But Mother's Day is a difficult one still, and brain refused to cooperate.

So instead, I offer you Mother's Guardian, a beautiful piece by my dear friend MCA Hogarth - if Seda had a displacer beast friend, I guarantee she'd make sure he had a favourite plush toy.

https://www.zazzle.com/mothers_guardian_poster-228417206420571396

While I was writing Catarina Claes MUST DIE!, there was a particular song that played while I was listening to my iTunes library whose lyrics caught my attention, the song in question being “Mr. Highway’s Thinking About The End” by A Day to Remember. After listening to the lyrics, I came to realize they fit how I wanted to write Henrietta and captured her mindset perfectly. I ended up listening to the song on repeat so I could get in that mood. Now some of the interpretation might be a stretch, but it’s how I interpreted it when I was writing out Henrietta.

Here’s a link to the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nljMAYBtLfE

Now for the interpretation and how it inspired me in writing Henrietta

First Verse:

Wake up! Oh, how the times have changed You're not the person I knew back then Let's get this straight This is a calling When will they stop falling for this? You lack all inspiration We are not the same I'll do whatever it takes To get it through to you And we'll call this a day We're not the same You are worthless Stay in your place

For me, this represents Henrietta after she regains her memories and her initial frustration with Francine, who disagrees with her view of Catarina. She “knows” Catarina is a villainess and is frustrated that Francine and others don’t see it that way, but she’s going to get it across one way or another.

Chorus:

It's like speaking in tongues To all of you now When will we ever (when will we ever) get what we deserve? How long until the tables turn? When will we ever (when will we ever) get what we deserve?

Again, Henrietta’s frustration that no one believes her, and also her impatience awaiting for Catarina’s presumed doom. In her past life, she was relentlessly bullied, and seeing Catarina die horribly gave her solace. In her twisted mind, seeing Catarina’s doom in-person is her reward for her previous miserable life.

Second Verse:

I've created a monster You bring out a side of me that no one should see So quit stalling, pack your bags Keep walking away Your life leads to destruction We are not the same I've struggled too long to sit back And let you take this from me We are not the same I have given everything 

Henrietta’s thoughts towards Catarina. Her destruction hasn’t come like she’s expected it to, and Henrietta feels cheated out of her “just reward” for the suffering she endured. So she decides to bring it about herself, feeling Catarina’s done something to cheat her out of it.

Breakdown:

Disrespect your surroundings You won't make it out alive You won't make it out alive You won't make it out alive You won't make it out alive 

Henrietta at the height of her madness. At this point, she doesn’t give a damn what people think about her. Catarina will die, and she’s going to make sure it happens. She knows how well-liked Catarina is, but she knows “the truth”, so she’s “disrespecting her surroundings” by daring to go against everyone.

Final Chorus:

It's like speaking in tongues To all of you now When will we ever (when will we ever) get what we deserve? How long until the tables turn? When will we ever (when will we ever) get what we deserve? When will we ever get what we deserve? When will we ever get what we deserve?

This repetition of the chorus is much more mournfully sung. For me, it represents Henrietta getting found out, getting arrested, and still nobody believing her. The only hope she has at this point is that Catarina is exposed and that her view of Catarina is vindicated. She still thinks it’ll come, but she’s depressed that nobody has realized it sooner.

 Ysmere flinched as an unexpected finger jabbed him in the ribs, he looked down to see Varric retracting one stubby finger from the small gap in his leather armour just under his arm. 

 “Soo, Ginger... You and the Seeker, huh?” The dwarf gave him a sly look. 

 “... What?” Ysmere paused, his feet sinking in the ruddy sands of the Approach. 

 “Oh c’mon... I’ve seen the way you look at her.” Varric grinned. 

 “Is there something I should know?” Dorian teased, arching an eyebrow at him.

 “Apparently I’m leaving you for Cassandra.” Ysmere replied with an airy wave of his hand. 

Dorian grabbed his chest, theatrically stricken. “No! Whatever shall I do?! Please, please, tell me it isn’t true, Amatus!”  

  “I’m afraid so, ma’lath.” The Inquisitor said gravely. “If Varric said so, then clearly, it must be true. Fare thee well, ma’Enlea! May you find someone more worthy of your affections than this loathsome and wanton elf.” He swept his brow dramatically with the back of his wrist as he finished. 

 “Alright, alright, I get it-” Varric raised his hands in submission. 

 “Seriously though, where have you been for the past, what, Six, seven months, Varric?” Iron Bull put in, shaking his head. “I thought you said you were an observer.” 

 “Apparently my observational skills aren’t entirely infallible and I, very occasionally, miss some small details.” Varric shrugged. 

 “Right... Like the dancing at Halamshiral...?” Ysmere smirked, bumping shoulders playfully with Dorian. 

 “I just thought you two were probably drunk-” 

 “Oh, we were. Very drunk.” Dorian put in, amused. 

 “and wanting to stir up some shit at the Winter Palace.” 

 “Varric, I had just knifed the Empress’ cousin, in front of the entire court, not three hours before-”

  “Not one of your more politic moves there, Boss...” 

 “Dorian and I could have danced naked and it would still have been one of the lesser scandals of the night.” 

 “There was a great deal of naked dancing that night, if I recall...” Dorian smiled. 

 “Wait. There was naked dancing, and I missed it?” Bull seemed almost offended. 

 “It was private invitation only, I’m afraid.” Ysmere said loftily, sharing in Dorian’s smile. 

 “Yes, you’ll have to forward ahead if you wish an invitation to the Inquisitor’s next Nudists Ball. It’s all very exclusive.” The mage’s haughty tone was betrayed by the sparkle in his eyes and the mirth tugging at the corners of his lips. Ysmere’s shoulders shook with silent laughter, while Bull’s laugh was loud and raucous. Varric shook his head and started walking. 

 “Damn, That’s a ball I woul-” Bull was cut off by the shattering roar of a massive dragon dragging her claws briefly over the sandstone arch over the ravine up ahead.   “Shit.” Varric swore shortly.   “Would you look! Magnificent! Tell me we’re going to fight her, Boss!”  Bull was wild-eyed as he watched the dragon fly directly overhead. 

 “I’d say there’s a fair-to-decent chance.” Ysmere replied blandly, though his eyes betrayed his excitement. 

 “Vishante kaffas...” Dorian murmured tightly, looking an altogether different sort of wild-eyed as he saw the look on the Inquisitor’s face. 

~~~

So, this bit of random dialogue with Varric has come up in multiple play throughs, every time I was not romancing Cassandra. I just had to do something about it. So you can blame Varric’s apparently terrible observational skills for this bit of silliness. 

I was not tagged. I stole this from @dancinbutterfly because I told myself that it’s gonna be the last thing i do before i stop procrastinating.

Line: .“You are such a nerd, I can’t believe you fooled everyone into thinking you are cool.”, he says through his laughter. By all the gods, I missed you, he thinks, hoping his laughter doesn’t come across as too hysterical.”

working on a couple new pieces. my process involves thinking of the idea and then brooding on it and randomly thinking of ideas throughout the day until i have reached brooding criticality. then i get radiation sickness and vomit it up.