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lovelyladyabsinthewrites · 2 years ago

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Dragon Pt.2

Pairing(s): Daenerys Targaryen x Assassin!Reader, implied Daario x Daenerys Targaryen

Warnings: gore, blood, rampage, slight fluff, killing

Words:5535

Summary: Daenerys is good on her promise to make you more than a bloodthirsty assassin. She truly molds you into a dragon.

Part 1

Requested by many of you but in particular @alexkolax since they gave me the prompt 😊😊

In a short amount of time, your life had changed considerably. You were now considered one of Daenerys Targaryen’s most trusted member of her small court. Drogon may have been considered Daenerys’ ‘winged shadow’ but you were her actual shadow personified. She made sure to keep you close to her at all times not just for protection but also her genuine fondness of your company.

Growing to know the Silver Queen who was once your bounty, you’d admit you felt the same fondness.

No one would deny the utter beauty of Daenerys, but it was her authentic warmth that initially broke through your mountain high walls you built around yourself. They’d been a necessary growing up with four brothers. You built those walls so that nothing may break them down. Reinforced with your blood and nightmares.

As a child you had never known such kindness in a person. The people you saw on a daily basis were always less than kind and had ulterior motives up their sleeves.

Your own father murdered your mother after your birth. She was seen as defected since she gave birth to a girl. Up until then, she’d gifted your father with strong, healthy boys that were more than willing to carry on their father’s brutality.

He should have killed you right then and there. Despite all of your father’s flaws, he never killed children. Orphan them, yes, but he wouldn’t outright murder them like he had so many others. So he was stuck with you and subjected you to the same training all your other brothers had undergone prior to your existence.

Under their strict tutelage, you learned how to walk before crawling; such was the fury of their instructions that you aimed to do everything perfectly the first time to not receive their retribution. You couldn’t afford to mess up. Throughout your childhood, you aimed to prove to your family that you were just as good as them. And in all honesty, you were. You were the one to receive the best jobs; customers asked for you specifically.

Rage often fueled their actions, ultimately making them blind to reason. Such was the folly of men. You however were level headed. Anger was an inherited trait in you that you were always able to keep at bay until you needed it. You had full control of it and coexisted with it.

Happily you used the violence that festered in your soul to protect her, any means necessary.

You yourself had located the heart of the Sons of the Harpy swarm that was like a plague in Meereen. You’d earned the respect of the older men in her service that day when you slew the handful that had been surrounding you, Daenerys and Missandei. There had been doubt in you whether or not you could hold them off. They were coming from all sides and angles, relentless attempts to try and harm either of them resulted in a loss of a life or limbs.

Drogon was the true savior of the day. Dany took her rightful place atop of Drogon’s back, but not before she pulled you up with her.

Due to your occupation, you didn’t tend to feel the sensation of fear. It was trained out of you by your eldest brother Nakillos.

Being on top of an actual dragon?

You had never known a fear of heights until Drogon took off into the sky

Dany. . . Well you had Dany to thank for saving you. She revealed that she wasn’t just tenderness and warmth, but a force to be reckoned with. When the Dothraki horde accosted the two of you, you knew that you couldn’t slay all of them and get you and Dany to safety. She held your hand though and reassured you that everything would be alright.

She took things under control from then on. And what could you say? You admired the authority that shadowed her sweet features and she truly spoke like someone who had royal blood coarsing through them.

Not once did you regret leaving your old life behind to vow your fealty to Daenerys.

For the first time in your life you actually felt worthy of something. The deadly skills you had in your itinerary could be used for a proper cause instead of mindless hunger for more victims and gold. A monster that would never be satisfied. You cared not for your own happiness or that of anyone else.

Dare you even entertain the prospect that Dany brought so much light and meaning into your life. She had you feeling sorry for your past self that she didn’t know true joy until Daenerys Targaryen offered you her bloody hand.

When thee slave masters threatened to take Meereen from her control, you were right next to Grey Worm in a prompt execution.

First you happily forced them to watch their fleets be burned by her three children. Then you retrieve the specially made dagger Dany had gifted you and dragged it across Yezzan zo Qaggaz's throat. You may have been a little too happy about eliminating her enemies. The hot blood that splashed from their necks and onto your skin livened your own blood. Never had a kill been so delicious.

This was in tribute to your Silver Goddess.

Out of habit you presented the heads of the Slave Masters to her. Her face beamed with approval and delight at your morbid gifts. Even Grey Worm had turned his face away when you started severing head from necks. It was dirty work and not a pretty sight, but something inside of you made you do it. After presenting her with the head of the man who had hired you to kill her, you unconsciously made it a habit of giving her the heads of her enemies.

You promise her to do the same of her enemies in Westeros which had her cupping your cheek in the greatest show of adoration that had you weak kneed. You could tell she wanted to do more than just hold your face, but this was all she allowed herself. Other times when she was proud of you, Daenerys would toy with the Targaryen sigil that was chained around your neck. You never took it off.

The time for Westeros was coming. All she needed was a proper fleet of ships to carry her and the rest of her loyalists. It would be the first time her Dothraki horde had ever been on the water. They remained outside of the city for now along with Daario Naharis and his band of Second Sons.

The relationship between Dany and Daario was an unspoken one but you understood the truth of Daario's longing looks as you had taken his place by Dany's side. While he may have pleasure to offer her, she still preferred you as her personal sworn sword. Maybe it helped that you were also a woman. Either way it made you feel smug that you were superior to both Daario and Jorah in that manner. She didn't even trust Tyrion Lannister as much as she trusted your opinions.

Her council was in the middle of discussing how to build up their fleet and the options that lay in front of her.

You stand by her cushioned seat. Her council room was one of comfortable familiarity with plush chairs and couches. Wine was offered by those who willingly serve her.

Next to her sat Missandei who may as well have been the Westerosi version of a lady in waiting. You liked the former slave girl. She was kind like her queen and incredibly intuitive. Possessing great knowledge of diplomacy and the workings of Essos, Missandei was a great asset to Daenerys.

Across from the three of you were the men: Daario, Grey Worm, Tyrion, and Westeros' own master of whispers: Varys.

When first encountering the dwarf and eunuch, you had nearly killed both on the spot once you learned of their origins. To you, their presence was a threat to your queen and one you would quickly eliminate. They proved themselves to Daenerys and that was enough for you.

Talk of politics always bored you to tears as you stood there, form rigid and still as you took your job very seriously.

The way Tyrion and Varys droned on though about funds and potential allies made your mind drift and your eyes fell on the large window that looked out to the city. Such boredom brought you back to when you and your brothers were called upon your father to report your monthly body count and profit.

Garros, your father and the head of your clan of assassins, hated to give you praise and would spend the rest of the conference scolding your brothers. Why was a woman doing better than them?

Outside you watch the flight of her dragons as they lazily drift through the sky above the great city of Meereen. Since being released from their prison, Rhaegal and Viserion had grown in size but didn't make the mistake like their brother Drogon of eating the flock that belonged to the city. They took their hunting party far away from the city, following their large brother as he showed them better hunting grounds.

Drogon, while still unpredictable, became more docile toward Daenerys. A new bond had been established since she had officially ridden him .

A touch to your arm jolts you back into attention.

Dany only laughs at your abrupt alertness. They men were standing to leave, giving pleasantries to one another and a nod toward you. You stiffly nod back to them and watch them leave.

"Seems like I wasn't the only one bored from their talk." Missandei chuckles and pours a glass of wine for you, your signal that it was okay to relax with them now.

Gratefully you take it from her tan hands and take a sip while sitting between them. That's where they liked you. Since saving Missandei, you had gained her absolute trust. She would even call you 'my friend' when addressing you now. You'd never had a friend before. It was nice.

"I've never been able to follow political discussions." you sigh and let both of them lean against your shoulders. When the men were gone, all three of you were able to be yourselves. You knew it was hard being a woman with immense power. You couldn't let your guard down as any sign of weakness would be taken as an opportunity for those of the opposite gender. Daenerys constantly had to put up a strong front in order to maintain her power.

Dany nods in agreement, the side of her temple presses against your shoulder as she really gets comfortable next to you. Your stomach always flutters when she does such things like that. "Yes, it's not making me look forward to ruling the Seven Kingdoms."

"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." You say, a phrase you'd once heard your father say to Nakillos.

Her hand finds your's and gives it a squeeze. She looks up at you from under her long, dark eyelashes. "The crown is not so much a burden, not with the two of you with me."

You and Missandei smile for the both of you were all to happy to serve her.

Missandei gets up and puts her glass on the table. "Well, I must get going."

"Yes, can't keep Grey Worm waiting." Dany teases her causing the poor girl to duck her head in a blush. You giggle, actually giggle, at the obviousness of her affection for the Unsullied commander.

Flustered, she leaves without confirming Daenerys' words to be true.

Still gazing from where Missandei had fled, you smile and shake your head. "I'm happy for her."

Dany's hand hadn't left your's. Instead, her small fingers weave between your own and you feel your own blush creeping up your neck. Every touch from her was scalding. In a good way. "Me too."

Defenses lowering, you close your eyes and concentrate on the gentle rhythm of Dany’s breathing. Everything she did was mesmerizing to you and damnit if you were intoxicated on the way she makes you feel.

These moments were rare where it was just the two of you. Only once when everyone left could you allow yourself to be vulnerable. You allowed yourself these small, insignificant little moments.

At least you tried telling yourself they were insignificant. Always coming up with realistic excuses to avoid the truth that you struggled to face head on.

You like how her hands fit perfectly into your own.

You like the soft, content sighs she lets out every now and then.

You even like how drowsy you got as comfort warms you.

How had you lived for so long without this feeling? It was downright nourishing to every cell in your body.

“Will you stay with me tonight?”

Her question has your eyes popping open immediately and a quiet sort of panic seizes you. It wasn’t the first time she’d asked you to stay in her room for the night. Whether it was for comfort or. . . Something else. . . You always ran. You were a coward in that respect. Unable to face what you really desired and fighting the truth of your situation.

Again she looks up at you with those heartbreakingly beautiful eyes of hers. How could anyone be as gorgeous as she was? You didn’t even envy her beauty. Your own beauty had never mattered. You didn’t care what you looked like.

“Your Grace-“

She lifts her head from your shoulder with a scowl that knits her brows together. You hate when that expression is aimed toward you.. The last thing you wished was to displease her. “I told you, you don’t have to do that when it’s just the two of us.” Her hand leaves your’s and it goes up to the three-headed dragon pendant that had its home on your collarbone.

Since she released you, you’re on your feet and taking a step away from the couch. Pressing your lips in a straight line, you take her in. A storm of emotions plays out on her round face. “Dany,” you say softly and watch her become a puddle from you using her nickname “I don’t think that would be proper. I can go get Daari-“

You don’t finish as she stands. “Never mind. You’re dismissed.” She hastily says while turning her back to you. Her meticulous braids having held up all through her tenuous day. You’d spotted the red tips of her ears when she’d turned away from you. You hate yourself for doing that to her.

But her affections were misplaced, you were unworthy of her love.

For that’s how you both felt. You knew. You knew you were hopelessly in love with her. And Daenerys, for some odd reason, returned it tenfold. She showed you in every way possible. Daario was an infrequent guest in her bed now, had been for weeks now. Only on the nights when you turned down her offer did you spy Daario the following morning leaving her room.

Being the ever obedient servant, bow and practically leap at the opportunity to run to the door.

What a coward you were.

You stay on the other side for a while, back pressed against the council room.

You hated yourself as your cheeks burn along with your eyes. You wanted to cry, how pathetic was that? You hadn’t cried since you were a baby.

Highly sensitive ears pickup the approaching echo of footsteps. Hastily, you rub your eyes with your arm and look up to find Daario offering you a sympathetic gaze.

He inclines his head toward where he came from. “Let’s grab a drink, you and I. Yeah?”

Arrogant prick he may be, but you had to admit that you actually liked the Tyroshi. He had a charm to him, you’d give him that.

You nod. “Okay.”

“Oh just give into it already!” Daario slaps you on thee back enthusiastically once you were three drinks down. “You’re a pretty girl, she’s gorgeous, the two of you would have plenty of fun! And of course you can add me into the mix every so often.”

You snort out a laugh and shake your head. “You make it sound so easy. I’m a creature that is not used to things like love and sex. I’m not even used to physical contact but with her, she can do whatever she wants to me.”

He rolls his eyes. “Except fuck you apparently.”

Your face burns again and you know it’s not just from the drinks he poured down your throat. “I’m. . . I’m not pretty.”

“Yes you are. In a scary way. It’s sexy!”

The anxious feeling that was growing in your burst when he said that. You laugh exuberantly and Daario follows suit.

Then came back his more compassionate side that humbled him. “I only know a fraction of your past and what you’ve suffered.” When you shoot him a dubious look, Daario explains “Oh come now, even I know of you and your family. I’ve even met one of your brothers. Real twat he was.”

“You’ll have to be more specific. They’re all twats.” You comment making him chuckle in agreement.

“Comparing you from how you were when you first came here. . . I know you’re capable of love. I would have called you a monster back then. Before I got to see a peek of the real you.” You wouldn’t have considered Daario as astute as he was.

Maybe you could even consider him a friend like Missandei.

You ignore the smile that wanted freedom to be expressed on your lips. Instead you bring another drink to your lips.

“You sell yourself short. Enjoy in the pleasure our queen can give you. If it’s me you’re really worried about, don’t worry; what you and Dany have is more than lust.”

Now you were the one to roll your eyes at his ridiculousness. It was an endearing ridiculousness though. But if he could see the devotion you and Dany showed for one another, then everyone else could too. Tyrion, Varys, Missandei and maybe even Grey Worm.

“Love is the death of duty.” You murmur, eyes going dark from your turmoil. “She is my weakness. I can’t have weaknesses. You understand, right?”

Daario sighs not out of exasperation but out of melancholy. “Oh (y/n). They really did a number on you, didn’t they? No, love is what makes you stronger. It’s the fuel you reach for when you have nothing else left in the world. It’s a powerful weapon if you know how to wield it.”

You thought about what he told you long into the night until you went to bed. Your sleep was always dreamless. Preferred over having to endure more grief during unconsciousness.

Due to drinking so much the previous night, you slept far longer than you normally did. You woke up to Missandei shaking you.

Her eyes are wild, desperate even with tears unshed in her brown eyes. “She’s missing. Dany is missing.”

Your mind went blank for a moment. Her words float around in your brain before fully understanding what was going on.

Then you merely saw red. “Show me.” You knew there had to be a last known location. Security for Daenerys was of utmost importance to all of her council. It was impossible for her to go missing out of the blue.

You didn’t bother to change out of the clothes you wore the previous day. Missandei led you to her private chambers where the rest of her small council was congregated.

On her pillows was the bloody head of a lamb. Poor thing’s tongue was sticking out from the corner of its mouth. Dark eyes still open and staring blindly.

Your blood ran cold.

This was not a random abduction. It was deliberate. You knew exactly who did this.

The head of a lamb was your eldest brother’s signature. What a narcissistic dick.

You couldn’t breathe, merely staring wide eyed at it. No one had ever seen your face in such a state. It confirmed Tyrion’s worry. Powerful enemies had their queen.

Only Daario caught your gaze and really understood. He nods as you slip out the door. Missandei moves to go after you but Daario holds her back and whispers in her ear.

Furrowing her brows, Missandei watches helplessly as you make the long way ought of the pyramid and into the city. To get the answers you want, you had to go to the harbor. That’s where all rumors blossomed. Where you would get the most information.

A demon had overcome you and was now in control of your body. The only thing on your mind was finding the culprits that took your queen from under your nose. You blame yourself for not taking up her offer. Your brother would have never been able to take her if you were present.

It had to be Nakillos. If he wasn’t still in the city then he was close. You had to be quick and follow his scent.

The harbor master, while initially denying anyone with the description you gave, gave in once you showed him the savagery of your interrogation process. He only had two fingers left on his right hand before he finally caved in and told you all of what he knew. Nakillos and two other men had indeed been through the harbor.

You followed all hints. Anyone who refused to give you the information you craved was tortured until they submit to your will. You didn’t know what the members of Dany’s small council was doing, but you didn’t waste anytime in your rampage. You knew how the unsavory underworld of Essos worked. Knew all the ins and outs of even Meereen. How else could you possibly have found the nest that belonged to Sons of the Harpy.

A blood lust like this hadn’t risen in you since slaying the slave masters.

You went on a rampage as you scoured Meereen for Dany. Driven by pure rage.

By the end of the day, you’d found where your brother was staying as well several of his lackeys. You’d learned that your father had died a few months ago leaving Nakillos as sole heir to his empire which he took great advantage of.

He’d always resented you as he had been the one to bear the brunt of your father’s resentment since he was the eldest. Your father was not easy on him when you brought back better reports than him. And when you step into his makeshift lair, you see that he hasn’t changed one bit.

His face was the spitting image of your father, if not a bit younger than you last remember.

Gagged and in chains was Daenerys he glared daggers at him, unaware of the affiliation you had with this scum of the earth. They had taken over an entire building for this confrontation.

When she spots you, her lavender eyes glimmer with hope.

Nakillos leans forward with a terrible smirk. “Happy for you to finally join us.” His eyes scanned your body, drinking in the red stains on not just your clothes but also the skin of your arms. You hadn’t bothered to clean yourself up.

“I believe you have something of mine, brother.” Your words are clipped revealing the level of your patience which was none.

Dany’s eyes widen, shooting toward Nakillos whose grin only broadens.

He stands up, towering at almost seven feet. Anyone else would be scared, intimidated even. Never you though. Each step he takes toward you is a heavy thud.

“You’ve grown soft, (y/n).” He comments with a tilt of his chin. “It was quite easy to find news about you and your whereabouts. Not to mention that you’re now in league with the Targaryen cunt.”

You internally bristle at that snide remark but keep your features a void canvas. It pissed your brothers off the most when you didn’t react to their taunts.

That hadn’t changed either. His lip pulls up in a snarl.

His weapons are strung to not just his back but his hips as well. All assassins had a great arsenal of weapons no matter what the occasion.

His men seemed to close in on you so you were now stuck in a circle with your brother. Daenerys muffles words that were covered by the strip of fabric that wrapped around her head and blocked her mouth.

“You’re a fool to come here all by yourself.” Nakillos spits out while reaching behind his back to retrieve a blade from the sheath across his shoulder blades. “I’ll do what our father could never do: end you.”

In a monotone voice, you reply “You can try. Like you have so many times before.” Your own blade easily slipped from your sleeve to your hand. You too had quite the instruments hung off of your belt; some already stained with a crimson substance.

He’d been a bastard to you all your life. You would not mourn killing him.

On light feet, you sped forward; catching him off guard. Nakillos raises his arm, sword coming up to his defense. But your other hand though also wield a blade that he hadn’t seen until the last second.

You were able to slice a large chunk of his thigh and side before he slides away and begins his own onslaught.

Nakillos always favored in throwing his weight around. He did it with your three other brothers and yourself.

All of them lacked the speed and dexterity you had.

You lean way too back in an attempt to avoid the tip of his blade. Forced to complete a flip to guarantee your survival, you’re quick to block another blow from his sword. While you were confident in your own skills, Nakillos wasn’t your father’s heir for no reason.

Each of his offensive moves screamed of Garros. Like you were fighting your father instead of your brother.

He sliced at your shins then tried to slice your belly open in an upward strike with his right hand. Garros had trained all his children to use both hands with equal efficiency. It was one of the best ways to fight.

Even though it meant getting your ankle cut, you swiftly kick him in the face. Ignoring the searing pain that shot through your system. You clench your back molars to the point that they may crack under the pressure.

Nakillos is sent spiraling to the ground but he doesn’t so much as flinch. Blood trickles from his nose that he ignores to dodge you.

It was clear the both of you were equal in hand to hand combat.

You knew you had the upper hand though. Because you were fighting for her. For your Silver Goddess.

You let that quiet anger in you out of it’s cage. It stretched it’s legs before making your vision and thoughts go black.

You fed it with the blood of your brother.

Remembering every single time he was cruel to you. How he smashed your head into the ground and broke your arm when you were ten and one. Nakillos reveled in smacking you around. He even went so far as to have you train an entire day with glass in your boots.

Not realizing you were screaming until the fog in your brain cleared, you saw the damage you did already. His arms were cut up and there was a deep gash to his side that he held onto. The hand around his wound was already dripping with red.

Your own knuckles were covered in cuts varying from deep to superficial. That was the only area on your body he’d been able to scratch.

It made him furious. He let out a roar and charged. You wait until the last minute to fall off to the side and trip him with your foot.

When he fell face first into the floor, you leapt atop of his back and tried to stab deep into his spine. Nakillos however had enough strength and speed to flip himself over from underneath you.

He headbutts you right in the face.

Stars fill your vision as you tumble back. Your head was warm as you force yourself to regain your composure. In that time, Nakillos takes a swing at you that makes a large gash from shoulder to shoulder.

You feel the back of your head bounce off of the ground. At least your vision cleared for you to watch Nakillos sinks one knee on either side of your body.

He’s laughing a bit hysterically at your dazed eyes. “Did you really think it would end with me?” Nakillos smacks you across the face with the back of his hand as you struggle under him. “Even if you kill me, the others will come after you and your silver haired bitch.”

“Then I will do to them what I will do to you: I’ll kill them and present their heads to my queen on a gold platter.” You spit blood right into his eye and stab your blade into his cheek.

He howls, a horrible noise as he flings himself from you. His hands trembling to his face. The handle of your knife stuck straight out.

You didn’t waste time. Ripping a metal wire garrote from your belt, you swiftly loop it around his neck as you dance behind him. He gags before a horrible wet noise rakes from his throat. You tighten your grip and pull.

Nakillos kicks and fights against the sharp wire that was cutting into his neck. His fingers desperately dug at his muscular neck.

The others didn’t move, only watched in horror. They weren’t allowed to move due to Garros’ stupid code. One did not interrupt a fight. No matter who was winning or losing.

You grit your teeth as you viciously jerk back. It cut into arteries and veins alike producing a spray of blood to spring forth. His body is still jerking until you give the garrote one last twist.

Then all movement stopped.

Letting his body fall to the ground, you take a moment to finally get a proper breath. When you open your eyes back up they find Dany’s. Her face surprised you.

Instead of being in horror like everyone else, her eyes were sparkling and her cheeks were flushed. Daenerys was breathing laboriously. Her pupils were blown out from the scene.

You take up your blade once more and get to the messy task of cutting into Nakillos’ neck; severing skin, muscle, bone and tendon. They left you to your macabre work although you didn’t miss the low murmurs.

Forced to switch out blades three times, you finally were able to lodge his head free. His skin was slippery from the red loss of his life.

You go to Dany who is smiling at you.

“Sorry I don’t have a gold plate for this one, but I hope you’ll accept it.” you get down on your knees and offer it up to her.

Her eyes were starting to fill with tears as she smiles happily down at you. Dany’s fingers brush against your stick ones when she moves to take the head from you. She tosses it aside and with both of her bloody hands on either side of your face, she kisses you.

You don’t fight back. Not this time. Daario was right. Why were you fighting? Because of fear? That was stupid.

Her lips were deliciously soft despite their hungry claim on your mouth.

Someone off in the distance clears their throat and you turn around in annoyance.

“You’ve killed your brother.”

“Clearly.” You scoff.

“Do you know what that means?” Another intervenes.

The first man takes back the conversation. “By right you are now leader of Garros’ clan. You defeated the eldest fair and square. All his money and land belong to you as well as his men.”

You wave them all off. “Split it amongst yourselves and my other brothers. I don’t care.” Quick hands already had Dany’s gag off and her bounds cut. “Just as long as none of you step foot in Meereen again.” Flicking up deadly eyes, they nod and don’t fight you as you leave to go back home.

There was arguing in the council room when you and Daenerys returned. Both of you had been quite the sight walking through the streets.

Daario was off to the side, watching them all with a bored expression before he noticed you and Dany. His eyes widen at the both of you drenched in blood but he smiled.

“We’re wasting time-“

“Where is (y/)?!”

“Are the Harpies resurfacing again?!”

Daenerys clears her throat loudly and everyone turns around. “Hello, sorry for the trouble but as you can see I am fine.”

Tyrion gawks. “The. . . The blood. . .”

“Not mine.” She’s all smiles as she brings you to her side. “But (y/n) and I will be requiring a bath. Together.” Daenerys looks at you with hopeful eyes.

This time you don’t say no.

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thaliajoy-blog · 3 months ago

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Rereading the Dany part of AGOT exclusively has led me to yet unforeseen places of discomfort like the whole Dany & Mirri Maz Duur story even surface level is very tragic & I'm obsessed by what is there what is underneath the surface and what could be in that dynamic (maybe I'll get into it another day) but the tenth Dany pov chapter in the novel is harrowing before the pyre starts because you see the contrast between how Mirri and Drogo are treated and it's distressing. Mirri is tied to a the pyre and whiped so she stops talking. Drogo is washed and clothed lovingly by Daenerys, she even speaks to him, apologizes to him, feels fondly about him, tries to give him a real king's funeral. But it makes sense, tragic sense. Mirri put Dany in an incredibly miserable & and vulnerable place. She murders Drogo & Rhaego. She is more than Dany's ennemy but Dany is not in a position that would make her want to forgive those actions, even based Mirri's trauma that Dany knows all too well about. So it's this fucked up thing where the birth of the dragon is preceded by an hommage by Dany to a man who is very obviously monstrous in GRRM's writing - Mirri murdered a child out of vengeance, but Drogo lead the killing, traumatizing & enslavement of many more children simply because it was in his power. And Dany loves him (and even names a dragon after her - I'm sorry Drogon there's that aside from the fact that your name is pretty stupid my sweet baby), a frightened love born out of the need to not just die from her awful situation as the teenage bride of a warlord. I'm thinking about how like Irri & Jhiqui still see themselves as slaves despite everything Dany does to delegitimize slavery ; in her continued fondness towards Drogo Dany kind of refuses to see her chains and her past victimization.

And it all comes back to Mirri, this monstrous victim, this wise demon, the maegi, the magic teacher, the one who cannot be forgiven. Tied to the pyre. Unwilling witness to Dany's marriage with the fire. This benefits us all to wonder & mourn and ponder about how complex & mindfucked GRRM made this situation (and I kind of love it as it is) rather than to designate one victim & one abuser and rant about how the fandom at large doesn't realize how really innocent one is and how really evil the other is.

Surge of thought on mirri lately brought to you by my obsession with Epic the Musical and how the Horse & the Infant, Just a Man and Ruthlessness kinda fit her I think.

#it fucks me so bad when i remember that dany named her main dragon - the balerion reborn dragon - after her rapist #similar to dany naming viserion but there she recognizes viserys lacks and even reflects on his dual nature - loving brother once long ago #but now mostly an weak abusive snake #but since she held onto drogo as a new center in her life and her father's son and the wound is too fresh she can't yet reflect on it #daenerys targaryen #mirri maz duur #a game of thrones #a song of ice and fire #asoiaf meta

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serialadoptersbracket · 1 month ago

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Quarterfinals, Match 1: Daenerys Targaryen vs. Gintoki Sakata

Submitted kids:

Daenerys Targaryen: Drogon, Rhaegal, Viserion, Grey Worm, Missandei, the entire population of Slavers Bay

Gintoki Sakata: Kagura and Shinpachi Shimura, his own de aged mentor Shouyou, Hashida Kanshichirou, and Seita

Propaganda under the cut!

Daenerys Targaryen:

1. “Is there any better example of a serial adopter than someone who has adopted an entire city? Daenerys not only is the mother of dragons with her three dragons being her magic children, but she's also adopted soldiers, polyglot preteens, and old man renowned for his honor, and three cities worth of freed slaves. She takes her responsibility as their mother (or 'hysa' as used in the books) extremely seriously, giving up her goals of reaching Westeros to help ensure that her freed children are able to function in Meereen (notably the books handle this situation much better than the show but the show's cultural impact is too big to ignore)”

2. “#girl takes being mother to her people to the extreme sometimes #not many people have the dedication to risk catching the plague to go personally help the afflicted”

Gintoki Sakata:

1. “Gintoki is introduced to us as a depressed twenty seven year old dealing with ptsd who first adopts Shinpachi after protecting him from Amanto (aliens, who have somewhat taken over earth) who were harassing him, which led to Shinpachi losing his job, and Gintoki having to help him rescue his sister Otae from the family’s debtors. Shinpachi comes to work for Gintoki as Odd Jobs, soon joined by Kagura (an amanto herself with super strength who was working as part of gang prior to Shinpachi and Gintoki helping her leave) Kagura leaves in his house and later Gintoki allows her to get a pet dog. It’s made clear that these three are a family and more than a few episodes make it clear that Kagura seems Gintoki as her earth father (her bio dad, the strongest man in the universe, goes around the galaxy fighting monsters) and Shinpachi feels a familial connection to him as well. There’s also Hashida, a baby who looks a lot like Gintoki, whom Gintoki takes care of when the custody battle over Hashida becomes an actual battle. This includes drinking together, tying the baby to his back while fighting his way to Hashida’s mom, and Hashida crying when Gintoki leaves, after promising they’ll share a drink when Hashida is older. In a similar vein is Seita, a street kid who tries to pickpocket Gintoki but gets robbed in return and ends up working for Gintoki’s landlady (Gintoki’s own adoptive mother) and being taken care of by her and the odd jobs family as a whole, before Gintoki discovers Seita’s mother is Hinowa, the Sun of Yoshiwara and its highest ranking courtesan, and fights Housen, a crime lord who fought Kagura’s father for three days and nights until they considered it a draw, and kills him, just so Seita and Hinowa can reunite. During the timeskip late in the series, we discover after seemingly defeating the Big Bad Utsuro (an immortal who formerly was Gintoki’s adoptive father and teacher Shouyou) Gintoki spent two years raising the reincarnated Shouyou as a baby, before being given his heart to prevent Utsuro’s followers from taking it. These are just the most notable examples, pretty much any character younger than Gintoki gets taken care of or helped by him in a way, including Kagura’s older brother, temporary member of Odd Jobs Pirako, and even to an extent youngest Shinsengumi member Okita Sougo. Gintoki is positioned as acting as the same adoptive parent role as his own adopters (Shouyou and his landlady Otose) are, taking on similar burdens and making, or trying to make) similar sacrifices as well. He can be really soft with kids at times, and has at least once carried Kagura and Shinpachi away from a fight on his back.”

2. “#hell adopt your unorphaned kid hell adopt your dad hell adopt his own deaged mentor!!!”

#daenerys targaryen #gintoki sakata #asoiaf #gintama #a song of ice and fire #sakata gintoki #game of thrones #dadtoki #serial adopters bracket #quarterfinals #tumblr polls #tumblr tournament

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daenerystargaryen06 · 9 months ago

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This is late 'cause I've been very busy and sick- but let's get into it.

I've seen so many comments like this one on Tik Tok, really terrible platform for comments like these to pop up since everyone likes spreading their hate for Dany on Daenerys edits/videos, especially on other comments that show support for Daenerys and uplift her. But this one in particular genuinely baffles me no, I won't blur the name out; this dude commented this on a public forum for everyone to see. Just don't send him hate or anything... even if this part of the fandom isn't as crazy as all the others.

'Drogon isn't as crazy as his slave master Dany'. Let's break this down, shall we? First point- Dany isn't a slave master, ESPECIALLY to Drogon. Dany was a bridal sex slave herself, in the show at the age of 16/17, in the books at the age of 13. She knows what it's like to be a slave, she was one herself, and due to her enslavement and the horrors she saw when wed to Drogo (his own people's violence against not only her but also the Lhazareen)- Daenerys wants equality for everyone. She breaks the chains from those enslaved in Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen. She works to free these people from their sufferings and plight and give them agency to achieve freedom for themselves and no longer live under the cruelty of the Masters. In the show, she sets up a council of freedmen to govern themselves to rule the cities, and she ensures the Masters no longer remained a threat to her people before she left to Westeros. In the Books, she is currently struggling against the Masters and is facing many struggles, but she is still striving to ensure her people remain free and safe from the Masters without worry of cruelty and fear under the Masters for their own profit.

"There speaks one who has been neither." Dany's nostrils flared. "Do you know what it is like to be sold, squire? I do. My brother sold me to Khal Drogo for the promise of a golden crown. Well, Drogo crowned him in gold, though not as he had wished, and I . . . my sun-and-stars made a queen of me, but if he had been a different man, it might have been much otherwise. Do you think I have forgotten how it felt to be afraid?" -A Storm of Swords - Daenerys II

"He was too eloquent for her. Dany had no answer for him, only the raw feeling in her belly. "Slavery is not the same as rain," she insisted. "I have been rained on and I have been sold. It is not the same. No man wants to be owned." -A Dance with Dragons - Daenerys III

Even worse is that this comment refers to Dany as being DROGON's slave master. Drogon has never been considered a slave to Dany. He is her child, her son. Her dragons are her children. Dany has never regarded them as slaves, nor will she ever regard to them as such. Rhaegal and Viserion were chained because Drogon killed a child, and Dany feared her dragons would grow unruly and begin to kill more of her people, yet she also regrets this decision. She cries when she does this in the show. She reflects upon it and regrets it in the books. She will always care for and love her dragons, who she loves alike to a mother. She regards to them as her children and would never willingly harm them.

In the show and books, Dany struggles with Drogon making his own decisions. But she does not try to enforce him under her will like a Master would a slave. She wants him to listen, yes, but every mother wants their child to listen and behave. In the show, she never harms Drogon or forces him to submit, he WILLINGLY listens to her once she gains back her identity after burning the Khals in Vaes Dothrak and going against the Masters when she returns to Meereen. If he didn't wish to listen, he wouldn't have to, as he possesses a mind and will of his own which was already shown in seasons 4-5. In the books, she has to whip Drogon into submission, but it was not to enslave Drogon- it was to SAVE him and her people from death in the Fighting Pit when he comes and almost loses his life while burning the people around him. If not for her, Drogon would have died, and he attacks back at her as well within the Pit before he submits to her and allows her to ride upon him away from the violence that was occurring.

Calling Dany Drogon's slave master is alike to calling every other Targ before her slave masters to their dragons, when we know that isn't true, and Dany's connection to her dragons is actually very much different and runs deeper than that of her ancestors with their own dragons.

Now, on the topic of 'craziness', Dany is far from it. In the show, she only became 'crazy' in the very last few episodes of the last season, when the writers ruined her character all for their excuse to have Jon kill her since they couldn't even think up a better ending. Before that, are we just going to ignore the fact that Dany actually went against what her father had done, did things for the good of others and cared for those considered 'lesser', and saved basically all of Westeros when she allied with Jon and it was the majority of HER armies and dragons that fought against the WW and NK? She only went 'crazy' when the writers wanted her to, and even that I don't consider canon, due to the fact she was painted as a HERO before they assassinated her entire character and made her go off the deep end and even that I don't view as just 'crazy'.

In the books, she fears becoming like her father, she is compared most to Rhaegar (a character many in the books view as sane and heroic), and she reflects most upon her actions and questions her decisions made. She is a grey character at most, and even still, she is the one character that does the most good and selfless acts in the books compared to everyone else. She wants what is best for her people, she wants to make them happy and give them good lives, and she wants to be a good Queen who isn't just feared or violent to achieve what she wants. She forgoes Westeros to keep in Meereen for her people's safety. She works the hardest to attempt for peace with the Masters without bloodshed or acts of cruelty and she is compassionate, intelligent, and an empathetic woman. She sees suffering and instead of accepting it like everyone else in that world has, she works AGAINST it to save those who do suffer due to her own experiences of suffering and pain. She is, in all, a hero who wants to do good. That doesn't seem very 'crazy' or 'slave master' to me.

Someone should really pick up the books, but I fear that their reading comprehension would be just as bad as their comments on Tik Tok.

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atopvisenyashill · 11 months ago

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i totally get not shipping jonerys but i think there's too much potential for george not to explore. i do think jon is going to be critical of dany’s methods and they’re doomed, but they have a lot in common too? like wanting to impose their beliefs and world view on others, and they can bond over having really bad pr too! i just hope that it’s more interesting than the show, for my own sanity.

I do think there's potential to explore but I just do not see the romantic potential. Their commonalities are not the sort that would make them get along. Jon's bad PR is he's a reclusive dick running off bad advice (from another Targaryen to boot) who won't explain his long term plans to people he doesnt like, sends every single one of his allies away, and is trying to break down long held prejudices in the span of a few months. Dany's bad PR seems similar except on top of "breaking down long held prejudices" she trusts violent, shady ass men at every turn (while Jon just straight up executes Slynt! Do you see Jon misstep wrt Alliser and Bowen? Yes, but he is not sitting here justifying their violence the way Dany justifies men like Daario), compromises in ways that completely undermine the prejudices she's trying to break down, and has now simply accepted that her dragons killing innocent people is an acceptable loss. Dany takes a profit off the selling of slaves and I simply do not believe Jon would react so cavalierly to Dany telling him about how she burned her slave alive to hatch her dragons, especially after whatever shenanigans Melisandre and Stannis are going to be getting up to in TWOW. Not for nothing here, but Jon does not use Ghost as a killing machine; anyone or anything Ghost has killed has been in defense of Jon while Drogon is very much a weapon of war.

Beyond that, Dany's identity is very tied up in the being the last dragon. She's going to be ten times worse in the books about finding a dragonseed in Westeros, especially if Rhaegar found out Elia was killed and married Lyanna, thereby legitimizing Jon above Dany's own claim. She's going to kill Aegon VI and destroy KL, maybe even Casterly Rock and parts of Dorne as well! The thing I think everyone overlooks here though is that she is not getting to Westeros until the very end of TWOW at the earliest! She's going to have wracked up a kill count higher than every other character on page, probably a kill count higher than the Conquerors or the Dance or the Redgrass Field. Regardless of any similarities they have in their backgrounds, what Jon is likely to feel when she lands is horror, and a fair amount of nerves. Do I think he will feel guilt for having a hand in his aunt's death, in ending the line of Targaryens? Yes, absolutely! It doesn't mean his guilt will drive him to side with a woman who lands with a slave army and then sets fire to half the continent.

And to be completely honest, if they do hook up, if she lands and she's lauded as a hero after destroying the city states of Slaver's Bay, after slaughtering the khals of the dothraki, after taking a profit off slavery and engaging in collective and cruel & unusual punishment, if murdering Aegon VI for *checks notes* being lied to about who he is and having a better claim than her but not "earning" his ending, and finds some sort of happiness with Jon, I'm saying that's 100x more misogynistic than what the show did, not to mention nauseatingly imperialist and classist. The reason I am very firm in saying Dany will go dark is because it is my opinion anything less is a betrayal of the themes of non violence, the costs of war, and the punishing of the poor. Like, Robb's murder is a tragedy but the book does not shy away from the harm he does! Dany will not (should not!) be treated any different just because she's a woman; that's like the basis of feminist theory!

#a normal person would look at the mess she made of slaver's bay and go 'dude what the fuck is wrong with you.'#unfortunately jonathan snowflake of game of thrones hbo is blinded by emilia's pretty face just like d&d and emilia herself are!#anti daenerys targaryen #anti jonerys #like even if jonsa doesn't happen. they're not hooking up. there's a world i do believe jon feels a complicated kinship with her.#but that doesn't mean he's going to like her.#like if jon had settled the wildlings and been like 'this is too hard. you're all part of the night's watch now and you have no choice'#you can bet i'd be dragging his ass the way i drag hers. but he gets shanked specifically bc he *refuses* to compromise in this way.#dany is a politican. jon is an idealist. neither ultimately makes good leaders.#asks #once again sorry if this sounds mad. i'm not mad. just animated.

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madame-fear · 2 years ago

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Hi Amira! How are you?

So I was thinking about a Lucerys x fem!reader in which she accepted to marry a young man from a noble house after hearing that Luke is betrothed to Rhaena. Then in the middle of the reader’s wedding ceremony, Lucerys appears with his dragon Arrax, making an entrance (just like Daenerys with Drogon when they arrive at the dragon pit to meet Cersei), ready to confess his feelings and asking her to come with him.

It was just an idea. Thank you for all your Lucerys Velaryon content! ❤️

*ೃ༄ 𝐈'𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐖𝐇𝐎'𝐒 𝐒𝐎 𝐈𝐍 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐘𝐎𝐔 .ೃ࿐

— ☆ amira speaks : hello love !! AHHH this request was so so adorable, and hope you enjoy this as much as i enjoyed writing it !! 🥺 Also, I didn't specify the House the reader married in to leave it up to your choice!🌹 — summary : request — word count : 2.4k

— pairing : lucerys velaryon x fem! reader — genre : fluff.

The news of the Velaryon boys betrothal rapidly reached you, as your House was extremely close to House Targaryen, and they had even invited you to the betrothal dinner. To which, your family did accept the invitation and attended, except for you — excusing yourself as 'feeling unwell', yet, after all, it wasn't far from reality; since you've fancied Lucerys for a long time now, and you had the slight hope that he'd possibly like you back.

But after hearing that Lucerys got betrothed to Lady Rhaena Targaryen, your high hopes of being able to possibly be together faded away rather quickly, much to your dismay.

It was a heartbreaking deception, and one that felt like it would take a long time to heal — but you had to continue with your life, and let him go, unfortunately. Even if you understood that marriage between Houses wasn't anything for love, and it was merely to make the union between the Houses stronger and produce future heirs; it was still rather painful to bear with that.

After hearing the Velaryon boys betrothal, you soon had your own had several marriage proposals from young men that came from noble houses. None of them were of your interest, of course. None of them seemed genuine when asking for your hand in marriage, except for a young man from a noble house — which seemed far more decent than the other men that had proposed to you. And of course, having nearly ran out of options and being forced to accept a husband for once, you took the young man from House Martell's hand in marriage, and got betrothed.

Much like it had initially happened to you, Lucerys heard about your betrothal and how your Houses were preparing for the wedding ceremony as well, the news coming from his mother's own lips. For him, it was just as painful as it had been for you; feeling his heart deeply sink. But he was betrothed already, just like you were now... there wasn't anything he could do about it, right?

Well, wrong.

He had, since early childhood, continously heard his mother speaking about how betrothals and marriages were merely for a political convenience, and how you had the absolute liberty to choose whomever you truly loved behind the facade of being betrothed to someone from another House.

Lucerys knew that, much like in his case, you had been surely obligated — in a way — to marry. After all, deep down inside of him, he knew all those intense stares at each other, the teasing that both of you received mostly from Jace and Rhaenyra, and the way you both always managed to mention one another in any topic of conversation had to mean sonething. Luke could see the way you intensely blushed and giggled near him, just like he shyed away and also could feel his cheeks feeling warmer when he saw you walking in the same room he was in.

The days passed, and everyday, it got near your official wedding ceremony. A part of his mind was genuinely afraid that, having to spend sometime near your betrothed before your actual wedding ceremony, you had somehow fallen in love with your future Husband, and another part of him was filled with thoughts about how he could confess his true love for you before you could actually get married.

As Luke stood in Arrax's dragonpit, petting the scales of the pearly coloured dragon whom joyfully screeched at his tender caressing, his mind kept wandering and brainstorming on how he would crash into the ceremony, prevent you from marrying. While Arrax swiftly licked his rider's cheek with his raspy tongue, delighted from all the petting he received, an idea came to the Princeling's mind, making a smug grin appear on his rosy lips.

Ah, yes, he already had the perfect idea to prevent your wedding ceremony to happen.

All he needed to do, was get all the details of the exact moment and place of where your ceremony would be happening by asking his mother, and when the day of your wedding came, all he would have to do was guide Arrax to take him to you.

Your so expected wedding day had arrived. The intense nerves were felt both by your House, and your betrothed's own House. You, as well, were rather anxious about the moment that was about to come.

The wedding had been hosted outside the castle of your betrothed's House, and it was rather nicely settled and decorated for a proper wedding. However, even if you appreciated the efforts both Houses made to provide such a delightful wedding — and appreciated the kindness your betrothed held with you —, you weren't truly joyful with the wedding. For you, it was still being stuck in an unwanted marriage for political conveniences.

Once the wedding had begun, your footsteps were slow and delicate as you made your way towards your betrothed, and the Sept that'd marry you. A fake, forced grin remained on your lips, feeling the intensity of all eyes on you. A large, white embroidered veil covered your face, and your long white dress — that perfectly matched with your veil — smoothly flew along the gusts of winds of the outside while you strolled towards the Sept.

A deep, slightly trembling sigh escaped your lips as you positioned yourself in front of the Sept, and your soon-to-be Lord Husband, waiting for the ceremony to officially begin. The Sept began reading from the wedding pledges to intialise the ceremony, but shortly after it had begun to read outloud, you heard some minor whispering in between the guests, that had rapidly spreaded through everyone that attended the wedding.

Curiously, the Sept, your betrothed, and yourself all turned your gazes to look at what the guests were loudly gossiping about. As your eyes stared at them, you noticed their eyes were focused up into the sky with certain looks of both confusion, and completely mesmerised. And you yourself, did the same; your eyes turning to look up at the sky, wondering what was that they were seeing, only to notice a dragon circling the air; getting nearer to the ground with every passing second.

The vivid sunrays hit your face behind the veil, causing you to furrow your eyebrows and slightly close your eyes, but even so, you could notice that the dragon that circled the outsides of your betrothed's House castle was rather familiar. Giving the dragon a close, and attentive look at it as the sun hit upon the scales of the grand beast that was leisurely descending, you slowly fell into the realisation that the dragon flying in the sky was none other than Arrax himself.

“Arrax?” you murmured in the lowest voice volume possible, for yourself only to hear. None of the Targaryens had seemed to appear amongst the guests, not only because you knew they had other matters to deal with, but also, because there were other dragons near Arrax, or in plain sight flying in the skies.

In a short span of time, Arrax gracefully landed in the ground, causing some of the guests to yelp in surprise, and others, slightly frightened at the sight of the brightly pearl-coloured dragon that loudly screeched once the wing-flapping motion stopped. Getting off from his back, Lucerys stood on his dragonriding clothing, and his brunette hair seemed to be more notoriously messy than it usually was due to the gusts of winds while riding Arrax. With a growing grin, your gaze couldn't help but stay fixed on his as he stared back at you, a bit dumbfounded at how preciously delightful you looked.

“Lucerys...” you mumbled vehemently with a growing tone of excitement, and a broad ear-to-ear grin. “Y-You came to my wedding. What a... lovely surprise.” it was hard for you to remain yourself without seeming too excited at seeing how astonishing his entrance to your wedding was, and having his presence near you.

“(y/n).” Luke greeted back, leisurely making his way towards you, rather than having a seat with the other guests. His actions made everyone be more confused at the situation, and making your eyebrows slightly furrow, awaiting what he'd say, or do, next. The princeling stood in front of you, and took a deep breath. His heart pounded violently against his chest, feeling like it was about to come out of it at any second, and provoking his hands to tremble.

“I am not here to celebrate your wedding ceremony, my Lady.” he stated boldly, yet, stood firmly. The Sept that had already begun with the ceremony stared at him in silent dubiety, and your betrothed turned his eyes to look at you for a brief moment, then back at Lucerys. At his statement, you slightly tilted your head to your side, and before you could manage to reply anything at all, pure stuttering rolled of your lips nervously. But before you could ask or respond anything, he continued speaking.

“I am here to take you with me.” he replied, making the guests loudly gasp. “I love you, (y/n). I always had, and no one could possibly change the way I feel about you. The mere thought of you marrying someone else has always made me feel sick, and I cannot simply stand here and do nothing about my feelings for you.” with a scoff coming from your betrothed, your eyes widened, as well as your heart skipped a beat at his confession. Loud whispering began being hear around the guests, and you suddenly released the grip on your betrothed's hands, walking to directly stand properly in front of him.

“B-but, Lucerys, I thought your mother had betrothed you to your cousin—” before you could continue, the brunette haired boy interrupted you before you could finish your sentence.

“Mother says betrothals are political arrangements, and we can always choose our true love if we do not wish to marry our betrothed.” his hazel eyes stared intensely into yours, as his hands took hold of yours gently, extending them closer to his chest. Luke was mesmerised at how tremendously beautiful you looked in white, and he could only hope he would see you in this clothing once again a near future. “The only person I have always desired to marry is you, (y/n). I would protect and give my life for you.”

At his words, your eyes remained wide, and you could feel your breath fading away from you. The colour of your cheeks was tinted with a pinkish tone that rapidly turned into a reddish one, being at disbelief that Lucerys liked you, as much as you liked him.

“I want you to come with me, back to Dragonstone. I want you to be my chosen love.” his tone voice had a hint of uncertainty, and was heard to be slightly trembling. Despite Luke trying to stand firm in his words and his confession, he couldn't help but wonder at last minute, whether or not you liked him as well. It was unbeknownst to him, that your silence wasn't because you didn't fancy him as well, but because, you were trying to convince yourself whether this was actually happening, or not.

Suddenly, you removed the veil that covered your angelical face, cupping his cheeks in a firm manner, and crashing your lips against his in a rather fervid way. It was a surprise for everyone that attended the wedding and witnessed the scene, including your betrothed and the Sept, but you couldn't care less. For you, the only thing you had your focus present on was Lucerys, and showing him, you would never doubt in leaving everything behind, just to go with him.

His green eyes were widen as you slowly pulled apart from the kiss, trying to subtly recover some air. Your hands fell from his cheeks, only to take hold of one of his hands as you turned around to look at your betrothed, whom looked shocked at the entire situation. “I apologise for this, but...” gulping nervously, your eyes wandered back to Lucerys, giving him a single nod accompanied by a grin.

“Take me to Dragonstone, with you.” you replied to him, making Luke goofily smile at you. And without saying anything else, he nodded, and turned around with his hand still gripped onto yours, guiding you to where Arrax stood — the dragon joyfully screeched with delight, mimicking his own rider's inner, hidden emotions that he didn't want to show in front of you, just in case it was too childish.

Despite everyone staring at you with great disblief and shock — even beginning to gossip about you — , you continued making your own way with Lucerys. The Princeling helped you settle yourself on Arrax, right behind of him as he took the reins of the dragon. A whispered 'I love you, so very much' escaped his lips with a smile, in a tone only you could hear, as you wrapped your arms around his body. His gloved hands made a certain movement on the reins for Arrax to begin flying, as well as he shouted something in High Valyrian. Understanding everything perfectly well, the dragon did as his rider commanded — beginning to fly high in the brightness of the sky.

And you could've never been happier than you already were, knowing that his heart belonged only to you, despite his mother compromising him with someone else as a political convenience. For him, it was the same, knowing that the feelings were mutual after such a long time of keeping them as a secret. You were happy together, and you'd remain that way until the last of your days.

♡ taglist : ♡

@jjamieberry @anemicroyalcore @countsmoon @tickle-euphoria @beeebo234 @manuholland6 @capellaadara @kyuupidwrites @tchatso @dopepersonacloudllama @phantasyy @tasty-nutella @mstxdes @valeriecash

#lucerys strong x reader #lucerys velaryon x reader #lucerys velaryon x you #lucerys velaryon imagine #hotd x reader #house of the dragon x you #house of the dragon x reader #house of the dragon imagine #hotd x you #hotd x y/n

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agentrouka-blog · 1 year ago

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Hey Rouka. What do you think about Jon saying "I am not a wolf"? Is he just in denial, not willing to accept his Stark heritage because of his bastard status, or is it foreshadowing for him rejecting it? Though I think about moments where he wants to be Jon Stark/lord of WF as well.

Hi there!

Pretty sure that this line is very specifically aimed at the act of warging, not at a symbolic identification with House Stark.

He was walking beneath the shell of the Lord Commander's Tower, past the spot where Ygritte had died in his arms, when Ghost appeared beside him, his warm breath steaming in the cold. In the moonlight, his red eyes glowed like pools of fire. The taste of hot blood filled Jon's mouth, and he knew that Ghost had killed that night. No, he thought. I am a man, not a wolf. He rubbed his mouth with the back of a gloved hand and spat. (ADWD, Jon III)

This is in direct contrast with both Varamyr from this book's prologue, taking pleasure in feeding on even humans while warged into a wolf, and the way Bran almost immediately embraced hunting, killing and eating inside Summer, much to the dismay and concern of Jojen and Meera. It is directly related to Bran's willingness to abuse Hodor in this way. It makes him feel free and powerful.

It's also implied to be a smart choice by the way Melisandre is very clearly interested in exploiting the magical power inherent in Jon's warg gift.

She knelt and scratched Ghost behind his ear. "Your Wall is a queer place, but there is power here, if you will use it. Power in you, and in this beast. You resist it, and that is your mistake. Embrace it. Use it." I am not a wolf, he thought. "And how would I do that?" "I can show you." Melisandre draped one slender arm over Ghost, and the direwolf licked her face. "The Lord of Light in his wisdom made us male and female, two parts of a greater whole. In our joining there is power. Power to make life. Power to make light. Power to cast shadows." (ADWD, Jon VI)

Jon refuses. His warg dreams are a thing he has accepted about himself, but it is not something he is willing to actively explore and embrace. He doesn't approach Ghost, mentally, Ghost links up with him almost against his own volition. His hesitation is quite unlike that of his younger siblings, but it does mirror Robb, who showed deep regret after using his secret gift to aid his war effort early on. It is only after being stabbed that Jon is implied to slip into Ghost, likely drawn into him the same way Robb was instinctively drawn into Grey Wind. Not purposefully or forcefully like Varamyr, but through a mutually shared bond. Ghost will harbor him but he will set him free again.

This is mirrored to and in contrast with Dany. She doesn't actively call Drogon into the fighting pit, clearly their bond is what draws him near. But she cannot stop reiterating how much she identifies with the dragons, is "blood of the dragon", or even "a dragon". Their shared time in the grasslands solidifies their bond, and she adapts to his behavior. Eating as he does, hunting as he does, standing next to him, near-naked, near feral. She blurs the distinction between herself and her animal, joyfully, intentionally.

#warging #jon snow #ghost the direwolf #foil #bran stark #varamyr sixskins #anti daenerys targaryen #<- for filtering

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pandorafallz · 1 month ago

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Vampire AU | Celebrations at the camp

“How long did Mo’at scold you?”

“Three hours, twenty minutes,” Kim stated, but still not sorry at all as she stroked her Ikran’s snout softly as they relaxed in the grass of their camp.

“And had Jerome gotten over that aneurysm you gave him?”

“I’ll give him another hour before I prod that gate.” Kim did look more apologetic there before she closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek against her ikran’s face.

“Named her yet?” Morgan asked, his eyes a little wide behind his mask as he craned his head to look up at the two.

“I bet it's Drogon or something.” Jake butted in.

“Says the guy who named his Bob.” Kim snorted, “And no, but it did cross my mind to call her Arya or Meleys after Rhaenys Targaryen's dragon, my favourite Queens but… figured to keep her name more Na’vi. So her name is Se'ayl. Waterfall.” Kim scratched under Se’ayl’s jaw and was clearly in a good spot by how her eyes fluttered with a content chirp.

“You, N’deh?” Jake asked, turning his gaze down to the floor.

N’deh was seated cross-legged on the grass, his Ikran lying down with his wings spread, his large head in his lap and happily accepting the soft soothing strokes along his cranium, still bound by tsaheylu. “I’ll call him Tìrol, It means Song.” He didn’t look up or away and was happily captivated by his new companion “<My new song.>”

Kim smiled softly. “I do feel bad that I didn’t make the trip up with you guys.”

“Don’t be.” Jake excused, mostly eying the moving swell of her belly; that alone would have made it near impossible safely (as possible as it was for those not carrying) to climb in some cases, like that a single vine up, plus the risks to the babies were far too great. Sure, taming an Ikran when almost six months pregnant was not a wise idea but it was too late on that since it was done. But he was happy for Kim, when the surprise had worn off and when Mo’at had released her from a very merited lecture.

“I didn’t do it the proper way.” Kim pointed out, “Tsu’tey’s still annoyed. I might just make the trip up post-partum and first breath for the passageway and jump off the top with Se’ayl. Part of the rite is the journey.”

“Well, shortcut or not, taming an Ikran while pregnant is definitely a new record. Also, your twins are the youngest to ever be part of the taming process.” Jake pointed out. “That’s gotta be a record.”

Kim laughed at that, her hands dropping to her belly. “That’s true. A few more months. Mo’at thinks I’ll be due late September or early October.”

“That soon?” Morgan grinned. “Oh, I’m looking forward to that.”

“Na’vi pregnancies are shorter than humans.” Kim answered, “36 weeks. They have to be birthed out early to pass with an intact pod and so the baby’s kuru doesn’t get crushed in the birth canal. That’s they they’re not born like humans. Trauma to the tswin can kill infants. The baby pod allows them to continue gestation in a safe environment but since they’re not restricted to a womb, they develop faster so they need only a week or so in the pod before they take their first breaths.”

“Was the process taming her more gentle than the others?”

“Honestly, gentle,” Kim admitted, returning to patting her Ikran’s jaw at the beast’s insistence. “I didn’t have it nearly as hard as you or N’deh. Se’ayl’s recently weaned her own Ikran babies off her entirely but she has a lot of maternal instincts still; she sensed my raised hormones to know I was carrying as well and could damn well see it. She was…less prone to violence but still enough to have some self-respect in the rite. I hunt regularly still so it felt as hard as that, to be honest.”

“Best assure your husband that. Think he’ll ride with you?” Jake asked.

“Nope, he has a fear of heights courtesy of our human deaths. He prefers Pa’li.”

Made sense; Jake had never seen or heard Jerome make any sort of comment about wanting an Ikran like Kim but he had only seen the guy supportive of her wants. Still, Jake had to still balance his time between his body and his Dreamwalker; he couldn’t fly Bob in his human body so he had to account for that in his human days at Hometree.

Which did remind him he needed to introduce Bob to his human form as well. It should go well, Jake was sure. Since the bond, he felt… a connection with Bob that was… unfamiliar. It gave him a distinct feeling of where his Ikran was and a thread to pull if he needed him but that felt more triggered by a vocal call. But Bob should feel that connection in his human body as well, so it wasn’t likely to go wrong but he’d test it with the present company later.

“I have a small, possibly minor question….” Morgan trailed off now, “Where are they gonna live?” He gestured to their camp; Jake’s shack on the floor, Morgan’s shack in the trees, the Mauri’s that also were off the ground and even their hanging storage supplies.

“Ikran are adaptable. We can get them ground nests or build a platform for them in the trees. They may make a nest of their own. At Hometree, they will often nest within the branches of Hometree.” N’deh called. “They won’t share much but they’ll be fine for now to find their own nesting space to call their territories. When Se’ayl goes into her mating cycle, the boys will get territorial with each other to woo and impregnate her.”

“How often does Ikran get the…urges?” Seemed like very prudent information to know.

“Once every three months for 36 hours if not already carrying. If she has fertilised eggs, she’ll return to the rookery to lay and cater for her offspring for another six months after hatching. Tamed female Ikran will often leave their offspring when they’re old enough to fly and hunt for themselves to return to their rider or if another female Ikran has stolen her eggs or young. It does happen.”

“Anything we can do to help?”

“What has your bond told you, Kim?” N’deh inquired.

“Se’ayl has gone through a recent mating cycle without a partner given she was too busy caring for her newly hatched at the time but she’s recently departed from her offspring so I’d say she’d be good for another few months.” Kim looked pleased, “but is there incense we can use to mask her scent when the time comes?”

“Yes, the Omatikaya often use herbal remedies in their treat wraps that will suppress the scents when they sense the time is near, which I can gather. Very simple and often a relief for the affected Ikran and those around her. While they’ll lose the initial urges they’ll be very affectionate.” N’deh said.

Tìrol raised his head from N’deh’s lap before the rest of him followed and pulled his wings in to straighten up. N’deh smiled still and pulled his tswin free and allowed the Ikran to potter off over the grass towards the river.

Se’ayl’s head moved down from Kim’s hand, nudging at her belly with a croak before Kim chuckled. “Yep, there’s babies in there.” Kim patted her jaw before she sighed deeply and moved away from her new companion to sit herself down. “Tomorrow, I want to go to Hometree and get a tswin harness and talk to the Leatherworkers on a saddle so it’s more comfortable. With the extra weight on my front, it’s harder to maintain a good balance. I’ve got at least two months left of this,” she gestured to her belly, “and it’s not gonna get smaller.”

“Oh, maybe talk to Bree first.” Jake suggested, an idea striking him “She designed our clan concept for our…aesthetic. Our saddles should also get that reflection as well. I plan to expand and get my shin guards to match my hand and foot covers.”

“More bone decoration. I can help with making some of that.” Morgan said, lighting up at the prospect. “I could do with more small projects.”

“You could pop over there now and get her opinion. She’s got parchment to use so I bet she’d love to use some of that.”

Jake lit up. “Oh, now I can visit everyone I want now!” He knew that, logically but it was a nice reminder. He could go and bother anyone of his defector buddies whenever he wanted. Hell, maybe go and visit Hometree as well if he wanted since he didn’t need to rely on a ride that wasn’t already arranged. “Well, I think they’re back at camp now. I’m glad Eytukan let us go home early.”

It was a small thing that the clan did that was both welcoming but also a reminder of their place. While it was an event and a great achievement to earn an Ikran and the clan would celebrate the new hunter’s achievements… but for them, the Dreamwalkers, they were not of the clan to have the same honours. Sure, Neytiri suggested the celebration to still uphold the tradition despite being not one of them which was considered by the clan leaders but Tsu’tey had disagreed lightly on it but Tsu’tey’s parents had been very vocal about it as well and jumped on the bandwagon. Still, Jake wasn’t displeased; he had an idea to get them to celebrate and enjoy it regardless and still have time to celebrate it.

“I was definitely planning on talking to the Miners for tonight. I want a movie night in the caves. We can see if they’re making booze yet, smoke some weeds and have a little party” Jake stated, “Now, that does put you, Nad, in a difficult position…”

Nadine up until this point had been sitting on the grass, weaving together a basket out of sticks “I know… Maybe Me and Morgan could watch a movie?” She eyed their campmate hopefully.

Morgan blinked, clearly pulled from the depth of his mind at the mention of his name. “What?”

“You, me and a movie while the others go down to the caves?” Nadine summarised. “Yay or nay?”

“What film were you thinking?”

“Princess Bride. It’s one of my favourite films.”

Morgan pursed his lips in gentle consideration. “As you wish.”

Nadine beamed and then turned to Jake. “My evening is booked. Have fun in a cave.”

Jake did opt to take his Ikran out for another spin and land outside the large, Kung tree.

It was the same on the outside; so nothing would guess a shack was underneath but as he leapt off, and the roots came into full view, it looked very different to what he remembered.

The shack was as it was, a few bladder lanterns now affixed to the underside of the tree to shine light down and the afternoon sun still reached under but it was clear to see Bree’s passion and projects all around the outside space under the tree.

A few medium Na’vi ceramic-sized bowls were tucked between some entangled roots, out of the way but clearly filled with something. Frames of both bone and bamboo were propped up and stacked into separate piles with hide being flayed in each one, separated by what stage of processing they were in. A stone slab and a basket filled with so many tools that it was mindboggling for their purpose. A few tools, like some massive hammer sat innocently alone. There were another few frame types with some type of fabric covering one side, but looked different to what held the hide; he couldn’t know their purpose. A large and freshly crafted box sat inside but also filled with water.

Oddly, there was also a bowl filled with some black mushy stuff, possibly something made of soot. Jake couldn’t guess.

There was evidence of Kung’s interest outside as well, baskets more settled by the shack and covered but he recognised them to be filled with fibres and threads, a spinning wheel, made from old parts sat innocently as well, a small selection of looms rested against the baskets. Surprisingly, there was a pile of handmade fabric sitting innocently.

Kung really had taken up weaving and very well, it seemed. It lightened his heart to see that. She didn’t have to be a warrior any more.

Jake ducked under the tree and headed into the busy space and knocked on the window. A few seconds later, Kung’s face appeared peeking out with a confused frown. ‘Sully?’ she mouthed, sound not penetrating the wall between them.

Jake waved her out.

She sighed heavily but ducked out of sight.

Jake moved back and crouched as the airlock hissed and opened and they both exited the shack.

Bree looked far more chipper about his visits than her mother but she excitedly hopped off the ramp.

“Jake! You came.”

“You’ve barely visited before,” Kung remarked. “Kim usually visits.”

“I didn’t have an Ikran before,” Jake reasoned, “Now I can bother anyone anytime. You two included.”

Bree giggled, ducking off to peer through the roots of their tree. “Wow, big dragon.” The sixteen-year-old then outright began to speak High Valerian but Jake caught her arm carefully as she went towards him

“Don’t look him in the eye. He’ll think you’re challenging him and you’re tiny.”

“Be careful.” Kung worried as well, tensing up.

“I’ve been close to Neytiri’s Ikran, I know all the good spots to rub.” Bree pulled her arm free and made her way over. Jake moved as well just in case and so did Kung until they were outside the roots and Bree allowed Bob to sniff at her first before she made physical contact and rubbed his head, still crooning in the fictional language.

Jake relaxed after a moment as Bob did and lowered his head to allow more contact. “She’s good.” He said to Kung.

Kung didn’t relax, not that he expected her to. “What do you want, Sully?”

“It’s been a while since I checked out how you’ve settled. I came to see and also, needed to talk to Bree about some saddle and harness designs for the Dreamwalkers. Bree helped build our concept but I’d love her input again to have some consistency.”

Kung nodded slowly. “She’s been talking to Mo’at the last few days about that while you were training for the Ikran, actually. Balancing what’s acceptable to take claim of and what needs to be adjusted to respect the Na’vi way, like the purpose behind the gloves and such.”

“Really?” He couldn’t help the intrigue.

“I don’t know much myself.”

“Mo’at will talk to you properly on some of the stuff once things have died down.” Bree called back, “She wanted time to think about stuff and talk to Eytukan about it. But she accepted the glove idea.”

“What’s the idea?”

Bree gave Bob’s jaw a last scratch before she darted past them and into the shack but returned after a minute with a large and long segment of a bamboo shoot. The shoot itself was dried and beautifully decorated with some Na’vi designs, wrapped at one end with writing and a hook that looked to fix onto the waistband of some clothing.

She twisted the top of the shoot case off, the end tilted it into her palm. From inside the shoot, a long scroll of parchment fell out into her hand before she held it out excitedly.

Jake took it, carefully unrolling it and lent it into the light to see she had sketched out glove designs onto hand-shaped templates, even on a Na’vi template too to clearly showcase the indifference while keeping them connected for the same purpose.

Bree has also written text in certain areas.

Above one she wrote:

Suggested the gloves aren’t to be made by the wearer but to be gifted from another to the wearer for emotional significance and care. This will naturally be valued but also should be open for the wearer to make any adaptations for comfort, repairs or ‘rank’ or skill changes.

On the design aspects of the glove, she wrote:

Designs to be basic and to show the wearer’s job or hobby skill. Designs should become more intricate depending on mastery and colour and decoration usage should indicate one’s place within the clan, like bone beads and feathers along the straps (as an example).

Jake eyed turned to a corner for Cultural context:

Gloves made for primarily social status. Loincloths for the Omatikaya often show clan status and family units; decoration, weave and colours. Gloves may retain a similar structure.

Origin Suggestion: Artistry to protect the side of the hand when painting upon flat surfaces. Hand guards for Slings based on how the strings are held.

The suggestion went on, clearly meant for a whole group to decide but these were clearly made with Mo’at’s oversight, which was warming to see. Now that he thought about it, the string was easier to hold with his glove, while he had control over it and didn’t risk slipping, it didn’t dig into his flesh as much and released far smoother.

“I’d go for sling guards,” Jake said, tapping that section. “Feels good to work a sling with them.”

Bree lit up. “That’s wonderful, they have an actual purpose other than hiding your hands then.”

“The foot covers are simply to help match and aid in the symbolism.” Jake added, “Maybe dictate materials as part of it for job variances. Hunters and warriors had Talioang hide, Nantang hides for bone or wood shapers, and Flax and other plant weaves for other jobs.”

From her pocket, she pulled out her tablet and took notes.

“Kim has a woven set for now, she put that together once she saw how awesome these ones were.” He waved his hands with a grin. “These were a gift.”

“Oh, even better.”

“I do like the gloves being a gift. I do plan on talking to the other groups today but I want to see about us all going down to Homebase for a celebratory movie night.” Jake added.

“I do want to talk to the miners. I wanna help with the Waycords and get together a plan of action with those. We can tie those into the new clan idea as well since they’re unique and can expanded and valued.” Bree rolled up the parchment and slipped it back into the protective case. “I even have a roll dedicated to it but I’ll write on those once I have the drafts on my tablet figured out. I want to document everything until you all remember it. Plus, who knows when new avatars join so… might be helpful to have a document for catching them up.”

“Sounds good.”

“I’ll get started on some Ikran designs.” She grinned excitedly and skipped her way back to the shack past her mother.

“Does she really need another project?” Kung said dryly.

“Don’t you want her busy?”

“She obsesses, Sully. She stays up late, having one language podcast in one ear and doing other crap in the process. It’s hard to keep everything in order when everything she wants to do covers almost all the surfaces. I barely have enough space for my own stuff.”

“What if we get you another shack?” Jake suggested, “One strictly for you?”

Kung shook her head. “No, that’ll just enable her more. I don’t mind her having passions but I do mind when it takes over her life and it stops her from listening to me. She needs fewer projects and more social interactions.”

Jake considers the major’s words for a moment. “Okay, I’ll try and help but… I do think that you should consider perhaps moving closer to another camp. Hell, maybe ask if you could live close to Hometree; there are a ton of teenagers her age that she might make life-long friends with. Perhaps you’re okay with being a hermit but Bree is clearly someone who needs to be mentally stimulated and it’s just you two out here.”

Kung’s brow pulled in. “I’ll think about it.”

“Miners are an option, but there’s also Ruby’s camp or even Ashley’s camp and my own.”

“I said I’ll think about it, Sully,” Kung repeated. “We’ll keep our radios on if the movie night is a go.”

“Alright.” He agreed.

Jake made sure to pop in with Ruby’s camp first and checked in with Zane and discovered two new Pa’li roaming their home space to allow for the two Dreamwalkers to roam the lands quicker. Zane had named one The Plague, and Zeke named Ruby’s one Shingles to veto Ruby’s idea of calling hers Glue Stick. Plague and Shingles. Weird ass theme but it was funny to hear Zeke ask where The Plague was which certainly amused Ruby to no end.

He ran down Bree’s ideas of the gloves and left the two to discuss those options and moved on to Ashely’s camp.

The sounds of Ashley’s Ikran weren’t hard to miss so he descended down through the trees and landed a few meters away where Ashely was in her human body, sitting beside her Ikran with most of the women lying across the grass but he paused at the specific smell in the air.

“Who’s smoking the weed?” He asked. “And how?”

Eliza, Harper and Kendra all had released grins and shared bowls of seeds between them and clearly spaced out. Ming and Ashely looked to be the sober two. Ashely looked to be getting her Ikran accustomed to her human form and the Dreamwalker was lying in its hammock close by and Ming looked to be crafting some human-sized arrows for her bow.

“They hot boxed in the airlock,” Ming called, gently applying resin to bring the arrowhead to the shaft.

“This stuff is heavenly…” Eliza stated, chuckling. “I feel so calm.”

Harper just chuckled, lifting her mask for a handful of seeds to eat, after, she picked up a leaf and gently ran her fingers up and down its middle, captivated.

Clearly, his visits weren’t going to be overly fruitful when more than half was high as a kite.

“What’s your Ikran’s name, Ashley?” Jake decided to ask.

“Sushi,” Ashely responded with her permanently hoarse voice.

“…really?”

“Yours is called Bob.”

“Fair… but why Sushi?”

“My mother had a beloved cat she called Sushi. Apparently, she bought her when she was drunk and thought the name fit because of her colouring. Mostly black body but had a white front and back with green eyes.” Ashley explained. “Had to put her down when she was too old but I loved that cat to bits.” She smiled fondly with a touch of sadness. “Told Ma if I ever got a pet, I’d name them Sushi. I think she’d be either thrilled or exanimated I called my flying lizard after a Japanese dish.”

Jake sniggered at ‘flying lizard. “Well, I think it’s touching.” He patted Bob’s jaw. He filled her in on the plan with the Dreamwalker’s gloves first but swiftly changed the topic to movie night.

“I’ll see,” Ashely mused, “if the others have sobered up, we’ll come but if not, I may pop down in my avatar to be with you two.”

“I’ll come with. The three might be high but they won’t do anything too stupid.”

“You willing to test that?” Ashely asked her campmate.

“I’m not babysitting them. I wanna party… plus there are a few hot guys there. I feel ready to start… dating or you know, fuck around. A girl has needs.” Ming pointed out. “Unfortunately, I’m straight so boobs don’t turn me on.”

Ashely frowned in concern but nodded. “Want me to get you some tea in advance so no accident-babies?”

“Yes please.”

Jake swallowed thickly but decided not to get involved. He still didn’t know everyone’s personal history in detail and he wasn’t going to ask but he hoped Ming would be safe in handling opening herself up very personally to a guy after her own ordeal. Still, he had confidence in the defectors that they knew communication was a must in this to survive as a community.

“I’ll leave you two to… that. I’m gonna bother The Vent Crew now and actually get permission to crash their camp with other guests and make them watch a movie with us.” Jake decided.

“Have fun.”

Jake was just leaving but just about heard Kendra ask “Was that god?” before they were out of range.

The wind whipped and his eyes stung a little but he felt the familiar rush of joy over the jungle’s treetops, gliding over towards the three massive Hometree that lay across the land, but only one was in use. He didn’t stop when he got close but he waved to a few airborne hunters who chirped back but didn’t follow… except one.

He lt Bob continue on towards the far mountains to where the caves were but he recognised Seze first before Neytiri yipped at him. He chirped back with a grin but gave her a welcoming nod to follow. No use talking, the wind would silence anything but she looked very eager anyway.

She overtook quickly when she realised where they were going so he egged Bob on and overtook, just about hearing her offending gasp before the game was on. Bob seemed also competitive and didn’t complain and Jake could feel his senses when Seze was trying to overtake him, flying sharply in front of her to avoid her over-take.

Seze screeched indignity.

Jake laughed again and cut in again before Neytiri flew Seze under the canopy and was lost to the green ocean. Fuck. He wasn’t experienced enough for those quick manoeuvres. She was probably hindered by the obstacle of trees but she was a good flyer. He knew that all too well.

Within ten minutes, He got to the familiar Na’vi entryway to the Vents but unsurprisingly, Neytiri was there, seated in front with a smug-ass smile which only grew when he jumped off Bob’s back and made his way.

“In my defence…” Jake stated then gestured to his Ikran, “I’ve only had Bob for five hours and you’ve had Seze for at least four years.”

“Three, but you started it.” Neytiri pointed out gleefully still. “This is where you were going, yes?” She eyed the cave entryway.

“Yep. Since we’re not celebrating at Hometree of our success, I want to see if the folks at Homebase will host a movie night celebration.”

“Movie night?”

“Do you know what movies are?”

“Grace showed us a few short videos and described them to be visual stories.” Neytiri said, “She mentioned she planned to get a ‘movie’ to watch entirely for us to enjoy the experience of human storytelling. We never got around to it.” Her face fell a little.

Jake nodded along. “Well, if you want to join us you can. Most of the humans have agreed to join us, some might not if they’re still on cloud nine.”

Neytiri gave him a confused look.

“They’re riding high off that special herb we were growing, Weed.”

“Ah.” She didn’t ask for more since she knew that that was now.

“Homebase is a good option for movie night; they have a big wall we can project the movie onto so we’re all able to see it and an environment safe for humans to properly relax. Sure, we’ll need masks but that’s a small price to pay for fun.” He didn’t mind the notion.

Neytiri considers his words. “You know we can celebrate at Hometree, Tsu’tey was unfair to you all to discount your efforts. My parents know the effort you put into your achievements and will honour it.”

Jake hummed, “I don’t mind Tsu’tey’s opinion since he’s still training under Eytukan but his parents should have no say in the matter.” Jake could see Tsu’tey was less likely to shut them all out but Artsut and Ateyo were a growing thorn in their side of growth in the clan. He remembered when the two jumped on Tsu’tey’s disagreements the frustration flicked across the warrior’s face before he was more politer but couldn’t quite backtrack.

“My father will speak to him.”

“Then can you also raise concerns on Ateyo’s treatment of humans and Dreamwalkers? He’s been intimating people out of learning wood shaping and there’s still a few people who wish to learn those skills.” Jake asked, knowing he had been meaning to bring it up to Eytukan himself but… he just kept forgetting. “It’s not fair to us.”

Neytiri considered his words for a moment then nodded once. “I will see to it.”

“Thank you.” He led the way into the cave, taking the waycord from his pouch and slipping it onto his wrist. He accepted the mask Neytiri pulled from the cubby and they both put one on and dove into the waters.

It was fairly easy to follow the line and it was a relief to be out, he happily led the way through the moss-lit tunnels and followed the pattern of colours set out at each new tunnel that co-insided with his waycord until the LEDs came into play and he followed them until they got to the familiar airlock.

He offered the door first to Neytiri and shut it after him before the air cycled through and he led the way into Homebase.

“Sully?” He was greeted by Marcus who was the closest to the airlock.

“Mind if we stop in?”

“If you want but we’re a little busy so we might not be good company at the moment.”

Jake spared a look around to see the miners were milling about. Wei was about, frowning as he eyed some small beads in a ceramic pot. Sean was by the fire with a collection of rocks of different sizes and an RDA electronic weighing scale. He had some tools and some supplies beside him which looked like could aid in turning those stones into something.

Alejandra was standing very close to Maria, almost a little flirty as they spoke about something holding a large cup, Maria had some sort of bowl of cut-up fruit in her hands and clearly enjoying the attention.

“Are you busy in about an hour or so? Since today is a celebratory time for us and our Ikran-based achievements, we want to party… and watch a movie together and Homebase is perfect. Think we can swing everyone to your camp in or nay?”

“Oi, Castro,” Marcus called, his voice echoing in the cave and pulling almost everyone’s attention. “Sully wants a party and movie here with the others. Yes or no?”

Alejandra pursed her lips then stuck a thumb up. “As long as you lot supply some food and the movie selection. We’ve got some mead now so we’re able to get smashed.”

“Awesome.” Jake grinned.

So, with a call through the radios and getting a headcount from the defectors, Jake and Neytiri started to help get Homebase ready for a celebration. An area with the flattest wall was selected but Jake was given some white paint to add to the wall so with a rough idea of his ‘screen size’, he painted.

“What’s that purpose?” Neytiri asked when he was done washing his hands.

“To enhance video quality; having it on a consistence white background. Other colours can affect how much of the movie we can see if they’re too similar in shade and depth. We can probably get a canvas screen together for a more planned event.” Jake said, drying his hands with a rag and watched as Austin set down a large ceramic bowl of liquid and smaller ceramic cups, all fired, glazed and had beautiful designs across each one. Some were floral, some had geological shapes and one had a plain bite out of its rim for some reason but Jake doubted it was a pleasant sensory experience.

Some regular cups were added and some fruit juice since Bree was going to join and no one wanted a drunk teenager about.

“We’re gonna need some ice,” Alejandra remarked, eying the juice. “Who wants to go to the Icebox?”

“I can, but I’ll need an extra set of hands.” Sean sighed, clearly not looking forward to it. “It’s a bit of a journey to that cave.”

“I can help.” Neytiri offered, “I haven’t seen much of your home.”

Oh yeah. Jake had forgotten Neytiri knew very little of the caves; her parents were the ones to have actually made the trip and explored about a bit. Maybe he’d get to see more caves as well, he knew he missed out on a few and the Ice Box Cave, he had a feeling he could guess what it was.

“You’ll need to take a jacket and some shoes.” Alejandra said, “Don’t worry, Sean knows the way like the back of his hand.”

Sean paused sparing a look to his hand, “Oh, that’s a new scratch.”

Jake snorted.

Over twenty minutes, the defectors began to trickle in. Kim and Jerome first with Jake’s hard drives of movies and his projector (Jerome looking more tense and holding onto Kim’s hand intently) , N’deh declined to come to spend time with his new bond. Bree and Kung second, Ashely (in her Dreamwalker) and Ming came with Ruby, Zeke and Zane (in his Dreamwalker) Food was brought between them and spread out into bowls and Neytiri arrived back from the other caves, still in some Avatar driver jacket and boots but holding a bucket of ice. Sean had something frozen wrapped up but he set that down to thaw; a part of a leg, if Jake wasn’t mistaken by the bone.

“<They have an Ice cave.>” Neytiri stated setting the bucket down and shed the clothing and boots. “<It’s so cold.>”

Jake reached forward, grasping her cold little fingers in his large hands to let them warm up. She wasn’t wrong, her fingers felt like icicles but Neytiri sighed in soft relief after a few moments before she pulled her hands free.

“<Thank you.>”

“<What was it like, aside from the cold?>” Jake asked curiously.

“Beautiful. Cold, but not safe either. Someone can easily break their tail.”

“Or coccyx” Sean grumbled, his hand coming to his behind briefly.

Neytiri hummed, “You’re okay, SeanWallen.”

“Yeah. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta find my boyfriend.”

Jake saluted the miner off with a firm nod. “Have fun.” Sean didn’t go far but slung an arm on Matthew, one of the miners who barely left the Vents for Hometree time.

“<The miners have been using the cold cave as storage. Fruit and meat are in there. They’re adding to it to save for the week of darkness when they cannot forage or hunt. They even have Frozen Utumauti there.>” Neytiri said, her eyes wide. “<Three of them. Such good fortunes and yet they freeze the fruits instead of consuming them>”

Jake blinked a little. Three. That was a lot for that fruit and a rarer find intact.

“Guys, what you plan to do with that… Push fruit you got, Canopy fruit?” Jake asked.

“We’re waiting for a fourth, but we’re gonna turn them into fruit Popsicle sticks,” Maria said, pulling some blankets around. “There’s a tree nearby and we’ve got a prox-alarm on it set to go when fruit drops around that tree.”

“You… plan to share them?” Neytiri asked, baffled.

“Well, the fruit is massive for us.” Maria said, “I know it’s a cultural thing for the finder to keep all but for us we can turn it into something that can be shared without social transgression. Ice pops can be enjoyed in portions. Everyone can have one.”

Neytiri still looked baffled but he clicked his tongue to pull her attention away and let her choose a spot as people began to settle about the space. Miners too and cups were shared out, food passed about and Jake took the time to set up the projector and stood at the lead, pausing to take a sip of Co2 before continuing.

“So, this is our first movie night in celebration of some of our successes, I have a ton of movies but we’ve also got a Na’vi who won’t share the same cultural context behind some of the stories so we need to be considerate and also a minor so nothing over the age of 18.”

Bree tisked loudly.

“The Human Centipede!” A voice called out.

“Whoever that was, you’re barred from making any future suggestions,” Jake called dryly, barely looking up from his tablet as he plugged the drive in and the projector and booted it into life.

“Aw.”

“Alien?” Another called.

“Not yet but a good suggestion.” Not a movie for Neytiri.

“Legally blonde?”

“Na,” Bree called out this time, “not without explaining too much to Neytiri. Something more basic that doesn’t involve complex human justice system.”

“Mamma Mia?”

There were little complaints though a few wrinkled noses but not refuted. Jake opted to go to Disney and start going down the list of the animated movies; discarding any live-action stuff before they ultimately settled on the Lion King. You can never go wrong with Lion King.

“You’ll enjoy this.” Jake whispered to Neytiri as it started, “A story of a leader and personal growth. Cartoons are a drawn medium of storytelling instead of recording images of humans in fancy outfits. It’ll have music and song to portray their feelings, hopes, dreams and intent.” He added, knowing the Na’vi’s music was used differently in story telling. “It can push the narrative on rather than explaining stuff.”

Neytiri accepted the cup of mead with a sniff and a careful taste before humming. “<I’m eager to see how this plays out. I have not seen much of Earth Animals before.” She whispered.

The first beats of the music started as the drawn sunrise started…

Masterlist

#avatar #avatar au #avatar james cameron #grace augustine #jake sully #avatar rda #mo'at #neytiri #norm spellman #avatar frontiers of pandora #miles quartich #frontiers of pandora #vampire au #vampire grace #vampire #neytiri te tskaha mo'at'ite #tsu'tey #eytukan

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attonitos-gloria · 1 year ago

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If the main tension in the last seasons of Game of Thrones was between Jaime and Dany, what would that look like? How would it have changed things?

friend, thank you for this ask. This is going to be very long heheh sorry in advance. writing Jaime's arc is the most satisfying part of IKTE for me so I'm very happy for this, thank you truly.

Jaime is a character traumatized by fire. Not the only one - but he is prominently traumatized by it, and indeed his entire reputation was built around the fact he has broken sacred vows because of a Targaryen king who used fire as a tool of intimidation and social controlling. More than any other character in the show, Jaime knows the political implications of fire as a weapon. And if the daughter of said king comes back from the ashes of House Targaryen to conquer Westeros and re-establish her father's dynasty... using fire-breathing monsters as her main weapon... do you get it 😭

(that scene of Jaime trying to get Drogon killed is so good - the way the camera focused on his face, on the fire and ashes and smoke and the people burning alive around him ! he was reliving the Throne Room he was a knight trying to kill the dragon he was trying to make it right and tyrion was THERE on the enemy's side but watching him ;-; they were so close of getting it right WHY NOT LEAN INTO THAT !! It was delicious!!)

You can argue that Jaime is barely aware of this, since, true to his Lannister name and blood and inheritance, he spends his life in denial about this trauma. I would agree with this statement, which is why I think putting Jaime between Dany and Cersei as political choices is more interesting than putting Jaime between Cersei and Brienne as love interests in the most bland way possible.

If Jaime is going to leave Cersei at some point, why not earlier, at the end of season 6 when Cersei pulled an Aerys against the Tyrells?? Their relationship already is, in a way, a coping mechanism against the institutional violence of knighthood; he is the knight and she is the queen, everything is justified because of that. Their idealized versions of each other only exist in their heads anyway. Imagine if the Sept of Baelor is the last straw in a relationship that has been in crumbles for a while now. All their children dead and Cersei the very embodiment of Aerys. (Forget the pregnancy plot. It was stupid.)

And then there are so many possibilities from then on when Daenerys arrives in Westeros. The show sets her up to be rejected. I can follow that. I truly cannot conceive, in show canon, a happy ending for Dany - and by happy ending I mean everyone loving her and welcoming her as their Queen. I think her dragons are an ethical problem that needs to be addressed; the show and books themselves already pointed in that direction. The Dance of the Dragons is a cautionary tale about this, the entire story of House Targaryen is about this. I do love Dany and I believe she is a good person at heart, but also. Consider. She has the canon equivalent of nuclear weapons. The dragons are useful to kill the true enemy (the Others) and you can argue that there is an ethical justification to use them to end slavery, but then what. Then what comes next. When the enemy is defeated and this woman is the only person in the world with weapons of massive destruction. What do you do with the weapons after the War is over - I cannot be the only person who thinks this is an issue like 😭 Jaime has reasons to be wary more than anyone - yes, even more than Sansa; Sansa has reasons to be concerned and to worry about the North, but Daenerys was coming with aid in the War, and I don't see any reason why Sansa didn't even >>try<< to be mildly diplomatic, except that the writers wanted the conflict to rise. I don't know; I'm grumpy about this, and it is very hard to make sense of Sansa's actions in season 8 for me, but I will stop myself right here because this isn't about her. This is about Jaime !!!

I feel like a lot of what we call Jaime's redemption relies on his romantic feelings for Brienne; even in the show, he leaves Cersei and goes North to fight for the living because it is the ~right thing to do~, but the subtext kind of says that he went for Brienne. And it's not that I don't ship them: I do! But falling in love with Brienne is not a redemption arc, doing things because Brienne would approve is not a redemption arc. It has been said before, by people smarter than me, but Jaime is not in a redemption story; he is in an identity crisis story. I feel like the show tried to give him an redemption arc only to pull the rug at the end going like "nope, sorry, people don't change" - and since said redemption relied completely on his romantic feelings for Brienne, it wasn't enough to knight her; he had to sleep with her. Since the point being made was that people don't change, that meant necessarily ending his affair with Brienne and cruelly breaking her heart so she would let him go back to Cersei. Because what else is there to say about Jaime Lannister other than which woman he chooses to fuck by the end of the story?

Do you get what I'm saying? Like, I know he is pretty. But the choice of framing Jaime's story as primarily a love story between two women, the good one and the bad one, is wild to me. Really? That is the most relevant thing about this man?

Did he change? Did he find a solution to the problem of knighthood? That doesn't mean loving Brienne (he did say "I have never slept with a knight before" to her, after all. The man literally wanted to fuck knighthood! in every meaning, layer, and way! okay Jaime). That means *becoming* what Brienne already is - a person who is willing not only to kill, but in fact, to die defending the vulnerable and the innocent. And I felt like the show shaped this like "will Jaime choose Brienne or Cersei?" And everything else was secondary to that, when I think the romance could really stay in the background and the knighthood crisis should come into focus on main stage. And because Dany and Cersei are meant to be each other's foils, both in their similarities and differences, I do like the idea of Jaime being stuck between these two Queens who are, each in their own way, Aerys, who made him who he is (a Kingslayer).

SO. There are many ways this could go about:

Maybe Dany demands Jaime to kill Cersei in exchange for royal pardon; this man, after all, killed her father in an act of betrayal. She forgave him way too easily in the show. All that tension! For nothing!!!! Do we want a grim ending? No problem. Maybe he does kill Cersei and then kills himself (favorite book ending, for me). Maybe he can't handle being confronted with the reality that his life is built on an empty lie. Maybe he looks at Cersei and sees wildfire and madness and Aerys, and there is no escape, and he does not know how to live with himself with or without this woman. This has always been the cost of knighthood: blood. It has been this way since Arthur Dayne knighted him. And he cannot stand the idea of serving the daughter of Aerys for the rest of his life; he would literally rather die. Maybe love can't save the day this time.

Or: maybe Jaime vows to kill Cersei and publicly and officially bends the knee to Dany, only to break his vows again and betray her, killing Dany instead, before she can set King’s Landing on fire. Or even better: after. After he sees her as Aerys' extension. Maybe Jaime is in a time loop, doomed to repeat this, doomed to kill the dragon. Do we want grim endings for everyone? No problem: this time, he actually suffers the consequences of high treason - he is sent to the Wall, he takes the Black; or he is exiled. You can get away with killing your Monarch once, but not twice. For once, he is not rewarded for an act of brutal violence and betrayal. No cathartic death for him: he only needs to live with the consciousness that he saved the world twice, but he had to sacrifice his soul twice to do it. And no one sings his praise. He's still the Kingslayer.

Are we tired of grim endings? We don't want Jaime to be the Kingslayer? Also, no problem. Because the memory of the War that traumatized him, the trigger for it, is embodied alive in the person of Jon Snow. The boy Jaime's heroes and brothers-in-arms died trying to protect. Maybe Jaime is tired of being torn between two Mad Queens and he decides to give his life to put Jon, Rhaegar's son, on the Iron Throne. He is not the Kingslayer anymore. Fuck that. He is the Kingmaker. Kind of like Criston Cole, but cool and less catholic. He could even be Hand of the King to Jon.

Or maybe it bothers you, as it bothers me, the fact that Jaime actually pushed a child out of a window, and that event is treated like a small detail in his story once he gets North. It was not a thing Cersei commanded him to do. Cersei did not take his hand and forced it to do it. Jaime tried to kill a boy. He permanently damaged Bran's body. Any attempt at redemption that does not address this is flawed. Maybe the only way to redeem Jaime is to make him Bran's ally because Bran is one of Dany's strongest narrative foils, right there with Cersei and Tyrion: some characters have magical attributes, things they are able to do; some characters have magical things happening to them; but Bran and Dany *are* magical in themselves. They carry the power along with them. And, by the end of the show, Bran is KING. He is one of the most powerful creatures alive - he can travel in time AND control people's and animals' minds/bodies - and he apparently has been PLANNING the whole thing (why do you think I came all this way, etc) all along. Does that even make sense? What is it about Bran that allows him to be powerful and in charge by the end of the story, to the point of allowing the destruction of a city in order to get what he wants, while Dany has to be sacrificed and is deemed too power-hungry? Why is Dany's inability to have children a problem, and Bran's assumed inability to sire children presented as a solution? And more importantly- what does Bran WANT? (To hell with that ableist "Bran has no feelings or desires and can't be tempted" bullshit). And given all that: if Bran and Dany are foils and parallels, what if Bran gets things done with Jaime's help? (Not necessarily as heroes). Because he kind of owes Bran. He is the man who put Bran on that wheel-chair and changed the course of Bran's entire life. And Lannisters pay their debts, or so we are told. Maybe we could even try to actually say something relevant about magic as a weapon and the people in power wielding it.

I feel like you could still pull something out of the fact that 1) Jaime's alleged last chance of honor (Sansa) is already antagonizing Dany and 2) His little brother sided with Dany after killing their father, and he actually forgave and forgot about that too easily in the show too. There is a lot of implied drama and nuance because so many relationships in Jaime's life are bridges to Dany. I just wanted to see it explored to the last of its potential.

Anyway. I'm rambling at this point. but the gist of it is that if Dany needs an antagonist in Westeros, a character to embody her rejection, Jaime is a better candidate than Sansa, imo. This man needed to be used in a political plot as a relevant, game-changing player at the end of the show. Some of those ideas I don't even like lol all they have in common is that they force Jaime to own his bullshit and stand up to something and put his skin in the game instead of running between Brienne and Cersei through 8 seasons, and I say this as someone who appreciates both Jaime/Cersei and Jaime/Brienne from a shipping perspective.

#got #jaime lannister #game of thrones #ask me stuff #long post

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