#But now I know what to expect for my Emperor run

[thefloatingstone]

Things I learned playing as a character who is not as friendly with Emps as my drow;

1: ANGY (using Detect thoughts on him)

2: if you have Lae'Zel in the party with you for this scene, he at one point physically rolls his eyes at her which I've never seen him do in any other scene before.

Babygirl was SO ANNOYED this time around XD like the "I still have an hour before the end of my shift" level of exhausted annoyance.

[chibinasuu]

Ace x Reader ― reunion; kisses

part of the cozy holidays event

🎁 ― anonymous tags: sfw, childhood friends to lovers, GN!reader, no use of y/n

“You saved my little brother’s life. He never stops talking about you.” 

Portgas D. Ace took off his hat and bowed slightly to the Captain of the Red Hair Pirates, “I just wanted to thank you in person.” 

You didn’t expect to see him here, of all places. 

He had not seen you yet, hidden among the onlookers. Your heart was hammering in a ferocious beat – it had been since the moment you saw that familiar wide-brimmed orange hat, that silky black hair, that freckled face, that cheesy smile.

God, you missed him.

He wasn’t the lanky boy you knew anymore. He was a bit taller now, and his hair was longer than it was the last time you saw him. He was also… bigger. It was hard to see underneath that cloak he was wearing, but you were sure he had put on some muscles. 

You wanted to call out to him, to surge forward and hold him, but you held yourself back out of respect for this monumental exchange between the Super Rookie and the Emperor. 

Shanks’ frown turned into a wide grin, his laughter echoing in the dark cave, “You’re Luffy’s brother? I didn’t know he had one!”

Suddenly, Shanks turned and called out your name, “You know this guy? You used to hang around Luffy too, right?”

The crowd of Red Hair Pirates parted to let you through, and Ace’s eyes widened in disbelief as he finally noticed you. His lips formed your name though no sound came out, shell-shocked at this happenstance that was just too good to be true. 

“Is that really you?” He said when he finally found his voice. 

You felt tears of joy threatening to spill out as you grinned, “It is!”

You were practically bouncing on the balls of your feet as you looked up at Shanks, your eyes silently asking for permission. 

Shanks sighed, smiling and giving you a nod in Ace’s direction, “Go ahead.”

You thanked him before running toward Ace and launching yourself into his arms. He caught you firmly, laughing while spinning you around a few times before setting you down gently.

“I can’t believe it’s actually you!” He exclaimed breathlessly, “What? How? What happened since I left Dawn Island?”

You opened your mouth to explain, but before you could get any word out, Shanks interrupted with a shouted order to his crew, “Prepare a feast!”

“You’re welcome here," he told Ace, giving him a friendly pat on the back. "Tell me all about your adventures.”

As the Red Hair Pirates and the Spade Pirates partied the night away, exchanging stories over shared bottles of sake, Ace found you among the crowd and dragged you outside into the quiet night.

Away from the noise, you suddenly became very much aware of Ace’s warmer-than-average hand holding your cold one. 

He found a wide, flat rock near the cave’s entrance and swiftly removed his cloak. He wasn’t wearing a shirt underneath, and you briefly – and hopefully subtly – glanced at his newly exposed torso.

Yep, he had definitely put more muscles on. 

He laid his cloak on top of the rock and sat down, patting the space next to him.

“Aren’t you cold?” You asked as you plopped down beside him.

Ace lit the tip of his index finger on fire in answer.

“Right,” you chuckled, “Sorry. Stupid question.”

“So, how did you end up with an Emperor of the Sea?”

That’s Ace, you thought. Always straight to the point. 

“Not long after you set off to sea, I booked a passage to Loguetown. I was planning to find work with some traveling merchants there, but I was attacked by a bunch of nasty pirates who wanted to rob me.” 

Ace’s brows furrowed in concern, but you continued on with your story, “Shanks happened to be in town on some business, and he saved me. He recognized me as the kid who used to play with Luffy in Windmill Village and took me in. I’ve been sailing with his crew ever since.”

“Not officially part of the crew though, I’m just tagging along.” You quickly clarified, “Being in an Emperor’s crew was never part of my plan. Shanks is just kind enough to let me stay in his ship until I figure out what’s next.”

Truthfully, you didn’t know (and didn’t want to think about) what was next.

At first, you just wanted to be a merchant – open your own business and travel island to island in the East. 

You didn’t even know why you took up on Shanks’ offer to sail with him in the first place. 

Seeing Ace again, however, had opened a tiny door in the deepest part of your heart, out of which a voice whispered that maybe, it was because you knew that going into the Grand Line was the only way you could even have the slightest chance of ever meeting Ace again. 

But whatever the reason, you had now gotten a taste of the Grand Line – of piracy and the thrill of the adventure. You weren’t sure you could go back to the little corner of the world that was the East Blue. 

Not wanting to dwell on that much longer, you turned the conversation to the man sitting beside you, “Well, how have you been? You’re a big-name pirate now! A captain of your own crew!”

“Yeah, they’re a great bunch.” He chuckled as he started telling you about his crew. He told you about how he met his first mate, Masked Deuce, who you briefly met earlier. He told you about all of his adventures, right from the moment he left Dawn Island until how he got here, at this moment. 

At the end of his story, he just stared at you silently. You shrunk bashfully as he drank you in, slowly taking inventory of what had or had not changed since you last saw each other. 

Finally, he simply said, “I really missed you.” 

You could see your breath as you let it out into the cold air, “I missed you too, Ace.”

He took your hand, stroking his thumb gently across your knuckles. He struggled with his next words, hesitating on whether or not he should say it.

“I think about that night a lot, you know.”

A shaky breath left your mouth as the memories flashed through your mind.

Of his hands, his touch, his lips.

You remembered how he had finally kissed you for the first time on that night before he set out to sea on his seventeenth birthday. How you had yelled at him because how dare he kiss you now when he’d be gone tomorrow. How you had kissed him back anyway. How he had pressed his lips to yours again and again and again until the sun rose, with a promise that he’d see you again someday. 

You looked away, unable to meet his fiery eyes as you admitted, “Me too.” 

Ace took your chin between his fingers, guiding your gaze back to him. 

When you met his eyes again, they were mere inches away from yours. 

The hand on your chin moved to cup your cheek. You didn’t realize you were also leaning in toward him – drawn by an irresistible need to be closer – until your nose bumped his. 

He was so close that you could count the freckles dotted across his face.

The rapid beat of your heart consumed your being. Your thoughts were filled with him, and only him. 

Ace sighed out your name desperately, his lips nearly brushing yours, “Can I–?“

“Yes.”

You couldn’t tell if it was you or him who finally closed the minuscule distance between you, but you couldn’t care less. You couldn’t care about anything else when his lips were on yours, filled with all of the longing and pent-up desire that only grew more intense the longer you were apart. 

His lips were as soft as you remembered, but they moved more surely, more confidently, than the last time you kissed, on that night that seemed so long ago. 

Your hand roamed his defined abs, up to his chest, before settling at the back of his neck. Ace’s arms circled your waist, dragging you in until you were practically sitting on his lap. 

The cold winter night just urged you to get closer and closer – to press your body against his and bask in the rising temperature of his bare skin. 

You gasped as his tongue flicked out to tease you, and he took advantage of your parted lips to deepen the kiss. 

You were drunk on the taste of him, sweeter and more potent than the most expensive sake you’ve ever had. 

The need for air had you panting slightly as you pulled back, sweat dotting your brows. 

“You’re so hot, Ace.” 

“Yeah?” He claimed your lips again in a short but heated kiss, “You think so?”

“No,” You said, abruptly pulling away from him, “I mean you’re literally hot.” 

He jumped up as if woken up from a trance, quickly moving away from you. It was then that you noticed that the sleeve of your coat had started catching on fire. 

Ace frantically stripped the coat off you and plunged it into the snow, but his fire had done its damage. You looked pitifully at the unsalvageable scorched sleeve. Guess you needed a new coat. 

“S-sorry!” Ace’s whole face, no, even his neck and torso, were bright red, “Sometimes that happens when I’m too, uh… excited.”

You laughed, burying your burning face in your hands, secretly pleased that you could get the mighty Fire Fist so worked up that he briefly lost control of his powers. 

“C’mere, Hotstuff.” You beckoned him closer, “You ruined my coat, now you gotta keep me warm.”

He sat back down, immediately enveloping your body with his. You sighed in pleasure as you settled into his warm embrace, laying your head on his chest. 

You never wanted to let go.

You sat together like that for minutes, or maybe hours. No words were exchanged, but it was a comfortable silence, broken only by the rustle of the trees and the whistle of the winds.

After what felt like an eternity, Ace’s arms tightened around you, “Come with me.”

You swore your heart stopped for a second there. 

“Join my crew. Or don’t. You can just stay on my ship – I don’t care as long as you’re by my side.” Ace ranted in one breath, his anxiety on full display as he awaited your answer. 

“Ace,” you finally said, “It’s not that simple.” 

“Why can’t it be that simple?” He said softly, letting his forehead fall against yours, “I don’t think I can stand being apart from you again.”

You closed your eyes as you sighed, already feeling your walls cracking, but still refusing to let them crumble completely, “Let me think about it.”

He nodded, “I leave tomorrow morning. I’ll be waiting for you at the coast.” 

Ace draped his cloak on you, and you thanked him with one last peck on his lips. You walked towards the encampment of the Red Hair Pirates, hugging the cloak tighter to fight the freezing winds. It smelled like him. 

You let yourself imagine what it would be like to sail on Ace’s ship – to have him by your side at all times. To discover new islands and have adventures with him. To fall asleep next to him and wake him up with kisses. 

You realized that the decision had been made by your heart all along, ever since the moment you saw him, even before he extended his offer. You were a fool to think that your brain had any say in this at all.

Your feet had unwittingly carried you to Shanks’ tent, and you knew what you had to do.

“Shanks?” You called, “You awake?”

A groan from inside the tent told you that he was at least conscious. There was no telling how many barrels of alcohol he had consumed at the party. 

“Come in,” he croaked.

Shanks took one look at you and sighed. 

The Captain looked quite disheveled, but was surprisingly coherent when he said, “You’re going with him, aren’t you?” 

“Are you using future sight on me?!” 

He eyed your mussed-up hair and swollen lips, “Darling, I didn’t need to.”

You felt your face heat up in embarrassment as Shanks chuckled.

“I saw how you looked at him, kid,” he added on a more serious note, “And I saw how he looked at you.” 

“I think I might love him, Shanks.” You said, surprising yourself. Your voice was barely audible even in the quiet tent. 

“I mean, I used to have a massive crush on him back when we were teenagers. But, seeing him again… it’s like everything just clicked.”

Shanks just nodded in understanding, “So this is it, isn’t it? Your ‘next’.” 

“I think it is.”

“Go. Be with him.” His eyes were soft as he smiled at you, “Be happy. You deserve it.”

You crushed him in a hug, “Thanks for everything, Shanks.”

You choked up as you felt his one arm tighten around your back.

It was not easy, packing up everything and saying goodbye to the crew that has become your family these past few years. 

But as you trudged toward the coast, you felt your heart growing bigger, making room for a new home, a new family, and a new adventure. 

For the first time, instead of dread, you felt excited for what would come next.

a/n: this event was supposed to be max 1k drabbles, but alas, i was carried away (again). this was my first time writing for ace, and i actually felt quite happy with how this turned out! i hope you all enjoyed it and pleeease let me hear your thoughts in the comments or tags <3

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[prettycalla]

|| obiurgatio ||

Pairing: Geta/Reader

Summary: You are a tactile person. Your husband is a jealous man. (Request prompt)

Word Count: 892

Tags and warnings: Geta is jealous, reader is tired, they love each other though, mild arguing, fluff, no use of Y/N.

(To the anon who requested this, I hope this is okay! I'm not sure if it's exactly what you had asked for, but my writer's block is still pretty bad and I did my best.)

Masterlist

There are many things that you and Geta do not agree on. Having a level head and raised with siblings, you are often able to rise above petty squabbles, and allow your husband his opinions while you maintain your own.

But there are times when you must draw the line.

Geta has been pacing back and forth across your shared chambers for the better part of five minutes now, turning the same ring around and around on his finger in agitation. You watch him quietly from where you are reclined on the lectus by the window. A light breeze caresses your skin and you are grateful for it, as you can feel a headache quickly building.

“You have embarrassed me,” he says, finally breaking the tense silence.

You sigh. This is not the first time he has said it.

“You are embarrassing yourself with your childish behaviour,” you retort.

He stops then, glaring at you.

“You would blame me for your actions?” he questions in a clipped tone.

You bury your face in your hands for a moment. For as much as your affections run deep for your husband, he is also often the most frustrating man you have ever encountered.

“Please explain to me what it is that I have done to offend you,” you say, keeping your voice as calm and diplomatic as possible.

It proves difficult.

“You, with the senator’s wife-" he starts, struggling to find words. "How you acted with her. It was not appropriate.”

Geta pulls a face of disgust.

You bite your tongue, allowing yourself a moment to collect yourself. Geta has always had a way of making the most mundane of things sound like a travesty when it suits him. Kissing your dear friend on the cheek in a public setting is one of those things, apparently.

“She is my friend, Geta. We have always greeted each other in such a manner,” you explain tiredly.

You have had this argument many times before, and each time it is the same.

You have always been a tactile person. When you were very small, you would clamber into your parents’ laps and press kisses to their faces, expecting the same in return. On more than one occasion, you had fallen asleep in the arms of one of your siblings, warm and safe in their embrace. Even as you grew older, kisses on the forehead or cheek and lingering touches on the forearm or shoulder were how you showed your affection to those dearest to you. There is never any hidden intent behind it - it is how you show love.

Marrying an Emperor did not suddenly strip you of everything you once were.

Your husband, however, does not see it that way, and while you are frustrated by him, you understand. His childhood was worlds apart from yours. He was taught from an early age to lock his heart away, to learn to rule with an iron fist. That to love is to show weakness.

How long it took you to slowly pull away each carefully constructed piece of armour he had placed around himself. Even now, there is still work to be done.

There are times when you look at him, you see not the feared Emperor of Rome, but the fearful little boy that still lingers.

You know that he does not mean to hurt you - he is so afraid of being hurt himself. He is afraid of losing you.

Resolved, you rise to your feet, reaching out to lightly grasp his arms.

“Husband,” you say gently.

He allows your touch, but he will not look at you.

“Geta,” you try again, a soft smile on your lips.

Finally he looks up, meeting your gaze. You take his hand in yours and place it over your heart.

“This belongs to you,” you tell him sincerely. “No matter what, this will always belong to you.”

Geta’s tongue runs across his lip nervously, before he slowly reaches for your hand and places it over his own heart.

“Just as mine belongs to you,” he replies in a whisper.

Your smiles widens, and you lean in to press a kiss to his mouth. He is hesitant at first, before he finally gathers you up in his arms in a fierce embrace.

He does not apologise - there is still much more work to be done - but you feel it in how he holds you. When you part, his dark eyes are shining with tears.

“No more of this," you murmur, gently running your thumb across his cheek, "A God has no need for envy.”

"You are devoted," he says. It is not a question.

"Until my last breath, and beyond the stars, carissime," you reply, leaning in to kiss him again. "My love for others does not negate my love for you."

He watches you intently, his gaze flickering across your face, as if to find even the smallest amount of deceit.

He finds none.

You know that he will not change overnight, and this may not be the last time you have this very argument. But knowing that he is willing to let you in, to listen to you, is no small feat, and you do not take it for granted.

Your husband is a stubborn man, but he has certainly met his match in you.

(banners by @ cafekitsune)

[dollyonm0lly]

Hi, I love your things to much💕💕

So I was thinking maybe Lucius has also an niece, the daughter of commodus

No one knows of your existence, you are a concubine for the emperors. They have more but your their favorite. Then one day Lucius wanted to help you escape, you did not and told the emperors of it. Normally they are never soft doms, but this time they are and you are praised for what a good girl you are to them

Soo, soft stuff for you guys!! Or I tried at least, lolol, im still very sick, so this did wonders to me. <3 The reader in this one is kinda pathetic tho, not sorry.

“Love you, my Emperor… Love you so much…” – Both Emperors hear you say in your meek voice, like a song to their ears, you can feel Geta's warm hand on your cheek, caressing the soft skin of your face, which subconsciously seeks more of his affection, rubbing itself against his palm like an abandoned kitten would, your tongue obediently sticking out of your mouth, which he wastes no time in placing his thumb on top of, letting you explore it with your lips passionately. You close your eyes, feeling the pleasurable sensation of fingers running through your hair, combing your strands, untangling them, massaging your scalp. You try to sharpen your senses, focusing on their sweet aroma, Caracalla's hand massaging your head, urging you to lean even more towards Geta's hand, making you lose yourself more in their caresses, it's delicate. It's special, you feel special in this moment. You were good today, very good indeed.

“Nooo…” – You meow in disappointment when you feel Geta's hand start to move away from your face, instantly following it with your head so as not to lose its warmth, surprisingly Geta allows you to do so, on normal days, he would have brushed you away and slapped you across the face for your incessant neediness. You smile at today's change in attitude, just as you feel like purring when Caracalla starts spreading kisses in your uncovered cheek. You feel so loved by both of them, you wish that every day would be like this from now on, even if as an unattainable dream, you know why they are acting like this, you're not getting all of this good treatment on a silver platter, you earned it, deserved it, even though you had to sacrifice some things for others, you are content with your choice.

This feels good, you did good, you think to yourself, you don't feel guilty. You swallow hard, an audible gulp, you try to push that look of hurt and betrayal to the back of your mind. His look of hurt and betrayal. He seems like a ghost in your life now, you can feel the weight of guilt on your back, making you have to shake your head from side to side to shake off the negative feelings. It was worth it, it was worth it, it was worth it, it was worth it… You repeat in your head, until everything becomes clear again, until you can again feel the comforting caresses on your body, welcoming you. Finally, you are welcomed.

“We plan to make love to you today, my dear” – Geta says, taking your mind off other matters and focusing on both Emperors again, you open your eyes to admire him, he has what you would say is the closest to a sweet smile on his features than you will ever see from him. You can feel your heart skip a beat, turning to jelly in Caracalla's arms, who now holds you a little more firmly against his body, almost placing you on his lap.

“Make love?” – You question curiously, your voice dreamy with false expectations, never in the many years you have served them have you ever heard of this lovemaking thing.

“Don't you love us?” – You hear Caracalla questioning in your ear, pretending to be hurt by your question, his head rubbing against your neck, his hair tickling your face, like a puppy.

“I do…!” – You respond instantly, surprised that they would even ask you that, oblivious to the manipulative tone behind it. You did everything you did out of love for them, and out of love for the attention and affection they can provide you, in times like these, they are the only ones who could provide the minimum of security for you and your well-being, they make sure you know that, the certainty that nothing would happen to you as long as you are in their favor.

Silence falls, you can feel the words you want to say on the tip of your tongue, but uncertainty makes you hold them back for minutes longer.

“Do you love me…?” – You ask both Geta and Caracalla, you can't contain the anticipation in your voice, even if it's weak and hesitant. You are met with laughter from the twins, they laugh at your question, they think you're such a box of surprises, you really were born to be an entertainer just for them!

“You are so cute” – Caracalla says, it sounds mocking, just like their laugh, and it wasn't the answer you were hoping to receive, but even so, it makes your heart warm inside your chest. They think you're cute. They think something of you, you are something. Your happy little smile earns you a pat on the head from Geta.

“Cute indeed…” – Geta responds in agreement, both twins exchange glances, Geta licks his lips before smiling at you – "Why don't you get more comfortable for us, dear?” – He gestures to the bed, encouraging you sneak further back.

Caracalla helps you with that, taking the initiative to crawl to the headboard of the bed himself, resting his back against it, his pale legs spread wide to create the perfect space for you. He calls you over, patting his thigh twice, and you are drawn to him like a moth to light. You shyly walk over to him, turning to lay your back against his chest, with the two of you sitting in this position, he wraps his arms around your body, hugging you close, the easy access allowing him to bury his nose in your neck, laying his forehead on your shoulder. – "Help me get these off” – He says in a controlled tone, trying to be loving, you appreciate that, normally he would have impatiently instructed you, as if you were the fool for not knowing what he wanted before he even asked, or he would have pushed you and taken them off himself. You lift your hips off the bed a little, making it easier for him to remove your panties, doing so delicately with the tips of his fingers on the elastic, letting you feel the fabric slide over your skin until it is completely removed, earning you a little kiss of thanks on your exposed shoulder.

You miss the way the twins look at each other or how Caracalla hands your panties to Geta, who puts them in a place on the bed that he can remember later on. But one thing you don't miss is how Geta now also approaches your body, trapping you, his hands resting on the headboard that Caracalla leans on, trapping both your head and his between his arms. On Caracalla's lap, you open your legs, inviting Geta to settle between them, something that he gladly accepts.

“Let's get you all prepped and ready, dear” – Geta says as he admires your face, his hands going down to the bottom of your robe, lifting it to give him a better view of your body and intimacy, meanwhile, Caracalla does the same, letting your robe slide down over your shoulders, leaving kisses on the new free skin, your bust now exposed to the cold air of the room, your robe becoming a mess that only covers your torso and nothing more. You watch the way Geta takes his two fingers, the index and the middle one, between his lips, sucking them with intent, his eyes never straying from yours, Caracalla's own fingers already at work, moving down your body until they reach your lower lips, opening you for his brother, the cold air hitting your pussy.

Geta and Caracalla prepare you carefully, both watching attentively as your entrance slowly gets used to the intrusion of Geta's fingers, Caracalla stimulating your clitoris with his, every now and then you watch as he spits on his own hand before stimulating you again, they love the way you are always so tight, you crush their cock in the most perfect way possible. – "Must take good care of this cunt, it's my favorite one" – Caracalla growls, licking a drop of sweat that previously ran down your face, you giggle happily in the midst of pleasure, yours is the favorite, no other.

“She liked what she heard, she almost cut off the blood circulation in my fingers” – Geta jokes, referencing to the way you clenched and squeezed his fingers when you heard the compliments, you love it when they compliment you, you wish they would do it more often. – "How would you like to be taken today, dear?” – He questions, letting you make some of the choices, tonight will be about you and what you want, that's what they agreed between themselves.

“Want to be hugged…” – Embarrassed, you confess, you didn't expect such a needy response from yourself, however, this is a unique chance, unfortunately, you recognize that, you can't let the shyness of being so emotionally dependent on them take over. You need their embrace like you need air, you hate to be truthful to yourself.

“Awfully romantic, huh” – Caracalla chuckles, Geta arches his eyebrows in agreement, neither daring to question or stand against your decision. Geta helps you sit more precisely on his brother's lap, Caracalla's cock now rubbing at your entrance, you hold him by the base of his penis, slowly introducing him inside you, earning a moan from both of you when he reaches the end, you can feel it almost hitting your cervix, reaching all the perfect places in your pussy. You rest your head on Geta's chest, getting used to the feeling of his brother inside of you, as does Caracalla, who tries to control himself by resting his head on your back, it is a difficult task for both of them, being so patient with your body, normally they wouldn't prepare you or at least wait for you to get used to the feeling of intrusion.

A few minutes pass, your breathing gradually regulates, your pussy starts to want more instead of trying to repudiate what's in it, you look at Geta, and that's all he needs for confirmation, getting closer to you, you do the same to him that you did to his twin, holding him at his base, your delicate fingers feeling his pubic hair rise in goosebumps with the touch, and you bring him to your entrance, he lets you do everything in your own time, watching as you slowly insert him too in your pussy. It's a tight fit, you feel like you're being torn in half, and as tears stream down your face, a groan is heard from Geta and Caracalla, oh, how they love the feeling of being milked alive by you and your fucking perfect cunt, you can feel Caracalla's nails digging into your arm unconsciously, something he tries to alleviate by distributing kisses on your back. They hurt you so lovingly that you can almost pretend it never hurt.

As agreed, they embrace you, Geta wraps his arms around your waist, while Caracalla's make your hips their home, both pressing you against their own bodies, making you become inseparable from each other. You let one of your arms fall over Geta's shoulder, resting there, while the other wraps itself around Caracalla's head, playing with the strands of hair on the back of his neck, pulling him into a fervent kiss, his tongue tasting your mouth as if there was nothing more delicious, his moans being straight sinful on your lips. You rub your lower body against Geta's, seeking to stimulate your clit against his pubic mound, his hair there becoming sticky with your fluids, he mercifully helps you, letting a globule of saliva come out of his lips into the middle of your bodies, lubricating your movements more, earning him an animalistic moan from you and the separation of your kiss with Caracalla, starting one with Geta as naked and raw as the past, the carnal desire speaking for itself. Your minimal movements still do a lot to stimulate the cocks inside you, earning a unanimous moan with every rub you make or every adjustment, soon, you find yourself seeking more of that exciting feeling with the taste of heaven, moving your waist so that you start to ride them gradually.

It's almost too much, the way they let you make your own rhythm, your own dance, just helping you stand on shaky knees ready to give up, but you can't, you can't stop, you need that release that's so far away but so close that you can take it in your hands. You can barely see them anymore, your eyes close, you let yourself drown in the sound of skin slapping against skin, the sticky feeling of sweat, the profanities and compliments, the kisses, caresses and wounds, if you try hard, you can almost focus on the various I love yous that come out of Caracalla's mouth, who barely realizes who he really is when the pleasure is too much, and they would accuse you of being the romantic one, you laugh in your head.

You hear Geta's moan of pleasure mixed with pain as the hand on his shoulder begin to scratch and tear at it, drops of blood running down his bare, pale back. But he barely protests, being a good girl really does have its perks, huh. If being a good girl is always going to result in you having the affection of your Emperors and a free pass to do things without being punished, maybe you should rat people out more often, you let your mind wander as you reach your climax, writhing between their bodies, both of them letting their cocks impale you inside to your heart's content, you would have them forever in you if you could, their cocks are just made for you, a gift from God just for you.

“I love your smell.”

“I love your eyes.”

“I love your body.”

“I love your voice.”

"I love your breasts.”

“I love your curves.”

“I love this fucking pussy.”

You hear them say, one after the other cumming inside you, painting your walls white, and your body red with each touch. You feel disgusting. You feel loved.

“Do you love me?” – You ask again, between gasps, just like them, you feel your vision start to darken, you feel so safe that you could fall asleep right now, a groan of discontent as they disconnect from inside you. Everything is almost like a pitch black, you feel them cleaning you, you being gently laid on the bed, something clothing fabric like cleaning your pussy and everything that runs out of it.

They open your lips, shoving the fabric into your mouth. Oh, it must be your panties, you assume even with your clouded mind. It tastes like your fluids mixed with their divine cum. You suck on it like a pacifier, bodies intertwining with yours on the bed.

“Yes.”

“Very much so.”

[ninibeingdelulu]

His empress ✧

Plot: Because of Michael’s busy life, he barely have any time for you.

A/N: Loved Kaiser from day one , like he’s literally my bf. Also, I made him a little poetic so idk if it’s good😓.

The apartment doorslammed with enough force to rattle the windows. Michael stormed inside, cleats leaving muddy tracks across the hardwood in his wake.

His sharply angled features were locked in a ferocious scowl, blue eyes blazing with frustration. Another grueling training had pushed his limits to the brink once more.

You glanced up from the kitchen, unable to mask your wince at the unrepentant mess he left behind.

"Welcome home," you ventured in a measured tone, knowing his volatile moods all too well.

Michael barely acknowledged you. Instead he ripped off his muddied jersey in an angry flourish and hurled it aside, seeking to strip away the stench of another dissatisfying day.

Your eyes followed his toned form from behind the marble island as he stomped towards the bathroom. His shoulder muscles were knotted ropes of tension beneath that porcelaine skin.

You knew it was intentional, feeling your steady gaze tracking him like a hunting falcon.

That was just Michael's way - everything was a crucible, an excuse to exude that overwhelming dominance he so craved.

But today the display did little to spur your usual fluttering admiration. A different rawness simmered in your chest as you watched him disappear into the bathroom without a backwards glance.

The spray of running water filled the strained silence in Michael's wake. You stood there motionless, mulling over the painful sting festering deeper each day.

Though his ferocious commitment to training and perfecting his craft was legendary, lately it had consumed him to an almost alienating degree. Including from you.

How long had it been since you last shared an intimate moment together?

Or even heard that cocksure voice murmur sweet maddening praises that used to set you aflame from the inside out?

Those precious instances had dwindled to near non-existence as Michael became more obsessed, more distant, more...unseeing of the person he'd once crowned his devoted empress.

The bathroom door creaked open, steam billowing out with Michael's emergence in fresh sweats. Without forethought, the question slipped from your lips in a dull murmur.

"Do you even care about me anymore?"

His hand paused where he scrubbed the towel through those signature bedhead spikes. Sea-glass eyes flicked over to pin you with an owlish blink.

"What?"

You swallowed, turning to face him fully now that his defenses were stripped bare.

"Sometimes I wonder if you ever really loved me at all... or if I was just another passing conquest for the 'great emperor' to claim and discard."

The words hung in the air with damning finality.

Michael froze, hands falling away from his blonde and blue hair. For several beats his expression was unreadable, marbled handsomeness set in an impenetrable mask.

Then his sculpted brows slashed downwards in undisguised hurt.

You shrank back instinctively when he stalked towards you with quickened strides, expecting more flaring tempers to clash.

But instead of the storm you braced for, gentle calloused palms cradled your face with trembling reverence.

Michael searched your gaze with those kaleidoscope depths, as if reacquainting himself with the woman he'd unforgivably taken for granted.

"You..." he started roughly before clearing his throat. "Never think that, liebe. Not even for a moment."

A shuddery inhale filled Michael's broad chest as one hand drifted down to splay over your thundering heart. His touch was feather-light, worshipful in its tenderness.

"You are the single greatest treasure I've ever had the honor of possessing, my shining star among the world's dim masses. More divine than any earthly jewel or victory on the pitch."

You felt your breath hitch at the unbridled ardor shining through those captivating blue eyes. Michael's voice dropped to an intimate baritone murmur that caressed over you like velvet.

"I am an arrogant, obsessive fool in so many ways - but my absolute worship of you is one truth I'll never stray from. You make me an emperor worthy of respect, make me burn with desire to prove my worth to stand at your side.I-"

He cut himself, his thumb brushing over the plump swell of your bottom lip reverently.

"It is my gravest sin to ever make you question how utterly you reign over my soul, meine liebe. I’m sorry if I’ve been distant these last weeks, I just had a lot in mind with the upcoming games. Forgive me if I made you feel l didn’t care about you."

You were rendered utterly speechless at the searing depth behind Michael's heartfelt confession.

A powerful tremor rippled down your frame, threatening to melt you into an incoherent puddle.

Before you could trust yourself to speak, he sealed his words with a ravaging kiss that blazed away any remaining traces of doubt.

His hands tangled in your hair, keeping you molded flush to his solid frame as if you were the single tether anchoring him to this world.

When the need for air finally parted your joined mouths, Michael bored his eyes into yours with hypnotic intensity.

A familiar smolder flickered to life in their whirling depths - a predatory allure reserved only for his empress.

"Tonight," he rasped against your swollen lips, "allow me to worship you again and again, until the nights where you felt alone disappear from your mind, mein juwel..."

[bathroomcryptid]

The Real Housewives of the Imperium

A/N: This is just some bullshit my brain vomited while I was procrastinating other things. Enjoyyy

Lore Drop™️ before we begin: In my personal headcanon of whatever the fuck this is, the wives of the Primarchs definitely act as a political arm of their respective legion/Primarch. They are the ones that involve themselves with the administration and nobility and royalty of the Imperium, and this is a role the Primarchs are happy enough to dump on them while they’re off fighting wars. It also means that the wives run into each other a lot.

Who Hates Each other?

-I would say no one really hates each other, but that’s a lie. The Red Lady and the Wolf Mother cannot under any circumstances be in the same room together, they will absolutely kill each other it’s not pretty.

-The Raven Mother, while not generally having any disagreements with anyone, is just around so rarely it’s hard to say she has any really good friends amongst the wives.

Who are friends?

-First, The Khatun has some freaky superpower that lets her get along with literally everyone and everyone loves her. She is literally everyone’s best friend and she loves it.

-Lady Lupercal, The Mother of the Salamanders, and The Khatun have seen everything. These were the first three spouses and the only Primarch spouses for a long time. Not only were they the first, but they were also the only three to have been with their husbands prior to the Emperor’s appearance. These three wrote the book and have a deep friendship because of their circumstances.

-The Lady of the Hydra, the Dark Lady, Lady Guilliman, Lady Lupercal, and the Lady of the Emperor’s Children are all somehow extremely good friends and it’s so bad for everyone’s health because these women SCHEME. If you fuck with them or their husbands they will have the entire Imperium legitimately thinking you sacrifice babies to pagan gods in your free time by the next cycle do not mess with them. They also will pull up to the function with the best gossip.

-A surprising friendship here - the Mother of the Salamanders and Lady Curze. Everyone was expecting the Red Lady and Wolf Mother round two with these two, but noooo, they get along like a house on fire and that’s what they’ll do to yours if you fuck with them. Whereas our Quintet of trouble up there will spin you around with their words, these two are more of the “corner you in a dark alley with a knife and threaten you within an inch of your life” type.

-The Lady of the Death Guard, Lady Aurelian, the Khatun, and Lady Kurze also float around each other because they are four of the genuinely nicest people you’ll ever meet and they subconsciously bond over it.

-The Wolf Mother and the Dark Lady are drinking buddies

How do they complain about their husbands/step-children to each other?

-Now when it comes to complaining? The Lady of Iron is there, first in line to start complaining about her husband and you know who’s right behind her? The Lady of the Iron Hands because I know in my heart of hearts she’s beefing with her step-children. Between these two there are literal hours of content.

-Even though those two are in a league of their own, most gatherings between these women usually devolve into complaints about their husbands.

-Fun fact: It’s actually during one of these complaint sessions that Lady Guilliman got the idea to ban paperwork from the bedroom.

-Although, some of these women are putting back breaking work into these men, so honestly, they deserve to complain a little

Who is talking up their husbands/step-sons?

-You know who’s not complaining? Lady Aurelian and the Lady of the Death Guard on god they love their husbands more than anything and no one knows why because they are so hot. Deadass, they pulled up to the function looking like goddesses with baked goods and everyone else was like “…sorry, the Imperium’s Next Top Model is like two doors down”, but no they were in fact in the right place and everyone is still surprised.

-Also, be careful when it comes to mentioning the step-children because there are some *cough* The Mother of the Salamanders *cough* who keep a whole book of all their kids and their accomplishments on them at all times and they will yap on about them for HOURS. The Mother of the Salamanders is like one of those dads that have pictures of their kids accordion style in their wallet and they open it up and a whole string of pictures falls out but she has too many kids so she needs a book.

-It’s also a perilous topic of conversation around The Lady of Angels and The Lady of the Emperor’s Children because they will pull out their step kid’s artwork and they will make you look at it and compliment it. For. Hours.

-It’s not unheard of for particularly these three to be at events with the step-children and not shut the fuck up about them.

…

The Mother of the Salamanders: *to the person next to her* This is my son [insert Salamander name here]. He is just the most wonderful son ever. He just got back from defending a planet from Xenos! Look at this picture of him right after they claimed victory! *holds up a picture of said Salamander covered in blood looking majestic on the battlefield* And look at this sword he just made! He’s so talented! *proceeds to open a whole scrapbook, flip to said son’s page, and fold out a ton of pictures because they wouldn’t all fit on the paper* And look at this-

Salamander: *blushing under his helmet*

…

The Mother of Angels: *to the person next to her* You know, my son here [insert Blood Angel name here] is quite the performer.

Random Noble Probably: Ah, really-

The Mother of Angels: Yes! He’s just so talented! *pulls out a stack of photos* You see, this is him playing the piano, his first instrument, and then here you see he decided to try out the harp. He’s absolutely excellent at both and then- *continues chattering on and on*

Blood Angel: *flattered that Mom cares so much*

…

The Lady of the Emperor’s Children: *sits down next to someone* Hello, lovely, how are you?

Random Noble: Ah, My Lady, I’m well and you?

Lady of the Emperor’s Children: Ah, I’m spectacular. Say, have you met my son [insert Emperor’s Child name here]?

Random Noble: We have not had the pleasure.

Lady of the Emperor’s Children: Well, this is [insert name again]. You know, he’s quite the talent, almost perfect at anything he tries his hand at. You know, he recently picked up painting. *starts rummaging and pulls out a stack of photos* See, here was his first one. I was so surprised at how good he was on his first try, and then he followed it up with this one and I was absolutely blown away! *Off she goes on a tangent*

Emperor’s Child: *can’t tell whether to be flattered or concerned that Mom has that many pictures of him*

…

-Though they aren’t the only three culprits of this, most of them have done this, the rest of them, though, usually shut up after about an hour or two and only have a few pictures on them of their step kids.

-cuts over to the Lady of the Iron Hands and her step-children who are trying to growl at each other around a very tired looking Ferrus Manus who is sat between them.

-though, most of these women love to brag about their step-children and how great at everything they are.

-The Lady of Iron is also another big culprit, she loves showing off her step-kids. She has also threatened Perterabo within an inch of his life when he’s ragged on his kids.

-The mental health of the Iron Warriors rose significantly once the Lady of Iron was apart of the picture.

-Almost as much as they like bragging about their husbands.

-As much as they complain, this is a group of the most fiercely loyal group of women you’ll ever get in a room together.

-They hear a whisper of a complaint about their husband? It’s over for you, you’ll be dead or wishing you were by dinner. They hear you praise their husband? You’re not leaving until they’ve told you every amazing thing their husbands have ever done in their lives.

The Ultimate Uniting Factor:

-There is one person, one man, in the entirety of the known and unknown galaxy who has the ability to bring these women, even the Red Lady and the Wolf Mother, together like nobody else: Big E

-If you mumble under your breath anything that could possibly be construed as a complaint against the Emperor of Mankind then you may as well have shined the Batsignal in the air because these women are coming out of the woodwork.

-Now they are all here and they have all involved you in a conversation that couldn’t be construed as anything but absolute treason if it were to come out of anyone else’s mouth

-If you were to put these women in a room together and point a camera at them and let them talk for a few hours, every single time it would devolve into irate ranting about Big E. You would never catch a kind word about Big E falling from their lips.

-The Emperor won’t step foot in the same zip code as these women because he understands that they are down every second of every day to literally evict him from life.

-The Emperor literally started a crusade as an excuse to leave Terra because he got word that the Khatun was on her way.

-Say what you will about the Emperor of Mankind, he’s smart enough to know that these women will end him where he stands if they ever get their hands on him.

[thedancingcostumeyoungadult]

Welcome interruption - Lucius Verus x fem!reader

You give Lucius a welcome break

AN ~happy new years ya filthy animals this is my kiss for all of you 💖💖~

Contents: 18+ only, minors dni, Emperor!Lucius, established relationship, fem!reader, oral (f receiving), masturbation, fluffy smut

Words: 904

~~

The palace halls flicker with shadow as you make your way along them, the late hour throwing a hush over everything broken only by the sound of your footfalls and the occasional echo of movement somewhere deeper in the building.

At last you reach your destination, giving a nod and smile to the guards before gently pushing the door open. Inside, Lucius sits at a heavy ornate table littered with scrolls and wax tablets, one such tablet held in his hand as he sits back in his chair to read over it. His eyes lift to you as you enter and approach, a weary smile breaking across his handsome face at the sight.

“Is there room for sleep in all that business?” You keep your voice low as you reach him, returning his smile with one of your own. The tablet clacks gently as he sets it down on the table that you've now rested a hip on, half sitting while you look over his appearance with a fond bemusement. He's been running his hand through his hair as he works, a few errant curls sticking up here and there. Absently, you tuck them back into place while his hand finds your waist, a warm and comforting weight against your skin that makes some of the weariness of the day melt away.

“I suppose,” his thumb tracks a small half circle on your side, “Room can be made.” Your chest feels warm and light as his hand presses more firmly against your waist, drawing you from your perch on the table to a new one across his lap. “Providing it's your bed I abandon the business for.”

Your laugh sounds through the chamber even as you lean in to kiss him, not missing the thinly veiled need behind the way his hands clutch you close. The kiss turns heated a bit faster than you'd expected though you have no inclination to slow it, your own longing for him bleeding through as your arms curl around the back of his neck to keep yourself as close to him as possible.

“Missed you today.” You breathe between kisses, toying with the curls at the nape of his neck. He doesn't answer with words, instead squeezing you tighter against him. The two of you remain like this for a while, just enjoying the contact after a long day apart. But eventually the burning coil between your thighs needed attending to and from the feel of him beneath you your husband was in a similar predicament.

So you find yourself once again on his desk, this time with scrolls scattered to the floor in haste and Lucius’ broad shoulders holding your knees apart as he works at your core with hands and tongue. He knows what makes you tick, expertly coaxing you over the edge with a speed that would have made you pout if you hadn't been so desperate for release. As you come back to earth, breathless, your eyes that had fallen shut opening again to find the most beautiful sight.

Lucius looks up at you with heavy lidded eyes shining with a sweet desperation that stokes the embers of your arousal still smouldering in your belly, but what you are truly transfixed by is the way he presses his cheek to the inside of your thigh, his beard tickling the soft skin as his breaths come fast and shallow. There is a reverence in both his gaze and your touch as you can’t help but run your fingers along his features in a soft caress that leads to your palms cradling his face as you lean down. His hand works fast and desperate over his length as he cranes up to meet you, the little sound of desire that sounds from his chest as you grant him a chaste kiss making you crave more. You love to hear him come apart for you, whether loud or soft, every sound drives you crazy and that’s exactly what you aim to encourage from him as you speak in a velvet whisper, your lips still a mere breath from his.

“That’s it, carissimus,” the name draws a choked sigh in response, and while you keep your eyes fixed on his face you can feel the rock of his hips as he fuck into his fist, “it’s alright, let go for me my love.” Your palm smooths over his forehead tenderly, swiping away the beaded sweat gathering there as his body coils under your touch, pained grunts and pants spilling forth as his eyes fall nearly shut and his head tilts back as he crests the wave of his release.

You still hold his head in your palms as he goes slack, his forehead falling to tuck into the crease where your thigh meets your belly. His breath tickles the sensitive skin as it slowly evens out. The silence wraps around you both, your fingers playing through his hair for a few long moments before you encourage him to lift his face again and stand. As he rises once again above you you lay a shower of kisses over his face, reveling in the sound of his soft laugh and the warmth of closeness as he wraps one arm around you. (The other, well, he keeps it far from the fine fabric you wear.) It's his turn now to be the voice of reason.

“It's time for bed, carissima.”

[gojoidyll]

clear skies | part 2

emperor alpha jing yuan x female omega reader

warnings | reader is cold to jing yuan , grammatical errors , etc.

<< prev | next >>

As promised, the emperor, also your now husband, did not touch you that night. In fact, it was like he wasn’t even next to you at all in the bed. He kept to his side and even turned to where he was facing away from you. It was … comforting, to say the least. You didn’t know if you were supposed to be grateful or not; nonetheless, sleep came easy to you that night.

The very next morning, you were awake before him and were rather lazily lounging in a small nest of pillows you made on the bed. Your focus on him as he was slow to wake up. When his eyes finally did crack open, he yawned in sat up, his arms stretching above his head before he turned to look at you, a small smile gracing his lips.

“Are you the type to rise early.”

“Yes…,” you answered simply as he moved to swing his legs over the side of the bed and get out of the comforts of the blankets.

“Why? Don’t you like sleeping in?”

“Back in my homeland, I was forced to sleep in a cold, damp closet where there was no heat, no blankets, and no pillows. Waking up was better than staying in such a cold place,” you snapped as you got up as well. His eyes followed you carefully as you went towards the closet door and opened it. You eyed the clothing that lined the hangars and went to the side that had a few dresses on it, so it seems he at least prepared for you if you had decided to sleep in the same room as him.

“I’m sorry for angering you,” he said as he came up to you, but you ignored him as you played with he fabric of the dress between your fingers.

“It’s fine… I don’t expect the likes of you to understand anyway.”

Jing Yuan pursed his lips, “you’re treating me like I’m naïve.”

“Well, aren’t you?”

You finally turned to him, “a naïve emperor who says that this is a place that respects omegas as if you are blatantly ignoring the fact that the rest of the world thinks differently.”

“I do know how they are treated elsewhere, I’m not a fool.”

“Could of fooled me,” you fired back as you went to change in the bathroom.

He may have been your husband now, but you planned to make it abundantly clear that you disliked him and the situation you were forced into. He, luckily, did not follow you into the bathroom as you shut the door behind you and changed quickly. Once in your dress, your glanced in the mirror. His mark was still ever prominent on your neck causing you to furrow your brow. What a pain.

Exiting the bathroom, you looked over at him to see he was changed too.

“Training gear,” you questioned.

“The soldiers are in need of some instruction,” he answered in a light tone, obviously trying to lighten the mood from your previous words.

You hummed as you tossed your night clothes to the bed and headed for the door.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m just going to look around…, I’m not running away if that is what you think.”

Jing Yuan shook his head, “can we talk for a moment?”

You released an inaudible sigh as you turned to look at him, your gaze cold as you met his eyes.

“I am deeply sorry if I have wronged you, y/n.”

Your cold gaze dropped, if only a little as the tension in your shoulders relaxed. Looking at his face, his mannerisms, and the way his scent smelled almost … sad, well, he seemed honestly genuine in the apology.

“You… you haven’t wronged me. I suppose I am just angry, and since I have no one else to turn that anger on I decided to just be angry at you even though I know it was your councilmen who have discussed with my father about my price.”

Jing Yuan smiled and held his hand out for you, looking at it for a brief moment, you decided to take it as you stepped forward and fitted your hand into his palm.

“We were both put in a inconvenient situation, and I admit that I do not know all the hardships that you have faced, but I hope that as your husband you will tell them all to me someday and that you will rely on me whenever the need arises.”

You watched him carefully as he lifted your hand up, his lips brushing gently across your knuckles.

Your coldness dropped completely as you looked at him, pressing your lips together you closed your eyes before releasing another sigh, “a- alright… Yuan.”

You could feel his lips form into a small grin against your knuckles when he heard you call his name like that. His head finally tilting up to look at you as his smile grew.

“What is with that look-!”

You yelped when he yanked you forward. Your face pressing into his chest as his scent washed over you completely. He smelled so good. If you could describe it, you would. But the only word that came to mind was that he smelled like spring.

“The ceremony is so tedious, you know. The emperor always having to mark his mate, however…,” he brought one of his free hands up to tug at his shirt, “you haven’t marked me yet.”

You felt your eyes were about to come out of their sockets at his admission as he tilted his head to the side to give you room.

“You- you want me to mark you? The emperor?”

He hummed as he encouraged you by pushing you closer into himself. A part of you couldn’t believe that this was happening, but you decided that it might as well happen. You were mates now…, so it made sense, didn’t it?

Standing on your tippy toes, you opened your mouth and let your teeth press against his neck before biting down. His scent changed slightly the moment you bit down. It was now oddly soothing and comforting.

“I wish I could smell you too,” he was referring to how you were taking the food pills still, “you should stop taking them.”

Releasing his neck then, you looked up at him as he brought his gaze back down to you.

“Why? You know what will happen if I do.”

“Simple, I just want to know what your scent is like.”

“And if I get into a heat,” you tested.

“I’ll take care of you, or leave you alone, whichever you prefer.”

You huffed, “fine, if that is what you want.”

You hoped that this wouldn’t backfire on you, but you were still skeptical nonetheless. So when he left you alone that morning, as promised, you didn’t take the food pill that suppressed both your scent and heat. And you did that for the next month while nothing between you or Jing Yuan changed. Until one afternoon as you both were enjoying the gardens. A blanket laid out beneath you both as you popped a grape into your mouth.

You don’t remember what you two were talking about or what topic seemed to fancy you that day, all you could feel was his hands roughly pushing you down and holding you still as he straddled your waist.

“You smell so good…,” his voice had trailed off as he had leant down towards you, his mouth pressing a few open kisses against your neck as you squirmed in his hold.

The pills had finally worn off, something you hadn’t took notice of.

“Yuan,” you said as you struggled to get him off, “whatever I wish, right? Wel, I wish for you to get off me!”

He seemed to get heavy on you then, his face slowly pulling away so he could look you in the eyes, “of course, whatever you wish.”

Even as he pulled himself off you and you both tried to get back into whatever dumb topic that you were on previously…, the air was still filled with tension.

Whatever you wish, huh? Maybe it wasn’t a complete lie.

[phoenixyfriend]

Mandalore's Royal Concubine AU

HI

INSANE THOUGHT

YOU KNOW THAT POPULAR AU WHERE MANDALORE IS ITS OWN EMPIRE AND WHENEVER IT TAKES OVER A PLACE IT BRAINWASHES THE CAPTURED REBELS INTO BEING LOYAL CITIZENS (yes I know it's called the Integration AU)

I want one of those where you keep hearing about The Emperor but it's Plagueis, and you hear about Maul and Tyrannus and so on.

And then like ten chapters in you run into Jaster (40-ish) and the mistress he got after taking over Naboo, a 25yo Sheev Palpatine.

Dolled up and ostensibly brainwashed and known to have the Force but not any known ties to the Sith, he's just DAINTY and likes Naboo fashion and the readers are constantly hunting for The Truth. Is he a Sith that was successfully brainwashed? Biding his time? Looking to break away from Mandalore with Naboo but not a Sith? Working against the protagonist because he IS loyal to Jaster? Etc

A lot of the stuff you see people do to Obi-Wan, tbh.

Concubine Palpatine...

Also, if we go a bit down the line and instead have it with 50s-Jaster and early-40s bedwarmer Palpatine, we can have the protagonist that's meeting him for the first time be early teens Obi-Wan.

Palpatine has been in Jaster's bed for like. Twenty years by that point lol.

WAIT NO. NOT JUST A CONCUBINE. THE MAN'S A WAR PRIZE TWKYMSKTZKGZ

Palpatine, being Force-Sensitive and politically important, had led a resistance against Mandalore In His Youth, but failed. May be a Sith plot to infiltrate that went sour when the brainwashing actually worked? May have been a Sith plot that failed because nobody expected Sidious to LOSE and now they've washed their hands of him. May have just been a generally shitty Force-Sensitive but unaffiliated with the Sith because Naboo was on the other side of the galaxy from the Sith Empire? I don't know and neither do the readers.

Suggested by @threebea:

Either way he wants to do terrible things to Plagueis, either for his own revenge or on behalf of his husband

Subplot people trying to say Obi-Wan is their love child and could potentially steal the throne because Sheev is also a redhead (it's not true) but dealing with both assassins and they're trying to pull power way from Mereel

Obi-Wan: .... I'm not how is this even a rumour!?

It's because like satine and he for whatever reason used Palpatine as a cover somehow when they were teens and it has 'evidence' that there's a connection

Sheev "didn't want his child treated like he was and gave him up/smuggled him away" (sad sob story)

Obi-Wan: now both Mandalorians and Sith want to kill me for potential throne stealing, and I mean I'm a Jedi, they already wanted to kill me. but this feels more personal somehow

Sheev: ......... (Does not even like Obi-Wan and owed Duke Kryze a favour or Kryze was his ally before his death or w/e)

(Sheev brainwashed or not will absolutely use this tho)

I think there's also potential in 22yo Jango trying to "adopt" Obi-Wan (against the kid's wishes, of course) and explaining away the Palpatine situation with "stay away from him, he's always plotting."

"I thought you said he was successfully integrated."

"He was! But... you know those stories about evil stepmothers? And conniving concubines? He's... both. So just stay away."

Obi-Wan so maybe he's not integrated and he's an ally (no no he is not)

I also think it would be funny if the integration DID work and DID make Palpatine loyal to Jaster, but 80% of his non-sex actions result in "please stop helping me" because the methods are always way outside what even integration-happy Mandalore is comfortable with.

Fully corrupt, but for Jaster

Palpatine is having some palace intrigue and poisoning officials

Jaster: wait no

He's full on Dowager Empress vibes but he's not even married to the guy, nor is the guy dead.

All the political intrigue and skill of the prequels but. As a royal concubine.

Should definitely have beef with Jango for whatever reason

Jango: my childhood was a nightmare because of that man ><

But Palpatine covered himself way too well for it to be proven.

That's why he's 'adotping' Obi-Wan! Needs a force sensitive that he controls (that Palpatine doesn't have access to).

God, he DEFINITELY wanted to send Jango to boarding school. I don't think Jango ACTUALLY got sent away, but Palpatine probably managed a few Summer Sleep-Away Camps.

Palpatine: so you can be perfect for your father

Palpatine: (and get out of my hair ... Maybe have an accident that would be swell)

I want him to have pet Mandalorian peacocks. Drive home the absurdity.

I've decided this AU also has a primary plot about a Mysterious Stranger that keeps showing up to help Obi-Wan (actually help, not Jango's "help") and it's implied to be a member of the lineage, like Qui-Gon or Xanatos or something. Obi-Wan begs to be his padawan, before even knowing exactly who it is. And then, it is revealed to be! A time-traveller! Anakin, but as an adult! He hasn't even been born yet!

And then! The second twist behind the twist! Is that Anakin is not from the future but from a future, specifically! Canonverse RotS!

Ahsoka may or may not have been pulled along. And/or Rex.

Fuck it, maybe even Padmé with the twins?

Generally, all their important future knowledge, must notably that Palpatine is Sidious! Is useless.

Everything is just Too Different.

And in the middle of all that shit, Obi-Wan is introduced to the boogeyman of Anakin's nightmares, a Mandalorian concubine.

[loquaciousquark]

Tonight's misadventures: I'm on the way to the park fight, and as I'm navigating I accidentally click a red-outlined sunmelon piece laid out on a picnic blanket. Astarion obediently steals it in broad daylight, rakish fool that he is, and the Fist standing just on the other side of the path is furious. Because I've already been caught stealing something in this zone, my only options are to go to jail, bribe the guard, and attack.

The bribe suggested is 3650 gp for one sunmelon piece.

(created by @fistfulofgammarays, registered genius)

Because I refuse to pay that, off Astarion goes to jail. The Emperor yells at me for losing the stones, all my meticulous hotbar mapping is erased, the companions start chilling in the park, the usual. While I'm pondering how I want to escape (Tav got thrown in this prison like five times in a row last run), I have Astarion idly start whistling. He got the proficiency from Alfira in the grove, and apparently he's good.

In fact, he's so good he passes his performance check. Next thing I know, in comes the nearest guard--entering through the locked cell door--to enjoy this impromptu concert.

Fist Smithwynn is entranced. He nods along beatifically. He praises Astarion's whistling. When he's done, he throws a coin at Astarion's feet and goes to leave the cell.

Well, I can't let that slide without trying, right? I crouch and sneak out just behind him as he unlocks the door, not really expecting to get much farther than that, and sure enough, Astarion is caught immediately outside the cell. However, because it's his first jailbreak, he's allowed to make a Persuasion check that "Haven't I been punished enough? I'm very sorry," which he passes with a 28 on a 15 DC. Off Astarion goes with a commuted sentence, waving at the guards as he blithely strolls away, bound for freedom.

Except on the way out, I notice the Evidence Chest in the back corner now has something in it. Out of curiosity, I pause to take a peek, and what's in there except THE SUNMELON PIECE THAT STARTED EVERYTHING.

I took it.

[greenwitchfromthewoods]

the letter. l General Marcus Acacius

Summary: One letter changed everything.

Warnings: secret relationship, kissing, mentioning of sex, some stress and talking about death

A/N: So that's it. One weak idea and what grew up around it. I hope you can read it. I haven't written anything in a long time.

Your hands were shaking and your throat was tight with unbearable pain. The short and hastily written letter that you had been holding for several minutes was getting stuck in your brain, and its words were almost screaming at you.

"...disobedience..." "...the senator felt rejected and disgraced by your refusal..." "...friend of the Emperor..." "...they demand your head..." "... someone will be sent..." "...run..."

You lifted your head and looked around the room, gasping for breath. Your heart was pounding in your chest and your whole body felt numb.

When the messenger showed up at your door that evening, you didn't expect it would be your last day on earth. A kind friend, someone who didn't wish you harm, but had heard a lot decided to warn you.

And that was it? Is this how you were supposed to end? Killed on the Emperor's orders just because some stupid senator felt hurt when you rejected his intrusive advances and marriage proposal?

"Gods, have mercy on me..."

You should have expected this. Claudius was an arrogant ignoramus who considered himself far superior to any other man except the Emperor. You shouldn't have teased him. Even though you were sure that your refusal was polite and you never let him know that you were happy with his advances...

"Stupid male pride." you muttered to yourself, crumpling the letter in your hands.

How much time do you have? Would you have time to leave Rome? Perhaps you could dispose of the estate, give orders to the servants. What if some Roman legionary is already coming to you to free you from this corporeal shell?

You've never felt so alive before. Almost...

An unexpected noise coming from the entrance reached your ears, and after a while your doorman rushed into the room, bowing low.

"Lady, General Acacius has arrived." he said quickly, "I told him that..."

The man didn't finish because the General unceremoniously rushed into the room, pushing him aside. You stood up abruptly, seeing the sword he was holding in his hand and the madness in his eyes.

"Gaius, leave us." you said quickly.

“My lady…” the man looked at you with fear.

"Now." you glanced at the older man's scared face, "Please."

Gaius quickly backed out of the room.

"General Acacius." you nodded. “I didn't think the Emperor would send you, but maybe it's better. At least death will be quick.”

Has your voice trembled? Your heart was trying to jump out of your chest like it was a little creature, you must have forgotten how to breathe. Every second lasted an hour.

And Marcus? You saw his chest heave with each deep breath that filled his lungs. The hand still gripped the sword blade tightly as if they were one. Even the fire in his eyes and the ferocity of his rush into your house didn't scare you as much as his silence.

"Marcus?"

"You already know?" he croaked.

"Yes, I know. And I'm really glad it's you..."

The loud clang of a sword falling to the floor made you almost jump. In one brief moment, this strong and powerful man walked up to you and fell to his knees, hugging your legs and burying his face in the folds of your robe.

"I just found out. I was rushing to you, afraid it would be too late and I wouldn't see you again." he muttered, "Gods! You don't know how scared I was."

You placed your hands on his shoulders, tenderly tangling your fingers in his soft and damp hair.

"So it's not you?"

"I would rather stab myself with a sword a thousand times than ever lay a finger on you. How could I? Tell me how could I?"

"Who did the Emperor send?"

"I don't know, but if he shows up here, I'll cut him to pieces as soon as he looks at you."

Marcus stood up and you saw that his eyes, although shiny, glared at you with fury. He was a brilliant general, whom thousands of legionaries would follow into fire, and whom all Rome's enemies feared, but you... You knew the real him.

When you met General Acacius for the first time, you felt repulsed by him. A strong and portly man, dressed in white and gold. Favorite of Rome and the Emperor. His skin was kissed by the sun and his brown eyes could tell you about the hundreds of places he had seen.

Maybe this is what fate and the Gods wanted? You couldn't fight it because the reward was so sweet.

His lips roaming your body. Strong hands exploring every inch of your skin and bringing out the sweetest sounds to his ears. The breaths were one and the bodies fit together so perfectly that there was no doubt in your mind. You were meant to be together from the very beginning. Since the beginning of the world.

But you couldn't talk about it openly. Not when wars were still raging in the far reaches of the Empire and Marcus had to serve your Emperor.

But he's finally back, right? He was again a hero loved by crowds. His name was heard on the lips of the inhabitants like a prayer, like a sweet song.

Marcus Acacius, Marcus Acacius, Marcus Acacius.

His warm hands held your face as he rested his forehead against yours.

"I was talking to the Emperor. He was telling me about it with amusement, and I felt like... Fuck! I had so many thoughts in my head, I thought I might explode." he said quietly.

"Hush, honey." you whispered, placing your fingers gently on his lips, he kissed them without thinking, "We knew this would happen. It was just a matter of time..."

"I should tear Claudius apart with my bare hands." Marcus hissed furiously, "But we still have time. There's still something else we can do."

He pulled his face away and looked at your weak smile playing on your lips.

"I will speak to the Emperor." he said in a determined voice, "I'll convince him that..."

"Claudius is his friend." you interrupted him, "You can't..."

"And I am the hero of Rome. Haven't you heard what the people say? The Emperor will give me what I want."

"And what do you want?"

He didn't have to answer anything. When his lips crushed against yours, that was his answer. He kissed you madly, like he was fighting for every breath, like you only had this one moment. You were falling apart in his arms into a thousand pieces. How could you feel dead when Marcus actually made you live? He was your sun, your everything, more than life.

"You can't go to war with the Emperor, with all of Rome, just for one woman." you stuttered, intoxicated by him. “This is insane.”

"You're more than all this. Take it." Marcus pressed his ring into your hand. “I will tell the Emperor that we were married secretly.”

"Marcus..."

"He may be mad, but I can handle it. I will say that we did this before I left. You were married when Claudius courted you. You didn't break any law."

"I can't."

"You have no other choice, Y/N. I won't let you die, do you understand? Even if I have to fight the entire Empire, I will drown it in blood for you."

And you knew Marcus was telling the truth. You pulled him towards you, kissing him deeply. If this was to be your last time, you were grateful for that hope.

"Expect a rider." he said as he picked up the sword from the floor. "If I fail, I will send a trusted man to you. Then you will leave Rome. As far as you can."

"And you?"

"I will find you. No matter what, I will find you." he walked up to you, kissing you one last time. "If everything goes well, I'll come to you myself."

"I trust you, Marus. With all my heart."

"I know. Stay safe, love."

And he left, leaving you completely devastated. You were still clutching his gold ring, your last hope.

Marcus' plan was crazy and you knew it. The Emperor would have to be in a really good mood to believe the story about your secret wedding. Will this enrage him? Even so, he could only take your life. And what would life be without the love you carried in your heart? You were more afraid for Marcus, for his life, for him not to do something stupid.

"Your love is making me crazy." he whispered to you so many times at night.

Eventually you will meet again someday. In this life or another. This is what the Gods wanted, this is what fate wanted.

You couldn't fight it.

General Marcus Acacius surrendered the moment his eyes first landed on you. He was powerless. He made you his Queen and you couldn't refuse him. He was like wine, like incense in the temple, which numbs the senses. He was your beginning and your end. You were grateful to the Gods for this love, but you were also willing to give it up to keep Marcus alive. You were...

The sound of hooves echoed in the yard. You pressed Marcus' ring to your lips and placed it on your finger in anticipation.

☆☆☆

Thank you for your time.

[missadangel]

The Heart of Rome (Marcus Acacius x OC)

All Chapters List

V. The Council

Hi, guys I did some research on Rome, and they don't use the word princess. instead, they use rarely: filia regis so I mentioned in the story. But I will use the princess word to make it easier. I will make Geta softer than he looks in the trailers, but not much obviously. In history Caracalla kills Geta so I am writing my fic according to real history places, and tradition, events. if you have any advice let me know, thank you for all your support, so enjoy the episode...

Si scio quid sit amor, propter te est.

If I know what love is, it is because of you. H.B.

Road…

The streets of Rome were fairly tranquil at night, in comparison to the bustling activity that characterizes the city during the day. It was particularly the case with the roads leading out of the city and into more remote areas. The general's villa was situated on one of these remote roads, and it was a somewhat lengthy journey to reach the city on foot. It might have been a good idea to use a horse or cart to traverse this road. But you were determined to continue on your journey, despite the discomfort you felt. You voiced your concerns to yourself and even considered turning back. You would have been pleased to rest in Marcus' bed, next to his warm body, his strong arms.  Yet, you were worried that you might regret not going ahead with your plan if you didn't do it. Even though you had these concerns, you decided to keep walking. As you got closer to the entrance to the big city, you suddenly noticed what sounded to be footsteps behind you.

You were reluctant to turn your head to see what was happening because a shiver ran through your whole body. It was as if the darkness of the night, which had been your friend a moment ago, had now become your enemy. Sounds, shadows and endless dirt roads were now his companions. When you started running, your legs were not as strong as you had hoped, and you experienced more discomfort than you had anticipated. Nevertheless, you ran with all your strength to reach the stone roads.

Subsequently, upon noticing your breathing becoming more rapid, you decided to take a moment to catch your breath. You were somewhat surprised but grateful when you realised that you were no longer being followed. Upon reaching the stone streets, you were somewhat reassured, but on the other hand, you felt a pang of sadness because you were further away from Marcus. The morning was fast approaching, with dawn on the horizon. From your observation point at the foot of the Venus statue in one corner of the street, you were clinging to the marble at the very end of the column and looking at the city panorama ahead, attempting to calculate the direction of Palatine Hill. The Colosseum is in a great spot, right in the center and visible from all sides. It's a bit of a landmark. So, it made sense to adjust the route to go forward and to the right. You still had a way to go, so you kept walking. You never expected it to be so difficult.

It's particularly when you're passing through these streets, places you've passed before, that your memories start to haunt you. It's as if these streets, which you used to pass by horse and cart, have now turned against you, becoming your enemy's friend. After a few quiet, dark streets, you stopped to rest under the triumphal arch. As you drove under the arch, you noticed something you hadn't seen before and were surprised.

The colossal statue of a former emperor that you had seen it before, but you hadn't had a chance to look at the inscription.

‘Imperator Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pertinax Augustus’

Your knees gave way, and you found yourself unable to stand. The stone pavements felt cold against your skin, but you remained still. As you gazed at the statue of your father, you found yourself thinking that perhaps things might have turned out differently if he had been there with you. You had never had the opportunity to witness first-hand what kind of an emperor he was, but from what you had heard, he had been quite successful. You spoke to him, your gaze fixed on his stone eyes, and wished he had heard you: “Father, my lord, I have made my decision. I have been thinking since I learnt about the letter. I came here even though you warned me, even though I knew it would be hard. My heart hurts, father, but I am not afraid. I met love, and I am not going to lose it. I love him so much. I know you hear me, and I know you understand. I am not angry with you. In fact, I am grateful. I met my brothers. You were right about Caracalla. Provide guidance on Geta. I saved him, Father, and I'm ready to face whatever comes next. I know you're with the Gods now, so I'm asking you to help me. I'll do whatever it takes for Rome. Open my eyes and ears, give me strength.”

You wiped away your tears and remained in a seated position for a period of time. However, when the cold became unbearable, you began to shiver. Before standing, you heard the distant cry of a horse, followed by the sound of hooves striking the ground. You wrapped your cloak around yourself tightly, burying your hair and face within it. The sound of hooves echoing in the silence of the night only served to heighten your nervousness.

As the horse drew nearer, you became aware of a slight tremor in the ground beneath your feet, caused by the horse's hooves striking it. You turned your head and observed a man who clothed in a dark cloak.

'My lady,' he greeted you.

When you looked at him, you felt a little surprised and perhaps a little uneasy, and said nothing. He opened his cloak and jumped down from his horse and approached you, still holding on to his horse's harness. The horse snorted noisily and you involuntarily took a few steps back.

"It is imperative that you come with me, as the situation is too perilous for you to remain here at this hour.”

"Who are you that I should agree to accompany you? Was it you who followed me previously?”

He bowed his head and replied, "Yes, my lady. I am a slave of Master Macrinus and I must take you to him."

You narrowed your eyes. ”What if I decline your offer?”

The man laughed, 'He thought you would say that. He said if she doesn't want to come, bring her by force, before she does something to hurt herself. Don’t let her to do, so.’

It was your time to laugh, 'How thoughtful of him. Tell him I appreciate the advice, but I have somewhere else to be right now.’

As soon as you turned around, you heard him coming towards you.

“My lady, I have to do as I'm told,” he said, coming up quickly behind you and grabbing your wrist. You tried to pull back with all your strength, but he was too strong. When he got close, you had a chance to get a good look at him. He had a very muscular and large body, which reminded you of warriors fighting in the Colosseum.

“Let go of my arm!” you cried.

But he had no intention of letting go, his strong hand locked around your wrist as if you were chained.

As he drew you closer to his horse, you heard another horse neighed from down the street, followed by a voice you recognised from before. It was a voice you would not forget, even if you were dead, a voice you felt your ears were made to hear.

The general spurred his black horse into a halt in front of you two. The horse reared under him and uttered a cry. He leapt down from the horse with one swift movement, his face as angry as ever, his eyes fixed on the other man. The general seized the man's hand that was gripping your wrist, pulled it and pushed with such force that the man staggered backwards. But he seemed to be angry too, and quickly regained his composure.

“How dare you lay a hand on her? State yourself, who are you?”

The General moved in front of you, taking charge and protecting you. You were relieved to see him. From behind, he appears to be dressed only in his tunic and cloak. It seems he may have left in a hurry, perhaps he was so worried, you wondered if he had opened the letter yet or not.

"General Acacius, Master Macrinus has given me a mission. I will complete it.”

"Macrinus? I just remember where I saw you before. Tell him I am Marcus Acacius, and I will prevent you from completing your mission.”

The man frowned and tensed as one hand went to the sheath of the sword at his waist. He was not afraid of the General at all.

"Marcus," you gently grasped his cloak and gave it a slight tug. He did not turn to you, still glaring at the man.

"Macrinus would like to take me to the council meeting, I believe he wants to ensure my safety until then. I apologise for not telling you before, I hope you can forgive me.”

Acacius turned his head and looked at you. His eyes conveyed a multitude of emotions, including anger, frustration, and longing.

"Nevertheless, I am unable to allow you to accompany him. I will take you to the meeting if that is your desire."

"No, the emperors may think you've been hiding me all this time. I won't let this happen to you because of me."

He closed his eyes and sighed deeply, as if trying to suppress his anger.

“Don't you realize how much I care about you? They've already seen you with me, so I'm prepared to face whatever consequences may result.”

You frowned. "I would never want to cause any damage to your reputation."

"Is that why you decided to leave me? What exactly you were planning, I wonder?”

You bit your bottom lip. “To go to Geta and tell him everything.”

Acacius' eyes flashed with anger. “I'm hoping you're joking right now.”

“He said he owed me, I thought he'd understand.”

“Do you really think he's as pure and kind-hearted as you? How can you be so reckless?”

"Perhaps he'll reconsider when I tell him I'm his sister.”

Acacius shook his head, “Wrong. He won't. He'll kill you on the spot, I'm sure of it.”

You were fairly certain that what he said was true, but you still had the inclination to believe it wasn't. Then, two more riders came down the street towards you and dismounted next to the other man. The General immediately sensed a potential threat and pulled you behind him for protection.

Macrinus knew exactly what he was doing and he was determined to see it through.

It is probable that his slave felt emboldened by the arrival of the other men, as evidenced by his demeanor, which shifted from apprehension to confidence.

"General, I advise you not to cause us any trouble. We're taking the lady with us.”

Acacius drew his sword and looked at them with a glint in his eye, ready for whoever or whatever was about to come at him.

"I dare you to try.”

They seemed to hesitate at first, looking at each other, then drew their swords, the tension rising. You swallowed hard.

"Three against one. I heard you were a good soldier, but you don't stand a chance against three of us." He smiled, but it seemed a little cruelly.

"You must have misheard then. I've killed more when I was in a worse situation." His voice was threatening, making the other person uneasy.

"Indeed, I had the opportunity to observe it at the Colosseum. However, we also fought there, so it would be unwise to underestimate us."

They fought there? At the Colosseum? Gladiators?

You had observed the combatants in action during your time there; you had witnessed it first-hand, with your own eyes, and it sent a chill down your spine.

You moved in front of the general, who was still pointing his sword at the others.

“Marcus, you need to let me go with them.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Please, hear me out, the council meeting is just around the corner, he can't do anything to me, he needs me.”

You grasped his other hand tightly with both hands and looked into his eyes.

“Please, I ask you to trust me.”

“He's the one I don't trust.”

“I know. I don't trust him either but I need to find out what his intention is before the meeting.”

Marcus looked at you for a moment, considering your words. Then he sheathed his sword. "Very well. You're right.”

The others seemed relieved, but they tried not to show it.

"A wise choice, General," the man said, his voice firm and his gaze steady. He gestured for the others to put their swords back, then approached you with purpose.

"Come with me, my lady," he held out his hand to you and the general caught it in mid-air.

"Who gave you permission to touch her?"

He pushed his hand away and grabbed your wrist. "I will be accompanying her.”

The man laughed and looked at you with disdain. "As you wish. That's fine by me."

As he walked away towards his horse, the general turned to you.

"I'm assuming you've ridden a horse before?"

You didn't ride much in Egypt, given that you lived inconspicuously.

"Well, sort of.”

The look on your face made him smile. He pulled you close to his horse. His black horse lifted one leg and just the tip of the hoof touched the ground, snorted heavily. Acacius stroked the horse's back gently. "You should know how lucky you are to be carrying this beautiful woman, Dromos. Be gentle with her.” The horse lets out a soft whinny as a reply, and Acacius smiles.

“Dromos?”

“Yes, I named him that because he runs so fast.”

“I see.You seem to be quite good friends,” you said with a smile. Hesitantly you reached out and stroked the horse’s neck, ran your fingers through the black of his mane.

“Indeed we are,” he agreed. He placed his hand on the stirrup and held it for you. “Place your foot here and I'll lift you up."

You did as he said, then he put his hand to your waist, lifted you easily and sat you on the thin saddle. When the horse moved, you grabbed onto the horn of the saddle to steady yourself. Then you felt a soreness between your legs but forced yourself to ignore. Acacius quickly climbed on top of the horse and positioned himself right behind you, gripping the reins. You felt safe as you felt his muscular body caressing yours from behind.

“Lead the way,” the General said loudly to the other man, you felt his warm breath just above your ear. The man nodded kicks his horse forward. Acacius gave a gentle pat to Dromos, he neighs, and starts to move faster. Acacius moves a little, closing the gap between you, his arms around you from either side as he holds the reins. Your body shook with the movement of Dromos as he galloped at a moderate speed through the streets of Rome. Your back kept bumping against the General's strong chest, and you even felt his chin in your hair. You gasped. Was he doing it on purpose?

You glanced over at his face and noticed a smile at the corner of his lips, even though his eyes were fixed on the road ahead.

“I’m guessing you’re upset with me?" you asked as the General pulled the rein to the right to steer it, top of your shoulder bumping his chest.

"For leaving me in bed and abandoning me?"

"And for not mentioning the letter before."

"That too.”

When you turned to look at him, a few strands of your hair got caught in his beard. The hairs kept flying with the wind, brushing against his face. He seemed pleased with them.‘

"I must admit that I was eager to find out who you are, but this is beyond what I could have imagined. I can understand why you did it, but I'm still hurt. I wish you hadn't left me in bed. You broke my heart.”

You swallowed, “Forgive me, I didn't know what to do. Leaving you was the hardest thing I've ever done. Will you let me heal your heart? I'm Medicus, you know?" You blinked your eyes under your long eyelashes, he smiled.

He buried his lips in your flowing hair and whispered in your ear.

"My heart is yours to heal. You don't need to be a medicus for that.”

You smiled as you felt his lips on your cheek, your lips yearning so much to touch his. At that moment, as you rode with him on his horse, you wished that he would take you far away, to a place where no one could find you two, you were willing to give everything for it.

Macrinus’s Villa…

The men on horseback dismounted and led their horses into the courtyard. Acacius gently pulled his horse's reins and rode in a circle, glancing towards the villa. It seemed as though he was hesitating. Soon, Macrinus appeared in the doorway and grasped the bridle to the right, turning it around to face him.

"My lady," he bowed his head and greeted you. "General Acacius?”

Acacius ignored him and dismounted, one hand still clutching his horse's harness.

“Sir Macrinus, have you stationed your slaves outside my villa to keep watch? Or should I say your gladiators?”

Macrinus smirked. “I needed to make sure Lady Aurelia was safe.” He turned his eyes to you.

“I think you can rest assured that it's not something you need to worry about, especially when she's with me.”

“Which is why you must have accompanied her here, I see.”

“Apparently.” Acacius muttered.

“Then let me invite you in,” he gestured with his hand.

Acacius turned to you and held out his hand. “My lady.”

You smiled, initially surprised that he was addressing you with respect for the first time, but then realising how much you liked it. You took his hand and dismounted the horse and allowed yourself to be embraced by his protective arms. He took you gently and lowered you down.

As your feet touched down on the ground, you felt the throbbing return and let out a quiet moan.“Are you alright?” Acacius's voice was worried.

You regarded him with a somewhat hesitant expression. "I'm a little sore from..." You pursed your lips.

Acacius stroked your disheveled hair with his big hand. "I wish I could relieve your soreness.”

You blushed at the memory of witnessing how well his passionate lips worked on your body before.

“I'll take that as a promise for later, General.” You smirked mischievously.

“At your service, my lady,” he grasped your hand gently and kissed it.

As your heart melted in the warmth of his smile, Macrinus watched you from afar, his eyes narrowed in scrutiny. He felt something very different. He controlled his expression though and cleared his throat. You and the General looked at him, his warrior slave standing beside him. Acacius held out his hand, offering it to you.

“Shall we?”

Sitting in his garden, you realized that Macrinus' villa was bigger than the General's. The fountain in the center of this big courtyard was rectangular, and in the center was a statue of the queen goddess Salacia, the wife of Neptune, the goddess of the sea and water. She's holding a bucket just above her head and the water is gushing out of it.

The columns ahead were white and straight, half covered with red marble, with ionic protrusions at the corners. They proudly stood among various trees and plants, but this beauty was nothing compared to the Domus Severiana. That palace was magnificent and wonderful.

Although you couldn't see it clearly because it was still dark, you were wondering what kind of flowers were behind the fountain when Macrinus' gladiator slave stood there, blocking your view. You met his gaze and turned to the general, who was standing next to you. He seemed uneasy and reluctant to sit down. His body language showing his tension. You reached out and grasped his hand.

"Would you perhaps like to sit with me?"

"My lady, I believe I will be more comfortable like this," he replied, his eyes on the gladiator who crossed his arms and looking at Macrinus as he approached.

“Apologies, I am expecting an important guest, I wanted to make sure he arrived safely,” he sat down opposite you and crossed his legs. A delighted smile spread across his face.

“I assume you brought the letter with you, my lady?” he said, looking at you.

You glanced at the General, to whom you entrusted the letter. He crossed his arms and looked directly at Macrinus.

“Prior to that, elucidate your intentions regarding the council.”

"I'm going to make sure our lady gets her 'filia regis' (princess) title back and gets what's rightfully hers. You know, general, you were what, twenty? You must have been about that age when Aurelia was born. Septimius gave me the task of taking her away to protect her. He made me promise.”

"I was nineteen," the General stated, his eyes distant as he recalled those days. "And you were the one who made up the lie that she drowned in the river when she was little? You actually took her to Egypt? With that man, Vicius."

He turned his head to look at you, to see your expression. You felt sad when you remembered him, but you gave the general a half-smile anyway.

“There were three hundred days of mourning throughout the empire,” Macrinus gave you a half smile. “Then it was forgotten when it was time for Caracalla's fifth birthday, but the people of Rome must still remember their princess. The year you were born was a very prosperous one, the fields were full of new crops, there were hardly any beggars in the streets.”

A soft smile spread across Acacius' face, you wondered why, but you didn't feel comfortable to ask when Macrinus around.

“Wine,” Macrinus ordered one of the other slaves. “My lady, please eat something,” he said, indicating the food on the table. “You need to gather your strength.” Then he looked at Acacius who shook his head. “I should head out to dress properly for the Council,” he said and turned to you and got down on his knees. "My Lady, I will be ready to provide any assistance you may require at the council today."

“No, General, I cannot allow you to do that.”

He looked confused.

"Perhaps it would be better if I said that I've kept my name a secret from you.”

“They've already seen us together,” he protested. “I don't think they'll care about that.”

"Lady Aurelia is right, General. It would not be good for you to make your side clear, at least from Geta's point of view. Half the council already knows everything and we have the upper hand."

"Marcus, please," you grabbed his big hand with both of yours. "I don't want you to stay in the middle of this.”

He took both your hands in his, his beard brushing against your skin. "As you wish. but know that if things don't go our way, I will do my utmost to ensure your safety." He kissed you gently on the top of your hands and stood up. "I will see you at the Council then." He nodded and left the courtyard. With his leaving, you felt abandoned, out of place.

Macrinus' gladiator-slave accompanied the general out into the courtyard and returned a moment later. As his eyes met yours, you turned your head.

“I wonder why you keep gladiators as slaves in your villa?”

Macrinus smiled, shaking the wine glass in his hand, “Choosing gladiators is an art, they often become prisoners of war, just like other slaves.”

“So you buy them, train them and put them in fights,” you looked at the gladiator without turning your head. "What is the return on investment of this strategy? Is this the best way to gain the trust of the emperors, by providing entertainment?”

Macrinus laughed. “My lady, you have the right angle, but I don't think you see the whole picture. Perhaps you could save your thinking skills for the council, as it is almost time. My slaves will be ready to dress you properly," he said, rising to his feet. "If I may ask, as you still haven't given me the letter."

One of the girl slaves came as you stood up. “The general has the letter, I'm sure he will bring it before the council.”

“I must say, I am rather surprised at the extent of your trust in him.” Macrinus narrowed his eyes.

“I trust him more than anyone,” you said confidently. You couldn't bear to hear him speak unfairly of the General. You took a step back, looking around to avoid making eye contact with him. “Now, where do I get dressed?”

Roman Forum…

The Roman Forum was the centre of day-to-day life in Rome: the site of triumphal processions and elections; the venue for public speeches, criminal trials and gladiatorial matches; and the nucleus of commercial affairs. Here statues and monuments commemorated the city's leaders. This was where the Senate—as well as Republican government itself—began. The Senate House, government offices, tribunals, temples, memorials and statues gradually cluttering the area.

By the time the carriage carrying you and Macrinus arrived, the morning sun was already brightening the streets. The streets were now filled with Romans, spread around, going about their daily routines. This particular street was noticeably more crowded than usual. A considerable number of people had gathered in anticipation of the emperors' attendance at today's significant meeting. Among them were individuals with pending court cases, spectators eager to witness the new gladiators' initial contests, distinguished patricians and their wives, and those in need, who had come with the hope of receiving alms from them. Additionally, there were individuals who were to be dedicated as priestesses to the temple of Vesta and their companions, as well as those with business at the state house and, of course, the esteemed members of the senate and their wives.

Women were allowed to walk around the Roman Forum, but not in the Curia Julia, the senate building. Of course, the empress managed to sneak herself in - to see what was being said behind her sons' backs and what plans were being made - so it was inevitable that no one would pretend to know about it.

Today, Julia Domna managed to get herself into the Curia in the same way, but you couldn't see it because the entrance was too far away. Macrinus got out of the carriage and looked in towards you.

‘My lady, you will have to sit here for a while, you know women are-.’

‘Yes, sir, I know.’

He turned his head and squinted at something in the distance.

‘Acacius,’ he murmured.

Upon hearing his name, your heart began to race with excitement. He was the only person you desired to see at that moment. Macrinus took a step back, and the general's footsteps could be heard just outside the carriage.

"Did you bring the letter, General Acacius?" Macrinus asked.

You stuck your head out, eager to see his face. Cato was beside him, he took your letter out of his leather bag and handed it to Acacius, he handed it to you. You reached for it, and he turned his head to meet your eyes, making you realise how much you had missed him, even in such a short time.

“My Lady, I would like to return this to you.” The General was dressed differently today, in a toga worn on formal occasions. White in colour, it covered almost his entire body, with burgundy stripes around the edges. The shawl was of the same colour and pattern, the sleeves were short so you could see the thick gold bracelets on his arms, it looked perfect and neat.

“I am grateful to you for ensuring its safety,” you said quietly.

Macrinus cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should go inside now to start the session."

“Sir Macrinus, you go first.” Acacius said in a detached manner, his eyes locked on you.

“My lady,” he bowed his head, turned around and made his way towards the wide stairs of the Curia.

"Are you feeling a bit nervous?” His voice softened for you.

“A little,” you lied.

He smiled and put his hand on your cheek. “No need to be, you have nothing to worry about. It's your birthright, like every Roman. I think that's the only thing Macrinus and I agree on.”

You touched his hand on your cheek and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I know, thank you.”

He tilted his head towards you, almost close enough to touch you with his lips. “I will always be there to protect you, my beautiful lady, no matter what the outcome.” He held your eyes captive for a moment with his eyes, then pulled himself back. He looked ahead, frowning.

“They're here,” he said, squinting.

“Our Emperors!” Someone in the crowd shouted at the top of his lungs.

Your swallowed, feeling your heart began to race. Acacius stroked your hair gently, "There's no need to be so distressed. They can't do anything to you. There are very few people in the Senate who likes them. As much as I don't like him, I have to hand it to him, Macrinus knows what he's doing, almost succeeded in convincing the entire council,’ he said. 'I must go in now, Octavius will accompany you in,' he said, kissing your hand for the last time before leaving. You inhaled deeply while holding the letter in your hand tightly, praying to all the Gods.

Curia Julia…

All councillors were present and awaiting the commencement of the session, with the oldest councillor taking the lead in opening the meeting. The murmurs of the members of the Senate reverberated gently off the walls of the Curia's spacious, high-ceilinged meeting hall. When their names were announced a little later, all the congressmen stood up and showed their greeting as the Emperors entered the hall from the great hall, albeit somewhat reluctantly. They took their seats in the western corner of the round hall, their attire differing from that of the members of the senate in that it was rather more ostentatious and therefore perhaps less appropriate.

The longest-serving member of the council approached the emperors and stood on the ledge in the centre of the hall to offer them his greetings. He surveyed the room with a gesture that seemed to convey a desire to embrace everyone. “What an auspicious day. Many gave their lives so that we could stand here once more, for the sake of an empire, a government with laws.”

All the members applauded him, except the emperors, who seemed bored already. Acacius was in the lowest tribune and sat quite close to them. Many were surprised to see him at the meeting today; he rarely attended, and no one even knew he voted in the elections.

“In honouring them, I would like to mention that we must pay our respects in your presence to General Marcus Justus Acacius, commander of the southern armies, General of the Legio III Augusta and protector of Rome.” he said, raising his hand and pointing to him. “He demonstrated remarkable courage in defending the Rome and is worthy of our respect and gratitude.”

The members started clapping more enthusiastically. They were all chanting the General's name together. Acacius stood up to show his appreciation and then sat back down.

“Senate is now in session. I invite Sir Macrinus here to make his speech.”

As oldest member approached the tribune to take his seat, Macrinus rose from his seat, came to the centre and greeted the emperors and members.

“Your Majesties, esteemed council members. The reason we are gathered here today is not a matter of government or politics. It is a matter concerning our former emperor, Emperor Septimius Severus and his family.” As he extended his hand towards Emperors, Geta turned curiously to Caracalla.

“What is he saying, brother?” he whispered.

Caracalla answered without looking at him. “Patience brother, you’ll understand soon enough.”

“So you knew?”

He did not answer, which made Geta angry and curious.

By the time Octavius came to get you from the carriage, you were pretty bored sitting inside.

“My lady, it's time.”

You nodded and got out of the carriage with his help, taking a quick look around as you walked together through the crowd. The gladiator fights had taken a break, and people were discussing what was happening in the Curia. One of the trials was underway. A man and a woman were crying, as if they had been convicted of some crime you didn't understand. As you made your way up the stairs of the Curia, one after the other behind Octavius, one of the guards at the entrance blocked your path with an outstretched hand. Octavius brushed his arm away with the back of his hand.

"She is no ordinary woman, and the council members are waiting for her."

"Forgive me," he said, stepping back to allow you to pass.

You and Octavius entered a large hall and proceeded between tall, imposing white pillars. After a short while, you heard the voices of several men. Was there a disagreement in the council? Octavius stood near two large, thick pillars and looked in the direction of the sound, raising his hand towards you. "Perhaps we should wait a moment."

As the big iron door swung open, you could hear the voices inside a bit better.

"Are you saying that our sister is alive?"

It was Geta's voice, sounding angry. "Where has she been all this time?"

"As I said, Your Majesty, your sister was sent to Egypt on your father's orders. She wasn't there when I went to find her, but she is here now. Your sister is waiting outside with the letter your father, the Emperor, wrote to her. Shall I bring her here now?"

Macrinus' voice was loud but persuasive.

“Yes, the council wants to see her!” Someone else's voice was louder than his.

The voices that rose and echoed in the great hall were positive, a flicker of nervousness swept through you. Soon, Macrinus appeared in the doorway.

“My lady, remove your cloak, please.”

You did as he said, Octavius held it for you, and you felt a little reassured that he was there.

Macrinus accompanied you into the meeting room, his demeanor somewhat less reassuring than you had hoped. “Walk with a little more confidence, my lady, you will soon be declared 'filia regis’ (princess).”

His confident face was only working in his favor. It had nothing to do with you. You were trying to look ahead as you descended the stairs one by one, the councillors began to murmur, you didn't feel ready to look at them, and soon you heard Caracalla's hysterical laughter, you were startled and looked in the direction of the sound.

He pointed his finger at you. “You! It must be a lame joke!”

Geta was silent, only his eyes locked on you, leaning forward and marveling under his eyebrows. Caracalla stormed out of his seat and came over to Macrinus.

“What does this mean?”

“You told me my sister was coming, but you forgot to tell me who she was?” he scolded him in a low voice.

“It's pure coincidence that you've met her before, Highness.”

He then looked in the direction where the general was sitting, and you had the opportunity to observe him and the others. All the members were dressed in white togas, similar to the general, but with black embroidery around the edges of their clothes. It was a large hall filled with men, and it was somewhat awkward and uncomfortable to be in the middle of them as the only woman.

"She resembles her mother," one individual posited.

“Indeed, she is an exact match, both physically and genetically," another concurred. “Just like in the records.”

A multitude of voices were present, yet your attention was directed towards Caracalla, who directed a finger at the general.

"For how long have you been aware of this, General Acacius?”

“He didn’t know!”

As your voice echoed through the vast hall with a ringing effect among all the male voices, the other voices gradually faded and Caracalla turned to look at you. Then you handed him the letter.

“I got the chance to open it on the day of the ceremony. That's when I found out everything. General Acacius had no idea.”

This time you said it looking at all the council members as your eyes met Acacius. He was staring at Caracalla, looking a bit angry. Geta arose from his seat and approached Caracalla. He took the letter from his hand and read it over, then looked at you.

“Why didn't you say anything that day?”

"I was planning to," you replied. "I was uncertain of your reaction and what you would do," your eyes shifted to Caracalla. Another councillor approached and examined the letter.

“This is the seal of Emperor Septimius Severus,” he said, looking at the other members. Caracalla grasped the letter and held it up. “But a broken seal and a piece of paper which doesn't prove anything.” Geta reached out to take it from him, but he pushed him away with his elbow, tore the letter into pieces and threw it on the floor.

You were filled with anger. "That was the last thing left of my father," your voice was higher than you would have cared to have it be.

Macrinus interjected, "Your Majesty, while I understand your concerns, I believe it would be beneficial to hear the rest of the speech before making a decision.”

“I want to hear it.” Geta sat back in his seat.

Caracalla nodded and reluctantly joined him.

You clenched your fists, looking at the pieces of the letter on the floor, some of them scattered on your sandals. It was hard not to cry, your father's seal lying on the ground like something worthless. How could he be so cruel?

"Sir Macrinus, if I might be so bold, I would like to say a few words before you speak," said the oldest member of the council.

As he stood up and came to stand beside you, the room fell silent. "I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet Lady Aurelia before she disappeared," he said, looking at you. "Her eyes and hair are similar, and her face has retained a remarkable resemblance. The emperor Septimius affectionately titled to her as 'Aurelia' due to her blonde hair. I am the one who made it official, and I have my signature and seal included in the record book. It is an honor to see you again, Lady Aurelia.” He bowed his head.

"I am truly grateful for your kind assistance, sir.” Your voice broke.

The crowd began to murmur again, with only a few objecting. The general was looking at you with a soft expression, and you smiled back, though you quickly turned your head away to avoid being noticed. Macrinus thanked the elderly member, waited for him to take his seat, and then he turned to the council members.

"I was fortunate to be able to visit Egypt four years ago at the Emperor's request. I went in search of the lady Aurealia, who was residing with Vicius, Septimius' personal medicus. I had a brief encounter with her, but it seemed that she was still unaware of the truth about herself. Vicius was of the opinion that the Emperor had not sent me. Perhaps he considered himself to be more closely aligned with the Emperor than I was. I am still curious as to what the Emperor may have promised him,” he said sarcastically.

“He did a good job of hiding her,” Caracalla said, teasingly.

The crowd found his behaviour amusing and laughter echoed through the great hall. Geta joined in with the laughter. The mood in the hall started to lighten, but you frowned. It wasn't right to disrespect his memory.

“Sir Macrinus, you mentioned seeing the lady Aurelia around four years ago, which is around the time we lost Septimius Severus.” One of the councillors said.

“I know what you're implying, but I've always had the trust of our emperors since they ascended to the throne. I couldn't bring your sister because I returned here as soon as I heard the news of Septimius Severus' death.” He said, looking at him and then back to the emperors. “He gave me a task before he died and told me to get it done. But I'm not the only one. There's someone else he assigned. With your permission, I call consul ordinarius Gaius Septimius Severus Aper here.”

Once more, the great hall was filled with murmuring. Macrinus  turned  towards you. “Your cousin,” he explained. You raised your eyebrows in surprise.

“I hate him,” Caracalla growled. Geta didn't seem to like him either.

A moment later, Gaius entered the great hall with another letter in his hand, greeted everyone and came over to you. He appeared to be in his thirties, well built but not soldierly, with an attractive but stern face.

“Lady Aurelia, we meet at last,” he said, smiling at you. You nodded, but didn't have anything to say, and were pretty surprised.

“Another letter?” Geta enquired.

“It seems our father has written letters to everyone but us,” Caracalla said, making a face.

They stood up and gave their cousins the kind of hug that was pretty clearly insincere. It was obvious that they didn't get along. Gaius held the letter up for everyone to see.

“I was with my uncle when he wrote this letter, he sealed it in my presence.” Gaius said.

“Before or after you fled to Leptis Magna?” Caracalla asked. Geta burst out laughing.

He ignored them and spoke to the council instead. "Members of the Senate, I break the seal in your presence," he said, and broke the seal of the letter that the father had sealed himself and opened it.

Macrinus asked permission to take the letter and summarised it for the council members.

“It seems that our Emperor has directed Gaius to ensure that upon the eventual return of Lady Aurelia, she will be duly restored to her full birth rights. That makes two of us sir Gaius.” Macrinus and him exchanged looks that made you sure they talked about his before.

“I am privileged to be able to convey greetings from your relatives in Leptis Magna to you. The entire Severan Dynasty salutes you, my lady,” Gaius said, bowing to you. “And of course you, our emperors,” he bowed to them, as a reply Caracalla turned his head in disgust.

Oldest member of council came towards you again with few members beside him.

‘Then, before our emperors and your esteemed councillors, I extend an invitation to all to welcome our filia regis princess Septimia Aurelia Marciana, first of the name, daughter of Emperor Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pertinax Augustus and his first wife Paccia Marciana, patroness of Leptis Magna back to her home.” He sang out.

"A very warm welcome back to Lady Aurelia!" someone stood up and said in a cheerful voice.“Welcome back, filia regis Aurelia!” another joined him.

And all the council members repeated in unison.

Geta approached you in a cheerful manner, clapping his hands. “Welcome, I embrace you as my sister," he said, kissing you on the cheek. You were somewhat startled, but you kept your composure, your cheeks blushed. "We must celebrate this," Caracalla said, kissing you on the other cheek, smiling involuntarily. You forced a smile in return, although he still made you feel somewhat nervous.

“My brother is right, we must celebrate!”

All the members were now standing and applauding, their enthusiasm evident in the resounding applause that echoed through the great hall.

"Sir Macrinus, bring the new gladiators to the Domus Severiana tomorrow. I want new games!" Caracalla smiled with joy.

"As you wish, your majesty," he bowed his head.

"But brother, tomorrow is the festival of Saturnalia," Geta whined.

“Well? That's better, it'll add some excitement.”

While they were chatting, you scanned the room, looking for the General among all the men.

Caracalla turned to you. “As our sister, you're supposed to come with us now?”

This was something you hadn't planned. You didn't factor in the idea of living under the same roof with them. Why didn't you think of that before?

Geta stood between you and Caracalla. “Mother must be pretty shaken up, perhaps you could go and find her first, I'll accompany Aurelia, she's a bit wary of you,” he grinned at you and took your arm.

Caracalla smirked. “Fine by me.” But you could tell he was watching you two.

'Come on, sister, there's lots to do.' You were a little surprised by how fast they welcomed you, but you feel grateful somehow.

The council members were all standing and chatting, and although you wanted to go to the general in this crowd and talk to him, you had to put it out of your mind for now. Before Geta pulled you along by the arm and led you out, you looked back at Marcus for the last time and saw that he looked worried. As you descended the stairs of the Curia with Geta, cheers and applause erupted from the crowd outside.

“Emperor Geta!”

Guards surrounded you to protect you, the crowd chanting Geta's name with enthusiasm.

Geta raised his hands high and greeted them. Then he grabbed you by the wrist and raised your arm.

"People of Rome, allow me to introduce you to your filia regis, Lady Aurelia!"

You didn't expect it to happen so soon. The crowd fell silent. Caracalla came running up behind him and grabbed Geta's other arm.“Eager much, brother? We must announce at the festival tomorrow.”

After a brief period of murmuring, the crowd suddenly began clapping and shouting again. You were taken aback when Julia took your other arm. How long had she been there?

"I would like to invite you all to welcome Lady Aurelia!" she sang.

"Welcome Lady Aurelia!" someone shouted loudly and cheerfully.

“Lady Aurelia!”

Just like in the hall, the streets of the Roman Forum began to echo with your name. It was a strange feeling, a bit frightening, exciting, and proud. You weren't used to any of it, but you were born that way, a princess. It will take me a while to get used to it, you thought.

“See? They love her already,” Geta winked at Caracalla, then pushed back the hair that had fallen over your shoulder. “Smile, sister.”

For him it was easy to say, for you it was all so sudden and you would have to adjust to this new situation. As the crowd chanted your names, the general, who had been observing the proceedings from a distance, seemed somewhat displeased that Geta had managed to touch you with such ease.

He hated to see another man touches you, even if it was your half-brother.

"General Acacius, it's been a long time," Gaius came up to him.

"Sir Gaius," the general nodded. "You are correct, I had just been appointed commander of the southern armies when I arrived at Leptis Magna. It must be decades." His eyes were watching you from afar.

"I must say that you played a significant role in the success of the battle there," he said. "I believe our people are still grateful to you." He was also observing you and Geta.

"I believe you stayed there to hide the emperor's letter. I understand why you chose to stay away from the capital," the general's eyes shifted to Caracalla.

"I believe he may view me as a potential threat to the throne, as he has done in the past. However, I believe it is my duty to remain here and complete my mission," he said with conviction.

The general observed Gaius' gaze and perceived that he was focusing it on you.

"I must ensure the safety of Lady Aurelia."

"But perhaps it would be wise to ensure your own safety as well? I believe you may be in more danger than she is.”

Gaius picked up on the hint in his voice. "Sir Macrinus told me a little about your relationship with her. I'm really grateful that you protected her while I was away."

The general stayed silent and waited, obviously sensing Gaius' intentions with his man instincts.

"I'll ask the emperors for her hand in marriage. I'm sure she'll be safer in Leptis Magna. She can't be happy with them – look how uneasy she is with them.”

The general looked tense. "I wasn't aware you were a widow," he said.

"Yes, I got divorced a while ago," he replied with a smile. "I would like to remarry, as a widow, you know what I mean, I guess."

Acacius returned his smile with a disgusted expression. "Could Iask why you believe Lady Aurelia will marry you? I am merely cautioning you in advance, Sir Gaius, because I am convinced that you will be rejected." He smiled wryly at him, then turned his back on him and began to ascend the stairs.

Macrinus approached him as Gaius glared angrily after him." You were right – there is something between those two."

"Don't worry, tomorrow at the festival we'll take the first step to get rid of Acacius once and for all."

Gaius turned to him, looking angry. "How can that be? He's someone everyone respects. He's the biggest obstacle in my way."

He touched his shoulder. ”The gladiators are ready to fight, we just need Majesties’ approval tomorrow. Then Acacius will find himself in the Colosseum, and then we'll get rid of him for good. Then there will be nothing in our way, my friend." He smiled confidently.

Palatine Hill…

As the morning sun shone on the crimson-red roofs of the Domus Severiana, the birds chirped cheerfully and flew around, their songs of joy filling the air. Yesterday was a turning point for you. Things moved pretty quickly, and it was a bit of a challenge to adjust. When you first arrived with your half-brothers last evening, it was a lot easier than you thought it would be. Julia, their mother, was pretty quiet all night, but she didn't react badly to you, which surprised you even more. e. You got the feeling that she could be pretty ruthless, even though she seemed pretty calm. The idea of living in the same house with them wasn't appealing to you. In fact, it made you feel uneasy. Geta was the only one who didn't make you nervous, but you knew he was unpredictable like his mother.

You opened your eyes in your new room and bed, looked around, and closed them again. This room was big and luxurious, much more so than your room in the general's villa. A bit too much, you thought. You pulled the silk bed sheet over your head and sighed deeply. You would give anything to open your eyes to the new day lying next to Marcus, in his arms.

You were no longer a slave, nor a Medicus, nor could you go to his villa as a commoner. It seems that even as a princess, you don't always get to choose. But you missed him so much, his strong arms around you, his sensual lips, all the memories you had in his villa.

A gentle knock at the door momentarily distracted you from your thoughts, which seemed to fade into the elegant surroundings of this splendid room.

"Please come in," you said, sitting up in bed.

A young slave girl entered the room.

"My lady, I am pleased to see you are awake," she said, her voice conveying a sense of concern.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Yes, it's about Emperor Geta."

You removed the bedclothes around you and got out of the large bed.

“What happened to him?”

“He asked me to take you to him quietly, he doesn't want the Empress to hear.”

‘Hear what?’

‘He seems a little unwell.’

‘Take me to him,’ you said quickly. You were concerned that the poison might still be present in his body.

You left your room and went into the main hall to leave your chamber. Your room was in the east corner of the other courtyard. They said, it was your mother and father’s chambers when they first married. You strode up the stairs and entered Geta's chambers. It was still early, so the room was quiet. The other slaves looked at you with concern as you approached the door of the room where you had come to heal him the last time. They greeted you and opened the door for you. You were surprised to see a couple of young slaves lying on the floor. Their bodies were naked, which made you blush with shame. It was clear that your brother Geta had a lot of fun last night. There were two girls in Geta's bed, but he was nowhere to be seen. You looked at the latrina (bathroom, toilet) door and heard a coughing sound behind. He should have been there, but you had no intention of finding him naked.

You cleared your throat and called out to him.

“Highness? Geta? Brother?”

There was a brief interlude of laughter, and then he looked up at you through the latrine door.

“I need to get used to this, a woman's voice calling me brother.”

His face was as white as marble.

"Is everything all right? You look a little pale.”

“It's because I started the damn day throwing up.”

You looked down at the wine glasses on the floor and sighed.

"You must have had a lot to drink. You're just recovered, so you need to be careful about alcohol.” As you approached the latrine door, he was coming out, you almost bumped into each other. You quickly backed away and turned around, it was a bit stuffy in there, you moved to open the big window.

Geta looked like a little boy, messy hair and all, far away from an emperor.

"Do you think it's because I didn't drink your herbal thing?" He threw himself into the armchair by the window, covered his face with his arm.

“You didn’t?" You looked at him in shock. “How could you not? You had to drink it all to get better.” You were angry.

“But it tasted like cow dung.” He whined, lifted his arm up, gave you a mocking look. “What, are you scolding me?”

You swallowed. “Your Majesty,” you said suggestively. “You must drink the concoction for your own health.”

“I can't.”

You crossed your arms. “Don't you want to get better?”

“Because of that stupid whore, she broke the bottle. That's what happens when you bring a whore from the whorehouse.”

When you heard that word, you thought of Decima. You faced the fact that you had left her behind while you were dealing with everything.

“Could you make the mixture again? It's a festival day and I want to feel good, I don't want to look unwell especially when I’m with Caracalla.” He mumbled.

“I will, but may I ask something in return?”

“Aha! You don't act like a saint anymore, huh?” He laughed. You ignored his joke, approached him.

“Please, brother, a small favor?” Perhaps it seemed to you that you were looking at him in a pleading way. But to him, it was seductive, though he didn't show that. He cleared his throat.

“Alright, what can I do for my lovely sister? What is it you want, I really wonder?”

You smiled hesitantly. “A platoon of soldiers.”

Geta opened his eyes wide, let out a hearty laugh, stood up, and then laughed again, clapping his hands. You tried to stay calm and wait patiently.

He laughed so hard that the slaves on the floor and the ones in his bed all woke up and quickly left the room.

“You know, you really are an unbelievable woman.” His childish smile spread all over his face. He let out another laugh. Then he crossed his arms. “What are you planning to do with all those soldiers? I am genuinely curious.”

“I'm going to save my friend.”

He put his hand on his chin, thinking, narrowing his eyes.

“Why don't you ask the General Acacius for help? He can do alone what a platoon of soldiers can do.”

“Because he won't like what I'm going to do,” you were sure of it.The mere thought of it made you nervous, so you had to get it done as soon as possible.

Geta laughed again. “Something Acacius wouldn't like, hmm, sounds delicious. The soldiers are at your service, sister.”

Whore House…

In the early morning, the street where the whorehouse was located was not very crowded, even quiet. Compared to other parts of the city, it might have been the quietest place in the mornings, but not today. You had come to this street with a group of ten soldiers with a single purpose. And this time you had the power to do it. Not as Aya, but as Princess Aurelia.

Walking with confidence among the soldiers, not paying attention to the people looking at you. You paused in front of the door, and the soldiers stopped with you. You'd already told the commander what was going to happen. He nodded and kicked the door open. The soldiers scattered inside to make sure you got in safely, the last two entering with you, standing next to you, protecting you.

Juturna, the woman who owned this place, looked like she had just woken up. She was surprised to see the soldiers; her pupils were popping out of their sockets.

Then she saw you and pointed her finger at you.

“You! What the?”

The room where they were holding Decima was upstairs. You ignored Juturna's whine and headed for that room. The soldiers were waiting for you downstairs, and one of them came behind you to protect you. When you stepped in front of the room, you rushed inside. Decima was lying on the bed, her wrists still cuffed with chains. She looked a little weak and hardly looked at you. You were incredibly angry. You grabbed her chain and looked at the soldier.

“Uncuff her!”

The soldier nodded and grabbed the collar of one of the guards who had come after you.

“You heard the lady!”

The guard was frightened, he quickly uncuffed her, and Decima's bruised face lit up with a ray of hope. When she was free, she hugged you.

“Aya, but how?”

“Never mind now, let's get you out of here first.”

You grabbed her arm and led her out of the room. As you made your way downstairs, you heard Juturna's cries.

“Lady you can't do this!” she lunged towards you, but one of the soldiers pushed her back.

“Pay her compensation,” you ordered one of the soldiers. He handed her the pouch full of coins.

“This girl is now my slave, send the necessary papers to the Domus Severiana, and if you have any objections, try the Emperor Geta.”

She swallowed hard, knowing full well that she'd never want to contradict him. You smiled triumphantly as you and Decima walked out of there with the soldiers behind you. Then you stopped suddenly when you saw the general standing next to your carriage.

When did he come?

You led Decima inside the carriage and looked at him. He'd called the commander of the troops to him and was talking to him. He punched him on the chest, but not so hard. Was he scolding him?

As you approached him, the soldier was coming towards you, rubbing his chest where General had hit him.

“The General says we're done here, my lady, if you'll excuse me.” he bowed his head.

“The General is right, you can go,” you said, looking at General.

“You really do whatever you set your mind to, you are so stubborn, my lady.” He muttered.

“How do you know I was here?”

Acacius crossed his arms and squinted at you. “I am the General, remember? All the soldiers in this city are under my command.”

"I see. I understand why you might be upset with me for not asking for help. I thought you could stop me from coming here, so I asked Geta for help."

"I can see that you and your brother Geta are close. I believe he asked you for something in return?”

"I promised to make the herbal concoction to heal him."

"I'd like to hear the real answer."

He smiled, but his eyes were sharp. It was impossible to lie to those eyes.

"Perhaps I told him you wouldn't like it," you said, biting your lower lip.

“This is the answer I'm looking for.”

“I didn’t want you to upset, I’m sorry.”

“It's not something you should be sorry about,” he said, looking at the carriage behind you. “You did it for your friend, I understand.”

Her eyes softened, and he was smiling once more, which prompted you to return his smile.

“I miss you,” you said in a low tone.

"I miss you more, my lady. "There are memories of you all over the villa. Facing those memories makes me sorrowful." His brown eyes were warm. "I find I miss you more when I'm in my room. There are so many reminders of you there," he said, his lips curving in a mischievous smile. He leaned his head towards you, close to your ear. "Especially in my bed." You gasped as his warm breath hit your face, your heart racing.

You almost forgot you were in the middle of the street. You were ready to throw yourself into his arms. You pulled yourself together with his giggling, he must have been amused by your facial expression. You jokingly nudged his muscled arm with your elbow.

"You're pretty shameless, General. Seducing me right here in the middle of the street.”

“Apologies, my lady,” he said, laughing.

"Are you coming to the festival today?”

“Yes, I've been invited and I would like to take this opportunity to talk with the emperors.”

You heard the hint in his voice, but you didn't understand it. His grin made you even more curious. He never smiled when he talked about emperors, so this was weird.

‘What are you going to talk to them about, I wonder?’

Acacius held your hand and looked into your eyes. "If it pleases you, my lady, I will tell them I ask your hand in marriage."

You froze and opened your eyes wide, unsure if you had heard correctly. Acacius smiled and kissed your hand.

“You can give me your answer after the festival. You might want to head out now, as preparations are about to get underway.” He put his arm around you and pulled you towards the carriage.

You looked at him before getting in, “I'll be waiting for you there, Marcus.”

@myownwholewildworld @orcasoul @pedroslut4eva @immyowndefender @lailathepedritofan @screechingchildfury @shinymusicpanda @somedayheaven @ivoryandflame @negrita2345 @music-lover09 @javiismyhsbnd @idontcareihavenoidea @jisungandpedrolover

if anyone wants me to tag them please comment :) thank you all <3

[flaresemily]

The past rewritten itself (Qin Shi Huang)

This is actually one of my drafts that I have been keeping for a long time now so...ENJOY!!

Being an emperor has its perks. And being forced into a marriage well…that doesn't fit right. But that's what happens to Qin Shi Huang.

He doesn't really love y/n but he doesn't hate her either. Well…just imagine them as…friends yeah! Friends after all friends don't betray each other right!....right?

You were walking towards your husband's room to give him the homemade mooncake you made with the chef/baker in the kitchen.

As you get closer, you hear some…uh well what they call the unholy sounds.

You were shocked and you dropped the mooncake. Qin probably heard the thud quickly get up and rush to the ‘door’.

As he opened the ‘door’ he saw the mess on the floor and saw your figure running away.

He realizes his mistake and quickly runs after you. (after he clean himself)

From them on,you never talked to him. Making him well…obsessed on getting you to pay attention to him. (You don't know he kill the woman he slept with)

The more days passed he always saw you talking to that one guard. He was so jealous he decided to accuse you of cheating.

It was your birthday that the whole of China is celebrating.

As you were sitting there drinking. Qin Shi Huang suddenly stood up and stand In front of the others.

“My dear beloved country, I have something to announce.”

Everyone was waiting.

And finally…

“The empress is cheating on me”

A lot of ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ can be heard.

You were shocked.

That's when people started to ‘boo’ at you.

Throwing you things and insulting you.

For a few days or weeks you have mental breakdowns; he even accused you of being pregnant with another man's child.

But what he didn't expect is for you to get kidnapped and be tortured by his people. He didn't know that they were so loyal that they dared to kidnap the empress and give her a ‘taste of her own medicine’

He realizes it when one of the old couples came to his throne room and reported it to him.

He asks his guard to check your chamber. But you were nowhere to be found.

Then, he received another news that you are getting executed In front of others.

He quickly left his palace and went to the town's square.

There…the people tied you up to the poles they made just for you. They put on a small flame to burn your legs.

You were screaming and crying and begging to be let go. Trying to tell them you were innocent.

But they wouldn't listen and continue to torture you slowly and painfully.

Then, the final punishment came.

He saw what was about to happen and quickly shouted

“NO!!!”

And stab you were stabbed already. Not once….but multiple times.

And finally your eyes as if looking at him…look at him with hurtful betrayal eyes.

You love him so much and yet…this is what you get all because you just want to give him a mooncake. Then, if you didn't bring the mooncake would you still be alive?

You were left there…dying slowly as blood started to spill out of you.

He manages to get on ‘stage’ and cradle you in his arms sobbing.

“No…y/n sob don't please!” The man cried.

As the crowd begin to lessen he carries you in his arms but he was stopped by the guards who later on snatched the corpse from him.

All he can do is watch you get taken away again.

This…is what happens when you frame your own wife. Saying that she's been sleeping with a lot of men and accusing her of carrying another man's child…

When in reality…it was you (talking about himself not readers) all along.

In Valhalla

He was walking around searching for his room when he came across a beautiful woman…

She looks exactly like you.

And she was holding a child that looked exactly like him.

But the thing is, someone else wrap his arms on your waist pulling you closer.

And it was…none other than

Hades

[moodymisty]

Hi, since requests are open I saw a post on your blog about Mortarion finding out that his beloved was a psyker/perpetual (during a battle or something) and I would like to see your take on how that scenario would go down. That is if you find that kind of scenario interesting.

And have a good day! Your writing is awesome!!

Author’s note: Poor Mortarion :(

Relationships: Mortarion/Fem!Reader

Warnings: Kind of complex feelings on Mortarion's part, but nothing else

"There is no mistaking it, my lord."

Mortarion looks out the window into the pitch black, listening to the marine behind him. While the marines can't directly face him, they can see Mortarion's irate, conflicted face even behind his mask and limp grey hair.

"The woman is a psyker."

In the silence of the room they can hear Mortarion's haggard breaths, his wheezing; The leather and metal of his gauntlets creaks and groans as his fists flex. The eldest speaks up again.

"Should we be rid of her now?"

Now does Mortarion turn a bit, away from the sickly green and orange haze of Barbarus through the glass. He wishes he could just throw the entire planet into the abyss.

"No. I will decide what we do."

They all noticeably change reaction, looking at each other. It strikes something through them- not fears but perhaps weariness.

"My lord, you... You aren't considering keeping her with us, are you?"

They are somewhat aware of Mortarion's attachment to you- his artist, his beauty, who created rather than destroyed. But they didn't think his fondness- infatuation - spread this deep. That he was willing to defy the most absolute of orders.

"My lord, after Nikaea we cannot risk having an unsanctioned, uncontrolled psyker with us, The Emperor wills-"

Mortarion now fully turns to face them, his voice echoing through the metal of his mask. The change in the air is palpable- like static - at his increasing anger.

"I will make the decision on what we do. None of you." He sighs and partly turns away again, letting out a few coughs from the sudden intensity change of his voice. One hand paws at his neck until he gathers enough control over the spasms in his throat to speak.

"Go."

The three marines hesitate to leave, but end up doing so moments later with nary an farewell. Mortarion can sense the unease in them, and he expects his captains to come clambering to him to reconsider this decision quite soon.

Mortarion sneers at the visage of Barbarus one more time and turns away from the glass, leaving not long after them.

He had you returned to his quarters after they proved without a shadow of a doubt what they saw. That The Endurance had an unsanctioned psyker aboard. Technically even now as they decide your fate, they are violating the Absolute Decree set by The Emperor at Nikaea.

When he opens the door, it takes a few moments for him to spot you. You aren't on the bed, but instead huddled in a corner holding the pillow he uses close to you. The shadows almost completely consume you, body swallowed in your large, moth eaten clothes. You look unkempt, bruises mar your skin. His men weren’t gentle with you.

You look up to him, and Mortarion can see the fear. How lost you look. How tired.

"I, I didn't know..." You swallow heavily. "I suppose that doesn't matter to all of you, does it."

Mortarion had already told you snippets of what happened at Nikaea. He had largely been in support of it; Having psykers running amok uncontrolled would only end in disaster. He remembers how they tore his home planet to shreds.

"Are you…” You hesitate, unable to say it. “You said the Emperor decreed only Navigator and Astropath psykers can exist… and I…”

You've spent almost two years aboard The Endurance. Most of it at his side, and in his quarters. Mortarion remembers the first day he saw you- the first time he touched your skin without armor in his way. He holds them close like a treasure; Rare moments when he felt as close to a man as he could, before he tumbled back into reality.

Mortarion hates that you're a psyker. He hates what that reminds him of. He wants to hate you. You’re a liar, you’re a thing that will cause nothing but chaos and unrest.

He hates that he's hesitating, because it's you.

“…No.”

It hurts him to say it. For years he has spit vile hatred for psykers, for the destruction they wrought. Now you sit before him as a proven he hates both answers to.

‘Another one?’

Mortarion sighs and lets go of your hand as you tugged away, going for a beautiful wildflower.

‘I like its grey color, it reminds me of your armor.’

Mortarion watched as you plucked a section of it to propagate back aboard The Endurance. The little desk of yours in his quarters is covered in plants, defying the impossible.

Mortarion assumed that not many living things could survive in such close proximity to him. But somehow you’re able to keep not only alive but flourishing; Blooming in even the worst conditions.

Their blossoms remind him of you. How you can withstand the poison in his lungs, the cycle of disease and rot within him. How your lips feel soft as petals as you kiss him, and despite the hideousness of your surroundings, of him, you are still a beautiful flower.

But you haven’t destroyed anything, Mortarion can’t deny it. Everything you touch has bloomed and colored, while he looms over you as a rotting, festering corpse.

“I am going to speak to my men about this.” He needs to inform them that you are staying, and that he needs to ask a favor of one of his brothers. You are a beautiful, ticking time bomb, and one of them might know how to disarm you. At least enough to keep you safe.

He needs to tell his men now they now need to operate with secrecy, as they carry something that could have the entirety of the Imperium waging war on them.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Mortarion takes one look at your desk, absolutely lush with life, before leaving his quarters and locking the door behind him.

[thevoidscreams]

hello! I can ask for something from the emperor of mankind.

the reader being a perpetual who is the legitimate wife of the emperor but they fought over her decision to separate her soul in two (star Child), which is why she was hiding for a long time traveling from planet to planet.

But Magnus luckily finds her and tells her father, knowing what she was like from her conversations before her capsules were taken away by the warp.

The angry emperor plans to lock her in the palace until they reconcile, after all she is his only love in his entire long life along with his children needing to meet their mother and her possible new siblings who will be born in the coming months. (some predator/prey, size kink, breeding, rough sex)

The wording of your question confuses because the emperor split his soul, removing his love, compassion and humanity, so he'd be able to face Horus in battle and be able to kill his son without the pain of killing his son, which is where Starchild came from. So I'm gonna have to screw around with the plot to actually make this work, but I will try my best to not completely overhaul the whole ask. But I don't think I can make the Starchild thing make sense, I'm sorry.

Warnings for: predator/prey, size kink, breeding, rough sex.

Word count: 3627

The whole point of planet hopping had been to make yourself as in-findable as possible. To just be a face in the crowds of trillions if not more people across the galaxy. To stay away from your lunatic of a husband as much as humanly possible. But the luck had to run dry at some point. The jig had to be up, but what you didn't expect was for it to be up at the hands of your son. You knew him even before he'd spoken a word to you. This behemoth you'd never even met. You knew the feel of his soul and the gentle touch of his mind. You had not known his name, he was taken from you before you'd even even held him. But you knew he was yours. He seemed to understand that as well. The first title he addressed you by, almost in total shock was 'Mother', as he'd dropped to his knees in front of you, taking your hand as tears misted his singular eye. You did not run from him. Why? You couldn't be certain, perhaps it was because your love was so instant when you'd seen him, a deep hollowing ache that had been eating at you since the capsules had been taken. Since that fool you called your husband confessed to you what he'd done. The deals he'd made and the promises he'd broken. The knowledge that he'd consorted with the very dark powers he'd condemned so often and so long had been too much and you'd fought with him, for many days and nights. Both shouting and screaming in a way so uncharacteristic of you both, saying things that could not be taken back. When he'd told you that perhaps your marriage had been a mistake in the heat of his anger you'd had enough of him, leaving that night without his knowledge, not even leaving a note as you trekked across the stars under the guise of a merchant going to set up shop on one of the other worlds inhabited by your kind. The ease with which you left had shocked even you. But you needed time away from him. Away from the dying Terra to gather your thoughts and decide what you really needed. You hadn't expected to ever be back on Terra, but Magnus was highly praised for bringing you home. "So are we just not going to talk about what happened?" You demanded as the Emperor brought you into the palace, which had been very fortified by whom you did not know then. You'd come to learn it was another of your sons. Dorn. "My love, it is history, what happened between us, the fighting, the hurt, it is all behind us." "Behind you maybe." You'd sniped and he clenched his fists in anger. "We have our sons again. Now you can be the mother you were meant to be. Before you abandoned this family." His words cut but you knew that hashing it out would only lead to more fighting. You were tired from fighting and running, so you dropped it for another time. Your husband, who was still legally your husband, even if he didn't feel like it at the time, had recalled all his children. All of your children. The sons who you'd dreamed of for years on end. Suddenly they were all there. Having traveled to meet you, their mother.

Your heart ached to meet them for so long, and you finally could, but the lost time when they had been gone still tore at your heart. The first time meeting brought many tears and often on both sides. Horus had held you close to his chest for almost an hour. And you found that it was like you had known him forever, even if you had only just met. Sanguinius and Vulkan were much the same. Others were more reserved. You found Roboute to be an excellent conversationalist, and the warmth you felt when he told you that he'd been cared for by a woman named Tarasha had eased some of your worries.

As they trickled in one by one you met almost all of them. All but two, and you wept harder than you had in a long time to learn of their fates. The emperor, a man you had held so much vitriol for, a man who you'd run from for so many years was the one to hold you as you wept, despite the fact you did not want him to at first. He held you, kissing your forehead as you poured out your misery into his chest.

It was the first time you'd let him touch you after your return. He'd carried you to bed after you'd cried yourself to sleep in his arms. Despite the loss you endeavored to make the most of the time you had with your sons, coming to know their personalities and their quirks and you loved them all the more for it.

When they left you felt so empty again. The laughter and discussions around the palace were replaced by silence and shadows.

You had taken solace in Malcador of all men, he was a good sounding board for thoughts and feelings. And he cared in a way that only truly old friends could. "He tore the palace apart that morning." Malcador had told you over a cup of tea one evening. "The morning after the night you left. The whole of the planet was put on high alert and he had the custodes look for you, they combed the planet, then the moon, and every other planet in the system. He was beside himself with grief. First his sons, then you."

You wished the words didn't cut as deeply as they did. You wished you could scoff and tell Malcador that you were glad for his pain. But you couldn't, because you had hurt too. After leaving, clinging to the threads of your anger to shield you from the torment you'd felt inside.

"I guess we both said and did some pretty dumb things." You whispered, trembling you hadn't even realized you were crying until Malcador reached out and brushed a tear off your cheek. "You still love him." Malcador observed, it wasn't a question, but a statement of fact that even you could not deny. "He still loves you as well." The words hit you like a hammer, and the tears came more freely. "I don't know what to do." You cried, the sigillite stood, and rounded the table to place a hand on your shoulder. "It will do you no good to dwell on it, and to keep hurting yourself the way you are. Pushing him away is only hurting you both." "I just want things to be like they were before." "That will never be. You can only move forward from here. The past cannot be rewritten, but you hold the quill as you move forward with your own story." He left you with that and you let his words resonate for a long time, deciding what you would do. You made your way down the halls still re-familiarizing your way to and from places, and growing accustomed to the title of empress as serfs bowed and greeted you as you passed. His room was not hard to find. You had been there before. It used to be your room as well. You knocked, and where bid to enter. The emperor's expression lightened as you came in. "You do not have to knock, this is your room as well." He told you, smiling softly. "I've been away a long time. It didn't feel right to just walk in. What if you'd been indecent?"

That only made him laugh. "It would be nothing you hadn't seen before." You made your way over to him, where he was considering some of the books in his personal collection. You weren't sure what the future would hold for you, but you knew what the past had entailed and you made your choice. Your arms encircled his chest and you pulled him in close. You could feel the shock you caused from the action as you began to pull away but were suddenly crushed against him in a warm over powering hug. "I have missed you, my Empress." "And I you." He lifted you into his arms and carried you to his comfortable chair, holding you in his lap as he said something you did not expect. "I am sorry." The words seemed foreign to him. "I am sorry for hurting you, both with my words and my actions. There is nothing I should not have trusted you with. Nothing I should have kept from you, especially in regards to our sons." His lips pressed to your forehead and he let his kiss there linger. "You are my wife, my other half. You should have been the first to know." "I would never have allowed it if you had told me." You stated. "I know, but it was still wrong to keep it from you as I did. And what's worse is I hurt you when you were still hurting, I regret ever telling you such things. I do not regret our marriage and I would marry you, again, over and over no matter the outcome." You held him as he held you. Letting the hurt ebb from you in his arms.

"I'm sorry for leaving, I didn't think about it. I just did it in the heat of the moment, I ran away instead of fixing the problem because it was easier."

The shadows in the room lengthened as dusk turned to night and he carried you to your bed. The very one he'd built with you. "I love you my Empress." You sighed, melting into him. "I love you too."

That night he made love to you again, for the first time in a long time. It was slow and tender, as you both learned the other's body over again.

The following weeks were quiet, the tension between the two of you was settled. Your husband had been staying on Terra with you despite his need to return to the crusade. "I want to go with you. I will not be left here. I am just as capable of warcraft as you are. I used to help you plan, remember?" You told him firmly. "Of course, but I would still prefer it if you did stay here where it is safer." "If you make me stay I will leave again. That's a promise." A dark sort of expression crossed his features but you didn't back down. "Very well, I'll make you a deal. If you can evade me for a whole hour, I will allow you to accompany me as I return Horus and continue our fight to reunify humanity." He rounded his desk and took your chin into his fingers, he was taller than you by more than a foot at the moment and you needed to look up to see his face. "But if I catch you, then you will stay here, having proven to me that you are not fit." "I understand. And when are we to start this little game of ours?" You asked, backing towards the door ever so slightly. His mouth split into a wicked grin. "Right now." You darted away as his hand swiped for you. Your heart suddenly racing as you blindly charge down one hallway then another. After a time you could not hear his footsteps and you assumed you lost him for the moment. The opening act of your little game had eaten up about 5 minutes. Only 55 left to go. You slipped into a door, remembering that this one led down to a lower level where laundering was done. It was dim but you could use that to your advantage. You could feel his aura, even from so far away and knew that he would be in this vicinity soon, and hiding from a man like him wasn't easy, even if you'd done it for so many years, that had been with the benefit of plants and countless light years between you. Another five passed in relative quiet. You did however almost scare the life out of a poor laundress as she went to move a rolling cart of linens only to find you sneaking behind it. Apologizing to her profusely you left the rattled woman behind to finish her work. 49 minutes to go.

You had peaked through the doorway leading out of the laundry room when you nearly took a massive hand to the face. "There you are." He laughed and your body kicked into high gear as you turned tail and fled. He was hot on your heels, but he did not use his warped based abilities to grab you or hinder you. Strange you thought. If only you'd been more focused on the hall instead of the thought you might have noticed in time. Your body met a hard immovable wall as you turned a corner. Arms curled around you, keeping you from you falling or running away. "Hey!" You squeaked and writhed as a familiar chuckle shook your trapped body. "And now I have you. You cannot escape." Your eyes lifted to see the very man you'd been trying to escape. "You CHEATED!" You shouted at him as he hauled you over his shoulder to carry back to your chambers. "I did no such things. I used what abilities I had to win a challenge we were both partaking in. That is all." You huffed. "You used your psychic abilities to make a fake you to chase me. How is that not cheating?" You demanded as he pushed open the door to your shared room. "We never agreed that I couldn't." That was true, but it still felt like cheating to you.

You hit the bed with a thump and you glared up at him, but you were shocked by the expression on his face. It was like hunger, but something more intense and darker. "You are mine, empress, and you always will be." His hand clenched around the fabric of your dress and it came apart into shreds as he tore it from your body. "Now I do believe it is time for me to have my prize, don't you think?" Your body flushed hot under his gaze. "Yes." You murmured as he tore away his own garments. The bed creaked under his as he loomed over you. He was still much bigger than you at the moment and it made what he was about to do all the more thrilling. His cock strained and you felt a drop of something warm hit your stomach. Your gaze flicked down to see the tip was oozing a stream of thick precum onto your skin. "You are mine, all mine." He growled his body shifting as he pulled your legs over his hips and around his waist. The tip of his manhood pressed to your entrance as he began to push in. You were already wet, but the sudden stretch of his cock being bigger than you were accustomed had you wiggling to get off as you cried out in shock.

One of his massive hands clamped around your throat to hold you in place. "No, you stay right there. I'm taking what's mine." He growled again, forcing more of his length into you. A pained cry jumped from your throat as he bottomed out. "Good. You take me so well." His voice was deep and his breath hot so close to your ear and his praise made you whine softly in pleasure. You felt like a tiny rabbit trapped in the talons of an eagle. Unable to get away, yet instead of terrifying you it only made the situation more arousing. His hand stayed fixed around your throat as he pulled out and thrust back in. You cried out again, this time with need and desire for him. He smiled, his hand tightening slightly around your throat. He'd not said anything to you, to anyone really about the way he'd felt when he saw you interacting with your sons, the way you cared for each of them stirred something deep in his core. He would not ever let you go, never again. You were his wife, his empress, you were the mother of his children. You were his. Now and forever. And he intended to see that you stayed by his side. He would not lose you. He could not even bear the thought. He pinned you further into the bed as he rutted into you. His cock stretched you to your fullest as he took his pleasure and in turn gave you yours. You began to whine his name, his true name as he fucked you with reckless abandon.

Your hand wrapped around the wrist of the hand he used to hold you down by your throat and his eyes narrowed as he had a thought, something he hadn't taken the time to fully appreciate until now. Your rings, the ones used to symbolize your marriage to him. You still wore yours. Had you been wearing it when Magnus brought you back? He thought back to the day he'd seen you again for the first time. His emotions had been running so high he'd not even noticed. In his mind he saw you walk from the thunderhawk with Magnus at your back. You had. The rings had been there, both the engagement and the wedding band. His chest felt tight as he stared down at them. Well that did it. He wasn't leaving you, even if he'd won your little game. You were his, and he knew the perfect way to cement that fact. His hips snapped into yours, he mind fixed on his goal, even as he pushed your legs up, nearly folding you in half as he continued at his brutal pace. He was going to fill you to the brim until you leaked his seed. Then he would give you another load just for good measure. "My darling wife." He panted. "I believe it is time that you and I finally see to that wish which till now has had to be postponed." He grunted, allowing himself to succumb to his pleasure as you came apart below him. He came, pushing his cock all the way in, nudging your cervix so he was sure that less of it would leak out.

"Neo-" You began but your voice was immediately cut off as he pressed his lips to your. His hips are drawing back to thrust into you once more. He was pleased by the way you gasped and suddenly reached for him, grabbing him close to ground yourself.

"I am not done with you yet, my Empress. We have so much to achieve before we head off." He kissed your cheek and rolled his hips a bit more gently than before, after all he couldn't risk tiring you out too soon, he had to be sure that his cum did as he desired, sowing life and the future of the imperium.

Horus was delighted to see you again, as was he glad for the return of his father as he made the long voyage across the stars to reunite the lost pockets of humanity that had been lost during the dark age.

You sat quietly by your husband's side as he read reports and kept things flowing in an orderly fashion. You pressed your head into his side trying to get his attention. He chuckled and pulled you into his lap. "You've become such a needy little thing haven't you." His smile was warm as he placed his hand over your stomach and you felt your child immediately react to his presence as they rolled closer to his hand. "I think our little one is almost as excited to get here as we are for them. Still, do you think they'll be a boy or girl?" He chuckled. "I can sense their aura growing stronger by the day, they'll be a strong and healthy child. That is what I am most concerned with." You nodded I suppose.

"You looked up at the clock on the wall and grinned. "We have some time before we have to be anywhere else." Neoth knew immediately what it was you were insinuating and he set the slate he'd been reading aside. "It would seem we do." He purred, his hand gliding under your shirt to cup one of your breasts. "Why don't we make the most of it?"

Horus had been knocking for several minutes and he began to get a bit worried. His mother and father were supposed to meet him almost half an hour ago. He waited until he finally heard the lock turn and the door slide open, his mother stood there, hair hastily brushed back as if it had recently been disheveled and her clothes were still a tad rumpled.

"Yes Horus, is everything alright?" You asked, a bit breathless. The primarch suddenly understood what he'd interrupted and felt his worry turn to embarrassment. "You and Father were supposed to join us for supper." "Oh, goodness that's right. We must have lost track of time. Give us a few minutes to uh... finish what we were doing and we'll join you, shortly. Okay?" He nodded, cheeks pink. The door slid shut and the primarch went to wait down the hall a ways. He loved his mother and father dearly. But he didn't want to hear what it was that they needed to finish. At least they'd locked the door this time he thought gratefully.

[remembrancer-of-heresy]

Love In Chains (Lion El'Jonson, Angron)

Summary: Your presence calms the bestial and bloodthirsty nature of the two primarchs. Unfortunately they have a completely different ways of obtain you.

Lion El'Jonson/fem!Reader, Angron/fem!Reader

Warnings: yandere, obsession, kidnapping

Word count: 1116

Song: Tiamat - Love In Chains

Honestly, I don't know if it turned out well. Was I able to convey at least a little the characters of the primarchs in love? And who did it best? These two are a complete mystery to me.

This feeling was like a sea breeze. Cool gentle wind. The rustling of leaves and the scent of a thousand flowers... Angron had never experienced any of these while he was a slave. But his brothers and sisters often used such expressions to describe something beautiful. And serene. Calm.

It was you.

One of the many serfs who were brought to Ullanor. Small and fragile compared to the primarch, you did not cause irritation. You didn’t interfere, no, he was glad to have fleeting meetings with you. For in the first years after the nails he experienced relief.

For the first time, he could not strain all his muscles, concentrate his mind to cope with the pain. A disgusting pain that consumed his entire soul. Until he entered into battle, saluting his real and dead brothers and sisters screaming their name and speel blood of his enemies.

But you awakened in Angron something forgotten that had been with him since birth. What the slave owners of Nuceria took from him. What the Emperor and his primarchs perverted and humiliated. What his Legion did not expect from him. Something that was buried deep inside him under rage and bloodlust. Empathy. Humanity. The desire to take care of someone. Protect and value.

To love.

He can barely restrain himself when he dares to approach you. He is afraid of. Afraid that he will hurt you. That he can't contain his rage. Because of the pain running throughout the body due to nails. But you calm him down just by your presence and the primarch pulls himself together.

“Clean my armor” - no, he should not order. He doesn't want to see you scared. You were a serf, but you are not a slave. - "I need help."

You noticeably relax and a wave of peace rolls over Angron, almost making him want to moan. He had so few moments of peace in his life. Only with brothers and sisters, when they licked each other's wounds. When they applied signs to each other. When they clung to each other in the mountains, intoxicated by the long-awaited freedom.

You were not a warrior. But that's fine. He treated all the slaves from Nuceria well. Besides, why feel rage towards the original weaklings? Only weak and cowardly warriors deserve his wrath. But not you. You helped. You healed.

It's complicated. Try to start a conversation and win over. Angron showed concern for the weak even now in this state. But almost no one saw it. And these were such rare moments. Now he wants to repay you in full with the kindness of your presence.

And you open up to him. Not immediately, gradually. But this is enough for the primarch. And when you agree to his offer to serve him personally on the Conqueror... in that brief moment, he barely feels the nails.

Sheer bliss.

Which smoothly turned into uncontrollable rage when the World Eater learned that you had been taken. You've been kidnapped. They took you away without asking your opinion or Angron’s. They took it away like a thing.

And when the frightened serf admits that it was Lion El'Jonson, something in Angron breaks. He did not want to kill the unfortunate servant. But he couldn't contain his rage at losing you.

He had never been in so much pain.

***

When Lion saw you, he immediately knew that he wanted you. And he will get you. It doesn’t matter what your background was, your opinion and what others think. He sees, he takes. Although the fact that you turned out to be a serf turned out to be a pleasant bonus.

You should have known by now to obey. It's not like El'Jonson would have any more trouble if you resisted. He might even like it. Or not. It doesn’t matter, because the result will be the same. You're in his bed.

He imagined you shrinking from his massive figure and squeaking like a mouse while he loved you. No meaningless and useless words that people used. Simple and understandable copulating. The best way to show affection.

And Lion really liked you.

All so pretty. A funny girl. You followed the instructions immediately and absolutely perfectly. How the primarch loved. It's like you were made for him. Suitable to him. Like your neck, rounded hips, seductive waist. Fragile and delicate compared to him, you would have perished in the forests of Caliban in a matter of seconds.

But he wouldn't let that happen. He would protect you. He would bring you food and cover you with wool. He would share shelter with you and bring you gifts. Intricate pine cones, beautiful flowers, monsters heads. He would shed so much blood, kill so many animals so that you would see his power. And realized that he is the best defender. He is your knight.

Perhaps someday the primarch will show you his home, but first the primarch had to fulfill his duty to the Emperor. Set off to conquer new worlds in a Crusade. One order and his servants are already taking you away despite your pathetic attempts to explain to them that you must serve the World Eaters.

Are you stupid?

Although you are a serf. Probably yes.

Well, it’s fine, Lion will love you just like that. You’re even cute while you’re crying and begging him to let you go to Angron. Silly and cute mouse. One day the Emperor told the primarch a story about a lion and a mouse. El'Jonson didn't like it. And now he doesn't like it either. But now, remembering the work of the ancient Terran writer, he cannot help but frown.

You cringe even more and ask him to stop tearing your clothes. No, well, you're definitely in trouble. Just like that, you beg him to make you his. With these eyes, these lips. Why do all animals have beautiful males, but human females are so much more seductive than men? This is stupid.

And Lion is stupid.

He has given up. Because of your look, your voice. That incredible feeling of calm that comes from you. You reek of peace. Stink of serenity. Something he could never experience in the forests of Caliban. Could never get one in the Crusade. But now he has you.

The little mouse is already sobbing quietly while the lion presses her in the bed. The primarch cannot stop squeezing you in his arms, consuming your body with his heat. Inhaling the smell of your hair and listening to your breath. Merging with you like an animal hugs its prey. Which is what you are. Only Lion will leave you alive.

He had never been so calm.