#♞▐┊❛ YOU'RE MY BROTHER. ❜

[wmheart3012]

𝟏: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 | 𝐎𝐂!𝐋𝐞𝐮𝐫 𝐱 𝐀𝐳𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥

♡ 𝐅𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟 | ♤ 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭 | ♞ ��𝐮𝐫𝐭/𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 | ☆ 𝐒𝐦𝐮𝐭 {𝟏𝟖+} | ♛ 𝐆𝐨𝐫𝐞 {𝟏𝟖+}

꧁༒☬𝓶𝓪𝓭𝓭𝔂'𝓼 𝓷𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓰𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷☬༒꧂

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★彡[ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀɴʏ ᴘᴇʀᴍɪꜱꜱɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴛᴇᴀʟ, ʀᴇ-ᴘᴏꜱᴛ, ᴏʀ ᴛʀᴀɴꜱʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴀɴʏ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀᴋꜱ. ɪ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴏᴡɴ ʀɪɢʜᴛꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴʏ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ɪɴᴠᴏʟᴠᴇᴅ ɴᴏʀ ᴅᴏ ɪ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴀɴʏ ᴀᴄᴛᴏʀꜱ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ᴏᴄ. ᴀʟʟ ᴡᴏʀᴋꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜰɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀᴄᴄᴜʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴅᴇᴘɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴꜱ.]彡★

★彡[ᴍɪɴᴏʀꜱ ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇɴɢᴀɢᴇ]彡★

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𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏: 𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 - ★彡[ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛꜱ]彡★

★彡[ᴘʀᴇᴠɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ - ɴᴇxᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ]彡★

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Feyre

Somewhere down the bond, I could feel Rhysand trembling. Rage, pain, sorrow, perhaps all three. I didn't know, but I pressed myself closer into Tamlin's chest ignoring the way it all felt so wrong. Every part of my body yearned for that golden skin and the scent of wind, and the warmth of spring I'd once found comfort in felt like pins in my skin.

"Do it." Tamlin commanded to the king, and my gut twisted with hatred. My eyes shot to Rhys, the fear on my face not entirely part of my mask.

"No." His voice cracked, taking my heart with it.

I know you can hear me, A voice sounded in my mind, and I trembled.

Not Rhysand.

But Tamlin?

When he fires, you need to scream. Scream like you're being torn apart, and cover the tattoo on your arm.

I didn't have time to react before the King lifted his hand and a brilliant beam of power shot towards me. Closer and closer it crept, almost as if moving in slow motion. I braved myself for the inevitable pain, my body steeling. One last time, I sent a wave of love down that bond.

But it never came.

Half a second before the power reached us, Tamlin's hand braced in front of me. I watched, as the power was glamored to look as if it was piercing straight into my chest, but in reality it bounced off of some sort of shield in front of us. I didn't question his command, I just screamed. I threw my head back, violent screeches leaving my mouth. I could hear Rhys roaring, something like my name echoing through his sobs. The bond pulled tight between us, so tight that I thought it might snap, and I braced for that pain.

Nothing happened.

The light faded away, and the bond relaxed. Still there, still intact. I stilled my screaming, and let out a sigh of relief. I sagged against Tamlin, who dropped his glamour.

Rhys was panting on the floor, eyes wild, his entire body shaking. He crawled towards his brothers, whose blood pooled on the marble floor. Cassian was unconscious, but Azriel...

Azriel was wide awake, a shocked look on his face, his hazel eyes wide as he stared down at Rhys. 

I had never.... I had never seen him look so unnerved.

Tamlin pulled my attention away from my family as he grabbed my hand, and I put a glamour up immediately. He ripped the glove off, revealing the pale, empty skin beneath. We both knew what belonged there, and I suddenly realized that Tamlin was playing a game. Mor scrambled over to Rhys, pulling him off the ground, wiping Cassian's blood off of his face. I watched as she sobbed, as they both did.

Azriel just kept staring, that strange look on his face. He was no longer panting, no longer fighting the poison in his veins, no longer glaring at the King. He was stock still, looking far away.

"Thank you." Tamlin looked towards the king, nodding.

"You are free to go, Rhysand." The man waved his hand, "Your friend's poison is gone, however I am sure the other ones wings will be harder to fix. Good luck with that."

I spared them all one last glance. My family, the dreamers. For them, I could do this. For them, I could be strong. And they stared back, bloody, enraged faces. And below it, I knew that love lingered. I knew they heard me as I silently wished them goodbye.

Faster than light, Mor winnowed to my sisters. She ripped them from Lucien, disappearing in a mist of shadow. Rhys grabbed Cassian and Azriel, not even sparing me a second glance before he vanished.

Lucien's roar shook the hall as he watched his mate disappear, already possessive. The King started yelling, screeching at Jurian for not restraining my sisters, wrath ripping from his mouth about the lack of wards-

"Get them back!" Lucien screamed at Tamlin, who simply ignored him.

"Do you know what Illyrian bastards do to pretty females?" Jurian taunted, "You won't have a mate left, at least not one that's useful to you in any way."

The growl that tore through Lucien was nothing short of feral.

"Go to hell you hideous prick." I spat in his face.

Tamlin pulled me back, and Lucien's metal eye whirred and narrowed at me me. I knew he saw what everyone else did not.

I was not panicked at my sisters being taken.

"It will be alright, Feyre." Tamlin calmed, "We will get them back."

"Where is it?" The King interrupted us, "Where is the book?"

I let my hands fall to my sides, empty. No book in sight. I felt the ground beneath me tremble with the man's rage.

"Your mistake." I sneered at him.

His nostrils flared, those black eyes scanning me, "I expect your presence here when it is retrieved."

Don't hold your breath.

I just sighed, turning to Tamlin, morphing my face into innocent exhaustion, "Take me home."

Power, smelling of lilacs and roses, swirled around me, preparing to winnow us away. I couldn't stop myself, not as I started at the King and Jurian and those vile mortal queens. I couldn't stop my hatred from boiling over my lips.

"I will light each of your pyres myself for what you did to my sisters." I promised, and then we were gone.

-

We landed in the woods, the smell of roses drifting softly in the air, the silence of this place felt almost overwhelming. It was no longer my home, no longer anything but a place with bad memories attached to it. 

"Do you think they bought it?" Lucien said immediately.

"If they didn't, they certainly did a good job of hiding it." Tamlin answered, immediately dropping my hand and stalking through the trees. I could barely hide the confusion on my face.

"Feyre" Lucien turned to me, "Did Rhysand notice that the bond was still there?

My eyes widened as I turned to him, "I- I don't..." I stammered.

"Rhysand isn't the problem." Tamlin answered, his back to us, "The King cannot know that she's back, not until we're on the battlefront."

"What- "I looked between them, "What's going on?"

Finally, I recognized where we were. These soft willow trees, the lush green grass, and just beyond where Tamlin stood- the last remaining bits of sunlight from dusk glimmered across the pool of starlight. Neither of them answered me.

"Tamlin." I turned to him, following to where he stood staring out at the pool, "Please explain to me what's happening."

He shrugged my hand off his shoulder, an indecipherable look on his face, "You can drop the act, Feyre."

Panic struck my chest, like a knife twisting deep, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I didn't come to steal you away from Rhysand." He answered, "I needed the King to think I was."

"What do you mean?" I lied, "Rhysand was holding me captive. He twisted my mind."

"No, he didn't." Lucien spoke up, "Do you think we are that dense, Feyre?"

I shook my head, feeling like a mouse caught in a trap, "I don't- I... I-"

"Rhysand is not my enemy." Tamlin sighed, "Our feud, the stories, it's much more complicated than it seems. We needed the Cauldron to break a bargain, a bargain that Rhysand's father made, one that passed down to him when he became High Lord."

"Many years ago, I was friends with Rhys." He continued, eyes still scanning the starlight. 

Rhys. 

That was the first time I had ever heard him use that name.

With every passing moment, darkness crept closer.

"I know, he told me." I admitted, "He told me... about what happened."

"The truth is... complicated. His father is the one who revealed their location." A look passed his face, something like pain, "I didn't know- I didn't. Not until it was too late. Leur was my best friend."

Rhysand's mother, his sister.

He had to be lying, there was no way...

"Leur?" I asked, my brows furrowed.

"Rhysand's sister." He explained, "I never  would have hurt her."

My best friend.

I never would have hurt her.

His voice echoed in my mind as I tried to make sense of it all.

"But you let Rhys think you did?" I frowned.

He sighed, "I couldn't tell him the truth, and I suppose that was the only other option."

"And the truth?" I pushed.

"The truth is that Rhysand's father was an evil, cruel man, and he forced his daughter to do his bidding." Tamlin spat, "And when she refused, when his requests finally became too great, when she had the nerve to bargain her way out of his grasp, he had her killed."

"I don't understand what any of this has to do with the King, with Rhysand and I." I stammered.

"Because neither the King nor Rhysand knows that I saved Leur. She is alive." He breathed, a centuries old secret spilling into the crisp night air, "And when the King believed he was shattering your bond with Rhysand, he was truly breaking the bargain that kept her in exile."

The world spun around me, and the weight of his secret weighed on my chest like an anvil. All this time, all that pain, my mate's pain.

Mate

Mate

Mate

Rhysand

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, questions tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them, "What did she refuse?"

I could physically see the tension in his shoulders, "It doesn't matter."

"And she is powerful?"

"Just as much as Rhysand, if not more so now." Lucien spoke, "She is a shadowsinger, like her mate."

A shadowsinger?

Azriel?

"So everything you said in Hybern, all those threats you made?" The questions never stopped, even as my mind spun.

Tamlin turned to me then, and I saw nothing but honesty on his face. Behind it, something like grief. "I needed the King to believe that the Spring Court is his ally. Everything we did and said, it was an act to get him to break that bargain. I had no idea what the king had planned for your sisters."

I reached for his mind, finding it unshielded. I rifled through his memories, his thoughts, everything, and he let me. He did nothing, hid nothing.

And all of it was the truth.

I gasped at what I saw there, the lies and the secrets, the dirty disgusting truth. But Tamlin was not the villain in this story. His memories weaved and curled, and there was so much blood, so much pain, so much suffering.

Just then, the ground beneath our feet rumbled. Birds hiding in their trees flew away as a strange wing blew in. Dusk had faded into deep blue night now, the only light coming from the moon reflecting off the pool of starlight. I watched as the water glimmered and rippled, as something shifted in the air. Waves of pure starlight lapped at the shore next to my feet. 

And then they stilled. 

For a moment, everything was silent. The wind stopped, the shaking stopped, none of us moved or blinked.

A hand graced the surface.

Golden skin, with Illyrian tattoos swirling up it.

And then a head, dark, violet black hair, gasping for breath, then shoulders. And finally, the edges of those black wings I would recognize anywhere. Next to me, a smile lit up Tamlin's face, and suddenly I felt very out of place. All this history, and I knew none of it.

I missed Rhysand.

He reached down, pulling her from the pool, and she coughed and sputtered as she crawled onto the grass next to me. Tamlin was crouched next to her, a hand on her back as she caught her breath. The starlight dropped off of her in beads, glowing in the moonlight. It almost looked as if they were embellishments on her midnight black gown.

And then she was standing, and dark shadows swirled around her for a moment. All at once, the starlight dissappeared, drying her dress and her hair, revealing a jeweled black diadem on her head. She lifted her face, and I nearly collapsed to my knees. 

If there had been any doubt of who she was, it vanished.

The spitting image of her brother. Bright violet eyes and the same beautiful features, full lips, thin nose, high cheekbones. But her eyes, they were not the narrow curved eyes that Rhysand has, her eyes were large, adorned with khol, like the eyes of a doe.

Like Mor, I thought.

"Are you okay?" Tamlin asked her.

She coughed one more time, shaking her head, "Peachy."

Her voice was a starlight melody, even hoarse and strained from the coughing. Lucien laughed, walking up to her and hugging her. I didn't realize how short she was until she was standing in front of him, not even reaching his shoulder.

"You saw me a week ago." She laughed, hugging him back.

Had Lucien gone through that portal?

"It's been a rough week." He frowned, letting her go.

"Pray tell." 

"There was a complication at Hybern." He explained, and I tensed my jaw at what I knew was coming, "To make a long story short, Ianthe went there behind our backs and revealed the location of Feyre's sisters. The Mortal Queens wanted immortality in exchange for their cooperation, and the King used them as demonstration that it can be done."

She frowned, the expression looking out of place on her face, "Great." She mumbled sarcastically.

"One of them is his mate." Tamlin joined.

She took a deep breath, hands clenching and unclenching. I recognized that habit.

"Congratulations." She answered sarcastically, eyes trained on Lucien, "Are they safe? Did everyone make it out okay?"

"They're with Rhysand." Lucien looked pained as he admitted it.

"Good, what about everyone else?" She turned and looked at Tamlin, finally noticing me standing on his other side.

Tamlin clearly did not want to answer her, "Can you just try to stay calm, Leur?" He sighed, holding out a hand as if she was a dam about to break, "Rhysand and Mor are fine. Cassian and Azriel...."

I watched her face pale, and Tamlin trailed off. I decided to grant him mercy and answer for him, "Azriel was shot with an ash arrow, to get us to comply. He was bleeding a lot, but the King negated the poison before they left."

Immediately, shadows swirled around her, a few vanishing into the night behind her- to get more information, no doubt. The look on her face, it looked so much like Rhysand when he was worried. My heart clenched in my chest but I didn't stop talking, "When the King... activated the cauldron, there was a blast of power. Cassian shielded Azriel, and his wings-" I could barely get the words out, "They were shredded."

She looked like she might throw up, and the memory of his screams, the agony-

"Put a shield up." She begged, eyes closed. I realized I had been projecting my thoughts, and I raised a wall to spare her from them. She relaxed then, running a hand through her hair.

Daemati, my mind found the word I was looking for. I didn't know why I was surprised.

I watched that fear, that terror, simply slip behind a mask as she graced me a soft smile.

So much like Rhys.

"You must be Feyre." She spoke, "My brother's mate."

High Lady of the Night Court, A voice whispered in my head.

"Yes." I answered, almost in a trance as I stared at her. She was exactly as I'd pictured her in my mind when Rhys spoke of her.

"I always wanted a sister." She offered me her hand, "My name is Leuruna. You can call me Leur."

I took it, her shadows curling around my fingers like a cold snowdrift, "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." She looked me up and down, "We need to go home."

Everything inside of me, every bone, every scrap of my soul, agreed with her. I reached for the bond, using the sense of Rhys to comfort me, and was met with a soft brush sent down. If only he knew what I was doing, who I was speaking to right now... I was certain he'd rip the entirety of Prythian to shreds to get here.

"Feyre will need to make appearances here when Hybern shows up." Lucien interrupted, "I am sure that Jurian will be here in the morning to discuss strategy."

As if reminded of something, Leur's head snapped to Tamlin, "I can't fucking believe you made her come back here."

Shockingly, I watched him cringe, as if he was afraid of her, "I couldn't very well leave her with Rhysand after the King thought the bond was broken."

"I told you to bring them in on the plan." She sneered, "Clearly, you didn't listen to me."

"If I walked into the Night Court, they'd kill me first and ask questions later." He defended, and I could feel the power bleeding off of Leur. Some instinct inside of me begged me to shrink away from it.

"You act like letters don't exist, Tamlin." She countered, "I told you to tell them everything. I even lifted the bind on your memories so Rhys could see you weren't lying."

"It was too great of a risk." He said, using that voice that I knew meant he was done fighting.

His word was final, and that was it.

Except Leur clearly did not care, "Risk, my ass! I think you just wanted an excuse to spend more time with Feyre."

Tamlin ignored her accusation, but I could see she struck a nerve, "Hybern could have easily intercepted a letter, and they have spies everywhere. They'd have them here if they didn't think we were their ally."

"You're unbelievable." She sighed, "We'll fight more later. I need a drink."

And I realized that was her way of dismissing him. Some sick part of me enjoyed it, watching Tamlin be shut down like that.

And then she grabbed my hand, pulling me through the woods, away from Lucien and Tamlin, "I've been back for 5 minutes and already I have to fight with these men." She grumbled.

I couldn't help it. It sounded like exactly what Mor would say, and I was exhausted, and I could barely process all that had happened in the past few days, let alone that I was walking through the woods talking to a dead girl- I laughed.

She turned her head at me, her smile lit up by the moonlight, and it was like a piece of Rhys was here with me as we walked through the woods. It was intoxicating, and I couldn't keep myself from talking to her.

"You're certainly good at handling Tamlin." I said.

She scoffed, "I've been dealing with his bullshit for a long time. You should have seen what I did to him when he showed up, freaking out that you had left the Spring Court."

After what I had just seen, I could imagine the scene in my head, and I wondered if she had a lot to do with why he didn't come chasing after me.

"Where were you?" I couldn't help myself from asking.

She turned and looked at me, and then a ball of light appeared in her hand, lighting our path. It was a strange glow, definitely not faelight, and not anything I had ever seen before. She didn't give me much time to ponder it as she answered, "There are many worlds out there, and they are connected a lot of different ways. The pool of starlight is a link between Prythian and a land across the Great Sea called Solarea."

I tried to imagine being thrust into a whole different world, and my head hurt at the thought of it. I had so many questions, so much curiosity, but I found myself needing to know one thing above all of them.

"Was it really your father who betrayed you, not Tamlin?" My voice was quiet.

She took a sharp breath, the ball in her hand shaking a bit as she answered, "Yes, and he killed my father for what he did to me."

"Rhys hates him for what he did, or thinks he did." I offered

"I know." She sighed, "I could have told him, everything, about the bargain I made with our father. I could have sent a letter home with Tamlin, or found a way to show him the truth- and believe me, I thought about it."

"But you didn't." I spoke, "Clearly, Tamlin visited you. Rhys could have too."

I realized too late that I was defending my mate, but Leur paid it no mind, "What's worse? Thinking I am dead or knowing I am alive somewhere he can't reach? Part of the bargain I made with my father was that I was never allowed to speak to anyone from the Night Court ever again, was it worth risking my brother's life and assuming a letter didn't count as speaking?"

I didn't know the answer, but she continued, "That portal- it's finicky. It was a great risk each time Tamlin crossed through it, and I don't know." She shook her head, an odd look on her face, "Maybe it's all an excuse I gave myself. Maybe I was just afraid."

"He never would have been mad at you or anything like that." I frowned.

She laughed then, the sound twinkling in my ears, "I know." Her smile died, "I think I was more afraid that if I saw him again, if I saw our family, it'd be so much harder to be away."

I understood what she meant, and my heart broke a little at the sadness in her voice, "They'll be happy to see you again." I offered.

Her face looked pained for a moment, and then we were walking on the gravel drive leading to the palace. I forced myself to stay quiet as she strode right up the pathway, throwing those doors he had locked me behind open with a flick of her hand, and waltzed in as if she owned the place.

She was certainly Rhysand's sister.

"Love what you've done in here, Tam." She called out over her shoulder to Tamlin, who had been trailing behind us with Lucien. I watched as she walked straight over to a decanter full of liquor, and poured herself a healthy glass. She looked so out of place here, all those Illyrian tattoos, wings, and eyes like starlight against the pastel drapery of spring.

She looked how I felt.

I tried to ignore the way my heart pounded as the doors shut behind me, and I forced myself to take a deep breath as I stood in the entryway where I had collapsed in a mess of shadows and smoke. Some old wound in me reopened as a thousand memories came rushing back.

Let me out

Let me out

Let me out

Leur's eyes snapped to me. "Leave the doors open." She commanded.

The breath rushed back in my lungs as the doors opened, and she didn't comment on it. Instead, she walked to the sitting room and plopped down on a couch, her wings disappearing as she did so. Blindly, like some sort of lost dog, I followed her.

"So, what's the plan?" She asked no one in particular, sipping her drink.

Tamlin appeared in the room then, taking a seat on the couch opposite her. I looked between them, the comfortable way they interacted, and wondered when the last time was that I saw Tamlin look so casual.

"You're both free to do whatever you please." He answered, looking between me and Leur.

"Of course we are." She scoffed, looking mildly offended that he would even have the nerve of offer, and I liked her more with each passing second, "But Feyre needs to play mindless spring housewife, and I need to disappear until Hybern makes a move."

"Well, you can hide here, under their noses, or you can hide at home." Tamlin offered, "It would be best if Feyre could make an appearance here tomorrow, but after that we can write her absence off as her recovering."

"Okay, so we stay for now." Leur swirled her drink as she spoke, "Once Hybern is out of here tomorrow, we can send for Rhys and catch him up to speed."

"You say that like he's not going to level this entire palace when he finds out you're alive." Tamlin scoffed.

"You can afford a new palace." She shrugged, earning a laugh from me.

"I can't afford to rebuild Prythian." He mused looking in my direction, "So if you could refrain from telling Rhysand until tomorrow."

For a moment, everything didn't feel so terrible. I looked at Tamlin, and I didn't see the monster I had made him out to be. I looked at him and I saw someone different than I'd ever known him to be, someone I didn't know but thought I might be able to forgive.I looked at Lucien and I could see how he could be my sister's mate. I didn't see the man who had stood by and watched as I faded, but the man I had met all those months ago when I first arrived. And then I looked at Leur, so similar to her brother, like a missing puzzle piece in my life- in all our lives, and all I wanted to do was to tell Rhysand.

Like air in my lungs, I wanted him to know. I wanted him to see his sister, I wanted him to know that Tamlin hadn't betrayed him, I wanted him to see the hope that I did when I looked around the room.

I reached for that bond, feeling it deep within my chest, and I was so close, just seconds away, from showing him. I could feel it in my mind, the images and the truth forming along that bond, and all I had to do was push. One push, and I could erase centuries of pain- to hell with what Tamlin thought he would do-

And I would have.

I would have, but then the shadows curled around Leur's ear and I watched her eyes go wide. She opened her mouth, terror on her face, just a moment away from warning us- and then an explosion burst through the side of the manor. Glass shattered, the floor underneath us collapsing, walls tumbling to the ground, and I could feel my power shoot out of me in instinct. I gasped for air, feeling fire and smoke and ice in my veins all at once, and I searched for something, anything to help me. That wall of solid air, a beam of light, whatever could stop the way my body was crashing through the walls, or the screaming I could hear in my ears-

All around me, the manor shattered to pieces, burnt rose petals and torn shreds of ivy littering the debris flying all around me, and I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. There was no time.

And I had been so close, so close to sending that truth down the bond, so I morphed that message into the only word I could think of, one final desperate plea before I felt myself hit the ground and everything went black.

Help us

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★彡[ᴘʀᴇᴠɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ - ɴᴇxᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ]彡★

[fuzzydreamin]

What The Companions Say About... The Brotherhood of Steel!

I'm posting these just because I find the companions in-game reactions to things rather interesting. You might be surprised by what some of them have to say about certain things.

These are just their dialogues for during combat and after combat or walking through areas inhabited by this enemy type. It does not include anything from specific areas, quests, or other dialogue.

⌨ Ada

⌨: The Brotherhood collects technology. Jackson always made it a point to avoid them when possible. ⌨: My past encounters with the Brotherhood of Steel were never good. Let's not provoke them. ⌨: I find it strange that these soldiers travelled all this way just to start a war. ⌨: Although my friends were adept with technology, Power Armour was never something they utilised. ⌨: The Brotherhood is quite capable with laser technology. I recommend exercising caution. ⌨: My files say the Brotherhood collects technology. I hope that doesn't make me a target. ⌨: I heartily suggest we don't provoke the humans with the largest guns. ⌨: I find it strange that these humans travelled all this way just to start a war. ⌨: Power Armor appears to be humankind's attempt at emulating one of my kind. ⌨: The Brotherhood is quite capable with laser technology. Perhaps we can take advantage of their knowledge.

☘ Cait

☘: {mischievous comment} Brotherhood of Steel? Sounds like a video nasty. ☘: These soldiers pack some serious firepower. Might wanna leave them alone. ☘: Those armoured suits look like fun. ☘: These guys are bunch of military freaks playin' soldier if you ask me. ☘: Boys and their toys. Sigh.

⚙ Codsworth

⚙: {false jolly bravado, actually a little worried} The "Brotherhood?" More like a gang of thugs if you ask me. ⚙: {a little worried - stress an ironic "clever" - as in "i shouldn't be here"} A more clever robot would bugger off whenever the Brotherhood were out and about. ⚙: {false jolly bravado, actually a little worried} Tad on the obsessive side, the Brotherhood. Real type A personalities. ⚙: {weakly joking, subtext "I'm worried, but trust you" - stress on "ME" / Concerned} Mum, I trust you won't let any Brotherhood fellows salvage me for spare parts. ⚙: If only the Brotherhood cared for others as much as they cared for their technology.

⚕ Curie

⚕: The flying vehicle, it is attacking. ⚕: We must take cover from this vertibird.

⚕: The Brotherhood seems to have much knowledge they could share. ⚕: The Brotherhood's technology is superb. This must be studied. ⚕: How can the Brotherhood expand their knowledge if they do not share their findings with fellow academics? ⚕: I wonder, can one such as myself join this Brotherhood of Steel? ⚕: With their vertibirds, airship, and other accoutrements the Brotherhood is what I expected of the outside world.

♞ Danse

♞: {Angry} I'm sorry, brother! ♞: {Angry} I'm sorry, sister! ♞: {Angry} You leave me no choice! ♞: {Angry} You're going to regret this, brother! ♞: {Angry} You're going to regret this, sister!

♞: It feels good to walk among friends. ♞: I hope I live long enough to watch the Brotherhood take control of the Commonwealth. ♞: Look at our strength and our numbers. The Commonwealth is as good as ours. ♞: I would gladly die if it meant one of my brothers would live. ♞: True peace can only be achieved by superior firepower.

🕶 Deacon

🕶: Ah, the Brotherhood. Elitism, Power Armour, xenophobia, and racial purging. What's not to like? 🕶: Well, it looks like a lowly mortal took out one of the Brotherhood. I'm waiting for that bolt of lightning to hit us now. 🕶: That bastard Maxson really screwed them up. The Brotherhood used to be the good guys. Well, goodish. 🕶: Those Brotherhood assholes are tough. 🕶: I wonder if the name "Brotherhood of Bigots" was already taken?

☠ Gage

☠: All the tech doesn't mean shit. Brotherhood's out for themselves, just like everyone else. ☠: Brotherhood's rules are a bunch of bullshit, but I wouldn't mind getting my hands on lots of their gear. ☠: They like to claim they're all about law and order. They're just thugs with bigger guns. ☠: The amount of shit you could get away with if you had one of those airships…

☣ Hancock

☣: {Stern} Brotherhood ain't real fond of Ghouls. Course, the feeling's mutual. ☣: {Stern} Ghouls, synths, Super Mutants. Brotherhood had its way, they'd put us all down. ☣: {Nonchalant / Stern} Brotherhood sure likes bossing folks around. ☣: {Amused} Lotta fancy weaponry around here. I don't think they'd miss one. ☣: {Neutral} Brotherhoods usually have more rituals and funnier hats than I'm up for. ☣: {Stern} Only people the Brotherhood ends up helping are themselves.

☸ Longfellow

☸: {Deriding soldiers} Relyin' too much on guns an' fancy armour just makes you a coward. ☸: {Making a point of not being impressed by heavily-armed soldiers} Brotherhood of Steel. Hmph. Am I supposed to be impressed? ☸: {Making a point of not being impressed by heavily-armed soldiers} Wouldn't complain if all these soldiers took their guns and went somewhere else. ☸: {Resentful of the Brotherhood of Steel} Get a bunch of fanatics together, hand 'em all guns, and you can tell everyone else how to live.

⨁ MacCready

⨁: What I wouldn't give for my own suit of Power Armour… ⨁: The Capital Wasteland used to be crawling with these guys. ⨁: Unless you like taking a laser shot to the head, don't tick off a Brotherhood soldier. ⨁: With the Brotherhood here, you can be sure that the Commonwealth will turn into a war zone. ⨁: Those whirlybirds are pretty damn impressive. Wish we had one of those.

♥ Nick

♥: {Neutral} Firepower and fervour. The Brotherhood has both in spades. ♥: {Stern} Protecting people from themselves. The oldest excuse of any tyrant. ♥: {Stern} All the resources they've got, the Brotherhood could do a lot of good. Shame they wanna wipe out my kind instead. ♥: {Sombre} Only madmen could justify trying to wipe out an entire people just because they were made, not born. ♥: {Irritated} If the Brotherhood had its way, they'd probably want to eliminate hot plates too as soon as one burned them.

✉ Piper

✉: {Neutral} Brotherhood sure knows how to take all the fun out of dressing in rivets and leather. ✉: {Stern} I don't care how you feel about synths. No one gets to have the authority to wipe them all out. ✉: {Neutral} The Brotherhood seems to rely real heavily on their chain of command. Wonder how long the links hold. ✉: {Stern} Anyone with that much firepower plans on using it. No matter what they claim. ✉: {Stern} Sure, the Brotherhood's a lesser evil, but that's still evil.

☀ Preston

☀: Selfish bastards. They don't care about anybody except themselves. ☀: Damn Brotherhood. Why don't they go back where they came from? ☀: It's a shame. The Brotherhood of Steel could have really helped the Commonwealth. ☀: As if we didn't have enough problems without the damn Brotherhood making things worse.

☢ Strong

☢: Steel men are hard outside, but soft inside. ☢: These humans hide in steel armour. ☢: Strong smash steel humans. ☢: Steel men are worthy warriors. ☢: Humans need steel armour to fight as good as Strong.

☾ X6-88

☾: {Confident} The Brotherhood of Steel… finally, a real challenge. ☾: {Confident} These guys pack some heavy firepower, but nothing good cover can't handle. ☾: {Wary} If anyone poses a threat to the Institute, it's the Brotherhood. ☾: {Confident} Without his armour, a Brotherhood soldier is nothing. ☾: Brotherhood soldiers tend to carry a lot of ammo. Maybe we can scavenge some.

-----

My notes:

"Power Armor appears to be humankind's attempt at emulating one of my kind." BoS are robot furries.

Wastelanders still have porn videos. That means some have working TVs. Wonder what the market for those videos is like.

Oh, Curie... it's best if you forget about talking nicely about science, or anything, with the BoS. Danse may have been joking, but they will tear you apart.

Danse doesn't have sad, fearful, or other such dialogue for walking through miscellaneous BoS inhabited areas because Bethesda just didn't bother to give him any post-BB dialogue outside of his last affinity talk...

Deacon knew of the Lyons Brotherhood.

Hancock isn't a frat bro.

Longfellow's last line is very reminiscent of his hatred for the Children of Atom. He no doubt see's the BoS for the cult it is and hates them for it.

"- used to be crawling with these guys.", is the 'used to be' because he left the capital so doesn't know if things are the same, or that a bunch moved over to Adam's Airport Base just outside the capital? Both?

Strong finds the BoS to be tough and worthy fighters, but still thinks their use of PA is cowardly.

Pretty much everyone wants to take their shit and make them fuck off.

[wyvern-flames]

Joshua Rosfield (Little Brother) said: ❝ i'm only managing to stand here on my two feet because of you. i made it because of you. ❞

He was convinced that it was the opposite. When it came to survival, Clive was only alive thanks to Joshua. Indirectly and even directly, he kept the man going for as long as it did -- whether he was misguided or having a bigger, better purpose. It was always thanks to Joshua's spirit, Joshua's presence in his life. If Joshua was standing now, it was because of himself rather than the Shield that failed to protect him.

"You fail to see just how great you truly are -- how great you have always been. Joshua, you are the force driving me, always." He turns to his little brother, sky-blues covered in self-conscious uncertainty. What did his brother think of his failure, he wondered. Did he know how much he regretted that fateful day? Did he know just how hard it was to talk to him without trying desperately to beg for forgiveness?

As if the inner storm was not raging inside him, he places a firm hand over Joshua's shoulder, he has no need for crouching down now... My, Joshua had truly grown... Thank the flames.

"You made it because of who you are. You made it because you're Joshua Rosfield, our protector and savior -- the flame that brightens our road everlasting. Don't ever forget it" His hand releases the shoulder. Of course, he couldn't help but mention such insecurity, after all. "You always were a much better protector than your Shield. It seems some things never change, right?"

♞ @firevow ♞

[technodromes]

♞ ♗ They once used to be Brothers 01

Knight and Bishop are both professionals with no doubts raised when someone mentions their names. But when they're forced to work together? They're the very personification of one brain cell being shared.

"Knight, we're late already." Although Bishop's robot looks and sounds mostly gratingly monotone, there is a perceivable hint of distress in his voice now. He types something on his tablet while Knight is still hopping around in the backroom, trying to force his robot's legs into a pair of black trousers. "What made you even think this stupid suit is a good idea anyway? These pants are a pain in my artificial butthole!" He's hopping back to the left, loses his balance, and crashes into a clothes rack. It is now that Bishop looks finally up from his work and turns around, but his brother is nowhere to be seen. "Are you implying to not have a real butthole?" But the only immediate response he gets to his uttered confusion is a bunch of hissed Utrom vulgarities from somewhere in the backroom. Bishop sighs and finishes his work before putting the sleek device inside a black pleather case. So much for the necessary preparations, at least. "I know you're not particularly fond of the Norman Exosuit, but--" Knight joins Bishop before the latter is able to finish his sentence though, his robot fully clad in the exact same black suit as the other. The tie is still a mess, though. "Now that's a gross understatement! They're stupidly tight and uncomfortable. Honestly, I think I'm developing claustrophobia in here!" Bishop is rolling his eyes (both, the Utrom and his robot), before adjusting his brother's tie. "I don't really understand why they thought it would be a good idea to send both of us for this mission." "Yeah that's a sentiment I can agree upon, for once." Both leave their hideout in Bishops car and drive into a small park, not far away from their actual target location. It is their supposed meeting point and the spot where they're going to separate for now. But not without exchanging some instructions first.

"Okay, let's go this through again. You walk into the conference room, do your blabla thing, go out for lunch break and I go back in there for you while you're being sneaky? Sounds simple enough, except that I'll probably die a thousand internal deaths while playing your boring self." As unbelievable as it may seem though, Knight truly is outstanding at acting as someone else entirely. He already loved impersonating others as a child. But outside of that, he is a notorious pain to work with. Nobody knows that better than Bishop. "All I ask you is to take this seriously, brother. I have to find that file and delete it before someone here analyzes it. Our secret identity is at stake. We will meet here again in two hours. Remember to be timely, I have only thirty minutes to instruct you about the conference before you have to go in there to impersonate me." "That isn't difficult, really. Just go get your bland ass inside that security agency, to talk about all the futile human protection strategies while I figure out how to completely obliterate your reputation around here in two hours~" "KNIGHT!" "I was just joking. I'd ruin your reputation in under five minutes if I wanted to~" Knight rises from the bench they were sitting on and stretches. "You really need to loosen up a little. See ya again here in two hours, veteran bore." Bishop watches Knight wander off, and he can't help but get a strange gut feeling that this mission won't be as easy as his brother thinks it will be. He gets up as well after he went through his own role mentally for a short moment, and heads back to the car to drive over to the agency.

[technodromes]

[ ♞ ] She's not a stupid girl, for sure. But that's hardly surprising, considering her origins. And no, he's not thinking about Beth or Jerry here. But he doesn't want to give Rick more credit than absolutely necessary, not even in his thoughts.

"Oh yes, it is tempting to weaponize any knowledge I can get my tentacle tips on, but what can I say? Dependable allies that know how to use their brain are so rare around here." Subprime rests his face on his middle tentacles with a smug grin while being all comfortable in his flyer. "And girl, I know a smart badass when I see one." He points his prosthesis towards her for emphasis.

"You're absolutely correct. We could prank your grandpa and your little brother. But we could also go and annoy Bishop a little. What sounds more fun to you?" With a human companion related to Bishop's new little best friend, his annoying brother is certainly not going to do anything... stupid. As far as it concerns Subprime, both options sound like fun to test out his new portal hacker. And bond with a new unlikely ally.

Summer blinks for a moment at Subprime's answer. She sort of has an idea of whom that "Krang Prime" is supposed to be. Morty has told her the tale in short a few weeks before. He has probably heard it from his Utrom friend, the only nice one of the group. Bishop? Or something like that.

That, however, isn't the part that has caught her off guard. She's used to roll with weirdness by now. Since Rick moved in with them, half of her life has been the opposite of normal. Yet, she wasn't expecting to have a freaking alien brain addressing her as one of her girl friends from high school would have.

"I mean, yeah, can't really argue with that," she ends up agreeing, taking though one moment too long to reply. "I'd, like, go crazy if I never got the chance to bitch about my family. Because it's not just Grandpa Ric, it's also Morty and my parents. I do talk to my friends from school, but they can't, like, understand it all because some of the stuff we're used to...it's sci-fi for them."

And for most of humanity too. Not to mention that the other girls at time make it hard for her to open up, because then she would have to listen to them in return. There's only so many times she can hear Tricia say that she wants to fuck Jerry.

"Also, I'm not, like, worried about you ratting me out to Grandpa. I don't want you to use what I have to say about him against him. Because that's so much worse."

She can be tempted, she's very aware of that, but she can't be fooled.

Summer rolls her eyes slightly as Subprime low-key boasts about his own genius-level abilities. She's not doubting them, especially not when she's talking to a literal brain, but Rick is the smartest guy of the universe...at least according to him. That means that no one can be smarter than him.

But what about outsmarting him? That has happened in the past. More than once.

Plus, the fact that the Utrom conveniently doesn't need to hack the portal gun is more believable than him being capable of that.

"So you basically stalk portal signatures around the universe once you have gotten enough readings to identify them?" She asks, and maybe, just maybe, she wants to subtly show him that, while she might not be a super genius or a scientist, she's no amateur either. "And is this you trying to, like, entice me in playing a prank on Rick and Morty?"

{ @technodromes }

[fxckmiup]

𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐭. 𝟐

Genre: ♡ Fluff | ♤ Angst | ♞ Hurt/Comfort

Part 3

Warnings: Unrequited/requited love, if there's anything else please let me know.

Pairing: AU Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader

Summary: Nothing hurts more than falling in love with your best friend.

Words: 2,813

Navigation || Wanda’s Masterlist || Taglist

»»————-　♛　————-««

Wanda Maximoff

Flashbacks

December 23rd, 2020

"Okay, Wanda this is from Y/n," Clint announces as he grabs the gift from under the tree and passes it over to me. I look over at Y/n and give her a smile to which she sends one back. I carefully open her gift and I see a velvet box which made me look at her with a confused look. What could possibly be in this? This box looks expensive as it is.

I open the box carefully and tears immediately gather in the rim of my eyes as they land on the vintage mask chain brooch pin. I look up at her with my teary eyes, "you remembered," I whisper.

"Of course," she smiles softly and I let out a quiet sob as I take the pin out of the box carefully. I lift it up, looking closely at the details, "what is it?" Pietro voices out the question that everyone had etched onto their faces.

"It's a theatre mask brooch pin," I answer as I continue to examine the item. "Y/n and I were walking around the city and passed by an antique shop. We went in to look around and I saw this which instantly reminded me of mama and papa and our many nights of watching sitcoms," I explain.

"That must've cost you a fortune," Bucky comments which only earns a shrug from Y/n. This did cost her a fortune, I remember wanting to buy it but one look at the price tag I knew there was no way I could afford it.

"This reminds me of the time when you were so in love with that chick junior year and bought her this crazy gift that cost you a fortune," Kate says and I watch as Yelena elbows her to shut her up but that didn't even register in my head since her words completely freeze me over.

I whip my head looking at Kate, "what?" then I turn to look at Y/n, then to Kate, then back to Y/n.

Did I hear that correctly? Is she insinuating what I think she is? Stop.

"Um, um, um, crazy gift, great gift," Kate stutters looking at Y/n apologetically and almost, guiltily? What? I don't have time to dissect her look as my mind continues to repeat her words.

"Not that. The love part?" I ask specifically. "Oh, um, um, that, um," Kate stutters out again and I hear Yelena mumble something that I couldn't pick up on.

I turn my head to look back at Y/n for some kind of confirmation that she does in fact like me back. "Don't worry, that's not the case for you," she says. Oh.

I swallow the lump in my throat and try to respond as fast as I can, feeling everyone's gaze on me. "Oh thank god," I say clutching my chest as I let out a shaky breath that I didn't know I was holding in.

"Jeez, you don't have to sound so thankful," Y/n says playfully and I force the bubbling tears wanting to reach my eyes back down.

"Would it be so bad if Y/n did have feelings for you, y'all basically act like you're married anyway," Sam says making me internally groan. I need a subject change, this hurts way too much. I didn't think she would like me back, ever, but hearing it come from her hurts a lot more than I thought it would.

"No, no it's not that. It's just that I look at Y/n as my best friend and I'm straight. I don't want to be the straight girl she falls for," I say the first thing that comes into my mind and it happened to be that. I can't have anyone thinking that I'm possibly in love with my best friend, not after she rejected me indirectly.

"Plus, I have that massive crush on Vision, Tony's brother," stupid stupid stupid, why would you say that? Yeah, Vision and I have been getting close, him being the only person I talk to about my feelings towards Y/n. Nobody knows that I'm even attracted to women, let alone, have feelings for my best friend.

"Alright, who's the next gift for?" Y/n says. Shit, did I just make this awkward? She can't possibly know, can she?

{...}

New Years Eve 2020 11:30 pm

I was about to leave to follow Y/n upstairs to the rooftop but a hand wrapping around my wrist softly stops me. I look over my shoulder to see Vision pulling me over to him, "Vis? What's up?" I ask him as I glance back at the clock.

Y/n and I have never missed a year of our New Year's Eve tradition and I'm not planning for this year to be the first year that happens. "Have this dance with me," Vision asks me over the familiar slow song and I look back at the clock to see that I have 10 minutes until I absolutely need to leave so I agree.

Vision and I get lost in the music, talking about how we first met, being friends first and eventually growing feelings towards each other. Vision was the person I cried to the night Y/n indirectly rejected me, telling me that I'll find another person who would eventually love me back the way I love them. He has a selfless heart and I like that a lot about him, throughout him being there for me, I did eventually start having feelings for him.

Do I still have feelings for Y/n? Of course. I love her for fuck sake, that doesn't just go away but she made it clear she didn't feel the same, therefore I needed to move on. I wouldn't say Vision is a rebound, but I guess a stranger looking in my situation would say otherwise.

Before I know it, Vision takes a step back taking my hand to the middle of the dance floor. I glance at the clock and notice 10 minutes definitely passed by and I quickly panic, how the hell did that happen? Did we really dance over more than one song?

"Wands," I whip my head back to look at Vision. I was about to tell him that I have to go but he cuts me off, "I have something to tell you."

"Can I just have a minute?" I ask him, wanting to at least text Y/n that I wouldn't make it upstairs for our NYE tradition but Vision insists that this will only take a minute and I couldn't find it in me to say no. Damn me for being such a people pleaser.

I notice that everyone starts backing away from us, standing in a circle around us. What the hell is going on?

"Wanda, I've had the pleasure of truly getting to know the person that you are and I wouldn't wish for anything else. You're an amazing person and I will work every day if I have to, to make sure that you see and feel that you are," um where is this going? He's not proposing, is he?

"Wanda Maximoff, will you be my girlfriend?" he drops the question. I stare at him in shock, oh wow. I glance at everyone's excited faces and back to Vision's expectant ones. I swallow the lump in my throat at the thought of Y/n being upstairs, that thought alone sends tears to my eyes.

"Wands?" Vision questions and my mind goes on autopilot. "Yes, of course," I whisper out and a few tears fall down my cheeks before I can even stop it.

"Oh honey, don't cry," Vision coos at me as he wipes my cheeks softly, little does he know I'm not crying over him or this, I'm crying over the woman waiting for me upstairs who I still love.

Saturday, January 2nd, 2021.

I hear someone knocks on my door as I get ready in the bathroom, "Vis can you check who's at the door?" I ask him to which he answers, "of course."

After a few minutes, I hear the door open, "who's at the door Vis?" I yell as I apply some mascara. I hear mumbles of voices but couldn't decipher who the voice belongs to. I start putting away my makeup as I question out loud, "Vis?"

"It's Y/n honey!" Vision yells back this time. Y/n? What is she doing here? I quickly clean up before I rush to the door.

"Y/n?" I ask confused, "hey, what are you doing here?" I continue. I look into her eyes and couldn't read the different emotions swirling in them, "it's Saturday."

"Yeah, I would know, that's why Vision and I are going to the game today," I tell her in almost an offended tone. Does she not think I keep up with the calendar?

"Right. I forgot," she says after she clears her throat and I tilt my head in question, I don't remember mentioning to her about my plans for today.

"You two have fun. I only came here to drop off that wicker basket filled with brunch food for you and Vision like you asked," she tells me and my blood runs cold at the realization. Fuck.

"You planned brunch for us, honey? That's so sweet, thank you Y/n for bringing it," Vision says cluelessly and Y/n clears her throat once again as she breaks eye contact with me to pass the basket to Vision with a fake smile on her face.

I'm a terrible person. I miss our NYE tradition, now I'm missing our Saturday brunch? What is happening to me? "Anyway, I should get out of your hair so I'm going to go. Have fun you two," she announces and I watch as she quickly turns around opening the door to exit.

"This is so sweet babe," Vision says as the door shuts. I send Vision a fake smile as I look back at the door, "give me one second, I'll be right back," I tell him before exiting my apartment.

"Y/n!" I yell to stop her at the opposite end of the hall. She turns around to face my direction and I run over to her not caring that I visibly look horrified, "I'm so sorry I forgot about brunch."

"It's fine."

"No, it's not fine," I shoot back as I shake my head at her words.

"I'm used to it," I deflate at her words, my lips quivering. "And quite frankly, I don't know why I still try with you."

My jaw drops at her words, is that how she really feels? Have I been that horrible to her?

I take a ragged breath as she turns around to leave me, I have too much to say to her but my body doesn't react the same way as my mind and my heart.

{...}

Saturday, February 13th, 2021.

Today we will be celebrating my birthday although my birthday isn't until the 16th, unfortunately, it falls on a weekday, therefore we decided to celebrate as a group today.

Now here we are, sitting in a circle in Tony's living room as they pass their presents over to me. "Okay, who's left?" Sam asks the circle of friends.

"I think only Y/n and Vision's presents are left," Bucky says as he looks around. I glance over at Y/n, relief and dread were what came over me when I saw her arrive earlier. She and I haven't talked since the incident at my apartment, so I wasn't sure if she was going to show up today.

I watch as she takes her present out of her purse and slides it over to me with a simple, "Happy Birthday Wands." Those are the first words she spoke to me this entire night, she gives me a small smile and I give one right back.

I slowly unwrap it and it reveals the pandora box. I subtly glance up to see everyone's confused faces before I return my focus back to the gift. I open the box and I smile at the charm to be added to my charm bracelet.

"Thank you, Y/n," I tell her and she nods at me as a welcome. I put the gift away and I feel as if there's this huge elephant in the middle of the room that everyone's trying to avoid.

"Happy Birthday to you my love," Vision says while handing me his gift. I catch a movement in my peripheral vision and I barely make out Yelena wrapping an arm around Y/n, making me gulp.

I start unwrapping the gift a little faster than usual as I want for this to be over so I can have a moment alone to take a breather. My actions falter slightly as the gift slowly becomes visible. No way. I stare at the book on my lap in shock with my jaw dropped. No fucking way.

"Do you like it?" I furrow my eyebrows at his question.

"How did you get this?" I breathe out confused but quickly realize how harsh that might've sounded. "I mean, how did you even know about it?"

People know about my obsession regarding witch magic but there's only one person I mentioned this book to and that's definitely not Vision.

"I had done my research babe. I had to make sure to give you something special, so I drove to Salem Massachusetts to get the book," it isn't just a book.

"A book? This isn't just a book. This is the Darkhold," I exclaim as I look back at the item on my lap.

"There are literally only three copies of this in the entire world. One of them is in America in Massachusetts and I would know since I called the owner, Agatha Harkness, to ask how much would she sell the book for and she told me around $1000+," I explain to him in disbelief. I know he's lying.

"On top of that, I never mentioned to you my obsession with witch magic," I eye him to see if he'd fold and tell me the truth.

"I talked to Pietro and he suggested it as a joke but I got it anyway," I tilt my head slightly. "Pietro?" I repeat and I glance over to my brother who's eyes were on someone else which only confirms my assumption.

I look back at Vision and decide to not embarrass him further, "this is amazing. Thank you so much," I hug him in thanks.

I see Y/n alone in the kitchen after everyone gets handed a piece of cake and I take this time to finally confront her.

"You really thought that I wouldn't know that you had something to do with Vision's gift?" I ask while walking closer to her. She shrugs her shoulders as she hangs the dishtowel, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh come on Y/n, you're the only person I have ever spoken to regarding the Darkhold book," I point out.

"Okay and?" I look into her eyes with determination in mine. She's really going to play this game?

"Why did you get it?" I ask her straight up as I'm over beating around the bush. She crosses her arms over her chest getting defensive, "why are you so sure that I'm the one who bought it?"

"Because I've been saving up to buy the book for months now. And a week ago I called Agatha Harkness to tell her that I was finally ready to buy it from her but then she told me that some girl from New York already purchased it at the beginning of the month. I was devastated to hear that until today when I found the book sitting on my lap."

I watch the gears turn in her head in hopes to come up with a believable lie which is pointless at this point.

"Why did you give it to him to give to me, Y/n?" I ask her softly.

"He asked for my help to look for a special gift for you so," she tries shrugging off nonchalantly.

"And you decided to just hand him something as big as this and put his name stamp on it?" I ask her in disbelief.

Is she crazy? I knew that she had this wrapped-up gift for me since Sam couldn't keep his mouth shut and ended up revealing the big secret to me. So to find Vision giving me the gift was the ultimate shock.

"He wanted to give you something special Wanda," I deflate at her words once again just like I did the last time we talked.

"And you didn't?"

Is she really done with me?

»»————-　♛　————-««

🏷️: @nats-dreamland @marvelwomen-simp @togrowoldinv @silver-lotus @maia-lightwoood @when-wolves-howl @wandanatvoid @ilovehotactresses @onetruwhore @Strangegardentaco @sadonism @mellxa @wandasbabe @sayah13 @natslilangel @froufrousnowman @picnicmic @justyourwritter69 @how-to-disappearrr @the-mute1 @wandsmxmff @nikkinss @abarelyexistentbeing @reginassweetheart @ratzyy @dandelions4us @oh-thats-cute

[i-am-baechu]

The People’s Princess

Paring: Kim Seokjin x reader, Min Yoongi x reader | ♞ | | ♚ | | ♛ |

Genre: Fantasy au, Angst, Romance, and Fluff

Summary: “I, Y/N L/N, take thee Seokjin, to my wedded husband. To have and hold. From this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, to cherish and to…to obey. Till death do us part…”    

She looked at the man she barely knew for a month with an emotionless look. She turned towards her family to be met with sorrowful looks. This day was supposed to be the most beautiful day, a moment in a woman’s life that signified a new chapter. A chapter that she no longer wants if he was part of the story.  

Chapters:

Chapter one: “Papa, it’s been two weeks since I last saw him. You see me everyday, something I wish I can offer him. I’ll be back, don’t worry.”

Chapter two: “No matter what, the past will always be brought up because of his choices in the present. Not even in the future can one be truly happy when the past is staring right at you.”    

Chapter three: “Any man can be a good one but to be a great one is a task that many are scared to take. With you, any task at hand is easy. Being a good partner comes easy when you’re there staring at me.”

Chapter four: “Seokjin would be lying if he said that princess Y/N was ugly but there was something about her that he needed to know more about.“

Chapter five: “How can a man be so hateful towards others? Even if one has a hard life, it doesn’t excuse his actions. It makes his actions louder than anything he says.”

Chapter six: “They twirled around the room slowly as the music became the conversation between the two.”

Chapter seven: “When the laugh ended Y/N was back right before him but he couldn’t say anything to her or even give the chuckle that he wanted because he was so shocked at what happened.” 

Chapter eight: “War, death, murder, etc...you name it. I need to know this to protect this nation and Y/N...”

Chapter nine: “As they continued, all the memories that they shared flashed before their eyes and it only caused more tears to show. Memories that made Y/N’s heart feel full were now the cause of her pain and vice versa.”

Chapter ten: “Truth be told, he was afraid of the girl.”

Chapter eleven: “There was something there with him but she couldn’t understand what it was nor did she want to because she was scared of the answer.”

Chapter twelve: “Brother? Brother, please open your eyes.” 

Chapter thirteen: “This whole thing isn’t fair to all of us but we have to try and move forward. Regardless of hardships.” 

Chapter fourteen: "Next time you're talking about secrets, lower your voice.” 

Chapter fifteen: “I felt like I was about to lose control. I couldn’t bear to see you get hurt.”

Chapter sixteen: “I promise you....”

Chapter seventeen: “It smells like...home.” 

[wmheart3012]

𝟒: 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 | 𝐎𝐂!𝐋𝐞𝐮𝐫 𝐱 𝐀𝐳𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥

♡ 𝐅𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟 | ♤ 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭 | ♞ 𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐭/𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 | ☆ 𝐒𝐦𝐮𝐭 {𝟏𝟖+} | ♛ 𝐆𝐨𝐫𝐞 {𝟏𝟖+}

꧁༒☬𝓶𝓪𝓭𝓭𝔂'𝓼 𝓷𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓰𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷☬༒꧂

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.

★彡[ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀɴʏ ᴘᴇʀᴍɪꜱꜱɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴛᴇᴀʟ, ʀᴇ-ᴘᴏꜱᴛ, ᴏʀ ᴛʀᴀɴꜱʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴀɴʏ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀᴋꜱ. ɪ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴏᴡɴ ʀɪɢʜᴛꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴʏ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ɪɴᴠᴏʟᴠᴇᴅ ɴᴏʀ ᴅᴏ ɪ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴀɴʏ ᴀᴄᴛᴏʀꜱ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ᴏᴄ. ᴀʟʟ ᴡᴏʀᴋꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜰɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀᴄᴄᴜʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴅᴇᴘɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴꜱ.]彡★

★彡[ᴍɪɴᴏʀꜱ ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇɴɢᴀɢᴇ]彡★

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏: 𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 - ★彡[ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛꜱ]彡★

★彡[ᴘʀᴇᴠɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ - ɴᴇxᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ]彡★

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

Leur

4 months before the first war

"If you two trained half as much as you whined, we'd be in great shape." Rhysand frowned, picking something off of his leathers.

"I'm not whining." I looked to him, "I just don't see why it has to be you who trains us. Is Cassian busy?"

"No. He's just sick of you." Rhys answered.

"Wrong, Cassian would never get sick of me." I slid against a tree, feeling the warm spring earth beneath me as I sat in the grass. We'd been out here since dawn, and everything hurt.

"I don't remember telling you to sit." He scowled my way.

"You didn't. It's Tamlin's turn." I said.

"Don't bring me into your sibling quarrels." The blonde looked up from adjusting a bandolier on his chest, "Last time I got involved, I got a broken nose for it."

"You deserved it." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"All I said was that Rhys was right, you can't just fly into the Summer Court and start throwing yourself off cliffs into the water. It's dangerous and-" Tamlin started.

"See, you deserved it just for the way you started that sentence. You're not allowed to side with Rhys." I looked up at him.

"I'm not allowed to side with Rhys?" He narrowed his eyes at me.

"No, you're not." I replied.

Tamlin laughed, "And why is that?"

"Because you're my best friend." I answered, as if it was obvious, "You're always supposed to be on my side."

"Even when your side could get you killed, and banned from the Summer Court?" He cocked his head.

"It wouldn't have gotten me killed. I have wings, dumbass." I let them loose for emphasis, the sunlight that peeked through the trees warmed the delicate skin as I toyed with a soft purple carnation growing next to me.

"I'm sick of listening to you two flirt." Rhys groaned, and then he threw a punch at Tamlin, catching the blonde off guard. I could barely contain the laugh that left my throat.

I watched them fight, like light and dark twisting around eachother. Every once in a while, Rhysand would give him corrections, but Tamlin had a habit of allowing my brother to egg him on until his anger made him sloppy. I had a habit of allowing myself to fall into traps that Rhys set for me, far too overconfident in my abilities against a much larger opponent. That was the biggest thing we were working on today, keeping in control.

And for Tamlin, that was easier said than done.

On the brink of war, his family had recently sworn an alliance with Hybern. As the youngest heir, Tamlin probably wouldn't be allowed to do much fighting. He'd be stuck here, at home, having to entertain Hybern royals and play the part of human slave master. I knew how much it bothered him, knew how he felt about being sidelined on the wrong side of the battle, and soon our courts would be at war with one another.

I wasn't sure what my father had planned for me to do. He wasn't to keen on letting me fight, or even train. He only allowed it because Rhysand had begged him to- and for his favorite child, his heir, he would yield.

But not for me, never for me.

I was always too wild, too talkative, too much.

Too Illyrian.

And it was no secret that a High Lord's daughter was rare. They almost always bore sons, heirs to the throne. I supposed that nobody had any true control over it, but for some reason the high families of Prythian were always, almost exclusively- men. As it stood right now, I was the only princess in Prythian aside from Mor. Though, I wasn't sure if she truly counted.

"You spend too much time protecting your left side and fighting with your right, it lets your enemy know where your weakness is. Fight with your entire body." Rhysand called out to Tamlin.

And even rarer was for two High Lord's to have a child in the same year. It was odd how it worked out, but Tamlin and I were born only 2 months apart, him before me. Therefore, our entire lives we were lumped together. Social gatherings and meetings, we were always seated next to the other. I was certain our fathers were already in talks about betrothing us before we even learned how to walk, no matter how much they despised one another. It was just too perfect, too right. Two opposites, darkness and light, Cauldron-gifted in the same year of birth.

I was sure I could be happy in a marriage with Tamlin. He was loyal, and he made me laugh. We'd been close since before I can remember, so we knew eachother well enough. I did love him, and maybe in time I could love him the way I'd need to.

But how happy could you ever be knowing you'd be happier somewhere else?

Tamlin's mating bond had snapped into place about a year ago, with some cruel looking red-haired Hybern commander. He hated her, so much so that he was willing to completely ignore the fact that she was his mate. We didn't speak of it much, but I could feel his shame, his hatred towards her. He was more concerned with ensuring his family never found out, because if he did there was no way they'd pass up having their son create an alliance for them with Hybern. No, it wouldn't be hard for him. He'd ignore that mating bond with ease, always assuming the cauldron had made a mistake.

Things were different for me.

I knew where my mating bond would be long before I ever felt it. And I was not ashamed in the slightest. I hadn't told Tamlin, but I doubted that he would be surprised when I did.

I need to speak with you. Father's voice echoed in my mind, pushing past my mental shields.

I'm on my way. I answered, standing from the dirt and wiping off my leathers.

"Our oh so gracious father has requested my presence." I called out to Rhys, "Kick his ass for me, Tam." Neither of them gave me a second glance as I winnowed away.

The wind smashed into me as I appeared in the air above Velaris. In the daylight, the city beamed with lively music and bustling crowds. My wings shot out to catch me, the air swirling around me as I sailed through it. Before I made my way to the House of Wind, I let the shadows curl around me. A beautiful black silk gown replaced my leathers.

I landed in the balcony, undoing my braid as I walked, letting my hair fall around me. The shadows swirled up my arms whispering in my ear that father was not in a pleasant mood. So, my crown appeared in my hand and I used the reflection of the marble walls to place it atop my head. With a flick of my hand as I opened the door to his study, I magicked khol around my eyes and soft pink paint on my lips.

When he looked up from his desk, I looked as if I had been out shopping, not training in the Spring Court.

Not that he didn't know, but he much preferred to pretend I did not.

"Leuruna." My father's voice curled around me, "Sit."

I obeyed, feeling the first edges of nervousness sink into me, "You look stressed, father."

"War is coming, of course I am stressed." He tapped his fingers on the table as he spoke, his violet eyes bright against his pale skin. Staring me down, as if he was looking into my soul.

"Tell me what I can do to help." I answered.

I would have much preferred to tell him I'd rather rip myself to shreds than lift a finger to help him, but I knew what would happen if I didn't play loving, doting daughter. The old bruise healing on my arm seemed to ache in response.

"As you know, Hybern is a formidable enemy." He began, "Even with all our allying courts and the human armies united against them, we cannot fight them head on and win."

"Are the Illyrian legions still giving you a hard time?" I frowned.

"That is not the issue." He answered.

Meaning the answer was yes.

"The issue is that Hybern has an arsenal of weapons at their disposal that we do not have. They have enough faebane to delegate all of our armies to fight with twigs if they please." His voice was cold as he stared at me.

"You're not reconsidering our alliance?" I couldn't stop myself from allowing the fear to seep into my voice.

"No, I do not believe in slavery. You know that." He defended.

Could have fooled me.

"But, I am willing to allow Hybern to think we are acting as spies for our allies. In actuality, we will be spying on them." He spoke, "We will use the Illyrians who are begging to ally with Hybern to our advantage."

"That won't be enough." I countered, "They will not believe that we are truly their ally based off a few Illyrian troops."

"No, it is not, and I will have to make sacrifices for the greater good." He spoke slowly, as if I was still a child, "The reason I am telling you this, Leuruna, is because I need someone in their court."

I sat back in my chair, feeling like the air was pulled out of my chest, "You want me to go to Hybern?"

"In order to prove my alliance, I am going to gift the king a shadowsinger. I had originally planned to use Azriel, but I think you may be more useful at prying information out of him." My father looked me up and down, and for a moment I wanted to rip my skin off my body.

He wanted to whore me out to Hybern, for information.

But if I refused, he'd send Azriel into that hellhole. My heart clenched in fear at the mere thought of it, at the risk, at what could happen if he was found out.

It was a double play, a double risk. I'd be a target for both Hybern and our true allies.

"I need to know that you are willing to do anything in order to ensure the safety of our lands. He needs to trust you. He needs to be willing to protect you."

I felt like I was going to be sick.

What choice did I have?

It was either me or Azriel.

And I'd do anything to protect my mate.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

★彡[ᴘʀᴇᴠɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ - ɴᴇxᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ]彡★

[wmheart3012]

𝟓: 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 | 𝐎𝐂!𝐋𝐞𝐮𝐫 𝐱 𝐀𝐳𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥

♡ 𝐅𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟 | ♤ 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭 | ♞ 𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐭/𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 | ☆ 𝐒𝐦𝐮𝐭 {𝟏𝟖+} | ♛ 𝐆𝐨𝐫𝐞 {𝟏𝟖+}

꧁༒☬𝓶𝓪𝓭𝓭𝔂'𝓼 𝓷𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓰𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷☬༒꧂

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.

★彡[ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀɴʏ ᴘᴇʀᴍɪꜱꜱɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴛᴇᴀʟ, ʀᴇ-ᴘᴏꜱᴛ, ᴏʀ ᴛʀᴀɴꜱʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴀɴʏ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀᴋꜱ. ɪ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴏᴡɴ ʀɪɢʜᴛꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴʏ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ɪɴᴠᴏʟᴠᴇᴅ ɴᴏʀ ᴅᴏ ɪ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴀɴʏ ᴀᴄᴛᴏʀꜱ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ᴏᴄ. ᴀʟʟ ᴡᴏʀᴋꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜰɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀᴄᴄᴜʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴅᴇᴘɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴꜱ.]彡★

★彡[ᴍɪɴᴏʀꜱ ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇɴɢᴀɢᴇ]彡★

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏: 𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 - ★彡[ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛꜱ]彡★

★彡[ᴘʀᴇᴠɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ - ɴᴇxᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ]彡★

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

Tamlin

Shockingly, I hadn't bled out yet.

I wasn't stupid enough to put it past the king to use something to keep me alive. Even if I was mostly just a shell, I was positive my soul had died a few hours ago. A sickening crack sounded down the hall, followed by another scream from Leur.

It had been nearly a week, and still I cringed every time I heard it. I wondered what they had broken this time, or if they had moved on to re-breaking the bones that had already healed.

It had been 16 hours since I last heard anything from Lucien's cell across from mine. I couldn't decide what was worse, the possibility that he was dead or that he was still alive.

"This can all go away if you just tell me what I want to know." A booming voice echoed down the hall, "You can't take much more, don't you want to be reunited with that brother of yours again?"

"Go to hell." Leur spat back.

"You asked for it." Another voice joined in, and then there was the sound of splashing water. I tried not to count the seconds, tried not to imagine her panic as her body screamed for air.

Somehow, I found myself counting anyway.

Somewhere around 124 seconds, I had to physically cover my mouth to stop from screaming.

She's dying.

She's dying.

Get her out!

I'd learned that lesson yesterday, when they finally got so fed up with Lucien and I screaming for them to stop- they'd gagged us and tortured us with her for hours. Everytime she refused to speak, refused to give information, all three of us recieved whatever punishment they had deemed. They only stopped whenever Lucien passed out, barely breathing. They threw us in the cells and 10 hours later they came back for her.

At 148 seconds, I heard her gasp for breath.

"Tell us how you're alive." One of them demanded, and I heard the wall crunch as her body was thrown into it, "Tell us."

"I'm not telling you shit." Her voice was strong even if laced with pain, "Kill me. I don't care."

"How about I kill that mate of yours instead?" The King's voice joined the cacophony.

How generous of him to grace us with his presence.

"You'll never find him." She answered.

"Let me guess, he's in Velaris." The King's voice hissed in reply, "Along with your brother, your cousin, and that other brute. Perhaps I should go after the Morrigan first, if your mate isn't enough to sway you. I do remember how close you used to be, seems she has gleaned to take care of your mate for you in your absence."

Velaris?

What the hell is Velaris?

"Keep her name out of your fucking mouth!" I could hear her fighting against the restraints.

"You're the one with the dirty mouth my dear." The King answered, "Remember the fun we used to have?"

I felt my stomach twist in response, nausea rising quickly up my throat. Memories flashed in my head from the first war, seeing Leur hang herself on the King's arm, the way he used to look at her as if she was something to eat.

"You make me sick." Leur spat.

And then, the King exploded, "You took the only thing I cared about, the only thing I loved. You'll pay for it in blood unless you decide to give me what I want."

For a moment, the hall went deathly silent. That dark power curled down the hall towards me, sending a chill down my spine. I waited with bated breath, listening for her response.

"Kill me then."

The man laughed then, his power recoiling, "Wrong choice." He took a breath before continuing, "I think I'll start by killing your family first. I remember how effective that was last time, your poor mother."

I heard a growl rip from her mouth, "If you could attack Velaris you would have done it already." She answered.

"I can do whatever, whenever I please." The King began walking away, "And who said I hadn't attacked Velaris yet?"

And then the screaming started up again.

Tamlin

1 week later

They had either messed up and thrown her in the wrong cell, or they had thought seeing the damage done to her would make me talk.

I was more focused on keeping her alive. The wounds on her leg would not stop bleeding, and my hands, the cell, everything was coated in it. I spent a lot of time wondering just how much someone could bleed and stay alive as I held pressure on the wound with a scrap of my shirt. Hours passed, maybe even days, and I was exhausted. My body was spent, I was spent, and I was pretty sure Lucien had died. At some point, I resorted to screaming for help. Something, anything, just for that ebb of crimson blood to stop. I knew nobody would ever hear me, not when I knew this place like the back of my hand, not when I had spent days down here before. I screamed and cried, begging for anything to make it stop, begging for someone to save us.

Perhaps somewhere along the way, I had lost my mind completely. I spent hours calling out for Rhysand, of all people, in my mind. I held on to some ridiculous notion of hope in my mind, just like I had for the past 500 years. Hope was a dangerous thing, and when it was unwarranted it had a way of ripping you to pieces. I spent so long playing games with Rhys, pretending to hate him was like a constant knife in my chest.

In reality, I just missed my friend.

When I finally saw Leur again after 120 long years, there was nothing of her left. After I spent another countless amount of years trying to get her to remember, I had fell to my knees before her and begged to tell Rhys the truth, the guilt of a crime I had never committed threatening to kill me, and she refused me. She had looked so different then, the light gone from her eyes replaced by something otherworldly. I remembered waiting for her to say something, anything, that let me know she was still in there. But all she did was refuse me, and I had nothing left to do but to go home.

Still, it was hope that kept me coming back. Decades spent crossing through that portal, seeking her out, trying everything I could think of to get her back. But she was nearly as dead as everyone thought she was, cold, unfeeling, lost in the pain and grief, shouldering a burden in that land that she never let me see. I told her everything I could find out about her family, her friends, and she never once acknowledged it. She'd brush me off, drown me out, sometimes even lock me out of the chateau she built for herself. I watched Rhysand, my friend who had taught me so much, fall into the darkness that his father had once wielded. After a few decades, I barely recognized him anymore. It was around that same time that I realized that I had done the same, that when I looked in the mirror all I saw was my father. And I just couldn't bring myself to give up. Maybe I was chasing some dream, a distant memory of black wings sailing through the trees of the Spring Court, of the last time I felt some measure of happiness. Maybe, if I gave up on her, it would be like giving up on myself.

And then Lucien came, and he was so broken. In the same way she was, betrayed by his own court, losing the love of his life in the process. I saw the similarities between them, that heartache in their eyes, that pain. Still, it took me a long time to trust him enough to let him in on my biggest secret.

I hadn't expected him to be the one that brought her back. But it was so tangible, how they healed each other, how they understood things about the other that nobody else could. I'd never forget that day, when Lucien had gone through without me, and I walked up to the gates of that chateau. It had always been so lifeless there, silent. But that day, I heard laughter in the air, both his and hers, and I felt that happiness for the first time in centuries. And slowly but surely, she came back to life. She started joking again, started singing again, started asking about her family, and that light that had always been inside her glowed once more.

And then somehow, we ended up here. She was dying under my hands, and Lucien hadn't made a sound in a week now.

I had dreams of the day she'd be freed from that bargain. For a moment, they almost came true. She was like a whirlwind, immediately showing up and picking a fight with me. I couldnt bring myself to mind, not as I watched her walk through the forest, enchanting Feyre with her every move, not as I watched her stroll into the manor as if she never left. But just like that hope I held onto all those years, my dreams were fruitless.

My body was weaker than I could ever remember it being, half from the lack of my magic and half from the wounds littering my body. My hands were covered in her blood, marking me with my own incapability to save anyone I loved. My entire body shook as I kept that pressure, willing myself to keep going, to keep her alive no matter if I died for it.

And finally, the blood stopped flowing. Her body had healed enough, as slow as it was, to close the wound. Her heartbeat echoed in my ears as I collapsed next to her, my body spent, my mind spent. I found the strength to put my back against the stone walls, the lashes from yesterday having healed enough to allow me to do so, and I pulled her head in my lap.

It wouldn't be long before they killed her. If they had thrown her in her own cell with that wound, she'd be dead by now. I supposed that the King had gleaned to finish what he started all those years ago.

Maybe it would be for the best. At least the pain would stop.

She was living on borrowed time anyway.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

★彡[ᴘʀᴇᴠɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ - ɴᴇxᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ]彡★

[fuzzydreamin]

Companions Lead and Follow

⌨ Ada: "Orders processed. Following as requested." / "You lead the way and I'll follow, ma'am." / "I will follow and assist with your permission."

☘ Cait: "Keep leadin'… I'll just follow like the cute little idiot you think I am."

⚙ Codsworth: "You lead, I'll follow. But for the record, this is a bad idea."

⚕ Curie: "I shall follow you." / "But, of course, I will follow you."

♞ Danse: "Roger that. Following." / "Wherever it is that you're leading us, I'll proudly follow." / "You lead the way, and I'll always be close behind."

🕶 Deacon: "Then, lead on."

☠ Gage: "- I just might follow you off the ends of the earth if you asked."

☣ Hancock: "Following strangers into tunnels ain't always turned out this well for me."

☸ Longfellow: "You lead an' I'll follow. Seems to be workin' out so far."

⨁ MacCready: "Wherever you need to go, I'll be following right behind." / "Keep leading and I'll follow you. That was the deal, right?"

♥ Nick: "I'll follow wherever you lead."

✉ Piper: "So many threads to follow. But if anyone's gonna find where they lead, it's us." (talking to the player, not about them, but it's the closest one she has about this subject)

☀ Preston: "Following your lead." / "You lead, and I'll follow."

☢ Strong: "You good leader. Better than Fist. Strong follow you always." / "Strong follow you anywhere. You are Strong's brother." / "You great fighter. Strong follow you always." / "Strong follow you anywhere. Fight with you against anything." (just some highlights - Strong has a lot of lines about following your lead)

☾ X6-88: "I'll just follow orders and keep my opinions to myself. You'll be happier that way."