#{ you've been playing a Warrior of Light this entire time you think THAT would stop us? }

[voidsentprinces]

Elidibus: We have gathered the Convocation of the Fourteen for a grim situation. Emet-Selch: Azem...this is an intervention. Azem: NOPE! *bail outs through the window* Lahabrea: ...we should probably bar the windows next time. Nabriales: They...are barred? Lahabrea: YES! BUT CLEARLY THE BARS AT TOO FAR APART! Loghrif: If its anything like that incident with the volcano. No opening is too narrow for Azem to go through. Entire Convocation sans Azem, obviously: Agreed.

[tilltheendwilliwrite]

Star-Crossed: Bound by Blood

Chapter Two

Master List / Read on AO3

Previous Chapter

Pairing: Mando/Din Djarin x OFC Baast’Mal

Warnings: I’m making this up as a go, Canon divergent from the series during chapter 13, mild violence

A/N: I make this stuff up as I go along, if I screw something Star Wars-y up, apologies in advance, I didn’t do it on purpose, but I’m new to this Fandom. I will be cross posting this story between AO3 and Tumblr except the smutty bits. Those chapters will only be available to registered users on AO3. (I’m trying something new for people who want to read here on Tumblr, but to also avoid the smut for minors controversy. We’ll see how it goes.)

*I do not have a tag list* Please follow the story on AO3 if you want email updates, or follow @tilltheendwilliwrite-library where I post the new/latest chapters of all my stories.

***

Baast woke to the scent of cooking meat. It made her stomach rumble and mouth salivate but also confused her. There had been no one in her life for many years. There should be no one to cook. Her eyes snapped open, prepared to fight whoever had found her.

Then her eyes fell on Din playing with Grogu, and it all came flooding back. He spoke softly through the modulator, encouraging the boy to float the small silver ball from Din's hand to Grogu's.

When the child succeeded, Din whispered a pleased, "Dank farrik!"

Baast almost purred, watching him with the child. He made an excellent father, and she was of an age to desire a mate, a home, a pride. But a warrior like him deserved someone better than a broken Zentari. It mattered not that her soul cried out whenever he touched her without the barrier of his gloves.

He'd stripped them off yesterday, and she could smell him—the spicy scent of masculine soap blending seamlessly with the musk of a man warm in his beskar. But the underlying scent of Din Djarin was that of the sandy dunes of her homeworld. He smelled of warm winds and dusky plains, of tall grasses whipped by fragrant breezes. 

He smelled like home. 

The stars were cruel indeed to drop her in the lap of the one made for her.

She watched them for a time as he encouraged Grogu. Their bond was strong, too strong if the Jedi were to be believed. Such attachments bred fear for the one they loved, and fear lent itself to the Darkside. 

The idea of Grogu's pure soul becoming tainted made her ache, and though she said she couldn't help them, Baast knew she must. Grogu deserved a chance to grow up on the side of good. 

She sat up, drawing Din's notice, the man turning toward her across the fire. 

"Morning."

Baast wondered at the voice behind the modulator. Would it be deeper? More robust? Would it be even more pleasing than this one that stroked fingers of violent want through her blood?

"Good morning," she murmured, voice husky still with sleep. 

Before she could ask, the canteen he carried on his belt was in his hand. "Drink?"

She nodded, catching it easily when he tossed it to her. "Thank you. I'm not used to morning conversations anymore. Or any conversations in some years."

"You've done well, evading capture until now. Now, the Tribe will help."

"The Tribe," she whispered. "I've been alone for so long." The idea of being part of something was both appealing and terrifying. "I look forward to meeting your Alor."

"She will be glad to meet you. They all will. Everyone will hope-" He cut himself off, busying himself with the lizard cooking over the fire. 

"Mando, they should not hope for what I do not think I can give," she sighed, lifting Grogu to her lap when he shuffled over.

"You don't know for sure you can't bond, Baast. Give it time."

Time was all she had. Life was a long thing for a Zentari alone in the universe. 

Small green hands gently touched her cheeks, causing her to look down at Grogu. He cooed a sweet noise as she gazed into big, dark eyes. They were expressive in their own right, and she felt herself falling, diving once more into his mind. 

The images came fast and furious. Din running, fighting, killing, but almost always alone. 

Baast closed her eyes as pain washed through her for the Mandalorian. "I cannot," she whispered to the child. "It would not be fair."

Grogu frowned at her before squealing loudly. More images filled her mind, these of a man reckless with his safety, one who had little to nothing to live for. 

She gasped and wrenched her face away from his hands, but it didn't stop the flow of ridiculousness. Kriff! The man had a death wish!

When Grogu disappeared from her lap, only then did he release her from his grasp. 

Baast sent the green menace a glare. "That was entirely rude."

He smiled and blew a raspberry. 

"I'm sorry," Din murmured, holding the child away like Grogu was a danger.

She held up her hand, continuing to glare. "Do not apologize for something he did. It sets a poor president. Invading my mind is bad manners, little one. Disregarding another's desires is a step down a dark path. This will not be allowed."

"Dark path?" Din asked. 

"The Jedi and the Sith. One force believes in peace and passivity. The other wants power and are often corrupted by that passionate desire, both use the Force. He has the potential to be extremely powerful, but with that power comes responsibility. It is a razor's edge to walk, one I am not confident I have the skill to help him navigate."

Din straightened, but his shoulders lowered, relaxing his posture. "You'll help him? I didn't want to bring it up, but I'm running out of options."

"Yes," she sighed. "I know of one who may be able to help him, but I do not know if he will come at my call. Where is your covert?" He said nothing, and Baast tilted her head in apology. "That was an improper question. Forgive me."

"Always," he murmured.

She wondered if that would still be true should he learn what Grogu already suspected. "If I am to make contact, it must be from Tatooine."

"Why Tatooine?"

"Because it is the planet we agreed upon." She turned toward the fire and the spit of roasting meat before looking up at Din. "Have you eaten?" 

The movement was subtle, a single negative action.

Baast hummed and reached for the cloth that tied her pants' to her calf and began to unwrap it. 

"What are you doing?"

She ignored him and continued until her pant leg fluttered free. The cloth was only a couple inches wide, but it was long and thick enough to make an adequate blindfold. 

She lifted it to her eyes, only for his hand to shoot out and grab her wrist. It felt odd for him to touch her with the slightly cracked but soft leather of a glove now that she knew the feel of his skin.

"You don't need to do that."

Baast blinked slowly, gaze drifting to his hand before returning to the visor where his eyes would be. "It is not a need but a want. I will do this, Din Djarin, so that you may eat freely with the child and I. This is the Way."

"It is unnecessary."

She unfolded, rising gracefully to stand before him, wrist yet held in his grasp. "When last did you eat?"

He said nothing.

She tilted her head and held out the cloth. "I have not shared a meal with another in many years. I would share this meal with you and Grogu. Allow me to honour your Creed."

There was no sound, no movement beyond what Grogu contributed to the conversation in small burbles of noise. The Mandalorian was still and silent, a hunter in all things.

Baast waited, quiet, calm. After so many years in a cell, the forest gave her peace, but those years had taught her patience. She could wait for eternity for his decision. She had the time, after all.

What went on behind the helmet, she couldn't know, but eventually, he set Grogu down, released her wrist, and took the blindfold. "Turn around."

She did so, pushing her hair back to uncover her ears. "If possible, try not to cover them. The tips are sensitive, and the fabric will feel abrasive."

The cloth came down over her eyes, hooked behind her ears, and crossed at the back of her head. 

"Again," she murmured. "I can still see."

Twice more, the fabric circled before he tied a knot. 

Her senses heightened, hearing, smell, and the sixth sense that had been with her all her life. The Force resonated in every living thing, glowing and pulsing, connecting all of them. She could see it like an orange glow, thin lines and thick, veining out around them. 

"Good?"

"Yes." The heat of the fire warmed her skin, but before she could move, Din took her hand and elbow. 

"Kneel. I'll get you some food."

Baast followed his direction, aware of the bright light that was Grogu coming to her side. He placed his hand on hers, flooding Baast with a gentle apology. She turned her hand over to hold his little claws.

A quiet hiss filled her ears, causing her to turn toward Din. The beskar blocked some of his energy, the Force somehow muted by it. Then he lifted off his helmet. 

It took every effort to restrain herself from gasping. He glowed white, the shining brightness of a sun. Shock left her mute as she tracked the supernova that was this Mandalorian as he set down his helmet and removed the spit from the fire. He pulled off a piece of meat, maybe a leg, she couldn't quite tell, and brought it to her. 

"Here." The deep baritone was like the softest of silk to her senses. 

Baast held out her hands for the meat. His bare fingers grazed her palm as the hot meal hit her flesh, and grease trickled through her fingers. 

"Thank you," she managed to force from a throat gone tight with emotion. 

"It's hot. Be careful."

She stuffed down the aching need to reach out and feel the lips that produced such a voice and smiled crookedly instead. "Too long have you travelled with only Grogu for company."

He chuckled. "Perhaps."

Another wave of needy desire hit her, but Baast fought it off. She would not doom him to a half-life with an unfinished bond.

She ate and made sure he ate once Grogu was fed, asking questions about the child and how they came to be together simply to keep him talking. His voice was a balm to a soul grown used to silence.

When they finally finished their meal, she waited for him to return his helmet and come to release the blindfold. His hands were deft, skilled, and careful not to pull her hair.

Baast blinked to adjust to the quickly blooming daylight, then retied her pant leg as Din smothered the fire. She reached for Grogu and stood, ready to leave. 

"I can carry him."

She tilted her head, already missing the gentle ebb and flow of the Force from him, now encased in all that beskar. "Do you object to me carrying him because you think I am weak or out of principle because he is your foundling?"

"Uh…"

She arched a brow. "Do not underestimate me, Mando. I live because I am jatnese be te jatnese. The best of the best."

"I know what it means," he huffed.

"Then stop being ori'buyce, kih'kovid," she smirked. "I will care for the child as you have cared for me."

"Atin," he muttered. 

She didn't protest because, yes, she was stubborn.

"Fine." She could almost hear a pout in his modulated voice as he turned and marched out of their temporary camp. "And I'm not all helmet," he grumbled, likely thinking she couldn't hear him.

Baast smirked and gave Grogu a wink. "Come along, ad'ika. We weak ones best keep up with the big strong Mandalorian," she teased.

"I will leave you behind."

She grinned at his back. "No, you will not."

***

By the time they reached the Razor Crest, he was sweating in his beskar again, but with the luxury of the fresher within sight, Din didn't let it bother him.

He disarmed the ground defences and lowered the hatch, heading inside to get them underway. He wanted off the planet before anyone else thought to come looking for Baast'mal. 

Hopefully, the Alor would know who to bribe to falsify a new chain code for her. Either that, or there would be an all-out war to eliminate the threat and bounty on her head. Or, she would spend the rest of her life hunted by the Empire.

He hated that thought. Baast was not a creature who should spend her life hiding. She should be allowed out into the light, a creature of hope and beauty. 

Though he hadn't seen the true colour of her eyes, the rest of her was so mesh'la, when he'd removed his helmet, it had momentarily taken his breath. And without the helmet, her scent had filled his nose like something he'd loved and long forgotten. It was warm, soft, and decadent, all things a Mandalorian put off when he put on the beskar. 

It was getting harder and harder to keep his hands to himself.

She closed the ramp and followed him to the ladder, climbing up with Grogu to slip into the seat back and to his right.

"Once we've left the atmosphere, you're welcome to the fresher, food, whatever you need," he offered, getting them airborne.

"Do I smell?"

He froze. "That wasn't what-"

Her laugher, that throaty purr, cut him off. "It's fine, Mando. An actual fresher after years of lakes and waterfalls will be pleasant."

"Hm. I have to make a stop on Nevarro, then another before we go to Tatooine. Is there anything you need?"

"Clothing. A cloak. And a weapon."

They cleared the planet, and he made the jump into hyperspace before turning around. "What kind?"

"Short sabres or staff will do."

He watched her pet Grogu's ears, gently using those long claws in such a fashion the kid was almost comatose in bliss. She sat with one foot propped on the seat, comfortably leaning on the armrest. He wondered if her skin would begin to lose its sun-kissed nature now that she was off-world.

"How did you learn to fight?" he asked, forcing himself not to think about her skin and how soft it was. 

"Mandalorians are not the only warrior race. Zentari are taught from birth; the rest I learned from the idiots who held me captive. They sought to make me a weapon or a slave, with that came training, but Zentari are not so easily coerced, nor do we forget the slaughter of thousands. I am no weak-minded individual to be controlled by some Sith," she spat.

"Sith?" He knew next to nothing about Force-wielders and felt the lack of knowledge acutely. 

"They oppose all things the Jedi stand for, desiring power over peace or balance. They corrupt what they touch.."

"And how does a Zentari hold out against someone so powerful?" He didn't wish to insult her, but surely a child against a master Sith couldn't win.

She sighed and looked away, watching the lights of hyperspace. "Zentari are neither good nor evil. We are Force neutral. The blood bonds distinguish much of our future. To avoid creating bonds with those that would bring harm was why Zentarus was so well hidden. But someone betrayed us. They used to brag about it, the Imps. How one who we trusted gave us up to the Empire."

"If you are Force neutral, why allow Mandalorians to know of Zentarus? Why let us come seeking mates?"

She shot those vibrant eyes back in his direction. "Because the Way was honourable once. Perhaps, at some point, Mandalore was led astray by their leader, but that was not our doing. Those that came to us knew the Way. They humbled themselves before us, and if they were denied, they left knowing such was not their destiny. Those who came knowing not the Way… did not leave Zentarus alive."

"Then I am glad I knew the Way," he murmured, wondering who would have won between the two of them had she not revealed herself.

"As am I," she nodded, looking as regal as the Sand Panther she claimed in her blood.

"Were the Jedi not part of your Way?"

She scowled. "The Jedi saw us as a threat. Naturally born Force users who required little training to do much of what they could, who lived for generations, and who were neither good nor evil. They feared what would happen if we were corrupted. An attempt was made to wipe us out. It failed, and we Zentari veiled Zentarus from those who knew not where to look."

"And that's why you didn't want to help us," he sighed, realizing the untenable position he'd put her in.

She stood, placing the sleeping Grogu down on her seat before taking the step she needed to stand between his spread knees. Her hands lifted to land lightly on the sides of his helmet, gliding over the metal. "It is no longer a want but a need. I will not watch Grogu fall to the side of the Sith because of my fear of the Jedi. He must be trained."

She leaned down and rested her forehead against his helmet as long lashes veiled her eyes. "This is the Way."

Without his permission, Din's hands found her hips and drew her incrementally closer. "I will protect you, Baast."

"We will protect each other."

He hummed his agreement and wondered at the low ripple of sound vibrating through his chest.

Next chapter

[alexhogh7137]

The Battle Between Love and Fire-

Ivar the Boneless × Reader

Chapter Thirty: The Hidden Door

Chapter Twenty-Nine pt Two

Word Count 3.2k

Warnings: Slight angst, some fluff

When you and Ivar got in bed, he stayed up for the longest time: playing with your hair, messaging your arm with his fingertips, kissing your forehead, fiddling with your fingers that rested on his chest. He lost you tonight, how long? He does not know, but it was long enough for his liking. He can't get over the fact that he could have lost you forever, which makes him feel sick to his stomach. You notice how he has not fallen asleep yet so you look up at your husband.

"Ivar?" You say, half asleep from dozing off.

Ivar smiles, "Yes sweetheart?"

"You haven't slept yet, have you?"

Ivar "No, not yet."

"Are you okay?"

Ivar "I am fine my sweet. I'm just admiring you, I-" you lean up slightly to connect your lips to his. He grabs your face and holds you for a moment before you both have to break away for air.

"I know when you are worried, Ivar."

Ivar sighs, "I have every right to be worried..you are my wife."

"Your wife who is alive and in your arms, hun.."

Ivar "And I cannot thank the gods enough for bringing you back to me. I don't know what I'd do if-"

"Don't."

Ivar "You are my entire world, Y/n. Without you, I'd have no one, nothing to live for."

"You have your brother's-"

Ivar "No I don't. Hvitserk and I have grown close only because of you. We bond over the love we share for you. And Ubbe just loves me because we are brother's.."

"You have your people.."

Ivar "My people do not love me princess. They went against me multiple times. Like I said..you are all I have. You are the only one that truthfully loves me."

"I do Ivar. I have loved you from the moment I met you and I will love you for as long as I live."

Ivar smiles, "I know that to be true, and I love you the same. That is why tonight is haunting me."

"I am right here, my beloved." He squeezes you, holding you tighter in his arms.

Ivar "And I'm not letting you go."

"I never want you to let me go. We have forever together.."

Ivar "Yes we do." He leans down and kisses you ever so gently. "I love you."

"And I love you. Now shut those beautiful eyes of yours and get some rest."

Ivar chuckles, "Yes my queen."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Morning comes and when everyone awakes, everyone is absolutely exhausted and look like they are ill. Hvitserk's eyes are almost swollen shut from all of the crying he did last night, and Ubbe and Torvi have been up since first light. 

Hvitserk "I'm relieved that you are still coming out of that bedroom door Y/n." You don't respond, only hugging him. He hugs you back, taking it all in.

Ivar "Ubbe is out there, yes?"

Hvitserk "Yes, him and Torvi. Everyone has been working since first light."

Ivar "Good."

Hvitserk looks down at you, "How are you feeling?"

"Sore.."

Hvitserk "Can I see?" You nod and show him your chest. It is reddened and looks very irritated. "gods.."

"I am fine."

Hvitserk "If you say so princess."

"I-" you attempt to speak but you get cut off by your carrier running towards you three.

"A letter, my king!" Ivar takes it immediately and opens it with great haste. You see his eyes scatter along the piece of parchment as he reads in a hurry. You study his face to see if his mood changes in any way, shape or form.

Hvitserk "Is it-"

"Thyra?"

Ivar smiles, "Yes, she is alright!" You breathe out in relief to hear that your friend was alive and well. "She has agreed to help us."

"That is great news!"

Ivar "It is-"

Hvitserk "But..?"

Ivar "She needs time."

"How much time?"

Ivar "Three days."

Hvitserk "We have to inform Rollo of this setback."

Ivar "Yes, you go do that." Hvitserk agrees and walks off.

"What are your thoughts?"

Ivar "We do not really have any other choice but to wait."

"Can I see the letter?" He hands it to you for you to read.

The letter reads as follows: Hello Y/n. I am sorry for the delay, your father has been monitoring my actions very closely. But I will of course help you and your husband in the retrieval of the weapons. I know that your dragons mean a great deal to you and I can not fathom seeing you lose any of them. With that being said, I ask for three days to make absolutely sure that everyone will keep you, king Ivar and his men safe. In some way, I must get a few guardsmen to help me and that will take time to negotiate. So I ask for this time, please. I hope you are okay, my friend. I hope to see you soon.

-Thyra

You look up at Ivar who still does not know what to think. You hand him the parchment back and rest into his side as he grabs your waist.

Ivar sighs, "At least your friend is alright, hmm?"

"Yeah, that puts my mind at ease."

Ivar "Rollo will not be happy with this set back-"

"Well we either wait three days or my dragons die." Ivar's eyes gloss with sadness. He has grown to love your three magnificent creatures and would be heartbroken if something happened to them. 

Ivar "We will wait, my dear. Do not worry, okay?"

"Yes...if we do wait the three days, that means only seven days left to prepare for the siege. And Rollo is coming in from-"

Ivar "I know..I know. Perhaps the gods knew something that we don't. Everything will work out in our favor, I promise."

"Don't promise me that. Just promise to never leave me.."

Ivar "Y/n."

"I can't lose you Ivar. Just like you can't lose me.." he leans down, cups your cheeks and kisses you.

Ivar "I'm not going anywhere. You give me every reason to keep fighting..to live."

"I love you."

Ivar "And I love you, my love."

The remainder of the day was rough to say the least. You helped Ubbe, Hvitserk and Torvi clean up the village as best as you could. Ubbe kept making you stop and take breaks because he knew the pain that you were in. Bless his heart. Your family is so loving and you feel blessed to have this life that you have now. But you know that your past is not over with, but it will be soon and you can move on completely. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three Days Later…

Yesterday, Thyra wrote to Kattegat once more: telling us to arrive in the back of the kingdom, rather than the front entrance. She stated that she has over ten guards in on this retrieval plan and that everything will go smoothly. 

You ride in the ship with Ivar and his brothers instead of traveling my dragon. They need to stay safe, they need to stay home. They of course were resistant to the idea of leaving you but you reassured them that you will return to them as soon as possible. All three of them watched you leave and whimpered until you were out of sight. 

Ivar "They really love you, princess."

"I know they do. I've raised them, they are like my children.."

Hvitserk "They are. You are a mother of dragon's."

Ubbe "What a title!"

You smirk, "I will hold that title proudly."

Ivar "A mother of dragons, married to a viking God.."

"And I wouldn't have it any other way."

Ubbe "You are not a God, Ivar."

Ivar "To you I am not. But that is not what my heart tells me." Hvitserk scoffs.

"Let's just get this job done and go home.."

Ivar "We will, my love. Your friend made it clear. We will be in and out, yes?"

Ivar held you from behind as you all looked at your horizon. So vast with so much potential. You breathe in the fresh, cool air and as it fills your lungs, you sigh from the peacefulness of this very moment. Ubbe looks at you with a smile on his face. He admires you, not only as a warrior, but also as a strong woman that you are. You have endured many battles, whether it being internal or physical, you have endured it all but you are still here. He is proud to call you his sister, much more than he was his last one, Freydis. He knew deep down that she was an issue but he of course kept that to himself. 

Hvitserk "We should be there soon." You take a deep breath and lean more into Ivar for comfort. He holds you and rubs your skin.

Ivar whispers, "You're going to be by my side the whole time..I'm not going to let anything happen to you." You slowly nod but think to yourself, 'Right..I've been taken while you slept by my side...and I got stabbed five days ago..' Hvitserk looks at Ivar with disgust. He heard his whisper and knew that he has said that in the past but look at everything that has happened. He wished that he could have been the one who was stabbed, not you. If he could take away your aches, he would. If anyone will keep you safe, it's him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When the castle comes into your sight, like you expected, you felt the panic set in. So much so that you almost pass out from the fear of coming in contact with your father.

Ivar "Put your mask on, my love." You agree and place a black piece of cloth over your mouth and nose to hide your face besides your eyes. Ivar puts his hood over his head, same with Ubbe and Hvitserk. When you stand up, Hvitserk grabs your hand in reassurance. 

Hvitserk "You've got this kitten."

"Jus-just don't let him take me again..promise me."

Hvitserk "Y/n, I am not letting you out of my sight. No one is going to harm you, I swear it."

"I just want to get the weapons and leave immediately."

Hvitserk "And we will. I know that you are scared," you look up at him, "and you have a right to be. Your father has done barbaric things to you..if I could have stopped it back then, I would. I would save you from all that heartache but I am here now." He looks around the boat, "We are all here now. We can protect you now, princess. So look at me," your eyes lock with his, "I promise that you will be safe. I love you, I'm not going to lose you again." You lean into Hvitserk so that he can kiss your forehead, making your eyes close from the comfort that it brings you.

"I love you too, Hvitty."

He looks at you and bursts out laughing, "Hvitty? I love it. Is that going to be my nickname from now on?"

"If you would like."

Hvitserk "I would love that, I love anything that you call me."

Ubbe "We are here, come on brother's."

Ivar takes your hand and keeps you attached to his side while Ubbe and Hvitserk get out of the boat first.

…

As soon as you reach the back entrance, you see 5+ guardsmen guarding the back entrance with Thyra in front of them. You sigh and run to her. Ivar hisses for you to return to his side but you do not listen. When Thyra sees you, she runs and embraces you like she hasn't seen you in years. 

Thyra "Are you okay? Please tell me you've been okay!"

"I'm fine..are you-"

Thyra "I'm fine too-"

Ivar "Where are they?"

Thrya "They are inside."

Ubbe "We get that, where?"

Thyra "Follow me." Everyone, including you, hesitate to follow her. "There are guards inside..they know to keep the king away from that room.."

Ivar "What if they betray you-"

Thyra "Look, if you thought that I would betray you, then why did you come?"

Ivar "Watch how you talk to me.." he said very sternly.

Thyra "My apologies. But we cannot stand here and talk, the longer we wait, the less confident I am with this being successful. So please, follow me." Ubbe goes first, then you and Ivar, then Hvitserk. Being inside the castle is a struggle for you. But it brings you some security knowing that you have your husband and his brother's with you at all times. Ivar singles his men to surround you all. The warriors have their swords drawn and their shields up. 

She walks out into the hallway and you all pause. Ivar holds his finger up to his lips to signal everyone to stay absolutely quiet.

Ubbe draws his ax, "I don't like how we are in the open."

Hvitserk "If anything happens, she's going next." He gestures over to Thyra and Ubbe agrees. If Thyra is betraying you all, then she is the cause. 

Thyra "It's in here." She whispers, heading towards a door. You recognize the door and get flashbacks so strong that it makes your knees buckle. You can see your younger self, running towards this door and your mother holding it open for you. She always tried her hardest to keep you from your father's wrath. 

Ivar "My love.."

"Huh?"

Ivar "Look at me.." you stray your eyes from the door to meet your husband's eyes, "talk."

"It's...flashbacks."

Ivar "Can you go in? If not, I will stay out here with you."

"I have to see the weapons myself..I know where they are. I have to go in." Ivar nods and walks with you hand in hand. Going in, your eyes lock to the cupboards that you used to hide in. Once everyone is in, the door is shut and three guardsmen guard it from the king or his men. Hvitserk takes off his hood and looks down at you.

Hvitserk "Is it in here?" You don't answer, you just walk towards a part in the wall that looks 'off'. You kneel down and put your nails in the cracks, opening a hidden door, revealing a pile of weapons. 

Ivar "Son of a bitch.." he says as you pull out every last steel weapon from the hole in the wall.

Hvitserk "I have never seen such a weapon." You look at the tip and get furious.

"They were not made to kill men and women. He made these specifically to kill dragon's."

Ubbe "Why would he do that? Didn't he have dragons himself?"

"Yes he did. I don't know why he would wish to kill them."

Thyra "Y/n.." you look up at her and then it clicks in your mind. He had these weapons made when he decided on gifting you the three dragon eggs. Right after he made up his mind, your mother was killed, that is how she knew where he hid them from you. 

You stand up and hand them to your warriors, "Let's go home."

Ivar "Y/n," he grabs you because he can tell that your mood has shifted drastically, "my love?"

"Ivar I need to leave before I run out of this room, find him, and kill him where he stands." Hvitserk grabs your hips as a reminder to breathe.

Hvitserk "Remember the mission-"

Ubbe "Lets go." He looks at his brother and lets you go. 

Ivar "Ubbe is right, let's just go. You will feel better once you are out of these walls."

He grabs your arms and pulls you out of the room. You all rush out of the castle, staying close together. Thyra stops by the door once you all are out and safe. You look back at your friend and feel your emotions get the best of you.

Thyra "Hey, don't cry." She pulls you into her arms, "I will be safe, just get out of here."

"Thank you, I love you so much."

Thyra "I love you more, now go." She pushes you and you all walk back to the boats. Once you are all in, you take your mask off and sit down. Mission complete, time to go home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ivar sighs once he sits down on the side of the boat, resting his legs. You sit on the floor, next to the weapons. Hvitserk and Ubbe sit down on each side of you. 

Ubbe nudges you, "You good sis?"

"Just angry."

Ubbe "Talk to us, maybe we can help." You spend time telling them what you realized back in that room. They listened and felt the anger in your voice. 

Ubbe "I am sorry that he even made these in the first place. But he does not have them anymore, we do. They won't be used on your dragons..they won't be used at all if you wish."

"I just want him gone.."

Hvitserk "He will be soon, Y/n." You nod and rest your head on his shoulder. Ivar smiles and looks off into the distance, thanking the gods that you are all safe and have successfully retrieved the weapons.

You stayed by Hvitserk until you reached Kattegat. You rose when you heard your dragon's shout for you. They got so excited that all three of them flew over the boat and hovered above you all. You greet them and thank the gods for your safe return. 

Ivar "Let's hide these weapons. I don't want anyone to know where they are except for us four, got it?"

"Yes, my king." The man said. You all got off and headed for the house. Torvi and her daughter ran to Ubbe in a loving greeting. Seeing Ubbe with his children (including Ragnar) makes you so excited to become a mom. You look down and rub your belly with a smile on your face. 

"I can't wait to meet you, little one." You say to her.

Hvitserk "Neither can I." You didn't know that he was behind you. You figured that he went inside already so it took you for a surprise.

"It feels like time is going by so slowly."

Hvitserk "That is only because you are eager. And once the siege is over, you will have more time to relax and focus on her growing, rather than worrying."

"You are right."

Ubbe "Lets go inside and eat, yeah?"

Torvi "Our hunters caught big today."

Hvitserk "Oh yeah, how big?"

Torvi "Biggest we've caught in a while." Hvitserk giddily runs into the house to see what we will all be eating. You and Torvi laugh. 

Torvi walks over and hugs you, "I am glad that today went well."

"As am I. I am glad that we came back in one piece." You force a laugh.

Torvi "Thank gods..come on, let's go feed you and the baby."

"Good, we are starving." You all enjoy your day and feast with cups of ale and lots of laughter. Today was a success and hopefully the siege that is bound to happen in just a few days, will be as successful as today's retrieval.

@hvitserkmarcosource @youbloodymadgenius @ivarsgoddess @a-mess-of-fandoms @herestherealproblem @readsalot73 @heavenly1927 @saldelys @ivarzeitgeist

[ranmaru-fr]

1, 7, 16, 31, 35 and a wildcard >:3c (If you've already answered any of those then pick ones you want to answer aha)

Sorry for the late response Anon 3 I was having a rough time tbh

(from this meme)

1. Who is your clans leader(s)? What are they like?

My clan is actually an empire! :D The current king is Raven:

And, honestly, the best way to describe him is “an ass”.

He’s cruel and selfish, and everything he does is for his own sake. Sure, he’ll sign a law here and there to benefit the people, but honestly? That’s just because he needs to maintain a somewhat acceptable image. After all, a monarch will not last long if everyone despises them. 

But also, Raven is an extremely paranoid creature. He things everything and everyone has an agenda to steal the throne. It’s actually safe to say that he only trusts his own heir, Ghost, who was shaped to be what Raven wanted him to be.

Raven also dislikes magic. Make no mistake: he and his heir are both powerful mages and are allowed to use their abilities as they please. But Raven has prohibited the use of any sort of magic or incantation inside the Expanse. He’s made attempts to prohibit magic on the entire Empire, but all of the other Pillars refused to obey such rule. 

There’s a second layer of leadership after the king, however. The Pillars are the leaders and representatives of each elemental flight. I won’t describe all of them here, but here’s the link to their (most likely outdated) profiles: Shadow, Plague, Nature, Wind, Fire, Light, Earth, Arcane, Water and Ice. Raven is the Pillar of Lightning, as well as the king.

7. Clan priests/priestesses? 

Priests play a very important role in the Empire. They’re believed to be the voices of the deities on Sornieth, and are greatly respected. However, this has been a dark time in the Empire for religion.

Most priests and priestesses have been brutally killed by an unknown entity. Among the few that remain are Cyndir, who’s also the Pillar of Fire, and Rasheeka, who is more of a cryptid than anything. Rumor has it that Rasheeka is actually involved with the Shade, but she’ll angrily deny it.

16. Who’s in charge of maintaining law and order? Any dragons that take up the mantle of policing?

Scorn is the closest to being in charge of maintaining law and order. 

She was hired by Raven as a spy a while back, being suggested by Ghost who claimed she was “a beast in breaking the spines of enemies”. As good of a warrior that she is, Scorn doesn’t dirty her hands that often. She’s always had her own methods of obtaining information (AKA her own little network of spies and criminals), which made her extremely efficient at what she does.

Raven recently appointed her as Leader of Security for the Empire (even though he doesn’t trust her as much as his son does). She’s been efficient at capturing possible traitors to the crown and squeezing information out of them, stopping all sorts of conspiracies to occur. 

Don’t think she’s loyal to Raven, though. Everything Scorn does is for her own agenda. She likes that despite Raven’s title, she’s the one actually running the Empire. Her influence is so great she can easily persuade any criminal leader to obey her words. After all, who wouldn’t want to be in debt with the one in charge of all of the Empire’s security?

31. Any physically disabled or mentally ill dragons?

I have a couple of mentally ill dragons. Rupture, for example, has a mild anxiety disorder; Aydan has severe depression; Bran has depression & an anxiety disorder; Noble also has anxiety and I’m probably forgetting someone. 

35. Who is your absolute favorite dragon?

Really hard to pick one, but if I consider their characters, I’d say Rupture is my absolute fave. 

Though, honestly, picking just one is too damn hard ;n;

WILDCARD - 23. Which dragon is the must untrustworthy? Likewise, which dragon would you trust with your life?

Used random.org for the wildcard :o

Anyway, it’s hard to settle for a single untrustworthy dragon. Mist and Erixitl are both pretty shady and I don’t think anyone should ever trust either. If there’s a dragon I’d trust with my life, that dragon is Charon. He’s lazy as hell, but will do anything in his power to protect whoever needs to be protected. Plus, I don’t think he’d ever betray anyone who’s genuinely nice. He just can’t. His heart will break in two just by thinking about it.

[selenelavellan]

I suppose this only makes sense if you've seen Kubo and the two strings but how would it work with your characters. Moon Queen Mythal's son Dirthamen falling for the mighty Selene and having kids and being banished from the heavens. And so on until the events of the movie. But instead of just Kubo, it's the twins who go looking for the magic armor and Selene has been turned into an Amnesiac (insert animal) as punishment. This is just breeding plot bunnies in my brain non stop.

Oh man I love Kubo andthe Two Strings. It was actually the first movie we took my daughterto see in theaters and it was absolutely incredible. Now you’ve gotplot bunnies in my head…

Under a cut for spoilers (Because if you haven’t seen Kubo and the Two Strings, it’s an amazing journey and you really really should)

Ok so Dirthamen is the mom in thisstory. He sleeps all day, and Darevas and Felasel keep him fed andcared for and go into the town to tell stories during the day.Felasel plays the shamisen and controls the paper figures whileDarevas tells the story and interacts with the audience. A story of agreat warrior, Selene, who fought against the Moon Queen when herfamily was stolen from her.

They are always home before dark,per their fathers warnings, and when he wakes at night he tells themgreat stories. Of magic, and swords, and love, and their mother.

Warns them of their grandparents, andthat their grandmother stole their eye because she wants to take themaway, to be just like her.

One day Darevas and Felasel are talkingto the old lady in the village (I’m thinking @feynites Gran-Gran fromConcert AU is the obvious choice here, but I’m open) who mentions thefestival where they light the lanterns and speak to those who havepassed. Darevas and Felasel make a lantern, in an effort to speak totheir fallen mother, but their pleas are met with only silence.

As the sun sets and the moon rises,Darevas and Felasel are the only ones still in the graveyard. Thelanterns are blown out in a gust of wind, and two voices call forthem.

Andruil, and Sylaise.

Their fathers sisters.

They try to capture Darevas andFelasel, who flee to the town, hoping against hope for someone tohelp them. Instead, they drag destruction and death through theirhome, as their aunts chase after them with no regard for the chaosthey bring.

They are gone, they are dead, theyshould have listened, they think, before their father appears, takingthe shamisen and striking its cords in a powerful burst of magicalenergy that sends their aunts reeling backwards.

He warns them to fly away, to nevertake off their mothers robes, and to gain the three magical objectsfrom the story, to protect them from their grandparents.

He touches the symbol of the whiteraven on their backs, wings fluttering out of the material as itflies them somewhere far away. All they have left now, they think, iseachother, and the lock of their fathers hair they managed to snag,before he turned to face his sisters.

When they wake, they are in the farlands. Surrounded by snow, with a bear telling them their father isdead, and they must press on to avoid the same fate.

A strangely familiar looking bear, theyrealize as time goes on. The same sort of bear that the charm theirfather gave them depicted.

They journey on, as the bear teachesthem of magic and warns them of the dangers of the world. But theyare children, and they grow restless with little to preoccupy them.They summon a paper figure of the warrior Selene to travel with them.Whether for a sense of protection, or because it makes things seemmore ‘normal’, they aren’t entirely sure.

As they travel past the ruins of anancient statue, Darevas and Felasel are yanked away, as soon as thebears back is turned.

The Bear dashes after them, ready tostrike whatever has dared to steal away their charges. Darevas andFelasel tell them to stop, revealing that the figure who had takenthem, was a warrior in their mothers army. A shared emblem with thestrange woman with white wings and too sharp features, with legs andarms like that of a bird. She does not remember much. Only that shemust have been a part of this army, and she believes Selene was hermaster and mentor.

Against the bears wishes, Darevas andFelasel inform the harpy that Selene was their mother. The harpyleaps with joy, swinging the two children around in the air andswearing an oath of loyalty, to protect them even if it costs her herlife.

Battles are had, a Varterral withswords protruding from its body, a Desire demon who lived beneath theLong Sea and dragged the twins into memories before the harpy rescuedthem, and the Bear did battle with one of the Aunts on their ship,striking the Huntress down to protect the children.

It is only later, in the fortress oftheir fallen mother, that they discover the truth. The Bear is thelast remnants of their fathers magic and memory, given form to tryand keep them safe. The harpy, their mother, memories stolen by theaunts and left alone to rot for her crimes.

Only Darevas and Felasel make it backout of the fortress alive.

They return to the village for thefinal piece or their quest, only to find their grandmother there,waiting for them. Promising immortality, and family, and life withoutsuffering if they would only give up their other eyes and joinher.

They refuse.

Mythal takes on the form of a dragon,and attempts to give them the pain and suffering and death they seemto wish for, by not accepting her offer.

Darevas and Felasel manage to trap hernear the graveyard, where they first lit the lantern for theirmother, and begin to perform. Darevas tells the story, tells aboutlove, and the people they have found, and the wonderful things theyhave learned and seen right here on the earth, while Felasel plucksthe newly re-corded shamisen, with their fathers hair, their mothersnecklace, and their own hairs rolled together.

They defeat her, and turn her into a mortal elf. Where tales of her kindness and generosity are retold to the woman without her memories, and she is welcomed in as a part of the community.

–

I mean, I would probably change the ending tbh, because Mythal has uh….a lot of blood on her hands, and being immediately absolved of everything (especially when the rest of her children are dead because of her manipulations) is proooobably not quite right.

But I like Dirthamen as a bear grumpily slogging through the world with two young energetic children along, when all he really wants to do is hibernate. Selene as a harpy (Falon’din somewhere else calling out ‘I TOLD YOU SO’) because her animal form is the white raven, unburdened by the traumatic events of her past and being given a literal new beginning is probably a bit more of a gift than Andruil and Sylaise intended, too.

Idk where Elgar’nan is. Somewhere being coddled and definitely distracted by the attempted murder and dis-figuration of his grandchildren (although he’d make an interesting ally for them, on that front).

I like the themes for this group, for sure. Selene as a warrior, Dirthamen reverting more to the Strategist side of himself that he was before he was a God, and the twins being hounded by Mythal who now has an opening for twins in her pantheon (because lets just start with Falon’din dead honestly, it makes things so much easier).

Maaaan…..now this probably needs to actually get written. Or drawn. One day.

Thanks for the ask