oh, I think I'm going to have to write

[bedlamsbard]

Ahahahaha, realpestilence, guess what I'm reading about now in my theatre book:

Befitting their patron deity, all the Dionysian festivals involved drinking enormous quantities of wine. AT the Anthesteria, each participating man, woman, and child began the festivities by tossing down a two-liter jug at a single sitting. Wine drinking continued throughout the three days of this festival, which also included bull sacrifices and dismemberments, the consuming of hallucinogenic mushrooms, and the ecstatic dithyrambic dance-chants, led by a group of fifty goatskin-clan, phallos-bearing priests. The dithyramb concluded with a sacred marriage ritual in which drunken women danced around the phallos, adorned with a bearded mask, after which the tribal queen was "given" to "Dionysus." Although we don't know exactly how this gift was delivered, historians believe that real sexual intercourse took place, accompanied by cheers from the rhapsodic throng.

I feel so inspired.

Comments

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

AND SO YOU SHOULD BE!!! You realize this makes Edmund the "tribal queen". *rotflmao*


I find it interesting that this is something that both men *and* women participated in-even children (who had to chug-a-lug 2 liters!). The animal sacrifices now...bulls...I'm thinking Minotaur, for some reason. *coughs*

But yes, this is EXACTLY what I was thinking about, just spread out over 3 days, instead of an evening's ceremony. Which would make it worse for Peter and Edmund, you know, because they'd be *thinking* about it the whole time; and then the actual "wedding" bonding thing would be very hallucinogenic-Bacchus as "High Priest".

By that time, Peter's had at least one lover, probably more. But has Edmund? How traumatic it would be, if it were his first time...keeping in mind the later Witch/Narnia possession/fight story arc...and I'll be talking more to you about this, probably, after work. I've got to get back to it, damn it.

I feel strangely gleeful. How am I supposed to concentrate now?!

*grins*

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

And it makes Peter Dionysus, which is hilarious.

Hey, I've been debating all along if the Narnians are going to use their drugs/hallucinogenic substances (they have to have them, and we haven't even gotten into what that book says about satyrs) on Peter and Edmund. Or Edmund, at least. I think they want Peter clear-headed.

I'm still screwing around with exactly when in the timeline this is -- I am this close to buying whiteboards to put up on my dorm room wall, only I'm not sure how disturbed by roommate would be or if she'd just throw up her hands and ignore it -- but with an estimation of four to five years in, Peter's had several lovers (hell, by the time of "In A Dry Month", he's had two), and Edmund has probably had more. All female, though, most likely.

It was in my theatre textbook. Message from the gods or just coincidence?

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

....I'm almost too glad that my Edmund is too busy to do any of that and leaves it all to Lucy.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

And if that happened in my 'verse, we would have Lucy knocked up by Peter. (I'm still figuring out how that didn't happen with Peta.)

[katakokk.livejournal.com]

Uhhhhhhhhhh....*hides*

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

... and now I have images of Tumnus giving Peter the death glare of death glares.

Peta probably made sure it was the wrong time of the month.

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

This was MEANT to be, bedlam!


I think you're right in that they'd use the hallucinogenics on Edmund but not Peter. They'd want to loosen Edmund's hold on himself for Narnia to move in, for one thing; and Peter would need to be in control to some degree, so nobody would get *physically* hurt, any more than necessary. (He might end up being the only clear-headed person present, perhaps.) It would add to the nightmarish aspect of it for Edmund, for sure, to be trapped in his own body but unable to control it, while an alien entity took over. And anything that adds more guilt to Peter is...well, a guilty pleasure. *laughs*

I think it's important that Edmund *not* have had any male lovers, at least. He's mostly straight, you said; so this would be something he'd be uncomfortable with, even if it weren't his big brother who was going to be taking him-first time sex, in public, etc. To have it spin out of control in an orgiastic frenzy would NOT add any pleasure to it for him.

Whose pov would you be using,Peter's? Or would you have it be third person, omniscient? Just curious. Would you include the sacrifice part-like I said, I keep thinking of the Minotaurs, and how would it be for them to have this traditional role in the welfare of their country, to provide a Sacrifice for the royal wedding to the land...their blood spread out over the crops in the field, a proxy sacrifice for the king or something. Dunno if it would work, but *any* sacrifice, animal or other, would be potent, in these circumstances.

I think I might find your theater textbook interesting.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

Trust me when I say you do not want to know.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

Well, my theatre textbook kind of makes me want to kill things with fire, aside from this bit.

Oh, man. Yeah, definitely. They wouldn't want to get Edmund or Peter too drunk, either -- just, you know, a little bit. The ritual cup, or some such. And Narnia wants Peter to be in control, wants to be dealing with him, and not anybody else. Trauma, trauma, trauma, trauma for everyone...

(I think if/when I do write this up, I am going to interweave it with the faked betrayal plot, because that adds just the right touch of bitterness.)

*nods* I don't think he would. I mean, he may have kissed a few boys, just to try it, but -- he'd probably figure out pretty fast that it's not really his thing. And he sleeps around more than Peter, but that's with girls -- boys are something different altogether. And Peter is Peter.

Almost certainly Peter's. (I more or less, with a few rare exceptions, hate omniscient.)

I'm debating a blood sacrifice -- I don't think it would be the minotaurs, because all through the Golden Age they're the enemy (look how quickly Peter goes after the minotaur in PC!), and I'm fairly certain Narnia will only take a willing ritual sacrifice. With a willing sacrifice -- no one's blood is more potent than the king's, but that's obviously useful only in times of Really Big Trauma, so...I'm not really sure who would work. (And would the Narnians remember it, anyways?) Maybe a faked/dramatic sacrifice (seriously. blame that idiot book) rather than a real one.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

Also, you have no idea how traumatized Lucy would be. Trust me. Traumatized. VERY TRAUMATIZED.

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

Oh, I meant a willing sacrifice-the Minotaurs may not be nice, good people, but it doesn't mean they don't love Narnia. It's just a different "Narnia" than the supposed "good guys" know. There's that whole layer of dark underside to the country, with the Hags, werewolves, dark dwarves, dark dryads, etc, that served the White Witch-they didn't come from nowhere. And the Witch was "all right" to *her* people, per Nikabrik. It's an intriguing idea to me, to think that perhaps these 2 ceremonies-the earth binding of the King and the wedding of the King to the Land via his Queen/proxy partner-might be something that all Narnians can share. Truce for the night, or the 3 days, that takes.


Yes, I think Peter's pov would be best here. I was thinking that this would fit perfectly with the faked betrayal sequence, too, if it came soon after.

Funny, this was a potent idea in the first place, back when we first started discussing it...but now, knowing that there's basis in truth, it's...goddamned FASCINATING. *shivers*

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

Somehow that makes it a thousand times worse. (Look, my logic is not earth logic.) Because -- truce for that night, and for the days immediately before and after, for travel time -- and then they go back to the killing each other. Also, drunk sex, and you just know either Susan or Lucy will end up sleeping with a minotaur that night. And the other question is -- who does the deed? Peter, as High King?

I'm thinking very soon after. And huge argument after the ritual and right before the faked betrayal, and Peter storms off, furious and hurting and still terrified, and Edmund goes, "Oh, shit, we need him here," and has to send a messenger saying that he's fallen horribly ill, so Peter comes rushing back. And then there is the faked betrayal, and Peter and Edmund end up screaming at each other and killing things. Although for some reason the faked betrayal was an Edmund POV in my mind. *considers*

I kind of want to do research, except I'm afraid to find out where that would take me.

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

It does make it horribly worse. Think of it as an extreme form of differing political beliefs...like how an emergency or disaster temporarily unites Americans, for instance (911 being the tragically perfect example). Or how a commemorative ceremony for someone heroic might do the same thing, on a local basis. Everyone's supportive, brave, tearful, whatever, *together*, and you could fly on the sense of unity...and then we go back to tearing each other apart afterwards, because deep down, the disagreements are fundamental and uncompromising. Then do it Narnia-style...it's not so unbelievable, is it?

I think Peter would *have* to do the deed...he'd have to say something about this being given its life to Narnia in his place, to feed her-she's their mother and sometimes the goddess is a dark mother...not sure of the imagery I want there, but maybe you get it. Hecate as opposed to Demeter, as Narnia usually presents herself.

And yes, again, to the faked betrayal scene being from Edmund's pov. It would give it more emotional power, since *we* would know what he was thinking and feeling, and seeing the anger and hurt, and the loyalty and love for his King, his big brother, and even Narnia (despite the freakout) that underlies everything. Or what have you.


I don't know that you'd need to do research, unless you're just interested. You already have in mind what you want to do. Would more info help, you think, or would it complicate things?

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

I just thought-it would be funnier if Susan slept with the Minotaur while drunk, for some reason. Perhaps because she *is* a graver person. Lucy would probably pass it off as oh well, at least we had fun, or something.

*is amused*

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to decide whether Peter's situation or Caspian's situation is worse. Caspian has the Telmarines and the Narnians lynching each other in the forests (god, and at this point, the Narnians occasionally stopping baiting the Telmarines and lynching each other), but Peter has bordering countries and the remnants of the White Witch's army. But he more or less has a united Narnia...

And then for added trauma, Peter and/or Edmund can be covered in minotaur blood when they meet in the fields. Because they need more trauma. *rolls eyes*

I have the argument (or parts of it) very clear in my head, sort of, in the sense of, "I did, and now I do not," so let me ruminate on it and I shall get back to you.

I think it would fascinate me, but I'm not sure I need it.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

And then she blames Peter.

[franceica.livejournal.com]

Ahhhhhhhhh!

*Takes cover* *facepalm*

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

Well, of course! It's got to be Peter's fault, *somehow*. And Peter's all...you DO realize who *I* had sex with last night, don't you...? Go away! *laughs*


I'm sure both Susan and Lucy are HIGHLY relieved they didn't say yes when that quite interesting family discussion of Peter's dreams took place.

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

Oh, Peter would be covered in blood, from the sacrifice. MORE TRAUMA, WE MUST HAVE MORE TRAUMA!!!

And it's hot and smells rank and it gets all over them both while they're...busy. Inconvenient flashbacks might occur at the scent.


Ruminate away, I'll eagerly await it. I love knowing behind-the- scenes stuff. *grins*

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

[lassiterfics.livejournal.com]

i'm glad to see i'm not the only one getting being inappropriately inspired by her homework.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

And Lucy is all, "Well, I had a wonderful night!" and Edmund gets up and storms away from the breakfast table. And Peter glares.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

Well, at least it distracted me from wanting to kill my theatre book with fire.

[franceica.livejournal.com]

I think I have a love/hate relationship with your Peter/Narnia. On the one hand it makes so much sense and it is so tragically beautiful and everything; but on the other hand it is so traumatic that I want to kill something. *screams*
OMG Peter. How did you survive?

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

Well, when you don't see the fall coming, it's easy... And there was the amnesia, that one time. That helped. Unfortunately. And after that, he was too used to it to remember that the world was different once.