Greetings! It is I— an unsupervised fangirl!

A fanblog for KM Shea's fairy tales, including the Timeless Fairy Tale series and the Fairy Tale Enchantress series! Here be incorrect quotes, misapplied memes, and incoherant babbling! Main at find-the-path :D

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Yes, Evariste/Angelique's most popular ship name is Evarlique, but I believe there's an argument to be made for Angste.

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what I wouldn't do for a Timeless Fairy Tales tv show

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Oh my gosh I just found your blog and I'm in love. Your interpretation of how much of a genius disaster Evar is and how completely long-suffering Clovicus is and just everyone....it's so beautiful 🤣🤣💗

Thank you so much!! I was blown away by how much this glorious dumpster fire of a Continent and its characters compelled me, and had to scream about it in a blog to properly cope. I'm glad you're enjoying this wild ride too!

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once i figure out how to undoom her from the narrative the wedding is BACK ON

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It’s insane to think that if not for the ongoing war with the Chosen— ie, if he’d been rescued as part of the final battle instead of in the middle— Evariste would just never plan to break his seal. No continent-wide disaster? No dire need for portal magic? Well, being an Enchanter was fun but he’ll take his friendship with Angelique any day. Only in the far-off event that they finally communicate properly does he actually get his magic back. And Angelique gets to be stunned with double shot of he's in love with you AND he loves you enough to give up his magic rather than risk losing your friendship.

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actually this would be such a fun AU because the characters can just dynamic without big dramatic plot stuff interfering.

he emerges dramatically worse than in canon, of course, but not straight up dying, no matter what Angelique's initial thoughts are.

Angelique did finish the war as an apprentice in this AU, but it didn't really matter for the practical bits, especially when the Conclave all respect/adore her now for other reasons.

with how much everything--- the Continent, the royals, his friends, the Conclave, the Chosen--- has changed, he's initially certain that Angelique's moved on, doesn't really need him anymore. That's especially given the time frame, where it isn't as immediately obvious as in canon just how far she's gone specifically to get him back.

The newly reformed Conclave is quite sure sealed enchanters aren't really allowed to keep being enchanters... but nobody is telling that to Clovicus or Angelique just this moment.

Some time after the war ends, when it's clear no quick fix is in the works, they just start assigning Evariste a bunch of research assignments. He loves it, even if he misses his magic.

post-war, Angelique graduates and is ready to go home except… is Wistful Thicket even her home anymore?? Cue Crisis, only alleviated when Evariste reacts like “...well if you WANT to move put you can butalsopleasedon’t.”. 

[“Moving out? In THIS economy?” -Evar, probably]

So they’re just besties researching magic together until they become a married couple researching magic together.

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TARDIS tents are common among high-level craft mages but Stil wanted his to be The Best. One of the facets of that plan is that instead of keeping track of fifteen cleaning spells (or worse, doing it himself) he spells a compact mobile cleaning station to roam throughout the house and clean areas of neglect.

He calls it a "roomba."

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One-shot with Elle & Angelique in Chanceux Chateau! Some time after Evariste & Angelique get together. 427 words.

“Do you mind if I borrow you for a bit, Angelique? That is, if Lord Enchanter Evariste can spare you.” 

Evariste looks first to Angelique for her nod, then laughs and bows to Elle. “I suppose I shall manage.”

“Fantastic! Come on, we’ll talk in my salon.”

Elle’s private salon is a small but beautifully decorated room overlooking the rose gardens. Angelique’s attention is momentarily captured by the mural of Elle’s pets on the ceiling before the princess speaks.

“So. How long has that been going on?”

Angelique’s blush comes back in full force, causing Elle to laugh. “Is it so obvious?” 

“It was obvious before, trust me. But you’re both official, now?”

“A month ago, in Erlauf— but Elle, what do you mean by obvious—.”

“In the middle of the goblins? Wherever did you find the time?” Elle’s face is all delight, unknowing that she has found Angelique’s main point of frustration. Angelique opens her mouth to explain about Evariste’s seal— the only factor that makes the timing at all reasonable— but pauses. They haven’t discussed whether they’re going to tell people the specifics yet. Elle already knows that his magic is free, and might have guessed the cause based on the timing, but still. She’ll talk to him first.

“I suppose it all burst out.” She confesses instead, “I should have talked to him before. Elle, what do you mean by obvious? We weren’t, uh, together before.”

“No, but Evariste was clearly in love with you. We were concerned, you know, Severin and I. We didn’t know him yet and since he was your master when we met him we decided I should talk to him.”

Angelique is struck with a horrific thought, but pushes it down. Surely she doesn’t mean… “Talk about what.”

“Oh, nothing too bad. Pretty mild as interrogations go.”

The horror comes back in full force. Angelique’s face must be as red as a tomato by now. “You didn’t.”

“I only threatened him a little! He was such a gentleman about it, too, you should be proud. Very open once I convinced him to start talking.”

Desperately, Angelique thinks back to their first visit to Chanceux Chateau after Evariste’s rescue and the Conclave’s move to Verglas. She had still been wary of taking more than ten steps from Evariste, when could Elle have…?

“While you were helping Stil and the other craft mages test their shield charms with your core magic.” Elle supplies helpfully. 

“But I thought Severin was debriefing him on his notes from his captivity!”

“…We did that too.”

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Blade of Magic speculation

Evariste interacting with new characters! I'm especially interested in seeing how he gets along with all of Angelique's friends and with the rest of the heroes. I think everyone is eager to meet the guy Angelique's been looking for for six years.

Evariste not constantly angsting about his seal until it's broken? I do think as he learns more about the alliance and their efforts and the mirror system he'll find that his portals would be useful but not make or break for the war.

All of Angelique's friends immediately seeing right through Evariste. Elle ferreting the seal story out of him in her interrogation room salon. Evariste's reaction to the shovel talk? Genuine joy that Angelique has more people in her corner. She gives him the side-eye real hard for a couple days until she decides he's good people. (Angelique has no clue this is happening.)

actual Evariste & Stil reunion! ToM mentioned that Stil came back for the move to Verglas but he has no appearance.

Evariste gobsmacked to find he has a daughter-in-law. After Gemma gets the rundown of Evarlique from Stil she sees immediately that Angelique does love him back. Evariste does not believe her.

Clovicus getting dropkicked into half-leading the Conclave because who else has the entire law code memorized? He threatens them all into submission and occasionally turns Tristisim's hair neon green.

More war mages! They become the backbone of the Conclave and help get everyone prepared for magical combat. They also make sure everyone at least has SOME hand-to-hand ability.

once Evariste gets his magic back Pegasus gets offended that Angelique now has a faster method of transport than himself. Offers to fly her places half out of her desperate need and half to one-up Evariste the Simpleton.

halfway through the book it occurs to Angelique that maybe having a 24/7 tracking spell on someone is not actually normal or even reasonable. Evariste seems fine with it though? Whatever, better safe than sorry.

Evariste wants to be not entirely useless in a fight and so asks the war mages to teach him some hand-to-hand/sword stuff whenever they're in Verglas. Gets thoroughly thrashed every time but is such a good spoet about it they decide to adopt him.

Angelique vs. Judgmental Magic Rocks That Sing Round 2: Electric Boogaloo

Snow White takes a while to meet up with Evariste and Angelique again, but once she does she sees it Immediately.

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First words soulmate AU pt 12: The Fairy Tale Enchantress

“I must apologize, Angelique.” - Her parents’ comment on the matter had amounted to being glad they’d already settled on her name when she was born, or they would have had to cede naming her to her soul mate. Also, isn’t it nice that he thinks to apologize, even when whatever he did happened before they met? Isn’t it amazing that he’ll already know her name when they meet? Angelique herself as a teenager and then an adult, is merely glad that someone somewhere will already know her name and yet see her as enough of a person to apologize to anyway. Frankly, that’s a miracle in this atmosphere. As a result she fully expects to meet her soul mate in twenty-something years after she’s been sealed and expelled and has some other profession. She is not on the lookout for it at all in the Conclave, especially not in her trial or from a Lord Enchanter. It completely flies under her radar. After she becomes an apprentice she puts it out of mind, determined to either not meet him at all or only after she graduates. When it occurs to her that Evariste had said it to her at her trial, it’s something to privately laugh over instead of take seriously. Doesn’t this just prove how unreliable the system is? Her parents had had very general soul marks, and fell in love anyway without a shred of doubt.

“Of course, Lord Enchanter.” - He’d been so smug about that as a student, flaunting to every adoring classmate and teacher that he’d be an Enchanter for certain. See? It’s right there! After he starts getting sick of the attention midway through his apprenticeship, he starts getting angsty about it. Not even his soul mate will see him as anything but a famous Enchanter, going of course without even a question. What if he’s asking something ridiculous of her? Clovicus gets fed up with his drama fast and pops his bubble whenever he brings it up. After he makes Enchanter, he’s discouraged by the sheer number of people who will react with that exact sentence. Worse, he suspects his boyhood bragging caught the rumor train and that some of them are saying it on purpose, which is insane to Evariste. What, do they think it’s going to force him to fall in love?? By the time he meets Angelique he’s decided he’s not going to rely on the soul mate system anymore. Either he falls utterly in love with someone and her mark is really obvious and they’ll know, or he’ll fly by her without realizing and never get married. He’s hoping for the former, but honestly more out of a desire for an equal and friend than for romance. He glosses over Angelique saying his words completely. He’s in total denial about falling in love with her for years, even knowing beyond a doubt that she would never say something if he was a match for hers, until a couple years before his capture. Then he starts banking on getting her graduated so he can begin his 34 Step Plan To Woo Angelique. After they share dreams Evariste consigns himself to not being her soul mate even though she’s his.

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First words soulmate AU pt. 11: Snow White

“Why don’t you believe Queen Faina is mad?” - Snow White realizes immediately, of course, but decides to take it slow, focusing on the situation at hand. She’s fully ready to bring it in as a bargaining point if the Warriors don’t let her stay later. She was expecting to fall in love eventually because of the mark, but surprised herself in her speed. She does not tell Fritz, assuming that he made the same assumption. She also supposes she can stop defending her stepmother’s honor in her imagination.

“I thought I heard something.” - The other six warriors absolutely gag Fritz with the line at every opportunity, whenever he asks them what they’re doing. He’s taken to not asking. When Snow White says it he marks it as a possibility and decides to get to know her. Since his own first words were so distinctive he assumes she’ll tell him if they’re a match. They’re the most successful pair.

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Evariste, who nearly died 18 times as a 9-14 year old because he portalled into a dangerous environment and Clovicus couldn't find him, thinks this is a perfect gift of course.

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First words soulmate AU pt 10: The Twelve Dancing Princesses

“What, haven’t you ever seen a mouse before?” - Quinn has seen plenty of mice in her life, which does not stop Bridget and her band from asking her mock-seriously at every opportunity. She ignores the hurt every time Roy does it. Generally, mocking other soldiers/friends for their soul marks is fine so long as you ensure it’s not the first thing you say to them. She’s quickly desensitized to the words. When Emerys says it, it’s such a weird event that he practically has to be her soulmate. She’s still in denial about it for a while.

“I am glad I was in the area.” - Emerys likes to mock his soul mark because it’s such a cliche line, but he’s secretly really happy with it. Whoever it is probably won’t be an elf if she’s just “in the area,” and also won’t be falling over herself to meet the king. When Quinn says it, he’s focused on other things, but the moment he plays it back and realizes he nearly has a heart attack. He leaps headfirst into falling in love with her.

Side note: Roy’s mark is just pompous enough that he’s convinced it has to be a princess. To his horror/joy, four of the princesses and eight other nobles say it to him on his first day as a gardener’s boy. Band Gallant is in tears laughing about it. Brittany clams up about him being hers from the getgo, very cautious to trust and not wanting to get Alena and the twins’ guards up. She lets him grow closer naturally before telling him.

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The word you're looking for is "smitten," Angel.

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Evariste, excited at having a new friend apprentice, suddenly pausing: shoot what did normal people learn in school??

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First words soulmate AU pt 9: The Frog Prince

“You there, maid.” - It’s nice to have your desired career in life laid out so neatly from birth, even if it’s coming from the future love of her life in what Ariane can’t help but read as a rude tone. She practices saying it the nicest it can be said as a child, with doubtful success. After she gets set up in the palace, she hears the words practically every other day. From snobbish nobles to messy royal children. Surely none of them are her soul mate? When Prince Lucien says it she doesn’t think once of her soul mark— it’s Prince Lucien, that’s how he addresses the entire female staff collective. It’s only weeks later that she’s scrambling to remember what the first thing he said to her was, with a sinking feeling that she knows.

“Yes, Your Highness?” - The only thing standing between Lucien and total ignorance of his soul mate is one tenuous squiggle of punctuation, the question mark that turns the words from something he hears hourly to something he hears daily. He’s not looking for her, exactly, except out of curiosity and a bit of bafflement. Nevertheless he structures his interactions with everybody closely to avoid the lines. He states his wishes clearly and immediately, leaving no gap for the acknowledgement. After all, if he can reduce the frequency the exceptions will stand out. He’s not as careful about it on the day he meets Ariane, too wrapped up in possible kitten-hood and escaping on a ride. It leads to plenty of kicking himself about a week later— she could have slipped right past him and he wouldn’t have noticed!

[peeta-mellarks-smile]

Okay we all love to talk about golden retriever boyfriend and black cat girlfriend a lot, but what about golden retriever girlfriend and black cat boyfriend??

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First words soulmate AU pt 8: Sleeping Beauty

Again, the characters don't meet on screen. Since we're as canon-compliant as possible: They met as kids and neither of them can remember what the first thing they said to each other was. Their soul marks are both vague but don’t read as directly responding to each other. Isaia firmly believes they’re not a match. Briar’s grandfather advertises her soul mark to be the first thing [noble they’re going to pretend woke her] said after kissing her. She’s having none of it from either of them.