Windenburg Village
WIlliam
William heard the commotion before he saw it. He spotted Dylan weaving his way in and out of tables, trying to avoid the fight. He thought about calling out but it was already strange enough that he knew Dylan’s favorite coffee spot.
Knew because he followed and watched him like a bloody stalker.
No, better to just pretend to run into him inside.
William ducked around the opposite side of the ruckus so Dylan wouldn’t see him.
He thought about getting involved but if he got involved in every supernatural altercation, he’d never have any time for himself. Besides, he wasn’t carrying a sword and given what he knew about the relationship between the fae floating above the crowd and the pixie running away, this was 100% none of his damn business.
He waited a few minutes, giving Dylan time to get situated and then stepped into the cafe.
Where was Dylan? Had he waited too long? William glanced around, half expecting to find the baker hiding in a corner.
“Yoo-hoo! Over here!”
That voice—William locked eyes with the Sage of Untamed Magic.
Shite. Well, option two was to work on his investigation. Maybe this visit wouldn’t be a complete waste and he could track down Dylan later.
He kept an affable look on his face as he approached. “I didn’t think the Sages ever came down from the Realm of Magic.”
“I was in town for business,” Morgyn shrugged. “Sit,” they gestured, “I’ve ordered you a drink. Americano, your favorite.”
William accepted the cup but gave it a surreptitious sniff before drinking. He didn’t ask how the Sage knew what he drank because the answer was likely magic.
“I wasn’t sure how much money you had after paying for the witch to enact that curse,” Morgyn continued.
William choked on his drink but managed to keep a straight face. “Well, that’s a startling accusation. Is that blue silk? A suit like that seems tailor made for cufflinks.”
Morgyn smiled and William pushed that smile, alluring as it was, to the back of his mind. “I know Sages do not prefer to rush anything but Morgyn, may I call you Morgyn?”
The Sage nodded.
“Morgyn, there was a fire at Straud Manor. Someone made a careless mistake and dropped a pair of cufflinks with your insignia. Seems to me that same someone wanted to send a message…” William let the implication of the statement hang in the air.
“Is it the way of Vladislaus to engage in such niceties before declaring war?” Morgyn skimmed the cream off the top of their coffee and William tracked the movement with a shiver. “Is that what you advise him on? Diplomacy?”
He advised Vladislaus as erosion advised a rock into sand: slowly, sometimes violently.
“Do the Sages wish for war over something so small as a summons?” William said instead. “Or is there something you want with The Owl and you think a war with Vladislaus is a path to get it?”
Morgyn laughed. “Everyone wants things, William. Do you think Vladislaus wants to be an imitation of his darker self? Do you think he would applaud your interference or see it as a betrayal? Did you consider that it would drive a wedge between you?”
Guilt crept down William’s spine and he could not contain his growl. This was a mistake. Trying to charm the Sage of Untamed Magic made him feel clumsy and unpracticed. He wanted to laugh when he should be annoyed, snarl when he should be patient. He needed to get his head on right before diving back in.
William stood.
“I’d rather you stayed,” the Sage contended. “You don’t have questions for me? About my alliances? My plans? I am willing to let you conduct an interrogation…of course, not in so public a place.”
Will you walk into my parlor, said the spider to the fly? 6 William’s mother had read that poem and now, as he felt himself drawn to Morgyn, the words popped into his head.
Learn to play dead.
“It does not appear that an interrogation would yield any useful results,” William replied evenly.
“I’ll be at Morty’s Rooftop Garden. 8pm.”
“For an ambush?” William huffed.
Morgyn looked thoughtful and for a second. “I was thinking more like a date.” The Sage snapped their fingers and disappeared. When William looked down, the cufflinks were in his hand. Morgyn Ember was making a point: they did not make careless mistakes.
Oh wow—when I wasn’t absorbed in this chapter, I was in a state of “how the heck did you get all that coordinated.” Akira alone had multiple prop changes… during the scene? Ooooof. But I’m digging everyone’s motivations that they’re not entirely revealing and little everyday things that they’re doing in between time-loop-defining events. This is the deconstruction I want: for someone who can’t watch superhero movies because they find the socioeconomic and environmental impact of collateral damage during a fight more interesting than the fight itself, Miko interrupting her own time-loop pontificating with “mmm, croissants—oh my god is that my asshole ex again” was just perfection. Waiting (or maybe you already did it? there are a lot of moving parts) for the scene where the person with fascinating time powers wrecks everything because they didn’t want to get out of bed and were groggily lying on their pillow looking at /r/birdswitharms instead.
Oh, so it’s not just Alice. Everyone’s normal-people powers are just as relevant as their magic powers. At least that’s what I got out of people who are pure magic or can fly trying to seduce major players at a coffeeshop.
Keeping my eyes open for hints about how the time loop affects people who aren’t aware of it. I can certainly see this becoming relevant in Vlad and Alice’s future, and maybe that’s why they’ve fallen for each other so quickly, because they’ve done so 999 times before. At least there’s the romance-is-epic-because-the-time-loop-is-centered-around-it feeling but there’s probably deeper levels to catch.
Deacon is giving me Josh Chan vibes and I will always treasure that class of vibe (for the uninitiated: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3_NELleDYc). I’m naming Caleb’s college look “Daddy’s Porsche.” And WHO PUT VLAD IN THAT JACKET. How hard were you laughing when you put him in that jacket? Was falling out of the chair involved? Because it almost was for me, dammit.
And I see that “like” inserted in the middle of a sentence with no commas.
Ugh I wrote such a good reply to this and wordpress betrayed me. Let me see what I can replicate:
-Oh you saw that “like”? ::laughs maniacally::
-Have never seen My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend but OMG if Deacon was a person this would be it. Daddy’s Porsche LOLOOLOLOL yes.
-Burning down Vlad’s house and forcing him to dress like a college student is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made as an author. I have many more outfits planned. I would like to stretch this torture out for as long as I can!
-How does a time loop affect people who aren’t aware of it, Miko?” ::stares directly into the camera:: Yeah, Alice/Vlad definitely have some fated-epic-love stuff because of the time loop, even if they don’t remember what happened, the emotional tracks are still there. Miko’s problem is that while the time loops sear in positive emotions (Alice and Vlad fall in love faster and faster with no problem) so do the negative emotions. Bloodvein, who might’ve been mildly threatening and capable of some small betrayal in time loop #1 becomes a psychopath bent on destroying his enemies at any cost by time loop #999. She’s isn’t solving problems by looping, she’s creating new ones.
– Yes! love that you caught the “supernatural powers are not the only tool” thing. Part of this is the limitation of the Sims (how may times can you really use the “cast spell” animation?) but the other part of it is that I think it’s way more interesting if supernatural power is not the first thing they reach for. Also, I’m trying REAL HARD not to write myself into a corner by making such overpowered characters that it’s unbelievable that they could ever lose.
-Coordinating the scene was a beast. An attach on myself, perpetrated by myself. I actually had to write to sketch it out to figure out where everyone needed to be standing. It was insane.
– Ummm I had something so smart about your superhero movies comment! But yes! Like I love a fight scene, but that’s not always the most interesting thing. Plus, all the characters in this story are long-lived and hard to kill, actually trying to deal with everyday life is way more challenging for them.
Oh P.S. – only pure magic itself is good enough for my William.
Ok, from the top:
Morgyn – So I haven’t mentioned, but the untamed magic sage is basically my ultimate sim crush so I find it difficult to comment on anything that happens in an unbiased way. I shall reserve judgement 😆(Sidenote – so many people do things in this universe do things “for love” – if only they weren’t so desperately at odds woth each other. All those misunderstandings alone can blow up the world with beings this powerful!)
Ok, this is where my organised commentary reached the not so organise WTF is going on 😂 I sure did not expect Miko’s commotion and Morgyn apoearing at the same time. I have to say, while we only get a tiny sliver of Miko and Akira I feel like their love story is even beyond Vlad and Alice (gasp). I’m not sure why I feel that way. Like I said I don’t normally even like them as townies, but you’ve turned them into something else. Maybe I like the doomed ones.
And lol for the ending! Miko tries so hard to be in control. It gives me the vibes of trying so hard to actually manage to do a job that you totally lied on your resume to get 😆
“White wine told me this was “totally doable” and would work out fine. White wine was wrong”
Bwahaha isn’t it always 😂 Sleep deprivation and rum told me that using 40+ sims in the same screenshots was totally okay and not at all problematic, too. The things we do for our stories 🤣
Ooooh, I like the little bit of insight we get into Morgyn and how they were one of the ones that created the owl. So Morgyn and Miko can both mess with time at will. That must be a real headache to deal with in the long term – so many variables and things that can change because of very small actions. Oops, and Miko lost track of Alice. I want to feel bad for her, but so far everyone has been trying to use Alice for their own gain like some go-to marionette. At least Vlad feels conflicted about it.
Bwahaha, yes William, go make some moves on someone 😂 clearly preparing for one hell of a fight, infiltrating a basilisk lair, making Vlad sign paperwork and finding someone to get laid with are all equally crucially important 🤣
THANK YOU FOR FEELING MY PAIN! HAHAAHHA. Okay I gotta see this 40+ sims in the same screenshots. Tales of Camelot is on my list.
:: edit :: I already started reading it an omfg it’s good.
Ummm, you’ve got good insight! People treat Alice like she is a tool they can use for their own means. Vlad feels conflicted about it because they think of him in much the same way.
Ooohh boy, these characters all delude themselves about their motives. William is no exception…
Naww, thank you <3 I made it to season 3 of chaotic bakie, woo! (I mean Baking By Death, lol) We're playing D&D this weekend but with a bit of luck next week is slow at work, and I can get caught up fully! 😁
WOW THE REVEAL IS LIKE A STRIP SHOW IN THIS CHAPTER. Everything is getting removed. Meoooowza.
Morgyn isn’t just a sage. They are magic. They are (what’s bigger than a god?)… a titan? Like Morgyn and L. Faba are a duo. LMAO at Simeon only being a member of the magic club, in name only.
And then Morgyn, in one of the many time loops, had a romance with William. OKAY HOLY SHIT.
LOL at Vlad having to suffer in College clothes but also enjoying Alice wearing them. Vlad is all over the place. lolol
William the doubtful, or maybe he just doesn’t like that he isn’t needed by Vlad, now that Alice has been given the reigns. For real, William and Caleb need to work out their codependence issues with Vlad because they don’t know everything even though they act like they do.
Wow. Valet Caleb is less codependent and ragging on William. Okay, maybe he is applying the therapy to his life. Maaaybe. We’ll see…
William, please get laid. Before the invention of cars?!?! SERIOUSLY?!?!?!
I will have to comment the rest later.
LOL I don’t know why I hate Simeon so much, but he deserves to be part of the no magic club. I’m so glad you enjoyed this chapter! It was such a bitch to shoot, and this was before I knew all the tricks I know now!
I think what you’re seeing is William trying to work through his codependency issues in real time. And I think it’s fair to say that when Vlad needs him, he is there. But when vlad starts healing and moving on, he discards him and meanwhile, William has built his life around taking care of Vlad.
But he does need to get laid. Maybe by a certain magic hottie…
Simeon has a face that looks like it needs to be punched ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It *almost* seems like a dick move on Vlads part to just toss William to the side, but he might not realize what he’s doing or how William feels. Miscommunication makes it really hard to assign “blame” to a side 😅
100% you are correct! I mean, all these characters are in their feelings and they aren’t wrong, per see. Clearly, I just love making everything complicated!
Hahahaha. But you know, life is full of complications. Sometimes nobody is right, sometimes everyone is write. It’s complicated. You write about real life so there will be complications <3
There is a theme about plants and getting freaky-deeky in your stories, Ferosh. First you have Ana in the garden sucking ghost pecker (not to be confused with ghost peppers), and now you have Akira entertaining the thought of sticking a rose up his pooper, if Akira so wishes lol.
LMAO at Akira pulling out his sword and Miko liking it. Yeah girl, I bet you do.
Okay, okay, okay, okay…. Morgyn making sure the dweeb in the glasses got into the fight, was THAT intentional b/c they know William has a …. “type” ?!?!?! And HOW CONVENIENT that Morgyn JUST ORDERED William a coffee. And, was it magic that Morgyn knew what to order for William (William’s thoughts) or was it ACTUALLY b/c in some version of this world, they dated, so most likely Morgyn KNEW how William liked his coffee? 😀
Do you think Vladislaus wants to be an imitation of his darker self? Do you think he would applaud your interference or see it as a betrayal? Did you consider that it would drive a wedge between you?”
OH FUCK, MIC DROP. Two points for Sage House!
Hahaha Morgyn asking William on a date. Morgyn is thirsting to rekindle what they had in a lifetime ago, but will they be disappointed when the version of who they had is not necessarily the same version as William is here? They DO seem content with the William they have in The Strauds. Hmmm.
On the next episode of The God of Death and The God of Fear Bake Off, the contestants will stuff Jimena into an oven, close the door, and burn that witch to a crisp. Teehee.
Be honest, who doesn’t love Akira holding that sword. YASSSSS!!!!!
Oh gosh, now I am trying not to give too much away. It’s hard to comment on a story that’s already done because I sometimes forget what reveals will happen later. All I’ll say is that William and Morgyn have the most epic love story, though it is not without complication. Morgyn has loved William in every universe, and that’s all I’ll say about that for now.
LOLOLOL SHOVING JIMENA INTO THE OVEN.
(ummm get ready for Morgyn dropping mics left and right, btw)
Yo Akira holding a sword is my swooooon.
OH. FUCK. that’s hot.