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Villainous characters had epic highs, epic lows, and epic loves. The Emperor loved like an apocalypse. In real life, people let you go. That was why people longed for the love from stories, love that felt more real than real love.
“When the story takes and twists you, will you beg for mercy?”
“By the time I’m done with it, the story will beg me for mercy.”
Men didn’t enjoy being insulted. Emer knew this, as she insulted them often.
Lol
Pain is the place where we’re alone. We wish we weren’t. But we always are.
It was well-known Marius had no sense of humour, so he didn’t have to.
“There’s no shortage of skeletons. People are always leaving them behind.
Everyone got him wrong. Who was he really? “Prince of princes, emperor divine. Hope reborn, love of mine. Oh how we adore you, we are waiting for you, when will you come home?”
Hellooooo foreshadow
What would you be, if you weren’t well rounded but the broken pieces of a character made to be used and tossed aside?
You could dismiss someone with ‘all he cares about is money’, never acknowledging what money might mean. Not a useless luxury but your future, the life of someone you loved, or the last thing you could ever do for them.
“I do not enjoy when men explain things to me,”
“You don’t have to kill if you don’t like it,” Key promised. “I’ll kill them for you.” “Kill who?” Against her hair, she felt his mouth curve. “Everyone.”
“She was nearly killed by royal assassins. Burn down the palace until you smoke out who ordered it, then have their heart and eyes torn out. Give them to her on a plate.” Key sneered. “What’s the point of power, if you never do anything worthwhile?”
Period, Key
If people already believed you a villain, any self-defence sounded like a confession.
This man was so vain, he probably thought the troubadours’ songs were about him.
Okay, Carly Simon
“Why did you join our law-making assembly if you insist on being a criminal?” “Make better laws or make criminals,” the Cobra snapped back. “The crimes will continue until the justice system improves.”
Who else could the Emperor be?
Girl, be so for real
“You’re the necessary evil to me.”
“Hands off,” Key said simply. “I am your king!” Key shrugged. “Hands off, Your Majesty.” Voice thick with blood, Octavian snarled, “Are you mad?” Delighted, deranged, Key smiled. “Yes.”
“Sometimes rage is all women can give each other.
You will never be the hero to me.
The Golden Brothel, the treasure chest of the city. The wicked marquis’s hoard was the lives of those discounted as worthless. Isn’t character who you are when nobody is there to see you?
Who can believe the wicked? The wicked could believe in themselves. The world was hard and cruel. It bore down and broke you into a thousand pieces. When nobody believed in you, when even you couldn’t believe, you must arrange your broken pieces into a terrifying new shape. You could believe in the fantastic recreation of yourself.
You’re the only story I ever believed in.”
