Sarah and Bishop were relaxing by the fire in the castle’s library as they indulged their mutual passion for trashy romance novels. Sarah was struggling through her choice of reading material. While the sex scenes were steamy enough, she was underwhelmed at the billionaire trope, having difficulty in suspending belief to accept this was a secret romantic looking for a soul mate, when reality repeatedly threw up examples of them being weird, venal monsters who could only improve the world if they were fed into an industrial shredder.
Restraining herself from hurling her book into the fire as she skimmed through another example of financial imbalance, Sarah glanced at the cover of Bishop’s book. “What’s yours about?” Sarah asked as she noted a woman surrounded by several men who seemed to be having great difficulty in wearing a shirt.
“It’s a reverse harem,” Bishop responded without looking up from the page.
“What’s that when it’s at home?” Sarah set her book aside, deciding that life was too short for poor books, or at least tropes that didn’t hold her interest. “Gang rape fantasy? Cooking, cleaning and yard work?”
With a sigh, Bishop looked up and explained that the genre is a group of men cooperating to fulfil all of the female main character’s needs, whatever those needs may be.
Sarah took a quiet moment to mull the possibilities of having multiple Jareths, but after his efforts that morning, she decided that aside from having a spare to perform public duties so she could keep the original in her bed, that one seemed to be a perfect fit. She slapped Bishop’s leg in response to his knowing chuckle at her expression.
Jareth and Rook had been deep in discussion since joining them after their afternoon of film appreciation. From the rising tone of their voices, it seemed they were in a snit after watching commentaries of a film they had previously enjoyed. If Sarah was hearing correctly, they had just watched the same movie three times and the narrated commentaries had put the film into a new light that disappointed them both.
Sarah shook her head, quietly explaining to Bishop that if the lead actor and director have separate commentaries then you should be prepared to have your illusions shattered.
It seemed that the actor had offered suggestions that would have elevated the film dramatically, all of which had been shot down by an arrogant director in their first outing. Having learned nothing from the experience, the director then used the commentary as an opportunity to denigrate everyone on the shoot while playing the victim. It was no surprise that while the actor was still in demand, the director had faded into obscurity. The industry was small enough that no one would willingly work with them again.
“I shouldn’t need to remind you that disappearing people without a wish is frowned upon.”
Jareth waved her admonishment off, but Sarah suspected the director would be haunted by goblins for the foreseeable future.
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ninetydegrees
Narrative
2025-03-18 08:03 (UTC)Sarah and Bishop were relaxing by the fire in the castle’s library as they indulged their mutual passion for trashy romance novels. Sarah was struggling through her choice of reading material. While the sex scenes were steamy enough, she was underwhelmed at the billionaire trope, having difficulty in suspending belief to accept this was a secret romantic looking for a soul mate, when reality repeatedly threw up examples of them being weird, venal monsters who could only improve the world if they were fed into an industrial shredder.
Restraining herself from hurling her book into the fire as she skimmed through another example of financial imbalance, Sarah glanced at the cover of Bishop’s book. “What’s yours about?” Sarah asked as she noted a woman surrounded by several men who seemed to be having great difficulty in wearing a shirt.
“It’s a reverse harem,” Bishop responded without looking up from the page.
“What’s that when it’s at home?” Sarah set her book aside, deciding that life was too short for poor books, or at least tropes that didn’t hold her interest. “Gang rape fantasy? Cooking, cleaning and yard work?”
With a sigh, Bishop looked up and explained that the genre is a group of men cooperating to fulfil all of the female main character’s needs, whatever those needs may be.
Sarah took a quiet moment to mull the possibilities of having multiple Jareths, but after his efforts that morning, she decided that aside from having a spare to perform public duties so she could keep the original in her bed, that one seemed to be a perfect fit. She slapped Bishop’s leg in response to his knowing chuckle at her expression.
Jareth and Rook had been deep in discussion since joining them after their afternoon of film appreciation. From the rising tone of their voices, it seemed they were in a snit after watching commentaries of a film they had previously enjoyed. If Sarah was hearing correctly, they had just watched the same movie three times and the narrated commentaries had put the film into a new light that disappointed them both.
Sarah shook her head, quietly explaining to Bishop that if the lead actor and director have separate commentaries then you should be prepared to have your illusions shattered.
It seemed that the actor had offered suggestions that would have elevated the film dramatically, all of which had been shot down by an arrogant director in their first outing. Having learned nothing from the experience, the director then used the commentary as an opportunity to denigrate everyone on the shoot while playing the victim. It was no surprise that while the actor was still in demand, the director had faded into obscurity. The industry was small enough that no one would willingly work with them again.
“I shouldn’t need to remind you that disappearing people without a wish is frowned upon.”
Jareth waved her admonishment off, but Sarah suspected the director would be haunted by goblins for the foreseeable future.