"A Prince's Tale"

[Matthew Haldeman-Time]

So.  Gael's story.  Good times.

Each of the suitors gets his own story.  Fortunately, the title "A Prince's Tale" was still open for Gael, since I titled Bade's story The Purple Book.

-Matthew

[Rhia]

Hot damn!

 

Must... resist... reading. Cannot... read... about sexy princes... until done... writing... about murderous kings.

...

...

...

Resistance is futile.

[Rhia]

Story good. Like story. Ug make fire.

Er.

I especially like the beginning, where we learn about Gael's life. It almost reads like a fairytale, which seems perfect for the character. That's the only specific thing I can comment on right now... when my brain is something closer to functioning, I'll say more.

It is nice to see more of these characters, though. With everything that was going on with Xio Voe, we didn't get to learn as much about them as we did about the previous batch of suitors; it was good to see them so well fleshed out, and it makes me look forward to the stories about the rest of the suitors.

[Gem-Dragon]

 

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

What a marvelous way to wake up when I am home sick with a cold.  I have just finished on Sunday re-reading, again ITL, and wondered when we were going to get this story.

I loved the way you fleshed out these characters.  I had trouble keeping Lansester and Wamesh straight in my mind.  Gael is more that a pretty princeling and the other two walkons. 

Considering Gael's reaction to sex, however did the rumors about the belas start?   

Will there be a story for Lansester so that we will have more of his background and what he gained from  ?  And possibly a bit more of their joint life in Lasester's home country.  (It seems strange that  remained "The Pharaoh" with them.)

This is a bit off-topic, but it occured to me that all the suitors, including the ones not known from before Bade, are positioned to influence the acceptance of Xio Voe as the King and what might have to happen on the international stage in the coming together the gods of the world are working towards.   

Matthew, thanks again for a lovely piece of writing and another view into ITL.   

Mary

[Diamond]

I really liked this story. I felt like we got to find about about Gael, who we hadn't seen much of in the story. Turns out, he had a lot going on!

I have no idea how Xio Voe thought those two should be together. This story barely mentioned Xio Voe, so that means Gael didn't interact with him very much or didn't think it was note worthy. Xio Voe must truly be guided by Ilanosa to make that connection, but boy was he right!

I think that if Gael didn't have his station in life so firmly ingrained, he might be happy as a scribe.

- Diamond.

[Gem-Dragon]

The purpose of Gael's visit was to learn from Kudorin, but to really grow close to Lansester.
-Jae

I think that if Gael didn't have his station in life so firmly ingrained, he might be happy as a scribe.
- Diamond.

(Not sure how to quote from a previous message, I am trying.)

I agree with you Jae, just hadn't put it in the message.  Too early, too sick, ick. 

Diamond, it seems that Gael not only had to appreciate this aspect of himself but also his worth as a human being.  Not as a "PRINCE" but as someone with value to others for what his gifts can offer.  He has apparently been treated as a thing, an image, as wasted space all his life (except by his mother) and he needed to be shown that he had more than a pretty face and body.  Even Rini and Desin treated him like an object to be leared at.   

I like him better, now.

Mary

[JaeFire]

I agree with you Jae, just hadn't put it in the message.  Too early, too sick, ick. 

Mary

Sorry about that, Mary!  (I'll put it back below this message--I removed it so I could edit some of it, but I have a paper due later today and my little snack/Board breaks are getting too long, if you know what I mean, so I'll just put in the version with the changes I've made so far. The original post is below this one.)

- Jae

[JaeFire]

Will there be a story for Lansester so that we will have more of his background and what he gained from  ?  And possibly a bit more of their joint life in Lasester's home country.  (It seems strange that  remained "The Pharaoh" with them.)

Mary

Matthew has said before that, just like the last batch of suitors, the other suitors (besides Xio Voe, obviously) will get a short story of their own. 

Also, about Kudorin remaining "The Pharaoh" with them--not all suitors become close to Kudorin.  For instance, Gael.  I don't think it would have been appropriate, or reflected an accurate level of intimacy, for Gael to call him "Kudorin" even in his own mind.  They simply didn't grow close enough for that--and even if he did feel like that way, it would be hard to call Anosukinom "Kudorin" to his face, at least for a while.  I saw them as kind-of-friends, but they didn't develop the kind of friendship where they were exchanging information about each other personally (personal stories, life stories, for instance).

The purpose of Gael's visit was to learn from Kudorin, but to really grow close to Lansester.

As to Lansester's closeness with Kudorin--well, we simply won't know until his short story.  Maybe Lansester refers to him as the pharaoh, or Anosukinom, to be polite and respectful, but maybe Kudorin asked him to call him Kudorin when they're face to face.  (Though I don't really think so, just because, like Gael, Lansester's true purpose was to grow close to someone else.)

Also, if they're talking about Kudorin with each other, it would be a safe bet to either call him "Anosukinom" or "the pharaoh" so as to err on the side of politeness rather than familiarity.  Besides, unlike the last batch of suitors, this batch spent a great deal of time with each other or the other princes (because their true purposes for coming also included growing close to each other, or for Wamesh to learn from Extra, for instance--also, Kudorin spent much more time with Xio Voe, for obvious reasons).

(I don't mean to imply that Kudorin, as a deity, couldn't do multiple things, but Kudorin did have this conversation with Xio Voe:

Ch.109
“I was under the impression that the suitors came here to meet you.”

“Traditionally, they do.  But this last set of suitors was much less about me, and that’s for the best.  I’ve been too distracted by you to be of much use to anyone else.”)

- Jae

[blondiechic0]

So.  Gael's story.  Good times.

Each of the suitors gets his own story.  Fortunately, the title "A Prince's Tale" was still open for Gael, since I titled Bade's story The Purple Book.

-Matthew

YOU POSTED IT WHILE I WAS ASLEEP?!?!

*runs off to read*

[Falconer]

This one got me all teary, dammit!  Loved it, loved it, loved it. 

[blondiechic0]

OMG. I can't wait for Lansester's story now! Those two are so amazing. And I love the characterization of Gael. The regular arc makes him spoiled and sex crazed, his story proves just how much of that was rumor. Also, love the scribing and Lansester stealing his poetry.

Also, I love that I know how to pronounce Gael without having to sprain my tongue. Woo!

[blondiechic0]

Also, you have to love Xio Voe.

Meet me in your rooms.  Three o’clock.  Wear nothing but your desire for me.  –L

Come to my rooms at three o’clock.  I’ll wait for you.  Bring oil.       -G

Short, sweet and to the point. Think he wooed his other lovers like that?

[SilverMoon28]

Hey!  Look!  A new story mid-week!  What a fantastic idea, Matthew!!  A perfect way for me to relax after a ridiculously long and difficult day at work.  *wraps herself in a blanket and reads*

*choke*

Now they were about something else entirely, about finding wild sexual release in the restraints of bondage, about being owned and dominated and possessed and ecstatically fulfilled, about rough, hungry, bestial fucking.

One of these days, I really am going to learn not to drink anything while reading Matthew's stories!!!!

And again!  lmao!!  Matthew, you kill me

Would Lansester pump away at him, thrusting in those boring, awkward, repetitive strokes?  Would Lansester grunt nonsensically and seek to reassure him that he was the best partner ever?  Or would it be the way that it was in the poems, passionate and anguished and transcendent?

Ha!!!!

Once again, I love how Anosukinom knew just where to probe .  Gael might have repressed his feelings more than several other people we know...

Oh!  Stupid!  Why on earth did he run away?  I'm sure Rini would have loved to see him in that flustered state!!

What's a sex-mad pervert?

Gael shouldn't be ashamed of leaving sexual poetry behind, especially if all he's doing is translating it.  We read erotic things all the time  , and some of us write it too!  It's fun!  Liberating too.

Did I just get lost in my thoughts?

He knew that Gael was there.  But Gael wasn’t necessarily there, might have moved deeper into the palace.  And Lansester had no right to place demands on Gael’s time, regardless.  Furthermore, Gael’s habits and activities were none of his business.  If he-

Is it me or does that just sound... panicked?

Stop being embarassed!  Nobody cares what you were translating!!!

On a side note, I've been a lot more open about sex than I was before I started reading Matthew's writings.

Going back to the new story

*giggle* Gael reminds me of how Bade used to be when he first arrived in Orina Anoris.  He's all worried that someone will think ill of him for being caught with erotic poetry.  I guess it hasn't occurred to him that someone like Remin would have dozens of thick volumes for him to translate... that sentence ended up in another place than it started out in.  My apologies.

No one had to know.

But who would care?  I mean... ugh!  This is frustrating lol.  Then again, he doesn't know that Anosukinom, by way of Ilanosa, already knows all of this

It was the most daring and aggressive Gael had ever been

He's worse than me!!!!

“I’m thinking so much about fucking you that I don’t hear a word you’re saying,”

!!!!

Tee-hee!  lmao

Ooooooooooooohhh!!!

Wear nothing but your desire for me.

*perk*

Oh, wow, he's never dressed or undressed himself?  That's a little... well... weird?

 

Honestly, as if anyone really experienced any real pleasure in being sticky-slick with oil and ejaculate.

Let's ask Remin.  Or Rini.  Or Orinakin and Bade.  Or Anosanim.  Or Selorin.  Or...

!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scheisse...

[LilacMajesty]

I knew there had to be more to Gael then just another pretty face.  I'm seeing a lack of self confidence there masquerading as haughtiness.  Someone mentined rumors, asking how they get started about Gael and the belas?  My guess would be the way rumors always start - someone proclaiming their own misconceptions as truth.

[SilverMoon28]

By the way, Matthew

Sequel? 

Vani

[Matthew Haldeman-Time]

Thank you for great feedback, everyone!   

I love that I know how to pronounce Gael without having to sprain my tongue. Woo!

I want reading the story to be fun, not distracting, so I'm happy to include notes at the top whenever it seems relevant.  I included the suitors' chart, too, because there's no reason for y'all to remember which one's which after this many months.  (Also, because I'm super-proud of my hip table-makin' skills.)

Also, I realize that there's information in my brain that y'all might find handy, like pronunciation, and I try to remember to share it when I can.

-Matthew

[blondiechic0]

Thank you for great feedback, everyone!   

I love that I know how to pronounce Gael without having to sprain my tongue. Woo!

I want reading the story to be fun, not distracting, so I'm happy to include notes at the top whenever it seems relevant.  I included the suitors' chart, too, because there's no reason for y'all to remember which one's which after this many months.  (Also, because I'm super-proud of my hip table-makin' skills.)

Also, I realize that there's information in my brain that y'all might find handy, like pronunciation, and I try to remember to share it when I can.

-Matthew

But Gael is really easy. Especially thanks to Gael Garcia Bernal... Ummy.

[LilacMajesty]

Hip table making skills?  I am just walking away from this one.

[SilverMoon28]

Maybe I speak too many languages, because I pronounce 'Gael' the way I would in French: 'Gah-el'.  At least that's how I read it in my mind.

I'm weird, I know lol.

Vani

[blondiechic0]

Maybe I speak too many languages, because I pronounce 'Gael' the way I would in French: 'Gah-el'.  At least that's how I read it in my mind.

I'm weird, I know lol.

Vani

I pronounce it the spanish way, so you know... the same way.

[anaskee]

Matthew, that was an amazing story!   

Feelings of frustration, loneliness, anger, curiosity, desire, heartache, and happiness all in one go. Whew!  What a rush! 

[LilacMajesty]

I would just like to point out that the best Suitor's Tale so far is dedicated to two absolutely awesome women. 

[Matthew Haldeman-Time]

Matthew, that was an amazing story!   

Feelings of frustration, loneliness, anger, curiosity, desire, heartache, and happiness all in one go. Whew!  What a rush! 

Thank you!

Yay, I did a good job.

I know that Jae touched on this earlier, but I wanted to add my five cents on this:

It seems strange that  remained "The Pharaoh" with them.

Let me start off with: I could be reading your comment wrong, and you meant "the pharaoh" as opposed to Anosukinom, not "the pharaoh" as opposed to Kudorin.  If you mean why aren't they calling him Anosukinom, well, I have no idea.  Gael refers to him that way once.

If you meant why aren't they calling him Kudorin, it's seemed to me so far in ITL that Kudorin's "the pharaoh" or "Anosukinom" as a rule, and the people who call him Kudorin are the exceptions.  It took Bade up until the point of marrying into the family to go ahead and call him Kudorin.  Xio Voe still won't say it.  Vade avoids it.  So far, I think that only his parents, Anikira, and his brothers (now including Bade) say it.

-Matthew

[LilacMajesty]

I won't even type  , I always type either the Pharaoh or Anosukinom.

[Matthew Haldeman-Time]

While I'm here:

All of the suitors get a short story.  (Except for Bade and Xio Voe.  We've seen quite enough of them already, thank you.)  So yes, you'll get to see more of Lansester, and learn about Wamesh and Jonan.

We saw more of Bade's set of suitors than Xio Voe's.  In part because Bade saw his fellow suitors as competition, and Xio Voe sees no one ever as competition for anything he wants.

The suitor's tales give us a good chance to check up on the guys, see what they're into, what happened to them, and why they showed up in the first place.

I wanted to post Lansester's tale with Gael's at the same time, but I have no idea when I'll get around to writing Lansester's, and I couldn't in good conscience withhold Gael's story.

Thank you all for the great comments!

-Matthew

[Matthew Haldeman-Time]

I won't even type  , I always type either the Pharaoh or Anosukinom.

Xio Voe and Remin approve.

-Matthew

[blondiechic0]

I would just like to point out that the best Suitor's Tale so far is dedicated to two absolutely awesome women. 

I would have said one, but hey!