God knows we like archaic kinds of fun

Monty/Lor

montycarlyle:

“Ha. I haven’t any grand schemes brewing, my dear, I was only hoping we could agree that, should the time come when either might require them, we can count on the use of each other’s…talents, so to speak; a loose alliance to keep in our back pockets. Unless you’d like to conjure up something bigger–I am open to that prospect, as well. I just figured, since we’re both here and all, why not make the most of our resources?

What are you doing here, anyway? Quite a strange destination to settle on, isn’t it?”

“Well, Monty, I fully intend to have a career despite my impressive pedigree. Oakvale happens to have the premiere ancient studies program in America and while the Emerald Isle will always be my home, I desired some variety.”

“I could say the same of you, frankly.”

Monty/Lor

luringrock:

Accepting the Devil in yourself?

I trust the Prince of Darkness has better things to do than manifest in three teenagers smoking on a roof in London. Or was I supposed to think a 40 ounce bottle of Guinness was the marrow of life? What blood-bond do I have with Henry that I should trouble myself with his lifestyle? The concerns of Continental diplomats matter little to me. I lost nothing when Henry betrayed me, and clearly the two of you have forgotten that I am still a queen. Does your kingdom lie in shambles over a teenage quarrel, Montgomery?

…

I see that our years at school did not have the same impact on you…

Well, fine, then.

My kingdom, much like your own, is hardly in shambles–it’s Henry who’s walking willfully into the Battle of Camlann and leaving Camelot behind. But so be it, it is what it is. What I mean to convey is that I haven’t forgotten that you’re a Queen, Lorelei, and I haven’t forgotten your power… And regardless of Henry’s fate, I was thinking it might do us well to… rekindle our alliance. After all, Fate has brought us back together, as we’ve established already. What do you say?

“I say you’re not one to propose an alliance unless you want something out of it, and you should know I am not one to agree for the sake of friendship. How exactly do I fit in to your aims then, Monty?”

Monty/Lor

montycarlyle:

Oh, divine or otherworldly forces, certainly–I’ve no doubt about that. I just wasn’t sure whether or not you were at the helm of it all… You’d be right, though, about Henry. I’m sure you’ll say it’s karmic, this unfortunate situation… But surely, even Henry’s previous convictions shouldn’t warrant this sentencing to a lifetime of khaki pants and Birkenstocks or whatever other unfortunate things his fiancée is filling up his stocking with… The likes of nautical cufflinks and palm tree-patterned socks and monogrammed hand towels to prepare him for some dreadfully bleak, monotonous, monogamous future. I mean, really–Henry, a husband, and a father, most likely, within a year or so? It’s mad.

He’s sacrificing his soul… To swear himself in under some conformist manifesto, hand over heart but eyes glancing sideways to make sure he’s following in line? I was under the impression he was against it all, you know? All that sort of…wealthy American conventionality. But now he’s trading in his livelihood for novelties like sipping white wine in the Hamptons every summer, and to secure his invitation to every themed couples’ dinner party those people hold. He’s essentially giving his permanent RSVP to these things, as if that’s a bloody privilege he wants, and to return the favour and maintain his status, he’s also pledging his loyalty to hosting his own self-indulgent parties, wherein everyone will pretend as if it’s for a reason other than braggartism, and getting together with the other PTA parents as a means to assert your marital and parental prowess. And you know me–I’m not against the thing itself, the hedonistic displays of extravagance and the like. The problem, I’m sure you’ll agree, is these sorts of smarmy Americans doing it without any class. They try so hard to prove they’re something, because they aren’t, and it ends up being a pathetic display as they try to claw their ways up the hierarchy. They think they’re old money but they’re not, not in the grand scheme of things. They lack all the history and try to make up for it by establishing themselves among these little coteries they forge, where they can all pretend as though they’re aristocrats. And Henry will have a splendid time, I’m sure, participating in these little charades.

That is, when he isn’t schmoozing with stupid, old, affluent fucks, and shamelessly doling out to–or accepting thousands from–the pockets of all the wrong people, all for the purpose of building superficial social and political connections under her father’s wing, pretending as though they’re morally superior to their Republican foes while keeping their fingers crossed behind their backs and compromising their values under the table so long as the price is right. That’s what these people do. There’s nothing honest about them, and that’s exactly the sort of bollocks we’d dedicated ourselves to rejecting–well, so I’d thought. It was a rebellion, our adventures, but the rebellion was all about letting yourself feel things, experience things, enjoy things, without adhering to what everyone thought you should do. And being free in that, and unafraid to suck out life’s marrow and find its real beauties and hidden secrets; endless pleasure, in all its forms; finding and accepting the devil in yourself and dousing your soul in every beautiful sin, and never knowing boredom or emptiness. And now Henry’s just going to marry into soulless conformity, for a life of unfulfilling predictability, answering to his wife’s beck and call… Christ… Co-hosting mommy parties and wrestling kids into tacky outfits and strollers and car seats and what have you, playing the manservant and the nanny and the chauffeur and the fool, like some sort of mockery of what a modern Renaissance man can be, yet making public appearances under a noble and happy guise, all the while popping Xannies to keep him in enough of a stupor to get through it all.

…Tell me you’re not still so bitter about the past as to be complacent or disagree with me? I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt here in not assuming this is all some kind of hex you’ve put on him.

Accepting the Devil in yourself?

Monty/Lor

#convo: monty #//i think we said we're going with monty having like tricked lor into thinking henry cheated on her?

montycarlyle:

Uncanny.

Well, then, we’ll not trouble ourselves with formalities. Firstly, I thought we might address the coincidence that you and I arrived, seemingly, at the very same time. Are you suggesting that this is, indeed, merely a coincidence? Or is there something more sinister at play?

As I said, fate would bring us here whether either of us intended it, and I have no intention of defying or questioning those forces that move us where we need to be.

Though I assume you are cryptically alluding to our former mutual friend’s predicament? I can’t say I have many qualms about the loss of Henry's bachelorhood, but you’re quite familiar with my reasoning.

#lor: tunes #//i was gonna just post this song but i'm pretty sure the video is needed to understand why i think of this as a lor song

You wouldn’t think some tiny speck of a school in the middle of quaint coastal Pennsylvania would have the premiere Ancient Studies program in America, and yet I left a school established by a famed witch hunter for this. The things we do to avoid eternity in Scotland, I suppose. Next semester should be… Interesting to say the least. There’s no place like you new home for the holidays, I suppose.

blakemueller2

‘New home’? Welcome to town! I’m Blake, I host a campus radio show with my best friend, which you…probably haven’t heard yet, so I don’t know why I’m saying that, I guess I’m just used to introducing myself by now… Uh… You’re gonna love Oakvale. It’s great here, and that goes beyond its ancient studies program–in fact, I didn’t even know about that. If you’re into the holiday season, there’s a lot of festivity going on, too. You know that small town charm thing? We’ve got that in spades. And people usually aren’t jerks here, which will probably make being new easier.

Well aren’t you... nice.

I’m Lorelei Ó Mocháin. Some of my family prefers to anglicize, I do not. I wouldn’t know much about “small town charm”, I mostly grew up among graves and ruins. As for the holidays, I don’t care much for how they’re celebrated as of late. I suppose you might call me a traditionalist.

#convo: blake

Monty/Lor

montycarlyle:

@luringrock

Alright then, Lor.

I considered seeking you out myself but I’m humble enough to admit that you’d almost certainly sneak up on me first, and to graciously concede instead of trying to beat you at your own game. Not to mention that it’s a lot less effort on my part to just summon you, and I’d really rather not exert myself… So, humour me. Show yourself.

I’ll say your name a couple extra times just in case there’s some ritualistic aspect to this whole thing… Lorelei, Lorelei, Lorelei.

Please Montgomery, summoning is far more difficult than that. I accept your concession, only knowing that fate would bring us here inevitably.

I suppose this meeting was destined to happen, not that I can say I looked forward to it. What, pray tell, is it you want with me?

westonhenry:

On a first-name basis with the Devil now, are we? I really shouldn’t be surprised…

Honestly, Henry! Lucifer and I have often walked... Adjacent paths, even if they’ve never been congruent. Rome was particularly interesting.

Do you know me at all? Clearly I hardly know you. I must say, I’m sorry to know I overestimated you.

#convo: henry

westonhenry

luringrock:

Engaged? Is this some new scheme of yours?

Of course, what use is softening her heart if you are not there to take advantage of it? Still Laclos, for the record. Seems apropos.

I’m hurt. What sort of monster do you take me for?