#{Aurelia} Wise Decision!

[freesia-writes]

Howzer + Aurelia Ch. 30 - The Stand

Beginning with his shiny days, this story follows Howzer's character arc through some heartwarming romance, action, adventure, yearning, angst, and growth.

Content/Trigger Warnings for Entire Work (individual chapters not labeled): wartime peril, injury, and death; sexual assault up to kissing; relationship passion up to making out and heavy petting; sexual relationship alluded to (smut is posted separately); pregnancy, birthing trauma, and stillbirth (chapters 30-39, can be skipped and still keep up with the story).

Master List of Chapters

Word Count: 1.3k

30. The Stand

"The refinery is under attack!" Howzer announced, charging into Rampart's office only to be met by the Admiral on his way out.

"I'll handle it," he replied, surprisingly calm despite the fury in his eyes. "Stay here and guard the capitol," he spat, shoving Howzer to the side as he continued into the hallway. Another notification began beeping on Rampart's desk screen, and Howzer sidled over to check it. The doors of the holding cells were being deactivated, though the patrols had all been sent to the shipyard to be dispatched to the refinery. He smirked; he'd had the same thought himself, but someone else had beaten him to it. 

He started to head for the holding cells, but he hesitated. There shouldn't be any obstacles, considering the rush on the refinery, but it was always wise to ensure the way was clear before charging in. He sprinted for the north tower, taking the lift to the very top.

Howzer strolled onto a balcony with a covered roof, watching ship after ship lift off, clearing the ground below except for one last shuttle, outside which the squad commander paused, looking back. He stood for a moment, considering the situation and talking to his squad, before turning back toward the south tower. Cursing inwardly, Howzer watched as his troops followed him back out of the shuttle. They were on to something.

* * * 

Aurelia hadn't been able to contain her curiosity and apprehension, hearing a distant rumble of explosions. Without thinking, she beelined for the capitol towers, fueled by a singular desire to see that Howzer was alright. There was no reason behind the decision, just a panicked reaction to an uncertain situation, but she didn't care about that as the doors slid open in front of her. She had been inside a few times, but without a basic orientation, she could be lost in the endless hallways and towers. Barreling around a corner, she ran smack into a plastic wall and staggered back with a gasp. 

"What are you doing here?!" Howzer asked sharpy, coming across a bit more sternly than he intended through his helmet. He whipped it off his head, staring at Aurelia in shock. 

"I wanted to find you!" she panted, hand on her chest, then lower to her stomach, "I have to tell you something..." She breathlessly waved a hand as though it would help her be able to speak. 

"I have to catch these people before they reach the exit," he replied, softer now but with an undeniable urgency. "Please, I'll be right back, okay?"

"What if they capture you?" Aurelia asked, fighting to hold back tears. "They'll label you an insurgent like the rest of them. Can't you use your position somehow? To stay safe?" Her voice quavered, and her knees felt wobbly. 

"It's not about power..." Howzer said slowly, heart aching as he remembered hearing them from Sprint so many years ago, "It's about doing the right thing..." 

"Okay..." she breathed in resignation, one hand still on her stomach. She grabbed his hand with one last lunge, pulling him back toward her for a split second, gazing into those beloved eyes with a whole new level of meaning and connection. She caressed his scarred cheek, feeling her heart swell even as it raced in her chest, and placed a quick, gentle, but firm kiss on his lips before releasing him. "I love you," she said quietly as he pulled his helmet on.

"Always," Howzer answered, nodding to her before racing down the hallway again, calling out over his shoulder, "Can't wait to hear the news!"

Aurelia sighed, having a bad feeling deep in her gut as she watched his teal streaked armor disappear around a corner, alarms blaring inside and out.

* * * 

"Cham, wait! You're walking into a trap," Howzer said, stepping forward from the back of the chamber as the group rushed toward the door. He was immediately looking down the barrels of two mercenaries in grey and red armor, standing protectively in front of the Twi'leks, but he continued, "There's a whole squad out there, waiting."

Gobi was suspicious, and rightfully so, but once Howzer convinced them of his allegiance, apologizing to Cham for not stopping it all sooner, Eleni came up with an alternate plan. They determined to head for Orn Free Taa's private shuttle, to make an aerial escape where the Imperials wouldn't expect it. 

"You can't stay here," Eleni continued, stepping forward to address her loyal clone captain. "They'll know you helped us."

Howzer's heart sank as he realized she was right. He had half a mind to run back the way he came, swoop up Aurelia and disappear forever, but he also knew that right outside the door stood Demo, Steady, Loner, and so many brothers who he had spent his life serving with. They had been brought to Ryloth for a singular purpose, and they were out there doing precisely the opposite. He couldn't leave them to the Empire's deception, to be used as pawns for selfish, cruel motives. He had to get through to them. 

"Go. While there's still time," he confirmed, listening to the footsteps fade as they shuffled back down the hallway. He walked toward the doors slowly, heart pounding, and pulled his helmet on in one determined movement. He paused for a moment, thinking of Aurelia, wondering what was so urgent that had brought her running in the middle of chaos. But now was not the time. Pushing the thoughts aside, he took a deep breath, feeling settled and resolute as he conjured up the image of Sprint in his head one last time. Then the doors whooshed open. 

"Brothers!" Howzer said, striding forward with a newfound confidence as he looked at the helmets of his squad. "What are we doing? We came here to free Ryloth from Separatist control, and we succeeded. But look around you. We're now being ordered to target the very people we swore to protect! And I will not be a part of it any longer." He threw down his weapon with vehemence, finishing with one last invitation, "Who will stand with me?"

After a tense pause, Steady threw his shield down to the side and tossed his blaster on the ground. Demo did the same, followed by four others, and Howzer felt his hopes rising that he may have gotten through to all of them, but the rest stopped, turning to face their brothers, shields up, guns leveled at them. He heard the back door slide open, and an Imperial trooper and two backups came out, holding him in their sights as did the two troopers that came toward his front. He put his hands behind his head, feeling the hands of his fellow clones move them down to the small of his back where they were cuffed together. 

The shuttle flew out of its hangar, and a sniper fired some shots at it but it was too late. Howzer lifted his head, watching it disappear into the stars with a glimmer of hope, feeling a deep sense of calm within. Whatever may happen from here on out, he had done his part to prevent injustice and had maintained his loyalty to the family and people he had been brought there to serve. As much as his purpose had shifted beneath his feet over the last number of years, he felt singularly fulfilled. 

The troops turned him around, and they began marching together back into the chamber. Howzer tilted his head down. Now it was time to figure out the next move.

,

Next Chapter

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Author's Note: We're still going! Got some adventure for Aurelia in the meantime, some twists and turns, then we'll see Howzer again when he's rescued by Gregor and Fireball (!!) and the others! :D And then I'll have to wait for TBB Season 3 to see what happens. 

[kaylawilliams-photography-631]

Week 4_ Weekly roll / Photographic studio

I booked the photo studio for a whole day and decided to use the time to really get more comfortable with the set up and play with lighting. Having only explored lighting in the black studio - using both the large and small white studios throughout the day really pushed my ideas of what I though I was capable of lighting-wise.

I still acknowledge that I am a beginner at this, taking over 300 photos over the day, I spent a lot of time getting my head around the relationship between the camera's aperture, lights (their modifiers and intensities) and my subject. Understanding that the slightest change in any of the three does make a huge difference to the outcomes (controlling the light is just as hard as when you cant control it - who would've thought?!).

I was lucky enough to have three different models throughout the day who very generously volunteered their time to model for me. I had done a bit of research and moodboarding prior to the shoot around what I wanted to try (lighting + pose-wise). However, with this being the first time I was in complete control of the studio I decided to let the model lead where I went. In the sense of working with their personalities, outfits, features (hair colour being a big one I've discovered) along with trying different lighting situations.

Below is the lighting plans to the best of my memory for the two different studios and four different lighting concepts.

*Reflection > I think now that I've had a play in the studio and am starting to see what placed lighting can do I think I will try have another go at self-portraits emplying DIY versions of what I can to try and imitate it at home. I think I would also like to try self timer in the studio (if that's possible) - would need to use auto-focus and have a spot model.

**Goal for improvement - work on evening out lighting as well as working with softer light (intensity) in next shoot > perhaps try working in the black studio for this as well and challenge myself to push the boundaries of lighting in that space. I also would like to try playing with bouncing light - for playing around with intensity this could be good for that.

CONCEPT_01

For the first model (Aurelia) I had pre-planned to shoot some more professional head-shot style photos of her for her portfolio. I also led her to some more directed poses, working with her form and what she naturally felt led to do when posing. Below are the raw photos from her lot (pre-grey card balancing - I excluded the shots with the grey card from the contact sheet but I had 3 in different situations to reference). Being head shots that were giong to be used for profile style cropping this was one of the main reasons for the amount of negative space above her head.

Below are the edits I made - fairly minor lighting-wise with some needing lightening to shadows - with analysis of the shots and notes I made for improvement/exploration. The decision to go with b/w for some of the shots was for the fact that the head-shot style she wanted was b/w to I played with both - some for artistic/style purposes as well based on photographers I've been researching.

These are the finals I came out with from concept 01.

[powermarket]

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USD 66.1 million

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[never-surrender]

Touching her in this moment certainly wouldn't have been the most wise decision, not with her being so out of control and still coming down from the emotional high the dream had caused her. Swallowing past a thick throat, Aurelia struggled to maintain some semblance of control, her mind lost to the anxieties the dream had brought. If her heart were still beating, it'd be thundering in her chest even still.

"What ... what was I doing?" she parrots his question, struggling to leave the headspace she currently was and enter into something more logical, Aurelia stared at Yunae for a moment, gaze unfocusing as she struggles some more.

"I ... I don't remember," she admitted. "It just... the dream just came... I don't think I-" she stops, shaking her head as she struggles to string words together properly.

"It ... it was just a dream..." she tacked on a moment later, eyes closing as she concentrates on her breathing

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒ They weren't trying to treat her like a wild animal, not really; but they were trying to treat her like themself. Yunae, despite their timid demeanor at most times, hated being touched or hugged when freaking out, and had learned from experience that they were physically violent during breakdowns like this. They made it safe to assume that a lot of people could potentially be like that.

"You don't have to apologise," they spoke, keeping themself crouched to her height as she sat on the floor.

"What were you doing that triggered this, exactly?" They asked her, "If you don't mind me asking. Episodes like that tend to happen when you see, hear, or smell something that reminds you of... you know, *stuff*."

Clearly, they had the experience and wisdom, but not the knowledge or intelligence to give any real professional advice.

[sarcasticallynoted]

𝒯𝒶𝑔 𝒟𝓊𝓂𝓅!

[portvalehq]

the youngest of the princesses, you are naive and innocent. you’ve never seen your northern ocean so at unrest. you want to help and do everything you can to save everyone but little do you know, you can’t. your kingdom has already seen loss and you wonder how you’re suppose to help see it through this, on top of the turmoil the oceans are facing. your court advised you to leave the seas for the human world, where you would be safe from the dangers invading the kingdom.

AURELIA CLARKE ● NPC ● YOUNG PRINCESS OF THE NORTH PACIFIC

THE HISTORY

A life of ease is the life Aurelia knows. The wondrous life of a mermaid princess, the young pink haired girl has wanted for nothing. Despite growing up one of the two pacific princesses, the largest of the oceans, Aurelia has a level head. Albeit, a naive one. She knows nothing of the human world or even some of the other mermaid kingdoms around her, being shielded from it for most of her life. Her court members feared Aurelia’s naivety and innocence would get her in trouble, or worse – turned into sea foam.

Her life of ease came to a crashing halt when a mermaid of a powerful court was murdered on the outskirts of their ocean. She never imagined something like this could happen in the oceans, let alone in her own realm. Fear was sent through out the North Pacific like a deafening sound wave and all pointed fingers at the sirens who dwell in the Bering Sea. The next step, before a war began, was to protect Aurelia.

The court suggested she go into hiding in the North Pacific. Aurelia hated the idea, she couldn’t abandoned her people. Her waters – but the court was adamant. The princess would be safer hidden, even if land posed a threat as well. It was the lesser of the two. Reluctantly, the princess agreed. When she went into hiding, her location unknown to only a few, an envoy and trusted ally of the court was sent to Port Vale in her stead.

PERSONALITY

Though naive, Aurelia is nothing but kind and golden hearted. She wants to help others, and knows as a Mermaid Princess she has the power to do so but still has much to learn about the worlds — both under the sea and above. She’s headstrong, often acting on impulse rather then thinking something through and she doesn’t always know when to call it a day on the things she’s passionate about. 

CONNECTIONS:

ATLA; not many are aware of what she meant to you; it wasn’t like you were close, no closer than a respected leader and one brand new to her rule. you admired her, her experience, and her carefree nature. your mentors tell you to grow up and wise up; but you see her, well-loved and well-known, enjoying every moment of her life. when news of her death came, you were rocked to the core, and now can’t tell what fear is aside from knowing loss.

RUBY; your court-appointed envoy. you did not have a decision in who was sent to port vale in your stead, but you were pleased with the decision. they are new to their rank, but have proven themselves to be dedicated to your courts, despite where they come from. you hope they do well up there above the sea, while you cower in the depths below, and you can’t help but envy the freedom your envoy has received with this mission... all you have gotten is a new cage.

[chrysalispen]

i: absolution

i hope none of you thought i was starting with the cart scene ;;

AO3 link HERE, fic chapter below the cut.

====

The anguish of the earth absolves our eyes

Till beauty shines in all that we can see.

War is our scourge; yet war has made us wise,

And, fighting for our freedom, we are free.

---Siegfried Sassoon, 1886-1967

-----o-----

Old Gridania, 14th Sun, Fourth Astral Moon, Year 5 of the Seventh Umbral Era

It was a hot midsummer morning and the forest belonged to the cicadas. The dry and hollow whickering buzzed between the leaves, cutting through the oppressive wet weight of the air as if to assert the insects’ supremacy. From her perch upon the rough-hewn bench near the entrance to the Archers’ Guild, Aurelia Laskaris found that even remaining perfectly still was no respite. Not from the heat nor the weather, and certainly not the clouds of midges that seemed to swarm over everything and everyone. More than once, she had watched an Adder or a Wailer stroll past their cramped bench in the hastily repurposed waiting area while muttering curses and swatting at the clouds of insects so thick the air looked gray in places.

With a heavy and somewhat disconsolate sigh, she turned her attention back to the threadbare rug that lay upon the wooden planks a scant few ilms below her sandaled feet. Across the room, near the lectern by the door, she espied a strangely shaped brownish stain of unknowable origin- something that had at some point sunk deep into the fibers. The longer she sat with naught else to occupy her, the more it usurped her attention, until all she could do was stare at it and nibble on the end of the forelock she had twisted around her index finger.

“Are you really that nervous?” her minder’s voice murmured at her shoulder.

Keveh’to looked as bored and miserable as she felt. Dressed in his bright yellow Grand Company overcoat and matching uniform, the man who had been her minder and friend for nigh on five summers now watched her with a knowing light in his grey eyes. Like her, his face was dewy with a thin sheen of sweat, and his ears flickered every time one of the insects attempted to make a landing upon them.

“I’m only about to discover whether or not the Hearers deem me sufficiently reformed.” Aurelia’s gaze lingered upon the outline of that stain. Her brow itched with collected sweat, most maddeningly so about her third eye, but she didn’t dare lift the kerchief she wore. Not even to scratch. “My former enemies hold my very life in their hands. Naught about that could be nerve-wracking, surely.”

Was it blood? Wine? The Garlean couldn’t take her eyes off it. It was inexplicably vexing.

“You aren’t too nervous to be cheeky,” he said dryly, blocking the elbow she sent his way with a nimble swat of his palm. “Watch it! This coat is new.”

“What? One little jab to the ribs isn’t going to muss your uniform, Sergeant-”

“Lieutenant.”

“Right, Lieutenant Epocan now. My mistake.” He scoffed, but her attention was already back upon the stained rug. “...What if they change their minds?”

“About what?”

“You’ve got a perfectly good set of working ears, Keveh’to. Sentiment is turning strongly against-” The soft fall of golden waves upon her shoulders shifted side to side with the swivel of her chin as she tilted it towards one of the nearby guardsmen. “...against people like me.”

“I don’t take your meaning.”

“The hells you don’t.” Her voice dropped to a murmur, though her words were no less vehement for her discretion. “I’m sorry to sound so cross, but you know very well why I worry. What should become of me should they decide to send me packing back to the gaol?”

“They won’t,” he said, but she thought she detected enough uncertainty in the man’s voice that the butterflies in the pit of her belly began to flutter once more. “...Well, they’d be fools if they did.”

“That isn’t a comfort, you know.”

“And if you're that worried about appearances," he reached for the hand that hovered at her chin and tapped the back of her wrist, "walking into an arbitration chamber with a mouthful of your own hair isn't exactly what I would call a solid first impression.”

Scowling at the rebuke, she let out a soft and petulant huff but tugged the end of her forelock out from between her lips and settled her fidgeting hands back into her lap.

She wasn’t convinced, of course. Judges were as fallible as any other soul upon the star in her experience, and no less swayed by popular sentiment or personal grudge- although, she conceded in silence, it wasn’t as if she could control the outcome.

Logic wasn’t enough to assuage her concerns. Four years ago, when she had helped to save a small outlying settlement and dismantle an imperial cohort that had threatened it- that should have been the end of them. In truth, she and Keveh’to had both been lauded as heroes at the time. But four summers was more than enough time to forget, reports or not, and from the rumors Keveh’to had heard, the XIVth Imperial Legion looked to be steadily applying pressure against the still-fragile and rebuilding city-state.

It wasn’t just that. She’d overheard anxious whispers of her own in Hyrstmill. An ominous gloom settling back into Larkscall, the eastern edge of the Shroud that bordered Ala Mhigo. Machina and steel-clad imperial patrols spotted in an ailing and slow to recover Twelveswood. Wailers and adventurers alike, gone missing.

She cast another sidewise glance at the man by the door, but other than a vaguely disinterested nod in her direction he made no comment or gesture.

Hells, this interminable waiting. I’m going to go mad if I have to sit here for another-

“Conjurer Aurelia Laskaris and Lieutenant Keveh’to Epocan,” the bland voice from the desk startled her enough that she felt an unpleasant twist in her stomach. She sat suddenly ramrod straight, eyes wide. “The adjudicators will see you now.”

“It’s about bleeding time,” the Miqo’te muttered, tail smacking against the flat of the bench. He gave his charge a curious glance. “Are you alright?”

“Just a touch of nerves.” Posture ramrod straight, expression displaying a calm she most certainly did not feel, she set her pattened feet upon the rug and stood. “Do I look presentable?”

“...You look soaked in sweat and uncomfortable.”

“Reassuring,” Aurelia said testily, “thank you.”

Keveh’to shrugged. “Just like everyone else here.” He swept one arm towards the closed door, a grandiose gesture that fell somewhat flat. “Ladies first.”

For a moment she felt as unsteady on her feet as she had been that fateful day five years past, bedraggled and dirty and ill, limping alone into a rain-dampened keep for a tribunal to decide what should become of her. She exhaled, quickly wiping her sweaty palms against the hempen weave, and righted her posture once more. Keveh’to was correct, of course; surely this was naught save a formality. They’d either extend her sentence on the work program or they would shorten the leash, and she had only to find out which they had chosen.

And at least this time she wouldn’t be alone.

Squaring her shoulders, she made her way through the door and past the open training area, up a brief staircase, and into the short hallway. The two masked men bracing the door stared at the approaching duo, their lips set in a bland and unreadable line. Other than a curt nod in the Keeper’s direction, the guards seemed to pay neither of them any particular mind. Keveh’to paused, shrugged, then lifted a fist to rap on the oak panels.

“Enter,” called a mild baritone voice.

The heavy doors swung open with a ponderous creak upon brass hinges, and the Keeper and his imperial charge crossed the threshold into a room that to Aurelia’s critical eye was clearly a repurposed private office. Three people sat at a long desk: one Hyuran woman in the ash half-mask of a Wood Wailer, two men, one of whom she recognized. His gaze caught hers, and he acknowledged her with a polite inclination of his angular chin.

“Mistress Laskaris,” Vorsaile Heuloix said, and if the man’s voice was not precisely warm, it lacked the painstaking effort at civility she remembered from her first journey to Gridania five years ago.

Aurelia allowed herself a small smile. “Commander Heuloix.”

“It has been some time. I trust you are well.”

Somewhere behind her she heard the door click shut. “As well as one might expect.”

“Excellent.” His lips quirked, and with that twitch of his mouth his sharp features softened somewhat. “Let it be known that the Grand Company appreciates your timely response to this summons. I surmise we also have the Lieutenant to thank for that.”

“She was in Hyrstmill on behalf of the Conjurers’ Guild,” Keveh’to spoke up at her side, smiling wryly, “so it took a fair bit of time, but yes.”

“Well, we’re all present now.” Vorsaile gestured to the two masked strangers. "Swethyna Brookstone and Lewin Hunte. The commanders of the Wood Wailers and the Gods’ Quiver, two divisions of Gridania’s defense force, whom I have asked to be present today.”

Aurelia nodded to each in their turn, but her brow remained furrowed. “If I might beg your pardon, Commander, I admit to some curiosity as to why there is not a representative of the Council of Hearers present. Will they not also be needed to preside over this hearing? I was given to understand that theirs is the final say.”

Behind the table, the three exchanged meaningful glances. Vorsaile shook his head.

“I’m afraid that either you or Lieutenant Epocan have misunderstood,” he said. “This is not a hearing. The Council and the Elder Seedseer have already made a decision regarding your case- or rather, the Elder Seedseer has exercised her authority to do so.”

Her heart took a sudden and sickening drop into her stomach. Keveh’to seemed to sense her distress; his hand pressed into the center of her spine, whether to keep her upright or keep her from bolting out of the room it was unclear. She found herself feeling suddenly quite appreciative of his presence in either case.

“Well,” she swallowed with difficulty past the tight sensation in her throat, “one hopes that you would not keep a lady in suspense. Go on.”

The commander of the Yellow Serpents did not frown or glare or smile, only inclined his chin gravely. “I quite agree,” he said. “Swethyna, may I have the papers, please?”

Papers?

Lips still set in that neutral line, the masked woman flipped through a sheaf of documents on the table’s varnished surface until she found what she sought, plucked them from the stack, and passed them to the Elezen. He reached for the inkpot at his left elbow with one hand, collected the papers with the other, and placed them on the far side facing Aurelia and her minder.

“Mistress Laskaris,” Vorsaile Heuloix said, “after careful review of the particulars - including your actions while a novice of the Conjurers’ Guild assigned to the village of Willowsbend - it is the consensus that you have proven yourself a friend and ally to the people of the Twelveswood. Furthermore, you have comported yourself in a manner befitting the realm’s most stalwart defenders. It is remarkable enough to witness such conduct from any one individual, let alone a woman who once served under the White Raven's banner. You have the thanks of the Grand Company and the Council of Hearers alike, and of course Kan-E-Senna herself.”

“I… thank you.” It felt utterly inadequate but it was all the response she could manage, unsure as she was what this speech presaged. “I did only what anyone else would have done.”

“I beg to differ- but that is beside the point.” Vorsaile cleared his throat and reached for a small box that sat on the lip of the table. “The Elder Seedseer wished to offer you a place in the ranks of her honor guard, but the Council of Hearers made it clear they would not countenance your appointment to such a sensitive position.”

That did not surprise her. Gridanians were a hidebound people, more so even than her own countrymen, and she had seen over the years how people like Keveh’to were shoved to the fringes of their society. If they wouldn’t trust a Keeper of the Moon even when he wore the colors of their Grand Company, she knew there was precious little chance they would extend that trust to her.

“However,” he continued, “there are conditions to which they have agreed- which brings us to the reason for your summons today. In light of your valorous and compassionate actions in defense of the realm and its people, the Eorzean Alliance and its Grand Companies have decided to grant you a full pardon, and consider your time served.”

Aurelia faltered, staring at the assembled commanders in open astonishment. She was… she wasn’t going to a gaol? Or being reassigned?

“As such,” the small wooden box opened with a click; within it lay a small, plain brass signet ring engraved with a pair of serpents twined about a staff, “it is hereby decreed that you are to be created a citizen of the city-state of Gridania, with all rights and privileges included therein.”

She couldn’t speak. Her eyes stung. It’s sweat, she told herself. Bloody stifling in here.

“Aurelia,” Keveh’to had drawn alongside her while she stood frozen in place. The Keeper’s tail wrapped carefully around her leg, twitching with a slow and soothing rhythm against her knee. “You’re looking unwell. Are you all right?”

“I’m… no. No, I’m- I’m fine. Better than fine, in fact.” Her lips twitched in a semblance of a smile. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to seem ungrateful; it’s simply that this wasn’t what I had expected to hear today. It’s a bit of a shock, I suppose.”

“A good shock, one would hope.”

The commander of the Grand Company interrupted their hushed conversation with a soft hum to clear his throat, then gestured to the inkpot with polite emphasis. “For our city’s records,” Vorsaile said, “we must ask that you append your signature to your citizenship papers. If you would, please…”

“Oh,” she said. “Yes, of course.”

She took the quill in hand, musing as she skimmed the text, the tip hovering at the edge of the inkpot. Five years ago she had been in just such a position- only then it was to formally cast aside her title, defecting from the Garlean Empire under terms of unconditional surrender as a prisoner of the Eorzean Alliance. She would never again be Aurelia jen Laskaris, VIIth Imperial Legion medicus. The vagaries of time and circumstance had forever placed her past beyond any tangible reach.

She was Aurelia Laskaris now, initiate of the Conjurers' Guild and - as of today - a citizen of Gridania. An Eorzean.

Forcing herself back to some semblance of composure, she bent over the documents. The quill scratch and the crispness of turning pages were the only sounds in the room other than the ticking of the wall chronometer. Her vision was so blurred she could barely see the writing on the paper, the loops and arcane curves of her own Eorzean script, but in moments it was done and she was setting the quill neatly back in its pot.

Vorsaile scattered salt across the wet ink, tapped them onto a small groove in his desk, then folded the paper and pressed a nub of half-melted wax against the seam. All of this, followed with the press of a heavy-looking brass seal, and the deed was done.

Aurelia was free.

“Thank you, Mistress Laskaris. That will be all.” Vorsaile held out the ring box. Aurelia took it and stared at its contents for a long moment, feeling strangely numb. “If you have any questions…”

“I have one,” Keveh’to said wryly. “What’s with the ring?”

“Hm? Ah… well. That signet ring is one normally granted to Serpentbearers upon their initiation into the guard - a small act of defiance on the Elder Seedseer's part, one suspects. In any case, it is a tangible reminder that your service has been recognized.”

She traced the engraving on the ring’s surface with one fingertip. Its brass curve gleamed in the late morning sunlight slanting through the nearby window.

“She asked me to inform you that this bauble is not entirely ceremonial. There is a small enchantment upon it which enhances the wearer’s focus in combat- should such a boon be needful.” Vorsaile paused for a beat; at that moment, his polite smile became something closer to a sly grin. “...That said, this is not to be considered tacit permission for you to go about picking fights with imperial soldiers. Even if you do catch them starting forest fires.”

“I shall endeavor to be on my very best behavior, Commander Heuloix. You have my word,” a small laugh escaped her lips. The sound of it brought back a semblance of equilibrium; she felt her nerves begin to calm. “Please give the Elder Seedseer my regards. I owe her a great deal.”

“She would no doubt return the sentiment.” Vorsaile reached forth a hand. “Allow me to offer my congratulations, Mistress Laskaris.”

She took it in bemused silence, unaware of Keveh’to’s eyes upon her.

~*~

“You don’t seem well pleased,” he said. It was the first either of them had spoken on the short walk back to the Canopy. Aurelia kept fidgeting with the writ she had signed, opening the broken wax seal on the parchment and reading its contents with a deep frown knitting her brow, as if she still couldn’t quite believe what had transpired.

“I am,” she insisted, somewhat weakly. “Very much so.”

“Most people in your position would be overjoyed. A full pardon- and citizenship? There are people who have been here twice as long that haven’t enjoyed such favor.”

“Some would think it ill-deserved.”

“Does it matter what other people think?”

“It might, if they feel preferential treatment is being shown to an imperial-”

“Former imperial.”

“It all seems rather too simple.”

“Mayhap. But sometimes matters really are that simple.” The Miqo’te shrugged. A small throng of giggling children sprinted past them on their way to the amphitheater, shouting at each other. Engrossed in some manner of diversion they had spun between themselves, no doubt. Perhaps it was also a sign of the changing times that they paid the Keeper of the Moon and his companion no notice whatsoever. “Seems to me you’re overthinking things. As usual.”

Aurelia dabbed her sleeve against her damp face and said nothing. Keveh’to didn’t understand what she was getting at, and she didn’t feel the wherewithal for another argument-- but his gaze upon her was equal parts sympathetic and concerned.

“All right, spit it out,” he said. “What’s really bothering you? It isn’t actually what happened in there, is it?”

“What? No, it’s-”

“Well, what then?”

“I don’t… I don’t know if this is really where I want to stay,” she said. “And citizenship makes me feel… I don’t know. Bound to the land, somehow.”

“What? Why? People come and go from Gridania all the time.”

She offered no reply save a helpless shrug.

They were passing the rebuilt aetheryte plaza. In the space of those five short years after the disaster which Eorzeans now called the Calamity, it had become a bustling and lively place. The throng milling about the glowing crystal included townspeople and merchants as well as the much rougher-looking adventurers in their motley collection of gear. Just as with the children, few even glanced at Aurelia as she and Keveh’to crossed the shallow bridge in the direction of the Carline Canopy. It had been a long time since she had felt like a local curiosity, for which she was silently grateful.

She paused upon the slope and its moss and stone path leading to the inn’s entrance, looking out over the placid and glassy surface of the river. The great waterwheel creaked in its slow and unhurried way upon each turn, and on the far bank, the warm wind rustled the leaves of young saplings.

“I don’t understand why you think leaving the Empire means all your plans have to change.” Keveh’to shrugged. “You can still be a chirurgeon in Eorzea, you know.”

“I know.”

“If anything, there’s more of a need for people with healing skills now than before. ‘Sides, you’ve got that kit of yours, don’t you? The big one with all the tools and such?”

“Many of the medicines in it cannot be replenished. I would need tools and reagents that simply don’t exist outside the Empire.” At his grimace, she added, “I think given time and closer study I could duplicate certain of them, but Eorzean methods of alchemy are quite different from ours. I suspect that in order to do what needs must, I would need to become quite proficient indeed, and I’ve not the first inkling where to start.”

“It can’t be that different.”

“You’d be surprised. I would explain it but we’d be here the rest of the day.”

“And I’d not understand the first bleeding thing about it even if you did.” His lips split into a wide grin. “Nor care, I’m afraid.”

Aurelia scoffed. “At least you’re honest.”

“Just saving you the trouble. Anyroad, you don’t have to make a decision now, do you?” He began to descend the gentle slope of the hill towards the Canopy, ears forward and tail twitching. “Sleep on it. Take some of Miounne's jobs while you give it some thought.”

The conversation ended as they reached the stone-laden path and passed through the ornately carved doors to the Carline Canopy’s main entrance. Aurelia paused mid-step to linger upon the threshold, her gaze sweeping across the restored common room. The stairwell entrance to the recently rebuilt airship dock was now open, and nearly every table in the establishment seated bustling throngs of adventurers, merchants, and other assorted travelers. The buzz of their conversation filled the room with a low hum, broken with the occasional shout or guffaw from one party or another.

"Assuming Miounne has any work available," she chuckled. Some few of the hopeful newcomers had formed a queue that appeared to be growing by the moment. Even from this short distance, she could see the bright flash of leve cards clasped in gloved and gauntleted hands. “I haven’t seen the Adventurers’ Guild this busy in ages.”

“Aye, not since the Twin Adder opened recruitment five years ago. Mostly new faces too; look at that. She must have her hands full.”

He was right, she realized, upon closer inspection. Most of the would-be adventurers were clearly new to the business, fresh-faced and quite young. There were a few hard-bitten veterans among the lot, but not as many as one might expect. “I wager that trend shall only continue. What with all the displacement from-- oh, she’s seen us,” Aurelia pointed at the hand waving from the desk. “Come with me and say hello?”

“Might as well,” he sighed with mock resignation. “She’s already seen me. There’s no escaping her.”

“Don’t be cheeky. Come on.”

She began to weave her way through the crowd with Keveh’to close behind. A handful of the adventurers watching from the queue glowered at the pair, clearly assuming they intended to jump the line, but Aurelia ignored the hostile stares and kept pushing her way past until the pair had reached the desk. Miounne’s smile was radiant at the sight of them, if rather fatigued.

“Aurelia! And Sergeant Epocan-”

“Lieutenant.”

“Yes, yes, of course! I remember now, Lieutenant. So sorry. My mind is in half a dozen places at the minute.” The Canopy’s proprietress made a vague motion with one hand. “I hate to be so abrupt, Aurelia, but I’ve been looking for you. E-Sumi-Yan asked me to send you on to the Fane - your ‘earliest convenience,’ he said.”

“Why? Is aught amiss?”

Miounne shook her head. “He didn’t elaborate. Shall I ring him and let him know you’ll be along?”

“Oh, no, please don’t trouble yourself,” she glanced at the growing line of visibly impatient adventurers, “Lieutenant Epocan can call him.”

The Miqo’te protested, “Wait, why am I - hey!”

She all but dragged him away from the counter and towards the concierge, out of earshot of most of the crowd. The man at the desk offered a polite and noncommittal smile as they passed and made for the staircase leading up to her room. Keveh’to was still bristling, his tail lashing the air.

“I’ll not be a moment,” she said. “We can go our separate ways at the plaza.”

“I’m not even your minder anymore, let alone your personal secretary,” he grumbled, even though he was already reaching for the small device clipped to his ear. “...Right, well. Just remember you owe me one.”

Aurelia flashed him a quick grin before she opened the door and slipped inside.

The small room was as austere as it had been when Miounne had first let it to her five years ago. She had not acquired much in the way of personal possessions since; there had hardly seemed a point while serving a sentence, after all. There was the field kit she had been allowed to keep along with its contents - what little remained now - and her own small traveling pack with its botany log and change of clothes and her mother’s locket. Next to this sat the small wand she had been gifted by the guild before setting off to Willowsbend. All that she truly owned in the world sat in this one small corner.

She reached into the pouch on her plain leather belt and drew forth the ring box and the neatly folded parchment: both symbols of the changes to come, for weal or woe. In the meantime, she thought, official proof of her new legal status was not something she felt it would be wise to risk losing. The papers she tucked securely into her botany book before replacing it, pulling the drawstring of her bag taut, and buckling the clasp again.

Once that was finished she opened the ring box and after a moment’s hesitation removed its contents. The brass winked at her from the center of her half-open palm. It was not the sort of thing she would have normally worn, and it was a touch too wide for her ring finger. She removed it to slip onto her index finger instead, and there it remained secure.

Satisfied with the fit, she set the box on the side table, grabbed her wand to hook onto her belt, and made for the door. The ring was warm and weighted on its perch. A reminder of the new start she had been granted.

A rap on the door: “Aurelia?”

“One moment!”

Her feelings were no less mixed than they had been before she had quit the Archer’s Guild an hour past, but they were also not something she had time to consider right now. After she had returned from the Fane, perhaps.

She made her way to the door. E-Sumi-Yan would be waiting.

[annalyticall]

Hiya! I'm curious what thoughts you may have on BL3 story wise. Do you have many criticisms/things you personally didn't like about it or thought could've been done a little better? Sorry if you've talked about it at length on here before, I've had all BL3 posts blacklisted until recently.

No problem! Actually, I don’t think I have ever talked about my thoughts on Borderlands 3 before on a general tumblr post. So, I’ll list some of my bigger thoughts on it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story up until Maya’s death at about the halfway point. It did take a while to get going since I felt like the introduction to the story dragged on Pandora, but I had so much fun on Promethea and Athenas. They were such refreshing settings compared to typical Borderlands fare, and I loved interacting with my two favorite characters Rhys and Maya. It was so worried with how Gearbox was going to handle Rhys, since it would have been easy to go down the Handsome Jack 2.0 route, but I’m glad they decided to keep his eccentric quirks and his dedication to becoming a better kind of CEO than Jack was. I especially loved the detail that he purposefully didn’t open the vault on Promethea because it would have put the citizens in danger, while Jack had done the exact opposite. Maya also had a lot of interesting development going back to the planet that had abused her out of her sense of duty to protect the innocent that had no part in her abuse.

Maya’s death, however, was a very, very solid turning point in the story for me. It wasn’t so much that Maya died - I could live with that narrative decision - but it was what followed. 

Eden-6 was by far my least favorite section of the story. Gearbox rehashed the entire last arc of the story and barely added anything new. Example - we are helping a perceived “good guy CEO” (Rhys and Wainwright) by defending his “better-than-the-other-guys” company (Atlas and Jakobs) from a hostile takeover by a spoiled evil sibling that wants it for themselves (Katagawa and Aurelia). This story-arc villain is being supported by the COV as well. In the end, we kill the story-arc villain and get to a vault, where Troy and Tyreen ambush the supporting Siren character (Maya and Tannis). It’s a story that was better the first time because I felt Rhys, being an established character in the franchise, better portrays the struggles of a “good” company in the universe compared to Wainwright who doesn’t even particularly want the Jakobs company which is now inexplicably a “good” company too despite canon contradictions to that in previous games. Also, they absolutely did Aurelia dirty making her a black-and-white evil villain rather than just a rich brat. And I just don’t find Eden-6 a particularly interesting setting.

I’d say I liked the story a little better once we got off Eden-6. The story involving Tannis inheriting Angel’s powers was very interesting to me since I love the Siren lore in these games. I also really liked Necrotafeyo as a setting and the small insights into just who and what Eridians were. However, I found Typhon somewhat a nuisance to the story. The echo-logs he leaves behind are not interesting whatsoever, since they don’t really talk about the lore despite him being a great vault hunter that should have an expansive knowledge of it. Instead, many of the echo-logs are used for cheap jokes, which meant that I had almost no attachment to Typhon when we finally got to meet him and I certainly didn’t feel anything when he died.

Ava is also not a very good character. She is hypocritical and rash, which is fine on its own, but she doesn’t have any sort of character arc that leads her to become a worthy successor of Maya’s powers and Lilith’s leadership. She doesn’t really learn anything, and that frustrates me a lot since she is someone who theoretically is taking the place of some of my favorite characters in the franchise.

Troy and Tyreen were... okay. In concept, they had the winning balance of comedy vs. serious threat that Handsome Jack had, but in execution, I felt both were lacking. Their story and theme potential were perfect and Gearbox could have really done something great by either pitting them against each other so much that they turn on each other and destroy themselves out of spite or, contrarily, are so devoted to each other that the death of one would spark an unspeakable fury in the other. Yet, Gearbox did neither of those things. They kinda turned on each other, but also kinda didn’t? Tyreen’s reaction to her brother nearly killing her, then her brother dying, was almost non-existent, which was very underwhelming. I also felt nearly nothing when Tyreen killed her father, which is not... good.

Overall, I consider Borderlands 3 to be split into three parts: the “good” Promethea and Athenas part, the “bad” Eden-6 part, and the “okay” Pandora and Necrotafeyo part, which means my overall feelings towards Borderlands 3 is very mixed.

While I haven’t played DLC 2 or 3 yet, I did play the Handsome Jackpot and also really enjoyed it. Fleshing out Timothy was a great idea and I also really liked the new side characters they introduced there as well. I think Gearbox is much better at making mini-stories like those in the DLCs rather than over-arching narratives.

[rohad93]

A Knight Affair: Redux - Past

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21474193/chapters/51423286

She wasn’t listening.

But at the very least she was self aware enough to know she was no longer listening to her mother’s lesson about trade tariffs. She hadn’t been for several moments, she was much to distracted by the knight that had come in to speak to the ageing knight captain who had been standing guard at her mother’s side. 

Her eyes flickered to the queen as she lectured her eighteen year old on important matters of state that she should have been paying attention to instead of staring longingly at the blonde knight’s profile while she talked to her superior.  

As though she hadn’t spent most of the day daydreaming about the time they’d shared in the library only a few nights prior.

The knight captain looked down at the documents in his hand the other knight had handed him. When he did the younger knight turned ever so slightly to look at her. 

Amber and cerulean meeting for a brief moment before Aurelia jerked back to front facing, face looking just a hair pinker than it had before. 

Blue couldn’t help but smile to herself.

“Don’t you agree?” When there wasn’t an immediate answer, Winea Diamond looked up from the documents she had been discussing with her daughter to find her looking over at the two knights. A delicately sculpted eyebrow rose in silent wonder at what the knights could be discussing that had stolen her oldest daughters attention. 

“Azurine.” 

The princess jumped, eyes whipping up to her mother, face pinking. 

“Is our discussion so dry that you’re concerning yourself over the knight captain and his affairs?” She questioned, lip quirking up at the panic flashing over the girl’s face.

“No, mother.” She turned her attention fully to the queen.

“Perhaps we should take a brief hiatus…” She set the documents on her desk. 

“No, mother I…” She started, only for the queen to hold up a single finger and look at her over her shoulder.

“Go, clear your head, and when you come back we will continue.” She smiled. 

“Of course.” Blue stood and curtsied before turning to leave her mother’s office. 

Her eyes drifted once more to the blonde knight as she passed, but Yellow kept her eyes trained on the knight captain in front of her.

She was obviously much better at keeping on task then herself. 

She sighed to herself when her mother’s office door closed behind her. 

She thought it had been hard to concentrate when she’d only been pining after the knight. Now she’d had a fleeting taste and keeping her mind on anything else was impossible.

She rubbed her temple tiredly as she wandered aimlessly through the halls of the palace, nodding to the few servants she passed along the way. 

 Her mother was patient but that would only last for so long. She needed to pull herself together and carry on with her duties.

A handful of kisses had turned her into a mess!

“Blue!” 

She jumped, turning around to in time to be tackled. She swayed but stayed standing, looking down she immediately recognized the fluffy mop of pale colored hair. 

“Rosaline…” Blue smiled down at the nine year old as the girl wrapped her arms tightly around her waist as she looked up at her with a wide, gapped toothed smile, her pale curls threatening to fall over her bright eyes. 

“Blue, are you done today? Will you come play with me in the garden?” She asked, tugging on the elder’s skirts. 

“I’m sorry, Rosaline. I’m only taking a short respite before mother requires my presence again in her office.” She smiled sadly at the now frowning girl.

“You’re always busy.” She puffed out her cheeks, tugging on Blue’s skirts. 

“I know. Mother has much to teach me.” She explained to her pouting sister. 

“What about tonight?” She gave another tug.

“Tonight?” Blue repeated. 

“Yes, the burning?” She looked at the teenage princess with wide, pleading eyes. “You swore you would ask mother if I could go with you.” She reminded.

The burning. Blue had very nearly forgotten about the festivities going on in town this evening, including the large bonfire that burned during it all. 

“I haven’t asked her…” She hurried on before the girl could even open her mouth. “I will as soon as I see her.” She promised. 

That seemed to mollify the nine year old, but only just. 

“Let me know soon!” She demanded, finally releasing the silken blue material from her grasp.

“You will be the first to know.” She smiled. “Now you had best head on back to the garden.” She nudged. It took little prompting before the girl was once again barreling through the halls, heedless of the servants she nearly plowed into before disappearing around a corner.  

Blue bit her lip as she turned and headed back to the queen’s office, unsure how amenable her mother would be to the idea after she had been less than diligent this afternoon with her lessons.   

She was so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice the knight now standing outside her mother’s office door until she ran headlong into them.

“My apologies I wasn’t…” She started but the words left her when she looked up to find she had run head first into the very knight that had been plaguing her thoughts so often the last two days. 

Yellow jerked, an angry barb stalling on the end of her tongue when she realized who had run into her.

“Are you alright, Bl...Your Highness?” She quickly caught herself. 

Blue glanced around the hall to find it empty, save for the two of them, at least for the moment.

“I’m fine, Yellow.” She said quietly, not being able to stop herself from smiling up at the knight adoringly.. 

“I’m glad.” She jerked her head stiffly, the bridge of her nose coloring ever so slightly.

She fought the urge to reach up and trace her fingertips over the pinking skin, as much as she wanted to, she knew the knight well enough to know that the touch would be unwelcome here in the middle of the hall in broad daylight.   

“Is your business with the knight captain done?” She asked, wanting nothing but to draw there interaction out just a little longer, she had scarcely seen Yellow since the night in the library. The knight was fidgeting in her armor.

“Yes, I was only delivering some documents to him….” She was glancing anywhere then at Blue and it made the heir frown. 

“I need to be heading back to my post now.” She quickly sidestepped around the stunned princess and hurried down the hall before Blue could not think of anything to say to stop her. 

She watched the knight go, mouth slightly agape as she vanished from sight. 

Hurt quickly began to bubble up in her stomach as she looked at the last place the knight had occupied in her sight. 

Was Yellow upset with her? She would hardly look at her and had hurried off the moment she had been able. Was she regretting the other night? 

She clasped her hands together as the uncertainty rose up, pain throbbed sharply in her chest.  

She managed to pull herself together and turn to enter her mother’s office.

The queen looked up from the documents she was scrutinizing when her eldest walked in.

“Ah, Azurine, you’re back. I take it you have cleared your head?’ The queen asked, eyes flickering back down to whatever had previously held her attention. 

Pulling herself together Blue stood tall and squared her shoulders, she would have to deal with whatever was going on between herself and the blonde knight later, she had her duties to attend to.

“Yes, mother.” She curtsied.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in intense concentration on the lesson her mother was giving her, anything to distract herself from the hurt she was still feeling so keenly at the female knight’s curt exit. 

“We will pick this up another day.” The queen finally said as the sun was starting to set, casting an orange glow into the office through the tall windows.   

It was only then that she remembered the burning. 

“Mother…” The queen looked up from her desk, her full attention on her daughter. 

“Rosaline wished to know if she might accompany me into town this evening for the festivities.” She asked. The queen frowned, pale brows dipping low over her eyes, deepening the already present furrows of her brow. Blue already knew what her mother was about to say but waited for the queen to speak regardless. 

“I don’t believe that allowing your sister out on the town after dark would be a wise decision, not that I don’t fully believe you and the guards fully capable of keeping watch over her, I simply would prefer she stayed here, where I know she is safe.” The queen laced her fingers together on the great wooden desk. “You are of course are free to go, with an escort.” She quickly added. 

“Thank you, mother, I understand. I will tell her.” Blue nodded and started to turn to go.

“Wait a moment, Azurine.” She stopped, turning back to her mother as she rose from her chair. “It would not be fair to put all her disappointment and ire on you, I shall come with you and inform her of my decision.” She walked gracefully around the desk and toward the door, Blue following without a word. 

The servants stooped and bowed to the two royals as they walked through the halls. 

The queen paid it little mind as she walked, an everyday occurance she had long grown accustomed to.

The third floor was devoid of servants. 

‘All the better they not witness what could possibly be a tantrum of unbelievable proportions’ Blue couldn’t help but think to herself. The youngest Diamond had really been outdoing herself as of late in terms of fits. 

The queen had barely rapped her knuckles on the wood before the door swung open.

Pink looked up at the queen in shock, having not expected the older woman at all.

“Good evening, Starlight.” The queen smiled at her youngest. 

“Mother!” Pink squealed, dashing forward and burying her face in the queen’s glittering, gossamer layered skirts.

“Your sister tells me that you wished to attend the festivities in town this evening.” She started, kneeling down to better be at the girls level.

“Yes, please, Mother?” She clasped her hands together in front of her face, pleading.

“With all the commotion and everything going on, I don’t think it would be wise, starlight.” The queen said. 

The girls face fell and Blue knew what was coming.

"Why?! Is Blue going?" She threw out her arms.

"Your sister may go if she wishes, you however, shall stay here where I can be sure you are safe." The queen said with an air of finality as she stood, to look down at the girl. 

"That's not fair!" She stomped a delicately slippered foot on the stone. Winea narrowed her eyes at her youngest.

“If you wish to behave like this, so be it, but you’ll do so in your room.” The queen pointed back into the room in question. 

“Bu-” Pink started.

“Go to your room!” The queen’s commanding voice made both girls jump.

With tears bubbling up into her eyes, Pink ran back into her room, slamming the door closed behind her.Her faint cries could be heard through the door.

The queen sighed, pressing a finger to her temple. 

“She can not grow out of this phase fast enough.” Winea breathed before turning to her eldest. “Will you be attending the festivities this evening?” 

“I believe so.” She answered. The queen nodded. 

“At the end of the hour an escort will be waiting for you at the gate. Enjoy yourself, my dear.” The queen said as she turned to go. 

“Thank you mother.” Blue said to the older woman’s retreating back. 

It was near the end of the hour when she ventured outside in her cloak the sky quickly darkening to night. The carriage sat waiting just outside the gates as her mother had promised. 

“Are you ready to head into town, Your Highness?”

She startled as Yellow came around the carriage, not wearing her armor but her usual casual clothes and a black cloak wrapped around her shoulders. 

Blue’s chest throbbed at the sight of the knight, still unsure how to interpret their earlier interactions. Her hands tightened around each other.

“Yes” Was the curt response as she climbed into the carriage, heedless to the look Yellow was giving her. 

The ride into town seemed to take much longer than usual to Blue as she sat inside. Worrying her hands together. Of all the knights and guards her mother could have ordered to accompany her tonight it would be her.

Before, Blue would have been ecstatic at the idea of Yellow accompanying her to town but that had withered away, making room for the apprehension growing inside her. 

She was afraid. 

Afraid that Yellow regretted what had happened the other night, they hadn’t really had the chance to discuss it that night, someone had come into the library and the knight had run off at Blue’s insistence, lest they be caught together. 

They hadn’t had the time to be alone in the same room together since. 

She worried her lip between her teeth, wondering if she had been naive. 

Eventually the carriage pulled to a stop and the door opened, revealing the cloaked knight.

Blue wasted no time climbing out and walking past Yellow without a second glance as she flipped up her hood.

The carriage had been stopped a short walking distance from the town to avoid drawing any unnecessary attention to them. 

"Blue…"the knight started.

"We had best hurry or we're going to miss the best part." She quickly cut off whatever she was going to say as she began walking toward the town. She wasn't sure she had the heart to hear it right now.

Yellow said nothing, only followed several spaces behind the eldest princess. 

The town center was bustling with activity, a giant pile of wood had been constructed in the town square and a huge crowd of people had gathered around as the sun dipped below the horizon, signaling the start of the night’s festivities. Somewhere in the crowd a group of musicians began to play and suddenly the fire was lit, flames quickly licking there way up the dry wood. 

Once it was well and truly burning they began to throw handfuls of powder into the flames, making them all manner of colors.

It was a shame her sister hadn’t been able to attend, Pink would have been amazed with the blue green and even violet flames the powders were creating.

“Azurine…may we talk?” 

She stiffened when the knight spoke, she had almost forgotten about the blonde.

Almost 

She nodded but said nothing as she waited for whatever else Yellow was going to say. Perhaps tell her that the other night had been a mistake, and that they should forget it ever happened.

The very idea of which made her eyes sting and her chest tight. 

“Are you upset with me?”  

It took a long moment for the question to sink in, but the second it did the princess whipped around to face the hooded knight,her back to the fire. Amber eyes were looking at her, unconcealed worry apparent by the firelight bouncing in them.  

“What?” Was all she could manage.

“Are you upset with me?” The knight repeated, looking pensive.

“What?” She repeated more confused now than ever before. Yellow shrugged.

“You haven’t exactly seemed pleased to see me tonight.” The knight mumbled, eyes flickering from blue off to the side, like she couldn’t bare to look at the princess. 

“I thought you were upset with me…” Blue admitted, making amber eyes come straight back to her. A violet light was now bouncing off the knight’s angled features. 

“Why would I be upset with you?” The knight stepped closer, the edges of their cloaks brushed.

“Do you regret what happened the other night?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, afraid to know the answer. 

“What? No!” The blonde took another step forward. Blue could feel the last wisps of the knight’s breath on her face as she moved closer.

“What...why would you think that?”

“It seems like you avoided me at every opportunity today.” She looked up at the knight.

“What? No, I…” She pursed her lips together tightly, brow furrowing in a look Blue recognized as her trying to decide what to day. The flames flashed yellow, giving the blonde an ethereal glowing appearance.

“I...I don’t know how I’m supposed to behave when you’re near…” She finally admitted. “Our stations demand a certain distance...as much as I wish to be close. I was only trying to keep that distance, for both our goods.” Yellow explained quietly to her. 

“I suppose you’re right.” Blue agreed. 

 “I didn’t mean for it to come off as callous, Azurine. I do care for you, very much.” She mumbled, reaching out, a gloved hand wrapping around one of hers, making her jump at the still unfamiliar contact.

“No, it’s alright… I think I may have taken it too much to heart is all.” She squeezed the hand in hers back. “I suppose we need to talk about how best to…do this.” She made a vague motion between them and the knight chuckled nervously, cheeks darkening, the light from the great bonfire covering it up, but Blue could feel the nervous energy coming off Yellow.

“I suppose so…” She agreed. 

“Perhaps later though? I hate to miss anymore of this then we have. She tugged the knight forward to stand beside her as they turned to watch the blaze, Blue wrapping her arm around Yellow’s.

 She blinked down at the princess who only smiled back in answer.

“Later, yes.” She mumbled, gently tugging the younger woman closer.

[thefirstcourtesan]

I honestly wish we got a TRUE sequel for TC&TF. I'm still going to give TRM a chance, but I'm bored of Cordonia and the Royal series as a whole. I miss playing as Kenna and having more adventures with her would be amazing or a book featuring the fire wielders like Dom and Sei. More stories involving the Nevrakis family would also be fantastic with the same tone as ACoR! So many ideas, but PB went with the same courtly intrigue and impressing nobles premise.

Honestly, I think there is a lot of potential and the best of not worlds.

TC&TF had courtly intrigue too. Kenna has to impress Annelyse in Aurelia. She has to break into a Nevrakis ball to get the necklace. The dinner with Luther and his children. Yes. There were a lot of large battles, but there was more to it and at the end of TC&TF both Annelyse and Tevan warn Kenna that being a royal in peacetime means less sword fights and more negotiation, so really TC&TF set that up.

But I see why they didn’t do a full sequel for TC&TF. Two of the LIs can die and there are a lot of variables. It makes more sense to set it a couple generations past Kenna and maybe give the audience an option to choose Kenna’s spouse instead of trying to incorporate it all.

I also do think this will have a similar tone to ACOR, but that they are taking out the real world historical element that got a lot of complaints. TC&TF was one of the more intense stories, the one with the highest stakes and one of the reasons that I lord ACoR was that it reminded me of that, with morally ambiguous LIs and decisions that mattered af I think that TRM has the ability to have all that.

Plus Choices has come so far since TC&TF, coding wise. They have so much more ability to track choices and create differing paths and it will be fun to see them put that to use,and to see how the story unfolds.

[endless-vall]

Not Born, but Made - TCATF fanfic, Chapter Four - Interrogation.

Summary: Before Kenna can talk Annelyse into supporting her cause, she needs to pass the test of an associate of hers.

Author’s note: I think that if Kenna wasn’t royalty (from the start) her and Raydan’s dynamic could be even more interesting (seeing as Raydan wouldn’t be reluctant to flirt with her) but I’m getting ahead of myself, we’ll get there later.

As I said, I’m on a semi-hiatus, but I have a bunch of these chapters already written out, so I figured, why not post another?

Tagging : @endlessflame @frugalchoicer @regina-and-happiness @stopforamoment @mariamulroney @indiacater @wolverinesbeer 

They walk in together, hand in hand. A servant announces them, although no one really knows their names, yet.

“Kenna Rys and Dominic Hunter, from Stomholt.” A few faces do turn around to watch them as they go down the stairs, but they are all looking at Kenna, Dom realizes.

She does have that affect on people.

So he smiles and plays his part.

They finally arrive to the bottom of the stairs, greeted by the most dazzling ballroom they’ve even been to.

To be honest, it’s the only ballroom they’ve even been to - But they’re sure it’s more impressive than many other ballrooms. It has to be, decorated in so much golden statues and marble.

Both Kenna and Dom smile, greet people, and mingle until they come to a stop.

A few steps before them, stands a beautiful woman. She’s wearing a golden dress, and has a jewel decorating her wavy, long, black hair.

“This must be the queen,” Kenna whispers to him.

“How do you know?” She looks promising, but so are many other ladies in the room.

“Well, for starters, she has guards.” Kenna points out.

Huh. They aren’t so visible, in first sight. The golden woman does have guards around her, but they aren’t standing so close, and look as if they belong there.

“And her outfit is all-gold. You know.” Kenna mentions, adding.

Dom shrugs. “I guess you’re right.” He nods back.

“I’ll go talk to her. You talk to the nobles meanwhile? Try to charm them before saying anything about a plan about-”

“Overthrowing the Nevrakis regain? Yeah I won’t start with that, I promise you.” Dom chuckled, and Kenna joined him, realizing she was being too bossy, and too obvious.

“I’m just nervous,” She admits. “I want everything to go according to plan.”

Dom takes a deep breathe, and lets go of her hand. “And it will.” He assures.

“Now go get her.” Kenna feels a light push on her back, and lets it guide her towards the queen of Aurelia, who turns out to be a charming lady named Annelyse.

The conversation flows greatly, before Kenna mentions anything about Luther or a rebellion.

“I have to admit Annelyse, I did come to Aurelia with a favor to ask in mind.” She tells her, as Annelyse offer her a glass of the finest wine Aurelia has to offer.

“I figured as much,” Annelyse’s smile never falls.

“Really?”

Annelyse hands Kenna the wine, and hums to herself while a servant pours another one, for Annelyse herself. “Most people come to Aurelia to seek something. I didn’t think you to be different. Please don’t be offended, though, you’re the first one I don’t really want to decline tonight.” She explains,

And Kenna nods.

Kenna sips from the wine. It tastes amazing, better than anything she’s ever drunk.

It tastes a lot better than the glasses she’d manage to sneak while playing with Dom in the summers, and better than the ale she’d shared in the tavern with Val, Jackson and her other new friends.

“Mmmm, this is delicious,” She doesn’t forget to compliment Annelyse.

“I’d hope it would be. It’s the best wine Aurelia has to offer,” Annelyse smiles at her, and something tells Kenna she isn’t lying.

It seems Kenna had charmed Annelyse, and maybe the favor she was going to ask of her wasn’t too far-fetched, after all.

“So... Should I tell you of my plan, and let you decide whether you want to help me or not?” Kenna tries her luck, keeping her voice down and her features unchanged.

For a stranger, it would seem her and Annelyse were still talking about ballroom stuff, just like they had been for the last hour or so.

“Of course not!” Annelyse giggled, placing a hand on Kenna shoulder and keeping with her act. “It’s a party.” She reminded her, talking into her ear now.

“But you should meet with me later for some privacy, and we could discuss that.”

Annelyse gives her a meaningful look, before looking around the grand room. “Well, I have tons of other guests to attend to, but I’ll see you, later.” She winks at Kenna, and with that, sways out of sight.

“So, how’d it go? It seemed like it was going so well for a while, but then she disappeared.” Dom found his way back to Kenna.

“Well, it went... Well? Though I haven’t introduced her to our cause yet.” Kenna furrows her eyebrows for a moment, before remembering she still needed to put on a show and dazzle the nobleman around her.

She put a mask back on her face, figuratively speaking, and smiled as decisively as she could.

“What?!” Dom exclaimed, although they were speaking in hushed tones and whispers. “You haven’t told her yet?”

“She invited me for some private time later, she said discussing those things in a party wasn’t really wise, and she’s right.” Kenna pointed out.

Dom sighed. It was true. It would be dangerous to discuss their plans in here. But he wasn’t sure how he felt about Kenna being with Annelyse in private, either.

“What about you?” Kenna changed the subject. “How did it go with the rest of the nobles?” 

Dom assured her he was quite the charmer. He swayed a few major families to their side, already blindly supporting whatever idea they’d suggest.

“That’s good to hear-” Kenna smiled, but stopped in her tracks when she saw someone approaching them.

Before they could discuss their plans any further, a beautiful, dark and mysterious man stood before her. 

“May I have this dance?” He was offering her an arm.

Kenna only blinked at him once, before shaking herself out of her shock and breaking into a smile. “Of course.” 

Dom couldn't help but feel a rush of jealousy running throughout his entire body.

He came to this party with Kenna by his arm, and yet he lost her so easily.

He just hoped the stars he was seeing in her eyes were still just a part of her act.

“What a beautiful evening,” Kenna commented, being let by the mysterious man on the dance floor.

“It is,” He answered, but unlike her he wasn’t looking around them at all, his eyes were focused all on her, and her only.

Kenna felt her cheeks turning red, but tried to fight that feeling.

What was that feeling, anyway?

“May I ask, who are you, exactly?” She gulped a little, trying to regain her courageous persona.

“My name is Raydan, Raydan Lykel. I’m an... Associate of lady Annelyse’s.” He explained, though his tone wavered a bit when he mentioned ‘Associate’.

“Well, Raydan the Associate, seeing as I haven’t seen you all night long, and the fact that you weren’t announced when you entered, can I deduct that you’re not just an associate, but maybe...” She leans closer, trying to intimidate him just in the right amount, and whispers in his ear. “Her spy?” She guesses.

When she leans back, she’s surprised to see Raydan smile. It still looked like he had the upper hand, and that’s not a situation where Kenna usually were.

“You are correct, my lady,” He nods, spinning Kenna with elegance and grace just in queue with the song. He never missed any beat, Kenna realizes, and he’s been leading her this whole time, with the song. Someone watching them from the side would not be able to tell it’s the first time Kenna has danced to this song.

“And if we’re already playing a guessing game, let me deduct that you’re not royalty, are you?” He looks at her feet, as if he’s motioning for the fact that he was, in fact, leading her this whole dance.

“And still, you got invited to this ball. You’re here because you have some kind of cause in your mind, and you need Annelyse to do it.”

Kenna nods, unsure what her next move should be. He could expose her at any moment. Hell, even more, she fell for his charming smile and silver tongue, but he was just Annelyse’s spy and doing his job, marvelously so.

“You’re also nervous, I can tell,” He continues, answering Kenna’s prayers so she doesn’t need to speak up.

“Don’t worry, I won’t expose you. Not yet at least.” He assures her.

“You won’t?” She can’t help but raise her eyebrows at him. She let’s her guard down, once again, but this time purposely. “Why?”

Raydan seems to think about her question for a second, before smiling to himself, brilliantly. He dips her, just in time for the song.

She lets him guide her, relaxing in his touch and trusting him to pull her up when he needs to. She closes her eyes, and lets the world around her to fade away, for just a moment.

“Easy,” He says, making her open her eyes back. He’s lifting her up, and she watches as the light around Raydan seems to shine brighter than it does around the rest of the room. “It’s because I like you.” He smiles, and twirls them around again.

“You like me?” She blushes again, before reminding herself it might just be an act. “You don’t even know me.” She scowls at him.

Raydan chuckles to himself. Kenna doesn’t like that.

“Since the first moment you set foot in this ballroom, it was obvious you had a cause. A cause you’re ready to fight for, and I respect that.”

“You watched me since the moment I stepped into the room?” Kenna questions.

“Wrong. I watched you since the moment you stepped into the city of Aurelia.” Raydan finally gives away more information, and Kenna feels dizzy.

“Since the moment I entered the city? But... How...?”

“We don’t just let any travelers into our city’s walls,” Raydan explains. “Annelyse tasked me with this.” He shrugs.

“And I also know why you’re here.” He adds, his eyes finally leaving Kenna, as he looks at something behind her shoulder, his eyes getting dark and distant and serious again.

“You do know? And you’re not going to stop me?” Kenna’s voice isn’t so sure of herself as it was in the beginning of this conversation, but the dance is not over yet and she clings to the moments they have until they finish it.

Raydan doesn’t answer, but he looks back at her, the corners of his mouth rising into a light smile, telling her that no - in fact, he wasn’t going to try and stop her.

“Does Annelyse know?” Kenna continues questioning.

“No.” He answers, giving Kenna the answers she wants to hear. She wonders how come she’s so lucky, to meet not one but two people that decide to take a chance on her. The carriage rider and now Raydan, the spy who’s loyalty she should be questioning right now, but she isn’t.

“Now, if you don’t mind, can we finish the dance without further interrogating each other? I do enjoy dancing with you, even if you’re quite inexperienced.” Raydan tells her, making her blush again.

This time, Kenna laughs, and throws her head back. When she returns to face Raydan, he’s watching her intently, her eyes glistening with curiosity.

She rests her head on his shoulder, continuing to dance. “Sure. I enjoy dancing with you too.” She lets only him know, as she’s speaking into his ear again.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

[romaniescu]

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑       𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄    .

full   name:     Aurelia Alethea Tiwari

nicknames:     Ella, Elia, Thea, 

𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐖𝐒:

moody |  short-tempered |  emotionally unstable |  whiny  |  controlling  |  conceited  | possessive | paranoid |  liar  | impatient  |  cowardly  |  bitter |  selfish  |  power-hungry  | greedy  |  lazy  | judgmental  | forgetful | impulsive |  spiteful  | stubborn |  sadistic  |  petty  | unlucky  | absent-minded  |  abusive  | addict  | aggressive |  childish |  callous |  clingy |  delusional  | cocky  | competitive |  corrupt  |  cynical  |  cruel  |  depressed | deranged  | egotistical | envious | insecure | insensitive |  lustful  | delinquent |  guilt complex  |  reclusive  |  reckless |  nervous  |  oversensitive

𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇𝐒:

honest | trustworthy  |  thoughtful |  caring |  brave |  patient  | selfless | ambitious  | tolerant  |  lucky  | intelligent  |  confident  |  humble  | generous  |  merciful  | observant  | wise  |  clever | charming | cheerful  |  optimistic |  decisive  |  adaptive |  calm  | protective |  proud  |  diligent | considerate |  compassionate |  good sportsmanship | friendly | empathetic | passionate |  reliable |  resourceful | sensible  | sincere |  witty  | funny

𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐒 & 𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐁𝐈𝐄𝐒

art |  acting |  astronomy |  animals |  archery  |  sports | belly dancing | bird watching | blacksmithing |  boating |  calligraphy | camping  |  candle making  |  casino gambling  |  ceramics  |  racing  | chess  | music |  cooking  |  crochet  |  weaving  | exercise |  swordplay | fishing  |  gardening  |  ghost hunting  |  ice skating  |  magic |  engineering  |  building  | inventing  | leather-working |  martial arts  |  meditation  |  origami  |  parkour | people watching |  swimming |  puppetry  |  pyrotechnics  |  quilting  | reading | collecting |  shopping  |  socializing |  storytelling  |  writing  |  traveling |  dancing | singing

tagged by: stolen! 

tagging: Anyone that wants to do it :) 

[cool-cillian-murphy]

Food Service Gloves Market - Massive Growth opportunity Ahead

Keep yourself up-to-date with latest market trends and changing dynamics due to COVID Impact and Economic Slowdown globally. Maintain a competitive edge by sizing up with available business opportunity in Global Food Service Gloves Market various segments and emerging territory.

Food Service Gloves Market Overview Food service gloves the market is expected to grow in the future due to growth in the food and beverage industry and the rising concern of hygiene and safety food. The increasing demand for food service gloves to prevent the spread of germs and keep consumables from becoming contaminated. Rising number restaurants, bars, coffee shops, food trucks, and caterers in developing countries boosting the demand for food service gloves in the forecasted period.

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Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @ : https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/5623-global-food-service-gloves-market Market Drivers Rising Hygiene and Safety Concern among Population

Rising Demand for Disposable Gloves Market Trend Advancements in Food Sevice Technology

Restraints Volatility in Raw Materials Cost Challenges Availability of Local and Inexpensive Products The Global Food Service Gloves Market segments and Market Data Break Down are illuminated below: by Type (Latex Glove, Rubber Glove, Non-latex (Nitrile or Vinyl) Glove), Application (Adults, Kids), Form (Disposable Goves, Durable Gloves), Distribution Channel (Online, Offline) Region Included are: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Oceania, South America, Middle East & Africa

Country Level Break-Up: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Turkey, Russia, France, Poland, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Australia and New Zealand etc. Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Food Service Gloves Market:

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Chapter 5: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region/Country 2015-2020

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[delphinusbae]

The Aftermath (Kenna x Annelyse)

Summary: As the wedding celebrations began, Annelyse starts to wonder what could have been, showing Kenna an unusual side of her.

Author's note: This is my first ever contribution to the fandom and to #ChoicesCreates prompt 21. I was not sure of posting this but I couldn't help myself. I've seen little KennaxAnnelyse material and wanted to share some of my love for this pairing. Thank you @hollyashton and @catsrtheboss for hosting #ChoicesCreates it's truly amazing. I hope you all like it!. (Sorry in advance if I missed any typos or errors. English is not my first language) 

The Aftermath (Kenna x Annelyse) 

 Annelyse walked around in the throne room, watching with a smile just as Val started drinking a whole barrel of Skullcracker Ale encouraged by the cheers of the soldiers. 

 After the wedding ceremony, glee, joy, dancing and drinking were seen everywhere in the castle. 

The Aurelian's eyes drifted to the window, it was the happiest she had been ever since the war started. And it had been a long, long time ago. Annelyse sighed, even if it was all over now, she couldn't help but wonder how things would have turned out if they were to be other way.

'What if Kenna hadn't forgiven me that day at the forest'. She thought to herself.

'What if she hadn't returned from Thorngate' 

‘What if she hadn't defeated Azura' 

'What if Luther had succeeded on killing her after the battle' 

Annelyse shook her head, she should be enjoying the festivities instead of worrying about things that never happened.

But she couldn't help it. 

She wouldn't be standing there if they had been reality. 

"I sense something is troubling you?". Raydan appeared at her side, causing the Aurelian to yelp in surprise. "My gods Raydan! You scared me!".

"My apologies, your highness". He laughed. "But in all seriousness, I'm pretty sure something is distracting you today. A few hours ago you were buzzing in excitement and now ... well, I can say I recognize when your smile is genuine or not". Raydan turned his sight to where the Aurelian's was, spotting Kenna talking with Jackson not far away. "You can talk to me Annelyse, that's what friends are for". 

"Pfft don't worry". The raven haired let out a snort. "I just wanted to regain my energies before going to the dance floor. Even I get tired sometimes.". Annelyse brushed it off. 

Knowing his friend, Raydan decided not to push the topic any further. Facing an angry Annelyse could be pretty scary most of the time. "In that case then, you should return to the party. Sei has a gift for you after that 'contest' you two had in our way back to Stormholt. A barrel of Ember Wine is waiting for us". Annelyse smiled. "Raydan dear". The Aurelian put a hand on his shoulder. "Who said I wanted to share with you?". 

                                                      _________

As the sun set over the fields of Stormholt, Kenna walked through the doors of the throne room. Spotting a familiar woman covered in gold, a mischievous grin appeared in her face. "Has my Queen been enjoying the party?". Kenna asked, making her way towards her wife before wrapping her arms around Annelyse's waist. The Aurelian turned to face the warrior, hands resting on the other woman's shoulders. "It got a little boring without you, darling". 

"I'm sorry it took so long but I know just the thing to make it worth your while". Annelyse raised an eyebrow. "And what is it?".

"My wedding gift for you, now follow me". Kenna took her hand, admiring for a second the golden circlet that rested on her finger. "Come". The brunette guided them out of the celebration, walking between the corridors of the castle until they reached the door to a certain place. Their chambers. 

"Close your eyes and don't open them until I say so". Kenna said, making sure her wife did as she told her. The hero of the Five Kingdoms stepped inside helping the Aurelian before closing the doors behind them. "Ready?". Annelyse nodded. "You can look now". 

The Aurelian opened her eyes, taking in the sight before her. Their chambers had changed almost completely. Bed decorations, tables, mirrors ... everything. "I hoped you would like this. When we were talking about redecorating in Lykos you said you wanted to try saffron ... I added gold so you won't miss Aurelia when we're here". Kenna looked around, proud. 

"I ... Kenna, it's beautiful". 

"Do you like it?". 

"Yes, yes it's wonderful!". 

"I'm glad, I thought this could cheer you up". Annelyse turned to the Queen, a smile on her face alongside a questioning look. Before the raven haired could ask what she meant, Kenna continued. "I talked with Raydan not long ago. He said you were acting strangely when I left. And with good reason he decided to tell me". Kenna stepped closer, lacing their fingers together. "I want to know what's troubling my Queen". She spoke, almost a whisper.

Annelyse sighed, looking up. "Okay, okay. You got me". The Aurelian sat on their bed, Kenna looking at her expectantly. "I know I'm not being my usual cheerful and optimistic self, it's something silly, not really important". 

"It is. It is worrying you. And whatever bothers you, Annelyse, is important to me". 

The Aurelian smiled, Kenna knew what to say in the right time, always. "I know this kind of thoughts shouldn't be clouding my mind, specially in our wedding day. But I've been wondering how things would've turned out if we had taken other decisions. Like, what if I hadn't kissed you when we first met-". 

"You mean, when I kissed you?". Kenna asked, a grin appearing in her face. "Yes, when you kissed me". Annelyse chuckled, her face turning serious a second after. "I have found friends rather than just allies, I have traveled more than I could imagine I would, I had fun even if we were facing a war. This is the happiest I've ever been, my love, but my mind just kept drifting away thinking what if you hadn't forgiven me when I betrayed you or what if Diavolos hadn't helped you when Luther tried to kill you a few days ago. What if you had died when Dom burned you by accident, that day Kenna ... when I saw you, so fragile, Whitlock and I thought you wouldn't make it and that scared me!. What if I had taken the wrong decisions, we wouldn't be here-". 

Kenna's soft laughter interrupted the Aurelian. Annelyse frowned, punching Kenna in the arm. "Ouch". 

"I don't get what's so funny to you". The raven haired woman crossed her arms. Kenna laughed again. "I laugh because you worry over something pointless. But if it makes you feel better, I've thought about those things too". The Queen looked down, still smiling. 

"You have?". Kenna nodded. "I was talking with Dom about that. You said it yourself, this is the happiest we've been in a long time that it almost doesn't feel real". The brunette took a deep breath.

"Annelyse the decisions we've made, I don't regret them. I've said it a thousand times, when you betrayed me I knew your reasons, I wasn't mad. I chose to give us a chance because I felt something could happen between us and look where we are now". Kenna explained. "It wasn't hard to decide, I had friends, I had you to help me figure it all out. And yes, we might have risked our lives because of them but if Leon gave me a wise advice it was that a Queen should never question her decisions. So don't think about the past and what could have been, my love. There is no what if, just think about the present and what will be".

Kenna brushed a strand of black hair out of the Aurelian's face. Their eyes made contact and Kenna smiled, leaning in to leave a soft kiss on her wife's lips. "I don't want you to worry about that, or anything. I just want you to enjoy this moment, with me".

 Annelyse pressed their foreheads together. "You and your charming words". They both smiled, leaning in to share a kiss before getting lost on each other's bodies. 

 What if ... 

 What if she forgot about anything else and just looked forward for tomorrow.

[teamrnbw]

RNBW v CAPA: The 4v4 Tag-Team Battle. (Part 2/3)

Nappa was carried back over to her team’s side of the field in one of Ms Star’s aura bubbles, which gently dropped her on the floor. Rusty gave the frustrated little girl a consoling hug, and William took this opportunity to dash onto the battlefield in order to take out Cutter.

“Say goodbye to your ranking, bro!” shouted William as he activated his Lock-On Semblance and bright pink cross-hairs synthesized in front of his eyes. Whipping out his Stromschlag sub-machine guns and aided by his semblance, William fired out a stream of electrically-charged bullets directly at Cutter, keeping perfect accuracy no matter how much Cutter tried to dodge.

Cutter rapidly swung his sword back and forth, expertly deflecting the bullets, but their electrical effect made it fairly difficult to do so without getting hurt in the process. Despite the blow to his pride to acknowledge this, Cutter decided that this fight would not be easily won, and quickly beat a hasty retreat, tagging out of the battle and switching in Agnes in his place.

Initially surprised at first, the silver-haired girl quickly regained her composure and expertly fired an explosive round from her Shockwelle rifle right at William’s torso, blowing him backwards.

“Oh? Is that a Hunds Shockwelle?” asked William, unsteadily getting back on his feet.

He converted his guns into their whip forms and swung them at Agnes, but she was narrowly able to dive under them. She quickly fired off a couple more rounds, which William quickly jumped out of the way of.

“Haha, yup!” she replied. “You like my taste in guns?”

“I’d say it’s a mighty fine gun for a mighty fine lady like you, ma’am.” chuckled William, as her flung another whip at Agnes. However, she quickly tranformed her rifle into its spear configuration to knock the whips aside.

“Why thank you, Mr Wulfric! That’s so nice to hear! Do you think you could offer me a discount, then~?” joked Agnes.

“Why I suppose-”

“JUST SHUT UP AND FIGHT, D*MN IT!!” shouted both Nappa and Aurelia simultaneously, interrupting William.

“Okay, okay, I’m on it, geez.” he griped, as he managed to wrap one of his whips around Agnes’s leg and combined his two SMGs into one sniper rifle, reeling the whips back in and dragging Agnes closer to him as a result. With her now at close range, William fired his rifle just as she tried to thrust her spear at him, sending a powerful lighting both crashing down right on top of the spear as if it were a lightning-rod, dealing massive damage to Agnes in the process.

Standing proud, tall, and confident in his assumed victory, William was shocked to her a sniffling noise nearby. Looking down, he saw that while Agnes hadn’t fully been defeated yet, she was knelt on the ground crying!

“ *sniffles* Th-that hurt, you meanie! WAAAAAA!!!” she sobbed.

William looked around in confusion and slight embarrassment as the members of both teams stared at him with either confusion or disdain (or pride in Nappa and Ms Star’s cases). However, by the time he returned his attention back to Agnes it was too late. No longer crying, her usual playful smirk had returned to her face and the barrel of her gun was pointed right underneath William’s chin. Too late for him to dodge, she fired an explosive round right there and then, taking him out.

“Aww, sorry about that!” she giggled.

Rusty and Brandeis both stood utterly shocked by Agnes’s subterfuge, while Nappa simply face-palmed in shame as William was carried off the battlefield back to the rest of the team.

Agnes, feeling that she needed a break after that fight, decided to leave the battlefield too, having her big sister Aurelia take her place instead.

“Do you wanna go next Brandy, or should I?” asked Rusty to her shy, blue-haired teammate.

“Umm, I suppose I should go first to let you recover a bit more...”

“What’s taking you so long? You’re not using your semblance to cheat by healing your friends, are you?” shouted Aurelia from across the field.

“C’mon, take her down a notch, Brandy! I know you can do it!” encouraged Rusty.

Carefully, Brandeis stepped onto the field, gathering up energy for her semblance. Performing elegant dancing movements, Brandeis used her Barrier Tile Semblance to send giant ornate curtains of bright blue psionic energy sweeping towards Aurelia at high speeds to try and ensnare her. Trying as much as possible to use her Telepathy Semblance to read Brandeis’s attack patterns and dodge them, Aurelia found that Brandeis’s attacks were too large and fast to evade and thus she was forced to use her Golden Wheel gattling gun to shoot through them. 

As Brandeis added onto her onslaught by skillfully hurling her Storm Knives at Aurelia, Aurelia began quickly switching back and forth between her weapon’s gun and shield modes in order to both shatter the barriers and protect herself from the knives, which produced small stormclouds as they struck.

As the fight continued, Aurelia soon became overwhelmed, and was forced to retreat, hastily running off the battlefield and hurling her sister back onto it in her stead.

“Your turn again, sis!” she shouted.

“Wh-wha?!” exclaimed Agnes as she was shoved onto the field in the path of a giant oncoming psychic tidal wave which soon crashed right on top of her and took her down for the count.

“Oh- oh my goodness! I’m so sorry!!” said Brandeis, panicking.

“It’s okay, Brandy! You’re doing great! But yeah, sorry Aggie!” reassured Rusty.

“D*ck move, Aurelia, d*ck move!” heckled Nappa.

“Pfft, whatevs.” responded Aurelia.

“It was a wise decision. Agnes was already close to elimination.” agreed Cutter.

With that, Cutter dashed onto the field once again. However this time, Brandeis had anticipated his arrival and swiftly flung a handful of ice Dust Storm Knives at him. In response, Cutter charged his katana with fire Dust and quickly slashed all the knives apart, sending fragments of them flying all over the battlefield and covering it with a thick white blanket of mist.

As Cutter bounded over the rubble on the battlefield, concealed in the mist, Brandeis sent more large energy curtains sweeping through the field in an attempt to find and ensnare him. Cutter narrowly dodged one of them and once he determined he was approximately close enough, he used his Mizugumo Semblance to sprint through the air and dash high above the battlefield right above Brandeis. With a swift and acrobatic movement he landed a slash onto Brandeis, but wasn’t able to completely eliminate her. 

Still recovering from the shock of Cutter’s surprise attack, Brandeis flung many more Storm Knives at him, and while he managed to use his katana to deflect some of them, he was still hit by enough to be engulfed in a miniature thunderstorm-blizzard.

To Brandeis’s surprise, Cutter was still able to fight within the storm cloud and began engaging in a swift series of fisticuffs with Brandeis. Though to the blue-freckled girl’s credit, Cutter found himself impressed with Brandeis’s ability to almost keep up with him in hand-to hand combat- not that he would ever admit it to her.

Beginning to get impatient, Cutter unsheathed his fire-charged katana once again and used it to sweep away the storm clouds around him. As he sprinted right for her, prepared to end the battle there and then with one last slash, Brandeis began to panic and lost control of her Semblance. This created a giant azure explosion of psychic energy, which engulfed the whole field just as Cutter’s blade was about to reach her.

As the energy storm sent chunks of rubble flying everywhere, Ms Star frantically used her Semblance to create a protective barrier of Aura bubbles, ensuring none of the other students were injured.

As most of the mist began to clear, much to team RNBW’s disappointment, it was clear that Brandeis’s last-minute attack hadn’t let her beat Cutter, who was standing over her knocked-out form on the battlefield.

As Brandeis was carried back over to her team’s side of the field, Rusty gently carried her over to some nearby seats and gently lay her on them.

“Thanks, Brandy.” said Rusty as she walked onto the battlefield to confront Cutter.

Rusty had learned from her teammates’s previous fights with Cutter. She knew she had to keep him at a distance, and that his Semblance wasn’t going to make that easy. As he dashed towards her as he always did, Rusty decided her course of action. She slammed her massive battleaxe into the ground sending the tons of rubble created in the previous fights flying up into the air, blocking Cutter’s path.

Cutter responded by using his katana to deflect some of the rubble back at Rusty, which she returned back by swinging her ax at, producing an almost tennis-like stalemate, though Cutter was still slowly getting closer. As Cutter pushed onward, his sword at the ready, both students were hit by more rubble, Rusty braced herself for Cutter’s attack, swinging her ax at him with full force.

As the two students’s blades clashed with a resounding clang, Rusty was surprised to feel that Cutter’s swing had less force behind it than she expected. Then, exhausted from his previous fights, but most of all Brandeis’s Aura storm, Cutter, #1 ranked Atlas Academy student, finally collapsed to the ground.

Chuffed, Aurelia stepped onto the battlefield glaring at Rusty. Both teams were wrought with suspense now, unable to pull their gaze away from the battlefield.

The final fight had begun.

[savoritverbally]

Vesper Carolina (half-demon): kind, observant, collects crystals, loves reptiles, sarcastic Agatha Carolina (human):dry to no humor, possessive, good leadership abilities, watchful Aaron Arche/Aafariel (angel): serene, wisely spoken, hard to form emotional attachments, likes to stay in one place Adam Montgomery (metahuman): sometimes cocky, headstrong, slight anger issues, very good at heart, "layers of walls built around a child in need", protective of himself Roman Jones (werewolf): lone wanderer, humorous, flirty, doesn't obey orders Jasper Agnes (unknown) Lucius Jay (teen serial killer ad cannibal): calm demeanor, extremely mature thought process, yet violent and dangerous, controlling and manipulative Oliver Monters (teen cannibal): Lucius's boyfriend, doesn't do well as a leader, is submissive yet questioning, thinks things through very well but usually afraid to act in his own decisions James Allison (werewolf ghost): violent, angry, uncontrollable Elena Matthews (human boxer): willful and protective in a loving manner, sarcastic, big family and dog person, loves bright colors Adelene Adario (metahuman): silent and watchful, can read emotions like a billboard, can manipulate and control what the mind sees Henry Addington (vampire): quiet but violent, deep thinker Henrietta Addington (vampire): quiet but violent, deep thinker Edgar Maxwell Hystothe (necromancer): humorous, mature aura, sees many things others don't or can't, careful and gentle. Can be very persuasive in a seemingly gentle way Willow Untere (huntress): fierce, natural leader, very strong willed and can easily prove liars wrong Nicolae Dalca (vampire/werewolf hybrid): lonely, always watching for vampires or werewolves that hunt him, nervous, but he forms deep emotional bonds Kade Orwin (werewolf): mature, can be a leader or a follower, always works out the best plan of action Quinnston (insane disease spirit): jumpy, jumbled speech most times, untrusting, separation anxiety once he gets close to somebody Prince Hematite (guardian of nature): silent, no humor, but cares deeply for friends, very much a teacher Cleo (half snake): territorial, stiffly kind, can smell negativity, pessimist Aurelia Willis (phoenix shapeshifter/witch): outgoing, excitable, loyal, spiritual leader Gyeong Kumiho (Kumiho): kind and gentle, loves shopping and furry animals, and reading Roman Alderia (vampire): not a leader or a follower, prefers to do his own things yet also likes being part of a group, stubborn and hates being talked down to Marina Elmers (flower nymph): completely kind and generous, loves singing and dancing and baking for others, stays away from emotion-threatening bonds Andromeda Ascheveu (Black Panther shapeshifter): natural leader, easily keeps followers in check, always organized and knows what to say Evelyn Clovers (elf): dangerously curious, keeps to herself and hates being treated as a follower, doesn't do well in groups Dominic Whitebush (vampire hunter): silent, sneaky and persuasive, able to use whatever it takes to find out what he needs to Marius Rivers (octopus boy): always happy and laughing, loves soft things and poetry, prefers not to be in emotional bonds that will eventually break Stephanie Cord (river spirit): calm and patient, prefers to show very little emotion until she completely knows someone Eric Blue (Cervitaur): cautious and guiding, sees more beauty in nature than in people Valentina Diaz (Sun spirit) Angel Diaz (Night spirit) Valentina and Angel are still being developed