#Emelins lessons

[thesfromhms]

Emelin and Lexi are ignoring me

Best friend for hire 💔💔💔💔💔?

[temp-fitz]

yayyy helloooo

Alex.

I’m pretty sure you’re Alex.

Yea

[bqstqnbruin]

Just Friends - Part 1

Hello friends here we are with a new/old fic. like I said with the prologue, this is a rewrite of a fic I started back in 2021 so here we go

General Warnings for all parts: Swearing, drinking, sex, parental death, panic attacks

WC: 4147

Read the prologue here

____________________________________________

The last thing Emeline wanted to find when she got home from work that day was Francesca and Maddy in their apartment with the music so loud she could feel the vibrations through the door. If their neighbors hadn’t complained yet, as someone did just about every single time the two of them were home with Emeline with them, there was no doubt they were going to. The fact that they hadn’t gotten kicked out of the building was baffling, if Emeline had to admit it.

“There’s no way you can hear anything,” Emeline yells over the music, dropping her bag on the floor and kicking off her shoes.

“What?” Fran yells back, she and Maddy showing no care to the fact that Emeline was unusually late getting home and dancing to Maddy’s ‘feral pop punk garage rats’ playlist that Emeline didn’t need to hear right now.

Emeline reaches over to their speaker and turns the music down a little, ignoring Maddy and Fran’s protests. “Why is it so loud?”

“Music is meant to be heard,” Maddy protests. 

“Yeah, heard, not blowing out your ear drums.” 

“Aw, did someone have a hard day at school?” Fran teases, giving her roommate a playful shove on the shoulder.

“Notice what time it is?” Emeline gestures to the clock she had hung over the TV when they first moved in, 8:15 flashing on it when she normally got home around 5:30 every day.

The three of them sit down in their living room, Maddy on the floor, Fran in the chair she had claimed as hers for the last two years, and Emeline cross-legged on the couch, the music just loud enough that Emeline could still feel the vibrations the sound waves were sending through the apartment, not helping the growing dehydration headache she had.

Emeline recounts her day, from the lab that she had set up the night before for her honors students somehow dismantled and parts of it thrown out, knowing that the janitorial staff had a habit of mistaking some of her lab equipment as garbage at times, which meant she had to scramble to reset it before her AP students showed up to review for the test they had that day. The two free periods she was banking on using to take down the honors lab and set up the college-prep lab she wanted to do last period were both taken away because everyone in her department was getting sick, so she had to go cover other classes and use that time to plan out a new lesson for them for last period. Then, since she can’t say no to her students and they found out she played lacrosse in college, she then had to go to practice despite the fact that their season was in the spring, and it was fall. Once that was over, she finally had time to set up the lab, forgetting that she also still needed to prep for the next school day. 

“So what you’re saying is, we’re ordering pizza, drinking wine, and definitely getting drunk this weekend,” Maddy says, already tapping away on her phone their usual pizza orders.

“Have fun with that. Keelan is coming over tonight, too.” Her roommates groan at the mention of her boyfriend's name. “We haven’t seen each other in two weeks since that weird conversation about the guy in the elevator. Order his pizza, too.” 

“I knew I was happier these last two weeks,” Fran snides. Maddy and Fran had a strong dislike for Keelan since the four of them met during their freshman year of college. No matter how often they were together, no matter what he did for the girls, they never warmed up to him. 

“Knock it off,” Emeline tells them, getting drowned out by Maddy turning the music back up, louder than it was when Emeline first walked into the apartment. Emeline groans, lying down on the cushions and putting one of the pillows over her face. She really wanted to just go to her room and rot in her bed by herself after the day she had. If Keelan wasn’t coming over, she could have changed into one of the hoodies and pairs of sweatpants she had stolen from him and sat in the dark with something on Netflix that she wouldn’t pay attention to playing in the background.

“Do you guys hear that?” Maddy asks, pulling Emeline out of the trance she fell into. “Is someone knocking at the door?”

“We would know if the music wasn’t so loud,” Emeline mutters, definitely not loud enough for either of them to hear it.

“Nose goes,” Fran says, her and Maddy holding their finger to their nose like children, pointing at Emeline to get up from the couch. “Have fun, Em.”

“I bet it’s Mrs. MacGregor,” Maddy laughs, their senile downstairs neighbor constantly coming over to tell them that they were walking too loud and it was disturbing her parrot.

“If it is, you’re buying dinner this weekend,” Emeline calls, hoping their eighty something year old neighbor wasn’t on the other side of the door. “Oh, hi.”

Two guys she was sure she had never seen in the building before were standing in front of her, practically towering over her. “Your music is kind of loud,” one of them says, his cheeks turning red, shoving his hands in his pockets like he was afraid to tell her. There was something about him that she found endearing. His beard was a different shade than the rest of his hair, adding to his charm, the nervous shake of his voice making her wish she met him in a different circumstance. If she wasn’t in a ‘murder everyone’ type of mood, she would have actually wanted to be nice to him. 

“No, it is loud,” the other says, clearly not amused with his friend trying to sugarcoat the subject as Emeline makes a face at them. There was something about them that made her briefly think that they were brothers, cousins, some sort of genetic relationship had to exist between them. Either that or they were both just guys with brown hair and she was too tired to comprehend anything else.

“I know.” The shorter her answers, the shorter their conversation, right?

“Who is it?” she hears Fran calling from her chair. Emeline can picture the smug faces they had as they hoped it was Emeline who had to deal with Mrs. MacGregor and not them.

“People telling us your music is too loud.” 

“Tell them to come in and say it to our faces.” 

Emeline rolls her eyes at her roommates' antics, gesturing to the strangers to come in despite not knowing who they are or why they were in their building in the first place. “They could be murders that you’re inviting in,” she points out.

“We aren’t murderers,” the nervous one says to her before turning to Fran and Maddy once she leads them into their living room. “We aren’t murderers.”

“We just got back from a trip that was way too long. We’re eating dinner and then going to bed, but we can’t do that if the music is too loud,” the other one says. 

Maddy scoffs, finally turning the music low enough that Emeline can finally think without the music interrupting her thoughts. “Who are you, anyway?”

“Murderers,” Emeline mumbles, reclaiming her spot back on the couch.

“We’re your neighbors. I’m John, this is Jeremy.”  

“Well, John, Jeremy,” Fran starts, leaning forward on her chair, “We were just about to order pizza. Want to join us?”

Emeline glares at Fran. She knows what a long day means for Emeline’s social battery. She knows that there is nothing more that Emeline wants than to go to her room and go to bed, Keelan coming over or not. 

The nervous one, Jeremy, starts to stammer. “Uh, no, it’s fine. She doesn’t really look like she’s in the mood for company, we don’t want to bother you.”

“If you’re buying, I’ll eat,” John shrugs, plopping down on the floor next to Maddy as she hands him her phone to put in what he wants. 

“Johnny, we can’t.”

“Emeline is fine. She’s just grumpy,” Fran mocks her. Emeline throws the pillow at her, silently wishing she had something harder. “Exhibit A.”

“It’s been a long day.” 

“Ours was longer,” John counters.

“It’s not a competition,” she shoots back. Before they can say anything else, she gets up, leaving the four of them in the living room. She didn’t need this. Her room was calling. Her sweatpants and sweatshirt were on her bed waiting to be changed into. 

Someone knocks at her door just as she pulls the sweatshirt over her head. She really wasn’t in the mood for Fran to just barge in like she did. “Can you at least be nice to them for like, an hour? They’re cute. And Jeremy seems to be nervous around you,” Fran tells her in a sing-songy voice. 

“So?”

“He likes you.”

Emeline scoffs, tying the strings on her hoodie just the way she likes them. “He just met me.” 

“He said he’s seen you around the building and he’s been wanting to talk to you.”

“So he’s a stalker. How does that get brought up in the less than five minutes I’ve been in here, anyway?”

“Jesus, Emeline. Not everyone is looking to commit a felony.” Emeline avoids looking at her roommate, really just wanting to be left alone. “The pizza is gonna be here soon, the guys are nice, and I’ll even be nice to Keelan when he comes if you come back.” 

“You’re annoying.”

“And you love me, anyway,” Fran tells her, throwing her arm around Emeline and dragging her back out to the living room, finding Jeremy on the couch still looking nervous when she comes back.

Emeline sits down on the other end of the couch, tucking her feet under her. She tries not to stare at the two of them in their apartment, but Fran was right, they are cute. John looks a little younger than the three of them, but Jeremy is about the same age, she guessed. There was something familiar about both of them, though. 

“So, uh, Emeline,” Jeremy starts, not making eye contact with Emeline. “Fran and Maddy said that you’re a teacher?” 

“She teaches chemistry.” 

“I can speak for myself, you know,” Emeline tells Maddy. 

“Not according to that one guy,” Fran points out, she and Maddy exchanging knowing looks about the one coworker that Emeline hated talking about the most just as her phone vibrates.

Her roommates really did forget that she can order sulfuric acid with a few clicks of a button on her computer.

“Should we ask?” John asks, noticing the scowl that was forming on Emeline’s face.

She rolls her eyes, knowing that thanks to her roommates, these guys would find out anyway, checking her phone and groaning, throwing it to the side. She was outside contract hours, he couldn’t make her work. “My department head is a dick. He takes my lessons and my labs and passes them as his own because he claims his ‘department head duties take up so much of his time he can’t plan on his own.’ He just texted me asking what I was teaching to college-prep so we’re ‘on the same page.’” 

“Do you think he’s the one who took apart the lab you set up yesterday?” Maddy asks, Emeline noticing she stole a glance of Johnny while saying it.

“Either him or our custodial staff thought some of it was actual garbage so they threw it out,” she shrugs. “Which, reminds me, I have to order more filter paper tomorrow, remind me to do that.”

Fran and Maddy exchange looks, both of them knowing that they were going to forget to tell her, scrambling for their phones to put a reminder in for themselves.

“That sucks,” is all Jeremy can add, still not looking at her.

Emeline shrugs, her phone buzzing beside her, probably another text from Anderson. “Eh, I have some of the guys in the department who try to stick up for me, and my students seem to like me, so who cares?” 

“One thing you’ll learn about Em is that part of being a teacher is that she can never check out from being one,” Maddy explains, Johnny being the one to steal a glance at her this time. “It’s constant.” 

Fran, Maddy and John fall into conversation, Emeline trying to process that even though she knew it was true, while Jeremy just sat there awkwardly on the couch next to her not saying a word. Emeline was getting more tired by the minute, and Jeremy was still too nervous to say anything to her.

“You left the door unlocked again,” they hear, interrupting their conversation. Fran and Maddy roll their eyes, Emeline’s anxiety growing suddenly as Keelan lets himself into their apartment. “Do you know how many people could just walk by and rob you when you do that? I’ve told you not to -oh, hi.” Keelan stands there, clearly expecting to only lecture the girls about their door. His face turns red, a cup from Dunkin in his hands.

“Keel, this is Jeremy and John, they’re our neighbors,” Emeline explains as he walks over to her, kissing the top of her head and handing her the drink. Emeline took a sip, grimacing at the tea he had brought her, way too sweet for her own taste despite the fact that she had told him multiple times she didn’t like sugar in her coffee or tea.

“Huh, it’s like a triple date,” he says, leaving to drop his bag in Emeline’s room, the three girls exchanging equally confused glances. 

“He really had to come tonight?” Fran whispers. 

“He’s staying over, isn’t he?”

“Yes, and yes, stop it. You knew he was coming. You said you would be nice to him.”

“I said I would be nice to him, not about him.”  

John and Jeremy sit there in awe, trying to figure out what they had just walked into. Before her roommates could protest more, Keelan comes back, sweatpants and sweatshirt on just like Emeline. Both were wearing Boston College lacrosse gear, Emeline definitely changing into the old gear because it was comfortable after what had been a day from hell, Keelan only pulling it out because the guys were there, despite the word ‘club’ written on the breast of his sweatshirt being the noticeable difference between their clothes. That didn’t matter to Keelan in the moment; Emeline didn’t even have to ask, she knew he never wore that sweatshirt unless he felt threatened by something.

“Did either of you play lacrosse?” Jeremy asks, trying to break the awkwardness.

Keelan puts his arm around Emeline, pulling her close to him faster than she was expecting. “We both did, actually. That’s how we meet.” 

“At BC?”

“We all went to Boston College, we all played lacrosse. Three of us did all four years, too, on an actual varsity team, not the club team,” Fran snides, a not so subtle dig at Keelan, causing him to roll his eyes and hold Emeline almost uncomfortably close. 

“That’s because there’s only a club team for men. For some reason, the AD decided the women having a team was more important despite you losing in the championship three years in a row,” Keelan tries to counter, only earning an eyebrow raise from Fran who was, without a doubt, about to say something much worse to him. 

“We only lost twice and won the championship our senior year,” Fran corrected him. “BC hasn’t had a varsity lacrosse team for men since 2002. If you wanted varsity, you should have went to BU.”

“What time is the pizza getting here, Mads?” Emeline changes the subject before the dick measuring contest between her boyfriend and her roommate somehow ends with her roommate winning. Fran was, as usual in her verbal sparring against Keelan, remaining calm, while Keelan himself was two seconds from saying something that would result in him getting kicked out of their apartment permanently. 

“Oh, I didn’t know you were ordering pizza,” Keelan snides.

This was awful. This was the last thing Emeline wanted to deal with when she got home. If she went to her room, then Fran or Keelan would just follow her. As soon as the pizza was there, all she wanted to do was eat it as fast as possible and run away to her room. She needed peace. She wanted quiet. 

“I’m getting a drink, who wants something?” Emeline asks, wriggling free of Keelan’s grip and heading off to the kitchen with the practically full tea still in her hands. Emeline sighed, leaning against the counter with her eyes closed. It was already pushing 9:30 pm, half an hour from when Emeline normally went to bed happily since she had to wake up to take her train way earlier than she would like to every morning. 

“Hey,” Jeremy startles her, causing her to bump her hip harder against the cabinet, making her wince at the pain that would definitely turn into a bruise. “Sorry, we can go if you really don’t want us here. We just wanted the music to be a little quieter.” 

Emeline sighs, knowing that she was acting like a bitch. “No, it’s fine. It was just a long day that was part of a longer week. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize,” Jeremy says, quietly. He shrugs. “It happens to all of us.”

Emeline looks at Jeremy, her entire being feeling calmer with him standing there for whatever reason. “Thanks.”

Jeremy swallows, clearing his throat. “Uh, the pizza should be here any minute. If you want, you can just take it to your room instead of staying out with us,” he tells her, somehow reading her mind, “I don’t think any of us would mind. Well, Fran seems like someone who might.”

Emeline can’t help but laugh. “She means well.”

“She seems to want what’s best for you. And for Maddy. I can respect that.” 

“She’s very protective, that’s for sure,” Emeline says, throwing out the tea and grabbing a glass of water. Without asking, she pours one for Jeremy, him taking it and smiling at her, sending a shiver down her spine that she didn’t quite know how to process. Fran had been there for her and Maddy’s darkest moments during college, which sounds dramatic, but she really was the first person either of them wanted to call if something was going wrong. She just cared, probably a little more intensely than either of them asked for. 

 The two of them go back into the living room without saying anything else, glasses in hand. The pizza had arrived, Maddy and Johnny passing them around, reading off everyone’s order. 

“Why’d you order me this?” Keelan asks when Emeline sits down, box in hand as Maddy  passes off the last two to her and Jeremy.

“You always get the honey barbeque chicken one,” Emeline points out, opening up her box, her favorite pizza making her suddenly excited. She didn’t realize how hungry she was, or remember the fact that she hadn’t eaten since her lunch at 11 that morning. 

“Yeah, you have made a very big deal about how you always get that one pizza, because it’s your favorite,” Maddy continues, spraying bits of her own pizza everywhere. 

“You’re a creature of habit, as you love to say,” Fran deadpans, not looking away from her own food. 

“I don’t want this. What did you get, Emmy?” 

Emeline freezes with her mouth open as she was bringing a slice to her mouth, already knowing where this conversation was going to end up. She tried to ignore Fran mouthing ‘Emmy,’ to Maddy, mocking the nickname Emeline admittedly hated that Keelan always used for her. “The White Greek pizza.” 

“It’s fine, we can just switch.” 

“But,” she starts, looking at her own pizza. “I don’t like barbeque. You know that.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want this.” 

The two of them stare at each other for a minute, Emeline’s mind trying to process the fact that Keelan even had the audacity to ask her to eat his pizza when he knew she detested the entire thing. They were nice enough to buy him a pizza, a surprise that he wasn’t expecting, and here he was, demanding that she give him hers? She had called him on the way home and told him all about her day and what happened, and now he was adding to it? “Take mine.” Both of them turn to Jeremy, him already holding his box out for Keelan. “I thought I ordered the barbeque one anyway, not the buffalo one, it was my mistake.” 

“Hey, thanks, man,” Keelan says, all too happy to take the pizza from someone he just met. 

Fran, Maddy, and John start to have a conversation, tuning out the three of them on the couch. Not that they were saying anything. Emeline was too mad to eat the entire thing, only picking off the olives instead. Jeremy was trying his best not to cringe at the overly sweet pizza that he had never had any intention of ordering. Keelan just existing at that moment was enough to make Emeline irritated.

“You know what,” Emeline says, closing the box of pizza, all five of them startled and suddenly turning towards her. “I think I’m going to turn in.”

“Are you sure?” Jeremy asks, a sound of panic in his voice.

“Yeah, I mean, I’m tired, I have to wake up early and I have another long day tomorrow, anyway.” Emeline leaves before anyone can protest.

The five of them watch Emeline leave, Fran and Maddy sending death glares at Keelan. 

“Why must you have the personality of a guy who’s had back pain his entire life? What is wrong with you?,” Fran scolds him, throwing a napkin at him.

“What kind of insult even is that?”

“‘I don’t want this,’” Maddy mimics in a high pitched voice. “What adult talks like that?”

“Go apologize to her or I’m going to shove my foot so far up your ass you’re going to taste that instead of the pizza you took from Jeremy,” Fran threatens.

“I offered it to him,” Jeremy tries to diffuse the situation.

“You love buffalo chicken though. Linus has fed you buffalo wings in the locker room before,” John points out.

“We’re going to talk about that in a second,” Maddy starts, “but Keelan, come on. You know how stressful this time when lacrosse starts back up for her. You could have just taken the pizza she was nice enough to order for you.” 

“I knew I should have let you starve.” 

Keelan huffs, putting the pizza down on the table in front of them. He knocks on the door to Emeline’s room, not waiting for her to invite him in since the lights were already off. He sees her in the dark, lying on her back scrolling on her phone. “I’m a dick.”

“I know.” 

He sits down on the bed next to her. “I’m sorry.” 

“For?” she asks, treating him like one of her students.

Keelan sighs, lying down. “How long have you known Jeremy?”

“I met him like an hour before you got here.”

“He was the guy in the elevator.”

Emeline groans. “I thought we were past this.”

“Well.”

“Well?”

“Well, he likes you, Em.” Emeline can’t help but scoff. “I mean, I obviously can’t blame him. But, Em, he hasn’t taken his eyes off you the entire time he’s been here. He didn’t take his eyes off you in the elevator either. John even said Jeremy had mentioned that he’s been wanting to talk to you.”

“Oh, for fucks sake,” she groans again, putting her phone on her stomach and covering her face with her hands. ���So what? That doesn’t mean he likes me, it means he’s kind of a creep. And if he does, what does it matter?” 

“I’m afraid.”

Emeline reaches over to turn the lamp on, wanting to get a look at Keelan for this, this confirmation she was waiting for. She studies his face as he stares up at her ceiling fan. “Afraid of what?”

“What if I lose you?” 

Emeline lets out a little laugh. “To Jeremy? Please.” She rests her head on his chest, Keelan wrapping his arm around her and kissing her forehead. “At most, he can be a friend. Just like Jack. Just like Marc,” she says, referencing his college teammates.

“Jack and Marc didn’t so obviously like you.”

“Jack and Marc both tried to hook up with me multiple times during college.”

Keelan sighs, pulling her closer. “Just a friend?”

“Just a friend.”

[soapoet]

Who hurt you?

like & rb if it resonates ♡

01.

Shufflemancy: Feelings by EMELINE

This connection could've been so good and had so much potential to last, if it weren't for their near Machiavellian villainy. A power couple is not a dynamic between the crème de la crème who out of the blue and without warning shifts to through their words and actions make the other feel like a foolish peasant who couldn't possibly know better. To treat another like royalty then knock the crown they themselves laid atop your head down seemingly for no reason. Never at all cautious with their words, and worst of all entirely unreceptive of any feedback. Once told they have crossed the line, instead of compassion and asking for forgiveness, the music swells as they justify and explain as though you are but a child, merely overreacting, too emotional to understand and ought to see it from their high and mighty perspective. A person supposed to love you and be worthy of your trust talking down on you from their throne, and in their eyes you see only a heart cold as ice, unrelenting and certain that criticism is a threat and must be stricken down no matter how they claim to love you in the very next breath.

Now, however, they are really feeling the void you left behind when you walked away. For many of you this departure was originally a back and forth, in which you always wound up caught in their net, then escaped, only to be pulled back again. The final time you walked out they did not even flinch, certain you would come back again as always. Time crawled onwards and you were but an echo of the past, slowly fading, and the more days and weeks that flew by the more the feeling of defeat crept up on them. They tried to run, they tried to hide, denying that they had been abandoned. They filled their days with cheer and diversion, perhaps in part to appear at ease upon your return, though mostly because your silence had become deafening and so very frightening.

They're beginning to grow uncomfortable by the tightening of the noose they placed around their own neck when they hurt you. They feel choked up, and in panic they may be lashing out and casting blame everywhere outside of them and treating others poorly. A short fuse breaking their picture perfect image as they rampage at the slightest inconvenience. Unfortunate are those who bear witness to their disgrace and dishonour, but loyal in their steadfast duty to remain at their side knowing that though they're whipped there is good left and needs cleansing to be set free. This seems written in the stars. An important lesson for them to learn and take to heart. To face their shadow boldly and cut out the pieces that serve neither them, others, or the world. A purge is happening, in which they must overcome their own terrors and transmute them to light and make right the wrongs of the past. This can take some time, but you may hear from them, but not until the apologies are sincere and forgiveness may be bestowed upon them truly.

Additional details: substance abuse, red and orange, spicy food, birds (jays and chickens in particular), pigs, hedgehogs, discord servers and other groups of people (guilds and factions, group chats, etc.), upbeat music, travelling, blocked, disgust, unhealthy push and pull, twinflame terminologies, church, large gatherings, parties, family, parents, ex partners, LDR, Capricorn/Scorpio/Aquarius/Pisces, Pluto/Mars/Moon, 4H/5H/8H, January/April/September/December.

02.

Shufflemancy: Someone you loved by Lewis Capaldi

It really felt like the rug was pulled from beneath your feet. Out of nowhere, no less. You were lead to believe everything was good and fine and sudden the image shattered overnight, leaving you cornered in a room full of broken glass. Paralysed, shaking from anger and hurt and with no escape. It can seem as though your whole life was turned upside down. Like you no longer knew what or who you could trust. The burdens so much heavier on your shoulders as the whip cracks, signaling demands for you to run, run faster than ever before, with no direction other than "away". A door slammed in your face with a pocketful of change and the rains cruelly pouring down on your parade.

But, it had been alright. Right? Scrambling to figure out where things went wrong, at what part of the journey did you stumble away from the path, where did you stray? A search for answers yields only more questions to keep you up at night. Replaying the past like a favourite record, coming to find you no longer remember the lyrics and no song sounds familiar to you. What has become of this person? In your mind they are growing blurry though you hear their words so clearly. Afraid you'll forever be haunted by them and their cruel words and schemes. You look to other people who bore witness to this crime and find wolves in sheep's clothing in every previously kind smile, who now look upon you with disgust and turn away. You've never felt so alone and hopeless, forced to limp away to lick your wounds in the dark where hopefully nobody will find you and hurt you again.

Perhaps little birdies whispered in their ears, long enough to fuel any resentment held within to erupt in your face. Somebody who used to care and be so kind and promised to take care of you, suddenly switching to someone unrecognisable to you. You'll survive, I promise you this, and this ordeal will teach you greater independence so that never will you have to face something like this again. They will journey on with serpents and delude themselves into thinking they did what's right, and one day the little birdies will whisper in different ears to their demise and they will find themselves in your point of view. Perhaps then they will realise their wrongs and truly understand. By then you will be stronger and shine brighter, out in the world living a good life, and you will have the grace they did not and accept closure with no ill will. But until then it is okay for you to cry and scream of how much you hate their guts.

Additional details: Instruments, boxes, CDs and DVDs, childhood nostalgia, baby animals, creaky stairs, the smell of petrichor, rings, social work/healthcare, mental health concerns, sleepovers, long hair cut short, striped or mismatched socks, phone calls, short distance travel, siblings or cousins or other relatives your age, colleagues, brown/green eyes, trinkets/charms, exes and authority figures, Cancer/Sagittarius/Leo/Aries, Sun/Ascendant/Mercury, 4H/6H/11H, February/October/November.

03.

Shufflemancy: Famous last words by My chemical romance

This was messy from the very start. You may think now that, surely, this should never have happened at all. Retracing your steps wondering how and why and where you took this strange and awful detour. And why did it leave you so broken? At the time it was not supposed to be so serious, it was fun and games but you began losing every round. No matter the strategy you could simply never win and it was becoming no fun at all and you wanted out of the game. Yet they continued to cast the dice of your fate, and you were left hopelessly scrambling for even a semblance of stability. In fact, you were the one to provide such things, weren't you? At their lowest you dropped what you were doing to provide solutions to their problems so that they would not slip into despair. You devoted yourself to their issues, and they not at all to yours. Your grievances were inconvenient at best, frustrating and somehow a thorn in their side at worst. For some of you, this could've been a long-term friendship which came crumbling down out of the blue and left you shattered though it may have had more control of your life than you originally thought.

And after all you did, they did not choose you. Perhaps they chose another, or ran back to an old flame, like a moth towards a brighter light when they were done dimming yours through their words and actions, or lack of either. For some, their regards for you were altered or manipulated by people you could consider foes. This severance of ties was quick and left you shaken, even for those of you to whom this connection was very new still, and looking back had not been given the time to fully grow roots. Yet once it was uprooted, you took it worse than anticipated and you really were left wondering how they grew their vines around your heart and mind so fast. For many, there can be an element of extra grievance in the form of having known somebody in their quarters was a problem or a threat to your union. Like you were certain that the vultures would come to get their picking if you ever turned away for mere seconds too long, so seeing this person run into the arms of somebody you had on your radar despite their hollow reassurances could've exasperated your sense of betrayal. It is one thing to feel in your gut what could come and fear it from afar, and another to see it come to pass just as you had feared.

This was by no means an easy shift, but one which lead you to learn many important lessons. Your boundaries seem clearer now and you won't as easily let them be stepped on. Whilst you picked up the pieces left scattered on the floor, you took extra care to pick up only those that would serve you and your future. Any gossip or ill will you have directed elsewhere and chosen not to dig deeper, knowing you would only hurt yourself returning to the depths of obsession. Now you look for red flags they taught you, while they desperately search for you in those they meet, helplessly needing somebody to run their life the way you did with such tenacity and grace. There is no telling whether they ever will realise that the reason why their world falls apart every other Tuesday is because of their own words and actions, and I pity those who fall trap into the place you once called yours as it does not seem to be a position of any stability and longevity. At least you've come out of this stronger and firmer in your stance of who you want around and what you do and do not tolerate, and I applaud you for that. Should this be an old friend who one day asks for forgiveness, you may grant them that without lowering the drawbridge completely.

Additional details: sunshine, leather jacket, tinder or other dating apps, childhood friends, blonde or light brown hair, puppies, instagram, psychology, roses and sunflowers, photography, cosplay, glow ups, new adventures and experiences, growing up faster after time of hindered growth, university, book series, fandom spaces, tumblr, Scorpio/Sagittarius/Libra/Gemini, Saturn/Jupiter/Uranus/Moon, 3H/5H/9H/12H, March/July/November/December.

[marthawrites]

The Arbor and the Dragon: Chapter 2, Discovery

Aemond Targaryen x Redwyne fem reader

word count: 5.4k+

About: After the official betrothal, you learn more about Aemond with each passing day. You're unsure to be scared or excited with these discoveries, but he always leaves you wanting more.

Includes: Potential rumors, dragon riding, botched high valyrian, more allusions to possessiveness, gift giving, kissing, sexual tension (smut coming in the next chapter 🤭)

Note: Hello lovely reader! Please enjoy chapter two! As stated last time, to avoid the use of Y/N, your name is Emeline and you're implied to have brown eyes and freckles. Everything else is up to the reader!

read chapter 1 here

-

“Do you really think my bitch of a half-sister and uncle will fight you fairly? No. They will find your weakness and use it against you. If you wish to lay there like a worm you'll get no pity from me,” Aemond sneered down at the trainee who'd got the wind knocked out of him, the younger man curled up and trying to regain his breath. “And that goes for all of you,” he continued, practice sword held out straight in front of him as he gestured to everyone with a turn of body. “Or there will be worms feeding on your corpse in the dirt.”

Whispers broke out among the trainees, heads making a variety of gestures as they talked low to one another. Aemond Targaryen wasn't the largest man around around, yet his skill outshone the biggest of them. Even toe to toe with Ser Criston Cole seemed to be of mediocre challenge. Perhaps that's what Ser Cole had wanted after all their years training together.

So, there's the prince I've heard about, you thought. You'd yet to see this side of him. Maybe you were spoiled in that regard: only seeing his softer side thus far, his private self. Seeing him like this made something stir low in your belly, pulse quickening in tandem as you observed his intensity.

“Pfft. Get a load of this guy. We're in the training grounds. Why did he have to humiliate him like that in front of everyone?” A man not much younger than Aemond said to his friend in earshot of you.

“He is your prince,” you retorted, expression shifting to that of disbelief. “And he is making a lesson out of someone's failure so you–” you jabbed the air in a point, “–and everyone else can learn from it.” Your own gaze rivaled the intensity of Aemond's, staring up at the younger man with eyes daring him to speak another word on it. At your side, your handmaid, Jane, held tight to your arm, her own attention shifting between the trio of you.

“My dear Lady Redwyne speaks the truth,” Aemond said with smug pride. “My sweet betrothed defending me against my own men,” he arched his brow high, eye keen on the other man. “Trainee. Your name is Will, yes? Come. Let's see if you can back up what you say when you think I cannot hear you.” He held the training sword loosely, he point of it in the dirt, while his other hand rested behind his back. When he saw the other man make no move to step into the circle, Aemond rolled his neck. “I will not ask a second time. If you are unwilling, then I will strike you anyway.”

Was he always like this? you thought. It can't simply be because I'm watching him today, right? Anticipation fluttered in your stomach.

“Apologies, my prince,” Will replied with a bow of head. “I meant no disrespect. Merely curious at your choice of action,” he added, a flush creeping into his face as he stepped into the circle. It widened.

“Now, get your stance right and make to knock me down,” he said, eye never leaving the other as he found his footing too. A quiet moment passed between them before the Will leapt and went to make a cheap shot of Aemond's blindside. Aemond quickly dodged and knocked the training sword out of his hand. He pointed it to the center of his chest. “Dead boy. My half-sister's armies will not give you another chance."

You didn't realize you were gripping onto Jane's arm. "Are you feeling okay Lady Redwyne?" She asked with concerned eyes, finally breaking your attention away from the prince.

A breath escaped your lungs and you nodded, loosening your hold on the poor dear. "Yes. Sorry. I didn't realize I was squeezing you. Aemond just makes me feel...," you paused, looking around like you might find the right word in the air. "Excited. You know? Alive. Tense. Nervous. Giddy," you added with bright eyes, tipping your head closer to hers so you two might share a giggle. "He makes me feel a lot of things I'm not quite used to feeling." You patted her arm, smiling, a glint of mischief on your face. "And I've yet to see that side of him," you added with a gesture to where he and twenty or so other men were gathered and training.

“No, I don't suppose he'd be sparring with you before kissing you in the gardens,” she said softly, playfully, rolling her yes.

In the training circle, Aemond won yet again, seemingly not going easy on any of them even if his own skill far surpassed their own. Another man, one of Will's friends by the look of it, winced, holding his arm with care. “Do you think you accepted his proposal too soon, my Lady? If you've yet to see this side of him I'm sure there's a hundred – no, a thousand – other sides you haven't seen either.” She clearly had other feelings about the prince, none so approving as your own.

“War is here, my dear. Whether we like it or not. And the prince? Well...,” you paused, gaze panning over to where he was finally sparring with someone closer to his skill level. Even from where you stood you could see sweat beading on his forehead, eye calculating. His lean body was agile as he dipped, dodged, and parried; white hair flowing and bouncing with his movements all the while. Why did this sight of him make you feel as if a hive of bees took home in your head? “It is what men do. They protect. If there's anything I've heard of him it's that he's a man of duty. Surely being prince means he has a long list of duties to honor. Strength has to be high on that list?”

She pulled you away, guiding you further out of earshot range before looking at you. “I can only imagine. By what I've heard, it's he who's always taken his birth duties more seriously than even his brother the king.” Her voice hushed, then, no more than a whisper. “While the king has drank, put bastards in the bellies of whores, and slept the days away... his little brother has studied, practiced, and mastered dragon riding.”

A breath held in your throat as she spoke. “You cannot speak of the king so freely with so many others around,” you half hissed, eyes wide in concern.

“Shh I know I know, that's why I moved away. But, my Lady?” she asked, eyes wide and much softer than yours.

“What is it?”

Her voice was somehow even lower now. “I've also heard your betrothed has taken so few whores – even regular ladies – that people wonder about him. No one knows if he enjoys... pleasures of the flesh.”

Had Aemond Targaryen put on a mask of flirting and sensuality, kissing you in the gardens with passion to blush your cheeks for hours afterward, for merely your father's fleet?

-

Dinner that night was a small affair. Neither King Aegon nor prince Aemond were present, and you could only guess what type of duties would keep both of them away at the night's waning hour. Jane was there with you, as well as Helaena, and Alicent, and a few other ladies of the court. You hadn't yet spent much time with them, however, and you were still distracted by the conversation earlier with your handmaiden.

Once finished with the meal, you dismissed yourself and made your way to your bedchamber. Once inside, laying on the floor as if it were delivered beneath the crack of your door, was a folded letter. In a script you now recognized, it read,

“My Lady Redwyne,

I apologize for not dining with you tonight. Tomorrow morning, once you've broken your fast, meet me outside the Red Keep. Wear your warmest clothes. I've spoken with mother and have until noon free. I wish to spend it with you. My days are long without your company.

Sleep well,

Aemond”

Your stomach flipped while reading his hand. Part of you was excited – beyond excited at the prospect – while the other half of you held reserve. You wanted nothing more than to fall asleep with eagerness for dawn in your belly, yet you couldn't shake the idea of him continuing the betrothal for your father's fleet. Placing the letter atop the spare table, you undressed to don your nightgown. Luckily sleep came easy, and despite your warring haunches, you dreamt of Aemond, your home, and wading in the sea.

-

“Good morning, my prince, how were you able to get out of your duties for the entire morning?” You asked him as soon as you found him waiting where he said he would be. His own attire appeared heavier than normal, complete with a long jacket and gloves tucked into a pocket. How he could always appear dashing was beyond you.

“And to you as well, my lovely lady,” he said in a voice that sounded like it'd just woken up. “I agreed to visit the sept tonight, and double my prayers for the opportunity to spend the morning with you.” 

You'd never been particularly religious and the idea of him trading time around like that made an odd combination of giddiness and guilt wash over you. “Perhaps I could join you in prayer one of these nights. Or mornings. Whichever you prefer, my prince.”

A glint sparked behind his eye, the lilac of it bight with the early golden sun. “I'd like that,” he replied, reaching for your hand as he stepped into you, fingers lacing between your own. “My Lady, we are to be wed soon. Please, say my name and drop the formalities while we're together.”

Giddiness wholly washed over guilt, and in that moment you completely forgot the wariness of him you'd been carrying since yesterday. “That we are...,” you started, looking down to where your hands connected. His was so much bigger than yours; long fingers, skin rough with callous, a faint dusting of pale hair visible only in the light. "May I kiss the top like you have mine?" You asked before you could stop yourself, heart fluttering.

Was that the creep of a blush in Aemond's face? A small sound came from his throat and for a moment you thought he might pull away. But, he tilted his head down at you, eye lingering over you, before giving a half nod. "Yes."

You brought your joined grasp up, and beneath the security of your lashes you peered to the skin of your target. Slowly, your mouth pressed in a kiss. Soft. You looked up at him with a brief smile before lowering your hands to where they were before. "Why did you ask me to wear warm clothes?"

The pink splotches in his face slowly faded, and the intensity of his regard had you shifting your feet where you stood. "I want you to meet Vhagar. You have sea legs, of that I have no doubt. But how are you in the sky?" Mischief sparked in his eye at your reaction.

"Vhagar? You want me to fly with you?" Nerves prickled your skin.

"I do. She's the largest and oldest dragon in the world. And more than that... she's my friend. The best of a friend, really. The only one I've had. She's very important to me and since we are to marry I want you two to also have a kinship." His voice was low as of he were sharing a secret with you; something private that, perhaps, he never shared with another person.

"I- uhm... well... she won't-," you paused, bashful and scared, "-she won't bite me?" You asked, wincing.

Aemond actually smiled, and for a moment even the stark contrast of his eyepatch softened. "No. She won't."

What in the Seven hells were you getting into? "And you won't let me fall!?"

Smirking, he instantly pulled you to him so your back was pressed fully to his front, his arms wrapped securely around you. "Never. Do you think so little of me?" He asked, dipping his head low to press a single, hot kiss to the line of your jaw.

You squealed with a little laugh, goosebumps immediately answering his kiss. "Consider this my first test of trustworthiness!" His hold loosened around you; you never wanted him to let go.

A little while later, Aemond had you on the beach approaching Vhagar. The old girl was sleeping, curled up and as comfortable as something so large could be. You thought she was massive before, but now? Seeing her so close? She was immense. Bigger than any single thing you've seen in your life. You weren't even sure what to compare her to. A castle? A mountain? Something between, surely. "How many people have you introduced to her?" You asked, voice shaking.

"Like this? None," the hand at the small of your back eased its pressure. "She's known many people, however. I'm her third rider. She's no stranger to friendliness to those her rider trusts."

Your feet rooted into the sand as Aemond walked up to the now stirring dragon. You marveled at her from afar, stunned in enchantment and terror. From where you waited you watched Aemond run his hands over her, letting her know he was there. "Rytsas Vhagar. Ivestragī īlva sōvegon? Nyke emagon syt ao naejot rhaenagon tubī. īlon issi naejot dīnagon aderī. Sagon sȳz, kessa?" Hello Vhagar. Let us fly? I have someone for you to meet today. We are to marry soon. Be good, yes? He spoke in a language you didn't recognize. "Come, my Lady. She's ready. I'm sure you know your way around a saddle?" He gestured to you, speaking in the common tongue now.

The she dragon lifted her enormous head and regarded you with clever eyes. The breath coming from her was warm. She yawned massively, exposing her teeth that were surely as long as swords. You hadn't realized you were trembling until Aemond's hands rubbed up and down your arms. "What did you say to her? Will she understand me?"

Aemond nodded.

With a deep breath you extended an arm in front of you, stepping slowly to the dragon. "H-hello," you stuttered, trying to look her in the eye. "My name is Emeline and I'm from the Arbor. Have you ever been there?" You hadn't a clue if she could hear you for you had no idea where her ears were; nor was your voice terribly loud. Yet, still, she made a string of noises, not so unlike a bird. A very, very large bird.

"She has," Aemond replied, as if he understood those noises. You didn't question him.

"You are lovely, Vhagar. You must have seen the Arbor before I was born. I'd undoubtedly remember seeing you," you smiled, easing ever so slightly. She made another couple of noises. "I am to marry Aemond. I'm happy to meet you." Dragons were entirely unknown to you, but you could have sworn her eyes softened – if that were somehow possible.

Aemond led you around to her side, and as you did so the she-dragon lifted further off the beach making sand cascade off her form. "Here. The ropes are sturdy. I'll climb up behind you in case you stumble or need a push," he said with the faintest twinkle of amusement. You gulped but said nothing, grabbing hold of the rope and making your way up the makeshift latter. Your betrothed, in all his courtly gentlemanliness, tried his very best to not stare up at your legs and backside as you ascended. He failed. Miserably.

"Will I sit in front or behind you, my pri-, uhm, I mean, Aemond?" You called behind, watching as he crested over the swell of Vhagar's side. His cheeks were reddened and you wondered why. Surely he's made this climb a million times before! "Are you okay?"

He cleared his throat and momentarily avoided eye contact. "Yes. Just feeling excited. I've never done this before," he said almost sheepishly – the tone a stark difference from anything you've heard from him so far. "You can sit in the front. I can hold the reins and keep you secure in front of me," he gained confidence by the second, the heat leaving his face.

It took a few minutes and clumsy movements to get situated, and when you did a thrill danced up and down your spine. You were going to ride a dragon. With Aemond Targaryen. You bodies were pressed so firmly together you could have sworn you felt the thud of his heart against your back; or perhaps it was merely your own pulse roaring through your veins. Regardless, this was the closest you two had ever been. His arms pressed along your sides as he grabbed the reins. You'd never been so disappointed to see gloves before. An unknown corner of your mind longed to see his bare hands controlling the ropes. 

“Aemond! The suspense is killing me! I’m ready. I think. Yes, I’m ready!” you half shrieked, closing one eye as your body tensed in anticipation. You held onto the saddle with all your grip strength, calves tightening in tandem.

Behind, you couldn’t see the prince’s smile, but you heard it when he said, “Sōvegon, Vhagar.” fly And with that, the great dragon lurched forward, sand glittering off her form like golden coins as she spread her wings and kicked off the beach with enough might to shake the ground beneath. 

Screams and laughs poured from your mouth, glee unrestricted as you flew with your soon to be husband upon the only true friend he’d known. Time lost meaning.

The sun was high in the center of a blue sky before Aemond landed Vhagar. He helped you dismount. "Let's get you back to the Red Keep. Surely your throat is dry from all the screaming," he jested, mood light and playful in the aftermath.

"Thirsty and hungry," you corrected.

The carriage ride back, while relatively uneventful, sparked with a different kind of energy than all the other times you and Aemond were alone together. A sort of tension that made the low muscles in your belly tighten. You knew this feeling and wanted to drape across his lap and kiss him silly, yet you behaved and remained to yourself. Such things were unfitting for a young woman who was to be wed, even if the actions of desire were with her betrothed, and you tried so hard to focus on anything but the beautiful man across from you. Much to your dismay, his eye hardly left yours or your form.

"Here we are, my Lady. I'll walk you inside but then I must be off again," he said, offering his arm.

A sigh left your lips. "I understand. But, Aemond?" His name rolled off your tongue in the softest of a question, your body effortlessly leaning into him as you finished the walk to the Red Keep. "I'm counting down the days until we are married. I wish for nothing more than to share a bed, and a room, with you."

Something about his eye – no, his entire face – darkened, fingers grasping around you with an unmistakable restrain of yearning. Before he could say anything in return, however, an unknown voice sounded from behind you.

"Prince Aemond! Smart smart man. I can see why you chose Lady Redwyne over all the other maidens you turned down. The Arbor really does produce the biggest, juiciest peaches, don't they?"

Aemond's entire body flexed.

Your stomach dropped.

The offending man, while perhaps not realizing what he'd done – just one man talking to another, right? – shamelessly and approvingly eyed over your backside, tongue in cheek. If this'd been King Aegon he likely would have gotten away with it. But Aemond? No. No, not the prince.

Before anything could be done or said against it, Aemond pivoted, fist clenched, and drove it right into the center of the other's face. A nasty crunch cracked under the punch, and the other's hands immediately flew to his face at the impact. Blood gushed from his nose. "Seven hells!"

Aemond kicked the man's feet out from beneath him and sent him landing with a heavy thud, still stunned from his broken nose. Aemond's foot stepped over his throat, increasing the stun. "I suppose you think you're terribly funny. I don't know who you think you are, peasant, and if I hear you say another word about my betrothed, you'll no longer have a tongue. Understand?" He stepped harder on his throat with the question, blood darkening the black of his leather boot.

He nodded, a second away from choking on blood and saliva alike.

You, too, were stunned. You stood there, shielding your gaping mouth, frozen and silent.

"Apologize. Do you think she'd find a lowborn swine like yourself appealing? Pathetic." Aemond tilted his head, waiting for an answer.

The broken nosed man shook his head and waved in surrender, knowing that'd get the boot off his throat. "'M s-sorry, my prince, Lady," he croaked, before bursting into a coughing fit. Bystanders were paying attention by now, and none of them dared step in the way.

Aemond chuffed through his nose. "Come, princess," he said your name, turning to look at you. "There's nothing more to see here." He walked to you, clean hand splaying over your lower back, and didn't bother to give the man on the ground any more attention. Let him bleed and have a crooked nose, Aemond thought.

The rest of the day went by uneventfully compared to your natural high and adrenaline rush. As sleep crept into your body, you heard the sickening crack of that man's nose over and over again. And while the sound made you cringe, the image of blood splattered across Aemond's knuckles did something to you and you weren't sure why. Never before had something akin made your core ache. Was it the violence that excited you? The protection? Or merely the fact of it being the prince with his pale, lovely skin marked red with someone else's blood?

You slept peacefully all night.

-

The following morning, Aemond managed to talk his mother into letting the two of you eat breakfast alone in the gardens. The air was light and crisp, sun shining with a promise of warmth as fog slowly lifted from all of King's Landing.

"How is your hand this morning?" You asked, realizing he had a small cut over the index knuckle.

He flexed it, eyeing it briefly before replying, "fine. Nothing but a tiny scratch."

You wanted to say something, anything, about all those feelings you had last night as you drifted off to sleep. But for the life of you, nothing coherent formed on your tongue. And, try as you might, it didn't go unnoticed.

"Is something the matter?" Aemond asked with a genuineness that struck your heart. Without doubt, he was a coin with the option of either heads or tails and a little gray area between. As your stay prolonged, each day you saw something new in him. You wondered if he was a dice, too – six sides. Perhaps even a dice with more sides than that. So far he'd shown you nothing but kindness. And yet, more colors bloomed to his surface; watercolors spilling into each other, into an increasingly defined portrait of the young Targaryen prince.

"No, my prince," you replied after a moment, lashes unintentionally fluttering.

"Do not lie to me, princess," he answered evenly, fingers drumming atop the table as he looked across at you. Studying.

Beneath the table you crossed your legs. You bit over your bottom lip and even scratched your nose – you couldn't help it! "Okay," you groaned. "Okay. I, uhm... well, I feel a bit silly. I think you think it might be. So, I'm... torn."

That answer sent a single brow arching. "Surely I can be the judge of my reaction to whatever you deem silly."

You sighed, seemingly collecting yourself. "When I was gathering my things at home for the journey here, I contemplated bringing you a gift. At the last minute I grabbed it and have been holding onto it since. We hadn't met, of course, so I wasn't sure if it'd be something you liked. But after yesterday?" You trailed off for a moment, smiling at him across the table. "Even though part of me still thinks it's silly... the other part thinks you'll like it."

A smile graced his lips and you wanted desperately to kiss it. “Did you bring it with you this morning?”

You nodded.

“Well, let's see it.”

With a breath deep enough to swell your chest, you bent down and grabbed a small pack. Opening its flap you retrieved a medium sized square covered in black cloth. You stared at the wrapped gift for another moment before offering it to Aemond, smiling shyly as he took it. You sat on the edge of your seat. Both hands folded beneath your chin, and your dark eyes sparkled with wonder as you watched him open it.

Aemond peeled the cloth back with care. Once uncovered it revealed a glass shadow box containing, perhaps, the last thing he expected to see. A bat. A perfect, brown and black, tiny bat. The little creature was taxidermized in a forever flight, the preservation of it so skillful the thin veins in its wings were still on perfect display, as well as it's fur and tiny teeth. Pristine. “I've never seen anything like this,” he finally said, finally meeting your gaze. “Where ever did you find such a thing?”

He didn't hate it. Your hands fell into your lap and balled into fists lest they begin trembling from excitement. “It's not a dragon. And I fear it's much less exciting than one. But, I've always loved bats. Such misunderstood creatures,” you trailed off, turning your head so you too could see the glass box in his hands. “I'm not sure what happened to this little one, but when I stumbled across it it was so still and perfect I thought it might be sleeping. Alas, it wasn't, and something about it made me want to keep it. So, I had it preserved.”

Wonderment brightened his features in the morning's soft golden air. “It is your own kind of dragon, hm? A whelpling from the Arbor. It has fur instead of scales. But it has teeth and claws and fierce little eyes. Thank you, my darling. I love this.”

You clapped. Actually clapped. “Oh I'm so glad! You truly don't think it silly?” When he shook his head in answer your smile widened even further. “Oh, Aemond,” you sighed blissfully. “Now I can eat peacefully without fretting about your reaction.” You served yourself a helping or two of the breakfast spread, elated.

“Can you tell me about them? I admit I have little to no knowledge of bats or their purpose aside from getting tangled in innocent's hair,” he smirked, playful, as he too dished up.

While sharing a private meal in a secluded clove of the gardens, you told the young prince all he wanted to know about bats. Your home was known for wine from reds, to whites, to golds. And, as such, it required a lot of grapes. The entire bug population was of the utmost importance. There were a dozen or so breeds of bees you knew off the top of your head which made pollination fruitful, including the honey bee. There were perhaps half as many species of butterflies which also helped the pollination process. Birds, too, of course, for seeding. Yet, perhaps at the top of the list for pollinators? Bats. That shocked Aemond. He hadn't known bats were part of that ecosystem and was keen to learn more. You were happy to explain it to him and he listened, fascinated.

-

As was the duty of the prince, he was summoned elsewhere and you had the rest of the day to yourself. It wasn't quite lonely, but there was a certain level of yearning and melancholy to your aura where ever you went. If you'd had it your way, you and Aemond would already be wed. Surely his princely duties could wait so he could spend time with his lady wife, right? You wanted to be his sweet little wife and have all the private time you could manage.

Jane kept you company as she always did – your handmaiden being one of your very best friends – and she too was thrilled that your gift was received with interest and fascination.

That night, soon after she left you alone for bed, there was a soft knock at your door. For a moment you thought your ears merely played a trick on you, and that's when a second knock sounded. Who could be here at this hour? Padding barefoot across the cool stone floor, you put your ear to the door and asked, “who is it?”

“My Lady Redwyne, prince Aemond is here for you,” Louis answered. “Do you want to receive him, or is the hour too late?” You opened the door and hugged a thin overcoat tighter to you as chilled air crept into your fire warmed room. “I'm afraid you two cannot be alone in a room together, as per Alicent and your father's request, but I can move down the hall a bit as to not eavesdrop terribly,” he bowed politely, glancing over his shoulder to the prince before walking down the hall ten or fifteen feet.

You nodded. “Thank you, Louis,” you said after him. Turning your attention to Aemond, now, you peered at him questioningly. “What are you doing here so late?” You asked, voice barely above a whisper.

He still wore the same attire he had this morning, and there was a different glint in his eye. Something you'd yet to witness. The lovely hue of his iris shrunk as he stepped into you, stroking the backs of his fingers down your arm before settling at the curve of your waist. You were only in your nightgown; thin overcoat thrown on hastily to answer the door. “I wanted to see you one more time before retiring to my own quarters. Part of me wants to apologize for catching you in only your sleep wear, but...,” he paused, voice lower than your own had been, his single eye slowly looking over you with obvious approval. “I'm really not sorry.”

His voice shot right down your spine and his grip tightened, just slight, on your waist. Bees buzzed in your head. “Well, yes, Aemond. It's late. Surely you know ladies relax before sleep.” You tried to keep your voice steady, your eyes on his face and not elsewhere along his very close, lean body. He smelled good.

“I'm not shaming,” he answered, free hand lifting to touch under your jaw. “Merely surprised.” He carefully pulled you into him, the softness of your front brushing against the firm front of him with tantalizing sensuality. With a crook of his fingers he angled your mouth up to him and he bent to meet it, soft lips eliciting the smallest gasp from your throat.

You returned his kiss. Fire blazed through your entire center.

“We cannot be alone here. I wish to take you on another ride soon. What do you think about that?” Pulling back from you, then, he delicately pushed the pad of his thumb against the swell of your bottom lip.

With that tone, and closeness, and glint in his eye, he could have asked anything of you and you would have agreed. You nodded, eyes soft and bright – eager – pressing the smallest kiss to his thumb. “Yes, please,” you breathed, immediately caught under his spell.

“Good,” he kissed you again. This time it lingered. This time he gently cupped your face. This time, you were bold enough to press the flats of your palms against his chest. A quiet inward hiss sounded from him and he pulled back, looking down at you with barely restrained intensity. “Good night, princess. I hope to see you on the morrow.”

Truthfully, he could have stayed there with you all night and he still would have left too soon. You watched as he walked away, transfixed on every detail of him until he fully disappeared into the darkness.

-

thank you for reading! if you enjoyed, please consider a follow and reblog as I have plans to create and share more writings. 

there will be smut in the next chapter 🤗😏

tag list: @melsunshine @iiamthehybrid

here is my masterlist if you’d like to see what else I’ve created!

[justadreamer20]

Prompt: Sebastian Sallow and Emeline “Emmie” Grey are in their 7th year at Hogwarts. Sebastian wants to surprise Emeline with a romantic night on the Astronomy Tower, but are interrupted.

I like to write but this is my first time ever publishing. Short cute story read if you want lol

An Interrupted Date

Sebastian had planned a special evening for Emeline, hoping to create a romantic memory away from the chaos and busyness of their daily lives. He led her up to the Astronomy Tower, where the view of the star-filled sky was breathtaking. They spread a blanket on the stone floor and sat down, enjoying the serene beauty of the night.

The stars twinkled above them as they talked, their voices soft and filled with affection. Eventually, Sebastian leaned in, and they began to kiss, the world around them disappearing in that moment of intimacy.

Just as they were lost in each other, the door to the tower creaked open. Emeline and Sebastian jumped apart, startled. Standing in the doorway was Professor Shah, the Astronomy professor, followed by a class of wide-eyed first years who were there for a stargazing lesson.

"Mr. Sallow, Miss Grey, what are you doing here?" Professor Shah demanded, her voice a mix of surprise and sternness.

Emeline’s face turned bright red, mortified by the interruption. She quickly stood up, smoothing her robes. "Professor Shah, we were just—"

"Just what?" Professor Shah interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "This tower is reserved for classes at this hour."

Sebastian, trying to suppress his laughter, stood up beside Emeline. "We're sorry, Professor. We didn't realize anyone would be coming up here."

The first years, who had only heard stories about Emeline’s bravery and power, were utterly shocked. They stared at her with a mix of awe and disbelief, not knowing how to reconcile the image of the fierce, powerful witch with the embarrassed girl standing before them.

Emeline could feel their eyes on her, and her embarrassment grew. She glanced at Sebastian, who was struggling to keep a straight face. "This isn't funny, Seb," she whispered, trying to maintain some dignity.

Sebastian stifled another laugh, knowing how flustered Emeline was. "I know, I know. I'm sorry."

Professor Shah shook her head, clearly unimpressed. "This is not the time or place for such activities. You are both setting a poor example for the younger students."

"Yes, Professor," Emeline said quickly, eager to escape the situation.

"We'll leave right away," Sebastian added, taking Emeline’s hand and leading her towards the door.

As they scurried away, the first years continued to stare, their expressions a mix of fear and curiosity. Once they were out of earshot, Sebastian let out the laugh he had been holding back.

"Oh, come on, Emmie. You have to admit, it's a little funny."

Emeline shot him a look but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "Maybe a little. But I'm still mortified."

They descended the stairs, still holding hands, the embarrassment of the moment beginning to fade. "I'm sorry our romantic night got interrupted," Sebastian said, giving her hand a squeeze.

"It's okay," Emeline replied, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I suppose we can just laugh about it now.”

They made their way back to the Slytherin common room, the laughter and lightness of the moment staying with them. Despite the unexpected interruption, the night had brought them closer together, their bond strengthened by the shared experience.

As they entered the common room, Sebastian pulled Emeline close and kissed her forehead. "We'll find another night to finish what we started."

Emeline smiled, her embarrassment now a distant memory. "I'd like that."

They sat down together, enjoying the warmth and comfort of the common room, still occasionally chuckling about the earlier mishap.

[sarahfeliciam]

The Ultimatum Ch 29

Chapter 29

About an hour later, there was a soft knock at Emeline’s door and she weakly managed “it’s open”, through her tears. 

When she looked up from her fingernails, which were heavily torn apart by now, she met George’s warm gaze.

“Mum sent this up.” He held up the small tray of breakfast in his hands and set it on the dresser. “Ofcourse I volunteered to deliver.” 

He took a seat next to her on the bed and pulled her face to look at him.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t get to tell you first.” 

“Why didn’t you?” He asked, searching her eyes.

“It’s not really something I wanted to send in an owl.” She responded nervously. 

She wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry at this point. 

“I wanted to tell you in person and this morning just exploded out of nowhere.” She finished, deflated and glancing back at that old rip in her jeans.

“Hey, look.” She glanced back up at him quietly. “I’m not angry, E. I’m worried. W-what the hell are you going to do?”

“I wish I had the slightest idea, George, I really do.”

He nodded, unsure of what he could offer to the conversation since neither solution was particularly thrilling. 

This affected her life heavily either way. He wasn’t sure how she could cope or how to help her. So instead, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and leaned his head against hers.

“One day at a time?” He offered, and Emeline nodded as another knock came to her door, despite it being slightly ajar now. 

Remus slowly opened the door all the way and smiled tiredly.

“May I?”

She nodded and he stepped in as George moved his arm down and stood. 

“You can stay, George. If that’s alright with you.” He added as he looked down at his daughter. She nodded quickly.

“Severus is insistent on beginning your lessons today. I’ve tried to no avail to hold him off.”

“I suppose it is better than later.” She replied, standing but wincing slightly in pain.

“Are you alright?” George asked immediately.

“I’m fine. Pulled something.” She gave him a reassuring smile and avoided her father’s gaze.

Was it me?

Shit. Ofcourse he could tell. 

Didn’t mean to.

“Where is Professor Snape?” She interrupted their silent conversation, wanting it to end before he fell into another pit of self-loathing. 

“The room down the hall to the left. Last door. I’ll meet you there.” She nodded and smiled at George before exiting, and then Remus turned to him. 

“I’m terribly sorry you had to find out this way; it wasn’t fair and I know that you know from the conversation that followed, I’m not thrilled.”

“It isn’t either of your fault, Remus. And I don’t want to speak out of place, bu -“

“-please, ask.”

George nodded and met his eye.

“Would you do it? Is that what she wants?”

Remus stared at George for a moment with no response. As he muddled over his words, his face somewhat pale, he ran a shaking hand through his hair and shook his head with the most convincing smile he could give him. “No,” he said quietly. “I don’t think I could ever willingly give this to her. As for what she wants, I think I would be a fool to say it wasn’t that. But she has not explicitly requested it.”

George nodded and smiled back, forced.

“Right. Thank you.”

He moved to leave but Remus called after him once more.

“I just wonder,” he swallowed thickly. “What do you think would be best? Pure curiosity, ofcourse.”

George held the doorframe and responded without a lapse, to Remus’ surprise.

“I don’t want Emeline to die. I could live with whatever that took, and I think she could too.”

With that, he left, and Remus was left to his own thoughts.

Could he live with it? 

•

As he walked down the corridor he felt a familiar anxiety well within his heart. 

Almost there.

He pushed open the door a few moments later and Severus rolled his eyes.

“Lovely that we can begin now. Both of you, take a seat.”

They sat in front of him on two armchairs on either side of the bedroom’s fireplace and watched him intently.

“We can start with the basics and build on from there. The only thing we can really focus on here, is your mental and physical bond. We can strengthen it and I can also teach you how to control it, so not every thought and feeling is passed to the other of its own accord. I imagine that can prove problematic.”

When no response came from either of them, he crossed his arms.

“Very well. Ridiculously simple, Emeline, I’d like you to think of a colo-“

“-Yellow.” Remus responded immediately. Severus quirked an eyebrow as Emeline nodded, her eyes widening.

“Lupin, think of a clas-“

“-Muggle Studies.” Emeline cut off.

“What am I here for?” Severus spoke indifferently. “You obviously do this a great deal. Do you already have conversations?”

“More like words.” Emeline responded. “It’s minimal.”

“Think of a sentence. Focus on it and only it”

Emeline thought on the first thing that came to her mind. As she closed her eyes and Severus watched her, he glanced to Remus who shrugged slowly before his lips broke into a smile.

“Achieved?” Severus asked.

Emeline opened her eyes and looked at her father.

“I think so.” Remus replied as Emeline grinned. 

“Care to share with the class?” He mocked cooly.

Emeline raised an eyebrow and nodded her head toward Snape as Remus grinned.

“Just that the two of us may be better suited to teach you.”

Jaw and fists clenched, Severus took a deep breath. “How.. charming, Miss Lupin. Let’s take it up a level, then. Think of something you desperately do not want your father to know.”

Emeline’s face whitened and she closed her eyes begrudgingly.

“Before you focus on your thought, I want you to picture a locked chest. Put your thought into it.”

She could picture the chest, and she could picture her and George’s first kiss. 

Albeit lame, sharing the inner workings of their new relationship was certainly just for her. 

With all of her focus, she shoved this thought deep into the chest as her father and Snape kept a close eye.

“Anything?” Severus asked. 

When no response came, Emeline opened her eyes and met her father’s. No longer focused, and under her father’s gaze, he retrieved the thought immediately and shot her a curious glance that was situated somewhere between disbelief and why she’d find that so crucial to hide. 

“Well, that certainly needs work from what I can tell.” Severus spoke, arms still crossed. “That is difficult sometimes. Relational strength plays the largest roll in this, but that was unlocked out of obedience. It’s a pack mentality, no doubt, as a teenager typically has no regard for it on their own, obviously. That will be harder to train. We can resume at the end of the week. I want that gone if you have any hope of resisting other wolves’ advances.”

With a turn of his heel, he left the room and Remus looked to Emeline.

“Why would you care about that?” He asked quickly, her face flushing.

“Well, I’m new to this, but I’m fairly certain that isn’t typical dad information.”

Remus laughed. “We aren’t exactly typical, Emeline. And I’m not daft.”

“You knew?” 

“I assumed,” he corrected, a finger pointed at her as he stood. “And I was correct. A dad thing.” He shrugged with a smile. 

She stood, too, but winced in pain again.

“This morning seems harder for you.” He whispered, his brain beginning to piece together a new concern. “Show me.”

She pulled up her tee slowly, just enough for him to see a large bruise covering her side. 

“Emeline,” he sucked in a steadying breath. “I did that?”

“You didn’t realize you were tossing me.” She shrugged. “I’m fine.”

“You look exhausted. And I have a salve for the bruising.”

She stared up at him sadly, the dark circles under her eyes becoming heavier.

“Go lie down, darling. I’ll be right behind you. Take this.” He pulled a chocolate bar from his coat as she smiled before carrying her aching joints back to her bedroom as Remus blinked back tears. 

Moving as quickly as he could to catch Severus before he left, he made it down the stairs just in time. Arthur was showing Severus out when he met them in the hall, somewhat breathless.

“Severus,” he got out through a deep breath. “One more question.”

“What is it now?”

“You told me the facets. Are you sure that’s all of them?”

“Why?”

“Emeline, she-“ he glanced at Arthur; now that it was public information he figured he had nothing to lose. “I think she took this moon’s after effects. Only, she doesn’t know it.”

Severus nodded slowly.

“It is part of the physical facet, but I assumed we needn’t focus on it much. It wouldn’t frighten you to take any of her pain, your her father.”

“If it’s even possible why wouldn’t you cue us in? It isn’t me, it’s her!” He responded with mounting anger.

“It only happens with a deep desire to protect your pack. It typically is involuntary and happens when they think there’s no other choice. Were you particularly distraught this month for some reason, Lupin?” Severus taunted, before turning and exiting the home.

[siderealxmelody]

The Forever War Part III

Rigelus and Bryce were tired of running, tired of the world ripping everything from them again and again. So they made Midgard after Theia was dead. It would be an island for them, for those Daglan who wanted to exist without the poltics. A place for leisure, learning, and pleasure.

Alana moved some of her gladiatoral pits and pleasure stables there. She and Vincent slowly rebuilt Vaalbara, Sebastian, Natalia, Sarai and Viren helping them. Maeve and Athril stayed behind helping Achlys and Korok with their war.

Achlys was a paranoid female, Maeve was a beautiful and brilliant threat to her growing power. It wasn't long before Maeve and Athril left for Midgard, unable to keep working with her.

Isaiah sent Julius and Juniper to Midgard at Bryce's invitation. She understood, as painful as the lesson was that - this cycle of violence would never end. Perhaps Rigelus would seen reason one day, perhaps if he didn't Isaiah could finally kill the brat and be done with it.

After Orion and Shahar's failed war Julius made Ophion, leaving to become one of Achlys toys - hoping to continue gathering intelligence on them from the inside.

Isaiah helped the Alliance flourish here, Anaxia, Orion and Shahar grew to be friends with some of the younger kids - Ruhn, Seraphine. As this second wave of war grew closer, Isaiah wondered if this would finally turn the tide.

Especially as Emelin arrived with Aleksander, Anastasiya and other friends from Wendlyn.

Nothing would force the Wild Ones out of retirement quite like having their children dragged into this war too.

The Changelings would get free - he'd make sure it.

Maybe that's why they manipulated Merka into finally shattered. She'd been Kaden's enforcer for centuries, Kaden had helped grow Alana's empire here.

Merka's rage was easy to manipulate - the plan was simple - spread rumors that Kaden had ran to Achlys court - she'd decimate it for them.

That was till she and Samkiel met, till Samkiel felt the Mating mark sing under his skin.

They didn't need fucking Samkiel getting involved, he'd drag the others like Thurr or Imogen in.

He'd insist on trials and restraint.

He'd insist on fucking speak talks.

They didn't have time for that shit. Achlys needed to fall and Isaiah would make sure she did even if he had to drag her off that throne kicking and screaming.

With Creon and Alys now with in their stronghold they were so close.

@luxmaeastra

@starlsssankt

@sankta-alina-s

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

Me being so proud of how far I got so far... and then I rolled a new character while a bit bored.

Meet Penelope Anastasia Emeline Tavin the third, or Penny as she insists to anyone she meets. A 19/20 year old wild magic sorcerer who was born to a noble family who loved her dearly, but were... a bit put out by her magic. Where did it come from? She was born with Heterochromia, a blue and a purple eye which did mimic a kind gentleman who knew her parents, but that's such a coincidence isn't it? And not the case of the rumors of her parents appetites.

Penny's magic was something she was told to hide as a child, with her parents pushing her towards wizards for lessons in the hopes that a more respectable way of performing magic would be followed. Really, wild magic? In their house?

Penny wasn't having it after a while. She liked her magic, the fact it sometimes backfired on her wasn't that bad! Her pink hair was nice after all. In a fit of temper, Penny decided to run off to prove to her parents her magic wasn't shameful or distrusting.

Then she got picked up by a Mind Flayer ship. Oh, Hells.

She's going to start as a bit of a brat who hasn't really had to face consequences. She's rich and the baby of her family with three older brothers. She's cute and can pout real well. Of course in the real world, one not touched by magic or by her parents, it'll be a different story. It'll be a change from Skalar and her steadfast maturity mixed with her wish to do good.

Penny's more interested in herself, though we'll see how it goes.

[mumblingsage]

Look up Jordan Frisbee & Emeline Rochefeuille dancing to the Macarena! It's one of the most fun West Coast Swing Jack & Jills I've ever seen.

(Also, I started swing dancing lessons last year as part of my Stop Being Scared To Try New Things initiative and it was so much fun. I'd highly recommend it, if it's something you'd like to do!)

I looked it up!

(Dancing starts around 1:22, but it's fun to watch their reactions & the crowd's as they randomly draw the Macarena as their music and decide to stick with it)

It looks so fun!

One of the reasons I think I like West Coast Swing so much (I'm still in my first 24 hours of being a Fan but what a day it's been) is that you can dance it to so many different songs. I'm even, like, playing some Thomas Bergerson/Two Steps From Hell tracks and thinking a determined dancer could do it.

(As for doing them myself, I did see a place in Madison does queer swing hours for beginners! I'm a little nervous because I am notably uncoordinated, and also I am almost congenitally incapable of following when I dance. But! The future is big an full of surprises!)

[edamahun]

🎧🎧🎧 THREE SO MAKE IT COUNT

They say I'm tragically obsessed Hot mess, God forbid, I'm getting what I like Every night, make 'em livid

HOG-TIED ALIENS, BACK OF MY TOYOTA

...shuffle really wants you to know i like dumb shit

Here's a little lesson in trickery This is going down in history If you wanna be a villain number one You have to chase a superhero on the run

[thesfromhms]

Please let me out of your floorboards

Which one

[luxmaeastra]

"Anastasiya stop."

Anastasiya stilled looking to her twin. Her magic swirled in her veins, cold and burning.

"Stop? Why? They desvere to pay. They desvere to be cut -"

"Can't you just sit with me? Can't - why is violence the answer to everything?"

Anastasiya raised her chin, her face closing down. Gwendolyn internally flinched, this mask - this part of her. She couldn't read this version of her.

This reeked of Aleksander's influence. Maybe that's who she needed to be. Someone dark and ruthless to stay by his side, to keep his attention.

She would have never thought those things before...but the things she'd heard from the witch lands.

Surely her sister would hate that male? What was there to love of a male who coveted power over everyone and everything else?

"Because violence wins against mercy Gwendolyn. I thought Mama taught you the same lesson she taught me."

Anastasiya turned for the door, sweeping out of the room.

"Don't worry, I'll be strong for you like always."

------

Gwendolyn brushed at her tears, too exhausted to feel embarrassed to be caught like this.

"Do - do you think I'm too weak? Too soft hearted Azriel? Do you think she's right? Should I want revenge? I just - I want to put it all behind me."

She looked at her hands, she could see those children's blood on her hands. The ones she hadn't been able to save.

"I never want to be someone like her...she's lost her soul following him....I'm sorry, I know he's your twin but he - he's leading down her a path to ruin."

//for whoever?//

The news had spread fast, the discord being woven into the current courts by the whispers of the hot-headed Aleksander and his fiery love Anastasiya. It had not gone noticed, their own families had called meetings to talk about it.

Azriel had found his way to Gwen, his hands holding her own as his thumb brushed against the back of her skin. His dark eyes focused on her as he felt himself break at the sight of her tears.

"No, not, there is no such thing as weakness. It is just a word weaponised against people," he explained. "And no, you shouldn't if that is not what you wish. Revenge isn't...the best thing. Father taught me that, he shared the story of my Aunt Sarai and her desire for revenge...I know she regrets that page in her life..."

He didn't need to look back to know Estrella was standing within the doorway, giving them their space but being nearby. He knew his cousins Emelin, Elizabeta and Estrella had been friends with them, a small group who had always been close. It was how he had got to know Gwen, seeing her when she was around his cousins.

"We are all here, I don't think their actions have gone unnoticed..."

[merrock]

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Lily Collins

full name: Ainsley Slater

nickname(s) / goes by: Ains

pronouns & gender: Cis Woman 

sexuality: Bisexual

birth date: March, 18, 1989

birth place: Los Angeles

arrival to merrock: 2023 ( just arriving ) 

housing: The Suburbs

occupation: Business Owner

work place: Owner of Chic Elegance Boutique

family: N/A

relationship status: Single

PERSONALITY

Ainsley has a quirky personality and has always been told she shocks people when they find out that she can go from being a complete shut in on the weekends, a good romance novel and cuppa tea beside her, to heading out to clubs with friends ( when invited of course ), to then working away like a little mouse in her boutique that is still finding it's feet but getting some orders here and there to finally being a grandma at home learning how to knit or crotchet. It's not going the best and she will probably eventually give up on it but the old soul energy is there. Let's not forget the pop of colour her wardrobe brings nearly every single time she steps out of the house; never really knowing it but always turning heads wherever she goes. Oh and good luck ever spotting her in flats.

WRITTEN BY: Harls (she/her), aest.

BACKGROUND / BIO

Ainsley Slater was always independent, always knew what she wanted, and that never changed growing up. Her parents came from old money, wealth being handed down from generations to generations but they wanted to teach Ainsley that money wasn't just shook off of a tree, that in order to get money that you had to work for it and to a degree Ainsley was grateful; at least learning eventually the lesson they were trying to give her, but the hardest thing was their lack of support, when it came time to schooling and universities the first thing they drilled into her was a medical or lawyering profession; typical mindset of the rich but when fashion had a calling for her they shook their heads and refused to support her.

It was her teachers that swayed her to join Fashion School and thank god she did because that's where she met her best friend, one that would become quite literally her soul mate. The story was funny because Ainsley always looked up to her, she was the loudest one in the classroom but growing up partially non verbal the femme was always a little quiet but being friends with her really brought her out of her shell, going to clubs, pretending to date when men would bother them; it was a life that she always watched on Sex and The City, it was also where she found her real footings when it came to sexuality, secretive feelings festering for the other but with conservative parents and not really feeling confident with the other's view on same sex relationships, she kept a tight lip.

It didn't really help when the other started dating an older man and the friendship between the two started to feel the first real tear, of course they would always be friends and kept in touch; Emeline was her soul mate, they always said that but it meant something a little more to Ainsley than it did to her. Eventually she came out to her parents when they tried to find her suitors for marriage and told them that she wasn't interested, it ended up becoming a big mess because if they weren't going to support her then they definitely weren't going to support her now, which is why she decided to move to Merrock. Her course was complete, she wanted to be closer to her friends and finally live that dream of opening up her Boutique that had been sketched on many different pages since she was thirteen years old.

[sarahfeliciam]

The Ultimatum Ch 22

Nearly a week had passed since the Yule Ball and Emeline’s arrival back to Hogwarts. It had started as a day like any other, despite the growing pit in her stomach that was mounting as the moon did. She was rushing to Defense Against the Dark Arts, as usual, when she heard Cedric around the corner. 

“-and that’s how I figured it out. It makes sense, ya know. A water task= bathtub. Nevertheless, it’s certainly an advantage to be able to sort it out.”

Suddenly, Emeline found herself running in a separate direction, to Harry, and skipping Defense Against the Dark Arts altogether that day.

•

Despite her finding Harry and divulging what she heard about the egg, encouraging him to take it for a dip, she was in a great deal of trouble with Mad Eye Moody. He found her walking calmly to Potions, quite a bit ahead of the scheduled class time, and stopped her with a gruff cut off in the hall.

“Reason you weren’t in class?” He asked harshly.

Emeline blinked a few times as she got a grip on the sudden scenario at hand. She swallowed hard, but remembered that Mad Eye had given Harry advice for the first task, so figured that against her better judgment, she would attempt to trust him.

“Professor, I apologize. I had learned information about the second task and went to tell Harry. I didn’t realize it would take the whole of class.”

His eye spun and he smiled menacingly. It made Emeline’s stomach churn.

Back in London, Remus felt cornered and ill.

“Very well. Though I must wonder, why would you tell Harry and not your own house’s representative: Diggory?”

“Well, I overheard the information from Cedric, professor.”

“Ah. I see. Either way, you’d likely tell potter over anyone. Your families are… oddly close, are they not?”

The lump in her throat grew. Everyone knew Harry’s parents were dead.

So Mad Eye’s intentions could only elude to one thing: Padfoot. 

“They were,” she nodded. “In school.” 

His eyes bore into her.

“And you live alone now with your father, is that right?”

“That’s correct.” She said quickly; too quickly.

She felt like she could pass out right there under his stare. He truly did look mad. Her stomach was in complete knots. She couldn’t explain how she knew, but she could tell that her father was tuned into this exchange. Perhaps if he felt what she could, she could better explain what was off about their professor.

He straightened up and nodded. “Well go on. Wouldn’t want you late for Severus too.”

“Yes, Professor.” She hurried off with no further look back. 

•

Evening was falling and the moon was beginning to rise. Emeline felt off, but nothing distressing like her father feared. Mostly, her own emotions had her sad for him, as normal. She was pouring over the potions lesson from the day and humming softly to herself, without intention, the song her father always hummed around the house. 

Their song. 

Unbeknownst to her, in London, Sirius locked the cellar door and hastily transformed to Padfoot. 

Remus hummed himself as calmly as he could into transformation before the wolf took reign.

“Emmeline? You were right.” Harry’s voice came from behind her in the library as she shared absentmindedly at the moon. She was sure he was done now. Her humming stopped.

“Huh?” She asked, turning tiredly. 

“The egg. The second task is in the lake, but it just says something about recovering what they took. I’ll have an hour to complete it.”

“Well that’s a start, I suppo -“

“-Miss Lupin?” She heard McGonagall��s voice. Offering a smile to her students, she looked at Emeline a bit downcast. “Could you come with me to the Headmaster’s office, please?”

Emeline felt sorry for being unable to stifle her groan and McGonagall offered a quirked eyebrow yet hid her amusement.

“Tough day for you too?” She asked, her eyes shifting to the moon in the window behind her. Naturally, Minerva had heard about Remus’ letter to Poppy, her bestfriend.

“I suppose.” Emeline grumbled, grabbing her bag and bidding Harry goodbye. 

He found it odd that she hadn’t returned to the library that evening, but he himself did fall asleep countless times over books on the Black Lake.

•

Remus awoke the next morning with a gasp and desperately fought for air. He threw himself at the cellar door which awoke Padfoot who quickly transformed. He unlocked the door with a wave of his hand and Remus stumbled into him.

Still feeling as though he was drowning, Remus grabbed Sirius shirtfront, the effects of the moon still heavily contributing to his crazed appearance. He had dried blood from the night before, was extremely pale, and trying while failing to calm this suffocating feeling. 

He managed through gritted teeth, panicked: “s-something is wrong with her, Si-Sirius.”

•

Remus stumbled into the Headmaster’s office, his cane barely holding him up. Dumbledore turned to face him, surprised.

“Remus, my boy. What do I owe the pleasure?”

“A-albus, where is she?” He asked painfully.

“She is safe.” Dumbledore responded whimsically.

Remus’ face twisted animalistic-ally, his words coming in almost a growl. “Don’t feed me this garbage, Albus, where is my daughter!”

Dumbledore was still unfazed, knowing Remus well enough by now to understand that perhaps the timing of this was not… ideal.

“Have a seat, Remus.” 

Remus looked between Albus and the chair. Resting was desperately inviting right now but he wanted to waste no time. He just came to find his daughter, not for a pathetic break.

“I’m fine.” He said through gritted teeth.

Dumbledore turned around with a mug of cocoa and pointed again to the seat in front of Remus.

“You really should sit.”

Begrudgingly, he clamored into the seat and rested his aching limbs. He took the cocoa with no argument and closed his eyes a moment, still trying to catch his breath. 

“Remus,” Dumbledore began, his normal straight forward and no worries shining through. “At present, Emeline is at the bottom of the Black Lake.” He ended cheerfully, sipping his own cocoa with a smile.

Remus spit his over Dumbledore’s desk and stood violently, lucky enough to grip the desk front before falling over in pain. 

“Care to elaborate?” he asked, loudly exasperated.

“She is a part of the second task; Harry’s part.”

Remus eyes were frantic and his head was swimming. He still felt suffocated.

“Albus, how could you agree to this? I want her out now!”

“Each champion has a missing student to rescue within the hour.”

“Then pick another student!” He yelled through gritted teeth.

“It is already done, Remus. Let’s settle in.”

“I’m settling nowhere, Albus! What happens if she isn’t found! Students die in these games.”

“Not the bystanders, Remus. I will pull Emeline up should Harry fail. And what’s the likelihood of that?”

“You better be right.” Remus responded angrily, grabbing his cane and relying solely on it.

“Where are you going?” Dumbledore asked.

“I would kindly like be shown to where I can spectate.” 

“Very well; I will allow it.” Dumbledore replied, amused.

•

Remus stood close to Dumbledore as the champions lined up to dive in at the canon’s sound. Harry furrowed his brows in happy surprise as he caught Remus’ eye and his old professor was able to muster a smile back. Soon enough, the canons blared and the champions dove in. Heart racing, Remus shifted his weight from foot to foot, holding his cane with white knuckles and watching intently for the first champion and student to break the surface. His stomach lurched as he watched almost breathless (in part from this unshakeable suffocating feeling and in part from nerves), as Cedric made his way out with Cho. Fleur was already on the platform, shaking from her malfunction and inability to save her sister. 

That made half the competitors.

Next came Victor Krum, holding tight to Hermione.  

What was taking Harry so long that he was the only one left? 

His glanced at Dumbledore, his face pale. The clock was getting close to time now. 

“You need to send someone for her the moment it strikes.” Remus hissed, still surveying the Black Lake.

“Patience, my boy.” Albus responded, walking off with Barty. 

Fleur looked just as distraught as he was, and Remus cast her a sad smile in encouragement. He looked around to qualm his nerves and locked eyes with George whom he had never seen so serious in his career at Hogwarts or his meetings this year. After the full moon, he thought he’d feel his protectiveness creeping through as usual, but instead he felt a deep peace seeing the concern on the young lad’s face. 

George truly cared for his daughter. 

He was more than grateful. 

Just as he felt like his head could explode, he felt the freeness of coming up for air as the clock chimed and Emeline broke the surface with Fleur’s little sister beside her. She gasped and glanced around, finding the dock and grabbing the little girl close to her to get them out of the lake. 

He breathed a deep sign of relief, a warm smile washing over his careworn face. His body ached, and fresh scars were bright red across his arms and neck, but his mind was calming. 

Remus’ thoughts strayed to Harry and why he still had not come up and he shot a look to Dumbledore who simply pointed at the lake as Harry erupted quickly and flew onto the dock before the girls even made it. 

Relieved, everyone cheered. George was already rushing to the lower dock to help Emeline and Remus grabbed his shoulder as he knelt down at the water’s edge with him.

“Dad?” Emeline asked curiously, still flooded by water; completely drenched and unable to see straight from the cold. 

“I’ve got her, Remus. You’re alright.” George responded to his grimace of pain, pulling Emeline up after Fleur had taken her sister.

Catching her breath, Emeline sat on the dock, feet still dangling in the water, with George behind her and her father to her side. 

Remus tore off his cloak quickly and draped it over her shoulders. Shivering and pale, she smiled at him. “Thank you, both.” She leaned slightly into George and Remus swallowed hard, reminding himself of the gratefulness he felt moments ago. And then, she reached for his hand, and any protective assertion he may have had melted away. 

“You knew, didn’t you?” 

He nodded wordlessly, studying her and moving to wipe the wet hair from her face. 

“You had a hard night.” She said quietly; sadly. No one else could hear her over Dumbledore’s booming voice, announcing winners and points. George rubbed her back absentmindedly as he listened, Fred whistling and hollering behind him when Harry came in second. Remus clapped and offered Harry and smile as well, hoping to steal a moment with him but realizing quickly the excitement of this win was whisking him into the crowd. 

He looked back at his daughter, eyeing George for a moment too, who was preoccupied chatting with Fred and Ron, yet still had a gentle and comforting hand on Emeline’s back. 

“It seems everything is under control, now.” Remus leaned in to kiss her forehead which was freezing cold. “Your old man probably doesn’t need to rush in for everything at this age, hm?” 

He was smiling, but Emeline could feel the pain in her heart. She felt out of place, and somewhat melancholy… or maybe, a little worthless. 

Rather, she knew that he did.

She placed her palm against her heart, looking him in the eyes and shaking her head.

“I will never grow too old to let you save the day, dad. I always wondered what it might be like.” 

‘Me too’ he mouthed, hand to his heart. 

[akelafang]

Love everything you've got going. If you ever want someone to rant to about this I will happily listen! I especially love young Merlin just changing into a girl on a whim cause it felt right.

I kinda also gave them twins! Honestly, each time I think about this happy ending world their youngest two switch between being actual twins and being Irish twins (separate pregnancies but born less than a year apart if you're not familiar with the term). Let me give you the rundown of my version of the Pendragon brood:

Morgan Hunith Pendragon: Named after her aunt Morgana and grandma Hunith. She like your Emeline (love that name btw) looks like Arthur and takes more after him in personality. She's the head knight and is very protective of her family. All of Arthur and Merlin's children are born with magic and Morgan uses her's to develop a unique fighting style that earns her the nickname Morgan le Fay

William Balinor Pendragon: Named after Merlin's childhood friend Will and his father. He takes after Merlin in looks and personality though he's also the quietest and most reserved in the family. William being the first-born son is the heir to the throne but he doesn't feel worthy of it. He's not an amazing fighter like his older sister, preferring a bow to a sword, and tends to be awkward in social situations, plus having the once and future king and Emrys as parents is a lot to live up to leaving him with some insecurities. He overcomes them in time and proves to be a skilled diplomat and an amazing tactician as well as having a talent for healing magic. He also LOVES horseback riding, the faster the horse the better, the only thing that can compare to it is the rare occasion Aithusa lets him go flying with her.

Tristan Lancelot Pendragon: Named after our beloved Lancelot and Arthur's uncle Tristan who challenged Uther after Ygraine's death. There was some debate over whether or not to use Uther's name since they've used both of Merlin's parents but they agreed not to for various reasons. Merlin offered up Tristan as an option if Arthur wanted to use a name from his family and told him the truth about who the Black Knight was. Tristan is Arthur's child through and through, including his more jockish douchbag traits. He's loud, obnoxious, and loves to wrestle and get into fights but he's also kind and compassionate. He's the first to volunteer if someone needs help and likes to spend his free time in the kennels with the dogs. He looks up to Morgan and loves training with her and the other knights. He has a habit of messing with William by tackling him from behind in a sneak attack saying he's helping him stay alert "A king needs to be aware of his surroundings after all, you never know when danger may strike!" William thinks he's just being an ass, he kinda is. Tristan also struggles the most with learning magic.

Last but not least (for now) is Freya Ygraine Pendragon: Freya has Arthur's blonde hair but Merlin's features, including his ears. She knows everything about everyone, if you want to know what's happening in the kingdom you ask Freya. Most see her as just a chatty gossip and don't pay her much mind but she uses that to her advantage and has stopped a few assassination attempts by passing on information from conversations she overhears. She is sweet and attentive toward others and has been known to give surprisingly good advice for her age. She's enthusiastic about learning new things and takes to all her lessons with high energy whether it's magic, music, or dagger training.

Every time I read a Merthur fic where the need for Arthur to have an heir comes up as a complication for them being together I'm just like "Merlin is magic. If there's an aging spell surely there's a spell to change your sex. Why can't he change himself into a woman for 9 months?"

Of course, I'm aware that not everyone is into mpreg, which I guess this would technically be, but the idea not even passing the character's minds is what gets me. Include a scene where the question is asked and give an answer for why they don't go for it cause there are a few you could do. Arthur might be scared of losing Merlin if they try a pregnancy that involves magic, even if it's not what's creating the life, because of what happened to his mother. Or maybe the only way for them to conceive even with Merlin as a woman is to use the same magic that made Arthur and neither of them are willing to give up a life for them to have a child. Or maybe they don't find a spell that can turn Merlin into a woman at all despite trying and the search adds more strain to the relationship (perfect opportunity for angst with this setup). Or Merlin could just straight up not be comfortable with the idea which is valid, I may see him as genderfluid and happily using this kind of spell even without the intention of getting pregnant but not everyone does.

My point is that when you're in a magic setting with a magic user as part of the main pairing and one of their obstacles is "I can't give you heirs" why do they not even question if there is a way to overcome that obstacle with magic?