Nicolas could not contain what was occurring within him, and often his deterioration became destructive and difficult to conceal from mortals. Despite the fact that I did not directly claim leadership in an official capacity, I had a position to maintain and I had already protected him on numerous occasions, whether he realised such or not, as had Eleni. I had to prove that the threats that I made were not just threats if someone stepped out of line, or be seen as ineffective and suffer further challenges. I could not exclude Nicolas from that.
On the occasion where I took his hands, it was take his hands or take his life; based on the transgressions involved, it could have seriously compromised our position in Paris had it not been corrected swiftly. He was so far gone that others began to talk of precisely that, and I could not allow it. Taking his hands limited him in a way that imprisonment could not possibly have achieved; he had escaped imprisonment before when it was imposed upon him. Imprisonment meant nothing to him because the true oubliette existed in his mind, and that was inescapable. It gave me control over him enough that he could not possibly leave and potentially worsen the situation. It also proved that I was willing to back up my threats and that I would not respond with inaction if I was questioned.
The choice that I made meant that he lived. It does not necessarily follow that it was a choice I made gladly, regardless.
It’s a touchy subject, recommending blogs, as inevitably I’ll leave someone out and then they may feel, well, LEFT OUT :-
I don’t follow as many RP blogs as I used to, it was too much to keep up with the various threads, some have gone inactive, new ones have started up… All attempts to make VC directories usually fail.
However, and that said, so you know I’m not playing favorites, there are some I remember by name, and so I tagged them below, but this is an incomplete list. Let’s make this an Ask Armand and Armand RPer roundup! People Off The Page, reblog/comment with any Ask Armand and Armand RPer blog I left out 😉
(in no special order, active-status not guaranteed):
Send me 🕗 and a year and I will give you a glimpse at what my character’s life was like at that point in time.
1986. You were new in the blood and full of wonder, spinning in circles as you saw each corner of the cities that we had chased each other around afresh. And more, increasingly more each night I found myself daring to be happy, letting you open me to each experience. It didn’t really matter if we lost our way on the paths we blazed through cities; it just meant more to discover with you. The nights were ours and we were equals in them at last, the sensation of your teeth breaking my skin juxtaposed with neon lights and endless possibility.
And of course, there was always the Night Island to return to; always the crash of the surf to stand in, the beach to wander at will together in intense conversation, and the gleaming white fortress of our own Villa of the Mysteries. It was idyllic. It was everything either of us had ever hoped for, everything I had denied myself and everything that I now gave myself over to.
I will never regret that time, regardless of where the future leaves us.
Usually I can break into the other person’s mind and prevent attacks that way if I wish. The fight is often over before it begins in such situations as some find it difficult to defend both mind and body from attack simultaneously.
Alternatively, I tend to rely more upon speed and weak points in muscles and bone structure as my preferred method of attack. Knowing which joints are vulnerable or which pressure points will hurt enough to stall someone’s defences can be very useful. Crippling an opponent at the knees, for example, is useful if they exceed you in general height and weight.
Physical weapons are rarely a necessity for me. I was trained in how to use a rapier, but since it was not an advantage for me as a mortal, I prefer to use other methods. Swordplay is not much use in an era where guns and knives seem to be preferred weaponry.
Essentially, my preferred fighting style is the style that ensures I do not lose in a given situation.
// I love that you asked this. Pahaha. In answer to your question, Armand could definitely not wield Mjolnir, for a few reasons. The first is that historically, he tends to refuse having actual power and just orchestrates things from behind the scenes or in the not actually stated, just acknowledged universally sort of way (see the theatre for the best example of that). The second is that an excess of power would not be a good thing for him to get his hands on, as he has a habit of experimenting with things he finds interesting, as we all know!
Finally, I saw this explained in a very interesting way here, which means that because the hammer is a fixed quantum point and only Thor has the proper resonance to interact with it on a quantum level, it wouldn’t be possible, technically, for any of the VC characters to be worthy of the hammer, if framed in these terms. Mainly because it’s not a question of worthiness, they just lack the proper resonance. If, however, we were speaking on a purely mythological level and not in terms of science, I would probably nominate Bianca or Gabrielle, since both of them are largely level-headed enough to make decisions about the power involved in possessing such an object without causing a catastrophe.
(Probably far more of a detailed answer than you wanted, buuut regardless).
I am simply tempted to say ‘Damn it, Armand’ here, but that would be too easy, even if it is at least partially truthful.
I enjoy watching him wake. He does not always do this, but if he knows that I was there with him when the death sleep took him, sometimes the first thing that he does upon regaining consciousness is reach for me, or open his eyes to make certain that I am still there or somewhere nearby.
When his voice drops an octave with distraction or desire. Or both. Both at once. That incites a smile of a rather different kind, granted.
If he is learning to get to grips with a new piece of technology or a computer game, the cursing under his breath can be rather charming, if not outright amusing.
One thing, however, that will always work without fail, and always has made me smile: his arms sliding around my waist, his lips at the nape of my neck, and a moment of peace between us under the night sky. Standing in the dark waters near to the edge of Night Island, twined like this with him, nothing has the power to take that moment from us.
“damnitarmand is such an incredible Armand. Their prose is rich and beautiful and they manage to capture all of the different facets of Armand’s complex and mercurial personality so well. Their writing is always such a pleasure to read.”
// Eek! This is so incredibly kind. Whoever you are, come here so I can hug you immediately. You are wonderful.
Brief message of my own to all the writers, readers, fanartists, shy shadow-lurkers and lovely souls of the VC fandom: massive amounts of love and respect to each and every one of you.
“damnitarmand is such an incredible Armand. Their prose is rich and beautiful and they manage to capture all of the different facets of Armand’s complex and mercurial personality so well. Their writing is always such a pleasure to read.”
//YES. If you are not following them, you should fix that right the hell now. The mun is my writing soul mate so i may be a wee bit biased but this is 100% true.
// vagabonddaniel is one of the most wonderful people in the world and incredible to write with. I wouldn’t be here on Tumblr if he hadn’t tempted me into joining. Thank you for taking the time to comment, and I can only hope that you’ll continue to enjoy the threads!
“damnitarmand embodies all of the facets of Armand with elegant talent. Their writing is beautiful. Their sense of humor and deep understanding of his motivations makes Armand come alive. Their posts are always great to see!”
//So very true. ❤
OOC: I must chime in to add to this. DamnitArmand is one of those gifted writers that I feel blessed for having crossed paths with. Every opportunity I’m given to write with them pushes me to bring my best, and their talent makes their every post a treat to enjoy. They deserve all the love. Many love. Much hug.
I-want-my-IWTV 