For the ASOIAFkinkmeme, OF COURSE. And OH GOD HOLY SHIT DID THIS GET AWAY FROM ME. IT IS EMBARRASSINGLY LONG. LIKE IT IS OVER 5,000 WORDS. FOR A KINK MEME. IDK IDK river_soul I BLAME YOOOOOU
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THIS WAS BEAUTIFUL AND ANGSTY AND AMAZING AND MAYBE MY FAVORITE THING YOU'VE EVER WRITTEN!!!
From the moment I read the description of this fic, I knew I would love it, and you did not disappoint. Brandon/Cat/Ned dynamics interest me a lot, and this Is such a good examination of them. I love that Brandon starts out seeming like a charming, devoted husband; it makes his eventual retreat all the more painful for Cat whose hopes have been thoroughly crushed. Brandon's insensitivity may be the worst part. Not only does he fail to be discreet in his infidelities, but he doesn't care about acclimating Cat to Winterfell at all. Bad, bad husband! My girl Cat deserves so much better!
Ned is so endearing, asking Cat to dance, telling her Northern stories, tracing the halls on her palm(!), and just generally trying to make her feel better. I love that he asks her about Riverrun because of course, Brandon wouldn't. Yay for the image of Cat and Lysa practicing self-defense on Edmure! Cat's growing appreciation for Ned's qualities works so naturally. Ned seems less charming, but he's so much more thoughtful, and bonding with him is much more rewarding.
Your portrayal of Catelyn is just perfect. She is insecure but trying to make it through, acknowledging the benefits of her life even as she resents Brandon. The way Cat thinks about reaching out to Ned (wanting to ask why he cares more than Brandon, wanting to ask him to enter her chambers) but stops herself captures her dutifulness. Likewise, I love that she feels guilty about starting to look forward to the feasts. Cat telling Ned not to pretend that things are not as they are is totally canon!Cat as well.
The evolution of Ned and Cat's relationship is gorgeous, and it's easy to fall in love with them as they're falling in love with each other. Using Lysa's visit as a breaking point is an excellent choice, and the wounded soldier metaphor is great. That first kiss is described beautifully. You killed me when Cat felt worse thinking that Ned might not be interested in her than she felt about cheating, especially as we can see that Ned is just as attracted to her and just as bound by family, duty, honor. Ned and Cat's consummation is intimate and lovely and just GUH!
The ending with the idea that they will not be able to be together in the future is so sad and perfect. Ned and Cat are so well-matched, and it's terrible to see them in this reality where that's not much of a possibility even as they are bound to faithless spouses. I'm going to sync this fic up with your other piece on Cat cheating with Ned while married to Brandon. If Brandon and Barbrey are preoccupied with each other, then Ned and Cat might as well continue their post-feast wine sessions, XD!
I definitely think Brandon would just be inconsiderate/clueless - he's all about the short act of courting a lady, wooing her and getting her into bed, and has no idea how to be MARRIED. I think he's just fundementally selfish and doesn't really consider outside what HE wants - the sole exception being Lyanna (in either a brotherly OR incestuous way, hahaha). THAT'S MY HEAD CANON. ;-) I do think he'd be super charming at the beginning and then just be like "eh, okay, bored now" and move onto something new. And of course Catelyn is kind of just left flailing because she thought she had this handsome, devoted, passionate husband and now he's like "oh, you're still here? Huh." I definitely think at the beginning Ned just felt bad that his brother was being such an insensitive asshole but of course it developed from there. =D
EEEE I'M SO GLAD YOU PICKED UP THE LINE ON CAT AND LYSA PRACTICING SELF-DEFENSE ON EDMURE. XD Because now I can share my head!canon story that when Catelyn's betrothal was announced, the Blackfish took them outside and showed them how to defend themselves against boys who would want to dishonor them. And then later a gleeful Catelyn and Lysa show their father LOOK WHAT UNCLE BLACKFISH TAUGHT US by beating the crap out of Edmure. And Hoster is of course horrified and angry that the Blackfish is teaching his high-born well-bred ladies to fight like fishwives but the Blackfish is not sorry in the slightest because they're his girls and he's not gonna leave them defenseless. And that's why Catelyn is kicking ass and SLITTING THROATS in the books, because the Blackfish taught her. Because how else would she know that shit?? XD XD XD XD
I am glad that you thought Catelyn felt right! I was a bit concerned since I normally don't write her so young and I do think it makes her more vulnerable than she is in the novels, thrown into an unfamiliar place with a husband who doesn't pay attention to her. And as duty bound as they are, I thought they definitely each needed a little 'push' - Lysa visiting (and feeling sorry for her sister's embarrassment) and Brandon announcing that Ned will marry Barbrey and the realization that Barbrey is obviously having an affair with Brandon. Hopefully when Ned realizes that Brandon is going to continue to stick himself in Ned's marriage, Ned won't have any qualms doing the same. XD
THIS WAS BEAUTIFUL AND ANGSTY AND AMAZING AND MAYBE MY FAVORITE THING YOU'VE EVER WRITTEN!!!
From the moment I read the description of this fic, I knew I would love it, and you did not disappoint. Brandon/Cat/Ned dynamics interest me a lot, and this Is such a good examination of them. I love that Brandon starts out seeming like a charming, devoted husband; it makes his eventual retreat all the more painful for Cat whose hopes have been thoroughly crushed. Brandon's insensitivity may be the worst part. Not only does he fail to be discreet in his infidelities, but he doesn't care about acclimating Cat to Winterfell at all. Bad, bad husband! My girl Cat deserves so much better!
Ned is so endearing, asking Cat to dance, telling her Northern stories, tracing the halls on her palm(!), and just generally trying to make her feel better. I love that he asks her about Riverrun because of course, Brandon wouldn't. Yay for the image of Cat and Lysa practicing self-defense on Edmure! Cat's growing appreciation for Ned's qualities works so naturally. Ned seems less charming, but he's so much more thoughtful, and bonding with him is much more rewarding.
Your portrayal of Catelyn is just perfect. She is insecure but trying to make it through, acknowledging the benefits of her life even as she resents Brandon. The way Cat thinks about reaching out to Ned (wanting to ask why he cares more than Brandon, wanting to ask him to enter her chambers) but stops herself captures her dutifulness. Likewise, I love that she feels guilty about starting to look forward to the feasts. Cat telling Ned not to pretend that things are not as they are is totally canon!Cat as well.
The evolution of Ned and Cat's relationship is gorgeous, and it's easy to fall in love with them as they're falling in love with each other. Using Lysa's visit as a breaking point is an excellent choice, and the wounded soldier metaphor is great. That first kiss is described beautifully. You killed me when Cat felt worse thinking that Ned might not be interested in her than she felt about cheating, especially as we can see that Ned is just as attracted to her and just as bound by family, duty, honor. Ned and Cat's consummation is intimate and lovely and just GUH!
The ending with the idea that they will not be able to be together in the future is so sad and perfect. Ned and Cat are so well-matched, and it's terrible to see them in this reality where that's not much of a possibility even as they are bound to faithless spouses. I'm going to sync this fic up with your other piece on Cat cheating with Ned while married to Brandon. If Brandon and Barbrey are preoccupied with each other, then Ned and Cat might as well continue their post-feast wine sessions, XD!
FANTASTIC JOB, BB!!!!
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I definitely think Brandon would just be inconsiderate/clueless - he's all about the short act of courting a lady, wooing her and getting her into bed, and has no idea how to be MARRIED. I think he's just fundementally selfish and doesn't really consider outside what HE wants - the sole exception being Lyanna (in either a brotherly OR incestuous way, hahaha). THAT'S MY HEAD CANON. ;-) I do think he'd be super charming at the beginning and then just be like "eh, okay, bored now" and move onto something new. And of course Catelyn is kind of just left flailing because she thought she had this handsome, devoted, passionate husband and now he's like "oh, you're still here? Huh." I definitely think at the beginning Ned just felt bad that his brother was being such an insensitive asshole but of course it developed from there. =D
EEEE I'M SO GLAD YOU PICKED UP THE LINE ON CAT AND LYSA PRACTICING SELF-DEFENSE ON EDMURE. XD Because now I can share my head!canon story that when Catelyn's betrothal was announced, the Blackfish took them outside and showed them how to defend themselves against boys who would want to dishonor them. And then later a gleeful Catelyn and Lysa show their father LOOK WHAT UNCLE BLACKFISH TAUGHT US by beating the crap out of Edmure. And Hoster is of course horrified and angry that the Blackfish is teaching his high-born well-bred ladies to fight like fishwives but the Blackfish is not sorry in the slightest because they're his girls and he's not gonna leave them defenseless. And that's why Catelyn is kicking ass and SLITTING THROATS in the books, because the Blackfish taught her. Because how else would she know that shit?? XD XD XD XD
I am glad that you thought Catelyn felt right! I was a bit concerned since I normally don't write her so young and I do think it makes her more vulnerable than she is in the novels, thrown into an unfamiliar place with a husband who doesn't pay attention to her. And as duty bound as they are, I thought they definitely each needed a little 'push' - Lysa visiting (and feeling sorry for her sister's embarrassment) and Brandon announcing that Ned will marry Barbrey and the realization that Barbrey is obviously having an affair with Brandon. Hopefully when Ned realizes that Brandon is going to continue to stick himself in Ned's marriage, Ned won't have any qualms doing the same. XD
THANK YOU AGAIN MUAH!!!!
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