#Nightshade berries? Yup

[bespectacled-bookwyrm]

N: *laughing, mimicking Colress* "Nooo, N! Don't eat the uranium rod!"

Concordia: DID YOU OR DID YOU NOT CONSUME URANIUM.

N: *big, happy smile*

Anthea: I'M CALLING AN AMBULANCE.

N: It was tasty.

Anthea and Concordia: NO.

[rottmntquotes]

Mikey: *With the Most Unimpressed Look He Can Muster* You and Todd were picking berries by the creek, weren't you?

Leo: *With a Mouth Full Of Berries* Yup.

Mikey: I bet you think they're blueberries, don't you?

Leo: Are they not?

Mikey: Those are Nightshade berries.

Leo: And?

Mikey: They could easily kill you within a matter of hours if consumed.

Leo: *Spits Out the Berries Before Falling Down Dramatically*

Mikey: *Unimpressed Look Intensifies*

[snowfall-fanfictions]

Beware the Frozen Heart Chapter 9- The Poisoning

Previous Chapter

Ao3 link

FF.net link

Eryn gets down to some dirty business while Elsa seeks guidance from Gerda. Enjoy!

"And you're sure this is the stuff?"

Eryn looked down at the small sack his contact, a fat man with a face that looked like he was stung by bees, gave him. The man had infiltrated the castle staff and had been supplying Eryn any… illicit supplies to help in the assassination. The two men met in an empty room in the east wing of the castle, as to not draw attention to themselves. Eryn reached into the sack and pulled out a small black berry, about the size of his fingernail.

"Yup," the contact said in a hushed tone, "Freshly picked Nightshade berries, just like you asked for."

"Amazing how such tiny berries can cause so much suffering…" Eryn sneered.

"My wife said the same thing."

Eryn wasn't sure how to respond as he delicately put the sack in his jacket. "Uh... rrright… Look, when you infiltrate the dining staff, I need you to locate the wine cellar and report to me. Can you do that without fucking it up?"

"Yes, sir." "Good. Now, make sure no one sees you leave this room." Eryn walked over to the door and opened it slightly ajar. Carefully observing the hallway, he nonchalantly strolled out of the room, down towards the kitchen.

Eryn still couldn't believe that was the best he could find. He had spent years forming a tight-knit group of reliable contacts to help in these jobs, but he wasn't expecting to recruit a stupid clown like that jackass. If Eryn remembered correctly, he was the one who got caught in Avalor during the job to kill some local gang leader. It was a miracle that they were able to get out of there with that mouth-breathing tub of lard slowing them down. It didn't matter at this point. Once the queen was dead, he'd never see that infernal moron ever again.

Once she was dead… Eryn's heart grew heavy at the thought of Elsa's death. It was clear to him now more than ever that the mystery man who hired him was exaggerating the reasons he wanted the queen dead. Exaggerating, Eryn thought, More like lying through his damn teeth! For some reason, Eryn felt a surge of anger overtake his body. He quickly shook this rage from his head. It didn't matter at this point. He couldn't pass up an opportunity like this, not only to get back at Arendelle, but to solidify his legacy as a legendary killer. His stroll turned into a frustrated march as he silently grumbled to himself.

As he approached the kitchens, he paused at the sound of someone yelling. Except it wasn't like the head chef berating some hapless fool for overcooking the duck, instead it was more of an "GET THAT THING OUT OF HERE!" Eryn was immediately taken off guard when a large reindeer was shoved out of the large doors and into the hallway. At least we know the food's fresh, he thought as a large stocky blond man rushed up to the animal.

"Sven, how many times do you need to be told not to go in the kitchen?" he said sternly.

"BuT iT AlL SmElLeD So gOoD," The man replied in a more goofy tone. Was he… talking for the reindeer?

"Well, that's just people food, and this," the man pulled out a bag and retrieved a carrot from it, "Is people and reindeer food."

It was at that point Eryn realized who this was. The man in the square the day he arrived in Arendelle. Eryn recoiled in horror as the man let the reindeer take a bite out of the carrot, then ate the rest.

"Oh, what the hell?!" Eryn shouted, his stomach churning. The man and reindeer looked up at him with confused expressions.

"You must be Derrik," the man said as he extended his hand, "I don't think we've properly met before. I'm Kristoff, Anna's fiancé."

What in the FUCK does she see in you? He thought, shaking Kristoff's hand reluctantly. "Er- I guess that makes you the Royal Ice Master, then?"

"Yep! Sven and I oversee all of Arendelle's ice harvesting and shipping, isn't that right buddy?" Kristoff leaned over to the reindeer and scratched the underside of the beast's neck. Sven let out a satisfied grunt as his hooves stomped on the floor.

"I- uh… wasn't aware that they allowed animals in this part of the castle."

"Sven's more like family than anything else," Kristoff placed his hands on his hips and playfully glared at the reindeer, "But sometimes he forgets that not everyone thinks the same way." Sven gave his friend a small pout.

"How exactly did someone like you earn the princess's hand?"

"What do you mean 'someone like me?'"

"Well… you don't seem like a lot of other people around here. Not as uptight."

"I helped Anna find Elsa and fix the eternal winter, that's how," Kristoff leaned over to Sven, "I HeLpEd ToO, yA KnOw," he said, speaking for the reindeer.

Oh sweet fucking Christ, Eryn thought. It was tempting to kill this oaf along with the queen, but his standards forbade him from killing the mentally challenged.

"Hmmm, well, if you don't mind, I need to get into the kitchens. I have to make sure no one's tainted the food yet."

Kristoff cocked his head with a raised eyebrow. "Uh… the dignitaries haven't even shown up yet. Don't you think it's a little early to be checking on the food?"

"An assassin wouldn't wait until the moment the food is being served to poison the meal. Now would be an opportune time to taint anything, whilst there are few eyes."

"And how exactly would you know about that?" "I was the son of a noble, my father fretted over such things constantly…" Eryn seemed to get lost in thought as he said "my father," as if some internal force scolded him for dragging his father through this shameful charade. "Look," Eryn said after a few moments, "Elsa asked me to do this, so if you have a problem with it, talk to her about it. Now if you will excuse me..." With that, Eryn forced his way between Kristoff and Sven and entered the kitchens, ignoring the scowl the ice harvester gave him. The kitchen was incredibly cramped, filled with chefs and servants scrambling around to make sure everything was in its proper place. Eryn could barely hear himself think through the sounds of clinking dinnerware, sizzling meats, and general commotion from the people inside. It looked and sounded like an insane asylum where the inmates were given free reign. Scanning the room, he noticed that his inside contact was busy getting yelled at by the head chef over clumsily dropping some potatoes. He marched over to the two of them and grasped the contact's arm.

"I need to see this one for a second," Eryn said, trying to sound cheery. He dragged the contact to one of the only secluded areas behind a few large sacks of flour. "What in the hell are you doing?!" Eryn whispered angrily through gritted teeth, "If you get thrown out of here this whole operation is a bust!"

"I'm sorry, boss," the contact said panicking, "I was just trying to blend in and-"

"I don't need your sob story, where is the wine cellar?"

"R-right over there," the man sputtered, pointing to a large oak door.

"Alright, now get back to work, and don't act suspicious." Eryn threw the man out of the corner, watching as he fumbled about like a one legged chicken. Casually strolling over to the wine cellar, avoiding the sea of bodies, he was approached by a minor staff member.

"I'm sorry, but that area's off li-," She began.

"The queen herself asked me to overlook all aspects of this event, including the drink. You wouldn't want to upset the queen, now would you?"

The servant's eyes grew wide as she scurried off. Eryn discreetly opened the wine cellar door and slipped inside. Allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness, he scanned over the racks of wine bottles, looking for one specific bottle. Red Burgundy, Clos de Vougeot, Eryn reminded himself, running his hand across each bottle. He pulled each one out of its hole until finally reaching the one he was looking for. Eryn grinned in a sinister manner as he unsheathed his blade. The knife lay silent, denying Eryn any of its gifts. Overdramatic bastard, he thought as he jabbed the tip into the cork.

With one swift motion, Eryn pulled the cork out with a satisfying *pop*. He then took out the sack of berries from his jacket, pulled out five of them, and split them with the knife. As he hovered his hand over the wine bottle, he hesitated slightly. Once he did this, there would be no turning back. She would be dead, he'd be long gone, and everyone else would be left to deal with the aftermath of the assassination. His mind fell onto Anna, how she trusted him, how he would force her to live her life with no family, again. The idea of putting such a kind and warm person through that caused his heart to ache. Should he call it all off-

NO! Eryn thought, infuriated with himself, Not when I'm this close. If I had to live with no family… then so will she. With that, Eryn crushed the berries in his hand, the juices dripping into the wine below.

XXXXXX

"Oh, dear! I'm so happy for you!"

Gerda took Elsa's hands in her own. The queen sat in her study explaining to the head maid her situation regarding her feelings towards Derrik. For the past fifteen years, Gerda was the closest thing Elsa had to a mother figure, someone whom she felt she could talk to about anything. Despite Gerda's elation, Elsa still felt a pang of guilt and embarrassment in her soul as she hunched her back, cradling herself in her arms.

"T-thank you, Gerda," Elsa said weakly, her cheeks burning bright, "I'm just not sure if… nevermind."

"Dear, you shouldn't keep these things bottled up. You remember what happened last time?"

"It's just… Arendelle is in a state of chaos! There are bandits in the north, we appear weaker than ever before, and here I am fantasizing about some man. I just don't know if this is truly right for the kingdom."

Gerda silently processed the queen's words. "Dear," Gerda took Elsa's hands in her own, "Sometimes you just need to take a step back from it all and think about yourself for a change. Why, I remember when your father had the same dilemma about his feelings for your mother."

Elsa was taken aback by Gerda's story. "Really?"

"Of course," Gerda chuckled, "He was in the same position you were in. I'm afraid that's the case when a regent dies suddenly. People lose their faith in the monarchy, alliances have to be reformed, it's a complete mess. He would confide to Kai and myself constantly over his situation." Hearing that made Elsa feel a little better as she untangled herself from her arms. "Magic or not, you're still human, dear," Gerda continued, "Arendelle isn't going to collapse if you fall in love."

Elsa smiled warmly as a knock came to the door. Kai entered the room, a look of seriousness on his face.

"Sorry to interrupt, your majesty," he said, "But the dignitaries from France have arrived."

"Ah, yes," Elsa said, rising from her seat, "I'm coming." As she left the room, she could overhear the conversation between Gerda and Kai.

"HA! I told you she's got it bad! Pay up!"

"Hmph! Fine!" Elsa heard the jangling of coins being pulled out of a bag. She couldn't help but chuckle to herself. Talking to Gerda made it feel like a massive weight was lifted off of Elsa's shoulders. In time, she would need to talk to Derrik about this, but for now she put all of her focus on the visiting dignitaries. A powerful ally like France would help bolster Arendelle's reputation on the world stage. It was an opportunity the kingdom couldn't refuse.

For the first time since the assassination attempt, she felt calm.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Wednesday, June 27, 2018

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Waiting (Angel, G) by badly-knitted

To Find Her Way Back to Him (Buffy/Spike, Teen) by sandy_s

[Chaptered Fiction]

ElysianFields: Recently Updated Stories (Buffy/Spike, Various) by Miss Kitty, OffYourBird, sandy_s, -Carrie-Ann-, and Toften

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: [Drusilla] (SFW) by sanshodelaine

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Fanvid: Spike sick of it all (Not rated) by TheCyborgninjafox

Video: Whedoncon Vlog Trailer 6/18 (SFW) by Squee! The Fangrrl Project Web Series

[Reviews & Recaps]

So, Buffy season 12, issue 1 by scienceofficer-winifredburkle

EP 64: Two Xanders, No Waiting by ianxcarlos

In the Buff S5E11 “Triangle” by the-mental-vacation

Return to the Hellmouth: Episode 45: BtVS 3x08 Lovers Walk by returntothehellmouth

PODCAST: Angel: 521-522 by tinyfences

PODCAST: S04E18 - Go Out With a Bang - Where the Wild Things Are by popculturerolecall

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[Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a series that changed my life.] by luxshine

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[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

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[chaospenelope]

Samples

Current Progress on each

Magical Monstrous Girl

"Long time no see." Neda's eyes lifted from her purse. A woman smiled at her in a way that made her very uncomfortable. She was very close. "Hey, you." She straightened her body as she backed up. Her mind searched for a name. "How's it going?" "It's, going?" She glanced at the baristas behind the counter. Hard at work filling out orders. "So that little...angel of yours is-" "Oh, it's you." She looked at the woman she now recognized. "Penny's doing great, she still plays and they made it to the championship." "Oh, how wonderful." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Well, Davey actually moved on to football. It's much more challenging you know. More his speed." "You think so huh?" She looked at her phone. "He ever play on ice with skates, a stick, and a projectile hard enough to break your teeth?" She gave a small laugh. "Of course not, who would do that?" "I did, my dad, and my kids do. Every winter the whole family loves a good game of hockey. It's just not your speed I guess." "NightShade, got a Neda NightShade." The barista read the name as he put the cups on the counter. "Well it was nice seeing you." "Yup, sure it was." She turned and picked up the beverages held together by the cardboard cutout box. She handled it carefully as she open the door and got into the car.

After the Fall

The clicking of the door lock was always alerting to Neda. It was always something interesting that waited on the other side. It hadn't opened in what felt like forever. For months on end she had the same stories and episodes to keep her company. She stood up, waiting for the the cube to deliver some more books and videos. She tilted her head as something else came into view. She smoothed out her shirt and brushed off the crumbs when she realized she actually had company! Said company was a female that seemed to be around her age. The cream white fur, almost black red eyes, long ears lightly draped over her shoulders, and two horns on the top of her head. She jumped as the door slammed behind her. "Hey," Neda tried to lean against the wall but shyly readjusted herself as the goat girl looked at her. "What's up, I'm Neda...What your name?" She cringed at her own voice. Not a good first impression she thought. "Hello, I'm Toriel." Her eyes took in the bear's form, the short and thick black fur with the almost random splotches of gold on her right paw, right eye, short snout, tips of her bangs, and what she could see of her neck and chest. She stopped at her dark green eyes as she said, "It's a pleasure to meet you". They both smiled, sincere sweet smiles. "Well, thanks Toriel. I, uh, wasn't expecting anyone but I'm so glad you did! ...Drop by," She laughed nervously as she quickly brushed up the crumbs and threw them through the disposal shoot. "Want some bread? Water? I saved a bottle of berry juice if you want it, I think it's still good...." "Water is fine, thank you." Toriel looked around the room. She watched Neda open the door in the corner of the room and turn on the faucet. "You have your own bathroom?" "Yeah, don't stick any blankets or clothes in the toilet or they'll tranquilize you and you'll wake up blanket-less and nude. I just got these back." She said handing over a filled plastic glass. She took it as she gave a skeptical look. "If you mind me asking...." "Oh! No, I spilled some juice on it and I didn't want to wait two days to get it back. Guess they thought I was trying to escape." "How long have you been in here?" "Since..." She she sat on the floor, arms around her knees. "Since I was ten...I'm not sure how much time has passed since then, at least five years?"

The Forgotten Ones

Steam rose from the delicately ornate teacup as a warm liquid was poured in. A large finger curled around the handle and lifted it off it's saucer. The monster breathed in the warmth and lifted it his lips. He sighed contently after a long sip, the day dragged at a nice slow pace. He looked out the window at the colorful garden. He smiled warmly at the sight of his kids wading through the plants as they chased each other. He looked back at the papers on the desk. All of them signed with his all important name and blessing. He put the saucer down looked them over one last time. He didn't want another ban skorts incident. Once his worries were satisfied he straightened them out, turning to give them to the secretary. In his attempted haste his foot was caught under the rug. With a little gasp and a thud he fell to the ground, papers flying around him and gently slid onto the floor. He quickly gathered them up, carefully not to crumple or tear as he tried to order them properly. He was in the middle of counting them when his wife ran up to the doorway. "Honey, what was that n-Are you alright?" She asked as she knelt next to him sitting on the carpet. "I just had a little spill." He assured her as she examined his leg. "I'm fine." "You sure? Can you stand up on your own?" "Yeah," He chuckled, putting his hand on the desk as he rose off the ground. "I was collecting the papers I dropped." "I see..." She flattened out the carpet. "I swear you get yourself injured more often than the kids do." "Speaking of which, I'm surprised you're not out there with them." "I was, just came in for a moment to check the oven." She chuckled as he seemed to perk up.