bakerstreet | (no subject)

The Scheherazade / Harem Shipping Meme

Straight out of the Arabian Nights, or any variety of the spin-offs and spoofs since, in a beautiful and fantastical realm of magic and djinn. You may be the great ruler, prince, or sultana of the realm, or you may be the tribute, captive, or arranged marriage spouse brought before that ruler.

Scenarios:

1. Arranged Marriage - You’re both royals or nobles of some variety, but one of you has been sent far from home to be wedded to a stranger in a foreign land.
2. Ambition - You’re just one beauty in a harem of dozens—or hundreds—but you’re determined to stand out, to earn the exclusive attention of the ruler, and to take your place by their side as the ruler of this land.
3. Scheherazade - One night with the king (or queen). Perhaps your one-night spouse had their heart broken, like in the story. Perhaps they’re simply a monster, or they have other motives. They may kill you in the morning, unless you can convince them to delay, by at least one more day.
4. Tribute - Perhaps your land was conquered, or perhaps you’ve been sent here to secure an alliance. Either way, this wasn’t your idea, and you aren’t particularly happy about it.
5. Within the Harem - Both characters are residents of the harem. You hardly see the ruler, and they don’t matter. What does matter is the friendship—or love—that you have found within the harem, and, possibly, your plans for escape.
6. Outside the Harem - You’ve fallen in love with someone you shouldn’t. A guard, a servant, or someone outside the palace entirely. But in order to be with them, you’re going to have to break all the rules.
7. Arabian Nights - Wildcard scenario, play any elements from the Arabian Nights that you please. Magic carpets, powerful djinn, curses and treasure!

How to play:

-Post with your character, preferred role (ruler, harem, other), and any other relevant info
-Reply to others. Use RNG or choose your favourite scenario!

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originally posted by marlowe_tops

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Katie. She's Katie. It beats in his head like a quiet drum. Katie. Matt and the Commander's sister. They'd talked about her, quiet, laughing, affectionate with deep love. Katie. Precious to them. So - precious to him. And he saw the uncertainty in her eyes when she looked at him. Monster. Creature. Lost boy. His eyes trace down to her hiding move, see the hand shadowed by the pulled down sleeve. Katie.

He hadn't been able to protect her family. Was he really allowed to have a second chance?

Would he take that second chance if it was given to him?]

Katie. [His voice was soft now, steady again. Another chance. Maybe for both of them. He pulled in a breath and counted its slow exhale in his mind. His human hand reached out and long, large fingers closed over her hand. Gentle, Katie was precious, but firm - because Katie was a Holt. And the Holts he knew were tenacious. She hadn't needed to give him a second chance. She could have turned away or blamed him. He held out his other hand, palm up. An offer of damaged to damaged. And he met her eyes with his, sure.]

We'll get them back. We'll get them all back. I promise.

[ When Shiro holds out his other hand, Katie flinches, briefly taking on the look of a cat, whose space had been invaded, as if to draw her left arm away from him and his mechanical arm. She insists on using her right hand, meeting Shiro's eyes sternly. still accepting his proferred one, even if the resulting contact isn't so ideal. ]

Yeah. We will. Just-- [ She becomes aware that she's speaking to someone who, by all respects, is her superior officer now. But since he's not pulling rank and whatnot, Katie decides to take advantage of that. She takes a breath as she registers that his arm is not out to hurt her. Her shorter fingers barely allow her to make a proper grip about Shiro's bigger hand, but she grips what she can and her eyes soften. ] please don't freak out on me like that again, okay? I know you're cooler than that.

[She has every right in the worlds to turn away from him, to reject him. He had earned it and he deserved it and if she did - if she did it was something he would accept.

Except her hand closed over his instead and hung on and he felt that horrible tearing inside his chest, as if his heart was somehow beating again and vulnerable.

He's not her commanding officer yet. He's not anyone's commanding officer. Because no one has accepted him in that role yet and no matter how much the queen wants that, he knows its not her choice. It's theirs.

But he'll take the role, if they'll give it to him. Because its a chance. For all of them. There's something in the edges of his lips this time, something soft, something that might be the memory of a smile for Katie and he stands up, getting back to his feet in one easy, long, slow move. He lets go of her hand, but his human hand finds her shoulder and he looks down at her. And there, might, just maybe, be a touch of humor in his eyes.]

No. I'm not. But I won't lose it again either. [His hand on her shoulder gives a very gentle squeeze. This could be his team. And if it is, they need him to be stronger than that. So he will. His voice is firm as he looks at the rest of the small group and there's the sound of who he once was in it.] Huddle up, Team Voltron. Let's figure out who we all are.

[ Allura had been watching the exchange from her side of the hangar with Coran, wondering if there was any reason to intervene. But she knows Katie to be very capable of handling herself, and her talk with Shiro turned out quite well. She sees Katie follow Shiro with her eyes, shadow of a smile playing at her lips. That is a good thing. Truly, who would have thought that the Paladins were somehow connected? ]

'Team Voltron', is it?

[ In her mind, she hears the soft and happy chord, indicative of the lions' quintessence in peaceful harmony. She looks at Shiro with the rest and she feels vindicated, that her faith had not been misplaced. "So long as there is an Altean in this castle, there is hope," her father used to say, and his words ring true.

After a gentle reminder from Coran and him fussing over her injuries, Allura gears her mind for a fight -- the first in a long war, if Zarkon is to have any say on it. Speaking clearly, she addresses Shiro. ]

They're in your hands now. I trust you will good care of them.

[ The tall lanky one, for a breath, had looked as if the idea isn't sitting too well with him, and the stockier one looks to Allura as if he wanted to say something to her but decided against it. Misgivings certainly cannot be discounted, but in the end, the young men know that their duty comes first, and they turn their attention to Shiro. There will be time for talking if they make sure they live another day. Keith, however, shows no qualms over Shiro's leadership, and it shows markedly on how he stands -- a subtle kind of confidence Allura hadn't seen until that moment. ]

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no subject

idk if I got the correct arm reference here, but lemme know if I need to change this up!

works for me!

Re: works for me!