By Giorgio_filippini_photographer

i should leave

making art is just like showering………can’t get up and do it, can’t stop when you’ve started. you want to crawl out of your skin if you don’t do it often enough. everything in the world is the exact same

“One kiss, and you think the world is upside down.”

“Two kisses,” I say. And I take him by the back of his neck.

—From Chapter 62, Carry On by Rainbow Rowell.

A silly, utterly inconsequential thing that caught me in Tomb Of Dragons.

Maia wearing amethysts. Twice.

Does that matter? Means anything? Likely not. And yet, that trifling detail won’t leave me alone.

Doylist explanation: KA didn’t feel like coming up with a different outfit for someone who isn’t the main character in the novel. Completely understandable. However, since when has she balked at meticulous descriptions of different clothes?

So.

In-universe possible explanations.

1) The edocharei have settled on Edrehasivar VII’s Signature Look. Grey and purple go together so maybe amethysts look nice with Maia’s skin.  And a year in they have decided they can safely branch out from Traditional Pearls/Moonstones/Opals/Diamonds/General Whiteness  to embrace other colors than Drazhada Amber.

2.a) Csethiro made a favorable remark once and Maia has seized on a chance to make her happy even in a small way.

2.b) They are a gift (maybe a betrothal one? I can see formal exchanges of gifts preceding a marriage in elven culture) from Csethiro herself and Maia wants to both make her happy and make A Statement that his future wife has his imperial favor.

3) Maia simply likes them.

In my head, in the last case, the edocharei burst in the kitchen/servant hall of the Alcethmeret in tears because: “His Serenity likes amethysts!” “He ACTUALLY SAID so! ‘These look very nice’!”

General bewilderment.

“We swear we’re not joking. His Serenity, entirely unprompted, has expressed a personal preference.”

General chaos, more tears, wild cheering.

“Break out the good wine and send a page to light some candles to Cstheio in thanks, it took a year but we have a second preference beside chamomile tea!”

There are several moments in tge where Maia is just the Most eighteen, and I would like to posit one of my favorites:

Min Vechin, who Maia is very attracted to: hey :) I've noticed you're attracted to me...want to do something about that?

Maia, experiencing the entire spectrum of human half-goblin emotion at once: NO THANK YOU. GOODNIGHT. MA'AM.

Maia: *turns on his heel and walks out, followed by his nohecharei who got to watch that entire fumble*

These bitches are gonna be the death of me

The Emperor, the Empress and the Actually Lord Chancellor Emperor's Secretary

Live, laugh, Edrehasivar VII

“I love thee still.”

Happy Birthday to YSA!