#basnaaid elming

[violettsbaudelaires]

So I am very late to this train, but I just finished Ancillary Mercy and checked out ao3 for fics and am I missing something or is everyone sleeping on Seivarden/Basnaaid? Please allow me to make my case:

Who better to deal with Seivarden than the stubbornest person in the universe? Basnaaid handles things that may be very upsetting to her in a mature manner without becoming stone, which is something that Seivarden could definitely learn from and a characteristic that would be great in a partner for her.

Home girl Basnaaid is not interested in fancy clientage offers, which is fine because Seivarden doesn’t have anything backing her house name other than “oooh, it’s old.”

They are both conveniently located in Awn’s shadow and would both like to be catapulted away from that role immediately.

Their actual canon interactions are nice and not drama-filled like with Ekalu. No shade to Ekalu, just that “she’s hot and good in bed” is not a good reason to pursue a relationship with someone who offends you every time she opens her mouth.

I very much want peoples’ opinions on this, because perhaps I’m just not understanding. I also get that people have different ships and different tastes, just surprised more people didn’t spot this one.

[the-anchorless-moon]

Okay hear me out: what if post cannon Basnaaid adopts Breq into Elming as her heir, bookending Breq's offer in AS.

Breq's offer comes with social advancement but no real connection either between them (Breq states outright that she's offering because she wants to ensure that Basnaaid is taken care of, for Lieutenant Awn's sake, and would probably never have considered the possibility that Basnaaid could form any personal connection to her) or to the house (neither of them has any actual desire to be part of Mianaai). On the other hand, being adopted into Elming would be a significant social comedown that emphasizes an emotional bond of friendship and shared love of Lieutenant Awn. While also at the same time being an incredible fuck you to both Anaander Mianaai and the class structure of the house system as a whole.

Also I really want Basnaaid to send her parents a letter that's just "hi moms! Good news, I've adopted you a grandchild. She's 2000 years old and legally an alien, we'll try to come visit you soon! xoxo"

[a-dauntless-daffodil]

Breq: My beloved Awn.

Breq: I met your little sister today, and the exact words she said to me were-

Basnaaid: Go away.

Breq, shedding a single tear: You would be so proud of her.  

[enemyofperfect]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Basnaaid has reserved a table in a tea-garden and ordered three of every kind of cake. In gratitude, her twelve-year-old guests perform a duet. Basnaaid knows the lyrics only too well.

I have been delighting in all the fanart on the Ro2SID tag, and I hope to read more of the fanfic soon, but for now, here is an unqualified rec for my Independence Day gift, which is 957 words of musical appreciation and delicious cake, perfectly set off with a few reflections on the relationship between one’s past and present self.  ♥♥♥

[smokedetective]

Basnaaid having a quiet moment with a plant as the world spins around her. 

In response to:

[darling-child-tisarwat]

Why do these all look like a different person drew them. Maybe it's just me. Anyway Basnaaid for @cassyblue's request.

[barren-and-trivial-words]

I saw a post a few hours ago (not sure on whose blog) asking why Tisarwat likes Basnaaid so much (since Breq clearly thinks it’s Significant), and I think it’s this: Both times when a rich and powerful person has offered to significantly elevate Basnaaid’s status because of her sister, she’s refused. She wants to be known for who she is, not for someone who is emphatically not her. Both the Tisarwat that existed before Anaander Mianaai took her over and Anaander Minaai are emphatically not the Tisarwat we have now.