Queens of Remnant - Commentary - Ch. 47-48 (Patreon)

Welcome back to another commentary.  I’m writing this one in advance because I’m not sure what’s going to happen with Violet over the coming days.  She’s sleeping right now, so I’m going to try to use the opportunity to wrap this story up.

If you’re sensitive about pets/animals and diseases, please skip to the *** below!  If you’re curious about what’s going on, you can read on.

In a nutshell, my poor girl’s been through the ringer over the past week.  (Which has also been the longest week of my life.)  She’s almost 10 now, but she seemed so healthy outside of her tummy issues.  Then she stopped eating, her stomach swelled up with fluid, and it’s been a domino effect since then.  The vets finally figured out that she has lymphoma, which has probably spread to her liver and gallbladder, and now she has pancreatitis too.  There is a chance that we could get her into remission with chemotherapy, but we can’t do anything with her liver currently failing (the liver, it turns out, is extremely important).  So the best we can do right now is keep her on her medicines, get her eating again, and hope that her liver can turn itself around.

She’s tired but doesn’t seem to be in any pain, and has even been playful at times, so that’s good to see.  It’s probably pretty obvious the impact she has on my general mental wellbeing, but she’s linked to my writing too.  I started writing fanfiction right around when I adopted her, and she’s been sleeping on my lap while I write ever since (which can get super uncomfortable but is totally worth it).  I always thought to myself that I’d probably be done with writing when she’s gone.  I don’t think that’s true anymore, but I’ll probably be due for a break that’s longer than my typical ‘break.’  Or maybe I’ll throw myself into a story just to escape real life, who knows!

***

Long story short - life’s been crazy, so I haven’t written anything new.  I did manage to proofread the last two chapters of Queens of Remnant though.  I don’t want to leave this story dangling in the wind with only two chapters to go.

And these are happy chapters, which we like.  I’ve read a couple of traditional wlw novels recently, and I always feel a little disappointed when the happy ending arrives and then the story’s over.  Like…where’s the rest of it??  What happens next??  Why can’t we see them cute and together without the drama that’s draped over the rest of the book?

This is why I always write epilogues.  I want to see them happy just as much as I think everyone else does!  No more drama.  No more secrets or danger or ‘incurable’ diseases burning them from the inside out.  Just two people who can’t get enough of each other and who finally have nothing standing in the way of their happiness.  No more bad guys on the Council.  No more Phage (well, it’s still around, but they’re working on it).  No more Cecelia.  Yang even got her spark back!

Which, after reading the last chapter, you probably understand why I was ultimately swayed into having her spark come back - for the marriage ceremony!  …and so that she got a ‘happy’ happy ending, and so that we could see her using her spark a little bit, and in case I ever write that sequel, and also because it basically makes her a walking space heater for Blake.

Blake’s thrilled that Yang’s alive, first and foremost, but she’s probably extra happy about Yang radiating heat at all hours of the day.  Imagine cuddling up with that on a chilly night!

I just realized how this wedding is pretty much opposite of what Blake would have planned for herself if she’d married a normal person.  She says it herself - she imagined a small, intimate gathering with close friends and family.  I’m surprised that they haven’t already had that wedding…how could Yang have missed that??  Yang should have planned another wedding that was exactly what Blake wanted, and then they could have that one before the whole big Vale thing.

Yang absolutely would have done that if a certain writer hadn’t completely blown it.  Sorry, Yang!  Just made you look kind of like a jerk for not considering Blake’s feelings.  Yang was very considerate about everything else though!  Like understanding how Blake’s a little nervous, and reassuring her that whatever happens, Yang will still love her.

Blake views this wedding as a coming out party, of sorts.  She’s marrying into the royal family, after all, and becoming a queen.  She’ll be in charge of Vale just like Ruby and Yang are.  It’s not just a wedding - it’s a big responsibility!

I found it appropriate that she approaches this responsibility similar to how Weiss did in Atlas: by learning as much as possible about Vale’s past.  Weiss read those dusty old books in her dad’s office - Blake found her own set of dusty books somewhere in Vale’s palace.  She’ll probably be more well-versed about Vale than Yang is before long.  She’ll be like, “Oh, yes, that was part of the Westing Treaty from a hundred and fifty years ago,” and Yang will be like, “What.”

Ah, yes, it’s a good thing Blake will be there since Ruby’s not around much anymore.  Someone needs to be well-versed on Vale’s history.

The more I think about it, the more I realize how similar Blake and Weiss’ paths were.  Not super similar, mind you, but there are some common themes in what they’ve been through.  They both start the story under the control of power-hungry men, who are quickly shuttled out of the story either by choice or by accident.  Either way, Jacques and Adam exit stage right, and Blake and Weiss are left reeling in the aftermath.

Blake had it a little easier, I think, because she’s a bit more of a natural leader in this version of her character.  She actually views it less as ‘leading’ and more as ‘helping others.’  Ironically, when does Weiss start growing into herself as a queen?  When she learns from Ruby that it can be as easy as asking what people need and then helping them get it.  Helping others is a way to find a direction or path forward, then she just needs to put her efforts into achieving it.

I think they’re also similar in feeling imposter syndrome throughout the story.  Blake still feels some imposter syndrome at the end, but that will hopefully start to go away once she’s officially ‘queen’ and starts interacting with all of Vale (Vale’s going to love her, btw).

I was determined to have the wedding during the epilogue because I wanted the title to become true - they’re the queens of Remnant.  All four of them.  It’s no longer ‘three queens and Blake’ or ‘three queens and a rebel leader.’  We leave this story and universe knowing that they’re the four Queens of Remnant.

I guess if you add Winter, there are technically five queens in this corner of the world…I sure wouldn't mind living there!  I’d be the one who starts the “Remnant’s Hottest Queen” yearly competition.

There was one part in Blake’s chapter that I kind of cringed at but ended up leaving in because I thought it was a nice gesture.  By this, I mean Weiss’ gift of a very fancy necklace.  I don’t usually like introducing new concepts at the end of a story - the ending is for wrapping things up, after all - but I also wanted to leave us with a sense that the world/universe is filled with more that we have no clue about.  That’s also why I gave James a spark unlike the main four, which expands Remnant to include who knows how many other types of sparks.  I wanted us to imagine what else might be out there.

I originally had an earlier section of the story where Weiss explains ‘forever ice’ to Ruby, but I took it out for some reason…and I can’t remember why.  I think that I couldn't find the right place, which happens from time to time.  I’ve learned not to try to force it unless it’s something I really, really want in the story.

I should’ve just taken out the necklace part!  Ugh.  Oh well, we live and learn.  We still get to see that Weiss gives Blake a nice wedding gift that’s distinctly Atlesian.  I thought it was a very symbolic gesture that Blake wears it on her wedding day.  Blake, the Badlands leader who once plotted to kill Weiss out of desperation, is now wearing a gift from that same person on one of the most important days of her life.

Weiss and Blake will be close friends from here on out.  I always envision that for them, especially since they have a mutual connection via Yang and Ruby.  Even if their personalities are opposite in a particular story, they always bond over their lovely ladies.

It’s a little sad that none of their parents are alive in this story, but their presence would’ve changed…well, everything.  How can Yang and Ruby be queens if their parents are around?  Same with Weiss and Winter.  I guess their parents could have retired or abdicated for some reason…but then they would still be around as advisors, I’d imagine.  And they’d still have very strong sparks so could tip the balance of any type of physical confrontation.

Basically, the parents had to be gone, but I’m still sad that they missed the wedding!  I’m sure that Tai and Summer would have caused a big scene and embarrassed Yang.

I should write more stories where all of the parents are still alive…especially Summer!  I think Summer would live to embarrass her kids once they’re grown up (sort of like Kali).  The short Christmas story I started has all of the parents involved, including Summer and Kali as chief instigators, which is why it seems so fun to write.  Just a happy-go-lucky holiday tale with a little bit of relationship angst thrown in.  What’s not to like about that?

I hope no one asks how the whole ‘spark bonding’ thing works with other elements because I have no idea.  I didn’t think that hard about it!  It works for earth and fire since that makes molten rock or lava.  Ice and fire would make…a lot of steam.  Wind and fire makes a fire tornado.  Wind and ice makes…a snowstorm?  I guess we’ll find out at Weiss and Ruby’s wedding.

Although we won’t see Weiss and Ruby’s wedding…or should I say, weddings.  They’re totally going to have two weddings.  Weiss will want one in Atlas so that all of the Atlesians know to accept Ruby as their new queen, and Vale will probably riot if they don’t get to celebrate their favorite queen’s nuptials.  (Whoops, did I say that?)

We know that people fawn over Ruby…she’s the benevolent one!  Yang’s the one who winks and makes the ladies swoon.  Not anymore, obviously.  The only one she’s winking at is Blake.

The last sentence of the story sums up the general themes that I kept in mind for each of the four characters: “All they needed was perseverance, faith, love...and a little bit of strength.”

I chose perseverance for Ruby since she refused to stop searching for a cure, even if that meant going all the way to Atlas by herself (well, James went with her).  She ran into deadends and roadblocks, and was ultimately disappointed in Atlas, but she didn’t give up until she had to in order to say goodbye.  She also didn’t give up on Weiss even though Weiss wasn’t the warmest or most trusting person when they arrived in Atlas.

For Blake, I went with faith, as in having faith or belief in the good of others.  This was a good one for her, I thought, because her route has so much potential to believe the worst in others.  But, after Adam, she’s consistently giving people the chance to prove her wrong, and they reward her by becoming integral parts of her life.

Weiss was always strongest when standing up for those that she loved, which is why I rolled with that theme for her.  From protecting Winter in the very first chapter to standing up to the Council for the benefit of Atlas and taking down Ironwood to protect Ruby, Weiss always showed her inner strength whenever other people needed her.  It was so sweet to watch her timid nature disappear as she found the will to stand up for the people who depended on her.

And Yang was just pure strength throughout the story as she fought her illness.  Physical strength, emotional strength, mental strength.  Every day was a struggle, but she powered through because she felt like she had to.  Like she owed it to Vale, Ruby, and everyone else to accomplish as much as she could before succumbing to the disease.

Ruby and Yang ultimately learn that they can’t always do everything themselves, and that sometimes they fail.  That’s why it was so sad when Ruby realized that, regardless of how hard she tried, she couldn't save Yang, and the best thing she could do was accept that.  Yang, at the end of her road, leans heavily on Blake for support because she’s no longer strong enough to do everything on her own.  So, in a sense, the sisters actually break from their starting beliefs whereas Weiss and Blake tend to learn and grow as the story progresses.  If that makes sense…which I hope it does…

I’m still somewhat in disbelief that it’s over.  So much time went into writing it, and then so much time went into posting it…and now it’s just done.  It’ll sit in my completed stories to be revisited once in a blue moon (or never, if it gets the WDU treatment…).

I might as well tell you my rough ideas for the sequel since I don’t plan on actually writing it…

Basically, Vale and Atlas return to prosperity, helmed by our fearless leaders.  Yang and Blake are still helplessly in love, living in Vale.  Ruby and Weiss are still helplessly in love, living in Atlas.  Winter has returned to Atlas, too, and maybe Sun moves to Vale - he seems like he’d enjoy the big city more than the sleepy Valley.  Plus, Blake’s there!

Everything’s going well until one day…a stranger shows up in Atlas.  He finds James, who’s out walking with Weiss, and delivers a message - “Your brother needs you.” (or something equally mysterious/ominous) - and then promptly keels over and starts hacking up black gunk.  Weiss is stunned and confused, obviously, and even more so when James says, “Tell Queen Rose that I’m sorry,” before racing out of Atlas.  Cue Weiss trying to figure out if she should go after him or stay with the sick man or go to find Ruby.

She finds Ruby (after getting some help for the sick man) and explains what happened.  Weiss is totally miffed, but Ruby gets that look.  The one that says, “Uh oh.  I think I know what’s going on and it’s not good.”  So she says, of course, that they have to go after him.  So Atlas is left in Winter’s capable hands while Ruby and Weiss race after James.  This adventure is taking them far from Atlas, Vale, or any land we’ve seen before!

Meanwhile, in Vale, Yang and Blake are enjoying a quiet evening together, dancing alone in one of the ballrooms (Yang likes dancing).  While they’re cutely bantering, Blake senses something remiss.  Then someone lunges at them, but she reacts like lightning, slamming them to the floor only to discover that it’s…

Cecelia.

Blake’s like, “Great, I get to kill you now,” but then Cecelia starts coughing up that black gunk too.  Before they try to help her, she tells them both to stay away.  She then explains that after the battle for Vale, she and the rest of her crew headed to the far reaches of Remnant, causing trouble and being pests wherever they landed.

But then they found something - or someplace - that was more than they bargained for.  Her men were taken, died, or scattered, and she did one of the only good things she’s ever done in her life: went to warn Yang.  This would be the whole, ‘Everyone’s in danger, we’re all going to die’ type of rant.  Of course, Cecelia would probably make it more entertaining.

Blake doesn’t believe her, of course, but she keeps spewing up black tar stuff…so what if she’s right?  After a serious conversation, Yang and Blake decide that they should at least check it out - which Cecelia advises them against but, when they aren’t swayed, agrees to be their guide.

Cecelia tagging along as Yang and Blake go on an adventure?  The catty banter will be so high…

Obviously, all four of them are headed in the same direction - James’ home.  We’ll learn that James is actually royalty himself, explaining his formidable power, but he left the kingdom in his brother’s hands, and his brother got into some shady/bad stuff.  This is all so cliche now that I’m writing it out.

Anyway, they need to work together to stop this new disease that's spreading fast.  This is why I thought it’d be important for Yang to have her spark back - they’ll need her power in this situation.  There will be drama, obviously, and people trying to sacrifice themselves to save the world, and tears when other people think that sacrifice actually happened, and ultimately a happy ending where everyone’s fine and dandy with maybe just a few new scars.

One reason why sequels don’t interest me very much though is that the relationships are already formed.  My favorite thing to do is write the ‘getting together’ part!  And I don’t want to break them up, so…a sequel wouldn't have as much romantic allure to me, I guess.  It would be all about the plot.  (This is the same reason that keeps turning me away from a Dream Theory/Conflict of Interest sequel.)

Who knows though.  Maybe I’ll win a whole bunch of money and end up with so much time on my hands that I’ll write all of these ideas.  I wouldn't mind that at all.

Well, now that I’ve rambled for entirely too long, I suppose that I should wrap this up.  I can’t think of anything else I wanted to say…but if you have any questions about things that went unanswered, please feel free to ask!  Maybe I’ll have answers, or maybe I’ll realize that I just forgot about that particular plot point (happens all the time!).

Without further ado, I’m going to tend to my pup and try to figure out what the next few days have in store.  Sometimes, all you can do is wait - doesn’t that suck?  Makes you feel so helpless to just sit around and wait.

Keep an eye out for a message whenever I figure out what I’ll be doing next.  I’ll definitely pause Patreon so no one gets charged if I’m away for a little bit.  I wish I had answers now, but my writing brain has been totally disconnected and I don’t know when that will change.  Sometimes, we just have to pause and focus on our lives, I guess.

I’ll still be around if you want to drop a message or something though.  And I have a oneshot that I’ll post this weekend.  You haven’t heard the last of me yet! 

Until next time,

Miko