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bloodymarsupials1 · 7 months ago

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sooooo, i wanted to make this because i apparently cant reblog and i have no idea why. (i'm referencing the little...challenge? however you want to call it by @drinkyourvillainjuice.

anyway here it is, i also added a few fanfics just cause.

The Second Sight @spoiledblog (demo) You’re an urban legend in a county full of them. When you were thirteen, you were found passed out in the road by one of the local cops. No missing persons report. No fingerprints on file. No memories. Just a name.Oh, and some bizarre psychic powers.You're content with simplicity. You like your isolated cabin and helping Carter track down missing persons. You know that in theory there are more people like you out there, but you've never wanted to look behind the curtain to find out.However, with the disappearance of a local teen named Casey Powell and a recent attempt on your foster father's life, your serene, isolated life comes abruptly to its end and a new chapter begins.

After The End @albywritesfiction (demo)

Your former fiancé and heir apparent of the Aurelian Kingdom, Prince Ædan, has married the love of his life, the fair Saintess Helene. As the nation celebrates their union, you are left alone to pick up the pieces of your broken heart... until you receive two letters. One is an invitation to the office of Prince Ædric, the crown prince's younger brother and rival for the throne. The other is a letter filled with concern from your childhood friend and secretary-in-training, Cyfrin, who is currently assisting your father at your family’s ducal estate in the countryside. Each letter contains a proposition that will change the course of your fate forever.

Which one will you choose?

God-Cursed @wings-of-ink (Demo)

you were found as a newborn, clutched in the arms of your dead mother at the base of a tree. No family came to claim you, but the men who came to your rescue adopted you as their own and became the only parents you’ve ever known. Growing up in the village of Stonebrook, you never want for much, until the day you first fall ill. Life plagues you with a mysterious condition that no one can diagnose or cure. You never know when it will strike or if it will eventually kill you. Living between fear and hope as you age, you try to come into your own as an adult with the ever-looming threat above you. As years pass, your condition seems to improve, until a mysterious mark appears on your body and opens up new questions.

It appears that you’re marked for death with no answers as to why, and your only chance to survive is to go out and seek them.

Journey through the land of Iroda, a fantasy world where the gods have abandoned their people and magic no longer prevails as it once did. Something is brewing that may change this world forever, and you’re in the middle of it, though your role is a mystery you must solve. Wanted dead by some and alive for mysterious purposes by others, you just want to survive. With the help of a few friends, find the answers that you need, and make your choices.

Before We are Ghosts @anjiefiction (DEMO) When a powerful villain threatens the safety of Metamora, you and the city’s heroes go to great lengths to stop him, and ultimately you are forced to pay the biggest price of all.(Against all odds, the heroes win. The victory is hollow.)The doctors are professional, if not sympathetic. They tell you that your body is in the process of slowly shutting down. No, they aren’t sure why. No, there isn’t a cure. When you ask how much time you have left, the faces grow dark. Perhaps a year, they say. Two if you’re lucky.(You thought you could rest. You thought wrong again.)For as threats resurge and the past rears its ugly head, you can only wonder: Do you have the strength to see things through? Will there be enough time?And when the end comes, can you find the courage to say goodbye?

more than me @ryanstillwrites-if (Demo) On a Wednesday morning, you leave your doctor's office with the diagnosis of an inoperable brain tumour and the knowledge of an estimated four months left to live.Suddenly left without any direction in your life, you find yourself in a support group for the terminally ill. Where you expected to find sadness, melancholy and a looming sense of dread at thought of a fast approaching death - all the same feelings you harbour - you find smiles and laughter instead.You're drawn in by the people you meet there, curious and confused by their carefree attitudes. They're kind to you, they take you in, they turn your frown upside down - literally and figuratively. And just when you think you might be beginning to accept your fate; they decide to throw all caution to the wind and whisk you away on the adventure of a lifetime.You don't know what will come of the next four months but with your new friends at your side, you're excited to find out. After all, this is the only life you've been given, and though it may be ending soon; you might as well live it to the fullest.

Omen of Ice @omen-of-ice (no demo) The North has been all that you’ve known your whole life— residing within its icy landscape as part of House Eirlys; Wardens of the North. You’ve never thought you’d one day leave to head south to Vela’thian— the kingdom of the elvhen— much less that you’d head there due to your betrothal with the king himself.What will await you once you arrive? Is everything as it seems? Or is there something more brewing beneath the surface of the seemingly pristine nation?Will you find your way back home? Or will you find something, or someone, worth staying for?Let’s see how your story unfolds…

Mons Immortalium @mons-immortalium-if (DEMO) Mons Immortalium is a fantasy romance interactive story. Human MC falls into the magical land of the faeries, a mountain island that has been secluded from the rest of the world for over a millennium. Break curses, fall in love and beware of wicked faeries. Whatever you do, never give them your true name!

In the Cards @inthecards (demo)

You've always had psychic powers. Reading auras, speaking with the dead, and channeling spiritual energy through runes - these number just a few of the things you're capable of. It's not an unusual gift in the kingdom of Khepris, though it's uncommon enough that you've only met a few other people with such abilities in your small hometown.

After a plague sweeps through the kingdom, unrest bubbles up in the realm known as the Beyond, home to fae and spirits alike. A group of fae who call themselves the Butterfly Court are testing the boundaries between your worlds, and they don't seem to care what harm they may be causing along the way.

With a deck of tarot cards imbued with mystical powers in your possession, you're pulled into the struggle against the Butterfly Court. You must join one of two organizations - the King's Guardians or the Hounds - in order to fight back against this mysterious court… or risk losing everything.

Parasitical @parasitical-if (DEMO)

His flesh, our sustenance. His blood, our drink. His bones, our foundation, His body, our haven.

Five hundred years ago, the Earth was dying. Water polluted, dirt infertile, forests and meadows crumbling to the wars of steel and fire. And so the Order called His Grace, the Lord of Communion, down from where he rested before and He allowed humanity to rest inside his body.

Or at least, that's the story the Order tells.

You grew up under the masked faces of their Exalted, under the stories of Earth past. Rusted metal and cracked plastic; His bone and His flesh. Conflicting worlds, conflicting times, and soon, it might all come to a head.

crown of ashes and flames @coeluvr (demo) The war had taken everything from you.King Luceris had taken everything from you.You were just nine years old when all of this happened. One moment you were in your room sleeping and the next you were walking through smoke and ash trying to find your parents.Love, he said, was the reason he started the war. Ironically, you lost everything you loved but you also lost yourself when he let you survive and dragged you away to his home.In a new Kingdom with no one on your side what choices will you make to survive? Who will you become?Inside of you, there’s something burning for revenge and there’s only one thing I want to tell you. Let it out.

Bleeding Heart @bleedingheart-if (Demo) Congratulations, you got engaged. Whether that is good or bad is ultimately up to you.Shortly after your engagement, your fiancé sets out on a journey to the distant lands of Transylvania, a real estate opportunity that proved too irresistible to decline.With your wedding temporarily on hold, you don't hesitate to respond when your childhood friend Lucy implores you to pay her a visit, seeking your company and counsel with an urgent matter concerning her very own future.The strangeness begins as you arrive in Whitby, a charming coastal town where the Westenra's estate resides.

checkmatein 3 moves @checkmatein3moves (DEMO) YOU are the heir; the child of one of the most powerful women on Oracle Island. When she’s accused of murdering her sister almost forty years prior after the revelation of a suspicious anonymous tip, her power falls to you — but so will her reputation.Many questions present themselves: is your mother a killer? Who wants to see her fall for it? Who will make the next move in the inevitable game? Can you play as well as the rest of them?The Elite Class are full of blood and schemes. Your generation carries the scars of those before them, and thus you all must join the game or face the consequences. But dark intentions are cloaked in silk and diamonds, and the heady taste of power corrupts like an infection.

The Abyssal Song @ri-writes-if (DEMO) In the underworld kingdom, where demons fight for survival against the abyssal monsters, you are just an Oracle. In the distant past the Oracles were at the top of the demonic hierarchy, but those golden days are long gone. You did what you were most afraid to do and now sit under arrest in the royal palace.When the Abyss sends you a vision of a terrible disaster that will happen in the future, you make an inevitable “deal” with the Sovereign to try to change the future and improve your abilities, not only to become stronger and learn more about the coming disaster, but also in an attempt to achieve mind stability.However, what has been happening to you since you received the vision makes you think that you are already slowly but surely losing your mind.Will you be able to maintain your sanity and help others protect the kingdom, or will you become just another name in the long list of Oracles gone mad?

the lonely shore @thelonelyshore-if (DEMO) Meet me at the cabin. Please.You weren’t sure what to make of it. A cryptic late night text sent from your younger sibling, begging you to meet up at your family’s old lake home. The plea for help was as concerning as it was confusing. As far as you knew, neither of you had set foot in the cabin in a decade. You had your hesitations, but Willow seemed desperate. You couldn’t help but oblige.Everything goes downhill fast when Willow's research into childhood ghost stories lands you in a town that doesn't exist. A town where people go missing at an alarming rate, where things that aren't quite human run businesses with hungry eyes, where time runs differently.A town you can't leave.Something about Easthaven is wrong. A supernatural fog permeates the town, so thick you could choke…but you’re one of the only people who seems to notice it. You’re quick to realize the fog keeps the residents ignorant, keeps them passive, keeps them trapped. When people who have long since gone missing start coming back home, you realize Easthaven’s mysteries go deeper than you could have ever imagined.

Kenneski @devilishmango (here)You were ripped away from your home, your life- all because you were accused of using magic. Sent away on carriages, bursting full of others like you, being brought to Kenneski Prison. It’s a prison made specifically to hold those that can wield magic, making it so you are powerless. It’s a death sentence for most that go there. But not for you.

stagnation @stagnation-if (DEMO) It's the year 2524, and you're a defeated God/Goddess/Deity in a place and time where your kind is rarely needed anymore. After being locked away and thought to be dead for nearly a millennia, you wake up.

The Fall of House Black @endemise (DEMO) The fall of House Black, your house, was an imminent thing. A name had never been so cursed that all it could do was bring about death.First, your younger sister in a swimming accident, then your older brother in a case of mistaken identity. As the rest of your family sought to grieve and bring justice to your brother, your older sister was killed in a hunting accident at the end of your father’s bow.The three of you, mother, father, and child, became inconsolable. Broken beyond repair. Your mother unable to bear the weight of life any longer took her own while your father disappeared, gone into the night. When you remain the sole survivor of House Black, you know you must leave, and on the night of your decision, your home goes up in flames with you inside.Then, you awake, dazed with no recollection of anything, and when you look down at your body, you scream. It is wrong. So wrong.

Drink Your Villain Juice @drinkyourvillainjuice (demo) Everyone knows that superpowers come about through three distinct methods.One can be born to their abilities, see them emerge in a moment of great strife, or acquire them through extensive cybernetic augmentation.Everyone is wrong.You’d know. If only that knowledge—and your snazzy slash horrible powers—didn’t come with a host of strings attached. Too bad that was an offer you couldn’t refuse.Did I mention one of the strings was supervillainy?Thrown headlong into a life of crime, balance conflicted loyalties, personal scars, and navigating a web of secrecy and deception, all while maintaining your cover.Above all, remember to drink your Juice. Your life depends on it.

The Gilded @the-gilded (Demo v1.2) Your younger brother, Leo, went missing three days ago. Your parents called the police, and they started investigating quickly. They were too late. Leo had already disappeared into the deepest part of the forest, where the mortals have vowed never to return. The police have offered to contact your family if Leo crosses the barrier back to the mortal side, but their investigation can’t go any further without inviting the wrath of the Fae.The winter solstice is approaching fast, which means that the High Fae are likely gathering mortal children for their great feast. The only way to get your brother back is to follow him into the forest and steal him back from the palace of the High Fae… If you can get there in one piece. The Fae forest is full of tricksters and killers, and you'll likely need some allies to help get you both back home.

VANGUARD @vanguard-if (PLAY) As a faering, you should want to keep to yourself. Your home is a safe haven where your dragon kin people reside; a place of true neutrality. There are no allies to the Midlands, nor are there enemies. Your people simply are, and this will not change.But you were never one much for rules, were you? With whispers of a certain prince in the Northlands allegedly receiving death threats from your docile leader, Cirrus, you could only slip away into the depths of the North to go see for yourself. It's so hilariously outrageous that your peace-loving ruler has such rumours teeming about them.You did not expect to find a bounty hunter bleeding out from her abdomen. And most of all, you did not expect her to know you by name, even through her raggedy breaths. And most of all, you did not expect her to have leads on the one you seek: the Northern Prince.

TWISTED GOLD @icaroif (DEMO) In the wake of an attack on your village that left your father dead and everybody you had ever known missing or the same, you are given one option; find your uncle in the Capital or else run for the hills and never look back. It was never really a choice anyway.

NINE BLOOD DANCES @nineblooddances-if [DEMO] You were a gift. Now to whom? No one knows.All that matters is that you are a gift and not like any of the others of your species. Uniqueness and importance oozes from every fiber of your being. You're important. Everyone says you're important. But why you're so important?Who knows?You must figure out what makes you so special and different. You must figure out what drives you through all circles. And you have to figure out why the nine commanders of Hell all have their eyes upon you and wish to have you by their side.All before the fall of the ninth moon.

Trouble Brewing @troublebrewing-if (Demo) it's all fun and games until someone loses a head!Quinn, your best friend, has brought you some awful news: your illustrious parents, having run out of potential mates for their brood, have set you up with the worst person you know -- Devon Bainbridge. Your intended is uncouth, self-indulgent, and ten years your senior.Of course, if no one can find you, the wedding's off, right?Make daring escape from your family's castle, get pressed into joining a rebellion, and find yourself fighting alongside a plucky bard, a brooding bandit, a naive idealist, and a fool-in-training. Escape marriage, join a rebellion, and find love… or sabotage it all.

ANECDOCHE @anecdoche-if (Demo) You wake up chained to a chair by one of the most notorious gangs in the country, only to be saved by one of the most famous hero organizations only a few moments later. Who wants you so badly that they would hire an entire gang to abduct you, and can you really trust the Supers that have been put in charge of your protection?

Blood of Morana @blood-of-morana (demo) You are one of the people, cursed with Morana’s magic, which gives you power over both winter and death. You can imagine that being one of the White Deaths hasn’t exactly made you the beacon of hope or the icon of popularity among your people. Worse yet, some of your magic has been sealed, making it impossible to witch away the inquisition.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - An affair of the heart @doriana-gray-games (demo)

Play as your version of Sherlock Holmes in this romance detective game!

Make an enemy of a friend and a lover out of an enemy. Solve the case of boredom. Have a pet bird—and best of all, play as a romantically and emotionally stunted genius detective!

nemisi @elegy-if (demo) The struggle between cosmic deities — now worshiped (or abhorred) as gods — tore its way into your planet not long before you were born. Unlucky for you, you were one of the first generations to be born exposed to Excinate, the name given to the radioactive-like sickness that comes from being exposed to magic not of your world. As you've built up a bit of an immunity to the more dire consequences, you were promptly ripped from your family after a doctor's visit when the Excinate got a bit too close to your childhood home. Since then, you’ve been shipped around and transported from facility to facility to be poked and prodded at.Until now. No, now you’re free.Aside from that lingering hunger for flesh you’ve had since becoming infected, of course. Just a little side effect from the radiation, along with a mouthful of jagged teeth and a jaw that can unhinge like a snake.

Burning Academia @burning-academia-if (Demo) You never thought you'd go to college, due to your circumstances. But you especially didn't dream you'd be forced to attend the prestigious Vales Grove University after being attacked by wraiths in their library. What started as a visit to a long time friend, ended with your hands burned, your innocence questioned, and the startling realization magic is real.To apologize for what's happened to you, or more accurately, to keep an eye on you, the Headmaster himself offers you enrollment with all fees waived. With no real choice in the matter, you become a student, and try to ignore the suspicion everyone throws your way. Besides, you have worse things to deal with.Like how you've started to attract ghosts and other dead things, or the fact that there is a very living thing inside your head, waiting for you to lower your guard and take control. And most pressing of all, managing your obligation to a family that hasn't been such a thing in years.Tread carefully, if the ghosts don't devour you, the university certainly might.

lightweaver: Chosen @lightweaver-chosen-if (DEMO) A world where elemental deities share a fraction of their powers to their chosen, bringing upon the age of weavers; humans with the ability to manipulate the elements of their patron.You have been chosen by a mysterious lightning deity—blessing you with the power to weave lightning. But with a troubled childhood haunting your every step, your new abilities present a double-edged sword.The choices you make, the support you receive, and the inner strength you harness define your journey—a journey fraught with anguish, but one that promises a life outside Mother’s grasp.Two divergent paths lay ahead.Will you let yourself heal and grow, or will you fall deeper into the void?

Talon's End @asheepinthenight (DEMO) You were never destined to marry for love.As the third child of the Earl of Eastthorn, your purpose is to marry to your family's advantage, but after one failed engagement already, your prospects are less than promising. So when the Crown calls upon you to infiltrate the lair of an Elven sorcerer in search of a powerful magical weapon, the offer is too good for your family to refuse.But leaving your respectable home to marry an immortal being of immense power quickly puts you in uncharted territory. Between your secretive, disagreeable spouse and their labyrinthine spire infested with strange creatures, your mission to uncover their secrets is risky from the start. But as you come to know both your partner and your new home at Talon's End, you discover terrors and wonders unlike anything you've known–and the true price of your mission.

Leas: City of the Sun @sailingshellsgames (demo) Enter the city of Leas, where humans dwell in safety behind city walls while strange and powerful Fey roam the wilds. Play as one of a rare few skilled enough to explore the outside world, an agent of Den Zarel.After making a dangerous discovery you are sent on a mission that unfolds into an adventure that will unearth more than expected, and more than you alone can handle.Fortunately, you’ll have help along the way: a lifelong friend hiding a dangerous secret, a mysterious and taciturn rogue, and an eccentric and charming mage unite under your banner to help save your city, and possibly, the world

#OMG #IT FINALLY WORKS!!!!!!!#btw this is like page 6 of a 45 page list #all of these are GOOOD and would recommend #my brian goes 'nom #NOM NOm

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venus-giirl · 4 months ago

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"Run, butterfly"

Gyutaro Shabana x fem reader.

Fandom: Demon Slayer. Word Count: +1k. Rating: dark romance, enemies, persecution, bloody kisses, obscene words. N/A: Okay. It's been a long time and by that I mean I haven't written anything on this social network for over a year. I'm doing well. I've been fine. I just wasn't finding myself with the perfect inspiration to create scenarios for the characters I love so much. And this lets me down about myself. But now, after finding my inspiration again I'm back and I'm writing new scenarios for the dear readers who read and support me. I want to remind that English is not my native language, but I use the translator for the texts I write. So I apologize for any mistakes in the translation or if you find any "her" instead of "him". I try not to make this mistake and I try to reread the whole text carefully. Without further words, here I bring you a fanfic of Gyutaro as a tribute for being the last character I wrote and the one who has had more support. Thank you very much to all of you for that. I hope to come back with much better writings and with more variety of characters. Questions are open :) Kisses, enjoy it

BEAST

You should not have gone out on the mission alone, at night. Going on your own when you were a pillar might have been easy, power coursed through your veins, and fire burned in your determination. But you were still too much of a novice to ever reach the position of pillar. In fact, this goal was so fuzzy in your life that you didn't mind being a simple demon hunter.

But damn it, even low-ranking hunters knew the number one rule of a demon hunting mission; don't go out fucking alone and without telling at least someone in the squad. The steam from your breaths trickled past your lips in little white, ephemeral clouds. Your legs were cramped, you'd been running for over twenty minutes. And with good reason. The same carmine-colored eyes had been haunting you the entire run. A great laugh with a ring of madness escaped from your captor and you couldn't help but feel a pang of some fear along with a sensation settling in your belly. Perhaps it was the fact that if you failed to escape you might be devoured.

"Run, little butterfly. I'll catch you." The thirst for blood and madness built up in every word the demon screamed at you. In an attempt to throw it off, you twisted to the right side of the road. Several trees prevented you from running in a straight line and a feeling of emptiness settled in your stomach when, without realizing the situation, your body fell forward. A pang settled in your hands as they rested on the ground to break your fall. Startled, you quickly sat up and tried to crawl as best you could across the small bed of fallen leaves that lay beneath you. However, a breath coos against the back of your neck and your skin bristles as you hear his voice croon again;

"You are mine." Claws imprisoned your neck, spinning you around so that you were face to face and nose to nose, with the demon above you. His beaked white teeth gleamed in the distant moonlight that was hidden behind your powerful body. His muscles tensed in a delicious shiver at having captured your bunny. After a grunt of satisfaction, Gyutaro said again:

"It makes me so horny when you run away from me. The fucking rotten blood swirls in my fucking crotch when you do that. When I chase after you to hunt you down." A moan escaped your lips as the grip on your throat grew more powerful and prevented you from breathing.

"Gyu…" You managed to say in a sob. "You…you scared me." Your eyes gave off a gleam of terror that only managed to increase the demon's arousal.

"Mmhm… Did I scare you, butterfly?". His nose buried itself in the hollow of your neck to smell your sweet, soft scent of roses and cinnamon. He pulled away from you slightly and looked at you in an angry glare from under your neck. "Haven't the fucking pillars taught you not to go out alone in the woods? So useless are they that they let one of the best slayers wander alone. Some other demon might hunt you… and that would piss me off."

Then it opens its mouth and its powerful fangs dig into the soft juncture between your neck and shoulder. You groan in pain and your hands reflexively grab strands of his wavy hair. He hums and his body hovers closer to yours so that you can feel the hardness of his crotch between your thick thighs.

You had known Gyutaro for a couple of years. The answer to the question of how he hadn't killed you yet was still unexplained. Let's just say he was infatuated with you. Your scent was the first thing he mentioned that he liked and that he didn't want to get rid of you. You met the same way this whole initial event had happened; a chase. The first time he tasted your blood he let out a hoarse moan as if he was a starving animal and had tasted the best of morsels after decades without encountering anything like it.

"Ooh, God. It tastes even better when it's running scared through your veins. So hot". His eyes lowered to your lower lip, which you were biting as a slight blush grew on your cheeks in a shy reflex.

You had long denied to yourself that falling in love with a demon was out of the question. They had only one option in their mind; to kill. And you had always heard that they could not feel love. Love which blossomed in your chest with every passionate night you spent with him.

Thoughts of the past settled in your mind; the creaking of the bed as he rode you to orgasm, the sound of the sheets tearing under his sharp nails that never dug deeper than they should into your soft skin to hurt you, the sound of his heavy breaths on your neck and soft breaths of your moans that filled the lonely cabin you lived in. And all those obscene and beautiful words he whispered in your ear.

Intoxicating.

"You're thinking of everything I could do to you, aren't you?". Gyutaro noticed your small absence and noticed how you squeezed your thighs together to manage to retain the heat that emanated from your sweetness and that even he might be able to smell. His undoing. He continued, "You're thinking about how I could fuck you on these cold, dead leaves. About how I'm going to make your body arch beneath me and how your mouth is not going to moan, no, but scream my fucking name in search of your delicious orgasm." His weight became even more intense on your body and you moaned against his lips as he came on you with a murderous glint in the irises of his eyes. "And on how I'm going to end up filling your womb with my thick fucking demon load".

You didn't know at what point you had fallen in love with this demon, nor when the end of your story would be, but what was really clear to you was that you would take every opportunity offered by this sinful illicit love between a guardian and a demon.

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sansaorgana · 13 days ago

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— ONCE UPON A DREAM

FADING LIGHT (PART ONE) FADING LIGHT (PART TWO)

PAIRING — Sauron x Moreth (OC)

SUMMARY — Sauron develops a slight obsession with Adar's daughter, which accidentally creates an unbreakable bond between them when he finds himself in his weakest state. Lady Moreth has no idea who the man from her dreams and visions is but it is his tempting that causes her sickness and encourages her to go down the path of darkness. She feels guilty after finding out the stranger's true identity because of Sauron's past with her father. However, now, it is too late to break their connection.

AUTHOR’S NOTE — Moreth (the name is supposed to mean gloom) is a daughter of Adar and Reader from my "Fading Light" fanfic but since this story is about Moreth herself, I gave her mother a name and that is Aranya, which apparently means free. Since Moreth was originally Reader's daughter, I haven't described her looks much – she has black hair (after her father) and I mentioned some things that are connected to her corruption: hollow cheeks, skin "a few shades paler than originally" etc. Her mother's appearance remains undescribed. Even though it can be read as part three of the "Fading Light" fanfic, it can also be read as a one-shot. I do believe you don't have to know the fanfic about Adar and Moreth's mother to understand the backstory of these characters enough. In "Fading Light" Moreth was a bit... boring, let's be real. She was not the most important character there and I kinda gave her no depth. I wanted to change that and to give her a (love) story she deserves. 🥰

WORD COUNT — 10,190 (💀💀💀)

ENGLISH IS MY SECOND LANGUAGE.

ONCE UPON A DREAM

Morgoth knew that Adar had plenty of potential but he had a weakness, which was easy to exploit – his family. He truly believed that when his suffering and training would be over, he would be able to reunite with his wife and daughter, to give them a new, better life. Not that their life was bad – they were wealthy Elves living in a beautiful realm. But Adar was one of those who wanted more. Way more. Without limitations and without the noble shackles of the Elven light.

And even though Adar reuniting with his family was never a part of Morgoth’s plans, the Dark Lord often used Lady Aranya and her daughter Moreth to convince Adar to stay or to threaten him.

And when Morgoth fell, Sauron wanted Adar as his Lieutenant. Adar was not only very well trained by Morgoth but also had an army of Orcs that was following him. Sauron needed him by his side but Adar kept mentioning that now, when he was finally free, he could go back to his family. Sauron couldn’t let that happen.

He knew the illusion he wanted to show Adar but to make it more believable and more realistic, he had to see Lady Aranya and her daughter himself. To observe them for a little while.

He even considered killing them to make the story as real as possible but then he realised he might need them alive one day – it could be his wild card to use against Adar that his family was actually alive. Yes, killing them would serve no purpose.

Wearing many disguises, Sauron managed to get close to Mithlond where Lady Aranya resided with her daughter. And while wandering around, he even found out that the two had been attacked not so long ago by a bunch of poor human villagers. They had been on the road from Eregion to Mithlond and robbed of their expensive jewellery. Sauron immediately knew that he could easily twist this scenario into a much bloodier and cruel one. All he had to do was to show Adar a very realistic image of his wife and daughter laying dead by the road in the puddle of their blood.

But to make it convincing enough, he had to see them better. To learn the patterns of their behaviour and to seek for every little detail. And finally, the opportunity arose.

He was sitting by the tree, hidden in the tall grass nearby the river. And then he heard the laughter of a young, Elven maiden coming from the other side of the shore. Sauron squinted his eyes and spotted two women sitting by the river. The older one was holding a book and she opened it immediately after sitting down. The younger one – her daughter – kept dancing with a flower crown in her hair and singing a song.

“Moreth, I am trying to focus on the content of this book,” her mother scolded her gently and the young maiden pouted. She sat by the river as well and she dipped her legs in the water, watching the water with curiosity.

She was a young Elf – Sauron could sense her youthful energy. She did not have the old wisdom yet like her father or mother. She could not be older than a century or two. Her long, black hair that she had inherited from her father danced in the air and she was humming the song now.

Her mother was not very old either – not as old as Adar for sure – but Lady Aranya had a very sad and melancholic energy around her, which was no surprise. She sighed at her daughter but refused to scold her for the second time even though she visibly struggled with focusing on the book when her daughter kept humming her tune.

Sauron was able to penetrate Adar’s mind and he had seen these two many times before in Adar’s memories but they were different there. In Adar’s memories his daughter was a child; a few years old. And his wife was younger, full of energy and smiling widely, radiating warmth. Sauron had to admit that in real life she was even more beautiful and he understood why Adar wanted to go back to her so eagerly.

But Sauron was not focusing on Lady Aranya. He could not keep his eyes off of her young daughter. In fact, his gaze had to be so intense that the young girl spotted him. She stopped her song all of a sudden as she got visibly startled, staring into the tall grass on the opposite side of the river’s shore. She tilted her head as if she had no idea if what she was seeing was real or an illusion – a pair of eyes looking back at her. Observing.

“Mother…” She started and Sauron moved back quickly, hiding further.

“Yes, Moreth?” Lady Aranya sighed as she glanced at her daughter.

“I think we should go back,” Moreth answered. For some reason she did not tell her mother about the pair of eyes staring at her and she did not reveal the reason why she wanted to go back so quickly.

She was too young to sense the intruder’s darkness.

“Well, if that is your wish…” Lady Aranya nodded and they both stood up to walk away. On their way, Moreth looked back one more time, squinting her eyes but this time Sauron made sure she could not see him.

For many years, Sauron could not stop thinking of the young Elven maiden he had seen by the river and he could not understand why. What was so special about her? Yes, she was beautiful and full of light but so were many other Elven women.

Adar did not know about any of this, of course. He was grieving his wife and daughter, having absolutely no idea that Sauron was thinking of Moreth more often than he would like to.

Perhaps it was her innocence or the seed of darkness planted deep in her soul because of her father’s downfall. She was somehow doomed already without even knowing. She was a Princess of the Orcs and had absolutely no idea about it, living her innocent life far away from all the battles and wars happening. But – just like her father – she had potential. And Sauron believed that, perhaps, with his help, she could become the best version of herself.

But first, he had a war to win.

After Adar’s betrayal, during all those centuries of coming back to life, Sauron was often thinking of Moreth. At first, his horrendous form – so full of primitive and raw instincts – felt nothing but pure hatred towards the young woman. She was Adar’s daughter and his blood was flowing in her veins. Murdering her would satisfy Sauron’s thirst for revenge.

But then, as his form evolved, he remembered that in a way he had killed her already – he had already killed her in Adar’s mind and he had already struck that blow to his enemy's heart.

The days of growing back to a full form were long and boring. He sometimes wondered where the young Elven woman was and what she was doing. Had she discovered her darkness already or was she still unaware? Had she gotten married? She would be about an Age old now. Perhaps she had children of her own already. Sauron did not like that idea.

He was trying to search Middle-earth to reach her with his mind; just to satisfy his curiosity, but he was too weak to be able to do that. All he managed to get were misty glimpses of her and he could not figure out much from them. He could feel a deep sadness about her as with age she had gotten more and more melancholic just like her mother.

And he swore to himself he would eventually find her somehow once he’d go back to his shape and form. He would get to know her better and perhaps he would find an answer why he couldn’t get her out of his mind.

The door of the dark and damp hut opened as Halbrand moved uncomfortably, expecting Waldreg to come back and torture him some more. But the moment he heard the footsteps, he immediately sensed that they did not belong to that filthy man but a being much more graceful and with a presence much more soothing.

Lady Moreth, The Uruk Princess, entered the hut and the very first thing she did was approach the warg that was kept on the chain in the same building. She petted the beast and the animal seemed to enjoy her touch as it nearly purred into her hand.

Halbrand’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of her after so many years. It surely was not the way he had imagined their first proper meeting to be like. He wanted to awe her in his most gracious form. He had not expected that she would reunite with her father and she would see him covered in mud and bruises as Adar’s prisoner. And he could not understand why she even came to him – a worthless human that her father had ordered to torture.

Moreth was humming a song to the warg and it reminded Halbrand of the song she had been singing by the river’s shore an Age ago. He still remembered that tune and he had often been reliving it in his mind. She must have loved to sing and nothing had changed – even now, when he could sense that the light of Valinor was gone from her.

She was still beautiful when she finally turned around to face him. But her beauty was of a terrifying kind now. Her cheeks were hollow, her eyes empty, her skin a shade or two paler than it had originally been. There was a crown made of leafless branches tangled in her long, black hair, decorated with the grey stones of various shapes and the skulls of the small forest animals instead. Her dress was black but not very grand and the edges of it were covered in mud. She, however, did not seem to care about it. And by her waist there was a small dagger attached in case she needed it – her father would never leave her completely unprotected.

Halbrand had seen her mother as well. Lady Aranya had been by Adar’s side when the Orcs had given him to their Lord Father. Moreth’s mother had changed, too – she had gone cold and her melancholy turned into ruthlessness. Both mother and daughter were no longer radiating the warmth and light of the Elves and Halbrand wondered if Adar deep down hated himself for causing that.

“One would think that you enjoy all the tortures my father is putting you through, human king,” Moreth addressed Halbrand with a gentle smirk.

“One would think wrong,” he answered in a raspy voice, looking up at her with curiosity.

“You have spent a long time with Lady Galadriel, so I’ve been told,” Moreth left the warg’s side and crouched down in front of him. He could see her face better now and his heart clenched in his chest at the sight. He was drawn to her in a way that was nearly as painful as all the Waldreg’s tortures. He was dying to touch her but he could not since his hands were tied. “She is believed to be the most beautiful of my old kin,” Moreth pointed out.

“What do you want to know?” Halbrand raised an eyebrow at her.

“Do you think it is true?” Moreth wondered out loud.

“She is beautiful,” he admitted with a head nod and she smiled at him with a hint of sadness. She had to be aware that her transformation had taken some of her grace but he could not disagree more.

She is beautiful, but not as much as you, he thought but did not dare to say it. Because in his eyes she was – terrifying, unsettling, twisted. He could imagine all the beings in Middle-earth worshipping her just because she’d look at them. If she wanted it, she would have everything he was trying to achieve but without any effort.

At least, that was how he perceived her.

Moreth reached out to a bowl of water that the warg had for himself and she dipped in it a cloth she had been hiding inside her sleeve. When the cloth was wet enough, she retreated her hand and gently wiped Halbrand's face with it in the most delicate manner. Even on her path towards the ultimate darkness, she still remained gentle and innocent in a way, which Halbrand found somehow endearing. She was being corrupted by Adar, but that was a gentle corruption rooted in fatherly love. She remained unspoiled by the true evil.

That was something that he himself would love to do to her.

“Why can’t you just tell me what you know about Sauron?” She asked, looking deep into his eyes.

“So, you came here to deceive me?” He smirked at her. “And I thought for a moment that you simply had a good heart,” he teased.

“Really?” Moreth seemed to be surprised as she froze for a moment.

“Of course not. You’re the Uruk Princess,” he mocked her and she clenched her jaw but she went back to wiping the blood and mud off of his face. “And you have lost your abilities to seduce people, you know? You no longer radiate the alluring light that could easily lead lower forms of life to their own destruction just because an Elven maiden smiled at them,” he explained, trying to anger her further. Just for fun.

“I did not come here out of my heart’s goodness or because I want to feed off of your compliments, human king,” Moreth pursed her lips as her hand went lower and her damp cloth reached the iron collar around his neck.

After a moment of hesitation, she gently wiped his skin underneath it, wherever her agile Elven fingers could reach. This action caused shivers go down Halbrand's spine as he watched her with his lips slightly parted. She was a seductress without even realising.

“Why are you here then, Elven witch?” He asked her and she sighed before looking into his eyes.

“I feel as if I know you already,” she admitted and his heart quickened its pace. “As if you were…” She did not finish the sentence and looked away. “It does not matter. It does not make sense.”

“As if I were… what?” Halbrand asked her, gently.

“You will misunderstand me, human,” she laid her eyes upon him again.

“Then explain it to me, Elf.”

“...As if you were the man from my dreams,” she revealed and cleared her throat but he did not say anything. He furrowed his brows, waiting for an explanation. “Not in the way you must think of. Not that you are everything I crave or want in a man. But, for some time now, I have… dreams… visions… of a faceless and nameless man and… it is as if someone is trying to reach me,” she confessed. “The dreams stopped some time ago but I still remember the man clearly and… and I miss him even though… even though he terrified me, too,” Moreth admitted and looked deep into Halbrand's eyes.

For a moment, he got scared she would see right through him, but that did not happen since she was too affected by her confession.

“He was the main reason for my downfall. He was teasing me, tempting, encouraging. But if it was not for him, I would not have found my father again. I would not have gained my freedom here by his side. This man… I have never told anyone about him,” she added and swallowed thickly. “Not even my mother… She thinks I transformed into the creature like my father because I am his daughter. But that is not completely true. And now she has fallen as well just because she did not want to abandon me in the darkness.”

Moreth retreated her hand and began to play nervously with the damp – and now also dirty – cloth in her hand. She looked down, refusing to keep staring at the man in front of her; too embarrassed of what she had just confessed.

“I know nothing of magic,” he only said.

“Yes. And the dreams… I had them for centuries. Before you were even born,” she shyly looked up. “It cannot be you. And yet… I feel as if I know you.”

“You must be mistaken. Perhaps you have lost your senses,” Halbrand answered, harshly.

“Perhaps,” she agreed with him. “I do wonder why the man has stopped coming to me in my dreams.”

“Is it not for the better? He terrified you. He caused your downfall,” Halbrand provoked her to explain to him better.

“That man… I might not know his face or his name but I could sense his power,” Moreth stood up and straightened her back as if the mention of him alone was enough to make her feel more proud. Being chosen by him to be the victim of his scheming was making her feel special. “He was greater than any Elf, he was like a… nearly like a God,” she explained. “I do not expect a human to understand the bond between the creatures like us,” she added with contempt and Halbrand could not help a little smirk.

She was not aware of how beautiful and tempting she was to him at the moment; only proving to him how right he had been for thinking of her so excessively for all those years.

Just like that, Moreth left the building and the warg went back to growling at him but Halbrand could not be bothered. He was left with a smile upon his lips.

He had no idea that all those years when he had been trying to go back to his shape and trying to see Moreth to check on her – that she could have actually felt his presence. That he had actually reached her in a way and appeared in her dreams and visions as a ghost-like creature.

And to know that he was the reason for the downfall of Adar’s daughter – his murderer – felt undeniably satisfying. It was his sweet revenge. Or at least the first part of it.

The second part would be to make her his. Completely and entirely. Forever.

Knowing what effect he had on Lady Moreth and that the door to her soul was open for him, Sauron began visiting her in her dreams again.

At first, he returned carefully and tested the waters. She seemed to be happy about his comeback and curious about his long absence. He was reassuring her as much as he could and slowly teasing the reveal of who he was.

He did not plan to tell her yet about being Sauron for that could be a shock too big and she was aware of her father’s difficult past with the Dark Lord. Therefore, at first, he just revealed to her that the man she had met back in the old and dirty hut was indeed the man from her dreams.

He visited her one night in his new form of Annatar and revealed to her that he had to hide his true identity. Moreth seemed to be intimidated by his new appearance.

“You are made of so much light,” she whispered in a trembling voice. “How could you be the one to deceive me towards darkness?”

“It was not you I have deceived. It is the Elves I am with now that I am deceiving,” Annatar explained with a gentle smile as he reached his hand out to put it on her cheek. It was nothing but a dream but he could feel the shadow of her real presence.

Moreth closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, enjoying his hand on her even if it was only an illusion.

“What are you?” She asked.

“Someone for whom you were made, Lady Moreth,” he explained and, just like that, she was sold completely.

Moreth was returning from the walk in the woods nearby when she spotted her parents talking nervously by one of the houses in the camp. They looked very upset and worried, which caused her heart skip a beat as she hurried to their side.

“What is it? I could sense your nervousness from afar,” she asked them and raised an eyebrow.

Lady Aranya put her arm around her daughter and pulled her closer in a reassuring manner.

“We have been fooled, it seems,” she explained to her daughter.

“Fooled? By whom?” Moreth looked up at her father. His jaw was clenched and his eyes burnt with rage.

“That man from Mordor, the king of Southlands…” Aranya began saying as Moreth felt a little dizzy at the mention of him. He was the man from her dreams. What did he have in common with all of this?

“He is Sauron,” Adar finished his wife’s sentence.

Moreth felt as if the ground under her feet moved and opened, trying to swallow her whole. She held onto her mother tightly and took a deep breath in as her heart fluttered in her chest.

“Impossible,” she only whispered.

“There is no such a thing as impossible when it comes to Sauron,” Adar explained in the most serious manner. “We have foolishly trusted him enough to release him. I should have known… I’ve had that feeling that something was wrong…” He cursed under his breath and walked away, angrily.

Moreth looked at her mother with fear in her eyes. Fear and guilt but of the second thing her mother could not be aware of.

“Your father, he… He shares history with Sauron,” Aranya explained.

“I do realise,” Moreth nodded.

“You do not know everything,” Aranya shook her head. “And I do not wish you to know.”

“I understand, mother,” Moreth squeezed her hand and followed her father inside the house.

He was standing by the wall and staring intensely at the fireplace.

“Father,” she approached him and gave him a hug. Adar wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. “Do not blame yourself,” she tried to somehow comfort him. “We shall find him and kill him. He will not hurt you or the Uruks again. I shall not let him,” she looked into his eyes and he cracked a smile at her words.

“And how could you prevent it, child?” He asked.

“I am no child,” she reminded him. “I am an Age old and–”

“And I shall not let you fight my battles. I shall never risk your life. Or your mother’s. But when you are by my side, I have strength I need to face my challenges,” Adar fixed his daughter’s hair and she smiled at him gently.

Oh, poor father. If he had only known…

Perhaps she was more doomed than she had thought.

Sauron tried to visit Moreth in her dreams on that night as well, but he could sense from the very beginning that something was wrong. Moreth did not let him in as deep as usual and she fiercely tried to fight back his interference.

“Be gone, dark spirit. Deceiver,” she spat out at him.

“What is the meaning of this, my love?” Annatar tried to reach her but she flinched, making him freeze. His face remained gentle but his eyes filled with anger as he looked at her after this rejection.

“Now it all makes perfect sense to me. Why you have chosen me out of all people to torment, to haunt,” Moreth’s eyes filled with tears. “It was because of my father, was it not? You wanted your revenge. I know who you are. Sauron.”

Annatar took a step back. He had been so busy with Celebrimbor and the rings that he had neglected the whole affair with Moreth. He had trusted she would not find out on her own until the right time would come.

“Be gone. You have caused enough evil and pain in my life. My parent’s lives, too…” Moreth shook her head and the tears streamed down her cheeks.

“I had been thinking of you even before your father betrayed and slaughtered me,” Annatar revealed. “Ever since I had seen you by the river’s shore, hiding in the tall grass.”

Moreth gasped and furrowed her brows. Apparently, so far, she had not connected the dots that the mysterious pair of eyes from that day belonged to the man from her dreams.

“You have been the bane of my existence ever since I was a young maiden,” she realised out loud. “Why? Why did you choose me? Why did you lie to my father so cruelly about my mother’s death and mine, too? Why have you caused him so much pain? Oh, I do not wish to know! Just be gone!” She kept shaking her head and turned her back on him. He could feel the vision around him getting more transparent and fading away. She was shutting the door close.

“Moreth, wait…” He tried to reason with her. “Moreth, listen to me…!”

The vision disappeared and now he was all alone in the darkness of his chambers in Eregion again. He took a deep breath in angrily as a single tear streamed down his cheek.

He was not going to give up so easily on the woman he had been thinking of for centuries now. Even if it meant changing some of his plans and letting go of some of his old grudges.

Moreth woke up all sweaty from the most realistic nightmare she had just had. She took a deep breath in and looked around but everything seemed to be still and quiet inside the hut.

It was this way only inside because there was a battle going on not so far away from here. But Moreth was not taking part in it – her father would not let her. She was in this hut in the middle of the forest with her mother, waiting for his return.

She stood up and approached the window. Lady Aranya was outside and staring at the stars above. It looked as if she was praying even though no Valar would ever answer her pleas for she was fallen and far too corrupted for that.

Moreth sighed and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

In her dream, the Uruks had betrayed her father and murdered him as she had been screaming for them to stop. One of them had been holding her and her mother back to make sure they would not help Adar and he had been not moving an inch, allowing their blades to cut him.

And when they had finally been released from the Uruks’ hold, they had ran up to him and held his dying body while sobbing. The most dreadful part of this dream was not the betrayal of the Uruks but the fact that a fallen Elf was not welcome to Valinor anymore. They would never reunite again. Moreth had lost her father so quickly after getting him back.

“That will happen,” a familiar voice filled her head as she winced, trying to fight it back. The moment of weakness opened the door in her soul slightly for Annatar to sneakily slip inside.

Just like the anxiety about the battle had weakened her enough to allow him to present her with that nightmare.

“Go away,” Moreth hissed.

“You can save your father if you come to me, Moreth,” Annatar lured her in with the gentle but still threatening tone of his voice. “Come and meet me. I have dreamt of your touch ever since you laid your hands upon me back in Mordor; comforting the tortured human king so generously with your gentle touch.”

“I do not trust you, deceiver. I am no fool,” Moreth massaged her temples.

“Come to me, my Queen, join my side and many lives that you care about can be spared. The Elves, the Uruks and the man between them – your father,” Annatar kept tempting but Moreth snorted at his words.

“A Queen you dare to call me? Do you really think I am vain like that to be lured by such a promise? I do not wish to be a Queen. What I have now is enough – perhaps even too much already. Be gone!” She suddenly gathered the strength to cut him off and she took a deep breath in before rushing out of the hut.

Lady Aranya turned around, confused.

“What is it, my child?” She asked, sensing that something was wrong.

“I must… I must go and see father…” Moreth mumbled as she approached the horses.

“Moreth!” Aranya approached her, trying to stop her daughter from departing. “It is too dangerous, there is a battle and your father might be in the middle of it.”

“Nothing will happen to me. The Elves and dwarves will take me as their prisoner and the Uruks are my brothers and sisters,” Moreth explained although she was no longer certain about the part about the Uruks.

She wanted to believe that what Sauron had shown her was nothing but a lie and illusion, created to scare her. But if it had been true, she could warn her father about the betrayal that was coming his way.

“Well, if you must go. I shall go, too,” Aranya approached her horse.

“Mother, no!” Moreth shouted, making her mother freeze as she looked at her daughter in shock. “You do not understand, I must depart alone,” she hopped onto her horse.

She could not allow her mother to leave with her because in her dream there had been the two of them and she had to do everything to avoid this scenario from happening. If her mother was not there, the exact scenario could not happen.

“Please, I am aware you are worried, but do trust me,” Moreth reached down to squeeze her mother’s arm and then she ordered the horse to gallop away as fast as possible.

As she rode through the woods, her heart pounded and her mind filled with chaotic thoughts. She hoped to get to her father on time no matter what. She cared about nothing else and paid no attention to her surroundings.

And just like that, she felt her horse stumbling and throwing her off of its back. Moreth yelped and landed on her face in the mud, although she had managed to put some of her weight onto her hands that were placed flat on the ground. The dried out leaves got stuck to her hair and she coughed while wincing out of pain, looking up at the running away horse.

“No! Come back!” She shouted after him but he did not listen to her as she cursed under her breath in Black Speech.

Everything was against her but she would limp to her father if she had to. And when she struggled to stand up, she froze, feeling someone’s eyes on her.

“Well, well, well, I knew you would show up eventually,” Annatar smirked as he kept staring at her, leaning on the tree nearby.

“I am not here for you!” Moreth hissed at him with pain and anger. “I am on my way to warn my father since you have been so generous to show me what is about to happen.”

“That is what I mean,” he laughed and she froze, realising that it was exactly what he had wanted her to do.

She felt like an absolute fool; standing there in the middle of nowhere, holding her own chest because of the bruised rib cage, slightly bent out of pain. Face to face with Sauron.

He approached her slowly as his face turned serious. She felt his hands touching her gently and even though she flinched, he did not retreat his fingers.

“Let me,” he whispered softly to her and removed her hand from her chest. He put his own hand there and she could feel her injuries mending slowly, bringing her relief. “I have not planned to cause you pain, my love,” he assured her as she kept squinting her eyes at him, knowing very well she should not trust his words.

“I hate you,” Moreth spat out as Annatar met her gaze. But instead of anger, she spotted a hint of pain on his undeniably beautiful face.

“Do you really?” He asked.

“No,” she admitted, ashamedly. “But I wish I did.”

“I know that you do, my love,” Annatar let go of her chest, knowing that she was healed now completely from her injuries after the fall.

“Do not call me that. How can you call me that after everything you have done to my family? To my father? My mother? Me?” Moreth asked, her eyes filling with fresh tears. “You have tormented my father, you have lied to him about the deaths of me and my mother. You have enslaved his children. You have caused my mother a whole Age of pain and loneliness without her husband by her side and you have caused the same to me – a fatherless life. And you have deceived me, you have pushed me towards darkness–”

“Do you regret the path you have chosen?” Annatar asked and Moreth closed her mouth.

“No, but–”

“Let me confess something to you,” Annatar took her hands gently and she was clearly uncomfortable with his touch but she did not push him away. “The visions and dreams you saw before meeting me in Mordor, the ones you were having for centuries until now. I did not control them. I was trying to reach out to you, to check on you, to see what you were doing, because – as I have confessed to you before – you had been on my mind long before your father betrayed me. But I had no idea that my mental search for you was causing your visions and dreams. They were not my intention. Therefore, whatever you had been seeing me doing or hearing me say, it was coming from the depths of your own soul, Moreth. You were affected by my presence, yes, but it was all coming from… you,” Annatar explained softly.

“You are lying to me,” Moreth refused to believe him although deep down she knew that he was right.

“Am I? You should have known out of all people the most when I lie or deceive,” Annatar pointed out and squeezed her hands tighter. “I was in my weakest form when I was reaching out to you. You have penetrated my soul the same way I have penetrated yours. And what your mind was making you see and hear in visions and dreams, it was taken out of me as those were the parts that have been unguarded in the times when I was struggling to survive,” he explained as Moreth blinked a few times, trying to comprehend everything.

“I am not sure if I understand. It is all so blurry,” she confessed.

“I know. I have struggled to understand our bond for some time, too, until I finally realised that our minds had intertwined,” Annatar explained. “It was done accidentally on my part but you… You invited me in.”

Moreth looked away, not knowing what to say to all of this. She could not deny that she still loved the man standing in front of her. His presence was soothing to her and holding his hands felt as right as it could. Her life had always been a lonely one, she had never had a lover before as she had only been watching other Elves fall for each other and marry. But she had always felt as if she could not leave her mother. Her mother had been living in sadness and grief after her father, so Moreth had decided to accompany her in it.

And even though she had been trying to remove Sauron from her heart after finding out who the man from her dreams truly was, it was not so easy to do so. He was imprinted on her heart and soul whether she wanted it or not.

“There are Uruks on their way now to betray your father,” Annatar informed her and she immediately turned her head around to look at him with widened eyes. She tried to get her hands out of his grasp but he only squeezed them tighter. “You can still save him, Moreth.”

“The pain you and your master have caused to my father… I cannot forgive you for it. I cannot betray him myself,” Moreth explained as tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Your father has caused me pain, too. He has betrayed me and slaughtered me. Humiliated me in front of his army, used my crown against me and watched me being ripped apart… Piece by piece,” Annatar’s eyes lit up with rage at the memory. “You have no idea what a pain that was.”

“I can imagine,” Moreth admitted and sniffled some of her tears back.

“Yet I am willing to forgive him for that,” he promised. “But it must be a transaction. A forgiveness… for forgiveness.”

Moreth did not say anything. She was still doubting the man in front of her but she also knew that she was running out of time to save Adar.

“You still are not sure about my intentions but, my sweet Moreth, you have the ability to search through my soul and see for yourself if I am deceiving you or not,” Annatar pointed out with a smirk.

Moreth hesitated for a moment before holding his hands back and squeezing them lightly, furrowing her brows and trying to get inside his mind.

What she saw there terrified her at first. Even though she was a creature of darkness now, the amount of evil and pain she had suddenly found herself in was simply overwhelming. She saw glimpses of his schemes and plans, the big, dark creature wearing the Iron Crown and a heavy armour amongst the ashes. She saw the rings and corruption, she saw death and whole realms destroyed for disobedience. She saw thousands of Uruks marching with a war chant on their lips, she saw a big, black fortress and a throne.

Chaotically searching through all of this, she managed to find herself amongst that disarray. As if she was an eagle, she saw herself and Annatar from above, between the trees, holding hands and staring at each other like in the very moment. She dipped down and managed to sink herself into his form and to be able to perceive the scene through his eyes – to see herself as Sauron.

And she did not see a woman dirty from the mud with dry leaves stuck to it. She did not see a scared woman who was terrified of what was coming to her father and torn because of the choice she was presented with. No, she saw a beautiful, strong creature, standing proudly. She saw a dreadful Queen, radiating death and darkness. She felt respect towards her even though it was, actually, her.

“I know you do not wish to be a Queen,” Annatar’s voice filled her head. “But I also know you wish to be by my side. And this is how my love will make you flourish,” he said.

“You call that a flourish?” Moreth snorted through her tears and she could sense Annatar’s anger at her question, so she quickly explained that it was no rejection from her. “The path of the light is no longer open for me since I have abandoned it. I can only improve myself through the darkness and I do wish for perfection,” she confessed. “I shall be your Queen.”

She took a step back, letting go of his hands and breaking up the inner connection for now. She stood there, breathing heavily as she kept staring at him with shock on her face. She had not suspected to be able to dig so deep into his mind.

“My love,” Annatar caressed her cheek affectionately. “Let us go save your father now.”

He truly intended to keep his promise even though he was bitter about it. However, he did not want to begin the tale of his love with betrayal. He could deceive and betray everyone but not her – even villains like him needed one person they could trust and keep close. It was making the greatness and power more bearable.

It was early morning already when they reached Moreth’s father. Lady Galadriel was standing behind him and there were a few Uruks coming his way carrying Glûg on the stretcher. Moreth glanced at Annatar and immediately understood what the smart plan was. Adar would never walk past any of his children’s pain.

When he saw them, he immediately hurried to their side to check on one of his most loyal and closest Uruks.

“Father, no!” Moreth emerged from between the trees and Adar turned around at the sound of her voice, surprised to see her so far away from the hut she was supposed to hide in with her mother for the time of the battle.

“Moreth! What are you doing here?” He asked in a scolding tone.

“I am here to warn you of the betrayal,” she hurried to him, grabbing him by his wrists and trying to keep him away from the Uruks. “It is Sauron’s trap,” she explained as the Uruks looked between each other uncomfortably.

“What are you talking about? How do you know?” Adar furrowed his brow and that was when Annatar joined them, walking out slowly and gracefully. Lady Galadriel gasped at the sight of him and shot him a deadly glance.

Adar put his arms around his daughter immediately as if he was trying to protect her from the man coming their way.

“Stay away from her,” he drawled out at Annatar as he realised that he had emerged from the same path his daughter had walked out of.

“I can try, old friend, but I am not sure if she would stay away from me,” Annatar smirked at Adar.

Moreth’s father looked down at his daughter, confused. But he had no time to ask her any questions when the final betrayal revealed itself.

“So what do we do, Master?” One of the Uruks asked Sauron as he bowed his head.

“Why are you calling him a Master?” Adar asked him. “My son?”

“They are not children anymore,” Annatar explained to him and then looked at the Uruk. “Leave us,” he ordered. “That is a family matter between me and your Lord Father,” he added. “Raze Eregion, leave no Elf alive, but bring me their leaders.”

“A family matter?” Adar asked, even more confused and even more angry than before. He let go of Moreth as he kept staring at her intensely.

“Hail Sauron!” The Uruks chanted in Black Speech. “Hail the new Dark Lord!” They added and ran away to follow his orders. Adar reached his hand towards them but his movement was weak because he knew it was hopeless as tears filled his usually cold eyes.

Moreth’s heart cried out for him and she was the one to touch his hand gently, bringing him back to reality.

“Bring me my crown,” Annatar ordered harshly and Moreth looked up at him, confused. Was he giving that order… to her? And what crown was he speaking of?

She turned around and saw the Iron Crown of Morgoth on a stone next to Lady Galadriel who kept watching the scene in silent terror.

“Please, my love?” Annatar added in a much softer voice.

Moreth looked away to avoid her father’s eyes at that moment. She knew she had lots of explaining to do and she only hoped he would not hate her as a result of all of this.

She knew why Annatar had made this request. She had to prove herself since her promises of wanting to become his Queen could have been nothing but treachery to save her father’s life. Now, when Adar was safe, it was her turn to keep their deal.

But Lady Galadriel standing there as if she was guarding the dark item was surely an obstacle. She was one of the greatest warriors of the Elven race – a Commander of the Northern Armies. She kept staring at Moreth, challenging her.

Moreth swallowed the lump in her throat and straightened her back, feeling the sudden outburst of courage as she remembered the dreadful Queen her lover had been seeing her as when she had penetrated his mind.

When she took the first step, her father reached his hand out, trying to stop her. She, however, ignored him and kept taking more and more steps towards the Iron Crown.

So far, everything she had been doing in her life, she had been doing with her parents on her mind. Her mother and her father. But she was not a child anymore – just like Adar’s Uruks. She was an Age old and it was the time for her to do something for herself. To choose her own path and make decisions for herself. To start a life that would be hers to live.

Her parents had themselves now again, they could spend an eternity making up for the lost time. And she refused to be a background character of their love story. She wanted her own. She wanted to be with the man she had been dreaming of for centuries.

When she reached her hand out for the crown, Lady Galadriel did not move to stop her but she spoke:

“Are you fully aware of what you are about to do?” She asked and looked at Moreth in a way that made Moreth realise that Galadriel was still trying to search for the remains of her light.

“I am not a child or a fool, Lady Galadriel,” Moreth answered calmly but with a hint of anger. “I am aware. And I shall not be underestimated ever again,” she stated and grabbed the crown, feeling its corruption and darkness spilling all throughout her body. She tightened the grip and walked back to Annatar to hand him the item.

But when Annatar held it with a smirk and tried to take it away from her, she squeezed the Iron Crown even tighter, refusing to let it go. He furrowed his brows at her.

“And you will not bark your orders at me ever again,” she informed him with her chin held up high as her eyes filled with anger and confidence.

“You have never been more beautiful,” Annatar whispered with a malicious grin and Moreth nodded her head at him, letting go of the Iron Crown. “Go with your father to your worried mother, I can sense her anxiety through the miles of this forest,” he caressed Moreth’s cheek gently. “I shall join you later and for now… I have unfinished business with Lady Galadriel here,” he looked up to meet her eyes.

Moreth nodded at him, touching his cheek as well as if she was blessing him before his confrontation with Galadriel. Then, she gathered her courage to turn around and face her heartbroken and confused father.

“Come,” she grabbed him by the sleeve but Adar kept standing still. “Father, please. I want to explain and I have not done all of this just for you to foolishly lose your life now!” She exclaimed and that was what eventually made him follow her into the woods, hesitantly.

Aranya and Adar were sitting by the table and staring at their daughter with pain and a hint of disappointment. They were holding hands under the table and Moreth was sitting on the opposite side with tears in her eyes after explaining everything to them. Well, almost. There were things they did not need to know. The most intimate parts of the bond she shared with Sauron.

“He… He caused your father so much pain…” Lady Aranya started as her voice quivered.

“I know…” Moreth shook her head, fighting the fresh tears. “It is not like I can fight it, I have tried, with every fibre of my being, I swear to you, to the both of you. I have tried to fight it but–”

“I know,” Aranya nodded. “I have tried to fight the darkness within me as well but in the end, I decided to join you and your father. I know what it is like,” she confessed.

“Thank you,” her daughter took a deep breath in. “Father?” She looked at him.

He was even more quiet than usual now and she understood why – his whole world had just tumbled down. Not only did his daughter want to share her life with his greatest enemy but also the Uruks he had considered his children for centuries went away with the man he had sworn to protect them from.

“I am… defeated,” Adar confessed finally.

“Oh, Adar…” His wife reached her hand out to caress his scarred cheek. “Do not think of it this way. As long as I am by your side, there is no obstacle we cannot face together,” she assured him and Moreth bit on the insides of her cheeks. She could not wait to be in her lover’s arms already.

“The Uruks are like children to you just like I am… and they have made their decision – just like me,” Moreth explained. “But, father, I swear to you, by Sauron’s side, I shall make sure to take care of them just like you would. I shall follow your steps and after all the centuries of commanding their army, it is time for you to retire. To live a peaceful life alongside mother and enjoy each other’s company,” she tried to comfort him.

“Well, I must admit, that last part is something I would enjoy very much,” Moreth’s mother squeezed Adar’s hand tighter. “Before all of this happened, before Morgoth took you away from me, you had told me that you would love to live with me far away from everything else. I have not forgotten that, my love,” she reminded her husband.

“I do not trust Sauron with the Uruks and I do not trust him with our daughter. Simple as that,” Adar stated.

“And that is the problem, father,” Moreth tried to make him understand as gently as possible. “You do not have to trust Sauron. You have to trust your children who are old enough to make their own decisions.”

Her mother gave her husband a meaningful look. She seemed to be quite convinced but Moreth knew that her mother deep down was just glad to get rid of the Uruks and that she could have her husband for herself now. She had grown to like these creatures but she did not like this life of constant travelling, conquering and fighting.

The conversation was interrupted by a knock upon the door. Moreth straightened her back immediately. She had been too focused on her parents to sense him earlier but now it was very clear who was standing outside.

“It is him,” she announced.

“I can smell his stench,” Adar nodded with a clenched jaw.

“Father!” Moreth exclaimed. “I beg of you, if you still have some love for me in your heart, do try to understand,” she pleaded.

“I have all the love for you in what is left of my heart, my sweet daughter. Out of all things in this world, you should not doubt that,” he answered very seriously.

“And knowing that I am lucky to have my father's love gives me confidence,” Moreth nodded with a smile as she stood up and approached the door to open them.

Annatar stood there with an unreadable expression on his face. She was sure he had been listening to her conversation and perhaps he had been doing that for longer than she knew. Moreth lowered her gaze and glanced at his crown that had blood on it. She could smell the blood was pure and Elven.

“Is she…?”

“Unfortunately not,” Annatar drawled out as he entered the hut. “And I have not managed to get her ring,” he added, visibly upset.

“Her ring?” Moreth furrowed her brows.

“Nenya, the ring of water,” her father said. “It is powerful and uncorrupted.”

Annatar shot him a glance.

“Bold of you, old friend, to speak of corruption,” he remarked.

“Please!” Moreth rolled her eyes and put her hands on Annatar’s chest. “You have promised me to forgive my father for the sake of me.”

“I have promised you forgiveness for forgiveness but there is none coming from your father,” Annatar pointed out.

“How do you expect my husband to ever forgive what you have done to him?” Lady Aranya asked and did not even try to hide her indignation.

“We both were the victims of Morgoth,” Annatar’s voice went softer as he addressed Aranya, trying to use some of his charm and treachery to convince her.

“You were his servant out of your own will, not a victim,” Adar pointed out. “And even right now you hold his crown.”

“And you have followed him out of our own will, too, old friend,” Annatar answered. “And even right now you wield his sword,” he pointed at the weapon.

Long silence occurred between them all. Apparently, there were no more accusations to throw since both of them were too involved in the evil deeds and darkness, too twisted and corrupted to be able to truly find out which one had been the most guilty one and which one was to blame the most.

“I could forgive the tortures,” Adar finally whispered. “But how can I forgive you the illusion of my wife and daughter dying? You have no idea what it did to me for you have never loved.”

“I have and I do,” Annatar answered, putting his hand around Moreth’s waist as Adar’s eyes filled with rage at the sight. “And all I can say to that is; I shall ensure that your daughter will never be harmed.”

“I can ensure that myself,” Adar replied.

“A conversation with your father is pointless,” Annatar was annoyed. He was easily getting angry and the frustration was even greater now when he had just failed to kill Lady Galadriel and get her ring. He sighed and left the hut, slamming the door shut behind him.

“Is that supposed to be threatening?” Adar smirked to himself.

“Father!” Moreth shook her head. “Mother, do something,” she looked at Lady Aranya.

“Whether we like it or not, whether we accept it or not… They have a bond we cannot break and trying to stop it might possibly cause more chaos and destruction than goodness,” Moreth’s mother tried to explain to her husband. “I have not sacrificed everything for my family only to watch this very family fall apart just because my husband is too stubborn.”

The look Adar gave her took her aback at first because he seemed to feel betrayed by her. But he also understood why she was able to have compassion towards their daughter in this very situation since she had been in a similar one when it came to him.

“I have abandoned my friends, who were like family members to me. I have abandoned my old life without any chance of going back there. I have abandoned the light and the shores of Valinor… for you. For Moreth,” Aranya reminded him. “I do not wish for my daughter to abandon anything for her lover. We shall swallow our pride and our pain for the sake of her. I do not wish to lose my daughter because I know that we shall lose her if we keep opposing her like this. She will choose Sauron and I do not want her to be forced to make a choice,” she tried to make him understand and he went silent for a moment before addressing his daughter.

“You would? You would choose him?” Adar asked Moreth and even though his voice was full of contempt, there was also pain that felt like a slap in her face because she had never wished to cause pain to her parents.

“I…” She started, not sure of what to say. It was not so easy, but also – she had already made a promise to Sauron so it did not matter anymore.

“It does not matter,” Aranya answered instead. “If she chose us, she would grow to hate us. And I do not wish for that either. I want her happiness.”

“I wish for Moreth’s happiness, too,” Adar approached his daughter and looked deep into her eyes full of tears. His eyes were wet, too, and he cracked a smile at her. “He is a deceiver, Moreth. How can you trust him?”

“I have seen and explored his mind as much as he has mine,” his daughter replied. “I am the only one he cannot deceive. I know his heart, father.”

“His heart?” Adar asked, mockingly.

“Yes, father, his heart. Beating in his chest, pumping the blood of his flesh and with each breath there is a thought of me and a yearn to be with me. And it has been this way for centuries now. You surely do know something about it even though your heart is quite rotten, too,” she pointed out and Adar took a step back. He was still not fully convinced but a little more peaceful now, which his daughter and wife could sense.

Aranya approached him and placed her hand on his arm, pulling him closer to her and away from their daughter. She nodded at her and Moreth nodded back before following Annatar outside.

He was standing by the tree nearby and caressing the Iron Crown with his fingertips. His face was still annoyed and Lady Galadriel’s blood remained unwiped from the item.

“He will accept it but it will take him time,” Moreth stood next to her lover and explained softly. Annatar snorted at that. “Do not be too harsh, my darling,” she addressed him and he moved slightly, trying not to reveal what an effect it had on him when she addressed him as her darling. “What if it was your… our… daughter wanting to be with the man who has tortured you in the past?” Moreth tried to make him see as she put her hand gently on Annatar’s arm.

“That would have to be Morgoth. He was the one to torture me,” Annatar answered. “And he is a God. I would be delighted if a God wanted my daughter as a bride.”

“I… I do not think my father shares your mindset,” Moreth chuckled. “And I do not share it either for I would not trust a man who has hurt you…”

She was trying to be sweet but it only made him laugh at her as he pointed his finger at the door leading back to the hut. Her father was inside and he had hurt him in the past.

He had killed him.

Moreth closed her mouth, not knowing what else to say to make it all better.

“The thing is,” she finally said, “I have promised to be your Queen and even though the crown is not something I wish for, I want to be by your side. But I also refuse to give up on my parents. And I do not care anymore what the two of you will do with it,” she shrugged her arms. “You will have to live with it and work it out somehow,” she added and gently took the heavy crown from her lover’s hands. Surprisingly, he allowed her without any resistance as he looked at her softly.

Moreth cracked a smile at him, thinking how beautiful he truly looked in this form of Annatar and how lucky she was to be the woman he loved. She lifted her hands and put the crown upon his head, delicately.

“I have loved you for centuries without knowing your name or your face but that was only the beginning of the eternity together,” she whispered, grasping his hands with her fingers and Annatar looked down at their hands intertwined as he squeezed her fingers back.

“I shall make the whole of Middle-earth love you as much I do,” he assured her and she sighed but also smiled at him.

His love was more than enough to her but she had to get used to the fact that his love was as great and loud as everything else he was doing and he wished to scream it from the mountaintops. And the more powerful she was becoming, the more powerful he was becoming as well. She knew – she could have seen it all inside his mind.

“I do not think it is possible to make anyone else love me the way you do,” she laughed softly, “but I cannot forbid you from trying.”

MASTERLIST

#sauron x oc #halbrand x oc #annatar x oc #lotr oc #lilysfiction

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blizzardtheartisticfox · 6 months ago

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Bliz Writes Fanfiction??

This is my new thingy! It’s called Hollow Tree and is based on a dream I had. If you know me in real life and intend to play DnD with me, please do not read (I’m gonna turn it into a campaign)

The actual story is below!

"Welcome, everyone!" Tango shouted to the gathering crowd of hermits, "I need three people to come up here for the first group!" Soon after he finished this sentence, Tango realized his mistake. A wave of bodies surged towards the stage in front of his newest creation, somehow headed by Scar, who was being pushed forward in his wheelchair at a not even remotely Scar-safe pace by Grian. They were both whooping with laughter, occasionally interrupted by an alarmed squeal from Scar.

As soon as the pair reached the stage, Tango called for everyone to freeze. Gem took one last step forward, placing her foot onto the platform. While Tango was inclined to disqualify her for moving after his shout, he decided to allow it. He needed a group of three anyway.

"Alright, It looks like we have Grian, Scar, and Gem!" he announced. Grain and Scar exchanged a quick high five, and Gem skipped the rest of the way up the ramp as the rest of the hermits grumbled lightheartedly at their failure. "I recommend that the rest of you just head home, these runs are going to take much longer than Decked Out runs, and actually require me, Etho, and Joel to be online the whole time. There are areas where you can watch the groups' runs, but please don't watch any of our videos or streams during the runs so you don't get an unfair advantage. Now for you three..." Tango trailed off ominously, then laughed and jumped off the back of the stage down a hole.

Scar immediately wheeled himself over the edge. Gem and Grian looked at each other, shrugged, and followed. They hit the bottom with a splash, and waded out of the pool which broke their fall. Scar was already waiting when they got out and shook themselves off. The group stood in a huge cavern, made to look as if it was outdoors, with a dense ceiling of layered blue glass. In front of them stood a huge custom tree, probably 15 meters in diameter, stretching high above them. Spore blossoms hung from the great tree, their shining green spores drifting down to the mossy ground, dotted with small bushes and wildflowers. The great tree was composed primarily of oak and spruce wood and stretched so high that Tango had overlapped the cloudy ceiling with the canopy. A dirt path stretched to the foot of the tree, where a pair spruce double doors stood, inlaid in the bark.

The three friends looked around in amazement, taking in their surroundings. A note of pride rang in Scar's voice as he complimented the big tree; amazement echoed in Grian's as he walked slowly up the path, admiring Tango's landscaping and the smaller custom trees. Gem ran out into the woods, pulling out her sword and dancing around in excitement. Grian was the first to find the sign by the path which indicated that they needed to leave all of their stuff there. Three double chests were hidden underneath simple benches for each of them. Grian called the others over, and they deposited their stuff in the boxes. Gem gingerly set her sword down. After wandering for a little while, Scar approached the doors to the tree.

"Wait, don't go in without us!" Grian yelled as Scar began to push the doors open. He and Gem ran to catch up, and the group stepped through together.

They emerged onto a landing on a dimly lit terracotta ramp, going up into the tree with a slight curve to it. The only light came from soul torches, spaced just barely close enough to each other that mobs won't spawn. Under each torch, a niche was dug into the wall. Each one housed a small statue (clearly Cleo offered some help with this part). The statues each held a miniature wind instrument.

Something made a creaking noise in front of the group, and a small light ignited at a statue's base. It hopped down from its niche and stepped slowly up the ramp, music sounding from it as it climbed. A shadow was climbing after it, moving jerkily. When the first figure reached the top, the second figure turned and melted into the wall. As soon as it disappeared, pistons began to move in the floor behind us. A wall of what must have been concrete powder was slowly falling, and behind it stood a terrifying monster, somewhat resembling the shadow. It looked like it was entirely made of terracotta, and it blended into the walls around it. Behind it was what looked like impenetrable darkness. It looked almost human, but a grotesque grin was painted across its face and its legs were disproportionately large and something about it seemed mechanical.

"Oh no," breathed Scar, and he began to wheel himself up the ramp as fast as he could. The others followed, Grian giving Scar a boost to get him going faster. They scrambled up the ramp, but the creature behind them was gaining.

#Hollow tree fanfic #Bliz says words #hermitcraft #grian #tangotek #gtwscar #geminitay #fanfiction #hermitcraft fanfic

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sunberies · 1 month ago

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Okay but when does Poppy really realize she's in love with Branch in Silver Linings? Did she only realize once Rosie is revealed or did she once the one night stand happened? Or did the small crush already mean that? I'm asking cause usually a small crush only means passive and slight romantic feelings so does it mean more to her? I HAVE QUESTIONS-

OK OK LISTEN I know I have not really talked about the before but I’m still fucking around with it. But but but, Poppy knows that she like, really likes Branch before they do anything. Like she figures it out a week before THE INCIDENT, but she doesn’t get to see him that whole week. So she’s sitting there with this revelation that she really likes him, and she can’t see him(she’s busy, there’s a party or something going on I haven’t decided yet) so it’s just all building up.

When they finally do get to see each other and hang out, it’s super tense, and Branch can’t figure out why, but Poppy knows. She’s kinda really flirty with him and he just sorta,,, ignores it(he doesn’t think there’s any way she likes him like that, she’s probably just joking) but they’re hanging out, which just means Poppy follows Branch around while he does his chores and she talks his ear off the whole time. It starts getting late, and Branch is like “we should probably be heading back now” but she doesn’t want to leave yet, so she convinces him to stay out a bit longer. Also timeline, it’s June, (I live in the desert so I’m not the best when it comes to knowing when rainy season is) they get caught out in a pretty good rain storm and have to take shelter in this hollowed tree (that one drawing I did of them LOL)

I like to think that rain storms are pretty dangerous for trolls since they’re so tiny, like a puddle would be a lake to them right? So anyways, they’re in the tree, close quarters, Poppy is trying to keep the mood light, Branch is freaking out (when isn’t he?) eventually things happen, they spend the night in the tree together. I’ll make a separate post about the aftermath cause this one is LONG…

But that’s like, the basics I hope? But Poppy knows before this that she likes Branch. I also used “small crush” as a joke, cause everyone around her can see that she likes him more than she’s letting on, even before she notices. I am currently working on trying to write everything out, but I have NEVER written a genuine fanfic before so have mercy if I ever decide to post it…..

Bye bye, love you guys🙏

#trollsau #silver linings trolls au #broppy #trolls au

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sounds-void-fishy · 8 months ago

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ik i said i was gonna sleep but then fanfic and my cat nemesis screaming. anyways thinking about how ever since i was a teen ive not wanted to have kids but wanted to foster teens cause id be too scared to fuck a kid up but my set of skills has always been on track to being that of someone good at fostering teens.

and like. idk being maggot granddyke has rlly scratched that itch? especially with the idea of maggot summer camp? i am so so so full of care. being able to teach and help and support. this is all stuff i always wanted to do. this is what i was trying to do school to. and im so grateful that i get to.

i think a lot about this elderly dyke when i worked at an old folks home who toasted me when i told her how honoured i was.

i think about the kids at my high school who tomorrow afternoon are having a st patricks day party with my mom because she is one of the adult supervision and how i started that pride club nine years ago and how having a legacy at 24 is beautiful and terrifying

i think about my roommates when i moved into my current place who were like seven and ten years older than me and declared themselves my parents, at a time when i was freshly out of inpatient and floating at best

i think about the actor at sleep no more, and me crying from the beauty of the connection of queerness

i think about a friend of mine who was a youth leader at my congregation when i was in high school who i thought was nonbinary when i first met them. they didnt realise until quite a bit later. they are one of my dearest friends now

i think about the only time i went to summer camp, a week of leadership camp. it was the first place nobody knew my birth name. where i used just they/them pronouns. it was the first place i learned of the beauty of physical platonic intimacy, where we would all cuddle, or be close while playing cards or reading my immortal

i think of all of us holding hands across the years and the time and the space. in my heart and my mind there is a hangmans tree, from peter pan. the inside is all hollow and infinitely large and there is space for all those i love.

in my soul we are at summer camp and i am yearning so deeply for that to be real in whatever way i can make it

#fuck theres an angels quote #the sould of these departed joined hands clasped ankles and formed a web a great net of sould #and the souls were three atom oxygen molecules of the stuff of ozone #and the outer rim absorbed them and was repaired #nothings lost forever #in this world theres a kid of painful progress #jehangel tag #maggot taggot #maggot summer camp

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saiyanprincessswanie · 14 days ago

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SaiyanPrincessSwanie Reading List Week 221 & 222

A/N: I want to apologize that my list is short this week. I’ve been dealing with a lot of mental health issues lately. Hopefully my next list will be longer.

Thank you again to those who recommended fanfics or tagged me. 💜 This week had me reading 15 fics. Absolutely amazing fics here. This has been so much fun for me and I hope you enjoy my reading lists.

As always these will be listed in no particular order. None of these stories are mine. I’m just signal-boosting them. The author is listed next to the title. My goal is to signal boost writers and spread positivity in the community. 💜💜

Click HERE to see what I will or won’t read. This is very important.

Click HERE for past reading lists.

For my Masterlist click HERE.

Please make sure you’re reading the warnings on every story. They range from dark to fluff. Do Not Read if you are under 18 years old. These stories are meant for adults only. You’re responsible for your own media consumption.

Header by @fictional-affairs

Page-break by @whimsicalrogers

If you can, please reblog these lists so they can reach more people on Tumblr.

I love you 3000 💜 Missy

What do you Desire - (Ari x Reader) - @saiyanprincessswanie

The Brooklyn Boys Series - 2 - (Steve x Reader) - @buckets-and-trees

Cold hearted - Chp 7 - (Multi Pairings) - @missvelvetsstuff

A Hunter's Promise - (Sam Winchester x Reader) - @b3autyfuld1sast3r

Besotted - (Andy x Reader) - @mercurial-chuckles

Birthday Blues - (Thor x Reader) - @caplanbuckybarnes

Love to Love You - (Bucky x Reader) - @jobean12-blog

Vanilla Frosting - (Bucky x Reader) - @navybrat817

Shifting Tides Pt. 2 - (Ari x Reader) - @labella420

Warmth - (Steve x Reader) - @stellar-solar-flare

Mysterious calls - (X-Men x Reader) - @nekoannie-chan

Favorite scary movie - (Brock x Reader) - @nekoannie-chan

Fuck or treat - (Steve x Reader x Brock) - @nekoannie-chan

Bound & Brockened - Chp 1 - (Brock x Reader) - @talia-rumlow

Peering In My Hollow Core - (Steve x Reader) - @buckets-and-trees

#saiyanprincessswanie #recommended reading #missy reads #missy reblogs #bucky barnes x reader #steve rogers x reader #ari levinson x reader #sam winchester x reader #andy barber x reader #thor odinson x reader

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rainforestakiie · 5 days ago

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Just asking because I love your fanfics of Adamsapple, but I am just wondering if you ever going to write lesbian Adamsapple .

Not that you have too ! I am just wondering :) (if it's not your cup of coffee, that's okay !)

sending adamsapple vibes to you :)

hi!

thank you for the request! i have written lesbian pairs in the past! so no worries!

i hope you don't mind, i used this for my next prompt~ i really hope you like it! i worked so hard on it and i think it's so cute!

AdamsApple Month Harvest!

Halloween Party~

@adamsappleweek

The Hyacinth family had just settled into Salem, Massachusetts, a town her mother called "the heart of witchcraft" with a voice thick with reverence. To Adam, nicknamed Adelle, though, it was just a place, its mythical tales and whispered legends as hollow as childhood stories. Magic and witches, as far as she was concerned, were relics of overactive imaginations, nothing more.

Her mother, however, adored these legends—so much so that she even called herself a "white witch," casting mock spells and filling the air with laughter, as though she held some secret knowledge of spells and potions. Adelle sighed, her gaze drifting toward the view from her new bedroom window.

The house itself was ancient, a looming relic from the days of the infamous witch trials. It creaked and groaned in a way that might’ve unsettled anyone else, but her mother loved it, claiming it practically sang to her the moment she laid eyes on it. Outside, the streets of Salem were already cloaked in a Halloween charm, even though October’s end was still a week away. The decorations were woven through the town with a zealous dedication that made Adelle roll her eyes. Every lamp post held tiny jack-o'-lanterns, their carved faces glowing in eerie, flickering orange light, as though they were whispering secrets to each other. Paper bats hung from trees and telephone wires, their wings swaying with every gust of wind, casting fluttering shadows on the cobblestone streets below.

The store windows along the main street were alive with decorations, too—glittering witches’ hats, fake cobwebs with thick, glistening threads, and cauldrons bubbling with misty fog from carefully hidden smoke machines. Orange and yellow banners danced across the length of every building, their fabric rippling like flames in the chill autumn breeze. Salem was fully enchanted by the spirit of Halloween, embracing it like a second heartbeat.

Just as Adelle’s gaze traced the flickering jack-o'-lanterns one last time, her bedroom door swung open, and in drifted her mother with the effortless, theatrical grace she seemed to embody. Her long, wild curls, dyed a deep purple, tumbled down her shoulders like an enchanted cascade, bouncing as she moved.

"Adelle," her mother exclaimed, her voice a mixture of mischief and glee, “Your room is positively bare! How can you live like this? We need to bring some spirit in here!”

Adelle eyed the cardboard box her mother had placed on the floor, frowning as she crossed her arms.

“No thanks,” she replied, her tone flat.

The thought of her room being smothered with the same decorations she saw all over town felt exhausting. But her mother’s eyes sparkled with a glint that suggested she might have other plans.

Adelle's mother clucked her tongue, undeterred by her daughter’s reluctance. She knelt beside the cardboard box, lifting its flaps with the careful enthusiasm of someone unearthing buried treasure. From within, she pulled out strands of twinkling fairy lights shaped like little pumpkins and a velvet black garland that sparkled with flecks of silver.

“Come on, honey, we could at least hang these,” she coaxed, draping the garland over her shoulders like a feather boa. “Imagine—your room could look like a magical hideaway, just for Halloween!”

Adelle slouched further; her arms crossed tight over her chest. "No thanks, Mom."

Her mother’s shoulders slumped ever so slightly, the pumpkin lights dangling limply from her hands. She let out a wistful sigh.

“You know,” she began, her voice softer, laced with nostalgia, “When you were little, you loved Halloween. You used to wear the cutest costumes.”

Her eyes sparkled as memories drifted back. “I’ll never forget the year you dressed as a duck—oh, the fluffiest little duckling waddling around the neighbourhood!”

Adelle groaned, but a faint blush crept into her cheeks as she rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, well, I’m not a little kid anymore,” she muttered, turning back toward the window, resting her chin on her arms as she looked out over the decorated street. The gentle sway of the paper bats, the soft glow of jack-o'-lanterns—it was all perfectly charming, she supposed. Just not for her.

Her mother sighed again, the longing in her expression clear. She sat down on the edge of Adelle’s bed, looking at her daughter with a blend of sadness and affection.

“I know, sweetheart. You’re growing up,” she said quietly. “But sometimes, it’s nice to hold on to a little magic.”

She glanced down at the pumpkin lights, the glow of nostalgia making her look younger. “I guess I just miss the way things used to be.”

Adelle’s resolve wavered as she caught her mother’s wistful gaze reflected in the window. Halloween used to mean something more, didn’t it? She just couldn’t remember what.

Adelle shrugged, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "Yeah, well… things change. They kind of had to after Dad.”

Her mother flinched, her face falling for a split second before she composed herself, brushing a lock of purple hair behind her ear.

“Please, Adelle,” she murmured, the strain clear in her voice. “I’m trying. You’ve got to meet me halfway here.”

Adelle didn’t respond, simply resting her chin on her folded arms, her gaze fixed on the Halloween-lit street outside. Her mother sighed deeply, her shoulders rising and falling with the weight of it.

"Listen," she said after a long pause, "there’s a Halloween party tonight—just a small one, at the town hall. You should go. It’s a good chance to meet people your age, maybe make some friends."

Adelle’s eyebrows knitted together as she scoffed. “It’s not even Halloween yet. Halloween’s next week. Why are they having a party now?”

Her mother offered a gentle smile, an expression that held both amusement and a hint of pleading. “Because, sweetheart, that’s just how Salem is. Halloween starts early here, and everyone loves it. They celebrate for weeks.”

Adelle’s lips twisted into a reluctant frown. She could already feel the layers of arguments building up. “Mom, I really don’t want to go. Parties aren’t my thing, and I’d rather just… stay here.”

Her mother clasped her hands together, giving Adelle the wide-eyed, pleading look that had somehow managed to persuade her in years past. “Adelle, please, just give it a try. You might end up liking it here, but you have to actually get out there and see the town—meet people! I promise, it won’t be so bad if you just let yourself have a little fun.”

Adelle crossed her arms tightly over her chest, her voice hardening. “Fun? Mom, what am I supposed to wear? I don’t have a costume, and I’m not just going to throw on some random outfit.”

With a sly smile, her mother glanced down at the box, nudging it toward Adelle with her foot.

“That’s why we brought these along,” she said, her tone a mix of playfulness and determination. "There’s bound to be something here that you can use."

Adelle groaned deeply, her face scrunching up in disbelief. “Are you serious?”

She glanced into the box, catching sight of mismatched fairy wings, glittering masks, and a feathery witch’s hat that looked suspiciously homemade. The thought of putting any of it on made her cringe, but her mother’s eyes glinted with hope, as though this one small gesture could make all the difference.

With a reluctant sigh, Adelle glanced back at her mother, who was waiting with bated breath, a soft, hopeful smile dancing on her lips. She might just have to meet her halfway after all.

Adelle sighed as she fastened the simple black cloak around her shoulders, letting the dark fabric drape to her knees. The costume was as plain as she could get away with—just a simple black dress, a pointed hat with a slightly bent tip, and a thin cloak that trailed behind her. There was nothing sparkly or dramatic, just plain black and white, understated, and perfectly unremarkable. Her mother clapped her hands, her eyes shining with excitement. “You’re going to have a wonderful time, Adelle,” she insisted with a warm smile, as if sheer optimism could magically conjure up a perfect night. Adelle wasn’t so sure, but she forced a strained smile and waved back awkwardly before stepping out into the crisp evening air.

She walked slowly, her footsteps echoing along the winding walkway as she moved down from her house. When she reached the top of the street, Adelle stopped in her tracks, watching as other people her age, but dressed in elaborate costumes—filtered toward a towering white mansion at the end of the street. She felt a pang of dread as she looked at them, each wearing intricate, dazzling costumes that seemed almost too perfect. They walked in groups, laughing easily, glancing back over their shoulders to share in some private joke. Adelle, alone and feeling like an outsider, hesitated. Part of her debated turning around, marching right back to her house, and shutting the door on all this forced Halloween cheer.

But when she glanced back over her shoulder, she saw her mother standing on the doorstep, watching her with that hopeful, encouraging smile that Adelle couldn’t shake. The moment their eyes met, her mother gave an eager wave, silently urging her to keep going. Adelle rolled her eyes, muttering to herself, but she sighed and trudged forward, dragging her feet as she joined the throng headed for the party.

When she finally reached the house, her mouth dropped open despite herself. It was huge, like something straight out of a fairytale—a sprawling, three-story mansion with tall, arched windows and white columns that rose up like the spines of some ancient, regal creature. The place was breathtaking, painted a pristine white that seemed to glow beneath the moonlight, its walls adorned with garlands of dried corn husks and glimmering strands of fairy lights woven into the banisters. Whoever lived here had gone all out.

The front lawn was a Halloween wonderland, lined with pumpkins of every size and shape, each one carved with expert precision. Some had intricate, swirling designs; others had faces so detailed they almost seemed alive, as if they might start whispering secrets any moment. A graveyard scene sprawled across the lawn, complete with fake tombstones that were chipped and mossy-looking, as though they'd been ripped straight out of a Gothic novel. Gnarled, bare-branched trees wrapped in fake spider webs stood on either side of the path, and tiny plastic spiders hung from invisible threads, swaying gently in the breeze. The smell of autumn leaves and warm cinnamon floated through the air, adding to the eerily enchanting atmosphere. Even the wrought-iron gate looked like something out of an old, haunted manor, its metal twisted into delicate curls and loops, catching the light from nearby lanterns that flickered softly, casting long shadows across the ground.

Adelle stood there, her heart sinking as she looked around, feeling painfully out of place in her modest costume. She was just the quiet, bookish girl—the one who never got invited to anything, who spent her weekends buried in novels or working on her latest project. This wasn’t her world. The dread in her stomach twisted tighter as she watched the other teenager’s stream through the front doors, their laughter echoing off the mansion’s walls. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she didn’t belong here. Her mom may have forced her to come, but… was she even invited? What if she stepped inside only to get strange looks or—worse—be asked to leave?

She swallowed hard, the weight of nerves pressing down on her. Maybe no one would even notice her, she thought with a hollow feeling. But just as she was about to turn and leave, something stopped her, a strange pull toward the house she couldn’t quite explain. Taking a deep breath, she hesitated, looking up at the glowing mansion one last time before slowly making her way to the entrance, each step heavy with uncertainty.

Adelle pushed through the crowded doorway and stepped into a whirlwind of noise, lights, and chaos. The house was packed with people, some crammed into the living room where music blared from giant speakers, shaking the floor with a bass-heavy beat. Others were sprawled across couches or clustered in corners, holding plastic Halloween-themed cups decorated with cartoon ghosts and bats. Some people balanced two or even three cups each, while one guy she passed was laughing wildly, juggling four cups in his hands before losing balance and spilling half of one on the carpet. She felt herself shrink under the flashing lights, her small, simple costume a stark contrast to the bold, glamorous, and often risqué outfits around her.

She moved awkwardly through the throng, feeling as out of place as ever. In one corner, she spotted a group of college-aged guys setting up a beer bong, chanting and clapping as someone took a turn. Another girl in a glittery devil costume and a guy dressed as a pirate shared a sloppy kiss in the middle of the room, oblivious to everyone around them. Adelle clenched her jaw, her face heating up in embarrassment. She had never been to a party like this before.

She was still trying to figure out where she might escape to when a tall guy with tousled hair stumbled into her path, flashing her a lopsided grin.

"Hey," he shouted over the music, his voice barely cutting through the noise.

Adelle tried to respond, mumbling a quiet “hi,” but he leaned in, clearly unable to hear her. Before she could say anything else, he shrugged and pushed one of his cups into her hand with a wink, then disappeared back into the crowd. Adelle looked down at the cup in her hand, the liquid inside a murky mix of brown and orange. She lifted it to her nose, cringing at the strong, sour smell.

"I'm such a weirdo," she muttered to herself before taking a small sip. The bitter taste hit her tongue, making her grimace, and she quickly glanced around before tipping the rest into a fake potted plant when she was sure no one was looking.

She wandered through the party aimlessly, just trying to make it through at least an hour before she could slip out without feeling guilty. Eventually, she found herself in the kitchen, where another small group had gathered around a large, ornate punch bowl. The punch inside was an eerie shade of green, glowing slightly under the dim lights. The whole scene seemed like something out of a cheesy horror movie. She was about to turn and leave when a voice rang out behind her.

"Hey, you!"

Adelle froze, slowly turning to see a girl with platinum blonde hair and a silver tiara fixed on her head. She looked every bit the part of a fairy-tale princess, though her eyes glinted with an edge that told Adelle she was no damsel.

“Yes, you,” the girl continued, narrowing her eyes. “I don’t recognize you, and I definitely don’t remember inviting you to my party. Are you new or something?”

Adelle’s face burned with mortification as she realized all eyes in the kitchen were now on her. She stammered, unsure of what to say, feeling smaller and more out of place with each second that passed. One of the other girls, dressed in a cat costume with thick, dark hair and a smirk on her face, leaned into her friend’s shoulder, snickering.

“Oh my God. She’s a party crasher. How adorable.”

Adelle tried to find her voice but only managed a soft, “I… I’m really sorry… I just moved here, and my mom, she, um, thought I should come.”

The blonde girl, who Adelle realized must be the host, clicked her tongue and nodded thoughtfully.

“Oh, you must be the Hyacinth girl?” She turned to her friends and waved a dismissive hand. “Chill out, guys. My dad invited her mom to the party or something—guess they work together.”

One of the other girls, with wild red curls and a smug grin, wrinkled her nose.

“Ew, handouts,” she sneered, crossing her arms.

The blonde girl rolled her eyes, seeming almost exasperated. She stepped forward, offering Adelle a small smile that seemed to say she was at least somewhat sympathetic.

“I’m Lilith, by the way,” she said. “You’re cool to hang out if you want. Don’t mind the heckling frogs over there—they’re just drunk.”

She motioned to the two other girls, who both flipped her off in unison, though they seemed amused.

Lilith continued the introductions, gesturing to the others around the room.

“That’s Eve,” she pointed to the redhead girl, “And Selena. The guys are Marcus, Steve, Luke, and Tony.”

One of the guys, a lanky boy with a wry grin, raised his beer in a lazy salute.

Eve, who was still leaning into Selena’s side, peered at Adelle curiously. “What’s your name then, new girl?”

Adelle managed a half-smile, her cheeks still warm with embarrassment. “Uh… I’m Adam.”

Her name hung in the air for a moment, and the girls blinked in surprise while the boys snickered. One of them, Steve, who was sitting on the kitchen counter with a can of beer, leaned forward with a smirk.

“Isn’t that a guy’s name?”

Adelle’s blush deepened as she shrugged, feeling painfully exposed. “I mean… yeah? I don’t know. It’s just what my parents called me. but I'm called Adelle as a nickname for it.”

How stupid. Why did she give them her real name?

Selena snickered, nudging Eve with her elbow. “Whoa, her parents wanted a boy that much?”

Eve chuckled, while Adelle stared down at her feet, wishing the ground would just open and swallow her whole.

Lilith shot her friends an exasperated look, her brow furrowing. “Guys, stop it. Don’t pick on her. She’s new—give her a chance.”

Before Adelle could thank her, Marcus, a tall guy with a lazy smile, pulled Lilith into his side, planting a quick kiss on her cheek.

“Aw, you’re too sweet, Lils,” he cooed, half-mocking. Lilith rolled her eyes, but she leaned into him with a small, almost smug smile, clearly enjoying his attention.

Adelle tried to relax, still feeling like a fish out of water. She could feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on her, waiting to see if she’d prove to be as awkward as she seemed or if she might surprise them somehow.

Adelle lingered awkwardly on the edges of the group, trying not to look as out of place as she felt. Lilith glanced over at her, sensing her unease, and offered a soft smile.

“So, what brought you to Salem?” she asked, sounding genuinely curious. “Where’d you move from?”

Caught off guard by the friendliness in Lilith’s voice, Adelle relaxed just a little. “Oh, uh… we moved from a small town up north. My mom wanted a change.”

“She loves… all this witch stuff,” she admitted, waving a hand vaguely to indicate the Halloween decor and the general spooky atmosphere that filled the house.

Lilith chuckled. “You’ll fit right in then. Salem’s all about the witchy vibe. People here go all out, especially around Halloween.”

Adelle smiled, feeling herself start to ease up. Lilith seemed nice, a little snarky but welcoming enough. For a moment, she felt like maybe, just maybe, she could find a place here. But then, Eve piped up from behind her, and the conversation took a turn.

“Oh, speaking of witches… Morningstar, anyone?” Eve said, her voice lilting with mischief as she smirked at Lilith.

Adelle noticed the way Lilith’s face lost its colour just slightly, her confident expression faltering.

Selena, standing beside Eve, let out a loud laugh. “Yeah, remember how terrified you used to be, Lil? You actually thought Morningstar was real and was gonna yank you out of bed by your ankles!”

Lilith flushed, trying to keep a straight face but clearly embarrassed.

“Oh, shut up!” she protested, crossing her arms. “You were the one hiding under my bed and grabbing my ankles! You would’ve believed she was real, too!”

The group erupted into laughter, and Adelle found herself smiling, though she was utterly lost. Curiosity got the best of her, and she hesitantly asked, “So… who’s Morningstar?”

The laughter died down, and Lilith let out a resigned sigh. “Oh, she’s just a legend around here. A story to scare the kids, y’know?”

She rolled her eyes, but Adelle could sense a hint of discomfort in her expression.

“She’s more than just a story,” Eve said, grinning mischievously. “She’s the witch of Salem. The most famous one.”

Eve’s eyes gleamed as she poured herself another cup of punch. “Legend says she used to lure children to her house to suck out their souls. And her house? It’s a museum now, right across the street.”

Adelle felt a strange chill creep up her spine as Eve went on. There was something almost too eager in her tone.

Lilith took a step closer, arms folded, as she began to explain. “So, the story goes like this: In 1693, Morningstar was accused of witchcraft and executed for, well… stealing the life force of children to stay young and beautiful. She was said to be the most beautiful girl in Salem. Men would line up to propose, but she refused them all.”

“Which probably didn’t sit well with the men of the time,” Eve chimed in with a smirk. “Women back then didn’t just stay single. If you were pretty, you were expected to marry and, you know, ‘pop out some kids.’”

Selena let out a low, wicked laugh. “Rumour has it she even turned down the mayor’s son. That was the real reason they called her a witch.”

She rolled her eyes as if the notion were ridiculous but still somehow thrilling.

Lilith continued, her tone dropping to an ominous whisper. “And before her execution, she supposedly cursed the town. Said she’d come back if a virgin ever lit the Black Flame Candle on Halloween night. She’d rise from the dead and make Salem crumble. But, honestly…”

She shrugged. “She probably just said that to mess with people.”

The group chuckled, but Adelle stayed silent, a strange knot of unease forming in her stomach. She couldn’t tell if it was the way they were speaking or just her own overactive imagination, but the story left her feeling strangely cold.

Eve, noticing Adelle’s quietness, grinned slyly and slinked over, poking Adelle’s side. “Oh, don’t tell me. You’re scared, aren’t you, new girl?”

She gave a mock shiver, cackling as the others began to snicker.

Adelle shook her head quickly, face heating up. “I’m not scared. It’s just… it’s just a story, right?”

Selena sneered, nudging Eve and mimicking Adelle in a high-pitched, mocking tone. “‘It’s just a story.’”

The group burst into laughter, and Adelle’s cheeks grew warmer as she shifted her gaze to the floor, desperately wishing she hadn’t said anything.

Lilith stepped forward, but her voice had lost the friendliness it had held earlier. Now it was laced with a condescending edge.

“Of course it’s just a story, Adelle. Morningstar isn’t going to pop out of the shadows and drag you away.” She smirked as the group laughed harder, casting sly, mocking glances at Adelle.

Adelle swallowed, her mind racing. The teasing stung, but she forced herself to keep her chin up, meeting their gaze as evenly as she could manage. “I’m not scared,” she said quietly but firmly.

Eve snickered, raising her eyebrows. “Oh, really? Well, if you’re not scared, then you wouldn’t mind going to the museum, right?”

Her tone was dripping with challenge, and the others leaned in, watching Adelle expectantly.

Adelle hesitated, the knot in her stomach twisting tighter. “I… I mean, I don’t know…”

Selena gave her a mocking pout. “Aww, what’s wrong?”

“Too spooked?” she taunted; her voice sugary-sweet but laced with mockery.

Adelle felt something harden inside her, a flash of defiance flaring up as she straightened her back. She wasn’t going to let them get to her.

“I’m not scared,” she said firmly, her gaze steady. “Fine. Let’s go to the museum.”

The group shared amused looks.

Adelle trailed behind the group, her weary green eyes studying the other teenagers as they walked ahead, whispering and giggling among themselves. A chill ran down her spine, the night air growing colder as they moved further away from the safety of the warm, bustling house. She felt a mix of excitement and dread; she had only just moved to Salem and didn’t know her way around. What if she couldn’t find her way back later?

Eventually, they stopped in front of what must be the oldest building in Salem. The house loomed before them, an ancient structure with weathered black and white siding that seemed to lean slightly, as if it were trying to tell her secrets long forgotten. The windows were dark, with long-dried vines snaking around them, and a crooked black wooden gate marked the entrance to a wildflower garden that thrived chaotically. The flowers were vibrant, bursting with colour against the eerie backdrop of the house, but they only added to the witchy atmosphere that surrounded the place. The garden looked as though it hadn’t seen a gardener in years, but that only added to the allure, the sense of magic and mystery that hung thick in the air.

Adelle stood by the wooden fence, staring at the house with wide eyes, biting her bottom lip anxiously. Her heart began to pound with a thrilling fear she had never experienced before, a mix of excitement and the kind of apprehension that comes from being on the brink of something unknown. The group continued to giggle and push each other playfully, their laughter echoing against the silence of the night. Lilith turned to Adelle, her smile bright and inviting as she patted Adelle’s arm.

“Come on then, let’s go inside!”

Adelle’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “What? How? It looks closed!”

Steve snickered, leaning casually against the fence. “Trust us when we say a locked door has never stopped us before.”

Adelle swallowed thickly, glancing nervously at the looming structure. “You’ve… done this before?”

Eve flashed her a playful grin, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Of course! Don’t worry, nothing bad will happen.”

“Yeah,” Tony chimed in with a nonchalant shrug, “We’ve been sneaking into Morningstar’s museum for years. It’s no biggie.”

Adelle inhaled deeply, her stomach twisting. Lilith tilted her head, a smirk playing on her lips. “Getting cold feet?”

She shook her head vigorously. “Of course not! I’ll be fine!”

Lilith’s smirk widened, a teasing glint in her eyes. “Okay then, come on! Let’s go in!”

When nobody else moved to follow Lilith, Adelle frowned, a sudden uncertainty creeping into her. “Is it just… us?”

Lilith raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “Is something wrong with that?”

Adelle flushed, shaking her head quickly. “No, of course not! I mean, that’s fine, I just thought…”

Eve laughed, a light sound that cut through the tension. “Relax! We’ll be coming in afterward!”

Lilith gave Adelle a reassuring pat on the shoulder and easily climbed over the gate, which hung crookedly on its hinges. “It doesn’t open anymore; it’s like, nailed into the ground or something now.”

Adelle hesitated, glancing down at her long, ankle-length dress. She really didn’t want to chance climbing over the fence, but Lilith gave her a determined look. With a sigh, she pushed her thick, red and brown hair back and carefully climbed over, relieved when her skirt didn’t catch.

Lilith smirked as she led Adelle down the white stone path to the old wooden door, which looked decidedly wonky. Leaning against it, Lilith pulled a long pin from her hair, flipping it over her shoulder with a flick of her wrist.

“Just give me a second~” she cooed, pushing the needle into the lock and twisting it.

Adelle shifted nervously, glancing back at the others waiting behind the fence. Eve waved at her smugly while the others snickered, their laughter sharp and teasing.

“Um, are you sure you do this often?” Adelle asked weakly.

Lilith hummed as she continued to work on the door, twisting the knob until it clicked and swung open.

“Yep! All the time!” She grinned wickedly and stepped aside, gesturing for Adelle to go in. “After you~”

Adelle’s gaze flickered between Lilith and the dark doorway, her heart racing. Lilith beamed at her, and with a soft push, encouraged her further. “I’ll be right behind you, and then so will the gang.”

Taking a deep breath, Adelle nodded and shuffled forward, poking her head inside first before slowly stepping in. Her green eyes scanned the interior of the dimly lit building, trying to make sense of the shadows and shapes that surrounded her. Just as she turned to ask Lilith to follow her inside, the door slammed shut with a resounding thud, followed by an uproar of laughter from outside.

Panic surged through Adelle as she rushed back to the door, yanking the handle with desperation, but it wouldn’t budge. More laughter spilled from the other side, where Lilith’s voice rang out, filled with mockery. “We’ll let you out in the morning, Adelle! If Morningstar hasn’t sucked your soul out! She likes to eat the ugly ones!”

The laughter continued, and tears pricked the corners of Adelle’s eyes as she realized the cruel game they were playing. She pressed her forehead against the cool, solid wood, feeling utterly alone and scared. How had she let herself be dragged into this?

Adelle’s heart pounded, thudding loudly in the silence of the darkened room as she twisted and pulled at the old door handle, but it wouldn’t budge. Lilith’s mocking laughter and Eve’s high-pitched giggles echoed through the thick wood, muffled but merciless. Adelle bit her lip, fighting against the prickling of tears that threatened to spill.

“You’ll be fine, new girl!” Lilith’s voice called mockingly through the door, laughter trailing behind. “If Morningstar’s real, maybe she’ll finally get a meal out of it! She likes the… ‘weird’ ones!”

More laughter, taunting and vicious, surged from the other side, mingling with the cool October wind. Adelle’s chest tightened as she pressed her forehead to the door, her fingers numb against the worn wood. She could barely make out their voices as they continued joking, their footsteps receding down the path and back toward the gate. They didn’t even look back.

Adelle swallowed hard, forcing down the rising panic. She took a slow, shuddering breath and turned to face the dark, her eyes adjusting slightly as she scanned the room. Dust coated everything—long-forgotten furniture cloaked in faded sheets, an ancient fireplace with scorched, splintered logs still resting inside, and eerie shadows cast by the faint slivers of moonlight filtering through a small, dusty window high above her head.

A low creak sounded from deeper within the house, and she froze, every muscle taut.

It’s probably just the house settling, she tried to convince herself. But the noise felt almost… intentional, like a warning whispered from somewhere unseen.

Taking another deep breath, Adelle reached out to steady herself on a wooden table by the door. The wood was rough under her fingers, brittle and dry, and as she brushed a layer of dust aside, her hand landed on something cold and metallic. She squinted in the faint light to make out a tarnished candelabra, its candles melted and hardened into strange, twisted shapes.

A sudden chill swept through the room, raising goosebumps along her arms as she shivered, her witch’s cloak doing little to shield her from the strange, unsettling cold. She couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, as though unseen eyes were tracking her every move from the darkened corners.

Forcing herself to step forward, she whispered aloud, more to comfort herself than anything.

“It’s just a house. An old, empty house.” Her voice was a frail whisper, swallowed by the heavy silence.

But as she turned to glance at a shadowed alcove, something caught her eye—a faint glimmer, hovering in the air. She squinted, trying to make sense of it, and realized it was a delicate, translucent thread floating down from the ceiling. She craned her neck to look up, and her breath hitched at the sight.

Carved into the darkened wood above her, a faint symbol glowed, flickering like a dying ember. It was an intricate design, like a knot twisted upon itself—a strange, ancient marking she didn’t recognize. Beneath it, words appeared to be carved into the wood, barely legible under the faint glow:

“Let those who trespass be warned: the soul is the price of arrogance.”

A chill prickled along her spine as her eyes traced the faint lines of the inscription. Her fingers itched to touch it, but she resisted, feeling an almost tangible sense of wrongness radiating from it.

A noise—a soft whisper, so quiet it was barely audible—drifted from somewhere deeper within the house. It sounded almost like a voice, a murmur in a language she couldn’t understand. Her heart pounded as she strained to listen, her pulse hammering louder with each passing second.

“Lilith?” she called out, even though she knew it was pointless. Her voice was barely more than a breath, swallowed by the shadows.

The whispering grew louder, accompanied by the faintest hint of a melody, ghostly and eerie, echoing through the empty halls. Adelle’s hands trembled as she took a step back, her eyes darting from one shadow to the next, convinced something was lurking just out of sight, watching her with cold, ancient eyes.

Swallowing her fear, she forced herself to think. There had to be a way out, some other door, a window she could pry open. She just had to find it and get out—away from this place that seemed to breathe around her, whispering secrets she didn’t want to hear.

She took another hesitant step, her foot landing on a loose floorboard that creaked sharply beneath her weight. The sound echoed, and with it, the whispering stopped. Silence fell, heavy and oppressive, and in that stillness, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand

Adelle inhaled deeply, the chill of the air prickling her skin as her heart raced in her chest. Shadows enveloped her, wrapping around her like a heavy cloak, while her green eyes darted through the darkness of the room, seeking any sign of life or light. Right, she thought, steadying her breath. They said it was a museum. That means there has to be a switch somewhere, a flicker of magic to bring the place to life.

Shuffling her feet cautiously, Adelle edged toward the left, her fingers stretching out to brush against the cool, rough surface of the wall. She felt her way along, her heart thrumming in time with the whisper of her fingertips until, finally, she stumbled upon what could only be a switch. With a flick, her pulse quickened; a sigh of relief escaped her lips as dim, flickering lightbulbs sputtered to life, illuminating a room straight out of a fairytale—or perhaps a nightmare. Dust danced in the air, caught in the soft glow, and cobwebs draped like delicate lace from the ceiling, giving the place a hauntingly beautiful charm.

Pulling her pointed witch’s hat from her head, Adelle raked her fingers through her unruly hair, exhaling in frustration.

“Fucking bitches,” she hissed, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the door, which now felt like a barrier between her and the outside world. Striding towards it, she pounded her hands against the wooden surface, her heart sinking as the lock held fast.

Silence draped over her, thick and suffocating. Lilith and her entourage had vanished into the night, leaving Adelle to stew in the shadows of this forgotten museum.

“Of course they’d leave,” she muttered bitterly. “They locked me inside for a stupid prank.” The room felt emptier now, as if the walls were closing in around her, mocking her isolation.

“Childish,” she rolled her eyes, exasperation bubbling up within her. Crossing her arms tightly across her chest, she twirled around, surveying her surroundings with a mix of irritation and wonder. “And my mom wonders why I don’t have any friends? Because they’re all stuck-up bitches!”

But as the echoes of her words faded into the stillness, Adelle found herself drawn to the peculiar beauty of the museum. Dusty artifacts lined the walls, each one holding stories of their own, waiting to be discovered. A strange warmth flickered in her chest, nudging her to explore further despite her indignation.

Curiosity gnawed at Adelle, compelling her to wander deeper into the shadows of the museum. The air was thick with dust and an intoxicating blend of mystery and magic, each corner whispering secrets of the past. The story of Morningstar, the most infamous witch of Salem, beckoned to her—after all, her home had become a museum. If this place truly belonged to her, what wonders might it hold?

As Adelle stepped carefully across the creaky wooden floorboards, the first thing that caught her eye was a massive cauldron sitting ominously in the centre of the room. Its surface was slick with dust and draped in cobwebs, giving it an air of sinister allure. Intrigued, she approached, her heart racing at the thought of what it might have been used for. In front of the cauldron, enclosed in a glass case, was a leather-bound book that seemed to thrum with energy.

Her eyebrows shot up as she read the label on the glass.

“The Spell Book of Morningstar?” she whispered, her voice barely breaking the silence. “Given to her by the devil himself?”

The implications sent a shiver down her spine, but she pressed on, her fascination overcoming her apprehension. The book, bound in what appeared to be human skin, claimed to contain the recipes for her most powerful spells and incantations.

Adelle grimaced, stepping back as a wave of unease washed over her.

“Oh, so creepy,” she muttered, shaking her head as if to dispel the dark images that danced in her mind. With a huff of indignation, she turned to explore further, her heart still racing but her curiosity ignited.

As she wandered through the museum, her gaze fell upon an old candlestick that bore a single black and white candle, nestled within a host of dust and cobwebs. Drawn to it, she approached slowly, her green eyes scanning the label beneath.

“Black Flame Candle,” she read aloud, the words hanging ominously in the air. “Made from the fat of a hangman. Legend says that when lit on a full moon, it will raise the spirits of the dead.”

A snort escaped her lips, a mix of disbelief and amusement bubbling up within her.

“It all sounds so ridiculous and over-the-top!” she exclaimed, the laughter echoing off the walls. How could anyone actually believe in this? None of this could seriously be real, could it?

Adelle's green eyes sparkled with a mix of mischief and curiosity as she surveyed the dimly lit museum once more. A stand of cigarette lighters caught her attention, the vibrant colours glinting in the flickering light. A playful idea sparked in her mind, and she grinned.

“Let’s light this sucker and meet this gorgeous witch!” she chuckled to herself, moving toward the counter.

With a determined flick of her wrist, she snagged a random lighter, admiring the way it gleamed in her hand. She twirled around, her long black and white skirt swirling dramatically, the fabric flowing like a spellbound mist. Her heart raced with a heady cocktail of fear and excitement. None of this could possibly be real; they wouldn’t keep the genuine candle in a place like this, right?

Adelle approached the black flame candle, her pulse quickening as she flipped the lighter open. The small flame flickered to life, a tiny sun of orange illuminating her face. She held it up to the candle, the moment stretching as she pressed the flame to the bent wick.

As if in response to her daring, a black flame sprang forth, and she gasped, eyes wide with astonishment.

“Whoa,” she whispered, marvelling at the eerie beauty of it.

But just as quickly as the flame ignited, the atmosphere shifted. A ghostly wail of wind swept through the room, sending chills down her spine. The temperature plummeted, and Adelle felt the air grow dense around her.

Then, without warning, a reddish glow began to seep from beneath the floorboards. A startled squeal escaped her lips as the boards started to bounce and tremble as if alive. The cupboards and drawers sprang open and shut, creating a chaotic symphony of creaking wood and clattering objects. Her heart raced as she stumbled back, nearly tripping over the cauldron, her breath hitching in her throat as a flame suddenly flickered to life beneath it, casting a warm green glow throughout the room.

“What’s going on?” Adelle gasped, panic washing over her. In a flurry of motion, she ripped herself away from the cauldron, only to stumble back into a wooden beam, disoriented. Every lightbulb in the museum exploded in a shower of glass and sparks, bursting like colorful balloons. Candles flickered to life all around her, bathing the space in a warm, golden light, their flames dancing wildly.

Outside, the sky roared with thunder, and the house shook, tremors vibrating through the very ground beneath her. Adelle sunk to her knees, instinctively crawling under a nearby table, her heart racing as she tried to make sense of the chaotic scene unfolding before her.

Then, with a rush of energy, the door to the museum burst open, shimmering with magic and spilling golden sparks into the room. A hauntingly beautiful, bell-like cackle echoed through the air as a silhouette of a woman emerged, casting a spell of enchantment over the space.

“I’m home!” she sang, her voice rich and melodic, as she stepped into the museum, her boots tapping lightly against the wooden floor. “And my curse worked perfectly!”

Adelle peeked out from beneath the tablecloth, her breath catching as she watched the woman stretch her arms overhead, reaching for something hidden among the beams. Another enchanting laugh spilled from her lips, and she bounced on her feet.

“My lucky rat tail! Exactly where I left it!” she declared, holding up the odd trinket before tossing it aside as if it were a mere afterthought.

As the woman began to hum to herself, Adelle watched in awe, captivated by her presence. She scanned the room, her eyes wide with surprise. “What did those fools do to my home? Dazzle, frazzle? Where are my babes?”

Adelle practically jumped as two fuzzy figures suddenly rubbed against her sides, emerging from the shadows.

“Ah!” the woman exclaimed, turning in Adelle's direction but missing her entirely.

“There you both are, my babies! Did you miss me?” she cooed, kneeling to greet two vibrantly coloured cats—one bright red, the other a curious pink. Their odd colours seemed to shimmer with the remnants of magic, adding to the surreal atmosphere of the museum.

The witch stood up gracefully, her two cat familiars, Dazzle and Razzle, purring contentedly at her feet. She regarded the candle with a curious hum, tapping her chin as her eyes sparkled mischievously.

“But who lit the black flame candle? Hmmm?”

The cats mewed in response, and the witch let out a soft, melodic laugh that sent shivers down Adelle’s spine. With a twirl, her layered skirt of white and red swirled around her legs like a blooming flower, enchanting in its movement.

“Well, no matter!” she declared, her voice lilting with enthusiasm. “We have much to do!”

Adelle watched as the witch glided out of sight, her footsteps echoing softly before fading into the creaking of the floorboards above. Curiosity gnawed at Adelle, urging her to inch forward. She pressed her hands against the worn wooden floor, poking her head out to scan the museum.

Where had the witch gone? She listened intently, faint sounds drifting down from upstairs, and it dawned on her that Morningstar had truly vanished into the upper levels of the house. The still-open door beckoned her like a siren's call. This was her chance—to escape, to run home, and to pretend none of this had ever happened.

Taking a deep breath, Adelle blinked in resolve. She steeled herself, gathering her courage to dart toward the door. But just as she took her first step, it swung shut with a resounding thud, causing Adelle to yelp. She spun around, her large green eyes wide with shock, and froze upon discovering the witch lounging lazily atop the very table she had been hiding beneath.

Morningstar was a striking figure. With white skin accentuated by rosy cheeks and cascading blonde hair threaded with soft coral streaks, she looked every bit the enchanting witch. Her eyes, an unusual light yellow with vibrant red pupils, sparkled with mischief. Shorter than Adelle, her figure was graced by a beautifully fitted dress, layered in shades of white, purple, and red, complete with a corset that hugged her curves. A fluttery cloak of white and purple draped elegantly around her neck, while a top hat adorned her head—curiously, a snake coiled around it, as if guarding its secrets.

Adelle’s breath caught in her throat as the witch’s playful smile widened, her eyes twinkling with intrigue.

“And who might you be, hmm?”

Adelle opened and shut her mouth like a fish out of water.

“I-I’m… Adelle,” she stammered, taking a stumbling step back as Morningstar leapt to her feet and began to circle her like a curious cat.

The witches familiars puffing out their fluffy chests as they lounged comfortably.

Adelle gasped, instinctively pulling her arms close to her chest when Morningstar playfully poked her side, a giggle spilling from her lips as she glided her hand along Adelle’s back and down her arms, sending a warm tingle of unexpected thrill racing through Adelle.

The witch leaned in close, her breath warm against Adelle’s skin, their noses nearly touching. “Well, Adelle, I suppose I ought to thank you.”

Adelle turned crimson, her heart pounding in her chest as she met Morningstar’s gaze. “Th-thank me? For what?”

The witch’s eyes gleamed as she leaned in even closer, almost conspiratorially. “You lit the candle, did you not?”

Adelle nodded, a lump forming in her throat. “I-I did…”

Morningstar’s hands curled around Adelle’s arm, holding it close as if to draw her nearer.

“Then I should thank you for raising me from the dead,” she cooed sweetly, her voice dripping with charm. “A virgin lit the candle on a full moon, Adelle.”

“W-what? No! I-I—this isn’t real!” Adelle sputtered, her mind racing.

The witch giggled, following Adelle as she instinctively tried to back away. “But you did, Adelle. You lit my black flame candle on a full moon. You brought me back from the dead, just as my curse foretold.”

Adelle held her hands up defensively, trying to create distance, but Morningstar’s radiant smile only widened. “Look, Miss Morningstar—”

“Lux,” the witch interjected playfully. “My name is Lux Morningstar.”

Adelle blinked, caught off guard. “Lux?”

“Indeed!” Lux spun around in a dramatic flourish, her skirt swirling. “And you, sweetheart Adelle, are now part of my enchanting tale.”

Her tone was teasing yet playful, and despite the circumstances, Adelle felt an inexplicable connection forming—a magnetic pull toward the vibrant witch standing before her, shimmering with mystery and charm.

“What do you mean?” Adelle asked, her curiosity igniting like a flame.

Adelle felt her heart racing as Lux moved closer; her luminous presence almost overwhelming.

“You really must let me thank you for lighting the candle,” Lux insisted, her bright eyes sparkling with mischief and excitement.

“No, no, you don’t understand!” Adelle shot back, shaking her hands defensively. “I didn’t really do much—well, I didn’t do anything at all!”

But no matter how much she tried to create distance, Lux was like a shadow, her gaze unwavering, her grin enchanting.

“Oh, but you did,” Lux cooed, tilting her head in that adorable way that made Adelle’s cheeks flush. “What year is it, Adelle?”

Adelle paused, caught off guard by the question. “Um… 2024?”

Lux’s laughter rang out like wind chimes dancing in the breeze. “Exactly! Nobody has lit my candle in over three hundred years, Adelle! I really must thank you!”

Adelle blushed deeper, stammering, “N-no, you really don’t need to! I mean—”

She looked down, feeling small under the witch’s piercing gaze. “I wouldn’t have even been in here if it wasn’t for those… um…”

“What happened?” Lux leaned in; her curiosity piqued. “Did somebody hurt you?”

Adelle shook her head vigorously. “No, no! I wasn’t hurt. It was just a nasty prank, and…”

She sighed, the weight of the evening washing over her. “It was just a bunch of other people at a party. They wanted me to sneak into the museum with them. If I wasn’t such a coward, I might have gone with them. They locked me in here and said they would come back to let me out in the morning.”

A glint of mischief danced in Lux’s eyes as she stepped even closer, her voice lilting with amusement. “You know, I am a very powerful witch.”

Adelle gasped, her eyebrows shooting up. “That’s true? Oh, haha, of course it is! You’re right here!”

Lux’s grin widened, revealing sharp teeth that made Adelle’s breath hitch. “Adelle, I’m a very powerful witch, and I owe you a favour.”

Adelle blinked slowly, confusion clouding her mind. “I don’t… get it?”

Lux leaned in closer, squeezing Adelle’s hands gently, her breath warm and sweet against Adelle’s lips. “I’m saying, why don’t we go ‘prank’ them back?”

Adelle’s breath caught in her throat, her mind racing. “Y-you’ll really do that? For me?”

“Of course I will,” Lux replied, her voice a sultry whisper that sent shivers down Adelle’s spine.

Adelle squeezed Lux’s hands in return, her excitement bubbling over into a radiant smile that made Lux’s cheeks flush pink. “Yes! Let’s do that! Fuck yeah!”

Adelle practically jumped to her feet, her joy infectious. Lux stood there, momentarily stunned by Adelle’s enthusiasm, her heart fluttering at the sight of the other girl’s exuberance.

“Yes, let us do that,” Lux agreed, her voice now brimming with a conspiratorial thrill. The air around them buzzed with possibility, magic swirling in the atmosphere like fireflies igniting the night.

“Okay! What’s the plan?” Adelle asked, her green eyes sparkling with mischief.

Lux grinned, her eyes glinting with mischief. “First, we need to gather supplies.”

Adelle’s pulse raced with anticipation. “What kind of supplies?”

Lux turned, glancing back at the museum. “You’d be surprised what we can find in a place like this.”

She gestured around the room, her long skirt twirling as she moved with purpose. “Let’s explore, shall we?”

With that, they set off together, the witch leading the way and Adelle following eagerly, both charged with excitement and the thrill of the unknown. As they wandered through the dimly lit museum, Adelle couldn’t shake the feeling that she was about to embark on the most magical adventure of her life.

The atmosphere in the museum crackled with energy as Adelle and Lux exchanged wicked glances, their plans set in motion.

“We’re going to teach them a lesson they won’t forget,” Lux said, her voice dripping with playful malice.

Adelle couldn’t help but grin back, her nerves melting away in the warmth of Lux’s presence. “So, how do we start?”

Lux pondered for a moment, tapping her chin with a delicate finger. “Well, we need to channel some good old-fashioned witchcraft. Let’s use a little bit of what I’ve got lying around here.”

Adelle watched with wide eyes as Lux glided through the museum, her fingers brushing against various artifacts and trinkets. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned a vial filled with a shimmering liquid that glowed like moonlight.

“This will be perfect for a little potion of fear,” she said, her voice lilting with mischief.

“Potion of fear?” Adelle echoed, her heart racing.

Lux chuckled softly. “It’s harmless, I promise. Just a little something to give them a good scare, a reminder not to mess with witches.”

“Okay!” Adelle exclaimed, adrenaline pumping through her veins. “Let’s do it!”

With their mischievous scheme ready to unfold, Adelle and Lux slipped through the back door of the museum and into the crisp night air. The moon hung majestically overhead, casting a silvery glow that bathed Salem in a magical light.

As they made their way toward the party, the thumping music pulsed in the distance, vibrating with a life of its own. Adelle stepped closer to Lux, who offered a sweet smile, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Taking Adelle’s hand in her own, she pulled her nearer, their fingers entwining seamlessly.

Standing just outside the house, they faced one another, the anticipation crackling in the air between them.

“Trust me, okay?” Lux whispered softly, her voice warm and inviting. “I know we’ve just met, but for this next part to work, you really need to trust me.”

Adelle's vibrant green eyes widened, their depth enchanting Lux as she felt herself getting lost in them. After a moment’s hesitation, Adelle nodded, her heart racing in sync with the electricity of the night.

Lux twirled her finger above them, summoning a spark of golden magic that shimmered around them like fireflies caught in a soft breeze. A gasp escaped Adelle’s lips, and she instinctively clung to Lux as they began to rise from the ground.

The world below fell away as they levitated higher and higher, finally landing gracefully on the roof of the house. Adelle's legs trembled beneath her, but the thrill of flight exhilarated her. Lux maintained her hold on Adelle’s hand, grounding her with a reassuring grip.

Adelle’s heart raced at the thought of confronting the group.

“What if they don’t take it well?” she asked, her excitement tinged with uncertainty.

“Don’t worry, my sweetheart,” Lux said, her smile confident. “A little magic goes a long way.”

As they stood atop the roof, the cool breeze tousling their hair, Adelle gazed down at the lively party below. Colourful lights twinkled like stars, and laughter floated up, but it felt distant now, as if they were in a different world altogether. The thrill of being up so high with Lux filled her with a mix of exhilaration and nerves.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Lux murmured, her voice soft yet electric. She pointed towards the moon, which hung like a silver coin against the backdrop of dark velvet skies, illuminating the scene with an ethereal glow.

Adelle nodded, unable to tear her gaze away from the otherworldly sight.

“It really is,” she breathed, her heart racing. “But why are we up here?”

Lux’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she turned to Adelle, her grip tightening around her hand. “This is where the real fun begins. We need to give them a taste of magic they won’t forget.”

Adelle felt a tingle of excitement run down her spine. “What do you have in mind?”

With a playful grin, Lux leaned in closer, their faces almost touching. “Trust me and keep your eyes on the ground.”

Without another word, she raised her other hand, and a shimmer of golden light enveloped them. Adelle felt a warm rush as the energy pulsed between them, vibrant and alive. Lux's magic swirled around like glittering fireflies, casting a spell over the roof.

“Now, watch,” Lux instructed, her voice low and enticing.

As Adelle focused on the partygoers below, she watched in awe as Lux began to weave her magic. With each graceful motion of her hands, she summoned wisps of light that danced through the air like playful spirits. The lights flickered and twirled, drawing the attention of the party guests.

“What is that?” someone shouted, pointing upwards.

Adelle’s heart raced as she watched the group below, their expressions shifting from confusion to delight. The flickering lights coalesced into shapes—tiny figures that swirled around the partygoers, mimicking their movements with exaggerated motions.

“What the hell is going on?” Eve exclaimed, her voice cutting through the music.

“Is it a prank?” Tony added, squinting up at the roof.

“Or a show?” Marcus mused, clearly captivated by the spectacle.

Lux leaned closer to Adelle, her breath warm against her cheek. “Let’s add a little sound to the mix, shall we?”

With a mischievous wink, she gestured with her fingers, and the soft hum of ethereal music filled the air, weaving seamlessly with the beats of the party below. The tiny figures danced to the rhythm, swirling in a hypnotic pattern that had everyone entranced.

Adelle couldn’t help but giggle at the chaos unfolding.

“This is amazing!” she whispered; her eyes wide with wonder.

Lux smiled, a radiant expression that lit up her face. “Just wait. We’re just getting started.”

With another flourish of her hands, the lights began to pulse in time with the music, intensifying the experience. Suddenly, bursts of colour erupted from the wisps, showering the party with sparkles of light that twinkled like stars falling from the sky.

Screams of delight mingled with laughter as the guests began to dance and reach for the shimmering lights, completely unaware of the source of their enchantment.

“Now for the grand finale!” Lux announced, her excitement palpable.

Adelle felt the rush of magic surging around them, filling her with an intoxicating thrill. Lux raised her arms high, summoning a swirl of luminous energy that spiralled into the air above them.

“Let’s give them a night to remember!”

With a final flourish, she unleashed the energy into a dazzling explosion of light that filled the night sky, illuminating the house and surrounding area with a brilliance that rivalled the sun. The air crackled with magic as the vibrant colours twisted and twirled, forming a shimmering spectacle that left everyone below in awe.

“Wow!” Lilith gasped, her mouth hanging open as she stared upwards, eyes wide with disbelief.

Lux turned to Adelle, her face aglow with delight. “See how they’re captivated? This is the magic of fear and wonder combined.”

Adelle felt giddy, an infectious laughter bubbling up within her. “This is incredible! They’re completely enchanted!”

As the grand display faded, leaving trails of sparkling light to drift down like confetti, Adelle could see the group below looking utterly mesmerized.

“We’ve done it!” she shouted, her excitement bursting forth.

Lux beamed back at her, the moonlight casting a soft glow around them. “Oh, sweetheart Adelle, this is just the beginning of our magical adventures. They’ll never forget tonight!”

She stepped forward, the night air swirling with magic as she raised her arms. A shimmering mist began to form around them, swirling like smoke as she chanted softly, her voice rising and falling in a melodic rhythm.

“Is that…?” Lilith started, her voice trailing off as the mist enveloped the clearing.

Suddenly, with a dramatic flourish, Lux thrust her hands forward, sending the mist rushing toward the group. It coiled around them like serpents, dark and whispering, sending chills down their spines.

“What the hell?!” Marcus shouted, stumbling backward as the mist swirled ominously around them.

Eve shrieked, her voice piercing the night. “What is this?!”

Lux laughed, a sound like tinkling bells, as she leaned closer to Adelle. “Watch closely, my sweetheart.”

With another flick of her wrist, the mist began to transform, taking on the shapes of grotesque apparitions—twisted figures with hollow eyes and gaping mouths that wailed in despair. The group gasped, fear flashing across their faces.

“W-what is happening?!” Luke stammered, his bravado fading.

Adelle couldn’t help but laugh, a sound bubbling up from within her as she watched the chaos unfold. “This is amazing!”

Lux shot her a knowing smile, her eyes alight with excitement. “We’re just getting started.”

She swirled her arms, and the apparitions began to dance, flickering in and out of existence, their mournful wails echoing in the night. The group backed away, eyes wide in disbelief.

“Please, stop!” Tony pleaded, panic creeping into his voice. “This isn’t funny!”

“Oh, but it is!” Lux sang, her voice dripping with enchantment. “You see, this is what happens when you mess with witches. A little fear goes a long way!”

Adelle felt a thrill of power surge through her as she watched her former tormentor’s squirm. Lilith, who had always seemed so confident, now looked small and vulnerable, her bravado replaced by sheer terror.

“Please, just let us go!” Selena cried, her voice trembling.

Lux paused, her laughter softening as she considered their pleas. “Alright, I think we’ve made our point. But remember this night, my sweetheart friends. Respect the magic, or it will come for you again.”

With another wave of her hand, the mist retreated, dissipating into the night like smoke. The apparitions vanished, leaving the group gasping for breath, their faces pale.

Adelle stepped forward, her heart racing. “Next time, think twice before locking someone inside a museum.”

Lilith, still trembling, nodded frantically. “We’re sorry! We didn’t mean it!”

“Consider yourselves warned,” Lux said, her tone playful yet firm. “One last thing~”

Adelle watched in awe as Lux's demeanour shifted. The playful glimmer in her eyes transformed into something deeper, more powerful.

Lux stepped forward, her presence commanding the attention of every soul below, and began to sing. The night air shimmered with magic as her voice floated down, hauntingly beautiful and rich with emotion.

“I put a spell on you, and now you’re mine…”

The melody wrapped around the partygoers like a silken thread, drawing their gazes upward, mesmerized by the enchanting figure on the roof. Lux’s voice rose and fell, each note dripping with allure, cascading down like a waterfall of sound that beckoned them to dance.

“You can’t stop the things I do, I ain’t lyin’…”

The crowd swayed as if caught in a gentle current, their inhibitions melting away with each haunting lyric. Faces lit up with smiles, feet began to tap, and before long, laughter and joy swirled through the air like autumn leaves caught in a breeze.

Lux twirled gracefully on the rooftop, her skirts swirling around her like a spellbinding fog, her hair cascading like a golden waterfall. The glow of the moon illuminated her, casting an ethereal light that made her seem otherworldly.

“You’re in love with me, now, I can see…”

Adelle felt her heart race as she watched the spell take hold. The partygoers danced and twirled, entranced, lost in the rhythm of the night. It was as if the world below had transformed into a fantastical dream, every soul enchanted by Lux's melodic voice.

“I put a spell on you, and now you’re mine…”

The crescendo of the song echoed through the night, wrapping around each partygoer, compelling them to dance as if they had no choice. Adelle couldn’t help but join in, her laughter mingling with the music as she swayed her body to the hypnotic rhythm.

As the final notes echoed into the night, the last traces of the spell lingered, binding the partygoers in a euphoric trance, and Adelle turned to Lux, her eyes wide with wonder.

“This is incredible!” she exclaimed, her voice barely rising above the joyous chaos below.

Lux flashed her a bewitching smile, her voice a gentle whisper. “Welcome to the magic of the night, sweetheart. Together, we can make it last forever.”

The two sat on the edge of the roof, legs dangling over the side, their laughter echoing into the night. Below them, the crowd swayed and twirled, caught in a spell that rendered them blissfully unaware of anything outside their euphoric dance. It was as if the world had melted away, leaving only the rhythmic beat of the music and the joy of movement.

Adelle couldn’t take her eyes off the scene, mesmerized by the sight of Lilith and her friends—the very ones who had locked her in that eerie museum—spinning in circles, unable to resist the magic.

"Look at them," she said, her voice tinged with disbelief. "They can't even stop to catch their breath."

Lux leaned into Adelle’s side, a playful nudge that sent warmth spiraling through Adelle.

"Don’t worry, it’ll all wear off when the sun rises," she replied with a soft smile, her voice as soothing as a lullaby.

Adelle turned her gaze to Lux, eyes sparkling with admiration. "You’re amazing. You really are."

Lux’s cheeks flushed a delicate pink as she looked down, shyly brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Thank you… nobody’s ever said that before," she admitted, a hint of vulnerability colouring her tone.

Curiosity bubbled within Adelle, and she hesitated for a moment before asking, “Is it true? The myth about you… sucking out the souls of children?”

Lux’s expression shifted, a shadow of sadness flickering across her face. She shook her head, her voice firm yet gentle. “Of course it isn’t. I never harmed a child. I’ve never harmed anyone.”

Adelle frowned, sensing the weight of unspoken stories behind those words.

“Lux?” she began, her voice soft with concern, but before she could continue, Lux stood up, her beautiful dress billowing in the wind like petals in a breeze.

“Adelle, would you like to go flying?” she asked, her warm smile radiating excitement.

Adelle’s eyes widened, her heart racing at the thought. “Flying? How?”

Lux giggled, her laughter like the tinkling of chimes. She held out her hand, her azure eyes sparkling as she pointed to the scattered broomsticks below. With a flick of her wrist, one broomstick lifted from the ground, soaring gracefully into her waiting grasp.

“Like this,” she said, curling her fingers around the handle and, with a small kick, hovered effortlessly above the roof.

Adelle gasped, peering nervously over the edge.

“What if I fall?” she exclaimed, a mixture of thrill and fear swirling within her.

Lux laughed softly, the sound wrapping around Adelle like a warm embrace. “I won’t drop you, I promise.”

With a deep breath, Adelle swallowed her apprehension. “Alright…” she whispered, her heart pounding with both excitement and anxiety.

Lux brought the broomstick closer, her smile reassuring.

“It’ll be alright, really,” she assured, her voice soothing as a gentle breeze.

Adelle inhaled deeply, a shy smile creeping across her lips as she inched forward. Lux extended her hand, guiding Adelle to the spot behind her on the broomstick.

As Adelle pressed herself against Lux’s back, a delightful shiver raced down her spine.

“You’re going to need to hold on,” Lux said softly, her breath warm against Adelle’s skin.

“I-is this okay?” Adelle asked bashfully, her arms wrapping around Lux’s waist, holding on tighter than she had intended.

“Perfect, Adelle,” Lux beamed, her eyes twinkling with joy. “Just don’t lose your grip and trust me, okay?”

With a playful tilt, Lux kicked off the roof, and they both soared into the night sky. The world below faded away, and Adelle felt the rush of the wind against her face, a thrill coursing through her veins as they danced among the stars.

As Lux guided the broomstick higher into the twinkling night sky, the world below transformed into a tapestry of glowing lights and shadowy silhouettes. The crisp air rushed around them, filling Adelle’s lungs with a mix of exhilaration and magic. Each sway of the broomstick felt fluid and effortless, a reflection of Lux’s grace and confidence.

Adelle squeezed her arms tighter around Lux’s waist, instinctively pressing herself against her back. The warmth radiating from Lux was comforting, grounding her amidst the thrill of their flight. Her long brown and red curls danced wildly in the wind, swirling behind her like a vibrant banner that caught the light of the stars above. Adelle gasped in awe, her heart racing at the beauty of the night sky—each star shining brightly as if they were sparkling just for them.

“Look at how beautiful it is!” Adelle exclaimed; her voice almost drowned out by the rush of wind. She leaned slightly to the side, trying to take in the full view of the night. “I’ve never seen anything like this!”

Lux glanced back at her, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief and delight.

“Just wait until you see it from above the clouds,” she teased, a smile dancing on her lips. With a playful flick of her wrist, she guided the broomstick even higher, breaking through the thin veil of clouds that floated like wisps of cotton candy.

As they emerged above the clouds, Adelle’s breath caught in her throat. The stars shone even brighter here, twinkling like diamonds scattered across a velvet backdrop. The moon hung low, casting a silvery glow that illuminated everything around them. Adelle could hardly believe she was flying through this enchanting world with a witch as captivating as Lux.

“Lux, this is incredible!” Adelle gasped, her voice laced with wonder. She leaned closer, resting her chin gently on Lux’s shoulder, feeling the steady rhythm of her breathing beneath her arms.

In that moment, surrounded by the magic of the night, time seemed to stand still. Adelle’s heart swelled as she inhaled the sweet scent of lavender and honey that clung to Lux. The intimacy of their proximity stirred something deep within her, a yearning that pulsed through her veins.

“Do you like it?” Lux asked, her voice soft and melodic, barely louder than a whisper as they hovered above the world. She leaned back slightly, allowing Adelle to feel her warmth even more.

“I love it,” Adelle replied earnestly, her heart racing. “I love being here with you.”

She tightened her grip, and as if sensing her need for reassurance, Lux leaned back further, allowing their bodies to meld together, every curve and contour aligning seamlessly.

The moonlight bathed them in a gentle glow, casting soft shadows that danced on their skin. Adelle couldn’t help but marvel at how beautifully close they were, the sound of their hearts beating in unison, the electric energy crackling between them.

“Is this real?” Adelle asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. “Is this really happening?”

Lux turned her head just enough to meet Adelle’s gaze, her expression softening.

“It’s real, Adelle. You’re here with me,” she murmured, her breath brushing against Adelle’s cheek, sending shivers down her spine.

Feeling bold, Adelle tilted her head, their faces inches apart, the world below forgotten. “Lux…” she breathed, her heart racing, and in that moment, the space between them felt charged with an unspoken promise.

“Yes?” Lux asked, her eyes locking onto Adelle’s with a spark of curiosity and warmth.

“Can I…” Adelle hesitated, feeling the weight of the moment. “Can I kiss you?”

The question hung in the air, thick with anticipation. Lux’s smile widened, and a soft laugh escaped her lips, filled with both mischief and affection. “Oh, Adelle, you don’t even have to ask.”

With that invitation, Adelle leaned in, closing the distance between them. Their lips met softly at first, a tentative brush that quickly ignited into something deeper, more passionate. Time seemed to melt away as they kissed, the warmth of Lux’s lips igniting a fire within Adelle that she had never felt before.

As they pulled away, breathless and wide-eyed, the world felt different—more vibrant, more alive. Adelle nestled back against Lux’s back, her heart racing with excitement and joy, the night sky stretching endlessly above them as they flew into the unknown, together.

As they descended from the night sky, Lux expertly guided the broomstick back towards her museum house, the familiar silhouette of the building rising in the moonlight. Adelle felt a mix of exhilaration and bittersweetness as they approached the ground. With a gentle swoop, Lux landed gracefully, her feet touching the ground as Adelle carefully slid off behind her.

Once they were both safely on the cobblestone path, Adelle turned to Lux, still feeling the thrill of their flight coursing through her veins. She took both of Lux's hands in hers, looking up into the witch’s striking blue eyes.

“Thank you, Lux,” she said earnestly. “Everything you’ve done for me—it's been too much.”

Lux’s cheeks flushed a soft pink at the sincerity of Adelle’s words. A gentle smile graced her lips, a mix of warmth and shyness.

“It was my pleasure,” she replied, her voice softening as they shared a quiet moment.

With a shared glance, they entered the museum together. As soon as they stepped inside, they were greeted by the eager mews of Dazzle and Razzle, the two cats racing towards them. They wound around Lux's legs, whining for attention, their eyes sparkling with delight. Adelle laughed as she bent down to scoop up Razzle, who immediately nestled into her arms, purring loudly.

“Looks like they missed you,” Adelle said, looking up at Lux with a playful grin.

Lux chuckled, gently cradling Dazzle in her arms.

“They always know when I’ve been away. They have a sixth sense for mischief,” she teased, and then her expression turned contemplative. “But they’re not the only ones.”

As she strolled through the dimly lit museum, holding Dazzle close, her demeanour shifted. The light-heartedness faded, replaced by an underlying sadness. Adelle followed beside her, holding Razzle, sensing that there was more to Lux than met the eye.

“What really happened to you, Lux?” Adelle asked gently, her curiosity piqued. “You mentioned your curse… but what led to it?”

Lux sighed, glancing down at Dazzle as the cat curled comfortably against her chest.

“I never wanted to settle down, to marry and have children,” she began, her voice softer now, tinged with an ache. “I didn’t have feelings for any young man, which was… unusual. The mayor believed I should marry his son, but I didn’t want to. I hated him—he was a disgusting pighead.”

Adelle’s heart ached at the bitterness in Lux’s words.

“You told him no?” she asked, her grip on Razzle tightening.

Lux nodded, her expression distant as she recalled the memories. “I did. But he kept trying to force me into marriage. One day, I snapped. I used my magic, thinking it would teach him a lesson. I knew I shouldn’t have, but I didn’t know what else to do.”

Stepping closer to her, Adelle placed a comforting hand on Lux’s arm. “You were defending yourself. You had every right to refuse.”

Lux leaned into Adelle’s touch, the warmth of the gesture wrapping around her like a comforting cloak.

“You’re too kind, Adelle,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve had so much fun tonight with you. You’re… unlike anyone I’ve ever met.”

Adelle felt her cheeks heat at the compliment. “I’m happy to have met you too, Lux…but why… why are you talking like this is the end? We’ll see each other again, right?”

Lux’s smile faltered, becoming more pained. Her blue eyes softened, almost glistening in the dim light of the museum. “Oh, Adelle. My candle doesn’t work that way. I’m only allowed one night.”

Adelle gasped, her heart sinking at the revelation. “One night? No, that’s not fair! You can’t just have the one night.”

Lux hummed softly, looking down with flushed cheeks. “The curse was written like that.”

“There must be a way for you to stay longer,” Adelle insisted, desperation creeping into her voice.

Lux bit her bottom lip, a flicker of hope in her eyes as she whispered, “There is one way…”

“What is it?” Adelle asked, holding Lux close, her heart racing. “I’ll do anything for you.”

Lux gasped, her gaze locking onto Adelle’s with wide, earnest eyes. “Kiss me.”

Adelle froze, surprise flooding her features. “I… s-sorry?”

Lux turned red, her fingers nervously pinching the fabric of Adelle's cloak. “I… if you kiss me…”

“If you make love to me…I can stay,” she explained, her voice trembling slightly. “A virgin must lit my black flamed candle for me to be raised from the dead. If I take that virginity…in the same night, I can stay…but there must be…feelings between us.”

A whirlwind of emotions surged through Adelle—confusion, excitement, and a deep longing she had never felt before. This was a decision that felt monumental, and yet it seemed so natural. She looked into Lux’s pleading eyes, filled with hope and something deeper.

“Are you sure?” Adelle asked, her voice a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.

Lux nodded; her expression unwavering. “I’ve never wanted anything more than I want this moment with you.”

Taking a deep breath, Adelle leaned in, her heart pounding as their lips met. It was electric, a jolt of magic that surged through them both. The kiss deepened, fuelled by the connection they had forged throughout the night, binding them in a moment that felt both eternal and fleeting.

As they finally pulled apart, both breathless and flushed, Adelle felt a warmth bloom in her chest.

“Lux… I want to spend more time with you,” she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. “I-I want you stay…with me.”

Lux smiled softly, her eyes shining. “Then make love to me, Adelle…”

Adelle took a shaky breath as she stepped closer, her fingers trembling as she reached for Lux. The beautiful witch smiled reassuringly, her warm eyes meeting Adelle’s gaze as she guided Adelle’s hands to her waist. Slowly, Lux leaned in, meeting Adelle halfway until their lips finally brushed together in a gentle, tender kiss.

At first, it was soft and delicate, their lips barely grazing, testing the waters. But as they lingered, the kiss deepened, a growing warmth igniting between them. Adelle’s heart raced, and she leaned in closer, savouring the way Lux's lips moved against hers, each moment more intoxicating than the last. When they finally parted, Adelle found herself gasping softly, her cheeks flushed, and her breaths uneven.

Lux giggled, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she cupped Adelle’s face in her hands. “Have you never kissed anyone before?” she asked, her voice filled with gentle curiosity.

Adelle’s face grew even redder, a shy smile tugging at her lips.

“No,” she admitted softly. “You’re… the first person I’ve ever wanted to kiss.”

Lux’s smile softened; her expression filled with warmth. “Me too, Adelle. You’re the first person I’ve ever wanted before.”

Something in Adelle’s chest swelled at those words, and before she knew it, she was leaning in again, pressing her lips to Lux’s once more. This time, the kiss was more assured, more passionate. Lux melted into her, wrapping her arms around Adelle’s shoulders, pulling her close as she returned the kiss with equal fervour. Adelle’s hands tightened around Lux’s waist, holding her close as they lost themselves in the moment, the world around them fading into nothing.

Lux slowly pulled away, her cheeks flushed as she gazed up at Adelle, who was breathless, her eyes shining with an emotion that seemed to mirror Lux's own.

“I never thought…” Lux whispered, almost to herself, her fingertips tracing a gentle line along Adelle’s cheek. “I never thought I’d feel this way.”

“I…really like you, Luxie.” Adelle admitted bashfully.

Taking a step back, Lux pulled at her cloak, untying it and allowing it fall down her body. She then took hold of Adelle’s hand again, and tenderly led her towards the staircase. Her eyes twinkles as the two began to climb the steps, towards Lux’s bedroom. Adelle had been expecting an old, cobwebbed room, but that wasn’t the case. With a twinkling golden snap of her fingers, the room morphed into a cleaner and fresher version of her room.

“You’re so beautiful…” Adelle mumbled softly, shyly. “I’ve never meet somebody as beautiful as you are before.”

Chuckling, Lux lightly began to pull at the ribbons and lace holding her dress together. “You’re beautiful too, Addie. I think you’re gorgeous. You’re more beautiful

As the first light of dawn began to break, Adelle and Lux made their way to Adelle’s home, fingers intertwined as they walked up the steps. Razzle and Dazzle trotted along behind, their soft purrs adding a quiet harmony to the early morning stillness. Reaching the front door, Adelle glanced at Lux with a warm smile, heart fluttering with a mix of excitement and nerves.

“Mum, I’m home,” Adelle called softly as they stepped inside. She barely had a moment to breathe before her mother appeared, worry etched into every line of her face.

“Adelle! You’ve been out all night—I was so worried! I was about to call the police and—” Her mother’s voice trailed off when she noticed Lux standing by Adelle’s side.

The surprise in her mother’s eyes made Adelle blush.

“Adelle! You made a friend?” she said, delighted but still surprised.

Lux dipped into a graceful curtsy, flashing a charming smile. “My name is Lux Morningstar, ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m afraid Adelle was out so late helping me…”

Adelle met her mother’s gaze, nodding with a sheepish smile. “Lux got… well, kicked out of her apartment, Mum.”

Her mother gasped, immediately rushing toward Lux and enveloping her in a hug.

“Oh, you poor thing!” she exclaimed, practically squeezing the life out of her. “Where are your parents, sweetheart?”

Caught off guard, Lux stammered, glancing helplessly at Adelle as she attempted to return the hug. “Er… well… I don’t have any, ma’am. I’m… an orphan.”

Adelle’s mother’s eyes softened even more as she clutched Lux tighter, who looked over at Adelle in quiet desperation.

“Oh, you poor baby!” her mother exclaimed, her voice thick with compassion. “Of course, you can stay here. You’re welcome for as long as you need!”

Finally, her mother loosened her hold, and Lux took a deep breath, laughing nervously as she stepped back.

“Thank you, ma’am,” she said with a grateful smile, glancing toward Adelle, who reached out to gently steady her.

“Alright, you two,” her mother said, crossing her arms but with a soft smile. “It’s very late. I want you both in bed to get some sleep.”

Adelle nodded and led Lux up the stairs, guiding her carefully so she wouldn’t trip in her still-nervous daze. They reached Adelle’s room, and as they entered, the comfort of the space settled over them both. Adelle pulled Lux onto the bed with a laugh, and they tumbled down together, Lux curling into Adelle’s side, her eyes bright and filled with quiet happiness.

“Your mum seems really nice,” she whispered, snuggling in close as Razzle and Dazzle jumped up onto the bed and settled down beside them.

Adelle beamed, wrapping an arm around her. “She is… and I’m really glad you get to stay with me now, Lux.”

She pressed a gentle kiss to Lux’s forehead, feeling her heart race at the warmth between them.

Lux closed her eyes, a soft smile gracing her lips as she nestled closer, her fingers brushing Adelle’s in a quiet, affectionate gesture.

“I never thought I’d find this… find you,” she murmured. “Thank you, Adelle.”

They drifted into a peaceful sleep, content in each other’s arms as the morning light filtered through the room.

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