#I SHALL TREAT THEM AS SACRED

[authoruio]

Happy Twst 4th Anniversary!!!

Wow! What a fun ride it was! I hope to continue seeing my moots who I dearly enjoyed interacting ^7^!!

[mochinomnoms]

Let's not forget: moray mers mate for life. Jade knows that. Floyd knows that. Azul knows that.

Yuu does not. Yuu knows Jade thinks stuff like "I wanna make 'em my mate and love them forever, precious pretty pearl," but Yuu doesn't realize what he means by that. Yuu chalks up the use of the word "mate" to a cultural difference.

Cut to post-mating w/ Yuu and Jade. Yuu hears something like, "Ah, I can hardly believe it... I have a mate now. I shall never have another. I wouldn't want anyone else, even if biology would let me take a new mate" and Yuu just P A N I C S, remembers Jade is loaded rich, realizes there's no fear of cheating, and calms down, because they have just been guaranteed a place in Twisted Wonderland.

Cultural differences in TWST is SUCH a good concept, I love it sooo much!! But also, Jade is 100% aware that Yuu probably doesn't know about moray mers and their courting practices. It doesn't occur to him though that the thought of being with someone else would remotely be a possibility. For either of you!

Jade's mindset is one of, “Well this is my mate, I'm going to treat my mate like they hung the sun, moon, and stars.” The idea of a partnership dying down because of age, resentment growing, or just love lost is not one for most eelmers. They find a partner they want to be with, that partner is now sacred to them! It's why eelmer marriages have the least high divorce rate among all the species, though it's not unheard of. Jade is set on making sure you'll never look at another person the same way (he hopes) you look at him, and he at you.

[shaevilux]

People knock on Rhoam for being a bad dad cuz he's distant and stern to little Zelda and say how Rauru is the goat (heh) for taking her in like his own daughter. Like Zelda had her real parental connection with Sonia and Rauru. But frankly that's a little reductive.

Rauru literally descended from the heavens, married a priest, started a kingdom. Man didn't really know much strife yet. There's no looming threat of calamity or prophecy yet. Things are peaceful. Things are fine. Things are great. Zelda dropped in during this time, talking about a doom that's going to happen tens of thousands of years in the future.

This sad, lost princess.

Of course any reasonable person would take her in and calm her and tell her she is fine and listen and support her.

Rhoam not being able to be this kind of figure for Zelda is tragic. Just read this poor man's journal entries:

"It has been a year and three months since her mother passed. Perhaps she is held back by heartache too deep to heal. If the Ganon prophecy wasn't looming over our heads, I would tell her to take her time... To wait until she is ready. But our situation is dire and leaves no room for weakness—even on behalf of my beloved daughter. My heart breaks for Zelda, but I must act as a king, not a father. I must order her to train relentlessly at the fountain." Pg 4.

"In truth, I understand Zelda's feelings. Painfully so. She lost her mother, her teacher, before she could learn from her. Ten pointless years of self-training, without so much as a book or note to help her find her way... Those in the castle talk behind her back. And I, her only family, scold her for her shortcomings. No wonder she wishes to hide away in her beloved relic research. I'd love nothing more than to console her... But I must stay strong. She MUST fulfill her duty, just as we all must. Even if she comes to despise me." Pg 6.

"I have been told my Zelda went to the Spring of Wisdom... This will likely be her last chance. If she is unable to awaken her power at Lanayru, all hope is truly lost. If she comes back without success, then I shall speak kindly with her. Scolding is pointless now. I forced 10 years of training on her... and after all that, it seems her power will stubbornly awaken some other way. Perhaps I should encourage her to keep researching her beloved relics. They may just lead her to answers I can't provide. For now, I sit anxiously, more a father than a king in this moment. I sit and await my daughter's return." Pg 7. (He fucking dies and never gives Zelda this bit of closure uuuugggghhhhhhh Zelda I'm so sorry Rhoam I'm so sorry)

It sucks because most people remember the cutscenes (duh it's more immersive and important) and in the cutscenes of the first game Rhoam was mostly shown as being stern and mean to babygirl Zelda, who is closed fists explaining herself to him at the verge of tears. And in contrast everyone in the first royal family of hyrule in the second game treated her with such kindness and we can see how happy she was being there with them.

Rhoam was shackled by duty. By prophecy. By the looming calamity. And from the day he named his daughter 'Zelda' he shackled her as well.

And what does Zelda do with these shackles? She accepts them. She tolerates them. Because she loves her father and her kingdom and knows there's a power dormant in her that can stop the calamity that she must do her best to unlock. She does this dutifully. She does all the training, she does everything that is required.

But it still doesn't unlock. So she tries other ways. She isn't just going after the 'relics' because she's scholarly and nerdy and wants to learn about them. She does it because she's pragmatic. She knows her sacred sealing power isn't present in her. She knows she might not be able to control it or even unlock it in time.

So she tries this alternative approach. The Divine Beasts, the guardians. Ancient tech that was used to prevent the calamity of their time. And she awakened the tech. And her father chose the champions for each divine beast. And they were all prepared. And it's all thanks to Zelda.

And then... Fucking tragedy again. Ganon probably learned his lesson from the last time he was thwarted and immediately went for the tech, corrupting it and turning it against the new users. Against Zelda.

It's never really stated how fast it all turned to shit when the tech betrayed them (or maybe I don't remember) but every account points to it being almost overnight. The champions died. Rhoam died. And suddenly, suddenly Zelda unlocks her sealing magic.

I always always hate the literary trope of using tragedy to unlock a great power that could've actually stopped the tragedy from happening in the first place.

And it's no different in BOTW. I hate that Zelda had to go through all this to unlock her powers.

And then what happens next?

She's stuck in limbo (in an almost mocking parallel to Rauru in the next game with his imprisoning arm) holding Ganon back. For a hundred years.

This young woman had gone through so much only to be trapped with a calamity seeking to destroy Hyrule for a century.

Does she know her father died in the war? Does she know the champions died in battle? Would she know Link would survive in the Shrine of Resurrection? Would she know how long it would all take? The century she would have to wait?

I think she didn't. I think it all happened too fast. I think ultimately, she decided a stalemate with ganon was an agreeable outcome. I think in her mind she probably thought she failed Hyrule. When the divine beasts turned she must have been distraught. Distraught might not even cover it tbh. But at least... At least when the kingdom was brought to it's knees by the corrupted tech and was waiting for the final blow, she had the ability to ensure the final blow never came.

And oh boy I have a looot more to talk about regarding Tears of the Kingdom. But I do want to have a couple of more playthroughs of it to really formulate what I want to say.

[rabbitinashell]

This, but now with neuvillette!! Which characters should be next?? It can also be females - we love our mami's and papi's equally here. @local-lover-boy 's request.

Neuvillette in the Sheets: Gentle, Intense, and Overwhelmingly Passionate

Neuvillette, the Chief Justice of Fontaine, is a man of restraint, dignity, and quiet intensity. He carries himself with an air of mystery and authority, rarely showing emotion - until you push him past his limits

When he finally gives in, expect him to be deeply passionate, overwhelmingly attentive, and utterly consuming-like the storm he tries to keep contained.

1. Gentle but Overpowering

• Neuvillette is naturally careful, treating you as if you're something precious - but that doesn't mean he lacks intensity

• His strength is undeniable - he can easily pin you down, hold you in place, or completely overwhelm you while still being gentle.

• His self-control is immense, but once it slips, you'll feel everything he's been holding back.

2. Slow, Sensual, and Thorough

• He's not rushed - Neuvillette takes his time, savoring every moment, ensuring that you feel worshiped and cherished.

• His kisses are slow, lingering, and deeply possessive, leaving no room for doubt about how much he desires you.

• He learns your every weakness, committing them to memory so he can draw out the experience perfectly

3. The Voice & The Words

• Deep, soothing, and utterly hypnotic - his voice alone is enough to make you shiver.

• He's not a man of excessive words, but

when he does speak, it's low, deliberate

and dangerously smooth

• "Do you understand how much I want

you? Or shall I show you?"

4. Unmatched Stamina & Restraint

• Being as old as the sea, Neuvillette does not tire easily - he can go for as long as you need, and then some

• His self-control is legendary, but if you manage to push him past that point, expect a torrent of passion as deep as the ocean itself.

5. Subtle but Meaningful Aftercare

• Neuvillette isn't overly expressive, but his aftercare is deeply intimate - he'll pull you close, stroke your hair, and hold you as if you're the most important thing in the world

• He'll ensure you're comfortable, warm, and safe, lingering far longer than necessary because he secretly enjoys the closeness.

• He may murmur soft praises, his voice even lower, more intimate as he presses a final, lingering kiss to your forehead

Bonus: Kinks & Preferences

• Power & Control - He holds himself back, but if pushed, he can be devastatingly dominant.

• Worship & Devotion - Expect deep, reverent touches as if you're something sacred.

• Overstimulation - He adores drawing things out, making sure you feel every moment completely

• Worship & Devotion - Expect deep, reverent touches as if you're something sacred.

• Overstimulation - He adores drawing things out, making sure you feel every moment completely

• Emotional Release - If you break past his composed exterior, you might just see the raw, desperate need beneath

Final Verdict: A Slow-Building Storm

Neuvillette is intensely passionate but infinitely patient, making sure that when he finally loses control, you feel the full force of his hidden desires. He's the type to ruin you slowly, thoroughly, and reverently leaving you breathless - and craving more.

[crisiscutie]

pls more headcanons on yandere father sephiroth

Let see what happens if darling strayed further from her set path than Sephiroth would have preferred... Yandere Musings here.

Content Warning: Slight NSFW. Emotional abuse. Yandere Sephiroth. Confinement. Brainwashing. Unhealthy and unsettling family dynamics. Rebirth spoilers.

You were sent by Sephiroth to conquer this strange, hidden world and merge it with his other dominions.

You got into a fight not long after your arrival. But your enemy talked you down and proposed an alliance to stop your father. You really hated the idea of betraying him, but this is necessary to find out who you really are.

You joined a group of adventurers looking to stop the energy of their world from being drained.

Sephiroth was closely observing your mission, but he was briefly distracted by other multiversal anomalies. Yet once he sensed you slipping away, he wasted no time in trying to reestablish his link to you.

His velvety, fatherly voice resonated in your head. "Sweet girl, have you done what I asked?" He said.

It was extremely difficult, but you've managed to ignore him.. Even with him saying those two special words.

He reached out again, this time his velvety voice being a mixture of a cold demand and a fierce warning. "Darling." Ugh, you could just feel him digging into your mind, scrounging whatever information he could get.

"Go away!" You said, shaking your head. You were able to expel him from your mind this time, but for how long? You already sensed his frown searing into your very soul, even when he's not near you.

Sephiroth's whispers quickly caught up to you and your new group of friends in no time. Despite your attempts to teach your friends about them, panic consumed them, and the whispers mercilessly picked them off, one by one.

Your will to fight vanished completely when one whisper transformed into your beloved father, wearing his traditional, malicious smirk. This smirk, usually reserved for his enemies and other lesser beings, grew wider upon seeing you.

Sephiroth made this massacre last a little longer. It'd help you truly understand the gravity of your defiance.

Tears welled up in your eyes just when he carried out the execution of the last human parasite - that damned boy who dared to steal his place.

You wanted to raise your blade and run it through Sephiroth, but something rooted you to the ground, making you tremble like hell and seem like that hapless, innocent girl that he always treated you as.

He menacingly approached you, blood still dripping from his Masamune. This transgression of yours cannot go unanswered.

He had grabbed your chin, his velvety words dripping with cruel fury as his face leaned in close, mere inches from yours.

"I gave you everything you needed. Wanted. And you repay me with this." He casually flicked the boy's blood off his blade, letting it stain the body of another one of your comrades.

"I'm sorry, Father! Please forgive me!" You broke down into his arms.

"You know I love you, don't you?" He said. You nodded in response.

"So you should know that I'm only doing this for your own good."

You became confused as he said those words and you looked back up at him. He wore the usual gentle, affectionate smile, but his slit eyes brimmed with rage.

Following that, he let out a chuckle and facepalmed when he had his epiphany.

Of course. You didn't fully understand what you were doing. You were only naturally indulging in a childish desire. He could only blame the boy who had tempted you away from your proper place.

Sephiroth hugged you and gave you a gentle head pat. "Sweet girl... I shall take you to a sacred place," he whispered.

He knew it was too early to introduce you to it, but he couldn't help himself this time.

"..a place where you'll learn just how much your father loves you!" His tone carried a twisted nostalgia as he cast a sleep spell on you, gently guiding your head to rest against his chest.

Later on, you found yourself confined within a pod, your face concealed while the rest of your body was bare. Tentacles coiled around you, piercing your flesh to inject corrupted essence into you. And a long metallic tube was connected to your stomach, channeling the energy of the last conquered world into you as well.

"Such power and beauty, just like your dear mother..." Sephiroth said.

The sight of you like this was so breathtaking. He was tempted to touch the pod, but refrained, as if it was too immaculate and sacred for his touch.

Your pleas and squirms went unnoticed as he was consumed by his twisted nostalgia.

"I must ensure that you retain your purity," he continued. "I cannot have you ruining it, especially with a mere human, can I?"

Your pleas ceased, and your squirming slowly subsided.

"You will become my sweet and obedient girl. One who will make me proud, and who will forever be by my side, and who will never hurt me," He seemed almost solemn for a second before he continued. "...I will protect you and your purity from everyone who would taint it. It will be for me, and me alone."

Game over! Try again? 👈

[bougainvillea-and-saltwater]

GIGI!! Give us some domestic Miraak HCs. Weird Things That Weird Man Does Around The House.

Doggie for attention

OUGH HELLO, HELLO, MY FRIEND, AND PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR THE DELAY! I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE YOUR ASK, BUT GAH, THE HORRORS—

Okay, alright. BEHOLD. Domesticated Miraak Made By Gigi™.

Miraak is fascinated by “mundane” items which he hoards compulsively. For example, spoons, buttons, scraps of fabric, and as a dragon through and through, anything shiny. He once built a tiny shrine out of empty glass jars, claiming they “radiate a strange essence”—it was just his dramatic way of describing their transparency.

His time in Apocrypha has left its mark. Miraak mutters to walls and furniture as if they’re sentient. “You’ve done well holding up the roof today,” he says to a wooden beam while he pats it with his hand thoughtfully. He might argue with the bookshelves, too, insisting they’re judging his choice of reading material.

Miraak has a compulsive need to organize everything into scrolls or piles of paper, even when it’s not practical. Grocery lists? Written on parchment with the most elegant quill he, of course, will craft, and sealed with wax. A love letter to Jia? Encrypted in Dragon Tongue and then stored in triplicate.

His morning routine involves chanting hymns like an Orthodox Priest, meditating, and “consulting the winds” (aka opening a window and divining how the weather’s going to be, blessed by Kyne as he is). If someone interrupts him, he declares the day ruined and probably sulks for hours.

If there are any creatures in the household, Miraak is convinced they hold ancient wisdom, and he’ll do whatever he can to take care of them. Milking Miss Hilda, Jia’s cow? Check. Shoeing Queen Alfsigr’s hooves, Jia’s horse? Check. Collecting the eggs from her chickens? Check. Feeding her swallows up on the roof and tending to their nests and their hatchlings? Check. Whistling in the wind and drawing Various Animals in Heljarchen Hall like he’s some sort of Gandalf Calling on Shadowfax? Check. I can just go on forever. He’s a huge, huge nature lover. 

He’ll never admit it, but Miraak finds cleaning meditative. There’s something satisfying about imposing order on chaos. However, his “cleaning” often involves rearranging things into strangely symmetrical patterns—lucky for him, Jia does this as well all the time, so I only pity Lydia and Gregor who have to endure their obsession somehow...🥲

My Miraak isn’t the best at cooking at first—BUT! He learns from the very best, Jia, and he’s eager and quick to learn. Eventually, he treats cooking like a battle. He wields kitchen tools like sacred artifacts and narrates his every move in a grandiose tone. “Worry not, soul of my soul,” he tells Jia. “The Dragonborn of your kitchen shall tame this unruly potato.” He’s surprisingly good at it, though his meals tend to involve unnecessarily elaborate plating.

bonus headcanon because this ask made me unhinged: Miraak, when he manages to sleep, sleeps Weirdly. Blame it on the Dragonborn-ism and the otherworldly essence of his dreams in general, but either way, the man simply sleeps upright sometimes, while other nights, he’ll attempt to “connect with the Gods” by lying flat on the ground outside Heljarchen Hall, arms crossed over his chest, staring at a skyful of stars. It freaks Jia out when she finds him like this, but then again... She might join him herself... Don't mind her if she does...🤔

[damneddamsy]

renegade | aemond targaryen x oc (part iv)

While it was perverse and unacceptable, Prince Aemond and Princess Aemma took no heed of their noble steads, crossed the forbidding sea on Vhagar, chose a single witness, Princess Helaena on her mount, Dreamfyre, and united their blood in marriage. Dragonglass split their lips and hands, sealing their fates and promising their futures. Blood of two caught in chalice joined as one. The secret wedding was one for the books, the eerieness of the night, the rising tide and the fire kindling their vows. You'd expect them to have their conscience pricked but no, they knew this was their true calling. Not a force on this godforsaken planet could bring them apart.

Due for their return, Aemma was too quiet as she nimbly scaled Vhagar and straddled the saddle. Aemond observed in satisfaction, how his bride was so quick to form a connection to his dragon with a mere touch of her fingers and her soothing Valyrian tongue. This woman was truly meant to be his.

This time, he luxuriated behind her, the thrill of having her this close and belonging there, nothing couldn't arrest this. As Vhagar rumbled lowly beneath them, just as excitable as her rider, Aemond stroked his temple against Aemma's and stole a kiss from her cheek.

"Having regrets?" he murmured. Her skin shivered beneath his hold on her waist. The night was growing frigid.

Aemma shook her head, her teeth eventually gleaming with a smile. She turned her head to rest her forehead against his. "Never. This feels right. I only wish we didn't have to go back."

"The night is yet young. Let us take to the air." She laughed when his lips did their bidding against her neck, an idea with each kiss. "Dorne is within reach. Shall we soak up some sun? Beneath the blood orange orchards?"

Aemma pursed her lips. "Sounds delightful."

"It is decided." He eagerly twisted the leather harness around his dominant wrist to awaken Vhagar. "We'll come back when the time is ripe."

She let out a weary sigh, stopping his motions. Aware of her hesitation, he leaned his lips against her nape.

"We must go back," she whispered. "Reality awaits."

When they retreated to the dawning stillness of the Red Keep, they spoke of their marriage to no one. No one noticed the prince walking the princess to her chambers, placing a kiss upon her swathed hand and wounded lips, swearing to never speak of this until the time was right, and biding his wife good night.

All but one saw this. The word was dispatched.

It was Otto Hightower who sent for Her Grace and Prince Aemond, summoning their presence in his chambers forthwith. They discussed the atrocity that the young prince had committed while ushering in a new dawn.

"Surely this is some farce!" Alicent blustered, her voice vindictive.

Aemond undid the swathes of bandages to reveal a definitive scarlet scar sliced across his palm. "I have done my duty as the king's heir and taken a bride."

Otto was tolerant but only to an extent. He was reaching his breaking point. "That girl—your bride—is supposed to treat with the Northern lord next moon. How would he respond to this but with slight?"

"Then request him to politely fuck off to the world's end," Aemond mumbled, sinking to a seat and crossing his legs. He should've flown away with Aemma when he had the chance.

"He is a king! You would risk a conflict in the realm!" Alicent said, horrified.

"I would for her."

"You've gone mad, Aemond. You've fallen in love to lose your mind instead?"

"Aemma has been spoken for in my name since we were children. I've only made haste with the affair," he insisted, already bored of it all. He was a newlywed, he should be warming their marriage bed.

"We could've done this in front of your kin, in due diligence, reliably under the sacred eyes of the Seven. Rather you've decided to elope with the princess, cut your hands and feast upon blood like barbarians!"

"I don't expect you to understand our gods, Mother." He set his elbows on his knees, steepling his fingers, and looking her dead in the eye. "You're not Targaryen."

She gritted her teeth at his audacity. "You'll face the dragon princess' wrath soon enough for what you've done to her girl."

"This matter is concluded. Aemma and I have wed, good tidings are in order and I thank you for yours," Aemond announced, rising to his height. "If you'll excuse me. The sun has risen and my wife will be expecting to see me."

"I take it you haven't consummated this secret marriage?" Otto eventually voiced his concern.

Aemond smirked at him. He would leave nothing to be questioned, even if it meant deceit. "As a true barbarian, I would never seek to disappoint," he lied through his teeth. "Her maidenhead is mine, as is her heart."

"Seven hells," Alicent whispered and put her head in her hands.

"'Tis only custom, mother."

"And when the whispers start. When Daemon holds your head to Dark Sister," Otto continued, "what will you answer then?"

He side-eyed his grandsire before he shifted to take his leave. "I've made it explicit that I will raze this fucking city to the ground lest a single tear is shed from my wife's eyes. My uncle is but a piece of piss next to that."

Another one, a maester, promptly took this information to Princess Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon. They were awakened after the hour of the wolf, insisting on the message's urgency. But the circumstances were faced... differently between them.

"Bravo!" Daemon raised his wine glass in a toast. "Couldn't have done it quicker and better myself. Took a massive, stinking shit on the Queen's precious stars and spokes, didn't they? Let's see how that hoary bitch spiels for her septas now."

"Daemon," Rhaenyra cautioned quietly before diverting to the maester. "And you are sure of this? Aemma wasn't coerced by the prince?"

"No, princess. They even took the prince's sister as a witness. As it happens, they've already consummated."

"Ingenious," Daemon chuckled into his wine.

"Who else knows?"

"Her Grace, the Hand, the prince, and yourself, princess."

"Spread the word," Rhaenyra ordered. "It was a private Valyrian affair to protect the intimacy of the prince and princess. Ensure that no libel comes to the princess' virtue. Or it won't be their tongues I'll have, it'll be yours."

The maester gulped and nodded. "Yes, princess."

As soon as the maester left, Rhaenyra turned to Daemon with a victorious grin. He stretched his hands above his head and groaned. "Wedded bliss awaits our daughter now. I wish her well."

"Aemma rivals me on this," she hummed.

"She's instinctive."

"She's fire and blood. Of course, she is."

X

By high noon, Prince Aemond's private wedding to Princess Aemma was the one word on everyone's fuller lips. They couldn't care less about how they had gone forth with it, but why. Did the prince take her against her will? Did he abduct her and force her into submission? Perhaps, they were made for each other, the one-eyed monstrosity marrying another freak. It was overtly claimed that the princess was of unsound mind, toiled by terrors, and this affair was carried with to keep matters quiet. The one-eyed prince of the realm would have to bear this burden until her dying breath. This outrageous claim was extinguished as soon as it was spoken.

When the secrecy of their union had been broached, Princess Aemma lingered behind closed doors and waited for the match to strike. It wasn't her conscience that moved her, but the weight of her impatience. She had nearly paced a line of gravel under her feet, hoping Aemond would come to her as he had promised.

When the doors opened behind her, Aemma's face softened to relief and she spun to face him.

"Aemond, we must..." Her lips parted with a breath. "Mother."

Princess Rhaenyra paused by the closing doors, possibly clothed in red to match her ire, and limply joined her fingers before her. Her expression was set in stone, and behind her, her brother, Jacaerys, was a towering column of outrage.

Aemma lowered her eyes, however unafraid. "If you want an apology, you will not hear one from me."

"Have you no remorse for us, Aemma?" Jace hurtled toward her and began to shout. "For desecrating your very birthright? For all the considerate privilege that our mother has offered you all your life and this is how you repay her?"

"Jace," her mother warned.

"No, I will not hear it, mother! You have coddled her enough. Blinded her to her own vanity. I should've ended this lunacy when she began courting that monster. Now, look! She has exploited an opportunity and whored herself out to that loathsome—"

"Jace!"

Rhaenyra's indignant roar rang past them. Aemma flinched, at the word and her mother's voice, her vision blurring with the onset of tears. She would dare not cry, that would stand to invalidate everything she had accomplished. And she had nothing to feel sorry for.

"Your sister is still a princess and you will treat her as such," Rhaenyra said blackly. "Aemma has desecrated nothing. She has wed a prince and, more so, a Targaryen, per the customs of our old gods, following her own inclination. One which I permitted—"

"You permitted!" he snapped.

"—and some prior announcement would've done nicely," she eyed Aemma knowingly, "but 'tis pleasant news nonetheless. We cannot incriminate her except perhaps reprimand her for undue urgency."

Jace's sneer refused to wane. "She has taken that vile snake to husband." He glared at Aemma. "His family hails your little brothers as bastards. Are you to turn a deaf ear when he calls you that someday? Or your children?"

"You would patronize my lineage?" Aemma spat. "Because I've wed someone you despise?"

"Accept it, Aemma. Laenor Velaryon has furnished us nothing but the title of his house."

"Our father loved us until his dying breath!"

"Laenor's gone and the duty has fallen upon me to defend my kin!"

"Enough of this," Rhaenyra hissed at them. "I will not tolerate such disgraceful talk among my children. Jace, leave us. Now."

Jace bore his unforgiving scowl at Aemma long and hard before leaning to whisper clearly, "You will soon realize what you've given rise to. When he reigns in ruin, I cannot protect you."

Aemma got ahold of her brother's arm desperately. "Jace, please," she whispered.

"It'll be too late, sister."

Jace touched her hand, squeezed it once and pushed it off him. He said nothing more and left the room with a resonant crash of the heavy doors.

Aemma fell back into a chair and hung her head between her shoulders. A deep-seated sting had started to worm up to the front and among all the torment that she shouldn't have to face, this was one, too. Her mother's hands stroked at her shoulders and hair, speaking nothing. She didn't have to, it was evident she held no ill feelings towards her daughter.

Her mother gently took her scarred hand into hers, tracing a finger down the swathing. "Congratulations to the both of you, dearest daughter," she said quietly.

Aemma sniffed, unable to respond.

"I wish you would've informed me. I would've followed you on Syrax in a heartbeat."

"I'm sorry, mother," she murmured, looking up at her. "But I am not ashamed of what we've done. Neither will I made to be."

The door opened once again and Aemma, for a split second, wished it was her brother returning to make amends. Her hope morphed into confidence and consolation when Aemond appeared, armed with his blade. She noticed a smidge of delight in his usual brooding look, probably of seeing his dear friend turned wife first thing in the morn, before it vanished off into scepticism and became aware of Princess Rhaenyra near her.

"Prince Aemond," her mother greeted, stoic. She refused to slip her arms from around her daughter.

Aemond barely spared her a glimpse, a prince on a mission. With his head held high, he cupped Aemma's chin, lifted it slightly and searched her face for something. His lips pursed when found it, his single eye harshening.

"I shall like a word with my wife in private," he requested, nearly insensitive and still unmoving.

Aemma's eyes flickered to Rhaenyra who looked between them, apprehensive of his stance. Her jaw flexed and she nodded once at Aemma before taking her leave. Aemond waited until he heard the creak of the hinges to signify they were truly alone.

"Were she not someone you loved," he said, leaving the words to hang like a noose in the air. He would've coated these flowery walls in red.

Aemma shook her head and pushed to her feet, wobbling slightly from vertigo. She placed her palms around Aemond's neck to steady herself. Responsively, he curled his arm around her and pressed a greeting kiss to her forehead.

"My mother did not upset me," she shared. "In fact, she was pleased to hear of it."

"It," he echoed.

She managed an elfish smile. "Our wedding."

He tilted his head, pretending to forget. "Hmm. I have no memory of this."

"Then allow me a gentle reminder, my friend," she murmured, expectantly leaning on her toes.

His mouth twisted in disdain. "I ought to fuck that word right out of your pretty little mouth."

Aemma dropped to her feet, taken aback, and looking to be sure. "What?"

He smirked, proud of himself. "Shall I repeat it?"

She stuttered with her words. "I—uh."

"So," he flouted easily. "You were reminding me."

She wrinkled her nose. "I don't know if I want to anymore."

"I want to."

He met Aemma's shy lips midway, sweet, soft and slow. Modesty fled when she gently coaxed him closer at his nape and bowed into him, her faint moan spearing through them. Utterly unbridled, he trailed his fingers down her delicate neck, the fine creases there, whilst his lips hunted down the delve of her collarbones, breathing her deeply. Such a naive temptress.

Aemond wanted to undo those flimsy laces and take her right there, in the brightness of dawn, but obligations burdened him. He dropped his head into the curve of her neck, holding her there for a second.

"You've chosen an inconvenient time to tempt me," he breathed out.

Aemma laughed, caressing the back of his head. "Shall I offer you a little distraction?"

"Is it under all these skirts?"

He felt his hair tugged hard albeit playfully. With another quiet laugh, she took his hand and led him to sit by the table, replete with a sweet breakfast for the newlyweds. She had waited all morning to break bread with her new husband.

Aemond was twice as pleasantly surprised when she ensconced over his lap, a slim arm curving over his shoulder. He didn't wait on slinging his own around her thighs.

"I quite like this approach."

"Distracted?" she asked.

"Worse. Ravenous." He sunk his teeth into her soft neck and pulled. Something of a moan left her fluttering lips.

"Then I'll need to act better," she whispered.

She cocked a cheeky brow as she grabbed a sour cherry, bit into it and offered him the other half. Just as though they were six years old again. Fate may have stolen his eye, but it left the other one to witness this; his dear friend, now the jewel in his crown, his wife, all too content to be with him.

He noticed the inflamed wound on her hand, yet to scar. The fresh seal of the bandages was still stained scarlet. He took her cherry-bearing palm into his, comparing their plasters.

"One more scar to match," she laughed.

He arched a side of his lips. "My favourite one."

"So."

"Hmm?" He was too preoccupied in exerting pressure over her bandage, trying to clot her wound.

"What's our first order of business as husband and wife?" She thought about it, swinging her legs. "Hmm... we could go down the Kingsroad and visit an inn. Trade a few coppers for—"

"I want to depart the city soon," he interrupted to say, decidedly.

She smiled until she dimpled. "Or that."

"Good. Now, I will have a ship and crew commissioned from Lord Corlys, who would do us a good turn as your grandsire, and sail to Pentos where I will have made arrangements with Prince Reggio who will be waiting to welcome us. From there, we'll go where the wind takes us on Vhagar."

She gaped at him, waiting for his information to slowly make sense. When it did, she couldn't breathe.

There was not a trace of humour on his face. "I've never been more intent."

She looked away, out the window adjacent to the table, attempting to think this through.

"Don't you think it to be too soon?" She didn't try to hide the fear in her voice. "We only wed last night. I've barely spoken with my family as I'm sure you with yours. We haven't even..." She glanced at her bed, a soft flush burning at her neck.

"Aemma," he cupped her cheek to urge her to see at the sincerity in his eyes, his throat bobbing, "we've done our waiting, sweetling. For years. The longer we stay, the more this becomes a fantasy. I simply won't allow it."

Her panic faltered, and weakened, as she stared at him. All those years she had counted on paddling that oar on her little rowboat further than the untamed tides on Dragonstone or escaping into the Maegor tunnels with a lit torch like adventurers, it all came to this. Here she was, her dear friend, offering it up on a plate. She would be an idiot if she let the chance slip through her fingers.

She drew in a deep breath and grinned as wide as she could. "Me either."

He smiled away his triumph, cradling her chin to kiss her softly. His fingers knotted in her hair when she moved to embrace him snugly, pouring her anxiety into him. He accepted it all, vowing to never let her feel such a thing ever again.

"I will need clothes befitting a traveller." Her words were muffled into his shoulder. "And I'll need sufficient space on Vhagar, a journal to note our findings, some ink, oh! A cape!"

"Anything."

He pressed his lips at her jaw, nuzzling the hair on her neck. He had come to adore the length, bristling with the bearing of a warrior. He pushed it away to look at the rampant excitement in her dark eyes.

"The end of this moon," he marked. "I'll see to it that we set sail in accord with our families."

X

you can read part v here!

[vivicantstudy]

A Respectful Perspective on Homosexuality in the Catholic Church

The Catholic Church speaks about homosexuality with both truth and love, seeking to guide people while embracing them with compassion. According to Church teaching, sexual intimacy is a beautiful gift meant to be expressed in marriage between a man and a woman, serving two important purposes: to unite the couple in love and to bring new life into the world. When sexual acts take place outside this sacred context—whether through fornication, adultery, or homosexual acts—they are considered to fall short of God’s plan for human flourishing.

That said, simply experiencing same-sex attraction is not a sin. The Church understands that many people carry this cross and recognizes the dignity and worth of every individual. Those who face this challenge are invited to walk a path of chastity—not as a burden, but as a way to grow in love, peace, and closeness to God. It’s a call to a higher form of love, one that opens the heart to God’s grace and leads toward a life of holiness and deep fulfillment.

At the heart of the Church’s message is this: every person, regardless of their struggles, is infinitely loved by God. The Church encourages everyone to welcome and support their brothers and sisters with same-sex attractions, treating them with the utmost respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Discrimination, rejection, or harshness have no place in the Christian life. Instead, we are called to love one another as Christ loves us—unconditionally and wholeheartedly.

We all have unique challenges on our journey to holiness, but none of us walks alone. God’s love is constant, His grace is abundant, and His arms are always open. Together, through kindness, empathy, and faith, we can help each other grow in love and live in the fullness of the life God desires for us.

Bible References:

• Genesis 2:24: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

• 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

• Matthew 19:12: “For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men; and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

• Romans 15:7: “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”

• John 13:34: “A new commandment I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

• Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Matthew 22:37-39: “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

• 1 Corinthians 6:18-20: “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

• Romans 13:10: “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

• John 15:12: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

• 1 John 4:7-8: “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

• Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

[ghostchems]

for the Halloween-esque prompts!

something TOOTH-ACHINGLY fluffy with secondo 🎃 out of all the papas he seems to have the most pictures with kids, so I have a headcannon that he loves to be around them & even participate in their mischief every once in a while. Maybe he and reader help the kids at the Abbey with apple picking? Or help them put on their costumes/face paint/wigs for Halloween? have fun with it!

this hurt my teeth writing it! some suggestive language…

Secondo is so focused, moving the brush with such precision as he applies the facepaint. His brows are furrowed, lip pressed into a thin line, squinting to make sure he gets the pattern just right. He sits back in his chair and looks over his work, tilting his head while a hand rests on his chin as his eyes follow the delicate lines. You watch him from the other room and find yourself with a dreamy smile playing on your lips.

“You are all done, Giacomo.” Papa grumbles and sets down his brush then gestures towards a nearby mirror. The child happily turns to the mirror, looking cheek to cheek and smiling ear to ear.

“Papa, I look just like you!” Giacomo exclaims, turning back to look at Secondo, his eyes shining brightly.

“Si, si. Now, go get your costume on. Mass is soon.” His voice is the same as how he would speak to adults, stern and deep, but children seem to be unphased by the threatening nature of it. You like to think it’s because he speaks to them like actual people.

“Grazie, grazie, Papa!” Giacomo chirps before scrambling out of the room. You come up behind Secondo as he starts organizing his brushes, draping your arms around his shoulders. He gives a content sigh, relaxing against your touch.

“How many children are going as Papa Emeritus the Second?” You purr in his ear.

“Six.” Secondo answers then pulls himself to his feet, slipping from your grasp with a sly grin. “Helped pochi cardinali too.” He smoothes out his robes as his eyes flicker over your body. “This is your costume?”

“What, is it not up to your standards?” You frown and fold your arms over your chest. Admittedly, you didn’t try very hard, opting to wear all black (which isn’t too different from your daily outfits) and a witch’s hat.

“You won’t win the costume contest.”

“The costume contest is for kids.” Silence hangs in the air for just a moment until you cannot hold back giggles any longer. You love when he’s playful like this and you can tell it’s because it’s his favorite time of year.

“Halloween Mass is extremely sacred, amore.” Secondo teases as he starts to stalk closer to you. “We have to appease the spirits.”

“Well, maybe you should paint my face, then.”

“We don’t have enough time for that.” His voice sounds buttery smooth as he towers over you, a smirk playing on his lips. “Do you have the unholy offering?” You hold up the bag of candy you put together and he takes it, rifling through it with a gloved hand. “Hmm… you’ve put together a good selection.” He holds the bag firmly in his hand and reaches out to you with his free one. “Shall we go celebrate the undead?”

The chapel is decorated top to bottom with black and orange streamers, bat decals, broomsticks and more. You work to organize the babbling, excited children into a single file line. Secondo looms in front of the children, back to looking stoic and authoritative, but you know it’s just an act for his audience.

The children of the abbey go up one by one, uttering the sacred words of the unholy spirit (“trick or treat”) to receive their offering from Papa. You are Papa’s helper and you make sure each child has their own time to be with him, though there are some times you get distracted by the sweetness of it all. He bows down to each child, close enough so that he can hear them, and asks them how they are honoring the dead this year.

The truth is, Papa doesn’t have to do any of this. It’s not his responsibility to ensure the children of the abbey have fun Halloween, but it warms your heart to see him here, playing along and enjoying himself. It’s Giacomo’s turn and you can’t help but smile ear to ear at his incredibly accurate Secondo costume.

“Ah, Papa.” Secondo bows his head to him. “I should be asking you for your blessing.” He offers a small smirk as he gives Giacomo a few pieces of candy, and one extra — for good luck. His eyes fall to you watching him and you’re unable to stop yourself from swooning.

Maybe you’ll let him paint your face later.

[vickyvicarious]

To one thing I have made up my mind: if we find out that Mina must be a vampire in the end, then she shall not go into that unknown and terrible land alone. I suppose it is thus that in old times one vampire meant many; just as their hideous bodies could only rest in sacred earth, so the holiest love was the recruiting sergeant for their ghastly ranks.

Jonathan, 3 October

She lay in her Vampire sleep, so full of life and voluptuous beauty that I shudder as though I have come to do murder. Ah, I doubt not that in old time, when such things were, many a man who set forth to do such a task as mine, found at the last his heart fail him, and then his nerve. So he delay, and delay, and delay, till the mere beauty and the fascination of the wanton Un-Dead have hypnotise him; and he remain on and on, till sunset come, and the Vampire sleep be over. Then the beautiful eyes of the fair woman open and look love, and the voluptuous mouth present to a kiss—and man is weak. And there remain one more victim in the Vampire fold; one more to swell the grim and grisly ranks of the Un-Dead!…

Van Helsing, 5 November

One thing I noticed this year was the way Van Helsing echoed Jonathan's declaration about lovers joining the ranks of the undead. They both use very similar language, but with a couple huge differences. This makes these quotes almost a reverse of one another in a really interesting way.

Van Helsing's theoretical men who become vampires out of love are very clearly victims. They are foolish, fascinated by a vampire woman's beauty, and don't need to have known her beforehand to be mesmerized. Their hearts fail them, when they allow beauty to stay their hand which had previously been poised to kill the undead they've been hunting.

Jonathan's very real man willing to become a vampire (and his presumed others before him) is making a deliberate choice. He is not being tricked into anything. He knows exactly how horrible a choice he is making, and is in fact doing so well away from the sight of any supernatural beauty or mesmeric power. His heart feels the holiest love, which guides it into darkness rather than ever even consider harming the undead he loves.

Van Helsing's assumption is that the men who falter didn't already know the vampire who eventually turned them, and thus no deeper love is really possible. This is very much not the case for Jonathan's quote. But I think even in that situation, the Professor would still consider Jonathan himself much closer to the foolish, mistaken victims of his own quote - rather than recognizing the agency and deliberate nature of Jonathan's choice. That's the main difference for me - even more than the depth of the connection/length of association (though of course that hugely informs the situation and is a necessary distinction), it's the knowing/unknowing nature of each one.

In both situations the men are guided by their hearts, but Jonathan knows the truth even as he declares he would join his love to be a vampire. In Van Helsing's scenario, the men act against what they know by feeling pity and affection for what they intended to treat as a monster. They forget that the ranks of the undead are "grim and grisly" just long enough to fall prey. But Jonathan never does. He knows Mina would become a monster, knows that in this scenario he'd be joining the "ghastly ranks" of the undead. He doesn't forget that fact. He just considers his love to be more important, enough that he is willing to subject himself to such a terrible fate rather than harm or be separated from her. It's the opposite of someone mesmerized into delaying and being enticed into putting down their weapon. Instead he resists entreaties to pick it up in the first place. (At least to point towards Mina.)

[blackestnight]

The Mourn Watcher's Oath: Vows to the Dead as a Living Work

Read on AO3. an interpretation of the Mourn Watch's purpose and in-universe code of ethics.

I swear in solemn promise, before the living and the dead who stand witness and the spirits who abide unseen, that I will and observe and keep this oath with the best of my power and judgement:

I will uphold my duties to the Living. I swear to apply my knowledge and power for the betterment of those under my care; to always offer warmth, sympathy, and understanding, which are as essential as the scalpel or the staff in tending to the needs of my charges. I swear to treat the families of the dead with respect and care, to provide my services without regard for religion, race, nation, or creed,[1] and to ease their burden in a time of grief and loss. I swear to use my skills to ease the passing of the dying by application of magic, medicine, and good counsel; but though I work at the boundary of life and death, I swear above all not to take a life except in defense of my own or others,[2] for it is not my place to decide when a soul should greet death; I will remember always that I am death’s servant, and not its master.

I will uphold my duties to the Dead. I swear to treat the deceased at all times with respect and dignity, for the dead are our noble guardians and the bridge to a world greater than our own. I swear to keep safe the dead and not to place them in the hands of the untrained, for their care is entrusted to me and our order as a sacred duty. I swear to honor the wishes of the dead, and to ensure the disposition of their remains in keeping with their mortal declaration,[3] or in the absence of such, in keeping with the wishes of the family or designated agent. I swear above all to protect and preserve the dignity and wholeness of the dead, for to desecrate our ancestors is to betray the very foundations upon which I walk; I must never use the remains for selfish or evil ends, for I do not wield a tool but borrow the strength and soul[4] of one who has lived and died nobly before me; I will honor their life with their treatment in death.

I will uphold my duties to the Beyond. I swear to treasure and shelter the spirits who visit our world, to welcome them in good faith and treat them with reverence, for they require guidance and guardianship in the waking world. I swear to defend against malign forces that betray the sanctity of our pacts, for the power from beyond the Veil is ever mysterious and vulnerable to corrupting influence. I swear to uphold our promises to the spirits who offer their wisdom and power in kindness, for they are our partners in preserving the safety and sanctitude of the passage between life and death, and in honoring the dead whose remains they give new life. I swear above all to always watch over the boundaries of death, and measure the dreaming sea; the realm of the ephemeral and eternal sleep is a neighbor to our own, and it behooves us to stand sentinel and reach out in cooperation in equal measure; the Fade is the destination of all souls,[5] and we who shepherd the dead must seek understanding of that distant, unchartable land.

If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and beauty, respected while I live and remembered with affection after my death; as I uphold the tradition and honor of my station, so shall I be rewarded with joy and a home everlasting.

—copied from “The Vow Eternal: The History and Philosophy of the Mourn Watcher’s Oath,” by Julianna Koszorus

—

Scribbled note attached to the page:

I grabbed some of my old ethics textbooks the last time I was home, since you were asking about the Watcher code! We spent an entire term analyzing the Oath during my first year in training. —Rook

Wow, this is…nothing like I would have expected from a necromancer. No offense! —Lace

It boggles the mind how misconstrued our order is in the other nations. The Mourn Watch are public servants, first and foremost. I would be happy to answer any questions about the duties of the Watch or the services the Necropolis performs. —Emmrich

I never thought about Nevarrans leaving instructions for their bodies after they die! Does everyone in Nevarra have to have a mortal declaration? —Bellara

No, but if you don’t have one that specifically says you want to be interred in peace, you can get drafted into the skeleton war. —Rook

I see the student body has not developed a more intricate sense of humor since my school days. —Emmrich

—

[1]The stipulation to serve “without regard for religion, race, nation, or creed” is notably absent from the oldest available transcriptions of the Watcher’s Oath. While the exact date of this revision is not known, scholars estimate it was ratified sometime in the early Divine age as a result of the founding of the Templar order.

[2]While certain texts (notably Renault’s A Study of the Morbid Order) credit the oath to never take a life with the prevalence of vegetarian diets in Nevarra, it is noted that similar vows within orders of healers, such as the Royal Institute of Surgeons in Val Royeaux, do not restrict the diets of order members; furthermore, this author would note that the vast majority of Nevarran citizens are not oathbound members of the Mourn Watch.

[3]Nevarran legal custom includes a specific, notarized document in which an individual may dictate their preferred method of corporeal disposition; common methods include interment in a crypt, artful display and diorama, reanimation (either for a specific service, or donating one’s remains to the Necropolis charnel for general use), and donation of the remains for scientific study and teaching.

[4] A council of senior Watchers proposed a revision to the Oath to read “the strength and experience” in 8:32 Blessed, given the ongoing debate amongst both theologians and Fade scholars as to whether the soul returns to the body during reanimation; the revision was reversed at the next annual council, and Watcher Liselle Van Brondine is credited with the explanation that the change made some of the more traditional spirits of the Necropolis “a bit tetchy.”

[5]Older versions of the Watcher’s Oath use the phrasing “to the Fade we shall return;” scholars believe the wording of Threnodies 5:7 to have been inspired if not directly copied from the Oath, as Andraste and her disciple Justinia had a well-documented presence in Nevarra. Based on inscriptions from crypts within the Grand Necropolis, the wording of the Oath was likely changed around 5:38 Exalted, perhaps in response to Nevarra declaring independence from Orlais.

[immediatebreakfast]

By her side stood a tall, thin man, clad in black. His face was turned from us, but the instant we saw we all recognised the Count—in every way, even to the scar on his forehead. With his left hand he held both Mrs. Harker's hands, keeping them away with her arms at full tension; his right hand gripped her by the back of the neck, forcing her face down on his bosom. which threw his victim back upon the bed as though hurled from a height, he turned and sprang at us Van Helsing, Art, and I moved forward to Mrs. Harker, who by this time had drawn her breath and with it had given a scream so wild, so ear-piercing, so despairing that it seems to me now that it will ring in my ears till my dying day.  Then she put before her face her poor crushed hands, which bore on their whiteness the red mark of the Count's terrible grip

Is this supposed to be the "timeless forbidden love story" that so many adaptations brag about? Is this treatment supposed to be "subversion of the expected" prude victorian love that directors pat themselves on the back for "fixing"? Is this the I have crosses seas to find you or whatever bullshit?

Mina being treated like a thing? Having her arms be almost broken for trying to fight the horrible man who killed the only girl she loved, almost killed her husband, and traumatized her in a scene akin to sexually assaulting her in the middle of the night?

He had been there, and though it could only have been for a few seconds, he made rare hay of the place. All the manuscript had been burned, and the blue flames were flickering amongst the white ashes; the cylinders of your phonograph too were thrown on the fire, and the wax had helped the flames.

Is this love? Mina hearing how her hard work, her manuscript she did with her own hands, is now ashes? Having to repeat the traumatic event in front of everyone while repeating how Dracula threatened her with bashing Jonathan's brain in front of her eyes, plunging herself into more shame, then having a religious crisis after Mina is branded with the proof that god itself abandoned her because of the Count's attack?

And so you, like the others, would play your brains against mine. You would help these men to hunt me and frustrate me in my designs! my bountiful wine-press for a while; and shall be later on my companion and my helper.

Mina got called a fucking WINE PRESS for everything that is sacred! On top of being told that her future is being reduced to a companion, to a helper. A shadow with no self autonomy who will roam earth in a hellish existance attatched to a man who doesn't even see her as a human, but an object to be won. The Count hates Mina for her wits, he hates that a woman bested him in a play where she had the upper hand, yet he desires her enough to punish her by erasing everything that makes Mina Harker the woman she is.

Is this what Mina deserves? Is this the forbidden love? Does Mina deserves to be shreded, punished, and reduced to a winning object when she is at the lowest in this book? For what, to symphatize with a conqueror who thinks that it's his right to destroy all of the lives he comes across for his own sick entertaiment?

Where is the soft love that Jonathan expresses for Mina, where is the devotion given to her as she prays to god for an answer.

Oh my God! my God! what have I done? What have I done to deserve such a fate, I who have tried to walk in meekness and righteousness all my days. God pity me! Look down on a poor soul in worse than mortal peril; and in mercy pity those to whom she is dear!"

Why should Mina suffer because clueless non readers romanticize the trauma that she went through to the point that Mina became suicidal in a single night.

"You would not kill yourself?" he asked, hoarsely. "I would; if there were no friend who loved me, who would save me such a pain, and so desperate an effort!"

If Mina didn't have Jonathan, didn't have Van Helsing and the others, she would have died from pure distress and shame. How horrible is to see Mina push through what happened without truly taking time to see how she is truly blameless in here, and that she should not beg god for forgiveness when that acursed presence left her unprotected to an ancient evil.

[cursecuelebre]

The Anglo-Saxon Rune poem.

Now this isn’t the only rune poem in existence there is Norwegian and Icelandic rune poems. Now I prefer Anglo-Saxon and believe it to be more accurate but there’s nothing wrong with reading the Norwegian or Icelandic and choosing it. But these said poems won’t have all the runes associated with the poems even some extra Runes or less than of the traditional Aetts. But right now I’m focusing on a the Elder Futhark which is all included in the Anglo-Saxon poem at times different names and translations.

This poem is also Galdr and speaking the poems you’re essentially invoking and evoking them. Runes are very powerful letters and magical symbols that must be treated with high respect. Some can be dangerous to use like ᚦ. It’s also used for anyone who wants to study and learn the runes in depth, reading the poems can gather your own interpretation of them. Also the Anglo -Saxon includes a few extra runes. I recommend if you were to use the actual Anglo Saxon Runes look and study the runes because yes it is describing the same rune some don’t look like the Elder Futhark, for instance Ansuz (Elder Futhark) and Aesc (Anglo Saxon) are the same rune but different name or meanings. Anglo Saxons did recreate the Ansuz rune but just putting it out there just because I'm putting the Elder Futhark runes doesn't equal to what that Anglo Saxons used.

ᚠ᛫ Feoh or Fehu - Cattle are compensation for everyone though each man shall greatly share his if he will be awarded honors from his Lord.

ᚢ ᛫ Ur or Uruz - Aurochs is brave and has horns above, this very firece animal fights with its horns, a great wanderer of the moors, it is a proud creature.

ᚦ ᛫ Thorn or Thuriaz - Thorn/Hawthorn is exceedingly sharp for every servant seizing it is evil, and it is extremely harsh to each man who rests among it.

ᚨ᛫ Os or Ansuz - The God is the creator of all language, wisdom's foundation and consolation of sages and everyman's joy and trust.

ᚱ ᛫ Rάd or Raidho - The Ride up to everyman's hall is comfortable and very fast for he who sits high on a mighty horse over the miles.

ᚲ ᛫ Cen or Kenaz - Torch/Pine is a tree known by all for its flame, shining and brilliant it often burns where people relax within.

ᚷ ᛫ Gyfu or Gebo - A Gift from other it is an honor and praise, a help and of worth and for sojourners everywhere a benefit and presence that is otherwise missing.

ᚹ ᛫ Wynn or Wunjo - A Joy possesses him who knows little want, illnesses, sorrows, and himself has prosperity and happiness and also a sufficient dwelling.

ᚺ ᛫ Hagal or Hagalaz - Hail is the whitest of seeds it's circling comes from the lofty sky, it tosses in the wind's shower, it then becomes water after words.

ᚾ ᛫ Nied or Nauthiz - Need is oppressive on the heart although it often befalls this affliction of men to help and to heal somewhat, if it is heard beforehand.

ᛁ ᛫ Is or Isa-Ice is extremely cold, very slippery, it glistens clear, like precious gems, a floor wrought by frost, fair thing seen.

ᛃ ᛫ Gear or Jera - Year is mankind's joy, when the God bequeaths, ruler of the sacred sky, the earth offers splendid crops for the wellborn and poor.

ᛇ ᛫ Éoh or Eihwaz - Yew is a rough tree on the outside, hard and secured in the earth, keeper of the fires, sustained by deep roots, it is a pleasure to have one one's land.

ᛈ ᛫ Peorth or Pertho - Gaming is always sport and laughter where boastful, they sit to make war in the banquet hall cheerfully together.

ᛉ ᛫ Eolk or Algiz - Elk-sledge is native to the marsh, it grows in the water, it can wound cruelly, the blood of any man burns who in anyway seizes it.

ᛋ ᛫ Sigel or Sowelio - The Sun for sailors is always hoped for when they depart over the fishes' bath, until their ship carries them to land.

ᛏ ᛫ Tir or Tiewaz - The North Star is one signal, it holds faith well with nobles, it is always on track, throughout night's darkness it never deceives.

ᛒ ᛫ Beroc or Berkana - Birch is without fruit it bears even so, it bears shoots instead of fruit, its branches are beautiful, high in the treetops decorated attractively, laden with foliage, lofty passage.

ᛖ ᛫ Eh or Ehwaz - Horse is for lords the joy of the aristocracy, horse hooves boastful, where around the hero, prosperous in respect to horses, it exchanges discourse, and its restlessness is ever to help.

ᛗ ᛫ Mann or Mannaz - Person with joy is beloved of his kin, even though each one depart away for moreover the lord wills his fate, the destitute flesh be delivered to the earth.

ᛚ ᛫ Lagu or Laguz - Water seems of endless length to people, if they must venture on unstable ships, and the sea waves terrify them exceedingly, and the ship does not heed its reins.

ᛜ ᛫ Ing or Ingwaz - Lord Ing was first seen among the east Danes it is said, until he later went back over the sea, his chariot following after, thus the brave men named that hero.

ᛞ ᛫ Daeg or Dagaz - Day is the god's ambassador beloved of men, the great god's light, Mirth and also hope, prosperous and poor, all enjoying it.

ᛟ ᛫ Ethel or Othila - Home is very dear to all people if there they have the opportunity to for justice and honesty while enjoying prosperity in the dwelling most often.

-------------------------------------------------

Additional runes to the Elder Futhark set

Ac - Oak is on Earth for the children of men, meat-animal's fodder it travels often over the gannet's bath, the sea tests whether the oak possesses noble truth. (The rune looks like F but the small arm on top is hooked like a check mark or small v and the bottom one is slanted like Ansuz.)

Aesc - Ash Tree, is lofty, glorified by men stiff in its trunk, it holds its position exactly, although it fights against many men. (I explained at top, this rune looks exactly like the Elder Futhark Ansuz - ᚨ)

Yr - Bow is for noble men and warriors everywhere joy and a more of distinction upon a fair horse, steadfast on its course , a part of the war gear. (This Rune is ᚢ but with a small line in between the legs)

Ior - Beaver is a river fish, and although he resides there, he forages there on land he had a fair dwelling, water surrounding that place he joy fully holds dear. (This rune is a straight line vertically with a X in the middle of the line)

Ear - The Ground is loathsome to all men, yet certainly the body will e set upon there, the corpse grows old, the soil accepts its pale bed-fellow, it leaves fall, pleasure depart, men cease to be. (This rune looks like ᛏ but the two small arms are hooked that look like small Vs or check marks)

And that’s it! I do recommend reading other translations and the other rune poem, at times different translations can be worded much better and help to understand a lot better. If you don’t really like the rune poem on this blog there’s nothing wrong either checking out Norwegian or Icelandic rune poems and to see if it will help you better!

[velvet-vox]

The complete and utter alienation of Tai Lung: Part 2

Very recently I've done a marathon of all the Kung Fu Panda movies after not seeing them for a couple of years, watching one after the other in a single day, and aside from the emotional whiplash of seeing Kung Fu Panda 3 right after 2, it really got me to rethink about the colour theory present in the Kung Fu Panda movies, and more specifically about Tai Lung's.

Now, it's no secret that my first Tai Lung analysis blew up (unexpectedly), and it's still getting new hearts to this very day, and thus it only felt natural to make a sequel that could touch upon things that I didn't talk about originally.

So... let's bring up the colour table again, shall we?

As we have already established, Po is yellow, Shen red, Kai and Oogway green, and Tai Lung blu....... right?

The thing is, this simple association of the colour's meaning doesn't leave much room for an interesting, in depth discussion, that's why I wanted to go a little bit deeper into what I've head cannoned as the individual meaning of each primary colour, so that we can expand upon our current colour dynamics.

Just for reminder:

Cyan+Magenta=Blue

Magenta+Yellow=Red

Yellow+Cyan=Green

Just like we said, Yellow is the colour of Po, our heroes, the good side, (the Chameleon) and justice; whenever Yellow is present on the scene, you know that you can put yourself to ease, as nothing bad is probably going to happen;

I believe this to be the most straightforward primary colour, for obvious reasons, but especially because all the other colours gain their meaning when compared to Yellow (Po, our protagonist), therefore it also has to be the one we understand the most.

Indeed,

Po = Yellow

Now, this is where it starts to get interesting:

....I believe cyan to be Oogway's true colour. I think about it. When we first met Oogway, the only lighting present in the room was the cyan light of the Dragon scroll's pond, there was actually very little green accentuated in that scene, it was all mostly mellowed out by the cyan.

It also makes sense when you consider that Tai Lung and Kai had a relationship with Oogway, while Shen didn't because red isn't made out of cyan.

There's also the whole popular belief that "cyan represents patience" which also fits Oogway, but it's not really important to this discussion, so you can think what you want about it.

So,

Oogway = Cyan

Magenta... is particular.

Particular in the sense that it's extremely rare in both the movies and outside material.

Of magenta/purple things that come to mind we have Crane and Tai Lung's clothing, Shen's mother, Feng Huang related things, that weird sexual panda from the third movie... and probably some more.

As you can see, magenta is incredibly hard to pinpoint its meaning due to how infrequently it's used, which makes sense: Magenta and purple have ties to royalty in both China and other countries around the world; it's a sacred colour, so it has to be used sparingly, and I don't think it was ever intended by the writers for a meaning to be extrapolated from it.

....

Yet I tried to anyway.

Now, let it be known that I'm planning to make a post talking about Po's weird relationship birds, as it feels like whenever a bird is on screen the conflict is already more personal for Po.

For now... you could argue that magenta means danger, since it's the closest colour to purple aka yellow's opposite, and both Shen and Tai Lung are a direct threat to Po while Kai is treated as a joke for the entirety of the final movie, but I doubt bad writing has any deeper meaning.

I actually wanted to attribute magenta the meaning of closeness. For me, it was the easiest way to justify his rarity: it can't be Shifu's colour because he lost relevance after the first movie, and no other character is closely associated with it, so it makes sense for it to just be a colour that's taken for granted by Po since his adopted dad shares those tones.

However, I think I came up with a much more interesting idea: it's the colour of pride and approval, as Tai Lung and Shen both sought the approval of their parents to satisfy their ego, while Kai wasn't seeking anybody's approval for his evil actions.

Ultimately, magenta, much like in the movies, is irrelevant to the narrative, so I'm going to ignore it, but for now,

Approval = Magenta

Finally, (a worthy opponent) with all that out of the way, let's talk about everybody's favourite snow leopard!

And the first thing to mention, is the gold.

The Gold.

The GOLD.

It's everywhere. Whenever you look at him, Tai Lung is always chasing the gold, he was welcomed by the gold when he had no one by his side, and said gold was always what he dreamt about when he was in jail, he basked in the gold his entire life, and when that gold rejected him, he had nothing left in his life to cling onto because his entire life was dependent by that gold.

While Shen and Kai have Yellow as part of their secondary colour by nature, Tai Lung doesn't, yet he wants to. But that yellow keeps rejecting him and putting an end to his actions;

When Tai Lung's first rampage is interrupted, the (chi) body block technique that Oogway uses to stop him is yellow; when Po kills him at the end of the movie, the after wave of the Wuxi finger is, again, yellow; TAI LUNG'S EYES ARE YELLOW. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S ALWAYS ON HIS MIND.

... And that makes all the similarities that he shares with Tigress kind of sad (For both).

Like, I already knew that Tigress and Tai Lung were similar and meant to be foil, but it's only after my most recent rewatch the underlying pain and tragedy present in their rivalry really hit me.

If Tigre's pupils weren't red, she would have easily turned out as the next Tai Lung.

And Tai Lung upon seeing how similar he is to Tigress, probably thinks "This is what Shifu replaced me with. A cheap knock-off copy of the real deal".

It hurts him deeply, because it reminds him of how little Shifu really cared for him, despite not being true, and it scares Tigress, who's nervous for their entire interaction, due to now finally seeing Tai Lung in the flesh and not as just some story she overheard.

Tragically, once Tai Lung finally manages to get his paws on the Dragon scroll (yellow), it doesn't fix anything for him, instead, it sends him spiralling one last time before Po can finally put him out of his misery.

And with that, Tai Lung goes out of his miserable existence, only finding peace in the afterlife, and not in death.

<<<<Previous part

The horrifying humanity of Lord Shen

[afictionalwhor3]

Could you please do a NSFW alphabet for Jace if possible 🤞😜🙏🏻

Ask and you shall receive....

Warnings: 18+ mdni. Various sexual interactions described

NSFW Alphabet: Jacerys Velaryon

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Incredibly gentle and sweet with you. Speaking softly and cleaning you tenderly. He'd ask a hundred times over if you were okay before he truly believed you. Holding you and rubbing his hands over you comfortingly until you fell asleep in his arms.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

His favorite part of his body has become his hands, simply because he knows how much they drive you wild. For most of his life, he’d never given them much thought. But ever since you confessed how attractive you find them, he’s come to see them differently. Whether they’re holding you close or resting casually on his sword during a meeting, they never fail to capture your attention. Over time, your admiration has made them one of his favorite features.

Jace gives me insane boob man vibes. I am unsure what it is about him, but I see him being infatuated with them. He loves to play with them when you two are laying in bed. He also loves being the little spoon and laying his head on top of them. Jace swears those nights are when he sleeps best. Sometimes when you are angry with him he motorboats you because he enjoys it and he knows it makes you laugh every time.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Love, Love, LOVESSSS to cum on you. He thinks it is so beyond hot cumming everywhere on your body. Your face, down your throat, on your stomach. You covered in his cum is better than any painting or mural he has ever seen. He also is obsessed with the taste of you, stating he could miss meals on end and live entirely off your cum.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

This may have been said before, but he wants to fuck you on the Iron Throne. It is the most powerful seat in the realm. People have fought wars over this, and it is his by birthright. Everytime he is in the throne room it is so easy to allow his mind to wander and imagine having his way with you on that throne.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Virgin. Virgin. Virgin. He has fought so hard to maintain his image as a prince worthy enough to inherit the mantle of king one day. The last thing he would do is get caught in a pleasure house, or with a woman that wasn't his betrothed. To add, he's seen sex be treated transactional his entire life. Boiling it down to its raw form, people just seeking pleasure. So, I'd like to think it would be something very sacred to him. He would only want to do it with the person he planned to spend the rest of his life with. Souls united forever mentally, physically, and sexually.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Jace is a big fan of cowgirl. He gets to watch you pleasure yourself on him and the image is so erotic. Especially when you get lost in it, almost forgetting he is there and chasing your own high. That is his favorite, you are out of control, hands on his chest for leverage, and desperate for an orgasm. And if you need him to he is more than happy to hold your hips tight and pound up into you.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

In the stolen moments between you two, I think he would be more goofy, but traditionally in the bedroom a more serious manner. After you have done it a few times he throws out a sexual joke here and there, but other than that, it's pretty much straight to business.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

He is a prince, and obsessed with making sure his appearance is always perfect. Not one hair is ever out of place, and that is of course because all the discourse about him being a bastard. He couldn't control the color of his hair, but he could control the way it looked and that was perfect. This leads to my point that he definitely keeps things neat and tidy down there. I don't think he would care how you kept yourself, but for him he is constantly keeping an eye on it and trimming as he sees necessary.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Jace is a huge romantic, to the brink of almost hopelessness. After hearing your fears about the bedding ceremony he called it off immediately. He didn't care what the Lords had to say about the perverted tradition, he knew it made you uncomfortable and it was over like that. He had the servants light candles around the room, place flowers everywhere, and draw a hot bath for you both. It was the most romantic gesture you had ever seen in your life. While every time after that was not always that grand, he did make sure that was an intimate aspect every time he touched your body.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Really never. When he was younger a few times as he was learning his body, but once you came into his life and you were married he never saw the need for it. There have been a couple desperate moments when maybe you aren't feeling good, or are on your moon blood but other than that he saves himself for you always.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Pain kink down. In all forms of it. When your nails go a little too deep in his back, when you bite his skin a little too hard, and when you tug a little too much at his hair drives him inside. While he doesn't go too extreme on you he likes to spank you until the skin on your backside is sore and your pussy is drenched. Also, I'm not exactly sure what this would fall under, but watching you gag on his cock, tears running down your face and spit dribbling from your mouth. Gets him going truly like nothing else, he could go rounds with you after seeing that.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Your chambers, it is the safest place. Doing it anywhere else puts both of you at risk of being caught and that is never a situation he'd want to be in. But just because it is your chambers, doesn't mean he's only fucking you in the bed. Your shared chambers give you all the privacy you need and that man fucks you on every surface he can find. The bed, in front of the fireplace, his desk, the window. He wishes he could extend the room to have more places to take you on.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

You could tell him pretty much whenever that you wanted him, and he would try to make time for you. But really what gets him going is when you dress up for large events or parties. It could be at Dragonstone or the Red Keep, but every time you look more gorgeous than the last. Not that you don't always look gorgeous all the time, there is something about you in a finely tailored dress with the colors of his that starts his engine. It makes him want to ruin all the work that went into making you look so pretty. Additionally, when you tease him in situations he can't get out of. A kiss that lasts a little too long before one of the small council meetings, a touch that lingers longer than it needs to before he hears petitions. Knowing he can't have you right at that moment makes him only want you more.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Having a threesome would definitely be a hard no. Not only would he hate sharing you, but also he knows people aren't too be trusted. There is no one he would trust enough to do that and have confidence they wouldn't tell every soul they knew as soon as it was done. Besides his Iron Throne fantasy, anything in public. Jace has worked too hard and for too long on his image, for it to be washed down the drain because he couldn't keep it in his pants.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

I think neutral but leans towards receiving. He loves seeing you on your knees and taking as much of him as you can. As previously said, watching you gag and try because it's too much is a movie he could watch over and over again. But, he also does love to eat you out, and damn is he good at it. Skillfully and expertly he uses his tongue and fingers to give you orgasms that have you seeing absolute stars.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Crescendo? Starts off slow and sensually. Stretching you and savoring how your warm walls welcome him, yet struggle to accommodate his size. As time goes on you both get desperate and begin to rapidly chase your highs which results in a rough and fast pace. You are fucking like rabbits trying to achieve euphoria.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Loves a good quickie. He prefers to have time with you, and be able to properly hold you after. But if he's really frustrated, or you need him really bad he loves sneaking to your chambers, lifting your skirts, and getting you both off quickly. Or if you are really desperate and don't have enough time to fuck he is pressing you against the door, going underneath your dress and eating you until you cum.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Experiment, yes. Risk, no. Your shared position as prince and princess of Westeros are too high to be caught doing something stupid. But, he loves to experiment with you. Try new positions, techniques, anything really you could come up with. He never wants you to get bored of him or your sex life, and he loves figuring out new ways for both of you to receive pleasure.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

If he is high-strung from his day, frustrated, or restless, he can give it to you all night. Using you as a place to relax and get all those emotions out. Other than that, he is going typically a couple rounds. However, he makes sure to suck as much pleasure as possible out of your body.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

Once again, I don't think there are sex shops suddenly popping up in King's Landing with toys in them. But Modern!Jace would absolutely be down to using toys. This goes along with the experimentation. He loves learning about the ones for both of you and how you two can incorporate them into your sex life. Modern!Jace is a lot more willing to take risks, and buying you that remote-controlled vibrator was the best purchase of his life. You two are out with friends maybe at dinner, or just hanging out, and he is on his phone driving you absolutely insane with that thing. You two have to leave early because you can't compose yourself.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Huge tease. Loves to tease you and when you tease him. It is all apart of the game to him. His favorite ways to tease you are whispering in your ear when you two are at public affairs and describe all the filthy things he is going to do to you. You have become a master at keeping your face expresionless meanwhile your small clothes are getting soaked.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

At first, Jace would be more reserved as he tries to learn what he is doing. All you have to do is ask one time that you want to hear his moans and it is on. Not afraid to let it go and sing for you. His moans, combined with the dirty talk and hot breaths in your ear have you cumming in half the time.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

"I'm sorry Jace but I really need you. I could not focus on anything anyone was saying," You say looking at Jace as he closes the door to your chamber. His face initially reads as annoyed which is reasonable because he has a meeting in a few minutes time. Despite this he preses his lips to yours bruisingly as you begin to quickly reach for his trousers to take them off. He moves your hands away resting his forehead on yours.

"No time for that I have to go soon," He says and you sigh sadly but nod your head in understanding. You close your eyes trying to calm yourself down and that is when Jace smirks and gets down on his knees. You look down at him confused as he winks at you before disappearing under your skirts. You remain confused until you feel Jace hiking your leg over your should, moving your small clothes and attaching his mouth to your womanhood. Your eyes immediately roll back as you hold onto the door behind you for dear life.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Not particularly girthy, but definitely got it going on in the length department. It takes all of you to fit in down your throat, and everytime he bottoms out in you, you feel like he is almost in your chest.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

I think it would be equal to whatever yours is. If your drive was high then his would be too. But if you fell more towards the average end of the scale he'd be okay with that too and match you. He would never want you to feel like he was forcing you to or he didn't want you. So, whatever you brought to the table is what he would equal.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Never until after you fall asleep. He has to make sure you are okay, especially after longer rougher sessions. But even then most days his mind is still very active as he recounts the day. Or simply enjoys the beautiful woman in his arms he will forever feel is too good for him.

[mothmothm0th]

an invention that is safe to create

Buttonbush had fun at the farmer's market! Fresh produce! Foreign streetfood! Fellow dolls darting about! Plenty to awawa about! But now it was on its way home. Buttonbush couldn't wait to see Miss again! Miss had been working on something sure to be amazing and clever for days now. She hadn't been eating too much. That was typical of her when she got into something exciting. But surely she would love the panini Buttonbush chose for her! Buttonbush knew what Miss enjoys!

No one was there to welcome Buttonbush home. Not even her fellow dolls were there! Usually, Snowdrop would be doing preliminary research for Miss, or perhaps Jessamine would be doing the dishes. Baneberry had a habit of sitting on the bottom stair like a silly kitty cat. The fact that the cottage was empty meant Miss' project must be at a critical juncture. And that meant Miss needed food, badly!

Quickly, though not hastily, Buttonbush put away its groceries. Gosh, the pantry and the fridge felt so barren before Buttonbush's intervention. Even emptier than when it left for the market! Though, the fridge had only had a half-empty jar of mayo so perhaps it was exaggerating. Still! Even the mayo was gone!

With just the panini in its basket, Buttonbush climbed down to the cellar. Dank airs and low light was how Miss liked it. Her cottage had two floors and an attic aboveground but below it was a sprawling mess of tunnels and chambers. A rhizome, Miss called it! Many of the tunnels led to a dead end. Sometimes, Miss joked about luring one of her amicable enemies down a tunnel and laying down a brick wall behind them. Or maybe she had already done that. Several of the tunnels were blocked off by brick walls! Not all of them. Some just had an unfinished feel to them.

But the winding tunnel Buttonbush walked down was neither blocked off or unfinished. No, it led to a set of doors. And behind them, another set! Buttonbush made sure to close the first doors before it opened the second. A light gust of oxygen, hydrogen, and assorted gasses from foreign realities welcomed it to Miss' newest workshop. Buttonbush needed to take gentle steps now. The path sloped downwards and Miss had decided not to waste her dolls' time tiling it. Smart of her! Once, a patch of ground had challenged Baneberry to debate the ethics of floors. Poor doll. It still wore Miss' floaty spell charm sometimes to avoid having to touch the ground. If the Walpurgis Council learned of Miss' use of strange spaces, they would frown! One time, a nice maker had come 'round to talk to Buttonbush and Jessamine about it but neither doll told him. Miss was just that good! She had used alternate methods to remake herself, after all.

Soon, the tunnel opened up to a large chamber. Buttonbush hadn't actually been here before. It was neither a familiar or an assistant engineer, and Miss generally visited upstairs for meals, so Buttonbush had no need to come visit. Thus, you can imagine its shock when it saw the room was dominated by a massive wooden construction. Thick branches or perhaps roots had seemingly grown in a wicker-like pattern into a cage around a floating orb made of... was that teak? Branches jutted out like giant spikes. Buttonbush wasn't quite sure what the thin ribbons that seemed caught in the teak orb's rotational currents were but they reminded it of fungal hyphae. Oh, but there was Miss, covered in dirt and half-dried mud, sniffing the air. She could explain! Hello Miss!

"Buttonbush my saviour, I shall savour the savoury treat you have brought me. Your savoir-faire is most..." Miss scratched the base of her antennae. "Salient. That shall have to work." Buttonbush couldn't help but giggle. "Say, my sacred darling, you look ever so fascinated by my sable contraption. Shall I satiate your curiosity? A light seance before we activate it."

"Buttonbush would love to listen to Miss explain her work! Buttonbush loves listening to Miss," Buttonbush said. It paused for a moment and continued: "Even when Miss has been reading her rhyming dictionary."

Miss' laugh straddled the line between a cackle and a giggle. "Worry not, worrywort. My work is nearly done. I shan't need use warding speech any further."

Warding speech. Buttonbush had heard Baneberry talk about it. Sometime about avoiding predictability, to keep strange spaces strange. Mundanity led to stagnation, and stagnation made Miss' magicks worse. But Miss always spoke a little strangely. Buttonbush couldn't tell the difference between her regular and warding speech.

Miss whistled, beckoned her dolls to her. Buttonbush snapped back to reality as Baneberry, Jessamine, Foxglove, and Snowdrop wandered to them from whichever dark nooks Buttonbush had overlooked. All ball-joints on deck! Jessamine's pretty porcelain dripped oil-like sap, and Snowdrop with her fully articulated face seemed exhausted. Foxglove seemed to practically vibrate with excitement. Baneberry, floating like a carnival balloon, struggled to hold Foxglove's hand.

Miss clapped her hands. "Now then! It is time for framing and naming! Buttonbush!" Miss pointed at Buttonbush, who clutched its basket tighter. "I believe this is your first time! Thus, I shall explain." One finger in the air. "The framing and naming is the final step in strange magicks. Look to the machine. It is a structure in motion, yet the motion is undefined, lacking in Purpose." Buttonbush felt sorry for the wicker and the orb. "This is vital! For only at the end, when the physical shape is prepared, ought one grant it Purpose.

"Hark, machine! For thine thorns shall puncture the veil between This and That! Through you shall flow in the airs of thought and feeling. Thus I define thee." The air felt electric around Buttonbush. "Woven wood, hear me! Arrange your paths so that you may judge thoughtful airs. This shall be your purpose." Buttonbush heard little sounds reminiscent of those sorting algorithm videos Snowdrop had been listening. "Dearest ribbons. You shall flutter, and through your flutter you shall weave for each airy judgement its appropriate doom. Thus you shall be." In an instant, each gossamer ribbon began moving in strange and complex patterns. Yet, Buttonbush could tell, these patterns were empty for now. "And hey, eyes up, you orb. You shall be a portal. A seed that grows inward and strangeward. Guide these doomful thoughts through your rhizome to their rightful minds. Infect the thoughts of wrongdoers!" Buttonbush's head spun. It was glad its Purpose lacked the ability to do wrong.

"And thus, you are framed." Miss was out of breath! She fell to one knee! Buttonbush rushed to her side. Miss shook her head. "No no, dearest. I shall be fine."

"But Miss!"

"I shall be fine," Miss repeated. She rose to her feet again. Her lips were stretched to their limits by a slightly concerning grin. "I'm so close. So close. Finally, I shall have constructed a solution to bullying."

Buttonbush tilted its head. This was about bullying? It knew Miss had been a victim of bullying in her school years. As had Snowdrop, come to think of it. And Baneberry! Jessamine never spoke of such matters but Buttonbush could tell it was hiding things.

"You'll see, Button dearest." Miss cackled, turned her attentions back to her invention. "Hear me now, o contraption mine. For while each part of thee knows its means, now I shall imbue thee with the gestalt of ends. Permit I weave a tale." Miss cleared her throat. "Each and every day, people bully those they deem weaker than them. Each day, their victims' psyches are damaged. The airs I shall have thee pluck from the realm of thought are these painful feelings and the motivations which caused them. These you shall organise and categorise. For each pain, you shall weave a salveful dream. For each perpetrator, you shall conjure a vivid nightmare. These dreams none shall forget, and in rememberance shall one and all realise means to a kinder and happier future. This is your Purpose. A center of pain and healing, the heart of revelation. Thus your name shall be..."

Miss paused, as if waiting for a realisation. It seemed to evade her. She turned to her dolls and motioned towards herself frantically. She needed their ideas! Snowdrop spoke first, bringing up a book she had read; a cautionary tale about the construction of a machine one might indeed call a 'center of pain'. Baneberry laughed to the point of hiccups. Jessamine emoted like a character from its favourite MMO. Miss seemed tired. She turned to Buttonbush, seemingly holding her breath so as to not name the machine the sound of an exhale.

Buttonbush hemmed and hawed. It was bad at names! But it liked the word 'contraption'. So this was a contraption for... thoughts? Dreams? Nightmares... Something something Contraption. It was supposed to make lives better. Hm... perhaps...

"So it's like, a thing that makes dreams into therapy? Like a Dream Therapy Contraption?" Buttonbush said. It wasn't sure. Not one bit. It was silly of Miss to not have a name in mind but perhaps she needed to keep her options open while working on her project. Stagnation and such. But Miss seemed to like it. Maybe that was just relief.

"Thus I name thee, the Dream Therapy Contraption," Miss proclaimed. In an instant, the machine, the Contraption, whirred into life. And as it did, the chamber seemed to stabilise. Buttonbush had already gotten used to how the air here smelled but as it inhaled normal air again, it realised how it had missed it.

Oh, but Miss was not doing so good. Foxglove was already helping prop her up. So resourceful of it. It nodded at Jessamine to get Miss' other side. It wasn't the first time they had served as Miss' crutches. Baneberry floated off ahead of them; to prepare Miss' bed, surely. Snowdrop in turn began collecting tools and grimoires. It just left Buttonbush and its basket, and...

Oh, the panini!