sorry for being inactive, but i’m in the process of going from one job to another in my life and it’s a bit stressful. please be patient with me! i’ll try to do replies within the week.
anyway, i’ll definitely be on tuesday night or wednesday. i’ve been working everyday and have to get up early, so i haven’t had the energy or time to get on. even now, i haven’t even showered yet and need to get up in four hours lol......
lowkey edit: okay.......i’ll try to be on sunday ;;
so.......while i do like the idea of dark!dany ( even tho we went from point a, b, c, and then to point y. there’s no z. ), they really did her dirty to have her rule for like 10 seconds before getting freakin’ one hit killed.
like for real.....we don’t get a lot of cool, complex, female villains ( or anti-heros, if that’s a better term ) and she deserved to go out in a blaze of glory. or a tragedy. jon stabbing her in the span of 5 minutes isn’t a tragedy. it’s rushed writing. d&d said not everyone can get a big death, but if anyone deserved one it was her.
if sansa and cersei couldn’t square off, i wanted sansa and dany to square off one more time. i wanted her to come to king’s landing on dany’s order and be asked to bend the knee. i wanted one last real game of thrones, about these two queens. i actually liked this ‘three queens’ thing season 8 had going on, but oh well...it’s d&d after all. they just wanted to get this over with and go on to star wars lol
"Mama!" The dark-haired girl cried, tugging at the heavy wool skirt of Mira's dress. She had been demanding the attention of everyone in Ironrath all day and finally had set her sights on her mother. "I was told I cannot play in the Wolfswood," indeed, twice by the maester and thrice by the her uncles. "Will you not play with me then? So then i will not be alone?" She bats her long lashes with wide, emerald hues beseeching Mira quietly. Quite a clever girl.
send anons as my muse’s child! / accepting.
warm eyes knowingly glanced down at the soft tug at her skirt, a hand going to settle gently upon the little girl’s head. she had been told a number of times today that her daughter was ever so bent on being in the wolfswood. such a playful thing she’d raised that it reminded mira of her own siblings when they were young. not that the behavior wasn’t encouraged. now, it seemed as if mira herself was the target of that very same question. and, poised in such a manner that seemed quite reasonable. clever, indeed. at least, to those who didn’t know how dangerous the wood could be.
“ i’m afraid they’re right, sweetling. you cannot play there. ” she informed the child with a shake of her head. “ it’s for hunting and traveling, as such there are many wild animals and strange people traversing through it. you would be safer with me at your side, yes, but even i cannot predict what we’d run into. ” still, the mother in her wanted to please her child in some way. she continued. “ one day, perhaps, we might journey through there, if you’re so curious. maybe, when you’re old enough, one of your uncles will take you hunting there. does that sound fun? ” she gave a promising smile, brushing a stray strand of hair from the girl’s face.
“ now, come on. i’ll play with you, but somewhere much safer. ”
“ i have. ” he states simply, leaning back in the fine chair he had practically grown into. the chair creaked at his shifting weight and he almost thought it was his bones yelling at him instead. he felt stiff, too many hours hunched over in a similar position with little movement had left him with a temporary feeling of atrophy. but he hid it well. “ i’m sorry, amy, it cannot be helped. i fear that if i pause for too long i will lose any progress i’ve had. i’m trying to make things right for us, where we’ll never have to worry again. no more wondering if we’ll be found out. no more running. ” his expression changed, however, when she mentioned the sword. he had never told her what he sought, thought he’d kept his secrets close to him. how had she learned? “ amy, ” he closed the book behind him, moving out from behind the desk, “ you’re right… i have been in here for too long. how does some hot chocolate sound, hm? you can tell me all about your day. ”
an odd feeling pricked at her, unable to brush off the change that seemed to be slowly unfolding in their lives. although she would never admit it, amy didn’t know how to feel about the long hours raphael would confine himself in the study. what he was reading that held his attention for so long? what was he getting caught up with? her senses all pointed to it being nothing good, despite knowing so little about it. her gaze traveled over to the various books and along his desk. her curiosity was getting the better of her; she wanted to know what they were about. still, she said nothing. yet. it had been a while since they sat down with a cup of hot chocolate. even though amy would call it trivial if asked, it was somewhat comforting to sit down and simply have a drink with him. perhaps it would be good for him, having spent so much energy on whatever he was researching. “ hm... ” she vocally pondered over the idea, among other things, though her mind had already decided. “ okay, but my day was nothing special. just lessons and a bunch of reading. ” she found herself missing sword practice, but didn’t want to ask him about it since he was busier now than ever.
She had been making her rounds after the relief of finding her siblings alive, making her rounds to those wounded, to comfort those lost, and to take count. It may sound cold, but despite loss they needed numbers, for the sake of keeping everyone fed & to know what defenses were left. If anything was left to spare for an OFFENSE position which would surely follow to the South. “ Princess Rhaenys. ” eyes met the girl, a fierce warrior ( and to Sansa, anyone who made it out alive earned that title well ). “I am sorry for the losses your forces faced, and I thank you again, for fighting by our side. It means more than I can truly express. Are you all right?” kindness in her tone, true concern flittering through expressive blues.
everything in her wanted to reply with a resounding ‘no’. nevermind the wounds marring various areas of her body, most painfully the deep cut on her left hand from trying to block the swipe of a sword. still, rhaenys was thankful. the whole hand could’ve came off if it were inches closer to the damned creature that did it. she was thankful to come out with her life, really. others did not get that luxury. others like some of her boys; cotton and harold, of the bunch. another, nate, was on death’s door. the maester she spoke to gave him milk of the poppy and told rhaenys to just pray. the other three were well enough, injured but alive and that was the best she could hope for. the former princess had hardly taken note of the term sansa addressed her as, so used to being called lady after all of these years. she took the time to look over the other woman, checking the red head for any signs of injury or misfortune. when she found none, rhaenys finally opened her mouth to speak. “ yes, better than most have fared in this battle. ” she made a show of her bandaged hand with a wry smile, one that she couldn’t keep for long as she thought of the losses. “ two of the bunch didn’t make it...i tried to save them, but...it was hell out there. there were so many dead, it was unlike fighting any army from the living. ” she shook her head, trying to remind herself that this was a time for joy because the battle was won. a hard thing to do, but in the end she straightened up her back and took the subject away from her own woes. “ how have you fared in all this, lady sansa? i heard the dead arose in the crypts as well. ” the dead were inescapable, it seemed, even when those coffins and crypts should’ve been locked tight.
okay, i’m finally back home and will be writing again soon! i even have some half finished drafts ready to continue lol your local trash can is back in business.
a jeweled flower in the west – a peony verse ( game of thrones. )
daughter of the azure emperor of yin, bu gai, peony is one of the many royal children of yi ti. her lineage is old and proud, her family valuing appearances above all else. as a princess, there should be enormous pressure to keep up appearance as well, but peony is rarely seen in public. the people hardly know that she exists. having three brothers before her, there is no need for her to create relationships with diplomats or the public. because of this, the young girl naively sneaks out to get her fill of the outside world.
all of her life, she has had little to fear as the daughter of a powerful ruler, but when slavers sneak themselves into her lands she learns another fear. while foolishly roaming yin without permission or a guard, peony is taken captive by a band of slavers and shipped away to qarth. in this strange and foreign land, peony’s skills are limited. from her lessons, she has a decent knowledge of westeros, but is not fully fluent in it’s notable citizens or the common tongue. luckily or unluckily, she is forced to learn it day by day as the traders physically harm her every time she speaks yitish.
if rhaenys were in the battle ( well, my version of rhaenys ), she would be out there fighting with the rest of them. especially since i’d also have the stonehelm bunch out there fighting, because most of them are able-bodied men that want to fight. she would never let them do it alone, being their unofficial leader. she also believes that, as a woman who can hold her own in a fight, it’s her duty to fight alongside everyone else. she doesn’t like to fight, but neither do the northerners who’ve never had a history of fighting at all and still fight for survival. she needs to be out there to give her part, wielding her spear.
peony is scared shitless, but she would honestly volunteer to be on the wall as a bowman. however, mella intervenes and tells peony that she would be better needed in the crypts; though armed and ready. there, the two of them would stay and the tension makes peony uneasy. she too feels like there would be a difference made if she were on the outside, but the others are scared and she offers kind words to whoever will listen to an outsider. when the dead arise from their graves, peony considers herself thankful to mella and her strange ‘witch’ intuition. mella sets fire to the crypts lol okay no being honest here, peony’s bravery just might get her killed, due to the sheer number of dead. but, in a good scenario, mella once again manages to save her wannabe heroine ass.
although zhonghua fashion is primarily influenced by the ming and tang dynasties, i’ve incorporated bits and pieces of others. during the spring and summer women wear tang dynasty-influenced fashion. in the fall and winter, ming dynasty fashion is the trend. however, just as many dramas aren’t 100% true to their respective dynasties, i’m not strict on ming or tang dynasty fashion.
fall and winter fashion:
the clothing of choice for women in the colder seasons. this is a more down to earth hanfu and the style is known to people of all classes. a jacket is worn over the hanfu, usually slit at the sides but not always. the skirt of the hanfu is often pleated. the distinguishing factors in what separated the upper and lower classes are both the cut and fabric. commoners clothing were usually shorter in length, both in sleeve and dress/pants, the colors dull muted, skirt unpleated, and the fabric cheap. wealthy and noble classes were afforded elaborate colors and designs on their clothing, as welll as the best fabrics. elaborate hats and hair ornaments were also solely worn by the upper class, almost exclusively nobles and royalty. there were strict rules on the hair ornaments that certain classes could wear without ‘impersonating’ royal or nobility. this rule was solid and would be in place year round.
in the fall through winter, colors that were popular were rich blues, greens, greys, and dark colors in general. among nobility and royalty, they wore the same in addition to purples, reds, and gold detailing -- which commoners were not allowed to wear. outfits made from gold fabric are usually only allowed among the royal family and royal concubines. to others, the color gold is merely an accent or secondary color.
spring and summer noble lady fashion:
summer is a time when many are out and about. and, as such, it is a time for many of the wealthy and nobility to parade their assets. wealth, beauty, their figure. it is especially a time for the upper class women of zhonghua to show off themselves for all to see. for a confidence boost, for potential marriage, none can quite slim it down to one reason.
often called a ‘fairy dress’, this outfit is defined by several layers of fabric that flow from a woman’s body and flatter it. the sleeves are often sheer and are always longer than the wearer’s actual arm length. a ribbon is wound around their chest, often lifting up their chest and giving a glimpse of cleavage -- if the person is bold enough. the dress portion usually consists of a simple pattern or is one solid color and pleated near the top. the fairy dress is accented by the must-have scarf that is wound around the woman’s back and arms and flows to the ground. when the wind blows, the woman is surely a vision of mystical and flowy wonder -- hence the name; fairy dress.
by older zhonghuans, this fashion is looked down upon and they prefer the more conservative fashion that commoners share.
spring and summer conservative/commoner fashion:
far more practical than the fairy dress and less costly as well. middle to elderly aged zhonghuan prefer this sort of hot weather hanfu, as well as commoners who cannot afford nor are allowed to wear fairy dresses. this hanfu is consists of an opaque robes, contrasting the sheer sleeves of the prior dress. although women do not take off their robes in public, it allows for a nice breeze and is good to work or walk in. it also allows for beautiful designs on the robes of the upper class. the dresses of such outfits are also usually pleated and there the statement of a complimenting ribbon is not left behind; usually around the wearer’s waist instead of chest. commoners do not usually wear ribbons, as dresses with ribbons are more costly and using fabric for ribbons is seen as wasteful.
hairstyles in zhonghua:
up until the time for their hair pinning days and capping ceremonies, the girls and boys of zhonghua usually wear their hair down. for all, men and women, hair is their crown and glory. so, hair is usually grown out as long as manageable. after hair pinning and capping, no respectable zhonghuan would be seen out in public with their hair down. for men, they usually pin their hair up in a bun or braid is in a long fishtail. they also wear caps, usually plain and black. princes usually put their hair in a bun and have a simple hair ornament to cover the bun, before inserting a jade or gold pin. the pin symbolizes their status.
hair is truly a statement for zhonghuan wealthy and noble women. there are so many elaborate hairstyles that they may style their hair with, several illustration books have been published to display them. events with nobility is truly a showcase for the hundreds of hairstyles that the women may do. it is so expansive that to be out in public with one’s hair down and unstyled is to be seen as lazy, even for commoners.
only a few of the styles women may have. those without ornaments or headdresses are the ones that commoners may have, as they are not allowed elaborate ornaments, jeweled pins, or headdresses. they may, however, use flowers, wooden pins, or simple headbands to accent their hair.
influences from the han dynasty are also used, such as this popular style.
a plainer style that could be seen on a minor noble, defined by the single pin. the more ornaments in their hair, the wealthier they are seen.
another simple hairstyle that commoners may have, including the flower. peony is known to frequent this style, which is why many view her as a modest princess, unmoved by displays of wealth.
also featured in this picture, the makeup trend of women in zhonghua. pale foundation, blackened eyebrows, red rogue, rosy eyelids, and rosy cheeks. women of the upper class also paint forehead designs known as hua dian -- usually a variation of petals or a flower.
more examples of the makeup trend in zhonghua
headdresses among the upper class and royalty:
as mentioned, common women may only wear flowers, plain pins, and simple headbands in their hair. the upper class may have gold ornaments, elaborate pins with beads and pearls dangling from them, and other accents for their hairstyles. the more ornaments, the wealthier they are seen as. the upper class are also the only ones who can afford earrings, too pricey for a simple budget. the separation from royalty comes in the form of what is considered crowns, which only the royal family may have access to.
a common headdresses for noblewomen
crowns, worn by princesses and noble consorts of previous emperors. duchesses (daughters of the previous reigning emperor) may also wear them.
crowns, worn by empresses and empress dowagers.
hats and headresses usually worn by princes.
headdress of the emperor, defined by the long beads covering his face.
a simple pin, usually worn by minor nobles and common men.
princess and empress fashion:
a princess is defined by the first three pictures; soft, billowy, and light. a princess is often adorned with several layers, at least one of them sheer, and in the winter will don fur around her collar. her wardrobe consists of youthful colors until she is married; in which she will wear more mature and earthy colors. an empress should be seen as bold and akin to a goddess, often donning hanfu with broad shouldered capes and statement colors; often a deep red, blue, and gold. elaborate red and gold hanfu, similar to what an empress may wear, are also afforded to the upper class at their own wedding. only princesses or those marrying into the royal family, however, may wear a crown.
male fashion:
much shorter than the female counterpart. men’s fashion is much simpler; common men wear plain and cheap clothing, noble men and royalty are afforded the better fabric with elaborate designs. only the emperor may wear gold that’s not simply an accent. often, a man’s wife or mother may embroider a design on their clothing, this goes for lower and upper class. court officials wear navy blue, accented by a gold embroidered design of their choosing in the chest center. male court officials/ministers also wear simple black hats, of finer fabric and a unique shape that separate them from others.
attire of a court official/minister/advisor, though they are all navy blue in zhonghua.
attire of a minor nobleman, very simple.
attire of a prince and wealthy nobleman. the hat is worn by princes, when they are on official business or simply out in public.
disclaimer: keep in mind that i’m mixing different dynasties fashion into one, as zhonghua has no set dynasty.
tagging: @nobleconsort -- because i thought you’d like to be tagging in something about zhonghua!
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