long one so settle in and buckle up

I’m not kidding this one goes for ages—

He’d gambled on Matthias’ feelings for Nina, but he’d always liked those odds. The real risk had been in whether or not someone as honest as Matthias could convincingly lie to his mentor’s face. Apparently the Fjerdan had hidden skills.

Kaz is a Helnik shipper you can’t change my mind

And lmao he thought Matthias wouldn’t be able to lie basically because he’s “too good”—

He reeks of decency, right?

Kaz throwing up the bombs to fell the sacred ash is… something

I made a post about this last night

He had lock picks and extra pellets of that weird knockout gas they used earlier in the cells in his gut too—

Oh he learned to do this via a fire breather magician

I guess it kind of makes sense

But then Kaz notes that the magician died due to poisoning himself accidentally—

Man (meaning Kaz Brekker) is insane

He remembered Inej standing on the embassy roof, aglow with some new fervour he didn’t understand but could still recognise – purpose. It had suffused her with light.

She was glowing to him

He’s so proud of her

I’m so proud of her

I really like that we got to see exactly where everyone was when the black protocol bells began

Gives it that heist movie feel of recapping the mission but from other points of view

Does that make sense? Do you guys know what I mean?

He’d waited, counting the minutes, but there was still no sign of Nina or Matthias. They’re in trouble, Kaz had thought. Or you were dead wrong about Matthias, and you’re about to pay for all of those talking tree jokes.

Imagine the plan failing because Kaz made fun of Matthias one too many times

That would have been tragic

He quickly tries to think of a way to get to the treasury but…

Would he be going to help Nina and Matthias or just to grab the target?

Luckily we don’t have to find out

Hopefully he’d choose to help his new friends

I like to think he would

He’d been about to call out to them when the explosion hit, and everything went to hell.

They blew up the lab, he’d thought as debris rained down around him. I definitely did not tell them to blow up the lab.

I love when Kaz thinks things like this

It happens at least once more in Crooked Kingdom

You’ll see when we get there

I’m thinking about a line from the auction

Kaz hoped the Shu boy he was holding on to was a surprisingly young Bo Yul-Bayur and not some hapless prisoner Nina and Matthias had decided to liberate.

I mean.. you never really know with Nina

The voice of god. There was always truth in legend. Kaz had spent enough time building his own myth to know.

Woah this just made me think about Kelsier from Mistborn

Has anyone here read those?

Sometimes Kaz and Kelsier are pretty similar, but also polar opposites

They both run a thieving crew so there’s the obvious similarity

Kelsier loves to smile though so there’s a difference (he smiles out of spite, but it doesn’t really matter right now)

Water had a voice. It was something every canal rat knew, anyone who had slept beneath a bridge or weathered a winter storm in an overturned boat – water could speak with the voice of a lover, a long-lost brother, even a god. That was the key, and once Kaz recognised it, it was as if someone had laid a perfect blueprint over the Ice Court and its workings.

What god do you serve? Inej had asked him. Whichever will grant me good fortune. Fortunate people didn’t end up racing ass over teakettle beneath an ice moat in hostile territory.

He’s already starting to think about Inej

Also side note: “Fortunate people didn’t end up racing ass over teakettle” is just a really funny line-

He thinks that while tumbling blindly down a freezing cold river in the dark

Survive. Survive. Survive. It was the way he’d lived his life, moment to moment, breath to breath, since that terrible morning when he’d woken to find that Jordie was still dead and he was still very much alive.

Pain

I’m gonna cry

Kaz tumbled through the dark. He was colder than he’d ever been. He thought of Inej’s hand on his cheek. His mind had gone jagged at the sensation, a riot of confusion. It had been terror and disgust and – in all of that clamour – desire, a wish that lingered still, the hope that she would touch him again.

Hope doesn’t have to be dangerous

It’s beautiful really

When he was fourteen, Kaz had put together a crew to rob the bank that had helped Hertzoon prey on him and Jordie. His crew got away with fifty thousand kruge, but he’d broken his leg dropping down from the rooftop. The bone didn’t set right, and he’d limped ever after. So he’d found himself a Fabrikator and had his cane made. It became a declaration. There was no part of him that was not broken, that had not healed wrong, and there was no part of him that was not stronger for having been broken. The cane became a part of the myth he built. No one knew who he was. No one knew where he came from. He’d become Kaz Brekker, cripple and confidence man, bastard of the Barrel.

He really does go after Pekka brick by brick

He didn’t let his limp define him

He used it to sculpt how others saw him

They see him in the exact way he wants them to

In a way it made him stronger

I just want to copy paste this entire chapter

But the flashes of memories Kaz is getting:

Hot chocolate with Jordie and his warning to let it cool

Himself signing for the Crow Club

His first time seeing Inej, in purple silk, and with kohl around her eyes…

When he gave her her first knife, it had a bone handled hilt

She named it Petyr…

Her crying after her first kill and him ignoring the sobs…

Do you think he regrets that? What if he’d tried to comfort her instead..?

Kaz remembered her perched on the sill of his attic window, sometime during that first year after he’d brought her into the Dregs. She’d been feeding the crows that congregated on the roof.

“You shouldn’t make friends with crows,” he’d told her.

“Why not?” she asked.

He’d looked up from his desk to answer, but whatever he’d been about to say had vanished on his tongue.

The sun was out for once, and Inej had turned her face to it. Her eyes were shut, her oil-black lashes fanned over her cheeks. The harbour wind had lifted her dark hair, and for a moment Kaz was a boy again, sure that there was magic in this world.

“Why not?” she’d repeated, eyes still closed.

He said the first thing that popped into his head. “They don’t have any manners.”

“Neither do you, Kaz.” She’d laughed, and if he could have bottled the sound and got drunk on it every night, he would have. It terrified him.

Oh window scene my beloved

I’m stronger than this, he told himself. My will is greater. But he could hear Jordie laughing. No, little brother. No one is stronger. You’ve cheated death too many times. Greed may do your bidding, but death serves no man.

The sound of water is Jordie’s voice for Kaz

A twisted tragic version of him

He’s trying to hang on and survive so he things of his revenge first

But it doesn’t work…

Only thinking of Inej saves him

He hopes she’s alive and that she escaped

He thinks about how if she’s trapped he has to live to safe her

The ache in his lungs was unbearable. He needed to tell her … what? That she was lovely and brave and better than anything he deserved. That he was twisted, crooked, wrong, but not so broken that he couldn’t pull himself together into some semblance of a man for her. That without meaning to, he’d begun to lean on her, to look for her, to need her near. He needed to thank her for his new hat.

I love this beautiful broken boy who’s decided to try

The water pressed at his chest, demanding that he part his lips. I won’t, he swore. But in the end, Kaz opened his mouth, and the water rushed in.

Imagine an episode of the spin-off ending like that

That ends part 5, onto the final part!

Part 6: Proper Thieves

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violetevents · 2 years

Text

sparks fly when you smile

pairing: steve/eddie word count: 1,5k july writing challenge: day 3. sparks (other entries) a/n: i keep trying to write short drabbles that then continue to absolutely get away from me. so uh, here. have 1,5k of eddie and steve being soft and cute together :)

“There’s someone pacing around our front yard,” Wayne says, peering through the curtains of their new trailer. Although new is a bit of an overstatement, seeing as the trailer is very much second hand. But their old one got swallowed by the newly formed gate to the upside down, and they could take this one off their neighbors hands for practically nothing. Eddie’s pretty sure they were just desperate to get out of Hawkins.

And who can blame them? Shit got pretty bad, after he nearly died at the hands of the demobats, and the cross gate opened, and Vecna came back again even though they thought they’d gotten rid of him.

Vecna is really truly actually dead now, though, and Eddie’s pretty sure the upside down is permanently closed. Still, he can’t blame people for not fully trusting those facts and getting the hell out of dodge, just in case.

“Isn’t that the Harrington boy?” Wayne musses, still at the window, unperturbed by Eddie’s unresponsiveness.

“Steve?” Eddie asks, head shooting up from where he was practicing songs on the guitar. Him and Steve left things on kind of shaky terms, after fighting Vecna for the second time. He’s pretty sure there were moments during that fight where they were flirting. But that was during a life and death situation, and this is now, and Eddie’s pretty sure that means it’s different.

Now, they’re once again Steve Harrington and Eddie Munson, and according to the laws of the real world, that means they don’t interact anymore.

And yet, here Steve is. In his front yard, of all places.

“Oh for god’s sake, Ed, put the guy out of his goddamn misery before he creates a moat in the goddamn yard,” Wayne says, as he watches through the gap in the curtains while Steve starts what must be his 56th lap.

“Oh, yeah, right, I will…” Eddie scrambles off the couch, nearly tripping over a discarded book on the floor as he tries to walk towards the door and take off his guitar at the same time. Eventually he ends up sort of awkwardly face planting the door, only just saving his guitar from smashing into the wall.

Wayne shakes his head fondly, and disappears off into his bedroom.

Eddie takes a deep steading breath, and swings open the door. “King Steve! To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Steve startles, like he hadn’t expected to see Eddie, despite trampling his daisies for the past fifteen minutes. “Eddie!”

“That’s me. So what can I help you with today, my liege?” Eddie does a little bow, and Steve does a frustrated little huff laugh at the theatrics.

“It’s uh,” he runs a hand through his hair, clearly uncomfortable. “We’re uh. Holding this thing at my house on Friday. Fourth of July. It’s not a party, but it’s just. It’s been a year since Billy passed away, and we just really don’t want Max to be alone, since she’s clearly still dealing with some shit. And I thought, you probably don’t really want to be alone either, with all the shit we went through with Vecna, so uh. I thought maybe you wanted to come?”

Steve has told this whole story to the sad little potted plant next to Eddie’s foot. It’s kind of endearing, how flustered he seems. Eddie has no clue why, perse. He’s pretty sure he’s the one who’s supposed to be flustered. After all, he’s the one being invited to a Fourth of July Not Party by the Steve Harrington.

He contemplates making a joke about it, but Steve does seem really earnest, and the gesture is actually really nice. So he withholds the jokes, and instead nods thoughtfully. “Yeah, I would like that,” he says, and Steve finally looks up to him, smiling widely.

“Great!” He says, “Awesome! So, uh I will see you at my place on Friday? 3 ‘o clock or something?”

“Yeah,” Eddie says, wondering when on earth this became his life. “Yeah, see you on Friday.”

“Eddie, huh?” Robin musses, sitting cross legged on Steve’s counter. Next to her, Steve is dumping chips into bowls.

“Yes,” Steve says, “I invited Eddie Munson.” He pauses and glances over at Robin. “Oh for fuck’s sake, stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what,” says Robin, while aggressively waggling her eyebrows. “I’m just saying. It can’t be a coinkydink that you tell me you might also be into guys and then a week later you suddenly invite Eddie Munson over for Fourth of July.”

Steve squints at her, as he opens a can of dip. “We’re inviting most of the ‘helped saved the world’ people, and Eddie happens to be one of those. It’s purely coinkydink.” He doesn’t say friends, because he’s not sure if that’s what him and Eddie are, yet. He’d like to be, for sure. But he doesn’t want to be presumptuous.

Robin grins at him and steals a chip. “Sure, buddy. Keep telling yourself that.”

Steve sticks his tongue out at her, and then goes to move some of the bowls into the living room. The truth is he did invite Eddie because he thinks there might be something there, and he would love to see what that something could be. But he can’t tell Robin that. Not because he doesn’t trust him, but because she would be so annoying about it.

Case in point, she’s currently following him around the house, humming ‘Take My Breath Away’ under her breath.

Luckily, at that point, everyone starts arriving and both Robin and Steve are distracted.

Eddie shows up last, smiling sheepishly and waving sort of awkwardly, and Steve can’t help the grin that spreads on his face. He was almost afraid the other guy wasn’t going to show up.

“Eddie,” he says, pulling him in for a hug, mostly out of habit. Steve’s a hugger, he can’t help it. Eddie tenses, but only for a second, and then immediately relaxes into it.

“Thanks again for inviting me,” he says, mostly into Steve’s shoulder, and Steve momentarily wishes they could stay like this forever.

They can’t, though, because there’s a house full of people that need to be entertained, so eventually Steve pulls away, and pats him on the shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get you a beer.”

Everybody hangs out by the pool for most of the afternoon, and Steve can’t help but fondly stare at his people. They didn’t get out of the battle with Vecna totally unscathed. Max still has trouble using her hands, Dustin has a limp from a broken foot that never healed right, Nancy has a gnarly scar on her arm. But they’re all still here, they’re alive and they’re smiling and all things considered, Steve’s pretty sure that’s all he can ask for.

They eat pizza and when it turns dark everyone starts filing inside to watch a movie. Steve notices Eddie hanging back, however, and decides to hang back, too.

“You okay?” He asks, sitting down on the lounge chair next to Eddie’s.

Eddie smiles softly, “Yeah, yeah I’m fine. Just needed some space.”

Steve hums. “They can kind of be a lot, huh?”

“What?” Eddie asks, looking bewildered. “No! No, that’s not.” He sighs, and twiddles with the ends of his hair. “They seem so… okay, you know? Everyone does. Like nothing from the past months ever even happened. It just makes me feel like I should be fine, too, and I’m not. I’m not at all.”

“Hey,” Steve says, leaning forward so he can place his hand on Eddie’s knee. “I can promise you that deep inside, none of them are okay. It’s just. This was like, our fourth time dealing with shit like this and it was your first. I guess all of us just got a lot better at hiding it.��

Eddie laughs, but it sounds hollow. “I know that should be reassuring, but it’s really not.”

Steve pulls a face. “Yeah. You’re right. But talking about it helps. And it does get better, eventually. The nightmares become less, you start sleeping better, you start to realize how fucking great getting enough sleep is, and then slowly, it all becomes a little bit easier to carry.”

Eddie looks at him, soft and hopeful. “Really?”

“Really,” Steve says, squeezing Eddie’s knee. “You just have to learn to find joy in the little things.”

As if on cue, one of the neighbors light fireworks, lighting up the sky and painting it a million different colors.

“Like that?” Eddie asks, almost breathlessly, staring up at the sky with wonder in his eyes.

“Yeah,” Steve says, smiling softly, looking at the amazed look on Eddie’s face. “Like that.”

(Nancy finds them, later.

At some point, Eddie has joined Steve on his lounge chair. They both seem to have fallen asleep, Eddie half draped over Steve, snoring softly into his shoulder. Steve’s head is turned away, but his left arm is wrapped protectively around Eddie’s back.

Nancy smiles softly to herself and decides it’s probably better to leave them alone. She closes the door behind her with a soft click.)

#steddie #steve harrington x eddie munson #steve x eddie #steveddie #my st fic #july prompts

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thelustybraavosimaid · 1 year

Text

"Qyburn, for the love you bear me, I beg you, send a message for me. A raven if you can. A rider, if not. You must send to Riverrun, to my brother. Tell him what has happened, and write...write..."

"Yes, Your Grace?"

She licked her lips, shivering. "Come at once. Help me. Save me. I need you now as I have never needed you before. I love you. I love you. I love you. Come at once."

"As you command. 'I love you' thrice?"

"Thrice." She had to reach him. "He will come. I know he will. He must. Jaime is my only hope." (Cersei X, AFfC)

It was Riverrun's old maester, with a message clutched in his lined and wrinkled hand. Vyman's face was as pale as the new-fallen snow. "I know," Jaime said, "there has been a white raven from the Citadel. Winter has come."

"No, my lord. The bird was from King's Landing. I took the liberty...I did not know..." He held the letter out.

"Lord Snow?" a soft voice said.

He turned to find Clydas standing beneath the broken archway, a parchment in his hand. "From Stannis?" Jon had been hoping for some word from the king. The Night's Watch took no part, he knew, and it shouldn't matter to him which king emerged triumphant. Somehow it did. "Is it Deepwood?"

"No, my lord." Clydas thrust the parchment forward. It was tightly rolled and sealed, with a button of hard pink wax. Only the Dreadfort uses pink sealing wax. Jon ripped off his gauntlet, took the letter, cracked the seal.

Jaime read it in the window seat, bathed in the light of that cold white morning. Qyburn's words were terse and to the point, Cersei's fevered and fervent. Come at once, she said. Help me. Save me. I need you now as I have never needed you before. I love you. I love you. I love you. Come at once.

Jon saw no reason not to tell him. "Moat Cailin is taken. The flayed corpses of the ironmen have been nailed to posts along the kingsroad. Roose Bolton summons all leal lords to Barrowton, to affirm their loyalty to the Iron Throne and celebrate his son's wedding to..." His heart seemed to stop for a moment. No, that is not possible. She died in King's Landing, with Father.

Vyman was hovering by the door, waiting, and Jaime sensed that Peck was watching too. "Does my lord wish to answer?" the maester asked, after a long silence.

Clydas cleared his throat. "Will there be an answer?"

Jon shook his head and walked away.

A snowflake landed on the letter. As it melted, the ink began to blur. Jaime rolled the parchment up again, as tight as one hand would allow, and handed it to Peck. "No," he said. "Put this in the fire."

His fingers closed around the parchment. Would that they could crush Ramsay Bolton's throat as easily.

-------

With Riverrun now safely in Lannister hands, Raventree was the remnant of the Young Wolf's short-lived kingdom. Once it yielded, his work along the Trident would be done, and he would be free to return to King's Landing. To the king, he told himself, but another part of him whispered, to Cersei.

He would have to face her, he supposed. Assuming the High Septon had not put her to death by the time he got back to the city. "Come at once," she had written, in the letter he had Peck burn at Riverrun. "Help me. Save me. I need you now as I have never needed you before. I love you. I love you. I love you. Come at once." (Jaime I, ADwD)

"I won't say you're wrong. What do you mean to do, crow?"

Jon flexed the fingers of his sword hand. The Night's Watch takes no part. He closed his fist and opened it again. [...] You know nothing, Jon Snow. He thought of Arya, her hair as tangled as a bird's nest. I made him a warm cloak from the skins of the six whores who came with him to Winterfell…I want my bride back…I want my bride back…I want my bride back…

"I think we had best change the plan," Jon Snow said.

Her need was real enough, Jaime did not doubt. As for the rest...she's been fucking Lancel and Osmund Kettleblack and Moon Boy for all I know...even if he had gone back, he could not hope to save her. She was guilty of every treason laid against her, and he was short a sword hand. (Jaime I, ADwD)

"The Night's Watch will make for Hardhome. I ride to Winterfell alone, unless…" Jon paused. "…is there any man here who will come stand with me?"

The roar was all he could have hoped for, the tumult so loud that the two old shields tumbled from the walls. Soren Shieldbreaker was on his feet, the Wanderer as well. Toregg the Tall, Brogg, Harle the Huntsman and Harle the Handsome both, Ygon Oldfather, Blind Doss, even the Great Walrus. I have my swords, thought Jon Snow, and we are coming for you, Bastard. (Jon XIII, ADwD)

#things that stay in my head rent free #'jon will want me even if no one else does' YOU GOT THAT RIGHT ARYA #'he will come. i know he will. he must' YOU GOT THAT WRONG CERSEI #jonrya brainrot™️#asoiaf #jon snow #jaime lannister

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fumblingmusings · 11 months

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How'd Eva view the Puritans and the general chaos of the 1600s in England? How would she react if America was found/raised in the New England Puritan colonies or in the interim absorbed their more radical teachings?

I would say read Chapters 1-3 of my fic hoho (silly plug). She was suspicious at first, and by the 1660, she held nothing but contempt for them. She likes to have fun at this point in her life. She likes to dance, to drink, to go horse-riding and shooting (arrows or guns), to play cards, to eat lots of rich and fancy foods and sweets, to grow her weird herb garden and cook with them in her weird bubbling cauldron (not suspicious...) and she doesn't see anything morally wrong with any of it. Nothing gets her hackles up then people getting in her private sphere and telling her what to do.

Alfred was found and brought to England before Jamestown and got very sick, so when Jamestown was properly settled, he was sent back with Evelyn intermittently spending time out there with him, or bringing him back to England for small periods too. She keeps him in Virginia for as long as she can.

When her Civil War begins, she gets her brother to go over and move Alfred to Maryland, which was experimenting with religious toleration for Catholics. After the wars end and Charles II has his bum on the throne, Evelyn is with Alfred always. No more weeks where she is in England and he in the colonies. She is glued to his side until the 1690s. They go to Providence (a tolerant colony for Protestants this time) or Philadelphia (Quaker haven), with the occasional stint in Williamsburg back in Virginia after Jamestown is abandoned.

As she was pretty much indisposed for the entirety of the Civil War and a good chunk of the Interregnum, she loses control over his wellbeing. Because the vast majority of the American colonies had declared for Charles II over Parliament save New England, and because she was locked up for a few years, Cromwell moved Alfred up to Boston. Alfred went willingly because the men who came to him said his mum had sent them, and at this time Alfred's only like five or six. He misses his mum, he'll and will do pretty much anything if he thinks it will make her happy or come home. He was away from her between 1639 and 1655. Over fifteen years without his mother. That's not good for a little one to not have a steady caretaker with them. I think it really messed him up, even more so cause he's stuck with puritans (worse - American puritans, the ones who thought Cromwell was being too tolerant).

Moving from St. Mary's to Boston would have been a shock to his system, but Alfred thought it was what his mum wanted, so he listened and tried to learn. It's why he's so confused by the end of the century because he thought she was the one who had ordered him to Massachusetts. Meanwhile, the thing that actually made her get up and fight her way out of gaol was being told Alfred had been moved.

Like, imagine being a parent and thinking, even though you miss your child, you know they're safe, maybe even with a family you trust, only to be told, no, actually, they're with the very people who you were trying to shield them from. Like she really did not give two shits that she had been whipped to death the previous week, she did care of the thought of Alfred being stripped of everything that made him warm and sweet and loving and made to carry a guilt of just being alive and sins that were not his.

She took that rusted nail, stabbed her guard, jumped in the moat and through to the river, stole a horse and rode down to Cornwall before the day was out. She books it to Falmouth, has a rough ride over the Atlantic, maybe falls overboard because docking is taking too long, and washes up on shore to get to Alfred. He runs right into her sopping wet arms and does not let go for days. She probably immediately keels over and dies for five minutes from exhaustion but shh don't tell Alfred that she's just napping.

Eva immediately punts them down to Providence and then it's let's never talk about that again. I think it takes a long time for Alfred to properly digest those years.

Evelyn does not like Puritans. She does not like Calvinism or her brother's Presbyterianism. She will not be hauled up in front of a congregation and lectured for playing cards and walking unaccompanied through town unmarried, nor will she listen to anything which states that her people are damned regardless of their actions and that any form of redemption is a fool's errand (projecting). She's too vain, and is a big believer in being left the fuck alone. What she does is between her and God. No middle man - Saint or Elder - required. So, she's certainly not Catholic anymore either.

She likes Quakers, does not mind Lutherans or Methodists, and is indifferent to Catholicism so long as she isn't made to be one, enough to let Matthew practice how he wants in private, and she herself is - rather reluctantly and mainly out of habit rather than genuine belief - High Church Anglican. She'd never admit it, but she likes the idolatry and superstition that reformers railed over. Makes it rather fun. From my understanding, I think most American churches, the dozens of splinter baptist/reformed/evangelical churches etc. tend to be low church? Or is that an oversimplification maybe. Probably. But I can see how, even to the modern day where maybe Alfred and Evelyn themselves aren't like particularly religious in their day to day lives, the impact of that split is still felt.

Nations and religiosity is an interesting topic, but I really only know so much about Anglo-Scottish religious development to comment on nationhood as a whole, and the world is so much bigger than two thirds of a damp island 🫡😅

The 'problem' with the English Reformation compared to many German states or across the border in Scotland is that it was so deeply led from the top down by a 'secular' monarch and nobility and not particularly by the actual clergy. Thomas Cranmer was put in place by those in power because he promised to get a task done for Henry (marriage annulment) and used the opportunity for his own ends. Meanwhile John Knox across the border was running around converting the Scottish nobility onside with one notable exception (the monarch, but to be fair she was like 14 and in France and we all know how well it went when she came back), if that distinction makes sense.

And I think, because the English Reformation was done for such selfish reasons primarily, then ecclesiastical ones second, things like the dissolution of the monasteries, the suppression of Cornish as a language, the taking over of the Common Land all spiral out from it. From Cornwall to Oxfordshire to Yorkshire to Norfolk to the Lake District, the people on the ground were protesting this hard only to be slaughtered by the thousands.

I think Evelyn would have exited her reformation incredibly jaded. Like of course the Catholic Church was (is) broken. What spilled out of it in England was equally so. I think Evelyn wanted to protect Alfred from that, but in many ways he was impacted by those splinters just as much as she was. It's just another one of her poisons which leaked out its container. English conflicts never have the courtesy to stay in England, it always has to be someone else's problem too. So guilt, mostly, to answer your question. She would blame others, of course, but also blame herself a lot. If she was just a better person, Alfred wouldn't have suffered needlessly.

#q&a #it's sort of related but the plaque at Norwich Castle commemorating Robert Kett & the rebellion I think has perfect wording - it says:#'this memorial was placed here by the citizens of Norwich in reparation & honour to a notable & courageous leader'#'in the long struggle of the common people of England to escape from a servile life into the freedom of just conditions'#like bruh we're *still* trying 500 years later #hetalia #hws england #fem!england #hws america #headcanon #fanfic ask #historical hetalia

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rad-rat-with-a-tophat · 1 year

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If you still happen to be taking prompts, 46 for richjake or boyf riends?

i will be taking prompts for as long as this blog remains my friend

sorry if this sucks by the way.

Jeremy was fine. He was just fucking peachy in fact. He totally wasn't panicking over his huge gay crush on his best friend, Michael Mell.

It was the middle of winter break and as per usual, Jeremy and Michael were him the latter's basement playing video games and being stupid teenage boys.

Being stupid teenage boys largely meant Jeremy looking after his slightly high best friend. Jeremy had tried weed once but since he had week-ass lungs and asthma that did not end up well for him. At all. Seriously, he had an asthma attack. It sucked.

So now Jeremy was trying to pick up the trash off the basement floor while Michael dozed on a bean bag.

"Jeeeeeremyyyyy," He whined, face smushed into the bean bag, "You don't have to pick the trash up, my moms' don't care,"

Jeremy started carrying empty soda bottles to the recycling bin upstairs, "Yeah but your moms' are super cool and I don't want to inconvenience and if I didn't pick the trash up and I'm pretty sure they'd hate me." He said, halfway up the stairs.

He quickly went to the kitchen and dumped the bottles into the recycling bin. Michael's moms may be super cool but Jeremy is still an anxious mess so he'd rather not talk to anyone who isn't Michael or any of their assorted friends.

When he got back to the basement, Michael is still lying on the bean bag.

In Jeremy's humble, very bisexual, and heavily biased opinion Michael looked absolutely adorable right now. His dark hair was messed around, his glasses slightly skewed, and he looked so huggable.

Yes, yes, Jeremy did know he was pathetic, but in his defense Michael was literally perfect in every single way. He was his longest and closest friend, he cared so fucking much, and the fact that he was arguably the moat cuddle-able person on the planet helped.

And he was looking straight at Jeremy. Great.

"You have been standing there for like an hour," He stated.

Jeremy was panicking but when wasn't he panicking?

"It actually was like thirty seconds... So, um, you're wrong?" He said uncertainly.

Michael mulled this over for a second.

"Yeah, no, but whatever. Wanna deathmatch in Spelunky?" He asked, beckoning to the second beanbag.

Jeremy snorted, "You're setting yourself up for failure. I spent the time when you were in the Philippines over the summer fucking mastering this game."

Spelunky was a simple 2d video game where you'd choose a character and explore abandoned caves. Spelunky also had a deathmatch option where you could fight other players, whic is what the pair tended to prefer.

It was the one thing Michael was bad at and Jeremy basked in his superiority at a random video-game.

"What the fuck. What the actual fuck. This is stupid and I hate it. I fucking quit." Michael had announced after Jeremy had beaten him the tenth time in a row.

Jeremy had just laughed and stuck his tongue at him.

Michael shot him a glare. "Don't you fucking dare gloat. You know what, switch to adventure mode, by yourself. From the beginning. Let's see how braggy you are then."

Jeremy smiled at Michael, switching the game mode and satisfied knowing that he had already beaten the game just in case something like this happened.

Jeremy was half-way through the third stage when something heavy plopped into his lap.

It was Michael.

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. This isn't a big deal. You guys have had physical contact many times. This is normal, Jeremy thought to himself.

So why does this feel different?

Just then, his tiny little 2d figure died on screen.

Michael turned his head to Jeremy.

And, Oh my goodness. His freckles. His fucking freckles!

Michael was close enough that you could see the freckles that dusted his light brown skin. His hair was soft, fluffy, and perfect. His warm brown eyes peered up at Jeremy through his dirty glass lenses.

"Dude, you just died." Michael stated.

While trying (and failing) to fight back his blush, Jeremy answered, "I did- I did in fact, um, die. Yup!"

Michael narrowed his eyes at him, scanning Jeremy's face. This only made his blush grow, climbing from his neck to his cheeks.

Great. More blusing.

"Yeah well, don't do it again." Michael said.

Jeremy awkwardly grinned, "I won't dude,"

"Good," Michael huffed, dragging his entire body onto Jeremy''s bean bag until he was basically lying on top of him, his head pressed into Jeremy's chest.

His blushing dialed from fifty to five-thousand real quick, as well as his heart beat speeding up drastically.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, can he hear my heartbeat? Oh my go what of he can? What if he can? Would he be able to realize I like him? And if he did how-

"Dude, chill," Muttered Michael, breaking Jeremy's nervous inner monologue.

Yeah okay, he could do that? Right?

Michael started shuffling, trying to get more comfortable and ended up placing his head on left shoulder, breath tickling Jeremy's neck.

Yeah he could absolutely not be chill about this. When your crush of almost a year starts cuddling on you you're not gonna be fucking chill! Who would?!

Before Jeremy could organize his thoughts, his instincts took over and placed a soft kiss on the top of Michael's head.

What the fuck?! Why did I do that?! Why did I think that was a good idea! Hell, did I even think?!

Before Jeremy could stammer out an apology, Michael made a content little sigh, looked up at Jeremy and nodded, as if something just clicked in head and Jeremy's heart melted before a fragment of a sound could leave his mouth.

Michael pulled himself up and sits criss-cross on Jeremy's lap.

He stared into Jeremy's eyes, and Jeremy could feel himself heating up and his heart about to beat through his chest.

Michael swallows, "Hey, Jeremy?" He asked.

Jeremy stares back, the video game completely forgotten.

"Yeah, Michael?" He asked, his breath coming out quick and short, his heart feeling like a hummingbird, pounding in his rib cage.

"What happens if I do this?" Michael asked before softly placing his lips into Jeremy's.

Jeremy froze. No thoughts, no rambling, no nothing.

Though he's frozen in shock he notices when Michael starts to tense up and his brain lets him actually talk.

"Apparently, I get really flustered and freeze up."

Michael looked at Jeremy, scanning his face for rejection and disgust.

"Not I mind or anything," Jeremy continued, "Just unexpected, you know?"

Michael grinned, "It would suck ass if my crush since seventh grade hated me for kissing him so..."

Jeremy look at Michael, bewildered, "Seventh grade? That's like, a long time. I've barely been able to survive a year!"

Michael laughed, "Yeah you learn to get used to it you know. Now, are you ever gonna finish this stage?" He looked at Jeremy, smirking a stupid, endearing, little smirk.

Jeremy glared at him, "You know what? Fuck you," He said, pushing Michael off the beanbag. At that both of them started laughing, finding themselves unable to stop.

@gay-stranger-things don't know if this what you meant by wanting me to tag you in "more" but you weren't clear so that's kinda on you.

#sorry this took so long!#this is my first time writing boyf riends #and a male pov #or a character who likes guys #so this isn't my best work.#it's past 4 am rn #wooooooooooooo #first post of 2023 #and it's boyf riends #that's very on track of me #bmc #my writing #also spelunky is a real game #it's very fun

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thesnailkiwi · 1 year

Note

i wanna hear more about your weird vivid 3rd life dreams /not forced

Mkay mkay I really want to talk about this

First time it happened, or as I call it "first session". (Side note, everyone looked like their characters but realistic.)

Started out (normal?) And collected stuff. The usual. I didn't know anyone at all and it was weird. Everyone felt so familiar, yet I couldn't place who they were. I met Martyn pretty early on. We talked, and he threw seeds at me and ran off. I settled in the roots of a tree the first night (the rain was unpleasant to say the least). Eventually I dug out the area around the upturned tree and put a roof so it was kind of like a burrow. Boy, how I envied Dogwarts at the time.

I met Joel next. He... was something, alright. He insulted me half the time and actually does swear a lot. Oh, and he was like 5'6 so that made it even funnier. He was annoying, though. He kinda just broke into my house tbh.

After that, I heard about Tango’s game but thought it was too risky. I was also afraid because of Scar since I didn't know him and from the stories I had heard he was cruel and merciless. In my defense, he was a red.

I met Jimmy after his first death. He's such a nice dude omg. He's also easy af to fluster. I complimented him and he turned bright red. He, seeing my pathetic house, invited me back to the flower valley for the night. Scott was offended that he brought home someone other than him lmao. At first Scott was defensive but after Jimmy convinced him I was fine then he loosened up. I felt like a third wheel the whole time. Jeez Louise the sheer amount of affection between those two.

Ahaha the next day I wasnt too lucky. I got caught in a TNT trap someone set (I think it was the Crastle, but I'm still unsure) and exploded. Not fun, exploding. Let me tell you. At least it was quick ig.

Bdubs was grumpy about that since it wasn't meant for me. Sir, how am I supposed to know that when you set it near MY HOUSE?

This is where things started going downhill.

Dogwarts was starting to rise. I was allies with the flower valley so I quickly was introduced to the desert duo. I felt kinda bad for Grian since he couldn't use his wings, but realistic harpy things are weird looking. Scar was terrifying. My dude is like 6 feet tall, grey, and littered with scars. Jimmy was red and he still wasn't scary! Wtf!

Ah yes. The burning of the banner. How could I forget? I wasn't there for it, but Scott sounded scared when I visited them next.

I had seen Ren from a distance, and I was so, so angry at Martyn for becoming the monster he did. Oh yeah, and the two of them kept beating around the bush in their relationship and that was annoying as well. Like, dude, just tell him already.

I never really met the Crastle. But I did meet Martyn again and blow up on him about being part of Red Winter.

And here we are! The bunker battle.

I don't really remember much about this part. Pure adrenaline took over. But I did die to being shot by an arrow and falling into the lava moat. I ran back as fast as I could with literal leather armor. Jimmy was dead by then, and when Scott realized, oh jeebus bleebus.

Anger, sorrow, revenge. He definitely was NOT thinking clearly. Since I was closest to Jimmy in the battle, he blamed me for his death. He attacked me and killed me with his sword. Very uncomfortable way to die.

Session two.

Started out on bad terms. I killed a few of the villagers Grian saved and he definitely was NOT happy. I swear he meant the creeper for me and it agro-ed on scar instead. But we'll never know ig.

The Crastle became my home this time. Cleo was recruiting so I signed up.

It went how you think it would. Except this time I played Tango’s game. I failed and died.

Then Dogwarts invaded the Crastle. The others except Impulse got away, but then I realized he was a traitor. I got sacrificed on the altar. Dude the Red Winter axe is a huge ceremonial battle axe. Ren laughing is extremely eerie.

Then during the final siege, Martyn took my last life. Pretty anticlimactic if I say so myself.

Anyway, any questions? I can talk for hours.

I swear every time you send an ask, it turns into a whole essay lmao /pos

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mackjlee9 · 1 year

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Paimon shook the male, ❝[𝘕/𝘹! 𝘕/𝘹! 𝘞𝘯𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘨!] ❞ The floating creature said, still shaking him.

❝ [Huh..?] ❞ Y/n said, blinking his [eye color] eyes as they struggled to open. He stared at the curious white haired fiasagure above him, who was clearly trying to awaken him. The white haired creature huffed impatiently, before speaking again. ❝[𝘕/𝘹!!] ❞ It seemed to be calling his name. Still hazy from the sudden movement, the male reached up and felt the back of his neck, rubbing it in circles.

...

This couldn't be hard to figure out, right?He just isekai'd into his favorite game, Genshin Impact, but yet..He heard from fanfics that when you isekai into a world, you'd be there for a long while. Presumably months, maybe years. He also recalled that the isekai'd person would have died in the real world to get to the new world, but yet, here he was, in this world, but he couldn't recall dying in the real world.. He couldn't put a finger on the situation. He was confused and afraid. He waited a few minutes. Before long, he felt the white haired creature tugging at his arms, attempting to get him to move. The male slowly got up, the feeling of sand hitting the palms of his hands, before he let out a sigh, following the floating creature until the duo seemed to be on an small island surrounded by a- what he could only infer to be, - small moat of water, where he could easily walk through the water to reach the Statue of the Seven. ❝[𝘕/𝘹! 𝘈𝘭𝘤 𝘯𝘴𝘥𝘤𝘰𝘥 𝘩𝘥𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘴𝘯𝘩 𝘯𝘩𝘯𝘩𝘶𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘵𝘹!!] ❞ The male's eyes widened when he realized he could understand some of what Paimon was saying. Head snapping; he looked in Paimon's direction, making her flinch away in fear, as if he was going to harm her.

❝[What?]❞ The male asked, ❝[Say that again?]❞ ❝[...𝘕/𝘹! 𝘈𝘭𝘤 𝘯𝘴𝘥𝘤𝘰𝘥 𝘩𝘥𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘴𝘯𝘩 𝘯𝘩𝘯𝘩𝘶𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘵𝘹?] ❞ Paimon repeated, but slower. ❝[That. I hear that. "Of The" ]❞ The male repeated to himself.

He muttered this sentence over and over quietly to himself as he inched towards the statue, glancing at Paimon occasionally to see if this is what she wanted him to do.

As he reached the statue, he held out his hand and reached to it. His palm touched the golden circle on the anemo statue before the glowing red aura changed into a frosty blue one. Anemo started flowing through his veins as he heard whispers from the wind above. The wind had changed the white accessories on him to a tealish sort of green.

Humming in delight; Paimon crossed her arms and smiled. Only a few minutes passed before Y/n heard a bloodcurdling scream. His head snapped over to Paimon to see the commotion, and they both saw a large dragon fly above them, Paimon clinging onto Y/n for dear life...Dear god. Dvalin was bigger in person.

The male only caught a glimpse of the dragon, but still decided it was best to hide behind a tree as he heard someone talking to it. ❝[..𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘯𝘩𝘣𝘯𝘮𝘺.. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘮𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘔'𝘱 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬]❞ Venti, who had black hair with a fade of teal, his hair were neatly in braids which was overlapping his clothing. Sitting ontop of the poncho he had on, he looked relatively young, around fifteen maybe. ❝[Is.. Is he talking to a dragon?]❞ The male muttered under his breath, to himself more than to Paimon.❝[𝘮𝘩 𝘯𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘯 𝘯𝘭!]❞ Paimon responded, being as loud as ever. They had startled the gargantuan creature, known as Dvalin. ❝[𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘴 𝘩𝘴𝘵𝘣𝘳?!]❞ The bard, known as Venti, looked around quickly before spotting them- but before they could get a clear look at him, he rushed away like the winds above. Y/n looked at Paimon. 'Really?' he thought. The dragon flapped its heavy wings before it sprouted away into the sky, leaving without its friend, Venti.

question past self

WHAT THE FUCK IS A FIASAGURE :sob:

This is like, quite interesting, son 🤔🤔 makes me wanna read more actually lol 😁

And the typo lol its alright happens to the best of us ☺

#.zeke~

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pdxtrent · 2 years

Text

This started out as a tangent from a response I had to a different post, but it went far afield of my original point. But it was a good point, and I didn’t want it to get lost.

So let’s talk about Torrhen Stark. You know, the King Who Knelt.

The North isn’t anyone’s first choice for a home, it’s the land of last resorts. The First Men pushed the Children of the Forest north where they mostly died out, only for the Andals to do the same to them. This is a land so awful that there are nightmare stories of decades long winters where the population is decimated or worse.

And the only thing that kept the Andals from slaughtering them all was the Andals were separated in a hundred fractured kingdoms in the South. Too busy fighting each other to unite against the North, and a few pieces of luck like the geography of the Neck and Moat Cailin.

So there’s Torrhen Stark and the eve of the arrival of the Targaryens. His people have managed to hold back the Andals because of the substandard lands in the North which kept it undesirable, horrible bitter winters which sometimes lead to mass starvation if they’re too long, and a few fortunate quirks of geography when the Valyrians and their fucking DRAGONS show up.

I know they’re all fictional, but just imagine Torhen Stark, latest in a line of 900 kings who have been holding back the tide of the Andals from wiping his people out when essentially the ghost of the fucking bogeyman of the world shows up.

Like seriously, the dragonriding Valyrians, who were so fucking terrifying and unstoppable the Andals left their lands and crossed the narrow sea in waves, invading Westeros and started their genocide against the First Men. So terrifying the Rhoynar, the greatest power in Essos before the rise of the Freehold, abandoned their cities to wander the world homeless on a fleet of ten thousand ships because the Valyrians were just so goddamn terrifying.

So back to Torrhen Stark. The king who knelt.

It gets presented as an act of wisdom. A man whose House words are a reminder that there are elemental forces you can’t fight but only try to survive.

I don’t think this is true. He didn’t kneel in some calm acceptance, this was an act of utter despair. Because EVERYONE knows what the Valyrians do to a conquered people and it starts with slavery and ends there too.

I have so many questions about the Conquest and the King Who Knelt, but knowing that history, I have to assume that Aegon shows up with his sisters all mounted on full grown dragons, and Torhen is just thinking ‘we’re doomed’ and his only thought is ‘can I bargain to keep us out of slavery’? George hasn’t written much about it, but in my head that’s the agreement that preceded the moment when he knelt.

It’s an easy win for Aegon since he doesn’t have to spend months subjugating a thinly spread population. He can focus on the larger population centers of the Andal kingdoms of the south. He probably moved on without a second thought.

But for the First Men of the North it’s a miracle of salvation.

#song of ice and fire #grrm #george rr martin #thoughts on ice and fire #my meta #ice and fire #ice and fire meta

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dailyaudiobiblechronological · 2 years

Text

5/31/2022 DAB Chronological Transcription

1 Kings 3-4, 2 Chronicles 1, Psalm 72

Welcome to Daily Audio Bible Chronological, I'm Jill. Today's the 31st day of May. It's the last day of this month that was probably busy for a lot of you. It seems like lots of endings closings, coming to an end, school's getting finished up. Teachers are just looking for the little speck of light at the end of the tunnel. And it's exciting as we close out one month and look forward to the brand new beginning of newness. Once again. Today we are reading First Kings, chapters three and four. And then we'll jump over to Second Chronicles, read chapter one. And then we'll end today with Psalm 72. This week we're reading the New Living Translation. By the way, I'm Jill. I don't know if I said that, maybe I did, but it's such a joy to be here with you this week as we read through the Bible together as my daughter China takes a little rest. First Kings, chapter three.

Commentary

So we immediately today see the distinction of Solomon as King. And we know that Solomon prayed for wisdom. He asked God for wisdom. And wisdom is a really fascinating thing in the Bible. It is present at the very beginning of creation. And the Bible refers to wisdom as she. And then it sort of gets buried like buried treasure in the word where if you're not looking for it, you really have to kind of dig to find it. It is just not something that we tend to gravitate toward. And I think it's because we are in a time in our life where we have more information available to us than we have ever had. And let's not be confused, information is not the same as wisdom. Wisdom is a category all its own. Information gives you the facts. And so often we as people find the facts that already align with our beliefs to just solidify those beliefs. And then we keep solidifying, solidifying, solidifying. And the line in the sand gets deeper and deeper. And soon we have sort of built an island and the waters come in and the moat has formed. And we're sort of isolated because we are so deeply in depth with redefining our beliefs so that we are right, disregarding any other facts of any other viewpoint. And we do this with our friends when they're going through crisis. We sit with one friend, we avoid the whole other side of the story. And then we think because we are so immensely informed that we have to be right. But yet there's a whole other side that has left out. And we see that clearly here today. And the story of the two women who have two different children and one sadly dies in the night. I remember the story as a child and I remember hearing his response, thinking, that's terrible, why would he ever I just didn't connect it in my young mind that wisdom would say, the woman that actually gave birth to that child would not want to see that child perish. So I was just sitting with the information, given to me, but my young mind lacked wisdom. Here's the thing about wisdom. Solomon prayed for it and God gave it to him. Wisdom is available to each and every one of us. It is not something that was exclusively for Solomon. She is available to all of us who ask. But wisdom often has to rise above both sides. It gathers information on all sides. But wisdom rises above opinions and facts, and it reaches beyond intellect because so many times it is the voice that we could not have come up with on our own. It's spirit to spirit, soul to soul of where did that come from? How did you arrive at that? I'm not really sure, but it was not me because I could not have thought of that myself. That is my best description of wisdom. And what we will see with Solomon and the wisdom that God granted him is a distinction that sets him apart from all of the other Kings, all of the other leaders thus far. And here's the greatest part of all of this, that wisdom is available to us when we seek it, when we ask for her, when we get one side and ask to hear for the other one and listen and sit with it and allow the voice of the Spirit of God, Wisdom, to speak to us, to make herself known to us.

Prayer

Father, we thank you once again for your word. We thank you for wisdom that is available. I pray that we would reach for her, that we would be a people that would not be consumed with information, and we would be a people that would hear both sides without dismissing the one that we think we automatically disagree with. May we listen and hear and not listen and just wait for our turn to talk, but to really hear the hearts of people so that wisdom has a chance to be seen, to be known and to be administered. We thank you for that gift, that thing that will set us apart when we long for, when we wait on and not be in a hurry for wisdom to speak to us. Speak to us even today. I pray this now in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.

Announcements

Daily Audio Bible That's Homebase. That's the website. That's the app, that's free. Check it out if you have not. There are some great resources available on the app. There is a store that you may not know about that has some beautiful enhancements on your journey through reading the Bible. If you need prayer, you can reach out. We are a community that prays for one another, truly something that sets this community apart. So there are several ways that you can do so 1st, 800 583-2164. Secondly, you can utilize your mobile app or your smartphone app or your phone app or whatever device you may or may not be using. Hit the red circle button it's up at the top right hand corner of your phone and you have two minutes to record. Make sure you hit submit and then turn the wheel over to Chronological for that category specifically. Lastly, you can reach out on the app and the website reach for the prayer wall. That would just have you type out your prayer request and there are people willing available ready to pray for you. It doesn't matter what time of the day, it doesn't matter the crisis. Sometimes we just need someone to be there immediately and that is the place for connection. If this Ministry has been life giving to you and you would like to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, we thank you so much, truly and humbly. We could not do this without you. There are several ways for you to partner with us. Po Box 1996, Spring Hill, Tennessee 37174 and of course that's DAB or a Daily Audio Bible. And then lastly, once again you can utilize your app. Just hit the Give icon up at the top right hand corner and it will guide you through, as well as the Give icon on the website. That's going to do it for me today. I'm Jill. We'll turn the page together tomorrow as we start a brand new month. Letting go of all that we didn't accomplish that is out of our control. Laying it down and giving it at the feet of Jesus where we look forward ahead to the newness the newness of mercy and Grace and possibility because he makes all things new until tomorrow, love one another.

Community Prayer Line

Good morning DABC Community this is Kristen in Louisiana and I just wanted to call in today and pray for seven year old James. His mom called him and said that he's been struggling in school and just seems to be having some sad, dark thoughts and they're planning to pull him from school and I just wanted to pray for his sweet little spirit. I can't imagine how hard that must be to hear your seven year old and say the things that you said he's been telling you when he gets home. So I just want to lift you and your husband up and James and just pray that God just envelopes you in his presence and his supernatural peace. And that James just feels that hug from the Lord and just feels his presence, Lord. And that he just gets filled with a spirit of joy, that he just laughter and joy just bubble up out of him and that God just helps him to guard his heart, Lord, against the lies that he's believing, that he's stupid and that he's not worthy of being here and that he just wants to die. I just pray against that and I speak against that. And I know we all know that that's not God's heart for him at all. Those are lies from the devil. He is uniquely and wonderfully made knit together by God. And I pray that he would just begin to feel that and just know that truth deep down in his soul.

Hello, DABC family, this is Velma from the Virginia side of the DMV. Oh, my goodness. Thanking God this morning, I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Inga from Denmark. Oh, thank you Lord, for answering prayers. I was so just excited when I heard the wonderful testimony from you about your daughter's day. I am still walking on cloud nine about it. God is so good and he loves us so much. He wants us to be joyful and he wants us to trust in him. And I thank you. Thank you, Lord, for Inch and her family. I just wish Lord continued blessings on her family and I am still trusting and believing in 100% healing for Inch. So thank you, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

Hi, DABC family, my name is NFON and I'm calling from Graham Perry, Texas. My prayer request is inspired by a lady who called. I mean, I listened to her yesterday. Yesterday was May the 22nd about her son that has ADHD attention deficit or something. And I have been struggling with also presenting my prayer requests because some people might not understand. But my son was diagnosed with Mal to moderate autism. And right from the first day, I never believe the diagnostic because sometimes kids can be misdiagnosed. But I accepted to get help. And up till now, I mean, my son is seven years old. I believe the improvement that he has made is based on age he has grown from when he was diagnosed at four till now. And I believe that the improvement is not very the way I expected. So I want to pull him out of that program with the help of God and by faith to see how to put him in a regular school. So I want you guys to pray along with me with my decision and that God will answer my prayer and God that God should perfect that which concerns my son and heal him completely. That's my prayer. Thank you so much. I appreciate all of you. I pray when I get prayer requests and I believe that mothers should assist me in praying for my hey family.

It's Kelly from Greensboro, North Carolina. And I have what is probably considered a minor prayer request, but it is getting to be frustrating for us. Back in February, on the 18th, our son smashed his front end of his car and it's been in the body shop and it's now day 95. And as probably you all are aware, it's very hard to get certain parts for cars to be fixed. It doesn't help that he has a Nissan. Nissan is notorious for not being able to get parts for their vehicles but we have been waiting on one part now for weeks. Out of all the 58 parts, one part is still not there and the body shop has told us repeatedly well, we keep being told it's any day, it's any day and it's just getting to be frustrating and here's what we're waiting on the wiring harness for the engine and so all of you who are in the same boat I'm lifting up your vehicles and your hard to get parts. I know there are many parts that are internationally back ordered which means they don't exist in our country at this point but I know the Lord is teaching our son something through this he's having to share.

Hello, my DABC family this is Patty in Houston. This is my first time calling where hopefully I'm speaking slow enough that it gets recorded. I am wanting to first thank Brian, Jill, China, Ezekiel, all of the Harden family and those behind the scenes for this podcast and just how much it means to me. I've been listening for two years to both the DAB and DABC and I appreciate so much all of the people that pray and I know that we are a community of praying people and lift each other up so today I ask for your prayers for my sister. Tomorrow's her birthday and she is not home anymore. She left today. She struggles a lot with thinking that she will be taken back to her home in Illinois and she lives in Houston as well and I think she left thinking she will be picked up but this time she left and gave information for us to follow up with on all her papers so it has me worried and I just pray that you lift her up and ask God's comfort.

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