#I have been doing it in a bed and NOT the rejuvenation chamber like a fool!

[myimaginedcorner]

A TUMBLR STORY: TORN PAGE (p.6)

PREVIOUS RESULT: In your own room

You’ve barely entered your chambers. You did it to escape, your rest lapsing between stone and dust. Clocks of sand became Time in depths were nothing changed, and grey ceilings got made clouds that never showed sky’s blue. For days, you dissipated between shadows, one with the labyrinth that swallowed elven memories.

Then, you did it to encounter. You roamed vastly among new creations, the scent of paint singing of Celest’s rejuvenated self. You’ve lurked between the noisy crowd and spent your nights among wild fauna, watching the stars that twinkled from afar.

In all ways, you avoided the one place that was yours to control and shape – your one haven that no one else inhabited. There was nowhere to hide in it, nor there was anyone to seek. Or so you thought.

Coming to get a change of clothes – as yours got finally ripped in your last escapade – you saw what you’ve been seeking in the world beyond: those eyes that called for you whenever you dared blinking. They were in your space, invading it in equal ways to how their thought invaded heart and mind. Sitting on your bed, no less.

“Well, lucky you to find me in the most unexpected place!” with Ashna’s laughter, shivers ran over your paled skin, comforting warmth brought to veins used to the cold of air and soil.

“Indeed,” you nodded. Curiosity was now one to take over. “Why are you here?”

Perhaps, something happened that you weren’t aware of.

“I told you,” placing their hands on both sides of their crossed legs, the elf appreciated your bed’s comfort, leaning slightly back. “I was searching for you.”

“Why?” 

Their smile spoke of no concerns. However, rare was the occasion that you’ve seen them frown – in lectures or in expeditions, their giggles opened way to day and night, two shining eyes ready to brighten up even the grumpiest of weathers.

“Ah, well…”

You sensed uncertainty. In their voice, something slowed down the cheerful melody, a single note quietly chirping out of tune. Your eyes got wider: before you, their cheeks bloomed, ears shivering from unexpected fluster.

“I missed you,” when they finally answered, it seemed that evening forgot to come, dawn raising before sunset.

Their shy smile glowed as a new sun – a light that, like a tiny rabbit, jumped through your clothes into your chest, new resident to your inner spirit. You knew not how to reply, at first: you were too confused. First hiding, then trying to find, never you thought that what you yearned desired you back.

“Hey, mister Statue, are you still with us?”

A little scoff unfroze you, your confused expression paid with quiet giggles. Standing from the softness of your matrass, Asha proceeded to approach you, hands behind their back.

“I missed our chat. It was so fun, we should have done that earlier. All other scholars and students are so absorbed by their own literature and research… none of them go there and explore, like you do. None of them risk it,” with a grin genuine enough to melt the coldest ice, the elf caught your meandering stare, gluing it to their precious irises. “Are you unhappy that I’m here…?”

Their saddened appearance shot you through. Before you had time to process, your head had already been shaken, throwing away suspicions of wrong kind. You calmed down quickly, with a cough, letting a sigh escape.

“I’m not. I was just surprised that we both sought each other’s company.”

“Right?” they brightened up. “Perhaps it’s destiny.”

“Destiny’s not a concept anymore.”

“Ah, but who knows!” as they shrugged shoulders, your unmoved presence gave them leeway to start prowling through your room. “The fact that no gods are left doesn’t mean that destiny has been abolished, does it?”

“It does,” you arched a brow. Thoughts like these were what got you kicked off lecture halls. “With no one playing god, Time has no set pace to follow. It flows wherever it is guided by our actions.”

“So, you mean that anything that happens is our fault?”

Their eyes stared back at you – they were deeper than two oceans, ready to sink ships and sailors.

“Precisely,” you nodded. It was of public knowledge, a tale to pass for generations. Dragonfall didn’t happen for us to forget.

“What a big burden to take upon tiny shoulders,” Ashna smiled, picking something up.

“It gives us freedom.”

“Freedom… freedom or safety, which one’s better?”

Suddenly, they paused before you had the time to answer, and so, you kept silent, letting them think in peace. Any scholar would do so – it was of minimal consideration.

However, from their evaluation, only another laugh emerged.

“Look at us,” Ashna shook their head. “We’re free to choose what conversation to have, and yet after just meeting, we’re already in debate! What is it but our blood dictating our decisions?”

You took one step towards them. Somehow, their comment made you smile, too.

“Blood or mind? I would argue that a great mind is always happy to get challenged,” you replied. “That’s why our meetings get quickly submerged into deeper topics than the weather, or our wellbeing.”

“How are you?”

Confused, you look at them, met by their cheerful expression.

“…Excuse me?”

“I just realised, I didn’t ask you how you’re feeling, or how are you after so many dangerous trips. You probably haven’t even been eating properly for days,” Ashna got pensive, a brief, tiny blaze of guilt gleaming within their eyes. “I’m not entirely sure when was the last time that I’ve asked that to anybody… and you?”

Indeed, when was it? You couldn’t remember, either. Your exchange with other scholars always had knowledge at its centre, and your interaction with the city bore negotiating tones. There was no time to waste on formalities – everyone had something new to learn.

“I heard that humans spend hours talking about nothing in particular. Perhaps, we should do that, too,” added your acquaintance, brushing fingers over a book’s dusty spine.

“Our minds are different. Emptiness can bring dangerous malfunctions to our process…”

“Those are books a thousand years old!” their scoff was louder, more annoyed. “How are we meant to progress if we’re constantly following outdated rules? Nothing will happen if we get to know each other better. That’s also a type of knowledge, isn’t it?”

You took a few seconds to think. It didn’t sound like a big crime – you were entitled to some rest, and you could choose to rest with words of little meaning. Besides, your inner curiosity got caught by their masterful hook: you wanted to know more about them… only them. To occupy part of your precious memory with thoughts related to this happy, different elf of no special achievements, of misbehaviour and problematic thoughts. Why wouldn’t you? They were uncommon. In your denial, you called it an experiment.

After you nodded, an applause came, and suddenly, you got dragged to the bed. With a smile bigger than before, Ashna jumped eagerly into the well that your eyes represented, opening theirs as doors into their soul.

“So, what would you like to know?”  

[pics-that-make-you-goku]

Now that is the kind of sleep I could really use!

[doyouremem8erme]

not sure if i like this drabble enough to post it on ao3 but here's some marcy angst i wrote last night!

warnings: self hatred, heavy angst, ptsd

sand castles built tall in between the tides

636 words

It’s been a year.

Things haven’t gotten easier.

Marcy still wakes up in the middle of the night, screaming and sobbing like she’s dying all over again, crying softly into Olivia’s arms as she tries to fight off the memories. There are still days when the pain in her chest and back is so overwhelming that she can’t bear to leave her bed. Even on the days when Yunan takes her outside in her wheelchair, to let her see the mountains and forests instead of being trapped inside all day, Marcy stares, almost dully, for hours, at the landscape she would’ve found a thousand things to say about, once upon a time.

But that was before the toads attacked Newtopia, before Andrias revealed himself as a monster, before he thrust a blade through a child’s body, before he brought her back only to break her all over again.

You didn’t deserve any of this, Olivia would tell her, trying to calm her down enough for her to have a much-needed bath that her fear of water prevented her from taking.

You didn’t deserve any of this, Yunan would tell her in those early days in hiding, when her chest was still swaddled in bandages and she was in too much pain to talk.

You didn’t deserve any of this.

Marcy tries to take it to heart. Andrias had known what he was doing far too well, led her straight into her place in his plans without suspecting for an instant that he had an ulterior motive. Marcy had thought this place had everything for her, but in the end, all it did was tear her apart. She lost her valuable last years of childhood to a war that was never her own, had been ruined and broken over and over.

When Marcy told the newts this, tears streaming down her scarred face, they only could hold her close, because there was no denying that it was true. She’d lost her innocence to the endless danger, very nearly lost her mind completely after the Night had forced its way into her consciousness to take control.

It’s not your fault, Anne would say, whispering into Marcy’s ear as she cried herself to sleep.

It’s not your fault, Sasha would say, even as she was still trying to forgive herself, just like Marcy was.

It’s not your fault.

But that doesn’t make it any better. Even if she were to forgive herself, the truth remains that this was very much her fault, all along. She brought this suffering upon herself, these months of fear and blood, and she can’t disconnect the blame from herself. Somehow, she still believes that she deserved this.

So she goes about her life the only way she can, doing her best to ride out panic attacks and nightmares, pushing down thoughts that she’s a burden on those around her, who care for her despite what she’s done.

Marcy stares out the window of the cabin she shares with Olivia and Yunan, at the stars and the crimson moon, with the feeling of a life stolen from her resting on her shoulders. Anne and Sasha visit often, but she prefers to be quiet. Not alone, though, never alone. After weeks in and out of consciousness in the rejuvenation chamber, and the long, painful days forced to sit still in Andrias’s throne by the Night, she refuses to be out of earshot from any of the others.

Marcy hates herself for feeling so weak, but she can’t help it. She feels like she’s been thoroughly shattered by what she’s been through, each experience chipping away at her distant, bright self from before she’d found the box. But now, that Marcy feels like she’s a lifetime away, replaced by a new Marcy who feels nothing but sorrow.

[raelly-writing]

Little Secrets - Thancred/WoL

Post-5.5. Silly little bit of fluff I’ve had lying around in my WIP folder since before 5.3. :)

---

The Rising Stones lay still and quiet as Thancred made his way through its hallways. Not that it was unexpected at this hour - either it was far too late in the night or too early in the morning for many souls aside for the town guards to be awake.

At least the others out in the field had been faring well when he’d checked in with them, despite their less than pleasant task of intercepting any further attempts to bring captives to the towers. Sure, he could have checked in via linkpearl, but after the chaos out in Pagl’than, it’d seemed prudent to get a feeling for the situation elsewhere.

Well, he could convene with Riol and Alphinaud in the morning, Thancred thought as he took the steps up the stairs to the sleeping quarters in twos. Despite his long travel and the late - or early - hour, he felt rather energetic.

Or perhaps it was the thought of slinking into Viana’s room and just catching a few precious hours of sleep with her after several days apart that put a slight spring in his step. Between his time away in Garlemald, and leaving again to see how the situation at the other towers were, he looked forward to the comforting warmth of her body curled up next to his as he slept. In the dark, still corridor, his quiet huff of laughter at himself seemed far louder than it was. It would have been a hard thing to believe once that he’d be eager to slip into his lover’s bed, just for the simple pleasure of sleeping by their side.

Nevermind that there were no fears of entanglement driving him from leaving said bed early, that he was content and secure in this bond between them that kept him by her side - that he could allow himself to have this simple happiness in his life, despite those moments where he felt it was something he had not yet earned, and those familiar, dark voices whispered to him that she would one day realise that he was not fit for her.

With a shake of his head, he fished out the spare key she had given him from his inner coat pocket and quietly unlocked her door. Her chamber lay silent as he slipped inside and closed the door behind him, bathed in the low light of the lantern left burning on her desk.

Too silent, in fact.

A small frown creased his brow as he quietly stepped deeper into the room and looked around the ornate Far Eastern wood screen that customarily partitioned off her bed from the rest of the room.

The piles of pillows and blankets were untouched, the covers still neatly tucked in. No one had slept in that bed tonight.

Thancred felt a small but potent pang of disappointment. Most likely she had been called off somewhere on an urgent matter, as was wont to happen.

Well, there was nothing to be done about it - guess he was sleeping in his own bed tonight. Tataru and Alphinaud would tell him in the morning where she’d gone, he was sure. Sighing, he reached out to turn off the lantern, when he caught sight of her gunblade lying on her desk with its maintenance kit beside it. Thancred stopped at once, a curious frown back on his features. Looking around he found her katana sitting on its customary stand and her axe hanging off a pair of hooks on the wall by her wardrobe.

“What the-?” he murmured to himself. She wouldn’t have left without any of her weapons.

Just then, there was the sound of a key turning in the lock, followed by a dull thud as someone on the other side pushed their weight against the door. A pause. Then the sound of it once more unlocking.

“Seven Hells, I swear that I locked-” Viana froze the moment she saw him, her eyes going almost comically wide in surprise.

Thancred’s eyebrows rose as he took in her appearance, the surprise he felt not mitigating the heat that instantly crawled up the back of his neck. A dark leather corset hugged her body, with familiar looking bits of gold jewelry twinkling in the low light like little stars against the dark blue cloth of her dress.

A moment of silence stretched out between them.

Clearing his throat, he smiled and gestured towards her. “Were I to check the hallway, would I find Urianger knocked out and robbed off his usual adornments?”

Viana’s shoulders, bared by the cut of the dress, sagged when she exhaled. “Funny,” she replied dryly while she stepped inside and closed the door behind her, turning the lock. Tall boots covered her legs, though even in the dim light of the room he could see the tantalising glimpse of bare skin at her thigh.

He tried not to let his eyes linger, but it was hard not to let his gaze wander and soak in her unusual appearance, used as he was to her in full armour or just lighter shirts and trousers. This was… extravagant, by comparison. “People have on occasion accused me of such feats,” he quipped.

Pausing, she gave him a shy, uncertain look while still lingering by the door. He was not meant to have seen her like this, he realised. Only once, long ago, had he seen her carry herself in such an apprehensive manner - at the banquet that had been held after the Grand Melee in Ishgard. But there were no crowds of gossiping nobles present now to watch her every move.

Thancred gave her a reassuring smile as he took a couple of slow steps forward. “So, do you mind me asking what this is about?” He had an inkling but...

Viana tensed up, and he nearly told her that she did not have to if so was her wish, but then she sighed and procured from behind her the folded together metal rings that appeared to have been suspended from one of the chains around her waist.  “I suppose you’d find out sooner or later,” she said quietly as she took a few steps to close the distance between them.

With a touch of aether, the slender rings flared to life and hovered above her palm - a familiar sight, though hers lacked the intricate decorations of Urianger’s. The bracelets on her arm tinkled when she moved her arm over the astrolabe, her face set in a look of concentration.

Briefly, the room was illuminated by a surge of aether, and then a soothing sensation washed over Thancred, like a gentle whisper of the softest silk over his bare skin that swept away the weariness in his limbs. Rejuvenating magic, tinted with the warm, familiar feeling of her aether.

“I made the mistake of voicing some curiosity about astrology to Urianger while we were dealing with Eden.” The corner of her mouth curled with a crooked smile. “And I fear he took it as a personal challenge to teach me.”

“Ah, a grave mistake indeed,” Thancred chuckled. “Give him an ilm and he’ll take a yalm.”

Shrugging, she eyed the slowly spinning astrolabe with a small, thoughtful smile. “It’s been… interesting to learn though.” Her gaze flickered back to him. “I’ll probably never take this out in the field. I’m barely good enough to heal a minor cut, but I do genuinely appreciate the effort and time he’s put toward this. He’s a good teacher. Very patient with me.”

Thancred’s expression softened. He knew her lack of an education was a sore spot for her, and that she often felt like her non-existent grasp of magical theory made her less of use than the rest of them - that, as per her own jest, her sole contribution to any given problem was to take a beating and punch the issue until it either went away or one of them solved it. Gratitude towards Urianger for taking her under his wing tugged at his heart, along with a content pride in her efforts to learn. Even if Thancred himself thought that she hardly had anything to prove to them, in that regard. She was more than just a weapon. Reaching out, he took her free hand in his and brushed a quick kiss to the back of her fingers, below the rings that adorned them.

“I take it you were out studying the stars then,” he asked, recalling how Urianger would sometimes venture out into the fields of Il Mheg even when the blanket of Eternal Light had made it impossible to see the night sky.

Viana nodded and slipped her hand from his to caress his jaw. The scratch of his stubble made her smile widen a little, mirth dancing in her eyes. “Mm, his balcony has a good view of most of them. Otherwise we go up to one of the towers.”

With another wave of her hand, the astrolabe folded back up and she took a careful hold of it before walking past him to the same low cabinet upon which her katana stand stood. The soft light from the lantern caught on the gold chain hanging down between her shoulder blades. Focusing on it, he saw that another star pendant was dangling at its end, and that another, heftier chain was attached to the band around her upper arm. There was an itch in his fingers to slowly undo each clasp and tie, to loosen the corset hugging her body and unwrap her like a fine namesday gift.

“He’s been teaching me about the various constellations and how to draw on them,” she told him over her shoulder, unaware of how his eyes were following the chains looping around her waist, and the small blue gems hanging from them that sparkled like they were distant stars twinkling in the night sky. “Not sure how successful I’ve been at it though.”

She turned around and his gaze instantly snapped back up to her face. Clearing his throat, he nodded. “I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it.”

Viana shrugged sheepishly. “Perhaps. If nothing else I might be able to apply some of the theory to my gunbreaker barriers.” Her smile turned crooked, as humour sparked in her eyes. “And, I might not stand around and look like I just got clubbed over the head by Titan whenever a discussion turns theoretical in nature about aether balancing and all that stuff.”

“Ah, my dear, you’re hardly the only one who gets turned around by their theoretical debates.”

A soft peal of laughter made her shoulders shake as she walked back to him. “Well, I suppose I have Estinien as company in that regard, for now.” The knowing look she gave him made it clear that she knew he was obfuscating his own knowledge on the field, but instead of calling him out on it she merely leaned down and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re back,” she murmured.

Smiling, Thancred slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “I’m glad to be back.”

Viana leaned against him and brushed back his hair from his eyes. “Planning on staying for more than a day, this time?”

Immediately he felt the long journey catch up with him, and with a tired chuckle he nodded. “Unless the gods decide to suddenly turn the world upside down tomorrow, then yes, I am.”

Her smile brightened a little at once. “Good.” She leaned down and he eagerly met her in a slow kiss.

Thancred made a pleased noise at the back of his throat, his heart skipping a beat in joy at being back with her. The kiss was short and sweet, familiar and welcoming in tone.

Almost too short, he felt, when she straightened back up. Peering up at her, he felt curiosity tug at him once more as he thumbed what felt like a star shaped pendant. “Haven’t seen you in something like this before,” he murmured with a smile. “Well, aside from that dress at ser Aymeric’s banquet.”

A blush immediately crept up on her cheeks as she glanced away. “Ah, yes, I... asked Tataru for some more aether conductive gear,” she replied while tapping her fingers against his shoulders in a nervous manner. “Apparently she’d gotten her hands on some new patterns in Ishgard that she wanted to try out. Decided to kill two cloudkin with one rock, as it were.” The tilt of her smile turned a little self deprecating as she shrugged, “Can’t help but feel like her efforts were wasted on me.”

Raising a hand, he touched her chin to urge her to look back at him. Thancred held her gaze and let the levity drop from his voice when he responded, “You look stunning, darling.”

Viana’s eyes widened a fraction before her expression settled back into a bashful look. “Not exactly my usual style,” she murmured, her tone uncertain. “It seems a bit… frivolous, compared to my normal clothes.”

“Nothing wrong with a little frivolity, if that’s what you are in the mood for,” Thancred mused.

She pursed her lips with a thoughtful look, before leaning down and pressing another quick kiss to his mouth. “Well, thoughts for a later time I suppose. Mind helping me out of this?”

“Mm, that would be my pleasure,” he replied with a grin and gave her waist a squeeze.

[nothisis-ridiculous]

Take Me Home Now: Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine: The Radio Reminds Me

Set after the events of ME3.

A rewrite. Ao3.

FemShepxKaidan

Notes: I know this is a slow build, but it was always meant to be more about the re-entry of Shep than a romantic story. I will have more Shenko content, I just don't want different expectations put on this work.

The mass of biotics division huddled around a central table, while most craned their heads to get a better view, some jostled their way in closer. Jane only approached because it was something to bide her time, well really, it was to avoid Rahna and their 'friend date'. Specifics were not important.

"What's going on here," Jane questioned.

Three-quarters of the biotics stood taller, and all stopped moving. The woman still spoke with the authority of a commanding officer, would have been if... well, that wasn't important either. Here, she was just Jane. Even after the deference, the biotics instinctively gave her as they allowed her front row access to the device on the table. Jane chalked it up to her reputation for holding her biotics at full force with a faulty implant rather than face the reality of her other-self.

Jane picked up the comm, looked it over, then promptly set it down, "impressive paperweight?"

A brave student snickered, plucking the device from the table, "did they not teach you old folks tech?"

"Said the 2nd Lieutenant to the N7," Jane smirked, "tell me, how long did it take to put your bars on and still leave them crooked?"

The kid fussed, trying to wave away his faux pass with some technobabble and blustering. Leave it to Alenko to be soft on his kids.

"We've been scanning the airwaves for news, news outside of earth," the soldier finally stammered out, "I found a promising channel I just have to.."

"Well, everyone is waiting."

"Aye, Aye ma'am."

The kid nodded, bringing out the interface of his omnitool, punching out codes until the box relented.

"Relayed July 23rd. Charon Relay is inoperable. Mass relays comm buoys inoperable. Attempts to fix relays have begun. Repeat message."

"The 23rd was a week ago," a voice commented from the crowd.

"Is there another channel?"

"Please respond. We are alive. This is Commander Bailey, C-Sec, on a looping message. Please respond. We are alive."

The lightness a simple broadcast brought to her shoulders was rejuvenating, sublime in the brief moment of having one friend survive the war she wrought upon the galaxy. Until the weight returned in the form of a warm hand resting on her left trap, prior commitments and all.

"Jane."

"Rahna."

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Jane leaned back, folding her arms tightly across her chest. Proficient in the use of silence, she kept an easy stare at Rahna. If she had to play the hostage, she wasn't about to make it easy, defiant yet still compliant. Speaking now put her into a position of giving something away- well something more than she wanted to give away. With the level of fame Shepard had reached curious hands liked to get into her file, while against the rules, those with access often did. What else could be juicer than personal details on the Commander? On her failures? Successes. Her psych profile.

It was violating.

"It's good to hear someone on the Citadel is still kicking," Rahna broke first.

"If anyone could have survived, it was him."

"Someone you knew well?"

"Compared to most C-Sec officers, he was a dream," Jane allowed her face to relax, "a real cut through the red tape kind of guy. Bailey really came through during the Cerebrus coup."

Rahna nodded, returning with a small smile, "that sounded like a tense situation. Everyone back home was shocked we never thought Udina-"

"Udina was a rat."

"You would know," she mumbled, "I'm glad it ended as well as it did. Without losing another friend."

Jane's lips tightened, shoulders bracing for the mental impact of the emotions she wanted locked beneath the surface. The cacophony of feelings blurred and grew, loss, regret, pleasure, reconnection, and the legion of secondary emotions attached to the cold anger freezing her system. A brittle connection shattered, leaving behind a numbness.

"Is this all about Alenko?"

Rahna's eyes widened, reeling, the blunt words not within the realm of what she expected, "that wasn't-"

"You couldn't; you rejected the man he was," Jane snarled, pitching forward on her chair, "is this jealousy? I can armchair you right back, Strawberry."

The woman chuckled, "you've heard about me."

"Yeah, I've heard about you. I don't need to go snooping into your file."

"Then you should know we reconnected a couple years back- and nothing happened," she returned cooly, "it was obvious he still had feelings for another."

The immediate surge of pride warped with bitter jealousy, her throat tightening. If she didn't know better, Jane swore her heart stopped the long pauses between the beats petrifying the organ. Her world grew cold, hollow. This jealousy was certainly foreign, the Commander was better than this. Mary knew better, knew that after all Kaidan had returned for her- had written that after all this mess, he didn't know, they both didn't know then.

The Yeoman's call that she had a message at her private terminal had grown past the stage of annoying- Mary had hinted once that Chambers should switch it up. Apparently, her tone had been too jovial, and a week later still nothing had changed. Not even a crack at a 'message for you' or a plain 'message.' With a sigh that Kelly met with a quick glance, Mary sauntered over to the terminal. The sender had her retreating.

While she was under no guise that she had privacy, Mary liked the illusion of it.

Back in the empty room of the Captain's Cabin, Kaidan's picture flickered on accusingly. Still, Mary grasped for it, a thumb tenderly resting over his cheek.

"I want to think you're angry, that you'll tear me a new one. But we both know better."

She set the frame down, looking away, focusing on the one-third finished model of the Athabasca Class Freighter. It seemed like a simple ship, not something flashy like a Geth Dreadnought or Sovereign, but it was apparent to what drew her to the model. A sentimental reminder of the Canadian she loved. The man that stared at her when she walked by. The one she talked to in the billions of moments she regretted working for Cerebrus. Kaidan was silent, but it was better than nothing, the picture at first was a warning to what Cerebrus could take from her. Now it became a lifeline. Unhealthy. But a small drop in the bucket compared to the Suicide mission she had thrown herself headfirst into.

"You could never stay mad at me long... you'll even expect me to, to-"

Tears tumbled from her eyes, the first to come since her time aboard the 'fake' Normandy. One painted in colors and emblazed with an emblem that made her skin crawl. It was all wrong.

It filled her head with screaming.

Mary didn't read the message that night.

Or for the next week.

Kelly stopped reminding her about one unread message.

Shepard put the Athabasca down gently, careful not to disturb the drying sealant. Her eyes flickered to the picture that stared at her, "I know it's time to look."

They hadn't spoken in that time, either.

Kaidan was predictable. His gentleness- his compassion. The love he claimed to have for her obvious, even if Mary was fighting to ignore it. After all this, after turning up in bed with a terrorist organization, he still beckoned her to be careful. To return to him when, if, things settled. Most of all, his honesty.

Damn, did it hurt. Her heart squeezing and constricting itself.

Could Mary blame him for attempting to live happily?

She wanted that for him. In her current situation, she would do nothing but bring him strife. It was selfish to reach out now. To clamor for his attention, to stir up old feelings. To let him become a target. The Illusive Man had tried once; what was to stop him from doing it again? As much as she hated bringing Anderson into her troubles, it was becoming apparent she needed to lean on him, at least to get Kaidan out of the line of fire.

Mary left the message unread. Call it revenge or heartbreak.

"You didn't know?" Rahna pressed, her fingers raking across her forearm, "I thought you- well. It was only to reconnect; that's how I got recruited to Biotics Division, eventually. I don't think he had been assigned-

Commander?"

Jane's pupils narrowed, "what do you want from me? This is- this-"

Rahna tried to interrupt, but Jane was not finished, "do you like seeing me squirm? Do you like that I'm not the person you saw on all the vids?

What fucked up reason do you have for doing this? You were stupid enough not to see Kaidan for who he is. You spurned him for trying to help you. I bet you couldn't even look him in the eye. Beauty...sure. But kindness? I see someone who can't stomach a hard decision and is infected with naive idealism. He stopped Vrynnus from torturing more kids, like he did to you, and you just-

Now you have to pull me into this? Do you regret losing him after seeing the compassionate man he became over the years? You could pull anyone, is only the capable and handsome Spectre enough? Or is it more fun to gloat over the decimated competition?"

Rahna watched as Jane rubbed at her cheek and the strange flashing scars. Observing the woman's tension across from her as she only grew more enraged as it did not elicit the reaction she desired from the accusations, pity filled the void that might have been anger.

"I doubt either of us has moved through life without regrets," her voice was silk and cool, "Kaidan and I could have both handled that better. Perhaps I was naive, but what is done is done. There was no longer a spark; we both knew that was the end of an 'us.'"

The blonde huffed.

"I won't lie and omit that I have seriously breached protocol and decorum by perusing your files; the 'Commander' is a fascinating subject to anyone that paid attention. She was hope to many," Rahna looked her in the eyes, playing the woman's staring contest, "can't blame a girl for being curious."

Jane slowly settled into her chair, swiveling her eyes away, arms folding across her chest. More so in a move reminiscent of a pouting child, but it was a start.

"Do you know what your file said? Specifically your psych evals?"

The woman didn't look at her, going stiff as stone. Jaw flexed in her effort to maintain silence.

"Brass had you tabbed for immediate evaluation after the war," she let that settle in, the woman's throat bobbed, "and more than that. I see someone who needs help. Selfishly- I hope I can help. Even a little, even if it is just someone to listen. After you have helped so many."

"Shepard is dead."

The Commander walked out of the room for the last time.

[a-blue-secret]

CHAPTER XIV

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Chapter XIII | Chapter XIV | Chapter XV

GENRES: royal au; fantasy au; magic au; friends-to-enemies-to-lovers; king!beomgyu, vizier!taehyun

PAIRING: taegyu

WARNINGS: swearing

WORD COUNT: 4.7k+

AN: So CoL has a taglist now! There's an 'Interact to be Added' post going around somewhere, so interact there if you'd like to be added :)

SUMMARY: Best friends turned enemies, Kang Taehyun has managed to trick Choi Beomgyu into his service, and to rule for a year and a day, until his youngest brother would be old enough to take the throne. Choi Beomgyu has no intention of being obedient however, and tries to thwart Taehyun’s orders at every turn. With a growing amount of distrust and lies within the court, will Taehyun manage to keep the kingdom of Gojongja from falling apart?

Throughout that whole time, Taehyun didn’t say a word once. Beomgyu, confused by the vizier’s silence, looked up, and all the colour drained out of his face. “Oh my god, Taehyun!”

.・゜-: ✧ :-　　

In the mere minutes Beomgyu had been talking, Taehyun’s face had become a pale, sickly colour. There was a hint of blue around his lips and around his eyes, and said eyes had a distinct glassiness to them. All of this shocked and scared Beomgyu, but what terrified him the most was when Taehyun swayed suddenly, and keeled over. He would have fallen onto the floor if it weren’t for Beomgyu suddenly leaping out of his chair to catch him.

“Taehyun? Oh my god, wake up!” Beomgyu shook Taehyun frantically, but the vizier’s eyes closed and his head fell limply against Beomgyu’s shoulder. Beomgyu cursed. “What am I supposed to do?” He lifted Taehyun up and carried him out of the room, where he met Chan.

“What do I do? He fainted! Do I take him to the nurse? The doctor? Back to his room? Chan help me!”

The guard looked a little lost as to what to do himself. This sort of thing rarely ever happened. “Uh, give him to me, we’ll take him to the physician.”

Beomgyu anxiously followed behind as Chan carried Taehyun down the corridors. Taehyun’s skin was distinctly sickly pale, and his fingertips had even begun to turn blue. “What the fuck…” Beomgyu whispered to himself.

While on their way, they ran into Yeonjun. The Aruyeonan’s eyes widened as he saw Taehyun unconscious. “Is– is Taehyun okay?”

“Can’t talk, Yeonjun!” Beomgyu said hurriedly. “Taehyun fainted. I don’t know what happened.”

“Wait, stop! Can I see him?” Yeonjun asked. Chan stopped and brought Taehyun back. Yeonjun quickly scanned the vizier’s limp frame, and let out a small gasp. “Give him to me. Now.”

“Sir, it would be best to take him to the Royal Physician-” Chan started.

“No. Give me Taehyun. They can’t help him.”

Beomgyu frowned. “Come on, Yeonjun, how can they not help him? They’re literally professional exp-”

“Listen, I know they can’t help him! Just, give! I need to take him to my room!” Yeonjun said, frustrated. “He’s getting worse by the second.” He held out his arms towards Chan. “Please believe me.”

Chan looked to Beomgyu helplessly. Beomgyu didn’t say anything, conflicted. “Fine,” he conceded. “Chan.”

The unconscious Taehyun was transferred into Yeonjun’s arms. Staggering at the sudden weight, Yeonjun adjusted Taehyun and began to hurry down the hall. Beomgyu attempted to follow after, but Yeonjun stopped him. “No, don’t come. It… it won’t be a pretty sight.”

Beomgyu hesitated. “I’m trusting you with a life, Yeonjun,” he said finally. “Don’t do anything… wrong to Taehyun.”

“I won’t,” Yeonjun promised, and practically sprinted back to his room. He received many scandalised and suspicious glances from the people he passed, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting Taehyun into his room… to Hueningkai.

.・゜-: ✧ :-　　

“Hueningkai, help me!” was the first thing Yeonjun said when he burst into his chambers. Hueningkai stood up in alarm, and gasped when he saw Taehyun lying limp in Yeonjun’s arms.

“Yeonjun! Did you kill him?”

“What? No! Look at his fingers! This is a type of poisoning, right?” Yeonjun lifted Taehyun’s fingers to show Hueningkai the purple-blue stains around his fingertips. Hueningkai paled.

“Get him to the bed, quick. We’ve caught him in time. His fingers haven’t turned black yet, which is good.” Hueningkai immediately rushed to his giant marble ball, pulling out a mortar and pestle, a vial and a vial stand, and a bottle full of clear liquid. “I’m so glad there are so many minerals within this castle.”

“Huh?” Yeonjun looked at Hueningkai, confused, as the younger began to retreat into the hole behind the tapestry. “What?”

“The minerals, in the walls. I can extract them to help make the healing ailment. I’ll be right back!” With those words, Hueningkai disappeared, leaving Yeonjun with Taehyun. Yeonjun looked down at the pale vizier.

“Wait, where are you going? Don’t leave me here alone! I don’t know what I’m doing!”

Hueningkai popped his head up again. “I need to extract the minerals from inside the alcove I made in the palace. I’ll be back in a bit!” Then, Hueningkai disappeared again, leaving Yeonjun stuttering helplessly. The elder sighed, looking down at the unconscious vizier. Reaching for his hand, he hissed when he felt how cold Taehyun’s hands were.

“What…?” he whispered to himself. “Why is he freezing?”

“I’m back, I’m back!” Hueningkai announced. “How is he?”

“I- I don’t know. He’s really cold.”

Hueningkai walked over. “What do you mean?” He placed a hand over Taehyun’s forehead before retracting it quickly, hissing. “What the hell?”

“I don’t know. Suddenly, he started becoming really cold.”

“This is not normal…” Hueningkai whispered. “What is this?” He strode over to the desk beside the bed and began taking out more things from his glass ball. “Okay, change of plans. I thought this was a poison, but it looks like it’s something else.”

“What is it?” Yeonjun asked worriedly.

Hueningkai looked at him with panicked eyes. “I have no idea. Which is the most terrifying part.”

Yeonjun cursed.

“I’m going to have to improvise,” Hueningkai said, spreading his things out on the table. “Just keep Taehyun as warm as possible while I work.”

While Yeonjun busied himself piling blanket upon blanket over Taehyun, Hueningkai worked quickly, extracting oils from herbs and grinding and melting different minerals. Occasionally, he would walk over to Taehyun to look at his fingers or feel his temperature and once, even extract some of his blood.

“Is everything okay?” Yeonjun asked, rubbing Taehyun’s hand between his own.

Hueningkai only hummed in response, quickly mixing two liquids together. “Please, until I say, don’t utter a word. Since this is something I’ve never seen before, I’m improvising an ailment. If even the slightest thing goes wrong, I can potentially end up poisoning him further.” Hueningkai looked up, staring Yeonjun in the eye. “So please, no talking.”

Yeonjun noted the complete seriousness in Hueningkai’s tone, and nodded mutely. Hueningkai gave a nod in acknowledgement, and turned back to his work. The minutes ticked by, and Yeonjun held Taehyun’s freezing hand in his own, not uttering a single word.

.・゜-: ✧ :-　　

“Okay, I think- I think this should work.”

After a tense half an hour, Hueningkai finally spoke, holding up a steaming vial of clear liquid. “It’s a rejuvenator. That’s all I could think of right now.” He stirred it with a glass rod, watching it carefully. “I put in more herbs than normal, so it’s like a super strong rejuvenator. With any luck, if this works, he’ll heal to be even stronger than he was before.”

Hueningkai came and sat down carefully on the bed beside Taehyun’s head. But just as he was going to give it to Taehyun, he hesitated, looking up at Yeonjun. The elder smiled encouragingly.

“Trust in yourself, Kai. I’m sure it works."

Hueningkai smiled back, taking a deep breath. “Yeonjun, lift his head up. Make sure he swallows.” Carefully, Hueningkai poured the potion down Taehyun’s throat, making sure he drank all of the liquid. Setting the empty vial onto the drawers next to the bed, Hueningkai gnawed at his fingernails worriedly. The change was almost instant. The yellowness faded from Taehyun’s complexion, quickly being replaced with a healthy rosy colour. Hueningkai gave a sigh of relief. “Oh good, the colour’s returning to his face.” He lifted his fingers. “Hm… the blue might take a while to fade, but it probably will with time.”

Yeonjun felt Taehyun’s forehead. “He’s no longer freezing, either.” He smiled at the younger. “Good job, Hueningkai.”

Hueningkai gave a small smile. He placed a hand over his heart. “You have no idea how hard my heart was racing. I was so terrified that I’d accidentally made it worse.”

Yeonjun patted Hueningkai’s shoulder. “But you didn’t, which is all that matters. That was really quick thinking.”

“Thanks,” Hueningkai said. He felt Taehyun’s wrist for his pulse, watching with a relieved face as the colour steadily came back to the vizier’s cheeks. “But what could that have been? I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“What was the poison you mistook it for?”

“Aconitum,” Hueningkai responded. “But Aconitum makes your temperature go up, not down. No poison makes your temperature go down.”

Yeonjun rubbed his chin worriedly. “But at least we’ve found something that cures it, right? As long as we have a cure, it doesn’t matter.”

“I suppose…”

“How long will it take him to recover?”

“Hm, maybe about four or five days. A week, tops.”

Yeonjun nodded. “Okay. I’ll go tell Beomgyu that.”

“Beomgyu?”

“He’s the one who witnessed Taehyun fainting. He’s really worried about Taehyun’s condition.”

“Ah, right. Okay, you go do that. I’ll take care of Taehyun.”

With a nod of his head, Yeonjun opened the door, and slipped down the hallway.

.・゜-: ✧ :-　　

“A few days?!” Beomgyu repeated. “What??”

“It’s lucky we– I mean, it’s lucky he was able to heal at all,” Yeonjun replied. “If I’d seen him just a few minutes later, he might have died.”

Beomgyu ran a hand through his hair. “What- what was it? Do you know?”

Yeonjun hesitated. “I’ve… I’ve seen something similar to it before,” he said slowly. “He’s definitely healing. But it’ll take a while for him to be able to move properly again.”

“Alright. Is… is there any chance that I can see him?”

“No,” Yeonjun said hurriedly. “I mean, he’s sleeping right now, but I’ll let you know when he’s awake.”

Beomgyu nodded. “Okay, thank you. I better get going and do some… Kingly stuff.” Beomgyu began to walk away, muttering to himself. “What the hell do I do? I don’t know how to run a Kingdom. Fuck, Taehyun please get better quick; I don’t want Gojongja to die in my hands.”

.・゜-: ✧ :-　　

Pain. An all-body, mind-numbing pain. That was all Taehyun could feel in that moment. But then, as his consciousness slowly returned to him, he forced open his heavy eyes, trying to take in his surroundings.

“Oh, you’re awake,” a voice said. “You certainly woke fast.”

At the unfamiliar voice, Taehyun suddenly shot upright, causing his head to spin.

“No no, lie down, lie down,” the voice said hurriedly, gently pushing Taehyun back down. Taehyun registered the softness of the surface he was lying on, and determined that he was in a bed. As his vision cleared, he blinked blearily up at the face that he saw.

“Who- who are you?”

“It’s me, Hueningkai,” the person explained patiently. “I am Yeonjun’s adoptive brother.”

Taehyun widened his eyes. “You- you’re the spies!” He tried to get up again, but was firmly held down by Hueningkai. He squirmed under the Aruyeonan’s grip. “Hey! Get off me!”

“Taehyun, please stay still. Lie down. Your body is still recovering from the massive shock it has received. You need to rest.”

“What shock?” Taehyun demanded. “What did you do to me?”

“I healed you.”

Taehyun was about to say that he was completely fine and didn’t need healing, when he registered the ache that was still settled within his bones, and the unexplainable tiredness he felt throughout his body. At that moment, he remembered what happened, and his eyes widened. “You… One minute I was with Beomgyu, the next I was knocked unconscious and woke here. You said– you said you healed me?”

“You missed out quite a few details, but yeah. That’s basically it.” Hueningkai leaned forward, feeling Taehyun’s forehead. He frowned. “You’re not cold anymore, but your temperature is now rising. Don’t go anywhere, wait here.” As Hueningkai rushed away from the bed to retrieve something, Taehyun couldn’t refrain from rolling his eyes. He wouldn’t be able to go anywhere, considering the vast amount of blankets cocooning him. The young Aruyeonan came back with a damp cloth, and placed it on Taehyun’s forehead.

“What’s your ability again?” he asked Hueningkai.

“I… my true one is alchemy. I healed you with a potion drink thing.”

Taehyun nodded. “Ah, that’s right. You’re a Westerner, right?”

Hueningkai flinched slightly, but nodded his head. Taehyun picked up on the tiny action, and mentally scolded himself. He’d forgotten that Yeonjun had said Hueningkai had been picked on for being Western.

“I– I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“It’s fine,” Hueningkai assured him, giving a small smile. “Really. Ever since we became spies, I haven’t had any nasty encounters. I don’t know why I still flinch. But I’m okay now, truly.”

Taehyun looked up at him, and noticed how youthful Hueningkai was. Really noticed. He was still young- maybe Taehyun’s age, maybe even younger. And yet, while his face was youthful, his eyes told a different story. His eyes told tales on how he’d had to grow up so fast, to be able to survive in a court where there were few people to look out for him. His eyes spoke volumes about how he’d had to do things that were scary, and unheard of for someone his age. His eyes painted pictures of the innocent, naive boy who had morphed into the mature adult in front of him. But with a single blink, the stories had gone, and instead were replaced with a sparkling brightness which rivalled even that of Beomgyu’s.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?”

“Twenty four, just like you,” Hueningkai said with smiling eyes.

“Wow. You look… so much younger.”

Hueningkai smiled. “That’s what Yeonjun always says. He says I still look like a baby.” He tilted his head in a child-like way. “I don’t know if it’s a compliment or an insult…”

Taehyun laughed, but a sharpness pierced his head and he had to stop. Hueningkai looked down at him worriedly.

“You seem to have suffered a lot. Tell me, is there any unusual pain? Are you suffering from memory loss? Any blank spots in your memory?”

Taehyun furrowed his brows. “Uh… My whole body hurts, if that counts? And… I don’t think I’m suffering from memory loss?”

“What happened just before you fainted?”

“I was talking with Beomgyu. Well, he was talking. He was talking, but then suddenly everything just faded away.”

Hueningkai frowned. “Hm… that’s odd. Beomgyu is a wind manipulator, isn’t he? He has no connections to potions…?”

“No, he doesn’t,” Taehyun replied, watching Hueningkai. “Why?”

“It’s just… even though I managed to heal you, I have no idea what it was.”

“What what was?”

“What was the thing that made you into this state.”

“Oh.”

Hueningkai suddenly widened his eyes, and got up to bow on the floor. Taehyun, startled by the sudden action, leaned over to see what the Aruyeonan was doing, almost falling out of the bed.

“Wh– what are you doing?”

“Please forgive us for initially being spies against you,” Hueningkai said, still on the floor. “We don’t want to oppose you anymore. We just want to be on the same side as you. Will you believe in us, and trust us enough to do that?”

Taehyun blinked. He’d completely forgotten about that. Truth be told, he wasn’t sure. At first, he’d been shocked. And betrayed. His first instinct had been to imprison them. But now… Hueningkai had just saved his life. And before that, by accompanying him in the gymnasium late at night, Yeonjun had also saved his sanity.

Now he thought about it, he had a lot to thank the Aruyeonans for. They may be spies, but they were good-hearted. He knew that now. He could trust them, just like how they had trusted him.

Plus, both Yeonjun and Hueningkai had such clear, pure eyes. Who could have such sparkling eyes and be a murderous backstabber at the same time, anyway? It just wasn’t possible.

Taehyun took a deep breath. “I– yeah, I guess. Yeah, I trust you.”

He ruffled Hueningkai’s hair, and lifted the Aruyeonan’s head to look at him in the eyes, giving the younger a smile. “I trust you.”

The uncertainty on Hueningkai’s face was replaced with a large grin as he processed Taehyun’s words. “Wow. That’s really great. Um… wow. If you weren’t in such a weak state, I’d totally hug you right now. I mean– that’s really…” Hueningkai stopped his rambling, grinning widely. “Thank you for trusting us.”

Taehyun smiled, and held his arms up. “Come on, I may be bedridden right now but I still want that hug.” The vizier let out a small ‘oof’ at the weight of the twenty four year old who, in his eagerness, had just thrown himself onto Taehyun. He chuckled, patting the Aruyeonan’s back.

“I’m so glad! I really want to be friends with you–”

The door was thrown open, and Hueningkai suddenly ducked under the bed.

“I talked to Beomgyu. He’ll want to see Taehyun at some point, so you’ll probably have to disappear for a few hours at some point, Hueningkai. Wait– Hueningkai? Where are you?”

Hueningkai popped his head up from under the bed, glaring at Yeonjun. “Seriously? You had to go slamming open the door?”

“Ah, whoops,” Yeonjun said sheepishly, closing the door with his foot. “Anyway Taehyun! How are you doing?”

“Not very well. My head hurts.”

“Hueningkai! Have you been rambling to him?” Yeonjun tsked disapprovingly. “Talking his ear off won’t help him recover, you know.”

Hueningkai rolled his eyes. “I only ramble when I’m alone. It gets lonely being the behind-the-scenes spy.”

At the mention of the word ‘spy’, Yeonjun jumped, and looked cautiously over at Taehyun. “Speaking of spies… are you– are you okay with us being, you know… spies?”

“He said he is!” Hueningkai beamed. “He said he trusts us!”

Yeonjun’s eyes widened, and he looked at Taehyun. “Really?”

Taehyun gave a small smile. “Yeah.”

Yeonjun stood there for a moment, when an overjoyed grin lit up his face. He bounded across the room, and bent down to give Taehyun a tight hug. “Thank you for believing in us.”

“Thank you for waiting for me to believe you,” Taehyun said. He spotted Hueningkai standing to the side, and beckoned for the younger Aruyeonan to come over. Hueningkai’s face lit up and he immediately joined the hug.

“Let’s all be friends, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Taehyun said, smiling. “Friends.”

.・゜-: ✧ :-　　

And so, Taehyun became friends with two spies. Sure, it was a little weird to say aloud, but their friendship was anything but awkward.

“Stop, Yeonjun,” Taehyun huffed. “I feel fine. No– no more! I’m not a sick child!”

“You still need to regain your strength,” Yeonjun berated. He held up a spoon. “Come on. Open up.”

“I can feed myself! I’m a grown– mmmffph!” Taehyun glared at Yeonjun, cheeks full of rice. Yeonjun laughed, picking some rice grains off the corners of the vizier’s mouth. Taehyun slapped his hand away, swiping away the rice himself. “You didn’t have to shove the whole thing in my mouth,” he said through a mouthful of rice. He held up his hands in a strangling motion. “I’m gonna kill you!”

“Try,” Yeonjun said, putting down the empty bowl. “You can’t even get out of bed. I’d like to see you try.”

Taehyun grumbled, sinking back into the cushions. He knew Yeonjun was right.

It had been two days since the whole incident. Taehyun’s strength was returning, little by little.

“When you get fully better, you’ll be even healthier than what you were before!” Hueningkai had chirped. “The ailment I gave you is like a super duper strong rejuvenator!”

What bothered Taehyun, though, was that it would apparently take a while for him to recover. And he didn’t have a lot of time. Who knows what had happened to Gojongja while he’d been ill? For all he knew, the people could be running rampant and the Lords could have already taken over. He needed to get back to his work as soon as possible.

.・゜-: ✧ :-　　

“Don’t you even try,” Yeonjun said. “If you fall to the floor like you did last time, I’m not gonna pick you up. You’re going to be left there.”

Taehyun gaped. He thought Yeonjun was sleeping! Yeonjun removed the cowboy hat from his face, looking at Taehyun.

“I’m a spy, Taehyun. Do you really think I’d fall asleep while I’m meant to be chaperoning you?”

“I don’t need chaperoning,” Taehyun huffed, blankets half-removed.

“In that state, you do,” Yeonjun responded. He rose from the chair he’d been sitting in, and crossed the room to tuck Taehyun more firmly into the bed. “Stay.”

Taehyun scowled in annoyance, but stayed where he was.

“Good afternoon Taehyun, Yeonjun,” a voice said brightly, and Hueningkai emerged from behind the tapestry.

“Afternoon, Hueningkai. Everything going okay?” Yeonjun asked.

“Yup! I was running out of glass marbles, but I’ve restocked them all now!”

“That’s good. What are you gonna put in them?”

“Hm, I don’t know yet.” Hueningkai walked over to the desk in the corner of the room, which was full of vials of liquid and little dishes of chemicals. “Maybe more of the flash grenades, I don’t have a lot of them.”

“M’kay.” Yeonjun sat back down in the armchair, putting the hat over his face again. Hueningkai sat down at the desk and began to quietly make the explosives.

Taehyun stared at the ceiling, bored. He had an annoying itch on the sole of his foot, but unfortunately, since he was swathed in blankets, he wasn’t able to reach it. He turned his head and watched as Hueningkai went about his work while Yeonjun napped rested. It was almost… peaceful. Calm. The two spies were so familiar with each other, so used to their routine, that they almost unconsciously settled into this tranquil atmosphere. It was rather soothing to watch. Eventually, feeling the itch go away, Taehyun settled more comfortably into the bed, for now content with watching the peaceful scene before him.

.・゜-: ✧ :-　　

“Yeonjun? Hueningkai?”

Yeonjun raised his head, and Hueningkai turned around from the desk.

“You okay, Taehyun?” Hueningkai asked.

“The two of you have been really honest with me, by telling me you’re spies, so I thought I’d be honest with you.”

Hueningkai tilted his head. “You don’t have to, if you don’t want to. It’s fine.”

Taehyun shook his head. “No, no. I want to. To tell the truth, I’m still a bit reluctant about saying this, but… you’ve done so much to prove I can trust you, so there’s really no excuse for me to hide these sorts of things.” Taehyun took a deep breath, and looked at Yeonjun. “Yeonjun… ages ago, the first time you had dinner with me and Beomgyu – well, just me since Beomgyu wasn’t there – the thing you said about the Crown Handing? About it looking planned? The reason it looked like that was because… it was. It was all planned.”

Hueningkai set the wooden spoon down on the table, turning in his chair to look at Taehyun fully. Yeonjun pushed his hat further up from his face to see Taehyun better.

“The truth is, I knew Father would give the crown to Junghoon. Jiwon was too reckless, my sisters too ‘weak’... there’s no way he’d choose them. Junghoon would be too young, too naive to rule, but he'd be the only one he could choose. I knew that. The downside of this decision was that Lords and generals would immediately scheme to become his regent, and rule in his place. I couldn’t let that happen. And so, I turned to Beomgyu.”

“Woah woah woah, hold up,” Yeonjun interrupted. “Why not you?”

Taehyun bit his lip. “I’m not a Kang. I was adopted from the Jeo clan. I can’t rule.”

Hueningkai and Yeonjun exchanged sympathetic glances, and looked at Taehyun consolingly. “Oh, that must suck for you,” Hueningkai said.

“No, no. I’m actually pretty cool about it,” Taehyun said. He shrugged casually. “These past few months, I’ve seen what ruling is like, and I’m not sure I would have wanted to do it alone. If I’d been a Kang, I’m pretty sure I would have been the next King, and that would have been too stressful. Kang or not, it doesn’t really matter to me anymore.”

Yeonjun tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Wow. I’d have never guessed that. You behave like a true Jinju Kang. What’s your true ability then?”

“Foreign exchange,” Taehyun said. “I have no idea what the hell it means, but yeah.”

“Have you figured out how to use it yet?”

“I have no idea what it means, let alone how to use it,” Taehyun pointed out.

Yeonjun nodded. “Touché. Kinda sucks that it means you can’t rule, though.”

Hueningkai scoffed, crossing his arms. “The one good thing about Aruyeo is we don’t have a crown determining whose blood is ‘royal’ enough to rule. If the previous monarch deems them fit, then the predecessor can rule, regardless of status or royal blood.”

Taehyun gave a small smile. “I suppose…”

“But anyway, on with your story.”

“Right. So, Beomgyu. I decided he’d be my best bet if I wanted to protect the throne for Junghoon. He has faintly royal blood; he’d be able to handle the crown. The only thing is, he didn’t know he was becoming King. I… I tricked him. Because he hated me, and hated the court, there was no way he’d do it willingly, so I tricked him.”

“He hates you?” Yeonjun repeated.

Taehyun nodded miserably. “Yeah, he does. It’s understandable, too. I’ve hurt him a lot…” He lifted his head. “But anyway... I guess that’s it. He thought all he had to do was crown Junghoon. If he crowned Junghoon, then no Lord or general could technically become his regent, since with Junghoon officially crowned they couldn’t become King in his place. Though, they could become regent by force, but yeah. He thought that was what he’d do, and even signed a magical contract which bound him to me for a year and a day. Only, he became King instead.”

Taehyun cringed as he remembered Beomgyu’s furious eyes. “He was so mad. So, so mad. And so, in retaliation, he made me his vizier. The short and long of it was that I’d actually be the one to rule and take care of the goings-on while he acted as the image of a King. It was kind of his revenge. Though, I understand that too. I broke his trust in me.”

Yeonjun stared at him, open mouthed. “I… wow. I never would have guessed that. I assumed there was a little tension between you two, but never hate. When he talks about you… sure, he’s a little closed off about it, but he always starts with a bright smile on his face.”

Taehyun winced, filled with guilt. “He and I used to be best friends. Until something happened and… and we became enemies.”

Yeonjun didn’t say anything, too shocked by the sudden revealing from Taehyun. Hueningkai smiled at the vizier. “Thank you for telling us, Taehyun,” he said. “It means a lot to know you trust us enough to say this. Thank you.” He walked over, and patted Taehyun’s hand. “You know? I could help you figure out how to tap into your true ability, if you’d like?”

“I would. Thank you, Hueningkai.”

“Of course.”

.・゜-: ✧ :-　　

A knock came on the door, and the three of them all looked at each other, confused. Suddenly, Yeonjun jumped out of his seat.

“Shit! Beomgyu said he was coming today to see Taehyun! Come on, Hueningkai, we need to go!”

Hueningkai stared at Yeonjun with wide eyes, then with a sudden sweep of his arms he swept everything off the desk into his big marble ball. Taehyun winced, expecting the big shattering of glass, but none sounded.

“Stay there!” Hueningkai said to Taehyun. “If Beomgyu asks, we’re not here. We’ll be going into my room for a few hours. Knock on the wall three times and we’ll come back, okay?”

With a confused nod of his head, Taehyun watched Hueningkai hustle Yeonjun through a hole in the wall.

“Bye!” Yeonjun’s head disappeared, leaving the tapestry to flutter down and cover the wall.

The knock came again.

“Come in!” Taehyun called.

[wonderlandleighleigh]

Hey remember that Clone Wars Episode Arc, Slaves of the Republic, where our heroes were physically and emotionally tortured and then everything was fine and it never came up ever again? 

I wrote a fic about it because I have feelings about what happened. And didn’t happen. It’s 12 pages. 

It’s under the cut.

Ahsoka gives them three days. 

Three days of solitude to put themselves back together after the Zygerrian slavery debacle. 

On the morning of the fourth day, though, neither Anakin nor Obi-Wan have emerged from their quarters, and Ahsoka decides it’s time to start worrying.

“They just need some more time,” Mace assures her when she takes it to the Council. “And rest. It was a long mission. We’ve given them a week and a half to rest and rejuvenate. That’s what they’re doing.” 

She’s dismissed, and it’s frustrating. Because she knows her masters. She knows that Anakin’s method of rejuvenation is a long speeder ride, followed by a large meal and then a nap. She knows that Obi-Wan’s is a hot shower, and then a day spent in the Temple gardens. 

None of these things have happened. And while she’d like to think that they’re just sleeping, she can feel their presences through the Force when she reaches out. They are cold, and pained. Tired and unsteady. 

“Fine,” she mutters to herself as she hops on one of the speeder bikes. “If the Council won’t help my masters, I’ll find people who will.” 

***** 

She finds both of the women she’s looking for at Padme’s office in the Senate Building, having tea together and chatting. 

When she steps in, both women rise to their feet, rushing over. 

“Oh, Ahsoka!” Padme cries, wrapping her arms around the young girl. “We were all so worried after that last mission. Are you alright?” 

Ahsoka nods, and hugs her back, a little more tightly than she means to. “I’m okay. But my masters…” she shakes her head. “I think things are very wrong.” 

Satine’s expression darkens. “Have you spoken to them?” 

“They haven’t left their quarters,” Ahsoka explains. “And neither of them would open their doors for me. Today is day four.” 

Padme’s expression turns deeply worried. “What has the Council said?” 

“That they’re resting,” Ahsoka says. “That they’re fine.” 

“Of course they did,” Satine grumbles. “Because why actually admit when things are wrong and fix them? Horrible old-” 

“We’ll follow you to the Temple in my speeder,” Padme tells Ahsoka, cutting Satine off. 

Ahsoka nods and heads out.

**** 

The three of them get strange looks as they step into the Temple. The Jedi Order does not normally entertain guests, and certainly not escorted in by a Padawan. 

Satine breaks off from Padme and Ahsoka as they enter the hallway containing the Jedi living quarters. 

“I’ll go check on Master Kenobi,” she tells them. 

Ahsoka frowns. “Wait, how do you know where Master Obi-Wan’s...room...on second thought? I’d rather not know.” 

Satine nods and disappears down the hall, as Padme then takes the lead towards Anakin’s room.

“More things I wish I didn’t know,” Ahsoka says to herself. 

Once they get to the door, Padme turns to her. “Ahsoka, please alert Master Yoda and Master Windu of our arrival. Let them know that we’ll be by to see them once we assess the Generals and their conditions.” 

Ahsoka nods, though she looks unsure. “Yes, Senator.” she says.

Once she’s gone, Padme looks one way, and then the other, before keying the security code into the keypad on the door, and slipping inside.

**** 

Down the hall, Satine does the same, squinting in the dim light of Obi-Wan quarters, looking around for any sign of him. Her eyes settle on the bed, where she can see a distinctly Obi-Wan-sized lump under the covers. 

“Oh, My Darling,” she whispers, walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling back the covers to look at him. 

His skin is pale, and he looks exhausted, his eyes shut tightly as he turns his head away from her. “Satine...I...I’m not up for visitors…” 

“I’m not here to visit, Obi-Wan,” she promises. “I am here to take care of you.” 

“I don’t need-” 

“You look like you’ve been hit by a speeder,” she tells him firmly. “When was the last time you ate something?” 

“I’ve not been hungry.” 

Satine sighs softly and reaches out to touch his face, but he puts his own hands up, blocking her. 

“Don’t touch me, please.” 

A myriad of emotions play over her face, not that Obi-Wan can see them with his eyes shut, but she settles on sadness after rage. “Why don’t you get out of bed, and take a hot shower, and then we can have a walk in the gardens. You’ve always spoken fondly of them. I’d love to see them. Then we can get you something to eat.” 

Obi-Wan hesitates, before opening his eyes just a little. “I...it does sound nice Satine, but I...I haven’t been able to sink fully into a healing trance. I’ve been trying for days. Nothing seems to work.” 

“Then perhaps this will help,” she tells him. She wants to reach out again, but doesn’t, respecing his earlier request. “Come along. Out of bed.” 

***** 

 In Anakin’s quarters, Padme sits in front of him, kneeling on the floor. He’s curled up, as small as he possibly can, in a corner of the room, and his eyes are open, but Padme knows that he can’t see or hear her. 

She’s seen her husband like this before. In times of deep stress, or if something reminds him too deeply of the abuses he suffered as a child, Anakin will, to put it bluntly, check out. 

After the first time it had happened, Padme had discreetly asked a family friend who happened to be a doctor about it. 

“It could be a form of dissociating,” they’d said. “A way for someone who has suffered traumatic experiences to protect themselves. It’s rare, but sometimes dissociation presents as catatonia.” 

At least Padme knew what was likely happening, and she’d seen Anakin snap himself out of it before, but she’d never known him to be in this state for whole days. 

“Anakin?” she asks softly, reaching out to brush a sandy curl away from his eyes. “Anakin, can you hear me?” 

She gets no response, and it breaks her heart. She’d do anything to see his eyes flicker back to life; to see his big cocky grin, or hear his voice.

“Ani,” she says, stroking his face gently. 

Still nothing. 

Padme closes her eyes tightly for a moment, before shifting over to curl up next to him, resting her head on his arm, waiting. 

And waiting. 

It’s a few hours later when Anakin stirs, and grunts softly. 

“Padme…?” 

His voice is hoarse, as though he hasn’t used it in days. He probably hasn’t. 

“Oh, my love,” she says, sitting up on her knees again, cupping his face, watching as awareness seeps back into him. “I was so worried.” 

He doesn’t respond, averting his eyes, shame behind them. “I...things went wrong on this last mission, and I-” 

“You don’t have to explain,” she tells him gently. “I heard about what happened. I know how hard this must have been.” 

“I...I’m…” 

Padme knows he wants to tell her he’s fine. She also knows he can’t. “Come on,” she says softly. “Shower, and then an actual nap, in your actual bed.” 

***** 

Later - much later - Ahsoka finds the two women outside of the Council chambers, waiting for an audience with Master Windu and Master Yoda. 

They don’t speak. They don’t say a word. The sickened look on Padme’s face, and the angered look on Satine’s say everything Ahsoka needs to know.

“Your Masters are resting peacefully now, my dear,” Satine tells her. “The rest of their leave time should go a little smoother.” 

“Anakin will want to see you in the morning,” Padme tells her, offering her a wavering smile. “He’s promised to make you breakfast.” 

Ahsoka nods, still worried. “I can escort you back to-” 

“No need,” Padme tells her. “We need to speak with Master Yoda and Master Windu.” 

“It’s not their fault,” Ahsoka says hesitantly. “If my masters needed help, they could have-” 

“My dear,” Satine says, firmly, but softly. “When one has control of an army, it is one’s responsibility to care for their soldiers.” 

Ahsoka nods, thinking that over, frowning as she recalls every time her master had checked in on a clone trooper. Every time he’d benched one, telling them they needed to rest Every time Anakin had sat down with his men to make certain they were in fighting shape. She knows Obi-Wan had acted similarly with his own men.

When she thinks of this situation in those terms, the lack of communication, the lack of well-being checks, are astounding. 

“Senator Amidala,” Mace says as the door opens. “Duchess Satine. We’re ready to see you now.” 

Ahsoka watches them go in, and wishes, not for the first time, to be a fly on the wall.

***** 

“I understand that the Jedi are still new to running an entire army,” Padme says. “But this is beyond inexcusable.” 

Both Jedi look shocked. 

“You sent two of your best generals on an incredibly dangerous mission - a mission that you were well aware would be detrimental to one of them in a deep way. You could have sent others-” 

“Yourself, said you,” Yoda interrupts. “Two of the best, they are.” 

“You could have sent backup,” Padme says. 

“It was an undercover mission,” Mace tells them. “One that was done on the fly. I don’t understand why the two of you are so incensed. Other than your obvious feelings for Skywalker and Kenobi.” 

“You do not win wars by breaking your soldiers,” Satine snaps. “Nor do you win wars by letting your personal feelings for those men color your judgement.” 

“Know not of what you speak, we do,” Yoda grumbles. 

“Oh no?” Satine asks. “So the two of you haven’t harbored deep resentment for Master Kenobi over his decision to train Skywalker. Or for Skywalker himself for daring to be here in the first place?” 

“That is not your concern,” Mace tells them uncomfortably. 

“It is my concern,” Padme snaps. “As a member of the Senate.” 

“I think you two are the ones whose judgement is clouded,” Mace tells them. “By your feelings for Generals Kenobi and Skywalker.” 

“Listen to me,” Satine says, rising to her feet. “Despite being a pacifist, I am still a Mandalorian. I know how to fight and win wars, and it is not by putting your soldiers in emotionally compromising situations to test their loyalty to your way of life. And it is not by turning a blind eye when they suffer.” 

“We do not-” 

“Obi-Wan could not attain a healing trance,” Satine cuts Mace off. “He is the best of you. Your most esteemed and respected Jedi, and he couldn’t do it because of what he’d been through. Skywalker? Your...what does Obi call him? Your chosen one? Curled up in a corner, catatonic from facing the prospect of becoming a slave once more. If ignoring their needs is how you treat the people who are on your side, and under your direction, I’d absolutely loath to see how you treat your enemies.” 

“Duchess-” 

“And the further along this war goes, the more I am reminded of how right I was to keep my people out of it,” she goes on. “You have no idea what you’re doing, and if you lose this war, and try to pass the blame to the men and women who have suffered so greatly to fight it? I will drag both of you to the senate, and have you charged with war crimes, because all four of us in this room know that this situation is just the latest in a long line of mistakes that cost lives.” 

Silence falls over the chambers, and as Satine sits down, Padme gets to her feet, looking at Mace and Yoda with sad eyes. 

“As you’re likely aware, Anakin and I are still very close,” she says. “His life before the Jedi Order was troubling at best, and horrific at its worst. Why would you put him in this situation? Why would you compromise one of your most valuable players in this war?” 

“Balance, he must learn,” Yoda tells her. “To face his past. To face his fears?” 

“On your terms,” Padme snaps. “Forcing him to face things he may not be ready to. That is not how you build someone’s character, that is how you tear them apart. Which is what I have seen happen time and time again throughout the course of this war, and not just to Anakin, but to so many of your generals. Masters, what are you doing? Why are you - and the Chancellor, for that matter - forcing people under your command, and in your care, to tear themselves apart to prove themselves to you?”

They have no answer for her, as she knew they would not.

“I’ll be staying the rest of the evening,” she tells them. “To make certain that Anakin is alright. As I know Duchess Satine will be here to check in on Obi-Wan. To do what you yourselves seem to think is unnecessary for your soldiers.” 

“Yes, so you can aid Skywalker in breaking the code more than you already have,” Mace accuses her. 

“Maybe in the face of war and death and destruction, your precious code doesn’t mean as much as you think it does,” Padme shoots back viciously. “And maybe your attachment to it will be your own downfall. Masters.” 

With that, she leaves the chambers, Satine following after her. 

***** 

Yoda doesn’t sleep that night. 

He tries, but ultimately, it’s no use. He tries meditating as well, but he receives no answers; no comfort. 

And so he wanders the Temple halls, taking comfort in the feeling through the Force of his students, but it’s hard to to take too much of that comfort when there are troubled presences down the hall. 

He thinks about the argument from that afternoon, and how harsh they had all been to each other. Senator Amidala has always been a champion of the Jedi. For her to be so adamantly against so many of their recent decisions... her concerns must be genuine, no matter what her relationship with Skywalker is.

When the Senator and the Duchess had left, Mace had been quick to point out that they do not know the Jedi ways the way they think they do. That the Jedi have done their best in what has been consistently a no-win situation. 

But knowing that two of their most successful generals had come back to them, for lack of a better word, broken, and no one had bothered to pay more attention...that Padawan Tano’s concerns had been so easily dismissed...

“Been so blind, have we?” he asks himself softly, as he steps into the gardens. “To the needs of our own?” 

He settles into the grass and gazes to the sky, watching ships move towards the stars, thinking of Senator Amidala’s words. She’d pointed out that it isn’t only the Council who have who have consistently put the Jedi in these horrific situations. 

The Chancellor. 

“Hm,” Yoda grunts to himself. 

“Master?” 

Yoda turns, finding Skywalker slowly walking out into the gardens. Even in the dim lights around them, he can tell that the young man’s skin is pale, as if he’s been sick. 

“Feeling better are you, Young Skywalker?” 

“Getting there,” Anakin tells him, shame in his voice. “I...I know that Padme said a lot of things to you-” 

“Always appreciated is the Senator’s point of view,” Yoda cuts him off. “Much to think about she gave me.” He looks up at and waves him over. “Come. Sit.” 

Anakin settles down with him in the grass, watching him curiously. 

“Hm,” Yoda muses. “Not easy, have we made things for you, hm?” 

Anakin says nothing. 

“Against your training, was I,” Yoda admits. “Worried, I was, about training someone so old. Someone with a past such as yours. Trust you, I did not.” 

He watches the younger Jedi, who still says nothing. 

“Worry for you, I still do,” Yoda tells him. “But proven yourself you have, time and again. Deserve to be in the order, you do. Despite your relationship with the senator.” 

Anakin’s eyes widen in surprise. “Master, I-” 

Yoda lifts a hand to stop him. “Get through this war, we must, in any way we can, with hearts and souls intact.” He gives a short sigh. “Difficult, this last mission was. For you and for Obi-Wan. Evident that should have been from the start. Blind, I was, to your troubles. More time to heal you both will need. Another week, you will rest.” 

“But Master-” 

“Argue, you will not,” Yoda says firmly, poking him with his walking stick. “Rest tonight, then meet me for mediation in the morning, you will.” 

“Yes...yes, Master.” 

***** 

“You have quite the champion in the Duchess,” Mace tells Obi-Wan as he settles down onto the floor of the meditation chamber. 

Obi-Wan can’t help a slight grin, his eyes still closed. “She is a very passionate woman.” 

“Do you agree with her?” Mace asks. “That the Jedi have botched this war? Have lost our way?” 

Obi-Wan’s eyes open slowly as he thinks about it. “Certainly, we’ve had our missteps. But we do our best...on the other hand...Anakin came back from this mission and promptly blacked out in a corner for three days. So we may want to reconsider some of our methods.” 

“Are we certain that’s the truth?” 

“Are you insinuating that my former apprentice lied about having a traumatic episode?” Obi-Wan asks, clearly puzzled. “You honestly trust Anakin so little that you think he would do that?” 

“I don’t trust the Chancellor,” Mace corrects him. “And he has Skywalker in his pocket.” 

“Anakin is one of us,” Obi-Wan insists. “And if you distrust the Chancellor so much, then you know where your energies should be directed.” He closes his eyes again. “If you’re truly concerned with the Chancellor’s actions and motives, then I will help you look into it.” 

Mace stays quiet for a moment before responding. “I will take you up on that.” He goes silent again for a moment before tilting his head at the younger man. “Are you feeling better?” 

“I am getting there,” Obi-Wan tells him. “At the very least, I’m now able to achieve a healing trance, which has helped immensely.” 

“...Because of the Duchess.” 

“Because there was someone who cared enough to worry about my well-being,” Obi-Wan corrects him. “Ahsoka came to the Council for guidance, and when that failed, she went to the Duchess and the Senator. She saved Anakin and I from a much grimmer healing process from all of this. I’m very grateful to her.” 

Mace snorts softly. “That was a very good side-step.” 

“Yes, I’m rather proud of it, myself.” 

***** 

“What did you say to Yoda, exactly?” 

Padme shrugs daintily as she smooths out her dress a couple of days later. She’d stayed the night at the Temple, and so had Satine, she knew, to make certain Anakin and Obi-Wan were in good enough shape to manage on their own.

“I...may have pointed out a few things to him and Master Windu that they may have...missed,” she tells Anakin innocently as she turns to him. “It’s up to them what they do with that.” 

“Uh-huh,” he nods, watching her as she gets ready to leave. He reaches out, taking her hand, holding it gently. “Thank you for being here. If you hadn’t come, I might still be curled up in the corner.” 

Padme strokes his hair gently. “You should thank Ahsoka. She came and got us.” 

Anakin nods and wraps his arms around her, holding her tightly. “I’ll be here an extra week. I’ll try to come see you.” 

She smiles and leans up, kissing him gently. “Rest, Ani.” 

“I rest easier with you,” He admits, not letting her go quite yet. 

Padme closes her eyes, and holds him just as tightly.

**** 

“You could stay a little longer,” Obi-Wan comments. “I wouldn’t mind.” 

Satine gives a soft laugh as they walk arm-in-arm to the front doors of the Temple. “I’m well aware, My Darling. But I have responsibilities elsewhere, and you have more healing to do.” 

“I suppose you’re right.” 

“Funny, how often that’s the case,” she teases him as they stop in front of the doors. “You will comm me later to let me know how you are doing. If the Council give you any problems, I want you to inform me right away, and I’ll-” 

“Come to the rescue, yes I know,” Obi-Wan chuckles. “But I’ll be fine. Both Anakin and I will be fine. And hopefully the next time I see you, it will be under much happier circumstances.” 

She takes a breath and nods, taking his hands and holding them tightly. “I worry about you. You know I do.” 

“Yes.” 

“And this incident, with slavers…” 

“Was not one I will soon forget,” Obi-Wan admits. “But one I can cope with. Because I have good friends to help me.” 

“Yes,” she says softly. “Friends.” 

Obi-Wan strokes her jaw gently and leans in, kissing her cheek. “I promise to contact you tonight with an update.” 

Satine nods. “Good. Then we’ll talk later.” 

He watches her leave and takes a deep breath, wishing he could say more (as he always does when Satine is around). 

When he turns to go back to his quarters, he finds Anakin and Ahsoka standing behind him, waiting for him. 

“Hello, Master Obi-Wan,” Ahsoka grins. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.” 

“Yes, and it’s all thanks to you,”

“I...I didn’t-” 

“You did,” Anakin interrupts her. “You went to the Council, and then went to Padme and Satine when that didn’t pan out. So I think we owe you.” 

“Yes, I agree,” Obi-Wan nods, stroking his beard. 

“Maybe...milkshakes at Dex’s?” Ahsoka asks hopefully. “For a month?” 

Anakin laughs and nudges her with an elbow. “Let’s start with today, and go from there.” 

She smiles at them, glad to him them back, at least at partial-strength. “Deal.” 

END.

[jace-the-writer-guy]

Comfort

"For Talisa's entire life, she had faced an immeasurable amount of strife, all starting from her being born with black hair. It was a bad omen to many light elves, and Talisa left her home at a young age due to the treatment she received. And now, she was in a successful and influential guild, and she met someone she felt she had grown so attached to. That person's name was Viera Aria. Talisa had struggled constantly over these new feelings she felt for the woman, and soon she was going to tell her about these feelings."

Word Count: 1,942

The struggles that Talisa had gone through in her early life were something no child should ever face. Shunned by her light elven peers as a child only because her jet-black hair was considered a bad omen, she did not have it easy. She left the village when she felt she was ready with the skills she taught herself, never looking back to the people that had treated her so horribly and just leaving her original name with them. The fact that she didn't even remember what her birth name was stood to show what she thought of the people she used to think of as her parents. Talisa was the name she had chosen for herself, and that's all she was known as while she struck out on her own.

And then she met Aurora and Cronus.

The memory of how she met them brought a small laugh from her and she shook her head. Caught with her arm down in a bag of holding, and taken to the dark elven sorceress. Instead of punishing her, Aurora had taken her in and let her begin to start on the next chapter in her life. And that had taken her along the path to Eagle's Splendor, the ancestral shortsword of her former family wielded by Aniril Eriluin. She had found her last name in that crypt she found the mithril blade in as well, and she had once more had a full name to be known as.

Then, she had met Viera Aria when she and her sister had joined with New Dawn. Over time, Talisa had begun to feel something within her when it came to the then-simple worshipper of Ayukoi. Talisa didn't know what the feeling was, and it admittedly scared her. Viera had loved to tease her and Talisa had grown to love spending time with Viera. Viera's teasing was nothing malicious but playful, and sweet most times. The young rogue never knew how to respond to the teasing, but she liked the feeling it left her with. They slowly began to sleep together in the same bed some nights with Viera holding her closely to her, and they have had sex a good few times as well. The way Viera held her was so comforting and warm, her kisses soft and gentle, and her hands were experienced and caring. She had never felt the touch of another person like that before, and that first time she felt that touch, she had cried. She never noticed it before then, but she had been so starved of affection her entire life up until she met Aurora and when Aurora started acting so... motherly to her and show her such motherly affection, and when Cronus started showing the affection of a big brother, it was enough to bring tears to her eyes. And then with Viera, feeling the priestess' soft and loving touch as they had sex for the first time, she had just broke down in Viera's arms and hugged her tight. That night was a turning point in their relationship, and now Talisa's feelings for Viera had manifested into something she didn't know about at all.

One night in New Dawn Keep, Talisa roamed the ironstone and wooden halls until she came to the door of the red dragon descendant's chambers. The feeling she felt inside her had grown almost unbearable, and she needed to speak with Viera about it before it affected her in her next quest. She took a few moments to collect her thoughts and take a few deep breaths, and she lightly rapped on the door with her knuckles.

Soon, the door opened to reveal Viera in her night robes, worn loosely much like the robes she wears casually. When Viera saw who exactly knocked on her door, she gave a soft smile. "Oh, hello dear. Did you need anything?"

"Viera, may we... speak?" Talisa asked her quietly.

Viera knew that Talisa was a soft-spoken person most of the time, but she heard the tone of the smaller woman's voice and knew it was nothing like how she had spoken before. "Of course, Tali. Come in."

Viera stepped to the side and Talisa entered the room, and Viera closed the door and locked it. She went to sit on her bed and patted the spot next to her, and Talisa sat down next to her. "What is on your mind?" Viera asked her.

"I've been feeling... strange lately," Talisa replied, holding her hands in her lap, "I feel this strange feeling in my chest but it isn't bad and I feel a lump in my throat that I can hardly speak over. I have no idea what it is, and it... happens every time I think of you."

"Oh?" Viera's smile returned and she tilted her head a bit, "Can you explain what you feel when you are around me, other than that feeling in your chest?"

"I'm... happy. That is the main one. You've made me feel happiness like I've never felt before, and I will never be able to give you enough thanks for that. The comfort you have given me has made me feel... like a completely new person than what I used to feel about myself. Aurora has given me the affection and love of a mother with her child and Cronus is more of an older brother, but you... I can't explain it..."

"Hmmm... and the feeling in your chest?"

"I'm... not sure if I can explain that either," Talisa admitted and sighed a bit, "It feels like it... flutters, in a way. Every time I think of you, every time I am near you, I feel that in my chest a-and that lump s-starts to form in my throat like it is now..." Talisa gulped past the lump that had indeed grown and she looked into Viera's face, "I-I need to know wh-what this is, Viera. I-I can't-"

Talisa was silenced when Viera placed a finger to her lips. "Tali dear, take a moment and breath. We can speak for as long as you need to. I have gone through much of the same feelings before, before Zennia and I left Riverhelm."

"You have? Did you f-find out what the feeling was?"

Viera's smile grew and she chuckled softly. "It was love, dear. You just described how I felt when I spoke with the man that I first began to fall in love with."

Talisa's voice caught in her throat when she heard that. "I-I-Is that wh-what I am feeling?"

"Yes, it is."

"I'm... in l-love with you?"

"It certainly seems so. I have noticed your feelings for me for some time now," Viera said softly to the confused and blushing elf, "I never wished to mention anything to you, because I know you know nothing of being in an romantic relationship. I never wished to push you into something that could make you uncomfortable, but I never knew that this had been on your mind so much."

Talisa swallowed the dryness that grew in her throat and she looked down at the floor. "I-I don't know wh-what to do..."

Viera gently took Talisa's hand in her own, rubbing the top with her thumbs. "If it makes you feel better, I love you as well."

Talisa's eyes went wide and she looked back at Viera. "Y-you what?"

Viera giggled softly. "I love you, Tali. Since we have met, I've grown very attached to you and all I began to wish for was to give you the affection a young, beautiful woman like you deserves. I'm very glad that I was fortunate enough to meet you. I would be more than happy to return your love, if you wish to be with me.

"I... think I would love that."

Viera's smile grew when she heard the words leave Talisa's lips, and she removed her hands from the young elf's. She placed them on Talisa's shoulders and gently pulled her in close, and she softly kissed her on the forehead before wrapping her arms around Talisa in a comforting, warm hug. Talisa slowly put her arms around Viera's waist and returned the hug, and she felt a wave of emotions wash over her and tears began to fall from her eyes and down her cheeks, soaking into the robes Viera wore. Viera placed a hand to the back of Talisa's head and gently ran her fingers through her hair, and she just held Talisa close like that for several minutes.

Talisa slowly began to feel that feeling in her chest start to fade, and it was replaced by a comforting warmth. Before New Dawn, Talisa never truly knew what love was. She was hated for so long, and then she was alone for a bit longer before she finally met Aurora and Cronus. The platonic love they gave her was so comforting, and now this new love that she felt and learned about from Viera was something else entirely. It was... more than nice. It made her feel so good and now in Viera's arms, she felt rejuvenated. She felt a bit like a new person in a sense. It was an amazing feeling.

Viera took her arms from Talisa and pushed her back a bit, and looked into Talisa's eyes. Viera's warm smile returned and she placed her hands on the sides of Talisa's head. She wiped away the tears of happiness from Talisa's cheeks with her thumbs, and then she leaned in and place a soft kiss to Talisa's lips. They had shared kisses before in the heat of passion, but this one was different. This one had much more feeling than just carnal pleasure, and Talisa loved it.

The kiss soon ended and Viera placed another to Talisa's forehead. "I don't know how long I will live with this dragon blood inside me. I may live as long as a normal human, I may live as long as a dragon, or somewhere in between..." Viera spoke softly into Talisa's ear, "But, I do know this. I will stay with you as long as you will have me, and I will give you the love you deserve to have."

"Th-thank you, Viera..." Talisa murmured into Viera's shoulder, "I... love you."

"I love you as well, Tali."

Talisa's life was filled with so much pain and strife. Overcoming the treatment she had received from her birth family and setting out on her own were the worst and hardest moments of her life respectively. But, it all led to the best moments of her life with finding her new family, finding the blade of her ancestor and earning the last name of that ancestor and her blessing to use Eagle's Splendor, and she had discovered what love was with the help of Viera Aria. To see the look on everyone's faces if she strolled back into her birth home with tattoos marring her skin and with her old family's ancestral blade would be so satisfying, but she could do without it. She was happy with her life with her new family, and now she was happy with her new and first significant other.

That was all that mattered.

[ofsvnlightt]

it’s been a while since i’ve done one of these! update for jester

her memories were up through episode 130 but now they’ll be from 136! instead of doing an in character self para, i’m just going to do bullet points this time. it’s still going to be a very long post though. 🤷‍♀️ 

also, a quick note, i loved using amanda arcuri as jester’s fc because of her blue hair but she had minimal resources and she looked too young for how i picture jester. so now she’s back to laura harrier, who i’ve used previously. and despite her being brunette, jester still has blue hair!! :)

jester’s updated memories, aka a walk through 6 episodes of critical role:

short version:

currently ahead of the tomb takers, the mighy nein arrive at a secret entrance lucien had mentioned and begin their way into another section of the aeoran ruins. setting a trap, they successfully ambush the tomb takers, killing 3 of the 5. lucien and cree get away and now they’re chasing them...again, instead of being ahead like they were.  finally catching up, lucien opens a portal to the astral sea. him and cree jump in, threshold crests in hand, and begin floating toward the cognoza ward. beginning to fight but ultimately avoiding a huge water elemental, the nein also make it through the portal in pursuit of the two remaining members of the tomb takers. they need to stop them from bringing this section of aeor back to the material plane.

loooong version: numbers in parentheses are the ep numbers  

so, where we last left off, the nein were bedding down for the night in caduceus’ home, the blooming grove. (130)

the next morning, caleb teleports the nein to eiselcross. magic is tricky here due to the ruins of aeor, but luckily, they’re only about two days away from their target, the vurmas outpost, where essek is located. (131)

they make it there without issue, and recruit essek for their trip into some of the ruins as well as their eventual fight against lucien and the tomb takers. 

making it to lucien’s secret entrance (thanks to the wildmother) the nein begin their trek into the depths of aeor to try to beat lucien to whatever he’s planning to do to bring the cognoza ward back.

 they almost immediately get attacked by 3 undead ice giants. (132) but they make it out alive, killing two and turning one into a sloth.

as they continue their journey and after some yasha/veth hijinks, they’re still down hp but run into some more monsters, behirs. they defeat them too though. (132/133)

continuing, they come upon a portion of the city. with invisibility from veth and flight from caleb, caduceus checks it out.

finding it safe, the rest of the nein make their way to the center of this ruin, an amphitheater. there, they find a blue dome, with people on the inside, still. frozen in time.

there’s nothing they can do, unable to find the root of the spell or whatever made the dome, so they continue on their way. after a lot of discussion of how to ambush the tomb takers since they’re ahead of them, they back track a little and set a bunch of traps. juster casts the symbol spell halfway down a cliffside, and just below, caleb, beau, and essek set 3 intuit charges.

they then go into caleb’s tower and jester prepares a hero’s feast so they’re ready for the tomb taker’s arrival. caleb takes watch (through frumpkin) outside of the tower but out of range of the intuit charges; everyone else sleeps in the tower, but in the foyer together instead of in their rooms. 

about 5 hours into their night’s rest though, essek gets word from the rangers hidden outside the ruins that there are 5 figures approaching - the tomb takers.

fjord orders to engage, hoping to slow them down a little so the nein can get a full rest. they don’t however. caleb is notified via frumpkin disappearing that the intuit charges went off so he dispels the tower, popping everyone out and waking them up.

they all rush to the location of the charges seeing 3/5 tomb takers unconscious, lucien and cree the only ones standing.

out of frustration and self preservation, cree dimension doors the two of them away.

fjord, yasha, and veth take final blows on the 3 unconscious tomb takers to super make sure they’re dead and can’t come back. veth shoots one through the mouth with her crossbow, yasha and fjord decapitate the other two. (133/134)

the nein then make their way back to the ruin from the day before, following a blood trail left by cree. 

when the trail runs dry momentarily, they continue on their way through the destroyed city. beau and veth scout ahead, coming back to report that they saw bodies of some strange aeoran creatures.

they all backtrack once again, checking out the amphitheater. essek is unable to ascertain anything about the dome as well. finding a somewhat still put together body, caduceus casts speak with dead on an aeor citizen. (ooc: they gain some important information but nothing necessary for how i’m playing jester.)

veth then inspects an automaton that was near the dome. using a scavenged gem from much earlier in the nein’s explorations of the aeoran ruins, she inserts it into the robot, bringing him to life. he’s very damaged and can’t walk, but can speak. jester offers to carry him on her back. caduceus names him charlie.

the group making it to where veth and beau were before, they all see the carnage of the battle that was done here, most likely by lucien and cree. 

stealthily going past it, they continue down the thoroughfare before coming to a wall or giant sheet of rock. following it to the left, beau finds an opening. walking through, they find more spatterings of blood, cree’s most likely. the tunnel opens into a chamber, with a pulsing spire in the middle of it. electrical. 

realizing they’ve been followed by a creature similar to the ones they’d seen earlier, that’d been killed by lucien and cree - an aeoran reverser, they run into the electric chamber and caleb casts globe of invulnerability.  from one of the other hallways, they’re greeted by another experiment, an aeoran absorber. 

they fight the creatures and slay them all, making it out alive. coming to some doors that charlie believes is to the genesis ward, the group lay outside them and take a much needed rest.

before going to sleep, jester scrys on cree. her and lucien are patching themselves up. she curls into a ball (as a cat does, she’s a tabaxi) and rests while lucien, who doesn’t need sleep, takes watch.

waking up, beau and caleb both have a third eye marking - beau’s on her chest, caleb’s on his left palm. (135)

approaching the doors, veth and fjord try to open one but a hinge snaps and it gets stuck. yasha and jester then try, successfully getting the door open. entering, the nein see before them, a wide open area, much like previous places within the ruins they’ve seen. 

however, in the center, this section of the city curves upward, as if there was an explosion of some sort from underground.

beau climbs the crater and looks down, seeing partially ruined and sheered off remnants of a subterranean city.

they all climb up to be with beau and looking down, jester sees a room just a few levels down that looks familiar from her scry.

using rope to climb down into the crater, everyone stops on the first level where there is a records room. caleb is in heaven. yasha and essek stay behind with him while the rest move on.

jester leading the way, they rest begin to climb down to the room she recognizes, but they stop on the next floor down as the rope begins to fray.

when the other three finish, caleb begins to climb down the rope, not knowing it’s somewhat compromised, and it snaps. he casts polymorph, turning himself into a bird, thus making it the rest of the way fine. essek floats down (that’s like his thing), and yasha bamfs out her wings, flying herself down. she then carries everyone down to the third level, the one they want to be on, as said by jester.

they walk down the hallway and come to a chamber where there are three rooms. one reads repair terminal. they take charlie there to fix him, setting him inside a tube. it closes and when it opens, what was once a damaged, half-robot, is now a fully functional one. he introduces himself as devexian.

fjord asks about threshold crests, mentioning the astral sea, and he tells them to go to b9. within the immensus gate, that’s where the planar tethers are. he leaves, wanting to try to recover any allies

exiting the repair terminal, the nein head into the rejuvenation experimentation room. there, they find two tubes, one is damaged. fjord goes into the undamaged one and as a gem glows at the bottom of the tube, he gains the benefits of a long rest. essek ascertains that dunamancy is at work here and takes the gem from the damaged tube and gives it to caleb, for later use.

going back into the central chamber, they are crossed with another creature - this one an aeoran nullifier. a battle begins.

another creature shows up mid fight, but caduceus banishes it. finishing off the nullifier, the nein run back to the entrance (the crater) and since they have no rope, some use fly and others feather fall  (via veth) to float down to level b9, hot on the trail of lucien and cree.

coming to b9, they all land into rushing water. something from far ahead is causing this stream of sorts. (136)

beginning to move forward, beau notices that the shadows aren’t as intense as they used to be. one of the eye markings has given her (and caleb) darkvision. they also now have true sight (can see through illusions) and can speak to others and each other telepathically. 

caleb also reveals that during jester’s scry the night before, sprinkle was chittering in her ear. during this ritual, artagan usually appears to help her out, but this time, even though he was, only sprinkle could be seen. this means that sprinkle has been artagan (almost) the whole time!!!! he’s been inhabiting him. artie then appears and explains that he wanted to be close to jester ever since the iron shepherds incident. (ep 26)

continuing down the hall they come to a closed door labeled t-dock project. opening the door, jester, yasha, and caleb walk down the lead-lined hallway into a small room. investigating it for a little bit, yasha grabs essek, and him and caleb check out the runic circle in the middle of the room. the symbols are a combination of both transmutation and dunamancy. they deduce (with help from journals in the room) that it was used for temporal alteration - aka, time travel.

while the group is semi-split up with some in this chamber, the connecting hallway, and the main hallway, veth and fjord hear (and fjord can see) a monster jump down to their level. after some chaotic planning, the group decides to just walk away and not engage with the monster. 

continuing down the main hallway, stealthily now as to not alert to monster, they come to two more rooms. beau investigates. one in labeled kitchen, the other common area. she sees two aeoran absorbers napping in the kitchen, so she let’s the others know and they head toward the common area. entering, caleb approaches a plaque that reads immensus hall, but gets too close to an unseen intuit charge, setting it off. a trap set by lucien and a taste of their own medicine.

the blast also injures and awakens the absorbers. deciding to run instead of fight, the nein enter the immensus hall and caleb puts up a wall of force to keep the two absorbers and the other monster out. it works to their benefit and the creatures fight each other instead.

descending down some stairs, the water has gotten deeper and underneath, beau spots two more intuit charges. caleb uses dispel magic to disarm them.

seeing another threshold into another room, veth invisibly stealths ahead. entering the room, she sees a ring pillar on a raised platform and two figures darting around the pillar. within the ring is a crackling blue line - the source of the water. she returns to everyone else and tells them.

beau and caleb hear lucien in their minds (he can speak telepathically too....he has nine eyes, where as beau and caleb have 3) saying that he’s set up precautions (intuit charges) but he’d like to chat first.

[enter villain monologue]

cree inserts a tuning rod, lucien lifts a lever, and the thin crackling line opens enough to let out a mass of water. she switches out the rods and lifts the lever once more, the new portal fully opening to the astral sea.

lucien invites them to follow, but as they begin chase, a huge water elemental forms from the last rush of water lucien let out. the group fights a little bit but ultimately circumvents the elemental and jumps through the portal

jester’s the last one and as she jumps through, the elemental grabs her, but with a clutch mage hand move by veth, she pulls the lever on the other side of the portal, closing it and severing the hold the elemental had on jester.

and now they begin/continue their pursuit of cree and lucien, now floating in the astral sea. next stop: the cognoza ward, to stop the two remaining members of the tomb takers in setting the threshold crests and bringing it to the material plane.

and that’s where episode 136 ends! i could’ve/should’ve just gone to 138 to have her memories fully caught up, but we’re close to the climax of this current arc and so much is going to happen in the coming week(s), that i didn’t want to do that. and look at how long this is!!! it’s 52 bullet points and it would be at least 20 more if i added two more episodes.... so i think this is okay for now. :)

if you read all this, snaps and hats off to you. ily

[crazyfreckledginger]

Hideyoshi Toyotomi x Reader - “Illusioned Cheater”

When you catch Hideyoshi kissing another woman, you don’t have the courage to go up to him and confront him. For the next few days, you can’t seem to find it in your broken heart to even look at him. After evade him as well as you could, Hideyoshi picks up that something is wrong and finds a way to talk to you, but will you ever be able to hear his side of the story?

Requested by anon: “Can you do a Hideyoshi one where, MC sees Hideyoshi kissing another women and then ignores and avoids Hideyoshi until the next day.  Then he tells her that the women kissed him and then they spend the rest of night kissing and cuddling. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to :)”

A/N: Hope you like it! ^^

“What’s with the sour face, lass?” The girl caught Masamune’s eye, her shoulders were slumped, her hair in her face and staring at the ground.

“...nothing,” she grumbled.

“It doesn’t look like nothing,” he snorted.

“Where is that puppy face I always see you wearing? And however far could it have gone?” Mitsuhide’s teasing voice chuckled behind the woman.

“Seriously, why do you seem so depressed hmm?” Masamune poked her side. 

“It’s nothing!” she slapped his hand away and glared at the snake -- who only gave a loud laugh.

“We’re not going to stop unless you tell us~” the dragon expressed in a sing song voice. 

A frustrated sigh escaped her lips as her jaw clenched, before mentally preparing herself for what she was about to share. 

“Fine, it keeps putting me on edge how he always goes to town and swarmed by women,” a small groan escaped her.

“Why does it mean so much to you?” Masamune raised a questioning eyebrow at her. 

“You spend your entire life around women yet you can’t understand a single aspect of them -- and it’s common sense?” 

“It seems our little seamstress is worried she will get replaced if Hideyoshi finds someone better than her,” Mitsuhide hummed, pleased.

“Someone better. No way, Hideyoshi is too stubborn and he loves (Y/N) too much, there is no one better in his eyes.” The eye-patched warlord scoffed. The woman’s eyes lit up at the revelation.

“He said that to you?” the question came out as a small whisper.

“Says that? That’s all he ever talks about when it isn’t duty or konpeito stealing from Lord Nobunaga!” his eye twinkled like it was the most obvious thing in the universe.  

“I never thought I would find your delighted expression so satisfying,” Mitsuhide whispered. 

The girl blushed, knowing fully well he had no intention of keeping that thought to himself despite him expressing it ‘discreetly’. 

“I-I need to go,” the girl stood up and rushed outside, not wanting to show a slowly growing smile on her face. 

Her body leaned against the screen as soon as it shut close. The faintest of chuckles escaped her before she walked back towards Hideyoshi’s mansion.

It was past midday and there was a very high chance that he was heading home as well, maybe their paths would meet?

****

Hideyoshi could practically feel himself falling asleep as he walked through the market, giving a lazy smile to the women that turned to look his way.

“Good afternoon Hideyoshi!” 

“Would you like some tea?” 

“It’s been a while, have you received my letter?” 

“We should catch up sometimes, it’s been too long!” 

As much as he appreciated how interested the women were in getting to know him, he just wanted to get into bed and cuddle with (Y/N).

“Hello, Hideyoshi,” a close voice snapped him out of his dream.

“Hm? Oh, good day,” he greeted the maid that was also heading to the mansion. She walked beside him, starting up conversation.

“You don’t mind if I join you, do you?” the woman gave a curt bow. As much as he hated to admit it, he really wanted to walk alone just to make a beeline to his mansion and back to the love of his life, but he couldn’t be impolite.

“Of course,” he offered her a small smile and the pair walked in silence for a bit. 

When the man would be rejuvenated, he would scold himself for not having tried to make conversation -- even just not wanting to speak to anyone on his way home.

“Sooo, erm,” she cleared her throat as the gates came into view, “do you have a lot of work? You deserve a day off,” 

“That’s sweet of you, but I need to keep doing my duty to serve my Lord,” the vassal voiced.

“Oh, I see, well, I hope you manage to make time for yourself, and maybe we could see each other again?” the question seemed suspiciously forceful, but he was tired, of course it was his imagination.

After more lopsided conversation: the maid rambling on and Hideyoshi, despite paying attention, nodding and agreeing with what she had to say -- they arrived at the grand doors leading inside the manor. 

Since she came from the west wing of the castle, (Y/N) held a few rolls of fabric in her arms, a few hallways away from them that gave into an interior pond -- and she needed to walk right past them to get back to their room. 

“Well, I’m guessing this is where we part,” Hideyoshi scratched his neck, not knowing what to do. 

“Yeah, I guess,” her eyes fell to the floor for a second before she stared into his deeply. The sound of footsteps grew and quickly, she cupped his jaw and pressed her lips to his. 

Despite his exhaustion, he was quick to react, gripping one of her shoulders, not enough to hurt her but sufficiently for him as he peeled her off harshly. 

It wasn’t fast enough however, (Y/N) was frozen at the end of the hallway, mouth slightly agape and eyes full of shock as she nearly dropped what she was holding. 

“See you soon, Hideyoshi,” the maid walked away, having locked eyes with the couple. 

The man gulped, understanding precisely what it would have looked to her.

“(Y/N),” he called out. As soon as he uttered her name, however, she had rushed away, completely vanishing.

*****

“Someone is in a bad mood,” Ieyasu grumbled.

“I’m not in a bad mood, we just need to sort out this revolt before it gets out of hand.” 

“You sure you’re not just becoming more annoying?” The blood sighed. 

“Isn’t it hypocritical to scold us for overworking but yet here you are?” Masamune chuckled. Nobunaga watched, an amused smirk on his face.

“He is right, what is (Y/N) going to say?” his lord spoke. Hideyoshi looked away, trying to find the right words. 

“Oh my, is your gloomy expression and unusual behaviour our princess’ doing? What happened yesterday?” Akechi wore a smug grin when he perceived his fellow vassal lightly tense. 

“What is wrong, Lord Hideyoshi?” Mitsunari inquired. The One-Eyed Dragon placed his chin on his hand as his elbow rested on his leg. 

“No.” Masamune and Mitsuhide turned to their lord and the latter knew exactly what they were silently asking for.

“Hideyoshi, I order you to share what is happening with (Y/N).” 

“She’s doing everything she can to avoid me.” he shared begrudgingly, “because a maid caught me by surprise and kissed me and (Y/N) happened to walk by.” 

“Is that why you sent the maid home?” The most suspicious warlord in the room asked rhetorically.

“Yes- Why do you know so much about us?” Nobunaga’s right hand man gaped at him. 

“I know what can be done,” The Devil King chuckled.

****

“Nobunaga wants to see me?” (Y/N) tilted her head in confusion.

“Yes, Lady (Y/N).” the maid nodded before exiting her old room before she moved in with Hideyoshi, she just needed space. 

After making herself look presentable, her feet guided her to Nobunaga’s chambers, the woman only hoped he wouldn’t voice his advances, it always made her very uncomfortable. 

Especially since there was little to nothing stopping him from getting  what he wants.

“It’s (Y/N),” the woman informed after knocking.

“Enter,” his grave voice ordered. She did as she was told, meeting his sight. After bowing and moving towards the middle of the room, Hideyoshi appeared and her heart dropped.

Why did he get in the middle of this?

“You have some clearing up to do.” The Lord placed a hand on her shoulder and gazed deeply into her eyes before walking out of his room. 

(Y/N) didn’t look at Hideyoshi, she found the ground much more fascinating.

“I know what that looked like, and if I was more awake, I would have seen what she was about to do earlier, I’m sorry any of that happened-”

“Where is she now?” the question came out so softly, Toyotomi’s heart clenched painfully.

“I sent her home, I don’t want her doing that to anyone else, I don’t... want to see her face and, I don’t want anyone to stay here that would make you unhappy,” he explained, gazing at the floor in shame.

“Why was Nobunaga involved in this?” her attention finally returned to him.

“I didn’t want them to get involved.”

“Them?” 

“They peeled the information out of me, they said I looked lost and despite my protests, they insisted to help me.”

“That bad huh?” a sad and confused chuckle escaped her “I’m sorry, for avoiding you.” 

“What? You’re not at fault, you have nothing to be sorry about, I should be the one to-” she closed the distance between them and her fingers pressed against his lips.

“Stop blaming yourself for everything,” hesitantly, he held her.

“But I-” 

“No no, you’re blaming yourself for not anticipating that maid... kissing you but the fact is, she was the one at fault, not you, so apology not accepting. Now let me apologise properly, I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions and avoided you for nearly two days. I know you wouldn’t do this to me and such, but I got jealous of everyone loving you when you go in town and-” a frustrated sigh escaped her as she placed her cheek against his chest.

“It’s foolish of me.” His fingers curled around her chin to avert her eyes to his. They were so close, their noses were nearly touching.

“Nothing like this is foolish, please tell me next time so I can avoid you having these negative feelings.”

“I don’t want you going out of your way for something so stupid.”

“It’s not stupid to me, you do the same for me.” He gave her such a gentle smile that she only now realised how depressed she’d been without him. 

Dipping down, he captured her lips into a sweetly passionate kiss. 

“I love you,” she murmured against him.

“I love you too,” he pecked her lips, “let’s go home, I miss the warmth of your body.”

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Hoag paid off the authorities to get away prosecution, however eventually paid the rate for being also creative when he tried to reduce the police out of the offer, resulting in the pair's arrest. In explaining Hoag at the time, the police were allegedly the initial to use the 'wise aleck' expression.

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The basis of the definition is that Adam, being the first guy ever, and also therefore the farthest eliminated from anybody, symbolizes a male that any person is least likely to know. Out of passion, an 'off ox' would have been the monster drawing the cart on the side farthest from the motorist, and for that reason much less recognized than the 'near ox'. This expansion to the expression was American; the 'off ox' as well as various other expansions such as Adam's brother or Adam's foot, are just created to exaggerate the distance of the acquaintance.

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The above usage of the 'black Irish' expression is perhaps supported since it was also a term given to a former servant who took on the name of an Irish proprietor. Whether this was in Ireland, the West Indies, or in other places is not clear, and in any event is not likely to have been the primary derivation of the expression provided various other more common aspects. containers - eyeglasses, or the eyes - an easy reducing of words field glasses, initially appeared in English c. 1930, potentially from the armed forces or London, for which this sort of short-form slang would certainly have been normal. almanac - diary - either or both from the Arabic 'al manac' indicating 'the journal' and/or from Saxon term 'al-mon-aght' suggesting 'all moon follow', which was the record of new as well as full moons. Cohen suggests the beginning dates back to 1840s New york city City defrauder Aleck Hoag, who, with his wife posing as a prostitute, would certainly burglarize the consumers.

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Dosh appears to have originated in this form in the US in the 19th century, and afterwards reappeared in a lot more preferred use in the UK in the mid-20th century. doss-house - harsh resting accommodation - the term is from Elizabethan England when 'doss' was a straw bed, from 'dossel' meaning package of straw, in turn from the French 'file' meaning package. Before c. 13th century the word was dyker, from Latin 'decuria' which was a trading system of ten, initially utilized for pet hides. dead pan - expressionless - from the 1844 rhyme (' The Dead Pan') by Elizabeth Browning which told that at the time of the crucifixion the cry 'Terrific Frying pan is dead' swept across the ocean, and 'the responses of the oracles ceased for ever before'. dandelion - wild flower/garden weed - from the French 'dent de lyon', indicating 'lion's tooth', due to the jagged shape of the dandelion's fallen leaves. According to Chambers the plant's name came into English in the late 1300s originally as French 'dent-de-lyon', progressing with dandelyon, additionally generating the surname Daundelyon, before reaching its present English kind.

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Names of blossoms are amongst numerous other usual English words which came into English from French in the late middle-ages, the reason for which is discussed in the 'pardon my French' beginning. In much of the expression's common usage the meanings seem to converge, in which the hybrid 'really feel' is just one of domination/control/intimacy in return for payment/material reward/safety/protection. Using the expression as a straight insult, where the significance is to examine an individual's parentage, is found, but this would not have actually been the beginning, and also is a much more current retrospectively used definition. dachshund - short-legged dog - the dog was initially a German breed made use of for hunting badgers. Words appears to have pertained to England in the last 19th century. cop/copper - police officer - Some recommend this is a phrase from 'Constable On Patrol' however this is a retrospectively applied description.

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The allusions to floating on air and also 'being high' obviously fit the cloud allegory as well as would have made the expression naturally very appealing, especially in the context of alcohol and drugs. See for fun as well as even more weather interests the weather condition test on this web site.

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The 'bottoms up' expression then normally referred to looking for the King's shilling at the bottom of the flask. If you recognize anything more regarding the origins of "throw me a bone" - particularly the expression taking place in a language aside from English, please inform me. The flag is a blue rectangle with a solid white rectangular shape in the center; 'peter' is from the French, 'partir' suggesting 'to leave'. In addition,, heaven and white 'blue peter' flag is a basic nautical signal flag which stands for the letter 'P'. The letter 'P' is connected with the word 'peter' in lots of phonetic alphabets, consisting of those of the English as well as American military, as well as it is feasible that this phonetic language organization was affected by the French 'partir' origin.

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ciao - Italian greeting or farewell, and also typical English colloquialism meaning 'goodbye' - noticable 'chow', is derived from Italian words 'schiavo vosotro' indicating 'I am your slave'. Chambers and also OED are clear in showing the earlier Latin complete type of 'carnem levare', from medieval Latin 'carnelevarium', and that the derivation of the 'val' element is 'doing away with' or 'getting rid of', as well as not 'saying goodbye, as some recommend. OED as a matter of fact states that the connection with Latin 'vale', as if claiming 'goodbye to flesh' results from 'preferred' etymology. by and large - generally/vaguely/one way or one more - one of a number of maritime terms; 'typically' literally implied 'to the wind as well as off it'.

An additional analysis, and also certainly a belief when held by some, is that sneezing expelled ghouls from an individual's body. A contributory element was the organization of sneezing with the Black Death which ravaged England as well as specifically London in the 14th as well as 17th centuries. In more current times the expression has been connected to the misconception that sneezing creates the heart to stop beating, further strengthening the Bless You personalized as a protective superstitious notion. blarney - persuasive yet vacant words - from the spoken laziness tactics of Cormack MacCarthy, 1602, in holding the castle of Blarney in Ireland, near Cork, despite consenting to commend the English as component of the surrender terms.

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Keep in mind that a wind is described according to where it comes from not where it's mosting likely to. Sailing 'by' a South wind would suggest cruising essentially in a South instructions - 'to the wind'. box and die/whole/hole box and pass away - see see 'entire box and die' feasible meanings and beginnings listed below. Bars and also drinkers familiarized this method as well as the customized of alcohol consumption from glass-bottom flagons began.

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[chiseler]

VISAGE... VOICE... VITAPHONE

In Dimitri Kirsanoff's Menilmontant a destitute waif, betrayed and abandoned by the man who seduced her, sits on a park bench with her newborn infant. Beside her is an old man eating a sandwich. This wordless exchange is one of the greatest moments ever committed to film. Nadia Sibirskaia’s face reveals all of life’s cruel mysteries as she gazes upon a crust of bread.

The persistence of hope is the dark angel that underlies despair, and here it taunts her mercilessly. A whole series of fluctuations of expression and movement in reaction to anguish, physical pain involving hesitation, dignity, ravenous hunger, survival, self-contempt, modesty, boundless gratitude. All articulated with absolute clarity without hitting notes (without touching the keys). Chaplin could have played either the old man on the bench (his mustache is a sensory device!) or Nadia. And it would have been masterful and deeply affecting, but Nadia went beyond virtuosity and beyond naturalism.

She made it actual. And it was more than just a face. Sunlight travels across buildings at every second of the day; and the seasons change the incidence of light, too. Nothing stands still. Even déjà vu doesn’t attempt an exact rendition with the feel of a perfect replay.

***

Another face equates with pain—though a far more luxurious and decadent kind of pain, a visage summoning leftover ancient Roman excess or Florentine backstreets, the contortions of Art Nouveau with its flowers, prismatic walls and perennial themes of ripeness/rottenness, sadomasochism. While various directors have helped mold her naturally unsettling screen presence into nightmare visions, it’s Barbara Steele's vulnerability I tend to remember.

She is open and sensitive even as she materializes in the viewer’s mind as a kabuki demon one moment and a radioactive waxwork the next, a kind of alchemical transformation, an appeal to what Keats called negative capability—one’s ability to appreciate something without wholly understanding it; in fact, one’s ability to appreciate an object for its mystery.

“When did I ever deserve this dark mirror?” Barbara Steele asks me. “Clever you – I feel you’ve just twisted and wrung out an old bible to dry that’s been left somewhere outside lost in timeless years of…” She pauses. “…of rain.”

She made her Italian screen debut as a revenant.  And in so doing taught us all the eye is not a camera. It’s a projector.

Barbara Steele’s appearance in 1960’s Black Sunday is, even now, a shock of such febrile sexuality that it forces us to ask ourselves—why do we saddle her with diminishing monikers like “Scream Queen”? And, more fundamentally, why does her force of personality seem to trouble and vex every narrative she touches?

Of course, the answer is partly grounded in Steele’s unique physical equipment—and here I’ll risk repeating a clichéd word about those famous emerald eyes of hers: “Otherworldly.” As if sparked to life by silent-film magician Segundo de Chomón, the supreme master of hand-tinted illusionism. Peculiar even within the context of gothic tales on celluloid for the consumption of Mod audiences, flashing at us from well beyond their allotted time and place in history.

Barbara Steele is one of cinema’s true abominations—a light-repelling force that presents itself in an arrangement of shadows on the screen. No “luminary,”Steele is celluloid anti-matter; a slow burning black flame that devours every filament around it. Steele’s beauty is no accident of nature, even if she is, but in Black Sunday she gives a virtuoso performance by an artist in full command of her talent summoning and banishing it in equal measure in her dual role as mortal damsel in distress and undead predator released from her crypt. Filmmaking is the darkest and unholiest of arts (done right, that is), and for Mario Bava it becomes the invocation of beast and woman from the unconsecrated soil of nightmares. Steele remains the high priestess of the unlit and buried chambers of the imagination; the pure pleasure center of original sin and the murderous impulse buried just below the surface. She reminds us that existence itself is the highest form of betrayal and a continuing curse on us all.

Where Steele’s Italian films are concerned, we are watching silent movies of a sort. “The loss of voice for me has always been devastating…. It’s almost like some karmic debt…” Her sonic presence was eclipsed in a string of crudely, sadly dubbed horror vehicles, yes, including Black Sunday—no doubt aficionados of the great Mario Bava will object to my calling it a “vehicle.”  But whenever Steele appears, the storyline falls away. Anachronism rules. Not to mention the director’s exquisite sets, all keyed and subordinated to his ingénue’s stark loveliness (understood in black and white, molded by Italian cameramen into disquieting and sudden plasticity). Like a hot-blooded funerary sculpture made of alabaster, raven hair piled high, Steele’s already imposing height summons schizoid power, satanic sorcery—she’s Eros and Thanatos dynamically balanced. I’ve screened the film many times; and the famous opening sequence invariably leaves my otherwise jaded film students looking traumatized. (Just as a young Martin Scorsese was shattered by it once upon a time.) Barbara Steele’s defiant witch, spewing a final curse upon her mortal judges, pierces to the bone.

While Italian movies robbed Steele of her voice, they liberated her from what it had meant in Britain. Leading ladies in Brit films tended to be well brought-up young things, unless they were lusty and working-class like Diana Dors. Even at Hammer, where sexuality was unleashed regularly via bouts of vampirism, the erotically active roles usually went to continental lovelies (Polish immigrant Ingrid Pitt got her work permit based on Hammer’s claim that no native-born actress could exude such desire and desirability). Steele turns up all-too briefly in Basil Dearden’s Sapphire (1959) as an art school girl, the only kind of role that might allow for both intelligence and a certain liberated attitude. And Steele really was exactly that type. Her appearance is so arresting, you want the movie to simply abandon its plot and follow her into some fresh storyline: it wouldn’t really matter what.

In Italy, Steele suddenly became class-less and nation-less, devoid of associations beyond those conjured by the chiseled cheekbones and enormous eyes (convincingly replaced with poached eggs by Bava for a special effects shot). Her inescapable exoticism didn’t make sense in her native land, but that bone structure could suggest Latin, Slavic, or anything else. Omninational, omnisexual, but definitely carnivorous.

Generally remote with his actors, who were nothing more than compositional elements to him, Bava’s capricious move of selecting his female lead from a magazine photo-spread looks almost prescient in hindsight. Was it luck? Or, perhaps her now legendary eyes suggested a bizarre and beautiful leitmotif… to be destroyed, resurrected, and played endlessly on a register of emotions—extreme emotions, that is, tabooed delights.

Steele shares an anecdote about her director’s temperament and working methods on Black Sunday… “Everything was so meticulously planned that Bava rarely asked me for multiple takes. There was no sense of urgency or drama, which was rare for an Italian director…” I’m suddenly detecting deep ambivalence as she vacillates between little jabs at Bava (“He was a Jesuit priest on the set, somewhere far away”) and gratitude. “There was a tremendous feeling of respect, whereas in my earliest roles at Rank I always felt shoved around, practically negated by the pressure of production.

“Bava did go absolutely berserk once,” she goes on. “John Richardson, this gorgeous, sinewy creature, for some reason couldn’t carry me across the room. And I was like eleven pounds in those days. We had to do it over and over, twenty times or something, and whenever John stumbled or dropped me, the whole crew would be in hysterics. We were all howling with laughter, except for Bava – he went simply wild! Eventually, some poor grip had to get down on all fours, and I rode on his back in a chair with John pretending to carry me.”

If Black Sunday is a summation of spiritual and physical dread, it’s because Steele is everyone in this dream-bauble, everyone and everywhere, an all-consuming autumnal atmosphere. Which, of course, provides Mario Bava with something truly rare—a face and mien as unsettling as horror films always claim to be and almost never are. The devastation she leaves behind, her anarchic displacement, which has nothing to do with conventional notions of performance or “good acting,” is hard to describe. And here Bava earns his label of genius through compositional meaning—amid the groundswells of fog, lifeless trees and gloomy dungeons, Steele is an absence impossibly concretized in penumbras and voids. She is a force of nature never to be repeated.

Nightmare Castle (1965) starts off in Lady Chatterley mode as Steele cheats on her mad scientist husband (“At this rate you’ll wipe out every frog in the entire county,” is an opening line less pithy but more arresting than “Rosebud”) with the horny handyman. She’s soon murdered on an electrified bed, hubby preserving her heart for unexplained reasons while using her blood to rejuvenate his mistress. Then he marries her insipid blonde half sister (Steele again in a blonde wig) and tries to drive her mad. So we now have Gaslight merged with Poe and every revenge-from-the-grave story ever.

The identical twin half-sisters (?) bifurcate further: blonde Barbara goes schizoid, possessed it seems by her departed semi-sibling. Dark Barbara comes back as a very corporeal revenant, hair occluding one profile, like Phil Oakey of the Human League. Tossing the locks aside, she reveals… the horror!

Almost indescribable in terms of plot, character or dialogue, the film looks stunning, as chiaroscuro as Steele’s coal-black hair and snow-white skin. Apparently the product of monkey-typewriter improvisation, the story serves as a kind of post-modern dream-jumble of every Gothic narrative ever. You might get a story like this if you showed all of Steele’s horrors to a pissed-up grade-schooler and then asked them to describe the film they just saw. As a result, the movie really takes what Dario Argento likes to call the “non-Cartesian” qualities of Italian horror to the next dank, stone-buttressed level.

When I first met Barbara Steele about ten years ago, we somehow found ourselves sitting in front of a Brancusi sculpture here in New York City—I remember a filmmaker acquaintance joking afterwards: “Steele beats bronze!” Indeed, at 66 she was still stunningly beautiful, flirtatious, frighteningly aware of the power of her stare.

She was a painter in her youth, so it’s not surprising that, even as I visualize her in a voluptuous, cinematic world of castles and blighted landscapes, her own self-image is perennially absorbed by art—in the sense of André Malraux’s Museum Without Walls. She asks me to show her my paintings and when I dodge the subject out of shyness she offers:

A friend of mine just had a show of his art in a little cinema here – very small paintings, about 8 inches by 6 – and then they projected them onto one of their screens and they looked fantastic!  Size is everything!   Unless you were born in the Renaissance… then you were surrounded by silence and stone walls, shadows and glimmers of gold, and faces that are like spells they look so informed.

Steele speaks of her “old, suspicious Celtic soul,” her bitterness at having “flitted through movies par hazard,” and a newfound desire to make audio books (what colossal revenge!). It’s poetic really, this doppelganger, a ghost-like screen persona following her around. Whenever I think of the effect her movies have had on me, the following words by Charles Lamb leap to mind.

Gorgons and Hydras and Chimaeras – dire stories of Celaeno and the Harpies – may reproduce themselves in the brain of superstition – but they were there before. They are transcripts, types – the archetypes are in us, and eternal. How else should the recital of that which we know in a waking sense to be false come to effect us at all? Is it that we naturally conceive terror from such objects, considered in their capacity of being able to inflict upon us bodily injury? O, least of all! These terrors are of older standing. They date beyond body – or without the body, they would have been the same… That the kind of fear here treated is purely spiritual – that it is strong in proportion as it is objectless on earth, that it predominates in the period of our sinless infancy – are difficulties the solution of which may afford some probable insight into our ante-mundane condition, and a peep at least into the shadowland of pre-existence.

Even the wooliest metaphysics can be hard to separate from actual violence. Case in point: the night of September 22, 1796. Charles Lamb had his own brush with horror, when the future poet and author of children’s stories found himself removing a bloody knife from his sister’s hand. A spasm of matricidal rage that would land her in a mad house—and tending to prove, once again, the need for genres of terror and trepidation.  For a moment at least, Steele seems to agree, bowled over by the Lamb anecdote, literally screaming: “AND THAT NAME – LAMB – IT MAKES YOU THINK OF SUCH INNOCENT BRITISH LANDSCAPES!”  She’s a fairly solitary and introspective person on the one hand, capable of intense and unexpected eruptions of joy on the other, which may be why Italians have always embraced her—a shared gloomy zest for life, fatalism and pasta. There’s something intensely porous about her (as porous as film itself), which helps clarify her otherwise inscrutable tension with that shadow-self up on the screen, the one she so busily downgrades.

***

The thirties bustled with wise-cracking, fast-talking dames, probably not for any proto-feminist reason, but simply because the writers had a surplus of sassy talk to dispense onto the screen, and audiences liked looking at legs, so why not combine the two? Amid all the petite peroxide pretties, a few acerbic character actresses were allowed room, perhaps to make the cuties bloom all the more radiantly against them. Whatever the aesthetic logic, we can be grateful for it, since it gave us Ruth Donnelly and Winnie Lightner and Jean Dixon and a few other unforgettable shrews and wiseacres, adept as stage mothers, streetwise best pals of the leading lady, etc.

Aline MacMahon sort of fits into this category, but also destroys any category she sees with her laser vision. In Gold Diggers of 1933, she’s a Fanny Bryce type comedy showgirl, and in Heat Lightning (1934) she’s an ex-moll running a garage. In between, she played world-weary secretaries and put-upon mothers, taking any role and stealing the movie along with it. Rather than resist classification, she goes on the offensive, smashing down stereotypes and insisting on her own peculiar individuality.

Big and rangy in the body and hands, she had a strange, sculpted beauty, and was as luminous as Dietrich. Maybe more so: cameramen hit Marlene with brighter lights to make her shine out, whereas Aline was typically in the lead’s shadow. Her complexion is like the glass of milk in Suspicion in which Hitchcock planted a light bulb. That white. A sheet of paper passing before her face would appear as a dark eclipsing rectangle.

The law of photogenics insists that actresses hired to play the non-glamorous roles must be staggeringly lovely, but off-kilter and unconventional enough to fool the audience into thinking they’re seeing failed beauty. Aline’s unlikely photofit of attractive features resulted in a caricature of elegance and earthiness in precisely the wrong proportions, which makes her fascinating and alluring to watch.

The eyes are seriously big, saucers hooded by the heaviest lids since Karloff’s monster, resulting in long slits which strive to echo the even wider mouth, a perfectly straight line seemingly intent on decapitation. Like a horizon with lips. The chin cleft below catches the viewer by surprise. Were chin clefts on women more common then, or did studios screen in favor of them? The cheekbones have a graceful, yet powerful curve, so the face as a whole combines the qualities of an ice-cream baby and a crystal skull. All wrong, and alright with me.

Aline’s humor about her ill-assorted collection of perfect features was often played on in dialogue, so it’s pleasing when a role like the one in Heat Lightning admits that, for all her unlikeliness, she was indeed beautiful. More than a pretty face, too: her way with a snappy rejoinder distinguished her even in an era of exceptional wit and quicksilver delivery. And her essence, which radiated out whatever the role, was that of a philosophical, warm, smart, funny, sad woman: the essence of the age.

By Daniel Riccuito and David Cairns

[mrneighbourlove]

The Rising Sun: Ch 4. Uncertain Future

A month had passed and Malik’s town was finally in its final phase. Elite guards had been trained to protect the city, and a trading system with men had been set up. If you weren’t a Gerudo male, you needed a special pass to come into the town walls. Trading tents were set outside to have trade to those who couldn’t afford a pass.

Asakonigei was growing rather tired of the constant trips back and forth to the Gerudo town. She did not want to get behind in her work for Queen Zarazu and wanted to keep her family home upkept. Yet, at the same time, she wanted to be a good wife and honor Malik's request for some new weapons for the elite guards in the newly restored city. So, it was difficult, trying to manage the two lives. She felt exhausted, too tired to even eat the food in front of it... and not to mention, it smelled absolutely vile. The roasted chicken and spices had a rancid scent. The vegetables were too bland. Strawberry cake with whipped cream was her favorite dessert and she could not bring herself to take a bite. Pushing her plate away, Asakonigei wondered if she had worked herself into a state of sickness.

Malik finished addressing safety protocols with Gali to the Gerudo people on safe trade when he returned to his chambers with his wife. Seeing she didn’t even touch the bowl of soup, he frowned. “Don’t even like my own simple cooking? I’m worried about you.”

"It's nothing against you, Malik, I think maybe I'm just too tired to function." Asakonigei admitted to her husband. "There has been a lot of work lately and perhaps, my body is just telling me I need a break. Even my magic feels a little off." She held up the fork, watching it twist and contort into a various shape before returning to normal.

“Then rest. Zarazu and your cousins can sustain themselves for now, and you’ve done enough marvellous work for me in the time being.”

"Are you going to join me?" Asakonigei took the cozy spot on the bedding. "You've been working a lot as well lately."

“I can spare some time.” Malik took off his armour, setting it on a Manikin. Settling beside his wife, he rested a hand on her hand. “You eat anything off?”

"Not that I can think of." Asakonigei thought of the meals of the previous few days. "Maybe it's just the heat of the desert and the combination of working in the forge. It's possible that I'm dehydrated."

“You don’t seem to have any signs, but I can look into it. Would you like to see a doctor here?”

"Perhaps I should... but later, I'd like to rest a little first. I'm tired." Asakonigei sighed as she snuggled into Malik. "Just hold me and keep me company."

Malik held her closer, breathing slowly. “You think Revan is still mad at us? Donoma didn’t paint a bright picture.”

"I think Revan knows we're proud of him, but I do wish we could have been there to support him." Asakonigei tried to imagine her son in the arena. Knowing him, he would be too stubborn and get hurt a few times. Not to mention, he'd do something stupid just to prove a point. That was how he had always been. "We'll make it up to him and celebrate his new position when we are both home."

“I think how he fought is doing wonders for his reputation.”

"Doing wonders for his ego you mean." Asakonigei chuckled. "Just like his father."

“No offence to you or Zarazu, but a warrior is much grander than a wizard. Besides a letter from Tulilad wanting me to chip in his children’s medical fee, I see no downsides from Revan’s experience. He can’t have us around to coddle him for every ceremony he attends.”

"That has nothing to do with ego. Even you liked to show off during your younger days and even before that." Asakonigei had to tease her husband, just a little. "Then again, you still do show off."

“Alright. Maybe I can admit it’s in our blood.” Malik rested a hand on his wife’s stomach.

"In your blood, you mean." Asakonigei closed her eyes. "Just... wake me up in a little bit." She yawned, getting comfortable.

“It’s the middle of the day Asa.” Malik squeezed her hand lightly. “I’m worried about you. Why are you so tired?”

"I'm not sure, but it's nothing serious." Asakonigei mumbled, already dozing. "I'd tell you if I felt sick."

Malik let her settle into his chest as a pillow while he silently thought about the possible situations. When his mind went to sicknesses shared by women, his heart skipped a beat. Without moving, he recollected his thoughts. He had unprotected sex with his wife to rejuvenate their relationship and fill her needs. Did Asakonigei stop using the leaf? Did she feel that it was no longer necessary? With tension rising, he remembered how sick she could get before. Worse, how she her body nearly killed her after the last pregnancy. Not wanting to wake her, he let seeds of fear plant themselves within his mind.

Asakonigei slept for nearly three full hours. She was disoriented when she fully roused from slumber. The Kovina was certainly surprised to see her husband still at her side. This was odd. Usually, he was the one up and about, making sure everything was ready and perfect. She figured he had work to do. It seemed there was still a little daylight left. Maybe now she could try eating something... but what? Something plain... salty maybe? No, she was dehydrated, salt might make it worse. Maybe a rice cake would be tasty... but she hated rice cakes. When was the last time she ate one? Goodness, was too much work making her system shot?

Malik spooned her close, one hand tenderly playing with a lock of her hair. “Need water my flower?”

"Water would be nice." Asakonigei blinked sleepily, then slowly sat up on the bedding. "And maybe a rice cake. Do we have any of those?"

“I can get you one.” Malik cupped his hands around her after reaching over to grab a glass of readied water.

Sipping on the water, Asakonigei downed the glass slowly to make sure she did not feel too out of sorts. "Don't know why I want one of those, I detest the taste. Maybe because they're sort of bland to me."

“It’s because you’re pregnant.”

"...? What?" Asakonigei gave her husband an incredulous look. "Malik, I can't be pregnant. I'm five years away from fifty!" The Kovina shook her head. "Besides, Doctor Boveir told me it was probably near impossible for me to get pregnant again after Donoma."

“No. He said it was not recommended or that you might die. He never said that it wasn’t possible.”

"... you're being serious, aren't you?" Asakonigei kept telling herself it just... could not be. She had hoped that her body would be strong enough after Donoma. How many nights had she prayed for more children? Malik deserved a big family, she wanted to give him many sons and daughters. Appointment after appointment with Doctor Boveir said it just was not so.

“I am.” Malik’s hands flexed around her, the tension cutting the air.

"... I..." Asakonigei was too stunned to formulate a proper response. "But... I..."

Malik turned her around, kissing her lightly. “We’ll get through this. I’ll figure something out. I won’t let you die from this Asa.”

Asakonigei felt excited... and absolutely terrified at the same time. A child was a blessing, but... in this case, was it her death sentence? With Revan, she tore. With Donoma, she hemorrhaged. With this baby... a shudder ran throughout her body, the panic evident in her eyes. She was not ready to die yet, she did not want to leave her family. "Oh spirits..." Asakonigei trembled slightly, "I... I don't even know if I can... if I can give birth safely."

“What do you want to do with... it.” Malik was unsure if he should be referring to the baby as an it, but he wanted to reassure his wife.

"I can't... I don't want to get rid of the baby." Asakonigei shook her head. "It's part of me, part of you. I always wanted to have more children, to give you the big family you deserved but..." She held tightly to his hand. "I'm scared..."

“I...” Malik lowered his head, taking slow and deep breaths. He needed to assure his wife’s safety. “Stay here. No more jobs. No more working for Zarazu. No more traveling. You will stay where it is safe under my watchful eye. If anyone can help me find the power to deliver our third child safely it will be in a city full of women.” To ease his own worries, Malik carrressed a cheek of Asakonigei. “I’ll find any power I need to keep you safe. I promise.”

"I believe you..." Asakonigei took a shaky breath. While she was afraid, the Kovina had to take moment to calm her nerves. It would do her nor the baby good if she was too stressed. She had to be very careful, even more so than with Revan and Donoma. "I'll have a message delivered to the queen. Muso has been my apprentice for a long while and I'm sure he can handle things for now. We'll... we'll need a few things from home if you wish for me to stay here."

“My people and I will take care of you. If you need anything, don’t feel afraid to call for me, Gali, or anyone else.” Malik slowly left the embrace of his wife. It pained him, but he too had duties to attend to still. “I’ll make a prayer to the goddesses. Perhaps Zelda’s soul will bless you.”

"We need to let Donoma and Revan know too." Asakonigei was tempted to pull him back, but she knew there were other responsibilities for her husband besides her well being. "I'll... pray to Kovina."

“Yes. I’ll ask them to come here with Ganondorf... It’s time they all see what I’ve built here.” Malik spoke last sentence softly to himself as he looked up at the setting summer sun.

~

Five months had passed, and Asakonigei was now showing a bit of a belly. She mainly stayed on bedrest to lessen the stress on her body. Yet, she still insisted on short daily walks to stretch her legs and for healthy exercise. The morning sickness was not as severe as it was with Revan and Donoma, but she still could not stand the smell of meat. To cure herself of boredom, Asakonigei took on small projects, like fixing jewelry or cracked weapons, jobs that did not take much magic at all. She was grateful for any visitors, yet still worried about the impending birth of her child. Hopefully, Doctor Boveir could visit soon and at least tell her if a C-section was an option. Supposedly, there were more dependable tests and methods nowadays. That, and she really, really wanted to know if the baby was a boy or girl. He could deliver a Lorleidian test to tell her the gender of her little one.

The Gerudo around Taiyo Town seemed to be hospitable around Asakonigei, though she did hear soft whispers behind her back. She couldn’t tell if they were comments of sympathy or pity. One day, however, she was interrupted by Gali when the Lorliedian was on a walk from the market. “Dear me. Should you be carrying that water melon by yourself?”

"The one in my belly or the one in my arms?" Asakonigei asked with a tone of humor. "Either way, the weight is pressing."

“Will you allow me to relieve some of that weight?”

"You can take the actual melon." Asakonigei was a touch surprised and then carefully handed Gail the large fruit. "I figured you'd be helping my husband."

“I have more jobs then helping Lord Malik. Studies for the uneducated and helping the townsfolk personally come to mind.” Gali graciously took the water melon and lugged it to Asakonigei’s kitchen back at the small palace. “Tell me, your daughter has returned, but your son has yet to visit. He too busy with his new job as a babysitter to see his momma? Perhaps you should exaggerate your condition in your next letter.”

"Donoma has more of a flexible schedule than Revan." Asakonigei had to admit to Gail. "I do understand why he has not come to visit. Protecting the future queen is an honorable job, but a demanding one as well. My husband used to guard Queen Zarazu herself, so I'm not surprised that he has not come here yet." The Kovina did not sound too upset about the fact that her son had not visited. Keeping Luimaya safe was difficult and he did not need the added stress of worrying about his mother being pregnant in her forties. "Perhaps when the future queen decides to come here, I will see him then."

“I heard the Royal family has not arrived here yet because the Old One himself wishes for all his children to be present before coming to see Malik’s grand creation of Taiyo Town.”

"If that is true, then I wish Ganondorf all the luck in the world." Asakonigei tried not to laugh. "King Covarog and Queen have five children, Prince Ralnor and his wife have three, Princess Orana and her husband have three, Princess Kanisa and her husband have two, and Prince Tebanam and his husband only have one."

“Well. We await their arrival in anticipation. Tell me Asakonigei, what do you hope for next? A boy? Or a girl?”

"If I'm being honest, Donoma was a lot easier to take care of as a baby. She didn't cry too much unless she was hungry or wet. She only caught my hair on fire once when she burped." Asakonigei recalled when her children were little. "Revan peed everywhere. He was always getting into something. I just about had a heart attack when he used his magical abilities to move some sharp weapons, to juggle them. Not to mention, he's is very stubborn like his father."

“So indeed, another girl.” Gali chuckled as she reached their destination. Setting the water melon down, she took a breath to relax. “Asa? Can I call you Asa? How’d you like to relax at a spot that even Lord Malik won’t step in?”

"Girls are so much easier because boys piss like a hose. Yet, either way, I just want the child to be healthy, regardless of whether it is a boy or a girl." Asakonigei ran a hand back through her hair. "Asa is fine, though I am curious about this spot that my husband avoids."

“Women’s only Hot Spring. You interested?”

"That... sounds absolutely delightful." Asakonigei thought about the heat melting into her back muscles. The pressure of pregnancy would hopefully fade away after a little bit of relaxation.

“Then please, follow me.” Gali smiled tenderly as lead the Lorliedian to the East side of the village. Giant walls to divide sections for privacy were made out of stone and wood. Gali paid a front desk receptionist and headed to the the left hallway. “We have a women’s, men’s, and a small mixed side. So far, our biggest side, and only used at the moment, is women’s. Towel?”

Along the way, Asakonigei had to stop and take several small breaks. It was difficult for her to keep up with the added weight of the pregnancy. Once at the hot springs, Asakonigei was impressed by the outlay and the design. It was beautiful and private. "Yes, please." Asakonigei took the fluffy towel. "This is going to do wonders for my back."

“Hope you’re not modest.” When Gali opened the doors to the hot spring, every woman was buck naked. The inside of the springs was made of natural resources and mechanical engineering. Pools of water pouring into one another, single person sized pots to melt into, and a room the shape of a dragon egg. When a Gerudo walked out, thick steam poured out before the door sealed it back in as it swung close. This particular woman headed to a clear pool of cold water to cool off. There was one or two women who weren’t Gerudo, but most were filled with the red headed giant women. Behind Asa, Gali finished folding all her clothes. “You feeling ready to go in?”

"Um..." Asakonigei turned slightly red in the cheeks. "Not around my husband, but... uh..." There were a lot of women in there. She did not mind other women seeing her naked, but these were buff, strong, extremely ripped women. She felt rather... small.

“Shy?” Gali laughed lightly. “Don’t worry about the nerves. Take a few deep breaths.”

"Not... exactly. You're just all..." Asakonigei gestured to one extremely tall Gerudo lady walking by with a shredded eight pack. "That."

“Hahaha!” That really got a laugh out of Gali. She walked in front of Asa, fairly comfortable with being naked and her chest so close to the woman. “Asa, most of us might be built a little mightier than what you’re used to seeing, but we are still people. But if it makes your ego more at ease, Gerudo come in all sizes. Koyta over there is as thin as a Deku, all because she insists on a fruit only diet. Holly is as mighty as Goron because she eats whatever she desires.” Both of the Gerudo mentioned waved as Gali pointed them out. “What I’m saying is we come in all shapes and sizes, yet we are a tribe non the less. Besides, we aren’t going to crush you.”

"Aren't going to crush me? That I don't believe, you could sit on me and crush me if you wanted to." Asakonigei said in good humor. "Though, I think I'm just a bit intimidated. My family always joke that they don't know how my own husband didn't break me."

“Then become as naked and vulnerable as we are Asakonigei. Become a sister with us.”

"... I..." Asakonigei was not sure exactly how she felt being naked in front of all the women. The scar from the lightning, the stretch marks from her pregnancies, and a few scars over the years... it did make her feel self-conscious. Yet, there were women here who shared similar marks. "All right." She carefully removed the towel and took slow steps into the hot springs.

“You look wonderful Asa. That’s it. Make yourself comfortable.” Gali sat beside her, sighing in content as she felt the heat of the water seek into her pours.

"Oooooh.... this feels so good..." Asakonigei sunk into the water with a heavy, contented sigh. "I need Malik to build me one of these right outside our home."

“You don’t consider the town yet a home?”

"It's a second home. I hope you understand," Asakonigei told Gail. "I can't just up and leave my uncles, cousins, and their children back in Hyrule. I really miss them. They're all I have besides Malik, Revan, and Donoma."

“And your unborn child.” Gali slowly pointed a finger towards Asa, trailing a finger over the water to the Kovani’s stomach.

"Yes..." Asakonigei rested her hands on her ever-growing belly. "I've been thinking of names, but... Malik seems more so worried than excited. Not saying I'm not concerned either, just... I don't want him to have contempt for the child if..." She took a small inhale. "If I don't make it."

“We’d do our best to help look after the child. In the mean time, we will do our best to look after you.”

"... I do appreciate it. I really do." Asakonigei smiled softly. "Either way... my baby will be in good hands." She then shifted slightly, "I know the kid will be strong. Already kicking my bladder."

“Asa. Do I sense worry in your tone that your words do not match? Every turn you seem to have worry.” Gali carefully lifted a single leg out of the water, watching the droplets fall and drip off her skin.

"I do have worries, some about the baby, mainly about Malik." Asakonigei had no reason to lie. "Though I have made my peace with the possibility that I may not live through this birth. I nearly died with Donoma, lost too much blood. Malik... I don't think he has."

“No. He told me of his contingency plan, but he has more fear than hope.” Gali swam a little closer to Asa, taking deep breaths due to the heat. “Tell me Asa. Do you fear your husband in any way?”

"Fear Malik?" Asakonigei shook her head. "I have no reason to fear him. I do, however, think he's very stubborn, impatient, and has a horrible habit of thinking he knows better when sometimes he doesn't... but no, I don't fear him. I've never feared him."

Good.... he asked me to kill him if that after he becomes King, if he might someday turn fall down the path of a Tyrant he be taken out.” Gali let the words hang in the air, sighing deeply.

"...!!!" This was news to Asakonigei. Malik said nothing of becoming king. Nothing of Gail making a promise to kill him if he became like Ganondorf was in the past. "I... I see..."

“There’s been so many Gerudo who have taken a dark path. Twinrova, Adda, Ganondorf... he wishes to not end up a part of that toxic history.”

"I understand that, I just don't understand why he wouldn't..." Asakonigei furrowed her brow, angry but too tired to care at the moment. "Wouldn't tell me."

“Perhaps he didn’t want to burden you Asa. Strife like that need not be shared by his worried lips during such a delicate time for you right now.” Gali turned to Asa, her eyes heavy with knowledge. “I can relate to his worry of becoming another Ganon due to his blood connection with the Old One.”

"I'm his wife, I want to support him, despite whatever else is going on." Asakonigei sounded more frustrated than actually upset. "Malik isn't Ganon but... I know there have been times in his past that holds regret for him."

“He told me that long ago he might have been Ganon. That both he and the Gerudo who would become that era’s Ganon were born at the same time. You think he was robbed of that destiny, or spared?”

"I think destiny can kiss my ass. Any soul can make their own or change their fate." Asakonigei had absolute faith. "My husband was not, and will never be Ganon. While he held onto hate in his past, he is human now. He loves me, his family, and wants to do the best he can."

“But it’s funny how fate sometimes lulls us along a path. Temptation is funny that way.” Gali stood up, stretching out close to Asa. “Care to follow me to the cooling pool?”

"Yes... if I can get up." Asakonigei had to heft her weight forward a few times. The belly always got in the way.

Gali gently lifted Asa out of the water, letting her body be a crutch. “You ever have bad apples in your family?”

"Not that I know of." Asakonigei groaned softly, standing still for a moment. "Still kicking me. You'd think the kid would have some manners, but no, has to kick Mama whenever."

Gali winced as she tapped a toe in the cold water. “I’m going to carefully place you in the water.”

"Sure we can't find a cool one of these for my husband? Might help with his hot-headness." Asakonigei joked as the cold water immersed her. "Though enough about my husband. Tell me of you."

“Well, how about-AHH!” Gali gasped as the cold water made her body harden to the touch. Soon though, she relaxed after a few gasps. “Can’t stand the cold.”

Asakonigei tried to hold back a few giggles. "Well, it seems that no matter where, all Gerudos do not like cold."

“True. Where was I? Oh yes. Myself.” Gali played with the water, a sad smile on her lips. “I probably haven’t shared that the infamous Captain Adda is my half-sister.”

"...?! You're related to that bitch---sorry." Asakonigei could not contain the surprise on her face. "I... don't imagine that's been easy for you."

“Truth is, I don’t know much about her. We’ve only met a handful of times. My mother made a deal with her. Any Gerudo that didn’t want to live the life of the Caravans would go live with Adda.”

"I see. I never met her personally but I heard all the stories." Asakonigei frowned, thinking of all the times that the women caused her friends grief. "She killed one of Admiral Corsaire's crew. Young man by the name of Bogdan Toma Vali. His nickname was Bomba." She then paused and said. "Well, technically, her dragon did... but still..."

“I heard. The last we spoke in person I visited her in prison. She told me much about how her life crumbled around her. She even told me the identity of two nieces I have.”

"Yes, Alexandria and Elizabeth." Asakonigei knew the two young girls from their encounters over the years. "I think they're both married now with kids."

“I’ve sent out invitations before hoping to meet them, but they’ve proven allusive.”

"I'm sorry the twins haven't reached out. Perhaps you need a mediator between you and them?" Asakonigei suggested to Gail. "I'm sure that they have their reasons, and are probably very hurt still by their mother. Though, I do think they should at least give you a chance. To prove you're not Adda."

“That’d be nice. But trying to convince two mid thirties women just travel across the world is difficult task. Stubborn like their mother.” Gali sighed as she relaxed further into the cool water.

"You could go to them? I'd ask Orana if you could have passage on one ship of her husbands?"

“Can’t. Too much to do here. Practically Chieftain here if Malik wasn’t concerned.”

"Well, you know, you can always have an assistant. Muso is mine; he helps me watch after things when I'm gone form the forge."

“For now, I’m Malik’s assistant. Can’t have an assistant to an assistant. Could take care of your needs to you know? You’re only going to get bigger and bigger.”

"... unfortunately, you do have a point." Asakonigei did have to admit that Gail was right. Soon enough, she'd have to be on strict bedrest. No more moving unless absolutely necessary. "I... won't lie. I am afraid."

“Good. Fear makes you human. I’d be weary of you if you weren’t afraid.”

"The only person I've ever met that never shows her fear is Zolori, the queen's sister. That woman is made of steel, I tell you." Asakonigei then jolted in the water, gasping, "Oh wow!!! That was a big kick!!! Here, feel." She took Gail's hand and placed it on her belly. "Really moving today. That makes me feel a little better. The baby's healthy."

“I never had children. Too afraid of bringing them into the world. But you.” Gali placed a hand on the mother to be’s stomach. “You feel strong Asa.”

"I have to be strong. Look who I put up with." Asakonigei said dryly, indicting her husband. "I was raised by my uncles who each had a son. I grew up around all men. When you have to avoid your cousins who like to wrestle and put you in headlocks, you learn a thing or two. Besides," She patted her belly. "Childbirth wasn't necessarily the hardest thing I ever had to do. Learning to be patient, learning to love, learning to let go... that's harder."

“For the sake of your child and safety, you might have to let go of much.” Gali kissed Asa lightly on the forehead in a kind gesture. “I don’t say this as a home wrecker, hopefully as a friend, but if anything did happen to you, we’d look after Malik, but more importantly your children. However, we are determined to not have that happen. You’re going to be one of us Asakonigei.”

"It's going to be nice to have some sisters when I grew up with all boys." Asakonigei appreciated the heartfelt words. "I know my family will be in good hands if I do not survive the birth. My Revan and Donoma are strong, and I know this child will be as well. I just... want to be here."

“That is the beauty of motherhood and life.” Gali closely hugged Asa close, feeling no shame. “You’ll be alive to enjoy those moments, I swear it.”

Asakonigei turned a little red when her face was that close to Gail's cleavage. "I need you to promise me something though, Gail..."

Gali moved away, nodding down towards her. “Yes?”

"There... might come a choice when it's either me or the baby." Asakonigei steadied her nerves and then said. "... Malik will choose to save me. Don't let him. Save the baby... please."

“I will do what I can.”

________________________________________________________________

Previous Ch. https://mrneighbourlove.tumblr.com/post/622482284480774144/the-rising-sun-ch-3-test-your-might

Next Ch. https://mrneighbourlove.tumblr.com/post/622677305470402560/the-rising-sun-ch-5-power-exchanged

Crossover with @ridersoftheapocalypse starring our characters!

[anorakofavalon]

Another Way Chapter 4

If you haven’t, go check out Chapter 3 here.

The coming of the golden flowers and red roses of spring was a welcome thing. Winter had come and gone quickly that year, by the measure of farmers and foresters. To some, however, the cold lingered longer than it was wanted. For those, their winter was measured in misery. These sorts awaited hope. The sorts such as those who lived within the white walls of Camelot, that crown jewel of a city. They needed spring more than anyone else. So the rejuvenation of the lands in all the world was a doubly welcomed one, for the new winds might bring news from Merlin. 

“My lady, won’t you eat?” said Gwen. She held a basket of clothing in her hands, poised at her hips as she leaned over to look at Morgana. She addressed her like a superior, but watched her with the eyes of a steadfast friend. 

Morgana turned from her post near one of the grand windows of her chambers. “I’m not so hungry, Gwen. Thank you.”

Gwen gave her a soft smile. “He’ll be back, Morgana.”

“I don’t think he will, Gwen. He would have been in touch by now.”

“It was a strong winter.”

“He’s a strong warlock,” Morgana pointed out. 

“Ah, right...”

Morgana sighed. “I’m sorry, Gwen. It’s unfair for me to take it out on you. It’s just lonely now.”

Gwen cleared her throat and spoke softly. “It must be stressful, taking up Merlin’s… duties.”

Morgana moved to her bed, took a seat. “I’m not even sure how on Earth Merlin did it. Arthur is a magnet for trouble.”

“Well it certainly helped that he spent a majority of his daylight hours with him anyways.”

Morgana laughed, it was dry but the inklings of humor were there. “Which I refuse to do.”

Gwen sat by her, and grabbed her hand. “You’re doing wonderfully Morgana, Merlin will be proud.”

Morgana scoffed. “Merlin’s an idiot. I’d tell him so, but he isn’t even here for me to do that. And in any case… Arthur’s gotten injured far more often. I have to find a way to keep him safe without me being there. Or drag Merlin back by those great big ears of his.” She huffed.

“He’s still quite alive. Arthur’s injuries have never stopped him from bouncing back.”

Morgana looked at her friend slyly, “I’m sure it helps that he has such enthusiastic help.”

The maidservant blushed and started to put together a response, but a tapping at the windows interrupted her rebuttal. “Morgana, look… it’s a falcon.”

Morgana rushed there, released the latch and allowed the elegant creature entrance. Mighty but lithe wings carried it to a desk where it dropped off a letter. It ruffled its feathers, bold and bronze, and took off in graceful flight -- skimming over fresh breezes.

Morgana’s hands opened the sealed letter in a flurry, taking time to note, briefly, the bright blue of the wax. She scanned through it quickly. 

Gwen leaned over. “What does it say?”

Morgana smiled.

~{(0)}~

“This is ridiculous.”

“You’re a child, Arthur.”

“And you’re a lunatic, Morgana. We’ve been walking for hours. Father’s going to be asking soon.”

“This is more important than your comfort.”

“And that! You haven’t even told me what we’re doing.”

Morgana rounded on him. “It has to do with Merlin.”

She registered pain flickering in his eyes, but he cleared his throat and looked away before she could capitalize on it. “I told you, Morgana. I don’t want anything to do with that. If he wanted to see us, he would’ve figured something out himself.”

“He’s your greatest friend.”

“He’s a liar, and a terrible servant anyways.”

She glared at the prince. “And a good man.”

“Good men don’t lie about--”

“Oh come on, Arthur! You’ve got to understand--”

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore. That’s final.”

Arthur took a deep breath, and looked around the clearing they had stepped into. His head was drawn towards a voice that came from the trees.

“Well I suppose you’re right on account of me being a terrible servant. I only delayed so much because I wasn’t too keen on folding your underwear.”

The voice was familiar, teasing, and a little ethereal. Confident. The accompanying figure was garbed in blue and reds familiar to both the nobles, but the cut of the cloth was trim and carefully done. The fabric flowing and long. He stood by an old and withered tree, touching it gently like a friend. His eyes, like glimmering oceans cast in shades of wizened blue, sparkled with mirth and joy. It was a comfort to behold him at long last. 

Arthur, being nearest, pulled him in for an embrace and held him tightly for a long moment. Letting the warlock go, he commented on something that had slipped his notice. “By grace Merlin… have you grown a beard? It’s like there’s a mitton on your face.”

Merlin ignored the remark entirely -- he had caught sight of Morgana in the streams of sunlight that adorned the clearing. Her eyes were wide and shining, but she did not move. 

He stepped into her arms and wrapped her up in a strong embrace, an embrace she accepted and returned with equal longing. Merlin set aside a strand of soft, dark hair and whispered in her ear “I have something to show you. I think you’ll be proud.”

She nodded against his chest, but she did not speak and they did not move. It wasn’t until Arthur, who had studiously been observing every detail of the trees in the opposite direction, cleared his throat that they let go. 

“Well this is all well and lovely Merlin, but where’ve you been staying? Not a hovel I expect?”

Merlin shook his head, laughed. “No, not a hovel. Come.”

{(0)}

“Frankly Merlin, when you said it wasn’t a hovel, I actually believed you had come across better accommodations. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed…” Arthur glanced about him with an abundance of obnoxious self-righteousness. “There’s nothing here.”

They stood at the edge of a forest, staring out into the opening of a large and mighty lake. It was framed by mountains, stout and white-capped, and tranquility, calm and quaint. Only the song of birds and the quiet drop-drumming of dew on fresh green leaves made any noise. 

Merlin smirked, and stepped closer to the shore. “Come on, then.”

Morgana didn’t hesitate. She moved forward, her feet brushing water. Arthur raised an eyebrow, crossed his arms. “We have to swim?”

Morgana challenged him. “Aren’t afraid of a little water are you Arthur?”

He scoffed, but moved forward anyway. Annoyance filtered through his eyes, but it was a weak veil for burning curiosity and a sense of adventure he had missed in Merlin’s absence. 

Arthur waded into the water doubtfully, but as he walked further in, he found that he didn’t sink down at all. He stood on the surface of the water. “Merlin!”

The response was quick and annoyingly smug. “Look down, Arthur.”

“I already am, you bloody--” Arthur looked up from his boots to bellow at his friend, but found upon raising his head that he was not on a lake but a landmass. An isle seated in the middle of the empty lake he had seen mere minutes ago. 

The trees around them were hardy pines, reaching skyward, and they opened up a passage ahead from where they stood. Music filtered through the opening of the path, sprinkled faintly with laughter and busy-noise.  

“Merlin?” Arthur repeated, staring at his surroundings in disbelief. 

“Magic” said Merlin, patting the prince on the shoulder. “Let’s go.”

They began moving forward, Morgana trailing behind, admiring the leaves of the trees, the unique construct of the bark, threaded with age and wisdom. The presence, the sentiment, of home lurked in every blade of grass, every speck, every shade.

Merlin beckoned her on from where he and Arthur stood. He watched her careful deliberation with fondness. It was well-merited deliberation, but she was merely tasting the beginnings of the emotions to come. They had some ways to travel still, and he was excited for her to feel what he has felt every waking hour in the time he has been there. The Isles of the Blessed called him forward.

He spoke in her mind. Come, Morgana. You need to see this.

She tore her eyes away from the greens, turned them his way.

I feel nostalgic, but I don’t know why, she said.

He smiled and began walking. He gave Arthur a small shove to nudge him out of his own reprieve. 

“It’s a beautiful forest Merlin. Good for hunting, don’t you think?”

Merlin agreed with the first half of the statement, not so much the second half. But it was Arthur’s way of connecting, so he said “Just stay away from the unicorns this time around.”

The prince rolled his eyes and readied a remark to fire, but found himself silenced by their arrival at the edge of the forest. 

Before them was a vision of merriment and joy, festivity and bustle. Market stalls and humble homes littered either side of the cobblestone path leading them away from the trees, a path uninterrupted except for a fountain ahead. The water it spouted glimmered in the sunlight, its construction shined with charisma. Haphazard white stones, carefully uncaringly placed, composed its entirety.  

Around the fountain concentrated larger homes and hearthfires, brightly colored tents that sat by oaks with banners tied around their trunks. Children ran about, snapped magic sparks at one another like pebbles, gleeful giggles bursting from them when sparks caught their clothes. 

All of this served only as a foreground to a magnificent keep, humble in size but tall in stature. It emanated power. The keep was nothing like Camelot’s citadel, which had power aplenty, but little subtlety in its brandishing, whereas the very heart of the Isle pulsed proudly with tranquility. 

Morgana stopped short when a child threw a spark her way, Arthur tensed, but Morgana picked it up from where it fizzled on the ground, tossed it back. The child offered a toothless grin and ran off. 

Tears streamed down her face. Magic had been denied her and Merlin all their lives. To see it on such innocent, delightfully blatant display sung to her soul. She felt fulfilled and crushed and utterly joyful all at once. She could not but sit by the fountain and let her tears fall in the water. Morgana held her reflection’s gaze, wondered if this was the moment her entire existence was meant for. She felt free.

This was beauty beyond which any Morgause had promised, beauty made all the more true by its peaceful acquisition. A moment like this could only have been won with softness and patience. Any land, any aim achieved with violence would have had its sanctity tarnished in its achievement. But this? This was…

Arthur stood by her side, worried. She gave him a bright and dazzling smile, watery as it was. He relaxed a little, and gave her time to collect herself. 

A crowd gathered and Morgana wondered if she had made a spectacle of herself, but her fears were soon dismissed and curiosity soon alit. Folks in fair and colorful clothing gathered around Merlin, greeted him in tongues. Druids. He was graceful in receiving them, though the tips of his ears still bloomed red. They regarded him with kindness and deference. Respect and familiarity. 

Arthur walked up to his friend between greetings, pulled him aside as Morgana began to make introductions herself. 

“Is this who you’ve always been, Merlin?”

“A warlock?”

“No. A leader.”

Merlin swallowed away sudden emotion, He spoke to his friend with sincerity. “No, not always. I didn’t learn to lead until I came to Camelot. I learned everything I ever needed to learn about it from you.”

Arthur’s eyes glistened, and he did not trust himself to speak. He squeezed Merlin’s shoulder once, gave him a nod. They moved to gather Morgana. 

{(0)}

The tower-keep that pulsed with power even from a distance was not nearly as imposing when viewed from the inside, though it certainly emitted power. Wooden floors were a welcome contrast to the stone walls around them, walls that stretched ever-upwards. A spiral case of stairs would have stepped them to levels far above, but Merlin shook his head. He pointed to a corridor that led a fair ways away from the entrance.

They followed, torchlight guiding them. Morgana felt her inner core respond to something in the air as they moved deeper into the corridor. She wasn’t sure, but it felt very much like they were going downwards. The magic around them was stifling, but not dangerous. It felt like breathing while lying facing downwards. The sensation of peace she experienced in the forest pervaded her senses now, five times as strongly. Tranquility resounded in her being. 

Nobody spoke for some time, not even Arthur. Finally, when it had felt like they were just shy of forever away from their starting place, Merlin broke the silence. 

“Don’t mind the darkness, just give it a moment,” he said. 

Arthur and Morgana blinked once, then twice, as they entered the tower-keep’s heart, but still darkness composed the whole of their vision. 

Morgana saw first. It was a finely decorated interior for a tomb. Luminous specks of dust kept everything aglow, as if the world around them was too fragile for the natural light of day. It was a hue of blue, like the shade of lightning. Almost white-hot. She reached out and touched one. It was perfectly cool. 

Merlin whispered a word and torches came alight around them, the blue hues now mixing with the orange of flame. The play of colors was beautiful in its own right, but Morgana was too busy staring at her sister’s prone body to appreciate the lighting situation. 

Morgause was resting with her arms crossed on her stomach, lying on what looked like an altar. Morgana was almost afraid to touch her. Would she be alive? 

She wasn’t sure what she was more terrified of. She stared at Morgause for some time, until she noticed… It wasn’t obvious, but her sister was breathing softly. Her stasis spell had worked. 

Morgana turned to Merlin and brought him into a crushing hug. 

“I’m sorry-” he started.

She interrupted, put him at arm’s length and held him there. “When my sister awakens, she will come to a better world. Thank you Merlin.”

Morgana glanced at her sister once more. 

Merlin nudged Arthur. “Let’s go Prince Prat, I have some people that want to meet you” he whispered. 

They gave Morgana a moment with her sister.

{(0)}

Merlin and Arthur trekked their way up the staircase. Merlin toured Arthur around every level. Interesting and unique things occurred in each, but it wasn’t until they reached the fifth floor that Arthur interrupted. 

“Merlin. Let’s take a break here.”

It was an opportune place to stop. The level was empty. 

“Oh come on now Arthur, don’t tell me you’re getting thick around the waist already, I’ve only been gone-”

Arthur rolled his eyes. Glanced about the room. It was cast in colorful lighting through stained glass windows on both the left and right sides.

He ignored Merlin’s remark entirely. “Why didn’t you tell me about your magic Merlin?”

Merlin’s face withdrew a little. “Arthur...”

“Friends don’t lie to one another Merlin, and you’ve been lying since we met.”

Merlin cast his eyes down. “I know, but it was the only way to-”

“Oh enough with that. Morgana told me about all the times you’ve saved my hide.” Arthur sighed. “When Morgana told me about her magic - when I saw you use magic - I had to do a lot of unlearning concerning my knowledge of…” He motioned at the room around them. 

“I just need to know why you didn’t trust me, Merlin.”

“It’s not that I didn’t trust you Arthur. It’s just...” Merlin sighed, exasperated. “Complicated. I think the word for it is cowardice.”

Arthur watched him steadily. “I’m not angry Merlin. Morgana and Gwen helped me sort through my…” He cleared his throat. “Feelings, about the subject.

“But it’s important to me that you know, I would never have harmed you for your magic. Not even before I knew about Morgana’s as well. You’re my friend, Merlin. You must know I will always have your back.” He clasped Merlin’s arm with a firm thud. “Always.”

A moment passed between them. Merlin broke out in a grin. “So… Gwen helped you sort your feelings I see.”

Arthur hit Merlin up the back of the head. “Just walk.”

They claimed two more levels, and arrived at the very top of the tower. There was gathered a council. It was a strange assortment of individuals. Old and bearded men, old and not-bearded women. All gave off the impression of leaders. All were sorcerers. Arthur couldn’t help but be fairly intimidated. But Merlin stood by his side, proud and tall. 

“All rise for Prince Arthur,” he said. 

The council rose. 

{(0)}

The meeting was long and eventful, and afterwards Merlin felt an inclination to see Morgana. He searched for her first in the tomb, but Morgause slept on, alone. The next logical step, of course, was perusing the entire tower in search of her. He could have felt for her presence, but if she still wanted time alone then he didn’t want to use magic to get to her. 

The search was fruitless. He passed by Arthur’s quarters, but the prince was sound asleep. He checked on his mother in her own chambers, but she was asleep too. 

He went out into the forest. 

There was light as he moved through the trees. It was unearthly, pale, a shadow of the sun’s own rays. It was beautiful, gentle, caring, and older than Kilgharrah himself. She stood in the clearing she had marveled at earlier in the day, the light playing at her fair skin and her green eyes with the aim of making her all the more ethereal. She was peaceful, and gorgeous.

Merlin approached her, and stood by her side as she looked at the sky. 

There were a million things to talk about. Would she be returning with Arthur to Camelot and taking up his own responsibilities? Or would she stay while he returned with Arthur? It was his hope that she could rule here in his stead. Until the time of Prophecy came to pass, and he could come to her side. He didn’t belong there, but right by her side is where he’d rather be. Forevermore, preferably. 

Either way, Morgana would have to decide. 

So much to talk about, and still no words were exchanged. For now, for this very moment, there needn’t be any speaking. Morgana pulled him in for a kiss. 

They had found another way.

[goldstonegolem64]

Sorry for no chapters last week I was busy with school and work and merry Christmas everyone  Book1 hope returns Chapter22 Crystal venom By goldstonegolem64

Allura still tired after rejuvenating the balmera sat in a field of flowers with the Ai Version of her father in the memory chamber

“So how have you been my darling daughter?”Alfor asked

“ I've been thinking about altea or mother. it only feels like yesterday that I was walking with her though the gardens back home or how we would come to a field like this  an play. I truly miss those day.” Allura said sadly

“I know its hard right now. but remember a leader must do what is right even if it means make the ultimate sacrifice.” the old king said

“ I know” Allura said even sadder now thinking about how her sacrifice would a effect her new team but that time would hopefully never come. But if it did she hopped they all understood and forgave her .

Suddenly the door to the chamber opened and coran stepped in to the chamber

“ Princess you should be in bed resting.” Coran said with a stern look on his face

“Sorry Coran” She said as she was getting up almost falling over

Coran helped walk allura out of the chamber

“ See you later father” Allura said

As the Allura And Coran  left the room the holographic field faded out but before Alfor faded out he flickered them disappeared

in Allura room  

“Now princess please get some rest” Coran said leading allura to her bed 

“alright Alright I will get some rest Coran” She said as she was getting into her bed 

“ Good to hear .Now goodnight princess see you in the morning” Coran said as he was leaving the room.

“goodnight Coran”She said back as the lights in her room dimmed 

IN the Hanger of the green lion pidge and beau were studying the galra power crystal 

Pidge was studying the galra crystal that sendak had tried to use to power the castle of lions with Beauregard 

“So how do you think they made it purple?“ Beau asked

“I think it might just before a different belmare” pidge replied 

“maybe its magic“ Beau counter

Pidge was about to said magic didn’t exist but she has a bond with a flying giant green lion robot that combine with five other flying lion to make a giant fighting robot. A alien princess whose life force was connected to said lion  and  Martian who could turn in a ten foot lizard man with a talking dragon  . So she couldn’t write magic off the list of possibilities. “Maybe I don't know but it is a possibility “ pidge said

Over the speakers coran’s voice said” to pidge and Jay pleace make your way to the detainment room please 

Pidge  was annoy that she was being interrupted. But she make her way to the detainment room

“  Hey are you coming along Beau?” she asked 

“I'm all ready there“ beau said. then he lift sentry he was inhabiting leaving it still as it’s visor color changed from the blue to green.  

pidge stared at the sentry for a few seconds wondering about how beau could jump from vessel to vessel so fast. she might have to ask him later about it. Then she left the room leaving the sentry to guard the now glowing ominous crystal    

A few minutes later everyone was in the detainment room expect for three

“Hey where is jay and fitz?” Hunk asked 

“ they stayed back to double checking the list of thing we took back on the balmera” Rolo said arms crossed

“ Now that we know Jay whereabouts. What are we doing here Coran?” Adam asked

“We're here to get information from sendak” coran said 

“ How are you going to do?”  Shay asked

“ I going to use the memory extractor system“Coran said 

“ So your going to probe Sendaks mind then”lance said 

“Yes but with Sendak being unconscious and unwilling to give us the information. It might not work”  coran said while hooking up the memory extractor.

 “yes but if it dose work we have information on the command structure of the empire military ” Nyma said

“ Ok what are we waiting for lets get to extracting that info” Beau said mimicking Jays voice

Thirty minutes later

“  So how long have we been waiting for ?” Lance asked

“  thirty minutes” Beau replied 

“Ok then I'm going to go train ” Keith said 

“ Can I tag along?” Rax asked

“ Alright anyone else want to join us?” Keith asked cracking a little smile

“ I’ll join you guys” Rolo said

“ Shiro look are little Keith is making friends” Adam said smiling 

“I’m so proud of him” Shiro said smiling as well

Keith turned an jokingly flipped both of them off as he was leaving. Then he came back into the room and said“Oh hey Lance want to train with us?” Keith asked hopping he says yes  

“ I will join you guys later on. I just want to relaxes for now”   Lance said

“Alright see you then Keith said as he was leaving the room again a little disappointed 

“ Alright then I'm going back to studying the crystal. Call me went the information is done being extracted .” Pidge said 

“I‘m going to the kitchen  "Hunk said 

“ I'll tag along” Shay said smiling

“ I most admit I cant wait around while there is repair to be done to the castle. Lance would you care to help me?” Coran asked 

“Alright” Lance said

“Well I'm going back to the hanger bay to rest for a bit” Nyma said as she left the room

“I’m going to check up on Jay and Fitz. I will be back soon  ” Adam said then kissed Shiro on the check

“We will keep you posted on any new development” Shiro said

in the Kitchen a few minutes later 

“ So how dose it feel to be the first balmeran to leave their home in over ten thousand years ?”Hunk asked 

“I’m happy that I'm going to see the universe Along with so other thing. But I'm sacred as well  “ Shay said

“if your sacred about the balmera getting invade again We will be there to stop it.So don't you worry about that I promise ” Hunk said trying to reassure her

“it’s not that I know you will up hold your promise “ She said 

“Then what is it then?” Hunk said

“yesterday I hear Allura, Coran, shiro, adam and Jay. Talking about training Me, Rax and the other to pilot the lions just in case any you were hurt or even worst kill in battle.”she said 

It took hunk a few seconds to process this information then he said “ I can’t promise you that wont get hurt or killed out there because were at war. But i can  Promise you that I will try my hardest to get back to you after ever mission” Hunk place his hand on top of hers hopping that what he said help reassure her.

Shay leaned her head onto his shoulder “ thank you for those kind word hunk” She said 

“I'm glad I could help” He replied 

the two enjoy their quiet moment together. Then the door to the kitchen opened The moment it opened Hunk and Shay split apart in embarrassment 

“Did I interrupt something?” Pidge asked

“No “ The two said both blushing profusely

“I definitely interrupted something sorry about that “ Pidge said as she walked to the food goo machine.She grabbed the hose that the came out of an pulled the trigger but nothing came out.”Hey hunk can you come over here for a second I think the machine busted”

“alright what seem to be the problem?” Hunk asked As he walked over to pidge 

“I pulled the trigger but nothing come out. It might just be a malfunction but i want a second opinion on the matter” pidge said handing over the hose

Hunk starred  for a few seconds looking for any bulges in the hose as well as running his hand over it just to double check. Then he checked the hole where the goo came out of just to see if it was clogged. But nothing was there 

“I don't see anything wrong  wi” Hunk was stop by a spray of food goo hitting him in the face.

The hose flow out of hunks hand and started firing at both of them in random intervolve and occasionally took a shoot at shay. The two paladins tried grabbing the out of control food goo hose.It took about three minutes for hunk and pidge to tie the food hose in a knot leaving the two of them covered in the green food goo as well as the room. The three of them looked around the room

"Alright all in favor of just leaving this mess for coran and the bots  to clean just walk out with” pidge said As she was walking out of the room

Hunk following behind pidge. Shay Quickly follow suit laughing about the scene she just witnessed  

In the sleeping chamber Lance and coran were cleaning the healing pods

“ok this things can being a person back from the brink of death which I’m thankful for but they can’t self clean”Lance said annoy by this

“It dose” Coran 

“ if it dose why are we using it?” Lance asked

“ Because cleaning it manually helps build character.it remind me of my younger years back when I was in the sub tech weaponry unit. my old drill Sargent used to make us cleaning cryo pod day and night” 

Lance listen half heartedly thinking about other thing. Entering the cryo pod lance started to clean the inside. but a few seconds after he entered the practical barrel closed behind him. Lance began to panic slamming his fist into the door. But coran was to busy reminiscing about his day in boot camp. Lance felt the cryo pod activating then he froze in place.the pod started to decent out of view of coran

“ And if you work hard enough you might just get some cleaning strips your self” Coran turned to see lance.But no one was there” Lance Lance where did you going”   Coran surged his shoulder “ Paladin”

in the training deck. 

“ Now throw a punch aimed for the stomach first. then when his guard is down hit then in the face and don’t give them room to breath keep on hitting them and throw in a few fake out punches” Rolo said

“ Fake out punches? “ Rax asked 

“ It’s when you start to punch some one with arm then hit them with the other. When they go to block the first punch” Rolo said

“ Alright what ever you says” Rax said 

Rax followed the steps that Rolo showed him on a the gladthat was on lowest setting see as Rax didn’t have any Experian fight at all .Keith was on the other end of the room finishing a fight with a gladiator bot cutting it down with two quick swing of his sword 

“Alright  engage the next level on this one “ Keith said to the training system 

The gladiator was dispensed ran at him. Swings it’s blade furiously at him.Keith could tell something was off after the first blow.

”Ok computer turn down the difficulty”  Keith said.

But the training system don’t respond.

“ Hey’ guy you having trouble with your gladiator?” Keith asked

“ Yes” Rax said after being knocked to the ground by the gladiator

 “What is going on Keith?” rolo asked before landing a heavy kick to the gladiator bot in the side sending it back a few feet back

“ No clue” Keith said 

Keith kept on the defensive blocking most blows. but the last swing knocked his  Bayard out of his hands. then the gladiator landed a powerful kick to Keith's chest. Keith hit the ground hard an rolled a few feet. The gladiator swung at the downed paladin. But Keith managed to get out of the way of the attack and straight to his Bayard. and book it out of the room followed by the gladiator.

“Where is he going?” Rax asked 

“No idea . now let’s focuses on the problem in front of us ” Rolo said ready himself for the gladiator’s attack 

“Alright then” Rax said 

in the detainment room

Shiro and beau were just watching the memory extractor unaware of the chaos out side. they both tried asking question to the sleeping sendark. But with no results and no memories extracted  This was starting to anger Shiro causing him to walk up the pod and punched it 

“Come on your a broken soldier you can’t hold out for ever” Shiro yelled

then moment Shiro yelled a weird purple glow appeared in a tank near by  

“ I have no clue how that worked but I will contact the others ” Beau said to Shiro

”So you can hear my” Shiro said looking at the tank that held the memory not paying attention to beau 

outside of the hanger bay

“So what is the deal with Fitz anyway. Why is a kid on a warship ” Nyma asked 

“One the castle of lions isn’t a warship it’s a castle ship there is a different  . an two Jay kinda adopted him into his family I don't why jay did it even though Allura and Coran  told him to leave Fitz with shay’s family because he would be safer there then here  . But he countered with (your letting four teenagers to pilot giant robot lions in a fight against a ten thousand year old empire that can make monster. You have no place to speak when it comes to child safety) Adam said

“ Wow And she still let him bring Fitz along “ Nyma said 

“ Yeah I don’t know how he manage that one” Adam said as he opened the door to the hanger

When the door opened to reveal the aftermath of a shoot out. six sentries were on the floor. blaster burns on the walls shell casing on the ground and some blood on the floor.

“ What happened in here ?” Adam asked

“I don’t know but where Fitz and Jay” Nyma asked scary but what she was seeing

“ I’m here” a weak voices said behind a set of crates 

The two ran over to the crates to find Jay slumped against the wall bleeding from bullet wounds in his right thigh,the gut ,his should was smoking from a plasma burn and his prostatic arm was sparking and moving on its only

“Can you take me to the med bay please?”  Jay asked 

the two dragged their bleeding friend to the Prometheus’s med bay. them placed him on one of the bed has serval med bot roll out to remove the bullets ,to apply burn cream to his shoulder as well as set up a blood bag and a morphine drip 

“ Now where’s Fitz?” Adam asked

“He’s sleeping in his room. I locked his door the moment the sentries turned on me.” Jay said  still weak 

“What caused them to turn on you” Nyma asked worried 

“ No clue. One moment I'm doing inventory the next I'm being surrounded and shoot at . think some one is hacking into the castle you two should worn the other about this  ” Jay said

“What about you?”  Adam asked

“ I’ll be fine I still have my Bayard and the Prometheus will go into lock down when you leave “ Jay said 

“Alright we will be back” Nyma said

“Do go anywhere” Adam said

“ I will be waiting for your return” Jay said lying there on the bed

in Allura’s room. the princess was resting with the mice until a voice started to whisper to her  

“Allura my dear daughter” the voice said

“Father your here” Allura said 

“ Yes it’s me now come with me I have some thing to show you” Alfor said 

back in the cryo pod room

coran was finishing up the second to last. but the moment he reached to the last pod. he found lance frozen.

“So what happened to you lance?” asked Coran while helping the shivering out of the pod

“ I was just cleaning the inside of the cryo pod. the next thing in know the door closes and  I'm being frozen ” Lance said

“ I guess the cryo pods are malfunctioning” Coran said

“ Or maybe the castle is haunted” lance said 

“ Well the castle is made of supernatural advent  technology that can’t be explained but sciences alone so you may be right about it being haunted “ coran said 

A few minutes pass as the two talked about what had just happened until coran had to leave to handle other thing. leave lance alone. Lance sat in the cryo room not wanting to leave the room until the cryo pod he was trapped in suddenly started to descending on it own. lance ran out of the room screaming.  after that lance nervously scurried thought the halls of castle. getting spooked by the reprogramed sentries that were roaming the hall. lance continued  to walk alone thought the dark halls and saw a figure that flickered in and out of view.

“Coran is that you ?” Lance asked confused 

The figure disappeared then coran voice was heard in the distances yelling           “Lance Help I'm  trapped in the airlock come quickly” 

Lance ran to the air lock to help coran out. But when he got there coran wasn’t there I was just an empty room. lance walked a little closer to the airlock just to double check. he had stepped pass the door way and that moment the air lock opened and the door behind him closed. Lance grabbed on to the wall holding on for dear life. 

Keith and the rouge gladiator were fighting thought the hall. Keith was using the massive  halls and his agility to keep a good space between them. But that all change when they turned the corner. Gladiator slammed into Keith  knocking him next to the an airlock door. As Keith was getting to his feet he heard a voices from behind him. turning his head he saw lance holding onto the hall dear life. But be fore he could do anything to save lance the gladiator swung it’ s blade at him so He met it with his blade knocking the gladiator into the door way . then he slammed the ejected button for the airlock open the door. Gladiator flow out into space. Keith then reached into the airlock trying to grab lance 

“Grab my hand” Keith yelled 

 Lance extended his own hand fighting the now stronger pull of space just to survive. He started to feel cold his eyes were burn and he was getting weaker every passing second it terrified him . But he need to  push past the pain,the weakness and the fear he had to survive he need to return home and tell his family about everything he was going to do and see. so with the last of his strength he  pushed forward using the wall to launch himself towards Keith’s hand and grabbed it. the moment Keith felt lance’s hand on his he pulled lance in back into the ship and slam the airlock door shut 

The two lied on the ground catching the breath. Keith turned his to look at lance and saw him on his side shiver intently.

“lance are you alright?” Keith asked concerned 

“lance turned to face Keith his eyes red tears, running and before Keith could do anything lance’s arm wrapped around him an pulled him into a hug. keith felt the coldness of lance and on instinct just hugged lance back

  “thank you thank you so much for saving me Keith. I was scared that no one was coming to save me”lance said through heavy breaths  

“your welcome lance I just did what I had to do. Your my teammate” Keith said but in the back of his mind he thought about how this was the second time he almost lost lance a second time in under a week . Jay was right he need to tell lance how he feels so

a few seconds later several pair of feet could be heard running toward there location. Keith broke the hug by getting up and put lance behind him readying his Bayard  to protect lance no matter what. then to his surprised it was Rolo Rax and coran   

“ thank god it’s guys” lance said still lying on the floor 

“ What happened to you Lance?” Coran asked concerned  

“ He nearly was suck out into space. and Me, Rolo and Rax were attacked by the gladiator training bots. something is up with the castle ” Keith said while helping lance to his feet 

“He’s right the damn thing did a number on me  “ Rolo said holding  his bruised side and sporting a black eye 

“ Yes it did do a number on us” Rax said follow rolo lead. He had a split lip and few burses on his hand and for arms 

“Wait why was lance in the airlock?” Coran asked scared by this information 

“ I heard you voice coming for the airlock calling for help. so I came to help you”  lance said with a faint smile.

Coran starred at lance for a few seconds. he was remind of Blaytz for a moment and how lance coran of him in all of his actions. the blue lion made the right choice by picking lance

“ Ok we should get the other before any thing else happens” Keith said walking toward the green lions hanger to check up on pidge  

“ right” everyone follow after Keith 

in the memory chamber Allura was again sitting in a field of altea flowers talking to her father again 

“ Allura do you wish to go back to Altae?” Alfor asked 

“ Yes I would love to but it’s gone” Allura said sadly 

“No it not and I can prove it. Here take this Altea flower from my hand “ Alfor said his voice slightly distorted handing her the flower

Allura grabbed the flower from her father hand. She felt it’s weight and she could smell it. She was didn’t know if this was a dream or real by she didn’t care “ let’s go home father “ Allura said with a smile 

In the green lion hanger bay hunk shay and pidge were flowing around in room . Shay was just laughing and enjoy this new experience 

“aw look at her go no care in the world right now” Hunk said look at shay having the time of her life while holding onto Pidge

“Hunk focus on me right now and know your girlfriend”  pidge said 

“She not my girlfriend” hunk said blushing 

“ What’s a girlfriend?” Shay asked flowing by 

“ I will tell you later. But right now hunk you need to kick me” pidge said 

“ What no your my friend and I do hurt friends” hunk said concerned

“ no I need you to kick me towards the door” pidge said 

“ oh ok” he replied 

Pidge placed her feet on to hunk’s feet. then he launched her toward the door controls. she had a smile on her face as she flew  to the control room. But her smile turned to a grimes when she released her trajectory was off by a few feet to the side.

“No No No No No No “ She said as she slammed into the wall then the floor 

 “ You ok?” hunk asked

“no” she replied just flowing away from the door. 

She flowed there mad here plan had fail. then Rover flew toward from his charger 

“Rover” she said happy that her little bubby was here to help “ ok rover I need you to open the door “

Rover beeped to confirm that he understood the order. Then he flew to the door control

“ no wait pidge Me and Shay are still very high up he”  hunk said to later . rover opened the door returning gravity to the room sending the trio slamming they into the ground. Hunk was the first to get up from the ground and walk to shay 

“ Are you alright?’ HE asked as he helped her up 

“ I'm fine a little sore from the fall are you alright “ Shay asked

“ yeah I'm good. hey pidge you ok” Hunk asked concern for his fallen teammate 

Pidge through her hand into the air and gave a thumbs up. Then the sound off foot step could be heard approaching the room 

“ hey quit sleeping on the job Pidge something is up with the castle”   lance said walking in to the room.

in the detainment room 

“ What was your first rank in zarkon’s army. Dose Zarkon have any weaknesses. what is the best way to destroy then command center. if you were going to attack Zarkon how would do it?” Shira asked the unconscious Sendak.

“ Shiro I'm not getting a signal to anyone one else on the ship and I can’t jump to any of my other bodies and six of them are offline. So I'm going to fine out what is going on out there Be right back” Beauregard said leaving the room

“ alright” Shiro said “ Now where were we “

“ If I were going to attack Zarkon how would I do it “ Sendak said from behind Shiro 

Shiro turned round and swung his arm to cut into the some how freed Sendak. only to swing at a empty space. Shiro only saw serval sentries who were standing guarded of the detainment room just standing there looking at him kinda confused    Shiro then turn back around to see sendak still in his pod.

“ am I hearing thing” Shiro said to himself just looking around the room just to make sure Beau wasn’t just messing with him then turning back to sendak’s pod

“ No your not hearing thing” Sendak said now from around the room 

“ How are you doing this?” Shiro asked 

“ that dose matter right now. What matter is why would you want to destroy the empire that fixed you,you broken soldier “ sendak said 

“ I'm not a broken”  Shiro said

“You were broken by us and reform by us  just look at your arm.Then look back at all you’ve do an how many people did you killed to survive. Think how the other would think of you if they knew the truth about you. How would Adam reacted to all the blood on your hand . Sendak said

“ Shut up ” Shiro yelled 

‘No You listen you are nothing more then a monster who hide behind a mask of a hero and nothing you do will ever change “

“I'm not listening” Shiro said trying to block out Sendek's voice 

“How can a monster ever be a paladin of Voltron. How can a monster ever have friends care about it and how could a monster like you ever find some one to  love you” The trapped man said 

“ Enough” Shiro yelled smashing his fist into the pod leaving a huge crack in the pod.Shiro was breathing heavily and just starred at sendak for a few second only to see sendak’s eyes open and his head move forward but suddenly sendak was gone along with the pod. Shiro turned his head to see Adam standing by eject button with his hand on it

“Are you alright Shiro?’  Adam asked

Shiro Stared at Adam a few second the just hugged him” no I'm not all right. But I will tell you more later. We need to find the other right ” Shiro said

“ Yeah let’s go love” Adam said

In the Bridge of the castle of lions Allura was piloting it with alfor next to her toward a imploding star 

“It’s there Father Altae is still there” She said still stuck in her dream like state  

“ Yes my dear daughter were almost home  just a few more minutes.” the Ai said it’s voice distorted and flickering more and more 

Running to the bridge the know reanointed group ran to the bridge 

“ Coran , beau  what has been happened ?” Shiro asked 

The galra crystal has corrupted the Alfor Ai “ Coran said 

And it’s Marked everyone except for Coran  as problems that could possible hurt Allura. So it tried to Either to Trap ,scare or just flat out kill us to keep her  safe.’ Beau said 

“ So that why the food goo machine started firing on us” Shay said 

“Or how it first trapped me and when that didn’t work it tried to send me out the air lock” lance said 

“ or how it used the sentries to kill Jay off do to him be a berserker ” Adam said 

“ or the gladiator bot to get rid of Keith , Rax and I” rolo said 

the group was at the bridge and saw Allura stand at the controls pilot flying straight toward a star Everyone then Ran to her only to be stopped by the holographic face of king alfor yelling “ Get away from my daughter”  then a Barrier formed around Allura and king Alfor 

“WE need to get her out of there now” Shiro said 

“I'm trying” beau said a he was using one of the console to being down the barrier along with Adam and Coran 

Lance stood there with everyone else  just starring at the star slowly growing more and more” this is it. this is how I die on a alien space ship light year way from home” 

“Lance don’t give up hope we can still save this” Shiro said slamming his prostatic arm into the barrier over and over again

  But the scents of hopelessness filled the room. Rax and Shay held onto each other 

“Sorry I got you into this Brother”  Shay said crying 

“It’s alright It’s alright little sister “  HE said just holding on to her 

Rolo Nyma And Beezer were saying their goodbye thing this was it  

“ It’s been an honor flying with you two” Rolo said 

“oh shut up you guy are my best friends and I saw no other way this could end”  Nyma said huge Rolo 

Beezer just beeped happily 

Keith thinking this was his last chance So he walked up to lance and grabbed his jacket “Hey Keith what are you doin” lance said before being pulled into a long deep kiss. they only pulled apart when they need to breath

“What was that ?” lance said face bright red 

“ that was me confessing to you ok” Keith said also blush the same shade of red as the red lion 

“Oh that make scenes “ lance said 

“Hey don’t count me out” pidge yelled walking up to lance 

“ Wait what” lance said before pidge followed Keith’s lead and kissed lance then they broke a part

“if we had more time I would have like to go on a date but that’s not going to happen now” pidge said sadly 

“Yeah I really wish we did” Keith said

Lance face still bright red ran at the barrier and punched and kicked at it yell”  Allura turn this ship around I have dates to go on”

in the Barrier Allura just stared at altea slowly getting closer. but she started to get distracted by a voice calling her name that snapped her out of her dream like state

“Allura  Allura “ the voice said 

“Father” Allura turned to see her father. but he was next to her” what is going on here”

“ it’s time for you to let me go” Alfor said

“ But were almost home” She said pointing towards Altea 

“ No we are not look again my dear daughter”  He said

Allura turned to see a imploding star where Altea once was. She stopped the ship before it could get any closer to the star. Everyone outside of the barrier felt the ship stop and saw the barrier around Allura turn black to block everyone’s view of Allura sending them all in to panic   

” What is going on here Father please tell me” She asked now confessed and scared about what she almost did to everyone 

“ It looks like my Ai has started to degrade from the Galra crystal and it tried to kill your friends and you as well as fulfill your wish to return home by any means” The king said 

“ He did what now” she yelled

I doesn't matter right now. what matters now is that most let me go” He said

“But your all I have left of home” She cried 

“ no I'm not you still have coran and there is the altea colony on Mar and before you say I'm the only family you have left. Again you still have coran the new paladin and everyone else on this ship to call your family” He said slowly flickering away.

“ But what will I do with out you here to guild me” She said

“You don’t need me anymore you have already become the leader I always know you could be my dear daughter” 

but I don’t want you to go” Allura said starting to cry 

“Allura Remember what I told you”

 “ I know A leader most make sacrifices. She said 

“ Good Now it’s time for me to go”

Allura watched as memories of he pasted flash past her. Hundreds of them some from her childhood her teen years memories of her and the first paladins. Then at the end of memory lane a newer memory popped up of her and the other at Shiro and Adam’s wedding on the balmera and how happy they all were that day. She smiled that this picture. Then she turned to her father and hugged him 

“ Goodbye father I love” She said now crying even more now

“ Goodbye my dear daughter” Alfor said hugging her back as he finally flicker off of existents for the last time  

As the barrier fell  Everyone ran to her to make sure she was alright .

A few hour later Allura was back in her room sitting on her bed Looking at old photos of home. then she heard a knocking on the door

“ Come”  She said

the door opened to reveal Jay hold a pot in his hands  “ Hey princess I heard what happened to you from beau. So I brought you a Altean flower .see as my dad owns a flower shop back home I have all of different plants from altea on bored my ship  and now I'm rambling. So here you go”   Jay said handing her the pot “ It will take a few weeks for it to full grow but it’s truly worth the wait” 

“ Thank you Jay.” She said taking the pot from his hands

“ I should get back to the med bay before beau finds out I left it see you later Allura” jay said running back to his hanger bay

Allura look at the pot and smiled. then see saw a note on it. She opened it and read get well soon signed by everyone. She smile at the note and thought  Her father was right they are her family her weird and loveable new family and she would do anything to protect it 

[cherryblossomcheesecake]

God & His Priests & His Kings V2: Chapter 4 - A FFXV OC Fanfic

I’m rewriting this fic almost 3 years after I finished it since new ideas and plot bunnies have hit so here’s hoping I can stick with the series and see it through this time around. Sequel to How Rare & Beautiful.

Master list Word Count: 2,541 Upload: 05/23/21

Previous Chapter

Dawn - Jeremy Soule

In the week following Eun-Byeol's departure from the kingdom, I was able to settle into her routine quickly. I slept a little later than usual, only waking when the court ladies entered the room with my breakfast.

None of my former colleagues seemed to be aware of the switch, accepting my absence with ease and welcoming Ji-Hye into their ranks as the replacement.

The only difficulty I had experienced so far was the lack of privacy that came with having attendants and court ladies. The location of the royal apartments and overabundance of guards and staff certainly was making it difficult for Orion and I to see each other privately, much to his annoyance.

"I for one can't wait for this undercover business of yours to be done with. I'm tired of almost getting caught by the guards whenever I leave." Orion grumbled quietly, tugging his boots back on in the dim candle light.

I smiled indulgently from my place behind him on the bed, teasingly responding with, "No, you're just annoyed of having to leave right away so you don't get caught in bed with a princess."

He huffed out a quiet laugh, "What can I say, I've grown used to you curling around me after we make love."

I hummed lightly as I wrapped the sheets around my torso and shifted to sit up so I could rest my chin on his shoulder.

"It won't be for much longer, just until the peace is settled and the empire is out of the city. Then we can go back to our lives and back to seeing each other more regularly." I murmured against his bare shoulder, pulling gently on one of his braids.

"You say that, but it doesn't make me any less impatient." Orion said with a grin, turning to kiss me with a hunger that was softened by how gently he cradled my face in his hand.

I laughed into the kiss as I fell backwards onto the mattress, Orion following and hovering over me carefully. The hand cradling my face slowly slipped down my neck to rest on my chest, my lover brushing his thumb along my clavicle before parting our heated kiss.

"All this talk of secrecy and here you are acting like a coeurl to keep me in your bed longer. It's as if you want us to be found out." He teased, smirking as he moved himself off the bed to put his shirt back on.

I just laughed in response, rolling onto my front as the sheets tangled around my waist. I watched as he slipped on his belt before ducking down to kiss my head lightly.

"Sleep well, my princess. Until we meet again." Orion said quietly before slipping into the hall unnoticed, as I allowed myself to succumb to exhaustion.

*BREAK*

I found myself on the beaches of Galdin for the first time in years, squinting in the sun in order to take in my surroundings. The dream world preserved the perfection of my memory of the place from eight years ago, my gaze travelling along the white sand of the beach until they rested on the dark figure that had called out to me.

Noctis sat on a dock not too far away, his feet dangling in the water as he looked out across the ocean. I walked towards the teenager with a slight smile, allowing my form to taken on the familiar appearance of my yellow school uniform from my first life.

I settled down beside him, swinging my feet in the water and waited for the younger boy to speak.

The prince fidgeted with the hem of his shirt as he asked quietly, "Does it hurt to die?"

I looked at him in confusion, a frown gracing my face.

"I depends on the manner of death in my opinion. I died from blood loss while unconscious, but hitting my head did hurt quite a bit. Why do you ask?" I answered truthfully, watching his face for his reaction.

"I saw dad on the news recently and he isn't doing so well…" Noctis trailed off, his mouth pressing into a thin line.

I wrapped an arm around his broad shoulders, gently pulling him into a hug.

"We all die eventually, but your father still has many years left as king, Noctis. You don't have to worry about that just yet." I assured him, squeezing his shoulder lightly.

"How do you know that though? He looks so fragile and…"

"Everyone has a destiny and your father's journey isn't over yet," I told the prince, rubbing his back soothingly, "I know it's hard to see a parent as anything other than invincible as time goes on."

"Yeah.." Noctis trailed off, looking down to his hands, "Thanks, Angel. For everything."

I smiled brightly at his use of the childish nickname, the one he had given my dream form after the daemon attack eight years ago.

"This is what I'm here for, to make sure you're safe and okay…" I replied, ruffling his hair teasingly as he squawked and pouted over his now messy hair.

The prince merely huffed as he tried to salvage his black locks, a hint of a grin showing on his face as we continued to look out across the dreamscape.

*BREAK*

I awoke to the quiet murmurs and shuffling of the court ladies, the trio rousing me from my sleep as they moved around the dining area of the third princess' apartments.

I silently slipped out of the large bed, pulling on my discarded silk robe over my naked body and tying it closed before walking out to where the court ladies had placed my morning meal.

The court ladies briefly acknowledged my presence before moving into the bedroom to tidy it and select my clothes for the day. Tension filled the air as the entire palace seemed to rush anxiously in preparation for the Nifelheim embassy's arrival, and it had been steadily growing as the date of their arrival drew near.

I could hear the trio of court ladies fretting over what I should wear as I ate my berries and porridge, worrying if certain styles or colours would be deemed offensive to the foreigners.

I was also nervous about taking part in these negotiations, as I couldn't be found out in my role as pretending to be Eun-Byeol, or the entire thing would fall apart.

I finished my tea before making my way back to the bedroom, seeing the blue and white ruqun Bo-Ra and I-Seul had decided on, with Ji-Hye deciding what pins to adorn my hair with.

I quickly washed up with the water provided in the basin, wiping all traces of sleep and my activities with Orion from my skin. I allowed the robe to drop from my shoulders, I-Seul quickly removing it from my person as Bo-Ra began dressing me in my undergarments.

The two of them quickly began dressing me in the ruqun before guiding me to the vanity so Ji-Hye could do my hair as I began the swift process of applying a small amount of makeup.

As the younger girl began braiding sections of my hair and inserting jeweled pins, I applied powder, kohl and a lip balm, pinching my cheeks for some added colour.

Once I had finished and Ji-Hye stepped away from my hair, I was indistinguishable from the real third princess.

I applied a bit of rose water to my neck and wrists before clipping in my silver earrings, preparing to make my way towards the main foyer where I was to meet the other two princesses.

Stepping into my satin slippers, I left the royal apartments with my court ladies in tow, our group moving quickly through the halls of the palace.

My retinue and I were the last to arrive, the other two princesses waiting with their selection of court ladies, the faint murmurs of the court the only noise filling the antechamber. The three of us stood there for a few minutes, staring at each other until the calls of the head eunuch signalled our entrance to the court.

It was overwhelming to be the center of everyone's attention, as nobody paid any attention to a court lady when in the presence of a princess. I tried to mask my panic as I followed Gyeong-Hui and Se-Hyeon up the stairs to the three thrones, focusing on evening out my breathing and not tripping.

Settling daintily on the seat of Eun-Byeol's throne, I fixed my gaze on the large doors at the back of the room, knowing that the imperial embassy would walk in at any moment.

The head eunuch appeared below the dias, clearing his throat before announcing, "Presenting the imperial embassy of the Nifelheim empire. Chancellor Ardyn Izunia, Brigadier General Loqi Tummelt, and High Commander Ravus Nox Fleuret, former prince of Tenebrae."

I perked up at the mention of Ravus' name, surprised by his presence in the embassy.

While we hadn't been close like Luna and I due to the large age difference, I still remembered that he had been kind to me while I was in Tenebrae. The man who entered the throne room was starkly different from the boy of my memory, his mouth set in a harsh line and eyes void of any emotion; his blonde hair had grown out of its short style, and any remnants of childhood had melted off his face.

The brigadier general was an unknown face and looked surprisingly young for his military position, while the chancellor was as strange as the last time he was in Goryeo.

"Greetings once again, fair princesses of Goryeo. Thank you for welcoming the imperial embassy to your beautiful city." Ardyn stated with all the pomp and dramatics of his last visit.

"Good day to you, Chancellor, and your companions. We hope your journey was safe and comfortable." Gyeong-Hui replied formally, scrutinising the trio of men at the foot of the steps.

"It was quite long and tiresome, but seeing your lovely faces has surely rejuvenated my companions as much as I."

I withheld a shudder as the chancellor's eyes slid across each of us, lingering a moment longer on my figure before flickering back to the first princess.

"Nonetheless, you must be tired. Please allow the servants to escort you to your guest chambers so you may rest and freshen up before the evening meal." Se-Hyeon interjected, a tentative smile gracing her face.

"How could refuse the generosity of such gracious hosts. Thank you, your highnesses." the chancellor replied, bowing low to us before leading the other two out of the throne room.

The tension in the room seeming to immediately disappear with the group from the empire, members of the court finally relaxing.

*BREAK*

Dinner was just as tense of an affair as this morning in the throne room had been. I remained silent for the most part, only speaking when spoken to by the chancellor.

"Have you given any thought to the previous proposal the empire has offered, your highnesses?" Ardyn inquired, sipping at the sweet ulwatt wine that had been imported for the occasion.

"If we had, our answer would still remain the same. Someone who marries outside our borders cannot reside within them with their spouse. It is only because of politics that your embassy and escort are allowed in our lands." Gyeong-Hui replied steadily.

"How unfortunate. I only hope that we are able to come to an agreement that mutually benefits both of us that is equal to the solidity of marriage." the chancellor said, his golden eyes boring into the first princess' equally intense gaze.

"Indeed." Se-Hyeon murmured, looking into the depths of her wine cup.

Silence fell over the room once more before the sound of my chair legs scraping against the floor filled the dining hall.

"Excuse me but I need a moment to get some air" I said breathlessly, bobbing a quick curtsey to our guests and the other princesses before walking out of the dining hall as fast as was deemed appropriate.

I didn't slow my pace until I was in the nearest empty garden, gasping for breath as I attempted to calm myself. I settled down on a stone bench, closing my eyes as I breathed in the scent of the flowers around me.

The chancellor unnerved me quite a bit and his eyes always felt like they were dissecting me whenever he looked at me. It was suffocating.

I was so immersed in calming myself down that I barely caught the polite clearing of a throat, propelling me upwards to face the entrance of the garden. Ravus stood awkwardly in in the garden, looking lost as he averted his gaze from me.

I composed myself swiftly, taking a deep breath.

"Is there something I can help you with, High Commander?" I offer quietly, staring at the uneasy man before me.

"Ah, no, your highness. I was simply walking in the gardens before retiring. I did not mean to intrude." the former prince answered quietly, his mismatched eyes finally meeting mine.

"In that case, would you care to walk with me through the gardens and talk? I would like to get to know you since your company will be with us for quite some time." I asked Ravus, smiling politely at the shadow of the boy I used to know.

"I would be honoured, princess." the blonde replied, offering me his arm and allowed me to begin guiding him through the various gardens in the palace.

Ravus cleared his throat awkwardly, avoiding my curious gaze to look around the garden.

"The gardens here are quite lovely, especially the water gardens." he said quietly, causing me to smile at his continued awkwardness.

"Thank you, but I'm sure they can't compare to the beauty of Tenebrae's nature. I hear that your cities and Fenestala Manor are practically interwoven with the trees and other plants." I laughed, remembering the beauty of the royal family's home prior to the empire's attack.

Ravus tensed slightly at the mention of his family home, a sudden seriousness overcoming him.

"My childhood home is indeed beautiful despite the scars it still retains after the empire's invasion years ago." he acknowledged gravely.

I turned away from the gardens to face him, looking at him with empathy.

"I'm sorry for what happened to your home and family. I may have not known her personally, but I heard Queen Sylva was a benevolent ruler, and an even more loving mother." I offered, remembering the radiant woman who had been so kind to me despite being an unknown piece of the puzzle.

"Thank you. What happened to my home and family was a tragedy, let us hope that your council and our embassy can come to a suitable agreement so that history does not repeat itself in Goryeo." the former prince replied, causing my heart rate to rise in sudden anxiety at the veiled threat behind his words.

We continued our walk in silence, my mind turning quickly in an attempt to formulate some kind of agreement that would be equal to that of marriage, the promise of destruction lingering in the back of my mind.

Next Chapter