"Anne and Wyatt shared a love of poetry and literature. They were intellectual equals who engaged in lively conversations about politics, religion, and the arts." - Eric Ives, "The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn"
Anne Boleyn and Thomas Wyatt had a close friendship that has been the subject of much speculation over the years. They were both members of the intellectual circle at court, and they shared a love of poetry and literature. Some historians believe that they may have been romantically involved, but there is no concrete evidence to support this theory. Yet Thomas was one of Anne's closest confidants, and he was a loyal supporter throughout her rise and fall at court. He wrote several poems about her, including "Whoso List to Hunt," which is believed to be a coded message about his love for her. In the poem, Wyatt compares Anne to a deer that he can never catch, suggesting that he is unable to win her heart.
"Anne Boleyn and Thomas Wyatt were kindred spirits who shared a love of literature and the arts. Their friendship was a rare and precious thing in a world dominated by politics and intrigue." - Joanna Denny, "Anne Boleyn: A New Life of England's Tragic Queen"
"Anne and Wyatt's relationship was a source of gossip at court, and many speculated that they were more than just friends. However, there is no evidence to suggest that their relationship was anything but platonic." - Retha M. Warnicke, "The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn"
• would do literally anything for leslie knope. she’s cold? here’s every piece of clothing i own. there’s a puddle & she doesn’t want her shoes to get wet? i’m laying down to be her bridge.
It's ok if the request got deleted no need to say sorry,
Can u pls make a fic about papa nolan finding out about cillian and physicist!reader's relationship,
Like would he be angry or accepting, i was wondering
And then if u r comfortable with it then a time jump to the wedding or pregnancies
I would really like to know his reactions!!
This is really just a follow up to another anon request (which u made a fic on) and had this idea
Anyway so sorry for the long request
Have an awesome day ahead!!!!
nolan!reader x cillian murphy headcanons
I’m going to make these headcanons if that’s ok 🫶🏼🫶🏼 and i think i got carried away but who cares 😌
Ok so obviously y/n and cillian met in the early 2000s (you can make up how they met)
papa nolan knows that y/n is talking to a boy but he doesn’t know it’s mr. ‘my eyes aren’t even that blue’ so when y/n tells papa nolan that her bf is coming over for dinner, he’s preparing to meet so douche bag who says his favorite movie is pulp fiction or fight club (nothing wrong with that, but the film bros make me want to gauge my eyes out)
anyways, cillian shows up and ofc they get along great <3
after cillian and y/n are now OFFICIAL official obviously the press asks about what papa nolan thinks and if they get along
y/n and cillian are just the it couple of the 2000s like they’re on the cover of every magazine with those cheesy headlines ‘she’s got the beauty AND the brains’
literally any interview cillian or papa nolan do, they ramble about y/n and how proud they are of her
and you know how it goes, first comes love then comes marriage then comes y/n with a baby carriage🤍💍🍼 butttttt our fav nepo baby and Irish man don’t do it in that order bc my girl y/n got pregnant with their first baby in 2003 and she’s named alexandria
papa nolan is so excited about the birth of baby alex and he always offers to babysit whenever even if he’s busy
baby alex and papa nolan are my favorite duo 🫶🏼
eventually cillian and papa nolan work together on batman begins and you bet that baby alex is always on set
papa nolan at first did not want to bring her because he thought alex would be scared but she loved being on set and meeting everyone
her and christian bale become besties by the end of filming 🤞🏼
baby alex got to say the last “cut!” and everyone laughed because of how cute she sounded
bonus: cillian tried to get her to put the scarecrow mask on but she thought it was yucky (her exact words)
y/n and cillian don’t have kids until like 2014 because they were busy with work obviously like cillian getting movie roles and y/n being at work 24/7 and getting a literal nobel peace prize but eventually she does get pregnant and BAM it’s twins
it’s 2014 and they’re still not married (it happens ya know just ask academy award winner michelle yeoh)
but y/n gets pregnant and she wants to wait until the twins’ birth and then get married
but anyways the murphy twins arrive and papa nolan just cries happy tears because he now has more grandchildren to love and spoil whenever he wants to (they’re named scarlett and wyatt and papa nolan gives them nicknames idk what they would be but go wild with your imagination besties 🫶🏼)
papa nolan just wants to see his daughter get married and see her happy with her new family 🫶🏼
the day of the wedding comes and baby alex is the flower girl and steals the show
it’s a private wedding BUT that doesn’t stop it from being the most famous wedding of 2014
ofc christian bale is there like who doesn’t want batman at their wedding?? tom hardy, best man um yes?! peaky blinders cast, jake gyllenhaal (swifties, don’t hate me, I love jake and he’s one of my favorite actors)
jessica chastain and anne hathaway ofc they’re invited
u know if heath ledger was still alive he would def be invited 🫶🏼
I’m picturing the kids having career day at their schools and each kid takes an adult like papa nolan goes to alex’s school, wyatt takes y/n and cillian goes with scarlett and every adult is just like “fuck, how am i supposed to go on after them?!”
papa nolan goes all out with his presentation for career day like he even called hans zimmer and christian bale to impress the kids (obviously hans zimmer would impress the teachers, not the kids but some kids recognize the music from batman movies so let’s just go with it)
twitter loves the murphy-nolan fam 🫶🏼
no bc i just imagine the edits to beautiful boy with dad!cillian and I’m bawling
ok ok flashforward to 2023 and oppenheimer is coming out and twitter gets more content on the murphy-nolan fam
y/n finally does an interview bc she worked with the cast and taught them about ✨science✨
Y/N AND CILLIAN AT THE OPPENHEIMER PREMIERE AND THEN PAPA NOLAN PHOTOBOMBING THEIR PICS
overall the murphy-nolan fam has my heart and surprise! the murphy kids watched barbie because the twins are not even old enough to watch oppenheimer and I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t want to watch their dad have fake s e x with another woman (FLORENCE PUGH ILY)
I posted this story on Wattpad and I’m bringing this over here. I wrote the story with specific actors in mind for roles. I hope you will enjoy this one. I haven’t decided what day I’m posting the chapters. If you have a favorite day let me know!
I’ll be tagging my tag list at the bottom and it is open!
Preview is below the cut!
Detective James Barnes hasn't seen the love of his life in three years. Since the night she was almost caught stealing a painting. He knows it was her and she disappeared leaving him confused and heart broken.
Alexandra Richards never expected to be pulled back into her old life two years after she left it. She had found love and a home and was happy. Until a note blackmailed her to take one last job. Three years later she walked into the last person she expected to see in San Francisco. Because he lived in New York right?
They always put family before everything. And he would do anything to get his family back. Because she's the type you save.
Message me through my profile if you have a request. I do not really check comments, so it's easier for me to get requests through a message then a comment
I will write for characters from Kings Choice which is a game on the Google play store. I dont know why but im in love with some of the characters, like, the way their animated is hot. Here's who I'll write for from the game:
Summary: The youngest Earp sibling joins her older brothers in Tombstone with the hope that the new climate will ease her consumption/tuberculosis symptoms and reconnect her family. But as she settles into this new life, will she find something worth living for? Someone who can tame the loneliness?
Warnings: Illness + Addiction (This list will be updated with each chapter)
Notes: This is my first attempt ever at writing fanfiction. I hope that it turned out okay. I will be working to update once a week. I'd love to update more often, but work is pretty hectic. I'm not sure how many parts this will be, but hopefully someone enjoys it. Also, I apologize for historical, gramatical and spelling errors. I'm trying my best here ya'll! Thanks for reading! ❤
Standing atop the train platform, the sun beat down in waves, creating ripples of heat on the horizon. The sound of a horse nickering in pain followed the swishing slap of a whip hitting flesh. This sound pulled both you and Wyatt out of your stupor. Another dull slap spurred Wyatt into action. You watched as he quickly approached the man & the horse, grabbing the whip from the person's hands. Yanking the whip back and using it against the man, Wyatt stated, "Hurts don't it? Now let go of that stud and go on about your business". Quietly and without protest the man withdrew, leaving Wyatt to settle his horse. You watched the events unfold from a distance, thankful for the ability to go unnoticed... to be simply another face in the crowd. A small coughing fit racked your body as you watched your brother converse with a couple of gentlemen. He was clearly uninterested in what they had to say and quickly ended the conversation.
A voice rang out over the crowd, one you could recognize even in the loudest of rooms, "Well I'd know that sour face anywhere." Your eyes tracked your other two brothers as they strode with confidence towards Wyatt, boots clanking as they moved.
Wyatt's raspy laugh cut through the din of the crowd, "Virgil, Morgan... my god!"
As the three brothers embraced, you wove your way through the sea of people to meet them. Finally reaching the group, you lightly cleared your throat with a cough before saying "Well aren't you two a sight for sore eyes!"
Morgan and Virgil turned in your direction, smiles decorating their faces. Both leaned down to embrace you before creating a space in their group for you to stand. It had been a long time since all of the Earp siblings had been in the same place, but it felt right. Hope filled the air around you and clouded your mind temporarily, in that moment even you could envision a glimpse of a happy future.
That daydream was quickly cut down when another coughing spell began. This one slightly more vigorous than the last, to the point where you could feel the stares of the strangers around you. Wyatt pulled you close to his side handing you his handkerchief, while Virgil and Morgan surrounded you, like a shield to protect from prying eyes. The men shared worried glances with each other as they waited for your lungs to calm. The sheen of sweat on your brow and the ghostly palor of your skin acting as a grim reminder of why you were here. Finally the coughing eased enough for you to take a few shaky gasps.
Just as you caught your breath Allie and Louisa joined your group. Virgil and Morgan reintroduced their wives to you and to Wyatt. Easy compliments passed between Wyatt and his brothers about their wives.
Virgil was the one to reintroduce you to the wives, "Allie, Louisa... this is our little sister Y/N." You gave each of them a small hug, thankful to have more kind faces in your circle. As you let go of Louisa, you heard Wyatt begin to speak again.
"Mattie, Mattie they're already here. Folks this is Cecila Ann, you can call her Mattie."
"Well it's nice to meet you. Well...uhh... Wyatt I couldn't find a single store that had laudinum anywhere" Mattie sounded as if she were pleading for help, desperate for a fix.
As she greeted the group you could see the shake of her hands and hear the rattle in her voice. Certainly the others noticed these things, but most could and would write them off as being due to the nerves associated with meeting new people. But you knew better, you could see Mattie for what she was... an addict. An addict who was slowly, but surely driving Wyatt into the ground. An addict who acted as if she were your mother, constantly trying to mold you into the ideal woman. An addict who acted as if you chose to be ill.
Little love was lost between you and Mattie. And for the life of you, you couldn't imagine what Wyatt saw in her. It took everything in your power to not comment on her desperation. But the feeling of yet another coughing spell bubbling in your throat killed the comment you'd liked to have made. Instead your focus was moved to your body, trying to keep your coughs from reaching the surface.
As your shoulders shook Wyatt turned you and your family to face the panel of glass in front of you. You scanned the reflection. Your family, your brothers... the people who had vowed to protect you when you first fell ill. This should have have filled your heart with contentment in knowing you wouldn't have to do this alone. It should have been a weight lifted from your shoulders. So why did you feel more alone than ever before?
I saw something like this on youtube and it looked like fun so I thought I'd try one here
How it works:
this is the video I'm gonna be editing
comment a ship from my list and a part and I'll make a fanvid of the ones chosen
it'll be first come first serve and I'm not repeating couples
Part 1: Roy x Keeley (for @obsessivedaydreamer)
Part 2: Sawyer x Juliet (for @obsessivedaydreamer)
Part 3: Kate x Toby (for @unorthodox-oblivion)
Part 4: Hazel x Augustus (for @ur-average-farp) Part 5: Jack x Kate (for @unorthodox-oblivion)
Part 6: Luke x Lorelei (for @theycallme-thejackal)
Part 7: Midge x Lenny (for @theycallme-thejackal)
Part 8: Lane x Dave (for @ethereal-veggie and רחל דב on youtube)
Part 9: Sookie x Jackson ( for רחל דב on youtube)
Part 10: Josh x Donna (for @theycallme-thejackal)
list of ships i'll do under the cut
Anne with an E
Anne x Gilbert
Brooklyn 99
Jake x Amy
Holt x Kevin
Community
Troy x Abed
Jeff x Annie
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Newt x Tina
The Fault In Our Stars
Hazel x Augustus
Gilmore Girls
Luke x Lorelai
Rory x Jess
Lane x Dave
Sookie x Jackson
The Good Place
Eleanor x Chidi
Janet x Jason
Harry Potter
Harry x Ginny
Ron x Hermione
Heartstopper
Nick x Charlie
Tara x Darcy
Tao x Elle
The Hunger Games
Katniss x Peeta
Juno
Juno x Paulie
Looking for Alaska
Miles x Alaska
Lost
Sawyer x Juliet
Jack x Kate
Claire x Charlie
Kate x Claire
Desmond x Penny
Daniel x Charlotte
Sun x Jin
Sayid x Shannon
Sawyer x Kate
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Midge x Lenny
Midge x Joel
Joel x Mei
Modern Family
Haley x Andy
Phil x Claire
Mitch x Cam
New Girl
Nick x Jess
Cece x Schmidt
Winston x Aly
The Newsroom
Will x Mac
Don x Sloan
Jim x Maggie
Once Upon a Time
Emma x Killian
Snow x Charming
Mulan x Aurora
Robin x Alice
Regina x Robin Hood
Rumple x Belle
Parks and Recreation
Leslie x Ben
April x Andy
Ron x Diane
Tom x Lucy
Ann x Chris
Pitch Perfect
Beca x Chloe
The Princess Bride
Westley x Buttercup
Rosaline
Rosaline x Dario
Schitt’s Creek
David x Patrick
Ted x Alexis
Moira x Johnny
Love, Simon
Simon x Bram
Ted Lasso
Ted x Rebecca
Roy x Keeley
This Is Us
Kevin x Sophie
Kate x Toby
Jack x Rebecca
Randall x Beth
Timeless
Lucy x Wyatt
Rufus x Jiya
The Vampire Diaries
Damon x Elena
Klaus x Caroline
Katherine x Stefan
I am so, so proud of this playlist y'all created! We have over TWO hours of beautiful music that has inspired new fics by some truly incredible writers! Not only will it get you ready for some AMAZING fanfictions, but it's just an amazing playlist to listen to while you're in the car, doing housework, cooking, or even during your workday. It's also a great list to learn some new favorite songs!
Beautiful job, everyone! Thank you so much for participating in MMM's Fall Preview 2022! We had fun--I hope y'all did to! Next week, we will return to our normal routine. Don't forget to share this list to your friends and followers!
We love y'all dearly!
@sfb123 & @txemrn
~🧡~🍂~🧡~🍂~🧡~🍂~🧡~🍂~🧡~
@aallotarenunelma
“Silta” - Happoradio; Darker Than Night, Chapter 2 [ILITW; Dan Pierce x f!MC (Rikka Yläkorpi)]
“Elämän laulu (olet runo)” - Jonne Aaron; The Gift of Love, future chapter [ILITW; Dan Pierce x f!MC (Rikka Yläkorpi)]
“Meri, tähdet ja kuu” - Jonne Aaron; Sea, Stars and Moon, future chapter [ILITW; Dan Pierce x f!MC (Rikka Yläkorpi)]
“Behind the Crimson Door” - HIM; Untitled [Veil of Secrets; Flynn O’Malley x f!MC (Jessa Evans)]
From Wichita to Dodge City, to the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Wyatt Earp is taught that nothing matters more than family and the law. Joined by his brothers and Doc Holliday, Earp wages war on the dreaded Clanton and McLaury gangs.

Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
Wyatt Earp: Kevin Costner
Doc Holliday: Dennis Quaid
Nicholas Earp: Gene Hackman
James Earp: David Andrews
Morgan Earp: Linden Ashby
Ike Clanton: Jeff Fahey
Josie Marcus: Joanna Going
Sheriff Johnny Behan: Mark Harmon
Virgil Earp: Michael Madsen
Allie Earp: Catherine O’Hara
Ed Masterson: Bill Pullman
Big Nose Kate: Isabella Rossellini
Bat Masterson: Tom Sizemore
Bessie Earp: JoBeth Williams
Mattie Blaylock: Mare Winningham
Mr. Sutherland: James Gammon
Frank McLaury: Rex Linn
John Clum: Randle Mell
Tom McLaury: Adam Baldwin
Urilla Sutherland: Annabeth Gish
Curly Bill Brocius: Lewis Smith
Young Wyatt: Ian Bohen
Virginia Earp: Betty Buckley
Lou Earp: Alison Elliott
Sherm McMasters: Todd Allen
Francis O’Rourke: Mackenzie Astin
Warren Earp: Jim Caviezel
Mrs. Sutherland: Karen Grassle
Frank Stillwell: John Dennis Johnston
Sally: Téa Leoni
Ed Ross: Martin Kove
Bob Hatch: Jack Kehler
Pete Spence: Kirk Fox
Johnny Ringo: Norman Howell
Marshal Fred White: Boots Southerland
Indian Charlie: James ‘Scotty’ Augare
Billy Clanton: Gabriel Folse
Billy Claiborne: Kris Kamm
Judge Spicer: John Lawlor
John Shanssey: Michael McGrady
Dr. Seger: Ben Zeller
Stable Hand: Rockne Tarkington
Mayor Wilson: David Doty
Gyp Clements: Matt O’Toole
Saddle Tramp: Brett Cullen
Danny: Owen Roizman
Gambler: Lawrence Kasdan
McGee: Matt Beck
Film Crew:
Costume Design: Colleen Atwood
Original Music Composer: James Newton Howard
Producer: Kevin Costner
Set Decoration: Cheryl Carasik
Production Design: Ida Random
Producer: Lawrence Kasdan
Executive Producer: Charles Okun
Director of Photography: Owen Roizman
Producer: Jim Wilson
Casting: Jennifer Shull
Editor: Carol Littleton
Art Direction: Gary Wissner
Set Designer: Charlie Daboub
Key Costumer: Barry Francis Delaney
Set Designer: Barry Chusid
Music Editor: Jim Weidman
Supervising Sound Editor: Stu Bernstein
Camera Operator: Ian Fox
Executive Producer: Michael Grillo
Hair Supervisor: Marlene D. Williams
Assistant Art Director: Gershon Ginsburg
Executive Producer: Dan Gordon
Camera Operator: Bill Roe
Foley: John Murray
Script Supervisor: Anne Rapp
Second Unit Director of Photography: Richard Bowen
Set Designer: Tom Reta
Dialogue Editor: Lewis Goldstein
Executive Producer: Jon Slan
Makeup Artist: Francisco X. Pérez
Stunts: Gary McLarty
Visual Effects Producer: Robert Stadd
Chief Lighting Technician: Ian Kincaid
Still Photographer: Ben Glass
Dialogue Editor: James Matheny
Costume Supervisor: Cha Blevins
Foley: Dan O’Connell
Property Master: William A. Petrotta
Supervising Sound Editor: Robert Grieve
Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Rick Kline
Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Kevin O’Connell
Construction Coordinator: Greg John Callas
Boom Operator: Joel Shryack
ADR Supervisor: Jessica Gallavan
Hairstylist: Elle Elliott
Dialogue Editor: Alison Fisher
Key Makeup Artist: Gerald Quist
Makeup Supervisor: Michael Mills
ADR Editor: Joe Dorn
Supervising Dialogue Editor: Bobby Mackston
Key Costumer: Ruby K. Manis
Key Grip: Tim Ryan
Location Manager: Paul Hargrave
Key Hair Stylist: Dorothy D. Fox
Steadicam Operator: Rusty Geller
ADR Editor: Stephen Janisz
Rigging Gaffer: Kim Kono
Dolly Grip: David L. Merrill
Costume Supervisor: Le Dawson
Key Costumer: James M. George
Casting Associate: Phil Poulos
Casting Associate: Elizabeth Shull
Movie Reviews:
GenerationofSwine: Tombstone was a different beast, and that sort of overshadows this, given that one tries to be more accurate and the other goes for entertainment.
Take Wyatt Earp as a biopic and it is a superb and fair film. Compare it to Tombstone which was more of a Western and it’s lacking the flair.
However, it ends abruptly, and it is miscast. Cosner (and i am a fan) doesn’t really make a good Earp. Dennis Quaid who I am also a fan of, doesn’t make a good Doc. This was 1994, in the 80s I might have a dif...
As I write this I'm on my way back to the 21st Century USA from the LARP A Meeting of Monarchs. I had a blast. In this Live Action Role Play event, inspired by the historical "Field of the Cloth of Gold" (1520) at which King Henry VIII of England and King François I of France met to sign the Treaty of London, about 50 players from all over Europe and the USA were assigned roles as specific historical personages. Each of us was given detailed background information on our characters and their goals, and some key events that occurred during play were preordained, but the player interactions and dialogue were entirely improvised in real time. There were a lot of different plots in motion, some of them related to the treaty and others not, some historically accurate and others modified from our timeline. For example, the excommunication of Martin Luther and the death of Pope Leo X both occurred during the game, though in real life they didn't happen until later. There was international and national politics; marriages, divorces, and affairs; personal alliances and vendettas; and maneuvers for power within the two courts and the Church hierarchy. This was what is called a "Nordic" LARP, unlike the boffer-combat style of LARP most freqently encountered in the USA. The game didn't have a combat system per se, though there were a few duels and fist fights (and, notably, a climactic wrestling match between the two kings). Instead, the major game mechanic was the exchange of status tokens. Each player started each day with a number of tokens (more for higher-status players) and during the game players and NPCs could hand over tokens to other players in acknowledgement of a notable accomplishment or as a bribe to take an action. Tokens could not be lost or stolen, only given away, and receiving a token from a member of the other court counted double. At the end of each day the tokens were counted up and either the French or English court would be announced as the winner. We were strongly encouraged to keep the tokens circulating and not hoard them to ourselves. The two kings each also had gold tokens, representing royal favor, and black tokens, representing shame, to hand out. The game was held at Château du Boisrenault, an 18th-century castle in the French countryside, and run by French LARP organizer Charmed Plume Productions, but was conducted almost entirely in English. The variety of player accents added to the verisimilitude of the setting, as did the superb costumes worn (and in many cases made) by the players and the presence of several players' dogs. The organizers also provided props, decor, live music, outdoor pavilions, and delicious meals to add to the immersive experience. Truly it did feel as though we spent a weekend in the Renaissance. (Sadly, as we were all very busy and phones were to be kept out of sight, I took very few photos. There was a professional photographer, though, and his photos will be made available in a few months. Until then, you can see some photos from previous runs of the game.) I played the poet Thomas Wyatt, and my partner Alisa played the scheming Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. (Everyone was a Thomas in those days, it seems, unless they were a Mary.) Wyatt was only 17 at the time, and in real life didn't even come to court until later. He was a young man with great ambition and few resources, and I determined to play him as brash and daring, unafraid to take risks. It didn't turn out quite as I expected. One of the key things about Wyatt, in history as well as in the game, is that he grew up with Anne Boleyn. They were practically siblings together in the Boleyn household, and by all accounts were extremely close. Was Wyatt in love with Anne? Well, historians disagree, but he did write a poem called "Whoso List to Hunt," including the famous lines
And graven with diamonds in letters plain
There is written, her fair neck round about:
Noli me tangere, for Caesar's I am,
And wild for to hold, though I seem tame.
(In other words: back off, man, she belongs to the king.) In any case, in the game materials it was made quite clear that Wyatt was utterly smitten with Anne. So I determined before the game that I was going to propose to her, despite the difference in our stations and her father's ambitions for her. I brought a ring and everything. I didn't know what her answer would be -- that would depend both on how the character was written and what the player wanted to do with her -- but I thought it would make for a dramatic scene either way. On the first day of play I approached Anne player-to-player, saying "hey, I want to set up a big public proposal scene." (There was a lot of pre-game material about consent and safety, complete with a set of safewords, to reduce the chance of physical or emotional harm to anyone. So I wanted to get the player's buy-in beforehand, even if the proposal would be a surprise to the character.) She was perfectly kind to me and made it clear that her answer was going to be no, but if I wanted a big humiliation scene she would be willing to help make it happen? Well no, actually, I didn't, but we did decide on a small personal proposal scene at lunch that day. By lunchtime it was abundantly clear that Anne and Henry were already very much A Couple, much to the dismay of Queen Catherine and many other members of the court. (In actual history this didn't happen until some years later.) And so, when lunch time came and Anne walked past the open seat next to me to take her place next to the King, the ring stayed in my pocket. (Later she approached me player-to-player to make sure I was okay. I told her that I was, though the character was devastated.) So my character's main goal for the game foundered on the rocks before even leaving the harbor. But I had plenty of secondary goals to pursue. One of these was to engage in a debate. During the historical Meeting of Monarchs the two courts held a series of debates on the issues of the day, and before the game I did a bunch of research on Wyatt and Humanism and proposed several Humanistic propositions as topics for debate. I wound up paired with Charles III, Duke de Bourbon, a very heavy hitter in the French court and a strong traditionalist. He would be arguing the proposition that "Only Law Brings Peace," and I had to argue the contrary. I prepared a five-minute speech, based on Wyatt's actual writings, in which I quoted Erasmus, Petrarch, and Plutarch to support my position that the law, by itself, is insufficient. "The law may influence good men," I wrote (or perhaps copied and pasted from Wikipedia), "but is without effect upon the bad. But a society of learned men, imbued with the virtues of the ancients and the ability to argue persuasively in favor of these virtues, will inevitably produce peace, tranquility, and harmony." I thought it was a very pretty speech, but given the pre-game discussion about the debate topics -- some of the more conservative characters were throwing around words like "heresy" and "felony" and "Inquisition" -- I figured I had no chance to sway the crowd. But they loved it. After our prepared speeches, our improvised rebuttals, and a spirited ad-hoc discussion with the audience, I was absolutely showered with status tokens. The Duke de Bourbon offered his respects. Thomas More took me under his wing. And the King of France came up to me to offer me an invitation to his court! I wound up with the second-highest individual token count of the day. After that I was much in demand as a wordsmith and wit. Many people requested my assistance in crafting love poems, or romantic advice, and I did my best to help. I composed a poem about the Pleiades for a Duke, who gifted me with a cottage and an orchard. And I was often the center of attention during mealtime conversations. I truly enjoyed the several philosophical conversations I had with Thomas More and Leonardo da Vinci (who, sadly, in actual history had died the year before). In a lot of ways Wyatt was the perfect character for me. All I had to do was give free rein to my wit and ego and use my real-world writing skills. It's kind of astonishing how good a fit he was, actually, because I was offered the part pretty much at random. My partner Alisa and I had learned of the event after the registration deadline, but we had joined the waiting list, and when two players dropped out just a few weeks before the event we were offered their parts. "Here's Thomas Wyatt and Thomas Wolsey, which of you wants to be which?" I wound up with Wyatt mostly because we both felt that Wolsey would be a better physical fit for Alisa. In the morning of the last full day of the game all the plots shifted into high gear, as Henry announced that he wanted a divorce and furthermore that he wanted to split off England from the Catholic Church. (Again, this didn't happen in the real world until some years later.) I felt that Wyatt, especially given the close relationship he'd developed with Thomas More, would choose his Catholic faith over fealty to his king, and so I wrote and performed a passionate poem in praise of unity and peace, using as allegory the Bible story of Solomon and the baby. (Seriously. I wrote a poem. Seven stanzas, with an a-b-b-a rhyme scheme.) Again the tokens showered down, and furthermore some people told me their characters' minds were changed by it -- including Charles III de Bourbon! I was truly humbled by their reaction. Lots of other things were happening in my world at the same time. I was a member of a literary salon, and I wrote a satirical limerick to help expose the identity of an anonymous critic who'd been sending people nasty notes. (He got a black token from King François for that.) I was also a member of a secret occult/alchemical group who were investigating a mysterious death. The scene in which we took the culprit off into the bushes at night and exacted appropriate retribution was an emotional highlight of the event for me, and for others as well. The situation may have been made up and the points didn't really matter, but the emotions were real. I am not a person who cries a lot, usually, but I cried real tears at least five or six times during the game. And the fear I felt whenever I found myself in Henry's presence was just as real as the similar emotions I experienced when dealing with C-Suite officers in my years in high tech. So even though I didn't get the girl and I wasn't really a player in any of the big important plots (princes and princesses were betrothed, nobles gained and lost titles, territories were traded, and treaties were signed, but I wasn't involved in any of those except peripherally) I still had a whale of a time. I felt that I participated fully and made a difference to other players and other characters. At the end we all said our goodbyes and returned to our original century and countries, but there was a lot of "oh, will I see you at Fairwood Manor?" and other indications that the European LARP community is a lot like science fiction fandom. I'll be returning to Europe for more LARPs in 2024.
Whoso list to hunt, I know where is an hind,
But as for me, hélas, I may no more.
The vain travail hath wearied me so sore,
I am of them that farthest cometh behind.
Yet may I by no means my wearied mind
Draw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore
Fainting I follow. I leave off therefore,
Sithens in a net I seek to hold the wind.
Who list her hunt, I put him out of doubt,
As well as I may spend his time in vain.
And graven with diamonds in letters plain
There is written, her fair neck round about:
Noli me tangere, for Caesar’s I am,
And wild for to hold, though I seem tame.
– A poem by Thomas Wyatt, which is said to be about Anne Boleyn.