Goblin Emperor Character & Relationship Thoughts

These are my general thoughts on all my favorite relationships in the Goblin Emperor series. If you've arrived here, it is probably from an exchange! Hello, and thanks for considering writing for me! I don't nominate every ship in every exchange, but these are my general thoughts about all the relationships I like.

An overarching idea I love in this fandom is the idea of the Emperor's Dav. I like the idea that Maia brings together all of the people in his household to become that canonical idea of blurring the lines of status between the people in the dav. Maia needs a place where those lines can be blurred, and I'd love to see that explored in any way.

Frequent DNWs: (superceded by anything in the sign-up box)
Unrequested genderbending
Violence more than canon-typical
Focus on pregnancies and babies (Csethiro getting/being pregnant okay to mention)
Unrequested AUs
Incest Between Blood-relations, Unrequested Underage, Major Character Death
Omorashi, Golden Showers, Piss, Scat
Police, Unrequested Punishment Themes
Caves and especially cave-ins
Polycule characters not attracted to some members of the polycule (everyone should be happy to interact with everyone else)

I prefer that whoever you pair Maia with, that Csethiro be treated with kindness and respect by everyone involved. I would especially like if she is happy for Maia even if they don't have a romantic connection in the story.

For any Solo characters or Groups not specifically mentioned, I just like to see their perspectives! Canon-adjacent stories are great!

Maia & His Nohecharei & Secretary
ships include
-Cala Athmaza & Deret Beshelar
-Cala Athmaza & Deret Beshelar & Maia Drazhar
-Cala Athmaza & Kiru Athmaza
-Cala Athmaza & Kiru Athmaza & Deret Beshelar & Maia Drazhar & Telimezh
-Csevet Aisava & Cala Athmaza & Deret Beshelar & Maia Drazhar
-Kiru Athmaza & Telimezh
-Edehasivar VII's nohecharei

I love Maia's relationship with the people who work in his household. I would love to see how everyone's individual relationships interact. How Csevet fits into the dynamics that Maia doesn't see. How the Firsts relate to the Seconds and vice versa. The Soldiers and The Mazei. Maia and each of his nohecharei as they guard him in the night.

Then, what do the nohecharei see that others don't see, and how do they handle the extremely private information they have about the emperor. Or, what do the edocharei know that the nohecharei don't? How do the nohecharei and edocharei handle each other?

How long does it take each member of Maia's household to realize they don't know Telimezh's given name?

Maia & His Younger Cousins
ships include
-Maia Drazhar & Idra Drazhar
-Maia Drazhar & Idra Drazhar & Ino Drazhin & Mirean Drazhin

I love Maia thinking he's bad with children and then his young cousins are absolutely obsessed with him. He doesn't understand familial love, and I would love to see him find the love of his family with these kids. I especially would love to see something set later when they're nearly grown up where they can tell him what he meant to them through and after their parallel bad time that winter of canon.

Maia & Nemolis
ships include
- Idra Drazhar & Maia Drazhar & Nemolis Drazhar (TGE)
- Maia Drazhar & Nemolis Drazhar (Goblin Emperor)

It's the brotherly bond he can't ever actually experience, and that he can't even really conceive of. When I request this, there should also be some sort of freeforms in my sign-up to guide what sort of AU puts Maia & Nemolis into proximity with each other. I just like the idea that Maia got to see his brother be a father, and with the difference in their ages maybe got to experience his older brother as more of a father than Varenechibel was to him. I like the idea of Nemolis being protective of Maia, and encouraging Maia to be friends with his cousin Idra. These relationships feel like they're all about someone finally protecting Maia properly and giving him a childhood or teen years where someone cares about him and what sort of person that would make him, especially if he's one step removed from being emperor.

Maia Drazhar & Vedero Drazhin - Who can blame her for not really trusting him at first? And, who can blame him for wishing she'd just not be standoffish? I was so glad that by the end of the book, she was finding ways to invite him into her life. He wouldn't ever make her do something she doesn't want to do, and she's used to being forced into things she doesn't want. What happens if/when Maia finally does need her marriage? How do they continue on as siblings when he has to be the emperor?


Csevet Aisava & Csethiro Ceredin & Maia Drazhar - I think they'd be a powerful group with each of their unique skills. Maia already has a strong relationship with them by the end of TGE, and I'd like to see how Csethiro & Csevet interact, knowing they're both so close to Maia. How do these three rely on each other for the years to come? How do these three work through the trauma and enforced ignorance of Maia's childhood?

Csevet Aisava & Maia Drazhar - They're just so loyal to each other from so early in their acquaintance! They just Get Each Other in a way that feels so good to read! They seem to want so badly to just be themselves with each other, and it's all I want to see.

Nurevis Chavar & Maia Drazhar - The scene at the end when Maia and Nurevis say goodbye guts me! I love Nurevis trying to pull Maia out of his shell, and it only kind of works. I love Nurevis giving Maia an introduction to so many things about how the Untheleneise court works. They're just actually friends, and by the time they realize it, they can't be friends anymore, and it's a travesty! #JusticeForNurevis

Thara Celehar & Maia Drazhar  - Are they friends? I mean, they're not, but aren't they? Thara doesn't seem to have any sense of when people are his friends. Maia wants very badly to have Any Friend. Maia extends friendship and kinship many times and Thara just seems baffled by the whole thing. I really loved Maia continuing to show that he likes Thara in Tomb of Dragons only for Thara to just continue to not get that Maia wants to be friends. I also loved seeing how Thara saw their friendship and understood without understanding that Maia was showing what affection for Thara he was allowed to show.

Csethiro Ceredin & Csoru Drazharan - They hate each other, and now they're in the same family, but it's neither of their fathers' houses. Surprise! Their fathers got their wishes! They still hate each other, though, and I just want to see them Mean Girls-ing each other into their old age. Maybe Csoru has to ask Csethiro's imperial permission to remarry? How many more times will Csethiro slap Csoru? How many times has she already slapped Csoru?

Evrenis Bralchenar & Atho Narchanezhen & Aina Shulivar - They changed the Ethuveraz. Moreover, they changed Maia's life. How much did they each know what they were doing? How much did they each think it was real before it happened? What's the culture like in the Curneise, really? These three really fascinate me!

Cala Athmaza/Deret Beshelar - They spend half their lives with Maia, yes, but they also spend that time with each other, and have some relationship with each other outside Maia's presence that I am SO curious about. By the end of canon, they're all clearly close, and Deret has relaxed very slightly, but how long would it take for him to fully relax and accept Cala in all his messy emotionality? Or, is Deret just always going to appear that way to Maia and off-shift, is he a touchy-feely teddy bear with Cala? They're just each other's equals and opposites and counterparts. They have to have such intense loyalty to each other and to their emperor, I don't know how they don't fall in love about all of it. They literally hold each others' lives in their hands. How do you spend fully half your life and more with someone and not fall in love with them a little? Maybe they first fall in love with Maia and need someone to fuck about it, so they fuck each other and then fall in love together, too?

Csevet Aisava/Cala Athmaza/Deret Beshelar - Who has time to leave the Alcethmeret for dating/fucking/love? Certainly not these three workaholics! Remember when I said Cala/Deret first fall in love with Maia and need someone to fuck about it? What if they fuck Csevet about it! Or, maybe Csevet notices they want Maia and seduces them both as their Maia-proxy. What if two of them bully the other one into finally relaxing with a nice threesome?

Csevet Aisava/Cala Athmaza/Deret Beshelar/Maia Drazhar - Remember when I said Cala/Deret first fall in love with Maia and need someone to fuck about it and what if they fuck Csevet about it? What if Maia finds out about it and gets sad they didn't think he'd fuck them! No one wants Maia to be sad! I also think a lot about how incredibly repressed Maia is, and how much he doesn't want to be in charge of everything. But, with Csevet, Deret, and Cala (during the canon period), he has the most intimate and trusting relationships of his life so far. With these men who he loves and who love him, he could finally let himself relax and submit in ways that seem like they would be a comfort to him.

Csethiro Ceredin/Maia Drazhar - Csethiro is finally the no-nonsense guide to the Court Maia needs. He doesn't want to be everyone's duty, and she would like to choose her duties. By the end of canon, they're falling for each other, and I would love to see them realize they are fully actually in love. Also, although I don't love to read about pregnancy and babies, I do think they'll be good parents, and I would be interested to see them further along into raising the next generation (or two?) of Drazhada.

Csevet Aisava/Csethiro Ceredin/Maia Drazhar - One thousand kisses for Maia from the man and woman who are the most clearly in love with him. Probably Csevet and Csethiro bond over how much they love Maia and then Maia is like, yeah, but have you seen the two of you?! and then they look at each other and are like, oh yeah! And then One Thousand kisses between Csevet and Csethiro as well.

Csevet Aisava/Maia Drazhar - Csevet has seen Maia go from half-asleep and confused to being the confident Edrehasivar the Bridge Builder. At every point, he wanted to stay with Maia. Maia has seen Csevet go from prostrating himself, using "Serenity" to him first, to being the surely-perpetually-exhausted hypercompetent badass secretary of the emperor. At every point, he wanted Csevet by his side. I lose count of the times in canon I just want them to kiss or say they love each other.

Maia Drazhar/Telimezh - There's something very sweet about how Telimezh is intimidated by Maia and Maia is almost casually like, no you belong in my service. I just like the idea that they each have at least one person who understands what it's like in the far western marshes while they live in extreme opulence at court. I think their relationship is very quiet and subtle and that they're a soft place in all the intensity of the court.

Halezh/Nedaö Vechin - She loved him so much, she very nearly prostituted herself for his goals. From her last scene, it seems like their love is requited. I would love to know how *gestures* all of that worked itself out. How do an opera singer and a clocksmith fall in love? With what we know about opera culture from Thara's books, what will their future look like? Does Halezh feel as sweetly reverent about Nedao as she feels about him?

Vorzhis Gormened/Nadaro Gormened - What is it like for them to be Barizheise in the court of the Ethuveraz? Was his posting a good or bad thing? What did happen when Nadaro could only light candles for Chenelo, or any other way their culture dictated what was appropriate for a wife? With Maia's coronation, what changed for them?

Setheris Nelar/Hesero Nelaran - He fucked up SO Badly. He could have had it ALL, and all it would have taken was not being an unrelenting dick to a child. Obviously she had always seen a different version of him, but what was that version? When he returned from relegation, was he any different than he had been before relegation? What the fuck did he tell her about his relationship with Maia? And, after she learned the truth about his abuse of Maia, could she forgive him? I genuinely think it's interesting if she CAN forgive him, since he's Not that person with her. Their relationship in any phase is interesting, and I'd love to see a nuanced take on how they function!

Thara Celehar/Iäna Pel-Thenhior - Thara cannot remotely see himself. Iäna cannot remotely keep his mouth shut. They take almost two full books to thou each other. Thara has been thirsty for so long, he knows he'd drown in the cool pool of Iäna's affection. Iäna seems to understand he has to treat Thara like Thara treats the feral cats. They're falling in love so gently, I don't know if they'll know they've landed until they wake up one day in a bed with cats. (Please note that after Tomb of Dragons, I'm no longer prompting for this pairing. I now prefer Thara & Iäna and Thara/Hanu.)

Csoru Drazharan/Varenechibel IV - They Suck! I love their toxic bullshit! Why did Csoru KNOW she wasn't pregnant?! Did Varenechibel ever fuck her in a way that could get her pregnant?! He's the Worst! She's the Worst in a different way! He's the most privileged man in the Ethuveraz and everyone who knew him kind of thought he was a tool! She's been slapped Some Number Of Times by Csethiro! Show me all their bullshit, messy, cringey, assholish glory! Did they EVEN LOVE EACH OTHER?! Probably not! It's awesome and I love them! They Deserved Each Other!

Thara Celehar/Hanu Olgarezh - I mean, I think I fell for Hanu when Thara started to look for his flame-eyed captain in the crowd. I just loved them quietly coming to something much closer than the simple guarding that began it. I love that Hanu wants to be around interesting things happening, and that Thara just follows where his calling leads him, and that Hanu wants to see what interesting places Thara's calling leads them BOTH. I love how much Hanu values Thara and Thara's calling. I love how INCREDIBLY patient Hanu was clearly being throughout ToD to not come on too strong and scare Thara away (Winternight!) and that Thara just wanted to have the intimacy of thou-ing Hanu but didn't seem like he could really handle it until almost the end. I just loved seeing Thara come alive in this way as we really hadn't seen him do until he met Hanu. I would love to see them have any other kind of adventure! Maybe in another city or out at the Anmur'theileian where Thara can see where Hanu spent so much of his life? Or, they could be unambiguously together and in love and hot for each other!

Vedero Drazhin/Pazhis Nethenel/Reshema - Okay, so, Vedero KNOWS Maia needs her marriage, and tbh, marrying a marnis man would at least be a more chill time than whatever was going to happen with Eshevis. We know she knows Reshema from dancing with him at the Winternight Ball. We know Maia thinks it would maybe be okay to show the Nethenada some more favor for their own sake, but ALSO there's the matter of securing more support from the Eastern Landowners, OF WHOM PAZHIS IS ONE. So, I just think Vedero should get married to Pazhis and they can have a fun QPR together, only needing to fuck to secure the succession, and then they just think of other people to get it done. Totally chill and nice. I'm happy for any level of sexual attraction between them all, but I would like for them to all be invested in each other emotionally no matter if they are all sexually involved.

Queen's Thief Relationship & Character Thoughts

These are my general thoughts on all my current favorite relationships in the Queen's Thief series in no particular order. If you've arrived here, it is probably from an exchange! Hello, and thanks for considering writing for me!

Frequent DNWs: (superseded by whatever is in the current sign-up)
Unrequested genderbending
Violence more than canon-typical, Retelling/focus on QoA before Gen learned about the war, Focus Moira's Pen stories (mentions of events okay), Retelling/focus on Kamet's life before meeting Costis, Nahusaresh appearing as a character outside of memory (the threat of him/haunting the narrative is fine)
Focus on pregnancies and babies (Irene or Helen getting/being pregnant okay to mention)
Unrequested AUs and especially modern AUs, Canon treated as History from a future perspective
Unrequested Underage, Major Character Death
Omorashi, Golden Showers, Piss, Scat
Police, Unrequested Punishment Themes
Non-Canonical Caves and especially cave-ins
Polycule characters not attracted to some members of the polycule (everyone should be happy to interact with everyone else)

For any Solo characters, I just like to see their perspectives! Canon-adjacent stories are great!

Eugenides/Irene/Costis - What do you do when your husband finds himself with a new boyfriend? What do you do when you're king and you've fallen in love with your guard and your wife is chill with that? What do you do as a guard when you're in love with your king and you've publicly stated that you would happily let your queen step on you and that everyone else is weird if they don't agree?

Helen/Sophos - He loves her so much, he forgot to tell her how much he was thinking of her in captivity. She's so bad at knowing her own feelings, she almost let him go off to war without confessing her love. I like to think the Magus kept joining them for garden walks and then would just yeet himself out of the situation when he couldn't breathe from the sexual tension between them.

Ennikar/Immakuk - They're so epic, many many tablets of poetry have been written about their (b)romance. They're always getting into trouble and then out of it with (maybe) the power of love. I'm interested in their adventures both before and after ascension! I'd love more in-depth narration of any of the canonical stories Kamet tells.

Eugenides/Helen/Irene/Sophos - They're all just so in love with each other. They're building a better future without the Medes. They're all so desperate to make Gen Annux, they all lose their minds a little about it. The Little Peninsula will have a royal family made up of The Thief, his Dark Galadriel-esque wife, his best friend/boyfriend Bunny, and his sensible best friend/make-out cousin/least beautiful woman in 1 room. They've got a lot to accomplish around all the dirty fucking they'll be doing.

Eugenides/Sophos - Gen did everything he could to help Sophos without it being obvious, and Sophos trusted Gen so much, he just KNEW those troops would be there. They went through so much together, and I just think that two kings should get to smooch a bit about how much they love and trust each other!

Irene & Costis - They both love Gen so much for such different reasons, but also kind of the same reasons. Irene has to fight her own instincts for Costis to be in her soft spot. Costis is clearly just trying not to die (stabbing/embarrassment) whenever he's in her presence. By the end of RotT, Costis seems to be extremely respected by Irene and I'm interested in how she expresses her affection for Costis as Gen's trusted friend/guard and as one of her own guard.

Irene & Sophos - I love the way Irene shows her support for Sophos in CoK. Irene is the royal who Sophos doesn't have a crush on, and it almost feels like they have a sibling-ish relationship. What is it like when Irene realizes how close they are, and Sophos realizes he has a third sister?

Kamet/Costis - Their book has the exact format of many romance novels I've read, just without any makeouts. They're SO CLEARLY obsessed with each other, and I could read a thousand fics of them just finally being like, oh we're in love? yes we're in love, let us continue this exact vibe but with kissing and sex. They spent A LOT of time alone together in canon and surely they needed to huddle for warmth or protection or sexual tension sometimes?

Kamet/Laela/Costis Ormentiedes - I liked the idea that when Laela escapes Nahusaresh, she came to find Kamet and found more than just Kamet. I really liked the idea of Kamet/Costis as an established couple falling in love with Laela for different reasons, and Laela also falling in love with them for totally different reasons. They're three people who are competent at three different things, and I just love that shape to a relationship!

Relius & Pheris - Once Gen made Relius Pheris's tutor/mentor, it was so nice to see both of them find friendship in that bond. Relius learns Pheris's language and teaches him the importance of using his voice. Pheris depends on Relius in a way that Relius actually really needs at that point. I love that they make it out and can gently harass each other long into the future.

Pheris/OC - Pheris is just the best and I want to know about the person/people he falls in love with (as teased in RotT). Did he have to teach them sign language, or did they already know it from someone else's tutelage? Arranged marriage since he's an eligible baron? A cute guard? One of the queen's indentured? A former-slave friend of Kamet's? He deserves the best partner(s)! And, as the future SotA, probably he gets to be as slutty as Relius if that's what makes sense.

Relius/Teleus - These two are best when they're either 1) ignoring entirely how they feel about each other, for literal years, or 2) in the aftermath of ignoring how they felt with the disastrous consequences of ignoring it. Relius is slutty even for a spy, and Teleus is uptight even for the head of the guard. They're the slowburn mutual pining couple of my heart! Tell me every stupid detail of how they can't properly communicate until it's almost too late.