fairyqueenofthedragons

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

Bah Humbug!

Vanessa and Warren had been sent to rural Poland on a quick mission. But, when a freak snow storm buries their hotel (which, coincidentally, had only one bed available), they’re trapped over the Christmas holiday. With so much downtime, the two end up becoming a lot more than just mission partners.

“You're taking the floor.”

“It's freezing in here,” Warren said as he fell onto the other side of the bed. “Absolutely not.”

Vanessa sighed. “If only my mission partner was a gentleman.”

“I believe in equality, and a person’s inalienable right to blankets, pillows, and a mattress.”

***

Ever since running away from her very Italian, (and consequently very Catholic) home as a teenager, Vanessa Santoro had neglected to celebrate Christmas. It simply had not been on her mind. From Society missions to her double agent status with the Knights of the Dawn, she stayed booked and busy. And, even if she had time and remembered the holidays, who would she celebrate with? Just herself in her home alone?

That would make the holidays even more depressing than usual.

For all these reasons, she barely realized it was December 22nd until she looked up from her uncomfortable airport seat to spot Warren towing his luggage complete with felt antlers and the ugliest Christmas sweater she had ever seen.

“Oh my god.” Vanessa took off her sunglasses and looked him up and down. “Santa has lost one of his elves.”

Warren sat down in the seat across from her. “Now, why aren’t you dressed up?”

“I’m not quite sure that was a requirement in the mission file.”

“You’re a scrooge.” He flicked a hidden switch on his sleeve, and the lights on his sweater turned on. Acclaimed pop hit Santa Baby began to play, presumably from some speaker on the accursed sweater.

Vanessa shot to her feet immediately. “I cannot be seen with you.”

Warren accompanied her on her brisk walk. “Why not?”

She sent him a look that hopefully conveyed the irrationality of such a statement. “There should be a car waiting at Terminal C to take us to the hotel. Let's go so you can change out of this as soon as possible.”

Warren laughed and slung an arm over her shoulder. Heat burned where their skin met.

If Vanessa knew anything, it was that Warren Burgess was not a name she would be forgetting any time soon. This was their fifth mission together ever since she had joined the Knights as an undercover agent six months ago.

They were slowly becoming permanent mission partners as their missions ended up significantly more successful than any other combination of Knights.

Together, Vanessa and Warren were even faster, more efficient, and smarter than they were on their own. And that was saying something considering how highly rated the agents were as individuals.

Simply, they were a dream team.

As Vanessa plucked his blinking, musical arm off her shoulder, she tried to ignore the voice that said there was something more than just efficiency going on.

Read the rest here!

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

Being in a fandom for 20+ years is weird because you’ll see posts like, “How come I never see people mention x” and it’s like. We did. We talked about that a lot, actually. Actually it’s something that came up. And it’s hard not to be like, “Yeah, we discussed this fifteen years ago.” Half of this fandom wasn’t even born when these discussions happened. Wild.

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

Trick or Treat?

A trick for you!

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

six weeks of breathing clean air (i still miss the smoke)

When Warren sees Vanessa in that tower, his reality shatters. The glass fragments fall to the floor and everywhere he goes, he gets splinters. Until, Dale shows up to pick up the pieces.

634 words, T for language, Ao3 Link, written with other Vanessa work (linked in series) in mind but definitely fine as a stand alone!

full text below!!

Warren Burgess was a man of many faces. Of course, mostly he presented as the happy, go-lucky goof that tended to put his marks at ease. Sometimes, when he looked into a mirror, he saw all the fragments of all his covers splintering the glass like spider cracks.

For each cover, he pulled from some part of himself and soon every part felt like stretched out taffy. Sometimes he couldn't go on. He thought of quitting the Knights and finding himself again. Maybe at Fablehaven with his brother or move back to the old family home.

But, then he’d think of who would miss him.

Vanessa.

Somewhere between their second and their hundredth mission together, he had fallen hard.

She had seen every mirror fragment and still basked in the light of his disco hall identity. It had felt real. It had felt true.

Of course, none of that held water anymore. It had all been an illusion. Smoke and mirrors. And she sat in the Quiet Box where she couldn't trick some other dumb, hopeless man.

The anger, the shame, the guilt, the sadness. He felt close to drowning.

When Warren had seen Vanessa in that tower, his reality had shattered. The glass fragments had fallen to the floor and everywhere he went, he got splinters.

When he heard a Greenday song, he froze. When he saw some sick car on the highway and the first thought was of how much Vanessa would like it, he felt like throwing up.

Warren couldn't decide which perspective was worse. If it had all been a lie, the entire time, and she had tricked him. Or if truly had been real and he hadn't been enough for her to slam the brakes on betrayal.

One sparked fury and the other soaked him in a sea of depression. He couldn't put out the fires and he couldn't swim to the surface. He was suspended.

Dale found him, that first night of safety.

Stars twinkled above the cottage roof, and Warren kept watching them, even when footsteps arrived next to him.

“You couldn't have known,” Dale said.

Of course not. Vanessa had been good at what she did. Always had been. That's why their missions had always succeeded. She wore covers like a second skin. Almost as well as Warren.

“Yeah.” Warren threw a plastic grin his way. “I think that was the whole point.”

Dale placed a hand on his shoulder. “It's okay to miss her.

Warren stared ahead. For her, it has been a little over two years. For him, the last time he saw her felt like last week.

He remembered the promises they made. He remembered the look she gave him. The desperation she had held for him to stay and not go on the solo mission. Maybe it had been long enough for her to forget, but it wasn't for him.

Warren felt like the new Vanessa was the imposter and not the old. He kept wanting to rip off the mask, but it was already gone.

He turned to articulate some part of this into words, but as soon as he saw Dale’s face and Warren opened his mouth, his voice caught and he crumbled. Dale pulled him into a hug. He wrapped his arms around his brother and squeezed.

He missed her. He really did.

That was the crux of it, right?

Vanessa could do the worst, most horrible things in the world and Warren would still be longing for their nights and days together like a blind fool.

He floated between so many flavors of grief and he just couldn't fucking breathe. His sobs broke through, racking his body and he couldn't remember the last time he cried like this—no, he could.

The freaked-out cries driving Vanessa to the hospital.

He breathed out, a rattling sound and pulled away.

Dale looked through him. “That bitch.”

Warren laughed, a wet sort of sound.

At least he still had Dale.

If you enjoyed, please click here and head over to Ao3 to leave kudos and/or a comment!

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

drawing of my friend carolinelikesdinner 's player character, Octavia

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

I finally finally finally got around to drawing The Fairy Queen!

Attempt 1 at drawing an actual person, still getting used to Krita for anything that ISN'T drawing bird wings, but pretty happy with how it turned out.

Definitely still need to work on people, hair and faces though...

Don't look at the hands, please. If you see them, no you don't.

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

My take on Vanessa

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

Brandon really said Imma find a way to make unicorns edgy and I respect that

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

Hi fam new to this app but I draw fablehaven sometimes ⁉️⁉️

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

The Walrus and Fairy posts keeps reminding me of a scene in Fablehaven where the Fairies punish Seth by turning him into a Walrus.

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

Made this while reading master of the phantom isle.

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

I'm not gonna lie. I WOULD go into Muriels shack. She seems like she'd have great gossip.

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

New Fablehaven editions to be released by LitJoy Crate

There are to be new endpaper artworks by @/alysestew.art and new interior artworks by Brandon Dorman. They'll be signed by Brandon Mull and have an exclusive letter from him. The embossed leatherette books will have pages with gilded edges.

The first book drops on the 14th of March, with Rise of the Evening Star in May, Grip of the Shadow Plague in July, Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary in September, and Keys to the Demon Prison in November.

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

Kendra: Would you be more surprised to find a walrus or a fairy knocking at your door?

Seth: Neither would surprise me at this point.

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

Brandon Mull after making fruitcakes of characters then giving them straight love interests

[fairyqueenofthedragons]

Ronodin, the Dark Unicorn.