#ALIVE!Sigrid

[afterthefeast]

got through the whole minsc fight, definitely knocked him out and then for some reason at the end he just died anyway wtffffff

[quotespile]

I don't want to talk about you, or to hear others talk about you. It's a cliche, of course: we talk about the dead in order to remember them, in order to keep them, in the only way we can, alive. But I have found that the more people say about you, for example those who spoke at the memorial — people who loved you, people who knew you well, people who were very good with words — the further you seem to slip away, the more like a hologram you become.

Sigrid Nunez, The Friend

[pollyaunt]

My thoughts on HOFAS

-> First and foremost, only SJM can make me violently react towards books even though it's been years since I've started reading and got into the Maasverse.

-> Ch 99 broke me. Literally. I was downright bawling so hard to the point I couldnt breathe especially with the Danika, Lele and Pack of Devils scene. And ofc, Jesiba. I love you sm.

-> Bryce is an absolute badass and I would agree that her and Hunt's relationship wasnt portrayed the best in this book in comparison to the first, but well, the first also focused on the Kristallos as the danger whereas in this book they were the allies. Suffice to say, the degree of change was ought to happen and supposed to be vast. I'm nonetheless very much happy with how both of them turned out to be in the end.

-> Lidia. She's more Aelin than Aelin herself. In this house, we absolutely ADORE LIDIA CERVOS. And her sons and ofc Ruhn. They carried the book most definitely.

-> The ACOTAR x CC crossover was done immaculately and Maas so not deserves the disappointment shes receiving over it especially because be for fuckin real, it had to be more about CC than ACOTAR itself. And I'm honestly very happy with how she portrayed those scenes while remaining true to the characters (besides the bonus chapter which was kinda meh)

-> Tharion Ketos most certainly made decisions that were not the best but dude, you've got to recognise that he was the most selfless one in the entire book all the while trying to keep himself alive. His determination and ambition were honourable. And ps: I havent forgotten how open ended his story has been left especially with Sathia gone abruptly (whom I LOVED) and I think it's kinda pointing at how he and Ithan might get their own novella or book after the next ACOTAR.

-> Last but not the least, Ithan. That dude was trying to the best always yall and lets be honest without him, I highly doubt they'd been able to 1. Get out of the Viper Queen's lair. 2. Been able to defeat the Asteri without that bullet. And they way Maas has left his story along with Ketos' incomplete for now has surely not escaped my notice. After all, we still gotta know what happened to Sigrid really and Sathia 👀

In conclusion, the two things that felt off to me throughout the book was:

-> Firstly, how the Quinlar relationship was written in certain scenes but also, to an extent I also sympathized with both of them given the extent of trauma both of them had been through. It was understandable but comforting myself with the thought that once stuff on Midgard got better, both of them must've discussed it at length cuz, that's what our Quinlar is really. So, I'm not that unhappy with their portrayal and love them equally.

-> Secondly, this one has bugged me a lot in the series: the wasted potential that was Fury Axtar. She could've been SUCH a vital asset to them and all over, one of the most badass character. But instead of explaining and exploring her, SJM made quite a mistake by off writing her mostly from the books. That could've been done better.

[nocompromise-noregrets]

hi! I'd love to hear about the fic where bard fluffs his sindarin and causes an incident lol 💜

hiiiii! This was in response to a prompt by the lovely @myeaglesong and involves Tauriel accidentally teaching Bard slightly more words than she intended to, and Bard then getting two words which sound rather similar* somewhat unfortunately confused when attempting to have a normal conversation with Thranduil, not at all aided by the fact that he is really not at all unflustered whenever he's in Thranduil's presence XD I've done the buildup but have to actually write the conversation with Thranduil, and I got a bit distracted by various things and still haven't finished it, oops >.< so I'm not entirely sure how much of an incident actually occurs, or whether the diplomatic incident is in fact Dáin having kittens over the thought of his two uneasy allies being somewhat more closely allied XD

*it is, of course 'mellon' and 'meleth' :D Here's an extract:

“Now - where do we start?” “I should say, with a greeting,” said Tauriel. “Mae govannen means ‘well met’, and it can also mean welcome, so it’s an appropriate thing to say in your situation, since my King is a guest in your city.” “Mae govannen,” Bard repeated, trying to replicate Tauriel’s accent, though he didn’t think he was managing it very well. “Mae govannen.” He tried again, and Tauriel smiled. “Very good,” she said. “I think your accent helps. You sound like the Men of Dale used to sound.” “This is how my Da sounded, and my grand-da,” said Bard. “People from Lake-town had all sorts of accents, because they came from all over, but the few of us who are left whose ancestors escaped alive out of the ruins of Dale, we sound more or less like this.” He blinked. “I suppose you remember them. I don’t think I’ll ever be used to it, you only look about five years older than Sigrid.” “We traded with Dale,” said Tauriel, “and - well, it was only a couple of hundred years ago, and for us that’s not very long at all.” “I don’t think I’ll ever understand,” said Bard. “You’re all older than I can possibly imagine.” “That’s not to say we can’t forge friendships, though,” said Tauriel. “Which I hope we’ve been doing. And I suppose that leads to another word I can teach you - mellon-nín, which means ‘my friend’.” She chuckled, and took a sip of wine. “Although you have to be careful, because it’s quite close to meleth-nín, which means ‘my love’.” “Oh,” said Bard. “I rather wish you hadn’t told me that second one, because now I’m bound to get the two confused.” He echoed Tauriel’s laugh, nervously, hoping to cover up how hard his heart was suddenly beating, and to distract himself from the thoughts that suddenly wanted to fill his mind. “Anyway, I don’t think either of them are going to be appropriate if I’m talking to your King.” Tauriel took another mouthful of wine and then passed the flagon back to Bard. “Perhaps not the second one,” she said, sounding amused, “but the first one - maybe. It’s presumptuous, to be certain, and he wouldn’t take it from any of us, but you’re technically his equal now, and Sindarin is not your first language and you’re making an effort with it, for him. I think he might find it charming.”

Thank you for asking! <3333333 if anyone else fancies asking me about any of my current WIPs, the list is here!

[on-a-mechtechnicality]

Idol

The morning sun illuminated the DropShips towering over the encampment and Sigrid was making her way ‘home’. The mess tent was disappearing behind her and the sounds of the camp faded along with it to be replaced by the din of people working around the towering vessels.

She boarded, finding herself in the small human-sized corridors that made the ship feel almost cramped. The feeling didn’t last as she soon found herself face to face with the cavern that was the MechLab. It looked big from up in the overlook, where she could see the entire area, but from here on ground level she didn’t think she’d ever get used to it.

Every single Bay was lit up and most had ‘Techs working on repairing the damaged machines inside. Despite this, one of them seemed cloaked in shadow. No light reflected onto the walkway in front, and from where she just entered she couldn’t see into the Bay.

The moment she could though, it all made sense.

Sigrid blinked.

Siggy opened her eyes and bounced to the mirror. In it she saw a girl with a great big mop of unruly red hair. She sat down and brushed and brushed and brushed, and then started braiding, just like Mom had showed her. Each strand meticulously on display.

Behind her on the wall hung her dream. On the left of the twin posters an impressive looking ‘Mech stepped out of a blazing inferno. Legs bending backwards, striding resolutely forward with two arms and great big rocket pods on its shoulders.

Beside it was a much more sedate but much more interesting dream. The same ‘Mech, now laid out in excruciating detail in an exploded technical view. Sometimes when she couldn’t sleep, she looked over the poster to read all the things she read a thousand times. Where the actuators were, where the sensors were, every single line on the diagram committed to memory, familiar and comforting.

And then she blinked again.

In front of her, black as a moonless night, stood her dream. A towering and proud machine, dormant but steadfast. Almost… alive.

The engineering on the foot in front of her was masterful, if she looked close enough she could see every piece of articulation, not a rivet out of place despite the well-worn look. Her eyes drifted from the trifold feet to the massive calf actuators and then further up. To the upper legs, the sleek torso and the arm actuators ending in dual hardpoints.

She couldn’t see the missile banks, but she knew them. She could see every familiar component, every single caption from her posters on Utrecht.

It didn’t just live up to her expectations, this machine exceeded it.

Blink. Work to do.

Sigrid synced her tablet with the docket and looked over her assigned tasks.

MechTech: Sigrid Guntran Initial assignment: Timber Wolf ‘Death Knell’ Bay: 8 Work order:  right torso; replace armor plating right torso; general maintenance Full systems check Notes: Sigrid, sorry to put this on ya last minute, but I know you can do it! I’m trying to keep low so the MedTechs don’t get me. -Karrie

She looked down at her tablet, and then up at her dream. Part of her wondered if this was real, and another part supplied that she was currently working on an SLDF DropShip, deep in the Rimward periphery, on a hostile planet, under the command of a beautiful avian woman so old that the show she was on with the other Clan totem warriors – who were also here – was considered a historical record.

Working on an actual Timber Wolf didn’t seem so odd anymore.

She climbed up to the catwalk and found the Bay controls. From up here she could see the majesty that was the Timber Wolf from its rear angles, a dark void contrasted against the bright industrial lighting of the MechLab. She knew every angle, every single curve of the machine’s panelling by heart.

As the platform on the ‘Mech’s right side was lowering into position, she moved around to follow it. Panning down from the side she could see where the torso armor had taken the hits. Large chunks were warped or missing, open wounds showing the delicate internals that thankfully seemed to be in good shape. How good a shape she would have to find out later. Right now, the armor needed to come off.

She knew the automated arms could be more efficient, but they weren’t as accurate as handheld power tools. A machine of this caliber deserved those. She let the winch above her come down. Before connecting the straps onto the armor she placed a hand on the wounded ‘Mech.

“We’ll get you fixed up, don’t you worry.”

She hooked the straps to the attachment points in the armor and tensioned the lines. Bit by bit she carefully detached the panel until only the tension from above held them in place. Then it was just a light pull until it started moving.

She slowly guided the crane to move the panel out of the way and safely to the floor level of the Bay, out of the way of the walkway. A tap or two on her tablet flagged it for repairs. A forklift would be along soon.

With the panel out of the way she could see the underlying internals, sleek steel pipes contrasting harshly and beautifully against the black of the surrounding panels. And she knew them.

She knew the coolant from the lubricant from the hydraulics from the electronics at a glance, the labels only confirming what she already knew. Every conduit flowed like a symphony around the frame.

Around the places the armour had been gauged, she looked a little closer. Signs of damage would be hard to spot among the labyrinth of angles, but a visual inspection was part of the troubleshooting process. Her eyes danced over each line, following them from one end of the panel gap to where they snaked back into the ‘Mech’s interior.

All looked clear and secure, Clan engineering ensuring that even in the event of armor breach, the primary systems would not be easy to take out. Let alone the secondary and tertiary.

The systems looked undamaged, so she let the platform carry her down, just in time to see the panel being driven to the manufacturing wing. She followed along, not minding that she couldn’t keep up with the forklift. It’d give them some time to offload before she showed up. The difference in time between walking and driving was significant when dealing with this much space. Sigrid enjoyed the walks though, the Bay in operation was a soothing cacophony of all the different tools interacting with every material under the sun.

The armor repair itself was repetition more than anything. Identify a damaged subpanel. Remove the damaged subpanel. Find a suitable sized replacement. Shape the replacement. Attach the replacement. Repeat.

The capstone was the painting. It needed to match the existing color scheme, and match it well. Fresh paint also looked different from worn paint, but that was nothing they couldn’t handle. In the brochure it had never said that being an artist was part of being a MechTech, but the surprise had been a pleasant one.

The paint fresh but no longer wet, she followed the forklift back to Bay 8. It was already hoisted up and ready to be placed. She considered the automated tools, but for installation the accuracy was even more important than for removal, and handheld tools were king.

The work was honestly calming to Sigrid, alone up on the platform, grafting new skin onto the wounded ‘Mech in front of her. Bit by bit she circled around the edge of the panel until everything looked like she never touched it at all.

She climbed back onto the catwalk where her equipment was stored. She took out her neurohelmet and opened the compartment on her toolkit where she kept her soft tools. She knew them by heart, but looking through them helped remind her which ones she had available should the need arise.

The hop from the catwalk to the top of the Timber Wolf was not a big one. The matte black paint on the armor made it a little harder to judge. What made it really hard to make the jump though, was that Sigrid knew what she was about to do.

She was about to hop on top of a Timber Wolf. She was about to open the latch and lower herself inside. She already knew what it would look like, she knew the view from the cockpit, she knew the exact dimensions of the enclosure.

And that made it all the more daunting.

Gathering her will in her mind and her grip on her neurohelmet, she took the hop.

She was standing on top of a Timber Wolf. She was working on it, it was her work. It was her dream. She unlocked the hatch and allowed herself to slip inside.

Inside the ‘Mech it was quiet. No hum from the reactor, no sound arrived from the outside. There was just Sigrid, trying to calm her breathing, and the terrifying, loving embrace of a dream.

Her mind knew the startup sequence of a ‘Mech. Her fingers danced this dance before. And yet she couldn’t stop trembling as she toggled the first switch.

Bay power to auxiliary generator.

The high-pitched whine of the generator filled the cockpit. It was reassuring, it was terrifying, it was exhilarating.

Flick.

Auxiliary power to emergency lighting.

The lights around her came online. Dim compared to the view through the cockpit, but plenty bright enough to see by.

Auxiliary power to diagnostic systems.

Screens flickered to life. White text flew over a black background as the ‘Mech rose from slumber. Not awake yet, but no longer asleep. Sigrid listened to the whine and the soft clicks performing a symphony of self-tests. The ‘Mech checked its pressures, checked every single one of its connections in a lightning-fast choreography of every system it could access.

The text scrolled by faster than she could read, but she wasn’t looking for text. She was looking for colors. She was looking for the orange that signified a warning, the angry red that signified a fault. Her heartbeat punctuated the soundscape as seconds ticked past.

And then nothing.

No more text flying by, nothing more to focus her attention on. Just a single phrase that was both the best thing she could have read and the most disappointing.

Self-test: 100% Warnings: 0 Errors: 0 System status: OK

No need to diagnose further, it would not be time well spent. It would be time spent with her dream, but that didn’t matter.

She powered down the ‘Mech, returning it to cold and dark status. Ready for when it would be needed again. She picked her neurohelmet from where she set it down and held it in her hands. She stared at the visor.

Reflected in it she could see a woman with red hair in a tight bun, sitting inside the cockpit of a Timber Wolf. Her dream.

She sighed and rotated the helmet around. With trembling hands she placed it on her head.

She wasn’t plugged in.

The ‘Mech was powered down.

She had better things to do.

Siggy closed her eyes. It didn’t matter.

She had her helmet on

Made from an old football helmet, Utrecht Kodiaks logo covered with silver tape

She could see the canopy in front of her

Made from a laundry basket, tipped on its side

She knew exactly where the missile pods were

Two cardboard boxes, placed on the sofa behind her

She was in the cockpit of a Timber Wolf.

She was in the cockpit of a Timber Wolf.

The beat of her heart and the sound of her breath were the only things accompanying her for this moment in time, etching itself into her memory as her visor slowly fogged up without the air circulation connected.

She took off her helmet and held it in her hands, staring into the condensed visor one last time. There was work to be done.

She extracted herself from the cockpit and closed the hatch beneath her.

The hop from the ‘Mech onto the catwalk was both easier and harder than the other way. She landed with a soft impact of her work boots.

She placed her helmet with her toolkit and sat down on the upper catwalk, out of sight of anyone working, staring at her dream.

She raised her tablet. Four taps was all it took.

Work order complete

@jaded-falcon

[honeysuckletoast]

Y'all thought I dissapeared didn't you? Nope!:)

here are some head cannons because I started writing them a month ago and never finished

Francesca Bittern

-The biggest neat freak you would ever meet

-gets up early to sit and drink tea and talk with Miss Avocet when she was still alive.

-Miss Avocet pushed her to be a normal teenager and to not grow up too fast. She blamed herself for Francesca's uptight and strict demanor. (She had the same issue with Alma)

-she considered Miss Avocet and miss Bunting her grandmothers and would do anything for them.

-her, Sigird, and Bettina are really close. They are the only two Francesca really will mess around with.

-plans to run her own loop with Sigrid (Bettina is a bit farther behind them in training) but she would be there only half the time, doing work for the council the other half.

-when she was younger used to dispise the nickname Frannie, so of course sigird made it the only thing anyone ever calls her by so she learned to love it.

-born in the late 50's and it reflects in her clothing style when outside the loop.

-if she went to a normal highschool she would be the valedictorian easily.

-studied SO much ancient texts and books in old peculiar that she has a small job in the council translating books that never could be translated before.

-finds word searches to be a fun way to waste her time

- her Sigird and Bettina once found a shopping cart on the side of the road and being teenagers they started to mess around in it, and Bettina lost her grip on the handle bars and francesca got thrown out of it and ended up with a bad scrape on her arm and thigh that scarred. She now always wears long sleeves every day because she's still embarrassed about her recklessness.

-finds Enoch's peculiarity to be the most interesting of miss P's children, and she enjoys watching him re- animate toy soldiers and dolls.

-after miss Avocet's passing she and miss Peregrine grew much closer.

-she assists and helps miss Bunting in her own loop after Miss Avocet's passing on request of the council as they feared Miss Bunting wasn't handling her partners death well.

Sigrid Owl

-her bird is an owl. Specifically a snow owl.

-originally from Norway, Her old Ymbryne Miss Elachura sent her to the asian school for ymbrynes, but sent her to miss Avocet's academy instead after an incident where Sigrid got half of her hair cut off when she was really young. She keeps her hair short now for the reason as it grew too unevenly after being cut.

-still very close with Miss Elachura and visits her on every break she gets at the academy. She worries with each visit that miss Elachura is getting too old to be running a loop alone.

-is super blind without her glasses. One time she lost them and couldn't even attend class due to being unable to read any of the material.

-prefers the cold over the heat. She loves the snow (of course)

-studies botany and fawna in her spare time. Peculiar botany is her specialty.

-born in the 1960's. She's closest in age with Francesca at the academy.

-can do the Pythagorean theorem like it's nothing. She's very good at math.

-constantly writing on the back of her hands and arms.

-knows multiple different languages like Francesca

-good with modern technology. She helps many of the older ymbrynes learn new technology

-gets along with Millard and bronwyn surprisingly well.

-loves to ice-skate and promised to teach Millard and Claire how.

[guardianofrivendell]

One Morning in Laketown...

Fíli x OC Tullaina

Requested: no - requests are closed atm, this was written by me, for me

Warnings: awkwardness, pining, what is that ending though, this is not smutty 18+ but there is some morning excitement going on with Fíli fyi - also, I don’t know what pacing is so yes this feels rushed and unfinished (no pun intended)

Summary: Tullaina is cold, and Kíli thinks it’s the perfect opportunity to help his brother out. At least, that was the plan. 

Tullaina fic timeline: between Slippery When Wet and When in Mirkwood - during the Quest 

Word count: 1.9k

A/N: I’m alive! After almost 7 months of not being able to finish anything, I managed to get this out of my system. Did anyone ask for this? Of course not (no one’s waiting for OC content) and even I don’t know where it came from, but the idea kept bouncing around in my head so I had to write it down. 

This was supposed to be a little haha fic about Fíli’s morning wood poking Tullaina but then somehow I dragged fluff, inner turmoil and a dash of angst into this to even things out I guess. Bon apétit!

Also yes, we can all acknowledge that I’m still bad with titles. 

Laketown was grey, wet and cold. Even though the bowman had warned them it wasn’t a comfortable place to be, Tullaina had expected something a little more… dry. 

The smell of rotted wood and mold hung heavy in the air as they settled in his living room, irritating her nose and throat and keeping her from taking deep breaths. But Bard’s house was a safe haven, at least for now, a chance to catch their breaths, fill their bellies and dry their clothes, so she shouldn’t really complain .

A warm and hearty dinner made the Company’s good spirits return, and with the mountain now within their reach and their strengths returned through food and rest, the room was filled with excited chatter and laughter. 

Tullaina sat with her back against the wall, knees pulled up to her chest and a knitted blanket thrown around her shoulders, watching their merrymaking with tired eyes.

Sigrid had suggested she’d sleep in her room, thinking she could use a little privacy away from her male companions, but Tullaina had politely declined. After what happened in Mirkwood, there was no way Thorin, Fíli, Kíli or any other member of the Company would let her out of their sight, not even for one second. And she felt the exact same way. 

As the night progressed, one by one the Dwarves laid down to rest on the hard wooden floor, using the provided blankets and throws and whatever they could find to sleep on. Tullaina quickly followed their example, absolutely exhausted after their escape from the Mirkwood dungeons and travelling to Laketown, with Fíli and Kíli joining her not long after. 

But sleep didn’t came as easily as she would have wanted. Despite the room being packed with Dwarves and a Hobbit and a still smouldering fire in the fireplace, she couldn’t seem to get warm. The humid air and the cold had crept into her tired bones, her toes were numb and every inch of skin was prickled with goosebumps. She couldn’t stop shivering, no matter what position she tried to sleep in. 

After what seemed like hours of endless tossing and turning, Tullaina rolled onto her side, double-downed and clenched her eyes shut, wishing for warmth and sleep to come at last.

“Everything alright?” Fíli whispered, having noticed her shivering form. He was careful to keep his voice down, not wanting to wake up any of the others. But judging by their loud snoring, it would take a lot more than a hushed conversation to wake them up. 

Tullaina pulled the knitted blanket a little tighter around her, and nodded. “Jus’ c-cold, is all.”

Fíli reached out and covered the hand that clutched her blanket, easily enveloping it in his own. “Mahal, you’re freezing!”

On her other side, Kíli turned around so he could face them. “You want my blanket?”

“N-no Kíli, I swear I’m f-f-fine. You need your own b-blanket.”

“Tulls, you’re clearly not fine, I can feel you shaking. Are your clothes dry enough?” Fíli asked, patting down the blanket to see if it turned damp. “Seems okay to me.”

“I told you I’m f-f-fine, Dwarves are warmblooded, I’ll warm up eventually,” she tried to reassure them. If only her teeth would stop chattering so she could actually try to get some sleep… 

“That’s it!” Kíli yelled, immediately shushed by his brother, “don’t give me that look Fee, no one heard me. But Tulls is right, we are warmblooded. That’s what she needs, body warmth!”

“So what do you suggest?”

“Isn’t that obvious? See, that’s why I’m the smarter one out of the two of us. Fee, you need to share your blanket! Let her sleep against you so you can share your body warmth, she’ll be fine in no time and then we can all have a good night’s sleep.”

Fíli froze, immediately catching on to what his brother was trying to do and he opened his mouth a few times to say something, too stunned to speak. 

Tullaina tried to ignore the stab in her stomach when she realised Fíli was mortified by the idea of sleeping under the same blanket. She didn’t understand, there had been lots of times during the Quest and back home where they’d cuddled close to each other, and for Durin’s sake, when they escaped Mirkwood that morning he couldn’t let go of her, his arm firmly wrapped around her waist for hours after, so why would he be so against the idea now? 

“It’s fine, I-I can share with Kíli, I don’t mind,” she quickly suggested, trying to break the awkward tension.

“But I do!” Kíli protested quickly, “no offence Tulls, but I know you’re a heavy dreamer, I’m not looking to be kicked in the shins. Or worse.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Fíli stuttered after he found his voice again, “I’m sorry Tullaina, of course I’ll sleep with you-” 

Both Tullaina and Kíli watched the colour drain from his face as his brain caught up with his mouth. They stared at him with wide eyes while Fíli prayed that the inside of Bard’s house was dark enough so no one could see how flushed he was.  “I mean- I don’t… That’s not… I- I’ll shut up now.”

He moved closer towards Tullaina, close enough so he could throw part of his blanket over her but still keeping enough distance between their bodies so his mother would be proud of him. 

“Is this okay?” he asked with a hushed voice, “I can move if you want.”

“Fíli, it’s fine, don’t worry,” Tullaina hummed, instantly relaxed by the extra warmth and comfort radiating from him, and she could feel her eyelids getting heavier by the second.

“Now that everyone’s settled and comfortable, can we finally go to sleep?” Kíli’s voice sounded from behind them, and Fíli muttered a good night in return. He noticed Tullaina remained silent, her breathing already evened out. The shivers had stopped, but Fíli still pulled his part of the blanket off of him and covered her with it, keeping none for himself. 

*

It was still early when Tullaina woke up, feeling well-rested and warm. She could hear soft snoring right next to her, and as she slowly opened her eyes, she was greeted with Fíli’s sleeping figure. Their noses almost touched, they were that close to each other and she could feel his breath brush her lips with every sigh. 

Even though the room was still shrouded in the night’s darkness she could see the outlines of his face perfectly. His long nose, his moustache braids she knew he was so proud of, the lines around his mouth and eyes - the ones she could read like a map, every little skin crease depicting a different emotion, a different meaning behind them - now smoothed underneath the promise of a safe night. Her fingers twitched, eager to stroke the stray hairs out of his face, his usually well-kept braids untangled, a reminder of their flight from Mirkwood, making him look more like Kíli than he would have wanted. 

She shouldn’t. 

They were about to reclaim Erebor, their long lost home and it would change everything. But it was their home, not hers. 

They were actual royalty for Mahal’s sake, and the closer they came to ending their quest, the more she realised that she was going to lose them. She didn’t belong in their world, or at their side. She, an orphaned daughter of an Ered Luin seamstress and a miner, had no place beside the throne. When everything was over and settled down, she would make the journey back. Alone. 

After all, princes didn’t make friends with commoners and they certainly didn’t court or marry them. They would forget her soon enough. 

Tullaina sighed and turned on her other side, wanting to put as much distance between them as she could. She shouldn’t think about her goodbyes just yet, they had a dragon to slay first. 

Before she was able to inch further away, Fíli grunted and draped a large arm over her middle, pulled her closer and pressed his broad frame against her back. She froze at the sudden proximity and tried to fight her initial reaction of melting into him and folding her arms over his. What would the others think if they woke up and found them like this? Spooning? 

But those concerns were quickly pushed to the back of her mind when she noticed something else, something very prominent and very much awake. 

She knew what it was, she wasn’t a little pebble anymore, but knowing about it and feeling it pressed against your butt were two totally different things. 

Fíli would probably die of embarrassment if he knew and Tullaina was sure she would be right behind him at this point. She tried to carefully squirm her way out of his arms, without waking him up, but his hold on her was too tight. In any other situation she would’ve been flattered, excited even, knowing that he didn’t want to let her go, but now she wished she had accepted Sigrid’s offer. 

All her wiggling and squirming to get away only made it worse and Fíli more excited. There was no other option but to wait for him to wake up, hoping none of the others would do so first. 

And for once, luck was on her side because a few minutes later, Fíli started to stir. Tullaina patted his arm softly and whispered his name, trying to get him to let go before he realised what kind of predicament he had put them in. 

Fíli heard the slight panic and worry in her voice and wrongfully assumed there was danger looming. In an instant he went into full protective mode and pulled her closer against him, tightening his hold on her, shielding her body with his own. He groaned and bucked his hips involuntarily as Tullaina’s body made contact with his hardness, and that’s when he realised to his horror what was going on. 

He immediately let her go, his body jolting back as if she’d burned him. By doing so, he bumped into a sleeping Kíli, who was up in a second, startled by the sudden action of his brother. The yelps of both princes alerted Thorin, who was usually a light sleeper, whose movement woke Bilbo and in just a few seconds, the whole Company was awake. 

Fíli scrambled to his feet, muttering apologies as fast as he could, not knowing where to look. Tullaina was just as mortified as him, and trying to escape the questioning looks of everyone she quickly excused herself, mumbling something about helping Sigrid with breakfast, even though none of the Bardlings were awake yet. 

Kíli and the others watched her dash out of the living room, but no one dared to comment. Thorin eyed his nephews carefully, but decided to let it slide for now. If it was important, they would come to talk to him eventually.  

Fíli was still panting and beet red when Kíli came up next to him.

“That went well, didn’t it?” he commented, as they watched everyone getting ready for breakfast, the previous scene already forgotten.  

If looks could kill, the youngest Durin prince would’ve died on the spot, twice. Fíli muttered something about needing some air and stomped out of the house into the cold morning air. 

Kíli sighed heavily and pouted his lips, looking at the pile of blankets on the ground.

“Another good plan gone to waste.”

Permanent taglist: @roosliefje​ @kata1803​ @entishramblings​ @artsywaterlily​ @sleepy-daydream-in-a-rose​ @marvelschriss​ @kumqu4t​ @the-banannah​ @dark-angel-is-back​ @the-fandoms-georgie​ @lathalea​ @xxbyimm​ @katethewriter​ @aredhel-of-gondolin​ @elvish-sky​ @moony-artnstuff​ @kirenia15​ @vicmackeybullshxt​ @hey-its-nonny​ @beenovel​ @cassiabaggins​ @shethereadinghobbit​ @justfollowtheroad​ @laurfilijames​ @fizzyxcustard​ @brokennerdalert​ @linasofia​ @naimadrawsstuff​ @errruvande​ @amaryllis23​ @enchantzz​ @narniaandthenorth @sketch-and-write-lover​ @blairsanne​ @ruthoakenshield​ @midearthwritings​ @alone19-24 @medusas-hairband​ @ren-ni​ @kyramaximoff @megnotfound​ @middleearthpixie​ @aduialel​ @tree0frog​ @trappedinlimbo15 @brethil13​

Fíli taglist:  @bluewingedangel​ @spidergirla5​ @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore​ @clumsy-wonderland​ @i-always-come-back-xoxo

[middleearthpixie]

Something in the Night ~ Chapter Twenty-Two

Summary: Following the Battle of the Five Armies, a seriously wounded Thorin Oakenshield returns to Erebor to recuperate and eventually ascend the throne as king. With the deaths of Azog the Defiler and his son, Bolg, Thorin no longer has to worry about the bounty the Defiler placed on his head and can instead concentrate on restoring Erebor to its former glory. 

Nina Carren of Esgaroth has one goal—to make Thorin Oakenshield pay for unleashing Smaug the dragon unto her home—where he destroyed the town and killed her family. The Defiler might be gone, but his bounty remains very much in place, and she fully intends to collect on it. 

Finally, the opportunity shows itself for her to do just that, only to have it go horribly awry. Wounded and now at his mercy, neither Nina nor Thorin stopped to think what might happen, should things not go quite according to plan…

Pairings: Thorin Oakenshield x ofc Nina Carren

Warnings: None

Rating: T

Word Count: 3k

Tag List: @mrsdurin @i-did-not-mean-to @fizzyxcustard @xxbyimm @kibleedibleedoo

@lathalea @legolasbadass @arrthurpendragon @exhausted-humxn-being

@knittastically @notlostgnome @myselfandfantasy @medusas-hairband @guardianofrivendell

@jotink78 @ruthoakenshield @frosticenow @quiall321 @dianakc

@msjava1972 @glassgulls @evenstaredits @heilith @asgardianhobbit98

@way-too-addicted-to-fandoms @sazzlep @night-ace

If you’d like to be added (or removed) to the tag list, please just let me know!

Previous chapters can be found here. 

Darkness had never been so peaceful. 

Thorin stared up at the ceiling, which was little more than blackness upon blackness, embedded with gemstones that glinted in the flickering candlelight. He’d never noticed just how many stones there were, even after the literal weeks he’d spent in this very bed not quite two years earlier. Then again, the last time he’d occupied this bed, his circumstances were far more dire, as he hovered between life and death, utterly unsure of which he preferred. 

Since then, his scars ached from time to time, the ones on his belly a bit sensitive to the touch. But at that moment, he felt nothing but utter peace and perhaps the small tingling remnants of the absolute bliss that had coursed through his body earlier. 

Of their own volition, his fingers skimmed lightly along the gossamer, fiery silken threads of Nina’s wild curls. Her hair was softer than any other he’d ever touched, fluid and seemingly alive as it spilled through his fingers, the light catching the streaks of gold and fire running through it. Her breath whispered across his chest, and he smiled as her fingertips slid gently along his stomach. 

Nina lifted her head to regard him with sleepy eyes. “I thought you’d fallen asleep.”

“I’ve no desire to sleep. I’d rather this night not end just yet.”

She shifted, resting her chin against his chest. “Narnerra has told me she’s cleared me to leave. And while she didn’t exactly say so, I believe that was a polite way of telling me to lose myself come morning.”

He let his fingers move down, along the curve of her ear, to her cheek. “Where will you go?”

It might have been but his imagination, but he thought disappointment flashed through her unusual green eyes, but all she said, “I have a flat in Dale. And Sigrid is probably going out of her mind with worry for me.”

“Sigrid?”

“My roommate.” Her teeth flashed in a winsome smile. “Bard’s daughter.”

“You live with the bowman’s daughter?”

She nodded. “We’ve known each other since we were children. I bumped into her when I first returned to Dale and she needed a roommate as much as I needed a place to room.”

“Will she object to my paying call on you? I’ve the feeling she is no more fond of dwarves than you were when you and I first met.”

“Paying call on me?”

He nodded, letting his fingers graze along her jaw, unable to resist the feel of her soft skin. “I believe you call it courting in the world of Men.”

Her eyes widened. “You wish to court me? Do you even know what that means?”

He chuckled. “I know very well what it means. And I think I would like to do so. Unless you’d rather leave here and never be bothered by me again.”

Her laugh came soft and bubbly as she shook her head. “No, I’d rather not do that, if it’s all the same to you.”

With that, she eased over him and his breath hitched at the feel of her against him, the feel of her full breasts firm against his chest, the feel of her cleft nestling him so nicely. Her body fit perfectly against his, soft and supple as he slid his arms about her and let his fingertips dance down her spine toward the rounded curve of her backside. 

Her eyes softened as they held his, and she carefully shifted to balance as she traced a finger along the line of his beard. “Do dwarves approach courting differently?”

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never courted anyone.”

“Well, surely you know the basics.”

“I’m not so certain our basics are your basics.”

“Thorin.”

“What? I’m not.”

“Thorin.”

She started to shift off him, and he caught her before she could, smiling as he said, “Oh, no, mesmel. You are staying right there.”

“Am I, then?”

He nodded, tightening his hold on her. “Oh, yes. You are.”

Her gaze softened and he bit back a low sigh as she pressed her hips into his and replied, “If you insist.”

Her lips came upon his then and he wrapped his arms about her. She felt so perfect against him, his blood warmed as it swept through him, his heart picking up its pace as she broke the kiss to graze her lips along his chin, down his neck. Leaving fiery tingles in her wake, she kissed her way down over his chest, down his stomach, and his head spun from the heat that scorched him from the inside out. 

“Mesmel,” he managed to breathe as thinking became far more difficult. How could a simple kiss, a trail of simple kisses, creates such fire in him, create such need? A dull ache took root deep inside him, one that was maddening and arousing at the same time. Each pass of her lips, each flick of her tongue against his overheated skin sharpened that ache, made the fire burn brighter and hotter with each passing moment. His eyes closed of their own, sweet pleasure threatening to drown him as she moved into even more sensitive territory. 

Nina crept lower, her kisses hotter, more teasing and far more seductive now and as she reached his hip, he couldn't hold back his moan. He burned for this woman, this wanton temptress who made him feel things he never knew could be felt, and little by little, his blood flowed south, hot and thick and burning as he responded to her sensual touch. 

Her lips came soft and warm along his left inner thigh, moved down toward his knee, then back up and his hips snapped up of their own as she slowly took him in her mouth. The silken pull was nearly his undoing, the inferno raging through him bringing him so perilously close to completion in a single heartbeat. 

Without thinking, he reached for her, sank his hands in to her glorious hair, twisting his fingers into the thick curls as he moaned, “Nina…” 

She lashed him with her tongue, slow strokes that moved along his length and swirled about his girth. She drew him deep, the pressure nearly driving him mad with the need for release. He held back, fought it off to allow the fiery pleasure to consume him. He couldn’t breathe. If someone asked, he’d not be able to recall his own bloody name. 

None of it mattered. She teased him to the brink of madness and the harder he pulled on her hair, the tighter her lips came about him and the rougher her tongue came upon him, and the pleasure that burned through him had the intensity of a thousand suns. 

Then, she pulled away slowly, offering up a sensual smile at his moan of protest. That protest was forgotten as she kissed her way back up to his lips, shifted ever so slightly and—

“Oooh…” He couldn't hold back his moan as she sheathed him in a silken glide and tightened about him. She sat back, hands braced on his chest, and rocked ever so slowly, moving forward and back. 

He moaned again, his hands coming to rest on her thighs, his fingers tightening as she rode him slowly. Forcing his eyes open, he drank in the sight of her, her full breasts swaying with her movement, her hips undulating so very slowly to treat him to sensations that were both fiery and sweet. 

She smiled, her eyes glittering in the candlelight as she whispered, “Thorin…”

He returned that smile, sliding one hand between her perfect thighs, into the russet curls between them, and found that pearl he knew would give her the same pleasure she gave him.

She sucked in a sharp breath as he just barely grazed it, and tightened about him even further as she drew him deep. With each stroke, she quivered about him, her hips moving faster now, her eyes closing as she caught her bottom lip between her teeth and bobbed her head. 

He felt her climax build, felt his own rolling up from somewhere deep inside him. He urged her to move faster, to ride him harder, and as she did, he increased his pressure on that bead until she let out a soft cry and a sudden burst of wetness accompanied the equally sudden tightness of her clamping all around him. 

He had to move, had to thrust, and did so without thinking, his hips arcing to meet her as his release burned through him. She shuddered with him, her fingernails bit into his chest and they cried out as one as her release triggered his and he erupted in a fiery crescendo of desire and need.

She tightened about him further, quivering and pulsing with him as she threw her head back in surrender and dug her nails harder into his chest. Her lips moved, but no sound emerged, and then she sank against him, fighting for breath, her head coming to rest in the curve of his neck.

His head spun from the force of his release and his own breath fled as well even as he wrapped his arms about her and managed to whisper, “Mesmel… oh… love… you are amazing… know you this?”

A soft laugh skittered across his bare skin, and he shivered at the sensation of her lips grazing the cure of his neck. “I love you,” she whispered back. 

He smiled into the semi-darkness, savoring the silkiness of her hair beneath his fingertips. “I love you, too. Maralmizi.”

“Maralmizi.” She lifted her head, her eyes heavy-lidded and sleepy. “Did I say that right?”

“Almost. Maralmizu is how you would say it to me.”

“Maralmizu?”

“Exactly.” He tucked a wayward curl behind her ear, wincing slightly as he slipped from her warmth. 

Nina shifted, stretching out beside him, and draped her arm about his waist, tucked her head into the curve where his shoulder met his chest. He tightened his arm about her, pressing a kiss into the top of her head. “And just so you know, mesmel,” he added with a smile, “you may do that to me any time you wish.”

Her laughter rippled through him. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“And when I’ve recuperated a bit more,” he murmured as a delicious drowsiness crept over him, “I will do the same to you.”

“I definitely like the sound of that.”

“I thought you might.”

****

Nina awoke to the soft snoring coming from behind her and she peered over her shoulder at Thorin, curved up against her, mouth softly slack in sleep. The infirmary bed was narrow and not really meant for two people, but she found it quite cozy just the same. 

She eased onto her back, then onto her opposite side and as the bed shifted, Thorin slowly opened his eyes, then lifted his head slightly to peer over her. “What time is it?”

“I don't know. There is no clock in here.” She reached down to catch a long, silver-streaked black curl and drew it away from his face. “Will you be in trouble, should someone find you here? Narnerra will be coming through soon.”

“Mesmel,” he winked, “I am the king. No one will scold me for anything I do. But, since I’d rather your reputation not be tattered, I should probably take my leave.”

Her spirits sank, as she was so very cozy there with him, but at the same time, he was probably right. “I’ll be leaving later this morning, remember.”

“I know.” He leaned to kiss her, then slid from the bed and she had to fight back a sigh at the sight of him as he rose and what remained of the candlelight danced over the swells of muscle along his back and legs, over the firm curve of his backside. 

He moved to step into his trousers, then bent and fished his henley from the floor, and stepped into his boots. “In a flat off Stone Street. I’ll find you later.”

“Later?”

He turned, his eyes visibly darkening as she sat up and the sheet slid from her. “Later. I have some business I need tend to first, business that will not wait, I’m afraid. But,” he paused by the door, “I will be round about half seven to take you to supper.”

“That sounds lovely.”

“Good. I’ll see you then.”

And with that, he was gone, slipping around the door and into the infirmary. She held her breath, waiting to hear Narnerra demand to know what he was doing there at so early an hour. At least, she thought it was early, although she had no way of knowing for certain. 

Either way, she slid from the bed, mindful of both of her healing wounds. They stung despite her careful movements, although the more she moved about, the more quickly the stinging stopped. By the time she’d dressed completely, she only barely felt anything.

Narnerra was at her desk, working on something, and looked up when Nina approached. “Ah, you’re moving about better, Miss Carren.”

“I’m getting there, I suppose.”

“Well, I think you are healed enough to be on your way.”

Narnerra’s voice was light and pleasant, but there was no mistaking the finality of her words. “I do appreciate all that you’ve done for me.”

“Of course. You were wounded in service to Erebor’s king. I would not turn you away for that. But now, it’s time for you to go. Safe travels.”

She smiled and turned back to her desk, indicating their conversation was over and while she had no clue how to find her way back to the front gates, Nina shrugged and left the infirmary. She’d figure it out. After all, it couldn’t be that difficult if Narnerra wasn’t concerned about her being seen out.

Outside the infirmary, Nina went to her left, and when the corridor ended in a T, she went right this time, Left. Right. Up a stone staircase and down another corridor. Left. Right. 

And found herself hopelessly lost. Erebor was immense, and she came to another landing, her eyes widening as she took in the sight before her.

Gold. Silver. Gemstones. As far as she could see. Her hands came to rest on the polished stone railing overlooking the sea of treasure. There was enough wealth in that chamber to keep all of Middle Earth housed and fed and clothed for centuries. Enough wealth in that chamber for Thorin to give every warm body in Esgaroth a fortune of their own and he would still have more than enough left over. 

Her mouth went dry and her heart picked up its pace. It would be so easy to go down those stairs, to wade into that sea of riches, and fill her pockets to the point where she would never have to worry about money again. No one would ever notice.

No one would ever know.

And perhaps if she did not love Thorin as much as she did, she would do just that. 

But…

“May I help you?”

Nina gritted her teeth at the sickly sweet sound of Elisin’s voice and slowly turned to find her coming down the very same staircase Nina herself had descended. “Actually, I’m a bit turned around. I’m looking for the front gates.”

“Oh, leaving are you?”

“I am. I’m sufficiently healed and ready to go home.”

“How wonderful for you. Come,” Elision gestured toward the staircase, “I’ll show you. I know this city almost as well as Thorin.”

“Yes, I suppose you do.”

“We’ve been talking about being married,” Elisin said as they made their way up. “I don't know if he’s told you that or not.”

“No,” Nina shook her head, “he’s not. But then, we’ve not had much time to talk.”

“Really? Not even when he came to you last eve?”

Nina looked over at her. “I don't know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t you? I saw him come to the infirmary last eve. You were the only one there, so why would he have been there as well, if not for you?”

“You will have to ask him that yourself. He was probably looking for your healer.”

“I did ask him.” Elisin stopped short, snagging Nina’s forearm to halt her. “And what do you suppose he told me?”

The sudden stop meant Nina pulled her stitches and the hot sting soured her mood more than Elisin’s presence eve could. Biting back the oath bubbling to her lips, she whipped about and growled, “How would I know what he told you?”

“You know why he was there. You know exactly why he was there and if you think I don’t know, you are even more stupid than you look.”

“I beg your pardon?” Nina jerked her arm free and stepped back, drawing her sword as she did. “Touch me again, and lose that body part. I am not playing this game with you. If you wish to know why Thorin was in the infirmary, I suggest you actually ask him instead of thinking me fool enough to say anything.”

Elisin stared at the blade, and then at her, and slowly shook her head. “You are mad.”

“No,” Nina told her, “I am not mad. I am sore and I am tired and I am going home.”

“I know why he was there, kunbûna and if you think, for one second, that I will let you take him from me? You are sorely mistaken.”

Although she had no idea what kunbûna meant, Nina knew it was an insult of some sort. Still, she wasn’t about to let Elisin get a rise out of her and so she re-sheathed her sword. “And you think I’m mad. Good day.”

She spun about and strode off without a look back, and this time, thankfully, managed to find her way to the main gate without getting lost. She didn't know how Elisin would react when Thorin told her the truth, but she had the feeling it wouldn’t be at all pleasant. Not one bit. 

[tatatale]

Look, I’m finally doing the last reference sheets! ...Except because I still have to do Lynsans’. And probably redo Rep and Teri so they look like the others...

...ANYWAY! You have the other ref sheets here and here.

A L I V E Masterpost / Sunny AU / Ko-fi tips / Twitter / DeviantArt /Commissions

[unendingwanderlust]

Fourth contribution to the TPC (@tolkienpinupcalendar) Rare Pair Bingo. This one fills Sigrid/Tauriel, Workplace Rivals, and Fuck Or Die.

TITLE: Protocol Thirty-One And Its Practical Applications RATING: E WARNINGS: Chose Not To Warn RELATIONSHIPS: Sigrid/Tauriel WORD COUNT: 3954

SUMMARY: When an investigation into a mundane haunting takes an unexpected turn for the worst, Sigrid wonders whether she'll make it out alive after all…

READ ON AO3

[mamomare]

* TW: This post contains mention of characters who died during pregnancy/childbirth and suicide.

The dawn of a new century brought with it the winds of change. Alfred and his new bride, Anna, forsook the silk trade to move to Henford-on-Bagley to pursue nectar making. The move did not bring the family luck and on her 20th birthday, Anna lost the battle to typhoid and passed. Alone, and on an abandoned farm with almost no funds, Alfred had to work hard to rebuild his home and his family. Eventually, he met the humble Celestina, who was able to give him two heirs before, in 1409, he too was taken from this life. Going into the 1410s, our two main households - the Brookers and the Cliffords- must fight to keep their legacy alive, as there are very few eligble heirs remaining to pass on the family name. Meanwhile, the new families of Shaw and Bigod are blessed with a number of children to carry on the family name. Come 1420, will we still be able to call this the Brooker legacy?

Marriages [4] 1401 - Alfred and Celestina Brooker 1405 - Walter and Colette Clifford 1406 - Philip and Mary Brooker 1409 - Humphrey and Eva Beaufort

Births [10] 1401 - Adelaide Bigod 1403 - Petra Shaw, Leif Brooker 1406 - Adrian Bennet, Jeremiah Bigod, Dorothy Shaw, Marigold Brooker, Wymand Clifford 1407 - Sigrid Clifford 1408 - Wilkin Shaw Deaths [15] 1400 - Edmund Brooker (Dysentery), Fulke Brooker (Influenza), Anne Brooker (Typhoid) 1401 - Emil Bennet (Pneumonia), Solomon Bigod (Dysentery) 1404 - Theobald Brooker (Malaria) 1406 - Fray Bennet (Typhoid), Ricard Shaw (Hypothermia) 1407 - Walter Clifford (Stroke), Marion Brooker (Drowned), Malota Bennet (Diptheria) 1408 - Malyna Clifford (Heart attack), Philip Brooker (Suicide), Mary Brooker (Childbirth) 1409 - Alfred Brooker (Horse injury) * Babies that never were [9]: Aline Brooker, Erika Bennet, Florian Bennet, Edme Bigod, Osric Shaw, Pascal Shaw, Euphemia Brooker, Lothar Brooker, Orvin Brooker Family Tree at 1410

Gameplay

The Brooker Estate (1410)

(Still a work in progress!)

[dawninlatin]

As usual, here are my thoughts and reactions while readingHouse of Flame and Shadow! It’s obviously full of spoilers, and if someone’s looking for really intelligent theories and comments, this is not the post for you🤡

• there are still five days left and 30 minutes ago i complained to my roomie how impossible it was to wait….then, as if she heard me, SJM herself posts the first chapter??😍 thank you mrs maas😭🙏

• lidia🥺

• thanks to fucking tiktok, reading the words «ruhn danaan, crown prince of the valbaran fae» will never be the same😔

• NOT THE PIERCINGS😭😭😭😭😭

• i’m seriously going through the five stages of grief over a few piercings😭😭

• is bryce in az’s torture chamber?👀🥵 gurl do you know how lucky you are-

• zaddy azriel🥵🔥

• THREE WORLDS MANAGED TO KICK THEM OUT?!?!?! IS THE THIRD WORLD THRONE OF GLASS?!?!?!?! WILL I FINALLY GET MORE MANORIAN?!?!😍😭🙏 future me, can i finally rest?🥹

• lmaooo amren isn’t a historian, she’s just really fucking old

• YASSSS GET NESTA RHYS😍😍😍

• They might be tortured, but at least Baxian has friends now😭😭

• this ruhn and lidia angst is everything😭😭

• so rhys has a bunch of pet crocodiles?? good to know😀🐊

• okay, i wasn’t gonna mention it, but now i simply have to….WHAT IS UP WITH ALL THESE NORWEGIAN NAMES??? first einar, then sigrid, and now FUCKING HILDE?? sarah i know these names sound exotic and fantasy-like to you, but to me, these are just your average middle-aged people, and it’s throwing me off💀

• A MIDDENGARD WYRM??? babes i haven’t seen you in ages🤩😍🫶

• LIDIAAAAAAAAA👏👏 i bet she’s gonna team up with the frat pack to save her mate ruhn🔥🔥

• i wanna read about lidia living with the frat pack in their….house so bad💀

• YAY RESCUE MISSION

• OMG i had forgotten how good bryce was at bullshitting people💀 this whole middengard wyrm plan is aelin level🔥🔥

• there is no way feyre, AS A HUMAN, killed that wyrm so easily in acotar🤡

• ruhnlidia is SERVING WITH ALL THIS ANGST😩😩

• «Trying to figure out what it does has been driving us all crazy.» NO BUT I NEED TO READ THIS SCENE😭😭 i just want cassian with a phone, is that too much to ask?🥲

• hunt imagining his and bryce’s future kids😭😭

• 😳😧😦🖐️🦴🩸

• THE FUCKING HARPY???

• but she was beheaded?!?!

• also pollux is actually worse than tamlin himself🤢

• RHYSAND’S SISTER??????? I NEED AN INHALER

• DUSK COURT CONFIRMED???

• FAE FROM ANOTHER WORLD??? PERHAPS ERILEA🤩

• more asteris😒

• YASSS NESTA SLAY THAT ASTERI

• bryce just left prythian? no cassian?🥺🥺

• ALSO DID SHE TAKE AZRIEL’S EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DAGGER WITH HER????? SHE CAN’T DO THAT

• he needs it to sleep🥺

• JESIBA JESIBA JESIBA JESIBA JESIBA

• mommy😍🥵

• LIDIA😍🤩😭🫶🙏🧎‍♀️👑

• what do you mean lidia isn’t coming with them?😀

• SHE BETTER NOT HAVE FUCKING DIED🤺🤺🤺🤺🤺

• i was supposed to go to sleep after this chapter😭😭

• NEVERMIND SHE’S ALIVE😅🙏🧎‍♀️

• hunt🤜🤛baxian

• them being bros is all i wanted from this book🥺

• #throwback to all the memes i made about it last time🤡

• bryce booping the autumn king’s nose with her sword just became my favorite moment of all time

• i’m sorry….WHAT??

• the woman was too stunned to speak

• 👁️👄👁️

• i knew she was MOMMY, but she’s also mommy?????

• «Bryce Quinlan, Queen of the Valbaran fae» *que music

• *holds lidia as i glare at the ocean queen😠* «hasn’t she been through enough????😭»

• HE CALLED HER SWEETHEART😍😭🫶🧎‍♀️🙏🥺👑😩

• rhys being referred to as «that night court dude»💀💀

• fae and stags?👀🤩

• tharion for once just use your fucking brain🫠

• finally some smut😩⚡️

• if i ever get my hands on that bitch-ass rigelus-🤬🪓💣🔪🔫🧱

• THEY JUST KILLED ALL THE HUMANS IN LUNATHION????

• i need ruhn and lidia to just fuck already😭😩

• and so does flynn and declan, apparently💀 thanks guys😌🤝

• not the autumn king again😒

• if flynn and declan getting kidnapped is what it’ll take for ruhn and lidia to get together, IT’S FUCKING WORTH IT😩🧎‍♀️

• WE WERE SO CLOSE😭😭😭😭

• them cuddling is almost as good tho😍🥰😭🌸🫶💕

• «I’m calling it now, the Star-Eater is Hunt’s father» - me, reading HOSAB in 2022

• I TOLD YA

• it feels great to be me😌

• okay i wasn’t entirely correct but CLOSE ENOUGH

• YASSSSS BRYCE GASLIGHT GATEKEEP GIRLBOSS THOSE FAE KING BASTARDS🙏🙏

• RUHN ILY😭

• i’m not crying i swear😭👑🌷🌈🏝️✨

• i laughed out loud at the fact that declan’s biggest priority was checking if they had internet now💀💀

• Hotel Horseshit💀💀 baxian you’re my fave🫶🫶🫶

• «please don’t fuck right next to us» i’m deAD

• I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH THE WATERY BOWELS SARAH😭😭

• SYRINX😍😍😍😍😍

• Bryce and her mom😭🥺

• SO THE SHIFTERS WILL BASICALLY BECOME TRONE OF GLASS FAE???!🤩

• i’ll never tire of the prime coming to the rescue last minute🙏 hang in there old man✊

• SABINE YOU ARE ON THIN FUCKING ICE RN

• ithan🥹

• lidia in her girlfriend era😍💕✨🫶🥰💅

• OTTER😍🦦

• NESTA😭😭😭

• i just know ember is gonna yell at rhys😍

• i just read the ember&randall bonus chapter, and she did😍😍😍

• also I GOT TO SEE CASSIAN😍😍😍😍😍😍

• rare river queen W?

• NOT POLLUX🤺🤺🤺

• OMG THE UNDER-KING IS FROM ERILEA???????????????

• is he a skin-walker?👀

• WYRD???

• AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

• go hypaxia, slay him🔥

• 🍆💦👀😏

• i also miss your piercings, ruhn😔 gone but never forgotten✊🙏🕊️

• «…she was his and he was hers, and there was a word for it, but it eluded him.» THAT WORD IS MATE😍😭

• HE SAID «I LOVE YOU»

• screaming crying throwing up rn😍😭🥹🫶😩

• HE SHOT HER???????

• this level of angst is giving me life

• «She’s my mate, you fucker.» THE SCREAM I JUST SCRUMPT (sorry, roommates)

• 😍🥰😇🫶🔥🙏🥹😭😍😩🤩🥰🙏🔥😭🫶🫶✊🙏🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️

• SARAH JANET MAAS I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU KILL RUHN NOW-

• BRANNON?!?!?!?!?? FIRE MAGIC?!?!?!?!?!AKAJQKQKQJQKQKQLBDHFJFKEBEBJWJDVFJEJSVAVJSJAHSH

• DEAD. DECEASED. UNABLE TO FUNCTION.

• NO LIDIA DO NOT SACRIFICE YOURSELF-

• BRYCE?!😳😭

• shahar😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

• NONONONONONONONONONO

• SHE CAN’T BE DEAD, RIGHT?!?!

• i’m fucking crying, i swear😭😭😭😭

• THEY’RE ALL THERE😭😭😭

• NESTA AND CASSIAN😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

• ember quinlan not caring about how deadly rhys is whatsoever is the greatest thing i’ve ever read💀

• and azriel got his dagger back? he can finally sleep🥹

• yeah bryce, cassian is a fine piece of ass😏

• NESTA GOT TO SAY ALPHAHOLE😍😍😍😍😍

• ruhn getting a hug from one of his new stepkids😍😍

• nooooo ruhn moved out of the frat house? they grow up so fast🥺

• omg hunt getting a fine for fucking bryce so bad it caused several thunderstorms is EPIC

• PEGASUSES?!?😍😍😍😍😍😍

• i can’t believe it’s over….

• i’m…..empty

• i need more🥺

• BUT I’M SO HYPED FOR ACOTAR5🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

• i also have bonus chapters to read😏😏

• THE PIERCINGS ARE BACK🙏🧎‍♀️😭😍

• DID SJM FINALLY WRITE A WEDDING SCENE?!

• this has to be a first

• i am speechless

• 👁️👄👁️

• milly garkunos you queen🫶🧎‍♀️

• i need someone to draw lettuce-baby-hunt asap💀

[evergloaming]

for @deathswcrn ( tore )

They'd been picking their way through the ruins of Boston and its outskirts for two days, going slow, avoiding raiders and feral ghouls as best they could - which, when you were careful and used the old highways strategically, was quite well indeed. The only recurring problem was the Gunners; Sigrid was inclined to give them a wide berth, which did nothing to cut down their time picking through the urban wasteland, but did a considerable amount towards keeping them both sufficiently un-bullet-ridden. A couple of nights spent after breaking into the crumbling buildings - one even saw them with a real bed, despite the state it was in - and they were within spitting distance of her old neighbourhood. The first home she'd known after the Institute. Where it all started, or at least as close as she could get.

She glanced back at Tore and tried to see him as her old neighbours might. His hair and beard had grown out in the last few months; he looked older, more experienced, less naive, but she had a feeling his eyes were going to bug out of his skull the moment they stepped within Goodneighbor's perimeter and not go back until they left.

"Stop looking around like you think the buildings are going to pick your pocket," she muttered. "Those people are gonna eat you alive if they think they can get away with it, and if you look around you like that in Goodneighbor, they absolutely will think they can get away with it."

[6ahaha1amjustaperson9]

Korakáki family 3/7

Finally I'm working on my UT AU again and also my UT OCs! I'll post all the information and all later on!

》Name: Sigrid Korakáki

》Age: 24 y.o.

》Race: Skeleton

》Gender: Demigirl AFAB(She/they)

》Sexuality: Bisexual Demisexual

》Height: 178 cm

》Soul: Human soul - 90%Perseverance,10%Determination

》ISFJ-A

》Personality:truthful, timid, empathetic,

logical, rarely angry

》Backstory: She has spent a lot of her childhood

hospitalized as she possesses a human soul.

This rare trait has rendered her magic significantly

weaker than that of any skeleton but also affected her

health greatly since skeletons primarily live thanks to magic.

》Family:

•Andromitos Ace Korakáki(Older brother): Alive - single

•Sophron Korakáki(Father): Alive - widower

•????(Mother): Dead

》Likes: learning new things, reading fantasy/science fiction books, cooking

》Dislikes: travel, arguing with someone, formal wear, her hair completely down

》Personal traits:

•Tired eyes - she wears glasses sometimes, mostly when she reads

•Gets easily sicks, but not too often

•low self-esteem and reluctant to be in a romantic relationship

》Additional note: She did biotechnology in high school and went to university for 5 years, now she is taking some extra courses

》Name: Andromitos Ace Korakáki

》Age: 30 y.o.

》Race: Skeleton

》Gender: Cis Male(He/him)

》Sexuality: Gay

》Height: 185 cm

》Soul: Monster Soul - Integrity

》ISTJ-T

》Personality: Blunt, reluctant, self-pitying, accepting, reliable, impulsive

》Backstory: Andromitos Ace always felt the pressure to follow in his father's footsteps as a forensic pathologist, aiming to make his parents proud. However, when he learned of his mother's pregnancy, fearing he'd be replaced, he ran away. That time he risked dying due to the high temperatures during that summer. Eventually, he reconciled with his father and chose to support his sister after his mother's death, all while pursuing his own career path.

》Family:

•Sigrid Korakáki(Younger sibling): Alive - single

•Sophron Korakáki(Father): Alive - widower

•????(Mother): Dead

》Likes: listening to loud music with headphones, open spaces, exercise, weapons,

》Dislikes: cooking, very long talks, mess, card games, hair styling

》Personal traits:

•BPD(Borderline disorder)

•ADHD

•Fast metabolism - he eats more than normal since his body needs more energy and he has a fast metabolism.

》Additional note: After high school, he went to University and studied criminal justice, and criminology, and took a few more courses. At age 27, he applied for a federal agent position and got accepted, even now he is still working as an FBI agent but is currently on a 10-month break after an accident happened at work.

》Name: Sophron Korakáki

》Age: 65 y.o.

》Race: Skeleton

》Gender: Non-binary AMAB(He/they)

》Sexuality: Pansexual Demisexual

》Height: 233 cm

》Soul: Monster Soul - 92%Perseverance,8%Integrity

》ENFJ-A

》Personality: calm, logical, open-minded, analytical, honest, kindhearted

》Backstory: He grew up in a very strict and conservative household, his father being the one to direct the whole family while his mother was more flexible and caring. He has always taken care of their younger siblings with his twin, even after their mother died, tho when he left to study he never came back...

》Family:

•Andromitos Ace Korakáki(Older son): Alive - single

•Sigrid Korakáki(Youngest child): Alive - single

•????(ExWife) - Dead

•Ace Silas Korakáki(Twin) - Unknown

•Sinesio Korakáki(Younger brother) - Unknown

•Dynamene Korakáki(Youngest sister) - Unknown

•???? Korakáki(Father): Unknown - widower

•????(Mother): Dead

》Likes: journaling, scrapbooking, interior decorating and design, astronomy, astrology, storytelling, rain

》Dislikes: traveling, sports, jewelry, flashing lights, animal cruelty

》Personal traits:

•Blurry vision - he wears glasses

•ADHD

》Additional note: He works as a Forensic Pathologist/Medical Examiner but also conducts studies on the soul, to maybe find more traits, abilities, or new aspects. After his wife died they had to regulate his work with his life so as to have free time for their kids, but also find babysitters when they couldn't stay home alone. He couldn't always save time for them tho he made sure to never be absent in their kids' lives.

[zrtranscripts]

Season 10, Mission 4: Can't Stop the Boss

Not My Apocalypse

~

[van creaks]

BRENT VALMONT: Alright, Five. Let’s hash this out. I really hate to show my temper, but you’ve left me no choice. Are you sitting comfortably in the back of that van? Got your Valmont headset tight? Good, because I know you’ll want to hear who I’ve got speaking next.

[tape recorder clicks]

SAM YAO: Five? Five, it’s me. It’s Sam. It’s going to be okay, Five. Everything’s going to be alright.

[tape recorder clicks]

BRENT VALMONT: Spoiler alert: it’s not.

[tape recorder clicks]

SAM YAO: Valmont said I have to tape this message. I... I don’t know how long it’s been since Tunisia. He showed me the footage of your last run to the Maghreb border. Oh, you were so fast, leaving the whole Red Scorpion Army behind! They never would have caught you... if he hadn’t have been waiting in that boat. Amelia always said we shouldn’t trust him. Of all the ways to find out she was right.

Valmont says he’s got a mission for you, Five. He showed me the brief. It’s just a simple item grab. I don’t have every detail, but nobody’s about, nobody gets hurt... and what they’ll do to you if you refuse... I think you have to do it, Five. Just this once, I think you have to do his run.

[tape recorder clicks]

BRENT VALMONT: I know you miss him, Five. I can see it on your face. Those Valmont headcams work both ways! So I’ll make this really simple for you. You turned down all my other jobs. The assassination in Bolivia, the firebombing in Berlin! But this one’s non-negotiable. Get it done within the hour or Sam loses a thumb.

[van door slides open]

Back of the trucks’ cracking open. Look at all that daylight spilling in! I know I’ve got you fighting mad, so let’s channel that rage! Down the ramp, full speed ahead, just follow the street, straight along the cobbles, under the big stone arches. Don’t think of it as helping me. Think of it as saving him. Here, I’ll even let Sam play you out!

[tape recorder clicks]

SAM YAO: It’ll be okay, Five. I know it will. Remember what Janine’s always saying? When things are at their darkest, a runner strikes a match. You keep the hope. No matter what, you keep that flame alive. And promise me, the first chance you get, promise me you’ll run.

~

[birds coo, wings flap]

BRENT VALMONT: Mind the pigeons, Five! But take in the sights! Italy, the Vatican, St Peter’s Square itself. Look at those grand colonnades on either side, the great Egyptian spire in the middle. Though the basilica’s looking a bit dowdy, isn’t it, the way the dome’s collapsed in? Head straight for its entrance, past the burned-out popemobile. It’s through those great big pillars where the tourists used to queue.

It’s been hard on landmarks, Five, the end of the world. The Eiffel Tower, Washington DC, poor old Red Square. Not exactly sitting pretty since Van Ark’s Armageddon did the renovators in. Oh, I know. I told you the apocalypse was mine. I didn’t mean it literally. It was Sigrid’s passion project, Van Arks’ silly plague. [sighs] He was such a stupid genius, wasn’t he? Took the blame for the disease to please that humorless wife of his. Invented immortality, but he couldn’t get the hang of spin.

ANNIE knew what they were planning, Five, long before it happened. I had her watching Sigrid, Van Ark, Moonchild, too. You don’t become a billionaire without probing your rivals. We caught their little scheme to end the world, and yes, I could have stopped it, it’s true, but I know a bargain when I see one. The whole world on fire sale! I’m not the one made the end, but I like to think I’m who it’s for.

[door clatters open] This is a grand old entrance, isn’t it? That distant gilded ceiling, the sunswept marble floor. All those saintly statues watching with white eyes. [building creaks] Careful! Sidestep to your left. The ceiling isn’t stable. Some of it’s coming down.

You, me, mortal peril! It’s just like the old times, eh? Admit it, I was quite the charmer, running with your Abel crew. You were all so wonderfully obliging. I always needed Sigrid gone, and V-types can be a pain, but I never lied about it being a good time, Five. As far as handy decoys go, your lot were the best.

See that body, beneath the fallen pillar? That’s Valmont Runner Sixty-Four. Last one in before you. I warned her that this mission was a risk, but still, she volunteered! It’s amazing, the loyalty people give you in a post-apocalyptic world. So much for so little. You dig them out of burning rubble, offer them beans and a bed, and suddenly their life is yours. I used to run orphanages on the same principle. Shame my finest runner’s busy on assignment. She’d have at least survived the masonry, unlike poor old Sixty-Four.

I know what you’re thinking, Five. How many have gone in ahead of you? Oh, I’ve lost count! There’s something I need in that city, something hard to find, but you’ve got an advantage. You’ve seen it before. We just need to be careful, with all that panacea in your blood. My doctors have been draining what, a pint of plasma at a time over the last few months? That’s plenty of samples. Your body’s a little panacea factory now, thanks to that injection you stole! But we’ve got big ambitions. Things will go much smoother if they can harvest a whole lot more!

[building creaks] Better get a move on, Five! That building really doesn’t like my people. The ceiling almost sounds upset! Turn right at the papal altar, take the tour guide passage to the Sistine Chapel. And ignore the fallen runners up ahead. There’s no point dwelling on them, Five. There’s no profit counting the dead.

~

BRENT VALMONT: Look up at the ceiling, Five! Soak that culture in. The Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s masterpiece! All those gorgeous frescoes painted on the walls. Saints, sinners, serpents. And Adam, on the ceiling, about to high five God! [sighs] I was planning to steal this, but ANNIE says it wouldn’t survive the airlift. [sighs] Follow the frescoes down the corridor, the one with all the maps. Try to find an open window. You need to get outside.

Moonchild used to say my collections were “bad karma,” that it was wrong to try to cage the world. This, from Lady Mind Control. She reminded me of my mother, Five. Ghastly, hippy-drippy woman. Stole my father’s fortune, frittered it on “charity.” Said the world was full of wonders, but not a single one was ours! A thing’s not beautiful until you own it, that’s the dirty, ugly truth. Knowing something might be taken is a spoiling blemish. I used to tell Amelia that. Maybe when I take her world, she’ll learn.

It’s hard to find people who understand, Five. I wake up every morning with this screaming hunger in my heart, the torture of ambition. No matter what I have, no matter who I own, I know I can do better. It’s like an engine in my belly. I know I can own more!

There, an open window. Climb out to the courtyard, quick! Have you heard much lately from that Moonchild in your head? I bet you haven’t. Maybe my panacea killed her. Maybe she’s finally dead. The Cortile del Belvedere A pope once paraded his elephant here. That’s my kind of style! Just parked cars and a broken fountain now. See that big beige building over there? That’s the Vatican library with the Apostolic Archives next door. Those archives hold the secret storeroom of the Catholic church, and what we want’s inside.

[laughs] I know what you’re hoping, Legs. You think my wife will come and save you, Amelia and the rest. But the truth is, they’re not even in the game. I’ve got decoys with your shirt on from Peru to Paraguay, corpses with your DNA slung into shallow graves. I’ve got moles in the Maghreb, spies in the UK. I’ve got Amelia spun in circles, always looking the wrong way.

Sigrid, Van Ark, Moonchild, they were all small fry. Couldn’t even keep their Armageddon to a timetable. ANNIE didn’t expect their gray plague to get loose so soon. I wasn’t quite ready to put the Ministry straight down. But I was miles ahead in stockpiling, and I’ve had eons to prep since. I knocked down half the satellites, razed the global village. No more cheap communications, no calling distant ears for help. The market should be nice and manageable, survivors stuck in isolated pockets. I’ve got bases like Red Scorpion all over the world, allies in armies you’ve never heard. I know what happened to the last aircraft carrier, why zombies scream on roads. I am a one-man superpower. Your friends don’t have a chance!

Uh-oh! Zombie priests crawling out of the cars, and those look like Swiss Guards lurching from the buildings, the elite protectors of the Vatican with feathered caps and halberds high. Well, that one’s got halberd sticking through his chest, but what can you expect from zoms? They’re closing in behind you, still guarding the library even in death. There’s a car crashed through the archive wall. That’s your way inside. Get into that building, then down to the basement. Do not let them catch you! Go!

~

BRENT VALMONT: That’s it, Five. Keep going straight. They call this part of the archive the Bunker, where the most precious texts are kept. Frankly, I’m disappointed. I expected flaming torches, spotlights, demons dancing around the Holy Grail, not just endless dusty bookshelves. [zombie growls] Careful, there are zombies crushed together between some of those shelves. Stay clear of the books. Their arms are clawing out between them.

Do you know what the worst part of this church is, Five? It’s that it isn’t dead. There’s a whole new pope in Istanbul readying teams to nab these treasures, and they’re not the only holdouts. There are still rabbis, and imams, Buddhist monks, Mormons, Quakers, Sikhs. People who believe in gods, or hope, or just each other, joining hands to cope. Little groups like Abel brightening the dark.

It makes me so damn angry! It’s... not the apocalypse I bought! I wanted Mad Max, the Walking Dead, the first bit of The Road! Ruins, misery, hopeless dread, and I’d swoop in with my hoarded cans and lift the peons up, have them rebuild in my image, grateful for the helping hand. ANNIE predicted overwhelming collapse, once the dust settled. You were supposed to get nuked offing Sigrids or implode like Sage. Those Last Riders had the right idea, until they turned V-type. But no, you had to flourish, didn’t you? All over the world. The groups that defy the odds. The Maghreb, Arcadia, Abel, Vashisht. That galling, glowing 1% like aniseed in the stew!

There, see that staircase behind the red cordon with a vault door in the bottom? That’s the hidden heart of this bunker. A room that’s not on any maps. If there were demons locked away, that’s where they’d be. It’s time for the big drum roll, Five. The reveal of why you’re here. Remember your trip to Moore Island, the [red god] and the cult? Amelia never let me read the Edda, but the church has another copy hidden in their vault. Moonchild stole a partial transcript before they upped security. My runners don’t know what it looks like, but you’ve seen it before.

[zombies moan] Damn! Coming up the stairs, are those - red robes and pointy hats. Oh no, lots of zombie cardinals, and they’re in your way. The others are closing in behind you, too. Swiss Guards, priests, tourists in backpacks. There’s no going back. Forward is your only shot. Those are halberds lying on the floor. The guards must have made a stand here. Quickly, pick one up. [metal clinks] You’re going to have to rush them straight down to the vault. I can hack the door with ANNIE. That blade looks blunt, but you can at least push them back. Move it, Five, get down the stairs! Not sure what a zombie bite will do with all those Valmont patents in your blood. Don’t let the cardinals grab you. Run!

~

[door clatters open]

BRENT VALMONT: Now this is more like it! Big, oblong chamber full of sealed glass cases. Ancient scrolls, mysterious parchments. No sign of the Holy Grail, but I bet it’s around here somewhere. Find my Edda, Five. You don’t have much time.

[alarm blares]

This room is pumped full of an inert gas to preserve the relics. We don’t have the proper codes. I can’t hold it open long. See those dead runners on the floor? They all thought they’d find my prize, and they all died choking anyway. Funny thing, Five. None of them blamed me. Now that’s lasting ownership, the kind that leaves them dying but still feeling the love.

Aha, you’ve spotted something. The big tome on the plinth. Smash the casing and grab it! Use that halberd, now! [glass breaks, alarm beeps, zombies growl] Those zoms are pouring in behind you, they’re blocking the way out. There’s another vault door straight ahead, right across the archive. Move it, Five, and hold the Edda tight! If you die of oxygen deprivation, Sam’s the one I’m sending in there next. Speed up, before the door snaps shut. Run!

~

[birds caw, wings flap]

BRENT VALMONT: You did it, Legs! You’re clear of the archive and clear of the Vatican, footloose on the streets of Rome. And you’ve got my Edda. Oh, I know what you’re thinking. Yes, you could destroy it, tear it up and run, but what would happen to poor Sam, and Janine, and Peter, too? That’s right.

[engine rumbles] My truck’s approaching. Drop the halberd, get inside. [metal clinks, van door slides open] There you go, Five. Straight into the back. I’ll see you get a raise for this. That means extra cushions in your cell!

The apocalypse hasn’t gone as planned, it’s true. But I’ve had a fix brewing for years. You pushed up my timeline with that scramble through Tunisia. I was worried we might not pull it off, but now I’ve got the panacea and the Edda. I’m all set for the apocalypse, take two.

The panacea, Five, that’s my little joke. You see, it is a cure, of sorts. The cure for all my ills. Soon, I won’t have any rivals. The whole world will be my orphanage. Amelia, Abel, and the rest, they’ll be swept away, or transformed, replaced by broken, helpless, loving people. Like Adam on the ceiling, Five. They’ll all be looking up... to me.

~

[cityandking]

8, 17, 24, 47, 61 for minah + two kiddos of your choice!!

ty tabby!!! // get to know my d&d characters

8. what are three songs that suit them?

MINAH — 1. citizen/soldier - 3 doors down (my favorite warden song) 2. hollow - cloudeater (and I'm ill with all that I know / 'cause it shows what little I know / I want sacred, I want final / and I'm seeking it wherever I go) 3. did it to myself - orla gartland (and now you're living in my memory / living in my mouth / living in the four fucking walls of my house) DAI — 1. royal empress - greg laswell (and we all thought everyone was gonna make it out alive) 2. call it dreaming - iron & wine (where we see enough to follow / we can hear when we are hollow / where we keep the light we're given / we can lose and call it living) 3. you're gonna go far - noah kahan (so pack up your car, put a hand on your heart / say whatever you feel, be wherever you are) ENIKO — 1. severed - the decemberists (I alight like a whisper / I alight with the lights out / and it won't take me long just to find you / and it won't take me long just to find you) 2. everybody knows - sigrid (everybody knows the fight was fixed / the poor stay poor, the rich get rich / that's how it goes / everybody knows) 3. the wolf - manchester orchestra (there is nothing you've got when you die that you keep / you were all that you were, were you all you could be?)

17. what do they dream about, when their dreams are their own?

MINAH — blood or eyes in the dark. sometimes both. sometimes home, which is always the worst DAI — these days, the abyss. it's hard to remember what's memory and what's nightmare (at a certain point the distinct ceases to matter) ENIKO — nothing all that interesting. that strange, sharp, slightly-anxious reprocessing of everything going on around him. nightmares too, but even those are banal by now. he's almost figured out how to talk himself out of the fear when he wakes up

24. which of the four elements speaks to them the most?

MINAH — water. it's about everything going on under the surface and the stubbornness and fitting into whatever shape or channel she has to in order to keep moving forward DAI — earth. partially because of the whole earth genasi thing, but mostly because he's born from the mountains and his roots go deep. as much as he's a cleric of the sky, the whole point of flight is that eventually you have to find somewhere safe to land. ENIKO — water. deep, dark, inscrutable, swiftly moving, dangerous. adaptable and always fit to the container he's in.

47. when they meet someone, what is the first thing they notice?

MINAH — their money. not just where their purse is (that too) but what they're wearing, how they carry themself, what they flaunt and what they hide. DAI — daichi, daichi, what do your +15 insight eyes see? ALL. in all seriousness, he tends to observe how people carry themselves and how they react to other people around them. he might be shit at expressing himself but he's good at reading a room. ENIKO — their hands, their weapons, and their hands in relation to their weapons.

61. what kind of flower would they choose to pick from a meadow?

MINAH — all of them. she'd make a lovely little bouquet, tied with string DAI — something pretty but also with useful medicinal properties ENIKO — none. but if he had to, he'd pick sunflowers