A Rose and a Sword

I notice the little things

[thefifthsword]

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A possible intro for Lady D’s gaming channel because why notttt long live the meme

[thefifthsword]

What can we learn about Alcina Dimitrescu through her voice lines?

One of her strongest traits is her pride. She acts with superiority all the time, respecting only Mother Miranda's decisions. Ethan is compared to animals and treated as an ingredient not only for being a mortal but because he is inferior when compared to her by default. The 3 Lords could be considered at the same level as her for their status but that's obviously not her opinion. This need to be above others might hide some insecurities about her own image and self-importance. Yes, she's vain and composed but that doesn't mean she's confident. As a traditional noble she's polite and wears this mask of who's so much in control that it applies even to herself. It's a façade but she seems to be so used to it that even after the loss of 2 daughters she says "I must get a hold of myself" after killing Ethan. Seems like she doesn't give herself the right to step out of the position as Head of House Dimitrescu even when in mourning. And yet when you take a look at the daughters you can see she expects certain things from them but didn't raise any of the girls to be as strict as she is. They share traits with their mother but seem free to act as they please. Speaking about being a mother, she talks about them often and sounds pained at each of their deaths, losing complete control of herself and drowning in revenge as she becomes the final form. Already mutated, she sounds disgusted but also proud of what she has become, returning to the idea that this new condition not only "proved" how superior she was but also hit her negatively somehow. To me Alcina is a very complex woman with a noble background that puts a huge weight over her shoulders and makes her wear this strict mask that she probably doesn't even realize is separate from herself. Deep down she has insecurities, struggles and is a very loving person as we can see in how much she loves her daughters and cares for each one of them. They're everything to her as she says at one point of the game and they certainly do love her back.

[thefifthsword]

What can we learn about Daniela Dimitrescu through her voice lines?

The first obvious trait it's the confidence she has. No low self-esteem here. She's very flirty and completely sure that not only everyone falls for her but that her mother loves her the most. "I'll grow even more beautiful, you'll see, just like mother" aw. Being the favorite child doesn't stop her from recognizing her sisters. She says Bela is the smart one and envies Cassandra's hunt skills but that doesn't make it all sunshine and rainbows because she complains that her sisters are terrible because they never have time to play. She sounds very spoiled when screaming and complaining. Like an upset girl that didn't get things the way she wanted. In these situations she becomes bossy and childish. You can almost see her with her arms crossed and a pouty face. Important to notice that she has frequent variations in her behaviour. Flirty, spoiled, violent and straight up hurt. She's very honest in her words so you know if she sounds confused, she actually is. I believe she's the one that likes plants because of this line: "I’ll cut your belly and turn you into my flowerbed!" Also about the surroundings there's: "Do be careful of the house, please?" which reinforces my theory that Bela and her are the little "ladies" while Cassandra is the messy when eating and acting in general. Not to mention how Dani mimics their mother in some moments. When it comes to Ethan I believe she sees a relationship that obviously doesn't exist. Not romantic. He's still her food but in a more elevated way of sorts. She talks about how he'll be a part of her and treats him as he's happy with that situation. It sounds like a good thing. That's why when things start to fall apart (Ethan attacks her) she gets very confused and upset as if he's causing trouble and kinda betraying her somehow. It hurts, you can hear in her voice. She even mentions that if he apologizes, she'll forgive him. He's wrong in facing her. The shock is so big she screams that he'll kill her, asks if he hates her and even addresses she treated him so well, asking if he was just toying with her. To me she has the same thought that there's nothing wrong with what they do but for a different reason than her sisters. While Bela and Cass see mortals as mere prey, comparing them to animals, Dani has another narrative going on in her mind. It doesn't come from arrogance or disregard for life. It's her own view. And to finish this one... "Mother's scary". Yes, Dani, she is.

[thefifthsword]

What can we learn about Cassandra Dimitrescu through her voice lines?

A very notable trait of hers is sadism. It’s present when she describes what she’s gonna do to Ethan, how she wants to hear his screams, as she waits to scare him and especially in how delighted she sounds when interacting with him. It’s the pleasure of someone constantly bored that finally has a new toy to be entertained by. She mentions hunts and trophies when comparing Ethan to her previous preys so I imagine those deer heads on the walls are her trophies. Her intention of mounting his head on the wall kinda makes it clear. Cass is very proud of her accomplishments as a hunter, probably feeling invincible since she killed every beast imaginable. For that reason she would also never admit defeat. In many lines she screams and sounds annoyed or downright upset. I think she's impatient and always looks for interesting things to do since no interaction gives her the same thrill of the hunt. Her arrogance probably comes as a result of her status and skills. She's also the daughter that mentions the others the most and even though her games are important to her no line implies selfishness. Cass says Bela never stops complaining but also talks about calling her to share Ethan's blood and flesh. She talks about Daniela wanting to play with him and in every opportunity possible she would let Alcina get Ethan, giving up her precious prey to her.

[thefifthsword]

What can we learn about Bela Dimitrescu through her voice lines?

Among the traits I’ve noticed is the need for their Mother’s praise. There are lines in which she mentions things that sound intended to please Alcina. It’s never about the others too, just herself. I see her as a little child who’s eager for a pat on the head. Bela’s also very confident to the point of saying: “Mother always praises me”. That doesn’t mean her actions aren’t genuine because she mentions that being the oldest means bearing a burden and in some occasions she sounds concerned with things related to keeping their routine  and caring for the house. She takes her role very seriously and complains about not being able to count on her sisters, calling them worthless and mentioning Daniela as the worst on the matter. Bela sounds as if she feels like everything is over her shoulders. I believe even though she wants to be praised, this role as "Alcina’s right hand" came naturally to her and the constant search for compliments is just a consequence of the adoration she has for their mother. Another obvious trait is her arrogance. She mocks Ethan, doubts his capability of hurting her, underestimates his intelligence and gets baffled when she starts to notice her own mortality. Bela is proud of her House and her status as we notice in other voice lines probably because she really felt invincible and above all mortals. Which makes sense when she compares Ethan to pigs and rats. He’s nothing but another animal to her. Someone so low on the food chain could never dream of hurting her. That explains her overall attitude towards him.  Ethan’s just a source of food, fun, blood and praise.

[thefifthsword]

Sister bonding

Cassandra stomps up the stone stairs, frustrated after the experience in the dungeons. She complains of boredom, of how much she can't stand the winter anymore and of not having a goddamn mortal to hunt down the corridors as she passes through the kitchen, pushing violently some of the meat hanging on the path. Bela's voice can be heard in the background, sarcastic:

- “If only someone had not killed the last maid...”

Cassandra frowns, lets out a grunt as she quickens her pace but stops for a moment when she sees a deer head mounted on the wall. It is still the first day of winter, but the hunting days in spring seem to have been an eternity ago and she remembers the hunt of each of her trophies. While she is lost in thought, a door creaks and a voice breaks her focus:

- "Is that Steve?"

Cassandra looks towards the Dinning Room and sees Daniela looking at her.

- "What?" she asks, confused.

- “I’ve named one of them Steve, don’t you remember? But I think it’s not this one.” Daniela squints to look at the head more carefully:

- “Yeah, that’s not him. Who’s this?”

Cassandra opens her mouth to answer, but Bela's voice is heard in the background:

"If you two have time for chitchat, you can help me with this kitchen".

Before Daniela can answer, Cassandra grabs her by the arm and quickly pulls out of there, speaking again only when they arrive at the Main Hall, smirking a bit:

- "Shall I tell you the story of that one?"

Daniela opens a big smile, excited:

- “Ohh, I’d love to hear it, but not here. Follow me!"

She runs to the stairs and through rooms, only stopping when they reach the Opera Hall. She heads towards the stage while Cassandra looks around, starting:

- “So last spring I went hunting and there was this-''

- “No! Not yet! ”, Daniela interrupts.

Cassandra crosses her arms:

- “What is it!? And what are you doing anyway!?”

Daniela finishes opening the curtains, runs back to an armchair, sits on it, and extends her arms towards the stage, lively:

- “There. All yours. Now please do tell me how you killed George and spare no details.”

Cassandra smirks, walks towards the stage filled with pride, goes up, turns to her sister and starts:

“It was the first morning of spring… I’ve let all my weapons ready...”

[thefifthsword]

A regular day

Inside Castle Dimitrescu, in yet another torturous winter, the camera switches between four locations.

Tasting Room: Lady D is sitting in her big chair, eyes closed, Crimson Glass held up to her face, graciously smelling the wine before tasting it. Danse Macabre plays in the background on the record player.

Kitchen: Bela is looking for something to occupy her time and walks inside the kitchen, sees the mess, gets irritated, complains about the incompetence of the maids, questioning where they are and remembering that they were all killed. Oh, yeah. Right.

Dungeons: Cassandra is choosing torture tools to use on one of the bodies. She’s excited, restless hands, but becomes frustrated right after the first stab in the cold body and clenches her teeth against each other.

Opera Hall: Daniela is sitting in an armchair just under one of the plants, legs crossed over the seat as she reads a book while humming low. A small smile is seen on her lips. There are two other books beside her.

A frustrated scream is heard in the distance. Lady D stops the movement with the cup for an instant, exhaling as she moves her eyes in the direction from which the sound came. Bela rolls her eyes and shakes her head as she watches the chaos in the kitchen, trying to organize her thoughts. Daniela keeps reading her book, unfazed.