![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lonesparkReference to misgendering, speculating about genitals, fantasy culture gender, RPF
When it's slow in the shop, Silvis often finds Riva scribbling furiously at her desk.
"What are you writing about?"
"Things..."
"'...he worships his king with tender kisses, savoring every sight, and sound, and taste, and touch...' '...the crown feels less heavy with his beloved mage by his side...' Do other people read this?"
"Interested parties do, yes."
"But they're real people!"
"I'm not saying it's real. The story is in an alternate reality."
"What about the queen?"
"Alternate. Reality! Although as far as the queen goes, sharing is caring. Do you want to read that part?"
"No. Maybe. I'll think about it."
"Sometimes we change things a lot. Like, they're elves. Or werebanthers. Or they run a teashop and their kids set them up on a date. People write about legendary and historic people too, if you're more comfortable with that. My friend just sent me this. It's about Daiyan and his first love. Full of sweetness and angst."
"I'm not that up on ancient Katolis history, but I never heard of any of the Blessed Three having any other loves."
"He's an original character. From when Daiyan was young, before he came to Katolis."
"So you just mix made-up characters and real people from history and write about them kissing?"
"Sure. It's fun."
"Do you do research about the real people?"
"Some people don't, but I do what I can. It's not like I have access to a library of ancient records. I just know the same stories and songs everyone else does, and those don't all agree."
"Like god stories, I guess."
"Yeah. And that's just as well, because people like different things. For example, Ziyali... No one knows the answer to 'What did they look like naked?' so our imaginations have free reign."
Riva patted an unruly pile parchment, then pulled a few sheets loose.
"In this story they have a body like mine. In this one more like yours. In this one they're a geth pella, and people won't stop calling them a woman til they burn down half the city. In this one they're an eldritch being from the ancient depths of the world, with genitals that can be reshaped at will, but default to some really interesting tentacles."
Riva responded to Silvis's skeptical frown with a laugh.
"I do think that one's more historically unlikely, but Ziyali probably encouraged it. Anyway, it's fun!"
When it's slow in the shop, Silvis often finds Riva scribbling furiously at her desk.
"What are you writing about?"
"Things..."
"'...he worships his king with tender kisses, savoring every sight, and sound, and taste, and touch...' '...the crown feels less heavy with his beloved mage by his side...' Do other people read this?"
"Interested parties do, yes."
"But they're real people!"
"I'm not saying it's real. The story is in an alternate reality."
"What about the queen?"
"Alternate. Reality! Although as far as the queen goes, sharing is caring. Do you want to read that part?"
"No. Maybe. I'll think about it."
"Sometimes we change things a lot. Like, they're elves. Or werebanthers. Or they run a teashop and their kids set them up on a date. People write about legendary and historic people too, if you're more comfortable with that. My friend just sent me this. It's about Daiyan and his first love. Full of sweetness and angst."
"I'm not that up on ancient Katolis history, but I never heard of any of the Blessed Three having any other loves."
"He's an original character. From when Daiyan was young, before he came to Katolis."
"So you just mix made-up characters and real people from history and write about them kissing?"
"Sure. It's fun."
"Do you do research about the real people?"
"Some people don't, but I do what I can. It's not like I have access to a library of ancient records. I just know the same stories and songs everyone else does, and those don't all agree."
"Like god stories, I guess."
"Yeah. And that's just as well, because people like different things. For example, Ziyali... No one knows the answer to 'What did they look like naked?' so our imaginations have free reign."
Riva patted an unruly pile parchment, then pulled a few sheets loose.
"In this story they have a body like mine. In this one more like yours. In this one they're a geth pella, and people won't stop calling them a woman til they burn down half the city. In this one they're an eldritch being from the ancient depths of the world, with genitals that can be reshaped at will, but default to some really interesting tentacles."
Riva responded to Silvis's skeptical frown with a laugh.
"I do think that one's more historically unlikely, but Ziyali probably encouraged it. Anyway, it's fun!"
