#Part 2 of 7

[magicalsniper]

The Legacy of Magic

5,853 words | Teen | Part 2 of 7 Author's AO3: MagicalSniper Story Link: The Legacy of Magic Part One Part Three Part Four

Summary: Balinor, summoned by Uther to negotiate with the Great Dragon Kilgharrah, witnesses the devastating aftermath of the Great Purge of Magic and is forced to escape Camelot, leaving behind a pregnant Hunith. Years later, his son Merlin, who struggles to conceal his magic, becomes fast friends with Prince Arthur. Their bond is tested when Arthur learns the truth about Merlin’s magic, but his loyalty to Merlin remains steadfast, though their relationship is marred by the weight of secrets and struggles for the safety of magic users in Camelot.

Chapter Two: The One Where Arthur and Merlin Become Friends

Hunith’s fingers trembled as she accepted the small woven basket filled with vibrant herbs from the errand boy. She hugged the basket to her chest to keep it from tumbling to the floor and closed the door firmly with her hip. The scent of rosemary and thyme enveloped her as she meandered through the Physician’s chambers and placed the basket haphazardly on the table beside the tinctures she had filled before the interruption. She began to fill the rest of the empty vials absentmindedly, accidentally overflowing one of them in her distraction.

“Careful with those tinctures, Hunith,” Gaius chided gently, noticing her distraction. “A single drop too much, and you’ll have the King dancing a jig rather than resting.”

“Maybe it’ll lighten the bastard up,” she muttered to her brother, moving the vials out of the way to clean up her mess. “Heaven knows we could all use the laugh.”

She wiped her hands on her apron and reached for the small vial of wheat and barley she had prepared a week prior, unable to wait any longer to see the results. She had read in one of Gaius’s medical books that if a woman thought herself pregnant, she would urinate over the seeds of wheat and barley over several days. If it grows, the woman is likely with a child.

Her thoughts wandered to Balinor and the passionate night they had shared not two months prior as she brought the vial close to the candlelight. If she were indeed pregnant with his child, what would that mean for her future, given the danger of having a magical offspring in Camelot?

“It’s a boy,” Gaius said softly, coming up behind her to look at the vial where the seedlings were leaning towards the candlelight. 

She glanced down at the vial; indeed, the barley seeds had sprouted.

“And it’s… Balinor’s child?” Gaius asked in a light tone. 

Hunith threw Gaius a nasty look over her shoulder, causing him to cover the teasing smile that crossed his face. It was no secret that she had been good friends with Uther and Balinor since childhood. There was no shortage of rumors among the castle and lower village that she had been warming the King’s bed since the death of Ygraine. Unfounded, of course, but that didn’t stop Gaius from teasing her about it every now and then. 

His face took on a more serious expression. “Some might say…” Gaius paused, weighing his words, “... that ending this pregnancy might be safer for all involved.” 

Hunith’s hands found the hem of her dress, twisting the fabric as she pondered his words. “Safer, perhaps,” she shrugged and sighed heavily. “But I cannot. This child is more than just Balinor’s. If Balinor has no more children, this child is the last hope for the Dragonlords— I cannot allow that to be extinguished.”

“I’d expect nothing less,” Gaius said with a nod and a warm smile. “We shall keep this secret safe for as long as possible.”

~o0o~

By the sixth month of her pregnancy, Hunith was glowing with the promise of new life— a new life already proving to be as mischievous as magical. Not an hour passed without vials toppling over unexpectedly, books fluttering like birds taking flight around the chambers, and quills dancing across tables in a bizarre waltz.

“Merlin, stop that!” Hunith scolded, despite knowing that her words would fall on deaf ears. “He’s not even born yet and is driving me crazy!” she muttered, slamming her hand down onto the book she had been reading as it tried to fly away.

"Perhaps it's best if you remain out of sight for the time being," Gaius suggested, righting a floating tome with a sigh.

“Lovely.” 

~o0o~

Yet, even the best-laid plans of mice and men— or, in this case, physicians and their assistants, go awry. There was a grand tournament during the Spring equinox where all of Camelot had gathered. Hunith had become stir-crazy, now eight months pregnant, and had, against her better judgment, allowed herself to venture into the stands to watch the tournament, her presence masked by the throngs of spectators. Or so she had thought.

She was dressed in a loose dress that disguised her baby bump, never being more grateful that she didn’t show as much as many others did that late in their pregnancy. She would have been fine, with no one the wiser, had Uther, sitting in the middle of the stands, not caught her eye as she made her way towards Gaius, who was a few rows behind him. 

Uther had raised an eyebrow at her and motioned with his head that she should sit beside him and young Arthur, who was kneeling on his own seat, blue eyes wide with wonder as he watched the jousting tournament. 

She merely gave him a tight smile and shook her head. He likely thought she was trying to deny the request to keep the rumours at bay because Uther merely rolled his eyes and motioned with his head again, causing her to sigh heavily and approach him. 

“Morning, Sire,” she said ‘sire’ in the most sarcastic tone she could muster, causing Uther to roll his eyes again and scoff at her. “And Arthur, how are you doing?” She cooed, reaching over to smooth his hair from his eyes. 

Arthur, then three, grinned up at her, his two front teeth missing due to him falling from one of the castle statues earlier in the week. “Aunt Hunith! Are you sitting with us!? Did you see what the Black Knight did just now? It was so cool!” He reached over and hugged her waist, his face nuzzling her belly. Arthur pulled away and frowned at her belly, “Did you get fat?”

“Arthur!” she scolded, firmly pushing on his shoulders and glaring down at him. “There are two things you never ask a lady— her age or if she gained weight.”

Arthur pouted, “I’m sorry, Aunt Hunith.” 

She sighed heavily and leaned down to kiss his forehead, pulling him into a hug. “I forgive you.”

Uther watched the exchange with a small smile, frowned at her, and scanned her body until his eyes rested on her stomach. He licked his lips and looked nervously at her, “Are you?”

“Would I be pregnant and not tell one of my oldest friends?” She asked him softly. 

He gave her a sad look. It wouldn’t have even been a question eight months ago, but he could tell she’d been pulling away since Balinor’s disappearance. “I’d protect you if… if you were, as long as it wasn’t…” Balinor’s, it went without saying. Uther had no tolerance for magic, even from his oldest friends, not since Ygraine had passed.

“Would you have me killed if it were, Uther?” Hunith challenged, pressing the side of Arthur’s face into her hip and covering the other side of his face with her hand so that he wouldn’t hear their conversation. He hardly noticed, as entranced as he was with the knights below. “Have Arthur watch his aunt die right before his very eyes?”

Uther’s lips tightened into a straight line, and he could not meet her eyes. “I… I…”

“I’m not pregnant, Uther,” she lied after a minute of watching him trying to come up with a response, her hand stroking the side of Arthur’s face as she let go of him. “No need to go light the pyre.”

“Good, good, good… good,” Uther cleared his throat and patted the bench beside him. “Join me, please? I’ve missed you.”

“Careful, Uther,” Hunith said dryly. “You don’t want everyone to start thinking you have feelings.” 

He huffed out a laugh and gently pulled her into the seat that Arthur had vacated, “You’re ridiculous.”

They sat in companionable silence, cheering in all the right places, making idle chatter between rounds, pulling Arthur down from the rails when he became so into the tournament he almost fell off it. It almost felt as it had when they were kids and would watch the tournaments together. 

Unfortunately, it became too similar to the tournaments they used to attend as kids—the ones where Balinor would enchant the knights to do things when they grew bored.

One minute, they were watching a run-of-the-mill round; nothing seemed out of the ordinary until a knight began to charge valiantly across the field with his lance poised. He'd been suddenly flung off his horse and landed, not with a noble crash but with a tumble that turned into an inexplicable, hand-standing dance across the field.

Hunith froze, having felt the invisible burst of magic that rippled through the air. He looked over to Uther, hoping that he hadn’t felt it as well. Time seemed to stand still as gasps and cheers erupted from the crowd, the spectacle turning heads and raising brows, but it seemed as if no one else thought it was due to magic or felt the pulse. 

Her heart raced, her cheeks reddened with a mixture of embarrassment and fear. She swallowed heavily, ice water in her veins, and laughed a bit hysterically. “R-remarkable balance, that one.”

Uther studied her with narrowed eyes, causing her to fear that he had felt where the magic had come from before his face smoothed, and he turned back to the arena, where the knight had since been released from the spell and was brushing himself off. “Indeed.”

Hunith leaned back in her seat and took a deep breath, her heart pounding as she realised how close she had been to being discovered. She looked down at her stomach with a frown. She was going to have her work cut out for her.

~o0o~

In the backroom of Gaius’ chambers, a young Merlin pressed his nose against the cool glass pane, eyes wide as he observed the bustling castle life below. He took particular interest in the junior knights who were running back and forth from the armoury to the training grounds. He couldn’t help the impish grin that overcame him before he wiggled his fingers in a silent incantation that sent swords and shields flying from the alarmed teen’s hands. He cackled as they ran around like chickens without their heads, trying to catch the weapons that continuously danced out of their reach. 

He watched as the laundress and her assistant carried a load of royal laundry towards the fields to hang and sent it flying across the fields, the sheets moving as if they were playful ghosts, chasing the two women across the grounds. 

He caught sight of an abandoned bucket of water and poured it over the heads of suspecting royals as they toured the grounds. He ducked out of sight when King Uther turned towards the Physician’s chambers, bemusement on his face as the servants rushed towards a screaming Princess Eleanor.

Gaius stuck his head into the room and raised an eyebrow at him after a deafening screech of hers regarding the state of her hair. “Merlin,” the man chided, exasperation clear in his tone. “You don’t seem to be doing your studies.”

“Not my reading and writing, but I am practicing magic!” Merlin’s playful grin fell slightly, and he sighed, “Yes, Uncle.” His voice lacked any remorse, the twinkle in his eyes betraying him. “I’m just so bored. Why couldn’t I go collect herbs with Mommy?”

“What happened the last time you collected herbs with Hunith?” Gaius asked.

Merlin muttered under his breath and kicked at the floor.

“Sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

“I enchanted King Uther to fall and trip into the fountain,” Merlin looked up, his eyes flashing. “But he was being so mean to his poor manservant!” 

“Why don’t you come help me make some tinctures?” Gaius suggested, “And then we can practice a couple of spells from your spell book.” 

Merlin gasped in excitement and raced down the steps into the main chambers, “Come on, Uncle!”

“This child will be the death of me…” Gaius muttered, following his nephew’s excited calls.

~o0o~

At times, the call to leave the chambers was too strong, and Merlin would escape when his mother and Gaius were distracted. Usually, Merlin would find himself in the stables, feeding and brushing the horses for the stablehands. 

Other times, he would sit on the hill a little away from the training grounds and watch Prince Arthur practise his swordplay with his wooden sword and shield. He moved with grace and power, commanding attention even with his small stature. Merlin’s fingers would twitch; he longed to join in on the laughter of the Prince and his friend Leon, to be a part of something grander than whispered spells and shadows. Or, maybe he just really wanted to mess with the Prince. He really wasn’t sure.

Then, there were times when Merlin would be chasing Gwen across the castle grounds, and he would look up to see Arthur perched on the Library sill, his golden head bowed over a tome. Arthur would raise his head, and for a breathless moment, their worlds would touch— but all too soon, Arthur’s attention was drawn back to his studies, and Merlin would often be tackled to the grass by Gwen. The moment tended to be quickly forgotten and replaced with pleas and squeals of laughter as she would mercilessly tickle him until tears formed in his eyes.

~o0o~

It was the morning of Hunith’s birthday, during Merlin’s seventh summer, and Merlin was determined to get her a present. Early that morning, he had slipped out of the Physician’s quarters when his mother and Gaius were distracted by two knights who had caught fever and a rash the evening before. 

It had taken him a while to get to the market, and he took the long way so that Gaius wouldn’t see him out the window, but it had all been worth it. The market was a kaleidoscope of colours and smells, with vendors hawking wares from stalls draped with the brightest of cloths. 

He moved purposefully, ducking between patrons as he searched for the perfect gift. He had been close to giving up when his eye caught sight of a wooden figurine. It seemed to glow a subtle gold as he approached, and he couldn’t help but be entranced by it. The figure was that of a dragon standing on its hind legs with its wings unfurled. 

It was perfect.

His mother loved telling him tales of dragons and the brave Dragonlords who tamed them. He dug out all the money in his pockets and counted it out, frowning when the man told him he was one silver coin short. 

“M’sorry, Lad,” the man said softly as Merlin pulled his hands back and shoved the coins back in his pocket.

“Thank you,” Merlin muttered as he turned away from the man, tears gathering in his eyes. He began to walk away when a strong hand closed over his shoulder. 

Merlin froze and turned slowly. His eyes traveled up the tall man’s body until he got to his face. Upon recognition, he flinched back. He would have fallen if one of the knights behind him hadn’t caught him. “K-King Uther!” He gave a clumsy bow and kept his eyes trained on the ground, freezing under the man’s scrutiny. He knew he was in big trouble. 

The one major rule his mother and Gaius had was that he was never to be seen by Uther. “Erm, erm…” he bowed again, for lack of knowing what else to do. “Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to get in your way.”

“You weren’t in my way,” Uther said, kneeling down to his height. Merlin fidgeted as Uther studied his face, sharp eyes focusing on his eyes, nose, and lips before flickering to his eyes. His lips tightened into a straight line before he asked, “You were looking at that dragon figurine?”

Merlin’s eyes widened, and looked back at the stall before turning back to the King, “Y-yes, sir. I wasn’t trying to steal it, I swear! I just wanted to get my mommy a gift for her birthday today, but I was one coin short.” Tears welled in his eyes again, and his hands shook as he tried to take deep breaths to calm himself. 

Unable to look Uther in the eye, he looked over the man’s shoulder and gulped audibly when he spotted the pyre that had been used to execute a young woman accused of magic not a day earlier. He clenched his shaking fists to keep his magic at bay and forced his eyes back to the ground.

Uther frowned thoughtfully at him and looked over to the stall with the figurine before he stood, ordering Merlin to stay where he was. Merlin kept his eyes trained on the ground, wondering what punishment he would get for getting in the King’s way when the dragon figurine slid into his blurry peripheral view. 

He sniffed and rubbed his eyes before looking up at the King in disbelief. He took the dragon gently in his hands, his eyebrows knitted tightly together. “I… I,” he placed the dragon under one arm and dug into his pocket for his money, handing it over to Uther. “I can work for the rest,” he said quickly, his cheeks burning red with embarrassment.

Uther gently took Merlin’s hand and pressed the coins back into it, giving his hand a slight squeeze.  “Tell Hunith that I wish her a very Happy Birthday.”

Merlin’s teary eyes, if possible, widened further, “I-I, yes, Sir.” He shoved the coins back into his pocket and hugged the dragon to his chest, bowing deeply. Only when he was walking away did he think he should have asked how Uther knew it was a present for Hunith.

His heart beat wildly in his chest as he tried to put as much space between him and the King as possible. He weaved through the bustling market with the dragon clenched tightly in his hands. Merlin had to get home before he ran into anyone else he wasn’t supposed to.

In his haste, Merlin didn’t notice the figure emerging from a tent to his right until they collided. The impact sent him sprawling on the ground, the figure skidding away from his outstretched hand. 

“Watch where you are going, you idiot!” The voice, despite being young, was sharp and authoritative. 

Merlin groaned and looked up to see none other than Prince Arthur glaring down at him from under his blonde fringe. He scrambled to his feet and brushed dirt from his green tunic. “Sorry,” he muttered distractedly as he searched for the figurine. “I didn’t see you.”

“Clearly,” Arthur stood tall, even at the tender age of nine. He was the very image of princely disdain, his blue eyes cold as he looked down at Merlin. “You should pay more attention. You could have damaged my armor.”

Merlin snorted. The ‘armor’ was a simple child’s chainmail, something even Merlin could afford to buy from any toy stall. “A real tragedy that would be.” His eyes brightened as he spotted the figurine and went to pick it up, examining it for any damage.

Arthur’s eyebrows rose, “Do you always talk back to your betters?”

Merlin looked around, feigning confusion, “I don’t see any of my betters here.” He couldn’t help himself. The Prince was rubbing him the wrong way.

“You insolent—” Arthur began but stopped abruptly, his gaze narrowing on Merlin. “I know you. You’re that boy Gaius is always yelling at, the one that skulks around the grounds.”

“Skulks?” Merlin huffed. “I prefer ‘strategically positioning myself,’ thank you very much.”

“More like strategically causing trouble,” Arthur countered. “Are you the one behind those weird things happening?”

Merlin froze, his hands squeezing the dragon tightly in his hands. “Of course not,” he lied. “Magic is bad,” he said the practiced words with conviction.

Arthur rolled his eyes as if he’d heard that a million times before, which was a high possibility, given who his father was. “Just stay out of my way if you know what’s best for you.”

“Right, wouldn’t want to interrupt your quest for the perfect hair,” Merlin said dryly, rolling his eyes as Arthur caught sight of himself in a puddle and was fixing his hair in his reflection. 

Arthur’s eyes shot up to his, and his jaw tightened. “You’re impossible.”

“I can’t be impossible. I exist,” Merlin shot back with a grin.

“I am the Prince of Camelot. You will show me some respect!” Arthur's voice was sharp, his fists clenching at his sides.

Merlin raised an eyebrow. “Respect? Is that what they call it when you demand people bow down to your royal highness?”

Arthur stepped closer until his nose was practically pressed against Merlin’s. “You would be wise to watch your mouth.”

“Or what? You will have Daddy throw me in the stocks?” Merlin shrugged, “I wouldn’t mind. It faces the flowers, and they’re so pretty.” 

Arthur opened his mouth to retort but then paused, studying Merlin. A flicker of something else crossed his features for a moment—was it amusement? “You’re… so weird.” 

“Arthur!”

“Goodbye, Prince Arthur.” He scurried out of the way as Arthur grabbed him, cackling as he went. 

Once he was a safe distance away, he stopped beside a house and looked behind him. He watched as Arthur walked towards his father, and he, too, stopped to turn back.

~o0o~

 Merlin’s footsteps echoed against the stone floors of the Library as he moved through the towering shelves, searing for the book Gaius had sent him to find. The air was thick with the scene of parchment, ink, and leather, and dust particles danced in front of his eyes in the morning's rising sun. 

“Stupid text…”

Merlin stopped at the corner of an aisle and peered around the corner. Prince Arthur was hunched over a hefty tome, muttering to himself. His brow was furrowed in concentration while his lips moved, his finger tracing the words he struggled to read.

He ignored him and continued to the next row, where the medical texts were. He looked for the red leather-bound book with a frown. When he noticed it wasn’t on the bottom four shelves, he began to scan the upper levels of the shelves. And there, about a meter and a half above his head, was the book that he needed. “Of course,” he muttered and looked around. 

There were several scribes sitting at a table in eye line, and he knew Arthur was by the shelves in front of the one he stood at. Then there was Geoffery, who tended to wander through the Library without rhyme or reason. He’d have to do it the old-fashioned way. 

He grimaced as he gripped the dusty shelf above his head and pulled himself up, his fingers slipping on the thick grime coating it. He tried again, this time knocking several books off the shelf and falling onto the floor. 

“SHH!”

He glowered at the scribe glaring at him and jumped to his feet, wiping his sweaty, dirty hands on his breeches. He took a deep breath and tried again but struggled to get a solid foothold on the cluttered shelves, his feet continuing to slip on the accumulated dust and items. 

“What are you doing?”

Merlin gasped as he lost his balance one shelf away from the book he needed; he closed his eyes as he made contact with the person below him, sending both of them falling to the floor with a loud crashing sound, throwing up a cloud of dust which was sucked deep into their lungs, causing the both of them to cough and sputter. 

“Get off me!” Arthur growled, shoving Merlin off him. He coughed some more as he stepped up and brushed himself off. “What do you think you were doing up there!?”

Merlin winced and held his arm to his chest as he struggled to his feet. “I was getting a book for Gaius.” He tried to straighten his arm and grimaced, causing Arthur’s eyes to widen.

“Did you break your arm?”

“Probably just sprained it. I’d be crying if it was broken,” Merlin admitted as he took the long red scarf off his neck and twisted it into a makeshift arm sling like he had seen Gaius and his mother do many times before. 

Arthur scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest, “That is what you get for being an idiot. There’s a ladder on the other side that you could have used.” He raised an eyebrow at Merlin before disappearing and reappearing with the sliding ladder, waving his hand at it. “See?”

Merlin scowled and watched as the Prince slid it over to where he needed it, “Yeah, I see it.” He gripped onto the side and hoisted himself up, shaking slightly from his tentative hold on the ladder. “... Thanks.”

“Oh, my god,” Arthur muttered, pulling Merlin down to take his place. “What book do you need?”

“I don’t need your help,” Merlin said stubbornly.

“I have to get back to my studies, and if we keep it up, Geoffery will throw us both out. Now, which book is it?” 

Merlin sighed heavily, “The red leather one, up there.” 

Arthur quickly fetched the book and handed it to him, glancing curiously at the title. “C-ca-nons Lie bra Med ci nae.” he scowled as he stumbled over the words, “Here, take the stupid thing. I have work to do.” 

“Canonis Liber Medicinae,” Merlin corrected smoothly, accepting the book in his uninjured hand. “It means the ‘Canon of Medicine’.”

Arthur was already walking away, “I don’t care.” 

Merlin, unable to help himself, followed Arthur back to his table. “Can you not read? How is that possible? You’re a prince! I’ve been reading for two years already, and you’re three years older than me!”

“S-shut up!” Arthur’s face burned red with embarrassment. “I have much more important things to do than sit on my butt all day and learn to read and write, unlike some people.”

“Yeah, because that's exactly what we all want in a future king—an illiterate,” Merlin said dryly, waving the book in his hand. “Thanks, I guess.” He glanced at the book on Arthur’s table and recognized the story Arthur was working on. “That’s a good story. I’ve read it loads of times.”

Arthur growled and picked up his quill, hurling it at a cackling Merlin as he fled from him.

“Idiot,” Arthur muttered, sinking back into his chair and resting his head on his folded arms.

~o0o~

A week later, Merlin was back in the Library, not because of an errand for Gaius, but to spy on Arthur. He was standing an aisle away, pretending to examine the spine of a book while he listened to Arthur’s muffled sounds of frustration. 

He sighed heavily and put the book back on the shelf, shaking his head. He felt terrible for the other boy; from the sounds of it, he was still on the story he had been reading the previous week. 

Merlin slid into the chair across from Arthur, kneeling to see across the table. “Do you need help?” He asked, cocking his head to the side to better see Arthur’s face.

“Go away,” Arthur snapped without looking up, his voice laced with embarrassment. “I don’t need help from a peasant.”

“Okay,” Merlin shrugged and jumped off the chair. He returned to where he knew there were several copies of Aesop’s Fables and pulled one from the shelf, flipping through its pages. “A Lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws. “ Merlin paused as he listened to the muffled sounds of stifled vexation that continued from Arthur. “A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across—”

Realizing that Arthur would not ask him for help, Merlin sighed and returned the book before flopping onto the chair beside Arthur.

“Look,” Merlin said, pulling the book toward him with a gentle tug. “It’s really not that hard once you get the hang of it.” He pointed at the first two words, enunciating them slowly and clearly. “The Gnat. See? You start with the letters and sound them out.”

Arthur eyed him with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. He sat silently glaring at Merlin for what felt like minutes, his shoulders tense as he stared down the other boy. However, Merlin merely smiled softly at him, and Arthur soon relaxed. “But Gnat sounds like Nat, not g-nat like it’s spelt!” 

“It can be confusing at times. Our language comes from a mix of different ones, so the rules sometimes don’t make much sense…” Merlin scrunched his nose, “At least, that is what Mommy says.”

Arthur sighed before looking over his shoulder and leaning in close to Merlin. “Fine, you can help me,” he conceded, his voice barely above a whisper. “But if you were to tell anyone about this…”

“Who would I tell?” Merlin said with a giggle. “Who would believe me if I said that Prince Arthur couldn’t read and needed my help to teach him?”

For the first time, a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Arthur’s mouth, and the tension between them began to lessen. Together, they bent over the book, and under Merlin’s subtle guidance, Arthur began to stumble less and less with each new sentence. 

And if Merlin had forgotten that he had snuck out and needed to be back before Gaius and his mother had returned from the lower town and was subsequently grounded from leaving the Physician’s chambers for the next week, well, it was worth it. 

~o0o~

The following weeks found Arthur and Merlin huddled in a corner of the Library. Heads pressed together as they poured over Arthur’s study books. Merlin had also taken to the habit of bringing his own study books to get some of his work done. If one were to listen in, one would hear the sound of hushed voices and the occasional giggle as Merlin walked Arthur through the finger points of literacy. 

“Try again; go slower,” Merlin encouraged, leaning on his elbows, half his body on the table, as he looked at the book Arthur was reading from. 

“Knight… hood,” Arthur pronounced carefully, and with a triumphant lift of his chin, he looked to Merlin for approval.

“Put it together, knighthood,” Merlin corrected gently, his eyes shining brightly as he looked at the other boy. “You’re getting better! Soon, you’ll be able to read all the stories people will write about your adventures!”

Arthur grunted, a small smile on his face. “I guess I have you to thank.”

“You thanking a commoner?” Merlin quipped, his smile turning into a full-on grin.

“You’re right. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Arthur retorted, but the warmth in his voice belayed his words.

Their tutoring sessions became an unspoken routine, but they didn’t confine themselves to the dim candlelit library. Outside, under the vast blue sky, their friendship continued to flourish. 

After they would study in the Library, Merlin would follow Arthur to the training grounds. He would watch, eyes wide with wonder, as Arthur and the other junior knights went through their rounds. He’d cheer when Arthur would get the better of his opponent and run over to him in worry when he didn’t, although he wasn’t above playful ribbing when the occasion called for it. At the end of Arthur’s drills, Merlin would be there with a giant smile and water for the sweat-soaked prince. They would sit together and watch as the older knights trained, their laughter mingling with the metallic armor ring as the knights practiced.

“Could you imagine me in all of that?” Merlin asked one day, gesturing to the knights. “I’d probably fall over from just trying to lift the sword.”

Arthur snorted, “You’d fall over from just the chainmail. If you had a sword, you’d probably wind up skewering yourself.”

“Ha-ha, you’re so funny,” Merlin replied with a roll of his large eyes. But he frowned, his gaze lingering on the knights. He might not be able to be a knight, but he did wish he could learn a way to protect everyone without the danger of exposing his magic. A wistful expression crossed his face before he shook it away.

When the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the castle grounds, Arthur and Merlin found themselves playing hide and seek among the hedges and statues. Merlin would cheat, using his magic to rustle the bushes or create a whisper of wind, consistently leading Arthur in the wrong direction. 

“Got you!” Arthur shouted triumphantly when he finally discovered Merlin, jumping on the boy’s back and wrestling him to the floor. 

Merlin elbowed him off and jumped back onto his feet, “Maybe next time you’ll be able to find me before my sneeze gives me away.” 

“I was buying you time,” Arthur said with a huff and the crossing of his arms over his chest. “Next time, I won’t go so easy on you!”

“If you say so, sire,” Merlin said mockingly before squealing and dodging Arthur’s grabbing hands. “Come on, one more round. I’ll even let you prove how ‘easy’ you were going on me.” 

Merlin's laughter filled the garden, a sound as bright and mischievous as the twinkling stars beginning to emerge in the deepening blue of the evening sky. He darted behind a grand statue of Camelot's founder, his breaths quick and light, his heart pounding with the exhilaration of innocent play and newfound friendship.

“Come on, Merlin! I know you are using your tricks again!” Arthur’s voice carried an edge of feigned annoyance, but the laughter in his voice was unmistakable. 

“Tricks? Me?” Merlin called back, peeking out from behind the marble statue. “I’m just being resourceful.”

“Resourceful,” Arthur repeated dryly, although his lips curled into a reluctant smile. “I will figure out what you are doing.”

“Good luck with that,” Merlin muttered, a silent incantation slipping past his lips, causing a nearby shrub to rustle. 

"Ha! There you are!" With a triumphant shout, Arthur lunged towards the sound, only to find his hands grasping at empty air while Merlin slipped away once more, chuckling at the prince's expense.

They ended their game as the dinner bell rang through the castle, both breathless and flushed from laughter as they slowly made their way up the castle steps. 

“Another win for me, then?” Merlin quipped, a playful gleam in his eyes.

“Only because you are as slippery as an eel,” Arthur said with a scoff. “Seriously, Merlin. I will find out you one day.”

“Maybe,” Merlin conceded, his gaze turning toward the horizon where the fields of barley and rye swayed in the breeze. 

“Definitely. You’re too much of an idiot to keep it secret for much longer, whatever it is.” Arthur grabbed Merlin around the neck and pressed his knuckles to his head, making the younger boy squeal. As they ran through the corridors, their shared laughter echoed off the ancient stones, a harbinger of the adventures yet to come.

Part Three

[ask-de-writer]

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK

@wind-the-mama-cat for READING, LIKING

and REBLOGGING

THE FALL OF OAKENFIELD UNIVERSITY

Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of 7

Clasical Fantasy

[yarnnerdally]

So I'm finally writing part 2 of something I said I was going to do ages ago.

Any guesses? :3

[egophiliac]

this is the moment that broke me

[hinamie]

I don't want to regret the way I lived

[ohmyglobwhatthefrickamievendoing]

The fact that izzy apparently just hangs out in stede's room doing his own thing is so funny because what's he gonna do when stede&ed start fucking?? they're gonna have to lock him out of the bedroom like the family dog that's yowling at the door

[thevoidstaredback]

How To Balance Your Daytime and Nighttime Activities So That You Don't Burn Yourself Out More Than You Already Have

It had been a long few minutes since he'd opened the door and there were a lot of questions running through Dick's head. Most pressing of which was how this kid seems to have information he should not have.

"How did you..?" he asked, but the words wouldn't leave completely. There's so much he wants to know, so much he wants to ask.

"How do I what?" Danny tilted his head like the child he seems to be is.

"How do you know?" Dick knows he sounds weak. There's no hiding that, but there are a lot of implications in what the kid has said so far and none of it is painting a very happy picture for him.

"Oh!" Danny had the audacity to smile, "You want to know how I know you moonlight as a vigilante!" And of course he knows. Dick knows he knows, but he'd held a little bit of hope that the child Danny was mistaken. Danny's smile softened a bit as he explained, "Your hair and voice match up in both jobs almost perfectly. Not to mention your build and how you hold yourself. There's also the matter of your overall vibes, but that's not something living beings can normally pick up on." Excuse him? "Well, not living humans, at least, so no worries on that end!"

"Excuse me?" Dick was fairly sure his heart just stopped beating for a moment there.

"Anyway, I was a hero back home for a while, too. I know what it's like to have to walk the tightrope between maintaining a civilian cover and a hero persona. I know how it feels to have to keep secrets from everyone because anyone who knows will be in danger." he rambled, Though, admittedly, our circumstances are quite different. I was working as a hero all hours of the day as well as going to school. You only have to worry about properly balancing between day and night jobs. Either way, me having more to bounce between just makes me al the more qualified to help you!"

Oh. Oh he did not like that. He didn't like a single thing that just came out of the kid's mouth. Because that's what he is, a kid. "Are you...Are you alright?"

"Not in the slightest," Danny admitted with an even smaller smile. Then, it brightened, not quite to a grin, but to something similar, "But I'm here to make sure you are."

He gets points for being honest, but Dick felt his heart shatter. He knew for a fact that he'd never worked with this kid before. He also knew that the Justice League didn't know about him. If they did, he would've been picked up and dropped with either the Young Justice team or the Titans.

Dick wasn't going to ask why he became a hero because that's not his place. It's more of a 'third mission with the team' kind of questions, anyway. Most of the heroes didn't have many options when they took up the mantle. Asking what Danny can do is a more appropriate question, but he wasn't going to ask that, either.

"Now that that's out of the way," Danny turned a few pages from the table of contents to another one that was topped with 'Why Sleep Scheduling Is Important' in the blue glitter pen that Dick was starting to suspect he favored. "You're not getting enough sleep. Following you around - no one's been able to find me for a while, so don't worry about that - for the last two weeks has given me some really worrisome information on you."

Dick was worrying. He was worrying a lot and even more questions were coming to the forefront of his mind.

"Your dayjob is as an officer on the Bludhaven Police Force, or BPD for short." He was looking over the page he'd turned to very aptly and Dick realized that the kid had notes written on him. "The average hours per week for police across the country is forty hours. Gotham and Bludhaven are the exceptions. As a member of the BPD, you work a solid two days and two hours. Six nights a week, you work as Nightwing from eight in the evening to three in the morning. The last day, you take off, which is good. No deserable pattern, so good on you for that. Regardless, that's seven hour nights and ten hour days, with one day off and one day on call as an officer. Seven hours are now left in your day for personal time, eating, and sleeping. That's not a healthy way to live."

Oh, god, the kid had honest to god notes on him! What the hell!

Danny didn't even skip a beat as he pulled Dick's attention back to him and his binder. "I've drawn up a schedule for you to follow." The back of the page had a meticulously drawn schedule, complete with blocks of time to eat, sleep, work both jobs, travel, personal time, and still have a bit extra left over. It was titled 'Ideal End Result' in green marker. "Drastic changes right away will only affect you negatively, so we're starting off smaller." The next page over had another schedule titled 'Where To Begin'. "I've only pulled one hour from your Nightwing hours because I know important that time is to you and the city. I am, however, going to be having you submit an appeal to your boss to cut back your hours from fifty a week to forty a week. That way, you'll only be working eight hours a day and not ten. You'll still be on call for one day, and you'll have that last day off. Altogether, you'll be going be going from working seventeen hours a day to fourteen hours a day. Nine in the morning to five in the afternoon, and eight in the evening to two in the morning. Not including breaks at work or travel time. It opens up a few more hours for you to sleep!"

"You really think the chief is going to pull back my hours?" Dick raised an eyebrow in question.

"He will if he knows what's good for him."

"You know I can arrest you for that threat, right?"

"Yeah, but you won't." And, damn it, he's right.

Although, there was now another thing he had to know. "How to you plan on enforcing this schedule of yours?"

Danny seemed to have been waiting for this. He got a gleam in his eye as he pulled a black folder from his bag, not breaking eye contact with Dick. He placed it on the table and pushed it across. "Congratulations, it's a boy."

Part 1 Part 3

[oriixxc]

I trust you won't kill me.

and if you do, then I've gotten sloppy and probably have it coming.

🔗Twitter

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Lan Wangji Goes To Lotus Pier AU: Part 3: Enveloping Feelings.

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 4)

[tartppola]

very specific au thought, silver if he was the shield instead ( read the tags to see explanations )

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

book 7 part 12 thoughts! (dec 9th update)

***THIS POST CONTAINS MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR BOOK 7 PART 12 OF THE MAIN STORY!!*** This spans part 227 to part 244, focusing on Cater and Deuce.

We will get the other 3 Heartslabyul boys in 2 future updates. The second part is Ace, then Trey. Riddle is last!

Please note: this is NOT meant to be a summary or a translation; these are only my initial thoughts on the events that roughly unfold. There may be details overlooked or misunderstood in this post, so PLEASE do not use this as a translation.

We land in what seems to be a hallway at NRC. Unfortunately for me (who seeks vengeance against a certain lion for emotional damages), Leona provides no funny reaction to the bumpy travel while dream hopping. He even makes fun of those who had a hard time, calling them weak if something like that gets to them 💀 YOU'RE ALREADY ON FUCKING THIN ICE, KINGSCHOLAR

Grim gets distracted by the smell of lunchtime so he scampers off to the cafeteria to eat! But... um!??!?! Scarabia mobs in mohawks get aggressive with us.

Before they wail on us, who should appear but the owner of the dream, Deuce!! Our guy has blonde hair (it's a Japanese trope that delinquents bleach their hair). He intimidates the mobs away with some backup from dream!Trey and dream!Cater, who still appear to maintain their vice dorm leader and "#3 in Heartslabyul" positions, respectively. Sounds like Riddle is still the dorm leader as well.

Deuce, Trey, and Cater spot Leona and kind of start picking a fight with him???? They say that if Ramshackle has been taken over/absorbed by Savanaclaw, then there will be problems (or something to that effect). (SORRY, THE DIALOGUE IS SO WEIRD AND FULL OF TERMS I DON'T UNDERSTAND CUZ EVERYONE'S SOUNDING LIKE A DELINQUENTTO SOME CAPACITY)

Cute detail: it's stated that Yuu is typically seen with Ace and Deuce! So even in the world of Deuce's dream... he still thinks about their friendship!!

Leona (and Ortho), actually Being Smart, backs off and lets Deuce take Yuu + Grim over to the Heartslabyul table to eat (even though Sebek gets mad about it). Leona tells the others it's better to observe the enemy first, then demands that Idia find a way for him to listen into the conversation Yuu + Grim are having with Heartslabyul. Luckily, Idia is able to hook them up aaaaand...

We get sort of a reinactment of that part in book 1 where Trey explains the 7 dorms at NRC to us, except this time Deuce is dropping the lore in a really bombastic way.

ALRIGHT, SO. In Deuce's dream, the 7 dorms are still the same as they are irl but each dorm sort of functions like its own... gang????? And there are daily gang wars to use the facilities at school. Certain dorms rule over certain territories, and if you want to go there or do something specific then you have to beat a member of the respective dorm in a battle. Rach dorm has a suuuuper over-embellished title... THIS FEELS LIKE SOMETHING STRAIGHT OUT OF A DELINQUENT MANGA (I also want to add that the devs chose the most unhinged expressions in each character's repertoire for the following visuals:)

Heartslabyul is centered in the library; you need to pass them to borrow books.

Savanaclaw owns the botanical garden (LOL BECAUSE LEONA'S ALWAYS FUCKING NAPPING THERE *flashbacks to the time he almost kicked our shit in for stepping on his tail*). If you want any herbs or other items from the greenhouse, you need to go through Savanaclaw.

Octavinelle is in charge of the area bordering Ramshackle, around where the Mystery Shop is. Sam has apparently signed a deal with them to have his store there. You can avoid a fight with them if you pay a "toll".

Scarabia is considered moderate compared to the other dorms, but they're serious about food, as they reign over the cafeteria, as well as places on campus that produce food/ingredients, like the windmill and chicken coops. It'll be hard for you to take the Master Chef course if you aren't comfortable with constantly pummeling Scarabia kids.

Pomefiore handles the courtyard and the potionology/alchemy labs. If you have to do a makeup lesson in that department, be prepared to contend with them.

Ignihyde students usually don't come out of their territory, which is the auditorium and infirmary. hbfbyoadfadfpfas DEUCE SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS THAT ORTHO IS A NEW MEMBER AND THAT HE'S LIKE A FIERCE GUARD DOG 😭😭😭

Finally, Diasomnia has hold of the coliseum and stables. They are considered the toughest dorm and command respect, otherwise lightning will fly.

Ramshackle is basically Switzerland (ie neutral territory); the ownership is not determined by fighting but rather is determined by the headmaster. (We got no cool visual, lol)

Leona and co. try to think about ways to wake Deuce up... Since fighting seems like an everyday thing in this dream, maybe we have no choice but to go with a physical blow...? But if fighting is so normalized, maybe that wouldn't work... Plus, there are so many faces that the darkness has taken on, so it would be hard to overpower them all. They also discuss their own impressions of Deuce (ie how he looks/tries to present as an honors student versus his efforts and suspected "bad" background). In this dream, Deuce is apparently considered a top performer based on his contributions to the uh student gang wars 💀

A Heartslabyul mob rushes in and reports to Riddle that Octavinelle students are invading the library. Riddle sends Adeuce to clean up and they have this really shounen manga-esque battle where the Octa mobs call Ace and Deuce by long nicknames and Deuce even lets out an ORAORAORAORAOROARAOROAROA!!

A bunch of books are chucked around in the ensuing battle, which causes Sebek to literally FALL TO HIS KNEES and check on them. He laments that they've been damaged and is very upset by this. However, Sebek becomes truly ENRAGED when he actually opens a book and notices its contents are faulty. Like the spelling is screwed up, the pages are blank, or the writing that's there is hard to read. Sebek concludes that the contents of the books are fucked because the dreamer, Deuce, has not read these materials himself to understand them. AND DEUCE DARES TO CALL HIMSELF AN ASPIRING HONORS STUDENT???! SEBEK WON'T STAND FOR IT!!

... This fucking green haired fool shouts at Deuce and provokes a fight by shaming him 🤡 LMAO, Sebek calls the books just papers bound by a cover, IT CANNOT BE CALLED A BOOK!! He tells Adeuce to READ the damn books and then hit each other with the knowledge they gain from reading... OKAY NERD

They open up a book that should list the rules of the Queen of Hearts, but because so much of the book is blank, only like a handful of rules are written down. Deuce says that's not correct, there are WAY more rules--in fact, 810 of them! This starts to wake him up, but dream!Ace becomes darkness and tries to convince Deuce that, at NRC, only strength matters so he doesn't need to study to get to be an "honors student".

HJBAHJBAFSBHDSAHBAS HLAFHL DEUCE STARTS HAVING FLASHBACKS TO ALL THE TIMES ACE FUCKING BULLIED HIM AND DEUCE LEGITIMATELY GETS SO MAD HE FULLY WAKES UP

Wait, this is so sweet 😭😭😭 The image that Deuce has in his mind right before he wakes is his and Ace's reunion with Yuu and Grim at the end of book 6...

Deuce joins us to beat back dream!Ace. Of course Ace isn't this one, the real Ace is way more insensitive and annoying!!

Deuce starts to sort of talk down to himself. He says if his dream turned out like this, then there must have always been a part of him that "wants" to solve everything with his fists. Ortho comforts Deuce by saying that though Malleus's dream is created based on a person's desires, the output can be highly variable depending on the individual.

Sebek starts scolding Deuce again for not reading books in their entirety, and they discover one book that seems to have more information than the others. "The Story of the Trump Soldier" is a famous children's book in the Queendom of Roses, containing short stories about the Trump Card soldiers that serve the Queen of Hearts. Deuce says that he has always admired those soldiers and how cool they are, especially when they chase lawbreakers through the rose maze!

AWWWWW Deuce would beg his mom to read this book to him when he was little.. and when he finally learned how to read himself, he'd read and reread the book from front to cover. WDBHLYOIDFFIADIADF WAIT WHY IS THIS ACTUALLY SO CUTE... OTL

Deuce wants to continue reading where he left off and Sebek says the ideal way to read is in quiet so you can focus on the words. ASBHBLSAIHIDBASSD THEY CRACK A JOKE ABOUT HOW SEBEK ONLY EVER SHUTS UP WHEN HE'S READING...

Sebek seems to demonstrate genuine interest in what Deuce reads. I half anticipated him to follow up with an insult, but Sebek is actually very mindful about different reading levels. He even makes a comment that a simple children's book such as this is able to be the start of someone's love for literature, that it can still have the power to move someone as it does Deuce. That's honestly really powerful.

They then get into a conversation about picking books for each other; Sebek suggests that Deuce pick out an easy book for Yuu and Grim to read sometime. We also learn that Sebek would do this for Silver, but that Silver would get sleepy and never fully finish Sebek's recommendations. Deuce has this nice line where he goes "Even if these books are empty now, someday they will be filled", expressing his desire to become that honors student ideal for real and not just superficially.

Guys, I'm glad you like reading (I like reading too) but now is REALLY not the time for it... 🤡 The moment's cute and all (and it definitely feeds into Sebek's character arc about opening up to non-fae), yet it still feels weirdly placed to have so much casual banter when everyone knows what's at stake.

aiuaidbadab Sebek says that he will check out "The Story of the Trump Soldier" when he's out of the dream world... which is so sweet, right up until he transitions into mocking people who don't understand the emotional value of books. Silver apologizes to Deuce for Sebek's attitude and they prepare to hop into the next dream.

But wait! Where's Leona...?

... BRO WAS NAPPING ON SOME LIBRARY CHAIRS WHILE EVERYONE ELSE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE JOYS OF LITERATURE 🤡 ASJVUFEOVEOQIVib;WBIEQTOIPfwpib He finally wakes up with a stupid hot yawn and asks if they're done with their errands.

Okay, NOW we're ready for the next dream. Off we go!

We land in front of Heartslabyul dorm.

OH LORD Grim's gonna be fried up and eaten, I swear... Leona gets mad at him for clinging to his necklace while they fall out of the sky. Grim claims he didn't notice it was Leona because his hair was all over the place (Grim just grabbed what was close to him), and that leads to Leona filing a complaint to the manager (Idia). "Oi, daikon radish sprout! Make travel more convenient for me." Idia refuses, claiming he's too busy and that since travel only takes a moment, Leona can suck it up. He also has the BALLS to say Leona shouldn't pull a selfish second prince move ,adbilbiodsbiasdi AND THEN LEONA GOES HE HAS SOME CHOICE WORDS FOR HIM NEXT TIME THEY MEET FACE TO FACE, YANNO?????? Omg guys... the girlies are FIGHTING...

On the other hand, Deuce LOVED dream hopping. The wind in his face is even better than what he experiences when he rides a magical wheel. Even if he can't control where he's going while falling, he really liked the rush.

Up comes dream!Ace. He asks if Leona's over for tea or something, which makes me laugh a little because even though Leona knows how to act all proper, he LOATHES actually doing it. Anyway, Ace says that there was a Magicam notif about an urgent matter, so they're going to hold a trial. Deuce is confused that such an important announcement would be made via social media, then tells Ace off for not being in dorm uniform for the trial. Deuce also says that students from other dorms are NOT allowed to be present for trials since they're one of Heartslabyul's most sacred traditions. Riddle would behead you so fast! ... Which confuses Ace. SO YEAH FELLAS, I THINK DORM LEADER!CATER IS CONFIRMED...

Ace leaves for the trial, with Deuce chasing after him. The rest of us decide to go after them, since all the Heartslabyul students would be gathered at the trial and it will be easier to determine who the dreamer is.

But up comes... Deuce?! This must be the dream! or NPC Deuce. So we decide to deal with him early and get him out of the picture. He doesn't revert to darkness at any point, so we speculate that this is because we haven't run into the dreamer yet, or maybe because the darkness has yet to register us as a threat to the dream's stability. In any case, we tie up dream!Deuce so he doesn't interfere!

To the courtroom we go! I think it's the first time we've seen this asset...?

It's very lively inside, some students aren't in dorm uniform though.

OH MY GOOOOOD dream!Riddle is a regular ol' student now. Interestingly, he's got a little red heart as his card suit. It's a similar color and placement to Cater's diamond mark, but he shares the same suit as Ace. sdhlbabiyfaio AND HE'S NOT WARING HIS DORM UNIFORM, HE'S BREAKING A DARN RULE HIMSELF

(Trey is still vice dorm leader!)

The courtroom doors open and someone zooms in on a skateboard! It's Cater, the Heartslabyul dorm leader and our resident dreamer.

He is surprised to see students from other dorms present, especially Leona. ADBKHLADBILADBSI LEOAN LIES HIS ASS OFF ANS CLAIMS DEUCE INVITED HIM TO TEA AND CATER BELIEVES HIM

Cater takes a selfie with Leona and posts it on Magicam. Dream!Riddle interrupts to let him know the trial is starting 15 minutes late, so Cater apologizes and says they should begin for reals.

Leona and Idia have a brief exchange about dorm leadership. Most students probably want to be dorm leader more than not being dorm leader. They each express their own opinions about their title; Idia doesn't want to live under someone who is incompetent (he thinks highly of his own skills) and Leona just hates the idea of following someone else's lead. Spoken like the duo who don't have vice dorm leaders, eh...

Uuuuh so it looks like the trial is for a mob student that was too afraid of Cater to invite him to a croquet game. Cater decides to skip to the part where he gets mad and commands Riddle to behead the mob. Sebek complains about the lack of actual deliberation, but Cater dismisses it. All that he needs to render a judgment is his anger, right?

Mmm, that's interesting. Cater's being just as strict as Riddle is irl and continues to use Riddle's power as a means to punish others. His reputation is also just as scary as Riddle's is in book 1, and Cater mainly seems to be using his emotions to judge others. So in one way, yeah, Cater is laxer with the rules (he allows other students to join trials, lets people wear the wrong uniforms for important ceremonies, makes announcements via Magicam, etc.) but is still a force to be reckoned with.

Dream!Trey suggests hearing some witness testimony since there are special guests in the audience today. They have Deuce bring up witnesses, so Deuce picks Yuu and Grim. On the stand, we claim we don't know anything and the jury records our statement using their smartphones.

abhldbilasiyasoyfe THSI IS SO DUMB THAT LEONA GAVE UP TRIYNG TO UDNERSTAND THE SITUATION AND PROCEEDS TO NAP 💀

Deuce drags the still sleeping Leona up to testify. Despite being handled so roughly, he doesn't wake up one bit!! Leona mumbles something in his sleep, it's an order to Ruggie about how he wants a deluxe menchi katsu sandwich at noon. Cater announces that this is SUPER important testimony so the mobs hurry to write it down.

Last up is Silver! He's the only one that takes being questioned seriously and answers with sincerity. He is asked where he was and what he was doing at the time the grave offense was committed. Silver says probably enjoying tea in the dorm. Dream!Riddle asks why, is it his unbirthday? To which Silver says his birthday (May 15) is a little further away.

This makes dream!Trey realize it's an unbirthday, so Cater announces they MUST have a party! And... BOOM, the background goes dark with tons of neon light fixtures! Cater demands food (which I guess is the context for his new SSR's initial artwork) and has dream!Riddle DJ FOR HIM??????!?!??!?!???????? 😭OKAY, I did NOT want to side with Kingscholar but I'm afraid I have to this time... This has got to be the most nonsensical dream so far, which I guess is fitting seeing the source material www

Deuce wonders if Cater is dissatisfied with Heartslabyul irl, because the Heartslabyul in the dream seems so different. Leona drops it on us that this is actually the Heartslabyul of the PAST, when the previous dorm leader was in power. Deuce would not know about it because he's a first-year student.

BEFORE ANYONE SAYS "Omg, Cater former dorm leader theory real!!!", the game does NOT confirm this. Leona speaks about the previous dorm leader as if it was another student. He never once names Cater. (Oh, and we learn that Leona challenged his dorm leader for the seat when he was a second-year student.)

Deuce reflects and realizes he never really knew anything about the third years because he never bothered reaching out to them. YES, HERE'S A POWER OF FRIENDSHIP AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL LESSON OTL He also thinks back to book 1 and how not enough strictness (like what they are seeing now) is its own vice, like how too much strictness can also be trouble.

asfuiadofadaefi WHAT THE FUCK

Leona proposes the idea that Trey and Cater are both "using" Riddle. He compares the scenario to how people will bring up a young leader, Riddle, as a pawn in order to overthrow the previous regime (ie the lawless Heartslabyul). Then Trey and Cater become advisors to the new ruler, manipulating him in order to create the kind of country THEY want. It's a tale as old as time. anfbiyoaafiyodgovyqefoiy I HATE HOW MUCH OF A BIG BRAIN MOVE THAT IS...AND OF COURSE FUCKIGN L*ONA OF ALL PEOPLE SAYS IT

The dream!Heartslabyul boys encourage us to eat and drink. Most of us are force fed or pressured into taking a bite/sip, but Leona won’t fall for it. Cater tries to get him to drink mysterious juice from a bottle (does Leona wanna be beheaded?), but bro’s not having it.

Ortho (the one guy who cannot eat) interrupts and reminds everyone that the darkness is trying to lull them back to sleep. We then get the reveal that Trey, Riddle, AND Cater are the darkness, meaning that this Cater is a clone and the real Cater is elsewhere.

Battle time~

Aaaah so Ortho couldn’t identify Cater as a clone because apparently it takes a really strong imagination to make convincing copies??? That, and he comments that Cater sees himself an objective way?? Something, something, because this is a dream, it is hard for Ortho to determine what the true composition of something is.

LOL???? The real Cater barges in, he saw the other Cater’s Magicam post about Leona coming over for tea and got excited about it??? He sees the black sludge everywhere and is sooo confused… It’s literally the meme of the guy walking in with pizza boxes only to find the room on fire 😭

Dream!Riddle is on a rampage and beheading everyone, and THAT triggers Cater to wake up. His own dream fucked up THAT hard.

Deuce is about to be collared but Cater uses Split Card to make a bunch of clones that catch the strays of Riddle’s UM and protect Deuce. This must be the context for his new SSR's groovy!

He and some new clones join us to beat up the darkness! As they’re melting away, dream!Trey and Riddle call out to Cater AND CATER SAYS THEY’RE DISGUSTING, THE REAL TREY AnD rIDDLE QoULD NEEEEVERRR… “Could you please disappear? Bye bye ⭐️”

OH MY GOD 😭 Cater Diamond is not beating the bi allegations… First it was him excitedly running into the courtroom when he saw that LEONA was there, now he’s all like “It’s thrilling to be woken up by the prince”. I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHO THE REAL LIONKISSER IS HERE FOLKS.

zbsnsbiska Cater compliments Idia’s video an says it’s sooo cute 😂 but Idia is not thrilled with that comment.

Cater says that he’s not unhappy with Heartslabyul irl (Deuce’s misunderstanding, ig??). He actually likes the dorm the way it currently is. So I guess Leona's theory about Cater trying to revolutionize Heartslabyul wasn't true after all?? ADFHJAFBUASDUO CATER ROASTS LEONA BY SAYING HE'S NOT THE TYPE TO BE SAYING THAT BECAUSE WASN'T LEONA TRYING TO DO THIS SHIT IN BOOK 2.

ADBILABIYOAOYOIB CATER MOM MODE?????? He scolds Leona and says the Heartslabyul underclassmen are cute because they're stupid and easy to deceive, he doesn't want them to become twisted and gross because of Leona's' poor guidance. THEN CATER CLAIMS HE HIMSELF IS A KIND RELIABLE AND COOL UPPERCLASSMAN THAT WOULD NEVER EVER TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DEUCE... Is this the same guy who fucking tricked us into painting the roses red for him??? THAT Cater??? *stares at him* Leona says no way will Deuce buy that bullshit BUT DEUCE DOES INDEED BUY CATER'S BULLSHIT OTL YOU POOR SWEET SUMMER CHILD...

ADFBHUFSYUOFSOYFEO CATER CALLS SEBEK "SEBEK-CHAN"... This throws him off, because "Sebek-chan" is something his older sister calls him, but when Cater says it, it sends a shiver down his spine!

The group agrees to head to Ace's dream next. Before they depart, Cater seizes this opportunity to take a group selfie~! aberiylaiyladasd Cater wanted to take a pic of his dorm leader outfit as a souvenir, but then he says he also wants to take tons of pics of Leona-kun! (Leona says this feels like harassment adshasd) adshuvoayafeyovifpbiVIYFWPF CATER DIAMOND YOU WON'T FOOL KME, I KNIOW A LIONKISSER EHWN I SEE ONE.

Aaaand we set off to the next leg of our journey! That's it for this update.

Man. I did NOT expect a Deuce and Cater-centric update to be THIS bulky but here we are, I guess 💀

The highlight of Deuce's dream was definitely the part at the end where he shares his favorite book with Sebek. Now, I still got HUGE gripes with the pacing and how the characters continue to waste valuable time chit chatting and hanging around but that aside, I really liked what this moment did for both Deuce and Sebek's characters. We get confirmation that Deuce truly does want to work and study hard to be an honors student--and as for Sebek, we get to see him actually opening up and sharing something he genuinely loves with others. You can tell just how much he values reading; he doesn't dismiss Deuce for reading an "easy" book and sees actual value in it being a jumping point for others to get into other books. He is constantly sharing books he loves with his friend Silver and encourages Deuce to do the same for Yuu and Grim. AND THIS IS FURTHER PROOF THAT SEBEK IS THE BEST B--*is bricked into silence*

Anyway, I'm glad they didn't stop Sebek's character development in Lilia's dream. I'm definitely now getting the sense that Lilia's dream was just the initial "rude awakening" for him when he's confronted with a dose of his own racism thrown back at him. He's not used to his loving grandfather being so vitriolic to him on the basis of his race. And now in more recent updates Sebek is being exposed to the good side of students from other dorms (such as Jack), as well as connecting with them via shared interests (like he is now with Deuce). It's so adorable how Sebek promises he will check out the book Deuce loves so much once he returns to the real world, AHAHHHHHHH H HHHH H H H H H HH H H H H H H H OTL SEBEK-CHAN LEMME SQUISH YOUR CHEEKS MYR PRECIOUS BABY BOI

Something else I appreciated about Deuce's dream is how his friendship with Ace, Yuu, and Grim is made relevant. When he first runs into Yuu and co., he worries that Ramshackle has been absorbed by Savanaclaw and doesn't want to fight his friends. Then when things are cleared up, Deuce still invites Yuu and Grim to come eat with Heartslabyul. He and Ace fight together very well in his own dream--so well, in fact, that it reminds me a lot of how Silver and Sebek are perfectly coordinated with one another when they fought the flowers in GloMasq. It's Deuce's own (loving) anger towards the real Ace that ultimately wakes him up. And you can tell that Deuce places value in his relationship with Ace, Yuu, and Grim by how he acts. AND THEN WHEN HE WAKES UP HE'S THINKING OF THAT TIME WHEN ALL OF US REUNITED... HOW IS THAT NOT SUPPOSED TO MAKE ME TEAR UP A LITTLE...

I thought I wouldn't enjoy Cater's dream, but I actually found it to be very fun! I loved how silly and nonsensical it was; it really tickled my Alice in Wonderland-loving bone. asdvhdvsoidsa I'M SHOCKED AT HOW MUCH WEIRDLY PLACED L*ONA CONTENT THERE WAS IN ACATER'S DREAM OTL I expected him falling asleep to be a gag at some point, and I was right (it happens in both Deuce and Cater's), BUT I WAS NOT EXPECTING CATER TO BE SUCH A LION SIMP, NOR WAS I EXPECTING L*ONA TO MAKE THAT REALLY SMART ANALOGY ABOUT A POTENTIAL HEARTSLABYUL REVOLUTION... **slams an angry fist on the ground** LITERALLY SHAKING SOBBING THROWING UP OVER HERE 🤡

The twist with the real Cater being somewhere else was really interesting, but it's a shame we never got to go deeper with this idea or get exposure to the "real" personality of his. I think there was another missed opportunity (although this would still prolong the pacing problems, lol) with dream!Deuce being taken out so early. I thought for sure that dream!Deuce would escape his binds and interrupt the trial, and then that would lead into a whole Ace Attorney style segment where they try to deduce which Deuce is "real". It would parallel how Cater's UM allows him to make clones, as well as how Cater keeps putting on an act and not showing his true self to others. At the climax of the trial, the OG Cater could make his grand appearance and the rest of his dream could still proceed like the version we really got. I DON'T KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COOL TO SEE... (<- totally biased Ace Attorney fan)

That being said, Cater's dream felt... more geared toward comedy than being serious? And it's not like we haven't had dreams like that before, but it feels especially hollow because we've been waiting SO LONG for him to get more depth, be if exploring his dark side or explaining more of his general inner thoughts. It sucks we didn't get any of that.

Cater's not a character I care for a ton, but I think I saw a side of him today that's pretty funny! He was delivering banger roast after banger roast, especially when he called out Leona for trying to overthrow another regime while accusing him of doing the same. dbiabsiofobiapb Also love that we get a reminder of how underhanded Cater is (something I felt we didn't see outside of book 1 when he tricked Adeuce into doing his chores for him). He fr abuses his status as a "trustworthy" senior and accuses LEONA of corrupting the kids to gain Deuce's support 💀 That scene was so funny, it had me in stitches!

With every new dream, I think I become more and more confused about how these things even work. It feels like they offer a completely contradictory explanation or a new detail to overcomplicate the situation every update, and now I have like NO understanding of anything. What confuses me the most about this update is how BOTH Deuce and Cater claim what we saw in their dreams does not reflect what they actually want. Like... Isn't Deuce ASHAMED of his delinquent era? Doesn't he NOT want to go back to that? Isn't he trying hard to study and to be an honors student irl? That's the opposite of what the dream shows. Yeah, it would be more convenient for Deuce to understand and succeed if everything were decided with strength instead of smarts, but this is still actively NOT what he would want, especially given all the time and effort he sunk into reforming himself. Cater also very explicitly states the has ZERO interest in being dorm leader, so why is it that his dream manifested this way??? I suppose you could say he's lying (because he very much is a liar) and is hiding his true desires?? BUT EVEN THEN THIS DOESN'T MAKE TOTAL SENSE BECAUSE HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN DEUCE OVER THERE??????

So how are these supposed to be their "happiest" dreams????? THIS MAKES NO SENSE and all I'm getting from this (until the writing clarifies) is that the devs didn't actually make the dreams "happy", it's partly this way because they just wanted a convenient excuse to write scenarios that would be interesting for the players to see, such as Leona being king or delinquent Deuce or Savanaclaw Rook or whatever OTL I'm hoping this gets properly explained by the end instead of continuing to flounder and leaving the fans to come up with all the answers for themselves... (I also pray for us to stop wasting time doing nothing while the world is about to end, but given that this is an Important Part of the Pattern, I'm guessing there is no chance this is happening. A BIRD CAN ONLY DREAM.)

Alright, that's all from me. See you next main story update for Ace and Trey's dreams...!

[rottengurlz]

she’s like if the virgin mary smoked a pack of pall malls every day 🚬

[ask-de-writer]

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK

@wind-the-mama-cat for READING, LIKING

and REBLOGGING

THE FALL OF OAKENFIELD UNIVERSITY

Part 2 of 7

Classical Fantasies

[extantodyssey]

tell me how to feel about you now

oh, let me know, do i suffocate or let go?

-

my first time ever making a comic like this! very far from perfect but i’m satisfied

this came about as part of me thinking a lot (too much) about the psychic 7 and their relationships with one another and what those look like/how they develop after the events of the second game

[katsu2ji]

(a few of) my bakugou headcannons!

a/n: this is me coping with the ending of the manga </3 KATSUKI I MISS YOU 😞😞

i think he would much prefer softer music (off the top of my head: keshi, soft radiohead perhaps??, cigarettes after sex, etc.) as opposed to the loud music i often see him paired with—kind of a mix of whatever he likes but mainly lots of soft/chill rnb!!

++ i believe he would be a kendrick fan tbh!!!

i also think he would listen to music A LOT especially when overwhelmed

speaking of which, he gets overwhelmed super easily in social settings—he tends to go quiet when it comes to a group of people, conversing better when one on one (HE JUST LIKE ME FR!!!)

he’s the guy on campus wearing those apple airpod max headphones 24/7; his are black ofc!!

dude is the DRYEST texter ever. he makes you look like you’re begging for your ex back or smth it’s so bad (😭😭)

unless you’re a handful of very specific people, don’t expect a text back for at least a day or two…or whenever he feels like it.

he doesn't carry a bag sometimes and somehow manages to stuff everything in his pockets…his pants sag BAD...

takes his skincare super super seriously and does it every single night without fail. it is a non negotiable for him.

in general he cares about his appearance a lot; not in a self centered or an insecure way, it's just super important to him. if he knows he looks good, then he feels good, which directly impacts his performance in practice/battle—naturally, he has to make sure he's the best looking one there.

he’s a jjk fan!!!

he is the BIGGEST musical hater on the planet QUICK EVERYONE ACT SURPRISED!!!!

he’s SO MEAN when he's hungry like. to the point where you can tell when he's getting there because he just starts going OFF (more than usual, ofc).

he takes his coffee super sweet. he tried to be one of those black coffee guys, but now he just resents them because he can’t stand the taste LMAO also the sugar boost helps his quirk!! that’s the excuse he uses anyway…

aquaphor’s most loyal customer!!! he has at least one on him at all times, even when fighting

he’s super sensitive to smells and you can tell when he’s smelled something he doesn’t like because it’s immediately written all over his face—i’d also say that due to his quirk, he has a fear of constantly smelling bad because of his sweat

katsu2ji © 2024. please don't copy, modify, or do anything of the sort with my work! i work very hard and you simply do not have my permission.

[emosuigetsu]

Today I give you sns toxic doomed yuri