All Comments on 'It's Not Black & White Ch. 05'

Love this story! I like the fantasy setting of it (dark elves are hot) and I think the character writing is very well done. Also a big fan of the romantic slow burn, i hope haern and viara grow closer! Only criticism is a small one, a few typos and punctuation errors, but those really aren’t a big deal. Looking forward to reading more of this!

I have been checking off and on for another chapter and as luck would have it, here it is. Love the story line and can't wait to see where you take it. I will be watching for ne next chapter.

Hello! 'Tis I again! The overeager, super invested, lurking anon...

I had spent hours crafting a comment and with one mis-click I lost it all. I shall return another day. But for now:

MY EMOTIONS. MY EMOTTTIIOONNNS. THE STRESS. HOLY SHIT. THE TENDERNESS. AND THE SADNESSSS.

Thanks for the kind words :). It's a fun story to write.

Ohhhhhh come on you can‘t stop here PLEASE I NEED MORE!!!!

But Seriously this Series is written excellently and it’s an absolute Joy to read can’t wait for the update

Hello! 'Tis I again! The overeager, super invested, lurking anon...

Can it be? Is it possible that there is hope for Haern possibly being able to grow FOND of our girl Viara!?!? HAS TYMORA SMILED UPON ME THIS DAY!? IS THERE AT LAST SOME HOPE!?!?

This entire chapter was SOLELY from the Haern POV and it was… somewhat encouraging! So, granted, slavery is heinous and therefore Haern’s learning to anticipate Viara’s desires/needs (offering her orgasms) and his efforts to acculturate (the customary apology-cunnilingus) are not just sweet/considerate behaviours on his part but instead NECESARY STRATEGIES FOR SURVIVAL… nevertheless, YOUR HONOUR, there is SOME evidence of relational progress:

EXHIBIT A: “The simple truth was that even compared to his former companion, Viara, taking away the tone of her skin and her vile nature, was objectively more beautiful and shapely.” Okay IGNORING the constant hating on her beautiful onyx melanatious skin… he more than finds her objectively/conventionally attractive… he is SUBJECTIVELY attracted to her physically. !!!

EXHIBIT B: He felt some sympathy/compassion towards her and is starting to see her as a complex person with at least SOME goodwill in her…

EXHIBIT C: His fight-or-flight response is no longer triggered by her scent ...

EXHIBIT D: He seems to enjoy provoking/disgusting her with his “surfacer” kindness and etiquette in the same way as she likes pulling glares from him with her explicit-talk… and - as the adage goes - “date someone you want to annoy forever.” ^__^

VIARA IS ONCE AGAIN… KILLLLLING ME THIS CHAPTER… She walks in with Ghinni 9who - by the way - makes me very nervous) and starts talking about Haern’s “disgusting Rivvil form” LIKE PSSSSSHHHHT THAT’S NOT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT HAERN’S FORM EARLIER THOUGH. THAT MORNING SHE LAVISHHHED COMPLIMENTS UPON OUR BOY WHEN THEY WERE ALONE TOGETHER IN PRIVATE… And I can’t tell if she is trash-talking in order for her to save face, or as an attempt to keep access to ‘all of him’ all to herself…

Viara displayed some CLASSIC gentlefemdom in her MAKING Haern compliment his own appearance out loud… it’s not enough that she thinks he’s hot -- he’s gotta agree (and I find that just sweet… can you tell I’m a fan of GFD?).

“Her eyes flared and she stepped closer. "Many of my allies would have you flayed alive before allowing you to witness such beauty." Her voice was tight, but low. "I...I say you may witness perfection. Kneel."”

^ Okay but not to play “therapist” here but… the stuttering? She seems so TORN… like who is she REALLY angry at? It seems like it’s HERSELF… she CLEARLY doesn’t WANT to desire Haern the way she does… but she CANNOT help it. And the mental gymnastics she has to do to rationalize/justify/defend herself is incredible. The cognitive dissonance is so real -- it seems like her shame isn’t ONLY that she wants to ride Haern’s dick -- but also the reason WHY she wants it. Fact is: he isn’t JUST an object/tool/warm dildo… he genuinely appeals to her & she likes him… and that’s scary. (I would argue that Haern might have to go through some similar processing eventually… acknowledge her virtues within her context… but as wise and LUCKY as he is - he tends to realize his own feelings AFTER the fact).

They kind of remind me of Beatrice and Benedict from Much Ado About Nothing… except this relationship is far more twisted with shame and guilt and self-disgust.

Haern is a fucking sweetheart and offered himself up to be raped/coerced into sexual service/a target of sexual violence… so that he could spare himself from taking advantage of a coerced slave woman/spare her from rape… he didn’t want to do it, the poor dearheart was crying afterwards. I am officially cool with killing Matron Mother. AND I KNOW that Viara was also literally raping him at knife point before this -- but somehow this one feels much different. Maybe it’s the “noble sacrifice” piece attached to it … I don’t know… but this just feels more horrendous.

BUT HELL NO. IT CAN NOT GO DOWN LIKE THIS. If Matron Mother is trying to bait Viara into P-I-V sex that is motivated by a jealous rage/possesiveness WE ARE PUTTING A FLAG ON THE PLAY. HELL NO. Viara may not be wise but she is smart as fuck… she HAS to be able to see through this ploy. (Also… as a selfish reader… It would be so much more satisfying if Viara and Haern’s first fuck-fest wasn’t BECAUSE of Matron Mother… but IN SPITE of her. Viara choosing to do “it” to Haren/with Haern/for H… well for herself… is so much more powerful, than Matron Mother being in her head) Naw… I am rolling for luck that something happens to stop this:

- Milia is poisoned by poorly cooked Pyrimo (and therefore the entertainment becomes punishment of the cook)

- Milia is killed by Viara’s older brother/sister because she escaped the holding tank and tried to rape him/her

- Viara actually calling in a favour and having Milia assassinated or an emergency that interrupts the dinner party just before the time of rape

ANYTHING for Haern to escape this fate & for Viara not to fall into the most basic of traps. PLEASE!

Also… it is slightly unnerving the parallel between Tasandre Lueltuil (in love with a house guard and taking him on excursions alone, but likely to be attacked by Viara) - and young Viara (who had a good relationship with Loren but went out with him alone and got attacked).

There is probably a lot more that I can say (or wanted to say but forgot since first reading this chapter... probably freaking out about every little detail) but this comment is ALREADY a whole Thesis paper! (Sorry about that) Thank you for writing… I am SO NERVOUS for how this unfolds!

OH YES!!!

I remember the last things I wanted to note...

Viara being totally subjugated by Matron Mother is SO fucked up! That in the hierarchy of the household Viara and Haern may as well hold the same rank. They are both completely at the Matron's mercy... and that's probably why Viara is scheming the way she is... both she AND Haern want their freedom.

And as much as it frustrates me ... Haern is RIGHT not to go telling Viara the truth right away... and really the ONLY viable chance he has at freedom/happiness/dignity is if Matron Mother isn't lying. UNLESS Viara promises his freedom as well... which hm...

Viara really has NO WAY of knowing if ANYONE will be loyal to her, either. If she kills Haern or if she sets Haern free... whatever slave she might purchase for herself will ALSO be threatened and bullied by the Matron Mother, so long as the Matron Mother knows of their existence.

By the way... is Viara allowed to purchase slaves in her own name? Or must all slave purchases be done in the name of the house? And even if she does purchase a slave... can she do so secretly? Or will news get back to Matron Mother? BUT EVEN IF SHE DOES PURCHASE A SLAVE SECRETLY she has no way of controlling the slave if they are not constantly with her/on pain of death for treachery... damn this is so complicated!

Yo... Fuck this... (@ Viara) Girl, just opt out... run away together with Haern, complete the quest he and his dead-wifey had wanted to complete together, become an adventurer. There's more to the world than the Middle Dark ... and who knows? With enough successful campaigning you can get enough money to purchase more slaves, crush minor houses, amass wealth, enjoy some indulgences - nobody will be your boss except for you and the gods... In fact FUCK the whole House De'lar! Don't try to rise up above Matron Mother... try to bring her DOWN... WEAKEN AND DESTROY THE WHOLE MFKIN' HOUSE... and then fuck off to live your best life!

(Sigh, but I know NONE of that is going to happen... because that's just NOT how our girl Viara, does. She has her values, her ambitions, and she likes her bouji little luxuries. ... and apparently the benefits of being part of the House currently outweigh the benefits of striking out on her own and living her best life with a good little comfy home, good food, good sex, good drugs, and a good thrill of adventure. ... Because that's a Halfling thing to do - being content and hedonistic. Fuuuuck... I am not ready for this...)

- The Overeager, Super Invested, Lurking Anon

Very good chapter I hope you keep this great story going

It's been over a year. I'm guessing the author has stepped away for awhile.

Good read though.

5/5

J

so is this done?