PLAY ON

[saintspoetic]

and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances, and one woman in her time plays many parts.

a multimuse as written by 𝒫enny, she/her, 31, british. super private, low activity, and friend focused. affiliated with 𝒮aintsplanet, 𝒜noffering, 𝑀u1timuse, 𝒫raesparo. from the writer that brought you barbara.

𝒜ct i, carrd. 𝒜ct ii, mobile muses & rules. 𝒜ct iii, prompts.

[saintspoetic]

@praesparo, in the role of wally; continued from here.

a deep heat blooms underneath the skin of her cheeks. it wasn't that artemis had been snooping around his room, more that she'd found herself in the home of the wests and had sought comfort amongst familiar surroundings. the room had still smelt like him, and she had been clinging so desperately to everything he had left behind. she'd only wanted one thing. a shirt, or a souvenir, or something. she's stumbled across the ring on accident, but had known deep in her heart that it was meant for her. that he would have wanted her to have either. otherwise, why buy it . . right?

but now it felt wrong to keep it.

❝ you didn't hide it very well. ❞ remanence of a smile tugs at her lips, a teasing lilt to her voice. it feels wrong to tell him of the comfort the ring gave her. how having it rest close to her heart felt like he was with her. how she would clutch it in the darkest hours, tears flowing down her cheeks, wishing with all her might for his return. instead, she takes his hand in hers, turning it so his palm his upright. she places the ring down gently, the golden chain pooling around it. her fingers nudge his closed around it, touch lingering for a moment before her hands fall back into her lap. ❝ tell me about it. ❞

[saintspoetic]

something about how laudna spent decades being chased out of every home she dared to hope to make for herself, being called a monster for the way that she looked despite her kind heart, only for imogen to be the first person since she died to stick up for her and want to keep her safe. i’m fine :)

[burynot]

@saintspoetic's atom eve to richard grayson : i don't know what's gonna happen, but i'm sure it won't be good.

disaster came in many forms; each telling a different story, obvious or not. sometimes appearing on the horizon, miles away, where anticipation came in handy to soften the blow. others; like a flashflood, unpredictable and sudden. despite the warning signs. a bird on a wire, he steadied himself high above towering glass and blackened smoke, twisted feeling in his gut matching eve's hypothesis to perfection.

" you don't say. " exhaled in agreement, deep blue nothing but a blot of ink against her bright, memorable pink. hair in his face did little to cover up creases in his features, thoughtfulness etching veins into his cheeks, corners of the mask. " just start by telling me what you know. " roll of the shoulders, as though about to make the hardest decision yet. head turned, an encouraging nod. " we'll go from there. "

[saintspoetic]

pink light hovers above the dark shadows of bludhaven. an unknown city, one that fils her with unease. she'd thought she had nothing to leave behind when she volunteered for this mission. yet, looking down at the streets below makes eve feel homesick for the world she left behind. after all, she doesn't really belong here. this world was not supposed to know a samantha wilkins, let alone an atom eve - still, here she is.

❝ they're called viltrumites, and they're not exactly friendly. ❞ pink is extinguished, plunging them further into the darkness, as she perches beside nightwing on the rooftop. he seems, at least, to be a friendly face. an ally in a world full of strangers. from what she's learned of this world so far, she's certainly glad it's him she's run into and not his mentor. ❝ one of them found a way to jump between our world and yours. they're living down there somewhere, blending in amongst the regular people. we're not sure what their intentions are. ❞ or, even, who they are. eve was given pitifully little information for this mission. only that they'd traced this outcast viltrumite from one universe to another, and that they've made a home somewhere in bludhaven. ❝ that's why i'm here. to keep an eye on your world. ❞ to make sure help reaches them should the worst happen.

[2ndruler]

Aegon had spent the better part of the feast being discussed as though he were not sitting three feet away. Lords debated the future of the realm, ladies speculated over alliances, and somewhere between the third course and the musicians, someone had begun openly discussing what sort of wife Baela would make. It was enough to drive any man to drink. Unfortunately, Aegon had already tried that solution and by the time he slipped away from the hall and found her alone upon one of the sea-facing terraces, the irritation still lingered. "You've become very popular tonight," he remarks as he approaches, leaning casually against the stone railing beside her. The sunset paints the water below in shades of gold and crimson, though Aegon pays it little attention. "Lord Celtigar thinks you'll rule me within a year. Lady Redwyne is convinced you'll stab me before then. Personally, I think they're both giving me far too little credit." The corner of his mouth lifts slightly. "Tell me honestly, Baela. Are you half as unhappy about this arrangement as everyone keeps expecting you to be, or are they all just disappointed you haven't tried to throw me off a balcony yet?" For once, there is something genuine beneath the teasing. The betrothal had been decided months ago, spoken into existence by kings and councils and mothers who believed themselves clever. Jacaerys would marry Helaena. Aegon would marry Baela. The realm would remain whole. How simple, how neat, and how very convenient. Yet the more people insisted upon telling him how he ought to feel about it, the more he found himself wondering what Baela actually thought. "Because if we're expected to spend the rest of our lives together," he continues, his voice lowering slightly, "I'd like to know whether I'm marrying someone who merely tolerates me or someone actively plotting my murder. It seems an important distinction." @saintspoetic

[saintspoetic]

it was done. jacaerys was to marry helaena, they would one day rule as king and queen, and everyone was happy. at least, mostly. it seemed a suitable compromise in the constant fight between green and black clothed mothers. amongst the planning and plotting baela's fate had been sealed, without so much as consulting her. she would marry aegon and the eldest son of viserys targaryen would rule over driftmark alongside her. a consolation prize, she supposes, since he will never be king. no one seemed to care what she thought of the arrangement. her father silencing any complaints with a stone glare. her sister offering a listening ear, but unable to give any solutions. it was at times like this that she missed her mother.

it was all too much.

perhaps that's why she found herself looking out over the sea, avoiding the words of courtiers and nobles who now discussed her affairs. she could no longer pretend this marriage wasn't happening. everyone knew about it. ❝ perhaps you shouldn't give me ideas. ❞ gaze looks towards her would be husband, peeking at him from the corner of her eye. she's not one to hide her feelings. features betray unhappiness, hinting at the storm within. ❝ i will not lie to you. there's no use starting this . . partnership in that way. ❞ body turns, hip pressing against the stone of the balcony they occupy. they're closer than she would usually find comfortable. but what does it matter now? they will be expected to produce silver haired heirs once rings are exchanged, and so her personal space is no longer her own. ❝ i did not want this, but i have learned that what i want doesn't matter. ❞ a sigh passes her lips. gaze turning to the sea and back to him. there's resignation where anger once took root. ❝ you have nothing to fear. i'm not actively planning your end - yet. i will be a loyal wife, as long as you are a loyal husband. ❞

[saintspoetic]

tripped and fell and clicked add to basket and then checkout and then added my card details and then clicked pay ..

[saintspoetic]

𝑨𝑳𝑳 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑾𝑶𝑹𝑳𝑫'𝑺 𝑨 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑮𝑬! and all the women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔. an independent multimuse as written by 𝒫enny.

[saintspoetic]

@studiodrafts, in the role of mason; guess  we’re  partners  now.

lips turn upwards at both corners. mary jane's smile is one of sincerity. a rare kind that only those privileged enough to be considered a friend is allowed to see. it doesn't matter that her head aches dully with the discomfort of a hangover, nor that the coffee nursed between her hands is still far too hot to drink, because she's enjoying the company of the person opposite. who could believe that a chance encounter at script reading could lead to something, hopefully, life long.

❝ oh, we're so much more than that. ❞ torso leans over the table, chest pressing against the script laid down. her lines highlighted in pink, his in green, both with far little then either of their talents deserve. but it's a job, that will hopefully lead to their names lit brightly over a broadway canopy. for now, though, it's preparing for their next rehearsal in a back alley studio with a director whose eye wanders far too often to be comfortable. ❝ we're best friends. from here on out, i've got your back. ❞ mary jane taps her coffee cup against his, mocking the cheers they'd all shouted late into the night. perhaps it was premature to celebrate a play that hadn't a home yet, but learning they'd been financed for a short run was reason enough. ❝ and i really need your help to learn these lines. ❞

[warplanet]

vex'ahlia would much rather keep their current status in limbo and avoid confirming pleasantries... but if this means earning another layer of @saintspoetic's trust, maybe it's worth the step beyond her usual actions. maybe, for vax'ildan's sake, especially, it's best to pick up her ego and shove it aside for a moment. for friendship. for loyalty. for vox machina. the longer they all travel together, fighting side by side, the more vex'ahlia recognizes value in unity. she's not used to that. she's used to isolation, to her and her brother off and alone. this? this smile from keyleth and the kindness she shares is so new. it's even nice. kind of.

vex'ahlia resists the urge to make another joke and avoid keyleth's wide eyes and warm compliments; instead, she nods, lets her arms fall at her sides, and follows the air ashari's earlier gaze. their friends. grog, vax'ildan, percy, pike, and scanlan, all chatting and huddled after a long trip. as her eyes go to each of them, her heart, usually so taut, seems to soften. back to keyleth. "me too," she murmurs quietly. "i'm not used to that, you know. having those." having friends. she struggles to say those words outloud. "it's been a nice change of scenery, for sure. must be the same for you, all our adventures... is this what you imagined when you left home?"

[saintspoetic]

desperation claws at her insides, where a deep rooted desire to be liked lays. they all stumbled upon each other by chance. a disjointed group who all happened to be in the same town, solving the same mystery - and look at where it had all led to. comradery. friendship. cracks in her heart slowly and surely being mended. the fear of the future she's avoiding hidden, though laying in wait, behind a thirst for adventure. there's plenty of time to complete her aramenté, right? she's still young, and with her dad looking after her people there's no real rush. so she tells herself anyway. it's easier than admitting that the idea of failure, of sharing her mother's fate, is so terrifying that she can't even bring herself to try.

❝ i didn't have many friends either. well, i suppose i did when i was little, and i had peers, but after my mother - ❞ throat clears awkwardly, gaze dropping as she regains her composure. ❝ when it became clear i'd have to leave for my aramenté, it all changed. ❞ everyone started treating her differently. her trials, and preparing her for them, became the only thing of concern. less how are you keyleth and more have you finished reading this ancient scroll on the water ashari keyleth. so much of her time became dedicated to all she would have to face that it left little room for true friendship. ❝ but you always had vax, right? that must have been nice. ❞ gaze turns back to the group, momentarily meeting that of other - as if the very mention of his name had magnetised him - before forcing its attention back to vex. ❝ like having a built in best friend. ❞

as for their adventures - ❝ oh, no, ❞ a laugh, not unlike a light giggle, mingles in the air. ❝ i couldn't have imagined any of this. ❞ briefly she wonders what her father would think about it all, but the thought it quickly shaken away. ❝ it's . . it's better than i could have hoped for. ❞

[renstrapp]

Keep Venezuela in your thoughts ❤️‍🩹

Venezuela was hit by two earthquakes yesterday, a 7.2 and a 7.5. Many parts of the country have been reduced to rubble, and areas of Caracas have been flattened. Their infrastructure has already been under immense strain. Here's how you can help:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/emergency-relief-for-venezuela-earthquake-victims

https://thehouse-project.org/products/support-the-house-project-make-a-difference-today

[moirainedamodred]

MORE DONATION LINKS:

Yummy, one of Venezuela's biggest rideshare and delivery platforms, is currently matching 25% of all donations up to $100,000. This is one of the fastest and safest ways to get emergency funds to ground operations.

Dona con Yummy 💜

Suma tu donación y ayuda a quienes más lo necesitan.

Cáritas Venezuela is the Catholic Church's local humanitarian arm. They are actively deploying food, supplies, clean water and medical care to those most affected.

Donaciones - Caritas de Venezuela

«Ayúdanos Ayudar» Tú puedes ayudar a sostener el trabajo que Cáritas de Venezuela realiza mediante el esfuerzo de más de 30 mil voluntarios

[2ndruler]

@saintspoetic ❝ in spite of everything, i don’t hate you. not entirely. ❞

Aegon's smile came slowly, crooked and familiar, though it never quite reached his eyes. For a moment he simply looked at her, studying her as though she had spoken in a language he had long since forgotten. Then a short laugh escaped him, low and rough around the edges. "'Not entirely,'" he repeated. "Gods, Baela, you always did have a talent for making a man work for his victories." The jest was easy enough, but there was something else beneath it, something quieter. His gaze drifted away for a moment, toward the darkening horizon beyond the window, before returning to her. "I think I would have preferred it if you hated me completely." The confession slipped out before he could stop it. For all his attempts at levity, there was a tiredness to him then, the kind that came from carrying old wounds so long they had become part of the body itself. He leaned back slightly, shaking his head as if at some private joke. "But you never do anything by halves, do you?" he murmured. "Not your loyalty. Not your anger. Not your forgiveness." His violet eyes met hers again, sharp and unreadable, though something vulnerable flickered there for the briefest of moments "I suppose I cannot hate you entirely either."

[saintspoetic]

a stolen confession whispered under the moonlight. baela's not entirely sure what compelled her to spill it from her lips, only that it felt important for aegon to hear it. she does not like him, that much is indeed true, but he has not quite earned her hatred. not when he's only been a puppet of his mother's greed. isn't that what all had been, all this time? pawns in a battle waged by alicent and rhaenyra. collateral in their fight for the throne. ❝ i will not give you the satisfaction of my hatred. ❞ there's malice to her words, but it's quelled by the smirk that slow spreads from one corner of her lips to another. when she meets his eye there's a renewed fire in hers. a ferocity that no hardship could put out. not her mother's death, nor the absence of her father. one day that ferocity will rule driftmark, and they will all see that baela is much more than the sum of her parts. ❝ well then, i am glad we've come to an understanding. ❞ for a moment only silence surrounds them. her gaze turns to the horizon, to a world full of those trying to prove themselves the best - whatever being the best truly means. even baela is not immune to it. after some time has past, she speaks again. ❝ tell me truthfully, is this really what you want? ❞

[saintspoetic]

pov you and your husband get invited to a d&d one shot with an ancient egypt theme

[emziess]

Havana Rose Liu as Isabel Bottoms (2023) dir. Emma Seligman

[warplanet]

instinct draws him sharply in front of her, beskar-covered body aimed to shield @saintspoetic from a potential attack. even the shouted words have a violent effect on din's composure — it's repulsive, seeing someone so small and unimportant yelling at the queen of naboo. he's about ready to draw a weapon and escort the senator out of the room, but amani, ever-graceful and calm, stops him. she gifts him the kind of silent nod that says i've got this handled, and din, respectful of her autonomy, steps aside.

fortunately the remainder of the senator's interaction is short-lived; he's escorted out of the throne room by amani's advisors, and, with a loud click of the door, the gaping hall is empty save for the queen and her mandalorian warrior. din takes a steady breath, loosens the tension in his shoulders, and watches her, waits for her order. he's surprised when she draws near instead, and even more stunned when she kisses the front of his visor. within the helmet, din goes red. "i'll escort him to his ship," din says after a minute of awkward silence (as he tries to regain his composure). "make sure he gets off-world for your safety." his t-visor follows her as she walks to the throne. "i'll be back," he reassures her, nodding, and, just like before, the silence between them speaks loudly of their intentions. of their feelings. "i won't be long." with that, din exits the room and follows the advisors and the rogue senator. like he promised, he will be back with her soon. he has to be.

[saintspoetic]

gaze follows his back as the mandalorian sweeps from the room. a sound, somewhere between a scoff and a laugh, falls from the queen's lips. it seems to echo around the room, filling the silence. amani's completely alone now. she hasn't been truly alone for such a long time. not since returning to the throne. there's always advisors, guards, and mandalorians keeping watch over her. the room feels so cold, so uninviting, with no other voices to fill it. a standing monument to a time long past. it was in this very room, so long ago, that a younger queen had spoken words given to her by the empire. where she lost pieces of herself bit by bit. where she was crowned for a second time, rewarded for her work with the rebels. now it feels like a cage. amani slums in her throne - it suddenly feels too big and too grand - as she waits for din to return. ❝ i look forward to retirement, ❞ she speaks to no-one but herself.

when the warrior returns, he finds the queen as she always portrays herself. calm, regal. her back to the door, her gaze cast out the large window to the gardens below. she doesn't turn when she hears the door close behind him with a thud. ❝ i trust he made it off world. ❞ only her head turns the slightest amount, the corner of her lip twitching. she can't say she's said to see the senator go, rather she hopes he never returns. or, at least, by the time he does a new, younger queen has taken her place. one, perhaps, more attuned to the politics of this new galaxy. ❝ are you satisfied that i am safe? ❞ she can't help but feel rebuffed by his absence. they both know her guards and advisors could have handled the man. she had wanted him to stay. ❝ or do you, perhaps, need to check the grounds? maybe patrol the city itself to make sure he's not hiding around some corner waiting for me. ❞

[ninanation]

What can people do to help?

Assuming this is from a foreigner, there's many charities and NGOs working to improve conditions. Unfortunately, I need to note I'm not incredibly familiar with them because most of them operate very far away from my location, so I'm not the best source to verify individual charities. SEEDS India works on disaster relief and management, including extreme weather conditions. I hear ActionAid India and the Mahila Housing Trust are good too. There's Project Tapan by Raise India, but I think it only allows donations from within India. You can also donate to fund many people's medical bills through GiveIndia. Please bring awareness to the issue in your own countries, and remember that the Global North is responsible for 92% of the world's excess carbon emissions, yet the Global South faces the subsequent devastation each and every time. Remember Western overconsumption directly contributes to our suffering. Remember how privileged you are to even have air conditioning. Don't forget about us.

(I wish there was a way for foreigners to donate to the upkeep of unions since workers are by far the ones affected the most by this heatwave, but I believe almost all of them are only allowed to accept domestic donations.)

If any other South Asians know of reputable NGOs/organizations, especially ones operating in Pakistan and Bangladesh (as the ones linked here and in reblogs are primarily based in India) please link them. If you're South Asian, you can send another ask for advice.

[spiiderdog]

I cannot believe that this is the first I am hearing of this. I am devastated to hear of the thousands of people dying and hurt because of this heat wave. Here is a mattha recipe and an electrolyte drink that help to rehydrate in hot temperatures, as well as some tips on how to stay cool during intense heat. (note, I found all these through @ninanation's posts too - I just wanted to compile them here for ease of access) Even if you can't donate to the above linked charities, spread the word and it may reach someone who can.

[tagohara]

BELLA MACLEAN as TAGGIE O'HARA RIVALS - 2.04

[saintspoetic]

made some small adjustments to my muse list!