#Common wood-nymph

[capecodadventurepictures]

Common Wood-Nymph in Wellfleet 07/13/24

[rabbitcruiser]

Learn About Butterflies Day

In keeping with the spirit of Learn About Butterflies Day, celebrate by learning a little more about the wide range of butterflies. With over 20,000 types of butterflies worldwide today is the perfect day to learn about butterflies. Their wing spans can range from ½ inch to 11 inches. Did you know that in their adult stage butterflies can live from a week up to a year, depending on the species? Many butterflies migrate over long distances the most famous migrations are those of the Monarch butterfly from Mexico to the northern USA and southern Canada, a distance of about 2500 to 3000 miles. That’s a lot of air miles!

If you need some inspiration about how to celebrate, here are five ideas for you to try:

1. Start a butterfly garden.

One of the best ways to attract butterflies to your yard is to plant nectar-producing flowers that have red, yellow, orange, pink, or purple blossoms. Plant them in a sunny spot in a group so they grow in clusters.

2. Make a butterfly snack.

Fresh fruit is the perfect springtime snack, so use your imagination to whip up a fruity butterfly treat. You can also put a bit of fruit out in your garden for the butterflies to enjoy.

3. Learn something you didn’t know about butterflies.

Did you know that a butterfly can’t fly if its body temperature falls below 86°F? Or that they drink the tears of turtles? And they use their feet to taste?

4. Get crafty.

Grab some card, pipe cleaners and clothes peg and some pom-poms and here’s how you create your own butterfly:

Decorate some card with markers and then spray it with water to create its wings.

Once it dries, wrap a pipe cleaner around the middle of the card.

Glue pom-poms onto the clothespin and clip the clothespin to the cards.

Bend the pipe cleaner to make the antennae.

5. Visit your local zoo.

If in doubt learn from the experts. Heading to your local zoo and talking to the keepers that look after these amazing creatures from caterpillar to larvae and then to butterfly. They will be able to show you just how amazing these creatures are.

Source

Observed annually, March 14th is National Learn About Butterflies Day.  Spring and summer are just right around the corner, so it is a good time to take a few minutes and learn something new about butterflies and appreciate their beauty.

Butterflies need our help to survive as they rely on flowers and other natural sources for survival.  We can help them by planting more flowers.

There are more than 20,000 types of butterflies worldwide

Their wing spans can range from ½ inch to 11 inches.

Butterflies in their adult stage can live from a week to nearly a year, depending on the species.

Many butterflies migrate over long distances.  Particularly famous migrations are those of the Monarch butterfly from Mexico to the northern USA and southern Canada, a distance of about 2500 to 3000 miles.

Source

[speakingofnature]

Common Wood Nymph

Common names have evolved over time, while the Common Wood Nymph name seems appropriate as it means beautiful young woman of the woods.

[neature-walk]

common wood nymph

[serpentandlily]

Sly Fox, Dumb Bunny - Eris x Reader

Sly Fox, Dumb Bunny V - Eris x Archeron!Reader

Summary: You find yourself ensnared by a sly, cunning fox. A very handsome, irritating one.

Warnings: angst, attempted SA, misogynistic language/beliefs, drugging (if you'd like more in depth warnings, feel free to dm me)

➻❥ Part I ➻❥ Part II ➻❥ Part III ➻❥ Part IV ➻❥ Part V

· · ─────── ·♡· ─────── · ·

Part V

· · ─────── ·♡· ─────── · ·

“One of the stableboys told me he spotted Lady Genevieve and Lord Vaughn sneaking out of the party together last week,” Willow said in a whisper as Ivy gasped in disbelief. 

You glanced up at them from where you were sitting at the table in Eris’s common room, sewing a hole shut on the skirt you had worn out to the woods with him yesterday. Your kiss had gotten…heated and your skirt had caught on a piece of bark on the tree Eris had you pressed against and ripped. Just thinking of it made your cheeks turn pink.

“And that’s scandalous, why?” You asked, raising an eyebrow at your handmaidens. They had insisted they repair your skirt for you but sewing was one of the skills you had actually acquired during your family’s time in poverty. Who else would’ve made sure Feyre’s hunting clothes stayed intact? 

“Well because Lady Genevieve is engaged to his brother, of course!” Ivy exclaimed. 

You opened your mouth to reply but a knock on the door made you pause. The three of you glanced at each other. Eris had mentioned he would be traveling to a nearby town for some business and wouldn’t return until morning. He advised you to stay inside with your handmaidens and take dinner in your room until his return. 

Ivy rose and made her way to the door, pulling it open to reveal one of Eris’s brothers. He placed a pale hand on the doorframe and gave her a charming, but unsettling, grin. His hair was longer than Eris’s, his stature a bit shorter and far bulkier than the refined quality your mate had. 

Ivy curtsied. “Lord Reid, how may I assist you?” 

“I’m here to escort my brother’s mate to dinner,” he purred. “Since he is unable to do so himself.” 

You stood, placing the skirt on the table as you glanced at Willow with uncertainty. Ivy’s pretty face paled. 

“B-but Lord Eris requested that Lady Archeron have dinner in his quarters tonight,” she stuttered out. 

The grin slipped from Reid’s face, a more threatening look taking over. “Are you denying me my request, nymph?”

He spat out the last word like a curse, making you flinch on your friend’s behalf. You had to bite your tongue from saying anything back knowing you’d likely just anger him further.

Ivy bowed her head. “Of course not, my Lord.”

You crossed the room, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder and nudging her back. “Thank you, Ivy, I’ll take it from here.” 

That charming grin was back on Reid’s face as he looked down at you, but the look in his eyes made your legs shake. He held out his elbow like a proper escort and you had no choice but to take it, letting him pull you out of Eris’s chambers.

“Talk back to me again and I’ll have you whipped in the courtyard in front of everyone else,” Reid spat at Ivy. You gave her an alarmed look, but she shook her head at you discreetly—a warning to stay quiet. You bit your lip so hard it almost bled. 

Reid finally began to guide you down the corridor and you tried to keep your breathing under control, not wanting him to know how scared you were. Finnegan had been nothing like this, had not had that cruelty lingering in his eyes. 

“Has Eris returned?” You asked, swallowing harshly. “Is that why my presence is needed at dinner tonight?”

Reid looked down at you with a raised eyebrow, as if daring you to say more. You glanced away, not wanting him to see it as a challenge. You knew how females were regarded here. But you also wanted to know why you were being dragged down to the main dining area. 

“Are you not a part of this family now?” Reid remarked, his tone questioning but the sharpness of his words didn’t escape you. 

“Of course, my Lord,” you breathed, still staring at the floor. He hummed in response and continued to lead you down corridor after corridor until you made it to the formal dining room. 

You glanced up as you entered, taking note of who was present that you knew amongst the sea of strangers. The High Lord and his Lady, of course, as well as Finnegan and Eris’s other brother, Liam. Finn shot Reid a questioning look that went ignored while Liam sat with his eyes kept straight ahead of him. It was remarkable how alike they all looked, though none could match the beauty that Eris possessed. 

The Lady of Autumn, Seraphina, kept her eyes locked on the table—seated next to Beron who sat at the head of the table. Reid escorted you to the seat next to her, pulling out the large wooden chair for you. A feast was laid out on the table before you, empty plates set in front of each seat. A few other Lords and Ladies wandered in, taking seats at the other end of the table. You listened to their idle chit chat, clenching your skirt in your fists. 

“Why have you brought her here?” Finn hissed at Reid as the male took the seat next to him. “Eris is still in Pinecrest.” 

Reid shrugged. “I just wanted to make sure she felt included in our family. Lighten up, little brother.” 

Finn shot him a glare but Beron clanked his fork against his glass, drawing everyone’s attention. You half listened to his small speech, but focused mainly on trying to lessen the pounding of your heart. You felt so out of place, so alone here at this big table. No family. No mate. Just strangers all around you. Strangers with nefarious reputations.

Dinner began once Seraphina plated Beron his food and he took the first bite. It was like a breath of relief was let out amongst the fae at the table, their conversations picking back up. You sipped on your wine, trying not to draw attention to yourself but Reid had other plans, it seemed. 

“Have you lot had the pleasure of meeting Eris’s mate yet?” He asked, leaning back in his chair as he spoke to some Lords and Ladies. “This is her. Little thing, isn’t she? She is sister to the cursebreaker.” 

You felt the gazes of them on you as your cheeks turned pink. One of the ladies looked you up and down with a haughty look that made her face quite unpleasant to look at. 

“Are the rumors true?” She asked, her voice filled with faux innocence. “Were you truly a human before all of this?” 

“Indeed, she was,” Reid answered before you could even open your mouth. 

“How ghastly,” the female sneered, placing a hand to her chest as if she were clutching her pearls. “The Mother must’ve found it within her heart to give out some charity to those lesser the day she mated you with Lord Eris.”

Your face grew hot at her hateful words. You wished the floor would open up and suck you in whole just to get away from this table. But to your surprise, someone came to your defense. 

“Watch how you speak, Genevieve,” Finn spat. “She is soon to take the Vanserra name and if you insult her again, you'll find yourself in the position of all the others who dared to insult our family.” 

By the way Genevieve’s face paled, you could only imagine the punishment those people had faced. But hearing the familiar name caused a smile to blossom on your face. You cleared your throat and sat up. 

“Genevieve, is it?” You asked, blinking at her with wide, innocent eyes. “I’ve heard quite a bit about you, Lady, or rather how much you enjoy parties.” 

Your eyes darted to the male sitting next to her. The male who looked so similar to the one gripping her hand in his. When you looked back at Genevieve, her face had paled even more. Her lips pressed into a thin line and she focused her gaze on her plate before her.

Reid leaned in close to whisper in your ear. “So the kitten has some claws after all.” 

You wanted to roll your eyes but instead, bit your lip again to prevent you from saying something that wouldn’t be taken well. Reid leaned further into your space, causing you to press against the back of your chair with raised eyebrows. He grabbed the dish of potatoes next to you before finally seating himself correctly in his chair.

You frowned when you noticed a second dish of potatoes on his other side, closer to him, but shook it off. He was trying to rattle you—that much was obvious. 

You nibbled on your dinner, not having an appetite while seated around these faeries. You sipped on your wine, cringing a bit as the bitter liquid slid down your throat. The wine in the Night Court was far sweeter than the wine here, it seemed. 

The longer the dinner went on, the hotter the room seemed to be getting. Was it because so many fire wielding fae sat here or was this room just particularly stuffy? You fanned at your face as discreetly as you could. 

Sweat began to dribble down the back of your neck, your skin tingling at the sensation. You clenched your skirt in your fists, shifting uncomfortably in your chair. The Lady of Autumn glanced at you, taking note of your reddening cheeks and behavior.

“Are you alright, dear?” Her voice was soft, quiet, and full of concern. It was the first time you’d heard her speak. 

“It’s just a bit warm in here, isn’t it?” You replied, fanning your face again. Gods, you were so hot. It was unbearable. 

The Lady of Autumn’s nostrils flared and her eyes went wide. She placed the back of her hand against your forehead, making a noise of displeasure before pulling it away. She waved a hand towards the servants who were milling about. Ivy and Willow darted forward from where they stood against the wall behind you. 

“Lady Archeron isn’t feeling well,” she whispered to your handmaidens. “Please escort her back to her chambers for the night.” 

Both of your handmaidens sniffed before their faces paled. Ivy held out a hand to you. “Come, my Lady, let us take you to your room.”

You grabbed her hand like it was a lifeline. You nearly groaned at the feeling of her skin against yours. They ushered you out of the dining hall, hurrying you down the corridor. 

“Something’s wrong,” you moaned, pitifully. Your skin was on fire now. An ache was forming in the lower part of your stomach. Like an unrelenting itch that needed to be scratched. 

“I think someone has slipped you a breeding tonic,” Willow hissed under her breath. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, her eyebrows furrowed.

“A what?!” You exclaimed but Ivy hushed you. You spoke in a whisper, thinking of how they had sniffed you, “How do you know that? Could you smell it in my drink or food?” 

“No, my Lady,” Ivy said, hesitantly. “But your scent…it’s…Well, it’s changed.” 

“My scent? But…oh.” If your face wasn’t already red, you were sure it’d be now. Gods, they could…smell you—your awakening arousal. You were mortified. “But who would do that?” 

“I don’t know.” Willow frowned. “It’s more important we get you to your chambers before any male scents you.” 

“Why? What…what does a breeding tonic do?” 

Your two handmaidens exchanged a look before Ivy answered, “Well, my Lady, it—well it's supposed to make a female more…willing when she’s in her marriage bed.”

Your skin was itching, flushed red from all the heat you felt. You tugged at the collar of your dress. It was agonizing. “How long is this supposed to last?”

“Just a few hours,” Willow said in a soft, comforting tone. “It’s not like most males need any more than a few minutes”

“Willow,” Ivy scolded. “Now is not the time for those kinds of remarks!”

You could hardly pay attention to their conversation, your mouth drying up as the effects of the tonic worsened—causing a violent need to be touched in places you’d never been. “What will happen if a male scents me now?” 

The two girls exchanged another look. “I’m afraid some males in this court have problems with their…restraint, my Lady. And your smell right now is rather enticing, for lack of a better word. It's best not to test them when it comes to these kinds of things.” 

All the color left your face.

Willow let out a noise of distress. “Which is why we should move faster—”

“Well, what do we have here?” The three of you froze in your tracks as you nearly ran into a group of three guards coming around the corner—all dressed in armor with Beron’s seal imprinted on the center of their chests. Fuck, it was a group of the High Lord’s personal guards. “Ah, it's the little bitch mated to our High Lord’s son.” 

Your face turned bright red. 

“Watch your mouth,” Willow snapped.

The guard backhanded her before you could even blink, causing her to crumble to the floor. Ivy gasped and rushed forward, kneeling next to her. Before you could follow her, one of the guards grabbed you by the upper arm, yanking you away from your two handmaidens. 

“What are you doing? Let me go! You can’t just hit—”

“Shut up,” the guard growled in your ear. Your eyes shot to Ivy who was helping Willow off the floor, the other girl holding her reddening cheek. 

“Talk like that to me again and I’ll do worse,” the head guard snarled at Willow. “Now get lost. You’ve been relieved of your duties, ladies. We can escort the girl back to her room.” 

You tried to pull your arm free, your heart pounding in your chest. Willow and Ivy looked inclined to protest, but then they both took a step away, sending you an apologetic look. You knew there was nothing they could do in this situation that didn’t put them in risk but maybe if they left, they could go get help. You tried to convey that message with your eyes and Ivy gave you a small dip of the head, like she understood. 

As the guard began to pull you away from them, she mouthed something to you: ‘The bond.’

Understanding her message, you started to tug on the glowing gold thread in your chest, panicking as you were dragged away. The guards were snickering with each other. “Do you smell that? I think the girls in heat, Captain. Maybe we can take her downstairs for some…fun before anything else.” 

You desperately tried to yank yourself free but the guard’s grip on your arm only tightened to the point of pain. “Let me go, you sick bastards!” 

The guard that had been identified as the Captain chuckled. “Good idea. I think she needs to be taught a lesson on how to properly treat a male, don’t you think?” 

The guards laughed with their agreement and you went feral trying to break away. “If you touch me, I swear to the Gods I’ll tell Eris! He’ll kill you!”

The guards only laughed harder. “Lord Eris won’t believe you over us, girl. Keep screaming though. I do love it when they fight back.” 

You were pulled down a stone stairwell, into a lower level of the Forest House. You screamed and fought against the guards, but with three of them and only one of you…it was hopeless. You tugged and tugged on the mating bond, not really sure how it worked but hoped you had gotten Eris’s attention and that he was on his way back. 

Tears poured down your cheeks and they tossed you in what seemed to be a large storage room. Crates full of goods, barrels of wine, and shelves filled with supplies crowded the room. The Captain slammed the door shut behind him as you were scuttling to stand up. You backed away from them, your eyes darting around for anything you might be able to use as a weapon—not that you had much training.

One of the guards lunged for you and you swiftly kicked him in the groin, sending him to his knees. “You stupid bitch!”

Using the commotion as a distraction, you took off running down the shelves, trying to keep them at a distance. But one of them was much faster, grabbing you by the collar of your dress. You let out a cry as your dress ripped down the back and you fell to your hands and knees, your chin smashing against the floor. You tasted blood in your mouth as the guard grabbed your foot and started to drag you back to him but you quickly flipped onto your back and kicked him right in the nose with your other foot, hearing a satisfying crunch. 

He let out a curse, blood pouring from his nose, and you scrambled to start running away again, holding your tattered dress up. You spotted a door at the end of the room and sprinted towards it, throwing it open and darting through it before slamming it shut behind you. 

You skidded to a stop once you realized the door had only led to a broom closet. Fuck, you had backed yourself into a corner. You covered your mouth with a hand, stifling your sobs as you heard footsteps pounding your way. With nowhere to go, you backed away to the wall, facing the door. You had no option but to try and fight your way out of this. 

The door to the closet slammed open and you squeezed your eyes shut, bracing yourself for the impact of a body against yours. But after a moment of silence passed, you slowly opened your eyes. They widened as they took in the guard standing in the middle of the closet, his eyes darting around the small space, passing over you several times. 

“What the fuck?” he grumbled.

“Stop wasting time,” one of the other guards shouted from outside. “Pull her out of there so we can have our fun.” 

“She’s not…She’s not in here!” 

“What do you mean she’s not in there?” One of the other guards shouldered his way into the closet, pushing the other male out. “What—I saw her run in here! We all did. Where the hell did she go?”

“Does she know how to winnow?”

You stood frozen as the two guards discussed your whereabouts. How could they not see you? You were literally standing right in front of them! You looked down at your body and almost gasped when you didn’t see any part of yourself. What the hell? What….what was happening? You could still feel the ground under your feet, still feel the wall at your back. You tried holding up a hand but nothing—you couldn’t even see your own hand!

“She wouldn’t be able to winnow unless she could break through the wards down here,” the other guard grumbled. “Wards set up by the High Lord, himself. There’s no way a former human could do that.” 

You could feel yourself panicking even more now because what was happening to you?

“What the fuck is going on down here?!”

The voice of your mate caused a sob of relief to leave your mouth and it seemed whatever magic you had been using sputtered out, causing the two guards to whip their heads towards you. You sank to the ground, still clutching your tattered dress, kohl marking the tear tracks down your cheeks. 

“Lord Eris, it’s not what it looks like—”

The Captain let out a spine-chilling scream before a snap was heard and a thump of a body hitting the ground. You pulled your knees to your chest, crying out for Eris. The two guards in the closet with you whirled around as Eris stalked towards them. They held up their palms, beginning to plead, but the feral rage on your mate’s face shut them up. You’d never seen Eris look so unhinged. His normally styled hair was in disarray, his cuffs rolled up to his elbow. 

His heavy boots slammed against the floor until he was right in front of them. Eris’s amber eyes darted to you for a second and flames erupted from the edges of his body. Your eyes widened in shock. His eyes fell back on the guards, his anger causing fire to even dance in his irises. 

“Lord Eris, we can explain!”

“Shut the fuck up,” Eris snarled before two whips made entirely of fire were summoned in his hands. He lashed them at the guards and they latched around their necks before he pulled them to their knees with it. Both of the guards started choking, trying to pull at the whips now strangling them but only burnt their hands to a crisp. 

“Imagine my surprise when I felt my mate’s terror down our bond while in negotiations with the Lords in Pinecrest,” Eris growled, wrapping the whip around his hand and yanking it tighter, forcing the guards’ faces to smash against the floor. “Only to show up and have her two handmaidens tell me three of my father’s guards were dragging her—my mate—down here to force themselves on her. Consider yourselves lucky she’s still sitting here because this death will be a mercy compared to the one I had planned for the three of you.” 

The guards started to screech in agonizing pain. Blood began to bubble out of their ears, eyes and mouth and it took you a second to comprehend that Eris was burning them to death from the inside out, boiling their blood. You whimpered, slapping a hand over your mouth and nose as the smell of burning human flesh spread through the small space. You squeezed your eyes shut at the horror happening before you. 

When the two guards finally slumped all the way to the ground, their eyes cold with death, Eris stepped over them and gently picked you up off the ground, cradling you to his chest. You clutched his shirt in your hands, crying as the adrenaline you had been fighting through wore off. 

“It’s okay, little bunny,” Eris murmured in your ear. “I’ve got you.” 

“I tried…I tried—”

You were sobbing with a flood of emotions. 

“I know, I know,” he hushed you, “you did good, little bunny. You did good holding them off until I got here.”

You were vaguely aware of him carrying you out of the basement and back up the stairs. The gasps of Ivy and Willow met your ears as he emerged with you in his arms.

“Is she okay?” 

“She is now,” Eris replied, his voice still filled with anger. “I’ve got it from here. Thank you, ladies, please retire to your rooms. I’ll make sure you face no repercussions from this.” 

“Take care of her, my Lord,” you heard Willow say before two footsteps started fading away. 

You kept your face buried in your mate’s chest until you were finally back in his chambers. Eris carried you into the bathroom before seating you on the counter. He took your face in his hand, twisting and turning it, examining you for injuries. He grabbed a small towel and wetted it, before beginning to clean the smears of makeup from your face. You sat still for him, still reeling from your shock. 

Eris’s touch was so delicate as he wiped your face, the cold water soothing your hot skin. A few minutes of silence passed as you watched him focus intently on his task, small flames still dancing in his eyes from his anger. 

“You came for me,” you whispered as he dabbed your cheek with the cloth. 

“Of course I did. I always will,” he murmured back. “I’m so sorry I wasn't here, bunny. I’m so sorry it took me so long to come back.” 

You shook your head. “It’s not your fault.”

His jaw ticked and he set the cloth down before placing a hand on your cheek, his thumb rubbing your tears away. “It is. It is my fault you are in this situation. I’m so sorry that the Gods have cursed you with me.”

“Don’t say that.” You nuzzled your head into his hand. You stared up into his eyes, now noticing how dilated his pupils were—the amber color almost gone. His hand that wasn’t on your cheek was gripping the counter so hard, cracks were appearing on its surface. You suddenly remembered what started all of this. The damn breeding tonic someone had slipped you during dinner.

The breeding tonic that still had your skin on fire, still had desire pooling between your legs. And now that Eris was here, standing so close to you…His scent of crackling embers and warm cinnamon enveloped you with his own heat. Your arousal spiked, your eyes dipping to his lips. The need to kiss him, to be touched by him, was barrelling its way through you. 

You lurched forward and smashed your lips against his. Eris sucked in a breath and kissed you back with the same vigor until he came to his senses and pulled away from you, causing you to whine in displeasure. 

“Someone drugged you, bunny,” he grimaced. “I can’t…I won’t take advantage of you while you're still under its effects.” 

“Eris, please,” you begged, clenching your thighs together as the need to be touched grew and grew. “It hurts.” 

A small whine came from the back of his throat and you watched him fight against himself. You grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back down to kiss him again. You sighed as your lips made contact with his and he kissed you back with the same hunger. You wrapped your legs around his waist, pulling him closer until his body was pressed against yours.

Eris’s hardening cock nudged at the place between your thighs that was throbbing with desire and you gasped. With your lips parted, he slipped his tongue in your mouth, groaning at the taste of you, deepening the kiss and utterly consuming you. 

Eris kissed and kissed you—only letting up to trail kisses down your jaw and neck. You tossed your head back with a moan, granting him more access. You needed every inch of skin to be touched by him. By his fingers. By his lips. You ached, feeling terribly empty inside. His hand slipped under your skirt, gripping your thigh. 

But you could tell he was still restraining himself. 

Your own hands fell on his shirt, starting to undo his buttons.“Eris,” you groaned as he sucked on the delicate skin on your neck. “Tell me what to do. I’ve…I’ve never—”

You wished you had kept your mouth shut because Eris stopped for a second, his lips hovering over your skin. "What do you mean, you’ve never, bunny? You've never what? Never had sex?”

You nodded your head, biting your lip. 

“Fuck,” Eris groaned against your neck before sliding his nose up the column of your throat, inhaling deeply. “I’ll make it so good for you, baby. I promise.” 

You whimpered as his words, your fists clenching his shirt. But to your dismay, Eris merely pecked you on the lips before gently taking your hands and slowly ripping them off of him. 

“But not like this, bunny,” he murmured. “Not while you're drugged. Not after what happened today.”

“Eris, please.”

Any embarrassment you might’ve felt for begging simply did not exist when you felt so incredibly heated, needing him so much. Eris let out a long breath and took a step away from you, dodging your arms that tried to pull him back in. 

“Not like this, bunny,” he repeated. “Take a cold bath, okay? It’ll help you feel better. The tonic should wear off soon. I’ll be waiting for you out there.” 

“No, Eris, please—”

But he quickly left the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. You jumped off the counter and tried to open the door, but he must’ve used magic to lock it from the outside. You let out a whine, trying to tug it open to no avail. Your forehead dropped against the wood and you sighed. 

Fine, you’d take a stupid cold bath. 

· · ─────── ·♡· ─────── · ·

You sat in the cold water until your skin pruned and the effects of the tunic left your body. You rose from the bath, wrapping yourself in a towel. You noticed a pile of clothes waiting for you on the counter—a night gown and some underwear. You quickly slipped them on before finally leaving the bathroom. 

You froze in the doorway at the sight of Eris lounging on his bed, shirtless and twirling a dagger in his hand. He looked at you with a smirk and your cheeks turned bright red. Partly because he looked absolutely ravishing laying there with his toned chest and abs on display and partly because you were mortified by your behavior. 

“Don’t look so embarrassed, bunny,” he teased, setting the dagger down on his nightstand and patting the bed next to him. “Come here.” 

You shyly slid on the bed next to him, letting him take you in his arms. You let out a small breath, resting your head on his chest. It felt so right being here, in his embrace. Safe and perfect. Like his arms were the home you’d been looking for all your life. The mating bond sang in your chest. 

“Do you feel better?” 

You nodded, wordlessly. He muttered out a “good” before he started stroking your hair. You closed your eyes and melted into his arms. Tonight had been so scary. You didn’t even want to think about what would have happened to you if Eris hadn’t come in time to stop the guards. 

“I’m going to find out who drugged you,” Eris murmured. “And they’re going to pay for it.” 

“Eris, something…happened when I was down there with those guards,” you whispered, running your finger in swirling patterns on his chest. “When I was in the broom closet, it was like they couldn’t see me. I couldn’t see myself, either. It was like I had gone invisible.”

Eris hummed in thought. “Your sisters got powers from the cauldron, did they not? Did you get the same?” 

“No, I mean, I’ve never been able to do anything other than the basic stuff all High Fae can do,” you answered. “I’ve never shown any other sorts of power. I don’t think the Cauldron gifted me anything like it did with Elain. And I certainly didn’t try to steal from it like Nesta did.” 

“Yesterday, in the forest, you said something about me looking right at you and not seeing you,” Eris brought up. “I disregarded it at the time but…bunny, maybe the Cauldron did gift you something.”

“You think it gifted me something? Like what? The power of invisibility? I’ve never even heard of that!”

You hated that it made sense. Hated that, of course, the sister who had felt left behind, felt stuck in the background, unseen, would be gifted the power of invisibility. 

“Maybe it’s now finally emerging. Do you remember anything from that day?” 

You shook your head. “I remember being tossed into the Cauldron. I remember…I remember how it felt to be torn apart and put back together. But I don’t remember anything after that. I don’t even remember how I got out of the Cauldron or how I got to the Night Court afterwards.” 

“And you’ve never asked your sisters about it?”

“I did ask Feyre once she returned. But she told me I was unconscious when the Cauldron tipped me out and that Mor winnowed all three of us out that day.” 

“You know, after you left the meeting,” Eris remarked,

“Tamlin mentioned that you never came out of the Cauldron.”

“What? But that makes no sense! Why would he say that?” 

“There’s something Rhysand and Feyre are hiding. Wouldn’t be the first time the Night Court kept information from someone—especially Rhysand.”

You placed your chin on his chest, staring up at him with a small glare. “I know you don’t have a great relationship with my family, but my sister would not lie to me.” 

Eris raised an eyebrow, not looking convinced. “Maybe even your sister doesn’t know. Maybe Rhysand is lying to her, too. That kind of power…a lot of people would want to have someone like you in their court, bunny.” 

“He wouldn’t lie. Not to Feyre.”

You couldn’t help but defend your family. Eris seemed to let it go for now, pressing a kiss to your temple. “We’ll figure it out, bunny.” 

You laid your head back down on his chest with a sigh. “Can I ask you something?” 

“Go ahead.” 

“What really happened with Mor that day in the forest, Eris? I need to know. I need to know before…before this can happen. I need to know why my family hates you so much.”

Eris let out a long breath. “I knew this would come up eventually. I’ll tell you, bunny, but you have to understand something. You got a taste of some of the horrors of this court tonight. Things I’ve been trying to put a stop to and change my whole life. But I can only do so much without my father suspecting me of being a traitor. And he’s not above killing any of his own sons.” 

The idea of Beron killing Eris caused both fear and rage to build up inside of you. Your grip on your mate tightened as you frowned. Eris ran his hand up and down your arm in a soothing motion. 

“When my father and Mor’s father forced a marriage alliance on the two of us, it was, in part, a test for me on my father’s behalf. I was young and not as careful as I should’ve been and I think he could see the rebellious attitude in me. I think he thought I’d stop at nothing to somehow make them rescind the alliance proposal.”

“You didn’t want to marry Mor?” 

“Gods, no,” Eris snorted. “And Keir is just as bad as my father. The thought of those two falling into a partnership…Anyways, my father forced me to make a bargain with him. See, he thought I’d fuck it up by trying to bed her before we were properly married. Which, of course, I wouldn’t have. But I played along, not wanting him to think of other things I might do. And he knew my one weakness at the time. My Mother. He made me bargain that I would not lay a single finger on her before we were wed and if I did, he would out my mother for an affair she had and punish her with death.”

You gasped and sat up to look at him. “Eris, that’s awful!” 

“I thought so too,” Eris chuckled, mirthlessly. “So that day Keir dumped Mor in the forest, beaten to near death, I knew if I touched her the bargain would alert my father and though I doubt that would’ve counted in his eyes, he still would’ve taken her and some who knows what. I couldn’t alert anyone about her either because the guards that were with me that day were my father’s personal ones. They watched my every move and reported them back to my father. I had to make a choice, one that haunts me to this day.” 

“The choice to keep your mother safe,” you said. “And to not let your father know that Mor was there, in your court?” 

He nodded his head. “Yes. I lingered in the area long enough to catch sight of that Illyrian brute’s shadows and knew he’d come sniffing around for her. So I made sure the guards were far away so he could slip in and out without them alerting my father.” 

“And all these years,” you said, sadly, “All these years no one knew the truth of why you made that decision. No one except you and your father?” 

“The Night Court’s hasn’t always had an outstanding reputation, bunny,” Eris replied. “I didn’t know if I could trust them. And when I realized they already decided I was as much of a monster as my father, I had little interest in convincing them otherwise.”

“But Eris, you deserve better than that—”

“No, bunny, I don’t,” Eris sighed. “I’ve done a lot of bad things. I can only hope that things might change when my father is no longer on the Autumn throne.” 

You linked your fingers with his, grasping his hand. “As long as it’s you sitting on it, Eris, I think they will. You are not what people think you are. You are not a monster.” 

“I don’t care what everyone thinks. I don’t care if I’m the villain in their stories,” Eris said. “I only care that I’m not the monster in yours.” 

You folded your arms on his chest, plopping your chin on the back of your hands to stare up at him. 

“You’re no monster to me. You’re my sly fox,” you teased. 

Eris gave you his signature fox-like grin that caused butterflies to flutter around in your stomach. Your heart beat to the same rhythm of the mating’s bond soft melody. You could hear his beating too. 

“And you are still my dumb, little bunny.” 

· · ─────── ·♡· ─────── · ·

a/n: I don't normally like making characters virgins but I felt like it fit this character in particular. Hope you liked this part!!

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@lilah-asteria @96jnie @glitterypirateduck @i-m-in-loki-s-army

*If you asked to be on the taglist and you don't see your username, tumblr wouldn't let me tag you for some reason :(

[sun-kissy]

heyyyy do you think you could write a James blurb where reader hangs with Severus and Lily (she's a Snape but it's not really common knowledge as she's a few years younger) and everyone thinks James likes to come around for Lily but it's actually for the reader? I love your work btw!!!

yes, of course!! and thank you ♡

beautiful | j.p.

tw: fluff

snape!reader, james potter x reader

A frustrated sigh escapes Severus’ lips as you flick a petal at him for what seems like the umpteenth time that evening. You can feel the quivers in Lily’s body from where you’re laying on her lap as she laughs.

O.W.L.S. had just ended for your brother and best friend, so you dragged them down to your usual spot beneath the silver-leafed tree for a picnic. Lily was concentratedly twining vines together, crafting a daisy crown.

The light breeze caused her auburn hair to cover her face as she worked, the sun hitting her face in all the right places. She looked like some sort of heavenly wood nymph, you thought as you stared up at her. She was really really pretty.

Meanwhile, Severus was engrossed in some old, weathered-down potions book - furiously scribbling down notes for god-knows-what. Your legs were propped up on his lap as you threw the petals which occasionally fell from Lily’s flower crown at him. His expression was growing more cross by the second.

Your brother starts to grumble at you under his breath as a petal drifts straight into his nostril. A giggle bubbles out of you as he sneezes and the petal shoots out his nose, not missing the huff of annoyance he let out.

“If mother hadn’t instructed me to take care of you,” he mutters, a hint of irritation in his tone as he rubs his nose, “I would’ve tossed you into the black lake already.”

Lily grins, flicking your forehead as you bat your eyelashes at him playfully. “You love me.”

“Lies.”

“You bought me a whole bag of chocolate last weekend!”

“That was merely because-”

Your brother’s rambling comes to a halt, his eyes suddenly narrowing as he glares at something across the field of grass. His mouth twists up into a disgruntled frown.

You follow his line of vision to see none other than James Potter stumbling towards your clique, casting dirty looks at his friends behind him as they urge him towards you.

A sigh escapes you before you can even think about it. It annoyed you greatly, whenever James came crawling after you all like a desperate dog, just for the sake of Lily.

That was all it was, you tried to convince yourself. You told yourself that the acidic burning sensation of your heart in your chest was just because it was frustrating how obsessed he was, how his eyes lit up whenever they landed on Lily, how he stumbled over his words whenever he was near.

He was annoying, a stupidly beautiful wanker with an achingly gorgeous smile and eyes so bright they could rival the stars.

But you knew why you really hated him, and it frustrated you immensely. You despised him for liking Lily, hated his guts for not liking you instead. It was sickening, the way he gazed at her. And it was even more disgusting how envy took ahold of your entire being when that happened.

It gutted you, whenever you saw him looking at your best friend with heart-eyes. But it was obvious why - she was everything a guy could ever want, and she was a perfect girl for the golden boy. How could you even think about rivalling her?

What upset you the most, though, was how Lily always seemed to ignore him, looking away and rolling her eyes when his eyes met hers. You wanted to shake her, yell at her for being so ungrateful and wrack some sense into her brain. But all you did was stare quietly at the ground whenever James was near, zoning out so you didn’t have to hear the sickeningly mushy stuff which surely poured out his mouth in front of Lily.

So it was an understatement to say that your heart stopped when you heard your name coming out his mouth. You furrow your eyebrows, snapping back to the present as you press your palms down on the grass to lift your head from Lily’s lap. “What?”

James was looking at you anxiously now, with that glimmer in his eyes and a nervous smile. “Y/n, I um… I asked if you’d like to go to Hogsmeade with me? Tomorrow?”

You blink, the cogs still turning in your head. It was unfathomable, James Potter asking you out. Surely, it had to be a joke or a dare or something. Or maybe he meant to ask Lily, that was probably it. He had just asked the wrong person and was too nice to go back on his word, right?

“But you like Lily!” you blurt out immediately, a pang of hurt overwhelming you, for both you and your best friend. James’ eyebrows bunch up in puzzlement, his lips slowly twisting up into an almost comical smile. “Lily? You think I like Lily?”

You were sure you’d get whiplash from how fast you turned around to look at Lily, seeing her eyebrows bunched in confusion. “So, you don’t like me, Potter?”

He chuckles, a bit of the tension leaving his muscular frame as he shakes his head. “Redhead, you’re cool and all. But Y/n….” His gaze flicks over to you, and the affection in his eyes made you want to melt into a pool of hot mush.

Lily starts to smile, before it turns into a full-blown grin and she turns to you, nudging your elbow suggestively.

“Me?” you question slowly, suspiciously. You didn’t want to admit it, but your heart felt like it was going to burst even at the prospect of going out with him. “You like me?”

James immediately nods, turning slightly red at how long it was taking him to get an acceptance from you. But then again, he thinks he’d wait a lifetime for you to say yes, and he’d wait forever even if you said no.

Just then, you hear a loud cough on your left, and turn to see Severus glaring at you with a deadpan expression on his face.

You feel an arm bristle the hair on your head as Lily reaches over from your right, mussing up your brother’s hair. You laugh as he swats her away, tsking and cursing under his breath. “Shut up, Sev. Let my girl have her moment.”

Severus, to his credit, does shut up. Though he still has that bleary, stormy look on his face.

You turn back to James, slightly dizzy as the thought began to plant itself in your brain. The smile on his face was asking a million questions, holding a hundred insecurities. Yet you knew that there was only one right answer to them all.

“Yes,” you say softly, your lips beginning to curve upwards. Your heart was beating so loud, you were sure he could hear it.

“Yeah?” he asks, starting to grin. He lets out an exhale and scratches the back of his head, smiling at the floor before looking back at you. “Alright, then. I’ll pick you up outside the Great Hall, 5pm.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.” He beams at you, and it’s the most beautiful you’ve ever seen a person look before. “Bye, Y/n. And redhead, and Snivellus.”

James winks at you before turning around, causing your heart to jump and lodge itself in your throat. He jogs back to his group of friends waiting with wide eyes and bated breath.

A moment later, you can hear the cheers and whoops from across the field.

You turn back to Severus, afraid of what you’d find. He’s gazing at you with a terse expression on his face as you gulp anxiously.

“I’m sorry. If you’re not okay with it…”

“No. You are not going to bail out on him,” he says, the firmness in his voice catching you by surprise. “I know how long you’ve been waiting for this. And this is something you need to learn to do, getting your hands on the things you want. You’re a Snape, you always get what you want, you hear me?”

You nod helplessly.

“And if what you want is Potter,” he sneers, “Then Potter it is. Just don’t expect me to play nice.”

A small smile graces your lips. “Thank you.” You know he’d understand what you meant, all the things you were thanking him for.

You can see him start to soften, though perhaps that frown would be etched on his face permanently. He sighs, “Yes, yes. You’re welcome.”

Lily squeals and forcefully turns you towards her, gripping your hands. “This is awesome.”

“You’re just glad he doesn’t like you.”

“Am not!” she exclaims, but the mirth in her eyes betrays her.

You sigh, smiling bemusedly as you lie back down on her lap, watching her continue to craft the flower crowns. Maybe you’d give James one tomorrow, though you doubt he could look more beautiful than he already did.

[what-even-is-thiss]

I'm putting together a collection of people turned into flowers or other plants after a weird or tragic love affair in Greek mythology because this epidemic is just getting ridiculous. Let me know if I've missed any.

Narcissus: the one everybody knows. Loved himself so much he turned into a dang flower.

Hyacinthus: Lover of Apollo that got turned into a flower after Zephyr blew a wind and made Apollo accidentally crush his skull with a discus

Crocus: Lover of Hermes who got killed in almost the exact same way as Hyacinthus but this really was on accident Hermes just accidentally killed his boyfriend with a discus and then he got turned into a flower rip

Mecon: A lover of Demeter. Dude got turned into a poppy. idk why but someone thought he should get turned into a flower to preserve him I guess

Clytia: A nymph who liked Helios but Helios didn't like her back and she was so sad about it she turned into a heliotrope flower I guess

Ampelus: Lover of Dionysus. A satyr who died while trying to ride a bull so Dionysus turned him into a vine. I'm starting to think this is a weirdly common coping mechanism for immortals.

Minthe: A nymph that was a consort to Hades. When she claimed to be better than Persephone the goddess in question turned her into a mint plant. Tasty!

Myrrha: Aphrodite got jealous that a city of people were worshipping Dionysus instead of her so she cursed the princess of the island to fall in love with her own father and have sex with him under cover of darkness without him knowing. Myrrha was ashamed of her actions and ran into the woods where the gods turned her into a tree. Out of the tree came Adonis.

Adonis: Lover of Aphrodite. Came out of a tree. Got impaled by a boar when Ares got jealous. Aphrodite turned him into a dang flower. Either Anemones or Roses, sources vary.

Daphne: Not exactly a love affair but her dad did turn her into a laurel tree to help her escape from Apollo so that's something I guess.

[aroaceleovaldez]

i personally think the fandom should do more with the fact that Frank does not only have heritage from two gods - he actually has heritage from three.

He's directly the son of Mars, but his demigod ancestor Periclymenus is not just the grandson of Poseidon. Periclymenus is also the son of the goddess Chloris.

not to mention, all three of those deities actually have associations with plants - Mars has agricultural aspects, as he had elements of representing ideal Roman life. Chloris is sometimes just generally a nymph and a goddess of spring and flowers. And Poseidon has a specific epithet of "the nurturer" specifying his role in watering plants and contributing to agriculture, particularly near the sea.

a.) that's a really interesting common thread for all Frank's divine ancestors to have given his life is tied to a piece of wood, b.) him having three divine ancestors makes way more sense as to why the gods had to nerf him, c.) just in general the irony of Frank's life being tied to firewood when Percy explicitly has resistance to burning as a descendant of Poseidon and Ares kids in general are just heavily implied to be tanky as fuck. and if we tie Chloris into that, something something you know how some plants need fire in order to grow. that. it's a metaphor.

anyways Frank should get cool abilities from Chloris too thank you for coming to my tedtalk.

[theresattrpgforthat]

hello! i was wondering if theres any ttrpgs set in/inspired by Terry Pratchett's Discworld? thanks :)

THEME: Discworld

I love the Discworld books and I'm very glad you asked this question. I have three resources for you!

A One In A Million Chance At Adventure, by Jocher Symbolic Systems.

This is a game where you play the roles of, often unwilling, sometimes zealous, pawns in the cosmic octarine coloured narrative. Your character is not necessarily a "hero" per se, instead one could possibly see it as being important to the story. Characters like yourself do have a knack for not dying as often as a common mortal (or undead if that has been your unfortune).

With this follows that you'll naturally have a higher chance of actually, possibly, doing some heroic deeds, just by sheer mathematical logic. Unless, of course, you are the type of adventurer who'd prefer a cup of hot tea and soft slippers and a reliable day job.

That does severely reduce the odds of let's say beheading a mythical beast of ill repute or befriending the immodest wood nymphs of Howondaland*.

*if your day job happens to be for example a tax collector this is not true, this and similar careers have shown to increase the risk of leaving the disc rather early.  ** only rumoured, no one who has gone looking for them has ever returned.

This is a free, fan-made d10-based game written in the style of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels, footnotes and all. The characters you build are expected to be flawed in some way - they have vices that can cause problems for them and plenty of skills (or spells) to help them get out of trouble.

A One in A Million Chance At Adventure has plenty of supplements to support the game, including an introductory adventure: The Murder of Dominick Kolchak, and a character supplement: The A-M Professions Character Build Guides.

Discworld Roleplaying Game, by Steve Jackson Games.

There's a lot of unusual stuff on the Disc, but don't worry about getting lost – game author Phil Masters has crafted a roadmap to Pratchett-inspired storytelling.

Visit settings like the most dubious city in the multiverse, Ankh-Morpork. Intervene in the cultural interactions of trolls and dwarves (but watch out for flying axes). Campaign for goblin rights. Flee from an angry Swamp Dragon (two feet of mindless fury and high-explosive digestion). Even find out why the second-greatest lover on the Disc needs a stepladder.

And remember, the world is round. And also flat.

This is the official roleplaying game published by Steve Jackson Games, the creators of Munchkin and GURPS - which means that this game also uses the GURPS system. Characters are pretty in-depth and require some time to put together - and that means the the core rulebook is a pretty hefty read. If you like big games with heavy modularity and a lot to chew on, maybe this game is for you!

If you want to try the game out and need a little help, there’s a GURPS Character sheet app available to help you put characters together, and Chris Normand is an avid enthusiast with many videos providing advice on how to get a grip on the system.

The Kleptomancer’s Crypt, by Max Kāmmerer.

The Kleptomancer’s Crypt is an adventure for Troika!, but is easily adapted to other systems. It mostly consists of tables to help you generate a variable adventure. Improvisation and interpretation by the GM required. 

A client hired you to break into the Kleptomancer’s Crypt and so you did. Now you need to get out of the place. The Kleptomancer is a government official tasked with redistributing the wealth by stealing from the rich and keeping what they stole for themselves. Okay, that last part isn’t in the official job description. The Crypt is filled with all kinds of strange things and rooms and people, really. You might for example encounter pipe smoking sloths, boardgame playing plants, ever expanding spheres or the Kleptomancer’s apprentice. The place is dangerous, so you prepared by cutting a deal with death, preventing you from dying while you are in the Crypt.

To be clear, this is not a full game. It is simply an adventure for one.

The eclectic tone of Troika fits Discworld so well that I’m not at all surprised that there is an adventure made for it. If you have experience with Troika, or even with other OSR games, you might want to check this one out.

[cxptain-capsicle]

Beyond the Sea | Luke Castellan | V

Pairing: Luke Castellan x Unclaimed Poseidon!Reader

Warnings: angst, fluff, established relationship, slow burn flashbacks, Gods being terrible parents

A/n: sorry this took so long to come out and it's a little short but i hope you all enjoy

Series Masterlist

You woke up to the feeling of your bed being shaken back and forth. You rolled over to see the disturbance only to see Luke shaking the bunk bed by the top bunk.

“What are you doing?” You grumbled as you pulled the blanket over your eyes.

“It’s your birthday!” He exclaimed.

“I wanna sleep in.” You mumbled from under the blanket.

Luke was quiet for a moment, you curiously peeked out from under the blanket to see Luke crouched down right in front of you. He held out a paper plate with a big chocolate chip cookie in the center. On the cookie was a big “17” in sloppy handwriting, he had a wide grin on his face.

“I made it myself.” He said proudly. “Eat it while it's still warm.”

You popped up in the bed and grabbed the plate, Luke came to sit on the side of the bed with you. You split the warm cookie in half and handed one side to Luke. 

“Happy birthday Y/n” He whispered as you took a bite of your cookie. You could tell he made it himself but it was still good.

Luke had the whole day planned with your favorite things. Your favorite breakfast then canoeing. He planned a picnic in the woods and even convinced the nymphs to leave you two alone. You did swordplay by the beach which you loved but he hated since you always beat him when you were close to the water. You visited the arts and crafts cabin, the climbing wall, and the archery range before dinner. At dinner, Luke doubled the size of his offering because ‘you shouldn’t have to give up food on your birthday’. You didn’t think it worked that way but the gods never answered your prayers anyway so you didn’t mind.

“So what else do you wanna do on your birthday?” Luke asked as you took the last bite of your dinner. You contemplated for a few seconds.

“Let’s go swimming.” You proposed.

When you got to the beach the sun was beginning to set, casting pink and orange hues over the water. After the morning on the beach with Luke when you discovered you could control the water you began to resent the ocean. It symbolized Poseidon to you and all of the resentment you held for him. However you couldn’t stay away from it. The sea made you stronger, it helped you win battles. It made you feel free, you finally felt like you found somewhere you belonged. You could swim better and hold your breath longer than anyone else at camp. Sometimes you would swim as far out as you could, go under the water, and watch the animals until you had to come up for air. Unfortunately communicating with the sea creatures was a power you did not possess. Luke said that gods have to grant their children powers when they are claimed. Forbidden children are more powerful, more unpredictable, uncontrollable, and can sometimes harness certain powers without the permission of the gods. 

“You coming or what?” Luke snapped you out of your thoughts. 

“Yeah, I’m coming.” You smiled and followed him to the water. Luke quickly discarded his shirt and shorts leaving him in his boxers. This was a common experience by now, you and Luke went swimming most days of the week and at camp, everyone swam in their underwear and never thought anything of it. However, as time went on Luke got taller, leaner, more muscular. He looked more like a Greek statue as time went on, a dark-haired Apollo. 

It was impossible for you to deny your feelings for Luke since you two had almost kissed on the beach a few weeks ago. Just before your discovery of your father and your whole life changed. You have always loved Luke. From the moment he had rescued you and brought you to camp, you were bonded. You were only children then but now you had both changed, and grown, and it was impossible to deny his charm and good looks. Luke was kind, loyal, funny, righteous, everything you could ever ask for. He was also undoubtedly your best friend, your person. You would follow Luke to war and he would do the same for you and the fear of ruining that was stronger than any other feelings you had.

“Okay, turn around.” You ordered Luke. He chuckled a little but followed the command.

“You’d think we wouldn’t still be doing this after this long.” He said as you removed your top layers.

“Yeah yeah whatever.” He turned around to look at you. It made you self-conscious and you were glad it was getting dark to cover your red cheeks. “Bet I’ll beat you to the water.”

You took off sprinting with Luke on your heels. You dove into the water submerging yourself under the waves. Beneath the water, you saw Luke coming in after you but you knew he wouldn’t be able to see you beyond the sunset reflecting on the water. You jumped out of the water behind him, splashing him with water.

“Oh my gods,” He placed his hand over his chest. “You can’t do that to me.”

You laughed so hard it made your stomach hurt. A strong wave came barelling into you nearly knocking you both off of your feet. Luke wrapped his arm around your waist to keep himself above the water. 

“Don’t drown us.” He half joked. His voice was soft and almost anxious. You became acutely aware of the situation. You could feel Luke’s skin against yours, pressed right up together. You looked up into his brown eyes and could tell that he had come to the same realization. Neither of you moved, the waves became earily absent. The sun was gone by now and the moon casted shadows on Luke’s grecian features. You realized Luke was looking at you too, looking at you in a way you’d never seen before. He was looking at you the way you looked at him. Time felt like it was moving in slow motion as he slowly got closer and closer. Last time this had happened a massive cold wave interrupted the moment. You had no idea of that was your emotions out of control or Poseidon being a petty father but either way you prayed for the water to stay calm. As some kind of birthday miracle the waves stayed still and Luke’s lips met yours. 

The kiss was sweet and timid, you knew that this was his first kiss as well as yours. The two of you pulled away just enough to make eye contact but neither of your said anything. Quickly Luke’s hand came up and wrapped around the back of your neck pulling you in again. You brought your hands up to ravel in the hair by the base of his neck and suddenly the kiss was not sweet and timid anymore. It was desperate and longing like it had been a long time coming. Luke lifted you off the sand and you wrapped your legs around him bringing you somehow closer. You couldn’t help but think that this was the most defiant thing you’d done and you should stop before Poseidon drowned you both. But you couldn’t stop.

“Mr. Castellan!” Chirons voice came from the beach. You practically knocked Luke over trying to separate yourself. You sank down in the water with embarrassment until only your eyes and ears were above water. “Get dressed and meet me in my office.” With that he turned and trotted back to the big house.

You and Luke hurried to the beach and quickly got dressed. The two of you shot eachother nervous glances, unsure of what punishment was to come.

“I better get going.” Luke cleared his throat. “I’ll see you in the cabin.” You nodded as he turned towards the big house. He got a few yards ahead of you before turning around and shouting back at you. “Happy Birthday Y/n!”

That night as you walked back to the cabin your face was plastered with a wide grin.

Feedback is appreciated <3

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[agentartemus]

Hellooooo👀 For the redraw request I came to gently offer you my little girl Alaia Tille:

She is 14 year old and Padawan of Anakin in my AU

She is a really chill person, and prefers to do things at her own pace instead of urging herself into following the pace of the other’s around her.

She is not easily influenced by other’s idea, she believes strongly in her opinions and ideas, and fights strongly for them when challenged (which often leads her to trouble).

Her biggest passion is dancing, and she is part of a Dancing Club at the Temple, who create dances that incorporate lightsabers in their movements. Due to her passion for acrobatics in her dances, her Master often calls her “little bird” or “Birdie”.

Hope you have a good day!!!!

HERE SHE ISSSSS <333

I really rushed the Greek patterns so don't pay any attention to that -w-

Alaia would be a Phantasian Nymph! More specifically a bluejay dragonymph (a subspecies of wyvern that are basically the birds/squirrels). I can see her taking an internship at a dragonymph sanctuary, given her Soul Gift would specialize in the species, so she'd be great help!

And since she enjoys dancing, how could I not make her a student at a traditional festival dance class? Hence the training robes and jewelry. And since Nymph ears can move/wiggle, they have a special set of earrings made of beads, wood, metals that make nice jingles when a nymph wiggles their ears, it's a common and fun musical instrument for the species. (And I can totally see Alaia wiggling her ears CONSTANTLY)

That's about the jist of what I made for her, hope you like her!! Feel free to draw her as a Phantasian, just be sure to credit me and put it as (#Agent's Phantasia) if you do <33

NOTICE: DO NOT REPOST/TRACE/CLAIM/USE MY ART COMMERCIALLY!! PHANTASIA IS ALSO A CLOSED WORLD, SO I DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO MAKE THEIR OWN OC WITHOUT TALKING WITH ME!!

Important persons taglist:

@bladesjulia29 @brainrotparsecsaway @jazaesis @kdo16 @kim-the-kryptid @lin-lll @powdered-kneecaps @sleepingjasminetea @starsidexiv @thebrainofocto @todays-fixation-is-bigbywolf @vintagevibessketch @vix8n @zealfruity

[capecodadventurepictures]

Common Wood-Nymph in Falmouth 07/08/23

[songs-of-the-east]

Fairy-tale about revenge and fear, and about loneliness of an abrek. [From Maria Mussova’s folkloric series “Circassian Fairy-tales”]

"Blood-revenge led to the common North Caucasian phenomenon of the abrek (абрэдж; abrej; protector of the weak and poor), the outlaw horseman who would live in the wild and without the norms of society until the feud was resolved, which could be never. In the Russian and Soviet eras the reference was extended to those wanted by the authorities, in this context becoming local and sometimes national heroes, eulogized in music and verse. North Caucasian literati were duly obliged to denigrate the abreks as anti-heroes.

“Abrekhood” evokes notions that corresponded to Western romanticism regarding Robin Hood and his eternal quest and struggle for social justice, and in general it had the same positive connotations in the Circassian ethos."

"These [ten] pictures are of large size, and are printed on canvas-like paper, making them look almost like paintings. Each item in the series represents a personal fairytale for the author, her allusions and impressions born in the depths of the national self-identity. Here we find chrestomathic characters (e.g., Sataney), cultural phenomena (e.g., ажэгъафэ – a jester in a mask of a he-goat), images inspired by folklore and literature (“abrek”, horseman), and some light associations from the depths of consciousness (boy with a wheel, wood nymph, prayer to a tree). They are all devoid of stereotypes: The author pays much attention to detail, retouching is moderate, and the composition and the content of each picture follow strict rules. Sataney-Guashe is as if unguarded and, with all her perfection, she is very human, clear, and close to one’s heart. A young girl staring off into the distance symbolizes the eternal waiting of women – waiting for love and for the loved ones, for the winds of change, and for destiny. The fully-armed horseman is in hesitation, and he is with his horse – the only creature that will ever see him in these moments of weakness. His sabre is casually hanging behind his back, and, with all his vital energy, his hand caresses his horse’s muzzle. Maria Mussova appeals to origins as they exist in her own imagination. This personal approach helps her create works that communicate with a wide range of spectators."

[changenameno]

My Own (Chapter 7)

Summary:
Geralt finds himself once more on the path, gloomily looking at what lies ahead.
And you? You had no one, no home and certainly no coin. Well that’d be something you had in common. No coin. You two are surely off to a great start…

Pairing: Geralt of Rivia x Fem. Nymph Reader

Warnings: 18+, a bit of sexual innuendo, I’m sorry this is such a slow burn, didn’t plan that…mostly fluff, MDNI (there will be smut in the future)

Word count: 1.3 K

A/N: Hahha, sorry but our favourite cock-block is gonna make an entrance…

It’s not proofread, any mistakes are my own. Please be kind, comments/rebblogs are much appreciated…Thank you❤️✨ and enjoy

(FYI: This won’t follow the exact timeline of the Witcher. But Geralt has met Jaskier already.)

!The Witcher characters and world are not mine!


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(In case you’ve missed CHAPTER 6)

 

CHAPTER 7

Immediate warmth spread through your body at his words. A pleasant tingling started between your legs as you imagined what Geralt would do if you didn’t behave. You were sure those big hands of his and other ‘bigger’ parts could take you higher and higher. Tripping you over the edge in no time.

 

 

With no intention of stopping you opened your mouth, about to let out another cheeky comeback. But before you could verbalize how much you wouldn’t behave, Geralt’s head shot up.

 

 

His abnormally keen ears had picked up on something, “Shhh, quiet…”

 

 

As annoyed as you were that he shushed you, he was onto something, because you could hear it as well, now that you concentrated.

 

 

Geralt wasn’t sure what he’d heard, but he urged Roach into an easy canter, trying to put a little distance between you two and whoever else was roaming the forest. The timing of the interruption could certainly have been better. His cock throbbed furiously underneath his suddenly too tight breaches, enjoying the pressure of your perky bottom. As you too sat up straighter to listen more closely to your surroundings, the movement against him had his cock twitching in interest and he had to suppress the grunt forming in his throat.

 

 

You could have sworn the witcher had stopped breathing, when you whispered, “What is that?”

 

 

Voice husky and strained, he answered, “I don’t know. But we should avoi-…”

 

 

 

You interrupted him, “Wait. Stop.” And as if that were the magic words the mare stopped in her tracks right away.

 

 

Geralt jolted forward into your body, grunting angrily, “What are-…”

 

 

You’d raised your hand, which had made him fall silent before he’d finished his sentence. Tilting your head in the direction of the strangely melodious sounding noises, you were finally able to make out what they were.

 

 

Without Geralt’s approval you steered Roach into the direction he’d wanted to avoid. He was about to protest, knuckles turning white from how tightly he held onto the reins. Though your hushed, existed voice sounded once more, “Wait, just wait. You’ll see.”

 

 

He doubted that he could do anything to prevent you from steering at whoever lurked in the forest, so he simply kept quiet. Though he’d be ready to strike if he needed to.

 

 

After a few minutes of you leading his horse deeper into the woods, he could make out a very familiar voice in the distance. Singing.

He wanted to growl in frustration, of course it would be him of all people, cock-blocking him in the middle of nowhere.

 

 

Geralt had finally recognised Jaskier’s smooth singing:

 

“…Your tears have my heart rent

But all is gone and part we must.”

 

 

As Roach trotted to the left, the bard came into view. He was sitting on a rather big rock, dangling his legs over the edge as he strummed his lute. A huge smile on his face the second he saw Geralt’s white hair break through the treeline.

 

 

You couldn’t help but smile in return, he had stopped singing, though he still looked terribly out of place, with his very colourful clothing and lute within his arms. His eyes flitted from the witcher to you, widening in surprise.

 

 

“Oh, who do we have here?” The bard swiftly stood up and jumped off the rock, landing a lot smoother than you’d thought. He sauntered over to where you’d watched him curiously, coming to a stop right in front of Roach.

 

 

“Hmm. Jaskier.” You could detect the amusement in Geralt’s voice.

 

 

“Geralt. Well nice of you to remember my name, but who is it you’re travelling with?” His sparkling blue eyes matched his pearly whites, as he beamed at you.

 

 

As soon as you’d introduced yourself, he bowed his head lightly, complementing your name, as it was befitting for someone as beautiful as you.

 

 

In your opinion he was quite the charmer, as he had you giggling at his jokes in an instant.

Without ever discussing where you were going or why and how you’d met the witcher, he’d joined you and started walking beside Roach as if he’d been there the whole time.

 

 

Weirdly Jaskier made you feel at ease. Jesting back and forth about Geralt’s stony demeanour, certainly helped lifting the mood as well.

 

 

After a few hours of conversing with him, he felt like a long lost friend, as if you’d known him all along.

 

 

“Darling, forgive me my curiosity, though I can’t help but wonder… What makes a nymph, a nymph? As in, what can and can’t you do?”

 

 

You were about to reply, when Geralt’s gruff answer, took you aback,” Jaskier… Tread lightly, that’s none of your business.”

 

 

Surprised that he’d followed the conversation at all, as he hadn’t chimed in even once, you quickly squeezed the witcher’s hand, hoping it would reassure him, “That’s alright, I don’t mind him asking.”

 

 

Your much smaller hand squeezing his, made Geralt feel oddly content as he wittingly retorted, “Well you’ve been warned. If the next song of his is called ‘The Woodland Nymph’, it’s your own fault.”

 

 

You laughed, as Jaskier pretended to take offence at his comment, “Ahh, what do you take me for Geralt!? I’m no charlatan, I’d never name a ballad ‘The Woodland Nymph’. How unimaginative is that! And what a terrible title. Seriously…Witchers have no idea how elaborate the art of composing really is…”

 

 

You could feel Geralt’s good natured laugh, as his chest vibrated against your back, “Alright. Alright. I got it Jask’.”

 

 

Lips curled upwards, the bard nodded, then directed the next words to you,” But seriously darling, you don’t have to answer, if you don’t want to.”

 

 

“We’ll see, it might depend on your questions entirely if I answer or not.”

 

 

“Cheeky, I like it. So my first question, can you do magic?”

 

 

Thinking a bit on how to answer best, you signed and explained first that you weren’t just a nymph but also a mage to some degree. As the bard understood your heritage a little better, his questions became more and more specific. Reaching from “What would your potential children be? Quarter nymph?” to “How old can nymphs get?”

 

 

Though the next question had caught you off guard, as the witcher had posed it.

 

 

“Um, I…well I can actually talk to animals, yes. And I can somewhat understand the…um the needs of plants, too.”

 

 

Jaskier’s childlike wonder, made you smile as he exclaimed, “Wow really!? That’s amazing!!!…Wait, so you can actually talk to Roach?”

 

 

“Yeah, I can.”

 

 

“So what is she saying?”

 

 

Grinning from ear to ear, you repeated what the mare had thought previously, the second her eyes had landed on the bard, “Well earlier, she thought something along the lines off… Ah that chatty, gibberish man is back, I’ve missed him.”

 

 

“No way, you are making that up!”

 

 

The deep chuckle from behind you, warmed your heart as Geralt seemed to enjoy your banter as well.

 

 

Though he had another burning question he wanted to ask, based on a rumour he’d heard some time ago, so he cut the ramblings of the bard short, “Can you…erm…well can you turn into an animal at will?”

 

 

Jaskier’s boisterous laugh could probably be heard from over a mile away, as he pressed out between giggles,” You… did…not just….just ask that…!!!

 

 

Geralt grumbled something unintelligible, clearly embarrassed at his own question.

 

 

You felt a bit sorry for him, especially because he’d been onto something. So when the bard finally calmed down enough, you spoke up, “You know… He’s onto something. I can transform into an animal at will.”

 

The sudden silence amused you, as you added mischievously, “What animal do you think I can transform into? Any guesses?”

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Taglist:

If you’re interested in being on my taglist, please let me know! And if you want to be taken off (my taglist), feel free to tell me!❤️✨

[critter-captures]

Invertebrate ("bug") collection post, all taken at Dierenpark De Oliemeulen in September 2024:

Brachypelma hamorii, one of two species known as the Mexican redknee tarantula

Chaco golden knee (Grammostola pulchripes)

Brazilian whiteknee tarantula (Acanthoscurria geniculata)

Heteropteryx dilatata - known by a variety of common names, including jungle nymph, Malaysian stick insect, Malaysian wood nymph, Malayan jungle nymph, and Malayan wood nymph. (female shown)

[adarkrainbow]

How did Perrault and Madame d'Aulnoy portray fairies? Were they any different from each other? If so, how?

Oh yes there are major differences between the two (even though they are both supposed to be from the same universe, according to madame d'Aulnoy).

Now, they have a lot in common. All women knowing powerful magic. All equiped with magic wands. All experts at transformations, on themselves or others. All mistresses of occult art and with a gift of prescience. Stuff like that.

However the main difference between Perrault's fairies and madame d'Aulnoy's fairies would be... I'll say moral alignment?

There is no "wicked" or "evil" fairy in Perrault's fairytales. All of his fairies are good or neutral. As opposed to madame d'Aulnoy's fairytales where fairies are clearly and neatly divided into good fairies and evil fairies. It is especially spectacular because madame d'Aulnoy was the first one to do what I would call the "Glinda vs Witch of the West" dichotomy - all of her good fairies being these beautiful, tall, young ladies covered in riches and somptuous dress (or beautiful weapons when they are more soldier-like), while all of her evil fairies are these deformed, monstrous, ugly and frightening things - dressed in rags or in animal skin, too tall or too small, collecting difformities or so thin you can literaly see through their skin... (Though one has to be careful, as good fairies can turn evil due to conflict of interest, evil fairies can also turn good if turns out a higher power is not on their side, and these ugly wicked fairies can disguise themselves as beautiful nymphs, the same way the pretty good fairies can disguise themselves as repulsive animals or ugly hags, but the point stays that there's a neat divide of "good versus evil")

That's not the case with Perrault, where all the fairies seem to be on a "good neutrality" as I'll call, where they all pretty much just put curses on people if they are offended or someone failed a ceremony, but the rest of the time try to help people around.

The most jarring example would be how the episode of the "fairy baptism" are treated.

In Perrault's Sleeping Beauty, the fairy who puts the curse is not particularly evil. She is just offended and angry at having been left out and ignored, and she thus places her curse more as a retaliation towards the parents for not showing her the honor required, not out of any evil intention (it is similar to the fairy in Diamons and Toads who curses those that insult her, like the wicked sister). Meanwhile when you look at babies that receive curses in madame d'Aulnoy's stories, the cursing fairy usually is very clearly a wicked and evil person. In "Princess Mayblossom" or "The Green Snake", the cursing fairies are the evil Carabosse or Magotine, a far cry from the elder neutral force that is the old fairy of Perrault's Sleeping Beauty. The closest equivalent there is to her is the Crayfish Fairy from "The Hind in the Woods", who is actually a fairy that just got offended and insulted by not being invited but otherwise is not an evil person per se.

In fact the Crayfish Fairy is this one example of a "good fairy turned evil" I evoked before, as she starts out helping the queen, but then turns on her the minute she is not properly rewarded. Opposed to her would be the unnamed fairy of "Gracieuse and Percinet", who works for the antagonist the entire time, until she discovers that Gracieuse became the favorite of the queen of fairies (and is the girlfrend of the queen's son) and quickly makes sure to "repair" her mistake by straight up murdering her former boss. And if you want an example of one of those ugly fairies disguising herself as beautful - the Fairy of the Desert, from The Yellow Dwarf.

In summary; madame d'Aulnoy was the one who actually created this common fairytale idea of wicked fairies versus good fairies (it isn't much surprising when you remember she literaly invented the name "Carabosse" which became the most famous name of any evil fairy), whereas Perrault stayed by a more "benevolent but still neutral" idea of fairies.

Also, that's something I think Tony Gheeraert highlighted - in madame d'Aulnoy's stories fairies are explicitely immortals. In Perrault's stories it is vaguely implied they can die - simply because of how the old fairy from Sleeping Beauty was thought to have maybe died due to how long she didn't come out of her tower.

Outside of that both types wield wands, both types have tons of awesome powers, and both types have a thing for otherwordly chariots pulled by the strangest beasts - dragons being a huge favorite among fairy steeds.