#Alyse Young

[mistvy]

Alyse & Cole Jones | San Myshuno's Power Couple

Honestly, I was making townies and wanted to make a young married couple; but then I accidentally fell in love with them. Alyse is a private attorney for a small firm in the city - she loves the work she does, and lately she and her colleagues have been considering hiring a PR firm to manage their image and help extend their marketing to all four boroughs of San Myshuno. Her husband Cole is a starter for the San Myshuno soccer team. They met by happenstance when Alyse was attending a game with a friend a few years ago, got lost going to the bathroom, and accidentally walked in on Cole changing. She was embarrassed, he was charming, and after a whirlwind romance - they married. It was a small but stunning ceremony, and Cole just loves to call Alyse his wife. Now that they've been together a while and have settled into their careers, they're discussing starting a family ♡

[sourcherryandsprinkles]

Taking care of my dragon | Daemon Targaryen x Reader

Summary: After getting his pride hurt at the tourney, Daemon needs help to calm down and unwind

Word count:

Warning: pure softness and intimacy (no smut)

Request:  You are amazing♥️ You bring me a sense of comfort that I haven’t felt in a really long time and Daemon please🙏🙏🙏

-

You winced as you watched Daemon's back slide along the tilt rail, his armor screeching and hurting your ears, and got knocked down and unhorsed as he reached its end. One of the squires came to help him up, but Daemon and his pride shoved him off.

This joust was off to a bad start…

On the opposite end, Criston Cole got down his horse, both men wishing to continue in a contest of arms.

The duel was difficult to watch, but you couldn’t look away, worried for your man. Cole was relentless on Daemon; they weren't jousting anymore, the fight had gotten personal. One wanted to win to bring honor to his house by defeating Daemon Targaryen, and the other was a sore loser and letting his anger out on Cole, swinging Dark Sister and kicking him until he was down.

The crowd cheeked for Daemon, who relished all the acclamations all while having his back turn on Cole. That turned out to be a huge mistake because Cole stood up and hit Daemon with his flail square in the back, sending him to the ground.

Your heart leaped and stopped for a fraction of a second, shocked at Cole's brutality. You turned to the princess, expecting to see her shocked face, but Rhaenyra seemed enamored by the young knight. He even came and asked for her favor, which could have been sweet had he not done all that spectacle to get her attention.

The tourney continued, other knights coming and jousting in the list. You tried concentrating on the duels, but Daemon remained on your mind. You thought to go see him, to bring him a little comfort after his defeat, but he had his pride hurt big time and assumed he wanted to be alone.

‘’My lady?’’ One of the handmaids appeared at your side, quietly speaking. ‘’It’s Prince Daemon, he…please come.’’

You followed the handmaid up to your and Daemon’s chambers as she informed you of Daemon's little outburst following his embarrassing defeat against Cole. According to her, he had been kicking and throwing things, behaving like a child and making a tantrum. One of the guards tried to control him, but Daemon pulled a dagger at him and that’s when someone suggested to get you.

If anyone could get the prince to calm down, it was his lady wife.

The bedchamber was in shambles and surprisingly quiet when you arrived. Daemon's dragon helmet was on the floor next to a broken vase – he must have chucked it in his fit of rage –, his breastplate, gauntlets and else were scattered around the room.

Your handmaiden, Alyse, emerged from behind the sheer curtain of the bathing area, seeming relieved to see you. ‘’Prince Daemon is currently soaking in the bath I have readied for him. I will bring in towels and wine for him.’’

You nodded. ‘’Very well. Thank you, Alyse.’’

‘’Does the lady require anything else?’’ she asked before leaving the room.

‘’No, that will be all. Leave the towels and wine on the table.’’ You smiled politely at the handmaiden who nodded and left. ‘’Leave us. Everyone.’’

The guards and other handmaids vacated the chambers, closing the door behind.

You crossed the room and pulled the curtain. In the middle of the bathing chamber, Daemon was immersed up to his armpits and steam was coming from the large steel wash basin, scalding hot just the way he liked it. The bottom of his hair was wet from dipping in the water, and the usual soft silver mane all tangled and dirty from the tourney. His under-clothes were left in a puddle by the bath and he was grumbling in High Valyrian.

‘’Husband,’’ you said, stepping in.

‘’This usurper cunt of a knight humiliated me in my city!’’

‘’A bruise to the ego won’t kill you, my love.’’

‘’Besides, I doubt you yielded. I’m sure you could have taken the man down with your dagger. It’s small, but you could have taken his eye out easily – but you didn’t.’’

Daemon cocked an eyebrow. ‘’His eye?’’ he repeated, not expecting that kind of brutality from his wife.

You hummed. ‘’Go for the throat if not harmed, and for the eyes if harmed. Your opponent’s chances are down if he is blinded.’’

‘’You’d be great at joust, my love.’’

‘’I’d rather be a spectator.’’

You walked over to the wash basin and sat on its edge. Automatically, Daemon let his head fall against your thigh, his defeat still heavy on his ego. You cradled the back of his head the way you would a small kitten and began undoing the braids from his hair.

‘’Would you like me to put some lavender oil? It’s has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, it should relieve your muscles after all that jousting.’’

Without waiting for his answer, you fetched it from the cabinet and poured a few drops of lavender oil in the scalding hot bath, then moved a hand through the water surrounding him to mix the oil to the water.

‘’It also had calming properties…for your temper,’’ you added with a glint of teasing.

Daemon chuckled, knowing how he can be. ‘’It’s Cole’s fault for waking the dragon.’’

You heard the chamber door open and close – Alysa bringing in the wine and towels – but paid it no mind. Her respect for privacy was the reason why you had personally requested her as your handmaiden.

You sat back on the edge of the wash basin and grabbed the sponge, plunging it in the water before running it over Daemon’s chest, watching the water dribble over his sculpted pecs. ‘’It doesn’t happen when I wake the dragon.’’

‘’That’s because you’ve tamed it and made it yours.’’ He flicked his violet eyes on you, a wash of desire in them.

A smile curled on your lips, running the sponge over his chest again. ‘’Would my dragon like to have his hair washed?’’

There's something so intimate about bathing with your lover. Washing each other, or just sitting in the warm water and relaxing. It's a bonding experiment, a moment of tenderness between a husband and his wife, an easy way to strengthen your relationship.

And it helps unwind after a long day.

The question was left pending, but you reached for the wooden comb and pitcher anyway. You combed out all of the knots and tangles with the comb, then filled the pitcher with warm water. You slid your hand up to Daemon’s forehead and made him tip his head back, pouring water at his hairline slowly, watching as it cascaded down his back and into the bath water.

‘’You’re so good to me,’’ Daemon purred, leaning into your delicate touch as you meticulously massaged his scalp through the sods of the soap. ‘’You bring me a sense of comfort that I haven’t felt in a really long time.’’

His words touched your heart, their softness showing a layer of Daemon only you knew of. This layer was hidden beneath layers and layers of arrogance, impulsiveness and…well, fire.

You filled the pitcher with water again, and rinsed and repeated until all the sods were out.

‘’All done.’’ You put down the pitcher and pressed a tender kiss to the back of his left shoulder.

Daemon let out a long, drawn out groan.

‘’Did I hurt you?’’

‘’No,’’ he immediately said, rolling his shoulders and furrowing his eyebrows. ‘’My shoulders are a little stiff. It’s all.’’

You took hold of one of Daemon’s tender shoulders and squeezed gently. He groaned again. ‘’You're all tense, my love.’’ You poured some lavender oil in your palms and slid your hands firmly across his shoulders and down his upper back, feeling the tension and knots under your palms. ‘’Does that feel good?’’

A soft moan escaped his lips.

The water must be getting lukewarm and unpleasant – he’s been bathing for a moment –, but Daemon didn’t seem to mind.

Ever so gently, you began making small circles with your thumbs, working your way from the middle of his neck down. You gradually made your way to his shoulders, your hands working their way across his back, fingers moving over the contours of his muscles until they were putty under your palms.

‘’Mmh, you've got the delicatest hands, my darling wife.’’ His eyes were closed and face smooth with contentment.

You paused your massage to loosely snake your arms around your husband’s shoulders and kissed his cheekbone. ‘’Only for you.’’ 

-

House of the Dragon/Game of Thrones taglist: @anastasiaxsworld @lollypopcrazylover @fin-never @dkathl @ayamenimthiriel @nerdy4itall @rraindrops @glors3 @beelanie @hc-geralt-23 @sweetybuzz25  @uniquenightsheep @kaywsworld @i-yam-awesome @caspianobsessed @kelssssxd @dilfsarebetterthanyou @missyviolet123 @leakycauldrns @brezzybfan @khaleesihavilliard @vexedvalerie @lollaa-puff @my-dark-prince @chevelledahuman @caspianobsessed @ayamenimthiriel @yor72 @mirandastuckinthe80s @newtsniffles @cleverzonkwombatsludge @justaproudslytherpuff @ren-ni @green-lxght @anginoguera @bubblebuttwade @comicsol1999 @rockerchick05 @baelavelaryonwp @tnu-ree @beccawinter @alexisabirdie @persage @hayleighloatx @kindaslightlyacidic @perdynerd @elsyyie @puffycreamcakes  @thirsty4nonlivingmen  @naty-1001 @xannybabyxx  @katiepie67 @kjones375 @moshpot24x @hc-geralt-23 @lovelynerdytraveler @saturn-sas  @zgzgh @sssjuico10 @tabloidteen @timetoten @deekaag @wondxrgurl   @queenofshinigamis @aerangi @strmborns @astridyoo15 @Wehi02 @daemonslittlebitch @queenbeestuffs @severewobblerlightdragon @agentstarkid @msliz   @cayleecook38 @yoyopolloobamadaddy @hayleighloatx @vane1999-blog @smptxx @fairyfolkloresposts @yassi-world @todaywasafairytale07 @ESobilal @otomaniac @zgzgzh @thebeardedmoon @golden-library @kikyrizuki @hnslchw @camy85 @winxschester @khaleesihavilliard @domoron @ididliquorice @lover-of-helios @lover-of-helios @shine101 @tanyaherondale @mikariell95 @Katelyn15m @serrendiipty @lantsovheiress @gilliananderfuckme @shine101 @tetgod @beggarsnotchoosey @vainillasmil157 @kizzyxren @clayzayden@memeorydotcom @Harryshousewhore @kodzuvk @tnu-ree @omgsuperstarg @futuregws @blackravena @ashlatano7567 @winxschester @mysteriouslydelightfulchaos @xxlaynaxx @uh-no-actually @secretsthathauntus @lemiqa @pilarxxxaguayo @emmavan39 @stargaryenx @erylilly @bbblackmamba @rainedrop97 @Hc-geralt-23 @dreamer087 @gothicgay14 @ashlatano7567 @superkittywonderland @justaproudslytherpuff @evesolstice @buckysmainhxe @mouldyfrog @padfootsvixen @scarletmeii @drusillaravenclaw @softtina @Jelly-fishy-babie @evesolstice @Thelilacmourning @dkathl @Thelilacmourning @kaywsworld @tetgod @padfootsvixen @xannybabyxx

[happynowyo]

The triad, part 2

Fandom: House of the Dragon

Pairing: Aemond x fem!reader, Aegon x fem!reader

Summary: The announcement of your engagement with Aegon make you and Aemond question your feelings.

Word count: 2,2k

Tag list: @flavorofsalt

Part 1

— I don't want to marry him.

Alicent rolls her eyes in evident irritation, but restrains herself and forces her lips to part in the softest and most reassuring smile. Sometimes she feels like these children were sent to her as some kind of punishment, but she loves them in her own way and reminds herself of that now. You and Aegon have been begging her to change her mind and break the tradition since you were children. Each has a list of their own arguments, but over the years both of you have come down to a simple and unapologetic "I don't want to."

Aegon is rude and cold. All he cares about is the new maids and the wine in his glass; even at battle training with Cole he is now a rare guest. Alicent senses a chasm between them that is only getting wider as time passes. Her boy has grown up and become too independent. His unwillingness to take responsibility for his actions horrifies Alicent - it seems that Aegon does not understand at all how much hope is placed in him as a firstborn son. Apparently one day she may have to drag him to the throne by force.

But she has Aemond, a son she is truly proud of. These days he is her only comfort. The only one who doesn't give her any trouble. Aemond treats everyone with respect, accurately performs every task, shows interest in his studies and spends lots of time training, striving to become the best fighter in the whole kingdom. Alicent admires him, not accentuating the ghostly bitterness at the sight of the scar and the leather bandage covering his empty eye socket. Even with this injury, Aemond remains a far more worthy party than Aegon. He wears it almost with pride, forcing everyone to treat him appropriately, though other people's pitying glances still annoy him.

— Girls rarely marry for love, honey. Usually it's the will of the head of the family. Dynastic marriages, duty, responsibility... — Alysent's voice grows quieter as she is caught up in flashbacks about Otto's time confronting her with the fact of her impending marriage to Viserys. — Our wishes don't matter. Fathers trade us as commodities for fortunate offspring, money or higher status in society.

— I will not have children with Aegon, — you shake your head stubbornly, feeling truly sure of what you just said, as if someone has slipped these words to you right now as an undeniable fact.

You braid your long almost white hair in front of the mirror and stoically don't flinch when your mother puts her arms around you shoulders, hugging you from behind. You catch her sad look in the reflection and hide your understanding. You pretend not to know why Alicent uses those exact words. Pretend not to see in the images of the past the young mother who had to marry Viserys, despite the terrifying age difference. Maybe you were a little luckier in that. Aegon is the same age with you, you grew up together, and you know him from every possible angle. But he does not hold a special place in your heart. He isn't the reason for your happy smiles and burning eyes.

— Why can't I marry Aemond? You know he's worthy, and we could...

Your voice, full of hope, falters as Alicent shakes you by the shoulders and turns you toward her. She's sorry, but there's an order to things that they must obey.

— We've discussed this before, and I won't waste time doing it again. I've listened to your lamentations for years, but you know they won't change anything. You will marry Aegon, it was decided when you were born, — your mother mints each word with particular firmness, and this is a hint of how tired she is of the whole situation, and you nod meekly, giving up.

You will still manage to get your way, even if you do it bypassing all the rules, but now it is better to calm Alicent down and not bring her to the boiling point. You remember quite well how long your cheeks can burn after mother's slaps. You know how to be a chameleon and give people the reactions they expect, even if they are false. You learned a long time ago that sincerity is not always the key to everything. But it's the only thing that matters to you - that's why the truth rings openly in the room when you talk about not having children with Aegon. You don't need to use cards or the stars or avoid nights together with your husband-to-be to know that.

It only takes a sudden frame, a blurred wisp in front of your eyes, to see an adorable boy beside you addressing Aemond through the cherished "Daddy!" And that alone warms you from within, sending a real shiver of shy happiness through your body. Your mother's words immediately lose all meaning - some girls are entitled to their love, after all, even under the condition of a dynastic marriage. And you know that Aemond will gladly take Aegon's place as your husband. He has repeatedly spoken out about this, even though no one has taken the youngest's words seriously.

Later that night, you visit your brother. You aren't a frequent guest in Aemond's chambers, but tonight he has deliberately avoided you all day since the announcement of the engagement, and despite the fact that you two usually spend Friday nights together, you have a premonition that this time Aemond will break a long-standing tradition. His resentment toward the world, mixed with aggression, spreads throughout the entire wing of the castle in a shock wave. You walk down the corridor, barely breathing, as if you were wading through a thick curtain of smog. Aemond doesn't keep guards near the door, so getting in isn't the biggest problem.

But to your disappointment, the room is empty. At this late hour your brother can only be in the training room. You contemplate the fact that this isn't the worst way to deal with emotions, so you let yourself lie down on the bed, staring into the stained-glass window across the room with a cloudy, tired look. Aemond is predictable - if something goes wrong and something knocks him out of his crystal smooth icy tranquility, he gets rid of that tension either by holding his sword in his hand or holding Vhagar's reins.

Aemond would have been glad to go up in the sky today, to circle over the neighboring lands and let the dragon choose its own direction, just to hear the sound of the wind and feel the frisky currents of air above him. Maybe it would spare him fantasies of what would happen after you and Aegon's official wedding. He can't help but imagine. Jealousy clouds the mind, rises as a desperate veil before his eyes, and beasts growl somewhere behind his ribcage, demanding to take away what belongs to him. You are destined for Aegon by birthright, but Aemond will rather die than let it really happen.

A break in the family is not as frightening as his mother's anger, but even that pales in the face of the fear that he might lose you before he has found you. It's hard for him to remember at what point the childish thought of "I could be a better husband for her" was replaced by the quite distinct "I want her only for myself, all to myself". Blind affection has developed into something more - if one were to ask Aemond to assess the situation from the outside, he would boldly call it a crush that at times feels more like an obsession. These feelings are so vivid and all-consuming, and they are only further fueled by envy of Aegon, who doesn't even have to try and do anything.

You're literally handed to Aegon on a silver platter, but he turns away at her, and that's what angers Aemond more than anything else in the world. He is so angry that the whole day flies by, lost in this boiling aggression. His mother forbids him to fly and sends guards to keep the way to Vhagar - she is truly afraid that Aemond will lose control of himself. She does not need to speak to her son to notice the reverent tenderness with which he treats his sister, and the fierce insistence with which he asks again and again to marry you. Putting two and two together is not at all difficult, but Alicent pushes away the dangerous realization to the last. She wants to believe that Aemond will outgrow his adolescent sympathies and won't become an obstacle to all her plans.

So Aemond is training all evening, deliberately skipping dinner. He literally boils over with his own powerlessness, and the scar itches nastily, echoing the tension that is already multiplying in his body. His wrist goes numb and his shoulder cramps from overexertion, but it seems to Aemond that he would rather burn in the fire of his own rage at fate than manage to truly calm down. "I should have been born first." He grinds it out through his teeth, trashing the training figures as if it were his own fault. But all the tension suddenly vanishes from him only the moment he finds himself in the bedroom, noticing a maiden silhouette on the bed. And then he is overtaken by utter fatigue, coupled with a ghostly joy.

Aemond moves almost silently, having already had time to change his clothes and take a bath. He leaves his trusty sword by the armchair and walks around the bed, a cautious smile blooming on his lips in an instant. He dares not disturb your fragile sleep, so he lays down beside you so as to leave a fraction of a safe space between them. But even this allows him, nevertheless, to reach out to the heavy blond curls and run the tips through, to drown in them like in the silk. Aemond had once even been able to braid your hair, but now his fingers, rough under the steel of his sword, can hardly remember the right movements. He gazes at you as if he was a thief about to be caught. Every moment is so priceless that Aemond hardly blinks, he doesn't even breathe, it seems.

Love pierces through him. It shackles him hand and foot and makes him utterly helpless. He could control anyone in the castle, he could easily overrule and defend himself, but even his own armor is no match for you. Any mask melts under your inquisitive look, any hardness vanishes from by your voice, obeying light touches or kisses. You two never crossed the line, always wandering somewhere on the edge, pretending to maintain the boundaries of propriety, but Aemond knows that the feelings are mutual. He knows that if he takes a step into that abyss, your affectionate embrace is sure to meet him on his way.

— Are you angry with him or with me? — the innocent question takes him by surprise, and he involuntarily flinches as he notices that you are no longer asleep, instead engrossed in tracing the movement of his fingers through the tips of your hair.

— With myself.

Aemond doesn't need to lie in your presence. You feel him so subtly that you easily bypass the barriers of words to get straight to the point. There's something he can't say out loud even to himself, but you know without having to, so you move cautiously closer to be with your brother, literally nose to nose. Pulling your cool fingers to his face, you smoothly circles the sharp cheekbones and the outline of his lips before picking up the tip of his artificial skin. The blue sapphire shines in the glow of the night, and you look at it mesmerized as if you noticed it for the first time, though years ago it was your gift.

— You're staring, — Aemond, as always, feels naked without his usual blindfold, so he uses that as an excuse to change the subject. He'd like to pay less attention to the fact that your touches are creating a tight lump somewhere in his stomach. — Do you think Aegon won't let you come here after the wedding?

— Aegon won't take away my will or my desires. He won't change anything, — you shake your head softly, not noticing the sneer in your brother's voice, and stand up a bit on your elbow. Reaching out some more, you press your lips to Aemond's cheek in short, blind kisses, trying to put a promise in your words. — Everything will stay the same. Our Friday nights, our flights together and our walks in the garden. I will stay with you, as I promised. I love you, remember?

You stop yourself, belatedly remembering that these promises they have yet to say to each other in the future, but Aemond is too focused on the tenderness flooding his gut with hot treacle to notice this hiccup. He's no longer able to run from what you so generously offer him, he feels a special foreboding in the air and he reads the benevolent permission in your eyes before he covers your lips with his for the first time, dragging you into a kiss that grows more desperate and impatient as the feeling of elapsing time becomes stronger.

[melsie-sims]

“—and this is the Melwyn Castle, your final stop for tonight,” Ackley was telling the refugees as they walked through the giant doors separating the castle grounds from the rest of the world. “You’ll be shown to your dormitories shortly, where you’ll be able to have a hot bath before dinnertime. We have a very lovely cook that’s been working hard all day.”

“It’s beautiful. I truly wasn’t expecting this much work to have been done so rapidly. How long have you been here? Two years?” said one of the women on the left, wearing a red and blue dress.

“It’ll be two years in a couple months, yes,” Ackley replied.

“My pa was a farmhand before all of this, and I followed in his footsteps as soon as I became of age,” said a young man with filthy clothes and thick, messy red hair. He seemed only a little older than Alyse and Gemma.

“Thank you,” Ackley nodded with a reassuring grin. “I’m sure you’ve all got skills and interests that could benefit the settlement, but for tonight just enjoy yourselves and get some rest. You’ve traveled a long way to be here.”

He paused for a moment.  

“One last thing,” he said and pulled out a quill and a long scroll of parchment. “I’d like to know everyone’s names, if that’s alright. No need to declare if you’re an occult or not... we don't require that information here, unless you feel inclined to do so.” 

The woman in the red and blue dress went first. “Saumya Silverspring. I'm a cleric.” 

The woman next to her went next. “I'm Yoko Mahou. I'm just a servant," she said. "And we call her Mary,” she added quickly, gesturing to the little girl next to her. She couldn't have been more than seven or eight years old. “Mary the Silent. She doesn’t speak.”

The redheaded farmhand was named Braeden Sherwood, and the girl with short brown hair was Zabella Keylore. The pretty blonde with the scars on her face was named Danica Gentry, and the pale, thin-faced man with long blonde hair was Nieven Proudlark.

Eze, a little on edge, noticed the way Nieven stared at Ackley the entire time he spoke.

[atv-migrated]

HOUSE OF THE DRA.GON THE MUSICAL!

because @velcryons made a joke and now i HAVE to expand on it

IF YOU ARE NOT A MUTUAL OF MINE DONT EVEN TOUCH THIS

rhaenyra (young): renée rapp

rhaenyra (older): krysta rodriguez

alicent (young): sofia anne caruso or mallory bechtel

alicent (older): taylor louderman

viserys: ngl i have no idea

daemon: matt smith i listened to american psycho he can sing he can stay

rhaenys: lea solanga

corlys: daveed diggs

otto hightower: patrick page

lyonel strong: anthony rapp

harwin strong: josh groban (thank u els)

larys strong: gavin creel

laena: ariana debose

laenor: jordan fisher

mysaria: eva noblezada

rhea royce: kathryn gallagher

aemond: kyle selig

aegon: ben tyler cook

helaena: auli'i cravalho

jace: graham phillips

luke: andrew barth feldman

baela: ciara alyse harris

rhaena: olivia puckett

[wall-legion]

Finding Devotion: Odetta Swanheart

The origin story of many an orphan begins in the dead of night, rain pouring down, with a basket containing a newborn or very young infant left on a doorstep with only a mysterious family heirloom or perhaps a note begging for the child to be well cared for. This would be no such story. The girl found at the doorstep just before dawn, after someone had been pounding at the door for a good twenty minutes. She was too short to reach the knocker, but there was no one else to be found anywhere nearby. The Lady Margaret Thayer, the headmistress of the Swanheart Orphanage, estimated that the girl had to be three years old. She was holding a small bag that was found to hold a change of clothes and a stuffed rabbit. She was slight from lack of good meals, with softly curling fine blond hair and small blue eyes. Lady Margaret looked to her assistant, her handmaiden Alyse. “I suspect she’ll be adopted soon enough,” she mused. “She is comely enough.” “Of course, my lady,” Alyse replied softly. “May I see your bag, darling?” Lady Margaret turned her attention to the girl, who promptly held it up to her. “Thank you, dearest. Alyse, go take her to have a bath and then right into breakfast with the other children.” “Yes ma’am. Come along, dear.” “O-det-ta.” The two women paused and looked down at the girl, who had suddenly spoken up. She repeated herself, obviously speaking as though she had practiced this with someone. “My name is O-det-ta.” “Very well then, Odetta,” Lady Margaret replied, “let’s get you a nice hot bath and some breakfast. Does that sound nice?” “Yes please!” Lady Margaret beamed and waved back at the tiny girl as Alyse escorted her off. Yes, she was sure someone would scoop her up immediately. === It was a snowy night, just after Wintersday, and Lady Margaret was up late reading some letters and rubbing her temples. Adoptions had slowed dramatically in the last few years, and she was now looking at far too many children and far too few applications for homes. Money was getting tight, though she had tried her best to not let the children see that through the Wintersday lead up: the feast was had, the gifts were given, and she tried to not think about how much it was costing as it was happening. The day after she had sent out birds with letters to family, friends and acquaintances of her and her deceased husband Gregor in the hopes that someone would be open to helping out her and the children until she could find families who were looking to adopt. Then the letter came back from Gregor’s sister and her wife, the Countesses Theodora and Amelia Glendann, came back with a suggestion: many of the noble families of Divinity’s Reach had children grown, or had no children at all, but they had never been reached out to regarding adoption because Margaret had always focused her energies on helping lower and middle class families. (She bristled slightly at that: they deserved her energy, they were the ones trying to build homes outside the walls of the city where they were open to attack! They could never afford a doctor when their children fell ill! They deserved her energy! But she could never win this argument against her fellow nobles.) The nobles who did take in a child could pay Margaret the adoption fee and then could raise the child to be “a charming and winsome member of the upper classes”, who could petition the crown for formal entrance into the aristocracy if they so chose upon adulthood. They further posited that those children who did become nobility would perhaps give back to the orphanage themselves, thus ending her monetary issues. “It could work,” she muttered aloud into the dim, cold atmosphere of her office, readjusting the shawl that had slipped off her shoulders. She immediately thought of Odetta: sweet, polite Odetta, who only wanted to please people. She would be a good fit for this idea. If she could think of a few other children, perhaps she could convince some other nobles to take this idea on as a trial basis. She rose from her desk, leaving herself a brief note on the letter before taking her candle and heading towards the door. She would work on this further in the morning. === Odetta was trying very hard to not cry as Lady Margaret gave her a warm, strong hug, before handing her a bag. “I packed it myself,” the woman who she had started to see as her mother, since she could not remember her own, said with quavering voice. “There’s all your clothes, a new nice set that Alyse sewed up for you with help from the girls.” “Thank you,” she replied, wetly. Lady Margaret pressed a soft kiss to the girl’s forehead. That was when the floodgates opened for her. “Oh, don’t do that to me! I’ve done so good so far today with not crying, Odetta!” Odetta looked up to see the older woman’s eyes absolutely brimming with unshed tears. “I’ve already seen off the twins, and Gwendolyn, and Leon without crying. Don’t do this to me!” “I can’t leave you though,” Odetta whimpered. “I haven’t known anywhere else.” “Oh my sweet girl.” Lady Margaret pulled her into another hug. “You mustn’t say that, you’re twelve years old and there is so much world out there! Someday you find somewhere- someone- something- that feels like your place. Here is just a moment, a memory. I’m honored to be a part of it. But you will go and see so much more and find your true place soon. Do you understand?” Odetta nodded, though she worried that perhaps she really did not. “Good girl. Now, let’s clean your face up. You still need to meet your new parents.” Odetta nodded, pausing to wipe her face dry with her hankie, before taking a deep breath. “I’m ready.” Lady Margaret inclined her head with a smile, before opening the door to the room Odetta had longed to enter her entire time as a resident at the Swanheart Orphanage: the family meeting room. She followed Lady Margaret into the room and stopped next to her, folding her hands in front of her to try and look Nice. Before them were an older couple: a man with graying auburn hair, a full beard, and a stocky build; and a woman with dark brown hair, a build almost so slender as to seem angular, and the most piercing blue eyes Odetta had ever seen. He had a gentle smile on his face. She appeared to have just smelled something unpleasant. “Lady Elena, Lord Jaquin,” Lady Margaret murmured while curtsying. Odetta immediately copied the gesture as best she could in her shorter skirt. “Well,” Lady Elena said after a moment, with a short sniff. “She’s awfully short, isn’t she.” “At the moment, yes,” Lady Margaret answered. “But children do grow.” “She is correct, my love,” Lord Jaquin replied with a laugh. “And she does seem to have some good manners already. So we have a good foundation to build upon.” Lady Elena approached her, reaching into her pocket. Odetta stiffened as she brought out a fan and put it under her chin, using it to tip her face up to look up into her eyes. They stood like that in silence for a long moment, before Lady Elena lowered her chin back down and put the fan away. “She’ll do.” “Oh! Wonderful. Let’s step away and finalize some paperwork. Odetta, why don’t you have a seat? I’ll have Alyse bring in some tea and cookies in a moment.” “Yes ma’am,” she replied, promptly heading to a chair. “What a good girl,” Lord Jaquin mused aloud as he and Lady Elena followed Lady Margaret back into her office. Odetta sank into the chair she had aimed for and fought back a sob. She knew she should be grateful to be going with these people, but all she felt at the moment was panic and regret, and a distinctly childish longing to sprint upstairs to the girls’ dormitory and clamber under her bed with her poor old stuffed rabbit Bunny. But all that would disappoint and possibly embarrass Lady Margaret, who had made sure she had been loved and taken care of since she had arrived here: so there she sat, staring out the window instead and taking out her hankie again in case the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes made their escape and spilled onto her cheeks. === To say that Lord Jaquin was absent was a gross understatement. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that it was a gods-blessed miracle that Lady Elena remembered the face of her husband at all, given how infrequently his grace graced the halls of his own home. He was the undersecretary of the Minister of Economy, and thus was constantly at the palace or hobnobbing with the upper echelons of the nobility. “It was easier for him to stay up there and be ready to get right to work” was the reason Odetta was given when she asked about it within the first few weeks, but she quickly learned she had more pressing concerns than where her “father” was. Lady Elena made it very clear from the moment they moved her in that there was a schedule to uphold every day. Odetta was to rise at 5 every morning, wash her body in cold water (”to stimulate and awaken the self”, she was told) before taking a half hour to pray to the gods in silence, and then to present herself downstairs at 6 for breakfast with Lady Elena. Breakfast was usually simple with mild cheese, toast and weak tea (”it would not do to overexcite the digestion so early”, after all) and Odetta would recite her lessons from the day prior to Lady Elena to make sure that she had been satisfactorily paying attention. At 7 they would part to get themselves dressed: Lady Elena by her lady’s maid, Odetta on her own. At 7:30 they would take a walk around the courtyard at the front of the house so they could meet the first of Odetta’s tutors. The rest of Odetta’s day was focused on “building her quality”: dance instruction was from 8 to 9, etiquette was from 9 to 11, and history of Tyria was from 11 to 12. Odetta took lunch alone from 12 to 1, as Lady Elena would eat lunch from 11:30 to 12:30, and more often than not she would sneak into the kitchen and talk with the staff while she ate her lunch. She often worried that she would get caught at this, or that one of the kitchen staff would tattle on her, but she managed to never have any consequences come from it. After that, she would be at her music lesson from 1 to 3, calligraphy from 3 to 4, and elocution from 4 to 5. Odetta would then, finally, have time for herself from the conclusion of elocution until about 6:30, when she would change for dinner. At 7 she would go downstairs to join Lady Elena for dinner, which was likely to be chicken or fish with a light sauce, a vegetable, and if it was colder out there would be warm fresh baked bread. Odetta once asked about potatoes since she missed Alyse’s mashed potatoes from the orphanage: “potatoes,” Lady Elena immediately retorted, “are to fill up the mouths of the poor. This household is not poor. We will not be served potatoes.” There wasn’t even good desserts to make up for the lack of potatoes. They almost always were served the same thing every night: poached pears with a very thin vanilla cream sauce. It was Lady Elena’s favorite. Odetta grew to hate it. === The argument had started over a book. Odetta was now fourteen, and had gotten bored of basically being shut in her room from 5 to 6:30 every night to simply wait until she was to dress for the evening meal. So she finished her lunch early that day and wandered a bit. After a while of walking aimlessly through hallways she’d never been permitted into, she finally found herself in what appeared to be an office, or perhaps a library: maybe a little of both. A heavy wooden desk with an ornate chair, lined with plush yellow velvet, sat just in front of the doors; while all of the walls were lined with shelves that were covered with books, save for a space where a large fireplace made of white stones was built in between the dark wood shelving. Most of the titles were dull as dirt and had to do with economics and financial matters, leading Odetta to guess that this was Lord Jaquin’s study, but there was one section of shelves that seemed to be more... interesting. She pulled out a few different books, staring at the art on their covers and immediately blushing. They all featured adults in embraces that didn’t seem... appropriate. She decided on one with an unusually large woman throwing her head back as a shorter man appeared to be undoing her garments. Dear Wolf’s Dottir. it was called. She put the other books back and slipped out of the room with the book tucked into the sweater she had on that day, heading back to her room to look it over. And as soon as she did, she was engrossed: a female norn warrior named Sif rescuing a male human monk named Laird from a blizzard in the Shiverpeaks and helped him recuperate from the frostbite and exposure illness that he came down with after his time in the snowy wilderness. He was traveling north to see norn culture and to better understand all the races of Tyria; she was trying to find a fuller communion with the Spirit of Wolf so that she could become a havroun in his Lodge. As Laird recovered, their mutual spirituality allowed them to find topics to converse about; as time progressed and the blizzard continued onward, keeping them stuck inside the abandoned haven that Sif had managed to find and get Laird into, they realized that they were mutually attracted to each other. She was just beginning to read about them initiating their romantic relationship when the door to her room was flung open, and Lady Elena was standing there glaring at her. In her surprise, Odetta nearly flung the book off the end of the bed where she was laying and taking in the bawdy tale. “It is ten past seven, where have you-” Lady Elena’s eyes shifted toward the book, and she stormed into the room and picked it up. Her frame stiffened as she caught sight of the cover. “Where. Did you. Find this.” “I... I wanted something to read-” Odetta started, before feeling like anything she said was going to be used against her. “This book is in a room you are not permitted to enter, or you would have been shown how to get yourself there,” the other woman snapped, shaking the book around as she spoke. “You have disobeyed me, and you have gone where you are not supposed to be!” “Because there’s nothing for me to do-!” she retorted before she could stop herself, shoving herself off the bed and onto her feet. If she was to be in trouble for something as minor as amusing herself as a book, she may as well push back. “I just get taught to be pretty and perfect and useless-!” Lady Elena drew up, spots of red high and bright on her cheeks. “Is that what you think,” she hissed, quietly. “Very well. I’ll make sure there’s something for you to do soon enough. And in the meantime get yourself dressed for dinner and get yourself downstairs, and never go wandering in this house where I have not shown you.” Odetta nodded after a moment, and Lady Elena slammed the door shut behind her. Odetta stared down the door for a moment, swallowing down the urge to cry for the millionth time since she was brought here, before quietly moving to her closet to pull out something she could wear to dinner that would not further offend Lady Elena. === “I’m afraid I must interrupt you, Mistress Karina,” Lady Elena announced while stepping into the room that was used for Odetta’s lessons. The woman who did her history lessons curtsied briefly, before stepping out to leave Lady Elena alone with her ward. Odetta, now sixteen, looked up from the notes she was finishing from the lecture that Mistress Karina was delivering about the destruction of Orr. She set her quill aside, calmly rose, and curtsied as well. In the last two years she had learned it was far easier to simply cooperate and stay quiet with her head down, than to ask questions or make waves. “Yes?” she asked after a moment. “We will be having a guest at lunch today. As soon as you are done with Mistress Katrina, you are to go and get yourself changed into something charming and lovely before you come down to eat.” “I... of course. May I ask who we are having as a guest today?” Lady Elena smiled in a way that made Odetta’s stomach turn slightly. “I suppose. We have Duke Andry Vasseur joining us this afternoon.” “Oh. How nice for us.” Odetta tried to sound pleased. Lady Elena apparently registered it as such as she smiled at her. “I’m glad to hear you say that. I’ll see you shortly at lunch.” She walked out, and shortly after Mistress Karina came back in and continued. Odetta unfortunately was completely distracted for the rest of the lesson, though: she had not been out on many outings, she listened when she was out, and the kitchen staff still gossiped in front of her when she ate her lunch in the kitchen. Duke Andry Vasseur was a vulgar older man, publicly known to be a ill-mannered lech and rumored to have far more illicit tastes: whispers swirled at every social level in Divinity’s Reach about him using his servants for his “personal satisfaction”, or traveling to Elona to sate more unspeakable conquests. One of Lord Jaquin and Lady Elena’s staff had come from working in his household, and was said to have witnessed someone who had traveled back to Divinity’s Reach with the Duke after one such trip abroad. The scullery maid, Melanie, who relayed the story to Odetta whispered it out of fear of getting caught and catching a punishment from the head of staff, but her whisper was equal parts terror and glee at the tale she had to tell. “He said the being smelled something awful of dry rot,” she said behind cupped hand, eyes wide. “Have you ever heard of such a thing, Miss Odetta? A human smelling like dry rot?” Before Odetta could muster a reply, she continued on: “And he couldn’t ever tell even what they were, if they were male or female! Just that they were tall ‘nough to be human once! He only ever saw them covered head to toe in a hooded robe, and the Duke said they was never, ever to be bothered. He was going to see to their needs alone. Phillip thinks he brought back some kind of Elonian version of a Risen, but that awful dragon doesn’t have power as far away as that-” It was at that point that Mistress Vera, the head of the kitchen, had caught Melanie away from her duties and had scolded her for not getting the washing done. Odetta had scurried away at that point to be on time for her music lesson, thinking that she would likely never cross paths with the infamous Duke. Now she wished that she had never heard of him, so she would not have such a sour feeling in her stomach. She suddenly registered Mistress Karina looking squarely at her. “Oh- oh! I am so sorry, ma’am.” Mistress Karina shook her head with a smile. “You’re fine, young miss. Being distracted after a surprise announcement like that is understandable, and you are usually a very focused pupil. I will excuse it this once. Either way, our time together has concluded for today. Go ahead to get ready for your luncheon.” “Thank you ma’am,” she said, standing and curtsying as she usually did. She collected her things and headed up to her room, putting them away neatly before picking out a rose colored dress with a modest neckline and long sleeves. She had done the leaves embroidery, worked in gold, at the shoulders and neckline herself last winter, as a way to pass the time after dinner while Lady Elena read aloud from an “appropriate” book and she was rather pleased with her needlework. Furthermore, she felt that small leaves felt less appealing somehow than her other less revealing dress, which had large blooming flowers along the waist. Somehow that felt... welcoming? Inviting? Coy? Odetta’s mind kept choosing new words that felt less and less pleasant with each new choice every time she glanced between the gowns, so the rose dress went onto her bed and the closet door shut on the other option. She took a few extra minutes to make sure she would be pleasing by Lady Elena’s standards: her hair was taken down and brushed out quickly before she pinned it back up into something “daytime appropriate” but also a little nicer since they had company; she applied some fragrance to her wrists and behind her ears; and she made sure her face was clean and fresh looking. As soon as that was done, she got herself into the chosen dress and started downstairs. Lady Elena had changed as well, into a deep purple gown with silver lace trim that Odetta hadn’t seen her wear since the last time Lord Jaquin was home, and was seated outside the dining room. An older man was standing before her, nodding at everything she said with a ghost of a smile on his face. As Odetta came closer towards them, he turned to look at her and the smile grew uncomfortably wide. Odetta was suddenly reminded of the time they were invited to another family’s country house and she had come across one of the dogs hunting a rabbit on the back lawn, and how the dog had seemed to grin in the cruelest way before catching the rabbit in its teeth. She exhaled slowly as she tried to banish the end of the memory from her mind and curtsied. Greet the person whom you know and wait to be introduced, she reminded herself. “Good afternoon, Lady Elena.” “Good afternoon, dear Odetta,” Lady Elena replied. “My dear Duke, may I please introduce our ward Odetta? I believe Jaquin told you about the initiative we took part in, the whole ‘elevating the unloved’ or something.” Odetta tried to not hear that phrase as she continued. “Odetta, this is the Duke Andry Vasseur.” The higher station acknowledges the lower first, she recited in her head, as if she were repeating lessons for Lady Elena. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my dear,” the Duke said, extending a hand. Odetta placed her hand in his, and he raised it so he could place his lips against her knuckles. His lips felt uncomfortably moist, as if he had been licking them in anticipation of something delicious. The lower station is to accept the compliments paid, she told herself while trying to not think about him as that dog bearing down on her, the rabbit, and thank the higher for joining them at the event or in their home. “The pleasure is all mine, sir. Thank you for honoring us with a visit today.” In her peripheral vision, she could see Lady Elena smile genuinely at that. The sour feeling in Odetta’s stomach turned and tightened, and she stood there and smiled pleasantly instead. “I’m so glad we could introduce you two,” she said as she rose to her feet. “Now then, I believe the staff have lunch laid out for us in the other room. If you would just follow me?” Odetta started after her, but was startled by the Duke offering her his arm. She rested her hand on his elbow, and he guided her into the dining room and to her chair that she’d walked to for years unassisted. Suddenly having someone hovering and trying to help felt very encumbering, but she tried to be gracious. After all, he was just a guest of the family. It was far more lunch than Odetta was used to for a weekday. Any other day she would be at her usual perch in the kitchen, out of the way with a piece of fresh bread with a thick smear of honey across it, some cheese, some leftover meat from the night before, and some fruit if it was in season. If she was lucky, someone on the staff would bring in a potato just for her and stick it into the coals to bake so it would be ready for her lunch, and she’d feast on that with lots of salted butter and pepper. Today though, there were multiple courses, and she was sure if she didn’t fall asleep at the table then she surely would by the time she sat down for calligraphy class. It was when the cheese course was brought out, though, that the truth of the matter finally came out. Up until then, the talk at the table had all been idle chatter: Odetta had talked about the new dance step her instructor was teaching her and the challenging new piece her music instructor had her working on when asked and otherwise had held her tongue, while Lady Elena and the Duke were mostly discussing the work Lord Jaquin was doing up at the palace and the affairs of other aristocrats. Lady Elena kept smiling in a way down at Odetta that seemed pleased, so Odetta thought perhaps this was some sort of etiquette test that she was doing well at. Then the Duke spoke up. “I must say, Lady Elena, when you said she was an orphan with no known parentage I had my doubts on if she would have any sort of bearing to her. But you would hardly know that she came from Swanheart!” “Well, I certainly put the time in to make sure she turned out well,” Lady Elena replied with a laugh. Odetta smiled, but the sour knot tightened even further. Something felt... final. “And she certainly has. Such lovely manners, such poise and grace. And so quiet! She’ll do fine enough for me. Name what you’d like for a dowry for her; I’ll send it over with my manservant in the morning.” “What?” The question had escaped her before she had even realized that her mouth was open, let alone moving. Still, her voice was so small, she was surprised either of them had even heard the single word that had come from her. Lady Elena’s smile faltered, and the Duke turned to look at her. “What do you mean, ‘what’?” the Duke asked with a laugh. Despite the merry sound coming from him, his eyes were hard and mean. Odetta thought once again of the dog. “The Jeffers brought you up as a young lady of quality; you had to expect that a marriage would be arranged for you in order to repay them for the years of education and boarding. That’s just how things work when you live in this level of society. Or did you expect to fly away free in a few months time?” Lady Elena shook her head as Odetta started to stand up. “You’re not going anywhere. I have been working on a match for you since you came into this home, young lady. Any other woman without any familial ties would be grateful for this opportunity. Many an aristocratic family turned the idea away, but the good Duke was willing to participate in the venture.” He smiled again. Odetta thought of how the rabbit had screamed as the dog bit down. “No!” she shouted. “You call him an opportunity? He’s old enough to be my grandfather, and I’ve heard-” “A lady does not repeat the idle gossip that she hears when she goes out in the world,” Lady Elena spoke over her. The sudden redness in her cheeks, though, gave her away: Odetta realized that she too knew about the Duke’s storied escapades and tastes, and the fact that it wasn’t something Odetta was going to find out later in the Duke’s own home was a card she had been hoping to continue to keep close to her chest. “It does not reflect well on her. And if this is how you will conduct yourself, you will either ask to be excused from the table or mind your tongue for the rest of the luncheon!” Part of her considered staying, to find out how much Lady Elena thought she was worth, but she felt mostly too sick at heart to continue to listen to the two of them. “May I please be excused, Lady Elena?” she asked, dully. Lady Elena nodded stiffly, and Odetta waited for the Duke to help her push her chair out from the table before she curtsied to them both and walked as calmly to the door as she could manage. As soon as she was on the stairs and certain that she was out of earshot, though, she took off her shoes and sprinted up the stairs. Skirt held up in one hand and shoes in the other, she did not stop running until she was at her bedroom door. She let herself in, locked the door behind her and immediately collapsed against it in tears, sliding to the floor in a heap. She didn’t want this! She’d rather have stayed at the orphanage and have never been adopted if it had meant not being sold to someone, for all that this marriage was! After a while, there was a knock at the door. “Miss Odetta?” It was Lady Elena’s handmaiden, Fiona. “Master Corbin is asking after you. You’re late for your music lesson.” She wanted to say something nasty and hurtful, but it wasn’t Fiona’s fault that she was here, and it wasn’t Master Corbin’s either. “Please tell him I’m unwell. I have a bad headache. The light pains my eyes so...” “Oh, poor dear, you do sound out of sorts. Would you like me to let your other instructors know as well?” “Yes please.” Odetta managed a faint smile to herself as she thought, Bless you Fiona, though you’ll never know why. “Of course Miss Odetta. You get some rest now. I’ll let the kitchen know as well, you ring if you need anything.” “Thank you, Fiona.” “You’re welcome, dear.” She listened to the older woman walk away from the door, waiting a moment more before finally getting up. She had no more time for crying and sitting around: while talking to Fiona, the first seeds of an idea had started to plant inside her mind and were now starting to blossom into a full blown plan for how she was to avoid this awful planned marriage. She pulled off the gown she was wearing for one of her dresses that was strictly for when they went out to go riding or to visit a friend’s country house and could depend on going hunting or fishing and would need range of movement. She wished for a moment it looked less expensive, but there was no way to fix that now. Next she started packing what she surmised would be most useful: extra clothes, toiletries, the small stash of money that she had, her cold weather coat. All of these items were carefully packed up into the knapsack Lord Jaquin had gotten her a few years ago, when they were walking the markets of Divinity’s Reach together and she had been enamored with watching a leatherworker plying their trade. Thankfully, the bag looked far more humble than her clothes did, and held everything well enough. “Food will be a concern,” she mumbled to herself, “but there’s no way I’m sneaking into the kitchen to get supplies without getting caught. And they likely won’t send up much if I’m in bed with a headache. I’ll have to worry about it when I’m out of here.” She also didn’t think she could eat much of anything with how anxious (and still full) she felt from the disaster of a lunch date that just occurred, in hindsight. Instead of worrying about it further, she decided to get some sleep so she would be ready when it was dark out. === She awoke to one of the bells outside in town chiming the hour and counted as she lay in bed: once it hit nine, she was up and moving. Lady Elena was always in her chambers by 9, if not already asleep: she had a special sleeping tonic she took mixed into a glass of wine with dessert every night, and it usually took about an hour for it to work. Most of the servants would be sent home at this point, with only Fiona sleeping in her room adjacent to Lady Elena’s and the butler Uther checking on everything downstairs before he too went to bed. She slipped on a pair of boots and a light cloak, grabbed her pack, and snuck downstairs. She didn’t think she had ever heard the house this quiet before. It seemed like everything and everyone inside was holding their breath so that everything she did would seem a thousand times louder for it. Floor boards that had never squeaked a day in their lives were suddenly feeling the urge to under her feet, the normally well oiled doors all had new clicks or squawks when they opened, and even the carpet in the foyer suddenly sounded like walking on a mile of the driest dead leaves. She thought she was going to die of a panic attack by the time she reached the front door. She got outside and stopped as a light appeared in her peripheral vision. This was it. She should have known it would be too easy. She turned to look at Uther, frowning worriedly at her. “Miss Odetta?” “Uther, please don’t tell her-” He suddenly grinned, surprising her. “Who, Lady Elena? Only thing I’ll tell her is boo! I know what she’s up to, miss, and I can’t blame you for getting away. Here, wait a moment. You’ll need something to keep you safe, and it’ll get right up the old bird’s feathers.” He gestured for her to follow him back inside. “Are you sure..?” “Miss, none of us in the staff wanted you to go away with that dirty old ba... oh pardon me, miss, I was about to not mind my manners. Those of us working here didn’t want to see you with that Duke any more than you want to go with him, seems like. So I won’t tell the Lady I saw you leave. Now you stay here where it’s warm a moment. And don’t worry about her none. I gave her an extra strong dose of her tonic tonight. Had a feeling something like this would happen!” He winked and headed into the house proper with the lantern. Odetta pulled the cloak around herself to try and keep herself from fidgeting while she waited. Even though he told her he was safe and that the others on staff wanted her safe as well, she still worried this was a trap after all and that she was failing some kind of very elaborate test; that Lady Elena would come down the stairs at any moment to loudly and disdainfully lambast her for faking sick to get out of her afternoon lessons so she could try to run away from the only other responsibility she had to her “family”. A light approached from the direction Uther had left in, and she held her breath until she saw his face again. He was grinning like a cat who had knocked down the cream jug as he held something out that caused Odetta to gasp, covering her mouth with her hands. “Uther, I couldn’t! She’d lose her mind!” What was in the butler’s hand was the golden wand and focus Odetta had seen only once before, when she had been invited into Lady Elena’s bedroom a few months prior. They were usually mounted over her dressing table mirror. Uther let out a guffaw. “Miss, that’s the point! She wanted to take everything from you! Why not take what you can from her?” She hesitantly reached out and took the wand in one hand and the focus in the other. There was a strange rush of feeling as she took them both into her hands, intense and exhilarating but somehow grounding at the same time: like it had always been available to her, but she had not had the tools to channel it. “She saw how you responded to her old weapons,” Uther said, “and she recognized a fellow mesmer’s potential by the way they reacted to you being in the same room as them. That’s why she set up the marriage, miss. She wants you away before you realize you could have magic in you.” “Did she know the whole time?” Odetta whispered. “That I... I could be strong like this?” “I couldn’t tell you. I’m not wise in those things. But I know how she used her abilities to control the people around her before, and I cannot see that happen to as nice a girl as you. Not when you’re smart enough to push back.” He started towards the front door. “Come along. Let’s get you away from here, and towards your true future.” She nodded and fell in behind him. “I think that sounds like a wonderful idea, Uther.” He opened the gate for her and patted her back as she gave him a hug. “Be safe out there,” he whispered before she pulled away. She nodded and then passed through the gates and into the darkness, vanishing from sight. He locked the gate behind her, then went back into the house and locked the great front door as well, humming as he walked to his room and his bed. === “What a pity,” Countess Anise said as she set down her empty tea cup. “And you don’t think she was kidnapped..?” “Of course not,” Lady Elena snapped. “I had her for four years, I would know if anyone was wanting to kidnap her or not. She ran away! She was a terrible, headstrong, ungrateful brat who robbed me and ran away, and I want her brought back!” The Countess, who had listened to this woman for over an hour now and had decided ages ago she couldn’t blame this girl for getting out given her circumstances, nodded faintly. “Well, I cannot guarantee that the Shining Blade themselves will bring her back, but I will make sure appropriate channels are informed of her name, appearance, and so on...” “I would hope that you do, otherwise Duke Andry Vasseur will be very cross with the lot of us,” the other woman muttered. Countess Anise’s eyebrow quirked. What did you expect to get from him in exchange for the fresh meat that was your ward, Elena..? she pondered internally. Perhaps she could poke Logan into finding someone who could do a more thorough investigation than she or her forces could on the Duke. He always had a good eye for undercover operatives. She’d never tell him that to his face, though. “If you will excuse me, Lady Elena,” she murmured as she rose to her feet. “I must regretfully draw our time together to a close. I have another engagement with the Queen I must attend to.” “Oh, yes, of course,” Lady Elena replied, sounding bitter in spite of her understanding words. “Please feel free to contact my husband if you receive any word on her whereabouts. He’s up here after all.” “Oh, I will as soon as I do.” She rang for one of her servants to see the other woman out, and then went to her desk to write a quick letter to Logan about this runaway girl. He’d grown up alongside the eldest of Lord and Lady Jeffer, so he knew what they were like... and she couldn’t wait to find out what excuses he could make up for Odetta Swanheart if he ever found her.

[isefyres-archive]

𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐄.

Prince Oberyn Martell. Brother of Prince Doran and Princess Elia. Known as the Red Vyper, Oberyn is obsessed with bringing justice to what happened to his sister during the Rebellion.

Princess Elia Martell. Married to Rhaegar Targaryen, Elia died during the Rebellion after being put aside by her husband. Elia and her children perished in the last days of the Rebellion.

Prince Trystane Martell. The youngest son of Prince Doran, and the bethroded to Princess Myrcella Baratheon. Trystane is kind and generous, only showing fighting spirit when he must.

Princess Arianne Martell. The eldest daughter of Doran and his heir. Arianne is a guidance to Princess Myrcella. Seductive and scheming, Arianne wants her father to see her value as heir and wants Myrcella to be seen as the same.

𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋.

Lord Gwayne Dayne. Lord of Starfall and father of Edric Dayne. Gwayne is currently in the Water Gardens and is part of Princess Arianne's protection as she travels to meet the supposed Aegon who survived.

Ser Arthur Dayne. The Sword of the Morning, a kingsguard of King Aerys II and protector of Prince Rhaegar. Ser Arthur helps the prince take Lyanna Stark and eventually dies at the Tower of Joy protecting the newborn son of his lost friend.

Lady Ashara Dayne. The Lady with the Laughing Eyes. Ashara is regarded as one of the most beautiful women in the realm. A lady for Princess Elia, she falls for Ned Stark during the Harrenhal tournament and thinking they will wed, the two sleep together. Ashara eventually dies after the Rebellion, after seeing Ned one last time.

Lady Regent Allyria Dayne. Youngest sister of Arthur and Ashara and Gwayne. Allyria is Regent of Starfall and tutor to her young nephew and heir to Starfall, Edric Dayne. Allyria is fiercely loyal and adamant that her sister Ashara and Lord Ned Stark were in love, even suggesting the name Ned as nickname for her nephew.

𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐐𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐘𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄.

Arron Qorgyle. is a knight of House Qorgyle, the second son of Lord Quentyn Qorgyle of Sandstone. Arron is one of Prince Oberyn's Squires that accompanies him to King's Landing when he is to take a seat at the council.

Quira Qorgyle. Third daughter of Lord Quentyn. Quira is known for having heterchromia, two eyes of different colors, some say it's a sign of goodwill or witchcraft. Either way, Quira was a lady for Princess Arianne, however, often resenting how close she was with Ser Damon Sand. She grows close to Princess Myrcella.

𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒.

Lady Valena Toland. Valena Toland is the eldest daughter of the Lady Nymella Toland of Ghost Hill. Valena greets Princess Arianne Martell and her companions when they arrive at Ghost Hill. She is the heir of Ghost Hill.

Lady Jynessa Blackmont. She is the eldest child and heir of Larra Blackmont, the Lady of Blackmont. Jynessa, accompanied by her mother and brother, are a part of the escort that accompanies Prince Oberyn Martell to King's Landing when he comes to claim his seat on the small council.

Lady Jayne Ladybright. is Dornish noblewoman from House Ladybright. She is the niece of Alyse Ladybright. Jayne accompanies Princess Arianne Martell on her mission to meet Jon Connington in the Stormlands.

Lady Elenor Tyrell. Elenor's mother is a woman from House Dalt of Lemonwood. With her mother deceased and Deziel Dalt's brother and heir away in exile, there is rumors she is to be send to Dorne to become the new lady of Lemonwood.

Lady Myria Jordayne. is a member of House Jordayne and the daughter and heir of Lord Trebor Jordayne of the Tor. She is the current heir. Myria is part of the escort that accompanies Prince Oberyn Martell to King's Landing.

[sleepyslothsims]

"Sheesh, it's like someone died in here." A warm welcome to our founder, Alyse Mitchell. After living in her parents' basement for most of her young adult life, moving in and out of odd jobs, she inherited the house of her grandmother with one requirement: to make something of herself. Will she fulfill her promise, or will she fall back into her old ways? I decided that it was time to try a legacy challenge! The Joy of Life by @simelune specifically. I might not be able to offer as much time and energy into this challenge as others but hopefully, I will at least have some pretty pictures and maybe a few new simblr buddies.

[zuskarumoto]

Alyssa Landgraab

Traits: Loner, Romantic, Good

Dislikes: Family Oriented Sims

Parents: Tommy Landgraab & Carolyn Huntington-Landgraab

Siblings: Lara & Collin Landgraab

Other Family: Father Side: Johnathan Landgraab & Nina Caliente-Landgraab (Grandparents)

Mother Side: Kayla & J Huntington III (Grandparents) Karl & Edwin Huntington (Uncles) Alyse, Gilbert, Sandra, Heath, Brynlee & Kaylin Huntington (Cousins)

Toddler:

Child:

Teen:

Young Adult:

[bucksims]

Gal Pals Legacy (ver.i before makeover)

a|n: Soooo, it's been almost a year now since I've started playing with these sims, and I'm now just posting a legacy about them:p. Henceforth you will see changes in their outfits and appearances since I gave them a makeover somewhere along their young-adulthood.

Introductions!

It all started when these two were teenagers:D. Claire Knight (left) and Lorelle Asa (right). Childhood best friends that moved out of their homes and moved to a different neighborhood during their sophmore year of college.

The neighborhoood was small but very popular to college kids who are drowned in student debt:>.

i.e:

Juice and Blaire Martinez

Andrew, Adam, and Alyse Ledger

The Ledgers--

They met Andrew, Adam, and Alyse during their welcome wagon. Andrew was Claire's classmate (I imagined they had art majors), Adam was a Pre-Teen, and Alyse was starting her job as an Astronaut intern.

The Martinezs--

As for Juice and Blaire: Lorelle met Juice at the gym when gym bros were eyeing her, so Juice did his sets next to her instead. When they were walking home, they found out they only lived a house away from one another. They got to know each other; Lorelle found out he babysat during the weekends and met her sister after Juice insisted she took a break during their morning jog and found out Blaire worked part-time as a Barista.

Cass--

The Ledgers grew up in Pendula View of Willow Creek. The Umbrage Manor was what they called home until their parents shunned them when they told them they wanted to pursue arts and science instead of taking over the business they owned.

Cassandra was Andrew's childhood best friend. When Andrew's parents noticed their infant's social anxiety, they decided to arrange a playdate with the Newlyweds: Bella and Mortimer Goth's infant, Cassandra Goth.

Cassandra didn't see Andrew again until Andrew took Claire out on a date after pining for her for months to the Magnolia Blossom Park, where Cassandra was performing her piano for the public.

Two years into their friendship, they all decided to move in together. A home away from home, Parched Prospect, Oasis Springs.

(not my build)

Andrew, however, proposed to Claire in Willow Creeks' Museum, after two years of dating. Had their wedding in Newcrest (the very first picture) and had a baby two years later.

After multiple lingering looks and touches; Juice and Cassandra started their fwb relationship a year and a half after become friends.

Theodore Knight-Ledger.

[bkandtheunderstanding]

The latest music video published by us was for "A New Chapter, featuring the beautiful vocals of Courtney Alyse Bishop, an old collaborator of BK’s from his time performing as BK Helton. This version of "A New Chapter," co-written with AHNTY in 2017 at Mudslide Coffee in Fort Worth, Texas, appears on Basal Keystones. The shooting for this music video actually began before the filming of the "Naylor-Irby | Game-Love" music video in the spring/summer of 2021 but sat for a year, waiting to be completed. BK had several different young women say they would play parts for this music video, one is a Twitter celebrity in fact, only to leave BK hanging, and so many friends who promised to be there for shooting at Arcadia Coffee did not show up. BK was quite discouraged and let down, but he garnered more of an appreciation for the few who did show up, including both of BK’s friends named Kevin and Rocky, who ended up having to play the main character of the music video against her own desires. BK did not release a single for this music video nor did he heavily promote it, as it isn’t the video it was intended to be, but he is still happy to have created something out of a failed video shoot that is still pleasing to the eyes and fitting for the song, the album, and time in his life. "A New Chapter" is a song about graduating from one chapter of life and beginning another. Footage was shot at Tarleton State University in Stepehenville, on highway 377 in Bluff Dale, Lake Granbury, Granbury, Acton, Arcadia Coffee of Fort Worth, and near Multnomah Falls, Oregon.

[melsie-sims]

Gemma was sixteen years old. She didn’t need her dad around all the time, telling her how to brew a potion or if she was allowed to venture out into the woods by herself to collect ingredients.

Heck, she was only a few months younger than Alyse and the other girl had an actual baby. 

So with her chin up, she watched her dad leave with Eze, not sure when he’d be coming back.

Once the two men were out of sight, having disappeared into the trees, Gemma turned around on her heels and headed back into the castle. She wanted to finish the experiment she’d started earlier.

The young spellcaster worked well into the evening and then went on for a few hours more into the night. She was incredibly proud of herself when she discovered all of the ingredients to brew a potion of plentiful needs.

Unfortunately, the only sim that could understand how big of an accomplishment that was… wasn’t there.

[bookaddict24-7]

(New Young Adult Releases Coming Out Today! (November 22nd, 2022)

___

Have I missed any new Young Adult releases? Have you added any of these books to your TBR? Let me know!

___

New Standalones/First in a Series:

A Consuming Fire by Laura E. Weymouth

At Midnight by Dahlia Adler 

Of Cages & Crowns by Brianna Joy Crump

Other Side of the Tracks by Charity Alyse 

New Sequels:

The Last Field Party (The Field Party #7) by Abbi Glines

___

Happy reading!

[creativemorningsaustin]

Give it up for our musical guests!

We believe that live music is the heart beat of Austin's creative scene. So, each month, we invite a local musician to kick off our event with a short but mighty set.

Here is a running list of our musical guests… 

Mount Gretna - September 2024

The Soul Supporters - August 2024

THEBROSFRESH - July 2024

The Maxilus Project - June 2024

Christabel Lin - May 2024

Uncle Roy and Spice - April 2024

PAACK - March 2024

Daniel Fears - February 2024

Angel White - January 2024

Kelsi Creek - December 2023

Henry Invisble - November 2023

Tje Austin - October 2023

Jonny Jukebox - September 2023

Caleb de Casper - August 2023

Mama Birds - July 2023

Cecelia and the Broken Hearts - June 2023

Christina Marrs & Nevada Newman - May 2023

Craig Marshall - April 2023

Lou Priest (Kate Priestly) - March 2023

Jenny Parrott - February 2023

Rey Arteaga - January 2023

Lisa Marshall - December 2022

Time Traveling Wizard People - November 2022

Carolyn Trowbridge - October 2022

Leti Garza - September 2022

Poet Hawkins - August 2022

Urban Heat - July 2022

Zack Morgan and Eddie Robbins - June 2022

Ms. Mack - May 2022

Landry McMeans - April 2022

Nico Sanchez (from Superfonicos) - March 2022

Jonathan Horstmann (from Urban Heat), Mama Duke, and Kalu James (from Kalu & The Electric Joint) - February 2022

Jordan Matthew Young - January 2022

Kamilla and Stefan - December 2021

Mama Duke - November 2021

Ana Barajas - September 2021

Ray Prim - August 2021

Lesly Reynaga - July 2021

Savannah Red - June 2021

Miggy Milla - May 2021

Alesia Lani - March 2021

Sonya Jevette -Febuary 2021

Scott Strickland - January 2021

Henry Invisible - December 2020

Qi Dada (from Riders Against the Storm) - November 2020

Kalu James (from Kalu & The Electric Joint) - October 2020

Lisa Marshall - September 2020

Kate Priestley - August 2020

D Madness - July 2020

Dave Scher & Andrea Magee - June 2020

Ley Line - April 2020

Woody Russell - March 2020

Barbara Nesbitt - February 2020

MJ Torrance - January 2020

Matt Smith - December 2019

Ley Line - November 2019

Joseph Mach - October 2019

Eric Hanke - September 2019

Joanna Howerton and Michael Cross - August 2019

John Gaar - July 2019

John Pointer - June 2019

Guy Forsyth & Jeska Bailey - May 2019

Kathy and the Kilowatts - April 2019

Phil Hurley - March 2019

Lance Keltner - February 2019

Dave Scher - January 2019

MJ Torrance - December 2018

The Wiley Brothers - November 2018

Barbara Nesbitt - October 2018

Matt Smith - August 2018

Ben Balmer - July 2018

Eric Bettencourt - June 2018

John Arthur Martinez - May 2018

Brad Tretola - April 2018

Cynthia Lee Fontaine - March 2018

The Watters - February 2018

Michael Cross - January 2018

Jane Ellen Bryant - December 2017

Matt Giles Band - November 2017

Jamiee Harris - October 2017

Gabriel Santiago - September 2017

Alyse Black - August 2017

Leeann Atherton - July 2017

Fairbanks and the Lonesome Light - June 2017

Aaron Lack Steelband - May 2017

Danny Britt - April 2017

Guy Forsyth - March 2017

MJ Torrance - February 2017

The Reverent Few - January 2017

Sandee Conroy / Singing Bowl Lady - December 2016

Charlie Piece / Chocktaw Wildfire - November 2016

Eric Bee - October 2016

Skye Strickler - September 2016

Erez - August 2016

Grace Pettis - July 2016

Beth Lee and the Breakups - June 2016

Eric Baptiste / The Reeling Kind - May 2016

Uncle Lucius - April 2016

Jitterbug Viper - March 2016

Blind Leads the Blind - February 2016

Ghost Wolf - January 2016

Dave Scher - December 2015

Charlie Belle - November 2015

Alien Knife Fight - October 2015

Kacy Crowly - September 2015

Colin Gilmore - August 2015

Darden Smith - July 2015

Brandon Callie - June 2015

David Hamburger - May 2015

BeatRoot - April 2015

Britny Lobas and Ray Kainz - March 2015

Elijah Ford - February 2015

Nano Whitman - January 2015

Taylor and the Wild Now - December 2014

Elsa Cross - November 2014

Eric Bettencourt - October 2014

Julian Acosta - August 2014

Graham Reynolds - July 2014

Little Brave - June 2014

Nick & Paige - May 2014

Whalers - April 2014

Duncan Fellows - March 2014

Growl - February 2014

Matt Hines (of the Eastern Sea) - December 2013

Matt McCloskey - September 2013

Kathryn Legendre - October 2013

Leah Nobel - September 2013

Good Field - August 2013

Matt McCloskey - July 2013

Charlie Gore - May 2013

Taylor Baker - April 2013

[starcrossedjedis]

Hi it's me the Catelyn anon back again bc OMG?! 1) her bonding with a dragon wishfully "saved" for Rhaena is so... ooooh the drama I can see it. 2) WHEN JACE DIES?! I absolutely thought you were gonna save him omfggggg I might cry 3) Baela telling her to leave without her dragon is SO ballsy lmfao, as if any dragon would allow that hahaha

Eeep welcome back 🥰

1. It's not like she knew that she was stealing someone else's dragon, because the people on Dragonstone aren't exactly big on sharing with her. She's a Baratheon, so Jace's insisting she stay and Rhaenyra's semi fond feelings towards her mother are the only two things keeping her there in the first place.

But I can definitely see how Baela especially feels like Catelyn might be in a habit of taking things that aren't hers, when truly she's just an impulsive, young woman who acts on what her heart tells her without thinking about the consequences.

2. Well....... Sorry...? 🙈 tbf I was gonna save him when I first came up with Catelyn, alas with how much the romance aspect of her plot mirrored her mother's I felt like from a storytelling standpoint I had to go with "not all childhood romances end well, in fact most of them won't".

We also see how earnestly Jace takes to his role as Rhaenyra's heir, so narratively I found it made sense for him to be in a position where he can't just follow his heart and throw his responsibilities to the wind.

And while there is a point in the story where Catelyn does decide that this is enough for her and that she can be content being his mistress, because knowing that she's the one who has his heart is all that she needs, it never is quite enough for her to be truly happy and it ultimately leaves her with nothing when he dies.

Which is also a lesson on consequences for a certain stubborn hot head ^^'

But that doesn't mean that her story doesn't get a happy ending, because while Elyana's story is about love prevailing and Alyse's story is about how there's an epic love waiting even for those who don't really believe in that sort of thing, Catelyn's is very much about second chances and finding true and lasting happiness when it feels like all is lost. 🤗

3. I definitely see how Baela thinks this is how it's gonna be, after all Targaryens have a way of getting what they want - especially on her branch of the tree, so why would this be any different?

And Catelyn setting Kairax free isn't about defying Baela one last time, it's about the fact that she has seen dragons die in battle and the fact that she loves Kairax and can't stand the idea of not being there to protect her. Again, it's a childish notion, which again is born from love.

Catelyn is all heart, which is why she becomes so lost after it's been broken over and over again / because how is she supposed to trust it, when all it's ever led to is pain and sadness?

So for a while she tries the jaded, bitter route, the "see if I care?" way, but someone is very adamant not to let her get away with it... 😏

[marcedrickirby]

Game - Ft. Keara Alyse (Official Music Video)

MARCEDRIC KIRBY FOUNDER CEO.

MARCEDRIC.KIRBY INC.

Well well well look how we got into the THE VALLEY OF THE VAMPIRES

The Bam Bam generation girls always first Bam Bam look at my hair Bam Bam look at my nails Bam Bam look at my designer shoes Bam Bam look at my the designer clothes now you knew each Friday bam bams do the looked part so BAM BAM DIPLOMA & COLLEGE DEGREE BAM BAM JOB AND A HOUSE WITH THE CAR Bam Bam with from McDonald's Bam Bam to a Fortune 500 company at $125k Bam Bam after 5 years I started my own company, but she got her room looking like a small apartment with the phone laptop for her business Bam Bam that's a young lady with the warning label you are not let said this again you are not built like this BAM BAM thank you ma'am